Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. Helen Keller US blind & deaf educator (1880 - 1968)
Kenshin smiled, hanging the laundry in the light. He turned around to empty the water and start on breakfast, knowing full well the gumi would be hungry. He looked up, seeing a still sleepy Wolf holding a cup of coffee and rubbing her eyes. Unbrushed burgundy hair fell raggedy around her head and eyes. Giving the girl a bit more of a look of that of a child. A fresh dark blue gi and a torn pair of light blue jeans was the pick of the day. Kenshin smiled softly the young girl sitting down and sipping her drink. Fallen in love with the smell and energy waking up her body. Wolf blinked once more, seeing her so called teacher doing his chores as he did every morning.
"Wolf when you wake up, chop up the wood." he spoke, smiling at her
She blinked, a bit taken back. "Is that a request?" she asked dry like.
He smiled even more saying" No, it's an order from your master that it is!
She snorted and went on, drinking her coffee, heading for the ax and wood. Muttering in English and so forth about samurai's and having a stick up the ass. Taking up the ax, she brought it down hard. Chopping the wood used it as an out let for her anger at the red head. Yahiko came around the corner, sore and tired from his practice with a busu. He stopped and watched the teen chopping the wood. Her gi thrown to the ground, just a tank top in a black color. An eastern style dragon slide from shoulder to six inches down her arm, red eyes flashing at any dare to come close to it.
Wolf stopped and looked at the pile of wood, more then enough for the day. She sat on the earth, sweat on her face. Still the ache felt good, like a good workout, and all her anger was gone for now. Smells of food greeted her nose and her stomach growled out for the food. Wolf smiled and laided back in the dirt. Wind gentle blowing though the yard and carrying the smell of the sea to her. Times like this made her recall the time she and Ling ran off to her aunt's place on the sea shore. Wolf recalled the vastness of the open water, the starts dancing in the reflection or the dark waters. Ling had sat down in wonder at the sight. A small warm smile on the lips of her now, her heart longing for her friends a bit now. Still, things where not bad here for her.
"Hey " Yahiko spoke "Foods done"
She sat up and stood slowly, steaching out and walking to the dinner room. Sitting down next Yahiko and grabbing a bowl. Both young inhaled the rice and fish. Kaoru and Kenshin blinked, having not yet eaten two bites.
"Is the wood chopped?" Kenshin asked, smiling
Wolf looked up and nodded at his words, once again diving back into the food at hand. Kaoru could only smile at the girl and young boy. Seeing Wolf at the table was a becoming a common thing for the newest gumi member. It even seemed that she was getting along with Kenshin even better this past week. Glaring had gone down and she even did what he asked now and more often then at the start. Any tension had two seemed to being going away. Sill the guilt staked in the man's gazed when glancing at the girl, and even in the teen mirrored that now and then. Kaoru signed as she ate. Watching her two red heads.
Kenshin in turned watched Kaoru, seeing thoughts drop in her eyes like rain. He smiled, loving that one thing about how open she was. Yahiko was much like the same, keeping his goals in the open and running at them with a fierceness of any samurai… Seeing the young boy becoming a man brought warmth in the man like a brother might feel. Even seeing such small changes in the teen brought a smile to his lips all more. In the last few weeks, she was laughing and smiling more with the others, eating meals and helping Yahiko with his chores. Which she now was taking over under Kenshin. Soon he would start her with swings, so she and Yahiko could help out each her.
"Well, this one is of to market. Come on Wolf" Kenshin said
Wolf looked up at the man, a bit of a glare and sat up. Following like a slumping child. Kenshin walked like always with his new shadow not that far behind. He took note of the stares the girl was getting. Turning a bit, he blushed. Wolf was in her tank top and jeans, and her pircesing where back in full, a black hoop in her left eyebrow, and two in the right lob and upper in her top. In the left, a single cross dangled. The black dragon got the most looks from the on lookers, from her cloths to the piercing and tattoo. Kenshin put his face in his hands and breathed. Grabbing he girl, he walked into a back ally. Wolf blinked and looked at the man with a raised brow.
"Um, Wolf….. Your apperanceing is getting attention. "He said a bit blushing
She looked down at herself and laughed a bit. Ya, she stood out in this day and age. Not even trying to cover the moment, she laughed harder. Tears creaking from the corners of her eyes. Kenshin stood a bit blank on what so funny at the moment.
He coughed lightly and pointed at the hoop asking. "Why would you do that to your body?"
She stopped her laughing and pulled at the hoop, making him a little squirmy. Wolf smiled saying "You lived in the war seen dead people, fought all kinds of ememies. And seeing this makes you wiggle a bit Kenshin? Sheeh dude. Anyway, why would I do this? Because if you look at it, my body is the only thing I really own."
Kenshin looked at Wolf, take her words for a moment and nodded. What she spoke was true. His smile broke into the teen's both shareing a moment. She shook her head and said "Ok, let's go back to the dojo and I'll grab a gi"
"No, if this is you, then this one must get use to it!" Kenshin said
She smiled and knobbed, walking back out to the city street. Kenshin shook his head, seeing the amused light in the girl's eyes with the looks she was getting from the Japanese. He walked beside the girl, noticing she had filled out a little more. Yet still looking like 13 …… would be happy knowing she was not the youngest of the girl now. She had been working out, seeing that her arms where back to normal and solid as before. Her whole walk was pure street, many stepping out of her path with out thinking. Wolf carried her self like the samurai of old. Kenshin smiled, wondering what world happen once she gained the skill of one.
Shaping was a bit easier with an anther body around. Handing things to his student. Wolf growled at the haul and muttered in English about things. He would only smile at her and counter on like any other time as before. Her hands and arms had bygone to ache a bit, but she bit her tougher from saying anything.
"Hey, mute is that the only thing you can do?" a drunk voice called out "Maybe should take that little book of yours!"
Wolf stopped, peering into the crowd and seeing her friend …………. Setting the food down, she harried to the group, her eyes narrow to a glare. Worry building for her friend. Kenshin looked back, seeing his student rush off and he signed. Setting down his own load and rushing off.
…… stood, silent, still and keeping calm. Hands would rush out to push him. Fear crossed his delight features but soon a wave of soft hit his eyes. An angry pair of blue ones.
"Picking on someone smaller is sign of crowd ness "a chilled voice toned, freezing the men for a moment. Wolf's smile caused the drunken one to shiver in his skin. Seeing death in such a young face made him step back. "If I where my friends, taking off before the cops show would be a good idea"
One of men nodded and grabs his body. Others following his lead and taking off into the ally. Kenshin stayed back, his face calm and watching the girl talk to mute boy in English as she touched his hand. Gentle, purple specks tracing in the blue. Looking back at the way the men had gone, he watched her face darken. A long figured hand touch hers and mouthed something. Wolf nodded and smiled watching the boy leave and wave back.
"Who was that?" Kenshin asked
"A friend, an artist I meet though old ………" she said, smiling and picking up the shopping and walking away.
He blinked and mouth an oro, grabbing his own bags and thinking for moment. "This one was a bit worried you might fight." he spoke
Wolf shook her head, answering "People like that are all hot air blowing though their ass ends. Just do a hard front and they tend to run away like pups. Its something I learn on the streets in my younger days. "
Kenshin looked at her again, seeing a bit of his old self. Keeping a harden edge at all times was something he had to learn back in the ………. Himself. Most of shopping was left without a word. The two let words fall into the wind. He now and then thought back to how his own master might do something more. Making the small man shake his head on how he lived though all that in his younger years. She could be one the great, along with Yahiko. Kenshin knew Japan would be safe.
Sounds of the dojo meet the ears of the shoppers. Kenshin smiled and shook his head. Wolf bite her cheek to keep from laughing herself.
"Come back here you side ways midget!" Sano yelled
"Only when you speak though your ass Rooster!" was the return
"Both of you shut up!"
"Oh looks who talking, the bottomless pit of a good for nothing busu man like woman!"
"Yahiko get your ass back here so I can beat it!"
"Ya, kid, go to your mamma!"
"Sano you owe me for this week's food!"
Everything was going normal as could be for the gumi. Kenshin opened the gate and still smiled hears more about dinner time and such from Yahiko. Wolf linger a moment more outside, the sea breeze falling into the land and promising a storm that night. Sunlight danced for a moment now and then, coughing the green of the leave. She smiled and walking in, forgetting a trouble lingering in her mind. For now, everything was good and clean.