Chapter 5: Healing of the Soul: A Stranger's Care

Haomaru had walked all the way back to the Spaceport, he found a strange red ship, whose insignia he'd seen before, he told himself just who it was as he had seen the famed Red headed Bounty hunter, and all the rest was a blur in time. Haomaru had introduced himself to Gene, and the moment Gene saw Aisha's wounds he ordered the stranger onto the ship with her. The Outlaw crew had remained much the same over the two year period, even Twilight Suzuka was still traveling with the lot of them. The moment the crew saw Aisha they had rushed to her side, all had noticed the protection that the stranger had towards her, it was agreed that he'd take her to her room and let the crew tend to her wounds with him watching over her; during the time he'd watched the most dangerous of Aisha's strange friends with a firm eye. Suzuka's eye had been on the stranger from the moment he'd entered since she had sensed something, as soon as she'd seen his eye she knew he was a warrior of distinction; from his look to his sword in it's scabbard and that was all she needed to see.

As Melfina oversaw the proper cleaning of her wounds and tending to her damage ridden body, Suzuka provided aid but not without watching the strange feline warrior whom sat calmly to the side and had watched them work. As Suzuka's aid was currently through helping Aisha, she made it her business to know this stranger on the basic level, simple questions were all she needed to find out what, who, and how good he may have been, "So stranger, your name is?" "Haomaru of the Shoreline." Haomaru instinctively gave his title to the Assassin without hesitation; his cool eyes had glanced up to meet her gaze which he noticed held equal tranquility within its own.

"Might I have your name?" "Twilight Suzuka." The statement could have been thunder, he gave a faint bow of his head to her, he was acknowledging her as a warrior, he knew of her accomplishments and why she was named 'Twilight' at the prefix of her name, "It is an honor to meet you Twilight Suzuka, your name is not without its merit as you are well known on my world." He left no more than a soft smile and didn't say anymore. Suzuka had given him a light nod in turn before she had left the room, to think on how the stranger carried himself while Haomaru had returned to watching over Aisha as Melfina and the others had finished up.

"Well she'll be okay now; her wounds weren't too bad thanks to the plant life you utilized on her wounds, thank you." He gave a soft smile and nodded to her, "The pleasure was mine to do so for my traveling companion, as is the honor of meeting the outlaw star and its famous crew." Melfina gave a small smile, "Well just let her rest now, she'll be fine come tomorrow, her wounds will likely to have healed by then.

As he watched over Aisha's resting form he had smiled gently and stroked a finger along the side of her hair as he whispered to her gently, "As pretty as a Tiger Lily, hiding amongst your relative yet timid Water Lilies; so much ferociousness hinted with danger." He drew back as he instinctively felt her stir, he was certain that she would be getting up on her own son. He returned to the corner and had sat down as he had looked at her, suppressing his feelings towards her he knew that it wouldn't happen. This wasn't any such of a time, and she far too fierce even for he, so his mind had told himself finitely. He shut his eyes and had let the time pass him by, as he remained in a deep restful meditation; both on thought of the end battle and to allow his chi to restore as he had let his body and mind rest, at times meditation could be better than even sleep could be for faster recovery.

Aisha awakened in a soft bed, she sniffed the air and had recognized it, it was her old room on…it couldn't have been, the Outlaw Star? It was she knew the scent so well; it had been what lingered in her mind even while she was working in the café/restaurant. She gave off a soft weak groan as she tried to move, she heard a voice speaking softly,

"You should lay still, you're incredible at recovery Aisha, but the pain doesn't leave one from your wounds just so easily." Haomaru had been sitting across the room from her, shining that blade, that strange sword she'd seen him use against the Pseudo King. Aisha smiled softly at the sight of her friend, she had to admit he was reliable at least, "Haomaru...who are you?" She said this as he had set the blade in his lap and curled up the cloth.

"Aisha, that is a very leading question to ask and I will answer if you are interested in truly knowing. But I say, ask yourself for that moment is it what your after?" she gave a soft confused look at the feline warrior and had given off a soft grumble. "Confuse people much? Just tell me alright?" she wasn't in the mood for dealing with confusion right now, the most important thing to her was getting to know her new friend; that was true wasn't it? He was now her friend and she felt that small connection to him, it was something that felt nice.

"Well I will not keep you from know that you are seeking, as you may have heard me speak before I am Haomaru of the Shoreline Blade." She nodded faintly and looked at him, "What's that mean, this 'of the Shoreline blade' stuff?" he gave a soft smile at her and gladly explained such, "It means my family's sword style becomes one with my name. My family's generated style of sword art is the Shoreline Blade style; it's our way of thanking nature for her contributions to the fruition of our lives." Aisha once more gave a light nod, she understood what he meant since the C'tarls themselves had respected nature greatly in their fighting skills. "I come from a long line of Samurai who traditionally become one with their sword styles over time and make use of them for the betterment of their lives and those around them. We use the sword to try to curve the very essence of time into something more pleasant."

Aisha gave another nod before grinning lightly, "So Self-righteous people who devote their lives to an ancient art in order to provide for the universe we live in?" Haomaru chuckled at her modernization of the description he gave her, "In a nutshell as I've heard the saying spoken." She sat up and had given him a light smile, "Come here." She stated firmly to him, this rousing a rise of his brow, "Hmm? What is it?" Aisha gave him a skeptical glance and growled a little, "Come here, do I have to spell it out for you?" Haomaru had shrugged and made his way to the bed from the far wall of the room, he sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her, "What is it?" he was soon answered as she curled her arms around him and drew him closer; he realized that she was hugging him and was astounded at the moment.

Aisha saw the look of amazement in his eyes and was insulted by it; she drew back a little and demanded, "What? You think I'm getting soft or something? This doesn't mean anything, I'm just thanking you is that wrong or what? Wh-" she was cut off by a gentle return of the hug from him, he was smiling at her as he gave her shoulder a light nuzzle with his nose; this made her roll her eyes at him, "Alright, let's not get too mushy alright? I do mean it when I say thank you Haomaru, you respected me enough not to come riding to the rescue like some hero. I'm glad that you could understand what I needed at the moment."

Haomaru had nodded, he did understand pride and the need for any warrior to prove oneself in battle as an equal or superior, "I was in awe of your strength and determination to fight still; you are truly a phenomenal in strength and skill. It's nothing short of your determination to show no emotion in battle; a very honorable fight you stood your ground." He drew back from her hold the rest of the way, figuring that she was through holding him to a degree; but he hadn't imagined nor caught the little annoyance as he drew back and how quickly it faded.

"So Haomaru, what are your plans? Do you plan on going somewhere anytime soon?" her eyes hinted curiosity at the Samurai's next place of direction, where he was going she was going to follow him; as she figured she was starting to understand him a little more, but still not enough for her knowledge. She still had some things to learn about the silent and still somewhat elusive samurai's ways, he was a bit of an oddball to her but better her understanding of him overall was growing.

"I'm going to be visiting with a friend of mine, she's decided to meet with the Outlaw Star and give me a ride to another planet with wilds on it, she's been missing me and wanting to stay with me for a little while, but I do always move around and she hates missing time with me if she's got the time." He did catch notice of Aisha's eyes darkening over with something for a moment, he wasn't sure just what it was that he had seen, but he would keep an eye out for it.

"Oh I see, so you're gonna ditch me here huh? Just up and leave me because I'm in bed? Well I don't think so hot shot! You're not getting rid of me that easily, no bed ever stopped me from-" she found herself actually angry over this and it made her stop, what made her so hostile? She took a split second to think on that, while Haomaru had spoken up on the matter himself.

"No Aisha, in fact I was hoping you'd stay on with me. I find your company very fun if not enlightening in itself, I don't think I'd have as fruitful thoughts or a fair time without you along with me. But pardon my way of speaking, I mean I would like to request your company instead of sounding too informal about-" she gave a faint glare at him as she gave a little scowl.

"Enough formality damn, you may have been raised that way but enough is enough. You're not totally bad since you call me by my name, but I grow tired of this prim and proper talk, you're gonna learn to talk right with me around you." She gave a little cat grin that made Haomaru smile a little bit, she crossed her arms and gave a little huff at this now.

Well it seemed to him that she was coming along recovery fine, in a day or two his cousin would be meeting up with them; he found it a little strange at Aisha's behavior towards mention of his friend being a 'her' but he figured she was this way with other females as well. He didn't fully understand the C'tarl Warrior Princess, let alone her way of life but he had a feeling he'd be learning well during this point. He thought it would be a very enlightening period, as well as the opportunity to think and get a look at how she reacted to one person as blunt, direct, and blatantly uncaring about how she appeared as his cousin.