Chapter 3

Training began the next day. In the next four weeks, Amaiya focused on proper breathing, proper stances, and many other features unique to the Kashin style. She was a fast learner, and seemed to already have a lot of knowledge with the sword. She easily came to be at Yahiko's level of training, even if she was more experienced than him.

She had tried to stay focused on her swordplay, that was her mission, and her driving force. However, it was difficult not to become attached to the four who lived here, or to doctor Gensai, Megumi, or the two little ones, Ayame and Suzume, even if she told herself she only played to humor them.

As payment for her lodging, Amaiya would do anything Kaoru asked of her. Often this meant going to the market in the afternoons, fetching water or helping her with a bath, as all the other tenants were of the male persuasion.

Some afternoons, one of the others would go with her, and she had quickly learned which one was her favorite.

"Sano? Would you mind coming with me to the market? Kaoru gave me some money for vegetables." She asked one day as he sat playing Mah-jong with Yahiko. It was Yahiko's turn and he found a move to make. It lead him to a couple more pairings before his turn was over.

Within another two or three moves, Yahiko had effectively taken the game.

"Hey, how about when you get back, we play?" Yahiko asked her.

"I would, but I really should practice. Besides, I don't know how." She motioned to Sano that she was ready to leave now, as he seemed intent to ask for another game.

" I could teach you. Besides, if you put half as much effort into learning this as you do swordplay, you'll master it easy." He had his hands on his hips very matter-of-fact like. He quite honestly thought himself to be the master of the game in this house.

"Oh? You want me to beat you at something else?" She smirked, but still was interested in ending the conversation, and thus her torment of the boy.

Yahiko laughed a little, rubbing the back of his head. "We can spar again. I've been going easy on you because you're a girl and all."

"Sure you are. Maybe tomorrow, little Yahiko." She liked to say his name the way Kaoru did, mostly because it kind of bugged him, even if it wasn't mean spirited. She didn't think he was all that little, and compared to many people she knew his age, he was quite competent with his wooden sword. But she'd never tell him that.

"Yeah, whatever," Was his response as Amaiya and Sano headed for the market.

"No see, there was this guy I knew. Really great, but he was such a bad gambler. I could take all his money every time." Sano was saying. He'd been on the same story for the entirety of the trip, but Amaiya didn't have the heart to stop him.

"So when you beat him, you'd pay off you tab at the Akebeko?" They had stopped and Amaiya was examining two tomatoes, odd little red balls.

"Well, not really, see. It's really a great game, so I'd keep playing."

"So you're an addict." She paid money for one and got some other things while being as nonchalant as she could.

"Do you really have to say it so harsh like that?"

"I tease, I tease." Amaiya counted the money that was left before moving on the the tofu shop.

"Well, I don't think I'm an addict. I just enjoy things. You should try it some time. Being so uptight can't be comfortable." Sano took the bag of vegetables from her as she paid for the tofu as well.

"Why don't we play?"

"Huh?"

"Play dice. Where do you gamble? There's a bit of this left we could have some fun."

A grin that ran from ear to ear crossed Sano's face and he immediately led her to a friend's house by way of many swerving streets.

When they arrived to the small hut, Sano let himself in, and Amaiya followed.

"Hey! Sano!" One man barked, standing up. "Oh? And who's this?" He asked, peeking over. The other men who had been sitting with the man finally looked over to see the new arrival their friend was talking to.

"Yeah, Kohaku, this is Amaiya. She wants to play."

The other person looked behind Sano to see Amaiya there, slightly curious. "Does she know how?"

"Well, she knows a bit." Amaiya said, walking past both men and grabbing the dice from the floor.

"Hey!" The man began at the intrusion. He gave up his advance when he saw she was only rolling the dice a few times. "What, do you think they're rigged?"

"You never do know." She said, not taking her eyes off the dice. When she thought they were proficiently fair, as in, a few moments later, she handed them to one of the men sitting down. "Shake."

Sneering, he put the dice in the cup and shoke it, then slammed the cup on the table. "Call 'em."

"Odds." Amaiya said, not taking her eyes off the cup.

He lifted the brown wooden cup.

Two. One. Odds.

"Yes." Amaiya whispered to herself.

"Beginner's luck." One of the men said. "Double or nothing, kitten."

"Odds." Amaiya said, smiling at her new nick name. She knew the game well, and she knew that in the end, she'd come out on top.

Three. Three.

"Ha ha, kitten."

"Throw them again." She said, her eyes becoming thin lines.

He shoke the dice cup and put it down again. "We are at four times the original bet."

"Call evens, Amaiya." Sano told her. "That's what you got last time."

"Trust me. Odds." She gave an internal eye roll against Sano. No wonder he lost.

Five. Four. Odds.

"Go again. Times eight!" The dice roller said.

"No. I'm going back to the original bet." She said. As the roller shelled out her winnings, she collected three quarters of it and put it in her side purse.

Most of the next hour was full of this game and by the time Sano and Amaiya left, the coin purse Kaoru had given them was slightly fuller than it had been before shopping.

"So, where did you learn to do that?" San asked her when they were about ten feet away from the place. She turned to look at him, walking backwards. In one hand, she carried the tofu, in the other, the coins while he had the rest of the groceries.

"I had a lot of practice. Gambling is part luck," She turned back to face where she was going, still looking over her shoulder at him. "Part numbers, and" She turned her head back around. "part experi-" She stopped herself, words and body. Poised before her was a large black dog, growling as it stood in attack stance.

Amaiya's eyes were wide and her breathing came faster and faster. The scruffy dog began to bark and she gave a shriek, dropping the tofu and the purse as she hurriedly backed into Sano.

"It's just a dog." He said.

"I- I ... don't...I don't like..." She stammered against his chest. Sano put the bag of vegetables down at her feet and went up to the dog. It growled at him, pressing itself forward to upturned pot of tofu. He sniffed at it before beginning to snack on the white slab.

Sano, not looking away from the rabid animal, collected the purse and the loose coins that had fallen before going back over to Amaiya.

"Looks like we'll have to get some more." He wrapped an arm around the frightened girl pulling her away from the dog.

Her jitters slowed, then came to a stop not too far away from the scene, but they still walked in silence.

"Closed! Ah, man. What are we gonna tell the missy?" Sano exclaimed when they had reached the tofu place.

"It's alright." Amaiya whispered, still slightly ashamed. "Well just tell Kaoru-sensai what happened. That's all."

"Yeah, I guess so." They turned and headed back towards the dojo. After about five minutes of the quite, Sano asked his burning question. "Hey, what happened out there?"

"With the dog?" She whispered. He still had his arm around her shoulders, considerably lower than his own, so she was half cradled into him.

"Yeah," She wouldn't look at him, just ahead on the road to be sure there wouldn't be another episode.

"I- well, I don't like animals. But dogs... they're the worst. I- They- a few years ago, some dogs, they, attacked me. And I don't like them. I'm sorry. That was very childish of me. I know it's stupid, to be so afraid." She still stammered through her words until she met the apology.

"Naw, it's okay. You can't help it, I guess." He squeezed her a little tighter.

"I guess."

After another few minutes, they let go, approaching the dojo.

"Oh, Sano?"

"Yes, kitten, was it?"

She laughed a little. "Yeah. Would you mind not telling Yahiko? You know he won't ever let me live that down."

"Sure thing."