Just Past Noon
As Remiel walked back to his apartment, with Hinata's promise that they would meet after a little siesta. He smiled as he remembered her words…
"Hey, see you later, okay! I promise I'll be here." She said, as she held up her palm, scout's honor.
"Okay then, I'll wait for you here!" he said back.
He slid his hands into his pockets, and began to whistle "Just the Girl"…
Agni wore his one sleeved shirt, a long-sleeve on his right arm, sleeveless on the left. He snapped his neck left and right, and flexed his fingers. He straightened his upturned collar, and tried to subdue his wavy, red flame-like hair.
He was having no success when Remiel entered the front door, humming a tune Agni couldn't place.
"Well, someone's having a good day today!" Agni noted, Rem not being all quiet and lonely was almost a rarity back then.
Remiel just winked at him, and went straight into his room, humming all the way.
As Remiel closed the door of his room, he plopped down onto his bed, and lay there, staring into the ceiling…
"Where are you going?" said a voice from behind Agni.
He turned to the speaker, and saw Rudra, hair tousled from sleeping. Her eyes were red-rimmed.
She must've cried herself to sleep, he thought to himself.
"Uh, I'm just gonna go out to eat some ramen." He reasoned.
Rudra just rubbed her eyes, nodded, and then shut the door closed.
He pulled out the comb stuck in his hair, and decided his hair was just fine.
He walked over to the door, and walked out.
As he walked to the Ichiraku Ramen, he noticed that blonde kid, the one they called Naruto, already inside. Surprised at this development, as he had never really talked at length with the guy, he sat next to him, and ordered a bowl.
As he began to eat his ramen, he noticed that Naruto was already halfway done. Agni then started to gulp down large amounts of soup, and swallowed mouthfuls of noodles. As he finished, he glanced over to Naruto, and saw him ordering another bowl.
So Agni followed suit.
As they began their unspoken race, Naruto noticed that the guy next to him was in Kenshin's team, the one with flaming hair. He saw him inhale noodles straight into his mouth, and proceeded to slurp his soup.
Not to be outdone, he started on the noodles ravenously, and drank the soup straight up.
Agni was on his 16th bowl when he noticed Naruto slowing down. He slurped the noodles at a slower rate, and drank his bowl in measured sips.
"Damn, you sure can put it away!" remarked Naruto, who had stopped eating to watch him.
Agni stopped in mid-slurp, and cut the noodles with his teeth.
"Anks!" Agni replied, the back of his hand covering his mouth. He swallowed the noodles, and turned to face Naruto.
"So, what got you into working for Kenshin? I mean, you're not related by blood, right?" Naruto asked, as the elderly proprietor of the Ichiraku Ramen picked up their plates.
"I'm in it for the adventure! The thrill! The excitement!!! THE FREE FOOD!!!" he yelled excitedly, drawing attention from the other customers.
"Well, buddy, looks like we're gonna get along on that one…" said Naruto, his stomach settling already.
"You know, you may be right." said Agni, a smile on his face.
"SECONDS!!!" they both yelled in unison.
Rudra woke to a silent apartment.
She walked out of her room, and spotted Remiel asleep on the couch. He breathed gently, his chest rising and falling slowly.
She walked over to him, and caressed his brow, knowing that his subconscious mind would only think of one name.
She left the apartment. She needed to fly again.
As she walked out of the apartment, after checking to see if there was anyone watching her, she turned into her true form.
Compared to Agni, her appearance didn't change drastically. Her chin-length grew a bit longer, with the ones framing her face almost touching.
Three long green feathers, two above his ears, and one in the middle of her hair, were swept back across her hair, like a makeshift crown.
She a green long-sleeved blouse that was skintight, made with green colored feathers, the collar reaching up to her neck, and sleeves ending in white feathers cut off just above her stomach. Long, thin green feathers streamed from her arms. The green feathers on her blouse were also on her legs, serving as makeshift leggings, also ending in white feathers.
Her eyes had become slightly slanted, giving them a predatory light; her irises a bright green.
She felt the strain of keeping her human form slip away, and she took to the skies. She went into the Mistral Veil, and she felt herself melt with the wind.
She flew over the village, and as she circled Konoha, she spotted that girl Remiel had chosen over her.
Hinata…
She left her, and went back up to the sky. The sun had left her great perch in the sky, and had gone off a bit to the left.
When she got bored with flying over the village, she flew to the east, just to see what other things where here in this realm.
After a few minutes of flight, she spied four figures in the wood, seated on logs, apparently taking a break.
They were all different, save for their black cloaks, the red clouds stark against them. One was exceptionally handsome, black hair framing his face. Another guy, one with silver hair, apparently had water bottles strapped to his outfit, which she found rather odd. Yet another, who was the tallest, was all by himself at the edge of the clearing, sitting cross-legged away from the others. And the last member of their quartet, a bespectacled girl with red hair tied back in a ponytail, was lying down on her log, apparently trying to sleep.
She descended into the group, her Veil holding. She was but a breeze to the group, a welcome respite from the heat.
At her post in the trees, she heard the group talking…
"…is getting impatient." said the handsome one.
"Who cares what that retard Tobi thinks? Who does he think he is, the boss of us?" said Water Bottle Boy.
The handsome one stood up, and walked over to his rucksack, and rummaged through it. He pulled out an apple, and proceeded to eat it.
Water Bottle Boy took a water bottle under his cloak, and took a long draught, water spilling out the sides.
"I can't see why you still follow that immature idiot, Sasuke." continued Water Bottle Boy, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Sasuke turned to him and said,
"Hold your tongue, Suigetsu, Pein holds that, "immature idiot", in high regard, so its best you stay your insults."
Suigetsu rolled his eyes, and kept on drinking.
Rudra flew back up to the heavens, and casting a parting glance to that group, she watched the handsome young man known as Sasuke eating his apple.
She watched him, and as she hovered above them, he suddenly stopped eating, and looked right at her. She felt his gaze, and she immediately turned away, and flew off back toward Konoha.
"Watcha looking at?" asked Suigetsu.
"I just had the strangest feeling that someone was watching me…" replied Sasuke.
Kenshin walked to the park, a box of cinnamon buns in hand. He couldn't help but feel a bit of Déjà vu. He saw a lone figure sitting on the park bench, and at first he didn't even recognize her. But as he saw the blue-black hair, and those beautiful eyes, he knew it was her.
Hinata wore different clothes from her usual hoodie and pants. Now she wore a lavender blouse, as well as white pants.
As soon as Hinata saw him, a smile appeared on her face, and she ran to him. Hinata slammed into Kenshin, and he was barely able to get his breath back when she caught him in a tight hug.
