Ai Kanesa

Age: 22

Gender: Female

Hair: Black

Eyes: Blue

Ai is the daughter of a member of a clan Aoyama rivaled against. Though Ai had no intention of taking her father's place as a member of the clan so she eloped to the wilderness where she met the old owner of the orphanage. He took her in, gave her food and water, and taught her everything about taking care of it. She is soft-hearted most of the time, except for the times where people get on her nerves, and she has a crush on Shik she never tells him about. Her likes include hiking and cleaning.

###

Shik was making lunch for everyone in the orphanage—Ti, Sasko, Uwa, Kagora, and Ai. He made white rice, oden, bowls of white meat, and sencha, an unfermented form of green tea. Whenever Shik finished making lunch he would leave and eat outside. There was something about eating around others that felt uncomfortable.

" Hey Shik, come and eat with us," Ai said. She waved her hand trying to get her attention. " There's plenty of food here."

" No thanks," said Shik in his mellow, timid voice. " You just enjoy your food-"

" Come eat with us."

" Okay."

Shik and Ai were poor. They could only afford five chairs. Since Shik, the sixth person, didn't have anything to sit on, he just stood behind Ai. Shik gave Ai his plate and she gave it back with three pieces of food: rice, oden, and meat.

The way Ai gave food to a poor soul like him...it made him think about her...

" Why is Shik blushing?" Sasko asked.

" W-What?" Shik gasped. " I'm not blushing."

" Yes you are," Ti said. " Look how red your cheeks are."

" Their not red. Please, stop talking."

" Look at Shik blushing," Uwa laughed. " Look at Shik blushing."

" Is he blushing over Ai?" Kagora asked. This time Shik and Ai blushed at the same time. " Yay! We're finally going to be a family."

" Sht up!" Ai shouted. " No one is blushing over anyone. Just shut up and eat your food-

Thee was a knocking sound at the door. Ai stopped everything she was doing and walked towards the door. Ai stood up as she walked over to the door and opened the door. The person outside was a samurai, wearing samurai robes, and had a katana in a scabbard held by loincloth around his waist.

" Hell, ma'am," the man said to Ai. " My name is-"

" Uck, your stinky," Ai replied. " Uwa, Kagora, give this man a bath."

" What? No, please, I don't need a bath-"

" Now!"

###

The samurai was dragged into a wooden tube filled with water. Uwa and Kagora both scrubbed the man with brushes. He acted like a cat to them and scratched his claws, Uwa and Kogora replied by rubbing harder with their brushes.

" Ah! Get me out of here!" The man screamed.

" Hold still," Uwa snapped. " You'll be squeaky clean soon."

" There. Now your all clean."

" I-It hurts."

###

The samurai walked out of the bathroom. He was wiped clean everywhere on his skin, his hair was cut short, and they even braided his hair with a small pink bow. Ai was there to met him, smiling, and held her hand over her mouth trying to hide her laughter.

" You look nice."

" I feel violated."

" So what brings you here, O' great samurai."

" I'm here on request of my master, Motoko Aoyama. I am her pupil at the Shinmei-ryu School of Martial Arts. I'm diligent to her in every way. And you, Ai Kanesa, your family are our enemies. Years ago your father tried holding a rebellion against my master and tried assassinating her in her sleep."

" Wait! I had know idea he was going to do that. I ran away from my family before that family. Please stop. I have nothing to do with this."

" What he didn't see was his own stupidity, otherwise he wouldn't have made such a ruckus and alerted my master he was coming. So don't feel sad that my master decapitated his head, and all your clan committed Seppuku."

" W-What's Seppuku?"

" It's a stomach cutting suicide. It's also a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku is reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code is used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies. Traditionally, they all did it with tantō's to preserve their honor for their master. But you, you are still alive. You must pay for your father's crimes!"

The samurai unsheathed his sword from his scabbard and sliced it at Ai. Before it could hit her, Shik showed up and blocked his strike using a broom. The katana he used was his master Motoko's Shisui. The Shisui (凪水 Calm Water) is a white-wood Shirasaya (a katana without a tsuba/guard) once wielded by Motoko Aoyama. Its design is typical of the swords found in the Shinmei-ryu School of Swordsmanship, possessing two bells tied with red string at the base of the grip.

Ai couldn't believe her eyes. Shik was the one who was saving her. His broomstick acted as a shield from the samurai's sword. The samurai continued pressing down against the broomstick, but Shik stood still and protect her.

" I will not permit you to hurt a lady!" Shik shouted.

" You don't understand. This woman is a viper. If you let her live she'll only bite you with her poisonous fangs. You must let her die now."

" No! Ai is everything to me! If she is to die then kill me too! I can't imagine a world without her!"

" Shik..."

The samurai couldn't hurt Shik. As thick-headed as he was it was against Motoko's word never to hurt men who were not swordsman's or children of swordsman, except Keitaro and other perverts, and focus only on love. The samurai mumbled " Erm" and sheathed Motoko's sword back in his scabbard.

" Very well. I'll give you one day; that's it. I suggest you pack up your bags and leave. But no matter where you go, I will find you, and I will kill you. Anyone who rebels against my master cannot live."

###

Shik spent all afternoon putting everything in bags preparing to leave the orphanage. Ti, Sasko, Uwa, and Kagora were all ready to leave. The only person who wasn't ready was Ai. She was sitting in her bed, acting all gloom, and wrapped her hands around a pillow and squeezed the pillow.

" Ai, we should be going now," Shik said. Shik walked through the door and knocked on the door hoping Ai would listen to him. " Ai, we're leaving now. Ai."

" I don't want to go," Ai replied hiding her face in her pillow. " My master, the one who raised me when my father wasn't there for me, he wanted me to take care of this house."

" I know, Ai, but you heard what he said. If we don't leave now he's going to kill you. I don't want to see that happen to you, Ai."

" I know. Shik, please sit beside me. I feel so cold."

" Ai, what's wrong. Do you have a fever? Should I call a doctor for you?"

" No. Please just sit by me. I need a shoulder to rest on."

" Okay. For you, Ai. I will keep you company."

The tension grew between Shik and Ai. He could hear his heart beating inside his chest. When he sat on the bed Ai leaned against his right shoulder and laid on his shoulder. Ai was so close to him, he could feel her warm skin through his clothes.

" Out of all the men I've had...your the one who's always been there for me, Shik."

" It's really nothing, Ai. I was just doing my served duties that's all."

" It's not just that. You're always there for the kids. And they seem to like you."

" I just spoil them. There's nothing special about that."

" Yes there is. I always wanted children, Shik. I wanted someone I could hold in my arms. I just never found a spouse suitable for me. I wanted someone...a viper like me could...love."

Ai held her hands on Shik's legs. The feeling of her warm hands surprised Shik. His heart was beating so fast, it felt like it was going to explode.

" Ai, I don't know what's going on with you, but-"

Ai was a vulture, Shik was her prey, the moment his guard was down she came at him and kissed him on her lips. Ai's lips were soft and moist. Shik's head hit the pillow. As he was down Ai made her way up his chest and kissed his neck.

" A-Ah," Shik moaned. His skin was soft and sensitive. Her body felt like electricity running through his body. " Ai, what are you doing? We can't do something like this."

" I love you, Shik."

" W-What? Don't say stuff like that. I'm just a servant."

" I don't care. I love everything about you. The way you care about others, how gentle you are about everything, and the way you smile. Even if it's just for one day, please hold me like a husband to his wife."

" Ai..."

Ai ripped through his shirt like some kind of ravenous animal. She went right for his nipples. His beautiful, small male nipples. Shik's reaction to the licking was very nostalgic. If Shik didn't control himself...he would caress every part of Ai's body.

" Shik..." Ai raised her head to Shik's mouth. In her eyes he saw three things: sadness, fear, but also love. Love for him. " Kiss me."

Shik kissed Ai for the second time. His body surged with electricity from all the places she licked him. The joy was too much for him to bear. He soon lost himself in his lust. Lust for Ai. Then when he finally recovered...he blacked out with her in his arms, crying.