**The last couple of chapters were like a triple plot twist from hell. I hope you are all being sufficiently entertained. :)
It's early, and I'm tired. -_- Well, 9:30... But still, I was up until 2:30, so this is early.
Well, that's my piece for the day, unless I find more links to give you.
Enjoy Chapter 11! :)**
Chapter 11: Early to Rise
I was sitting at the fire.
Every one was still asleep, and I was sitting, watching the sunrise...
...It was so peaceful.
I heard a small crash behind me and spun around.
It was Eiji. He had just dropped an armload of firewood.
"Oh sorry!" He laughed. "I guess I'm still getting used to having a body! ...body's are so clumbsy!"
I think HIS was lacking in grace. This is true.
I shook my head. "I see I'm not the only one who rises early..."
He gaped. "You JUST got up!? I've been up for two hours! I cleaned the camp, dusted Shisuta's portable Altar, caught some fish for breakfast, like ten of them! Oh, and I also gathered fire wood... Kind of."
My eyes widened as I looked around the camp. It was clean!
There were fish strung up, every surface was spotless, Shisuta's Altar looked amazing, there was firewood that Eiji was organizing into a neat pyramid...
I looked under my feet, and jumped.
He had swept the ground!?
"Ummm... Eiji? Do you... Know what camping is?"
He shrugged. "I don't know, I just I was hungry, and kind of cold... And I was sick of the mess. I thought I'd help!"
Shisuta tackled him in a hug.
"And help you DID!"
Eiji lifted his finger, and was about to say something, but she kept going.
I put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's best to just let her rant... Even if it's about a good thing."
"EVERYTHING IS SOOOO CLEEEAAAAAN!" She exclaimed.
She looked at her Altar, then ran back to Eiji.
"I'm taking YOU EVERYWHERE!"
He stifled a laugh. "Okay... Sounds good to me."
"Hiro crawled out of her shelter.
She stood, and gazed around sleepily.
"Wha...? Who's the... I'm gonna... Yeah, that's what I'll do."
She walked slowly, walking continuously into the same tree. We were all staring at her.
"Is she okay...?" Eiji asked.
I laughed. "That is just very funny! No she's fine, she's just tired."
She shook her head. "Oh... That fire. I thought I was at the fire...? Mom was making... Sushi. It was yummy."
She walked toward us, but started walking into another tree.
"But mom... I don't wanna read her... Dictionary. Islike eighthousand..."
She curled up on the ground, and fell asleep.
Eiji walked up to her, and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Uhmm... Hiro? You know you're..."
She sleep mumbled. "Yea... I'll have more... More steak... Sounds good..."
She grabbed Eiji's hand, and chewed on it softly.
He pulled his hand back.
"Wh-What!? What are you doing!?" He exclaimed.
She sat up.
"What the...? Ah! How did I...?"
She looked up. "Oh... Hi Eiji. I didn't see you standing there..."
He gaped. "Y-You were asleep that WHOLE time!?"
She paused, and then laughed.
"Oh sorry! That happens sometimes..."
I laughed. "Well good morning! Glad to see you're up!'
"She... Doesn't like my literature?" Shisuta said.
Uh oh.
"No... She was... Delirious! Yes, half asleep I tell you."
She nodded slowly. "Alright... That makes sense."
Hiro sat down next to me, and stared at the fire.
There were leaves in her hair. I smiled.
"Your hair is messy, here, let me get out the leaves..."
I got out most of them.
I brushed her hair out of her face, and my fingers happened to brush against her neck.
She tensed. Then she seemed to force herself to relax.
"Hiro... Are you alright?" I asked.
"Fine." She replied monotone.
"Is there a scratch on your neck or something? Here, let me..."
She pulled back. "No. I'm fine." She said. I could hear a hint of bitterness in her voice.
She looked down. "It's fine... I'm okay."
I looked over at Eiji. He looked like he wanted to say something, but had stayed silent.
I was fairly confused.
"Alright then..." I said, dropping the subject.
Kuhn woke up, and walked tiredly to the fire. He sat next to Hiro.
"Good morning..." He yawned.
Hiro smiled. "Morning Dad! Hey, I sleep walked again... Why does that only happen when we're camping?"
Kuhn laughed.
"Your dad used to be notorious for that!" I said. "We'd always camp out down the river near home, and-"
"Kahn... You're not telling her THAT story are you?" He groaned.
I grinned. "Yes, yes I am."
I continued. "As I was saying, he would always sleep walk wheneverer we went there. He woke himself up once, falling in the river saying-"
"Please don't..." Said Kuhn.
"He would say-!"
"Don't say it!" He begged.
I laughed. "I'm going to say it!"
I continued laughing. "He fell in the river, and said, 'Lies! You said the fountain was WARM!... Where'd all the pretty girls go?'."
Kuhn turned red, and Hiro rolled around on the ground and laughed.
I smiled with pride. I interpreted Kuhn perfectly!
Shisuta was laughing too.
"I... I don't get it." Said Eiji. "What's so funny? My mom swam in a lake all the time... She was pretty."
Both Kuhn and I laughed.
"Wh-What's so funny!?" Eiji stuttered. His face was red.
Kuhn smiled. "Nothing, just keep being being innocent. It's really a good trait!"
Eiji looked at them warily. "Is there something I'm not getting here?"
Hiro sat up, and whispered in his ear. His eyes went wide.
"Unclean!" He yelled, running back into his shelter.
Shisuta and Hiro busted up laughing again.
Boh shifted into his normal form, stretching and yawning.
"What's all the racket?" He asked. "I was sleeping..."
"You should have seen him!" Shisuta laughed.
Hiro sighed happily. "Yeah... You know Eiji? He's so innocent! It's really funny."
Kuhn shook his head. "She really is a lot like her mom... A LOT like her mom."
"Wait... Hold on..." Said Hiro.
Her eyes widened. "Where's mom!? Is she okay!? Tell me!"
I nodded. "She's fine, she's just resting..."
She gave a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness... I was so scared..."
She looked up. "What about Karo? Is he okay? He got messed up pretty bad..."
"He's fine too." Said Kuhn. "I'm just glad we all made it out alive... It hasn't always been that way."
Eiji nodded. "My mom and dad told me about it. Zeniba explains it way better though. She makes one killer lavender tea too!"
"You like tea!?" Hiro exclaimed. "I don't like tea..."
He gaped. "How can you not like tea!?"
She shrugged. "I just don't."
She looked over at the shelters.
"They've been asleep for a while." Said Hiro. "Have you tried waking them up?"
Shisuta spoke. "If they were able to sleep through an explosion and two battles, I doubt we could phase them."
Hiro rolled her eyes. "Give me like, five minutes. Seriously, they'll be awake."
We all watched as Hiro walked into Linn's shelter.
She shook her. "Mom... Dad got into your sweets again."
Kuhn gaped. "D-Don't tell her THAT!"
She sat up. "KUHN! WE TALKED ABOUT THIS! YOUR GONNA-! Oh... What?"
I blinked in surprise. "I can't believe that actually... worked."
Kuhn smiled, shaking his head.
"I can't believe I never thought of it myself..."
Linn looked at Hiro.
"H-Hiro... You're OKAY!"
She wrapped her in a tight hug, showering her in kisses.
This usually bugged Hiro, but she accepted it this time.
"Don't ever do that again!" She exclaimed, tears streaming down her face.
Hiro leaned into her. "I don't plan on it..." She said softly.
I smiled. I was really happy that things had worked out this way.
Hiro stood. "Time to wake up Karo."
She grabbed a fish from Eiji's fish string. She started roasting over the fire.
"What's that supposed to do?" Linn asked.
Hiro smiled as the fish began to char, and light on fire.
"Wait for it..."
Karo sat up. "NO! You're burning it! YOU CULINARY MONSTERS!"
I laughed. "Alright, that was a good plan!"
She laughed. "It works every time..."
"Wait..." Karo said, his eyes widening.
"Where's my... My..."
His leg! I had almost forgotten about that!
We all ran up to him.
"Your leg is gone Karo." Shisuta said.
She looked down. "I... I am sorry I couldn't do more."
To all of our surprise he stared laughing.
"So that's who's leg I saw! Well, no getting that back!"
Linn gaped. "H-HOW!? How can you be laughing!?"
He looked up at her, and shrugged.
"Well, I guess I did some good after all..."
Linn's eyes widened. "You mean... That explosion! That was..."
She teared up.
"Well, I'm not too upset about it." He said.
"I was just repaying the favor..."
"What is he talking about?" I asked.
"I remember." Haruka said. "When we were still young, Karo had tried to kill himself, but Linn stopped him... She saved his life, so now he saved hers."
Shisuta's eyes widened.
"H-He... He did!? I had no idea..."
He looked down. "It was a long time ago. Don't worry too much..."
She shook her head. "Oh Karo... You are such an idiot sometimes."
He laughed. "Yeah? Well, your geniusness makes up for it... Wait. That's not a word is it?"
I smiled. "No... It's not."
"Hey guys! I finished breakfast!" Said Boh.
He had taken all nine fish, and roasted them over the fire with a longer stick.
Hiro and Eiji ran over to him.
"Wow thanks Boh!" She exclaimed.
"Right?" Said Eiji. "I'm starving!"
We all walked over, and grabbed a sath.
Shisuta helped Karo get to the fire, and we all sat.
There were nine fish, and... Oh. Ten people.
Nina came running out of a shelter.
"I smell food! Is there any left? Man, I haven't had anything to eat since we left! This is great!"
Boh looked down. "Oh... Sorry Nina. There's none left..."
"Aw man..." She said, sitting next to me glumly.
I had not eaten my fish yet.
I sighed. "Here, take mine." I said, handing her my fish.
"But... This is yours..." She said softly.
I smiled. "Yes, do you want it?"
She smiled. "Yeah... Thanks."
We heard marching.
The small army of Warriors came back with bucket loads of fish.
"The food shortage has been solved MA'AM!" They said.
We all gaped at them.
An older girl laughed. "We saw there weren't many fish, so we caught more. Thanks No-Face, that was an awesome fish trap!"
No face nodded. "Ah."
"Yeah..." Said a younger boy. "We couldn't let Nina or her friends go hungry..."
They all mumbled in agreement.
"Wait, you just called me Nina!" She exclaimed.
Shisuta laughed nervously. "Yes, well... I could not just keep them in the dark... You know me... Hehe..."
Nina shook her head and smiled.
"Of course you did."
We all ate well, and started to pack up camp after breakfast...
...Nina... She was talking with the others.
...What a beautiful smile...
(What!? What am I saying! No... I could never... We met when I was...)
...But... That smile... Her lips are so full, I could just imagine...
(Stop! ...It won't go anywhere! I'm sure she'll agree...)
Her eyes rolling back, as I...
(Ah! Stop it Kahn! You fool!)
Moaning... Trembling with...
(Ugh... No... If I keep this up, I'll have to shower in buckets of ice!)
Yes... I bet she'd like...
"Kahn, you're red." Said Kuhn.
I jumped. "Oh! Hello, I was just... Nothing. It's nothing..."
He looked over at Nina, and looked back at me.
He grinned. "Oh... I think I get it..."
My face grew extremely hot.
"No, that's not it..." I said.
He laughed. "Right... That can't be it! Not at all!"
I sighed. "Oh just shut up... Don't say anything to her Kuhn."
He shrugged. "Whatever, I won't say anything... But you should."
He walked away.
"Let's head back too the resort." He said to Linn.
She nodded. "Yeah, I hope the customers aren't to angry! Let's just make the payments ourselves, and put this one on the house."
He nodded. "That sounds fair."
We all made the trip back to the cabin. Haruka was helping Karo with the walking part.
"We're going to head back to base." Said one of the warriors.
Nina nodded. "That's fine."
They marched back to their camp.
We walked into the resort, and all of the customers were...
Cleaning!?
They were serving each other and helping keep the place up. They turned to face us.
"Hey! Their back!" A man exclaimed.
"Alright!" Said another. "Welcome back! We've kept the place running while you were gone. It was the least we could do, after all the trouble you went through to keep us safe!"
They all mumbled in agreement.
"We're really glad your daughter is okay!" Said a woman.
"Trust me, if it were my kids? I would drop everything and look for them in a heartbeat!"
Kuhn and Linn seemed to stare in awe at them.
"Th-Thanks..." Said Kuhn.
"Yeah..." Said Linn. "Consider your Bill's paid..."
A large woman walked up to them, a fire brand marked on her arm. It had been stretched out by her... Well, she was huge.
"I will nor be returning!" She said. "This was completely unprofessional! And..."
She looked down at Karo's leg.
"That... That is grotesque! And-!"
Shisuta rolled her eyes.
"Oh, just do all of us a favor, and shut the HELL up!"
She smiled. "And please, don't come back! We insist!"
She walked up to Haruka and Karo.
She grabbed Karo's face, and kissed him.
"Don't listen to that hag! I think you're wonderful..."
The rest of the crowd cheered, and the lard filled fire mistress left the building.
Karo seemed lost for words...
His eyes softened, and he kissed her back.
I couldn't help but smile...
...It was about time.