Chapter 21: Going Places Pt. 2
"Is that… a bathhouse?" Enterprise questioned the level of uncertainty between her words, what she was looking at was a simple-looking building that looked to be a house with minimal windows at the front, it was made from wood and stone tiles with a brown tiled roof. At first, there wasn't anything that distinguished the house, but as they moved closer it was clear that the building was much larger than at first glance. The front deterred any thought of the building is any larger than it was given the thick forest and angle the house was built.
"If I brought you to a bathhouse, it would have been somewhere more accessible to old men," Shikikan corrected, continuing his march towards the hot spring with Enterprise still clinging to his back. "This is a hot spring. It was made here for convenience considering there used to be a good amount of people that traveled here. Plus it was a great attraction and motivation for people to get out and climb "
"And now people don't visit because they don't want to go outside anymore?" Enterprise guessed.
"Eh, more or less," Shikikan released the carrier carefully near the entrance. "Alright, let us hope that they have some slippers or something for you to replace that heel. I don't think I will have the energy to carry you down even halfway."
"What happens if they don't?" Enterprise questioned, stumbling forward as she tried standing. Thankfully Takao was there for her, catching her with her right arm. "Maybe I should ditch the heels."
Takao lent the Eagle Carrier a shoulder, acting as her brace as they stood in front of the building is a curious gaze, then it slightly turned flustered. "You didn't come here to… you know…? Right?"
Takao's gaze shot onto him, soon joined by Enterprise in a puzzled head tilt.
His face grew hot at the sudden realization he didn't account for. Shikikan started to recollect his mind, shaking the thought of the sight of their nude bodies. "Of course not… Why would I?! There are dedicated gender springs, so not to worry. Haha…" Shikikan's tone is both nervous and confident. Sure he hasn't been to the spring in ages, he was almost certain the place hasn't changed one bit or at least from the outside.
Quickly, Shikikan changed the subject more relaxed and collective. "I'm sure all of you are tired of the journey up here. We can relax and eat here, afterwards we will head back for new attire before it becomes dark."
Without a word, Shikikan was the first to enter the building. On the outside, it might have looked plain and simple but on the inside was the exact opposite, with several abstract paintings hung up in their glass casings, the roof dangled a few plants freely off the supports. The walls were spotless with well-maintained glossed cedar wood, a single TV that was turned off, and a bright yellow receptionist desk where a young man dressed in an orange and red uniform greeted him warmly.
"Hello, sir," the man waved with a smile. "And what brings you here today?"
"The hot springs," Shikikan replied bluntly.
"I see… is this going to be for you and your friends back there?" The man pointed over Shikikan's shoulder at the Takao lending a shoulder for the carrier as she limped her way towards Shikikan.
"Yes," Shikikan fixed his gaze back at the man. "Do you also have any sort of… slippers or any sort of shoes that she can wear? Her heels broke on the way here."
At the first gave the commander a wide eye then swiftly to a low chuckle. "We do… but I'm afraid that we can't just give them out."
Shikikan in response leaned in, almost whispering to the man in an understanding tone. "If you just need them to be paid for a replacement; I will be more than willing to pay for them."
"It's not that…" the man affirmed lightly. "The owner of this place. He doesn't like having people take things without his consent."
"Where is he now?"
"Out of town."
"Will he be back tomorrow?"
"...No."
Shikikan quickly came up with a compromise after hearing this. "How about this? I pay let's say… a hundred and thirty percent of the cost of whatever you can provide for her so she can walk again without much issue. You get a small bonus, you can replace what was given in bulk. Everyone wins."
"I could… but this could cost me my job if this happens," the man argued. "But, you seem rather reasonable… so I suppose I can let this slide."
Shikikan nodded in appreciation of the man's charity as much as to shake his hand but he politely declined his appreciation. "Alright, so it is just the three of you then?"
"Yes."
"Alright, so unfortunately the individual gender springs are currently unavailable due to plumbing problems. So the only available spring right now is the mixed baths," the man rhythmic tapping at his keyboard.
"You've got to be kidding me?! How does this kind of thing happen?" Shikikan demanded calmly.
"A lot of things can happen," the man looked at him as if he were a complete idiot. "There have been mild leakages in the pipes, water not going to where it is supposed to. The plumbers that the boss requested haven't been able to reach us in the past month."
Shikikan's visible frustration showed as the space between his brows wrinkled, hands balling up into a fist as he cursed to himself at the unfortunate event that occurred.
The man saw this and tried to lighten up the mood. "O-On the bright side of things. Nobody had come in just yet… or at all lately so it will be private for the three of you so–"
"Hold that thought okay?" Shikikan intervened, excusing himself from the man as he walked away from the counter; spotting the two seated at a wooden bench near the entrance. "Okay, so slight issue. The gender springs are undergoing maintenance and the only available springs are the mixed ones."
"So… what do we do?" Enterprise questioned.
"There aren't that many options," Shikikan responded.
"Then what are our options?" Takao politely interjected.
"Well… there are two I can think of on the spot right now. Either we just eat and just head back or… you two can enjoy yourselves in the springs while I wait out here," Shikikan knew there were three options on the spot but it was something he wasn't entirely comfortable with throwing it out. So he kept the option to himself for the time being.
"I understand that you are being considerate to us," responded Enterprise. "I thought this was your vacation, Shikikan."
"Yeah… but that's beside the point. I believe that it is good for you two to experience something new. With or without me."
"The Sakura empire has plenty of hot springs already. It isn't necessarily a must for us to go either," Takao commented.
"Then what shall we do then? Just head back?" Inquired Shikikan.
"Surely there is another solution to this? Isn't there?" Enterprise blustered. "We certainly don't have enough time for all of us to take turns…"
Sighing softly at their current predicament, Shikikan declared his last option, relaxing his shoulders, leaning in a tiny bit. "If all of us want to enjoy this, then we are to all get in the spring together. There is no getting around it, so what will it be?"
Stepping out of the shower, he finished drying himself off, dabbing, rubbing the towel on his skin. Promptly leaving the showers with the towel tied tightly over his crotch. "I can't believe that they agreed to this…"
Upon entering the hot spring itself, it was rather plain compared to the lobby. The wall was made up of white tiles with bamboo art barely visible through the haze just to fill in the blankness of the room. The floors were made of stone well-scrubbed tiles leading to the violently steamy pool of water. He proceeded to remove his towel, Shikikan slowly submerged his right leg into the spring. The water was hot but not unbearable, the heat slowly turned warm as his leg was engulfed for several seconds. After getting comfortable with the heat, he slowly dipped his body, his muscles tightened then relaxed, releasing a silent sigh of pleasure.
"Shikikan are you there already?" Enterprise echoed behind him.
Shikikan responded without turning. "Yeah."
"We're coming in… so please close your eyes," Takao pleaded, which he complied with the cruiser's request. Closing his eyes and placing his palms to his eyes, he waited patiently in the hot darkness. His ears picked up the light treading of two pairs of feet behind him and then in front.
A splash and a blissful sound escaped Enterprise. "Aaahh… This feels nice."
"Indeed," Takao agreed, the nigh sound of water splashing followed by the slight push of the small tsunami against his chest.
"You guys in now?" Shikikan asked.
"Yeah… just look away from us as we discussed. Alright?" Takao requested.
Again he fulfilled Takao's request, turning his body around and resting his arms at the edge in a crossed formation.
"Are you that embarrassed, Takao?" Enterprise addressed. "I'm sure you trust Shikikan that he wouldn't look at us."
"No… I just…" There was a long pause between her words. Just as Enterprise was going to interrogate her further, Shikikan intervened.
"What's going on?"
"Her head is just sticking above the water," Enterprise responded.
"I just don't like to expose myself in public…" Takao meekly said, followed by the sound of what he could guess were bubbles popping.
Shikikan let out a bellowed short laugh. "To think that out of everything you would be afraid of. Your body is one of your top fears."
"I don't fear that!" Takao exclaimed. "I just… I just dislike it when people look at me."
"No wonder Atago tells me that you need to be more confident in yourself," Shikikan said.
"She told you that?"
"Yeah, but I couldn't understand why she kept bringing it up but now I understand more clearly now."
Her silence answered followed by the sound of bubbles popping in the background. It was quiet for a while, nothing but the soft sound of the water crashing against the pool and the pouring gate flowing. To lighten up the mood, Shikikan decided that this was the perfect opportunity to continue his tale.
"So you know how I was a mafia member?" Shikikan started.
This caught the immediate attention of Enterprise as she was the first to answer. "Yeah."
He gave off a hidden amused smile at her response. "I have a lot to cover if you want to hear them."
"We have around an hour in here without much to do. So let's hear them."
Shikikan cocked his head back slightly, looking up at the ceiling as he thought for a moment. "Let's see… When I first started, I was nothing but a cargo mover. That was until I got my promotion to scout and saboteur."
"Saboteur? As in you destroyed things?" Takao inquired.
"Not all of it was sabotaging. Some of it was either tapping into their security or retrieving information.."
"That seemed like a harmless job from the sound of it," Enterprise said.
Shikikan was quick to correct her. "It does on the surface; turns out there are more than a few things to consider than I thought on my first day. I was completely unprepared. Junkies, alley punks, homeless people, guards were always a danger to look out for. Cameras are a different problem, but that was rarely a problem to worry about when most fuse boxes are in an alley or inactive areas."
"You didn't kill people… right?" Enterprise asked.
Shikikan leaned forward a bit, resting his chin on his arms. "I've done what I had to escape without witnesses. I wasn't the best escape artist but certainly not the worst; there were only a handful of times where it came in hand. There were a few occasions where I did… you know…"
Enterprise's voice sank at his response. "Oh… I see. Sorry, I asked."
"It is fine. I still got other stories as a saboteur. Like the time that a few teenagers came up to me while I was picking at a lock for a ladder."
"What did they ask?" Takao questioned.
Shikikan let off a soft chuckle. "They asked if I wanted to buy chocolate bars for their fundraiser."
"Wait, are you serious?" Enterprise giggled.
"Dead serious," Shikikan confirmed, containing his amusement from their curiosity.
"What did you say after?"
"If my memory serves me correctly. I believe that I bought one to have them get out of my business," Shikikan responded.
"Was it at least good?" Enterprise asked.
"I wouldn't know. I gave it to my sister since she liked them more than I did," Shikikan said. "This is so awkward that I can't see you two while we're having this conversation. Can't I just turn around and talk?"
"No," the two denied in sync.
"Alright," Shikikan quickly dropped the attempt to convince them. "Sorry I even asked."
It was once again silent, the slow and calm splooshing of the waters resounding through the air. This time it lasted much longer. A pensive look crossed his face as he flashed through his memories of his countless tasks of being his old gang's saboteur, tapping his fingers in some degree a mellow tune.
"So how did you leave the mafia?" Takao broke the calm atmosphere.
Shikikan didn't catch half of what the Sakura woman said, breaking out of thought in a perplexed state. "What was that?"
"How did you leave the mafia?" Takao repeated. "I doubt they would just let you go without any consequences."
Shikikan froze at her question, grief and anger crossed his face - almost overwhelming him. "That… I still have nightmares about…"
"Did… something bad happen?" Enterprise inquired with an innocent tone.
"Where do I even start?" Shikikan tilted his head to where he was now resting on his arm. "I wanted to leave the mafia with what I had earned over the two years working for those degenerates. The mob boss knew that I didn't like to murder innocent people. So he tried to turn me into one of those sick cold-blooded members. I don't know why… maybe they wanted me to be a collector. It all started when we were going up a mountain to interrogate a rival gang member. His screams, thrashing, all of the blood that went everywhere… I don't know how I just stood there and took it all in. After we finished extracting it from him, they just… threw him off the cliff. Poor bastard died."
The two kansens were drawn in by his anecdote, so much that Takao's sheepish behavior was overtaken by curiosity, pulling herself to where the water level was at her shoulders.
"After that… I got betrayed. Someone had ratted on me," Shikikan grumbled, digging his nails into the floor tiles. "I don't know why he did it, after all the time we have worked together."
"Did you ever report them to the police?" Enterprise interjected in the break.
"No."
"Why didn't you–"
"Because that would do more harm than good!" Shikikan shouted, his voice sending a shivering chill down their spines. "They are smarter than you think they are. They have information, eyes, and ears on me. The mob boss' son goes to the same school as me. If they had known that I'm alive; I would have been dead along with those I cared about."
"How did they not know that you were still alive?" Takao put into question.
"I'm getting to that," Shikikan responded. "The reason why they didn't know is that they threw me off the same cliff with the presumption that the rabid dog that they placed at the bottom would have mauled me to death if I were alive. What broke my fall was the recently interrogated man's corpse, but my left leg had also been shattered. If I didn't have that knife that I have pocket after that interrogation, I most definitely would lay dead in a corpse-filled canyon."
"So you killed a few dogs while you had a broken leg. Then what happened," Enterprise said.
"Afterwards, I was stuck for around two days unable to move an inch. At first, I was worried that nobody would come when I have called for help on my destroyed phone. The heat and the cold while I was down there were the worst. I tried splinting my leg with a fallen tree branch and tying it with a part of my shirt. I thought that I was going to die of thirst after the first day, the heat made the situation even worse considering it was the beginning of summer," Shikikan paused for all but a moment, scrolling through his memory only to frown. "I-I became desperate, looking for anything to help with the situation. I ate a few bugs that came across the corpses, but that made my stomach crave something much more…" Shikikan's voice trailed off, almost hinting towards the duo which they were intimately aware of what he had done.
Enterprise was the first to release the speculation. "Don't tell me? You started to – eat them? Did you?"
"What?! No! Of course not!" Shikikan was outraged at her theory. "I wasn't that desperate just yet. I started looking at the dead dogs."
"How is that any better!" Takao exclaimed.
"Like I even had a choice. I started eating the corpse bit by bit, but thankfully I wasn't diagnosed with any sort of incurable disease," Shikikan gagged a little at the afterthought of his experience. "All that happened afterward was a long time in the bathroom once the police came to rescue me."
"Anything else that happened?" Enterprise inquired.
"They interrogated me for what happened, why I was there. Just the most boring things that you would expect."
"What did you tell them?" Takao questioned.
"I told them that was kidnapped and thrown down there without knowing how they looked," Shikikan bluntly stated. "I didn't want the police to find them in case the mafia wanted to find me."
"I don't see how you couldn't trust the police," conflicted Enterprise.
Shikikan was swift to correct that statement. "That's where you are wrong, Enterprise. If there was something critical that I remembered– it was that there are a few crooked cops that are keeping watch. I remembered that because we always relied on a few that helped divert the patrols away from us."
"So they still roam the streets, taking whatever they want still?"
"I'm not entirely sure. Might have moved on and gone elsewhere where one can splurge wealth," Shikikan moved, his hands now getting ahold of the edge of the pool. "I have had my fill of the springs. You two enjoy yourselves a bit more if you would like. Just come out, we'll eat, and then start heading back to the hotel."
Without warning, he crawled out of the pool having the two startled a frilling shriek fled their throats. At first, he didn't know what the fuss was about, spinning his head to two rosy red faces and their hands sheathing their eyes.
Shikikan got the message and calmly flapped the towels to cover himself, turning to apologize. "Sorry about my rashness."
"Don't you have any decency?!" Takao complained, her fingers delicately moved to see that he was covered.
"I said I'm sorry," Shikikan argued, without looking. "You are just overreacting, Takao."
"You really should have warned us."
"I technically did, but I guess you two were too slow to react," Shikikan strolled, promptly stopping at the exit. "When we get back to base. We will speak nothing of this. We wouldn't want a strange rumor to arouse any thoughts."
"Of course, Shikikan," Enterprise agreed.
"That was certainly a nice experience for all of us," Shikikan arching his back slightly, upon stepping out of the car. The group had already well left the mountains without any major issues. Enterprise has been given a pair of slippers by the understanding man – the given slippers were not of high quality by any means; the sole of her newly acquired footwear had been rendered down to her own.
The two kansens exited the vehicle with grace, Takao was the first to respond to his remark. "Indeed, although there were a few flaws with what had happened. I would say that they are hardly noticeable."
"It certainly was great," Enterprise agreed. "I just wished I brought actual shoes."
"Right, that is what we came back to the hotel for after all," Shikikan reminded the carrier. "We still have a bit of daylight left. You guys up for a bit of shopping or entertainment before we grab dinner to end the day?"
"No arguments here, correct?" Takao turned towards the Eagle carrier.
"Nope," Enterprise flashed a smile at the two.
Right as Enterprise turned, she had caught a glimpse of a crimson red that reside in the passenger's seat. Focusing her gaze, her eyes set upon what is a bouquet of healthy red roses. Her brow raised in curiosity at the strange sight. Though it was strange that her commander had such a thing. Her mind persisted on the possibilities of what he was planning with such a thing. A proposal to someone was a high possibility given the upcoming holiday. What if…
Enterprise's speculations came to a hard halt; the snapping of his fingers in her face followed by Shikikan's concerned voice. "Hey, Enterprise? You okay?"
Startled by this, Enterprise flinched, turning to her commander. "Yeah, I'm fine…"
"That's good to hear," a clear tint of relief reflected in his serious tone, turning towards the hotel building. "Come on, we don't want to lose sunlight."
"Shikikan," Enterprise called, prompting him to turn to her.
"What is it?" He inquired lightly.
"What are the roses for?" Enterprise questioned, her cheeks growing warm. "Is it for someone special?"
"Oh, so you noticed them," Shikikan didn't seem to notice her implications. "Yeah, they are meant for the person I care most. I believe that you know who that is."
Enterprise was rather uncertain due to his vague hint, having some issue fathoming who it was. "I'm not too sure who that is… Is it perhaps–"
Before the carrier could state her answer, Shikikan interjected. "Yes, it's my sister. She is the one I care about."
"I thought you visited your sister earlier today," Takao recalled.
"I did," Shikikan responded. "When I arrived, the table beside her bed was already filled with flowers and a few other goodies from her friends waiting for her when she wakes up."
"How long has it been since she had been in a coma?" Enterprise asked.
"Around two years," Shikikan sighed. "It's disappointing that she is about to miss out on her birthday for the third time now."
Takao was quite surprised by the news "It's been that long? I pity you, Shikikan."
"It's much worse than what you think, Takao."
"What do you mean?"
Enterprise moved to Takao, whispering a summary of what happened to her. Takao's brow raised as Enterprise slowly backed away.
"I'm… so sorry that happened to her, Shikikan," Takao sympathized with his sister's unfortunate event. "I never knew how much she sacrificed for you."
"I'm over that already," Shikikan's words were cold but warmed up as he moved on. "Since I don't have a use for these roses due to the amount she had received, perhaps you guys would want them?"
"I'm not sure if you should be giving something that is for someone else," said the concerned cruiser. "Are you sure you want to give that to us?"
"As I said, she got a table full of flowers that give off a strong scent," Shikikan argued. "I believe that these roses will be of better use if one of you put them in your home."
The two glanced at each other, silently communicating with each other with eye darting and slight movements of their arms, almost as if they both had telepathy. After a few moments of trading glances, they both gave off a nod as one of them finally stepped up on the offer.
"If you don't mind. I'll take them," Enterprise said.
"Okay," Shikikan responded. "Takao, do you have any objections?"
"No," Takao stated. "I think it's better if she took them."
"If you say so," Shikikan pulled out the bouquet of roses, stretching his arms out in waiting for her open arms. When she did, he then delicately settled the flowers in her arms. "Take care of it. These were hard to pick out."
"I will, Shikikan," smiled Enterprise. "I'll take these to our room. Please wait for me in the meantime."
"We will wait for you in the lobby," Takao told her. "You don't have to rush."
The three instantly moved for the hotel. The three contributed to small talk up until Enterprise had to make off on the elevator, leaving only the two of them to move aimlessly thinking that the other was guiding each other. Shikikan was soon to take the lead as he spotted something of interest out the corner of his eye.
"Is that an arcade?" Shikikan questioned as he pointed at a small black, red sign that pointed downwards at the staircase.
"Yeah, that was the one that we went to yesterday," Takao answered.
"I want to check it out," Shikikan bolted off in the stair's direction. Takao sighed at his childish behavior, following after him only to lose him.
Takao tried her best to spot him, although there weren't many people there playing in the arcade, it was still difficult to locate him with all of the large, catchy machines with their chambers for the players to step in. Pushing past the energetic kids running and giggling, she had managed to catch a glimpse of her commander posted in front of a claw machine.
"Shikikan," Takao called to him, dodging a pair of kids.
Shikikan didn't quite catch her greeting at first, having to turn a few moments later to briefly greet the Sakura woman.
"What are you so invested in?" Takao stepped beside him.
He was staring blankly, intently at the contents the machine held. "Nothing. Just calibrating if it is possible to get something out of this pile."
"Is there something you can get out of there?"
Shikikan lightly scratched his chin pondering. "Possibly…" He pointed over at three stuffed animals. "That panda, the little elephant, and that black puppy all have a fair chance for me to get if I play correctly."
"You know these games are made for the player to lose correct?"
"Yes, but if you have a strategy and the right positioning. The odds are in your favor," Shikikan spoke, still deeply in thought.
"Okay," Takao bent down, fluidly swiping her hotel card on the machine. "I want to see this strategy of yours."
Shikikan flashed her a cheeky grin, turning to the joystick; the digital time ticking down. "What do you want me to get?"
"Huh?" Takao turned. "Why do you want me to decide?"
"Come on… on borrowed time here," Shikikan demanded of her, the claw danged and swerved as it hovered near each one.
Takao panicked, her eyes alternating at the several plushes, making a frantic last-minute decision. "Um… the dog…"
"Okay," Shikikan directed the claw towards the plushie – lining the claw up with it, inspecting every angle to make sure that it was perfect. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time, the claw dropped as the timer ran out. The claw hit the dog plushie's head, flopping over before getting a grasp upon its head. The wire slowly reeled up the prize, soon reaching a nerve-wracking part as the claw abruptly stopped; shaking the toy a bit but staying intact.
"Yes!" Shikikan cried out in triumph, the plush then fell out of the claw's grasp only slightly closer to the prize chute. "Damnit! Goddamnit!"
Takao tried to placate him. "You were close."
"I won't accept close. This time I've got this," Shikikan confidently stated.
"If you say so…"
He tried for it again, yet failed time and time again. The plush either falls short of the chute or is tossed out of the grasp of the claw each time it reaches the top. It was almost as if the game were teasing him.
"Damnit! I got it this time."
"Shikikan… this is your third attempt. Just give up, you know these were made to be rigged," pleaded the cruiser.
"This is the last time, I promise," Shikikan countered. "The plush is in a good position and is near the prize chute. Just give me this last chance."
"Fine… but if you ask one more time. I'm just going to leave you here," Takao warned, swiping the card.
"Don't worry," Shikikan gripped the joystick once more. "I'll get it."
The claw was once more on the prowl, swinging lazily as it hovered over the black dog plushie. Checking the sides for any imperfections, this time he let the time count down as the hand dropped slowly and grabbed the toy firmly by the torso. The wire reeled in again, his fingers crossed as it reached the top swinging as the toy was hanging in by a thread. The hand then crossed over to the prize chute painfully slow as it dropped the hard-earned prize in the hole.
Shikikan eagerly reached in for the prize, pulling out the black dog plushie to examine it. "Got you."
"Nice one," Takao congratulated him on his efforts.
Shikikan shifted his body to Takao and extended the plush to her in an open hand. "Here you go."
The cruiser was perplexed and slightly flustered at his offering, blinking at the plushie and then to him. "Wait… shouldn't you take it?"
"Hmm?" Shikikan mumbled. "I thought you wanted it."
"I… is that why you asked me?"
"I thought it was unfair to only give Enterprise the roses. So I thought that this would balance between you two."
"We mutually agreed on it. There is no need," Takao rejected, only to guilty when Shikikan's face sank.
"Oh… Okay then," he closed his palm. "Maybe one of your sisters would want it? I can see Atago or Chokai wanting it."
Takao rethought her actions, thinking to herself that maybe it was right to take it for herself. "I changed my mind. I'll take it."
"Really?"
"Really," Takao confirmed, grabbing it out of his hand, clutching it in her arms. "Thank you, Shikikan."
"Not a problem," smiled Shikikan, his phone buzzing in his back pocket. Taking it out, he answered the caller. "Mhm… Yeah… Alright, we will be there." He hung up first followed by the beeping of the ended call. "Enterprise is coming down. Now, where do we go from here?"
"Dinner maybe," Takao proposed lightly, still hugging the plushie in her arm.
"That sounds good," Shikikan agreed.
The two left the arcade silently, up the stairs and towards the lobby, and there waited Enterprise; waving at them in a new fit of white shoes.
"Hey you two," Enterprise greeted. "Where are we heading to?"
"Dinner," the two said in unison.
"Okay but where exactly?"
"I was thinking hot pot would be a nice way to end off this vacation," Shikikan suggested.
"That sounds nice," Takao agreed.
Enterprise let out a light giggle at her colleague. "Then lead the way, Shikikan. We trust that you have someplace good in mind."
"I do," Shikikan replied. "Also…"
The two kansens looked at him in wonder.
"I enjoyed our time together," Shikikan radiated a heartfelt smile.
Hey all, I'm glad that I have finished this but I still wished that I could have done it sooner. It is so late at night, and I have school to catch up on in the morning. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next chapters will have to correlate to the upcoming holiday as I couldn't pass up this opportunity. Anyways, thank you so much for reading and getting this far. Good night!