Chapter 8 - Sparkly Stick

Chapter 8

The next morning I woke up to smell breakfast being made. Looking around, I saw Shika-san already starting to pack things. Occasionally, he would stir the leftover meat. I greeted him and stretched.

“Want some help?” I offered. Shika-san gave me a quick nod, so I resigned myself to stirring breakfast. By the time Hana and Touji had woken up, breakfast was made and set into the bowls with spoons.

“Wow!” the two shouted. I watched as Hana gulped down her soup like a ravenous vulture(much like the night before), while Touji ate slower and… less messy I guess you could say.

Shika-san finished the packing and grabbed his own bowl. I had finished a few minutes before, so I took interest in trying to find ways to climb up a nearby tree. I failed immensely each time, falling on my last try.

Shika-san had bolted towards me and caught me in the knick of time. It was a… strange position to say the least. Shika-san’s arms were snaked around my waist and back and my arms were wrapped around his neck for balance. I blushed as red as a tomato, as did Shika-san. It seemed as if he was leaning closer, of in his own world, forgetting that two CHILDREN were nearby.

I felt a tug at my sleeve, turning to see Hana. “You know…,” she began. “You and Shika-sama are like a married couple!” Hana finished with a wide smile. Shika-san nearly dropped me and stood as I stumbled and found balance.

“Wh…what?” I heard Shika-san stutter. I looked at him through the corner of my eye; he was frozen in the middle of standing, looking ready to faint.

“You and Yuki-nee-sama act like a married couple!” Touji repeated for Hana. A torrent of very, very awkward silence followed for the next five minutes, and I couldn’t help but break it.

“W-well, I’m sure its not like that… r-right?” I stuttered as I stood up, nervously starting to rub the back of my neck.

“But, it IS like th-,” Hana started.

“Time to go,” Shika-san said out of nowhere. He gathered our things and was off at a running pace before any of us could say ‘aye-aye, cap’n!’. I grabbed the hands of the two children and raced after him, onto another day of our journey. Hopefully the last day of walking. Walking, walking, walking….

(OH GREAT! I WAS SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!! ……NOT!!!)

0o00o0


“Th-thank kami-sama….,” I panted. I suppose that you, the awesome listener of my crazy story, would like to know why I am so horribly tired. Well, before the flashback begins, allow me to bring you up to date at where we are.

Remember that mountain I was looking at just the day before? Well, at noon sharp today, we have finally made it to the foot of that very mountain. I’m not the only tired one; Shika-san, Hana, and Touji appear to be just as tired as me. So, on with the flashback!

Begin

Shika-san has FINALLY slowed down. Thank kami-sama! He stopped, interestingly, in front of another very small village, consisting of about 10 houses and a market. Although its so small, it sure was beautiful. All the houses looked antique, but Shika-san told me that the homes had stood for more than 100 years. Amazing, ne?

“Yuki, we must keep going. I’m sure we’ll be able to come back here after we get settled in a few days,” Shika-san told me. I was currently investigating a peculiar little shop, filled with strange incense sticks and small toys. Hana had followed me in, she started to pick things up.

“Hana, you cant do that,” I warned her. She gave me a nod, putting the item back and withdrawing her hands.

“Come on, Yuki,” Shika-san told me again.

“Yea! Come on Yuki-nee-sama! I wanna see the mountains!” Touji commented.

“Okay,” I replied with a smile. I retrieved Hana, and our group started on its way again. Hana seemed nervous, fidgeting quite a bit. I was going to ask her what was wrong, but figured it was some silly kid thing and shoved the thought to the back of my mind.

………Boy, was I wrong………


We were a whole 30 yards from the village when we heard the screams of a mob
coming towards us.

All heads in our group turned. My jaw dropped, it seemed the whole of the village POPULATION was running after us(the mothers carrying small children including infants).

“D-did we do something wrong?” I asked the air nervously. The mob was upon us now, the woman who owned the previously said shop at the head. “Umm, yea?” I asked uneasily. What had gone wrong?! Did they know who I was?! IMPOSSIBLE! My hair is dyed, and… and… and…


“No, of course not! Oh brave one…,” the woman trailed off. She bent down to Hana with a soft expression. Am I missing something? Has Shika-san, Hana, or Touji ever told you anything about this incident? Oh well, ignore that.

The woman put a hand on Hana’s shoulder. Hana tensed. “Brave one, you have chosen the toy. The chosen toy of the winter sorceress! YOU are the chosen one!” the woman screeched. I glanced at Hana’s face. The poor girl, she looked scared(don’t forget oblivious) out of her mind.

“Wha-what are you talking about old lady! I-I dunno what you talking ‘bout!” Hana replied nervously.

“But, child. You are THE ONE. All the memories of your past lives must be flooding into your mind this very second,” a member of the stampede commented. Hana threw a small stick with shiny sparkles all over it at the woman.

“IT WAS SHINY SO I TOOK IT! PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE, YOUR SCARRRIIIINNNNGGGG MMEEEEEEE!!!” Hana wailed, falling on her butt. I looked at Shika-san, who was looking at me. We nodded, thinking the same thing.

The Plan:
1st priority- get the heck OUT OF THERE.
Grab the kids and run, run like there’s no tomorrow!


The plan was carried out flawlessly. I grabbed Hana off the ground and bolted, Shika-san trailing at my heels behind me with Touji. After several minutes, I dared slow down to look back. The village and mob was nowhere in sight. Still unsure, I listened for a few seconds. No, no rumblings, the ground isn’t vibrating.

THANK KAMI-SAMA

I looked around, we were at the foot of a mountain. We were all tired.

End

Yes - oh yes - that crazy lady thought Hana was a ‘chosen one’ or something. But, whose to say she isn’t? Maybe Hana just wasn’t THAT chosen one.

“Well, almost there,” Shika-san said, breaking the silence.

“Yes,” I replied. A few more minutes passed. From nowhere, as usual, my stomach
growled. Shika-san looked at me as well as the two children. I smiled sheepishly. “Snack time?” I asked.

“Yea, whatever. Just something small though,” Shika-san answered, tossing a pear to me.

“Domo Shika-kun!” I thanked him, biting into the sweet pear. Ahh, such tasty bliss…

“-kun?” Shika questioned. My peaceful moment cut short, I looked at him. I swallowed the last bite of the small fruit.

“What, is it a crime now to call you ‘Shika-kun’?” I asked him, grinning  in a playful way. “Well then, Shika-kun, I’m going to be one bad criminal from now on. And I like the way it sounds, so get used to it!” I told him with a big smile.

“Tch,” was all he said.

“Shika-kun! Can we get going now?” Hana asked cheerfully, earning a weird look from Shika-kun. HA! He cant get me here. “Puhwease?!”

“Fine,” Shika-kun answered. “Follow me closely, its kind of steep.”

Things had been going so well. I was following Shika-kun, and trailing behind me
was Touji and Hana. About a good 5 minutes into the journey up the mountain, I heard the horrific topic mentioned this morning.

“I told you, Touji! They really ARE like a married couple!” came Hana’s
oh-so-cheerful voice. And then, the truly horrific part. “You owe me five bucks!” she added. What has this world come to?

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