12A/N: Alright, finally continuing with this baby. Part Two was already half-written, so why not, right? O.o Anyway, the ending didn't seem to want to write itself, so it seems I'll be writing up a part three after all. Have fun.
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Shifting the Blame
Part Two
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After about five or so minutes of casually and comfortably walking with an unbearable silence and extremely hot weather - what are you talking about, I'm not being sarcastic! - I finally felt like I had to say something.
"So…" I began, turning to the Blade. "Is 'The Blade' your real name or do you have a normal one?"
He glared.
"I'd never tell my real name to a selfish little ninja g-"
"His name's Taro Seika."
The Blade's mouth fell open and he gave his partner a horrified look.
"RAPIER, YOU-"
"And mine's Tsukasa Deisuke."
His eyes were questioning.
He wanted to know what I thought.
I smiled and laughed.
"My name's Mai Yojimbo."
The Blade's eyebrow rose.
"Is Yojimbo your real last name?"
"No, you idiot! That's my profession!"
"Alright, then, so what's your real surname?" asked the Rapier, giving me a strange look, face still as blank as ever.
I felt my face grow hot and I began squirming, trying to think of a way around the question.
"If you don't want to tell us, you don't have to."
I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good. You wouldn't believe me even if you did find out."
"What the hell is that supposed-?"
"Oh look!" I interrupted, running ahead. "A stream! I'm feeling a little dehydrated!"
I sighed, reaching down into the cool water and lifting it convincingly to my lips.
Eventually I wouldn't be able to keep dodging questions and lingering details.
Secrets such as mine would be hard to keep from ex-samurai of the 3rd Division.
They knew much more than they thought they did.
And that made me really uncomfortable.
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We traveled until we could no longer see.
Then the Rapier found us a decent area and we set up camp for the night. The Blade lit a fire and I tried not to get in the way.
After the Blade had fallen asleep, I inched closer to the fire, pushing his snoring form out of the way. "Damn, it's cold."
Before I could take another breath, I felt something warm settle around my shoulders. I looked up into calm green eyes.
"Here."
"…Thank you."
"No problem."
The Rapier settled down beside me, legs bent up in front of him, staring at the flames.
There was a moment of silence and I drew the blanket closer around myself.
"Tell me the truth."
His eyes swerved until they focused on my face.
"What?" I asked nervously.
"Tell me the truth. Why are you going to Edo?"
I look away and stared hard at the trees beyond the fire.
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"…Because."
"That's not an answer."
I sighed.
"I'm sorry, but I just can't say."
Silence again.
"So…what I am I supposed to call you, anyway?" I gave him a questioning look, one eyebrow raised.
"Whatever you wish."
"So what - you want me to call you the Rapier?"
He blinked once.
"I said whatever you want."
"But doesn't that sound sorta strange?"
The Rapier tilted his head back, looking down his nose at me.
"Alright, then. Call me Tsukasa."
I nodded once, hesitantly.
"Then you have to call me Mai."
"Fine."
I giggled.
"What do you and the Blade call each other?"
I swear I almost saw him smile. I swear I did, but his face remained stoic.
"I shouldn't curse in the presence of a lady."
I burst out laughing.
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I eventually fell asleep beside the fire, pleased with my current situation and warmed by the comfortable wool blanket around my shoulders. It was nice to be relaxed and content when traveling. It had been a really long time since I'd been so...happy.
The next morning I woke up with a bright smile on my face. I'd had the greatest dream.
"Hey, girl! WAKE UP!" Something hard and painful crashed into the top of my head, causing me to fall backward, imaginary birds circling my head.
"Whoa…HEY! THAT HURT YOU IDIOT!" I yelled up into the smirking face of the Blade, who held a large frying pan in his left hand. He had it slung over his shoulder.
"You snore, girl."
"No I don't!" I shouted, outraged. I jumped to my feet and growled into his face. "You're the one who snores, Taro Seika!"
He went rigid and his eyes widened a great deal, anger burning in their depths.
Was that a mistake? I thought, a little too late.
"NEVER call me by my first name, you stupid little baka!" he yelled, dropping the frying pan and shaking my shoulders roughly. "NEVER!"
"Okay, okay, okay! Just let me go already!"
I was thrown backwards.
"Damn, Blade, what the hell is your problem?!" I demanded, clenching my fists and digging my sandal into his toe, glowering.
He yelped and tried desperately to yank his foot out from under my sandal, but to no avail.
"You know, you are both quite loud," said a voice that sounded calm yet groggy and unclear.
Almost immediately, I removed my foot from the Blade's toes and he stopped trying to trip me. Our eyes slowly made their way over to the pile of blanket, bandana, and grass that was Tsukasa.
His eyelids were still heavy with sleep and his eyes were clouded. His bandana was hanging half-off, revealing to me for the first time his hair. It was thick and uneven and stood in jagged spikes that went every which way. It was golden-brown.
"Whoa," I said, pushing the Blade down - (and ignoring his loud curses) - so that I could make my way over to him. "You have gold hair like me!"
He stumbled to his feet and yawned widely, stretching his arms up high above his head, making me feel like a child compared to his great height.
"Man, why does everyone have to be so much taller than me?" I asked no one, pulling my hair unconsciously.
A laugh rang out from behind me and I turned to see the Blade up on his feet once more. He was giving me a superior smirk, arms crossed and chin tilted up.
"Don't feel too bad. You can't help being a little kid. In a decade or so - you know, once you become a teenager- maybe you'll grow a few inches!"
I took a deep breath as blood began pounding in my ears and I felt a suppressed scream swell in my throat.
Man, if I stayed with these guys much longer, I'd have a stroke by the time I was twenty.
"I'm already a teenager, you asshole!" I screamed, swinging my foot into his shin hard. He howled and stumbled back. "DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP! I'M PROBABLY OLDER THAN YOU ARE, ANYWAY!"
He leaned forward again to respond. I heard a sigh from behind me. Tsukasa sat back down and watched us fight.
"Oh yeah!? Just how old are you, you little ninja brat!?"
"I'm sixteen for your information, you sorry excuse for a man!"
He looked outraged. His pupils dilated and he gave a cry of anger and flicked me in the forehead with his finger. "Don't go questioning my manhood you little ninja! And anyway, I'm seventeen! Ha! I am older than you so why don't you learn to shut up? CHILDREN SHOULDN'T SPEAK UNLESS SPOKEN TO!"
I growled.
"Why you -"
"Uh, guys. Why don't we stop fighting and just continue on?"
Tsukasa's voice was calm and serene but his eyes were looking a little bit panicked as he watched the Blade's eye twitch and his fists curl.
In fact, his anger was beginning to have a similar effect on me too. It wasn't like I was AFRAID of him or anything…so don't go and get some idea like that into your head. He was just a tad bit…
…intimidating…
Yeah, that's it - intimidating!
The Blade growled one last time at me before roughly grabbing the frying pan from where it had been dropped and shoving it inside his brown, patchwork bag, hoisting it violently over his shoulder. "I can't believe you dragged her along," he spat at Tsukasa before storming on down the road.
As soon as he was out of ear shot, we both sighed in unison.
"I know that this may seem like a stupid question, but is he always so difficult?" I asked, cocking my head to the side and gazing off along after him curiously.
Tsukasa shrugged and grabbed up his bed roll and bag too. "Sometimes. It all depends on whether or not it's-" He suddenly paused, casting me a weary look. "Nevermind. Come on, we've got to get moving before it gets too hot." With that he spun on his heel and was running after the Blade, leaving a very confused me in his dust.
What was up with these two? What had he been saying?
It depends on whether or not it's - what? I thought questioningly to myself, before snatching up my things and racing along after them.
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"So…" I started after about an hour tension and discomfort.
I glanced back and forth at their faces, praying for at least some small reaction and swallowed a sigh when I received none.
"So…" I began again, adjusting the straps of the bag I was carrying on my back. I searched desperately for something to say and blurted out the first thing I could think of. "How long have you two known each other?"
The Blade looked at me funny. "Why do you want to know?"
I growled my frustration and threw my hands up in the air contemptuously, trying to refrain from throwing a temper tantrum. "I'm just trying to make conversation here, bud!" I retorted, lowering my arms and instead crossing them grouchily. "You two aren't exactly chatterboxes, are you?"
He rolled his eyes and snorted as though to signal that some unknown point had been proven. Rolling his head to the left, he sighed heavily, seeminglydeterminedto refuseto speak.
"What's wrong with you?" I demanded, storming forward quickly and making pace alongside so I could look him in the eye. "Did I offend you in some way or something? Or is it that you just don't like girls?"
His stop was sudden and abrupt, and I certainly didn't expect him to turn and glare at me, eyes both angry and surprisingly cheerless. "I just don't like girls," he replied coolly before frowning and making his way forward ahead of me once more with more speed than I could match.
"Forgive him," said a voice from behind me. I felt a hand come down on my shoulder warmly. "He just isn't the talkative type."
I grinned up at Tsukasa, for that's indeed who it was. "Neither are you it seems," I countered, trying not to giggle.
His face, as always, remained emotionless, but his eyes, again - as always, showed me what he was really feeling. There was humor reflected there, and emerald glinted within it in silent laughter. "No, I suppose not," he replied quietly but not monotonously.
I cocked my head to the side and studied him thoughtfully. "Will you tell me how long you've known each other?"
He blinked twice and then sighed, removing his hand from my shoulder, leaving it cold. I shivered. "It's a long story, Mai," he replied, easily evading the question. "I'll tell you some other time."
I frowned but decided that I shouldn't ask or answer any questions…yet.
Not until I knew I could trust them. I didn't want the only allies – well, ally – I had to turn on me. I'd been alone for so long…
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Things passed by quickly – it was amazing how perfectly normal everything seemed to grow. After a few days, I was already used to Deisuke's quiet yet profound way of telling people things, and the Blade's loud yet stupid (well, in my opinion, but then again, I truly didn't like the guy) way of letting his thoughts be heard.
And it was interesting to see the way they both adapted towards me as well. It was little things, you understand, all little but noticeable. Like how when the Blade came back from catching fish, he started to remember to bring back three instead of two. Or how Tsukasa bought me a new bedroll without my having asked when we stopped by a small town.
Too bad it ended all too soon, for the next thing I knew, we were only a few days' journey from Edo. I knew it was time. They needed to know...
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BUM BUM BUMMMM! Alright, everyone, just what IS Mai's deep, dark secret? What is The Sword's secret? Find out in the thrilling (HA! XD) conclusion of Shifting the Blame!
- Aeleice.