!PRIVATE! Marchen: The Journey

[Aki Ameko]

Aki sat curled up in her bed, trying to calm herself down. "Stupid." She told herself. "I'm being so stupid." I shouldn't have yelled at her. She thought. But I couldn't stand hearing about Ryuu leaving her. Not when...

*"Aki, dear, that's amazing!" Said a short woman with short wavey hair that was tied back neatly.

"That's some talent there! Just as I'd expect from a daughter of Ameko, yes sir!" Said a tall, dark, severe looking man.

Little Aki looked up at her parents, beaming from ear to ear at the praise she was receiving. The birds that she had just conjured out of thin air were fluttering about the parlor, trying to find a way out or merely perching somewhere high and out of reach.

"Keehee, you think so?!" Aki asked.

"Certainly dear!" Mr. Ameko leaned down and picked up his little girl, holding her high above his head for a short twirl before taking her down to his eye level, embracing her tenderly. Aki giggled in amusement before looking up into her father's face. The man would have seemed intimidating or even fearsome if not for his eyes. They were a warm honey brown color, large and almond shaped, identical to Aki's. His hair was dark and a little straggley, but well kept, and his warm smile peaked out from under a short beard and mustache that covered his face.

Mrs. Ameko came to stand beside her husband, smiling in a similar manner. Her hair was the same chocolate cherry color as Aki's, and was tied back in an elegant bun behind her head. Her eyes were rather tiny compared to her husband, but the calm blue color gave off a twinkle of a magical spark.

"We MUST send her to a good school, Aviv." Mr. Ameko said to his wife. "But Martin, can we afford such a school?" Aviv asked her husband. Martin brushed off her worry nonchalantly. "It's a necessary expense, dear. Besides, I'll just get Arthur Leofric to help us out. He's a good man, and he'll surely recognize the talent of out daughter!"

Aviv bit her lip wearily. "Well if you think so, Dear." She replied. "But doesn't he have his own child to provide for?"

Martin smiled jollily at his wife. "Why yes! A strapping young lad called Freyr. Heh, I hear he's pretty talented too! Should make a good match for our Aki! They're right about the same age too..."*

Aki's thoughts faded as the sobs returned. Father...if only you knew then what you know now... She pleaded miserabley in her mind. ...I miss them so much. Oh how I wish I could return... But the thought of returning to the village where she grew up sent a cold, chilling shiver down her spine. The fear that he was drawing near was growing.

[SilverDragonetsu]

'Knock knock' came a tapping at the door. Not loud, but soft as though by a delicate and tiny hand. 'knock knock' came the rap-a-tapping again. "Ane-san?" Usa called through the door, She peeked through the key hole curiously. "Ane-saaaaan?", the little girl whined persistantly in an urgent manner. Just like any child would to their older sibling for attention. "Ane-san, can I come in?", she cried out again, leaning her forehead against the door and staring through the key hole. Such a nosey child. It was cute though.


"What are you doing back in this ol' town any how, Kai? Come back for that there child, gone and run off for you lady friend?" Aster had taken Ryuu back to a privet room and had the silver haired lad set up on a seat, nearly half naked. He'd made him take a bath, to clean away his bloodied self. And so that his clothes could be cleaned. It wasn't certain that Ryuu would be getting said clothes back though, concidering their condition.

Ryuu was clothed in but a pair of leather brown pants and a loose, long sleeve tunic of white. He was hunched over himself, tossling his hair with a towel. "Actually..."
"Ryuu...? How could you leave that poor girl like that!?"
"She's a big girl."
"She was only 5!"
"I didn't mean to!", Ryuu barked back in his defence. He snarled at Aster. The man huffed, crossing his arms. Ryuu gained a guilty look and eased off, running his claws through his hair in a combing motion. "I didn't know.", he mumbled under his breath, staring off across the room.
"Well then...What DID bring you here? Awefully messed up, not to mention. I'm surprised that child wasn't screaming her head off when she saw you all bloodied up." That really puzzled Aster. As little as he knew about the child, that just wasn't normal in children.
"Like I said. Strong kind. Anyway....", Ryuu paused, thinking to himself. "I'm here because of---a run-in."
"With whom?!", Aster hissed in urgency to know.
". . ." He couldn't say outsiders. Word would spread fast and send panick through Marchen. Then agian...maybe that was a good thing? They'd send Hunters, Bounties, and Sweepers out. It'd keep the Outsiders busy and off Ryuu's back.
"Well? I'm waiting for an answer, young man."
"Ah. Just some old enemies. Bandits. The higher class. You know how they get?" Ryuu averted his gaze, staring at the floor, then closing his eyes as he scrowered his head with the towel.
Aster didn't seem to believe it, though he hummed low and slow, rocking on his heels before leaving Ryuu so he might finish changing.

[Aki Ameko]

Aki was startled by the sudden knock, but was relieved that it was only Usa. I shouldn't shut the poor girl out... She thought almost dismally.

With a casual flick of her hand, the door came unlocked and Usa would be able to enter. Aki just continued to sit still, hiding her face.

[SilverDragonetsu]

Usa was haning onto the door handle when she heard a click. She flashed her eyes open and was only able to get out a simple, "oh" before the door suddenly opened wide. Usa fell foreward, though flapped her arms to keep on her toes until gravity won her over. she fell on the floor with an umph and a thud.

"Ohh...Usa no hang on doors any more...", she mumbled, staring across the floor dismally. She easily picked herself up as though nothing had happened. Dusted herslef up and smoothed her skirt. Then prompty skipped over to the door, shutting it.

After shutting the door, usa skipped across the room to aki's bed, where she creened foreward, leaning on her hands on the matress. she kicked up one foot behind her, and titled her head to the side to try and see Aki's face.
"Ooooh." Such awe-filled eyes. "Mm, Aki-Ane-san? Are you sad? Did Usa-usa make you sad?"

[Aki Ameko]

Aki sniffed and turned her head away from Usa. "No, Usa, it's not your fault..." She mumbled, still trying to keep her face covered and stem the flow of her tears. "Don't worry about me. I just get sad easily, that's all..."

[SilverDragonetsu]

"Ohh..." Usa tilted her head the other way as Aki turned her head the opposite direction. pouting when she couldn't see Aki's face, little Usa clambered up onto the bed and ploped herself infront of Aki. Creening foreward, she tried to see Aki's face, resting her little hands ontop of Aki's.
"Aki-ane?" She waited a moment. "Mis Aki. Don't be sad. Dont be upset at Nii-san. Nii-san...Nii-san didn't leave me behind. Nii-san would never do that...not..on purpose."

[Aki Ameko]

"Not on purpose." Aki repeated dully, still having her face turned resolutely away from Usa's. "Tell me, what did he mean to do, then?" She tried to keep calm and not raise or put bitter resentment in her voice, but it proved rather difficult. She didn't want to make the poor young girl feel bad.

[SilverDragonetsu]

Usa cuddled her knees to her chin, and played withthe hem of her skirt. She looked like a child guilty of stealing candy from the cookie jar. Only in a calm and sadden sort of manner.
"Big Brother Ryuu...He was always very nice to me a played with me when no one else would. I didn't have very many friends. Alot of people back home think I'm noisey and too...rambunctious. I don't know what that means, but...Big brother never minded and always told me to never listen to those things they said."


A soft whimper and a sniffle in the corner of a dark room. Tear stained flushed cheeks and tiny hands rubbing them dry. A small shild of maybe three or four curled with her back to the wall and her knees to her chest. Clad in a plain soft pastle green summer dress with soft ruffles on the sleeves.
"--a...Us--...Usa-?" Light spilled into the dark room, siluetting a tall shadowy figure. "Usa, why are you you crying in this dark room?", a voice soft spoke out. And tone warm like spring.
"No one will play with me! They all say...that...I'm...a-a nuisence...", the child cried out to the figure. Her cried were stiffled as a gentle hand rest atop her head.
"Crying won't help any, Usa. Don't listen to what they say. Come with me Usa-usa. I'll play with you, if you stop crying."
There was a cheerful smile, and two lands, large than her own, lifted her from the floor and cradled her in a pair of arms. Her tears and stopped and she merely sniffled while holding fast to the figure.


"Sometimes, Big brother would leave. Becaue he had work he did. I don't know what kind of work, but lots of time it was really far away, so he'd be gone for long times. I always looked foreward to him coming home and would wait for him."


A small child fiddled with her skirt, sitting among the flowers. She appeared lonesome, if not very bored. Glancing past a butterfly resting on her foot, the child saw someone riding a dark horse in through the court. Her face brightened with a smile, and she rushed over to the horse side, reaching up to the cloaked person with a smile. "Welcome home, Big Brother!" The rider reached down with a smile peeking from beneath his hood. He took her hand and easily pulled her up into his saddle, where the little red eyes child held fast to him.


"One morning big brother had to leave for another job. Sometimes he took me with on his longer trips, so I wouldn't be bored at home. This time I wouldn't be going though. Because he had to leave for a really really long time. Longer than usual.
"I slept in and at breakfast is when I heard the elder house members murmuring about his departure, and how he wouldn't be back..."


"Big brother, Why? Why didn't you wait? Why didn't you wait so I could say good bye. Why didn't you take me with you!?" Little Usa ran out the gates. And fast down a long narrow dirt road through a town. Through her blurred teary eyes, she though she could see him. Riding through the streets. Then he was gone.
"No! Big brother! Wait for me big brother!"

Panting and out of breath, the little girl reached her limit. she couldn't run much longer. He was here though, She knew he was. And low and behold, there was her big brother, saddling up and prepairing to leave a store he'd exited moment ago. She reconised his cloak, even with his hood up. "B-big brother! Wait!", she called out, but he was too far away. He took a scroll handed to him by a shop keeper, than galloped off in a cloud of dust. Usa was left behind. Unseen. Unheard. Tears streaked her face. She was too late. She could only go home now. But where was that? She'd never been outside the Gates without Ryuu.


"Mr. Aster found me sitting outside his Inn after that. He told me about how this town was a sort of waiting place. I decided since then that I'd wait right here for big Brother. I knew he'd be back on his way home some day. And he did."
Usa smiled to herslef, laying her cheek against her knee while touching her fingertips together gently. A blissful smile lay against her lips. She frowned though, looking at her feet. "So you see...It's not Big brothers fault. He...He didn't know. He didn't know I chased him."

[Aki Ameko]

Aki listened to Usa's story with quiet shame. I had no idea. She thought. Poor Usa. Such a lovely girl should never have been treated that way by her family.

Aki lifted her head and finally looked at Usa with a tearful gaze. Softly, but rather quickly, she embraced the sweet girl in hug. "I'm so sorry Usa." She whispered, hugging the girl tighter and fighting back more tears. "I had no idea..." She began petting the girl's hair tenderly. So soft. Like the fur of a rabbit... Her mind wandered back to the girl's story. "Usa, what about the rest of your family? Haven't they come looking for you yet?"

[SilverDragonetsu]

It surprised her. The sudden movement that brought her into Aki's embrace. She didn't mind though and smiled softly to herself when held. "Aw. Please don't be sorry. I chose my path with little regreat."
Usa frowned gently. The petting of her hair. It slightly disturbed her. Though not as much as the sound of Aki's voice. She only made her more sad, it seemed. She'd make her smile soon.

"Oh.." Family... "The people of the place I lived. We weren't really related. We just lived in the house, really." A half lie. Some of the people in the house were related, but that was someting Aki didn't need to know. Perhaps Usa shouldn't be sharing much more than she already had, either?
". . ." Usa hadn't really answered the question. "Miss Aki, are you still made at Big brother?" She pushed away from Aki enough to look up at her face.

[Aki Ameko]

"Oh." Aki said softly. "So they're not really your family. I see." Aki stated it plainly and clearly enough, but she still couldn't quite comprehend it.

Aki was startled by Usa's next question. "Ryuu? Well..." She had to think about that one. "Well I...I guess I can't blame him. I know better now. But I'm going to make sure he takes better care of you from now on." Aki smiled at Usa tenderly, and began petting her hair again. "And if he won't, then I will."

[SilverDragonetsu]

"R-really!? Oh, yey!" Usa leapt from the bed and danced in a circle in her glee. "I've always wanted a big sister! Hee! Come on, Aki! Come on! Let's go and tell Ni-san!!"

Usa promptly took Aki by the hand and dragged her from the bed as quickly as her little body would allow her.
(Shooooooort >< )

[Aki Ameko]

"Ah-! Oh, okay!" Aki let the little girl drag her from her bed, and followed the girl downstairs. So adorable...makes me want to lych Ryuu for leaving her...

((Yesh, mine reaks of the Edo too.))

[SilverDragonetsu]

(scene jump~! *w/uber short edo legs* >3)

"Weee! Super Bunny Speed! Woosh!" Usa giggled to herself as she flew down the stairs, aki dragged along behind her at racing speed perhaps to fast for a little girl her height. Down the stairs and aroudn the corner they went and into the dinning area of the inn. "Be rigth back!", Usa called, leaving Aki behind at one of the booths, before zipping off agian under the arms of Aster. The child rushed off into an open door down a hall meant for employees only, chanting Ryuu's name over and over again in a sing song voice until she was out of Ear shot.


"One, two, three. That should be enough." Aster filled threee bowls with a fresh batch of soup he'd cooked up for lunch. Each was set onto a tray along with a plate that held sandwiches to go with the meal. Six halves. And why aster was getting these ready for a particular group now, rather than waiting to take orders? Well, His Aster sences were tingling.

Taking up the tray and humming a happy tune, the large towering man left the confines of the back kitchen and embarked into the open of the inn. He froze in his steps for a split moment, turning awkwardly to avoid coliding with a certain little child whom ran through his path. Sigh heavily, Aster re-adjusted and brougth the tray down from atop his head, continuing on to the booth where Aki was sitting quietly by herself.
"Good afternoon, lil'Miss. Good to see you back. And just on time. Courtisey of young Usa, ne'?" He gave a huffled laugh as he set the tray onto the table, leaning aginst the opposite side of the booth Aki sat in.

[Aki Ameko]

"Uh...ah...Okay Usa..." Aki sat down in the booth rather awkwardly, unsure of what to do with herself.

It wasn't too long before Aster arrived with the tray full of goodies. "Oh! Uh, good afternoon, Mr. Aster." Aki responded politely. "Yes...Usa took me back." Feeling nervous and awkward, Aki avoided Aster's gaze and merely stared into her lap.