Directions of Love (A Shinogiyuu Story)

Chapter 6; Boredom is boring

Shinobu Kocho

I looked through the newest poison I developed. An enhanced wisteria poison that causes tremendous pain to the chest, only to drop dead in a second. And another one, one that can cause days of pain and then death. The poison wouldn't be able to be removed once injected into the body, and the only way of saving the patient from pain was...un-alive-ly-ness.

"Kocho! I'm so sorry! I should've made sure you were behind me! No, I should've made sure I came back for you!" Kyojuro loudly boomed, his face one of guilt.

"No worries Kyojuro. I'm back, aren't I?" And definitely not the same.

"I'm still sorry Kocho! I will make sure nothing like this ever happens again! I'll train for hours-"

"Kyojuro-san, that isn't necessary." I muttered irritably.

"And will work on sword techniques-"

"Kyojuro! I said it's not necessary!" I yelled.

"And I will start right now! Thank you for your time Kocho!" Then he ran out of my tent. I sighed. Could I really continue to live like this?

"What's wrong Shinobu? You seem, pressured." Kanae. Great. Anyone who could read me the best.

"I'm just stressed." I said angrily, not wanting to face her. I continued working on my wisteria enhancement, perhaps 10 times the lethal amount. Some Minami doctors have produced a chemical that could stop my original wisteria from spreading, some even immune. But with this, there was no chance anyone would survive. 

"Okay. You know Shinobu, I do notice you sleeping less, eating less, working more, you need to stop. And it's not just me. Who's noticing. Everyone does. Take good care of yourself, please. I've made sure your schedule is free tomorrow. Go hang out with Mitsuri, you haven't in a long time. Enjoy Aoi's food, she's been dying to show you her new recipe. You have loved ones here, don't push them away." With that, she left.

I guess it couldn't hurt to take a break, could it?

***

"Omg, Shinobu! You fiiiiiinally stopped working! Come on! Let's have a girls day, just us! I did try and invite Kanae, but she said she would deal with your stuff today!" Mitsuri, my favorite non-related person here.

"Thank you Mitsuri." Mitsuri smiled and bounced up and down. Around here, there were also shops families could own to gain some extra money. Mitsuri instantly headed to the jewelry section.

"Shiiiiiiiinobu! You must have so much money in your account! Use it!" She whined when I shook my head. But as usual, a pretty butterfly necklace caught my attention, and with my little self control, I started going on a shopping spree, Mitsuri with me, literally pointing to anything that was sparkly and purple, which were a lot of things. I did get some things for Kanae and Kanao, even though I knew they could come here themselves to buy things, I didn't realize I hadn't really been talking to them. I present wouldn't make up for all of that, but it could be a start.

Then she took me to a bunch of places I didn't know, but they just cut my hair and took me to a sauna. Afterwards, Mitsuri took me shopping to legit every single kind of clothes shop you can think of. Well, I bought them all.

"Omg Shinobu! You look soooooooooooo cute!" Mitsuri squealed.

"C'mon, let's go to Aoi's. I heard she has a new recipe to show me. I said. Relaxation. Complete oblivious bliss. Maybe taking a break once in a while really makes a difference.

"Yea!" Bounding up to Aoi's tent, we saw her smiling warmly to an old lady before turning around to see us.

"Eeeeeeeeek! Shinobu! You finally got the day off! I'm so excited!" Then she made me try every single food item in her new menu.

"Aoi! When did you get so talented?" I muttered, food in my mouth. So. Delicious. Mouthwatering. Food.

"Oh I'm so glad you liked it." Aoi said with a smile.

However, Kanae's efforts did not succeed. I went back to bleary eyed, working endlessly, Shinobu once again.

Giyu Tomioka

I woke up to a pounding headache. I hadn't trained so hard since Urokodaki beat the crap out of me years ago.

Grumbling, I woke up, ready to make sure Kocho wasn't going anywhere when I remembered. Kocho escaped. And I basically helped her.

"Oi! Wake up, sleepyhead!" Obanai. Argh. I trudged out of my tent to see Obanai glaring at me, Kaburamaru glaring along with him.

We're going on a quick rundown of the entire camp scheduling. Changing anything that might be a problem."

"Alright." I muttered.

"I still don't get why you also had to help me! I could do this by myself easy! But if the master requests so, I guess it's necessary." Obanai grumbled.

I trudged with him slowly. As Obanai sorted everything slowly, I felt something odd going on. I sort of warning. Perhaps it was just because I had broken a law.

"Just forget about it." I thought.

We looed through all the maps and guard rotations, but all of them looked good. Obanai had something to say for all of them, however. After Obanai screaming at me to say something and then dismissing me, I went to train a new Mizunoto warrior. Zenitsu's trainer was working with another person for today, and I was told to train him for the day.

"AAAAAAAAARGH! WHY ARE ALL THE HASHIRA SO TOUGH! I WANNA STOP! PLEASE! HEEEEELP ME!" Zenitsu screamed the entire way he climbed the mountain carrying a rock. He told me that he wanted to see me do it to prove it was possible, and I did it easily. Zenitsu, however, wasn't succeeding much.

"TELL NEZUKO-CHAN I LOVE HER!" He screamed as the rock nearly crushed him. I grabbed the rock just in time and chucked it away.

"Agatsuma. Start over." I commanded as he screamed in pain.

"Screw you!" He wailed.

I sighed. The day was already bad as it was, now I had to deal with Zenitsu. Talk about a headache.

"Agatsuma. I'm giving you a five minute break. Come back a second after five and we're starting over at the bottom of the mountain." Zenitsu ran as fast as he could, probably from me.

People like Agatsuma were ridiculous. Why was he even a warrior?

I watched a butterfly flutter away. I wonder what Kocho was doing. She seemingly made her way into every single thought I had.

Makomo also noticed what was happening.

"Giyu, are you thinking of the butterfly pin girl again?" Makomo asked when I had drifted into thought again. I shook my head and looked away.

"Giyu! Sabito and I are your best friends! Don't go all monotone on us! Your sister also noticed something odd about you. You're back to being depressed again!"

I ate my salmon daikon in peace.

"Giyu, say something!" Makomo yelled. Tsutako heard us and came over.

"Giyu, it's rude to ignore I girl you know. Especially when it's your best friend and your sister." Tsutako said softly, jabbing me. It's not helping the fact it was giving Kocho vibes.

"Leave me be. I just want to be alone." I muttered and trudged away, back to my tent. Remembering that a giant person named Gyomei came into camp a few days ago, sobbing because his kitten's foot was crushed by a rock. Our medics saved the kitten, and how Himejima just chilled in our camp. I let him use my tent, and moved in with Obanai, despite the fact that being roomies with him was miserable, Gyomei was a nice dude, and I (kinda) don't regret letting him stay in my tent for a few days. 

Even with that excitement, there was nothing in me that felt much emotion.

Well, as some say, boredom is boring.

Boredom is boring, and so was this chapter.