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The sky decided to be kind today. Instead of the usual heavy snowfall, it was light. The harsh wind has died down slightly only leaving the freezing temperature to remain. The only sounds that filled the air were occasional bird songs and the crushing of snow under you and Mizu's feet. It was tranquil. P Mizu suddenly stopped causing you to stop as well. Beef you could question why she stopped your question was answered when hearing that familiar faint humming. Turning around you saw it, Ringo, that shop servant walking up behind us. His eyes were closed so he didn't see us. Once he got close Mizu drew her weapon and aimed it at him.
"Hm?", he gasped inward his eyes focusing on the tip of her blade then glanced up at us. "I found you guys!", Ringo exclaimed. "I'd never catch up on the path but I remember this shortcut 'cause when we traveled to the Izushi shrine for my 7th birthday, I went to pee and got lost, so I slept with a family of tanks for three days and ate leaves and carbs, and go to now the forest really really well, so..", he rambled trailing off for a second then held his arms out and smiled at you and Mizu.
"...Go home", Mizu said lowering her sword and sliding it back into her saya, harshly before turning around and starting to walk again. Ring watched as she did then glanced at me. "Better go before it gets colder", I said before trailing after Mizu.
"..I hate home!", he whined then ran after us.
"Please! My whole life, I couldn't do anything right, but now I know what I'm supposed to do", Ringo explained to Mizu and you, in hopes of convincing at least one of you to change your mind.
"..Be a samurai, like you", he said to Mizu.
"Not an archer!", you asked jokingly leaning your head a bit to be able to look at him since he was walking on Miss's right side while you were on her left.
"A samurai and an archer?! Now you guys have to let me travel with you and be your apprentice", he exclaimed. Mizu shot you a small glare for giving him another reason to want to travel with the both of you. You gave her an amused smile and focused back forward.
"I'll do anything!", he pleaded putting his fingerless hands together. Mizu stopped and released an annoyed sigh.
"A breeze can show a crane off course", she quoted. "You...are a typhoon", she stated glancing at Ringo before continuing walking. We didn't even get a few steps in when Ringo skidded in front of us and dropped to his knees.
"Please! I'm strong I can carry you guys' things!", he begged. "Oh, and you can have the best soba in the world every day and I'll do anything you ask masters!".
"Free soba", you questioned in interest. Mizu elbowed you in your stomach asking you to grunt in annoyance and give her a slight pout.
"Uh anything so I can learn to be just like you guys", he said his annoying enthusiasm faltering in his voice as it cracked.
"..Like us", Mizu questioned.
"You're...deformed and dark-skinned", Ringo said looking down at his deformed hands. "But still, the both of you are strong", he spoke looking up at us.
"Aw", you swooned slightly putting a hand over your chest where your heart is. "Mizu", you started to beg. "No", she denied not even looking your way. "He's like a cute puppy and it would be nice to have free soba, you do understand this right", you whispered to her. "I understand well", she said emotionlessly. "He said free, free food", you emphasized.
Finally, she looked at you with a deadpanned look on her face. Giving in after a long stare down you released a sigh and pulled out your rope.
☀️🌙
"I can't believe you made me tie him up", you grumbled under your breath for the hundredth time. "He'll be fine", she said while glancing around at the town we just entered where the Shindo Dojo was located in.
"Excuse me could you help us find-", she tried asking a woman passing by, but the woman just kept on walking. "Excuse me can you help us-", she tried asking a man, but he kept walking as well.
"Such nice manners here", you sighed shooting a glare at a person who was giving you a weird look.
The sound of horses' whines and hooves crashing against the snow-covered ground entered the air chaining you to turn and look. Three men on horses were rushing towards you. Mizu held out her arm shielding you in case they didn't slow down and stop.
All the men wore traditional orange kimono uniforms and had the same bun on the back hairstyles. The two horses were yellow colored while the one in the middle was a blue-ish grey. "Watch it asshole", the one in the middle fussed at Mizu. "Apologizes", Mizu said. You pull up your hood and turned around to avoid their eyes.
"We're looking for something, but Kyoto's very big", Mizu sighed. "Do you know where I can find the Shindo Dojo", she asked.
"Shindo?", the samurai questioned. "That's our dojo", he informed motioning to the crest on his robe.
"You're gonna apply", the samurai on the left questioned leaning down a bit to get a closer look at Mizu making his horse grunt. "You look like a blind beggar", the samurai on the right mocked then swatted at Aizu's glasses with his stick knocking them off her face. They all laughed at her when her face went to the side.
She released an annoyed sigh and placed her glasses back onto her face.
"If you would please show me how to find your dojo, I would be grateful", she asks once again glancing up at them.
"..Sure, follow the road to the shrine, once you go around the gates, you'll see the sign across the puppet show good luck!", the samurai on the left answered. Releasing an order "Hiyah" the horses rushed past us making Mizu and I quickly dodge them. The samurais released laughs as they disappeared further into town.
"Want me to shoot their backs", you questioned her. She released a small chuckle. "No, let's be on our way now", she said and started walking. "Right", you sighed and walked alongside her. "You know they probably gave us directions to a brothel", you said. "We will when we get there", she said. "Hm, and if I'm right we stay for the night", you joked. "Don't we always do", she scoffed softly. "Yeah we do, but never indulge", you chuckled. "If we're posing for the other team we gotta play the part eventually", you chuckled dryly.
"You would have to get naked", she reminded. "No I could use my fingers and stuff", you said. "I just would have to act greedy, men are greedy", you stated.
Mizu suddenly stopped walking causing you to stop as well. "Hm what is it", you went to ask, but your words got stuck in your throat when she suddenly reached her hand out towards you. Her fingers gently touched the skin of your neck close to the underside of your chin. Drifting further downward along the curve of your neck, she felt the bandage you had wrapped around your neck. The feeling of her touch, even if it was faint, made your face heat up to the point it melted any snow drifting down beside your cheeks. Her fingers brushed against the middle where your collarbones met before retracting her hand.
"You failed, if I were a brothel worker I would've noticed you don't have an Adam's apple", she said pulling her hand away. You stared at her still surprised by her sudden touching. She glanced away from you to avoid keeping eye contact for too long. "Now come on", she said gently hitting your limp hand with hers. "..I swear you love messing with me", you huffed fowling after her. "Maybe I do", she smiled making you elbow her side a chuckle escaping you as the two continued on your journey.
