Ataku practiced her moves carefully while Kamodichi exercised by doing push ups and sit ups and found his way to stretching. By Mid afternoon they were hungry but Kamodichi sat down to rest. Ataku stopped and walked over to Kamodichi. "You must be hungry" Kamodichi said. "Yeah but that's not what I am worried about" Ataku said, she looked at the grass in worry. Kamodichi raised and eyebrow and looked at her. "What is it?" He asked. "We have to go after that guy. I may not be able to remember anything but I don't think we have a choice. People will still get hurt by him. Maybe even more than us. I just thought that we must be the ones to stop him" Ataku told him.
Kamodichi was quiet for a moment. "You are right" he said. "Its been bothering me too. I let him slip away, I was careless" he looked away from her. "Not careless, you didn't know" she said. "I haven't asked if you were OK. You were thrown from a horse" he said. "I am not hurt" Ataku said. Kamodichi sighed and stood up. "We can't chase this man without being prepared. We don't know what he is capable of with that weapon of his. We can't be too careful, so we need background information" he told her. Ataku nodded in agreement.
Kamodichi looked at Ataku, they met each others eyes. "Ataku, do you trust me" he asked. Ataku was caught off guard. ".....yes" she said slowly. Kamodichi closed his eyes, "what ever happens Ataku, I will be there with you" he said. You can't save her.... The voice said. He still didn't know what it meant but he wasn't going to abandon her. "Come on" Kamodichi took Ataku by the hand and led her to his horse.
"I'll be right back" he told her. Ataku was confused but stood in front of the horse.
Kamodichi appeared again with his armor and satchel. He got on the horse and pulled her up on it. "Where are we going" Ataku asked. "You'll see" he said. He galloped over a hill and down into thick underbrush. Sliding down a slope they made it to what looked like a market.
People from all over were gathering, buying, and working. Kamodichi brought the horse to a slow trot. Kamodichi got off his horse and tugged it by its reins. Ataku stayed on it and looked at everything. "This place is peaceful" Ataku told Kamodichi. They walked to a store that specialized in sandwiches. "Hey Sir I would like two ham and cheese sandwiches and all your healthiest vegetables please" Kamodichi told the worker. He pulled 20 coins from his pocket. The worker nodded and gave the orders to the other workers. Ataku was surprised, "Isn't food like that expensive" Ataku asked.
"I would assume you are used to growing and harvesting your own food. Here, people come from all over to get rid of their surplus of food somehow. They have low prices most of the time to feed the hungry or less fortunate. Some times if they have vegetables they know are going to go bad soon, they give it out for free" Kamodichi said. The worker came out with 2 subs and gave it to Kamodichi. "Thank you" Kamodichi smiled. Ataku couldn't help but smile too. The people here were so very kind. Kamodichi handed her one of the subs. She took it gratefully, "Help! Somebody help!" Kamodichi handed Ataku the other sandwich and followed the crying person's voice. It was a woman dressed like a gypsy. "Ma'am"he knelt down to the crying woman. "They took him" she wailed. "Took who?" he asked. "My son, they are dragging him away!" She cried. Kamodichi looked to see in the distance a man on a horse dragging a boy through the dirt by his leg. They were heading toward the mountain valley. Kamodichi raced back to his horse. "Kamodichi" Ataku said. She was confused. "Get off the horse" he commanded. "What" she was really confused. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her off his horse. He hopped on and raced through the market like a road runner. "Kamodichi!" She called in worry but he was too far away for him to hear. Ataku stared at him with shock, she was alone now.
