Into The Hollow Hole We Go Again

Chapter 4: A Reputation Of Clumsiness To Uphold

I waited a minute after Kisuke san left before I got up to walk around. I could see the two men from earlier coming back my way as I peered out the corner. I personally preferred that I not bump into them again, so I quickly made my way out. In just a short span of maybe twenty-five minutes, I had gotten myself utterly lost.

I slipped and slid down a cliff, which led me to the entrance of some sort of hideaway. It was as bright as day despite there being no lighting insight. As I wandered on, I found a small Hotspring sitting farther to the back.

In all honesty, a good soak seemed like a fantastic idea at the moment, so without even thinking sensibly, I stripped and hopped in. I let myself sink deeper until my face was barely above the surface. It felt amazing after all that happened.

As I was walking around, I took the time to clear my head of everything and observe my surroundings. It was a pretty place, a bit barren compared to what I was used to, though.

I noticed that all of the people I've seen so far wore black hakama and haori. But it looked like some people had their own take on the protocol attire. Some would replace their obi with a colorful sash, for example, or would adorn themselves with some unique and wild accessory. And others would alter the uniform itself by ripping off the sleeves or leaving the rims of their hakama's tattered. It was a charming way of expressing oneself if you ask me.

I let out a deep sigh after my mind returned to the present. What was I doing here? Actually, what even happened when I got here? I vaguely remember waking up in a small dank space and bleeding out everywhere as a man called out to me. I blacked out after that and heard voices talking faintly. After that, I woke up in different clothes in a room that was similar in structure but cleaner. "Who was it that dressed me, and just how long was I out for?" I muttered to myself. I do hope that it wasn't Kisuke san.

I heard voices interrupting my thoughts. I began to panic until I remembered my reputation of remaining completely unnoticed even when in plain view. I still kept my self low under the water just in case.

I heard an array of loud crashes and clangs, and at some point, I think I may have seen people colliding, but they were too fast for my eyes to keep up with. This kept up for a good few hours.

I was beginning to succumb to the heat of the boiling waters and felt my consciousness weaken.

Finally, it grew silent, and I heard a man and women speak. They spoke of an open position for a captain, I think. Just as I thought they had left, I heard the man shout. "Oh no, I forgot about Momiji chan!" Wait, was that Kisuke san? I tried to set up to look, but my arms were fatigued from the heat, and I sunk deeper into the water.

The two people exchanged a few more words before disappearing in a flash. "At long last, they are gone," I huffed in a weak voice. I dragged my body out slowly from the boiling waters. My skin was bright red and steamy, much like the pulled pork I had for my fifteenth birthday.

I made an attempt at dressing myself in my foreign clothes, but between my heat exhaustion and my inexperience, I don't think I did a very bang-up job.

I stumbled out of the hideaway and tried to find my way back to Kisuke san's place. I felt my hakama start to loosen along with my sandals along the way. I awkwardly held my hakama up and shuffled to keep my sandals on, but my haori began to spread open on top of it all. I pulled my hakama up higher to hold my haori close, but it left me feeling extremely uncomfortable.

I must've passed through an off-limits area because now I had two men chasing after me. And the next thing I knew, I was hopping with my legs clenched together with one arm clutching on to both my undergarments, hakama, and haori. While my other hand was wedged under everything trying to hold my cleavage in place.