One in the Same

Chapter Sixteen

   "You speak like him," Cat commented as she wrapped her arm around Botan's waist.
   He smirked and looked down at her. "Karera wa watashitachi ni itsuka issho ni shokuji o shite hoshī to omotte imasu."
   "Okāsan mo kitto ki ni hairu to omoimasu," Cat replied, rubbing his back. "Kanojo wa watashi ga amari sukide wa nai yōdesu."
   "Kanojo wa anata o shiranai, watashi no ai." He replied leaning down and kissing her cheek.
   Cat smiled at the idea of getting to know his mother. The woman who raised the boy to be the man he is now. The man she had fallen in love with. The man she had been looking for her whole life. In a matter of two weeks' time, Cat had learned a new kind of peace. A peace within herself. She no longer felt a need to be better. To Botan, she was already perfect in every way. There was nothing she needed to contend with. Nothing she needed to improve...save for her cooking and the way of the sword. But even that was pleasing to her in away. As time went by, she felt more and more at peace with herself. There was no war to be won, no negotiation that needed to take place. No man to best in a tourny. Botan had already done that a hundred times over. He didn't look at her with fear. Not one single time. There was no reason for him too. They were equals in more ways than one. Something she never expected. From time to time she thought of the life she had left behind. What her mother was doing, thinking. Did they think she was dead? Was Sebastian alright? Was the rud angry that he would never be a Ri? Did she care? What had the rud's name even been? Again, did she care? She had found her place. This was where she belonged. Was it where she was meant to be? No. Lord Saito had given her that information. Along with freedom. She could go amongst the people for as long as Botan was with her. That time didn't come as soon as she would have liked, but she was learning patience. And even if it still wasn't her strong suit, she was learning. Always learning, and loving every minute of it.
   On full moons they would run together through the jungle. Side by side. From time to time she would catch glimpses of others. Be it from the Pack or other smaller groups. They would hunt together. Scout together for problems that never seemed to arise. Everything was peaceful. Cat never wanted that to change. And for a time it didn't. Where she had once craved war, now she relished in peace.
   Finally the time came where they needed to go to the village for supplies. And she could barely contain her excitement.
   "Anata wa karera ga mada anata ni kakushin ga nai koto o rikai shinakereba narimasen," Botan warned as he washed her hair beneath the falls.
   I know, she answered. I can accept that.
   She didn't let him comb her hair up again as he did when they went to the village the first time. For some reason, she wanted to leave it down. It had grown almost down to her waist again. She wanted to leave it free. As free as she was.
   It had been as bad as they had feared. When they entered this time, and she bowed, others bowed to her. Though she could still sense their unease. Cat watched a group of children run up to Botan. One child held up a small flower. He took it and thanked her. They looked at Cat to give a bow and the girl screamed then they all went running. Cat frowned and thought nothing of it as she tucked a strand behind her ear. They moved forward and she caught sight of the children again. She inhaled through her nose then lowered down so she was on their level. Just as she realized it was too late, two of the boys that returned with the little girl threw a pail of water into her face. Cat sat and blinked then spit the water out of her mouth. The children whispered to themselves, and one of the boys hid the pail behind his back and blushed deeply. Botan was laughing hysterically beside her.
   Will that ever stop?
   He laughed harder.
   "Mite," she said gently, gathering her hair and pulling it around so they could see. They whispered as they looked at it wide-eyed. "Sore wa hontōde wanai. Nise no hi." She said with a smile.
   "Sawatte mo īdesu ka?" A boy asked.
   "Hai," she replied with a smile holding it towards them.
   They all took turns stroking it and speaking excitedly the way children do.
   "Utsukushī," the little girl said looking up at her and giving a gapped toothed grin.
   She can't be more than five years of age, Cat thought to herself as she smiled widely. "Jibun to onaji kurai utsukushī." She reached out and stroked the little girl's hair. The child giggled and pulled her hands back, leaning into Cat's hand. "Nante yoba re teru no?"
   "Mae," the little girl said with an even bigger smile.
   "Nante sutekina namaeda!" Cat beamed at her. "Watashinonamaeha Cat."
   "Cata-Chan," Mae chirped with a giggle.
   "Hai," Cat replied then looked at the boy still standing with the pail. "Anata mo?"
   "Kawa," he replied to the ground. He looked as if he was about to cry.
   "Kawa, nante tsuyoi namaena nda. Tsuyoi otokonoko no tame ni." She reached out and stroked his cheek. He sighed away from her. Her smile faded a little in understanding. "Naze watashi ni mizu o nageta no ka shitte imasu. Okottenai yo, Kawa." He sniffed and rubbed his nose.
   "Kawa wa watashi no otōtodesu!" Mae said excitedly grabbing his sleeve and bouncing.
   "Mae!" He sneered turning towards her.
   "Ā, kawa ga mei o kaji kara mamorou to shite ita noda to omoi, mizu o suteta ndesu ne," Cat said looking over at Kawa. "Watashi wa tadashīdesu ka?"
   Kawa looked up at her, blushed, looked back down, and nodded.
   "Tsuyokute yūkan," Cat said proudly. He glanced up with just his eyes and Cat winked back at him. He couldn't help but smile.
   A lady started calling from a distance. They both turned.
   "Sā, Mae," Kawa said, grabbing her hand and turning to run, dropping the pail in his haste.
   "Sayōnara, Cata-Chan!" Mae called back waving behind her. The other children were dispersing as well.
   Cat stood and waved beaming from ear to ear. "Sayōnara, Mae." She lowered her hand once the little girl was out of view and held it to her chest. Botan stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her waist. They weren't frightened of me.
   Children think better than adults. He bent down and kissed the top of her head and gently pulled her away. As she followed, she began braiding her hair. Botan looked down and raised an eyebrow.
   She looked up at him then back straight ahead as her fingers worked. Ah'm not letting that happen again. He chuckled and shook his head as they walked.