Kaoru- Act 3! 'Swords 'n... Swords.'

[Carthrat]

Eventually, the bedraggled group of survivors managed to reach a villiage by the name of Kure.

It was more of a town, really. Like many villiages at the time, it looked to have originally been a fishing town that grew into something bigger. It hadn't reached the heights that Tokyo (Edo) had, though, and maintained the appearance of a small, sleepy town.

Upon reaching the town, the survivors were treated to a meal, courtesy of the places inhabitants, who were all clearly shocked when informed of what had happened at the boat. More than a couple looked Kaoru's way admiringly; some could be heard asking for a man with a strange mask.

Cervantes had promptly secured good rooms at a boarding house for Kaoru and Yahiko, and promised to come back the next day with new clothes, a new sword, food, etc. etc.

And so, this was where the two travellers found themselves; a nondescript room, containing two futon and several candlesticks, which were now lit. It was relatively late, and Yahiko was beginning to look tired.

"Kaoru.. are we gonna travel overland or on the coast?" asked Yahiko, tiredly.

[Bean Bandit]

Bean sighed and tied her hair back loosely as she sat on the futon. She shrugged, adjusting the sleeping yukata that she'd been provided, blushing slightly and laying down on the futon. I'm never changing clothes or getting undressed again! Seeing myself...or Kaoru...or whatever naked, is too much to take!

"I don't know, Yahiko. Whichever makes the best time. We've already been delayed too long..." she pulled the covers over top of herself, yawning. She slipped her hand under the futon, gripping the hilt of the sword she'd hidden there, wrapped in the remains of her kimono so it wouldn't be too hard to sleep with it there.

"We'll ask Cervantes-san about the fastest way to Kyoto in the morning." She decided.

[Carthrat]

Yahiko left it at that, and promptly fell asleep.

Kaoru found it slightly more difficult to sleep, though. Combined with the worries of the road, heartbrake, meeting Zelgadis, and the strange sword...

She eventually managed to sleep, though, but when she woke up, it was noon.

Yahiko had, apparently, already gotten up, and judging by the position of the covers over Kaoru, tried to wake her up, and failed.

Through the walls, Kaoru could hear the typical noises of a villiage at work..

[Bean Bandit]

Bean sighed, sitting up and staring at the light coming in from the hall. It was too intense to be early morning...

"Mou...that figures..." She got up, debating trying to get dressed in her ruined kimono, but decided against it. The way it is now is positively indecent. The yukata is better, for now...

She pulled the kimono, and the sword it was wrapped in from under the futon, blinking a bit as the purse Zelgadis had given her fell from the bundle of cloth.

Hmm...Well, Maybe I can get Yahiko to get me something to wear. Cervantes-san said he would supply us, but he's not here yet, and I can hardly wait in the room till he gets here...

With that thought, she tucked the purse back into the kimono with the sword, and, tucking the bundle under her arm, she slipped out of the room in search of Yahiko...

[Carthrat]

Kaoru stepped out of her room and found herself in a short hallway. One end simply lead to a wall. The other end lead to what passed for a lobby in the house.

Three other rooms were accesable through the hallway, obviously bedrooms, most likely holding other survivors.

[Bean Bandit]

Bean sighed and edged past the doors, heading in the direction of the 'lobby' of the boarding house, listeing for the sound of Yahiko's voice, or a clue as to where the wayward boy swordsman had gone...

[Carthrat]

The main lobby wasn't really a lobby so much as a lounge. A middle-aged woman in a formal kimono was sitting on a chair, sipping a cup of tea. There was a small table, which she was sitting in front of.

There were also two more tables, and a wide-open door which lead to a sunny, cloudless day.

[Bean Bandit]

Bean approached the older woman nervously and bowed. "Ahh...Pardon me, oba-sama...Have you seen a young boy around today, around ten years old, wearing green hakama?"

[Carthrat]

The woman looked up, and smiled, speaking in a calm tone, "Ah, I have. He went out with Cervantes-sama.

He said that when you woke up, he would be at the market.

He did seem a little worried about you... it's past noon, after all.

The market proper isn't far.. yoo can probably find it by ear."

[Bean Bandit]

Bean nodded.

"Thank you..." She paused briefly. "Uhm...Would you happen to know where I could get a change of clothes? My only kimono was ruined yesterday..."

[Carthrat]

"The market," replied the woman, dryly.

[Carthrat]

The boy shrugged. "Well, probably across land. Though the path isn't quite as safe as it once used to be, I'm told."

He suddenly snapped his fingers. "Can you ride?"

[Carthrat]

As Kaoru entered the room..

"What was that about?" Yahiko spoke in a disinterested tone.

[Bean Bandit]

Bean frowned. "A former student. He wants to loan us a horse...but there is a price attached..." she said warily.

[Carthrat]

"Kaoru, we don't really have all that much money. Unless you wanna go work for someone."

Yahiko giggled, slightly.

"'Wandering Sensei'. Yeah, that'd work."