It was one of those calm and quiet days that warned you of something to happen but everyone still looked at peace and took it for granted. Riko was standing at the top of a small hill overlooking the rest of the village, a cool wind caressed her long dark blue hair and her deep blue eyes looked distant lost ethereal and the onlooker could wonder if she was seeing something the rest of the world could not. He beautiful Pinto horse strode toward her and nudged her making her smile, she turned to look at him and placed a hand on its nose, “This is the calm before the tempest Ai, you must enjoy it while it lasts.” She was not quite sure how she could know this herself but she sensed something. An impeding darkness moving across the sky and coming to her, she sighed and then moved to keep on working on the grass, this was the land she and her brother Rioga had bought long ago when they settled in this village so that the horses could grass and enjoy themselves whenever they were not needed. Sometimes she gave riding lessons and took people on treks. Others she would guide them to other villages. The children seemed to enjoy taking lessons with her more than anyone else and she liked that, she adored children. She used the weed poison before she cut the grass, it was a variety she had come up with that would not harm animals or even other plants for that matter. Once the weed was dry enough she would dig a bit before removing it from the root, otherwise it would grow back into place and these plants could hurt the horses.

Once her job was done she ensured the trough was full of water and it was still fresh and clean. She brought a bucket of water she and carried all the way here and filled it even more and smiled, for now, she would let them enjoy themselves. It was after all, a beautiful day. She looked at the Friesian as they strode with a wild neigh and smirked before she closed the barn door behind her. She hummed a song she had heard her brother sing while he worked the land the other day and got back home. She washed up and changed to her daily attire and ensured the ribbon in her hair was properly tied up. She had received word that a visitor wished her to tend to his injured horse so that he could continue on his journey and she could not say no when it came to helping others. She picked a basket with fruit she had gathered the day before for the visitor and then looked back at the field with a smile before she set off. The Inn was not too far from her house because that helped their business bloom. Rioga was training children as the small barracks they had at the house and since he knew she was doing this were was no point in detaining the lesson so she could tell him she was gong now. However, she did leave him a message that food was ready and he could eat without her if he was too tired and hungry, after all, his job required a lot of energy.

Riko walked silently smiling at the persons that recognised her as they passed her by and greeted her, at times the typical curious lady would stop her to inquire after their business and her brother. For some reason the ladies in the village were a bit head over heels for him. Yet she did not blame them, he was rather handsome and had a good heart. However, Rioga was fully concentrated on their life now, he was happy and he enjoyed the jobs he had and, more importantly, he was very fond of his younger sister, whom he often referred to her as his little sister even though he was becoming aware that the once small child was already seventeen and she was growing into a beautiful woman. Was he aware of the fact that maybe at some point a gentleman would catch her eye? How would he react then? She hoped that he was not sacrificing his life only to look after his sister.

She sighed and then took a corner, she had been told the man would be waiting for her in the stables. She smiled and as she entered she realised the room was rather dark and there were no horses she frowned and stopped by the door like a scared doe hesitating to come out knowing the hunger was nearby. She took a step back and looked around, there was a deep silence, but then as she turned to look back at the room, her eyes finally focused, she saw a hooded figure. She realised this was a trap and she quickly turned to leave running, but the man was faster and he pulled her arm roughly toward him causing her to hit his chest with her back with a groan. And then he placed one hand around her waist and immediately placed a handkerchief to her mouth. With each of her hands she struggled to break free of him and even remove his hand from pressing on her mouth but she soon fell into a deep sleep since the handkerchief had sleeping dust.

She thought of Rioga and through telepathy tried to reach out to him, but she son lost conscious of the real world and did not even realise she was being picked up. He picked the now far more vulnerable than usual woman and he left the stables with a grin…No noise disturbed the village and no one realised what had happened, he even had the audacity to pick up the basket with fruit, how thoughtful, he could enjoy this food while he did his job…He had been a bit resilient to work his way through a girl but since the man insisted, he might as well learn whatever could be so impressive about her that the man was willing to pay such a great price.

A strange headache welcomed Riko as she lightly stirred and groaned. She realised she was chained up to a wall, a chain on each of her wrists and feet. She straightened up slightly and was rather scared, why had someone brought her here? What could she possess that they could be after? And then a thought occurred her, was it someone who wished to use her powers? She shook lightly in fear and then gasped shocked when the hooded man smirked and looked at her, “It’s about time you wake up…” He walked forth and she tried to move away but she was chained up, there was nowhere she could go to. She tried to build up some courage and looked at the man in the eye, “Who are you? What do you want?”

The man smirked and lightly lifted a hand to caress her cheek, “You don’t need to know but, as to your other question, I need you to lend me your powers…You see something as precious as that must not go to waste. And I can assure you we will do ‘great’ things with your help…” She shook lightly terrified that her worst fears had come to life. Where was Rioga? Where was her brother now that she needed him? If only she had not left that note telling him to eat without her, would he know she was unsafe? Would he know she needed him?

She tried to move again but the man picked a long lock of dark blue hair and caressed it gently saying, “It is useless, I am a professional you know? It is a pity they need you unharmed…you are a pretty little thing.” She attempted to move away once more but he laughed cruelly and then took a step back and extended a hand and a deep white light surrounded her and her Seishi symbol on her collarbone shone bright and she gasped for it was painful what the man was doing. He was somewhat draining her powers and using them through her and he attempted to force her to see the future. When her eyes opened she realised the man was not alone, there were several other assassins nearby for protection. There was also another hooded man close to the assassin that was absorbing her skill to have visions. The man smirked and said, “Excellent work, you will be rewarded.”

Riko closed her eyes in pain before suddenly they closed with a silver light and she gasped, the light that covered he was much more powerful and the assassin extended his other hand and she screamed in pain at first, feeling her body burn with the energy it took out of her but then she had a vision of some sort. She saw a kingdom rising and persons she did not know who they were. The man spoke of what he saw and someone wrote it all down. But what they did not know was that by using up Riko’s Seishi energy they were pushing her too far and she shook in the chains and the building walls made a great grumble as if she were trying to move the roof to escape with her telekinesis skills. It was one last mad attempt but Riko was only half conscious of her surroundings by then and whenever she had visions she was never conscious of her surroundings which was dangerous and she was far more vulnerable than ever. She seldom used more than one Seishi ability at once and this was testing the waters too much.

And then the vision faded and the assassin was enraged. He looked at the man who nodded, they had to try as many times as needed. The light faded from her and she panted as fi she had run the longest marathon of her life. She was covered in sweat and closed her eyes for a moment, she begged them to release her and let her go, she had no control over when a vision would occur and this was hurting her too much. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the men were completely indifferent to her pain and she felt tears falling from her dark blue eyes, how could anyone be so cruel? Why force her to go through this? And how many times would she be forced in this inhuman way? And more importantly, how many times would she handle before something happened to her? She feared if she were used roughly she might not live to see the light of another day. It made her shiver and she thought of the people at the village, the horses, and her brother.

She knew how much he loved her and their way of life, if she was ever missing he would suffer greatly. This caused her greater grief than the physical pain she was experiencing at the moment and she sober silently. But then the assassin’s eyes met hers and he smirked before he lifted his hand and did the same thing he did before despite her begging him to release her. She screamed feeling greater pain and the light enveloped her again and her eyes turned silvery again, her body shook with the effort and the pain and one last tear fell from her eyes as she tried to reach out to her brother, or… anyone who might find her. Linking to her mind she called out to the village, to whoever might hear her and she communicated through telepathy, ”Someone…please…help me!…” Of course she did not know where she was, but despair urged her to try and escape. The assassin growled realising he was not able to look at any future events and used his other hand to force even more brutal torture on her, unable to talk once more feeling all the energy drain within her she began to fade away and for a moment all her powers seemed to mix within her and even the assassin raised an eyebrow at this, what could that mean? Riko then passed out and as much as the man tried to drain her powers again, her light faded and she no longer stirred.

Aikano whistled happily as he walked along, Haji darting around on the path before him. He'd gotten a job delivering a package to an inn in a small town in Sailo, and he'd just dropped it off and collected his payment. He didn't usually leave Konan, but the pay was good, and he knew his family could use the money. He stopped for a moment, closing his eyes as he thought of his family.

He loved all his little brothers and sisters-Renji included, though he wouldn't admit it-and hoped they were all doing well. He also hoped his mother and father were through having kids. Enough was enough, didn't they realize that? There was a sudden gust of wind, and he felt his sandy blond hair whip around wildly for a moment. He was glad he'd tied it back. His golden eyes opened once more, and he was just about to start back on his way when he heard it.

”Someone…please…help me!…”

He looked around for a source for what he'd heard, but then he realized it hadn't been a voice...well, not one spoken out loud, at any rate. It had been a telepathic message, and he realized it was the first time he'd relieved one. So there was someone else with that ability nearby, and she needed help. "I'm on my way. Just hold on, okay?" He sent back, hoping she wasn't too far, and that she'd get his message.

He then attempted something he'd never tried before, though he hoped since she apparently had telepathy as well, it would work. He focused on that voice, that plea for help, in the same way he focused on someone when he wanted to contact them. Instead of using his telepathy, however, he tried to lock in on her location, and use that to lead him to wherever she was being held.

A small part of him wondered if this could be a trap or something. After all, he didn't know what situation he was about to barge into. He shook that thought away quickly. He could hear the fear in that girl's voice as she asked for help, and he couldn't leave her to whatever terrible fate she currently faced.

After some time, he came to a stone building with very few windows, and none toward the back of the building. The stones themselves seemed to tremble slightly from time to time, and though he couldn't explain why, Aikano knew that this was where the girl was being held. He used his telepathy once more to scan the building, taking count of how many minds he sensed within. Too many for him to take them all in a fair fight...not that the sort of people who kidnapped girls usually went for fair fights anyway...

He moved to the back entrance, sensing that was closer to the girl than the front was, and he looked down to Haji. "Wait out here, buddy." He whispered. "I'll hopefully be back soon." The dog plopped down to sit in the dirt by the door and wait. Aikano nodded and then pulled his flute from the pouch on his belt and reached out to try the back door.

It was unlocked! He almost laughed with relief. Picking locks wasn't among his skill set, though that meant the men within were either overconfident or very stupid. Both could be very dangerous if he wasn't careful. He eased the door open slowly and eased his way in before slowly and softly closing the door behind him. Now, he had a choice. He could try to surprise them and attack whoever was in the room with the girl, or he could use his Seishi ability and either put them all to sleep, or put them in a trance and free her that way.

Yeah, that second idea sounded good. He wasn't sure if he could fend them all off with his weapons, but he knew he could affect them all with his Seishi ability. He heard the murmur of voices and moved closer to where they were coming from before he raised the flute to his lips and began to play. The symbol 'Ghost' glowed red on his left cheek as he willed all who heard his song into a trance. Nothing would wake them, and they would not know what was happening around them until he chose to release them from the trance.

No one charged out at him with swords drawn, so he assumed it had worked and all were safely under his spell. He stopped playing, knowing the trance would hold, and began to walk, looking for the girl who needed his help. He found her soon enough, and growled softly in anger when he saw her. She was chained to a wall, and was unconscious. She'd obviously been mistreated somehow, as he could see the tear stains on her cheeks. His Seishi symbol continued to glow, exerting his will that these men remain in a passive trance.

He spotted a ring of keys on a hook on the wall near the door, and grabbed them, moving though the gathered men to get to the girl. He freed her legs first before unlocking her hands, catching her before she could crumple to the floor. "Gotcha..." He said softly as he hoisted her into his arms, resting his head on her shoulder. She was very light, and he could carry her without any difficulty at all.

Not wanting to stay any longer than he had to, Aikano headed for the exit, pausing just long enough to shift her weight and open the door, allowing them access to the late afternoon sunshine. He needed to take her somewhere safe to recover, but wanted to put as much distance between them and these men as possible before the trance wore off. Haji gave a bark and jumped to his feet, wagging his tail when he saw his master return, but Aikano shushed him quickly. There was a village nearby, but surely the men would expect someone to go there to get help, so instead he set out in the opposite direction, carrying the girl back toward a heavily wooded area approaching Konan. They could hide out there until she woke up, and he could find out where her home was and make sure she got back there safely.

After some time, he reached a small clearing deep in the woods, and he gently laid the girl on the soft grass, settling into a sitting position beside her, but keeping his senses alert in case they were followed. "Haji, let me know if anyone's coming." He wasn't sure how much the dog understood, but he seemed to listen well, so he hoped that no one would be able to sneak up on them.

At last his eyes settled on the girl, and he could finally get a good look at her. She had lovely dark blue hair, and very pale skin, which made him wonder if she was a Sailo native. She looked maybe a couple of years younger than he was, and he absently wondered what color her eyes were. He shook his head and decided to just wait until she woke up. He took out his flute once more and began to play a gentle, soothing song as he waited. His symbol did not glow this time because he wasn't using his Seishi abilities. He was simply making music for the sake of music.

Riko was unable to wake up for a very long time. Her body was completely exhausted and almost all her energy had been used up. Even her Seishi strength seemed to have been weakened by such terrible experience. Fight as she tried, it was difficult to open her eyes and at the moment all she saw was darkness. She was confused and felt lost, she did not recognise where she was nor who she was or what she was even. However, she still heard a voice call out to her, or at least it felt like he was calling out to her. The voice seemed familiar but she did not know whom it belonged to, and yet it was not threatening. She was at peace hearing that voice and it seemed to be calling her ‘Riko’. Could that be her name? Why did she suddenly feel lost in a dimension of some sort? If she looked around she would see nothing, only darkness. And the confusion made her feel scared for a moment, if she did not know who she was what would be her purpose? If she failed to rekindle her past and those she loved, how could she find them again and pick it up from the life she used to have? The fact that she remembered nothing at all was not her greatest problem but rather getting enough energy to wake up, she could not sleep forever. One day she would have to wake up and accept the truth and so she might as well begin now. The question was how to do so…since she could not feel her body even when she tried to make it know she wished to wake up.

And then, it was almost as if her questions had been answered when a gentle melody was heard around her and she silence was broken. It gave her hope and she felt safe, no matter how difficult it would be one she woke up, she was not alone. And she then had a glimpse of a thirteen year-old boy with dark hair looking after his sister, looking after her, in between visions of a past she did not yet identify as hers she whispered, “Brother…Rioga.” The melody intensified and her body began to stir lightly almost as if it had the power to render her strength and energy to wake up. The music was beautiful and she began to feel movement in her fingers, arms and legs and finally her head moved slightly. She shivered lightly and then finally her eyes blinked a couple of times adjusting to the light that filtered through the thick branches of the trees above her. Her hair shook lightly with a gust of wind before she finally tried to sit up and realised she was still too tired. Unlucky for her she still remembered what had happened at that dark place where she was chained to a wall and she caressed her wrists and her eyes felt teary once more, was that why she could not remember anything? Fear took her once more as she sat up and leaned her back on a tree trunk and she rubbed her firsts once more.

She silently sobbed and did not know where she was, she did not even want to look around, it would only mean she and no memories of her past and there was nothing that could be worse than that. And the experience she had gone through now would make her a bit weary of people and slightly fearful since she did not remember who she was nor did she know if she could trust anyone. Unconsciously she knew there was someone in her life who cared deeply for her and protected her with his life but, who was this person?

Finally, she gather the courage to look around her and she did not recognise this place at all. But then, she was aware of a dog sitting nearby and a man…that flute and song…that was what brought her back to the world of the living! Her deep dark blue eyes looked at him for a moment, he looked like some sort of warrior and she saw his weapons, surely he could fight easily having mastered all those weapons. And then, she saw the strange tone of sandy blonde straight hair that danced about as the wind caressed it, and his eyes were of a deep golden tone. They seemed intense and she stared at them while she tried to move some tears from her eyes, had he been watching her all this time? Would he think her ridiculous now?

She looked down as she sniffed, was this man like the men who tied her and forced their powers upon her? She was unable to stop crying at that moment a bit frightened by what this handsome young man would do. She did not know if she could trust him.

Haji.

Aikano wasn't sure how long he sat there playing his flute as the girl slept nearby. He allowed himself to get lost in the melody he played, closing his eyes for long stretches of time. He would watch the girl, or he would watch Haji...or sometimes he'd watch the clouds floating overhead, but he kept playing. He hoped it would render her some form of comfort.

She murmured something in her sleep...it sounded like the name Rioga...or something similar. Surely that wasn't her name. Was it one of her captors then? Or a friend or relative that would be looking for her? She began to stir, and he continued to play, letting her wake up at her own pace. she sat up and rested her back against a tree, and he realized she was crying,

He almost slapped himself in the forehead. Of course she'd be confused and frightened. The last thing she'd known, those horrible men had her chained to a wall in a dark room, and suddenly she's in a clearing in the woods with a strange man and a dog. For all she knew, he was just as bad-if not worse-as her previous captors. He finished the melody he was playing and put the flute away, moving slowly so she could follow his movements. He reached for his pack and drew out a canteen and a handkerchief. Those two items in hand, he finally began to move from where he was sitting.

"Hey, you're okay now..." He used the same tone he did when comforting one of the little ones after a nightmare. He got to his knees and reached out, offering her both the handkerchief and the water, but keeping his distance so she didn't feel threatened. "Here, drink up. I'm not going to hurt you." He felt he should try to explain, so he stayed there on his knees before her as he spoke. "I heard you asking for help, and I got you away from those men." He smiled gently. "I'm not going to let them hurt you again."

He wished to offer more comfort, so he slowly edged forward, watching her for a reaction as he continued to speak. "I'm Aikano, and that's Haji..." As if answering to his introduction, Haji trotted over to her and laid down beside her, resting his head in her lap and wagging his tail. Once he was close enough to, Aikano placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You don't have any reason to believe me, but you're safe now. We're friends." His expressive golden eyes met her frightened deep blue eyes and he gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. "It's going to be okay...I promise."

He hoped that his attempts to reassure her weren't just making it worse. He wanted her to calm down so he could make sure she was okay and work out how best to help her. "Are you hurt? I can tend your wounds if you are..." His tone still gentle, he tried to check what he could see of her for injuries. She kept rubbing her wrists, but he couldn't tell if it was because they were injured, or if it was just because she remembered the feeling of being chained up. "Are you hungry?" Something about this girl spurred his protective streak from the moment he'd first seen her, and he wanted nothing more than to take care of her and keep her safe.

She lightly rubbed her eyes while she cried feeling completely helpless and exposed to this young man sitting close to her. Looking at him she was rather surprised at the way of life he seemed to have, he looked like an errant warrior and yet he was so young, almost as young as she was! Did he not have a family of his own or a home to return to? What could be his story? All these thoughts for a moment made her forget about her own misery and the crying reduced considerably although the hurt was still there in her deep eyes filled with melancholy. Would he possess the same troubles as she did? Would he be unable to remember his past and that was why he travelled? No, he looked so confident, and so determined, all the traits she seemed to lack. She sighed and looked down at her pale hands, hands so used not to rough work and yet she could not remember the kind of things she did before those cruel men hurt her so much. She shivered lightly at the memory of those cruel men and closed her eyes with some tears still grazing her face. Was this young man one of those cruel men? He did not look like them though. There was benevolence in his eyes.

The moment her eyes looked up at him he seemed confused, like he was not sure hot to interact with her and she found herself smiling weakly at this, he seemed to be rather nice and considerate to her and she thanked him for the handkerchief and the water. First she applied some water on the handkerchief and washed her face gently, drying and cleansing her eyes form the salty tears and she also refreshed herself. It had to be said she was feeling much better, not only was she out of that dump but she seemed to be in good company. Or so she wanted to believe. So far the young lad had not given her any reasons to think otherwise. She blushed lightly while she cleansed her face with the handkerchief, did he think her pathetic for crying so openly? Many people believed that only the weak would cry, a strong person would never cry. She drank doe of the water and her sore throat for all she cried and screamed felt much better. In fact she felt revitalised, who was this young man that could make strangers feel so much better? It was as if he knew where the harm was done and like a doctor he applied the precise remedy.

“Hey, you're okay now…Here, drink up. I'm not going to hurt you…I heard you asking for help, and I got you away from those men…I’m not going to let them hurt you again.”

She blushed lightly, so he had saved her? To think she had considered him one of those horrible men made her feel completely ashamed of herself. She drank a bit more water before she closed the canteen and then extended her hand to return the canteen and handkerchief, “Thank you…but…are you ok with getting involved with those men? They are very dangerous, it might be best I escape on my own…” She felt even sillier saying things like that but she did not know who she was nor if she could risk this young man’s life for her safety. She could not offer him any help, so how could she accept his help? What id they did something to him and she could not stop them? No, she did not want anyone to get hurt because of her…And he looked so young, he had his whole life ahead of him, why waste it to save a strange helpless girl he knew nothing of?

He would probably think her silly but she decided to add as a whisper, “I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me…” She winced, she had not even thanked him for saving her, she blushed even more and looked down, away from his deep golden eyes, “I…thank you, for saving me.” but then she was puzzled, he said he had heard her call, she was puzzled. could this mean he had the same ability as she did? She looked at him a bit amazed and concentrated on their telepathic bond to communicate with him, ”You can…hear me?” She was fascinated. She had never met anyone she could share this bond with where it was reciprocated. But then again she did not remember her past but something inside her assured her, she was right. Her eyes looked back into his, was he teasing her or something? She watched him move closer but, she did not feel threatened but rather intrigued by this young warrior.

I’m Aikano, and that's Haji…”

She looked from the young man to the dog and was a bit scared when it came trotting toward her and she looked away fearing he might jump at her. But then she gasped in shock when the dog laid its head on her leg. Her eyes opened in amazement and she looked down at the dog. Unknown to her, she automatically made use of her abilities with animals and looked into his eyes. The stare lasted for a moment before the dog lowered his head and she lifted a hand and the dog sat up and she smiled and then embraced the dog whispering, “Haji.” It was difficult to explain the comfort she felt when embracing Haji, maybe this was part of the past she could not remember. She realised she had not said her name, but what was her name? She remembered that voice calling her name, Riko, it had said. “I’m Riko.”

"You don't have any reason to believe me, but you're safe now. We're friends...It’s going to be okay...I promise.”

She suddenly met Aikano’s eyes when his hand moved to rest on her shoulder and she was frightened for a moment due to how close he was now, but his words relaxed her somewhat and looking into his golden eyes still she felt she could trust him. Something deep within her told her it was the right thing to do. “I believe you Aikano-san.” And then he smiled, his face brightened up and his eyes looked like burning flames, he was truly beautiful when he smiled, he must be used to being complimented all the time, she mused.

"Are you hurt? I can tend your wounds if you are…"

She looked away for a moment remembering the pain and torture and said, “My wrists hurt a bit and I hurt al over but I am not sure that is something that can be healed that easily.” How could she explain exactly what those men were doing to her? “It was inner torture more than that of the flesh.” Would that make any sense to him? And the memories mad eyer feel scared once more. She noticed they were still rather closed and without thinking she sought the comfort of the handsome warrior sitting next to her and she moved toward him and leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes for a moment, “I’m not hungry.” No, it seemed that all she needed now was comfort of some sort. She felt helpless but he did not seem to mind that.

“Thank you…but…are you ok with getting involved with those men? They are very dangerous, it might be best I escape on my own… I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me…”

Aikano understood what she was trying to say, and gave her his best reassuring smile. "If you want to escape on your own, I won't stop you...but I do hope you'll let me help you." He meant it too. "I'm not scared of men like that. I've got a few...skills..." Some people didn't like Seishi, and so he had a habit of not advertising the fact unless he had to. He shook his head. "I can handle them."

“I…thank you, for saving me.”
”You can…hear me?”

He could feel the same little tingle he felt when using his telepathy, as he heard her voice. "I can hear you...which is new. I've never been able to talk openly with others like this before." He grinned at her. "And no problem. I'm glad I could help you." He wasn't sure if it was because she was sitting right next to him, or if it was because she was also telepathic, but he seemed to he having an easier time using this ability with her than he had when trying it in the past.

“I’m Riko.”

"It's nice to meet you, Riko-san." He noticed her hesitance with the dog, and nodded to Haji. "He looks a little tough, but he's a softie." He couldn't help but notice the moment of fear in her eyes when he touched her, and regretting doing so until she seemed to decide he wasn't a threat.

“I believe you Aikano-san.”

He relaxed a bit, glad she did believe he didn't want to hurt her. He realized that, with both his swords and his spear, he had to be an intimidating sight to wake up to, and the big dog nearby couldn't have helped. He realized for the first time that she didn't appear to have any means of self-defense, and she was sure she wouldn't want him to tag along with her forever to keep an eye on her. A thought occurred to him, and-as was his style-he voiced it without hesitation. "Hey, do you have any self-defense skills? I don't mind looking after you as long as you need me to...but if you wanted, maybe I could teach you something." He couldn't really see her with a sword, and short of going all the way back home to the smithy, that just left his spear. "I could show you how to use this spear, maybe." He suggested, shrugging a shoulder to indicate the spear on his back. "It's useful for all kinds of things, and it's pretty easy to pick up." He smiled at her again, hoping she wasn't one of those girls that would get fussy and offended at the thought of fighting.

“My wrists hurt a bit and I hurt al over but I am not sure that is something that can be healed that easily. It was inner torture more than that of the flesh. I’m not hungry.”

The thought that they had hurt this sweet girl in such a way angered him, but he was not angry at her. It was almost enough to make him wish he'd dealt with them while they were entranced, but he'd been focused on getting her to safety...and such things weren't really his style anyway. He was surprised when she moved to lean against him, but he responded without hesitation. He brought his arms up to embrace her gently. He turned slightly to hold her more comfortably, though he would not fault her if she wanted to move away. "I am sorry you were treated in such a horrible way, Riko-san." He spoke softly. He wanted to make her feel better, though he wasn't sure how. He fell back on an old habit from dealing with his many siblings when they were scared or upset. As he held her, he began to sing softly, not employing and of his Seishi powers, and instead letting the music do its best to heal whatever inner pain she felt. As he sang and held her near, he rested his chin gently on the top of her head and closed his eyes.

His main focus was to make her feel better, but he was also aware that she was, indeed, a lovely young woman. She was probably used to getting lots of attention from men, and he wasn't sure what he, a simple wanderer with a too-large family back home, could offer in way of companionship and comfort, but he'd do his best, and try to at least make sure she made it home safely. He finished the song, and pulled back just enough to look down at her. "I can escort you home, if you want...I'll make sure those men don't surprise you along the way..."

“If you want to escape on your own, I won't stop you...but I do hope you'll let me help you…. I’m not scared of men like that. I've got a few...skills...I can handle them.”

She blushed lightly and looked down, “I do not doubt your skills, forgive me.” He did save her after all so he could easily handle them again she guessed. In all honesty she did not know where she was and felt embarrassed because of that, even if she wanted to spare him from being hurt she and no place to go to, not that she could remember, and she would be traveling aimlessly. She was so embarrassed because of this, would he think her ridiculous for having no memory of her life at all? All she knew was that, whatever the men did to her in the dark building, it disabled her ability to remember, it was almost as if she had lived an empty existence with no memories of her own and it frightened her. She looked up at him and said, “You would do that? You would not mind helping me? I am rue other people would be far more deserving to receive the help of a warrior as king as you.” She lowered her eyes, maybe she was delaying him on an important errand and decided to stop appearing as pathetic and self-pitying as she was at present. “I hope I am not stopping you form anything that needs to be done.”

“I can hear you...which is new. I've never been able to talk openly with others like this before…And no problem. I'm glad I could help you."

She was still amazed that they shared that connection, an ability both seemed to have and it surprised her greatly but it also pleased her, she could finally communicate this way with someone and she smiled lightly, ”Me either…I never met anyone with the same ability…I did not even expect anyone to hear my call to be honest, I did not…I know not where I am or why.” She smiled it was quite useful when there could be times that silence was need, or if an enemy attacked they could communicate that way and the opponent would not know what to do. It was an excellent strategy she guessed although she was not sure how much help she would be if anyone attacked them.

“It’s nice to meet you, Riko-san…He looks a little tough, but he's a softie.”

“Its fine, I guess I am still a bit shaken.” She looked away although she allowed Haji to settle next to her once more. She smiled at the dog and then said, “How far are we from the place you found me? I hope we can rest some before we move on, I’m afraid they drained the energy out of me.” She sighed sadly remembering the experience. What kind of a creature had that man been that he could drain energy and skills in such a way? She shook her head, “I need to stop thinking about it…” Haji looked up at her and for the first time since the bad experience she laughed softly and her hand caressed his ears. Yes, maybe they could be friends as Aikano had said.

"Hey, do you have any self-defense skills? I don't mind looking after you as long as you need me to...but if you wanted, maybe I could teach you something…I could show you how to use this spear, maybe…It’s useful for all kinds of things, and it's pretty easy to pick up.

She smiled at him although she was not sure how skills she would be with a weapon, “I do not believe I can do a single thing to help myself, and for that I am sorry.” She looked back into his golden eyes, “I would be grateful to be taught although I am not sure if I would have any skills with any weapon or if I would make you run out of patience…” She blushed lightly, surely he would prefer to teach a lovely lady that could also be proficient with handling the spear, why would he offer to teach her when she was anything but that? Unless of course he was being polite with the person he only just rescued. She did not want him to leave with a sour taste on his mouth but, well, she was a meek young girl.

He couldn't help but notice the moment of fear in her eyes when he touched her, and regretting doing so until she seemed to decide he wasn't a threat.

"I am sorry you were treated in such a horrible way, Riko-san.”

There were no words to describe how grateful she was that Aikano had not turned away and left but rather embraced her as she leaned to him. She closed her eyes for a moment and moved closer to him enjoying the protection his embrace rendered. To his words she responded with a whisper, “That is not the worst part…” He was so comfortable and his warmth and the soft voice he possessed as he sang seems to make all her worries go away and she fell into a light sleep. This was the greatest proof that Riko trusted Aikano completely, she and fallen asleep in his arms. And the beautiful song and voice made her smile lightly as she slept. Still sleeping she whispered, “An angel sings…” She felt his chin rest on her head and she smiled even more and her breathing relaxed considerably.

She was enjoying the embrace so much that she almost fell into an even deeper sleep. She was almost sorry that the song finished and when Aikano moved she slowly stirred and blinked several times as if she had been sleeping in his arms for hours. She was feeling much better, she looked up at him and smiled. But then she realised she had made him embrace her and she blushed, “I’m… sorry…” She lightly moved to sit back on the tree but she found no energy and her arms and legs did not respond feeling completely numb. This made her land back again in his arms and she blushed even more. He must think her ridiculous now, maybe eating something would help? No, she needed to rest really…

“I can escort you home, if you want...I'll make sure those men don't surprise you along the way…”

She looked into his eyes with hope renewed, “You would?”But then her cheeks coloured deeply once more, a valiant warrior offered to escort her back home? She felt truly undeserving and in any case…she did not know where home was or if she had one. She did feel like there was someone who loved her deeply and could be looking for her but…she was not so sure she could remember anything beyond that, she looked to the floor, “Ever since…what those men did… I don’t remember anything about my past, where my home is if I have one or where my loved ones if I have any…It might be a pointless journey for you, I have nothing to offer to symbolise my gratitude to you and we would probably wander around aimlessly, you probably have more important things to do.” A hand moved to play with a small blue flower that was within her grasp and she did not dare to look back into his charming eyes.

“I do not doubt your skills, forgive me. You would do that? You would not mind helping me? I am rue other people would be far more deserving to receive the help of a warrior as king as you. I hope I am not stopping you form anything that needs to be done.”

"No apologies necessary." Aikano grinned. If he spent much time with this girl, he'd get an ego for sure. "I'm not a warrior, not really." He confessed, hoping she'd still want his help if she knew he wasn't some battle-hardened fighter-for-hire or something. "I mostly know enough to keep myself out of trouble. And I'm not really doing anything important." He shrugged. "I...travel, and do little things here and there for money. Then I take that money home and start all over." It was a way of life not many understood, but it was his way of life, and he wouldn't trade it for the world.

”Me either…I never met anyone with the same ability…I did not even expect anyone to hear my call to be honest, I did not…I know not where I am or why.”
“Its fine, I guess I am still a bit shaken. How far are we from the place you found me? I hope we can rest some before we move on, I’m afraid they drained the energy out of me. I need to stop thinking about it…”

He nodded. "We're far enough that we should be safe to rest for a while." He knew they'd look in the dirextion of the village first, and he'd passed several clearings in the woods before selecting this one. "Haji will let us know if anyone's coming, and we're deep enough into the woods that they should give up before they reach us anyway." He gave her a reassuring smile. "We can rest here as long as you need to, Riko-san."

“I do not believe I can do a single thing to help myself, and for that I am sorry. I would be grateful to be taught although I am not sure if I would have any skills with any weapon or if I would make you run out of patience…”

Aikano couldn't help it...he laughed. "Riko-san, I'm the oldest of ten...patience is something I've got in abundance." He smiled, hoping she realized he wasn't laughing at her. "Tell you what...when you're feeling up to it, we'll give it a try. If you don't like it, or can't pick it up...we'll think of something else." Something about this girl poked his protective streak, and he didn't like the thought of leaving her completely defenseless. He hoped she could take to the spear, but he meant what he said. If she couldn't, he'd try something else...and if all else failed, he'd be her sword and keep her safe.

“That is not the worst part…"

He wondered, as he comforted her, what those men had taken from her. Soemthing, obviously. He wished he was an oracle, so that he could've somehow spared her such pain. No one deserved such rough treatment, least of all someone as sweet and innocent as Riko.

"An angel sings…”

He realized belatedly that she had drifted off in his arms as he sang. An angel, huh? He really would get an insufferable ego if she kept this up. He regretted waking her. She apologized, and he gently pulled her back against him. "If you are tired, then rest. It is best for you..." He insisted softly. It felt nice to hold her against him, but he pushed the thought aside.

“You would? Ever since…what those men did… I don’t remember anything about my past, where my home is if I have one or where my loved ones if I have any…It might be a pointless journey for you, I have nothing to offer to symbolise my gratitude to you and we would probably wander around aimlessly, you probably have more important things to do.”

Ah, so those men had taken her memories from her...whatever they had done had deeply affected her, then. "You'd be welcome to come home with me if you like, until we can figure out where you're from and who's looking for you." He was sure his family would not mind...in truth, his mother would be overjoyed, though he didn't wish to dwell on that thought at present. "And like I said before, I'm just a wanderer, really. I'm pretty aimless..." He grinned, still holding her. He could tell she seemed nervous. "Just...don't try to hard to remember, okay? It'll come back in its own time, and worrying yourself over it won't help anything. Try to enjoy the life you have until you remember the one before."

"No apologies necessary…I’m not a warrior, not really…I mostly know enough to keep myself out of trouble. And I'm not really doing anything important…I…travel, and do little things here and there for money. Then I take that money home and start all over.”

She smiled softly, he was very modest, she admired people like that, it was not easy to come across such type of persons. So she decided to respect him and she simply nodded, she would feel awful if she made him change in any way, he seemed comfortable with his way of life so why affect it? In any case, she respected others and though she was merely vicing her opinion she knew that at times it was best to not insist. And so, she would show her gratitude in other ways, maybe, though she was not sure at present what she could do to make things better, she felt like she was pretty much useless at everything she did, even if she tried. She ended up in a serious mess and it had been luck Aikano heard her cry of help.

“We’re far enough that we should be safe to rest for a while…Haji will let us know if anyone's coming, and we're deep enough into the woods that they should give up before they reach us anyway…We can rest here as long as you need to, Riko-san.”

She was quite relieved to say the least but she still feared somewhat that they might find them. She ignored that for the moment and instead concentrated on what Aikano said and she nodded, “Thank you for everything you have done.” She smiled she Haji moved closer to her and began to lick at her neck, he took her thanks for him too it seemed and she laughed and pushed him aside while caressing his head as well, “Ok, ok…” It made her remember dealing with animals before but she was not sure what. She decided that she would take in every memory that returned to her and slowly put the pieces together, if she panicked now it would not help at all.

“Riko-san, I'm the oldest of ten...patience is something I've got in abundance…Tell you what...when you're feeling up to it, we'll give it a try. If you don't like it, or can't pick it up...we'll think of something else.”

She blushed lightly although to be fair she did not know that about him. Yet, his laugh seemed so natural and honest it made him shine the brighter, like a star at night. So she did not take his words too seriously and said, “Very well, we can try that then.” She feared though that she would be unable to learn anything that day, she was still pretty much exhausted. She wonders though if he would be disappointed if she failed to handle any weapon and be as helpless as she usually was. He did not seem like the type of person to judge otters by the things they did or said but she knew that she would not be happy if she made a fool out of herself, she was a bit demanding with herself whenever she did things and she was fully aware that things only worked for her if she did so. Even when she usually only did minor and small tasks, everything had to be perfect.

”If you are tired, then rest. It is best for you…”

She blushed lightly but allowed him to pull her against him so that she could sleep and enjoy the comfort an embrace rendered a person. She moved slightly closer and smiled when Haji settled behind her to render her heat and comfort as well, he was such a beautiful dog and he seemed to love Aikano well, so he must have a way with animals, most persons who did had a good heart and though she already knew that about Aikano, she decided it was only emphasised by this trait of his.

“You’d be welcome to come home with me if you like, until we can figure out where you're from and who's looking for you…And like I said before, I'm just a wanderer, really. I'm pretty aimless...Just...don't try to hard to remember, okay? It'll come back in its own time, and worrying yourself over it won't help anything. Try to enjoy the life you have until you remember the one before.”

She smiled, he also seemed to possess great wisdom, it pleased her greatly. He was being far more helpful to her than he realised, she looked up at his golden eyes and said, “I will do my best, and maybe I could travel with you for a while and see if I remember anything eventually. Thank you Aikano-san.” She then closed her eyes and slowly allowed her exhaustion to take over her. She knew that with his help she would remember things…no problem.

Meanwhile back at Riko’s village, a person entered the stables she had been taken from and stopped at the basket that contained fruits. His hand picked it up and seemed to recognise it, he then looked around and stopped where he saw fresh footprints to examine them and he cursed under his breath storming out of the stables.

“I will do my best, and maybe I could travel with you for a while and see if I remember anything eventually. Thank you Aikano-san.”

"I would be glad for the company, Riko-san." Aikano said with a smile. "Haji's not much for conversation." He chuckled and then settled down so she could rest. After a moment's though, he removed his cloak and tossed it over the both of them like a blanket. "Rest well..." He said softly. "I'll be here when you wake." And then he began to sing softly, using his ability to lull her into peaceful rest.

It was a strange sensation, holding Riko as she slept. He'd had his siblings sleep with him before, especially if they had a nightmare...but most of them were little, and anyway Riko wasn't his sibling. It was enough to make him want to blush. What had those men wanted with her? She was pretty...very lovely, indeed, but the mental torture she described wasn't typical of slave traders or bandits.

Well, whatever they'd wanted, he hoped he'd stopped them from getting it. He also hoped that he could protect her and keep her safe until she regained her memories. He considered taking her to nearby villages and seeing if he could find her home, but he had no way of knowing if she was even from this area. Besides, it would be wise to head in the opposite direction, to keep her captors at a distance.

Eventually, as he began to think of how to start her training with the spear, he drifted off to sleep himself, trusting Haji to wake them if trouble came. He felt at peace, and couldn't help but think that, though it was a strange feeling to hold her...it was nice too. She was soft and warm, and it felt comfortable to hold her in his arms. Haji circled the clearing a few times, burning off some energy, before settling down beside them but remaining alert.

Even as he slept, Aikano still thought of Riko, He hoped he'd be able to help her find her past, and more importantly he hoped he could keep her safe. He could tell already that she was a sweet person, and he wanted to make sure she never faced any sadness again. It was odd to care so much about someone, but she needed help, and perhaps it was their shard ability, or perhaps it was something else, but he felt like he was the best person to help her.

"I would be glad for the company, Riko-san…Haji’s not much for conversation…Rest well...I'll be here when you wake.”

“I am honoured to accompany you and Haji.” Riko blushed lightly when Aikano removed his cloak and used it to cover them and then he pulled her closer. She had only just met this man and yet she trusted him to the extent of sleeping in his arms and trust him to remain a gentleman just as he had been for rescuing her. It was surprising and at the same time enjoyable to say the least. What would others thing of her? Did Aikano think her an easy young lady? She was rather young but, she already felt more like a lady than a little girl. She relaxed in his embrace and then closed her eyes and smiled being lullabied to sleep by his gentle singing voice. He probably did not know the power his voice had over those around him. She relaxed in his embrace and sleep soon took her. She did not know how it happened, when or why, but she soon forget even where she was and she looked around and she was running in a beautiful meadow where the sun shone bright and it was warm.

She was running but not the kind of way you would when escaping a threat, rather, she was laughing and enjoying herself in the company of… horses? How could that be? She and never ridden one or she at least did not recall doing that. And then, as she ran on accompanied by the wild horses a voice called out to her. but she did not turn at first since she was enjoying herself so much…

The voice called out to her once more and this time a great beam of light covered her, she turned to look behind her and saw someone with long dark hair, he was calling out to her but she could not see his face, he was covered in light. He was dressed in similar tones of blue as her though and it puzzled her. Why would anyone were similar clothes to her or even colours? Deep down she knew there was a good reason for this and yet she could not remember at present. She felt a bit sad and despaired somewhat, it was not easy living with the knowledge that you could not remember anything about your past, anything at all that could help her. It was difficult enough to have escaped those terrible men, but now, not only that, she did not know who she was…what did they do to her so she would forget her life?

She was not sure how long she had slept in this handsome man’s arms, but she could see the night was almost well gone past and she could see the sun about to rise and awaken the world. She looked around and tried to sense movement but nothing came their way. She sighed truly relieved and then looked up at Aikano, how could he look so handsome and sweet even when he slept?

She would not deny it, it was quite nice and comfortable to be held by someone like Aikano. Besides she was so happy and warm that she did not want to move away from his arms. What a strange sensation… She looked at him for a moment before she slowly and as sneakily as possible, she moved away from his embrace. She decided she would try and make breakfast for them, now that she felt much ether and was strong enough to get up. She smiled down at him and then looked about their supplies, there was no much, but she could try and catch some fish. She silently took his spear and realised that though it was heavy, it was not so uncomfortable to wield. She moved to the nearest stream and then began to try and catch wish with the spear.

She chuckled, she probably looked ridiculous and though she struggled with the spear somewhat, she found it easy to lean back and then step forth stabbing at the fish. She was probably not the best at it but she did the job and soon she caught six fish. She looked at her catch and smiled before she looked at her reflection through the water. Why could she not remember anything?

Boots could be heard moving hastily off a horse and the man who had found Riko’s basket stormed into the abandoned ruins where she had been held captive. He looked around but realised there was no one there and yet, something felt wrong, as if he knew that Riko had gone through much harm inside that room, he had sixth sense when it came to those he loved and he knew that he was on the right track. But now all he had to do was decide what happened to Riko. Did she escape and run away or did the captors take her elsewhere?

He left the ruins and then looked at the ground for a moment, and it was then he picked up something he had not seen before. He then loped away of him, whatever could have happened she was still alive and he did not see blood in that cell. He sighed and thanked Byakko and asked him to protect her until he found her again…

Aikano was not sure why he'd held Riko as she fell asleep, other than it had seemed to provide her with comfort a moment ago, and he wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. He realized belatedly that it could be a bit bold of him and that if anyone had seen them, they might've thought the worst of them both. Let those people think what they like, however. He and Riko knew it was an innocent gesture, and anyone who knew him would know he was not the sort to take advantage of a young lady, especially not one in a delicate state like Riko was.

He drifted off to sleep shortly after she did. He dreamed about his family meeting Riko. He had a feeling Renji, his twin brother, would scare the gilt...not that he was mean, but it was jsut that Renji was as stern and serious as Aikano was fun and carefree. Shouka seemed just a little younger than Riko, and in his dream hse had taken to her quickly. All of the little ones would probably love her as well...they were friendly children, and took to just about anyone...especially if Aikano, Renji, or their parents seemed to like them. In this dream, his father thought Riko was a nice girl, and his mother instantly began dropping hints, whenever Riko was out of earshot, that she looked like she'd make a lovely wife. Yeah, that pretty much seemed right for his family...

Aikano slept a bit longer and heavier than he usually did. He alway did when he used his powers like he had on those men who'd held Riko. He awoke at last with morning sunlight shining through the trees onto his face. He sat up and rubbed his eyes before looking around the clearing. Haji eas curled up at his his side asleep. That was usually how Haji slept, unless they were at home and he could find room on one of the kids' beds. Otherwise, they were alone. Where was Riko?

He wondered for a moment if he'd dreamed the entire thing, as he had no way of proving Riko was even real...but no, he was in the clearing they'd been in, and he could still feel the last of the residual heat where she'd slept in his arms. That had been surprisingly nice, actually. Holding her close as they both rested, and she had really looked very beautiful when whe was sleeping. He worried for a brief moment that those men had found them...but Haji would've warned him, Aikano would've woken up, and he was sure even if neither of those had happened, the men wouldn't have just left him there sleeping. As he looked around, he noticed it looked like the supplies had been gun through, although not in a manner that suggested theft. His spear was also gone. He assumed she'd seen he didn't have any food and went to go find some. This seemed a plausible theory, so he started to build a fire to cook whatever she returned with.

Recalling their shared ability, he decided to test it. 'Riko-san? Good morning. Do you need any help?' As he called out to her, he worked on the fire, and soon had it going, the perfect size for cooking. He looked over at Haji who hadn't stirred. "Some guard dog you are. Someone could've attacked us, and you would've just snored at them." As if in answer, the dog let out a grunting snore and rolled over. Aikano shook his head and stretched before pulling out his flute and beginning to play, just to pass the tiem until Riko returned.

’Riko-san? Good morning. Do you need any help?’

Riko was so concentrated on catching the last two fish that when Aikano contacted her through the mind-since she was not used to sharing this bond with anyone and it had taken her by surprise this time-she almost fell into the river. She held on to a nearby tree and placed a hand on her heart, she had to remember they had recently discovered they could talk through the mind. She just had to get used to it. She sighed and ran a hand through her face before she tried al the fish with a little string she had found in their supplies. She then cleansed the blade of Aikano’s spear and hoped he would not be angry with her for what she did but, well, she did not want him to have to do everything for them and she did owe him so much already. It was then she realised she had not answered him yet and felt the most rude person in the whole world, ’Good morning Aikano-kun, I think I am good, I am just on my way back now.’ She smiled and then picked the fish with the long string and tried to hold the spear with her other hand but it was a bit heavy o she land its weight on her shoulder and then decided it would not be a difficult walk so long as she concentrated on the task ahead and did not busy her mind with considering how much the spear actually weighted.

Once she reached the place she remembered she had ben sleeping at with Aikano-thinking about that seemingly made her blush even now.- she smiled softly at him and then handed him the spear relieved that she no loner had to carry that weapon. She was tired from fishing it seemed as well. She gently sat by the fire and placed the fish on the ground, “If this is not enough I can get some more.” She hopped that twelve would be a good number but she did not know how much he or Haji ate. She then realised Aikano had been playing his flute and she had just stopped him or interrupted him, she blushed lightly and looked away, “I’m sorry, I am so rude, please do not stop playing if it makes you happy.” That was probably why she would never find a match, she was too silly sometimes…She began to untie the fish and when Haji sat up she shook her head, no, they were not all for him and in nay cad he had to wait for them to cook the fish.

Now, she was not used to cooking outdoors or living in such a way so, when she looked at the fish on the floor she wondered which would be the best way to cook them. She looked back at him and said with an embarrassed tone, “Hm…have you got any seasoning for the fish?” She dared not look into his eyes in case he thought her ridiculous, “I tried to find wild garlic or some herbs that I knew of but I could not find any.” So, she remembered she could cook, that was a useless thing to remember, right? It would not get her anywhere but she pushed the thought aside and with a rock she cleaned the fish and removed the scales, apparently she did not need to remember how to do these things, she could just do them.

She felt even more rude since she realised she still had not thanked him for all he did, “By the way…thank you for everything…” She hoped she had not appeared a meek and feeble creature in his eyes, especially when she so boldly leaned on him when she was too tired to realise just exactly what she had been doing. Yet, he seemed to allow her, or had he done that just to be nice to her and so she would not feel bad? She raised an eyebrow and continued to remove the scales, once done she used water to wash the fish and then tied them to the thick string once more and then held them out to the fire, she was sure there was probably another way to hod them to cook but she could not think of it at the moment and, as she knew already, she had no experienced with being outdoors, not of this kind at least…

Aikano had started to worry when Riko didn't respond. Could something have happened while he was asleep? He'd feel awful if, after promising to help her and look after her, something had happened. He was just about to tell Haji to go look for her when he heard her response in his mind.

'Good morning Aikano-kun, I think I am good, I am just on my way back now.’

'Good to hear.' He replied with a smile, and relaxed back into playing his flute. When she arrived at the clearing, he stopped playing and took the spear. He slid it back into place on his back. "It seems you got the hang of it quickly...at least for fishing, which is a start." He smiled at her. "Next time let me know, and I'll let you wear the carry strap. It makes it a lot easier to carry..." Though, he considered, it might be too big for her. Perhaps he could get something made to carry the spear that would fit her...

“If this is not enough I can get some more. I’m sorry, I am so rude, please do not stop playing if it makes you happy.”

He chuckled. "If that is not enough, Haji and I both need to start eating less." He shook his head at her last comment. "I was just passing the time until you returned. Unless you would like for me to play for you, I'm just as happy with the conversation." In fact, he enjoyed having someone to talk to. Usually, he'd talk to Haji, but as he'd told her, Haji couldn't talk back, and though he loved the dog, he also enjoyed time with other humans. When she said she was rude, he shook his head. "I haven't been offended by anything you've done or said, Riko-san. I don't think you're rude at all."

“Hm…have you got any seasoning for the fish? I tried to find wild garlic or some herbs that I knew of but I could not find any.”

Aikano reached for his pack, and dug around. After a moment, he took out a small spice jar and held it out to her. "My mother always sends some of that with me when I leave home." He explains. "I'm not the best cook, but it always seems to make the fish taste good." He watched her with interest as she put the fish on to cook. It seemed she could remember some basic things, but that just about anything relating to her past life was still a blank to her.

“By the way…thank you for everything…”

"It's my pleasure." He assured without hesitation. He wanted to help her. It angered him to think of the rough treatment she had suffered, and he wanted to make it right somehow. He wasn't sure how, but helping her seemed like a good place to start. He watched as she held the fish out to the fire, and shook his head. "Your arm will get tired doing it that way." He said with a smile. He stood, and moved off, finding a good sized fallen branch with a fork in it. He also found a smaller branch. He returned with both, and forced the forked branch into the ground near the fire. He then pulled some heavy string from his bag and tied the other branch to it so that it stuck out over the fire. He then took the fish and tied them to that branch so that they hung over the fire without the string burning.

"There." He said, dusting his hands off as he sat down next to her once more. "A little trick my brother read about and suggested I try." He grinned over at her. "I'm glad to see it works. Now all we do is wait for them to be finished." Haji walked over to them and sat next to Riko, his eyes on the cooking fish as he gave a soft whine. "Stop your whining." Aikano told him. "You're not going to starve before they're done." Haji gave a snort and laid down beside Riko, placing his head in her lap as if Aikano had hurt his feelings.

“It seems you got the hang of it quickly...at least for fishing, which is a start…Next time let me know, and I'll let you wear the carry strap. It makes it a lot easier to carry…”

She blushed slightly at his initial comment but she was glad she had actually done a good job and impressed him, did he honestly think she had done a good job with the spear? She could barely handle its weight and she only caught the fish by chance, or so she thought. “You are too kind Aikano-san, I could barely hold it to be honest…I’m afraid I might have gotten too few fish for you both.”

“If that is not enough, Haji and I both need to start eating less.”

She was still learning on the character of this young man when he spoke and she was not sure if he meant it as a joke or if it actually meant she and not gotten enough fish for them. She was a bit sad and said, “Oh no, there is no need for you to stop eating the amount you usually do, tell me how many more you need and I’ll go fetch them right away…” She was even moving toward Aikano to take the spear once more, she should have brought more fish…she almost slapped herself.

”I was just passing the time until you returned. Unless you would like for me to play for you, I'm just as happy with the conversation…I haven't been offended by anything you've done or said, Riko-san. I don't think you're rude at all.”

Riko was truly amazed by how nice the young man was. He was so carefree and so gentle al the same and she wondered if he was also a fearless foe in battle. She smiled at him and said, “I enjoy your music as much as I enjoy your company AIkano-san, feel free to do either whenever you like. And thank you for being so nice to me, I hope to one day be able to do as much for you.”

"My mother always sends some of that with me when I leave home…I’m not the best cook, but it always seems to make the fish taste good.”

Riko’s eyes brightened, that was just ways she needed. She took the jar and smiled at him and then she applied it to the fish, it smelled very nice, she wished she could ask Aikano’s mother for the recipe, at least for now she would be lucky to taste it. In fact ti would make the fish even nicer. The only thing that put her off right now was how smelly her hands were… She hoped it would not make Aikano or Haji nauseous, she always found fish a bit of a nasty thing to deal with only because of the particular smell…it was too much for her to take, it seemed. “Thank you Aikano-san.” She returned him the jar and then concentrated on cooking the fish.

"It's my pleasure.”

Riko knew he had saved her from her turmoil but that was not the only reason she found herself smiling at him and being grateful for his help. She knew that he was a good person and he truly did wish to help her. That alone was something marvellous to experience and she wanted to one day repay him the favour and help him with something. If she ever got her memory back, that is.

“Your arm will get tired doing it that way.”

Riko watched him with curiosity as he want about finding things, she stood there like a small child watching with great curiosity something she had never seen before. And yet, something about the way he set the fish seemed to remind her of something. Was it Aikano? No, it was another man but he spoke to her with the same familiarity as Akiano did, had she been rescued by someone before? She shrugged the thought and memories and then watched him set the fish to cook in a much better way than what she had planned on doing. She felt rather silly to say the least. She probably could have thought of a better way to cook the fish but she was glad that she was not on her own or she wouldn’t have gotten this far.

”There…A little trick my brother read about and suggested I try…I’m glad to see it works. Now all we do is wait for them to be finished.”

She smiled and sat next to them, “Do you…visit your family often?” He did by the sounds of it, but she was a bit curious about him to be honest, there was some mystery to him and she was eager to find out what it was…

She did not want to sound like she was prying into his life though so she did not ask too many questions. He did not look like someone who would mind but, she did not want to abuse of the trust they shared at present.

“Stop your whining…You’re not going to starve before they're done.”

Riko laughed and then watched the dog as he put his head on her lap and looked into his eyes, she applied her knowledge on wildlife without even knowing and she transmuted her peace to the dog, and she then caressed his head.