Ayla sighed a little forcefully, running a hand through her hair as she did so. They would be leaving with Akarui to go fetch his lands, or whatever, however; she hadn't had the chance to go see Aram, yet. She was always with one of the Hinos, or occasionally one of the Minamotos. Usually Tatsuya or Tsubasa and sometimes Kentaro. Tsubasa was fun to be around, mostly because he was like her in that weird kind of way. Tatsuya had, oddly, become more tolerable to be around. She supposed it had to do with their weird reconciliation and acknowledgment of not knowing each other. That, and it was hilarious to tease Reiko the way they did.
She snorted softly at that, but sighed again. She'd only seen the Akarui human lord once after the duel, and his advisor at least twice. Sometimes she could almost feel eyes on her, those eyes of his. It was almost as if he was wary of her, but she didn't blame him if he was. He should be wary of her. Still, it was all strange, and she wanted to talk to Aram about it. With that in mind, she continued her way down the hallway. This time, she'll go see Aram, and she wouldn't be impeded. There was still some time before they'd be leaving to reclaim Akarui's homeland, after all.
That, and she wanted to check up on him. She hadn't been able to do that last time because Reiko had said he was being taken care of. She allowed a small smile to cover her lips at that. Reiko really was such a kind person, always looking out for others even if they had no direct relation to her. It didn't even bother her to help out the occasional human out in the markets when they needed it. It was such a rare trait to Ayla, that kindness. Perhaps, she would have been that kind as well if it were not for the way she was raised. She remembered times before when she wasn't who she was today. But perhaps time would do that to Reiko, too.
Ayla certainly hoped it didn't. Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she straightened her back somewhat, and continued down the hall.
She didn't make it all the way out before she ran into Tatsuya; almost literally. He sidestepped in time to avoid a collision at the corner, however, coming to a stop slightly to her left. “Distracted, are we?" he asked, brushing something off one of the dark red sleeve of his haori.
He appeared to study her for a moment, then tipped his head to the side. “I think I know what about, at that. Recent run-in with Eiji?"
"Sort of," she replied, glancing up at him. Sometimes, she hated being reminded of how short she was. She shook her head, though, and sighed. "He's a creepy bastard, and I don't like him. I haven't run into him, exactly, but after that stunt with Heisuke," she trailed off there. She didn't really need to elaborate. He was there, after all. She pursed her lips together, though, as she contemplated whether or not she would stay for a conversation.
"I was actually on my way out, but it seems everytime I try to leave, something, or someone, stops me," she was starting to think that maybe fate was keeping her away from Aram, at the moment. That, or maybe it would be best to consult him after the battle for Heisuke's lands. She couldn't say, for sure, since she wasn't Aram.
“Well, I have no intention of stopping you," he said with a shrug. “Actually... if you were going to consult with your brother, I might go with you. I'd thought of asking a few questions of him as well. They seem..." His brows furrowed; perhaps he was searching for the right word. “Similar."
He lifted a single shoulder, though, letting his other arm rest casually on the hilt of his sword. It wasn't a threatening stance by any means; it looked relaxed if anything. “But if I'm wrong, or you'd rather go alone, that's fine as well."
"You noticed it too?" she spoke, instead. She thought she was the only one who noticed the weird similarities to Aram that Eiji, had, but perhaps he was thinking of something else. For her, it was because they smelled similar. She blinked slowly, though as his statement finally dawned on her. He wanted to go with? She shrugged.
"I'm not going to complain if you want to tag along. It's probably a good thing if you do," she stated. At least then, Aram might be more inclined to talk if someone else was around. Plus, he'd be able to relay the information to Reiko, too.
He nodded, turning so that he could walk at her side rather than in front of her or anything. “Lead on, then." He didn't seem to need to retrieve anything or change before leaving; he was wearing a fairly-typical shitage, kosode, and hakama, with the haori loosely draped over his shoulders. It was undoubtedly all well-made, but wouldn't look too out-of-place in the village. Tatsuya didn't really dress like a lord, unlike his brother Jirō.
Jirō dressed as if he were the lord. She rolled her eyes at the thought, before leading the way. Its not like she really needed to lead. He'd been there when Reiko rebuilt her and Aram's home from the ground up. Regardless, she began walking, anyway. The walk was mostly silent; she didn't have anything to say, really. That, and her mind was still occupied with Eiji and Heisuke. What could they have possibly wanted for Heisuke to fight that hard? It couldn't have been for Sayuri, because if she remembered correctly, he originally wanted Reiko. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up at that.
This man was just an all around ass, and if it were up to her, there would be one less lord in the world. "What kind of impression did Eiji leave on you?" she decided to ask. It would help her contemplate what to say to Aram, exactly. They weren't too far from the home, now, but there was still some time for a brief conversation.
“He's a snake," Tatsuya said flatly. “But I also think he's a prognosticator, or fancies himself one. He calls himself a priest, talks about fate and the future and all that other bullshit like he knows it. Refers to humans like he's not one. And he smells a little like Washi-san. But I'm sure you noticed that part."
Ayla actually hit the palm of her hand against her forehead. Seriously? This Eiji thought he was like Aram? He had to be an idiot, if that were the case. There was no one else like Aram, and she was certain of that. "I noticed the way he smelled," she replied, though she did frown. "Which is, actually, strange," she would admit. She wrinkled her nose a bit. It was almost as if she could smell him right now.
They reached the house within the next few minutes, and she stared at it. "Hopefully he's here," she spoke. She wasn't entirely sure since she couldn't smell him at the moment. "So help me, the fucker better be here," because if he wasn't, she'd be pissed. Instead of walking in, she opted to knock on the door. She could be polite, she supposed. There was no answer. She furrowed her brows, and knocked again. Still no answer.
"Aram!?" she nearly called out. Still no answer.
“Well he can't be dead," Tatsuya volunteered dryly, folding his arms into his sleeves. “Reiko was down here just yesterday with more food. Where would he be if he wasn't at home? Working somewhere?"
"For his sake, he better be dead," she gritted out. She doubted there was any work for him to do, now that spring was, sort of, here. She sighed softly, and shook her head. "It wouldn't hurt to go see if he's at the fields, again," she spoke. As she turned to leave, though, she came face to face with Aram. He blinked, a little surprised at them, and his expression shifted in various degrees. One moment the surprise was on his face, the next he looked happy, followed by some melancholy, and then surprise again.
"Ayla, Minamoto-san, what are you doing here?" he asked, the surprise still laced in his voice. She pursed her lips at him, noticing the small basket in his hands. It looked like he'd gone to the market to get supplies. Food, mostly.
"One, I still live here, so I'm entitled to come back every now and then," she replied dryly. It, however, managed to cause a small smile on Aram's lips. She really hated when he did that. It made her feel bad about leaving him. "Two, we have questions," she stated, glancing towards Tatsuya as she did so.
"Oh," he sounded almost sad, but his face did not show it. "Well, come inside and I'll make tea," he spoke, shuffling past them. Ayla followed after him, and waited until they were all seated at the small table in the living area.
"Of what service may I be?"
Tatsuya settled in on the other side of the table from Aram, pausing before he spoke. Clearly, he was waiting to see if Ayla wanted to start the conversation, but when she didn't speak, he chose to do so instead. He moved his teacup a little closer to himself, but other than that, he left it unattended. Come to think of it, Ayla wasn't even sure whether he liked tea or not. All she'd ever seen him drinking was sake.
“There's a man at the castle. One of Akarui-dono's advisers. He calls himself Eiji, no name other than that. He's implied that he can do something like you can do—see the future, or some such." Tatsuya's skepticism appeared to extend to Aram's claims as well, but he was relatively polite about it. For him, anyway. “Know anything about him?"
"Eiji?" he spoke, furrowing his brows slightly. He glanced down at his cup, seemingly lost in thought. His lips were pursed into a fine line, and he seemed lost for a minute. "I have never heard of this person," he finally spoke, and it sounded genuine to her. She furrowed her brows.
"You've never seen anything that concerns a man in black robes wearing a stupid bird-like mask?" she decided to ask. Perhaps if she gave him a visual, he'd likely remember. It wasn't like names came to him, or at least she didn't think they did. He shook his head, though, and furrowed his brows deeper.
"No, I haven't. The only things I have seen have concerned..." he paused, glancing in Tatsuya's direction, "Sayuri and Heisuke, so far."
She knew that much, at least. "Has anything changed?" she decided to go that route. The expression on his face, however, gave way that signaled that something did. He sighed softly, and took a drink.
"Sayuri's engagement to Heisuke was called off, wasn't it?" he spoke, and she nodded. "Her... death is still inevitable, but it will not be the way it originally was supposed to be. There is... someone I cannot see, who is responsible for it. It will be slow, and it will be painful for her," he continued, dropping his gaze from hers and staring into his cup. She sighed.
"So nothing concerning Heisuke or Eiji?"
"Neither."
“Someone you can't see?" Tatsuya raised an eyebrow, crosshing his arms over his chest. What he thought of Sayuri's supposed impending death was unclear; perhaps he simply didn't believe it. “Isn't Reiko the only person you can't see?" And that would obviously not make any sense—if there was anyone who could be relied upon not to hurt Sayuri, it was Reiko.
"That is correct," he spoke. That was strange. Reiko was the only one he couldn't see, but this person who was supposed to end Sayuri's life also couldn't be seen. "It is not Reiko, of that I am certain," he spoke, as if he had seen her, somehow.
"How are you certain that it isn't her?"
"Because it will happen somewhere where it is only her and your brother, Kentaro," he spoke, pursing his lips together. "I do not know where it is, or when it will be, however; Reiko will not be present. I may not be able to see her, but I do know that much," he spoke. It was still vague as hell, to her, but she supposed she'd take his word for it. But if it wasn't Reiko, then who?
"You're no help, you know that?"
"I apologize, Ayla. I would help if I knew more, however; you know we are the only three, two," he corrected himself. She sighed heavily. "It is impossible that there would be another like us," he continued.
"If you say so," was the only thing she responded with.
Tatsuya raised an eyebrow at that. “Maybe you just didn't get all of 'em, last time," he said slowly. It was clear he knew at least some of the details of what they and his father had once done. What they'd once been a part of. “Maybe he's some kind of oni."
The word, though his voice lent no particular weight to it, managed to hang heavy in the air nonetheless. It was one with a lot of associations for both Ayla and Aram, and one that she hadn't heard in a conversation like this in a long time.
"He couldn't be. We got rid of them a long time ago," she finally spoke. Even if he were some kind of oni, Aram would still have known of him. He would have at least seen him. Amon had been a type of oni, though, and if she wasn't mistaken, so was Aram. Hell, even she was. Actually, that made sense. "He did smell like you, though," she spoke, frowning deeply.
"Scent or not, it is still impossible that he could be an oni. As you said, we made sure of that. The nests were all exterminated," Aram, for once, seemed skeptical about the possibilty of oni existing. "Even if we had missed some..." he trailed off at the end.
"We would have known about them, if we had. They are not the best at laying low and plotting," at least from what she remembered. The oni had been slow, and a little more suited to rage-battles than anything else. Hell, they would have heard of a village being trampled or something, if the oni still existed, by now.
Tatsuya didn't look even slightly convinced, but he shook his head and negelected to comment further on it. Instead, he shrugged. “With any luck, we'll take back Akarui's holdings and never hear from either of the fuckers again. But I'm not betting on it."
"One can hope," she muttered. Aram quirked a brow in her direction, as if he were confused as to what he meant. "About that," she began, sighing softly. "I'll be going with them," she spoke, and she could see the worry flash across his eyes. "I promise I won't change, Ara. It's only a small skirmish, nothing we haven't been through before," she spoke. It didn't ease the worriedness of his expression though.
"Just... be careful, okay?" she actually smiled at that.
"When have I ever not been? I'm not sure if you want to stick around a little longer, 'suya, but I'm going to stay and fix him a few meals before I go back. He won't be able to eat anything, otherwise," she spoke, shrugging her shoulders. He could stay and eat too if he wanted to, but that was up to him.
"You're not staying?" Aram asked softly, and she scoffed lightly.
"No, I'm not." She wasn't sure if she could, yet. He only dropped his gaze. She hated when he did that. "You can stay for dinner if you'd like, but I'll be staying here tonight," she spoke, glancing back towards Tatsuya. She was a pushover, and she knew it, when it came to him. He seemed to brighten back up, and she sighed heavily.
She hated him sometimes.
She snorted softly at that, but sighed again. She'd only seen the Akarui human lord once after the duel, and his advisor at least twice. Sometimes she could almost feel eyes on her, those eyes of his. It was almost as if he was wary of her, but she didn't blame him if he was. He should be wary of her. Still, it was all strange, and she wanted to talk to Aram about it. With that in mind, she continued her way down the hallway. This time, she'll go see Aram, and she wouldn't be impeded. There was still some time before they'd be leaving to reclaim Akarui's homeland, after all.
That, and she wanted to check up on him. She hadn't been able to do that last time because Reiko had said he was being taken care of. She allowed a small smile to cover her lips at that. Reiko really was such a kind person, always looking out for others even if they had no direct relation to her. It didn't even bother her to help out the occasional human out in the markets when they needed it. It was such a rare trait to Ayla, that kindness. Perhaps, she would have been that kind as well if it were not for the way she was raised. She remembered times before when she wasn't who she was today. But perhaps time would do that to Reiko, too.
Ayla certainly hoped it didn't. Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she straightened her back somewhat, and continued down the hall.
She didn't make it all the way out before she ran into Tatsuya; almost literally. He sidestepped in time to avoid a collision at the corner, however, coming to a stop slightly to her left. “Distracted, are we?" he asked, brushing something off one of the dark red sleeve of his haori.
He appeared to study her for a moment, then tipped his head to the side. “I think I know what about, at that. Recent run-in with Eiji?"
"Sort of," she replied, glancing up at him. Sometimes, she hated being reminded of how short she was. She shook her head, though, and sighed. "He's a creepy bastard, and I don't like him. I haven't run into him, exactly, but after that stunt with Heisuke," she trailed off there. She didn't really need to elaborate. He was there, after all. She pursed her lips together, though, as she contemplated whether or not she would stay for a conversation.
"I was actually on my way out, but it seems everytime I try to leave, something, or someone, stops me," she was starting to think that maybe fate was keeping her away from Aram, at the moment. That, or maybe it would be best to consult him after the battle for Heisuke's lands. She couldn't say, for sure, since she wasn't Aram.
“Well, I have no intention of stopping you," he said with a shrug. “Actually... if you were going to consult with your brother, I might go with you. I'd thought of asking a few questions of him as well. They seem..." His brows furrowed; perhaps he was searching for the right word. “Similar."
He lifted a single shoulder, though, letting his other arm rest casually on the hilt of his sword. It wasn't a threatening stance by any means; it looked relaxed if anything. “But if I'm wrong, or you'd rather go alone, that's fine as well."
"You noticed it too?" she spoke, instead. She thought she was the only one who noticed the weird similarities to Aram that Eiji, had, but perhaps he was thinking of something else. For her, it was because they smelled similar. She blinked slowly, though as his statement finally dawned on her. He wanted to go with? She shrugged.
"I'm not going to complain if you want to tag along. It's probably a good thing if you do," she stated. At least then, Aram might be more inclined to talk if someone else was around. Plus, he'd be able to relay the information to Reiko, too.
He nodded, turning so that he could walk at her side rather than in front of her or anything. “Lead on, then." He didn't seem to need to retrieve anything or change before leaving; he was wearing a fairly-typical shitage, kosode, and hakama, with the haori loosely draped over his shoulders. It was undoubtedly all well-made, but wouldn't look too out-of-place in the village. Tatsuya didn't really dress like a lord, unlike his brother Jirō.
Jirō dressed as if he were the lord. She rolled her eyes at the thought, before leading the way. Its not like she really needed to lead. He'd been there when Reiko rebuilt her and Aram's home from the ground up. Regardless, she began walking, anyway. The walk was mostly silent; she didn't have anything to say, really. That, and her mind was still occupied with Eiji and Heisuke. What could they have possibly wanted for Heisuke to fight that hard? It couldn't have been for Sayuri, because if she remembered correctly, he originally wanted Reiko. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up at that.
This man was just an all around ass, and if it were up to her, there would be one less lord in the world. "What kind of impression did Eiji leave on you?" she decided to ask. It would help her contemplate what to say to Aram, exactly. They weren't too far from the home, now, but there was still some time for a brief conversation.
“He's a snake," Tatsuya said flatly. “But I also think he's a prognosticator, or fancies himself one. He calls himself a priest, talks about fate and the future and all that other bullshit like he knows it. Refers to humans like he's not one. And he smells a little like Washi-san. But I'm sure you noticed that part."
Ayla actually hit the palm of her hand against her forehead. Seriously? This Eiji thought he was like Aram? He had to be an idiot, if that were the case. There was no one else like Aram, and she was certain of that. "I noticed the way he smelled," she replied, though she did frown. "Which is, actually, strange," she would admit. She wrinkled her nose a bit. It was almost as if she could smell him right now.
They reached the house within the next few minutes, and she stared at it. "Hopefully he's here," she spoke. She wasn't entirely sure since she couldn't smell him at the moment. "So help me, the fucker better be here," because if he wasn't, she'd be pissed. Instead of walking in, she opted to knock on the door. She could be polite, she supposed. There was no answer. She furrowed her brows, and knocked again. Still no answer.
"Aram!?" she nearly called out. Still no answer.
“Well he can't be dead," Tatsuya volunteered dryly, folding his arms into his sleeves. “Reiko was down here just yesterday with more food. Where would he be if he wasn't at home? Working somewhere?"
"For his sake, he better be dead," she gritted out. She doubted there was any work for him to do, now that spring was, sort of, here. She sighed softly, and shook her head. "It wouldn't hurt to go see if he's at the fields, again," she spoke. As she turned to leave, though, she came face to face with Aram. He blinked, a little surprised at them, and his expression shifted in various degrees. One moment the surprise was on his face, the next he looked happy, followed by some melancholy, and then surprise again.
"Ayla, Minamoto-san, what are you doing here?" he asked, the surprise still laced in his voice. She pursed her lips at him, noticing the small basket in his hands. It looked like he'd gone to the market to get supplies. Food, mostly.
"One, I still live here, so I'm entitled to come back every now and then," she replied dryly. It, however, managed to cause a small smile on Aram's lips. She really hated when he did that. It made her feel bad about leaving him. "Two, we have questions," she stated, glancing towards Tatsuya as she did so.
"Oh," he sounded almost sad, but his face did not show it. "Well, come inside and I'll make tea," he spoke, shuffling past them. Ayla followed after him, and waited until they were all seated at the small table in the living area.
"Of what service may I be?"
Tatsuya settled in on the other side of the table from Aram, pausing before he spoke. Clearly, he was waiting to see if Ayla wanted to start the conversation, but when she didn't speak, he chose to do so instead. He moved his teacup a little closer to himself, but other than that, he left it unattended. Come to think of it, Ayla wasn't even sure whether he liked tea or not. All she'd ever seen him drinking was sake.
“There's a man at the castle. One of Akarui-dono's advisers. He calls himself Eiji, no name other than that. He's implied that he can do something like you can do—see the future, or some such." Tatsuya's skepticism appeared to extend to Aram's claims as well, but he was relatively polite about it. For him, anyway. “Know anything about him?"
"Eiji?" he spoke, furrowing his brows slightly. He glanced down at his cup, seemingly lost in thought. His lips were pursed into a fine line, and he seemed lost for a minute. "I have never heard of this person," he finally spoke, and it sounded genuine to her. She furrowed her brows.
"You've never seen anything that concerns a man in black robes wearing a stupid bird-like mask?" she decided to ask. Perhaps if she gave him a visual, he'd likely remember. It wasn't like names came to him, or at least she didn't think they did. He shook his head, though, and furrowed his brows deeper.
"No, I haven't. The only things I have seen have concerned..." he paused, glancing in Tatsuya's direction, "Sayuri and Heisuke, so far."
She knew that much, at least. "Has anything changed?" she decided to go that route. The expression on his face, however, gave way that signaled that something did. He sighed softly, and took a drink.
"Sayuri's engagement to Heisuke was called off, wasn't it?" he spoke, and she nodded. "Her... death is still inevitable, but it will not be the way it originally was supposed to be. There is... someone I cannot see, who is responsible for it. It will be slow, and it will be painful for her," he continued, dropping his gaze from hers and staring into his cup. She sighed.
"So nothing concerning Heisuke or Eiji?"
"Neither."
“Someone you can't see?" Tatsuya raised an eyebrow, crosshing his arms over his chest. What he thought of Sayuri's supposed impending death was unclear; perhaps he simply didn't believe it. “Isn't Reiko the only person you can't see?" And that would obviously not make any sense—if there was anyone who could be relied upon not to hurt Sayuri, it was Reiko.
"That is correct," he spoke. That was strange. Reiko was the only one he couldn't see, but this person who was supposed to end Sayuri's life also couldn't be seen. "It is not Reiko, of that I am certain," he spoke, as if he had seen her, somehow.
"How are you certain that it isn't her?"
"Because it will happen somewhere where it is only her and your brother, Kentaro," he spoke, pursing his lips together. "I do not know where it is, or when it will be, however; Reiko will not be present. I may not be able to see her, but I do know that much," he spoke. It was still vague as hell, to her, but she supposed she'd take his word for it. But if it wasn't Reiko, then who?
"You're no help, you know that?"
"I apologize, Ayla. I would help if I knew more, however; you know we are the only three, two," he corrected himself. She sighed heavily. "It is impossible that there would be another like us," he continued.
"If you say so," was the only thing she responded with.
Tatsuya raised an eyebrow at that. “Maybe you just didn't get all of 'em, last time," he said slowly. It was clear he knew at least some of the details of what they and his father had once done. What they'd once been a part of. “Maybe he's some kind of oni."
The word, though his voice lent no particular weight to it, managed to hang heavy in the air nonetheless. It was one with a lot of associations for both Ayla and Aram, and one that she hadn't heard in a conversation like this in a long time.
"He couldn't be. We got rid of them a long time ago," she finally spoke. Even if he were some kind of oni, Aram would still have known of him. He would have at least seen him. Amon had been a type of oni, though, and if she wasn't mistaken, so was Aram. Hell, even she was. Actually, that made sense. "He did smell like you, though," she spoke, frowning deeply.
"Scent or not, it is still impossible that he could be an oni. As you said, we made sure of that. The nests were all exterminated," Aram, for once, seemed skeptical about the possibilty of oni existing. "Even if we had missed some..." he trailed off at the end.
"We would have known about them, if we had. They are not the best at laying low and plotting," at least from what she remembered. The oni had been slow, and a little more suited to rage-battles than anything else. Hell, they would have heard of a village being trampled or something, if the oni still existed, by now.
Tatsuya didn't look even slightly convinced, but he shook his head and negelected to comment further on it. Instead, he shrugged. “With any luck, we'll take back Akarui's holdings and never hear from either of the fuckers again. But I'm not betting on it."
"One can hope," she muttered. Aram quirked a brow in her direction, as if he were confused as to what he meant. "About that," she began, sighing softly. "I'll be going with them," she spoke, and she could see the worry flash across his eyes. "I promise I won't change, Ara. It's only a small skirmish, nothing we haven't been through before," she spoke. It didn't ease the worriedness of his expression though.
"Just... be careful, okay?" she actually smiled at that.
"When have I ever not been? I'm not sure if you want to stick around a little longer, 'suya, but I'm going to stay and fix him a few meals before I go back. He won't be able to eat anything, otherwise," she spoke, shrugging her shoulders. He could stay and eat too if he wanted to, but that was up to him.
"You're not staying?" Aram asked softly, and she scoffed lightly.
"No, I'm not." She wasn't sure if she could, yet. He only dropped his gaze. She hated when he did that. "You can stay for dinner if you'd like, but I'll be staying here tonight," she spoke, glancing back towards Tatsuya. She was a pushover, and she knew it, when it came to him. He seemed to brighten back up, and she sighed heavily.
She hated him sometimes.