The tall, dark brown haired woman paused by the tree, feeling the soothing breeze touch her cheek, the silence and calm still very soothing. "Yes," she murmured to herself softly, the white traveling coat that a samurai wore blowing around her slim body, "this is the spot... and the village shouldn't be far away." Moving away from the trees she strode off, baggy leggings flowing as she walked on, guided by an excelent memory and the scents being carried on the afternoon breeze. Soon she reached the bustling town, feeling the wary gazes from the passerby who were unused to seeing a masterless samurai traveling in their midst. She walked on, eyes scanning her surroundings until she found the shop she was looking for. The rice bowl resturant was almost exactly as she remembered it being, but the three young men who were standing there behind the counter were a bit of a surprise. "The Bonsai brothers?" she murmured, smiling. "Lady samurai!" the tall man exclaimed, looking at her in shock then the lanky man grinned at her in pure welcome. "Ma'am," the fat, middle brother blurted. "M'lady!" the third gasped. From the back a figure emerged from behind a curtain, her black hair tied up gracefully and her face touched with a delicate kind of beauty. "Brothers," she chided them gently as she asked, "what's going on...?" "Look, Sakura!" the eldest brother cut her off in his excitement, gesturing towards their familiar looking visitor. Sakura's eyes widened in surprise then they softened as a gentle smile tugged at her lips. "You've come back, Lady Samurai," she murmured as she walked to where the samurai stood by the door, looking up at her happily. "My name is Ran," the samurai answered haltingly, surprisingly glad to see the welcome in the other woman's eyes. "Welcome back," Sakura said warmly. "Have you come back to feed your argumentative stomach?" she teased her gently. Ran fought back a little smile, remembering the first time that they had met. Shortly after a brisk fight at the edge of town Ran's stomach had been loudly complaining about a lack of food, so loudly that she had felt obligated to argue back with it. Sadly Sakura had been near enough to overhear the conversation, but she had found the odd behavior so amusing that she decided to feed Ran instead. "Not exactly," Ran answered her honestly, "in fact, I came to pay off my tab here." With that she reached into her white overshirt, drawing forth her coins and moving yo plunk them down on the counter nearby. Sakura looked up at her in honest surprise for a moment, then the beautiful young lady began to softly laugh. In only a moment she had to lean up against the wall to steady herself, wiping at her tearing eyes as she fought her mirth back. "I seem to have been funny again," Ran said with a tentative smile, reaching up to scratch at the back of her head. "I'm sorry Lady samurai," Sakura finally managed to get herself under control, "I couldn;t help it. You're money's no good here." As Ran was about to protest that she continued, "You've done so much for this town, not to mention my brothers, I could never repay it." "But..." Ran started, blushing faintly. The taller brother gave Ran a warm smile, "You saved us from a life of banditry or worse, m'lady. I don't think any of us would be here if not for you." "Indeed," the middle brother nodded. "Yes," the third chimed in. Ran met their eyes, remembering the three very foolish swordsman that she had once met. Obviously they had grown up a lot since then, for Ran couldn't easily imagine the three fools they had once been working so contentedly in this rice resturant. "That doersn't mean," Ran said to them firmly, "I shouldn't pay my tab. Besides, I gave my word that I would." Sakura looked at her thpoughtfully, her lips still curving up in a caring smile. "All right," she acknowledged as she took the samurai's coins, "I understand." She remembered what coins Ran had left last time and seperated out what she still owed, passing the rest back expertly. "Thank you," Ran murmured as Sakura handed back the change, their fingers brushing softly and bringing a surprising tingle in her hand. Sakura studied Ran thoughtfully then asked, "Are you hungry?" In the silence the soft sound of Ran's stomach growl was loud, if a bit embarassing. Ran smiled, "I guess that answers your question?" "Come on, then," a chuckling Sakura took Ran's hand and tugged her over to a table, sitting down beside her as her brothers quickly produced a bowl for Ran. Like any wanderer who went long periods between meals Ran ate with determination, but she still paused for conversation. Gently she asked, "I haven't seen your uncle, is he...?" "He passed away not long after you left," Sakura said, meeting Ran's compassionate eyes, "but I think he was happy, especially knowing his son, my fiance, was avenged." Ran paused a moment in eating, "Then I'm glad." Sakura watched in awe as Ran demolished three bowls of rice in minutes, the other woman finally sighing in contentment as she finished. As she reached for her coins Sakura stoped Ran and smiled, "At least let me give you this meal." Ran studied her for a moment, then she looked around the well maintained, prosperous resturant. "If you wish," Ran said, "but is there anyway I could repay you?" "What are your plans?" Sakura asked, looking at Ran thoughtfully. "I don't know," Ran admitted, "I have no plans. I just realized I was nearby and had enough to pay my debt..." "Then maybe you could visit for awhile," Sakura offered. A smile teased her lips, "I believe my brothers have a new bottle of fine sake, too." "Oh?" Ran looked eager, then she blushed at how obvious she was being. "I see you know my weakness?" she asked impishly. "A young sake maker visited not long after you left," Sakura admitted as they left the resturant together, "and he mentioned you. I have to admit I rather interrogated him." She reached out, taking Ran's hand in hers as they walked close, "You disapeared so quickly, I never had the chance to thank you." "You don't need to," Ran answered, following through town to a older home, once rundown and now restored, "I did what I did because I wanted to." She took her sandals off as they entered and went into a common room, "And I could never stand seeing that kind of behavior." Sakura chuckled as she left the room, returning a moment later with a jug in her hands. She settled down beside Ran on the floor and poured her a drink as she said, "I think that's one of the things I admire about you." "Thank you," Ran took the saucer and tossed back the sake, sighing happily. She poured the next drink and paused, "I remember how frightened you were, when I fought your brothers... I hated seeing that look on your face." Sakura put her hand on Ran's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "If you hadn't my brothers would still be trying to be foolish bandits or worse," she said softly. She smiled, "When I thought of you I remembered laughing and kindness... and how striking you were, when those bbandits tried to rob us." Ran took another drink as she softly confessed, "I thought of you, too." "I'm glad," Sakura sighed, sitting a bit nearer to Ran. She poured herself a drink too, sippinng it a bit more delicately. "This is very bold of me," she said softly, "are you... with someone?" Ran looked at her thoughtfully, "No." "Not even Meow?" Sakura asked hopefully. "We're friends," Ran said, searching Sakura's eyes as she added, "nothing more." "I'm glad," Sakura looked away shyly. She drank a bit more, "Honestly, I haven't been able to banish you from my mind. Your smile, your laughter and your gentle touch, they all seem to haunt me unexpectedly." "And do you want them to go?" Ran asked softly. "No, I want to experience them again," Sakura confessed with a blush, "and more." Ran set her sake down carefully, reaching out to gently cup Sakura's chin, bending close until their lips nearly touched. "Are you sure?" she asked, her breath lightly caressing Sakura's face. "Very," and Sakura pulled her down into a kiss. End Notes: Based of the first few episodes, more or less. Ran has been compared to Xena, Warrior Princess, though I have to admit the subtext level is much less. Ran wanders the land, often saving damsels in distress, but there isn't much romantic pay off in the series. I do like the banter between Ran and her sidekick Meow, tho.
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