Everyone – Hajime, my brothers, Misao-san – are being so careful with me after I leave the hospital. An ambulance carriage, and then a wheelchair.
“I was able to book this at the last minute – lucky me!” Tamesaburou seems excited about the train.
The train isn’t made for the wheelchair, so I’m helped in. “This one has two rooms – a bedroom and a sitting room.” I’m lead into the bedroom
I settle onto the bed. Everyone stands around, just looking at me…
Misao-san speaks up. “Hey, Hide-san told me that you two were into ninja stories…” she rolls her eyes and sighs, “I -suppose- I can let you in on a few -secrets- up the sitting parlor.”
I try not to laugh because they look like -boys-… and they eagerly take her up on her offer.
“The attendant will be by shortly with tea and refreshments -” Tamesaburou reminds us.
I hold out my hand to Hajime. “Come and get comfortable up here.”
“I was able to book this at the last minute – lucky me!”
Tamesaburou is very glad and I can’t help but look at him with some fascination… He’s like a little boy. None of that seriousness from earlier. But I suppose this is how it should be.
We help Hide into the train car and I’m somewhat impressed with how comfortable it appears to be. It’s exactly what we need for her even if this is probably the shortest but most opulent train ride I’d ever been on. Maybe the short distance helped on cost.
The weasel and her brothers go to the other room. I can’t help but wonder if she’s entertaining them on -purpose-, but I don’t mind. Maybe later she can tell Hide some stories or maybe get her to think about running a small business?
“Come and get comfortable up here.”
She holds out her hand so I took it and sat down on a chair closest to her bed.
“Between you and I, your brothers seem to have a little bit of our out of time talent.” I say and light a cigarette. I’m sure she noticed, this is a probably a train car that is at least 30 years ahead of our time.
I notice Hajime’s look at my brother, who does seem excited. I’ve seen that look. “It means that despite the fact that I’m certain it wasn’t cheap, but he probably talked someone down in price,” I laugh softly. He’s careful with money…
Between you and I, your brothers seem to have a little bit of our out of time talent.
I look around. “If they do, I don’t know if they’re aware of it….” I lean back on the bed, it’s very plush. “And besides, even if it is of our time, it’s so opulent that it seems as if from another world…” I grin. “Suited for a hime-sama and her oji-sama, ne?” I squeeze his hand. I look at myself, I’m still wearing the hospital yukata as the -costume- I wore before is long gone. I’m a little underdressed…. but when they cleared me to go, I wasn’t going to stop and insist on proper fashion.
There’s a discreet knock on the door. “Sir, ma’am, refreshment service.” A young woman wheels in a tray, and sets down pots of tea and coffee, along with cups and a little plate of cakes, and then sandwiches. As she leaves, Tamesaburou pops his head in, “it’s all included with the price,” he says. “So enjoy and rest!”
“It means that despite the fact that I’m certain it wasn’t cheap, but he probably talked someone down in price,”
“Is that so…” I watch her laugh softly. That’s good, she must be feeling better.
”“If they do, I don’t know if they’re aware of it….” “And besides, even if it is of our time, it’s so opulent that it seems as if from another world…” I grin. “Suited for a hime-sama and her oji-sama, ne?”
“Well it does serves its purpose well. You seem very suited for it yourself.” But I groan when she called me Oji-sama again. It’s not something I’m going to get used to I think. It still sounds like Old man to me.
I notice she’s turned to looking at herself? Ah… “I should’ve gotten you something more presentable.” I shake my head, “Sorry? But we will get back to your home in..” I reach into my pocket for the watch and remember I no longer have it. “Well in less than 3 hours – door to door.”
Food is brought in and I’m glad for that. Then all of a sudden her brother pops in to announce it’s included. I chuckle under my breath and turn away, choosing instead to fix her some tea. I also decide against the coffee and take some hot water putting the weasel’s concoction in it.
“Your tea hime.” I hand it to her. Then I take a sip of mine and I grimace a little but I should bear it, for now. “Once you’re settled in the house and if you’re better in the morning, I’ll be making a few rounds in Kyoto to tie up some loose ends and perhaps visit a friend I’ve not visited in a while.”
He groans… I don’t think he likes Oji-sama. I grin. “Prince, then? Or samurai-san, or ookami-san…” I look over at him. “I have a lot of good names for you, after all this time.”
I should’ve gotten you something more presentable
“It’s fine, really…” I lean back, there must be a dozen pillows here, of the decorative sort. “The most important thing was to get out the hospital, to some place I can rest and get back to our children and home as soon as possible. ” I sigh, “had you gone out to buy me a kimono, then some other doctor would have wanted to come in and give opinions…” I drape the little blanket at the foot of the bed over myself. “See now I match the room.”
The train has started rolling, finally. He seems to not have his watch? “I’m leaving Osaka much better than I came to it,” I say, softly, looking out the window. I can see the burnt ruins of the castle as we go past.
“Thank you, my samurai-san.” I take the tea he hands me, and he doesn’t make coffee, but instead opens a little packet. “What is that? Is that the Oniwaban grass you mentioned?” I sniff, catching a whiff of something bitter, but that could be most medicines. Or teas, for that matter.
“Prince, then? Or samurai-san, or ookami-san…” I look over at him. “I have a lot of good names for you, after all this time.”
“I guess being your Oji-sama just doesn’t fit me.” I grin, “Any name except prince. I’m the 2nd son of a lowly foot soldier after all.”
“It’s fine, really…” “The most important thing was to get out the hospital, to some place I can rest and get back to our children and home as soon as possible. ”
I nod at this. I knew getting her out of that hospital would be a good thing, if anything at least for her mental health. “Well it will be a few more days before I take you back to Tokyo, I do have some things to do in Kyoto.” I look at her, “When we get back, I’d like for you to take it easy, don’t try to run the house as soon as you get back.”
She confirms she’s feeling better and take a sip of her tea.
“What is that? Is that the Oniwaban grass you mentioned?”
“Mmm. Yes.” I say and light a cigarette, then take a sip of the concoction. The cigarette didn’t make it taste any better. But I’ll endure it, for now.
“Do you want cake or a sandwich?” Both look good… “Actually I think you should eat a sandwich. I don’t think Hanako would know we’re coming back so soon.” I place a small plate beside her of a ham croissant.
Then I look at the cakes with some mirth, “It’s too bad the children aren’there. They’d finish these cakes for us I’m sure.” Especially that son of mine. For once, he’ll see that I actually kept my word. I’m bringing her back.
Any name except prince. I’m the 2nd son of a lowly foot soldier after all
“And I’m merely the daughter of a village head, and, to quote a noted historian,” I roll my eyes,” a petty samurai.” I smile. “Hime, though, was granted to me by a very good man, irregardless of my state at birth… and you’re not nearly hairy enough to be an actual ookami, though you do know how to bite,” I laugh.
He speaks of seeing people… “are you going to see Shimada-san?” I think of that man, who is built like a mountain but has a kind heart, “he’d like to see you, I’m sure.” As for back home, I nod. “I don’t want to overdo it and make my recovery longer – I promised you, after all, that I would recover.” I look at my hand. “This has many uses, after all.” Laughing makes the wound on my side ache… but it also feels good, on a different level.
Mmm. Yes.
“What is it for?” I ask, softly. “I saw your face. It can’t be because you enjoy it.”
I do take the sandwich he offers. It’s good but how do people eat this much butter on a regular basis? “You should eat something, too – to get the taste out of your mouth of that mysterious grass,” I say. “I think the one cut into squares on brown bread is roast beef – not your steak, but probably pretty good all the same.”
It’s too bad the children aren’t here. They’d finish these cakes for us I’m sure.
I can’t help but laugh. “Oh, and then they’d go and try to get any cakes that the others got – you know those two with sweets. I don’t know if any of the other train cars would be safe from those two, once cake is involved.”
“Hime, though, was granted to me by a very good man, irregardless of my state at birth… and you’re not nearly hairy enough to be an actual ookami, though you do know how to bite,”
I look towards the door separating us from the sitting room. “You’ve got to be careful, someone might hear you.” I feign disapproval but suddenly smirk, “Unless you want your brothers to know what we do when left alone.”
“are you going to see Shimada-san?”
“No I…” I haven’t even thought of seeing him. In fact I’m not sure if I want to see any of our old comrades. It’s been many years and Shimada knows the Yagi’s more intimately. What would he say… “It’s someone else, she’s an old comrade from Aizu that I’ve not seen for several years. Maybe I’ll see Shimada some other time.”
“What is it for?” I ask, softly. “I saw your face. It can’t be because you enjoy it.”
“Hmm…” I look down and drown the liquid, “It’s some sort of preventative medicine.” I grin, “It’s probably no better than Hijikata-san’s Ishida Sanyaku.” I try to imitate how I figured Hijikata-san sold his “goods”, “The perfect solution for aches and pains! You’ve never seen anything like it! We’re so confident you’ll feel good right away that we’ll even give you a discount!”
She tries to get me to eat something. I do keep forgetting to eat don’t I? So I do. It does help somewhat with the taste.
“Oh, and then they’d go and try to get any cakes that the others got – you know those two with sweets. I don’t know if any of the other train cars would be safe from those two, once cake is involved.”
“You think so?” I follow up the roast beef with a piece of cake. Actually that helped mask the taste even more. Taking the remaining half, I offer it up to her. “In that case, both of us should have a piece and then tell our children all about how we ate cake and they didn’t get any.”
Unless you want your brothers to know what we do when left alone.
“We have two children,” I say, with eyebrows raised. “As their older sister I might want to consider them innocents forever… but they can probably put it together, given that one has children himself.”
“It’s some sort of preventative medicine
So he’s not going to tell me… and instead launches on an imitation of Hijikata-san’s sales techniques. “He thought that it was amazing,” I say, with a fond smile. “But you’re going to be staying in the home of his number one fangirl, so be careful with your teasing. She probably feeds her children Ishida Sanyaku with breakfast.”
He finally eats something, and I look down at my bandaged hand with a small smile, “you have to keep up your strength, until I can make you soba properly,” I tell him. I suppose I could make do with noodles someone else made…. but that doesn’t seem right, not after the time I spent perfecting the taste of my noodles.
I take him up on his offer of cake. I don’t love sweets, but the cake is light and fluffy and not overly sugary. “They’d love this,” I say, licking the last of the icing off of the fork.
And I feel my eyelids start to droop. “Oh, why can’t I stay awake longer?” I mutter. It’s because I’ve had numerous injuries and -worse-… but still. I sigh. “I’ve not even been kissed in, oh, an hour,” I say, with a sleepy smile.
(OOC – Hide is going to fall asleep. You may close)
“As their older sister I might want to consider them innocents forever… but they can probably put it together, given that one has children himself.”
I just shake my head at her. She -knows- what I mean.
. “But you’re going to be staying in the home of his number one fangirl, so be careful with your teasing. She probably feeds her children Ishida Sanyaku with breakfast.”
“I have no plans on teasing some woman I don’t know. Besides I don’t think Hijikata-san would approve.”
“you have to keep up your strength, until I can make you soba properly,”
She looks down at her hand and I wonder what it is that she’s thinking. “From what I recall, you still have a stash of soba left in those drawers… All it would need is some tsuyu. But I can wait until your hand recovers.”
We eat the cake together and then I see she’s falling asleep. She complains about not getting a kiss so I give her one. “Sleep, you only have 2 hours.”
(OOC: Close)