"You're welcome", he smiled.
"Come on Ai, let's get back to the inn", Masaru said.
Ai nodded, gripping Masaru's hand and walking back to the inn.
Masaru held Ai's hand while they walked back. "That old man gave me the roughest jobs."
Ai giggled.
"But you're big and strong, so you could handle it! Right?" She asked, looking at Masaru with a smile.
"No matter how strong I am, you shouldn't make a guy deliver cakes to the rough part of town. I'm ready to take a bath and go to sleep", Masaru sighed.
"But if someone did attack you, you'd be able to kick their tooshies!" Ai exclaimed with a wide smile.
"I can't beat everyone I fight. There are people stronger than me out there", Masaru said.
"Well it's true. And who knows, we might meet that person someday. Hopefully, they'll be nice", Masaru said.
A girl in a metal collar and a simple burlap dress dashed towards the pair, looking over her shoulder. Dazed and scared, she crashed right into Masaru. She considered getting back up, but resting was too enticing. She was too exhausted to get up anyways. "Hey, can you guys do me a favor? If anyone comes just tell me," she asked the strangers, breathing heavily. She knew she wasn't out of trouble yet, but she had been running all day.
"Are you alright?", Masaru asked. He let go of Ai's hand and knelt down to the other girl's level. "Who are you running from?" He had a feeling that whoever she was trying to escape, he and Ai had to avoid.
"Uh, um, well, slavers," she admitted. She didn't want to admit it, but she was too tired to think of anything else. They didn't have to know she was a +anima. For all they knew, she could be a prisoner of war or. "It's okay, I left them far behind, so they won't be here too soon. I just need to catch my breath," she said, starting to sit up. "I should be alright," she answered, even though her face was still red and she was still breathing heavily.
"You don't look like you'll be alright. Why don't you come with us?", Masaru offered. He and Ai were already on the run, one more person couldn't really hurt. And this girl looked like she could handle herself. "We've got a room at an inn here, and they've got baths."
Ai smiled cheerfully, sitting next to the girl.
"Yeah! You could join us! You could be my Nee-chan, and we'll be one big family!" She exclaimed cheerfully, her pink eyes sparkling.
((OOC: Is it okay that I keep posting without waiting for chibis? I'm not sure about the rules for posting order...))
Tora tried to stand up and run again, but her shaky legs failed her. "Okay, you win. I guess I'll be safer in an Inn and a bath sounds really nice right now," she said, standing up once again to follow them. "But, why are you doing this? You would have nothing to gain from sheltering a run away," she asked the two with a suspicious look. They could rat her out for the bounty at any time. "Don't try anything funny though," she warned the pair.
"Hey, you're just as suspicious as we are", Masaru said, eyeing her metal collar. "Just so you know, the baths are shared. So you can take yours with Ai." Masaru happily said this, glad he didn't have to take a slightly awkward bath with Ai again.
"You do have a point," she remarked. She started walking towards the Inn with the other two. "Oh, a public bath?" she asked with a worried tone. Her markings would show and reveal to the two what she was. "Uh, I, okay, but I'm kind of self conscious, so I might keep my towel on," she said, thinking up a reason on the fly. "So, Ai, huh? Cute name. What's your name.... boy?" she asked, not knowing how to address him.
"The name's Masaru. But lately I've begun to answer to Nii-chan", he said as he smiled down at Ai. "What about you? What's your name?", Masaru asked as they came upon the inn. If this girl was running from slavers, could that make her a +anima?
"My name is Tora, nice name Masaru," she said to the boy. She approached the Inn. "It's been awhile since I've been able to stay in an Inn. Also, there's something I've been wondering about. Ai calls you Nii-chan, but you don't look like siblings. Why are you guys traveling together?" she asked as she walked into the hotel.
"Well, she wasn't happy where she was living. And I'm looking for my family. So we decided to travel together so that she can come live with me", Masaru explained as he walked into the inn. "Let me show you to our room before you go to the bath."
Ai held both Tora and Masaru's hands as she walked with them, keeping a happy smile on her face.
"This is going to be so much fun~!" She exclaimed in a sing song voice.
"Okay, but I have to get in the bath soon. Being on the road takes its toll," she said following the two. "Oh, yeah, I guess it will be fun," she said, a bit worried. She didn't want those two to get too close to her. They would slow her down. "So, let's go to the room. I don't have much to put down though," she said.
Masaru walked to the room and opened the door. "The bathroom is right down the hall. Ai can show you were it is", Masaru said, sitting on the bed. "You guys can share the bed too. I'll take the floor", he offered.
"Aw, I thought we could all sleep together!" Ai exclaimed, obviously disappointed. But she began to lead Tora to the bathroom nonetheless.
Masaru blushed at the idea of them all sleeping together. Ai was just a little girl, but Tora was only a little younger than him. That situation would definitely be more awkward.
Tora blushed at Ai comment as well. "I'll take the floor, I'm the one who's imposing on you guys," she suggested. "Let's go Ai," she said, heading for the bathroom. She looked into the public bath and saw that it was empty. She undressed and quickly put on a towel, making sure to cover the back of her shoulders. She started to walk into the warm bath. She was soon at a level where she could submerge herself. The towel was heavy in the water, but she couldn't reveal her markings.
Ai undressed herself as well, but of course, had trouble with her shirt again.
"Tora-Nee, can you help me with my shirt?" She asked.
