Dawn of the Samurai

"Well.... Neka's half-demon. So, yes, those ears are real. I'm not really her sister. But she just likes to call me 'Onee-chan'."

"Hi! Are you Onee-chan's boyfriend?" She laughed when she saw Kaia blush. She got hit in the head.

"Why are you here?"

 

Maiko stepped back even further. Neka had spoken the truth and she was a spare part in this group. She tried to disappear into the bushes at the side of the path.

 

Kaia looked at her little half-demon sister.

"I wanna go with you, Onee-chan!" Neka smiled with a cat-like smile.

 

Koza grabbed Maiko by the collar.


"And just where do you think you're going?"

 

"What do you think, Koza? Should Neka come with us?" Kaia looked at him.

"I can fight, Onee-chan!" Neka looked at her, showing a bow and a queer of arrows.

 

"I'm going into the bushes and as to why that's my business. Use your imagination Koza and please let me go."

 

Koza let Maiko go and turned to Kaia.

"I suppose so, but don't call me Koza for the time being. Call me Akira."

 

"Sure. And if you want, call me Kyo. My mother used to call me that." She smiled.

"Kyo onee-chan! Lets go!" Neka smiled at her.

 

"Alright. We've got to wait for Maiko to finish her business before we move on."

 

Maiko moved swiftly through the bushes towards the capital. She was out of their way but near enough to be there if they got into trouble. They would get together if she wasn't there and then they would be happy.

 

Neka smiled at her big sister, and turned to Akira. "Onee-chan isn't a full bounty hunter, her mother was a clan member of demon trainer, and disappeared after Yuki was born."

 

"That's interesting."

He stood there for a few moments. "I guess Maiko went on ahead. Let's get moving Kyo."

 

"Yeah, Akira. Lets go, Neka." Kyo started to walk.

"Coming, onee-chan!" Neka ran with her sister, smiling.

 

"The capital isn't far now. We should be there shortly."

 

Maiko waited in the bushes and watched them pass with tears in her eyes. She was no use there and they looked so right together. She was definitely in the way. "Be happy Akira."

 

Kyo smiled, "Sorry about what Neka said back there. About you being my boyfriend. But I get this weird feeling when I'm near you."

"Because you love him!" Kyo hit Neka over the head. She started to cry.

 

Maiko sat behind the bush and wrapped her arms around her knees. They were so happy and she was the one that stopped that. She waited for them to pass before getting up and walking back towards the farm.

 

"Don't mess around like that, okay?" Kyo looked at Neka with a serious look on her face.

 

Akira laughed.

"Have you two thought about taking your act on stage?"

 

Maiko walked alone with her head bowed. She was on her own and unwanted again. She doubted that they even noticed her absence.