~The Orochi Return~

I looked to her and smiled, then nodding.

"Sure, it's our little secret. I shall not speak a word of it."

I winked, and then turned back to look out at the distance, only to do a double take and look at Rin again. I swore I'd seen something different about her and I couldn't place my finger on it. I thought a moment, studying her over, but it was in no means an awkward look. Then I noticed the pink flushing in her cheeks. Was she blushing?

"Are you blushing Rin?"

"Blushing, me? Ha, don't be silly."

One could easily detect the nervousness in Rin's voice, which seemed to only make matters worse. She couldn't even think of a good excuse, there was no getting out of this one. Trying desperately to hide her face, Rin could feel her face begin to heat up from what was now complete embarassment. It wasn't like her to blush so much, considering it a sign of weakness in her eyes.

"Yes, yes you are. Hm, could you be thinking about a special someone or perhaps did I embarrass you?"

I giggled and smiled, having fun with my friend. She was truly blushing over something. I couldn't blame her, I would have been the same as she if I were with Himeko. Something about her, I just couldn't help myself. But I still focused on Rin, her face and her voice as cute as ever.

"Well, this can be our little secret too. Perchance, would you tell me who it is you currently fancy? I promise I won't tell anyone."

"I... Uh.."

Rin was at a total loss for words. She didn't just want to blurt anything out. She didn't want Chikane to know that the reason for her blushing was because of her. Plus, if she found out her real crush, she wouldn't know what to do.

"I can't say..."

"Oh I see. Perhaps it's someone I know, or someone you feel uncomfortable speaking about. I understand, I won't press the matter."

I nodded. It was really a shame we weren't close enough yet to be sharing those kinds of secrets which each other. But she had to have been blushing for some reason. I blinked, this may have seemed forward and perhaps a bit wrong to ask but, it was truly the one thing left unanswered on my mind...

"Can I at least know the gender of this person? I like to keep an open mind about things, so I'm not going to judge you."

Rin figured she could at least tell Chikane that much. She didn't seem to be a person that would judge her harshly for it anyway. She seemed understanding enough. Rin felt sort of bad, though. It wasn't that they weren't good friends, she was just sort of shy about the whole thing. Being so open with someone was all new to her, considering that she was mostly a loner whenever she wasn't with the Orochi.

"It's a girl..."

"Ah I see, well lucky girl then."

I smiled, then looking out at the stars and the moon again. I wondered: 'So I'm just like you, am I?'

I sighed.

Rin looked at the sky and all of the stars twinkling away in the night. She wondered what time it was, figuring it must be late.

"Do you think we should head back?"

"I'm not worried. I mean, I think we should be fine. I don't want to go home so quickly."

I smiled and continued to look up at the moon. I wondered how we could have been alike in any way. Then I began to think about the shrine on the moon. Interesting. One day I may go to that shrine to visit, it was supposed to be the birthplace of the solar and lunar priestess's souls.

Anyway, the atmosphere was pleasant and I just was relaxing in the nighttime air.

Rin nodded and began watching the sky as well, though she was looking at something entirely different. Reiko had once told her that there were constellations that represented celestial beings, one of which had intrigued her. Nine wispy lines of stars curved slightly into a spiral sort of like tails of an animal. It also seemed to give off an eerie vibe just from looking at it.

She then turned to face away from Chikane when she realized her eyes beginning to become heavy. The few all-nighter missions she had pulled recently were finally taking a toll on her. Rin tried to force herself to stay awake, but it was to no avail. Quietly and seemingly without warning, Rin drifted off to sleep.

I'd noticed her begin to nod off. Was she really that tired? I'd supposed she'd been busy the last few nights and had been out doing things that may have worn her body out. Now that she had a chance to rest, she was going to take that opportunity, or her body would anyway. I smiled softly as I giggled to myself, watching her sleep on the grass. I heard the crickets chirp, their songs, perhaps, placing her in this dreamy state to begin with. I got up and walked over to her, kneeling down to pick her up in my arms. She actually wasn't that heavy, despite that she may have been a bit taller than me. And with a heave, I carried her back to my estate, in my arms. Otoha recognized that Rin was asleep and allowed us into the bedroom across from mine, getting the door for me. I laid her down gently and tucked her in, closing the light and allowing her to dream peacefully.

It was then that I'd decided to go take a relaxing bath and get changed for sleep myself. Eventually, my eyes closed with the moon watching over both of us in the night, and I couldn't be happier that we were becoming better friends. A friend who was after me to be a friend, and not my status. Rin was true. :]

OutOfCharacter: Time skip?

OCC: Sure

The early morning sun beamed through the windows of the room and Rin's eyes cracked open. She suddenly jumped up in fear with a startled gasp. Looking around, she realized that she was in Chikane's mansion. She got out of bed and tried to quietly open the bedroom door, but it still managed to squeak. How early was it? Rin noticed some of the lights were on and figured some of the maids were up doing their duties. Still, she wanted to be quiet in case Chikane was still sleeping.

Rin felt bad for falling asleep, knowing that Chikane didn't want to leave when she suggested it. She tiptoed downstairs, looking as if she hadn't slept at all. For some reason, she was still extremely tired.

OOC: Wasn't sure if you knew what OOC was so I put the translation? Anyhow, okay. ^^


I already awake and in my room, just laying down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling and reflecting on the night previous to this morning. I'd just woken up and so I was a bit lazy with getting up from the comfortable spot I'd found on my bed to lay in. My blue eyes searched the blank ceiling, playing my arm lightly atop my forehead.

Had that all happened that other night, had that happened last night, or were these just a continuous series of dreams I'd be having? Was this a trick that my subconscious decided to play on me from being too involved in life and not taking time to enjoy the good times, or "smell the roses" as they say. I blinked, thinking to myself, my thoughts echoing in the back of my mind...

'Am I really the Lunar Priestess from all the legends? From all the stories and tales told to me? I'd remembered them, I'd remembered reading them, but if that were the case, shouldn't I have remembered myself being one of them previous to this life?.... This is all too confusing. I mean, am I expected to carry out the fate as is suggested in the story? I have trouble telling reality from fantasy at the moment. And what's even more is that... I don't know who the solar priestess is, if this is real at all. And I am puzzled completely by the fact that Miyako's presence can exist in my body and in my mind as casually as it does... what was going on?'

It was then that I'd realized that I still had Rin in my house. I'd brought her home to give her a place to sleep and that was she was probably awake right now. As for the maids, they were all doing their present duties as expected. But, the first thing I always did before anything in the morning to go freshen up and take a bath. So I grabbed my things and started to head down for the vast bathroom all the way downstairs. On my way out, I'd run into Rin and I smiled softly, greeting her with a happy demeanor.

"Good morning Rin, I surely hope you slept well. I was just about to go take a bath, would you like to join me?" ^^

OOC: Hey! I'm not that dumb... :p

Rin was looking around the house when Chikane spoke and she jumped in surprise a little.

"Oh! Morning Chikane! I guess I slept alright... I'm still pretty tired."

She suppressed a yawn with the back of her hand, not even realizing what her friend had asked her. Normally, she would've never agreed to something like that.

"Yeah, sure. It would probably wake me up."

OOC: Well, no I didn't think you were. Some people though just have no clue what the abbreviation means, just making sure you knew was all.

"Good morning Rin."

I smiled and then continued to walk, knowing that she would come to take a bath with me. Otoha had already prepared her things in the bathroom downstairs. All we needed to do was go there. And so we began our walk.

"Great to see you so refreshed, and hey, if you're not fully awake yet, my services for whatever you need are free and open to use, whatever you want, I'll be sure to attempt to give you. We have Otoha already preparing our breakfast or selection thereof. And there has already been a bathrobe for you to wear placed downstairs, with everything else you may need. Stay as long as you like."

I giggled. It was nice having someone to stay with here, that made it a lot less lonely on the nights that I was actually here.

OOC: Oh, okay. ^^"

Rin smiled and nodded. It was nice of Chikane to offer all of those things, even though she would probably have to leave later in the day anyway. The other Orochi were probably going to start grazing the city again looking for her if she didn't at least report back alive soon.

"Thanks, Chikane. You won't even know I'm here~"

She didn't want to burden her friend, even though she wouldn't be staying for too long. So, she would try not let her curious nature get the better of her.

"Do you have to be getting back soon?"

I guessed almost without looking at her; I'd caught a glimpse of her looking out the window with a somewhat worried look. She needed to go back where she came from, was her only thought, I could tell. I was good at reading people? Nonetheless, we continued till we reached the vast bathroom made up of showers, and a small hot springs that served as a tub of sorts to bathe in.

"And here we are. It's your choice of bathing. I'd prefer the springs, it's much more refreshing and it just rejuvenates you and cleans you. I could wash you with soap on your back if you wish. I don't mind much, I mean we're both girls, are we not?"

I giggled, not wanting acknowledge the darker thoughts in my mind that were there. Of course, I wouldn't have thought of anything further other than a kiss. I was beginning to wonder where all these urges were coming from. Budding sexuality? I was only 18. o.o

"Yeah. My... family is going to start wondering where I am."

For the first time, Rin acknowledged the other Orochi as her family. She had no recollection of her past and they were the closest thing to a family she had ever known. When they finally reached the bathroom, the first thing she spotted was the small hot spring. Just how much money did Chikane have, anyway?

"The springs sound nice."

Rin must have been extremely tired still because the suggestiveness of Chikane's last comment completely slipped her mind. She didn't find anything wrong with having her back washed either way.

"Well, if you want you can."

"Well, alright. If you feel comfortable with me doing that, then I will. If not, then I won't. Whatever you wish to do is fine with me."


I smiled as I took off my robe when we arrived at the springs. I gently lowered myself into the water and sat there, enjoying the warm touch of the steam to my skin. It was rather relaxing and so rejuvenating for the mind and the body alike. My eyes closed, I was thankful to have such a successful father.

"The water's fine. You should come in."

Rin nodded, taking off her clothes and following Chikane into the water. It was very relaxing and felt nice to be taking a real bath. The closest thing to a shower she had in the past couple of days was when she ran through the park sprinklers during one of her all-night recon missions with Girochi. Her arms folded across her chest in a pout.

"This isn't waking me up at all, it's almost too relaxing."

"It is quite relaxing, isn't it?"

I smiled and sighed contently, letting the warmth of the water sink into my skin again. I wondered where Himeko was at this exact moment. I had so much I wanted to tell her, and then another thought crossed my mind. I was completely clueless to all this business.

"Hey Rin, can I tell another person about all this priestess stuff or does it have to be all top secret?"

I asked, I had my eyes closed, bending my head back to allow the warmth into the sore crevices of my body I'd exposed when I fought the other day and when I was practicing archery last night. It had been very strenuous and I needed time to heal.

"Well, you can tell someone, as long as you trust that person enough not to tell anyone else."

Rin didn't see any problem with anyone else knowing, but the fewer less important that knew, the better. She really didn't want innocent lives being involved.

She began to wonder what the other Orochi if they found out that she had told Chikane almost everything when she was technically supposed to find out for herself. As long as she didn't attempt to defeat any of the Orochi, Rin guessed that they were in the clear for a while.

"Not that I plan on telling anyone, but there's this girl that I just can't seem to keep anything from. And, her name is Himeko. She... is always on my mind and I don't know. There's just this part of me that feels like I've met her somewhere before. We've just become friends but it feels like so much longer. Like we've known each other forever. And I have to say, she's kinda cute."

I blushed a light pink as I opened my eyes to look down at the steamy water beneath me. Why was Himeko always on my mind? And why did it feel this way when it wasn't that exact circumstance? I was never able to comprehend that, but then again I never thought about it. Hm. Weird.

Rin couldn't help but smile. To her it seemed that Chikane had a bit of a crush on this girl. At least her crush was pretty much realistic. Rin knew that she and Miyako would most likely never be together, she would be doomed to forever bottle up her true feelings.

"She seems okay then, you can tell her."

In fact, this 'Himeko' girl seemed more than okay, she seemed extremely important. She had to be the Solar Priestess. There was concrete evidence of it too. You don't just meet a person and feel like you've known them forever; there had to be some sort of connection.

"Well alright. I won't do it right away. But I think I should eventually. I mean, maybe she can even help me find the solar priestess."

I smiled and went back to closing my eyes, thinking about her. But minute by minute that I spent away from her, I was beginning to miss spending time with her. It wasn't that I had a crush on her, perhaps a temporary infatuation.