Act.03: With Feeling!

As Kasumi awakes in the tent, she finds that she is alone. Haruka wasn’t inside.
Kasumi: (yawns) Huh I must have slept in too much
Kasumi stretches before exiting the tent, shielding her eyes from the sun. Not seeing anything or anyone in sight, she decides to go looking for Haruka. She doesn’t have to venture long before she can hear splashing nearby.
Kasumi: Hm…? Whats…(moves towards the splashing slowly)
She soon reaches a spot where she can see out of the forest. Not far away, she catches someone over by what looked to be a stream. Clothes were laid out next to the woman standing there. And it doesn’t take long for Kasumi to piece together who the woman was.
Kasumi: Oh shi-- (face turns red as she turns away) Why didn’t I think.
Haruka quietly dips her toe in the water, before she completely brings herself in. Before long, only her head sits above the water. The rest of her body covered by the cold water she had cooled herself.
Haruka: (Deep breath) Ahhhhhh...I don’t get a chance to do this very often. Wandering around most of my life sucks, but there’s nothing like a chance to go skinny dipping and clean my clothes.
Kasumi remains behind a tree as she simply listens.
Kasumi: (quietly to herself) Huh...So her life is pretty rough..
Haruka: (sighs) Have to say it is nice having Kasumi around…
Kasumi’s ears perk up at her name.
Kasumi: Whats so special about me…?
Haruka: Besides the people who hire me, when was the last time I honestly spoke about myself so personally? Six...seven years ago? I mean its certainly been a long time since I’ve seen any of the family. Since we’re all doing stuff, I understand. (Sighing) Still...being alone all this time...I’m kinda sick of it.
Kasumi: So she’s just lonely...I don’t know how much it must hurt having a family and not being able to see them..
Haruka: (Sighs) Its not like I should be surprised I’m alone. Dad left me, mom died because of beastkin racists. It was my fate to be alone. Those people I call my family, though we barely see each other, at least I can count on them. Bounty hunters not related by blood but by trade...a family…(quietly laughs) I wonder which one of us pitched the idea of calling us a ‘family’ again.
Kasumi: Well that's overly sad…
Haruka: Still, Kasumi is very pretty. I mean, I bet some beastkin guys in our ‘family’ would be hitting on her. (mocking one guy) ‘Kasumi, you are the moon shining on the flowers’. (mocking another guy) ‘You bring sunlight in to my otherwise dark world’. Pfft. She’s a sexy woman. Can’t men ever just say that?
Kasumi: What in the hell…?
Haruka: I mean honestly, she’s got a sexy butt, pretty face, and looks all womanly. But all any guy ever tells me is, ‘You look like an emo chick’. Emo? Really? I’m just as sexy as any woman...well, beastkin...no regular woman has a fox tail and ears. But honestly, just because I have a fox tail and ears, all of a sudden I’m the ugly duck.
Kasumi: (blushing) I...don’t think I look that good...But Haruka isn’t exactly hard to look at either…
Haruka: I bet if I lost the tail and ears and looked more like Kasumi, I could get anyone I wanted. (Sighing) What are you doing Haruka...you’re just making yourself more miserable…
Kasumi: (sighs) Not exactly…
Haruka: I have to stop being so self-deprecating. Sure Kasumi’s body is hot, but mine is too. What was that mantra? (In a semi-monotone voice) I will not compare myself to others. I will not compare myself to others…
Kasumi: Wow she is really self-conscious then…(shakes her head) I shouldn’t be eavesdropping.
Haruka suddenly stands up.
Haruka: (Worried) Oh no! I forgot! I have to make breakfast!
Haruka quickly begins to get herself dressed, while Kasumi goes into a panic trying to make it back to the campsite before Haruka did.
Kasumi: Shit better get back. (turns around and dashes back to camp as 
quietly as she could)
Kasumi quickly enters back into camp and crawls back into the tent and pretends to stare at the top of the tent. She quickly makes up a story in her head. She hears Haruka come her way and she pokes her head out from the tent.
Haruka: Oh, you’re awake?
Kasumi: (yawns) Y-yea just got up a little while ago.
Haruka: Ah, good, I’ll get breakfast going then.
Haruka starts the fire and pulls out a pan and a couple of eggs. She places the pan above the fire using a makeshift couple of pieces of wood to hold it up. She cracks the eggs open and begins to cook them. Kasumi immediately recognizes the stuff as being from her home.
Kasumi: We’re going to need more supplies...because the stuff from my house won’t last much longer.
Haruka: Well its why I want to get to town. Dunno how much money we have, but I’ll be able to at least trade for goods.
Kasumi: Well I have next to nothing when it comes to money.
Haruka: I have something to sell at a dealer when we get there.
Haruka, using the tool she had to move the eggs, accidentally scrambles one.
Haruka: (Disappointed) Scrambled eggs it is then…
Kasumi: (chuckles) Doesn’t really matter to me.
Haruka: Can’t say I’m the best cook, but I can make some things.
Kasumi: It doesn’t bother me.
Haruka: ...It doesn’t take a lot to make you mad does it, Kasumi?
Kasumi: Well I’m used to living off of meager things so stuff like this wont bother me.
Haruka: Is that so? You don’t eat a whole lot?
Kasumi: Well at times when there isn’t much food to go around.
Haruka’s stomach groans. Haruka nervously laughs.
Haruka: Guess I’m hungrier than I thought! (Thinking) Of course I’m freaking hungry. Last time I ate was over two days ago…
Kasumi: (laughs) Apparently.
Haruka distributes an even amount of eggs to each of them.
Haruka: (Trying her best to say the words) Bon Appetite.
Kasumi: Thanks. And don’t be so hard on yourself it looks fine.
Haruka: (after a bite of eggs) Well, eggs is one of the few things I don’t mess up.
Kasumi: (starts eating) Be positive about yourself.
Haruka: Eggs and bacon...that’s about all I can make...don’t want to even recall the last time I tried to cook some of these other things. Spoiled a lot of good food that way.
Kasumi: It takes practice, like all other things in life.
Haruka: Well I’d like if practice didn’t take up my food. (Stomach grumbles again) … (Yelling at her stomach) I’m eating, alright?!
Kasumi: (laughs quietly) I know.
Haruka: (sighs) Because I haven’t had a lot of money, haven’t been able to afford food. So I’m lucky if I get to eat anything some days.
Kasumi: I know that feeling. But I seem to be more accustomed to not eating for a long time.
Haruka: You’re lucky then. Because of my...body, meager servings doesn’t do much to appease my stomach. Even though I’m used to it, my stomach likes to complain about not getting enough food.
Kasumi: I can’t imagine how much that must suck.
Haruka: It does...a lot. But I guess with your petite body you don’t have to worry too much about that huh? Most of the nutrients from my food go to my tail and ears, and...other places.
Kasumi: (face turns slightly red) Well...uh...the only time I need more food is when I overuse my azure.
Haruka: Huh, you too? I wonder if using azure is tied to our hunger. Maybe that’s why our stomachs want to devour themselves. (Laughs)
Kasumi: I guess.
Haruka: Still though, you seem to do an amazing job of keeping yourself looking good despite not eating much. How do you do it? My tail suffers when I don’t get enough food. Really makes it lose it luster.
Kasumi: I really don't know...Probably because I haven’t really had a need to use my powers because I’ve just been living in my home for a long time.
Haruka: (Finishing her eggs) Still, you should tell me some of your secrets sometime.
As she is about to put her plate down, she hears something. It wasn’t the sound of anyone coming, but it was the sound of weather approaching. She looked at the plate and saw raindrops beginning to fall.
Haruka: Aw, c’mon! The day started out so beautiful too!
Kasumi: Well it looks like our luck is going to start out pretty bad.
Kasumi quickly finishes her eggs and they leave their plates outside. The two crawl inside the tent and Haruka zips up the outside.
Haruka: Thank goodness for shelter.
Haruka lies down.
Kasumi: (lies down next to Haruka) Yea no kidding.
The rain begins to pelt the tent. They had no choice but to sit and wait.
Haruka: Glad I got a bath in before this.
Kasumi: ...And I bet I don’t smell the greatest right now…
Haruka: You smell fine. I’m just going to close my eyes, but don’t think I’m asleep.
Haruka quietly does so.
Kasumi: Alright then (lifts up her right arm, examining the charred surface)
Haruka decides to start a conversation.
Haruka: Did you have a boyfriend back in your village, Kasumi?
Because of her lack of socialization, Haruka didn’t know what topics would be considered ‘taboo’ by others. She would simply start a conversation to pass time.
Kasumi: Wait what!?
Haruka: You heard what I said. Did you have a boyfriend back in your village?
Kasumi: I...Uh...no…
Haruka: (Thinking) Damn, she couldn’t get one either?
Kasumi: Most people avoided me because I was just so hard to approach back there because of my attitude.
Haruka: Eh, seem fine to me.
Kasumi: Well most of the people from the village never bothered to get to know me really...plus I never really socialized with them.
Haruka: Well, like it or not, we’re going to have to know a lot about each other now.
Kasumi: Yea yea...
Haruka: Might as well throw out your daily schedule.
Kasumi: What schedule?
Haruka: What you used to do in your daily life, forget it. Embrace craziness. Its the only way you’ll remain sane in the kind of life I lead.
Kasumi: Well surprises then. I can handle that.
Haruka: You’re just going to have to get used to your life being a never-ending road.
Kasumi: (shrugs) I’ll manage.
Haruka: So should I be aware of anything? Anything that I’ll need to account for?
Kasumi: Other than my disfigured looking arm...Nothing really.
Haruka: What do you do to take care of it?
Kasumi: Nothin I can do other than cover it so people don’t have to look at it.
Haruka: So look for some sleeves that you can wear outside of your regular clothes. Maybe some gloves or something.
Kasumi: Whatever would work.
Haruka: Then I’ll buy you some nice gloves.
Kasumi: You don’t have to…
Haruka: You should treat yourself more often.
Kasumi: Not when there are more important things to deal with.
Haruka sits up and looks at her.
Haruka: There is nothing more important than yourself.
Kasumi: Basic supplies are more important than me being self-conscious about my looks.
Haruka: Its not about being self-conscious about your looks. Its about you putting yourself before others.
Kasumi: Whatever…
Haruka: (Sighs, goes back to lying down.) Do what you want, I don’t care.
Kasumi: There is no reason why we need to waste money like that...that's all…
Haruka: There’s already bounties on our heads, (sarcastically) might as well rob the place while we’re at it.
Kasumi: We shouldn’t draw unnecessary attention to us...even if we are wanted.
Haruka: You do realize we’re going to draw unnecessary attention to us no matter what, right?
Kasumi: Well...we could try to blend in…
Haruka: ...and how do you expect me to do that?
Kasumi: ...Good point…
Haruka: I can’t just make my tail and ears vanish.
Kasumi: I get that…
Haruka: The town we’re going, we won’t have to worry about all of that. The person who works the shop we’re going to I trust.
Kasumi: Ok...good
Haruka: As long as you can act normal, we’ll be fine.
Kasumi: Other than my arm I can blend in pretty well.
Haruka: Good, than there should be no issue.
The rain finally comes to a complete stop, however, the ground around them was now muddy. After they exit the tent, Haruka quickly goes to work putting the equipment away. With the gear packed away, the two begin to head to the town.
Category:Legacy
Category:Anime Episode