Lighting the Way: Chapter Six
Written by: Liz Donovan
Ranma ½ Homepage
Lighting the Way: Chapter Seven
Hiroshi awoke with a start. He jerked forward, squinting his eyes in the brightness of the new morning sun, and licking his lips. His neck hurt, as did his back. He sat up and stretched, exhaling. He glanced out the window, where just the fields of harvested rice grew. He yawned, raised his arms above his head and stretched again. He turned and looked at his companions.
Doctor Toufuu was reading a newspaper, and had it suspiciously covering the better portion of his body and hiding his face, pretending to be reading it. Hiroshi blink at him, then shrugged and looked to Akari.
She had a breakfast plate in front of her, a bowl of rice, some fish and American scrabbled eggs. He licked his lips looking at the food, realizing he to, was hungry. Almost on cue, a woman in a dark navy skirt and red top with a little hat on, walked down the aisle, pushing a cart. She paused and looked at him.
"Breakfast, sir?" she politely asked. Hiroshi nodded hungrily. The woman smiled and set up his tray, adding the same things on his ray, that had been put on Akari’s tray.. She then nodded, bowed slightly, and went on her way. She stopped next at the girls seats, across the way.
Hiroshi snapped his chopsticks apart, and started to eat. Doctor Toufuu slightly put his paper down, bent at the corner, so that he could only see Hiroshi. He looked at the food, then to the direction of the retreating waitress. Hiroshi looked at him, shoveling more rice into his mouth. The doctor seemed almost ready to drop his "disguise" and call the waitress back, when a voice over the intercom system began to speak.
"Attention all passengers. Next stop, Okawa. Please secure all trays and return to your seats. Tickets will be checked upon your resumption. Thank you. We hope you have had a pleasant trip."
Akari had looked up at the voice speaking, then brightened considerably. "That’s where I live!" she smiled. Hiroshi smiled at her back, and quickly ate all he could before another waitress came along and picked his and Akari’s trays up. Toufuu covered his face behind the newspaper again.
Moments later, they pulled into the train station. Akari rose, as did Hiroshi and Toufuu, the latter still clinging tightly to the newspaper. Akari led them to the ramp and the train halted. A man in a little red suit opened the door.. Akari got off, followed by Toufuu. He quickly exited, and Hiroshi heard the two girls still ion the train burst into laughter. He glanced over his shoulder, red that they must be making fun of him, and quickly got off the train himself.
Akari stood, arms outstretched, the sunlight dancing on her hair and face and she smiled brightly. She was immensely enjoying the warmth and freedom, loving the light cloudy sky, the warm sun, and fragrance aroma of her home town.
Doctor Toufuu stood, his face as red as a beet, burying his face in the newspaper. Hiroshi glanced, as an older woman in a maroon suit and graying hair seemed to cover her child’s eyes, as she looked at the three. The woman’s face seemed shocked and appalled. Toufuu hung his head, and Hiroshi turned to face him.
"Sensei," he started. "Is there something you aren’t telling us?" he questioned. Toufuu peered out from behind the paper.
"Lets get out of here…" the doctor whispered.
"Not until you tell me what is going on here." Hiroshi demanded of the doctor.
Toufuu looked around, desperately.
"Mommy! Look!" a small, child-like voice called out. Hiroshi saw the kid, pointing at them. "That man is in his pajamas! I want to wear my pajamas on the train too! Can I Mommy!?"
Hiroshi froze, looking at Toufuu. The doctor stuck his head back into the paper. Hiroshi then chuckled lightly, nervously, stepping in front of Toufuu, trying to wave the lady off. Trying to make her think it wasn’t what it seemed. She stormed away, disgustedly, turning her child’s head away from them.
"Come on, lets go…" he nervously said. Toufuu nodded, embarrassed. The two men began walking away, at a hurried rate. Akari noticed, and quickly followed.