10 Swimming Carelessly

She loved fishing, every other week she came to the lake nearby Shouban in order to relax her nerves. She loved her smithy in the town of Rajioku but it was a though and time consuming line of work. So when she sat by the water at the foot of the trench and had her fishing rod in hand, nothing was more relaxing. The rain was unrelenting but that was just the way she wanted it, this was her little isolated world, where the past, present and future didn't matter. This idea was even more enforced when she saw the carefree karp swimming around in the river, they were totally unaware that at any moment they could bite on to her bait and their life would be over.

"What do you want?", she asked the man standing behind her. "It's been a long time Rebecca" that voice, she remembered it from somewhere. "Do I know you?" she turned around and to her surprise... "you really do love fishing..." "Hotaka!?" Right before her eyes stood the man she had never expected to see again, at least not without his sword drawn. "This sure is a nice spot, do you come here often?" she was surprised but decided to go along with the situation. "I come here about two times a month, why do you ask?" He had a relaxed but observing look on his face, "just curious, do you mind if I sit down?" Her initial chock was starting to fade, "Sure take a seat!" he walked up to her and sat down by her left side.

"Wow!, you're the last person I expected to see today" he didn't respond, he simply sat down staring at the lake. "So... How come you're here?, you now last time we saw each other we weren't on the best of terms" He opened his mouth but his eyes didn't leave the lake, "do you now what Daiki is doing?" She got a bitter look on her face as soon as he uttered those words, "yeah, I do..." They both acknowledge what she had said and afterwards they just sat still, saying nothing but at the same time explaining everything.

"Do you know where he's heading to?" She noticed how, without thinking about it, she had also started staring at the water and her lips formed a faint smile. "Yeah, I know where he's heading next" He straightened his back and for the first time during their conversation made eye contact with her. "Where is he heading" Rebecca smiled at him even though she didn't think it was something she deserved to do, "we see each other for the first time in how long?, six years?, and you are still only chasing your brother. You sure haven't changed Hotaka" There was a faint irritation in her voice, "Where is he heading!" but it vanished as soon as she was reminded of her standing with the person sitting besides her. "... He's heading towards the army camp by foot which is being lead by Fumihiro, our former leader"

There wasn't a hint of surprise on his face, he simply acknowledged the information and started to get on his feet. "Don't you wonder how I know about this?" He turned around and started walking, "What if I tricked you and I'm working with Daiki!?" He stopped for a second and uttered seven words, "It's nice to see you again, Rebecca", nothing more and nothing less and then he continued walking. She didn't follow him, she simply stood by her spot and watched him shrink in the distance until he was gone. A bittersweet smile appeared on her lips, "like a fish, huh..."

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