Vol. 3 - Chapter 30

Ash

"Ready to head back?" Metsumi asked. 

"Nah, not just yet..." Ash replied. 

By now, Keiko had also sat down next to her. The three of them were sitting on the warm street, watching people pass by. By now, Ash's anger had turned into reluctance. The last thing she wanted was to go back to the inn, even though she knew she'd have to at some point. 

"So... what happened?" Keiko asked. 

"What do you mean?" Ash replied. 

"Well, you've said that your parents abandoned you, but, how? And, well, why?" 

Ash looked away. Now that she'd seen her mother again, that period of time in her life, which she'd buried in her thoughts, was now as clear as day. She hated it. 

"I don't know," Ash muttered. "All I know is one day, some people showed up, I was taken out of the house, and I never saw them again... Up until today, I guess."