Aim

* ** * ** * That Night * ** * ** *

You're mine, Aimie! Get back here!!

"Get away from me...you-you...monster!"

Aimie wailed through the dark air. The only thing visible was her breath. The atmosphere nipped at her nose and cheeks, freezing them, like on a cold winter's day. Everything around her was dark, nothing to follow, no where to go. She wasn't even sure if she was really running.

You cannot escape me, fool!

"Who are you?!"

Poor child...You understand so little....

"No! Where are you Sage?! Sage! Help me!"

Aimie.... Aimie....

"No! I'm not going with you! Leave me alone!"

Open your eyes, Aimie...Aimie, wake up!

"Huh??..."

(Reality)

"Aimie! Are you okay? Hello!" Sage shook her shoulders vigorously. Finally, Aimie opened her eyes to the group of Ronins standing behind Sage. All were looking at her. Aimie moved her arm, and suddenly noticed she was in the kitchen.

"Where am I?"

"You're in my kitchen, Aim." Sage looked to her with concern. "Are you alright?"

"How'd I get here?"

Kento spoke up, "You were sleepwalking." There was a sudden pain in her forehead, and it began to pound.

"Ow!" She rubbed her temples, "What the--?"

"You fell down the stairwell. That's how we knew you were up," Ryo stated.

Rowen walked over to behind Sage, "Y 'sure you're up to tomorrow?"

She eyed him irefully, "Those lessons are already riding on my schedule. I don't need sympathy from a stuck up Professor Smurf." She brushed through Sage and Rowen, and headed out the kitchen door. "I'm going to bed. 'Night."

There was silence when she left.

"... ... GAH! Ha! Hahaha!" Kento slapped his knee, and bent over, laughing. "S-Smurf!? Bah! Hahaha! That's a riot!"

Rowen sighed at Kento and looked to the swinging, empty kitchen door.


* * *

" 'ey, Sage," Rowen muttered to the darkness of the bedroom.

"You're awake still? It's 3 o'clock," Sage answered from the other side of the room.

"So are you, buddy."

"Well, anyway, what?"

Rowen shifted his position, sitting up more in his bed, "Why is Aimie...-"

"...It's a long story."

"We 'ave 5 hours until Cye's breakfast call."

"Well, alright." Sage supported his head with his hands, thinking back, "I guess it started back about 4 years ago. Aimie was just getting into archery then. Everyday she'd practice, and I'd go with her too. She'd always practice in the same spot, and ask the same questions. At the time, it seemed like one of the most boring parts of my day. Until...a few months later, I was taken here to Japan to become a Ronin. "

"So, you were taken away from your family?"

"Yeah. Anyway, when I met you, and saw your archery skills, I knew you'd be the one person Aimie would have to meet, and want to know the most about. That is... when I could go home and live the rest of my life there...I never did though, which made life for Aimie and I harder. Our relationship split, and we began to grow apart as brother and sister. Last year, I began writing back and forth to Aimie. I didn't want her ending up dead somewhere O.D.ed or...worse."

"I see. Would she really do that?"

"My mother thought so."

"Huh. And?"

"Once we began our fight against Talpa again, for the second time, I didn't have time to write her each day. In fact, I was lucky to even write her at all. I remember when Cale captured me, bringing me into the dynasty to be held captive. While in there, I had a lot of time to think. And...I realized something in there. Those days...those boring days when she dragged me out into those woods to train with her...with that stupid arrow and that stupid bow...she wanted me as a big brother. She wanted me to guide her. Most importantly, she loved me, and didn't know how to show it. I guess it was her own way of saying she cared. When I look back on it now, those boring days are the ones I miss the most."

Rowen's eyes searched the window, and stared out at the starry sky, "I undastand now, Sage. I think it'll help me be able to guide your sister for you. I know now too...you don't know how to do it, and that's why she's like how she is. Because you lack the skills, she thinks you neglect her on purpose."

"The thing is, Rowen. I don't."

"I know that. Have you ever told her?"

"I haven't. Besides, you're the smart one, and you'd probably be able to give far better pointers than I."

"Don't say that," Rowen said, "You're still her big brother. You know her better than anyone else. She loves you, Sage. Don't you turn your back on her just because you think you can't do it. In the end, you'll come out the winner."

Sage turned on his side and closed his eyes shut, "I'm getting some sleep before tomorrow rises over the hills."

Rowen settled back down in bed. "Good idea."

***

Cye turned around from the stove, carrying with him a searing-hot pan. Aimie sat, sluggishly supporting her head with one hand. Her heavy eyelids blinked slowly, watching Cye move around the kitchen. If not for her consciousness, she would have surely fallen over onto the floor. Cye placed the eggs on the plate in front of her and turned to the closed kitchen door. "Breakfast is ready!!" Aimie was nearly leveled from her seat, stumbling from her weary position, to a half stand, leaning on the counter with her elbows. Her wide, bloodshot eyes bitterly glared at Cye, as he turned to look at her. "Wot's wrong, A'mie?"

"Cye..." she murmured, just so he could hear her, "It's 8 o'clock in the morning...it's vacation, and you just yelled in my ear..." Her eyelid twitched, "That's what's wrong."

The door swung open, and in walked a fatigued Kento. "Where's the food."

He spotted the eggs on Aimie's plate, and sat in front of them, picking up the fork to his right, "Alright!"

"Hey!" Aimie shoulder shoved him, as he picked up the first egg. The egg flew across the room and slid onto the floor, landing in front of the swinging door.

"Hey! That was my egg! What was that for?!" Kento demanded.

"That was my egg, and you were going to eat it! Get lost you Bottomless Pit!"

"Sorry, I must have had something in my ear. What did you just call me?"

"Read my freakin' lips, get-lost-you-bottomless-pit."

Without hesitation, his hands grasped her pink bathrobe collar. "You take that back!"

"Make me, Lard-o!"

"Err...rrrr...!"

Sage and Rowen walked in, stopping in the doorway to observe the scene. "Kento," Sage plainly stated, "what are you doing?"

"She launched my egg across the room!"

"He stole my egg!"

Sage sighed and shook his head. "Okay, so what are you two fighting about again?"

Both looked too each other for a minute. Kento frowned angrily. "You wench! You pushed me, that's what! No one pushes Kento Rei Faun and gets away with it!"

Aimie stuck her tongue out at Kento.

"Do that again, little missy, and I'm bite that damn thing off!"

"I'd like to see you try!" she yelled.

"Excuse me," Rowen said, crossing his arms, "It's the morning. Kento, let go of Aimie."

Aimie chuckled, hinting vengeance, and stuck her tongue out at Kento again. He launched forward, attempting to catch her tongue with his teeth, but missed.

Aimie gasped and drew back, bringing forth her hand and slapping Kento across the face as hard as she could, "Moron! Get away from me!"

Kento stumbled to the floor. He regained his footing and stormed out of the room. As he left, his right foot squished down on the accusing egg.

He froze and screamed. "Ah!!"

"I think Kento found his egg," Sage said with a smile. When Kento had finally left, the other four gathered around the counter table to eat.

"How'd ya sleep last night, Aimie?" Rowen asked, "Any more of those dreams?"

"Negative," she sighed, "I don't know where that other one came from. I've never sleepwalked in my life."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Aim," Sage said, taking a sip from his orange juice.

"Yeah, neither would I. There was really no substance to my dream anyway," she responded, leaning back in her chair, to stare at the ceiling.

"No substance? Sounds like a diluted drink," Cye tittered.

"I'm not kidding. I was just...running, and a voice...was...I don't know, can voices actually chase you?" Aimie leaned forward again.

"I...guess," Rowen thought. "What was the voice saying?"

"Hmm..." Aimie's eyes blinked a few times, "Um..It was saying something like 'come with me...Aimie' and 'you don't know what you're getting yourself into' type stuff."

"I don't think that was the Diet Coke dream you described, Aimie," Rowen said, looking to Sage.

"Something could happen. Maybe a premonition?" Sage questioned.

"A Psychic Pepsi, then," Aimie bantered. They all looked at her. After a moment, the group hummed with laughter.

"So should we call you that from now on?" Sage joked.

"I don't like Pepsi," Aimie said, "Coke's better."

"On the contrary, A'mie," Cye detested, "I believe Coca-Cola is tha better drink."

"Pepsi."

"Not at all. It's Coke."

"Pepsi."

"Coke."

"Pepsi."

"Coke."

"Sprite," Sage intervened. They all laughed again. Aimie stood and stretched. She turned on her heel and walked to the door. As she opened it, she turned and looked at Rowen. "See you later out back!" she called, and raced upstairs to her room.

"Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea to let her come here after all," Sage said, looking to the door.

"Ahhh!! Kento, what the fuck are you doing in my room!?! Get out! OUT! Out now!"

The three looked to each other, "I think ya spoke too soon, buddy," Rowen smiled, "Nah, I'm sure she'll like it here for tha time bein'."

"Yeah, as long as she doesn't find Kento in her sock drawer," Sage commented, getting up to leave.

The day went by, afternoon falling over the hilltops of Japan. Being so close to summer, it excited the youth, which responded with a wave of energy.

"I ha-a-a-a-a-a.......aaaaave....twoooooooo-o-o-o-oooooo more weeks! Two more weeks, ya!"

Aimie sang, bouncing down the stairs with a duffle bag. She hopped by Kento and Cye who were sitting on the couch, watching TV. She shot by Sage as he exited the kitchen with a glass. He turned and watched her.

"Where're you going, Aimie?"

"Coaching...!! Coooooo-o-o-o-o-oooooaching!!" she said, spinning around and around, banging slightly into the walls as she went.

After a few hundred spins, she fled down the remainder of the hall and swung open the back door, almost slamming it as she did so.

"Dude," Kento said to Sage as he neared the couch. "Your sister has problems."