Chapter 1
March 3rd, 1995
She just couldn't take it; watching him waste away like that. So she left, tried to look back too.
Didn't have the heart.
--
March 17th, 1995
She had almost gotten herself killed and succeeded in getting her friend killed before she even had time to get out of Japan. The poor girl was the new tenant beside her and had offered to help her move since Ryoko didn't have anyone else. She had met with Kanone of all people, well not met, more like ambushed. He caught her at a coffee shop after her friend's death.
"You warned me he was smart," She spat at him, "You didn't warn me you were stupid."
"Fuck you!" He hissed at her under his breath. The younger Blade Child got up from the table and took another swig of her coffee. She looked down at him and said, "Yeah, you already did that." With that she disappeared.
Maybe forever this time.
--
January, 1997
It had been almost 2 years…
Now she was living in London of all places in a little apartment that emptied out right onto the street. She frequently had people bump into her as she was locking her door; scared the living daylights out of her every time. The place wasn't bad overall; it had a small kitchen and an even smaller living room. But, she didn't have much. What she did have was a billfold and a .22 she kept taped behind the kitchen sink; the money always in American Dollars. Everyone took American Dollars.
And she took precautions, all of them actually, but after that she couldn't shake the feeling. Late at night she tossed and turned in her bed trying to stave off the nightmares of the life she lived before. It was over; she had nothing to do with the Blade Children anymore, she would say to herself.
She never really believed that, why do you think she had gone back the first time?
--
March 25th, 1995
He always knew she'd leave again; he also knew it would be because of him. But that didn't stop him looking for her. He checked everywhere; name changes, change of address, a bill in her name, an airplane ticket, anything. Nothing ever came of it.
"Should've expected it." The green-eyed Blade Child looked up into the rainy Osaka sky. "You always knew you could outrun me if you wanted to, Ryoko."
--
October 23rd, 1997
Well, today was the day wasn't it? His birthday. She knew that this year no one would be throwing a party. Ryoko tried to put the image out of her mind.
"Oh Christ, its 4AM…" She breathed hoisting herself up on her elbows, the comforter fell away from her shoulders. The Blade Child looked up into the darkness and wiped a hand over her forehead which was covered in sweat. She had that dream again, the one where he killed her.
--
October 23rd, 1997
Ryoko trotted down the alley behind 14th street carrying a loaf of Italian bread and a few slices of ham from the market deli in a brown bag. To her the alleys offered more protection from the outside; less wind, less people, less noise, and today less rain. It was October in London; the rainy month. She stopped at her back door labeled in black brimstone numbers "201", shoved the key in the lock, and pushed open the door.
"Samantha, I'm back dear." She called into the empty space placing her parcel on the counter. Said cat was nowhere in sight; strange for such a social animal. Ryoko slid off her scarf, gloves, and hat to put them in a pile beside her food. She took a knife from the drawer just behind her and cut a piece off the end of the roll. She left the morsel and knife to the cat and walked the few feet to her bedroom door, intending to deposit her shoes and jacket inside.
"Hm, I thought I left that open." The girl wondered aloud. As she pushed open the door, the cat darted out of the room and jumped on the counter to inspect Ryoko's purchase. Ryoko gasped and jumped back as to avoid being run over by the small animal. The former Blade Child rubbed at her forehead nervously and stepped over to her bed, just as she sat down she noticed Sam's food bowl half filled next to the bathroom door. She looked at it quizzically and got up to step over to it.
"Now, I know I didn't leave that there." Ryoko whispered to herself. She bent down to pick it up and heard the cat hiss in the next room as her bag of groceries fell off the counter.
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