As the weeks went by to months, Tsunacya the manslayer had become such a sword fighter. Yet she was really not that well known because of her gender. (Women obviously were not pointed out as people in those days. -_-; man, that must really suck. ) Her one dream, like Jinei's, was to fight and beat the strongest manslayer on all Earth.

And one day, she got the chance.

The chance to beat Battosai the Manslayer.

She looked up from the rock she sat on. The one rock she told Battosai to meet her at. She heard a rustle of leaves, and drew her sword. But instead of Battosai, she got a group of people. All were chasing Battosai. Tsunacya immediately reacted, and watched, as she ran to the mob of people (who were most likely manslayers) and took them down one by one as Battosai, the only one she actually wanted to fight, was stabbed in the shoulder and went down. 'Mihaka' was her only thought, for she went through all that for one person, and it never paid off. Without realizing it, she had just saved his life. And after the whole thing, she cleaned her bloodstained sword on her Kimono, and looked at him.

.

.

.

From her rock.

"So." Tsunacya said and stared. With a thin smile, Battosai looked up and his eyes closed as the smile disappeared. She put a hand on his chest. "He's still alive... that's good." Then she put a hand on his forehead. " Fever. That's bad." She was not going to let this guy die. She still had to fight him. Snow started to fall. She had to work faster if she wanted him to stay alive. Then she looked at him, and sighed. "I don't believe I have to play 'mom'. A mari damito. HAKI!" She said in her language (Elven) and picked him up. "Loss of blood," She said to herself, carrying him to her makeshift tent. "That's good. Or-...Or is that bad? I don't know anymore. Way too confusing." She sighed. "So I'm the one who has to take care of him, right?" Talking to herself again. "Tomiko amiha koujino gi, go elis illo lookig tami hada1." She said and gave a small giggle. She could speak many different languages, but Elven was her favorite.

After about 3- hot packs (that she personally heated), 2 glasses of herbal tea (that she also made herself), and a few days of sleep, Battosai was healthy again.

"Why did you save me?" He asked as she walked in the tent on a cold night.

"Because. I can't fight you if you're dead."

"So that's the reason now?" He said with a devilish smile, cocking his eyebrow.

"Great, so now I'm the jerk?" The female asked, looking down at him from where she was sitting.

.

.

.

Not her rock this times, either.

"Not exactly." He said at looked up at her. "You were actually pretty nice to do that for me. You could have just let me die and let me rot in hell, like I'm supposed to do anyways."

With a small 'Pish' sound, she sat on the ground and handed him a plate with cooked meat on it. "Food." She said, pointing. "Eat, or else you'll probably just die anyways." She added and started to eat.

"Like you care." He said and started eating himself.

As the night turned to morning, her only comment was:

"Hitokiri Battosai, Mihame tpsuna dea poiu2..."

"What was that? He asked, awaken by her comment.

Face faulting, she asked, bitterly and aggravated, "How did you hear that?"

"You see, young lady," He spoke soft. " You have a very loud voice."

"What is THAT supposed to mean?() " She asked, half mad, half about to laugh.

"Nothing." He said, lying back down. "Just would have liked to know what you said, that's all."

"I'll tell you if you wanna know." She said. "I said 'Shut up your mouth, Hitokiri Battosai.' "

"How nice." He added, sarcastically.

"WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SO MEAN TO ME?" She asked, cocking her eyebrow.

"Well, I am supposed to fight you, aren't I? I don't have to be nice if I don't want to."

Growling like a dog, she added, "Cancunai3!"

With a small frown, he looked over and asked, "English, please?"

"I'd rather not." She said and smiled. Going over to her side of the tent she added, "Good night." and blew out the candle. Then from out of the darkness, he asked,

"That's what you said?"

"NO." She added obviously ticked off. "Now go to sleep."

And they never did fight the next day, or the next day, or the next day, and so fourth blah.

Over the time that Tsunacya took care of Battousai, she had grown to love him like a brother. Her brother, Ferio, had dissapeared when she was young, and longed to see him again. She did not quite understand why Battousai even became a manslayer in the first place, if he was so nice to others. she knew that they had to talk.

"Battousai?" she asked, looking at him as she sat on her rock during the middle of the sunrise when he came out of the tent, putting his hair up.

"Yah?" He responded, yawning.

"What is your real name? I'm getting sick of calling you 'Battousai'. Surely you have a name.

"I knew you would ask one of these days."He said smiling. "I knew you forgot all about me."

"What?" She asked, terribly confused.

"The name's Kenshin. Kenshin Himura." He said, smiling again. "Isnt it nice to see you again, Cichiri Tamika."

She was speechless. How could she have even forgotten her only friend? "I..." She studdered.. "I guess i forgot who you were. I didn't recognise you. I'm sorry." She was almost to tears now.

Putting a hand on her cheek, he said, forgivingly, "Hey....Its ok. I can forgive you. after all...."His voice trailed off as he took her hand in his other hand. " I think I can forgive all of mankind now."

"Kenshin..." Cichiri, muttered, hugging him. "I love you."