CHAPTER 1

Disclaimer: Blade of the Immortal is not mine.

As the sun began to set across the blood red sky, the light from it's rays made it appear like a wavering autumn leaf that floated gently downwards through the clouded sky. As the dusk slowly faded into night, the air grew cold, sending a breath of frigid air through the bustling streets of the seaport city. The oil lanterns that hung above the restaurants and inns were lit, as people shuffled along the streets, drawn by those bobbing lights like moths to a flame. Men, most of them sailors, guffawed as they immersed themselves in sake- the hot drink boiling their blood and warming them from the inside out. The women, through various tasks, were hard at work in pleasing them in any way possible.

Rin dragged her feet as the hustle and bustle dragged her along. She was exhausted from the relentless journey, and the nonstop disappointments of false leads. Her hunt for the man that had killed her parents seemed to have come to a standstill as she followed vague rumors that drifted to her through the wind. She peered up at Manji, trying to discern his one-eyed scowl for some form of emotion. She had gotten better at it, growing accustomed to her bodyguard's various expressions and what they meant. His piercing single-eyed glare was inhaling the chaos that jostled them along, and she knew his guard was up despite them not having encountered anyone out for their blood in nearly a month. Crowds always did seem to set him on edge. She stopped in front of the first inn she saw with an exaggerated sigh that caught his attention. Her stamina had certainly improved since the beginning of her journey, but walking nonstop for days, without bathing, still exhausted her. All she wanted to do was clean under her fingernails, and curl up in a clean futon. Certainly Manji would allow it after so many days on the road. They had, despite the still freezing temperatures, even been forced to sleep out in the wild, finding a small cavern and other such forms of shelter. Her cheeks flushed momentarily as she remembered those nights, as they huddled under a single blanket, next to a dimming fireside, inhaling each other's warmth. She had not slept well in his presence, with his smell, and the feel of his arm draped haphazardly around her hip making it nearly impossible to calm her thoughts. He, on the other hand, had slept soundly and it had nearly drove her mad- how could being in such close proximity of each other fail to arouse him? Perhaps the problem lay within her for wanting her bodyguard's heated touch so desperately. He paused beside her, analyzing the inn's sign momentarily before brushing past her decisively and entering. She perked up when Manji took the first step to enter, and followed closely on his heel. He could clearly see that she was tired, and it was in his nature to acknowledge her wishes through actions instead of words. They'd saved plenty of money sleeping under the stars the past couple of nights, they could indulge a bit.

"Welcome, honored guests!" said an old lady, wringing her hands in anticipation as they entered. Business had been good this evening, her restaurant being nearly full, and her rooms almost all occupied. The elder woman looked startled when the large samurai entered, his rough expression covered with scars. She was even more taken aback when an innocent looking girl was his companion.

"Hello, can we get a room?" Rin said, oblivious to the innkeepers change in attitude. She could hear the hum of voices around her, and prayed there was space for them to stay the night.

The innkeeper hesitated, "J-just one…?"

Manji picked up on the implication, and grinned broadly, "You heard her, you old bag. Just one."

Rin sighed in exasperation, a light blush tinting her cheeks. The pair got the misunderstanding quite often, but she sometimes wished her bodyguard would handle it with more grace. The innkeeper, laughing nervously, seemed doubtful. Rin withdrew a pouch full of coin from within the sleeve of her kimono, and it seemed to reflect greedily in the old woman's wrinkled expression. She bowed, and groveled as they made their way up the stairs, conversing offhandedly about the weather and other such frivolous things as she showed them to their room- her pride clearly hurt by Manji's retort. Her curiosity towards the pair had been silenced, but it still sparkled in her dark eyes. She gave them a spacious room, boasting that it was one of the best in the vicinity, and announced that dinner would be brought to their room in about an hour. Their futons could be found in the room's closet, having been washed and folded just that very morning, and they were welcome to them. Should she send a maid?

"No, thank you, that won't be necessary," Rin reassured her, with a bow.

The old woman smiled at Rin's gentle reply, and gave one final glare in Manji's direction before leaving the two of them alone, shaking her head pitiably as she went. She was already debating who to gossip with first about the poor girl who was being forced into the bed of a monstrous samurai as she descended the stairs to welcome more guests. Manji wasted no time in settling down at the window sill with his pipe, grunting in annoyance as he propped up one leg and glared out onto the bustling street. He knew that troublesome hag was itching to wag her tongue about them, possibly giving away their location to enemies who wanted the Killer of a Hundred dead, and endangering his companion's life. He would have disposed of her promptly if it didn't go against his promise to himself, and Rin's own morals. He glanced from the corner of his eye at the girl, who seemed lost in her own thoughts of unbridled pleasure at being in an inn for the night.

She decided to prepare the futons instantly, eager to enfold herself in the warm blankets and get a full night's rest. Walking over to the closet in order to gathered the clean blankets in her arms, she took a deep breath, and rejoiced in how they smelled of the fresh, crisp air, and were soft against her skin. She hummed a tune as she began spreading them out on the floor, side by side. Her humming faded as a sudden thought occurred to her- glancing shyly at her bodyguard as her cheeks grew hot at her on perversity. The light from the room's lantern cast shadows across his scarred face, etching lines across his stern expression like a chisel on a stone statue. She could see his exposed collar bone, and how his kimono hung open enough in his current position to reveal the muscled chest underneath. He symbolized strength and protection to her, just like a bodyguard should, but the pounding in her heart suggested that she craved more than just his sword arm. The last time their futons had been set next to each other in this fashion, she had practically offered him her innocence. She had come to terms with her feelings for him that night in Master Shoji's house, even if she had managed to keep her innocence intact. Perhaps that had been what had left her feeling unfulfilled, and burning with desire ever since. His gaze was fixated outside, however, and he seemed lost in thought- his pipe burning unnoticed in his hand. It was a constant disappointment that she never caught him looking at her in the same fashion. Although she knew her bodyguard well enough, she couldn't quite pinpoint his feelings for her. He was enigma about the subject, and she almost dreaded the answer. Curious of what held his interest from her, Rin tried to peer out the window and follow his line of sight. The first thing that caught her attention were two sailors brawling outside a restaurant, both clearly having drunk too much. She flinched internally as one of the men threw a wild punch and made contact with the other man's nose, emitting a loud crack as blood splattered onto the dirt at their feet. She looked at Manji's face, and saw that his eye was not following the men's movement. Perhaps he was looking at the restaurant because he craved to drink himself, after all he had not been able to indulge in that vice while traveling. She began shuffling one hand into her kimono sleeve for her coin pouch- ready to indulge him. After all, alcohol made men more aggressive and that could work in her favor. She could bathe in the meantime and await his return, wearing only her under-kimono. Her heart fluttered nervously a the thought. Certainly, even Manji wouldn't be able to control his instincts if sake muffled his mind.

That's when she finally caught sight of what Manji was actually watching so intently. A woman was standing outside the restaurant, her kimono hugging her curves as she watched the brawl before her with a placid calmness. Her face was covered by a shawl which she had wrapped around her for warmth, but Rin could see a soft pale hand reach up to brush back a strand of raven black hair, and knew that this woman was beautiful simply from her mannerisms. The woman sidestepped with ease, as if she was floating rather than standing, as one of the drunken men hit the wall she had been leaning against only moments before. Rin felt a surge of jealousy rush through her to know that Manji was watching another woman so intently, when he couldn't even spare a glance in her direction. She felt foolish for all the romantic notions that she had been contemplating only moments before, and wished she could reject all her feelings for this brute of a man who had sacrificed his life for her on countless occasions. She glared at the two futons she had so gently laid side by side, and walked over to them, kicking them apart in a fit of fury.

The sudden action caught Manji's attention at last, as he turned to her with a brow arched, "What's the matter with you, kid?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm going to take a bath. A very, very long bath. You're free to do what you want in the meantime." she announced heatedly, throwing her coin pouch on top of the disheveled futon that lay at her feet.

Manji watched her storm out of the room, slamming the sliding door shut behind her. He listened as her footsteps receded, and frowned at her coin pouch laying abandoned on the clean blankets, the contents spilling out. What was wrong with the damn girl now? Her reactions towards him always left him baffled and confused. Shrugging it off, and turning his attention outside again, his eye widened in surprise. "What the hell?" he cried, searching the street, but failing to see the same woman he'd been watching only seconds before anywhere.

"Well, I'll be damned," he growled, "I'll bet it was that bitch after all."