Paths of Origin

by BOBO BOnsai

This follows the journey of Soujiro Seta after the death of Shishio Makoto and the defeat of the Juppongatana. Soujiro journeys north and meets different people along the way as he wrestles with his tormenting past. As he continues to rethink his sins ove

Paths of Origin

by Mitch Bonzai

Prologue

"Shishio-san, will I be able to be strong – strong like you?" young Soujiro asked.

"Perhaps. But remember – I am the strongest. But you could be next to me," the bandaged man replied.

Lightning thrust the dark velvet sky. Rain showered from above without mercy, splattering Soujiro's naked feet. He was still clutching the sword Shishio gave him, smiling whenever he could feel something inside was not right. Having spent his life with his vituperative "brothers and sisters", he always thought asking questions from an adult is wrong. There were many questions buzzing in his head right now, that he wants to ask his adult companion, things he wants to be clearer. But he didn't dare disturb Shishio, not when the man looks as haughty as he does now. Soujiro has no choice but to shut up from now on. He has to learn how to hide his feelings, and do what he's told otherwise a sword could kill him. He glimpsed frighteningly at Shishio's katana, which was clutched by the man's bandaged hand, and gulped quietly.

'Shut your mouth if you don't want to get hurt. He looks really scary,' the child told himself. 'Smile…. just smile…'

The corners of his mouth twitched into a forced wide deceiving smile. They walked on, as the rain poured mercilessly on their faces and bodies.

'Smile…smile…' he kept telling himself. Soujiro didn't care if he looked stupid, nor if his smile reached his ears. It was better – way better than crying at this point. There was no turning back. He was bad person now, a killer…

'Was it right? Did I do something wrong, Shishio-san?' he thought. 'Was it Survival of the Fittest? If it was, aren't I strong now, Shishio-san? Could I ask even just one question?'

Soujiro turned his head northwards, as they continued with their journey. He greedily allowed the rain to fill his face, to mingle with his tears. His face was almost contorting with his effort to keep a plastered smile.

"Ha ha ha ha…." He laughed to the darkness of the sky, as he continued to look up.

"Why are you still smiling, Soujiro?" Shishio asked in a hollow voice, looking down at the eight-years-old. Soujiro smiled at him.

"Nothing, sir. I'm just glad to be free from my brothers and sisters! Ha ha ha!"

Shishio continued to stare at him. He said, "People smile because they're full of hopes, happiness, and love. Their consciences are all clear. Their hands unstained from blood. Their lives are all full of light. What about you, boy? You just killed your family. What are you smiling about? Your conscience was disturbed – do you find it comforting? Your hands were splattered with blood – do you find it entertaining? Your fate is now in my palms – do you find it encouraging? Do you, Soujiro?"

The boy looked up, smiling and replied, "Yes, sir!"

The bandaged man grinned at the rare gem. "Good."

Soujiro smiled on, thinking that the darkness that he sees is a bright meadow, imagining that the pouring rain is a peaceful rainbow above his head. A voice in his chest was echoing, as if far away, slowly dying out with every step and every breath he takes.

Chapter One

A great smoke rose up from within the depths of Edo. Miles away from the town, three men stood in the outskirts: Houji, Shishio's most trusted advisor; Anji, the former monk; and Soujiro, "Tenken" or "Heavenly Sword", who was also Shishio's right-hand man. They watched vaguely as their lord's stronghold trail up at the sky. There was pity in their hearts. Everything was scattered and destroyed: their plans, hopes, even dreams. What were they to do now? How were they to continue living their lives? The sun was setting behind them.

"I can't believe Shishio-san's gone. Poor Ayumi's dead too," Soujiro said inexplicably.

His clothes were covered with grim and soot. There it goes, their dream of overtaking the government. With their great leader dead, how will they go on? How will he go on? He has no one now, no one to order him around or to guide him. He doesn't know if he should be sad or happy about this newly found freedom. But in the innermost core of his heart, he was glad to have felt what he lost after all these years of pretending. He was not being his true self, nor was he listening to his inner self. He was afraid. He was wrong, now he has to start all over again. Soujiro looked at Anji, who was also in remorse thoughts. He was a robust monk with protruding muscles.

"Anji, what're you going to do now? Where are you gonna go?" he asked with his usual innocent tone.

The monk replied, "I'm going to turn myself in. I want to repay for my sins, and all the lives I took. I was wrong all these years." He looked at the kid. "What about you, Soujiro? What do you plan to do?"

Soujiro looked across the rising smoke. "I don't know. But I was also wrong all these years. I'm not turning myself in. Yet. I still have to look for something. Someone told me I wasn't being my true self. I want to look for that – my true self."

"I'm…. going...with you…Anji." Houji, who was bended on all fours, muttered, gripping a handful of mud.

The other two looked at him. "…I want to tell them…tell the government his ideas. His philosophies. They'll have to hear him out! Our plans will not go to waste! Never…I will not – WILL NOT ALLOW IT!"

"Looking for your own true self is a hard quest, Soujiro," Anji said, ignoring Houji's cries. "Sometimes you have to go back from where you left it, sometimes you have to build a new foundation, and sometimes it just finds you. But you will find it in the most unusual place, in the most unusual event. This is what I realized for myself after I fought Sagara Sanosuke. "

Soujiro sighed deeply. "Isn't he the tall skinny one with Mr. Himura?"

Anji nodded.

The wind blew on their faces. Anji stared blankly, as Houji gave out uncontrollable whimpers. Sweat was trickling from his brow. After a while, Anji turned to leave. Houji followed suit.

"Anji," Soujiro called. He wanted to tell the man not to leave, for he doesn't know where he will be going. "Anji, I want to ask you something: have you already found it? Your true meaning?"

Anji looked over his shoulder.

"Yes," he said morosely, "But I lost it."

Soujiro stared at the former monk. It was for the first time that Anji saw something in Soujiro's eyes that blazed with emotions. The boy wasn't a killer anymore. He was now just a lost person.

"Someday you will find what you've been looking for, or it will find you. Take care of yourself, boy."

The clouds shifted, the heavens growled, and with no further ado, rain started pouring. It was a familiar scene for Soujiro Seta, ten years ago he stood rooted on the ground with the same thoughts: Where was he go? What was he to do? Did he do things fittingly? Only now, his hand was swordless, his head was faced northwards not to wash away his tears, but to feel what he had never felt for almost eighteen years: Freedom.

Obaa wasn't sure what happened to all her customers. Her restaurant was posted on the mountainside, a long walk from the city of Edo, but it was thriving with people ever since she first opened her business here. She was an extremely short aged woman, with a timid but warm presence to everyone she meets. But what the heck… it was a bright day: The birds are chirping, and the flowers are blooming. She sat outside, drinking tea, on one of her benches.

"Koizumi," she called to her husband, who was sweeping the floor. "I wonder what stopped people from coming to us…." She sighed heavily.

"Eh?" her husband replied, scratching his head. "Dunno, sweetheart… Erm, Ever since there was this great fire from within the city, people stopped their comings and goings."

"A great fire?" Iwazo asked.

"Yep. They just saw smoke coming from this one place, but the fire didn't affect the city whatsoever. They say it was the stronghold alone that burned."

"A stronghold? Burned?"

"Yes, my love. A stronghold. But the police refused to give much information any further. They said it was classified information. I don't know how many people died, nor if there were any living in that 'so-top-secret' place… a stronghold….Ar! I've never seen one before!"

"Hush your babbling! I think someone's heading this way!" Obaa exclaimed happily. She set down the empty cup of tea and strode over to the stranger.

"Oohaiyo gozaimas'! Welcome, welcome! What could we offer you, my young man?"

But the young man waved his hand in decline and smiled.

"Oh, no thank you but I don't have any money. I'll just be on my way!"

"Oh, but I'm sure you haven't eaten yet, child. 'Tis still early in the morning. Where is a youngster like you headed? How old are you any how?"

The young man was surprised at an old lady's sturdy personality, so he laughed.

"Well, for starters, I don't know where I'm going. As for my age, I'm eighteen, missus."

Obaa looked up and down at the charming young man with dark hair, wearing a blue kimono. He looked like a typical teenager, but she has never seen this kid around town before, or in her restaurant either. She sighed deeply, thinking of her son back home.

"Right. Come. It's a beautiful day. You can come and eat in my restaurant. It's not everyday I meet a young man who doesn't know where he's going."

But the young man replied, "I told yeh, missus. I'm broke. I don't have money -- "

"Free of charge!" she added.

"So where're you headed, sonny?" Obaa asked, as the young man put the sashimi in his mouth.

"Dunno," the teenager replied through the sashimi.

He swallowed. "I don't know where I'll find it, or maybe when it will find me. I know these two men who took different paths, and it was ten years before they found different truths. And I thought, maybe if I would travel for ten years, I would discover my own truth like they did."

"Arse…. Ten years. Thassa long time, sonny," Obaa said pitifully, looking at him with tearful eyes. The teenager was really reminding him of his son.

But the young man smiled at her wrinkled expression. For him, if finding the truth will take ten years, he's willing to wait. Also, he wants to repent for the sins he has committed. Only, he doesn't know how.

"Don't worry, Obaa-san," the young man, who already knew the old lady's name, said.

"When I find it, I'll come back here and tell you about my journey. It won't go on forever. Sooner or later, maybe after those ten years, I will find it."

The young man stood up. "Arigatogozai mas'! Obaa-san – and Koizumi-san," he added to the old woman's husband.

He looked across the path that awaits him. It was grassy at first, but there was a clearing at the near end.

"The road must be long," he muttered to himself. "Sayonara!" he called, waving at the couple.

Obaa smiled at him. Never before did she meet someone who kept a smiling face in the most imprudent journey.

"What's your name, m'boy? So I can remember well when you come back!"

"Seta, Soujiro."

Chapter Two

The road was quite untamed; nobody seems to have passed this way. There were no footsteps of passersby or travelers; the grasses were almost at knee's height. There was also an unfamiliar stench that was like the smell of an animal corpse. This was the longest road Soujiro has ever crossed. The road doesn't seem to end. He wanted to turn back and take a new one and get out of the barren wasteland, but there was just no other way. He walked on. Although it was morning, and the day was beautiful, there seemed to be disequilibrium along the path. He heard no sound, no chirping birds, no barking dogs; just eerie silence. Soujiro looked back at the restaurant he had been at. It already looks like a dollhouse. He had already reached this far.

'I wonder what lies ahead of this journey,' the teenager thought. 'What will I do to amend for my sins?'

He saw a man with vivid red-hair in his head. He remembered the very moments when he had fought with this man, who was a former royalist named Kenshin Himura. The man had said,

'The strongest person is not the one who has the best sword technique, or who has the fastest reflexes. The strongest warriors are those who listen to themselves, and heed their inner voices. Nobody will be able to tell you what is right and what is wrong. This is something you have to discover for yourself as you make your way in this world.'

The voice echoed in Soujiro's head like it was yesterday.

"I know," he sternly told himself. "I know…"

He remained silent as he made his way through the road. Nothing could be heard but the rustle of his footsteps. His senses suddenly came to him, his has no sword anymore but his talents had not left him. He still has the requirements of a killer. There was a different sound. He could tell someone is following him. He was always prepared for this kind of attacks. He had enough experiences to begin with.

SWOOSH!

Soujiro jumped out the way before the sword could reach him halfway.

"You still haven't lost your touch, Tenken no sai."

He faced the blonde-haired man, who carried a multitude of swords at his back.

"Cho, what're you doing here?" the teenager asked irritably.

"What am I doing here? What're you doing here?" the man asked.

"I'm making my way through the road, you idiot!"

"Eh?" Cho said quizzically. "The police are looking for you, don't you want to turn yourself in? Anji and Houji are already behind bars. They'll be there for about twenty years."

Soujiro looked at the ground. He felt a twinge of pity for them.

"Is that so?" he muttered.

He looked at Cho.

"So what the hell are you doing here? Come to turn me in?"

The man sheathed his sword, and replied almost hesitantly, "Like hell I can."

"Fine. Well, see yeh," Soujiro said, turning his back at the man and leaving.

He suddenly heard whistling.

"Hey you!"

Soujiro spun around. Five policemen were running towards him, holding sabers. He looked at Cho, who waved frantically at him.

"Soujiro! Don't look at me. I didn't invite them! I swear!" he shouted hysterically.

Ignoring Cho, he broke into a run. To the man's surprise, Soujiro looked back at him and winked.

"See yeh!" he shouted.

Cho grunted to himself, arms folded.

"Stop yer running, you little devil!" the lieutenant shouted. "Stop in the name of the law!!"

"Let him be," Cho said, smiling, as the five men ran past him. "You'll never catch him anyway!"

Soujiro dived in a dark corner, which was perfect enough to lose the police with its bushy stance. He panted. He put his hands on his chest, catching his breath. He doesn't want to hurt anybody anymore, but if it was the only way to get out of this mess, he will. If the police find him there, he'll let them have it.

Soujiro looked through the gaps of leaves; he heard the men's running footsteps as they went past his hiding place.

"Don't let him get away!" he heard them say.

Soujiro heard their footsteps until it died out. He leaned back, sweat trickling on his brow. He massaged his neck.

'I never thought discovering the right from wrong is a tough thing to do,' he thought miserably. 'Dang it!'

He heard running footsteps again. He turned his attention back at the gaps of leaves. He saw the police coming back. He controlled his breathing. If they find him…he'd have no other choice but to fight back… But they didn't bother looking for him anymore. They left the forest. It was for the first time Soujiro found that his feet led him into a forest. It was at the left side of the road. He leaned back again, and thought for a while. He has to avoid the road from now on. He will have to lurk in dark paths, in order not to be seen. He was still on the loose. Soujiro stood up from his hiding place. The sun was sparkling from above the trees, illuminating on his innocent face. This is wonderful place to spend for the evening, but it was still quite early. He has to move on.

Soujiro can feel hunger surging in his stomach. He has been traveling nonstop. It was already late in the afternoon, the sun was beginning to set, and he hasn't even eaten yet. The forest floor was filled with bamboo leaves, as the world's tallest grass surrounds the place.

'It would've been a wonderful scenery to ponder upon, if only my stomach wasn't demanding for food,' he thought, holding his stomach. 'I hope there's a river or something; maybe I could catch something to eat.'

It was like nature heard his call, as running water was heard from afar. He followed to his heart's desire. At last, he found it. He untied his shoes, kicked them off, and streaked into the water. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes, and put his hands together. He learned this from his former master years ago. It was an easy way to catch fish. Soujiro waited, not moving an inch. Then – he heard it, and felt it underwater: a movement! With lightning fast speed, he thrust his right hand in the water and pulled out a fat catfish, which struggled in his grip. He strode back into dry land, with his struggling lunch. He looked for a sharp twig below the ground and thrust it through the fish's body. He set it on the ground as he gathered leaves and stones to create fire. After everything was at place, Soujiro slumped on the ground, and watched as his meal was cooking.

He stared at the crackling fire.

'I wonder if Shishio-san got burned up like this fish,' he thought sadly. 'It must've been extremely painful. Poor Ayumi.'

The fire glittering fire reflected on his eyes.

He heard his own voice echo in his head. 'Shishio-san, will I be able to be strong – strong like you?' He also heard his own master's voice. 'Perhaps. But remember – I am the strongest. But you could be next to me.'

He stared at the darkening horizon. The red and orange shades remind him of his life as a killer. He can hardly remember how it feels to be one anymore. It was like a distant dream, so far away now. Again, there was no turning back. The last time he found himself thinking, "there was no turning back" was when first tasted blood – back in his childhood. Soujiro wondered, what would've been his fate if he did turn back. What if he didn't kill his brothers and sisters? What if he had refused Shishio's offer? Surely he would've died! But he didn't turn back; in the end, his choice let him live. Shishio gave him his life.

'He gave me a sword, which became my only rouse for survival,' Soujiro thought, as he gazed upon the rising twilight. 'Survival of the Fittest – it gave me my life, the life that was stolen from me by my brothers and sisters. He taught me to be a Tenken. That is who I was…Tenken. But…. I wonder…now that I'm not anymore…. Who are you now Soujiro?'

Night crept in the heavens. Darkness fell upon the forests of Edo. Soujiro spent chose his night by the riverside. He lay on the ground and rested his tired body the morrow's journey – not knowing what lies ahead of him. The fire he made cricked and crackled. It was the only thing that kept him warm tonight.

Chapter Three

The morning sun's rays sparkled on the river. There could not be a more beautiful sight. The light penetrated on Soujiro's eyelids, waking him up completely. He tossed and turned. The ground couldn't be softer. Giving up the desire to sleep again, he sat upright and stretched his tired body. He scratched his eyes and stood up. He scooped a handful of water from the riverside and washed his face. He dried his face using the sleeve of his kimono. Afterwards, he went on with his journey.

By mid-afternoon, Soujiro noticed a village from afar.

'I wonder if I could pass here,' he thought. He was miles and miles away from Edo now, so probably he won't meet any policeman who recognizes him there.

'I guess it's all right if I pass here. Even if anyone recognizes me at all, I won't allow him to catch me. I'll just have to run away again. Yeah, that will keep me going faster on my journey all the same. Being on the run all the time….'

On his way, he came across to passersby. Both were women, who were wearing colorful kimonos and were talking loud enough for an old man to hear them.

"…And what time is it arriving anyway?"

"Right now," the other replied. "So we have to hurry. Otherwise, we might miss the ship!"

"But how do we know who Ayuki is?"

"She told me in her letter that she'll be arriving in a yellow kimono."

"Where was the ship coming from again?"

"China, Cathleya-chan!"

"Oh," her companion replied as Soujiro walked pass them. The girl named Cathleya grinned at the young man, who chose to ignore this. When he had walked a little farther, Soujiro looked back at the two women, and saw that they were heading west. He saw that a great smoke was emitting from afar in the other side of the forest he had been into.

'I didn't know there was a harbor on the other side,' he told himself. 'Oh, well. I don't have enough money anyway.'

The village was very small, only a few square bigger than the Shingetsu Village. This one, however, looked progressive anyway. The roofs of each house were made of bricks instead of straws. Everyone here was talking loudly, as if investing all the time. The village itself looked like a miniature of Tokyo fitted in a small area. Soujiro can't look twice into the same faces of people who walk by. There was a great smell of chicken coups, bird food, and pigsty mixed together. Soujiro spotted some middle-aged women, wearing farmer hats, who were loudly selling chicken feathers.

'Who the hell would want chicken feathers for?!'

He also saw some children huddled in a corner, under the shade of a tree, watching what seemed to be a puppet show. They cheered loudly every time the miniature dragon appears and reappears from behind the dusty curtain.

"Ouch!" he said out loud. Someone had bumped past him. He looked over his shoulder and saw a muscular man, carrying a huge sack of coals on his back.

"Gomenasai! Watch where you're going next time!" he said over to Soujiro.

"People here are so polite. They'll talk to you even if they don't know you," Soujiro told himself.

"Yes, my good man! You're sure right!"

Soujiro jumped. He spun around and found himself face-to-face with a brown-haired woman, who had apparently heard his remark.

"Come, come! Why don't you stay at our inn for a while? We offer an over-night rent at a low price with three healthy meals a day at a minimum price only!"

Soujiro waved his hand politely.

"Erm, gomen. I have no money. I'm just a traveler passing by!" he said, displaying his usual smile.

"I see, " the woman replied, dropping her professional accent. "But there isn't any village here for miles, and you won't be able to have any place to stay."

Another woman, a little older than the first one, strode over to Soujiro and asked imprudently, "Why? Are you an ex-convict, or a fugitive?!"

In spite of his cheerfulness, Soujiro was suddenly taken back. If he told these women what he was, he'll probably frighten them. But to his surprise, the other woman smiled and said,

"'Tis alright, m'dear! You can stay here at my inn! As long as you do you pay! We're also offering an over-night stay at such a low price with body massage if you want, and geishas who can entertain to your heart's desire!"

Soujiro scratched his head and laughed.

"That's very nice of you," he replied, bowing respectfully. "But you see, the thing is, I'm broke. I have no money!"

"Oh…" they chorused.

And with no further word, they left him. Soujiro doesn't care if their manners would seem rude to most people; for him, hearing that he's welcome to stay as a fugitive is enough kindness to last him a lifetime.

"Psst!"

Soujiro spun around and saw the first woman, who offered him a stay in her inn, behind him.

"Sir, it's alright if you have very few money. I'm offering you a stay in my inn for only five yens a day. This already includes your meals, and servings." She said this almost in a hushed manner.

Soujiro blinked and looked around if there were people watching them.

"And is this going to cost me something more than money?" he asked cautiously.

He had touched a nerve. The woman dropped her good-natured accent. She seems to know what the boy meant. Nostrils flaring and hands on her hips, she exclaimed,

"Of coarse not! I'm just offering you a sweet bargain, not that you're the first person I had offered something like this before. It's just very rare for passersby to come across our inn! Honestly, you offer kindness and this is what you get in return! FINE!" she strode past him.

"Ano!… I didn't really mean it that way! Alright I'll stay for just one night!" he said, before he could stop himself.

The woman looked at him and smiled. Soujiro bit his lip, wishing that he left when he had the chance.The woman led him inside the inn. It was true that passersby rarely come across this inn. The place was almost empty. Not that the place was a drag. If fact, it looked quite welcoming indeed. It was a fairly small place with paintings of ceramic teacups. There were sets of westernized chairs and tables on each side. A handsome staircase was at the left side of the entrance door.

"Wait here," the woman told Soujiro, as she strode to the other side. He watched as she entered the kitchens and after a while, came out with a block of wood in her hand.

"Here," she said, holding out the block, which was labeled 'Room 11'.

"Arigato," he replied, taking it.

"I'll take you to your room," she said.

She led the young man up the staircase. Soujiro snuffed his hands in his kimono and drew out a weather-beaten wallet, which he had had ever since he became a member of the Juppon Gatana. He had never received any savings from his former master, Shishio, or from Yumi. He swallowed hard when he found that he had only seven yens. Upon reaching the second floor, they turned left passing rooms 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. They turned right… Room 7, and Room 8… and left again…9, 10 and finally –

"Room 11th," the woman said, pulling the door open. "Make yourself feel right at home Mister…erm…."

"Seta."

"Right. If you ever need anything, Mr. Seta, please never hesitate to ask."

Soujiro bowed to her respectfully.

"Arigato gozaimas," he said.

With that, she also took a deep bow in reply, and left the dark-haired young man.

Chapter Four

Soujiro looked around the laid-back looking room. Its walls were painted with golden bamboo leaves. It reminded him a little of the bamboo-rich forest he had been into. He walked over to the balcony. He could see the whole village from up here. He can see the moving heads of passersby. He took a glimpse of the woman who had offered him a bargain. He grinned at himself, and wondered why she had done a deed of such. He should have been on his way now if it weren't for her.

"Oh, well. At least I'll still have two yens," he muttered to himself, smiling. "I think I should be on my way. The police might still be looking for me. I betcha there out there still." Soujiro looked over the forest. A great smoke was emitting from afar again. This time a ship must be sailing off from Japan. He looked up and watched cottons of clouds swim the azure sky.

So long…it has been so long since he looked up and saw the sky as beautiful as it did now. The last time he looked up. The sky was a dull gray and rain was showering from it. 'If you're strong, you'll live and if you're weak, you'll die. That was the truth Mr. Shishio taught me. But killing wasn't really what I wanted. I've killed so many times when a voice inside me was refusing to do so.'

He doesn't know why he just kept on thinking of what the voice, which pushed him into this journey, said. It just keeps plunging him into sleepless nights:

'To begin a new life, you must first open up your mind, accept your faults, and face your fears.' This was what Battousai the Slasher had told him, although Soujiro doesn't really understand it well enough. But the more he kept on thinking about it and the more he kept walking on his chosen road, the more it begins to make sense to him.

"Ah, Mr. Seta. What could I be of service to you?" the brown-haired woman asked when she saw Soujiro climb down the stairs.

"Iie. I just wanted to look around. I was getting quite bored. Erm… could I do some chores for you?"

The woman blinked.

"Excuse me?" she shook her head vigorously. "I'm sorry…but – what?"

Soujiro, knowing ahead what her reaction will be, laughed.

"Gomen," he replied. "It's just that I was used to doing chores for my former master. Besides, I'm not doing anything, and I'm the kind of person who doesn't like lying down and doing nothing."

"But," the woman retorted. "We don't allow guests to do chores we are supposed to do. It will be very rude to them."

The young man displayed his charming grin and said, "Well, I was hoping to get another discount by doing some chores. You see –"

"You're broke," she finished. "I know. But we already gave you a discount. Wasn't it enough?"

Soujiro blinked. Maintaining his politeness, he said, "But it was you who persuaded me to stay. I should've been on my way right now if it weren't for you."

The woman was taken back.

"Really? Well, why didn't you tell me? And for starters, why didn't you refuse?"

"Ano…" he scratched his head. "I was trying to do a good deed."

He smiled. The woman returned the smile.

"Then, where're you going?" she asked.

Soujiro shrugged. "I don't know. But I have all the time in ten years to find it. Besides, I'm not in a hurry."

The woman stared at the young man, thinking of his tender age to be a vagabond.

"Alright, you don't have to pay, just promise that you'll be careful. Whatever you're looking for, you'll find it someday."

Soujiro bowed at her deeply. "Arigato."

"By the way," he added curiously. "Why did you give me a discount?"

The woman grinned at his curiosity and said, "You look like someone I knew. You kind of reminded me of him."

"Oh…" Soujiro bowed again before turning on his heel.

'I must look a lot like many people,' he thought fondly. 'First Iwazo-san's son, now that woman's someone.'

Soujiro thought of begging for food. He hasn't eaten ever since he passed by the village. Perhaps there is another good soul out there like Iwazo and the woman, who was in fact right that there was no other village near by. Soujiro found himself into the dense shade of the forest once again. In reality, nobody wants to be alone. Even if Soujiro were already used to his silent wandering, with no one (let alone an animal) to talk to him but the trees, it would still be cheerful to be accompanied by someone. He was starting to miss his former fellow Juppon Gatana comrades, particularly Yumi, who was the closest to him next to Shishio. But he thought miserably, 'Who would want to be with a killer? This must be what it was like for Mr. Himura. 10 years of wandering. I wonder if I will be like this forever. But thinking of me sins make me feel unworthy of joy. I feel all of the weight of my sins, which had been kept inside me for so long, taking toll on me. I wonder what stopped Mr. Himura from wandering…'

Soujiro suddenly stopped his tracks. There was a difference in the rustle of leaves. He could hear hastened footsteps. He waited for the footsteps to come nearer to where he stood. He was preparing to dodge an attack. He can sense a movement from behind him…. there was fast-breathing…

"HIIYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"

Soujiro managed to step sideways without exerting much effort. His expression remained blank as his attacker straightened up.

"This is an odd place for teenagers to pass by," a woman in ninja suit said. She was a very attractive woman with long dark hair and fair eyes.

He sensed another person heading their direction. Soujiro looked over the trees. From one of the branches, a young woman, also wearing the same outfit, jumped from a tree.

"Who is it?" she asked her companion, who replied, "Just an ordinary passer by."

Soujiro looked over his shoulder saw another woman and two more men jump from above the trees. 'From the way they move, it looks like they've mastered Kempo.' He thought knowledgably. They were all looking at Soujiro, who remained neutral as he ever did in situations like this.

"Misao," a man, with the weirdest hair that Soujiro has ever seen, said. "Let's leave him. He looks like an ordinary boy."

Despite of his neutral expression, Soujiro felt a twinge of irritation: 'boy?'

The youngest woman, who Soujiro had predicted as the leader of the group, advanced forward. "Not until we ask him a few questions," she said, face set.

"What is your business here?" she asked Soujiro, who felt like being questioned in prison.

"What do you mean?" Soujiro answered innocently. "You heard him (he looked at asparagus head). I'm just an ordinary boy. A passerby. Not a sin to be one, is it?"

The young woman named Misao continued to frown.

"An ordinary boy?" she repeated, eyebrows rising. "I'm not convinced. I know someone whom I thought was as ordinary as you, but he really wasn't when I fought him. Now who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I told you," Soujiro pressed on. "I'm just passing by. Now can I please get on with my journey? I've got a long way to go."

Misao folded her arms. "Are you sure?" she demanded.

"Hai."

She considered him for a while, and then satisfied, she faced her comrades. "Gang! We'll leave now. Spread word to others. I need to write a letter to Kyoto."

Although Soujiro doesn't understand what she meant, it was clear to him that he has no business here, and that his purpose was done.

"Well," he said, almost awkwardly. "I'll be on my way."

"Sorry if we mistook you for someone. But you should be careful on the way. It's not safe nowadays." The girl leader said.

With that, the group left Soujiro with the same manner as their entrance. He heard them until their footsteps died out, and all he can hear once again is the familiar rustling of leaves.

Chapter Five

Soujiro leaned back at the tree stump. He had finally found an adaptable place to settle in for the night. The fire he made, just as the previous night, gave his fair skin Goosebumps. He wrapped himself in his blue kimono tighter, and felt the warmth of his own body. The night was quite cold again, and the breeze made it even colder. On the ground lay sticks and fish bones. Lucky he was when nature responded to the needs of a young man. He had found the extension of the same river where he caught catfish from the other day.

He breathed deeply and closed his eyes. He crossed his arms around his chest, and allowed his mind to wander.

He suddenly remembered the odd encounter he had this afternoon with a bunch of 'lost rangers', as he had decided to call them.

'What was it all about anyway, and why is the road dangerous nowadays?' he thought.

But clearly, this had nothing to do with his journey, so he shouldn't worry about it, should he?

'It's not my business so I shouldn't ponder about affairs that are not involved with me. Why should I care if the road's dangerous nowadays? Is that going to affect me one way or another? I shouldn't allow anything to interfere with me. It was probably what Mr. Himura did. He didn't bother interfering with other people, and other people didn't bother interfering with him. Maybe that's why he found his truth in ten years time. But –'

Soujiro snapped his eyes open, and stood up quickly.

'Now what?'

This time there was a different sound.

They couldn't be thieves because they were making too much noise. They couldn't be the 'lost rangers' either because the noise sounded like guffawing idiots.

Soujiro hurriedly, but quietly, scooped some water from the river and poured it on his campfire. He hid among the bushes, listening intently like a lion waiting to pounce. He could even hear his own breathing.

He doesn't like the idea of lurking in shadows all the time and hiding whenever possible. He doesn't like the idea of showing weakness, but he has to if he wants to continue with his journey. What if the guffawing voices belong to policemen? He's still on the run, and the police are still looking for him. He sat in the shadows miserably, thinking about what his former master will say if ever he sees his right-hand man hiding from guffawing voices.

After a while, the laughter grew louder. Soujiro could tell they were only inches away now. He can hear the voices of at least three men.

"I wonder where the hell is that little bitch…" he heard a dirty voice say.

"She shouldn't be far from here."

"Let's search the woods…"

Soujiro can hear them coming his way. What was he to do?

'I don't think these men are police anyway. They're more likely to be thieves or yakuza. It wouldn't hurt if I defend myself for a change.'

His heart leaped a notch.

'I wouldn't kill them, I promise.'

He stood up from his hiding place, and saw a figure holding a lamp, just trees away, approaching in his direction. The figure was muttering things to itself, which sounded like curses. When the man came nearer to Soujiro, he also saw the young man.

He raised his lamp to the shadowy figure and said in an airy tone,

"Oh, sweetheart…is that you?"

The lamp reflected in the darkness, revealing the face of a smiling young man. Soujiro, in return, saw the face of the man in the darkness. He was a middle-aged man with shaggy dark hair, and unkempt mustache. He had wrinkles on his face, and a slight alertness in his eyes when he saw Soujiro.

"Who the hell are you?" the man retorted.

"What?" Soujiro answered casually. "I'm just a wanderer in the woods. What about you?"

Although the boy would seem childlike to most people, his charisma didn't have any effect whatsoever on the man, who was apparently drunk. Soujiro could see pink patches on the man's cheeks. Besides, the man smelled strongly of sake. The drunk dropped the lamp on the ground and pulled out his sword. This was what Soujiro has been waiting for: a moment to attack. An opportunity to keep his skills sharpened like a lion honing his claws on a rock.

"Go home to your mother, you filthy brat!"

"AAAARRRGGHHHH!!!"

Ichiro and Hiroka looked at each other, their lamps limping from their grips.

"What in blazes was that, Ichiro? Did'yah hear it?"

The man's eyes grew wide.

"'Coarse I did! It sounded like Itto!"

They heard another "AAARRGGGHHH" of the same voice, and ran quickly to the spot where their friend Itto searched for the "little bitch".

They both pulled out their swords.

They gasped when they reached the scene. Itto's lamp was burning lightly on the ground, and his body lay eagle-spread in front of a dark-haired young man, who was holding the scabbard of Itto's katana.

"Who are you?! And what've you done?!" Ichiro shouted, pointing at their companion's body.

Soujiro looked down, not at the body, but at the fallen lamp, which was burning leaves on the ground, and said,

"I know you should probably tell your friend that it's not polite to put fire on an unsecured spot. It's not the right way of making a camp fire, you know."

"Ha,ha, you puny idiot!" Hiroka said scathingly.

He gripped his katana with both hands tightly and said, "You'll pay for this!"

Ichiro followed suit.

"Do you think you can save you life with just a scabbard?!"

Soujiro smiled faintly. "We'll see."

Ichiro and Hiroka attacked at their opponent, who had disappeared at the moment they raised their katana. The two held their breaths for a while. They moved not a muscle. Nothing could be heard but the wind.

A swoosh of wind swept behind Ichiro and as fast as he heard it, he felt something hard thwack him on the neck. It was like being cut with a real sword. Ichiro's body thumped on the ground even before Hiroka saw that his companion was injured. It happened so fast; he didn't even see it coming. He jumped backwards quickly, away from the young man. He raised his katana again, trying to muster some courage. He doesn't know why this kid was making him so nervous.

"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER! WHAT DO WE HAVE AGAINST YOU ANYWAY?!"

Soujiro's grip on the scabbard lightened when he heard the shaking man in front of him, as if fighting for his life. He wasn't really going to kill the man. He was just trying to defend himself. The man took advantage of Soujiro's hesitation.

"Aaarrrgghhh!!!!!"

Hiroka lunged towards Soujiro, katana raised. But even his advance didn't work. The moment Soujiro sensed the man's energy level go up, he gripped his katana and raised it with the same level as the man's. Hiroka swung his katana at Soujiro, who ducked at the same time and thwacked the scabbard under the man's chest. Hiroka's katana fell from its owner's hand, and fell to the ground before Hiroka himself felt his own body hit the ground.

Soujiro stood upright still with the scabbard in his grip, and stared at the bodies he had knocked out. The cold night wind swept his face as he heard the same haunting voice of Kenshin Himura echo in his head, as though threatening him:

'Bullies like you aren't born, you're made.'

'Bully? Did I do something wrong again? I merely defended myself from people weaker than I am, and I succeeded. I didn't really wanted to hurt them in the first place, did I?'

But he heard another voice in his head. It was the same voice. It was his.

But it was provoking him more than the first.

'Oh, but you did. Remember? The weak are for sport. They are nothing more than food for the strong. Their flesh makes our flesh. That's why there's such a thing called Survival of the Fittest. Who says bullies aren't born? Why did you think you earned the title "Tenken"? A killer still lives inside you. This is the truth. Accept it.'

The scabbard slipped from Soujiro's hand without his consent. He put his hands over his ears.

'But I didn't kill them! I didn't! This isn't the truth I was looking for, and it's not true! I only became a killer because I had no choice! I would've died!'

The words came out from his mouth, even before he knew it did.

"Damn it! What the HELL is the matter with ME?!"

At the same time, he heard another sound from afar: the breaking of a glass.

Soujiro took his hands off his ears, startled.

"What. There's more of them?"

This snapped him back from reality. The voices from his head vanished. It was like thwacking a stick on a bunch of singing birds to silence them up.

Soujiro heard another breaking of a glass. He looked over the dark spot where Ichiro and Hiroka had appeared. He can picture a figure moving from it again. He doesn't know what happened to him, but it drove him crazy. But right now, what matters is his survival. Picking up the scabbard he dropped, he slipped behind a tree trunk and listened He could hear his own breathing again.

He heard rustling footsteps….

A voice was getting louder…

He could feel someone nearing…

Ichiro's head rose from the ground…he was gaining consciousness…

Soujiro extended his scabbard and thwacked the man with the great muster of strength.

Ichiro's head limped back into its unconscious state.

"Oh, I knew with the skies blue….. and the lips of the sun goddess spoke… and the clouds shifted….. oh, Mt. Fuuuuuujjjiiii…."

Soujiro heard a voice singing, quite badly, and it belonged to a woman. The high-pitched voice definitely belonged to one. Only, whoever she was, she was drunk. Soujiro thought that she must be a worse drinker compared to Itto and his companions.

Even from his hiding place, he could smell sake…and the woman was still barely a foot away.

The singing suddenly stopped…

He glimpsed from behind the tree, only to find not even a shadowy figure.

SPLASH!

The sound of splashing water rang the equilibrium in the forest.

Soujiro spun around. Someone had fallen into the river, and he was sure whom it was. Should he go and get her? He doesn't even know her. But for heaven's sake, the woman's drunk. Besides, she could be something of use.

Soujiro dropped the scabbard. He walked carefully nearer the river, and freed himself from his upper kimono. He left his white shirt on, and threw the kimono aside. He took a deep breath and dived in.

If the night felt so cold on dry land, it was nothing to the icy feeling underwater. The water seemed to cut through Soujiro's skin like tiny knives, paralyzing every particle of him. Nevertheless, it was all or nothing. He went deeper as the water grew colder. The river wasn't too deep that he shouldn't be too worried about the woman sinking deeper than this. After squinting around for no longer than a minute, he saw a figure immobile in the water, illuminated by the moonlight. It was the fallen drunkard.

Soujiro swam towards her direction.

The woman's head was lolling on her shoulders. Soujiro grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up.

Finally, emerging on the surface of the dark water, he took a breath of fresh air, which seems to feel warmer after he plunged into the river.

Soujiro struggled to swim towards dry land, when the woman suddenly regained consciousness. She opened her eyes beadily and looked up at her rescuer. When Soujiro noticed this, he stopped at the shallow part of the river, and shook her gently.

"Hey, miss. Are you alright now?" he asked nervously.

Soujiro saw her lips move to form words Soujiro could barely recognize.

"What?" he asked, nearing his ears to her lips. But at that moment, the woman lost consciousness once more.

Chapter 6

Sumiboshi Hotel has just closed for the evening. It was the only inn in the whole village with an "East-meets-West" theme. But over the past few years, the inn has made no progress. It would be lucky if passersby will notice the stained screen door and unclean banner embossed with the name "Sumiboshi Hotel". But the sight inside the very inn was far different from its outside appearance. The walls were painted with magnificent-looking ceramic teacups, lined with gold and silver paint. Inside, a brown-haired woman named Yuri was sitting on one of the western-styled chairs. She is the owner of Sumiboshi Hotel.

"I just don't get it Yuri-san," the bartender said from behind his counter. He was wiping a western-styled wine cups. He and Yuri were the only people who are left in the hotel this evening.

"Don't get what, exactly?" the woman asked.

"Why is it that people don't often pass by our village anymore."

Yuri scratched her chin thoughtfully and said, "Well, ever since the Shingetsu Village has been terrorized by a powerful convict and his band of cronies, travelers had avoided any road near to it, and our village is only miles away from it."

The bartender put the glass down and asked more interestingly,

"Shingetsu Village? Never heard of it."

The woman drew out a cigarette from her obi and lighted it from a little lamp in front of her.

"Even before the village was terrorized, it wasn't too popular. You just arrived here months after it was terrorized, and the government chose to cross-out the village from Japan's territory."

"Ah…" the bartender said unconsciously, inclining his well-kept dark hair. "Who was the criminal responsible for the disturbance?"

Yuri placed the cigarette on her pouted mouth. "I dunno. I know I'd heard on his name before, but it slipped from my memory. But I do remember that the man was a former Meiji assassin, and that he didn't so the terrorizing monopoly. They said he led an army."

The bartender raised an eyebrow, as though testing Yuri's credibility for gossips.

"An army? How come he didn't become popular to most people? I didn't even see a single article in the newspaper about a former Meiji assassin who overtook the Shingetsu Village."

"Well," Yuri answered. "They said he worked secretly. And the government didn't want to scare people so they hushed it all up."

The bartender was eager to learn more but when he opened his mouth to speak, Yuri raised her hand to silence him up.

"Susuke," she told the bartender. " I'm in a migraine right now." She pointed at the forehead. "It all happened in the past. It's over now. The Shingetsu has regained their freedom back, and the terrorist, as I've heard, is dead."

Suddenly, just as the two of them weren't expecting it, there was a knock on the door.

Driven by Yuri's story, the bartender snatched a broom that was leaning on the wall and strode over to the door.

"Susuke, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Yuri hissed.

Susuke put a finger on his lips, meaning to silence the woman.

"Who is it?" he called behind the stained screen door. A voice, familiar to Yuri, answered from behind.

"Seta, Soujiro. I was your customer earlier this afternoon."

Yuri, recognizing the voice, got up and strode quickly over to the door. The cigarette was still on the mouth.

"Susuke, put that away!" she hissed between her teeth, pointing at the broom that the bartender was holding.

After the man threw it behind his counter with a loud thud, Yuri slid open the screen door.

A young dark-haired man, who was soggy and shivering slightly from head to foot, was standing outside in the dark, holding something in his arms.

"Gomenasai. But I don't really know where to go. I hope your offer still stands, ma'am," he said, wearing his usual smile. But it was quite a stained smile because of the immense coldness his body was in.

"Seta-san! Please come in! You're shivering to death!" Yuri exclaimed, gesturing him inside frantically.

Soujiro didn't need telling twice. After Yuri closed the door and faced the young man, and saw what he was carrying, she asked, "Seta-san, what is that?!" she pointed at the thing wrapped in his blue kimono. Soujiro pulled the kimono off a little, and revealed the face of a girl.

"Thassa girl!" Yuri said breathlessly. "Where did you find her? And how – "

"Can you please give her a room to stay in for the night? I'll pay you for the logging." He said hastily.

"Ha…Hai."

"And can you please give her something to change into? She's soggy."

"And?"

"I'll pay for it too."

"What about you, Seta-san? Aren't you going to stay in for the night? You're just going to leave her this way?"

"Wha-?" Soujiro looked down at the figure in his arms that still smelled of sake.

"Couldn't I?"

"Well if you're her brother or husband, you must not leave her," Yuri said, the cigarette shaking with the movements of her mouth. "What is your relation to her anyway?"

"Nothing. I just found her."

"Ah…well, that was really noble of you, Seta-san! You saved her..."

Soujiro blinked. "What's noble about that?"

"So do you intend to stay with her?" she asked, ignoring Soujiro.

He took a glimpse of the girl. He considered for a while. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.

Chapter 7

"Arigato," Soujiro said, taking the cup of hot tea from Yuri. It was very early in the morning. The village was still quieted by booze. Sumiboshi Hotel is still closed for the day. Its windows were unopened and its door was still closed. However, three of Sumiboshi's occupants that morning were sitting in a corner, enjoying the warmth inside the hotel, which cannot be felt out in the open. Susuke, the young laid-back bartender, ate quietly between his two companions.

"Sou-chan," Yuri began, after pushing the cup of tea to Soujiro. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Eh?" he answered, looking up at her. "Ano, to tell you the truth, I didn't because I'm not used in sleeping in the same room with someone else."

He smiled at Yuri, who returned it briefly.

"That's alright. We gave you twin futons anyway. Besides, I think you're far too innocent to know about malicious things. Unlike some people I know…" she pressed on Susuke.

"Uh-m?" he mumbled through his food.

"Well, I'm not so sure about the word innocent! Hahaha..." Soujiro said willingly.

"We should've offered you another room, but I know you're far too delicate and innocent anyway."

"Eh? You told me to stay with her," he replied innocently.

"By the way, Sou-chan," Yuri said, putting her elbows on the table to draw nearer to Soujiro. "Why did the woman strongly smell of sake? She wasn't drunk when you found her, was she?"

Soujiro took a sip of tea before answering her. "Hai. At least I think she was. She was singing like a lunatic before she fell into the river. Do you think a normal person would do that?"

"Oh yes," Susuke blurted. "Yuri would."

Soujiro smiled at him.

"Shut up, smart ass. Be quiet and just eat your stupid meal!" Yuri spat annoyingly to the bartender, who suddenly choked.

"What is it?" she asked almost urgently.

Susuke coughed harder. He pounded his fist on his chest, pointing frantically at his throat. A chunk of meat was stuck in it. Soujiro could see his eyes bulging.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Yuri thwacked him at the back with a loud thud. A half-chewed chunk of meat came flying out of his mouth and found it's way into Soujiro's cup of tea. Soujiro stepped on his own foot to keep himself from giving out a mad laugh. Susuke laughed at his own embarrassment, pointing at Soujiro's ruined tea. Yuri kept herself silenced, but Soujiro could see her face flush.

"Oh, this isn't right!" Yuri said, standing up. "Susuke, sometimes you embarrass me! I'll just get another cup of tea for our customer." She took the cup and bowed to Soujiro.

"Gomen, Seta-san."

Soujiro declined frantically. "Iie. It was nothing. It was a bit funny, though."

The woman bowed to him again and headed for the kitchen. Soujiro watched her as she went. He looked at Susuke, who turned his eyes away when his met with Soujiro's. Susuke took out a pack of cigarettes from his kimono. He took a piece, and lit it from the lamp on the table.

"Want one?" he asked, offering Soujiro the pack.

"Iie. Arigato. But I don't smoke."

The bartender snorted, as if mocking an eighteen-year-old who doesn't even know what smoking is. He put the pack back in his kimono. He inhaled a great deal of nicotine and puffed it out in a great smoke. Soujiro was watching him. He doesn't understand why a lot of people like smoking. He remembered back when he was still with Shishio, and tried doing it. He was eleven years old when he stole a puff from Shishio's pipe when the man wasn't looking, and was unfortunately caught in his attempt after coughing so hard.

"I don't really smoke, you know," Susuke told Soujiro. "But it became a habit for me after a while. It warms you up. The weather's quite wet and cold in the village, you know. I think everyone here smokes. I learned how to do it ever since I stopped here from wandering. Do you want to try one?"

Soujiro grinned at him, but gave an answer similar to what he had before. "Iie. Arigato. But I don't smoke."

Susuke gave out another blow.

"So, you've been wandering, Susuke-sa?" Soujiro asked.

The man nodded. "Years ago. I don't anymore. As you can see."

"Why were you wandering?"

"Looking for a place to stay."

"Why?"

"I had nowhere else to go."

"Why did you stop wandering?"

"Because of that woman." He said, pointing at the woman who has just appeared from the kitchen, holding Soujiro's fresh tea.

"Here you go," Yuri, said, placing the cup before Soujiro. "So where were you from, Seta-sa?"

Soujiro doesn't really know what to reply. Attempting to change the subject, he said, "Please just call me, Soujiro. I'm not really used to being respected that way. Anyway, what's your relationship with each other?" (Soujiro thought this was quite a stupid thing to blurt in a conversation, but what the heck...)

"What? Me and him?" Yuri asked.

He nodded.

"You ask her!" Susuke blurted in, glaring at Yuri. "I feel as if I've been given a decade contract to serve her!"

Yuri held up a finger to silence the bartender. "First of all, it was your fault why half of our hotel's burnt. Second, you volunteered to pay manually because you claimed you have no money, and because you don't want to go to jail! Thirdly, you have a nerve to exaggerate the story by saying a decade contract!"

"A minor mistake!" he replied dramatically. "But the rest I've said is true!"

Susuke and Yuri gibbered on and on. Soujiro didn't dare stop them. He could see a twinkle in their eyes different from the ones that two people in a real quarrel has. They were more likely to be teasing each other. In fact, Soujiro could tell that they liked this kind of conversation, even though their faces were a little contorted. Soujiro has never seen real friends act like this before. He's been with the Juppon Gatana, but he doesn't know if any of them were what he could consider as friends.

'I wonder what happened to them - to all of them. After Himura-san's comrades defeated our side, we went our different paths. I wonder if Himura-san's comrades were whom he considers as friends.'

He looked at Susuke at Yumi, who both doesn't seem to notice his presence anymore. 'They didn't need Survival of the Fittest. They're just ordinary people. Much alike the ones Shishio-san made me kill. I wonder if those who died by my hands were as happy as Susuke-sa and Yumi-sa before I…'

Soujiro's thoughts slowly ebbed away.

"I bet you think I'm right, Seta-sa," a woman's voice said.

"What?" he replied, staring innocently.

"I'm right aren't I?" she retorted.

Soujiro bit his lip. "Ano… I wasn't listening closely."

Chapter 8

Sumiboshi opened later that morning. Soujiro fondly watched the passersby as he stood in front of the entrance door. He doesn't know why, but he's looking for a sign to where he's going next.

"The climate must be good enough on that mountain," he said, looking beyond north of the village.

"Seta-san, Seta-san!" a woman's voice called from behind him. Soujiro looked behind his shoulder.

"I thought you already left," Yumi said, striding over to him.

"Ano… I'm still figuring out which direction to take," he said, smiling fondly at her.

"Well, it depends on where you want to go," she answered.

"I don't know where, and that's what's funny about it." Soujiro couldn't help smiling. But it was the usual ironic smile he gave whenever he's confused. His habit has never left him, even after fighting Kenshin Himura.

"Well, most passersby go from there –," she said, pointing at the mountain Soujiro was just thinking about going in to a while ago.

"Hai. Arigato," he said bowing to her. "You've been one of the kindest people I ever knew."

Susuke appeared behind Yumi. "Oy, I thought you already left," he told Soujiro.

"Arigato, Susuke-sa. You've been kind to me as well."

"Well, how many kind people have you met anyway?!" Susuke jokingly said.

"A few." He took another bow, and finally, turned his back on them and walked away. They watched him as he went.

"Strange," Yumi said, when Soujiro was miles away already. "I've never seen anyone as mysterious as Seta-sa. I wonder what he had went through."

Susuke nodded. "He must have had a horrible past, wandering around the place like that. Imagine. He doesn't even know where he's going at such a young age."

"Maybe it was just fair if we let him stay here. He could work in my restaurant."

But Susuke shook his head gently and replied, "A man must learn to find the answers himself. Only then can he find peace with himself, and with the world."

The weather was as unpredictable as travelers can expect it to be. It was cold in the evening, but hot in the morning. It was a wise choice to choose to go through the mountains, for the weather was a scorching torture. Soujiro was miles and miles away from the village now. He could feel sweat trickle down his forehead. His inner shirt was sticking on his back. The air he inhales is like his own breath, merely returning in his lungs.

"I hate this," he muttered under his breath. The hotness of the weather, and the unpleasant sensation reminds him of an incident in his childhood when his "brothers and sisters" forced him to carry sacks of rice to be transferred to the shack. The sun was as scorching as it is now. When he was carrying his first sack, it made him think about the rice he was carrying. His eldest "brother" said one time that weeds were pests in the rice fields. Aside from the fact that they become a hindrance to the rice business, they don't really belong with the wheat growing in the field. They just sprouted out of nowhere. This made Soujiro think that he was a weed, and that his "brothers and sisters" were the wheat. They were the real occupants of the place they liked to call home, and he was only a bastard son that sprouted out of nowhere.

"Weeds should be plucked!" His "brother" said.

It was one of the most exhausting days of his life. A huge sack of rice overweighed and oversized for him, resting on his feeble back. Even now the huge sack of rice never departed from his back. He felt as if it never got off even after he killed his family, went with Shishio's journeys, learned kenjutsu in the process, killed other people, fought Kenshin Himura and defeated afterwards by the man, and took the path he chose.

He kept his head down as he tugged on. He'd rather feel the heat scorch his neck than his face. As he walked, he saw a single weed rooted alongside the road. He bent over and gripped it hardly, recklessly plucking it up the ground. He straightened up and stared at the useless thing in his hand.

"Weeds should be plucked," he heard himself say. "Stupid lies. I am not worthless, even if I am a bastard son. Even if I'm weak, surely there's still something in me that anyone could consider as special."

Hot air swept his direction. He released the weed and watched as it rode with the wind, away from his direction. There was no point in staying on the spot so he moved on.

Soujiro was nearing the foot of the mountains. He could see its great steeps rise from the ground. He quickened his steps. He was more than willing to be under the comfort of a shade.

"I wonder why this place looks so familiar," he said under his breath. "I feel like I've been here before."

An image of an extremely muscular man with the size of almost twice that of a full-grown man suddenly appeared in Soujiro's mind. The man was named Senkaku. Soujiro stopped in his tracks, staring up at the mountain. He remembers it like it happened yesterday: Senkanku lost against his battle with Kenshin Himura and lingered somewhere in this place – somewhere near a river.

Senkaku was fleeing for his life, thinking that one of Shishio's men was out to kill him – to punish him. Careless as he was frantic, Senkaku fell face forward. Soujiro crept unto the pitiful figure panting on the ground.

"S-S-Soujiro..." Senkaku said, looking up at the young man, who as staring down at him with expressionless eyes.

"Hello, Senkaku-san," Soujiro replied indifferently.

Senkaku straightened up in a sitting position, legs crossed.

"Why did you come here?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry, I haven't been given orders to kill you."

Senkaku said nothing, but turned his back at Soujiro and faced the river. A school of fishes can be seen from the surface of the clear water. Both warriors remained silent for a while, restrained in their own thoughts.

"Senkaku-san," the boy began. "If I may be as foolish as to ask you, but why are you still alive even after being defeated by Himura-san?" Soujiro didn't dare look at the man. It was embarrassing to ask a weak person such a question that was meaningful. The ideal was awkward – preposterous, and yet…

"I don't know why I'm still alive. All I know is that after being defeated by the Kenshin Himura, I learned how precious life is. He's a very compassionate man and I respect him for that. Master Shishio couldn't have done the same."

These words, instead of helping Soujiro, confused him even more.

'I don't understand it.' he told himself. 'Why doesn't Himura-san kill? Why does he show compassion? But mercy cannot exist in this vicious world…'

Soujiro's thoughts somehow made his head turn at Senkaku's direction. He opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, something caught his eye: A farm bird came flying down the surface of the water and pulled out a wriggling fish. The bird gloriously ascended the sky with its weak prey fighting for its freedom.

This lit a fire in Soujiro's mind. A voice inside Soujiro made a faint smile to spread on his face. He turned his attention to Senkaku again. The man was in complete remorse thoughts. 'The strong shall live and the weak shall die.'

With one swift moment, a dagger thrust itself into Senkaku's head. The man had barely enough time to react. His body never left its sitting position as the blood gushed forth into the river.

"It is you who is mistaken, Himura-san." Soujiro said, as he unsheathed his dagger and watched his victim's blood mingle with the clear water.

Soujiro remained unmoved. Amid the hot weather, he felt so cold inside. It felt like icy knives were attacking him from the inside. The sensation was hard to bear. He felt his stomach jump when he thought if Senkaku's body was still in its lifeless position somewhere in this place. Soujiro looked around for a river, but there wasn't any.

'If this is the place where I found Senkaku-san, then the Shingetsu Village must be near as well. It must be on the other side of the mountain. If I want to go on, I have no choice but to face my fear of coming across my past.' He felt like there was a wriggling worm in his stomach.

"I wonder if they can still remember me."

Chapter 9

Soujiro wanted to blame his own feet for dragging him into a wrong direction. The Shingetsu Village not only reminded him of painful memories, but because the inhabitants there detested him. But as of the moment, Soujiro realized that he had no other choice but to go through a place he would most avoid. Besides, he knows sooner or later he has to face the ghosts of his past.

'You can't run away from your past, can you?' he thought, looking up at the mountain. Gathering courage, Soujiro made his way through the mountain. He noticed that the ground was quite rocky to begin with.

"If only they knew the things I went through," he muttered, thinking of the folks in the Shingetsu as the ground began to rise. "I know I was wrong, but what can I do? I know I'm weak, but it doesn't really bother me much anymore."

He stared down at the rocky ground. The loss of water seems to have dried its lot. The path was quite jagged that it hurt. He remembered a severely bandaged man, ten years ago, holding out a wakazashi to him.

"Here," Shishio said, handing the short sword to young Soujiro. "You earned my trust, boy, and for that I give you my sword. This world will always be a survival of the fittest. People don't respect you because you are weak. In this jungle, the flesh of the weak is food of the strong."

The trees surrounding the area swayed slightly as Soujiro walked the road halfway from the heart of the mountain. The atmosphere here was much cooler than that of down below. He had to admit, it was tranquil to be passing through the density of the tress. The sun was peeking from above the gaps of leaves. The grasses carpeting Soujiro's path were slender and steady. Away from the restlessness of city life, this area, unblemished by human hand is peaceful enough for him. He thought if this alone would be the one to accompany him, so be it. Besides, (his stomach squirmed when he thought of it) who would want to be with a killer? What bothered Soujiro the most was the thought of seeing Senkaku's lifeless body, if it was still within the mountain. He was used to seeing dead bodies, but this thought made him feel uneasy.

'I hope a clearing could curtail this uneasiness. For some reason, I don't want to spend my evening here.' Soujiro massaged his fatigued neck, hoping for the best.

But what he hoped for wasn't what he received. He found no refuge in a clearing that evening. Soujiro thinks that he must be in the heart of the forest now. Normally, he's accustomed to taking his dinner at this time of the day, but there seemed to be something wrong about his appetite. Hunger didn't dare surge in his stomach even as he sat on the cold grassy ground with a campfire crackling before him. Soujiro felt his heart skip a beat whenever the slightest movements catch his eye. He keeps on staring into the darkness, as if someone was staring back. By now he was used to camping because he used to be a messenger for Shishio. However, this place…feels so different. Soujiro stared blankly at the fire, trying hard to push his thoughts away. He closed his eyes. Was he the young man whom was formerly known as "Tenken"? Was he the prodigy of a strong-willed man who wanted to rule Japan? Did he journey northwards and met a kind-hearted landlady and a jovial bartender? Was he the savior of a beautiful drunk girl? All these memories seem so distant now. Smiling to himself, Soujiro lolled his head to his chest and crossed his arms. The seductive softness of his kimono overtook him again. Besides, it was all he had to keep him warm in any night. A cool breeze blew on his shaggy dark hair, as slowly, he dozed off to sleep…

The night was like any other night young Soujiro had ever since he decided to be in the company of Shishio Makoto, now someone he referred to as his "master". The rain was pouring, so furiously, that young Soujiro felt so cold and wet even if he and his "master" was resting under the comfort of an orange tree. It has been a month now since their journey together. Still, Soujiro looked as shabby as he was back with his "family". He wore the same dirty clothes, and had hardly grown any taller. But as he sat there, side-by-side with his "master", who was leaning comfortably on the tree, he thought that life was much better now than it was before.

"Shishio-sa," he began, amid the roaring thunder. "Am I a bad person now? I've cut many people recently and seen them bleed."

"Don't try to sound think, boy. You haven't done anything that I can consider as acceptable to the underworld."

"But…" he said, looking up at Shishio. "Does that make me evil already?"

"I told you – no."

Shishio looked down at the boy. "I told you that I'd make you stronger, so strong that I'll be the only person stronger than you. We're just getting started. Are you starting to get scared now?"

The boy blinked and smiled at the man.

"Iie."

The thunder roared harder. Raindrops seem to slit through the leaves of the trees, and evading comfort of the weary travelers. Soujiro felt so cold… so cold like it was real…

Soujiro opened his eyes. The rain was pouring hardly like it did in his dream. It must have rained all of a sudden because Soujiro found his kimono still quite dry, and the campfire still dimly lit. He stood up from his resting position and stretched his muscles as he turned his face northwards to feel the rain on his face. He greedily sustained the sensation as he stood there for a while. The rain always catches up with him. Smiling to himself, he turned himself back to earth as it was, and pushed back his wet hair from his brow.

"I better get a move on."

Soujiro stood from a steep, muddy as it was. From this point, he can see a village familiar to him. But from what he could see, it didn't look as pathetic as it was when he last saw it. When he last took a glimpse of the Shingetsu Village, the houses were made mostly out of straws and cheap steel. However, progress is obvious for most of the houses could be compared to the town houses in Kyoto. The number of residents seems to have increased. Soujiro had the thought that perhaps the government helped the folks in Shingetsu to rehabilitate their area. He saw no sign of policemen anywhere. But he doubts it if everyone there will not recognize him as their former slayer. Soujiro made his way down the steep. The ground was still quite jagged with rocks, but towards the village he could see soft soil. He recalls the very first time he set foot on it… It was one of the bloodiest days of his life…

Chapter 10

Soujiro breathed deeply. It was a beautiful day. He had the buoyant look of a handsome young man whose face is never distant from a smile. He was standing at the edge of the village, apparently waiting for someone.

"Senkaku-sa," he said, looking over his shoulder when he felt the man's presence. "You're late. I was expecting you minutes ago."

A man with bulging overworked muscles, Senkaku was carrying with him a pair of blades sharp enough to swipe out any man's existence off this earth. He strode over to Soujiro with a hungry look in his eyes.

"Sorry for my delay, Soujiro. Shishio-sama gave me…err… different orders."

"Eh?" the young man said quizzically. "Different orders?"

"Too bad you weren't there. I was ordered to execute two Meiji spies. I should say that they made my day. I made my way here as soon as I was finished with them, just to make sure I don't miss out on anything - not that I took too long."

"Iie…Senkaku-sa," Soujiro said, as if teasing him. "I wouldn't start without you. Besides,

Shishio-sa only wanted me to come because he has a message for the villagers. But he told me that you were the one to take over here once we bag this as his territory."

He raised his left hand, revealing a magnificent-looking sword. Senkaku wasn't surprised to see it. Soujiro Seta wasn't the kind of killer who likes to miss out any amusement. The smiling swordsman pulled the sword an inch from its scabbard.

"Besides, Senkaku-sa," he said over his shoulder. "I'm Shishio-sa's messenger. He orders me for more important things."

Senkaku grunted. "Let's get started," the man said, clashing his blades together.

"I've just tasted blood this morning, and I'm willing to have some more."

Soujiro nodded impatiently, as if nothing was more important. "Hai, hai, Senkaku-sa," he said, smiling.

The two walked side-by-side as they went into the village. The very first thing that Soujiro saw was an old house with boarded windows. He saw that most of the houses were in almost the same pathetic condition. If the windows weren't boarded, the walls were. This made him conclude an amusing idea why his master chose a man as reckless as Senkaku to watch over an area as such. A smile flickered on his face.

It wasn't a warm welcome for the two strangers. Before they could take another step, two men, who both seems to be farmers, approached them with an air of apprehension.

"What is your business?!" a hard-faced man retorted, pointing a wooden sword at the strangers.

"Strangers are not welcome in this village!" the other man, who was holding a spear, shouted.

It was not for the first time that Soujiro experienced being treated like this. Everywhere, ever since he assassinated Chief of Internal Affairs Toshimichi Okubo, people became either more sentient or more terrified of their environment. They were either spineless eels or stalking eagles.

'As spineless eels,' Soujiro thought. 'These two are definitely on top of my list. The only stalking eagles I've seen so far is Mr. Himura and Mr. Hajime.'

"Eh? Not very polite, I see," Soujiro said out loud pleasantly. He smiled at the angry pair.

"You should show respect for your new master!" Senkaku growled, clashing his blades together. "It's about time someone put a backbone in this useless village of yours."

Senkaku advanced on them. The foreboding sight of the man made the two farmers take a few steps back. Senkaku clashed his blades again. With one swift moment, a blade seemingly flashed before the eyes of the pair and slashed them so fast, that they didn't have the chance to scream. The bodies were dead even before they hit the ground. A pool of blood issued out from the corpses, and crawled on the ground in which a smiling young man was standing at.

"Senkaku-sa," Soujiro pointed out casually. "It is perhaps unwise to waste precious energy on these weaklings."

"It was nothing," Senkaku replied.

A group of men were approaching their direction, apparently had witnessed what Senkaku did. Soujiro thought that this must be the group of elders Shishio told him about. They were the advisers, lawmakers, and the closest that could be considered governors of the village. Among the group of men, was an aged – almost writhing - old man, whose extremely old age made shadows under his eyes visible.

"Leave," the old man said calmly. "If you are thieves, you have nothing to take from this little village. If you are passersby, just pass by and walk away. If you are street thugs, leave us in peace for you'll benefit nothing in harming farmers, old men, women and children. If you are policemen, you surely have no business for this is a quiet and peaceful village."

Soujiro thought the old man was indeed very wise, not to mention sharp for his age. He has no doubt that this must be the main elder who governs the village. The old man seems to have seen too much in his life, and doesn't trust anyone at all. But in spite of the insights Soujiro collected about the old man, what needs to be done has to be done.

"Well," he began, as though being casually invited for tea. "Since we're not even one of the kinds you have mentioned I guess it's alright if you allow us to leave our own impression."

"Like hell we would!" Senkaku grunted, clashing his blades together.

The elders took a few steps back. The old man, however, stood his ground.

"We've seen too much already!" he shouted at the robust man in front of him, ignoring the chance that he might be ripped to pieces in an instant.

"Leave!"

"This area is now a territory of Makoto Shishio," Soujiro said.

"Makoto?" the elders chorused.

"This area belongs to us!" the old man pressed on.

The group of men unsheathed their swords, except the old man. Soujiro pulled out his own sword as well.

"Surrender," he said, smiling. It wasn't a request. It was a command.

The men found Senkaku a hard rock to move, so they decided to target the young man instead. Three men advanced in Soujiro's direction, all of their swords raised to attack.

A flash of light.

Three corpses lay bleeding freely on the ground. Their guts were ripped out, and eyes still wide open as if they didn't see what was coming.

The rest of the group backed off, even the brave old man did the same.

"D'you see that?"

"Did he swing his sword?"

"Amazing…"

"We better get help."

"What do we do?"

"What do they want anyway?"

"Who are these people?" the old man muttered.

"Shishio-sama wanted me to tell you this," Soujiro said, clearing his throat as if nothing happened.

" 'This land is under my superiority from now on. I will use this as my territory for the downfall of the present government. This will also be my personal spa. None will leave the village, and you will obey my orders or die.' That's all!"

"What?!" one of the men exclaimed.

"Oh yeah," Soujiro continued, holding up his finger. "He also told me Senkaku-sa and I can play with you if ever you decline. So what do you say? Do you surrender or shall we begin the game?"

Senkaku smiled.

The old man stumped his feet angrily on the ground.

"We will never surrender this village's honor!"

"Have it your way then," Soujiro said, resting his sword on his shoulder.

"How about it, old man…" Senkaku said, raising his left blade. "…if I finish you off first?! Old blood doesn't attract me much, but yours would be very amusing!"

A hard jawed man broke out from the half-frightened, half-angry group and came pelting towards the old man.

"Otosan (Father)!!!!!"

Soujiro stopped him in his tracks, and without hesitation, slew him. The group has had enough. Terrified, they retreated, running fast as they could away from the scene. The old man looked over his should only to find his son's dead body on the ground, and him abandoned by the group.

Feeling that all things had left him, he shouted, "ALRIGHT! We surrender! No more bloodshed!"

Senkaku stared down at the old man, his blade still raised to attack. He grunted and slashed the old man's limb. Miraculously, the old man was still alive. He lay panting on the ground.

"I'm feeling generous today," Senkaku told the pitiful figure. "I'll let you live. However, if there will be things that surpass any of Shishio-sama's commands in this village, I'd have your and your men's heads."

At the same moment, screams were heard within the village. Men and their families were scattering to get out. With the information that two killers blocked the other side of the village, the people made their way at the other end. Soujiro, realizing this, put his right foot forward and vanished into thin air. His Reduced Earth is enough to match the speed of a moving bullet, a moving carriage, and a scuttling mob from escaping. The ground that made contact with his unsurpassed god-like speed was dented with blotches. Some people, who were unaware of the force trying to outrun them, were knocked out of the way.

"Hurry, Chiyo-kun!" a man said, dragging his niece. They were a few steps from the border of the village, when they saw a smiling young man holding a sword before them.

The man gasped. "How –?"

"I thought you heard me clearly when I said 'None will leave'."

A moment of aggression and then the crowd, fighting its way out a moment ago, now suddenly stopped.

"This is now a territory of Makoto Shishio (Panicked whispers and angry mutterings followed these words)," Soujiro said.

"I will say this to you one last time. If you disobey, you'll have to answer to him." Soujiro nudged at Senkaku's direction. The robust man raised his blades together and swiped the nearest house with it to demonstrate his power.

"So I suggest," Soujiro went on casually. "That you obey like mindless prawns. (He cleared his throat) Here it is…" He repeated his master's words again like he did earlier. It was followed by a series of angry mutterings, frantic sobs, and tears. He saw that the village was really quite poor. The children were quite thin, and the women wore no more than dim kimonos. And the men…

The crowd was still in a scared state when something flickered behind them. Soujiro saw that Senkaku set the house, which he slashed earlier, on fire. Some of the people screamed.

"Go back to where you came from!" Senkaku roared.

Hundred of frantic footsteps filled the whole village again.

A middle-aged woman knelt before the burning house, thunder-stricken. Her husband tried to hoist her up, but she wouldn't bulge an inch. Fat teardrops were coming down on her cheeks.

"Get up, darling! They might kill us!" her husband whispered. "Eigi, help me with your mother!"

A brown-skinned boy knelt with her mother and tried to talk her into moving. He put his arms on her shoulder.

"Okasan (Mother)," he whispered ever so quietly to his mother. "Brother is still in Edo. He's a government spy isn't he? When he comes back, he'll know what happened and get for help."

But the woman merely knelt there crying unconsciously, gripping a handful of soil.

"What is this?!" Senkaku growled down at the three. "I see. So I guess this was your house."

The boy called Eigi stood up, and shouted, "You great piece of muck! How dare you do this to us!"

"Eigi!" his father shouted, restraining the boy. "Please! Just don't harm my family!"

Senkaku advanced at them. The man put his arms around his family, expecting a swift death. But instead, Senkaku said, "Well, I think it's just fair if we do the same to the other houses!"

"What?!" the man said, raising his head. "Please…don't!"

Senkaku smiled. "This is what gutless weasels like you and your family deserves. It's better for you to die than to be enslaved in the world of the strong."

He walked over the house and pulled a burning stick of wood from the lot. In one swift moment, he threw it on top of the next house.

"I guess it's fair this way isn't it?" he rounded at the family again.

"You…!" Eigi tried to struggle from his father's arms. "You reckless bag of – " his father's hands muffled his last word.

"Don't disappoint me, kid." Senkaku said, looking down at them.

"Senkaku-sa," Soujiro said, walking towards the man. "I don't think Shishio-san would want to burn this place down. How can he make this a territory if all is burnt to the crisp? Leave some."

Senkaku hesitated for a while, but then thought the best of it.

"What do you suggest we do?"

"We drag them out of the houses," Soujiro said, smiling. "Destroy any form of livelihood they have, as Shishio-sa commanded. If any resists, we'll kill them and burn their house." He sheathed his sword.

"Right," Senkaku said, clashing his blades together. "But I thought you said not to burn the house?"

"I said we leave only some, Senkaku-sa, we won't need them all," he said, still smiling.

The holocaust took all afternoon. It was not a pleasant sight. It was two men against a whole village, killing for any sign of struggle. A bonfire was cast in the square of the village. Burning among the flames were weapons, and farming tools. People were dragged out of their houses. Half of the village houses burned all afternoon. The village was filled with moans and cries that it seemed impossible for dawn to ever shine down on it again.

Chapter 11

Soujiro ran past the muddy ground, splashing water as he went. He halted under the protection of a Sakura tree. Thick sheets of rain were mercilessly pouring. He could barely squint through the foggy shapes ahead in his path. He was wet from head to foot that he looked as if he came out from a pond. He pushed back his dark soggy hair, for a clearer view. He recognized the path ahead of him. This was the Shingetsu Village. The sign above two round pillars, which he has never seen before, said so.

'Perfect,' he thought, looking through the rain. "With this condition, no one will bother to look at me twice. I just won't have to talk to anyone, and they'll leave me alone."

Ignoring the icy feeling in his chest, he went past the pillars and into the village.

'I never thought I'd be back in this place. Why didn't I lead my feet well, anyway?'

Once in a while, he tries to take a glimpse of his surrounding, but it took a lot of effort to do so. The rain was too thick, and he was beginning to feel numb.

Soujiro could see no one.

And then what he heard didn't prepare him for what he was about to do. Amid the sound of splashing rain, he heard a genuine scream, and sped towards its direction. He doesn't know why but whoever was screaming needed help, and what puzzled him more was why he wanted to help. He turned into a corner and saw two cloudy figures. The first one was much smaller than the second one. It was cowering in a corner, hoping to escape by fitting itself into a ditch. The other figure was laughing pointedly at it, raising what seems to be a sword. Soujiro did take some of his old possessions with him. On his list is his kaiken, a deceivingly harmless-looking dagger. It was the same blade he used to assassinate the late Prime Minister Okubo. He didn't intend to take it with him at first, but knowing the possible dangers that may lie ahead of him, he had no choice. It was too risky to carry a sword because the last thing he wanted was attention. His kaiken alone could protect him. It proved its usefulness at this moment...he pulled it out from his kimono. Without bothering to hesitate, Soujiro crept quickly towards the figure holding a sword, and thwacked his kaiken on its nape. A groan sounded from the man's mouth, but was cut short when he slumped, out cold on the muddy ground. Soujiro turned at the crouching figure beside him. It was a girl, Soujiro suspected not older than ten. The girl's fear didn't vanish, but instead, grew when she saw Soujiro, who stared at her for a while. After a groan of thunder shook the village, Soujiro snapped back to his senses.

"Are you alright now?" he asked the girl.

The pitiful figure didn't answer. Soujiro could tell that the girl was still in a state of shock.

"It's alright now," Soujiro said, smiling. "No one's going to hurt you anymore."

The girl cautiously looked up at Soujiro's face. Soujiro thought that he might be risking his own safety just by allowing her to look at him. The girl does, after all, live in the village. The girl was eyeing Soujiro's kaiken forebodingly like it was bullying her as well. Soujiro, realizing this, put the dagger back inside his kimono. He smiled at the girl, who didn't return the favor. Knowing that his purpose was done, Soujiro turned to leave.

"Wait a moment, please!"

Soujiro looked over his shoulder.

"You can't just leave me here," the girl said. "Please take me with you!"

"What?" Soujiro heard what the girl said, but wanted to know if it was really what he heard.

"Take me with you. I don't want to stay here!"

"Eh? Go home to your family. I can't take you with me."

"I don't have a family here. I don't live here. I was sold here. Please help me find my family!" the girl cried desperately.

"I can't…I have some other things to do," Soujiro replied.

"But…" the girl pressed on. "I won't be a burden. I could cook for you or… steal money for you … anything you want, just get me out of here."

Soujiro smiled at the girl's desperate remarks.

"I can't. I'm a danger to anybody. You might risk your life just by being with me."

They both stood, looking at each other through the rain.

"I don't care," the girl said. "Just get me out of here."

Without the rain's consideration to cease, Soujiro and his new companion took refuge under the healthy branches of an orange tree. Soujiro squeezed out the rainwater off his blue kimono. He looked at the girl standing beside him. He was mistaken after all to conclude that she was merely a little girl when he saw her crouching helplessly. Up close, she seems to be almost his age, and was barely smaller than him. She had a chestnut-colored hair that fell to her shoulders, and bright green eyes. She reminded him of Yuri the landlady in Sumiboshi Hotel.

"Listen, miss," Soujiro began, his hands still gripping his blue kimono. "You can't stay with me for long. I'll drop you off to the next village we'll meet along the way."

The girl bored her green eyes on Soujiro's expressionless ones, as if reading his mind. Somehow, it irritates him whenever people try to read his mind.

"Hai," she replied.

Soujiro smiled at her uncomfortably. Once again, she didn't return it, but looked away quickly.

Chapter 12

The rain stopped. Soujiro has to admit, of all the women he had met along his journey, this girl was by far the prettiest. After taking time under the orange tree for the rain to cease, the two wanderers trudged on. The girl doesn't seem to be quite interested in talking. She barely showed any expression at all.

'Had this girl wasn't with me,' Soujiro thought. 'I would've been out of this village hours ago, even with the rain going on.'

He didn't dare look at her.

'I haven't even asked her name. Oh well, she doesn't seem interested in talking.'

Soujiro was a very sociable person; Otherwise, Makoto Shishio wouldn't have chosen him to do tasks fit for a spy. Spies have to be apt in blending in any environment, and Soujiro is numb to almost any emotion, like a cold-blooded animal is to any season. However, he doesn't think his social skills would work on this girl. He's not used to having a girl for a companion, with an exception for Yumi. If Soujiro found this awkward, he hid his emotion and kept smiling so as not to frighten his companion.

"Hey could I ask you something?"

Soujiro was surprised to finally hear her address him. It was for the first time that he noticed how womanly her voice is.

"Hai," he replied.

"If I may be so bold as to ask you," she continued, looking sideways at him. "But may I know your name?"

Soujiro stared blankly at the sky as they were walking, considering if he should give her an honest answer or none at all.

"It's alright if you don't want to tell me," the girl, who seems to have been observing him, said quickly.

"Iie," Soujiro replied, smiling. "It isn't that. Like what I've said before, I could be dangerous to you and to anybody. You could risk your life just by being with me."

"Then you did you take me along with you?" she asked suspiciously.

"I didn't intend to, really," he replied. "I think you could've died here either way if I left you. My own effort of rescuing you would've gone to waste."

If the truth was told, he doesn't know why he decided to take her with him, but he just can't leave the poor thing. 'Himura-san would have done the same,' he thought.

He looked at her. "But if you think you'd be better off alone, you could shrug off my neck right now."

She glowered at his smiling face. She opened her mouth opened to speak, but closed it immediately, thinking of the worst. The young man seemed cold to her to say such things. The ground was still very muddy causing their fresh footprints to trodden the ground.

"Well?" the girl asked after a few minutes of their awkward silence.

"Well what exactly?" Soujiro asked back. He smiled at her to make the impression that he was not being rude.

"You didn't answer my last question. Are you going to tell me your name or not?"

"Iie," he replied. He had already thought of this, moments ago, and his answer didn't change.

"But I told you, I'm not from the Shingetsu so if you have anything against--"

"It could still be dangerous for the both of us," he cut in quickly.

A cold wind, still with the scent of rainwater, swept their faces.

"Why are you so overprotective of yourself?" she asked, breaking the silence again. "Are you an escaped convict? An assassin? Or a murderer?"

Soujiro forced a laugh.

"Iie," he answered. "And even if I am, what would you do about it?"

She didn't answer. Soujiro could tell that she was prepared to take this risk, just to get out of this village.

"Aren't you going to ask for my name?" she asked him.

"Would you tell me if I asked you?"

"Hai," she replied grimly. "But then you'd have to tell me yours."

Soujiro forced a laugh at her again. He saw a ray of sunlight reflect on her chestnut-colored hair. He looked up, and saw that the sun has finally emerged.

He rounded back at the girl, who seems to be appreciating the sun's idyllic presence. He would've liked the weather too, if it weren't for this place. He wanted nothing more than to get out of here.

'If only it was alright to drag her out here,' he wished indifferently, smiling.

Across the village, people were starting to emerge out of their houses.

"Let's hurry," Soujiro told his companion.

"Why?"

"Just keep up with me."

Soujiro sped up, making the girl hasten her footsteps as well, though awkwardly like something was wrong with her legs.

"Wait!" she said, through gritted teeth.

"We don't have time for this, I can't allow people to see me here," Soujiro said.

He figured that his anxiousness must have been obvious, for at that moment, the girl dragged her right foot hurriedly. There was something wrong with her.

"OUCH!"

The girl's right foot gave up. She fell to the ground, putting most of her weight on her bad leg. Soujiro looked back at her. She had been injured. There was a wound on her right leg that somehow opened up. He stared at her as she lay bleeding freely on the ground, looking as pitiful as before.

More people were coming out of their houses, and some already noticed the girl that was bleeding on the ground. She heaved herself from the muddy floor as she struggled to move her right leg. A tear was trickling down her cheek. A handsome young man came striding back at her. His expression was hard to tell. He stopped in front of her, and helped her to get up.

"Look!" one of the villagers exclaimed, pointing at the young man as he hoisted the girl on his back.

"Seta, Soujiro!"

"What?! Is that him?!"

Soujiro acted as if he didn't hear anything. He allowed the girl to hold on tight to him. He looked at her at the corner of his eyes, and said, "We're going for a piggy-back ride, and it may not be fun so hold on tight."

"Get him!" he heard a man shout.

Soujiro gathered speed. It was an awkward getaway. It was difficult to move with twice a weight. But nevertheless, it was all or nothing. He ran as fast as he can.

"STOP HIM!" A man roared from behind.

He was addressing the villagers at the far end of the village. Soujiro saw them. He was almost there. The men at the far end didn't respond automatically, but considered for a while about what they were supposed to do. The men chasing after him will never obtain what they want, but there were far as many at the rear of the village. Soujiro thrust his hand in his kimono, and pulled out his kaiken once more.

Biting its scabbard, he pulled out the naked blade. The men blocking his path recklessly attacked him. Soujiro dodged two of them, hitting their behinds by the back of his dagger. He charged the lot, left and right, making sure that the thing resting on his back was protected. He sped up, escaped in a clearing, and headed for the forest where there are abundant places to hide. He went deeper and deeper into the forest. The men chasing him seem to have taken this far willingly just to catch him.

'I can't keep running forever. I have to find somewhere to hide,' he thought. He was starting to feel tired of carrying the girl. Suddenly, an odd thing had happened. He heard a swishing sound, and felt blades fly against his direction. He stopped on his tracks, still biting the scabbard, and looked behind him. The blades thrust themselves into the ground, blocking the men's path.

"What was that?!" a grimly-looking fellow exclaimed, looking for a sign of struggle along the trees.

Five people jumped out of the nearby trees. Soujiro recognized them by their dark uniforms, and their manner of entrance. It was the 'lost rangers' (as he had once decided to call them). He recognized their young leader, who was undoubtedly a woman. The villagers, sensing formidable danger, retreated.

Chapter 13

"So what was the reason you were in the village?" Misao, young leader of the 'lost rangers', asked Soujiro.

"Just passing by," he replied.

Misao and three of her companions, along with Soujiro, was sitting on the soft forest ground as a light campfire crackled before them. The sun was beginning to set.

"Where were you headed anyway?" Misao asked again.

"To Kyoto," he lied quickly, hoping that she would stop asking him questions for he doesn't know whom he's talking to.

"Kyoto?" she repeated. "We're headed there as well."

Not knowing what he should reply to this, Soujiro merely smiled at her, and turned his attention over to his companion, who was leaning quietly on a tree as a long-haired woman, one of Misao's companions, cured her injured leg.

"So," Misao continued, making Soujiro to turn his attention sharply back at her.

"Who's the girl? I don't think I saw her with you when we first met coincidentally."

"I just… met her along the way."

He was starting to feel irritated with her bossy manner of asking.

"You know what," she continued, looking at him. "You're really quite strange. You sure look innocent and ordinary, but it may be false observation…"

'How would you know?' he said in his mind.

Again, he doesn't know what to answer. He was starting to feel quite awkward being observed like this, now that he's been aware that all their eyes were resting on him as if he'd attack any second. Keeping his face unreadable, a skill he's mastered, Soujiro thought, 'these people are undoubtedly ninjas. They're like stalking eagles. Once they targeted their prey, they will never waver their attention from it.'

"If I may be imprudent as to ask you," Soujiro began, feeling that it was his turn to ask them. "But who are you exactly?"

Misao, to Soujiro's surprise, was suddenly filled with swollen pride and stood up quickly, that he thought he had said something offensive against her.

"We are the strong and fearsome Oniwabanshu. My name is Mikamachi Misao, leader of its organization. These are my comrades Shiro -" she pointed at the man, who has the oddest hair Soujiro has seen (other than Cho). "- Kuro," the robust man on Soujiro's left grinned. "- And Omasu," the young woman beside Misao smiled at Soujiro.

"That long-haired woman curing your lady friend is Okon. We are also the protectors of Edo, smiting evildoers when they threaten the peace. Oh, and we also run a famous restaurant called Cherry Babies!"

Shiro, Kuro, and Omasu looked at her incredulously.

"What?" she demanded, blushing slightly.

Oniwabanshu…it sounded familiar. And then it lit a candle in Soujiro's mind. He suddenly remembered a tall handsome dark-haired man named Aioshi, the renegade leader of a secret organization known as…the Oniwabanshu.

'Aioshi-sa joined us in a rouse for revenge against Himura-sa, whom he blames the deaths of his comrades on. He might seem weak compared to Usui-sa, Shishio-sa, and me, but he was not to be taken lightly. He was the sword master of the Kaiten Kenbu. If these people are members of the Oniwabanshu, and this young woman their leader, then I have no doubt, that they must be the reason of our defeat back in Aioya.'

"Hey…"

Soujiro blinked. "Hai?"

"What's the matter?" Omasu asked.

"Iie," he replied, smiling almost instantly.

"You must have heard of us!" Misao said proudly, prepared for an approval from Soujiro.

"Iie, I haven't," he replied, making Misao to look at him incredulously.

"Never mind," she sighed, waving her hand lazily.

Soujiro turned his attention back at his companion. He saw her talking animatedly to her healer, as it was circling the bandage on her white leg.

"So would you want to join us?"

"Eh?" he asked, forgetting his fake interest in talking with them.

"I asked you if you and your companion would want to join us. Erm…what did you say your name was again?"

"I didn't," he answered.

"So what is it? Mind telling us?" Shiro asked.

"Hai, I would mind."

In order not to sound vulgar, he added, "Gomen, but I can't tell you."

Soujiro thought they would object, but to his surprise, they no longer pursued on the subject. A moment of awkward silence came among them after Soujiro's remark.

It was broken afterwards by Okon's rustling footsteps as she and Soujiro's companion approached the group. Soujiro watched his companion as she sat beside him.

"I can't believe this woman," she said cheerfully. It was for the first time that he actually saw her in this kind of light. "She's incredible. She healed me almost completely that I feel as if nothing had happened. The doctors in the village -"

She suddenly broke off, feeling that all eyes were on her Soujiro's included. He almost forgot that she has a wound on her right leg. She looked at him, and for a split second, their eyes met. Soujiro could have sworn that he saw her blush for a moment. It stuck him how much she disliked the limelight like he did.

"By the way, err…" Okon looked at her. "Say, I haven't even asked your name."

"My name?" she mumbled. She glimpsed at Soujiro, who understood…they once swore not to let each other know their names.

"I can't tell you, Gomen," she said.

"Why?" Misao blurted. "He wouldn't allow us to know his name either."

An awkward silence came among the group again. If the Oniwabanshu found the two wanderers odd, they kept their peace. Soujiro was starting to notice a tension among them, as he saw that they are now occupied in their own thoughts. He has no doubt that even one of these six people is now pondering whether saving two people who wouldn't give their names was the right thing to do. They might be fugitives, or assassins or… Beside him, Soujiro could see that his companion was feeling the tension too. Her eyes were moving from Misao to Okon. To everyone's surprise, it was Soujiro who broke the silence this time.

"So why is the road dangerous nowadays?"

Kuro looked up.

"What?"

"When we last met," he told Misao. "You said the road is dangerous nowadays…why?"

Misao looked darkly at Soujiro at first, but changed her expression instantly.

"Oh well, it was nothing!" she said, smiling.

Soujiro was willing to bet that it was a lie. He didn't pursue more on the subject, as it won't affect his journey anyway…will it?

"The road's dangerous nowadays?" she said, looking from Soujiro to Misao. "Why?"

Soujiro would love to say, "drop it", but knowing that Misao would give the same answer, he kept silent. But to his surprise –

"Well," Misao began. "We were just checking. You see it has been barely a month since we fought a war -" Soujiro's heart leapt. He knew what was coming. " –And we were just checking if the Juppongatana's finally found their peace. You see two of them, as I've heard, are still on the run, and at large. We just want to see if there aren't any disturbances anymore. Iwambo, we believe, won't be too much of a danger. He's a big tub of lard, but he won't really do any harm unless someone tells him to, but he might still be dangerous. But Seta, Soujiro might still be a big threat. He's that Tenken master, or something like that. Himura said he's alright, and that the young man turned over a new leaf…a change of heart. But still, a killer will always be a killer no matter how -"

Soujiro stood up. Misao and the others stared at him.

"I'd love to stay and chat some more, but we really need to be going."

"After dark?" the girl asked reluctantly, looking at the sunset.

"Yes," he replied, smiling down at her. "We have to move."

"But it could be dangerous -"

"The villagers might still be looking for us… but if you intend to stay…"

"Iie, I'm coming," she said quickly, following suit.

"Oy, she's right!" Kuro said. "It could be dangerous. Why don't you come with us instead? We could protect -"

"I could protect the both of us, thanks," Soujiro cut in. And with that they bowed to them and bade goodbye.

The girl bowed deeply to Okon and said, "Arigato Gozaimasu."

He was waiting for the Oniwabanshu to stop them from leaving, for surely one of them would be curious of his sudden reactions. But to his relief, none of them did.

Chapter 14

'Himura said he's alright, and that the young man turned over a new leaf… a change of heart. But still, a killer will always be a killer no matter how…'

The words Misao spoke kept resounding on and on in Soujiro's mind, haunting and confusing him. It sounded dull as he and his companion dragged on their journey under the moonlight, and would resound ominous whenever he could hear their rustling footsteps fill the night. It was the milkiest night Soujiro has seen ever since he started wandering. The night sky had a glamorous view with a new moon, radiant as the many stars ornamenting the twilight. But this hardly mattered to Soujiro… his mind was not in the mood for star gazing… or appreciating anything at the moment. He tried to ask himself what made him leave… but even he can't answer his own question. Maybe it was the sudden reminder of his past, or the mention of Himura Kenshin's word on him, or maybe because of what he had heard: a killer will always be a killer…

'…Until the day he dies,' Soujiro finished.

"What's wrong?" a voice called from far away.

Soujiro looked beside him, and saw that his companion has been watching him. He was too preoccupied to even think that she was still there with him.

"Iie," he answered casually.

She looked disbelievingly at him.

"What upset you a while ago?"

"Eh?" he questioned back.

"You and I both know that something has upset you – Seta, Soujiro."

Soujiro stopped to his tracks at the sound of his name. The girl looked over her shoulder.

"What?" she asked.

"How did you know my name?" He found it hard to conceal his curiosity.

"Oh come on," she said, smiling. "A man in the Shingetsu Village shouted your name when you shoved me up."

"You heard it?"

"Hai, who wouldn't have heard it? Besides, I saw the look in your eyes when they mentioned your name. You looked so stupid, it had to be your name."

Soujiro bored his eyes into those deep green eyes.

"Then, you knew who I was…why didn't you tell the Oniwabanshu a while ago? You could've been the only person who ever had the opportunity to turn me in. Did I mention that the police are looking for me too?"

The girl thought for a moment as Soujiro stood there, watching her as the moonlight fell on her chestnut hair. He doesn't know why, but this girl makes him feel almost as anxious as Himura Kenshin did.

"No," she said, looking up. "I don't think you ever mentioned any policemen."

"Why didn't you spill the beans while we were with the Oniwabanshu?"

"I know how to repay kindness with kindness," she said, although this doesn't make sense to Soujiro.

"Kindness?" he asked. "I'm not a kind person, and you should know that about me."

The girl looked at him. He could feel something throbbing in his chest. It was the familiar sensation he feels whenever his emotions are confused. It irritates him whenever people dig a hole in his innermost thoughts and feelings. His emotions get so tangled and his mind so confused that it becomes hard to control both at the same time, and to keep a deceiving smile on his face. It was like forcing snow to remain solid under a strong summer sun. After a moment of awkward silence, the girl began to leave him behind. When Soujiro found his own feet again, he paced to keep up with her.

"What about you, miss?" he asked. "You already know my name, so you should tell me yours."

He tried hard to keep his voice as casual as usual, but he found it hard to surface his demanding tone.

"We didn't make a bargain like that," she said, not looking at him.

He doesn't really care what her name is; he just wanted to get even.

"But that's a little unfair, miss," he assured her. "You already know mine, and like what you said: kindness for kindness."

"But we're even now…" she said thoughtfully. "You saved my life, and I saved you your freedom."

The night breeze swept on their faces as an awkward quietness went between them. Soujiro doesn't know what to ask her anymore; that he thought it was best to drop the subject. He walked behind her, staring at the back of her head where the moonlight was almost reflecting on her hair. It was that moment when he realized that she wasn't going to be with him for the rest of his journey. Sooner or later, he'll drop her off a nearby village. He wondered, would she tell anyone that she had met Soujiro Seta – one of the infamous characters whom the Meiji Government is after these days? Would she be interested in a so-called justice of punishing law-abiders? He stared at the figure in front of him that could become the most dangerous person to him.

He brought her with him out of one thing – compassion. But he was unaware at that time why he did what he has done. He rescued a helpless girl from the brink of death, and took her with him. It will be the same deed Kenshin Himura could have done.

Soujiro still hasn't forgotten what he has set out to do, and it was to find his own truth. He was now weighing the scales between two great men who have wandered for ten years, but diverged into different truths. By doing so, somehow, he could find his own truth.

His life as a messenger, and at the same time, a soldier for Shishio Makoto felt like a distant dream now. It was like waking up to reality. In the jungle, the strong shall live and the weak shall die, it was a simple rule. But this was the real world, and the fight was harder.

Every night, even with his companion, he couldn't help thinking… he couldn't help forgetting all the things he had went through with Shishio Makoto, and later in his life, short moments with Kenshin Himura. It took years before he could digest Shishio's teachings into his heart without any prior thought or question, but it only took moments for him to be lectured by Kenshin Himura, and be persuaded into a new life. The idea was crushed out of him because he lost the battle…but…

'Real life isn't that simple,' Kenshin said. 'A battle or two will not determine who's right and who's wrong…'

It made him think if ever his master's philosophy, Survival of the Fittest, was ever true.

He was stricken by the fact that a warrior with non-killing instincts like Kenshin Himura could ever obtain such power. He lost against their last duel, but the man still granted him his life. Had Kenshin Himura believed that all the weak should perish, he wouldn't be walking into this dark forest right now with a girl who had refused to give her name.

'But facts are facts,' he thought. 'Shishio-san's philosophy still managed to save me. A sword was all that was in my hands, and I know it alone can defend me from the vicious world. But it wasn't the way I wanted things to be… now I have to rebuild the brick wall I tore.'

Soujiro will never forget his former master, who granted him his only survival when the world turned its back on him; who entrusted him when thought he was lower than weed. However…

"Sayonara… Shishio-san," he whispered into the darkness.

"Hey, we should take a rest. Are you tired?"

"Hai," Soujiro replied, glad that she had suggested this. "Let's find a place to rest."

Chapter 15

An aura of foreboding came to Soujiro as they entered the next village. It was not just the rotten energy, but the whole place as well looked abandoned. It pretty much reminded him of the Shingetsu Village from years ago, only in this place, there was certain rowdiness. He looked behind his shoulder, and saw that his companion was eyeing the place cautiously, knowing that Soujiro will leave her here soon. She caught Soujiro's eye, and smiled confidently at him.

'I wonder if it's alright that I leave her here,' he thought, eyeing the emptiness of the place.

"Yanagi-san," he said. "Is it alright if I leave you here?"

" 'Yanagi'?…" she repeated. "Just when have you started calling me Yanagi?"

"Since last night when you refused to give me your name."

'Not that it's important anymore, you'd be leaving soon,' he thought.

She paused in silence for a while, and then asked.

"Why 'Yanagi'?"

Soujiro smiled back at her. "It was the first name that ever came into my head."

She scowled at him.

To tell the truth, he gave her that nickname because her eyes reminded him of willow leaves.

"I don't think you should've done that."

"Done what, exactly?" he asked.

"Nicknamed me."

"Why?"

"Because once you named something, you'll start getting attached to it."

He chose not to reply.

A group of drunken men came running out of a nearby pub.

"HURRY!!!" one of them cried.

They ran past Soujiro and Yanagi. The bartender came running out with a chopping knife in his hand, shouting his lungs out.

"BASTARDS! COME BACK HERE!"

Soujiro saw that the freeloaders have already ran out of reach.

"SHIT!" the bartender spat, throwing his chopping knife close at Soujiro's feet. Soujiro chose to ignore this.

"Hey, watch where you're throwing things around!" Yanagi spat at the bartender, who squinted at her suspiciously.

"What're you gonna do about it, sweetheart?!" He spat at the ground and reentered his pub briskly.

They remained rooted on the ground until Yanagi broke the silence. To his surprise, she bounced in front of him and said cheerfully, "Well, I suppose we should say goodbye now."

Soujiro blinked at her. "Eh?"

She smiled at him, making him remember their bargain.

"Are you sure?" he asked, because he wasn't.

"Hai!"

"But…" Soujiro looked around him. "…You don't have money, and no place to stay."

She pointed at the nearby pub, which has a sign beside it saying: "Rooms for Lease." Soujiro looked at it doubtfully, thinking of a reason to tell her that it isn't safe.

"Yanagi-san," he said. "I don't think this would work. You don't have money, and I don't think it's safe here."

"A bargain is a bargain. Besides, I don't want to impose on your journey any longer."

He doesn't know what to reply to this. A voice in Soujiro's head was disapproving vehemently.

"Hai," he replied, smiling at her.

The bartender was extremely in a fury mood that late morning, that he kept ordering everyone around pointlessly. "Sakura's Salon" was one of the rowdiest of the many pubs in the village. "Sama (Lord)" was the way Sakamoto wanted to be addressed by his workers. It constantly reminds them that he was the boss. His counter could be found at the left of the entrance. He usually stayed there all day giving drinks to his customers, and keeping a watchful eye at them to make sure that they pay afterwards. No one going in and out of his pub ever double-crossed him before. He was more than murderous when a gangster managed to get away without paying for the jugs of saki they had consumed. He was pacing in his counter, cleaning the mess that the drunks left for him.

"OOOKKKKUUNNNEEEE!!! You worthless chicken dropping, why the hell is there still stains on this freakin' floor?!" he roared, slamming an empty bottle of saki on his counter.

The waitress named Okune came scampering out of the kitchen with a wet rug in her hand. He was fairly kind to Okune, but she was also the person who Sakamoto discharges his bad temper on all the time.

"Err… Sumimasen (Excuse me)," a young lady with chestnut-colored hair had just entered. She approached the bartender cautiously.

"Oh-ho!" Sakamoto exclaimed at the sight of her. "It's you again, isn't it?"

"I saw the sign in front of the inn," she said, ignoring him. "Does the offer still stand?"

Sakamoto grunted, wiping his counter with a dusty rug.

"Can I take one room, then?"

He stopped and raised an eyebrow at her. "How much are you planning to pay for it, honey?"

She hesitated, looking as if she was going to vomit. "I…I don't have money."

He looked at her, wracking his brain if he had heard correctly. "GET OUTTA 'HERE!!!"

She jumped being addressed this way, but she kept her ground. It was all or nothing.

"I could pay by manual labor --"

"OUT!!!!"

Yanagi realized that it was a word of finality. Downhearted, she turned his back at him and began to leave.

"Wait," the bartender began slowly. She wheeled around him in surprise.

"Are you willing to work here just for free room and food?"

"Hai."

"Without a wage?"

"I…But – that's like being a slave."

The bartender scratched his chin, and said, "Half the wage I give Toru --" he nudged at the waitress' direction. Toru looked only a little older than twenty. She didn't dare look up at the mention of her name.

"Half?" Yanagi asked, thinking if half of Toru's wage would be enough to help her survive. She wasn't planning to stay here for long.

"How long are you planning to stay?"

"I – A month, I guess."

The bartender grunted.

"I'm going to decrease your wage from the room your going to rent…"

Her mind was reeling… It wasn't a bad offer; she'd get money, food and shelter – even for just a while. She looked at the bartender, thinking.

"Come on, I haven't got all day!" It was a bad offer for him, but he really needed another waitress to help him around. There was a floor to be swept, a ceiling to be dusted, storages to be cleaned, food to be served…

"I think I'll do it," she said.

"Toru, stop what you're doing for a while, and give her the smallest room upstairs. The one at the left."

The bartender watched her as Toru led her up the stairs. He took a glimpse of her from her worn-out sandals to her patched bright-green kimono, which blended with the shade of her eyes and her elegant face. He picked up his rug again, and began wiping the bottles of wine he kept in his counter.

'She looks not worth a damn,' he thought, wiping a dusty 17th century wine bottle from England called Lily of the Valley. 'But I betcha she'd look beautiful to anyone.'

Soujiro's stomach was rumbling with hunger. The meal which Yanagi and he ate this morning was starting to lose its levy. He wanted to take a rest and eat, but he just couldn't bear to do it when he kept thinking if companion was in good hands. Something was really holding him back. Her image suddenly appeared in Soujiro's mind when she said, 'Once you named something, you start getting attached to it.'

'That's a funny thing to say,' he thought dully. 'I never named any on my swords, but still I became attached to them.'

His favorite sword was the Kikuichi Norimune was broken in his last battle with Kenshin Himura. He wondered whether they would cross swords again in the future.

'I don't want to fight anyone anymore,' he thought. 'If I would pick up a sword again and fight, I want it to be meaningful. I'm sick of bloodshed.'

He stopped to his tracks, and without even considering another thought, he made his way back at the village.

Sakamoto the bartender was wiping his collection of European glass cups from behind his counter, although they were already reflecting his balding head. He was a sharp fellow, Sakamoto. No one dared cross the line on this disdainful bartender. Although absorbed in what he was doing, he suddenly looked up when he heard people enter his pub. His throat tightened when he recognized the lot.

"You --" he gasped at them. It was the gangster who didn't pay for the entire lot of saki they consumed. It was a group of five men. Four were holding wooden swords, and only one with a katana. Although Sakamoto would have given anything to murder them at that moment, he couldn't even find the guts to open his mouth.

"Well, well, well," one of them sneered. This man had the look of an escaped prisoner - worn-out and unhealthy, but his eyes were exhibiting a foreboding stare that made Sakamoto's heart race.

"If it isn't our friend the bartender…"

His cronies chuckled stupidly.

"You left us in a disappointed state, old man. We didn't get contented with the entire saki you gave us for free, and what's worst, you shouted at us. It's the first time we met this morning, isn't it? No wonder you were so stubborn. Boys, I think it's just fair that we teach Bartender-san to respect us."

His men looked at each other meaningfully. Sakamoto's mouth kept opening and closing. He wanted to say something, and spit at them. But he couldn't hear his voice and tongue to do so.

"My name is Gatsu, and I'm the leader of this lot."

Gatsu leered at Sakamoto. "Give us your cheese."

"My… what?" He blurted. The gangster laughed menacingly.

"Your money, you old idiot," Gatsu said. "All of them."

"You're sick!" He shouted before he could stop himself.

Gatsu's face contorted horribly. He raised his katana and thrust its blade at Sakamoto's left, missing his ear by inches.

"Never?…" Gatsu hissed at the helpless bartender, who froze at the spot.

'Someone… please…' he begged desperately.

"Sakamoto-sama?"

Gatsu looked over his shoulder. A young lady with chestnut-colored hair was standing behind them, carrying a bucket of god-only-knows-what. Her expression suddenly became furious when she saw what was happening.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she exclaimed.

Gatsu squinted at her. He lowered his katana and said, "Bartender-san, you never told me you kept ladies here."

Yanagi's grip tightened on the bucket she was carrying. Sakamoto suddenly thought of an idea.

"Yes! Take her!"

Yanagi looked at him.

"Just don't harm me and this pub! Take her! No one's going to be looking for her!"

Yanagi looked from Sakamoto to Gatsu, who sheathed his katana immediately and strode over to her. He had a greedy look on his greasy face. He lifted her face to his full height to get a better look at her. Yanagi had no choice but to stare back into the man's reddening eyes. A lava-hot anger suddenly rose up to her body.

"Please get your hands off me," she said quietly.

Gatsu merely scoffed at her. Without any second thought, she raised the bucket of god-only-knows-what, and poured it all over him. The man staggered to his knees, and swore loudly. His comrades strode over to the girl to avenge their leader. A rugged one among them grabbed Yanagi, who reacted at that moment and thwacked the empty bucket onto the man's head, knocking him unconscious on the ground. Sakamoto, who had finally plucked the courage, threw an empty bottle of saki at a short man, who had just raised his wooden swordbehind Yanagi. He fell on his face, knocked out. A man, who was (as Yanagi thought) the most unattractive of the group, raised his wooden sword and swung it at her direction. She ducked in the nick of time, and kicked him on his groin. The man staggered like his companions. A fat man, who advanced at Yanagi, was by far the dumbest prat she has ever seen. Before the man could get any nearer to Yanagi, he stumbled on Gatsu's crouched figure, and fell on his leader. Whether he was an accident prone, or just plain stupid, Yanagi couldn't tell.

"SMUFITH ATH!!!" Gastu muffled under his comrade's fat body.

Yanagi jumped on the two tangled figures, which both ushered muffled yells when they felt her weight on them, and ran as fast as she could out of the pub. The weather this afternoon was far from fine. It was almost the same hot weather, which she had encountered days ago when she tried to escape from someone in the same manner.

"Police," she muttered under her stifled breath. "Aren't there any police in this place?"

She needed to get them away from the pub, for who ever these men are, they're sure shady people. She didn't want to help the bartender, who had just labeled her on sale, but they could harm anyone. She could hear footsteps behind her.

"Get her, you idiot!!" She heard behind her. Looking behind over her shoulder, she saw three men, including a muck-covered Gatsu, catching up with her.

"Soujiro," she muttered under her breath. It was hopeless to even try and pray for him to save her this time. He was probably miles away now.

'Iie,' she thought. 'He's done enough for me.'

"Police," she begged. "Aren't there any police in this place?"

They could be harmful to anyone, but how could she worry about other people now – her own life was in danger. Sweating, she could see the end to the village.

'I could lose them in the forest,' she thought. But before she could think of anything else, she saw a figure approaching in her direction as she went farther, a figure she never thought she'd see again.

Chapter 16

"Soujiro!" Yanagi called over to the handsome young man, who was coming to view as she ran more vigorously at the sight of him. Soujiro blinked when he saw Yanagi, her hair riding with her pace. He knew it would be easy to find her, but he didn't know that it was going to be this easy – and fast too. But what really caught his eye were the three men chasing after her. One of them was heavily covered in muck.

"Soujiro," she said, hurrying at his side, catching her breath. "What're ..you doing here?"

But Soujiro wasn't listening to her; he never took his eyes from the stooges behind her.

"Soujiro," she said, tugging his sleeve. "We have to get out of here. These men are after me, and they could hurt you too."

He stood his ground, knowing better. Running away would be meaningless. It was best to face a problem, than to deal with it later. When the men were barely a foot away from them, Yanagi took Soujiro by the arm, and tried to steer him away. Soujiro freed himself from her grip, and forced her to stay behind.

"Wait here," he said over his shoulder, smiling calmly at her adrenalin remark. He advanced a few steps forward, and when the three men saw him up close, an expression of mingled surprise and fear spread across their faces.

In shock, Gatsu stuttered, "S—S—Soujiro-san."

The other two were twice as shocked as Gatsu, that they couldn't find their tongues.

"I don't think you'll gain anything in harming a harmless girl, gentlemen, Soujiro began politely. Although he spoke lightly, a well-experienced sinister can suspect that this was not the manner of an ordinary person.

"It's not nice to pick on somebody weaker than you are. I suggest you leave her alone, for your own sakes as well," he added.

The other two looked at their leader for command, only to find that he has already fled. They wasted no time, and retreated as well from Soujiro, who understood promptly.

'Former soldiers of the Juppongatana,' he told himself. 'Gutless prawns as they ever were.'

"Uhm…"

Smiling, Soujiro wheeled around at his companion, whom he never thought to find more pleasing.

"What is it?"

Yanagi chose her words carefully.

"Why did you comeback? Did you forget anything?"

Soujiro laughed at her happily.

"I dunno why I did. I guess the silence became a bit too much for me to handle. Besides, I can't leave you in this place. It'd eat you alive."

"What?"

Soujiro walked past her, not looking into her eyes. "We'll find you another place to stay. This place, I'm telling you, is one of the worst I've ever seen."

She stared at the back of his head, hardly daring to believe that he was worried about her.

"But…" she said hoarsely, trying to point out an argument which might save her independence.

"I doubt it if you say you like it here."

"Of coarse I don't," she said quickly.

"Then we better get a move on. If you haven't noticed, the weather's toasting us alive."

He was right. It was a sweat-breaking afternoon, and they were getting a full-blow of it. Yanagi wiped sweat from her brow, only noticing it now. It seemed to her that Soujiro's argument was superior to hers.

"Hai. Let's go."

Without looking at her, Soujiro walked on, Yanagi tagging behind appreciatively.

"Soujiro-san," Yanagi said after a while. "Have you eaten already?"

"Iie."

"We should stop for a while and eat. Besides, I can't stand my own hunger anymore."

He couldn't either. Soujiro eyed for a comfortable shade among the trees before answering.

"Over there," he said, pointing at the shadows under an orange tree.

Soujiro sat down with a contented smile on his face. He felt so light and wonderful, even with his stomach rumbling. It was like he felt it just now. Yanagi sat opposite him and took out a brown package.

"Here," she said, handing it to him.

"What's this?" Soujiro replied, taking the package.

"Food, of coarse. I nicked some from the kitchens this morning."

Soujiro ripped off the brown paper, revealing a small rectangular white box. He took off the lid.

"Dumplings?"

"Hai," she replied. "I was saving them for myself because Sakamoto-sama – he's the bartender – doesn't feed his workers. We have to fend for ourselves.

Soujiro looked down at the box of dumplings on his lap, somewhat glad that he came back for her.

"Well, now that you've saved my life again, they're all yours."

He looked up. "What?"

"Eat. You'll need your strength today."

"Where's yours?"

"I already ate," she said, at the same time, a hungry monster in her stomach protested.

"Seems like you haven't yet," Soujiro said, offering her the brown package. "Let's eat them together. You took too much, it could last you for days."

Yanagi smiled shyly, taking a dumpling and biting it indulgingly. "By the way, how did those freaks know your name?"

"What?" he asked, taking a dumpling too.

"Those men, who were after me, why did they know your name?"

Soujiro bit on the dumpling, hoping to sound casual. "I used to be in an organization with them."

"But they seemed really scared of you."

He swallowed. "Everyone was afraid of the Juppongatana, and I don't mean to boast, but being known as the Tenken, I'd be surprised if they aren't. Besides, I used to order them around."

Yanagi lowered the dumpling from her mouth to speak better with him. "Juppongatana? What're you talking about? Is that an assassination group?"

'I must be out of my mind,' he thought before speaking.

"Iie. That's far from the truth. The Juppongatana's the strongest warriors of Shishio-san, the Meiji Government's former shadow assassin. I met him when I was 8, and he made me his right-hand man. He taught me to be a swordsman, and I became his prodigy, and then later, his warrior of chaos. That's where I got my nickname – Tenken. He taught me the philosophy of the Survival of the Fittest. The Juppongatana had its makings in ten years, where Shishio-san managed to gather some followers. We were close to having our goal accomplished when…"

Soujiro's stopped, realizing that he has said too much. He kept his eyes down, not daring to look at his companion. Yanagi stared at his expressionless face, lost for words, when something suddenly flew in front of her eyes. It landed on her forefinger.

"Hey," she said.

Soujiro looked up.

"Look!" she held up her finger to his face.

"A fruit fly?" he asked, looking at the insect resting on her finger.

"Iie. It's a firefly."

"Firefly?"

"It's not obvious because it's still afternoon. But when it's night, you'll see. They're beautiful. I bet they're plentiful here," she added, looking around.

Soujiro looked at the thing on her finger, wondering how an insect like this could ever appear beautiful.

"I've never seen fireflies before," he said.

"Never?"

He shook his head.

"Seeing fireflies makes me feel at peace with the world," she said, looking at it. "I bet other insects envy fireflies. I know I would. They're one of the few kinds of insects that could give light at all adversities."

Yanagi watched as the firefly flew from her finger, and disappeared above the trees. She looked at her companion, who looked away quickly.

The scent of fresh grass filled Soujiro's nostrils. He looked up and admired the ocean of stars scattered with the moonlight. Yanagi was trailing quietly behind him. The forest was getting denser as they went deeper. Soujiro went further ahead from Yanagi to clear the way for her. They both haven't talked for a while. He had said at least ten words since the sun had set. Contained in what he was doing, Soujiro never noticed that Yanagi had stopped behind him.

"Beautiful," she whispered.

Soujiro looked over his shoulder, wondering what possibly caught her eye.

"What is it?"

She gestured him to come. When he was barely a foot from her, he followed her gaze. There were dozens of miniature green lights were resting, some fluttering, on the grasses and bushes with not a care in the world. Soujiro suddenly remembered an ugly winged creature that was resting on Yanagi's finger this afternoon.

"Fireflies?"

"Hai," Yanagi answered. "They're beautiful aren't they?"

"They are. You were right."

Yanagi beamed.

"Yokatta… so now you've seen some – a whole bunch of them."

Soujiro stared at the tantalizing view. He has never seen anything so beautiful.

"Arigato, Soujiro-san."

Soujiro looked at her. "For what?"

"For saving me twice and giving me a name… I should've said this earlier."

"I only--" he hesitated in using a word which never applied to him. "—saved you out of cold feet. It was nothing to be proud of. As for the name, I don't think it was polite to name someone as if she didn't have one."

"But I don't have a name."

Soujiro heard, but didn't quite understand. "What?"

Yanagi smiled weakly.

"I was born from a peasant family. We were extremely poor, you know. My father died before I was born, so my mother was forced to look after me all by herself when she was pregnant. Because our only source of income was fishing, my mother forced to work a man's job. She exhausted herself too much. My mother died giving birth to me after she came back from night fishing. Fishermen discovered me the next morning. They sold me to a geisha house."

"A geisha house? But, how did you know what happened to your parents in all that?"

"Well, I don't even know if their version of my story's true. I mean, that's what the geisha, who took care of me, said."

"So you're a geisha?"

"Iie. I was supposed to be. But… oh well. Never mind."

Soujiro had an unusual feeling of wanting to hear more.

"But," he continued. "If you were sold to a geisha house, then they must've named you."

"Hai. But when I dishonored the okiya, they took away my name, telling me that a girl like me was not worth to be named a name of an artist."

"So what was the name---"

"I don't want to talk about it."

There was an awkward pause. She sighed.

"My name was Hotaru. I had the information that my father used to call my mother Hotaru because of the birthmark on her neck that's shaped oddly like a firefly. I was named Hotaru because my eyes were in a weird shade of green. So whenever I see fireflies, I remember my family and myself. After they threw me out I became a wanderer, and then sold myself to a…"

She looked away from Soujiro quickly, and concentrated hard on the fireflies.

"I sold myself to a prostitute house."

Soujiro's heart leapt. He wasn't the type of teenager, who's not interested much in women, but he knows what a prostitute is. He was talking to one. But he didn't feel disgusted with her, instead, he felt what he has felt for her the first time they met, and there was something more heartfelt about it. He wanted to take the sadness off those beautiful green eyes. He remembered her desperate remarks when he first met her: 'I won't be a burden. I could cook for you or steal money for you … anything you want, just get me out of here.'

"Gomen…nasai," she whispered audibly into the darkness as warm tears well on her eyes when she looked at Soujiro, who didn't look away. They stared at each other for a while, as time was carelessly passing between them. A twinkling green light swept past them. Soujiro followed it with his gaze until it disappeared into the darkness, thinking of the girl beside him who has also wandered into a dark path.

Chapter 17

Soujiro stared into the darkness, refusing to sleep. He gazed across the figure opposite him that was sleeping sound tonight. Her face was so peaceful and innocent. There was no trace of stain on it. He thought of it as a waste for a girl like her, whom anyone could find attractive, to be involved in prostitution. 'But she decided to do it at free will,' he thought. 'She had nothing to lose.' Yumi has always told him that he wasn't fit for the life of an assassin. She said he was far too innocent and buoyant. He believed otherwise. Soujiro had an uneasy sleep that night. Dancing shadows kept swirling in his thoughts.

"Gomenasai," Yanagi said.

Soujiro looked up, swallowing the last morsel of his breakfast. They were having their usual cuisine – fish.

"What?" he asked.

"Gomen. I told you about my past yesterday when I wanted to show you fireflies to make you happy."

Soujiro felt something funny in his stomach that had nothing to do with food.

"I mean, after you told me about your past yesterday, I just thought we'd get even." She added, staring at her meal. "Besides, I did it because I wanted you to trust me. I thought it'd make us trust each other."

"Why?" Soujiro asked.

She looked into his eyes directly for the first time since last night. "We're friends aren't we?"

It seemed like the sweetest, yet atypical thing anyone has ever told him – he was considered as a friend.

"Hai," he answered, not knowing what to reply.

Yanagi was relieved to see that it was the same captivating smile that he has always given her, not considering whether she was a prostitute or not.

"Arigato for giving me a nickname. It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I like that name, and would be honored to use it."

Soujiro smiled, and he meant it. "I'm glad to hear that."

"I thought my life as a prostitute was hard enough, but when I heard your story, I imagined you didn't have a good life."

'Yes,' he thought reassuringly. 'I didn't.'

"So what kind of journey are you traveling? I'm just curious, but if you think it's a bit personal, let's just leave it."

"Eh?"

Soujiro scratched his head thoughtfully. She admired how charmingly boyish he can be looking like this.

"I'm looking for something - something that I think I know sometimes, and sometimes not."

"Huh?"

"Like what I told you, I've done countless sins," he said, trying to sound casual. "So now I have to straighten things out. It would've been easier if I just turn myself in, but I thought it would be senseless because it would be better for me to amend for them, than to be locked up and do nothing." He stopped.

Seeing that his companion has finished her meal, he stood up, and looked down at the beautiful figure in front of him.

"Yokatta. We better get going while it's still early."

The weather this afternoon was fine. The sun was peaking through the gaps of leaves again. Soujiro and Yanagi continued with their journey northwards.

"Soujiro," Yanagi began. "I think I have an idea where you could drop me off."

"Really?" he asked. "Where?"

He stopped to his tracks, as she pulled out a piece of folded paper from her obi.

"Okon-san gave me this," she said, unfolding the paper and showing it to Soujiro. A ray of sunlight peaked through the gaps of leaves above, and silhouetted on it. Soujiro found himself looking at a minuscule map of Edo. The writings were so small, that they could be barely read. He spotted the Shingetsu Village, and the northern regions he had passed. He was awed by his own willingness to journey on and on each day. There was a red line that stood out from the black ink used on the map. It directed to a place called –

"Cherry Babies?"

Soujiro took over the task of following the direction marked on the map.

'Cherry Babies,' Soujiro read the name of a tiny restaurant that curtailed the line of red ink on the map. 'I wonder if Himura-san survived his fight with Shishio-san. And if he did, how badly was he injured?' He has never had any news of Kenshin Himura ever since Shishio's stronghold burned to dust.

"Soujiro, I think we're heading the wrong way."

Soujiro looked at Yanagi, who was looking over his shoulder. He became oblivious of her presence.

"It directs us to turn left at a clearing. We're heading too much south," she said, tracing her finger on the map.

"Oh yeah," he said. He scratched his head, laughing. "Gomen, gomen!"

Without looking at her, he turned back to the clearing she was talking about.

"Over here!" he waved at Yanagi, who remained motionless for a while.

"Hai," she said suddenly, catching up with him. "Soujiro, do you think I should guide us instead? You seem distracted."

"Really?" he asked innocently. Yanagi raised an eyebrow.

"I have everything under control, Yanagi-san. We won't get lost."

"Sou-ji-ro," Yanagi said through gritted teeth as a ray of the setting sun reflected on her hair. "I think we are lost."

The sun was beginning to set. The sky was in a mixed shade of purple and fiery red-orange. A sweat trickled on Soujiro's brow. He hated to admit it himself, but he did lose track of directions hours ago, and didn't even bother to let Yanagi know about it. He couldn't help it either, because every time he sees the name Cherry Babies, a flashback image of his fight with Kenshin Himura keeps popping in and out of his head. His throat felt hot and dry. He has never felt so stupid and embarrassed.

"We've been here before, Soujiro!" Yanagi pointed out irritably. "You should've at least let me know if you were getting confused by those little dots!"

"You should've let me know that you knew we were getting lost, then!" he retorted back at her. Soujiro grit his teeth. He has definitely never felt so stupid and embarrassed.

Chapter 18

It was another campfire night. Soujiro and Yanagi sat on the forest floor as they examined the directions on the map.

"We did stop here," Yanagi said, pointing at a clearing on the map. "And we did turn left, then we must've gone too much south."

"Hai," Soujiro said, listening intently. His inability to lead them to the right path made Yanagi take full charge of everything. Soujiro couldn't do anything about this.

"See this? If we've gone a little bit further west, we could've been in a short cut," she said.

Soujiro was surprised to see how demanding and bossy she could be.

Yanagi kept silent for a while, staring at the map. She looked up and examined her surrounding with her brow frowned.

"Soujiro –"

Soujiro held up a hand to silence her. Something was different about the stillness of the night. He could feel an aura of foreboding and bloodthirstiness. He stood up, ignoring Yanagi's whispered remarks. He scooped a handful of mud and threw it on the burning fire. Everything was now ion immense darkness. No moon shone that night, but only shadowy figures.

Soujiro lowered his head to Yanagi and said, "Wait here." And before Yanagi could say anything else, he disappeared into the shadows.

"I'm sure I felt him right here," Soujiro said after he stopped to a grassy area in the forest. He stared into the darkness, his senses sniffing the aura of a man familiar to him.

'What is he doing here? Has he come to arrest me?'

Suddenly, he heard a twig crack behind him. She spun around, expecting to see the man. But instead, he saw a group of seven armed bandits, cautiously approaching him with their swords raised. Although unarmed, Soujiro still hasn't lost defense. There was a reason why Shishio Makoto named him Tenken, and he was about to prove it again.

'I could still feel him,' Soujiro thought, thinking of a man with eyes of a wolf's. 'He's close.'

He heard a shout. One of the bandits had launched at him. Soujiro managed to avoid by a split second, and grabbed the man by the arm. Soujiro pulled the man roughly and kicked him behind the kneecap. He grabbed the man's katana as the bandit fell to the ground.

'Where are you?' Soujiro thought, looking for someone among the shadowy trees.

Another man launched at him and then another. He ducked at the first and thrust the other man at the other man's right shoulder, careful not to inflict any serious damage. He turned his attention over to the other bandit, who attacked him, and before the man could respond further, Soujiro swung his sword at the man's katana, breaking its back at the middle part. Soujiro swung the blunt side of the sword at the man's neck, knocking him unconscious. Four were left, all who seemed to have lost all nerves. They backed a few paces away from the young man. Soujiro straightened up and rested the blade on his shoulder like he used to.

"So does any of you want an early trip to hell?" he asked, smiling coolly at them. "I'd be glad to do it for you."

Soujiro could see them trembling slightly like shivering pawns. A tall one among the group advanced at him first. But the man reacted too soon before he himself could decide whether to attack or not, that he launched awkwardly, making it easy for Soujiro to target his weak point. Soujiro stood for a moment, waiting for his reckless attacker. When the bandit was already a foot away from him, Soujiro suddenly felt the aura he had felt earlier.

'He's coming this way,' he told himself.

"HIYYYAAAA!" The bandit's ear-splitting voice snapped him to his senses. He gripped on the katana and swung it at the same time as the bandit. Their swords clashed. The bandit backed away for another strike. When he looked down, he found no sword. The bandit looked at his left and saw his sword thrust on the ground. It was knocked by the young man from his grip, and landed intently on the ground on which a tall man with cold eyes stood smoking a cigar. The bandit stuttered at the sight of the wolf-man.

"S---Saito-san!"

Saito Hajime puffed out a great deal of smoke.

"Well, well, well," he said in a stoic manner. "What do we have here?"

"Saito-san, forgive us," the bandit stuttered. "The boy's too strong."

Saito puffed out again. The smell of burnt tobacco reached Soujiro's nostrils, reminding him of someone who used to smoke the same tobacco.

"Scram." His voice was steady, but Saito has the habit of showing coldness in such a way.

"Hai..!" The bandit scrambled and ran past his other companions, whom all followed suit, and disappeared into the darkness.

"I hate it when people run off like that," Yanagi said to herself. She disliked the idea of being left behind that she couldn't restrain herself from looking for her companion. She cautiously searched in the darkness like a blind woman sensing for a sign of struggle.

"Where is he?" she whispered, shoving overgrown vines off her way. Without warning, she heard a voice nearby – a man's voice: hard and intolerant.

"You have no idea of the crimes you have committed," it said. "Are you planning to follow Battousai's footsteps of atonement? Te years of meaningless wandering to forget your past and the blood you spilt."

There was a short silence. Yanagi found her feet and took a few steps back, sensing danger in that voice, when she suddenly heard another one familiar to her.

"I'm not planning to follow Himura-san's path. I'm trying to make my own. I'm not trying to forget either. I'm trying to remember."

Yanagi crept on all fours in the darkness, her brilliant green kimono standing out from the shadowy forest floor. Her injured leg was protesting in pain, but she ignored it. as she crept nearer and nearer to the path which lead to the two voices conversing. There was profound silence again and then –

"Can't you do that in prison?" the man's voice asked coldly.

Yanagi stopped when she heard the man's voice grow louder, which means she was only a few feet away from them. Slowly, careful not to make any sign of struggle, she peered through the gaps of bushes, and saw what she wanted to see. Soujiro, with a sword, was stranding face-to-face with a man whom she has never seen before. However, she has no doubt that this man was a police, judging by his uniform. He was a very tall man, his shoulders barely touching Soujiro's head.

"So is this why you've come? To turn me in?" Soujiro asked. Yanagi has never seen him act strangely before.

The policeman puffed out smoke and smiled audibly. "Iie. Not really. I just wanted to crush some information from you…about Shishio.

Soujiro felt his grip on the katana tighten at the mention of his former master's name.

"What information?"

"To tell you the truth, boy, I already have some information about Shishio's money but I just wanted to ask his right-hand man myself."

"Money?" Soujiro asked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Saito chortled. "Still a faithful servant to your former master."

"I'm not telling you to believe me," Soujiro answered, ignoring Saito's last remark. "I know you wouldn't, but I've no idea of what you're talking about. You should probably ask Houji. He's our financial manager."

"He's dead."

The words hit Soujiro like cold ice. "Then I have nothing to tell you," he said.

Saito, with his intolerable accent continued, "I had information that Shishio owned a great deal of fortune ever since he stopped being an assassin. When the government betrayed him and tried to burn his body alive, he plotted for revenge using his fortunes. The Rengkoku, his stronghold…. they are only some of the assets that are proofs of his wealth. Where is the rest of it?"

Soujiro's mind was reeling. He has never thought of Shishio's fortunes before and where the came from. But he was sure that they were enough to last the Juppongatana a lifetime supply of necessities.

"I don't know," Soujiro finally answered. "…And neither do I have anything to do with finances either. What's in it for you anyway?"

"Shishio caused numerous casualties, including the massive destruction in Edo and its police station. The government will use the rest of his money to rehabilitate and reconstruct the damages."

"And what if there is no fortune?" Soujiro asked.

"There is. I can assure you that."

"Then what's the point of asking me then?"

Saito merely smiled.

"From what source did you get the information? From whom? And how sure are you – "

"Evidences," Saito answered simply. "Investigators and statisticians come in handy. With your help, we can find it."

"My help?" Soujiro hissed dangerously. "What makes you think I'll help you in such a meaningless treasure hunt?"

"I thought you said you were trying to make your own path? This is your chance to amend for your sins. All I need for you to do is help."

Soujiro was really getting irritated now, not to mention confused. "If ever I knew, I would've told you moments ago."

Saito realized that he could not squash any information form the boy. He was waiting his time.

"Himura was just as foolish. He's never admitted the truth about the hitokiri inside of him," he said coldly. "And I don't think neither will you. You can never turn back to play innocent once again, boy. Your eyes are placed in front of you for a reason. You're going to waste ten years of your life searching for an unreachable meaning."

And with that, he walked past Soujiro and disappeared among the shadows.

Chapter 19

Yanagi wiped the sweat from her brow. It seems like an hour that she has been squatting there. Her mind was reeling with information and questions. Shishio? The name somehow rang a bell. What fortune were they talking about? Who was that police? Yanagi's heart skipped a beat when she heard someone call her.

"Yanagi-san," Soujiro said. "Come out of there. You're lucky Saito-san didn't notice you."

Soujiro was looking directly at the spot were Yanagi sat hiding among the thickets. Flushing, she straightened up and strode towards Soujiro.

"Soujiro," she said, coming over to him. "I'm really, really sorry. I couldn't help it! I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I was just wondering were you went off to and I heard voices and…"

"Iie. I don't blame you for that," he answered, smiling sweetly at her.

Yanagi hesitated for a moment, and after a thought of consideration, she returned a smile at him. Soujiro recognized a familiar muck coming from her. He followed his nose and looked down at her bight green kimono. It was oozing with blood.

"Yanagi-sa, your injured leg – "

She followed his gaze and saw that her kimono was stained with blood. Her wound has opened up.

"I… I almost forgot…" she mumbled.

A warm hand took her arm and steered her away.

"You should've been careful enough," Soujiro said, leading her to the woods. "Try to be a bit cautious the next time."

Yanagi pressed her hand on her thigh. It was hurting badly now. Finally, they reached the clearing where they rested a moment ago. There was nothing but darkness. The aroma of burnt wood entered their nostrils. Soujiro somehow regretted having put the fire out. It was hard to start a fire in a cold evening. Yanagi sat on the ground, spreading her legs. She could see the imprint of her own blood. It stood out form the color of her kimono. She jerked a bit when she heard the sound of a tearing cloth.

"Here," Soujiro said, handing her a great piece from the sleeves of his kimono. "This will stop the bleeding for a while."

Yanagi smiled gratefully.

"Here," Soujiro repeated awkwardly. "Maybe you should do it…"

He looked over his shoulder and stared at the blackened firewoods as Yanagi was wrapping the cloth around her leg.

"I should get some more firewood. It's pretty cold tonight." He turned back at Yanagi. "Why don't you stay here for a while as I find some more firewood? I don't know anything about healing so it'd be stupid if I waste time not doing anything."

He stood up and turned to leave. "Oh and while you're at it, try to be a good girl this time and stay," he added mischievously at her.

"Damn it," Yanagi hissed after Soujiro left. "I should've been more careful when I ran away from that forsaken place." She was thinking of the prostitute house.

'Here,' the landlady spat, handing her a pack of golden nuggets. 'Try not to chicken out on this one!'

Yanagi chucked the pack in fist. At the age of seventeen, all she had to do in the prostitute house was sing and dance, wherein her geisha skills came in handy. But it all changed when a military officer liked her while she was performing and asked the landlady for her price. The old woman declined at first because Yanagi was only sold for the eyes. She was a priced asset. But when the officer bid his price, the old woman beamed with excitement. The money could buy the prostitute house a whole district to itself. The officer was in delight to hear the landlady's approval. The officer asked for the young lady's name.

'Sakura,' the landlady said quickly, inventing a name. The young lady never had a name when she came to the prostitute house, and they didn't bother to give her one.

Yanagi paced around the red-lit room, her heart pounding heavily. Could she perhaps escape? She needed a miracle. Why did she have to be here in the first place?

'Yes,' she thought. 'The geisha house sold me here. Twice is enough. My pride and dignity is all I have.' And with that, she plotted her escape.

Yanagi wound the cloth on her leg. It didn't remotely feel painful now. The blue cloth almost stopped the pain. It felt so soft and warm on her leg.

'Maybe I should find a twig or two to support the damn leg.'

She carefully stood up, supporting her weight on a trunk. 'I'm not going far,' she thought, remembering Soujiro's reminder to stay put. 'I'm just going to look for twigs. There's bound to be some in this place.'

She searched the ground for a piece of wood. It was quite hard because it was very dark. She walked past the burnt woods and searched the ground. Nothing. She squinted behind the trees.

"Aha!" She said, picking up a healthy twig. There was another twig. She picked it up again and examined with of the two is better. Before she could decide, her eyes fell on the ground once more. There were dozens of twigs. She remembered earlier that Soujiro wanted to make sure the firewoods were enough to last them the whole night. He gathered a great lot.

"To get more firewood? Yeah, I bet."

Soujiro returned later with an armful of firewood. It was still very dark, but Yanagi could recognize his outline anywhere, not to mention his pasty smile.

Soujiro was supposed to ask her something important but the trip in the woods drove it completely out of his mind.

"What is it?" he asked. It was for the first time that Yanagi eyed him heavily.

"Nothing," she answered. "You sure gathered a lot of firewood.

"They'll be enough," he replied, smiling at her. He spread the variety of twigs on the floor and took a handful of twigs and walked over to their fireplace. He handpicked two twigs and began rubbing them furiously together.

"Yanagi-sa," Soujiro said as nuggets of flame began to appear. "Gomen. I got us lost. I promise to take you to Cherry Babies tomorrow. It's time we get you a home. I have no doubt that the people there will take care of you."

Yanagi smiled at Soujiro, who turned away almost quickly.

'He smiles, but the truth is reflected in his eyes. There is a part of him that's missing, and that's what's he's looking for – a piece of his soul.'

The fire was getting bigger and the night was becoming warmer now.

'It's like what he said…he wanted to remember, and not forget.'

Her heart was filled with pity and yet there was something more…

'He probably isn't a bad person as he portrays himself. Otherwise, he wouldn't admit his misgivings. He's just a lost person… A vagabond in search for something… his path of origin.'

Soujiro could feel two eyes staring heavily at him, but he chose to ignore it.

Chapter 20

Midday was the time of the day when the workers of Cherry Babies would sit on the futons, drinking tea and eating sushi. Lunch time was over and so is their double-time in the kitchens to serve their guests. It was their time to relax. The Oniwabanshu was pleased to be in the company of the Kenshingumi, whom helped them on their chores.

"Kaoru-chan, when do you plan to go back to Kyoto?" Okon asked, sipping her tea.

"Eh? Well, we plan on going home the day after tomorrow."

"What?!" Okon exclaimed. "You just arrived here days ago. Why not visit sites before you go?"

"Because…" Kaoru hesitated, trying to keep her face straight. "This place reminds Kenshin of his path."

Yoshi, who was munching on salmon sushi, added, "Kenshin was known as Battousai the Slasher here, and people recognizes him easily just by looking at his scar."

Shiro, Okon, Omasu and Kuro looked at each other. Kaoru and Yoshi had a point.

"Did you tell Misao and Okina that you are leaving?" Shiro asked.

"Not yet," Kaoru answered, clenching her fist. "But I'll tell them later. I'm just waiting for the right time."

Kuro grunted. "That'll depress them."

"Konnichiwa!" a voice said. The group looked behind their aisle. Two strangers just entered: a young man with a young woman. The young man was wearing a blue kimono and had a good-natured face, which matched his handsome features. The young woman had almond-colored hair that fell to her shoulders. The four members of the Oniwabanshu recognized the pair immediately.

"Welcome, welcome!" Okon said gleefully, coming over to them. "What took the two of you so long?!"

Soujiro looked around him and examined the headquarters, which was merely a restaurant, of his former enemies.

"We had a bit of a problem," Yanagi answered when Soujiro wouldn't.

"Is that so? So have you thought it over if it's alright if we'd adopt you and your friend?"

"That'd be great!" Omasu said as she came to join the conversation.

"By the way," Soujiro said, turning his attention back at them. "I'm really sorry, for my rudeness the other day. We were just really in a hurry."

Omasu waved a hand in decline.

"You could stay here if you want," Okon suggested. Soujiro looked at her.

"I mean where else have you got to go?"

"Oh hundreds!" he answered, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"But I'd want it if you'd stay," Yanagi said, looking at him straight in the eye. Soujiro felt warmth spread over his chest, but he shook his head in decline.

"Iie. I told you. I'm on a journey. I can't stay."

"You're a wanderer?" a woman, whom the pair have never seen before. She had a pink ribbon on her highly ponytailed hair, and had the kindest smile they have ever seen.

"This is Kaoru Kamiya," Okon said, introducing the woman. "She's the kendo master of the Cattleya Clashing sword style."

A vein twitched in Kaoru's temple. "Kamiya Kasshin style, Okon-chan, not Cattleya Clashing style!"

"Gomen!"

The two women smiled at Yanagi and Soujiro embarrassingly.

"Sumimasen! Hahaha," Kaoru said. "Anyway, wanderers can't be wanderers forever you know. Sooner or later you have to stop. I know someone who used to be a wanderer, but soon he also got tired of going around the place, and settled down."

Soujiro knew damn well who she was talking about. "And did he find what he was looking for when he stopped wandering?"

"Hai. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come back to us."

Yanagi looked at Soujiro and smiled intently. For one fleeting moment, he felt adoration and wanted to nod his head in approval, but his instincts got the better of him.

"I may stop wandering after ten years or so, but not now," he told them, smiling. He looked down vividly at Yanagi. "Not when I still have things to discover and places to go to."

He turned his attention back at the group. "But arigato – to all of you. I must be going now."

"Soujiro!" he heard Yanagi chase after him. He stopped short at the sound of her voice, but kept his back against her.

"I don't know why you're so persistent in wandering, but you can't keep walking away from the good things in life. I mean, don't you want to have friends with you? Not everyone has a friend."

A grin spread on Soujiro's face. If only it was possible.

"Yanagi-sa," he said. "Arigato."

He couldn't see Yanagi's face, let alone her reactions. He had his back against her and all he could see was an ancient tree in front of him.

"For what?" Yanagi asked, breaking the silence.

"For being my friend. You're right. Not everyone has a friend. No one has ever treated me as her friend before, save Shishio-san and Yumi-san." He added. "But they're gone now. So I don't have anyone."

"I'm your friend. I'll be here for you."

Soujiro smiled at the tree in front of him. Its branches were drooping and its leaves falling.

"That's why I want to thank you." He looked at Yanagi. "Arigato for showing me the fireflies. Now I know that I could never get lost."

He has never seen her so glum before. There was sadness in her eyes. Soujiro has never seen anyone this sad for him. Yanagi, not knowing what to reply to this kind of stare, bowed her head like a defeated person.

"I don't want you to go."

Soujiro looked at her for a long time before saying, "I still have things that need mending ad questions that need answering. I have a journey to meet."

"Who doesn't have a journey to meet?" she answered. "Look underneath your feet. You'll find that the road on which you'll be walking on will lead you back here no matter where it'll take you."

"I didn't know that you were a philosopher, Yanagi-sa!" he chuckled. "But sometimes, you have to discover your own truth, because yours might not be the same one that others accept."

Yanagi's eyes began to well with tears, blurring her vision. The smiling young man's face blurred. She could hardly see him. Soujiro turned his attention back to the ancient tree. Its skin was so wrinkled with age and scarred by weather.

"Don't worry Yanagi-san. When my journey is over, I'll be back here for you. And after that… after that… I don't think I'll ever go away again." He wasn't smiling anymore.

Soujiro closed his eyes; again imagining that the road that leads in front of him is a bright road full of hope. But no matter how hard he tries to visualize magnificent trinkets to lead him, there's something or someone missing. There was only one person who painted all these beautiful scenes for him, and who directed him to where he needed to go. He smiled to himself, allowing his feet to drag him elsewhere – anywhere.

Chapter 21

"What?!"

"Misao-chan, calm down!" Okon exclaimed.

"Kaoru and the others are leaving already?!"

Misao, who has just arrived from the temple to visit Aoshi, heard about the Kenshingumi's departure from Edo. She wasn't too happy to hear the news at all. She plans on telling Okina later on and perhaps they could both convince Kenshingumi to stay for the upcoming festival. Okon opened her mouth to reason, when someone had entered the restaurant. It was Yanagi who was wearing a long face unlike her usual bloomy one. Misao's expression suddenly changed at the sight of her.

"Hey, it's you!" she said cheerfully. "We've been waiting for you in days! What took you so long?"

Yanagi merely gave her a weak smile.

"Where's that boy of yours?" Okon asked, seeing that girl returned alone.

"He left."

"What?!" Okon and Misao chorused.

"He has a journey to meet."

"A journey?" Okon repeated. "Why is he so persistent in this journey of his? Who is he anyway?"

Yanagi hesitated at first, but after a thought of consideration, said, "Soujiro Seta."

"Oh…" There was something oddly familiar about that name.

"Seta? The name is familiar," Misao said.

Then it struck her: A smiling young swordsman back in the Shingetsu Village – Shishio's right-hand man, the kid who broke Kenshin Himura's Sakabatou. Soujiro Seta, the Tenken Master!

"Seta?!" Misao repeated. Yanagi looked at her. "Goodness! Why didn't I recognize him? He's the Tenken Master that Himura fought back in the Shingetsu Village! Shishio's right-hand man!"

Okon put a hand over her mouth. "Oh my…" she gasped.

"He's one of the most wanted fugitives in all of Japan nowadays. The government is still after him," Misao said.

Yanagi knows that Soujiro has done bad things in his past, but she didn't know that he was this notorious. But she didn't care. She just wanted him back. Misao placed her hand over her forehead as if she was going to faint.

"I've been far too busy thinking about Aoshi-sama, that Soujiro Seta had been driven completely out of my memory! Why didn't I recognize him? Baka baka baka baka!"

Yanagi stared at Misao, who stood pinching herself ("Baka baka baka!"). Okon watched her.

"So does that mean that Soujiro couldn't stay here?"

Misao and Okon turned sharply at her.

"I mean, he was your enemy," she added.

"Well, err… you see…" Okon mumbled.

Yanagi looked down. She didn't need an answer. 'These people would never approve,' she thought.

Misao chuckled cautiously to soothe the glum atmosphere. "Give us a moment to think about it," she said, taking Okon by the arm and steering her to the other room.

It took like an hour, that it drove Yanagi to just leave.

'This is taking so long,' Yanagi told herself, her heart pounding insanely fast. 'Soujiro could be miles away by now.'

A figure emerged from the other room, but it wasn't Misao. It was Kaoru.

"Hello," she said, smiling at Yanagi.

"I believe you already met each other?" Misao, who has emerged from behind Kaoru, told Yanagi. "I told the others about you and Soujiro, and they said yes. By the way, Kaoru is the master of the Chiharu Churning sword style."

Kaoru's brow twitched… Cattleya Clashing sounded better.

"Kamiya Kasshin style! Really, are you guys doing it on purpose?" she said through gritted teeth.

"Gomen, gomen!"

"I don't want to be rude," Yanagi began. "But Soujiro's probably miles away now. I could never catch up to him. I just thought that if I find him someday, I could tell him that he has somewhere to go home to."

"What do you mean?" Misao asked. "You're not staying here anymore?"

"But you guys were enemies," she replied.

"I told you. It's alright. The Oniwabanshu and the Kenshingumi were once enemies too. Yet here we are, under one roof."

"There's nothing wrong with Soujiro, really!" Yanagi said. "He has just gone through a lot."

"Then there's nothing to worry about," Kaoru answered. "The past does not determine a person's fate. Ten years ago, people didn't expect a ruthless Battousai the Slasher to be the gentle peacemaker they know today. Ten years ago, people did not expect a bloody era to be the peace-loving period it is now. In other words, everybody and everything deserves a second chance."

Cherry Babies was still visible to where Soujiro stood. It looked like a miniature house now. He has taken only at least twenty-seven steps from the restaurant after dropping Yanagi off. He wanted to go and continue his journey, but something was holding him back. It was like being tied to the restaurant. He's left a lot of people in his life, and he has been left in return. His parents have left him before he got stuck with his cruel relatives. Anji left him and Houji to stand under the rain after the two men surrendered themselves to the authorities. The only person who has considered him as a friend and not as an object has left him, and he left her in return. Soujiro quickened his pace. He needs to be on the road before afternoon. The heavens rumbled. Looking up, he saw the clouds darkening. A familiar chill crept up his spine. The rain never goes away. It always catches up with him.

"Fall down," he said, looking up as if an invisible person was above the clouds talking to him. "At least I know that I'm not alone."

"You're not alone."

Soujiro looked over his shoulder sharply saw a pair of familiar green eyes bore themselves on his black ones. His tongue seems to have thicken and couldn't move itself. His heart was skipping a beat at the sight of Yanagi.

"They insisted that you'd stay," she began. "They even told me that they'd help me find you and bring you to live with us there."

"Really?" Soujiro asked, finally coming to his senses.

Yanagi nodded. "I told them that you'd insist on moving on. Ten years is so long for me. I can't wait forever. Life is far too short. Therefore, I'm coming with you."

"What? I can't take you with me. I have enemies. You could get hurt. I'm being after by the police, they could charge you in too for something."

"You're the only life that I know. I'd be glad to take those risks with you."

A drop of rain fell behind Soujiro. "But I'm on a journey. I have to get a move on."

The heavens rumbled again and this time, rain really fell.

"Soujiro," she said, smiling as showers of rain fell on her shoulder. "This is your journey."

Soujiro opened his mouth to speak but found no words to say. He closed it again and smiled at her, glad that he was able to pass by the Shingetsu Village when no other route was possible.