:: Chapter 1 ::

Tasuki staggered along the rough terrain in the mountains. He burps as he walks and he sways about, looking as if he was about to fall any moment. It was obvious that the Suzaku seishi had too much of a drink. Yet he still has a bottle of unfinished sake held by his right hand. It was getting late and the sky was dark. In fact, it is dark. Tasuki smiled faintly to himself as old memories came back to his mind. It had been a long time... He wondered how the others are...

Tasuki threw his head up and downed another mouthful of sake. Then it happened. A sharp piercing scream through the cold night air. Interrupted, Tasuki nearly choked on his sake as the liquid splashed rudely on his throat. It hurts. Then there were laughter of men and yes... tearing of clothes. Tasuki felt an outburst of rage within him. He doesn't know what's happening but he just could not control his anger. Those men, are simply ruining the 'reputation' of all men! They could have gone to a brothel...

Without another word, Tasuki ran towards the direction of the screams and saw four men surrounding a half-naked girl who had already been knocked out cold. The men turned as Tasuki moved too loudly for them not to notice his existence at all. They attacked.

Though drunk, Tasuki's reflexes was still great as ever. At least still better than the clumsy men's reflexes. Tasuki smashed his bottle of sake on the head of one huge men and he fell backwards, head bleeding badly. The man's companions yelled something undesirable at Tasuki and it doesn't do well to appease the orange-haired bandit-king. Whipping out his tessen, Tasuki twist one round and screamed, "REKKA!!!!! SHINNEN!!!!!!!"

The flames missed the men, or rather, Tasuki let it miss them. But it was enough for the men. They were in too much shock. Dragging their injured companion, they escaped as fast as they could. It was only this moment when Tasuki calmed down.

Tucking his precious tessen back into his back-belt, he walks over slowly to the unconscious girl. He's suddenly much sober. Maybe it was the fight which did it. Oh well. Tasuki looked at the girl. She looks pretty young, around sixteen or seventeen years old. She had beautiful long flowing blonde hair. Tasuki frowned. Blonde hair? This kind of reminded him of a guy he disliked distinctively. Nevertheless, Tasuki carried her in his arms and took her back to Mt. Reikaku, his bandit lair.

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Tasuki is not a happy man. Once he had managed to settle the girl down in an extra room, questions buzzed around him.

"Chief, what happened to that girl?"

"Chief! Who is she?! Oh man, she's gorgeous!!!"

"Chief! Did you... do that to her?!"

"Chief!!! Wow!!! You just did a heroic act again!!!"

"Chief!!! Did you do it with her?!"

"Chief! How is she related to you?!"

Tasuki was tired and most irritated at the nonstop questions thrown at him. Besides, it sounded quite rude and personal. Slapping his hands on the table, Tasuki yelled, "Hey hey hey!!! First of all, I don't know her at all and I have no relations with her at all!!!! I merely saved her from some thugs, okay?! Secondly..." Tasuki's face blushed at what he's going to say next, "I didn't do it with her! I don't even know her! Well, that's enough for now!" Without waiting for his men's response, Tasuki ran back to his room, face beet red. He stopped short when he came to a certain room. The girl's room. He heard soft sobbings from within. Curiosity allowed him to push open the doors gently and entered the room quietly. Tasuki was very much near the girl when she suddenly noticed a towering shadow over her. She whirled around and widened her eyes when she saw Tasuki. She opened her mouth and was about to scream when Tasuki clapped his hand over her mouth.

"Shh!! I'm not a bad guy!" Tasuki whispered, "In fact, I saved you from those idiots who tried to hurt you."

Hearing that, the girl's blue eyes softened and she became slightly relaxed. But she did not let her guard down totally. Tasuki understood. He let go of his hand. Weird. Now plus the blue eyes, she really reminded him of that guy he dislikes again.

"Now, what is your name and where do you live? I have to know so that I can send you home." Tasuki asked as he sat down on the bed beside the girl. Hearing what Tasuki just asked, she broke down into sobs again. Tasuki got nervous at that. He could never deal with tears, especially those coming from females.

// Geez... why do I always have this kind of luck with women? First Miaka, now this girl whom I don't even know! //

"I... My name is Aoi. I was going to the capital alone to find a relative of mine to put me up because my parents had just passed away and I have no one else..." Aoi broke down again.

Tasuki was silent for a moment. The next thing which came out of his mouth was totally irrelevant and stupid.

"I thought Aoi is a guy's name?"

Aoi looked up at Tasuki and she laughed uncontrollably. Tasuki forced a laugh too, and it sounded rather unnaturally.

"My parents thought I was a boy at first. Actually, they were so crazy about having a son that they named me before I was even born. But the name stuck even though it was later revealed that a daughter has been born to them." Aoi explained with a note of sadness.

"Oh." was all Tasuki said. He was staring hard at Aoi. Noticing that, Aoi shrunk back a little and she blushed. "Yes?" she asked softly.

"Oh sorry." Tasuki snapped out of his trance, noticing how rude he had been, "It's just that... your hair and eyes..." Tasuki frowned, "You reminded me of..."

"The Hin tribe, yes?" Aoi nodded sadly, "And they said that the last of the Hins was the Shogun of the previous Kutou Empire." Aoi looks down, "I'm not a Hin though... I know that enough... I don't know why my hair and eyes are these colors but it's not up to me. I've been despised since I was a child because of this." Aoi gripped the bedsheet tightly and Tasuki understood her meaning. Those men, tried to rape her because they thought she was a Hin, a girl from an outcast tribe. They thought they could do whatever they want to her because nobody would care about a Hin.

Sighing, Tasuki got up from the bed and walked to the door. Looking back, Tasuki smiled at Aoi.

"Rest well then, Aoi. I will take you to find your relative tomorrow."

Aoi was startled at how Tasuki had addressed her. Yet she was feeling happy within herself secretly. Tasuki was about to close the doors when Aoi called out.

"Excuse me but, I still don't know your name?"

Tasuki paused for a moment, thinking.

"Well, my name is Tasuki but they call me Genrou around this area." Tasuki nods his head and smiles again, "See you tomorrow, Aoi."

As the doors closed quietly, Aoi laid down on the bed, resting. She had a strange feeling stirring within her. She could feel her cheeks blushing hot as a single thought ran through her mind.

// I don't wanna leave yet... //

Yes. She wants to see more of him...

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