Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai 7. Unfortunate, but true. Enjoy! ^_^

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Kyuzo would admit with all manner of certainty that her talents lay in destroying things. Namely living things, mostly people. Every once in a while she would demolish a building while in the midst of battle; although it was most likely going to get destroyed by someone else anyway. She didn't even need her swords, her hands were good enough to simply break someone's neck.

She was a destroyer. That was her skill. So it would only make sense that actually fixing things were where the limitations kicked in.

The blond samurai was crouched by the remains of the bamboo wall that she had kicked over the previous evening. Yukino had been understanding; a little too understanding for Kyuzo's taste. It was her fault. She had kicked the wall, damaging the property of someone kind enough to offer her accommodations. So it was only right that she should fix it.

That was all well and good until Kyuzo realized she hadn't the slightest idea how to build a wall. It seemed simple enough, but the last time she had seen someone building a wall, she had been half-awake, full of holes, and drugged as hell. All thanks to Katsushiro, but Kyuzo wasn't going to hold a grudge over a few holes in her chest. The scars, interestingly enough, connected enough to form the lopsided kanji for cabbage. Kyuzo hated cabbage. But still, no hard feelings over the scars.

She was, however, going to make the little bitch pay for putting all those holes in her coat. The red coat that her Sensei had worn, that he had given to her, along with his swords. The first thing she had done when she regained the ability to think (whatever pain medications Kambei gave her dulled more than just pain) was to request a needle and thread. Repairing the coat had kept her sane during the time she was bedridden.

Okay, so she could sew. Sensei had insisted that being able to repair the clothes on your back was a skill everyone needed. Of course, the man's judgment of important skills was questionable at times. He also thought spitting was an important skill.

Kyuzo held the mallet and stared at it for a long moment. She had used a mallet before, but not on a fence. As she recalled, it had been on someone's skull. So how exactly was something that shattered bone supposed to help erect a wall?

To add to it all, her little skirmish with Kambei last night had irritated her injuries. Although mostly healed, she was supposed to avoid strenuous activity. She wouldn't have considered last night as strenuous, not compared to her usual actions, but her back certainly thought so.

How was she supposed to do this? She could build any number of traps, but somehow she got the feeling Yukino wouldn't appreciate dead customers.

Unless she suddenly gained the knowledge of construction from staring at the mallet long enough, she would have to ask for help.

Who did she know that could build a wall?

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"Weren't there any nails?" Heihachi asked as he sifted through the pile of materials.

Kyuzo stared at him. Heihachi couldn't tell if it was a stare of agreement, or disagreement, or just a plain stare. He never had quite figured out how Kambei could tell the difference between her expressions. Perhaps it was because he was usually close enough to see her eyes? Heihachi was perfectly alright to not be that close.

"We need nails to build this fence…" Her head tilted the tiniest bit to the side. What was that? Confusion? Agreement? What was it?!

"I'll go get them…"

When Heihachi returned, Kyuzo was standing right where he had left her. She hadn't moved an inch. He set the box down and chose a suitable nail out of the container.

He couldn't help but notice how closely Kyuzo was paying attention to his movements.

"Kyuzo-dono. Have you…?" He swallowed nervously. "Have you ever built anything before?"

Her face darkened, but she only shook her head.

"Oh…Not even a shelter?"

"Trees make suitable shelter."

"I see…" Might as well start from the beginning. He put on his brightest smile and held up the nail.

"This is a nail."

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Yukino would be pleased. The wall Kyuzo and Heihachi had built was far stronger than the one Kyuzo had destroyed. In fact, the one she had destroyed had been ridiculously weak. She was strong, but it still collapsed far too easily. Not anymore. Next time, whatever drunken idiot decided to go into the other bath would find the wall to be a tough opponent.

It wouldn't stop her, of course, but Kyuzo didn't plan on having any more drinks while near Kambei. She still didn't remember why she had been so angry. It certainly wasn't unusual. Kambei pissed her off on a daily basis. She couldn't count the number of times she had slapped that man over inappropriate touching, suggestive comments, or perverted offers.

Such an annoying man.

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The rest of the samurai were gathered in the small dining room when they returned. Kyuzo was somewhat dismayed to see dozens of sake bottles next to Shichiroji.

"Just in time!" Gorobei beckoned Heihachi to sit beside him and Kyuzo withheld a grimace when she saw the only available spot was next to Kambei. Of course it would be.

"We were just about to partake in a little friendly gambling!"

"I'm afraid I'm flat broke, Gorobei-dono." Heihachi rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Katsushiro shyly raised his hand.

"I…I only have a little…" he admitted.

"I have nothing of value." Kambei said.

"…" Kyuzo added.

Gorobei's face fell.

"Then how shall we commence with this fine samurai pastime if we have nothing to gamble?" The large man looked so crestfallen that Kyuzo almost felt a stab of guilt over being broke.

"What's something we all have?" Shichiroji asked.

"…Swords?" Katsushiro offered. There was a general murmur of disagreement as each samurai fell into deep concentration. After all, this was serious business. Katsushiro, being new to the real samurai world, didn't quite understand why everyone seemed so serious. The only other person who didn't seem to think it was important was Kyuzo. But then again, he didn't think she was capable of expressing emotions other than boredom, contempt, and homicidal rage.

"Aha!" Gorobei exclaimed triumphantly. "Clothing!"

"Clothing?" Heihachi echoed.

"Clothing!" Gorobei repeated. "You lose when you're naked!"

"…" Kyuzo said.

"Wonderful idea." Kambei muttered before he emptied his glass of sake and started to pour another. Kyuzo noticed how unsteady his hands were. A devious, not to mention somewhat cruel, plan started to form in her mind. As casually as possible, she reached over to snatch the sake bottle out of his hand. When he gave her a look of bewilderment, she grasped his other hand to steady his glass. She poured it for him and made sure to let her fingers trail over the back of his hand as she released him. Exactly what he always did to her.

"That's kind of…I mean…I don't know if I should…" Katsushiro's face and ears were burning as he stuttered out protests.

"Nonsense!" Gorobei clapped him heartily on the back, sending the young man pitching forward. "You're a samurai, aren't you? This is a fine samurai tradition! Only the bravest warriors can participate!"

"Really?" Katsushiro's big green eyes practically sparkled as he looked up at Gorobei hopefully. The entertainer nodded seriously.

"You, my friend, are ready to join us as we celebrate the wonders of being samurai! Many young samurai never reach this level, and therefore spend the rest of their existence never knowing the majesty of this event!"

"I-I am honored!" Katsushiro was nearly glowing at the praise and listened raptly as Gorobei started to explain the rules of the game. Heihachi was biting his tongue in an effort to stifle his laughter.

"Should we really have to take off all our clothing?" Shichiroji asked.

"Are you shy?"

"It's not that…We've got a…y'know…in the room?" They all knew what Shichiroji was trying to avoid saying. Kyuzo was known to become excessively violent when her gender affected any decisions.

In Kanna, once it was revealed, they had automatically moved her to a separate house, away from Heihachi and Kikuchiyo. They found her back on her pallet next to Heihachi's the next morning. No one was entirely sure how she had managed to move herself given her body's condition. Kambei concluded that she was simply that stubborn.

Gorobei immediately came to Shichiroji's rescue. Kyuzo was looking at him with an expression she usually reserved for Kambei and her fingers were obviously itching to curl around the hilts of her swords.

"This is a samurai tradition! Kyuzo is a samurai. It's simple logic, my friend!"

"Right! That makes perfect sense!" He quickly agreed and breathed a sigh of relief when Kyuzo's gaze focused on something else.

"Is everyone in?" Gorobei looked around the circle of samurai. More specifically, he was waiting for Kyuzo and Kambei's response. Kambei shrugged and nodded.

"Kyuzo-dono?"

"I'll play." She replied instantly.

"…You will?" Kyuzo ignored his reaction. She was busy pouring more sake for Kambei. A little red flag went up in the back of Gorobei's mind. There was something terribly wrong with that scene. Simply put, Kyuzo was not one to pour sake for a man, especially one who already knew she was a woman. Kambei didn't look the least bit concerned about her odd behavior, thanks to the alcohol he'd consumed. Kyuzo had yet to drink anything at all.

Gorobei pushed the puzzle out of his mind before he could become too interested. It was none of his business. If Kyuzo wanted to pour sake for Kambei, then he wasn't going to stop her… Even if it was weird.

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Chapter 5 is mostly finished, I just have to put a few things together. Kyuzo has a plan. *shudder*