~*~Part Two: Once More in a Crowd - An Unexpected Ally~*~

"I can't think of anything except for pick pocketing," Misao whined as they walked down the dirt path towards the city.

"Well we can't do that," Soujirou parroted for the hundredth time, preoccupied with watching a yellow butterfly flitter through the field of wildflowers that flanked the path.

"What if we only picked bad guys pockets?" she suggested hopefully. "If they're bad then they deserve to have their pockets picked."

"How can we tell if they're bad or not?"

Misao blew the bangs off her forehead in frustration. "Well I don't hear you coming up with any good ideas! As ShiShiO's right hand man, shouldn't you be more enterprising or something?"

Soujirou smiled sweetly. "ShiShiO-san was rich. But don't worry Misao-san. We'll look around the city and see what there is. I'm sure we'll find something."

"Well I hope we find something soon," Misao grumbled. "I'm hungry. I want some breakfast."

Soujirou silently vowed that he'd do whatever it took to get money for Misao. He owed it to her after all that he'd done. Clearly Shinomori Aoshi meant a lot to her.

They reached the heart of the city a good twenty minutes later.

"Look at all these people," Misao observed as they made their way through the bustling crowds. "Look at all these pockets."

"Surely it's wrong for the Okashira of the Oniwa Banshuu to consider something as lowly as thievery," Soujirou commented, knowing that her pride at being the Okashira would keep her from acting on her urge to rob.

"You're right, of course." Misao sighed dejectedly. "I just don't understand how I get myself into these stupid messes! If Aoshi-sama was here, he'd be so disappointed in me. I'm sure that he never got himself stranded without any money."

"Probably not." He looked over at her and beamed. "But then again I doubt anyone would dare take Aoshi's money. He'd come after them with his kodachi and then glare at them something fierce!"

A tiny giggle bubbled from Misao. "Aoshi-sama does have the nastiest glare, that's for sure! I guess...I guess I just want him to be proud of me."

"I sure he's proud of you Misao-san," Soujirou assured her. "Most girls are no where near as strong as you are. He must know that you're special."

Misao preened smugly. "Yeah I sure can kick ass, can't I? Aoshi-sama better appreciate that! I'm HIS Okashira anyways!!!"

Even if Aoshi didn't appreciate Misao...Soujirou was starting to. She was brimming with vibrancy and humor and laughing cheer. Her personality was fresh, her smile open.

He snuck a quick peek at her. She was pretty too. Her face was smooth and natural, unmarred by powders and paints. Inky bangs dipped into animated blue eyes. Even her long braid looked nice.

Soujirou blushed and hurriedly looked away. He was supposed to be looking for job opportunities, not ogling Misao! How shameful for him to do such a thing! If she knew that he was looking at her like *that* then she'd probably beat the hell out of him.

"Ohhh look, plums!" Misao cried, as they passed a fruit stall, oblivious to Soujirou's inner turmoil. "There're so big and juicy-looking. Aw dammit! Why does food always look especially good when you can't have it?"

"I'm sure they're not that good," Soujirou remarked, trying to get her mind off the fruit. It wasn't easy since the plums did look big and juicy and sweet and fresh and...

"They even have strawberries!" Misao wailed. "My favorite fruit!"

"Mine too!" he exclaimed before he could stop himself.

Misao cast a mournful glance at the fruit stall as they passed it. "You like strawberries too, Soujirou-kun?"

He nodded. "Yumi-san used to buy me strawberries all the time. I'd never eaten a strawberry before I met her. She used to make the best strawberry mochi." He sighed, realizing just how hungry he was.

"Sounds like you miss her," Misao stated, throwing a glance his way.

"In a lot of ways, Yumi-san was like a mother to me." He smiled at her memory. "She would act so gruff, yelling and nagging at me all the time. But really she was very caring. She'd always treat my injuries after I'd train with ShiShiO-san and cook for me. She used to check on me every night when she thought no one was looking. But..." He looked over at his wide eyed companion and beamed. "That's all in the past. I'm sure Yumi-san and ShiShiO-san are happy, wherever they are."

"Well I always thought she was just a hussy but-"

Misao's comments were drowned out by a loud, familiar voice.

"OH YOO-HOO BOOOOOOOOOOY!!!"

Both of them looked at each other, Misao with annoyance, Soujirou with dread. Barreling through the crowds, coming straight towards them, festooned in a gaudy orange and blue kimono, was the lady from yesterday.

"OH THERE YOU ARE!!!" she shrilled nosily, launching herself onto Soujirou. "I was SO WORRIED when you disappeared SO suddenly last NIGHT! I understand that my BRUTISH husband FRIGHTENED you but you need NOT FRET my DARLING! He LEFT to do business in TOKYO this morning! Now WE can be TOGETHER, AT LONG LAST!!!"

"Misao-san, help!" Soujirou wheezed out, circulation to his head rapidly cutting off due to the woman's tight hold around his neck.

"Let go of my...er...koibito!!!" Misao hollered, blurting out the first thing that came to her mind.

"KOIBITO?" the woman shrieked, her face turning red.

"Koi...bito?" Soujirou whispered, feeling dizzy.

"Yes koibito!" Misao snapped. "We fell in love last night, didn't we Sou-kun?" She grabbed the dazed boy's arm and yanked him away from the woman in one formidable tug.

"Erm..."

"And I won't let you take him away from me, you married floozy!"

"Why THE HELL did you choose HE?" the woman demanded, scowling savagely at Soujirou. "She's as SKINNY as a TWIG! She's a LITTLE girl where as I AM a WOMAN!"

Misao saw red. Oodles of oozy, gooey red. "KANSET TOBI KUNAI!!!!"

Pinned to the wall of what appeared to be a restaurant, by Misao's kunai, the woman began to howl and scream, alerting every passerby within an 84 mile radius.

"MY BEAUTIFUL NEW KIMONO!!!"

Soujirou winced. His hearing was never going to be the same again.

The proprietor of said establishment stomped out, broom in hand. "Get that monstrosity off my wall!" he bellowed. "My customers are trying to eat breakfast!"

"MY BEAUTIFUL NEW OBI!!!"

"Yeah get her off, she's scaring the wildlife!" someone called out.

Soujirou turned to see that a rather large crowd had gathered around them.

"Serves her right for stealing another lady's man!"

"Who wears a blue and orange kimono with a purple and yellow obi? Talk about tacky."

Misao turned to the irate owner. "If I get her down, will you give me and my...er..." she pointed to Soujirou, blushing. "...him some breakfast?"

"Fine, fine, just get her to shut up!"

"YES!" Misao yelled. "Now we can finally eat, Sou-kun!"

A woman in the crowd sniffled loudly. "They are poor yet they still have their love!"

"Such a sweet couple. Like soul mates one could say!"

"MY BEAUTIFUL NEW HAIR ORNAMENTS!!!"

In one fluid motion, Misao leapt into the air, yanked back all her knives and landed gracefully beside Soujirou.

The crowd cheered as the hideously dressed lady flopped to the ground. Misao flashed V-signs to everyone, an arm slung around Soujirou's shoulders in a gesture of easy comradeship...or as the crowd perceived it, true love. Soujirou flushed luridly, struggling to keep smiling.

Between Misao and that lady, his life was being turned upside down and inside out.

The woman stormed to her feet, hands fisted. "I SAW him FIRST!" she shouted, grabbing hold of Soujirou's arm and pulling.

"You're married!" Misao shot back. "And furthermore, HE'S MINE!" Misao snatched Soujirou's other arm and yanked.

Seta Soujirou, also known as the Tenken; the young boy who was ShiShiO's highest in his Jupon Gatana, the smiling perfect killer, tried desperately not to cry.

"Are you gonna take that braid girl?" someone screamed. "Kick her ass with those little knives!"

"A married woman behaving this way! How shameful!"

"Well can you blame her? The boy is cute!"

"Hey boy! If you don't want those ladies, you can have me!"

"Are those butterflies on your hakama, Shinriji-kun?"

"Stop stepping on my feet!"

"MOMMY!"

"He's MINE!" the woman screeched

"NO HE'S MINE!!!" Misao howled.

Soujirou clenched his eyes shut and prayed for help. He just wanted to keep both his arms intact. Was that so much to ask?

"What the F*U*C*K is going on here?!" a nasally voice demanded, slicing through the screaming and shouting. An uneasy silence descended upon the crowd as a tall figure strode forward.

"Katana gari no Chou!" Misao gasped, letting go of Soujirou's hand in shock.

"Chou-kun!" Soujirou jerked himself free and ran to his ex-fellow Jupon Gatana member. "HELP ME!!!" he cried, clinging to his arm.

Chou stared down in shock at Soujirou. Was this the boy who showed no emotion? The little brat who only ever smiled? The kid's face was bright red, his eyes wild and scared. And he WASN'T smiling!

Chou faced the crowd, covering his face with his hand, one eye closed. It was his freaky-psycho routine and it worked every time. "Oh fuck, my blades are so fucking thirsty!" he whined out. "As a fucking policeman I can fucking arrest whoever I want to, kill whoever I want to..."

The good people of Kanazawa didn't need to be told twice. Instantly the crowd dispersed, intimidated by the tall, broom-haired man.

One person, however, was not intimidated. "I don't CARE who you SAY you ARE BROOMSTICK!" the woman cried. "Because THIS is A PERSONAL matter! Now COME with ME boy! Surely you can SEE that I'M offering SO MUCH MORE than that LITTLE TWIG is!"

"Would you get the hell away from my restaurant!" the owner growled. "You're scaring away all my customers, dammit!"

"If anyone's scaring away customers it's her!" the lady yelled, pointing to Misao.

"Why you...!" Immediately Misao had her kunai in her hands. "You want some of this?!!"

"Maa maa, calm now Misao-san!" Soujirou cried, sounding uncannily like Kenshin trying to calm down Kaoru and Yahiko.

Chou stepped between Misao and the lady. "You're being a public nuisance," he snapped. "I could fucking arrest you right now. Do you want to spend the night in jail with every fucking criminal in town?"

Misao snickered. "Then what would your darling husband say?"

The woman scowled but she knew that she had been beaten. "YOU haven't SEEN the LAST of ME," she promised Misao, delicately dusting off her kimono. "You MAY have the boy NOW but we'll see WHO gets HIM in the END!" She blew a kiss at Soujirou. "TA TA DARLING! I'll be BACK for YOU later!"

Soujirou shuddered as she flounced off.

Misao glared at the retreating orange and blue figure. "Talk about a hussy and a half!"

Chou looked down at Soujirou. "Never fucking thought I'd see the day when you'd be having women problems, brat."

"That lady is crazy!" Soujirou burst out. "I don't know what her problem is! She keeps hugging me and touching me and trying to get me alone and it's scary!"

Chou smirked. "And Battousai's little friend here doesn't like that, does she?"

"My name is Makimachi Misao," Misao announced regally. She cast a look at the owner of the restaurant who was busy inspecting his precious wall. "Oi! How about that breakfast you promised?"