"Tokio-san!" Someone screamed, and Saito blinked, drawing back his
sword. The man that this woman had saved got up, and, to his
surprise, spat in the fallen woman's face.
"I didn't need your help!" The woman reached up with the last bit of
her energy and wiped off the spit, arm falling to her side again. Her
eyes remained closed. Saito closed his eyes, then opened them.
Everyone had run off- obviously this woman had no one to take care
of her. And since, even though she had jumped in his way of killing
someone, if he didn't help her, she would die, and it would be his
fault. He bent down over her to pick her up, and her eyes opened,
pain flooding them from the pierce in her side.
"Please... I'm hurt... Don't take my honor away as well..."
"I'm not. I'm going to help you. Do you have a family?"
"No... They left me behind." He picked her up. Her hand reached up
and carefully touched his cheek. "I am Tokio."
"Saito." Her eyes slid shut gracefully, and he hurried down the street,
not wanting to be attacked by one of those who wouldn't mind
killing her as well as him.
Tokio woke again in a nice room in a place she didn't know. It took
her a moment, but then she remembered what happened. She had
protected a man she didn't even know, who spat on her face... And
then she was saved by that man, Saito. Noticing her side had been
bandaged, she got up and got dressed in a pure white kimono, laced
with gold. Just as she finished changing, Saito opened the door.
"Saito." She said, turning to face him. His face revealed nothing.
"Are you all right?" He asked after a considereable silence. She turned
away from him.
"I thank you for your concern. I am healing. My thanks to whomever
bandaged my wound." She turned again and took a step forward to
the table next to him, where her hair ribbon laid. He scooped it up
silently, and handed to her. She nodded her thanks. Carefully, she tied
her raven-hair back.
"Tokio-san. I'd like to know why you protected that man." All was
quiet again, until she replied.
"I couldn't watch him die. He was no one special, at least not to me.
But I couldn't watch him die. I don't know why. I've seen people die
before."
"What will you do now?" Her face hardened.
"I have no idea. I'll go out the streets again, I suppose. What happens
to me doesn't matter." She met his eyes, the look in her eyes turned
him to stone, practically. "I can offer services." He coughed lightly.
"No, I've made my decision. You will stay with me for awhile. If you
don't mind people dying every once in a while. I'm sorry, but that's
what I do."
"Tell me when you feel sorry about it." She closed her eyes, and
sniffed a little. "That's right. You smell of blood. Other men's blood.
Of many men." He didn't ask how she knew.
"Can you heal?"
"Yes, I learned how-" Her face turned unreadable again. "Over the
years." He blinked. Most women wouldd be crying right now if they
went through this conversation. "Where are we? Is this your house?"
"I own it from when my Father and Mother died in a fire. This was
their second house. I rarely visit it, but I needed to put you
somewhere. Somewhere my enemies didn't know about." Tokio
walked past him out the door, walking down the hall and down the
stairs. He followed.
A few minutes later, he was sitting down to a nice breakfast. She sat
across from him, eating, not making eye contact. He didn't stop
glancing at her throughout the meal.
"You looked a little thin. I couldn't have you starving to death during
a battle. Today I will go out to buy food, and your group can come
to eat."
"You don't mind if the group comes? It's not exactly a tiny group."
"I've cooked for 200 people before, if it makes you feel better. If
they're all as thin as you, they'll need it. I have money enough to
keep in that much food for a long time. I came from a rich family. All
my family is dead except for me, and so I got all the money, the
estate, which I sold when I went to live with my Grandfather. My
Grandfather has the money. I'll get it all today, as well." He got up.
"I'd better be going. If you can heal, we'll come to you to heal the
group when we need it."
"Of course." She followed him to the door, and he walked outside.
He stopped as he still felt her presence by the door.
"Have a nice day," Saito said awkwardly. She smiled.
"Be careful, Saito." Tokio slid the door shut. He walked off down the
road.
Tokio cleared off the table and went into the kitchen area. It was
really a very splendid house, with a resturaunt-style indoor kitchen
and big rooms. First, she swept out the entire house, which took
awhile. Finally, after scubbing EVERYTHING, she went out to buy the
food.
"Hajime Saito. You're late this morning." The leader of today's
meeting piped up.
"I'm sorry. I'm supposed to deliver this message- everyone is invited
to dinner at my Mother's house." Silence fell.
"What?" Someone asked, "You're not cooking, are you??" He
scowled.
"Of course not. I saved a woman's life last night. She's staying with
me until she recovers. She volunteered to heal and cook for the
group, whenever needed. I assume wives are invited as well." He sat
down. "Now, as you were saying. Who's next on the list?"
That night, the entire group was waiting around the huge table Tokio
had borrowed from the next-door neighbor. They chatted idly until
Tokio came in, holding a tray laden with food. She set it in front of
the first person, and brought out a tray for each person. Reaching
Saito last, she put his tray down in front of him, and put a hand on
his shoulder. He looked up and she looked down at him, and he
knew something went wrong that day. He noticed for the first time as
she walked back to the kitchen that she was limping slightly. Finally,
at the door, he saw her trip over her own feet, and for a second, the
Kimono flew up just a little.
He saw dried blood on her ankle, and a cut running up her leg, until
the kimono flew back down again. No one else noticed. She
disappeared into the kitchen, and Saito waited for as long as he could
until he excused himself.
"Just a moment. I will be back shortly." He got up as everyone
resumed conversation over the food and went to the kitchen.
Tokio's face was stone blank as she stared at the wall where she ate
her own tray of food. She stood, putting the rice she was eating
down, and faced him.
"What happened today?" He asked quietly, making sure the door was
shut firmly behind him. She looked down.
"Nothing." She whispered. He walked briskly over and put his hands
on her shoulders. She slowly met his eyes.
"What happened to your leg, then?" Tokio went quiet.
"It got snagged as I pulled myself up onto a roof." She said at last.
"And why were you pulling yourself up onto a roof?"
"A man was following me. The same man I saved last night. He was
eyeing me and kept putting his hand on his sword as if to draw it."
For the first time, he saw tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm too weak.
I'm just a bother to you. I should go back out onto the street again.
You can't spend all this time protecting me..." Tokio looked down
again.
"Tokio-san, look at me." She didn't, "Tokio! Look at me!" Finally she
looked up. "I won't let that man- or anyone else- hurt you. That is my
promise, it has nothing to do with what you do or who you are."
"Thank you, Saito." She replied, "You will be missed if you stay in
here any longer. We will discuss this after dinner. Go!" She seemed to
have recovered a little, and pointed toward the kitchen door. He
reached down and grabbed food tray.
"You'll come out and eat with us. There's no sense in you sitting out
here by yourself." Not complaining, she followed. The rest of the
dinner past without event.
Some of the wives who attended helped Tokio clean up after the
dinner, and she put everything away after they left. Finally, after
everything was spotless, she sat down, exhausted. Saito came out of
his room with a shawl-like cloth.
"This was my sister's. Wear it to keep from getting cold." He draped it
around her shoulders. It was red, with white flowers.
"I didn't know where you kept the bandages, so I just left it. I also got
busy." She explained as he examined her leg and ankle. He nodded as
he cleaned off the dried blood. Tokio didn't even flinch.
"It is always kept in the box in the closet in my room. I hope you
won't need to get it very often, for all our sakes, but you are welcome
to go in there and get it whenever you need it."
"Yes, Saito." He smiled a little at the discussion he'd had with some of
the wives of his friends that past evening.
"Some of the women here this evening have decided they're going to
do dinners like this every once in a while. They've decided once every
month, and will most likely send you a schedule." She smiled, and he
finished bandaging her ankle.
"That sounds wonderful." He gave her his hand and helped her up.
"You should be going to bed now. You are still too weak to be up
very late."
Over the next few days, Saito noticed that Tokio's presence in the
house felt so- right. After awhile it became automatic, and he didn't
notice it sticking out anymore.
Every morning they would eat breakfast together as the dawn began
to shine in the sky. Then they had the same goodbyes as they did at
the first day at the door. One night, however, something different
happened.
Tokio opened her eyes that night to noises downstairs. Quetly, she
got up and out of bed, still in her white sleeping outfit. She crept
downstairs, hair falling about her eyes. She brushed it back with an
uninterested hand.
Saito and another man from the Shinsengumi were downstairs, talking
urgently. Saito was moving around getteing ready to go out.
"We've got to hurry," he began, not seeing Tokio, "If we don't, it
may be too late."
"Saito?" She asked cautiously. Both men stopped talking- the new man
looked away, Saito looked right at her. Tokio smiled a little, to show
she was all right. "Where are you going?" She knew her voice
sounded somewhat shaky, but she couldn't help it.
"I'm going out. Some of the members of the group have gotten into
trouble. I will most likely be back be morning." He turned. "Come on,
let's go." They went out, she followed him to the door. They started
walking down the street.
"Saito?" Tokio called, and he turned. "Be careful!" He smiled a little.
"Good night, Tokio." They continued down the road.
The first rays shone through the sky when they brought Saito back.
Tokio heard them coming down the road and got up, hair falling over
her shoulder. She went and asnwered the door. When she saw him,
she just stood there, saying nothing. Tears were in her eyes.
He still stood, refusing to give up. Knowing him, it was his first injuries
in a while. He just looked at her, holding his hand over a cut in his
legs, right across the knees. A gash crossed his cheek as well, and on
the back of his hand. Tokio carefully helped him in, getting blood all
over the white kimono she had changed into after he left. Looking
over the other group, everyone seemed unharmed. She went and got
the bandages, talking as she worked.
"What happened here?" Someone gave her a bowl of water. "Well?
Explain how he got like this." Saito said nothing, and another man
knelt down next to her to help.
"He took an opponent on alone. We had no idea where he went,
until he showed up like this and told us the story. He killed the enemy
who was trying to expose our identities to his masters, however.
Please don't be too angry with him." Tokio shook her head.
"I'm not angry with Saito." She replied, "That's what he does." They
finished bandaging him, and everyone filtered out, to go back home.
Tokio thanked everyone a lot for bringing him home, and shut the
front door. Then she traveled up to Saito's room, where he was.
She opened the door and shut it again, to find him up, standing in
front of a window. The bustling of the world came through the
window.
"Why did you fight him yourself?"
"He injured three who tried. They got out, and went to another
wife's house."
"It was very stupid of you." He smiled crookedly.
"I suppose it was." She walked over to him.
"I'm fine, by the way. I didn't even cry." She smiled a little back at
him at the little joke. They stood in silence for a minute, she looked at
the floor, he looked at her face. "I almost did, though." She admitted
at last. When he looked up at him, there were tears in her eyes,
probably ones she had hidden from the last night.
Without a word, he put his arms around her, surprised a bit at
himself. She began to cry silently. For awhile, they simply stood there.
"Are you all right now?" He asked finally, not letting go of her.
"If this happens all the time, if I cry every time you come home
injured, you'll get tired of it. But I don't think it will happen again.
My crying, I mean. It's just-"
"Yes?" She looked up at him.
"You helped me, so much. And seeing you hurt... It touched
something inside me..." They broke apart. "You'll be needing
something to eat, won't you, Saito? I'll go fix something." He
watched her go.
"Of course." He said.
They ate breakfast together, and Saito realized he probably should
take a break to heal. However, he decided, the revolution wasn't just
going to wait for him to feel better before resuming. So he picked up
his weapon and walked to the door, just as someone knocked. Saito
opened it cautiously, to find a little boy obviously no more than
eleven years old standing in front of the door.
"Excuse me, sir, is Tokio-san home?" Saito stared at him.
"Why do you want Tokio?"
"I- I have a message for her. The Master has passed away." Saito
turned and called out.
"Tokio! There's someone here for you!" She came down the stairs,
confused. Finally, she saw the little boy.
"Saru!" She said, suprised. "What are you doing here? Grandfather
needs you, I'm sure!" The boy had visible tears in his eyes. "Saru? Is
everything all right?" The little boy shook his head.
"The Master has died." He said. "Everyone wants you to come
quickly." Tokio fell to a kneeling position on the floor in shock.
"Grandfather?" She whispered. "No..." She got up again, swallowing.
"Take me there immediately." She turned to Saito. "I'll be back as
soon as I can... Don't wait for me. I have no idea how long it will
be..." She trailed off, looking at Saru.
"Yes, ma'am?" Tokio walked over to him, gently touching his ear.
"You know Grandfather would never accept your pierced ear. You
respected him well enough. Why did you get it?" The boy looked
uncomfortable, but said nothing. Tokio turned to Saito, putting a
hand on his shoulder.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." She said again, but just like that night at
the dinner, there was something unreadable in her dark eyes.
"Of course. I'm sorry to hear of your loss." The boy and woman
walked out, and Saito stood there for a minute, trying to figure out
what she meant this time by that 'look.'
On the eve of the third day, Tokio had not returned home, and Saito
was beginning to be a little worried. Of course, things like this
probably would call her away, but knowing Tokio, she would
probably send a message home every other day. After sitting alone at
the table for awhile, Saito cleared his head of all the thoughts saying
he was crazy and walked right out the door.
The estate was huge, and filled with the strange bustle. He wondered
why servants chatted happily as they hung clothing out to dry, or
took care of the garden. A very round woman wearing a brown dress
and a white scarf came up to him.
"Oh, you're one of the police!" Taking note of the outfit he wore,
which looked so alike to most people to the uniforms of the police,
most people thought he was one. It didn't matter. "Have you come
about Saru? Did you find him?" Saito almost looked at her like she
was crazy, but kept his feelings hidden.
"I need to speak to the owner of this estate immediately." Her open
mouth closed, and she nodded slowly.
"Of course. Follow me please." Now Saito was very confused. It
could be possible that someone else was actually in charge of the
estate, but for some reason, he felt it was getting too suspicious.
"Right through that door, sir. Have a nice day." Saito and the maid
had arrived at a door into a large room. She disappeared and he
pushed it open.
"Hello, hello! You're not of the police, but I can trust you! Do come
in!" Saito was faced with a jolly old man, who bore resemblance of
Tokio, except his hair was white and he had wrinkles all over. The
eyes remained the same.
"Are you Tokio's grandfather?" The man laughed. "Why of course!
Tokio... I haven't heard from her since she came to get the money
awhile ago. How is she?"
"A boy by the name of Saru came to our house," he wondered for a
minute how the man would take the 'our', "And told us that you had
passed away."
"I know Saru. He's a kitchen boy. Didn't like how he's changed the
past while. Got his ear pierced, always late... He used to be such a
good boy. I fired him three or four days ago. And do I look dead to
you?"
"Tokio was supposed to come straight to this house with the boy,
Saru."
"And why are you so worried? Who are you? I don't believe I've
heard much about you, other than what Tokio's told me."
"I am Hajime Saito. Tokio and I- She saved the life of a stranger who-
who was about to be killed in the street. I saw her get hurt from a
sword, and I took her in. She currently lives with me. You must excuse
us, I didn't want her to follow out her plan of living on the streets."
"Oh, my little Tokio has lived out on the streets for awhile now. She
refuses to be a burden to me. I told her to move in, so I didn't have
to worry that she'd be- offering service- if you you know what I
mean. She refused, saying she was smarter and stronger than that. I,
for one, believed her."
"Now she's disappeared."
"Yes, we're going to have to do something about that, aren't we?"
"So you're not dead, Saru is some kind of traitor with a
dragon-shaped earring in his left ear... You fired him... This is most
likely a plot for revenge. That still leaves where they took Tokio."
"My guess is that Tokio's immediate family has something to do with
this." Saito stared.
"What? She said they left her behind... I just assumed they died." The
old man laughed.
"Tokio's family, dead? Her Father, perhaps. Her father was a good
man. Shame, he died of an unknown disease when she was just a little
girl. Her mother, three brothers, and sister buried him, and while
Tokio was crying at the grave of her Father one beautiful spring day,
they left her there. Tokio was brought in from a previous marriage,
where her first mother died, along with four very caring elder
brothers. I am her father's father."
"If they left her, why do they want her back?"
"A very prominent family in Tokyo expressed an interest in marrying
her to their son when Tokio was just a little girl to her Father. I
believe the remaining family has just found out the plans being
formed. Of course, her Father never treated it very seriously."
"Why?"
"Tokio didn't like the boy. Just at their small age, he attempted to
rape her. She ended up hurting him badly, and the family returned
home in disgrace."
"I don't wish for your granddaughter to be married to this man,"
Saito decided, choosing his words carefully. "If he tried to hurt her in
the past."
"I don't either, and I have learned now that even faced with death,
Tokio won't do anything she doesn't want to. She's a very
strong-willed person." The old man sighed, and looked away, "I'm
only afraid that somehow she's going to be pulled into that marriage,
and her will shall end up killing her. Too many young men in the
world today are too dominant when it comes to most women. If you
don't mind my saying so, they don't give them any space, or let them
be independant, or let them make their own decisions, or have any
input on the decisions at hand."
"From what I know of Tokio, even if she is the only woman in the
world who feels that way, she won't let anyone walk all over her."
"Now, however, is not the time for so much chatter, don't you agree?
This old body has plenty of energy in it, believe me! We must make
up a plan to save Tokio!" Saito nodded in agreement, when someone
knocked on the door. The old man shouted. "Come in!" A woman,
thin and pale, wearing the same kind of brown dress as the first
woman, came in a little way. Saito noticed the lobe of her left ear was
in shreds that had begun to heal.
"Excuse me, sir."
"Listening in, Kari, as usual. What do you need? I'll excuse you, well,
if you have an excuse."
"I was listening in, sir, no denying it. However, I know some
information that may be helpful to this young man." Saito looked at
her and realized for the first time how old the woman actually was.
She looked back at him. "I love Tokio as if she were my own blood. It
often feels like she is, sometimes. I can sense sharp minds. I know
you've already gotten that I used to wear the same earring that Saru
does now in my younger days. I know," she paused for emphasis,
"where they might possibly be hiding Tokio." Silence hung for a
minute.
"Where?" Saito finally asked. She gave him a very accurate description
of a cave outside of town, in a cliff in a woods. "Thank you."
Tokio looked up slowly at the man who stood in front of her. It was
the man from before, she knew. The one who she had saved the night
she had first met Saito.
"Tokio! Look at me!" The man said fiercely. Tokio remembered Saito,
and how he said that exact same thing when he promised to protect
her.
"What?" She asked irritably. He grabbed her jaw and made her look
at him.
"I am your brother!"
"No, you're not! My four brothers were much nicer than you! Even
when I was little, they would protect me! And furthermore- They all
died in a fire with my Mother!" The man looked confused.
"There are only three! You only have three brothers!"
"You're my step-brother, then! Do you ever remember mother
carrying me?"
"I was younger then! And you should've forgotten about your old
family when you got your new, better one!" He yelled.
"Never!" She screamed, and spat in his face. He yelled and wiped it
off.
"You're going to hear it from Mother now. Maybe if your lucky,
you'll hear it from Saiji, as well." He turned around and walked off.
Tokio slumped in defeat, trying hard to stand tall again. Her hands
and feet were tied, and she was being forced to stand all day. It had
been three days. Saito had not come. She wondered if he had gotten
hurt. Maybe he forgot about her in his busy life, or didn't care she
had disappeared? Something told her to trust Saito better than that.
"Tokio! Are you listening?!" Her mother now stood before her, and
Tokio had no idea that she had been lecturing.
"Of course, Mother."
"You'd better shape up if you want us to get lots and lots of money!"
It obviously hadn't occured to her stepmother that she didn't WANT
them to get lots and lots of money. How much is a lot, anyway? She
asked herself.
"Ahhhhh!" Someone yelled in the distance, toward the entrance of the
cave. Her mother turned around.
"Tokio! Are you here! Answer me!" Someone shouted up ahead as
well, but from that far away, she couldn't recognize the voice.
"Tokio!" Her stepmother hissed, "Don't you dare say anything!"
"Tokio! Are you here? Are you all right?" Tokio stood silent,
wondering who it was. She could yell back, her mother didn't really
matter, but if it was her supposed future husband, she would be stuck.
She watched the entrance to this section of the cavern with unease.
The opening to this part of the cavern was a little hole in the wall.
The person would have to cross a rickety rope and plank bridge over
a huge crack in the floor in order to reach her.
"Tokio, don't say anything!" Her stepmother instructed again. She
called out loud, "Saiji, is that you?" There was no answer, but now
they could both hear the faint clank of swords. That told Tokio it
wasn't her supposed husband-to-be.
"TOKIO! I promised I wouldn't let anyone hurt you! Are you still all
right?" Disregarding her mother, she shouted back.
"Saito? Saito! Is that you?"
"Tokio!" Saito appeared at the hole in the wall.
"Don't you dare move, stranger, or I will kill Tokio!" Tokio snapped
her head to look at her mother, who held a bow which was strung,
aiming right at her daughter's heart. At this range, she couldn't miss.
"Tokio." A new, clearly male voice said right behind her. "I believe I
should now tell you that I have been watching you during this whole
thing for quite a while now. However, I believe that unless I step in,
we will never be wed." She turned her head to see Saiji, who she had
seen earlier. His hair was not tied back, but hung to his shoulders, a
limp brown.
"Saiji!"
"My dear Tokio. I can see it now." Saiji's green eyes took on a
dreamy look, "I can see that we will never be able to live in peace..."
What? Tokio asked herself wildly, Is he just letting me go?
"Not in life, anyway." He continued. "Therefore, we shall resort to
plan B. As we hold hands, we will both jump into the canyon in front
us. Then we shall be together, my love. Forever." He picked her up,
still bound, and brought her over to the side.
"Saiji, no! Don't do this!" She screamed. She looked toward her
mother who did nothing, and then toward Saito. He had turned pale,
obviously not knowing what to do. Or so it seemed to her.
The next thing that happened, happened in split-second timing. Saiji,
still holding her, stepped off the side. Saito took a running jump and
cleared the gap, reaching down on his way by, grabbing Tokio.
"Nooooo!" Screamed Saiji as he fell, down, down, down into
darkness. At that, Tokio's mother snapped out of it and loosed an
arrow at Saito. It hit him in the side, lodging there, but he paid no
attention. Instead, he curled himself around Tokio, letting his body
absorb the impact of the other ledge. They rolled, and he pushed her
aside and got up, drawing his sword. Tokio's mother turned pale.
"Please, don't- don't hurt me!" She pleaded, taking one step back,
then another, as he advanced on her. "It was all a joke, a..."
"I'm not going to hurt you," he said, menacingly, "The only one
who's going to hurt you is your own self!" By the time she realized
what he meant, she was over the cliff.
For awhile, everything was silent, until his ears cleared more and he
could hear Tokio sobbing wildly. Not just the silent crying he'd seen
her do before, but as he turned to look at her a little distance off, they
were sobs that shook here entire body. Carefully, he pulled the arrow
out from where it was buried slightly in his side, and covered the area
with some spare bandaging he had brought along. Then he went to
go over to Tokio, shaking slightly, hoping nothing had hurt her. He
sat down next to her and cut away the ropes binding her form, and
she collapsed, sobbing, arms limp as well as legs, bound for so long as
to be out of use for a little while. Finally, he drew her up into a sitting
position, then made her stand up to excercise the muscles in her legs.
"Saito..." She said after awhile, "Thank you... for saving me..." He
hugged her to him, and she held onto him.
"Tokio, I promised I'd protect you. Even though I failed this time, I
hope you'll forgive me." She looked at him.
"Forgive you?" She asked, "You don't even need to ask for it." He
looked back at her, who had stopped crying, and finally kissed her.
"I love you, Tokio. Will you marry me?" A small smile appeared on
her face.
"Yes, Saito. Let's get out of here, all right?"
"Yes. I agree." He took her hand and they walked out of the cavern.
----
I was thinking about not posting this, if only because all the little details might not work out. But I'm posting the second chapter, too, so please read that and review!!!! AND I MEAN IT!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! ~A. Potter
sword. The man that this woman had saved got up, and, to his
surprise, spat in the fallen woman's face.
"I didn't need your help!" The woman reached up with the last bit of
her energy and wiped off the spit, arm falling to her side again. Her
eyes remained closed. Saito closed his eyes, then opened them.
Everyone had run off- obviously this woman had no one to take care
of her. And since, even though she had jumped in his way of killing
someone, if he didn't help her, she would die, and it would be his
fault. He bent down over her to pick her up, and her eyes opened,
pain flooding them from the pierce in her side.
"Please... I'm hurt... Don't take my honor away as well..."
"I'm not. I'm going to help you. Do you have a family?"
"No... They left me behind." He picked her up. Her hand reached up
and carefully touched his cheek. "I am Tokio."
"Saito." Her eyes slid shut gracefully, and he hurried down the street,
not wanting to be attacked by one of those who wouldn't mind
killing her as well as him.
Tokio woke again in a nice room in a place she didn't know. It took
her a moment, but then she remembered what happened. She had
protected a man she didn't even know, who spat on her face... And
then she was saved by that man, Saito. Noticing her side had been
bandaged, she got up and got dressed in a pure white kimono, laced
with gold. Just as she finished changing, Saito opened the door.
"Saito." She said, turning to face him. His face revealed nothing.
"Are you all right?" He asked after a considereable silence. She turned
away from him.
"I thank you for your concern. I am healing. My thanks to whomever
bandaged my wound." She turned again and took a step forward to
the table next to him, where her hair ribbon laid. He scooped it up
silently, and handed to her. She nodded her thanks. Carefully, she tied
her raven-hair back.
"Tokio-san. I'd like to know why you protected that man." All was
quiet again, until she replied.
"I couldn't watch him die. He was no one special, at least not to me.
But I couldn't watch him die. I don't know why. I've seen people die
before."
"What will you do now?" Her face hardened.
"I have no idea. I'll go out the streets again, I suppose. What happens
to me doesn't matter." She met his eyes, the look in her eyes turned
him to stone, practically. "I can offer services." He coughed lightly.
"No, I've made my decision. You will stay with me for awhile. If you
don't mind people dying every once in a while. I'm sorry, but that's
what I do."
"Tell me when you feel sorry about it." She closed her eyes, and
sniffed a little. "That's right. You smell of blood. Other men's blood.
Of many men." He didn't ask how she knew.
"Can you heal?"
"Yes, I learned how-" Her face turned unreadable again. "Over the
years." He blinked. Most women wouldd be crying right now if they
went through this conversation. "Where are we? Is this your house?"
"I own it from when my Father and Mother died in a fire. This was
their second house. I rarely visit it, but I needed to put you
somewhere. Somewhere my enemies didn't know about." Tokio
walked past him out the door, walking down the hall and down the
stairs. He followed.
A few minutes later, he was sitting down to a nice breakfast. She sat
across from him, eating, not making eye contact. He didn't stop
glancing at her throughout the meal.
"You looked a little thin. I couldn't have you starving to death during
a battle. Today I will go out to buy food, and your group can come
to eat."
"You don't mind if the group comes? It's not exactly a tiny group."
"I've cooked for 200 people before, if it makes you feel better. If
they're all as thin as you, they'll need it. I have money enough to
keep in that much food for a long time. I came from a rich family. All
my family is dead except for me, and so I got all the money, the
estate, which I sold when I went to live with my Grandfather. My
Grandfather has the money. I'll get it all today, as well." He got up.
"I'd better be going. If you can heal, we'll come to you to heal the
group when we need it."
"Of course." She followed him to the door, and he walked outside.
He stopped as he still felt her presence by the door.
"Have a nice day," Saito said awkwardly. She smiled.
"Be careful, Saito." Tokio slid the door shut. He walked off down the
road.
Tokio cleared off the table and went into the kitchen area. It was
really a very splendid house, with a resturaunt-style indoor kitchen
and big rooms. First, she swept out the entire house, which took
awhile. Finally, after scubbing EVERYTHING, she went out to buy the
food.
"Hajime Saito. You're late this morning." The leader of today's
meeting piped up.
"I'm sorry. I'm supposed to deliver this message- everyone is invited
to dinner at my Mother's house." Silence fell.
"What?" Someone asked, "You're not cooking, are you??" He
scowled.
"Of course not. I saved a woman's life last night. She's staying with
me until she recovers. She volunteered to heal and cook for the
group, whenever needed. I assume wives are invited as well." He sat
down. "Now, as you were saying. Who's next on the list?"
That night, the entire group was waiting around the huge table Tokio
had borrowed from the next-door neighbor. They chatted idly until
Tokio came in, holding a tray laden with food. She set it in front of
the first person, and brought out a tray for each person. Reaching
Saito last, she put his tray down in front of him, and put a hand on
his shoulder. He looked up and she looked down at him, and he
knew something went wrong that day. He noticed for the first time as
she walked back to the kitchen that she was limping slightly. Finally,
at the door, he saw her trip over her own feet, and for a second, the
Kimono flew up just a little.
He saw dried blood on her ankle, and a cut running up her leg, until
the kimono flew back down again. No one else noticed. She
disappeared into the kitchen, and Saito waited for as long as he could
until he excused himself.
"Just a moment. I will be back shortly." He got up as everyone
resumed conversation over the food and went to the kitchen.
Tokio's face was stone blank as she stared at the wall where she ate
her own tray of food. She stood, putting the rice she was eating
down, and faced him.
"What happened today?" He asked quietly, making sure the door was
shut firmly behind him. She looked down.
"Nothing." She whispered. He walked briskly over and put his hands
on her shoulders. She slowly met his eyes.
"What happened to your leg, then?" Tokio went quiet.
"It got snagged as I pulled myself up onto a roof." She said at last.
"And why were you pulling yourself up onto a roof?"
"A man was following me. The same man I saved last night. He was
eyeing me and kept putting his hand on his sword as if to draw it."
For the first time, he saw tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm too weak.
I'm just a bother to you. I should go back out onto the street again.
You can't spend all this time protecting me..." Tokio looked down
again.
"Tokio-san, look at me." She didn't, "Tokio! Look at me!" Finally she
looked up. "I won't let that man- or anyone else- hurt you. That is my
promise, it has nothing to do with what you do or who you are."
"Thank you, Saito." She replied, "You will be missed if you stay in
here any longer. We will discuss this after dinner. Go!" She seemed to
have recovered a little, and pointed toward the kitchen door. He
reached down and grabbed food tray.
"You'll come out and eat with us. There's no sense in you sitting out
here by yourself." Not complaining, she followed. The rest of the
dinner past without event.
Some of the wives who attended helped Tokio clean up after the
dinner, and she put everything away after they left. Finally, after
everything was spotless, she sat down, exhausted. Saito came out of
his room with a shawl-like cloth.
"This was my sister's. Wear it to keep from getting cold." He draped it
around her shoulders. It was red, with white flowers.
"I didn't know where you kept the bandages, so I just left it. I also got
busy." She explained as he examined her leg and ankle. He nodded as
he cleaned off the dried blood. Tokio didn't even flinch.
"It is always kept in the box in the closet in my room. I hope you
won't need to get it very often, for all our sakes, but you are welcome
to go in there and get it whenever you need it."
"Yes, Saito." He smiled a little at the discussion he'd had with some of
the wives of his friends that past evening.
"Some of the women here this evening have decided they're going to
do dinners like this every once in a while. They've decided once every
month, and will most likely send you a schedule." She smiled, and he
finished bandaging her ankle.
"That sounds wonderful." He gave her his hand and helped her up.
"You should be going to bed now. You are still too weak to be up
very late."
Over the next few days, Saito noticed that Tokio's presence in the
house felt so- right. After awhile it became automatic, and he didn't
notice it sticking out anymore.
Every morning they would eat breakfast together as the dawn began
to shine in the sky. Then they had the same goodbyes as they did at
the first day at the door. One night, however, something different
happened.
Tokio opened her eyes that night to noises downstairs. Quetly, she
got up and out of bed, still in her white sleeping outfit. She crept
downstairs, hair falling about her eyes. She brushed it back with an
uninterested hand.
Saito and another man from the Shinsengumi were downstairs, talking
urgently. Saito was moving around getteing ready to go out.
"We've got to hurry," he began, not seeing Tokio, "If we don't, it
may be too late."
"Saito?" She asked cautiously. Both men stopped talking- the new man
looked away, Saito looked right at her. Tokio smiled a little, to show
she was all right. "Where are you going?" She knew her voice
sounded somewhat shaky, but she couldn't help it.
"I'm going out. Some of the members of the group have gotten into
trouble. I will most likely be back be morning." He turned. "Come on,
let's go." They went out, she followed him to the door. They started
walking down the street.
"Saito?" Tokio called, and he turned. "Be careful!" He smiled a little.
"Good night, Tokio." They continued down the road.
The first rays shone through the sky when they brought Saito back.
Tokio heard them coming down the road and got up, hair falling over
her shoulder. She went and asnwered the door. When she saw him,
she just stood there, saying nothing. Tears were in her eyes.
He still stood, refusing to give up. Knowing him, it was his first injuries
in a while. He just looked at her, holding his hand over a cut in his
legs, right across the knees. A gash crossed his cheek as well, and on
the back of his hand. Tokio carefully helped him in, getting blood all
over the white kimono she had changed into after he left. Looking
over the other group, everyone seemed unharmed. She went and got
the bandages, talking as she worked.
"What happened here?" Someone gave her a bowl of water. "Well?
Explain how he got like this." Saito said nothing, and another man
knelt down next to her to help.
"He took an opponent on alone. We had no idea where he went,
until he showed up like this and told us the story. He killed the enemy
who was trying to expose our identities to his masters, however.
Please don't be too angry with him." Tokio shook her head.
"I'm not angry with Saito." She replied, "That's what he does." They
finished bandaging him, and everyone filtered out, to go back home.
Tokio thanked everyone a lot for bringing him home, and shut the
front door. Then she traveled up to Saito's room, where he was.
She opened the door and shut it again, to find him up, standing in
front of a window. The bustling of the world came through the
window.
"Why did you fight him yourself?"
"He injured three who tried. They got out, and went to another
wife's house."
"It was very stupid of you." He smiled crookedly.
"I suppose it was." She walked over to him.
"I'm fine, by the way. I didn't even cry." She smiled a little back at
him at the little joke. They stood in silence for a minute, she looked at
the floor, he looked at her face. "I almost did, though." She admitted
at last. When he looked up at him, there were tears in her eyes,
probably ones she had hidden from the last night.
Without a word, he put his arms around her, surprised a bit at
himself. She began to cry silently. For awhile, they simply stood there.
"Are you all right now?" He asked finally, not letting go of her.
"If this happens all the time, if I cry every time you come home
injured, you'll get tired of it. But I don't think it will happen again.
My crying, I mean. It's just-"
"Yes?" She looked up at him.
"You helped me, so much. And seeing you hurt... It touched
something inside me..." They broke apart. "You'll be needing
something to eat, won't you, Saito? I'll go fix something." He
watched her go.
"Of course." He said.
They ate breakfast together, and Saito realized he probably should
take a break to heal. However, he decided, the revolution wasn't just
going to wait for him to feel better before resuming. So he picked up
his weapon and walked to the door, just as someone knocked. Saito
opened it cautiously, to find a little boy obviously no more than
eleven years old standing in front of the door.
"Excuse me, sir, is Tokio-san home?" Saito stared at him.
"Why do you want Tokio?"
"I- I have a message for her. The Master has passed away." Saito
turned and called out.
"Tokio! There's someone here for you!" She came down the stairs,
confused. Finally, she saw the little boy.
"Saru!" She said, suprised. "What are you doing here? Grandfather
needs you, I'm sure!" The boy had visible tears in his eyes. "Saru? Is
everything all right?" The little boy shook his head.
"The Master has died." He said. "Everyone wants you to come
quickly." Tokio fell to a kneeling position on the floor in shock.
"Grandfather?" She whispered. "No..." She got up again, swallowing.
"Take me there immediately." She turned to Saito. "I'll be back as
soon as I can... Don't wait for me. I have no idea how long it will
be..." She trailed off, looking at Saru.
"Yes, ma'am?" Tokio walked over to him, gently touching his ear.
"You know Grandfather would never accept your pierced ear. You
respected him well enough. Why did you get it?" The boy looked
uncomfortable, but said nothing. Tokio turned to Saito, putting a
hand on his shoulder.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." She said again, but just like that night at
the dinner, there was something unreadable in her dark eyes.
"Of course. I'm sorry to hear of your loss." The boy and woman
walked out, and Saito stood there for a minute, trying to figure out
what she meant this time by that 'look.'
On the eve of the third day, Tokio had not returned home, and Saito
was beginning to be a little worried. Of course, things like this
probably would call her away, but knowing Tokio, she would
probably send a message home every other day. After sitting alone at
the table for awhile, Saito cleared his head of all the thoughts saying
he was crazy and walked right out the door.
The estate was huge, and filled with the strange bustle. He wondered
why servants chatted happily as they hung clothing out to dry, or
took care of the garden. A very round woman wearing a brown dress
and a white scarf came up to him.
"Oh, you're one of the police!" Taking note of the outfit he wore,
which looked so alike to most people to the uniforms of the police,
most people thought he was one. It didn't matter. "Have you come
about Saru? Did you find him?" Saito almost looked at her like she
was crazy, but kept his feelings hidden.
"I need to speak to the owner of this estate immediately." Her open
mouth closed, and she nodded slowly.
"Of course. Follow me please." Now Saito was very confused. It
could be possible that someone else was actually in charge of the
estate, but for some reason, he felt it was getting too suspicious.
"Right through that door, sir. Have a nice day." Saito and the maid
had arrived at a door into a large room. She disappeared and he
pushed it open.
"Hello, hello! You're not of the police, but I can trust you! Do come
in!" Saito was faced with a jolly old man, who bore resemblance of
Tokio, except his hair was white and he had wrinkles all over. The
eyes remained the same.
"Are you Tokio's grandfather?" The man laughed. "Why of course!
Tokio... I haven't heard from her since she came to get the money
awhile ago. How is she?"
"A boy by the name of Saru came to our house," he wondered for a
minute how the man would take the 'our', "And told us that you had
passed away."
"I know Saru. He's a kitchen boy. Didn't like how he's changed the
past while. Got his ear pierced, always late... He used to be such a
good boy. I fired him three or four days ago. And do I look dead to
you?"
"Tokio was supposed to come straight to this house with the boy,
Saru."
"And why are you so worried? Who are you? I don't believe I've
heard much about you, other than what Tokio's told me."
"I am Hajime Saito. Tokio and I- She saved the life of a stranger who-
who was about to be killed in the street. I saw her get hurt from a
sword, and I took her in. She currently lives with me. You must excuse
us, I didn't want her to follow out her plan of living on the streets."
"Oh, my little Tokio has lived out on the streets for awhile now. She
refuses to be a burden to me. I told her to move in, so I didn't have
to worry that she'd be- offering service- if you you know what I
mean. She refused, saying she was smarter and stronger than that. I,
for one, believed her."
"Now she's disappeared."
"Yes, we're going to have to do something about that, aren't we?"
"So you're not dead, Saru is some kind of traitor with a
dragon-shaped earring in his left ear... You fired him... This is most
likely a plot for revenge. That still leaves where they took Tokio."
"My guess is that Tokio's immediate family has something to do with
this." Saito stared.
"What? She said they left her behind... I just assumed they died." The
old man laughed.
"Tokio's family, dead? Her Father, perhaps. Her father was a good
man. Shame, he died of an unknown disease when she was just a little
girl. Her mother, three brothers, and sister buried him, and while
Tokio was crying at the grave of her Father one beautiful spring day,
they left her there. Tokio was brought in from a previous marriage,
where her first mother died, along with four very caring elder
brothers. I am her father's father."
"If they left her, why do they want her back?"
"A very prominent family in Tokyo expressed an interest in marrying
her to their son when Tokio was just a little girl to her Father. I
believe the remaining family has just found out the plans being
formed. Of course, her Father never treated it very seriously."
"Why?"
"Tokio didn't like the boy. Just at their small age, he attempted to
rape her. She ended up hurting him badly, and the family returned
home in disgrace."
"I don't wish for your granddaughter to be married to this man,"
Saito decided, choosing his words carefully. "If he tried to hurt her in
the past."
"I don't either, and I have learned now that even faced with death,
Tokio won't do anything she doesn't want to. She's a very
strong-willed person." The old man sighed, and looked away, "I'm
only afraid that somehow she's going to be pulled into that marriage,
and her will shall end up killing her. Too many young men in the
world today are too dominant when it comes to most women. If you
don't mind my saying so, they don't give them any space, or let them
be independant, or let them make their own decisions, or have any
input on the decisions at hand."
"From what I know of Tokio, even if she is the only woman in the
world who feels that way, she won't let anyone walk all over her."
"Now, however, is not the time for so much chatter, don't you agree?
This old body has plenty of energy in it, believe me! We must make
up a plan to save Tokio!" Saito nodded in agreement, when someone
knocked on the door. The old man shouted. "Come in!" A woman,
thin and pale, wearing the same kind of brown dress as the first
woman, came in a little way. Saito noticed the lobe of her left ear was
in shreds that had begun to heal.
"Excuse me, sir."
"Listening in, Kari, as usual. What do you need? I'll excuse you, well,
if you have an excuse."
"I was listening in, sir, no denying it. However, I know some
information that may be helpful to this young man." Saito looked at
her and realized for the first time how old the woman actually was.
She looked back at him. "I love Tokio as if she were my own blood. It
often feels like she is, sometimes. I can sense sharp minds. I know
you've already gotten that I used to wear the same earring that Saru
does now in my younger days. I know," she paused for emphasis,
"where they might possibly be hiding Tokio." Silence hung for a
minute.
"Where?" Saito finally asked. She gave him a very accurate description
of a cave outside of town, in a cliff in a woods. "Thank you."
Tokio looked up slowly at the man who stood in front of her. It was
the man from before, she knew. The one who she had saved the night
she had first met Saito.
"Tokio! Look at me!" The man said fiercely. Tokio remembered Saito,
and how he said that exact same thing when he promised to protect
her.
"What?" She asked irritably. He grabbed her jaw and made her look
at him.
"I am your brother!"
"No, you're not! My four brothers were much nicer than you! Even
when I was little, they would protect me! And furthermore- They all
died in a fire with my Mother!" The man looked confused.
"There are only three! You only have three brothers!"
"You're my step-brother, then! Do you ever remember mother
carrying me?"
"I was younger then! And you should've forgotten about your old
family when you got your new, better one!" He yelled.
"Never!" She screamed, and spat in his face. He yelled and wiped it
off.
"You're going to hear it from Mother now. Maybe if your lucky,
you'll hear it from Saiji, as well." He turned around and walked off.
Tokio slumped in defeat, trying hard to stand tall again. Her hands
and feet were tied, and she was being forced to stand all day. It had
been three days. Saito had not come. She wondered if he had gotten
hurt. Maybe he forgot about her in his busy life, or didn't care she
had disappeared? Something told her to trust Saito better than that.
"Tokio! Are you listening?!" Her mother now stood before her, and
Tokio had no idea that she had been lecturing.
"Of course, Mother."
"You'd better shape up if you want us to get lots and lots of money!"
It obviously hadn't occured to her stepmother that she didn't WANT
them to get lots and lots of money. How much is a lot, anyway? She
asked herself.
"Ahhhhh!" Someone yelled in the distance, toward the entrance of the
cave. Her mother turned around.
"Tokio! Are you here! Answer me!" Someone shouted up ahead as
well, but from that far away, she couldn't recognize the voice.
"Tokio!" Her stepmother hissed, "Don't you dare say anything!"
"Tokio! Are you here? Are you all right?" Tokio stood silent,
wondering who it was. She could yell back, her mother didn't really
matter, but if it was her supposed future husband, she would be stuck.
She watched the entrance to this section of the cavern with unease.
The opening to this part of the cavern was a little hole in the wall.
The person would have to cross a rickety rope and plank bridge over
a huge crack in the floor in order to reach her.
"Tokio, don't say anything!" Her stepmother instructed again. She
called out loud, "Saiji, is that you?" There was no answer, but now
they could both hear the faint clank of swords. That told Tokio it
wasn't her supposed husband-to-be.
"TOKIO! I promised I wouldn't let anyone hurt you! Are you still all
right?" Disregarding her mother, she shouted back.
"Saito? Saito! Is that you?"
"Tokio!" Saito appeared at the hole in the wall.
"Don't you dare move, stranger, or I will kill Tokio!" Tokio snapped
her head to look at her mother, who held a bow which was strung,
aiming right at her daughter's heart. At this range, she couldn't miss.
"Tokio." A new, clearly male voice said right behind her. "I believe I
should now tell you that I have been watching you during this whole
thing for quite a while now. However, I believe that unless I step in,
we will never be wed." She turned her head to see Saiji, who she had
seen earlier. His hair was not tied back, but hung to his shoulders, a
limp brown.
"Saiji!"
"My dear Tokio. I can see it now." Saiji's green eyes took on a
dreamy look, "I can see that we will never be able to live in peace..."
What? Tokio asked herself wildly, Is he just letting me go?
"Not in life, anyway." He continued. "Therefore, we shall resort to
plan B. As we hold hands, we will both jump into the canyon in front
us. Then we shall be together, my love. Forever." He picked her up,
still bound, and brought her over to the side.
"Saiji, no! Don't do this!" She screamed. She looked toward her
mother who did nothing, and then toward Saito. He had turned pale,
obviously not knowing what to do. Or so it seemed to her.
The next thing that happened, happened in split-second timing. Saiji,
still holding her, stepped off the side. Saito took a running jump and
cleared the gap, reaching down on his way by, grabbing Tokio.
"Nooooo!" Screamed Saiji as he fell, down, down, down into
darkness. At that, Tokio's mother snapped out of it and loosed an
arrow at Saito. It hit him in the side, lodging there, but he paid no
attention. Instead, he curled himself around Tokio, letting his body
absorb the impact of the other ledge. They rolled, and he pushed her
aside and got up, drawing his sword. Tokio's mother turned pale.
"Please, don't- don't hurt me!" She pleaded, taking one step back,
then another, as he advanced on her. "It was all a joke, a..."
"I'm not going to hurt you," he said, menacingly, "The only one
who's going to hurt you is your own self!" By the time she realized
what he meant, she was over the cliff.
For awhile, everything was silent, until his ears cleared more and he
could hear Tokio sobbing wildly. Not just the silent crying he'd seen
her do before, but as he turned to look at her a little distance off, they
were sobs that shook here entire body. Carefully, he pulled the arrow
out from where it was buried slightly in his side, and covered the area
with some spare bandaging he had brought along. Then he went to
go over to Tokio, shaking slightly, hoping nothing had hurt her. He
sat down next to her and cut away the ropes binding her form, and
she collapsed, sobbing, arms limp as well as legs, bound for so long as
to be out of use for a little while. Finally, he drew her up into a sitting
position, then made her stand up to excercise the muscles in her legs.
"Saito..." She said after awhile, "Thank you... for saving me..." He
hugged her to him, and she held onto him.
"Tokio, I promised I'd protect you. Even though I failed this time, I
hope you'll forgive me." She looked at him.
"Forgive you?" She asked, "You don't even need to ask for it." He
looked back at her, who had stopped crying, and finally kissed her.
"I love you, Tokio. Will you marry me?" A small smile appeared on
her face.
"Yes, Saito. Let's get out of here, all right?"
"Yes. I agree." He took her hand and they walked out of the cavern.
----
I was thinking about not posting this, if only because all the little details might not work out. But I'm posting the second chapter, too, so please read that and review!!!! AND I MEAN IT!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! ~A. Potter