Domo, EK-san and Syngen Segumi-san; I apologize. It was my first fic and I didn't bother to change it because I was too lazy. Don't worry, I'll try to edit it. Thanks again!!!

Chapter 2

As soon as they were a few meters away from the inn Karu started to wonder where they were headed to. When they neared a forest, she popped the question.

"So, Soujirou-san, where to?"

"shite iranai [I don't know]. Let the road lead us to wherever." Soujirou still smiled.

Why does he smile all the time? Ano hito wa mijikai desu [he's short]. I'm already as tall as he is! Hen, shinsetsu... demo hen [weird, nice... but weird]. Not to mention he's quite geeky. Seeing him like that makes me feel he doesn't care whatever happens to anyone or anything. She hid her thoughts as she looked at him and smiled. She looked at him for quite sometime although he didn't look at her anymore. Still smiling?! Doesn't he ever get tired of do--

Her thoughts were suddenly cut off when the ground she stepped on broke off. Luckily, Soujirou caught her by the arm before she completely fell off. She looked down upon the jagged rocks that she would've landed on if it hadn't been for him. She yelped and pulled herself up with Soujirou's aid.

"Arigato, Soujirou-san. I'm really a klutz, aren't I?" she giggled.

"I guess," Soujirou laughed "you might say that."

Karu followed Soujirou and stayed by his side so that if anything bad happens help would be within arm's length. As they trodded along the forest, all they could hear was silence. She really wasn't used to this, and wanted a conversation to give some mood to their journey and so she tried to open one up, but she could think of nothing to say to him. She just let the subconscious part of her mind do all the work so that she would not be strained.

"Anou, Soujirou-san."

"Hmm?"

"Why have you decided to be a rurouni of all things." Suddenly, she knew that she was being rude and shouldn't ask personal questions. She tried to stop him but he spoke first.

"To atone for my sins." he smiled at her.

"Gomenasai. I shouldn't have asked you that." she apologized shyly.

"Iie. Daijoubu. You're my companion so you ought to know." he tried to make her feel better.

"S-soujirou-san...arigatou. Anou, how would you like me to call you?" she tried to divert the topic as she was feeling bad about it and a bit uncomfortable at the thought of him asking her a question like that which would tear her to pieces if she ever recalls the events.

"-San is too formal to me. -Kun will be fine. So, how about you," he bounced back the question, "how'd you like me to call you?" he was still smiling.

"Just my name. That's what most people call me so I'm kinda used to it."

"Then Karu," he grabbed her hand and looked straight at the deep pools of her sapphire eyes, "Looks like we will be taking care of each other for quite sometime."

"Well, yeah." she paused as if thinking twice then blurted out as she decided although rather shakily, "Would you believe me if I told you that I came back from the, um, future? And if I tell you that I was never meant to be here?" she tried to explain her situation so that he would be able to understand her.

"Huh? So, you mean you're not from around here? And you came from the future?" Soujirou was greatly pleased to hear another sound other than the silence that always fills his atmosphere but was greatly distressed about the fact.

"Well, yeah. So, do you believe? I mean, would you believe?" she asked quite unsure of herself.

"Well then, are you?" Soujirou asked trying to keep as open mind.

"Yeah. So, do you?"

"If you say so. I think nothing is impossible in the future since now I see those fascinating new things they come up with. But, how come you're here?"

"Well, I was supposed to write a thesis about an event in the Tokugawa era and when I was about to come back, the time machine snapped. Don't worry, I will be going back when it is fixed. I won't be a burden to you much longer."

They walked towards the east for several hours until night was beginning to settle in. Just then, Soujirou heard a rumbling sound. He stopped and looked around suspiciously.

Karu stopped her babbling and looked quite worried, "Doushite no [what's wrong], Soujirou-kun?"

"I heard someting growl." still being alert.

Karu blushed, she knew what he was talking about. "Soujirou-kun, you don't have to worry about anything. The noise you heard came from me. Pekopeko desu [I'm hungry]."

Soujirou sweat dropped. Luckily there was a nearby stream. She drank the cool clear water and was so refreshed by it. Soujiro apologized for not having any food along the way, but it was alright for her. She told him that she'll have dinner ready for the both of them in no time. Soujirou didn't know how and he watched silently as Senshi got a dagger from her bag. She cut some branches off from a tree and sharpened the edge of it and straightened its body. She stood at its bank and shot one of the spears she made at a fish. She had hit it perfectly. She got it out and released the fish from the spear, then asked Soujirou to clean it out as she caught more. When she was done, she starred a fire at a clearing near the river by using the same wood that she used as spears.

As silence swept through the night, howls, of what seems to be wolves, echoed through the forest. The sound was drawing nearer them and birds flew above the trees. Their snarls were startling the forest. Soon their amber eyes could be seen illuminated from the pitch-black void of the intertwined trees. Soujirou held a battou jutsu stance and Karu prepared to pounce with her dagger. Soon the wolves appeared and surrounded them. Without warning, they attacked swiftly.

Karu and Soujirou fended their attackers off with their weapons. Their moves seemed to be like a synchronized patterned attack. As they were defending themselves, Karu knelt down, her dagger dug the earth and she held the left side of her waist which bled hard. One of the wolves began to pounce on her. She looked up and saw it. She quickly brought up her dagger and slashed it in between its jaws. After Soujiro has finished the last of them, he immediately attended to Karu.

"Daijoubu ka?" he was beginning to worry.

"I-itai...[it hurts]" her voice was harsh.

Soujirou saw that her waist was bleeding and wasn't exactly sure of what he was going to do. He knelt behind her and set aside his haori. Then he removed his undershirt, tore a length of it, helped her sit up and let her lean on his bare chest to support her. He put his hands at the sash on her waist, but hesitated to untie it. Realizing that she might not make it for loss of blood, he set aside his hesitation and untied the knot quickly. Then, he removed her hand from her waist and lowered her jogging pants just a bit. He saw that it was badly injured and wrapped the torn cloth around her waist. She flinched as she tried to steady herself. When he retied her ribbon, it was not too tight this time so as not to irritate the wound even more.

"I guess," Karu giggled, "I shouldn't have fought." she returned her hand to the wound.

"From whom did you learn to fight?" he looked puzzled

"Chichi to sensei desu [my father and my teacher]."

"Sou desu ne [is that so]."

"Kuso [(curse)]! I'm too stubborn."

"Shh." he shushed her, "Yasumi [rest]."

He smiled down at her and carried her under the shade of the tree near her things. She got a pillow and a blanket from it.

"Douzo [here]." she handed over her blanket.

"Chotto sumimasen...kekkou desu [I'm fine], Karu." he declined, "You need it more than I do."

"Demo [still]..."

"Daijoubu. Besides, I'm used to sleeping without those." he chuckled. "Oyasumi [good night] Karu. Sleep well."

"Oyasumi."

She laid down on the pillow, put on the cover and closed her eyes. She leaned at the right side of her body to avoid the blades of the grass to agitate her wound. For several minutes her eyes stayed close... she wasn't asleep - she was thinking of the attack that took place a while ago. She realized that they were trained for assaults. She slowly sat up to tell Soujiro just what she had observed.

"Soujirou-kun, okami wa-- [the wolves--]" she cut herself seeing that he was all curled up from the cold night air and already asleep. She giggled to herself Kawaii [he's cute]... He looks so innocent. Guess I ought to tell him tomorrow... no good telling a sleeping person. Just before she got back to sleep herself, she stood up and placed her own blanket on him. "Domo arigato gozaimashita [thank you very much]." she whispered in his ear.

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Soujirou awoke from the dew that dropped from one of the leaves from the trees. He rubbed his eyes and basked in the beams sunlight that penetrated the leaves. The cool air was crisp as he inhaled it and thought to himself Being a rurouni isn't so bad once you get used to it. He looked to the left where Karu had lain, she wasn't there and neither were her things. He looked all over the open clearing but she was nowhere to be found. All at once he noticed a large peice of cloth that was put over him - her blanket! He jumped from his position and got his things. Then he heard a yelp from the direction of the river which sounded familiar. Hope she's not in trouble right now. he thought. As soon as he got there, he saw her shaking her hand wildly.

"Ohayou [good morning], Soujirou-kun." She smiled and hid her finger.

"Doushita no [what's wrong]?" he questioned her

"Eh?"

"Why did you yelp?"

"I just burned my finger a bit, but it's OK." so as not to make him worry, she changed the topic immediately. "Sorry, about the food. All we have is fish again."

"Daijoubu. We only have a few to choose from."

"Anou, anata wa kinou suru, arigato gozaimashita [um, I want to thank you for what you did yesterday]." she told him sheepishly, "Now I guess we'll have to buy another set in the next town, ne?"

As they ate, Karu tried to look through him to see if his smile has something to hide - none. It was as if a wall was between them to keep her from knowing what the hell he was hiding. Geez! When is he ever gonna change his expression?!

After they ate, Soujirou instructed her to stay put and he'll check out whatever was in the next town. But Karu was stubborn, she wanted to go as well and telling him she could handle it.

"I can go on! C'mon, it's not like this is the first time I've had a wound this bad." her face was showing no signs of pain as she argued with him.

"And that's also the reason why it doesn't heal well." he tried to explain as calmly as he could muster.

"Look, I know you're worried I might hurt myself again. But unless I tolerate this, I would be too sensitive to wounds." her stare felt like swords and if they were, he swore that they would cut through him then and there.

"You need rest. I know that you're strong, but your strength also has limitations that you must consider." his eyes which full concern for her.

"Aa, ima wakaru'n da [Oh, now I understand]. You're gonna leave me here, ne Soujirou-kun? Why didn't you tell me I've been a burden to you? Daijoubu, iku [go]. I can make it out alone anyhow." she turned her head away from him, closed one eye with the other one peering from its corner and crossed her arms so that she wouldn't be caught lying.

"Zenzen [not at all]! I just wouldn't want you to..." he sighed heavily, knowing he was defeated, and stood up holding out his hand in front of him, "Ikou [let's go]."

"Hontou ni [really]?!" she turned to him and opened her eyes, "I knew you'd understand." She suddenly winced as her sudden reaction triggered the pain of the wound that she forgot.

"Are you sure that you're gonna be alright." he sweat dropped as he reassured her.

"Hai, hai. Ikou!" she said excitedly.

As they walked, Soujirou can't help but recall what she said You're gonna leave me here, ne Soujirou-kun? The statement played in his mind over and over again. What she said was not true although he knew the road was going to lead them to Kanagawa Prefecture - his birthplace. He didn't want to leave her although he tried. Somehow he felt like he would be cut off from himself if he won. As he was going through about his thoughts, he didn't realize that he wasn't smiling any longer... a state in which Karu could easily read his emotions and thoughts a little.

"Oi, are you thinking about where we're heading?" she interrupted him with her hand waving in front of his face.

"Ee [yes], how'd you know?" his smile returned at the sudden question.

"You changed your expression. It was easy know what's going on in that twisted mind of yours. Jouzu desu [I'm good at that]." she smiled back.

"Then I should be careful in keeping my emotions."

"Just when I thought I cracked your ice..." she sighed and stopped feeling somewhat disappointed then bowed her head low enough so that her bangs covered her eyes.

"Doushita no [what's wrong]?" he stopped as well, doubting he had said the right words.

"It's just... well... you're like an ice man. Though you smile, which is too much for me, you shut yourself from the world around you. It is really hard for me to know what you don't want so that I can avoid them. You have showed a number of emotions now that's why I thought I got through to you." She kicked a stone that was unfortunate enough to be in her way because of her frustration and hit a tree hard enough to cause a crack on its cork. "I understand though. You might have some secrets that you would want to cover up."

"I guess I should be more open if I want to find what I'm looking for." he shrugged his shoulders and faced the road ahead.

"Nani?! You were looking for something? Maybe I could help you." she looked at him hopefully, "Nan de mitai ka [what does it look like]."

"Mitai ja nai [it doesn't look like anything]." he said facing her.

"Nani?!" she exclaimed "Mitai ja nai ka?"

"Demo, I think you can help me find whatever it is I am looking for." he assured her then walked away.

"How can I help you when I don't even know what it looks like nor what it is?" she scowled at him in her place then caught up to him with long strides. "Alright, then just tell me what it is."

"Hontou shite iranai no da [I really don't know]." he looked through the small patches of sunlight above him.

"How the hell are we supposed to find it if you don't even know what it is?" She jumped (SD form) screaming at his ear.

"It's an answer to a question, Karu-chan."

"Aa [oh]. Sou desu ka [is that so]?"

They both stopped as they saw the Prefecture standing right in front of them. Karu tugged Soujirou by his haori and urged him to the prefecture.

Author's notes :Ano hito wa may mean he, she, and, most commonly, that person. He/she in Japanese is rerely used because it sounds like the 
 speaker's lover
Do not ever be confused of 'Aa' and 'Ee'. 'Aa' is the interjection 'Oh!' while 'Ee' means 'yes'. Anime sometimes say 'aa' instead of 'ee' because it's
 kind of slang like 'ja nai' they sometimes say it as 'ja ne'

Chapter 1

Chapter 3