Ending of Last Chapter:
"I want you to lead me to someone. Someone who you do not wish to see.
The man who convinced you to go on this journey. Himura Kenshin."
Chapter Two: The Decision
Soujiro was speechless. He didn't know how to react. No one knew about him. No one knew he had met Himura. No one knew he went on this journey. But somehow, she did. And she stood there, smile gone, replaced with a desperate yearning look. It was as if she were looking into his soul. That's when he started to panic. 'Is she a spy?! How long has she been following me?! How come no one ever noticed her?!' He Quickly drew his sword. She stayed calm and never moved an inch. "I understand this is shocking and confusing for you, but there is no need to attack me." She said this with a look of deep thought and some relaxation in her voice. 'Isn't she scared? If she knows this much about me, wouldn't she know to be afraid?' But she just stood there. Her eyes never moving away from him. Soujiro decided to ask her some more questions while he had the chance.
"Why do you want ME to lead you to him?" Her smile came back. "For many reasons. I need to meet with him, but I'm not all that familiar with the route to Tokyo, so I thought you might be able to help me." "And WHY would I want to help you?" Soujiro kept his sword pointing to her. "Well, I figured it would give you a chance to get to know me, and maybe find the answers to some of your questions about me." She walked up to him so they were face to face, obviously not afraid of his sword, and she looked him straight in the eyes with a huge grin on her face. She took her finger and ran it down his face. "After all, you are a bit intrigued aren't you?" Soujiro was shocked. He had never been this close to anyone. And her skin was so soft. He liked the feeling, but he quickly moved away, disturbed by his own thoughts. She giggled. Soujiro put back his sword. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he trusted her. Even though it went against all his instincts, he actually wanted to go with her, if only it wasn't to meet with Himura. Soujiro sat down on a rock nearby. Ayame sat beside him on the ground. He watched the water flow down the stream, while she watched him and his every movement.
They sat there for what seemed like seconds, but by that time it was getting dark. Ayame obviously noticed this. "I do not expect an answer right away, but I would like you to come with me. It is getting dark, and I have a place for you to rest, and some food for you." Soujiro noticed his stomach was aching. He hadn't eating in almost three days. He figured he might aswell accept her offer. Something about her made him feel relaxed, and if he decided not to take her to Tokyo, he could leave in the night. "Alright. I'll come." She smiled once again. She took him down the stream, to a forest, where a small cabin was built. She opened the door and let him inside.
It was a cozy place. It was decorated with many things. There were scrolls on the walls, along with other scriptures he could not understand, but recognized them as English letters. There was a small table in the middle of the room, and in the corner was a futon. It seemed like an average cabin, until he saw what lie on the other side of the room. There were all kinds of weapons. Guns, swords, knives, axes, and spears. But what caught his eye the most, was the collection of staffs. She had all different colors, sizes, and designs. This drove him to be even more curious about her now. She saw him looking at her collection. "I have collected these over the years. Most of them I took from my opponents. They would have no need for them after any way." He looked at her with disbelief. She didn't seem like a fighter. She wore a kimono after all! He thought she must be joking, but then he saw the seriousness in her eyes. He knew she was not lying. She reached into her kimono, and pulled out a stick. It was small in length, and had some writing engraved in it. She flipped it around until it suddenly extended into a full staff. "This is my favourite. I use it the most." He studied it carefully. It showed no sign of ever being a small stick. He looked at the writing on it. It read: 'Love. Help. Leave.' Next to that it had 'Ayame' written, and beside that was more of what he saw was English. "You have English all around your home, but do you know any of it?" "Why yes I do. I'll tell you about it. Please sit."
End of Chapter Two.
Chapter Two: The Decision
Soujiro was speechless. He didn't know how to react. No one knew about him. No one knew he had met Himura. No one knew he went on this journey. But somehow, she did. And she stood there, smile gone, replaced with a desperate yearning look. It was as if she were looking into his soul. That's when he started to panic. 'Is she a spy?! How long has she been following me?! How come no one ever noticed her?!' He Quickly drew his sword. She stayed calm and never moved an inch. "I understand this is shocking and confusing for you, but there is no need to attack me." She said this with a look of deep thought and some relaxation in her voice. 'Isn't she scared? If she knows this much about me, wouldn't she know to be afraid?' But she just stood there. Her eyes never moving away from him. Soujiro decided to ask her some more questions while he had the chance.
"Why do you want ME to lead you to him?" Her smile came back. "For many reasons. I need to meet with him, but I'm not all that familiar with the route to Tokyo, so I thought you might be able to help me." "And WHY would I want to help you?" Soujiro kept his sword pointing to her. "Well, I figured it would give you a chance to get to know me, and maybe find the answers to some of your questions about me." She walked up to him so they were face to face, obviously not afraid of his sword, and she looked him straight in the eyes with a huge grin on her face. She took her finger and ran it down his face. "After all, you are a bit intrigued aren't you?" Soujiro was shocked. He had never been this close to anyone. And her skin was so soft. He liked the feeling, but he quickly moved away, disturbed by his own thoughts. She giggled. Soujiro put back his sword. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he trusted her. Even though it went against all his instincts, he actually wanted to go with her, if only it wasn't to meet with Himura. Soujiro sat down on a rock nearby. Ayame sat beside him on the ground. He watched the water flow down the stream, while she watched him and his every movement.
They sat there for what seemed like seconds, but by that time it was getting dark. Ayame obviously noticed this. "I do not expect an answer right away, but I would like you to come with me. It is getting dark, and I have a place for you to rest, and some food for you." Soujiro noticed his stomach was aching. He hadn't eating in almost three days. He figured he might aswell accept her offer. Something about her made him feel relaxed, and if he decided not to take her to Tokyo, he could leave in the night. "Alright. I'll come." She smiled once again. She took him down the stream, to a forest, where a small cabin was built. She opened the door and let him inside.
It was a cozy place. It was decorated with many things. There were scrolls on the walls, along with other scriptures he could not understand, but recognized them as English letters. There was a small table in the middle of the room, and in the corner was a futon. It seemed like an average cabin, until he saw what lie on the other side of the room. There were all kinds of weapons. Guns, swords, knives, axes, and spears. But what caught his eye the most, was the collection of staffs. She had all different colors, sizes, and designs. This drove him to be even more curious about her now. She saw him looking at her collection. "I have collected these over the years. Most of them I took from my opponents. They would have no need for them after any way." He looked at her with disbelief. She didn't seem like a fighter. She wore a kimono after all! He thought she must be joking, but then he saw the seriousness in her eyes. He knew she was not lying. She reached into her kimono, and pulled out a stick. It was small in length, and had some writing engraved in it. She flipped it around until it suddenly extended into a full staff. "This is my favourite. I use it the most." He studied it carefully. It showed no sign of ever being a small stick. He looked at the writing on it. It read: 'Love. Help. Leave.' Next to that it had 'Ayame' written, and beside that was more of what he saw was English. "You have English all around your home, but do you know any of it?" "Why yes I do. I'll tell you about it. Please sit."
End of Chapter Two.