**Pechan is starting to get sick of righting disclaimers, since everyone knows she never invented the Rurouni characters.

~ Trains and X's ~

~~ Next morning~~

After a bath, Tokio had swept up her hair into an elegant knot, and stuck an ivory pin in it. She painted her lips red, and dressed in a dark blue kimono. Personally, she liked dark blue a lot. It reminded her of the ocean. She carried some money with her, and set off into town.

Lately, she had found herself stalling. Why was that? She found the guy. Here he was. All she needed now was to strike.

But by herself won't work at all. She could just die. And after a good night's sleep, Tokio had resolved a life threatening risk too much. She noticed the sun was still kind of rising, since most of eh sky was still dark. She liked it like this. It was so quite.......

FWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!

Except for the police whistle, she thought with a grumble.

"Halt!!"

Tokio turned. Damn, she had rotten luck with police. But instead, they were chasing a fiery red haired man. He wore a magenta top, and he seemed to be exhausted. He had a sword at his side. He made a weird, 'oro'ing noise.

Ah, he must be getting chased because of his sword.

Tokio squinted into the distance at him, catching in a single moment a glimpse of his face. She nearly had to take a double take, she thought it was a woman. But his voice was slightly a few notches below female. Plus, there were two scars into his cheek. Obviously this guy had it rough. It was best for her not to interfere.

Well, it was really none of her business, so she stepped out of the way.

"Halt, dammit!!" panted the winded out police man. Tokio kept walking, and finally, the cop gave up, bending over, panting.

Tokio bowed over, and looked at him, "Oh, Hello Take!! Whatcha' doing?"

Take wheezed, "T-Tried to.. get the.... the guy....."

Tokio patted his back, "Aww, better luck next time!"

And she continued on. She came to a shrine, and threw in a coin. She clasped her hands, and prayed. She usually did not, but she made it a point to do it now and then. To pray for her family, and tell them how things were going. She could almost imagine in her mind, what it would be like. She would tell them she was going to kill the man who murdered them. Her father would grin, and hug her, praising her for her ambitions. Her mother would bow her head, mumbling young girls shouldn't have such thoughts. And her sisters would just be giggling like idiots over some nonsense today she had missed out on.

Tokio opened her eyes, sighing. Well, retribution would come soon, she can vouch for that. In the end, the wolf will get what he deserves.

"Good morning, Miss Tokio."

She turned, and saw a man setting up a booth. She smiled, "Ah, hello Yoshida. How's business?"

"Fine fine. And of you? You were gone for quite sometime. About two years, I think."

Tokio walked over to him. "Well, to be honest, I left for a year. But I came back. I've just been doing odd jobs and the sort."

"Seriously. I heard of the hell you raised at that restaurant."

She crossed her arms, "Oh please, Gichi was so asking for it....."

Yoshida chuckled, and placed a clean cloth over his booth, with the words MOCHI on it.

Tokio's stomach growled, "Say, when do you start cooking those things?"

"I start when I see more people come out. Why, are you that hungry?"

Tokio blushed, "Ah, no. I won't trouble you. I'll just come back later."

"Ah, then we can catch up on old time-"

"Actually Yoshi, I've been busy."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, that's why you left in the first place."

She sighed, bowing her head, "Look, I know I keep apologizing, but, it wasn't your fault, I just couldn't-"

"I know, Tokio. It couldn't be helped. You were just busy. You're a busy girl. I perfectly understand. I'm a busy guy myself." He chuckled.

"Yeah, but you always made time for me."

He grinned, "So I did. Listen, quit beating yourself over the head for it. What's past is past. Besides, it was like two years ago. Who cares?"

"Yeah, who cares?" she giggled. She sighed, turning and waving, "Well, see ya around. Maybe for lunch."

"I'm gonna hold you to that!!" he grinned.

She smiled, waving. Then she turned, and kept walking down the street. The sun was out now. Some more people had come out of their houses, and slowly, the noise was rising. She passed by the police station, and looked at it's doors. No doubt he would be there now. She gulped, and continued.

Tokio had given the rest of the day to herself off. She was tired from doing so much research and brown nosing. It was kind of exhausting. Plus, every time she pried deeper, she got into some kind of trouble. So today, she was just going to take it easy. Maybe she'd even talk to him.

She hated to admit, but she was kind of impressed. His Goro Fujita routine nearly fooled her. She couldn't believe how nice he could be. Walking down the road, she began to think of where to go. It's been a while since she lived here. She had mostly been traveling everywhere after she became an assassin. She was..... well, sort of afraid. She wanted to bide her time fro revenge. But, during her life..... as she got used to wandering, her mind wandered. And she had been putting it off and off. Then one morning, she realized how ridiculous it sounded. She had spent a good four years of training , and now after a year of wandering, she'll just forget about revenge? Screw that!! She never really did things half @$$ed, and she wasn't going to start now. Besides, didn't she set her whole life on this? This one revenge? Otherwise, what kind of legacy would she have? What would make her insignificant life any better? She had to do this. It was only fair. Her whole family in trade fro on man's life. Isn't that enough?

She sighed, her hands behind her back. This was getting complicated. Five years ago, this was such a good idea. She would've wanted nothing more than to see his throat split, and to see that crimson spurt into the air. Like red fireworks. And yet.....

She glanced at a policeman talking to one of his buddies rolling a cart. It reminded her of him. How now..... he had become something else. Now, he is Goro Fujita, a respectable man, who would never do anything out of place, illegal, or immoral. That included killing people. Oh wait, he said he did.....

**But it was to save her.........**

She kicked a stone, Ah, who cares? He's a bastard. Why should she feel any better he saved her life?

A second time. He saved you as a child, before the other wolf could strike, remember?

She stopped walking. **That is true...... but......**

She frowned, and started walking again, rather fast. So what if he did? He's still killed my father!!

Sighing, and stopped again, hands on hips. She hated her conscious. It always made her feel dumb. If she didn't know any better, she'd hit her head right now, knocking it unconscious.

She looked around, "Oh great, where am I?" she was so busy thinking, she lost track of where she was going. She heard a train whistle, and turned her head.

Ah, she was at the train station. Oooh, good!! Lots of foreign shops here!! Plenty of cool stuff to buy..... but first, a rest. Her feet hurt from walking so much. She didn't wear the right kind of sandals fro traveling. She walked into the train station. Police men helped people board the trains, and inspected their tickets. There was a rumor that some of the tickets were being counterfeited, so they were being extra careful.

A young boy was sitting in the corner, wearing dirty clothes. His hair was messy, and his face seemed nearly covered in dirt he slept in the corner, and he had a soiled bag with him. Tokio sighed, it was probably his only belongings. A police man came by, and nudged him with his foot. Oh great, was he going to bother the poor kid??

"Hey, Tsuyoshi. I think your train's here, kid."

The boy, Tsuyoshi blinked himself awake. He yawned, and stretched, clenching a ticket tightly in his hands, "Oh, thanks Koji." He slowly stood, picked up his bag, and sauntered to the coming train. Tokio smiled, then looked around, and found a place to sit.

She sat down on a bench, and rested her head against the wall. She had walked all the way to the train station. What now?

There's not much a lonely person can do by herself. She heard a train whistle from far, far away. A wife tugged at her husband's sleeve, urging him to haggle with the ticket price. A child chased away some birds, giggling. A family carried some luggage to a line.

Tokio sighed. God, she felt so lonely. She'd give anything to have someone to talk to and confide into. She had mostly kept to herself. She had many friends, but none knew her real life. She had two boyfriends but she could never stick with them. Right now.... anyone would have been nice to talk to.

"Amazing how we keep bumping into each other like this," came his voice.

Except him. Tokio frowned, and then turned.

Goro Fujita was dressed in his police pants, and wore a white buttoned shirt. He had his jacket over his shoulder. He had on a polite smile, and a sword strapped to his belt. "Are you going somewhere?" he inquired.

"Where were you?"

Goro came over, and sat a foot away from her. He pulled out his cigarettes. "I was at a meeting. I just came back."

"From where?"

"Tama."

He stuck the cigarette in his mouth, and struck a match on the bench. She frowned, "Why do you do that?"

"Hnh?"

"Why do you smoke like that? Who's idea was it to stick a burning wad of paper in your mouth and start sucking?"

He smirked, "You're as charming as ever. Besides, it's a habit. Everyone's got one."

"I don't have a habit."

"Yes you do."

"Like what?"

He puffed his cigarette, "When you're angry, your bottom lip trembles. And your knuckles go white from clenching them so hard."

"So? Everyone does that when they're mad."

"And you cut yourself when you're depressed."

Tokio gasped.

"I'm sure you don't' mean to cut yourself, what I'm pretty sure is that your trying to kill yourself, but you lose your nerve halfway there, am I right?"

Tokio frowned, "Where..... where do you even BEGIN to think you have a right speaking like that to me-"

He bowed his head, "Ah, I am sorry. I was only trying to help," he glanced at her, "See? There goes the lip."

She put her finger on her lip, making it stop, "How is this in any way helping?"

He took another drag from his cigarette. "By making you realize how foolish it is to throw your life away. It really isn't the best way to go."

"Well, all samurai go out that way."

Goro smirked, "And how many samurai are left out there, anyways?"

Tokio looked away, smirking. Well, there's still you, she thought. She looked at him, "Hey.... uhhh..... How did you know I-?

"When you were attacked that night. Your sleeves were rolled down. And although they've healed, there are still a few pink lines left."

She nodded. She watched a train come in, and stop. People poured out, and people streamed in. like a river. The haggling couple finally settled for a middle class ticket, and boarded the train. She shifted her eyes to Goro. He seemed very laid back. He just watched the people, and tapped his cigarette once or twice to shake off the ashes.

Tokio liked foreign looking clothes. She liked wearing the kimonos and all, but .... well, maybe it was her father's influence. Not many Japanese people wore such...... Well, tight could be the word. Such tight clothing was not worn all the time. Only the police really wore it. Though, now some buinsess men wore Western style suits. She's never really seen a woman here in a European dress......

"Hey, where do you get your clothes?"

"Hnh?" he slid his eyes to her.

"I've never seen you wear any yukatas or anything. Are all your clothes like this? Tight, I mean?"

He smiled, "It is a uniform, I have to wear it whether I want to or not."

"Oh..... so, are they?"

"I don't keep many clothes. I'm not vain about that."

She smirked, "So what your saying is that those are your only clothes? Are shoes comfortable? They look really tight to me."

"Once you get used to them, they're fine."

Tokio couldn't believe this. The killer had something interesting to talk about. She was so fascinated by foreign things.....

She coughed into her hand, "What was the business thingy on?"

"Business."

"................ And?"

"And what?"

"What about?"

He stubbed out his cigarette, "Nosy isn't a trait that's becoming of you, Miss Tokio."

She sighed, "Yeah, I hear you. Say, how long were you gone, anyways?"

"A week."

"You think you'll be gone again anytime soon?"

"Perhaps."

"Do you like traveling?"

He turned to her, and then smiled, "You're forgetting you're supposed to hate me, Miss Tokio."

Tokio gasped, "W-What do you mean?"

Goro got up, "Meaning every time I'm around you, you usually stiffen up and get out of your way to put me down. Or something like that. Are you lonely, by any chance?"

Tokio crossed her arms, pouting, "Oh shut up................ Besides, I'm not allowed to talk to you?"

"Talk to me as often as you like, it makes no difference."

She got up, "So you don't care if I do?"

"You didn't care if I did before."

"That's different! It's okay if I don't care, you're supposed to be the one caring about me!!"

Tokio realized what her words said. She meant that he should be careful about her, and not underestimate her, that she will be his stupid downfall. But it came out all wrong! She blushed, looking away, "Ah, sorry, that.. I didn't mean to say that."

He didn't say anything for a while, then smiled, "Well, I thank you for another interesting conversation, Miss Tokio. Please feel free to stop and chat with me if you ever see me off duty."

Tokio was still blushing when he started walking away. "Well, when are you off duty?"

"Today."

She ran behind him, "Really? What do you plan on doing?"

"Sleeping. I haven't had much of it lately."

Tokio stopped, "Oh I see..... Uhhh....."

He kept walking. She got in step with him, "Mind if I walk you home?"

He smiled, "Thank you, but I'm a big boy now. I hardly think I'll get lost or in trouble."

Tokio sighed, "Well, shoot, here I was trying to be nice and all, and you just blow me off as nice as possible. I thought we were friends here."

Friends? That sounded so weird, ESPECIALLY right now!!

He felt the same too. ".....friends?"

Tokio pouted, and turned around, "Or not."

"I see. Your call."

Another train whistle sounded. She watched it come to a screeching halt. More people flooded in and out. She turned, and saw Goro already at the gates, leaving. She gasped, and ran after him shouting, "Hey, Fujita!!" she nearly tripped, but sprang back up, running after him, "Hey, I'M TALKING TO YOU, YOU BIG JERK!!"

"And I heard you." He said, turning. She caught up with him, panting. "You know, you really shouldn't wear yourself out, considering you were injured there."

"Oh, shush, I'm all better now." She felt her hair was coming out of her bun. She sighed, and pulled out her pins, and her black hair framed her face. "So, you live far from here?"

He didn't answer for a while. He just stared at her. After a good five seconds, he smiled, "I live in the heart of the city. It's quite a walk."

"You won't call for a carriage?"

"What's the rush? I have the whole day off."

Tokio sighed, "Ohh, and here I was, thinking I'd get a free ride home with a cop."

"Hnh. So sorry."

"Where are your gloves?"

"In my pocket. Why?"

"I normally don't see you with them off."

"You normally don't see me."

Very true. She clasped her hands, "Well.... uhhh..... sorry?"

She looked around at the stores. She liked this district. It was so full of imported goods!! One sold figures of porcelain and glass, others sold European furniture. She spied a store full of that ..... oh, what was it called?

"Chokorato!!" (Chocolate!!)

Goro looked down at her, "What?"

She tugged his sleeve, "Oh, can we stop here!?! Please? Please?"

He felt quite awkward. Here she was yanking his arm like a little girl begging her dad for some sweets. "Do what you want, I guess."

"Hey, you're not gonna keep walking are you?!"

He sighed, "You expect me to wait here?"

"No, I KNOW you'll wait here. Because your that nice."

He smiled, "I'm hardly a nice guy."

"Please?"

He leaned against the wall, "fine. But don't buy so much. You'll get fat."

She stuck her tongue at him, pulling one of her eyes lids down, "Says you."

She had decided to buy one of each, since they didn't have such a wide selection. She also bought some hard candy. When she came out, she was sucking on something called a..... ummm..... a roripoppu. It was red, and when she had it in her mouth, the white stick stuck out. It looked like a thin cigarette. It tasted like red sugar. But hey told her it was supposed to be strawberries. It tasted nothing of the like but good anyways.

She came up to Goro, roripoppu in mouth, and mumbled, "O'hay, hret's g'ho." (Okay, let's go.)

"You shouldn't speak with you mouth full," he smirked, walking ahead.

She stuck out her tongue at him. "Nyah, meanie."

"And now your tongue is red."

"Hmm?" she stuck out her tongue, and crossed her eyes, "HooWHOA!! OOKI' 'AH'!! YOOK!! YOOK!" (HooWHOA!! LOOKIT THAT, LOOK LOOK!!)

"Yes, I see, now put it back."

She giggled, and licked the candy, "Hey, I'm not always like this. I'm just embarrassing you."

"Well, you certainly can pull off that."

She grinned, sticking her roripoppu back in her mouth. "Do you have any money on you?"

"Why, am I supposed to buy you something?"

She shrugged, "Well, no, just wondering.. in case I ran out."

She stopped, and looked into a glass window, "Whoa................. Look at that rock!"

She was starting at a jewelry store display. Not many women wore such glittering pieces, but she liked them. A lot. How they seemed to catch the rays of the sun within their transparent walls, and send out the beams like rainbows. She loved the way they sparkled and glittered. And the metal bands didn't look too shabby too.....

"I'd give anything to have that diamond." She sighed.

"It's just a rock, as you said."

She frowned, and snapped back at him, "Yeah? That stuff you smoke is just leaves but you sure go out of your way for it?"

He crossed his arms, "My leaves don't cost more than 20 ryo."

She sighed, turning back to the window. "True........ Hmm, maybe if I work from two more years and I save up, I......" she counted on her fingers, then frowned, "Nah, make it three years..... damn."

She sighed, "Screw it. I'll just buy foreign candy. That's good enough for me."

"You can tell by your stomach it's good enough for you."

She threw her roripoppu at him, but he ducked underneath it.

"Don't do that again," he warned.

"Stop putting me down!! Are you this way to all women?"

He was about to retort with some kind of phrase, implying how unladylike she was in the first place, when she made a fist, "Go on, say it! I DARE you to say it!!"

"Yare yare...... I thought we were friends."

"Oh, I thought we were friends," she mimicked, "Please. You're hardly a good friend."

"Am I?"

"Yes. You're damn rude."

"And you're not?"

"See? You always have to point out flawing qualities in me!"

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. You're perfect."

"Thank you. Was that so hard?"

He shook his head, smirking, "Moron......"

She growled at him, then looked away. She stuck her hand into her bag, and pulled out a stick of chokorato. She nibbled on it, the sticky, but rich flavor spreading over her mouth. No doubt it would make her tongue look brown. Yechh. But, oh so good......

"Hmm. Maybe I should live here!!"

"Because it's closer to the candy store?"

"No!" *Yes.* "I like foreign things."

They were walking alongside the road, and he had to duck under a tree branch.

"You're too tall."

He tugged on his jacket, "Thank you for pointing it out. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known what I would do."

"You are so damn lucky chokorato tastes so damn good. Otherwise, I would've chucked it right at you."

"Then I'd duck."

"Then I'd kick you."

"You couldn't kick me."

"Says who?"

"Says me."

"Someone thinks high and mighty of himself."

"As does herself."

She finished her chokorat, balling her fists, "Do you always have an answer to everything?!!"

"Good friends answer their friends questions. Would you rather I stay silent the whole way back? I'm usually good at that too."

She bit her tongue. For a bastard, he was a really nice guy right now. Ah well, all good things have to end sometime. She craned her neck up, looking at his head. After a minute, he glanced at her, "What now?"

"You....... you ever think of growing a ponytail? Or making your hair long?"

He shrugged, "No."

"Ever?"

"..........yes."

"Hah! You had to think! You had you hair long, didn't you? Why'd you cut it?!"

"Because I did. Why, would you rather I grow it back?"

Actually, she would rather not have him do that. It would remind her of..... of the Shinsengumi. But then again, she was supposed to hate him anyways, right? So why did she not want to see him.... as his former self.

She unwrapped some golden batasukachu (butterscotch), and popped it in her mouth. Tasted just like sugary butter. Well, she never tasted butter, but she assumed it tasted as good as this. "You sure you don't want any candy?"

"Positive."

A carriage rolled by, and Goro stepped out of it's way. She frowned, "I hate carriages. I almost got ran over by one when I was younger......"

"That's funny. When I was younger, I nearly ran over a lady in a carriage."

She looked at him, then lightly slapped his arm, "You liar!"

He turned a corner at the street, "Well, this has been quite entertaining Miss Tokio, but this is my street."

"Oh?" she looked at the row of single roomed houses. "Which box is yours?"

"Cute. Just for that, I won't show you."

"Too bad, I'm following!!" she looked around the street. Some old women were sitting with their doors open, and they were playing Mah Jong. "Say...... I think I live somewhere around here."

"Hnh. Guess I'll be moving soon."

He stopped at a door, and placed his hands on the side. He looked at her. She looked up at him.

".... Good-bye."

She frowned, "I don't get a look?"

"We're not that close yet, " he smirked.

Yet? The word set skitters through her stomach. Why was that happening? She didn't even like him!!

She shrugged, "Ah well. See you around then."

He bowed, "You too, Miss Tokio."

She stayed home all day lying on the floor sucking on peppaminto. It tasted like the wind when it was snowing. She reviewed everything in her mind that had happened. He just came from somewhere. Definitely wasn't police business. Maybe he was supposed to kill someone?

She rolled over. Why the hell did his voice make her feel so..... weird?

She got, and smacked her head, "Dammit, I forgot about Yoshi!!!"