**Pechan is dislcaimin' the rights to Rurouni Kenshin.

~ Soba ~

Tokio woke up once again to no Goro in sight. She scanned the room, finding it bare. Her bags were gone, but a pink kimono was left out for her. Red wooden getas and tabi socks sat upon it, and two hair pins sporting rubies completed the ensemble. She gulped, "Did he put together something for me to wear...........?"

Outside, an officer was talking to Saito. Saito was dressed in his uniform, and nodded to the officer, "then there is no reason to stake out this area, is there?"

"No sir. We'll be leaving as soon as possible. But what if the town's people start asking about the whereabouts-"

"Tell them they're under new management. "he handed him a file, "Here's everything documented. And all past records we found here. I assure nothing's been tampered with."

The officer bowed, "Sir."

Saito smelled something familiar, and began lighting a cigarette, "Ah, Tokio, you're up alre-NGK!"

She clutched the bottom of his hair, and snarled, "WAIT FOR ME ONE OF THESE DAYS, WHY DON'CHA?!!"

Goro calmly removed her grip, "I see you don't do mornings."

The officer sweated, "Ah, sir? Will that be all?"

Goro nodded, "That'll be all."

A final bow, and he left. Goro bent down and pick up his hat which fell when Tokio grabbed his hair.

She followed, "I never see you when I wake up! Where did you go?"

"I put our bags at the train station already."

"Why?"

He shrugged, tugging on his hat, "I was awake."

She crossed her arms, and fingered her sleeves, "Not bad taste, though. I was figuring to wear this today."

"What of your green one?'

She chuckled, eyes closed, "Forget wearing that ever again. I don't wanna remember last night. In fact, I don't even want to talk about it."

"It was that gruesome for you?"

"No, not at all. I just have a thing about accidentally swallowing someone else's blood after it's splashed on me."

"Ah, I see."

They stepped out of the Hanabi inn, and she shivered, "You know, just looking at it gives me the chills. Almost like there are ghosts in there. I mean, we've been there one night, and it's all different."

"Well, we did do something."

She looked up at him, "Say, did you even go in the hot springs?"

He shook his head, "I had work."

"Not even once? Oh, they were sooooooooooooooooooooooo relaxing. I could just die in there."

"I'll keep that in mind," he smiled.

She put more spring in her step, actually refreshed from leaving that place, "So! How much time do we have to kill?"

"All in the world."

"Did you eat yet? Cause I'm hungry."

"No I haven't."

She clapped, "Oh, do you have any money? Can we hit a beef pot?"

"It's not even nine yet."

She pouted, "That's right............... well, you like udon?"

"I like soba."

She smiled, "Oh yeah, when I was a waitress that's what you ordered. Hey, how come you only like it plain?"

"Why do you like candy?"

"Because it tastes like ecstasy. Why, is it he same for you and soba?" she giggled, "It's orgasmic?"

He simply smiled.

She rubbed her arms, going, "Eww, EWW! Dirty!!"

"I didn't even say anything."

"Oh, but I know what you were thinking!!!"

"Yare yare...... just my luck to have a mind reader at hand."

She giggled, then said, "Soba it is!! Ummmm, you ARE paying, right?"

"Yes."

She nodded, "Good! I eat anything that's free!!"

So they settled in a soba bar. Tokio sat next to him at the bar, asking, "So how long have you been a police man?"

"Ever since the war ended. They had applicants ready and willing."

"Do you like saving people?"

"I do what I do best."

She replied sarcastically, "Slice up things?"

"I was thinking more on the line of infiltration."

She giggled, "Like a spy?"

Some people looked at them, and she snapped, "Hey, mind your own business!'

The waiter set down some tea for them. Goro picked up his cup, "You really should speak a little more quietly, Tokio."

"Heh, right." She sipped a bit of her tea, "Hey, it's green!"

"You don't want green?"

"Why do you like it?"

"I don't."

"Well, why is it here?"

"It came with the combo."

"That doesn't mean you have to get it! You could have said something like, 'Can I have regular, or jasmine tea instead'?"

"It's easier to just order the whole thing-"

"Yeah, but the point is, your paying for something you don't want-"

"See, if I did that we'd just be calling him back, because he might have gotten the order wrong, since most people just order it the way it is so their used to making it that way-"

"-is no reason to pay for something you didn't want, you're not list-"

"-you're not listening."

She crossed her arms, "Oh, stop it! You're being stupid!! All I know is, I would've gotten my order right."

"You're not paying anyways, so I don't see the big deal."

The waiter chuckled, handing them both bowls of steaming hot soba, "Boy, you guys remind me of my sister and her husband. Always bickering over every little thing."

Tokio blushed, "Uhh, were not married-"

"Thank you, sir," Goro said, nodding his head. He picked up his chopsticks, and said, "See? Everyone thinks we're married."

"Must be because most beautiful women get stuck with bitter old men anyways."

"Just you."

She stuck her tongue at him, as he slurped some noodles. She ate some too, then asked, "Say.......... you swing your sword with your left, but you use chopsticks with your right. Are you ambidextrous?"

"No."

After watching him eat for three minutes, she frowned, "Well, tell me!"

"I attack with my left, since it gives a fair advantage. Almost all swordsmen are right handed, and their strikes come to the same point. I have a better chance, since my blade isn't bound to collide straight on all the time."

"Ooooohh..........." she said, then slurped her noodles. She started sipping the broth, when she decided to ask, "So. When is your birthday?"

He wiped his mouth, setting his bowl down, "Why must you know?"

She shrugged, "I just wanna."

He drained his cup, and set it down. Wiping his mouth again, he replied, "I was born on the first of January."

"Really? Wow. That's kinda special, isn't it?"

"I suppose."

She tilted her head, "You should have a name like............... like Ichiban, or Ichi." (First/Number One, One)

He smirked, "Now why did my parents decide not to give me wonderful names like that?"

She shrugged, "Ahh, I don't know. Hajime might work too."

He raised his brows, looking at her. She didn't notice, as she downed her tea. (remember, she couldn't find his first name in any of the dossiers?) She daintily wiped her mouth with a napkin, "Gah, I don't like green. It tastes funny."

"It's good for your health."

She turned around, facing him. "So! What time do we leave?"

He glanced at a clock hanging above the soba bar's door, "Thirty minutes."

"Let's go shopping!!"

He smirked, "I'm not one for shopping."

She pouted, tilting her head, "Not even for me?"

He shook his head.

She frowned, "Well, too bad. You can act as escort, then!" she grinned, and tugged his sleeve, "Come on! Let's go!"

"Can I pay the man first?" he asked casually, laying some yen on the counter.

Tokio giggled, and pulled him out the door. He followed in good humor. She let her hand linger on his arm a little longer, before dropping it. She pushed a stray lock of hair from her face behind her ear, and pointed, "Look!!"

By the time he looked, she was already running there. He sighed, and followed behind at his own pace. What the hell? He might as well. He'd have nothing else to do for a week.

**the whole Soba bar argument about the combo? I go through that EVERYTIME when I hang out with this guy I like at ANY restaurant. He constantly nit picks about the prices, until I decide to dislocate his hip.