CHAPTER 7: Hunting the Mate
Tokio woke again to another dreary day. It had only been drizzling, but in her heart, there was only stormy blackness. It had been a week since Saito disappeared. The police had given up looking on day five. Tokio would've given up, too, but Eiji still had the notion that he would burst through the door one day and return to them. She gave a weak smile at the thought of the boy. He loved Saito like a father. She stood to get out of bed and make breakfast.
"TOKIO!" Eiji yelled from outside the door.
"I'm up, Eiji, you can come in!" Tokio said. Eiji slid open the door. They both bowed.
"How are you today?" Eiji asked. Tokio smiled.
"I'm fine," she said. Eiji studied her face. It was obvious that she was lying.
"I'll make breakfast today, then go out and look around. I'll buy the rice today!" Eiji said. Tokio sighed. He didn't give up, did he? Tokio shook her head.
"We don't need anything," Tokio said. "You can just go out and enjoy the outside." Eiji looked at his toes.
"Oh," he said. "Okay. Well, I guess I'll go visit Himura-san, then." Eiji smiled. Tokio nodded. Eiji turned to leave the room, but she stopped him.
"Oh, Eiji," Tokio said. Eiji nodded. "Don't look for Hajime anymore, okay? I'm pretty sure that he... isn't coming back." Eiji's eyes widened.
"What? You can't say that, Tokio! You don't know if he is or isn't! Until we find his body-"Tokio put a finger on his lips.
"No, Eiji," Tokio said. "He's never been away this long without letting us know. He's gone, Eiji." Eiji shook his head.
"No, Tokio! You're wrong! He can't die! He always said that the wolf never dies... and he promised to always return to you! He PROMISED!" Eiji protested. Tokio looked away.
"Yes, he did... but he's only human. And humans are able to die... he isn't flawless, Eiji," Tokio said. Eiji scowled.
"I don't need breakfast," he whispered and ran out of the room, forgetting to bow. Tokio stared after him.
"Hajime... if only you could see Eiji now... he truly has grown into the boy you wanted him to become..."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Eiji ran straight to the Kamiya Dojo, feverishly wiping the tears from his eyes.
...But he's only human. And humans are able to die... he isn't flawless, Eiji; Tokio's words rang in his ears.
"No, he's not dead!" Eiji yelled angrily. "Even a cold hearted jerk like him... I don't want him dead..." He arrived at the Kamiya Dojo and stood in front of the gate wondering whether or not to go in. Suddenly, the door slid open and he bumped into Kenshin.
"Himura-san!" Eiji gasped, bowing. Kenshin returned the bow.
"Eiji, it's good to see you again!" Kenshin smiled. "How are you?" Eiji thought about telling him of Saito, but thought better of it.
"Never better!" Eiji grinned. Kenshin saw his gaze fall.
"Is something wrong, Eiji?" Kenshin asked. "Perhaps something with Saito?" Eiji looked up, surprised, but he shook his head.
"No," was all he said. Then, he bowed and walked off down the street. Kenshin watched him, then called out:
"EIJI! If you need help, you can always come to me!"
"I will! Thank you, Himura-san!" Eiji yelled back. He ran off down the road, away from both the Kamiya Dojo and his house. He walked alongside a river and sat down.
"Why did you go disappear?" Eiji asked. "You can't just leave like that!" There was the sound of footsteps behind him.
"Hey, kid," a gruff voice said. "I've seen you! You're the Fujita kid, am I correct?" Eiji spun around. He was facing a man with a black ninja suit on.
"Y-yes..." Eiji stammered. He didn't trust the man.
"I found him, guys!" the man called. At least twenty-five men with the same outfits ran from the alleyways and from behind bushes. One grabbed Eiji around his stomach and clamped a hand on his mouth. The first man drew a knife.
"MMM!" Eiji struggled against the ninja's grip. He saw the knife. It was going to be used to kill him. The men all laughed, and the one with the knife twirled it, then thrust it toward Eiji's head. Eiji closed his eyes...... there was a loud clanging nose.
"WHAT?" the first man yelled. Eiji opened his eyes and saw a flutter of red hair.
"You will let him go gently," Kenshin said. "That you will." The man holding Eiji scowled.
"ATTACK!" the man yelled. Then, he jumped to a tree branch, out of danger. The other men all ran for Kenshin with their swords, knives, daggers, and kunai (Weapons Misao uses) ready.
"I don't consider this a fair fight, that I don't," Kenshin said. "But I will win anyway. If you want to taste this blade, come forward." The men laughed.
"No, we won't taste your blade, you'll be eating ours!" they all dove at Kenshin at the same time. In a flash of red, half of the men were sprawled on the floor. The others stared at the injured men.
"Who is he?" one of the ninjas asked. Kenshin turned to the remaining men.
"The cross shaped scar! It's Himura the Battousai!" another man yelled. Kenshin glared at them, and then attacked with a Ryu Sho Sen. Eiji grabbed onto the ninja's arm and tried to wrench it away. The ninja held him tighter and jumped away. Kenshin finished off the last man and turned to see the ninja with Eiji running away.
"EIJI!" Kenshin yelled. He ran off after the ninja.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tokio drank what was left of her soup. She then stood and placed the bowl in the kitchen. She stared out the window at the garden where she and Saito had sat under the stars many times.
"Hajime, where are you?" she asked. "If you are even still alive like Eiji believes... I just don't want to get his hopes up..." Tokio walked to the well and brought up a bucket of water. She pulled a towel out of the kitchen and some soap and brought the items to the porch where she began to wipe. She watched the bubbles from the soap slide across the floor as she ran back and forth...
"EXCUSE ME!" a man's voice yelled from the front gate. "Is anyone home?!" Tokio quickly let down her hair, wiped her hands and untied her sleeves, which then fell to her wrists.
"Yes! Coming!" she yelled back. She hurried through the house to the front gate where a man was standing.
"Hello, are you Fujita Tokio?" the man asked bowing. Tokio nodded, also bowing.
"Yes, I am," she said. "Can I help you?" The man was wearing a red gi and brown hakama. His smile was warm and sincere.
"Yes, you can," he said, widening his smile. "But maybe we should step inside..."
"Oh! Yes, of course! Please, come in," Tokio said, leading him in. The man looked past her into the garden.
"Your garden is very beautiful," the man commented. Tokio bowed her head.
"Thank you, sir," Tokio said. "Now, what was it that you wanted to discuss?"
"My name is Yokokawa Chuichi," the man said. Then, Tokio gasped and jumped to the right. A kunai flew past her nose and sunk its self into the wall.
"Where did that come from?" Tokio asked. She looked at Chuichi.
"And I am here to kill you," Chuichi said, grinning. Tokio gave him a look of horror, then dashed into her room and slammed the door. She could hear his footsteps coming after her. She opened a drawer where Saito hid all of his Shinsengumi uniforms and a wakizashi. She pulled it out and unsheathed it, then cut a slit in her kimono between her legs to expand her movement. Chuichi flung open the door.
"Why are you... going to...?" Tokio stammered. Chuichi let out a low laugh. Tokio clutched the sword harder.
"To torture your husband, of course!" Chuichi sneered. Tokio gasped. HE WAS STILL ALIVE!
"You... know... my..." Tokio asked.
"Yes, I do," Chuichi said. "And I know where he is. Actually, my boss is holding him captive in our base!" Tokio narrowed her eyes. No wonder he had been gone for so long... but how come he couldn't fight his way out like all of the times before. Were these people really that strong?
"Where is your base?" Tokio asked. Chuichi drew a hidden sword.
"I won't tell you just yet. When you're bleeding at my feet, I'll tell you!" he yelled. "I don't see why you think holding that wakizashi is going to help you! You're probably just about as skilled as a child!" He started laughing. Tokio slid into a Gatotsu position.
"I might not be as good as my husband... but... I, too, lived through the Revolution and helped the Meiji Era to become what it is by being a member of the Shinsengumi- the group that lost," Tokio said. "That is what I have learned from my husband along with his swordsmanship." Chuichi's devilish grin disappeared as Tokio executed a perfect Gatotsu, shoving the short sword through his shoulder. Suddenly, a kunai shot through the paper shoji door leading from the room to the garden and sunk into Tokio's thigh. She gasped in pain and jumped back, pulling the kunai out.
"You are actually good, I must admit," Chuichi gulped, holding onto his shoulder, forging a ghostly smile. "But... I don't think... you're good enough to defeat fifty men!" The door leading to the garden was slashed down revealing a group of ninjas. Tokio gasped. He was right. She had never faced so many alone. The men all unsheathed swords, pulled out kunai and various other weapons. Tokio gulped. She couldn't fend them all off. What could she do?
A/N: Next chapter you will all find out the reason that I killed off Saito! Sorry, this chapter was kind of... boring and... yeah, boring. Umm... sorry to leave you hanging!
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Kairi7: I'm so sorry I killed him, but you will forgive me in the next chapter. I'll update really soon so you won't be sad anymore. Believe me! Everything will turn out okay in the end!!! And your sadness is understandable. Only true Saito fans will feel so sad when he dies.
Koneko: KONEKO!! YOU'RE BACK!! Geez, I was wondering where you went. I thought you died or something! ^_^; well, I'm glad you're back! And I finally got my keyboard back! Hate to hear that you got grounded, but I'm glad that you're not anymore!! ^_^
Shiro: You decide. Was he?
MissBehavin: You're good... believing in Saito-sama like that... a true Saito fan! Hey, killing him is a way to see who's a true fan and who's not! No answers in this chapter, but they WILL be answered in the next... two I think.
Tokio woke again to another dreary day. It had only been drizzling, but in her heart, there was only stormy blackness. It had been a week since Saito disappeared. The police had given up looking on day five. Tokio would've given up, too, but Eiji still had the notion that he would burst through the door one day and return to them. She gave a weak smile at the thought of the boy. He loved Saito like a father. She stood to get out of bed and make breakfast.
"TOKIO!" Eiji yelled from outside the door.
"I'm up, Eiji, you can come in!" Tokio said. Eiji slid open the door. They both bowed.
"How are you today?" Eiji asked. Tokio smiled.
"I'm fine," she said. Eiji studied her face. It was obvious that she was lying.
"I'll make breakfast today, then go out and look around. I'll buy the rice today!" Eiji said. Tokio sighed. He didn't give up, did he? Tokio shook her head.
"We don't need anything," Tokio said. "You can just go out and enjoy the outside." Eiji looked at his toes.
"Oh," he said. "Okay. Well, I guess I'll go visit Himura-san, then." Eiji smiled. Tokio nodded. Eiji turned to leave the room, but she stopped him.
"Oh, Eiji," Tokio said. Eiji nodded. "Don't look for Hajime anymore, okay? I'm pretty sure that he... isn't coming back." Eiji's eyes widened.
"What? You can't say that, Tokio! You don't know if he is or isn't! Until we find his body-"Tokio put a finger on his lips.
"No, Eiji," Tokio said. "He's never been away this long without letting us know. He's gone, Eiji." Eiji shook his head.
"No, Tokio! You're wrong! He can't die! He always said that the wolf never dies... and he promised to always return to you! He PROMISED!" Eiji protested. Tokio looked away.
"Yes, he did... but he's only human. And humans are able to die... he isn't flawless, Eiji," Tokio said. Eiji scowled.
"I don't need breakfast," he whispered and ran out of the room, forgetting to bow. Tokio stared after him.
"Hajime... if only you could see Eiji now... he truly has grown into the boy you wanted him to become..."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Eiji ran straight to the Kamiya Dojo, feverishly wiping the tears from his eyes.
...But he's only human. And humans are able to die... he isn't flawless, Eiji; Tokio's words rang in his ears.
"No, he's not dead!" Eiji yelled angrily. "Even a cold hearted jerk like him... I don't want him dead..." He arrived at the Kamiya Dojo and stood in front of the gate wondering whether or not to go in. Suddenly, the door slid open and he bumped into Kenshin.
"Himura-san!" Eiji gasped, bowing. Kenshin returned the bow.
"Eiji, it's good to see you again!" Kenshin smiled. "How are you?" Eiji thought about telling him of Saito, but thought better of it.
"Never better!" Eiji grinned. Kenshin saw his gaze fall.
"Is something wrong, Eiji?" Kenshin asked. "Perhaps something with Saito?" Eiji looked up, surprised, but he shook his head.
"No," was all he said. Then, he bowed and walked off down the street. Kenshin watched him, then called out:
"EIJI! If you need help, you can always come to me!"
"I will! Thank you, Himura-san!" Eiji yelled back. He ran off down the road, away from both the Kamiya Dojo and his house. He walked alongside a river and sat down.
"Why did you go disappear?" Eiji asked. "You can't just leave like that!" There was the sound of footsteps behind him.
"Hey, kid," a gruff voice said. "I've seen you! You're the Fujita kid, am I correct?" Eiji spun around. He was facing a man with a black ninja suit on.
"Y-yes..." Eiji stammered. He didn't trust the man.
"I found him, guys!" the man called. At least twenty-five men with the same outfits ran from the alleyways and from behind bushes. One grabbed Eiji around his stomach and clamped a hand on his mouth. The first man drew a knife.
"MMM!" Eiji struggled against the ninja's grip. He saw the knife. It was going to be used to kill him. The men all laughed, and the one with the knife twirled it, then thrust it toward Eiji's head. Eiji closed his eyes...... there was a loud clanging nose.
"WHAT?" the first man yelled. Eiji opened his eyes and saw a flutter of red hair.
"You will let him go gently," Kenshin said. "That you will." The man holding Eiji scowled.
"ATTACK!" the man yelled. Then, he jumped to a tree branch, out of danger. The other men all ran for Kenshin with their swords, knives, daggers, and kunai (Weapons Misao uses) ready.
"I don't consider this a fair fight, that I don't," Kenshin said. "But I will win anyway. If you want to taste this blade, come forward." The men laughed.
"No, we won't taste your blade, you'll be eating ours!" they all dove at Kenshin at the same time. In a flash of red, half of the men were sprawled on the floor. The others stared at the injured men.
"Who is he?" one of the ninjas asked. Kenshin turned to the remaining men.
"The cross shaped scar! It's Himura the Battousai!" another man yelled. Kenshin glared at them, and then attacked with a Ryu Sho Sen. Eiji grabbed onto the ninja's arm and tried to wrench it away. The ninja held him tighter and jumped away. Kenshin finished off the last man and turned to see the ninja with Eiji running away.
"EIJI!" Kenshin yelled. He ran off after the ninja.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tokio drank what was left of her soup. She then stood and placed the bowl in the kitchen. She stared out the window at the garden where she and Saito had sat under the stars many times.
"Hajime, where are you?" she asked. "If you are even still alive like Eiji believes... I just don't want to get his hopes up..." Tokio walked to the well and brought up a bucket of water. She pulled a towel out of the kitchen and some soap and brought the items to the porch where she began to wipe. She watched the bubbles from the soap slide across the floor as she ran back and forth...
"EXCUSE ME!" a man's voice yelled from the front gate. "Is anyone home?!" Tokio quickly let down her hair, wiped her hands and untied her sleeves, which then fell to her wrists.
"Yes! Coming!" she yelled back. She hurried through the house to the front gate where a man was standing.
"Hello, are you Fujita Tokio?" the man asked bowing. Tokio nodded, also bowing.
"Yes, I am," she said. "Can I help you?" The man was wearing a red gi and brown hakama. His smile was warm and sincere.
"Yes, you can," he said, widening his smile. "But maybe we should step inside..."
"Oh! Yes, of course! Please, come in," Tokio said, leading him in. The man looked past her into the garden.
"Your garden is very beautiful," the man commented. Tokio bowed her head.
"Thank you, sir," Tokio said. "Now, what was it that you wanted to discuss?"
"My name is Yokokawa Chuichi," the man said. Then, Tokio gasped and jumped to the right. A kunai flew past her nose and sunk its self into the wall.
"Where did that come from?" Tokio asked. She looked at Chuichi.
"And I am here to kill you," Chuichi said, grinning. Tokio gave him a look of horror, then dashed into her room and slammed the door. She could hear his footsteps coming after her. She opened a drawer where Saito hid all of his Shinsengumi uniforms and a wakizashi. She pulled it out and unsheathed it, then cut a slit in her kimono between her legs to expand her movement. Chuichi flung open the door.
"Why are you... going to...?" Tokio stammered. Chuichi let out a low laugh. Tokio clutched the sword harder.
"To torture your husband, of course!" Chuichi sneered. Tokio gasped. HE WAS STILL ALIVE!
"You... know... my..." Tokio asked.
"Yes, I do," Chuichi said. "And I know where he is. Actually, my boss is holding him captive in our base!" Tokio narrowed her eyes. No wonder he had been gone for so long... but how come he couldn't fight his way out like all of the times before. Were these people really that strong?
"Where is your base?" Tokio asked. Chuichi drew a hidden sword.
"I won't tell you just yet. When you're bleeding at my feet, I'll tell you!" he yelled. "I don't see why you think holding that wakizashi is going to help you! You're probably just about as skilled as a child!" He started laughing. Tokio slid into a Gatotsu position.
"I might not be as good as my husband... but... I, too, lived through the Revolution and helped the Meiji Era to become what it is by being a member of the Shinsengumi- the group that lost," Tokio said. "That is what I have learned from my husband along with his swordsmanship." Chuichi's devilish grin disappeared as Tokio executed a perfect Gatotsu, shoving the short sword through his shoulder. Suddenly, a kunai shot through the paper shoji door leading from the room to the garden and sunk into Tokio's thigh. She gasped in pain and jumped back, pulling the kunai out.
"You are actually good, I must admit," Chuichi gulped, holding onto his shoulder, forging a ghostly smile. "But... I don't think... you're good enough to defeat fifty men!" The door leading to the garden was slashed down revealing a group of ninjas. Tokio gasped. He was right. She had never faced so many alone. The men all unsheathed swords, pulled out kunai and various other weapons. Tokio gulped. She couldn't fend them all off. What could she do?
A/N: Next chapter you will all find out the reason that I killed off Saito! Sorry, this chapter was kind of... boring and... yeah, boring. Umm... sorry to leave you hanging!
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Kairi7: I'm so sorry I killed him, but you will forgive me in the next chapter. I'll update really soon so you won't be sad anymore. Believe me! Everything will turn out okay in the end!!! And your sadness is understandable. Only true Saito fans will feel so sad when he dies.
Koneko: KONEKO!! YOU'RE BACK!! Geez, I was wondering where you went. I thought you died or something! ^_^; well, I'm glad you're back! And I finally got my keyboard back! Hate to hear that you got grounded, but I'm glad that you're not anymore!! ^_^
Shiro: You decide. Was he?
MissBehavin: You're good... believing in Saito-sama like that... a true Saito fan! Hey, killing him is a way to see who's a true fan and who's not! No answers in this chapter, but they WILL be answered in the next... two I think.