Nornal text = the present (See chapter one)
Bold = written articles: letters, newspaper clippings, etc.
Italic = the stuff that happened leading up to the stuff in normal text. (flash back)
Bold/italic = Setsunas past (flash back)
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Setsuna cleaned up the tea dishes off the porch and brought them into the kitchen. She set the dishes in the sink. "I'll take care of that," said Kenshin walking in behind her. He pumped water into a bucket then poured it into a kettle over the cooking pit. The coal were still red hot from making the tea.
"Okay then. I'll go take a walk around town. It's such a nice day outside to waste it staying inside." She was about to walk out of the kitchen when Kenshin turned around to her, "Why don't you take Yahiko and Sanosuke with you? They need to get out of the dojo before they go insane...er...well...anymore then they are rather." He smiled at her as he tied his kimono sleeves back with a white cord.
"That sounds like a good idea." Setsuna walked out of the kitchen and followed the sound of the banter and ruckus that Sano and Yahiko were making in the courtyard. She smiled shaking her head at the two. They reminded her of two brothers teasing each other like they did. She knew that Sanosuke really must love Yahiko to not break him in two. Perhaps that also could be that a lot of people would pound on him if he ever did. Nevertheless, she stepped off the porch slipping into her zori and walked toward the fighting duo.
"Ehhh hem," she cleared her throat loudly, getting them to stop. They were in mid fight and it was rather amusing seeing Yahiko hanging off Sanosuke's shoulder, bitting his head as Sano tried to pry him off. She chuckled at the amusing scene. Sano plucked Yahiko from off him and set him on the ground. Yahiko stuck his tongue out at him then ran off towards the dojo.
"Well, I guess that's a no from him, so I'll ask you. Would you like to take a walk with me around town?" Her face lit up with a smile. The sun danced off her loose hair, making it shimmer like a thousands diamonds were entwined in it. "Sano....Sano?" He spaced out for a minute then blinked a few times. "Uh, sure."
"Great!" Her smile grew bigger as she wrapped her arm around his and walked them out of the courtyard of the dojo. Setsuna finally felt happy and at peace inside herself. She could finally say that Samanosuke didn't haunt her anymore, allowing her to accept that shecould love again...perhaps even love the man standing right next to her.
~~~~~
Sanosuke walked her down to the town outdoor marketplace. It was crowded beacuse of the beautiful weather. Children walked around laughing and playing with pinwheels. Setsuna stopped at a vendor selling fresh flowers. She bent over and smelled the red roses. "They smell so beautiful," she said to the shop keeper. "Where do you get such nice flowers?"
"I grow them on my land just outside of town," he said arranging some daisies in a clay vase then set it down on the display in the only empty spot at the top. Sano dug into his pockets, finding nothing other then pocket lint and a hole, swore to himself for not having any money to buy her a rose. They continued walking down the dirt street towards the river. They came to where the bridge was, instead of crossing it over the small creek that flowed from the larger river, Setsuna tugged on Sanos' hand toward the river bank. She sat down watching the sun light twinkle off the calm waters. She laid down and out strechted her arms. "The sun is so warm, I could just fall asleep right here for the rest of the day."
Sano walked over near where she lay in the grass, not knowing what to say to her. He knew that he had feelings for her, but, wasn't sure if it was his place to say anything to her after what he found out about her. Perhaps though, it was time that she finally did hear it from someone. Perhaps that's what she needs right now. An understanding person that can make her forget the hurt, pain and guilt that she suffered though.
"Setsuna," he started then cleared his troat, " I um...have something I need to talk to you about..." He nervously looked around the hill side wishing that he had thought this through better. He swallowed hard, scratching his head. He suddenly felt very itchy and hot. "Well, what it is Sanosuke," she asked him sitting up, tucking her legs under her.
"Well, I uh..." he rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at the grass near his feet. He was interrupted though by the sound of someone runnign down the hillside. "Setsuna! Setsuna is that you?!"
She looked up the hill, seeing her long lost friend running down the river bank toward her. He was covered with dust up to his knees and looked like he hadn't slept in days. "Soujiro-kun!" She jumped to her feet and ran to him. "What are you doing here, how did you find ..." She stopped herself. She knew. They found her. That would be the only reason he would be here. They were going to come to Tokyo and kill her.
"They know you're here. I'm sure that they are no more then a day behind me getting here. You have no time left in this place. You have to leave at once." He flopped onto the grass trying to catch his breath, then noticing Sano standing there with a bitter hate glowing in his eyes.
"She doesn't need to leave. She's staying with Kenshin and he promised to keep her safe..."
"It doesn't matter if Kenshin is watching over me Sanosuke, not even the Battousai could stop what is coming here. You have no idea what these men are capable of. I've studied so many sword forms I can't name them all, yet I am still no match for Him." Setsuna looked into Sanos' eyes with fright and panic looking back. He didn't want to lose her, not now. He finally found someone that he could love. She can't leave...he had to do anything he could to keep her in Tokyo...keep her safe from anything that dare try to hurt her.
"Look, why don't we go back to the dojo and talk with Kenshin about all this. Maybe he can help you out anyway." Soujiro picked himself up off the grass. They all started the walk back to the dojo, hoping that something could be thought of so Setsuna could finally stop running.
~~~~~
Kenshin sat there silently, contemplating what they could do for Setsuna. His options where limited after hearing about this Man from Setsuna and Soujiro. Aparently it was the same man that had her husband killed and the attempt at Setsunas.
"If she runs, who's to say that they aren't already here? Maybe they got here before Soujiro did. It could be risky leaving town, even by the less traveled roads at night. I think that we should just stay here, keep things quite and see what happens." Kenshin looked around the room and the nervous people listening to him talk. Setsuna gave him a nod, got up and walked out of the room. "I can't guarantee anything though Sanosuke, you need to know this. Whoever this Man is, he sounds like someone I've heard stories about. I didn't think they even could be true. I remember them from the days of the war. Apparently at the end, the rebels became desperate enough to pay for the best assassin in all of Japan with blood money. The general that hired him, let the assassin use all of his men, all 108, for live practice dummies. That was all the Man asked for as payment. He disappeared as I did after the war ended. I didn't think that he was still alive, but, then again...after hearing this...there wouldn't have been anyway that he could have been killed."
Sanosuke sat there quite. He didn't want to believe it. There could be no one stronger then Kenshin. No one! It was inconceivable, totally impossible. He stood up violently, "I won't believe that there is no chance of saving her! I won't! Even if I have to die so she can live, I'll make sure that she won't have to end up like her husband!" He stormed out of the room, breaking the door in the process.
~~~~~
That night everyone was jumpy and alert to every sound around the house. Sanosuke insisted on sleeping outside of Setsunas doorway. Kaoru wasn't happy about the idea, since her room was right next to Setsunas. "If I trip over you're feet in the middle of the night trying to get to the toilet, I'm going to ring your rooster neck!" She stormed off to her room to go to bed. Setsuna giggled at the scene, poking her head out the sliding door.
"You know, you're going to be cold sleeping on the floor like that. Take this blanket to wrap up in atleast." She smiled warmly at him, then threw the blanket over his head, laughed at him then retreated to her futon.