AN: Riiight, if there were people with lives there would be no Where Are You Now? "LAUGHS" MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I never knew. Maybe I'll continue being really dumb. . . Except when it comes to stories . . . For All those who don't know what PMK is it's just called PeaceMaker Kurogane. It's mainly about the Shinsengumi and has A LOT of scenes with Okita-sama! This chapter is mainly for Takara again, erm, there's going to be very little scenes with Aiko and Okita since I lack people to go back and forth on.

Disclaimer: "Blank face" "Head suddenly flies to her side" I don't Own! Except for Aiko and Takara, mainly Takara, or Aiko . . . or both. So Kondo's daughter is called Tamoko big DEAL!

Where Are You Now?

Chapter 19: From from Far Away

"ACHOO!"

The loud sneeze could probably be heard all across Japan if she were to sneeze just a little louder. She had came down with the worst cold anyone could possibly get. Either it was that or it was the newly acquired snow that bit her nose and eyes. As she walked down the path in the fields she saw her destination in the distance, but she wondered would the girl she knew be there?

"ACHOO! Curse this cold!"

Oh what she would do to get some hot ginseng tea and dofu. (Dofu: Chinese: Jello) Delicious dofu, yes, she would give anything to have that again. Sighing with the realization that no dofu waited for her in her destination she yet again let her mind wander off.

"Qi, I hope you're still alive."

What was she thinking, this was Qi, she was almost a sister to her. That girl couldn't get herself killed even if she tried, she was just too hardheaded, quiet, strong, and efficient. How in the world would she-

'Okay, shut up you're gonna make you're head hurt soon. The point! The point is Qi is still alive!'

After shaking her head to her own comment to bring the subject to a close she looked upward to the empty sky.

"But, I still do wonder."

... "ACHOO!"

In Tokyo

"Yo! Why you walking so slow Seta?" Yelled Takara from ahead of him, her hand comfortably on her hip as she stared back at the slowly walking Soujiro. A scarf wrapped around his neck and his bag held in his hand like always.

"Chirp any louder birdie and you'll cause an avalanche."

Takara glared at him, "What was that!?"

"Oh nothing."

Turning to face the city that she had been in only a few months ago Takara got a strange feeling of being watched. Her face went blank, 'Maybe because Soujiro is staring at the back of my head?'

Quickly she was thrown out of her land of thoughts back into reality when suddenly she realized that Soujiro was no longer behind her. She glared once more and ran up beside him, her arms swinging back and forth cautiously. Something about Tokyo didn't seem right, that annoying feeling of someone closely watching her wasn't going away. But it was strange, why didn't she feel it when she first walked into the city?

Curiosity was currently peaking in Takara, though he'd already asked a personal question of her. He now knew what a mistake that was. Now she was going to get at him by bugging him about his past. Still, he was curious about her, but about what he had no idea. The girl was completely annoying to him even though it was nice to have company around every once in a while.

Glancing to his side only for a quick look he saw something in the woman's eyes that made him shoot another glance at her. Why didn't he notice it before, her ki had become extremely cautious over something.

"Takara?"

Takara's eyes widened as she looked over to him, her ki not even budging a notch under as she looked away from ahead of them. Soujiro quickly laughed at himself; he just said her name again without being polite. Truly, he must've been dying from some awful disease.

"What Seta?"

"What's wrong?"

Takara's eyes narrowed as she looked ahead of them, "Nothing."

This time Soujiro's face went blank as he stared at her. Nothing huh? Maybe he should give her a lesson in 'covering' her ki.

"This time I don't believe you."

Then something really awkward happened, her ki suddenly dropped as she took a deep sigh and shrugged her shoulders.

"Really Seta, it's nothing,"

Smiling slightly he nodded and just looked ahead of both of them, not knowing exactly what she was sensing. The streets of Tokyo were almost empty as they walked them, and only a few people stood in the doorways of their homes. The snow had stopped an hour ago so now the cold was easier to bear. But every time he saw Takara wrap her arms around her body he would ask if she were all right. To be polite of course, was something that was against her religion as she would either back talk him or glare at him. He knew that when she glared sometimes he could tell it was a threat but to him . . . well, her threats were nothing.

Takara had this strange sensation that someone was watching her and thinking about her. Whatever they were thinking she didn't care, but the fact that person was watching her made something inside her twitch.

"Would you say something!"

Soujiro stopped instantly and looked back at her confused. That comment just slipped right out of her mouth, but still, right now she needed to feel and listen to anything else then what was making her feel uneasy.

"Were you talking to me?" Pointing to himself he stared at her. Takara registered with one of the blankest looks of all.

"No I was talking to your sword!"

Soujiro smiled and turned away, "Oh okay, go ahead and continue with my sword's speechless talk."

Frozen in her place she glared at him, "Se-ta-!"

Turning around with a fake expression this time he replied, "Yes, did my sword say something bad?"

Before he was even able to react something hard hit his forehead . . . hard and wet. The boy opened his eyes to a flaming Takara and in the middle running down his nose some snow. Putting his hand up to his burning forehead he wiped off the snow and closed his eyes.

"Ow . . ."

"YOU deserved it! If you don't stop now I might just have to attack you!"

"Attack me?"

Opening his eyes once more to see Takara again he frowned, "Whatever you say birdie."

With that said he turned back around, his hand now leaving the front of his head as he walked on. Takara took a deep breath before continuing to walk ahead.

'Well, I surely messed up another conversation.'

She hit him with a snowball . . .

And he didn't dodge it . . .

Heaven must be against him . . .

Shishio has to be laughing at him . . .

Owww . . .

Soujiro rubbed the now red spot in between his eyes and stiffly looked on. The relationship between him and Takara only seemed to be getting worse. Not that he wanted a friendship with her in the first place but she just wouldn't go away. She was determined on tagging along with him no matter what. And he . . . he let her tag along all this time, without warning her or yelling at her but doing those sort of things just didn't seem to suit him.

'Maybe because of what happened.'

"Birdie, why are you following me?" He painfully stated.

Takara glanced over at him quickly before looking away, why was she following him? In all truth she really didn't know why she was still with him. In the beginning he had just stole her money but she did get it back. Maybe it was because she was angry at that time and set her mind on following him.

'Smack yourself Takara, smack yourself REALLY, REALLY HARD!'

The mental note that had popped into her mind just a moment ago was rather disturbing. She was acting like a lost puppy and wanting to follow . . .

'Yep, smack yourself now . . .'

She was about to do so when quite suddenly she ran into brick wall; funny though it smelt like fruit. But instead falling backward like any normal girl she took a step away and covered her nose.

"Itai-!"

Opening her eyes she saw that the brick wall she had run into was just merely the annoying Soujiro who wasn't budging an inch. Takara took that lost step back and looked above his shoulder to see what was wrong.

She didn't see anything.

"Seta you jerk, stopping all of a-"

"There's some one watching us."

Takara peaked above his shoulder again to try and find the elusive thing that had seemed to capture Soujiro's interest. Upon not finding anything again, Takara gave his back a blank look.

"The trees?"

Heaving a sigh he shook his head in denial. His name for her must really fit, as it seemed her brain was the size of that of a bird's.

"Takara be quiet."

Her eyes narrowed as her fists rose, "And why should I? I don't see any reason why I SHOULD!"

"Hm." Was his almost silent answer to her little fit. Was it too much to ask for, for her to be silent? And by the different array of colors her face was turning, it seemed as though, yes, it was.

Takara silently fumed, who was this man to tell her to be quiet. She could be quiet if she needed to be. She wasn't one of those types that would just keep talking and talking and talking when silence was needed. Oh no sir-rie she was not one of those.

"Don't you ignore me BUSTER! I'll have you know I am a shinobi! And I'm smart enough to even BE quiet! So don't you dare tell ME, Isami Takara to. Shut. UP!

A smirk played with his lips as he slyly whispered over his shoulder to her.

"I'm sorry my great and wonderful Isami Takara, but I do not believe that I told you to 'shut up' per say."

Takara's eyes bulged and her mouth fell, that insolent jerk!

"WHY YOU!"

All of a sudden Takara stopped yelling and immediately looked to her side to the top of one of the homes. On top was a person staring down at the two, red and white clothing with a rather familiar symbol on it.

"Hey Qi!"

Takara flinched by the name that was called out, and her eyes widened as the person jumped from the rooftop. Her graceful fall not unwatched by both people as a soft crunch came from ahead of them. Hands reached up to the hood covering his or her face, pulling it back to reveal thick black hair with naturally narrow black eyes which fell upon Takara. But instead of being on guard Takara was happy to see the old face.

A face that she knew all to well, "Ling, you gotta be kindin' me!"

Soujiro raised an eyebrow and looked to Takara, "You know her?"

"Of course I know her, she's a pal of mine from China!"

Ling walked toward to the two of them and stop before Soujiro and looked down into his eyes.

"And who are you?"

Without giving him a chance to explain who he was Ling started talking to him again.

"Are you watching over her? Are you making sure that my little Qi isn't getting into any trouble? Your such a good little protector aren't you!"

Ling clapped her hands together and had to force herself to not jump onto him and hug him so very tightly.

Protector? Him? Protect her? Yeah, like that was ever going to happen. Takara silently questioned her friend's mental health; things weren't looking too good for her. After all, wasn't SHE the one who looked out for HIM?

Silence surrounded the newly aquatinted friends, neither of them noticing Soujiro try to make a hasty, yet silent, escape.

'I'm surrounded by two female ninjas . . . someone help me . . .'

He didn't make it far before a firm hand landed on his shoulder, momentarily stopping him from his freedom.

"How long have you been with Takara?"

His throat constricted at the hidden threat that laced Ling's words. It was painstakingly clear she had somehow gotten the WRONG impression. He looked over to Takara in a plea for help, but only saw her cross her arms and give him a smirk from hell. He sighed, this was his punishment for calling her a bird.

"Um, eh, heh heh."

Ling's expression grew darker and she suddenly pushed Soujiro away from her. Grabbing a corner of her cloak she made a show of wiping her hand clean.

Her black eyes met his own blue in an accusing glare.

"I knew it! You were sleeping with her! Weren't you?"

Takara's smirk quickly faded, and the ground looked oddly inviting. Hitting it with a bang, she stood back up and gave an exaggerated, "NANI?"

Ling's attention was brought back to the one she had come to visit, and she glared at her too.

"I thought it could be trusted that you wouldn't just go around and sleep with any BOY in Japan! Qi! Don't you have any decency?"

Takara snapped to attention with the question of her loyalty to herself. The idea that her sister figure would believe that she, of all people, would sleep with this guy seemed incredibly funny. And yet, it angered her to no end.

"What! It's his fault! He... he took my money, hid my weapons! He . . . he . . . he changed me! And he calls me birdie too! It's his fault! Blame HIM, not me! I did nothing of that sort. Wait. NO I DIDN'T SLEEP WITH HIM!"

Soujiro gave her a curious glance before asking, "I changed you?"

"SHUT UP! You're only making this worse you BAKA! Leave, be gone with you, shoo!"

Figuring that this was as best opportunity that he had to leave, he did just that, he turned to leave.

"Wait! You can't go yet! I still need to get my revenge! SETA!"

"Hey Qi, who's Seta?"

AN: AH HAHA AH HAHAHA HA!!!! I hate this! "falls to floor in complete agony" I don't want to do this anymore, my brain has been blow dried, stomped on, and buried. SO HARD! Well, here's a REALLY short chapter for you guys, sorry that it became so short but hey! It happens. Brain dead and well writer's block just loves to pop up once in a while. YAY!

Fanfic by ione