"What a jerk! What the hell was I thinking to give HIM help?" muttered Yumi as she trekked through the bustling streets.
"Hey I'm right beside you do you mind laying off the insults?" said Sano rubbing his forehead trying to keep up best he could.
"Oh shut up we're almost there then you could pass out," snapped Yumi.
Yumi and Sano turned into the narrow walkway of Sano's apartment and opened the door.
"Aren't you coming in?" asked Sano.
"Unlike you Sagara I've got work and clients I have to look after," said Yumi.
"I don't know why you went back to being a orian. You know the offer still stands for you to stay with me or at the dojo for a while right?" said Sano as he walked out of sight of Yumi who was leaning against the doorframe.
"Like I'd live with either of you people! I don't need any help Sagara, I carry my own weight," said Yumi as she took a cup of sake from Sano who drank one himself. "Don't forget I was one of the bad guys remember?"
"Yeah I remember. You're the one who got stabbed in the back, literary, by you love and boss," replied Sano slightly amused with himself.
Yumi threw her glass down in rage no one spoke of Shishio and her that way. "Who the hell do you think you are! Look Sagara I didn't ask to be saved from Mt. Hiei, I didn't ask for anything!" she snarled at Sanosuke.
"OK! Relax Yumi! I'm sorry OK? Its just that," stuttered Sano as he was cut off.
"I don't need this shit from anyone! Next time your drunk stay out of my way Sagara!" she yelled and turned on her heel and stomped off.
"Where are you going?!" cried Sano after her. But Yumi only raised her arm and gave an offensive hand gesture walking back to her orian house.
Yumi walked with a straight face and slammed the door of her room hard as she started getting ready for tonight.
"Idiot moron...thinks he could tell me about...one of these day I'll..." Yumi was grumbling while she knelt down in front of her mirror and started applying her makeup. After a while she asked on of the maids to come in and help her with her kimono and hair ornaments. The poor maid was so frightened of Yumi's clearly shown anger that her hands started trembling as she tightened the obi. Yumi was absolutely beautiful wearing a black kimono with gold inlaid as phoenixes and dragons, and for the final touch she put in golden hairpin resembling the flames.
When everything was picture perfect Yumi set off to the restaurant where she was going to meet her danna (or patron) that she hated so but put on a happy face for. As she walked all she could think of was the sword going through her and blood everywhere...
She reached the restaurant still thinking of Shishio and her near death experience when she sat down beside her danna among many other men drinking and laughing. But she wasn't there with them; she was on Mt. Hiei, watching Shishio slowly loosing to the Rurouni.
"No," she mouthed quietly. "Shishio please..." Yumi ran out in between the fighters pleading for mercy when...
"YUMI!" cried her danna. "You whore look at me when I'm talking to you!"
Yumi looked up at him, hatred boiling inside her. She couldn't take this anymore, she wouldn't.
"Shut up you old fool!" she said with a level voice. "SHUT UP!"
Her danna looked at her with shock at first then his face tightened as he clenched his teeth; "You don't speak to me like that wench!"
Yumi stood up and slapped him across the face and headed for the door opening it then looked back, "I'm not yours or anyone's wench anymore. Oh by the way everyone," she said addressing everyone in the room who was looking on in awe. "This man here is probably stealing money from all of your businesses in some way so I'd check your finances before dealing with him again. Good night everyone." And with that Yumi closed the door behind her listening with pleasure to the room now behind her erupt with yelling.
She ran (as best she could in a kimono) to her room in the orian house gathering up everything she owned in a drawstring bag. She changed into her typical kimono and wiped the extravagant makeup from her face ignoring the shouts of lecture from the Mother of the house who was clearly angry about not collecting her pay for Yumi's night with her danna tonight.
"I'm leaving Mother so just shut up and get out of my way!" said Yumi.
She ran out onto the streets and just started walking anywhere. She couldn't go to Sano's or the dojo, she wouldn't go. No way would she admit Sanosuke was right about her quitting. She ran and ran all night until she got tired and her slim legs wouldn't carry her any further downtown. While walking on the cracked part of the street she tripped.
"Ughhhhh..." sighed Yumi as she sat up rubbing her head that was now thumping with pain. She looked around but everything looked doubled and fuzzy. Her eyes wouldn't keep open and the blood on her hands from rubbing her head didn't look to good either. Finally Yumi's limp body was sprawled out on the street in the middle of the night...