Within the Shadows- Sanosuke's Adventure in London

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Rurouni Kenshin.

Special thanks to Arashi for beta-reading and for helping me with my plot problems. Your suggestions were just what I needed to get this installment posted.

Chapter Four

I can't believe that I just did that.

Sanosuke walked beside his friend Mary, his arm draped around her shoulder and his mind clear of the frustration that had plagued him earlier that day. He was eternally grateful to her for she had helped him get rid of the painful longing he had in his heart for the fox. It wasn't meant to be a permanent gap in his memory. He just needed to free his mind and concentrate on surviving in White Chapel for the few days he planned to stay. Whatever he and Mary had shared that evening would remain in his current thoughts for after it was over they had agreed that it was not going to happen again.

The evening air was unusually warm that night with barely a breeze to blow the leaves from their branches. There were more people out in the eveningheading for one pub or another, all tired and eager to drown away their day with a pint of gin. Sanosuke noticed that every other business they passed was a bar or a public house, which Mary explained were the social centers of East London.

"Many people get together in public houses for town hall meetings, dances, and gambling," Mary said pointedly when she noticed that Sano looked at every passing building with interest. "I hope you're still here when the next dance comes around. Many of the owners like to open their doors every other Friday night so that people can go from one party to another. The one last Friday was incredibly festive. You would have had lots of fun." Mary said as she gave his arm a gentle squeeze. Sano would have objected if he knew what she was talking about.

Dancing? What the hell is that? Well, if she thinks it's fun then maybe it's nothing bad after all. Then he remembered one of the other things that Mary had listed earlier, the one activity that he tried to use as a means of survival in Japan as well as America. Gambling. I have to try some ofthat here and get my hands on some cash, fast. After what happened before, I can't stay with Mary. She can barely support herself anyway so I'll only be a burden.

He looked back and made a mental note of where a few of the public houses were located. They were not very far apart from one another just like the pubs so it was easy to visit every single tavern in one evening if, of course,one had the money for it. From the look of White Chapel's residents, Sano didn't doubt that lack of money kept them from going into each and every bar. It saddened him to think that this was all they lived for. He glanced down at Mary and wondered if she was as desperate as these people. He hated to think that she saw her world as an opportunity to get herself drunk and forget the reality of a miserable existenceIf he had to he would spend whatever days he had leftto convince her that deserved more than what she found for herself in London. It was the least he could do for her.

While Sano concentrated on his musings he and Mary finally reached their destination stopping under a sign that read, "The Ten Bells Pub". At the door of the pub a young lady posed as if she owned the facility and sized up Mary with a vicious glare. The girl obviously wanted to challenge Mary since she refused to budge when the latter asked to be pardoned. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pulled in slightly as if she were preparing to spit into Mary's face.

"I'm not moving for trash like you. Go find another pub to work. I'm taking the gents here from now on." When she spotted Sano she instantly moved in on him. "Hello, darling boy! How about passing the night with a real woman?" she said and trailed her hands all over the bare chest that peeked through his gi jacket. He chose to wear that with the black trousers since he felt naked without it, but now he was beginning to regret not wearing a shirt underneath. The woman's touch made him cringe. She had a nasty attitude that seeped through her flesh and Sano wanted to get away from her without being rude. He held his hands up to ward her away, but she took this as an invitation to throw herself into his arms. He cursed the gods under his breath.

Kami-sama, I don't want to hurt this woman but what the fuck am I supposed to do to get her away from me!

Surprisingly the gods gave an answer to his crude prayer. From the corner of his eye he saw a hand connect with the woman's cheek, knocking her down squarely on her ass. He turned his head to see Mary stand threateningly over the woman, her hand poised and ready for another strike. The woman's cheek bore a red palm mark, which Sano knew would leave a nastier mark when morning came but he now grew worried for the woman when he noticed that Mary curled her hand into a fist. She glared down at the girl who had stumbled to her feet with her hand pressed to her flaming cheek.

"This is my pub, these are my clients, and HE is with me. Come near any of them and I'll do more than slap the bloody hell out of you. Now push off, tart! Your presence has made my friend ill."

With the entrance now free of the girl's presence they entered the bar, yet with the incident so fresh in his mind Sano couldn't help but stare at Mary in awe. He wasn't used to having a woman defend HIS honor and this was the second time that he was a witness to her fierceness. He made another mental note not to get on her bad side. Sano was impressed with her ability to handle herself, however as he had promised, he was determined to protect her from the killer who was still on the loose. The only thing that would make his promise difficult to keep was Mary's request that he stay away from her when she was ready to work. As they made their way to a table in the back of the bar Mary made it a point to shrug Sano's arm off when he draped it over her shoulder again. She answered his puzzled look with a firm voice.

"Don't do that. It's bad for business. These men will think that I'm already taken for the night and I'll end up with no money to bring home for food. The money I do have left is for two pints of gin which I would like to share with you." They sat down and Mary raised her hand as if she were calling someone over. Soon enough the pub owner came by and placed a large tin container before her. Sano was impressed. The man hadn't even bothered to ask her what she wanted to drink. She took a huge gulp of her drink and lowered the cup with a loud thump. A flush had already formed on her cheeks, which told Sano that the liquid had begun to work through her. He was excited to try this new liquor out. He tasted lots of whiskey, beer, and moonshine in America so he was curious to see how this gin stuff was, but when Mary gestured for some to be served to Sanosuke the pub owner regarded the ex-gangster with contempt. Then he shook his head.

"Your odd-looking friend is not welcome here. I don't serve killers."

Those words traveled throughout the pub causing the patrons to pause in their conversations and focus their attention on the man formerly known as Kenkaya Zanza. He felt all of their stares some filled with hatred others with quiet curiosity about the new person who had arrived in White Chapel. The curious ones knew better than to believe that someone who had just arrived that morning could possibly be responsible for the current string of murders yet the ex-gangster's presence still made them uneasy. Despite Inspector Reid's advice and Mary's earlier nagging, he had insisted on wearing his gi jacket and although it had been through years of wear and tear, more so in America than in Japan, the imposing kanji of "Aku" remained intact. These folks had no idea what the symbol meant but it was enough for them to sense that he was no ordinary visitor. Even if he wasn't responsible for the murders, he was the one who beat a local gang into the ground and his fist was the one that made aconcrete wall into a cloud of dust. The residents of White Chapel were not eager to find out what other strange things the ex-gangster could do and in their opinion he should not have been let out of jail at all.

The eyes of the city were set firmly on the fighter waiting for him to make a move that would prove to them that he was the troublemaker they believed him to be. He sat quietly feeling all of their emotions bombard him and it was as if he was reliving the events of that morning. He felt the fear within them all and he felt his spirit sink down into the pit of his being.

What is it with these people? Why do they seem so pitiful and helpless? I know that there's a killer out there but what ever happened to having some faith? What happened to regular folks who are willing to fight the danger that threatens to take their lives over? Is this entire city like this? Have I landed in a place that has already surrendered itself to the evil that's invaded them? Either way, I can't let them think that I'm a part of that evil. I told the detective that I wouldn't cause any trouble and I don't plan to make him think that he made a mistake in setting me free.

With his mind still churning Sanosuke stood up, placed his hand on Mary's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then he turned and headed for the door. A second had not passed before she shot out of her seat to grab the sleeve of his gi. She held onto him with as much strength as she could muster with her injured hand, the expression on her face begging and commanding him at the same time. The entire population of the Ten Bells Pub watched Mary with intent, knowing the woman well enough not to be surprised by what she had decided. "If you go then I leave with you."

Her loyalty to him brought a smile to his face. She was the exception to the people of this city and she succeeded in charming him more and more. But the last thing that Sano wanted was to cause trouble for her. Getting thrown out of a bar was nothing new to him and he wanted to reassure her that this particular situation was not a big deal at all. He carefully took the injured hand that held his gi and kissed it lightly. He noted that this little gesture almost made her fall over. "You have work to do, and I want to look around this city some more. Don't worry. I won't wander too far so I'll still be able to keep an eye on ya. If you get into trouble I'll know about it and I'll be right there." He headed out and when he reached the door he held up his hand and called over his shoulder, "I'll see you later! Ja ne!"

With Mary at the bar Sano took this time to get a better sense of the city he had decided to visit. The shops were long closed for the night and a number of ladies such as Mary took to the streets to earn whatever could put a meal onto on their table. Sano felt sorry for those women and he felt even more sorry for Mary. He hated to have this kind of pity for her but he felt that she was the least likely person to have to succumb to this profession. Sure, she was pretty and possibly had no problem getting clients, but Sano saw her doing more for herself. She was tough, gutsy, and smart. Someone like her deserved something better than what this city gave her. There had to be a fancier part to this city and if he ever found it he would be sure to take Mary there to show her that there was indeed life beyond this dismal town called White Chapel.

He traced his steps from The Ten Bells Pub coming across the string of establishments that he was sure would bring him better luck in this country. So, a public house is where I can do my damage, huh? I wonder what sort of games they play? He hadn't used his dice in two years since it was mostly card games that were played in America all of which required him to bet large sums of money. He almost always lost- big. His inexperience with those saloon hustlers taught him to be more careful, but it also allowed him to learn all of their tricks. A chance beating here and there with one of those swindlers and he had all of the secrets to good poker playing. He couldn't test his new gambling techniques since he had to travel east in America, but he was sure he hadn't lost what he had learned. Sano felt his blood rush through his veins as he approached one of the public houses. The prospect of actually winning tonight made him excited.

When Sanosuke entered the public house he knew immediately that he had made a mistake. All eyes were drawn to him as soon as he opened the door and if he didn't know any better, he could swear that some of those faces were very familiar acquaintances to his fists. Sano couldn't blame the wind for this one. He had stumbled into this situation on his own.

A buzz of whispers began to circulate until the entire room knew about the newcomer. Sano's logical side told him to turn and bolt, but he never listened to his logical side and he wasn't about to start. The side that harbored the badass in him waswhat he alwayslived by, and it told him to stay right where he was. Sure enough the leader of the crowd, busted mouth and all thanks to Mary, steadily approached Sanosuke. To reassure the group that he was not asking for a fight Sano shoved his hands into his trouser pockets.

"Seems as if you walked into the wrong building," the other man said with care not wanting to stimulate the painful swelling of his lips. Sano eyed the man silently. "To be fair I'm going to let you walk out of here as long as you promise not to come here again. Is that understood?"

Completely, but you're full of shit!

Sano surveyed the crowd, convinced that this was indeed the gang from early that morning. They were a sea of bandages and splints that he could easily beat on again, but that wasn't what he had in mind. His actions that morning were a mistake, and it seemed as if fate had planned for him encounter this group of men once again. It suddenly hit him- a chance to make amends had fallen right into his lap.

What did I do to deserve this? Maybe making friends with these guys is a lot better than having to watch my back all of the time. Sure, they may be dirty, rotten gangsters but it may not be a bad idea to let them know that I'm not invading their territory. I have to let them know that I want to be civil with them- I don't want to keep beating them up all of the time.

Sano met the gang leaders cold gaze with one of his own. "I heard you guys really know how gamble, so I came here to see for myself."

Beyond the dark, calculating eyes the other man seriously considered taking Sano's challenge. "What are you going to wager? You've just arrived here. You can't have any money."

Sano fished into his pockets producing a handful of American coins that totaled a dollar and a half. The man shook his head and laughed. "American money isn't worth shit here. Try again, or get the hell out!" he said his laughter fading quickly into a forceful growl. Sano sighed heavily, thinking that his opportunity had just been tossed away. He cracked his knuckles preparing himself for the inevitable.

Damn, so much for making amends.

He was ready for an attack, regretting the fact that he ever thought to enter this particular house to begin when someone came to stand before him with arms held out to keep him back. Sano would have knocked the dumb kid aside if he had not proceeded to appeal to the ex-gangster. "Wait, you do have something to wager! If you are willing to risk it then you are welcome to stay."

The boy lowered his arms when he saw that he had completely captured Sano's interest. The rest of the gang was as equally intrigued and their leader voiced the question they all had on their minds, "What does he have to wager?" The boy didn't waste any time in explaining himself.

"His jacket."

Sano wasn't sure he heard right. My jacket? They want my jacket?! He unconsciously took a step back as if they had just suggested a horrendous death sentence. Why would they want my jacket? It's not worth much. No, that's a lie. It's a worth more than life to me. It's a symbol of my past that I need to have on me so that I don't forget where I came from. These men wouldn't understand something like that. What the hell would they want with a piece of clothing that means so much to me?

The young man took a few moments to appraise the jacket, taking some fabric of the sleeve between his fingers to inspect the quality. Sano yanked the sleeve out of his grasp forcing the young man to back away respectfully. "The jacket must mean a lot to you since you wear it still when it is an obvious advertisement to the fact that you are a stranger to this country. It may not be worth much money here, but it will do just fine for this particular bet. If you did indeed come here to gamble then prove it. Wager the jacket," the boy suggested fixing Sanosuke with a cool gaze.

Wager my jacket. They're asking me to risk losing a part of myself. Would I be dishonoring my boss' memory, the Sekihou Tai and even Katsu if I considered this? I can always walk away just like they suggested. But walking away, and running away seem to relate to each other when it comes to the situations that I stumble into. I can't walk away. I can't admit defeat. If I walk then that means that I'm afraid, and I've been trying for the last year and a half to prove that I'm not.

He looked up at the group, then at the boy in particular since he didn't recognize him at all. He had no bruises or broken bones which meant that they had not met this morning. Lucky for him. Sano was surprised that the gang leader seemed to accept the idea. He noticed the injured man stood a few steps behind the boy "Fine, my jacket is up for grabs. Let's start…"

Yatta! Who would have imagined my luck would be thisgood! I haven't experienced this kind of a win in years!

Sano stopped for a moment to look up at the sky. The stars were out with no moon. He was surprised that he had such good luck tonight. He wondered if his gambling skills had improved. Had Lady Luck been beside him? Or was it his desperation that influenced his draws? Whatever it was he was glad that he still had his jacket for if he had lost the game he didn't think he would give it up so easily. That's a lie. He would definitely not give it up, period. Whether he lost or not, he knew as soon as he accepted the challenge, he was not leaving the public house without his gi.

I feel so damned good now. Hmmm…wonder if I'm in for some bad times now.

Sano pushed that thought out of his mind and trotted happily back to the Ten Bells Pub, content in his post-win daze. He couldn't wait to tell Mary what he had won. He never imagined that anyone would go to such an extreme to get someone to make a bet, and he was glad that his many days in the saloons of America playing poker finally paid off. He would have undoubtedly gotten killed in the States if he had won anything so valuable. Winning a few dollars earned a beating from the sore losing roughnecks so his prize would definitely see his dead carcass strung up in the town square as an example to the public.

London is beginning to look better and better. All I need to do now is grab Mary and show her what a newcomer in a strange city can do.

When he stepped through the door of the Ten Bells he saw the same dismal faces from earlier in the evening, but Mary was nowhere to be found. His heart stopped.

Kuso! Where did she go?!

Sano immediately took to the streets and searched inside of every bar, asking startled patrons if they had seen Mary. He cursed himself. He had promised her that he would keep an eye on her and now he had to admit to her that he had failed. Thoughts of her with a violent client, or with that killer crept into his mind and caused him to pump his legs harder as he ran. Residents walking the streets didn't know what to think when a gust in the shape of a tall young man passed by causing their clothing to flutter. Sanosuke ran so fast that he knew he risked missing Mary if she happened to be walking the streets. He searched every spot, from the dock he had arrived in earlier to the police station. He wished he had some sign as to where she could be. He began to think that the worst had happened to her when he felt his bandana and gi jacket flutter violently behind him. He had heeded this kind of signal before so he turned to see that he was right to follow it once again.

The situation was a familiar one. The figure of his friend Mary hunched over as she made her way down the street, only this time she succeeded in falling face down onto the ground. Sano rushed over to her side.

"Mary!" He fell on his knees next to her and turned her over so that she leaned up against his chest. Her body was limp, and were it not for the faint breaths that made her chest rise and fall he would have thought that she was dead. "Mary," he repeated, softly this time, touching her cheek. A moan escaped her and she turned her head away so that it dangled to the side toward the floor. Her clothes looked to be in one piece, and there were no injuries that he could see, but the reason for her current state passed through the air to creep up into his nose- she reeked of gin. When it was apparent that she was not going to get up on her own, Sano scooped her into his arms and rose to his feet. He remembered where her room was so he headed in that direction carrying her the short distance and wondering why he had found her such a messagain. He looked down at her face.

"Why do you do this to yourself?" he murmured, raising her slightly so that he could brush his cheek against hers. He felt her breath against his throat, felt her eyelids flutter against his skin. "Sa…no…", came the whisper that tickled him.

He hugged her close, feeling her eyes shut. She would mercifully sleep her stupor off but what would the next day bring her? What else was there for a smart girl like her to do in this miserable district? Against his better judgment, Sano decided to stay with her for the night. He would stay up and watch her and make sure that no one came to hurt her. It was the least he could do for her since he had left her all alone. She could have been a hurt by anyone, but the one Sano had in mind was that killer, Jack the Ripper. He had a feeling about that guy. Even though he may have outsmarted the cops Sano held firm to his belief that the strange man from this morning was indeed that killer. He knew he couldn't prove it, but he would damn sure keep him the hell away from Mary. And if he happened to catch the bastard trying to hurt another lady then Sano had no problem using the heartless fiend for some painful Futae No Kiwami practice.

Mary's home, Miller's Court, came into view the dark alleyway leading to her room engulfed in shadows. Sano was weary of that alleyway and marveled at how she braved the tiny trek to her room every night. As fearless as he was, Sano didn't doubt that he would jump to fight at the slightest movement or sound. A shudder moved over his spine and remained until he shut the door putting the dangers of the London night behind them. He immediately laid Mary down onto her bed, searched her dresser for a nightgown and then began to change her out of her evening clothes. He tossed her dress and undergarments by the fireplace and soon discovered that her tiny, limp, uncooperative body would make it difficult to get her nightgown on. After three unsuccessful attempts to dress her, Sano decided to leave her with the covers pulled up to her chin. He hated to leave her naked under those sheets, but drunken bodies weighed about as much as dead ones, and they were just as difficult to move. He hoped she wouldn't freeze.

Sano gazed down at his friend wondering what her reaction would be when he finally told her about his surprise. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she found out that she could spend a few days away from this neighborhood and explore another part of the city. Sano was just as excited for he had heard that the western part of London was where he would find all the excitement. His American friend must have meant that area when he spoke so excitedly about London. Sano settled into a chair by the door and looked out the window. There were no trees for the wind to blow through, no cicadas chirping their lullabies, and no fireflies glowing through the night. Sano found that even with all of the trouble he left behind he really missed Japan. He knew that the weather in November wasn't as warm at home either but he would at least hear the bare branches of the trees tap against each other, hear their dry dead leaves wander about, and feel the cold wind sneak inside underneath the doors. Nonetheless, he liked his good fortune. Spending a few days in London didn't seem so bad after all.

"Oh my goodness. How…?" Mary was speechless.

"I told you. I won it, but it's not permanent. I can stay for a day, a week, a month, a year, TEN years. This place is mine for as long as I decide to stay here." He held up the keys twirling the key ring around his finger. "What do you think?"

Mary gazed at her surroundings in disbelief. They stood in the middle of a plush sitting room amid a number of beautiful couches and embroidered drapery. The room barely had walls. Two sides of the room had tall windows, one side had a sliding glass door, and the other side contained the door that led to the adjacent rooms. Mary peeked through that door to see the bedroom and the sight of it almost made her faint. The canopy alone was draped with what looked like silk. She shook her head while Sano let out a low whistle.

"I don't believe that Trevor gambled away the deed to his apartment. That buffoon. He thought he could swindle you."

Sano smiled confidently. "Trevor is a rich man. He's got another home a few blocks from here. He told me that I could see something called, Big Ben, that big house where your Queen lives…"

"Buckingham Palace?" Mary offered.

"Yeah, that place! He also told me that there were some nice museums, concert halls, and theaters." Sano came up next to Mary, put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "I'm going to take you to all the nice shows. I saw some dresses in that closet that are really pretty." He looked down and flashed her that irresistible grin. "If you put one on we can go out tonight."

Mary shrugged Sano's arm off and sidestepped him when he tried to pull her to him. "I'll go out with you if you wear a suit."

Sano looked clueless. Mary pulled him over to the window and pointed at various men who passed by. "Do you see what those men are wearing? Trousers, shirt, vest, a waistcoat, and proper shoes, not those flimsy things you have on your feet."

Sano looked down at his shoes. He had searched all over America for an exact replica of the ones he had always worn and by the looks of them he would have to start another search soon.

He felt a set of fingers pass through his hair. "And this hair must be tamed. It's too long, and sticks out in all sorts of directions." In two years his hair had grown past his shoulders, but the strands on top refused to fully hang straight down like the rest. As much as he had grown to like his long mane he had to agree with her there. He was in serious need of a trim. When she pulled her hand out she rubbed her fingers together to get some residue off, wrinkling her nose at them. "When was the last time it was washed?"

Sano looked grudgingly at her. "When I swam to the dock, yesterday."

"Regardless, if you clean yourself up I will be happy to put on one of those dresses and escort you around town."

"Oi, you're being awfully critical now! What's the matter with the way I look?" he asked, growing more and more offended.

Mary gave him a sideways glance. "You look absolutely handsome in your creative little outfit. However, this is a classy part of London and if you're going to stay here for the next few days you must blend in. You can get away with what you're wearing in White Chapel, but it's much different here." She reached up and slid the bandana from his forehead. Sanosuke was struck dumb.

Did she just touch my bandana?

"This has to go," Mary declared and tossed the long red treasure into a wastebasket. Sano found himself diving in the direction of the basket knocking aside two chairs to retrieve his poor headpiece. When he had it tied securely around his forehead again he pointed an accusatory finger at Mary and growled, "Don't EVER touch a gangster's bandana! Do you know what this thing means to me? It's a symbol of who I am, and what I left behind. It's one of the things I keep to remind me of my past."

Mary could have cared less. "It clashes with the suit," she insisted firmly. She reached up and yanked it off of his head again.

End of Chapter 4