MadiSano: Ororo...Sano-chan's waking up...I think I've got the story going pretty good now, but there's some wrinkles still. But I like this chapter more than the other two! It's actually got some genuine humor in it...Kasumi reminds me of Misao, Megumi, and Kaoru all at the same time...how am I going to explain how that happened...?

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin and neither do you! Ha ha!

FALLEN WIND: CHAPTER THREE

Zanza woke to unfamiliar surroundings and the worst headache in his life.

He attempted to sit up, but immediately fell back onto the futon in which he was lying on. There was a dark bruise where Kasumi had slammed him with one of her weights, and the lump on his head was no better. The chains had cut into his skin, so his arms and wrists felt awful as well. Not to mention his butt was really sore from landing on it and getting squished by his own Zanbatou.

Zanza hated to admit it, but Kasumi had beaten the crap out of him.

Letting out an aggravated groan, Zanza put his hands on his face and dragged his fingers down his cheeks in an anxious fashion. I got my butt handed to a WOMAN.

He felt genuinely ashamed.

However, though Kasumi had beaten him, she had not challenged him for territory, just for the title as the strongest Fighter-For-Hire. So, overall, Zanza still had the larger territory, and the strongest hold over Tokyo downtown, despite Kasumi's yakuza.

Zanza wasn't so excited.

Oh well. I'll just lie here until I starve to death, or dehydrate. Zanza decided, folding his arms over his chest and closing his eyes to begin his long-term suicide.

Three minutes later, his stomach growled.

Kami-sama, Zanza cried out in his head. He was close to crying, but he didn't let it show on his face. I am soooooooo hungry! The hell with suicide—I WANT SOME FOOD!

Zanza lie there, totally at a loss and feeling really down. Number one: he got his butt kicked by a girl. Number two: he was injured because of it. Number three: he was hungry. Number four: he was now immobile and in some strange building with no idea of where he was. Number five: he was hungry. Number six: he had no idea of how to get out of this situation. Number seven: he didn't know where his Zanbatou was. Number eight: He was hungry. Number nine: his Aku jacket was missing. Number ten: HE WAS REALLY HUNGRY!

Suddenly, the door in his mysterious room creaked open, to reveal an extremely pretty girl in a blue kimono. It took a second for Zanza to realize who it was.

"You're finally awake," Kasumi said.

Zanza ignored her.

"Sorry about your wounds," Kasumi continued. "I haven't had time to treat them for you yet."

Zanza ignored her.

Kasumi smiled slightly. "You're mad at me, aren't you?"

Zanza ignored her.

Kasumi pulled out his Aku jacket, and said, "Maybe you want this back?"

Zanza's eyes flicked over to the item she held in her hands, and narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Give that back," he demanded, holding out his hand to receive his precious coat.

However, Kasumi kept it. "I'm afraid you're not in a position to make orders, Zanza. I've been a little curious to why you choose to wear the Aku, which means evil. Is it just because you think you're so big and bad?"

"Give me my jacket!" Zanza snarled.

"Tell me," Kasumi commanded.

Zanza sat up despite his pain, and Kasumi's eyes widened in shock. "Give me my jacket," Zanza hissed. "I don't have to tell you why I wear the Aku—the reasons are my own! Give it to me!"

Kasumi stood silently. Whatever this jacket meant to him, it must have been important for Zanza to willingly endure such pain from his wounds.

The injured Fight Merchant glared at her with his arm outstretched. After a few more seconds, he succumbed to the pain and flopped down on his futon with a pained moan, clutching his sides. Blood spilt from his mouth, and Kasumi dropped his jacket to kneel beside him.

"You've got some really fragile bones or something," Kasumi said, wiping off his mouth with a cloth. "I think I broke a rib or two of yours."

Zanza shoved her away. "Get away from me! Give me my jacket and let me out of here."

"You can't leave in this condition!" Kasumi snapped. "So you're going to stay here."

Zanza scowled at her threateningly, but Kasumi ignored the bone-chilling look. "Why are ya doin' this?" Zanza asked.

Kasumi stood up, taking his Aku jacket with her. "The yakuza told me you were tough, loudmouthed, and stubborn, and I knew you were in my way." Kasumi smirked. "But the yakuza didn't tell me you were handsome."

"Hmph," Zanza growled angrily, grabbing at her to get his jacket back. She danced out of his reach, to Zanza's irritation.

Simply to agitate Zanza, Kasumi put on his Aku jacket and folded her arms, imitating the Fight Merchant. The jacket reached down past her knees. "Zanza is your street name, isn't it?" she asked. "What's your real name?"

When she saw that Zanza wasn't going to say anything, she added, "I'll give you your jacket back if you tell me."

That attracted Zanza's attention, and he replied, holding his arms out like a child about to receive his long lost puppy. "Sanosuke. Sagara Sanosuke. Now give my damned jacket back!"

"Sagara, eh?" Kasumi said, handing Sanosuke his jacket. The boy snatched it from her as though he was afraid Kasumi would change her mind and eat it.

Sanosuke turned his head from her, clutching his jacket to his chest and snapping, "Now, go away and leave me alone."

Kasumi smiled and folded her arms again. "You're not the least bit hungry?"

Sanosuke was silent. Then, after a few silent moments, he said, a bit too quickly, "No. Go away and bug another of your injured and harassed prisoners."

Surprisingly, she laughed. "I'm not a slave trader. And you're not a prisoner. Even if you ran away, I'd find you again and drag you back here or to the doctor's."

"Why?" was Sanosuke's query.

In a few years, Sanosuke would meet a woman whose evil smile rivaled Kasumi's. "Because I want to gloat about how I kicked your sorry butt," she cackled, and added without emotion, "and I want your money and whatever valuables you have."

She stood up, turning to go out the door. "Well, since you don't want any food, I'll leave and lock the door while I'm at it so you can't get out. Of course, you'll be able to smell the delicious aromas from the food in my kitchen in which you can't have because you're so stubborn and stupid. Apparently, that blow to the head from my fighting chains damaged your brain—"

"All right! Sheesh, if you'll shut up!" Sanosuke shouted, turning his head to glare at her.

Kasumi smirked in victory, turning around and shutting the door. Sanosuke watched her in confusion. What happened to food? He wondered. It nearly killed me to refuse the first time.

"You can't eat until I fix your wounds," Kasumi said. "Will you let me do that?"

Sanosuke scowled at her until he thought his face would stay like that forever. At last, he looked at the ceiling above him for a moment, and muttered, "Fine."

Kasumi was allowed to undo the wrappings around Sanosuke's chest and waist, since he was immobile and wasn't to be trusted (in Kasumi's eyes) with a knife. After bandaging and treating his cuts and bruises on his arms and chest, Kasumi bandaged Sanosuke's head and put a patch over the slightly bleeding bruise over his cheek.

After a minute, Kasumi sat back and asked Sanosuke, "Did I miss anything?"

He glowered at her. "Yeah. My wounded pride and my flattened butt, though I ain't lettin' ya get anywhere near either."

She smirked and rolled her eyes. "You are so easily to annoy, Sagara."

Feeling physically better, Sanosuke narrowed his eyes at her. "I haven't had the best week, thanks to you. Now go away."

"No food for you then."

Panic seized Sanosuke's insides and he turned his head frantically to watch her open the door. Kasumi turned to see his stricken face and laughed again, making Sanosuke turn furiously red.

"You can stay in here," Kasumi said, shutting the door as she spoke. "I hope you like miso soup, like a normal person."

Sanosuke lie there, in silence. Then his stomach made a noise even louder than before. It practically roared at him, so he put one of his hands over his tummy as though to shut it up.

Meanwhile, as Sanosuke held a war with his noisy stomach, Kasumi was returning from getting Sanosuke's lunch. She walked a bit slower than usual, thinking as she carefully held his tray.

How am I going to get this guy to trust me? He hates me with a passion, I'm sure of it. I don't know Sagara that well, but from what I've heard, he had something awful happen to him at a young age. At points, he's supposed to be merciful, but only because he's bored with his opponent. His power and prowess reached my ears at an alarming rate, so I thought he'd be better than he was.

Kasumi hesitated outside the room she had put Sagara Sanosuke in. Should I just kick him out when he's healed?

Without deciding on whatever she was debating on, Kasumi opened the door to find Sanosuke lying on his back with his hand over his stomach, looking miserable. He immediately changed his expression to that of an irritated one when Kasumi came in, but she had seen his look.

"Ahaha, so you are hungry," she announced in a rather triumphant manner, smirking. Sanosuke scowled, attempting to sit up in a rather violent matter. He fell back with a yowl of pain, clutching his sides where his broken ribs were mending. For emphasis, Kasumi backhanded his forehead and reprimanded, "You idiot. You don't expect to sit up with a healing ribcage."

"I—can," Sagara growled, stubbornly sitting up. His breathing was shallow, and Sanosuke's forehead was beaded with sweat.

Kasumi gave him a dull look that implied that he was stubborn as a mule and twice as stupid.

Sanosuke returned a glower that informed her she was as mean as a hornet and three times as evil.

"Now gimme the damned food, and leave me alone," Zanza snarled, folding his arms and attempting to look composed.

She had to try hard not to laugh at his feeble attempt, but placed his food in front of him and his water, as well. Sanosuke didn't give the soup as second suspicious glance, but stared at the water strangely. He jabbed his finger at it. "What the heck is that?" he snapped at Kasumi.

Kasumi raised her left eyebrow. "It's water."

"I don't want water. I hate water."

"Oh, then," Kasumi got to her feet, smirking. "I'll get you another glass, just because."

Sanosuke narrowed his eyes at the woman laughing at him. She was so lucky she wasn't still wearing that cape that hid her gender; otherwise, Sanosuke would have strangled Kasumi by now. But Sagara didn't pick fights with girls—unless they were name-calling wars, and very few females won that honor. Kasumi was at the top of Sanosuke's warring list.

Kasumi put her hands on her hips. "I'll listen to you for once and leave you be, but I'll be back in an hour."

"Oh, I can't wait," Zanza spat sarcastically, and waved his hand at her dismissively. Kasumi did as he gestured and left, closing the door.

Sanosuke glared menacingly at his glass of water, wishing it would turn into sake instead. A little alcohol always made him feel a little better—for the moment, anyways. The next morning was a head-splitting hangover, and that put Zanza in a wicked mood. That's when he trespasses into yakuza territory and takes out his rage on them, making their turf his turf. So far, sake had been Sagara's best pal.

Nevertheless, Sanosuke picked up the glass and smelled the liquid, inspecting it thoroughly. There ain't no way my life's gonna end by poisoning. I'm not gonna die a weakling's death, Kasumi!

But the water was fine, and Sanosuke took a sip, grimacing at its blatantly clean and pure taste. He brought himself to drink half of the drink, but beyond that he wouldn't go. The soup was great; Zanza ate it in less than three minutes due to his prolonged hunger.

When he was done, he sat in silence, thinking. Risking his health a little, he got up, ignoring the groans threatening to rise up in his throat. His sides throbbed, but he tried to pay no mind. Sanosuke pushed aside the door, sneaking out into the hallway.

Pausing to listen for signs of someone approaching, Zanza made his way down the corridor, turning into the front room. Kasumi's home was a bigger than his, but it was fairly simple. He wondered, Where'd she put my Zanbatou? How could she have lifted it by herself? Oh well, I'll come back later when I'm ready.

He snuck over to the door, about to push it open to reveal outside and to the porch, when suddenly a flash of metal and the chink of chains flew through the air behind him, wrapping around his arms and binding them to his sides.

Sanosuke began cussing his head off as Kasumi lead him back to his room like a punished dog on its leash. When he was safely inside, she removed her weapon from him. He was surprised to find that the chains had not cut into him like before, but then noticed that Kasumi held a different pair of chains than those he fought against. These were not sharpened like blades.

Kasumi smiled as Zanza lay on his cot in a huffy manner, crossing his arms and muttering darkly. He didn't realize it, but he was funniest when annoyed.

"You know," she said, attracting his attention. "I'm getting a little tired of playing tag."

Sanosuke was lost. "Huh?"

Kasumi blinked, and didn't answer immediately. When she did, this is what she said: "You. You're such a jack—I mean, a jerk—that you can't even bring yourself to understand that I'm not going to hurt you, and I'm only trying to help. When I try to help you jump away like I'll bite—it's like playing tag. The only reason I fought with you is the same reason you fight with others. It wasn't anything personal."

He slowly looked up at her and into her eyes, a concerned frown appearing on his face. "You mean…you were hired to fight me?"

Kasumi smiled.

Dictionary:

Aku—the Japanese sign of 'wicked', in which Sanosuke wears on the back of his jacket

Kimono—Japanese dress

Sanosuke—Zanza's real name, which means 'with the help of the left brain'

Miso—ingredient of soup

Sake—Japanese alcohol

MadiSano: Playing tag? ...okay, I had to think of SOMETHING to name the chapter, OKAY? I was tired and hungry and had a headache. That explains Kasumi's torturing Sano. I had to kill SOMETHING! ...Ehehehee... maybe in my next story, I'll try my hand at torturing Sir Ken...or Yahiko...or Aoshi...or Saitoh... Saitoh... Saitoh...Aku...Soku...Za--never mind. I'm weird in the head. Pay no attention...