MadiSano: Chapter Four...and I have absolutely nothing to tell you people except that I am working on the fanfic and still think I might die during the story because I'm thinking way too hard. All the math, trying to figure out what happened when and how...Kami, have mercy. I'm terrible with math. Poor me...

Disclaimer: I am getting tired of sayin' this. I DON'T OWN RUROUNI KENSHIN!

CHAPTER FOUR: FALLEN WIND

"Who sent you?" Sanosuke growled.

Kasumi looked at the ground, and pulled out an extraordinary amount of money. Sanosuke stared at it, and was surprised to hear Kasumi say, "I won't tell…but I got all of this. Just for beating you…"

"Me? That much? Holy—I couldn't make that much in a year!" His awe soon turned to his frequent irritation. He had apparently forgotten about his question. "Well, just shows ya I'm as respected as I should be."

Kasumi watched Sanosuke's quirky and agitated movements, noting how anxious and angry he seemed. "Sagara," she said, changing her voice into a serious tone. "Why did you become a Fighter-for-Hire?"

Zanza froze, and for a moment, Kasumi wondered if he had heard her. Then he turned his eyes and face to look at her, a blank face tinged slightly with discomfort. When he said nothing, Kasumi pointed to his jacket, which he had put on a while ago. "Does it have something to do with the Aku?"

Sanosuke turned his head away from her and fell even more silent. He wasn't going to talk so easily. Kasumi reached over to touch the boy's shoulder, which froze at her contact. "What happened to you, San—uh, Sagara?"

He made no reply.

Kasumi gave up, getting to her feet to leave. Right as she was about to turn away, Sanosuke said in a different, melancholy voice, "Why…should I tell you?"

The girl turned to find Sanosuke in his same, isolated position. She repeated her cause. "I only want to help you."

"…Why."

Kasumi paused. "Because you're you, Sagara…someone strong enough to survive and worthy enough to befriend me. There aren't a lot of people like you in Meiji, Sagara, and I tend to bring those who are to their destinies when they cross my path. I only bring yakuza under my sway because they're cowardly, rich in numbers, and easy to control."

Sagara Sanosuke was quiet for a few minutes. Kasumi stood by, waiting for his reply. When he spoke, he asked her the question that he had been wondering. "…What do you think of the Meiji government?"

She narrowed her eyes with hate, and her voice matched her expression. "I am somewhat neutral, for I hated the Tokuguwa, who murdered my parents in the revolution; but I hate the Meiji for spoiling my samurai mother and father's attempts and dreams for equality."

"E…Did you say equality?" Sanosuke turned to face her, memories reflected in his eyes. He didn't miss the look on her face.

Kasumi raised her eyes to the ceiling, as though she could see her deceased relations beaming down at her from above, even though the ceiling sealed her off from the sky. "Yeah. Isn't that what the Bakumatsu was all about, Sagara? The strive for equality…my dad once said that only the truest and most worthy leaders are those who never stop dreaming, and always pursue their goals, putting his comrades before himself. That is why my father sided with the Ishin Shishi. He never stopped dreaming, and he put his life on the line to protect his family and honor, and as an attempt to reach a dream."

The girl looked at Sagara with somehow smiling but sad eyes. "Sagara. My mother raised me by herself, while my father was off in Kyoto, from where he never returned. A relative came to visit, which actually was a spy from the Tokuguwa Shogunate. My family that had been there at the time was killed when the Shogunate invaded, and our servants and valuables were stolen. I took what I could and what was most precious to me, and left knowing my family was dead forever. I remember their faces…"

Sanosuke was sure Kasumi was on the brink of tears, but was astonished at her strong will not to show weakness when her face tightened, and she smothered her tears. She smiled softly, saying to Sanosuke in an oddly pensive voice, "But we all have things in our past in this day and age to cry about. But what will it do to cry, eh?" She chuckled bitterly.

There was a short silence. Sanosuke, with a bit of effort, sat up against the wall as an invitation that he wanted to talk. Kasumi knelt down, ready to listen.

He started out in a soft voice, unsure of how to start. "Seven years ago, if I'm calculating correctly…there was an army…"

Kasumi was silent. She had no idea where this was going.

"I was nine years old…ran away from home, and joined an Ishin Shishi faction," Sanosuke said, beginning to talk a little easier, though, he spat out the phrase 'Ishin Shishi faction' with venom. "I was so close to my captain…he was like a father to me…he had a dream that when the Togukuwa's reign ended, the age of equality would come…and his army would lead it in. Whether it took one year or ten, he said, and stuck to his dream. He was a great man and deserved a lot…but his dream…it cost him his life."

Kasumi's face twitched into concern. The underside of Zanza the Fight Merchant was being slowly revealed, and she had to be careful, otherwise, she'd anger or upset him.

"The Meiji Government had financial problems, and couldn't carry out the tax halving my captain's army was proclaiming. So they decided to kill us all off."

Kasumi gasped slightly, and Sanosuke's dark brown orbs flicked over at her. She fell silent, politely waiting for him to continue.

Sanosuke's voice grew raspy with hatred as he continued. "My captain's revolutionary army was branded as evil, and destroyed by the fangs of the Meiji government, wrongly charged of being false. We were cornered and slaughtered, and Meiji rule decapitated my captain in front of me…and put his head on display. I was the only survivor. In anger, was born Zanza, the Fight Merchant. This is why I wear the Aku."

Sanosuke looked up to find Kasumi's face contorted in horror and sympathy. After a moment or two of silence, Kasumi decided to ask two questions. "…What was the name of this army? What was the name of your captain?"

The Fight Merchant turned his glance into a glare. "I've told you too much already—I ain't coughing up another word. You told me your basics and I told ya mine."

There was another minute of tense quietness as Kasumi and Zanza held another round of a glaring contest.

After a minute, Kasumi said, "My father was killed by the Shinsengumi."

"My army's last stop was in Shimosuwa," Sanosuke returned.

Kasumi replied, "My father's name was Akiyama Kouji."

Sanosuke faltered, and gave Kasumi a glare. Finally, he said in a small voice, "My captain's name was Sagara Souzou." He gave Kasumi a look between bitterness and annoyance.

"'Sagara'?" Kasumi quoted. "Were you related—?"

"No," Sanosuke snapped. "We weren't. In his honor I took his last name to be my own—Dammit!" He looked even more irritated. "I answer another of your stupid questions. Why don't ya leave me alone, already!"

Kasumi grew angry. "Because, I want to be your friend, you dumbass!"

Sanosuke looked shocked. Kasumi glowered at him for a minute longer, before asking irately, "Now what's wrong with you?"

"I've never heard a girl swear before," Zanza admitted, feeling no embarrassment at all.

The girl grew red. "I wasn't swearing," she said obstinately. "I was appropriately addressing you."

Sanosuke, Fighter-For-Hire, frowned in irritation again. "Then maybe I should appropriately address you, ya bitch!" he yowled at her, baring his teeth.

Instead of growing angry again, Kasumi stood up and put her hand on Zanza's head, purposely prodding the lump she had given him earlier. He flinched, and Kasumi said, "Yes, Sagara…I think we'll get along just fine."

I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her.

Sanosuke repeated the phrase over and over again in his mind.

I HATE KASUMI!

After patting him on the head like a dog, she had left him inside his room, locking it. The evening passed, and the only time Kasumi came back was to give him dinner and let him out of his room to go to the bathroom and stretch his legs. She watched the front and back door like a vulture, making sure he didn't try to make a break for it. She then wordlessly dragged Zanza back to his room, where he was again imprisoned.

It was late at night, and Sanosuke was brooding over what had happened in the last two days. It wasn't like he wasn't being taken care of—Kasumi was generous with food and gave Sanosuke what he most wanted: time left alone.

On the sixth day of Zanza's stay, he was healed up enough to move around normally. When Kasumi let him out of his pen—er, room—he followed her to the kitchen, and demanded that Kasumi let him go.

"Sorry, Sagara." She replied, to his utmost frustration. "Not until you answer me."

"About what!" he snarled.

She looked at him with an unreadable expression. "I want to know more about your army, and about you, too." She paused, and said, "Sagara, get the tofu for me."

Without really realizing it, Sanosuke handed her the tofu without complaint. Kasumi gave him a surprised look, but Sagara Sanosuke was too busy ranting.

"I don't want ya to know about me! You're lucky I told ya what I did! Why would it be so important to you, anyways?" Sanosuke glared at her, but Kasumi remained calm.

"Captain Sagara evidently was a great person to gain such loyalty and respect from a brute like you." Kasumi said, and before Sanosuke could yell, she continued. "And I want to know more about this man who strove so hard for a world of equality. If my father and Souzou-san had met, your captain would have been one of the few men my father would have respected very deeply. And for that, I, too, want to do something for this honorable man."

Zanza was silent, unsure of how to react to what Kasumi had said. So, unable to decide upon anything, he said, "Oh."

Kasumi smiled again. Sanosuke hated how she smiled—like she always knew something he didn't, and that no matter what he did, she'd always best him. It was the weirdest sort of smile, and Zanza disliked it.

So, he did the most practical thing. He spoke his opinion out loud. "You have the weirdest smile," he informed Kasumi.

She looked confused. "Huh?"

Sanosuke narrowed his eyes, looking out the kitchen window. "Like a witchy smile. The kind people use to act all superior and in control. That's the only kind of smile I've ever seen ya use."

"Why would you care?" Kasumi asked, seeming a bit annoyed.

"BECAUSE IT FREAKIN' ANNOYS ME!" Sanosuke shouted, clenching his fists. "Don't ya think I feel enough a dunce that I lost to you!"

Kasumi turned on him, growing red in the face with anger. "And what's wrong with losing to me!"

"Because you're a little girl!"

"I am not a little girl!"

"Then what are ya! And old hag that matches your personality!"

"Call me an old hag or a little girl again and I'll strangle you!"

"Try it!"

"I'm sorry, Sagara! I don't take orders from little girls!"

Sanosuke let out a loud exclamation of rage, pounding his fist on the kitchen door and blasting it right out of its place into the hallway. Kasumi watched him, not making a move of protest. Instead, she opened a cupboard and handed Sanosuke a basket of tools.

"Now, fix my door," she commanded. "Or I'll break another of your ribs."

Grumbling, and getting extremely tired of fixing doors, Sanosuke took the tools and repaired the kitchen door. After doing so, he was awarded his dinner. That improved Zanza's mood ever so slightly, but he still was irate at being called a little girl.

Kasumi poked him in the side, sitting down by him. Zanza shot her a glare, but he failed to say anything because Kasumi began talking. "What Souzou-san look like?"

Sanosuke said nothing.

"Was he tall?"

Silence.

"What kind of sword did he use?"

Silence.

"Was he married?"

Irritated silence.

"Was Souzou-san handsome?"

There was a really, really irritated silence.

Kasumi poked Sanosuke in the side again, saying, "Hey, are you even listening to me?"

Zanza grabbed her hand as it began to prod him again, and promptly he placed it on the floor, where it couldn't poke him. "Keep your hands to yourself, alright?" he mumbled, folding his arms after withdrawing his hand.

There was a small silence, before Kasumi erupted once more into questions. "Did Souzou-san have kids? Did you ever meet his family? How long were you a part of his army? What was Souzou-san's army called? How did you come into contact with him? How did you meet? How come you ran away from home? Did you have weird hair when you were little, too? Was Souzou-san's hair like that? Did anyone ever tell you that your haircut makes you look like a rooster?"

Sanosuke turned his head to give her another glare. "Do ya ever shut up?" he hissed. "Kami-sama! You are so annoying."

"I just want to know," Kasumi said indignantly.

"Well, how do ya expect me to answer if you keep talking!" Sanosuke barked.

She smiled a little. "You mean that you were going to answer?"

"No," he growled. "I wasn't."

Kasumi smiled a bit more. "Please tell me? I'm not going to tell anyone else, and I really want to know…"

He gave her an arrogant look and turned up his nose, wondering what the effect would be on Kasumi.

A rock-hard fist connected with his cheek, and he fell over. Kasumi grabbed the front of his jacket and shook Sanosuke angrily. "Don't you act all superior to me, Sagara! If you don't tell me about Souzou-san, then I'll keep you here for the rest of your life!"

"Leggo of me!" Zanza snarled, jerking free, and turning over onto his knees to crawl away.

Kasumi tackled him, sending Sanosuke face-forward to the floor. She sat on his back, grabbing the ends of his bandanna and giving them a vicious pull. Zanza howled, feeling his neck crack painfully.

"You're going to tell me about Souzou-san," Kasumi growled, "Or else."

Sanosuke squirmed in her hold, trying furiously to get away. He yowled when she pulled a little harder on his bandanna, and cried out, "Let me go! It hurts!"

"Only if you promise to tell me about Souzou-san!" Kasumi yelled in his ear.

"AAAAAAAGH!" Zanza howled, as Kasumi tugged on a fistful of his thick dark brown hair. "LET ME GOOOOO!"

"Promise!" Kasumi yowled.

"OKAY! OKAY! I PROMISE! JUST GET OFF ME!" Sanosuke screamed, struggling.

Kasumi let go of Zanza's bandanna, and his hair as well, getting off of him. A few strands of russet hair fell to her floor, and she scooped them up and threw them away. Sanosuke lay traumatized on the floor. He was feeling all over his head to make sure he still had it. His neck muscles spasmed excruciatingly; making him flinch.

Kasumi sat down by where he lay, but he was to busy massaging his neck to take much notice. She grinned evilly. "Aww, poor baby," she cooed sarcastically, pulling on his cheek like an aunt would her nephew.

"Get away," Zanza yelped, for the umpteenth time. Slapping her hand from his cheek, Sanosuke rolled his neck, listening to the bones creak and pop. His neck felt a little better after that, so he did a few more times, expertly ignoring Kasumi.

"Now you have to tell me about Sagara Souzou-san," Kasumi demanded.

Sanosuke shot her a look, but replied, sitting up. "He was a little taller than I am now, had black hair and eyes, had two kids, and was married. His army was called Sekihou. He was a strong and wise man for his young age—twenty-nine. He cared about his comrades and family more than anything, and his motive was the hope that the time of the strong exploiting the weak would pass, and the age of equality and peace would arise."

Kasumi smiled at what he told her. It wasn't her normal sly smile; this grin was a true smile, and brought out even more beauty from her face. Sanosuke caught himself staring, but luckily, Kasumi didn't notice, and began speaking.

"The Sekihou army?" she asked, though it wasn't exactly a question. "Souzou-san was apparently a very righteous man. I wish my father…or I…had met him." She looked up at Sanosuke, this time with serious eyes. "I'm sorry you had to suffer such a loss."

That was the first time Sanosuke had ever met someone who actually sympathized what had happened to him and Sekihou. He wasn't sure of what to do or say. After a moment, he mumbled "Thanks," and got up by himself and walked back to his room, locking himself in.

Dictionary:

Meiji—the government in Sanosuke's time, which took over when the Tokuguwa Shogunate fell.

Tokuguwa Shogunate: the government that previously ruled before Meiji.

Samurai—warriors that fought underneath the rule of lords, they fought to the death for their beliefs and their lords

Bakumatsu—the last ruling period of the Tokuguwa

Ishin Shishi—the radicals that overthrew the Shogunate, often called 'patriots' by Zanza. The term is an insult when spoken by Zanza.

Kyoto—the capital when the Shogunate ruled. Tokyo (formerly known as Edo) became capital when the Ishin Shishi took over.

Shinsengumi—the most famous army faction of the Tokuguwa

Souzou—Captain Sagara's first name, which means 'Creation.'

Tofu—Japanese bean-curd (food)

Sekihou—Captain Sagara's wrongfully branded "False Revolutionary Army", means "Red Army"

MadiSano: It's soooo cuuute! ...Sad...but cute. I'm working on the next chapter...I think I might be getting a little too deep into the revolution, but...er...well, it's my fanfic and I can DO WHAT I WANT! If something didn't happen then in my little world it DID. So. Until the next chapter!