MadiSano: Back, I'm back! Who's back? Me! That's who. Who's hyper? I'm hyper, me! I am, I am, I, I, I am hyper! Who's gonna, who's gonna, gonna, gonna, who? Who's gonna read Fallen Wind Chapter Nine? You!

Disclaimer: Three-thousand, two hundred, ninety five bottles o' sake on da wall, three-thousand two hundred ninety five bottles o' sake! Ya take 'un down, pass it 'round--Oh yeah! The disclaimer! I don't own Rurouni Kenshin!--three-thousand two hundred ninety-four bottles of sake! ...Hiccup.

CHAPTER EIGHT: THE FRAGILENESS OF THE SOUL

Zanza felt small hands tightening a bandage around the wound on his stomach. Wincing, he opened his eyes to familiar surroundings.

He was in his room at Kasumi's house. Kasumi was sitting beside him, putting her first aid materials away. She had not seen him awaken.

Sanosuke didn't know what to feel first…anger, shame, or confusion. Anger for being charged as not one of the Sekihou army, and shame for abusing his friends like so. Confusion to why they were going through so much trouble to get him back, and why they referred to Zanza as a separate being from Sanosuke.

Kasumi jumped when she saw him with his eyes open. Surprise, then fear shadowed her eyes. "Uh…" she stammered, but then hurt took over her expression. His words of telling her to leave and to never come back, and that Zanza never wanted to see her face again, still rang fresh in Kasumi's mind.

The realization of how easily he had broken this strong girl's heart, and scattered the pieces to the wind overcame Sanosuke. His expression changed into a guilty one, and neither one dared to look the other in the eye.

At last, Sanosuke stuttered, "Jou-Chan…Jou-Chan…" He couldn't figure out what to say.

Kasumi's expression also morphed when she heard Sanosuke call her 'Jou-Chan.' "Sanosuke?" she breathed.

"Huh?" he said, looking up at her hopefully.

Kasumi burst into tears, bending down and enveloping Sagara in her arms. Pressing her cheek to his, she whispered, "Sano…you're back…"

"'Course, Jou-Chan," he said, taken aback that Kasumi was hugging him…and after the harsh words he had spoken to her before! "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Yami said that Zanza had taken over your soul, and that without friends and any happiness you'd turn back into Zanza," Kasumi said, failing to release him from her hug. "But now that you don't have your Zanbatou, and you're with us again, you can be goofy ol' Sanosuke again!"

Now Sanosuke understood what had happened at his home (though she was kind of making him feel a little like a split-personality victim), but he voluntarily hugged Kasumi back, sighing. "Thanks, Jou-Chan…I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Kasumi said, her tears slowing and disappearing. "You did it for us, Sano…thank you…" After a moment, Kasumi's hold on Sanosuke tightened as she murmured, "Sano…will you please stay with Yami and I? We love you so much, and we don't want you to face Seiji alone…that's why we came after you today."

Wordlessly, Sanosuke turned his face and kissed Kasumi, holding her tightly. Kasumi blinked at his sudden affection, but then returned it. Heat rose to Sanosuke's face when Kasumi responded to him, and a low growl rose from the back of his throat as he deepened the kiss. Kasumi made a small stifled sound, which Sanosuke took to be a moan.

Sanosuke blushed again and freed her of his embrace, mumbling, "Sorry…"

"I'll take that as a yes," she said, getting up, and looking amused at Sanosuke's embarassed expression. "Please stay here for a few minutes. Yami wants to speak to you."

Sanosuke's face fell. Yami was the last person he wanted to see or speak to at the moment. Not only had he told the samurai he hated him, but Zanza had attacked Yami, and threw him out the door, too! What would Yami do to him?

"Alright…" Sanosuke choked out, nodding.

Kasumi nodded also, and exited his room.

Sanosuke fidgeted, nervous. Kasumi had acted afterwards as though nothing had happened, but Sano felt jittery and left in wonder if he had done a stupid thing. He had never kissed a girl before, but felt pretty sure he'd done it correctly. But if he had, then why didn't Kasumi say something other than what she had?

His worries then shifted back to Yami. Oh, Kami-sama…I'm going to die by the hand of a depressed samurai who's two heads shorter than me. What a way to go.

Sano fidgeted some more, inspecting the bandages over his stomach. He then realized that he wasn't wearing those he usually wore—someone had taken them off. Sanosuke felt funny without his stomach wraps—he felt like he was exposed and prone to any kind of attack. A weird reaction, yeah, it was. Sano without his stomach wraps was like Sano without his Aku jacket.

"Once loved and hated, then hated, now loved and hated," he mumbled, regarding his former positions, and the position he now believed himself to be in: Sekihou cadet, Zanza the Fight Merchant, and Sagara Sanosuke.

To Sanosuke's dread, the door slid open to reveal Yami. Sanosuke avoided his eyes, but dared to glance at the dark samurai when Yami said, "Hence, is the man in this room Zanza the Fight Merchant, or is he Sagara Sanosuke?"

"S-Sagara Sanosuke," Sano stammered, ashamed.

To Sanosuke's surprise, Yami broke into his unique smile. "Very good, Sano-kun. And from the look on Kasumi-san's face when she came to get me, you made amends with her, as well?"

Blushing slightly, Sanosuke muttered, "Yeah."

"Good, Sano-kun." Yami said. "Now, we must put this silliness aside, and you must come to understand that happiness is the key to your resistance of being Zanza. Zanza is your angry, hurt, and confused self. Until your soul is woken up from something so devastating, you will always have warfare with Zanza. Hatred is not easily killed, but you will probably never forgive the Meiji Government for what they did to you."

"No kiddin'," Sanosuke snarled.

Yami blinked, continuing. "Now we must consider of what to do with Seiji. He has your weapon, but you cannot wield the Zanbatou, unless you're willing to deal with Zanza face-to-face. That weapon represents your hatred for Meiji and symbolizes your identity as a Fight Merchant."

Sanosuke said nothing.

"So," the dark samurai said softly, sitting down beside Sano and folding his hands. "What are we to do?"

"You could assassinate Seiji or something," Sanosuke suggested.

Yami gave him a slightly rebuking look. "You know I could not do that. It goes against my morals, however little I have." The man sighed. "Oh, the trifle despair in our desperate lives, must we be so unfaithful and blind to our solution? But the iris looks most beautiful in the rain…even…"

Yami paused, looking at Sano with a smile he could not read. "Even, if it is a rain…of blood."

"Dwah?" Sano said, totally lost.

Yami shook his head. "Nothing, nothing…overheard it once at an inn…thought it was a pretty phrase." Nodding, Yami said, "But it seems that our only way to rid ourselves of Seiji is to, indeed, kill him. Our solution is the iris in the rain of blood. Death."

"Okay," Sano replied. "How are we going to do this?"

Giving Sanosuke a serious look, Yami said, "The first option would be to light fire to his estate, but he could probably escape before it killed him. The next idea would be an assassination, but as I have told you, I am no hitokiri. Another way would be to confront him head-on, but that would be very dangerous and would cost many lives, maybe even one of our own. Not to mention you'd have a bit of trouble going only with your fists."

Sanosuke was silent. Why am I always a liability? Why? Without my Zanbatou, I'm almost worthless. At last, he spoke. "I want to attack tonight."

"Ah." Yami said, gesturing to Sano's tummy. "Will you be able to fight?"

"You forget you you're talkin' to," Sanosuke grinned, sitting up. "You didn't break any of my bones, but I'll be a bit sore for a while. Nothin' major, and I want to kick Seiji in the head. Right here," he motioned, tapping his nose.

Yami flinched. "That shall hurt," he observed.

"S'only the beginning," Zanza muttered. Yami gave him a wary look, and Sanosuke smiled slightly. "What?"

"The fragileness of the soul…" Yami sighed, making Sanosuke glare at him because of his vagueness. Yami then continued. "Caution, Sano-kun…caution with emotion, or you will be killed, by the inner or by the outer."

Sanosuke continued to look at him dully. "What the HELL was the supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing," Yami muttered. "But, as you wish, we will strike head-on tonight." He regarded Sano with concerned eyes. "Kasumi-san will want to go as well."

Sanosuke grimaced in worry. "Crap…" was his reply. Kasumi will come along no matter what we do. She's as stubborn as I am, and there's one thing I know, it's that no one can change her mind when she sets it to something.

Yami sighed once more. "So many complications. Kasumi-san…we will have to see what happens. You speak to her, Sano-kun, and you tell her."

"What?" Sanosuke gasped, terrified. "You want me to tell her—all alone! She'll kill me!"

Shaking his head, Yami replied, "Iiya…no, Sano-kun. This is something you must do by yourself. And that is that, and you will do it tonight, before we leave."

"I…" Sano stammered, trying to think of a comeback. Unable to create one, he made a distressed face and groaned.

Yami smiled sadly again, though there was a hint of satisfaction in his smirk. Getting to his feet, he said to Sanosuke, "Now, it is time to arise, since you seem so ecstatic. Kasumi-san has made lunch, so she has. And if I am correct, it is almost ready to eat."

Smiling, Yami turned on his heel, and left Sanosuke in his room.

"Ohhhh maaaaaan!" Sanosuke moaned once Yami was gone, slapping himself on the forehead. "Why do I have to get this job?"

After a bit, Sano got up, put on his Aku jacket, and left his room as well.

Heading for the kitchen, he met Kasumi and Yami at the eating area, sitting down as usual by Yami. Sanosuke and Kasumi glanced at one another, blushed, and looked away as Kasumi served the food. Yami noted the unusual behavior, and continued to do so as the meal went on. Everything was strangely peaceful and quiet.

While gathering the dishes, Yami asked loudly, "Did you two make out or something?"

"HUH?" Sano and Kasumi looked at Yami with horror.

Yami blinked. "You two are so quiet and unfocused. I had to get your attention. Why is this so?"

Kasumi shook her head, and Sano shrugged.

Yami nodded, blinking again. "Well, okay. Then, I suppose I should leave now."

"Where are you going?" asked Kasumi.

Getting up, Yami replied, "Oh, I am visiting the graveyard again. I have some relatives and friends to visit."

"Oh, Yami…" Kasumi whispered, looking sympathetic.

Sanosuke looked at Kasumi and then to Yami. He knew how Yami felt about losing loved ones, but for some reason Sano got a twinge in his stomach when he saw Kasumi paying attention to Yami instead of him.

Determined to keep his trap shut, Sanosuke only nodded.

Yami bowed, and left.

"SAGARAAAAAAAAA!"

"KAMI-SAMA! I DIDN'T DO IT!"

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Sano tore through the house, fleeing for his life as Kasumi chased him about. Attempting to pulverize him with the handle of the broom she was holding, she swung it around wildly.

Seeing that it was impossible to catch him like so, Kasumi sprinted and tackled him from behind, sending Sanosuke face-first to the floor. Pinning him to the ground, Kasumi grabbed Sanosuke's spiky hair and jerked his face from the floor, making him howl.

"LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY FLOOR!" she snarled, jabbing at the ground.

Indeed, there were muddy footprints all over the place, decorating the wooden floorboards. Kasumi had been kind enough to let Sano outside for a while, and when he came back in, his shoes were covered in mud. Yes, the footprints were in the exact shape of Sanosuke's black slip-ons.

"I didn't do it," he whimpered even so, trying to wiggle from her grasp.

Kasumi gave him a swift hit on the head, making him flinch. Then she slipped off one of his shoes, and put it in front of his face. There Sano viewed the recently dried mud on his black shoe.

Kasumi pointed at the item. "Now what do you have to say, baka tori-atama?"

Sanosuke was quiet for a moment, but then said very softly, "I didn't do it."

"YES, YOU DID!" Kasumi screamed, enraged.

"IT WAS MY EVIL TWIN!" Sano yelled, clawing at the floor and trying to pull away from Kasumi.

Wrenching Sano's dark brown hair, Kasumi roared, "BAKA! YOU ARE THE EVIL TWIN!"

Moaning, Sagara begged, "Leggo! Leggo! I won't have any hair left if ya don't LET GO!"

"Oh, please," Kasumi said, patting Sanosuke on the head like a dog. "You're not hurt."

Suddenly, Sanosuke made a gagging sound. Then, with some effort, he choked, "My stomach…ah...Kasumi...I…think I'm…bleedin'…"

"Huh? Oh my gosh, Sano, are you okay…" Kasumi cried, leaping up and rolling Sanosuke over onto his back. The only thing she found was Sanosuke grinning at her like a Cheshire cat, without a wound—save for the one that was still intact and healing.

"YOU IDIOT!" she yelled in outrage. "You're not hurt! FAKER—!"

"Cry me a river," Sano mumbled, getting to his knees and then to his feet. Kasumi got up as well, her fists clenched in anger and her face red in embarrassment. She had been tricked so easily, and at the same time exposed that she really cared about Sanosuke, amid her anger.

Popping his jaw back into place, Sanosuke smirked at Kasumi again. "You fell so hard for that one, Jou-Chan."

"And you're gonna fall hard from this!" Kasumi howled, shoving Sano backwards on the floor, sweeping her foot, and hitting the back of Sanosuke's. He fell onto the floor, and banged his head.

"OUCH!" he snarled. "DAMMIT!"

"That didn't hurt," Kasumi snorted. "You're head is as hard as rock. I'm surprised the sheer weight of it didn't bust a hole through my floor."

"You were really nice this morning," Sano grumbled to her, sitting up and rubbing the bump on his head. "But now you're a witch, as usual."

"'Cause I let you KISS me, BAKA?" Kasumi sneered.

Sano scoffed, lifting his lip in a sneer as well. "Aw, you liked it, and you know it!"

"Whatever!"

"Yeah, you know it."

Kasumi picked up a rag and a bucket from the corner, and handed them to Sanosuke. "Now, wash my floor and everywhere you've been since you got mud on your shoes. Miss a spot, and suffer the consequences."

"Oh, yes, Kasumi-sama!" Sanosuke sang in a sarcastic voice, standing up and bowing graciously. "I would absolutely delight in washing the floor for you! Mayhap I should wear a little apron, and dust the house as well? Ooh, how about I do the laundry, too! Maybe I could even assist Kasumi-sama in doing the dishes? How about polishing Kasumi-sama's SHOES, and kissing her feet like she's a QUEEN? What about THAT?"

"Knock yourself out." Kasumi smirked, to Sano's infuriation. She still had that evil smile. "I wouldn't mind seeing a thug like you tamed into wearing an apron and doing chores."

Sanosuke burst out, throwing the rag and bucket down on the floor, "I AM NOT WASHING THE STUPID FLOOR, AND THAT IS FINAL!"

"YOU ARE, TOO!" Kasumi screamed.

"IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP I'LL NEVER TALK TO YOU AGAIN!"

"OH, YEAH?"

"YEAH! AND THEN YOU WON'T KNOW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU!"

"I CAN ALWAYS ASK YAMI-SAN!"

"HE FORCED ME TO BE THE ONE WHO TELLS YOU!"

There was a brief silence as the two quarrelsome teens paused to catch their breath.

After a few minutes, Kasumi asked, "What did Yami-san assign you to tell me?"

Sanosuke felt as though he were backed into a corner. Kasumi was sure to be furious with him for telling her she couldn't go with them to Seiji's. Sighing, he scratched his head and gave Kasumi an indecisive look.

"Well?" pestered Kasumi.

Sanosuke faltered again. "Well…ya see…we were planning on attacking Seiji tonight, and…"

"You don't want me to go again," Kasumi finished.

Sano nodded.

She added, "Because you don't want me getting hurt."

Hesitating, Sanosuke nodded a second time.

"That's just so sweet I could break your nose for it," Kasumi growled. Seeing how Sano's eyes widened and his muscles tensed, Kasumi knew he was expecting her to attack him.

"I…I kinda…er," Sanosuke straightened his face, and then said, "You can't go with us this time, no matter—even if ya cry your eyes out. We're not going to Seiji's to fight."

Kasumi narrowed her eyes. "Then what are you going there for?"

Sanosuke flinched, once again indecisive. After a moment, Sano dared to meet Kasumi's eyes. "We're going there to get rid of him."

Kasumi froze, looking up at Sanosuke with horror. "You're going to kill him?" she whispered.

Sano nodded feebly.

"Sagara…" Kasumi breathed, unsure of what to say. She lifted her hand to rest on his face, and Sanosuke shivered at her touch. Her fingers trailed up his jaw, sending even more chills up Sano's spine. The softness of her fingertips, combined with the light scrape of her fingernails...

However, when Kasumi had reached his ear, Kasumi's fingers suddenly latched onto it, yanking it as punishment. Sanosuke howled, stooping so that his ear would not be ripped off. "YOU ARE NOT GOING," Kasumi snarled.

"YEEEEOOOWWW!" Sano yelled. "JOU-CHAAAAAN!"

"If Yami-san feels Seiji should be killed, he can do it himself," Kasumi hissed. "You've never taken a life before, and you're not going to start now! How will your spirit find rest if you have blood on your hands?"

Sanosuke squirmed, writhing as the stinging pain shot through his head. Kasumi still had a very painful grip on his ear, and Kasumi wasn't going to free him, until Sano promised her that he would not kill Seiji.

Eventually, Sanosuke stopped struggling, and whimpered, "M-my ear…"

"You won't have an ear unless you promise me," Kasumi said firmly, giving Sanosuke's injured ear an agonizing twist. Satisfied with the yowl that followed, she asked, "Will you promise me, now?"

Sano gasped his rejection, and Kasumi gave him another taste of pain. "How about now?"

"All the pain ya could ever give me wouldn't be enough to make me put you in danger."

Kasumi's hold on Sanosuke's ear slipped slightly when she heard his reply. Staring at her agonized prisoner, she stammered, "W-what?"

"You heard me," Sanosuke growled. "Now leggo of my ear, would ya?"

Kasumi tightened her face into a steadfast one, though it wasn't as foolproof as she would have preferred. "No. You have to promise me, Sagara, that you won't go…"

"I'm going."

"No, you're not!" Kasumi yelled, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"I'm going, Kasumi."

Kasumi shook her head, sobbing, "No!"

Sanosuke easily slipped out of her imprisonment, grieved to find that she was actually crying, in contrast to the persuasive tears she had used before.

"You're not going, you're not…you're not going!" Kasumi sobbed.

Before Sanosuke quite knew what he was doing, he had wrapped his arms around Kasumi and was holding her in a tight hug. "Jou-Chan…" he sighed, lifting her chin so that they were face-to-face.

After a moment of solemn eye contact, Sano wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. He then promised, "I can't tell you I won't go to Seiji's, but…"

Kasumi hiccupped.

Smiling slightly in his old way, Sanosuke continued, "I promise ya I'll come back, healthy as ever and twice as stupid."

"Sagara," Kasumi half laughed, half sobbed.

Sanosuke grinned. "Heh."

"Okay, Sano," Kasumi said, returning his hug. "I'll trust you. You'd better come back to me, and not in a burial casket…right?"

"Right."

Dictionary:

Iiya—No, negative

Tori-Atama—"Bird Head," thus, the nickname for Sanosuke because of his hair

MadiSano: Uhhh...sorry about my weird hyperness in the beginning of the chapter. My evil twin took over my account and I stopped her just in time, before she could do any awful damage to my commentary. Who noticed the quote from Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal?About the iris in the rain of blood?So...I suppose Yami was part of the Choshu clan, ne?Right along with Kenshin?No...not really...I dunno. I haven't really spent much time on devising Yami's past. Sorry, folks.

ANYWAYS...ahem...it is time for...(insert drumroll here)...REVIEW RESPONSES! Yaaaayyyy!

To Onhiro: I attempted to bring my iron bar to school in order to smack the girl (yes, it was a girl...) who disliked Sanosuke, but my mother intervened and now I can't find my weapon! (heh, joking, joking...) Thanks for reading and reviewing!

To Naruto2: You're not the only one who despises cats. All cats hate me for some reason!I don't know why! I've never done anything to them! ...Oddly enough, roosters don't seem to mind me at all...thanks for reviewing!

To Mackenshin: Hello, again, my evil reviewer who sits right next to me in computer class. I cannot BELIEVE you're outright STUBBORNESS! You may think Kenshin is better than Sanosuke but I highly disagree. Kenshin may be richer in fighting, intelligence, good characteristics, and the cutest lil' habits ever...but...uh...Sanosuke can beat Kenshin in a drinking contest! SO THERE! MY MAN BEATS YOUR MAN! HA HA! IN YER FACE!

To Daughter of Chaos: Thank you SO much for your in-depth critisism! I've never really inspected Sanosuke's house that closely before, but now that I think about it I briefly recall Sano having a sliding door...so I guess he wouldn't be able to knock it off its' hinges, ne? Also, about the whole seven years thing...I suck at math. I really do. I understand completely that there is no way nine-yr old Sano could run amok with a zanbatou. But, in the manga, Sanosays: "From the day the Sekihou army was disbanded, I became a Fight Merchant, and delved deep into combat!" So, I thought, hey! Zanza ain't Zanza without his big ol' Zanbatou! That's where he got his name from. So, i just kinda thought...but, you make sense...I think you're right...I think...maybe the translators screwed up the quote? I'm confuzzled...

Daughter of Chaos: BY THE WAY: I read your RK fanfic, Chains Required, Whips Optional (or something like that), and I really like how you write. Your fanfic was really angsty and had some killer fighting scenes. I was so scared that something awful would happen to Kaoru, Ayame, and Suzume...I was ready to KILL Kenshin, though! He was just...so...dang...CALM! "Angry" about what Kaoru went through? ANGRY? He should have been yellow-eyed Battousai threatening to slice that stupid evil guy's jugular--not sittin' there being Mr. Prissy No-Killing-Evil-Rape-Initiators!But...Sano...did he DIE at the end? (Hopes not.) Bravo on your work! Thank you for reviewing!

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY ONLY THREE MORE CHAPTERS LEFT OF FALLEN WIND LEFT TO WRITE! REVIEW LIKE MAD, PEOPLE! (I know I would. LOL.)