Ambiguity
Chapter 6: The Approach
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Author: Jun-I
Pairings: Kanbei x female Kyuzo

Notes:
- Kyuzo is a woman disguised as a man. At this point, all the samurai assume that Kyuzo is male, with the exception of Kanbei, who is not sure of Kyuzo's gender.
- Since Kanbei at this point isn't sure if Kyuuzou is male or female, I'm using s/he and his/her to refer to Kyuuzou when taking Kanbei's point of view. When taking Kyuuzou's point of view, I use 'she' since she knows she is female.

Warnings: See Chapter 1
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1

Heihachi, Gorobei and Kyuuzou sat hidden among the trees, watching some of the other samurai crossing the bridge into Kanna under the cover of a smelly hay cart.

"Do we have to get on that?" Heihachi asked apprehensively.

The smartly-dressed red samurai put her foot down. "There must be another way!" Kyuuzou declared.

Heihachi replied, "On our journey, Rikichi told me about a small path through the forest that might take a little longer. It leads to a narrower part of the gorge where there is small plank bridge which would take us to the other side."

Kyuuzou looked interested, but a doubtful expression came to Gorobei's face. "Are you sure that crossing is not being watched by the enemy?" the short-haired man asked cautiously.

"Rikichi said not even the villagers use that crossing because the old bridge has not been maintained for many years." Heihachi responded. "So I'm guessing that the Nobuseri may not be aware of it. Or if they are, they might not think it is worth watching. The bridge would probably fall if someone put an ox cart on it, but it should bear the weight of one human."

"I'll check it out." Kyuuzou volunteered.

Heihachi said, "No. With your red outfit, you are too visible. Let me go see if the coast is clear. I am small and can move undetected more easily. Besides, Rikichi gave me the directions first hand."

The small mechanic slinked off through the bushes, leaving Kyuuzou and Gorobei in their hiding place. After a few minutes, Gorobei broke the silence. "Now that you've allied yourself with us, does that mean you've given up the idea of killing our leader?"

"I will still fight him to the death. After your work is done." Kyuuzou said flatly.

The big man frowned almost imperceptibly. The answer did not surprise him, but still, he thought, "How much can we trust this not-quite-ally?"

Then Gorobei asked the strange samurai, "Why do you want to kill Shimada Kanbei?"

The red-clad fighter remained silent.

Yet the tall man persisted, "You don't have to fight him. Why do you need a duel to decide who is better when he has already acknowledged you as the superior fighter?"

She responded to his question with a question. "Well, Gorobei-dono. You've seen our first duel. Who do you think will be the victor when I fight Kanbei again?"

"You will be the victor. I know it."

"Why do you say so?"

"Because he will let you win."

At this, the yellow-haired samurai turned pale with rage. But she bit back the angry words on the tip of her tongue. The slender warrior turned slowly to look at the big man before speaking with a deliberate calmness, "Do you think the two Raiden you saw in the desert 'let' me win?"

A small, sarcastic smile twisted Kyuuzou's pale features but the look in the samurai's eyes had become icy, dangerous.

"No, you misunderstand me." Gorobei said as he read the cold displeasure in Kyuuzou's red eyes. "I know you are the best of us. Everyone can see you're the best fighter among us."

"Then why do you think I need Kanbei to 'let' me win?" Kyuuzou's neutral voice masked a rising rage.

The silver-haired man replied, "Shimada Kanbei will let you win not because he thinks you are weaker. He will let you kill him because he loves you."

Kyuuzou started imperceptibly. Then she fixed her cold red eyes on the tall dark man and said. "I know you make jokes for a living, but do not expect me to pay you for this poor jest."

Gorobei was a little surprised. The quiet warrior's tone was smooth and even, but the perceptive samurai detected a hint of simmering anger underneath. He must have pushed a hot button. But the tall warrior took Kyuuzou's jab graciously. He put up his hands defensively as he added, "I just do not think a man deserves to die for falling in love. That's all."

Kyuuzou jumped slightly, but she did not miss a beat as she replied to the other samurai. "Love? Or is it lust that you speak of?"

Kyuuzou's face was an expressionless mask, but the red warrior's tone was cutting, caustic. Gorobei took all of that in. He sighed. "Our leader is an honorable man. Perhaps you will see this more clearly as time goes by."

Do you believe I should entertain his attentions?" Kyuuzou responded slowly and detachedly, as if analyzing a topic that had nothing to do with 'him', "It is so typical of men to chase after something that looks elusive. But once they get their hands on their quarry and the mystery is gone, they discard their 'prize' like a used rag."

This time the biting bitterness in the scarlet samurai's voice was discernable, at least to Gorobei's sharp ears.

"I'm not asking you to entertain anything," the soldier-turned-entertainer replied in an amiable manner. He paused as he studied Kyuuzou's coolly dispassionate features for a moment longer.

"And you are probably right about the conduct of many men," Gorobei conceded. Then he added, "But neither you nor I are that kind of man, I would presume?"

The silent samurai did not answer.

Gorobei continued, "And have you not noticed that Kanbei does not conduct himself as common men do? The only reason I agreed to help Kanna is so that I could fight alongside such a leader. A lesser man could not have brought me here."

Kyuuzou almost rolled her eyes.

Then the tall man spoke quietly, "But I think I have guessed why you put a death sentence on him. His offense was that he dared to desire you."

Kyuuzou was speechless for a moment. Then she recovered and would have snapped at Gorobei if Heihachi had not returned at that point in time. "The forest trail is unwatched. We can enter the village using the old bridge."

At that, Gorobei got to his feet and made a sweeping bow to Kyuuzou, before turning to follow after Heihachi.