"Soujiro?" Koharu called his name out for the third time.

"Hm?" He finally directed his eyes to her. He had just built a fire after using a rock against the blade of his sword once he managed to find some dry wood. Once he had accomplish such a task, he had settled back away from the rising flames with his sword resting against his shoulder. His eyes fell upon Koharu's hand when she finally called his name out the third time. He had been lost in thought trying to find his self worth again, and he suddenly felt guilty he had put off helping her. He had only wanted to start the fire before helping her because they were both still drench from the early day's rain and the temperature has only been dropping since. He wasn't a fan of building a fire at night because the attention it drew, but he felt it was deserved just this once, especially with winter approaching. He would surely change his mind as it got colder. And he was sure the thieves who could still be lingering close should keep their distance from him.

His thoughts had only distracted and taken over him since starting the fire for them. Perhaps he had let them distract him on purpose. To help her required hurting her after she had endured so much from Hisato, and she had already endured enough alone by his own hand that day. Even now, her body would cringe from the shooting pains of her broken hand and each time a tear threatened to roll down her cheek, she would try to subtly brush the tear away. She was trying to be strong for him. She kept her good sleeve over her broken hand to continue avoid having to gaze upon it and treat it as nothing as serious.

"Are you okay?" She questioned once she knew she had his attention. "You look sad."

"Hai," he offered a halfhearted smile. He looked over his shoulder and found a stick a little over a foot long, but one that could not be snapped easily. He took it in hand and got up to approach her side. He held it down to her. "Take this. It will help you to bear the pain," he said as he knelt down beside her. She took the stick in hand but was clearly confused as to what he was talking about. "Bite down on it when I set your hand back."

"Back to what?"

Soujiro thought she was just playing dumb, and she was to a degree. She knew Soujiro was helping her, but she didn't understand how. He made her lift her sleeve and gently took hold of her arm of the broken hand. When he started cradling the hand, she quickly withdrew it at the cost of causing herself more pain. She grunted in pain as she glared at him. "What are you doing? You're going to make it worse!" Her eyes were brimming from the pain she was trying to conceal from him.

"I'm trying to help you."

"It's fine!" She snapped bitterly. "It will heal on its own."

"Koharu," he stared, knowing she knew better. She was in denial. "It won't."

"Why not?" She suddenly cried out, her tears finally starting to stream against her will. She quickly tried to dry them with her sleeve. She was tired of crying in front of him. "It's no different than a cut, or a bruise. It will heal on its own. You just have to give it time!" She said it as fact.

"Now when it's broken," he said sternly. "If I don't fix it now, it won't get better."

"I-will it hurt?"

Soujiro exhaled as he rubbed the back of his neck. She wasn't making it any easier on him. He wasn't the type to sugar coat things either. It would be a blatant lie if he said otherwise, but it would do no good to tell her how painful the process would be. He decided a different approach and lowered his hand out freely towards her that he usually had to keep out of her reach. "Do you trust me or not?"

She could only stare, slightly surprised at his open hand towards her. The last time he had asked her that, there had been no doubt in her mind she could trust him despite her fears. He had given her all the more reason to trust his abilities after rescuing her from Hisato's hand. It didn't change the fact she was still terrified. Nonetheless, she could trust him. "Hai..." She still whimpered softly. After another moment, she finally extended her wrist on Soujiro's open hand and he carefully clasped his other hand over it.

"All right, now set the stick in your mouth for your jaw to clench."

She obeyed.

His holding her hand so willingly had already surprised her, but she couldn't help but blush openly in front of him when he lined her arm against his chest. He had expected it, but knew he would be hated in just a moment. She didn't think it was going to be so terrible until he wrapped his hand around one of her fingers. He hesitated for just a moment before he finally wrenched his hand around one of her fingers and did his best to quickly align the joints back in place.

"Ah! Sou-" she whined and screamed as he quickly pressed on to the next finger. He couldn't do it all at once like most common breaks could be dealt with, but just work through on each finger as quickly as he could. Her screams came through as grunts from her clenching down on the stick. "Stop! Stop!" She tried yelling through her clenched jaw. She desperately started to fight at him when it seemed like he was simply ignoring her. She now understood why he held her wrist against his chest. No matter how she fought, he was able to keep her wrist still and restraint against him as he quickly worked through each broken joint. He was adjusting the last finger when Koharu finally spat out the stick, still trying to pry her arm free. "Stop!" She screamed as he finally popped the last joint in place.

He gladly released her then. "All right! It's done-" he was abruptly cut off when Koharu stood and used her stick to strike across his face and sliced it into the cheek of his face.

"Baka! Why didn't you just stop?" She screamed at him. She was furious for only a moment until she saw the blood on Soujiro's cheek as he was turned away from the force of her strike and clasped his hand over it. He looked back at her, clearly not pleased with her actions, but his eyes, surprisingly, didn't hold the same anger they had earlier when she had simply thrown mud at him. Mud was something that didn't even hurt or sting like a stick slicing into his skin would, but he showed no sign of attacking her like before.

He had already been expecting some retaliation from her, though, not such a violent one. He still didn't seem surprise and decided to let it slide this one time.

Koharu thrust the stick aside and dropped to her knees as she began sobbing and cradling her discolored, bruised hand.

Soujiro reached inside their bag of supplies he still carried over his shoulder and pulled a roll of bandages out. Unfortunately, he wasn't done caring for her and set himself back in front of her after she had turned his back to him. "Just let me wrap it, " he tried talking over her cries.

"Leave me alone!" She tried thrusting her stronger arm against him.

"I have to wrap your hand or all this will have been for nothing!"

"No! Go away!" She clutched a rock in hand before Soujiro clasped her wrist and pulled it away from the ground. He was starting to regret taking her with him.

"Hit me again and I'll-" He stopped speaking when she suddenly dropped the rock from her grasp and collapsed against his chest to continue crying against him. He inched away slightly raising his arms awkwardly around her, his face riddled with confusion. He had been told he was a difficult person to read, but he couldn't even tell if she was actually angry at him anymore. He wanted to say something against it, but had already been struggling to talk over all her crying. The more he talked, it seemed, the more she cried. A few minutes went by as he had steadily lowered his arms back beside him and ended up letting her cry against him. Against his will, his face turned into one of sympathy for her, but she never noticed.

Finally, her cries began to subside. Soujiro swallowed nervously at the risk of speaking, and not knowing if it would set her off again. Before he was about to take that risk, she spoke first. "I guess you're not taking me with you anymore. I tried. I tried to not cry Sou." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "I know I cry too much." She raised her head slightly to speak. Her eyes fell upon the letter Yamagata gave him about to fall from within the fold of his gi. It had revealed itself as she had cried into him. Soujiro followed her gaze and awkwardly pulled the fold of his gi back over.

"Yes, you do," he at first said in a cold tone of voice. He finally placed a hand on her shoulder to slowly ease her off of him, to which she obeyed begrudgingly. She thought she lost out on her chance to stay with him until he spoke his next words. "There's not many who don't cry when they're harmed like you were, though." Her eyes lit up at hearing such words come from his mouth. But when she could finally look up, her eyes fell upon his wounded cheek and she was overwhelmed with guilt. He looked away covering it with his palm, slightly worried it might spark another meltdown from her. "As for this, I'll let it slide this one time." He knew her striking him was more of a reaction to the extreme pain he put her through and anger from him not stopping when she had begged him to. Had he stopped, however, he would have never gotten her hand back in his grasp to fix. "But don't ever hit me again," he continued. She opened her mouth to apologize, to which he cut her off. "Don't apologize to me. Your apologies are starting to mean nothing."

She coward slightly in shame. "What am supposed to do then?"

"Stop hitting me! From now on, don't apologize if I tell you to do something, or to stop it. Just do it... Or stop it," he added trying not to sound confusing." He took her wrist back in hand and began wrapping the palm and fingers with the bandages. "Hold still. It won't hurt nearly as bad," he promised.

She nodded and then cringe as he wrapped the bandage tightly at a more tender part of her hand. "Ow! Sou!"

"I said it wouldn't hurt nearly as bad," he said and fought the urge to smile. "Sou?"

"Is that okay?" She asked. Throughout the day, she had accidentally called him so and now it had stuck to her.

He shrugged, still trying to suppress his smile. "You wouldn't be the first. Sure, you can call me Sou," he said as he finished wrapping her hand. He then reached inside the bag one last time and pulled forth the clothes he had picked out for her. "I did try to find you more appropriate clothes, but these will have to do."

She tilted her head confusingly. "Appropriate?" She asked as she happily took her new clothes in hand.

"Something a girl like you should wear. But I guess I shouldn't have expected to find any for you. Even if they happened to have stolen womens clothing, I doubt it would be in your size." It didn't exactly bother him for her to wear clothes meant for boys, but part of the reason the people of Gifu had looked down on her was because of what she wore. She was already seen as a rebel in their eyes and her wearing such clothing drew attention to that fact. In a way, it would also reflect upon him now that he had decided to care for her, especially claiming her as his sister. What did it say about him dressing her in such a way? As of now, it couldn't be helped, but it wouldn't stop others from judging them if they could.

"No, Sou, these are great. I love them! The colors are more vibrant." She would get to wear a maroon color gi with dark brown hakamas.

He smiled before turning his gaze back towards tending the fire to keep it burning. Koharu couldn't be happier with her new, warm clothes and held them like she was given the finest kimono. She looked up fondly at her new caretaker and opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated at first. She didn't want to question the good being done to her, so as to not come across as complaining, but she still couldn't help but wonder.

"Yes?" Soujiro spoke up anyway, seeing how she clearly had more to say.

"What changed your mind, Sou?" She asked carefully, not wanting to risk upsetting him again. " Especially after what...exchanged between us this morning?"

"Well, it wouldn't have done me no good to go through all this just to leave you behind," he avoided directly answering the question. He tugged at a log with a stick as he spoke in an effort to keep the flames burning. "You wouldn't have faired well if I left you with those other boys. Not that you'll fair that much better with me. You won't," he admitted to her. "But I guess when I decided to come after you, I made the choice to take you with me. Otherwise, it would have been pointless rescuing you." She would not have lasted much longer with them or on her own. "At least until something better comes along."

"Something better? Better then you?" She asked in disbelief.

He sat the stick beside him he had been using to tend to the fire and turned a serious gaze upon her. "You remember what I said earlier, Koharu? I'm a murderer. I've been trained to kill for most of my life. I'm on the run because I'm wanted for the crimes I've committed. I'm to be executed or employed for their use. That usually bothers most people, especially little girls." At saying it out loud, he felt somewhat disturbed by his own actions of taking her with him. A creep like Hisato. He turned away from her in his own shame. "It's not exactly right for someone like me to raise...to take you under my care."

"You're to be executed?" She questioned in fear for him. Soujiro turned his gaze back to her in disbelief that she was focusing on that after all he admitted to her for the second time.

"Hai, Koharu, if I don't agree to work for them."

"Who?"

"The Meiji Government." He had never wanted to admit any of this to her, but that was before he decided to take her in. It would be in her best interest to know what kind of person she was wanting to stay with.

"What are you going to do?"

"I guess I'll have to find someone who can properly care for you." And I guess that means I will have to eventually travel through a town.

The thought disappointed Koharu. "I didn't mean that," she said with a tone. "I mean you. Are you still trying to decide what to do? Obviously, no one wants to be executed, but it doesn't sound like you want to work for them either. Is there no other choice?"

"I'm trying to figure that out."

"It doesn't mean you have to be alone," she suddenly said in a stronger tone of voice. "Sou, I want to stay with you." She scooted closer to him.

Soujiro chuckled softly at that. In a way, it had touched him. Never had anyone ever said such words to him. "We'll see, Koharu."

"I like that better than, 'for now,'" she quoted his words from earlier and stood from him. "I meant it what I said earlier. I'm here to repay you for the good you've done towards me. I owe you my life now."

"Go on, Koharu," he smiled as he gestured his head towards over his shoulder. "The temperature is only dropping. You should change while it's still somewhat warm. I'll keep my back turned," he promised.

"Hai!" She said obediently before running passed him and concealing herself behind a tree to change.

When she was out of view, he reached back for the letter and stared at the seal on the front. He had no desire to even open the letter, but to hold on to it meant he was still considering the general's offer. He felt sure about one thing. He would rather be executed than have to be employed by him. There was just something off putting about his offer. Cho and the others had practically become government dogs that could be ordered around. He had witnessed Cho being ordered around like a dog and that was something Soujiro didn't want to subject himself to. It didn't feel that way when working for Shishio. Why did it feel worse to be employed by the government if Shishio was supposedly the bad guy? He had been trained to see them as the enemy, but he still felt clear enough in the head that he would not find his answers working for them. Only misery. He burnt the letter.

He knew no amount of punishment he deserved was supposed to be easy or enjoyable, but it made no sense for him to continue in his previous ways just because he was on the opposite side. If being imprisoned were an option, he would consider doing the time, but his crimes were too great for that. Killing Okubo Toshimichi alone was enough to sentence him off to death. His arms were crossed as he tugged at his sleeves and watched the letter burn. He didn't feel relieved at the sight, but felt a sense of loneliness and being trapped. He wasn't caught, but it almost wasn't any better to have to live in such isolation. Maybe he did deserve death. It was easy to assume Hisato deserved it for what he was about to do to Koharu. Soujiro has done far worse. He felt he really was no different than Hisato.

"This is terrible," he suddenly heard Koharu's voice beside him.

For a moment, he thought she had found something wrong with her clothes after all. He looked from the flames up over his shoulder at her. The clothes were loose on her, but weren't immodest and would prove to be much warmer than what she had on before. He clearly saw the problem when he saw her hair that she had let down, or attempted to take down. It was a matted mess and shards of glass could still be seen as they reflected off the flames of the fire. She attempted to comb her fingers through again and pulled out a clump of her dark hair. "He ruined it. He ruined my hair."

"Yanking it out like that isn't going to help," he clasped her arm when she attempted to try and pull the knots in her hair free again. "You should be thankful that's all Hisato managed to be ruined. It's the one thing that can be replaced and I think it's the only thing that protected you from far worse injuries."

"You don't understand," she said as she clasped her matted hair with her good hand. "My hair; it's the only thing that... " she fumbled at her hair, "it set me apart from those boys."

"The fact that you're a girl sets you apart from them," he said, but it did little to cheer her up.

"I can't expect you to understand," she said as she continued stroking her unkempt hair.

"Put your ribbons back in if you're that worried about looking like a boy."

"I can't!" She raised her voice. "There's too many knots. I can't even braid it anymore."

Soujiro looked away blowing at his own bangs in frustration. He truly didn't understand her ordeal, especially knowing it would grow back. I guess that doesn't help it now, he thought as he looked back at her. "I can cut it for you, but that's all I can do."

"Cut it all off?" She stepped back as she clutched the matted hair protectively.

"Of course not. Maybe about... " he leveled his hand a few inches above her elbow. "About here. It will still be long enough, and like I said, it will grow back."

She pouted disapprovingly.

He shrugged. "It will look much better than it does now."

She glared at him at what she took as an insult, but she could hardly argue with him when it was the truth. Her hair was clearly a disaster.

After sulking for a few minutes, she finally knelt down beside Soujiro and started going through the bag he had left beside him. She pulled forth the knife Soujiro took from Hisato and held it up at him. Soujiro flinched when she carelessly held the pointed end towards him. "Just make it quick." When he took the knife, she promptly turned her back to him with crossed arms and continued sulking. Without another word, he gathered the worse of the matted hair and brought the knife above his hand before making a clean slice through. She let out a whine when she felt her hair fall loose back around her arms, above her elbows like he promised.

"It already looks much better, Koharu," he said to quickly comfort her. He could hardly believe how he was already having to care for her. How did I get to where I'm mending her wounds and fixing her hair? He was almost embarrassed by the thought of who he was becoming. And now I'm trying to convince her she still looks very much like a girl. He could only imagine what the former Juppon Gatana members would say of Shishio's right hand man if they saw him now. They were off on secret missions for the Meiji Government and here he was now, fixing some little girl's hair. I wonder if the 'Great Battousai' concerns himself with such mundane things, he thought. The only good it did was distract him from his previous, plaguing thoughts after he had burnt the letter.

Koharu hardly noticed his embarrassed facial expression and concerned herself with disposing of her old clothes. When she picked them up in her arms, something clearly valuable fell from one of her old pockets. He could tell it's value by how it's vibrant color shone brilliantly against the flames of the fire. She gasped trying to recover it before he would see it.

"Koharu, what's that?" He asked in dread. He had clearly said not to take anything they didn't need.

She froze. "Um..." She clutched it to her chest protectively as she turned to face him. "It really is mine. At least something I stole when I used to work for Hisato."

Soujiro now saw it was a beaded, jade necklace, a precious item that had to have come from China. His jaw dropped in disbelief at her, and at what she held.

"Oh please, Sou! It's my favorite! I promise, it's the only thing I took. I saw it when we went in the cave and I couldn't just let it go."

"How on earth were you able to steal-nevermind." He faced his head forward. "I'm clearly not giving you and the others enough credit. That reminds me," he was finally about to reach into his pocket and pull the strange music box out. "Have you been missing this?"

"My music box!" She exclaimed. "Where did you find it?"

"I found it in the leaves right after you took my sword. You knew it was missing?"

"I didn't notice until I left Gifu in search of you," she took it from his hand. Her eyes seemed to sparkle all the more when she turned the lever a few rounds to hear the gentle chimes of the song. "Thank you, Sou. This means everything to me."

"Yet, you decided to come after me instead of going back to search for it?" He couldn't help but question.

"I thought about it but..." she looked off into the distance, though it had grown dark enough that they could barely see their surrounding environment. "You're a person and in the end, this is just an object. It's crazy to choose an object over a person." She said even though she held the music box fondly. She stared and handled it much differently than she did with the jade necklace.

That's hardly something you hear a thief say. "Not if you barely know the person. It wasn't a life and death situation," he brought out.

The look Koharu gave him made him almost want to think otherwise. "Maybe not for you. Look, I know I tend to rush into things without thinking, but I didn't have to think long on what I wanted more, or needed," she then looked horrified at how her words would sound to him. "Not that I want you, but I knew that I need-" her cheeks were turning bright red as she quickly tried to cover them by combing her hair over her face. "See, I barely think before I speak."

For the first time, she heard Soujiro give off a sincere laugh. It was so strange to her that she parted her hair from her face to make sure she was hearing right. It was just a simple, yet gentle laugh, but it still surprised her to see it. That she had caused it.

"I think I understand, Koharu. You felt you have some sort of chance or opportunity staying with me. I figured you just wanted me to give to safe passage through the forest. Though, I still don't think it was bright on your part to come after me."

"Yes it was," she protested immediately. She held the music box down to his face. "This is proof of that. I got you and my music box back. If I would have gone back searching for this, I would have lossed it and you forever." She lowered the music box aside to gaze down at his eyes. "You know, you're not as vile as you like to think you are." She raised her voice in her annoyance.

He smirked with a scoff as he gazed back at her from where he sat. "No Koharu. I'm a cold-blooded assassin. But I guess there's nothing vile about that either." In a way, it had bothered him he had given the truth about himself twice so bluntly and she brushed it aside like it should be no concern to her.

Koharu bit her lower lip before she suddenly took a step closer and clasped a handful of his hair at the side of his head so he couldn't look away. "What are-"

"Shut up." She said as she stared intently at his eyes.

"Koharu!" He grabbed her hand and yanked it from his hair. Despite being clearly agitated, Koharu barely seemed affected by his bitterness towards her.

"Look at me for just a second!"

She sat on her knees beside him and used the tips of her fingers to stroke his bangs aside and stared down into his eyes as she kept his long bangs pushed aside. "What are you looking for?" He shook his head in confusion seeing as she was clearly searching for something.

"Do you have a last name?"

"It's Seta," he spat.

"Seta Soujiro, do you like killing?"

When his agitated face soften at the blunt question and she saw the hint of sadness fill his eyes, she couldn't help but smile as she shook her head. "I don't see it." She didn't need him to answer the question out loud.

"See what?" He turned his head away making her release his bangs back over his eyes.

"A cold blooded killer. It's not you."

"Koharu. I killed Hisato."

"To save me!" She yelled angrily. "That's not cold blooded."

"And what of the other lives of taken?" he raised his voice at her. "Koharu, don't act like you know me. You don't know what I've done."

"I don't care, Sou!" She finally admitted. "You're the one that doesn't understand. I'm saying you were never meant to be some cold-blooded killer. I can see more clearly that it doesn't suit you. It suited Hisato, didnt it?" She spat. "It suits those boys just fine to be thieves. Itsuki was honored to take Hisato's place. He seemed confident that he was suited for the job. Yet, it somehow didn't suit me and my brother to be thieves. Even you think I'm bad at it." She looked down at her music box sadly. "It's so simple, Sou. Being a cold blooded killer doesn't suit you." Soujiro was a little surprised at how much sense she was making and she seemed to be talking beyond her years, until she finished making her point with a girlish stomp of the foot as she placed her hands on her hips. "So stop!"

"Stop?"

"You clearly hate being one, so stop. It's as easy as that. I'm no longer a thief. You're no longer a cold-blooded assassin. Starting now, I'm your bossy, little sister and you're my protective, older brother, " she smiled, keeping her hands planted on her hips. "And we're on a quest for truth and to see the world." She was proud to see his smile start to return, but it faltered. In effect, she was saying he was nothing like Hisato and that had brought him much comfort.

He looked back towards the campfire before them. "I wish it worked like that.

Koharu, you'll never been seen as nothing else but a thief in the eyes of those dwelling in Gifu. It doesn't matter where I go, I'll always be seen as a murderer. That's why I claimed you as my sister in the first place. The police would have found out sooner who I was if I didn't. They probably know even now that it was me. I'm not sure a second chance is possible for me."

Koharu relaxed her arms back by her side as she struggled to find anymore words to try and comfort her friend. Before she could think of something, Soujiro spoke up one more time. "It's getting late. You should get some sleep. I like to leave early."

"I know," she mumbled under her breath, but Soujiro heard it.

He narrowed his gaze at her as he shook his head at her. "I'm not going to leave you again." He could hardly believe she still seemed skeptical of him.

In all truth, Koharu did believe him, but a part of her was still trying to grasp that this was really happening. That Soujiro was even real. She was half afraid that if she closed her eyes, she would wake up to find it had all been a dream. She would still be sleeping under that muddy porch and Hisato would still be alive and looking to kidnap her again. And what if Soujiro did decide to leave again? He could change his mind any time.

Soujiro was able to eliminate most of her fears when he held out his katana towards her. "Here. I'll let you hold on to this. You know I won't leave without it." He was still very nearly offended when she took the katana too eagerly from his grasp.

"You're not getting this back until I'm walking by your side tomorrow, Sou," she said as she abruptly turned her back to him and found her own spot near the fire to sleep.

His puzzled expression soften into a smile. "I guess we're still having some trust issues. I guess that's understandable." After all, they met when she attacked him with a fruit and stole his sword to have him later abandon her and eventually shove her down a steep hill after threatening to kill her. It wasn't the best way to earn anybody's trust. Maybe he shouldn't feel offended.

Koharu laid down, locking the katana within her arms against her chest. If for some reason she woke up in the dark of the night, all she would have to do now was tighten her hold over the katana and be assured that Soujiro was real and was close by. Before she closed her eyes, she rolled on her back pulling out her music box one last time and gently began turning the lever to play the haunting tune through once. Soujiro even found that he was being lulled into sleep nearly half way through the mysterious tune. When she finished playing it through once, she put it back in her pocket and rolled back on her side with the katana. "O-yasumi, Soujiro."

She knew she could trust him then when he met her eyes and smiled as he said: "O-yasumi, Koharu."

He stayed up awhile longer to reflect on his last conversation with Koharu. He was surprised how her words were affecting him. Until recently, he had judged her to not be so bright.

It doesn't suit you to be a cold blooded killer. You clearly don't like it, so stop.

There was a brief time when Soujiro did not mind being weak and had accepted that that's who he was. He had convinced himself he would get by and could rest on the fact the things would get better. He had only become a lethal killer after he met Shishio and went with him to be trained. Soujiro could only imagine the person he would have become had he never met Shishio. The abuse from his adoptive family would have only continued and he could barely fathom how he would have turned out any better had he stayed with them. That life wouldn't have suit me either. So what does?

Koharu's words played through his mind once more. I'm no longer a thief. You're no longer a cold-blooded assassin. Starting now, I'm your bossy, little sister and you're my protective, older brother, and we're on a quest for truth and to see the world.

He smiled as he recalled her words to mind. I guess that's a start. He settled on his side against the ground and watched the flames die down before he finally closed his eyes to get some will deserved rest.

Koharu was woken up when she received a violent chill down her back from the morning cold air. When she tried hugging her arms in an effort to warm herself, she accidentally smacked her face with the hilt of the katana. "Ow!" She grunted as she rubbed her nose.

Her eyes then snapped wide open and she shot up on her side. The fire had long died out and her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach when Soujiro was no where to be seen. Even their bag with supplies for the journey was gone. The sun had long risen past the time she thought they might be on the road. He wouldn't! Not without his sword!

"Soujiro!" She yelled as she stood with the sword still tuck within her arms. She darted forward in a random direction in an earnest effort to spot him in the distance somewhere. "Sou!"

"Koharu?" She heard his voice yell from behind.

She whirled around to see him stumble around from a tree now wearing his new clothes. He had barely left the campsite, unlike her and just traveled far enough for privacy to get into his warmer clothes. He was still in the middle of adjusting the new clothes when he heard her call his name out in fear. He gi still hung loose off his shoulders and his shirt wasn't fully buttoned at the top. In his effort to quickly answer her call, he tripped over the root of the tree he had been changing behind of and fell clumsily over his knees. It didn't help he had not yet put his shoes back on.

Deep inside, Koharu was thrilled to know he had barely left her side. In fact, he even seemed concerned that she might be in trouble. Outwardly, though, she pretended to be furious. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" She darted forward for him.

"Did what?" He was starting to stand before Koharu caught up and wrapped her good arm around his neck and threw him back on his side back against the ground.

"You made me think you were gone!" She said keeping him in a headlock against the ground

"Koharu! Get off me!" He yelled over his shoulder at her. She was practically sitting over his back while holding him in a headlock. "You still have my sword, don't you?"

"You didn't learn the first time, did you?" She continued.

He turned over on his side making her slide off his back and unwrapped her arm from his neck. "Come on, Koharu. It isn't appropriate."

"Appropriate?" She spat. "What is it with you and that word? We were wrestling! That's normal with siblings."

"We're not actually related," he felt he had to remind her. He stood and turned away to continue buttoning his shirt.

"What kind of assassin worries about manners?"

He looked over his shoulder at her with a frown. She finally lowered her head in her usual shame each time he looked at her like that and folded her hands behind her. "I'm sorry." She then lightly gasped putting her hand over her mouth. "Sorry! I know I'm not supposed to apologize!"

Shishio may have been heinousness in the eyes of most, but he had still carried himself like a nobleman. He didn't teach Soujiro just the ways of the sword and with him being the closest thing to a father he had known, Soujiro naturally adopted his mannerisms in how he carried himself. When he turned to face her, he found that she was already smiling back to her usual self. "What?"

"You're still a aoi-tori," she chuckled to herself. "I like it." He was obviously not wearing what he wore before, but had happen to pick up another blue gi, though much darker than what he had before and dark gray hakamas.

"I'm not flattered you keep referring to me as a bird."

"Why not? You're small," she counted on her fingers as she went through the list of reasons why. "You're quick, not easy to catch and you fly across rooftops like it's a normal thing."

"Small?" He said with a frown. He was at a normal height for his age at least.

She giggled. "I mean you're frame, Sou. Let's face it. You're kind of a shrimp. But it doesn't mean you're weak. You're clearly not."

"Thank you, Koharu," he spat as he walked passed her.

She continued to giggle as she picked up his sword she had dropped right before she tackled him to the ground. She followed after him. "I think it's a good thing. You probably couldn't be so quick if you weren't. Even smaller birds are quicker than bigger ones, right?"

"So not only am I some blue bird, but a small one?" He questioned as he recovered their bag of supplies from behind the tree.

"Didn't we just establish that?"

He rolled his eyes as he placed his new hat on his head. "I guess I can't argue with it." He couldn't help but think back to the fight he had witnessed between Senkaku and Kenshin. Senkaku's downfall had been because of his great body mass Kenshin used against him. Kenshin had admitted that it was because of his smaller in size compared to Senkaku's that he could not keep up and he had injured himself trying to match Kenshin's speed. Of course, Kenshin was fast anyway. Soujiro was probably the only other one who was faster, but that obviously didn't mean he was better, sadly.

He turned to face Koharu before starting their journey. "Can I have my sword back?"

"Nope." She said as she walked passed him while holding the weapon possessively.

"Why not?" He said impatiently.

She turned around to face him while holding the sword behind her now. "You have to catch me if you want it. I'm going to teach you to have some fun, Seta Soujiro. If you're going to be my acting brother, you have to play the part and drop the high and mighty pretense. Sadly, this is my job as your younger sister. Siblings tend to take things from each other."

"So do thieves. You know I can catch you easily."

"Then do it!" She smirked as she took off running.

"Koharu!" He called out.

She turned to face him with an evil grin as she held the sword possessively. "Yes!" She yelled back.

"If we're going to play this game, can we at least go in the right direction?" He pointed away from the rising sun to the north.

"Hai!" She turned and started running. She turned one more time to see if he was chasing her yet. He was still staring indignantly. It was not a stare that made her feel ashamed, however, but one she liked to prod at. She waved tauntingly. "Waiting on you aoi-tori!"

"All right," he exhaled on his breath as he tapped his foot against the ground. He raised his head and smirked. "This won't take long," and at the last tap of his foot, he seemed to disappear on the spot after her. More or less, the retired thief and assassin were finally starting their journey together in search for truth. At least Soujiro was stuck with her while he continued seeking his own truth. She was just along for the ride.

AN: Slow moving chapter but an important one, I think. There was a lot I tried reconsidering about this chapter, like Soujiro having to cut her hair but I ended up as seeing that as important especially when he wonders if Kenshin worries about such mundane things. We all know (right?) how Kenshin likes doing his laundry and other chores. Maybe if Soujiro ever sees that side of Kenshin he won't feel so embarrassed! XD