Chp. 1: The Sekihou Army

Giving my farewells to Master, and leaving with a hard rap on the head and: "When you come again, bring some sake", stuck in my brain, I left with the Sekihoutai Army. Sagara Souzou was a kind and generous man, as were the whole army…well, except for Sano-chan. He seemed so ever reluctant to let me in the Sekihoutai. I also met a young boy near Sano-chan's age, name Katsu. He was very skilled with guns, a weapon that I choose to avoid. Guns, in my opinion, took too much advantage of the opponents range and wouldn't be an honorable weapon unless the other was using a gun as well. On the first afternoon that I joined, we entered the city Kyoto.

"Hey! It's Kyoto!" Captain Sagara smiled. "So we weren't too far away after all!"

"You're saying that Kyoto was your destination?" I asked.

"Indeed it was," a member of the Sekihou answered. "That is…until we got lost because someone got us off the road." He looked at the captain.

"Haha," Sagara laughed weakly. "My mistake. But now that we're here anyway, let's enjoy ourselves and relax! I heard there's a festival tonight; I would be happy that we could take some time and have a good nice cup of sake or something…"

The other members shook their heads. We strolled down the hill to the city, the Sekihoutai members in their red vests and black outfit, and me in a light blue upper robe and a dark blue leggings. Sagara had told me that there were spare uniforms as soon as they reached their head quarters.

As we arrived at the Sekihoutai station, Sagara led me to my room and gave me a Sekihou uniform. I kicked him out of the room with a polite, "Thank you" and looked at the uniform. It was around my size, so I undressed and checked the bandages around my chest. They were still tight. I readjusted them and put on the outfit. Tying the red ribbon in my hair, I looked in the mirror. My long black hair stood out in a high ponytail, and even tied up, it reached beyond my waist. I opened the door and left.

"You look good in that uniform," Sagara commented at me when I came out. "It looks great!"

"Thank you," I said quietly. I readied myself to go outside. It was already evening, and the lanterns outside the station flickered silently.

"Are we going now?" Katsu asked.

"I suppose so," Sagara answered. "Well, let us depart."

The group walked towards the main street, chatting cheerfully and without any kind care in the world. I walked without a word.

"Why so silent, Nato-san?" Sagara questioned.

"She's just scared to be in the Sekihou Army with all the big people and all," Sano-chan grinned. "Better back out now while you have the chance."

I whipped around. Signaling Sano-chan to stand in front of me, he looked at me with a questioning look. He stood in front of me. I whipped my leg around, slamming it into Sano and as he flew up, kicked with my other leg to send him forward. He slammed onto the ground with a thud.
"Next time you want to say something, you might want to think twice about what's gonna come out of your damn mouth," I said coolly.

"Nato-san…that could have done critical damage…" Sagara said reproachfully. He walked over and inspected Sano. I seemed to have hurt his forehead and stomach. I hadn't kicked on his head; he had probably scraped it when he slid on the ground. His stomach on the other hand…was my doing. Not that I didn't regret it. I just felt that I shouldn't be any more trouble to Sagara. I reached inside the pocket of the red vest and pulled out two containers, one of powdered herbs and the other with water. I tossed them over to Sagara.

"Apply it to his head; it should stop the bleeding. The stomach, I can do nothing about. He won't be able to eat for a few hours," I said. "At least he's not out."

Sagara nodded and wet a bandage that a member had given him. Wrapping the herbs in the bandage, he wrapped it around Sano-chan's head.

"There. You should be alright, Sanosuke."

"Of course I'm alright! I can't let myself be beaten up by a girl. That's a disgrace!"

"You might want to note the fact that even though I was the one that injured you, that medicine is made painstakingly from my hands. You should be grateful that you're not injured any worse."

Katsu sniggered. Sagara stood up.

"Well, now that this little commotion is over, why don't we head over to the festival? It's getting around evening," he commented.

"We walked over to the center of town where most of the people were. Most women were gasping at the way I dressed, with the red Sekihou ribbon in my hair and the sword by my side. I ignored them. Sagara, however, seemed to notice.

"You aren't bothered?"

"By what?"

"The comments and stares they are firing at you."

"I can't say I'm not used to it. Master sent me down here to fetch him some sake once in a while. I always made sure to get a lot; I hate it down here. It's so noisy and the way I'm dressed is considered intolerable."

"Is that why you don't talk often?"

"I don't really know. There's just not much I want to say. When I'm around new people I don't talk much."

"So is the army considered new to you?"

"Pretty much. That Sano-chan is alright, I suppose. Just annoying."

Sagara chuckled. We arrived at the a restaurant. Sagara booked a table that was upstairs and the army sat down. I unhooked my sword and sat in the corner, placing my sword beside me. I gazed over the crowd below, making sure nothing escaped my eye. A sway of red hair in a high ponytail. I stared. Kenshin?