Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Blade of the Immortal is not mine.

Rin was furious. She had sniveled like a child when she had found Manji gone, and it had only made her more angry to reflect on her own reaction. She had grown far to attached to an indifferent man. His scarred features becoming something she admired daily, and his strong torso something which she often dreamed of pressing herself against. She had allowed her affections to take control of her mind, and now they were impairing her actions. There was no use in crying over his absence, and it certainly wouldn't make him repent his actions to find her sulking when he came back. Although the thought of him laying with another woman, stroking the moist flesh of her inner thigh as she straddled his hips, made her grit her teeth hard enough to make her jaw ache. So instead, she had taken some money, and decided to make him repent in a different way.

Taking a deep breath, and holding it, she swallowed the clear, burning liquid in one gulp. The sake burned her throat as it made it's way into her empty stomach. It slushed around and ignited a fire within her, which matched her mood. She hunched over and started hacking as the liquid slid down her throat and left a blazing trail behind. The sake had a foul taste to it, bitter and harsh on her palate. The owner of the small restaurant looked at the girl with both amusement and concern, as he prepared some pickled radish for her.

"That's not how you drink it, kid," he chuckled.

His comment only encouraged her further, sounding far too similar to something her bodyguard would say. She was just as much a woman as Hyakurin had been, and the blonde assassin had often indulged in the drink. Hyakurin had also warned her not to fall for someone like Manji- telling her that a samurai would never warm her bed or her heart for long. Pouring another cup, she lifted it up to her lips and downed it vigorously. She held the mouthful of liquor in her mouth, unsure what do with it at first, but the taste was so foul that she forced herself to swallow it- causing her to release another fit of coughing. After recovering, she laid her head down on the table-top and groaned, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Why is it that revenge never seemed to work out for her? Stupid Manji.

"Oh welcome, good sir!" the owner said as he ushered a man inside, setting the plate of yellow vegetables next to Rin's head, "What would you like?"

"Some sake," a familiar voice said as a figure brushed past her to sit down. A cool air prickled her skin as the man walked past her, but a different sort of chill sent a shiver through her mind.

The alcohol slowed down her senses as she tried to pin-point where exactly she had heard that voice before. The tone had been harsh, almost as if commanding the drink to appear before him, but held a placid calmness about it that irritated her. A calmness that had been used on her before, brushing away her arguments with a simple tone. She lifted her head slowly, as if the movement pained her, and looked up at the figure looming over her, the whole room spinning as she tried to settle her gaze upon his features. Eyes widening in disbelief, she met the astonished gaze of the last man she had expected to see- Anotsu Kagehisa.

"A-A-Ano-," she stuttered, as she slammed her hands on the table and tried to stand. A few of the patrons of the small restaurant turned their heads to watch the scene.

Kagehisa groaned and ran a hand over his face in exasperation, "You again."

Rin, still swooning from the liquor she had downed on an empty stomach, puffed up indignantly, and crossed her arms. She didn't like his tone, and she was just about to open her mouth and retort when he slammed a hand against her shoulder and knocked her to the ground. She hit the tatami floor so hard that the breath was knocked out from her lungs. She winced, but her disgruntled moan was caught in her throat never to be heard when she saw the small, yet deadly accurate shuriken imbedded in the space that she had only moments before been occupying. She looked up to watch in awe as Kagehisa unsheathed his sword and cut through a man who had seemed to appear from nowhere, watching as he turned with fascinating swiftness to slice through another. Soon, the lanterns that lit the small restaurant were stained by blood, and cast eerie shadows along the floor as a few of the startled customers gasped and screamed. The demon shadows seemed to dance along Rin's pale face as she watched the corpses of the two men laying on the floor- her brown eyes flashing with various emotions. Kagehisa sheathed his sword with his usual calmness, but his eyes betrayed the facade as he turned the raging orbs onto the the girl he had unconsciously saved.

She scrambled back to her feet as he approached her, her feet clumsy as she tried to stand firmly, "You've done it now, girl," he growled.

Terrified, she lifted her arms in front of her face to shield herself from the man's fury. Those eyes had looked like a snake's eyes, the slits filled with murderous intent as if he was preparing to strike her. When the blow never came, she blinked her eyes in surprised and slowly lowered her arms. Kagehisa's gaze was everywhere, but on her, as his hand rested on his sword hilt. He scanned the bodies on the floor, and analyzed the confusion as several people tried to scramble past them and onto the street outside.

"We're being watched," he said in a tone slightly above a whisper.

Before Rin could fully understand the meaning of his words, he grabbed her thin wrist in his firm grasp and pulled her from the restaurant. She couldn't help but note how his hand seemed to fully envelop hers, his knuckles almost a ghostly white color. When they emerged outside, they were assailed by three more men, all of whom were garbed in black clothing. A crowd of people had gathered, both curious and yet scared of the sudden commotion on their busy streets. Kagehisa released her, and countered a sudden attack, his expression unflinching as the blades clinked together. The sound resonated through the air as the crowd held their breath momentarily, like a single entity, before Kagehisa parried and sliced through the first man with ease. As the second charged at him, blade raised over his head in a furious rage, the third one looked directly at Rin. She snapped out of her dreamlike reverie as she caught his murderous gaze. Scrambling to find her concealed daggers, she furtively searched the inside of her kimono sleeves only to find them bare of any weapon. She desperately racked her brain, trying to make sense of their absence, her mind taunting her with the memory of the wash basket. She had forgotten them at the bath in her hurry. Stumbling backwards as the man approached her, her back thudded against the wall behind her. It was the only thing supporting her as she gasped- the man lunging for her. He was only inches from her, and she could almost feel the blade he held in his hand pierce through her with the force of his attack. Instead, the attacker's blood splattered across her face as his neck was slit from behind- his head dipping forward without the support of his severed spine. She felt the thick blood running down her cheek, the droplet leaving behind a trail of crimson on her pale skin. The man's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell to the ground, revealing Kagehisa as her savior. There was a flutter in her chest as their eyes met, and she thought she saw an inkling of concern in his look, but it was so quickly replaced by that same placid coolness that she began to doubt herself.

The remaining man, who had only been tossed aside in Kagehisa's desperation to stop the attack targeted at Rin, now scrambled to his feet. He quickly analyzed the situation, and his eyes drank in Rin's pale face, now stained with his ally's blood, and he filed it away in his mind in order to give a detailed report. He had heard rumors that a woman normally accompanied Anotsu Kagehisa, one whose battle skills may even surpass the leader of the Itto-ryu. Kagehisa had been frantic in his attempt to protect her, and although she was not the beauty that had been described to him, it would certainly interest his master to know of any potential threat. Realizing his attention was directed towards Rin, Kagehisa grit his teeth and attempted to charge at him, his sword slicing through the air. The man, however, had no intention of fighting a losing battle and quickly turned on his heel to run. Without the element of surprise, his purpose changed from one of attack, to one of solely relaying information to his master about a girl that seemed to hold Anotsu Kagehisa's attention. Knowing that chasing after him would only result in a failed attempt at capturing him, the man's form already disappearing among the gathered crowd, Kagehisa sheathed his sword with a sigh.

Turning to the girl, his expression dark, he watched her hold herself. Her eyes were glued on the men that lay immobile on the ground, "W-Who…?"

"Assassins," Kagehisa stated matter of factly, "whom now think you are my companion."

A wave of nausea hit Rin along with Kagehisa's words, as the events of that night caused her to empty out her stomach. She retched, as the alcohol came back up and burned her throat once more. She rested a hand against the wall of the restaurant as she allowed his words to sink in. A companion? Her? They had almost killed her because they thought she was allied with him? She would have laughed bitterly, if she wasn't feeling so sick. She never wanted to touch sake again.

Kagehisa cocked a brow at the girl's reaction, and could clearly tell from the smell that she was drunk. In any other situation he would have been amused by her drunken state, but as countless eyes watched them, his face showed no mirth. He looked around, but failed to see the Killer of a Hundred anywhere, and wondered momentarily what she was doing drinking alone in the middle of the night. As she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, she peered up at him, her expression still dazed- partly because of the alcohol, but mostly because of the sudden turn of event. He knew that if he tried to walk away, she would follow him, and possibly yell his name for all these people to hear. She was too drunk to reason with, and he wouldn't be able to talk sense into her with so many ears cocked in their direction. Besides, he'd never been good at words. He had no choice but to take her with him. A choice which made him uneasy as he watched the trembling Asano girl. Reinforcements were sure to come, and she was now involved- much to his annoyance. He noticed she was in no condition to leave the area swiftly, and without a second thought, he pulled her close by wrapping an arm around her waist. She was startled as she looked up, a pretty flush springing to her cheeks. Before she could utter a word of protest he heaved her over his shoulder like a sack of rice, relieved that she was so surprisingly light. He kept her there by holding her firmly with one arm still around her slim waist, while his free hand slid down the hilt of his sword.

"W-What are you doing?!" she sputtered indignantly.

"Saving your life," he replied, "so stop squirming and be quiet."

She fell silent, her brows furrowed in indignation as he pushed his way through the crowds, and made his way to less populated streets. If she hadn't already emptied her stomach, she was sure she'd be doing so now, the jolting of each footfall causing her intestines to churn. She couldn't understand why she always ended up following his orders without protest- perhaps this was why he was a leader of men. His tone just naturally commanded, and people responded to it unconsciously, like she just had. She was not unaware of his hand, and how it seemed inappropriate in it's current position, but she didn't protest in fear of sounding childish. Besides, the world around her was still spinning, and she was partially glad that she wouldn't have to chase after him. When they arrived to the edge of town, he placed her onto her feet once more, and she tried her best to look composed. He seemed to be scrutinizing her, and his expression reflected his thoughts- he was calculating the best way to dispose of her. She had no intention of leaving his side, however, not after months of chasing after him and finding nothing. The only thing she regretted was not having Manji by her side, but she had been placed in this situation before, and she wasn't about to back down from the opportunity.

"Don't even think about getting rid of me," she stated defiantly.

He cocked an eyebrow at her once more. That taunting expression that he often reserved only for her. She hated the smug bastard. He took a step toward her, something which she naturally responded to with a step back. This continued for several moments until her back was pressed firmly against a wall. Her heart thudded nervously against her rib cage as the man before her placed the palm of his hand flat against the wall beside her head, making her feel trapped between his body and the cold stone. Their proximity was close enough to bring heat to her cheeks, despite the coolness of the evening air. He leaned in closer still, his face only inches from hers as his other hand reached up to undo the scarf that she had offhandedly thrown around her shoulders before leaving the inn. As her neck became exposed, she could feel his warm breath caressing her cheek, driving her to the brink of bewilderment. His actions were so intimate that she felt as if she would awaken from a nightmare where the affections she sought from her bodyguard were being reciprocated by the man she despised instead.

Almost as if satisfied by her silent reaction, and the confusion and fear reflected in her large eyes, he pulled back from her. He studied the scarf that dangled from his fingers, still warm from Rin's heat, with what could only be indifference. He ignored the questions spreading across her features and gave her a cold smile, as if the article of clothing brought him a secret mirth. He threw it back at her, causing Rin to jump out of her startled silence in order to catch it in her fumbling grasp.

"Wrap that around your eyes," he said, as if this was the natural thing to do with a scarf, "only then will I take you with me."

"W-Why should I do that?!" she stuttered, her hands still gripping the scarf which was now the source of so much embarrassment.

He looked at her as if the answer was obvious, "So you will not see in what direction we go."

Kagehisa watched her, his slanted eyes cold and demanding. She knew that if he truly wished to leave her behind, he could easily slit her throat as he had done to that assassin before. She also knew that he had not harmed her yet for a reason. Perhaps he felt pity towards her for what he had done to her parents. If that was the case, her dislike of him was well justified. She looked down at the white scarf in her hands, some droplets of blood staining its otherwise pure color, and studied it momentarily. She thought of Manji. He'll be furious at her for going without him- for putting her life once more in peril. She could imagine his expression of disappointment when he discovered her missing, how he would search for her, desperate to find her. She frowned. Why had he always been so desperate to keep her by his side, if when she was there, her existence seemed meaningless to him? She met Kagehisa's cold gaze with a challenging one of her own.

Lifting the cloth to her eyes, she was soon enveloped in darkness.