I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Ryu, Liza, and Reiko are mine!

Chapter Two

The Terror Sisters

"I wonder where he's at right now."

Reiko glanced at the woman sitting beside her. "You can't be serious."

"Aren't you the least bit curious?"

"Not at all."

Liza chuckled and turned her gaze back to the sky. "I'm more comfortable with it just being the two of us but you have to admit...having Ryu could be comical. Five years is a long time."

"Too long," Reiko spat, sipping from her cup. "I don't like it when men justify their stalking as 'protection'."

Liza gave another laugh. "You know that he wasn't stalking us; we were just headed in the same direction."

"And then every time we parted ways just to find him right there again?"

"In his defense, we did that to him several times, too."

Reiko lowered her cup. "Elizabeth," The blonde woman winced at her full name being used. "Do you...like Matsu?" Liza gave her friend a blank look. Reiko gave a sigh. "My apologies."

Pulling her smile back up, Liza finished the last dango on the plate between them. "With how many times we've tried to ditch each other, perhaps there's something else at play here; something that wants us to stay together. Like God." Reiko gave a snort. Liza believed in the man above but she had no use for such trivial things as that; not after what she had been through. Liza frowned at her. "Don't believe it?"

"Not at all."

"Fine, let's make a bet. If we run into Ryu again then there's no more running. We stick with him and figure out just what is making us constantly run into him."

The other woman raised a brow. "Are you serious?"

"Dead," Liza locked eyes with her companion. "If we never see him again, I'll shut up about it but if we do end up beside him then there's no more running; we'll stick to him."

Reiko was silent for a moment. There was always the chance of not seeing the young man again. It's not that she disliked him personally, but she didn't trust men. In the five years that they had been forced together she had learned that Ryu was different than most men that she had known but there was always that fleeting doubt in her mind that made her clench her hand around the handle of her sword. Several times she had forced herself to stay awake and watch as Ryu and Liza slept. She would never give him a chance to-

"Fine," Reiko answered. "But we're not to go searching for him. "He has to show up himself."

"Good, "Liza leaned back in her seat. "Because I just saw him walk by outside."

Reiko blinked. "WHAT?!"

Ryu lifted a brow at the shout from the tea shack behind them. "What the hell's happening in there?"

"Does that really matter?" Mugen asked, a frown on his face. "We gotta figure out a way to get our swords back."

"No, you guys have to," Ryu smirked, placing a hand on the blade at his waist. "I can't believe you really gave your swords in a bidding." He glanced at Fuu. "And I also can't believe that you gave up like that."

"I wasn't giving up," Fuu grumbled angrily. "I told you that there was a fly! I'm still starving over here."

"That is very hard to believe," Jin commented, pushing his glasses up.

"And I cant' believe that we're actually following this weirdo around!" Mugen growled, glaring at the large man in front of them.

The weirdo that Mugen was referring to was a large, redhead with an accent. He was clearly not from Japan, and not just due to his way of speaking. He had employed the group in touring him around the city. Ryu had caught word of Ronin searching for the European so he and Jin were coming up ways to keep out of sight.

The fireworks that night really made the European excited. Ryu gave a sigh and as he watched the explosions in the sky, he found himself thinking about Reiko and Liza. He knew that it might have been best for them not to get involved with searching for the Sunflower Samurai, knew that they had enough trouble to deal with on their own accounts, but he couldn't help it. He had been with the two women for five years. He was worried about them getting caught or hurt and everything else that could possibly happen.

"I swear, I can't believe how much you two can eat." Mugen frowned, staring at Fuu and the European, Jouji, as he liked to be called. They had settled down to eat dinner, though Fuu and Jouji had been eating all day even after the competition.

"Are you kidding?" Fuu asked. "I always have room for free food."

"The sun has set," Jin began, calmly sipping his tea. "Sure;y you've seen enough of Edo by now."

Jouji smile. "No, not yet. I see more. There is lots more!"

Ryu gave a sigh. "Of course you do." He then frowned as a voice called throughout the restaurant.

"We've received a report that a European is in this restaurant. Hiding him wouldn't be in your best interest. Harboring him makes you an accomplice! Is that clear?"

At the mention of a European, Ryu's thoughts instantly went back to Liza but when the Ronin stated that it was a man they were after, he glanced at Jouji. "So, what' now?"

Mugen gave a grin, sipping more sake. "When someone talks like that, it puts me in a harboring kind of mood."

His words caught the Ronins attention.

"What's that? What did you just say to me? Interfere in police business, and you'll live to regret it."

Ryu hung his head as the men encircled them all. "Just great."

"I almost respect you for that, but it's in your own interest not to resist."

"If I were you, I'd apologize while I still had the chance."

Mugen stood up, rolling his shoulder. "When someone talks to me like that, it kinda pisses me off and I want to resist even more." He looked at Jouji. "Hey, gimme that sword on your back, will ya?"

The large man just stared at him. "I no gimme."

Mugen pulled a face. "Wha-? This ain't no time to be stingy, you bastard!"

"My, my, my," A voice called out from the other side of the restaurant, a few seats down. "We came in here for peace and quiet and yet here we find a bunch of fools disrupting such a peaceful night. It's a shame."

Ryu felt his mouth drop open as the tall form stood; he'd recognize that blonde hair anywhere.

Liza gave her arms a stretch, tilting her head to the side as she let them fall. "I hate it when my meal is interrupted, don't you, Rei?"

The other woman gave a sigh. "Keep me out of your games, Liza."

She smiled. "I guess I couldn't hide from the law for much longer anyway, huh?" She rolled her neck. "Your European's right here, pal."

"It...it was a woman this entire time?" One of the men gasped.

"Why did they say a man?"

"Because you're morons," Liza replied. "So are we going to do this or what?"

"G-get her!"

With the five of them completely forgotten now, Ryu watched as the police attacked Liza. He stood up to help but Fuu grabbed his sleeve, dragging him out of the building behind her and the others.

"I don't know who they are, but let's take this chance to get the hell out of here"! Fuu told him.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" Jin asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Did you see the size of that weapon she grabbed? She'll be fine!" Mugen grinned. "The more important question would be how big did you think her-"

"No, no, no, no," Ryu slapped his hands over his ears. "I'm not hearing this!"

Mugen had been referring to the Naginata that Liza had grabbed right before they left the building. Instead of using the one more prone to women, the English woman had trained herself with the ones that the men would use. Seeming as how she was taller and her limbs were longer than most of the women, and men, here in Japan, she used it well. And with Reiko there, he had no doubt that the women would be fine.

Ryu thought that they were done, but Jouji had conned them into watching a play with Noriemon Nakamura. Ryu wanted to just leave but he had to stay in case more guards showed up. He hated sitting through things like this; especially since he knew that Nakamura was really a man. He'd rather watch a real woman on the stage. As Jouji went to go see the actor, a secret was revealed.

"This good. I like man better."

Everyone pulled a shocked look.

"The dude's a fag." Ryu and Mugen shared a look before both began to laugh, having to hold the other up.

"That explains so much!" Mugen howled.

Jouji ignored them. "You are just my type. My kind of man." Their laughter just got harder. "I ask you favor. Will you listen to my story?" He closed his eyes. "I am not really a Japanese. I come here from Holland."

Ryu and Mugen, wiping tears from their eyes, finally stopped laughing as the big man continued to talk. A man loving another man is against the bible so Jouji was treated like a deviant. He came across a book called 'Great Mirror of Male Love' and decided to come to Japan.

"There you are!"

At the voice, the group turned to see that the cops had found them again. Does this mean that they beat Liza and Reiko? Or had the two women run off when their group was safe and gone?

"I do not understand," Jouji frowned. "Why do you arrest me? I do nothing wrong."

"Here in our land of the rising sun, even if dogs, cats, or even worms are allowed to live, there's no law saying that foreigners are allowed to! As soon as we're done with you, we'll find that other European and capture her, too!"

"That's what all this is about?" Ryu raised a brow. "You do understand that, in the long run, every country is going to have foreigners. It's inevitable. Hell, your descendants are probably going to marry one."

"Shut your mouth!"

"Fact is fact," Jin replied smoothly.

"Never!"

From behind the doors came another voice in a strange language and they all watched as a group of men, all with pots on their heads, joined them. It was more Europeans.

"I swear," Ryu began as Jouji gave Mugen and Jin their swords back so they could fight. "I don't even know what's going on anymore."

"Aren't...aren't you going to help them?" Fuu asked.

"Why should I? They look like they've got it under control."

Mugen led the entire fight out onto the stage, Jouji and the others following them as Ryu kept Fuu behind the scenes to watch as a man brought forth a Scarlet Seal of the Shogunate. Turns out that Jouji was really Governor-General Izaac Titsingh, the chief merchant of the Dutch East India Company's Japan Branch.

The cops instantly bowed their heads. "W-we humbly beg your forgiveness for our insolence!"

"What's that mean?" Mugen asked.

Jin was the one to answer. "That means that he's a special foreigner who has official dispensation from the Shogunate."

'All me to introduce myself. I am Sukeemon Tanaka, assigned by the Shogunate as their interpreter.

Izaac and one of the other Dutch men began to talk. From the defeated look on his face, he had given in to returning home.

"I guess is was only dream that I get to live as Japanese," Jouji sighed the next morning as he bid the group goodbye. "But I suppose that is not possible yet."

"Hey, cheer up," Fuu smiled.

He smiled at her. "But eventually, the day will come when this country will accept people like me. I am sure one day things will change and people here will not be so tight-assed."

Mugen gave a grin. "Like anyone's gonna be able to relax their ass with you around."

Jouji laughed. "I wish to show you my gratitude."

Mugen shook his head. "Forget it. It's not like we did anything for it." He turned to leave, Jin right behind him.

"If you'll excuse us."

"See ya!""

"Later, Jouji." Ryu gave him a wave. "And good luck."

"Hey, wait a second." Fuu cried after them before turning back to Jouji.

"So what are we supposed to do now?" Mugen asked, arms crossed behind his head. Ryu grinned as Fuu caught up with them a few minutes later.

"Isn't it obvious?" Fuu grinned, moving ahead of the three men.

"What's obvious?" Ryu asked.

She glanced at him. "We're going to Nagasaki!"

Ryu stopped in his footsteps. "Nagasaki?"

Nagasaki...that was where Reiko was from. That' where...

"Something wrong?" Jin asked, pausing beside the other man.

"No...not...for me, anyway."

Mugen turned to look at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that it's none of your business, asshole."

"Oh, you're just looking for a fight now, pal!" Mugen grabbed his sword.

"You really think you'll be able to do anything to me?" Ryu grabbed his own.

"Hey now," Fuu put herself between the duo as Jin gave a silent sigh. "This isn't the time for this, Ryu!"

"He started it."

"Like hell I did!"

"Oh dear."

Jin's voice grabbed their attention and they turned to see that the cops from the night before had returned, this time a younger man was at the front of the patrol, staring at Ryu.

"Can we help you?" Fuu asked, her hands still tightly gripped to Ryu's clothes.

"You there, are you Ryu Matsu?"

The man in question felt a frown tugging at his lips. He instantly pulled Fuu behind him. "It depends on who's asking."

"I knew I recognized you," the young man began. "Your face...I could never forget it." He glanced around the area. "When I received reports of Rush and Noba in town, I knew that you would be here as well. Where are they? It'll be easier to take you all in at once."

Fuu pulled a frown. "Ryu, what are they talking about?"

The older man ignored her words and let a grin spread across his face. "Is that right? And just what makes you think that you'll be able to do that? You're just a group of wanna-bes; you really think you can take me in when you can't even fight off a set of women?"

"So, it seems we're not the only outlaws in this happy little shit-fest," Mugen grinned at the other man. "Just what did you do?"

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that."

"Ryu Matsu, you're under arrest for helping in the escape of the Terror Sisters and eluding the Shinsengumi." The man took a step forward. "Surrender the Terror Sisters to us and we might be able to lower your sentence."

"The Terror Sisters?" A new voice joined them. "That's the best you can come up with? I'm insulted. It sounds retarded."

Jin raised a brow, things getting more confusing the longer all this went on. It was the two women from the restaurant the night before. The one to speak had been the blonde; that smirk of her seemed to be glued to her face. The one that caught Jin's attention was the one beside her, though. The sullen, uncaring look on her face reminded him much of the look he often wore himself.

"Why are we always saving you, Matsu?" The blond called across the way.

Ryu gave her a smirk. "If it wasn't for you two then I wouldn't be in the trouble I'm in now. And if I recall, I'm the one always saving you, Liza."

"Good, now that you're here it's saving us the trouble of tracking you down." The cop grinned. "After I capture you I'll be set for life; the prices on your head are high, whether alive or dead."

"Oh, you poor little boy," Liza shook her head. "Do you really think that you're leaving here alive?"

"Wha-?" the cop barely had time to speak before his head rolled across the ground, Reiko standing before his body, sword in her outstretched hand. No one had time to breathe before the young woman turned her blade to the other cops there, all falling like rocks in a landslide.

"Holy shit." Fuu stared in shock.

"Language," Ryu told the younger woman as Reiko used one of the shirts to clean the blood from her katana before sheathing it. "Still as ruthless as ever."

"And you're still as dumb as ever," Liza grinned, moving forward. "You would think you would learn by now to leave town immediately when the police take notice of you."

"I couldn't leave without Fuu," Ryu replied coolly.

"Fuu?" Liza tilted her head, taking a better look at the younger woman behind the man. "So this is the little sister that you were talking about, is it?"

"That's right."

"Matsu," Fuu began timidly. "Who are they?"

"Ahh, how rude. These are the two companions of mine that I was telling you about. Elizabeth Rush and Reiko Noba."

"Please, just Liza is fine."

Reiko glared at the man. "You have a habit of following us, Matsu. You should break it; and fast."

"Oh, come on, that wasn't part of the deal, Reiko!"

"Deal?" Jin asked.

"That's right. We made a deal. Since we keep running into eachother, we made a bet. The next time we met, we were stuck with you."

Ryu frowned. "Aren't I getting enough trouble from you two? I'm already running from the law."

"Just to join two more men running from the law, right?" Liza grinned. "Isn't this the same little girl that broke two convicts from prison in a certain town and then ran off?"

"You seem to know a lot about us," Mugen grinned. "Don't we get an introduction? Just who the hell are you two?"

"They're Elizabeth Rush...and Reiko Noba..." A voice gasped from the ground. At Liza's feet one of the officers was still alive, though barely. "They're...the two...single-handedly responsible for the destruction and slaughter of the entire Castle Norika."

"Oh look, you missed one, Reiko. You're getting sloppy."

Reiko snorted, turning her face away.

"You've...been on the run...for ten years..." The man reached forward, reaching for Liza's kimono. "You will...be caught...so-"

His voice stopped when the blade of Liza's Naginata was shoved through the back of his head, his hand dropping to the ground before it could touch her clothes.

Liza wore that happy grin in her face still as she dislodged the blade from the dead man's skull. "I don't like it when filth tries to touch me," Lifting her eyes back to Ryu she continued to smile. "Oh, is the little girl afraid?"

Ryu glanced at Fuu and found the younger woman shaking. He placed an arm around her shoulders. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Kasami. I trust these two women with my life; they won't try and harm you."

"Besides, you're not my type," Liza added.

"Hot damn!" Mugen grinned at the blonde. "The things I would do to you!"

Liza laughed. "You'll have to pay for that, little boy."

He look interested. "Oh really? And just what's the price?"

"Oh, I'm not picky. Fingers, heads, blood; as long as I get to watch."

Mugen's mouth dropped open.

"What kind of people are you traveling with?" Fuu asked her brother.

"Not normal ones, apparently," Ryu gave a nervous laugh. "You play too much, Liza."

"Who's playing? I'm so serious. Nothing turns me on more than-"

"Enough, Elizabeth," Reiko told her companion. "You'll end up putting him in a coma if you continue."

Fuu and Ryu both shook their heads as Liza laughed. Mugen had begun to drool, hearts in his eyes as he imagined his fantasy scenes over and over in his head.

Jin gave a frown. He knew about the fall of Norika Castle. Ten years ago everyone was found slaughtered in the castle. The suspects wanted was said to be two maids from the castle who had disappeared when the flames engulfed the castle. The way the Lord was found was said to be...very brutal. Were these two women really responsible? They seemed young; if they were then they committed murder at such a young age.

"Why...why did you kill the ones in Norika?" Fuu asked. "What made you become killers?"

"I did what I had to," Reiko replied coldly. "Criminal, murderer," Her eyes were like daggers. "Call me what you want; it means not. I don't need to justify my actions to anyone."

Fuu shrank away from the older woman; Liza laughed.

"Don't scare her too much now, Reiko," Liza looked at Ryu again. "It looks like you're stuck with us again, Matsu. So...where are we heading?"

Ryu frowned. "You're serious about this?"

"It's not like we have anything better to do," The blonde replied. "Besides, it appears that you're getting dragged into some strange situations. If we stay with you then that might mean that I can get more people to kill and that's always fun."

"Oooh, we're gonna get along just fine." Mugen grinned at her.

"Try and keep your blood lust under control, Elizabeth," Reiko sighed. "We have enough problems on our hands as it is."

"Well, I would be able to quench my thirst in a different way if the brothel in the last village hadn't been closed down!" Liza sighed. "Such a shame, too."

"The brothel?" Jin raised a brow. This woman did realize that brothels only help female bodies, didn't she?

"Uh...we did that, didn't we?" Fuu asked, glancing at Mugen.

"What?!" Liza glared at the trio before her. "You bastards! I was looking forward to that, too!"

"So what, you're into chicks or something?" Mugen asked her.

"Hey, sex is sex," She grinned. "Men, women...hell, I'm up for a three-way if it comes down to it; it all depends on the mood; and if you can pay me enough."

Mugen's grin grew wider. "The two of us are going to have so much fun."

"I doubt that," Reiko replied. "I refuse to let her play with dirty toys."

"What did you say?"

Ryu gave a sigh. "I believe that this journey is just going to get worse and worse."

Jin stayed silent but secretly agreed with the other man. Worse; and yet interesting.

I hope you guys like it. Review! :)