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

Chapter Six

Useless

The rain felt good on her skin. It wasn't often that she got to go out in public without hiding her face and so when it rained that's what she liked to do. They had been on the run for so long and being caught because she wanted some alone time in a town was not something that she wanted. She had to get out on her own, though. She needed air to breath. Liza and Ryu she could handle but the other three…she had kept her mouth shut for as long as she could but the moment that Mugen brought in a giant beetle to 'train' for a sumo match, she had called it quits and left the building they were staying in.

Reiko was currently standing on a bridge, letting the rain hit her face. She hadn't even bothered to grab an umbrella or a hat to try and stay dry. It had been so long since she had just stood in the rain. It was like the water was trying to erase all the sins that she carried on her back, to try and relieve her of the guilt that she felt on her shoulders, but she knew that it was just wishful thinking.

She did find herself getting worried, though. Not for herself, but for Liza. Elizabeth had been spending a lot of time with that Vagabond, Mugen. She knew that the younger woman could take care of herself, but she was worried about just how far she could be pushed. Mugen made no attempt to hide that he wanted nothing more than to have sex with the English woman but his sudden talks and outbursts on the subject had suddenly come to a stop; right after he killed that Shoryu guy, actually. Had Liza said something to him about it?

Speaking of Shoryu, Reiko wanted to deny it but she couldn't; she was impressed. From what Zuikou had told them, Shoryu had been dangerous; very much so, leaving her shocked when Mugen killed him. All of them had been, apparently. Mugen wasn't just all talk, apparently. The warrior in her was impressed. That didn't happen often.

With a sigh, she finally turned her head from the sky. It was getting close to nightfall and she should head back to the house they were staying at, getting sick was not something that she wanted so a bath was welcoming, but her stomach growling made her stop. She should grab something to eat first. The night before, Ryu, Fuu, and Mugen had nearly demolished what they had for dinner between the three of them, leaving the others with nothing. She didn't feel like going through that again and, so she went off in search for something to eat before bed.

Not far away she found an eel stand; and a familiar face.

Jin was standing there, no doubt trying to earn money, with a young woman leaving the said shop, leaving her umbrella behind. She didn't want to deal with anyone from the group but had no choice as her hunger drew her to the shack.

"Are you all right?"

Jin was surprised to see Reiko sit down before him, and even more surprised to find her soaking wet.

"I came to eat, not talk," Her voice was rough, making her cough. Jin stared at her in silence for a moment before making a cup of tea and placing it in front of her. She stared at the steaming cup for a moment before glancing up. "Is there any honey?"

Jin raised a brow, stopping his hands as he tried to prepare one of the eels. "Honey?"

"It's…a remedy that Liza taught me. It helps with sore throats."

"Hmm."

Jin felt…awkward as he searched around the small shop for some honey. He gave a defeated sigh when he had no luck.

"It's to be expected." Came her gruff answer before she sipped the tea.

The man stared at her for a second before returning to the eel before him. As he worked, questions ran through his head. This was the most he had heard Reiko talk without being mean or snappy. She seemed…was normal the right word? Normally the woman was angry and mean but now she just seemed…depressed; in all honesty, she made him think of himself.

The silence between them was awkward but at the same time pleasant. Jin wasn't much of a talker himself, that was true, but he found himself wanting to ask questions. Ever since they arrived, and he was told that she and Liza were the ones responsible for the destruction of Castle Norika, he had wanted to ask questions about it but just never had. It never felt like the time was right…would it ever be right to ask about something like that?

What had happened to Norika had placed the two of them as people with the biggest bounties on their head; some of the most wanted outlaws in the land. He had never heard of women being wanted like this before, though. It made the situation…even stranger.

Glancing at Reiko as she ate in silence, Jin saw the umbrella beside her, and paused his lips. That woman from before…

"Don't bother," Reiko's voice brought Jin from his thoughts and back to her. She had closed her eyes, not bothering to look at the eel as she ate. He didn't burn it like he had before, but it wasn't far from it. He was surprised she was eating it without saying a word. "If she left it here, then just leave it. Don't get involved with anything."

He frowned at her, glancing away after a moment. "I was thinking of nothing."

"You lie; all you men do. The lust is clear on your face. It always is."

The anger, the pain in her voice, made his frown deepen. It was clear that had been hurt. Did it have anything to do with what he saw the night before?

There, back at Zuikou's home, he had seen something that he should not have. He had chanced by the bathing room just as Reiko had been undressing; apparently, she was not aware that she had left the door open a bit and so he got an eyeful of her back. She was a slim woman, curves that he would normally enjoy looking at and white skin that he would love to touch but there was something else there than made him freeze. He could still see them in his mind even now, plain as day. There had been burn marks all over her back, and not from just some kind of wild fire. There were stab marks and slashes as well.

This woman…she had been tortured.

"You don't trust men, do you?" Jin found the question leaving his mouth before he could stop himself.

She raised her eyes to look at him; he could see the anger in her cold, grey eyes. He also saw something else. A feeling that he couldn't describe.

"It's not just men," She finally replied. "It's everyone. The only one I can trust is Liza."

Jin stared at her. "Allow me a chance to change that."

He didn't know why he said that but there was just a feeling in his stomach that told him to do just that.

"It's a lost cause," She told him, finally standing. "So, don't bother; it'll just annoy me in the end worse than you already do."

"Wait," Jin moved forward as she began to leave. "It won't do much, but take my hat," He held it out to her. "I know you're already wet, but it can help at least a little."

Reiko glanced at him again before reaching into her kimono and dropping money on the counter before walking off into the rain again in silence. Jin gave a disheartened sigh. She was, undoubtedly, a hard egg to crack. That's what he was trying to do after all, right? He just didn't understand why that was. Then again, did he really need a reason? He was raised to respect women and to treat them right and help them when in discomfort. That's all this was, wasn't it?

They stayed in the same town while it rained continuously for nearly a week. Jin found himself drawn to the brothel that woman from the eel stand; he wanted to help her. Several times he and Reiko had exchanged words about it. She had saved him one night while he was being beaten by the guards at the said brothel. She had happily told him that he was an idiot, that what he was doing was useless, and that the other woman was just a waste of time. She felt that by letting her become a trade-off for her husband's debt was her own weakness. It turned into an anger match and since then Reiko had yet to say a word to him.

Reiko, instead, stayed in the building they were using today as Ryu was reading by candlelight nearby. Liza was sitting with her, her head in Reiko's lap, as she sang a little song under her breath. Mugen and Fuu had just recently returned from that Beetle Sumo Match again, Mugen proudly boasting that his Beetle, Rodriguez, had won.

"Tohi, tohi,

Waraenai hanashi

Itsuka, boku ga

Inaku natta nara

Fukai, fukai

Mori ni ochita."

Liza's voice was making the older woman slip off into slumber before Fuu and Mugen had returned, but that was shattered at their loud voices; especially when Jin returned to them and asked to take some of that money to buy a woman.

"Kimi wa hitori de

Yukunda ze.

Tsunaida te niwa

Yawarakana taion

Nigitta yubi ga yururi

Hodoketara.

Kareta neiro no

Kane ga naru."

She instantly turned her eyes to him.

"You cannot be serious." Jin glanced at her before closing his eyes. "It has nothing to do with you, and yet you continue to meddle. The woman made her choice, let her lie with it."

"I simply cannot. If you were her, would you not want help?"

"Unlike her, I don't need help." Reiko growled. "You're just wasting your time. She's useless; leave her there to rot."

"Ooh, you're riled up tonight," Liza giggled from her lap. "What's going on?"

"This idiot is trying to save a woman from a brothel."

"But why? Do you know her?"

"Not exactly."

"She's just using you, dude," Ryu commented, glancing over from his book. He saw that the other ronin had been beaten to hell. "That's what they do. The more sex they bring in, the better their lives are."

"She's not like that; I know it."

"Falling in love after three days? Kinda sad, dude," Liza teased.

"Men don't think with their heads, so what do you expect?" Reiko growled, crossing her arms.

"Hey now, a man has his needs," Mugen grinned. "I understand," He tossed the man the gold. "Go have fun pal."

Ryu gave a sigh and turned back to his book as Liza giggled and Reiko just sat there in distaste.

Fuu frowned as Jin walked back out. "You don't think he's actually going to go by a woman, do you?"

"Hey, I'm glad to hear it." Mugen replied, rolling over to glance at the beetle that he had tied the rock to again.

"What?"

"Well, ya know, I was getting suspicious. You ever seen him check out a girl?"

"So? Who cares?"

"It's a pretty big sign he's queer."

"Then we should match him and Matsu up!" Liza giggled.

The said man sighed from the corner. "I told you this a thousand times, Liza; I'm not gay."

"But the two of you would look so cute together!"

"What I don't get is why he thinks he needs another woman when he's got me around," She glanced at the other duo.

Everyone, save Reiko, looked at the younger woman. Mugen's eyes had widened. "What, you sayin' you wanna be his main squeeze?"

"That's not what I said!"

"You've got the figure of a wood plank," Mugen decided to continue.

"I do not! Clothing just makes me look slender."

"Yeah right."

"It's the truth!"

"Show me what you got then."

"And that's where we stop," Ryu closed his book and sat up. "This conversation ends here now, please."

"How about you then?" Mugen looked at Liza with a grin. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind slipping off and-"

"We're going to bed," Reiko's words made Mugen smirk. He knew that the older woman was going to cut the conversation short; it was amusing to him now that he was getting used to her personality. To say she didn't intrigue him was a lie, but he'd rather have the blonde that laid in her lap.

It was the next night and Jin had left again. He and Shino were trying to escape the brothel together and had, unfortunately, caused quite the commotion. He tired fighting them all off without his swords but gave a silent sigh of relief when Mugen and Fuu arrived to help and give him his said swords.

Jin grabbed Shino and dragged her to the dock while Mugen took care of most of the enemy. After exchanging words with the man that used to be her husband, Jin pushed her from the dock, freeing her as more guards showed up. He watched after her for a moment before turning to face the men only to find them falling to the ground already, Reiko waving their blood from her blade before sheathing it again. She wore a glare on her face as she stared at the younger man.

"Are you done playing around now?"

"Is this what you call what happened?" He found anger rising in his chest.

"Wouldn't you? I told you not to get involved. Romance of any type is useless, as are people like her."

"Don't say that."

"I only speak the truth."

"Take it back!"

Jin had taken a step towards her but froze as she grabbed the handle of her sword again. There was a fire in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. This woman…if he were to take another step towards her then she would kill him.

"I have no contract with any of you, so I have no problem fighting you." She stared him down before Jin gave a sigh and turned away. She let go of her sword. "Getting involved and twisted with something like this is pathetic," She told him. "If you want to sleep with whores, be my guest, but don't get involved like this again."

She turned to leave but Jin glanced after her again, deciding to open his mouth. "What happened to you to make you lose your trust in everything?"

He watched as her steps paused. She was silent for a moment, as if she was struggling with an inner battle, before starting to walk off again.

"The past is useless too, so it's better to stay where it lies."

Jin gave a sigh before closing his eyes. That woman…she was a piece of work. It still made him want to learn the reasons behind Noriko Castle; and the scars that burdened not just her body, but her heart as well.

I hope you guys like it. Review! :)