Shiren smiled as Koza ran up to him and took his arm. "Do you think we did the right thing?" she asked demurely.

"Of course." He bent his head and kissed her. "You wanted to be free of Mukuro, didn't you?" He looked at her suspiciously. "You're not having second thoughts about that scruffy pirate, are you?"

She laughed merrily. "No. I used to think Mugen might take me away from my brother-anything would have been better than Mukuro. But I never cared about him." A darkness came and went in her eyes. "I saved his life and he still wouldn't help me. He deserved to die, just like Mukuro. I almost told him when he decided to leave without me that Mukuro left him deliberately to get caught that first time. I would have liked to see them kill each other, but then I would have been alone."

Shiren looked at her thoughtfully. "Remind me never to get you mad."

She gazed up at him. "I could never be mad at you, Shiren. Promise you'll never leave me."

"I won't." He started walking, his arm around her, her head on his shoulder. "And once the heat dies down, I'll show you where the gold is hidden." He gave her a quick squeeze. "Sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine." She took a deep breath, savoring the sea breeze and wondering how soon he would take her to the money. She couldn't ask him-she didn't want him to think she cared more about the gold than him. And he was nice-somebody she could depend on for as long as she wanted him. "I couldn't live like that anymore. Mukuro controlled me my whole life-now it's just you and me." She smiled at him. "I'm so happy."

His body tensed and she saw his eyes fix on something ahead of them. Koza's hands flew to her mouth, stifling a scream as she saw Mugen coming towards them. He was bloodied and weaving from side to side, leaning on his sword, but there was a terrible inexorableness in the way he moved and Shiren pushed her aside and ran at the Ryukyuan, drawing his sword.

Weak as he was, Mugen's reflexes still far outmatched the government official's and his sword was out and thrusting through the man almost before he knew what he was doing. He freed the blade with a quick jerk, wondering if he would be able to catch Koza in his current condition or if he would have to wait to hunt her down later.

He rested for a moment on his scabbard, catching his breath, then raised his head to see her staring at him, her face white. Mugen started slowly towards her. She needed killing worse than anyone he had ever known-if she wanted to stand there while he skewered her that was fine with him. The Ryukyuan didn't stop, but his mind continued to work as he made his painful way towards the girl. Why didn't she run? She had to know he could never catch her like this. She had what she wanted-Mukuro was dead, and there was no way she was broken-hearted over the guy he'd just killed. With all that gold she'd have no problems-she could have her pick of guys. Mugen had almost reached Koza when the truth hit him. She didn't know where the gold was! Mukuro had taken the secret of its hiding place to the grave. Maybe the dead guy had known-sure, that's why she was hanging on him, but he hadn't told her either.

Koza saw Mugen's searing rage as he came up to her and she gasped and closed her eyes, waiting to feel that bloody sword putting an end to her misery. She clenched her fists as she heard his hoarse breathing and uneven footsteps so close to her. So close-her eyes popped open. Mugen was walking past her, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "No! Mugen!" She dropped to her knees, sobbing hysterically. "Please! Please kill me!"

The Ryukyuan smiled to himself, consumed by darkness. It would have been so easy to kill her. So easy, and so wrong. He didn't want her blood on his blade-he wanted her to live, all alone in this lonely place without a cent. He hoped she lived a long, long time, tortured by the thought of the lost gold and the lives she had sacrificed for nothing.