Standard disclaimers: We don't own Ruroken. We wish we did, but unfortunately 
Watsuki and 
some big name companies already have this privilege.

mmm, starting with this chapter we will have A LOT of Tokio/Hajime-interaction.
Mara promises (responsible for story-line)!!! GEEZ, people! 
This chapter consumed most of my brain-cells, not to mention Morgane who has 
some 
important exams at the moment.



CHAPTER 5



With all the arrogance she was capable of, she shoot a superior glance at 
Saitou. 
"Mind your manners, wolf!" she told him sharply. "Will you introduce me to them 
or not?"

The two Shinsengumi gasped again, hearing her speaking this disrespectful and 
seeing 
Saitou's eyes gleaming golden.

"Nagakura-san, leader of the second unit, Takeda-san leader of the 5th unit. 
Takemoto 
Tokio from Osaka."

Grinding her teeth together due to the impolite introduction she bowed to the 
men.

"Nice to meet you."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Uncertainly Nagakura greeted back while Takeda had already regained his senses 
and started
his interrogation, observing her frame interested.

"You witnessed the murderer, Takemoto-san?"

Thoughtfully Tokio wrinkled her nose while looking directly into the attractive 
man's [1]
eyes. He was the best looking male she had ever met in her whole live, she had 
to admit 
inwardly and instantly forced herself to concentrate on the question. She did 
not want to 
behave like a complete dump idiot in front of him and, in addition to that, she 
was not 
eager to give him some information that could lead him to false conclusions. As 
far as she
could see, she was already deep enough in trouble! 
"To be correct, I didn't saw him killing the first man, but I saw what he did to 
the 
second."

Looking deeply into her eyes and smiling widely, Takeda continued his 
investigation, using
a sensible, very soft voice. "Please tell me what happened."

She felt Saitou straightening up beside her and hesitated while gathering her 
thoughts; her
interest in Takeda already fainted as she felt his attempt to flirt with her. 
Men, who 
thought that she were dump enough to give into their desires just because they 
acted 
friendly, always created disgust in her. 
"When I entered the scene, this man" she pointed to the body lying on the ground 
"was 
about to attack the murderer who used some strange moves and an odd technique. 
He leaned 
back as he was attacked...I have never seen someone leaning back so far before."

Saitou raised an eyebrow at her statements, clearly indicating what he thought 
about women
and their knowledge of fighting styles, but luckily she missed his movement and 
continued.
"Just in the moment he passed him, the murderer raised, swung his sword in a 
wide circle 
and cut of this man's feet and his sword-arm."

Astonished Takeda interfered. "You mean that he couldn't defend himself from 
that move?" 
he asked incredulous. "He was cut off both legs and one hand without being able 
to prevent
it?"

"Not exactly..." she hesitated again, shuddering at the remembrance. "First he 
cut only 
one leg and one hand, what sent the attacker yelling to the ground. Then the 
murderer 
stepped towards his victim, I assumed for the final blow, but he just cut his 
second leg."

Takeda knitted his brow unbelieving.
"He cut of his second leg before he finished him?"

Relieved that Takeda considered this an odd behaviour too, she continued 
quickly. "Yes, 
but what I considered even stranger was the blade of his sword. It wasn't sharp 
for the 
cuts caused pain in his victim. He obviously wanted to torture this man before 
his death 
and he visibly enjoyed it."

Saitou's lips twisted in an ironic smile as he summed up his impression:
"Your fantasy is too lively, Takemoto."

"I'm very well capable of distinguishing between fantasy and reality, Saitou", 
she shoot 
back arrogantly. Probably it would be wiser not to mention her visions, she 
thought 
sarcastically, otherwise this particular wolf would declare her incapable of 
making 
report. 

Ignoring her comment completely, Saitou walked over to the corpse and inspected 
the wounds
on the legs and the throat.
"Seems like you are right, Takemoto. The cuts are not clear."

"OF COURSE I AM RIGHT." Tokio hissed, her fists clenching. This man was just too 
troubling.

Abruptly Saitou straightened up, narrowing his eyes to the side street he had 
found Tokio standing in. 

"You observed the scene from over there?" He nodded in the direction

"Yes." She still struggled against the feeling of not been taken seriously by 
Saitou whose
lips twisted into a self-confident smile after estimating the distance.

Then a next thought crossed her mind. 
"Why are you so curious about this murderer? Maybe it was only an act of revenge 
among 
these men."

After casting a glance at Saitou who nodded his agreement Takeda cleared his 
throat and 
explained.
"This were two of Saitou's men spying out the Ishinshi-movements for us. They 
wanted to 
report this evening." Regretting he looked at the two bloody corpses 
"Unfortunately they 
can't tell us anymore what they found out."

"Oh." Tokio lowered her eyes embarrassed to the ground "I'm sorry."

Disparaging Saitou winked his hand "They can be replaced."

Nagakura, who had just followed the questioning closely but in silence until 
now, 
interfered before Tokio could even think to return a mean remark about 
insensible men.
"We should clean this up here, Saitou, Takeda." Both men nodded in approval "I 
can take 
care of the mess here and you two walk her home and continue the investigation 
there." He 
paused, comparing the looks of the young pretty woman beside him to her brothers 
and 
coming to the conclusion that she strongly resembled the older one, not only in 
the shape 
of the black eyes but also in the intelligence shining in them. "Her brothers 
joined us 
and I think it would be best not to worry them."

Getting attentive Tokio looked up. What else could it be what they wanted to 
know?
"I thought the questioning is over! I can walk home alone."

In a voice that tolerated no contradiction, Saitou addressed her:
"We will bring you home. You are not safe, the murderer might be still around."

Subdued due to the scene she witnessed, recalling the cruelty of the murderer 
she had to 
admit that he was right. She did not like the thought one bit that she might run 
into him 
on her way home alone.
"And what about the questioning?"

"You haven't told us all what we want to hear, Takemoto." Saitou turned together 
with 
Takeda to head down the street, winking with his head at her. "Come on, or do 
you want to 
spent the night here?"

With a last glance at the dead bodies she followed the two Shinsengumi back to 
her 
accommodation in silence.

They walked fast through the empty streets so that she had problems to stay 
close to them.
Disapproved she eyed the backs of the two inconsiderate men in front of her. She 
was 
wearing a kimono and not a training-outfit, for heaven's sake! 
But trying to catch up to them gave her time to sort her thoughts about what she 
would 
tell them and what not. For sure she wouldn't say a word about her vision at the 
temple 
earlier that day since she did not want them to declare her insane. But was 
there anything
else which she would better be quiet about? She thought about her knowledge 
about the 
murderer. Except from the features she had seen him quite well and was 
definitely capable 
of giving a description of his yukata and his odd movements. Surely she would be 
able to 
recognise him since even his walking movements had been strange. But what the 
hell could 
they want more than these information? Inwardly she sighed. Well, she did not 
know what 
kind of questions the wolves would demand and in the end only her behaviour 
would save her 
from their suspiciousness.

Letting her eyes wander between the two men in front of her, her thoughts 
wandered into a 
different direction. Of course this Takeda was handsome and very good-looking 
but his 
companion - her eyes locked on Saitou's muscular back - well he was simply 
fascinating. 
There was something wild and uncontrollable about him, something that made him 
an 
annoyance and a challenge at the same time and, a little smile formed itself on 
her lips, 
although lacking Takeda's beauty and politeness, he was for sure one of the most 

attractive men she had ever met. 

Suddenly the two men stopped right in front of a wrecked house. Tokio had been 
so absent-
minded thinking about them that she nearly bumped into them. Already a sharp 
remark on her
lips, she observed her surroundings closer and raised an eyebrow questioning.
"You know where we are staying?" 

"Are you really that dump, Takemoto?" Saitou wanted to know. "This is part of 
our job." 

The deadly glance she cast at him would have sent other men on their knees in 
the dirt of 
the street, but he remained unimpressed and followed Takeda, who had already 
entered, 
Tokio hard on his heels. 

The inn-keeper was kneeling in the first room, the sliding door opened, noticing 
the two 
men and the young woman.

"Takemoto-san?"

She stopped at the door-frame the two Shinsengumi behind her "Yes?"

"Your brothers are not back yet."

Astonished she looked at him.
"They wanted to spent the evening in Gion, I think they will come later. Is 
there anything
you want to discuss with them urgently?"

Sighing the man laid his pipe aside.
"I would appreciate if you would not serve your customers here. This is a 
respectable 
hotel."

Tokio had to gasp for air out of embarrassment. He thought she would serve 
customers? In a 
house like this? Afraid that the roof would come down any second and that a 
cockroach 
would crawl over the futon? She prepared for a speech about dosshouses like that 
one and 
moral standards in particular and already inhaled deeply, scarcely able to 
suppress her 
indignation, but just in this moment Saitou stepped into the light, allowing the 

inn-keeper to have a good look at them by shoving her aside. The pipe the man 
had in his 
mouth, dangled, nearly falling down. 

"Ooo,...I'm sorry!" Quickly he bowed deeply to the ground, his forehead touching 
the 
tatami. Scared as he was, he never raised his head again during the conversation 

"I'm sorry, samurai...it is not my business....do what you please... I won't 
disturb you. 
It is an honour for me to have you here."

"Good." Takeda looked threatening at him before he turned around.

The inn-keeper hesitated. Was this a test from the Miburo to see if he runs his 
business 
according to the rules? The red-light district was in another part of the city, 
but they 
were not allowed to go there, so maybe..? He addressed them with a trembling 
voice
"Samurai...?"

Threatening Saitou stepped to the inn-keeper "YOU want to know what WE are 
doing? You 
should know your place better!"

With eyes full of fear the inn-keeper backed away, making calming movements with 
his 
hands. "I wouldn't dare to tell you, sir. Just have it all to your pleasure. 
Please don't 
disturb the other guests." 

In the last moment Tokio bit her lip, preventing her naughty answer that there 
was no need
to bother for other guests because there were none. 

She did not consider it worth the effort to explain the man his misjudgement 
about Takeda 
and Saitou, it would only confirm him that his assumption was right.

Sighing she waved towards Saitou and Takeda. "This way."

The man at the entrance followed them with his eyes, a dirty grin on his face. 
This 
information would be worth a huge reward to his customer.

There were few times when the Miburo were vulnerable, and this was one. 
Thoughtfully he 
scratched himself behind his ears. This woman had a tough time to face...serving 
two 
Miburo at a time. Shrugging his shoulders he prepared to write his note, it was 
not his 
business to bother about her.

***

Tokio indicated the two men to kneel down, excusing herself and fetching some 
tea before 
she joined them.

Following her invitation, the two Shinsengumi enjoyed some sips from the tea in 
silence 
before Saitou, after clearing his throat, continued the interrupted 
interrogation.
"Can you describe the man?"

Meanwhile Tokio had already prepared herself for the coming questions. 
"Unfortunately not. He was wearing a straw-hat hiding his face. His yukata was 
dark-blue 
with a rising sun unwoven at his back." She thought a moment about her 
impression of the 
man. "What was strange was that the yukata was gaping open at the front...I mean 
it is 
quite cold today."

"Did you recognise him?" Saitou asked ignoring her comment. 

Looking questioning at him, she wondered inwardly about his sharp senses. There 
was no way
he could believe that she knew the man since she had just arrived with her 
brothers so 
that she knew nobody in Kyoto. But obviously something about her behaviour or 
her answer 
had made him got suspicious.

For one moment she considered to tell him what she knew about the man. Then she 
inwardly 
shook her head. Well, what did she actually know? This Shinsengumi did not look 
interested
in visions and mysterious happenings, so it would be the best to keep her 
knowledge.
Registering both eyeing her intensely, she had to suppress a smile. Surely, it 
would not 
be easy to hide something from them but then she had never been able to resist a 
challenge
like this.

"No, I never saw him before", she finally answered, very aware to Takeda´s 
intense stare 
and Saitou deceitfully watching her.

"Did he saw you?" Takeda used his soft voice once more what already caused 
dislike in her.
What did he thought she was, a little mindless girl that uses to play with 
dolls?

"I don't think so. He was interrupted." Thoughtfully she tried to remember if he 
showed 
any sign of spotting her. Her mouth fell dry trying to imagine what could have 
happened to
her if he had found her and quickly she sipped on her tea in order to calm down 
her 
nerves. Until now she had not thought about it, but it became ever clearer to 
her that 
she could have easily died on that occasion.

"Interrupted?" Aware Saitou leaned forward. "Why do you think he was 
interrupted? Both men 
appeared dead to me. What else could he have wanted?"

Annoyed about herself she bit her lip, telling herself to choose her words very 
carefully 
from now on "I had the impression that he would have enjoyed to torture his 
victim a bit 
more, but then he heard you and cut his throat."

Smirking Saitou settled back
"Impression? What sense does it make to use more moves than necessary? Usually 
you defeat
your foe in one thrust."

Tokio could smack the back of her head about her comment and prepared to tell 
Saitou that 
her impressions were very reliable since she felt like defending herself.

At that moment the sliding door glide aside and Tokio looked relieved in the 
direction, 
seeing Kenichiro standing in the door-frame and Michinori behind him. One 
glimpse at his 
face showed her that he was more than just angry.

"What are you doing here with our sister?"

Threatening he laid his hand on the hilt of his sword and stepped closer, 
kneeling down 
in front of his sister together with his brother, giving the Shinsengumi on the 
other side
the idea that they would have to deal with them first before they would speak to 
Tokio 
again. Tokio struggled not to burst out in laughter imagining the inn-keeper 
telling 
her brothers that she would 'serve' some customers in their room.

Saitou's lips twisted into a sarcastic smile as he laconically explained the 
situation. 
"We found her on the street together with some dead men."

Kenichiro's eyes narrowed "What?"

Obviously the wolf enjoyed the situation for his eyes began to glim golden. "You 
heard 
quite right, we found her on the streets, two men of my men beside her, dead I 
would say."

Fuming mad Kenichiro turned to his sister "Is this true, Tokio?"

She had her head bowed, eyes locked to the ground. "Yes."

"I told you to wait for us at the Aoiya."

Raising her head, she whispered her apology. "I'm sorry, Kenichiro." Her throat 
became 
visible in the jelly-fish-light of the lantern in the room and Kenichiro grabbed 
her chin 
instantly, attentive now, and inspected the scratch.
"Who did this, Tokio?"

"It is nothing to worry about, Keni."

"WHO DID THIS?"

She cast only a short glance at the Shinsengumi facing them but that was already 
enough 
for Kenichiro who dropped her chin and turned back to Saitou and Takeda, his 
hand longing 
for his sword. But Michinori interfered, holding the arm of his older brother

"Please, Kenichiro. I think there is a reason behind this, let them explain 
first."

Saitou smirked. "It is not my problem when you are not capable of taking care of 
your 
sister, you should look better after her."

His comment made Kenichiro shrugging of his brother's arm, grabbing his sword 
and jumping 
up, his black eyes burning. Worried Tokio, Michinori and Takeda looked at the 
angry young 
man, but Saitou remained unimpressed, his hand casually laying on the sheath of 
his sword.
"I would not dare to do that Takemoto."

Through clenched teeth Kenichiro demanded to know "Why?"

Saitou's smirk deepened "You belong to my men, already forgot?"

Unbelieving Tokio's eyes widened, she scarcely stifled the need to gasp for air. 
Her 
beloved brothers were supposed to work under this man, who noticed the murder of 
his 
followers uninterested and negligently? Who had said they could be replaced 
easily? That 
had to be a bad joke!

But then she witnessed Kenichiro kneeling down with effort and felt her eyes 
widen. She 
knew fairly well how hard it had to be for her proud brother to lay his sword 
aside and to
bow deeply in front of Saitou. He would not do that unless...

"I apologise, Saitou-san."

Registering the satisfied grin in Saitou's face as he watched Kenichiro bowing, 
she felt 
her face paling. Kami-sama, it was true! Her brothers really had to serve under 
this man! 

Trying to hide her worry, she examined Kenichiro lifting, knowing him well 
enough to tell 
that he was still fuming mad but suppressing his anger as far as possible. Where 
would 
that end?

With a benevolent nod Saitou accepted the excuse.
"The next days you and your brother will be busy to patrol through Kyoto 
together with 
some of my other men."

Both bothers kept their eyes locked to the ground, confirming "Hai."

A deceitful smirk crossed Saitou's features as he sipped on his tea once more 
looking at 
the two men lowered in front of him and their interesting different sister. Even 
with a 
sword on her own throat she did not feel fear, but now he meant to spot worries 
for her 
brothers. "You both won't be able to look after your sister for the next time."

The brothers remained silent knowing that their commander was right, while 
Takeda cast a 
surprised glance at his companion. Tokio met the look of this mischief eyes and 
the 
deceitful features, and instantly asked herself what Saitou was up to.

"I will show your sister around Kyoto the next time instead of you."

Takeda dropped the tea-cup on the floor, while Michinori swallowed and Kenichiro 
tightened
his fists before he agreed together with his brother. "Hai."

Tokio´s reaction was totally different from the three men. Lowering her eyes to 
the 
ground, she hide a triumphant little smile. This time it had nothing to do with 
her 
ability to look into the future when she knew that some interesting days laid 
before her.

Abruptly Saitou stood up, arranged his swords followed by a visibly irritated 
Takeda.

"Have a good night altogether."
They both nodded before leaving the room, leaving the three siblings behind, all 
with very
different emotions.

Kenichiro refused to exchange one word with his sister the whole evening, 
obviously angry 
about her ignoring his orders and getting herself into trouble once more. 

Tokio decided to sulk after being treated with ignorance. 

Michinori tried to cheer up his straining siblings (they would take him to his 
grave with 
their stubborn behaviour) and tried to force them to speak to each other but he 
soon gave 
up frustrated.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To be continued...

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[1]
Sorry, he has to be attractive here...


started: 10th April 2002
finished: 28th April 2002
posted: 29th April 2002