Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Forgotten Past ❯ Kiiroi Ryu?? ( Chapter 5 )

The Forgotten Past

Kiiroi Ryu?

Chapter 5

The young man quickly walked down the street dressed in a blue officer's uniform. In his hand he clutched a white envelope with an address located on the front. An important document that he didn't want to lose--he had to deliver it no matter what.

He felt a bead of sweat roll down his face as the blazing sun relentlessly beat down upon his back. He coughed as dust was kicked up from a passing carriage. Glancing to his left he saw the Toriwaru District were he was supposed to deliver the letter. Toshi looked down at the letter in his hand and grinned. He made it to the suburb, now all he had to do was walk down the street, and transfer the missive. He'd messed up in front of Fujita-san earlier he wasn't going to do that again. He did not want another chastising in front of the precinct.

Turning the corner at one block Toshi found himself in the affluent sector of Toriwaru. He whistled softly to himself as he swiveled his head from left to right gawking at the houses. There were huge traditional Japanese houses, but amongst them set the new popular Western style mansions too. Toshi had to physically close his mouth, as he slowly strolled down the vacated dirt road. He never knew Fujita-san lived in such a rich neighborhood or that the government paid him so much money working in the Intelligence Unit.

Looking down at the address written on the envelope Toshi moved quickly down the road. He had to finish this job and return back to his duties in at the police building. Unlike the house to his left Fujita-san's house was a traditional Japanese house. A modern red and white and brick wall surrounded the house. It was a really nice house, in his opinion.

Straightening the blue jacket Toshi dusted himself off, while he pushed back his hat. He lifted his hand and produced a firm authoritative knock on the door. "Excuse me, Suichi Toshi."

He waited no answer.

He lifted his hand to knock again, when the door slowly creaked opened to reveal a lanky, but gaunt boy. The young man was dressed in a common training gi used by many dojos in Tokyo. He held a shinai in his hand as he regarded Toshi out of dark haunted eyes.

Toshi waited for the boy to speak, while he collected his thoughts. He felt as he been jolted into an alternate reality. He never knew that Fujita-san had a child--or possibly children. He craned his neck to see if he catch a glimpse of any other offspring running around the courtyard.

The boy loudly cleared his throat when the police officer just stood in the doorway trying to see inside the yard. He hated police--he especially hated government police. They were nothing but cowards in uniform. They left his village to suffer under the control of a monster.

Hearing the boy clear his throat, Toshi quickly moved his eyes downward to see a frown forming at the young mans lips. This was bad, thought Toshi as he tried to figure out what he had done to displease the son of his boss.

"Your name, please," asked the slender boy when the police officer began to fidget. "And your business."

Toshi blushed, he forgot to re-introduce himself. "Suichi Toshi. I work for your father--"

"He's not my father," interrupted the boy forcefully. "My father is dead."

Toshi grimaced. He was messing things up again, "I work for Fujita Goro-san, and he asked me to deliver this letter to Fujita Tokio-san." He showed the boy the white envelope.

The boy looked at the envelope and scanned the name quickly. It was legit. "I'm Eiji." He turned to walk away, "Follow me."

Toshi followed the lanky boy and, but his eyes wandered around the courtyard. This was a nice dojo, spacious, and it had a huge koi pond. This was more than he expected when the doors opened. He knew the house was opulent, but this whole area suggested that his boss came from old money, before the Meji Restoration. As they came upon the porch Toshi took off his shoes and followed the boy behind the thin decorated rice paper doors. It was an expensive and only a technique that great artisans could paint upon the rice paper without tearing it. Toshi whistled underneath his breath. He had to tell the guys at the precinct about this.

Eiji was aware of the young cops rubbernecking and low whistle. He understood all too well the feeling of stepping out of poverty one minute into lavish luxury the next. Even though they shared the same feelings, he still hated cops. "Mei," he called stopping in the public sitting area.

Toshi turned to stop his gaping when he heard the boy call for someone. "Ano, the letter is supposed to be given to Fujita Tokio-san." He blushed thinking of the dress-down he'd received if Fujita ever found out that he didn't hand deliver the message to Tokio.

Eiji slid him a look of contempt. "I know, however, this house is too large to search for her," he turned back around and called for the person again.

A cute girl with huge brown eyes appeared. "Ahh, Eiji-sama," she spoke softly. "How can I help you."

Eiji blushed. "First by calling me just 'Eiji' and second I'm looking for Tokio."

Mei shook her head to the first comment, and directed him to the side gazebo for the second question. Mei had been in the Saitou house for one year, and had an astonishing ability to know where a person was in the compound, without her being told their previous schedule.

Rounding another corner Toshi got his first glimpse of Fujita Tokio. She was gorgeous. Tokio had long black hair, that flowed like a dark waterfall down her back. Her kimono he could tell was made of pure silk that molded to her petite body. For a second he hoped that she was Fujita's sister instead of his wife, but he knew better. Such a wondrous creature would not stay single in this world.

Eiji snorted. The police officer was near drooling. He'd better introduce him, before Toshi made a fool of himself. "Tokio," he called getting her attention from the basket she was preparing. He jerked his head toward the salivating peace officer, "You have a visitor."

"Oh, Eiji," she said as pulled back a her raven locks. "You scared me to death. Must you sneak-up on me?"

"I don't believe that for a second," scoffed the gaunt boy. "No one in this household could creep up on you." When he first arrived to this house he found out how true his statement was. Tokio never let her guard down, she was always on alert. And one day he was going to find out why. He knew she had to be somebody special to marry that jerk Saitou, but he'd hadn't figured out what was special about her. "I should probably get him a napkin to wipe his drool," mumbled Eiji.

Tokio turned her head and regarded the uniformed officer. She could tell from his widened eyes he was taken in by her beauty, she could also tell that he was a novice to the Intelligence Office. Most men who came to her home, had a much more mature air about them. This one looked like he was just weaned. She smiled at him, "Kon'nichi wa. I'm Fujita Tokio."

"Kon'nichi wa, Suichi Toshi," replied he promptly, then reddened. "I-I-I mean I'm Suichi Toshi, not you," he corrected bowing to the vision before him. Even her voice radiated beauty. Fujita was damn lucky. "I'm here to deliver a letter to you from Fujita Goro-san." He pulled out the white envelope and held it out to her his hand shaking.

Tokio smiled at the young man as she glided forward and took the envelope, broke the seal and read the missive. "Oh, dear," she said silently. She turned toward Eiji, "Have our carriage brought around. It looks like Goro-san won't be coming home for lunch and may not make it dinner. I better go bring him something, or his only meal will be his cigarettes." She watched Eiji walk off. Turning back to the policeman she regarded him silently. "Do you know what my husband is doing, instead of coming to lunch?"

Toshi blushed. "I'm sorry Tokio-san, I can't say anything about the suspect that was brought in today." He slapped his forehead. "I mean, I can't divulge anything about the current case." Her beauty had him tongue-tied.

She smiled and decided not to alert him to his faux pas. "I should have known, he'd send a tightlipped officer to me. I guess I'll have to try and pry it out of you on the way back to the station." Tokio picked up the basket walking toward him she deposited it into his hands. "Of course you'll ride in the carriage with me."

Toshi grinned and eagerly followed the dream in front of him.

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Kaoru sat silently in the holding cell, her tears had dried up on the long walk. They had taken her purse, so she stopped crying out of the shear fact that she had nothing to wipe her face with, and she was tired of weeping. She leaned her head back against the dank wall, as she tried to block out the faces of the pitying townspeople as she marched to the police headquarters.

"Well, Kaoru," whispered the well-known voice. "Tired of trying to avoid me, hmm?"

"No," said Kaoru tiredly. "I'm now wishing I'd never heard of you. Why don't you go back to where you came from Ka-chan?"

"….Ka-chan…" queried the voice. "I don't like that name."

"Too bad. You're in my mind making me see stuff that I don't want to, and not to mention popping out hurting my friends. So, I call you anything I damn well feel like."

"Don't yell at me," Ka-chan whispered furiously in Kaoru's ear. "You want the guard to think you're crazy?"

Kaoru let out a hysterical laugh. "Do I want the guard to think, I'm crazy?! You've got to be kidding? You've been popping inside my mind and sometimes taking over, the least I have to worry about is if I care what a fucking jailhouse guard thinks. So, I repeat since you're so worried about me being thought of being crazy: why don't you go away--permanently?"

"The more hysterical you get the worse your language becomes," commented Ka-chan.

Kaoru growled and tried to shut her mind off. She was tired of talking to the other her.

The voice tsk'ed. "You can't get rid of me Kaoru. I'm part of you. And as for going back. I can't, although I would like to, I can not stand the life we lead now. But, I was awakened for a reason, and I've been trying to get you prepared."

Kaoru sat up, "Prepared for what?"

A clanging at the door prevented Ka-chan from answering her question. The metal door opened as the policeman designated to guard her outside the metal door appeared. "On your feet, the Commander wants to see you."

Kaoru stood up and followed him through the doorway, and passed several other officers getting the same looks she got earlier, when she first was brought in. Mostly the stares were of disbelief, they couldn't understand how the soft rose became a deadly weapon. Her arrest was an enigma that all of them wanted to solve.

"Wait right here," said the guard as they came to stop outside an isolated room. The officer knocked and made furtive glances back at Kaoru, but her face remained expressionless. When a gruff voice answered he was gratefully relieved. He heard the Kaoru girl talking to herself in two different voices and it spooked the shit out him. He couldn't wait to get rid of her.

A commotion came from the commons areas causing Kaoru to look up and see Kenshin, Yahiko, Sanosuke, and Megumi pushing their way past officers. Kaoru smiled a bit, but just wished her friends had gone back home she didn't need any more problems with the police. But, then again how could it get worse for her, she'd already been arrested for murder.

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Saitou looked up from the cigarette in one hand and papers in the other at the intrusion. It was a guard telling him that he brought that Kamiya girl from her cell. Now, he could finally start interrogating her and finding out why she'd killed his agent. "Bring her…" he got cut off hearing angry voices outside his door. He recognized those voices. It was the passive Battousai and his interfering friends. "Shit," he whispered to himself removing his long lanky body from its comfortable position. "Move out the way," he growled to the guard as he pushed his way through. He had to do quite a bit more pushing and shoving to get where he wanted to be.

"Saitou," growled Kenshin as he stared at one of his most hated enemies. "We would like to have a word with you concerning Kaoru-dono, and this charge for murder."

"That's Fujita Goro," replied Saitou. "And I'm not going to talk to you about a current investigation that doesn't require your input. So, may I suggest that you and your friends leave, before I have you arrested for interfering in an investigation." He leaned closer to Kenshin. His voice low so only Kenshin's friends could hear what he was saying, "I don't care how many friends that you have in our government Battousai, you fuck with me, and I'll make it damn hard for that girl recall what the sun looks like."

Megumi saw Kenshin's eyes narrow and the feral glint that came into them. His hand was already poised on the hilt of his sword. So she interrupted before it could escalate any further between the two rivals. "We don't want to make any trouble for Kaoru-san or you Fujita, but please explain to us why you had her arrested for murder."

Saitou turned his cold amber gaze to the female doctor. "We have evidence that Kamiya Kaoru may or not be involved in a murder." He reached into his pocket to pull out a cigarette before he remembered that he left them in his office. "Now, leave Battousai, before I take my frustrations out on your friend."

Yahiko snorted drawing the attention of both Saitou and Kenshin. "Kaoru may be lot of things, but she isn't a murderer. We've known her for a long time. I can't believe this office could be so incompetent as to think that Kaoru would commit murder, she isn't even capable of…" he paled as memory flashed in his eyes of a bloodthirsty Kaoru about to plunge a broken shinai into his chest.

"You're wrong brat," snapped Saitou as he moved them toward the front of the door. "Everybody is capable of murder given the right circumstances. No matter how long you've know them and what you would like to believe about them."

"That's bullshit," burst out Sanosuke as he finally found his voice. "Jou-chan may be a hell of a lot of things but a murderer isn't one of them. She can't do it. And I for one won't believe this shitty office actually has any information that could prove Jou-chan is one."

A crease formed in Saitou's brow as his frown deepened. "I don't care what you believe. I have sources that say she was involved. Now, let me make my order clear again. Leave now or never see that girl again."

Megumi pulled Kenshin back toward the door. "We're going now Saitou," she said as she pushed the men out the door. "But we will be back."

Saitou closed the door on them.

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"Why did you do that Fox Lady," whined Sanosuke as he looked back at the closed door. "I didn't even get a chance to smash his face in."

Kenshin let out a rueful smile and shook his head about to say something, when he glanced at Yahiko's young face. "What's wrong Yahiko?"

Yahiko blinked as he looked up. "I was thinking about what Saitou said…"

"Well don't," snapped Sanosuke. "He's an asshole and you shouldn't listen to what assholes say!"

"Let him finish, Sanosuke," said Megumi. "Besides we listen to what you say all the time. You should follow your own advice."

Sano grumbled underneath his breath about the dangers of letting foxes out their cages.

The others turned to Yahiko with expectant looks on their faces. "Well, you know he said about the murder thing," he stopped and scratched his head for a minute. "I was thinking how well does any of us know Kaoru? I mean, I would have never thought Kaoru would ever attack or try and kill me, but she did. So, how much do we really know about Kaoru?"

Kenshin violet eyes widen as he heard his own thoughts echoed from the small boy. He too wondered how much did any of them really know about Kaoru other than what she told them. He thought he knew Kaoru very well, but when she attacked Yahiko and Sanosuke…he wasn't so sure.

Yahiko looked around at the faces of the Kenshin Gumi and gulped. He'd expected them to debunk his theory and tell him that Kaoru didn't have anything to hide. She was the exact same bossy-bad cooking female they all knew. Kaoru didn't have any hidden depths. But they weren't voicing any reassurance to him. So, who really is Kamiya Kaoru?

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The carriage came to a stop outside the police office. Inside Tokio handed her package to Toshi as she place her hand into the driver's to help her down the small steps. She heard the driver of the mutter about how people can get run over by standing in the middle of the road. Tokio smiled at her driver. He was old servant of her family and she often heard him grumbling over something when he drove the family into town or to other functions. She looked over to see who he was grumbling about and got a shock.

The Battousai!

Tokio couldn't believe her eyes standing in the middle of the street was the Battousai with three other people. He was unmistakable the red hair, the cross scar on his left cheek. Her deeply buried and long forgotten hate stirred up in her. Because of him…She took a calming breath and tried to forget that she ever saw the Battousai standing outside the her husband's police precinct as if he'd didn't murder more people during the Bakumatsu No Doran than the two surrounding villages held. Because of him…She clenched her hands into a fist, she could still feel the Kiiroi Ryu's anger and pain.

Toshi cleared his throat again and called the vision from her own musings. "Tokio-san," he called softly. "Tokio-san is there something wrong?" He hoped nothing was wrong with her, otherwise he'd have to explain to Fujita-san about his wife's condition and he didn't think his boss would take it any better than when he couldn't describe the person he received the package from.

Tokio took in one last breath and turned as the Battousai and his companions moved to walk away. She put on her best smile, "I'm sorry Toshi-kun, I was lost in thought." She cocked her head letting her hair flow like dark lava onto one side. "Are you angry?"

Toshi found his tongue had thickened inside his mouth all he could do was shake his head signaling for a negative answer.

"That's good," she said with an impish smile on her face as she walked forward through the doors. "I hate to have handsome men angry with me."

Toshi stumbled nearly dropping the lunch as he heard her refer to him as 'handsome.' If only she hadn't married Fujita-san, he sighed. If only…

Tokio stopped outside her husband's office and listened. He was busy she could tell questioning someone about there whereabouts yesterday night. She heard the voice answer back…a female voice. So, the suspect in his new case was female. She was intrigued. Not many women were sought after by Saitou, and when they were caught not many women wanted to face her husband. She almost felt sorry for the female, but it was too bad that she had caught the attention of her husband. The girl signed her own death-warrant. Tokio was thankful that the last time her husband pursued her it had been for marriage.

She felt Toshi come up behind her, she smiled at him and took the basket. Politely rapping on the door three times before pushing it open. "Anata," she cried happily as she sauntered into the darkly lit room. "I've brought you lunch." Tokio could see a working growl coming at her. He was so cute when he was angry with her. "It's Japanese soba noodles," she turned to get a look at the female in the room, "it's your favorite…" she gasped. "Kiiroi Ryu??" She shook her head cascading the dark fire over her head several times. "This is not possible."

Saitou lifted a brow at his wife's shocked expression. He slid a glance over to the Kamiya girl and noticed her face hadn't changed since his wife busted in on them. Her face held the same stony passive look. He looked back toward his wife. She was staring at the Kaoru girl as if she'd seen a ghost. He arched a brow thinking about the name she said, 'Kiiroi Ryu.' Who or what was that? "My noodles," he finally asked about snapping his wife back into the present.

"Your noodles," she parroted dumbly. "Oh, um, yes, they are your favorites. I got your note saying you weren't going to make it to lunch or dinner. So, I packed you some dried soba noodles that you just add hot water to and let sit until tender." She handed him the basket nervously. "I also added some Oolong tea for you to try and cucumber sandwiches." Tokio rubbed her hands nervously as she tried to keep her gaze off of the female in the room. She moved forward quickly and placed a small peck on his cheek. "Sorry, about interrupting anata." She turned and was out the door in a flurry of silk and long hair.

Tokio's heart was pounding hard and she closed the door to husband's office behind her. Leaning against the wall as put a hand to her chest trying to calm its furious palpitations. Flashing a smile at Toshi she quickly navigated through the throng of gaping admiring men to get out the door and into her carriage. The Kiiroi Ryu was sitting in her husband's office. She had to do something.

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Kenshin pushed to open door to the dojo and stopped suddenly making his friends who were following him collide against each other.

"What's going on," asked Yahiko as he pushed himself off Kenshin's back rubbing is aching head. "Why'd you stop so suddenly?"

Kenshin turned to them with a horrified expression on his face the dojo's main door cocked half-way open. "We forgot to pick-up Dr. Gensai and the children from the train station."

Megumi placed a hand over her face, "That's right. How could I forget?" She moved to turn around and walk back toward the city and the train depot.

"That's okay," said a voice within the dojo compound. "I made it here quite all right. Though a bit disheartened when I didn't have anyone waiting for me."

Kenshin pushed the door in to see the old doctor sitting calmly on the porch drinking tea. "Sumano Dr. Gensai, a lot has happened since you and your grandchildren went on vacation." The dojo residents came inside and closing the door behind them.

"Why are you all looking so glum," inquired the doctor as he glanced from one face to the next. "What happened? Where's Kaoru-chan?"

"Where's the children," stalled Sanosuke hoping Kenshin could come up with a plausible lie in two minutes. Dr. Gensai loved his grandchildren and even though Kaoru wasn't one of his, he still treated her like his oldest grandchild. They couldn't possible tell him, while he was away Kaoru flipped out and was now in jail for murder. No, they couldn't tell the old man that, it might kill him. "Are they sleeping?"

Dr. Gensai picked up his tea cup and blew on it before taking a refreshing sip. "No, they decided to stay with my sister for awhile. Her oldest son came to visit last night with his children, and the girls wanted to stay and spend some time with their cousins. They hardly ever get to see them."

"That must be nice," said Yahiko getting into the stalling game. "I wish I had family left to visit, or to visit me. I wonder if I actually do have family out there. Would I be able to find them Dr. Gensai?" He hoped that his question would also allow Kenshin to perfect his lie before he told Dr. Gensai. He honestly didn't care if he had family or not. They didn't show up when either of his parents died, so they could just keep staying away.

"Gomen," said Kenshin as he interrupted the doctors answer to Yahiko. "But I think we have more important matters to discuss." He eyed Megumi, Yahiko and Sanosuke effectively telling them to shut-up and quit stalling. "Kaoru-dono is in jail."

"J-J-Jail," sputtered Dr. Gensai as he placed his tea down on the porch. "What happened?" He looked from one anguished face to another. None of them wanted to even try to explain what had been happening the last few days.

Finally Megumi looked up and took a deep breath. "It began with her last nightmare…."

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Saitou stepped out of this carriage and stretched. It was late and he was tired. His investigation was going no where. The Kamiya girl kept repeating the story about not leaving her dojo yesterday at all. No matter how many different times he questioned her she refused to be tripped up. Her answer always came back the same. She hadn't been to any alley last night and she didn't witness or commit any murder. He knew she was lying he'd seen her clearly in the draft of silver moonlight. He'd seen her kill his newest operative. Kamiya Kaoru was hiding something.

He slid back the door to the main house and nodded to Mei as she voiced a greeting, while she took his jacket, gloves, sword, and hat. She asked him if he wanted to eat anything tonight, he shook his head. But called her back as she went to walk away, "Is Tokio asleep yet?"

"No, sir," answered Mei promptly. "She's in the sitting room doing origami. Eiji-sama, however is asleep."

"Origami," quizzed Saitou turning back to the servant. "Why is she doing origami?"

Mei shrugged. "When she came back from delivering your lunch she sent Eiji-sama out to get some sturdy red paper. After dinner she went to the sitting room and began to make red cranes."

Red cranes? Why was his wife making red cranes? He shook his head. He stood outside the sitting room. A faint light illuminated his wife's bent over form casting a shadow on the thin door. She was intent on her task. He opened the door. "Busy?"

Tokio let out a startled yelped as she whirled around to face her husband. "Excuse me."

Saitou cocked an inquisitive look her way. It was extremely rare for him to startle her. Why was she so focused on the cranes. "I asked if you were busy."

"Oh, no," replied Tokio as she got her heart rate under control. "This is my last crane."

"Why are you making red cranes? Who's the Kiiroi Ryu?"

"No reason, and I don't know what you're talking about? Is it a riddle?"

She's hiding something from me. Saitou frowned. "It's late at night, and you're making cranes for 'no reason.' If that was the case you could have waited to finish tomorrow."

"I hate to leave a job unfinished."

He watched her drop the last crane into the basket beside her with all the others. "And you said Kiiroi Ryu, when you came into my office. Matter of fact you said it like you just witnessed a ghost. You said 'Kiiroi Ryu??' as you stared at the prisoner I was interrogating."

Tokio stood up and moved over to him. "Did I? I don't remember. I most have misspoke." She kissed him on the cheek. "Welcome home anata. I'll go get your bath ready." She walked out the door and down the hall her lavender fragrance lingering in the room.

Saitou silently moved toward the basket with the cranes and picked one up. He studied it from all angles. It looked like a regular paper crane. So, why was his wife so intent on making them tonight…and why so many of them. He turned the crane over in his hand. The answered stared him in the face. A yellow worm-like line was squiggled on the bottom. He picked up another from the basket. The same yellow worm-like line. "You could almost think of it as a dragon." He turned toward the door his wife walked out of, "So, you misspoke and don't know who the Kiiroi Ryu is?"

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Kenshin walked around the dojo once more making sure the place was secure. He'd hate to have Kaoru get out of jail and find her place vandalized. He put his hand on the handle of his sword as he heard footsteps on the porch. "Who's there?"

"It's just me," called back Dr. Gensai as he settled himself down on the porch he had some serious thinking to do.

"Dr. Gensai," breathed Kenshin as he relaxed his grip on the hilt of his sakabatou. "Daijoubu de gozaru ka?" he asked as he walked toward the troubled doctor. Through the rest of the evening Kenshin could sense something was bothering the doctor.

"Hai," the doctor answered back quietly. "I just have a lot to think about tonight, and my mind or conscience isn't going to let me rest."

The red-hair rurouni gazed down into the sad eyes of the doctor. Instinct told him that the doctor was worried about Kaoru and not the clinic. "Is there something I can help you with?"

The doctor shook his head. "I'm in a bad situation Himura-kun. I made a decision some years ago, and I fear it's coming back to haunt me." He turned to look at Kenshin as the slight figured rurouni settled next to him. "I can't betray anything right now, but suffice to say Himura-kun whatever the outcome Kaoru-chan's life is going to change dramatically."

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Saitou stared through the slightly ajar door waiting for his wife to return. During his bath she and her basket of red cranes with yellow dragons disappeared. He'd checked the grounds, but she wasn't anywhere on their property. Where had she gone? What were the cranes for? Why was his wife lying to him?

A shadow stretched across the ground before his wife petite figure entered fully into the courtyard their bedroom was facing. Her basket was empty. Saitou watched as she placed the basket among the flower bed. He closed the door and turned back toward the futon to lie down.

Tokio walked into the room and smiled at her reposed husband. Undressing quickly she pulled out a white yukata to sleep in. Sitting down at her small person vanity she picked up her brush and began brushing her hair. She never thought she'd run into the Kiiroi Ryu again. But then again, she never thought that she would be lying to her husband for the second time in their marriage. She placed the brush down and picked up a comb, splitting her hair down the middle she braided one side and then the other. "You're not sleep," whispered Tokio as she caught her husband's amber eyes watching her from the mirror.

"I can't sleep unless your next to me," he replied as he waited for her to finish braiding her hair. "Where did you go? You weren't in here when I finished with my bath."

She got up from the vanity and moved to the futon. Pulling back a section she slid in next to her husband. "I went for a calming walk. I had a slight headache."

Saitou settled her in his arms. "Really?"

"Yes." She snuggled up to him.

He silently snorted before closing his eyes. Wanting to scream: Liar! Instead he said, "Good night."

Tokio rolled over and kissed him on the lips. "Good night, anata." She lay back down and closed her eyes.

The two stayed wrapped in each other's arms for almost two hours both of them feigning sleep. Finally Tokio gently slid from under her husbands arms. She looked at his face and tried to commit it to memory. He looked so peaceful while he slept. She took a hand and gently caressed his face before placing a butterfly kiss upon his lips. "Sayonara anata. It was fun being your wife."

Tokio stood up and went to her bureau she tugged the middle draw slightly. Reaching in she pulled out the outfit that she'd stuck in there earlier. A black ninja-style dress with slits that would be half-way up her legs when wearing the dress. On the left shoulder was the insignia of a yellow dragon wrapped around a metal fan. A tear fell onto the dress. She'd never thought she see this uniform again. Slipping out of the yukata she moved to put on her uniform, unaware of the eyes that watched her from the bed.

Tokio glanced back toward the bed and made sure her presence hadn't been missed yet. Saitou was still sleeping. She glanced back to the mirror and checked her appearance over once more. Good. She reached into the middle draw for the last time and pulled out a small brown box. Reaching in she removed a tick black belt and wrapped it around her waist fastening it in the back. Lastly she removed a velvet wrapped cloth from the box inside lay two metal objects. Tokio slid them into her hand testing the weight and balance. It had been a long time since she'd held these. I wonder if I still got it. She took one of the metal objects and with a flick of her wrist it opened to reveal a metal fan. She snapped it closed. "I still have it." Tokio glanced back one last time to view her husband's form. "I will miss you." She opened the door and ran out.

Saitou shot opened his amber-eyes. "Where the hell did she get those fans? And where is she heading?" He threw off his own yukata and moved toward his closet. "I have five minutes behind her." He pulled out pants and a shirt. He dressed quickly and grabbed his non-regulation sword. "Shit! I bet she's headed for the jail."

He was out the door.

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Kaoru shook her arm loose while forcefully digging her feet into the dirt road. She was tired of being dragged by Saitou's wife. She wanted some answers. Why did she refer to her as Kiiroi Ryu and why did she break her out of jail? This did not make any sense. Why did she bring her back to her dojo?

"You have to hurry, Kiiroi-sama," rasped out Tokio, her nerves alert to any threatening danger. "We have no time to linger. I have to get you to safety, until the help I requested can meet us at our rendezvous point." She glanced behind them, she felt someone staring at her.

Kaoru began shaking her head. First the gruesome nightmares that turned into daymares. A psychotic voice in her head that likes to taunt her repeatedly, and now Saitou Hajime's wife broke her out of jail referring to her as the Yellow Dragon. Could things get any more bizarre?

"You don't have to wait," said a masculine voice from above them. Both the women looked up to see a figure jump down from the cherry blossom tree. "I am here." The figure stayed in the shadow.

"Well," said another voice from the direction of the tree. "If he's revealing himself then I guess I should too." A slight feminine form moved from behind the tree. "I'm here too."

Kaoru looked from the shadows to Tokio's shocked face and back toward the tight-lip silhouettes. "Mou! What the hell is going on here?!" She felt like tearing out her hair.

"I'd like to know the same thing," said Saitou as he finally revealed his hidden position. He struck a match to light the cigarette dangling from his mouth. "Anybody care to start?"

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Chapter 5. Created [04/27/01] and Modified [10/27/01]. Thank you for still being there for me. I really appreciate your steadfastness. Let's just say major things happened to me, and hopefully I'm over them and can actively get back to writing this story. Coming Next Time: Dr. Gensai Reveals All. Other than that, please send me any critiques, comments, questions, and flames at: pmchivas@hotmail.com Shishou M.

Lunatics Ravings:

Kiiroi Ryu--This is Japanese for Yellow Dragon.

I think you know all the other Japanese words that I used. I practically use the same ones over and over.