Disclaimer: I know that this isn't the best chapter that I've written, if you want to look at it this way, think of it as a filler chapter that is really important. Wait that didn't make any sense. Oh well, I'll just start. I don't know own Rurouni Kenshin nor it's characters. But I do own Zephon. HE'S MINE. Hehehehheeh. Now on with the boring chapter.
Chapter 10: Women's Intuition
"So you've decided to take the job?"
"Hai, I have." Saitou replied.
"Fujita Gorou," Tokio shuttered, "I don't like the sound of that name, it just doesn't fit your nor your personality."
Saitou stepped closer, stared Tokio in the eyes, "I don't like it any more than you do but it is because the Bakumatsu is over and I am one of the only Shinsengumi left."
Tokio stepped even closer and intwined her arms around Saitou's waist. She took a minute to take in the aromatic smell of cigarette smoke. She didn't know why but Siaotu's smoke always calmed her down, in a way distinguished him from everybody else, she know it was him just by the scent of the smoke.
"But was it that necessary?"
"Tokio," Saitou said gruffly as he carefully ran his hand through her silky black hair, "I did it for reasons known only to me, but don't call me by it unless we are out of the house, I dislike it."
Tokio smiled and laughed softly, "Well at least you have a job, and as a policeman for the newly formed government that just four months ago you were tryign to fight against."
Saitou guffawed at this, "Well I wouldn't be a good politician as it is, my Aku Soku Zan wouldn't allow it."
Tokio chortled. "You're right, that would be a living nightmare." Tokio chuckled even louder, "though you always did look 'cute' in glasses."
"How did you . . . ?" Saitou asked, his voice level with no evidence of surprise or anger in his voice, thought Tokio know deep down that Saitou was quite surprised. Tokio chuckled some more, stepped away from Saitou just in case he tried to reach for her, and reached into her obi.
She pulled out the glasses case and waved it in his face as she said "This is how, I found it in our desk, the third drawer."
Saitou got a sly grin on his face, " Oh, so you think you can blackmail me with that?"
Tokio knodded her head, " I might be able to get someting out of it."
"Oh is that so?" And with that Saitou walked past her and opened the shoji, "After you."
Tokio smiled, trying to hide the dissappointment she felt. 'I'll get him to do it one of these days or years, I will get him to kiss me sometime; somehow.'
"So are you coming?" Saitou asked, already outside the shoji, halfway down the walkway.
"Hai, I"m coming." Tokio sighed, there were still many things that she would have to get used to; sometimes he could be so irritating.
Tokio couldn't help but mot miss his knowing smile. 'Argh, he even knows what I was wanting. Well I've played this game before and I can do it again.'
"So where are we going?" Tokio asked supressing her irritation.
"Oh, somewhere in Tokyo."
Tokio just smiled as she followed him.
'I don't understand, I wish I know what he is thinking right now.' Tokio thought to herself as she obediently walked behind Saitou. But she didn't dare say anything. It wasn't because she was afraid of something he might do, it was totally the opposite, she didn't want him to think her soft and not able to take care of herself.
Saitou glanced back and could tell that Tokio was brooding over something. Saitou smiled to himself, 'It is still fun once in a while to get Tokio riled up. I wonder what it will be like stuck with her for the rest of my life. One thing, I am glad about is at least she doesn't nag. I've seen other men who don't have such a fortune.'
"Um, Saitou there's something you need to know." Tokio said.
"What is it woman?" Saitou asked cooly as he came out of his thoughts.
"You've just been pick-pocketed." Tokio said trying to keep a straight face as she pointed in the direction of a small human body running away from him.
Saitou didn't think it was funny, which was evident from the growl eminating from deep in his throat. Without a second thought Saitou started giving chase after the boy.
"Saitou," Tokio yelled, "please just let the poor boy go he probably needs it more then you do."
Saitou either didn't hear Tokio or he had heard and just didn't care, but he hadn't stopped not did he give any indication of doing so.
'Argh, I should have known, I should have been able to sense that little beggar's ki. This is so embarrassing, getting pick-pocketed in broad daylight and my wife is the one that noticed what was going on.'
"Man I can't shake this guy off my tail. Why did she have to say anything?" Zephon thought in anger as he ran through the cobbled streets of Tokyo, darting here and there in an attempt to lose Saitou. Zephon glanced back to see if he had gained any space and was scared half out of his mind when he saw Saitou's face getting closer. Though scared, Zephon was also quite intrigued by Saitou's golden eyes. They seem to say 'don't mess with me.'
Zephon shook his head and turned back to trying to make his get-away. He didn't turn in time though and ran staright into a big pompious man. He bounced off the man and hard on to the cobbles. The man looked around before his eyes rested upon Zephon is a fixed glare of annoyance and anger. Zephon, in his haste, quickly got up and bobbed his head in a quick apology, then ran off as he saw Saitou still hot on his trail. In his haste he didn't notice he had spilled half the money out of Saitou's money bag. The man's glare turned to one of sheer greed and he bent over to pick up the coins when he heard a gruff voice above him.
"Leave those where they are, they're mine."
"Look sir, it's finders keepers." The man said.
"Wrong answer."
The man felt his body be lifted off the ground, his feet literally dangling a few inches in the air. The man grunted as he was slammed into a nearby wall.
"Look, let's be honest here, I don't like you so you better tell the truth." Saitou snarled, his eyes glowing in anger.
"What do you want from me?" The man queaked in fear, his pupils dialating, portraying fear. Saitou could almost smell his fear, he couldn't help but sneer making his face contort and look like a wild animal as he remembered the days of the Bakumatsu where people would quake at the very mention of his name. The man started to tremble uncontrollably and even whimper a little.
"Which way did that boy go?" Saitou barked.
The man silently pointed a shaky finger to the right down the street. As quickly as Saitou had pinned the man up against the wall, the man felt the pressure suddenly release off his back but Saitou said one more thing before letting the man go.
"Watch my money, make sure none of it goes missing, if it does well let's just say that it's not going to be pretty when I return."
The man absently nodded his head.
"Good." Saitou said, smiling a normal smile that made the man shutter. The normal smile was far worse then the sneer because the normal smile didn't seem to match with Saitou's face; it was totally foreign.
Saitou silently walked down the street making sure not to make any noise so he wouldn't let Zephon know he was coming. Zephon, who had long ago calmed down, was slowing to a walk because he thought he had lost Saitou for good; a false sense of security was all it was though.
'I miss my father, if he was still alive then I wouldn't have to resort to this, it makes me feel really guilty because father taught me better.' Zephon thought to himself as he tightened his grip on Saitou's money bag.
It was then that he heard a faint shuffling behind him. Zephon turned around and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Saitou right behind him. His heart lept into his throat and he took flight down the street. Saitou cursed himself and gave chase once more.
Zephon, who's only thought was to get away, didn't see the uneven cobbles. He tripped and the momentum made him fly into the air. He landed, knocking the breath out of him. He waited just a moment before picking himself back up. A shrill, animalistic scream coming from not far down the street caught Zephon's attention causing him to whip his head around in time to see a huge horse barreling down the street straight at him. A paralyzing fear took over, Zephon's eyes dialated and his mouth hung loose almost as if he was trying to scream. Zephon watched in horror as the crazed horse thundered closer.
'Ahhh, I can't move. It's as if I'm glued into this spot. That horse is coming closer, if I don't get out of the way then I'll be trampled to death.' Zephon thought annoyed with himself for not being able to move.
The horse screamed louder and Zephon's eyes grew wider as tears of fright silently fell down his face. The horse was so close that he could see the whites of its eyes and hear its frantic breathing through both mouth and nose. Zephon did the only thing he could think of, that was to brace for empact and hope for the best; but only a fool would think something like that. Then out of nowhere he was shoved out of the way by somebody. Zephon watched in amazement as the wild horse and carriage continue on its way, but when he got a good look at his rescuer he thought otherwise.
'I think I would rather have been hit by that horse then have to face this man.' Zephon thought frantically as he struggled to get up. Saitou got up quicker though and picked Zephon up by the collar of his gi so that Zephon's feet were about two to three inches off the ground. Zephon just hung there knowing that it was a waste of energy to struggle.
"Give me back my money." Saitou said flatly.
Zephon glared at Saitou but didn't move an inch. It was when Saitou started moving his right hand toward his sword, his left hand being the one holding Zephon. Zephon gave Saitou the money when Tokio came running to the scene.
"Saitou put him down!" Tokio yelled.
"I was about to don't worry Tokio, I got the money back." Saitou said as he roughly placed Zephon back onto the ground.
"Well give him back the money." Tokio said.
Saitou was a little shocked though he didn't show it, "But he stole it from us."
"Just do what I say, I'm sure that he needs it more than we do anyway, you have a job he doesn't, so give him back the money. I picked up that money he had dropped when he bumped into that large man."
Saitou grudgingly complied and gave the money back to Zephon, "There take the money, do whatever you want with it you little ahou, but you better get out of here before I change my mind. I'm just feeling generous today. Go. Get." Saitou said as he watched Zephon gawk at him, not knowing what to do.
Zephon quickly snapped out of his reverie, quickly bowed to both Tokio and Saitou and ran on down the street. Saitou just watched Zephon go.
Saitou then felt Tokio's body against his, he looked down to see her arm entwined in his. She looked up and smiled. "I'm so glad that you listened to me, I don't know if you remember but that was Hageshii's son."
Saitou just nodded and looked back in the direction that Zephon had gone. He was suddenly glad that he had listened to Tokio as well.
Somewhere in an alley Zephon finally stopped running and looked at the money pouch in his hand. He tightened his grip on the money and made a silent vow that he, if he ever saw Saitou again would pay the money that he had been given back, and maybe even some more.
A/N: I'm sorry that it took so long for me to update. This will be the last chapter of this story but I will be writing a story that is going to be a sequel to this one. It will be Saitou's life through the Kyoto Arc and maybe even farther I haven't decided yet. I've also started another fanfic but I don't have a name for it yet.