Chapter 4: The First Meeting

[Tokyo...]"What is this!?" Enishi cried as he emerged from the dojo. "What the hell is going on!?""Nice to see you too, Black-glasses boy," Misao snarled, her arms akimbo. Aoshi was handing a letter to Kenshin and Saitoh was talking softly to Kaoru while he smoked. Aoshi glanced up at Misao's saucy retort and met Enishi's eyes."What's going on here?" Kaoru repeated in a mild voice. "What's going on is the first meeting of a bunch of people who have very little in common who are going to try and save hundreds of kidnapped women, your friend Otomi included."

Enishi blinked at her. 'Why are they going to all this trouble to get a woman back that they've never met? Are they that nice?' Tomoe gave him a small smile."Don't think we're going this just for you, boy," Saitoh smirked as he turned from Kaoru. Enishi glowered at him a little. "You aren't the only one who has a motive here.""And what's your motive?" Enishi said challengingly. Saitoh flicked his cigarette stub at his feet contemptuously.

"None of your damn business.""If I'm going to be working with you I want to know your motive, Inspector Fujita," Enishi snapped back, sarcasm tinging the title to make it an insult.'Enishi,' Tomoe said warningly. 'This is above your understanding right now. One wrong move and this whole situation could...''Go to hell in a hand basket?' Enishi finished for her. He could see her prim frown at his languige. 'I'll chance it.'"Enishi," Kenshin said softly, "No more." Enishi glanced at the older man in surprise. "Saitoh's business is his own in this matter.""Hmph. It's my own in all matters, fool," Saitou sniffed.

'What, you mean he's married?' Enishi couldn't help but blurt out.Tomoe smiled slightly. 'Yes. And even though she's not anywhere near here, she could die because of her husband. He failed to protect the woman that he loves most, and right now that is killing him slowly. The longer he is apart from her the more his worry will grow, and the more likely it will become that his veneer will chip and he'll be exposed as a man with weaknesses and a very tender heart.'A love that the Saitoh's share is a precious one that was bought with blood and tears, and is guarded jealously against all that might interfere. I don't want Saitoh-san to have to suffer the way Kenshin suffered.''Y'know I really hate it when you talk about him like that,' Enishi muttered. Tomoe gave him a disaproving look, but her eyes understood. Enishi was surprised and blown away by that. It had never occured to him that Saitoh could love, let alone love with a ferocity that Tomoe had discribed. But he had never doubted his sister before, and he had no reason to doubt her now.

[Later that evening...]

"So what kept you in bed so long?" Kaoru asked as she set out the food on the table. "You didn’t wake up until noon at least and stayed in your room the whole time." Enishi glanced at her sideways."Did you make this?" He asked suspiciously, eyeing the food she set in front of him."No, I did not make it!" Kaoru snapped, placing her arms vhenmently on her hips. "Now answer the question!""Hmph," Enishi muttered as he picked up his chopsticks. "Dreams. They wouldn't end." Across the table Misao peered at him. "What's with you?" He muttered at the ninja as he picked up a piece of fish.

"You hold your chopsticks funny," She observed. Enishi blinked at her in surprise. "Is that how they do it in Shanghai?" Enishi glanced at his hand in mild surprise.