Opium Dreams

A mysterious woman arrives in Tokyo . She has the face of an innocent, but behind her peaceful amber eyes lie dark secrets she alone knew...

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The sky was beating down hard on Megumi as she walked the tiny dirt path that led her deeper into the woods. All around her, trees were lining up but their branches provided little shade. She paused for a bit to wipe the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. It was quiet and she was tired so she leaned against the trunk of a large tree for a while. She closed her eyes and allowed her breathing to ease down.

Against herself, her mind drifted towards Sanosuke and as usual, whenever she thought about him, she felt her heart involuntarily flutter. It was a like a caged butterfly, delicate and fragile but threatening to burst. That was why she had to get away from the hut. She needed some time to think. To go over these newfound feelings she had for the man whom she barely knew but with whom she shared the most intimate act two people can have.

She couldn\'t think with him around. Not when those dark, soulful eyes of his followed her every move. So she thought up of some lame excuse, saying that she needed to gather some additional herbs to help him recuperate faster. Sano didn\'t seem to mind. In fact, he barely said anything right after he realized that what happened between them was real.

Her cheeks still burned up when she thought about it. He had been so gentle with her even when she fought him. But she didn\'t really want to fight him then. His loving had been so tender and there was no pain. Except for that time when he finally took her. He hurt her then. God, how he hurt her but she withstood it all. He took a dart for her. She owed him her life. It was the least she could do. Yet, why then did she feel indescribably pained when he had called her a \'witch\'? He was certainly not the only who had given her that label. But he was different. He had to be different.

She never answered his question but her silence served as confirmation. He had looked at her then with so much anguish that she had to get away. Oh god, what am I to do? She found herself asking.

\"Takani Megumi,\" a male voice suddenly said from behind her.

Megumi\'s eyes shot open when she heard the voice and felt the cold metal held against her throat. Her hands flew up to clutch at the weapon and whirled around to find herself face-to-face with a demon.

When he left the hut, Sanosuke had no idea where he was going. He let his long legs carry him along, never really thinking about the direction he was taking. His thoughts were muddled. Both from the side effects of the medication that Megumi gave him and from the woman herself.

\"Sano! Look, Kaoru-kun, Sano\'s here!\"

Sano looked up in time to find the two children, Suzumi and Ayame, bounding towards him, their chubby faces stretched into wide smiles. He grinned and held his hands for both of them to hold. \"Hey, I was only gone for a day and a half,\" he said teasingly, \"but the way you two are acting, you\'d think I was gone for a month!\"

At the steps of the dojo, the whole gang was there. Kenshin, the red-haired swordsman looked more like a glorified clothes-washer as he paused from hanging the clothes for drying. Kaoru was looking at him with evil eyes, hands on hips and left foot tapping impatiently. Yahiko, who was beside her, was wearing the same expression as his sensei was. A fully recovered Kino appeared in the opened doorway with the stooped figure of Dr. Genzai not far behind.

Sano grinned at all of them. \"Hey,\" he said casually. Sano stilled himself for a good tongue-lashing but strangely enough the girl didn\'t explode as expected.

\"Hey yourself!\" Kaoru merely said. Then to express her frustration with him, she gave him a good punch on the chin, the effects of which Sano was able to shake off quickly.

Kenshin was more serious as he forgot about the clothes he had been hanging. \"Sanosuke-san, there is much we need to discuss,\" he said, drawing him in.

** TO BE CONTINUED **