Meijin

A/N: I have no idea how this is going to come out. I looked through some manga in a store today and decided to write this. I haven't even thought out the plot or the characters, so you're getting it litterally as I thought it out. Constructive criticism welcomed.

The Confrontation

Keiko walked slowly, in a plain white kimono, straight katana tied on her waist around the back, going through a forest full and alive with white and purple ume falling from the trees. Her long hair was tied up in a respectable bun as she swiftly moved, one foot after another. Handling no ones business but her own. Two men appeared, obviously kogas, stopping her. She stared at them.

"Ignoring us will not avail you," one said, looking her up and down.

"My how you've changed," the other said, then rubbed his teeth with his tongue.

"And yet you haven't." She answered, unafraid, almost ashamed for the two bastards- that they were who they were- considering how they affected her past.

"You know- jonin Sen says we should kill you but I want to give you one last chance. See who the real Keiko is. You know you miss this life," he said, bringing her face closer to his.

"No. I will not return. I've made my decision and I am unwavering."

"Very well then. You must respect the job we have to do."

The first man- Isayoi- took a claw to beautiful Keiko's face and she dodged it, then took her sword out in an instantanious move and cut off his arm, then did a dodge to an axe kick and shoved her sword through his chest.

"It didn't have to end this way," Keiko whispered into his ear as he passed out in pain, then withrew her sword and sheathed it. Without looking she walked away and into a crowd of more than angry koga ashigaru who attacked. She sliced through one in front of her, then did an upwards vertical slice to one behind her and went back and forth through blocking their swords, then did a double twirlcutting through their swords and straight through another- to the point of slicing through his body and held her sword in front of her, straining through pain-not physical but emotional. She looked back at the blade part of her sword and attacked again before she could stop herself- but the crowd was endless, and as she looked, none were scared that she held in herself the power to kill every last one of them. She didn't want to, though. She jumped up and over the trees, sword behind her, leaving a trail of blood, still having to fight some. She jumped just a bit higher- and suddenly she was gone.

She stood at the doorstep of her haven, sheathed her sword, panting, and opened the door.

"Hello. Where were you?" her boss, Kanosuke asked, looking at her. He had long black hair, slicked back, looked happy enough.

"Out."

"Obviously. But why'd it take so long- and where's the rice?"

"Dang it!" she yelled.

"It's alright. I knew you wouldn't come through. I sent Gesshu to do it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," she said, sitting down, untying her hair and laying down.

"That's right, send Gesshu to do it cause the only girl here doesn't do shit!" he yelled, angry, holding two huge things of koku, one in each hand.

"Hi," he said, looking at Keiko.

"You don't do shit either," she replied smartly, looking at him.

"Now I guess I can go cook dinner," Kanosuke said, grabbing o koku and walking off with it.

"What have you gotten into today?" Gesshu asked, looking at her harshly. His hair was long and feathered, he wore armor on one shoulder, a rope around his waist, chucks on his waist and a wakizashi on his back.

"Nothing. Why do you ask?"

"Kanosuke doesn't know you well enough to know when you've done something wrong. I do. You got into a fight. I can smell the blood."

"Nice to know you have senses," she answered.

"With who? I don't want your problems ruining my life."

"Your life? We all live together. It's everyone's life."

"Well Kanosuke would really love to know you were a-"

"Fine! I got into a fight with some of them in the forest today."

"They could track you here."

"No. They can't. I got lost quick. I'd make sure not to leave myself open. They don't want to chance messing with me," she answered.

"Koga don't care," Gesshu added, taking off his armor.

Then Sen entered- a red haired eighteen year old.

"Hello, Keiko," he greeted, smiling. He had the look of an intelligent hunk and yet he was really like a little boy.

"Two thousand mon," he said, waving the money around, with a smile on his face.

"Helping some guy learn kenjitsu. These idiots make bounty hunting too easy."