Hello, all! Sorry for updating late, guys, I was busy with exams. So, here goes…

Chapter 6

Himiko and Kazuki left the bar, and began walking along the footpath. After some time, Himiko stopped. Kazuki, looking back, stopped too. "What's wrong?" he asked in his gentle voice.

"It's just that- where are we going?"

Kazuki walked backwards to stand next to her. "Tell me more about this woman, will you, Himiko? She sounds like- well, tell me."

Himiko looked up quickly, then said, "Well, she was pretty young, about my age, and she said nothing, came in, just spun her hands about a bit, and, I found myself thrust to the ground forcefully, though with nothing to apply that force, right in front of the Honky Tonk. Fancy tricks, hmph! – Kazuki?"

Kazuki drew in a breath sharply. "That- that sounds dreadfully like-"

"Like who?" said Himiko urgently.

He sighed. "Like Megumi Kazuma. She used to be a kind of gangster in May City. She left, though, disappeared without a trace some years back. Maybe she joined up with some other group. And it was Jubei and Toshiki who actually defeated her. She knows all kinds of enchantments and things. She was really a terror in those days, paired up with that psychotic Tsujiwaki Ichikawa. He left too, after getting defeated. Probably they've reformed their little alliance again. Either way, we've got to be careful. Now, her weak points would be…"

"Oh, what a nice surprise," came a thin, cold drawl behind them, interrupting Kazuki.

They spun round. "What the- Dr Jackal! What on earth do you have to do with me now?" cried Himiko, staring at the cloaked figure before her.

"Nothing much, really, Lady Poison," he said menacingly. "Only- I've been really bored lately, and I just felt like having some fun. And you provide me the best form of entertainment."

"Maniac!" cried Kazuki, "we've much more important work on our hands than to cater to your blood craving!"

"Oh, and Thread Wielder as well. Wonderful."

Himiko's figure turned tense, and she fingered her perfumes. In a soft voice, she said, "You don't want to cross me, now, Kurudou, do you? I'm in a real bad temper."

"That makes it all the more enjoyable," he said. Then, with a quick movement, he shot his knives at her. Himiko leapt aside, but one struck her on the side. She fell like a wounded bird, and Kazuki yelled, "Himiko!", then turned to Dr Jackal. "Monster!"

He pulled out his bells, but Himiko said, in a weak voice, "No, let me do this." She pulled out a perfume, and sprayed it in front of Dr Jackal with a motion as quick as lightning. He was too slow to react, and fell back like a board, taut and apparently lifeless. Himiko too fell back and lay still.

She could only see to large blue orbs above her. "Get away!" she cried, and flapped the air with her hands. When the room slid into focus, she saw Ban sitting by her side. She was on a hospital bed, covered with a white sheet.

"So, up, are you?" said Ban.

"What happened?" she said.

Ban told her the story briefly. "You're so slow," he added as an epilogue, "Dr Jackal actually brought you to this state! Hah! And you were so long to recover!"

"Shut up!" she cried, reddening. "And how about you, if Kazuki hadn't turned up when he did, you'd've been dead meat by now. You're so completely useless!"

All the while she was fighting a compelling urge to fling her arms about his neck, and tell him how much she loved him.

Ban snorted. "As if we needed him."

Himiko turned to her bedside table. A number of bouquets lay there. "Lilies- Natsumi. Marigolds- Hevn. Get well cards- Ginji (so sweet), Shido and Madoka, Kazuki and Jubei. And- carnations. Carnations! My favourite flowers. Who sent them?"

She looked up at Ban. He was looking away. "Ban? What!" she yelled. Her bed sheet was slipping off, revealing that she had nothing on. "You- you PERVERT!" she screamed. "Get OUT of here- now! NOW!" She lifted up her alarm clock and threw it at him. A pillow or two, a spoon and such other things followed. Ban sped out, dodging them.

"Snake Bastard!" she cried as an afterthought, and slumped back.

Ban suddenly peeped in. "Hey," he said, "since when did you take a leaf out of zoo boy's book?" He left immediately.

Himiko sat up, bed sheet drawn up to her chin, with a furious expression on her face for a few moments, then her face softened and she lay back, smiling fondly. She pulled up the carnations, which she was certain Ban had given her, and fondled them gently.

Himiko stayed in the hospital for about a week more. Natsumi, accompanied by that high voltage bimbo Hevn, and once Paul, came each day, with food and news. Kazuki and Jubei turned up once (Himiko always wondered at his feminineness, which was much more evident in him than in her, and also the fact that he and Jubei always seemed to be together), so did Shido and Madoka. One thing that bothered her was that Ban didn't come again. Now why could that be? And, more importantly, why should a stupid Snake Bastard's doings bother her so much?

Himiko went home, fully recovered. That same evening, she felt like a bath, and retired into the refreshing everglades of a warm bath. Lying there, she wondered why Ban hadn't arrived yet. She considered whether he had taken her seriously. But that wasn't likely at all. He never did.

Meanwhile, outside the mansion, a young man stepped up and rang the bell, loudly. "Who could that be?" thought Himiko, wearily. "Not another mission!"

Her housekeeper, and old lady who'd been with her and Yamato ever since they were born, went to see. Opening the door, she was faced by Ban. He was a little disconcerted. After all, she knew…

At last, he said, "Is Himiko home? Tell her Ban's here."

"Ban?" said the woman weakly. "Not- not Ban Mido!" She pointed a shaking finger at him. "But you- you…"

"There, lady, don't get hysterical, just tell Himiko, please."

She looked at him suspiciously, then went off to notify the girl. "Himiko!" she called. "Mr. Ban Mido's here on a visit. What do I do?"

"Ban!" said Himiko, delightedly. "Really? Oh, let him in, at once!" She drained the bath tub, and prepared to dress.

Outside, the woman opened the door just a little, so Ban could slip in. He walked into the living room. There, in an old showcase, lay an old violin case. Ban had never heard of either Himiko or Yamato having anything musical in them, and guessed it was some ancient heirloom of the Kudo family. He opened the case, dusted the case, and opened it. When he pulled out the violin, he fought back a cry of surprise. It was of very fine make, made by the Braganza company. He struck the bow, and was astonished himself to hear the sweet sound, which had a very strong impact on even his trained ears. He began playing a very old, but a great favourite, minuet, composed by Chopin.

From inside, Himiko could hear him. She was enthralled by the fine nuances of his every note, though she self-confessedly had not much idea about classical music. She appreciated his skill. It was Ban playing after all…

She opened the door, and stepped out into her bedroom. Lingering for a few moments, she crossed the room, and entered the living room. Ban had his back to her. Ban… She wished she could be in his arms, now and forever. Finally, in the midst of a thrilling note, Ban seemed to realize someone was behind him, and he stopped, and turned. He saw Himiko seated before him.

"Whose violin?" he asked her.

'Oh, that was my great-granddad's. It's a long time since anyone played this thing."

"That can't be, it's still well tuned and everything."

"Really? Oh, yes, well, Yamato once tried playing. It was terrible, though." She smiled reminiscently. Ban turned away, and put away the violin.

Suddenly, he turned, and walked up to stand in front of Himiko. She looked, a slight reddish tinge to her cheeks. "Himiko," he began, uncharacteristically grave, "can you ever, ever, find it in your heart to forgive me?"

Himiko was silent for a few moments. Then she stood up too. She looked straight into Ban's blue eyes, and said, "Oh, Ban, I forgave you long ago. I know why you had to kill him, why you did what you did. So don't think about the past, all right? Yamato wouldn't have liked it. Look to the future, remember?"

Ban smiled slightly, and looked into her violet eyes, eyes that could twinkle with merriment, as they used to in the old days, eyes that could also harden with the urge to fight, with the pent-up rage within her. At last, he pulled her into his arms, and pressed his lips against hers. Himiko entwined her arms about his neck, and deepened the kiss, with all the frantic desire that had remained within her for days.

At last they broke apart. Himiko murmured, "I love you", but Ban swept her into his arms again. They plunged into a deep kiss, so intense and passionate, that they had no sign of what was going on around them.

Neither did they notice the door open, and quite a crowd appear at the door. Right in front, Ginji scratching his head, holding Natsumi's hand, as she blushed and giggled. Next to them, an incredulous Shido, with an arm around Madoka. Between their heads peeped Hevn, with an eyebrow raised. Beside her stood Paul, smiling slightly. And right at the back were Kazuki and Jubei, Kazuki's expression soft, Jubei's unfathomable.

As Hevn said, 'Well, I never!", Ban and Himiko broke apart to look around. For a moment, Ban's huge ego and his attitude seemed to crumble.

At last, he walked up to them, and said, "Hey there, what's wrong with you guys? Ginji holding Natsumi's hand, eh? Hah!"

Ginji let go of her hand immediately. "And you- what about you?"

"Shut up, and come on. Remember Ayame Koji?"

Ginji stared. Then he said, "Oh, yeah," as realization dawned on him. The two Get Backers left, and at the door they turned around. "So," they said, "Well, see you around!"

THE END

A/N: Sorry if the ending was a bit abrupt, hope you liked it. And oh, I have an apology to make to Kaeru Soyokaze: Sorry for misspelling your name, okay?

And yes, I'll be back. So stick around. Bye!