In the still of the morning's cool air, Katsushiro and Kambei lingered on the front porch of the inn. Although Kyuzo had not indicated exactly when he should be expected back, Kambei had decided to wait out the hour for the man to come. He had guessed Kyuzo intended to join them in the morning.

“When do you think Kyuzo-dono will arrive?” Katsushiro idly plucked a thread from his sleeve.

“Entirely up to Kyuzo-dono.” Kambei said simply. He observed as his student pulled at his wrist guard. Able to distinguish nervousness in his movements, he inquired “What's wrong?”

Caught, Katsushiro blinked and drew his hand back to settle on his lap. “Nothing.”

Kambei left it alone, and changed the subject. “We'll find the last samurai today. We'll leave for Kanna tomorrow morning.”

Katsushiro gazed curiously up at his teacher. He wanted to ask if perhaps he was hasty in this declaration. After all, it had taken them several weeks to find only one so far. But of course, he knew better than to question, and said nothing. He only nodded in agreement.

Kyuzo arrived shortly after seven in the morning, so quietly he had crossed the threshold of the inn's gate before either of them had noticed him approach. Katsushiro noted that Kyuzo looked so precisely the same as he did last night, he had to wonder if the man had so much as slept. With eyes lingering in curiosity, the apprentice watched Kyuzo come as close as about 8 feet before he halted.

"Morning, Kyuzo-dono." Kambei offered a polite greeting.

"...." Kyuzo nodded his head in a curt acknowledgement.

“I want to find the final samurai today, and to be ready to depart tomorrow.” Kambei informed the warrior. Kyuzo didn't respond. He wasn't even looking directly at either of them, but he appeared to be listening.

“Any people you know of that would help us?”

“No.”

Katsushiro snuck another glance at Kyuzo out of the corner of his eye. It occurred to him this was the first time he was seeing the man in genuine daylight. The previous evening, it had been dark, the only light the artificial electric glows of the city. It seemed that Kyuzo's regal air had nothing to do with bright lights illuminating brilliant hues or impressive shadows.

Kyuzo was aware of Katsushiro's half-admiring, half-awed gaze, but ignored it.

“We will split up and search.” Kambei asserted. "Katsushiro and I will check the western part of the city. Kyuzo-dono, would you search the east?"

Kyuzo shrugged in what seemed to be agreement.

The weather was not as merciless as the day before. Although warm, it wasn't nearly the thick and tangible heat from yesterday, and Katsushiro was grateful for it.

His teacher strode several paces ahead of him. Although he couldn't see Kambei's face, Katsushiro was sure the man was as attentive as ever, scouting for possible recruits, anybody of interest. If anything, he was more concentrated in his efforts than before. Apparently, Katsushiro deduced, Kambei's patience for their search was beginning to dwindle.

Katsushiro himself was a little frustrated. They had been hired to protect the village...and they weren't at the village. It felt almost as if they weren't doing their job. He had voiced his opinion some nights ago to Kambei; the man assured him that as long as they were doing what was asked, they were fulfilling their duties.

Yet, it seemed Kambei was beginning to match Katsushiro's eagerness to return, especially if he had made the declaration they would leave in the morning with Kyuzo and their last samurai.

His curiosity had been brewing since last night. When they stopped in a small plaza, to sit on the edge of a water fountain, Katsushiro asked, “Sensei, may I ask about your thoughts regarding Kyuzo-dono?”

“What about him?”

“Well,” Katsushiro blinked, considering how to phrase it. “You've always been so careful about who we considered recruiting. What made you so quick to accept Kyuzo-dono, without even seeing a demonstration of his skill?”

With no delay, Kambei answered, “I know him from the war.”

“You know each other?” Katsushiro's eyes widened from surprised. They hadn't let on....

“Not personally.” Kambei clarified. “I've heard of him, to be more accurate. I need no physical proof of his skill; I'm well aware of it.”

“How?” Katsushiro pressed, and Kambei seemed slightly hesitant to divulge more. After some moments of reflection, he explained further.

“I didn't actually know his name.” Kambei started. “I do know he wasn't in a position of high power. Despite his skill, for some reason he never climbed the hierarchy enough so that his name was spread. There was simply talk of an exceptionally skilled samurai who had on multiple occasions carried out nearly suicidal missions and completed them with great success.”

“He was that revered?” Katsushiro's voice carried a mixture of awe and amazement.

Kambei nodded. “Not much was known about him. He was enough of a problem for his enemies that they sent assassins after him, which would never be considered for a mere foot soldier. But none of them came back.”

“So how were you able to recognize him?”

“As I said, not much was known.” Kambei glanced down at his student. “What we did know was that he was a master of the twin swords. Practitioners of this style are difficult to come by; masters of them even rarer. A physical description of a blonde man in a red coat passed around as well.”

“So it didn't take you long to recognize him....” Katsushiro mused.

Kambei pointed at Katsushiro's neck with a smile. “There is also that.”

Katsushiro brushed his fingertips against his throat and recognized the small cut Kyuzo's blade had pressed into it. They stood and began to walk again, and Kambei added, “His guard is up and his skills have not waned if he took his blade to you so quickly.”

“Yes, he's a very cautious person.” Katsushiro agreed. “What reason do you think he had for deciding to come with us?”

“Who knows....”

Had Kambei been slightly more thoughtful, he would have sent Katsushiro with Kyuzo instead, or gone with him himself. For Kyuzo was not, as one would put it, either talkative or sociable. He had somewhat of a charismatic personality, but the type that was wondered about from afar. He gave off no impressions as being easy to approach or understand.

For three hours, Kyuzo walked nearly aimlessly around the city. Nonstop, he trekked his winding path, his attention between looking for possible candidates and mulling over how on earth to actually speak to someone.

Kyuzo wasn't quite positive he knew a decent strategy to win someone over to their cause. His most well understood method of persuasion was force; his missions were all action and no talk.

Yet, he carried out his missions without fail.

For almost half an hour, Kyuzo tailed a wary man who kept his guard up. He was slight of build and rather feminine looking. He couldn't have been up to Kyuzo's shoulder, walking delicately and unassumingly. His clothing was ragged, his thick and long hair kept in check, tied at the back of his head.

Judging by appearances alone, it didn't seem that this man would be much help. He looked even less formidable than Katsushiro. But it was in the first five minutes he realized he was being followed, discreetly and routinely checking his surroundings. This awareness was encouragement for his shadow, who persisted for some time until the man paused at a small triangular park, an unusual shock of green against the landscape of the otherwise dull city of metal and brick.

Because the man had already been well aware he was being followed, Kyuzo made no effort to disguise himself no longer. As he began to step in, his eyes caught the flexing of the man's slender hands. He recognized that motion; they were itching to reach for the hilt of his katana.

Although he kept his eyes down and his appearance casual, Kyuzo could distinguish the air of a veteran who was ready at any moment to defend or strike.

Stepping closer, he was met with the sudden turn of purple eyes upward at him. They were hardly threatening; if anything, they were innocently curious.

“Is there something you want from this one?” A small smile played on the man's lips, and Kyuzo was able to catch the subtleties of his tone; a certain edge to his voice indicated that he was knew Kyuzo had been following him, and even more that he was aware Kyuzo knew that he himself was informed. Although he was keeping a friendly countenance on, he was making it clear he wasn't ignorant. Kyuzo had to be slightly impressed.

“Interested in a new mission?” Kyuzo asked directly.

“A mission?” A slight frown came to the man's face. The amiability didn't fade, but something dark had passed into his eyes.

“Defending the village of Kanna from bandits.”

For several moments, the man kept silent, tilting his head as if he had been provided a riddle. Although he appeared to be considering, he ultimately answered, “I'm afraid I'm not terribly interested in your offer.”

Kyuzo blinked.

Understanding he had been asked for more elaboration, he continued, “I'm not interested in taking any more lives...the wars are over, and I'm a pacifist.”

A tiny smirk came to the corner of Kyuzo's lips.

“I know, I know.” With a short laugh, the man held up his two hands. “A veteran of such a bloody war can hardly claim to be a man who refuses to take life.”

Apparently, this person was able to understand perfectly Kyuzo's form of communication. It was a shame that he was refusing. Kyuzo could make out the man was extremely skilled; yet, if he was not interested, there was nothing he could do.

“Very well.” Kyuzo accepted his decline. Still, he offered, “At Sasa Sanctuary....Kambei or Katsushiro. If you change your mind. We'll be gone by tomorrow.”

“Oh...well..” With another cheery smile, the man humbly bowed his head. “Thank you.”

Kyuzo nodded and proceeded to walk away.

Perhaps only an hour later, Kyuzo was still walking. And he hadn't found anyone he considered interesting enough to so much as spare a second glance. Qualified samurai were difficult to come by nowadays. If anything, Kyuzo was being more selective than Kambei.

It was early afternoon by now, and--

“Hey! You there!”

The rhythmic tapping of Kyuzo's boots on the concrete came to an abrupt halt. He paused long enough to look over his shoulder, his expression remaining unchanged.

He had recognized the booming voice instantly, and indeed he watched as Kikuchiyo stormed him way over, nearly running into several people. As he caught up to Kyuzo, he wasted no time huffily complaining. “Where the hell did you go last night? I was looking for you, you know!”

Kyuzo blinked.

“And what does Ayamaro want with you anyway!?” Kikuchiyo half-shouted.

Taking a quick glance around, Kyuzo immediately saw surrounding people look at him suspiciously and slink away. He almost sighed. Now it was going to be more difficult to find people if there were rumors spreading that Ayamaro was after him.

“What did you do to get people running after you in the middle of the night? Besides that, you should at least thank me for helping, and-hey! Where're you going!?”

He wasn't worth the time or the effort. Kyuzo was already walking away, paying absolutely no mind to the flood of shouts and curses aimed at him from behind. And although he had hoped the mechanical samurai would leave him alone, he somehow knew better. It came as no surprise that Kikuchiyo's voice followed him, his loud and clunking footsteps steadily coming closer and closer as he ran to catch up, until he finally popped up by Kyuzo's side.

Hostility apparently forgotten, he asked, “So what're you doing, anyway?”

“....”

“Come on, can't you at least answer?”

“....”

“Can you tell me your name at least?”

“.....Kanon.”

“.....Kind of a girly name, isn't it?”

“....”

I left it pretty subtle, but Kyuzo was talking to Kenshin, from Rurouni Kenshin :3 There must be a few fans still wandering around....ahhh it's been so long! I never even finished RK! ;__;
Sasa Sanctuary is the name of the inn that's run by sparrows in Okami. I just borrowed the name. There are no birds employed at the inn Katsushiro and Kambei are staying it.