One Bright Day in the Middle of the Night

Chapter 32: How the Caged Bird Sings

"How in the Hell do you do that?" Sasuke and I were both panting, and while he got in a couple good hits, I'm sure he was bruised all over.

"Do what?" I wiped sweat from my forehead, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"I've been here for four years! Four! In actual combat, and with Kenshin no less!" Sasuke plopped down on his ass in the middle of the floor, and to me it was almost like a toddler having a hissy fit. "How can you -still- beat me?"

"Well, for the last four years I've been training for the World Kendo Championships." I shrugged. "It's basically the Olympics of sword fighting you know. And it was less than two months ago for me." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at me.

"What rank did you finish at?"

"I came in fifth place in the mixed men and woman's category." I couldn't help the shit-eating grin I then had on my face.

"You came in Fifth in the WORLD?" Sasuke couldn't contain his surprise. I nodded with pride.

"Yup. I was even bringing the plaque with me to show you. It's currently in my purse in Azuchi." I flopped down on the floor next to Sasuke and attempted to catch my breath. "Speaking of which, it might be a good idea to get that some time if I'm going to be staying here for the foreseeable future."

"You still carrying around that black leather monstrosity?"

"Of course." The damn thing was expensive, and well made. It's lasted six years now. It's a little worse for the wear but still looks good.

"That's not a purse, that's a satchel."

I rotated my left shoulder a bit and stretched my neck. It usually threw my opponents a little since I'm left handed. It's uncommon but I'll take any advantage I can get. The exercise felt good, but now I wanted a bath.

"Hey, Sasuke? What are the chances that I can use the bath house?"

He considered for a moment stretching on the floor gingerly. I shouldn't have been so rough on him, but I really wanted to test him. I am sure I have a few good bruises myself.

"I would calculate a 4.9 of 5 odds for such an occurance."

"Dude, just say I can take a bath."

I couldn't help teasing him just a little.

"Still need to stretch though. It's been too long since I've really done a good workout. Stretching and such in the cell isn't quite enough." I bent over while sitting on the floor, reaching forward to grab my ankles, and relishing the feel of worn muscles.

Sasuke gave me a considering look, as if he was just now remembering something.

"You were wounded in the last mission you had weren't you?"

I nodded, knowing I had told him at one time, but I never gave him much on the specifics. I didn't want him to worry. My mental state suffered enough from it, and I really didn't like rehashing the whole thing.

"I got a bullet through and through here," I sat back up and pointed to a spot about an inch into my abdomen on my left side. "And I took a knife on the outside of my right thigh."

I shrugged, not liking the look of concern that came across Sasuke's face.

"Bled alot, but somehow, nothing vital got hit. Lucky me."

I didn't mention the month of hospitalization since I had nicked my colon, and the amount of blood I had lost almost killed me on it's own.

"You never told me that. You just said you were wounded." Sasuke didn't look surprised though, and I got the feeling he either hacked my records or had someone else do it. I wasn't upset, not really. It's not like the whole thing wasn't public record by now.