##

And while this sweet scene was transpiring....

"BBBBLLLLLLEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Megumi tried not to make a face as Yahiko puked his guts out for the hundredth time into the bucket in the corner of her room, and failed miserably. "I warned you not to eat so much, Yahiko-chan."

A green faced, bleary-eyed Yahiko glared at her briefly, "Don't call

me..." He started before puking again, Megumi sighing as she stirred the medicine. Her mind anywhere but on task.

"Oi, You in there, Fox?"

Sano....She took a deep breath and let it out, fluffing her back into order as she glanced in the mirror. That didn't take long.... Men are so predictable. She opened the door and looked at him. "Well, look what the cat dragged in." Sano didn't rise to the bait, much to her disappointment. After all the flirting she had been doing with Jubei, she expected Sano to put his fist through the hull with Jealousy. Dirty tactics indeed, but she had enough cat and mouse games between them so she was taking drastic measures. The little voice in her head decided to ask her those two lingering questions again

*But why not just tell him? And is it just 'flirting?'*

Shut up, she mentally snapped.

"Just came to check on Yahiko, that's all." He had a smirk Megumi didn't like. "Don't wanna get in the way..."

"Is that all?" *Careful, Megumi, don't sound too suggestive....* Sano's eyes narrowed, the smirk widening.

"What, expecting.... company soon and want me out the way?" Megumi's eyes narrowed in response.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Like you don't know," He said her nickname like a curse word.

"Fox...." Megumi's eyes seemed to glow red hot with that remark.

"I asked you what you meant by that." Sano crossed his arms.

"What does a smart lady like yourself care what a baka chicken head thinks?" He taunted.

An awful lot, Megumi admitted to herself. But you're pushing it....

"Good point, why should I care what you think?" Something flickered briefly in his eyes before she could recognize it.

"Then why so upset, Fox?" He sneered. "So get out the way, woman."

Mistake.

"How dare you talk to me like that, you....you....Jackass!"

"Oh, that was original....Guess you must be too 'distracted' to think of a better one."

That tiny little voice reminded her that she shouldn't get mad since this was all her fault, but she ignored it.

"And you're too jealous to think straight, it seems...." Megumi shot back. "Not that thinking was ever your strong point."

She expected that remark to snap him back to himself, however....

Sano chuckled nastily. "You're right....especially when it came to you, Fox lady." That one hurt more than Sano expected, he could tell by the way she tightened her jaw and her eyes hardened, but he didn't give a shit at the moment.

"Good night, Fox." He said before she could reply, turning and walking out. "Try not to stay up too late for Yahiko's sake...."

She slammed the door in a scream, standing there with her fists clenched and face contorted with rage. That arrogant bastard.....How dare he....Angry tears came to her eyes, Megumi struggling to control herself as she wiped them away.

No reason to cry about it, that annoying voice taunted. You got exactly what you wanted, a reaction....

"Sano."

Outside....

Damnit....Letting out some steam on Megumi didn't feel as good as he thought it would.

In fact it felt worse.

"Well, she deserved it." Sano told himself. "So why should I feel bad about it?"

Because it's none of your business if she's interested in someone other than you, Blockhead. And you haven't had the balls to say anything before so you're jealous.

"Damn right, I'm jealous! You happy now?" Sano swore again. Damn you,

Megumi....Sano leaned on the ship's rail, trying to ignore the dark thoughts running through his head.

All involving Megumi and Jubei.

He sighed. Why am I getting all bent out of shape cause she's flirting with the jerk? She's abig girl. I'm not her damn chaperone or something.....It's not like she's mine, anyway.....as much as I wish she was.....

"Oi, Sano."

He turned to see Jubei walking up to him.

Gripped the rail to keep from punching him out.

It wasn't that he was such a rotten guy. Jubei reminded him a lot of himself, and Sano didn't believe that crap about wanting to kill Kenshin, so he wasn't all bad. It's just that the bastard's messing with my Fox lady.....

"Oi, Jubei....Nice night, eh?"

"It'll do." Jubei commented a sad light in his eyes Sano recognized as loneliness.

"Something bothering you?"

"Nah," He lied. "Just not much for stargazing and stuff like that." Actually, he mused, it reminds me of....her....Just as much as Megumi does.....

"Say, Sano....I hate to ask this but...."

"Nani?"

"Tell me about.....Megumi. What's she's like?" Sano's expression must have turned frightening because Jubei backed up and raised his hands in surrender. "I mean her personality and all, of course."

At first Sano was going to cuss him out when an even better idea popped into his head.

Sano grinned.

"Well...."

##

Sometimes, Megumi wished her Conscience had an off switch. It nagged her constantly as she gave Yahiko some medicine for his sickness, and just to get some peace and quiet she went hunting for the baka to apologize. "Don't see why...." Megumi muttered. "He was the one who barged in with an attitude...."

And whose fault is that? Her conscience piped up.

Oh, shut up. She snapped.

She turned the corner, wondering what she could say....and there he was, standing by the rail. With Jubei.

Megumi swore before ducking out of site.

Well, they're not fighting, that's a relief, just talking....

"Tell me about....Megumi."

ABOUT HER?!!!! She tried to become one with the wood as she strained to listen.

Sano scratched his head. "....What do you think about her?" Jubei shrugged.

"I'm not sure...But she seems like a sweet girl. Doesn't hurt that she smart and beautiful, ether."

Megumi blushed to the tips of her fox ears, hearts floating over her head and unable to help giggling a little...

"Oh, man Jubei...." Sano shook his head. "You have no idea...."

Megumi started to float in absolute bliss.....

"....How wrong you are...."

Then facefaulted back to earth so hard the boat rocked, the floating hearts cracking and dropping like files.

Jubei jumped, hand on his sword.

"You hear something?" Sano hid his grin by scratching his nose.

"Nah...."

Megumi slowly recovered with a groan Whaaaaaatt....

"Anyway, as your friend I think I should warn you about that girl, cause she's nowhere near a 'sweet girl.' In fact, DEMON would be a better word.....” That.....That....That...Megumi clawed the wall in rage....

"She's smart alright, though it's more smart-ass than intelligence....." More wood chips started to fly....

"In fact she can be a downright snob most of the time, thinks she knows more than anybody even when she doesn't know jack shit....." The wall looked like a three day scratching post now.....

Jubei thought he heard a weird scratching sound, but dismissed it as rats.

"This is the same Megumi we're talking about?" Sano nodded gravely.

"Quite a shock, ne? Then again, the cute chicks always are. And don't get me started on her temper...."

"You are so dead, Sano!" Megumi hissed. "So dead doctors haven't even come up with a term for it!"

"Bad?" Jubei asked.

"Words can't describe, although 'hotter than hell' comes close." If Megumi gritted her teeth any harder, the sparks she was making would burn the boat down.

"To make a long story short, Jubei, since I'll be up all night finishing the list, that girl's a demon. And I'm not saying it to scare ya off, since you can have her for all I care. Just don't say I didn't warn ya."

"Thanks, Sano." Jubei sounded relived, sending Megumi into spasms of rage. "Guess I better think twice, ne?"

"Glad to be of help."

Megumi slunk off to her room as Sano and Jubei chatted on another subject, so mad she could hardly see straight. Grrr...That lousy, Chicken headed, spineless, backstabbing, scum sucking....Megumi ran through her entire vocabulary and still couldn't find enough insults to describe him. How dare he slander her so! *I should....* A wicked thought interrupted her tirade.*No...Even better, I won't do anything...* Her fox ears returned. *Except turn up the heat, hee, hee....*

Sano kept a straight face despite laughing his ass off inside. *That'll teach her,* he thought, knowing she was there the whole time. *Two can play at this game, Fox....And I'm gonna win.....*

*Demon, ne?* Jubei thought to himself. *Sano might be right about regretting it, but I think I'll enjoy the chase.....*

*You think you're jealous now, Sano?* Megumi sneered. *Just wait....*

*Sagara Sanosuke doesn't give up that easy, Fox....*

*I like my women sharp and wild.....* Jubei grinned inwardly. *More fun that way....*

All three cackled evilly on the inside, thinking the same thing.

*The game's only beginning.....*