Attack on the Road

"…You don't understand. I must go. The leader of that group, this Yoko he spoke of……. is my sister."

Everyone was too shocked to speak for a while. Finally Sanosuke managed to choke up some words.

"What!? Your sister!?" he said. Everyone followed after him.

"Your sister!?" said Kaoru.

"Osaka!?" said Yahiko

"Yes, my sister," replied Kenshin. "I am sorry that I never told you that I had a sister, that I am. There are still a lot of things that I haven't told you, and I have good reasons for it. But now that you know that I have a sister, let alone family, I will tell you about her. Yoko is several years younger than I am, but she is much more spirited and enthusiastic. The last I had heard about her was right before the revolution. That's when I found out that she had run away fro home, and had gone off to fight for justice as I had. But I would never have imagined that she would join a group such as the Oni Waban. She has always been independent. That is all that I know. Now if you'll excuse me, I must be on my way to Osaka."

"Wait," said Sanosuke. "I'm going with you, and you better not try to stop me."

"Me too," said Yahiko. "There's no way that I'm letting you leave me out of another event like this."

"I'm sorry," Kenshin sighed. "But it is much too dangerous for either of you to go with me. Besides, who's going to look after Masaharu?"

"Fine," replied Sanosuke. "Go to Osaka and get yourself killed without us. I'm telling you, though, you need me there to help you deal with Kashu."

"Thank you all for your concern," said Kenshin. "But nothing can make me change my mind." With that he was off, to travel to Osaka by foot and by himself. The road was completely empty, and therefore completely quiet. Kenshin started to get suspicious.

"It's quiet, too quiet," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if right about now-
BOOM! A bomb went off about ten feet away from him, and with that the ambush began. Soon after that Kenshin was surrounded.

"So, that weakling Masaharu survived," said one of them. "Well after we're through with you, we'll just have to go back and finish the job we started."

"Who are you?" asked Kenshin.

"Isn't it obvious? We're Kashu's private assassins. I am second in command to him, but you can call me Hiroyuki."

"I'm sorry to be rude, but my sister is in danger, so let's skip the formalities," said Kenshin.

"If you say so," said Hiroyuki. Then he whistled and signaled his men to attack Kenshin. However, he quickly knocked them all out with his reverse-blade sword.

"Is that the best you've got?" he asked.

"You wish," said Hiroyuki. Then he took out his weapon, a bo staff, and went after Kenshin. He was so fast that Kenshin barely had time to block his attacks. Hiroyuki kept forcing him back until Kenshin tripped over a tree root.

"I have you now," he said. But before he had time to hit Kenshin he was punched and knocked away by none other than Sanosuke.

"Sanosuke!" said Kenshin. "I thought I told you to stay and take care of Masaharu."

"You did," he said. "So I left Kaoru and Yahiko to do that." Then he turned to the now conscious Hiroyuki. "And as for you," he said, "you go back to your boss, and tell him that Sanosuke is coming for him, and that he's bringing the Battosai with him."

Hiroyuki got up and ran away, promising them that he would be back. "Well Kenshin, shall we?"

"Yes, let's go to Osaka, together," he said. And they were on their way.