Chapter 1- Careful what you ask for part 1
"How much longer till we get to Kyoto? I'm getting tired of all this walking already!" Yahiko Myojin, a young samurai boy whined. He was the youngest of the group of 4 travelers who were currently heading back to Kyoto from Tokyo.
"Yahiko! Honestly! It's not much further than the last time I told you 5 minutes ago!!" growled an irritated Kaoru Kamiya. She was the assistant master at the Kamiya dojo that her father founded. For now, she was the only female of the four, but she was not a dead weight when it came to fighting. She's not too shabby with her bokken or fists either.
"What do you expect Ugly?" the boy shot back, "after you woke us up at the crack of dawn to leave the Aioya after Misao's birthday last night, I'm surprised we're all still walking."
"Now just wait a second there! What was that?!" she warned as she rolled up her kimono sleeve ready for a fight.
"Now, now, Ms. Kaoru, Yahiko," a gentle voice of reason pleaded as he gained both of their attention, "Tokyo's still at the most a day or less away, but there is a cross-road town up ahead. So no worries, we can rest there for the night and start anew tomorrow." Kenshin Himura, a former Hitokiri-now-Ruroni was the owner of the voice. Although the strongest in battle of the group, Kenshin preferred to be the one to stop fights rather than start them.
That job was set for someone more aggressive. Someone like the fourth member of the group, Sanosuke Sagara.
"Hey Yeah!" speaking of which, here's the tall bird headed Sagara now, "I know someone who runs an Inn there! He still owes me a few favors from the past so I bet we can get a free room and probably good food too!"
"I'm all for that!" Yahiko cheered.
"Well that's a relief. We probably won't need most of the money we brought then! We can use it to get extra treats from the restaurants!" Kaoru agreed.
Kenshin smiled and nodded, "then it's settled, that it is."
79098709870987098709870987098709870987098709870987
"Welcome to … … 'Saioko'?" Sanosuke read from the old welcome sign that stood weather worn out side of the small town.
The tall brunette glanced down at Kenshin curiously, "Yo, Kenshin? How come we never passed through this town before when we went to Kyoto all those times in the past?"
"It would seem that Saioko isn't on the map any more that it is not." The red head guessed as he looked over the map they brought once again with a frown.
"Come to think of it, I hardly ever hear about this 'Saioko' place any where." Kaoru thought aloud.
"Seriously? Man, I guess it's a forgotten town, huh?" Sanosuke concluded.
Kenshin only half listened to the small conversation going on between his friends as they entered the town. He looked off toward the left and saw some men attempting to mount a tied down stallion. Apparently the horse was having none of it, as every time the horse was approached, the animal lashed out with tooth and hoof dangerously with a loud squeal of warning.
The stallion certainly was a darker shade of black than he'd ever seen on a horse. He couldn't take the time to fully catch its confirmation since he was walking and trying to at least keep the rest of his group with in sight distance, but what he did see was rare in the native horse of Japan. The coat had a shine to it although the animal was dirty with dust and dirt. The mane and tail were long and deep coal black with a feathery silk look. The neck and tail were arched proudly and the eye were silver gray; a new look compared to the dark brown usually seen in horses.
The horse threw off the man that dared to have the guts to climb on the struggling animal with a catapult of its hind legs as it leaned forward in a jerky buck in haste. The horse shook off the loosened ropes as the men were distracted trying to help the fallen man back up. Taking advantage, the horse's eyes locked on the fence and bolted. With a powerful leap, the stallion flew over the wooden fencing and galloped pass Kenshin.
Kenshin's violet eyes panicked when he saw the animal wasn't going to stop and was heading for Kaoru, Yahiko and Sanosuke.
"MS. KAORU! YAHIKO! SANO!!" He shouted and started to sprint into action.
Kaoru looked over her shoulder and gasped in surprise when she saw the black giant running headlong straight at her! She didn't have time to dodge either. She covered her ears and flinched away, ready for the pain of being ran over by the large, solid muscled animal.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!" She screamed on instinct.
Silver eyes dilated soon as the scream of fear struck his sensitive ears. The black horse leaned back on its hind legs to do a sliding stop when the vision of the small woman came through the hazy fearful fog his mind was in that previously blinded him.
When the dust settled, silver eyes connected with a head of raven black tresses. Kaoru had yet to move from her defensive position. He snorted at her as he sniffed at her curiously, wandering if she was okay.
"KAORU!" Sanosuke and Yahiko shouted at the same time from the sides of the road they were on. When Kenshin had yelled, they had automatically flung themselves to the sides of the road on instinct. But here they were staring at the monster of a stallion sniffing over Kaoru curiously, not running over her!
"Ms. Kaoru! Are you alright!?" Kenshin gasped when he reached them.
Kaoru slowly opened her sapphire blue eyes and blinked confused at the ground as she was still hunched over.
"Huh?" she wasn't dead? No pain? She was even still standing! What the hell just happened??
"I- I'm alive?" she asked breathlessly. Then she turned and straightened, only to jump back in surprise when she found herself staring at a black muzzle, "EEP!!"
The horse took a step back when she made a sudden movement. Suddenly, he was having a feeling that she didn't like him so much.
Kenshin saw the taunt muscles of the horse tighten and bunch up. He chose not to approach Kaoru or the stallion just yet. If the horse saw him as a threat, he could hurt Kaoru when he bolted or decided to fight back. However, if Kaoru frightened the horse in such a close perimeter, she could be killed.
"Ms. Kaoru! Don't make any sudden movements! That animal is scared to death and isn't thinking rationally. If you move too quickly, it might set him off again." He cautioned and glanced at Yahiko and Sano to do the same.
'Oh, great! Now he tells me!' Kaoru chastised silently. The cautiously looked up. Those silver eyes looked so lost. So pained. This animal, … … no this horse was so afraid that he didn't know what to do. She could tell he was wry of her so close to him, but with the wall behind her, Yahiko blocking the right, and Sano the left, then Kenshin near the rear it would seem that he was getting more and more threatened as if cornered.
She gulped down her fear. Her father told her before that horses had a keen sense that connected them to people- they could feel what you were feeling. If she was afraid, the stallion would think there was something to fear and retaliate as such. She had to calm him down.
Her hand shook as she reached out with a flat palm, her head bent a little to show she wasn't challenging him, but merely trying to say hello.
Silver eyes looked over her curiously and his black ears shifted forward and back ward as he considered her offer, but then they shot back as he heard many men approaching behind him. He pranced and tossed his head as he swung his body away from her so he could look at them and her. The men that held him captive before were coming for him.
A chained lasso shot out and caught around his thick neck. That spooked him.
He reared and started prancing. Pushing Kaoru unconsciously closer to the wall.
"STOP! HE'LL HURT HER!" Kenshin snapped at the men, who just now seemed to recognize that there was indeed a girl in danger.
"We'll pull the monster away from her!" the man with the chain said as the other five men grabbed the chain as well and started to pull.
"NO! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Kaoru begged.
Every one, including the stallion paused for a moment and looked at her.
"L- Let him calm down … … He's scared so much that he'll probably kill himself by trying to get away." She said softer.
Silver eyes once more looked over at her. His nostrils flared as his breathing came in short pants. She slowly approached him with her hand out stretched to him and her head bowed a little once more.
"Crazy wench is going to get herself killed." A man hissed as he started to pull on the chain again, but Kenshin and Sano stopped him.
"You will wait until she's safe that you will." Kenshin said harshly cold. His eyes gave a light death glare, but it was enough to convince the men to obey as they all watched the girl attempt to calm the beast.
The stallion nuzzled her palm and sniffed at her before pulling back and chomping his teeth together in his mouth- a show of acceptance. He lowered his head to let her know she could approach. Kaoru smiled. She had never had a chance to use her parent's old horsemen tricks. They never owned a horse, but her mothers' father was a good horseman that taught both her and Kaoru's father about handling a horse. Now it was paying off.
She let her fingers stroke the silky mane lining the neck of the stallion as he nuzzled her frame. He seemed to take a liking to her. She didn't blame him. She was probably one of the very few who actually showed him respect. She looked closer into his silver irises and gasped at the fire barely concealed in the silvery grey vortex. There was no doubt on just what this was- a war horse. An old soldier like Kenshin.
"Are ye alright, girl?" the man that held the chain asked since the stallions' large frame blocked their view of her.
"I'm fine, and so is he." She replied. When the chain tugged experimentally, the stallion issued a low growl which deafened when he felt Kaoru's small hand on his neck, "easy boy, they wont hurt you now, just go home with them."
Glancing at her, then at the men, he followed her back as she went to her friends and he went to his captors. She and the others watched as the 6 men hesitantly led the now calmed stallion back toward his round pin.
"Wow, Missy, I didn't know you were a horse whisperer" Sano remarked.
"What's a 'horse-whisperer'?" Yahiko asked.
"It's someone who can work really well with horses by almost reading their movements as thoughts." Kaoru explained, not taking her eyes off the stallion, "horses don't use their voices to speak very often, they have a body language. And if you recognize it and respect it, they'll usually show you respect in return."
"Since when did you know about horses?" Yahiko asked suspicious.
"My grandfather was a horseman for a lord and he taught my mother and father how to effectively handle horses. I guess it's in my blood." She stuck her tongue out at the little boy when she heard a snort of disbelief from him.
"I can't believe how unique you really are, Kaoru," Yahiko said slyly.
"Really?" Kaoru wasn't used to the young boy's compliments. So that meant he was up to something, "like how?"
"well let give it a look," Yahiko numbered his points off on his left hands' fingers, "you're good at kitana and horse handling- both which are MANNLY traits, and then you can't cook or do many other WOMANLY things… … one has to think if you were truly meant to be a man." Bad move.
Sanosuke and Kenshin tensed and quickly moved out of the way.
"Yahiko," Kaoru said sweetly.
Next thing Yahiko knew was that he was on the ground with his arm painfully being pinned to his back, "AHH! HEY GET OFF ME UGLY!!"
"A MAN AM I?! I'LL SHOW YOU JUST HOW MANLY I CAN GET WHEN I'M PISSED OFF YOU LITTLE SNOT NOSED PUNK!" Kaoru roared as she stared wailing on the poor boy.
Kenshin and Sano just stared blankly and then looked at each other with a sweat drop, then flinched when they heard Kaoru kneed Yahiko in the gut.
"Shouldn't we be stopping this, Sano?" Kenshin asked pitifully
"No way am I getting in the middle of THAT." Sano deadpanned.