Blood Orchid
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Summary: While on vacation, in one of the oldest valleys of Miyajima, the Kenshin-gumi, become victims to a plot no one could've ever possibly have foreseen . . . As it all, inevitably narrows down to choice, Kenshin must decide between his old oaths of promise to Battousai's sense of justice. (Set two years after the anime, w/the emergence of Battousai.)
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Disclaimer: as usual, Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively. FF is non-profit, meant for entertainment only and can be archived anywhere, just let me know where. Please send no flames, I'm sensitive. For all other commentsyou may contact me through this website or my own.
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A/N: This story is dedicated to Nguardian4earth—reader, beta and often inspiration—in my line of work. Thank you.
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Somewhere . . .
"In the wilderness, on the small island of Miyajima, where the townspeople, still live an indigenous life. It is believed the last of the true blood orchids still lies, hidden among the foliage, deep within the clouds surrounding the Misen mountain. It is said, that is where it still remains unseen and unguarded, ready to fall into the hands of it's intended—"
"Maiden?"
"Victim, you idiot."
"Yahiko!"
"It's all right, Kaoru-chan."
"See."
"Shut up, you little runt."
"Sano!"
"Maa, maa, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said, standing between her and the other two. "They will remain quite, now. Please," He gestured, easing her back towards her seat.
Kaoru huffed but obeyed. As the other two snickered behind Kenshin, her hand tightened around her bokken. And it was this, the small sound of leather being twisted that immediately made the other two quite down. Smiling, Kenshin took his seat again, refilling her cup with more tea before handing her a bunny rice ball he and the girls had made.
"Once . . ." Dr. Genzai continued. "The towns people tried to rid themselves of the repercussion of this damning flower though in doing so they provoked the anger of its guardian, as they unintentionally set free . . ."
"That was my rise ball!"
"Yahiko," Kenshin began feeling her ki spike, "please."
"So get another one you little monster!"
"You free-loader!"
"Watch it, Yahiko-chan."
"Don't call me that!" He shrieked, jumping on top off Sano.
The rest of them could only watch as they rolled around, pulling hair and biting. Trying to kick each other in such close proximity, though nearly caught Ayame if not for Kaoru picking her up. Kenshin sighed. "Sano," he began hoping to appeal to him as an adult. "Please let Yahiko go."
"Ghh," Yahiko, howled. Kicking Sano off his chest. "I don't need you to save me." He said, almost dodging Sano. As he caught him in the ribs, they both went down again. Yelping suddenly as Kaoru appeared in front of them, eyes blazing a dark fathomless blue.
"Get out of here!"
"What?"
"Kaoru-dono . . ."
She silenced him with a glance. As she looked at other two, eyes round and hurt, she sighed. "If you don't behave," she said. "You can forget about coming to Miyajima with the rest of us."
"But that's not fair!" They shouted.
"And I don't care," she snapped, brandishing her bokken as a clear warning for them to quiet down. As she looked back, she noticed Dr. Genzai had left and this time, sighing angrily, she stalked all the way inside the dojo. He had never told her that story and now that he was finally going to do it, those damn free-loaders had interrupted him almost every other word. And now, she thought, he was probably already on his way back to work.
They were leaving in an hour and if by some chance he did somehow manage to get away from the clinic, he still wouldn't have the time to tell her the rest of story. It was silly, she knew, to get so upset about a story. But she knew the bases, knew how it seemed to echo a bit of what she felt when she looked at Kenshin, so she couldn't help but want to know what had happened to the guardian after they'd accidentally killed the river maiden.
Sighing, Kaoru closed the door to her room. Laying on her unmade bed as she stared at the ceiling, for a while, wondering once again what Kenshin saw when he looked at her. After so many years together, she knew he felt affection towards her but more than that . . . more than he showed others, she had never seen.
He was careful with her, of course, she imagined being a woman, he felt he needed to protect her but . . . anything more than that—
Kaoru couldn't see any signs of him being in love with her. At least not like she loved him, as more than the need to see the sun or to feel its warmth against her skin. She loved him. And it hurt, most of the time, when he misinterpreted her directness as something else.
But really, she thought, that man could be so clueless sometimes. Sighing, Kaoru closed her eyes, intent on only taking a short nap. She sat up again and undid her obi before laying back down again. Not bothering with the covers, she pulled her kimono a little closer before slowly dozing off.
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At half past three, Kenshin came back inside the dojo. Lightly drying his hands on his hakama, as he began unwinding the strings from his sleeves. Everyone was getting ready to leave and he had made sure everything was nice and clean before coming to get her. Later, when they came back, he knew she'd appreciate the small gesture.
Smiling a little, he tapped on the frame of the shoji. Waiting patiently for her voice . . . Though when it didn't come right away as he'd expected, he knocked again. Listening closely, he could hear her light breathing but nothing else. Still, unsure, he slid the shoji back, just a little, watching her asleep for a second or so before snapping himself out of it and moving forward, kneeling at her side before taking in a small-silent breath and reaching out to touch a shoulder. Lightly shaking her awake, waiting for her eyes to open and alight with recognition before a smile graced her face.
"Kaoru-dono," he whispered, lightly cupping her shoulder and shaking her, waiting patiently a couple of seconds more before he did it again. "Kaoru-dono," he whispered becoming a little concerned. "Kaoru-dono it's time for us to go."
"Kenshin?"
"Aa," he murmured, watching her eyes drift open, smiling as she turned on her back and for a moment, watched her smile in return before he realized her kimono had begun to gap.
"Kao . . ." his eyes immediately snapped back to her face, blushing furiously. He backed away, stood and tried to ignore the way his heart seemed to want to jump out of his chest. "Se-sessha will leave you to dress, Kaoru-dono." He said, standing a good five feet away, his face strategically turned away. "Se-ssha will go and se-see to the rest of things," he said, already out the door and sliding the shoji closed. Eyes briefly catching her confused expression, a hand lightly holding her kimono closed at the throat, before the door was closed and he stepped away.
Mouth dry and hands shaking, he turned away, quickly disappearing around the corner, hoping she wouldn't be mad. Kami only knew . . . He hadn't realized . . . she was half undressed. She was half-undressed and not blushing at all—he thought—no more, suddenly as he cut off the rest of that thought.
It was Kaoru . . . dono, and he'd been over this already. She was too young and too innocent, for him to . . . She deserved better, he thought and because of that, would never under any circumstances allow her to be stained by his blood soaked hands. She would hate him for it later. And that, he could never bear. He couldn't, he thought leaning against a beam before abruptly sitting down. Distantly aware, of the yard around him, at least for a few calming seconds. Before a breeze suddenly caught the scent of Jasmine and he turned, mask carefully in place, ready to act the rurouni better than he did on most days but then as he looked at her, face flushed and deftly turned away, he found there really was no need.
"Is everyone ready to go?" She asked, flush turning a little darker as she looked out into the yard. Making him wonder . . .
"Aa," he answered, voice low and odd, odd enough for her too look at him a moment, he realized, hiding quickly behind a rurouni grin. Eyes cast, he began to stammer, "Sessha-what sessha means is . . ." She was looking at him still, really looking at him which made him just as nervous because he knew what she was trying to do. "Everyone is set to go, Kaoru-dono." He said, taking a casual step back as he tried to grin at her, eyes only glimpsing hers momentarily before falling elsewhere.
"Kenshin?"
His eyes wouldn't meet hers. She was trying to peak behind his mask again and though it'd been flawless, just a second ago, she'd made him nervous again. "Sessha . . ."
"Oi! Kenshin, are we leaving or what!" Sano yelled, watching them impatiently for a second or so before walking back out the gate.
"We should go Kaoru-dono, that we should." He said, warm purple eyes, gliding over hers like always. Carefully appropriate and never, too overly affectionate, just friendly she thought. Trying not to frown as she nodded in his direction and began to walk alongside him. Thinking, it was really rather pointless anyways because he just didn't seem get it. Kenshin no baka. Her bokken wielding hand twitched for a second and would have happily collided with his head but she doubted it'd do him any good—Kenshin no baka, she thought, smiling affectionately at his back while she waited for him to finish locking up.
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Kaoru was right, of course; about the train station, Dr. Genzai and those damn free-loaders who had yet to shut-the-hell-up, she thought. Nursing an extreme amount of patience, via Kenshin. Who seemed to understand all too well, as he offered her an apologetic smile, she couldn't help but smile back. Annoyance, just couldn't stand up to one of Kenshin's smiles. Besides, she thought, they were almost there, the ship just had to dock.
"Stop pushing me!" Yahiko yelled, shoving Sano away and nearly toppling him over.
"You stupid-"
"Sano!"
The ex-gangster did not continue, casting Kenshin a mournful look, before looking away, ignoring Yahiko for the next couple of minutes in an attempt to maintain some semblance of control over a mounting anger, he did not try to hide.
Regardless, Kaoru thought, she was just glad he'd listened to Kenshin. She didn't want to have to deal with one of them going overboard and then the other having to go in after him.
"Kaoru-dono . . ."
"Hmm," she said, turning to look at him.
"We're here."
'Oh,' she thought, looking back out of her side of the boat as it neared a small decrepit looking dock. Which made her wonder, with the size of it and all, if boats ever really came this way.
"Jou-chan?"
"Al right," she said, taking a hold of Sano's offered hand. Glancing over at Kenshin, as he helped an older lady of the boat before returning to her side. A small apologetic smile on his face, as Sano moved aside and helped her out himself.
"Who was that?" Kaoru asked, releasing his hand reluctantly once she found herself on the dock, a foot or two away from Kenshin as he glanced at the older woman. "Sessha did not ask, that he did. But sessha did hear her say she lives here." He said, eyes tender as he glanced at her.
"Oh," she said, blushing slightly as they began to walk off the dock. "Do you know where we're going?"
"Aa," he said, glancing around the small crowd. "Dr. Genzai's friend said we should take the path on the left soon after we left the dock, that he did."
"Everyone's moving together though—" Kaoru said, glancing at Kenshin, who nodded.
"Cause we're all going in the same direction, ne Kenshin?" Sano said, appearing on Kenshin's right. A small smile on his lips, which made Kaoru wonder what he'd done.
"Where's Yahiko?"
"Why are you asking me," Sano smiled, his grin just a little brighter.
"Sano . . ."
"I didn't do anything," he said before moving off to the front of the crowd.
"Kaoru-dono," Kenshin murmured, pulling on her sleeve, drawing her attention to a dirty-faced Yahiko as he sped by them and tackled Sano without so much as a word.
"They are simply impossible." Kaoru said, walking by the pair, like walking by a bush before sighing dramatically.
Kenshin smiled and said no more as they made their way down the road. Which wasn't dirt at all he noted, as he carefully glanced around, taking in the cobbled path and small shrines spaced every so often, he frowned. Wondering if maybe they'd taken some other path, he had by some chance not noticed before.
Though highly unlikely, he couldn't help but feel unease begin to stir along his senses. Dr. Genzai's friend had said nothing about cobbled paths or shrines he thought. As the path lead them along, grand majestic trees becoming sparse, a pond came into view, making him stop dead in his tracks.
The image of white-silk robes and dark-blue eyes, making his blood curl in a way that had his gaze searching Kaoru out. And yet, impeding him from walking further, as he turned back to the pond, searching out the silk-clad figure, he noted there was nothing there at all.
"Kenshin?"
Kaoru was worried, he thought, gathering his mask, brandishing light purple eyes and rurouni smiles, always made her unease wash off. "The lake," he intoned, casually drawing off the subject—"Looks very peaceful, that it does."
"Hmm," she said, coming to his side, eyes distant over the placid pond. "That it does . . ." She murmured, eyes slightly narrowing.
"Kaoru-dono?"
Her eyes snapped back, startled for a brief, brief second. "We should go," she said. Eyes following the others, "We don't want to get lost."
He nodded, following closely along. Wondering what it was about that lake that made the warnings in his head resonate with the sounds of danger.
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When they said town, Kaoru expected—well she didn't know what she'd expected but she'd thought; something like Tokyo, maybe. Where tiny houses where evenly spaced, a few gardens here and there and a school or a market place near by, something that showed some sense of livelihood.
A community, she'd thought, like her own. So, what she didn't expect were the high stone walls that greeted her as she came into town. The large shrine in the back drop and all that cobbled-open space. It looked like the inside of a palace. A place, where princes lived and soldiers trained. It was strange. She could see trees, bushes and a few other plants near the shrine but no flowers. In fact, the only place she'd actually seen something resembling a flower was on a lily pad in the pond. Everywhere else she looked, there was either open space or stone statues running along thick stone walls.
It was odd and she would admit, made her more than a little curious. She couldn't help but wonder either, what had taken place here for them to have build something so big as this. It would have taken years to build, not to mention, the threat of a constant danger.
"We wont be allowed to stay here," Sano said, interrupting her thoughts as she looked at him, gaze trailing over the surrounding populace.
"Why," Yahiko piped. Curiously close to Sano, who grinned down at him. "There's no women."
"What? That's not true, Kenshin helped an old lady off the boat, remember."
Sano nodded, "Yeah but she didn't head this way. I saw her taking a small off to the side road once we came inside. If you look over that way," he said pointing along the wall, moving his finger in the direction off the stone barrier and behind it, behind the temple. "There's a hill or something."
"But that doesn't mean there's no women allowed here." Yahiko snapped. Eyes, flashing as Sano rolled his eyes at him.
"Haven't you noticed there's only men walking around here?"
Kaoru nodded, startled when Kenshin suddenly took her by the arm. "Sessha would rather we moved along," he said, catching Sano's eyes and lightly inclining his head. Indicating to Sano, a few of the men, who'd stopped walking around.
"Right."
Sano said, catching a hold of Yahiko, casually falling behind as Kenshin and Kaoru led the way to the little road he'd earlier described.
"Why do you think there's no women," Yahiko whispered, large brown eyes, turned up curious.
"Don't know, kid but we better hold of on saying much. Don't want worry Jou-chan just yet." He said, ruffling his spikes into a brown mess. Earning him glare and well placed punch. "Little bastard," he breathed trying to get a bit more air into his lungs as Yahiko laughed and moved off to the side, just well above his reach, he thought before chasing after him.
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The hill or something, as Sano had called it, actually turned out to be the bottom of the mountain. It was a good half an hour walk from the stone gates and well deep into the island. There were lots of trees and at some point, the cobbled road led into evergreen pastures that seemed to have never known a dry summer.
It was very beautiful, Kaoru thought, filled with such a sense of warmth and peace, she felt she could have danced open-armed around it. It was only the sight of Kenshin's less than somber expression that kept her from the silly notion. Though now that she'd noticed, she had to admit, how much quieter he'd become. Over the last half-hour, at least, he had become increasingly more distracted. Becoming almost as lost in his own thoughts, as she had become with her surroundings.
It was . . .
"Wow," Sano breathed, a close step behind Yahiko, who'd caught up to Kaoru.
"What are you wowing about," Yahiko snapped, squinting into the village coming up ahead. "There's only . . .
"Old people," Sano said, frowning at Kenshin who'd stopped alongside Kaoru, but wasn't really looking at the village. "You okay Kenshin?"
"Kenshin?" Kaoru called, softly tugging on his sleeve until he looked at her. "Are you alright?"
"Aa," he said, blinking violet eyes, before his sight refocused. Gaze trained on the inhabitants up ahead. "We should move that we should, we don't want to look too conspicuous." He said, before turning back, a small rurouni smile on his face as he tugged her forward by the sleeve.
"Okay, Sano, is it me or are they acting strange?" Yahiko asked, looking at the pair in front of them as they walked side by side, Kaoru, casually stealing glances at a rurouni, who really didn't seem to notice.
"Aside from Kenshin not been as . . . sharp, as usual—" he said, "I can't really see anything else. Why?"
Yahiko shrugged, "I don't know. But there's something about this place that . . . I don't know. It's like that guy Kenshin talked to, you know, Dr. Genzai's friend, he just . . . It's creepy."
Sano frowned, turning away from Yahiko as they approached the village. "You were with Kenshin when he talked to him, right?"
"Yeah, the guy seemed to know we wanted to go on vacation and he was the one who came up to Kenshin while we were getting tofu. He told Kenshin, who he was and that at this time of season, the best place to go would be one of the surrounding islands. Miyajima, specially. Something about it having the best weather or something."
"But that doesn't sound strange," Sano said, voice lowering as they reached the other two in front of what seemed to be an inn.
"He didn't know who Kenshin was."
Sano stopped, "What do you mean?"
"I mean he thought Kenshin was just Dr. Genzai's friend."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Sano hissed, grabbing him by the shoulder and moving him aside.
"Sano, there's like no one in all of Japan who doesn't know who the Hitokiri Battousai is."
"There's a lot of people who don't . . ."
"Yeah but listen, while we were there, that guy with the broom hair came up to Kenshin. Called him Battousai and everything before laughing about something Saitou had once said."
"So?"
Yahiko sighed, really beginning to get frustrated. "He was called Battousai, straight out. Just like that, and the man didn't do anything but frown. And before you say so again, tell me how you can notice right away when there's like, no women in a town and not notice the significance of this guy not knowing Kenshin's name."
"What?"
"Man, you're an idiot," he mumbled. "The guy can't have been from main Japan. I think that guy's from one of these islands."
Sano frowned, for a moment taking it all in and—okay, accepting it because it kind-of made sense. "But what would he gain from drawing Kenshin here?"
Yahiko shrugged, glancing briefly over at Kaoru. "I don't know." He said, smirking suddenly at Sano. "But I think we may have to share rooms."
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"Kenshin," Kaoru murmured, her cheeks flushing a faint pink as she looked around, disconcerted by the sudden misplaced attention she was receiving. "They keep staring at me." She informed him, flushing a little darker as he laughed.
"Aa," he said, eyes full of warmth. "It's because you look so nice, Kaoru-dono."
"Please . . ." Yahiko snorted, moving a bit further away before looking around. Watching all the older couples casually glance in their direction before whispering between them.
"Tell me that isn't weird," Sano suddenly said, dropping down beside him and taking dumpling off his plate.
"That was mine," he fumed, "Where the hell where you anyways, huh. You almost missed dinner."
"I was out gathering information," the ex-gangster said, winking at him conspiratorially before reaching over for a bowl and some rice.
"And?"
"And what, I won't know till later tonight," he said. Grinning in a way that Yahiko didn't really understand.
"Whatever, you know I'm stuck sharing a room with busu right? Whatever you find out, you'll have tell me about tomorrow."
"Hmm," the ex-gangster said, thoughtfully chewing on a slice of meat before a smirk made it across his face. "Tell me again, how he decided." Sano prompted, voice pitched low, as he glanced over at Kenshin quietly speaking to Kaoru about something that made her blink then flush before turning her face away.
"He said and I quote, 'Yahiko you and Kaoru-dono can have the larger room, sessha and Sano will take the smaller one." Smirking, Yahiko, shook his head. "I told him I didn't want to share a room with busu, that I'd rather share one with you if it came right down to it. But he just didn't get it." He said, remembering how, Kenshin's head had tilted, confusion clearly written on his face. "I'll admit it was funny though, when I told him you sleep like the dead anyways and that maybe he ought to put you there instead." He said, remembering how Kenshin's face had paled.
"You know, it's like everyone knows he loves her except for him and Kaoru." He said, stealing bits of meat from Sano's bowl.
Sano nodded. "I've tried to talk to him about it but he's good at playing dumb." He admitted, "Nearly had him that one time though, remember before he went all Battousai on me and we had to flee to the Akabeko."
"I remember we had to wait out in the cold," he said, recalling how they'd had to wait for Kaoru to finish her conversation with Tae before they could all go home.
"Why do you think . . ." Yahiko trailed off, watching as Kaoru turned around to face Sano. "Stop stealing my fish, " she warned, before leaning over the table and snatching up his chopsticks.
"I was just trying to keep you from eating it all," Sano reasoned. "You know that's how girls get fat, don't you?" He was stunned, quite literarily, as the full weight of her fist collided with his head, a sea of stars exploding behind his eyes.
The impact, actually made Sano skid across the floor. As he got up, slowly shaking his head. Yahiko began to laugh, grabbing on to his side in an attempt to stop but—"How do you not see that coming every time," he said, tears finally rolling down his cheeks. "Your face," he says, "It's like she surprises you ever time."
"All right you little runt," Sano growled, face a dark pink, as he looked around. "I think that's enough."
"But your face—"
"Is still going to look better than yours if you don't shut up." He warned. His threat, enough to quiet the younger boy.
"When did you get all sensitive?"
"What did you say to me?"
"Maa, Maa," Kenshin interrupted. Slender hands, coming between the two. "It's time we left, that it is. Tomorrow, we have a long day ahead and we need to rest." He said, waiting for the either of the two to huff and look away so that the other could stand and walk away. When neither did however, Kenshin sighed and picked up Yahiko.
"I didn't start it," he whined, twisting against Kenshin's hold to glare at Sano. Who, simply smiled and walked away, whistling a little tune, Yahiko swore would make him swallow, just as soon as he could get away.
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It was nearly two am when he stumbled into the room, falling over Yahiko, who'd been sprawled against the door.
"What the HELL!" Yahiko screamed, picking himself off the ground and rubbing at his head.
"Need . . ." Sano gasped, "To talk . . ." He said, clutching at his side before bending over to catch his breath. "Where . . ." He breathed, "Where's Kenshin?"
"He went out a bit ago," the boy explained. "I think he might have wondered if something happened to you. I don't know. He didn't really say."
"Fine," Sano said, waving off the rest. "We need to get Kaoru and get the hell out of here. Kenshin can catch up, he's good at tracking and all that so it doesn't really matter if we just up and leave." He said, grabbing all their stuff from the room and stuffing it in bag.
"Sano?"
"Look," Sano said, turning around and grabbing him by the shoulders. "I'll explain things on the way alright. Just go get her, she isn't safe here."
"What—what do you mean?"
"Yahiko!"
"Alright," he said, running out of the room and back to his own. Wondering what the hell he'd found out to have made him so damn paranoid. "Kaoru," he yelled, panting against the open door, which he realized was not a good sign. Shit. "Kaoru, he called, carefully leaning in, tilting his head from side to side and confirming that—yeah, she was most definitely gone.
"Yahiko?"
"She's gone Sano."
"No." He argued, "They couldn't have gotten her so soon." They needed time, he thought. Unless . . . Unless. . . Yahiko had been right . . . And that guy, pretending to be Dr. Genzai's friend, really was from this island. "Shit."
What the hell were they supposed to do now? Kenshin would kill them. Shit.
"Grab her stuff," he heard himself say. "She's got to be around here. I'll wait for you at the entrance, ok. "
Yahiko, nodded, already half way through her packing when Sano himself turned and left. Still, as he picked up the rest of her things, changing himself into a hakama and gi, he began to panic. Wondering where the hell Kenshin had gone and if it where at all possible for Kaoru to be with him now.
"Sano?"
"Over here," the ex-gangster yelled, meeting him half way on the porch as he neared.
"I got her stuff now are you gonna tell me what's going."
"Not here," he said, grabbing him by shoulder and pulling him along. Hiding against the shadows of tree not too far from where they'd been, the door easily visible from where they stood.
"Sano?"
"Fuck—" Sano growled, rubbing at his face with the heels of his palm. "This is such a fucking long story."
"Which is gonna have to wait I think, I just spotted Kaoru." Yahiko said, running out into the open and nearly tackling her to the ground. An 'Umf' escaping both before Kaoru turned, dropping Yahiko to the ground with an ease that both surprised and embarrassed him.
"What the hell do you think you're you doing—" She snapped, biting her tongue as Sano put his hand over her mouth and dragged her across the street. Yahiko, in tow, followed closely behind.
"Jou-chan, where the hell have you been? We've been worried sick."
"Oh, I - " she blushed, suddenly, eyes cast on the dirt beneath their feet. "I saw Kenshin leave and I . . . I followed him for a bit but then I lost track of him and . . . Well, I thought I might get lost, so I just . . . kind-of came back on my own."
"How could you just leave like that? Do you have any idea what could have happened to you Kaoru? Hmm."
"Well I—"
"They could have killed you Kaoru, these people are crazy. Do you understand? Crazy. As in going to drown you in their last attempt to get that fucking flower."
"Flower?" She shook her head, "I don't understand. Sano, what are you taking about, why . . . " She trailed off, as her eyes took in their clothes and bags on the floor. Her eyes snapped back up to him. "What's going on?"
"I think we all have better have seat." Sano said, sounding way, way too tired. "I'm going to tell you this and then we're going to get the hell out of here. Do you understand? Kenshin will follow, so you don't have to worry. But we will leave, even if I have to drag you. I'm not kidding Jou-chan, Kenshin would kill me, if he knew I'd even stopped this long . . ."
"Sano?"
"You don't understand, I know. I know," he sighed. "Just . . . just let me get through it all right."
When both her and Yahiko nodded, he sighed and leaned against a tree. His eyes focused on the inn's door. "These people—"he began, shaking his head. Deciding instead that maybe he ought to start at the beginning. "They're superstitious," he said. "Because of something that happened some four hundred years ago." Fuck, he thought, it's that same story, Dr. Genzai had been trying to tell them. Shit.
"Sano?"
"What?" He snapped, eyes boring into the youth's before he caught the gesture towards the front door.
"There's a crowed beginning to gather?"
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Hello everyone, new story as you can see, not much in the action department—yet. You know, character development and all that; blah, blah, blah. But it will soon enough. I just had to get us over the introduction first. I hope you guys enjoyed the beginning, at least and will tune in for more.
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Thanks for reading and please, don't forget to review