Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Bummer.
Author's Note: This fic is set 6 months after the events of "Amethyst and Amber", which places it DURING the events of "Out of Time". So, it is basically "Out of Time" from Ushiro's point of view. Thanks for reading. Enjoy.
Crossroads
"Amber: its jewel-like beauty has held humans spellbound for thousands of years, but inside an even greater treasure glows... It's hard to imagine a more perfect time capsule than this"
--Narrator and David Attenborough, Jewel of the Earth
Chapter One:
I closed my eyes, considering. What were Saburou's strengths? Speed: Fast. Very fast, actually. Strength: Good. Decent, at least. Ability to think on his feet: Passable. Experience facing unit leaders: Zilch.
Kenshin, where the hell are you?
He'd been given a break after our last run, and had gone out that night alone. I knew that sometimes he'd go to the cemetery--visiting fallen comrades probably. Other times, when Katsura had sent me out to fetch him, I'd found him on the bridges, staring out over the water with a dead look in his eyes. He was oddly predictable when it came to time off. So, it was strange when Takashi, who had been sent to find him, came back alone. Even stranger when dawn had risen and still there had been no sign of him. Katsura had been forced to change plans, calling for both Saburou and me. Explaining what was now required of us. Never once did he mention Kenshin's absence, yet I felt it keenly. And I worried, thinking back to his recent relapse into silent darkness… Back to his bridge…
You're stronger than that, Kenshin. I know you are.
I wished I could be certain.
We were supposed to run this together. For the past six months since the fiasco with Satsuma, we had been partnered for the more dangerous runs. It was a good match: Speed and stealth. Certainly not a perfect situation--I'd hoped that pairing us would keep him from pulling away again, but I'd been mistaken. However one positive thing had come of it: We made a good team.
I had been banking on that teamwork tonight. My injuries from our most recent run two nights ago had me slower and weaker than usual. With Kenshin, we'd probably have been okay. Without him… If I faced a unit as I was, it would be close. If were to run into the first or third unit, we'd be dead.
I shook my head, silently berating myself. Which is exactly why I need to start thinking about the mission itself, and not about Kenshin. I was going to get us all killed tonight if I didn't stop thinking about my friend. I sighed, trying to focus on last minute preparations, such as checking my daisho and skimming over the map one more time. Things that I apparently didn't need brainpower to do. Because my mind was still on Kenshin. I was becoming a mother hen. Especially now that he'd withdrawn back into his shell, acting like my attempts at friendship weren't happening and hardly speaking to me except during planning and missions.
I would have thought I'd lost all the ground I'd gained if it weren't for very small things here or there that I'd learned to see.
He was still concerned about my welfare… More so than he had been before our first mission together. I'd found out from the doctor that the kid had checked up on me the past two times I'd been badly injured. And I was certain that he was the reason Katsura had given me the choice to back out of our current mission, leaving it to Saburou and Kenshin.
I'd re-injured my knee during our last run. Only Kenshin, who had saved me from losing the entire leg that night, had known. Even my limping hadn't clued in the others. Since I'd broken it, my knee acted up occasionally, and they were used to my pace slowing now and then. Which, I'd noticed, was another thing that Kenshin kept an eye on.
But even though there had been no possible way for Katsura to have learned of my injury on his own, he had known. And he'd given me the choice.
I was grateful to Kenshin for his concern, and to Katsura for humoring him. But I had still politely refused. Saburou couldn't run this mission. He was young and impetuous with no experience fighting any of the unit leaders except for Inoue, leader of the Sixth, a man who was hardly a threat compared to Okita or Saito. Or even Nagakura, for that matter.
Then there was the fact that Kenshin had just taken care of a spy a few nights ago. A second spy had managed somehow to escape, so we were all on edge. There was now a guaranteed ambush coming. Especially since it was Takasugi Shinsaku, not just some idiot from Satsuma, we were supposed to protect. Katsura needed men on this mission who had a chance at succeeding. With Kenshin as lead, we had that chance, but even with him, Saburou could easily become a liability. It was better for Kenshin to have me fighting with him instead, even with my injuries.
Now with Kenshin gone, we were stuck with Saburou again. Saburou and two others even less experienced, because the only other choices had already been run ragged or were on jobs of their own. Katsura had never before needed backups when it came to Kenshin's duties. This was what he got for blind faith. Saburou and me.
I had faced Okita and lived. So I had been placed as lead. It had been conveniently forgotten that Kenshin had been the one to hold Okita back in that instance. That I had been pulled from lead before I could be killed. It's funny how you become the best choice when you're the only functional choice left.
All I could do tonight if we met the first unit would be to fight to the death to give the others a chance to escape. It would be my death, of course. I was no match for them even at my best, and at the moment I was in no shape to run lead. If only Takasugi could have waited a day or two…
I slammed my fist into one of the wall supports in frustration. "Where the hell are you?" I growled. But there was no heat in it. I heard only concern in my voice. Mentally I added, Please don't be dead.
But what else was there? Kenshin did not just disappear without sending word to Katsura. He would never desert. Though I'd heard Katsura once refer to him as a "free sword", I knew that Kenshin still bound himself to our leader, even if it were now by choice.
And even if he were on the brink of death, he would manage to make it back to report. There were few options. And I really didn't like the two that remained.
Death. Or capture. Which would lead to death, anyway.
And recently, I'd started worrying that death, perhaps, would not wait for an attacker. No one was more dangerous to Kenshin than himself…
I shook my head to clear those thoughts. I had to start focusing back on our mission. If I got myself killed, that was one thing. But getting four other men killed because of my distraction was something else entirely.
It was impossible to think that I'd manage to entirely bury my concern for Kenshin, especially since I could sense the worry and discomfort of the other men, even those who only saw him as a sword. But I finally managed to push it to the back of my mind. I couldn't allow myself to focus on it now, but as soon as this run was over, I was going to ask permission to check with a few people I knew in town who were sympathetic to our cause. If Kenshin were wandering around somewhere, he might have been seen. Though it was Kenshin, and he was as good as I was at being invisible.
A knock at the door freed me from my thoughts. It was time.
Carefully, we slipped out of the inn. I was grateful that on this run, at least, the moon was only a crescent, shedding minimal light on the city. And we had occasional clouds to further darken our path. It was going to be difficult enough for us to stay hidden with so many. I understood Katsura's need for a true escort, but originally this had been meant to be like our run with Toriyama. Too many men would make us more noticeable. Again, a reason he and I had both preferred Kenshin for this job. Without him, we needed the extra manpower.
Our route was fairly direct. We were getting Takasugi right out of town, not bringing him to a separate district as we did in most of our runs, so our best bet would be to head straight for the bridges, rather than use one of Kenshin's roundabout paths for transporting men safely to bases throughout the city. We weren't going to have to pass anywhere near Nishi-Honganji Temple, thankfully. The Shinsengumi would be slightly less of a threat the further we were from their base. Straight and simple seemed to be the best plan.
Even better, Takasugi was used these night passages. He had visited Katsura several times in the past and, once before, had even been run out of town by Kenshin and I. He was no stranger to the way I worked, and he had no fear. He would cooperate. My worst concern was that if we were attacked, he might attempt to fight as well. He was better skilled than most of his guard at the moment. And I'm certain he was well aware of the fact.
The streets were empty. The air cold enough that we could see our breath. It was a frigid night. Motivation for us to move quickly. We ran in silence for the most part. Sticking to the shadows when possible. Speaking only when absolutely necessary. It was one of my rules. You don't talk. You make no unnecessary sounds. You just move. Because even whispers can raise in volume, especially in this kind of cold. And one wrong word can bring about a noticeable change in someone's ki. And if I could tell, then the Mibu-ro certainly would be able to if they were near enough.
That was one thing I especially liked about runs with Kenshin. The kid was dead silent. Even when communication was necessary, it was generally expressed using a gentle touch on the shoulder or a swift nod of the head, a gesture of the hand. We could go for hours if need be without saying a single word, communicating better in this way than if we used our voices. It was easy to melt into the shadows with him. And the more we worked together, the better we'd gotten.
This run was not going so well. Decently, but more stressful than I'd have liked. Jiro moved too loudly. Saburou was nervous enough that I could even feel it. And Takasugi was as irritated as I was trying not to be. If the Shinsengumi passed too near, we'd be dead. I was grateful that so far we weren't.
There was a sound.
Faint, from one of the rooftops. I froze. It could be a Bakufu hitokiri. Wouldn't be the first time. I pulled into an alleyway, directing the others to slip in behind me. And I listened. Or at least, I tried to. Matsuo was grumbling under his breath about "wasting time". I shot him a glare that silenced the man before turning my attention once again to the street. Maybe I'd imagined it. There certainly didn't seem to be anyone approaching. I thought I heard what was possibly a distant unit, but I couldn't be sure. There didn't appear to be any reason to worry. I'd learned, however, that it was always best to assume the worst.
I was so intent on scanning the area--listening, looking, attempting to sense ki--that I didn't notice Takasugi at my side until I heard his soft voice beside me. "Where's Kenshin?"
I shrugged, wincing. Really. Is now the time we need to discuss this? "Different job, I'm assuming," I grunted. I hated lying to the man, but after our last betrayal I wasn't comfortable giving even the smallest taste of information about Kenshin, even to Takasugi, the man who had given the boy to us.
Jiro was getting restless again. I could hear him moving about, and I was going to kill him soon if he didn't knock it off. I was probably going to kill them all.
Takasugi's thoughts must have mirrored my own. I heard his exasperated sigh. "I was hoping to have you both. But without him… I'd prefer taking my chances with just you and I over this bunch." He made a slight motion in their direction with his head. I doubted they'd even noticed.
I didn't respond. I agreed entirely, but now was not the time to get into it. If we lived through this, Takasugi and I could discuss it later. Preferably in Katsura-san's presence. Hopefully with Kenshin…
The street was dark and silent. "We need to go now," I growled through clenched teeth, hoping to take advantage of the brief cloud cover. One sharp motion to direct them, and we were back in the open, moving swiftly toward the Sanjo Bridge. We just needed to get Takasugi to the Tokaido. Once he was there, he'd be able to do whatever the hell it was he did to pass through through safely. He somehow managed it every time…
My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden flare of ki and a shout.
"Damn," Takasugi swore at my side, taking the words from my mouth. His hand was already reaching for his blade. The man obviously didn't get the fact that we were supposed to protect him. Though I was grateful for his courage, we could handle one unit. I was about to tell him so, when, from another alleyway, the unit leader appeared. Saito Hajime. It was the Third. And behind him… Okita Soji. My eyes narrowed. It was just like my first run with Kenshin. Same two leaders, only this time no savior. We were dead.
No.
Not we.
"Saburou! Get them out of here! I've got lead."
"All of us--?"
"Just go!" I snarled. Thank god Saburou had the common sense to already be running, blade drawn, leading the way. Jiro finally moved, followed by Matsuo who was close behind, covering Takasugi. Protecting him from the members of the third unit who followed. I'm sure they'd be running into the First shortly. I hoped they'd make it.
With a shout, I drew my katana, falling on the remains of the third unit. I managed to take one down and wound another before Okita moved into the fray, a faint smile on his lips. He motioned briefly to the unit, and, though they weren't his own, they responded, backing off. I was his. We had a fight to finish…
So, once again it would be Okita and I, only this time my injury would slow me. Intending to attempt battou-jutsu, I sheathed my sword, knowing I wouldn't last a minute against him. He nodded to me in a disturbing replay of our previous battle, and I returned the gesture. Taking one deep breath, aware that it would likely be my last, I once again drew my blade.
At that movement, Okita bore down on me.
Author's Note 2: Thanks for reading. And a big thanks to Shirou Shinjin, lolo popoki, and sueb262 for not only beta-ing, but also for pointing out that this chapter (originally set to be the epilogue of "Amethyst and Amber") would be better suited starting out its own fic. And, on that note, in case you missed the Author's Note on the last chapter of "Amethyst and Amber", that fiction is now officially complete with chapter 11. There will be no epilogue. Just so you aren't waiting and wondering!
Thanks again.
Dewa mata.
Sirius
