Freedom
Disclaimer: I don't own Ruroni Kenshin.
A/N: I just realized this is starting to sound like Anastasia. Oh well. Later I am also going to change some of the events that happen in the first few episodes. To answer someone's question about Kaoru being the main character: because Kaoru's personality is not like the character that I need at all. Chiaki fits the description better. Enjoy chapter 3.
Chapter 3:
Chiaki walked down the river bank quietly humming to herself. She knew the people following her were only trying to help, but she could not stop to rest. She had to get rid of the katana as quick as possible, her killing days were through. But she didn't want to just throw it away; she wanted to put it somewhere special. When she got to the ford it was just about ready to leave. She climbed aboard.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her uninjured arm and tried to yank her off the boat. She tripped and fell into strong arms. The man who had pulled her was wearing white pants and a white shirt that opened up in the front. He had bandages on his stomach and a red ribbon around his head. She had fallen into his arms. She pushed away and tried to get on the ford boat again.
"You're not going anywhere," he said.
"Leave me alone. I have to get to Kyoto," she said and tried to yank her hand out of his grasp.
"You need to rest."
"I'm warning you to let me go now or it will be worse for you."
He just smiled at her and didn't let go.
"I'm sorry about this but I warned you," she said cocking her arm back.
She released her arm in a powerful punch that sent the man reeling, effectively releasing his grip and allowing her to get on the ford. By the time he recovered she was already to far out of reach to pull back in. Pain shot up her arm and she clutched it feeling something wet under her clothing. She knew she had opened her wound again. She sat on the edge of the ford and tried to stop the bleeding but more was seeping through the bandages. Soon someone else on the ford saw the blood and told the ferry man to hurry over so they could get a doctor. She cursed herself for throwing that punch.
Looking back Chiaki saw the red haired man had finally seen through her trick and had met up with the man who had pulled her from the boat in the first place. When they got to the other side of the river she walked off the boat. Looking back she saw the worried expressions of the two looking at her. She turned away and started walking. But something made her stop. She didn't know what, but at the moment she stopped dead in her tracks.
Kenshin saw the girl stop in her tracks a few steps onto the path. He looked around for the possible reason of stopping but could find none. But all too soon it became clear. She gripped her head and Kenshin could see her trembling from where he was standing. She squatted down and her trembling worsened. Panic well up in Kenshin's chest. Suddenly the trembling stopped and she fell forward unconscious again.
"Well, that was a waste of time," said Sano.
Chiaki squatted down as she held her head. Pain shot through her temples and down her spine and she started to tremble. Images flashed before her eyes. A large fire, smoke all around her, people screaming, and blood, blood was everywhere. She knew this place though and remember eleven years back when she woke in the ruins of a burned building. But the images stopped and she blacked.
"Kenshin you found her!" yelled Miss. Megumi when the small group stepped through the door of the Akabeko.
"No, she was able to get across the river and would have been gone if she hadn't passed out," said Sano.
"Bring her inside and set her down. I need to take a look at her wounds," ordered Megumi.
"Look she waking up," said Kaoru.
Chiaki woke in the arms of the man who had been following her. She looked at his face and he smiled. She realized she was being carried and tried to get out of the hold.
"Hold on there a second," he said and set her down on the bed she had been in.
She looked around at all the people in the room. Her head started to ache and she held it in her hands.
"You should lie down," said a woman next to her, "Let me look at that wound."
Chiaki did as she asked.
"I need to get to Kyoto," she said, "Please, let me leave. I have to get there as soon as I can."
"Why?" asked the guy in white.
"I need to bury my katana in the place where I last remembered. I need to so I can ease this guilt," she said.
"Why would you need to do that?" asked a boy.
"Because in the war I killed a lot of people in the very short time that I was fighting. I feel guilty about it now and need to bury the instrument that killed those people then live a life protecting people," she said.
The room fell silent as the woman finished up on her arm.
"Thank you Miss…" she said.
"Megumi. And those guys are Kenshin, Sano, Yahiko, and Koaru," answered the woman.
"I'm Chiaki. Thank you for your help but I must be going," she said.
"You're going no where. Remember what happened last time?" asked Sano.
Sighing she sat back down and looked up at the people around her. She noticed Kenshin carried a sword. Not wanting to pry and not wanting to get to involved she quieted her curiousness.
"So tell us about yourself," said Kaoru.
"Not much to say. I fought in the war then became a wanderer. There's not much else to the story," she answered.
"Where did you grow up?" asked Sano.
"I don't remember."
"How come?" asked Yahiko.
"I don't know. All I remember is waking in a burned building in Kyoto eleven years ago. I didn't know where I was or even what I had been doing there in the first place. I was hurt and someone took care of me then I went to the battle lines where I helped end the war," she answered.
"Would you know anything about the missing princess from Kyoto?" asked Kenshin.
"No, why would I?" she asked.
Kenshin looked a little troubled.
"There's been rumors going around that people have been acting like they're the princess. They were all fakes though. I wonder if she really did survive," said Sano.
"Most people think she did. They didn't find her remains among the debris and bodies. What I wonder is how she got out when the whole palace was surrounded," Miss. Kaoru remarked.
Chiaki's head hurt and she laid back on the bed closing her eyes. Suddenly images flashed in front of her eyes like before. There were the happy faces of a man and a woman, they were dressed in expensive clothing and looked important. They were hugging her, calling her daughter. 'I'm home Mother, Father,' her dream self said. The man and woman smiled again. The image swirled and changed. Now the man and woman were lying on the ground, blood was everywhere. 'Mother! Father!' her dream self cried.
Chiaki shout out of the back. Her new found acquaintances were sitting around her staring. Kaoru sighed when Chiaki relaxed a little.
"What was that about?" asked Sano.
"I saw images," she answered.
"What did you see?" asked Koaru.
"Two people, a man and a woman. They looked rich."
"Do you know who they are?" asked Megumi.
"I think they were my parents. But that's impossible. A rich family wouldn't send their only child away to learn to fight. Would they?" she answered.
The others stayed quiet.
"You should sleep," said Kenshin walking out of the room.
Chiaki nodded and laid down to sleep.
Kenshin waited for his friends outside the Akabeko, something was troubling him. Chiaki had said that she had woken eleven years ago in a burned building. That was the extent of her memories. She also said that she woke in Kyoto. The only building in Kyoto that was burned was the palace the day of the attack. He needed to research this some more.
"What's wrong Kenshin?" asked Sano.
"I have a strange feeling about this. The only building that was burned eleven years ago in Kyoto was the palace. Do you think she's the lost princess?" asked Kenshin.
"She couldn't be. Princesses aren't taught to fight. She could have been part of the guard or maybe the princess's friend and body guard," answered Sano.
"But all of the guards and servants were accounted for, dead or alive. The princess just disappeared. She wasn't among the survivors and her body wasn't found among the ruins."
"Maybe we should follow her to Kyoto and see if she can remember anything."
"Maybe."
There was a crash from the Akabeko and someone screamed. Wheeling the two rushed into the restaurant and to the place where the screams originated. Kaoru and Yahiko were on the ground and Chiaki was also on the ground she was awake somehow.
"What happen?" asked Kenshin.
"Miss. Megumi was taken by some men. They said they were from Edo castle," answered the girl.
She sat up and looked at her arm which was bleeding again.
"Damn thing," she cursed, "Can you get me a needle and thick thread?"
Sano nodded and got what she asked. Kenshin and Sano watched as she stitched the wound up, not wincing once. When she was done she and the two men checked over Yahiko and Kaoru. They woke when they moved them.
"What happened?" asked Yahiko.
"Miss. Megumi was taken. We're going to get her back," said Kenshin.
"We're coming with," said Kaoru.
"I am too."
The group looked at Chiaki who was strapping on her swords.
"But you're still injured badly," said Sano.
"The stitches will hold. Besides she saved my life. I need to return the favor," she answered.
The group looked apprehensive but let her come. Chiaki smiled. So much for not getting involved.