Demon Hunt
Chapter 10: Freedom to Love
Warnings: The Plot thickens!
Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin! Alright I don't Own Him! I wish I did though.
Misao and Aoshi walked slowly into the town square of Tokyo the rest of the Oniwabanshu followed close behind them. Aoshi was still silent but now that they were back in Tokyo he stepped with purpose and his eyes were focused. Still Misao could not hear his thoughts or feel his emotions, she wasn't even sure if bond they created when they mated was still there. He wouldn't show her even the slightest emotion or even hinted at sensing her mental notes and messages through there link. With every dismissal Misao received from him her heart broke more and more, she knew that he was still struggling with the loss of their friends but she was too. 'Aoshi, why won't you talk to me?'
Kenshin sat on the roof glaring at the window to the kimono shop Kaoru was currently shopping in. He had thought he had won the argument the night before but apparently he was wrong. Megumi had chased him and Sano out of the store yelling something about 'It is suppose to be a very important day and the dress is the most important thing in the wedding.' He huffed his disappointment in being kicked out of the store and not being able to be with his Kaoru at not being able to watch her as she tried on kimonos and possibly sneaking into the dressing room for some alone time. In truth that was one of the main reasons he had want to come along, he could just imagine cornering her in the dressing room and ravaging her relentlessly, but that was not the main reason he wanted to stay by her side.
Kenshin took a deep breath before he centered his thoughts and closed his eyes to use his ki sensing. His energy reached out of his body first it centered on Kaoru to make sure she was alright then it flared out into the surrounding city searching for anything out of the ordinary that might be a possible threat to his Kaoru. Kenshin snapped his eyes open as he felt a familiar ki, 'Aoshi I was wondering when you would be back, but what has happened to you to have such a disturbance in your ki.'
Kaoru giggled as the other girls gushed over how she look, a permanent blush was on her face as she heard the ooh's and awe's. Never in her life had she worn such fine silk but then again she did not have much of a life before she escaped Shishio. In truth, every morning she felt scared that she would wake and realize that the life she had now was just a dream. 'If this really is a dream, I don't want to ever wake up.'
Bright blue eyes looked into the window of the Kimono shop before walking away an unwavering smile on the youths face. Thoughts formed in his head with every step her took, he knew why Kaoru was important to his master and he knew what would happen if certain events were allowed to take place. 'I can't allow you to mate, little Kaoru. I can't allow you to ruin my masters plans.'
Aoshi closed his eyes as he walked not really wanting to see the cheerful smiles of the people around him, instead he used his ki sensing to navigate through the crowds. That was when he felt Battousai's ki it was different; stronger and yet lighter at the same time. Aoshi's senses also picked up on something else, 'Misao.' She was struggling emotionally and her ki was suffering because of it. Aoshi mentally slapped himself, he was hurting her with his distance. 'I am sorry, Misao. I am not the man that is right for you or the Oniwabanshu. I am sorry that I was not able to protect you or anyone from Shishio's men.'
'There is only one thing I can do to resolve this.'
Kaoru followed the other women back to the Akabeko, she could feel her soon to be mate's ki following closely behind them. She turned and smiled at the shadows she new he was hiding before stepping into the restaurant.
She entered the Akabeko only to see and feel the emotionally turmoil filling the room. A group of people were occupying the restaurant's main room, their faces sullen and the emotions that filled the air were even more disturbing than the look on their faces. That was when she noticed this was the undercover group in Kyoto that had helped her escape Shishio. They were the first beings she saw after she escaped Shishio and they were now in pain emotional if not physical. Kaoru walked up to the young girl she had met that fateful night.
"Misao, what happened to you?" Kaoru asked feeling the pain and sadness filter through the air. "What is wrong?" Misao took Kaoru's hand and lead her to a quiet room upstairs before the young girl collapsed in Kaoru's arms her tears pouring from her bright green eyes. It was right then and there among the sobs that Kaoru found out that half of the Oniwabanshu was dead and their leader Aoshi had left declaring he was not fit to be the leader or Misao held the girl in her arms wanting to comfort her as best she could while absorbing all of the girls suffering, a plan forming in her head.
Kaoru sat quietly Misao's head rested on her lap but the tears she had been crying left red stains on her young cheeks. Kaoru gently laid the girl down on a near by futon before she got up and walked into the main room where the others dealt with their own grief in their own way. Kaoru scanned the room before walking to a darkened corner where her lover waited in the shadows. "Can you find Aoshi?'
"Leave it to me." Was his only reply as he turned to Sano and Yahiko. "If anything happens to Kaoru…"
"I am coming with you." She interrupted forcing her lover to turn his attention on her once again.
"No your not, this could be dangerous." Kenshin voice was laced with authority but Kaoru would not let him win this argument.
"Kenshin my love, I will be safer with you than I will be here." Kaoru pointed out with a hint of seduction in her voice. "Beside you yourself said that Shishio would send stronger fighters to retrieve me. Sano, Yahiko, and I together could not handle Jin-e what makes you think we can handle someone stronger?" Kenshin grunted in reply before he scooped Kaoru up into his arms and speed out of the front door of the Akabeko.
Aoshi stood silently in the forest where he and his men had once trained, in front of him laid four memorial stones in honor of his men. His training had failed, he had failed, and because of him his men were dead. He couldn't even protect his mate, he was a poor excuse of a leader.
"Aoshi, why did you leave?" Aoshi turned to see Battousai and dark haired girl from before.
"I don't deserve to be a leader if I can not protect those who depend on me." Aoshi's voice was empty as he spoke but his eyes were filled with a range of emotion.
"Your wrong." The girl's voice was gentle and filled with sorrow as if she had been there herself.
"What do you know about it? You weren't there, you wouldn't know." This time he couldn't help but the pain that laced every word he spoke.
Kaoru closed her eyes knowing that this was the opening she had been waiting for and with an intake of breath she started to sing.
You lost yourself among the dark,
You and Your friends are now miles apart.
They died for you,
They died for us all
And still you sit in the dark.
You have broken her heart,
You have broken them all,
And soon one by one,
Each of them will fall.
They need you step into the light,
To save yourself,
And to see what is right.
She is waiting for you,
She has fallen into to night,
You both have to work together,
To make things right.
Her song was filled with every emotion she had absorbed from Misao that night; she let him feel Misao's sorrow for her friends, her confusion, her pain, her heartbreak. Kaoru forced the images of the rest of the Oniwabanshu their lost and grieving expressions along with images of Misao reaching her breaking point and crying herself to sleep. All of this she forced onto Aoshi with as much force as she could muster. When she finished she sank to the ground, sitting on her knees with her head bowed she asked the question that would hopefully bring Aoshi back to the Akabeko. "Now do you see? They need you, you are their leader. If you do not feel like you are worthy of your post then perhaps you should train to become so."
"Perhaps you are right. Thank you for opening my eyes."
Aoshi walked silently into the room his mate sleeping peacefully except for a stray tear or two. He gently traced his fingers along the sleeping girls cheek before lowering himself to the futon and wrapping his arms around her small waist. "Aoshi?" Her sleep filled voice questioned.
"Yes, Misao." He answered quietly back. She turned and looked deeply into his eyes.
"Your home?" She asked her voice shaky and her eyes watering.
"Yes. I will never leave you again. Forgive me for my foolishness." Tears streamed down the girls face as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged his body to her.
"Your forgiven, just please don't ever leave me."
Kaoru snuggled deeper into the arms of her lover her head resting on his shoulder. "Kenshin…"
"Hmm…" Was his reply as he gently kissed her forhead.
"Don't ever leave me." Kaoru whispered. Kenshin lowered his head to place a soft but passionate kiss on her lips before answering.
"Never Kaoru…never."
Yes! The end to another Chapter! In record time too! hehe. Anyway Please send me reveiws and tell me if you liked this chapter! Next chapter will have less drama and more fighting in it so be prepared!
As always Thanks for Reading and Reviewing
Abby
