Kenshin & Familiar Of Zero: The Wandering Familiar
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I do not own Familiar Of Zero or Rorouni Kenshin/Samurai X
AN: Hello again to everyone reading my story, and thank you to the people that have left me reviews.
*Action*
"Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
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Chapter Sixteen
Stirring The Hornets' Nest
Flashback
1 day before, on the airship.
Saito and Louise were in their small room. The room was 8ft by 8ft. more than a third of the room is taken up by a twin-size bed. A bench is built into the opposing wall of the bed along with a mounted board that serves as a table. The room is very plain with nothing hanging in it.
"Saito, you know I wanted something a little more extravagant than this."
"Louise, we have to watch our spending. Remember what happened before? That's why we ended up at the Enchanted Fairy inn."
She crosses her arms in frustration. "Yes. . . I remember."
There is a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Saito asks.
"It is me, that it is." They hear from the other side.
Saito smiles as he recognizes the voice. Then he opens the door and lets Kenshin in. He closes the door behind him.
"Hey, Kenshin. What's up? You've been pretty quiet the entire trip here. I thought that you might have been mad at us."
"No, I am not. I have been in reflection."
"Reflection?" Saito questions. He then sits on the bed. Louise sits next to him.
Kenshin sits on the bench.
"I have been in reflection on what to do after we arrive at Albion."
"What did you come up with?" Asks Louise.
"You will go about your business. You will go find the Prince. You were given some kind of information on his whereabouts, right?"
"We were given some information, but not explicit. I thought we were going to be doing this together. Isn't that why we were sent here together?" Saito replies with worry already in his voice at the thought of not working together with Kenshin.
"No. We are not going to be working together. We both have our own roles in this. If you don't know your way around, then I suggest you find a cartographer, that you should. I will do so myself. It will be better this way. My target is Reconquista, yours is Wales."
"But keeping Prince Wales safe is both our target." Louise says.
"Louise, I would argue that taking on Reconquista would be helping to keep the Prince safe." Saito tells her.
"I suppose." She replies snottily.
Kenshin decides to ask a random question since he is now with Saito.
"Saito, how are things in Japan from your time?"
"Well, things are a lot different from your time, but in a good way. There isn't as much war anymore. Technology has really developed. I am not sure how to explain some of the technology though."
He scratches his head slightly. Then he continues.
"We electronics that allows us to communicate with anybody around the world without sending a messenger. We talk to each other with a device that fits in our hand."
Kenshin looks at his hand.
Saito keeps going. "There are tall buildings. Food is plentiful. There are cures for illnesses that have wiped out tons of people. You can look up information on almost anything without having to leave your home on a device called a computer."
"I am not sure what exactly a computer is, but it sounds amazing that it does. It sounds like Japan has really prospered since my time."
Saito gets a slightly sorrowful look on his face. "Well, it hasn't entirely been prosperous."
"What . . . do you mean?"
Louise listens intently to Saito as well.
"Well, in 1941, there was an attack against America at Pearl harbor, that sparked their entrance into a world war involving many countries. This war lasted about 4 years. At the end of it, 2 nuclear bombs were used on Japan that killed over 200,000 lives."
Kenshin's eyes go wide. "Just 2 bombs did that?"
"Yeah. The death numbers even grew after that due to after affects of these bombs and the lands that they destroyed were unlivable for years afterward."
"No such thing could exist." Louise rebuttals.
"Louise, you aren't from our world. Technology is advanced and weapons of destruction has advanced with it. These were very real."
"I do not like the sound of that."
"There have been other wars that Japan has been part of, but that was particularly devastating. Japan is still a very rich culture though. Education is very important."
"Perhaps you can tell me more about this another time. I am still trying to absorb these nuclear bombs you mentioned."
"I'm sorry, but Japan is still really a great place. There are many great things."
"I am sure there are, that I am."
He heads for the door.
"Good night, Saito, Louise. By the way, You don't know me if you run into me in the streets."
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Present time.
Kenshin is wandering the busy streets of the port city. They are filled with peddlers, merchants, and travelers. There are also many taverns and inns that seem to be full of people.
'I know I came here to help, but this style I am not used to. Where do I begin? It is not like I have any contacts here or anybody to tell me whom to kill. Should I try talking reason if I find someone? That would be great, that it would, but would they listen? I would rather not draw attention to myself, but are there any other choices?'
As he walks, he comes across another tavern and he walks in. His outfit instantly brings attention to himself. Even with all of the different kinds of outfits that travelers are wearing, his still sticks out.
"Hey, look at that lady that came in." One guy says to another.
"I don't know if that's a lady."
Kenshin sighs. 'Again?'
Another person tries whispering to another, but it comes out pretty loud because he is drunk. "Hey. He fits the description of the guy that killed Joseph. There is an X on his cheek, and the clothing is spot on."
"I heard some guy with a sword like his took out some guy named Wardes, too."
'Really? That got here fast. I guess I shouldn't suspect less. So, much for keeping to myself.'
A couple of men sitting at another table get up and walk out, leaving what was left of their meal and drinks. As Kenshin eyes their table, a woman approaches his table. She is wearing a typical outfit that a server would wear. Her clothing is a mixture of brown with white frills. Her skirt almost touches the floor.
"What are you going to have today?"
He looks up at her.
"Do you happen to have sake?"
"What is that?"
"I didn't think so." He sighs. "Perhaps wine?"
"That, we have. What about some food?"
"I will take whatever the special is."
"It's not anything fancy. It's just some stew and rice that got imported in."
"Rice sounds wonderful."
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After eating his meal, Kenshin walks out of the tavern, he could instantly feel eyes on him.
'Perhaps this is a good thing. Maybe I can lure them somewhere.'
As he walks, he heads towards an inn. Footsteps quickly approach him from behind. He turns quickly and puts his hand on the hilt of his sword. He turns and gives the person a glare that could kill. The girl yelps.
He quickly backs up and gets an extremely surprised look on his face.
"What are you doing here, Miss Sylphid?"
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, Kenshin."
'This is not good, that it is not.'
"You look angry to see me." She adds.
"Come." He orders.
"O-Okay."
He grabs her by the hand and leads her to an inn that he sees. He presses her against the outer wall of the inn just outside of the doorway and presses against her.
"Oh, my. You are being quite forceful today." She says as she wraps an arm around him.
He gets his face really close to her ear and whispers.
"Keep smiling and act playful."
She gets a big smile on her face. "Are you going to take me again?" She asks as she runs a hand into his hair.
"We are in danger. I'm going in ahead of you. Pretend you don't even know me when you get in. I will get a room, and you will get a room on the other side of the building. No matter what happens, do not come for me." He shoves a few coins into her pocket.
"Mmmmmm. I can't wait for you to do that to me." She says.
'Shit. What the hell did I just get into? Did I just cause him more trouble?'
He walks into the inn and heads strait for the innkeeper. She follows in tow moments later.
The Innkeeper looks up from a book and looks at Kenshin.
"Is there something I can help you with?" The middle-aged man asks. His clothing is not expensive looking, but it is fair quality.
"I would like a room, please."
"Sure. For how long?"
"Just tonight." Kenshin plainly says with a smile.
"Oh, and I would like a room on that side." Kenshin adds while motioning to his right.
The man shrugs.
"I like the scenery over there." Kenshin also says.
"I guess I can't argue that. It really does have a good view."
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After Kenshin takes care of his business, Sylphid steps up.
"I would like a room, also. A larger one. Except I want it on THAT side." She tells him while motioning to her left. "I like the view over there."
The man quirks an eyebrow. "You realize that the view on that side is only of the place next to here?"
She pauses a moment, stupefied. "Well . . . that might be so. But, I like looking at buildings."
'Sounds like a pervert to me, but whatever.' The man thinks to himself.
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Kenshin sits a chair in his room as he ponders.
'I should go see her, that I should. I have a lot of questions, but I may end up leading trouble to her if I go there. Why is she here? How did she get here? I didn't notice her on the ship with Saito and me. I will just have to go to her when something happens. I have no doubt that there may be an attempt on my life. They will probably do it at night when they think that I have gone to bed.'
A few seconds after that thought, there is a knock on his door. It is a very faint knock.
He puts a hand on the hilt of his sword and readies himself.
"Yes?"
"It's me." Sylphid whispers into the door.
'Damn this girl.'
He listens at the door, and he also feels no ill intent. He unlocks the door and he quickly lets her inside.
"Sylphid, what are you doing here?"
"I was worried about you and followed you here."
"Why were you worried about me? You are not a spy, are you?"
'Oh crap. I really screwed this up. I didn't think about any of this when I approached him.'
She waves her hands back and forth.
"No. No. No. I am not a spy. Have I ever done anything to make you feel that way about me?"
"You have found me at some interesting times, but I have never felt ill will from you. Even if you are not, then why come so far?"
"I have really taken a liking to you. I missed you when you disappeared on me before. Can you blame a girl for liking a guy and wanting to go wherever he goes?"
"To another country? You don't even know much about me."
'I know more than he thinks I know.
"I don't have to know, I have a feeling about you."
"Your feeling has led you into very dangerous circumstances. You being here could jeopardize your very life."
"You have barely been here, how could you have gotten into that much trouble already."
"It's a little hard to explain, but you need to listen to me. You need to carefully leave my room and go back to yours. Do not leave here unless I come and get you. I will probably get attacked tonight. Do you have anything to protect yourself with in case something happens?"
"I have a dagger with me."
"Good."
"Will . . . you be alright?"
"I should be, but I am more worried about you."
"This girl knows how to take care of herself." She tells him with a wink.
"Very well. Be careful. I am sorry our meeting is not under better circumstances."
"I am sorry for making a mess. I should have tried to get in touch with you on the ship."
"Where were you anyway?" He asks.
She makes a shushing motion. "A girl can't give away all of her secrets, now can she?"
"I suppose."
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Night.
It had gotten dark outside. Only a slight glare from the moons give a faint light across the city. Kenshin purposely pops his out the window. A watcher from below notices.
'I know that man below is there to watch me. I have paid him no attention though as to not show him that I noticed and tip him off.'
Kenshin pulls back inside and closes the curtain enough to barely see outside. He blows out a candle that was lighting his room and positions himself across from the window and sits on the floor, ready to move at a moment's notice.
'I hope Sylphid stays safe.'
He sits patiently for a while and his patience and worries get validated as he sees a glow from afar out the window. He gets up and rushes out the window. Just as he exits, a fireball blasts at the room he was in. Fire and debris fly everywhere. The outside wall of his room is now gone, and the inside of the room is afire. He spins and tumbles as he hits the street below. He quickly gets up to his feet.
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On the other side of the building.
Sylphid was sitting naked in her room with a blanket covering her. All of her stuff is packed into her bag. She hears a boom and the building shakes.
'Here we go.'
She changes into her dragon form, which fits with barely enough room for her to blast at the door or window.
There is a knock on her door. She narrows her eyes.
'This is too coincidental.' She sniffs at the lower crack of the door to her room and gets three scents.
'None of those match him. Crap. I guess he was right.'
She blasts her door and then she shifts and blasts her window as well. Shouts come from behind the doorway she blasted, but she does not hesitate to leave out the hole she made in the outer wall.
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Smoke and ash stir in the air. Screams and shouting is heard from all over. People are rushing out from the building.
Kenshin finds two cloaked and one uncloaked man running toward him. The uncloaked figure swings a mace like a bat at him. The other two draw their swords (one of which is a spell sword). Kenshin ducks below the mace attack and he slashes at the man's right leg, cutting it off 6" above the ankle. The man falls to the ground and screams in agony.
The man with the spell sword shouts. "Lightning shot!" A bolt of lighting shoots out from the sword, but Kenshin jumps into the air. The lightning shot hits the other man with a sword, and he drops to one knee. Kenshin comes down onto the man that shot the lightning with his ryutsuisen, gouging down into his shoulder and into his torso.
The last man gets to his feet. After seeing this, Kenshin pivots with his sword still in the other man. His runes activate as he draws his sword out from the dying man and sends a wind blade at him. This knocks him back down again. Kenshin rushes over to the man and jabs his sword into his shoulder, pinning him to the ground.
Just as he was about to start questioning him, two more men rush out from the inn that was now partially on fire.
"Damn."
A large gust of wind blows smoke around as Sylphid comes around from the other side of the building. Kenshin looks at his dragon with great surprise.
'Wasn't she in the stable I put her in?'
Seeing the three men and then seeing Kenshin, she swoops down and snatches him with her claws.
"Wait! I have to check on Sylphid, that I do!"
She obviously ignores him and continues to fly away to outside of the city walls. He struggles slightly.
After a short flight, she drops down into the nearby woods. He brushes himself off.
"I have to go back and check on slyphid. She could be in danger. She could be captured, killed, or tortured." He tells her.
He starts to panic.
'No. I can't let anything happen to her. It would all be just because she was associated with me. It's not right. It's not fair.'
Sylphid watched the bloodied man before her getting ready to take off again. He makes a swift swipe of his sword and some blood flies off of it. He sheathes it. His runes glow as he gets ready to sprint off.
Not wanting to see him rush back off to needlessly and desperately look for someone he will not find, she makes a decision.
She shape changes into her human form. Her bag dangles in front of her crotch area. She takes an arm and places it across her large chest, covering her nipples.
"Kenshin, wait! Don't go!"
He blinks a couple of times. 'Did I just hear Sylphid?' He turns to look at her.
"It's me. The dragon is me, Sylphid. I am okay."
His jaw drops and his eyes practically bulge out of their sockets.
"Oro!"
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A/N: Thank you for reading another chapter of my fanfiction.
Here is a list of my other stories
My 'Monster Musume: Smith Loves His Coffee' story is at chapter 5 (Sequel to Drago's Quest)
My 'History's Strongest Devil Disciple Kenichi' story is at chapter 25
My 'Kenichi: Not Just Her Disciple' story is at chapter 11 - Complete
My 'Monster Musume: Drago's Quest' story is at chapter 4 - Complete
My 'Familiar Of Zero: Saving Grace' story is at Chapter 79 - Complete
My 'Teknoman And A Succubus' story is at chapter 9