"Yahiko, if you don't stop, I won't teach you that move you've been begging me to show you."
She slid open the doors when a hand on her arm stopped her.
She smirked and turned around. "I see you've decided to come… out…"
She trailed off, holding her arm was not Yahiko, nor Kenshin, nor anyone she knew A man gripped her wrist tightly.
His eyes met hers.
"Who-"
He raised his arm, fist headed towards her face.
She didn't have time to scream.
Instead, she ducked low, avoiding the hit.
Her arm twisted painfully. She grit her teeth.
Stomping on the man's feet, his grip loosened.
She took this chance to break free and run inside the dojo. Picking up a bokken from the rack.
When she turned around, he was aiming another fist at her.
She side dodged it and turned around.
She smirked, now he had his back open to her.
Slamming down the bokken she was met with air.
Too late.
She cursed and looked behind her.
Her feet lifted off the ground, her back against his. Arms wrapped around her neck.
At some point, she dropped the bokken and pulled at his arms. Kicking back her feet
They tightened further.
She saw black and her eyes crossed.
She slammed back her elbow.
No result. Again.
No result.
She clawed again at his arms. Was she even breathing?
She closed her eyes and prayed this hit would land.
Clenching her fist, she swung again, lower.
This time she heard a groan.
The arms loosened and she fell forward, gasping.
The man muttered curses. She looked back and saw him on his knees, clutching his groin.
He glared at her and stood to one knee.
"You little brat." He groaned.
She pulled herself up, just as he reached her.
He grabbed her by the shoulders. She reached for his ears and pulled. She kneed his stomach, and he fell back down.
She kicked him one more time in his manhood for good measure.
She didn't make it far before falling back on the ground again. She rolled on her back, taking gulps of air. She closed her eyes, finally resting.
"Hello?" someone called from outside.
She lifted her head, Kenshin!
She propped herself up as he walked inside. She frowned, that wasn't Kenshin.
"Balthasar?"
He looked down at her, then at the man, his eyes wide. He ran down and helped her up.
"Kaoru are you okay? What happened?"
"Balthasar?"
He guided her out to the engawa.
"Here, sit down, let me get you a drink."
He sat her down and ran off, before running back. "Where is your well?"
She shook her head. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard someone scream, and I jumped the gate. Are you alright?"
She nodded, "He just gave me a scare."
"Watch out!"
She turned around. The man was running at them, bokken raised above his head.
He brought it down, she flinched.
There was a sickening crack and a groan.
Looking up, she saw Balthazar's arm above her head. The bokken blocked.
He grabbed the bokken from the man and twisted.
The man grunted and let go.
Cradling one arm, Balthazar swung at the man's head.
The man stumbled back a few feet. He shook his head and glared at them.
Another person jumped the gate. They remain masked, as they let out a whistle.
The other man looked up, clutching his face.
The masked man motioned his head outwards and jumped the gate again, and the other followed.
"Kaoru are you alright?" Balthazar turned to her.
She nodded and motioned to his arm. "Are you?"
He nodded, clutching it to his side tighter.
"No, you are not! Look at you! You got a lot paler!"
She stood and tugged him by the shirt. "Come one let me get you some water."
X
Kenshin balanced the soy sauce carefully above the bucket of fish. The wight of the bucket dragged down his arm and made it tremble. Between his arms were the ceiling tiles tied together, and above was a bucket of tofu.
With his careful shuffle, he finally arrived at the gate just as his arms were about to collapse. He sighed as he slowly set down the tiles and tofu and switched the bucket of fish to his other arm.
He pushed on the gate, but it didn't budge.
He frowned; Kaoru must have latched it from the inside after he left.
He looked up at the wall, he could certainly jump it, and unlatch it from the inside, but his arms were too numb, he could barely lift them over his waist, much less over his head.
Instead, he reached for the bell.
"Kenshin!"
He turned, Sano and Megumi ran towards them.
They stopped in front of him. Wide-eyed and breathless.
"Megumi-dono? Sano?"
They both gasped, trying to say something.
"What?"
"kau" Sano gasped.
He frowned. "Kau?"
"Kaoru!" Megumi finally yelled between breaths. She pointed at the gate. "Danger!"
His blood dropped to his feet, and he whipped back to the gate. Dropping the bucket in his arms, he rammed into it. He cursed when he remembered it locked.
He ran back, and kicked up on the wall, jumping it with ease.
He gripped his sword, landing on the ground.
He lifted his head.
Where is she?
He scanned the place. He found her by the well, drawing water.
"Kaoru!" He exclaimed and ran over.
She looked up, wide-eyed, and pulled up the bucket.
"Kenshin?"
She dropped the bucket as he held on to her shoulders.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
She frowned. "Kenshin"
He scanned the yard again, looking for threats.
A figure on the porch caught his attention.
He shoved her behind him, his grip back on his sword.
"What do you want with her!"
Balthazar stood up.
He glared at him. He knew he was bad news when he showed up.
"Nice of you to show up Mr. Himura"
"You won't harm her."
Balthazar smiled and walked forward, cradling his arm.
"Kenshin, he's not here to hurt me!" Kaoru yelled, coming to his side.
"She is right you know?"
"How can you prove it?" He growled extending his arm in front of Kaoru.
"He helped me! He wasn't the one that attacked me!" She said, grabbing onto his arm.
"Who did then?"
"I don't know! He ran off!"
"Why are you here then?" He asked Balthazar.
"I came to visit Kaoru, but I heard someone scream so I jumped the fence."
"Aye, Kenshin, who's this guy?"
"Balthazar Fuchs, a merchant here on an educational experience with a mentor."
"What is wrong with your arm?" Megumi asked.
"Oh, this old thing?" He asked raising it, the movement causing a wince.
"Here let me see." She said, setting down her bag.
He directed his attention towards Kaoru.
"I apologize, I shouldn't have overreacted." He whispered. "Are you alright?"
She nodded. "It's fine, you were just worried about me. Yeah, I'm fine."
She looked down, kicking at the dirt. Her ponytail moved to the side revealing part of her neck.
He frowned and reached out to touch it. A bruise was starting to form.
"He choked you" he whispered. "I shouldn't have left you. I'm sorry."
Her eyes widened again, and she brushed his hand off. and she smacked his shoulder lightly. "Don't apologize, you couldn't have known. Besides, I handled myself quite well. You should have seen how he ran off."
She laughed dryly.
He reached up again, this time to brush a hair out of her face. He gave her a tired smile.
She looked at him, before coughing and looking away.
"Hey, Megumi need any help?" She asked running off.
Megumi said something, and she ran off again.
He sat in front of Balthazar. "It seems this one must apologize, so it seems," he said, looking into his eyes. "For attacking you, that is."
"Honest mistake you were simply protecting what is close to you," He responded.
"I must also thank you for protecting her, that I do."
Balthazar smiled.
"How do you know Kaoru Fuch-san?" Megumi asked, tying a makeshift splint to his arm.
"She helped get my money back from someone who stole it."
She nodded, moving on to bandaging.
"And may I ask, what were you even doing here today? Not that it's bad that you are here, I'm simply curious." She said.
"I was actually hoping she would give me her response today." He said.
"response for what?" Kaoru said, walking back with some bandages
"The festival of course."
"Oh um, I don't really…" Her eyes traveled to Kenshin's, then back to the ground. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, I can't…"
"Why don't you go with him Kaoru?" Kenshin said.
She frowned. "But I thought…"
"It's alright, it appears this one will be busy that night that it seems. This one wouldn't want you to miss out on the festival for staying back here with me, that I wouldn't."
"But Kenshin-"
Balthazar cleared his throat. "So, Kaoru, now that Kenshin has given up, will you agree?"
She stayed silent, looking at Kenshin. Who only silently nodded.
"I suppose, I can go with you instead."
He broke into a smile.
"Hey! why's the gate swinging open and all this stuff's sitting outside!" Yahiko yelled walking into the yard, carrying the tiles, and buckets.
"Yahiko!" Karou said, looking back.
"What's going on? And who's he?"
Balthazar smiled. "I presume this must be your rambunctious apprentice?"
Kaoru sighed. "Let me introduce the two of you."
X
Balthazar had long left. After a short dinner, it had been unanimously agreed upon, that Megumi would be spending a few days at the Kamiya household.
Kaoru sat with him on the engawa.
"Kenshin, I thought we were going to see the fireworks together?"
He lowered his head. "I know, and this one is sorry, but Saito found me at the market earlier today and I told him about the shipment, and he roped Sano and me in to watch the docks that night."
"Well, I could go with you, you know?"
He shook his head. "This one knows how much you like going to festivals, and besides, it's better if you're-"
"Safe and out of your way." Kaoru finished.
"No!" he clenched his eyes and shook his head, "yes–I'm no! What this one intends to say... I just want you safe Kaoru, is it too much to ask for?"
"And I'd be safe! I can handle myself perfectly fine!"
"I know you can but, but still… After today..."
She groaned. "Ugh, Kenshin! I am not some little kid! That needs protecting!"
"And you aren't, but that still doesn't make me want to protect you any less."
She groaned, "arrgh! You're so–You're so infuriating!" she grabbed her head and shook it.
"Kaoru, if you're done with your tantrum, could you please show me to my room?" Megumi said, stopping next to her. "Some hostess you are."
"Shut up Megumi! Let's go," she said, standing up. She looked at him and pointed. "we're not done here Kenshin!"
She stomped off, Megumi at her trail.
Not long after, Sano plopped down where she had sat.
"Women are so complicated," he groaned.
"It would appear so," he said, sipping from his tea.
Sano leaned back on his hands. "Say Kenshin?"
He looked at him.
"You didn't trust this Balthazar guy when you first told me about him, now you're even letting the little miss go with him alone to the festival?"
"He protected her, and this one feels like he can be trusted enough for one night. And even then, they wouldn't be alone, Megumi and Yahiko would be with them as well, that they would."
"And where would you be hm? If you don't keep a close eye on him, he's gonna end up stealing her from right under your nose!"
"Kaoru-dono is no one's to steal Sano."
Sano groaned, "Whatever, you know what I mean."
"What should we do about Megumi?"
"What part do ya mean? The part of keeping her safe, or the part where there is another power hungry bastard wanting to keep her knowledge to himself and desperate enough to do anything in order to get it?"
"Well for now she should be safe staying with us for awhile, but the part where we figure out how to stop this man, who is also undoubtedly connected to the rise of drug deaths we have been seeing."
"That my dear friend, s something I'm still working on." He stood, "And that reminds me, I should probably get going."
"Before you go Sano, Saito will be coming over tonight to talk about the plans for the festival night."
"I'll try to be there, but don't wait up if I don't show. I've got another meeting with someone, and I might take a bit."
"With who?"
Sano smirked, and pounded his fist into his hand. "Someone who's getting their skull crushed tonight."
Next Update: 05-22-21 In which Sano has a small civilized discussion with Azamuku, what could possibly go wrong?
–Romans 10:13–