CHAPTER 3- RUBBLE
Jiani and Sanosuke made it back to the dojo safely a while later, much to everyone's relief. Now that all had regrouped at the Kamiya Dojo, Kenshin and Sanosuke went into another room to talk about something and the girls sat around, drinking tea to calm their nerves.
"I hope Tae is alright." Tsubame murmured. She had been invited to stay at the dojo since she now had nowhere else to go. The Akabeko had been reduced to a pile of burnt wood when the cannon fired at it.
Kaoru handed her a mug. "Her family has the police and they hired some people to work as guards for them."
Jiani stared into her cup, deep in thought.
"What's the matter, Jiani?" Kaoru asked, observing this.
Jiani looked up. "I don't believe Miss Tae was the intended target. I think WE were."
"What? Us?" Everyone was surprised.
"My father told Sano-kun and me earlier that he had fought that large man who Tae gave the salmon to." She explained. "It was during the Bakumatsu and he was the one who cut off his hand."
.......
In the next room, Sanosuke and Kenshin sat, studying a map.
"The question here is, how did that man Kujiranami get hold of an Armstrong cannon?" Sanosuke pondered, nibbling on his fishbone.
Kenshin sat back and folded his arms. "One man alone cannot have such a weapon come into his possession. There must be someone else in the background, someone who has the ability to find such artillery."
"So you still think he was targeting you?"
"I'm certain he was." Kenshin replied. "And I have a feeling this is just the beginning." He sighed. "The only thing the police found up there was a note, one that read 'Jinchuu'."
Sanosuke blinked. "Jinchuu? What the heck does that mean?"
"It seems like the people behind this have vengeance in mind, that which I could understand with all the sins I've committed." He made a fist. "But when they take this impulse for vengeance against innocent people, that is unnecessary recklessness."
Sanosuke studied the map and smiled. "Well, it's a good thing you're such a homebody, Kenshin! If these creeps are after you, then they'll only target places where you hang out, like here, the Akabeko, and the Oguni clinic! If we both take one of each, we'll be covered!"
Kenshin nodded. "Perhaps."
Just then, there was a knock at the shoji. "Papa? I have some tea. May I come in?"
"Quick! Hide that map!" Kenshin ordered hastily. Sanosuke grabbed hold of the paper and jammed it into his shirt.
"Come on in, Jiani-chan!" Kenshin answered innocently.
Jiani entered the room and brought them a tray of tea. She kneeled down and prepared it for them. "So, what may I ask are you two discussing so discreetly? And what is this map I heard about?"
Kenshin and Sanosuke gaped. "Oh nothing, nothing!" her father said, waving his hands. "It's just, maps are so much fun to look at!"
Sanosuke about whacked him upside the head. "BAKA!"
Jiani shrugged. "Oh well. Anyway, I was thinking about earlier and I think we're the target for all this."
The two boys were astounded. Her ideas were their own.
Jiani frowned upon hearing of their plan. "But Sano-kun, will you be all right on your own out there?"
He winked. "Sure, you bet! This is the kind of thing I look forward to!"
"Well, in that case, I'll stay here and help you Papa."
Kenshin nodded in agreement. "Hai, I'll need help defending everyone should there be any trouble."
KNOCK! KNOCK! "Kenshin! Everyone! I'm coming in!"
"GAK! IT'S KAORU!" The three gasped. "SANO, HIDE THE MAP! HURRY!"
Jiani and Sanosuke made it back to the dojo safely a while later, much to everyone's relief. Now that all had regrouped at the Kamiya Dojo, Kenshin and Sanosuke went into another room to talk about something and the girls sat around, drinking tea to calm their nerves.
"I hope Tae is alright." Tsubame murmured. She had been invited to stay at the dojo since she now had nowhere else to go. The Akabeko had been reduced to a pile of burnt wood when the cannon fired at it.
Kaoru handed her a mug. "Her family has the police and they hired some people to work as guards for them."
Jiani stared into her cup, deep in thought.
"What's the matter, Jiani?" Kaoru asked, observing this.
Jiani looked up. "I don't believe Miss Tae was the intended target. I think WE were."
"What? Us?" Everyone was surprised.
"My father told Sano-kun and me earlier that he had fought that large man who Tae gave the salmon to." She explained. "It was during the Bakumatsu and he was the one who cut off his hand."
.......
In the next room, Sanosuke and Kenshin sat, studying a map.
"The question here is, how did that man Kujiranami get hold of an Armstrong cannon?" Sanosuke pondered, nibbling on his fishbone.
Kenshin sat back and folded his arms. "One man alone cannot have such a weapon come into his possession. There must be someone else in the background, someone who has the ability to find such artillery."
"So you still think he was targeting you?"
"I'm certain he was." Kenshin replied. "And I have a feeling this is just the beginning." He sighed. "The only thing the police found up there was a note, one that read 'Jinchuu'."
Sanosuke blinked. "Jinchuu? What the heck does that mean?"
"It seems like the people behind this have vengeance in mind, that which I could understand with all the sins I've committed." He made a fist. "But when they take this impulse for vengeance against innocent people, that is unnecessary recklessness."
Sanosuke studied the map and smiled. "Well, it's a good thing you're such a homebody, Kenshin! If these creeps are after you, then they'll only target places where you hang out, like here, the Akabeko, and the Oguni clinic! If we both take one of each, we'll be covered!"
Kenshin nodded. "Perhaps."
Just then, there was a knock at the shoji. "Papa? I have some tea. May I come in?"
"Quick! Hide that map!" Kenshin ordered hastily. Sanosuke grabbed hold of the paper and jammed it into his shirt.
"Come on in, Jiani-chan!" Kenshin answered innocently.
Jiani entered the room and brought them a tray of tea. She kneeled down and prepared it for them. "So, what may I ask are you two discussing so discreetly? And what is this map I heard about?"
Kenshin and Sanosuke gaped. "Oh nothing, nothing!" her father said, waving his hands. "It's just, maps are so much fun to look at!"
Sanosuke about whacked him upside the head. "BAKA!"
Jiani shrugged. "Oh well. Anyway, I was thinking about earlier and I think we're the target for all this."
The two boys were astounded. Her ideas were their own.
Jiani frowned upon hearing of their plan. "But Sano-kun, will you be all right on your own out there?"
He winked. "Sure, you bet! This is the kind of thing I look forward to!"
"Well, in that case, I'll stay here and help you Papa."
Kenshin nodded in agreement. "Hai, I'll need help defending everyone should there be any trouble."
KNOCK! KNOCK! "Kenshin! Everyone! I'm coming in!"
"GAK! IT'S KAORU!" The three gasped. "SANO, HIDE THE MAP! HURRY!"