CHAPTER 5- OTOWA AND INUIS' STRIKE
It was almost midnight. Inside the dojo, Kaoru and Yahiko, as well as Tsubame, slumbered. However, Kenshin and Jiani remained outside, with their heads bowed low. A gentle breeze swept through the warm night air, ruffling their auburn hair. Both had their swords across their shoulders, ready.
Suddenly, the sound of the soft wind wasn't the only noise that reached their ears. A loud knock at the gates snapped father and daughter to attention. Kenshin's eyes were wide. 'They've come!'
Jiani got up behind him, sword drawn and ready in her left hand.
Kaoru and Yahiko heard the ruckus and came running. "Kenshin! What is it?"
Jiani stopped them. "Stay back."
Kenshin approached the gate. "Step back from the gate. Don't move."
But rather than an evil laugh or any physical response, there came a weak, quivering voice. "P-Please.help me."
The gate was slammed open to find a man, beaten and bloody, on his knees and gasping for breath.
Kenshin dropped his sword and placed his hands on the man's shoulders. "Where are you from? What happened?"
"H-Hurry.before the Maekawa dojo is." he slumped over.
"The Maekawa dojo." Kenshin murmured. He got up.
"I'm coming too!" Kaoru cried.
"Me too!" Yahiko shouted, already going to retrieve his shinai.
But Kenshin whirled around and faced them. "YOU STAY HERE!"
So fierce was his command, it froze them in their tracks.
Kenshin turned to face his daughter. "Look after them. I'll be back by morning!" With that, he was gone.
Kaoru ran to the downed man's side and helped him up. "Jiani.?"
Jiani watched Kenshin go, then whirled around. "Get inside the house! We have to bar the doors! Move!" She shoved them all inside and locked the gates behind them. 'Be careful, Father, Sano-kun.' She thought.
On his way to the dojo, Kenshin ran into Sanosuke, who was leading the police to the Maekawa dojo. Kenshin was a little surprised. "Sano! What about the clinic?"
"No time! They've already got the injured coming in from the Maekawa dojo!" Sanosuke responded, running along beside him. "Why would they target that place??"
Kenshin frowned. "The only time I was ever present there was to face Raijuta!" He was silent now. 'They must be keeping closer tabs on me than I thought!'
The officers appeared ecstatic to see him.
"Mr. Himura!"
"Oh thank god, you're here!"
"Mr. Himura!"
Kenshin recognized most of them, but was rather shocked at what he soon discovered. "Wait a minute. Where is the chief?"
"Not here." An officer replied. "Chief Uramura was needed at home. There was some kind of emergency there."
Kenshin cursed. This was no ordinary family emergency. With a twirl of his red ponytail, and a flap of his gi, he spun around and took off. "Sanosuke! Take care of the dojo!"
"Uh.right." Sanosuke muttered, watching him disappear around the bend of the street.
'These revenge-seekers will destroy Tokyo at this rate!' Kenshin thought as he skimmed along in the darkness. 'They're so determined that they destroy places I barely have a connection with!'
Sweat beaded his brow and his heart pounded, but adrenaline gave him speed unlike ever before. He only hoped he would make it in time to the Uramura household.
...........
Sanosuke barged into the rundown dojo, coming face-to-face with a burly man wearing camouflage and a deadly smirk. Blood dripped from huge wristguards. All around him lay bloodied students, who had fought to try and save themselves. And now, Inui sought one in particular, Maekawa himself.
"I doubt you'll get a challenge from him or anyone else in here." Sanosuke said, noting how Maekawa was defenselessly lying before him. "So, why not try me?"
Inui looked over at him. "What?"
Sanosuke smirked. "You're fighting me now."
Sensing what would happen if they came any closer, the police stayed back, forming a giant circle within the dojo. Sanosuke took a step forward. Clearly, he was eager for a good match. And judging from the looks of it, this fellow would give him one.
Inui laughed. "Hah, hah! You're no policeman! Just who do you think you are?"
"Sagara Sanosuke," He answered. "Your sources should have told you that."
"So I suppose I shouldn't underestimate you, eh? Okay then, let's do this!" Inui bashed his fists together and charged. Sanosuke charged in as well.
CRACK! Inui suddenly veered to the right and landed a sharp kick to Sanosuke's shoulder. Sputtering, he fell back towards the doors, but brought down his feet and rose. "Bastard!" He charged again, though his shoulder now throbbed. That kick was amazingly strong.
Inui smirked devilishly. "Oh come on! Is that all you have? I'm just getting started!"
Sanosuke brought forth his left fist, knowing that his right was still handicapped. But it was too slow.
POOM! Inui struck again, this time punching him hard in the face. Sanosuke fell back once more, blood streaming from his mouth. But once again, he regained himself and faced his opponent. 'Just who is this guy? How can I get through his defense? What should I do?'
..........
Back at the Chief's house, Uramura was on his knees, badly injured. Behind him were his wife and daughter, who were crying with fright. Before them stood a man who looked like a woman, who was wearing concealing robes and a wicked clown-like smile.
Uramura abandoned his saber and reached for his gun. "G-Get out of my house!" he rasped, pulling the trigger.
Unmarred by this threat, Otowa simply extended his hand towards him. There, to the chief's shock, was an "om" tattoo!
SHOOP! Before the gun could shoot, something went right into the barrel and almost blew it up right in the chief's hand!
The mother and child screamed.
Otowa brushed a lock of black hair out of his face. "Now, now don't be scared. I'll end it quickly for you all."
Uramura was in a panic. How could he protect his family now? He noticed the saber he had left on the floor and reached out for it. He needed it if he was going to defeat this madman!
SHP! "AUGH!" Another sword lanced out and struck his hand, pinning it to the floor.
"Now, to finish you." Otowa reached into his cloaks, ready to unleash something horrible to kill all three.
Uramura squeezed his eyes shut. "No, I."
"Do not cast another weapon down upon these people."
Everyone fell silent and turned. There stood Kenshin in the doorway.
Otowa saw the cross scar on his left cheek and smiled. "Well, well. We meet at last, Himura Battousai." He straightened. "Frankly, none of us were expecting to find you on this night, but what the heck! My comrades should have no problem with a match right here and now!"
Kenshin took a stance.
"Ah, that's right. Your battou-jutsu versus my left-handed Baika Chuuzen!" Otowa's eyes blazed. "Let's see who wins."
The fight began.
It was almost midnight. Inside the dojo, Kaoru and Yahiko, as well as Tsubame, slumbered. However, Kenshin and Jiani remained outside, with their heads bowed low. A gentle breeze swept through the warm night air, ruffling their auburn hair. Both had their swords across their shoulders, ready.
Suddenly, the sound of the soft wind wasn't the only noise that reached their ears. A loud knock at the gates snapped father and daughter to attention. Kenshin's eyes were wide. 'They've come!'
Jiani got up behind him, sword drawn and ready in her left hand.
Kaoru and Yahiko heard the ruckus and came running. "Kenshin! What is it?"
Jiani stopped them. "Stay back."
Kenshin approached the gate. "Step back from the gate. Don't move."
But rather than an evil laugh or any physical response, there came a weak, quivering voice. "P-Please.help me."
The gate was slammed open to find a man, beaten and bloody, on his knees and gasping for breath.
Kenshin dropped his sword and placed his hands on the man's shoulders. "Where are you from? What happened?"
"H-Hurry.before the Maekawa dojo is." he slumped over.
"The Maekawa dojo." Kenshin murmured. He got up.
"I'm coming too!" Kaoru cried.
"Me too!" Yahiko shouted, already going to retrieve his shinai.
But Kenshin whirled around and faced them. "YOU STAY HERE!"
So fierce was his command, it froze them in their tracks.
Kenshin turned to face his daughter. "Look after them. I'll be back by morning!" With that, he was gone.
Kaoru ran to the downed man's side and helped him up. "Jiani.?"
Jiani watched Kenshin go, then whirled around. "Get inside the house! We have to bar the doors! Move!" She shoved them all inside and locked the gates behind them. 'Be careful, Father, Sano-kun.' She thought.
On his way to the dojo, Kenshin ran into Sanosuke, who was leading the police to the Maekawa dojo. Kenshin was a little surprised. "Sano! What about the clinic?"
"No time! They've already got the injured coming in from the Maekawa dojo!" Sanosuke responded, running along beside him. "Why would they target that place??"
Kenshin frowned. "The only time I was ever present there was to face Raijuta!" He was silent now. 'They must be keeping closer tabs on me than I thought!'
The officers appeared ecstatic to see him.
"Mr. Himura!"
"Oh thank god, you're here!"
"Mr. Himura!"
Kenshin recognized most of them, but was rather shocked at what he soon discovered. "Wait a minute. Where is the chief?"
"Not here." An officer replied. "Chief Uramura was needed at home. There was some kind of emergency there."
Kenshin cursed. This was no ordinary family emergency. With a twirl of his red ponytail, and a flap of his gi, he spun around and took off. "Sanosuke! Take care of the dojo!"
"Uh.right." Sanosuke muttered, watching him disappear around the bend of the street.
'These revenge-seekers will destroy Tokyo at this rate!' Kenshin thought as he skimmed along in the darkness. 'They're so determined that they destroy places I barely have a connection with!'
Sweat beaded his brow and his heart pounded, but adrenaline gave him speed unlike ever before. He only hoped he would make it in time to the Uramura household.
...........
Sanosuke barged into the rundown dojo, coming face-to-face with a burly man wearing camouflage and a deadly smirk. Blood dripped from huge wristguards. All around him lay bloodied students, who had fought to try and save themselves. And now, Inui sought one in particular, Maekawa himself.
"I doubt you'll get a challenge from him or anyone else in here." Sanosuke said, noting how Maekawa was defenselessly lying before him. "So, why not try me?"
Inui looked over at him. "What?"
Sanosuke smirked. "You're fighting me now."
Sensing what would happen if they came any closer, the police stayed back, forming a giant circle within the dojo. Sanosuke took a step forward. Clearly, he was eager for a good match. And judging from the looks of it, this fellow would give him one.
Inui laughed. "Hah, hah! You're no policeman! Just who do you think you are?"
"Sagara Sanosuke," He answered. "Your sources should have told you that."
"So I suppose I shouldn't underestimate you, eh? Okay then, let's do this!" Inui bashed his fists together and charged. Sanosuke charged in as well.
CRACK! Inui suddenly veered to the right and landed a sharp kick to Sanosuke's shoulder. Sputtering, he fell back towards the doors, but brought down his feet and rose. "Bastard!" He charged again, though his shoulder now throbbed. That kick was amazingly strong.
Inui smirked devilishly. "Oh come on! Is that all you have? I'm just getting started!"
Sanosuke brought forth his left fist, knowing that his right was still handicapped. But it was too slow.
POOM! Inui struck again, this time punching him hard in the face. Sanosuke fell back once more, blood streaming from his mouth. But once again, he regained himself and faced his opponent. 'Just who is this guy? How can I get through his defense? What should I do?'
..........
Back at the Chief's house, Uramura was on his knees, badly injured. Behind him were his wife and daughter, who were crying with fright. Before them stood a man who looked like a woman, who was wearing concealing robes and a wicked clown-like smile.
Uramura abandoned his saber and reached for his gun. "G-Get out of my house!" he rasped, pulling the trigger.
Unmarred by this threat, Otowa simply extended his hand towards him. There, to the chief's shock, was an "om" tattoo!
SHOOP! Before the gun could shoot, something went right into the barrel and almost blew it up right in the chief's hand!
The mother and child screamed.
Otowa brushed a lock of black hair out of his face. "Now, now don't be scared. I'll end it quickly for you all."
Uramura was in a panic. How could he protect his family now? He noticed the saber he had left on the floor and reached out for it. He needed it if he was going to defeat this madman!
SHP! "AUGH!" Another sword lanced out and struck his hand, pinning it to the floor.
"Now, to finish you." Otowa reached into his cloaks, ready to unleash something horrible to kill all three.
Uramura squeezed his eyes shut. "No, I."
"Do not cast another weapon down upon these people."
Everyone fell silent and turned. There stood Kenshin in the doorway.
Otowa saw the cross scar on his left cheek and smiled. "Well, well. We meet at last, Himura Battousai." He straightened. "Frankly, none of us were expecting to find you on this night, but what the heck! My comrades should have no problem with a match right here and now!"
Kenshin took a stance.
"Ah, that's right. Your battou-jutsu versus my left-handed Baika Chuuzen!" Otowa's eyes blazed. "Let's see who wins."
The fight began.