CHAPTER 14- RIDING THE SETTING SUN
Kenshin and the others watched quietly as the sun set behind the Tokyo mountains. All day they had watched, waited for Enishi. But now the 10th day, the promised day for Earthly Justice, was almost over. Just where was he? Where were his men?
Preparations had been carefully planned out earlier. Yahiko had taken Tsubame to safety so she would be out of the crossfire. Megumi was inside, medicine chest ready. Kaoru and Yahiko were with her, prepared to defend themselves. However, much to the boy's delight, Kenshin had given him permission to join the fighting if need-be.
Sanosuke paced around the garden and dojo like a trained guardsman. Yet all the while, he kept an eye on the darkening sky. "Geez, the suspense is killing me." He muttered.
Kenshin sat alone in the yard, sword in his hands. Jiani came out of the house towards him, carrying water. "Papa,"
He turned around and forced a smile. "Oh, thank you my dear. I was getting thirsty, that I was."
Jiani knelt beside him and poured the liquid into two small cups. "I shall have mine with you." She said, handing him one before sipping hers.
Kenshin drank slowly, not wanting to excite the nerves in his stomach any further. He watched out of one eye as Jiani gulped hers down much calmer. He chuckled. "You always did keep calm in stressful times, even as a child."
"I am calm because I have faith," she explained softly. "I have faith in you, Sano-kun, Kaoru, our friends, and myself." She put the cup down and touched the hilt of her sword, buckled at her side. "I also believe that on this day, Mother will cease to smile for my corrupt uncle."
"Yes, he is your uncle, isn't he?" Kenshin sighed. 'But I wonder.did he ever know that he had a niece?' He pondered over how Enishi would react to this. Would it be a benefit or a weakness?
Suddenly, the two heard Kaoru's startled voice. "Kenshin! Look up at the sky!"
"Huh?" Kenshin and Jiani jumped to their feet.
BOOM! CRACK, CRACK! KA-BOOM! The evening sky was lit by a series of loud explosions. Everyone came running out into the yard to look.
Yahiko sighed. "Geez, they're fireworks! What a scare that was!"
But Kenshin knew better. "No."
"Papa! There!" Jiani pointed high over their heads.
There they were, all six of the promised warriors, riding in black hot air balloons!
Yahiko gasped. "Balloons?"
"The most recent of technological advancements." Kenshin hissed between gritted teeth.
Jiani was equally amazed. "They were used in the Seinan War! How did he get hold of those?"
As the balloons drew closer, Enishi smirked. "Yes Battousai. It is finally time."
But Kujiranami wouldn't wait an instant longer. "BATTOUSAI!!!" He jumped from his basket and came careening towards the dojo.
SNTCH! He aimed his arm-cannon right at the redhead rurouni.
Kenshin's eyes flashed. "Everyone move now!"
"HYAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!" To everyone's shock, Jiani leapt high into the air, sword drawn.
"JIANI!" Sanosuke and Kenshin shouted.
Jiani's eyes narrowed as she and the giant raced at each other in midair.
"Who's that? Another redhead?" Otowa muttered.
Enishi blinked. "Yes.who is that?"
Gein shrugged. "Could be the Battousai's sister,"
Enishi was silent. "....It couldn't be."
"HITEN MITSURUGI KUZURYUUSEN!" Jiani lashed out, using the dull side of her blade. She didn't wish to kill just yet.
CRACK! "AGH!" Kujiranami went flying backwards and then fell slowly to earth.
Sanosuke was stunned. "Hiten Mitsurugi.?"
Jiani touched down upon the dojo roof while the ogre hit the ground with a loud crash, sending debris everywhere. Kenshin was in disbelief. "Jiani."
Sensing his eyes upon her, she turned to see him. "Leave this one to me!"
Gein snorted. "Well, first round goes to that one. But only one shot from that cannon could end it."
"RAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Jiani roared to the heavens. Her hair undulated over her face and off her neck. Her hakama flapped furiously. The roof tiles around her cracked and burst. She was ready.
Kenshin and the others watched quietly as the sun set behind the Tokyo mountains. All day they had watched, waited for Enishi. But now the 10th day, the promised day for Earthly Justice, was almost over. Just where was he? Where were his men?
Preparations had been carefully planned out earlier. Yahiko had taken Tsubame to safety so she would be out of the crossfire. Megumi was inside, medicine chest ready. Kaoru and Yahiko were with her, prepared to defend themselves. However, much to the boy's delight, Kenshin had given him permission to join the fighting if need-be.
Sanosuke paced around the garden and dojo like a trained guardsman. Yet all the while, he kept an eye on the darkening sky. "Geez, the suspense is killing me." He muttered.
Kenshin sat alone in the yard, sword in his hands. Jiani came out of the house towards him, carrying water. "Papa,"
He turned around and forced a smile. "Oh, thank you my dear. I was getting thirsty, that I was."
Jiani knelt beside him and poured the liquid into two small cups. "I shall have mine with you." She said, handing him one before sipping hers.
Kenshin drank slowly, not wanting to excite the nerves in his stomach any further. He watched out of one eye as Jiani gulped hers down much calmer. He chuckled. "You always did keep calm in stressful times, even as a child."
"I am calm because I have faith," she explained softly. "I have faith in you, Sano-kun, Kaoru, our friends, and myself." She put the cup down and touched the hilt of her sword, buckled at her side. "I also believe that on this day, Mother will cease to smile for my corrupt uncle."
"Yes, he is your uncle, isn't he?" Kenshin sighed. 'But I wonder.did he ever know that he had a niece?' He pondered over how Enishi would react to this. Would it be a benefit or a weakness?
Suddenly, the two heard Kaoru's startled voice. "Kenshin! Look up at the sky!"
"Huh?" Kenshin and Jiani jumped to their feet.
BOOM! CRACK, CRACK! KA-BOOM! The evening sky was lit by a series of loud explosions. Everyone came running out into the yard to look.
Yahiko sighed. "Geez, they're fireworks! What a scare that was!"
But Kenshin knew better. "No."
"Papa! There!" Jiani pointed high over their heads.
There they were, all six of the promised warriors, riding in black hot air balloons!
Yahiko gasped. "Balloons?"
"The most recent of technological advancements." Kenshin hissed between gritted teeth.
Jiani was equally amazed. "They were used in the Seinan War! How did he get hold of those?"
As the balloons drew closer, Enishi smirked. "Yes Battousai. It is finally time."
But Kujiranami wouldn't wait an instant longer. "BATTOUSAI!!!" He jumped from his basket and came careening towards the dojo.
SNTCH! He aimed his arm-cannon right at the redhead rurouni.
Kenshin's eyes flashed. "Everyone move now!"
"HYAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!" To everyone's shock, Jiani leapt high into the air, sword drawn.
"JIANI!" Sanosuke and Kenshin shouted.
Jiani's eyes narrowed as she and the giant raced at each other in midair.
"Who's that? Another redhead?" Otowa muttered.
Enishi blinked. "Yes.who is that?"
Gein shrugged. "Could be the Battousai's sister,"
Enishi was silent. "....It couldn't be."
"HITEN MITSURUGI KUZURYUUSEN!" Jiani lashed out, using the dull side of her blade. She didn't wish to kill just yet.
CRACK! "AGH!" Kujiranami went flying backwards and then fell slowly to earth.
Sanosuke was stunned. "Hiten Mitsurugi.?"
Jiani touched down upon the dojo roof while the ogre hit the ground with a loud crash, sending debris everywhere. Kenshin was in disbelief. "Jiani."
Sensing his eyes upon her, she turned to see him. "Leave this one to me!"
Gein snorted. "Well, first round goes to that one. But only one shot from that cannon could end it."
"RAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Jiani roared to the heavens. Her hair undulated over her face and off her neck. Her hakama flapped furiously. The roof tiles around her cracked and burst. She was ready.