Tatsu Rokujou Chapter 5 Warning! Warning! This is a Not Happy Fic! If you're looking for WAFF, GO ELSEWHERE. Each chapter of this story will be rated for ONLY ITS OWN CONTENT. Chapters will include RAPE, ANGST, and possible VIOLENCE (besides rape, that is; and I say possibly because I don't know how well I write it or how much may be required).

This chapter is rated: PG13 [minor violence, lime]

If you are NOT AN ADULT, DO NOT READ THIS. Neither I, nor the FFN are responsible for bruised morals or psyches. If you do not want to read about the subjects written of in the above paragraphs, push the BACK button on your browser. You have been warned.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin. Lots of people and companies with lots more money than I have do. This was written for fun (well, maybe not fun, considering the content), and I receive no profit for it besides the comments of the readers (Review :nudge nudge hint hint: ).

On with the fic!

thoughts>>
{[flashbacks]}

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READ THE WARNING BEFORE PROCEEDING FURTHER
Tatsu Rokujou
Chapter 5
By Lady Shorinai




There was a hostess in the lobby of the resort, seated behind a low table with a guestbook laid on it. She was so surprised when the seemingly-endless line of policemen started streaming past her that she couldn't even speak. One of the younger officers stayed behind with her. The stated reason was to help her remain calm; the unstated reason was to keep her from trying to run off. Inside, the squads spread out and started searching the rooms. Besides interrupting a few couples who would likely not spend more than the night together, nothing untoward was found.

"Kikuchi-san!" one young officer, barely old enough to be a member of the force, called.

"Nan desu ka(18)?"

"Haga-san's squad has found the entrance to the lower levels."

"Show me." Kikuchi and most of his men, Kenshin included, followed the young man through the door that led to the more exclusive area of the resort. A girl in the resort's uniform standing beside an opening that led to an unlit hall. From the look of it, the "door" was usually a wall. The girl's eyes were very wide as she watched them approach. "Well?" Kikuchi asked one of the two uniformed men standing by her.

"Haga-san already took most of his men down. The girl says she doesn't know what's down there, she just opens the door."

"Have any of the other squad leaders come through?"

"No, sir."

"Yunokawa."

"Hai!" one of his men answered.

"Find the squad leaders. Tell them Maita-san's in charge up here. The rest of you, follow me!" He led the way in and down the stairs that followed shortly. Before they went very far, there were lanterns hanging from the walls. They were already too far below ground to get any light from either sun or buildings above.

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The door slid open. Kaoru braced herself. As near as she could tell, there had only been one man coming to see her for the past few days. She was still blindfolded, so she couldn't see. She had to guess by technique. From how his mouth left wet and sloppy trails across her skin, how his hands pinched and squeezed her breasts and slapped her thighs, how he shoved himself arbitrarily into either hole between her legs, and how he not once managed to bring the wave of pleasure that was so common in earlier days, she figured he was the same man.

The man started to step inside, but stopped. Kaoru strained her ears. Is that... voices? Yelling? What's happening?>> She hadn't heard anyone talk since she woke up in that place. Grunt, groan, and moan, yes, but not talk. Left mostly alone in her own head, she was growing desperate to hear someone say something. Even if it was only her tormentors.

Before she could make out anything those maybe-voices might be saying, she heard the man in the doorway turn and run.

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Saitoh was mildly annoyed. No one he'd encountered thus far had resisted enough to justify killing them—at least not with so many police officers around who could act as witnesses.

A man carrying a sword came out of a cross-corridor. Upon seeing the uniforms, he drew the blade and took up a ready stance. Saitoh stopped, assessed the man's stance, and drew his own katana. The other police remained behind him; they knew better than to get between a wolf and its prey.

The man lunged. He has some skill,>> Saitoh thought as he batted the strike to one side. Not enough for him to have survived the war,>>—a two-hit combination was parried and avoided—but there are so few these days who do.>> He went on the offensive. First, he brought his katana down in a blow from above which the other man just barely managed to block. A second, side-sweeping strike got through the man's guard. Saitoh felt the blade cut into his opponent's shoulder and supressed a vicious smile of pleasure. With a cry of pain, the man collapsed against one wall, clutching at his wound.

Saitoh would have killed him, but there were too many witnesses for him to justify it in a report. "Somebody put him under arrest," he ordered, and led on.

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Kaoru strained her ears in the silence. It felt like ages has passed since she heard him run off. The noises had long since faded to nothing, but still no one came by her door. The thought that she may have been forgotten by everyone—including her captors—brought a brief flash of emotion that faded into the now-normal depression so quickly she couldn't tell what it had been.

Sounds—Footsteps?>>—came down the hall. As they drew nearer it resolved into an erratic vibration in the floor. Many? Running?>> Shuffling noises like objects sliding against each other, the *crack* of wood on wood—Doors slamming?>> Voices—Yelling?>>—reached her ears. She heard someone come to a stop in her open doorway.

"Fugita-san!" he called. It felt so good to hear words again that Kaoru felt like crying, but the tears refused to come.

Another pair of footsteps approached, and came into the room. They stopped very near the bed. After a significant pause, the person spoke. "Racoon-girl?"

Oh, god, it's Saitoh!>> Kaoru couldn't tell if the feeling washing through her was relief or dread. She nodded. The edge of the blanket was lifted, then dropped back into place.

"Minabuchi, go find something for her to wear." The man in the doorway said 'Hai!' and went off. She felt Saitoh cut through the rope tying her hands. Kaoru pulled the gag from her mouth and the blindfold from her eyes as he cut her legs free. "I'll need you to answer some questions and give a statement."

She squinted, her eyes unused to the dim light. "Mm. I understand. Anoo(19), Fugita-san?"

"Nani(20)?"

"Where's Kenshin?"

"He went in the front with the main group. I'll send someone to get him."

"Anoo.... I'd like to tell what happened before he gets here."

He paused before answering, considering her request. "We can try."

"Do mo arigatou(21)."

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Kenshin was frustrated. Kikuchi's group had been in the underground complex for nearly two hours now, and they hadn't found a sign of Kaoru. What's more, those they'd encountered had all almost immediately given up without a struggle. Not once had he had to unsheathe his sakaba. He was on the verge of going to search for her on his own when an officer ran up to the squad from deeper in the complex, calling Kikuchi's name.

"What is it, man?" the squad captain demanded.

"Most of the place us secured, but there's still some resistance in the eastern sector. Haga-san is requesting backup."

"Right. Usami! Take some men; you're in charge here!"

"Hai!" a burly man who looked like he'd be more suited to wielding a club than a blade answered.

"The rest of you, follow me!" Kikuchi started jogging down corridors.

The messenger fell into step beside him. "Sir!"

"What now?" The squad captain didn't break stride.

"Fugita-san told me to bring Himura Kenshin to him. He said I'd find him with your squad."

Kikuchi didn't have to answer, Kenshin was already there. "I'm Himura Kenshin. Did Fugita-san say why he wanted me?"

"No, just to get you."

"All right. Let's go." The two went off down a side corridor and made their way across the complex. Maybe he's found Kaoru-dono.>> Halls and cross-corridors passed in a blur. Before too long the officer showed him into a room, but stayed outside himself. Kenshin barely noticed due to the mind-numbing relief washing through him.

Inside, sitting on the edge of a neatly-made western-style bed, wearing a uniform of the resort, was Kaoru. He gaze was glued on her hands, which were folded in her lap. His eyes swept over her, looking for signs of mistreatment. She looked a little thin, a little pale, and her hair needed brushing, but otherwise appeared fine.

"What took you so long, Battousai?" Saitoh asked >from where he was leaning against one wall.

Ignoring the policeman, Kenshin dropped to his knees beside Kaoru, taking her hands in his. "Kaoru-dono? Are you all right?"

She couldn't say yes.

She wouldn't say no.

She didn't look up as she said "I'd like to go home now."

The redhead, hearing her subdued tone, was alerted again. Nodding, he gently drew her to her feet, not missing the red, raw skin on her wrists. With one of her hands clasped tightly in one of his, he began to lead her out.

"We may need her to come in and answer more questions," Mibu's wolf said as they left the room. Kenshin didn't acknowledge it, but Kaoru turned her head slightly and nodded slightly at him in thanks as they passed. Saitoh blinked back. Kenshin didn't notice. On the way, Kenshin found a pair of geta for her to wear—though she had tabi on there hadn't been any geta in the room.

The policemen stationed at the shrine looked like they were going to challenge them, but a yellow-eyed glance kept them silent. the night was quiet—there had already been a killing frost, so almost all the insects were gone—and though they hadn't brought a lantern neither had any problem seeing. The sky was clear, the moon was rising, and both their eyes had adjusted to the near-total darkness of the underground complex. The cooling temperatures were beginning to chase people indoors earlier, so there was no one out to see Kenshin holding Kaoru's hand as the pair waked through the streets.

When they came to the dojo, the redhead pulled open the gate. The lamp Yahiko had set beside him on the porch clearly lit the smile on the boy's face as he saw her.

"Tadaima," Kaoru whispered as she stepped into the yard. Her voice was low, unemotional, like she was speaking more from habit than to anyone.

"Okaeri de gozaru," Kenshin murmured in response as he entered and closed the gate behind them.

"Okaeri, busu!" Yahiko called as he came down the walk. He stopped in front of her, feet apart and arms crossed with a mock glower on his face. "Where have you been this week? How am I supposed to learn if you're not here to teach me?"

Kaoru stared at the ground, hands clasped in front of her. "Gomen, Yahiko. I.... It.... Gomen."

"Oi, busu, you okay?" The boy didn't notice the concern evident in his voice.

"I'd give anything for a bath," she said in an almost-normal voice.

"I'll go heat the water," Yahiko volunteered, unusually. Neither of the other two commented as he made his way around the building.

Kenshin shadowed Kaoru as she headed to her room and stood outside the door as she went in.

"What's this?" she asked as she lifted a package off the chest in her room and pulled the paper aside.

"That came for you a few days ago," Kenshin said as her fingers slid across the revealed silk. He saw her eyebrows crease together. "It's beautiful," he assured her. "Why don't you put it on after you bathe?" She said something, but he couldn't make it out. "Sumimasen, I didn't catch that de gozaru."

"It's for you," she said.

"Kaoru-dono.... Sessha—"

"I ordered it... for you." She held it out to him without looking at his face. "Please, Kenshin. It's yours."

"Sessha...."

"Onegai(22). Please, Kenshin."

The redhead gently lifted the package from her hands. "Arigatou gozaimasu de gozaru."

They stood in silence for a long minute. Then, "I'd like to change now, Kenshin. Would you mind...?"

Kenshin blushed as bright as his hair. "A-ah. Sumimasen de gozaru." Bowing, he backed out of the room and closed the door. He walked contemplatively to his room, were he took out the kimono and hung it up so the wrinkles would soften. For me.>> He marveled at the feel of the soft fabric against the rough skin of his palms. She ordered this for me? I don't deserve it. Or her generosity. She shouldn't worry herself about me, I'm not worth it. I should be working to make her happy, to make her not have to worry, to make her smile.>> His eyes clouded over. Why hasn't she smiled? Isn't she... isn't she happy to be back?>> With that thought, he went to ask Yahiko if the water was ready yet.

Kaoru came out of her room just as he was passing, and they barely avoided colliding. She quickly looked from his face to the floor. "Gomen, Kenshin. I should've looked."

"Iie. Kaoru-dono, it's at least as much my fault as yours." If I'd been paying nearly as much attention as I should have it wouldn't have happened. Any of it.>>

"Kenshin, stop blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault. It doesn't help anything." And it'll just kill you faster.>>

"Kaoru-dono, why don't you smile? Are you not happy to be home?"

The question caught her by surprise. "I.... I'm tired, Kenshin." It feels... strange to be back. After all that's happened to me, it's like... things here haven't changed, but I don't fit anymore.>>

"Would you like me to make you some tea?"

"No, thank you. It's been a long day. I just want to bathe and go to bed."

"Alright. Oyasumi nasai."

"Don't you stay up too late, either," she chided as she walked to the bath. "You get up too early for this to be enough sleep."

"Hai," he acquiesced, and watched her walk away.

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In the bathroom, Kaoru put up her hair, then pulled off her tabi and yukata. After quickly pouring buckets of cold water over her body, she sank into the now-warm water of the furo. Absently, she rubbed at her raw wrists.

Why do I feel so dirty? Is this like what Kenshin felt when he was.... No. His must have been worse. I don't have a stain of blood, just... other things.>> She shuddered, feeling the phantom-fingers of memory glide over her skin. Oh, Kenshin; I don't deserve you.>> A single tear slid down her cheek, added its saltiness to the bathwater. I'm not pure enough to help you anymore. I'm sorry.>>

When the water had cooled, Kaoru climbed out. She dressed quickly, not looking at herself, and treaded quietly to her room. Not once did she notice the yellow-eyed swordsman watching her from the shadows.

Kaoru-dono. Why won't you tell me what's wrong?>>

To Be Continued

Please, Review!!! Onegai shimasu!

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You think this is the end? Think again! There's more to this story, I just have to write it. ^^;

If you're still wondering what the title means, I can give you the translations of the individual words, but I can't tell you if it actually makes sense.
tatsu - dragon
rokujou - the six emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure & love, and hatred

yukata - robe-like garment
de gozaru - how Kenshin often finished his sentences

(18) "What is it?"
(19) "Umm"
(20) "What"
(21) "Thank you very much"
(22) "Please."