Title: Fated Chance
Pairing: Misao X Seta Soujiro
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters ::sighing:: So don't sue me?
Note: Very short, but please C & C.
Chapter 4Yawning slightly, Sanosuke watched with half closed eyes as Kenshin did the laundry.
"Hey, Kenshin!" he called out. "Don't you get tried of that?"
"Huh?" Startled, Kenshin dropped the white clothe in surprised.
"Something wrong?" Sanosuke stretched. "You look a little beat"
"I'm worried about Misao-dono" Kenshin admitted, resuming his washing.
"I am too" Kaoru sighed as she sat on the dojo porch. "I haven't heard from her"
"None of us have" Kenshin frowned. "I have this feeling—"
"KENSHIN!!!!" Yahiko rushed in breathless. Waving a newspaper around, he tried to gasp for breath. "The Aoiya! It burned down!!!"
"What?!!!"
"You're kidding!!!"
"Oro?!!"
"I'm not kidding!" Yahiko grew upset. "It's in the Newspaper! Everyone was killed in a fire"
"Let me see!!!" Kaoru snatched the paper away and scanned it. "It's true" she paled. "Poor Misao-chan!"
"But what about those goons?" Sanosuke scratched his head. "Didn't Tae say there were several goons on her tail?"
"That's the part I'm confused about" Kenshin's eyes grew dark. "The fire and Misao's attackers… This couldn't be coincidental."
"Are you saying that someone startled the fire to the Aoiya" Kaoru gasped.
"That's far fetched, isn't it?" Sanosuke frowned.
"Perhaps" Kenshin admitted. Wiping his hands against his gi, he grew concern. "Misao-dono must be out there somewhere. We must find her."
"She could be anywhere!" Yahiko grew frustrated.
"Yahiko is right" Kaoru wrangled her hands nervously. "Misao-chan is a trained Ninja. We won't find her unless she wants us to."
"Then we have to try very hard" Kenshin grabbed his sword. "She must be tired."
"I'll say" Sanosuke's eyes narrowed. "She's probably traveling at night to get rid of whoever's following her."
"Dammit!" Yahiko gritted his teeth. "If these guys hurt her, I'll—"
"Save your anger" Sanosuke grew warily. "You may need it later"
"But where do we start?" Kaoru grabbed her wooden sword.
"Kaoru-dono and I will search along the river" Kenshin ordered. "Sano and Yahiko will search near the forest."
"Good idea" Sanosuke nodded.
"Good luck!" Kaoru waved.
"Are you ready, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin questioned.
"Yes. I just hope we're not too late" She shivered.
= = = = = = = =
"What a day" Seta yawned as he walked through the crowd. First, the meeting with Himura-san and his friends, and now a festival was being held in a few hours. Already, groups of people gathered around to decorate their house and restaurant with signs of good luck and dragons. There wasn't much space, much less any room to breathe. Sighing, Seta fought his way through.
"A little sweet for the road?" A vendor offered.
"No thanks" Seta bowed politely. "I already ate." The vendor looked slightly disappointed before scurrying off to the next potential customer.
"You have to pay for that!" A loud voice insisted.
"But I don't have any money!" Another voice grew desperate. Curious about the argument, Seta joined a crowed of people gathered around a stall.
"Then you shouldn't have taken it!" The large women grabbed a young girl by the arm.
"Let go of me" the girl hissed.
"Like hell I will!" The women began to drag her through the crowds. "I'm taking you to the police, you little thief! Ugh!" the women gave one small scream as the girl slipped out of her grasped.
"I'm not going anywhere!!!" The girl grew frantic. Her violet hair was knotted and twisted around her dirty face. Her blue green eyes were wild and she held onto the bundle in her arms closer. Even her clothing were undone and torn in several place. Frowning, Seta watched as several men nudged each other as they gazed at her figure.
"She's not bad looking" one of them muttered.
"If you clean her up a bit…" one man stared hungrily at her. Before he could finish that thought, a knife whizzed by his head.
"I know what you're thinking" the girl flushed. Her eyes shifted desperately around as she backed away. Looking up, she stumped her foot and leaped onto the roof of a building.
"Did you see that?!" the crowed began to murmur.
"Someone stop her" the vendor women began to whine. "She stole some of my merchandise!"
"Are you kidding?" A man scoffed. "How the hell are we supposed to get up there, Jump?"
"That's not a bad idea" Seta smiled. Rushing forward, he took a giant leap and landed a few feet away from her.
"How did you…" the girl was surprised. Her posture stiffened.
"Stealing is not very honorable" he shook his head. "I think you should return the women's fruit"
"What do you know?" The girl grew bitter. She held onto the bundle tighter "I'm through with being honorable and good" she spat. "Being good caused me everything and everyone I loved" A tear slid down her cheek. "this is the only way I know how to survive."
"There are other ways to live" he suggested softly.
"Who are you, Himura?" the girl sneered. Seta was startled.
"You know Himura Kenshin?" he asked.
"None of your business" The girl hissed. She made a move to leap away.
"Wait! I can't let you leave" he warned.
"Fine" the girl's feature harden. "If you want a fight, then you got one." She set the bundle down and stepped in front of it. Eyes narrowing, she dropped into a familiar posture.
'Where have I seen that move?' Seta wondered. Then it hit him. The kenpo she was using was the exact same one Hannya and Shinomori used!
TBC