**********
Kaoru...! Kenshin's mind screamed as he fell, seeing Reno jump off the window as well. He grunted in pain as the wounds Reno gave him bled some more. His hand reached out, trying to grab Kaoru in vain.
Then he felt himself jerk, and he was brought back to the room.
"V-Vincent..." Kenshin choked out as soon as the former Turk gently placed him on a chair.
"Shhh..." Aeris murmured, her body glowing.
"E-Eirisu-dono..." Kenshin turned his pleading violet eyes to the Cetra girl. "I-I have to save K-Kaoru..."
"And we will," Cloud said, flexing his healed limbs. "But first we gotta get you back in top shape."
Aeris cast Full Cure, and Kenshin felt his body rejuvenate. He sighed in relief as he leaned back, completely healed.
"Where's Busu?!" Yahiko cried in dismay.
"Kuso..." Sano murmured. "That Reno jerk's taken her away!"
"Now guys, calm down," Tifa said, placing a hand on Yahiko's shoulder. "We will get Kaoru back, but we need to strategize."
"Yeah!" Cait Sith cried. "This is Shinra we're talking about! You don't just attack and expect to win!"
Aeris shook her head sadly, curing Barret and Cid. "It's not Shinra."
"Then who?!" Barret cursed. "That Reno seemed ^%#^*!@ different!"
"That's because he is," Aeris whispered. "Jenova..."
"Jenova?!" Yuffie screeched. "Impossible! We killed him!"
"This is what you were talking about, weren't you, Sephiroth?" Cloud said, rising to his feet. The stoic man nodded.
"Eirisu-dono..." Kenshin said. "What did you do to cure me?"
"It's called magic, Kenshin."
Kaoru woke up with a throbbing head, for a moment expecting to be back in her dojo. Instead, she found herself on a platform, surrounded by some sort of a magical barrier.
"Aahh... You're awake..." a soft voice said.
"Who...?! What am I doing here?!" Kaoru snarled, rising to her feet. "You better get me out of here if you know what's good for you!"
A maniacal laugh, then a dark figure stepped out. "You, my dear, will be instrumental to my cause."
Kaoru gritted her teeth. "I will never help you!"
"Oh yes you will."
"What do you want?!"
"What do I want?" Hojo laughed. "What do I want from a pathetic woman like you? I want your fighting spirit, I want the boy, and I want the skills of the man with the scarred cheek."
"You'll never get Yahiko, or Kenshin!"
"I never say never. What Jenova wants, Jenova gets..."
"I wish to learn magic," Kenshin said. "Reno seemed to cast the same type of magic on me which slowed my movements, making me incapable of protecting Kaoru-dono."
"The Time Materia," Cloud nodded. "Explains why you seemed unable to avoid his Neo Turk Light."
"I want to be prepared next time, so if I may learn this magic..."
"Me too!" Yahiko piped up. "I want to help Busu!"
"I know a place called Cosmo Canyon," Red XIII shared pawing his way to the center of the crowd. "It's my hometown. From there, we can teach you how to use Materia."
"I agree," Cloud spoke. "I'm sure we have a few extra Materias from our previous journey." He turned to Yuffie.
"What?!" Yuffie asked in annoyance.
**********
Jap Terms:
1. Kuso- Damn