Disclaimer: Does anyone even read these? Check the other chapters.
Notes: I guess it hasn't been so long since I've updated… but longer than usual. I'm so terribly mean. I haven't much to say other than: check out the warnings.
Warnings: Violence. No shonen ai to speak of. Serious issues… not a cheerful chapter, people. My apologies, but it was necessary. And lastly… *scary music* Poorly timed jokes.
And before we begin…
A brief Omake
Enishi: I'm not through talking with you yet, Battousai.
Kenshin: …
Enishi: *setting out a blanket and picnic basket* Have a seat. It's been so long! I feel I hardly know you anymore!
Kenshin: …Are those blueberry muffins?
Enishi: Why yes, they are! *Grin* Would you like some?
Kenshin: … *sits down and starts eating muffins*
Enishi: *holds up a thermos* Tea?
Life's a Dance
Sano hated Sociology. It was boring. It was long. And it came right after lunch. Sated from his meal... sort of... he felt overwhelmed by exhaustion and would much rather sleep than listen to the teacher talk. But the last time he had fallen asleep in this class, the teacher had sent him to the principal's office. And Sano hated the principal even more than he hated Sociology. He would do everything he could to avoid coming face-to-face with that smoking bastard.
Mind drifting from the lecture, Sano glanced out the window. There was another thing that got him into trouble. The afternoon sun filtering through the window put him right in this warm patch of light. There was nothing quite like napping in the heat of the sun. At the moment, though, he did not feel much like sleeping. He gazed down at the football field, circled by the track, recalling that Kenshin was out running during lunch. Lucky bastard.
Sano frowned, then smirked. Kenshin was still down there, circling the track at impressive speeds. There was no mistaking that red ponytail. But who was that other guy next to the track, watching Kenshin run? Some old man probably, if all that white hair was any indication. Whoever he was, Kenshin stopped running when he saw the guy, walking the rest of the way to stand in front of him.
Lucky, lucky, Kenshin! Sano wished he could skip out of class to run the track and even talk with some old geezer rather than sit through this boring lecture. Apparently Kenshin disagreed, because he started walking away from the man to go into the school.
"...care to tell us why, Mr. Sagara?"
Curses sang in Sano's head as he realized he had been caught not paying attention.
"Uh...." his eyes remained riveted to the scene on the track below them. His blood was boiling. That guy had just grabbed Kenshin! How dare he-- "No fucking way!" Sano shot to his feet, glaring down at the track angrily. That guy, supposedly an old man, had just thrown Kenshin!
"Mister Sagara!" the sociology teacher enunciated each syllable of his name, but Sano was too focused on his friend outside. Other students were looking out the windows by this point, and the room was filled with their sharp exclamations of alarm. After all, who wouldn't be shocked to see some white-haired bastard throwing a short kid against a fence? Sano was determined to go down there and punch the guy's lights out.
Sano was out the door and running down the hall before anyone could stop him.
^_^
The metallic clang of the chain link fence rattling surrounded him. Kenshin stared into the cold face of Enishi, confused by the man's actions and more than a little frightened.
"Long time no see, Battousai," Enishi was babbling some foreign name at him. Kenshin heard the name and recognized it. But he did not know why this man was calling him Battousai. His mind struggled to connect the pieces.
Then, Enishi's hand closed around his throat.
Kenshin's eyes flashed, his lip curling in an angry snarl. He shoved his foot out, trying to hit something vital, but his heel just scraped along Enishi's shin. It was still a painful blow, and Enishi hopped back with a startled yelp.
"Battousai isn't here yet," Kenshin's voice deepened slightly, taking on a dangerous edge. "Back off, Enishi."
"So you remember me?" Enishi asked callously, hands going into his pockets casually.
"You're the man who drugged my drink last weekend," Kenshin moved along the fence slowly, never taking his eyes off Enishi. Another few steps would take him to the gate, a short sprint bringing him to the school doors. He would be safe in the school.
"Tsk, tsk, Battousai--"
"If you insist on calling me anything other than Kenshin, I would prefer you calling me Rurouni," Kenshin interrupted sharply. "Don't call me that. Never call me that."
Enishi's broad grin never wavered. He followed Kenshin, pulling his hands from his pockets. Kenshin's eyes gravitated toward Enishi's right hand, then narrowed at the sight of the switch blade there. Enishi snapped his hand to the side, and the blade sprang open.
"You would attack an unarmed boy on school property?" Kenshin challenged quietly.
"Would I attack an unarmed boy?" Enishi asked mockingly. "Would I attack an unarmed boy?!" He gave a short bark of laughter. "That's pretty good coming from you. Did you take that into consideration when you walked into a poor home four years ago and slaughtered everything that breathed?"
Kenshin recoiled visibly, making the fence rattle in protest.
"The child from hell, you were," Enishi growled, all humor gone from his face. "Killing a man and his wife. Granted, you killed all the soldiers bedded down in the stables, but like some fucking maniac, you killed half the animals. Anything that got in your way. But I survived. A bullet in my stomach, and I survived."
"Dear God," Kenshin was repulsed. "That was you?!"
Enishi lunged forward suddenly, hand slamming into the fence near Kenshin's head, blocking the boy's retreat. Kenshin ducked to the side, barely avoiding the slash that tore a hole in his gym shirt. There was a sudden burning in his side, and he clenched his teeth angrily, realizing Enishi had not missed entirely.
"You remember Tomoe, don't you?" Enishi demanded, his voice a sinister hiss. "You corrupted her too."
"What does she have to do with anything?" Kenshin shot back, touching a hand to his side to check the damage. It was bleeding a bit, soaking into his shirt, but it was not a dangerous wound. That he had been cut only served to anger him. Then, it clicked.
"Although your features remind me of someone I once knew."
"Anyone I'd know?"
"I hope not."
"You're related!" he blurted.
"Very good, boy," Enishi moved forward smoothly, forcing Kenshin to back away, out onto the track again. "My sister is the only person you did not try to kill. And then you went and made her love you! I'll bet you even slept with her. A pretty boy like you, using your unassuming appearance to fool those around you. But I know different. Yes, we both know what you are."
Kenshin saw the knife coming, moved his hands to block, and caught Enishi's hand. He missed the man's left hand, swinging up to catch his wrist, yanking him forward roughly. The knee that slammed into his stomach did not feel all that great either.
"You disappoint me, Battousai," Enishi stood over the boy, bloodstained knife still gripped in his hand. Kenshin was on his knees, arm wrapped around his midsection while he coughed breathlessly. "I expected more out of you."
"I'm not... Battousai..." Kenshin panted, slowly pushing to his feet.
"Whatever you call yourself," Enishi calmly shoved his hand forward.
A soft gasp was the only sound Kenshin made as the knife imbedded itself several inches into the thigh of his left leg. Enishi had a handful of his hair, holding his head back to glare his icy gaze into the boy's pain-narrowed eyes.
"You're just another killer after all," Enishi said coldly. "The only difference is that you hide behind the guise of a child."
"Hardly a child," Kenshin's voice was a breathless whisper. He had his hand over Enishi's not letting the man rip the knife from his leg--or twist it. His free hand gripped the much larger man's shoulder, fingers digging into the man's flesh brutally.
"I heard you were afraid of water, Battousai," Enishi smirked.
"Battousai isn't," Kenshin panted.
"It serves you right," Enishi's face was twisted with his hatred. "I hope it hurt. I hope you were in agony. Nothing gave me more pleasure than watching them throw your father into that water..."
Kenshin's eyes went wide, glazing over as he heard the rest of Enishi's horrible words.
"Then leave him there to drown," Enishi chuckled without humor. "Your mother and sister had merciful deaths. They were shot before they were so tired that there was nothing for them to do but di--iiieccckkkkk!"
Enishi fell back, clutching at his throat. Blood flecked his lips when he coughed, proving Kenshin's blow had done more than just cause him a little pain. He barely had time to see the boy move before Kenshin caught his cheek in a brutal backhand, sending him staggering. Spitting a mouthful of blood to the ground, Enishi looked back to Kenshin with a dark smirk.
"Finally come out to play, have you, Battousai?"
Gone was any expression of hatred or anger. Kenshin stared at Enishi without a flicker of emotion other than cold, hard resolve.
"Leave him alone, you bastard!"
Enishi and Kenshin both glanced up to see Sano's lanky form by the fence. Behind him, the school door opened, revealing a panting teacher. He was slower to get to the scene, but he was coming. Neither Sano nor the teacher knew Enishi had been carrying a weapon.
Enishi looked back to Kenshin, his eyes widening a fraction when he saw the boy grip the handle of the knife, still buried in his thigh. In a sharp movement, Kenshin yanked it out. He slashed the small weapon out to the side, sending his own blood flying from the blade. Sano gasped, shocked by the move.
"What are you going to do, Battousai?" Enishi asked boldly. "You're not going anywhere with that leg."
"Ask yourself that question," Kenshin's voice was flat, without inflection. His eyes were clear and blank as he stared unblinking at Enishi. "You don't have your toy anymore."
He stepped forward, putting his full weight on the injured leg. Enishi stepped back automatically, startled when Kenshin never faltered.
"Are you going to fight back?" Kenshin asked blandly, as if questioning a person on what they were going to have for dinner that night. "There's a lake down the road."
Enishi stepped back again. Turning on his heel, he ran for the school. Sano stepped forward uncertainly.
"Kenshin, they've called--" he yipped as Kenshin whipped past him, heedless of his wounded leg, running at full speed after Enishi. The boy's path brought him past the Sociology teacher, knocking the man over as he went. Sano ran to help the teacher to his feet, watching apprehensively as the boy he called his friend hit the door, slowed by the minor obstacle. An instant later, the door was open, and Kenshin disappeared. "They're in the school."
"The police are on the way," the Sociology teacher gasped, hand over his heart as he struggled to catch his breath. "Dear God, I've never seen anything like it before. That child is insane."
"He's not crazy!" Sano shouted angrily. "Don't ever say he's crazy!"
"He's going to kill that man!" the teacher insisted, leaning against the fence. "It's like Columbine* all over again!"
"Aren't you going after him?" Sano demanded.
"Are you nuts?"
Sano cursed and shoved away from the teacher. The man reached for him in a futile gesture.
"Cowardly bastard!" Sano growled. He shot after Kenshin, hoping against all odds that he could talk some sense into the boy. Assuming he found Kenshin before he killed that white-haired man.
^_^
*Yes, this is a reference to that incident in Colorado. This is not intended to be a humorous comment. In no way do I condone those students' actions at Columbine. I merely wrote it to point out the severity of the situation.
^_^
Okita decided that Thomas Crapper deserved to have a monument constructed in his honor. The toilet was indeed a wonderful thing.
"Man, I thought I was going to explode," Okita muttered as he walked down the hall, slowly making his way toward his class again. Physics was a boring class anyway. Too much math for his liking. "Hmm?"
He paused at the foot of the stairs, glancing to the side at the sound of rapid footfalls echoing in the empty hallway. He wondered who would be running through the halls so recklessly where any teacher could look out, catch the guy, and issue a detention. Stupid way to get stuck after school, in Okita's humble opinion.
Then, he saw the man.
"Enishi?!"
Obviously seeing Okita, Enishi altered his path to run to the boy. That was when Okita saw Kenshin. Looking like a demon straight out of a story, Kenshin moved smoothly behind Enishi. Unlike Enishi, whose footsteps were painfully loud, Kenshin made barely a sound, only a soft padding of his tennis shoes against the tile.
"What the--!" Okita grunted as Enishi hit him, not quite certain how to react when the man pulled him around wildly. "Enishi! What are you doing?!"
"It's been good knowing you, kid," Enishi said, somewhat apologetically, before giving Okita a violent shove. The bewildered student stumbled forward, directly into the path of Kenshin. An instant later, he was shoved the opposite direction, his back slamming into the lockers, arm braced across his chest, and a very sharp object jutting into his throat.
Okita was frozen. Staring into the uncaring, deadly eyes of his best friend--former best friend--a rather morbid thought flashed through his mind. I'm going to die. It was ridiculous, of course. Kenshin would not hurt a fly, let alone kill someone. But with that look in his eyes, Okita wondered if this was indeed Kenshin.
"Hi-Himura?" he squeaked.
Eyes narrowing in what could only be described as annoyance, Kenshin shoved Okita to the side, turning to resume his chase. Caught in a state of mild shock, Okita just fell away, not certain what was happening.
The fire alarm whooped through the hallways, just as Kenshin passed beneath one of the warning devices. The boy staggered, hands automatically jerking up to his head in response to the ear-splitting siren wailing over him. Okita had a sinking feeling, and he moved forward, just as the first classroom door opened.
Students flooded into the hallway, rapidly blocking all possible paths. Okita hoped he had absolutely no reason to feel this panic, deep in his gut, as he watched Kenshin pause to look around. However, he had seen the knife in the boy's hand... and there had been blood dripping from the blade. And there were countless dozens of students pushing to get past him.
"KENSHIN!" Okita bellowed, terrified that the boy would hurt someone with that knife. After all, had not he just been against the wall with that knife to his own throat?
Okita shoved through the crowd, just as he heard angry, defiant cries of the students near where he had last seen Kenshin. He nearly tripped over the legs of a boy who lay sprawled on the floor, clutching at his stomach. Pausing briefly, Okita touched the boy's arm lightly. Blue eyes squinted up at him.
"Are you bleeding?" Okita demanded.
"I-I don't... think so..." the boy panted, pulling his hand away from his gut. "Someone punched me."
"Get off the floor," Okita suggested, then moved away.
He heard an irritated cry a few feet to his right and went that direction. An instant later, he was upon the boy.
Kenshin's right hand was down by his leg, knife held in a white-knuckled grip. So far, it did not look like he had used the weapon. At least, not recently.
"Kenshin!" Okita shouted again, then lurched back as Kenshin whirled to face him. That right hand was slashing around and up, and if Okita was not careful, that blade would gut him. He dared not think of that, instead, forcing himself to remember every ounce of karate training he had to react to the weapon.
Kenshin's arm was in the space just in front of and above him. As soon as the switch blade was past his face, Okita lunged forward, arm curling around Kenshin's. He caught his own wrist with his opposite hand and shoved down while pulling back. The feeling of bone grinding against bone hurt like he had not anticipated, but the move brought about the desired effect. Kenshin fell forward, arm trapped against Okita's chest, and Okita slammed his knee forward.
The halls were clearing out. Some students remained, watching the fight. The knife had fallen from Kenshin's limp hand, clattering to the floor several feet away. No one dared touch that bloodied weapon. Unlike the average fight, no one crowded forward to see this one where he or she could possibly get caught up in the middle.
Okita was amazed that Kenshin had not made a sound during the entire fight, save for his harsh breathing. The boy had to be in pain. After all, Okita had just dislocated his shoulder and probably broken a few of his ribs. But Kenshin was quiet, his breathing hitched and unsteady.
"Kenshin," Okita whispered, swallowing hard in the realization of what he had just done. He had jumped away from the boy after kicking him, leaving Kenshin doubled over in the middle of the hall. "Kenshin, say something."
Kenshin slowly straightened to look the other boy in the eye. Okita froze, not certain how to react to the pale blue of Kenshin's eyes. It was as if his irises had just drained of their usual rich color. His right arm hung useless at his side, and for the first time, Okita noticed the blood staining the front of Kenshin's pant leg. How long had the boy been walking on that? It did not hamper his movements even slightly. It was like he was not human--a machine that cared nothing about damage done during a fight.
Okita heard a student off to his left mutter something profane. He stepped forward as Kenshin's eyes moved to the source of the words, drawing the boy's attention away from the hapless student.
"Stop," Okita said softly, holding out his hands both in a reaching motion and a sign to back off. "Kenshin..."
A strange, uncertain look crossed Kenshin's impassive face, and he seemed to be unaware of his own actions as he lifted his hand. He reached out slowly, fingers eerily steady as his left hand slid over Okita's outstretched right. Blinking once, he tilted his head, watching in an odd sense of fascination as his fingers curled around Okita's.
"Enishi is long gone," Kenshin said abruptly, voice a rasping whisper.
"What did he do?" Okita asked shakily, waiting for the moment Kenshin stopped being so passive. He did not want to be punched in the face. It was hard to see around a bloody nose.
"He hurt the boy," Kenshin looked up, his alien gaze unreadable as he studied Okita's face. "I can hear him crying."
"Hear who?" Okita dared to whisper.
"Shinta..." Kenshin smiled, a faint twitch of muscles more than any happy expression. "He hates hearing how his family died."
"Kenshin...?" Okita was scared. He had never been so frightened in his life. The fire alarm screamed in the hallway, white lights flashing about them. There should be police by now--or firemen. And he was alone in the midst of a cluster of students, a boy whose actions marked him as a psychopath holding his hand.
"You think he's crazy..." Kenshin said quietly, his voice somehow carrying despite the fire alarms.
"You are crazy," Okita murmured hoarsely, wanting to pull away but afraid of what Kenshin would do if he tried.
"I didn't hurt you..." this seemed to perplex the boy. "I could have killed you. But..."
He fell silent, staring at his hand, resting on Okita's forearm. It was then that Okita noticed the silvery glitter on Kenshin's cheeks, reflecting the flashing lights of the alarm.
"You're crying," Okita breathed.
"I destroy everything I touch," Kenshin's hand moved again, sliding up Okita's arm to curl around the back of the boy's neck. He moved forward until they were close enough that an observer would think they were hugging. But Okita's arms were limp by his sides, Kenshin's right arm dangling uselessly, and they just stood stiffly near each other. Okita was tense with apprehension. Kenshin was simply not lowering his guard. Kenshin's chin was over Okita's shoulder, not resting on it. He stared blankly down the hall. "I should go. They will sedate me."
"You need to go to the hospital," Okita replied in a strangled voice.
"Okita..." Kenshin's voice was suddenly higher, less threatening, and shaking. In fact, Kenshin's entire body was shuddering, but Okita tried to ignore it. "I want to go home."
"K-Kenshin?" Okita managed to keep his voice stronger than a whimper, but not by much. Kenshin sobbed and pulled closer to his terrified friend. His good arm curved around Okita's neck further, and he ducked his head to press his face against Okita's shoulder.
"He was so mean!" Kenshin's voice was taking on an edge of hysteria, lifting until he sounded little older than seven, crying out his fear and sorrow. "He said bad things about Mum and Dad and Kouri. And then the empty man came and tried to hurt him back. I don't like the empty man. He hurts people. Hurts them and doesn't care."
"...Shhh. It's okay now," Okita finally gathered the sense to hush the boy. He lifted his arms quickly to catch Kenshin as the boy collapsed against him. He looked up at the few remaining students--four had lingered, the rest running to safety. "Go find some help!"
All four took off, Okita's sharp command all that was needed to spur them into action. Okita looked down at Kenshin when he felt the boy start to shake even more. Kenshin's shoulders shuddered with the harsh sobbing that wracked his battered frame. He let Kenshin sink toward the ground, Okita dropping to his own knees so he could continue to hold his friend. Kenshin's hysterical crying lasted under a minute when he relaxed a bit.
"Okita?" Kenshin's voice dropped again, out of the youthful chirp of before.
"I've got you, Kenshin," Okita assured him.
"Enishi's gone?"
"...Yes, he's gone," Okita frowned, wondering how Kenshin could be unaware of this fact. Kenshin was quiet for a brief time, shifting a bit on the floor to rest more comfortably where he sat. He winced, discovering all of his injuries.
"Okita?" he asked again.
"Hum?" Okita felt like falling asleep. It was the adrenaline rush dropping away.
"Did you like your present?"
Okita blinked a few times, trying to jump to think about this. He almost laughed. Broken and bleeding, and Kenshin was asking him about his birthday present.
"Yes, Kenshin, I liked it a lot," Okita murmured finally. "Where did you find that picture?"
"Your mother let me dig around a bit," Kenshin sighed. "I'm tired."
"Don't you dare go to sleep on me, Kenshin," Okita said quickly, suddenly very afraid that if Kenshin fell asleep, he would never wake up again.
"I know," Kenshin shifted a bit, pulling his good arm down to fiddle with the leg of his pants. "These pants are ruined."
"Ugh, Himura!" Okita groaned, cringing at the sight of the red liquid shimmering on the surface of Kenshin's running pants. "Doesn't that hurt?"
"Yes," Kenshin ground his teeth together, then relaxed again. "Not as much as my shoulder, though."
"Oh, uh..." Okita stammered, recalling who had been the person to give Kenshin that particular injury.
"Down here!"
"Bring the stretcher!"
Okita breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, the paramedics had arrived.
^_^
Enishi was in the clear. He was blocks from the school, almost to his car, when he looked back. No one was the wiser. By this point, he was certain the kid had killed or at least seriously injured someone. Aggravated assault, murder--either of these could get the boy locked up. In cases of murder, in this state, he could be tried as an adult. Enishi would never be suspected.
Chuckling to himself, Enishi turned and took off running again. Just around the corner, hidden in the alley, was his car. He never expected the solid object that slammed into his face as he rounded the corner.
Groaning loudly, Enishi pried his eyes open to stare up at the sky. He heard the sound of something metal hitting the ground--a trash can lid, maybe?--and blinked to focus on the barrel of the gun pointing between his eyes. He cursed.
"United States National Security Agency," a strangely familiar voice filled his ears, and he frowned. "You have the right to remain silent--"
"Tomoe?" he slurred, staring at the pale face behind the gun. The woman's eyes dimmed, and she nodded, never losing her stance. Around her, two men walked over to haul Enishi to his feet.
"...I'm sorry, Enishi," Tomoe's face set into an impassive mask. "Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney..."
Enishi closed his eyes, bowed his head, and wept as he was led off to a police squad car.
^_^
Sano cursed his luck that the fire alarm had been pulled before he could locate Kenshin in the school halls. Considering how Kenshin was so much smaller than the average student, he knew he would never find the boy. Plus, pushing through a crowd of excited students was no easy feat. He was pushed and shoved until he finally gave in and followed the crowd outside. Once the school cleared out, he could locate Kenshin and his other friends out in the parking lot.
Aoshi was easy to find, Misao not far behind.
"Rock!" Misao was laughing. "Perfect timing. The teacher was just about to pass out a pop quiz. Like I remember anything I read last night at one-thirty about the French Revolution."
"There's Kaoru," Aoshi spotted his sister and lifted his hand. Kaoru broke away from her classmates and ran to meet them.
"You think the school's going to burn down?" she asked when she arrived, a mischievous glint to her eyes. "The teacher said there wasn't a drill planned for today."
"It's probably a prank," Aoshi shrugged. "These things usually are."
"Pessimist."
Sano was scanning the crowd, only half listening to them talk. He had yet to locate Kenshin. One had to assume he would be swept out with the rest of the students, but he was not to be found in the expanse of students outside. After all, with a stab wound in his leg, face bruised, and hair awry, someone would draw attention to him. But there were no panicked shouts--at least, not from the students in the parking lot. There were those few, straggling students who were screaming as they appeared running from the side doors.
"Where's Kenshin?" Kaoru asked abruptly.
"Sanosuke?" Aoshi inquired. "You have been very quiet."
Blinking out of his trance, Sano glanced back at them briefly before looking back to the students who were now pointing toward the doors from which they had just emerged. Two firefighters, a police officer, and two paramedics were trying to calm the students. The paramedics ran back to the ambulance, returning seconds later with emergency medical equipment. The group ran back into the school with one of the students.
"Shit," Sano muttered. "I think he's still in there."
"What?!" Misao grabbed his arm reflexively, fingers digging into his biceps. "Sano, what's going on?"
He explained what he had seen only ten minutes ago. Misao and Kaoru were aghast. Kaoru's first reaction was to rush into the school, Misao close behind her. Aoshi caught his sister, face grim as he restrained her. Misao turned to see what the deal was.
"Aoshi!" Kaoru protested. "If Kenshin's in there--"
"Then the police will find him," Aoshi said firmly. "And the paramedics will take care of him if he is hurt. If what Sanosuke said is true, then you can't confront Kenshin."
"But he's alone in there!" Kaoru insisted. "He's probably scared! Without someone he knows..."
"Kenshin wouldn't know you anyway, if he's like he was when I saw him," Sano interjected unhappily. "He brushed past me like I wasn't there. It wasn't him... it was something else. Another personality. That white-haired bastard kept calling him Battousai."
"Wasn't that his drawing in art class?" Misao asked, seemingly out of the blue.
Sano blinked.
"...Yeah."
"Is that Okita?" Kaoru's voice brought them back to the present. They followed her pointing finger to stare at the doors. Sure enough, the familiar figure of Okita appeared after a police officer, closely followed by a paramedic and the stretcher. From that distance, no one could see the features of the person on the stretcher, but Sano knew who it must be. Okita returned to run alongside the stretcher. Seconds later, he climbed into the ambulance behind the paramedics. The doors were slammed shut, and the sirens wailed. The emergency vehicle took off, and the whooping of the fire alarm abruptly shut down.
"Does that mean we can go back in?" Misao wondered.
"Not damn likely," Sano replied.
"Mr. Saitou is speaking with the police," Aoshi pointed out. "He'll probably make an announcement in a few minutes."
Sure enough, barely two minutes passed when the principal took a megaphone from the police officer and walked to the middle of the parking lot.
"Students and teachers of Central High, if I may have your attention," Saitou's amplified voice rang over the excited din of the students. It quickly hushed, and everyone turned to hear what the man had to say. "First order of business: No, there is not a fire in the school." There were several disappointed moans. They quieted again when Saitou continued. "There has, however, been a serious injury, the nature of which will not be disclosed."
"Everyone will know about it by this time tomorrow," Sano mumbled. Misao giggled uneasily.
"The school day is over," Saitou was saying. "The buses will arrive shortly. Those of you who drive, drive carefully. The school doors will be locked until it is considered safe to reenter the building. If you have books or personal belongings inside, wait until we make an announcement. The buses will not leave until fifteen minutes after everyone is allowed back into the school." Saitou paused. Everyone was silent, waiting to see if he had more to say. He did. "Go back to your meaningless chatter."
There was a roar of approval from the crowd as the students rejoiced the shortened school day. Sano turned back to his friends.
"Aoshi, you drive," he said urgently.
Aoshi nodded and gestured to the student parking lot.
"Let's go."
^_^
Three cracked ribs, a deep stab wound in the left thigh resulting in some muscle damage, and the right shoulder dislocated, not to mention plenty of bruising. These were the extent of Kenshin's injuries that found the boy in the hospital for the second time in as many weeks.
Okita sat next the boy's bed while Hiko was in the hall, speaking with the doctor. Kenshin sat up in bed, arm in a sling, obviously frustrated as he tried to open his plastic juice container with only his left hand.
"Want some help?" Okita offered.
"No," Kenshin replied stubbornly. "I can--"
The little cup fell off the tray to hit the floor, rolling under the bed. Kenshin sighed and gave Okita a stern look, daring the boy to laugh at him. Okita managed not to laugh, just offering a lopsided smile as he retrieved the juice. To Kenshin's irritation and secret relief, he opened it before giving it back to his friend.
"Jerk," Kenshin muttered. "I could have done it."
"You're right-handed," Okita shrugged. "That's going to make things difficult for the rest of the year, you realize."
"If they let me back there," Kenshin glanced sidelong at Okita. "I attacked you with a knife."
"And that's grounds for expulsion," Hiko announced as he walked into the room. He glanced at Okita, obviously trying not to show his disapproval, then back to Kenshin. "I spoke with your principal, and I don't think there's going to be a problem. You will be back in school on Wednesday--in a wheelchair, of course."
"A wheelchair?!" Kenshin protested. "Hiko!"
"With your arm in a sling, you can't use crutches," Hiko shrugged. "You've got enough friends. They'll push you around."
Groaning loudly, Kenshin sank back against his pillow with an overly dramatic sigh.
"They're releasing me so soon?" he asked hopefully.
"Your injuries were not life-threatening," Hiko moved to stand by the window. He looked down on the street below. "Your leg was the worst. They'll want to keep an eye on that for the next week or so, but you did not lose too much blood. They're keeping you overnight for observation, then you'll be released tomorrow. You have an appointment with Schneider then."
"Yay," Kenshin deadpanned.
"He wants to know what happened today," Hiko replied seriously. "You'd do good to tell him."
"I know, I know," Kenshin rolled his eyes before biting his lip to look down at his lap. "Does anyone know what happened to Enishi? Did he get away?"
"The police haven't told us anything yet," Hiko shrugged and walked around the bed toward the door. He gave Okita a severe look. "Watch yourself, kid. I still don't like you."
"Hiko!" Kenshin snapped.
"It's okay," Okita quieted Kenshin with a wave of his hand. He smiled. "I'll just have to work twice as hard to gain back everyone's trust, won't I?"
Hiko nodded curtly and paused again at the door, as if just recalling something.
"There's a man and a woman here from the NSA," he said casually. "They want to speak with you."
"The National Security Agency?" Kenshin asked blankly.
Hiko shrugged again and left the room. Okita and Kenshin looked up as two people walked through the door. The man came first--tall and rather regal looking. He wore a business suit and was well-groomed, very professional. The woman followed, and Kenshin sat up completely at the sight of her.
"Tomoe!" he blurted.
"Hello, Kenshin," the woman smiled a bit. She gestured to the man beside her. "This is Kogoro Katsura, an agent for the NSA."
"NSA?" Kenshin asked again.
"Tomoe was one of our deep undercover agents," Agent Katsura stepped forward to explain. "It was through her that we were first able to extricate you from that terrorist group. As it was also because of her that we have been able to keep track of your progress since your reintroduction into society."
Kenshin was not appreciating how this man addressed him.
"You talk about me like I'm an animal being released into the wild," he said irately.
Katsura lifted an eyebrow, then tilted his head slightly, giving Tomoe the floor.
"Agent Katsura is my supervisor, Kenshin," the woman explained mildly. "What he is trying to say is that we have been watching you almost since you and your family were taken prisoners."
"That long?" Kenshin stared at them incomprehensibly.
"That long," Katsura acknowledged, gracefully ignoring how Kenshin continued to gape at him. "There is not much that has happened in your life these past several years that we don't know about."
Kenshin looked to Tomoe. She nodded in agreement with Katsura's claim. Kenshin looked back to Agent Katsura. The man continued smoothly.
"Enishi's presence was not anticipated," he said, almost apologetically--not quite. "He was an unfortunate victim in this mess."
"He said he was Tomoe's brother," Kenshin murmured.
"He was telling the truth," Katsura nodded once. "Years ago, he was shot by a soldier--" Kenshin was silent, not unaware of the meaningful stare Katsura gave him. "He should not have been there. He was trying to find Tomoe. We were able to save his life, fortunately, but he disappeared shortly after he recovered. He never knew Tomoe worked for the government."
"I see."
"Enishi has been arrested," Katsura concluded. "He will likely serve a life sentence in prison for treason and attempted murder."
"Attempted murder?" Kenshin frowned.
"The drug that nearly put you into a coma last weekend was found in abundance in his home," Katsura explained.
"I don't think he intended to kill me that time, but I get your point," Kenshin looked back and forth between the two agents. "I do have one question."
"What is that, Kenshin?" Tomoe asked gently.
"You were monitoring the situation the entire time..."
"Yes, we were," Katsura agreed again.
"Then why didn't you try to help us earlier?" Kenshin's eyes were bright, but his face was dry. His eyebrows moved together, lip curling slightly as he struggled with his anger. "Why didn't you move in sooner?"
"We never anticipated that they would actually kill anyone," Katsura murmured ruefully.
"And when they were hurting Kouri and Mom and Dad," Kenshin continued relentlessly. "Why didn't you help us then?"
"We did not anticipate--"
"You keep saying that, and you think you'd have learned your lesson. You say you did not anticipate all this, yet it all happened!" Kenshin was furious, tears not far behind. "You sat there when they hurt us. You watched when they killed my family. And for another whole year you let them hurt me and make me do all those horrible things, and all you have to say is that you did not anticipate these problems?! Who the hell are you that you think you can just treat me and my family like some animals without feelings?!!"
"Kenshin, we tried our best to get you out of there as soon as possible."
"If you thought some people were expendable, then why didn't you just come rushing in there with your guns and rescue as many as you could?" Kenshin stared at them, loathing what he saw. He swiped at his cheeks, embarrassed by his tears. "You didn't even try!"
"You have a right to be upset," Katsura glanced at the heart monitor by Kenshin's bed, growing agitated along with the increasing blips of the machine. "And you have my deepest sympathy--"
"It's a little late for that," Kenshin interrupted angrily.
"We should leave," Tomoe said suddenly. She touched Katsura's arm, a slight pressure pushing him back to the door. With a sorrowful smile, she moved across the room to Kenshin's bed. He averted his eyes, staring out the window when she pushed some hair out of his face. "I wish I could have moved in sooner, but it was not safe," she murmured. "And I could not help you if I was dead. I'll miss you, Kenshin. You're a good kid."
Chest heaving with a sob, Kenshin reached up with his good hand and hooked his arm around her neck, dragging her into a fierce embrace. Tomoe sighed and hugged him gently, cautious of his broken ribs.
"Will I ever see you again?" Kenshin whispered.
"I think so," Tomoe pulled back and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. He responded with a wobbly smile, and she kissed his forehead. "I'll send you a letter."
"Thanks," he leaned back against the pillows again and watched as she followed Katsura out the door. He glanced at Okita, and a moment later, there were two boys on the hospital bed. They sat together, content to lean against each other and flip through the television channels, finally settling on an old game show. Both were dozing by the time Kaoru, Aoshi, Sano, and Misao arrived at the hospital.
^_^
Loooooooooong notes: Oooookaaaaaay, so that was just a bizarre chapter in and of itself. A few things I wanted to pick out:
1. Enishi. I made him out to be almost cowardly, but this was not intended. Consider him to be someone with a highly developed sense of self-preservation. He wanted to cause as much damage as he could without getting caught or hurt in the process. Unfortunately for him, it backfired. And sorry to all those who wanted to see much more of him. I really did not give him due credit. *shrug* I've only read half of the revenge arc anyway. Anyone out there know where I can get the rest? Reliably in any rate.
2. Okita's karate move. This is a highly effective self-defense move. If done 'properly,' it supposedly can yank a person's shoulder out of alignment and give the attacker one hell of a bloody nose.
3. NSA aka National Security Agency. I have no idea if these people are actually authorized to arrest people. It just seemed to be the best agency to use. FBI doesn't really work out of country as far as I am aware. So it was a tossup between NSA and CIA. NSA felt better to me, so I used it.
4. Kenshin's recovery time. Again, I think I am a little off. I will not pretend he healed and is suddenly all better in later chapters. No one can recover from those injuries in under two weeks. However, I will apologize in advance for the speed of his recovery. I think I gave him too much credit, but it's not such a big deal, right? Right.
5. Kenshin being allowed back to school is something of a plot hole. I can't see how this would be a likely event, but it will remain as such.
*pantpant* Okay. I think I'm done. Three chapters left, people! *Sob* It's almost over.
Reviewers:
Koneko-chan: Yeah, I knew it was not a 'guy thing' to do, but I left it. Somehow, I doubt a gag gift would have been appreciated at that moment.
Crystal: It's better! I hope you feel better about the boys now. They've made up. Of course, it took Kenshin pulling a knife on Okita and Okita dislocating Kenshin's shoulder to do it.
Black Soul: I'm faster than some, but this story was almost finished when I first started posting.
Hitokiri Gentatsu: I would respond a bit more, but I think your questions were answered by the chapter itself.
Jason M. Lee: *Wincing at the sound of joints popping* Ick. I do believe Tomoe beat him up here.
Vesca: I had fun with that dumb Omake. Hope this chapter answered some of the questions you've been harboring since the story began.
Eliz: He's the same, but very different.
tenshineko: True, true. But again, in Okita's defense, he is still a high-school student who just wants to have a good time with his friends. Kids don't always make the best of decisions. And you do have a point about Enishi. No, they don't believe he was innocent. Unfortunately for Okita, Hiko did not take the time to ask him who else they had been with the previous night. As you can see, I could not stand to keep the boys apart too long. Kenshin! Okita! Hug and make up!
Okita: *glomps onto Kenshin* Never leave me again!
Kenshin: Ouchie… *passes out*
Okita: *hiding from doctors' glares* Whoops.
marstanuki: Eh, Kenshin's a bit of a spazz. Although as far as being psychotic goes… well, he was in this chapter, wasn't he? Sure. But only for a short time.
nemo: Again, I apologize for leaving the last chapter blank on your review. Gah, I felt so bad about that. And as a matter of fact, I certainly could not leave out senior skip day. It's coming very soon. *Sob* I'm going to miss this story. I loved it so much!
Typedul: Um… you're welcome. I'm glad you're happy.
Oryo: Enishi is pretty weird. As always, thank you for your reviews.