Part 4 - Circular Puzzles
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Kenshin looked Megumi in the eyes. "What did you say?" The rurouni was in disbelief. He was not aware of anyone else in the area using the Hiten style. Only he and Master Hiko were users of the Hiten style.
Megumi responded. "The wounds on this body are from the dull of the blade." Kenshin rushed into the next room and looked down at the body in front of him. Yes, the wounds were from the dull of the blade and were made in such a way that only the Hiten style could produce these. Kenshin searched his memory for anyone else who used the Hiten style, or for any of Hiko's stories that could reveal the information. However, he produced no results.
"Miss Megumi, how is the patient doing?"
"They are only topical injuries. This man is going to be fine."
"Then who could have done this?"
"Aah Kenshin!" Sano called from the gate to the dojo. "We were just catching up." Following Sano was Kenshin's Master, Hiko. So Hiko must have been the one behind this. Hiko looked at Kenshin. Kenshin walked outside while Megumi remained.
"I went on quite a walk thanks to you." Kenshin's Master prepared to speak, but suddenly stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"Ahh, I can see you are all here." Hiko glanced at Saitoh.
"You are... Saitoh Hajime?"
Saitoh looked directly at Hiko. For a moment he paused, a bit angry that he did not fully understand the situation. "I'm afraid I don't know you."
Hiko was glad that his idiot apprentice had not bragged about the skill of Hiko Sejirou to all of Tokyo, only most. Although, he would have preferred none. "That is fine with me."
Saitoh could see Hiko was quite skilled, and kept an eye on him while he considered addressing the manslayer. "I heard an officer had been rushed over here by carriage and came over to investigate."
Sano jumped in as usual. "What are you talking about?!"
Kenshin ignored Sano's response and answered the question. "It appears that an officer has sword wounds and was taken here..."
Sano jumped in again. "Hey, you spoke to Miss Megumi?" Sano was a bit worried as he remembered the situation with the doctor.
At this point Hiko was bored and sat down on the edge of the floor of the dojo. Saitoh's eyes drifted from Sano towards Hiko, and back to Kenshin. On cue Kenshin continued. "It seems that he is going to make it."
Saitoh's eyes did not drift from Kenshin when he said, "Hey, moron, why are you hiding something?"
Several seconds passed, and then everyone looked at Sanosuke. Sano realized that Saitoh was insulting him and started going crazy like he always did in the presence of this particular officer. Afterwards, he punched the air in Saitoh's direction, and then started explaining what had actually happened after Kenshin had been left behind. "Well I met up with Hiko..." Sano was actually being serious for a moment.
At this point a thought entered Saitoh's mind. He remembered Kenshin explaining to Saitoh that the master of the Hiten style used a training cape.
Saitoh immediately looked at Hiko. He looked down at the sword. "So now it makes sense."
Hiko didn't respond. Sano jumped a bit and replied. "And Hiko was talking to the off..."
At this point Saitoh was more interested in Kenshin's master than the stupid report he was expected to submit. "You are not supposed to carry a sword, regardless of the reason." This was not an action resulting from his philosophy of "Slay evil immediately," but an expression of his interest in Hiko's skill.
"Not this again" Hiko responded. His last visit to the police station had been a result of this from another officer.
Kenshin made a connection. "If this already happened to Swordmaster Hiko then the injured guy inside must be a..."
From where Saitoh was standing he had a clear view of the slightly blood stained police uniform in the room where Megumi had been working on the patient. Saitoh was unaware of the exact circumstances, and was now acting on the principles of his philosophy. He drew his sword, and took up the stance of Gatotsu, pointing the tip of his blade at Hiko, who looked back at him.
Sano knew that Hiko had been cleared with the police for being forced to injure a police officer, and realized he needed to prevent these two from fighting. "Saitoh, Hiko attacked the police officer beca..."
Saitoh's eyes immediately widened at those words. He lunged forward, aiming for the same spot as he had done to Makoto Shishio, which was considerably higher on Hiko. The final thrust was made just in time for Hiko to teleport out of the way. Saitoh could not use his zero stance against an opponent while right in front of the man he had a score to settle with, but was otherwise completely vulnerable to this new opponent who was on a level above anyone he had ever crossed swords with.
As everyone knew, Kenshin had a dislike for useless fighting. "STOP IT!" Saitoh turned his head to Kenshin, while Hiko was still unseen. Megumi came running outside after hearing the yell. She would have been paying attention to the conversation the whole time had she not been busy tending to the medical clinic she had been secretly holding in the Kamiya dojo while the owner was away and the other local medical buildings were unable to hold patients.
Hiko materialized many meters behind Saitoh, sword still in its sheath. He then walked back to the place he had been sitting, remaining disinterested in the events around him. Saitoh sheathed his sword and silently vowed that he had a score with Hiko as well.
Sano quickly used this time to explain what had happened earlier that day. Saitoh exited. Sano went inside to find something to eat, and Megumi returned. Kenshin was relieved things ended when they did. Kenshin just stood there.
Gellender@yahoo.com
Kenshin looked Megumi in the eyes. "What did you say?" The rurouni was in disbelief. He was not aware of anyone else in the area using the Hiten style. Only he and Master Hiko were users of the Hiten style.
Megumi responded. "The wounds on this body are from the dull of the blade." Kenshin rushed into the next room and looked down at the body in front of him. Yes, the wounds were from the dull of the blade and were made in such a way that only the Hiten style could produce these. Kenshin searched his memory for anyone else who used the Hiten style, or for any of Hiko's stories that could reveal the information. However, he produced no results.
"Miss Megumi, how is the patient doing?"
"They are only topical injuries. This man is going to be fine."
"Then who could have done this?"
"Aah Kenshin!" Sano called from the gate to the dojo. "We were just catching up." Following Sano was Kenshin's Master, Hiko. So Hiko must have been the one behind this. Hiko looked at Kenshin. Kenshin walked outside while Megumi remained.
"I went on quite a walk thanks to you." Kenshin's Master prepared to speak, but suddenly stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"Ahh, I can see you are all here." Hiko glanced at Saitoh.
"You are... Saitoh Hajime?"
Saitoh looked directly at Hiko. For a moment he paused, a bit angry that he did not fully understand the situation. "I'm afraid I don't know you."
Hiko was glad that his idiot apprentice had not bragged about the skill of Hiko Sejirou to all of Tokyo, only most. Although, he would have preferred none. "That is fine with me."
Saitoh could see Hiko was quite skilled, and kept an eye on him while he considered addressing the manslayer. "I heard an officer had been rushed over here by carriage and came over to investigate."
Sano jumped in as usual. "What are you talking about?!"
Kenshin ignored Sano's response and answered the question. "It appears that an officer has sword wounds and was taken here..."
Sano jumped in again. "Hey, you spoke to Miss Megumi?" Sano was a bit worried as he remembered the situation with the doctor.
At this point Hiko was bored and sat down on the edge of the floor of the dojo. Saitoh's eyes drifted from Sano towards Hiko, and back to Kenshin. On cue Kenshin continued. "It seems that he is going to make it."
Saitoh's eyes did not drift from Kenshin when he said, "Hey, moron, why are you hiding something?"
Several seconds passed, and then everyone looked at Sanosuke. Sano realized that Saitoh was insulting him and started going crazy like he always did in the presence of this particular officer. Afterwards, he punched the air in Saitoh's direction, and then started explaining what had actually happened after Kenshin had been left behind. "Well I met up with Hiko..." Sano was actually being serious for a moment.
At this point a thought entered Saitoh's mind. He remembered Kenshin explaining to Saitoh that the master of the Hiten style used a training cape.
Saitoh immediately looked at Hiko. He looked down at the sword. "So now it makes sense."
Hiko didn't respond. Sano jumped a bit and replied. "And Hiko was talking to the off..."
At this point Saitoh was more interested in Kenshin's master than the stupid report he was expected to submit. "You are not supposed to carry a sword, regardless of the reason." This was not an action resulting from his philosophy of "Slay evil immediately," but an expression of his interest in Hiko's skill.
"Not this again" Hiko responded. His last visit to the police station had been a result of this from another officer.
Kenshin made a connection. "If this already happened to Swordmaster Hiko then the injured guy inside must be a..."
From where Saitoh was standing he had a clear view of the slightly blood stained police uniform in the room where Megumi had been working on the patient. Saitoh was unaware of the exact circumstances, and was now acting on the principles of his philosophy. He drew his sword, and took up the stance of Gatotsu, pointing the tip of his blade at Hiko, who looked back at him.
Sano knew that Hiko had been cleared with the police for being forced to injure a police officer, and realized he needed to prevent these two from fighting. "Saitoh, Hiko attacked the police officer beca..."
Saitoh's eyes immediately widened at those words. He lunged forward, aiming for the same spot as he had done to Makoto Shishio, which was considerably higher on Hiko. The final thrust was made just in time for Hiko to teleport out of the way. Saitoh could not use his zero stance against an opponent while right in front of the man he had a score to settle with, but was otherwise completely vulnerable to this new opponent who was on a level above anyone he had ever crossed swords with.
As everyone knew, Kenshin had a dislike for useless fighting. "STOP IT!" Saitoh turned his head to Kenshin, while Hiko was still unseen. Megumi came running outside after hearing the yell. She would have been paying attention to the conversation the whole time had she not been busy tending to the medical clinic she had been secretly holding in the Kamiya dojo while the owner was away and the other local medical buildings were unable to hold patients.
Hiko materialized many meters behind Saitoh, sword still in its sheath. He then walked back to the place he had been sitting, remaining disinterested in the events around him. Saitoh sheathed his sword and silently vowed that he had a score with Hiko as well.
Sano quickly used this time to explain what had happened earlier that day. Saitoh exited. Sano went inside to find something to eat, and Megumi returned. Kenshin was relieved things ended when they did. Kenshin just stood there.