Well, here it is !!! Tada!!!!! SORRY it took so long for those people
waiting patiently for the update. This week has been so crazyily-stressful
that it's truly a wonder I'm still breathing. So to make up for it, I've
written a long chapter (sort of) ( YAY
If anyone has questions or comments, let me know!
STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY----don't own Kenshin . . . 'cause he's Kaoru's!
Ps-the underline's are for italics and the * are for thoughts ********** *************** ******************** **********
Kenshin could feel it humming inside his body. The relaxing muscles, the slow of his heartbeat . . . the hitokiri in him had completely taken over. His expression was one of calm, even if the frostiness of it could chill an ice block in winter, and nothing was going to stand in his way from taking back what was his.
In between the urge to shed the blood of the three men and the quiet- nearly drowned-voice telling him he shouldn't be doing this, Kenshin registered Sanosuke's voice calling his name. He also sensed Yahiko behind him as well.
He did not turn around to look at the gangster. Instead, Kenshin watched out of amber slits as the two men still holding Kaoru realized the odds had just been evened.
The leader of the drunken group barked in an insistent tone. "Take her out of here and do what you will! I will handle these fools."
Kaoru continued to struggle, Kenshin noted with a hint of pride, though it did little against the strong, muscled men. She cried out after Kenshin before the three disappeared around a corner in the street.
"Sanosuke, Yahiko . . . please go after Kaoru-dono. . . ." Kenshin instructed in a clipped manner, speaking more as the hitokiri than the rurouni.
The leader glared at Kenshin as the two ran after the others, Kaoru's loud yelling still faint in the background.
The other man drew his sword and faced the ex-hitokiri with a steady hand.
Suddenly, something clicked within Kenshin's mind as he analyzed his opponent. *This man is not drunk. This man is not even slightly off balance. He must have been pretending so he could provoke me into fighting him. The real question is, why?*
"Who are you?" Kenshin demanded. "Why have you done this?"
"Because, Battosai, you are a fool to think that you deserve what she would give you. You should have nothing-should know nothing-but the misery and death you have inflicted in this world."
Kenshin tried not to consider the implications of the man's words. He still suffered for the acts he committed during the Bakumatsu. Yet he did not know this man; what wrong had the hitokiri done to him?
The other continued, as if hearing Kenshin's confused thoughts. "No, you do not know me but I stand for another who could not be here. I am called Taroumaru Totosai."
*Taroumaru Totosai? He is here because of someone else? He is no expert, he could not hope to defeat me. Why does he fight still?*
"Sessha does not wish to harm you, Taroumaru-san," said Kenshin, his hand resting lightly on top of the sakabato still in its sheath at his side.
"I may not defeat you, Battosai, but I will fight you just the same. And that girl you protect so fiercely will meet a fate similar to that of your victims," said Taroumaru. "I am here for enough time to take care of business."
Kenshin growled. "If you hurt her, I will come for you," he threatened.
"Very well," replied Taroumaru. "If it must be that way, then so be it. Draw your sword, Battosai. Let us begin this."
"Fine," Kenshin spat, drawing his sword quickly as he moved for his first attack.
As the sword approached Taroumaru Totosai, he was able to block it, moving aside to start his own attack on the red-head. The two parried back and forth for several moments before a feminine, piercing scream filled the background. Kenshin wasted no more time.
In a god-like movement, he smashed his sakabato into Taroumaru's chest, crushing his ribs and collar bone. He crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud.
Kenshin took a moment to look down over Taroumaru Totosai. He had not been experienced but he'd had skill. He left the unconscious man behind the Akabeko and followed the path the others had taken.
As he neared the sounds of Kaoru's continued struggle, he saw the bodies of Sanosuke and Yahiko in the street. Stopping to make certain they were alive, though also unconscious, he moved on.
Turning a corner, Kenshin suddenly faced the backs of the other two men, who truly were intoxicated, as they'd trapped Kaoru between them. One had her pushed firmly against the wall, restraining her hands, while the other had his hand roaming beneath the open, ripped fabric of her kimono. She bravely continued her struggles to stop them but it was obvious they took little notice of her discomfort or fear.
"Enough!" Kenshin yelled angrily. The two men froze, as did Kaoru- who had not noticed his arrival-and Kenshin attacked them with little mercy before they even had time to cry out in surprise. Before their unconscious bodies could hit the ground, he had already gathered Kaoru in his arms.
Only moments before, she'd seemed strong and courageous against what was happening. It was now that she was safe that she broke down, crying heavily in his warm embrace.
Kenshin didn't know what to do. He hugged her closely, protectively, as she sobbed hot tears into his haori. He looked down at her, with her beautiful raven hair pulled out from its usual ribbon and the front of her kimono torn and exposing her chest, collar bones, and right shoulder. Kenshin felt both anger at his failure to protect her and pain for having put her in this situation. Had he been moments later, they would have surely taken her by force. . . .
With her slender arms wrapped tightly around his neck, he picked up her feet, cradling her shaking form against his firm chest.
By the time he returned to Sano and Yahiko, they were both still shaking off what had happened. With Kaoru still crying, her face buried beneath his neck and turned into his shoulder, he asked them quietly to retrieve Megumi and bring her immediately to the dojo.
Kaoru needed reassurance at that moment that Kenshin felt unable to give her, the guilt of this latest incident over lapping the recentness of Enishi's Jinchuu was simply too much for his guilty mind to bare.
************* ****************** ************** **************
Reader Responses ::
Melly : thanks for your support! I also love the way Kenshin gets so over- protective about her! It's what makes the story work, I think. And don't worry, I'll keep writing . . . even if updates are slow!
Joshy : baby ur a dork :P But I can say that because I love you and you're my boyfriend anyway ! Thanks for reviewing though!! (took you long enough :P )
Until the next chapter . . . .
If anyone has questions or comments, let me know!
STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY----don't own Kenshin . . . 'cause he's Kaoru's!
Ps-the underline's are for italics and the * are for thoughts ********** *************** ******************** **********
Kenshin could feel it humming inside his body. The relaxing muscles, the slow of his heartbeat . . . the hitokiri in him had completely taken over. His expression was one of calm, even if the frostiness of it could chill an ice block in winter, and nothing was going to stand in his way from taking back what was his.
In between the urge to shed the blood of the three men and the quiet- nearly drowned-voice telling him he shouldn't be doing this, Kenshin registered Sanosuke's voice calling his name. He also sensed Yahiko behind him as well.
He did not turn around to look at the gangster. Instead, Kenshin watched out of amber slits as the two men still holding Kaoru realized the odds had just been evened.
The leader of the drunken group barked in an insistent tone. "Take her out of here and do what you will! I will handle these fools."
Kaoru continued to struggle, Kenshin noted with a hint of pride, though it did little against the strong, muscled men. She cried out after Kenshin before the three disappeared around a corner in the street.
"Sanosuke, Yahiko . . . please go after Kaoru-dono. . . ." Kenshin instructed in a clipped manner, speaking more as the hitokiri than the rurouni.
The leader glared at Kenshin as the two ran after the others, Kaoru's loud yelling still faint in the background.
The other man drew his sword and faced the ex-hitokiri with a steady hand.
Suddenly, something clicked within Kenshin's mind as he analyzed his opponent. *This man is not drunk. This man is not even slightly off balance. He must have been pretending so he could provoke me into fighting him. The real question is, why?*
"Who are you?" Kenshin demanded. "Why have you done this?"
"Because, Battosai, you are a fool to think that you deserve what she would give you. You should have nothing-should know nothing-but the misery and death you have inflicted in this world."
Kenshin tried not to consider the implications of the man's words. He still suffered for the acts he committed during the Bakumatsu. Yet he did not know this man; what wrong had the hitokiri done to him?
The other continued, as if hearing Kenshin's confused thoughts. "No, you do not know me but I stand for another who could not be here. I am called Taroumaru Totosai."
*Taroumaru Totosai? He is here because of someone else? He is no expert, he could not hope to defeat me. Why does he fight still?*
"Sessha does not wish to harm you, Taroumaru-san," said Kenshin, his hand resting lightly on top of the sakabato still in its sheath at his side.
"I may not defeat you, Battosai, but I will fight you just the same. And that girl you protect so fiercely will meet a fate similar to that of your victims," said Taroumaru. "I am here for enough time to take care of business."
Kenshin growled. "If you hurt her, I will come for you," he threatened.
"Very well," replied Taroumaru. "If it must be that way, then so be it. Draw your sword, Battosai. Let us begin this."
"Fine," Kenshin spat, drawing his sword quickly as he moved for his first attack.
As the sword approached Taroumaru Totosai, he was able to block it, moving aside to start his own attack on the red-head. The two parried back and forth for several moments before a feminine, piercing scream filled the background. Kenshin wasted no more time.
In a god-like movement, he smashed his sakabato into Taroumaru's chest, crushing his ribs and collar bone. He crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud.
Kenshin took a moment to look down over Taroumaru Totosai. He had not been experienced but he'd had skill. He left the unconscious man behind the Akabeko and followed the path the others had taken.
As he neared the sounds of Kaoru's continued struggle, he saw the bodies of Sanosuke and Yahiko in the street. Stopping to make certain they were alive, though also unconscious, he moved on.
Turning a corner, Kenshin suddenly faced the backs of the other two men, who truly were intoxicated, as they'd trapped Kaoru between them. One had her pushed firmly against the wall, restraining her hands, while the other had his hand roaming beneath the open, ripped fabric of her kimono. She bravely continued her struggles to stop them but it was obvious they took little notice of her discomfort or fear.
"Enough!" Kenshin yelled angrily. The two men froze, as did Kaoru- who had not noticed his arrival-and Kenshin attacked them with little mercy before they even had time to cry out in surprise. Before their unconscious bodies could hit the ground, he had already gathered Kaoru in his arms.
Only moments before, she'd seemed strong and courageous against what was happening. It was now that she was safe that she broke down, crying heavily in his warm embrace.
Kenshin didn't know what to do. He hugged her closely, protectively, as she sobbed hot tears into his haori. He looked down at her, with her beautiful raven hair pulled out from its usual ribbon and the front of her kimono torn and exposing her chest, collar bones, and right shoulder. Kenshin felt both anger at his failure to protect her and pain for having put her in this situation. Had he been moments later, they would have surely taken her by force. . . .
With her slender arms wrapped tightly around his neck, he picked up her feet, cradling her shaking form against his firm chest.
By the time he returned to Sano and Yahiko, they were both still shaking off what had happened. With Kaoru still crying, her face buried beneath his neck and turned into his shoulder, he asked them quietly to retrieve Megumi and bring her immediately to the dojo.
Kaoru needed reassurance at that moment that Kenshin felt unable to give her, the guilt of this latest incident over lapping the recentness of Enishi's Jinchuu was simply too much for his guilty mind to bare.
************* ****************** ************** **************
Reader Responses ::
Melly : thanks for your support! I also love the way Kenshin gets so over- protective about her! It's what makes the story work, I think. And don't worry, I'll keep writing . . . even if updates are slow!
Joshy : baby ur a dork :P But I can say that because I love you and you're my boyfriend anyway ! Thanks for reviewing though!! (took you long enough :P )
Until the next chapter . . . .