Okay, here it is . . . the update!!! Sorry for the delay but two things
happened simultaneously: one-all the happy muse-inspired energy driving
this story got killed by two-the new swamp-load of homework I got the
second I finished all the other homework I had. Run on sentence there but
it reflects how I'm feeling . . . like the energizer bunny . . . the work
just keeps going and going and going. But I got everything done so here's
my reward!!! And yours too!!! YAY!!!
On with the fic!!!----------------------------------------------
But first, haha, STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY!!!!!
Now here's the story !
*************************************************************** ***
"Are you saying that Kenshin killed him?"
"Aa, that is exactly what I'm saying."
Megumi's quick retorts failed her for the first time in her life. She couldn't think, let alone speak. Her mouth had gone curiously dry and her body suddenly felt heavy, like she no longer had the muscles to support her own weight. Then, like so often happens with complete shock, her mind pushed out what Saitoh had just told her. Suddenly, she started to giggle. As the giggling continued, the men seated at the table exchanged glances.
Megumi continued to giggle until she was laughing so hard, tears escaped her eyes, her face flushed and her lips tinted a darker shade.
She finally found the words to speak. "Ho, ho, ho, that's ridiculous! Ken- san, killing someone! I've never heard something so funny in my life. Really, Saitoh-san, I didn't know you had a sense of humor! Ho, ho, ho!"
"Oi, Kitsune!" Sano growled angrily. "It's not a joke. All the evidence says that Kenshin killed him," he finished in a grumble, as though he couldn't quite be sure of the truth.
Megumi's laughter died abruptly. "You are serious?" she asked after a pause. "Ken-san, you really killed someone?" Megumi had turned her eyes back to the red-head, finding his face concealed by the heavy bangs falling across his forehead and eyes once more.
"Battosai-" Saitoh started but Megumi cut off his words.
"No! I want to hear it from him! You killed someone over this?" her voice sounded incredulous, even to her own ears. She didn't mean to sound so accusatory; it just came out that way. Megumi didn't want to believe- couldn't believe-he'd go that far . . . Kenshin couldn't kill anymore. At least, that was the point wasn't it?
He waited to so long to answer she almost forgot why she was still standing there. "It is possible, that it is," he said at last in a defeated voice.
Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the rurouni. "It's possible? That's it?" She turned to meet Saitoh's dark glare once more, braving the violence she always found concealed in the brownish-black eyes. "You have any proof? Any reason to believe Ken-san could have been the murderer?"
"The fact that he does not outright deny the allegation means he has some guilt in the matter. Some blame to take. Not to mention a report from your Doctor Gensai that states the victim died of wounds inflicted by a reverse-bladed sword. A sword that matches Battosai's exactly. You were even present during the battle, were you not?"
*A reversed-bladed sword? How hard did Kenshin hit him, to kill him in such a way? Certainly he's strong enough, but . . . Kenshin couldn't kill someone! He just couldn't! He's not like that anymore! He would never-*
Almost as the thought tried to finish, images of Kenshin flowed through her head. Images of his fight with Saitoh, the first time he'd come to the dojo. Nothing, no one-not even Kaoru-had been able to get through to Kenshin after that fight had started. He'd been angry enough that even the reason for the fight had been forgotten. At that time, all he'd wanted was to kill. Kill who he thought was his enemy. Even the wounds he'd sustained hadn't distracted him enough to slow his attack.
Megumi remembered that the fight had almost been to the death . . . and it was the hitokiri in him that had pushed him forward. She'd seen the look in Kenshin's eyes the moment the drunken man had grabbed Kaoru's arm. It was the amber that she'd hoped she'd never see again.
Perhaps it was possible Kenshin had lost his control and accidentally killed the man, but he'd never murder on purpose! Kaoru always made him over-protective, it was possible with her life at risk, he would have done anything to get her back. It'd happened before, right?
First, with Jineh, and the latest with Enishi. *And he's still very much aware of the recent events . . . including his time at Rakuninmura. Any other time, I wouldn't have thought it possible, but now . . . * Kenshin's words echoed through her head.
*"It is possible, that it is."*
*Yes, Kenshin,* she told him silently, *It is possible, isn't it?*
"Oi!!" Sano yelled, startling her.
"What is it, rooster head!" she yelled back angrily for having been surprised.
"I asked, were you not present during the battle?" Saitoh restated.
"Uhm . . . I saw the tanuki-girl get dragged off but the son of one of my patients came to get me before I could go after them. The boy's mother went into labor prematurely and Dr. Gensai was attending to the clinic," she told them.
Sano had been wondering what'd happened to her. When they'd returned and found her gone, he'd been slightly inclined to believe someone had run off with her, like they'd tried to do with Kaoru. But here she was, being doctor.
"So you didn't see what happened, then?" Sano asked her.
"Didn't I just say that?" she snapped.
Sano grumbled again but remained silent this time. He looked across the table at Kenshin, still tucked into his little ball, hiding his eyes and curled in on himself. Sanosuke wanted to tell him how weak it made him appear, like he was trying to shrink away to avoid being noticed, but decided against it. He wouldn't make a scene in front of the ex-Mibu wolf. Besides, Kenshin had dug himself in deep enough already. Sano didn't think insulting him would make things better, even if it would make the rurouni sit up straighter.
"So what are you going to do with Ken-san?" Megumi asked a few heartbeats later.
"What do you suggest?" countered Saitoh.
"He might as well stay here, since you know he's not going anywhere," Sano told him. "You know this is his home, he's not going to leave it."
"And put other people in danger to the Battosai's whims?" retorted the policeman.
"That's not fair!" Megumi almost shouted. "You know he didn't kill that man!"
Saitoh gave her a hard, cold glare. Then a menacing grin appeared on his lips, touching the outsides of his eyes. "Unfortunately, I must concur. This pathetic shell-"that got Kenshin to look up, almost with anger-"is in no more of a position to kill anyone than that weakling child who follows him around."
"Then you already know Kenshin's innocent?" Sano questioned.
"I did not say that. However, we will let whoever is trying to set him up, believe that he's under suspicion."
"What you're talking about isn't suspicion! It's a flat out accusation!" Megumi argued.
"Shut up, woman!" Sano ordered impatiently. "What do you mean, whoever is trying to set him up? You think there's something behind all this?"
"Anyone who knows Battosai personally would not believe he could kill someone. However, if someone could convince him that he'd done it, then take away what he needed most-his reason for living-he would accept whatever punishment was given." Saitoh's voice turned spiteful. "You understand now, Battosai? A nice appetizer is what you make of those you care for. How easy you make it for anyone to take advantage of you! I am-"
"No more!" Kenshin spat, suddenly possessing a backbone. Insulting him was one thing but no one talked of those he loved in that manner. Not even Saitoh. When he continued his voice was calm and only Saitoh heard the unspoken threat behind his tone. "You believe that they will return for Kaoru-dono," he stated.
"Aa," was the only reply.
"Sessha will remain under house arrest until this matter is cleared, that he will. However, Saitoh, you will not speak in this manner again. Neither to me nor my friends," Kenshin warned.
The ex-Mibu almost pushed him on it but decided against it. Battosai's oath that he would not kill was not the same thing as not being capable. Battosai could kill if needed. Even if he didn't realize it, Saitoh knew better. He'd seen it in the hitokiri's eyes. The very same eyes that flashed when he'd mentioned the people he was too weak to protect. Unfortunately, it was not the amber-eyed hitokiri that was in charge these days. It was the deficient rurouni . . . the one that would not do what was necessary to ensure the safety of those around him.
"I will return when I have uncovered more." With that, Saitoh stood from the table and exited the room. After the shoji closed behind him, Megumi sighed.
"What will I do with the two of you?" she questioned of no one in particular.
Sano didn't look up, keeping his gaze focused on his friend in front of him. "I think we should ask that of him, Kitsune."
Kenshin looked up and met Sanosuke's eyes directly. The short sound that escaped the other man's lips gave evidence that there was something in the rurouni's eyes that hadn't been there previously. It looked like. . . .
Revenge.
****************************************************** ************* *
Reader Response:
Mae: thanks for the suggestion about the "Sessha." It helps when people keep me on my toes! Feel free to give me feedback in the future about that sort of stuff; it will help keep the story more true to the characters! Thanks!
C-Chan: Well, I hope I answered some of your questions, so for this chapter, you'll just have to make up some new ones! I'm trying to keep the suspense ALIVE!!!
KitKat: It's funny I keep leaving cliff hangers because personally, I hate them. Honestly, it's just because I can only write so far before I have to start brainstorming for what will happen next. I just write out my ideas and this is where I just happen to stop. Total coincidence! Honest! ::smiles::
Crystal: Technically yes! Killed someone! Or maybe he . . . well, you'll have to keep reading! ::I'm soooo mean, aren't I?::
Jason M. Lee: even though we already had our little talk, I still hope you enjoyed this chapter! Tell me what you think? Did I do alright by you? I hope I did . . .
Welp, that's it for this chapter. I'll try to get one more in but I'm going out of town next weekend and I have a paper, a test, and a research project all due when I get back so either I'll get it done before I leave, and give you guys an update, or I pull a baddie and don't get it all done, do it when I get back last minute, and no update for 2 wks! YIKES!!!
Quick, for update, e-mail all my professors and tell them to stop giving me so much friken work!!!! ARHGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!
::Just kidding, don't e-mail my professors!:: But I wouldn't mind no more work. ::sighs::
On with the fic!!!----------------------------------------------
But first, haha, STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY!!!!!
Now here's the story !
*************************************************************** ***
"Are you saying that Kenshin killed him?"
"Aa, that is exactly what I'm saying."
Megumi's quick retorts failed her for the first time in her life. She couldn't think, let alone speak. Her mouth had gone curiously dry and her body suddenly felt heavy, like she no longer had the muscles to support her own weight. Then, like so often happens with complete shock, her mind pushed out what Saitoh had just told her. Suddenly, she started to giggle. As the giggling continued, the men seated at the table exchanged glances.
Megumi continued to giggle until she was laughing so hard, tears escaped her eyes, her face flushed and her lips tinted a darker shade.
She finally found the words to speak. "Ho, ho, ho, that's ridiculous! Ken- san, killing someone! I've never heard something so funny in my life. Really, Saitoh-san, I didn't know you had a sense of humor! Ho, ho, ho!"
"Oi, Kitsune!" Sano growled angrily. "It's not a joke. All the evidence says that Kenshin killed him," he finished in a grumble, as though he couldn't quite be sure of the truth.
Megumi's laughter died abruptly. "You are serious?" she asked after a pause. "Ken-san, you really killed someone?" Megumi had turned her eyes back to the red-head, finding his face concealed by the heavy bangs falling across his forehead and eyes once more.
"Battosai-" Saitoh started but Megumi cut off his words.
"No! I want to hear it from him! You killed someone over this?" her voice sounded incredulous, even to her own ears. She didn't mean to sound so accusatory; it just came out that way. Megumi didn't want to believe- couldn't believe-he'd go that far . . . Kenshin couldn't kill anymore. At least, that was the point wasn't it?
He waited to so long to answer she almost forgot why she was still standing there. "It is possible, that it is," he said at last in a defeated voice.
Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the rurouni. "It's possible? That's it?" She turned to meet Saitoh's dark glare once more, braving the violence she always found concealed in the brownish-black eyes. "You have any proof? Any reason to believe Ken-san could have been the murderer?"
"The fact that he does not outright deny the allegation means he has some guilt in the matter. Some blame to take. Not to mention a report from your Doctor Gensai that states the victim died of wounds inflicted by a reverse-bladed sword. A sword that matches Battosai's exactly. You were even present during the battle, were you not?"
*A reversed-bladed sword? How hard did Kenshin hit him, to kill him in such a way? Certainly he's strong enough, but . . . Kenshin couldn't kill someone! He just couldn't! He's not like that anymore! He would never-*
Almost as the thought tried to finish, images of Kenshin flowed through her head. Images of his fight with Saitoh, the first time he'd come to the dojo. Nothing, no one-not even Kaoru-had been able to get through to Kenshin after that fight had started. He'd been angry enough that even the reason for the fight had been forgotten. At that time, all he'd wanted was to kill. Kill who he thought was his enemy. Even the wounds he'd sustained hadn't distracted him enough to slow his attack.
Megumi remembered that the fight had almost been to the death . . . and it was the hitokiri in him that had pushed him forward. She'd seen the look in Kenshin's eyes the moment the drunken man had grabbed Kaoru's arm. It was the amber that she'd hoped she'd never see again.
Perhaps it was possible Kenshin had lost his control and accidentally killed the man, but he'd never murder on purpose! Kaoru always made him over-protective, it was possible with her life at risk, he would have done anything to get her back. It'd happened before, right?
First, with Jineh, and the latest with Enishi. *And he's still very much aware of the recent events . . . including his time at Rakuninmura. Any other time, I wouldn't have thought it possible, but now . . . * Kenshin's words echoed through her head.
*"It is possible, that it is."*
*Yes, Kenshin,* she told him silently, *It is possible, isn't it?*
"Oi!!" Sano yelled, startling her.
"What is it, rooster head!" she yelled back angrily for having been surprised.
"I asked, were you not present during the battle?" Saitoh restated.
"Uhm . . . I saw the tanuki-girl get dragged off but the son of one of my patients came to get me before I could go after them. The boy's mother went into labor prematurely and Dr. Gensai was attending to the clinic," she told them.
Sano had been wondering what'd happened to her. When they'd returned and found her gone, he'd been slightly inclined to believe someone had run off with her, like they'd tried to do with Kaoru. But here she was, being doctor.
"So you didn't see what happened, then?" Sano asked her.
"Didn't I just say that?" she snapped.
Sano grumbled again but remained silent this time. He looked across the table at Kenshin, still tucked into his little ball, hiding his eyes and curled in on himself. Sanosuke wanted to tell him how weak it made him appear, like he was trying to shrink away to avoid being noticed, but decided against it. He wouldn't make a scene in front of the ex-Mibu wolf. Besides, Kenshin had dug himself in deep enough already. Sano didn't think insulting him would make things better, even if it would make the rurouni sit up straighter.
"So what are you going to do with Ken-san?" Megumi asked a few heartbeats later.
"What do you suggest?" countered Saitoh.
"He might as well stay here, since you know he's not going anywhere," Sano told him. "You know this is his home, he's not going to leave it."
"And put other people in danger to the Battosai's whims?" retorted the policeman.
"That's not fair!" Megumi almost shouted. "You know he didn't kill that man!"
Saitoh gave her a hard, cold glare. Then a menacing grin appeared on his lips, touching the outsides of his eyes. "Unfortunately, I must concur. This pathetic shell-"that got Kenshin to look up, almost with anger-"is in no more of a position to kill anyone than that weakling child who follows him around."
"Then you already know Kenshin's innocent?" Sano questioned.
"I did not say that. However, we will let whoever is trying to set him up, believe that he's under suspicion."
"What you're talking about isn't suspicion! It's a flat out accusation!" Megumi argued.
"Shut up, woman!" Sano ordered impatiently. "What do you mean, whoever is trying to set him up? You think there's something behind all this?"
"Anyone who knows Battosai personally would not believe he could kill someone. However, if someone could convince him that he'd done it, then take away what he needed most-his reason for living-he would accept whatever punishment was given." Saitoh's voice turned spiteful. "You understand now, Battosai? A nice appetizer is what you make of those you care for. How easy you make it for anyone to take advantage of you! I am-"
"No more!" Kenshin spat, suddenly possessing a backbone. Insulting him was one thing but no one talked of those he loved in that manner. Not even Saitoh. When he continued his voice was calm and only Saitoh heard the unspoken threat behind his tone. "You believe that they will return for Kaoru-dono," he stated.
"Aa," was the only reply.
"Sessha will remain under house arrest until this matter is cleared, that he will. However, Saitoh, you will not speak in this manner again. Neither to me nor my friends," Kenshin warned.
The ex-Mibu almost pushed him on it but decided against it. Battosai's oath that he would not kill was not the same thing as not being capable. Battosai could kill if needed. Even if he didn't realize it, Saitoh knew better. He'd seen it in the hitokiri's eyes. The very same eyes that flashed when he'd mentioned the people he was too weak to protect. Unfortunately, it was not the amber-eyed hitokiri that was in charge these days. It was the deficient rurouni . . . the one that would not do what was necessary to ensure the safety of those around him.
"I will return when I have uncovered more." With that, Saitoh stood from the table and exited the room. After the shoji closed behind him, Megumi sighed.
"What will I do with the two of you?" she questioned of no one in particular.
Sano didn't look up, keeping his gaze focused on his friend in front of him. "I think we should ask that of him, Kitsune."
Kenshin looked up and met Sanosuke's eyes directly. The short sound that escaped the other man's lips gave evidence that there was something in the rurouni's eyes that hadn't been there previously. It looked like. . . .
Revenge.
****************************************************** ************* *
Reader Response:
Mae: thanks for the suggestion about the "Sessha." It helps when people keep me on my toes! Feel free to give me feedback in the future about that sort of stuff; it will help keep the story more true to the characters! Thanks!
C-Chan: Well, I hope I answered some of your questions, so for this chapter, you'll just have to make up some new ones! I'm trying to keep the suspense ALIVE!!!
KitKat: It's funny I keep leaving cliff hangers because personally, I hate them. Honestly, it's just because I can only write so far before I have to start brainstorming for what will happen next. I just write out my ideas and this is where I just happen to stop. Total coincidence! Honest! ::smiles::
Crystal: Technically yes! Killed someone! Or maybe he . . . well, you'll have to keep reading! ::I'm soooo mean, aren't I?::
Jason M. Lee: even though we already had our little talk, I still hope you enjoyed this chapter! Tell me what you think? Did I do alright by you? I hope I did . . .
Welp, that's it for this chapter. I'll try to get one more in but I'm going out of town next weekend and I have a paper, a test, and a research project all due when I get back so either I'll get it done before I leave, and give you guys an update, or I pull a baddie and don't get it all done, do it when I get back last minute, and no update for 2 wks! YIKES!!!
Quick, for update, e-mail all my professors and tell them to stop giving me so much friken work!!!! ARHGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!
::Just kidding, don't e-mail my professors!:: But I wouldn't mind no more work. ::sighs::