A/N: First thing first...this chapter was VERY, VERY, VERY difficult to write. I'm terrible at writing fight scenes. For a girl who loves to play fighting games, you'd think I can write a fight scene...Anyway, this was one of those I'll write it so I can move on type of chapters...and yet this was also inevitable. If I didn't write it, then the story couldn't exactly go on...if Aoshi not fighting Jiro, he'd have to fight somebody, so it might as well be him. Believe me when I say that I absolutely, positively wanted to get this chapter overwith.
Oh yeah, thanks to Memphis Long/Dan (one of the coolest Street Fighter fanfic writers) for helping with Jiro's moves. I know you went all out, even though you didn't have to...and I didn't use all of them in here...but I really do appreciate the help.
Aoshi let his kodachi sheath fall to the ground. The instant it hit, he dashed forward, kodachi crossed, prepared to slice. Jiro prepared himself, his body shifting. His staff flew up, blocking the younger man's attack. With a flick of his hand, Jiro's weapon arced to hit Aoshi in the shoulder.
Aoshi winced in pain and suddenly moved aside as the staff came straight towards his chest. Aoshi jumped back, just outside of Jiro's range.
His old acquaintance studied him thoughtfully. Then Jiro raised his weapon, preparing to either defend himself or strike...he could do either.
Aoshi narrowed his eyes. There was one thought in the back of his mind that had emerged from the moment he left the clinic until the second he clashed weapons with Jiro. He wasn't at full strength. Not because he had neglected his training. But Aoshi had spent nearly two weeks in bed, and that time was enough to weaken him slightly. Normally Jiro's weapon of choice wouldn't bother Aoshi...he could always read an opponent whose weapon was longer than the kodachi blade. It gave him an advantage, allowing him to anticipate their attack if he wished to go on the defensive. With an inperceptible grimace, Aoshi's grip tightened on his blades.
He lunged towards Jiro. His eyes widened a fraction, and he stepped aside just in time, the staff nicking his shoulder and the area below his collarbone. The strike was strong enough so that it tore his shinobi uniform. Aoshi jumped back to his starting point, glancing down at the damage. It was too clean of a cut to have snagged onto the metal...which meant that tiny blades were installed at the very end of the staff.
His incredible speed keeps an opponent at bay, Aoshi thought. It was no wonder why he wasn't able to get in close enough. He frowned. Jiro is defensive...he uses the opponent's momentum against them by waiting for their attack and counterattacking. The opponent's forward motion combined with the speed of Jiro's stabs make it very difficult for an opponent to get close.
Tightening his jaw, Aoshi ran forward. This time, he anticipated Jiro's attack and stepped to the side while simultaneously deflecting the staff with his kodachi and hitting the older man with a fierce kick to the midsection.
Jiro flew back several feet, losing his grip on his staff.
***
Megumi began to stir the powdered mixture in the water. She glanced at the man who had been placed in her room. Her reason for being captured in the first place.
She hadn't heard much of her captors' conversations, but all she knew was that the unconscious man behind her was the leader's younger brother. And he had been exposed to the very same poison that Aoshi had.
She observed the powder disintegrate and merge with the water. Not too long ago, two of her captors had taken her out to pick the herbs that would help cure their comrade. They had even attached ropes to her wrists and ankles to prevent escape. While it was a wise idea, it gave her the opportunity to see the area surrounding her prison.
She and Kei used to play in this area, before the house and underground shed were built on it. They used to have family picnics there.
"Is...Is it ready?" a voice whispered.
Megumi turned around. While most people wouldn't bother to help an enemy, Megumi did just the opposite. He was suffering, and it was her job to help people get better.
"I think so..." Megumi moved towards him and let him drink the liquid.
***
Aoshi stood over Jiro, who was breathing heavily thanks to the kick.
"Start talking, Jiro."
Jiro's eyes narrowed. "You have too much confidence, Aoshi..."
Suddenly, he flicked his wrists and jumped away, setting off several smoke bombs. Aoshi coughed as the smoke burned his throat before shielding his nose and mouth with his sleeve. Tuning into his senses, he felt rather than heard Jiro from behind him.
"Haiaku Fungeki!" a loud cry emerged from behind Aoshi.
Before he had the chance to react, the okashira felt a searing pain on his upper back...
***
"The medicine takes a couple hours to absorb into the body," Megumi instructed.
"Thank you..."
"You should rest more," she said quietly. "Your comrades are going to check and see if you're recovering..."
Her fists tightened. Jiro. He had fooled everyone. Aoshi, herself...Why?
"I...I'm sorry...about all of this..." her new patient whispered.
Megumi's eyes widened.
***
When the smoke cleared, Aoshi could see Jiro standing several feet away, staff in hand. Wincing slightly, Aoshi straightened to his full height. He could feel tension in his back begin to spread to the rest of his body.
Although they had known each other for years and known the weapons and fighting style used, they had never seen the other in battle. Okina did praise Jiro's skill...Back when he was an informant for the Oniwabanshu, Jiro had many enemies...and he had been able to take care of them rather quickly.
"It's been a long time since I fought a swordsman with your skill," Jiro commented casually.
Aoshi said nothing.
Jiro sprinted forward, weapon ready. Aoshi ran towards him, anticipating an attack. As soon as he saw the staff move, he jumped out of the way, his eyes widening as Jiro sidestepped in his direction, the staff moving in a wide arc right towards his jaw. Aoshi quickly dodged.
"Kodachi Nitou Ryu Onmyou Hasshi!" Aoshi hurled his swords in a single line towards his opponent.
Jiro quickly swung his bo to deflect the first kodachi, the motion leaving him wide open for the second kodachi, which pierced his shoulder several quarter inches. He released a hiss of pain, completely unprepared when Aoshi attacked with several quick, fierce punches.
Jiro fell to his knees, his chest and ribs beginning to bruise.
Aoshi bent slightly to retrieve his swords, keeping a watchful eye on the old man.
"Are you ready to answer now?" Aoshi asked quietly.
Something flashed in the old man's eyes. He flicked his wrist and Aoshi leapt out of the way as smoke engulfed both of them.
"Shichinanhakku!"
Aoshi immediately felt several quick blows to his chest, arms, and jaw. Taking a risk after the eighth attack, he ducked and sprang forward, slashing outward right above Jiro's pelvis bone.
The old man dropped his staff and fell to the ground, clutching his side. He stared at Aoshi in shock.
"You...You broke through my best attack...how...How...?"
Aoshi studied him carefully. "Fifteen attacks...random...but well-placed. By the eighth attack, your speed decreased due to your injuries."
"So that's how you were able to escape..." Jiro cringed, his face drawn with pain.
"Why?" Aoshi demanded in a quiet, controlled voice.
Judging by the old man's expression, he knew what he was asking. Why was he poisoned? Why the deceit? Why kidnap Takani Megumi?
"I had no choice," Jiro responded, wincing again as another bout of pain coursed through his side.
Aoshi's eyes narrowed to slits.
"I don't expect you to understand, Aoshi," Jiro croaked, taking in shallow breaths of air. "But I never meant for you or Megumi-sensei to get involved..."
"More lies..." Aoshi muttered.
"No," Jiro insisted wearily. "I had to do what they said..."
"They?"
"It...It was the only way I could save my grandson..."
Aoshi's features remained impassive. "What are you talking about?"
"Years ago...before I met the Oniwabanshu...I had created this poison as a killing method...for those that needed to die of unusual causes."
"You used it as an assassination tool," Aoshi stated.
Jiro nodded. "When Emperor Meiji became ruler...I...I had no place in his new era...my family nearly starved...so I sold the poison so I could provide for my family..." He shivered slightly. "The group who bought it from me...They...They have no name...I don't think they even have a purpose...And they've been using it all over Japan for the last seven years. They started running low on supply recently...and demanded I make more for them...I refused...so...so they kidnapped my grandson several days ago...not long after you first came here investigating. When I went to rescue him during a fight...one of their men was accidentally exposed to the poison..."
Aoshi lowered his swords. "What about your children? Do they know-?"
"His parents think that he is spending time with a family friend for several days. They...They gave my grandson the very same poison while I watched..." The old man's eyes filled.
Was there ever an end to the man's lies? "You still have not told me how Takani-sensei and I fit into this situation..."
"They used you both. They had seen us investigating, so the group thought that if you were poisoned...Megumi-sensei could cure you."
"But you sent the letter containing the poison's ingredients," Aoshi replied.
"It seemed that Megumi-sensei was getting nowhere fast enough...so I convinced them to let me write to her...I was never going to reveal that I was the source of your sickness, Aoshi...She was supposed to cure you and one of the group members would steal the antidote and give it to their dying comrade and my grandson."
"Takani-sensei made plenty medicine. Kidnapping her was unnecessary."
"But they couldn't find it!" Jiro insisted. "The night of the embassy ball, one of the group members faked a housecall for Kei-sensei to get him out of the clinic...If they found the antidote, they were to set off a firework that could be seen from the embassy where one of the members had followed you and Megumi-sensei just as a precation. The firework never went off, so she was taken."
"Where is she?"
"In their hideout three miles southeast of-" The old man's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fell unconscious.
"Jiro." Aoshi shook him slightly. And he heard it...the ever so slight shuffling of leaves and brush. His eyes trailed to an area where he detected the sound.
It came again. Aoshi bent to inspect Jiro, seeing a white dart sticking out of his upper back. It appeared to be harmless...just used to render someone to sleep.
He had to move fast. Aoshi quickly carried Jiro to the main road.
Fortunately for him, a merchant happened to be passing through when Aoshi stopped him. Startled, the merchant just watched Aoshi load Jiro onto the back of his cart.
"Take him to the Takani clinic in Aizu, ask for Takani Kei, this man is a recurring patient of his," Aoshi ordered. At the merchant's flabbergasted expression, he barked, "Hurry!"
That seemed to galvanize the merchant into action and he whipped the reins of his horse.
Aoshi turned away as soon as the cart moved along.
Minutes later, he found the trail of Jiro's attacker. He's not very good at hiding his tracks, Aoshi mentally noted. Ignoring the pain on his back, shoulders and jaw thanks to Jiro, he broke into a run.
Aoshi had needed several doses to rid his system of the poison. He fervently hoped that she was able to convince her captors that the same procedure was required for their comrade. He didn't want to think about the possibility of her being dead.
A/N: Hi again. Okay, Jiro didn't exactly answer everything...such as why the poison was being used...most of the those will be featured in the next chapter. Thanks again, everybody! It's time for me to sleep...
Oh yeah, thanks to Memphis Long/Dan (one of the coolest Street Fighter fanfic writers) for helping with Jiro's moves. I know you went all out, even though you didn't have to...and I didn't use all of them in here...but I really do appreciate the help.
Aoshi let his kodachi sheath fall to the ground. The instant it hit, he dashed forward, kodachi crossed, prepared to slice. Jiro prepared himself, his body shifting. His staff flew up, blocking the younger man's attack. With a flick of his hand, Jiro's weapon arced to hit Aoshi in the shoulder.
Aoshi winced in pain and suddenly moved aside as the staff came straight towards his chest. Aoshi jumped back, just outside of Jiro's range.
His old acquaintance studied him thoughtfully. Then Jiro raised his weapon, preparing to either defend himself or strike...he could do either.
Aoshi narrowed his eyes. There was one thought in the back of his mind that had emerged from the moment he left the clinic until the second he clashed weapons with Jiro. He wasn't at full strength. Not because he had neglected his training. But Aoshi had spent nearly two weeks in bed, and that time was enough to weaken him slightly. Normally Jiro's weapon of choice wouldn't bother Aoshi...he could always read an opponent whose weapon was longer than the kodachi blade. It gave him an advantage, allowing him to anticipate their attack if he wished to go on the defensive. With an inperceptible grimace, Aoshi's grip tightened on his blades.
He lunged towards Jiro. His eyes widened a fraction, and he stepped aside just in time, the staff nicking his shoulder and the area below his collarbone. The strike was strong enough so that it tore his shinobi uniform. Aoshi jumped back to his starting point, glancing down at the damage. It was too clean of a cut to have snagged onto the metal...which meant that tiny blades were installed at the very end of the staff.
His incredible speed keeps an opponent at bay, Aoshi thought. It was no wonder why he wasn't able to get in close enough. He frowned. Jiro is defensive...he uses the opponent's momentum against them by waiting for their attack and counterattacking. The opponent's forward motion combined with the speed of Jiro's stabs make it very difficult for an opponent to get close.
Tightening his jaw, Aoshi ran forward. This time, he anticipated Jiro's attack and stepped to the side while simultaneously deflecting the staff with his kodachi and hitting the older man with a fierce kick to the midsection.
Jiro flew back several feet, losing his grip on his staff.
***
Megumi began to stir the powdered mixture in the water. She glanced at the man who had been placed in her room. Her reason for being captured in the first place.
She hadn't heard much of her captors' conversations, but all she knew was that the unconscious man behind her was the leader's younger brother. And he had been exposed to the very same poison that Aoshi had.
She observed the powder disintegrate and merge with the water. Not too long ago, two of her captors had taken her out to pick the herbs that would help cure their comrade. They had even attached ropes to her wrists and ankles to prevent escape. While it was a wise idea, it gave her the opportunity to see the area surrounding her prison.
She and Kei used to play in this area, before the house and underground shed were built on it. They used to have family picnics there.
"Is...Is it ready?" a voice whispered.
Megumi turned around. While most people wouldn't bother to help an enemy, Megumi did just the opposite. He was suffering, and it was her job to help people get better.
"I think so..." Megumi moved towards him and let him drink the liquid.
***
Aoshi stood over Jiro, who was breathing heavily thanks to the kick.
"Start talking, Jiro."
Jiro's eyes narrowed. "You have too much confidence, Aoshi..."
Suddenly, he flicked his wrists and jumped away, setting off several smoke bombs. Aoshi coughed as the smoke burned his throat before shielding his nose and mouth with his sleeve. Tuning into his senses, he felt rather than heard Jiro from behind him.
"Haiaku Fungeki!" a loud cry emerged from behind Aoshi.
Before he had the chance to react, the okashira felt a searing pain on his upper back...
***
"The medicine takes a couple hours to absorb into the body," Megumi instructed.
"Thank you..."
"You should rest more," she said quietly. "Your comrades are going to check and see if you're recovering..."
Her fists tightened. Jiro. He had fooled everyone. Aoshi, herself...Why?
"I...I'm sorry...about all of this..." her new patient whispered.
Megumi's eyes widened.
***
When the smoke cleared, Aoshi could see Jiro standing several feet away, staff in hand. Wincing slightly, Aoshi straightened to his full height. He could feel tension in his back begin to spread to the rest of his body.
Although they had known each other for years and known the weapons and fighting style used, they had never seen the other in battle. Okina did praise Jiro's skill...Back when he was an informant for the Oniwabanshu, Jiro had many enemies...and he had been able to take care of them rather quickly.
"It's been a long time since I fought a swordsman with your skill," Jiro commented casually.
Aoshi said nothing.
Jiro sprinted forward, weapon ready. Aoshi ran towards him, anticipating an attack. As soon as he saw the staff move, he jumped out of the way, his eyes widening as Jiro sidestepped in his direction, the staff moving in a wide arc right towards his jaw. Aoshi quickly dodged.
"Kodachi Nitou Ryu Onmyou Hasshi!" Aoshi hurled his swords in a single line towards his opponent.
Jiro quickly swung his bo to deflect the first kodachi, the motion leaving him wide open for the second kodachi, which pierced his shoulder several quarter inches. He released a hiss of pain, completely unprepared when Aoshi attacked with several quick, fierce punches.
Jiro fell to his knees, his chest and ribs beginning to bruise.
Aoshi bent slightly to retrieve his swords, keeping a watchful eye on the old man.
"Are you ready to answer now?" Aoshi asked quietly.
Something flashed in the old man's eyes. He flicked his wrist and Aoshi leapt out of the way as smoke engulfed both of them.
"Shichinanhakku!"
Aoshi immediately felt several quick blows to his chest, arms, and jaw. Taking a risk after the eighth attack, he ducked and sprang forward, slashing outward right above Jiro's pelvis bone.
The old man dropped his staff and fell to the ground, clutching his side. He stared at Aoshi in shock.
"You...You broke through my best attack...how...How...?"
Aoshi studied him carefully. "Fifteen attacks...random...but well-placed. By the eighth attack, your speed decreased due to your injuries."
"So that's how you were able to escape..." Jiro cringed, his face drawn with pain.
"Why?" Aoshi demanded in a quiet, controlled voice.
Judging by the old man's expression, he knew what he was asking. Why was he poisoned? Why the deceit? Why kidnap Takani Megumi?
"I had no choice," Jiro responded, wincing again as another bout of pain coursed through his side.
Aoshi's eyes narrowed to slits.
"I don't expect you to understand, Aoshi," Jiro croaked, taking in shallow breaths of air. "But I never meant for you or Megumi-sensei to get involved..."
"More lies..." Aoshi muttered.
"No," Jiro insisted wearily. "I had to do what they said..."
"They?"
"It...It was the only way I could save my grandson..."
Aoshi's features remained impassive. "What are you talking about?"
"Years ago...before I met the Oniwabanshu...I had created this poison as a killing method...for those that needed to die of unusual causes."
"You used it as an assassination tool," Aoshi stated.
Jiro nodded. "When Emperor Meiji became ruler...I...I had no place in his new era...my family nearly starved...so I sold the poison so I could provide for my family..." He shivered slightly. "The group who bought it from me...They...They have no name...I don't think they even have a purpose...And they've been using it all over Japan for the last seven years. They started running low on supply recently...and demanded I make more for them...I refused...so...so they kidnapped my grandson several days ago...not long after you first came here investigating. When I went to rescue him during a fight...one of their men was accidentally exposed to the poison..."
Aoshi lowered his swords. "What about your children? Do they know-?"
"His parents think that he is spending time with a family friend for several days. They...They gave my grandson the very same poison while I watched..." The old man's eyes filled.
Was there ever an end to the man's lies? "You still have not told me how Takani-sensei and I fit into this situation..."
"They used you both. They had seen us investigating, so the group thought that if you were poisoned...Megumi-sensei could cure you."
"But you sent the letter containing the poison's ingredients," Aoshi replied.
"It seemed that Megumi-sensei was getting nowhere fast enough...so I convinced them to let me write to her...I was never going to reveal that I was the source of your sickness, Aoshi...She was supposed to cure you and one of the group members would steal the antidote and give it to their dying comrade and my grandson."
"Takani-sensei made plenty medicine. Kidnapping her was unnecessary."
"But they couldn't find it!" Jiro insisted. "The night of the embassy ball, one of the group members faked a housecall for Kei-sensei to get him out of the clinic...If they found the antidote, they were to set off a firework that could be seen from the embassy where one of the members had followed you and Megumi-sensei just as a precation. The firework never went off, so she was taken."
"Where is she?"
"In their hideout three miles southeast of-" The old man's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fell unconscious.
"Jiro." Aoshi shook him slightly. And he heard it...the ever so slight shuffling of leaves and brush. His eyes trailed to an area where he detected the sound.
It came again. Aoshi bent to inspect Jiro, seeing a white dart sticking out of his upper back. It appeared to be harmless...just used to render someone to sleep.
He had to move fast. Aoshi quickly carried Jiro to the main road.
Fortunately for him, a merchant happened to be passing through when Aoshi stopped him. Startled, the merchant just watched Aoshi load Jiro onto the back of his cart.
"Take him to the Takani clinic in Aizu, ask for Takani Kei, this man is a recurring patient of his," Aoshi ordered. At the merchant's flabbergasted expression, he barked, "Hurry!"
That seemed to galvanize the merchant into action and he whipped the reins of his horse.
Aoshi turned away as soon as the cart moved along.
Minutes later, he found the trail of Jiro's attacker. He's not very good at hiding his tracks, Aoshi mentally noted. Ignoring the pain on his back, shoulders and jaw thanks to Jiro, he broke into a run.
Aoshi had needed several doses to rid his system of the poison. He fervently hoped that she was able to convince her captors that the same procedure was required for their comrade. He didn't want to think about the possibility of her being dead.
A/N: Hi again. Okay, Jiro didn't exactly answer everything...such as why the poison was being used...most of the those will be featured in the next chapter. Thanks again, everybody! It's time for me to sleep...