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Chapter Five; Illusion of Confidence
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When I consider the small span of my life
absorbed in the eternity of all time, or the
small part of space which I can touch or see
engulfed by the infinite immensity of spaces
that I know not and that know me not, I am
frightened and astonished to see myself here
instead of there... now instead of then.
-Blaise Pascal
******
Sanosuke explained his suspicions as Kaori passed out glasses of green tea.
"He's a major power holder in the local bureaucracy. He has a thing for… ah... soiled doves." Sanosuke shrugged. "If they don't want to be bought then he 'borrows' them."
Kaoru nodded. "Why is he hiring swordsmen?"
Sanosuke made a dismissive gesture. "All the big shots are because of that new assassin making the rounds through their offices."
"Right." The female Kenshi accepted a glass of tea from her daughter and took a long, settling draught. She wasn't looking forward to fighting Jin'eh. "I see no one has come to the Dojo yet."
"I know that, I'm just asking for ya to come and get me when they do."
"What makes you think they will come?" Enishi asked skeptically, sipping his own tea.
Sanosuke gave him a dirty look. "You don't know how good this Lady's rep is, once word gets out that she's still in Tokyo just about everyone will be begging her to be on their personal squads."
"I doubt they'd want a woman as a bodyguard." Kaoru started.
"False modesty doesn't behoove you."
Sanosuke leapt to his feet and snarled at the intruder lounging against the doorframe. Kaoru looked over her shoulder and smiled at the man as he lit a cigarette.
"Hello, Saitou." she chirped. "Is there something I can do for you?"
Saitou puffed on his cigarette and exhaled in Sanosuke's face. "I'm here on behalf of the Police Department; but if you really want to make me happy you can get rid of the rooster head."
"Who're you callin' Rooster-head, ya Spider-faced freak!" Sanosuke snarled. "I grew it out! I let one of the girls cut my hair -once- and no one ever let's me forget it!"
"You want me to help you out with Kurogasa." Kaoru intuited, ignoring Sanosuke's outburst.
Saitou looked momentarily discomfited, but he nodded. "The department is willing to make compensation for your time."
"Where, when?"
"Tonight, the mansion on Foreigner's Row."
Kaoru smiled and shut her eyes. "I'll be there, was there anything else?"
"A small matter." Saitou took another puff. "I'd like to enroll my son as a student here."
Sanosuke face vaulted. "You've got a KID!? It was weird enough learning that some poor woman got leg shackled to you but now you've spawned?"
Saitou flicked the ashes off his cigarette angrily. "Leave Tokio out of this." he snarled dropping one hand to the hilt of his katana.
(Author's note; I'm not faking Saitou's reaction, he always gets edgy when someone mentions his wife. Watch the anime when he tells Kenshin he's married, you'll see what I mean!)
Kaoru covered her surprise admirably... although if he and Tokio had had kids that meant they had.... she suppressed a shudder. There were some things she just could imagine Saitou doing, even if they were things everyone did.
"Of course, Enishi would be glad to draw up the papers for you." Kaoru assured him. "I wasn't aware you and Tokio had been blessed with children."
Of course, now that she thought about it, it wasn't so impossible. Saitou never talked about his wife when Kenshin was about, it would be doubtful if he would have -ever- said anything to his number one nemesis about children. This situation, however, was comprised of different people and Saitou would evaluate the information he could let slip differently than he would around Kenshin.
Saitou relaxed slightly. "I have two. Shinnosuke is ten and Sakura is seven. Shinnosuke is more than old enough to start learning to defend himself and he's lately shown an interest in Kenjutsu. Sakura seems to be leaning towards archery."
Kaoru had to smile at that. It seemed the theory was true then, -all- parents loved to talk about their kids. Even cutthroat missionaries of bloody justice.
"Kaori is a student of Jujitsu." Kaoru waved her daughter forward. "Kaori, this is Hajime Saitou. Saitou, this is my daughter Kaori. She too is nine and a half."
Saitou nodded his head to Kaori. "It's a pleasure, Jujitsu is an admirable pursuit. Who is teaching you?"
"The Monks of the Iron Mountain Monastery, I lived there while Okaasan was traveling." she made a sideways glance at her mother. "I may take up Kendo as well."
Enishi stood up and brushed off his trousers. "If you'll come with me, Saitou-san, I'll put your son's name down in our registry." he led the way to the Practice hall where student records were kept.
"I'm going with you!" was the first thing out of three throats as soon as the shoji screen closed behind the two men .
"No." Kaoru said to Yahiko and Kaori. "Yes." she said to Sanosuke.
"Kaa-chan!" Kaori seethed. "I can help."
"You can also get killed." Kaoru replied, touching her scar and trying very hard not to think of all the times she herself had been left behind.
Kaori's mouth shut with a click and she sat back down. Yahiko stared at her and would have made his own bid to go but she drove her elbow into his ribs and gave him such a serious look that he too quieted down.
"If you won't take us, take Enishi." Yahiko groused.
"No, Enishi is going to stay here and guard the Dojo." Kaoru said in a tone that brooked no argument. "It's a long shot, but the enemy always strikes where the defense is weakest."
***
So, Kaoru, Saitou, and Sanosuke left behind them that night two angry ten-year-olds and a furious nineteen-year-old. Kaori stood in the street and watched her mother and the cocky street fighter until they disappeared around a corner.
"Yo, Tanuki-chan!" Yahiko grumbled from inside the courtyard. "Get back inside before you scare everyone on the street with that face of yours."
Kaori was troubled enough hat she only delivered a fist to Yahiko's lungs and settled for knocking the air out of his lungs. He collapsed to his knees and made great choking noises as he tried to get his breath back.
"Kaa-chan was touching her scar." Kaori thought out loud.
"Bu...su..." Yahiko growled.
Kaori took that as 'What are you talking about?'
"She only does that when she's really, really worried. The monks say that while she was carrying me her hand rarely left her face."
"Maybe she knew what a short-tempered, ugly tomboy she was going to bring into the world." Yahiko sniped and got a fist to the skull from Kaori for his troubles.
"I'm being serious here!" she snarled. "Kaa-chan could be in huge trouble because of this assassin!" she wrapped her arms around herself. "she might even die."
"I don't think that's going to happen." Yahiko said, rubbing the bump on top of his skull. "I've never seen a fighter like Kaoru-san. She amazing, she may just be worried about what she's gonna have to do about him."
"That's part of why I'm worried." Kaori admitted. "I've seen Kaa-chan in serious fights before, when she practiced with the Abbot back at the monastery during visits. You wouldn't believe the lengths she goes to so she will not kill her opponent. I'm afraid that she might not have that option this time."
***
A horse-drawn carriage met the three fighters two blocks away from the dojo. It was small, meant only for two passengers. Sanosuke ended up riding on the roof.
"Why did you insist on bringing that idiot with you?" Saitou asked as the carriage began to move. "Like as not he'll be in your way."
Kaoru leaned back into the leather cushions and tucked her arms into her sleeves. "I think Sano will be a benefit to me, if only because I will have someone I can trust to watch my back." she told the policeman. "Will you not be there?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"No, I have another assignment out of town. Chief Uramura only asked me to offer you this freelance job because I mentioned that I would be stopping by your Dojo today to enroll my son as a student there." Saitou replied. "If you don't mind me asking a question, where is Kaori's father?"
Kaoru coughed delicately. "Hopefully in jail somewhere." she replied. "I am not married."
Saitou stiffened slightly and nodded. "Forgive me, I wasn't aware."
Kaoru shook her head. "It doesn't matter, Kaori is my daughter no matter what circumstances brought her into this world."
"There is talk in the Police Department." Saitou said casually. "It has to do with your... scar."
Kaoru blinked. "Beg pardon?"
"There was an Imperialist assassin during the Bakumatsu, one who had a similar scar. He was slight of stature and weight... some conjectured that he might actually have been a she. Those rumors are coming back to life among the police."
The female Kenshi shook her head. "Battousai was most definitely male. If one continues to go by rumors, which are all that's available since the Meiji government doesn't admit to having employed an assassin during the revolution, he also had bright red hair." she cocked her head and gave Saitou a close-eyed smile. "I'll admit that I could have dyed it, but why would I want to pretend to be a man?"
"You dress as one." Saitou pointed out.
"You try fighting in a kimono." Kaoru replied succinctly.
Saitou crossed his arms and peered out of the window. "The chief has been counseled against those rumors by one who is in a position to know whether you are the Battousai or not. I'm telling you this so if certain officers who shall remain nameless attempt to arrest you under those charges you can ignore him. He won't be acting under orders."
"You mean Officer Fujitaka?" Kaoru chuckled. "Is just me or does he..."
"Yes, he does." Saitou snorted (it could have been a chuckle) "It compensates for his lack of a spine."
The carriage slowed to a halt in front of a large Western style mansion. "This would be my stop." Kaoru nodded to Saitou, the carriage was too small to bow. "I wish you luck on your assignment."
Outside of the carriage, Sanosuke leapt to the ground and opened the door for Kaoru. She jumped out and re-arranged her clothes. While she did so, Saitou barked some directions to the Carriage driver and the carriage took off. Kaoru watched it go.
"He never says good-bye." Sanosuke told her. "I've known him ever since I got into the Yojimbo business. a lot of times, as undercover work he hires himself out to some real low-lives who rent permanent rooms in some of the Okubansho." he shook his head. "I've never had to go toe-to-toe with him but he's got a real nasty reputation. You'd think that the corrupt officials who keep trying to bribe him off his police job would put two and two together and steer clear but they just keep on doing it. I guess he's gotten good at covering his tracks."
"He'll have had a lot of practice by now." Kaoru guessed. "Let's go inside and see if we can't turn up your friend. What does she look like?"
"Either little and blonde with an Irish accent or tall with long dark hair and an attitude." Sanosuke muttered looking up at the house towering over them.
Karou's mouth contracted in a frown. "I thought you said -a- friend."
"A friend is somewhere in this compound." Sanosuke agreed. "Just one, I know for certain that there is a woman here who doesn't want to be. Just one. Chances are really good that she's one of the girls I'm looking for. Some of my contacts saw a woman smuggled in here last night but she was wrapped up in a cloak so they couldn't get any identifying marks."
"What if this girl is neither of the girls you are looking for?" Kaoru asked and blinked at the scowl on Sano's face.
"Then he didn't kidnap a whore because I've asked around all the Okubansho in Tokyo and none of them are missing girls, and they wouldn't lie because training up a new girl costs more effort and money then anyone can part with in bribes." he explained. "I know for certain there's someone in there and that knowledge gives me a.. a..." he paused to search for the word. "Responsibility I suppose you could say. Consciences are nasty little whip-crackers."
Kaoru gave a short laugh. "Indeed, I'll stay with the body we're guarding and you look about. We'll want to get her out of here before dark."
"Is that when Spider-face says the bastard's gonna make a stab at it?"
Kaoru winced at Sanosuke's unfortunate word choice. "Yes." she said simply.
The gate guards waved Kaoru through, apparently having been warned of her arrival. One of them laughed at Sanosuke and clapped him on the shoulder. "I can't believe Goro asked you to come, I thought he hated your ass."
Sanosuke smiled tightly. "I ain't pulling punches tonight boys, I'm not here for the assassin. One of my boss's girls might be in there when she doesn't want to be. I'm having a look about and if I happen to come across an assassin... we-e-e-elll." He cracked his knuckles ominously and grinned.
The Guard scowled. "Not again, he's gotten another one?" he shook his head. "don't know how long he'll be able to hush it up, but as long as he sticks to Geisha and Sageju girls..." the guard trailed off pointedly.
(Sageju- a low class call girl, mainly found in the Edo period but the practice carried over into the beginning of the Meiji (I think, if not there was probably a similar practice). Sageju would deliver 'Sageju bento' or lunch boxes to their clients as a pretext for selling sexual favors.)
Sanosuke stifled a growl and crammed his fists into his pockets. Kaoru led him into the mansion, but didn't distract him from his foul temper. She was relatively sure that the blonde girl would be the one here, after all Megumi possessed a talent very appealing to Kanryuu.
"If she isn't here then we'll tear the city apart until we find her." Sanosuke growled after nearly five minutes of silence. In that time they had mounted the stairs and were approaching the Official's office.
"Did you catch what this man's name was?" Kaoru asked Sanosuke. "I didn't think to ask Saitou-san."
"I can't pronounce it, he's Japanese but he changed his name to a western one when the ports opened up. It was Ogami, his first name is Gouka."
Gouka Ogami, or Hellfire Bat. "I can see why he changed it, his parents must have had odd senses of humor." of course, with a family name that meant 'bat' there was only so much one could do.
"And then some." Sanosuke agreed.
They parted ways in front of the great double doors at the top of the stairs. Kaoru waited until Sanosuke had disappeared into the other rooms before letting herself in so that Ogami-san wouldn't protest a suspicious person wandering around his home. The police knew Sanosuke and his line of work, they apparently also knew of Ogami's hobby so there would be no problem from that end.
Swords cleared sheathes as she entered but returned home when she held up her hands in surrender. "The police hired me." she explained to the squat little man sitting in a huge padded chair. He was dressed in western clothing that seemed ill suited to him. He was tubby around the middle. His distinguishing features seemed to be his wide, mobile, and somewhat disgusting mouth and funny hair cut that parted in the middle and was waxed up into two curls on either side of his head (think munch-kin hair).
She walked up to his desk and bowed. "I am Kaoru Kamiya." she suppressed the urge to hurt the little man as his gaze raked her body, easily picking out the feminine curves in her garb. It didn't take an imaginative mind to understand why even a whore wouldn't willingly spend time with this man.
"Male clothing suits women better than I imagined that it would." he leered and patted his knee. "Come over here and have a seat."
Kaoru's eyes grew cold and distant. "I am a bodyguard not a call girl, I will not sit on your knee and flatter you." she cocked her head appraisingly and looked the little man over. "Your knee doesn't look strong enough to hold me up, either way."
That jab elicited some chuckles from the other men in the room. Kaoru made a quick head count... fourteen, sixteen counting herself and Sanosuke. That seemed like an awful lot... but then the stories Sanosuke had told of this night reminded her that the fifteen had been more or less useless, himself included.
Kaoru took up a post beside the window, while the others concentrated their efforts around Ogami. An enterprising pair took up positions on either side of the doors.
'In a way, the prospect of fighting Jin'eh all on my own frightens me more than any of the others.' Kaoru thought. After all, he had been the one to really pound home the knowledge of how very out of Kenshin Himura's league she was.
Jin'eh would enter through the windows, she knew that from reading the newspapers. Of course, even if she hadn't known she might of suspected it. The police would go down easily, too easily for Jin'eh. He'd be bored before he reached the second floor and then he would be in the mood to play.
Kaoru chuckled at her own morbid meanderings and rubbed the bridge of her nose. What would Kenshin think of her now? Predicting the motives of mad men, she really was a long way away from a naive little girl trying to run a dojo all on her own. What new perspectives would age and treachery provide in contrast to those of youth and skill?
She had some nasty tricks up her sleeve, like being able to mask her presence from his 'ken-ki radar' (as Raven called it). A good initial strategy would be to hide and wait for him to arrive and play cat and mouse with the other bodyguards then go for his unguarded flank.
That probably wouldn't be the death stroke but hopefully she could keep him just this shade of off beat for the fight and perhaps land a lucky shot.
Kenshin would have gone in headfirst, after all he was trained to fight face to face. Kaoru on the other hand, had no problems with being sneaky.
"Hey! Hey you with the X on your face."
Kaoru looked up casually. "I have a name." she informed the man who had tried for her attention. He was tall-ish, maybe an inch or two over her. He wore one of those ridiculous get-ups that professional kenshi adopted (Kaoru had resisted the urge, cross-dressing was enough for her) His hair was a burnished blonde and cut short.
"Mine's Michael Crawford." well, at least he had manners. He came forward and extended a hand. Kaoru stared at it, at a total loss. She looked up in confusion.
"Kaoru Kamiya." Her eyes darted to the large sword strapped to his back. He laughed as he followed her eyes movements.
Michael took her hand by the wrist and clasped his own around it. "This is a Western custom." he explained in flawless Japanese as he shook her hand up and down. "It's like bowing here."
"I see." Kaoru said politely. "You'd be doing better to keep your eyes open."
"My eyes are open and they see a real pretty little lady in a place where she shouldn't be." Michael chortled, his green eyes twinkled. "Unless you got a blade hidden in that stick of wood in your belt."
Kaoru glanced at her bokken because it seemed called for and then back at the presumptuous man before her. "How old are you?"
"Seventeen." he replied.
"And do you always judge a fighter by their weapon?" she asked with her eyes on his.
"Weeell now, that depends on the weapon." his hand went over his shoulder to pat the hilt of his own blade. "A weapon can tell me a lot about the Kenshi using it. Take you for instance, you walk like a Kengo but you carry that piddly piece of wood. That smacks of a history to me, you ain't here to kill the assassin."
(Kengo- highly accomplished swordsman)
"Go away, Crawford-san." Kaoru told him. "I'm old enough to be your mother."
"Not unless you got started real early." he countered cheekily. "You have heard the rumors about this guy, haven't you?"
"The policeman who hired me told me what I need to know." Kaoru lied, Saitou hadn't told her anything but he had correctly guessed that she already knew anything he could tell her about Jin'eh Udo and a few things he couldn't.
"Then you know that this fell has apparently slaughtered entire households of folk?" he pressed and sighed at Kaoru's nod. "Can't I say anything to get you to clear out before this gets nasty."
Kaoru looked at him seriously. "Kurogasa employs great speed, how fast can you go with a heavy blade like that?"
Michael grinned. "Faster than you'd think, but it don't matter how fast he is. He's got to get close to me to kill me."
She didn't correct that misconception because Sanosuke chose that moment to stroll into the room, judging by the way he held himself and the tune he was whistling he'd found his girl and she was on her way home.
"Which one was it?" she asked him as he reached the spot where she was holding court with Michael Crawford.
"The little blonde," Sanosuke drawled, but his eyes were on Michael. "Haven't seen you around Tokyo for a while."
Michael laughed. "I've been in Europe on some family business, but Mumsy finally got tired of my fashion sense and kicked me out with a ticket home and the clothes on my back."
Sanosuke laughed. "I see you've met Crawford." he said to Kaoru. "He's an old buddy of mine from back when I was a hired gun."
Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "Really."
Michael clapped a hand on Sanosuke's shoulder. "Sano, help me convince her to go home."
Sanosuke looked at him like he'd spoken French. "Why?"
Michael blinked. "Yo, Sano! Check out her hardware! She's bringing a stick into a live weapons fight!"
Sanosuke shook his head. "I can get rid of him." he offered Kaoru. "Really, he was just raised where women are soft, pretty, and stupid; he can't help his ignorance." to Michael he said. "If she goes, I go. I ain't sticking around for this fight without her back up."
Michael took a few steps back and looked at Sanosuke appreciatively. "Why, Sanosuke Sagara! If I didn't know better, I'd say you were scared!"
"Spitless." was Sanosuke's succinct reply. "You're the one who ain't scared enough."
This was definitely not the Sanosuke she remembered Kaoru thought as she ducked her face behind her hair. Not only did he 'feel' stronger, he'd also learned caution. What exactly had changed in his life to transmute him from a discontent teenager with big fists to... to a ... she wasn't exactly sure what Sanosuke was now, but she knew he was different.
Just then, the large grandfather clock behind Ogami called out the midnight hour.
"Quiet, both of you!" Kaoru snapped. "Get ready, he'll be here now!"
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End Chapter Five
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Seiyuu- Okay, I thought I'd make it into Megumi's scenes in this chapter but apparently not. I reached my limit before that and actually went a little over. *Sighs* It seems like all I've been doing for the past day is edit, replace chapters, find another error, and edit again. I hope I've got it cleared up by now but it's doubtful.
Since this chapter is overlong as it is I'll take some time to address some concerns here that you've mentioned in your reviews.
1. This is not; I repeat NOT an Enishi/Kaoru fic. Please recall that this took place at the end of the Jinchuu arc and relies on the concept that Enishi actually killed Kaoru (actually it doesn't but that gets addressed in later chapters and I'd hate to ruin the surprise!)
2. Yes, Kaori is a result of rape. Just to clarify, Kaoru would have been attacked almost immediately after she parted permanent ways with Enishi at her father's Dojo. I won't have Kaoru totally explain Kaori to anyone until way far at the end. It's just something I feel this Kaoru would do, if she went around explaining the nitty gritty details to everyone it would seem like she was trying to excuse her daughter's existence and Kaoru loves Kaori more than anything. Kaoru doesn't know who Kaori's father is but she has several likely candidates (you don't need me to spell that out for you, do you?) Kaori WILL fill out a plot relevant roll in this fic, already she is the reason that Kaoru stayed with the Iron Mountain Monks who helped her became as totally kick-ass as she is today.
3.Some characters (namely Saitou) may seem OOC (out of character) but please recall that in dealing with Kaoru they would react differently to her than they would have with Kenshin. Saitou for example, he doesn't have an illustrious history with Kaoru as his #1 rival so he can relax slightly with her, even decide that she would be a good mentor for his son to learn from. You can bet any amount of money that he wouldn't have done that while Kenshin was around to remind him of the skeletons in his closet. With Kaoru however he can allow himself to be a bit more 'Fujita Goro' than the 'Mibu Okami' (I think that's right)
4. I didn't think that I would have to explain the whereabouts of Kaoru's scar, that you guys would notice it yourselves but now that I look back I smack myself and think 'Oh jeez, DD! Do you expect them to read your mind?' but that too I will leave for a later chapter, it will be something of a shock to the other characters though.
5. And also, I won't be bothering with Kenshin for a while yet; he's safely in the sticks with Tomoe at the moment. I can have him write Enishi letter just so you know he's alive… in fact… yeah, what a good idea! I can work with that...
and, dear readers if at any point you think I am just being too cruel and weird to my characters please know this. I ordered muses but they sent me maenads instead. (5 points to anyone who gets the Greek mythology reference!)