*********
Chapter Thirteen; Siege Machine
*********
"There are problems in these times,
but, whoo!, none of them are mine!
Oh, baby, I'm beginning to see the light."
~The Velvet Underground
***
*AN* Thanks to Omochi and Shojin Takeru for the proper name of Soujiro's Shukuchi, you guys rock.
Big thankies to Sage for the quote. Yeah, you know what I mean.
***
"Was it a good idea to tell him that you knew the weasel-kid?" Sanosuke asked Kaoru as they ascended the stairs to the mansion proper.
"I think so." Kaoru said, keeping her eyes trained on the great double doors at the top of the stairs. "The Oniwabanshuu are essentially trustworthy, but being who they are I wouldn't expect them to give their trust easily. We -are- going to need their trust in a few minutes-- otherwise they may not live to see another day."
"You're really starting to creep me out, you know that? Is this because of that dream the kid said she had?" Sanosuke grumbled.
"Misao's dream only confirmed what I suspect. Sano... you don't have to be here for this. If you don't believe that I do have some knowledge of this place then..."
"Don't even think of sending me home." Sanosuke cut her off. "I trust you, okay. I know you have some sort of creepy foresight... I just wish you'd explain it to me."
Kaoru laughed quietly. "No foresight, Sano... just very good information as you said when you came to the dojo that time."
It wasn't lost on her friend that she had said 'That time at the dojo' instead of 'when we first met.' It was then that Sanosuke realized that maybe it was better if he didn't know the source of Kaoru's knowledge... it just might be too much for him to handle.
(Deep in Hell Satan looked about himself in utter confusion as the little white flakes of cold, foreign substance began to gather in drifts and piles on his fiery kingdom)
Instead he cracked his knuckles (a nervous habit) and looked about expectantly as they reached the top of the stair. "Who's next?"
"I'll take the next battle as well, Sano." Kaoru nodded to the doors.
Sanosuke frowned and then shrugged. "Yeah, well that last fight was pretty pathetic so I guess I can let you have him." he loped forward to shove the double door open... revealing a tall, gaunt man standing in a small antechamber. He wore a ninja suit much like Misao's with a white oni mask that had wicked yellow fangs.
"Congratulations to have made it this far... though you seem to have had little trouble. It seems Okashira was right, the soft life of a Crime Boss's bodyguards have made us soft." he said quietly. "Before we begin this fight, I would ask you if your apprentice who Jin'eh kidnapped is all right?"
"He's fine." Kaoru told him. "so you're the one who untied him?"
"I have no liking for drawing children into the affairs of adults. He shows the promise of a great swordsman, it seemed a shame to squash that so early." the ninja exhaled slowly, making little clouds of gas jet out from the back of his mask... Kaoru wondered about that, but disregarded it. "I am Hanya, second is command of the Oniwabanshuu. You will go no farther, Raiden."
"How many times have we heard that one so far, Kaoru?" Sanosuke joked.
"My name is Kaoru Kamiya, not Raiden or Raiden no Onna." Kaoru informed the ninja as she drew her bodken. "I'm afraid that I must see Kanryuu tonight, and if I must go through you and your Okashira to do it then so be it."
"Brave words, for a woman. You'll find that I and my leader are in a different class than that assassin you defeated so easily." he slammed his fists together and a metallic clang resounded from them. He took a stance facing sideways with his fists held up boxer style.
"Careful, looks like he's got some brass knuckles in those gloves." Sanosuke cautioned her, before stepping back.
"I should warn you." Hanya said with a chuckle. "No one has ever defeated my shin wan spell. Ever since you've set eyes on me, you've been under my spell."
'That's what you think, I swear having someone say that before a fight seems to be a guarantee that they lose!' Kaoru thought and took her own stance, a shinken stance. 'This is the stance Kenshin used to measure the length of Hanya's arms, I could probably guess from memory because his arm was exactly as long as Kenshin's sakabatou but my Bodken has different dimensions, better safe than sorry. Besides, I'd really like to save my energy for dodging bullets if necessary.'
Hanya took in her stance, feet shoulder-width apart with her sword held out directly in front of her gripped by both hands. "That's a defensive stance; the shinken... but I didn't notice you stressing defense before. Could you, perhaps have a trick up your sleeve?"
When Kaoru didn't reply he snorted. "Oh yes, I forgot. You aren't the talkative type when you fight. GOOD!"
Hanya attacked, propelling himself towards Kaoru by pushing off with his back leg.
Kaoru didn't budge as Hanya's fist went straight for her face... his arm travelled up the length of her blade almost in slow motion. The second Hanya's wrist hovered over the grip of her bodken she darted out of the way... she'd been right. Her original guess had been at least an inch off.
"What in Kami's name was that?" Sanosuke bellowed at her from the sidelines. "He almost hit you while you just stood there!"
A deep growl built up in Hanya's throat. "You little... I know what you were doing!" he accused Kaoru who smiled benignly back at him. Hanya depressed a button in the palms of his gloves and his steel claws shot out of his gloves. "You're tricky."
This time it was Kaoru who attacked and she did so without warning. Hanya parried her bodken with his claws crossed over his chest and attempted to slice through the wood by pulling his arms apart but Kaoru pushed herself back by using his chest as a spring board.
Hanya skidded back a little but threw his weight forward to charge Kaoru again. She ducked to the side at the last minute and smacked him in the back of the head with her weapon. The wood hit metal and Hanya jumped away.
"Armour." he said tersely. "I noticed you like to incapacitate your enemies with a nerve tap so I took a few precautions."
Kaoru had to smile at that despite herself, Hanya certainly had taken the opportunity to do his homework. If he'd been there for her fight with Jin'eh then not only would he have readied himself against her nerve tap, he would have readied himself for the inabikari and the Yoha inkaten.
'let's see, his mask sheilds his eyes and from the way his clothing bunches at his hips and shoulder I'd say he's braced all his major joints. The Arashi no Makaze wouldn't work on him anyway... that leaves one last move, anything else would be overkill...'
"Let's do this!" Kaoru whispered and darted towards Hanya one last time. 'I just need to touch him, that's all!'
Hanya again caught Kaoru's bodken in his claws, but this time Kaoru didn't pull away. Instead her lightning aura manifested around her and concentrated on her bodken.
"Jinkourai!" Kaoru shouted and the electricity slammed into Hanya's body, temporaily short-circuiting his nervous system.
Sanosuke applauded politely as Hanya slipped to the ground and Kaoru checked him for life signs. "Nice, is he dead?"
"No, just stunned. The Jinkourai has that effect. I was a little worried that it might be stronger than I intended, because of the metal gauntlets." Kaoru explained. "It's actually a very weak charge, he'll be back up and about in... oh say, five minutes tops."
"We'll be long gone by then." Sanosuke shrugged and gestured Kaoru on. "Who gets the Okashira?"
"I believe I won that right by defeating Hanya, I don't think he'd look kindly on anyone fighting that man without going through him first." Kaoru said quietly. "Besides, I've done the lightest fighting so far."
Sanosuke shrugged and trotted across the small room to open the door to the ball room. He bowed Kaoru in with such aplomb that she giggled.
"You missed your calling, Sano-kun! You should have been in Kabuki theater!"
"Bite your tongue." Sanosuke growled playfully.
"I'm glad you both are taking this so lightly."
Kaoru and Sanosuke redirected their attentions to the man standing casually in front of the doors opposite them. They obviously led to the rest of the mansion where, presumably, Kanryuu was... with a gatling gun, Kaoru knew.
"Aoshi Shinomori, I presume?" Kaoru said in a chill tone.
"And you are Kaoru Kamiya." Aoshi strolled forward. "I didn't expect you to get as far as me, I should have listened to Hanya's opinion of you. I won't make that mistake again." his hand drifted down to the hilt of his kodachi but Kaoru's voice stopped him.
"I don't want to fight you, I didn't want to do any fighting tonight. I am simply here to talk to Takeda-san. I want him to leave Megumi Takani alone."
"I'm afraid that you'll have to defeat me first." Aoshi told her as he drew his blade.
"Do you know what he's doing with that opium-money, Aoshi?" Kaoru demanded.
"My, awfully familiar aren't we? We've only just met and you're already using my first name."
"Don't avoid the subject." Sanosuke snapped.
"I don't, and I don't care. Knowing him, he's probably sleeping with it." Aoshi spat, his disgust momentarily broke his cool facade... but he quickly resumed it.
"Wrong." Kaoru said quietly and Aoshi raised a curious eyebrow despite himself.
"He's investing in a stock of weapons. He plans on becoming a weapons dealer. He even has a gatling gun on site." Kaoru told him.
"I fail to see how this concerns you and I."
"It doesn't concern me, but it concerns your men." Kaoru's voice was raising. "and it will concern you when he uses it on them."
Kaoru fancied that she saw a flash of shock in Aoshi's pale eyes, but he was too well trained to let it show on his face. "Provided that I believe you, how do you come by this knowledge?"
"It doesn't matter how I know, but you've already made Kanryuu mad today haven't you? Told him what you thought of him? Even quit maybe? Tell me, how long has he been out of your sight?"
Aoshi's eyes narrowed slightly. "You are attempting to distract me. I am not falling for it. Draw your weapon or die here, now."
"You're not going to make this easy are you?" Kaoru sighed. 'Good thing there's a contingency plan.' she thought. 'I didn't really think he'd trust a complete stranger.' Kaoru nodded Sanosuke away and drew her bodken.
Sanosuke retreated to the doorway and leaned against the frame. Despite what Kaoru had told him, he was ready to step in at anytime to help her. He thought of the men they'd fought so far. 'True, they were individually cheap fights, but they fought like they were used to working together. Even then they were nothing to take lightly, the leader of a bunch of guys as strong as that... Kaoru might have trouble with him. I know she's working against a clock of some sort even if she won't say so. I'll wait for my chance.'
Kaoru, on the other hand, was mildly more confidant than Sanosuke... or at least she told herself that she was. She had a major advantage over Aoshi by knowing his attacks without having seen them before, but the last time she'd witnessed Aoshi fight she had been safely on the sidelines and watching a fight and being in a fight are two completely different perspectives.
The fight with Hanya had been one thing, but Aoshi was another all together... but still, there hadn't been enough changes to the timeline to affect the fight with the Oniwabanshuu. With the knowledge of the imminent deaths of these men Kaoru would count herself just as responsible for their deaths as Kanryuu if she let them die.
There is more than one form of murder.
'I won't let this happen, I won't let Aoshi's stubborn pride kill those men!'
***
Aoshi felt his confidence waver as he saw the look in his opponent's sapphire eyes.
'This woman has a stronger will to fight than I originally believed. I truly am choking on my words tonight, perhaps I should have listened to her... but it's too late now. I cannot sully the pride of my Oniwabanshuu by backing down now!'
Aoshi took his stance, the stance for the Jisen kenbu. From the expression on her face, he'd be better off to begin with his strongest attack. He might not last long otherwise.
"Prepare yourself."
He made his first blow slow, that usually unbalanced the victim-- they started wondering 'why is he being so slow?' and then when he zipped behind them, they became confused. The first movements of the jisen were the most crucial because they set up the psychological atmosphere that frustrated any attempts they might make against it.
Raiden blocked the slow attack, but there was no surprise on her face, no questions, nothing--- almost as if she had been expecting it...
The first ghost of doubt blossomed in Aoshi's mind, but he squashed it ruthlessly. 'She doesn't know my Jisen Kenbu, there's is no way she could. She is merely as good as I when it comes to hiding her emotions.' he told himself, but even so he found that he didn't quite believe it.
The Jisen Kenbu was as much a mind game as it was a sword technique, as were most Oniwabanshuu attacks. 'She got through Hanya too quickly.' he realized. 'Either she has some sort of preternatural foresight... or there is another reason why she is here. None of my men would betray me but...'
His eyes widened and Aoshi stopped in the middle of his attack. "Okina sent you, didn't he." he growled.
Kaoru dropped her stance and blinked at him in total suprise. Her expression retreated into something Aoshi sensed was a normal mask for her to wear; closed eyes and a slightly strained smile, as if the world had just gotten a little bit weirder. "No, actually not. I'm sure if he knew where you are and who I am, he would have." her eyes opened and Aoshi saw a flash of something old and tired in them. "but as of now he doesn't and won't for a while." she paused to scratch the back of her head. "I have reasons to avoid Kyoto so I'm afraid I haven't gotten around to introducing myself. No one in the Aoiya betrayed your secrets, Aoshi. Try another angle." she resumed her stance. "Or are we still fighting?"
She'd said that just to provoke more questions in him, Aoshi realized.
"Okashira!" Beshimi, Hyottoko, Hanya, and Shikijo reached the ball room all at once. They looked somewhat the worse for wear but mostly unharmed. It seemed as though Kamiya-san and her ruffian companion had gone out of their way so as not to seriously injure them.
Aoshi sheathed his kodachi, ignoring the protersts from his men. It pained him to disgrace himself and them, but this woman... she would have broken even the Kaiten Kenbu had he given her a chance. As he was now, he already knew he had no chance of defeating her, but perhaps one day...
Common ninja wisedom was; 'it is better to recruit than antagonize'. Kaoru Kamiya was someone he could benefit from allying himself with. This situation was the same as each time he had met someone whom he realized would make an excellent member of his team, although he doubted he had what it took to command complete loyalty from this woman.
The words did not come easy and Aoshi found himself nearly having to drag them forth. "I am going to trust you."
The moment the sound of his voice died, the insane staccato beat of thousands of bullets ripping through wood flooded the room.
"Too late!" Kaoru groaned and then cried out as a bullet slammed into her thigh, she crumpled to the ground and Aoshi, mindful of his promise, interposed himself between Kanryuu and the fallen woman.
***
The sickeningly familiar sound of the gatling gun's discharge died away quickly but was replaced by the nearly drunken noise of Kanryuu's laughter. He was indeed drunk, drunk on the power the gun gave him.
The dust from the destroyed door Kanryuu had shot open settled to reveal him in all his skinny, gaijin glory beside the sleek, deadly weapon.
"What the hell is that thing!" Sanosuke demanded.
Kanryuu carressed the barrel of the gatling gun almost like a lover. "It's a gatling gun!" he said as proudly as a mother of twins. "The very latest available in fact."
"Kanryuu." Aoshi growled. "You scum..."
The words inflamed Kanryuu's temper and he rounded the weapon on the Okashira. "Does a pet dog dare call his master scum? I'll show you who is..."
Three things happened at once then. A kunai thudded into Kanryuu's left eye, one of Beshimi's pellets slammed into his right, and Aoshi reached him to neatly remove his head from his shoulders.
Kaoru looked away in shame as Kanryuu fell; she hadn't wanted -anyone- to die tonight... but she'd still manuvered Aoshi closer to the door that Kanryuu would break through so as to give him or her time to reach him before he began a slaughter.
"Are you okay?" Sanosuke asked her quietly as soon as he reached her side. He looked over to Kanryuu's head, which had rolled over to one side of his body, more specifically he looked at the kunai in his left eye. "Looks like weasle-girl kept up her end of the deal."
From her spot on the floor Kaoru watched a tiny shadow dart out one of the windows in the ceiling and into the night. Misao would undoubtedly let her presence be known to Aoshi later, but for right now the little ninja must have decided to play it safe and high-tail it out of there.
Hanya came forward and knelt beside her. He caught the hem of her hakama and looked to her. "May I?"
Kaoru nodded and he pulled up the cloth all the way to her leg, revealing the gory wound on her thigh. HE did some brief checking. "The bullet went clean through." he pronounced.
"You knew this would happen." Aoshi said in a curiously calm tone of voice. "This is what you were warning me about?"
Kaoru smiled her 'don't think too much of me' smile (which was colored a bit by pain) and shrugged. "Maybe, but its not an issue now is it?"
Unfortunately, Aoshi was not one to be put off. "Who told you of Kanyruu's plans!?" he demanded.
"Would you tell me the sources of your information?" Kaoru asked.
"In exchange for your source, yes!" Aoshi said recklessly.
Kaoru blinked, she'd meant her statement as a rhetorical question. She laughed and smiled a nicer smile at Aoshi. "A little bird told me."
"Beshimi, give me the first-aid kit you have." Hanya ordered and the smaller man withdrew it from the sleeve of his gi.
"There is some salve in there that will disinfect the wound." Beshimi told Kaoru, kneeling beside her opposite Hanya.
"I can't believe I mistook her for a man." Shikjo mused to Hyottoko. "I mean, with legs like -that-..." he subsided under Kaoru's glare.
"I realize you are a man and can't help but notice things like this." she gestured to her bared leg (which was very shapely and well-toned) "but could you keep you observations to yourself?"
Shikijo held up hios hands harmlessly.
"The police will undoubtedly be here soon," Aoshi said. "Hanya, tend to Kamiya-san's wounds and then Shikijo will carry her. Is it all right if the others gather up out belongings and take them to your dojo for the time being."
"With the gatling gun in presence I imagine the police will strip this place clean. Go ahead, but please don't go into the dojo without me. Megumi isn't comfortable around men she doesn't know." Kaoru glanced at Kanryuu's head indavertantly and scowled in rememberance of what the crime lord must have done to her, even though she hadn't spoken of it yet.
Aoshi's eyes norrowed momentarily in speculation as his eyes followed Kaoru's and anger briefly flashed across his face.
"I thought we had intercepted everyone who would have attempted such a thing." Hanya said quietly, catching unto Kaoru's unspoken proclaimation. "It seems not."
Kaoru found herself relaxing minutely... then Hanya did something to her leg that illicited a squeal of pain from her.
From the way Hanya cocked his head and looked at her through his mask, Kaoru could practically hear him think. 'Are you really the kenshi that scared Okashira out of his attack?'
***********
End Chapter Thirteen
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Seiyuu; Hanya and Kaoru are going to become something like friends, something like enemies, aand yet neither. It's gonna be a totally fun, intense, non-romantic relationship. I get to write so few of those between a man and a woman.
Patto rakurainiau - to be struck by a flash of lightning (literally)
In it's true form this is one of Kaoru's more flashy, yet still kickass, attacks. It can only be done outside for she uses the electrical aspect of her ki to trigger a weak lightning bolt from the sky. The lightning bolt (if she's lucky) hits the opponent and temporarily paralyzes them. Of course it is very hard to control and as a result Kaoru usually uses a somewhat bastardized version itcalled the jinkourai.
jinkourai- artifical lightning (literally)
She makes a lightning bolt of her own ki to acheive the same result. The second version is much more reliable than the first.
Chapter Thirteen; Siege Machine
*********
"There are problems in these times,
but, whoo!, none of them are mine!
Oh, baby, I'm beginning to see the light."
~The Velvet Underground
***
*AN* Thanks to Omochi and Shojin Takeru for the proper name of Soujiro's Shukuchi, you guys rock.
Big thankies to Sage for the quote. Yeah, you know what I mean.
***
"Was it a good idea to tell him that you knew the weasel-kid?" Sanosuke asked Kaoru as they ascended the stairs to the mansion proper.
"I think so." Kaoru said, keeping her eyes trained on the great double doors at the top of the stairs. "The Oniwabanshuu are essentially trustworthy, but being who they are I wouldn't expect them to give their trust easily. We -are- going to need their trust in a few minutes-- otherwise they may not live to see another day."
"You're really starting to creep me out, you know that? Is this because of that dream the kid said she had?" Sanosuke grumbled.
"Misao's dream only confirmed what I suspect. Sano... you don't have to be here for this. If you don't believe that I do have some knowledge of this place then..."
"Don't even think of sending me home." Sanosuke cut her off. "I trust you, okay. I know you have some sort of creepy foresight... I just wish you'd explain it to me."
Kaoru laughed quietly. "No foresight, Sano... just very good information as you said when you came to the dojo that time."
It wasn't lost on her friend that she had said 'That time at the dojo' instead of 'when we first met.' It was then that Sanosuke realized that maybe it was better if he didn't know the source of Kaoru's knowledge... it just might be too much for him to handle.
(Deep in Hell Satan looked about himself in utter confusion as the little white flakes of cold, foreign substance began to gather in drifts and piles on his fiery kingdom)
Instead he cracked his knuckles (a nervous habit) and looked about expectantly as they reached the top of the stair. "Who's next?"
"I'll take the next battle as well, Sano." Kaoru nodded to the doors.
Sanosuke frowned and then shrugged. "Yeah, well that last fight was pretty pathetic so I guess I can let you have him." he loped forward to shove the double door open... revealing a tall, gaunt man standing in a small antechamber. He wore a ninja suit much like Misao's with a white oni mask that had wicked yellow fangs.
"Congratulations to have made it this far... though you seem to have had little trouble. It seems Okashira was right, the soft life of a Crime Boss's bodyguards have made us soft." he said quietly. "Before we begin this fight, I would ask you if your apprentice who Jin'eh kidnapped is all right?"
"He's fine." Kaoru told him. "so you're the one who untied him?"
"I have no liking for drawing children into the affairs of adults. He shows the promise of a great swordsman, it seemed a shame to squash that so early." the ninja exhaled slowly, making little clouds of gas jet out from the back of his mask... Kaoru wondered about that, but disregarded it. "I am Hanya, second is command of the Oniwabanshuu. You will go no farther, Raiden."
"How many times have we heard that one so far, Kaoru?" Sanosuke joked.
"My name is Kaoru Kamiya, not Raiden or Raiden no Onna." Kaoru informed the ninja as she drew her bodken. "I'm afraid that I must see Kanryuu tonight, and if I must go through you and your Okashira to do it then so be it."
"Brave words, for a woman. You'll find that I and my leader are in a different class than that assassin you defeated so easily." he slammed his fists together and a metallic clang resounded from them. He took a stance facing sideways with his fists held up boxer style.
"Careful, looks like he's got some brass knuckles in those gloves." Sanosuke cautioned her, before stepping back.
"I should warn you." Hanya said with a chuckle. "No one has ever defeated my shin wan spell. Ever since you've set eyes on me, you've been under my spell."
'That's what you think, I swear having someone say that before a fight seems to be a guarantee that they lose!' Kaoru thought and took her own stance, a shinken stance. 'This is the stance Kenshin used to measure the length of Hanya's arms, I could probably guess from memory because his arm was exactly as long as Kenshin's sakabatou but my Bodken has different dimensions, better safe than sorry. Besides, I'd really like to save my energy for dodging bullets if necessary.'
Hanya took in her stance, feet shoulder-width apart with her sword held out directly in front of her gripped by both hands. "That's a defensive stance; the shinken... but I didn't notice you stressing defense before. Could you, perhaps have a trick up your sleeve?"
When Kaoru didn't reply he snorted. "Oh yes, I forgot. You aren't the talkative type when you fight. GOOD!"
Hanya attacked, propelling himself towards Kaoru by pushing off with his back leg.
Kaoru didn't budge as Hanya's fist went straight for her face... his arm travelled up the length of her blade almost in slow motion. The second Hanya's wrist hovered over the grip of her bodken she darted out of the way... she'd been right. Her original guess had been at least an inch off.
"What in Kami's name was that?" Sanosuke bellowed at her from the sidelines. "He almost hit you while you just stood there!"
A deep growl built up in Hanya's throat. "You little... I know what you were doing!" he accused Kaoru who smiled benignly back at him. Hanya depressed a button in the palms of his gloves and his steel claws shot out of his gloves. "You're tricky."
This time it was Kaoru who attacked and she did so without warning. Hanya parried her bodken with his claws crossed over his chest and attempted to slice through the wood by pulling his arms apart but Kaoru pushed herself back by using his chest as a spring board.
Hanya skidded back a little but threw his weight forward to charge Kaoru again. She ducked to the side at the last minute and smacked him in the back of the head with her weapon. The wood hit metal and Hanya jumped away.
"Armour." he said tersely. "I noticed you like to incapacitate your enemies with a nerve tap so I took a few precautions."
Kaoru had to smile at that despite herself, Hanya certainly had taken the opportunity to do his homework. If he'd been there for her fight with Jin'eh then not only would he have readied himself against her nerve tap, he would have readied himself for the inabikari and the Yoha inkaten.
'let's see, his mask sheilds his eyes and from the way his clothing bunches at his hips and shoulder I'd say he's braced all his major joints. The Arashi no Makaze wouldn't work on him anyway... that leaves one last move, anything else would be overkill...'
"Let's do this!" Kaoru whispered and darted towards Hanya one last time. 'I just need to touch him, that's all!'
Hanya again caught Kaoru's bodken in his claws, but this time Kaoru didn't pull away. Instead her lightning aura manifested around her and concentrated on her bodken.
"Jinkourai!" Kaoru shouted and the electricity slammed into Hanya's body, temporaily short-circuiting his nervous system.
Sanosuke applauded politely as Hanya slipped to the ground and Kaoru checked him for life signs. "Nice, is he dead?"
"No, just stunned. The Jinkourai has that effect. I was a little worried that it might be stronger than I intended, because of the metal gauntlets." Kaoru explained. "It's actually a very weak charge, he'll be back up and about in... oh say, five minutes tops."
"We'll be long gone by then." Sanosuke shrugged and gestured Kaoru on. "Who gets the Okashira?"
"I believe I won that right by defeating Hanya, I don't think he'd look kindly on anyone fighting that man without going through him first." Kaoru said quietly. "Besides, I've done the lightest fighting so far."
Sanosuke shrugged and trotted across the small room to open the door to the ball room. He bowed Kaoru in with such aplomb that she giggled.
"You missed your calling, Sano-kun! You should have been in Kabuki theater!"
"Bite your tongue." Sanosuke growled playfully.
"I'm glad you both are taking this so lightly."
Kaoru and Sanosuke redirected their attentions to the man standing casually in front of the doors opposite them. They obviously led to the rest of the mansion where, presumably, Kanryuu was... with a gatling gun, Kaoru knew.
"Aoshi Shinomori, I presume?" Kaoru said in a chill tone.
"And you are Kaoru Kamiya." Aoshi strolled forward. "I didn't expect you to get as far as me, I should have listened to Hanya's opinion of you. I won't make that mistake again." his hand drifted down to the hilt of his kodachi but Kaoru's voice stopped him.
"I don't want to fight you, I didn't want to do any fighting tonight. I am simply here to talk to Takeda-san. I want him to leave Megumi Takani alone."
"I'm afraid that you'll have to defeat me first." Aoshi told her as he drew his blade.
"Do you know what he's doing with that opium-money, Aoshi?" Kaoru demanded.
"My, awfully familiar aren't we? We've only just met and you're already using my first name."
"Don't avoid the subject." Sanosuke snapped.
"I don't, and I don't care. Knowing him, he's probably sleeping with it." Aoshi spat, his disgust momentarily broke his cool facade... but he quickly resumed it.
"Wrong." Kaoru said quietly and Aoshi raised a curious eyebrow despite himself.
"He's investing in a stock of weapons. He plans on becoming a weapons dealer. He even has a gatling gun on site." Kaoru told him.
"I fail to see how this concerns you and I."
"It doesn't concern me, but it concerns your men." Kaoru's voice was raising. "and it will concern you when he uses it on them."
Kaoru fancied that she saw a flash of shock in Aoshi's pale eyes, but he was too well trained to let it show on his face. "Provided that I believe you, how do you come by this knowledge?"
"It doesn't matter how I know, but you've already made Kanryuu mad today haven't you? Told him what you thought of him? Even quit maybe? Tell me, how long has he been out of your sight?"
Aoshi's eyes narrowed slightly. "You are attempting to distract me. I am not falling for it. Draw your weapon or die here, now."
"You're not going to make this easy are you?" Kaoru sighed. 'Good thing there's a contingency plan.' she thought. 'I didn't really think he'd trust a complete stranger.' Kaoru nodded Sanosuke away and drew her bodken.
Sanosuke retreated to the doorway and leaned against the frame. Despite what Kaoru had told him, he was ready to step in at anytime to help her. He thought of the men they'd fought so far. 'True, they were individually cheap fights, but they fought like they were used to working together. Even then they were nothing to take lightly, the leader of a bunch of guys as strong as that... Kaoru might have trouble with him. I know she's working against a clock of some sort even if she won't say so. I'll wait for my chance.'
Kaoru, on the other hand, was mildly more confidant than Sanosuke... or at least she told herself that she was. She had a major advantage over Aoshi by knowing his attacks without having seen them before, but the last time she'd witnessed Aoshi fight she had been safely on the sidelines and watching a fight and being in a fight are two completely different perspectives.
The fight with Hanya had been one thing, but Aoshi was another all together... but still, there hadn't been enough changes to the timeline to affect the fight with the Oniwabanshuu. With the knowledge of the imminent deaths of these men Kaoru would count herself just as responsible for their deaths as Kanryuu if she let them die.
There is more than one form of murder.
'I won't let this happen, I won't let Aoshi's stubborn pride kill those men!'
***
Aoshi felt his confidence waver as he saw the look in his opponent's sapphire eyes.
'This woman has a stronger will to fight than I originally believed. I truly am choking on my words tonight, perhaps I should have listened to her... but it's too late now. I cannot sully the pride of my Oniwabanshuu by backing down now!'
Aoshi took his stance, the stance for the Jisen kenbu. From the expression on her face, he'd be better off to begin with his strongest attack. He might not last long otherwise.
"Prepare yourself."
He made his first blow slow, that usually unbalanced the victim-- they started wondering 'why is he being so slow?' and then when he zipped behind them, they became confused. The first movements of the jisen were the most crucial because they set up the psychological atmosphere that frustrated any attempts they might make against it.
Raiden blocked the slow attack, but there was no surprise on her face, no questions, nothing--- almost as if she had been expecting it...
The first ghost of doubt blossomed in Aoshi's mind, but he squashed it ruthlessly. 'She doesn't know my Jisen Kenbu, there's is no way she could. She is merely as good as I when it comes to hiding her emotions.' he told himself, but even so he found that he didn't quite believe it.
The Jisen Kenbu was as much a mind game as it was a sword technique, as were most Oniwabanshuu attacks. 'She got through Hanya too quickly.' he realized. 'Either she has some sort of preternatural foresight... or there is another reason why she is here. None of my men would betray me but...'
His eyes widened and Aoshi stopped in the middle of his attack. "Okina sent you, didn't he." he growled.
Kaoru dropped her stance and blinked at him in total suprise. Her expression retreated into something Aoshi sensed was a normal mask for her to wear; closed eyes and a slightly strained smile, as if the world had just gotten a little bit weirder. "No, actually not. I'm sure if he knew where you are and who I am, he would have." her eyes opened and Aoshi saw a flash of something old and tired in them. "but as of now he doesn't and won't for a while." she paused to scratch the back of her head. "I have reasons to avoid Kyoto so I'm afraid I haven't gotten around to introducing myself. No one in the Aoiya betrayed your secrets, Aoshi. Try another angle." she resumed her stance. "Or are we still fighting?"
She'd said that just to provoke more questions in him, Aoshi realized.
"Okashira!" Beshimi, Hyottoko, Hanya, and Shikijo reached the ball room all at once. They looked somewhat the worse for wear but mostly unharmed. It seemed as though Kamiya-san and her ruffian companion had gone out of their way so as not to seriously injure them.
Aoshi sheathed his kodachi, ignoring the protersts from his men. It pained him to disgrace himself and them, but this woman... she would have broken even the Kaiten Kenbu had he given her a chance. As he was now, he already knew he had no chance of defeating her, but perhaps one day...
Common ninja wisedom was; 'it is better to recruit than antagonize'. Kaoru Kamiya was someone he could benefit from allying himself with. This situation was the same as each time he had met someone whom he realized would make an excellent member of his team, although he doubted he had what it took to command complete loyalty from this woman.
The words did not come easy and Aoshi found himself nearly having to drag them forth. "I am going to trust you."
The moment the sound of his voice died, the insane staccato beat of thousands of bullets ripping through wood flooded the room.
"Too late!" Kaoru groaned and then cried out as a bullet slammed into her thigh, she crumpled to the ground and Aoshi, mindful of his promise, interposed himself between Kanryuu and the fallen woman.
***
The sickeningly familiar sound of the gatling gun's discharge died away quickly but was replaced by the nearly drunken noise of Kanryuu's laughter. He was indeed drunk, drunk on the power the gun gave him.
The dust from the destroyed door Kanryuu had shot open settled to reveal him in all his skinny, gaijin glory beside the sleek, deadly weapon.
"What the hell is that thing!" Sanosuke demanded.
Kanryuu carressed the barrel of the gatling gun almost like a lover. "It's a gatling gun!" he said as proudly as a mother of twins. "The very latest available in fact."
"Kanryuu." Aoshi growled. "You scum..."
The words inflamed Kanryuu's temper and he rounded the weapon on the Okashira. "Does a pet dog dare call his master scum? I'll show you who is..."
Three things happened at once then. A kunai thudded into Kanryuu's left eye, one of Beshimi's pellets slammed into his right, and Aoshi reached him to neatly remove his head from his shoulders.
Kaoru looked away in shame as Kanryuu fell; she hadn't wanted -anyone- to die tonight... but she'd still manuvered Aoshi closer to the door that Kanryuu would break through so as to give him or her time to reach him before he began a slaughter.
"Are you okay?" Sanosuke asked her quietly as soon as he reached her side. He looked over to Kanryuu's head, which had rolled over to one side of his body, more specifically he looked at the kunai in his left eye. "Looks like weasle-girl kept up her end of the deal."
From her spot on the floor Kaoru watched a tiny shadow dart out one of the windows in the ceiling and into the night. Misao would undoubtedly let her presence be known to Aoshi later, but for right now the little ninja must have decided to play it safe and high-tail it out of there.
Hanya came forward and knelt beside her. He caught the hem of her hakama and looked to her. "May I?"
Kaoru nodded and he pulled up the cloth all the way to her leg, revealing the gory wound on her thigh. HE did some brief checking. "The bullet went clean through." he pronounced.
"You knew this would happen." Aoshi said in a curiously calm tone of voice. "This is what you were warning me about?"
Kaoru smiled her 'don't think too much of me' smile (which was colored a bit by pain) and shrugged. "Maybe, but its not an issue now is it?"
Unfortunately, Aoshi was not one to be put off. "Who told you of Kanyruu's plans!?" he demanded.
"Would you tell me the sources of your information?" Kaoru asked.
"In exchange for your source, yes!" Aoshi said recklessly.
Kaoru blinked, she'd meant her statement as a rhetorical question. She laughed and smiled a nicer smile at Aoshi. "A little bird told me."
"Beshimi, give me the first-aid kit you have." Hanya ordered and the smaller man withdrew it from the sleeve of his gi.
"There is some salve in there that will disinfect the wound." Beshimi told Kaoru, kneeling beside her opposite Hanya.
"I can't believe I mistook her for a man." Shikjo mused to Hyottoko. "I mean, with legs like -that-..." he subsided under Kaoru's glare.
"I realize you are a man and can't help but notice things like this." she gestured to her bared leg (which was very shapely and well-toned) "but could you keep you observations to yourself?"
Shikijo held up hios hands harmlessly.
"The police will undoubtedly be here soon," Aoshi said. "Hanya, tend to Kamiya-san's wounds and then Shikijo will carry her. Is it all right if the others gather up out belongings and take them to your dojo for the time being."
"With the gatling gun in presence I imagine the police will strip this place clean. Go ahead, but please don't go into the dojo without me. Megumi isn't comfortable around men she doesn't know." Kaoru glanced at Kanryuu's head indavertantly and scowled in rememberance of what the crime lord must have done to her, even though she hadn't spoken of it yet.
Aoshi's eyes norrowed momentarily in speculation as his eyes followed Kaoru's and anger briefly flashed across his face.
"I thought we had intercepted everyone who would have attempted such a thing." Hanya said quietly, catching unto Kaoru's unspoken proclaimation. "It seems not."
Kaoru found herself relaxing minutely... then Hanya did something to her leg that illicited a squeal of pain from her.
From the way Hanya cocked his head and looked at her through his mask, Kaoru could practically hear him think. 'Are you really the kenshi that scared Okashira out of his attack?'
***********
End Chapter Thirteen
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Seiyuu; Hanya and Kaoru are going to become something like friends, something like enemies, aand yet neither. It's gonna be a totally fun, intense, non-romantic relationship. I get to write so few of those between a man and a woman.
Patto rakurainiau - to be struck by a flash of lightning (literally)
In it's true form this is one of Kaoru's more flashy, yet still kickass, attacks. It can only be done outside for she uses the electrical aspect of her ki to trigger a weak lightning bolt from the sky. The lightning bolt (if she's lucky) hits the opponent and temporarily paralyzes them. Of course it is very hard to control and as a result Kaoru usually uses a somewhat bastardized version itcalled the jinkourai.
jinkourai- artifical lightning (literally)
She makes a lightning bolt of her own ki to acheive the same result. The second version is much more reliable than the first.