Saby-chan~Arigatou! Here's the next chapter! ^.^
Gyspy-chan~ ^.^ yeah the mystery guy is kinda strange with his riddles
^.^

Love and Pride
Chapter 4

Kenshin and Sano walked through the streets searching for any kind of
clues they could find. They asked random people if they knew of any
kind of famous leaders arriving anytime soon and all of them looked at
them very strangly and walked away.

"This is hopeless!" Sano yawned as they continued to ask people on the
streets. Sano spotted a nice looking lady with a child. "Hey Lady! Do
you know anything about some famous leaders arriving in town anytime
soon? One of my friends has been kidnapped and this guy is crazy and
gave us this riddle..."

The lady looked at him oddly, then whispered to her child,"Now dear,
this is a perfect example of people you should stay away from." She
then pushed her child along and walked down the street quickly.

"Man! Kenshin! People think we're crazy!" Sano sighed as he caught up
with Kenshin.

"Hai, Sano i know, but he have to figure this out!" Kenshin said as he
read the note again slowly.

"Reading that thing isn't going to help you understand it better!" Sano
said as they kept walking through the crowd, "Hey, look! There's the
Akabeko! Let's go eat!"

"Sano!"

"It's better to work on a full stomach, Kenshin! Plus maye Tae can help
us figure out this riddle."

"You're not worried about Kaoru are you?"

"Oh ofcourse i'm worried about Jou-chan! (AN:Gyspy-chan! I got it right
this time!) But think about it Kenshin, if this guy wants you so bad...
he's not going to kill Kaoru anytime soon."

Kenshin sighed and then stared at him, "Fine let's go ask Tae if she can
help us."

with that, both of them walked into the Akabeko. Tae was waiting on a
table, when they walked in."

"Tae! How are ya!" Sano said as he grabbed an apple from one of the
people sitting down and eating.

Tae turned around and raised an eyebrow,"Sanosuke! When are you going
to pay for that apple if i may ask?"

"I'll pay for it later!" He said as he and Kenshin walked up to her.

"I should make you pay for all the other times you walked in here and
took food!" She then turned to Kenshin,"Why, Hello Kenshin, how are
you?"

"Well, not so good Tae... Kaoru's been kidnapped..."

"What! By who?" She asked looking very concerned.

"I wish i could tell you. The only thing we have to work on right now
is this..." Kenshin then handed Tae the note with the riddle on it.
Tae read it over slowly.

"This guy is serious... Kings, Birds, Orion... who's Orion?" She asked
as she handed back the note the Kenshin.

"No idea..." Kenshin said as he read the note over again.

"Don't worry Kenshin, we'll find her. Many strange people come in here,
so i'll ask around don't worry." She said trying to comfort Kenshin a
little. Kenshin only nodded. The three of them were deep in thought.

"Hey Waitress! Bring more Noodles." A man shouted from across the room.

Tae sighed,"Well i better be back to my business. I'll talk to you guys
later." Tae then walked away shouting, "Yes, yes i'll be there in a
minute!"

Kenshin and Sano looked at each other. then walked out of the door and
into the streets again.
~
Kaoru slowly sipped at her water the young girl had given her.

//What is that girl doing here? And with such a strange man.\\

The door opened slowly again. The outline of the girl stood in the frame
of the door.

"Good! You ate something." the girl said as she walked into the room.
Kaoru finally saw the girl more clearer this time. She was dressed in
a small komono of black with red and white flowers splashed around it.
Her black hair was loosely around her shoulders. She sat down next to
Kaoru and stared at her with her bright green eyes. Then she smiled.

"I need to check your wound. I'm sorry this happened to you. My father
never intended on hurting you this much..."

"Your father?"

"Yes," The girl said as she looked at the floor sadly,"The man who took
you from your home is my father."

Kaoru looked shocked and the girl looked back up at her,"Why did your
father take me her?"

"Well..." She began but the door slammed open to show the outline of a
tall man. He was a very strong built man. He had black shaggy hair like
his daughter's and stern green eyes.

"Chiaki? What are you telling her..." The man seemed to grunt out as
the girl looked up at him.

"No...nothing dad..." She said as she began to change Kaoru's bandages.
The man stared at Kaoru with his now icy eyes. Kaoru looked from him
then back to the girl, she now knew as Chiaki.

"There... i'm done dad!" She said as she got up. Kaoru then grabbed her
arm.

"Thank you..." She said with a small smile and let go. The girl smiled
back at her, then ran out of sight and shut the door...
~
~
~
Well well, things become complicated... the next chapter will be posted
soon i promise! ^.^
but for now
buh bai!