Tanuki To Ryuu
IF anyone didn't catch it, Kaoru passed the second test in the
last chapter. This chapter is the last of the Mastery Arc, but the
Marriage Arc is next! Expect Aoshi and Misao to come in next chapter
to help with the arrangements! Heh, expect all sorts of weird
interaction between Ayane and Misao! Oh, and expect Misao in a kimono!
That is if she doesn't make a pin cushion.
Chapter 14- The True End of the True Group
Akutsa charged forward and thrust his katana's point right at
Kaoru's neck. Kaoru ducked underneath the thrust and moved forward
within range and swung her bokken at Akutsa's stomach. Akutsa dropped
his left hand down and blocked Kaoru's swing with the back of his
forearm. Kaoru bolted to the right and out of Akutsa's range.
"That arm won't be much good if you block my strikes with it,"
Kaoru said. "You may not think much of me, but I can break that arm,"
Akutsa chuckled and assumed the hirazuki stance, the point of his katana
aimed at Kaoru's chest.
"Physical strength means nothing before the law of Aku Soku Zan.
That was your only strike, Kamiya," Akutsa said with confidence. Kaoru
narrowed her eyes and analyzed Akutsa's stance and saw no change when
compared to his first attack. Kaoru assumed a defensive stance and
kept her eyes trained on the tip of her opponent's katana.
With explosive speed Akutsa charged forward and thrusted at
Kaoru again. Kaoru dodged to the right of the thrust and circled her
opponent. Kaoru began her swing when Akutsa smirked and said "I
thought I said you won't get another strike," as he dropped a small bomb
then leapt away. Kaoru saw the bomb as well and leapt back herself.
The bomb's explosion tore through the floor of the dojo and pushed Kaoru
back a few feet. "Wasn't expecting that, were you? War has a lot of
unknown elements and the use of gunpowder is just one of them," Akutsa
grinned. "If you get within my range again, I'll just drop another
one,"
Kaoru looked at the hole in her dojo's floor then glared at
Akutsa. "My dojo's repair costs are high enough as it is," Kaoru said,
"but you must feel ashamed of yourself to use explosives because you are
afraid of a woman getting within your range. Such a dirty trick for
one who claims to be from the Shinsengumi,"
"There's nothing dirty about it," Akutsa answered. "The ends
justify the means. There is no 'fair' or 'unfair' in a battle to the
death. There's only a victor and a victim," Akutsa assumed the
hirazuki stance yet again. "This time I will make contact," Before
Kaoru had time to react, Akutza grabbed his wakizashi's hilt with his
left hand and flung the smaller blade at Ayane. "How can you protect
two people?!?" Akutsa taunted as he charged forward at Kaoru with his
katana aimed at her again.
"I don't have to," Kaoru said as she moved out of the thrust in
the last second, "because Kenshin told you that he will make sure no one
will die. Looks like your sword's stuck, both of them," Kaoru pointed
out as Akutsa's katana went straight through the dojo's wall. Akutsa
looked back to see if his smaller blade got Ayane, but saw that Kenshin
had caught the blade of the wakizashi in mid-air, his palm slightly cut
from the grab. "Good save, Kenshin," Kaoru said as she moved away from
Akutsa.
"Yeah," Kenshin answered with a smile as he threw the wakizashi
down into the ground and walked back to sit on the other side of the
dojo again. "Ayane-dono, you can move again now," Kenshin said as he
regarded the naginata woman that seemed frozen in surprise.
"Shut up," Ayane muttered in embarassment.
"You won't make a fool out of me!" Akutsa yelled as he tightened
both of his hands on his katana's hilt and swung it towards Kaoru. The
katana tore through the dojo's wall and headed straight for Kaoru's
neck. Kaoru ducked under the wild swing and opted to move back again.
"She doesn't have to," Saito said as he took another drag from
his cigarette. "You are doing a fine job of that yourself, aho. Your
blade seems to have rusted, Tonno. She's fighting defensively in fear
of explosives, yet even then you cannot land a single strike,"
"Then its time for me to show you the improved hirazuki!" Akutsa
growled as he assumed the same stance again.
"Aho," Saito muttered, "how can you improve a form that you
didn't' even master yet," Saito extinguished his cigarette against the
dojo's wall and tossed it into the air. Kaoru assumed her defensive
stance again and waited for the thrust to come. Akutsa grinned as his
right hand slid to the far end of his hilt. As the cigarette hit the
ground, Akutsa gave a mighty battle cry as he charged towards Kaoru
again. Kaoru picked out her target on Akutsa's body and ducked under
the initial thrust.
"Not this time!" Akutsa shouted as, in mid-thrust, his right
hand came to the end of the hilt and gave a palm thrust which
accelerated and lengthened the thrust. The additional burst of
acceleration to the thrust made the katana's tip cut the back of Kaoru's
shirt and barely missed the flesh. "Now get back!" Akutsa yelled as he
kicked Kaoru in the face. Kaoru flew back from the kick and landed on
her back.
"Damn," Kaoru muttered as she stood up and wiped the small
trickle of blood from her mouth. She sensed Kenshin tense slightly
when she was kicked, but he made no move yet. "How long did it take
you to come up with that?" Kaoru asked Akutsa.
"Does it matter?" Akutsa answered as he assumed the hirazuki
stance again. "With the last moment acceleration, my hirazuki gains
strength and resolve like a wolf sensing its prey is near death. The
only thing left for you to do is die,"
"If I die, what stops Kenshin from beating you to an inch of
your life?" Kaoru asked.
"Grief," Akutsa answered with a sinister smile. "You may not
be much of a woman, but he loves you for some strange reason. Your
death will make him a shell of a man,"
"That won't work," Kenshin answered. Akutsa didn't bother to
look at Kenshin and let his right hand slip to the end of the hilt
again.
"Won't it?" Akutsa said before he charged again. Kaoru leapt
back from the thrust, but miscalculated the full range of the
accelerated hirazuki and the tip of the katana went into her left
shoulder. Kaoru quickly ducked from the following swing and rolled out
of Akutsa's range. Kenshin saw Kaoru was cut and he stood up with a
look of rage in his eyes.
"SIT DOWN KENSHIN!" Kaoru shouted. Kenshin looked like he was
about to object but Kaoru cut him off. "It didn't even cut deep into
the flesh! Don't worry, I can take him. In his next strike he will
de defeated, so just sit down and watch," Kaoru reassured Kenshin.
Kenshin reluctantly sat down.
"Alright, Kaoru," Kenshin said, "but if he hurts you again, I
will do something about it," Kenshin gave Akutsa an extra strong glare
before he smiled at Kaoru.
"Thanks Kenshin," Kaoru said. Kaoru redirected her attention
to Akutsa. "Tonno Akutsa, that was your last strike against someone
else. With your next thrust, I shall defeat you," Kaoru said as she
gripped the hilt of her bokken.
"Don't make me laugh. You have no defense against my improved
Hirazuki!" Akutsa shouted as he assumed the stance once again. Akutsa
charged forward and once again, in mid-thrust, pushed his katana forward
with his right palm. "This is where you die!"
"This is where I seal your blade!" Kaoru shouted back as she
stepped forward with the end of her hilt pushed forward with her hands.
The katana's tip dug slightly into the end of the bokken's hilt.
"Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu Ougi! Hadome!" Kaoru announced. "Your improved
Hirazuki has a fatal flaw in its form. There's a split second that you
are off-balance when you switch to accelerate your thrust with that palm
push. From this position, you cannot move forward since your katana's
tip is locked and moving back will make you fall, releasing the force of
my block right into your face. The same goes with changing into a wide
swing," Kaoru saw the astonisment in Akutsa's face. "You have no
options left and its difficult for you to hold that stance,"
"Impossible!" Akutsa muttered as his footing in mid-thrust
started to get uncomfortable. "To be defeated by a woman..."
Akutsa's right foot began to slip and he knew he lost as his katana flew
out of his grip and Kaoru's bokken hilt headed straight towards his
face.
"Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu Ougi! Hawatari!" Kaoru shouted as the end
of her hilt struck Akutsa right in the chin and she flipped over him.
Kaoru turned around and saw Tonno Akutsa's unconscious form on the dojo
floor. "Its over,"
The surrounding troops looked at their fallen master and many
reached for their weapons. Saito stopped them as he moved out of the
dojo. "This man lost because he lost sight of the true goal of Aku
Soku Zan. You may wear the old uniforms but you are NOT Shinsengumi.
The Shinsengumi of the Meiji are ones such as myself that do not
needlessly destroy but pick at the fleas of the era. Now leave before
I arrest you for violating the weapon's ban," The thirty men looked at
Saito's unwavering eyes and they all hung their heads low as they opened
the gates and walked out of the courtyard.
Yahiko and Yutaro quickly ran in through the open gates. "Is
everything ok?" Yahiko shouted. "Where's the big boss?"
"Oro?" Kenshin said as he pointed to the unconscious form of
Tonno Akutsa. "Kaoru already took care of him, Yahiko. Are you two
ok?" Kenshin asked the two boys.
"Yeah, just peachy," Yutaro answered. "We beat up a set of
twins. They're tied up outside of the gates,"
"Hey!" Kaoru shouted. "You two are out of the chain!
Kenshin, can you go grab another one for me?"
Before Kenshin could move, the two students objected. "Now wait
a minute Kaoru!" Yahiko shouted, "Yutaro and I did work together!
That's how we defeated the twins! I cut the chain so we could help with
any problems inside the gate!"
"Its true, Kamiya-sensei!" Yutaro added, "I think the two of us
learned some form of teamwork out there,"
"Oh, alright," Kaoru relented. "Kenshin, give them the key so
they can get the shackles off,"
"Its right here," Kenshin said as he reached in his shirt and
tossed the boys the key. The two boys quickly unlocked the shackles
and left the dojo as they cheered about freedom.
Saito walked back into the dojo and drew his katana. "Some
fools need to be taken care of to ensure the name of the Shinsengumi
will never be tainted," Saito announced as he aimed his sword at the
fallen Tonno Akutsa. "Die,"
"Now wait a minute!" Kaoru shouted as she got infront of Saito,
"You can't kill an unconscious man! I suggest you leave my land. You
can take him ONLY IF you promise you'll arrest him,"
"Foolish girl, do you think he'll care that you showed him
mercy?" Saito retorted.
"Saito..." Kenshin said behind Saito's back, his hand on his
sakabato's hilt.
"Fine," Saito said as he sheathed his katana. "You two are too
nice and don't expect me to bail you out anymore," Saito picked Tonno
Akutsa's unconscious form and walked out of the dojo.
Kenshin saw Kaoru's shirt stain from the cut. "Let me take a
look at that, Kaoru. Ayane-dono? Can you get the medicine cabinet?
I need to treat Kaoru's cut," Ayane nodded and slid the dojo's door
shut as she left for the house. "Kaoru, may I?" Kenshin asked as he
gestured to her shoulder. Kaoru nodded and Kenshin pulled Kaoru's
shirt down a little bit and looked at the small cut. "It doesn't look
bad but it is bleeding a bit," Kenshin said.
Kenshin's head got closer to the cut and he took a small lick of
the blood. "Ewww, Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted in digust. "What's that
for?"
Kenshin looked up to Kaoru and replied, "Oro? Oh, sorry. Its
an old habit. Its not that bad, see?" Kenshin said as he held up his
cut palm to Kaoru's face. Kaoru looked at the small dribble of blood
on Kenshin's palm and cautiously took a small lick herself.
"Alright, its not that bad, but its still really weird," Kaoru
replied. Kenshin, though, just took another lick of Kaoru's wound.
"Do you find it that interesting?" she asked as she took another
cautious lick of Kenshin's palm.
At that moment, Ayane walked in with the medicine chest and saw
Kenshin and Kaoru licking at eachother's cuts. "Alright," Ayane
mumbled to herself, "this is weird,"
***
That's the end of the Mastery Arc! Got a lot for a footnote,
but first....
The Making of Tonno Akutsa- It started when I realized I needed a
villian who'd be important in Kaoru's mastery of her style. She
didn't' need her own Shishio, so I decided she instead needed her own
Saito(well, not really since they'll never fight again). I'd also
wanted to see how Kaoru would do against the hirazuki, and I'm pleased
to say she did rather well!
Alright, now about the blood licking thing. Kenshin has a thing for
licking his own blood. I think it's a fetish for him.
IF anyone didn't catch it, Kaoru passed the second test in the
last chapter. This chapter is the last of the Mastery Arc, but the
Marriage Arc is next! Expect Aoshi and Misao to come in next chapter
to help with the arrangements! Heh, expect all sorts of weird
interaction between Ayane and Misao! Oh, and expect Misao in a kimono!
That is if she doesn't make a pin cushion.
Chapter 14- The True End of the True Group
Akutsa charged forward and thrust his katana's point right at
Kaoru's neck. Kaoru ducked underneath the thrust and moved forward
within range and swung her bokken at Akutsa's stomach. Akutsa dropped
his left hand down and blocked Kaoru's swing with the back of his
forearm. Kaoru bolted to the right and out of Akutsa's range.
"That arm won't be much good if you block my strikes with it,"
Kaoru said. "You may not think much of me, but I can break that arm,"
Akutsa chuckled and assumed the hirazuki stance, the point of his katana
aimed at Kaoru's chest.
"Physical strength means nothing before the law of Aku Soku Zan.
That was your only strike, Kamiya," Akutsa said with confidence. Kaoru
narrowed her eyes and analyzed Akutsa's stance and saw no change when
compared to his first attack. Kaoru assumed a defensive stance and
kept her eyes trained on the tip of her opponent's katana.
With explosive speed Akutsa charged forward and thrusted at
Kaoru again. Kaoru dodged to the right of the thrust and circled her
opponent. Kaoru began her swing when Akutsa smirked and said "I
thought I said you won't get another strike," as he dropped a small bomb
then leapt away. Kaoru saw the bomb as well and leapt back herself.
The bomb's explosion tore through the floor of the dojo and pushed Kaoru
back a few feet. "Wasn't expecting that, were you? War has a lot of
unknown elements and the use of gunpowder is just one of them," Akutsa
grinned. "If you get within my range again, I'll just drop another
one,"
Kaoru looked at the hole in her dojo's floor then glared at
Akutsa. "My dojo's repair costs are high enough as it is," Kaoru said,
"but you must feel ashamed of yourself to use explosives because you are
afraid of a woman getting within your range. Such a dirty trick for
one who claims to be from the Shinsengumi,"
"There's nothing dirty about it," Akutsa answered. "The ends
justify the means. There is no 'fair' or 'unfair' in a battle to the
death. There's only a victor and a victim," Akutsa assumed the
hirazuki stance yet again. "This time I will make contact," Before
Kaoru had time to react, Akutza grabbed his wakizashi's hilt with his
left hand and flung the smaller blade at Ayane. "How can you protect
two people?!?" Akutsa taunted as he charged forward at Kaoru with his
katana aimed at her again.
"I don't have to," Kaoru said as she moved out of the thrust in
the last second, "because Kenshin told you that he will make sure no one
will die. Looks like your sword's stuck, both of them," Kaoru pointed
out as Akutsa's katana went straight through the dojo's wall. Akutsa
looked back to see if his smaller blade got Ayane, but saw that Kenshin
had caught the blade of the wakizashi in mid-air, his palm slightly cut
from the grab. "Good save, Kenshin," Kaoru said as she moved away from
Akutsa.
"Yeah," Kenshin answered with a smile as he threw the wakizashi
down into the ground and walked back to sit on the other side of the
dojo again. "Ayane-dono, you can move again now," Kenshin said as he
regarded the naginata woman that seemed frozen in surprise.
"Shut up," Ayane muttered in embarassment.
"You won't make a fool out of me!" Akutsa yelled as he tightened
both of his hands on his katana's hilt and swung it towards Kaoru. The
katana tore through the dojo's wall and headed straight for Kaoru's
neck. Kaoru ducked under the wild swing and opted to move back again.
"She doesn't have to," Saito said as he took another drag from
his cigarette. "You are doing a fine job of that yourself, aho. Your
blade seems to have rusted, Tonno. She's fighting defensively in fear
of explosives, yet even then you cannot land a single strike,"
"Then its time for me to show you the improved hirazuki!" Akutsa
growled as he assumed the same stance again.
"Aho," Saito muttered, "how can you improve a form that you
didn't' even master yet," Saito extinguished his cigarette against the
dojo's wall and tossed it into the air. Kaoru assumed her defensive
stance again and waited for the thrust to come. Akutsa grinned as his
right hand slid to the far end of his hilt. As the cigarette hit the
ground, Akutsa gave a mighty battle cry as he charged towards Kaoru
again. Kaoru picked out her target on Akutsa's body and ducked under
the initial thrust.
"Not this time!" Akutsa shouted as, in mid-thrust, his right
hand came to the end of the hilt and gave a palm thrust which
accelerated and lengthened the thrust. The additional burst of
acceleration to the thrust made the katana's tip cut the back of Kaoru's
shirt and barely missed the flesh. "Now get back!" Akutsa yelled as he
kicked Kaoru in the face. Kaoru flew back from the kick and landed on
her back.
"Damn," Kaoru muttered as she stood up and wiped the small
trickle of blood from her mouth. She sensed Kenshin tense slightly
when she was kicked, but he made no move yet. "How long did it take
you to come up with that?" Kaoru asked Akutsa.
"Does it matter?" Akutsa answered as he assumed the hirazuki
stance again. "With the last moment acceleration, my hirazuki gains
strength and resolve like a wolf sensing its prey is near death. The
only thing left for you to do is die,"
"If I die, what stops Kenshin from beating you to an inch of
your life?" Kaoru asked.
"Grief," Akutsa answered with a sinister smile. "You may not
be much of a woman, but he loves you for some strange reason. Your
death will make him a shell of a man,"
"That won't work," Kenshin answered. Akutsa didn't bother to
look at Kenshin and let his right hand slip to the end of the hilt
again.
"Won't it?" Akutsa said before he charged again. Kaoru leapt
back from the thrust, but miscalculated the full range of the
accelerated hirazuki and the tip of the katana went into her left
shoulder. Kaoru quickly ducked from the following swing and rolled out
of Akutsa's range. Kenshin saw Kaoru was cut and he stood up with a
look of rage in his eyes.
"SIT DOWN KENSHIN!" Kaoru shouted. Kenshin looked like he was
about to object but Kaoru cut him off. "It didn't even cut deep into
the flesh! Don't worry, I can take him. In his next strike he will
de defeated, so just sit down and watch," Kaoru reassured Kenshin.
Kenshin reluctantly sat down.
"Alright, Kaoru," Kenshin said, "but if he hurts you again, I
will do something about it," Kenshin gave Akutsa an extra strong glare
before he smiled at Kaoru.
"Thanks Kenshin," Kaoru said. Kaoru redirected her attention
to Akutsa. "Tonno Akutsa, that was your last strike against someone
else. With your next thrust, I shall defeat you," Kaoru said as she
gripped the hilt of her bokken.
"Don't make me laugh. You have no defense against my improved
Hirazuki!" Akutsa shouted as he assumed the stance once again. Akutsa
charged forward and once again, in mid-thrust, pushed his katana forward
with his right palm. "This is where you die!"
"This is where I seal your blade!" Kaoru shouted back as she
stepped forward with the end of her hilt pushed forward with her hands.
The katana's tip dug slightly into the end of the bokken's hilt.
"Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu Ougi! Hadome!" Kaoru announced. "Your improved
Hirazuki has a fatal flaw in its form. There's a split second that you
are off-balance when you switch to accelerate your thrust with that palm
push. From this position, you cannot move forward since your katana's
tip is locked and moving back will make you fall, releasing the force of
my block right into your face. The same goes with changing into a wide
swing," Kaoru saw the astonisment in Akutsa's face. "You have no
options left and its difficult for you to hold that stance,"
"Impossible!" Akutsa muttered as his footing in mid-thrust
started to get uncomfortable. "To be defeated by a woman..."
Akutsa's right foot began to slip and he knew he lost as his katana flew
out of his grip and Kaoru's bokken hilt headed straight towards his
face.
"Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu Ougi! Hawatari!" Kaoru shouted as the end
of her hilt struck Akutsa right in the chin and she flipped over him.
Kaoru turned around and saw Tonno Akutsa's unconscious form on the dojo
floor. "Its over,"
The surrounding troops looked at their fallen master and many
reached for their weapons. Saito stopped them as he moved out of the
dojo. "This man lost because he lost sight of the true goal of Aku
Soku Zan. You may wear the old uniforms but you are NOT Shinsengumi.
The Shinsengumi of the Meiji are ones such as myself that do not
needlessly destroy but pick at the fleas of the era. Now leave before
I arrest you for violating the weapon's ban," The thirty men looked at
Saito's unwavering eyes and they all hung their heads low as they opened
the gates and walked out of the courtyard.
Yahiko and Yutaro quickly ran in through the open gates. "Is
everything ok?" Yahiko shouted. "Where's the big boss?"
"Oro?" Kenshin said as he pointed to the unconscious form of
Tonno Akutsa. "Kaoru already took care of him, Yahiko. Are you two
ok?" Kenshin asked the two boys.
"Yeah, just peachy," Yutaro answered. "We beat up a set of
twins. They're tied up outside of the gates,"
"Hey!" Kaoru shouted. "You two are out of the chain!
Kenshin, can you go grab another one for me?"
Before Kenshin could move, the two students objected. "Now wait
a minute Kaoru!" Yahiko shouted, "Yutaro and I did work together!
That's how we defeated the twins! I cut the chain so we could help with
any problems inside the gate!"
"Its true, Kamiya-sensei!" Yutaro added, "I think the two of us
learned some form of teamwork out there,"
"Oh, alright," Kaoru relented. "Kenshin, give them the key so
they can get the shackles off,"
"Its right here," Kenshin said as he reached in his shirt and
tossed the boys the key. The two boys quickly unlocked the shackles
and left the dojo as they cheered about freedom.
Saito walked back into the dojo and drew his katana. "Some
fools need to be taken care of to ensure the name of the Shinsengumi
will never be tainted," Saito announced as he aimed his sword at the
fallen Tonno Akutsa. "Die,"
"Now wait a minute!" Kaoru shouted as she got infront of Saito,
"You can't kill an unconscious man! I suggest you leave my land. You
can take him ONLY IF you promise you'll arrest him,"
"Foolish girl, do you think he'll care that you showed him
mercy?" Saito retorted.
"Saito..." Kenshin said behind Saito's back, his hand on his
sakabato's hilt.
"Fine," Saito said as he sheathed his katana. "You two are too
nice and don't expect me to bail you out anymore," Saito picked Tonno
Akutsa's unconscious form and walked out of the dojo.
Kenshin saw Kaoru's shirt stain from the cut. "Let me take a
look at that, Kaoru. Ayane-dono? Can you get the medicine cabinet?
I need to treat Kaoru's cut," Ayane nodded and slid the dojo's door
shut as she left for the house. "Kaoru, may I?" Kenshin asked as he
gestured to her shoulder. Kaoru nodded and Kenshin pulled Kaoru's
shirt down a little bit and looked at the small cut. "It doesn't look
bad but it is bleeding a bit," Kenshin said.
Kenshin's head got closer to the cut and he took a small lick of
the blood. "Ewww, Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted in digust. "What's that
for?"
Kenshin looked up to Kaoru and replied, "Oro? Oh, sorry. Its
an old habit. Its not that bad, see?" Kenshin said as he held up his
cut palm to Kaoru's face. Kaoru looked at the small dribble of blood
on Kenshin's palm and cautiously took a small lick herself.
"Alright, its not that bad, but its still really weird," Kaoru
replied. Kenshin, though, just took another lick of Kaoru's wound.
"Do you find it that interesting?" she asked as she took another
cautious lick of Kenshin's palm.
At that moment, Ayane walked in with the medicine chest and saw
Kenshin and Kaoru licking at eachother's cuts. "Alright," Ayane
mumbled to herself, "this is weird,"
***
That's the end of the Mastery Arc! Got a lot for a footnote,
but first....
The Making of Tonno Akutsa- It started when I realized I needed a
villian who'd be important in Kaoru's mastery of her style. She
didn't' need her own Shishio, so I decided she instead needed her own
Saito(well, not really since they'll never fight again). I'd also
wanted to see how Kaoru would do against the hirazuki, and I'm pleased
to say she did rather well!
Alright, now about the blood licking thing. Kenshin has a thing for
licking his own blood. I think it's a fetish for him.