With the hour of midnight approaching, Kenshin stood up and stuck his sheathed sword to his belt. His eyes were half shut, and he walked silently from his room.
Just as he exited Kaoru's dojo, he turned and bowed towards it to express his apologies. "I am terribly sorry Miss Kaoru, if this causes you some concern...but I must do this on my own, that I must." And with that he began to walk away. Into the darkness of the empty village.
A figure stepped from the shadows of the dojo and Sanosuke eyed Kenshin. 'What are you up to? You better not be planning on fighting someone on your own, Kenshin." Silently, Sanosuke began to follow Himaru making sure that there was some distance between them but he could still keep an eye on him.
The two left the village and Kenshin began to walk into the forest. Sanosuke was completely baffled as to why he might head there until he heard the crackling of burning wood and the light of a small fire.
A woman with jet black hair that reached her shoulderblades, black eyes, and a smile upon he face looked at Kenshin. "It's good to see you decided to come, Himaru." She cocked her head to the side and blinked.
Kenshin smiled back. "You know it's always hard for me to refuse an old friend's offer, Arurisonu."
Gasping quietly to himself, Sanosuke sunk behind a tree and remained there listening.
"It doesn't sound like you're siding with me, Himaru Kenshin." She rubbed a rag up and down the blade of the decortive sword she held within her hands. "So, why did you come?"
"I came because I wanted to convince you. There's no point in starting a new war all over again, this old era's almost gone, just give it some time and we'l---"
"Kenshin,
I have waited." Placing the sword upon the ground beside her, Arurisonu
stood up. She took hold of the sleeve of the custom made akido and pulled it
back to reveal a large pattern of purple bruises, scars, and scabs.
Seeing this surprised Kenshin, and he was forced to gasp at the horrid sight.
"This is what I've had to go through with waiting. No one cares for us
anymore, we're like dirt underneath the stomping feet." She let go of the
sleeve and let it fall, once again covering her wounds.
Now that she was in front of the fire, Kenshin could clearly see that she also had a black eye. "Arurisonu...you don't need to do this to yourself. Keep this up, and you'll get yourself killed!"
"That's why I asked you to come here. If I had your help, then I know I couldn't fail."
Sanosuke's eyes grew wide when he heard what the girl was requesting Kenshin do.Would he do it? No...the Kenshin he knew wouldn't...
Pausing for a moment, Kenshin sighed and his shoulders sank. "Alright...I'll help you."
Eyes bulging, Sanoske could not believe his ears. Before he knew what he was doing, he could hear the words slipping from his mouth. "Kenshin?!"
