Chapter 11- Rabid Wolves
Aoshi and Kenshin paused in their ascent up the grassy hill, their experiences telling them that something more was to be expected once they reached the top.
Kenshin's hand reached for the handle of his sword, ready for the worst. "It is them. The Jigoku Blades."
"Hn." Aoshi's brows were knitted in anger. Who were they to think they could get away with such cowardly acts? He took a step forward. "It would be wise if you come out now! There is no point in hiding behind this slope!!"
Kenshin blinked. "Aoshi?"
A wave of menacing laughter echoed down upon them, causing even the long grass to blow. Aoshi growled and took hold of one blade.
A line of men, all dressed in filthy gi and all with an evil aura about them, assembled overhead. They studied the two warriors with distasteful smirks. Only two men came to save the boy? "You best go get some more reinforcements!" One yelled mockingly. "There's still time to save the kid!"
Kenshin could see Aoshi's fists clenching out of the corner of his eye. He had never seen him struggling so hard to control such anger. He suddenly felt a little uneasy. "Where is he?" he growled, looking up at them with eyes that could freeze a lion in its tracks. "Where is the boy?"
With a snap of the fingers, the gang fanned out, surrounding the samurai and ninja in a matter of seconds. One man, hidden by a massive reddish cloak, made his way casually down the hill. "The boy is your son, ne?"
"Where is he?"
A snicker escaped the hood. "I thought so. Bring the boy here!"
One man quickly left the circle to dash up the hill. Kenshin and Aoshi knew better than to try and go after them. Not only would they be reprimanded, but also they would run the risk of causing them to harm Genichi. So they waited in slightly relaxed stances.
"OW! Let go of me!! OW!!"
"Watch it, you little brat!!" the man warned as he dragged the child up the hill to where he could be seen.
A wave of relief passed over Aoshi. "Genichi."
The boy stopped struggling as he spotted his father. "Ah!! Papa!!"
The cloaked warrior smirked. "We knew this would bring you out, Shinomori. We called you, of the Oniwabanshuu, here to settle the score once and for all."
The Jigoku Blades had their swords pointed at the surrounded enemy. Aoshi's gaze went from his trapped son to the man in charge of it all. "I'm here now. And I will gladly fight you all. So, let him go."
The cloaked fighter's teeth could be seen in a toothy grin. "Heh! Attack!"
Genichi gasped and pulled desperately to free himself from his captor's grip. "No! Papa! Get out of here, Papa!!"
Meanwhile, Yahiko had finally caught up to Kenji, who was sitting on the ground panting. "You idiot! Where did they go?"
The 7-year-old pointed. "T-There.uhhh I'm tired!"
Yahiko looked to where he had gestured and gasped. "Oh no, Kenshin! Aoshi!" He watched as the ring of men charged in at them!
Aoshi and Kenshin leapt skyward to avoid the eight blades. Immediately, Kenshin twisted his sword to its sharp side. "People like you cannot live!" he declared, coming down upon them.
The ninja appeared to hover in midair for a brief instant, surveying his surroundings and those coming at him. His eyes flashed in the moonlight before he came down to join in the battle.
CLASH!! VASH!!! CRACK!!! SHMP!!! Blade hit blade, handles hit bone. Genichi, the one that held him, and the leader of the Jigoku Blades watched intently as things picked up faster and faster. Aoshi and Kenshin moved so rapidly that they were nothing but blurs sending the men flying. One grabbed Kenshin around the neck but a quick slash from Aoshi saved him. "Look out!" Kenshin warned, jumping to knock away one who attacked from behind.
Yahiko and Kenji watched from the grass. "Wow, look at those moves!" The teen murmured.
"Father's.incredible!" The boy murmured, though it was drowned out by the sound of clashing metal and shrieks of the injured.
The cloaked figure turned towards the one holding Genichi and nodded. Instantly, the leader now had the boy as he joined the fight. By now, Aoshi was beginning to tire, feeling the weight of previous injuries on his shoulders. He failed to see that the new warrior was preparing the succession technique!
"Aoshi! Look out!" Kenshin shouted in warning, but it came to late.
"AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!" Aoshi couldn't stifle the scream that tore from his throat as something sharp slashed through his side. Blood sprayed forth from his trench coat, making him suddenly feel sick.
"Aoshi!" Kenshin, Kenji, and Yahiko all yelled in unison.
"PAPA!!!!" Genichi screamed.
Aoshi wobbled to his knees, gripping his torn side with his hand. Scorching blue eyes met those hidden in a dark cloak. The leader snickered. "Finish him now!"
"No! Aoshi!" Kenshin tried to get to him, but four warriors battered him back.
"Father!" Kenji leapt to his feet and dashed towards him, drawing his little wooden sword.
"Not again! Kenji!" Yahiko called, going after him.
Aoshi could hear them standing over him. All he needed was the right moment.
Genichi struggled once again. "Let go! Let me go!! PAPA!!!"
"Game over!" The four jumped at him.
"Now!" Aoshi bellowed.
VASH!!! SLASH!!! SHMMM! VASH!!!
The warriors had not a chance to utter a single gasp as their lives were slashed out of them. Aoshi recovered from the attack to stand on weak legs. He panted heavily, the life all but drained from him, as he faced the last one standing, the one that held his son.
Aoshi and Kenshin paused in their ascent up the grassy hill, their experiences telling them that something more was to be expected once they reached the top.
Kenshin's hand reached for the handle of his sword, ready for the worst. "It is them. The Jigoku Blades."
"Hn." Aoshi's brows were knitted in anger. Who were they to think they could get away with such cowardly acts? He took a step forward. "It would be wise if you come out now! There is no point in hiding behind this slope!!"
Kenshin blinked. "Aoshi?"
A wave of menacing laughter echoed down upon them, causing even the long grass to blow. Aoshi growled and took hold of one blade.
A line of men, all dressed in filthy gi and all with an evil aura about them, assembled overhead. They studied the two warriors with distasteful smirks. Only two men came to save the boy? "You best go get some more reinforcements!" One yelled mockingly. "There's still time to save the kid!"
Kenshin could see Aoshi's fists clenching out of the corner of his eye. He had never seen him struggling so hard to control such anger. He suddenly felt a little uneasy. "Where is he?" he growled, looking up at them with eyes that could freeze a lion in its tracks. "Where is the boy?"
With a snap of the fingers, the gang fanned out, surrounding the samurai and ninja in a matter of seconds. One man, hidden by a massive reddish cloak, made his way casually down the hill. "The boy is your son, ne?"
"Where is he?"
A snicker escaped the hood. "I thought so. Bring the boy here!"
One man quickly left the circle to dash up the hill. Kenshin and Aoshi knew better than to try and go after them. Not only would they be reprimanded, but also they would run the risk of causing them to harm Genichi. So they waited in slightly relaxed stances.
"OW! Let go of me!! OW!!"
"Watch it, you little brat!!" the man warned as he dragged the child up the hill to where he could be seen.
A wave of relief passed over Aoshi. "Genichi."
The boy stopped struggling as he spotted his father. "Ah!! Papa!!"
The cloaked warrior smirked. "We knew this would bring you out, Shinomori. We called you, of the Oniwabanshuu, here to settle the score once and for all."
The Jigoku Blades had their swords pointed at the surrounded enemy. Aoshi's gaze went from his trapped son to the man in charge of it all. "I'm here now. And I will gladly fight you all. So, let him go."
The cloaked fighter's teeth could be seen in a toothy grin. "Heh! Attack!"
Genichi gasped and pulled desperately to free himself from his captor's grip. "No! Papa! Get out of here, Papa!!"
Meanwhile, Yahiko had finally caught up to Kenji, who was sitting on the ground panting. "You idiot! Where did they go?"
The 7-year-old pointed. "T-There.uhhh I'm tired!"
Yahiko looked to where he had gestured and gasped. "Oh no, Kenshin! Aoshi!" He watched as the ring of men charged in at them!
Aoshi and Kenshin leapt skyward to avoid the eight blades. Immediately, Kenshin twisted his sword to its sharp side. "People like you cannot live!" he declared, coming down upon them.
The ninja appeared to hover in midair for a brief instant, surveying his surroundings and those coming at him. His eyes flashed in the moonlight before he came down to join in the battle.
CLASH!! VASH!!! CRACK!!! SHMP!!! Blade hit blade, handles hit bone. Genichi, the one that held him, and the leader of the Jigoku Blades watched intently as things picked up faster and faster. Aoshi and Kenshin moved so rapidly that they were nothing but blurs sending the men flying. One grabbed Kenshin around the neck but a quick slash from Aoshi saved him. "Look out!" Kenshin warned, jumping to knock away one who attacked from behind.
Yahiko and Kenji watched from the grass. "Wow, look at those moves!" The teen murmured.
"Father's.incredible!" The boy murmured, though it was drowned out by the sound of clashing metal and shrieks of the injured.
The cloaked figure turned towards the one holding Genichi and nodded. Instantly, the leader now had the boy as he joined the fight. By now, Aoshi was beginning to tire, feeling the weight of previous injuries on his shoulders. He failed to see that the new warrior was preparing the succession technique!
"Aoshi! Look out!" Kenshin shouted in warning, but it came to late.
"AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!" Aoshi couldn't stifle the scream that tore from his throat as something sharp slashed through his side. Blood sprayed forth from his trench coat, making him suddenly feel sick.
"Aoshi!" Kenshin, Kenji, and Yahiko all yelled in unison.
"PAPA!!!!" Genichi screamed.
Aoshi wobbled to his knees, gripping his torn side with his hand. Scorching blue eyes met those hidden in a dark cloak. The leader snickered. "Finish him now!"
"No! Aoshi!" Kenshin tried to get to him, but four warriors battered him back.
"Father!" Kenji leapt to his feet and dashed towards him, drawing his little wooden sword.
"Not again! Kenji!" Yahiko called, going after him.
Aoshi could hear them standing over him. All he needed was the right moment.
Genichi struggled once again. "Let go! Let me go!! PAPA!!!"
"Game over!" The four jumped at him.
"Now!" Aoshi bellowed.
VASH!!! SLASH!!! SHMMM! VASH!!!
The warriors had not a chance to utter a single gasp as their lives were slashed out of them. Aoshi recovered from the attack to stand on weak legs. He panted heavily, the life all but drained from him, as he faced the last one standing, the one that held his son.
