Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the
manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment,
respectively. Well the chapters are coming along just as scheduled, it's posting
I'm having a problem with. I tried fixing it but I don't know how well that
turned out yet so will see.
Chapter 03
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"Tsutomu, I know her fevers gone but I still wish you wouldn't take her
yet," Yume looked pleadingly at her husband.
"Yume don't be like this, I told you when I found her that it wouldn't be safe for us to keep her here for too long just till she was well enough to be moved." Tsutomu said while picking up the body all bundled up.
"I know," she said as the tears came down her cheeks.
" Don't cry Yume, I'll be back soon." Yume watched her husband mount the horse he had borrowed last night and ride off just as the sun was rising.
"I wish you luck child," she whispered as she
turned around to enter her home.
*************
"How long has it been?" Tae had been worried since Kaoru's
disappearance.
"Two days, we've kept to this side of the dojo so that he won't wake
up," Yahiko told Tae as Megumi served them tea.
"Thanks for brining lunch Tae-san;" Megumi smiled lightly at Kaoru's friend.
Tae only nodded,
" Are any of you eating or even sleeping for that matter?"
Megumi just shook her head, " I tried to get them to sleep and eat. They'll
do one or the other but not both. They'll just barely eat and head of into town.
Yahiko got in about an hour before sunrise."
"I don't see how you can think about resting when Kaoru's out who knows where! She certainly wouldn't rest if you were missing!"
"Yahiko, don't say those things to Megumi she loves Kaoru-chan just as much as we do." Tae said as she grabbed a hold of Yahiko.
Yahiko was crying, " All I know is Megumi has never liked Kaoru because Kenshin loves her," and with that he ran off through the yard and out the gates.
Tae took hold of Megumi hands trying to comfort her. "Don't listen to him Megumi he's just angry and sad. He's just a child, one who's lost all those he has loved and now Kaoru too. You must understand he was just saying those things because he's afraid of being alone."
Megumi looked into Tae's eyes before she looked down to the floor. "Can I tell you something Tae?" Tae nodded and waited for Megumi to continue. Megumi continued to stare at the floor," I...... when Ken-san left the first time I was so angry that he hadn't said goodbye. I was jealous of Kaoru; he cared enough but only for her. I hated her. Even now they care so much for her. None of them have slept since she disappeared. I..... I haven't even been able to cry for her. What kind of a person does that make me?"
"Megumi, I don't," Tae
never got to finish because Yahiko rushed in through the doors tripping over the
first step in the process.
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"Doushte?" The deep voice came from behind the women.
Yahiko's face
was off the floor in a heartbeat. "She's at the clinic." And it was
all he got to say because the battoussai was out the gate before Yahiko finished
his sentence, "someone found her." That being said Yahiko ran out the
door and headed towards the clinic followed closely behind two panting women.
The doors to the clinic were thrown open, scaring Dr. Genzai half to death.
"I should have known," he muttered while he finished up with the girl
being ever so gently. "Next time I'll leave the doors open." Dr.
Genzai stepped back so Kenshin could have a look.
*************
Kenshin stepped closer to the body. She was so pale; her lips were a bit blue.
His right hand reached out to stroke her cheek; it was, as he feared. She was
dead. "No." came the hoarse cry. He held her close to him and was
surprised by the muffled sound he heard when he had squeezed her. He was
bewildered to say the least. He lay her back gently and put his ear over her
breast so he could confirm what he hoped for the most. It took him a bit and he
had to strain to hear it but there it was beating its rhythm and suddenly he was
able to breathe once more. His reason for being had been returned. He stepped
back just enough so he could have a good look at her all the while holding her
hand. "Why does she appear dead?"
Dr Genzai had been expecting that question; he himself had thought her dead when
he had found her here on the bed of the clinic. "She has a pretty big cut
on the left side of her head; she lost a lot of blood from that wound. She's
very weak from the blood loss but she will be fine." Kenshin had his back
to the doctor, but he was still able to see him nod so he continued.
"In time, at least physically, I don't exactly know how she was injured but
from the type of wound and its location," the doctor trailed off as three
people came in. "There might be complications when she wakes up."
Kenshin turned still holding her hand in his, his eyes bore into the doctors.
"She might not know who you are when she wakes up or worse. I'm not saying
it's a definite but it something you need to be aware of." The doctor
turned once more to see Sanosuke walk in.
Kenshin looked down at the bundled up woman on the bed and gently picked her up.
"She's coming home with me." With that said he walked out of the
clinic. It wasn't like they could stop him.
"Megumi you stay here and watch the clinic," The doctor rushed out of
the clinic and headed for the Kamiya Dojo.
The doctor walked along side, Sanosuke, Tae and Yahiko, each filling in the bit of info the other was missing.
"So you just came in and found her there," Tae turned to the doctor.
The doctor simply nodded and finally voiced his worry. Someone placed her there and I think that same someone took care of her shortly after she was injured." The doctor glanced at everyone and continued. "I found two notes with her"
"What! Why didn't you say anything to Kenshin?" The doctor turned to Yahiko.
Sanosuke answered for him though; " the way
Kenshin is I don't think it would be wise to tell him just yet. He's still the
battoussai, even after finding her he didn't go back to being the rurouni. I
think he still feels threatened." They all nodded and the doctor continued.
"The first note is of the someone who took care of her." The others
looked puzzled so the doctor brought out the note. He cleared his throat. This
letter is addressed to the Hitokiri Battoussai.
I came across your lady friend in the forest, I noted she was injured and tried
to assist her by stopping the blood loss. She suffered from a high fever since
her stay here but that is all. I've turned her over to a doctor in town who can
do more for her. I chose to leave a note as to inform you of her whereabouts
while she was injured. I don't wish any sort of trouble so please know I didn't
harm her. I took care of her as best as I could. And moved her only when it was
deemed fit for her to travel. I included the note I found by her body.
"Is that it?" The doctor nodded towards Tae. "What does the other
note say?" The doctor looked at Sanosuke for a bit before handing him the
second note.
Sano stopped by a tree and began reading out loud.
Battoussai,
How I wish I could see your face when you read this letter. I've taken you're woman, she's grown. Not Kaoru-chan anymore. Have you taught her much in the ways of life? I bet you have, must have been nice breaking her in. You really shouldn't let such a pretty thing walk all alone. It was all too easy to grab her; she's nothing without her battoussai after all. I will see you down by the river where you fought that Sanza-baka, in three days at 10:00 am, if you don't show up I will break the fingers on her hands like you did mine and she won't ever be able to hold a shinai again.
"Gohei, that son of a Bitch," I should have known. Sano shook his head
in disbelief.
Yahiko looked confused; "there's something I don't get, if he had planned
on taking Kaoru why didn't he take her?"
They thought about it as they kept walking.
"Maybe something went wrong with his plan," Tae offered.
"I think you're right Tae, I think he only meant to kidnap Jou-chan. She
must have struggled and fell or maybe he hit her too hard on the head and cut
her. Either way, the bastard is a coward; he must have taken of as soon as he
saw all the blood. He knew what he had done and what Kenshin would do in
return." They stopped in front of the dojo. "We don't mention anything
about the notes understood," Sano waited for their answer but it didn't
come. They weren't looking at him but behind him. He felt sick all of a sudden
"What notes?" The tone was chilling in its intensity
*************
I really do hope this chapter is enough to hold you over for a bit. My hands
hurt, so I won't type for a day or so. I hope I haven't disappointed anyone.
I thank all of those who are still reviewing. Thanks for the support.
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Owari