And onward we go....
Remember, I'm not profiting financially from this little story, so you can't sue me. :-P
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When Kenshin awoke the next morning he was immediately bombarded with a flood of emotions: first was the shock that inevitably occurs when you awaken to find yourself naked and in the arms of a man who is equally lacking in clothes; next was a sort of pleasant embarrassment as the events from the night before played back through his head; thirdly he was suffused with a feeling of longing as Kenshin whished that he could stay there forever with his back pressed tight against Sano's chest and inhaling the surprisingly pleasant scents of sweat and sex; finally, a terrible sadness washed over Kenshin and banished all other emotions as he realized he could not, no matter how much he longed for it to be true.
Carefully, so as not to awaken the still-slumbering Sanosuke, Kenshin lifted his companion's arm and quickly slid out of Sano's grasp. Then, as quietly as possible, he searched the interior of Sano's apartment for his clothing. Since the one-roomed structure consisted entirely of a raised floor with a futon in the center, a small stove in the corner and some shelving on the walls, one would assume that it is very hard to loose something in Sanosuke's apartment. However, for Kenshin it proved to be to the contrary and it took some time to locate all the clothing he'd lost in the course of the night, the task taking even longer than normal because of his determination not to wake Sano. He never was able to find one of his socks; he'd just have to do without it.
Wearing just his kimono, Kenshin gathered his long red hair into his fist and fastened it into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, all the while asking himself what the devil possessed him to even visit Sanosuke in the first place, never mind actually getting into bed with him. When he'd first realized that he'd somehow ended up at Sano's doorstep, Kenshin had fooled himself with the idea that he'd come to ask Sanosuke's forgiveness for what he was being forced to do. It was, after all, only proper when breaking.
But when he looked into Sano's dark eyes, somehow Kenshin couldn't bring himself to say the words he'd had in mind. And when they kissed... Kenshin unconsciously licked his lips as if to taste the memory of Sano's mouth against his. It was then that Kenshin could no longer deny the true, purely selfish motive for his visit: he knew he'd probably never see his friend again, and wanted to fulfill his desires at least once before it became too late.
Kenshin tied the sash that held up his hakama around his waist and picked up his sakabatou, which sat, forlorn and forgotten, in the corner. With a final glance at Sano's prone form, he slid open the door and silently stepped down to the street below. As he slipped his feet into his sandals, Kenshin noticed an old woman sitting on the stoop of the house across the street, puffing contentedly on a pipe and giving him a very shrewd look.
Oh god, what if she heard us? Kenshin thought with a jolt of horror. After just a moment, he realized it was quite likely; it was the ever-present danger of living in a country with houses of paper. Still, custom dictated that he pretend nothing at all was going on, so Kenshin bowed deeply to the aged woman and said, "Good morning, Grandmother." The elderly woman just nodded and puffed on her pipe some more, though Kenshin didn't feel at ease until he was well out of range of her disturbingly keen gaze.
Even then, once he'd returned to the main road, Kenshin's insides felt like they were rearranging themselves. It had been three days since the party he'd attended with Sano; three days since Fushiyuuki had presented the impossible choice to Kenshin. There was no time now for turning back, for second-guessing. He'd have to carry through with his decision no matter what. At this thought, Kenshin picked up his pace a little bit in order to get back to the dojo in time; to be late for this meeting would be disastrous, to say the least.
O_O O_O O_O
Man, this bites, Yahiko thought sullenly as he scrubbed the walkways of the dojo. First Kaoru goes into a slump and refuses to leave her room, then Kenshin up and disappears on me without any explanation at all. Some nerve he has. What he didn't admit was that the reason he was so worried was because there was always the threat, no matter how insignificant, that Kenshin wouldn't come back. Nonetheless, Yahiko muttered sullenly about all the dreadful things he would say/do to the redheaded freak when he finally decided to return until a sound at the back gate made him look up. He was met with the sight of Kenshin closing the gate behind him as if nothing at all was abnormal, which sent the boy's fury climbing about twenty notches.
"Well, look who finally decides to show up!" Yahiko announced, his hands on his hips like some annoyed mother chastising her wayward child. "You've got some balls, Kenshin, to leave me like that with Kaoru acting like she is! What the hell were you doing all night, anyway?" Kenshin just gave Yahiko a look he couldn't decipher and half-walked, half-shuffled to the well. "Oi, are you even listening to me?" Yahiko demanded as Kenshin drew a bucket of water and proceeded to wash his hands. He then took a mouthful of water, sloshed it around for a bit, and spat it out in a clear stream to one side.
As Yahiko followed the path of the water through the dirt, he couldn't help but notice Kenshin's lack of one sock. "Kenshin, how did you...?" Then it all came together - the unexplained absence, the bleary eyes, the mussed-up hair, the missing articles of clothing... Yahiko's eyes widened with shock. "Holy shit, maybe I should've asked who you were doing all night! So that whole 'the fate of the world rests on my shoulders' thing yesterday was just an act?"
Kenshin just gave Yahiko another enigmatic look and dumped the remaining contents of the bucket on his head, snorting softly as the water entered his nose and shaking the excess out of his hair like a dog.
Gradually, Yahiko's shock subsided, replaced by perverse curiosity. "So who was it, huh?" he goaded. "C'mon, you can tell me. I won't say a thing to Kaoru - promise! My lips are sealed!"
His gaze clearer and more focused now, Kenshin looked down at Yahiko. "Where is Miss Kaoru?"
The question caught Yahiko off-guard, and it took a bit for him to answer. "She's still moping in bed. Why?"
Kenshin didn't answer. He plastered back his sopping bangs and said, "Yahiko, some men will be arriving shortly, that they will. Would you be so kind as to wait at the front gate and let them in when they get here?"
"Uhh... okay. Why? What's going on?"
Again, Kenshin didn't give Yahiko an answer. Instead, he turned and walked off to Kaoru's room, leaving Yahiko to wonder what in the world was going on and why the hell no one ever bothered to enlighten him.
Standing outside Kaoru's room, Kenshin softly tapped on the screen and said, "Miss Kaoru? May I come in?" Even if Kaoru had answered, he didn't wait for the response and slid the door open. Sinking to the floor a respectful distance away from where Kaoru lay on her futon, Kenshin was silent for a moment as he formulated the words he wished to say. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, "Miss Kaoru, I remembered the ending to the story I told the other day, that I have. Would you like me to tell you it?"
Only his keen senses honed by years of battle allowed Kenshin to discern the tiniest shift in Kaoru's position, which was all the affirmation he needed.
"Well, as you may remember, Tomodachi was faced with an impossible situation: turn in his best friend to the evil lord, or let the rest of the village suffer. He thought for a long, long time, until finally he realized that the lord didn't want Kakashi in particular, but he just needed someone - anyone - to blame the incident on so the lord could make an example of him in front of the rest of the villagers. With this thought in mind, Tomodachi took a deep breath and said, 'Kakashi didn't try to break into your storehouse and burn your house down; I did. I couldn't stand the terrible way you treat everyone in the village. Kakashi was the one who stopped me from doing so.'
"The lord looked at Tomodachi for a long time; he didn't believe his story one bit, even though he had no way to prove Tomodachi was lying. However, in the end the lord decided that it didn't matter as long as he had someone to blame, and he said, 'All right then. You are under arrest for plotting against me.' As the guards put Tomodachi in chains, he wasn't sad at all, but glad - glad that he was able to find a way to keep everyone he loved safe, even at his own expense." Kenshin fell silent once again, as if slowly mulling over the story he'd just told.
From outside came the sound of the front gate opening, accompanied by the voices of several men. As though this were his cue, Kenshin stood and opened the shoji-screen, letting the morning sunlight flood over Kaoru's back. "Good-bye, Miss Kaoru," he said softly, and left.
It was this last statement that finally snapped Kaoru out of her reverie. Kenshin never said good-bye unless he was truly leaving. She sat bolt upright in bed, the blankets clutched in her fist, and stared at the door he'd just passed through. "Kenshin..." That story... she realized. He must be... Not even bothering to change out of her sleeping robe, she lunged for the door and positively hurled herself down the walkway in a desperate attempt to stop Kenshin.
When she reached the front yard, Kaoru finally stopped and allowed herself to examine the situation with a few shreds of rationality. Kenshin, with Yahiko lingering off to one side, stood before four policemen. One was that terrible man Saito, the one next to him short and slim with greasy, thinning, hair and a pencil-thin mustache. "Well, well, I'm glad you finally decided to grace us with your presence, Himura-san," the mustached policeman said in a voice that immediately reminded Kaoru of a serpent. "For a moment I was afraid you'd run away."
Kenshin just nodded once in reply. Unlike Kaoru, he was virtually overjoyed at Saito's presence, for it meant the former captain of the third squad of the Shinsen-gumi was more than willing to carry out Kenshin's request. "I would never do something like that on a matter that is of so much importance, that I would not."
"Yes, quite." Fushiyuuki grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth. "So, do you have the information I requested?"
"Yes." Kenshin reached for his sakabatou, causing all the police except for Saito to tense up and put a hand on their sabers. However, instead of drawing his sword, Kenshin removed the sheathed sakabatou from his sash, knelt, and placed it on the dirt in front of him. Still kneeling, he bowed deeply and said, "I, Himura Kenshin, confess to attempting to destroy the Department of Internal Affairs. I despise the Meiji Government, as it is not the dream that I had hoped to fulfill ten years ago. Sagara-san is innocent - indeed, he is the one who prevented me from carrying out the plan. If you return to the police station, I believe you will find a handwritten testimony of a witness who wishes to remain anonymous supporting my confession."
"What?!" Yahiko burst out, unable to keep silent any longer. "What the hell are you talking about Kenshin?!"
"Quiet, boy," Saito snapped suddenly. "Those who aren't aware of the situation shouldn't try and give others advice about it."
"Well maybe I'd know what's going on if some people would bother to - "
"Yahiko..." Kenshin's voice was soft, but its effect on Yahiko and the others was more profound than all of Saito's harshness could ever be. "Please, remember what I said last night." To Fushiyuuki: "I have said all there is to say, that I have. I believe the decision is an obvious one, that I do."
"Is that so?" The corrupt policeman asked, obviously not believing a word Kenshin said. "How do I know you're not just covering for your dear friend?"
"Himura has assisted the police on numerous occasions in the apprehension of criminals, and his credibility is unrivaled in Tokyo," Saito interrupted unexpectedly. He fixed the Battousai with a meaningful look. "His word is indubitable."
Fushiyuuki turned on the taller man, his face contorted into a snarl. "No one asked you," he hissed. "According to regulations you shouldn't even be here - this isn't your case. I could have you removed from the premises immediately." Because of his obvious - and well-founded - fear of Saito, however, Fushiyuuki did nothing to carry through with his threat and just stood there and fumed.
Saito laughed scornfully. "Threaten me all you wish, it won't make any difference. However..." he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "However, I must say that it would please the head of the department if he heard that you'd managed to wrap up this case so quickly... it would save the department a lot of money, and we all know how much the Meiji government favors those who find ways to minimize the needless expenditure of administrative yen." From where he knelt on the ground, Kenshin shot his former adversary a grateful look, which Saito ignored completely.
Fushiyuuki looked up at Saito sharply. "What are you suggesting?"
"I'm not suggesting anything; just musing aloud, nothing more."
Fushiyuuki turned out to be very poor at concealing emotions, as Saito's words had an obvious effect on him. After what seemed an excruciating long time of deliberation, he grinned once more and turned to the two subordinate policemen standing at attention behind him. "Confiscate Himura's weapon and get him in chains." Turning to Kenshin, who still knelt on the ground, he said, "Himura Kenshin, you are under arrest for conspiracy against the government."
"NO!" Kaoru wailed, slumping to the floor. Until then she had stood silently, unwilling to believe that the events playing out before her were anything more than some horrible dream. But to see Kenshin's slender wrists bound by iron manacles... it was as if her very heart and soul were chained by that image.
Kenshin looked up at the sound of her voice, a look of honest surprise on his face. When he saw her sitting there in front of the practice hall he smiled, but the gesture seemed strained. "Please excuse me, Miss Kaoru," he said, as if nothing were happening at all. "I won't be able to see Tales of Genji with you, that I won't - I hope you enjoy it anyway." And with that he turned and walked out the gate as calmly as if he were going out for an afternoon stroll, totally ignoring the policemen flanking both side and the heavy metal handcuffs encircling his wrists.
Fushiyuuki, who lead the little procession, looked back briefly to see Saito standing rooted to one spot. "Aren't you coming, Inspector Fujita?" he asked, the word "inspector" pronounced like some sort of vile curse.
Saito didn't bother to look back at his fellow policemen. "Since I'm not officially on this case, I think I'll stay here and speak with the other members of the dojo for a while," he said with that infuriatingly arrogant tone.
"Suit yourself." Fushiyuuki watched with an air of immense satisfaction as the police shoved Kenshin into the back of the ironclad police wagon they so conveniently brought along. He spoke briefly to one of the two guards, who bowed and let the inspector climb into the back with the prisoner and the other guard. The metal door shut with an ominous clang, and the armored wagon rolled away, leaving Kaoru feeling more helpless than she'd ever felt before in her life.
Remember, I'm not profiting financially from this little story, so you can't sue me. :-P
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When Kenshin awoke the next morning he was immediately bombarded with a flood of emotions: first was the shock that inevitably occurs when you awaken to find yourself naked and in the arms of a man who is equally lacking in clothes; next was a sort of pleasant embarrassment as the events from the night before played back through his head; thirdly he was suffused with a feeling of longing as Kenshin whished that he could stay there forever with his back pressed tight against Sano's chest and inhaling the surprisingly pleasant scents of sweat and sex; finally, a terrible sadness washed over Kenshin and banished all other emotions as he realized he could not, no matter how much he longed for it to be true.
Carefully, so as not to awaken the still-slumbering Sanosuke, Kenshin lifted his companion's arm and quickly slid out of Sano's grasp. Then, as quietly as possible, he searched the interior of Sano's apartment for his clothing. Since the one-roomed structure consisted entirely of a raised floor with a futon in the center, a small stove in the corner and some shelving on the walls, one would assume that it is very hard to loose something in Sanosuke's apartment. However, for Kenshin it proved to be to the contrary and it took some time to locate all the clothing he'd lost in the course of the night, the task taking even longer than normal because of his determination not to wake Sano. He never was able to find one of his socks; he'd just have to do without it.
Wearing just his kimono, Kenshin gathered his long red hair into his fist and fastened it into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, all the while asking himself what the devil possessed him to even visit Sanosuke in the first place, never mind actually getting into bed with him. When he'd first realized that he'd somehow ended up at Sano's doorstep, Kenshin had fooled himself with the idea that he'd come to ask Sanosuke's forgiveness for what he was being forced to do. It was, after all, only proper when breaking.
But when he looked into Sano's dark eyes, somehow Kenshin couldn't bring himself to say the words he'd had in mind. And when they kissed... Kenshin unconsciously licked his lips as if to taste the memory of Sano's mouth against his. It was then that Kenshin could no longer deny the true, purely selfish motive for his visit: he knew he'd probably never see his friend again, and wanted to fulfill his desires at least once before it became too late.
Kenshin tied the sash that held up his hakama around his waist and picked up his sakabatou, which sat, forlorn and forgotten, in the corner. With a final glance at Sano's prone form, he slid open the door and silently stepped down to the street below. As he slipped his feet into his sandals, Kenshin noticed an old woman sitting on the stoop of the house across the street, puffing contentedly on a pipe and giving him a very shrewd look.
Oh god, what if she heard us? Kenshin thought with a jolt of horror. After just a moment, he realized it was quite likely; it was the ever-present danger of living in a country with houses of paper. Still, custom dictated that he pretend nothing at all was going on, so Kenshin bowed deeply to the aged woman and said, "Good morning, Grandmother." The elderly woman just nodded and puffed on her pipe some more, though Kenshin didn't feel at ease until he was well out of range of her disturbingly keen gaze.
Even then, once he'd returned to the main road, Kenshin's insides felt like they were rearranging themselves. It had been three days since the party he'd attended with Sano; three days since Fushiyuuki had presented the impossible choice to Kenshin. There was no time now for turning back, for second-guessing. He'd have to carry through with his decision no matter what. At this thought, Kenshin picked up his pace a little bit in order to get back to the dojo in time; to be late for this meeting would be disastrous, to say the least.
O_O O_O O_O
Man, this bites, Yahiko thought sullenly as he scrubbed the walkways of the dojo. First Kaoru goes into a slump and refuses to leave her room, then Kenshin up and disappears on me without any explanation at all. Some nerve he has. What he didn't admit was that the reason he was so worried was because there was always the threat, no matter how insignificant, that Kenshin wouldn't come back. Nonetheless, Yahiko muttered sullenly about all the dreadful things he would say/do to the redheaded freak when he finally decided to return until a sound at the back gate made him look up. He was met with the sight of Kenshin closing the gate behind him as if nothing at all was abnormal, which sent the boy's fury climbing about twenty notches.
"Well, look who finally decides to show up!" Yahiko announced, his hands on his hips like some annoyed mother chastising her wayward child. "You've got some balls, Kenshin, to leave me like that with Kaoru acting like she is! What the hell were you doing all night, anyway?" Kenshin just gave Yahiko a look he couldn't decipher and half-walked, half-shuffled to the well. "Oi, are you even listening to me?" Yahiko demanded as Kenshin drew a bucket of water and proceeded to wash his hands. He then took a mouthful of water, sloshed it around for a bit, and spat it out in a clear stream to one side.
As Yahiko followed the path of the water through the dirt, he couldn't help but notice Kenshin's lack of one sock. "Kenshin, how did you...?" Then it all came together - the unexplained absence, the bleary eyes, the mussed-up hair, the missing articles of clothing... Yahiko's eyes widened with shock. "Holy shit, maybe I should've asked who you were doing all night! So that whole 'the fate of the world rests on my shoulders' thing yesterday was just an act?"
Kenshin just gave Yahiko another enigmatic look and dumped the remaining contents of the bucket on his head, snorting softly as the water entered his nose and shaking the excess out of his hair like a dog.
Gradually, Yahiko's shock subsided, replaced by perverse curiosity. "So who was it, huh?" he goaded. "C'mon, you can tell me. I won't say a thing to Kaoru - promise! My lips are sealed!"
His gaze clearer and more focused now, Kenshin looked down at Yahiko. "Where is Miss Kaoru?"
The question caught Yahiko off-guard, and it took a bit for him to answer. "She's still moping in bed. Why?"
Kenshin didn't answer. He plastered back his sopping bangs and said, "Yahiko, some men will be arriving shortly, that they will. Would you be so kind as to wait at the front gate and let them in when they get here?"
"Uhh... okay. Why? What's going on?"
Again, Kenshin didn't give Yahiko an answer. Instead, he turned and walked off to Kaoru's room, leaving Yahiko to wonder what in the world was going on and why the hell no one ever bothered to enlighten him.
Standing outside Kaoru's room, Kenshin softly tapped on the screen and said, "Miss Kaoru? May I come in?" Even if Kaoru had answered, he didn't wait for the response and slid the door open. Sinking to the floor a respectful distance away from where Kaoru lay on her futon, Kenshin was silent for a moment as he formulated the words he wished to say. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, "Miss Kaoru, I remembered the ending to the story I told the other day, that I have. Would you like me to tell you it?"
Only his keen senses honed by years of battle allowed Kenshin to discern the tiniest shift in Kaoru's position, which was all the affirmation he needed.
"Well, as you may remember, Tomodachi was faced with an impossible situation: turn in his best friend to the evil lord, or let the rest of the village suffer. He thought for a long, long time, until finally he realized that the lord didn't want Kakashi in particular, but he just needed someone - anyone - to blame the incident on so the lord could make an example of him in front of the rest of the villagers. With this thought in mind, Tomodachi took a deep breath and said, 'Kakashi didn't try to break into your storehouse and burn your house down; I did. I couldn't stand the terrible way you treat everyone in the village. Kakashi was the one who stopped me from doing so.'
"The lord looked at Tomodachi for a long time; he didn't believe his story one bit, even though he had no way to prove Tomodachi was lying. However, in the end the lord decided that it didn't matter as long as he had someone to blame, and he said, 'All right then. You are under arrest for plotting against me.' As the guards put Tomodachi in chains, he wasn't sad at all, but glad - glad that he was able to find a way to keep everyone he loved safe, even at his own expense." Kenshin fell silent once again, as if slowly mulling over the story he'd just told.
From outside came the sound of the front gate opening, accompanied by the voices of several men. As though this were his cue, Kenshin stood and opened the shoji-screen, letting the morning sunlight flood over Kaoru's back. "Good-bye, Miss Kaoru," he said softly, and left.
It was this last statement that finally snapped Kaoru out of her reverie. Kenshin never said good-bye unless he was truly leaving. She sat bolt upright in bed, the blankets clutched in her fist, and stared at the door he'd just passed through. "Kenshin..." That story... she realized. He must be... Not even bothering to change out of her sleeping robe, she lunged for the door and positively hurled herself down the walkway in a desperate attempt to stop Kenshin.
When she reached the front yard, Kaoru finally stopped and allowed herself to examine the situation with a few shreds of rationality. Kenshin, with Yahiko lingering off to one side, stood before four policemen. One was that terrible man Saito, the one next to him short and slim with greasy, thinning, hair and a pencil-thin mustache. "Well, well, I'm glad you finally decided to grace us with your presence, Himura-san," the mustached policeman said in a voice that immediately reminded Kaoru of a serpent. "For a moment I was afraid you'd run away."
Kenshin just nodded once in reply. Unlike Kaoru, he was virtually overjoyed at Saito's presence, for it meant the former captain of the third squad of the Shinsen-gumi was more than willing to carry out Kenshin's request. "I would never do something like that on a matter that is of so much importance, that I would not."
"Yes, quite." Fushiyuuki grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth. "So, do you have the information I requested?"
"Yes." Kenshin reached for his sakabatou, causing all the police except for Saito to tense up and put a hand on their sabers. However, instead of drawing his sword, Kenshin removed the sheathed sakabatou from his sash, knelt, and placed it on the dirt in front of him. Still kneeling, he bowed deeply and said, "I, Himura Kenshin, confess to attempting to destroy the Department of Internal Affairs. I despise the Meiji Government, as it is not the dream that I had hoped to fulfill ten years ago. Sagara-san is innocent - indeed, he is the one who prevented me from carrying out the plan. If you return to the police station, I believe you will find a handwritten testimony of a witness who wishes to remain anonymous supporting my confession."
"What?!" Yahiko burst out, unable to keep silent any longer. "What the hell are you talking about Kenshin?!"
"Quiet, boy," Saito snapped suddenly. "Those who aren't aware of the situation shouldn't try and give others advice about it."
"Well maybe I'd know what's going on if some people would bother to - "
"Yahiko..." Kenshin's voice was soft, but its effect on Yahiko and the others was more profound than all of Saito's harshness could ever be. "Please, remember what I said last night." To Fushiyuuki: "I have said all there is to say, that I have. I believe the decision is an obvious one, that I do."
"Is that so?" The corrupt policeman asked, obviously not believing a word Kenshin said. "How do I know you're not just covering for your dear friend?"
"Himura has assisted the police on numerous occasions in the apprehension of criminals, and his credibility is unrivaled in Tokyo," Saito interrupted unexpectedly. He fixed the Battousai with a meaningful look. "His word is indubitable."
Fushiyuuki turned on the taller man, his face contorted into a snarl. "No one asked you," he hissed. "According to regulations you shouldn't even be here - this isn't your case. I could have you removed from the premises immediately." Because of his obvious - and well-founded - fear of Saito, however, Fushiyuuki did nothing to carry through with his threat and just stood there and fumed.
Saito laughed scornfully. "Threaten me all you wish, it won't make any difference. However..." he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "However, I must say that it would please the head of the department if he heard that you'd managed to wrap up this case so quickly... it would save the department a lot of money, and we all know how much the Meiji government favors those who find ways to minimize the needless expenditure of administrative yen." From where he knelt on the ground, Kenshin shot his former adversary a grateful look, which Saito ignored completely.
Fushiyuuki looked up at Saito sharply. "What are you suggesting?"
"I'm not suggesting anything; just musing aloud, nothing more."
Fushiyuuki turned out to be very poor at concealing emotions, as Saito's words had an obvious effect on him. After what seemed an excruciating long time of deliberation, he grinned once more and turned to the two subordinate policemen standing at attention behind him. "Confiscate Himura's weapon and get him in chains." Turning to Kenshin, who still knelt on the ground, he said, "Himura Kenshin, you are under arrest for conspiracy against the government."
"NO!" Kaoru wailed, slumping to the floor. Until then she had stood silently, unwilling to believe that the events playing out before her were anything more than some horrible dream. But to see Kenshin's slender wrists bound by iron manacles... it was as if her very heart and soul were chained by that image.
Kenshin looked up at the sound of her voice, a look of honest surprise on his face. When he saw her sitting there in front of the practice hall he smiled, but the gesture seemed strained. "Please excuse me, Miss Kaoru," he said, as if nothing were happening at all. "I won't be able to see Tales of Genji with you, that I won't - I hope you enjoy it anyway." And with that he turned and walked out the gate as calmly as if he were going out for an afternoon stroll, totally ignoring the policemen flanking both side and the heavy metal handcuffs encircling his wrists.
Fushiyuuki, who lead the little procession, looked back briefly to see Saito standing rooted to one spot. "Aren't you coming, Inspector Fujita?" he asked, the word "inspector" pronounced like some sort of vile curse.
Saito didn't bother to look back at his fellow policemen. "Since I'm not officially on this case, I think I'll stay here and speak with the other members of the dojo for a while," he said with that infuriatingly arrogant tone.
"Suit yourself." Fushiyuuki watched with an air of immense satisfaction as the police shoved Kenshin into the back of the ironclad police wagon they so conveniently brought along. He spoke briefly to one of the two guards, who bowed and let the inspector climb into the back with the prisoner and the other guard. The metal door shut with an ominous clang, and the armored wagon rolled away, leaving Kaoru feeling more helpless than she'd ever felt before in her life.