A Wandering Soul/ A vicious Capture

Chapter 8:

A little girl and her village!

Kenji watched in horror as Kenshin examined the little girl. He felt in his stomach a gut-wrenching knot of agonizing pain. It was really horrible seeing a small child in total misery as it must have been in. he couldn't even imagine what had done this to her, most likely thieves. He walked up closer to Kenshin and the child. Kenshin kept his eyes on the child never once looking up at him; it made Kenji feel very weird. His father barely even knew this child, yet he acted as if he had lost one of his own. Kenji kneeled down next to him and the child.

" Is she dead?" he choked out in total disarray. He wasn't sure what to believe at this point, he just hoped that the child was okay. Kenshin still kept his man slayer eyes on the young child.

" She's okay, this isn't even her own blood that it most certainly is not," he said in his deep cold samurai voice. That voice he couldn't even begin to describe it quite right. No other would possess that voice except a true manslayer of the revolution. He truly was the Hitokiri Battousai that everyone made him out to be, but even so, that still doesn't mean he is a great caring person that everyone makes him out as. * I don't care if he's a true manslayer or not, he still deserves to rot in hell for what he did to my mother. I will never forgive him. * He soon shook his head of the antagonizing thoughts of his father.

" If it's not her blood then whose is it?" he asked vaguely keeping all emotions inside. Kenshin clenched his fists tightly as he picked the child up from the ground. Both Kenshin's eye's were still a deep yellow for the time being then as he stared his son in the eye's it slowly faded away into a calm magenta.

" Take the child, I have to go save the village." Kenji accepted the child with no inquiries made. Even so, he still didn't understand the part about saving the village.

" What do you mean save the village?" he asked in a fluster.

" This child's village is under attack, I can smell the blood from here I must go. That I most certainly do." He said as he readied himself to run. His father was going to leave his mother once more; they weren't supposed to be making pit stops on a hunch. He grabbed his father's kimono tightly before he could make his clean get away.

" Hold on a second your not going anywhere." He said coldly. Kenshin looked over his shoulder eyes wide open.

Kaoru walked silently across the docks with Hiroshi. She kept her demeanor straight not allowing anyone to suspect something from her. Hiroshi had told her that if she screamed for help then he would kill anyone who heard. Hiroshi had his arm locked around hers not allowing her to get away. Although she really wanted to yell for help, she wouldn't for the sake and well being of everyone around her. She hated meaningless slaughter and wouldn't allow anyone to get kill because of her stupidity. She sighed heavily to herself; she really hoped that everyone was doing okay with out her. She smiled inwardly; She pondered that one for a while. Yahiko was probably frantically looking around the dojo for food. He probably didn't even know she was gone and most likely he didn't care. She just hoped that he was taking care of things around the dojo while she was gone. He face became sad somewhat; the thought of Kenji soon entered her mind. He was still just a young boy, granted he was a very strong and smart young man but still, he was just human although he would act otherwise. He still cried and hurt just like every human person should. Though she knew he tried to hide it from her desperately, she could feel his pain inside her soul; she did give birth to him after all. Her eyes were suddenly pulled from her thoughts when she saw Saitou patrolling the area.

Kenshin ripped his kimono out of his son's grasp. He then gazed up at his son blankly.

" What are you trying to do?" he asked coldly. Just what was his son trying to prove?

" You're not going anywhere, we're saving my mother and that's all were going to do." He stated simple and plain without any confusion. Kenji opened his eye's wide with disdain.

" How could you even think about doing anything else, when my mom could be dead! You were supposed to come along only to save her." He laughed coldly. " Looks like your going to run away again, how typical of you." Kenshin glared at his son deeply. How could he think that of him, he would never let her down, nor would he run away from her when she's in trouble!

" Kenji, I would never run away from your mother, not when she's in trouble or in need of me." He them grinned at him.

" You just don't under stand but hopefully someday you will." He stated hopefully. Kenji began to growl at him.

" What don't I understand, what that you're a piece of trash?" He replied in disarray. Kenshin just smiled at him solemnly.

" You don't understand... if I don't help this village out, Kaoru would never forgive me." He then looked away from him.

" Take care of that child, I will meet you in Kyoto until then know that I'm counting on you." He said as began to walk off only to be stopped by Kenji's voice.

" Wait," he said vaguely. Kenshin came to an utter stop. He didn't know what his son wanted now he had thought that he had made himself perfectly clear.

" Kenji I told you..." Before he could finish his statement Kenji had cut him off.

" I know what you said and, your not going anywhere without me." Kenji smiled devilishly. " Besides I wouldn't want let my mom down and let you get killed, you don't use a sword anymore remember." Kenshin still didn't face him but his eyes were wide open in shock. His son might have learned something and is willing to get along, and besides that hunch he didn't use a sword anymore so, he would need his sons help.

" Fine, hurry up, we have to hurry. That we do." He smiled as he once more used his godlike speed to get to the village.

Kenji had no idea why he had just done what he had done; it was like a sudden impulsive decision. He didn't know why he allowed his father to leave his mother again, he just guess it had something to do with what he had said about her never forgiving him if he let that village and it's people down. It was too late now to go back, he would just have to follow him. He looked down at the unconscious child in his arms. She was a very cute child in fact she was so adorable he couldn't help but smile at her. He was happy that all that blood on her wasn't her own that meant she was going to be okay. The only thing that really bugged him was how the blood had made his way onto her sweet innocent tiny body. Enough thinking, it was time now to get going. He held the child close and very secure. He was going to be running fast and he didn't want anything to happen to the small girl in his arms. With the adjustments made he then used his god-like speed close to his fathers and followed his tracks. He just hoped that he would be able to catch up to his father in time.

Kaoru didn't know what to do. Saitou was in plain view of her; if he saw her maybe, he would help. She wasn't sure if he would help her but it was worth a try. The only problem was that if she announced her presence then Hiroshi would kill all that heard. She then caught a glimpse of a small Kimono store; she then got an idea.

" Hiroshi," she whispered for only his ears. He looked down upon her with curiosity.

" What is it?" he asked calmly not to stir up some glances from the people around them.

" Don't you think it might be a good idea to get me some new clothes so no one will recognize me." She asked hopefully. He then looked at her in deep thought.

" There's a small Kimono hut over there." She pointed in the direction of the shop. Thankfully, enough Saitou was standing near by it and thankfully, enough he agreed to her proposal.

" Fine." He then jerked her in the direction of the Kimono hut. When they were there, a very nice young woman came out to their aid.

" What can I do for you on this fine evening?" Kaoru didn't listen to her to say the least. Instead, she kept focus of Saitou, if she were ever going to make an escape now would be the time. Hiroshi looked at her curiously.

" Which one do you want?" Not caring she answered.

" Why don't you pick for me." He nodded and turned back to the woman of the hut. It was time now, time to get Saitou to notice her. She thought of the best way to get him to notice her. She backed up towards him and fell over next to him. Saitou took the time to look down at her; she lifted her head up to him.

" Raccoon girl, is that you?" she smiled inwardly as her plan had worked.

Kenji had finally caught up to Kenshin. He was just standing there like a statue. Once he had stood next to him to see what had done this to him, he also turned to stone at the sight before him. It was horrible, homes and buildings were on fire and people's screams could be heard all over.

" What on earth has done this to them?" He asked his already angered father curiously.

" It's not what it's who? And we're about to find out." He said as he started to venture down through the village. Kenji soon followed him.

The village was worn, all the house and huts destroyed. There were bodies everywhere and people screaming and crying as they ran away. It was clear now that village was being under attack. The little girl in Kenji's arms began to squirm slightly. He stopped in his place breathing in some air without exhaling.

" I think she's waking up." Kenshin turned in shock to look at the moving child. He made his way towards them with a look of hope. The young girl's eye's slowly opened; she looked up at Kenji with pained expressions.

" Mommy, daddy." She cried out softly. She gasped heavily as her eyes gazed deeply into Kenji.

" Ah…" the child moaned. Her eyes slowly lingered away from him to what he did not know. The child then squirmed out of his arms to the ground. His eye's opened wide as she climbed into the arms of a dead women and man.

" Mommy, Daddy, come back I need you." She cried in pain. The child had little bits of beaded tears clinging to her soft face. His heart just about stopped in that moment. Seeing her sad really bugged him. He then sat down next to her. Kenshin just stood near and watched.

" Is this your mother and father?" he questioned her calmly, not to scare to more tears. The little girl gasped with a minor shutter.

" My mommy and daddy are gone…to heaven… I'm scared," she said breathing heavily from crying. Kenji scooted closer to her. His eyes were filled with tenderness something, which he had not expressed in a long time.

" Your mommy and daddy are going to better place and you don't have to be scared or afraid because even though there gone they will always be watching you from afar." he stated truthfully with care. The little girl smiled innocently making his heart skip a beat. She then stood from her dead parents, standing there for only a moment's time she then ran to Kenji arms wide open. When the embrace finally connected, he gasped his eyes shot open wide in shock only for a minute as it had simmered down into a soft gentle loving smile. He then accepted her gesture and hugged her back firmly.

" You will be okay as long as you believe you will be." he persuaded trying to make her feel better about her situation. He didn't understand why he was doing what he was doing, he just had too, her smile melted away some of the ice in his heart allowing some of his better emotions to shine through and because of that factor he was able to feel a caring emotion for her. The little girl let go of him solemnly with a delicate smile. He in return smiled back. Kenshin finally after their moment was over sat down next them.

" What is your name?" He asked. The little girl became somewhat frighten of him and hid behind Kenji. Kenji and Kenshin both looked at each other with utter confusion.

" What's wrong?" Kenji asked the little girl curiously. The small child peaked slowly from behind him, gazing up at him with dreadful eye's to which he didn't want to see on the innocent child.

" He's evil man… killed my mommy and daddy." She choked out in bits and pieces. Kenji then turned to his father in disarray, he hadn't quite figured out just what happened. When it finally sunk into his mind his grew with more confusion. He knew that although his father had his faults many to which he wanted him dead for but murdering innocent people wasn't one of them.

" Um I think you got it wrong." he smiled at her. " You see this man right here is a major chicken and couldn't hurt a fly not even if he tried." he explained to her happily. The little girl began to laugh for the first time since he had met her. Kenji then turned to look at his father who had an exceptionally sour look in his eyes.

" Not harming the innocent is not being cowardly." he then held his index fingers up. " The ones who would be a coward are those people who kill. That they would." Kenji began to laugh to his own surprise.

" You don't know how ridiculous you just looked." he laughed happily. He then did something that he hadn't done for such a long time... he mimicked him.

" You were all like." he scrunched his eye's up sourly and then in a deep voice. " Not killing the innocent isn't cowardly." he then pointed his finger up as his father had done so before him.

" If anyone's a coward it's the clouds. Am I right?" he said mockingly as he cracked up once more. The young girl also succumbed to his laughter and giggled herself.

Kenshin began to laugh hysterically, his son had just made fun of him and it was actually funny. He then realized what just had happened, him and his son had just shared there first father son moment it such along time; his heart skipped a beat at that thought. He felt so happy at the moment he wished that it would always be that way, but knew that it probably wouldn't last long none gets over a grudge that easily.

Kenji had no understanding of what just had happened either and didn't care to reflect on it right now. He was still to busy laughing his head off at his stupid joke. The little girl sat in his lap like a sudden impulse he quit laughing to look down at her. The small child then looked up at him then at Kenshin with a complete smile.

" Sakura." she stated simply. They both gave her a look of sheer bafflement. " You asked me my name, its Sakura," she stated once more. They both lost their confusion.

" Oh that a pretty name." They both replied in unison. Kenji gulp has he and Kenshin stared into each other's eyes and quickly turned away. Kenji then returned his gaze to Sakura as she had told him her name.

" So what happened to your village?" he questioned curiously. Sakura frowned in displeasure.

" They destroyed it." She said with trickling down her cheek. Kenji's eyes grew smaller.

" Tell me what exactly happened? Who destroyed your village?" he interrogated her. The little girl shut her eyes and sighed.

" The evil bad men came and burned the village down everyone ran and they killed them all as they came to them." she paused looking over to her mother and father. " Mommy tried to save me when bad man tried to take me away and they killed her then daddy got really mad and fought them back and then they killed him to now Sakura is alone forever." She said with pained expressions. Kenji could feel his heart shatter into pieces at her sad story. He couldn't believe that people would actually do something this barbaric. His eyes grew darker in disdain, he was angry now and was thirsty, thirsty for revenge.

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Wahoo I updated FINALLY… I hope you all aren't mad at me. I had a lot to do, to get ready for High school I'm in the 10th grade you know and they give you a lot of homework. Well anywise, I will be updating this fic every weekend I hope you won't be mad at this little factor. Well any who, JA NE.