Rurouni Kenshin: The Price of Revenge
Chapter 2: Information
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Koaru: I'm in this chapter! Yay!!
YnR: *deadpan* Yes, let us all rejoice and be glad.
Kaoru: Evil aurthoress. *glares*
YnR: Let's get on with this, shall we?
Kenshin: Please.
===
A person, small in stature, slight in build, crouched over the laundry. One would have thought the person was a female, what with the long, red hair and clear violet eyes. At least they would have been clear, had it not been for a slight shadow in their deepest depths. But to all passerby, the person looked concentrated and at peace, washing the day's laundry.
But Kenshin was not at peace. He was trying to remember why the name Tabano sounded so familiar. A memory was whispering in his ear, teasing his mind's eye, but he just couldn't grasp it.
Finally, with an irritated sigh, he shoved the line of thought into the far recesses of his mind for later consideration. He turned his full attention to the laundry. He didn't have long to wait, though, as Yahiko, Kaoru and Sanosuke appeared in the dojo entrance.
"It wasn't MY fault!" Sano shouted, glaring angrily at Yahiko.
"It was TOO!" Yahiko returned.
"You were the one who started it!"
"You were the one who tripped!"
"You were the one who tried to kill me with your shinai*!"
"You were the one who threw the first punch!"
"You were the one who ripped the fabric!"
"You were the one who crashed into the vegetable stand!"
"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!" they shouted at the same time, then turned away from each other. Kenshin sweatdropped.
"Kaoru-dono, what are they talking about?" he asked politely to the third member, who shook her head sadly.
"They're arguing about an incident that means we have no money left," she said. Kenshin raised and eyebrow. "Sano tripped over a rock and slammed into Yahiko, who then started to bash Sano on the head, and then Sano punched Yahiko back into a tofu stand, and then Yahiko came back barreling into Sano. Sano was off balance and crashed into a vegetable stand, and then then he got up he threw Yahiko into a fabric stand, where Yahiko ripped the fabric. After that, I interceded and paid for the ripped and destroyed products."
Kenshin winced. That meant no more laundry detergent. They were beginning to run out "So you don't have any money left?" he hazarded.
"That's right," she said. Kenshin's shoulders slumped.
"Why don't we all go into the dojo and have lunch?" Kenshin asked. Sano and Yahiko looked up hopefully. Sano was the first to start, but Yahiko ran past him, purposely shoving the ex-gangster out of the way.
"Yahiko" Sano growled.
"Sanosuke," Kenshin said quickly, feeling another fight on the horizon, "I need to talk to you in private."
"Sure Kenshin," Sano replied, eyes on Yahiko as he entered the dining room. "After I beat up the brat."
"No, Sano, now," Kenshin said with a tone that brooked no argument.
"But Kenshin" Sano whined. Kenshin stared at Sano. Sano sighed and gave in. "Lead the way."
Sano followed Kenshin into a room that was separate enough from the dining room so that they wouldn't be heard, and sat down.
"What do you want to talk about?" Sano asked.
"Have you ever heard of Kitairu Tabano?" Kenshin replied.
"The Kitairu Tabano? Why do you want to know about her?" Sano asked, confused.
"Tell me what you know about her," Kenshin said, not really answering the question. Sano shrugged.
"She's a thief," he said. "She's the best of the best. She carries a katana and even though she's made numerous break-ins, the police have never caught her. What she steals, she sells on the black market for a hefty sum. The strange thing is that she's never killed a man, not even a policeman or a guard. She knows all the vital points, where to strike to kill, but she's never actually killed. Mortally wounded, yes, but those wounded never die. They may be crippled or paralyzed, but never dead."
"Never dead," Kenshin murmured.
"Why the interest?" Sano asked.
"Hm? Oh, nothing. Nothing at all" Kenshin said absently.
"You're hiding something, aren't you?" Sano said, more of a statement than a question. He got right up into Kenshin's face. "Kenshin?"
"Nothing, really!" Kenshin assured, raising his hands up in defeat and a gesture of innocence. "Why don't we go have lunch?"
"Lunch?" Sano asked, blinking, all thought of Kitairu Tabano gone from his mind. "YEAH!"
He raced out of the room, Kenshin following him at a more sedate pace. "Kitairu Tabanowhat are you hiding?"
= = =
Kaoru: This gonna be one of those cliché bad-girl-turns-good stories?
YnR: NO! O'course not.
Kaoru: *glare*
YnR: Fine, fine, you caught me. Maybe I'll change it though.
Kaoru: Yeah, right.
Sano: Now Jou-chan, that's not very nice.
Kaoru: *glares*
Sano: *gulps and leaves*
*shinai: a bamboo practice sword, what he always carries around.
~*YnR*~
[RSA: Random Shameless Advertising: Go read "Dead or Alive", my Yu Yu Hakusho fic!]
