Disclaimer: Do I own Rurouni Kenshin? Hold on, let me check with my
secretary, my mystical #8 ball.. And it says.. 'In your dreams'.. Why you
little. (throws agaisnt wall).. So as you can see, I don't own RK. wish as
I might.. I never will.. BUT I CAN DREAM!!!
Authors notes (PLEASE READ!): Okay, before you read this chapter I wasn't sure if during the Bakamatsu (or however you spell it), if the Oniwabanshu was with or against the Ishin Shishi. But since this is an Alternate Universe fic and it takes place with the characters back during the war, I decided I could make it that the Oniwabanshu was neutral. meaning they were on neither side. I know I should know this but I don't. if any of you out there know, would you mind mailing me to let me know? But that's how it's going in this fic, and if it's wrong, oh well, it's the only way I can get this to work. Thanx for reading!
~Coming of the Dawn~
***Chapter 3- Imperial Gains***
Kaoru didn't know why she wasn't fighting, yelling, or screaming her heart out. The worst that could happen was he'd kill her. Why should she listen to his rules anyway? He was the Battousai. The cold hearted, blood lusting, merciless killer.
But then again, he had offered mercy to her.
She was so confused. She didn't understand why he wouldn't just kill her. What did she have to offer to the Ishin Shishi?
Before she realized what had happened, she was sitting on a cold floor and listening to a door shut and lock. She looked around the room. It was apparently a room at an Inn, for it was so small and she could see from the window that they were high up. But hadn't she just been taken from the Aoiya about. 10 minutes ago?!
"Where are we?" she asked suddenly, not really realizing she had asked such a blunt question.
Battousai looked at her with amber eyes, wondering why in the world she would have asked that. Wasn't it obvious?
"We're at an Inn." He responded coldly, busying himself with setting up a futon for his 'guest'.
She looked around. "No, I mean what part of town are we in?"
"The outskirts." He responded after he finished setting the futon up and had thrown a blanket on it.
Kaoru looked over at the Battousai, trying to get a good look at his size. She was surprised to see he was no bigger than she. If anything, they were nearly the same height. He was short. She laughed inwardly. How could someone so small be so deadly? She didn't understand it. He had to be lying to her.
But then again, how many red headed men, or let alone people, populated the cities and villages in Japan?
He looked over at her and noticed she was trying to figure out something. He ignored that and pointed to the futon when he got up.
"You can sleep there." He stated, walking away with his katana, and leaning up against the wall next to the door, leaning his katana on his shoulder and bowing his head.
She gave him a quizzical look. "Aren't you going to sleep?"
"What does it look like I'm trying to do?" he asked, his words laced in venom and anger.
She didn't flinch though. "That's got to be uncomfortable."
"Just go to sleep." he stated, trying to be quiet so that she would follow in the suit and sleep. If he was lucky he could get in 4 hours tonight.
She didn't lay on the futon, but she walked over to him and sat down in front of him.
"Why aren't you sleeping on the futon?" she asked.
His head shot up and his amber eyes burned into her sapphire ones. That scared her and she backed off until she sat on the futon.
"Because I'm being kind and letting you." He growled. "Can't you just sleep? I don't want to talk."
He bowed his head again.
Kaoru huffed. Well, he sure is MEAN enough to be hitokiri, she thought to herself before she laid down on the futon and covered herself with the blankets.
********* *********
Misao found herself waking up to noise around her home. She looked out the window at the sun. She groaned, knowing it was still early. But the noise and bustle outside her room was bugging her. She got up and changed, then walked out to see what all the commotion was about. She found everyone in the kitchen, looking at a piece of paper with a message on it. It seemed that everyone had either a grave or serious look on their face as they went over the paper, mumbling to each other.
"What's going on!" Misao screamed, looking to see if she had grabbed anyone's attention. "Hello, what you are guys doing? What's going on?"
"Kaoru's missing." Said Omasu.
Misao immediately blended into the crowd around the note. It seemed to her like Okina was trying to read it.
"Okay, hold on everyone, I'll read." Okina stated.
'As you probably all know, this woman has seen me kill. I can't just let that sit lightly. I have to silence her. But I'm willing to make you a bargain, if you are willing to except. If your group, the Oniwabanshu, agrees to help the Ishin Shishi with matters simply as scouting and spying, I will spare her life. But, she will have to stay with me in order for me to be certain she doesn't go rat to anyone else about what she saw. That is my offer. If you try to help her escape, she's as good as dead. It's your call. Respond to this by tomorrow night, and leave the message near the outskirts of town. I will retrieve it there and then that will decide the fate of your friend.'
Okina looked at everyone.
"Battousai." Aoshi stated, looking at no one in particular as it appeared as if he had zoned out.
"We can't help him!" someone objected. "We may be neutral but we'd be better off helping the other side than helping him!"
"But it's Kaoru!" Misao countered. "Any good swordsman would stay by his word, and I happen to believe the Battousai would."
Everyone started to argue, forgetting that the decision was really up to Aoshi. He was the leader. So his decision was final.
He thought about Misao. Misao and Kaoru were like sisters. If Kaoru died, he didn't want to think of what Misao would do or be like. Kaoru was like family to everyone there in the Aoiya. This was a hard decision. They had always said they would stay neutral during this war. But it seemed as if now they were running out of choices.
Aoshi continued to think. Could he trust the Battousai with something like this? For some reason he felt he could. If he couldn't, wouldn't he have already killed her? He wouldn't be holding her hostage if he wasn't willing to spare her life. They would have all woken up to see her drenched in blood and lying on her futon if he hadn't been willing to spare her life for this help they could provide. Aoshi found himself thinking as if he was in someone else's shoes. He saw all the downsides to this. But, the upside was that Kaoru would be safe, and maybe they could get protection from the imperialists.
"I will make the decision." Aoshi's voice boomed.
Everyone quieted down, each with their own expression on their face. Okina looked to the leader, his trust for him showing through. If anyone could come with a decision as what do with this situation it was Aoshi.
"I will mediate for a few hours, and then I will tell you what I believe we should do about this. And once my decision is made, I don't want anyone complaining." Aoshi stated as he walked out of the room, ready to mediate.
************
************
Battousai waited at the outskirts of town. When he saw the familiar figure and felt the familiar ki of the Oniwabanshu leader, he watched. He placed a piece of paper down and then turned to leave. Battousai waited until he was out of range and then he swooped down and quickly picked up the paper, running back to the Inn before he opened it. He was just as curious about this as he was sure Kaoru would be once she found out about it.
It didn't take him long to get back to the Inn. He stormed into the room, and sat there, waiting for Kaoru to finish the duties she had been assigned to do around the Inn to pay her keep. He would wait for her before he opened it.
Soon enough Kaoru was there, tired by the looks of it. She sat down on the futon, which seemed to be the only place he allowed her to be. She had been glad when he had told her earlier that day that he would arrange for her to stay in a downstairs room, but disheartened when she heard that people would be guarding to her to be sure she didn't try to escape.
Before she looked up from where she was looking, Battousai stood over her. "Now we will see if you are of as much use to the Ishin Shishi as I thought you would be."
Kaoru jumped at his voice. She hadn't even noticed that he was in the room when she had walked in.
Battousai opened the letter.
'We accept your proposal, Battousai. When one of out family is in trouble, we will do what it takes to protect them. Give us instructions when we need them.'
He looked at her. "Yes, you were of help just as I thought."
She was confused. "What do you mean?"
"The Oniwabanshu is willing to help us to insure your safety." He responded. "Tomorrow you will have a room downstairs."
And with that he left, his katana in hand, to tell his boss of the agreement from the Oniwabanshu and to take care of that nights assassination he had been assigned.
Author's Notes: This is going by slower than I thought.. The chapters are so short! I'm trying my best to make this longer but it's just not working it seems. Please review and let me know what you all think! Please? It will make me happy! 0_~
Luv,
Crystal Renee
Authors notes (PLEASE READ!): Okay, before you read this chapter I wasn't sure if during the Bakamatsu (or however you spell it), if the Oniwabanshu was with or against the Ishin Shishi. But since this is an Alternate Universe fic and it takes place with the characters back during the war, I decided I could make it that the Oniwabanshu was neutral. meaning they were on neither side. I know I should know this but I don't. if any of you out there know, would you mind mailing me to let me know? But that's how it's going in this fic, and if it's wrong, oh well, it's the only way I can get this to work. Thanx for reading!
~Coming of the Dawn~
***Chapter 3- Imperial Gains***
Kaoru didn't know why she wasn't fighting, yelling, or screaming her heart out. The worst that could happen was he'd kill her. Why should she listen to his rules anyway? He was the Battousai. The cold hearted, blood lusting, merciless killer.
But then again, he had offered mercy to her.
She was so confused. She didn't understand why he wouldn't just kill her. What did she have to offer to the Ishin Shishi?
Before she realized what had happened, she was sitting on a cold floor and listening to a door shut and lock. She looked around the room. It was apparently a room at an Inn, for it was so small and she could see from the window that they were high up. But hadn't she just been taken from the Aoiya about. 10 minutes ago?!
"Where are we?" she asked suddenly, not really realizing she had asked such a blunt question.
Battousai looked at her with amber eyes, wondering why in the world she would have asked that. Wasn't it obvious?
"We're at an Inn." He responded coldly, busying himself with setting up a futon for his 'guest'.
She looked around. "No, I mean what part of town are we in?"
"The outskirts." He responded after he finished setting the futon up and had thrown a blanket on it.
Kaoru looked over at the Battousai, trying to get a good look at his size. She was surprised to see he was no bigger than she. If anything, they were nearly the same height. He was short. She laughed inwardly. How could someone so small be so deadly? She didn't understand it. He had to be lying to her.
But then again, how many red headed men, or let alone people, populated the cities and villages in Japan?
He looked over at her and noticed she was trying to figure out something. He ignored that and pointed to the futon when he got up.
"You can sleep there." He stated, walking away with his katana, and leaning up against the wall next to the door, leaning his katana on his shoulder and bowing his head.
She gave him a quizzical look. "Aren't you going to sleep?"
"What does it look like I'm trying to do?" he asked, his words laced in venom and anger.
She didn't flinch though. "That's got to be uncomfortable."
"Just go to sleep." he stated, trying to be quiet so that she would follow in the suit and sleep. If he was lucky he could get in 4 hours tonight.
She didn't lay on the futon, but she walked over to him and sat down in front of him.
"Why aren't you sleeping on the futon?" she asked.
His head shot up and his amber eyes burned into her sapphire ones. That scared her and she backed off until she sat on the futon.
"Because I'm being kind and letting you." He growled. "Can't you just sleep? I don't want to talk."
He bowed his head again.
Kaoru huffed. Well, he sure is MEAN enough to be hitokiri, she thought to herself before she laid down on the futon and covered herself with the blankets.
********* *********
Misao found herself waking up to noise around her home. She looked out the window at the sun. She groaned, knowing it was still early. But the noise and bustle outside her room was bugging her. She got up and changed, then walked out to see what all the commotion was about. She found everyone in the kitchen, looking at a piece of paper with a message on it. It seemed that everyone had either a grave or serious look on their face as they went over the paper, mumbling to each other.
"What's going on!" Misao screamed, looking to see if she had grabbed anyone's attention. "Hello, what you are guys doing? What's going on?"
"Kaoru's missing." Said Omasu.
Misao immediately blended into the crowd around the note. It seemed to her like Okina was trying to read it.
"Okay, hold on everyone, I'll read." Okina stated.
'As you probably all know, this woman has seen me kill. I can't just let that sit lightly. I have to silence her. But I'm willing to make you a bargain, if you are willing to except. If your group, the Oniwabanshu, agrees to help the Ishin Shishi with matters simply as scouting and spying, I will spare her life. But, she will have to stay with me in order for me to be certain she doesn't go rat to anyone else about what she saw. That is my offer. If you try to help her escape, she's as good as dead. It's your call. Respond to this by tomorrow night, and leave the message near the outskirts of town. I will retrieve it there and then that will decide the fate of your friend.'
Okina looked at everyone.
"Battousai." Aoshi stated, looking at no one in particular as it appeared as if he had zoned out.
"We can't help him!" someone objected. "We may be neutral but we'd be better off helping the other side than helping him!"
"But it's Kaoru!" Misao countered. "Any good swordsman would stay by his word, and I happen to believe the Battousai would."
Everyone started to argue, forgetting that the decision was really up to Aoshi. He was the leader. So his decision was final.
He thought about Misao. Misao and Kaoru were like sisters. If Kaoru died, he didn't want to think of what Misao would do or be like. Kaoru was like family to everyone there in the Aoiya. This was a hard decision. They had always said they would stay neutral during this war. But it seemed as if now they were running out of choices.
Aoshi continued to think. Could he trust the Battousai with something like this? For some reason he felt he could. If he couldn't, wouldn't he have already killed her? He wouldn't be holding her hostage if he wasn't willing to spare her life. They would have all woken up to see her drenched in blood and lying on her futon if he hadn't been willing to spare her life for this help they could provide. Aoshi found himself thinking as if he was in someone else's shoes. He saw all the downsides to this. But, the upside was that Kaoru would be safe, and maybe they could get protection from the imperialists.
"I will make the decision." Aoshi's voice boomed.
Everyone quieted down, each with their own expression on their face. Okina looked to the leader, his trust for him showing through. If anyone could come with a decision as what do with this situation it was Aoshi.
"I will mediate for a few hours, and then I will tell you what I believe we should do about this. And once my decision is made, I don't want anyone complaining." Aoshi stated as he walked out of the room, ready to mediate.
************
************
Battousai waited at the outskirts of town. When he saw the familiar figure and felt the familiar ki of the Oniwabanshu leader, he watched. He placed a piece of paper down and then turned to leave. Battousai waited until he was out of range and then he swooped down and quickly picked up the paper, running back to the Inn before he opened it. He was just as curious about this as he was sure Kaoru would be once she found out about it.
It didn't take him long to get back to the Inn. He stormed into the room, and sat there, waiting for Kaoru to finish the duties she had been assigned to do around the Inn to pay her keep. He would wait for her before he opened it.
Soon enough Kaoru was there, tired by the looks of it. She sat down on the futon, which seemed to be the only place he allowed her to be. She had been glad when he had told her earlier that day that he would arrange for her to stay in a downstairs room, but disheartened when she heard that people would be guarding to her to be sure she didn't try to escape.
Before she looked up from where she was looking, Battousai stood over her. "Now we will see if you are of as much use to the Ishin Shishi as I thought you would be."
Kaoru jumped at his voice. She hadn't even noticed that he was in the room when she had walked in.
Battousai opened the letter.
'We accept your proposal, Battousai. When one of out family is in trouble, we will do what it takes to protect them. Give us instructions when we need them.'
He looked at her. "Yes, you were of help just as I thought."
She was confused. "What do you mean?"
"The Oniwabanshu is willing to help us to insure your safety." He responded. "Tomorrow you will have a room downstairs."
And with that he left, his katana in hand, to tell his boss of the agreement from the Oniwabanshu and to take care of that nights assassination he had been assigned.
Author's Notes: This is going by slower than I thought.. The chapters are so short! I'm trying my best to make this longer but it's just not working it seems. Please review and let me know what you all think! Please? It will make me happy! 0_~
Luv,
Crystal Renee