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!!!
Author's Notes: Hahahaha.. Do you know how dedicated I am to you loyal reviewers? Do you? I started this chapter BEFORE I went on vacation, and finished it AND Chapter 7 AND a one shot story while I was on vacation!!!! I did all that writing when I was stuck in a cabin with no electricity instead of swimming. It was the only thing I could do that was fun that wouldn't torture my sunburn!! Before I left I had 9 reviews- and I was gone for a week- and I have yet to check my reviews. As soon as I get the time I will try and do personal thank yous, okay?! Oh, and thanks to those of you who helped me out with what Misao's knives (kunais) and Battousai's smaller sword (wakizashi, if I spelled that right!) were called. Read the authors notes at the end for more information and clearing up on the story!!!!
~Coming of the Dawn~
***Chapter 6- Steps Forward, Steps Back***
Three weeks had passed, and Kaoru was becoming more and more bitter with Battousai. He never seemed to be NORMAL. He was always either in a meeting or bitter about something. When she did see him, he'd ignore her unless it was to bark some order at her. That really made her mad. He didn't act that way around the rest of the people at the Inn. Well, maybe he did, but not to that extent that he was with her. It was, to her, like he was purposely trying to distance himself from her.
Kaoru decided to talk to Hinoki about it. Hinoki and Tae, the cook at the Inn, listened to her while she told her story.
"Does he always have to act so cold? I swear, it's hard living in the same building with someone who never shows emotions!" Kaoru cried.
Hinoki shook her head. "He's had a hard life."
"That maybe, but he doesn't have to take it out on me." Kaoru declared. "It makes me so mad!"
"Give him time. He's always like this, you just got to get used to it. I'm saying this for your own good. Don't try and change him." Tae offered.
Kaoru looked at her with a critical eye. "Why?"
Tae didn't answer.
"It's his fault he became an assassin in the first place!!!" Kaoru cried.
Hinoki and Tae refused to look her in the eyes.
Kaoru stopped her ranting for a minute. "What?"
They didn't answer.
That peaked Kaoru's curiosity.
"What? Tell me you guys!" she urged, taking a hold of her friend's shoulders. "Tell me right now! Don't make me beat it out of you!"
Neither of her friends would budge. A vein began to pop out of Kaoru's head as her anger rose.
"You TWO TELL ME ALREADY!!!!!!" She threatened to pop if they didn't speak up.
"You won't believe us anyway." Hinoki argued.
Kaoru crossed her arms over her chest and gave her friends a look that said 'try me'.
Tae sighed. "He didn't enter this to BECOME an assassin because he wanted to. It was to pro."
"Yeah, right." Kaoru said, knowing what was going to be said before it even came out of Tae's mouth. "How could someone be so cold then?"
"Have you ever thought that maybe it's the only way he can keep sane from the regrets for each murder he does?" Hinoki suggested. "It seems very plausible to me, even if it doesn't to you. He's gotta kept his sanity somehow, and not feeling is just his way."
Kaoru looked at her friends, and saw that everything they were saying was what they knew and what they thought was true.
"I still don't think he has to take it out on me."
"Do you think it has to do with the fact you wear Tomoe's clothes and go through her things?" Tae asked.
"I need clothes, and I'm not just going to sit in my room and do nothing. If he wants stuff out of there, he can take it himself." Kaoru said, turning to continue washing the dishes made at lunch that day.
Hinoki shook her head. "For someone who's been kind to us you sure are mean when it comes to him."
"Well, he's holding me for ransom. I think you'd be mad, too." She stated. "And I'm sure none of you have seen the ruthless way in which he kills."
Tae and Hinoki hadn't known she'd seen him kill. That got their attention and they looked at Kaoru as if she was insane. Why hadn't he killed her? Besides the fact that she was being held ransom? The last person that got away with that was. was Tomoe.
"You saw him kill?" Tae stuttered, turning around from the vegetables she had been chopping.
"Yes. That's why he took me. I thought he would kill me but apparently he wanted the Oniwabanshu's help." She said, drying the dishes now.
Hinoki looked terrified. "Do you KNOW what that means, for you to have seen him KILL?"
Kaoru nodded. "I didn't like it. It was horrible."
Tae just stared. "But you lived. The last person to do that was Tomoe."
Tae covered her mouth with her hands at mentioning that. She WASN'T supposed to say that. Especially to Kaoru. Battousai had TOLD her not to specifically when he found out what room she was staying in.
Kaoru spun around and looked at Tae, and then at Hinoki. "What about Tomoe?"
***********
Kenshin stood outside the kitchen door. He had heard Kaoru start complaining about him and had listened in for the entire conversation so far. He knew Kaoru had made a mistake when she mentioned that she had seen him kill. He didn't even need Tae or Hinoki to say anything and he KNEW they were going to spill the beans about Tomoe. He gritted his teeth. More questions from that stubborn, defiant woman, he thought to himself.
Then when he heard them mention it and Tae gasp as she realized what she had said, he was filled with anger. No one could keep their mouth shut about these kinds of things. He fought the urge to just bust in there and pull Kaoru out before she asked more questions. But the thought it over, and figured the more answers she got here, the less he'd have to disagree about giving to her.
So he just sat by the door and listened.
***********
"Great job Tae!" Hinoki said, wishing she could hit her over the head with a frying pan for being so stupid.
"What about Tomoe?" Kaoru asked again, shaking her hands to get the soapy water off that she had used to wash her hands. "What about Tomoe seeing Battousai kill?"
Tae looked at Hinoki. They knew Kaoru wouldn't hesitate to make them answer her, and figured it was better than her getting her answers from an angry and peeved Battousai.
"That's why she was here. He brought her here because he couldn't kill her." Hinoki offered.
Kaoru looked at them. "So, that's completely different than why he took me."
"Actually, it's not." Tae said. "He has a vow never to kill women or children. That's why he didn't kill either of you."
Kaoru was taken aback. So that's why he really took me. not because he wanted the Oniwabanshu's help, that was just a cover up for it. She thought.That's why he told me Tomoe's death was an accident instead of just saying he killed her.
Kaoru wanted to say something, but even though her jaw was opened, no words could escape her lips. She just stared dumbfounded at her friends.
Then Battousai stormed in, glaring at Tae and Hinoki. He hadn't thought they'd tell her THAT. He took a sharp hold of Kaoru's arm and pulled out of the room, and dragged her off to her room.
He threw her down on the futon and glared down at her.
She glared back.
"You shouldn't pry into people's lives like that." He said, words dripping acid.
"You did to me!" she said. "You took me from mine!"
"I couldn't have someone running around knowing what I looked like! Just be glad that I did have that vow never to kill women or else you would have been dead there at that spot with the others!" he growled, his anger not only evident in his eyes, but his entire body radiated it.
Kaoru didn't back down. She was sick of letting him win EVERY argument they got in, just because she got scared.
"I don't care! It's hard enough living in this place with you! How can you act as if you have no emotions? That's makes everything SO DANG HARD!!!!!!!!" she screamed, her anger getting to him.
He wasn't used to that tone. It made him angier.
"Why you." he said, not noticing he had drawn his katana and was holding it up, as he always did when he was mad.
Kaoru noticed his eyes weren't amber, they were yellow and a golden color, one that scared her so much her heart stopped. But she didn't let him see that.
"There are a lot of things I could call you right now!" Kaoru screamed.
"Then call me something!" he challenged.
"Cold hearted bastard!"
"Bitch!"
"Baka bastard!" she said.
Battousai took a hold of Kaoru's hair, pulling on it so it would hurt. She didn't squeal, but her eyes showed her pain and discomfort.
Then he noticed he had the sword out.
Kenshin dropped her, then sheathed his sword. That got WAY out of hand. He thought, looking down at Kaoru and wondering what had gotten into him. Her ki was was still full of anger and was strong, like some of the men he fought with at times. He wondered shortly if she knew how to use a sword.
He backed out of the door, looking at her with steely blue eyes. Kaoru noticed that and stood up, gripping her hair and telling some tears fall, letting her pain known. He had really scared her this time, and he had even lifted her off of the floor when he had pulled on her hair. He looked shocked as he finally got to the door and ran out to the meeting room.
********** **********
"Aoshi-sama! Aoshi-sama, look!" Misao said.
It was growing dark and they were still on their scouting mission. Sano had tagged along, and Misao had to kick him and punch him a few times to get him to be quiet. Aoshi had dropped back so Misao could lead for a while, feeling like she wanted to.
Aoshi looked up and saw what Misao was seeing. A building, resembling an Inn, but Aoshi knew what it was.
"The Ishin Shishi headquarters." He whispered. "This must be where they're keeping Kaoru."
Misao looked at Aoshi with hopeful eyes. "Can we go get her, Aoshi- sama?"
Sano spoke up. "What's this about Jou-chan? You say they've got her? It better not have been that Battousai guy because I'll BEAT HIM TO THE GROUND if he lays a finger on Jou-chan!"
Misao and Aoshi glared at him. "Shush, you'll give us away you stupid roosterhead!" said Misao, in a low but controlling tone.
Sano complied and continued to follow Aoshi and Misao as they got closer to the building. He looked up and saw that the place was packed, with people in the back that were practicing various sword techniques.
"Do you think they've got a dojo in the back? Jou-chan would love that." Sano said casually.
"Shush up!" Misao instructed.
Aoshi was now ahead of Misao as they grew nearer and nearer to the Inn. He peaked around a tree. He spotted Kaoru, in the back with the sparring men. But Battousai was no where in sight. He kept his eyes peeled though. It looked to him like she was being guarded and she was arguing with whoever was supposed to be guarding her. They looked to be getting annoyed with her and angry.
***********
"Let me use a bokken! I've got to practice my Kamiya Kasshin Ryu before I forget it because of you BAKA'S who don't think I should handle a sword! If you remember, I DID come from the Oniwabanshu's house!" she argued.
"You'll try and beat you're way out." The one guard, the one who was looking very angered and frustrated, said.
She glared at him. "You really think I'm that stupid? There are way too many men with bigger, more deadly swords here. My bokken wouldn't hold up to that!"
The other guard, who was hiding his growing anger, snapped. "Listen here little missy, you ARE NOT using a bokken or any other weapon. BATTOUSAI'S orders."
Kaoru glared at him with all the power she had in her to glare. "I can't believe you!"
**********
"She's making them mad." Aoshi stated.
Misao pushed her way up next to him. "Where is she Aoshi-sama?"
Aoshi pointed over to the corner where Kaoru was being hassled by some bigger, burlier men.
"Can I throw something at them?" Misao asked, knowing that she couldn't do anything to jepordize the mission.
He shook his head.
Sano came up to see what they were looking at. He looked around the tree they were hiding behind. When he did, he saw two burly men, equipped with sword, towering over Kaoru and yelling some unintelligible words in her face. She looked on the verge of screaming some retort back.
************ ************
Kaoru looked at her two guards just as she would anyone else, but she stopped when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Rooster-like hair? And a red bandana? Part of a trench coat and a braid? All behind a tree?
"Sano! Aoshi! Misao!" Her mind screamed.
She spun out of the grip one guard had on her arm. She glared at them both. And to think, she had once thought they were nice.
************ ************
Everyone behind the tree watched as she gave out her fair share of words.
"YEAH! GO JOU-CHAN! THE TANUKI DOES IT AGAIN!" Sano cheered.
Misao hit him over the head and both she and Aoshi glared at him.
"You're going to give us away you rooster-head!" Misao hissed quietly, her eyes throwing the daggers at him since she still had yet to pull out her kunais.
************ ************
Kaoru heard her nicknames, and knew for sure it was her friends hiding behind that tree and spying. She noticed that everyone else had heard also, and were all nearing the tree at an alarming rate. She broke off in a pure sprint away, hoping to reach her friends before anyone else could.
*********** ***********
"Run!" Aoshi instructed.
Misao and Sano ran as hard as they could behind Aoshi. Misao made sure Sano knew how mad she was with him by continually smacking him in the back of the head as they ran. She didn't let up, either, even when he started to stumble from becoming disoriented.
"You're gonna make me run into a tree!" Sano complained, pulling his hands up to his head in a protective manner.
Misao growled her disapproval, and then she took a glance back, and aw a swarm of men following them. Each had at least two swords apiece. She gulped and sped up.
"Aoshi-sama! They're catching up!" Misao warned him, still trying to force her body to move faster than it was.
Aoshi didn't need her warning.
"Sano, you get into town. Misao, you follow me!" Aoshi demanded of his two counterparts as they ran for their lives.
There was no way the three of them could stand up to 50 or more men.
They split ways, Aoshi leading Misao through a maze of trees. Zigzagging their way, they finally made a good lead between them and their pursuers. They slowed down slightly, just enough to give them a chance to breath and still continue.
"Why are they chasing us?" Misao breathed heavily as she ran. "We are working for them!"
********** **********
Kaoru ran when she noticed that Aoshi, Misao, and Sano were fleeing the scene.
"Sano! Misao!" she screamed, her voice pleading. "Aosh.... oomph!"
Kaoru felt hands grab her ankles. She fell face first to the ground, not getting a chance to catch her fall. Her chin hit a rock hard, pain shooting through her head. She had bit her tongue at that moment, and she could taste the blood where her teeth had cut through it slightly.
She kicked at her assailant, and they let go. Kaoru scrambled back to her feet while saying a few choice words. Then she started to run, despite the pain in her knees from her fall.
This time the person grabbed her by the waist, and threw her down to the ground, making her land on her back. She landed on the same rock as before, and she squealed in pain as it hit on her lumbar vertebrae ((blame it on Health class... that would be her lower spine)). She was pushed over and back on her back, as if they were pushing her off of the rock, when really they used it as an excuse to kick her hard in the side.
Two swords were pointed at her. She glared at them, using her arms to hold herself up since she had been lying down. She went to stand up, but the broadside of a sword kept her pinned down to the ground. She winced in discomfort and pain.
Kaoru glared at her guards. "I want to go in!"
"You tried to escaped." The easily angered one said.
"And what do you plan to do about it?" she asked, her anger showing through. "It's not like I can now!"
The other guard pushed his sword closer to her arm, close enough to let a little blood flow out. Kaoru didn't wince. She decided she wouldn't give them that satisfaction of knowing exactly how much pain she really was in.
"What are you doing?" she cried. Kaoru kicked up, forcing them both back. She tried to stand, but had to settle for leaning over due to the pain. And given the odds, she knew if they were to retaliate, she wouldn't have much luck standing up, let alone defending herself from an attack.
One went after her, angry because she had kicked him twice and had argued with him earlier. Kaoru dodged, but fell when her knees buckled under her at the force of her landing when she jumped to the side. Kaoru landed on her side, and turned around when she heard someone running forward.
And then a clash of metal to metal was heard, vibrating through the air.
Kaoru looked up in shock. She was trying to figured out who had protected her so quickly when she didn't even know anyone else had been there watching.
Blue gi, white hakama pants, and flame red hair.
"Battousai." She whispered.
She saw the other taller men back away, but keep their swords out. Battousai's sword was. shorter? Kaoru was confused at first, and then figured it must be the companion sword to his katana, a wakizashi.
"There is no need for this." Came Battousai's cold, shrill voice.
Kaoru winced, but not from pain, from the sound of his voice. She'd NEVER heard him talk like that, with that much anger. Not even to her, and he got really ticked around her quite often. Now he had a sort of deadly, final tone to his voice now. It confused Kaoru.
"Come on Battousai, she tired to escaped and she injured us! Plus, she's so annoying and defiant!" the guard who had cut Kaoru said in his defense. "I'm sure you'd do the same thing!"
"That is no reason to attack her, she was only acting in her self defense when she attacked you!" Battousai stated. "Now leave if you don't want to be on MY assassination list, because mark my words, I WILL NOT fail in killing either one of you."
The two men got ready to leave.
"And don't bother going near her room again, I'm letting you off. I see I'll have to do this on my own." Battousai added just before the other men ran off to the Inn, scared stiff from his threat.
Kaoru again attempted to stand up, but a calloused hand on her shoulder stopped all movement.
"Don't get up." Kenshin told her, a little more gently than she was used to, or even knew he was capable of. "I'm going to get Megumi. Don't move until she tells you to."
Kenshin got up (he had been kneeling next to her) and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Kaoru cried without really noticing she it had come out of her mouth.
"Aa?" Kenshin asked as he turned.
"Uh.. Um.. Thank you Ba.. Err, Kenshin." she stuttered, trying to find the words that she was at a loss for.
"You welcome."
"Why?" she asked him.
"You are too important to the Ishin Shishi's success." He told her. "Nothing more. And you are my responsibility."
And Kenshin turned to leave. Kaoru huffed. She almost got through; got somemore pieces to the puzzling enigma that was the Battousai.
Authors Notes: YES!!! IT IS LONGER THAN THE OTHER CHAPTERS!!!!!! Okay, I'm going to do some clearing up here.. . the timeline is my own! I'm having the war go on WAY LONGER than it really did. And as you'll see later, Kenshin was so mad about killing Tomoe that he decided to continue being an assassin, because in his screwed up mind it was the best punishment because eventually he'd go insane from it all. Oh, and why does Kaoru live at the Aoiya? Because, in my story, her parents died, and after that, the dojo burned down, and she's always been friends with Misao since she was young so she went to live with them at the Aoiya. There, I think that explains most of it. Oh! And I'm SOO sorry the other chapters are kind of clumped up. I don't know why my formatting got screwed up, but I'm trying to repost everything for you, okay? ^-^;;, sorry!!!!!!
Crystal: Hey SANO!!! Time to make true to you're bet! Pay up!
Sano: Uh. but.um.. IT TOOK YOU A WEEK TO WRITE IT SO IT DON'T COUNT!!!
Crystal: Stupid rooster head, I was on VACATION I had no CHOICE but to take a week into writing!
Sano: Uh.. But. I spent all my money?
Crystal: (glares at him) Sano. just because you make bets you can never win in, that's not an excuse for me to go easy on you. One day you'll turn.
Sano: But I need that money to buy food!!
Crystal: (rolls eyes) I'm such you can mooch off of SOMEONE!!!!
Kenshin: Can't you give him a break THIS TIME?
Crystal: (pulls out Kenshin's sword) Nah.. (points sword at Sano). Now, are you going to pay up?
Sano: (empties pockets) Here you go!! God, put that thing away!!!!
Haha... Well, I will see you in the next chatper!!!!
Luv,
Crystal Renee
Author's Notes: Hahahaha.. Do you know how dedicated I am to you loyal reviewers? Do you? I started this chapter BEFORE I went on vacation, and finished it AND Chapter 7 AND a one shot story while I was on vacation!!!! I did all that writing when I was stuck in a cabin with no electricity instead of swimming. It was the only thing I could do that was fun that wouldn't torture my sunburn!! Before I left I had 9 reviews- and I was gone for a week- and I have yet to check my reviews. As soon as I get the time I will try and do personal thank yous, okay?! Oh, and thanks to those of you who helped me out with what Misao's knives (kunais) and Battousai's smaller sword (wakizashi, if I spelled that right!) were called. Read the authors notes at the end for more information and clearing up on the story!!!!
~Coming of the Dawn~
***Chapter 6- Steps Forward, Steps Back***
Three weeks had passed, and Kaoru was becoming more and more bitter with Battousai. He never seemed to be NORMAL. He was always either in a meeting or bitter about something. When she did see him, he'd ignore her unless it was to bark some order at her. That really made her mad. He didn't act that way around the rest of the people at the Inn. Well, maybe he did, but not to that extent that he was with her. It was, to her, like he was purposely trying to distance himself from her.
Kaoru decided to talk to Hinoki about it. Hinoki and Tae, the cook at the Inn, listened to her while she told her story.
"Does he always have to act so cold? I swear, it's hard living in the same building with someone who never shows emotions!" Kaoru cried.
Hinoki shook her head. "He's had a hard life."
"That maybe, but he doesn't have to take it out on me." Kaoru declared. "It makes me so mad!"
"Give him time. He's always like this, you just got to get used to it. I'm saying this for your own good. Don't try and change him." Tae offered.
Kaoru looked at her with a critical eye. "Why?"
Tae didn't answer.
"It's his fault he became an assassin in the first place!!!" Kaoru cried.
Hinoki and Tae refused to look her in the eyes.
Kaoru stopped her ranting for a minute. "What?"
They didn't answer.
That peaked Kaoru's curiosity.
"What? Tell me you guys!" she urged, taking a hold of her friend's shoulders. "Tell me right now! Don't make me beat it out of you!"
Neither of her friends would budge. A vein began to pop out of Kaoru's head as her anger rose.
"You TWO TELL ME ALREADY!!!!!!" She threatened to pop if they didn't speak up.
"You won't believe us anyway." Hinoki argued.
Kaoru crossed her arms over her chest and gave her friends a look that said 'try me'.
Tae sighed. "He didn't enter this to BECOME an assassin because he wanted to. It was to pro."
"Yeah, right." Kaoru said, knowing what was going to be said before it even came out of Tae's mouth. "How could someone be so cold then?"
"Have you ever thought that maybe it's the only way he can keep sane from the regrets for each murder he does?" Hinoki suggested. "It seems very plausible to me, even if it doesn't to you. He's gotta kept his sanity somehow, and not feeling is just his way."
Kaoru looked at her friends, and saw that everything they were saying was what they knew and what they thought was true.
"I still don't think he has to take it out on me."
"Do you think it has to do with the fact you wear Tomoe's clothes and go through her things?" Tae asked.
"I need clothes, and I'm not just going to sit in my room and do nothing. If he wants stuff out of there, he can take it himself." Kaoru said, turning to continue washing the dishes made at lunch that day.
Hinoki shook her head. "For someone who's been kind to us you sure are mean when it comes to him."
"Well, he's holding me for ransom. I think you'd be mad, too." She stated. "And I'm sure none of you have seen the ruthless way in which he kills."
Tae and Hinoki hadn't known she'd seen him kill. That got their attention and they looked at Kaoru as if she was insane. Why hadn't he killed her? Besides the fact that she was being held ransom? The last person that got away with that was. was Tomoe.
"You saw him kill?" Tae stuttered, turning around from the vegetables she had been chopping.
"Yes. That's why he took me. I thought he would kill me but apparently he wanted the Oniwabanshu's help." She said, drying the dishes now.
Hinoki looked terrified. "Do you KNOW what that means, for you to have seen him KILL?"
Kaoru nodded. "I didn't like it. It was horrible."
Tae just stared. "But you lived. The last person to do that was Tomoe."
Tae covered her mouth with her hands at mentioning that. She WASN'T supposed to say that. Especially to Kaoru. Battousai had TOLD her not to specifically when he found out what room she was staying in.
Kaoru spun around and looked at Tae, and then at Hinoki. "What about Tomoe?"
***********
Kenshin stood outside the kitchen door. He had heard Kaoru start complaining about him and had listened in for the entire conversation so far. He knew Kaoru had made a mistake when she mentioned that she had seen him kill. He didn't even need Tae or Hinoki to say anything and he KNEW they were going to spill the beans about Tomoe. He gritted his teeth. More questions from that stubborn, defiant woman, he thought to himself.
Then when he heard them mention it and Tae gasp as she realized what she had said, he was filled with anger. No one could keep their mouth shut about these kinds of things. He fought the urge to just bust in there and pull Kaoru out before she asked more questions. But the thought it over, and figured the more answers she got here, the less he'd have to disagree about giving to her.
So he just sat by the door and listened.
***********
"Great job Tae!" Hinoki said, wishing she could hit her over the head with a frying pan for being so stupid.
"What about Tomoe?" Kaoru asked again, shaking her hands to get the soapy water off that she had used to wash her hands. "What about Tomoe seeing Battousai kill?"
Tae looked at Hinoki. They knew Kaoru wouldn't hesitate to make them answer her, and figured it was better than her getting her answers from an angry and peeved Battousai.
"That's why she was here. He brought her here because he couldn't kill her." Hinoki offered.
Kaoru looked at them. "So, that's completely different than why he took me."
"Actually, it's not." Tae said. "He has a vow never to kill women or children. That's why he didn't kill either of you."
Kaoru was taken aback. So that's why he really took me. not because he wanted the Oniwabanshu's help, that was just a cover up for it. She thought.That's why he told me Tomoe's death was an accident instead of just saying he killed her.
Kaoru wanted to say something, but even though her jaw was opened, no words could escape her lips. She just stared dumbfounded at her friends.
Then Battousai stormed in, glaring at Tae and Hinoki. He hadn't thought they'd tell her THAT. He took a sharp hold of Kaoru's arm and pulled out of the room, and dragged her off to her room.
He threw her down on the futon and glared down at her.
She glared back.
"You shouldn't pry into people's lives like that." He said, words dripping acid.
"You did to me!" she said. "You took me from mine!"
"I couldn't have someone running around knowing what I looked like! Just be glad that I did have that vow never to kill women or else you would have been dead there at that spot with the others!" he growled, his anger not only evident in his eyes, but his entire body radiated it.
Kaoru didn't back down. She was sick of letting him win EVERY argument they got in, just because she got scared.
"I don't care! It's hard enough living in this place with you! How can you act as if you have no emotions? That's makes everything SO DANG HARD!!!!!!!!" she screamed, her anger getting to him.
He wasn't used to that tone. It made him angier.
"Why you." he said, not noticing he had drawn his katana and was holding it up, as he always did when he was mad.
Kaoru noticed his eyes weren't amber, they were yellow and a golden color, one that scared her so much her heart stopped. But she didn't let him see that.
"There are a lot of things I could call you right now!" Kaoru screamed.
"Then call me something!" he challenged.
"Cold hearted bastard!"
"Bitch!"
"Baka bastard!" she said.
Battousai took a hold of Kaoru's hair, pulling on it so it would hurt. She didn't squeal, but her eyes showed her pain and discomfort.
Then he noticed he had the sword out.
Kenshin dropped her, then sheathed his sword. That got WAY out of hand. He thought, looking down at Kaoru and wondering what had gotten into him. Her ki was was still full of anger and was strong, like some of the men he fought with at times. He wondered shortly if she knew how to use a sword.
He backed out of the door, looking at her with steely blue eyes. Kaoru noticed that and stood up, gripping her hair and telling some tears fall, letting her pain known. He had really scared her this time, and he had even lifted her off of the floor when he had pulled on her hair. He looked shocked as he finally got to the door and ran out to the meeting room.
********** **********
"Aoshi-sama! Aoshi-sama, look!" Misao said.
It was growing dark and they were still on their scouting mission. Sano had tagged along, and Misao had to kick him and punch him a few times to get him to be quiet. Aoshi had dropped back so Misao could lead for a while, feeling like she wanted to.
Aoshi looked up and saw what Misao was seeing. A building, resembling an Inn, but Aoshi knew what it was.
"The Ishin Shishi headquarters." He whispered. "This must be where they're keeping Kaoru."
Misao looked at Aoshi with hopeful eyes. "Can we go get her, Aoshi- sama?"
Sano spoke up. "What's this about Jou-chan? You say they've got her? It better not have been that Battousai guy because I'll BEAT HIM TO THE GROUND if he lays a finger on Jou-chan!"
Misao and Aoshi glared at him. "Shush, you'll give us away you stupid roosterhead!" said Misao, in a low but controlling tone.
Sano complied and continued to follow Aoshi and Misao as they got closer to the building. He looked up and saw that the place was packed, with people in the back that were practicing various sword techniques.
"Do you think they've got a dojo in the back? Jou-chan would love that." Sano said casually.
"Shush up!" Misao instructed.
Aoshi was now ahead of Misao as they grew nearer and nearer to the Inn. He peaked around a tree. He spotted Kaoru, in the back with the sparring men. But Battousai was no where in sight. He kept his eyes peeled though. It looked to him like she was being guarded and she was arguing with whoever was supposed to be guarding her. They looked to be getting annoyed with her and angry.
***********
"Let me use a bokken! I've got to practice my Kamiya Kasshin Ryu before I forget it because of you BAKA'S who don't think I should handle a sword! If you remember, I DID come from the Oniwabanshu's house!" she argued.
"You'll try and beat you're way out." The one guard, the one who was looking very angered and frustrated, said.
She glared at him. "You really think I'm that stupid? There are way too many men with bigger, more deadly swords here. My bokken wouldn't hold up to that!"
The other guard, who was hiding his growing anger, snapped. "Listen here little missy, you ARE NOT using a bokken or any other weapon. BATTOUSAI'S orders."
Kaoru glared at him with all the power she had in her to glare. "I can't believe you!"
**********
"She's making them mad." Aoshi stated.
Misao pushed her way up next to him. "Where is she Aoshi-sama?"
Aoshi pointed over to the corner where Kaoru was being hassled by some bigger, burlier men.
"Can I throw something at them?" Misao asked, knowing that she couldn't do anything to jepordize the mission.
He shook his head.
Sano came up to see what they were looking at. He looked around the tree they were hiding behind. When he did, he saw two burly men, equipped with sword, towering over Kaoru and yelling some unintelligible words in her face. She looked on the verge of screaming some retort back.
************ ************
Kaoru looked at her two guards just as she would anyone else, but she stopped when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Rooster-like hair? And a red bandana? Part of a trench coat and a braid? All behind a tree?
"Sano! Aoshi! Misao!" Her mind screamed.
She spun out of the grip one guard had on her arm. She glared at them both. And to think, she had once thought they were nice.
************ ************
Everyone behind the tree watched as she gave out her fair share of words.
"YEAH! GO JOU-CHAN! THE TANUKI DOES IT AGAIN!" Sano cheered.
Misao hit him over the head and both she and Aoshi glared at him.
"You're going to give us away you rooster-head!" Misao hissed quietly, her eyes throwing the daggers at him since she still had yet to pull out her kunais.
************ ************
Kaoru heard her nicknames, and knew for sure it was her friends hiding behind that tree and spying. She noticed that everyone else had heard also, and were all nearing the tree at an alarming rate. She broke off in a pure sprint away, hoping to reach her friends before anyone else could.
*********** ***********
"Run!" Aoshi instructed.
Misao and Sano ran as hard as they could behind Aoshi. Misao made sure Sano knew how mad she was with him by continually smacking him in the back of the head as they ran. She didn't let up, either, even when he started to stumble from becoming disoriented.
"You're gonna make me run into a tree!" Sano complained, pulling his hands up to his head in a protective manner.
Misao growled her disapproval, and then she took a glance back, and aw a swarm of men following them. Each had at least two swords apiece. She gulped and sped up.
"Aoshi-sama! They're catching up!" Misao warned him, still trying to force her body to move faster than it was.
Aoshi didn't need her warning.
"Sano, you get into town. Misao, you follow me!" Aoshi demanded of his two counterparts as they ran for their lives.
There was no way the three of them could stand up to 50 or more men.
They split ways, Aoshi leading Misao through a maze of trees. Zigzagging their way, they finally made a good lead between them and their pursuers. They slowed down slightly, just enough to give them a chance to breath and still continue.
"Why are they chasing us?" Misao breathed heavily as she ran. "We are working for them!"
********** **********
Kaoru ran when she noticed that Aoshi, Misao, and Sano were fleeing the scene.
"Sano! Misao!" she screamed, her voice pleading. "Aosh.... oomph!"
Kaoru felt hands grab her ankles. She fell face first to the ground, not getting a chance to catch her fall. Her chin hit a rock hard, pain shooting through her head. She had bit her tongue at that moment, and she could taste the blood where her teeth had cut through it slightly.
She kicked at her assailant, and they let go. Kaoru scrambled back to her feet while saying a few choice words. Then she started to run, despite the pain in her knees from her fall.
This time the person grabbed her by the waist, and threw her down to the ground, making her land on her back. She landed on the same rock as before, and she squealed in pain as it hit on her lumbar vertebrae ((blame it on Health class... that would be her lower spine)). She was pushed over and back on her back, as if they were pushing her off of the rock, when really they used it as an excuse to kick her hard in the side.
Two swords were pointed at her. She glared at them, using her arms to hold herself up since she had been lying down. She went to stand up, but the broadside of a sword kept her pinned down to the ground. She winced in discomfort and pain.
Kaoru glared at her guards. "I want to go in!"
"You tried to escaped." The easily angered one said.
"And what do you plan to do about it?" she asked, her anger showing through. "It's not like I can now!"
The other guard pushed his sword closer to her arm, close enough to let a little blood flow out. Kaoru didn't wince. She decided she wouldn't give them that satisfaction of knowing exactly how much pain she really was in.
"What are you doing?" she cried. Kaoru kicked up, forcing them both back. She tried to stand, but had to settle for leaning over due to the pain. And given the odds, she knew if they were to retaliate, she wouldn't have much luck standing up, let alone defending herself from an attack.
One went after her, angry because she had kicked him twice and had argued with him earlier. Kaoru dodged, but fell when her knees buckled under her at the force of her landing when she jumped to the side. Kaoru landed on her side, and turned around when she heard someone running forward.
And then a clash of metal to metal was heard, vibrating through the air.
Kaoru looked up in shock. She was trying to figured out who had protected her so quickly when she didn't even know anyone else had been there watching.
Blue gi, white hakama pants, and flame red hair.
"Battousai." She whispered.
She saw the other taller men back away, but keep their swords out. Battousai's sword was. shorter? Kaoru was confused at first, and then figured it must be the companion sword to his katana, a wakizashi.
"There is no need for this." Came Battousai's cold, shrill voice.
Kaoru winced, but not from pain, from the sound of his voice. She'd NEVER heard him talk like that, with that much anger. Not even to her, and he got really ticked around her quite often. Now he had a sort of deadly, final tone to his voice now. It confused Kaoru.
"Come on Battousai, she tired to escaped and she injured us! Plus, she's so annoying and defiant!" the guard who had cut Kaoru said in his defense. "I'm sure you'd do the same thing!"
"That is no reason to attack her, she was only acting in her self defense when she attacked you!" Battousai stated. "Now leave if you don't want to be on MY assassination list, because mark my words, I WILL NOT fail in killing either one of you."
The two men got ready to leave.
"And don't bother going near her room again, I'm letting you off. I see I'll have to do this on my own." Battousai added just before the other men ran off to the Inn, scared stiff from his threat.
Kaoru again attempted to stand up, but a calloused hand on her shoulder stopped all movement.
"Don't get up." Kenshin told her, a little more gently than she was used to, or even knew he was capable of. "I'm going to get Megumi. Don't move until she tells you to."
Kenshin got up (he had been kneeling next to her) and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Kaoru cried without really noticing she it had come out of her mouth.
"Aa?" Kenshin asked as he turned.
"Uh.. Um.. Thank you Ba.. Err, Kenshin." she stuttered, trying to find the words that she was at a loss for.
"You welcome."
"Why?" she asked him.
"You are too important to the Ishin Shishi's success." He told her. "Nothing more. And you are my responsibility."
And Kenshin turned to leave. Kaoru huffed. She almost got through; got somemore pieces to the puzzling enigma that was the Battousai.
Authors Notes: YES!!! IT IS LONGER THAN THE OTHER CHAPTERS!!!!!! Okay, I'm going to do some clearing up here.. . the timeline is my own! I'm having the war go on WAY LONGER than it really did. And as you'll see later, Kenshin was so mad about killing Tomoe that he decided to continue being an assassin, because in his screwed up mind it was the best punishment because eventually he'd go insane from it all. Oh, and why does Kaoru live at the Aoiya? Because, in my story, her parents died, and after that, the dojo burned down, and she's always been friends with Misao since she was young so she went to live with them at the Aoiya. There, I think that explains most of it. Oh! And I'm SOO sorry the other chapters are kind of clumped up. I don't know why my formatting got screwed up, but I'm trying to repost everything for you, okay? ^-^;;, sorry!!!!!!
Crystal: Hey SANO!!! Time to make true to you're bet! Pay up!
Sano: Uh. but.um.. IT TOOK YOU A WEEK TO WRITE IT SO IT DON'T COUNT!!!
Crystal: Stupid rooster head, I was on VACATION I had no CHOICE but to take a week into writing!
Sano: Uh.. But. I spent all my money?
Crystal: (glares at him) Sano. just because you make bets you can never win in, that's not an excuse for me to go easy on you. One day you'll turn.
Sano: But I need that money to buy food!!
Crystal: (rolls eyes) I'm such you can mooch off of SOMEONE!!!!
Kenshin: Can't you give him a break THIS TIME?
Crystal: (pulls out Kenshin's sword) Nah.. (points sword at Sano). Now, are you going to pay up?
Sano: (empties pockets) Here you go!! God, put that thing away!!!!
Haha... Well, I will see you in the next chatper!!!!
Luv,
Crystal Renee