CHAPTER 12- MEET IN THE FIELD
Jiani glanced up at Kaoru. "I don't want any of you to come with me to the field."
Yahiko, who had been listening by the door, scowled. "But Sanosuke said there were FIVE of those guys! You can't take them all on like that! It's suicide!"
Megumi finished her duty of bandaging Jiani's arm and leg. "You're lucky. If those wounds were any deeper, you wouldn't be up to this."
"Are you saying she is up to it?" Kaoru demanded.
But the doctor gave her a look that said. 'Just stop fighting it.'
Kaoru sighed, defeated.
"I have fought these men before." Jiani told them, standing up. "The leader's name is Ozawa Seiji. We met back in Kyoto a long while back. He saw me kill his father."
Everyone gasped.
"So that's why they're after you like they are." Yahiko realized.
"I do not want them to know I associate with you all." The redhead went on quietly. "Otherwise, your lives would be in danger. I cannot have anything happen."
"I see your point," Kaoru agreed softly. "Well, then please be careful Jiani."
Jiani proceeded out the door. It was getting late. Soon it would be time to go meet her foes. "I will. Farewell for now." She left the dojo.
Yahiko frowned. "I still don't think it's a good idea to let her go about this alone!"
Megumi placed a hand on his shoulder. "It may not be, but she is the daughter of Ken-sama. I believe she will come through."
"I hope so." Kaoru muttered, watching as Jiani slipped from view.
A sudden thought occurred to her. "I wonder where Sanosuke is!"
On the far side of town, the gang had gathered in the field for the fight. Seiji sat upon a rock, sharpening his katana. Aki sat across from him, leaning on the hilt of his own sword. "Are you sure you won't need any help, Brother? Five against one would be real easy, you know."
"Exactly." Seiji said. "Which is why I will fight alone."
Aki put on a pouting expression, typical for his childish ways. "Aw, but I want a piece of Red Wind too! She killed OUR father!"
Seiji smiled at him slightly. "Don't worry, Little Brother. I'll let you have the last blow, okay?"
This brought a wide grin to the younger boy's face. "Okay! Then, I'll get the boys out of here so you have plenty of space!" He got up and ran towards the other three men. "Come on! Let's get moving!"
While they trailed after the boy, they talked among themselves.
"Seiji against the Red Wind, huh? This will be the best fight we've ever seen!"
"Who do you think will win??"
"Seiji's the best swordsman in all of Japan! Who do you think?"
Aki heard their conversation and inwardly sighed. 'Hai, all for the death of our father.'
Seiji stood in silence, having finished sharpening his sword. He watched the grassy hill with eagle-like eyes, the evening breeze ruffling his hair into tangles. Jiani came walking towards him, her auburn hair blowing over her face. She had kept her word that she would fight him.
Seiji stole a quick glance up at the sky. 'Watch me, Father. You shall be avenged!'
Jiani glanced up at Kaoru. "I don't want any of you to come with me to the field."
Yahiko, who had been listening by the door, scowled. "But Sanosuke said there were FIVE of those guys! You can't take them all on like that! It's suicide!"
Megumi finished her duty of bandaging Jiani's arm and leg. "You're lucky. If those wounds were any deeper, you wouldn't be up to this."
"Are you saying she is up to it?" Kaoru demanded.
But the doctor gave her a look that said. 'Just stop fighting it.'
Kaoru sighed, defeated.
"I have fought these men before." Jiani told them, standing up. "The leader's name is Ozawa Seiji. We met back in Kyoto a long while back. He saw me kill his father."
Everyone gasped.
"So that's why they're after you like they are." Yahiko realized.
"I do not want them to know I associate with you all." The redhead went on quietly. "Otherwise, your lives would be in danger. I cannot have anything happen."
"I see your point," Kaoru agreed softly. "Well, then please be careful Jiani."
Jiani proceeded out the door. It was getting late. Soon it would be time to go meet her foes. "I will. Farewell for now." She left the dojo.
Yahiko frowned. "I still don't think it's a good idea to let her go about this alone!"
Megumi placed a hand on his shoulder. "It may not be, but she is the daughter of Ken-sama. I believe she will come through."
"I hope so." Kaoru muttered, watching as Jiani slipped from view.
A sudden thought occurred to her. "I wonder where Sanosuke is!"
On the far side of town, the gang had gathered in the field for the fight. Seiji sat upon a rock, sharpening his katana. Aki sat across from him, leaning on the hilt of his own sword. "Are you sure you won't need any help, Brother? Five against one would be real easy, you know."
"Exactly." Seiji said. "Which is why I will fight alone."
Aki put on a pouting expression, typical for his childish ways. "Aw, but I want a piece of Red Wind too! She killed OUR father!"
Seiji smiled at him slightly. "Don't worry, Little Brother. I'll let you have the last blow, okay?"
This brought a wide grin to the younger boy's face. "Okay! Then, I'll get the boys out of here so you have plenty of space!" He got up and ran towards the other three men. "Come on! Let's get moving!"
While they trailed after the boy, they talked among themselves.
"Seiji against the Red Wind, huh? This will be the best fight we've ever seen!"
"Who do you think will win??"
"Seiji's the best swordsman in all of Japan! Who do you think?"
Aki heard their conversation and inwardly sighed. 'Hai, all for the death of our father.'
Seiji stood in silence, having finished sharpening his sword. He watched the grassy hill with eagle-like eyes, the evening breeze ruffling his hair into tangles. Jiani came walking towards him, her auburn hair blowing over her face. She had kept her word that she would fight him.
Seiji stole a quick glance up at the sky. 'Watch me, Father. You shall be avenged!'