Standard Disclaimers Apply
--====-- Chapter 13: To Follow My Beloved --====--
Kaoru stealthily ran through the woods, eyes narrowed in silent concentration. Her feet padded swiftly through the grass, her legs moving faster than lightning. She must run as fast as she can, just to reach the camp before the others do. Besides, she needed time, and time was what she's going to get. The faster she ran, the more time she could do her goal. The clan's base was soon in sight, three warriors guarding the entrance, but careful not to come in contact with the afternoon sun. A few more hours, and dusk will settle in. That means more vampires awake, and that sums up to the fact there is more enemies to deal with.
She stopped just behind a tree, eyeing the entrance. Three warriors, not much of a problem. Seishin was a hard opponent, and he was enough to practice her like she was fighting five warriors at the same time. Kaoru smiled, thinking of her martial arts teacher, before handling her kodachi which hung on her side.
Attacking, the guards were down in less time than she expected, and she did not even used her powers against them. But, given the choice, she preffered not to. They were vampires, her fellow clanmates. Kaoru was one of the three Chosen Ones, and she cannot afford to hurt her subjects. But Hoshi...well, she guessed that there was an exception to be made, after she finished what things she had to do here in camp. With that, she expertly jumped a high wall, landing smoothly on the other side.
--==--
Kenshin groaned, opening one eye to see Sanosuke and Yahiko just beside him, Rei on the other. His back hurt, and so did his side and left arm. It was not at all serious, just a bit sore, like he was hit by something hard.
"You're awake, finally," Sano said, a fishbone through clenched teeth. "I really thought that you would sleep for a whole day, you know. Rei here woke up an hour ago." He said, gesturing to Rei, who was talking to another man.
Rei turned at the sound of his name, then saw Kenshin standing up. "Himura- san, I advise you not to do that. Lay down for a while, say a few more minutes. You'll have a terrible dizziness when you stand up now."
Kenshin felt the wave of dizziness coming over him, and he laid down like Rei had advised. Awhile later, the dizziness disappeared, and he could stand on his own. He walked towards Rei and the man, whom he recognized as the one that stopped Hoshi when she attacked the dojo.
"Himura-san, this is my uncle and Hoshi's father, Honou." Rei introduced.
"Pleased to meet you, Himura." Honou said, bowing slightly. Kenshin bowed back, then looked around.
"Where's Kaoru?"
Rei sighed. "Well, according to Sagara-san and Honou-jiisama, Kao-chan left a long time ago, right after Hoshi did. They didn't notice her go, but I guess that she'll be back in camp now." He said.
"I see," Kenshin murmured. /Why do you always slip from my grasp, Kaoru? Right when I have you there, I turn for a moment, only to realize that you're gone.../ "When can we go to your camp, Honou-dono?"
"I do not know. There is still a few hours before dusk, but you might be in trouble with warriors when night comes." Honou answered.
"And it is the risk I shall take," Kenshin decided firmly. "I have to get Kaoru back. I want her to remember us." /To remember me.../
Honou nodded. "I admire your courage, young man. Alright then, we should get going if you want to reach the camp before the warriors awake." He said, standing. Honou turned, hiding his soft smile. /Kao-koneko, you have found a wonderful man./
--==--
Hoshi glared with irritation at her table. Finally, not having to control her internal frustration, she pushed aside all of the things that was on the table, making the papers scatter and little porcelain statues to break.
/Damn it. Otou-sama always get in my way!/ She thought angrily, standing then started to pace around the room.
A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts.
"WHAT?!" Hoshi asked angrily, stopping then glaring towards the unopened door.
"Hoshi-sama, guards at the entrance have been knocked-out by a sheathed sword." One of the camp's guard said.
"Do you have any idea who might have done this?!"
"No, Hoshi-sama. Except that we suspect the sword to be a kodachi."
/Kodachi?/ Hoshi thought for a moment. Then, her green eyes narrowed. /Tsuki. So, she's here./ She mused. "I'll be out in a while to investigate it."
"Hai, Hoshi-sama."
With a small smile on her face, Hoshi looked out her window, seeing the sun ready to set. Only a few more hour's time, and her warriors will be awake.
Blood will be spilled tonight.
--==--
Kaoru carefully examined every bottle, looking and reading each label. After she had taken what she needed, she put down the bottles near a large bowl. From memory, she put the exact amount of the medicine needed for the potion. Kaoru stirred it lightly, then taking a mortar and pestle, she grounded herbal leaves into powder and mixed it to the potion she concucted. Slowly pouring hot water into the bowl, she mixed it carefully until it turned into a brown hue. She drank down the potion until the bowl was empty.
Suddenly, she felt dizzy. Kaoru leaned towards the wall, putting her hands on her head. Then, unable to bear the pain and dizziness, she slumped to the wall, unconscious.
--==--
Kenshin and the others arrived in the camp when the sun was ready to set. There wasn't much time left before the warriors wake. Kaoru was somewhere inside the premises, and that was what kept Kenshin going. He knew the risks of taking a fight with so many vampire warriors during dusk, and bloodshed will may possibly inevitable. But, for Kaoru's sake--and for his sanity's--he will take all those danger for himself, just to find and take Kaoru to Tokyo. To her home in the dojo. And he will make her remember. Everything...
------To Be Continued-------------
--====-- Chapter 13: To Follow My Beloved --====--
Kaoru stealthily ran through the woods, eyes narrowed in silent concentration. Her feet padded swiftly through the grass, her legs moving faster than lightning. She must run as fast as she can, just to reach the camp before the others do. Besides, she needed time, and time was what she's going to get. The faster she ran, the more time she could do her goal. The clan's base was soon in sight, three warriors guarding the entrance, but careful not to come in contact with the afternoon sun. A few more hours, and dusk will settle in. That means more vampires awake, and that sums up to the fact there is more enemies to deal with.
She stopped just behind a tree, eyeing the entrance. Three warriors, not much of a problem. Seishin was a hard opponent, and he was enough to practice her like she was fighting five warriors at the same time. Kaoru smiled, thinking of her martial arts teacher, before handling her kodachi which hung on her side.
Attacking, the guards were down in less time than she expected, and she did not even used her powers against them. But, given the choice, she preffered not to. They were vampires, her fellow clanmates. Kaoru was one of the three Chosen Ones, and she cannot afford to hurt her subjects. But Hoshi...well, she guessed that there was an exception to be made, after she finished what things she had to do here in camp. With that, she expertly jumped a high wall, landing smoothly on the other side.
--==--
Kenshin groaned, opening one eye to see Sanosuke and Yahiko just beside him, Rei on the other. His back hurt, and so did his side and left arm. It was not at all serious, just a bit sore, like he was hit by something hard.
"You're awake, finally," Sano said, a fishbone through clenched teeth. "I really thought that you would sleep for a whole day, you know. Rei here woke up an hour ago." He said, gesturing to Rei, who was talking to another man.
Rei turned at the sound of his name, then saw Kenshin standing up. "Himura- san, I advise you not to do that. Lay down for a while, say a few more minutes. You'll have a terrible dizziness when you stand up now."
Kenshin felt the wave of dizziness coming over him, and he laid down like Rei had advised. Awhile later, the dizziness disappeared, and he could stand on his own. He walked towards Rei and the man, whom he recognized as the one that stopped Hoshi when she attacked the dojo.
"Himura-san, this is my uncle and Hoshi's father, Honou." Rei introduced.
"Pleased to meet you, Himura." Honou said, bowing slightly. Kenshin bowed back, then looked around.
"Where's Kaoru?"
Rei sighed. "Well, according to Sagara-san and Honou-jiisama, Kao-chan left a long time ago, right after Hoshi did. They didn't notice her go, but I guess that she'll be back in camp now." He said.
"I see," Kenshin murmured. /Why do you always slip from my grasp, Kaoru? Right when I have you there, I turn for a moment, only to realize that you're gone.../ "When can we go to your camp, Honou-dono?"
"I do not know. There is still a few hours before dusk, but you might be in trouble with warriors when night comes." Honou answered.
"And it is the risk I shall take," Kenshin decided firmly. "I have to get Kaoru back. I want her to remember us." /To remember me.../
Honou nodded. "I admire your courage, young man. Alright then, we should get going if you want to reach the camp before the warriors awake." He said, standing. Honou turned, hiding his soft smile. /Kao-koneko, you have found a wonderful man./
--==--
Hoshi glared with irritation at her table. Finally, not having to control her internal frustration, she pushed aside all of the things that was on the table, making the papers scatter and little porcelain statues to break.
/Damn it. Otou-sama always get in my way!/ She thought angrily, standing then started to pace around the room.
A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts.
"WHAT?!" Hoshi asked angrily, stopping then glaring towards the unopened door.
"Hoshi-sama, guards at the entrance have been knocked-out by a sheathed sword." One of the camp's guard said.
"Do you have any idea who might have done this?!"
"No, Hoshi-sama. Except that we suspect the sword to be a kodachi."
/Kodachi?/ Hoshi thought for a moment. Then, her green eyes narrowed. /Tsuki. So, she's here./ She mused. "I'll be out in a while to investigate it."
"Hai, Hoshi-sama."
With a small smile on her face, Hoshi looked out her window, seeing the sun ready to set. Only a few more hour's time, and her warriors will be awake.
Blood will be spilled tonight.
--==--
Kaoru carefully examined every bottle, looking and reading each label. After she had taken what she needed, she put down the bottles near a large bowl. From memory, she put the exact amount of the medicine needed for the potion. Kaoru stirred it lightly, then taking a mortar and pestle, she grounded herbal leaves into powder and mixed it to the potion she concucted. Slowly pouring hot water into the bowl, she mixed it carefully until it turned into a brown hue. She drank down the potion until the bowl was empty.
Suddenly, she felt dizzy. Kaoru leaned towards the wall, putting her hands on her head. Then, unable to bear the pain and dizziness, she slumped to the wall, unconscious.
--==--
Kenshin and the others arrived in the camp when the sun was ready to set. There wasn't much time left before the warriors wake. Kaoru was somewhere inside the premises, and that was what kept Kenshin going. He knew the risks of taking a fight with so many vampire warriors during dusk, and bloodshed will may possibly inevitable. But, for Kaoru's sake--and for his sanity's--he will take all those danger for himself, just to find and take Kaoru to Tokyo. To her home in the dojo. And he will make her remember. Everything...
------To Be Continued-------------