~Chapter Thirteen- The truth hidden behind Mr. Orasumi's gentle nature~

Kenshin walked to the main floor, and out of the basement.

He looked this way and that, trying to stay alert for anything that might come his way……but nothing happened!

Everything was silent, as if nothing wrong was happening!

He didn't like the stillness surrounding him though.

It was too silent….too quiet…..too motionless.

"Mr. Himura….." A voice suddenly tuned in from behind Kenshin's back.

He spun around quickly to find Mr. Orasumi standing there, with an expression on his face Kenshin couldn't understand.

"Mr. Orasumi……." He replied in a stiff voice.

Mr. Orasumi smiled gently.

"I see my men have failed in taking your life. Believe it or not, I'm actually rather pleased. I wasn't looking forward to hurting you, Mr. Himura."

Kenshin tried to not get too angry. It would ruin everything.

He didn't say a word instead.

Mr. Orasumi walked closer to Kenshin, and patted him on the shoulder.

Kenshin jerked away, and glared.

"Mr. Orasumi……I'm not here to talk pleasantly with you…..I don't see you as a friend in the least sort any longer. Not after what you were planning to do with Karou."

Mr. Orasumi chuckled.

"Oh, Mr. Himura……you are sticking your nose into things that don't even concern you at all. I understand she's your friend, and perhaps even more then that….but-"

"No buts…….she is the most important person to me………..and you tried to kill her…..and for that……it is utterly and completely my concern." He snapped at Mr. Orasumi.

The old man blinked, and then smiled again.

"If that's how you're going to be…..then I'm guessing you wish for me to give you a reason why I'm doing this, correct?"

Kenshin nodded.

Mr. Orasumi patted Kenshin's shoulder again, and walked past him.

Kenshin didn't turn around.

"What's the matter, Himura? You want to know the truth, right? If not…you can just stay here and battle my men, until you fall to your knees dead. Or perhaps….you'd rather run away from all this…and find a new family, and a new life……perhaps in another land far away. Either way, it'll get you no where…for I will always win in the end." Mr. Orasumi grinned.

Kenshin turned to Mr. Orasumi now.

"I'm coming……" He hissed to the old man, and followed him out of the dark mansion, and into the night.

Outside, a carriage was awaiting Mr. Orasumi.

The old man got in, and Kenshin followed.

Kenshin watched as the mansion slowly disappeared into the night, and allowed the carriage to pull him farther away.

He had to know the truth……he had to.

~Back at the mansion, in the basement.~

Sanoske and the servants talked, as the guards escorted the maids to their condors to gather up their belongings. They all planned on leaving the next morning for better lives.

Misao, Yahiko and Karou all sat together in a corner together, under the blanket.

"Karou……you'll be alright, won't you?" Yahiko questioned her.

Karou stared up at the ceiling.

"I don't care about me……..is Kenshin alright though?"

Misao and Yahiko looked at one another sadly.

Suddenly, the wall in the basement room was blown through by something huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was the false guards, in all their might, standing as he dust cleared.

Sanoske and Yahiko jumped to their feet, and the servant men did so as well.

Misao and Karou huddled together in fear in the corner.

"You must be Sanoske Sagara, no?" One of the huge false guards spoke as he pointed to Sanoske.

Sano nodded slightly.

"Yeah…what of it?" He snapped.

The false guard took one step towards Sanoske.

"Sagara…..where is Miss Kamiya? We're ready to take her now."

Karou and Misao heard this, and Misao grabbed onto Karou tightly, and shut her eyes.

"And what'll you do if we don't give her to you?" Yahiko suddenly barked out.

The false guard, and his buddies all grinned evilly.

"Well, little man….I don't think you should resolve to that, for you see, Mr. Orasumi is taking Mr. Himura as we speak to his favorite spot in the forest for murdering people he doesn't want to deal with anymore…..and he has given us, his men in crime, the orders of, and I quote….Bring Miss Kamiya to him, and if they refuse, and make a fuss about it….then Mr. Himura….will be found dead the next morning, buried in the summer dirt. It's your choice. If you want Mr. Himura to live…then you will hand over Miss Kamiya right away to us."

Sanoske and Yahiko all stared in horror!

Sano's fists tightened though.

"DO YOU THINK WE'LL ACTUALLY FALL FOR SOMETHING SO RIDICULOUS?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!" He shouted in rage.

"No, Sanoske." A voice came from behind Sano.

He turned around, and found Karou standing behind him, staring up at the false guards.

"KAROU!!!!! NO!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!" Misao pleaded as she stood up and ran to Karou's side, taking her arm into hers.

"KAROU!!! YOU CAN'T!!!! WE'D NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!!!!!!!!! PLEASE DON'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Karou didn't respond as the 16-year-old Oniwonbon member broke down into tears, falling to her knees.

Sano stared at his female friend in confusion.

"Missy…….I don't understand."

Karou took one step forward, but then felt arms wrapped around her waste from the front.

She looked down and saw Yahiko's face buried into her nightgown.

"Karou……I…..I understand……..now." The boy cried.

Karou placed her hands onto Yahiko's shoulders.

He looked up and stared into her face.

She smiled weakly to him.

"Go……save Kenshin." Yahiko whispered up to her.

Karou nodded, and placed a hand over Yahiko's cheek.

She then set him aside, and walked towards the false guards.

They turned her around rapidly, and tired her wrists with rope.

Karou looked up at Sanoske, and back at Misao.

"If Kenshin comes back….and this was all a trap just to make me Mr. Orasumi's slave……please tell Kenshin……..please tell him that…..I did it…to save his life….and to make sure…..that his soul lived on….for the sake…..of my family."

One tear fell down Karou's cheek, and then the false guards turned her around and walked her out of the room.

Everything was silent, until Misao began to sob uncontrollably at her knees.

"I'VE LOST LORD AOSHI, AND NOW KENSHIN AND KAROU TOO!!!!!!!!!! WHY??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed. "WHY????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

~With Kenshin~

The carriage that carried Kenshin and Mr. Orasumi farther and farther into the forest's dark, misty atmosphere slowly came to a stop in the middle of a dark clearing.

The sky began to cloud over as Mr. Orasumi stepped out of the carriage, and Kenshin after him.

The ground felt unstable to Kenshin, but he guessed it was because they were near the drop off that went into the deep river valley. It was straight down, flat sided cliff that plummeted down to the river thousands of feet down.

Mr. Orasumi sat down on a stone, and Kenshin walked over to another stone a few feet away from Mr. Orasumi.

"Now…..tell me everything." Kenshin snapped, unable to control his impatient wondering any longer.

Mr. Orasumi chuckled again.

"Well now, Mr. Himura, you wish to know why I want Miss Kamiya either dead or my slave, correct? Well……it started long ago…….you see, I was a passing member of the Kamiya Kashin style swords method with Miss Kamiya's father. I was as skilled as Mr. Kamiya was….and just as good. We were equal in personality, as well as swordsmanship. We had been friends for as long as we could remember as well. But then…..you must surly know that the meaning of the Kamiya Kashin style is to use your sword to protect and save the weak, right? Well, I disagreed with that with much passion. I believed a sword was for killing the people you hate, and for keeping your power at top level. When you swing your sword, you do it to kill, and not to protect. When I told this to Mr. Kamiya though, he tried to tell me otherwise…..but I wouldn't hear it. I tried to make him believe my words, but he called me a user of his technique, and so he kicked me out of his dojo…..and that's when I grew the hatred for him, and our friendship was lost forever. We remained distant for years after that, and I became a wealthy man of the government in due time, with my knowledge and ability to barter and trade with other completing countries. But my hatred for him grew even stronger throughout those years. Finally, I decided to get rid of him once and for all……but when I sought out information on him, I found he had died of sickness….along with his wife. But…..the information given to me stated that he had a little girl, that was still alive. I swore I would kill her instead of him, to get my revenge. It's been about 15 years since that day, and that little girl of Mr. Kamiya's has grown into that beautiful young lady you see now. I didn't know you even had a connection with her, but when she appeared with you the other day at my doorstep…..I figured, now is my chance to finally have my revenge."

Kenshin was shocked beyond belief. He hadn't ever imagined that this situation linked back to the days before he himself was even born! But worse still…he despised the fact that Mr. Orasumi looked for revenge in a person that hadn't done anything at all to him….and probably didn't even know about the story herself!!! Being as young as Karou had been when her father and mother had perished….around the age of 3.…..she couldn't have known about this tragic fight between Mr. Orasumi and her beloved late father.

He finally knew the reason though, why Mr. Orasumi was doing what he was.

At least now he could tell Karou her manners were still good.

At that thought, he smiled a little bit, but not for long.

Mr. Orasumi stood up and smiled down at Kenshin.

Kenshin immediately whipped off the grin he had placed on his lips away, and looked up at him.

"So there you go, Mr. Himura. You now know why I want to take Miss Kamiya and get revenge. Are you satisfied?" Mr. Orasumi questioned.

Kenshin glared. "I am."

Mr. Orasumi grinned. "I knew you would be. I like you, Himura. Not just because you saved my life weeks back, but because you are so easy to play around with. But I like you for your personality as well, and I don't usually like many, so….I'm giving you this one chance…….will we be at peace now, and part. I will never come after you again, and you will be freed from the death I once set upon your life. You may run, or you may stay, but you will swear not to get involved with my work."

Kenshin stood up in front of the old man.

"And….I'm suspecting that Karou is now safe as well?"

Mr. Orasumi let out a laugh.

"Heavens no. What I mean is…..you give me Karou, and leave in peace to find things better then her and this family of yours."

Kenshin couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed Mr. Orasumi by the collar, and pushed him up against the carriage.

"I would never agree to that. I would never allow you to hurt her. Can't you see, Sir Orasumi………….the family I am with now…..and the woman you want to take away from me………………are the greatest, and only good things in my life that I will ever find."

Suddenly Mr. Orasumi began to laugh hysterically!!

Kenshin's eyes widened in anger.

"Why do you laugh?" He snapped.

Mr. Orasumi slapped Kenshin's hands away from his collar.

"I gave you one chance to spare your life, and you blew it. I guess now is as good of time as ever…….to show you what will happen next….to that family of yours…….and to that woman you care about so much."

As Mr. Orasumi laughed some more, Kenshin stood there, his fists tightening, getting ready to grasp his sword at any moment.

~OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!! PLEASE KEEP READING!!!!!! EEEEP!!!!~

~Smile B~