Rurouni Kenshin: The Phoenix Saga
Episode 2 - Chilling Accusations: The Signal of Vengeance
"Ken-ni da!" the little girl's voice cried out happily, "Ken-ni is here! And Kaoru!"
"And Kaoru!" the younger girl echoed.
Dr. Genzai looked up from the scroll he had been reading and smiled warmly. He was sitting on the porch, his granddaughters playing tic-tac-toe on a spot of bare earth nearby. At least, they had been, for now they were dashing toward the visitors, yelling "Domo domo domo!" in their happy, high-pitched voices.
First they hugged Kaoru's legs, and she stopped to pat their heads. "Konnichi-wa, girls," she said cheerfully, "It's great to see you again. I'm going to talk to Jii-san."
"Hai," they answered, letting go and running over to Kenshin. "KENNNNNNN-NIIII!"
He smiled brightly, violet eyes wide and alive. He knelt down on the frosted earth as the children glomped him, allowing himself to fall over with their small force as they huggled him. "You girls are getting so strong, that you are," he commented in admiration, sitting up again, holding them both. "Ayami-chan... Suzumi-chan... Do you wish to fly?"
"Hai! Hai! Let's fly!" they chanted, elated. Kenshin stood, setting them down momentarily. They already had the drill down, and spread their arms as he picked them up again, this time tucked horizontally under each arm.
"Ikuzo de gozaru yo!" He yelled cheerfully, beginning to run. "Be sure to flap your wings, indeed!!!"
The girls were squealing with delight at Kenshin's amazing speed as they waved their arms up and down, yelling "We flying! We flying! WEEEEE!"
Kaoru watched with a beaming grin. Those girls loved Kenshin so much, and he them. It was wonderful to see them so happy. She left them to their game as she approached her guardian, bowing once she was near the porch. He bowed back, his smile still warm and pleasant as always. "My Kaoru," he commented, "how your face glows today. Is it the wind or the joy of life?"
"A little bit of both," she answered cheerfully, "We had an interesting morning."
"Come inside and you can tell me all about it," he invited, "And I know you must be here for another reason as well?"
"Hai, but only if it's not much trouble..." Her voice faded as she entered the house. Meanwhile, Kenshin stopped running, clouds of vapor rapidly floating from his mouth with his deep, fast breaths.
"I believe we are finished flying now, that we are," he panted, setting the girls down.
"Awwww," Ayami whined, "Ken-ni tired?"
"Hai, Ken-ni tired, that he is," he acknowledged, kneeling on the cold earth once more. He smiled at both of them and asked, "Have you both been good girls for your Jii-san, I wonder?"
Suzumi watched Ayami nod, then she too nodded. "Hai, we good girls," the older stated factually.
"We good girls," the younger echoed. Kenshin's smile widened.
"I am glad to hear it, that I am," he said, standing up. "Sa, perhaps we should go inside, as it is cold out here, that it--" He cut off suddenly, his head swiveling slightly to the right and his now narrowed eyes glaring behind him. He felt a malicious presence. One that did not want itself known.
"Ken-ni?" Ayami queried.
"Go inside, I ask of you," he said quietly, his voice sobered, not moving from his alert posture.
"But why?"
"Onegai de gozaru yo," he plead, voice still low. The girls knew by now that it must have been very important, for they nodded and scampered into the house. The moment Kenshin heard the door close, his eyes closed as well, and he turned around and slowly began to walk in the direction he felt the presence in. But it was hiding itself quickly. His ears strained for an audible give-away. It was so near, and yet...
He heard the door open again, and he could feel Kaoru's concern. Normally, with her around, he would act silly and run into the tree he sensed in front of him. But he stepped around it, without opening his eyes... Paused...
His eyes snapped open and he leaped straight upward, sword flashing from its sheathe. In a shining arc, it swept through the lower branches of the tree. He landed with cat-like grace on the ground once again, at the same time a second figure wadded in dark grey cloth thumped down more heavily, and severed branches rained down among them. One rather large one hit Kenshin on the head, but he chose not to react comically to it, flinching silently as he crept up to the figure.
The stalker was by now on his feet, and he threw his grey cape at Kenshin to confuse or entangle him. Kenshin managed to slice downward with his Sakabatou, the blunt end catching it and flinging the cloth back to the ground. But the attacker used this opening and threw a knife at Kenshin's upper chest. Kenshin's eyes widened at the swiftness of the man's reaction, and he threw himself forward and downward, following his sword's momentum, and he felt a sharp tug as the blade sliced through his hair. A cascade of red locks poured down his shoulder as the strap holding his ponytail was severed. No blood though.
"Nani ka de gozaru?!" he asked in a quick burst from the ground. Another knife was in the air and heading for him. Kenshin rolled out of the way, to the right, as the blade imbedded itself in the cloth of the grounded cloak. "What is this I ask?!" he yelled again, now in a crouch, blade readied. The man, a medium-built foreigner with light colored hair and clad in tight dark clothing, was blurring toward Kenshin with a scream of rage. Kenshin could see intense anger and inner pain in the narrowed green eyes. But he could also see two more knives, larger curved ones for slashing, in the man's hands.
Kenshin managed to block the right-handed knife in mid-arc with his blade, although it was a shaky block due to the size difference in the weapons. The second deadly crescent came in quick succession, and he had to twist his Sakaba to take it as well. This released the first knife, though, and rather than pulling it back to strike again at full-force, the man pressed it forward and into the fabric of Kenshin's left sleeve. There was a tearing sound, but Kenshin felt nothing and grabbed the man's right wrist with his left hand.
"I ask once more," he said, his voice edgy but controlled, eyes now angry but not containing the rage of Battousai, "What are you doing? Why are you after me I ask?"
"Ne me demandez rien, vous monstre!" the man screamed in his own language, stabbing at Kenshin's gripping hand with his other knife.
Kenshin let go just in time, as the adept blade swished past. He ran backward several paces, trying to better assess his situation. But the man was already chasing, blades flashing forth for another attack. Obviously, the earlier stroke had missed his skin, but he could see that the opponent was extremely fast and good with his weapons. He figured he would use the man's rage against him, and jammed his Sakabatou forward so the charging foreigner would run into the blade himself.
The man was already sliding to a halt, however, and flung his left knife at Kenshin before the longer blade could stop him. Kenshin's breath caught as he jerked his arms up and over, the knife landing itself into the hilt of his sword right between his fingers. It fell away after clinging for a moment.
Meanwhile, the man had drawn a new knife and ran at Kenshin, slashing from upward and downward at the same time, roaring "Matrice, vous bâtard perverti!"
Kenshin danced backwards, dodging the repeated and quick slices, deflecting a few with his sword when this would not be possible. This man could not be a hireling; he was far too angry in his actions. And yet, why else would a foreigner, speaking a language Kenshin had never heard before, be after him? He had only time to wonder that much, before he had made his way back to the man's fallen cloak. He kicked the throwing knife out of it, then swept it upward into the air with his free left hand. At the same time, he swung low with his blade. The man reached low to block it with his crossed knives, then the cloth was around him.
Kenshin wrapped the man tightly within the cloak's bounds, the attacker's arms too low and close to his body to slash himself free. Kenshin pinned the cloth in place with the tip of his Sakaba at the man's chest.
"Can you speak Japanese?" he asked his captive.
The man only snarled, then began to quiver. His face now look subdued since he was suddenly at the mercy of who he had so adamantly wanted to kill.
Kenshin's face softened a bit, as did his voice. "My pardons, I only wish to know why--"
"HYAAAA!" *Crack*
The foreign man's face suddenly looked goofy, his eyes wide and rolling, an open-mouthed grin cracking his jaw, and Kenshin had to jerk his sword back as the man fell over. Kaoru stood over him, her bokken in a used position, her eyes narrowed.
Kenshin's own eyes were now popped wide. "Ooooro..." he squeaked, "I was not finished talking to him, that I was not..."
"Who cares about talking to him?!" Kaoru burst, "He could have gotten loose and killed you! He had to be subdued before he got another chance!"
"He was already subdued in spirit, that he was," Kenshin pointed out, now recovered to his normal self, "I could sense he was afraid for some reason when no longer able to attack, that I could."
"Well, I couldn't know that from where I was," she said sheepishly. "But anyway, we'd better secure him and get the police."
"I will take care of him, that I will," Kenshin agreed, "We will still be here when the police come."
So, Kaoru dashed off to seek help, as Kenshin unbound the man to disarm him. He was well built, yet agile, proving he was an expert in combat. His face was weathered slightly, though, giving him a possible age in the late thirties, early forties. Upon closer inspection, the suit he wore seemed to be the uniform of a rich estate's guard. His hair was light brown, almost blonde, and cropped uniformly close to his head, and he had a pale goatee.
Kenshin removed the knives from his hands, as well as one more throwing knife from his pockets. The rest of the concealed sheathes were empty. Kenshin was sure to check behind the man's head and at the edges of his boots as well. Sure enough, he found a small knife at each boot, and he confiscated these as well.
As Kenshin re-wrapped him, partly to keep him warm and partly to keep him captive, Dr. Genzai approached with some rope. "Here you are, young man," he offered, handing it to Kenshin.
"Arigatou de gozaru," he thanked him, using it to tie the man's feet as well as to secure the blanket.
"You know," the elderly man offered, "I heard the language this fellow used. It was French. One of those European countries. I know a few smatters of it, so perhaps I can help you ask him something when he comes to."
"Where did you learn such a language, if I may ask?" Kenshin wondered, surprised.
"I trained under a doctor from France twenty years ago," he answered, smiling, "I had decided to refresh my knowledge, and so I went to Europe, where their medical practice is more advanced. He knew Japanese, but he still taught me a bit of his own tongue. Oh, and don't worry about the girls," he added upon seeing Kenshin's furtive glances toward the door, "They're staying inside."
The Frenchman let out a quiet groan, and Kenshin sat down in front of him, sword sheathed but lying across his lap, as Dr. Genzai knelt beside him. In a bit, the green eyes opened groggily, blinking a few times. Then, they widened and a small cry escaped the knifer's throat, his body tensing under the grey cloth.
"Do not worry, I ask of you," Kenshin said gently, eyes showing sincere concern for the man's fear, as well as for the pain he had seen in the Frenchman's eyes earlier. "I shall not hurt you since you are not attacking me, that I shall not."
Dr. Genzai then repeated back what Kenshin had said in French, minus the 'de gozaru' extension. The man's expression seemed relieved for a brief instant, then shifted to panicked yet venomous. "Seulement parce que je suis seul!" he exclaimed, scrunching his neck down as if expecting to be stricken.
"Only because I am alone," Dr. Genzai translated, sounding a bit puzzled rather than emulating the tone of voice the Frenchman used. Kenshin asked what that was supposed to mean and, through the doctor, their words were passed back and forth, Kenshin's voice and eyes calm and puzzled, and the captive's own rivaling between pure hatred and blinding fear.
"What is that supposed to mean, if I may ask?"
"(You know of what I speak, you cross-faced torturer!)"
Kenshin touched his scar. "So somebody with a scar like mine tortures people... And you came to punish him?"
"(It has to be you! My lord said I would recognize the scar! You must pay for what you did!)"
"I have been peaceful ever since the war, that I have. I would not torture anyone. I am not who you accuse me of being. But please, tell me what this person did and I will put him to justice, that I will."
The Frenchman spat at Kenshin, though the saliva did not make it to him. In a venomous voice, his narrowed eyes once again full of unspeakable pain, he hissed, "(Do you want to hear the screaming again? Do you miss the anguish of my lord and his sister? She is dead because of you! And my lord wishes to die! But he first sent me to avenge them! Are you happy to know this, you disgusting pig?!)"
"Kenshin!" Kaoru's voice called. His head turned and he saw her approaching at a jog, three police behind her. He raised a hand in acknowledgement, giving a reassuring smile, then he turned to face the captive again.
"I am very sorry for what happened, that I am," he said gently, sincerity in his eyes, "And I promise you, I shall speak with the police about this man. I shall see that you are not treated harshly, that I shall."
Dr. Genzai translated this, but the Frenchman's eyes were closed in resignation by now, and whether or not he paid attention could not be determined. Kenshin made sure the police cuffed him gently, and handed them all of the knives he had retrieved. After answering their questions and recounting the situation, he turned to Kaoru.
"I wish to follow them to their headquarters, Kaoru-dono," he said in a serious tone, "I fear a great injustice is occurring as we speak, that I do."
"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled, "Are you going to excuse this man just because he's foreign and speaks a fancy language? I'll have to carry all these insulating cloths by myself!"
Dr. Genzai laid a hand on Kaoru's shoulder. "Do not worry, my child," he said reassuringly, "Kenshin has good reason to be concerned. I will explain it to you inside. It is no trouble for you to wait here until he returns. Your house's walls can wait a while; it is not too late in the day to capture some heat."
"I do appreciate you letting us borrow the cloths," she concurred, "So I guess it won't hurt to do some cooking for you; it is about supper time after all. Alright, Kenshin, take care of what you need to. Though you'll be sorry if the good doctor can't defend you sufficiently." She smirked at this, just as likely to be serious as she was joking.
Kenshin smiled and bobbed his head, loose hair flowing with the motion. "No worries, milady," he said, "I shall not be longer than two hours, that I shan't." He then turned and nodded to the police, who walked as a group with their prisoner and the rurouni.
Kaoru watched them go and sighed. Two criminal trespasses after us in one day, she thought, though this one was serious! I hope this isn't going to continue... She turned and went into the house to find out what she hadn't already seen.