Sentiments of gip-k: -Hello! Welcome to the eleventh chapter of Be careful What you Wish for, under the new name Cautiously Wishing For… I have no ramble at the current time! I must hurry and start writing this…
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Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Dragonball Z, if I did- wait, didn't I tell you what I'd be doing? Oh, you don't remember! Well, go read it again! :)
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---Chapter 11---
The days flew by like leaves in the wind. Sanosuke soon apologized for his behavior, and he and Goku became friends again. Goku's popularity rose and fell, depending on the days. People seemed to actually become used to seeing him fly, and many tried to learn. He tried to teach them, but most simply did not have time or were too busy idolizing him. Kaoru's mood improved drastically, and soon she was back to her old self. Which was bittersweet to Yahiko. Kaoru had regained her control over him- she trained him hard, which was painful. The results, however, were desirable.
As time passed, the stranger that had been shadowing the dojo was promptly forgotten…
One day, Goku was going outside to get a breath of fresh air. He'd just been heavily training during previous moments. When he opened the door, his eyes widened. Charcoal orbs meant narrow forest greens. The stalker wearing the large white coat was once again staring at him, this time less than a foot away.
"Where is Battousai?"
Goku blinked. The man had just spoken.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Goku said.
"Lies," the man said simply.
Goku's eyes scanned him abruptly. He was tall, and somewhere underneath that white coat were two swords.
"W- who are you?" Goku asked, confused.
"Humph," the man said sarcastically. "If it really matters to you, I am called Aoshi Shinomori, of the Oniwabanshu."
Something clicked in Goku's memory. Aoshi Shinomori… Kaoru had said something about him, hadn't she? Wait… hadn't she?
"Aoshi Shinomori?"
"Yes," Aoshi coldly. "And it will be the last name you hear if you do not tell me where the Battousai is."
"I swear I don't know," Goku replied somewhat earnestly.
"It makes sense doesn't it?" Aoshi said coolly. Goku blinked. "He disappears and is immediately replaced by you. You did something to him."
Aoshi leaned forward, the bone-chilling look in his forest green eyes highly evident.
"Don't tell me that you were actually strong enough to do away with the Battousai," he said. He looked ready to spit. "I cannot believe that, nor any of the rest of your lies. You will tell me the truth-" Aoshi's eyes glinted like knives in the sunlight. "Or you will meet your demise."
At lightning quick speed Aoshi pulled the swords out of his coat. Goku's eyes widened and then narrowed. Seeing and predicting Aoshi's every move, he evaded the sword slashes almost perfectly. He continued jumping backwards, shocked at Aoshi's amazing speed.
The running and jumping ended them both in the center of the dojo halls, where dozens students had previously trained. Aoshi finally finished his attacks and Goku stopped dodging them. They looked each other straight in the eyes, both growing coldly indifferent and numb of emotion.
Suddenly, the eerie silence was shattered by the sounds of running. Goku and Aoshi both turned to the direction of the unexpected noise.
"What's going on?" Kaoru asked, bursting into the halls and looking quite innocent in her pale pink kimono. "I heard noise."
Sano and Yahiko were right on her heels. Kaoru's eyes widened at the sight of Aoshi.
"I knew I smelt a loser somewhere around here," Sanosuke growled. "What do you want?"
"I simply desire to know the location of the Hitokiri Battousai," Aoshi said in air chilling tones. His eyes roved over to Kaoru. "And I believe that woman knows where he is, if this, Goku Son does not."
Kaoru paled.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kaoru replied, somewhat frightened. "I have not heard from Kenshin in weeks."
"I don't believe it," Aoshi said. "You are the Battousai's woman. He would have certainly contacted you before he… disappeared. And most certainly he did not even disappear- he is hidden. Perhaps you, Kaoru Kamiya, pressed him to hide himself for some unknown reason. I will find out where he is, no matter what it takes."
Goku stepped in front of Kaoru.
"Leave them out of this," he said sternly.
Aoshi's eyes roved to Goku.
"I do not wish to fight any of you," Aoshi replied. "And if you please, get out of my way before you are injured."
"No," Goku replied firmly. "Kaoru does not know where Kenshin is, and neither do I."
"Very well," Aoshi said. "I will have to take care of you, then."
With that, Aoshi began swaying from side to side, causing the victim of his attack to see after images of him. Goku kept his eyes set on him carefully, and clenched his hand into a fist. He had to concentrate.
"Goku, be careful!" Yahiko cried, pushing out from behind Kaoru. "That attack's dangerous!"
"Yes, be careful, Goku!" Kaoru cried. "He nearly got Kenshin with doing that thing."
"Don't worry about him," Sanosuke said. "Macho man knows what he's doing." Inside, Sanosuke was thinking, be careful, man. It would suck if something bad happened.
Meanwhile, Goku carefully monitored Aoshi's movements. He's fast. Goku thought. But I can see everything he's doing.
In a split second Aoshi turned from swaying to attacking, charging at Goku, his after images following him. Goku jumped back in time, but Aoshi's two swords cut into his training clothes and into some of the skin underneath. Aoshi had expected him to be cut evenly in half.
Goku reacted quickly, using his momentum to jump over Aoshi he punched him square in the back. Surprisingly, the punch did not connect fully because Aoshi had already been moving out of the way. The injury was done, though. Aoshi bent over slightly. Neither him or Goku were facing each other. The silence dragged on. Kaoru's breath caught.
"I don't want to fight you, Aoshi," Goku said firmly.
Aoshi stood up straight.
"It is not over, Goku Son," Aoshi replied. They turned again to face each other. Yahiko watched them intently. Aoshi began doing his trick again. Goku was already familiar with the attack. This time, when Aoshi charged he easily dodged it. Unfortunately, he had not been able to see that that was exactly what Aoshi had wanted him to do. When he jumped to the side of Aoshi, Aoshi used one of his two swords to slash at Goku from his position. Goku noticed this just in time, and jumped out of the way. Aoshi was not finished his attack, though. He swerved around gracefully and aimed at Goku again. Goku again evaded him. Before Aoshi knew it Goku was above him. He kicked him square in the chest, knocking him down.
Aoshi toppled over and crashed down to the cold, hard wood floor. A soft grunt and a tightening at the corners of his mouth were enough to show that he was in pain.
Goku touched down at the ground.
"That's enough, Aoshi," he said firmly. "I don't want to hurt you anymore."
"It is you who will be hurt," Aoshi said, slowly standing back up. He grunted again.
"Yeah right!" Yahiko said. "You stink, Aoshi! Score one for Goku!"
Goku glanced at Yahiko. The shininess in the boy's red brown eyes was evidence of the fact that he was eager to cheer Goku on. Goku turned back to his opponent, who was now standing again.
The fight dragged on. Aoshi seemed to have gotten better, but the length of the battle and the strength and speed of Goku's kicks and punches was wearing down at him. Goku was barely at half of his full strength, but he was still beating Aoshi. It was a one-sided fight.
After thirty minutes, Aoshi's knuckles were white and strained from how tight he was holding his swords- blood was dripping down them as it was from his forehead and the corner of his mouth. He coughed, splattering more blood unto the floor. Goku became concerned.
"Aoshi-"
Aoshi lifted up his hand.
"This fight is not over yet, Goku Son," Aoshi croaked, coughing again. He subconsciously touched his side, where Goku had just kicked him. He steadied himself once again. "I will defeat you."
"There's no sense in fighting a battle you can't win!" Sanosuke yelled suddenly. Aoshi's forest green eyes roved to him. Sanosuke's mouth twisted. "Don't you care? If you fight any longer you'll be so battered you won't even be able to move for a day."
"If you couldn't defeat Kenshin, how can you expect to beat this guy?" Yahiko asked, his face serious. "Have you noticed what Goku can do? If he wanted to kill you, you'd be dead right now. But in his mercy and compassion, he is sparing your life! He's not even using all his power right now, and you're still defenseless against him! Why the heck can't you just wake up?"
Yahiko's strong words echoed through the walls of the dojo halls. Then silence reigned again. Kaoru's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"Aoshi, if you want to, I could give you some medicine for your wounds," Kaoru asked. Her face was serious. "Miss Megumi is a good doctor, I'm sure she'd be willing to give you some treatment."
"No thank you," Aoshi said blankly. "I can take care of myself." He turned to Goku. "There is sense in what the child says-" Yahiko fumed at being called a child. "But… I will return, Goku Son, and I will defeat you."
With that, Aoshi did his after image technique again and slunk out of the dojo.
Yahiko grinned and jumped straight in the air.
"All right!" he said. "The sucker is gone! You rock, Goku!"
Goku smiled, and scratched his head.
"Hey, not bad, Macho man," Sanosuke said. "You really owned him."
Goku smiled. Yahiko began swirling around Goku, congratulating him. Sanosuke stood casually against a wall, hands in his pockets. Kaoru smiled softly to herself. She gave Sano a meaningful look. He got it, and smiled back at her.
"What are you going to do now?" Yahiko asked.
"Eat!" Goku exclaimed immediately. "I'm starving!"
Kaoru fell down anime style.
"Hey, give the man his food," Sanosuke said with a lazy grin.
"But, I don't know if I can cook that much," Kaoru said. "Oh well," she said, smiling. "I guess I must."
"And no tofu!" Yahiko said sternly. "We have lots of leftover fish, right, Goku?"
Goku scratched his head.
"I don't think so," he replied. "Nope, I think I ate all that yesterday."
It was Yahiko's turn to fall down anime style. Sanosuke's eyes widened to the point that they were almost as big as saucers.
"What the heck?" he asked. "You ate all that fish?"
"Well, sorry guys, I didn't know you'd wanted any."
Yahiko looked ready to cry.
"Hey," Goku said, his eyes lighting up. "We could just go to the Akebeko again!"
"Are you crazy?" Kaoru asked. "You still owe Tae a lot of money!"
"Hey, maybe she'll give us a free meal this time," Goku said. "I think she said something about that."
So, after a little more deliberation, the foursome headed out to the Akebeko to eat.
Tae, as Goku had said, gave them a free meal. She had asked why they were all looking so stressed, so Kaoru told her.
"Aoshi Shinomori?" Tae asked, shocked.
"Shhh!" Kaoru hissed quickly. Tae quieted down. Yahiko interrupted suddenly.
"Goku beat him- he beat him- beat him- easy- easily!"
"Don't talk with food in your mouth, Yahiko!" Kaoru said. "You'll choke."
"But it's-" Yahiko began coughing. Sano slapped him on the back very hard. He stopped coughing. "It's true! Goku beat Aoshi like he was nothing!"
Tae raised an eyebrow at Kaoru.
"It's true," Kaoru said with a soft smile.
"It's kinda of dull around here without Kenshin," Tae said, sighing. "I sure hope he turns up soon. Sometimes there's trouble over here and I'm wishing he were here."
Kaoru gave Tae a tight smile.
"I hope so, too, Tae," she replied. "I hope so too."
After eating at the Akebeko, and drinking a little sake, the foursome headed back to the dojo.
The lights went out all around as each boarder at the dojo turned off their lights and crawled unto their futons to sleep in sweet silence.
Kaoru slumped into her room, exhausted from the events of the day. She undressed and got into a more comfortable kimono that had no ribbon and lay down for a while on her bed, trying to go to sleep. She tossed and turned, her rest not willing to come to her. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Kenshin- that classical rurouni grin on his gorgeous face. She longed to see him again. Kaoru sat up in her bed, sighing. She would never be able to go to sleep. So instead, Kaoru got up and lighted a candle. She then re-took her seat. She hugged her knees close to her and placed her chin on them. Her tears glistened in soft light like crystals falling down a pale slope.
"Oh, Kenshin," she said softly. "Please come back soon. Please, wherever you are, come back to me safely. Please. I love you… I love you with all my heart. I'm sorry I never told you- I'm… sorry I never said. But it's true. Please come back and I'll tell you. Please come back to me." Kaoru closed her eyes shut as more tears fell down her cheeks. "Please, wherever you are," she whispered. "Bring him back safe."
Kaoru's short prayer echoed in the night, and faded into the soft breeze. After an hour more Kaoru fell into slumber- slumber disturbed by terrible dreams. The next day ahead would be very difficult to face…
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gip-k's Post chapter statements: -That's it people. Flames welcome. I just could not think of anything more to put in this chapter without ruining the atmosphere! I tried everything! (except cutting myself off from those addictive DBU forums that have been distracting me for almost a week). Thanks for reading! :D
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