Ciao!!!

Before I start off with this chapter I'd like to thank you all for the patience of reading through this fic- I didn't even realize it had blown to these epic proportions already!

Yasai: Chi just can't do the KISS trick...

Well, and then I have three things to say. First, I am still asking for volunteers to read through my plots. Either tell me in a review you'd like to do so, or e-mail me at Hoshiakari@web.de ... your help would be so very much appreciated!

Second, I have had a very busy time and have been 'Germanized' since I have to read a whole lot in German, so forgive me if my English sounds a little odd in this chapter.

And third and last but not least: Enjoy reading!!!

"…." Denotes talking

….. denotes thinking

*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 17

Eris and Discordia

The elevator's chime startled Tsunan and Katsu from their comfortable dozing, the duo jumping to their feet and knocking over their poor protégé Yahiko in the process creating almost a greater rustle than the disheveled group of six half tumbling, half walking out of the opening doors. A brilliant smile on their identical faces the twins relieved the women from their load, easing the wounded fighters gently down against the wall, if with a frown when dealing with Aoshi. The Oniwabanshu Okashira's traitorous actions had not been forgotten- but dealing with adverse feelings was pushed to a later time since there was still the main objective of the mission furthest to the front of their minds.

"I see you've gotten them all out alive," Tsunan remarked towards Misao, the young ninja beaming up at the much taller man.

"Don't ever doubt the talents of an Oniwabanshu," she chided with a small smile in her eyes and on her lips. The mere fact that she was so close to Aoshi had her heart jumping with joy, the liveliness in her whole being replenished by his presence.

"I'm sure my brother wouldn't dream of it," Katsu said, "however, we're going to need these talents once more, Misao- we need to get out of here and back to our safe house as soon as possible… or aren't we?" Inexplicably, his very wise suggestion was met by hard and icy stares from the six men and women who had just rejoined with them, and even Yahiko looked slightly uncomfortable under the onslaught of determination radiating from them.

"So we aren't getting out- I should've known… after all, this was a mission involving Battousai… he never gets out when he should… Hiko was right!"

"You shouldn't lament your fate that much, brother- we have an eighty percent chance of survival in his company. That's what Katsura's and Hiko's stats say- who is that Hiko guy, by the way? I've been wondering for quite some time yet… judging from the fact that he works with Katsura e must be a big shot, but then…"

"Uh, Tsunan… I think the rest of our team aren't really interested in these musings," Katsu remarked dryly, causing Tsunan, to the relief of everyone except himself, to stop talking.

"Uh… who are you?" Sano asked, clearly not quite over the confusion that came with the blood loss and shock from his injuries. He had thought the girls had come alone- and now there wasn't only Yahiko with them but also two strange men… or was it just one man? The young ex-Sekihoutai didn't really trust his eyes yet… and the two of them did look a little too much alike.

"Oh, sorry… we knew about you, of course, but you were unaware of our presence. We are Tsukioka Tsunan and Katsuhiro, agents-at-your-service. Are you really Battousai?" Curious peeks at Kenshin's rather slight and pale form accompanied the hasty introduction and question.

"Oro? Yes…" the red-haired agent sighed, apparently his secret wasn't a secret anymore. "It's very nice to meet you, Mister Tsukioka and Mister Tsukioka, that it is." He gave a slight bow to each of them, assessing their skills with his sharp eyes and mind. Not bad… they were in above-average physical condition, and judging from their banter they also had the ability to withstand psychological pressure- Katsura had stationed some of his best near the border, it seemed.

The adults unconsciously moved closer together while either of them was waiting for the other to make the next move, to formulate the one plan that would lead them to safety… even if it was though attack. It was only after a few minutes of silence that the realization struck that apparently none of them had an inkling of what to do now. However, none of them spoke until…

"Now, since we're not running, what are we going to do?" Yahiko pushed himself nose first into the tightly knit group of adults, making room for himself- much to their annoyance- between Sano and Megumi. The role of the innocent advocatus diaboli suited him just fine- his large, brown eyes finding just the empty air as he questioningly searched for eye contact and an answer to his question. Instead of meeting a clear answer, however, he first met only silence- and then all heads unanimously turned towards the slight, inconspicuous figure of the redheaded agent sitting at the very edge of the group.

"So what's the plan, Kenshin?"

*~*

"So what's the plan, Seijurou?" Katsura leaned across the rather mangy-looking table in the third-class diner Hiko Seijurou had chosen as a meeting spot. Grimacing as his sleeve stuck to an adhesive pool of long-since dried up, unidentifiable liquid his impassively burning eyes tried to breach the void Seijurou kept instead of his black eyes. He had to almost tear the fabric of his sleeve, but he finally managed to free it from the vile… stuff clutching at it, enabling Katsura to grab his equally sticky glass containing- hopefully- tap water, of which he took a cautious sip.

"The plan, Katsura? I don't even know what you're talking about!" If anybody had wanted an actor to portray perfect righteous indignation in his role he should have chosen Seijurou.

"Please, Seijurou, you know as well as I that we're desperate for time! We haven't yet heard anything from Himura, and-"

Hiko held up a single finger. "Correction, my friend: You are desperate for time. I have all the time in the world, except for that slight problem with the large platter I should have fired today… why, I should just return to my kiln instead of being here!"

Katsura sighed. Leave it to Hiko to act as though everything was alright when the world was about to collapse. "May I remind you that you were the one who initially supplied us with the information in question? I finally got his source out of Yamagata… you had contacted the Wolf and asked him to research certain movements of the Pharaoh, haven't you? Now, I must ask you to work with us in this one- bitter as it is, the Agency's best is not available at the moment we would need him most, so we need the former Number One to return, just for this one mission."

Hiko Seijurou certainly looked surprised. He always enjoyed playing mind games with his old partner, and he had expected him to play along for a while longer until he, as always, would drop the bomb and reveal everything he knew. If Katsura was desperate enough to beg him to cooperate…

"Katsura, what's new?" His black eyes lost their void look and assumed the sharp glint that had struck fear into everyone daring to cross him in his days as an agent- and still did to everyone coming across it, for a fact, everyone, that is, except for Katsura. The Agency leader sighed, decided he'd rather avoid eye contact with his ex-partner for the moment and pushed back from the small table in the shadiest corner of the shady diner, his chair protesting the motion with a loud creaking sound that made Katsura question its structural integrity for a second before he refocused and answered Seijurou, the low tones of his voice just barely crossing the distance between his friend and himself.

"The Regime has rallied its forces- we're not sure how, but they've obtained a list of the identities of every single double agent of ours in their forces, the location every single safe house close to or on their territory, and details about our rather… delicate project involving young Himura. They are preparing for a massive strike, a strike that could very well destroy us o at least severely cripple us, and furthermore, we have sent Himura into yet another trap. We didn't know this at the time we sent the order for him to allow himself to be recaptured, assuming he could take out the greatest of all Regime plans by removing the Pharaoh rather permanently from his position at the head of the Regime forces, but now… the Pharaoh's plan was far more complex than we thought, and even though the information we supplied Himura with wasn't wrong it was just the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

We can't send help to him because we're going to need every single agent at our disposal to get the other agents away from the Regime, and those who won't be on rescue missions will have to guard the safe houses. It's chaos at HQ at the moment, and we need someone with skills in the field as well as in tactics to get things into order- I need help, Seijurou, your help. There's noone else- please, at least consider helping us out."

Breathlessly, Katsura ended his narrative, tentatively raising his gaze to meet Seijurou's fury. He knew his friend would be rage incarnated, but he hadn't prepared himself for the wall of ice he met when looking at him. Seijurou's eyes were narrowed to the point of being infinitesimally small slits, the large, long-fingered hands clenching the edge of the yellowed plastic table so tight new cracks were beginning to spread outwards from each of his fingers, every single muscle along his jaw clearly visible and highly defined as his teeth were clenched to the point of breaking.

"So this is what happens when I let you run things alone for a mere week, Katsura? The Agency in danger of going under, your options nonexistent, and your personnel alone and abandoned in hostile territory? Tell me, what about the backup plan I had included when I sent you the Wolf's report? Have you at least had the farsightedness to implement this simple measure?"

Katsura met Seijurou's silent fuming head on, not backing down in the least. "Believe me, had I known a week ago this would happen I would have made different decisions- unfortunately, there was a delay along our information routes, and I only got to know of the Pharaoh's new ploy this morning. You can call me incompetent- but it wasn't my fault, it was Murphy's Law striking at the least opportune moment. And you can rest assured- I have made certain we have backup, using your plan and slightly improving it. Trust me at least this far, Seijurou."

His hands released the table's edge, ruffling through impeccably cut black hair, sweeping it out of Seijurou's eyes. "That's Agent Hiko, Katsura."

Katsura's burning brown eyes widened slightly. "You're in, then?"

Seijurou nodded, arms crossed over his muscled chest. "Just don't expect me to work with any of your rookies. I'm going alone."

Katsura actually smiled- a genuine smile, breaking the tension that had risen to almost unbearable levels. "No, you're not, Seijurou- you're working with me on this one. Yamagata will be in charge of all the administrative issues, you and I are going out into the field again."

"Whatever," Seijurou replied indifferently, lips curling up in unveiled disgust as he touched the same sticky spot on the table that had trapped Katsura's sleeve earlier while getting up. "Can we move this to your office, then?"

It was you who suggested this location, Katsura thought, smirking as he basked in the knowledge that even the unshakeable Hiko Seijurou got uncomfortable when faced with dry mystery liquid. "Let's go," he said out loud, carefully avoiding contact with any of the grimy furniture in the diner and throwing the gibbering woman behind the counter a ten. "Keep the change," he said, even though he wasn't sure she understood him.

Hiko smirked when the woman's eyes followed him to the door, but even he didn't want to stay a second longer. There were limits to what was tolerable…

*~*

"What?" Even though it wasn't really ladylike Megumi's jaw hung as slack as those of the others after having heard Kenshin's answer. "No plan?"

"No plan," the agent confirmed, his body and voice shaking due to the fact that Tsunan was currently holding onto his shoulders and trying to bring him to his senses again.

"But then… how?" Sano asked, any more articulate sentence fleeing his mind as he found himself confronted with the fact that he was about to try and assassinate a madman in his own home without so much as an inkling of a plan of how to do it and- more important- how to get away afterwards.

"I honestly don't know." Kenshin rubbed his bruised shoulders, having finally escaped Tsunan's grip. "I had orders to be recaptured alone- then wait for the Pharaoh to challenge me and take him out. I couldn't have planned for all of you to be here with me, that I couldn't!" His lips twitched into an almost-pout. "So it was Sano who ruined the plan, that it was- he should come up with the new plan, that he should!"

Megumi dramatically sighed and rested her head on Sano's shoulder. "We're doomed, then," she stated.

Sano bristled with injured pride until his injuries reminded him rather painfully that he had other things to worry about at the moment. Settling down, he sighed, raking his uninjured hand through his hair and sucking in his breath as he touched a tender spot. "Damn," he summed it all up.

"Right. Damn." Kaoru looked furiously tired, even in her wildest dreams she had not anticipated ever sitting in the Pharaoh's mansion, casually talking over plans of how to kill the landlord. Shutting her eyes to ward of the headache beginning to pound against the inside of her temples she gripped her neighbor's hand, squeezing it tight while thinking.

"Ouch! Miss Kaoru…" Kenshin's own thoughts were disrupted rather abruptly as the bones of his fingers grated uncomfortably against each other in Kaoru's impressively strong grip. Vise-like grip, to be honest… on moment… vise-like! That was it!

"There might just be a chance for us all to get out of this alive, that there might!" He exclaimed, eyes shining brightly. For the second time in ten minutes eight heads whipped around to face him, and he felt himself buried under rather furious stares.

"Oro… well, I have thought of what we could do, that I have. We are just enough people, that we are… and Shishio, the Pharaoh, won't ever see this coming, that he won't." Kenshin smirked- or perhaps that had just been an illusion caused by the play of light and shadow on his face. He just didn't smirk, no he didn't.

"Why don't you just cut the chase and tell us what we should do? Honestly, Kenshin, why do you always have to speak in riddles!" Yahiko threw his hands up in exasperation. It was the first time the young boy had made himself noticeable, and the adults looked rather relieved it had been him and not them who had asked the agent to make himself clear.

"We are going to go in two groups. If I have analyzed this building correctly, each floor has been built like a Roman villa, by an Italian architect, that it has. This means everything is centered around a large room in the middle, probably reaching from the ground floor up to the roof, or even an open courtyard… and I believe that Shishio's personal quarters will be on the topmost floor in the middle room, that I do. Divide and conquer… one group will take the way around the right side of the building, the other will go left, then we will meet at the doors, like the two halves of a vise. We will have to adhere to a rigid schedule or we will fail, that we will. Shishio won't ever anticipate us taking this risk, that he won't, so we have a chance. What do you say?"

Agent Takani Megumi smiled. She should have known Kenshin would come up with something like this, crazy and daring enough that it might just work.

"Your reputation is well earned," Katsu stated dryly, giving a thumbs-up at the same time. Tsunan nodded.

"Battousai's craziness has been underrated, he should be called mental instead of just slightly insane… well, I think we have a rather good chance of surviving if we do this one right- I say we try it!"

"We try it," the others echoed. Megumi chuckled, the hacking, caustic sound mirroring the insecurity the group felt despite their vote of confidence.

"And if we don't succeed I don't think we'll have to worry about anything anymore."

"Foxy, you really know how to cheer us up." Somehow, Sano had managed to grab a hold of the physician-agent's hand despite the bandages around his shoulder that were (supposedly) limiting his movements. Megumi returned his squeeze of her hand softly. If they were going down, they were going down together.

"What are the groups?" Now that was the interesting question…

*~*

"You wish to keep it a secret that you're back? But it could buoy morals amongst my people if they knew the Agent Hiko was back!" Katsura argued, but even as he spoke the words he knew they met a steel wall of resistance.

"You will not tell. You have a serious security problem, Katsura." He sounded as though he explained to a child that fire was hot. Katsura scowled, feeling the tension between him and his partner rise again, just like it always had back in the old days when the Regime had just been the distant possibility of a mirage on the horizon.

"Alight, I will not tell. So, what do you suggest we do?" Even though it was hard for the Agency leader to admit, Hiko's strategic mind and photographic memory that had recorded every single incident and encounter with the Regime over the course of more than a decade already would be the decisive factor in his planning.

"We do what they don't expect us to do. Send skeleton crews to guard each safe house, the minimum of teams required to extract our compromised agents. The rest… will be our attack force. The Pharaoh thinks himself invincible in his own fortress in the North. We will show him he isn't."

"And you are going to lead that attack, Seijurou?" Katsura didn't look like he appreciated Hiko's plan.

"Wrong. I thought you said we worked together again. We will lead that attack. The Pharaoh will be crushed once the leader of the Agency walks into his living room. Even Shishio won't recover from that."

"Psychological warfare… my friend, you're even more cruel then Ikumatsu when she's angry."

Hiko snorted, walking over to Katsura's desk. "I suggest you start giving the orders- if our information is correct we have less than twelve hours."

"Yes, Agent Hiko, Sir," Katsura mock-saluted, "and I suggest, by the way, that you learn how to follow orders again, Seijurou- you are, after all, my subordinate now." Hah! Now he had one over his insufferable friend.

"Well, in that case, consider me a freelance advisor to the Agency. Double the normal salary, of course. Oh, and no orders. Otherwise…" Well, it had been nice while it had lasted. There was no way the discord between him and Seijurou would ever be solved… but then, strangely as it might sound, their divisiveness was the base of their friendship- including the fact that the winner of their argument was, without any exceptions, always Seijurou. Katsura was just glad he survived the biting wits of the cynic… and that he could fuel the genius's drive once in a while. And Hiko was content to prove his superiority to Katsura- while knowing he could always rely on his friend. Eris and Discordia did not always govern the end to understanding…

*~*

"We are nine people. Three of us are wounded. Eight of us are trained in one way or the other. What would you make the groups, Megumi?" Katsu asked. Megumi tapped one long finger, the nail topping it cut short to end with the tapered point of it, against her chin while voicing her musings.

"Two groups, one of five, one of four. I wouldn't divide Aoshi and Misao, the two of them are used to working together, as are Tsunan and Katsu. I should stay with Sano, lest the rooster collapse again… the rest of us is divisible. Misao knows her way around buildings, so she should lead one group. Since Ken-san told us so much about how this mansion was most likely built he should be second leader… now, then that puts Misao and Aoshi on one team… and I'd say since Aoshi's wounded you two should accompany them, you know at least basic first aid. So we have four… I'd say Yahiko stays with Kaoru, so these two can't go on your team, Sano and I will have to stay together… I'd say the rest of us is going to be the group of five. Alright?" She tuned to Kenshin.

"Alright," cobalt eyes narrowing in concentration, quickly extrapolating all the possibilities the agent nodded. "This is the best possible constellation, that it is. Fighting power and knowledge are equally distributed. Thank you, Miss Megumi," he smiled, a reassuring sight despite the hardened golden glint his eyes retained.

"Well, then…. what are we waiting for?" Kaoru asked, "let's just set that schedule already. Where in the building are we?"

Misao grinned proudly. "I know. Look!" Quickly, she drew a map of the rectangular outside walls of Shishio's mansion, then added the rooms they had been in already.

"Right now, we're on the north side, the shorter one. If what Himura says is correct then Shishio, the Pharaoh, will be on the opposite side two floors up. There's only three floors, we saw that when entering. Now, one team will move along the west side, the other along the east. It shouldn't take too long- most of the Pharaoh's guards are on the ground floor, and he's never before had his mansion infiltrated. So, what do you say, ten minutes till meeting on the south side on the third floor?"

"Make that fifteen minutes, Misao. If one team encounters difficulties it is easier for the other team to wait in one of the rooms on their side than out in the open." Aoshi's cool, collected voice didn't leave room for argument, and the whole group was quick to agree to his suggestion. After all, as leader of an independent spy group he was almost as much of a legend as Battousai was.

"Fifteen minutes it is, Aoshi-sama. You are right, of course. Let's go!" Energy radiated from Misao as she bounced on the balls of her feet, just warming up for the battle lying ahead. The whole group readied their respective weapons and got ready to leave, steering towards the staircase visible on the other side of the room- all except for one.

"Let's use the elevator to go upstairs," Megumi, ever practical, suggested.

The top floor was as silent as the grave- literally. There wasn't even a single guard in the guard room next to the elevator, a fact that made Kenshin's spine tingle and his eyes harden into flat disks of matte gold.

"Good luck- see you in fifteen minutes, Himura," Misao whispered, the eerie silence getting to her as well. Kenshin nodded, too distracted by the calculations and analyses going on in his mind. Whirling thoughts couldn't come to a clear result, but the lingering feeling of unease and the certainty of walking into a trap couldn't be banished. Before he could voice his doubts, though, the four members of Misao's team had already crept away, silent as the shadows lining the bare walls decorated only by horribly done neo-Egyptian frescoes.

Jerking his head towards his left Kenshin tiptoed across the room, every step a reminder of his painfully exposed position. If the Pharaoh had cast a trap for them, now would be the time to activate it.

"There's no trap here." The voice almost made him jump out of his skin, the Sakabatou trembling in his too-tight grasp.

"Miss Kaoru!" he gasped, the silence shattered by his accelerated breathing. She smiled at him, and for a second the scenery around him changed into white emptiness, the horrible paintings on the wall taking on a life of their own, creating a landscape sweeter than nature itself. The scene, the emptiness and beauty and the blue jewels of life set within it, settled around him and his frayed emotions like a cloak, a vision of peace and perfection. The smile, however, didn't last long, her pushing him forward conveying the need to go on, still the moment lingered in his mind and calmed his somewhat turmoiled feelings.

Casting his senses out like a fisherman would his lines the agent felt relieved when he really couldn't detect a trap or threat of any kind. Quickly moving through the rooms, their longish form making them into some sort of long corridor, he carefully flitted along the walls, the others following him closely. Even Yahiko managed to overcome the notorious clumsiness young boys were infamous for, the child moving with stealth and grace suited to someone two decades his senior. Sano, with Megumi's assistance, was a little slower but still nothing but a phantom in the night.

Within five minutes they had arrived at what Kenshin deemed the door leading to the corridor running parallel to the one on the side they had originated from. Yahiko, in his youthful innocence, had asked him how he could be so sure about that. He had only gotten the mysterious answer of "I compared Miss Misao's sketch to the proportions of the rooms we passed through and calculated this building's length, that I did." Yahiko- like the other three of them, including Megumi- had not really understood what he meant, but one look from the flat golden eyes Kenshin sported in his nervous state had told them to let things be.

They had yet to see a soul, had to hear a soul, and even Kenshin's ki-sensing abilities were unable to detect any hostile kis in the vicinity. Somehow, the agent smelled that something wasn't right. The Pharaoh- Shishio- wasn't this careless. He wouldn't allow himself to be trapped by his enemies without some sort of protection.

"There has to be a trap…" he murmured to himself just before all hell broke lose.

Misao flitted across the open expanse of a rather stately room, checking and double-checking for guards or traps before returning to her group. Steadying Aoshi by allowing him to lean on her, his arm around her small waist, the other clutching the hilt of one of his kodachi, drawn and ready, the glinting steel biting the eye with a promise of what it could do to flesh she carefully crossed from door to door, taking more time than she liked to take, yet she felt strangely safe and secure in the arms of her one true love. Off to the side and behind her Katsu and Tsunan employed all their skills to secure their flanks.

Her calculations had been slightly off- even before she peeked into the long, well-lit, white-walled corridor she had suspected as much. Well then, they had already arrived, and with eight minutes to spare! Sighing softly, she checked the room for guards again, asking Aoshi whether there was anyone nearby and getting a typical, monosyllabic answer. "No."

Thus, she settled on the floor for the wait, there was nothing she could do since Aoshi had already sat down in a meditative trance, blatant disregard for the discomfort it caused his injuries evident when he didn't even wince. Just when she had taken a deep breath to calm herself the attack began.

*~*

Hiko Seijurou was annoyed. He had explicitly told Katsura he didn't want to work with rookies, yet half of the force the two would be sending into Regime territory were exactly that. They stood about as much a chance of survival as a moth caught in a frying pan with the lid on. And he could do nothing about it since every single agent in the Agency had already been given a task.

Since he wasn't well-known anymore- apart from his name his being had faded into the realm of myth- he had chosen the most simple disguise known to humankind: hide in plain view. Thus, he was listening to Katsura explaining the course of action the two of them had decided earlier on, his hands itching for his favorite weapon while the unfamiliar weight of a pistol was hanging on his hip. Katsura had agreed when he had expressed his wish to join the regular force to just come as a greater surprise to the Pharaoh, but that meant sacrificing his sword. And to Hiko, that was a great sacrifice, one he was barely willing to make for this first talk. Afterwards, there was no way he would be separated from his katana, and since there were a few other agents trained in the art- Katsura had been trying to find a replacement for his baka deshi when he had decided to quit the assassination business- he would not seem too out-of-place.

"… final strike against the Pharaoh." At last, Katsura had finished his speech. Faster than the eye could follow Hiko was at his locker, taking out the long, wooden sheath containing the deadly sharpness of his prized possession. Moths they might be, but these moths were fighting back. And even though he hardly admitted it to himself the rage and icy fear at the thought of his baka deshi walking into a trap while he lingered on the border to the Regime consumed his mind. The idiot just couldn't protect himself… it figured that Hiko had to go and help him yet again. Eyes shut tight in annoyance he listened to the footsteps of Katsura approaching.

"Two hours, my friend," the Agency leader said in passing by. He didn't get an answer- if one didn't let the slight growl and twitch of an eyebrow count as one.

*~*

Fire… fire was raging all around them, an impenetrable ring of smoke, heat and flames. Aoshi was holding her upright, the hailstorm of bullets that had preceded the fires almost ending in a casualty. It had been Misao's quick reflexes that had turned a deadly shot into a graze- but a graze along her right temple, almost shallow enough not to bleed at all but at the same time strong enough to send her into unconsciousness. The tall man, covered by agents Tsunan and Katsu, had dived for cover behind the nearest piece of furniture, which had happened to be the sofa that, like the rest of the room, had gone up in flames the second he had attempted to hide behind it. He still couldn't feel the ki signatures of any opponents close by, but the whistling of bullets cutting through the air hadn't subsided either. There had to be an automated gun somewhere… perhaps connected to some invention that was rumored to have been made about half a year ago- motion sensors. If that were the case… well, then he had better resign himself to a very long, very hot wait for Battousai since there was no way he could escape from the trap with himself in less than optimal condition, Misao unconscious and the two agents busy warding off the flames. Shinomori Aoshi was caught. At least you are holding her while you're in hell, he thought, the comfort that thought offered him somehow outweighed by his frustration at his inability to carry the lithe girl to safety.

Still, he wouldn't be fast enough, and motion sensors wouldn't be fooled by his liquid movements because they, unlike humans, didn't consciously or unconsciously rely on sensing ki. He was helpless- and he couldn't even save Misao.

The girl was stirring in his arms, convulsing before suddenly crying out and throwing her arms around his chest constricting from the lack of oxygen in the smoky air, almost choking him. "Aoshi-sama!" She only quieted down when he pulled her closer. "Aoshi-sama," she sighed, falling silent again.

"Misao…" Shinomori Aoshi waited.

… to be continued …

A little less fluff and action here… but much-needed update on Hiko and Katsura included. Now, there's some things I'll have to address…

Yasai: Beware, it's important!

Well, this concerns next week's update. As I'm leaving on a one-week study trip to Berlin this Friday I normally wouldn't be able to update… but then there's the fact that I, unlike the rest of my classmates, am underage. This means I get to stay at the youth hostel while they go out in the evenings (I may only stay out until 10 p.m. according to German law… stupid fifteen! These are the times I really curse my age! Wish I were 18!), and this means I can write (I'm taking my laptop with me). However, I have no internet connection… thus, here's the deal: You let me break 100 reviews and I'll do my best to find an internet café or public library where I can access the net and upload the next chapter. *grins*

Yasai: I didn't know you were an extortionist, Chi… should I fear for my life as your muse? You might use me to trade for reviews next time!

Yup! I'm the most dangerously pathetic extortionist on the face of the planet! And the youngest ever convicted in Germany *grins* if I used my muse. Well… I will write anyways, only I won't sneak out to search for a net access *grins* so you can decide. Hmm… and I might just bring along the next chapter of RtK as well… the story is always in the back of my mind nagging me to write it but as of yet I sorely lacked the time… which is something I will have during the study trip…

Yasai: So go check that story out as well, review it and… we'll see!

Well, until then… some (useless) information!

Eris and Discordia: Eris is the Greek goddess of discord and divisiveness, Discordia is her Latin/Roman name.(*grins* I have a foible for mythology… have you ever read the classic Greek sagas? Do so, they're great! I actually love all of them… Ilias, Odyssee, Aeneis, the Argonauts… wish I could read them in the originalGreek version!)

The mangy diner: A location such as this actually exists- I found it in the outskirts of Paris when we were living in France. My friend and I (both new to Paris though she's French) had lost our way and took the wrong metro. Well, we looked for the nearest phone booth (we didn't have mobiles then), and ended up stuck to the vile dried mystery liquid in an area where neither French nor English was spoken… rather it was that gibberish Verlin. I think I have never been so grateful than when our taxi finally arrived!

Yasai: And then… the reviewer's corner!

My favorite!

Reviewer's corner

CurlsofSerenity: Umm... no, there's noone in the army in my family, but my Dad's kind of a professional troubleshooter so we can't stay in one place for too long. It's not as bad as it sounds, though- it's rather funny to get to know all different kinds of lifestyles and cultures. You read my bio? I just handed your compliments over to my friends and twin- they were the ones that wrote it for me. I huggled them to death for it. *grins* Would you like to read the two plots and decide if any of them is a Mary Sue-plot? *puppy-dog-eyes-attack* I promise I won't go to hospital again any time soon (thank you, the experience with my ankle was quite enough to last a lifetime. The FOOD! I swear they aim to genetically manipulate their patients with it... or perhaps drive them insane so they have character studies of how normal people suddenly snap!)

Leina: Not yet... but soon, perhaps? *grins*

EEevee:Choking on fluff... death by suffocation is an ugly one according to my Medical studies-book! Tried to unchoke you with this chapter^.^ . Thanks for your vote of confidence... I think I'll choose sometime next week... SL has fewer than 10 chapters to go, after all... *snief*

Sango3: Thanks! Hope you read on!

Queen of Shadows:*grins* More WAFF in the end... even though it was sort of a strained kind of WAFF- but it's all going to get better... sometime soon! I wish I could for a change simply save the characters and write Shishio dead, but unfortunately he's still very alive and breathing flames down my neck so I don't dare doing that (just yet)...

ixchen: Thank a lot! Till next time ^____^

Asuka-chan: Hmm, now it gets difficult. How to get more WAFF in there... *ponders* *has found solution* It will come SOON!

Jensa: Thanks a lot! Hope to find the time for reading sometime this week...

Natsuko Wow, what an adventurous weekend! Want a holiday, too... the Alps are supposed to be great for skiing... yet I never saw them. Thank you sooo much for offering to read these plots- I'm really, really insecure about both of them. May I send you an e-mail this week? Also, I can't wait for your story to come out *feeds Natsuko's muses with her favorite Swiss Ovomaltine [Ovaltine] chocolate*. I'm itching all over to read it... Thanks for the information on fistfighting- I really didn't know a thing when I started writing that chapter. Now I'm a little relieved- apparently, the basic principles are the same in all kinds of martial arts/fighting. Urgks, should stop rambling... have another Chemistry project to complete *scurries off* Thanks sooo much!!!

Special thanks to: Sango3. Thank you ever so much for adding me to your favorites!

Well, that's it for now! Hope you enjoyed reading and will leave me a review to take with me to Berlin!

Yasai: Extortionist Chi... still can't get over that *arms herself with pepper spray and handgun*. Better safe than sorry- please review or she might use me!!!

Cya!!!

Chibi