Disclaimer (again.): I don't own RK.
CHAPTER 4: A battle at night
A young girl answered the door.
"Can I help you?" she asked. Saito recognized her as Myu, the girl from the night before. Why was she here?
"I'm here for Miss Tokio," he said. She obviously didn't recognize him because she said nothing about the night before.
"TOKIO! COME HERE! YOU HAVE A VISITOR!" Myu yelled into the house. Saito could tell she was a still a bit drunk because she had an odd look on her face and she reeked of alcohol.
"Coming!" Tokio's voice came from deep within the house.
"Are you going to invite me in?" Saito asked, calmly to Myu.
"Huh? Oh yeah, sure. Come on in," she mumbled and walked over to a table where a large jug of sake sat. She picked it up and put the neck of the bottle to her mouth. Then she tipped it upwards until it was vertically pointing to the sky. "Darn it! All finished!" Tokio walked out of the door on the opposite side of the room. "Hey, Tokio!" She slurred.
"Yes, Myu?" she turned to face her friend. Myu held out a hand. Tokio sighed. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a wad of money. She pushed it into Myu's outstretched hand.
"Thank you, Tokio," Myu drooled. She clutched the money tightly and stumbled drunkenly out the door.
"Why did you give her so much money?" Saito asked.
"Why are you here?" Tokio asked coldly.
"What? Why are you suddenly so angry? What's your problem?" Saito exclaimed. "I just came to return your book!" He gave it to her. She snatched it from him and smacked him in the face with it.
"Take that, you Shinsengumi freak!" Tokio yelled. She hit him again.
"OUCH!" Saito said, backing away and holding his nose, which had begun to bleed. "That hurts, you know! What the heck was that for?!"
"For not walking me home and lying to me!" she cried, advancing on him.
"How did I lie?!" Saito asked. He wiped away the blood and dodged another swing of the book.
"You said that you had Shinsengumi business and you couldn't tell me, but the real reason you couldn't tell me was that you wanted to spend your time with your friend and other women! I hate you!" Tokio screamed angrily at him. She tried to hit him again, but Saito caught her arm in mid-swing.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" he cried. "I've gotta go." He pushed her away and walked out the door. As soon as he left, Tokio began to cry.
"I want him back." she sobbed into her sleeve. Then, wiped away her tears and ran out of the door. "CAPTAIN!" Saito stopped, but he didn't turn.
"What do you want?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't. could you please come back?" Tokio asked, the book hanging in her limp arm. Saito turned.
"Only for a little while," Saito said. He walked over to her. The book slipped form her hand and hit the ground in a crumpled heap. Suddenly, she threw herself at him and looped her arms around his neck. He was shocked and nearly fell over.
"Captain.I." she said, looking up at him. Her clear golden eyes penetrated his. Saito sank to meet her lips and welcomed her to him. Their kiss broke and they stared at each other for a while.
"I have to go," Saito said, letting go of her. Tokio also let go of him.
"Please. promise I'll see you again," Tokio said to him.
"I can't do that. My job a member of the Shinsengumi is very demanding. I can't promise I'll be able to see you again," Saito hugged her.
"Then do me one thing," Tokio said, leaning against him.
"What?" Saito asked.
"Kiss me again." Tokio requested. They shared a final kiss and then, he turned to leave.
"I hope I will see you again, Miss Tokio," Saito said. He began to walk off down the street.
"I hope so too," she whispered.
That evening, after dinner, Saito decided to wander the streets of the unfamiliar town. It was right outside of Kyoto and since the first three squads had been stationed there, he thought he might get to know the place as well as he knew Kyoto. He took a side road and found that the streets were empty. He wandered around; making note of good hiding places and dead- ends. He also looked at some of the shops that were lined along the dark street. He looked up and saw a figure jump from the alleyway and run to him. The figure was very feminine and she grabbed onto Saito as soon as she saw him.
"Protect me!" she gasped. "Please! Somebody is chasing me!" Saito was confused. He couldn't sense anyone else's ki around except for his own and the girl's.
"Where is this somebody?" Saito asked her.
"I don't know." she said, but her voice had changed. It was no longer frantic and scared but cold, dark and menacing. There was a glint of steel and Saito gasped in pain. He jumped away from the girl, clutching his right side and drawing his sword. The blood flowed freely and soaked into his shirt.
"Who the heck are you?" he asked, taking a Gatotsu stance.
"I am Myra-Kala," she said. She also had a sword, but it wasn't a katana.
"Doesn't sound like a Japanese name, but I really don't care what it is. Prepare to die!" he charged at her. She narrowly dodged it and sliced through his left leg with her sword. He ignored the flaming pain in his leg and turned his attack into a side slash. It sliced her left arm and chest. Saito felt a sharp pain in his right leg, close to the foot. He turned to see what it was and saw a small blade lodged into his skin. He winced, but looked up to see who had thrown it. Another feminine figure was perched on the roof of one of the houses.
"I am Sina-Kala," the figure yelled and tossed more small blades at Saito. He successfully dodged all of them, but felt Myra-Kala's sword slash across his back. Quickly, he spun and slashed through her stomach. She collapsed on the floor. Saito felt a blade pierce his right arm and spun to see Sina- Kala throw five more at him. Using his left leg to push off, he leaped onto the roof to join Sina-Kala. She unsheathed a sword and they fought the sound of metal on metal ringing in the air.
"Gatotsu Zero Stance!" Saito yelled and executed his strongest Gatotsu attack. It went through Sina-Kala's hip, injuring her badly.
"ARGH!" she continued to fight and managed to drive him to the edge of the roof. He knocked her back a few steps and turned to jump to the next roof when a heavy metal ball collided with his stomach. He sank to his knees, having the wind knocked out of him. There was yet another feminine figure standing on the other roof.
"I am Kala, the leader of the Gyne group! We are a group of only women who plan to destroy all powerful men who are able to beat us!" the figure yelled. The metal ball was connected to a chain and she maneuvered it so that it wrapped around Saito's arms and neck, restricting many of his movements. "And now I will kill you," she said matter-of-factly. She pulled the chain hard, forcing Saito to take a step forward. He tried to resist, knowing that eventually, she'd make him fall off the roof. Thinking fast while taking another step forward, Saito shoved the blade of his sword right next to his neck inside the chains. The blade cut him a bit, but he didn't mind too much. He turned it so the blade faced away from him and with one powerful sweep, he cut the chain. Then, without hesitation, he jumped from the roof into the alleyway below.
"I'll get him, Leader Kala!" Sina-Kala yelled and jumped after him. Saito turned and stabbed through her and she sank to the ground, still moaning about how she'd capture him anyway. He dashed down one street, met a dead end and turned down another. Kala was standing there, waiting. The pain from Saito's wounds was still coursing through his body, so he turned and ran down another alleyway. He could sense Kala following him, so he made many turns to confuse her. He turned down one alleyway and found a fence.
"Captain Saito?" Kala's voice called, tauntingly. "I know you're here."
She knows who I am. She's no pushover. Saito thought, gasping. He decided to jump the fence and landed hard on his injured side. Holding back a choke of pain, he limped slowly down the street. I don't know this town very well. I'll never find a doctor's office like this. Saito thought. He leaned against a wall, gasping, and examined his wounds. There were chain marks around his neck and arms. The wound in his side was deep, but it hadn't appeared to do any damage to his vital organs. The other cuts and bruises hurt, but they weren't deadly. He sank to the floor, thinking hard about what to do. In his desperate attempt to escape from his enemies, he had forgotten which way the inn was. He stumbled down the street and recognized a few of the houses. He remembered them from earlier that day when he had returned the book to Tokio.
If I can find her house, she can get me help. He pushed on, sheathing his katana clumsily. Then, he stopped. He felt a menacing ki right behind him. He turned and saw Kala standing down the street, only a few yards away.
"I found you, Captain Saito," she said in a singsong voice. She pulled out a long sword. "Now I'll fight you and kill you like I was supposed to." Kala ran at him, holding the sword vertically. She raised it above her head. Saito barely dodged the first swing, then blocked the second with the handle of his sword. He unsheathed it and took a Gatotsu stance.
"You won't kill me," Saito said. "It'll be the other way around."
"You really like that move, don't you?" Kala giggled. "I'll counter it with my own thrusting attack!" She also took a stance, but it looked very odd. The hand with the sword was over her shoulder and behind her back. Her other was in front of her hip, as if to block an attack.
Never seen that stance before. Saito thought. The pain in his body was beginning to make him feel really dizzy. He fought the pain and dizziness and shot forward, executing his Gatotsu. Kala moved forward. It seemed like she was aiming for the sword its self. Their swords met. She twisted her wrist awkwardly and wrenched the sword from Saito's hand. It crashed to the floor and as it did, Kala thrust her sword toward Saito's stomach to skewer him. He barely dodged it, but she managed to bury the blade into his right shoulder. He grabbed the blade and turned it, making his wound wider, but at the same time loosening Kala's grip on the handle. He pulled it out of her hand and also out of his shoulder.
"Not so cocky now, huh?" Saito asked, coldly. He took another Gatotsu stance and charged at the shocked girl who had left herself completely open to attack. He forced the sword into her upper right chest. Blood splattered out and Kala staggered backward, falling on the floor in a heap. Saito limped slowly over to his sword and picked it up, sheathing it. He leaned on his sheath for support. He noticed that the house a few yards away looked like Tokio's and hoping that it was, limped toward it. He collapsed against the side of the house, not having anymore strength to continue. Weakly, he knocked on the door.
A/N: Thanks for reading!
CHAPTER 4: A battle at night
A young girl answered the door.
"Can I help you?" she asked. Saito recognized her as Myu, the girl from the night before. Why was she here?
"I'm here for Miss Tokio," he said. She obviously didn't recognize him because she said nothing about the night before.
"TOKIO! COME HERE! YOU HAVE A VISITOR!" Myu yelled into the house. Saito could tell she was a still a bit drunk because she had an odd look on her face and she reeked of alcohol.
"Coming!" Tokio's voice came from deep within the house.
"Are you going to invite me in?" Saito asked, calmly to Myu.
"Huh? Oh yeah, sure. Come on in," she mumbled and walked over to a table where a large jug of sake sat. She picked it up and put the neck of the bottle to her mouth. Then she tipped it upwards until it was vertically pointing to the sky. "Darn it! All finished!" Tokio walked out of the door on the opposite side of the room. "Hey, Tokio!" She slurred.
"Yes, Myu?" she turned to face her friend. Myu held out a hand. Tokio sighed. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a wad of money. She pushed it into Myu's outstretched hand.
"Thank you, Tokio," Myu drooled. She clutched the money tightly and stumbled drunkenly out the door.
"Why did you give her so much money?" Saito asked.
"Why are you here?" Tokio asked coldly.
"What? Why are you suddenly so angry? What's your problem?" Saito exclaimed. "I just came to return your book!" He gave it to her. She snatched it from him and smacked him in the face with it.
"Take that, you Shinsengumi freak!" Tokio yelled. She hit him again.
"OUCH!" Saito said, backing away and holding his nose, which had begun to bleed. "That hurts, you know! What the heck was that for?!"
"For not walking me home and lying to me!" she cried, advancing on him.
"How did I lie?!" Saito asked. He wiped away the blood and dodged another swing of the book.
"You said that you had Shinsengumi business and you couldn't tell me, but the real reason you couldn't tell me was that you wanted to spend your time with your friend and other women! I hate you!" Tokio screamed angrily at him. She tried to hit him again, but Saito caught her arm in mid-swing.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" he cried. "I've gotta go." He pushed her away and walked out the door. As soon as he left, Tokio began to cry.
"I want him back." she sobbed into her sleeve. Then, wiped away her tears and ran out of the door. "CAPTAIN!" Saito stopped, but he didn't turn.
"What do you want?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't. could you please come back?" Tokio asked, the book hanging in her limp arm. Saito turned.
"Only for a little while," Saito said. He walked over to her. The book slipped form her hand and hit the ground in a crumpled heap. Suddenly, she threw herself at him and looped her arms around his neck. He was shocked and nearly fell over.
"Captain.I." she said, looking up at him. Her clear golden eyes penetrated his. Saito sank to meet her lips and welcomed her to him. Their kiss broke and they stared at each other for a while.
"I have to go," Saito said, letting go of her. Tokio also let go of him.
"Please. promise I'll see you again," Tokio said to him.
"I can't do that. My job a member of the Shinsengumi is very demanding. I can't promise I'll be able to see you again," Saito hugged her.
"Then do me one thing," Tokio said, leaning against him.
"What?" Saito asked.
"Kiss me again." Tokio requested. They shared a final kiss and then, he turned to leave.
"I hope I will see you again, Miss Tokio," Saito said. He began to walk off down the street.
"I hope so too," she whispered.
That evening, after dinner, Saito decided to wander the streets of the unfamiliar town. It was right outside of Kyoto and since the first three squads had been stationed there, he thought he might get to know the place as well as he knew Kyoto. He took a side road and found that the streets were empty. He wandered around; making note of good hiding places and dead- ends. He also looked at some of the shops that were lined along the dark street. He looked up and saw a figure jump from the alleyway and run to him. The figure was very feminine and she grabbed onto Saito as soon as she saw him.
"Protect me!" she gasped. "Please! Somebody is chasing me!" Saito was confused. He couldn't sense anyone else's ki around except for his own and the girl's.
"Where is this somebody?" Saito asked her.
"I don't know." she said, but her voice had changed. It was no longer frantic and scared but cold, dark and menacing. There was a glint of steel and Saito gasped in pain. He jumped away from the girl, clutching his right side and drawing his sword. The blood flowed freely and soaked into his shirt.
"Who the heck are you?" he asked, taking a Gatotsu stance.
"I am Myra-Kala," she said. She also had a sword, but it wasn't a katana.
"Doesn't sound like a Japanese name, but I really don't care what it is. Prepare to die!" he charged at her. She narrowly dodged it and sliced through his left leg with her sword. He ignored the flaming pain in his leg and turned his attack into a side slash. It sliced her left arm and chest. Saito felt a sharp pain in his right leg, close to the foot. He turned to see what it was and saw a small blade lodged into his skin. He winced, but looked up to see who had thrown it. Another feminine figure was perched on the roof of one of the houses.
"I am Sina-Kala," the figure yelled and tossed more small blades at Saito. He successfully dodged all of them, but felt Myra-Kala's sword slash across his back. Quickly, he spun and slashed through her stomach. She collapsed on the floor. Saito felt a blade pierce his right arm and spun to see Sina- Kala throw five more at him. Using his left leg to push off, he leaped onto the roof to join Sina-Kala. She unsheathed a sword and they fought the sound of metal on metal ringing in the air.
"Gatotsu Zero Stance!" Saito yelled and executed his strongest Gatotsu attack. It went through Sina-Kala's hip, injuring her badly.
"ARGH!" she continued to fight and managed to drive him to the edge of the roof. He knocked her back a few steps and turned to jump to the next roof when a heavy metal ball collided with his stomach. He sank to his knees, having the wind knocked out of him. There was yet another feminine figure standing on the other roof.
"I am Kala, the leader of the Gyne group! We are a group of only women who plan to destroy all powerful men who are able to beat us!" the figure yelled. The metal ball was connected to a chain and she maneuvered it so that it wrapped around Saito's arms and neck, restricting many of his movements. "And now I will kill you," she said matter-of-factly. She pulled the chain hard, forcing Saito to take a step forward. He tried to resist, knowing that eventually, she'd make him fall off the roof. Thinking fast while taking another step forward, Saito shoved the blade of his sword right next to his neck inside the chains. The blade cut him a bit, but he didn't mind too much. He turned it so the blade faced away from him and with one powerful sweep, he cut the chain. Then, without hesitation, he jumped from the roof into the alleyway below.
"I'll get him, Leader Kala!" Sina-Kala yelled and jumped after him. Saito turned and stabbed through her and she sank to the ground, still moaning about how she'd capture him anyway. He dashed down one street, met a dead end and turned down another. Kala was standing there, waiting. The pain from Saito's wounds was still coursing through his body, so he turned and ran down another alleyway. He could sense Kala following him, so he made many turns to confuse her. He turned down one alleyway and found a fence.
"Captain Saito?" Kala's voice called, tauntingly. "I know you're here."
She knows who I am. She's no pushover. Saito thought, gasping. He decided to jump the fence and landed hard on his injured side. Holding back a choke of pain, he limped slowly down the street. I don't know this town very well. I'll never find a doctor's office like this. Saito thought. He leaned against a wall, gasping, and examined his wounds. There were chain marks around his neck and arms. The wound in his side was deep, but it hadn't appeared to do any damage to his vital organs. The other cuts and bruises hurt, but they weren't deadly. He sank to the floor, thinking hard about what to do. In his desperate attempt to escape from his enemies, he had forgotten which way the inn was. He stumbled down the street and recognized a few of the houses. He remembered them from earlier that day when he had returned the book to Tokio.
If I can find her house, she can get me help. He pushed on, sheathing his katana clumsily. Then, he stopped. He felt a menacing ki right behind him. He turned and saw Kala standing down the street, only a few yards away.
"I found you, Captain Saito," she said in a singsong voice. She pulled out a long sword. "Now I'll fight you and kill you like I was supposed to." Kala ran at him, holding the sword vertically. She raised it above her head. Saito barely dodged the first swing, then blocked the second with the handle of his sword. He unsheathed it and took a Gatotsu stance.
"You won't kill me," Saito said. "It'll be the other way around."
"You really like that move, don't you?" Kala giggled. "I'll counter it with my own thrusting attack!" She also took a stance, but it looked very odd. The hand with the sword was over her shoulder and behind her back. Her other was in front of her hip, as if to block an attack.
Never seen that stance before. Saito thought. The pain in his body was beginning to make him feel really dizzy. He fought the pain and dizziness and shot forward, executing his Gatotsu. Kala moved forward. It seemed like she was aiming for the sword its self. Their swords met. She twisted her wrist awkwardly and wrenched the sword from Saito's hand. It crashed to the floor and as it did, Kala thrust her sword toward Saito's stomach to skewer him. He barely dodged it, but she managed to bury the blade into his right shoulder. He grabbed the blade and turned it, making his wound wider, but at the same time loosening Kala's grip on the handle. He pulled it out of her hand and also out of his shoulder.
"Not so cocky now, huh?" Saito asked, coldly. He took another Gatotsu stance and charged at the shocked girl who had left herself completely open to attack. He forced the sword into her upper right chest. Blood splattered out and Kala staggered backward, falling on the floor in a heap. Saito limped slowly over to his sword and picked it up, sheathing it. He leaned on his sheath for support. He noticed that the house a few yards away looked like Tokio's and hoping that it was, limped toward it. He collapsed against the side of the house, not having anymore strength to continue. Weakly, he knocked on the door.
A/N: Thanks for reading!