CHAPTER 6- CAPTURE
A few nights later found a familiar figure tromping into a Tokyo graveyard, shovel in hand. Gein had escaped the ferry previously, killing all thirty of the men who had been ordered to kill him. Apparently, he'd outsmarted Enishi and Heishin.
Furiously, he dug until the wooden casket lay unearthed before him. He snickered with relief. His work of art had remained undiscovered. Carefully, he slid open the lid.
Out of the casket jumped a heavy net that engulfed him faster than he could begin to react. "Augh! What the--?"
Aoshi appeared out of the darkness, "I had a notion you would return." He said. "Now tell me, where is Kamiya Kaoru?"
Scowling, Gein cut his way free of the net. "Shinomori Aoshi of the Oniwabanshuu."
Their battle was not long. Despite weapons of his own, Gein's age failed to give him the strength of this new warrior. Soon, a deal was struck.
Gein was in a tree, having pulled himself up to avoid his opponent. "Okay, let's make a deal." He said. "I'll tell you where Enishi's base and then you tell me where my corpse doll is!"
Aoshi was silent.
The old man with the skull mask snickered. "You needn't worry. I've severed ties with the man. In fact, I'll go ahead and tell you now. His base is on the west bank of the Arakawa River!
"Fine then," Aoshi took a step closer to the tree, only to be in for a surprise.
SHEER!!!! Out of nowhere, Gein's wires wrapped all around him like a spider wed. Looking up, Aoshi saw Gein lighting a fuse. The wiring was soaked in oil!
Still, he was calm. "I burned it."
"What?" Gein was aghast.
"There was no use for a dead thing that never lived in the first place." He said, drawing his sword. "So I had it cremated."
"ARGH! DIE YOU FOOL!" Gein placed the fuse to the wire, but Aoshi was ready. Using both kodachi, he propelled one blade forward, striking Gein in the shoulder. The wires burst into flames.
Gein still laughed. "BWAHAHAHA! There's no escape! Die quietly!" He turned to leave, only to find he too was trapped in the wire! His confident façade melted away to raw fear. He whirled to face Aoshi, who was ready to give the fatal pull. "Wait! Wait! Okay I give up! Just don't kill me! I'll forget all about the corpse doll! Please!"
But Aoshi refused. "No, as okashira of the Oniwabanshuu, I complete my missions." He yanked down on the cords, sending a screaming Gein into the flames. The information had been gathered.
.........
Back in Rakuminmura, Kenshin continued to sit limply against the building. Having not eaten, his cheek bones were prominent, and his eyes were glassier than ever. By now, the residents knew to just leave him be. The redhead with the chained sword was helpless.
Visions plagued his mind all the while.
..........
Three slavegirls, in their dying breaths, beg robbers to spare him.
One a cold night, Tomoe appears before him for the first time, declaring that he can make the sky rain blood.
He and Tomoe leave for the country, as a married couple.
He holds a newborn Jiani in his arms for the first time.
Tomoe dies smiling in his arms.
He hands a sleeping Jiani over to one of his old friends and leaves without looking back.
He meets Kaoru on the night-lit streets of Tokyo as she hunts for the Battousai.
Jiani returns to protect him during the battle against Shishio.
Everyone returns home together.
..........
Kenshin squeezed his eyes shut even tighter. He could still picture the scene: Kaoru's body lying motionlessly on the ground and a pool of blood where Jiani's sword lay.
"No more." he murmured. "I'm.so tired."
A few nights later found a familiar figure tromping into a Tokyo graveyard, shovel in hand. Gein had escaped the ferry previously, killing all thirty of the men who had been ordered to kill him. Apparently, he'd outsmarted Enishi and Heishin.
Furiously, he dug until the wooden casket lay unearthed before him. He snickered with relief. His work of art had remained undiscovered. Carefully, he slid open the lid.
Out of the casket jumped a heavy net that engulfed him faster than he could begin to react. "Augh! What the--?"
Aoshi appeared out of the darkness, "I had a notion you would return." He said. "Now tell me, where is Kamiya Kaoru?"
Scowling, Gein cut his way free of the net. "Shinomori Aoshi of the Oniwabanshuu."
Their battle was not long. Despite weapons of his own, Gein's age failed to give him the strength of this new warrior. Soon, a deal was struck.
Gein was in a tree, having pulled himself up to avoid his opponent. "Okay, let's make a deal." He said. "I'll tell you where Enishi's base and then you tell me where my corpse doll is!"
Aoshi was silent.
The old man with the skull mask snickered. "You needn't worry. I've severed ties with the man. In fact, I'll go ahead and tell you now. His base is on the west bank of the Arakawa River!
"Fine then," Aoshi took a step closer to the tree, only to be in for a surprise.
SHEER!!!! Out of nowhere, Gein's wires wrapped all around him like a spider wed. Looking up, Aoshi saw Gein lighting a fuse. The wiring was soaked in oil!
Still, he was calm. "I burned it."
"What?" Gein was aghast.
"There was no use for a dead thing that never lived in the first place." He said, drawing his sword. "So I had it cremated."
"ARGH! DIE YOU FOOL!" Gein placed the fuse to the wire, but Aoshi was ready. Using both kodachi, he propelled one blade forward, striking Gein in the shoulder. The wires burst into flames.
Gein still laughed. "BWAHAHAHA! There's no escape! Die quietly!" He turned to leave, only to find he too was trapped in the wire! His confident façade melted away to raw fear. He whirled to face Aoshi, who was ready to give the fatal pull. "Wait! Wait! Okay I give up! Just don't kill me! I'll forget all about the corpse doll! Please!"
But Aoshi refused. "No, as okashira of the Oniwabanshuu, I complete my missions." He yanked down on the cords, sending a screaming Gein into the flames. The information had been gathered.
.........
Back in Rakuminmura, Kenshin continued to sit limply against the building. Having not eaten, his cheek bones were prominent, and his eyes were glassier than ever. By now, the residents knew to just leave him be. The redhead with the chained sword was helpless.
Visions plagued his mind all the while.
..........
Three slavegirls, in their dying breaths, beg robbers to spare him.
One a cold night, Tomoe appears before him for the first time, declaring that he can make the sky rain blood.
He and Tomoe leave for the country, as a married couple.
He holds a newborn Jiani in his arms for the first time.
Tomoe dies smiling in his arms.
He hands a sleeping Jiani over to one of his old friends and leaves without looking back.
He meets Kaoru on the night-lit streets of Tokyo as she hunts for the Battousai.
Jiani returns to protect him during the battle against Shishio.
Everyone returns home together.
..........
Kenshin squeezed his eyes shut even tighter. He could still picture the scene: Kaoru's body lying motionlessly on the ground and a pool of blood where Jiani's sword lay.
"No more." he murmured. "I'm.so tired."