Hi! For those of you who don't know, I'm sorry to say Nicky9 will no longer be writing on ff.net, however, I agreed to continue the stories for her. My name is Deseray, for those who don't know me, and I hope you do support me as you supported Nicky9. Well sit back and enjoy! I do hope you enjoy this second chapter! As Nicky9 said, please do leave comments, questions, and suggestions in your review. Please don't leave flames, unless it makes complete sense. Otherwise don't embarrass yourself.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin series. I wish I did but I don't. : (
The Shades of the Upcoming Meeting
Chapter Two
Battousai Himura found himself once more on the streets of New York City. This was the last place he expected himself to be after what happened to him four years ago. Just before reaching New York City, he received an invitation from his old friend inviting him to a grand ball he was opening to the honor of his new wife. Now here he was, approaching his destination to where the ball was going to be held. Battousai didn't know if people were going to recognize him, but when it came to high-class society, everyone knew each other. Usually grand balls were held in people's favor. It was considered a great way to socialize in society. There everyone talked about money, politics, new social gatherings etc. For women who joined any conversations talked mainly about art and fashion. Hardly any woman was different to him. Battousai wondered if he would ever meet a different woman, a woman who would intrigue him in every way, a woman who had rare natural beauty, which other women envied. He doubted that he would meet that kind of woman this night.
The carriage came to halt and the driver of the coach stepped from the carriage to open the door for him. He absently thanked the driver, and then made his way to step inside the huge mansion. His old friend Katsura Kogoro, a man he hadn't seen four years ago, decided to contact him with business. Battousai, being a man of honor could not turn down his old friend.
As he entered the huge mansion, the place astonished him. It had changed so much from the last time he was here. The first grand room he entered was furnished with exquisite antiques. Gold and silver swept the room from dullness. Huge red drapes were tied together carefully with sweet edged ropes. People lingered all about the room. Men were smoking their brandies, wearing the finest tuxedos they had, while women in their fine beautiful dresses were in the middle of the grand room chatting away, probably gossiping on the latest scoops they heard. From the distance Battousai saw Katsura talking sweetly to the woman right next to him. Seeing her beauty made Battousai smiled a little bit. He could remember quite a while ago, when Katsura claimed that no woman could ever steal his heart. He mentioned his heart was only in running for senate, hoping someday in the future his presence alone could change a few things in New York City, however he was wrong about the woman part. Before Battousai could move to steal a glass of fine wine from the waiter next to him, he saw his friend caught a glimpse of him from a distance.
"Battousai Himura!" his friend called from his group. He kissed his wife on her cheek, and then excused himself from his fellow friends whom he was talking too.
"It's good to see you again sir. I see everything is quite well," replied Battousai honestly, mannerly, posing himself in posture to show other men and women he was a gentlemen.
"Ah, I see you haven't changed one bit from the last time you were here, however the place did change. My wife did the interior decorating. She came from a noble family, very graceful, well mannered, and a fine decorator," Katsura said while glancing over his shoulder to look at the beautiful woman who captured his heart.
"And I see you lost your heart completely to her already. If I didn't know Katsura, it looks like you never kept up to your words about a woman captivating you."
"You got me there, dear old friend. Sometimes things happen without you knowing it. I feel like it was just yesterday when I met her through a political meeting. She was there honoring both her father and uncle for their business well done in New York City."
"I congratulate both you and your wife on your marriage. I'm sorry I couldn't make it, but I had some very important business to attend to. Talking about business, did you not call me on a case here?"
Battousai saw Katsura stiffened a little, as if his words struck a blow to his core. It took quite a moment for Katsura to ease before he began speaking to him with a normal tone. "I called you here, because I need your help on a case. New York City had many cases before, but never a case like this. Saito Hajime has been the police commissioner of New York City for years. This city never had one case he could not solve so easily, however, there is this one case that is fully a mystery."
"I know what case you're talking about. You're talking about the case of the missing girls. The newspaper spoke about a young girl by the name Tsubame who was abducted about a week ago. Her body was never found like the others, therefore that leads us to the conclusion that she is alive."
"I am hoping she is alive. Even though she does not have parents, she had many people who adored her at the place where she was working at. They all looked forward to her services. They all said she was very kind, very polite. Yet there is not an eyewitness who witnessed anything strange or even her abduction."
"She is alive Katsura. I know it from instincts. I have worked on many cases before. I do know someone must have witnessed this kidnapping, there are just afraid to confess it. I promise you, while I am here working on this case with Mr. Hajime, that I will do everything in my will power to make sure this case is solve," affirmed Battousai. His amber eyes glittered with determination. He placed his right hand over his heart, bowed to Katusra, and walked away from him to the waiter to attained his waiting glass of fine red wine
While drinking his red wine, a young woman came up by his side. Her green eyes appearing at him from below her thick dark eye lashes. She smiled sweetly at the other approaching woman who joined her at her other side. Battousai wasn't the type of man to eavesdrop over a woman's conversation, but he could not help himself to hear what they were saying because he was bored.
The woman in the light green dress, which brought out the color of her eyes quite beautifully talked gently to the other woman. "Well tell me how you are enjoying the party dear sister."
"Megumi, I don't know why you dragged me here. I dislike coming to these parties, just like how I dislike going shopping," murmured the other woman ungracefully. She looked jaded, her dress a pale pink color which brought her out just fine. Even though her dress was considered to be plain among all the other dresses women wore, she still looked beautiful, but she also looked jaded.
"Well I'm sorry to hear that, but you have to take your head off your books time to time. Plus you always run the house. For a girl your age, you must be thinking differently. You were brought up like a woman, yet you are stubborn, and opinionative like a man," replied Megumi softly. Her green eyes scold her gently, yet her face stayed as sweet as ever.
"I can't help if I'm considered different from all these women. I am just a woman who has many things that are used to clip my wings, while I won't let them break my spirit," replied the other woman hastily.
"You are independent, but I wish you could see how naïve you are. You never told me what happened the other night Kaoru. You never spoke to mother about it, or father. They are all deeply worried about you dear sister," whispered Megumi quietly. The other woman tensed a bit. She did not say another word, for her body spoke a language of how nervous she was. She didn't look at her sister. Instead she looked directly at him, knowing he was eavesdropping on their conversation. Quickly as his amber eyes clashed with her sapphire eyes, he looked away.
Battousai swore to himself, something he hardly ever did. He couldn't believe he got caught eavesdropping on a conversation so easily. No one was able to catch him eavesdropping so easily. It meant two things. It meant either he was losing his abilities of being a fantastic sleuth, or it meant the girl was a good observer. Getting caught in his own thoughts, he never realized the same woman whom caught him eavesdropping on her conversation was now standing before him.
"Excuse me sir," she said softly, waving her small pale hand before his face, as if to get his attention.
Without thinking, reflexively he caught her wrist in his large hand. His amber eyes once again looked at her sapphire eyes. Instantly he felt aware of the party, of her being the woman who caught him in his act earlier. There was something about her that captured his attention immediately. He felt like he wanted to know more about this woman, that she was a woman filled with mystery. He could tell by looking in her expressive eyes, that she found him to be very interesting.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, but my sister and I were wondering if you are new here in New York City?" asked the woman politely. The other woman, who stood beside her earlier, came up right next to her once again. He let go of her hand instantly.
"My name is Battousai Himura. I am not new here in New York City. I was born and raised here, but I left to live in Boston. Only recently did I come back," he replied. His face remained impassive as he spoke. His amber eyes never reflected any emotion while he spoke.
"I am known as Lady Sagara but people also call me Megumi. This is my younger sister known as…" Megumi never got to finish her sentence. The other woman interrupted her.
"My name is Kaoru. Please do call me that." Battousai looked at her with interest. His eyes never left he face.
"If you wish. Do you perhaps know where I can locate Mr. Hajime?" asked Battousai. His amber eyes stayed glued the woman who was called Kaoru.
"No I'm sorry I don't know where he can be located. I doubt he will be in his office at this time of night," replied Megumi.
"Mr. Saito is in his office this night. Earlier on he dropped by the Kamiya residence, as he does so every afternoon to check up on the Kamiya family," Kaoru whispered softly.
"Thank you very much," Battousai said kindly. His eyes finally flickered with a smile to show her appreciation for her valuable information she shared with him.
"If I am not being to bold, why are you asking for him?" asked Megumi, her green eyes showed curiosity.
"Lady Sagara, that was very bold of you. I am sorry that I can't quench your thirst for private matters remain private business," he said harshly. It stunned both Megumi and Kaoru. Before he was standing like a gentleman, being kind, conversing with two women, but then through one question, his attitude as well as his facial expression changed.
"I apologize on my sister's behalf for offending you. I hope you will take it lightly and forget it. To not bother you any further, we will leave you to your being," whispered Kaoru once again. She turned around, clutched her sister's hand, and was about to walk away.
"No, wait, you have done nothing wrong, its just some things should be kept private. I hope to speak with you again. Tomorrow I will come to the Kamiya residence to speak with Mr. Hajime. If you see him, please do tell him that I am looking forward to speaking with him," said Battousai lightly. His eyes warmed when he looked at her.
"Yes I will notify him when I see him." Those were the last words Battousai heard from the mysterious young girl. As he watched the young woman leave with her sister beside her he hoped to hear from her sometime again in the future, however right now he was here in New York City to do one thing, and that one thing was to solve a case, a very difficult case.
