(A/N) Sorry it took so long to update. I have enough drama in my life right now to power a city for a week. Thanks for sticking with me and all those wo reviewed, I appreciate it alot. It really lifted my spirits.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Faithless and Fallen
Chapter 2: Recognition and Decisions
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Yahiko groaned sliding his bedroom's shoji closed behind him before he went in search of food. The past few days had not been kind to him in the least and all he cared about this morning was eating a decent meal and training hard until he had to go work at the Akabeko. His small, calloused hands ran steadily along the wooden fissures of his bokken while carrying it at his side almost mindlessly. Kenshin left yesterday before any of them had woken up. He could understand the older man's reasoning for making such a hasty, silent departure, but he still wished he'd had the chance to say good-bye properly before his role model left for who knows what.
And Kaoru... Kyoto had been an upsetting misadventure, but this? He hadn't the slightest idea of what to tell his sensei now that sensible hope was running thin and scarce. He couldn't tell her to chase after the rurouni as he had when they knew exactly where he went. War was a different matter altogether, a different entity that none of them knew first hand... not even Sano. War embodied the personified line between the living world and the dead with bloody hands that screamed and writhed in time to the carnage surrounding it. And in war, Kenshin would be in his element. And as the pinnacle of bloodshed and massacre, the Battousai would emerge from the pits of hell and from the dreary depths of Kenshin's mind. And he would once again reign supreme.
There was nothing Kaoru could do for him now once the rurouni met his first primal battle. There was nothing any of them could do but hope and pray that he never meet a foe he was incapable of fending himself from or that he never met battle at all. Yahiko sighed half-heartedly. Life was an ugly bitch that made even his busu look attractive.
He stopped immediately in his tracks when a soft air currently alighted on his hand alerting him to the slight opening in Kaoru's door.
Busu.
She'd taken his departure the same as she had when he left for Kyoto, except this time it seemed to hurt her even more. She'd awakened like the rest of them had and dressed before going to the kitchen expecting her red-haired rurouni to be standing there preparing the morning meal as he usually did despite the occasion. Instead she was greeted by the cold light of a young morning shining in from the window and a previously made meal placed neatly on the table waiting for them to consume. The cooking utensils and pots were hanging on a rack already dried and the heat of the meal had long since grown faint.
Needless to say, Kaoru became a wreck. Her time between that morning and this morning had been constantly spent in bed and not even visits from her friends could arouse her. A small chill raced down his spine involuntarily thinking about it. Four days later and she still hadn't moved from that spot on her futon, nor taken any meals. It wasn't healthy. Every damn time he tried to go in there and talk to her, tried to get her to eat she would just lay there like she'd never heard him at all just staring off into the corner with the most somnolent expression he'd ever seen. Eventually he would force himself to leave no longer able to bear the sound of her rasping breaths or the sight of her thin tears that occasionally gleamed across her cheek anew.
He shook his head. It was too much for the girl to take, he admitted to himself. He was hardly faring any better himself. Pushing the door open slightly more, he glanced into the room expecting to see the outline of his surrogate sister's body against the foreign light of the outside world. Instead, his eyes skimmed over her neatly folded futon and sheets set carefully against the wall in her room. His eyes widened a fraction and hope beat excitedly with his pulse.
"Kaoru," he called moderately checking to see if she was anywhere close by.
When she failed to answer, he moved on examining the kitchen and dojo for his missing sensei before walking back to the gathering hall, his mind a bit perplexed over the girl's location. Surely she wouldn't wander away from the dojo so soon after her episode.
Hushed voices wafted to his ears as he padded lightly along the main corridor heading towards the front of the house. He could distinctly recognize Kaoru's soft voice amongst the whispers accompanied by another, gruffer voice that registered in his mind like the sound of a rusty nail grating on rock. Quietly he listened as his feet softly brought him closer to the conversing pair.
"He left four days ago, eh?"
"Aa."
"He didn't describe why he was leaving so soon did he perchance?"
"No, he just explained why he was leaving."
A low, sneering chuckle grated from the man's voice as he replied, "And why might that have been?"
"He needs to fulfill his duty," Kaoru calmly obliged, her voice weak from days without nourishment. "He said that atonement was necessary, but for now, not even he can deny what fate is pushing him to do. I understand that."
"Mmmm, so he is willingly unleasing the Battousai upon humanity is he? Interesting."
"I'm not sure if that's what he's planning."
An acknowledging grunt and the pair fell silent for a moment, neither moving or saying a word. Curiously, Yahiko peered around the corner, his eyes widening in slight fear as he gazed straight into the smirking, yellow eyes of Miburo. He felt himself begin to take a step back in retreat when Kaoru's pleading voice stilled him.
"Come here, Yahiko," she said almost too softly for him to hear. "Saito-san has been so kind as to explain parts and pieces of Kenshin's situation to me. You may listen also if you like."
He glanced between her calm smiling face sitting politely at the edge of the porch in front of Saito to the smirking wolf himself standing idly in the yard a few feet from Kaoru. With a resigned sigh and a hesitant nod, he stepped forward and perched himself beside his master watching the golden stare before him with the wariness of a cornered mouse in a viper's layer. When he was secure in his seat, his head leaned slightly against his chest with his eyes lowered as a respectable samurai would be accustomed to sitting in the presence of a guest at his house, she spoke again explaining the situation.
"Kenshin's heading for the general forces at Aomori. They are having a few weeks grace period to allow more soldiers to join before they move to the fighting in Sapporo. It's a war of the survivors of the Bakumatsu, right Saito-san?"
"Mn. Many of the Shogunate supporters have been displeased with the Meiji era and wish to once again restore the Shogun. Unlike all the small rebellions we've seen before, this one is major since the government has failed to catch onto it for years. It's grown a formidable strength," Saito said digging his hand absently into his pocket and fidgeting a moment with the contents there in.
"Sapporo," Yahiko whispered to himself. "That's all the way in Hokkaido. Why would the Meiji need a man like Kenshin to travel all that way when he no longer is directly important to the cause like he was with Shishio?" His voice slowly began to raise as he spoke, the tremor slowly dissipating with his mounting anger. "Why don't they just send you?!" His small hands clutched tightly at his knees as he seethed, staring the wolf coldly, defiantly in the eye.
"This isn't a war like the one with Shishio," he replied calmly, his hand slipping mindlessly from his pocket and depositing a single stick in his waiting mouth. He lit it wordlessly as his audience waited impatiently for him to continue. "If anything, the war against Shishio had nothing to do with Battousai compared to what he's being called back to do now. This is a war for honor and pride, not a war for power. There's an extreme difference brat. Most of these men are associable powers of the Bakumatsu unlike Shishio who only came about at the end of the Shogun reign."
He took a deep drag on his cigarette as his amber eyes momentarily closed picturing a long forgotten scene in his head. When he spoke again, his voice had lost its strict bitterness and replaced it with an odd, melancholy timbre that resonated like a ship against a current, and all the while he refused to look at them. "You don't know the type of men that have made themselves known in this oncoming battle. And it will be a single battle, none of these men will relent until one side is dead. They are all too sore to retreat at any turn and too anguished to relinquish any mercy. It is all or nothing. You have mildly experienced the anger of these men, of these players, but you hardly know what they are, what we are."
"We're animals, Myoujin," and at this he opened his eyes to glare immediately into the affected stare of the boy trying hard to continue his nonchalant disposition. "We feed off of fear and vengance alone, and when that craving is not fulfilled we go mad. Your stupid rurouni may have found his solace as a wanderer, but he is still Battousai, and you have yet to know what that truly means. And you have yet to know the true nature of Aku Soku Zan. And you have yet to understand the Bakumatsu. You've never seen nor felt the wrath of the Bakumatsu or its players. Players like Jinei Udo, Sagara Souzou, Takimi Shigure, Takatsuki Gentatsu, Soushi Okita, Shinsaku Takasugi, Saito Hajime.... Hitokiri Battousai-"
"And Shinomori Aoshi," a voice quietly added behind Yahiko.
Startled, he turned to see a small, ebony haired girl seated silently behind him, her head bowed respectfully and her hands occupying themselves with the end of her braid in her lap. He eyed her curiously as she sat patiently waiting for the conversation to commence once more as it had before, but that would have to wait just a moment longer. Yahiko was notorious for getting off subject, after all.
"Hey what are you doing here, weasel?" he burst without thinking. Her quiet demeanor shocked him all the more as his jab failed to shirk the girl of her composure.
"Aoshi-sama left the Aoiya over a week ago, so I came to ask Kaoru-san and Himura-san to help me find him," she answered softly never averting her eyes from the boards on the porch.
Kaoru nodded. "Misao-chan arrived earlier this morning. When she told me what happened I figured that he had decided to go with Kenshin to Aomori." Her face suddenly looked more solemn as she thought a moment before considering Yahiko again. "It's true, Yahiko. All of the surviving warriors from the Bakumatsu are readying for another war."
Yahiko's eyes widened considerably as he glanced between the stoic faces of all three of his companions, but none of them conceded even a whim of lying. It couldn't be; but if it were, than...
"Why aren't you there?" he challenged haughtily leveling his stare with the dangerous gleam of Miburo's.
"Because I came to see if Battousai had come yet or not," he replied, the annoyance in his voice extremely evident. "Besides, my position in the entire affair is rather threatening."
"What kind of an answer is that?" Yahiko spat clenching his fists and looking for the world as though he wanted to plant a firm punch in Saito's face right about now.
"A good one," was the only answer he received as the wolf tolf a final drag of his stick and threw it to the ground.
Kaoru watched in mild disgust, her brow furrowing as she contemplated the entire scenario. "I think I understand," she began watching his face imperviously. "You were a captain of the Shinsengumi during the war, but now you're an officer of the Meiji police force. Your loyalty is split between the sides."
Giving a momentary sneer he chuckled quietly to himself, "My, my... what a perceptive little tanuki."
"So what side do you plan on taking, Saito-san?" Misao asked, her jade eyes finally rising to blink inquisitively at him.
He grunted reaching into his pocket for another cigarette before realizing to his muted horror that the cartridge was empty. He sighed to himself and bitterly retorted, "And what difference does that make to you, weasel?"
"I only want to know if Aoshi-sama will have an ally in you or not," she replied in the same quiet voice as before. "I just want for him to come back safe."
"Mmm," Kaoru eagerly agreed. "I want Kenshin home as soon as possible too."
Saito looked between the grieving faces of the two girls and the angry scowl of the brat, a quandry slowly seeping into his thoughts. "You know they'll be the greatest targets for the enemy, so in all reality it doesn't matter what side I'm on anyway. I doubt they'll even make it home alive, much less unscathed. Every Shogunate supporter will be writhing with greed to show the head of Battousai spiked on the edge of their Katana as they displayed it to crowds." He paused and watched as Kaoru's face paled and her eyes shimmered with fearful tears. Her stare had long since been averted to a lone point beyond him as she sat there dazed. He glanced to the other girl sitting behind the first and battling to suppress her silent sobs as she thought. He saw her briefly glance up at him and used it as his queue to continue.
"And I'm sure many war lords would salivate at the oppotunity to burn the leader of the Oniwabanshu that kept them Edo castle. Hara kiri is not an option expressed in this war, it is a mercy that all are willing to forgo. This, children, is the Bakumatsu."
Yahiko glared angrily at the ground as the silence following Saito's speech prevailed into long minutes and no one moved. Then the wolf spoke again, and his words held the same curtness that they were all used to hearing.
"Since Battousai is not here, I have no reason to stay." With that he spun on his heel and with slow measured strides advanced toward the gate of the establishment.
"Wait!" Yahiko shouted surprising even Saito at the command in his voice. When the interest in the older man's stare had bore enough into his figure that he felt he would melt an instant later if he didn't speak, he began, "You never told us what side you were planning to take."
An unnerving smirk etched across the older man's thin lips as he turned to face them again. "Haven't I already told you all that I don't plan on allowing anyone else to kill Battousai than myself? And I always protect my interests."
A great sigh of relief was released from the spectators as they continued to watch him standing by the gate. Kaoru fidgetted nervously with her fingers, whispering almost imperceptively, "I would do anything to keep Kenshin safe."
"Hai," Misao agreed. "Anything for my Aoshi-sama."
Saito raised a slender eyebrow at her remark and prodded, "What do you mean by anything?"
She raised her gaze a moment to stare back at him hopefully before her face took on a defiant gleam and her eyes danced with resolution, "I do anything. I would fight his battles for him, fight this war to secure his coming home."
He watched her a moment, studying her resolute face and examining the proud protrusion of her chest. An eerie feeling swept down his spine chilling each vertebra with a sense of foreboding. The tanuki was planning on something, thinking it through impusively. He could clearly see it through the transfixed stare in her eye. Despite it all and the possible danger it could thenceforth put her and himself in, he dared not ask. Instead he turned once more and opened the gate stepping halfway through before glancing one last time at her.
"I'm sure you would do anything to protect, Battousai. But don't let your feelings for him impare your better judgement, tanuki. This is a war, you still don't understand what that means, and with luck you never will. Be grateful that he has gone to fight for you. Both of you," and he peered at them menacingly waiting for one to cringe, but as he suspected neither girl yielded. "I'm leaving later in the afternoon after I've finished some paperwork at the station. If you have any last sentiments for me to relay to Battousai or Shinomori, give it to me before then."
He turned quickly out the door careful to not meet either girls' eyes. He was gone not a moment later, the gate closing behind him with a loud, sound thump. All three sat silently, each brooding in their own thoughts before the stillness was interrupted by a certain rooster entering the same gate Saito had just exited. He gave them all a lazy smile and patted his empty stomach laden with bandages before the whole mood of the Kamiya residence finally pervaded through his skin. He looked quizzically at them all before rubbing a hand awkwardly behind his head.
"Hey, what's up?" he began perplexed. "Why's everyone out here looking all funny?" Sano glanced to Yahiko who still sat on his knees clenching the material of his hakama with frightening strength. "What's wrong?"
In a single, swift movement, Kaoru rose to her feet and with quick, hastened movements started down the corridor toward her room. "I'm leaving today, Sano. Please watch Yahiko and the dojo for me."
"What?!" came the unanimous reply of the waiting three. They all rose to their feet and chased after her standing at her door as she hurriedly began to gather her gis and hakamas into a manila sack similar to Kenshin's.
"Where are you going and why can't I come?" Yahiko asked angrily glancing at Misao for some indication of what was happening. The girl merely gawked in confusion as her friend continued to gather her possessions.
"I don't want you getting hurt," she said monotone and after a second slowed her motions visibly. "I'm going after Kenshin."
"Jou-chan, you can't-"
"Yes I can!!" she shouted, tears gathering at her eyes as she rushed to commence her packing. "I can't let him be out there alone. I can't let someone kill him because of a grudge they've been holding for years!!" Randomly she took a book beside her dresser and threw it angrily at the wall. "I CAN'T!!"
Sanosuke and Yahiko gawked at Kaoru's frenzied demeanor looking cautiously to Misao asking silently for the young girl's help. With slow, fluid steps, Misao stepped forward and calmly began to take various objects and place them delicately in Kaoru's sack. The older girl relented a moment staring curiously at the back of Misao's ebony covered head.
"I'm going with you."
Turning her head, Misao's green eyes met the azure stare of Kaoru's. They smiled quietly at each other, an understanding obviously sealing their intentions and each began to work anew.
"I don't believe this," Sano sighed to himself rubbing a strong hand over his face in exasperation. "I can't let you two go off on your own into some war where you're bound to get killed."
"Then why don't you come with us?" Misao asked nonchalantly as she placed a few more items into Kaoru's sack.
Befuddled, Sano merely watched the pair a moment longer before growling. "I guess I'm gonna have to," he said digging his hands into his pockets.
"I'm coming too!!" Yahiko intervened angry to be kept out.
"Stay here Yahiko," Kaoru beckoned softly.
"Why do I have to stay?!" he yelled back indignant. "You all are going!!"
"Yahiko," she continued, her movements ceasing as she directed her full attention on him. "Please stay. I'm worried enough about Kenshin being involved in this whole war. I couldn't bear to have you involved in it as well." A lone tear drew down the side of her face as her eyes pleaded with his to understand. "Please... stay."
"Oi, Busu," he slowly surrendered observing the play of emotions pass over her face as he stalled. "Fine, I'll stay, but only if you promise to bring Kenshin back."
"I promise," she happily agreed smiling softly at him. "Arigato."
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I hope to update soon. I'm sorry if some of this seemed stilted. Please review and thanks again to all those who did review!!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Faithless and Fallen
Chapter 2: Recognition and Decisions
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Yahiko groaned sliding his bedroom's shoji closed behind him before he went in search of food. The past few days had not been kind to him in the least and all he cared about this morning was eating a decent meal and training hard until he had to go work at the Akabeko. His small, calloused hands ran steadily along the wooden fissures of his bokken while carrying it at his side almost mindlessly. Kenshin left yesterday before any of them had woken up. He could understand the older man's reasoning for making such a hasty, silent departure, but he still wished he'd had the chance to say good-bye properly before his role model left for who knows what.
And Kaoru... Kyoto had been an upsetting misadventure, but this? He hadn't the slightest idea of what to tell his sensei now that sensible hope was running thin and scarce. He couldn't tell her to chase after the rurouni as he had when they knew exactly where he went. War was a different matter altogether, a different entity that none of them knew first hand... not even Sano. War embodied the personified line between the living world and the dead with bloody hands that screamed and writhed in time to the carnage surrounding it. And in war, Kenshin would be in his element. And as the pinnacle of bloodshed and massacre, the Battousai would emerge from the pits of hell and from the dreary depths of Kenshin's mind. And he would once again reign supreme.
There was nothing Kaoru could do for him now once the rurouni met his first primal battle. There was nothing any of them could do but hope and pray that he never meet a foe he was incapable of fending himself from or that he never met battle at all. Yahiko sighed half-heartedly. Life was an ugly bitch that made even his busu look attractive.
He stopped immediately in his tracks when a soft air currently alighted on his hand alerting him to the slight opening in Kaoru's door.
Busu.
She'd taken his departure the same as she had when he left for Kyoto, except this time it seemed to hurt her even more. She'd awakened like the rest of them had and dressed before going to the kitchen expecting her red-haired rurouni to be standing there preparing the morning meal as he usually did despite the occasion. Instead she was greeted by the cold light of a young morning shining in from the window and a previously made meal placed neatly on the table waiting for them to consume. The cooking utensils and pots were hanging on a rack already dried and the heat of the meal had long since grown faint.
Needless to say, Kaoru became a wreck. Her time between that morning and this morning had been constantly spent in bed and not even visits from her friends could arouse her. A small chill raced down his spine involuntarily thinking about it. Four days later and she still hadn't moved from that spot on her futon, nor taken any meals. It wasn't healthy. Every damn time he tried to go in there and talk to her, tried to get her to eat she would just lay there like she'd never heard him at all just staring off into the corner with the most somnolent expression he'd ever seen. Eventually he would force himself to leave no longer able to bear the sound of her rasping breaths or the sight of her thin tears that occasionally gleamed across her cheek anew.
He shook his head. It was too much for the girl to take, he admitted to himself. He was hardly faring any better himself. Pushing the door open slightly more, he glanced into the room expecting to see the outline of his surrogate sister's body against the foreign light of the outside world. Instead, his eyes skimmed over her neatly folded futon and sheets set carefully against the wall in her room. His eyes widened a fraction and hope beat excitedly with his pulse.
"Kaoru," he called moderately checking to see if she was anywhere close by.
When she failed to answer, he moved on examining the kitchen and dojo for his missing sensei before walking back to the gathering hall, his mind a bit perplexed over the girl's location. Surely she wouldn't wander away from the dojo so soon after her episode.
Hushed voices wafted to his ears as he padded lightly along the main corridor heading towards the front of the house. He could distinctly recognize Kaoru's soft voice amongst the whispers accompanied by another, gruffer voice that registered in his mind like the sound of a rusty nail grating on rock. Quietly he listened as his feet softly brought him closer to the conversing pair.
"He left four days ago, eh?"
"Aa."
"He didn't describe why he was leaving so soon did he perchance?"
"No, he just explained why he was leaving."
A low, sneering chuckle grated from the man's voice as he replied, "And why might that have been?"
"He needs to fulfill his duty," Kaoru calmly obliged, her voice weak from days without nourishment. "He said that atonement was necessary, but for now, not even he can deny what fate is pushing him to do. I understand that."
"Mmmm, so he is willingly unleasing the Battousai upon humanity is he? Interesting."
"I'm not sure if that's what he's planning."
An acknowledging grunt and the pair fell silent for a moment, neither moving or saying a word. Curiously, Yahiko peered around the corner, his eyes widening in slight fear as he gazed straight into the smirking, yellow eyes of Miburo. He felt himself begin to take a step back in retreat when Kaoru's pleading voice stilled him.
"Come here, Yahiko," she said almost too softly for him to hear. "Saito-san has been so kind as to explain parts and pieces of Kenshin's situation to me. You may listen also if you like."
He glanced between her calm smiling face sitting politely at the edge of the porch in front of Saito to the smirking wolf himself standing idly in the yard a few feet from Kaoru. With a resigned sigh and a hesitant nod, he stepped forward and perched himself beside his master watching the golden stare before him with the wariness of a cornered mouse in a viper's layer. When he was secure in his seat, his head leaned slightly against his chest with his eyes lowered as a respectable samurai would be accustomed to sitting in the presence of a guest at his house, she spoke again explaining the situation.
"Kenshin's heading for the general forces at Aomori. They are having a few weeks grace period to allow more soldiers to join before they move to the fighting in Sapporo. It's a war of the survivors of the Bakumatsu, right Saito-san?"
"Mn. Many of the Shogunate supporters have been displeased with the Meiji era and wish to once again restore the Shogun. Unlike all the small rebellions we've seen before, this one is major since the government has failed to catch onto it for years. It's grown a formidable strength," Saito said digging his hand absently into his pocket and fidgeting a moment with the contents there in.
"Sapporo," Yahiko whispered to himself. "That's all the way in Hokkaido. Why would the Meiji need a man like Kenshin to travel all that way when he no longer is directly important to the cause like he was with Shishio?" His voice slowly began to raise as he spoke, the tremor slowly dissipating with his mounting anger. "Why don't they just send you?!" His small hands clutched tightly at his knees as he seethed, staring the wolf coldly, defiantly in the eye.
"This isn't a war like the one with Shishio," he replied calmly, his hand slipping mindlessly from his pocket and depositing a single stick in his waiting mouth. He lit it wordlessly as his audience waited impatiently for him to continue. "If anything, the war against Shishio had nothing to do with Battousai compared to what he's being called back to do now. This is a war for honor and pride, not a war for power. There's an extreme difference brat. Most of these men are associable powers of the Bakumatsu unlike Shishio who only came about at the end of the Shogun reign."
He took a deep drag on his cigarette as his amber eyes momentarily closed picturing a long forgotten scene in his head. When he spoke again, his voice had lost its strict bitterness and replaced it with an odd, melancholy timbre that resonated like a ship against a current, and all the while he refused to look at them. "You don't know the type of men that have made themselves known in this oncoming battle. And it will be a single battle, none of these men will relent until one side is dead. They are all too sore to retreat at any turn and too anguished to relinquish any mercy. It is all or nothing. You have mildly experienced the anger of these men, of these players, but you hardly know what they are, what we are."
"We're animals, Myoujin," and at this he opened his eyes to glare immediately into the affected stare of the boy trying hard to continue his nonchalant disposition. "We feed off of fear and vengance alone, and when that craving is not fulfilled we go mad. Your stupid rurouni may have found his solace as a wanderer, but he is still Battousai, and you have yet to know what that truly means. And you have yet to know the true nature of Aku Soku Zan. And you have yet to understand the Bakumatsu. You've never seen nor felt the wrath of the Bakumatsu or its players. Players like Jinei Udo, Sagara Souzou, Takimi Shigure, Takatsuki Gentatsu, Soushi Okita, Shinsaku Takasugi, Saito Hajime.... Hitokiri Battousai-"
"And Shinomori Aoshi," a voice quietly added behind Yahiko.
Startled, he turned to see a small, ebony haired girl seated silently behind him, her head bowed respectfully and her hands occupying themselves with the end of her braid in her lap. He eyed her curiously as she sat patiently waiting for the conversation to commence once more as it had before, but that would have to wait just a moment longer. Yahiko was notorious for getting off subject, after all.
"Hey what are you doing here, weasel?" he burst without thinking. Her quiet demeanor shocked him all the more as his jab failed to shirk the girl of her composure.
"Aoshi-sama left the Aoiya over a week ago, so I came to ask Kaoru-san and Himura-san to help me find him," she answered softly never averting her eyes from the boards on the porch.
Kaoru nodded. "Misao-chan arrived earlier this morning. When she told me what happened I figured that he had decided to go with Kenshin to Aomori." Her face suddenly looked more solemn as she thought a moment before considering Yahiko again. "It's true, Yahiko. All of the surviving warriors from the Bakumatsu are readying for another war."
Yahiko's eyes widened considerably as he glanced between the stoic faces of all three of his companions, but none of them conceded even a whim of lying. It couldn't be; but if it were, than...
"Why aren't you there?" he challenged haughtily leveling his stare with the dangerous gleam of Miburo's.
"Because I came to see if Battousai had come yet or not," he replied, the annoyance in his voice extremely evident. "Besides, my position in the entire affair is rather threatening."
"What kind of an answer is that?" Yahiko spat clenching his fists and looking for the world as though he wanted to plant a firm punch in Saito's face right about now.
"A good one," was the only answer he received as the wolf tolf a final drag of his stick and threw it to the ground.
Kaoru watched in mild disgust, her brow furrowing as she contemplated the entire scenario. "I think I understand," she began watching his face imperviously. "You were a captain of the Shinsengumi during the war, but now you're an officer of the Meiji police force. Your loyalty is split between the sides."
Giving a momentary sneer he chuckled quietly to himself, "My, my... what a perceptive little tanuki."
"So what side do you plan on taking, Saito-san?" Misao asked, her jade eyes finally rising to blink inquisitively at him.
He grunted reaching into his pocket for another cigarette before realizing to his muted horror that the cartridge was empty. He sighed to himself and bitterly retorted, "And what difference does that make to you, weasel?"
"I only want to know if Aoshi-sama will have an ally in you or not," she replied in the same quiet voice as before. "I just want for him to come back safe."
"Mmm," Kaoru eagerly agreed. "I want Kenshin home as soon as possible too."
Saito looked between the grieving faces of the two girls and the angry scowl of the brat, a quandry slowly seeping into his thoughts. "You know they'll be the greatest targets for the enemy, so in all reality it doesn't matter what side I'm on anyway. I doubt they'll even make it home alive, much less unscathed. Every Shogunate supporter will be writhing with greed to show the head of Battousai spiked on the edge of their Katana as they displayed it to crowds." He paused and watched as Kaoru's face paled and her eyes shimmered with fearful tears. Her stare had long since been averted to a lone point beyond him as she sat there dazed. He glanced to the other girl sitting behind the first and battling to suppress her silent sobs as she thought. He saw her briefly glance up at him and used it as his queue to continue.
"And I'm sure many war lords would salivate at the oppotunity to burn the leader of the Oniwabanshu that kept them Edo castle. Hara kiri is not an option expressed in this war, it is a mercy that all are willing to forgo. This, children, is the Bakumatsu."
Yahiko glared angrily at the ground as the silence following Saito's speech prevailed into long minutes and no one moved. Then the wolf spoke again, and his words held the same curtness that they were all used to hearing.
"Since Battousai is not here, I have no reason to stay." With that he spun on his heel and with slow measured strides advanced toward the gate of the establishment.
"Wait!" Yahiko shouted surprising even Saito at the command in his voice. When the interest in the older man's stare had bore enough into his figure that he felt he would melt an instant later if he didn't speak, he began, "You never told us what side you were planning to take."
An unnerving smirk etched across the older man's thin lips as he turned to face them again. "Haven't I already told you all that I don't plan on allowing anyone else to kill Battousai than myself? And I always protect my interests."
A great sigh of relief was released from the spectators as they continued to watch him standing by the gate. Kaoru fidgetted nervously with her fingers, whispering almost imperceptively, "I would do anything to keep Kenshin safe."
"Hai," Misao agreed. "Anything for my Aoshi-sama."
Saito raised a slender eyebrow at her remark and prodded, "What do you mean by anything?"
She raised her gaze a moment to stare back at him hopefully before her face took on a defiant gleam and her eyes danced with resolution, "I do anything. I would fight his battles for him, fight this war to secure his coming home."
He watched her a moment, studying her resolute face and examining the proud protrusion of her chest. An eerie feeling swept down his spine chilling each vertebra with a sense of foreboding. The tanuki was planning on something, thinking it through impusively. He could clearly see it through the transfixed stare in her eye. Despite it all and the possible danger it could thenceforth put her and himself in, he dared not ask. Instead he turned once more and opened the gate stepping halfway through before glancing one last time at her.
"I'm sure you would do anything to protect, Battousai. But don't let your feelings for him impare your better judgement, tanuki. This is a war, you still don't understand what that means, and with luck you never will. Be grateful that he has gone to fight for you. Both of you," and he peered at them menacingly waiting for one to cringe, but as he suspected neither girl yielded. "I'm leaving later in the afternoon after I've finished some paperwork at the station. If you have any last sentiments for me to relay to Battousai or Shinomori, give it to me before then."
He turned quickly out the door careful to not meet either girls' eyes. He was gone not a moment later, the gate closing behind him with a loud, sound thump. All three sat silently, each brooding in their own thoughts before the stillness was interrupted by a certain rooster entering the same gate Saito had just exited. He gave them all a lazy smile and patted his empty stomach laden with bandages before the whole mood of the Kamiya residence finally pervaded through his skin. He looked quizzically at them all before rubbing a hand awkwardly behind his head.
"Hey, what's up?" he began perplexed. "Why's everyone out here looking all funny?" Sano glanced to Yahiko who still sat on his knees clenching the material of his hakama with frightening strength. "What's wrong?"
In a single, swift movement, Kaoru rose to her feet and with quick, hastened movements started down the corridor toward her room. "I'm leaving today, Sano. Please watch Yahiko and the dojo for me."
"What?!" came the unanimous reply of the waiting three. They all rose to their feet and chased after her standing at her door as she hurriedly began to gather her gis and hakamas into a manila sack similar to Kenshin's.
"Where are you going and why can't I come?" Yahiko asked angrily glancing at Misao for some indication of what was happening. The girl merely gawked in confusion as her friend continued to gather her possessions.
"I don't want you getting hurt," she said monotone and after a second slowed her motions visibly. "I'm going after Kenshin."
"Jou-chan, you can't-"
"Yes I can!!" she shouted, tears gathering at her eyes as she rushed to commence her packing. "I can't let him be out there alone. I can't let someone kill him because of a grudge they've been holding for years!!" Randomly she took a book beside her dresser and threw it angrily at the wall. "I CAN'T!!"
Sanosuke and Yahiko gawked at Kaoru's frenzied demeanor looking cautiously to Misao asking silently for the young girl's help. With slow, fluid steps, Misao stepped forward and calmly began to take various objects and place them delicately in Kaoru's sack. The older girl relented a moment staring curiously at the back of Misao's ebony covered head.
"I'm going with you."
Turning her head, Misao's green eyes met the azure stare of Kaoru's. They smiled quietly at each other, an understanding obviously sealing their intentions and each began to work anew.
"I don't believe this," Sano sighed to himself rubbing a strong hand over his face in exasperation. "I can't let you two go off on your own into some war where you're bound to get killed."
"Then why don't you come with us?" Misao asked nonchalantly as she placed a few more items into Kaoru's sack.
Befuddled, Sano merely watched the pair a moment longer before growling. "I guess I'm gonna have to," he said digging his hands into his pockets.
"I'm coming too!!" Yahiko intervened angry to be kept out.
"Stay here Yahiko," Kaoru beckoned softly.
"Why do I have to stay?!" he yelled back indignant. "You all are going!!"
"Yahiko," she continued, her movements ceasing as she directed her full attention on him. "Please stay. I'm worried enough about Kenshin being involved in this whole war. I couldn't bear to have you involved in it as well." A lone tear drew down the side of her face as her eyes pleaded with his to understand. "Please... stay."
"Oi, Busu," he slowly surrendered observing the play of emotions pass over her face as he stalled. "Fine, I'll stay, but only if you promise to bring Kenshin back."
"I promise," she happily agreed smiling softly at him. "Arigato."
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I hope to update soon. I'm sorry if some of this seemed stilted. Please review and thanks again to all those who did review!!
