CHAPTER 15: Saito Meets Chuichi
Saito and Gimmei reached Saito's house. The sun was beginning to set and it cast an eerie glow on the house. Saito hurried inside to find the half of the house untouched, but the other half was in tatters. To his dismay, the house was empty. Gimmei walked in beside him.
"Wow, you've got a NICE house," Gimmei said, glancing around eagerly. She walked over to a wall and pulled out a kunai.
"What is it?" Saito asked, seeing Gimmei studying something. Gimmei looked up at him.
"Chuichi was here," Gimmei said. "He's the strongest of all of the man in our group. Don't know where he got his training, but he was Shiki's friend." Gimmei turned her back to Saito and ran off into another room.
"You have to go through the house?" Saito asked, sighing. "Tokio obviously isn't here, and I've got to find her before something bad happens." Just then, there was a loud yell.
"LEMME GO!!!" Gimmei ran back to the main room where Saito was standing.
"What was that?" Gimmei asked. Saito shrugged, then walked out of the house to investigate. He stepped out of the main gate and spotted a group of people walking down the road toward them.
"Who are they?" Saito wondered, heading for them.
"I don't... wait! Saito! Don't go over there!" Gimmei jumped forward, blocking his path.
"Why not, Neko?" he asked. Gimmei glared.
"That's Chuichi," she said. "He'll kill you." Saito studied her.
"He's probably got Tokio," Saito replied, pushing past her and hurrying toward the group. Gimmei followed closely behind.
"HAJIME!!!" a voice yelled from the group. The leader of the group was the first to reach Saito.
"Hello, sir," the man grinned. Saito glanced behind him at Tokio, who was being held by a large ninja. She stared at him without saying anything. Just then, Tokio started to cry.
"You have my wife," Saito said. "Give her to me." The man gave a look of mock surprise.
"We do? Well, I'm sorry, but I cannot give her to you," he said. "I am looking to deliver her to a man named Saito Hajime."
"I'm Saito Hajime," Saito snapped, his hand inching toward his katana. "And if you don't hand her over, I'll kill you here and now." Chuichi laughed heartily and drew his sword.
"You can try," Chuichi said. Saito gave a glare, also drawing his sword. He glanced behind Chuichi and studied the group of ninjas. He concluded that he wouldn't be able to win if they decided to attack as well.
"Neko, I could use your help," Saito hissed through his teeth. Gimmei hurried over, drawing her sword.
"I'm on it," she said. "I'll help you fight." Chuichi gave Gimmei a small grin.
"You decided to go against your brother's group in the end? Maybe we SHOULD have killed you when we had a chance..." Chuichi sighed. Gimmei looked at him.
"Like you ever had a chance?" she asked mockingly. Chuichi nodded.
"Your brother told us to kill you," he said. "When he thought that you'd do something like this. I never thought you would... you were just as loyal as I am. Then, he canceled the whole operation knowing that your mother and father would hate him for it." Gimmei's sword clattered to the ground.
"N-no..." she gasped. Saito managed to maintain his usual indifferent facial expression, but inside, he felt terrible for the girl.
"Now then," Chuichi turned back to Saito. "I'll fight you one-on-one. No one will interfere." Saito nodded, stepping back a few paces. Gimmei crumpled to the floor, crying. Saito glanced at her, then walked over and picked her up, putting her on the side of the road. Chuichi waited patiently as Saito returned to his spot about five yards away.
"You seem to be waiting for me," Saito said after five minutes or so of stare-down. Chuichi nodded. Saito smirked, then got into his Gatotsu stance.
"Come," Chuichi beckoned him over. Saito charged, dirt flying up from the ground under his feet. He thrust his sword forward with all of his strength and executed the Gatotsu. Chuichi narrowly dodged it, then skidded across the road, settling into a Gatotsu stance as well. He charged, missing Saito's stomach by a hair's width. Saito quickly smashed the hilt of the sword into Chuichi's neck, pitching him to the floor. He coughed a little, standing and wiping blood onto his red gi.
"You're pretty good, Saito," Chuichi said. Saito snorted, then returned to his Gatotsu stance.
He can copy my moves, but not my determination, Saito thought. Though I must admit, it's quite amazing how he can copy the Gatotsu after seeing it only once... Chuichi also took a Gatotsu stance. "Well whaddya know? We're both only using one move: Gatotsu," Chuichi said, grinning. Saito frowned. That, too, was annoying him. Throughout the entire fight, Chuichi managed to keep a mocking smile plastered on his face. Saito ran forward again, aiming for Chuichi's chest. Chuichi ducked under it, Gatotsu-ing Saito's leg. Saito jumped back, blood dripping from the wound to the dirt.
"Hajime..." Tokio gasped. Eiji struggled harder.
"SAITO-SAN! YOU'VE GOT TO BEAT THAT CREEP! HE KILLED HIMURA-SAN!!" Eiji shrieked. Saito's head snapped up.
"What?" he breathed. Battousai? DEAD?? Chuichi rubbed his nose arrogantly.
"Hai, I did," Chuichi said with a smile.
"Battousai was beaten by this freak?" Saito asked. Tokio and Eiji nodded sadly, looking over their shoulders at Kenshin's body in the arms of a ninja. Saito hated to admit it, but his chances of winning were quite minimal. He could only strike a DRAW with Kenshin, but beating him was something Saito had only dreamed of doing. And Saito hadn't even fought Kenshin after he learned the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki! But there was no turning back now. He slid into the Gatotsu stance.
"So, are you scared now, Wolf?" Chuichi asked. Saito shrugged.
"Not of you," Saito said. "But of what you'll be when I'm done with you." Chuichi grinned.
"We'll see. Now, why don't we both attack with the Gatotsu again?" Chuichi charged first this time. Saito then got out of his reliable Gatotsu stance and parried Chuichi's Gatotsu. Then, he knocked the hilt of his sword against Chuichi's blade. The sword flew out of Chuichi's hand, skidding to a halt near Gimmei. She was too distraught to notice, though.
"NEKO!" Saito yelled at her. "Grab the sword!" Gimmei sniffed and lifted her head. She groped around for the sword and found it. She pulled it toward her. Chuichi glanced at her with a softer look in his eyes. Then, remembering that he was supposed to be fighting, Chuichi jumped up, slamming his knee into Saito's jaw. Saito dropped HIS sword, and Chuichi kicked it to the opposite side of the road.
"There," Chuichi said, smiling. "That makes it even." Saito wiped blood from his mouth onto the back of his hand.
"So, it's become a fist fight, has it?" Saito asked, spitting more blood to the dirt. Chuichi laughed.
"Sure, if that's what you want to call it," he replied. "Let's continue, shall we?" He cracked his knuckles. Saito walked towards him, clenching his fists. Chuichi ran forward, tossing a powerful punch toward Saito's head. Saito grabbed his fist. Chuichi attacked with the other hand, but Saito grabbed that one as well. Chuichi let out a snarl and tried to kick Saito, but Saito used his knee to block the attack. He tightened his grip on Chuichi's fists.
"Not so cocky now, huh?" Saito asked, a mocking smirk on his face. Chuichi jumped forward, smashing his knee into Saito's nose, but Saito kept a tight hold on Chuichi's hands. He whirled around and tossed Chuichi into the side of his house. Chuichi didn't move. Saito knelt down to rest his injured leg and wiped blood from his nose on his gi. It was dark out now.
"HAJIME!!" Tokio's voice rang out, but it was too late. A burly ninja, who was a head taller than Saito, had him by the neck. Saito let out a cough or two and grabbed onto the ninja's wrist. He tried to kick the ninja, but it was in vain. He was too weak to do much. He feet were at least a centimeter from the ground. The ninja tightened his grip on Saito's neck, then buried his knee into Saito's stomach. Saito cringed in the man's grasp, barely suppressing a choke of pain.
"SAITO-SAN!!!" Eiji yelled, pulling against his captor's grip as though he wanted to rip his own arms off. "NOO!!!" Tokio had also begun the struggle, trying to crush her captor's toes. She wasn't heavy enough, so nothing happened. They watched as the large ninja continued to beat Saito into a pulp. Just then, there was a loud scream.
"HAAAAAAAAAA!!!" a voice yelled. The ninja holding Saito dropped him to the floor, and he landed with a sickening crack. Gimmei was holding a sword that was lodged in the large ninja's back. She pulled it out, letting the ninja sink to the ground. She ran toward the group of ninjas holding Tokio and Eiji. They all reached for their weapons, but they were too slow. Half of them were killed before their weapons even came to mind. Gimmei turned to the rest.
"Get out of here and I won't kill you," Gimmei said, tossing her free flying hair over her shoulder. Fearing for their life, the ninjas scurried away, dropping Kenshin's body to the dust. Tokio and Eiji rushed over to the fallen Saito. Tokio quickly felt for a pulse and luckily found one. Gimmei walked over.
"He'll be okay, right?" she asked. Tokio nodded.
"Yes, he will," Tokio said. "Who are you?"
"No one," Gimmei said. "I was the one who kept Saito-san in captivity... and..." she glanced down. "Well... just tell him that I hope to meet him again and that it was an honor to meet him once. Tell him thank you." She stood to leave.
"No," Tokio said. "You helped us now, so I'd like to thank you on Hajime's behalf. You're welcome to stay here for a night so that you can talk to him when he wakes up." With much trouble, and a little of Eiji's help, Tokio managed to lift him onto her shoulder and began her walk back into the house. Gimmei waited for them to be inside, then turned away.
"I'll leave. I've ruined their lives enough already," Gimmei said to herself. She turned and began to walk away, but another part of her longed to stay. She thought for a minute.
"Then again... it IS only one night," Gimmei said. "I can leave first thing in the morning." She walked shyly through the front gate and into the house. Saito was lying on a futon on the floor in the main room. Tokio was in the kitchen boiling water. Eiji dashed out of the kitchen and past Gimmei, out the door. She walked over to Saito's limp body and kneeled next to him. Tokio walked out of the kitchen, holding a pot of steaming water and some bandages.
"Tokio-dono," Gimmei bowed low. "Let me help you." Tokio smiled, wondering how the girl knew her name. She would ask later. She kneeled down next to Saito and tore off the tattered gi. She dipped the bandages in the water and the two women began their work. Eiji returned with Kenshin's body and laid it on the floor.
"I'm going to the doctor!" Eiji panted, dashing out again. Tokio just nodded, gingerly blotting blood from one of Saito's many wounds.
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Chuichi stood up, coughing a few times. He walked over to one of the fallen swords and picked it up, walking toward the front gates. "I'll kill you," he rasped, finding the front door because of the light filtering through the thin paper. "All of you... and take Gimmei-dono with me."
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A/N: Terribly sorry about the delay. Midterms were this week, but now I have a break!! You'd expect me to write more, but... I'm having company, so I might not update anytime soon. Hopefully I'll be able to sneak in a chapter or two. ^__^ Thanks to everyone who read this...
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Kairi7: Good. You're trusting me!! You'll find out Kenshin's fate as the story goes... ^__^
Protector of Meladon: Update your Kenshin ones!! I'll check out your new stories when I have time... (like that ever happens...) because mostly I'm writing or at school or eating... or sleeping... ^_^;
Saito and Gimmei reached Saito's house. The sun was beginning to set and it cast an eerie glow on the house. Saito hurried inside to find the half of the house untouched, but the other half was in tatters. To his dismay, the house was empty. Gimmei walked in beside him.
"Wow, you've got a NICE house," Gimmei said, glancing around eagerly. She walked over to a wall and pulled out a kunai.
"What is it?" Saito asked, seeing Gimmei studying something. Gimmei looked up at him.
"Chuichi was here," Gimmei said. "He's the strongest of all of the man in our group. Don't know where he got his training, but he was Shiki's friend." Gimmei turned her back to Saito and ran off into another room.
"You have to go through the house?" Saito asked, sighing. "Tokio obviously isn't here, and I've got to find her before something bad happens." Just then, there was a loud yell.
"LEMME GO!!!" Gimmei ran back to the main room where Saito was standing.
"What was that?" Gimmei asked. Saito shrugged, then walked out of the house to investigate. He stepped out of the main gate and spotted a group of people walking down the road toward them.
"Who are they?" Saito wondered, heading for them.
"I don't... wait! Saito! Don't go over there!" Gimmei jumped forward, blocking his path.
"Why not, Neko?" he asked. Gimmei glared.
"That's Chuichi," she said. "He'll kill you." Saito studied her.
"He's probably got Tokio," Saito replied, pushing past her and hurrying toward the group. Gimmei followed closely behind.
"HAJIME!!!" a voice yelled from the group. The leader of the group was the first to reach Saito.
"Hello, sir," the man grinned. Saito glanced behind him at Tokio, who was being held by a large ninja. She stared at him without saying anything. Just then, Tokio started to cry.
"You have my wife," Saito said. "Give her to me." The man gave a look of mock surprise.
"We do? Well, I'm sorry, but I cannot give her to you," he said. "I am looking to deliver her to a man named Saito Hajime."
"I'm Saito Hajime," Saito snapped, his hand inching toward his katana. "And if you don't hand her over, I'll kill you here and now." Chuichi laughed heartily and drew his sword.
"You can try," Chuichi said. Saito gave a glare, also drawing his sword. He glanced behind Chuichi and studied the group of ninjas. He concluded that he wouldn't be able to win if they decided to attack as well.
"Neko, I could use your help," Saito hissed through his teeth. Gimmei hurried over, drawing her sword.
"I'm on it," she said. "I'll help you fight." Chuichi gave Gimmei a small grin.
"You decided to go against your brother's group in the end? Maybe we SHOULD have killed you when we had a chance..." Chuichi sighed. Gimmei looked at him.
"Like you ever had a chance?" she asked mockingly. Chuichi nodded.
"Your brother told us to kill you," he said. "When he thought that you'd do something like this. I never thought you would... you were just as loyal as I am. Then, he canceled the whole operation knowing that your mother and father would hate him for it." Gimmei's sword clattered to the ground.
"N-no..." she gasped. Saito managed to maintain his usual indifferent facial expression, but inside, he felt terrible for the girl.
"Now then," Chuichi turned back to Saito. "I'll fight you one-on-one. No one will interfere." Saito nodded, stepping back a few paces. Gimmei crumpled to the floor, crying. Saito glanced at her, then walked over and picked her up, putting her on the side of the road. Chuichi waited patiently as Saito returned to his spot about five yards away.
"You seem to be waiting for me," Saito said after five minutes or so of stare-down. Chuichi nodded. Saito smirked, then got into his Gatotsu stance.
"Come," Chuichi beckoned him over. Saito charged, dirt flying up from the ground under his feet. He thrust his sword forward with all of his strength and executed the Gatotsu. Chuichi narrowly dodged it, then skidded across the road, settling into a Gatotsu stance as well. He charged, missing Saito's stomach by a hair's width. Saito quickly smashed the hilt of the sword into Chuichi's neck, pitching him to the floor. He coughed a little, standing and wiping blood onto his red gi.
"You're pretty good, Saito," Chuichi said. Saito snorted, then returned to his Gatotsu stance.
He can copy my moves, but not my determination, Saito thought. Though I must admit, it's quite amazing how he can copy the Gatotsu after seeing it only once... Chuichi also took a Gatotsu stance. "Well whaddya know? We're both only using one move: Gatotsu," Chuichi said, grinning. Saito frowned. That, too, was annoying him. Throughout the entire fight, Chuichi managed to keep a mocking smile plastered on his face. Saito ran forward again, aiming for Chuichi's chest. Chuichi ducked under it, Gatotsu-ing Saito's leg. Saito jumped back, blood dripping from the wound to the dirt.
"Hajime..." Tokio gasped. Eiji struggled harder.
"SAITO-SAN! YOU'VE GOT TO BEAT THAT CREEP! HE KILLED HIMURA-SAN!!" Eiji shrieked. Saito's head snapped up.
"What?" he breathed. Battousai? DEAD?? Chuichi rubbed his nose arrogantly.
"Hai, I did," Chuichi said with a smile.
"Battousai was beaten by this freak?" Saito asked. Tokio and Eiji nodded sadly, looking over their shoulders at Kenshin's body in the arms of a ninja. Saito hated to admit it, but his chances of winning were quite minimal. He could only strike a DRAW with Kenshin, but beating him was something Saito had only dreamed of doing. And Saito hadn't even fought Kenshin after he learned the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki! But there was no turning back now. He slid into the Gatotsu stance.
"So, are you scared now, Wolf?" Chuichi asked. Saito shrugged.
"Not of you," Saito said. "But of what you'll be when I'm done with you." Chuichi grinned.
"We'll see. Now, why don't we both attack with the Gatotsu again?" Chuichi charged first this time. Saito then got out of his reliable Gatotsu stance and parried Chuichi's Gatotsu. Then, he knocked the hilt of his sword against Chuichi's blade. The sword flew out of Chuichi's hand, skidding to a halt near Gimmei. She was too distraught to notice, though.
"NEKO!" Saito yelled at her. "Grab the sword!" Gimmei sniffed and lifted her head. She groped around for the sword and found it. She pulled it toward her. Chuichi glanced at her with a softer look in his eyes. Then, remembering that he was supposed to be fighting, Chuichi jumped up, slamming his knee into Saito's jaw. Saito dropped HIS sword, and Chuichi kicked it to the opposite side of the road.
"There," Chuichi said, smiling. "That makes it even." Saito wiped blood from his mouth onto the back of his hand.
"So, it's become a fist fight, has it?" Saito asked, spitting more blood to the dirt. Chuichi laughed.
"Sure, if that's what you want to call it," he replied. "Let's continue, shall we?" He cracked his knuckles. Saito walked towards him, clenching his fists. Chuichi ran forward, tossing a powerful punch toward Saito's head. Saito grabbed his fist. Chuichi attacked with the other hand, but Saito grabbed that one as well. Chuichi let out a snarl and tried to kick Saito, but Saito used his knee to block the attack. He tightened his grip on Chuichi's fists.
"Not so cocky now, huh?" Saito asked, a mocking smirk on his face. Chuichi jumped forward, smashing his knee into Saito's nose, but Saito kept a tight hold on Chuichi's hands. He whirled around and tossed Chuichi into the side of his house. Chuichi didn't move. Saito knelt down to rest his injured leg and wiped blood from his nose on his gi. It was dark out now.
"HAJIME!!" Tokio's voice rang out, but it was too late. A burly ninja, who was a head taller than Saito, had him by the neck. Saito let out a cough or two and grabbed onto the ninja's wrist. He tried to kick the ninja, but it was in vain. He was too weak to do much. He feet were at least a centimeter from the ground. The ninja tightened his grip on Saito's neck, then buried his knee into Saito's stomach. Saito cringed in the man's grasp, barely suppressing a choke of pain.
"SAITO-SAN!!!" Eiji yelled, pulling against his captor's grip as though he wanted to rip his own arms off. "NOO!!!" Tokio had also begun the struggle, trying to crush her captor's toes. She wasn't heavy enough, so nothing happened. They watched as the large ninja continued to beat Saito into a pulp. Just then, there was a loud scream.
"HAAAAAAAAAA!!!" a voice yelled. The ninja holding Saito dropped him to the floor, and he landed with a sickening crack. Gimmei was holding a sword that was lodged in the large ninja's back. She pulled it out, letting the ninja sink to the ground. She ran toward the group of ninjas holding Tokio and Eiji. They all reached for their weapons, but they were too slow. Half of them were killed before their weapons even came to mind. Gimmei turned to the rest.
"Get out of here and I won't kill you," Gimmei said, tossing her free flying hair over her shoulder. Fearing for their life, the ninjas scurried away, dropping Kenshin's body to the dust. Tokio and Eiji rushed over to the fallen Saito. Tokio quickly felt for a pulse and luckily found one. Gimmei walked over.
"He'll be okay, right?" she asked. Tokio nodded.
"Yes, he will," Tokio said. "Who are you?"
"No one," Gimmei said. "I was the one who kept Saito-san in captivity... and..." she glanced down. "Well... just tell him that I hope to meet him again and that it was an honor to meet him once. Tell him thank you." She stood to leave.
"No," Tokio said. "You helped us now, so I'd like to thank you on Hajime's behalf. You're welcome to stay here for a night so that you can talk to him when he wakes up." With much trouble, and a little of Eiji's help, Tokio managed to lift him onto her shoulder and began her walk back into the house. Gimmei waited for them to be inside, then turned away.
"I'll leave. I've ruined their lives enough already," Gimmei said to herself. She turned and began to walk away, but another part of her longed to stay. She thought for a minute.
"Then again... it IS only one night," Gimmei said. "I can leave first thing in the morning." She walked shyly through the front gate and into the house. Saito was lying on a futon on the floor in the main room. Tokio was in the kitchen boiling water. Eiji dashed out of the kitchen and past Gimmei, out the door. She walked over to Saito's limp body and kneeled next to him. Tokio walked out of the kitchen, holding a pot of steaming water and some bandages.
"Tokio-dono," Gimmei bowed low. "Let me help you." Tokio smiled, wondering how the girl knew her name. She would ask later. She kneeled down next to Saito and tore off the tattered gi. She dipped the bandages in the water and the two women began their work. Eiji returned with Kenshin's body and laid it on the floor.
"I'm going to the doctor!" Eiji panted, dashing out again. Tokio just nodded, gingerly blotting blood from one of Saito's many wounds.
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Chuichi stood up, coughing a few times. He walked over to one of the fallen swords and picked it up, walking toward the front gates. "I'll kill you," he rasped, finding the front door because of the light filtering through the thin paper. "All of you... and take Gimmei-dono with me."
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A/N: Terribly sorry about the delay. Midterms were this week, but now I have a break!! You'd expect me to write more, but... I'm having company, so I might not update anytime soon. Hopefully I'll be able to sneak in a chapter or two. ^__^ Thanks to everyone who read this...
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Kairi7: Good. You're trusting me!! You'll find out Kenshin's fate as the story goes... ^__^
Protector of Meladon: Update your Kenshin ones!! I'll check out your new stories when I have time... (like that ever happens...) because mostly I'm writing or at school or eating... or sleeping... ^_^;