Chapter 17: The Mould Broken?
A/N: Well, woohoo! Author's Notes! I might have to come back and add to these, cause I'm not sure what exactly is going to happen in this chapter. I find out as I write. I never have a plan...well yeah I do but not usually anything specific. *sigh* I'll find out I suppose.
Disclaimer: I don't own RK, but I claim my ideas. Yay.
~*~*~
Kenshin glared at the ground before him, as if it were the object hiding his Kaoru from him. No, she had been taken, and it was his fault. Had he not just been thinking that openly declaring her 'Battousai's woman' would cause her to be in danger constantly? YES, but NOOOO, he'd thought he could protect her! And now she was gone again, and it was his fault. But he would find her. And he would find her soon, for the destructive thoughts running through his mind warned him of Battousai's new awakening...it wouldn't take much to set him off.
But who had taken her? And where? The only clues were the scorch marks...how was he supposed to find them with that? 'This vandal was particularly skilled.' Kenshin thought, scowling openly. Then he stood. He did the only thing he could do...look for her.
~*~*~
"Orion and Mercury have arrived with the prisoner, sire." The short man blinked his bright yellow eyes at his superior.
"And she fares well I hope. I told Orion that if Mercury botched this one it would be his head. Orion isn't stupid, he wouldn't let Mercury do something rash." The tall, muscular God chuckled merrily. "Those two may be irritating sometimes, but they are the best kidnappers this guild has!" Snae grinned over his cup of early evening coffee.
"Well, the sacrifice must be made. I don't understand why you entertained the notion that this girl will change anything though..." "You of all people should know my reasons." Snae quirked an eyebrow. "Yes, you are right, of course."
"Kai...things are going very well. The sacrifice will be held until Battousai arrives, then she will be slaughtered. With everything binding him to Earth gone, Battousai will undoubtedly join our forces. And then we will be in control, or rather, we will gain MORE control as the Battousai mutilates each branch leader, starting with the Voyridal." Snae narrowed his eyes and rubbed his hands together gleefully. "You may bring the prisoner to me now." He continued, turning to Kai, who he had forgotten in his spirited vendetta.
"Very well." Kai left quickly, turning down the hallway and hurrying away to do his leader's bidding. Snae waited with great patience, the glory of the entire situation tranforming his usual impatience into slightly more patient patience. After all, most here knew not to keep him waiting.
After ten minutes, he wondered what was going on.
After thirty, he decided to find out himself.
He grabbed his cane, conveniently placed near the door in case of such circumstances, and hobble-stepped out the door. He stopped once outside and concentrated. His dark black hair began to fade; soon it was grey. His frame bent more, and wrinkles lined his worried face. He then set off down the hall. He wasn't lame, but if something were up, then who would suspect the hobbling, old, lame man to be the leader of the rebel forces?
Snae paused for a second at the first corner, altering his appearance back to normal. He'd just hobble...there was no need for such drama. He took on the same appearance he'd had since birth; tall, muscular, deep green eyes that looked through you before at you, as if seeing everything about you before even asking, tanned skin and slender build. If something big were up, he'd know by now.
The hallways were deathly quiet, but Snae could hear shouting down one of the corridors. Silently, almost as if absorbing the dark emptiness of the hallway, Snae tottered towards the disturbance. Nearing the end of the hall, the voices were more easily distinguishable. Snae heard Kai's voice, some other guard he wasn't familiar with, and...
He paused listening carefully. 'That sounds like Raen...' he thought incredulously. He walked around the corner, abandoning the limp but still holding the cane. A sharp crack on the head earned a surprised yelp from the rebel leader and several gasps from Kai and the other guard. "How dare you strike the leader!" Kai growled.
Rubbing the rising knot, Snae peered through watery eyes at his hitherto unseen adversary. He blinked several times, trying to decide if he had been hit THAT hard or...or if he was really staring at what he thought he was. The woman's ebony tresses were slightly disheveled, and the angry look in her sapphire eyes could have nailed them all to the wall were her eyes daggers. In her hair was a silver ribbon; her golden kimono had been ripped on one side, apparently to accomodate more efficient movement.
Her chest heaved slightly from the exertion; she held her weapon in a lethal deathgrip. Four men lay to one side with either large knots on their heads or limbs bent at a painfully unnatural angle. "Who are you and why have you kidnapped me?!" the woman growled. Snae couldn't help but stare. Was it--could it really be his Raen?
He stared into her eyes, searching for answers he didn't have. She glanced at him before looking away at Kai, who was slowly but surely advancing. "Back away!" she shouted, turning her weapon--a broken broomstick--towards him. She turned back to Snae to find him staring at her still. Her eyes widened into an innocently bewildered look. Snae knew that look.
"What is your name?" he asked gently, his voice holding more mellowness than either Kai or the other guard had ever heard him use, certainly with a prisoner. The woman bristled, not wanting to let her guard down simply because of his possibly gentility. "Kaoru." she said proudly, lifting her chin defiantly. "And I want to go home. NOW."
"I'm sorry, but we can't let you do that..." Snae continued, just as gently as before. Whether she admit it or not, Kaoru was slowly warming to this man...he seemed like someone she could trust in this hellhole of a prison. Snae relaxed his body. In order for this to work he must be totally relaxed. He calmed his nerves and reached out with his mind, seeking the force he knew would be there. Kaoru watched him close his eyes and instantly became distrustful. What was going on?
Snae felt for Kaoru's mind waves. He knew her name, and already felt a semi- attachment to her. She shouldn't be that hard to control. Kai and the guard instinctively covered their ears. The only other time they had seen this, Snae had let loose an ear-splitting mental roar. But then again, that had been to purge them of the pestilence of Raiders. Still...
Kaoru glanced around. Everything seemed to be spinning slightly, as if she'd been dumped ingraciously onto a spinning merry-go-round. Her mind was fuzzy; she couldn't think. What was she doing here again? "You will come with me please, Kaoru." Snae replied, walking along.
Kaoru didn't budge. Who was he to tell her what to do? Snippets of memory floated to her, reminding her that this was in fact a bad guy. "I don't think so." she said uncertainly. Snae stopped. Resistance? This he hadn't expected. Maybe from the Battousai...but not this woman. Kaoru waded through the muddy waters of her mind, finally reconnecting the memory of how to use her sword skills. She swung the broken broomstick in a vicious arc towards Snae's knees.
And in a split second her broomstick exploded into a billion tiny splinters.
Kaoru shielded her eyes with her arm, but a few of the splinters nicked her cheek, leaving minute trails of red to slightly marr her perfect features. Snae made a small noise in his throat, protesting this injustice. He approached her, intent on wiping away the few dribblets of blood on her cheek, but she backed away. "No..." she whispered pitifully. Snae kept his advance slow and measured. No need to frighten her, soon enough she would be his...
Kaoru sensed the evil, predatory gleam in Snae's eyes and turned to run. Kai and the other guard could do nothing but stare as she bolted past them. "CATCH HER!" Snae roared in anger. His patience had worn thin. Kai and the other guard jumped up. "Yes sir!" and with that they gave chase.
Kaoru ran. She wasn't sure where she was running, or where she COULD run, but she was running. At least she was free this time...no one could stop her. Once she got outside...once she got outside she would figure out where she was. Then she would get back to the dojo, and back to Kenshin and...maybe he would never--no there was no way he wouldn't notice. 'Is he worried about me?' Kaoru couldn't help but wonder. She got so caught up in her thoughts that she forgot to watch where she was running.
She plowed right into the man before she even noticed he was there. Not that she could have avoided him, for his purpose was to stop her. She struggled briefly, but when she'd ran into him, he'd successfully administered the drug. She was out cold in less than 10 seconds. He stood, cradling the unconscious Kaoru in his arms as if she were porcelain.
"What should I do with her, Snae?"
"Bring her here, I'll deal with her...Gods above, is that YOU Fjork?!"
~*~*~
A/N: Ok yeah so It's not REALLY a cliffhanger...but still. It was fun to write so get over it. Just so you guys will know, I will explain more about Snae and Raen in further chapters...so don't get a bee in your bonnet. Have fun waiting for the next chapter! ^-^
Shaolin and Amakakeru: Glad you STILL like it! ^-^ Don't know what I'd do without reviewers like you! WOOHOO! I updated soon, hopefully soon enough! *sigh* I read your story, and it didn't seem as if you were going through too bad of a writer's block. Dude, if any of you read these besides who they're for, you should read Shaolin and Amakakeru's story "Avenging Stars"
Brittanie Love: COOLNESS! I'm glad you liked my chapter! I strive for reality lol. Well tata for now, see ya next chapter! Hopefully that is...
Warrior_Of_Silence: hehe, I updated soon! HOPEFULLY SOON ENOUGH! DON'T EAT ME AHHHHHHHH! I feel frightened...*cringes in corner*
A/N: Well, woohoo! Author's Notes! I might have to come back and add to these, cause I'm not sure what exactly is going to happen in this chapter. I find out as I write. I never have a plan...well yeah I do but not usually anything specific. *sigh* I'll find out I suppose.
Disclaimer: I don't own RK, but I claim my ideas. Yay.
~*~*~
Kenshin glared at the ground before him, as if it were the object hiding his Kaoru from him. No, she had been taken, and it was his fault. Had he not just been thinking that openly declaring her 'Battousai's woman' would cause her to be in danger constantly? YES, but NOOOO, he'd thought he could protect her! And now she was gone again, and it was his fault. But he would find her. And he would find her soon, for the destructive thoughts running through his mind warned him of Battousai's new awakening...it wouldn't take much to set him off.
But who had taken her? And where? The only clues were the scorch marks...how was he supposed to find them with that? 'This vandal was particularly skilled.' Kenshin thought, scowling openly. Then he stood. He did the only thing he could do...look for her.
~*~*~
"Orion and Mercury have arrived with the prisoner, sire." The short man blinked his bright yellow eyes at his superior.
"And she fares well I hope. I told Orion that if Mercury botched this one it would be his head. Orion isn't stupid, he wouldn't let Mercury do something rash." The tall, muscular God chuckled merrily. "Those two may be irritating sometimes, but they are the best kidnappers this guild has!" Snae grinned over his cup of early evening coffee.
"Well, the sacrifice must be made. I don't understand why you entertained the notion that this girl will change anything though..." "You of all people should know my reasons." Snae quirked an eyebrow. "Yes, you are right, of course."
"Kai...things are going very well. The sacrifice will be held until Battousai arrives, then she will be slaughtered. With everything binding him to Earth gone, Battousai will undoubtedly join our forces. And then we will be in control, or rather, we will gain MORE control as the Battousai mutilates each branch leader, starting with the Voyridal." Snae narrowed his eyes and rubbed his hands together gleefully. "You may bring the prisoner to me now." He continued, turning to Kai, who he had forgotten in his spirited vendetta.
"Very well." Kai left quickly, turning down the hallway and hurrying away to do his leader's bidding. Snae waited with great patience, the glory of the entire situation tranforming his usual impatience into slightly more patient patience. After all, most here knew not to keep him waiting.
After ten minutes, he wondered what was going on.
After thirty, he decided to find out himself.
He grabbed his cane, conveniently placed near the door in case of such circumstances, and hobble-stepped out the door. He stopped once outside and concentrated. His dark black hair began to fade; soon it was grey. His frame bent more, and wrinkles lined his worried face. He then set off down the hall. He wasn't lame, but if something were up, then who would suspect the hobbling, old, lame man to be the leader of the rebel forces?
Snae paused for a second at the first corner, altering his appearance back to normal. He'd just hobble...there was no need for such drama. He took on the same appearance he'd had since birth; tall, muscular, deep green eyes that looked through you before at you, as if seeing everything about you before even asking, tanned skin and slender build. If something big were up, he'd know by now.
The hallways were deathly quiet, but Snae could hear shouting down one of the corridors. Silently, almost as if absorbing the dark emptiness of the hallway, Snae tottered towards the disturbance. Nearing the end of the hall, the voices were more easily distinguishable. Snae heard Kai's voice, some other guard he wasn't familiar with, and...
He paused listening carefully. 'That sounds like Raen...' he thought incredulously. He walked around the corner, abandoning the limp but still holding the cane. A sharp crack on the head earned a surprised yelp from the rebel leader and several gasps from Kai and the other guard. "How dare you strike the leader!" Kai growled.
Rubbing the rising knot, Snae peered through watery eyes at his hitherto unseen adversary. He blinked several times, trying to decide if he had been hit THAT hard or...or if he was really staring at what he thought he was. The woman's ebony tresses were slightly disheveled, and the angry look in her sapphire eyes could have nailed them all to the wall were her eyes daggers. In her hair was a silver ribbon; her golden kimono had been ripped on one side, apparently to accomodate more efficient movement.
Her chest heaved slightly from the exertion; she held her weapon in a lethal deathgrip. Four men lay to one side with either large knots on their heads or limbs bent at a painfully unnatural angle. "Who are you and why have you kidnapped me?!" the woman growled. Snae couldn't help but stare. Was it--could it really be his Raen?
He stared into her eyes, searching for answers he didn't have. She glanced at him before looking away at Kai, who was slowly but surely advancing. "Back away!" she shouted, turning her weapon--a broken broomstick--towards him. She turned back to Snae to find him staring at her still. Her eyes widened into an innocently bewildered look. Snae knew that look.
"What is your name?" he asked gently, his voice holding more mellowness than either Kai or the other guard had ever heard him use, certainly with a prisoner. The woman bristled, not wanting to let her guard down simply because of his possibly gentility. "Kaoru." she said proudly, lifting her chin defiantly. "And I want to go home. NOW."
"I'm sorry, but we can't let you do that..." Snae continued, just as gently as before. Whether she admit it or not, Kaoru was slowly warming to this man...he seemed like someone she could trust in this hellhole of a prison. Snae relaxed his body. In order for this to work he must be totally relaxed. He calmed his nerves and reached out with his mind, seeking the force he knew would be there. Kaoru watched him close his eyes and instantly became distrustful. What was going on?
Snae felt for Kaoru's mind waves. He knew her name, and already felt a semi- attachment to her. She shouldn't be that hard to control. Kai and the guard instinctively covered their ears. The only other time they had seen this, Snae had let loose an ear-splitting mental roar. But then again, that had been to purge them of the pestilence of Raiders. Still...
Kaoru glanced around. Everything seemed to be spinning slightly, as if she'd been dumped ingraciously onto a spinning merry-go-round. Her mind was fuzzy; she couldn't think. What was she doing here again? "You will come with me please, Kaoru." Snae replied, walking along.
Kaoru didn't budge. Who was he to tell her what to do? Snippets of memory floated to her, reminding her that this was in fact a bad guy. "I don't think so." she said uncertainly. Snae stopped. Resistance? This he hadn't expected. Maybe from the Battousai...but not this woman. Kaoru waded through the muddy waters of her mind, finally reconnecting the memory of how to use her sword skills. She swung the broken broomstick in a vicious arc towards Snae's knees.
And in a split second her broomstick exploded into a billion tiny splinters.
Kaoru shielded her eyes with her arm, but a few of the splinters nicked her cheek, leaving minute trails of red to slightly marr her perfect features. Snae made a small noise in his throat, protesting this injustice. He approached her, intent on wiping away the few dribblets of blood on her cheek, but she backed away. "No..." she whispered pitifully. Snae kept his advance slow and measured. No need to frighten her, soon enough she would be his...
Kaoru sensed the evil, predatory gleam in Snae's eyes and turned to run. Kai and the other guard could do nothing but stare as she bolted past them. "CATCH HER!" Snae roared in anger. His patience had worn thin. Kai and the other guard jumped up. "Yes sir!" and with that they gave chase.
Kaoru ran. She wasn't sure where she was running, or where she COULD run, but she was running. At least she was free this time...no one could stop her. Once she got outside...once she got outside she would figure out where she was. Then she would get back to the dojo, and back to Kenshin and...maybe he would never--no there was no way he wouldn't notice. 'Is he worried about me?' Kaoru couldn't help but wonder. She got so caught up in her thoughts that she forgot to watch where she was running.
She plowed right into the man before she even noticed he was there. Not that she could have avoided him, for his purpose was to stop her. She struggled briefly, but when she'd ran into him, he'd successfully administered the drug. She was out cold in less than 10 seconds. He stood, cradling the unconscious Kaoru in his arms as if she were porcelain.
"What should I do with her, Snae?"
"Bring her here, I'll deal with her...Gods above, is that YOU Fjork?!"
~*~*~
A/N: Ok yeah so It's not REALLY a cliffhanger...but still. It was fun to write so get over it. Just so you guys will know, I will explain more about Snae and Raen in further chapters...so don't get a bee in your bonnet. Have fun waiting for the next chapter! ^-^
Shaolin and Amakakeru: Glad you STILL like it! ^-^ Don't know what I'd do without reviewers like you! WOOHOO! I updated soon, hopefully soon enough! *sigh* I read your story, and it didn't seem as if you were going through too bad of a writer's block. Dude, if any of you read these besides who they're for, you should read Shaolin and Amakakeru's story "Avenging Stars"
Brittanie Love: COOLNESS! I'm glad you liked my chapter! I strive for reality lol. Well tata for now, see ya next chapter! Hopefully that is...
Warrior_Of_Silence: hehe, I updated soon! HOPEFULLY SOON ENOUGH! DON'T EAT ME AHHHHHHHH! I feel frightened...*cringes in corner*