Disclaimer: Now really if I owned the series (or those characters) would I
be writing this?
AN: Thanks for reviewing keep it up!! Yeah I know I am a little behind on updating I'm sorry about that. Now on with the story: _____________________________
Kaoru's POV:
She lay face down on the cold hard ground trying to think of how to get out of this place without getting killed first. A day (or what she judged to be) passed and she didn't hear anything of Subaru or her brother and Kenshin. She was starting to feel that it may be hopeless when she heard the creaking of a door open and the strong footsteps of Subaru walking towards her.
"Here's your gruel, bird." He slopped another serving of the disgusting stew carelessly into her bowl.
"Why?" she said hoarsely.
"Why what?" He laughed "Why don't I put you out of your misery?" He bent down and put his face close to hers. "Well my little bird-"
Kaoru bit her tongue the feel of his warm moist breath bathing her face was making her gag. "No," she interrupted him through gritted teeth. "Why did you go after my brother? You had your revenge a long time ago, why not just leave us alone?"
"This is not revenge," He said darkly, "I am not out to seek that upon him, like he does upon me. I merely see him as a road block on the path to my goal."
"And that would be?" She said trying to press on.
"In time bird, in time." He patted her cheek, and got up to leave.
"What then if my brother is a 'road block' what does Kenshin have to do with any of this?" she asked.
He stopped and laughed. "Like your brother he is in the way, with him around I can never have what I want." Then he turned around and walked out of Kaoru's Dungeon.
Kaoru smelled the rancid stew; it must have been the leftover of what she had the last time she ate it. It was cold, and had adopted a smell of old soggy meat and vegetables. She prayed that it wasn't laced with some kind of poison and then ate it. She had to keep her strength up. Even if this dehydrated her throat and made her sick, it brought at least some kind of nourishment to her and the child within her.
Tears fell down her cheeks as she choked down the last pieces. 'Where are you?' she thought laying her head on the cold ground once again. 'Am I that far away?' She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, if no one came soon she would escape by herself, she wasn't going to give up without a fight.
Kenshin's POV:
-The night Kaoru was kidnapped-
Yahiko was very tense, he kept pacing back and forth with a stressed look on his face; he couldn't help think about what happened.
"It wasn't your fault." Kenshin said sensing his distress.
"But I was useless, I couldn't even stop him, he swatted me away like I was some kind of bug." He clutched his fists. 'If I had only been stronger, if I could have only done something.'
"Stop thinking like that" Kenji had just walked in overhearing Yahiko. "Talking like that will not get my sister back. I don't know about you but I am leaving as soon as possible." He glared at Kenshin and Yahiko they nodded in agreement. "Good, listen I have been to this place only once before, It's not far from here but still it is protected by natural barriers, and within the mansion are well laid traps and secret passages, it is not a mansion it is more like a death trap waiting to happen."
"Yeah, I figured that; nothing's ever easy for us is it?" Yahiko said trying to smile.
* * *
The next day they set out to late the next morning. They would have left earlier but Kenji had seemed to disappear before they woke up in the morning.
In fact Kenji had gone into town to get supplies for the journey. "Actually I didn't just get supplies..." He said as they walked to the edge of town, they were looking at two horses. "If we are ever going to make it there in this century we need these."
Yahiko looked at the horse as if it were cursed, "I don't have to actually ride this do I?" He said backing away slowly.
"Not afraid are you?" Kenji asked trying not to laugh at him, as he jumped up on the horse.
"Umm..." he looked unsure at the horse as Kenshin offered him a hand.
"You're going to have to ride with me, if you want to still come that is." Kenshin smiled at Yahiko reassuringly.
Yahiko reluctantly climbed on the back of the horse (like he was going to get left out again), and as soon as he did they were off, and they headed towards 'The Depths of Hell.'
* * *
They traveled through forests which for years seemed to be untouched by man. The over growth would have been impossible if they did not have horses, it took them three days just to get through the woods; but finally they made it. They were now at the base of a cliff and on top of that cliff was Subaru's mansion.
Kaoru's POV:
Kaoru lay sleeping uneasily after her second feeding. She opened her eyes hoping to be greeted by a light, but was disappointed by the consuming darkness. 'How long was I sleeping?' She wondered to herself. She tried to find some semi-comfortable position, but with her hands tied behind her back she had a hard time. She finally gave up and backed herself against a corner and propped up against a wall.
She sighed uncomfortably when something crossed her mind and she shuddered at the thought. "I hope there are no rats in here..."
Kaoru stayed in that corner for three more days unable to sleep. With only her thoughts to comfort her she stared into the darkness. She noticed that she had not been fed and her stomach began to feel the pains of hunger. 'Did he forget about me?' she wondered, but it was only wishful thinking, soon Subaru came back for another serving of food and a 'conversation.'
"Don't worry bird it will end soon." He said darkly.
"Why, you planning for Kenshin to come and make you realize how stupid you are?" She retorted venomously.
"Tough words for such a pretty little bird." He said before laughing in her face "Who's to say that they are coming for you? If they were, then why aren't they here? I am not that far from Tokyo."
Kaoru chose not to respond, she knew them better than that. "Why do you call me bird?" She asked.
"Because like a bird, you are caged away." He replied simply.
She glared at him as he walked off again. 'What is with that creep?' She had to get information out of him and if he left now she might not get another chance. "Why if the only death that mattered to you was my fathers" she took a deep breath "Then why did you kill my mother? And don't you dare tell me it was revenge."
He stopped and turned around on his heel. "Why does that concern you?"
"I think I have a right to know." She said darkly, "She was my mother and you took her away from me..."
Yahiko's POV:
Meanwhile Kenshin, Kenji and Yahiko had reached the base of the cliff.
"This is where Subaru is waiting." Kenji said looking up at a large mansion.
"We have to climb that?" Yahiko said looking at the large face.
"No, Kenshin and I have to climb it; you have to stay with the horses." Kenji looked down at him. "This man swatted you like a bug, you said so yourself. I can't put you in harms way, so wait for us, it will be your job to go to the police if we are not back in at least a day or so."
"But-" Yahiko looked at Kenshin to overrule Kenji. But he didn't.
"He's right, Yahiko, it's too dangerous." Kenshin looked up darkly at the mountain. "Let's start climbing; this may take us a while."
"Then why did I come at all?" Yahiko clenched his fists, "Haven't I proven before that I am strong enough to handle myself?! You guys treat me like some kid, tell me why?"
"Boy-" Kenji looked at him "I couldn't in good consciences leave you at the dojo by yourself, what if one of Subaru's servants came there after you? Subaru is no picnic, think of one of his servants, he picks only the most ruthless murderers. What if one of them went there and found you? I don't much like the idea of scraping your corpse off of the walls. And I don't think my sister would appreciate it either."
Yahiko stood there still clenching his fists as he watched Kenshin and Kenji begin their ascent on the rock face and at the top a dark unwelcoming mansion was waiting them and inside, Kaoru who was fighting for her life.
"This isn't fair!" Yahiko yelled as he watched them climb. 'I can't believe them, like I am in less danger here!' He kicked a small bucket sitting next him into the bushes. He went to retrieve it when he looked up.
"Stairs?" he said out loud looking at a crude stone stair case that seemed to lead up to the mansion. Yahiko got an evil grin on his face 'I'll show them I can help out even if they think I am too weak.'
Kaoru's POV:
"She was my mother and you took her away from me..." She peered through the darkness straining to see his face.
Subaru laughed at her, "I took her away from you? You don't know much do you bird?" He had what she would have guessed was a smirk on his face as he bent down in front of her. "You really want to know the truth? Do even think that you can handle it?"
She glared at him "Tell me..."
"You know I killed your father because he was the cause of my brother's death." Kaoru nodded, and he went on. "But do you think that was the only reason? Yes I loved my brother, who doesn't love their family? Though there was some one I loved more." He ran his hand through Kaoru's hair. "You know you look just like her." He said darkly
"Your mother was beautiful, I loved her. But then there was your father, always there, A filthy man who lives by the stupid rule of the sword that protects, what kind of man lives that way preaching never to take life but does so himself? It's hypocrisy! I couldn't stand it."
Kaoru felt a disgusted pain in the pit of her stomach; this was almost too much for her to listen to. "You no nothing about my father!"
He grabbed the front of her kimono and picked her up; "This filth had been at fault for the death of my brother; but to have her, I could not take it!" he threw her down, "One like him did not deserve her, so I went to her; I was going to save her from him."
"Save her?" Kaoru said "The only person she needed to be saved from is you!"
He ignored her and continued, "That day that I killed her, I had gone to her and begged her to come with me." It almost sounded like he was on the verge of crying. "Do you know what she said? No of course you don't," He said painfully, "She said that she loved him, she loved that vermin, even though he was nothing but a filthy lie. It wasn't right. She deserved better, I begged her to come with me, but she said no. She said she had children that she loved that she lived for them. She would never leave them. She started to scream, I put my hand over her face to silence her up but she wouldn't so I pressed harder until she was finally silent, how was I to know that I had killed her?"
She wanted to back right through the wall. "So why kill my brother?" She was trying not to show her fear but it wasn't working very well.
"As I said your brother is also in my way." He said regaining his composure.
"You said you wanted my brother and Kenshin to suffer, why?" She was milking this for all it was worth. He seemed to have no idea what she was doing.
"Your brother has been nuisances to me, just like your father, a little flee that need's to be squashed. As for the Battousai, he, like your father does not deserve such a beautiful bird such as you." He stroked her face. "Be mine bird, you do not need the Battousai, or your filthy brother."
Kaoru jerked her face out of his grip, "Never." She braced herself against the wall. "You, you are the filthy worm, how could you ever think that I or my mother would ever give ourselves to you?"
"Well now bird, you wanted to know, knowledge comes at a price." He stood up and walked away once again, leaving Kaoru alone in her corner to cry.
Kenshin's POV:
It took them a while but they made it up the cliff and into the mansion. "Kenshin you go down and I will go up," Kenji ran off before Kenshin could argue against him.
Kenshin wasted no time as he ran down into the depths of the mansion. 'So you are leaving me to free Miss Kaoru, while you finish your fight? You are as reckless as your sister.'
Yahiko's POV:
By the time he got to the top of the stairs he was sweating and out of breath, 'that was too high.' He looked at the tall building before him, 'I wonder where Kenshin and Kenji are?' He looked around not seeing them anywhere in sight. 'They must have made it inside already.'
He snuck into the building not letting his guard down. Yahiko decided to go upstairs, 'They probably both went downstairs to go get Kaoru, that just leaves the upstairs and Subaru to me.' He carefully made his way up the stairs remembering what Kenji had said about traps.
Kaoru's POV:
She stayed for a few minuets in her corner thinking over what Subaru had told her and she was still in disbelief. 'He loved my mother? And hated my father because he had what Subaru could never have. Now he wants to kill my brother because he is the symbol of their love,' then she shuddered at what he had asked her, 'Give myself to him? And why because I am like my mother? How shallow is he?' She slammed her head against the wall behind her. "I can't stay here any longer I don't care if they're on their way or not I am getting out of here now. But how?"
She closed her eyes and tried to think, 'Think, think, come on Kaoru you can figure something out.' She took a deep breath and coughed the rancid smell of the stew emanated from the clay bowl. 'A clay bowl, its crazy enough in just might work.' Kaoru scooted her way to the bowl and kicked it against the wall. 'Now if I can find a jagged piece,' her fingers finally ran across a piece that felt sharp enough, and she carefully picked it up and started to saw at the ropes. It was a tedious job the shard of the bowl started to cut her hands more than the rope, after a long while the ropes finally gave way and fell to the ground.
For the first time in a long time Kaoru stood up, but only to fall back down, "Have I lost that much of my strength?" she laughed futilely. She stood up again and braced herself against the wall and felt her way through the darkness until she came upon a door. 'Probably locked,' she thought as she pulled the door, but to her amazement and regret it slammed right into her nose.
"Damn!" she said holding her face, "that smarts."
"I wondered how long it would take you," Said a dark voice.
Kaoru looked up expecting to see Subaru but was wrong she looked upon a man with short black hair who was about as tall as Kenshin and had two swords in his belt.
She looked at him feeling a little fear in her heart "Who are you?"
Yahiko's POV:
He crept up the stairs and into a hall of the mansion, 'I wonder where I am?' the thought looking absently at a picture. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up so he turned around to see nothing but the wall behind him had started to move towards him and had gained some spikes. He turned around to see that the other wall was the same way.
'Interesting new development,' he thought. "So how am I going to get out of this one?" he said looking from one end to the next. The walls were closing in much tighter now and he was moments away from being a Yahiko- kabob, when something grabbed his arm and pulled him away.
"What are you doing here?!" Kenji said as he pulled Yahiko into what seemed to be a secret passage.
"I...uh...what I mean, it...um" he stumbled.
"Never mind, you can't turn back now so you might as well come with me." Kenji said a little annoyed, "You're just like Kaoru, a head strong fool. Now I see why she chose to teach a punk like you."
They walked on in silence for a while before Yahiko looked from Kenji to the sword.
"You want to ask me something?" Kenji asked feeling Yahiko's questions edging.
"Why, if you are of the Kamiya Kasshin School then why do you carry a sword? And um..." Yahiko stopped 'should I even ask him that?'
"Who did I kill?" he said finishing his sentence. "Well I already told you what I felt about this sword it is also my father's sword mind you. And as for the person I killed." His voice grew very dark, "You can never say this to my sister, she has no idea of what I have done outside of going after Subaru."
Yahiko nodded 'I can't see him killing anyone, especially since he wanted to be a master of the Kamiya Kasshin School.'
"It was the reason I left the second time, I was attacked and I fought back." He stopped and turned around to face Yahiko "He was one of Subaru's servants, Tokyo had been teeming with them and I was watching very closely. Subaru was planning something big I could feel it. When one of his servants attacked me I fought back, I only had my father's sword that he had when he was one he was a sword bearing police. This sword," He motioned towards the one he carried. "I killed that man; it was either him or me." A spasm of pain went across his face. "I couldn't face Kaoru, and how could I lead the Kamiya Kasshin School, the school that preaches to give life if I myself have taken life?"
"Umm..." Yahiko was at a loss for words
"Exactly, now listen we are almost to the end of this passage we are going to have to sprint for the next one." He said walking on.
"Do you have this placed memorized or something?" Yahiko asked still recovering from his story.
Kenji only smiled meekly at him, "Yep"
To be continued... ______________________________
AN: Hey guys sorry again for the long wait, haven't been home for like two weeks, and it's kinda hard to type on a program when you don't have a computer in the immediate vicinity if you know what I mean ///.^;
Yahiko: hey this chapter is longer.
Battosaichick: well I had a lot of explaining to do.
Yahiko (has stupid look on his face): Oh yeah-
Battosaichick: well until the next chapter *waves*
AN: Thanks for reviewing keep it up!! Yeah I know I am a little behind on updating I'm sorry about that. Now on with the story: _____________________________
Kaoru's POV:
She lay face down on the cold hard ground trying to think of how to get out of this place without getting killed first. A day (or what she judged to be) passed and she didn't hear anything of Subaru or her brother and Kenshin. She was starting to feel that it may be hopeless when she heard the creaking of a door open and the strong footsteps of Subaru walking towards her.
"Here's your gruel, bird." He slopped another serving of the disgusting stew carelessly into her bowl.
"Why?" she said hoarsely.
"Why what?" He laughed "Why don't I put you out of your misery?" He bent down and put his face close to hers. "Well my little bird-"
Kaoru bit her tongue the feel of his warm moist breath bathing her face was making her gag. "No," she interrupted him through gritted teeth. "Why did you go after my brother? You had your revenge a long time ago, why not just leave us alone?"
"This is not revenge," He said darkly, "I am not out to seek that upon him, like he does upon me. I merely see him as a road block on the path to my goal."
"And that would be?" She said trying to press on.
"In time bird, in time." He patted her cheek, and got up to leave.
"What then if my brother is a 'road block' what does Kenshin have to do with any of this?" she asked.
He stopped and laughed. "Like your brother he is in the way, with him around I can never have what I want." Then he turned around and walked out of Kaoru's Dungeon.
Kaoru smelled the rancid stew; it must have been the leftover of what she had the last time she ate it. It was cold, and had adopted a smell of old soggy meat and vegetables. She prayed that it wasn't laced with some kind of poison and then ate it. She had to keep her strength up. Even if this dehydrated her throat and made her sick, it brought at least some kind of nourishment to her and the child within her.
Tears fell down her cheeks as she choked down the last pieces. 'Where are you?' she thought laying her head on the cold ground once again. 'Am I that far away?' She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, if no one came soon she would escape by herself, she wasn't going to give up without a fight.
Kenshin's POV:
-The night Kaoru was kidnapped-
Yahiko was very tense, he kept pacing back and forth with a stressed look on his face; he couldn't help think about what happened.
"It wasn't your fault." Kenshin said sensing his distress.
"But I was useless, I couldn't even stop him, he swatted me away like I was some kind of bug." He clutched his fists. 'If I had only been stronger, if I could have only done something.'
"Stop thinking like that" Kenji had just walked in overhearing Yahiko. "Talking like that will not get my sister back. I don't know about you but I am leaving as soon as possible." He glared at Kenshin and Yahiko they nodded in agreement. "Good, listen I have been to this place only once before, It's not far from here but still it is protected by natural barriers, and within the mansion are well laid traps and secret passages, it is not a mansion it is more like a death trap waiting to happen."
"Yeah, I figured that; nothing's ever easy for us is it?" Yahiko said trying to smile.
* * *
The next day they set out to late the next morning. They would have left earlier but Kenji had seemed to disappear before they woke up in the morning.
In fact Kenji had gone into town to get supplies for the journey. "Actually I didn't just get supplies..." He said as they walked to the edge of town, they were looking at two horses. "If we are ever going to make it there in this century we need these."
Yahiko looked at the horse as if it were cursed, "I don't have to actually ride this do I?" He said backing away slowly.
"Not afraid are you?" Kenji asked trying not to laugh at him, as he jumped up on the horse.
"Umm..." he looked unsure at the horse as Kenshin offered him a hand.
"You're going to have to ride with me, if you want to still come that is." Kenshin smiled at Yahiko reassuringly.
Yahiko reluctantly climbed on the back of the horse (like he was going to get left out again), and as soon as he did they were off, and they headed towards 'The Depths of Hell.'
* * *
They traveled through forests which for years seemed to be untouched by man. The over growth would have been impossible if they did not have horses, it took them three days just to get through the woods; but finally they made it. They were now at the base of a cliff and on top of that cliff was Subaru's mansion.
Kaoru's POV:
Kaoru lay sleeping uneasily after her second feeding. She opened her eyes hoping to be greeted by a light, but was disappointed by the consuming darkness. 'How long was I sleeping?' She wondered to herself. She tried to find some semi-comfortable position, but with her hands tied behind her back she had a hard time. She finally gave up and backed herself against a corner and propped up against a wall.
She sighed uncomfortably when something crossed her mind and she shuddered at the thought. "I hope there are no rats in here..."
Kaoru stayed in that corner for three more days unable to sleep. With only her thoughts to comfort her she stared into the darkness. She noticed that she had not been fed and her stomach began to feel the pains of hunger. 'Did he forget about me?' she wondered, but it was only wishful thinking, soon Subaru came back for another serving of food and a 'conversation.'
"Don't worry bird it will end soon." He said darkly.
"Why, you planning for Kenshin to come and make you realize how stupid you are?" She retorted venomously.
"Tough words for such a pretty little bird." He said before laughing in her face "Who's to say that they are coming for you? If they were, then why aren't they here? I am not that far from Tokyo."
Kaoru chose not to respond, she knew them better than that. "Why do you call me bird?" She asked.
"Because like a bird, you are caged away." He replied simply.
She glared at him as he walked off again. 'What is with that creep?' She had to get information out of him and if he left now she might not get another chance. "Why if the only death that mattered to you was my fathers" she took a deep breath "Then why did you kill my mother? And don't you dare tell me it was revenge."
He stopped and turned around on his heel. "Why does that concern you?"
"I think I have a right to know." She said darkly, "She was my mother and you took her away from me..."
Yahiko's POV:
Meanwhile Kenshin, Kenji and Yahiko had reached the base of the cliff.
"This is where Subaru is waiting." Kenji said looking up at a large mansion.
"We have to climb that?" Yahiko said looking at the large face.
"No, Kenshin and I have to climb it; you have to stay with the horses." Kenji looked down at him. "This man swatted you like a bug, you said so yourself. I can't put you in harms way, so wait for us, it will be your job to go to the police if we are not back in at least a day or so."
"But-" Yahiko looked at Kenshin to overrule Kenji. But he didn't.
"He's right, Yahiko, it's too dangerous." Kenshin looked up darkly at the mountain. "Let's start climbing; this may take us a while."
"Then why did I come at all?" Yahiko clenched his fists, "Haven't I proven before that I am strong enough to handle myself?! You guys treat me like some kid, tell me why?"
"Boy-" Kenji looked at him "I couldn't in good consciences leave you at the dojo by yourself, what if one of Subaru's servants came there after you? Subaru is no picnic, think of one of his servants, he picks only the most ruthless murderers. What if one of them went there and found you? I don't much like the idea of scraping your corpse off of the walls. And I don't think my sister would appreciate it either."
Yahiko stood there still clenching his fists as he watched Kenshin and Kenji begin their ascent on the rock face and at the top a dark unwelcoming mansion was waiting them and inside, Kaoru who was fighting for her life.
"This isn't fair!" Yahiko yelled as he watched them climb. 'I can't believe them, like I am in less danger here!' He kicked a small bucket sitting next him into the bushes. He went to retrieve it when he looked up.
"Stairs?" he said out loud looking at a crude stone stair case that seemed to lead up to the mansion. Yahiko got an evil grin on his face 'I'll show them I can help out even if they think I am too weak.'
Kaoru's POV:
"She was my mother and you took her away from me..." She peered through the darkness straining to see his face.
Subaru laughed at her, "I took her away from you? You don't know much do you bird?" He had what she would have guessed was a smirk on his face as he bent down in front of her. "You really want to know the truth? Do even think that you can handle it?"
She glared at him "Tell me..."
"You know I killed your father because he was the cause of my brother's death." Kaoru nodded, and he went on. "But do you think that was the only reason? Yes I loved my brother, who doesn't love their family? Though there was some one I loved more." He ran his hand through Kaoru's hair. "You know you look just like her." He said darkly
"Your mother was beautiful, I loved her. But then there was your father, always there, A filthy man who lives by the stupid rule of the sword that protects, what kind of man lives that way preaching never to take life but does so himself? It's hypocrisy! I couldn't stand it."
Kaoru felt a disgusted pain in the pit of her stomach; this was almost too much for her to listen to. "You no nothing about my father!"
He grabbed the front of her kimono and picked her up; "This filth had been at fault for the death of my brother; but to have her, I could not take it!" he threw her down, "One like him did not deserve her, so I went to her; I was going to save her from him."
"Save her?" Kaoru said "The only person she needed to be saved from is you!"
He ignored her and continued, "That day that I killed her, I had gone to her and begged her to come with me." It almost sounded like he was on the verge of crying. "Do you know what she said? No of course you don't," He said painfully, "She said that she loved him, she loved that vermin, even though he was nothing but a filthy lie. It wasn't right. She deserved better, I begged her to come with me, but she said no. She said she had children that she loved that she lived for them. She would never leave them. She started to scream, I put my hand over her face to silence her up but she wouldn't so I pressed harder until she was finally silent, how was I to know that I had killed her?"
She wanted to back right through the wall. "So why kill my brother?" She was trying not to show her fear but it wasn't working very well.
"As I said your brother is also in my way." He said regaining his composure.
"You said you wanted my brother and Kenshin to suffer, why?" She was milking this for all it was worth. He seemed to have no idea what she was doing.
"Your brother has been nuisances to me, just like your father, a little flee that need's to be squashed. As for the Battousai, he, like your father does not deserve such a beautiful bird such as you." He stroked her face. "Be mine bird, you do not need the Battousai, or your filthy brother."
Kaoru jerked her face out of his grip, "Never." She braced herself against the wall. "You, you are the filthy worm, how could you ever think that I or my mother would ever give ourselves to you?"
"Well now bird, you wanted to know, knowledge comes at a price." He stood up and walked away once again, leaving Kaoru alone in her corner to cry.
Kenshin's POV:
It took them a while but they made it up the cliff and into the mansion. "Kenshin you go down and I will go up," Kenji ran off before Kenshin could argue against him.
Kenshin wasted no time as he ran down into the depths of the mansion. 'So you are leaving me to free Miss Kaoru, while you finish your fight? You are as reckless as your sister.'
Yahiko's POV:
By the time he got to the top of the stairs he was sweating and out of breath, 'that was too high.' He looked at the tall building before him, 'I wonder where Kenshin and Kenji are?' He looked around not seeing them anywhere in sight. 'They must have made it inside already.'
He snuck into the building not letting his guard down. Yahiko decided to go upstairs, 'They probably both went downstairs to go get Kaoru, that just leaves the upstairs and Subaru to me.' He carefully made his way up the stairs remembering what Kenji had said about traps.
Kaoru's POV:
She stayed for a few minuets in her corner thinking over what Subaru had told her and she was still in disbelief. 'He loved my mother? And hated my father because he had what Subaru could never have. Now he wants to kill my brother because he is the symbol of their love,' then she shuddered at what he had asked her, 'Give myself to him? And why because I am like my mother? How shallow is he?' She slammed her head against the wall behind her. "I can't stay here any longer I don't care if they're on their way or not I am getting out of here now. But how?"
She closed her eyes and tried to think, 'Think, think, come on Kaoru you can figure something out.' She took a deep breath and coughed the rancid smell of the stew emanated from the clay bowl. 'A clay bowl, its crazy enough in just might work.' Kaoru scooted her way to the bowl and kicked it against the wall. 'Now if I can find a jagged piece,' her fingers finally ran across a piece that felt sharp enough, and she carefully picked it up and started to saw at the ropes. It was a tedious job the shard of the bowl started to cut her hands more than the rope, after a long while the ropes finally gave way and fell to the ground.
For the first time in a long time Kaoru stood up, but only to fall back down, "Have I lost that much of my strength?" she laughed futilely. She stood up again and braced herself against the wall and felt her way through the darkness until she came upon a door. 'Probably locked,' she thought as she pulled the door, but to her amazement and regret it slammed right into her nose.
"Damn!" she said holding her face, "that smarts."
"I wondered how long it would take you," Said a dark voice.
Kaoru looked up expecting to see Subaru but was wrong she looked upon a man with short black hair who was about as tall as Kenshin and had two swords in his belt.
She looked at him feeling a little fear in her heart "Who are you?"
Yahiko's POV:
He crept up the stairs and into a hall of the mansion, 'I wonder where I am?' the thought looking absently at a picture. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up so he turned around to see nothing but the wall behind him had started to move towards him and had gained some spikes. He turned around to see that the other wall was the same way.
'Interesting new development,' he thought. "So how am I going to get out of this one?" he said looking from one end to the next. The walls were closing in much tighter now and he was moments away from being a Yahiko- kabob, when something grabbed his arm and pulled him away.
"What are you doing here?!" Kenji said as he pulled Yahiko into what seemed to be a secret passage.
"I...uh...what I mean, it...um" he stumbled.
"Never mind, you can't turn back now so you might as well come with me." Kenji said a little annoyed, "You're just like Kaoru, a head strong fool. Now I see why she chose to teach a punk like you."
They walked on in silence for a while before Yahiko looked from Kenji to the sword.
"You want to ask me something?" Kenji asked feeling Yahiko's questions edging.
"Why, if you are of the Kamiya Kasshin School then why do you carry a sword? And um..." Yahiko stopped 'should I even ask him that?'
"Who did I kill?" he said finishing his sentence. "Well I already told you what I felt about this sword it is also my father's sword mind you. And as for the person I killed." His voice grew very dark, "You can never say this to my sister, she has no idea of what I have done outside of going after Subaru."
Yahiko nodded 'I can't see him killing anyone, especially since he wanted to be a master of the Kamiya Kasshin School.'
"It was the reason I left the second time, I was attacked and I fought back." He stopped and turned around to face Yahiko "He was one of Subaru's servants, Tokyo had been teeming with them and I was watching very closely. Subaru was planning something big I could feel it. When one of his servants attacked me I fought back, I only had my father's sword that he had when he was one he was a sword bearing police. This sword," He motioned towards the one he carried. "I killed that man; it was either him or me." A spasm of pain went across his face. "I couldn't face Kaoru, and how could I lead the Kamiya Kasshin School, the school that preaches to give life if I myself have taken life?"
"Umm..." Yahiko was at a loss for words
"Exactly, now listen we are almost to the end of this passage we are going to have to sprint for the next one." He said walking on.
"Do you have this placed memorized or something?" Yahiko asked still recovering from his story.
Kenji only smiled meekly at him, "Yep"
To be continued... ______________________________
AN: Hey guys sorry again for the long wait, haven't been home for like two weeks, and it's kinda hard to type on a program when you don't have a computer in the immediate vicinity if you know what I mean ///.^;
Yahiko: hey this chapter is longer.
Battosaichick: well I had a lot of explaining to do.
Yahiko (has stupid look on his face): Oh yeah-
Battosaichick: well until the next chapter *waves*