Disclaimer: I don't own the series, seriously if I did would I be writing
this? -.-; (ok maybe I would be writing this but that is beside the
point...)
AN: Thank you all for reviewing!! Sorry for the delay. Well it's winding down maybe four or so more chapters left. But do not fear there will be a sequel! And I will tell y'all the name on the last chapter, promise!
Now on with the story!
Last time(since it's been a while): She stood up and was about to walk on when the hair on the back of her neck stood up, someone was behind her, as if it were an instinct she turned, the sword in her grip leading the way. Metal met metal as Kenshin brought up his reverse blade sword to block her.
He looked at her with his same kind smile, "I thought you weren't going to use a real sword?"
Kenshin's POV:
For the first time Kaoru was able to let go of the sword in her hand, it fell to the floor with a mellow clank. Tears filled her eyes as she felt complete relief fill her heart for the first time since she was taken away from the one she loved.
"Kenshin..." She said inaudibly as she buried herself in his chest and grabbed a fist full of his robes and started to sob.
"It's all right now that it is," He said sympathetically holding her for a long moment. 'I will protect you, I won't let you be hurt anymore...' But there wasn't much time to dwell on vexing thoughts. Time was dwindling for Kenji and they had to get to him before it was too late.
Though it pained him to do so he pulled Kaoru from him, he did not want to let her go. "Miss Kaoru, you're hurt are you alright?" He said immediately noticing the wound that was bleeding freely from her shoulder.
"It's only a flesh wound," she said trying to play down the fact that it hurt her more now that she was actually thinking about it.
"A flesh wound that went in one way and left the other?" He said sarcastically looking at her.
Before he could say anymore Kaoru interrupted him. "I'm fine, don't worry about me I'm a big girl I can take care of myself." She new that he would argue and she wouldn't let him. "Don't sit here and bicker with me you will not win, and it seems that we need to find my brother right?" She had a defiant glint in her eyes. "I know that you would not have come here alone he would have never let you do that." She looked at his confused and mildly astonished expression. "What are you surprised that I know my brother that well?"
"No, It's just that-" He decided not to finish his sentence. "You know of the 'traps' that are set along here-"
"Hmm..." she thought, she distinctly remembered Subaru saying that Kenshin and her brother did not know of the 'traps' as they were called. And yet she has gone through at least six corridors and had not fallen across one trap. "Kenshin did you travel far between here and where ever you came from? You didn't run across a single trap did you?"
Now that Kenshin thought about it he hadn't but why? Kenji had made sure they understood that there where these traps that where not to be messed with, had he been mistaken? What was going on here? Suspicion built and neither of them could figure any plausible reason as to why they had not been attacked...
Yahiko's POV:
Yahiko stood behind Kenji he could feel the tension rising, and the hatred building in Kenji was immeasurable. A chill went down Yahiko's spine as the two men squared off. Yahiko happened to glance over at Subaru and noticed that the man had no fear or doubt on his face; he was actually smiling. 'What does he know that we don't?' Yahiko looked around for an answer but could not find it Yahiko knew it couldn't have been his confidence in his servant, that man wasn't as strong as Kenji he could feel that much.
Kenji charged Yoshiki hitting him with the blunt force of his hilt. Yahiko was suddenly reminded of what Kaoru had said to him, 'Using the full extent of the hilt, that is one of the secrets of Kamiya Kasshin...' Yahiko smirked inside 'to think that something that Busu actually said would ever be applied now... guess she isn't as much of a half wit Sensei as I thought...' Kenji and Yoshiki almost seemed evenly matched as they exchanged blows, 'I haven't seen Kenji fight seriously before, when he fought Kaoru he was toying with her, that was easy to tell. So how strong are you really?'
Kaoru's POV:
They started to make their way up the labyrinth of twisted halls and hidden passages. As they had suspected they did not run across a single trap or barrier blocking their way.
Kaoru needed to stop but she pushed herself to keep going, she knew if she faltered Kenshin would become more worried than he was already and she wouldn't take the chance of him blaming himself for not being able to protect her again (even though he may have already started to blame himself). But she couldn't think of that now she just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
"Kenshin-" she said trying to keep herself from falling over. "He- Subaru, is insane, he's stuck in his past I don't know if he can tell where to draw the line." She flinched as pain shot down from her shoulder.
Kenshin stopped. "You need to rest, your starting to pale..."
"No," she said even though she stopped and leaned against the wall. "We need to get to my brother, he- he's alone and he doesn't know- he-" she started to shake as she remembered all that Subaru had told her 'he wants my brother dead, but not only that he wants him to suffer, I can't I won't let that happen. I let him suffer alone once before I won't let it happen again.'
"Miss Kaoru," Kenshin although his voice was stern he still seemed to smile for her a little. "Right now your brother may very well be fighting against Subaru but right now you are in no shape to go any further without help. Now let me see your wound."
Yahiko's POV:
Kenji and Yoshiki kept exchanging blows there strength's seemed to be evenly matched at the moment. 'How long can this go on? Neither of them seem to be waning.' Yahiko glanced to his left and notice Subaru was backing away from the room. "Where are you going?" Yahiko said glaring at the large man.
"A little child like you should not ask stupid questions," Subaru said as he walked away.
'Child!' he growled to himself, 'Should I follow him?' he looked at the on going battle between Kenji and Yoshiki, 'They're lost in the fight. Kenji will never know that I am gone.' Yahiko snuck off down the hall and followed Subaru silently hoping that he would not detect his movements.
Kenshin's POV:
"Let me see your wound," He said again.
Kaoru hesitated but she let her hand fall from her shoulder that she had been clutching onto for the better part of an hour now. She looked away feeling ashamed that she had been so careless as to have been pinned against a wall like some hapless animal.
"You're lucky" he said as he examined it, "Really lucky."
"Am I?" She said vindictively thinking of what happened unable to hold it in any longer. "Do you call it lucky to be tied down like some animal. And be subjected to the presence of the one who murdered your family, was it lucky that I had to listen to him talk about how he killed them?" Tears started to streak down her face, Kenshin more than understood as he silently took it all in while he tended to her wounds. "Was I lucky to be starved beaten and then forced to fight with something that all of my principals went against and then backed into a cursed wall while being toyed with by some sick underling of his?" she had an extra tone of hatred on the word 'his'
"You're still alive aren't you?" he said softly putting a hand on her cheek.
Kaoru realized what he had meant "Kenshin I-" she felt abashed by her naïveness.
"It's alright," he said as he brushed away a stray tear, "but if we don't hurry your brother may not be so lucky."
"My brother?" she had almost forgot about him.
"I think we both know that he is in danger." He felt a twinge in the pit of his stomach. 'Not only is he in danger but it might be too late.'
Yahiko's POV:
'Where is Subaru going?' He wondered as he silently followed the tall man down the hall. For some reason although Yahiko could not figure out why Subaru had not noticed him. 'Why hasn't he noticed me?'
Subaru seemed to disappear in front of him 'Hey where did he go?' Yahiko looked around confusedly. 'This can't be good...'
To be continued...
A/N: those who hate quarter finals and extra homework say 'I' (Battosaichick: I!!!) I promise I won't be so horrible on updating again, on this story and the next.
Yahiko: you better not be.
Battosaichick (ignores him): well see ya!
AN: Thank you all for reviewing!! Sorry for the delay. Well it's winding down maybe four or so more chapters left. But do not fear there will be a sequel! And I will tell y'all the name on the last chapter, promise!
Now on with the story!
Last time(since it's been a while): She stood up and was about to walk on when the hair on the back of her neck stood up, someone was behind her, as if it were an instinct she turned, the sword in her grip leading the way. Metal met metal as Kenshin brought up his reverse blade sword to block her.
He looked at her with his same kind smile, "I thought you weren't going to use a real sword?"
Kenshin's POV:
For the first time Kaoru was able to let go of the sword in her hand, it fell to the floor with a mellow clank. Tears filled her eyes as she felt complete relief fill her heart for the first time since she was taken away from the one she loved.
"Kenshin..." She said inaudibly as she buried herself in his chest and grabbed a fist full of his robes and started to sob.
"It's all right now that it is," He said sympathetically holding her for a long moment. 'I will protect you, I won't let you be hurt anymore...' But there wasn't much time to dwell on vexing thoughts. Time was dwindling for Kenji and they had to get to him before it was too late.
Though it pained him to do so he pulled Kaoru from him, he did not want to let her go. "Miss Kaoru, you're hurt are you alright?" He said immediately noticing the wound that was bleeding freely from her shoulder.
"It's only a flesh wound," she said trying to play down the fact that it hurt her more now that she was actually thinking about it.
"A flesh wound that went in one way and left the other?" He said sarcastically looking at her.
Before he could say anymore Kaoru interrupted him. "I'm fine, don't worry about me I'm a big girl I can take care of myself." She new that he would argue and she wouldn't let him. "Don't sit here and bicker with me you will not win, and it seems that we need to find my brother right?" She had a defiant glint in her eyes. "I know that you would not have come here alone he would have never let you do that." She looked at his confused and mildly astonished expression. "What are you surprised that I know my brother that well?"
"No, It's just that-" He decided not to finish his sentence. "You know of the 'traps' that are set along here-"
"Hmm..." she thought, she distinctly remembered Subaru saying that Kenshin and her brother did not know of the 'traps' as they were called. And yet she has gone through at least six corridors and had not fallen across one trap. "Kenshin did you travel far between here and where ever you came from? You didn't run across a single trap did you?"
Now that Kenshin thought about it he hadn't but why? Kenji had made sure they understood that there where these traps that where not to be messed with, had he been mistaken? What was going on here? Suspicion built and neither of them could figure any plausible reason as to why they had not been attacked...
Yahiko's POV:
Yahiko stood behind Kenji he could feel the tension rising, and the hatred building in Kenji was immeasurable. A chill went down Yahiko's spine as the two men squared off. Yahiko happened to glance over at Subaru and noticed that the man had no fear or doubt on his face; he was actually smiling. 'What does he know that we don't?' Yahiko looked around for an answer but could not find it Yahiko knew it couldn't have been his confidence in his servant, that man wasn't as strong as Kenji he could feel that much.
Kenji charged Yoshiki hitting him with the blunt force of his hilt. Yahiko was suddenly reminded of what Kaoru had said to him, 'Using the full extent of the hilt, that is one of the secrets of Kamiya Kasshin...' Yahiko smirked inside 'to think that something that Busu actually said would ever be applied now... guess she isn't as much of a half wit Sensei as I thought...' Kenji and Yoshiki almost seemed evenly matched as they exchanged blows, 'I haven't seen Kenji fight seriously before, when he fought Kaoru he was toying with her, that was easy to tell. So how strong are you really?'
Kaoru's POV:
They started to make their way up the labyrinth of twisted halls and hidden passages. As they had suspected they did not run across a single trap or barrier blocking their way.
Kaoru needed to stop but she pushed herself to keep going, she knew if she faltered Kenshin would become more worried than he was already and she wouldn't take the chance of him blaming himself for not being able to protect her again (even though he may have already started to blame himself). But she couldn't think of that now she just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
"Kenshin-" she said trying to keep herself from falling over. "He- Subaru, is insane, he's stuck in his past I don't know if he can tell where to draw the line." She flinched as pain shot down from her shoulder.
Kenshin stopped. "You need to rest, your starting to pale..."
"No," she said even though she stopped and leaned against the wall. "We need to get to my brother, he- he's alone and he doesn't know- he-" she started to shake as she remembered all that Subaru had told her 'he wants my brother dead, but not only that he wants him to suffer, I can't I won't let that happen. I let him suffer alone once before I won't let it happen again.'
"Miss Kaoru," Kenshin although his voice was stern he still seemed to smile for her a little. "Right now your brother may very well be fighting against Subaru but right now you are in no shape to go any further without help. Now let me see your wound."
Yahiko's POV:
Kenji and Yoshiki kept exchanging blows there strength's seemed to be evenly matched at the moment. 'How long can this go on? Neither of them seem to be waning.' Yahiko glanced to his left and notice Subaru was backing away from the room. "Where are you going?" Yahiko said glaring at the large man.
"A little child like you should not ask stupid questions," Subaru said as he walked away.
'Child!' he growled to himself, 'Should I follow him?' he looked at the on going battle between Kenji and Yoshiki, 'They're lost in the fight. Kenji will never know that I am gone.' Yahiko snuck off down the hall and followed Subaru silently hoping that he would not detect his movements.
Kenshin's POV:
"Let me see your wound," He said again.
Kaoru hesitated but she let her hand fall from her shoulder that she had been clutching onto for the better part of an hour now. She looked away feeling ashamed that she had been so careless as to have been pinned against a wall like some hapless animal.
"You're lucky" he said as he examined it, "Really lucky."
"Am I?" She said vindictively thinking of what happened unable to hold it in any longer. "Do you call it lucky to be tied down like some animal. And be subjected to the presence of the one who murdered your family, was it lucky that I had to listen to him talk about how he killed them?" Tears started to streak down her face, Kenshin more than understood as he silently took it all in while he tended to her wounds. "Was I lucky to be starved beaten and then forced to fight with something that all of my principals went against and then backed into a cursed wall while being toyed with by some sick underling of his?" she had an extra tone of hatred on the word 'his'
"You're still alive aren't you?" he said softly putting a hand on her cheek.
Kaoru realized what he had meant "Kenshin I-" she felt abashed by her naïveness.
"It's alright," he said as he brushed away a stray tear, "but if we don't hurry your brother may not be so lucky."
"My brother?" she had almost forgot about him.
"I think we both know that he is in danger." He felt a twinge in the pit of his stomach. 'Not only is he in danger but it might be too late.'
Yahiko's POV:
'Where is Subaru going?' He wondered as he silently followed the tall man down the hall. For some reason although Yahiko could not figure out why Subaru had not noticed him. 'Why hasn't he noticed me?'
Subaru seemed to disappear in front of him 'Hey where did he go?' Yahiko looked around confusedly. 'This can't be good...'
To be continued...
A/N: those who hate quarter finals and extra homework say 'I' (Battosaichick: I!!!) I promise I won't be so horrible on updating again, on this story and the next.
Yahiko: you better not be.
Battosaichick (ignores him): well see ya!