KatDrama: guess what

Kitty: hard to tell

KatDrama: waves certificate in the air for those of u who might think im not worthy to be an author, IN YOUR FACE!!!!!!

Kitty: what is it?

KatDrama: reads certificate it says I've won 3rd place in the district writing contest

Kitty: s-o-o-o-o? it's just third?

Kat: s-o-o-o-o-o!!! do u know how many other ninth graders I had to beat to even get third!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kitty: how many?

Kat: counts fingers I don't know, but I know that there's at LEAST 500 others.....

Kitty: whatever

Kat: guess what else

Kitty: hard to tell

Kat: school's out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kitty: sarcastically yippee....

Kat: fine, whatever, DON"T celebrate with me. I'll just get this chapter up......

Disclaimer: I do not own RK or the song lyrics I use

Whispering Sunshine

Chapter 11

Fighting Chance

"Hmm." Yahiko licked his lips as saliva poured from the corners of his mouth. "The Akabeko..." He drooled. "You're going to love the food! Much better than jou-chan's." Yahiko informed Sachi. Sachi too licked her chops and smiled delightfully at the mention of REAL food.

"So Kenshin, what WERE you going to cook for breakfast?" The curious boy turned to question the now dry rurouni.

"Oh, nothing special. Just some ohagi and fish, with mint tea..." The red head bowed his head in fond memory of the food that he had been so delicately preparing before Kaoru had offered to help. "That I was..." He sighed.

"C'mon Kenshin, I'm ready." Kaoru came out of her room dressed in an elegant kimono. She grabbed the little man's wrist. She giggled slightly as she pulled him towards the main gate.

"Hey! What about us?!" Yahiko shouted above the oro-ing Kenshin.

Got to fight another fight- I gotta run another night

Kaoru turned sharply on her heals. "Since Sachi can't come into town someone's going to have to watch her. And you've just been volunteered." She gleefully poked the boy's forehead with her index finger.

"Hey! That's no fair! What are we supposed to eat?!" He whacked his instructor's away with his shinai.

Get it out – check it out

Kaoru turned, her nose shoved in the air. "I'll ask Tae-san if she'll lend us a pot to take some home in. C'mon Kenshin." And just like that, the pair was gone.

I'm on my way and it don't feel right

"Huh. Fancy that!" Yahiko plopped down on the dusty ground and pouted. Sachi was momentarily stunned by the commotion. Then she just shrugged it off and continued practicing.

I gotta get me back – I can't be beat and that's a fact

It's OK – I'll find away

You ain't gonna take me down no way --

--

Though it was mid-morning, the Akabeko was already filling to capacity. Our oro-ing hero and his so called friend that was a girl pushed through the crowds to just get in the door.

"Welcome to the Aka... oh, it's you, Kaoru." Tae panted as she wiped her hair, damp with perspiration, away from her forehead. "Please, find a seat wherever you can. Tsumbe will be by as soon as possible to take your order." Tae hurried off to tend to other customers.

"Wow, I wonder what's all the commotion about?" Kaoru pressed against Kenshin as they struggled to find a seat.

"Oro! I'm so sorry, that I am!" The red head was a apologizing to a lanky man in a dark cloak who he had bumped.

The man did a little jig until the burning sensation that the spilt stew he had spilled on his lap subsided.

"SANO?!" Both Kenshin and Kaoru exclaimed at once.

"AIE! Keep that maniac woman away from me!" The said man quickly hid behind his rurouni friend, putting him between he and the 'maniac'.

"What luck this is! Now we don't have to search for a table, that we don't, if you will let us sit with you, Sanosuke..." Kenshin smiled.

"Are you KIDDING?!" Sano jumped. "Take my table for all you want but I WILL NOT sit in the same building with 'her'!" He pointed a finger at Kaoru.

"Hey, Sano! I thought you'd never come out in public ever again!" One of Sano's gambling buddies called out from an adjacent table.

"Yeah, I thought you'd at least wait a few weeks before showing your face." Another mocked.

"EEEEEERRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sano's rage boiled.

"Now, now. Please, Sanosuke, no fights. Remember?" Tae crept meekly up behind the raging man.

"Oh, okay." Sano slumped moodily back down on his seat cushion. "You can sit with me, but NO MORE CLOTHES!!!!" He glared at Kaoru. She stuck her nose in the air.

"Hmph. Maybe if you hadn't had screamed your presence in a clothing store to the whole world the whole world might not have noticed you." She snickered. "Such protesting. Now I know where Yahiko learned it from..."

Kenshin smiled his familiar rurouni smile. "So, Sano. Do you know what all the crowds are about?" His purple eyes brightened.

"Don't you remember? It's the Fall Festival!" Sano gleefully smiled.

--

Don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it

"What are two young ones like you staying at home on such a festive day like this? Are you all alone?" An apparently elderly man bravely swung the dojo gate open and entered.

"Huh? What do you want?" Yahiko reached for his shinai. Who is this guy?

Don't push me – I'll fight it

Sachi could not see, but her heart leapt with terror as she recognized the grizzly voice of her former master's right hand man. She placed a warning hand on Yahiko's shoulder.

Never gonna give in – never gonna give it up no

"Yeah? Where's that red-head guy?" Another man popped out of nowhere.

Are they after Kenshin? Yahiko's mind raced for answers as he tightened the grip on his bamboo sword.

"Aw...isn't he here to protect you this time?"

"What do you want?" Yahiko boldly challenged the men that grew in number as the seconds passed.

If you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it

"The girl. Give her to us and you shall not come to harm. However..." The leader slowly pulled out a concealed sword and unleashed its blade. "If you do not cooperate we will be forced to hurt you." He licked the blade with a mocking tone in his voice.

"Sachi, we can take these guys." Yahiko whispered to the trembling girl behind him.

You can't come uninvited

No! Yahiko! No! You don't know who they are... Sachi wanted to tell her friend but no words would come from her mouth.

"Hai!" Yahiko rushed them, shinai at the ready.

WHACK!

Yahiko rolled over on the dirt, grabbing his bloodied shoulder.

Never gonna give in – never gonna give it up no

Sachi knew that Yahiko was wounded. The men were after her. Either way she would die. It was time to take a stand. She moved her feet apart in a fighter's stance that somehow came to her by instinct.

"Oh hoh. You've been training, I see. Well, come and get me. Never mind, I'll get you!" One of the men charge forward. He aimed his blow at her shoulder joint, but unable to see the action, Sachi dodged the wrong way, putting her head at the mercy of the blade.

Sachi stood dumbstruck for a moment as her blindfold flutter to the ground in two pieces. She gingerly reached her hand up and felt the warm blood gushing from the gash that went from above her left eye almost all the way down to her chin. Sachi flicked the blood from her fingers and once again took a stance.

"Sachi! No!!" Yahiko came barreling forth with a full head of speed. He plunged into one her would-be attackers, knocking the wind out of the man. "Are you okay?" Yahiko turned to ask the girl with blood seeping down her face. The girl nodded her head.

Suddenly felt strong arms wrapping around her and a dagger blade pressed against her throat. "Give up boy!" Sachi's captor called. "Or else she goes down. Give yourself up willingly to us and we'll spare her."

--

"Wow! I totally forgot that the festival was today!" Kaoru marveled at the pretty colors that engulfed her.

Kenshin smiled, those left behind at the dojo all but forgotten, even though he clung to the pot of their breakfast. That is, until Sano brought it up.

"Hey where are Sachi and Yahiko?" He suddenly noticed.

"Oh, they're back at the dojo. Yahiko was trying to teach Sachi some swordsmanship." Kaoru shrugged. "But I think that it's a waste of time on her..." She snorted.

"Hey, I believe I see Megumi-san, that I do." Kenshin strained his eyes to see through the crowd.

"Hey! Over here!" Sano waved to the doctor's assistant.

"Ayame! Suzume!" Megumi chided as the two energetic youngsters pulled her along.

"Ooooh! Lookit! Pretty colors!" One ran off in one direction while still clinging to Megumi's hand.

"Megumi! Megumi! Lookit the toys! Can I have one? Can I?" One pulled in the other direction, crossing Megumi's arms.

"Girls!" Megumi pulled the two back in. "Stay with me!" She sternly told them as she pushed her way to the trio that had hailed her.

"Looks like you've got your hands full." Sano smirked.

"Uy! I HATE crowds and I'm not necessarily the best with children. Dr. Gensai gave me the day off so I could take his granddaughters in to see the festival, but it's just too much for me." Megumi admitted.

Kaoru smiled as she ruffled Ayame's hair. "I'd be glad to watch after them for a while if you wanted to go do something on your own."

"Oh, thank you!" Megumi's face brightened. Then the fox looked around. "Where is Sachi?"

"At the dojo with Yahiko." Kenshin answered.

"I think I shall go check on how she's doing so Yahiko can come to the festival. I don't mind staying at the dojo. It's much quieter." Megumi began to turn to leave.

"Wait. Take this with you. It is their breakfast." Kenshin handed her the pot of beef stew.

"I will." Megumi called back over her shoulder as she became lost in the sea of people.

--

You can't take me....

Sachi bit the man's wrist. The taste of his filthy flesh filled her mouth and made her eyes water, but she stayed latched on for dear life.

"Let go of me you b----!" He hollered as he shook his arm wildly. He moved his hand with the dagger over as he tried to pry her fangs loose from his skin. In the process a bleeding wound appeared on the side of Sachi's neck.

"Sachi!!" Yahiko ran in, hitting the man hard with his shinai where he knew it would give the man the most pain. It worked and the man immediately released his prisoner.

I'm free

"Die you brat!" A man charged and dealt Yahiko a devastating blow to his rib cage. Blood spurted out of Yahiko's mouth as he coughed and held his side.

I gotta fight another fight

Fuzziness began to seep into Sachi's vision. Wait a minute! Vision! Yes! Little by little she saw shapes and colors. They were very dark and blurry but at least now she could SEE her enemies! At least, she saw well enough to fight back.

I gotta fight with a all my might

Several men were working away at her, edging her and Yahiko away from each other. She blocked their blows with the shinai as well as she could, but they were still inflicting more damage on her than she was to them. Suddenly she heard a cry of pain as Yahiko went to the ground.

"You're hard to get rid of!" One man exclaimed as he stomped Yahiko's face into the dirt. "But luckily, I'm experienced in disposing of brats!" He picked the boy up and flung him into the air. As he came sailing back to the ground, the man hit Yahiko with the back of his sword, sending him flying across the courtyard.

I'm getting out, so check it out

"I've had about enough of this. Tie the girl up. I'll dispose of the witness." The leader ordered as he drew a gun from his coat. Clicking a bullet into the barrel he pointed it at the helpless kid.

Sachi felt the men trying to bind her but she fought her way free. "Y-A-H- I-K-O!!!!!!!!!!!" As if in slow motion, Sachi screamed as she launched forward. Adrenaline filled her veins as the bullet was fired from the barrel.

Sachi felt a sickening pain in her arm as the bullet made impact. She fell just feet form Yahiko, their blood forming pools in the dusty ground.

Ya –you're in my way

So you better watch out

"Fool! Jumping in front of a gun at that close of range! I could have killed you, your worthless w----!" The man with the gun raged.

"And then the boss woulda' killed you." One of the men pointed out.

Sachi felt her arms being pulled behind her back as the men lifted her. "Lets hurry and get out of here. The boy is as good as dead."

No! Sachi's thoughts screamed. You won't take me again. Sachi felt the hoarseness of her voice as she felt vibrations fill her voice box. "H-E-L- P!! KENSHIN!!!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

You can't take me...I'm free

"Dam!" The men dropped her. "Someone's sure to have heard that. Let's get out of here." As the men retreated Sachi felt a sharp kick to her stomach and she recognized the leader's dark voice. "We may be leaving now, but we'll be back, mind you. And you'd better cooperate if you want any of your 'friends' to live."

--

"H-E-L-P!! KENSHIN!!!!!"

Megumi's eyes jerked wide with fear when she heard the blood-curdling scream. "Sachi?" Panic gripped her heart as she began to run.

She ran through the open dojo gate. The beef pot clattered to the ground, spilling it's contents. Blood. Everywhere. On the ground, and on two figures that Megumi knew all to well. "God, no! Please, no!" She ran forward to the blood soaked duo.

"Sachi, what happened?" She hurriedly asked as she came upon them. Sachi was sitting up; Yahiko's head lay in her lap. The tears that fell down her face mixed with her blood and fell upon Yahiko's cheek. His face was slowly coming into focus, and for all she could see, he looked dead.

--

Kat: MWA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of all the evil things of me to do, I leave you with THAT cliffhanger?!?!?!!? BWA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kitty: you are mean!

Kat: aint I. Anywhoo- I don't know how the song lyrics fit. I sorta threw them in helter skelter because I didn't have much time, but I really wanted to crank this chapter out. Didn't I tell ya it would be a doozy of a chapter?

Kitty: don't forget the disclaimer!

Kat: oh, yeah, the song I used is "You Can't Take Me" by Bryan Adams, Gavin Greenaway, and R.J. Lange; it's from the "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Soundtrack." And....now, I must go. If u want to see the next chapter u MUST REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BWA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!