Author's Notes: Thanks a bunch for the reviews pointing where I accidently left a 'Sireta' in the story. I updated that fixed it, so it shouldn't be in the last chapter. I still have to find the ones in the other chapters. The only chapters I know I can rule out are chapters 1-4 so far, because I've read them. The others, I'm not sure yet. And expect a lot less in the updating region. Basketball season has begun, our games are mostly away, and I don't get home until about 10:30 (depending on how far away the away games are) two nights a week due to that. Then homework (and exams... Argh!), so I'm warning you in adavnce. Anywayz, enough of my boring old chatter. On with the story!
Breaking Through
Chapter 8- A Wars Casualty
Everything was a blur. Movements as fast as light shot around the area, man after man falling before they had a chance to reveal their weapons of various types. He landed easily onto his feet, his vision blurred and everything running in slow motion.
'What's wrong with me?' Battousai asked himself as his sword cleaved another man in half. 'I know I'm moving fast but everything is blurring together and moving so slow'
Twisting his body in unthinkable angles he landed cat like upon a building roof and stared down at the manslaughter below. It was murder, he realized then. He wasn't doing this for the sake a new area. All he was doing was cold-blooded murder.
He had never felt like this before. He was fighting for the new, peaceful era, wasn't he? That what he had always believed before, so why was he having second thoughts now? He took a hold of his head. A headache was attacking him again.
He hated this.
Not taking the time to see what was left of the men he had slaughtered, he moved on to the second envelope's mission he had to complete that night. Another easy job, he noted, because it was a politician, at home, alone. He took a hold of his blade handles and ran to the next destination.
He halted when he heard whistles. Police whistles resounded through the area. They were following him. For once, he had let himself get caught. Without thinking he sprinted off with the godlike speed he received with the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.
He knew he was far faster than the police, but part of him was still worried. He'd kill two more times that night, and surely they'd have more police out after him once they discovered the bodies in the alleyway. But couldn't think about the possibility of leading the police to the Ishin Shishi headquarters. He could outrun them, yes, but that didn't mean anything in the end.
He knew he wasn't up to killing people in the shadows again. The job was too strict for him now; he didn't have the control he had before. Battousai couldn't explain why this was happening to him; it just was. But he couldn't stop now- he couldn't get caught yet. He had promised Kaoru. He had promised her the war wouldn't get within 10 feet of her home, and if he got caught now, then he would break that promise. And being a man of his word, he didn't plan on shattering that promise, and especially not this early in the game.
Finally arriving at the scene of the next assassination, Kenshin was in for a surprise. The man he was supposed to kill was already dead, lying in blood in the street. He stared out ahead of himself. Something didn't seem right about this. It obviously wasn't a random killing- so who had done it? He made sure to keep an extra watch around himself. Surely this was something that was aimed against him. He didn't want to get stuck in a trap that night.
He ran through the all the streets, faster than he had before. The next person on his list was going to be in one of the Shisengumi teahouses. He was a captain of the Shisengumi, so the assassination would not be an easy one. He began to move more cautiously the farther into the enemy area he traveled. He couldn't jeopardize everything now.
He stopped and hid back in an alleyway adjacent to the teahouse.
Surely, waltzing right into the place would give him away. It would be him, a lone assassin for the Ishin Shishi, against an entire battalion of Shisengumi members. They were all well trained, and usually not that easily killed. But he was only after one of the members- somehow or another he had to lure him out. He glanced over the corner toward the doors. Men were coming in and out, drunk and sober. Kenshin didn't exactly know how he was going to do this, but luring him out seemed like the best idea.
Except that he'd probably send his own men out there before him. Finally deciding that he'd have to take the chance, he shielded his eyes and looked around. No knew members were out and around the place, so he slunk inside undetected and hid in the corner. He'd make himself noticed when he was sure he knew who the person he was supposed to be fighting was.
So he sat in the shadows, and waited.
"Captain, are we moving out tomorrow?" came a voice from the opposite end of the room.
Kenshin's molten amber eyes flew over to the corner and watched a group of three men being served by a dainty woman. The one that just asked the question looked young. He awaited one of them to answer him.
"We can't move out just yet, Okita. We have to be positive we ran the Ishin Shishi out."
There he was. The one with the wolf-like eyes. Kenshin stood from his crouched position, and prepared himself for the risk of a lifetime. There were nearly forty members of the Shisengumi in the room, and he was alone. Even the Battousai's skills couldn't compensate for that.
"Hajime Saitou, I'm here for your life."
All the men stood up and prepared to attack him, but the one that he had distinguished as Okita was the one that stood before him. Kenshin didn't move toward his swords, and he kept his head down so his hair would cover his eyes and scar. Maybe he could scare a few of them off after he lifted his head.
"Who are you?" asked Saitou from across the room, an amused grin on his face. "You don't appear as much."
Kenshin lifted his head, a menacing smirk on his own face that lit his amber eyes with a glint of evil. "I am Hitokiri Battousai, and I'm hear for your life. I don't wish to kill any of the other men in this room but you."
Upon hearing his name and seeing the scar, a few of the men backed down. That lightened the load for him a little, but not by much. The young looking one, Okita, still stood before him.
Saitou stood and walked over to Okita, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Stand down, I'll take him on. You all act like you have to protect me. That doesn't say much for your captain, now does it? Don't worry. Battousai, I've been waiting for you to take me on. This should be interesting. Come."
Saitou's men stood down and Kenshin followed him outside of the teahouse. He didn't like how the role of instructor had left him and gone to Saitou, and he could tell he was a good fighter, but he had to leave this one alive, even if he couldn't kill Saitou like it had been instructed to. Kenshin flew into his battou-jutsu stance, and glared at the captain of the Shisengumi. He just smirked back; not at all afraid like all the other men he'd been order to assassinate. He seemed to be enjoying this.
"Well, attack." Saitou stated.
"Aren't you going to use your gotatsu against me?" Kenshin asked, somewhat annoyed. "Just because I'm the one doing the assassination doesn't mean I have to strike first."
Saitou grinned and then fell into his gotatsu stance. Kenshin eyed him before he shot off toward him. He watched Saitou's blade and dodged, performing his own Ryu-Kan-Sen. Saitou moved in time to just receive a knick on his neck that bled, but not the full reason for the attack. His head was still on his shoulders. Kenshin flew at him again, leaping into the air.
He went down with a Ryu-Tsui-Sen. No one could stop an aerial attack.
Well, anyone but Saitou.
Kenshin felt his blade connect with another, and pushed himself off before he could be sliced in the chest. Saitou just grinned.
"You seem bewildered someone could parry that attack." Saitou stated, flying at Kenshin.
Kenshin hadn't had time to recover from his landing before Saitou's blade connected with his shoulder. Drawing his wakizashi he made and upward slice toward his arm. Saitou fell back, pulling his blade from Kenshin's arm. Kenshin gripped the wound in his shoulder. It was in his sword arm, which was going to slow down his attacks immensely. He had underestimated this man.
Saitou flicked the blood from his sword and fell into a new gotatsu stance, charging again. Not knowing what else to do, Battousai did the only thing he could.
"Do-Ryu-Sen!"
Debris went flying from the ground and Saitou had to stop in mid attack to protect himself.
Saitou stood and stared at him. They were both injured, and both of them needed to be treated for those injuries. He attacked one more time, and sliced against Kenshin's back as he spun. Kenshin flipped quickly, and delivered his attack to Saitou's legs. The both landed, blood pouring from their injuries.
"We'll call this one a draw. But don't you worry, Battousai. I'll come looking for you again. I'm not done with you yet." Saitou told him. "We will fight again, and that time, the only one leaving will be the only one alive."
Saitou limped off while Kenshin watched. He couldn't muster the strength to move just yet, but he would be moving eventually. He looked around his surroundings. There was no way he was getting back to the Inn that night. There were no clinics in the area. He had to figure out exactly where he was.
He stood and began to walk out down the streets, keeping up his guard. He was still in Shisengumi territory. He gripped his shoulder and hunched over from the pain in his back. He needed to get to someplace that he could be treated for these wounds. Bringing himself to look up, he saw an unexpected thing.
There was a sign on a bridge, pointing out that the Kamiya Dojo was near. It was like a light to him. He knew it was still a bit farther away, but he could make it there. He hadn't realized just how close the Shisengumi were to Kaoru's dojo, but now he knew exactly what she meant by the fact that they were moving toward her home.
He stumbled up to the threshold and placed a hand on the door. "Kaoru- dono..."
The door flew open, and there she stood.
"Oh my god, Kenshin!"
Kenshin stirred. He was aching, but he had to wake up. He couldn't remember anything except knocking on the door of the dojo. He couldn't remember if anyone had even opened the door. He forced his eyes open, and covered them immediately as light hit them. He groaned and rolled over onto his bad arm. He yelped and then went to lie on his stomach. His back was injured, too.
"You're awake, that's good." came a voice. "Why did you come here?"
"I was to far away from the Inn to go all the way back there with these injuries," he explained.
"Alright. I'm going to tell Katsura-san you're here." she said.
"No, there's too many Shisengumi members out there." Kenshin told her. "They're closer to here than I had originally anticipated."
She stood. "I'll be fine."
He rolled over. "I can go on my own."
"Absolutely not. You're staying there. You lost too much blood to up and running already." she stated. "And thus, you are lying there in agony. I don't have any medicine, either, so I might as well go so I can pick some up."
He knew there was no use in arguing the matter any further with her now. She knew what she wanted, and what she was going to do. Any attempt to change her mind now would be futile.
"Who's the thickheaded one now?" he asked her. "Who's not listening to who?"
She turned and glared at him. "And look what your thickheadedness got you. You're lucky you're already hurt or else you'd be writhing in pain right now. I'm not being thickheaded, I'm being stubbornly considerate for your state of health."
He tried to sit up, but it proved to be fruitless. "And that is thickheaded. You're not heeding my warning."
"Well, have a taste of your own medicine. You didn't heed mine, and now look what happened. You can't stop me anyway." she told him before she walked out of the room.
Kenshin collapsed onto the futon after another attmept to sit up. He lay there and thought over why she would be helping him, but he already knew the answer. He was a member of her family as far as she was concerned, so she was going to take care of him, whether he liked it or not.
Sighing, he thought. 'Naïve, stubborn girl.'
Kaoru walked in the woods down the trail she had taken a day before to follow Kenshin to the Inn. It wasn't much farther, but she was beginning to tire. She hadn't slept at all that night because she had been keeping an eye on him. Blinking she continued on, until she saw the building. Finally, she thought to herself inwardly. Walking at a slightly quicker pace she came to the door.
"Who are you?" asked a guard.
"You don't remember me? I came for Battousai. Today I have to talk to Katsura-san, concerning Battousai. It's urgent." she told him. "Just let me past. You can stay there when I'm talking to him if you must."
The guard huffed and led her inside amongst the hoards and hoards of Ishin Shishi men. Kaoru followed, blankly, but she watched herself. She didn't doubt some of them had hentai minds, and she wasn't about to fulfill any fantasies.
They stopped before a door and she looked up. The guard knocked and they were bid permission to enter.
There sat a noble seeming man, but yet he didn't truly stand out from the rest of his men. He wore the same outfit, except for his insignia on it. Kaoru bowed to him and knelt next to the guard.
"Yes, how may I help you?" he questioned her. "I don't believe we've met before. Unless... wait. You have housed our troops before, haven't you?"
Kaoru nodded. "Hai. But I'm hear to speak to you about Battousai."
"Has he offended you in someway? That is very unlike Himura." Katsura said.
Kaoru shook her head. "No. Kenshin did nothing. I came to tell you he's at my home, badly injured. I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but he came to me last night with extensive injuries to his right shoulder and across his back."
"Is he going to be alright?"
"I think so, but I don't have any medication, and I didn't feel safe running around looking for a doctor. Perhaps you could send someone out to check on him? I stopped the bleeding, but I didn't sew anything. He was awake when I left him with my friends, Sanosuke and Yahiko."
Katsura nodded. "I see. That was very foolish of him, to just come up to someone for help. For all he knew..."
"He knows me," she told him. "We've known each other for nearly a week now, I'd say. It's thanks to him I have just this dislocated shoulder and I'm not six feet under now. He knew it was safe to come to my home."
"So your home is where he's been spending most of his off time, I see." Katsura placed a hand under his chin. "Anything special?"
She blushed. "No. I guess that I just kind of adopted him into my little family. I really don't have a family. Just my friend Sanosuke and Yahiko, and now Kenshin."
"I'm surprised you know his name."
"I kinda forced him to tell me."
Katsura grinned. "Thank you for alerting us to his state. Please go back and continue to care for him. I will send a doctor soon."
Bowing, Kaoru stood and left. She thanked the guard and then walked away from the Inn, feeling better now that she didn't have to worry about someone sending people out find Kenshin and then attacking her dojo because they thought it was her fault he was injured like he was. Now she could get back, and maybe pick up some pain medicine on her way. That way he would be more comfortable.
She followed her original trail, not really looking around herself for any threat. That was her mistake. In an instant someone had their hands around her neck and had pinned her to a tree. After pulling her ribbon from her hair, they made sure to knock her out.
"Wonder what's taking Jou-chan so long." Sano stated, sitting next to Kenshin. "How long is a trip to there and back take?"
Kenshin sat up and looked at Sano. "It shouldn't be more than another fifteen minutes."
Sano nodded and leaned against the wall. "Hope so. I can't believe you let her go on her own."
"Do you think I could have done much to persuade her otherwise?" Kenshin asked. "I can barely even move."
"True." Sano stated. "I'll give ya that. Just hope she knows what she's doing. There's no way she could ward anyone off with that shoulder."
Kenshin nodded in agreement. "Where's Yahiko?"
Sano laughed. "At the Akabeko. He said he was hungry, but he only goes there to see Tsubame. I swear, those two need to hook up. It's maddening to just watch them flirt."
"DUCK SANO!" Kenshin demanded.
"Huh? Where?"
"No, duck!" Kenshin pushed his head down just as a wakizashi flew above his head, chopping off a little of his hair.
Sano looked at his hair on the floor. "Geesh, what the hell was that?"
Kenshin looked over at the floor and lifted the blade up. There was nothing with it, just the blade. But the message was clear to him what had happened. The blade held the Shisengumi insignia, and that was enough proof to him.
"Well, what is it?"
"Someone's got Kaoru-dono, to get at me I think." Kenshin stated. 'I just broke my promise without meaning to.'
Author's Notes: Finally. Who do you think that was! WHO DID IT! Hehehehehehehe. Well. I don't know when my next update will be, but I'm hoping to get another chapter out before or on my birthday, which is January 5th. So look for one then. Thanks for reading and reviewing.
Love and hugs,
Crystal Renee