Chapter 8 - Sister Trouble
The group made their way back inside and began to watch the next couple fights. Senko found it hard to see around the other spectators as they gathered around to watch the fights. "Can you see anything Yahiko?" She asked after she tried to jump over the head of a rather large man that was standing in her way.
"No." Yahiko growled unhappily as he sifted from foot to foot trying to get a better view.
"Let's go find a better spot." She said walking off with Yahiko at her heels. "We're headed over there!" She yelled to the others so they wouldn't be worried. Yahiko and Senko pushed their way though the crowds trying to get to a better view.
"Hey I can see over here!" Yahiko yelled and Senko soon joined him as they pried throw the elbows of people in order to see the stage. The became so engrossed with the fight they were watching they never noticed Ryo coming up from behind them. His arm was in a sling and he looked them both over carefully before grabbing Yahiko's shoulder, with his good hand, and pulling him back. "Hey! What's the big idea!" He yelled; angry for missing the fight.
"Are you with that Kenura fellow?" Ryo asked casually.
"Yeah so what?" Yahiko snapped as he wiggled his way out of Ryo's grasp. Ryo gave a nod to a tall, big, brown haired man on his left. The man smiled and with a grace that seemed impossible for a man his size he grabbed Senko's arm and pulled her to him. "Hey…"
"Yahiko don't!" Senko hissed as a dagger was soon placed at her throat.
"I want this keep quiet, got it kid." Ryo said to Yahiko. "Now you go tell your friend to meet me outside for a rematch." He gave another nod to the man that held Senko and they began to walk away.
Yahiko let out a string of cusses as he ran back to Kenshin and the others. "Kenshin!" He yelled urgently, yet quietly.
"Yahiko, what's wrong?" Kenshin said as everyone turned around.
"It's Senko! Ryo grabbed her and he's threatening to kill her if you don't have a rematch outback!" He said in one breath.
"That bas…" Sanosuke started to say but coked on his words when he was pushed aside by Maki as she ran passed him. Maki, who had just been limping, ran with dexterity as she quickly maneuvered her way around the people making her way to the back. Kenshin took off after her leaving Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Kaoru to catch up. Kenshin was a lot faster then Maki but she was able to weave her way around faster and wasn't able to catch up before she fly outside.
"Ryo!" She screamed once outside and seeing him leaning against a wall; a smug smile on his face. Senko was still held, dagger to her throat, by the other man just to the left of Ryo.
"You're not Kenura."
Maki had her hand clutched tightly around her katana. "Let…my…sister…go." She said, venom growing more and more in her voice as she spoke the words.
"You're not who I want." Ryo continued ignoring Maki. "But I guessed you would come so I found someone who was quiet angry when he found out he was defeated by a girl instead of a man." Ryo snapped his fingers and from the rooftops above dropped a man who Maki recognized as someone she had defeated before she had fought Kenshin.
The man's long black hair whipped wildly behind him as he fell. His sword was already drawn as he tried to strike Maki down as he landed. Maki, without effort, stepped away from the attack and the man struck the ground instead. The man rose to his feet his hair falling halfway down his back, he was bulky and he stood at the same height as Maki did. Maki stared at him with cold eyes. "I beat you before, what makes you think I can't beat you again?" She pulled her blade from it's black scabbard and the blade gleamed in the afternoon sunlight.
The man smiled. "Because you are injured."
"You; have no pride." Maki said as she ran towards him blade raised.
Kenshin rushed through the doors leading outside. The scene before him took him by surprise. Maki stood, her back to a bleeding corpse, and blood trailing down her blade. "Now you will release my sister." She was speaking to Ryo who didn't seem to amused anymore. His face set in angry as Maki approached him. "Let my sister go." She repeated. Just then Yahiko, Sano, and Kaoru made there way out.
"Oh my…!" Kaoru screamed putting her hand over her mouth when she saw the man lying in a pool of his own blood.
Ryo moved his eyes to the growing group of onlookers. "I want to kill Kenura. Not you." Ryo reached into an inside pocket and pulled out a pistol. "You take another step and I'll shoot you." He turned toward Kenshin then aimed the gun at him. "You embarrassed me in there!" He shouted angrily at Kenshin. "I was showing off the strength of my new armor to potential buyers and you smashed it to pieces. You cost me a fortune!" A cruel smile came over his lips. "As payback I'm going to take your life!"
"You entered the ring on your will. You took the risk that your armor would fail by stepping in. It is not the fault of this one."
"SHUT-UP!" Ryo yelled as he fired the gun. Everyone gasped in fear as the bullet sailed towards Kenshin. Using his beyond godlike speed Kenshin moved himself from the bullets path. As everyone stared in wonder at Kenshin coming out unharmed Maki used the distraction to pushed herself up against the man that held her sister.
She had him pushed up against the wall her blade pressed dangerously at his throat. "Let go." Maki hissed. The man dropped the dagger and it clattered to the ground. Then he let go of Senko who squirmed her way out from in-between her sister and her captor. Her sister out of danger Maki brought up her free hand and punched the guy in the nose. He sank to the ground, crying out, and holding his broken nose.
Ryo saw his plan falling apart in front of him and fired once more at Kenshin. Kenshin dodged the bullet and ran towards Ryo. With a blinding light Kenshin struck Ryo's arm with the Sakabato. The gun fell to the ground as Ryo fell to his knees clutching his injured arm. "Now I suggest you leave here." Kenshin said coldly as he picked up the gun and tossed it into the air. As it descended Kenshin flipped the blade of his Sakabato and with four quick swipes the pistol landed in four different pieces. "Don't you dare try to harm any of my friends again." He said as he turned his back to the opened mouth Ryo.
Suddenly Ryo began to scream as if he was being attacked. Kenshin whirled around to find his attacker to be none other then Maki. "How dare you!" She practically growled. "How dare you even TOUCH my sister." She had a good hold of Ryo's hair and had pulled his head back. Her blade was touching his throat; drawing a small river of blood from the tip. "Feel what you did to her!" She screeched. "Do you like it?" She twisted her sword slightly making Ryo whimper for his life.
"Maki! Stop this!" Kenshin yelled to her.
Maki looked to Kenshin with hate filled eyes. For a moment they stared at each other until Maki clicked her tongue and pushed Ryo backwards and letting her grip on his hair go. "If you ever touch her again, I'll kill you." She threatened as she quickly flipped her sword's blade and smacked Ryo's shoulder that was injured by Kenshin earlier with the blunt of her sword with all the strength she had. Ryo's pupils dilated and he fell forward unconscious.
"Maki!" Senko cried running and latching herself onto her sister's leg. Maki placed her hand on Senko's head before turning to face the others.
"You… you killed him." Kaoru stuttered as she tried not to look at Maki's first victim.
"Yes." No sorrow or regret was on Maki's voice.
"Earlier when you said those man who killed your mother got what they deserved. You killed them didn't you?" Sanosuke asked as Maki pulled a black rag from her pocket and wiped her blade clean.
"Yes." Still no emotion. "Are you surprised?" She said as she sheathed her weapon. "I'm sorry for exposing you to all of this. I am sorry my sister was used to lure you out here Kenura." She and Senko went back inside alone.
Kenshin and the other's followed them inside leaving the man with the broken nose to clean up the 'mess' outside. Kenshin was the first to approach the two. "You don't have to run from us." Kenshin said trying to sound merry.
"You saw what I did." Maki said with her eyes downwards. "I just killed someone! That's doesn't bother you?!" She still couldn't bring herself to look Kenshin in the eye.
"True," Kenshin said sadly "but if your sister hadn't been in danger would you've done it?" Maki shrugged. "I don't think you would have."
"You don't know who I am! I just met you!" She said to the ground.
"This one knows because you won't look me in the eye." Kenshin said seriously. "You're ashamed." Maki didn't say anything. "You're a good person Maki. This one can tell. You just need to stop killing." He patted her softly on the shoulder and Maki did something he wasn't expecting… she crumpled to the ground at his touch. "Oro?"
"Ow… pain!!!!" Maki moaned from her spot on the ground.
'YOU IDIOT!" Senko hollered. "I knew you'd hurt yourself." Senko walked up and gave her sister a small smack to the side of Maki's head. "And after you were complaining about Kenura acting like a baby!"
"Oro?"
"Hey! It was to save you!" Maki yelled at her sister.
"Oro?"
"You still hurt yourself! You moron!"
"Oro?"
"I'm the moron!? Miss I'm going off by myself to get a better view!"
"Oro?"
"I wasn't alone! I was with Yahiko!"
"Oro?"
"You're annoying!" Maki jumped to her feet.
"Oro?"
"Well you can't take care of yourself!" Senko put up her fists.
"Um… people are starring you two." Kaoru's warning fell on death ears.
"I can too take care of myself!" Maki shouted.
"ORO!!!!" Kenshin cried as the two siblings began a fist fight with him in the middle.
"Hey you two nock it off!" Kaoru yelled trying to help Kenshin out of the fight. "Help me you two!" She yelled looking back at Sanosuke and Yahiko who had fallen doubled over in laughter. "How dare you laugh over something like this!" Kaoru yelled at the two rolling up her sleeves as she moved toward them.
"We weren't laughing Kaoru!" Yahiko yelled throwing up his hands in self-defense. The lie didn't work and Kaoru pounded the both of them on the head. Then a new laughter could be heard. Senko and Maki had stopped fighting and along with Kenshin they and a few of the crowd were laughing.
"Hey! No fighting outside of the ring!" The announcer called angry at being ignored. This brought on a whole new wave of laughter.
The group made their way back inside and began to watch the next couple fights. Senko found it hard to see around the other spectators as they gathered around to watch the fights. "Can you see anything Yahiko?" She asked after she tried to jump over the head of a rather large man that was standing in her way.
"No." Yahiko growled unhappily as he sifted from foot to foot trying to get a better view.
"Let's go find a better spot." She said walking off with Yahiko at her heels. "We're headed over there!" She yelled to the others so they wouldn't be worried. Yahiko and Senko pushed their way though the crowds trying to get to a better view.
"Hey I can see over here!" Yahiko yelled and Senko soon joined him as they pried throw the elbows of people in order to see the stage. The became so engrossed with the fight they were watching they never noticed Ryo coming up from behind them. His arm was in a sling and he looked them both over carefully before grabbing Yahiko's shoulder, with his good hand, and pulling him back. "Hey! What's the big idea!" He yelled; angry for missing the fight.
"Are you with that Kenura fellow?" Ryo asked casually.
"Yeah so what?" Yahiko snapped as he wiggled his way out of Ryo's grasp. Ryo gave a nod to a tall, big, brown haired man on his left. The man smiled and with a grace that seemed impossible for a man his size he grabbed Senko's arm and pulled her to him. "Hey…"
"Yahiko don't!" Senko hissed as a dagger was soon placed at her throat.
"I want this keep quiet, got it kid." Ryo said to Yahiko. "Now you go tell your friend to meet me outside for a rematch." He gave another nod to the man that held Senko and they began to walk away.
Yahiko let out a string of cusses as he ran back to Kenshin and the others. "Kenshin!" He yelled urgently, yet quietly.
"Yahiko, what's wrong?" Kenshin said as everyone turned around.
"It's Senko! Ryo grabbed her and he's threatening to kill her if you don't have a rematch outback!" He said in one breath.
"That bas…" Sanosuke started to say but coked on his words when he was pushed aside by Maki as she ran passed him. Maki, who had just been limping, ran with dexterity as she quickly maneuvered her way around the people making her way to the back. Kenshin took off after her leaving Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Kaoru to catch up. Kenshin was a lot faster then Maki but she was able to weave her way around faster and wasn't able to catch up before she fly outside.
"Ryo!" She screamed once outside and seeing him leaning against a wall; a smug smile on his face. Senko was still held, dagger to her throat, by the other man just to the left of Ryo.
"You're not Kenura."
Maki had her hand clutched tightly around her katana. "Let…my…sister…go." She said, venom growing more and more in her voice as she spoke the words.
"You're not who I want." Ryo continued ignoring Maki. "But I guessed you would come so I found someone who was quiet angry when he found out he was defeated by a girl instead of a man." Ryo snapped his fingers and from the rooftops above dropped a man who Maki recognized as someone she had defeated before she had fought Kenshin.
The man's long black hair whipped wildly behind him as he fell. His sword was already drawn as he tried to strike Maki down as he landed. Maki, without effort, stepped away from the attack and the man struck the ground instead. The man rose to his feet his hair falling halfway down his back, he was bulky and he stood at the same height as Maki did. Maki stared at him with cold eyes. "I beat you before, what makes you think I can't beat you again?" She pulled her blade from it's black scabbard and the blade gleamed in the afternoon sunlight.
The man smiled. "Because you are injured."
"You; have no pride." Maki said as she ran towards him blade raised.
Kenshin rushed through the doors leading outside. The scene before him took him by surprise. Maki stood, her back to a bleeding corpse, and blood trailing down her blade. "Now you will release my sister." She was speaking to Ryo who didn't seem to amused anymore. His face set in angry as Maki approached him. "Let my sister go." She repeated. Just then Yahiko, Sano, and Kaoru made there way out.
"Oh my…!" Kaoru screamed putting her hand over her mouth when she saw the man lying in a pool of his own blood.
Ryo moved his eyes to the growing group of onlookers. "I want to kill Kenura. Not you." Ryo reached into an inside pocket and pulled out a pistol. "You take another step and I'll shoot you." He turned toward Kenshin then aimed the gun at him. "You embarrassed me in there!" He shouted angrily at Kenshin. "I was showing off the strength of my new armor to potential buyers and you smashed it to pieces. You cost me a fortune!" A cruel smile came over his lips. "As payback I'm going to take your life!"
"You entered the ring on your will. You took the risk that your armor would fail by stepping in. It is not the fault of this one."
"SHUT-UP!" Ryo yelled as he fired the gun. Everyone gasped in fear as the bullet sailed towards Kenshin. Using his beyond godlike speed Kenshin moved himself from the bullets path. As everyone stared in wonder at Kenshin coming out unharmed Maki used the distraction to pushed herself up against the man that held her sister.
She had him pushed up against the wall her blade pressed dangerously at his throat. "Let go." Maki hissed. The man dropped the dagger and it clattered to the ground. Then he let go of Senko who squirmed her way out from in-between her sister and her captor. Her sister out of danger Maki brought up her free hand and punched the guy in the nose. He sank to the ground, crying out, and holding his broken nose.
Ryo saw his plan falling apart in front of him and fired once more at Kenshin. Kenshin dodged the bullet and ran towards Ryo. With a blinding light Kenshin struck Ryo's arm with the Sakabato. The gun fell to the ground as Ryo fell to his knees clutching his injured arm. "Now I suggest you leave here." Kenshin said coldly as he picked up the gun and tossed it into the air. As it descended Kenshin flipped the blade of his Sakabato and with four quick swipes the pistol landed in four different pieces. "Don't you dare try to harm any of my friends again." He said as he turned his back to the opened mouth Ryo.
Suddenly Ryo began to scream as if he was being attacked. Kenshin whirled around to find his attacker to be none other then Maki. "How dare you!" She practically growled. "How dare you even TOUCH my sister." She had a good hold of Ryo's hair and had pulled his head back. Her blade was touching his throat; drawing a small river of blood from the tip. "Feel what you did to her!" She screeched. "Do you like it?" She twisted her sword slightly making Ryo whimper for his life.
"Maki! Stop this!" Kenshin yelled to her.
Maki looked to Kenshin with hate filled eyes. For a moment they stared at each other until Maki clicked her tongue and pushed Ryo backwards and letting her grip on his hair go. "If you ever touch her again, I'll kill you." She threatened as she quickly flipped her sword's blade and smacked Ryo's shoulder that was injured by Kenshin earlier with the blunt of her sword with all the strength she had. Ryo's pupils dilated and he fell forward unconscious.
"Maki!" Senko cried running and latching herself onto her sister's leg. Maki placed her hand on Senko's head before turning to face the others.
"You… you killed him." Kaoru stuttered as she tried not to look at Maki's first victim.
"Yes." No sorrow or regret was on Maki's voice.
"Earlier when you said those man who killed your mother got what they deserved. You killed them didn't you?" Sanosuke asked as Maki pulled a black rag from her pocket and wiped her blade clean.
"Yes." Still no emotion. "Are you surprised?" She said as she sheathed her weapon. "I'm sorry for exposing you to all of this. I am sorry my sister was used to lure you out here Kenura." She and Senko went back inside alone.
Kenshin and the other's followed them inside leaving the man with the broken nose to clean up the 'mess' outside. Kenshin was the first to approach the two. "You don't have to run from us." Kenshin said trying to sound merry.
"You saw what I did." Maki said with her eyes downwards. "I just killed someone! That's doesn't bother you?!" She still couldn't bring herself to look Kenshin in the eye.
"True," Kenshin said sadly "but if your sister hadn't been in danger would you've done it?" Maki shrugged. "I don't think you would have."
"You don't know who I am! I just met you!" She said to the ground.
"This one knows because you won't look me in the eye." Kenshin said seriously. "You're ashamed." Maki didn't say anything. "You're a good person Maki. This one can tell. You just need to stop killing." He patted her softly on the shoulder and Maki did something he wasn't expecting… she crumpled to the ground at his touch. "Oro?"
"Ow… pain!!!!" Maki moaned from her spot on the ground.
'YOU IDIOT!" Senko hollered. "I knew you'd hurt yourself." Senko walked up and gave her sister a small smack to the side of Maki's head. "And after you were complaining about Kenura acting like a baby!"
"Oro?"
"Hey! It was to save you!" Maki yelled at her sister.
"Oro?"
"You still hurt yourself! You moron!"
"Oro?"
"I'm the moron!? Miss I'm going off by myself to get a better view!"
"Oro?"
"I wasn't alone! I was with Yahiko!"
"Oro?"
"You're annoying!" Maki jumped to her feet.
"Oro?"
"Well you can't take care of yourself!" Senko put up her fists.
"Um… people are starring you two." Kaoru's warning fell on death ears.
"I can too take care of myself!" Maki shouted.
"ORO!!!!" Kenshin cried as the two siblings began a fist fight with him in the middle.
"Hey you two nock it off!" Kaoru yelled trying to help Kenshin out of the fight. "Help me you two!" She yelled looking back at Sanosuke and Yahiko who had fallen doubled over in laughter. "How dare you laugh over something like this!" Kaoru yelled at the two rolling up her sleeves as she moved toward them.
"We weren't laughing Kaoru!" Yahiko yelled throwing up his hands in self-defense. The lie didn't work and Kaoru pounded the both of them on the head. Then a new laughter could be heard. Senko and Maki had stopped fighting and along with Kenshin they and a few of the crowd were laughing.
"Hey! No fighting outside of the ring!" The announcer called angry at being ignored. This brought on a whole new wave of laughter.