Chapter 11 – Suiso's Demands

Senko found Kaoru lying where Suiso had left her. "Kaoru!" Senko shrieked at finding her new friend lying as if dead. Senko fell to her knees and shook Kaoru. She was cold but she was breathing. "Wake up Kaoru!" Senko said quickly tears falling from her eyes. Kaoru remained sleeping.

Kaoru heard Suiso laughing. She opened her sore eyes and saw she was back on the deck. Senko was just waking up in a man's arms. Unmei was slowly making his way to his sister; he seemed fine. Suddenly she felt a warm reflection on her face. "... I meant her." She heard Suiso say. Suiso stood in front of her and Kenshin had his arm out in front of her. "Come on Battòsai!" Suiso yelled as he charged at the two of them.

Kenshin quickly untied the rope that had bound the sword and sheath together and whipped the blade free of its sheath. With a war like yell Kenshin ran toward Suiso. Kaoru took a quick look into his eyes before he disappeared into thin air. They were a blood chilling amber. "Kesnhin!" She cried at seeing those eyes.

She heard a clang of metal from behind her and quickly turned and saw that Kenshin had blocked an attack of Suiso's. Kenshin pushed Suiso back and aimed a blow for Suiso's shoulder. Suiso turned away and the two disappeared from Kaoru's untrained eyes once more.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a splash of red. She whipped her head around to see what had happened as the blood fell on her. Suiso knelt before Kenshin holding his chest which blood was seeping from. Kenshin flicked his sword sending the blood from it flying and making more red freckles on Kaoru's face. Kenshin raised his blade to deliver the final blow. "Kenshin! Don't!" She screamed.

Kenshin gave her a cold look. "If I don't stop him now he will just keep coming."

"But... your... there has to be another way!" She said uncertainly. Kenshin scoffed. "Kenshin what happened to you?"

"I will not let anything happen again!"

"What do you mean ag...?" At that Kaoru felt something cold slide into her body but she felt no pain. She couldn't speak; only whimper as she looked down at the blood covered point of Suiso's sword coming from her torso. She touched it with one finger unbelieving as she felt Suiso's hot breath against her neck. She looked back at Kenshin who had turned white and mouth agape.

Suiso pulled his blade free and Kaoru couldn't stand she fell slamming her face into the wood of the ship. Still there was no pain. She heard Kenshin yell out her name and then felt him take her in his arms. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. She mouthed his name trying to make her voice work. Kenshin was on the verge of tears as he held her closer. "Fool!" Suiso's voice rang through Kaoru's ears as he suddenly appeared behind Kenshin blade raised.

Kenshin fell over Kaoru protecting her. Kaoru stared into Kenshin's soft lavender eyes as his face suddenly scrunched up as if in great pain. He smiled at her as she felt a thick liquid fall on her. At first the drip was slow and infrequent then came more rapidly. As the thought about what that cool liquid falling on her must be Kaoru tore her eyes away from Kenshin's and looked over his shoulders. Suiso's sword was sticking out from his back.

Suiso made a quick jerky motion with his hand as he pulled his sword out with a laugh. Kaoru heard Kenshin groan and looked back at his face and into his glazed eyes. "I'm sorry Miss Kaoru. I really wanted to go back to Tokyo with you." He smiled as his eyes slowly closed and he couldn't hold himself up anymore.

Kaoru could still feel the blood pouring from her as Kenshin lay lifeless upon her. "Kenshin!" She mouthed, no sound coming from her mouth. "KENSHIN!" She yelled louder as the only sound she heard was Suiso's laughter.

Kaoru's eyes snapped open much to Senko's relief but her pale and sweat covered face made her worry. "Are you okay Kaoru?"

"Kenshin!" Kaoru screamed still thinking she was in her dream.

Senko rubbed Kaoru's forehead with her sleeve. "Calm down. It will be okay."

"What happened?" Kaoru asked starting to realize that it was only a dream and Kenshin was alive somewhere.

"I don't know!" Senko shouted a little too loudly. "I found you lying on the ground. It's been hours the sun has already set!" Senko yelled letting all her stress out.

"Suiso!" Kaoru yelled sitting up too fast making her head spin. "He took the wood back."

Senko shook her head she had long ago come to that conclusion. "But are you okay?"

"Yes I'm fine I just felt very tired when I held that, that thing."

Suiso yawned as he woke up finally feeling refreshed. He smiled; he had gotten an interesting idea while he had slept. He stretched and grabbed his sword he wanted to visit the Battòsai quickly to get his idea in motion.

Kenshin had finally fallen into a restful sleep trying to regain his strength. He could feel the warmth of the sun beat down on him as he lay in the cool grass. He ran his fingers through the grass sending dew flying in all directions. He could hear Suzume and Ayame laughing happily nearby. "Kenny wake up! You said you would play with us!" He heard Suzume say in a playful pout as she shook his chest with her small hands.

He opened his eyes and smiled at the two girls who cheered happily at him finally being awake. "Come on!" Ayame said taking his hand and tugging it. "Let's play tag!"

"You're it!" Suzume yelled as the two ran giggling hiding behind the nearby tree.

"Alright here I come!" Kenshin yelled after them as he rose to his feet. He smiled. Ayame's and Suzume's happy and almost naïve attitude always left him with a smile. Kenshin chased the two around the field being sure not to go too fast so that they were always to far away to catch until he felt a cold presence looming closer.

"Suiso!" Kenshin whispered urgently as he opened his eyes. Soon after the door at the top of a small flight of stairs opened sending light into the room. A dark figure appeared in the doorway and started to make his way down the stairs. Kenshin watched as Suiso descended the stairs.

"How's your head Battòsai?" Suiso asked as if he was an old friend with a smile. He leaned on the bars of Kenshin's cell.

Kenshin returned the smile. "It's fine thank-you."

"You seem happy." Suiso said trying to hide his disappointment. Kenshin heard the disappointment in Suiso's voice and gave a goofy laugh. Suiso was a bit confused he had expected the Battòsai to be furious at him but it didn't matter. "I have a chore for my newest member!" Suiso was silent for a moment and the next time he spoke it was low and had a threatening air to it. "I want you to sneak into Unmei's house and take his son from his bed and bring him here."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "This one won't do that." He answered bluntly.

"Well then... this one will kill one of those two girls who are still onboard." Suiso said. "Well I'll come get you when we dock. So you still have sometime to think it over." He turned, waved, and left.

Kenshin tried to yank his arms free from their restraints. "What now!" He silently yelled at himself. He braced his feet on the floor and tugged with all his might. "What now." He whispered. He jiggled his hands from side to side trying to get it free. "What now!" He said angrily out loud.

Megumi looked over the houses wondering which one had the injured man in it. An urgent call for a skilled doctor had reached her in Kyoto and although she was reluctant about leaving while Kenshin and Kaoru were both missing she couldn't ignore the request either.

She passed a young woman, who had been obviously crying, with midnight hair tied back in a small, messy ponytail carrying a small boy. "Excuse me but do you know which house belongs to a man named Unmei?"

"Who are you?!" The woman asked frightened pressing the boy closer.

Megumi held up her medicine box. "I'm a doctor I heard a man was stabbed."

"Oh!" The woman exclaimed. "I'm sorry. I'm his wife, Maki, please follow me." She said looking at Megumi with a hope, yet doubtful smile. Maki led Megumi to her house and led her inside. Maki quickened her pace as she led Megumi throughout the rooms of her house. Out of the corner of her eye Megumi thought she spotted a familiar sword with a strange, unfamiliar, dark coating on it leaning against a wall.

"Kenshin?" She said under her breath but shook the idea from her mind. Kenshin's blade wouldn't be covered in blood.

Inside the next room was a tall man standing over another man lying in a bed. The man in the bed squirmed in pain his blankets stained with blood. "What happened?" Megumi yelled as she fell to the boy's side and threw back the covers to look over the wound.

"He was stabbed." The tall man sad putting a hand over his eyes to hide his tears.

"Do you know who?" Megumi asked as she began to mix potions.

"Yes, but he is long gone." Maki answered and Taku cried.

Senko grabbed her side and hissed. She removed her hand and saw blood on it. "Senko you're bleeding!" Kaoru said as she looked at Senko's hand. Senko didn't move she just kept staring at her hand. Kaoru leaned over and looked at Senko's wound. "It's not too bad. Wait here while I try to find something to cover it." Kaoru rose to her feet and gave Senko, who seemed lost, one more look before leaving her.

Senko listened as Kaoru's footsteps quietly left and then she couldn't hold her tears back any longer. They fell silently to the floor. "Unmei." She said softly. By the time Kaoru came back Senko had gotten control over herself but her eyes were still very red. Kaoru didn't say anything as she silently wrapped Senko's wound with some cloth she had found.

Kenshin's arms tingled uncomfortably as he made a fist then loosened it trying to keep the blood flowing in his cold fingers. He still had no idea about what he was going to do about Suiso's demand when the door was opened and Suiso stepped inside swinging a set of keys in his hands. "We've almost docked." He slowly looked through the keys looking for the right one. "The girls are upstairs. Still haven't decided yet which one will die if you don't come back with that kid." He found the key and slowly opened the door. He entered and hunched down so he would be eye level with Kenshin. "Hey I could ask you to kill the kid and bring me back his head would that make this easier?" He asked with a goofy smile. Kenshin didn't move. "No? Oh well!" He stood up and slowly went through his keys again. He took a key in his hand and placed it in the key hold and turned it.

Kenshin heard the click as the lock was opened and his hands freed. They fell to his sides and Kenshin wasn't able to move them. They tingled painfully and his fingers were as cold as ice but he could feel the blood rushing back to them. Kenshin stood to his feet without the use of his arms and looked at Suiso who was staring at his wrists. Suiso smiled. "I knew I would find something that would hold you!" He said noting the purple bruises Kenshin had given his wrists in his struggle to free himself. "Follow me!" Suiso said turning on his heels and heading up the stairs.

Kenshin's legs felt like rubber from having sat for so long but took the stairs easily hiding this fact from Suiso. Kenshin made fists again with his hands trying to hurry the blood flow as he stepped blinking into the early morning light. Both Senko and Kaoru were there; hands tied behind their backs. "Kenshin!" Kaoru yelled relieved when she saw him.

Kenshin gave them a smile. "Are you alright Miss Kaoru and Miss Senko?" He looked worriedly at Senko's blood stained kimono. Senko nodded lost in thought and Kaoru answered with a yes.

"Remember Kenshin." Suiso hissed softly in his ear. "Bring me back the boy or forfeit one of these girls' lives. I think the noisy one will be the one to taste my blade if you don't come back by nightfall." Kenshin knew he was talking about Kaoru.