"Keeeeeeen-SHIIIIIIN!" Kaoru shouted.
"Coming, miss Kaoru!" Came the reply.
Kenshin ran down the hallway. Miss Kaoru sounded quite irritated, and it'd be best not to keep her waiting.
"Yes, miss Kaoru?" Kenshin asked.
"Kenshin, why exactly is Miss Megumi here?"
"Umm….well, miss Kaoru….uh…."
"He invited me over for lunch!" Megumi exclaimed, as she entered through the doorway.
"Oh he did, did he?" Said Kaoru. "Could you excuse us for a moment, Miss Megumi?" Kaoru asked. She didn't wait for a response, and dragged Kenshin into one of the back rooms.
"Kenshin, why would you invite her over for lunch!?"
"Well, you see, Miss Kaoru, yesterday, I was out shopping, and I didn't have quite enough money for the rice. Miss Megumi happened to walk by, and she paid for it! I told her I'd repay her, but she said that the only payment she needed was that she be able to cook lunch for me. I couldn't very well say no. She said she's be by today, and left before I had a chance to refuse."
"Alright, I suppose that's okay. Well….it would be, anyway. You see, Kenshin, we're expecting a new ward today. A young girl. I think she's poor. In any case, she's going to have enough to get used to today without me and Megumi going at each other's throats. I'm sorry, but she has to go."
"But miss Kaoru, we can't just ask her to go!" The red-haired swordsman said.
"Well, maybe YOU can't but I can!"
She grabbed Kenshin by the scruff of the neck, and began to drag him out of the room. She accidentally clipped his head on a support beam, leaving the sound of a sharp 'Crack' and a prolonged 'Oroooooo….'.
When they got back to the main entrance, Nobody was there. There were faint sounds coming from the dining room, however. Kaoru continued to drag him there. When they arrived, they saw megumi, with a rather vexed expression on her face, sitting across from Sanosuke and Yahiko, who were busily eating her food.
"Sanosuke!? When did you get here?" Asked kaoru.
"I was right behind Megumi-san. You were so busy chewing Kenshin out, you didn't notice."
"Hey, guys! Sit down, and have some food! This stuff Megumi brought is amazing!"
"That food is not for you, it is for Ken-san!" Megumi snapped.
Sanosuke and Yahiko edged away from the table, leaving the food, but taking the bowls in their hands.
"Umm….miss megumi? I'm sorry, but you'll have to go. You see, we're expecting a new ward today, and it's going to be hard enough with all of us here."
"Fine. I understand." Megumi said stiffly. "She got up and shot an icy look at Kaoru, but then a smile towards Kenshin. "We'll get together some other time, right Ken-san?"
Before Kenshin could respond, she grabbed the remainder of the bag of food and left without a word. After she was gone, Yahiko shouted at Kaoru.
"Whyd'ya have to go'n do that, Ugly!? Her food was good! Lot better'n yours, anyway….OUCH!" he squeaked, as Kaoru hit him on the forehead with a bowl.
"Now then." She said, authoritatively. "We're expecting a new ward, so I expect everybody to be on their best behavior. Sano, you can stay, but just be good."
"Oh, I see." The bandanna'd fighter replied. "Nobody ever trusts the fighter-for-hire. I was gonna take a nap, anyway. See ya later, everybody."
Everybody watched him stalk off to a spare bedroom.
"So, what do we do now?" Yahiko asked.
"Now…." Kaoru said. "We wait for her."
And they waited. And waited. And waited. Yahiko had even become so impatient that he went out in the yard to practice. It was about dusk that Kenshin approached Kaoru and spoke.
"Kauru-dono, is it possible that she forgot it was today?"
"I don't think so, Kenshin. She would have remembered." Came the response.
"Perhaps she was sick? Maybe she didn't have the address."
"Kenshin, how many Dojo do you know of in the town. I even told her my name. She could have tracked down the dojo with that. She looked perfectly fine when i last saw her."
"Hmmm...." Was the only response Kenshin could think of. Yahiko strolled in the doorway.
"She still not here? he's either stupid, forgetful, or both. OUCH!!" The last part was emitted only when Kaoru threw a nearby pail at him.
"Kenshin, I'm worried," She said.
"Relax, Kaoru-dono. I'll tell you what. Tomorrow, me, Yahiko, and Sano will go and search for her if she's not here by morning."
"Me!? Why do I have to get caught up in it!I don't want her here! Hey!" he said, narrowly dodging another airborne pail.
"You'll do as you're told." Replied Kenshin. Until then, Miss Kaoru, have something to eat, and go to bed. You haven't eaten all day, and you look dead.
Kaoru hit the back of his head for that last remark, but her heart wasn't really into it, so it only left a mild pain, and the sound of 'oro' coming out of kenshin's mouth.
'She really MUST be worried....' Kenshin though to himself.
"I suppose you're right, Kenshin. Thank you." She then rose and walked out the doorway, past Yahiko. He made way for her.
"Man, she's real upset."
"I know, Yahiko. I know."
Aashiru smiled as the girl walked into the middle of the courtyard. She had done well thus far, but those were only the basics.
This was the acid test.
He knew it might be dangerous to do too much too fast, but she had done so well....and he had a....feeling....about this one. Yes, a feeling. In any case, it was too late to stop now.
Suddenly, from about 30 different places, small darts shot out of miniscule holes in the manor walls. It was beginning. The darts were tipped with an incapacitating fluid, that killed nerves. They would not kill the person, but they would disable her sense of touch. More specifically, her sense of physical pain.
The reasoning was that if you could not feel success, you were not permitted to feel much else. Plus, if they remained unharmed, the fear of pain would heighten their "Talents" even more.
He thought it was one of his better ideas. But if one thing could be said for the girl, it would be that she had good reaction time. She arched her back and sank down on her knees, and a good 20 rounds sped by harmlessly. Then she shot her chest forward, and straightened her legs, sending her shooting forward about 10 feet. Impressive leg strength, too. There were more rounds coming at her, but she saw them and reacted. Before she landed, she tucked in her legs, and when she hit the ground, she rolled forward even more. She stood up straight, and bounded to her right, as 3 rounds sped harmlessly by her head. She smiled, then, but too soon. The last wave came. 10 more rounds, and her momentary lapse in concentration cost her.
She let out a grunt of pain as 8 rounds hit her in the legs. 4 in each leg. One at the thigh, one just above the knee, one just below the knee, and one just above the ankle. That was the special commands that were given to his servants, and it worked out marvelously. Better than intended, really. Now that her sense of pain in her legs was gone, she would be able to Run, and jump, and roll for hours and hours on end, and she would never feel the pain for it! It suited her fighting style perfectly.
He thought it was one of his better Ideas.