Review Comments: Ji-chan, arigatou! ~*laughs*~ Baka! You never have a
logged in review! Haha. Not like it matters anyway. You were right! I got
two new reviewers. ~*sweatdrops*~ Even if they weren't for chapter 8.
~*shrugs*~ Oh well! Yep. That was the evil chappie! I'm so mean to Kaoru!
Which is weird 'cause she's one of my favorite characters. I hope you like
the second box set and the OAV!!!! ~*fu fu*~ ~*demon voice*~ Aki-chan!!!!!!
I'm glad that you liked Keito-chan's Adventures! I could see you saying
what I made you say and I can see you shaking you're head at me! ~*grins*~
Ari-san, arigatou for reviewing me. ~*giggles*~ I fixed that. My friend Ji-
chan told me that and it's okay now! Thanks for correcting me though. It's
the thought that counts I guess! ~*smiles*~ I hope you like my other
chapters! Ari and Kat, arigatou for reviewing me! Abayo is like "see ya" in
our language. It's an informal good-bye. My friend, Ji-chan sent me an
explanation between sayonara, ja ne, and abayo. Like sayanara can mean
"good-bye" or "good-bye forever". In the explanation she gave me, there are
two examples of abayo. One is from DBZ, and they're saying "good-bye" and
the other is in Gall Force 3 where the character means, "So long, we`ll
meet again in another life." The character was going on a suicide mission,
so she says this to her friends knowing that she's not going to return. And
last but not least is ja ne. It means "bye". It's could be curt and
informal or it is just a shortened version of good-bye! I'm glad you like
my story! Dai-chan, where's a tranquilizer when you need one? ~*laughs*~
Just kidding. Hai, Kage is a big jerk, but you knew that this was coming.
~*shakes head*~ He wouldn't be a bad guy if he wasn't a jerk. I guess it's
in his nature. Hmmm. ~*thinks*~ I wonder if that means I'm a big jerk if I
can write someone like him. Either that or I'm just really, really screwed
up and morbid. I can't decide. I think it's time for a straight jacket.
"Hey! The monkey took the straight jacket! Ritsu! Come back!" ~*fu fu*~ Oh,
and how did you like Ji-chan and my prank? ~*demon voice*~ AKI-
CHAN!!!!!!!!! ~*laughs insanely*~ I guess I'm really like Kage. ~*sighs*~
Oh, well! I'm glad that you like Keito-chan's Adventures!!!!!!!!!! I'm
trying to decide how you're going to react. XxkenshinlubrxX, arigatou for
reading my story! ~*bows*~ GOMEN NASAI!!!!!! I hope you're not offended.
Don't worry; Kenshin won't be sitting on his butt. It's sooo not like him
and I love him too much to not make him kick some ass!!!!!!!! I hope you'll
keep reviewing! Abayo!
Chapter 9- And The Game Begins
"Abayo, Tsuyoi and Mayonaka!" Kenshin called.
The two figures waved and started down the road. They were heading home because it was almost eleven o' clock. Mayonaka had begun to lag behind the group when they were following the trail in the woods. Tsuyoi had hoisted Mayonaka onto his back and shortly after that, the path led to a large, open road. Sano had been so angry that he cursed loudly enough to wake up Mayonaka. Yahiko didn't lose any of his optimism and told Kenshin cheerfully that all they had to do was follow the road.
"We can ask around too! Someone was bound to see something."
He started down the road.
"Yahiko," Sano called, "it's too late to go down the road now. We'll come back here tomorrow."
"But-" Yahiko protested.
"Sanosuke's right, Yahiko," Kenshin said. "If we found the complex tonight, we wouldn't have the strength to fight to get Kaoru-dono."
"You mean US," Sano thought sardonically. "You would have enough strength, Kenshin. Especially since it's Jo-chan."
Yahiko's face fell, but he turned back to the group, following them back down the path reluctantly.
~*~*~*~
Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko made their way to the dojo. Kenshin stopped suddenly, causing Yahiko to bump into him.
"Gomen nasai, Kenshin," he started but Kenshin held up his hand to silence him.
"What's the matter, Kenshin?" Sano asked in low voice.
"Someone's in the dojo," he replied, voice equally low.
Kenshin slowly open the gate. A man stood on the porch. Kenshin wondered why the man had bothered to conceal himself. The man turned to the trio. He looked to about a year older than Kaoru. He had black hair that was tied in a low ponytail and he wore practice clothes almost identical to Kaoru's. Something stirred in Kenshin's memory.
"He had black hair in a low ponytail. He had on practice clothes just like Kaoru-sensei but his pants were black and he had a brown overcoat."
Mayonaka's voice resounded in Kenshin's head.
"You!" he snarled, startling Sano and Yahiko.
The stranger looked at him calmly.
"What about me?"
He stepped off the porch, his sword now visible. Kenshin's hand went to his sakabatou's hilt instantly.
"You are the one who kidnapped Kaoru!" he hissed, unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
Sano and Yahiko looked at each other in shock. Sano dimly noted that Kenshin had left the 'dono' out of Kaoru's name. The man nodded. "Hai, I am."
"How can he be so calm?" Yahiko wondered frantically. "Doesn't he know who Kenshin was?"
"What have you come here for?" Kenshin asked coldly.
"I've come to tell you where Kaoru is," the man said matter-of-factly.
Kenshin suppressed his surprise by asking harshly, "Why would you, of all people, tell me where Kaoru-dono is?!" You're the one who kidnapped her!"
The man walked closer to Kenshin.
"Ah, well, that was an order," he said, then his face hardened. "My oh so wonderful boss told me to watch this dojo for a week, see what kind of relationship you and Kaoru had, then kidnap her when she was without you, the Battousai, and her weapon. I myself didn't find out why Kage wanted her until an hour ago."
Kenshin's mind absorbed all the facts. He had once heard about the syndicate that Kage was leader of. It was known as the Shadow Gumi. Kenshin had never dealt with them before.
The young man's voice broke through Kenshin's thoughts.
"You can drop the battle stance you know," the man commented dryly. "I'll disarm myself."
He pulled his sheathed sword from his cloth belt. He tossed it to Sano, who caught it, surprised.
"That's all I have," he said when Kenshin eyed him suspiciously.
Kenshin relaxed out of his battle stance though his hand was still at it's hilt.
"Name yourself," he said emotionlessly.
"Fumeiyo. And no, I don't want to reveal my last name."
Kenshin ignored Fumeiyo's sarcasm.
"Tell me why Kaoru-dono was kidnapped," he demanded.
"Jeez," Fumeiyo thought. "How could Kaoru fall in love with him?"
A small smile appeared on his face. "Are you always this straight forward? From what Kaoru's told me, you're not too straight forward with her."
Kenshin stiffened when Fumeiyo said this. Gold mixed with violet. Creating swirls of color in Kenshin's eyes.
"What do you mean?" Kenshin asked, voice hard.
Fumeiyo noted the dangerous change in Kenshin's eyes. His attention was then, focused by a movement behind Kenshin. The two people that were behind the Battousai moved away from him and skirted towards the dojo.
"Kenshin," said the one whose hair looked like a rooster's feathers, "we're going inside the dojo so you can talk to this guy."
Kenshin gave Sano a curt nod without removing his eyes from Fumeiyo. Sano and Yahiko quickly walked past Fumeiyo, Sano cracking his knuckles as he gave him a dirty look, after handing Fumeiyo's to Yahiko, and disappeared into the dojo. Fumeiyo snorted and turned his eyes back to Kenshin. He sighed.
"I've been 'taking care' of Kaoru since she's been at Kage's complex. She's been so scared. She needs you, Battousai! Can't you see that?!"
Kenshin looked at him, taken aback.
"She thinks you want nothing to do with her! It upsets her so much."
Kenshin stared at Fumeiyo, moving his mouth soundlessly. He managed to talk after awhile.
"S-she really thinks that?" he squeaked.
Fumeiyo shot Kenshin a disgusted look and remarked, "Feh. I thought you were observant. I don't know what blinds you, but Kaoru's depressed about you pushing her away. She thinks you want nothing to do with her."
Kenshin stood there, frozen. His stomach felt like lead was in it.
"Oh," was his soft reply. He looked at Fumeiyo with large, sad eyes. "Please come into the dojo."
Kenshin walked past Fumeiyo, eyes dull, his movements lethargic. Fumeiyo watched Kenshin's back as he lead him to the sitting room. He took mental notes of the way Kenshin walked and carried himself. After having the weight of his words, Fumeiyo thought Kenshin had slumped. His shoulders were rounded into a hunch and his walk was shuffled. "Battousai," Fumeiyo thought fiercely, "please save Kaoru because I might not be able to. Only your love can heal her past and uncertainty."
Fumeiyo followed Kenshin through an open door. He saw that the man and boy from before were sitting in there also. Kenshin sat down removing his sword from his side, laying it down next to him. Sano cleared his throat.
"Where did you take Jo-chan?" he asked angrily.
"Tough, aren't we?" Fumeiyo remarked causally.
Sano stood up, hands curled into fists.
"Listen, buddy. Enough with your smartass remarks and sarcasm. This is someone we all care about. We don't need your punk ass rubbing in the fact that we can't find her!"
"Yeah!" said Yahiko, jumping up. "You have no idea how worried we are. Kaoru is special to all of us. If you're just gonna laugh at us, then I, Myojin Yahiko, will defeat you right now!"
Fumeiyo smiled.
"You have a great swordsman's spirit, little one, but don't think you can beat me."
Yahiko grew red with anger and went to lunge at Fumeiyo when Kenshin spoke up.
"Enough, all of you!"
All eyes turned to him. everyone, including Fumeiyo, was surprised how harsh and raspy Kenshin's voice had become. Sano and Yahiko sat back down, eyeing Kenshin warily. Fumeiyo kept his eyes trained on Kenshin, observing every little thing about him.
"Tell us were Kaoru-dono is. Sano and Yahiko are right. Don't mock us because we can't find her. You said you came here to tell us where she is. So tell us."
Fumeiyo sighed and rubbed his neck. He knew that this would be difficult but he never thought that it would be this difficult. The aura that surrounded that Battousai made him nervous. It was mixed with emotions that scared Fumeiyo. He could sense the hatred, fear, love, pain, and chaos within Kenshin's aura.
"Well," Kenshin's voice cut harshly through Fumeiyo's thoughts.
"Kage's complex likes about four to five miles from where my men and I attacked Kaoru. If you look closely, there is a little used path by the road. If you follow the path, you will come to a large road. You turn left down the road and then follow it for another two to three miles. There is a wall that's set back about a hundred feet. That surrounds the complex. That's Kage's syndicate, the Shadow Gumi."
Kenshin sat, focused on Fumeiyo's face for a while. Fumeiyo shifted under his gaze, uncomfortable.
"Arigatou," Kenshin finally replied.
Fumeiyo let out the breath he didn't realize that he was holding.
"I'll give you a good time to go. You need to get past the men Kage has patrolling the place. It's probably best if-"
"If we go in when their changing shifts," Kenshin finished for him.
Fumeiyo nodded, then stopped. He bolted silently and swiftly out of the room, down the hall, and vaulted off the porch into the yard with Kenshin close behind him.
"Did you sense it too, Battousai?" Fumeiyo asked, voice barely audible.
Kenshin jerked his head in a slight nod. He silently raised his arm and pointed to a spot outside the dojo's walls. Kenshin heard Yahiko and Sano's voices coming from the window. Before he rushed after Fumeiyo, he told in a hushed whisper, to talk as if he and Fumeiyo were still there. They agreed with confused looks.
He and Fumeiyo jumped onto the dojo's wall, careful to not to make any sound. They made their way along the wall until they saw what they were looking for. Someone dressed like a ninja was crotched outside the wall by where the window was. Sano and Yahiko's voiced could be heard perfectly. Kenshin nodded to Fumeiyo and then they jumped down next to the man. The man jumped almost a foot in the air.
"Today's not your lucky day no is it?" Fumeiyo said cheerfully.
He hit the man in the shoulder with his sheathed sword, causing him to pass out. He hoisted him over his shoulder and followed Kenshin to the gate. Kenshin pulled the gate shut behind him after Fumeiyo had walked in with his cargo. They returned to the room they were in before and Fumeiyo set down the unconscious man. Sano and Yahiko stared at the ninja before them. Fumeiyo reached down and removed the ninja mask.
"Kuso," he muttered. "It's Akito. He's a spy for Kage! He must have followed me!"
He slammed his fist into the floor, then sat looking pensive.
"Well the way I see it, if he doesn't get back to Kage, you three and Kaoru will be safe."
Fumeiyo put his hand on his sword's hilt. Kenshin's head flew up. "There's no reason for you to slay an innocent man!" he cried. "We'll turn him into the police in the morning!"
"Do you think he'll stay around till morning?! Do you want Kaoru hurt?! Kage will hurt her if he knows that you have me helping you!" Fumeiyo argued, voice getting louder.
A cold voice cut through the air like a knife.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Fumeiyo turned around and met piercing yellow eyes and a smirk that mad he blood run cold just like when Kenshin's eyes had flashed gold.
"Saito, this is Fumeiyo. He's from a syndicate called the Shadow Gumi, led by someone called Kage. That's the man who has Kaoru-dono," Kenshin turned to Fumeiyo, "Fumeiyo, this is Saito Haijime. He is a high-ranking police officer. He's been asking questions. Someone else might seen something."
Fumeiyo glanced at Kenshin wondering why he didn't tell the police officer that HE was one who kidnapped Kaoru. Saito took out a match and lit a cigarette. The foul-smelling smoke clouded his face.
"You're that one who ambushed the girl, am I right?" Saito asked, startling Fumeiyo.
"Hai, I am. Why haven't you arrested me if you knew this to begin with?" Fumeiyo asked suspiciously.
"Heh," said Saito, flicking ash out the window. "I can tell you're here for a reason. You're here to tell the Battousai where the girl is and how to get into the complex."
Fumeiyo's eye twitched. How could he have known? Saito eyed Fumeiyo's shocked face with little interest then turned to Kenshin.
"Battousai, I have some information on the complex, the Shadow Gumi, and Kage, the leader of the Shadow Gumi."
"But," Fumeiyo said, "I told them where it was, when to get in, and I told them I would help them. Wait! Are you coming?!"
"Hai," Saito said calmly. "It's my job after all, isn't it? I took on this case, I'll bring it justice."
Sano looked at Saito. Saito's eyes slid to him.
"Justice will be my way. Aku soku zan."
That saying stirred something in Fumeiyo's mind. He heard it before but he couldn't remember. He brushed off the thought and focused his attention to Saito, who was telling Kenshin about the Shadow Gumi.
"-the syndicate is a decent size. This guy managed to create a pretty powerful syndicate. It's rumored that it's a big rival for other syndicates. The leader is Hoshi Kage. He's about twenty-two, and there's very little known about him."
"He formed the Shadow Gumi at the age of fifteen. He managed to keep it together for eight years with no problems. I arrived there a couple of months after I left my village. I've been with him ever since, carrying out his every order." Fumeiyo's face was shadowed, but Kenshin felt his anger wash over him. It was tainted with sadness, too. "He's been full of anger for twelve years. He wants revenge against you, Battousai."
Kenshin looked at him in shock.
"Me?! But why?! I've never met him at all!"
Fumeiyo nodded and replied, "I know that. His brother and father were in the Shinsengumi. One night, the Shinsengumi attacked some Meiji official. You were there, apparently protecting him. You ended up killing his brother and father."
Kenshin's eyes glowed with remorse. The weight of his former life crushed him.
"I see," he said, eyes shadowed.
"Kage's mother gave up, I guess. Her husband and eldest son were killed and her only other son, Kage, was too young to work. His mother died a couple of months later. She had stopped eating, and her body was beyond the point of help, just as her mind was. She was consumed with grief. She got terribly sick and died, leaving Kage. He believes that it's your entire fault. All he wants is revenge against you. That's why he took Kaoru from you. She's bait."
Anger flared in Kenshin' eyes. Saito looked at him.
"Easy, Battousai. You wouldn't want to turn back into the Hitokiri Battousai, now would you?"
"Shut up, Saito!" Sano barked.
"Kenshin has no intention of turning back into a Hitokiri!" Yahiko said in a loud voice.
"That's something Kaoru-dono would say," Kenshin thought sadly. Saito threw Sano and Yahiko a cold look before turning his attention back to Kenshin.
"Don't lose your temper when you fight Kage, Battousai."
"I don't plan to, Saito," Kenshin quipped emotionlessly.
Saito turned to leave, but Fumeiyo called out to him.
"Oi! Can you take this guy to the police station with you?" he asked, indicating the still unconscious man lying at his feet. "He's a ninja from Kage. It would do you good to put him in an isolated cell."
"Oh really?" Saito said, smirking, "I'll try to remember that."
Saito grabbed the front of Akito's shirt and placed him on his back.
"Battousai," Kenshin looked a him. "I'll be here at sunset tomorrow. We'll go to the complex later in the night. Gather the people who are going with you so we can establish a plan."
Finished, he walked out of the dojo and out of site.
"Jerk," Yahiko muttered.
Sano laid his hand on Yahiko's head.
"Ah, don't worry about him, Yahiko," he said, other hand curling into a fist.
"So that's Mibu's Wolf?" Fumeiyo remarked.
"You know him?" Sano asked, surprised.
"No, I've heard of storied from some of the older members of the Shadow Gumi and Kage."
Fumeiyo walked to the window and glanced at the sky. The moon was almost above the dojo.
"I must leave you now. I'll be waiting at the place were the unseen path is because I assume you have already found the path." Kenshin nodded slightly. "I'll meet you there at midnight."
"Hai," Kenshin said. "Tell Kaoru-dono that I'm coming."
Fumeiyo nodded slowly, sympathy filling his eyes.
"I will. Oyasumi nasai."
"Oyasumi nasai," Yahiko and Sano chorused.
Kenshin stood up and walked with Fumeiyo to the gate. Yahiko stared at their retreating backs.
"Sano, do you think we can trust him? For all we know, it could be a trap."
"We're gonna have to, kid."
Yahiko didn't notice that Sano called him kid.
~*~*~*~
Kenshin walked Fumeiyo to the gate. Fumeiyo noted his stony silence.
"Kaoru is very trusting," he remarked suddenly. Kenshin's head snapped around to look at him. "She trusted me right away, well, almost right away. She didn't care that I was the man who had just kidnapped her. She also forgives easily."
"She does," Kenshin said in a barely audible voice. "She did the same thing for me, so I understand what you're saying."
"Feh. I can't believe that you were once the Hitokiri Battousai. You sure don't act like it. Kaoru's very lucky to have you near her all the time."
A ghost of a smile flitted across Kenshin's face.
Fumeiyo bowed and said, "Until tomorrow, Battousai."
He turned and melted into the darkness. Kenshin closed and locked the gate with a loud 'clunk'.
~*~*~*~
Fumeiyo swiftly ran down the path at a speed that was a little slower than Kenshin's. He needed to get back to the complex before Kage realized where he was. He also needed to deliver Kenshin's message to Kaoru.
He sprinted down the concealed path, avoiding brambles and roots. When he got to the main road, he slowed his pace. He moved at a quick jog, slowing down his heart. When he was about ten feet away from the barrier that his the complex from view, he climbed one of the few tress. Getting on the sturdiest branch, Fumeiyo jumped from tree to tree, getting closer to the gate. Fumeiyo jumped on top of the barrier with a soft thump. He launched himself into the air and landed cat-like in the yard. He ran across the yard with unique grace and slipped quietly through the courtyard door. He ran swiftly to Kaoru's room, where she sat by the window, illuminated by moonlight. She looked up hopefully. Her face fell a little when she saw him, but nevertheless, she smiled slightly.
"Konnichiwa," she said quietly.
Fumeiyo nodded slightly and walked to her. He clasped her hands in his. She looked at him, confused.
"He say's he's coming."
~*~*~*~
Kage stood by the window, looking down at the yard. He watched as Fumeiyo landed in the yard. His eyes followed the racing form until it was out of sight. He turned back to his nearly pitch black room. His eyes traveled the familiar outline of the room. Kage's eyes came to rest on the sleeping form of Hikari. Her bare back was pale in all the darkness and her long, black hair was pooled around her head, some snaky tendrils making lines on her back. Kage smirked.
"And the game begins."
Hey everyone! I'm sorry that it took so long! I just want to let you know that there might not be an update for a while because I got grounded (AGAIN) but no worries. Finals are just ending and my new classes are about to start anyway. I hope you can hold out till then. Plus I'm still writing chapter 10! Abayo!
Chapter 9- And The Game Begins
"Abayo, Tsuyoi and Mayonaka!" Kenshin called.
The two figures waved and started down the road. They were heading home because it was almost eleven o' clock. Mayonaka had begun to lag behind the group when they were following the trail in the woods. Tsuyoi had hoisted Mayonaka onto his back and shortly after that, the path led to a large, open road. Sano had been so angry that he cursed loudly enough to wake up Mayonaka. Yahiko didn't lose any of his optimism and told Kenshin cheerfully that all they had to do was follow the road.
"We can ask around too! Someone was bound to see something."
He started down the road.
"Yahiko," Sano called, "it's too late to go down the road now. We'll come back here tomorrow."
"But-" Yahiko protested.
"Sanosuke's right, Yahiko," Kenshin said. "If we found the complex tonight, we wouldn't have the strength to fight to get Kaoru-dono."
"You mean US," Sano thought sardonically. "You would have enough strength, Kenshin. Especially since it's Jo-chan."
Yahiko's face fell, but he turned back to the group, following them back down the path reluctantly.
~*~*~*~
Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko made their way to the dojo. Kenshin stopped suddenly, causing Yahiko to bump into him.
"Gomen nasai, Kenshin," he started but Kenshin held up his hand to silence him.
"What's the matter, Kenshin?" Sano asked in low voice.
"Someone's in the dojo," he replied, voice equally low.
Kenshin slowly open the gate. A man stood on the porch. Kenshin wondered why the man had bothered to conceal himself. The man turned to the trio. He looked to about a year older than Kaoru. He had black hair that was tied in a low ponytail and he wore practice clothes almost identical to Kaoru's. Something stirred in Kenshin's memory.
"He had black hair in a low ponytail. He had on practice clothes just like Kaoru-sensei but his pants were black and he had a brown overcoat."
Mayonaka's voice resounded in Kenshin's head.
"You!" he snarled, startling Sano and Yahiko.
The stranger looked at him calmly.
"What about me?"
He stepped off the porch, his sword now visible. Kenshin's hand went to his sakabatou's hilt instantly.
"You are the one who kidnapped Kaoru!" he hissed, unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
Sano and Yahiko looked at each other in shock. Sano dimly noted that Kenshin had left the 'dono' out of Kaoru's name. The man nodded. "Hai, I am."
"How can he be so calm?" Yahiko wondered frantically. "Doesn't he know who Kenshin was?"
"What have you come here for?" Kenshin asked coldly.
"I've come to tell you where Kaoru is," the man said matter-of-factly.
Kenshin suppressed his surprise by asking harshly, "Why would you, of all people, tell me where Kaoru-dono is?!" You're the one who kidnapped her!"
The man walked closer to Kenshin.
"Ah, well, that was an order," he said, then his face hardened. "My oh so wonderful boss told me to watch this dojo for a week, see what kind of relationship you and Kaoru had, then kidnap her when she was without you, the Battousai, and her weapon. I myself didn't find out why Kage wanted her until an hour ago."
Kenshin's mind absorbed all the facts. He had once heard about the syndicate that Kage was leader of. It was known as the Shadow Gumi. Kenshin had never dealt with them before.
The young man's voice broke through Kenshin's thoughts.
"You can drop the battle stance you know," the man commented dryly. "I'll disarm myself."
He pulled his sheathed sword from his cloth belt. He tossed it to Sano, who caught it, surprised.
"That's all I have," he said when Kenshin eyed him suspiciously.
Kenshin relaxed out of his battle stance though his hand was still at it's hilt.
"Name yourself," he said emotionlessly.
"Fumeiyo. And no, I don't want to reveal my last name."
Kenshin ignored Fumeiyo's sarcasm.
"Tell me why Kaoru-dono was kidnapped," he demanded.
"Jeez," Fumeiyo thought. "How could Kaoru fall in love with him?"
A small smile appeared on his face. "Are you always this straight forward? From what Kaoru's told me, you're not too straight forward with her."
Kenshin stiffened when Fumeiyo said this. Gold mixed with violet. Creating swirls of color in Kenshin's eyes.
"What do you mean?" Kenshin asked, voice hard.
Fumeiyo noted the dangerous change in Kenshin's eyes. His attention was then, focused by a movement behind Kenshin. The two people that were behind the Battousai moved away from him and skirted towards the dojo.
"Kenshin," said the one whose hair looked like a rooster's feathers, "we're going inside the dojo so you can talk to this guy."
Kenshin gave Sano a curt nod without removing his eyes from Fumeiyo. Sano and Yahiko quickly walked past Fumeiyo, Sano cracking his knuckles as he gave him a dirty look, after handing Fumeiyo's to Yahiko, and disappeared into the dojo. Fumeiyo snorted and turned his eyes back to Kenshin. He sighed.
"I've been 'taking care' of Kaoru since she's been at Kage's complex. She's been so scared. She needs you, Battousai! Can't you see that?!"
Kenshin looked at him, taken aback.
"She thinks you want nothing to do with her! It upsets her so much."
Kenshin stared at Fumeiyo, moving his mouth soundlessly. He managed to talk after awhile.
"S-she really thinks that?" he squeaked.
Fumeiyo shot Kenshin a disgusted look and remarked, "Feh. I thought you were observant. I don't know what blinds you, but Kaoru's depressed about you pushing her away. She thinks you want nothing to do with her."
Kenshin stood there, frozen. His stomach felt like lead was in it.
"Oh," was his soft reply. He looked at Fumeiyo with large, sad eyes. "Please come into the dojo."
Kenshin walked past Fumeiyo, eyes dull, his movements lethargic. Fumeiyo watched Kenshin's back as he lead him to the sitting room. He took mental notes of the way Kenshin walked and carried himself. After having the weight of his words, Fumeiyo thought Kenshin had slumped. His shoulders were rounded into a hunch and his walk was shuffled. "Battousai," Fumeiyo thought fiercely, "please save Kaoru because I might not be able to. Only your love can heal her past and uncertainty."
Fumeiyo followed Kenshin through an open door. He saw that the man and boy from before were sitting in there also. Kenshin sat down removing his sword from his side, laying it down next to him. Sano cleared his throat.
"Where did you take Jo-chan?" he asked angrily.
"Tough, aren't we?" Fumeiyo remarked causally.
Sano stood up, hands curled into fists.
"Listen, buddy. Enough with your smartass remarks and sarcasm. This is someone we all care about. We don't need your punk ass rubbing in the fact that we can't find her!"
"Yeah!" said Yahiko, jumping up. "You have no idea how worried we are. Kaoru is special to all of us. If you're just gonna laugh at us, then I, Myojin Yahiko, will defeat you right now!"
Fumeiyo smiled.
"You have a great swordsman's spirit, little one, but don't think you can beat me."
Yahiko grew red with anger and went to lunge at Fumeiyo when Kenshin spoke up.
"Enough, all of you!"
All eyes turned to him. everyone, including Fumeiyo, was surprised how harsh and raspy Kenshin's voice had become. Sano and Yahiko sat back down, eyeing Kenshin warily. Fumeiyo kept his eyes trained on Kenshin, observing every little thing about him.
"Tell us were Kaoru-dono is. Sano and Yahiko are right. Don't mock us because we can't find her. You said you came here to tell us where she is. So tell us."
Fumeiyo sighed and rubbed his neck. He knew that this would be difficult but he never thought that it would be this difficult. The aura that surrounded that Battousai made him nervous. It was mixed with emotions that scared Fumeiyo. He could sense the hatred, fear, love, pain, and chaos within Kenshin's aura.
"Well," Kenshin's voice cut harshly through Fumeiyo's thoughts.
"Kage's complex likes about four to five miles from where my men and I attacked Kaoru. If you look closely, there is a little used path by the road. If you follow the path, you will come to a large road. You turn left down the road and then follow it for another two to three miles. There is a wall that's set back about a hundred feet. That surrounds the complex. That's Kage's syndicate, the Shadow Gumi."
Kenshin sat, focused on Fumeiyo's face for a while. Fumeiyo shifted under his gaze, uncomfortable.
"Arigatou," Kenshin finally replied.
Fumeiyo let out the breath he didn't realize that he was holding.
"I'll give you a good time to go. You need to get past the men Kage has patrolling the place. It's probably best if-"
"If we go in when their changing shifts," Kenshin finished for him.
Fumeiyo nodded, then stopped. He bolted silently and swiftly out of the room, down the hall, and vaulted off the porch into the yard with Kenshin close behind him.
"Did you sense it too, Battousai?" Fumeiyo asked, voice barely audible.
Kenshin jerked his head in a slight nod. He silently raised his arm and pointed to a spot outside the dojo's walls. Kenshin heard Yahiko and Sano's voices coming from the window. Before he rushed after Fumeiyo, he told in a hushed whisper, to talk as if he and Fumeiyo were still there. They agreed with confused looks.
He and Fumeiyo jumped onto the dojo's wall, careful to not to make any sound. They made their way along the wall until they saw what they were looking for. Someone dressed like a ninja was crotched outside the wall by where the window was. Sano and Yahiko's voiced could be heard perfectly. Kenshin nodded to Fumeiyo and then they jumped down next to the man. The man jumped almost a foot in the air.
"Today's not your lucky day no is it?" Fumeiyo said cheerfully.
He hit the man in the shoulder with his sheathed sword, causing him to pass out. He hoisted him over his shoulder and followed Kenshin to the gate. Kenshin pulled the gate shut behind him after Fumeiyo had walked in with his cargo. They returned to the room they were in before and Fumeiyo set down the unconscious man. Sano and Yahiko stared at the ninja before them. Fumeiyo reached down and removed the ninja mask.
"Kuso," he muttered. "It's Akito. He's a spy for Kage! He must have followed me!"
He slammed his fist into the floor, then sat looking pensive.
"Well the way I see it, if he doesn't get back to Kage, you three and Kaoru will be safe."
Fumeiyo put his hand on his sword's hilt. Kenshin's head flew up. "There's no reason for you to slay an innocent man!" he cried. "We'll turn him into the police in the morning!"
"Do you think he'll stay around till morning?! Do you want Kaoru hurt?! Kage will hurt her if he knows that you have me helping you!" Fumeiyo argued, voice getting louder.
A cold voice cut through the air like a knife.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Fumeiyo turned around and met piercing yellow eyes and a smirk that mad he blood run cold just like when Kenshin's eyes had flashed gold.
"Saito, this is Fumeiyo. He's from a syndicate called the Shadow Gumi, led by someone called Kage. That's the man who has Kaoru-dono," Kenshin turned to Fumeiyo, "Fumeiyo, this is Saito Haijime. He is a high-ranking police officer. He's been asking questions. Someone else might seen something."
Fumeiyo glanced at Kenshin wondering why he didn't tell the police officer that HE was one who kidnapped Kaoru. Saito took out a match and lit a cigarette. The foul-smelling smoke clouded his face.
"You're that one who ambushed the girl, am I right?" Saito asked, startling Fumeiyo.
"Hai, I am. Why haven't you arrested me if you knew this to begin with?" Fumeiyo asked suspiciously.
"Heh," said Saito, flicking ash out the window. "I can tell you're here for a reason. You're here to tell the Battousai where the girl is and how to get into the complex."
Fumeiyo's eye twitched. How could he have known? Saito eyed Fumeiyo's shocked face with little interest then turned to Kenshin.
"Battousai, I have some information on the complex, the Shadow Gumi, and Kage, the leader of the Shadow Gumi."
"But," Fumeiyo said, "I told them where it was, when to get in, and I told them I would help them. Wait! Are you coming?!"
"Hai," Saito said calmly. "It's my job after all, isn't it? I took on this case, I'll bring it justice."
Sano looked at Saito. Saito's eyes slid to him.
"Justice will be my way. Aku soku zan."
That saying stirred something in Fumeiyo's mind. He heard it before but he couldn't remember. He brushed off the thought and focused his attention to Saito, who was telling Kenshin about the Shadow Gumi.
"-the syndicate is a decent size. This guy managed to create a pretty powerful syndicate. It's rumored that it's a big rival for other syndicates. The leader is Hoshi Kage. He's about twenty-two, and there's very little known about him."
"He formed the Shadow Gumi at the age of fifteen. He managed to keep it together for eight years with no problems. I arrived there a couple of months after I left my village. I've been with him ever since, carrying out his every order." Fumeiyo's face was shadowed, but Kenshin felt his anger wash over him. It was tainted with sadness, too. "He's been full of anger for twelve years. He wants revenge against you, Battousai."
Kenshin looked at him in shock.
"Me?! But why?! I've never met him at all!"
Fumeiyo nodded and replied, "I know that. His brother and father were in the Shinsengumi. One night, the Shinsengumi attacked some Meiji official. You were there, apparently protecting him. You ended up killing his brother and father."
Kenshin's eyes glowed with remorse. The weight of his former life crushed him.
"I see," he said, eyes shadowed.
"Kage's mother gave up, I guess. Her husband and eldest son were killed and her only other son, Kage, was too young to work. His mother died a couple of months later. She had stopped eating, and her body was beyond the point of help, just as her mind was. She was consumed with grief. She got terribly sick and died, leaving Kage. He believes that it's your entire fault. All he wants is revenge against you. That's why he took Kaoru from you. She's bait."
Anger flared in Kenshin' eyes. Saito looked at him.
"Easy, Battousai. You wouldn't want to turn back into the Hitokiri Battousai, now would you?"
"Shut up, Saito!" Sano barked.
"Kenshin has no intention of turning back into a Hitokiri!" Yahiko said in a loud voice.
"That's something Kaoru-dono would say," Kenshin thought sadly. Saito threw Sano and Yahiko a cold look before turning his attention back to Kenshin.
"Don't lose your temper when you fight Kage, Battousai."
"I don't plan to, Saito," Kenshin quipped emotionlessly.
Saito turned to leave, but Fumeiyo called out to him.
"Oi! Can you take this guy to the police station with you?" he asked, indicating the still unconscious man lying at his feet. "He's a ninja from Kage. It would do you good to put him in an isolated cell."
"Oh really?" Saito said, smirking, "I'll try to remember that."
Saito grabbed the front of Akito's shirt and placed him on his back.
"Battousai," Kenshin looked a him. "I'll be here at sunset tomorrow. We'll go to the complex later in the night. Gather the people who are going with you so we can establish a plan."
Finished, he walked out of the dojo and out of site.
"Jerk," Yahiko muttered.
Sano laid his hand on Yahiko's head.
"Ah, don't worry about him, Yahiko," he said, other hand curling into a fist.
"So that's Mibu's Wolf?" Fumeiyo remarked.
"You know him?" Sano asked, surprised.
"No, I've heard of storied from some of the older members of the Shadow Gumi and Kage."
Fumeiyo walked to the window and glanced at the sky. The moon was almost above the dojo.
"I must leave you now. I'll be waiting at the place were the unseen path is because I assume you have already found the path." Kenshin nodded slightly. "I'll meet you there at midnight."
"Hai," Kenshin said. "Tell Kaoru-dono that I'm coming."
Fumeiyo nodded slowly, sympathy filling his eyes.
"I will. Oyasumi nasai."
"Oyasumi nasai," Yahiko and Sano chorused.
Kenshin stood up and walked with Fumeiyo to the gate. Yahiko stared at their retreating backs.
"Sano, do you think we can trust him? For all we know, it could be a trap."
"We're gonna have to, kid."
Yahiko didn't notice that Sano called him kid.
~*~*~*~
Kenshin walked Fumeiyo to the gate. Fumeiyo noted his stony silence.
"Kaoru is very trusting," he remarked suddenly. Kenshin's head snapped around to look at him. "She trusted me right away, well, almost right away. She didn't care that I was the man who had just kidnapped her. She also forgives easily."
"She does," Kenshin said in a barely audible voice. "She did the same thing for me, so I understand what you're saying."
"Feh. I can't believe that you were once the Hitokiri Battousai. You sure don't act like it. Kaoru's very lucky to have you near her all the time."
A ghost of a smile flitted across Kenshin's face.
Fumeiyo bowed and said, "Until tomorrow, Battousai."
He turned and melted into the darkness. Kenshin closed and locked the gate with a loud 'clunk'.
~*~*~*~
Fumeiyo swiftly ran down the path at a speed that was a little slower than Kenshin's. He needed to get back to the complex before Kage realized where he was. He also needed to deliver Kenshin's message to Kaoru.
He sprinted down the concealed path, avoiding brambles and roots. When he got to the main road, he slowed his pace. He moved at a quick jog, slowing down his heart. When he was about ten feet away from the barrier that his the complex from view, he climbed one of the few tress. Getting on the sturdiest branch, Fumeiyo jumped from tree to tree, getting closer to the gate. Fumeiyo jumped on top of the barrier with a soft thump. He launched himself into the air and landed cat-like in the yard. He ran across the yard with unique grace and slipped quietly through the courtyard door. He ran swiftly to Kaoru's room, where she sat by the window, illuminated by moonlight. She looked up hopefully. Her face fell a little when she saw him, but nevertheless, she smiled slightly.
"Konnichiwa," she said quietly.
Fumeiyo nodded slightly and walked to her. He clasped her hands in his. She looked at him, confused.
"He say's he's coming."
~*~*~*~
Kage stood by the window, looking down at the yard. He watched as Fumeiyo landed in the yard. His eyes followed the racing form until it was out of sight. He turned back to his nearly pitch black room. His eyes traveled the familiar outline of the room. Kage's eyes came to rest on the sleeping form of Hikari. Her bare back was pale in all the darkness and her long, black hair was pooled around her head, some snaky tendrils making lines on her back. Kage smirked.
"And the game begins."
Hey everyone! I'm sorry that it took so long! I just want to let you know that there might not be an update for a while because I got grounded (AGAIN) but no worries. Finals are just ending and my new classes are about to start anyway. I hope you can hold out till then. Plus I'm still writing chapter 10! Abayo!