A/N: Konnechiwa... Tsuki-san here... I am just wondering what it take to get you guys to leave me some reviews so I know what's going on in your heads? Must I dunk you in boiling water and poach you?? j/k
Haruko: Waaaaiiiii!!! This chapter is just too beautiful! Just makes you suck in your breath and enjoy the ride! Go on! Read and Review!
Glossary: Jigoku=The Lowest Hell, Koishii=Dear/Darling, Tora=Tiger, Doushita=What's wrong? Sotsu=Son, My son, Aisoku=Beloved Son,
Spanish Glossary: Mi=My, Hijo=Son, Hermano=Brother, Te Amo=I love you, Perdo'neme Padre=Forgive me, Father
Chapter Eighteen
Change of Plans....
The next morning...
"You have got to be kidding, Kenshin?" Kaoru was fighting mad and it showed in her flushed cheeks and glittering blue eyes. "You are in no physical condition to be running and jumping around anymore, let along wielding your sword... What has gotten into you?"
"Now, Kaoru-Koishii, if you would just listen to me, I could expl-..."
"Don't you 'Koishii' me you old Rurouni... I am in no mood for your explanations or your secrets. You and Kenji have shut me out for the last time"
"What do you mean by that?" Kenshin asked his fuming wife as he eyed her warily feeling as though he were about to be trapped into a very bad position. "You are not thinking what I think you are thinking... are You?"
"If you thinking that I've decided that I'm going with you two... Then, yes, you're right."
"Ne, Kaoru. I will not have that... I will not have you in danger again over this... It nearly killed me the first time through, and I will not go through that again."
"YOU won't go through it?!!" She raged as she advanced on his position in a very threatening manner, and Kenshin took several nervous steps backward away from her. "Do you think YOU were the only one who went through any pain and suffering THAT day?" When he did not respond right away, she shoved her face right up into his. "Well, do you?" she demanded in an expectant voice.
"Now Kaoru..."
"Don't you 'Kaoru' me, Kenshin... unless you can think of a GOOD reason for me not to go, I am going and that is final. You have shut me out and left me out for the LAST TIME." With the last part of her speech all but shouted into his pale face, Kaoru spun around and angrily stalked out of the room and slammed the fusuma behind her leaving a bewildered and despondent Kenshin behind.
"Kami-sama," He groan in defeat. "Why does she have to be so difficult all of the time... Why can't she just accept that sometimes she doesn't need to know EVERYTHING?" Because you Baka, she's Kaoru... enough said. "Indeed.... Kuso." Slowly he opened the door, and looking around outside, he made sure Kaoru had disappeared before he went looking for his son. He found him eating breakfast with Quii and her parents, and after bowing in respect, he quietly joined them by setting cross-legged next to Kenji on the floor.
"Ohayo, Otousan... did you sleep well?" Kenji eyed his Father's haggard appearance with deep concern as the older man sat down. "You do not look very well, are you all right?"
"I just got through talking to your Okaasan... about tonight."
"Oh." Kenji's reply was short and clipped and a look of total understanding crossed his face. "I, ah... I saw her just a moment ago. She looked very angry."
"Hai."
"Were you... ummm, did you argue, Otou?"
"Of course... she has some hare-brained notion that she is going with us tonight."
"NANI?" A look of pure astonishment-covered Kenji's face as he stared, disbelieving at his Father's pinched features. "You cannot be serious, Otou... She cannot be serious... She can't come... it would be insane... Is she out of her mind?"
"Most definitely."
"Careful Himura... That tanuki of yours have superhuman hearing if I recall." Saitou's voice was heavily laced with sarcasm as he shoved a rather large piece of honey soaked bread into it. "If she hears you, you'll be getting one hellova headache from that bokken of her's."
"Ahh... shut-up, Saitou." Kenshin grumbled to which Saitou burst into rolling laughter thus increasing the red-haired man's poor mood. May Kami-sama pull all of the hair from your head. "If it were you, would you want Tokio-san going with you?"
"No, I wouldn't, but it is not me... and Tokio isn't a shindo sword master either." More laughter fell from Saitou's thin lips as Kenshin's eyes glared back at him.
"Fine, be that way... If you cannot relate to my position, Saitou, keep your bloody opinions to yourself."
"Ahhh, Himura... Your skin has grown thin in your old age."
"Perhaps. But you forget your self, Old Friend... We no longer face a mortal woman with the powers of magick. We face a Beast of the netherworld which we do not even know if we can kill or not... and my Beloved wants to go with me into that Hell... Would you really find that so humorous?"
"I suppose not, since you put it that way." Saitou's eyes turned and gazed with a shielded worry upon his youngest daughter where she now sat next to her life-mate. That means you are in grave danger as well, little tora... Why has this not occurred to me until now? "You are only going to try and bring your son to safely tonight, ne?"
"Hai. As swiftly and quietly as possible. Why do you ask?"
"You intend to mask your ki's?"
"Kenji believes the Bane cannot sense ki energy... she did not sense his soul energy, so it would stand to logical reason that it would not sense a ki either."
"Yes, I suppose that does make sense." Saitou looked down at the short floor table in front of him and concentrated on his tea cup for several moments. "Did you not say that Quii's energy was conceived to augment Kenji's to make him more powerful?"
"Hai. When she is reasonably close to him... why? What are you getting at?"
"If she went with you..."
"No!" Kenji's voice was sharp as he boldly met Saitou's topaz eyes. "I do not need her for this. There is no need to put her in danger."
"Do you think, Kenji-san," Saitou's voice was slow and deliberate. "That I would be the last one to want to put my daughter in danger?"
"Hai. So why do you even suggest it?" Golden-aqua eyes glittered dangerously with protective emotions as the red-headed youth reached out and grasped the hand of his mate.
"Because, Kenji-san... you may need all the help you can get against the Bane, and if Quii's powers make you stronger... and your being stronger can build a stronger shield around you and your Father... and your Mother if she ends up going, then would it not be best if you took her along?" Kenshin turned and looked at his son's stony profile and caught the faintest twitching of a muscle in his jaw-line that being the only sign that he was in fact controlling himself from making a foolish outburst.
"I can see your point, Uncle... but I am still loathe to take her along... I-I don't want her to get hurt."
"I understand your feelings, dear boy, and trust me when I say I share them, but you also need to trust me when I say that you need to use every advantage you have to better strengthen your chances of succeeding... Ask your Father about taking chances with the lives of those you love when facing difficulties that require their skills and gifts... Ask him how difficult a decision it is to watch those loved ones walk into battle and risk their lives for you not knowing if you will ever see, hear, or touch them in life again... It is never an easy decision, but it is one that we all have to make at one time or another if ever we walk into the face of battle." Kenji's astonished gaze met and locked with the clear and forthright look in Quii's Father's eyes and in his heart, he knew Saitou was right. He did need Quii, and he needed his Father... and perhaps his Mother... and perhaps...
"Will you go with us as well, Uncle... I do not know if I have the strength needed to carry my brother, and I know Father does not despite the strength of his will, and we would be very slow getting out if we tried to carry him between us."
"You want me to join you so that I can carry him out?"
"Hai. He is very ill, and has lost so much of his body weight... his is thin as a ghost. I do not think he will be very heavy for you to carry." Aqua-blue eyes now tinged with out a ring of gold around the iris pleaded with Saitou. "Will you help us?"
"Hai, Kenji-san... I will help you." You learn quickly, young one... it takes more than an old worn out swordsman and a young brash tiger to rescue a sick man from the clutches of a blood-thirsty howling Demon-beast.
"Thank you, Saitou... Once again you are putting your life in danger for one of my sons."
"You are welcome, Himura, but you forget something."
"Nani?" Kenshin's violet eyes widened in question.
"My daughter is in love with your son... Shit! Both of my daughters are in love with both of your sons... I have no choice in the matter really... We are all family already as it is anyway."
"Hai." Kenshin finally smiled and leaned across the short table and grasped Saitou's hand. "That we are, Saitou... that we are."
"So, does that mean you're going to let HER go??"
"Do I have a choice?"
"I doubt it."
"There is your answer."
"I'm still glad she's your problem and not mine... too moody and opinionated for my taste."
"You don't know what you're missing, Saitou... you don't know what your missing."
"OTOUSAN!!" Kenshin merely turned a boyish smile in his outraged son's direction and winked at him. All Kenji could do was blush and wish he were somewhere else.
**********************************************************************
10:42 p.m.
Imperial Palace Courtyard
It was a near moonless night as the small group of people approached the once grand palace of the old Emperor's. A bare sliver of the magnificent white ball was all that graced the midnight blue sky; therefore, most of the poor light came from the millions and billions of brightly flickering stars that covered the velvety blanket that hung over their heads as they walked carefully through the over grown grounds that had once been a vision of flowering beauty.
It had been much easier to get in this time than it had 17 years ago because none of the gates were chained closed. Everyone found this a little disturbing until someone mentioned the fact that the Bane had probably broken through all attempts to keep a chain in place. Also, it was obvious to everyone that the restoration process had been all but abandoned because most of the equipment was covered with a layer of unseasonable frost at least 1-2 inches thick. That was the strangest thing of all. The cold.
Certainly it was cold everywhere across the City, but here at the Palace, it was like the dead of the winter. Everything was frozen beneath a blanket of ice, and the wind that blew bit through whatever clothing was being worn and then chilled the occupant to the bone. They would have to hurry if everyone was going to avoid catching a cold since none of them were really dressed for such phenomena. Light outer cloaks were all that anyone had worn to escape the chill, but they were not enough to protect them inside the walls of the Palace.
Carefully, and as stealthfully as possible the five brave souls crept inside the great iron doors that stood ajar and stepped inside the deep freeze of the palace corridors. Oddly enough, every torch along the inner walls was burning and the walls, floor, and ceiling were lit up brightly. Each one of the living souls gasped as they took in the frozen wonder before them. Ice cycles hung from the ceiling like shining transparent daggers, and the murals on the walls had turned into shimmering shifting moving pictures of inexplicable beauty. But the icy beauty was working against them as Kenji was quick to discover as he nearly fell backwards when his feet when sliding across the floor on a completely transparent sheet of the stuff.
"Kuso..." He swore under his breath as he felt the strong hands of his father and his uncle reach out and grab him pulling him back off the clever trap. "You can't even see it." He hissed in shock.
"Ice..." Kenshin whispered in awe as he knelt down and ran his hand over the crystal clear plate of shining glass. "Clear as a window... and deadly as falling off a cliff." Turning around, he caught the eyes of each and every other member of the group before he spoke again. "Your steps must be precise, slow, and deliberate. If you feel your feet going out from under you, try to twist to the side... you will not hurt yourself as much than if you fall straight backwards or forwards." Everyone nodded so when Kenshin started to lead the way across the ice covered floor, they each carefully followed in his steps. First Kenji, then Saitou followed by Quii, and then Kaoru in the rear carrying her Bokken at the ready.
"Do you remember which part of the Throne Room your brother was in, Kenji?" Kenshin turned and looked at his son.
"He was laying in a corner... I could see the big skylight... It was very close."
"Corner?" Kenshin exchanged looks with Saitou who looked as confused as Kenshin felt. "There were no corners... the room was oval..."
"Himura... the City has been renovating... who knows what they have done in there."
"That is true."
"If Kenji-san was close to the skylight, then he must have been up toward the top... close to the Throne... where the Alter was."
"Agreed... which way should we go? We have to try and avoid the Bane."
"This way, Otousan." Kenji pointed to the left. "When the Bane ran out, it left straight across the room and Chri-stan and I were up against the wall with the skylight in front of us and the rest of the room to our right."
"Ahhh, very good. We will go left."
"Kenshin?" Kaoru pulled up next to her husband with a wide-eyed Quii at her side. "What are we doing?"
"Kenji believes we need to take the hallway to the left and circle around to the top of the Throne room to that side. He is fairly certain the Bane left by way of the right hallway."
"I see... You are sure?" Kaoru looked at her son's face.
"Hai. Okaa, I am sure."
"Then lets go, it is getting late." And with that said, they turned left and slowly, carefully made their way along the sweeping hallway that circled the large central Throne Room until they reached the last set of double doors.
Quietly, Kenshin stepped up to the doors and peered through the small open space in between them trying to see anything, and what he saw just might bring him that much closer to the edge of insanity as the fury of the Battousai flared to life inside of him.
The flaming rush of his father's ki slammed back into Kenji with so much force he fell against his Uncle and they both tumbled to the icy floor in a heap of tangled arms and leg.
"Otousan... Doushita?" Kenji could feel his Father's anger... fury... fear? "Otousan?" But before there was time for an answer from the infuriated red-haired man, Kenji suddenly doubled over howling in excruciating pain. Quii was by his side in a moment wrapping her arms around him and for a brief instant the two of them glowed golden. Saitou sat in stunned shock... this was the first time he had witnessed the link between his daughter and her mate, and he was humbled into silence by it. Kaoru had fallen beside her stricken son the moment he had fallen, and she too sat in shock for she had not known the connection between the two young people was so strong either.
It was only a moment before Kenji was back on his feet, his eyes having gone a chilling aqua-gold a snarl on his lips. Stepping up next to his seething father, he met the molten fiery gaze without fear or distress and a message was communicated in the space of a heartbeat. A message of Love... of Trust... and they bonded in that moment in a way they had never done before... The glow of ki energy was bursting from them as they stared into each others eyes, and then Quii walked up to them and dropped a hand on each of their shoulders.
A massive explosion of golden tinged white light filled the corridor for a flashing instant and then was gone, the next moment Kenshin and Kenji were bursting through the doors, battle cries screaming through the icy cold shattering the frozen world on the other side.
**********************************************************************
"NoooooOoooooooOoooooo....... ssssssssttttooooooooppp....." So weak... still so weak... Kenji where are you... Kenji... she's going to kill me... KENJI!!!!
"Pretty baby... pretty pretty baby... are you Mother's pretty pretty boy?" The Bane nuzzled against Christian's vulnerable body as she picked him up off the dirty frozen floor and lifted him to her check where she cradled him like a baby. "Sweet baby.... Mother loves you... loves you..." It's long tongue slid out of the massive mouth and licked along his throat and jaw as he whimpered in distress... "Mmmmmmm... Mother's baby smells so sweet... so sweet... sweet meat... sweet meat... sweet baby...."
"Noooooooooo.... p-pllleeeaaassseee....nooooOoooo...."
"EEEEYYYAAAAHHHHH!!!"
The Bane's huge wolfish head snapped up and it round silver eyes narrowed in shock and surprise as it saw two humans with blazing red hair charging across the icy floor in its direction. It can't be.... it can't..... it... "HIMURA!!!!" The name was a harsh screaming roar that sounded as if it had been ripped from the very depths of the Bane's vitals. A flood of rage surged through its bloodstream and nervous system, and it viciously threw the emaciated body of its son to the side not caring in the least where it landed as it crouched to meet the onslaught of the two attacking Samurai. Unseen at that moment, Quii, Kaoru, and Saitou flew through the open doors, sliding precariously on the ice, running toward Christian's fallen body. Once reaching it, the two women helped Saitou lift the ill man onto his shoulders, and then they fled the room as quickly and safely as they could all the while watching over their shoulders the confrontation that was taking place behind them.
"I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOUR BONES AND EAT YOUR BRAIN, HIMURA!!!"
The Bane screamed as it sprang upward to meet the rushing men. Swiftly and with a well-honed precision, Kenshin and Kenji both drew their swords and jumped into the Bane's attack.
The sound of steel cracking against bone echoed off the ice and marble as the two Samurai's landed on the other side of their attack, and then they whirled in a blur to face any counter attack, but none was coming. The Bane lay unconscious in a heap of fur on the white marble. A puddle of blood was forming beneath it, but as Kenshin and Kenji approached it, they both noticed that the wounds they had inflicted were minor despite the power of both of their strikes.
"We must leave, Otousan... we must leave now." Kenji grabbed the sleeve of his Father's cloak and pulled. "It will wake quickly... we've only stunned it with our blades... the wounds are nothing. They will heal swiftly..."
"Hai..." Kenshin stared in horror at the Bane as it lay at his. It was not quite the same as the monstrous beast Elsbeth had been when she was alive... it had evolved into something much bigger... and much more powerful... much more powerful. A shiver of fear slid up his spine. This was going to be harder than he had anticipated. This was more than Acuma and his little demons... More than Elsbeth and her magic... This was the very Spirit of Jigoku itself, and it was going to take more than Kenji's white light to vanquish. Much, much more.
"Otou!" At the sound of Kenji's insistent voice Kenshin finally allowed himself to be lead out of the room and back into the hallway where he found that the others had already gone.
"Where are they?"
"They must have taken Chri-stan and went straight outside..."
"That would have been the best thing to do." Thank you, Saitou... Thank you, my Friend. "Come, Kenji-sotsu, You were right. We need to leave quickly before the Bane wakes and catches us."
"Hai. Otousan... Let me help you." Kenshin looked down into the beloved features of his youngest son and beheld the countenance of an Angel. Beautiful aqua-gold eyes glowed in his gentle face, and he could not help but smile. His sweet Kenji... His beloved Kodora... wanting so much to help without hurting his Father's pride... and yet too concerned to always be so careful.
"Hai, Kenji... we will help each other get out of this ice trap... come, watch your step."
"Hai, Otou... you too." Both men gingerly made their way toward the front doors taking care to place each step solidly and firmly before taking another, and after a few tense moments they were finally outside. Once they were through the big iron doors, both of them broke into a dead run leaping and dodging through the brush and bushes until they reached the Iron Gate's in the huge stone wall. From there they ran down the old dirt road that had been flattened by frequent used during the restoration, and back into the City limits. That was where they caught up with the other three.
"Kenji!!" Quii broke free from the huddled group and threw herself into the arms of her waiting mate peppering his smiling face with happy kisses until he finally cupped her face with both hands and held her still so he could claim her mouth in a real kiss. A deep contented sigh lifted his chest as he felt her melt into him, and he left his arms drop to wrap around her slender body holding her close as he massaged her lips with his. Tiny high-pitched cries sounded in her throat as she threaded her fingers through his thick red hair and pulled him closer.
"I was so scared." She whispered once he released her mouth. "Otou said we had to leave once we got Chri-stan... He said we couldn't stay and wait."
"He was right."
"But I was so scared, Kenji... I kept wanting to turn around and go back for you... I... I couldn't help it."
"It's alright, Quii... I understand. But if you had come back... I would have beat you senseless for putting yourself in needless danger."
"Beat me??" She squeaked and looked at him warily. "Would you really?"
"No... but I would have been very upset... especially if you had gotten hurt... I don't want you to get hurt, Quii, you mean too much to me."
"I feel the same way about you, Kenji... I don't want to lose you." She buried her face in his neck and hugged him tight. "I don't want to lose you before we even have time to start a life together... I couldn't stand it."
"Nothing is going to happen to me... I swear it." He lifted a hand and began to stroke her long reddish brown hair in an attempt to comfort her fears. "I don't plan on leaving you here alone."
"Hey, you two... break it up." Saitou's rough voice broke them apart and almost immediately Kenji was kneeling beside his Uncle and looking into the flesh and blood face of his brother.
"Chri-stan..." The whisper was almost reverent sounding as he leaned over and put his hand on the sunken and feverish face. "I'm here, my hermano... can you hear me? Chri-stan?" Illness darkened eyelids fluttered and everyone could see his eyes moving beneath their fragile thinness, but they did not open and he did not move. That was the moment that Kenshin shoved all thought of his bodies own throbbing pain out of his mind and took matters into his own hands.
"Chri-stan... Mi Hijo" My Son, he spoke in a soft tender voice as he took one of the cold boney hands in between his strong warm ones. "Can you hear my voice, Mi Hijo? Listen to me..." Leaning over so that his mouth was close to Christian's ear, he began to speak slowly, gently. "You have been gone from my heart for all of your life... Your Mother stole you from me. No, she stole us from each other, she stole the love we could have shared with one another... she took that from us, Mi Hijo. My eyes and my heart knew you from the moment I saw you... My spirit and my soul felt the pull of yours as you stood before me... and my blood cried out for you even as my heart wept for the simple joy that somehow you had found your way to me..." He raised one of his hands and began to stroke the dirty hair and the sunken cheeks. "Te amo, Mi Hijo" I love you, My Son He whispered with the sheen of tears filling his violet eyes as he pressed the most loving of kisses against the sallow skin of Christian's forehead. "Te amo, Hijo."
"P-perdo'neme, P-pad-dre ." Forgive me, Father The voice was not more than a scratchy whisper, but Kenshin heard it, and he understood... somehow, despite his rusty Spanish, he understood.
"I already have forgiven you, Querido Hijo... Long ago."
"Pad-padre'... Otou... san?"
"Chi-stan... Te amo, Querido..."
"El...d-dios me perd-dona..."
"God has forgiven you as well, Hijo... It is time for you to come home... come home to your Padre'... to your Otousan..." And then, to Kenshin's everlasting surprise...
"And to you Madre'..." Kaoru leaned down and took Christian's other hand in one of hers while the other began to lightly stroke his forehead. "Come home, Mi Hijo... come home to your family... we have waited for you for such a long time... such a very long time..."
"Kao..." Kaoru looked over at her husband and found that they were both crying. It seemed at last she finally understood why Kenshin loved this strange and foreign son of his, and she suddenly found her own heart reaching out to him in love and comfort. A tearful smile curved her lips as her husbands beautiful violet rurouni eyes gazed lovingly at her... I adore you, Saiai.
"Madre?"
"Yes, Chri-stan... Okaasan... Your Father's wife... Your brother's Mother... I want to be your Mother too. Please come home, Chri-stan, and we'll all be a family, a fully complete family for the first time... we'll all be together, and we'll heal all the wounds of the past... yours, your Father's, Mine, your brothers.... everyone's."
"Ken-ji? Where Kenji??" The note of anxiety in the man's voice was only matched by the look of fear seen when his eyes suddenly opened and began darting around frantically in search of the beloved brother. "Kenji?"
"I am here, Chri-stan. I am here." Kenji moved in closer to his Father and leaned over so his brother could see him, and then everyone sucked in a breath of astonishment at what happened next.
"Kenji... Niisan..Hermano...Mi Amigo...Gracias... Arigatou..."
"You are welcome, Hermano..." And then Christian disengaged his hand from his father's grip and reached for his brother. Before Kenshin could stop them, the two brother's grasped hands, and in a split instant the surrounding area was filled with an explosion of light and life energy that sent everyone reeling backward away from the pair.
The Gemini had been reunited.
Please Review. Thank you.