To Reveal All
Chapter 12: Revealing Reaction
By steelphoenix
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, or any of its characters.
Author's Notes: As the title says, this chapter is the reactions of people to what's happened. There's not much action, but there will be more soon!
Just a warning about this chapter: more meringue. But this time it's combined with a little humour, so I hope it won't be too sickly sweet.
BTW, how did you like the last update (with the first chapters rewritten)? I really liked the way they turned out – much better than I expected. But I'm really annoyed at how I didn't do enough research on them in the first place… /growls at self and Muse/ Anyway, enjoy, and don't forget… REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! (Please).
Sessha is very, VERY sorry about the update, for anyone who went back and read. Sessha substituted Chapter 11 for Chapter 1 by accident. And thus, people were very confused. Sessha has changed it. /deep bows/
Language Notes: TheOnin Struggle wasa war occurring around/near Kyoto from 1467 to 1477. This ushered in the Sengoku (Warring States) Era, which lasted until around 1615.
Glomp: I am assuming you know this means an extremely enthusiastic hug. Read Glomping 101 by Shimegami-chan for the full explanation (It's hilarious, trust me!).
Warnings:PG-13 for violence and sexual situations/scenes. No language warnings.
Kenshin slid to a stop, his gi scraping across the stones, gaining new rips and tears to the many already there.
Flat on his back, Kenshin stared up at the dark sky, seeing some stars – both nature's and his own – despite the brightly-lit courtyard. Dazed, he lifted his hand to touch his shoulder, but then he thought the better of it. It was bad enough without touching – stinging, burning pain. The gash across his chest was throbbing, and now the hole in his shoulder beat in unison.
Okay… that makes two fire attacks, Rurouni grimaced.
That HURT! Rurouni, come and take your share of the pain!
I am, Battousai! I'm feeling exactly what you are!
You're what Battousai's voice was flabbergasted. How do you know that?! And how can we be feeling exactly the same thing?! That hasn't happened since… Battousai jerked to a stop, realising exactly when this had last happened.
Since we were one being, one spirit… Rurouni finished off the sentence.The last time this happened was before that incident at that shrine…
Then, the darkness swelled, and both spirits fell into its velvet embrace.
---
Kaoru gazed in shock as the Kokuryukai's head thudded to the planking. Blood spurted raggedly from the stump left, staining the dragon-scales on her kimono a deeper, duller red.
"Oh… oh, Kami-sama … Oh, Kami-sama, he's dead!" Her breath came in sobbing whispers, and tears started in her wide eyes as she stared at the corpse in front of her.
Yahiko stared at his sister, still trying to figure out where she came from, and what she was doing here.
"And I did it…!" Her terrified whisper swept across the now-silenced veranda.
I violated the prime principle of the Kamiya Kasshin Style – of katsujin-ken itself – to never kill! I've lost my honour as Master of the Style! But I did it to save Yahiko…
Yahiko's more precious than being Master of the Style…
No, if I had to do it again, I would! Kaoru's resolve hardened, and her grip on the kodachi, formerly loose, tightened.
"Yahiko… Tsubame… are you alright?" Her voice, though shaky, was recovering. She turned, looking at her brother.
"Yes… I'm… I'm… okay." Yahiko's reply was hesitant, but his eyes had fallen down to the headless body of the Kokuryukai. Kaoru had killed him… Then, slowly, he turned, and his gaze fell on the man he had slain.
I've broken Kamiya Kasshin's rule… I've broken the first thing I was taught…
Could I have avoided it?
Yes, I could have… but they would've taken Tsubame. She'd be abused, raped… No, I couldn't let that happen. Never. She's worth killing for…
WHAT?! Worth KILLING for?!
…Maybe…
…Maybe she is…
But, I've killed. I never… I never want to do that again…
"Tsubame?" Kaoru's voice broke into his thoughts, and his gaze snapped up, searching for the meiko. It swept the room, until it found the young woman, kneeling on the floor.
He stepped towards her, reaching out, and the katana swung into view. He paused, staring at the blood on the blade. Then, with a movement as though to rid himself of demons as well as the blade of blood, he flicked it, and re-sheathed it, letting go of the hilt as fast as possible.
By the time he'd reached Tsubame's side, Kaoru was already knelt there, shaking the young meiko. There was no response, and she was staring at the bloodied hilt of her knife that protruded from the fat man's chest.
He's dead… he's dead…
He was there one moment, moving, breathing, and now he's still… He's dead!
My hand's bloodied… I'm guilty of murder!
I'm a murderer!
"Tsubame! Tsubame!" Yahiko's voice slipped through her trance, and her head slowly turned towards him. His face was anxious, and she could see a shadow of what she felt in his eyes.
"I'm… I'm a murderer, Yahiko!" Her voice was dark with unshed tears, and her gaze pleaded with him.
"It wasn't your fault…" he whispered, and with a grateful sob, she dove into his arms.
Wetly, through her tears, she sniffed, "I feel… so… guilty…"
"I… I know… but it wasn't your fault… he was trying to kill you! You couldn't help it!" Yahiko clung to the words as hard as he clung to Tsubame, desperately wanting to believe them.
Kaoru knelt beside the two, waiting. She knew that they would soon have to be going, to help the rest of the geishas, to get to Kenshin, but she could allow a little time, for the two to recover from the killing.
---
Knock-knock. Misao looked up, wondering who could be visiting at this time of the afternoon. "Come in!" she called, bouncing up from her seat, where she was studying a book of weapons she had borrowed.
The shoji slid open, allowing in the last person she expected.
A shining smile appeared on her cute face, and she bounced over to her commander, and the man she loved. "Aoshi-sama! How are you? Why are you here? You know, I was just thinking about you –"
"Misao, I need you to pack a bag."
"What?! Why?!"
"Because, Misao, we are going away from here."
For once, the enthusiastic little ninja couldn't think of anything to say. A few seconds passed, as she digested what he had said, and checked several times that she had heard it right. Aoshi noted her silence, and smiled quietly.
Misao looked up at him, and saw the smile. Absently, she remarked, "Aoshi-sama, you look so much better when you smile."
Then the strange remark sunk into her brain, snapped her out of her trance. "Aoshi-sama, did you just say what I think you said? Why are we going away? And why 'we'? Why not just me, or just you, if it's a mission, and –"
Aoshi interrupted, as he was used to doing when Misao got started. "Just pack, Misao. Take the essentials, and any treasures you have, because we are not coming back."
"Really?" She asked, disbelieving. "And this is you and me that are going?"
The smile deepened to a grin. "Yes, Misao. We are going. Soon. Hurry."
Ten minutes later, the ninja girl had a bag on the ground in front of her, stuffed with items. Clothes were mixed with kunai, a wooden doll was wrapped in a kimono, and a lone scroll, the only one she owned, was perched precariously on the top. The second-story room also looked like a tropical storm had been though it.
Misao shoved the scroll down the side of the bag, hoping the ancient leather case was not going to choose now to break, and tied the top closed. Then she raised her head towards the usually icy man.
The grin had faded, but he was still, undeniably, smiling. "Aoshi-sama, you're smiling. You never smile." Misao half-questioned, half-remarked.
"A man can smile when he is happy, Misao," replied the tall man, crouching down in front of her. Misao suddenly noticed that he was close. Very close.
"But…" Misao would have finished the sentence, but Aoshi had already leaned forwards, and placed a kiss on her half-open mouth.
A long moment later, he leaned back, looking down into her face. "Misao, I –"
He also would have finished the sentence, but he was glomped before he could.
---
Sano crouched beside Kenshin, saw his chest moving up and down, and sighed in relief that the redhead was as tough as he hoped. There weren't many men that could take that sort of hit, and still survive.
Rising, he saw Shishio staring smugly at him from across the courtyard. The smirk on the man's face was insufferable – arrogant and conceited. Sano's blood began to heat. How dare Shishio grin like that after hurting his friend so badly?! But, if only Kenshin could get back up…
If only we had time… There was only one way to gain time.
The young rooster-headed fighter snarled, and strode over to the veranda, where he had dropped his zanbato, as he had come to check on Kenshin. The long, cloth-wrapped weapon was quickly unwrapped, and as he lifted it, he gazed along its length lovingly.
The huge blade, as long as he was, was dented and battered. The nicks and gouges in its steel flesh showed the long, hard life it had led – from the Onin Struggle, through the Bakumatsu, to Sanosuke's life as a fighter-for-hire, and now, as a dojo assistant. There were no edges on the antique 'blade', but there was still a shimmer of blue life in its steel.
Shishio looked down at the battered relic, and snickered. "How old is that 'blade'? It looks like it's from the original Sengoku Era!"
"Not quite," replied Sano. "It's from the Onin Struggle – but it's still useful –"
With a spring from his position, he launched himself towards the bandaged man.
"– to crush you!"
---
The woodsman's gate was opened for the second time. Tae briefly hugged Kaoru, wishing her well. Tsubame waited until Tae was out the gate, before she turned to Kaoru and Yahiko.
"Kaoru… good luck… I'll see you when you bring the rest of the geishas to the dojo…" The young meiko looked up at the older woman, and impulsively stepped forwards, hugging her one-armed, avoiding using her damaged limb. Then she turned to Yahiko.
"Yahiko… you're going to fight, aren't you?" The young man's nod prompted a deep sigh, and she briefly paused, looking at her feet.
"Then… I'd like you to have this." She stepped up to him, and laid a quick kiss on his cheek. "That's for… earlier…"
Then she turned away, and was about to duck out the woodsman's gate, when she was seized, whirled around, and very thoroughly kissed.
When they broke off, Yahiko ducked his head, half-embarrassed at what he'd done, but Tsubame lifted his chin gently, and laid another quick kiss – this time on his lips.
"I'll see you later…" She slipped out of his arms, and the woodsman's gate closed behind her.
---
The bounciness of an excited, happy, in-love Misao, Aoshi had just recently discovered, was exponentially increased from the bounciness of a normal Misao. She bounded down the stairs two-at-a-time, and paused at the bottom, waiting for him to descend, which he did with considerably more dignity, her bag bumping on his back.
"Come on, Aoshi-sama!" Misao's sparkling gaze tugged at his heart, and he smiled softly down at her as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Taking his hand, Misao smiled up at him, and they walked along the halls, until they reached the main courtyard.
The heaving mass of Kokuryukai that occupied the veranda surprised Misao, but the scene in the middle of the courtyard surprised her even more. A man with a giant sword – a zanbato, Misao realised – was duelling with Shishio, and strangely, he seemed to be doing rather well. As the pair of them watched, the zanbato-wielder swept the huge weapon around his head, and then in a series of spiralling slashes, arcing the blade through at head-, chest-, and knee-heights. The first two, Shishio dodged with ease, but the knee-level strike caught him just as he was landing, and the blade nicked the Leader's leg.
"Aoshi-sama, do you know…" her question trailed off as she saw that Aoshi's face had lost the smile, and was back to its usual expressionlessness as he gazed out across the courtyard. Misao knew this for a bad sign. Hauling his face around so it faced her, she spoke directly.
"Aoshi-sama, tell me. You know what this is about. Tell me, please."
"Misao, this is…"
"Tell me, Aoshi-sama. Honestly. Please." Her pleading jade eyes twisted a knife in his chest, and he sighed.
Briefly, the Okashira explained his plans, and as he ended, Misao nodded silently, and looked out again over the courtyard.
"Then… the red-headed man on the ground there is the Hitokiri Battousai?" asked Misao. Aoshi nodded in answer.
"We can't leave them to fight alone, Aoshi-sama. Not when they're fighting on our behalf." Misao's voice was decided.
I can't sway her. Not when she uses that tone. Aoshi nodded. "Very well."
---
The third time the woodsman's gate was opened, the geishas slipped out, but no-one followed them.
"Kaoru? Aren't you going with them?" asked Yahiko, looking up at his sister quizzically.
"No, Yahiko, you are." Her reply was unequivocal.
He started with shock. "But… I have to fight! Kenshin wanted me to come back to the courtyard after we'd taken the geishas to the dojo…"
"That doesn't mean he wanted you to fight…" Kaoru stated. "And besides, who's better with Kamiya Kasshin – you or me?"
"You are…" he mumbled, embarrassed.
"Yahiko, go to the dojo. See Tsubame, and then maybe you can come back… Besides, I have to find Kenshin."
Yahiko heard the determination, and worry for Kenshin, in her voice. Realising that she wouldn't be swayed, he nodded.
"Then, Kaoru, take this…" his hand went to the sheathed sword at his side, and he lifted it from the waistband of his hakama. "It used to be Kenshin's. He gave it to me, but I don't think I'm worthy of it… You are, you're the Master of Kamiya Kasshin –"
"After killing?" Kaoru grinned wryly.
"Yes, even after killing. And he loves you. He'd want it you to have it, to use it…" His voice trailed off as he realised the implications of 'using' a katana.
Kaoru thought for a long minute, then she lifted the kodachi from her obi. She'd taken the sheath from inside her kimono after the battle. Handing the shorter sword to her brother, she held the sheathed katana close.
"One question… where did Kenshin get a katana?"
"It was his when he was Hitokiri Battousai," replied Yahiko, briefly. A long moment passed, then she nodded. Her brother stared at her in surprise. "You knew?"
Her only reply was a nod, no explanation, no elaboration. Silence reigned, then Yahiko moved, and hugged his sister close. She returned it wholeheartedly.
"Kaoru… please come back… I don't want to lose you, big sister…"
"I will, Yahiko," she promised. "I will."
---
Megumi had escorted the first set of geishas to the dojo, with no hassles, and nobody breaking down into hysterics, for which Megumi thanked every kami she could name, and some she couldn't.
Tae and Tsubame's group had a little more trouble. When they reached the dojo, one geisha was sobbing uncontrollably, and Tsubame confessed that (due to the fact that neither of them had been to the dojo very often), they had become lost.
Still, Megumi reasoned to herself, they'll all be fine here. I'll be more useful if I go and help Sano and Kenshin! They'll be injured, and I'm good with medicine!
When she mooted the idea to Tae, her 'younger sister' was sceptical. "It's risky, going back. You'll be in more danger than Kaoru, and is it really worth it? You'll be better to wait here and patch them up when they return."
"No, Tae, I have to go. I'll be worse if I just wait here, worrying about Sano and Kaoru and Kenshin. And I'm good with medicine, I can help." Megumi's tone was emphatic.
"But, Megumi, you'll be in danger… very real danger. You could easily be killed, or wounded."
"I'm going, Tae." Megumi was taking no arguments. She walked into the dojo's storeroom, and picked up the medicine chest, Tae following her.
"Very well, then… If I can't talk you out of it…" Tae sighed, then looked up at Megumi, and her tone became practical. "At least, don't go as a geisha. That's too dangerous. Go as a kitchen woman –"
"Me?! A kitchen woman?!"
Tae rolled her eyes at Megumi's prima-donna behaviour. "… or something else, just not as a geisha."
Megumi pulled at her obi, releasing the long silk strip. Wriggling out of it, and then shucking the outer kimono, Megumi was left in her under-kimono and nagajuban. Grabbing a spare gi off the racks on the wall, she pulled it on, and tied the belt. Pulling out the intricate pins from her hair, Megumi smoothed her long hair flat, and then wiped her face clean of the geisha mask. The entire process had taken no more than a couple of minutes.
Tae looked her up and down as she retrieved the medicine chest. "A doctor…?"
Her questioning tone earned a glare from Megumi. "I can treat wounds, at the very least. I know I can do this…"
Only Tae's eyes showed her true worry for her friends, and 'sisters'. She was fighting to control herself. "Everyone's going off to fight… Please, Megumi, if you're going… then… bring them back safe. Please. Use the skills you have to get them back. And take care of yourself. I don't know what I'd do if you or Kaoru were injured – or… or… or died!"
Megumi hugged her 'younger sister'. "Don't worry, Tae. We'll be back. All of us. Soon."
Author's Notes: I couldn't resist making our kitsune good with medicines. She may not be the 'fox-doctor', but at least she's getting there!
This was mostly a 'filler' chapter, but I had to write it this way, because otherwise we'd have people appearing from nowhere, etc. Sorry about leaving Kenshin hanging… I'll probably be growled at for that! /ducks in anticipation/
Review! Please! Onegai!
Review Replies: Thanks to all my reviewers.
For TRA11 -
half-breed-demon-fox – Glad you like it! Enjoy the update!
Lydia-Blessing – No, no KxK… but there was some this chapter… as well as AxM! I hope you enjoyed both!
evilteddybear – ARIGATO!!!! Your review just blew me away! Thanks especially for your notes about the fight scenes – they were really useful, and helped so much on the points where I was slipping. Meh, don't worry about the long review! I LOVED it, trust me. Enjoy the holiday!
thechickenlittle2000 – Sano's not just hanging around… as you can see in this chapter! But you know what it's like when you're watching something absolutely mesmerising – you just freeze. I pictured Sano, and the Kokuryukai, as being like this. I've got more Sano fight scenes lined up, trust me!
HiEi JaGaNsHis FlAmE – Meh, don't worry about the name, I was just curious. I love/hate writing the action sequences, but if you guys like them, that's great!
Peachie-Chan – Yep. This fic's primary genre is 'romance', after all… This is mostly a 'filler' chapter, but it has some very necessary bits.
Oriana Anderson – Not way I'm not going to!
RangerDo'Urden – Changing the scenes is one of the hardest things… you want to stay with a character just a little longer, but you know it'll screw the timing if you don't go to someone else… You have to be careful. Not sure whether this update is at the right time… It's a little late… oh well.
:) – Yep. I did!
anime-lune – Yay! It is much goodness! But… can I have my own personal bishie collection? Pleeze! I mean, I have Battousai for a Muse, but I want Rurouni, and Aoshi-sama, and Sano, and Soujirou… as well as countless other bishies from other series…
bluekatanagirl – It won't let you sign in because… it's… /whispers/ a piece of crap when it comes to that. Glad you like the chapter, and the battles!
kenshinlover2002 – That's THE question… unfortunately, I can't tell you whether Kenshin's okay… that would be giving away the plot… I thought that Tsubame was too helpless in the series, so I made her a little more courageous here.
blue-katana-girl – Like a fish? Ooh, that can't be pleasant /grin/. Yes, I will update.
For the note –
lyn – I will, really!
Dagorwen of Ithilien – Umm… I'm a bit late here…
DarkAngelius – It shouldn't be… Sessha screwed up. Majorly. Sorry. Sessha will fix.
Vide1621 – Like sessha said to DarkAngelius – Sessha screwed up. Sorry.