Urako:.....You don't own RK?
0_0---GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!*cries*
Chapter 14: And the Bad News is...
Shinta wanted to kill the glaring lights that were temperarily blinding him. He groaned and frowned, feeling his muscles tighten in pain. His knees were numbed, but that was all the more reason for him to fist his hands and curse aloud.
"Son of a bitch!" he yelled, turning his sore head to the side on his comfy pillow. Probably goose feathers. He was seriously going to break his nurse's legs too, if she didn't get in here with those painkillers. No. No, killing the nurse would just add onto his ever growing list of problems. He needed to calm himself, he needed answers, too-but he also needed to calm himself.
Shinta looked around his little hell hole...er... his own rehab room. Hell hole seemed like a better choice of words for his little temperary room. Maybe it was the drugs talking, but he wanted some bloodshed to happen right about now. Yes, it was the drugs talking. His lazy drugged up eyes took in his dimmed interior with white washed walls, shadows adorning all the corners. The door, probably oak like everything else, had a bah relief ingraving of two snakes eating each other's tails. Cannibalism.
"Great, I'm getting more confused in a place that is supposed to have all the answers...how ironic," Shinta sighed irritably closing his tired eyes.
Shinta's ears picked up a squeaky unoiled noise as the door to his 'hell hole' opened up.
"Hey kid, you all right?" a gruff voice inquired, footsteps getting closer to Shinta's bedside.
"Why, yes Hiko, Captain of Confusion, I'm suffering from many forms of torture and two broken legs," Shinta expressed sardonically.
"I apologize for not being able to prevent this from occuring, Shinta. We have recovered the photos and are now analyzing them. The scientists hard working on the time machine now," Hiko explained, sitting halfway on the bed.
Shinta sighed, parting his eyes, and replied gently, "People get hurt, Hiko. Why am I so special? Just because I got a few broken bones? Some new scars, bruises? These will soon heal." Shinta shrugged, not wanting to think about what Shishio's men did to him. Each time he was alone, his thoughts drifted to the burning torture and what Shishio's men had told him.
"Master Shishio will burn your sister and have his favorite sword...ehhehhe...make 'love' to her,"
"Still," Hiko's voice startled Shinta out of his disturbing reverie, "I will not let this happen again. I made a promise, a promise I intend to keep."
Shinta turned to face Hiko, his question written on his face as he asked, "What promise is that, Hiko?" Maybe his other questions will be answered now, too.
Hiko smiled faintly, his brown eyes twinkling with knowledge. His calloused hand tapped Shinta lightly on the shoulder in a friendly manner as he replied, "Remember this Shinta, knowledge is Power. But it's the same Power that brings those people down a solitary path of sorrow."
Shinta's features creased in confusion and he felt another pounding headache coming on.
"Wha-What do you mean, Hiko? I want some solid answers, not some mixed up puzzle pieces to living life properly," Shinta snapped.
Hiko's features darkened as he turned to face the ground. He sighed deeply, as though trying to decide on if he should reveal something important.
"Shinta..." he paused for a brief moment, his eyes twitching in a searching manner, "Your sister-"
"Urako?" Shinta interrupted quickly.
Hiko looked at Shinta hesitantly, his eyes clouded with personal pain.
"Yes, she is the key. She's the key to-"
"Hiko? You're needed by Ms. Makoto," a meek voice wove itself into their intimate conversation. Hiko's and Shinta's head snapped in the direction of the unwanted intruder. Grumbling and sighing in irritation, Hiko stood up and looked down upon Shinta's bedridden form.
Hiko smiled faintly and said before walking away, "Until next time then, kid. A young woman needs me."
Shinta frowned and shook his head. Wait a moment! Ms. Makoto? Kaoru! She's here?
"Hiko! Wait a moment!" Shinta shouted anxiously. He groaned in pain as he moved his unused and torn muscles.
"What? Make it quick, kid," Hiko stated hurridly, poking his head through the doorway.
"Why is Kaoru Makoto here?" Shinta winced.
"Long story, I'll tell you later," Hiko explained quickly, retracting his head back in the doorway.
"Damnit," Shinta cursed as he shifted lightly on his bed. When was he going to get straight answers from Hiko? Definitely not in his lifetime.
And where was his nurse? Probably hogging all the drugs to herself...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kaoru sighed and sat upright in her bed, shifting nervously every few seconds. Her own brother wanted her dead. Shishio...the over protective brother she grew up with was now more blood and power hungry than before. She guessed that it was inevitable, he was always one to boss others around with an iron fist. But to threaten her, his little sister, that was something she couldn't quite fathom. What she was doing was for his best interests. Even if to him she seemed to be backstabbing him, she worried about him night and day. All she wanted was his happiness. She prayed for the day that his soul would be satisfied and peaceful, not rapaging with Hell's breath of Fire. Not lusting after women, blood, and power. She would do whatever it took to make him see past the dark shroud that covered his eyes. Yes, whatever it took.
"Hey, Missy?" Sano's voice startled her a bit. Kaoru turned to face him, her eyes meeting a white handkerchief. "Here, you seem like you need this," he said lightly, dropping it on her hands.
Kaoru smiled a little, her face blushing from Sano's kindness, and picked up the handkerchief in her lap.
"That's very kind of you, Sanosuke," she responded lightly, wiping her eyes.
"Don't worry about your brother, Missy. You won't be alone," he said as he leaned back in his bed; a cocky grin on his face.
Kaoru smiled into the handkerchief and sighed knowing that she had such great friends. Even if she had just met them, they meant so much to her already.
"I need to talk to Hiko, the Director of the H.M Corporation, to get some answers. I need to know why my brother is so hell bent on getting this mysterious Urako Himura," she explained, sniffing slightly and placing the handkerchief in her lap.
Sano snorted as he responded, "Straight answers from Hiko? Not in a thousand years, Missy. But tell me," he shifted in his bed so he faced her intently, "Not even you, Shishio's sister, knows the real reason behind his fascination with Urako?"
Kaoru creased her brows and pursed her lips as she shook her head, "No, just the ocassional gossip around the Mansion. Though that's hardly ever correct."
"Tell me anyway, I might be of some use," Sano replied, sitting back on his bed.
"What good would come from telling a Rooster-head like you, Sanosuke?" a deep rich voice boomed from the doorway. Kaoru and Sano both snapped their heads to meet the eve's dropper.
"It's nice to see you, too, Hiko," grumbled Sano, as he shifted back into his bed.
"Likewise, Sano," Hiko responded, feigning a wink.
"Hiko Seijiro? The Director of the H.M. Corporation?" Kaoru asked, her eyes searching his dark brown ones.
"None other, Ms. Kaoru. I hear that you wish to speak to me," Hiko resumed, walking towards Kaoru's bedside. Finding a decent chair to occupy, Hiko sat down, smoothing out his enormous cape.
"Yes, I would like to know a few things about my brother--"
"I thought that it would be you explaining a few things to me about your brother, Ms. Kaoru,"
"Unfortunately for the both of us, he tends to keep a low profile,"
"So I've noticed Ms. Kaoru,"
"All I have been able to gather about him and his project, Urako Himura, is that she is an important key to some legend,"
Hiko creased his brows as he responded, "Is that all you could dig up, Ms. Kaoru? You've had to have heard some half baked stories and gossip going around that might explain better his behavior."
"Well, the truth is," she paused briefly, sighing before going on, "Rumor around the compound is that he plans on using this woman in order to take over Japan's most powerful Companies, eliminating any uprising threats. But I don't see how, I mean, what is so special about her?"
"One might ask the same question about you, Ms. Kaoru," Hiko countered, leaning back in his chair.
Sano looked quickly from Kaoru to Hiko, confusion on his face as he asked, "What about Missy?"
Kaoru blushed and looked down as she lightly asked, "How did you find out?"
"Connections Ms. Kaoru, connections. Your brother has people who know things about me, Sano, Urako, Shinta; anyone really. And so do I,"
"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Sano pressed irritably.
"Urako Himura isn't the only one with power, you moron," Hiko snapped, rolling his eyes in Sano's direction.
"That doesn't exactly help me in understanding, Confusionman," Sano retorted mockingly.
Hiko sighed and rubbed his temples with his thick fingers, "It's like this Rooster-head, Kaoru over there has the power to block Urako's visions and drain energy from living organisms."
Sano looked a little skeptical as he raised an eyebrow and responded, "No way in hell is that possible! I mean even if it was, shouldn't Shishio want you," Sano pointed to Kaoru, " more than he would want Urako?"
Hiko sighed as he looked back to Kaoru, "That's what I wanted to know. I'm guessing that even if he had the power to drain people's energy, it still wouldn't kill them. Besides, knowing your enemies' moves before they make them is better because then you aren't surprised by an attack."
"It's like that legend that I always hear about at the Mansion," Kaoru murmured to herself.
Hiko's eyes widened at her soft statement, his brown orbs twinkling.
"Care to elaborate on the legend, Ms. Kaoru?" Hiko asked, interested.
"It took place a long time ago, I'm not sure on the year, but well there were these Beasts that roamed the land. These Beasts were unlike any creature ever heared of, because they transformed into humans. Anyways, these Beasts were said to have great power locked within them; magical power. Even so, these Beasts were also kind to the other creatures that inhabited the land. Umm..I don't know why but there was a terrible war between the Beasts and some evil creatures; creatures rumored to have come from Hell itself. The Beasts were in a village when the Hellish creatures first attacked. But, there was a prophecy told by an aging seer saying that there was a select few Beasts that would save the land from the creatures of Hell. Only one Beast survived the war. Though, it's said that there was another prophecy told before the War began, telling of a babe of power born and saving the land again. The spirits of the Beasts would live on in the chosen souls, ready to defend the land along side their Leader,"
Sano's eyebrow lifted even more, "Beasts? Prophecy? Look Missy, there's only one prophecy, and that's when Urako is returning to us."
"You fool," Hiko slapped his head.
"But I don't understand this one thing Hiko, and since you seem to know more about this Legend than I do, hopefully you'll know the answer," Kaoru inquired, leaning forward on the mattress.
"What's that Ms. Kaoru?" Hiko asked, stretching a little on the chair.
"What does this have to do with Urako and myself?"
Hiko grinned and rolled his shoulders for more comfort.
"Well..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Well this was new. The assignment given to him by Soujiro, or as he was called now--Tenken, was truly something he had never given any thought to have happen. Even now as he held them in his hand, the two time machines, he was unsure of how to go about his new mission. Saitoh narrowed his eyes and closed his fist around the boxes, placing them in his jacket pocket.
"I can't afford to seem unstable in my alliance with Shishio now. Everything is falling into place, so for now I'll do as he commands," Saitoh said softly to himself. He felt anxious to be going into the past; to see her again. If only to carry out the mission on Shishio's behalf; he still felt a little giddy to be able to fight with her again.
He smirked, his eyes narrowing in grim satisfaction as he glided over the damp grass towards the Himura Dojo. He took out the note from his blue jacket pocket and read over his instructions again, making sure he didn't leave anything out.
Saitoh chewed on his cigarette for a moment as he got out his lighter from his pants pocket. He lit the corner of the paper on fire and watched it as it climbed hungrily to the tips of his fingers; eating up the paper and turning it to ash. He stamped on the fallen burnt paper with his polished shoe, a grim smirk tugging at his lips. He turned and continued on his way towards the old Dojo, taking out one of the time machines.
He looked at the intricate designs along side the time machine, the early morning sun reflecting off its glossy exterior. His two fingers held it carefully on each side as he made his way through the growth of trees.
'How does this thing work again?" he asked himself, turning it so he saw each piece of it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~~
"Where is that boy, Yumi?" an angered voice growled.
A scantily clad woman walked into the darkened office room, her shoulder cut kimono showing any man enough cleavage for him to drool over. Her brown eyes twinkled with lust as she placed her hands on her hips.
"Master Shishio, he'll be here. He is your loyal dog, after all," she grinned as she walked over to a man covered in bandages. Shishio nodded, shifting in his sitting postition in his chair. Stradling his lap, Yumi began to kiss his burnt lips, her fingernails lightly dragging over his equally bandaged chest.
"Yumi, you're a naughty one. I need to focus, and I don't think I can do that properly with you arousing passions that we left in the bedroom," Shishio groaned huskily, grabbing her backside. Yumi let out a squeal of delighted surprise and jumped off his lap.
"Master-" she moaned lustfully, looking at him from her lidded eyes.
"Later, Yumi. I must tend to business, and take care of some...inconveniences," he explained, his hot burning eyes staring at her supple form.
"Of course, my Master," she winked as she sat on the end of his desk. "Later, it will be."
A knock on the black door alerted the both of them to some company. Shishio grinned at Yumi and shook his head.
"Come in," he bellowed.
Soujiro entered the doorway and walked into the dark room, closing the door behind him. His features as unreadable as always, his eyes conveying nothing to Shishio.
"Well, well Soujiro, have fun where ever you ran off to?" Shishio grinned at the boy. Yumi giggled lightly and crossed her legs, showing off her creamy thighs to Shishio.
"I did the job you assigned to me, Mr. Shishio. It took me a while to finally find Saitoh," he responded cheerfully, walking to the front of the desk.
Shishio narrowed his eyes, "I assigned you no job, Tenken."
Soujiro and Yumi both snapped open their eyes and looked seriously to Shishio.
"How can that be? Hoji gave me a letter--he said that you gave it to him--and that I was to give it to the Wolf," Soujiro explained, confused.
"Hoji, that no good-" Yumi began, her eyes flashing with anger.
Shishio leaned forward in his chair, his eyes cold and firey at the same moment. No one double-crosses him; no one.
"Where is that traitorous filth?" Shishio snarled lowly.
"I shall locate him as quickly as possible, Mr. Shishio," Soujiro said quickly, bowing before dashing to the door.
"Bring him to me," Shishio ground out, a feral growl escaping his throat.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~
"To put it plainly, Ms. Kaoru, you are evil's weapon against the Beasts-" Hiko began.
"Then who is the good guy?" Sano interrupted, sitting up and leaning towards Kaoru and Hiko.
Hiko glared at Sano for interrupting him and continued, "I was just getting to that you idiot," Hiko paused and sighed, "I don't know who is going to save us from you, Ms. Kaoru. It isn't going to be you, it has to be another person with power."
"Then, isn't that other person Urako? I mean, she's pretty damn powerful," Sano said, chewing his bottom lip.
Kaoru looked down, her fists bunching in anger with tears streaming down her pearly face. "I'm not a bad person, I don't want evil to rule the world! There must be something that I can do!"
"For now, all you can do is avoid your brother and his minions," Hiko said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Sano, even though your idea of Urako being our savior is somewhat promising, it is impossible because she isn't here to save us. Someone else who is just as powerful, needs to stand up and prevent ultimate disaster upon the world."
"Who is that?" Sano asked quickly, glancing from Kaoru to Hiko.
"Right now, I have no clue," Hiko answered, rubbing Kaoru's back.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
What could Hiko be doing with Ms. Kaoru? Definately not getting any straight answers, that's for sure. Shinta sighed and opened his groggy eyes, the light piercing his sensitive nerves. His sore forearms weren't as painful as they were a few hours ago, now that they had drugs suffocating the stinging. And boy did he give his nurse a piece of his mind when she decided to come and help him. As much as he could anyway, being already pumped up with meth, morphine, and other toxins. What day was it anyway? How long had he slept? A week?
"Nurse....Nurse," he grumbled, his throat slick with mucus. His head didn't throb as much as it had before so that was a plus.
"Shinta," a deep voice echoed in Shinta's ears.
"Hiko?" Shinta managed to ask, squinting his eyes. "Back so soon?"
"If you call a few hours soon, then yes," Hiko responded, sitting in a nearby chair.
"What did you and Ms. Kaoru talk about?" Shinta asked, his eyes having closed again.
"Well, that's going to take a while and--"
"Hiko, damnit, just fuckin' tell me already!" Shinta barked, his brows creasing in anger. Hiko sighed and replied lowly, "Look, there's only so much I'm allowed to tell you, kid."
"Why the hell is that?"
"Because of a promise from someone dear to us both. I promised that person that I wouldn't burden you with the truth,"
"The truth? About what?" Shinta asked, opening his eyes and turning to face Hiko. What the hell is going on?
"The truth about her's and your own destiny," Hiko said softly, a sigh following close behind.
"Urako...," Shinta drawled, his eyes calculating Hiko's information.
"Yes, there are many things she will not let you know because knowing them influences the way you think," Hiko explained, shifting his position in his chair.
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"Not concerning the things she knows. She wants to protect you, Shinta, she wants you to be free of the dark truth. She doesn't want it to haunt you, like it so often does for her,"
"That is unfair Hiko and you know it!" Shinta growled, "I'm her brother, if there is anything that I can do to still help her please tell me!"
Hiko sighed and paused as he looked into Shinta's eyes, "Urako......is not your sister, Shinta."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~~
Dun-dun-dan!!!!! oooooo--what's that mean??!! hehehe--unfortunately for all ya'll except Orion b/c she tortured it out of me, only I know ^_^ brewhahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahaa*cough cough hack hack* hehehe*grins* anyways! Reviews to all those who love the story thus far ^_^
Kenshinobssession: yea--I know, the weeks past by like no tomorrow-and i was like--ya know...i need to update...^_^--so yay for that--hopefully ya liked this chappie too--it's really long ^_^
Koishii Sweet: I feel your need for K/K fluff!!! I just have no ideas on how to go about that.....wait a minute...an idea is forming in my mind as we speak and it's ...so wonderful!! i love it and i hope you will as well--hope you liked this chappie as much as I enjoyed writtin' it!
Kenshins-Babe: Ooooo--always a pleasure to pull in more people who enjoy the fic ^_^ thanks for the compliments--I take them and place them in a vase and watch them grow.....so pretty...^_^ hope you liked this chappie!
Orion Kohaishu: WOMAN! hehehe BANNAS!!!! wootage..love it ^_^ with Bagel on the side with freshly squeazed Orange juice....heheheheh to anyone else reading this, it may seem like totally random ramblings...but it isn't!! I ...swear to drunk i'm not god!! ^_^ *hugs* loves ya much--an' I hope that you have survived your family reunion!