Lunar Sun
By Aka Ketsueki
Mandatory Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin ©.
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Chapter Seven: A Master's Present
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The tapping of fingers against wood echoed throughout the large room, the impatience of the most powerful of the present Vampires evident.
"Please forgive us, Master Shishio," chorused a pair of voices, their voices intermixing into a solo.
Blood shaded eyes fixed on the two silhouettes in the center of the room, narrowing as the couple got down on one knee and crossed their right hands over their hearts, heads bowed.
"What are you trying to say, Setas?" asked one of the oldest Vampires in existence, his claws no longer tapping his armrest.
The glowing eyes of those within the shadows behind the mummified Vampire flickered with interest, each one curious as to how two of Shishio's best apprentices had finally failed him.
"We apologize, Master Shishio, for not being able to bring Lady Kaoru back to you as you have asked of us," answered Soujiro as he lifted his head to look up at his master.
Shishio met his apprentice's azure eyes as if recalculating the Vampire's worth. There was a long pause as those within the room waited for an answer, surprise etching onto their faces at the sound of Shishio's deep laughter.
"I had expected nothing less from Kaoru," stated Shishio as he leaned back into his throne-like chair, a grin plastered onto his bandaged face. "Although it would have made things far much easier had you succeeded, I do not hold you accountable for your failure." Red eyes darkened considerably as Shishio continued, "In all truth, I had not truly expected you two to get her to cooperate to begin with, after all, she would not be His Royal Majesty's mate if she had." A snarl quickly replaced the grin that had previously occupied the Vampire's charred face.
"Master Shishio," spoke up Shura hesitantly, unsure if she should continue after hearing the sarcasm and loathing in her master's previous words. The Vampiress couldn't help but swallow nervously as the older creature glared in her direction, her master's impatience all too clear. Glancing over at her smiling mate, whom nodded in encouragement, Shura announced, "We have something else to report to you, Master . . . in regards to Lady Kaoru."
Soujiro continued before Shishio could demand a further explanation, "Lady Kaoru has quit her job with the Oniwanbanshuu Group."
Both husband and wife outwardly flinched as the cracking of wood resounded throughout the room, Shishio's armrest laying in splinters on the ground as he rose from his chair.
"What do you mean she quit?" bit out Shishio, his demonic crimson eyes glaring down at his apprentices.
Gulping nervously, Shura answered, "She gave up her ties with the Oniwanbanshuu Group just this week. We haven't been able to come into contact with her since."
"All of her information has changed as well; her address was never filed," added Soujiro.
"Please forgive us, Master Shishio," echoed the kneeling couple as they further bowed their heads.
Shaking almost uncontrollably, Shishio dropped back into his seat, his eyes slowly closing as he searched his mind for a way to rebuild his carefully constructed plan. No one moved or even dared to blink as they waited for their master's reply.
"At ease," Shishio finally ordered, his anger subsiding as an idea came to mind.
"Thank you, Master Shishio," said the pair as they rose from the ground and stood at attention.
"Is there anything we can do to repent for our failure, Master Shishio?" asked Soujiro.
Eyes twinkling as a smirk grazed his lips, Shishio nodded.
"Yes, Master Shishio?"
"Find the Yukishiros and order their return at once."
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The city of Kasai was named after the Fire Fountain, which was built by the first Vampires that managed to enter the Blood Realm thousands of years ago. The Fire Fountain, built in the heart of the Blood Realm, was a symbol of immortality, power, and prosperity, for thus were the characteristics of the Vampiric race.
Forged from the blood of millions, the mystical fountain forever flows with eternal wine and fire.
So it was with the help of the Fire Fountain's essence and influence that the city of Kasai flourished, becoming the Blood Realm's most important city. Therefore, in honor of their Ancestors, the People created their glorious capital around the Blood Realm's most significant monument. Everything in Kasai, from business buildings to grand castles, encircled the Fire Fountain, each doorway pointing toward the grand fountain, and every path leading directly to its red waters.
With this knowledge engraved into her mind, it wasn't a surprise when Kaoru found herself face to face with the famous fountain.
The Jimpu Squad had led Kaoru and her rooster-headed companion through the less crowded area of Kasai, taking the "Back Routes" and avoiding the alleyways filled with blood-crazed Vampires that were subtly increasing all over the Blood Realm.
Having come from the outskirts to the south of the Fire Fountain, the group was able to get to the center of the city without getting the attention of the noisy Vampires to the West, business-obsessed Vampires of the North, and the poverty-stricken ones in the East. Thankfully, those of the South were the more down-to-earth, get-along-with-everyone type Vampires, which allowed them all to pass through without any questions whatsoever.
The problem they faced now was that when it came to being in the center of Kasai, there was no such thing as stopping and admiring the scenery. There were only a few options a Vampire without background could choose from when they were near the fountain, and they were: follow the crowd around the fountain and exit into one of the nearby paths, be crushed, or fall into the Fire Fountain's depths. But due to the fact that the last two options meant agonizing death, everyone followed option number one.
"Come on, Missy, we're losing them!" shouted Sanosuke over the roar of voices, tugging at Kaoru's purse to get her to move faster.
Reluctantly picking up her pace so as not to rip her Louise Vuitton, Kaoru looked over her shoulder at the glowing monument one last time before making her way through the thickets of bodies and inside an almost empty pathway.
"You seem distracted, Missy. What were you thinking back there?" asked Sanosuke as they followed the black capes and caps of the silent Jimpu Squad.
Instead of answering, Kaoru asked, "It got louder as we got closer to the fountain, didn't it?"
Raising a brow at the sudden change of topics, Sanosuke could only scratch his head as he tried to recall their journey into Kasai.
"His Royal Majesty has yet to claim the Fire Fountain. Therefore, he doesn't have power over those who are within its presence," explained Toma, slowing down just a bit so the other two could catch up before adding, "at least not yet."
"Oh . . . I was wondering why it felt so incredibly crowded," said Sano thoughtfully.
"And when is that street not crowded?" asked Kaoru with a roll of her eyes.
"I meant more crowded than usual!" corrected Sano defensively as he shot Kaoru a glare.
Shrugging her shoulders, Kaoru walked on ahead.
Sighing, Sanosuke turned to Toma and asked curiously, "Why hasn't the Fire Fountain been claimed yet?"
Toma shook his head. "No one knows why His Royal Majesty King Battousai hasn't claimed it yet, considering how much more powerful he is than all of our ancestors combined."
Sano nodded in agreement.
After having had met Himura Battousai for the first time in almost 175 years, Sanosuke knew that there was something different about the Vampire. Battousai's appearance might not have changed over the last century or so, but there was definitely a bigger spark to the Vampire's Ki, a dark flame that hadn't been there when they had first met centuries ago.
"How is a person suppose to claim the Fire Fountain? Is it even possible?" asked Sanosuke after a long pause, turning his attention once more to Toma.
"It's possible all right," answered Kaoru from up ahead, the Jimpu Squad walking between her and the Vampire responsible for her return to the Blood Realm.
"Are you serious?" asked Sano doubtfully, easily looking over the marching soldiers to the female in front, who was now walking backwards so she could see him.
With every nook and cranny of Kasai engraved into her memory, Kaoru confidently guided the group backwards toward the large glass building they were quickly approaching.
"The Fire Fountain is simply an object, a very powerful object, but nonetheless an object that can be claimed and possessed. It's just harder to obtain," explained Kaoru with a shrug. "The People think that it is a gift from the Ancestors to those of the Blood Realm, and therefore cannot possibly be owned by just one being."
"So the only way to officially claim it is to get the People to accept it, right?" asked Sanosuke, a lightbulb clicking in his mind as he realized the situation.
Kaoru nodded before turning around and facing the building she had managed to reach as she spoke to her friend. Her blue eyes sparkled as she took in the familiar structure, her heart clenching as memories of her "apprenticeship" came to mind.
"Welcome back, Lady Kaoru," greeted an all too familiar and warm voice from her past.
Beaming as her old sensei walked out from the shadows of the Jimpu Squad's headquarters, Kaoru raced over to the older Vampire and hugged him.
"Sasaki Sensei!" smiled Kaoru as she pulled back and looked over one of her many masters.
"It's nice to see you too, Kaoru-chan," chuckled Heihachiro Sasaki, looking as friendly as ever even in his black uniform, which was adorned with various golden medals that gleamed proudly in the artificial sunlight of the Blood Realm.
"Sasaki Sensei!" shouted Sanosuke's deep baritone voice as the rest of the group finally caught up.
"Sanosuke," smiled Sasaki, before eyeing his old student and friend with raised brows. "What are you two doing here?"
"They claimed to have wanted to see His Royal Majesty," answered Toma as he made his way over to the Okashira of the Jimpu Squad.
Sasaki's attention immediately went to Kaoru, who nodded in confirmation.
"I would have just gone to see him myself, but your men had insisted that His Royal Majesty was resting, and was not to be interrupted, so I decided to see you instead," smiled Kaoru. "I was not, however, informed about having to have a passport to be able to pass between the Worlds. I had to threaten one of the guards into letting me pass. Do you mind telling me how I was suppose to obtain a passport from this side if I was stuck on the other side?"
The oldest Vampire in the group sighed.
"I believe you also want to know what has been going on around here for the past few years, ne?" asked Sasaki knowingly.
Both Kaoru and Sanosuke nodded.
"Let's get ourselves inside and comfortable then," said Sasaki as he led the way inside the building, "it's going to be a long explanation and His Royal Majesty is going to wake up soon."
Exchanging worried glances over their time restriction, Kaoru and Sanosuke quickly followed the Vampire into the closest elevator.
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No matter how many times she repeated it to herself, no matter how many times she looked at the empty desk beside her at work, Misao still couldn't bring herself to believe that her best friend had quit. After nearly spending a decade working side-by-side, both as friends and coworkers, Kaoru had suddenly decided to pack up and leave without even consulting her! How could she just turn her back on their friendship as if it meant nothing at all?
Feeling depressed and betrayed, Misao downed her Martini in one gulp, uncaring at how pathetic she looked at the moment.
The smell of smoke, cheap perfume, and alcohol whirled around the petite woman, causing her to wrinkle her sensitive nose. Normally, she wouldn't notice, being far too busy trying to nab a wanted man or trying to hook Kaoru with some cute looking guy in the back of the club.
Once again cursing Kaoru for leaving her alone, Misao pounded on the bar counter and demanded another Martini.
Nine drinks and a bowl of peanuts later, Misao was ready to bang her head against the counter until she blacked out. She had gone out tonight to get drunk and forget about her stupid blue-eyed friend, yet here she was, still somber and seeing black and blue mixed with red! Why had she never noticed how hard it was for her to get drunk before now?
Groaning at her situation, Misao began to rub her pulsing temples. She hated being alone; it gave her too much time to think, and thinking always gave her a headache. The loud music that blared in the background of the club did nothing to help ease her growing migraine, in fact, it seemed to make it worse.
Closing her eyes shut, Misao tried desperately to zone out all of the noise and focus on happier thoughts, doing her best to ignore the sudden nagging feeling at the back of her mind at the same time. Something was wrong in the usually live atmosphere of the club, Misao could feel it right down to her very bones; there was something dark lingering around the club. However, at the moment, she really didn't want to get herself into another predicament. If she ignored her sixth sense enough, maybe she could make it home without having to kill anyone.
"Maybe you've had enough for tonight, Miss," suggested the deep voice of the bartender, causing Misao to open her eyes and focus on the large man before her.
Waving her hand as if nothing bothered her, Misao pushed her empty glass to the man and ordered another one.
Sighing, the bartender shook his head, but nonetheless went to get her drink.
Once the bartender had left her alone, Misao leaned back into her seat, and despite her mind screaming for her to keep her eyes forward, the trained assassin turned around and looked toward the dance floor anyway. Immediately, just as she had predicted, she regretted turning away from the bar.
One of the Oniwanbanshuu's best spies swallowed as she noticed a white-haired man standing in front of her, his turquoise eyes, half hidden behind black-framed glasses, holding her in place. Almost instantly when their gazes met, Misao felt herself become lightheaded as something seemed to comb through her mind, causing her to nearly fall off of her seat from the sensation.
By pure instinct, Misao managed to just barely catch herself before she fell face first onto the dance floor by grabbing onto her circular seat.
Shaking the dizziness from her mind once she was able to right herself again, the spy looked up and furrowed her brows when she realized that the stranger had vanished. Not even a trace of white hair was left behind to prove that the weird man had actually been in the club in the first place.
"Here's your drink, ma'am," said the bartender, pulling Misao out of her stupor.
Turning around, Misao tossed the man a few bills before jumping off of her stool and heading for the closest exit.
"Don't you want your drink?" asked the bartender.
"No, I think I've had enough for tonight," said Misao over her shoulder just as she exited the dark club.
xOxXxOx
"Damn, I look good," grinned Sanosuke as he looked down at his passport photo one last time before pocketing it in his white coat.
Stepping out of the Jimpu Squad's main headquarters in Kasai, Kaoru frowned.
"All that trouble just for red pieces of paper with our photos on them," said Kaoru as she closed her passport and placed it in the same pocket as Battousai's cell phone.
"But you can't say that this whole thing was a complete waste of time, Missy," defended Sano. "At least we got the information we wanted."
Sighing, Kaoru walked on ahead, once again heading toward the Fire Fountain.
"That may be so, but we're no closer to saving your rooster behind than before when we first came here," countered Kaoru.
Blanching as he realized that he probably had less than an hour to live, Sano raced forward, easily scooping Kaoru over his shoulder as he ran as fast as his long legs could manage to Battousai's castle.
"Sagara Sanosuke, put me down this minute!" screeched Kaoru as she pounded on her friend's back, irritated with the way the Vampire carried her as if she were a sack of potatoes. "I can run just as well without your help!"
Refusing to put the woman down, Sano reasoned, "We need to get to His Royal Majesty's bedchambers before he wakes up!"
"Don't you think I know that, rooster head? And if you've forgotten, then let me remind you, I'M FASTER THAN YOU ARE!" shouted Kaoru, folding her hands over her chest to mimic a pouting child when she realized that her words were landing on deaf ears.
Sighing, Kaoru decided that the only way she was going to be able to travel decently was by pulling out her trump card.
"Oh, Sano!" said Kaoru sweetly, smiling when her carrier slowed down a tad bit.
"What?" asked Sanosuke cautiously, further slowing down when he managed to get them outside of Kasai, away from the circular structure of the city.
"You do realize that you're touching me, right?" asked Kaoru angelically. Sano was cut off before he could ask what she was getting at. "And you do know that I'm Battousai's mate, right?"
Yelping when she was practically thrown onto the dirt ground, Kaoru glared at her brown-haired friend, internally grateful that her instincts hadn't allowed her to reach the ground in an indecent heap.
Her anger, however, was replaced by hilarity when Sanosuke took a cologne bottle from one of his many inner pockets and began spraying himself until you couldn't tell the difference between the Vampire and the cologne.
"Why in the Seven Hells do you carry cologne around with you?" asked Kaoru between laughs as she watched Sano rub his stomach with liquid spray.
Sano gave her a pointed glare before putting his almost half-empty bottle away again. "Just in case I meet a pretty Vampiress or get caught in a situation such as this. I'm always one step ahead!"
Snorting, Kaoru corrected, "More like one step ahead in the wrong direction."
Scowling, Sano stomped on ahead as Kaoru looked through her purse for her own perfume.
"Damn," cursed Kaoru as she stopped walking and thoroughly looked through her Louise Vuitton once more.
"What now?" demanded Sano as he turned around to face his potential executioner's wife.
"I don't have any perfume or body spray on me," frowned Kaoru as she looked up at her paling companion. "They must have fallen out when Megumi poured my bag out to look for a few Hershey's Kisses tonight."
"WHAT!"
Rolling her eyes as Sanosuke went into hysterics, Kaoru took out the vile from around her neck and opened the tip of the teardrop pendant. Her eyes once again rotated heavenward when Sano stopped moaning about his impending death to stare at her incredulously.
"Missy! Are you insane? Do you realize that you're in the Blood Realm?" hissed Sanosuke, his left eye twitching as Kaoru casually turned the vile backwards, her right forefinger covering the vile's opening.
"Why go to the lion's den if you can lure the lion to you?" asked Kaoru metaphorically as she closed the pendant with her left hand and applied the blood on her right forefinger on her wrists, temples, and neck.
"Are you sure about this, Missy?" asked Sanosuke, concern filling his chocolate depths.
"Blood scent is the only thing that's going to keep you alive, Sano, and I already gave you my word that I'm going to help you until the end," stated Kaoru calmly as she placed the pendant back inside her shirt. "And if me keeping my word means me smelling like Battousai, then so be it," shrugged Kaoru nonchalantly.
"That's not what I'm worried about, Missy," whispered Sano as he moved to stand in front of her, his eyes darting from the rising clouds coming from the direction of Kasai and the powerful Ki heading toward them from Battousai's castle.
Kaoru frowned as she tried to recognized the Ki coming from Battousai's castle, ignoring the fact that a group from Kasai was also headed their way. She was certain that it wasn't Battousai's, she would have recognized it in a heartbeat if it were, so who could it belong to? The only Vampires with that much Ki was Battousai and herself, and that was only because she was Battousai's mate. Her eyes widened into saucers as she finally realized who the Vampire was.
"Sano, run for it!" shouted Kaoru as she moved to run back toward Kasai once again. There was no way she was going to the lion's lair if it meant having to face the lion's sire first.
She had only taken a step forward before she felt her world tilting dangerously to the left, her head spinning too quickly for her keep her balance. Her name being called was the last thing she heard before she fell forward into a void of complete darkness.
xOxXxOx
Kaoru hated waking up. Waking up meant facing the world looking like Death until she was able to find a nice hot cup of coffee and a nice warm shower. It was amazing what a simple trip to the bathroom and kitchen could do to a person's demeanor. However, when Kaoru tried to get her eyes to open and body to move to seek her morning saviors, the Vampiress found that she couldn't do either.
The first instinct that crossed her mind was to scream, to scream until someone shook her up and told her that this whole week had been just a bad dream. No, scratch that, not just this week, but the last couple of centuries as well. Unfortunately, she couldn't scream even if she wanted to. A very round, very large gag had been shoved into her mouth and behind her fangs to make sure that she couldn't get it out of her mouth with her tongue alone.
Mentally cursing, Kaoru narrowed her eyes and willed them to focus on anything besides the darkness around her. She was a Vampire, dammit, and she was not going to let something this trivial blind her into hysterics. And even if she somehow did manage to become blind over the course of a couple of hours, it wouldn't really be that big of a deal, considering that she had succeeded in surviving without her eyesight before.
Vision finally clearing, Kaoru blinked, not once, but twice, when she realized that she was staring up at black marble. If she squinted enough, she could make out the faint white lines that were found on all marble tiles.
When she tried once again to move, or more like wiggle, Kaoru became fully aware that her entire form was completely boxed in and that her hands were tied quite securely on her stomach.
Muttering another oath, the Vampire further explored her darker vocabulary when she noted that her legs had been bounded as well. The entire situation would have been comical if she wasn't the one in it.
"Calm down, Kaoru. There's no need to begin to hyperventilate when you don't even need oxygen to survive in the first place. Okay, so apart from the fact that you're bound and gagged and trapped within a very tight-fitting space, this whole scenario isn't so bad. At least you're not naked and tied to a bed, right?" At her own 'reassuring' words, Kaoru paled. It was then that her mind decided to click on and allow her to comprehend exactly what it was she was currently inside of.
Feeling her world begin to spin a second time, Kaoru fought the urge to vomit. She had always hated small, cramped places. Hated them, because every time she was in a small, cramped place, she was stuck in it for at least a year. How long has it been since she was last crammed into a coffin and forced to slumber?
"What are you up to now, Shishou?"
The sound of the familiarly deep voice snapped Kaoru out of her sudden panic, her heart beating in time with the footsteps that were steadily becoming louder.
"What makes you think I'm up to anything, baka deshi?" asked the amused voice of an even deeper, more dominating voice.
Kaoru could hear Battousai growl, could feel his anger flow through her veins from their closeness.
Her relief was quickly replaced by dread as she remembered the state she was in, remembered how much Battousai enjoyed making her squirm and melt whenever she tried to play hard to get. She could feel her heart plummet to her stomach when the sound of footsteps stopped.
"I rest for a few hours and you're redecorating my chambers?" demanded Battousai, clearly annoyed that someone, even if it was his own master, had touched what was his.
Kaoru heard the other Vampire snort and involuntarily flinched when he knocked on the area directly over her face.
"It's not my fault you have such bad taste in interior decorating and decided to slumber in the basement instead."
"I was working down there!" protested Battousai. "And what the hell did you do with my coffin?"
"I'm sure that you'll enjoy this coffin much more than your old one." The amusement and reassurance in the Vampire's voice was enough to make Kaoru shiver.
"And what, might I ask, makes this coffin any different than my old one? I see no difference whatsoever," stated Battousai, his tone revealing his aggravation about the entire situation.
"It's what's on the inside that counts. Now open it before I force you inside there for another century or so," snapped the only person Kaoru could conclude it to be, Seijuurou Hiko.
Kaoru could picture Battousai rolling his eyes, but her imagination came to a dead halt as the lid of the coffin began to move upward. Had she not been gagged, she would have swallowed as the lid slammed down against the side of the coffin and revealed to her a surprised, yet very pleased looking Vampire with blood-red hair.
"I told you it was what was on the inside that counts," grinned Hiko.
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