Here's a bonus! I uploaded 2 CHAPTERS! It's not because I'm happy, nor inspired... well maybe a bit. But, as I sat listening to my boring Chemistry Review teacher, an idea popped out of my mind and I was itching to write it, problem is, I'm sitting right in front of him.
but anyway, here it is guys! enjoy!
6 The worst thing that could happen
Kenshin dusted himself from his "rough ride". Shortly, he was followed by Saito who stumbled to his feet. In any other situation, he would've laughed his head off. Saito, clearly not used to "rough rides" was disheveled to boot! His hair was everywhere. He almost looked like Sano. He decided not to point this out less he get killed on the spot.
Saito gave him the death glare and he immediately turned his thoughts to the situation at hand. He looked around. Somehow, the "underground house" they were in, looked every bit as "homely". There were tables, cabinets, there was even a rug. There were walls which divided the place and he could glimpse a bed in one of the "rooms".
He stopped amusing himself with the surroundings and looked straight ahead, there he saw the only door in the "house". He went near it, Saito close by. It was not locked. HE opened it and entered. What he saw surprised him.
He was in a huge hall, a wide arsenal of weapons were put up on the wall, just for decorations, he hoped. Some were unfamiliar. But he believed he saw two kodachis and a katana on one side. He was still looking around when he noticed somebody sitting in a dark corner of the room. It was a man in his mid-40's cleaning up a wound. Somebody punched him in the face. He hoped it was Kaoru.
"Welcome to my humble home, Battousai. I am Reiji Kurosaki." the man was looking at sardonically.
"Where's Kaoru?" he snapped. The grin on the man's face faltered.
"Who's this Kaoru?" he replied mocking him.
"You know who I'm talking about. You could save yourself some trouble, if you know what I mean." He hinted, showing a bit of his sakabattou. His eyes burning on the man's face, his eyes amber.
Saito smirked behind him. "What're you waiting for, Reiji? You've always wanted to see the Battousai fight. Congratulations. You'll actually see it first hand." Saito clapped his hands.
"I don't think so, Battousai. I'm too old for games. And I'm afraid I'm not so good at any weapons you see here now." he smiled again. How Kenshin wants to wipe that smile off his face with his sakabattou.
"But you see," Reiji continued, "I have someone to introduce to you." He smiled again. He snapped his fingers. The door opened, a female figure appeared. She had a mask on, covering her whole face except her eyes.
Kenshin felt uneasy. He heard Saito curse behind him. Is he supposed to fight a woman? But there was something about the woman, he almost thought she was Kaoru, but there was something about her, her aura, very different, so hostile. She was radiating hate, anger and bloodlust. Kaoru wouldn't be like that. He heard Saito shift from his position.
"You take care of the woman, and I'll make sure the old man doesn't escape"
"May I introduce to you, Miss Kotori"
Kotori?
"she's DYING to see you."
He heard the woman, Kotori, laugh. A sadistic laugh. She gave a mock bow. Hell! Even with her mask on, he knew she was laughing at him. Her eyes showed it. Blue. A strange resemblance to Kaoru. He forced those thoughts away. Something tells him, she's no ordinary woman. He guarded himself.
"You don't want to do this " Kenshin said.
Kotori just tilted her head to one side.
"Battousai, do all of us a favor and cut the psychology bullshit!" he could hear Reiji in the background. Saito was already close to him, as if timing himself until he's sure Kotori wouldn't be able to interfere.
Without any warning she suddenly run towards him. Graceful. He can't help but note. He was ready to receive any attack from her. He held his sakabattou in front of him. Midway towards him she suddenly came to a halt, a playful glint in her eyes she did a somersault, she disappeared to above, he looked up when a sharp blow hit him on the back. Spit spattered down his front. She kicked me! How did she do that?
She was already yards away from him, she's quick he noted. She was jumping about, seemingly pleased with herself. Reiji laughed and clapped his hands. Kotori whirled around.
"Little bird, she does play the part doesn't she?" he was talking to him. Kenshin wiped his mouth.
"Stop playing with him now, and get on with it." Kotori was very much pleased with that statement when suddenly something caught her eye.
"Aoshi! Where are you?!" Misao and Aoshi are here! Kenshin thought. They're outnumbered. He could ask them to find Kaoru while he fights this Kotori. Saito was nowhere in sight. He was about to turn to Misao when sharp kunais whirled past him.
"Gah!" Misao shouted. The moment she entered the "hall" she saw a pair of kunais toward her. She didn't have time to react, when she realized she was pinned to the wall.
"hahaha!" Kotori chirped. There was almost a childish spirit in her. As if she was just playing and having fun. She clapped her hands and looked at Reiji, she was expecting something, Reiji nodded and she jumped some more. Kenshin was getting irritated
"Battousai, won't you like to know Kotori a little better?"
Kenshin was getting confused. He was blown away by the Kotori's strength and behavior. What's Reiji getting into? And where's Aoshi and Saito?
"Battousai." Kotori said for the first time.
Kenshin's eye flew open, so did Misao's, still dangling on the wall. The voice was all too familiar.
Kotori removed her mask. A smirk playing on her lips. Kenshin's jaw dropped. It was Kaoru!
"Time to get started!" She suddenly sped off towards him. Kenshin, rigid with shock could only watch. Again she stopped midway and jumped, again. He can't hurt Kaoru no matter what it cost him. But he still had to protect himself, amidst all the confusion, he still had to.
He expected to see Kotori/Kaoru behind him, no! she was still in mid-air, both her hands landed on his shoulder, she was behind him, she flung her arms around him as if hugging him! Kenshin was much more confused.
"This has got to be a joke!" from the sleeve of her dress, she revealed a dagger, she kissed him briefly in the cheek before she cut his gi right across the chest. Her touch was so light that the blade barely touched his skin, drawing some blood from him. She tumbled vertically and distanced herself from him again.
She was smiling, satisfied. She revealed another dagger from the sleeve of her dress, holding it in her other hand. She now has two daggers. She was flinging them like wings.
Maybe she's being controlled by Reiji? Kenshin must knock some sense into her. It just can't be! Kaoru! Kaoru's fighting him! This must be some big joke.
"Doryusen!" he hit the ground, sending gravel towards her, she jumped away and begun attacking him, both of her hands held daggers, every strike was blocked by Kenshin's sakabattou. And with every blow and every block they made, Kenshin was forced to walk backwards until he could not move back no more. He hit the wall. Kaoru's daggers blocked by his sword were pinning him against the wall. Misao was not much further away. She couldn't believe her eyes.
"Himura, what're you doing? Kaoru! What're you fighting Himura for?!"
She glanced quickly at Misao then said,
"What kind of friends are you?!" she seethingly, still pinning Kenshin to the wall. Misao was shocked!
"What is wrong with you?! Why are you fighting Himura.?!"
"Kaoru?!" Kenshin finally said. "Stop this now! We've been looking everywhere for you!" he managed still struggling. Kaoru jumped backwards.
"Sure you did,"she cocked her lovely head. Kenshin recovered and started to walk towards her.
"Stop right there, you scum! I don't want your filthy hands on me!" Kenshin stopped. It hurted, it hurted too much.
"What're you saying?! You love Himura! Everybody knows that!"
"I just realized I don't." she answered back. It pained Kenshin more. She said she hated him and now she's saying everything they had wasn't love?! Reiji was laughing in the background yelling words like "you brought this upon yourself!"
She was removing the crimson red gi she was wearing. What is she doing?
"No use for this now", she threw away her gi and revealed a breastplate. It just fitted her right. Kenshin suddenly realized what she was wearing. She was wearing what seems to be the remnants of the kimono she wore when she went missing. The Obi was still tied at her small waist. Her skirt was tattered, reaching just below the knees, but she still looked decent. She's wearing shoes. Leather. And gloves, the had covered it earlier. Her hair was still tied in a ponytail with the same ribbon. The image before him was mocking him. So much like the old Kaoru, but still different.
"Done?" she snapped him back to reality. The ugly reality.
A decision was formed in Kenshin's mind. He'll bring Kaoru back. He didn't know how, but he'll do everything he could to do so.There was promise in his eyes.
"I'll bring you back, Kaoru." He smiled. That smile. That gentle rurouni smile. Kaoru was being stunned by his actions.
"Like you can." She snapped back.
When she turned around, he was gone from his spot. She felt an arm encircle her from her back, "How did he get behind me?"
"I'll take you home." he said firmly so that every word would carve into Kaoru's mind.
No! She whirled around, the tip of her small weapon grazing his left arm. He held her wrist, twisted it a bit. She winced in pain, unwillingly she dropped her weapon. She elbowed him on the face. He still did not let go. Blood begun to trickle down his chin.
He roughly turned her to face him. He was holding her other wrist, wrenching the weapon off her hand, the blade cut through the skin in his hand. Blood came out.
Her eyes widened as she realized that she had no weapon. His eyes. They were purple, only a tint of amber could be seen. (time to see some of our cute rurouni's tiny bad side! ^_^) But his stare was hard, full of determination. With an almost bored expression, he studied her face. His gaze travelling first to her eyes, then her nose, then his gaze lingered on her lips. His stare got harder, so did his grip. She was in pain. She could feel his heart and its steady beat against her chest. He could just smell him, somehow the smell seemed to fill her at the same time make her feel hunger. She opened her mouth to curse or something when suddenly she felt his lips against hers.
"Go! Himura! Go!" he could hear Misao cheering in the background. He pressed his lips harder, she was wincing, fighting him off. She almost overthrew him but he only tightened his grip. He doesn't want to hurt Kaoru, there has to be a way to bring her back, he can't stop now. He won't. She was cursing him, he knows it. The sound reverberated through his throat arousing his want.
"Stop struggling, you little wild cat" he said inching himself from her a bit. But then he came back and bit her lower lip demanding that she part them. Blood trickled from her lip, he drew blood from her!
~*~
Saito wasn't in sight, in fact no one's seen him since Kotori/Kaoru entered the room. He was walking towards Reiji. Finally he'd get his job done. When Reiji realized he was going after him he shouted at Kaoru
"Kotori help me!" unfortunately the weasel girl who was cheering on Kenshin at the moment. Her voice drowned those of Reiji.
He looked at what was happening. He smirked, Battousai's kissing his woman. She seems like she's putting up a fight though. Reiji begun to run, "Coward!"
~*~
Kenshin stopped to look at Kaoru's face. She was red! From anger or embarrassment, maybe both.
"How does it feel? Want more?" he said under his breath.
Uhoh. Now she's angry.
A grin lit up her face. She bit his lip! It hurted. Kenshin was shocked by the turn of events. He raised his head a bit. Kaoru headbutted him, he felt dizzy, loosening his grip. She kicked him right in the stomach. Kenshin doubled back in pain. He didn't expect that. He felt so dizzy he didn't know where she was.
When he saw her again, she was already wielding two kodachis (like Aoshi...)
"I would never hurt you, Kaoru..." he put his sword back into its saya.
"Haya!" she him on the chest, he looked at her. Kaoru froze.
"What's wrong with him?" She hit him again in the leg. Following a circular pattern around him, she begun hitting him everywhere. Sometimes she hit Kenshin and everytime she did, Kenshin would just look at her as if forgiving her.
"I would never hurt you, Kaoru..." No matter how weak he'd become, he still wouldn't draw his sword, he would just defend himself.
Getting pissed off, Kaoru dropped her weapons and went to Kenshin. She landed a punch on his face. Kenshin turned his head towards her again, and smiled.
"What's the matter with you?!" She kicked and slapped and punched him. It didn't waver him one bit.
Misao and the others were just watching. Even if they wanted to help Kenshin, they wouldn't want to fight Kaoru.
Kaoru continued beating Kenshin. Why is he always smiling? Is he mocking me?
Kenshin was thinking that maybe he'd lose all his blood by the way Kaoru was beating him up. But he wouldn't hurt her. He would never draw his sword! The memory of Tomoe's death came back to him. No! I'd rather die than hurt her. Kaoru punched him on the face again. In this case maybe he would die. Kaoru has pulled up his hair.
"Do you think I'm weak?! Answer me! Why don't you fight?!" She angrily shook him.
Kenshin looked up to answer, when something fell on his face. Tears. Kaoru was crying. He placed his arms around her. She tried to shake him off, but he only held on her tighter.
"Shh... calm down, koishii. Let's talk...." Kenshin tried as hard as he could to talk although both his cheeks were sore. Just then Reiji ran past them, Saito close on his heels. ~*~
Aoshi had already set Misao free from the kunais. He looked at the fight, Kenshin was being beaten by a woman?! And that woman just happens to be Kaoru. He was in one of the rooms. One of them was full of books. He was about to read one of them when he heard the commotion. He found Misao pinned to a wall, Battousain kissing and Saito running after an old man. Misao was still cheering on.
Kenshin has been able to calm Kaoru down.
"Women..." he thought.
The old man being chased by Saito was coming their way. Misao saw this too and prepared to capture the old man, he must be Reiji.
"Oh no! you're not getting away this time!" Misao took out her kunais, she aimed towards Reiji and pinned him to the wall. The tables have turned.
Kaoru saw this and immediately left Kenshin. In a moment she hit Saito, busy with Reiji, in the legs. He tried to hit back whoever hit him. She ducked and went to free her master. Kenshin was already behind her and holding her back.
"Get out of here!" Kenshin shouted. (Most of Kenshin's wounds are from Kaoru's punches, the only wound he had from her weapon was the one on his arm, and two on his chest. He could still move although not much...) Saito nodded. He took Reiji now unconscious (he hit him!). Misao followed. Aoshi hesitated first and turned to leave.
"Let go of me! I have to save him!" she was kicking in the air.
"He's not what you think he is!"
"And you're not so different!"
He pinned her to the ground.
"Calm down. Kaoru. I'm not gonna hurt you!"
"You already did!" He didn't understand
"I would never want to hurt you in any way. Kaoru, I love you. I don't even know why you'd want to attack us. Please calm down."
"No!" she tried to free herself, turned to look at him. Sadness, that's what she saw. And Love? She won't be fooled again. She wanted to cry for being helpless.
"Okay" she finally said. Kenshin kissed her forehead.
Kenhsin saw her face soften. He slowly loosened his grip.
Sucker! she kicked him and she stood up.
Why does this feel wrong? When he kissed her, a jolt ran through her. She hated it. Everytime he says he loves her, her heart skips a beat.
"Kaoru tell me what your problem is, if I've wronged you, I'd gladly accept any punishment." He soothed her.
Does he love me? Or is this one of his tricks again? Anger ran through her body. She kicked him. He winced in pain, his wounds from moments ago were stinging! But his emotional turmoil was much worse. He doesn't want to hurt Kaoru in any other way, but he needs to get her back!
He looked up at Kaoru. She was wiping her tears away. She had already picked up the dagger she had before. He winced.
"Kaoru…" almost a year of lacking sleep and food was taking its toll. Not to mention, his wounds
"The Kaoru you knew is no more." She went towards him, her dagger sinking into his side. Blood begun to pour out from the wound. He lost his balance, he fell. Kaoru caught him. She whispered something in his ear, then turned to leave.
"Kaoru..." Was he about to lose her again after his long search? No! he stretched out his hand but Kaoru had already walked away. He was losing consciousness. Blood was still poring from his wound. He just lied there, unconscious... he tried to reach for her again but then his body finally gave in, and he fainted.
~*~
Aoshi let Misao and Saito go ahead of him. He wanted to check out that library again. When he got there, he took some of the books with him. As he was about to go out, He decided to take a look at Battoussai's fight. Everything was a mess. Weapons were all over the ground. Lying on the floor was Kenshin. He ran to him.
He was still breathing. For a moment, he thought he was already dead. He looked around, There was no Kaoru in sight, no trace of her at all. He'll deal with that later. Kenshin needs medical attention. He took him and made his way out.
In the shadows of a poorly litten room, lay a woman, tears were running down her cheeks. She was alone, her master was gone. She almost killed Battousai. Somehow it seemed like she had stabbed herself too.
~*~
"I am Kotori, remember that. One day, I will come back and finish this fight"
Whew! finally finished! I have this wonderful image of the fight but somehow words are not enough to express it. I hope you didn't got confused. If there's a problem just tell me
You know what? Why didn't any of Kenshin's enemies thought about this?! Who is the one person Kenshin would've never fought?! Kaoru! he would never hurt her! therefore, he can't fight her! she is more than just a weakness! okay i admit, I'm quite pissed that Kaoru didn't have that much fight. I really think that women who fight are so cool!
Maybe someday, I'll go back to this chapter and when I'm able to make up a cool fight scene, I'' update it.
Up next... weather changes and the interrogation with that stupid Reiji!
Wait! Am I forgetting something?! what could it be?! oh! I know now,,, please review. and the other one , well here it is! I won't be uploading quick, well not the every other day basis but maybe the next chapter would be quite late... but hey! you got two chapters! I'm fixing the next one. I'm trying to make it light... (^_^)