SORRY! I had writer's block and I'm not too happy with this chapter. It's hard to make up a fight where it involves Kenshin or Kaoru (anyone actually) but I never thought it'll be harder to make them a tag team. ENOUGH about that. READ IT.
I WASN'T ABLE TO SEND PREVIEWS FOR THOSE WHO GOT IT RIGHT LAST CHAPPIE. WHY? THERE'S NO EMAIL AD LISTED, I CAN'T VIEW IT FOR SOME REASON AND TO THOSE WHO HAD ACTUALLY PUT IN THEIR EMAIL AD, I COULDN'T SEND IT. EXPLANATIONS BELOW.
and omg! Disclaimer: I don't own RK or any of its characters.
19 Three Swords: The Righteous, The Atoning and The Heavenly
Yahiko watched in horror as a group of men not less than twenty surround Kenshin and Kaoru. The thieves cornered both of them. One of them, unaware of who he is facing charged towards Kaoru. Kenshin saw this and placed a protective hand in front of Kaoru but she just pushed his hands away.
With one quick blow, the man was laying spread eagled on his back.
Kaoru took her stance and so did Kenshin. "Who's next?" Kaoru taunted. Just then, Kenshin put his hand on Kaoru's shoulder. "Wait. With this many people, don't you think we need a plan?"
Kaoru looked at Kenshin like he was dumb or something. Without heeding his advice she went after one of the men. The instant she moved, two more went to attack her. She whacked one in the head, kicked the other in the shin and hit the last one in the gut using the back end of the bokken.
She turned to face Kenshin who looked like he dashed after her but was stunned. One eyebrow popped and she lazily knocked him out of his trance. "With idiots like these, who needs a plan? Shit! Look out!"
Just in time, Kenshin dodged the attack from behind and hit the man in the legs. He spun his sword around and did more damage. However, Kaoru was not someone who would back down. She took on a few guys herself.
Kenshin caught a glimpse of Yahiko and he shouted for him to protect the other customers and clear the place. Yahiko nodded and hastened to do the task. Tsubame and Tae could only rely to Kenshin and Kaoru to sort things out.
"I just hope there's enough left of the restaurant to clean up." Tae said worriedly as she watched some of the men break tables, crash through walls and mess up the whole place. "And someone will need to call the cops!" She and Tae looked at an innocent looking Yahiko. Yahiko sighed, feeling disappointed, he had wanted to join in on the fight.
"We've got all the help we need. With Himura-san, everything would be alright." she said trying to convince herself. "Although I don't think Kaoru's sake would help much, but hey, they're beating the bad guys up." Tae tried really hard to convince herself that something would be left of the Akabeko.
Kaoru kicked one of the men through the walls. "That'll teach you to never underestimate the weaker sex!" She laughed and as if she were gliding, she hit one man after the other, jumping around, screaming.
Kenshin seemed lost for words. He looked up and saw the biggest one, someone who must've been their leader.
"Come. Your fight is with me."
Misao heard the commotion and ran immediately to the scene. Along the way, she asked people passing by.
"What is going on there?!"
"The Akabeko is being attacked. Two people are trying to stop them now."
'The Akabeko?' Misao thought for a while. After deciding, she sprinted at top speed to the restaurant.
Meanwhile...
A man was walking by along the fields. "Um... excuse me, but can you tell me if there's an inn nearby?"
The old woman blinked and inspected the young man. "You look like a pleasant young man, what brings you to this place?"
"Just wandering around..."
"Well, it's almost getting dark. You should go back home soon."
The man only smiled and asked her the same question he did before.
"I'm not the one to ask, my dear boy. I am one who frequents less into town. If you want to know anything, you should ask that man, my son."
"Thank you." the man once again smiled then went towards the man the old woman pointed to.
When he asked the man, who was plowing the fields at the moment. He asked the same question he had been asking for a while now.
"Bad luck, kid." the young man's brow twitched at what the man called him but he continued to smile in a pleasant way.
"What do you mean bad luck, sir? Are the inns full?" He would have to set camp then. He sighed, he was really looking forward to sleeping somewhere with walls this night.
"Well, as the other men told me, there's been some kind of ruckus in town a while ago. Dodgy place... not for someone tawny like you... even the strongest one of us wouldn't come."
'Did he say I'm weak?' he sighed and closed his eyes, remembering the past events in his life. 'Maybe I am...'
"Hey kid!" the man was shaking him, "You alright? You seemed lost for a while."
He nodded. "Well it seems like I'm stuck here." he looked at the hard work the man was doing. "Do you need help with that, sir?"
The man looked at him from head to toe. "I don't think you're up for it, sonny."
"No, sir. I can manage. I've done a lot work even when I was young."
"O-okay, if you say so." the man was going to give him the plow for the fields but he refused.
"But how will you plow the fields?"
"Trust me sir, I wouldn't need it."
With the speed that almost made him invisible if it wasn't for the marks he made at the fields. In a matter of minutes, he had plowed the entire field. When he had finished, the farmers could hardly speak.
"What was that thing you did with your feet?"
"Oh, I just ran around with a certain amount of speed and force. That is all there is, sir."
"Wow. Are you some kinda warrior kid?"
"I guess so."
"HAhA! You're just like that Himura guy! Sometimes that guy's so fast we couldn't see him! Isn't that right?" the other farmers nodded in agreement.
"Especially when that Kamiya girl's waiting for him," they all laughed.
"Are you his friend of the past or something?"
"I am acquainted to a man named Himura Kenshin, is that his name?"
"Yes, its Kenshin he's talking about alright" the old woman spoke from behind them that almost scared everyone away. "That nice man who sometimes help me in the market."
"You looking for him? I bet you he's helping out in town right now. Never misses a thing, that man!"
"You mean he's fighting in town at this moment?"
"We haven't got a reason to think otherwise." But before they even started talking again, the man was gone. They only knew he went away when from afar they heard him yell his thanks.
Yahiko, after helping the people went on a search for Sano. He told him what happened and they both ran to the Akabeko. Yahiko had wanted so much to help in the fight. He looked at Sano and knew that the man thought the same thing.
When they arrived at the scene however. All of the men were unconscious by then. In the middle of the pile of bodies were Kenshin and Kaoru, back to back. The entrance had some damage, bur miraculously, no other part of town had a single crack on it.
Both of them thought the fight was over but one look at Kenshin's and Kaoru's serious faces, they knew they were wrong. From out of the heap, a huge man rose up.
"That's one huge guy!" Yahiko said, stunned. The man was wielding an axe, equal to its size. The axe went down on Kenshin and Kaoru.
"Watch out!" Kenshin pushed Kaoru away just in time for both of them to dodge the attack. But, Kenshin arm got caught.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted from the other side as she stared in horror at Kenshin's bleeding arm. She didn't know why, but tears were forming in her eyes. She closed them and glared angrily at their enemy.
"Kaoru?! Are you alright?" Kenshin tried seeing through all the dirt that flew. Kaoru stood up for him to see her. "Yes" she answered in a shaking voice.
Her grip on Yahiko's bokken tightened. "Remember what you said earlier about a plan? I think we need one right now..."
Kenshin jumped in time to dodge another attack. He heard the seriousness in her voice and he looked around. "How high can you jump?"
"You fought against me before, you should know," she answered, still eyeing the man. Dodging things falling on her all the while as she tried to come closer to Kenshin. She was really pissed off. She had to roll over like some stupid dog already. She didn't mind that her kimono was already torn; she did it herself. But did she really have to get messy? 'I'll kick this guy's ass if it's the last thing I do.'
"I've got a plan."
Misao was fast approaching the scene. 'I've got to make it!' A/N: anybody here a BoA fan? She picked up more speed after turning a corner, sending lots of dust and smoke at other people in the process.
"Sorry about that!" She looked behind her to see if she had hurt anybody. When she looked forward, it was too late before she realized that it was a pool of mud she was going towards to.
"AAAAHHHHHHH!!!" she tried to stop herself but she could hardly control her feet. The onlookers closed their eyes as Misao plunged to the muddy pool. She emerged fuming and covered in mud.
"Great." the onlookers laughed at her new state.
"You want me to what?!" Kaoru screamed after Kenshin briefed her his new plan.
"I've already told you, he's too big. Besides, our priority is to minimize the damage as much as we can." Kaoru hmphed. "What more can I do?" She looked up at the roof.
"Just don't drop me. If you do, I'll have your head." She stood up. She stared loathingly at their enemy. 'Looking as stupid as ever.' the guy was just staring at them the whole time they were talking, as if confident that they don't have a chance.
Both of them attacked at the same time. Letting out their battle cries, the big guy whirled his giant axe first towards them. They both jumped back to dodge. But, the guy was going to attack towards some people. Kenshin stopped the attack using his sword and Kaoru, the closer one to the crowd, lunged towards some people and moved them away.
"This isn't something to watch. Hide somewhere!" She looked back at the fight and saw the huge guy gaining on Kenshin. He was just too big to be fighting Kenshin's small form. But the rurouni was still fighting. With incredible ease he was able to dodge the giant's attack the 'big guy' absolutely has no name since he's not that important.
One stare from Kenshin and she knew he was giving him the signal. Kaoru promptly ran towards him gaining speed on the way. Kenshin put his hands together and Kaoru stepped on them. With the lift from Kenshin, she was able to jump higher than normal and she landed on the roof. She then ran across many other roofs, leaving Kenshin and the giant behind.
Kenshin then resheathed his sword, his hand above it. His technique was in full bloom. ? He itched to finish the fight. If everything would go right they could defeat their enemy with one blow, just one. If they didn't have to focus on minimizing damage, this fight would've been over ages ago.
For now, he had to wait. Once Kaoru appears it'll be over. That's if she would appear. 'Dammit! Why isn't she showing up?' he looked around and saw no one. He gritted his teeth.
The guy lifted his weapon ready to attack him. Kenshin was quicker and he was able to unsheathe his sword. As the big guy moved to attack him, he saw her. She was on a roof, right behind their enemy.
With one quick slash he sliced the weapon in two. The giant stared dumbly at his useless weapon. Kenshin jumped to kick behind the sharp part of the axe away from doing any more damage.
Kaoru, unnoticed jumped from the roof and hit the giant in the back. But the remaining part of the axe hit her on the side, leaving her aching on the ground. The giant however, was unconscious.
"Kaoru!" Kenshin ran towards Kaoru, worried of the injuries she might've sustained.
"Thought I've run away, didn't you?" Kaoru told him.
"You made me a little nervous, that's all." Kenshin replied and for a while, it seemed like everything was back to normal.
Yahiko and Sano went to their friends immediately. "You could've beaten them earlier? What's the problem?"
"Sessha just doesn't want to cause more damage to Tae-dono's business, that's all."
Kaoru walked towards some people. "I save all of your lives, can't you at least buy me a new kimono?" The people were going o agree sportingly but Kenshin told them to not mind her. "She had a little drink a while ago. Sorry." at that statement, Kaoru shot him a glance that could freeze anyone to death. Kenshin was quite disturbed.
"Fine then, YOU will buy me new kimono, Himura." She turned around, all the while removing any soot she may have acquired. "What was he thinking? Making me jump to the roof like that?" they all heard her mumbling to herself.
"What is she talking about? It was the best plan I had." Kenshin thought to himself. As if reading his thoughts, Kaoru looked angrily at him, "I want my kimono to be expensive Himura!" then she made an audible laugh. Yahiko and Sano twitched. 'Women are creepy' they thought in unison.
On the way home, they stumbled upon Misao who was covered in mud.
"Don't ask." the weasel girl warned. All of them immediately shut up. Kaoru begun feeling better, seeing that she wasn't the worst looking at the moment.
Misao, so uncharacteristically sulky told Kenshin and Kaoru, being wounded and all, to go forward.
"Wow, weasel! That's nice of you and all. Bye!" Sano said waving goodbye to Misao. Misao pulled him and Yahiko by the hair. "I meant for you two to come with me!" She nodded her head towards the backs of Kenshin and Kaoru and both boys understood.
Kenshin began worrying about Kaoru's wounded side. But the woman would not let him come closer. He resigned then to just getting home early.
The young man ran as fast as he could to town, but when he arrived there, all he saw where people cleaning up.
"I guess I was too late. Now I'll have to find a place to make camp." he walked towards the direction where the Kenshin-gumi had gone.
Kenshin and Kaoru were walking home. By the time they were near the dojo, they were already in front of a cherry tree. Kenshin stopped. "Kaoru-dono, do you know why we went to the Akabeko?"
"Tae-san wanted help?" Kaoru answered. Kenshin looked at him, confused. "How did you know?"
"I guessed." she shrugged and continued walking. "So?"
"So what?" Kenshin asked her. "What's your decision?" Kaoru was waiting for his answer.
"I said I'll think about it."
"What's holding you back?"
"You, Kaoru." Kaoru looked back at him, surprised.
"Go. What's stopping you? You think I'll run away again? I don't care about running away now. You've all been nice to me, I shouldn't worry."
"Who will keep you company?"
"I already feel alone even if you're here, Kenshin. If I don't get my memories back, I'll always be alone."
"You're giving me permission to go?" Kenshin asked.
"I don't need to."
"I need you to. You were my umm... well..."
"Girlfriend? Before all of this happened?"
Kenshin bowed his head. He couldn't believe he's having this conversation. Kaoru spoke again.
"I didn't feel like it. I don't know what to think, or what to feel. My mind and my heart are both screwed up, Kenshin."
"Then I must be crazy." Kenshin replied.
"What?"
"Because I think it'll come back." The wind blew behind him and Kaoru wanted to hope. Something inside her tells her he's lying, but somehow, she couldn't think of him a liar. Kenshin had begun walking again. From behind him, Kaoru spoke again.
"I'm sorry."
"Why?"
"I can't trust you, I can't trust myself, and I can't trust Reiji. My mind is not my own."
"The mind is the not the only thing to rely on. Why else did you kiss me?"
"You mean my heart?" Kenshin didn't answer her. He didn't have an answer. He was tired.
Kaoru looked around her. She saw the tree, the house. She felt the wind. She was feeling dizzy. 'Something happened here...' She didn't have control of her body. She couldn't help it; She fell.
Kaoru saw everything as a blur as she came tumbling down the hill.
"Kenshin! Help me!" she felt pain surge through her as her back hit a rock, by the time she had stopped falling down, she was covered in grass and her hair and dress were in much more disarray.
She stood up, looking around and saw Kenshin running towards her with a worried look. Suddenly he stopped and was staring at something at the back of Kaoru.
She quickly turned around and bumped to someone who was right behind her all those time.
'Huh? I didn't notice that…' she thought while still in a haze.
"Um… are you alright?" she looked at the man holding her and her eyes met cobalt blue eyes, seemingly smiling but with a tinge of sadness. Finally, Kenshin reached them and stopped when he saw Kaoru held by someone he had considered an enemy in the past.
"You could put Kaoru down now, Soujiro."
"Ah, Himura-san! Nice to see you." The boy smiled at Kenshin and helped Kaoru up her feet.
Kaoru looked at them both and started to process things in her brain. "You know each other?"
Both men nodded, "We considered each other an enemy once. But, that was in the past." Kenshin said. "How have you been these past two years, Soujiro?"
At that question, Soujiro smiled. "Well, I have been following your example, Himura-san. After the thing with Shishio-san, I have begun to search for answers."
'Shishio…blue eyes…always smiling…' Kaoru thought as the two men were still chatting.
"Your name is Soujiro Seta, is it not?" she asked. The boy nodded. Kaoru smiled, "I've read so much about you. About your skills and your speed. I read you went missing after the fight."
"I have been wandering ever since, as you see." Soujiro smiled at her pleasantly.
"Oh please, stay at my place. You will be most welcome."
"I don't know about that… I mean, this is all so new to me." Soujiro began stuttering. No one has been this nice to him before.
"I insist. If you really are wandering then you don't have a place to stay. Another wanderer in the house won't hurt." Kaoru was still persisting because somehow, deep inside her heart she was being happy. Somewhere inside her tells her that this man was nice. And she was feeling something inexplicable; a gentle warmth honing it's way to Soujiro.
Soujiro could feel that warmth, it was something he had not felt before and seeing that she was so determined to make him come he nodded and said a yes.