Disclaimer: I don't own RK or any of its characters.
You are free to toss me any angry comment for the big delay. I won't even explain... READ ON!
Final Enigma
Kenshin, after recovering from the shock of having Kaoru taken away from him again, regained composure and followed Reiji's tracks with as much stealth as possible. Through the dark he saw as Reiji half-dragged, half-carried Kaoru's now unconscious body.
The blood from her wound has stopped bleeding. Reiji at least had the decency to cover it with some cloth. He was not trying to kill her after all. It seemed that Reiji had planned this abduction very well for he already had a small hut ready for him.
He got ready to make his move when from behind him he heard a sound.
"Saito." he said simply.
"Battousai."
Saito shook his head to say that whatever he was planning, he shouldn't do it.
"Not now."
"Do you think I can be stopped now?"
"As long as he doesn't know he has been followed, Kamiya's out of harm. The vermin plans on keeping her alive for his big finale'. But, if we ticked him off by rushing to the scene, he might panic and kill Kamiya instantly."
"What makes you think that?"
"He's a maniac. It's better for us to wait for him to relax and start brooding again or else, Kamiya's gone."
"So we're just going to wait out here?"
"No, we're going ahead."
"To the island, is that what you mean? Why there?"
"Because that's the only place he could go. That's where he's got all his toys."
"What about Kaoru? What if he does something to her?"
"Someone will be left here to watch. Shinomori's on his way. " And true to his word, Aoshi was there along with Sano and to his surprise, Soujiro.
"Hello Himura-san, I saw Sagara-san and Shinomori-san on the way here…"
Kenshin thought for a moment then finally nodded at Saito and together they commenced their plan...
The red haired samurai's flaming tresses blew to his face as he looked on towards the island. The final destination. The grim set of his face has not changed since last night as he contemplated on saving his strength for what he had to do.
Saito Hajime sat on the other side of the boat. Princely in his posture as he smoked one cigarette after the other. He was upset enough that his night had been ruined by the events and now he could finally seize the chance to capture this Reiji Kurosaki or kill him, it didn't really matter.
With Battousai hard on getting Kamiya back and with Aoshi and the Tenken on Reiji's trail, the man's fate is sealed. Oh, right, he remembered the rooster-head, he wasn't really sure if the man was of any help but no matter. As soon as this is over, the sooner he could get on and live on his life.
He was only slightly glad that the raving lunatic, the overzealous Misao wasn't there and also that little thieving brat, Kamiya's pupil.
He watched as the ex-hitokiri examined the island slowly coming into view. Petty thing the island, if only it didn't hold so much dangers, it would have made a fine vacation spot.
The battousai has not even uttered one word since dawn. He tossed the remaining butt of his last cigarette to the waters.
Damn. Without a smoke, he suddenly felt twitchy. Too bad for Kurosaki.
When they finally landed on the sands of the island, the Mibu wolf was in time enough to spot a bird flying overhead. It had to be from Shinomori and sure enough, a letter was attached to it.
Kurosaki left at dawn.
He handed the note to Kenshin and this only set his features to an even darker level. Quickly to turn his back he went on ahead to go into Reiji's lair through the way they had came the first time they set foot on the island.
It wasn't long before they have found the rock that marked the hole that is the way in. Examining the place, they could see that animals had inhabited the place. Just their luck, wild animals have roamed the place, that posed more danger.
Finally, they found the hole and both men slid in.
As they came out of the other side of the hole, they were full of dust and soot, product of a long absence of humans. The place was still dingy and little light penetrated from outside. Saito struck a match and lit one of the candles lying around.
"The police has cleared off whatever was found when Reiji left but I suspect there's something more, why else would he return?"
Their footsteps echoed and the darkness was nerve wracking for any human. But the two men stood unabashed by the sinister atmosphere surrounding them.
Saito only lit one candle and took it from a bunch of whole others which were stuck on the sides, less Reiji suspects of recent occupation.
True enough when Kenshin risked a glance towards some of the many rooms in the place, it was bare of anything except crawling insects that have made its home there.
Kenshin wandered his eyes to where he once saw a myriad of weapons when he first encountered Kaoru in the place.
'So it has come down to this. This is where it begun, this is where it ends...' he thought darkly as he thought of last night.
Through the silence, they could catch sounds of scurrying feet, probably an animal's. The wild animals that have occupied the island has probably found the lair's many entrances and went about their way in living here. He remembered Misao telling him about a place where she and Aoshi had an accident meeting with Reiji.
The scurrying of feet went nearer and all of a sudden the candle from Saito's hand was knocked away followed by a cry of agony and then a low growl.
Kenshin turned towards the assailant and realized it was only an animal. Saito lit his match again and bent down to find the candle which has fallen somewhere. After finding the candle, the man was about to stand back up but noticed something on the ground.
Blood.
It was all over the place. Kenshin explained that it must've been from his and Kaoru's fight.
"There's far too much of it for one battle..." Saito murmured, voicing his thoughts.
"Some are more late than the others, you can tell by the color. Probably from Kamiya's"
Kenshin tightened his knuckles and his teeth grind as he remembered Kaoru's recollection of being beaten repeatedly by Reiji while he was trying to brainwash her.
Today, it will end.
Another sound distracted the two men; it was as if rocks were collapsing, and then shouts.
They didn't need to think about it. That was Sano's voice. Reiji was here.
Big thanks to the reviewers! I won't even let you waste one more second of your life waiting for my next update because I have updated the story up to the end!
YAY!
I just told my friend that I'm going to have to go through an ultrasound checkup then I told her I was pregnant...ZOINK! I was just kidding! I don't even have a boyfriend for crap's sake. She was just like, "Oh My God! Who's the father? Are you for real!" and I was just laughing my head off. I told her that she's too kind and gullible and then there are people like me who pulls their leg all the time... I am evil, I guess...