Chapter 2: I want him dead
"Hotaru put your sword down, now!" Hiko said glaring at Hotaru.
"But, master it's the battosai! He is deadly. He said he would be back and now he is." Hotaru spoke without bringing her eyes off of Kenshin. She continued to breathe as she kept her stance and distance. Kenshin, being the clueless wanderer he is, was sitting with swirly eyes.
"Kenshin, are you alright?" Kaoru said when she finally caught up with Hiko.
"Ooorrrrooo."
"He is fine; if he is acting like this he is fine." Misao said out of breathe.
"What kind of idiots are you, battosai equals deadly, deadly equals stay back!" Hotaru said not moving from her position.
"If you are supposed to stay back then why are you attacking?" Yahiko smart mouthed.
"Let's just say I have a score to settle."
"Hotaru, back off." Hiko repeated.
"Master, I refuse to back off, no matter how obedient I'm supposed to be. I can't let his guy get my life without a fight!"
"This guy won't attack you. This is a student of mine, no matter how much he doesn't deserve respect; you will give it to him." Hotaru hesitated for a moment then backed down. "Now pick-up those fish, clean it and then wash the dishes. Did I say wait, get going!"
"Yes master." Hotaru said still looking at Kenshin with stern eyes. "One day, just watch me defeat you." Hotaru picked up her fish and bucket, and started to walk down slowly without looking back. 'Hm, if only I was stronger, then I could actually have a chance defeat him," Hotaru thought. Hotaru stuck the bucket into the well, and started to yank on the rope pulling the water closer and closer each time. 'I should be glad Hiko agreed to teach me, I could still be at that dojo, that horrible dojo.' Hotaru pictured the image and winced at the thought. She continued to lift the bucket out of the well and started to slowly wash the dishes. "Tochi?" Hotaru whispered and started to whistle. A small bird flew to perch in the shadow of the tree branches and started to whistle back. Hotaru let out a sigh and continued her unbroken habit of washing the dishes. Hotaru then looked up toward the bushes. She watched carefully as the leaves rustled in the wind. 'That isn't a wind... Not the forest winds" Curious, Hotaru took one of the clean dishes at threw it at the bush. A hand reached out of one of the standing trees and captured the plate as if it was a Frisbee. "Sorjiro, you no longer need to hide."
"I should have known you would have heard me." A young teenage boy dressed in blue stepped out and smiled.
"I don't have time for this, Sorjiro, find someone else to bother."
"But this might concern you." Sorjiro started to toss the plate. "I know your master wouldn't be pleased if there was a plate missing."
"That's my plate; I just won't eat dinner tonight if you break it."
"Who me? I wouldn't think of breaking it." Sorjiro smiled and threw the plate back at Hotaru. Hotaru whistled and Tochi then swooped and clawed the plate. "Damn, you and your bird." Tochi started to try to fly back to Hotaru with the plate. It started to stagger as it flew. CRASH!
"You mean my clumsy bird, right?" Hotaru turned and glared at Tochi for dropping the plate. "No dinner for me tonight I guess."
"Back to matters. I know you want the battosai dead." Hotaru's eyes widened as she cussed under her breath. "I know how to kill him." Sorjiro smirked at Hotaru's quiet state.
"You know I don't want to take plan in your situations. Just leave already!"
"No, you don't want the battosai to be dead, you need him dead. You don't want to admit this because of your master isn't it? You hate the fact that you're under him. You hate the fact you aren't even matching up to the strength of those around you. That is your weakness, kid. That and much more." Hotaru grit her teeth and stood up. She turned around and glared at Sorjiro.
"Don't you call me 'kid'." Her purple eyes started to fade as a violet-blue started to form in her iris. "I hate to admit it, but I have weaknesses, but being loyal to my master isn't one of them. It is true, I want the battosai dead. No, I need him dead, but if he is going down, I'm the one going to bring him down. And neither you nor anyone is going to help me in any matter or way." Hotaru walked and didn't turn back, but she could tell Sorjiro already left the open space. 'It's going to be a long evening.' She heard her stomach growl. 'Oh yeah, no dinner again...'