A/N: Thanks to reviewers!
StormHornet – Hahaha… you're so funny… I never knew you hated Hotaru that much!
Rurouni-maxi – Yes… no one likes Hotaru -sweat drop- I'm glad you liked the chappie tho!
royal blueKitsune – Sand beast POV? Bwahaha! That's so funny! I don't even know why! LOL! And -sob- another good idea that I never -sob- used…
Recap –
Though he was not tiring, the fear of the sand beast and the worry of Kaoru's safety keeping him awake, Hotaru obviously had reached the end of her energy.
The Color Black-Red – Chapter 6
Kenshin looked around. In this region of the desert, there were no Cacana trees, only rocks and lots and lots of sand. He lay Hotaru down next to a large rock, and though the shade was little, there was still some there. They had not had food, ever in their trip, and unless they reached the end of these sands and a town, they would both probably die.
Kenshin sighed. They could not carry on like this. Every so often Hotaru would collapse from the heat, the hunger, and the exhaustion. He decided that they needed to move on, that if they kept stopping like this they would die, that they needed to move on if he ever wanted to see Kaoru safe and alive again. Which Kami knows he did. So he picked Hotaru up and ran, he was using up all his energy, he knew that, but the time would come for rest.
Hotaru awoke to being bumped around in Kenshin's arms. She stared at him in surprise. He was carrying her! "Kenshin-san," she whispered, "I…" But she saw that Kenshin was barely listening to her, that he was panting terribly and tears were rolling down his face. "Kenshin-san!" she cried.
He looked at her for a second, then gave a weak smile and continued running.
Hotaru knew that Kenshin would practically kill himself if he kept running like this. So she did the only thing she could think of. She screamed. "MATTE!"
Kenshin stopped in mid-stride and looked at her in surprise. He saw her face that was red from the yell and filled with caring for him. "A-arigato," he murmured. He then dropped her softly upon the sands and fell forward, fast asleep.
Hotaru closed her eyes, smiled, opened her eyes again, and rolled Kenshin over onto his front. She stroked his face tenderly. "Oh, Kenshin-san," she whispered, "if only I could tell you how deeply I have fallen in love with you…" Hotaru stared into his face and whispered, "Rest as long as you want. I will watch over you. Nothing bad will happen to you while I am watching."
Hours later, Kenshin awoke, groggy, to find himself staring into Hotaru's dozing face. Still half asleep, Kenshin murmured, "Kaoru…"
Hotaru woke with a start, to find Kenshin looking into her face with such love she could not believe.
Kenshin began to say Kaoru again, and reached up to touch the face that he thought was Kaoru's. He touched Hotaru's face and everything came back. He dropped his hand and moved away from her. He sat up and said, "What happened, Hotaru-san?"
Though she didn't want to let her mind stray from the look that Kenshin gave her, she answered his question: "Apparently while I was asleep you decided to continue. So –"
"I was running and then you woke up and brought me to my senses," Kenshin finished. "Did I fall asleep?"
"Hai."
"Sou ka." Kenshin stood up and stretched out a hand to help Hotaru up. "Gomen, but we need to get moving."
"Hai. I understand, Kenshin-san." Hotaru looked at the sands and grasped some between her fingers. With a start, Hotaru looked up into Kenshin's face again. "Kenshin-san! The sands – they are thinning!"
Kenshin, looking quite excited, got down and his knees and gathered fistfuls of sand in his hands, "So they are!" he exclaimed. Pulling Hotaru up, he animatedly grabbed her hands and started to run.
"Kenshin-san!" Hotaru squealed. "I don't want you to collapse again!"
"I won't!" Kenshin noticed that Hotaru was definitely falling behind, so, taking a deep breath, once again he gathered her in his arms and ran ever faster.
After what seemed like forever to Hotaru and only seconds to Kenshin they both saw what they wished they had been seeing for days. On the horizon, coming ever closer was a town.
Hotaru grinned and shouted to Kenshin encouragingly, "We near the town, Kenshin-san!" The town was approaching fast.
Kenshin didn't even hear her. All he could hear was Kaoru's sweet voice. Kaoru praising him, Kaoru yelling at him, Kaoru yelling at Raikoji Chizuru, everything. He ran ever faster and suddenly the town was right in front of them.
Kenshin dropped Hotaru – not so lightly this time – and raced into one of the more grand buildings. He burst through the doors and cried, "Do any of you know of a man who calls himself Daemon?"
The men sitting at the tables looked up. It had appeared he had walked into a bar. When nobody answered him, Kenshin strode over to the barman and barked, "Answer my question! Do you know of a man who calls himself Daemon?"
"N-no, sir," the bartender mumbled, "there ain't no one called Daemon 'round here."
Kenshin grabbed the man by the scruff of the neck. "Answer me truthfully!" he said in a low, angry voice.
"Kenshin-san!" Hotaru rushed in and grabbed his arm and wrenched him off of the bartender.
"I give thanks, Miss," the bartender said gratefully, rubbing his neck tenderly. He looked at Kenshin and said nervously, "There be a man who calls himself Daemon off way to the west, you can catch a train there."
"And why didn't you tell me that in the first place?" Kenshin roared.
The bartender cowered until he squeaked out, "My apologizes, friend. Its just that we don't get many rough strangers 'round here, that's all."
Kenshin relented, and walked out the door. "Come, Hotaru-dono."
"Hai, Kenshin-san." Hotaru hurried after him.
"Actually…" Kenshin turned right around and asked the bartender, "Do you have horses we can use? I can't pay you, but I will give you my eternal thanks."
The bartender began to say no, but Kenshin whispered to him words of his dilemma, and, out of pity for Kenshin, the bartender agreed.
As Kenshin marched out the door to where Hotaru was waiting the bartender called after him, "Luck in finding your girl!"
The men in the bar raised their glasses in agreement, though they had no clue what it was about.
Kenshin smiled and nodded, then disappeared through the swinging doors. "Hotaru-san." Kenshin walked to her and said, "They are allowing us to use their horses." He led her round back where he was told the horses were.
"Kenshin-san?"
"Nani?" Kenshin barely heard her. He was looking around at the horses, searching for two that looked fast. "Ah!" his eyes lit up as he saw two horses perfect for the job. One, a stallion of a deep crimson, and the other a mare of pure gold with a black star on her forehead. "These are the two," he announced. "Now what was it you were saying, Hotaru-san?"
"I…" she looked up at the horses in fear. They were much larger and more frightening than the ones she knew. "They look scary!" she squeaked.
"Come on. Are you trying to tell me that you have never ridden a horse before?" Kenshin said in disbelief. He leaned against the stables, willing them to get a move on.
"Well, of course I have ridden a horse before!" Hotaru retorted, "But still," she looked at Kenshin and her mouth nearly opened. Actually looking casual for once, Kenshin's crimson hair swung around him as wind whipped through the air. "I… I…" Hotaru found nothing to say. At this moment, he looked so unbelievably handsome, his amber eyes filled with worry that somehow Hotaru mistook for love. "I … lets go!" she exclaimed.
Kenshin immediately perked up at this and grinned. He hoisted himself up on the stallion and motioned Hotaru to mount as well.
She nodded, using that to conceal her blush. She, taking a deep breath, put her foot in the stirrup and mounted the beautiful mare. Nearly as soon as Hotaru had clambered on, the horse became scared and reared up on its hind legs. She screamed and held on tight as the horse galloped forward, breaking the fence and continuing to gallop out of sight.
TBC…
A/N: Poor Hotaru! LOL.
Please please please review!