Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the
manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment,
respectively. FF is non-profit, meant for entertainment only.
FF can be archived anywhere, just let me know where. Please send no flames,
I'm sensitive. For all other comments 0_o you may contact me at
kaoru_koishii@yahoo.com
Chapter Six
*************
It was ten till two when the head of security returned. He strode in past a sleeping Kaoru who'd fallen asleep sitting up while her father rested on her lap. He motioned for the guards and they moved away from their posts. Two policemen strode in after Kenshin heading to the back of the room, towards the balcony. They would be sealing it off. The people who'd been on the balcony were the only ones who really seemed ready to leave. And there weren't too many of those.
The cluster of people moved towards the front of the door. Slowly. They stepped in front of him waiting.
"If you don't wish to answer any questions tonight I suggest you write your name and number on a piece of paper. I will have Hunter take you down; the police won't bother you tonight." Kenshin assured. He received several nods and soft murmurs but all of them moved at once seeking paper and a pen.
His eyes fell back to the sleeping form on the sofa. She would need to hand over her information as well. But first he'd deal with this small band before he woke her up.
He received several pages of stationary. He counted the numbers and then the people. When he was sure he had them all he had one of his men escort them down. His name and old position carried enough weight to get these people some resting time.
No one else would need to be questioned. They had most of the offenders in custody while the rest were either on their way to the hospital or in body bags.
The gala seemed to be in mid swing. Most of them if not all of them would not know something had occurred until tomorrow when they read or saw it on the news. He'd complied with his contract, none of the guests had died or gotten hurt. He'd kept them all safe. His temper was on a short leash these days so complaints would not be welcomed neither would constructive criticism.
Kenshin walked over to the wall, leaning over the sleeping figure on the couch. "Oi." He said resting his hand on her shoulder. His hand caressed the bare shoulder before he squeezed. "Oi." He said again drawing his face slightly closer.
Twin pools of sapphire blinked at him slowly. Eyes widening at their proximity. "Move your hand." She breathed curtly. He did though it was hard to say if he was disappointed. She couldn't deal with him now. Her eyes moved to the man in her lap. "Papa." She called shaking him gently. She smooth his hair back and then shook him again.
Kenshin watched a bit irritated at her gentleness. "If you wish to avoid being questioned by the police, I'll need your names and numbers." His voice held no inflection and his eyes had gone cold.
Kaoru looked up at him, the shadow of a smile on her lips. "Name and number?" She said with a raised eyebrow. His face was a mask. But she knew the mask, very well in fact. There was only so much he could hide, especially from someone like her. They shared a bond. One that ran deep.
His eyes narrowed, feeling agitated all of a sudden.
"I think we rather get questioned," she said with disdain before she looked back down to her father. She had to remember to be nice to him she couldn't let her hate show through or she'd never get a chance. Still she didn't feel up for the challenge. Not right now anyhow. Kaoru pinched her fathers nose and covered his mouth.
Seconds later Kamiya Kenji rose startled out of sleep. His hand going to his temple as a dizzy spell over took him. His head hurt. He turned quickly looking for his daughter. Sighed in relief when he found her smiling at him. Amusement all over her features.
"You wouldn't wake up." She said grinning. "We have to give our statement to the police before we can go."
"What about the men? What happened?" Kenji asked as he sat up.
"I knocked out the guy that hit you and the second one was stopped by Kenshin." She realized her mistake in addressing the redhead with familiarity. Both her father and the redhead were looking at her intently. "Papa meet my rescuer, Himura Kenshin." She said lightly.
Kenji turned his head. Same guy from before the one who'd asked to dance with Kaoru. "Kamiya Kenji." He introduced himself after a moment. He made no move to extend his hand but then neither did the redhead.
Kenshin only nodded. The Kamiya man was very protective of his daughter. He could see why. Still he had things to do and he couldn't stick around to chitchat so with that in mind he walked off.
"Wait."
Kenshin turned back. "I have work." He said looking at the older man.
"Is there anything I can do." The words were hard to get out but he said them anyway. "For saving my daughter. I would like to show my gratitude." Honor before pride. Kenji forced the last of the words out of his mouth. He looked at Himura who's face had gone completely blank.
Kenshin looked from Kamiya Kenji to his daughter. Who for lack of a better word, seemed apprehensive. She didn't seem to like the idea of being indebted to him did she. He watched her eyes narrow. Almost like she knew what he was thinking. Kenshin forced his eyes away from the captivating beauty and back to the father. "There's no need. It's my job." With that he skirted away from them though not fast enough for his liking. She had seemed upset at his refusal. Why?
*************
"Honestly Papa, what would you have done if he'd asked for something outrageous?" Kaoru asked over breakfast the next day. She was still feeling angry at herself. And just maybe at the redhead as well. She'd been so close and she'd let her hate get in the way of her plans. So stupid. Kaoru-baka.
"He doesn't seem the type." Kenji commented.
"He seems too proud to ever take something from someone in either case." Kaoru said while she looked at the juice in her cup.
"What makes you say that?" Kenji asked, putting down his newspaper so he could look at her.
"I guess it's more of a feeling." Kaoru answered. She looked up and found her father scowling. She tilted her head wanting to meet his eyes. What had brought this on?
"Koneko, you'd tell me if you'd met someone wouldn't you?"
Kaoru laughed. He was so paranoid. "Yes papa. You'd be the first to know." She assured. She couldn't help but smile. Her father as very observant. He no doubt suspected Kenshin as the next love interest in her life. He was both wrong and right. She had an interest in him but it wouldn't be love that would make her pursue a relationship with the redhead.
Kenji's frown darkened. He couldn't help but feel there was more going on but Kaoru had never lied. So he dropped it. Still he didn't like the idea.
"It's Sunday. The only whole day you'll be here. What do you say we spent it out?" Kaoru suggested trying to break him out of his mood.
"All right." He agreed.
"We'll go to the museum," Kaoru said making her father smile. It had been the first place they'd gone out after her mother had died. She didn't really remember her mom anymore. There where pictures of course but it didn't make much of a difference. In either case her father and she had been going there every father's day ever since.
They hadn't gone this year or for the previous three for that matter. It was time they spent some nice father-daughter time.
"I'll go get dressed." She said running off.
Kenji watched amusedly. He was already dressed. True they were having breakfast but it was already past eleven soon to be twelve.
She came back moments later, dressed in a pink t-shirt. On the front it had a small black haired girl sitting on the corner of a cloud, underneath it read, 'Angel.' It was her old shirt. It's still fit, she was glad it stretched. Plus it looked good with her white mini. With a pink purse in hand and a smile on her face she announced, "I'm ready."
"Same as always then. Museum, hot dogs and then to the mall for ice cream." Kenji said as they walked down the street. Kaoru squealed in response and latched on to his hand. "That sounds like a plan."
She smiled absently as they walked, her mind already on other things. Like what she could have differently at the party. Maybe she should have agreed to dance with him. That would have been weird though. You can't try and seduced someone while your father's watching. That brought a whole new set of questions as well though. She had never tried to capture someone's attention. They meaning guys had either found her attractive or they hadn't.
She didn't remember enough about the past to put together how she'd captured his heart. Or how she'd lure him to her bed. Kaoru bit her lip. He was different then before of course so was she but there was something amiss. Something crucial she wasn't remembering. But what was it?
*************
Kaoru dried her hands, throwing the paper towel in the trash when she was done. She left the lady's room and headed back to her father. They were still at the museum and where had she left him?
"Umph."
Kaoru was saved from falling on her rump by strong arms with a firm hold. She smiled at her rescuer. "Funny, running into you."
Her rescuer helped her gain her balance before he let her go. Kaoru stood in front of him feeling her heart begin to race. His deep-violet gaze was cold today. Maybe because she'd been mean to him the previous nice. "Are you here by yourself?" She was less then a foot away from him, not having moved from where he set her.
"No."
A twinge of something squeezed her heart. "A date." She didn't ask, she knew. He nodded and she felt deep resentment bubble from within. There was always the chance of someone else capturing his heart. She found it hard to breath suddenly. She wouldn't be able to stand that, never that. He was hers. "Someone from last night?" She inquired in an intimate tone.
He looked at her curiously. Last night he could have sworn she had absolutely no interest in him. More than that like she despised him.
Her hand settled on his hip. She watched his expression but his mask was firmly in place. So she placed another hand on his other hip. It took one step to close the distance between them. She looked at him through her lashes his expression didn't change which made her wonder just how many women had tossed themselves at him. How many had he taken to his bed?
Her hands slid under his coat running smoothly over his back. He was warm and he smelled nice. She felt a tingling under her skin and she pressed closer, her hands digging into his back as she did. She scraped her nails down his spine and was finally satisfied to see small flecks of gold appear in his eyes. She moved back breaking all contact with his body. He grabbed her arm and she wrenched it away. "I don't like to be touched." It was a quick response and not a total lie.
"What's your name?"
"I'm surprised you don't know." She watched his expression. His name, face and presence were etched on her soul and he didn't even know her name. She turned her body around and faced him completely. "Kaoru." She conceded. "Like the Empress."
She could see the wheels turning in his head. So he had no memory of that. She tried not to frown. "I have to go." She didn't smile. She just turned and left, very aware of his eyes on her form. Her heart was still in her throat. There was something amiss. It wasn't anything concrete it was more of a feeling. They'd lived during some rough times and she'd been strict and extremely possessive of him. There were too many gaps in her memory she needed help piecing this together.
"What took you so long?"
"Sorry papa there was line." She smiled and pulled him by the arm, leading him away from the museum. She didn't want to run into Kenshin. She didn't want to think about him for a while. Her father would be leaving soon back to the states. He'd only been able to come for the gala. He had to leave almost soon after dinner. Then she'd be all alone again.
*************
Why were there three of them?
She looked at the same soul, dressed in three different types of clothes.
An ancient warrior with beautiful hip-long red hair and piercing eyes. Savage in the art of war. Oni because of the way he fought.
Slave and protector, a warrior with short black hair, dyed to keep anyone from finding out about his clan. A people of red hair and deep purple eyes. Hogosha because that's what he was bred for.
And thirdly . . . .
Same deep red hair and piercing violet eyes. A gi, hakama and sword, though there was something about that sword. Still a warrior if the sword was any indication.
Kaoru gazed intently at the third one. His face was set in the same manner as the others but he seemed different. Like he'd suffered. A wound only she could see. "Himura Kenshin." The name was the clue. The other two had existed in a different time. They didn't have last names but this last one. This one. This one's name was Himura Kenshin. This one in the gi, with long red hair. This was the one in her dreams not her Hogosha or her Oni. It was this one.
"Kaoru-dono."
Her step faltered at his voice. The familiarity pulled at her mind. She closed her eyes as things shifted. As everything darkened.
A fight. She looked on apprehensively.
His glittering eyes shone in the darkness. He turned the blade. He was going to kill.
"Battoussai."
She gasped, her skin crawled with recognition. Kami no wonder things hadn't made sense.
Not where near where I wanted to end, believe me, but I write so much my hand cramps up which is why I don't write 20+ pages per chapter anymore. Still I'm hoping to get my hands on this software where all I have to do is talk and the program will type what I'm saying. That would be nice cause my wrist is killing me, still I've already started chapter seven. Not to worry. I'll try real hard to post every Friday, that way you guys don't waste your time checking every day.
Small Notes: All I have to clear up is why there's three of them.
01. Dark Times: Blood Bonds
The first in the AU series. Kenshin looks just slightly different. He's an ancient warrior with beautiful hip-long red hair and piercing eyes. Savage in the art of war. Oni because of the way he fought. (Oni means demon.)
02. The impious Empress
Second fic in the AU series. Kenshin looks a lot different in the beginning. Short black hair with long bangs that at times cover his eyes. In this life he's been born a slave, warrior and protector to the empress. Hogosha because that's what he was bred for. (Hogosha means protector.)
03.
Deep red hair, piercing violet eyes and a cross shaped scar. A warrior born out of necessity. To protect those who could not otherwise help themselves. To protect, he stained his hands. Someone from the shadows, The Hitokiri Battoussai. (Hitokiri Battoussai translates to master assassin. I hate the word manslayer.)
She'd dreaming by the way, here at the end. It's the only way she'd be able to see them. As for the other fics not being done. My hand HURTS. please be patient. I have several works started but nothing I can finish.
Thanks for reading and e-mail me if you have questions, just be sure to include your email address, alright. Good.
