Disclaimer: I think you get it by now… A/N: Hey guys! I wanted to update before it went into read-only mode. (That means a lot of you will be skimping on the reviews 'cause reviewing will be impossible…oh well!)
Thank you everyone who is reading and has remained interested with this fic so far. I can only hope I don't disappoint!
Tanoshimu!
Chapter 15
-Intermezzo- A Long Night
-
A fat droplet of rain came down from the sky and hit Misao squarely on the head. "Wow, it's really starting to come down," she commented as she jogged alongside Aoshi.
Aoshi grimaced in reply. Now was not the time for light chatter, he thought disapprovingly. They needed to find Naruku. The only problem was that they didn't know where to look.
Aoshi inwardly cursed himself. His fault. He had been away from guard duty for just a couple of minutes, but he should not have been away at all. Aoshi had thought that Naruku had given up on sneaking out…that she no longer needed to be locked in her room. He had stolen a moment, a precious moment, and let Naruku out.
The good part was that Naruku only had about fifteen minutes head start. And in this rain…he didn't expect that she had gone far.
His main worry wasn't that she had gotten away, but that someone else had gotten to her first. Someone meaning Enizu.
"Aoshi!" Misao called.
It was then he realized that the young girl had split off from him and way about ten meters away, looking down an alleyway. He followed her voice, barely able to see her through the rain.
"Look," Misao whispered, motioning down the alleyway.
Aoshi peered through the darkness. He stepped into the alleyway, slowly making his way forward. He felt Misao creeping behind him. Abruptly, Aoshi knelt down, crouching near to the floor so he could make out an object that lay at his feet.
"It's her sword…" Misao whispered, recognizing the object at once.
Aoshi could hear the strain in her voice. He picked the hanashitou up and unsheathed it. There was no mistake. Blunt on both sides, it was clearly Naruku's beloved sword. Before he could put it back in its sheath, he felt Misao's cold, wet hands carefully taking it from him. He turned and watched her curiously.
"You know, when Naruku first started living with Enizu, it was when she and I were out looking for you," Misao said quietly, running her fingers over the metal surface of the sword, pushing droplets of water off of it. "And I simply let her go. Jiiya was furious with me…but he'd never realize how angry I was with myself."
Aoshi said nothing. He suddenly felt very small, a feeling he had never really had before. What Misao spoke of was something he might never understand. The foolishness of a young girl. Foolishness that sprung from good intentions.
"I just…" Tears leaked from Misao's eyes, mingling with the raindrops that were already there. She let out a sob and quietly returned the sword to its sheathe. "I just wanted her to be happy."
Aoshi found himself reaching out to Misao, offering a consoling hand on her shoulder.
"Aoshi-sama…" Misao spoke, her tears ceasing. "What do you think happened?"
Aoshi stood up, bringing Misao to her feet with him. He quietly surveyed the rest of the alleyway. His fingers brushed along one of the surrounding walls.
"A sword stroke here…" he muttered, noticing how the wood was warped differently.
--Naruku slammed into the wall, feeling the force of Rokuro's next strike coming down on her.--
He circled a spot in the middle of the alley, looking down at an imprint in the mud. He got on his knees to inspect it more clearly. "And here...a hand to brace a fall." He looked up at Misao's concerned and questioning face.
--At once it was clear that her strike had gone awry, and instead of hitting her target, Naruku was sent toppling to the ground, waving her arms sporadically to cushion the impact.--
"There was a fight?" Misao asked quietly, her whole body tense.
Aoshi nodded. "It looks that way, but…whose fight?"
Misao's eyes darkened. "Who was the victor?"
Aoshi suddenly spotted something a few feet away. He got on his hands and knees and crept toward it. Another oddly shaped imprint in the mud. Much deeper than footprints, and definitely not the right shape. "Someone kneeling here…like this," Aoshi got on his knees.
--The sword was removed from her throat. Naruku sank to her knees, awaiting the blow that would kill her.--
The rain had washed away any more evidence, like blood or scraps of clothing.
"Misao," Aoshi uttered.
Misao carefully crouched next to him. "What?" she breathed, her voice almost inaudible over the pounding rain.
"I don't think Naruku won."
Misao closed her eyes and slowly let her head drop down. Her slippery hands clasped together, turning her knuckles almost white from the pressure.
When Misao opened her eyes again, Aoshi was no longer by her side. He was facing a wall a little bit more down the alleyway.
"Misao," he spoke clearly and carefully. "Misao, come here."
She jumped to her feet, surprised at his urgent tone. She joined him at the wall, following his line of vision. Stuck there was a single dart, similar to her own kunai. But the alarming part was what hung from the dart. It was a white rag, saturated with rainwater. Around the rag was a single piece of rope, the frayed ends waving in the wind.
Misao gasped. "Is that…?"
Aoshi nodded. "Naruku has been drugged and tied up," he stated bleakly. "Most likely, she's been captured."
-
It had been an hour since Aoshi and Misao had departed, and everyone was on edge. Kenshin most of all. He paced up and down the hallway, looking like he was ready to either tear the city of Tokyo apart or lie down on a futon and never get up.
The leak in the roof, Yahiko noted, didn't make things much better. Kaoru sat biting her nails in anticipation and just watching the bucket collect the rainwater that dripped in through the crack in the roof.
Sano stood against the wall, his arms crossed and his head dipped down, almost as if he were resting. But Yahiko knew that everyone was very much awake.
And then there was Soujiro, who didn't seem to know what to do with himself. Yahiko couldn't stand it. He probably knew just where Naruku was and what would happen to her, should she encounter Enizu. Soujiro was, after all, working for Enizu. How could he just sit there, pretending to be worried and scared like the rest of them really were? How could he?
"Don't just pretend like you don't know what's going on," Yahiko snarled.
Soujiro jumped at being addressed. "I'm sorry…what do you mean?"
Yahiko jumped to his feet. "That's right. I know what you've been up to, all right? You can't hide it any more!"
Soujiro blinked, obviously very put off by this.
"Yahiko, please!" Kaoru cried, rushing to try and calm her student down. "This isn't the time to—"
"Kaoru, he's working for the enemy!" Yahiko shouted in reply.
Everyone went silent. The only sound was Yahiko's harsh breathing.
Soujiro spoke quietly, "Please Yahiko-san, I'm very appalled at what has happened to Naruku-san as well…"
"Yeah, well you'd know, wouldn't you?" Yahiko spat. "Just what has happened to her, huh? Or did your boss Enizu forget to tell you?"
"Myojin-san…" Soujiro trailed off. Making a decision, he stood up and addressed them as a group. "I'm sorry. I don't want to stay here if it causes trouble. Please tell Misao-san that I'm sorry…"
With that he strode down the hall, outside into the storm.
When he was gone, Kaoru rounded on Yahiko. "Just what was that all about?" she demanded.
"It's true!" Yahiko replied. "I saw him talking to Enizu! He's against us, he's working for Enizu, I swear!"
Kaoru looked taken aback. "Is that…really true?" she turned to Kenshin uncertainly, but he couldn't seem to hear any of them.
"Would I lie about something like that?" Yahiko hollered. "Yes, of course it's—"
"Clam it, kid," Sano put in, clapping Yahiko on the shoulder. "Does anyone else hear something?"
They all paused and strained to hear.
"…not like…will be able…"
"That doesn't…mean…going to try."
Kaoru's face lit up. "Yes it's—it's Misao and Aoshi!" she scrambled to her feet and started to dash down the hall, but Kenshin grabbed her arm.
He raised his head to look her in the eye. She realized how tired looking his face was. "Do you hear three voices?" he asked, his voice sounding old and worn. "Or just two?"
Kaoru froze. Her face fell. "Just…two."
Kenshin didn't say anything, but released her arm and the two of them strode purposefully down the hall together. Sano and Yahiko followed, rather impatiently. They reached the front door just as Aoshi and Misao came in, soaked and tired looking.
"Where is she?" Kenshin asked.
"Himura…" Misao trailed off, biting her lip. She glanced at Aoshi.
Unable to handle her tentativeness, Kenshin grabbed Misao's wrists and roared, "Where is she?"
"Kenshin—!"
"Himura-san, calm down!" Aoshi and Kaoru worked to pry Kenshin off of Misao.
Misao stepped back. She understood Kenshin's fury completely, but it still scared her. He was usually very careful, and it was hard to see him loose control like that.
"Himura, Naruku is alive, that much we know," Misao said directly, as if trying to make up for her uncertainty earlier.
Kenshin's attention snapped to Aoshi after he curtly nodded at Misao's words. Alive, he reminded himself. But that could mean so many things.
Aoshi nodded and cleared his throat. "We found Naruku's sword in an alleyway," he said. "And also evidence that she was involved in a fight."
"A fight?" Kaoru asked, looking bewildered. She exchanged confused glances with Sano.
"Yes," Aoshi went on. "We don't believe that it was Enizu himself, but…definitely something having to do with him."
"So then…" Sano began slowly. "Do you know who might have won the fight?"
"We're certain that it wasn't Naruku," Aoshi briskly replied.
Cold fear seemed to seep into each and every one of them.
Kenshin's eyes seemed to have clouded over, and he was pacing again. Every once in a while he would shake his head, as if he were dizzy.
"The last thing we found…" Misao spoke up. She pulled out the white rag along with the rope and dart.
The other four peered closer at the objects in her hand.
"So Naruku was…" Yahiko began.
"Kidnapped?"
Aoshi nodded. "Another thing, Himura-san."
Kenshin looked up and his vision seemed to clear a little.
"The rag and rope were found pinned to a wall. As if whoever did it wanted us to find it," his tone was very purposeful.
Kenshin slowly nodded. Without another word, he brushed past the two Oniwaban and opened the front door. A flash of lightning lit the sky for a split second. The sound of rolling thunder and pouring rain was nearly deafening.
Kenshin stepped outside and walked across the porch, giving the weather no consideration at all.
"Hey—wait!" Sano cried, pushed past everyone to follow his friend. "Kenshin!" he shouted as another stroke of lightening came.
Kenshin turned. Sano couldn't see his expression clearly enough to see if he was annoyed, impatient or even relieved. But no matter what he felt, the important part was that he stopped and allowed Sano to catch up with him.
"Listen, you can't just go off on your own!" Sano said, yelling above the thunder and rain and soaked him and Kenshin.
Kenshin patiently watched him.
"You don't even know where koneko might be, and you're risking your neck without thinking things through!" Sano hollered, even though Kenshin was less than two feet away. "Jeez Kenshin, this isn't like you at all! This is more like…more like me," he realized. "This is something I would do."
Kenshin's lips thinned. "The problem," he told Sano. "Is that there is no time. I have to act now if I'm going to do anything at all!"
Sano could hear the frustrated rumble in Kenshin's voice. "I know Koneko means a lot to you—a lot to all of us, but don't you think this is just a little headstrong?"
"No," Kenshin said in a normal tone. Sano could barely hear him over the rain. "No, I don't think it's headstrong. It's what I have to do, Sano." He said it with such solemn finality that Sano was left speechless.
"…At least let me go along," Sano pleaded. "I mean, someone has to—"
"Sorry, Sano," Kenshin said, speaking up so Sano could hear his answer clearly.
"I have a favor to ask you."
"What is it?" Sano asked. A moment after he spoke, a loud crack of thunder filled his ears.
"Find Megumi. Make sure she's safe," Kenshin said. Before he could turn and walk away, Yahiko and Aoshi had joined them.
"Himura-san, are you really planning to—" Aoshi began, his eyes wide.
"Yes," Kenshin cut him off. "Even Sano can't convince me otherwise. I have to go now, but Yahiko? Aoshi? Please take care of Misao-dono and Kaoru-dono."
The two nodded, suddenly struck with how precarious their position was. They didn't know what would come next.
"Wait, Himura-san," Aoshi spoke up again. "Is it really in our best interest to do exactly what Enizu expects?"
Kenshin faced him, looking the taller man straight in the eye. "Yes," he replied unflinchingly. A definite yes.
Aoshi nodded, accepting the rurouni's answer. "Then I will do as you ask." He stepped back.
"What about Soujiro?" Yahiko asked seriously. There was a dangerous look in the young boy's eyes.
"If we end up having to face Soujiro, then so be it," Kenshin said. "He was an enemy once. He can be one again."
Yahiko's gaze faltered and he too stepped back. No one said anything as Kenshin turned his back and took a deep breath and began walking away from them, launching himself further into the storm and darkness which held his future unknown.
"Just bring her back…" Kaoru whispered from the doorway, watching as Kenshin disappeared from view. She didn't realize that Kenshin was thinking the same thing at that moment.
"Just bring her back."
-
"Was that the Kamiya dojo I saw you coming out of?" Enizu questioned the dark-haired boy.
"…yes," the answer was slow and somewhat weak. Soujiro was off-guard, it seemed.
"Interesting. Are you trying to accomplish something that is separate from my goal?"
"No, of course not," Soujiro said swiftly, to repel any misgivings the older man might have.
"I didn't think so. You are, of course, my right-hand man and I'd be very sad if I couldn't trust you to be loyal to me." A souvenir, Enizu thought. Almost as valuable as the girl.
"I apologize. I wanted to spy on them to see how they would react when N…when the girl went missing."
Enizu clucked his tongue. "Hm…"
"They suspected me of nothing," Soujiro added quickly.
"Is that so?" Enizu replied thoughtfully. "Well what was it you observed?"
"They were all very—er, worried…" he replied quietly. "Why didn't you send a ransom note or something to make sure that the girl would lure them to you?"
Enizu smirked. "It's not necessary," he replied coolly. "You said they didn't suspect you of anything? Even after they remember you as Shishio's right hand man?"
Soujiro looked taken aback. After all that time he had spent with Misao, he didn't really think that any of them at the dojo thought of his as Shishio's old ally. But Enizu had no idea that Soujiro had had contact with Misao for the past few months. "Yes, that's correct. The Battousai is too trusting for his own good."
Enizu chuckled. "It is something that I am always able to count on."
Soujiro let a bright smile light his face. He was very good at this. At becoming the trusted one, the number one man. Just like he had with Shishio. "What are your plans Enizu-san?" he asked in a tone filled with servitude.
"My plans?" he repeated, a slow sinister grin contorting his clean-cut features. "…Go back there. See what you can do to make things…easier on me. Test the strength of their bonds. Then report to me. I know I can count on you Soujiro."
Soujiro nodded resolutely. "Yes, sir."
"You're dismissed."
Soujiro turned on his heel and exited, avoiding the penetrating gaze of Rokuro who stood outside the room.
Enizu could not keep himself from laughing in perverse delight. He had never been so close to victory, so close to the revenge he needed. The revenge he had spent his whole life on.
Kenshin had ruined his life…and now it was his turn to make Kenshin's life a living hell.
A/N: Overall, I'm pretty glad with how this chapter came out. We're reaching the climactic part fairly soon…should be exciting, ne?
Last chapter I received a couple…interesting reviews (teehee.) Well just one. I know some of you want to see me chew out a flamer again, ne? Thank you to everyone who did review, I appreciate it very much, as you can probably tell by now. Continue to do so and you'll be rewarded in the obvious ways (faster updating, etc.)
Charming Woman: Thanks!
"Oro" Object: er…Naruku really did loose. I'm not lying! She got beat up pretty bad and then convinced she was going to die! Poor girl…
Some Slut: Thanks, and er…no, not really. I suppose if you had something to recommend I could see. I'm not particularly conservative or anything, lemon is just not my cuppa tea, you know?
Zioncross: Isn't that surprising though? Wasn't that one of the times you were expecting her to win and, not quite defeat Enizu, but at least set back his plans? Ah, well. It's difficult to write a fight scene on the loosing side. I'm sure no one blames Aoshi for Naruku's escape…or everyone does, deep down inside, bwhaaha!
One and Only: Yeah, she really did. As you can see, no one came to save her, but Enizu was lying to her. Still, it's surprising when the "good" side looses, ne? I'm glad you thought the fight scene was easy to follow. I try. I hate Enizu too…you're not alone.
Stupid fic: As you can imagine, I'm not exactly going to be paying much attention to your little blather. This is not because I can't take constructive criticism or because think that my writing is perfect. I understand that a lot of what you're saying may actually make sense. However, the fact that you are saying these things without the intent to help is reason enough to ignore you. Of course, I can't pass up a good rant of my own!
Another reason why I find it difficult to consider what you are saying: you are not considering my fic at all. You can't see past the fact that there is an OC present. I bet you anything that if I took the OC out and made this KK, you'd love it. Because that's just how shallow you seem to be.
In any case, I don't have endless amounts of time to waste with you and your angry ranting, but I'll leave you with this: obviously you are enjoying this fic on some level if you read up to chapter fourteen…ne? And don't say it's a "gross fascination" because I don't see that as true. There are so many fics out there that I guarantee are worse than this, er…"TORTURE" as you so eloquently put it.
To my other reviewers: Raise your hand if you know me in person…uh-huh, that's what I thought, not a single one.
No name: Thanks for the sentiment! You're sweet. But I don't think any flamer is going to have an easy time hurting me. 8-)
MSN-chan: Wow! Thank you so much for stepping up to defend me and my fic. I appreciate it, because it shows that you really do like this fic. :hugs: you're great, and you made some excellent points!
Question marks: Oh…sorry. And as for when the action starts, it should be right about…now!
Love in War: I know! Surprising, isn't it? I hope you'll like what's in store!
Well, that was fun! Nothing like an angry flamer to brighten my day…and of course nine others who really do appreciate this fic. Aww…thanks guys.
Important: The next chapter will be under the pairing Misao/Soujiro. See you then!
