To Catch A Thief
Disclaimer: I only own the first and second book. All the rest belong to my friends and the bookstore.
Blu3jay: This is my first Kenshin fic. Actually, it's my first fic. This idea's been on my mind for quite some time now, but I've never had to time to write it down. I've only got the chance cause its summer vacation. And I might be a bit slow at updating so forgive me.
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Chapter One: Close Call
The group didn't have a name. Or if they did, no one knew it. It probably formed about a year ago because that's when robbery became a common occurrence in the area of where the highborn lived. Once a month, a noble's house was attacked and the trinkets were found scattered on the streets of the slum neighborhood the next day. This was only one of the reasons they were so popular with the commons. Another was by the fact that every house they robbed was homes of the highborn who deserved it.
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"'ey! Wach'it!" The man looked up at the young boy who just ran head first into him, knocking him into the ground. The boy instantly became wide-eyes and his lips gave the slightest quiver. Another boy emerged from a nearby shop, ran over to the two, and helped the man up, dusting off the dirt on the stranger's cloth as he did so.
"All you alright sir?"
The man grunted. "Yeh, whatever. Jus' get out of my sight!" And with that, he stalked off. The two boys shared a glance and walked away in different directions, one heading east, the other, south. A few minutes later, they met up at an empty alley near an inn. The older took out the money pouch and counted their taking: two coppers and one-silver. Sharing a grin, they dumped the contents into their own pouch and threw the pick pocketed one away. Now they were clean. That's a mistake too many other thieves made, which gets them thrown into the gaol. A purse was too easily recognized. But they knew they weren't safe yet. Soon, the man would find out he was robbed and recall the boy that dumped into him. But that boy couldn't be proven guilty, since he didn't hold the money. However, if the guy were smart, he would guess that both of them were working together. That's why they didn't like stealing this way. Too dangerous.
To the west, the sun was setting. They decided to head "home." A long night lay ahead and both knew it. Of course, they split up again, each taking their own indirect route home. A thief never head home directly.
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She blew annoyingly at her bangs, her elbows banked unladylike on the table. Her father, the king, shot her yet another warning glare. She straightened up grudgingly and tried to look interested, a battle already lost. She had been sitting here the whole afternoon, listening to the foreign ambassador of a country who knows were drone on about his childhood, though how they ever started such topic she may never know. He was just about the dullest person she's ever laid eyes on. His voice had no pitch range, his clothes silk but plain as a doorknob. Even his hair was boring, combed back to cause a silky outlook. Kaoru thought it looked oily. Occasionally, his hand strayed toward his bum, making a scratching motion. A bell rang signally the start of dinner. Kauro didn't like this at all. She would much rather dine in her room with her personal maid, having a polite but interesting conversation. That's the problem with maids. They act polite no matter how much you threaten them. Kaoru would know. Maybe…
"Father, may I take a leave? I would love to stay but my head suddenly became pained and I'd like to go up to my room and rest for a bit."
Her father looked at her with eyes that just begged her not to abandon him, but Kaoru's mind was set. She didn't invite that old goat over to dinner so she doesn't feel the need to accept the consequences. After a minute, the king sighed.
"Very well, you may go."
"Thank you Father. Good night and to you too, Lord…umm…Din! It was a pleasure meeting you today." She lied through her teeth.
Lord Din ignored her (he was half deaf) and continued his story about when he first learned to ride a pony. Kaoru got up, curtsied, and exercised every ounce of control left to prevent bolting out of the room. Even his last name was boring!
After exiting the room, she hiked up her skirt and sprinted down the hall, and up a flight of stair. Taking a left, she ran down another hall, up the spiral steps and slammed open the door to her room. 'Free at last!' She walked over to her window, opened them, and stared out at the sunset. The sun was just about to disappear behind the far mountains. The sky was full of colors, from the red whose light given by the sun, to the purple that now blankets her father's lands. It was beautiful…
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The older of the two looked at the sunset. It's beautiful, was all he was able to think.
"Hey Kenshin!" Hurry up. We got a job to do."
Kenshin slowly turned around to glare at his partner in crime, Yahiko. They were, in fact, not brothers. Kenshin found the kid half starved on a day back from "work" huddled near the doorstep of where he lived. He took an immediate liking of the boy and proceeded to teach him the ways of a thief. In a few short months, they were close as brothers and good partners as well. Together, they've raided many houses of the rich and wealthy. It seemed as if Yahiko had a score to settle with those lot, but Kenshin never questioned. Yahiko will tell him when he's ready and anyways, Kenshin himself never liked that bunch much. Tonight, they were raiding the House of Lord Saitou. He was suppose to be a particularly hated person, in the highborn and commons. He was known for his looks and his greediness of a pig.
"Yeah," Kenshin replied pulling on his cloak. He already had his sneak suit on. "Let's go." Taking one last longing glance at the sunset, he followed Yahiko toward their next target.
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Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in," Kaoru said with a sigh. She already knew who it was since they've had the same conversation for last month or more. The king stepped in and took a look at his daughter. She was as beautiful as her mother, and stubborn as well. Her raven black hair hung just past her waist and her sapphire eyes sparkled with youth, a youth he has to crush all to soon.
"Kaoru, daughter, we have to talk."
Biting back frustration, she looked back at her dad.
"Yes, Father."
Crossing the room, he settled down onto her bed.
"Kaoru, your birthday is coming up. You will be 17 soon, an age of marriage for all girls in this kingdom. Yet I have noticed you don't even have a flirt yet. You need to marry soon. Would you rather marry out of love or are you forcing me to find you a husband?"
"Father! I've told you hundreds of times! I want to marry out of love. I just haven't met anyone I really like yet."
"And I don't see you trying either. You spend you whole day down on the grounds with the soldiers practicing swords and archery! Daughter I just don't know what to do with you! Do you see any other respectable ladies down there with them? Wait don't answer that."
Kaoru couldn't help but grin. Her best friend, Misao Makimachi, was also a high Lady of the Court, only you don't usually see her in court. A hyperactive girl, she spends as much time as she can offer with Kaoru down with her in the practice pits. Then her grin faded. The other half of the time, she's flirting left and right with the eager young Lords seeking her attention. But it's becoming more and more obvious that she had a particular interest in Aoshi, Lord of the House of Shinomori. He was one of those silent types who don't say, "I'm better than you" but acts it. Still, he's as loyal as loyal gets to his true friends, which were few, since most he believes don't deserve his friendship.
Her father continued. "I am going to visit a person from court tonight. He's name is Saitou and I expect you to come with me. You are going to meet that Lord whether you like it or not!"
"But!"
"No buts! I want you at the front gates in 30 minutes. Have one of you maids help you dress."
And with that, he upped and left. Kaoru just stared after his retreating figure and a thousand curses came to mind.
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The sky darkened as their destination neared. Lord Saitou's house was not exactly one hard to miss. About every other houses around the area was pretty old, built in the time of their ancestors. Saitou's house was the only new one. He sold the one passed down to him because it was "too old-fashioned for his taste."
Kenshin and Yahiko skimmed the walls and up to the roof. Below, the a few guards were on patrol, but none saw the two. Saitou's house was supposed to have the newest of everything for anti-thievery, two locks on every single window and three on the doors. Of course, like all highborn who thinks they are clever; they left the trapdoor on the roof totally unsecured as if inviting a thief in. After all, no burglar is expected to come break in through it. Either that or they totally forgot its existence.
A carriage pulled up to the front door below and a man walked out, followed by a young woman in a blue gown. Kenshin couldn't make out her exact features, but guests usually brought more complications. A thief is supposed to know everything of the house they're robbing, from the location of each room to the relative schedule of the owner, his family and the servants. But the visitors will only be soon trouble. All he and Yahiko have to do is snoop around and find out which room they were staying in. The man and woman was greeted by Saitou and welcomed into the room. Saitou's fake laughter rang through the halls. Beside him, Yahiko made a face.
They crept closer to the trapdoor and Kenshin pulled out a lock pick. A few minutes later, Kenshin was inside. Yahiko swung down a few stories on the West side of the manor to open an escape route for Kenshin because he would not be able to come out the same way he got in. At this time, if the visitors were important, many of the servants should be summoned to the kitchen to serve the guests. By the look from outside, they were probably important, or Saitou would not have gotten off his lazy bum to go greet them.
Making his way over to the attic door, he swung down and closed the entrance behind him. Hearing footsteps, he ran into the closest room just as a maid came into view. Fortunately, the door was unlocked. Unfortunately, the room was already occupied.
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Kaoru twiddled her thumbs. At the beginning, the meeting proved a bit interesting but after that, it became plain dull. She wasn't one to be interested in things for a long time. Lord Saitou clearly had his mind on something since he did even bother to be polite to her. So far, he's only acknowledgment of her had been to say "welcome" and "come inside." He didn't even have the decency to offer snacks! Kaoru's ears perked up as they started a different topic.
"You know you highness, we have been having problems with this group of thieves lately."
"Yes, so I've heard. They must be highly skilled individuals to have broken into so many homes." The king sounded impressed. Saitou was not.
"I have a plan on capturing them. Word on the streets says I'm the next target. Such foolishness."
"You have to be careful. Kamatari said the exact same thing and look at what happened to him. You must take extra measures with these people."
"Oh yes you highness, I have taken the measures. You see that's why I've left my attic door exposed…"
"You are a sly fellow Saitou."
"In these circumstances I'll take that as a compliment. So thank yo-"
Just then, a piercing scream cut him off. Kaoru jerked and was up out of her seat by the time the situation actually registered on everyone's mind. Saitou immediately took charge.
"Guards! Attend me!" A platoon entered the parlor. "You know what to do from the drills. Go! They will not escape from me!" Turning to the king and Kaoru, he gave a fake apologetic smile. "You highness, would it be rude of me to ask you to go take shelter in one of the bedrooms upstairs? I'll have some guards keep post around it."
"Yes that would be fine I suppose."
Kaoru thought otherwise. Since this has proved to be such a boring day, she felt like she deserved some action.
"I would like to help search for the thieves Lord Saitou."
Saitou gave her once over and smirked. "A lady? Trying to stop a criminal? I don't think so. The tension might do you harm."
Kaoru anger flared. Sure she wasn't the best of the kingdom when it came to swords but she was most definitely better then most of the guards who are running around like maniacs here. Beside her, her father whistled. He knew Saitou was going to get it. No one gets away with being prejudice with his daughter.
"Well excuse me your lordship but are you trying to tell me that I'm not good enough to help? Is that it? Am I not quick enough? Are my reflexes too slow? Wait, I shouldn't ask 'cause you've never seen me hold a sword before. You've never seen me beat the crap out ofabout half the guards at the castle…"
"Kaoru, language."
"Or maybe you just don't think ladies should hold swords. Are you prejudice against women? What makes you think they're less capable then men? Huh? Tell me! Are we all weaker physically? Are we all to emotional? Well I'll tell you what! I can gather random girls in the castle and train them to be better fighters than all of your guards combines!
By this time she was breathing heavily and her face was flushed. Saitou's only response was a raised eyebrow. He looked, against Kaoru's wishes, amused.
"Well if you are half as capable as you claim, I guess I'll let you help. That is if you father, the king, agrees."
Kaoru turned to look at her father with puppy eyes. The king already lost then. "Fine, be gone. Go have a blast."
As Kaoru was handed a slim light looking sword and exited the room, the king immediately became serious. He turned to Saitou and gave him a look.
"I swear if my daughter gets harmed in anyway tonight, you will be stripped of all you property and exiled. After in which I will go after everyone who were unlucky enough to have known you on friendly terms. Starting. With. Your. Mother."
"Of course you highness. Have I done anything that spoke otherwise of trying my best to protect your family?"
"I hope not." And with that, he exited the room too, followed by one scrawny looking guard.
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Kenshin grimaced. How much more unlucky could he get! No, out of the ten doors he could of chosen from, he just had to pick the one occupied. A maid was currently dusting the place when he happened to stumble in. Now the whole house is searching for him as he hid cramped in a closest in the next room. Foot steps ran in and out of the place but the amateurs never even thought about looking in the most obvious hiding place in the whole bloody mansion. Clearly these people have been hide-and-seek deprived when they were kids. Wondering what Yahiko was doing at the moment, he took another peak out of the crack formed between the doors. He heard something weird. Out of the heavy pounding of the guards, he heard light footsteps, as of one who was trained with the ways of the sword. This might mean trouble but Kenshin wouldn't worry too much about it. His skills were quite good actually. His master was excellent swordsman who had taken him in when his parents died.
The footsteps stopped right outside of his room, as if trying to sense something.
'Well, it's now or never.' Carefully opening the door the slightest crack, he slipped out. Staying in the shadow, he crept close to one of the windows and opened one of the locks, and then the second one. Suddenly, a girl in a blue gown bearing a sword came charging in. Kenshin froze, caught like a cat in the stoplight as he stared into the most beautiful face he's even seen. She had raven black hair pulled back into a messy ponytail but what really captured him was her eyes, which shone like the sky-blue color on a full moon night. Not to mention, she had a good body too and the cutest pouting lips.
'Stupid, stupid me! Now's not the time to admire ladies! Just get out of here!'
Reluctantly, he turned back around and began climbing through the window he just opened. Strangely, the girl hasn't made a sound since seeing him. 'Maybe she's a mute.'
Just as he was about to exit the room completely did she seem to come back to this world. Most other people would have been screaming by now but she almost made him fall out with her next question, catching him completely off guard.
"What's your name?"
"Kenshin," he answered before he could stop himself. Oops. 'Did I just tell her my name without her in anyway forcing me to? …I am slowly but surely losing it.'
He just about threw himself out of the room and skimmed the walls, trying to find Yahiko in the darkness as he thought to himself 'this guy must have a lot of faith in his sentries to make the walls so jaggy.' A few second later, he located Yahiko on the roof with a worried frown on his face. Giving an apologetic, he shows him the bag of necklaces and coins. Hiding in a closest doesn't mean he didn't get the chance to nick stuff beforehand. That also does not include the fact that he located some necklaces and coins hidden within the cloths by the mistress in order to prevent thieves from finding them in the first place… such simple people.
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Kaoru tried not to collapse. Not only did she just let the person waltz out, her heart was pounding so hard it was almost difficult for breathing. She knew he was the thief. Everything about him screamed it, from his black trouser and shirt to the mask covering his hair and his face. A small dagger hung at his belt. Not to mention he was exiting threw the window. Only his eyes showed through the mask and that's all it took for her to freeze up like a snowman. They were as red as flames and filled with unnerving awareness.
Behind her, she heard the guards enter. One glance at the open window and they knew. Saitou entered the room. He stared from her to the window, and back at her again. But all he could do was glower, since he couldn't really just yell at a princess. Kaoru was still currently lost in her own thoughts, thoughts about the amber-eyed thief.
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There! Done? You like? I hope so. Review now please! Just click the little button down to the left. )