A/N: Now that everyone knows Kenshin and Neko didn't die. Here were the telltale signs that the chapter before last was a dream:
1. Hiroko would never call Kenshin by name. He doesn't know his real name and therefore will only call him Battòsai. Neko refuses to call Kenshin Battòsai so that's why in the dream Hiroko called Kenshin by his real name.
2. Hiroko also doesn't know Neko's name. He sees her as a slave and therefore will never take the time to learn it.
3. I told you there were at lest 20some chapters! What kind of story would it be if I killed off the two main character!
All knowing Nekotsuki was my beta once more!
Reviewers!
Shadow Wolf of the Blue Moon - Yes, very, very bumpy. BUW HA HA!
BakaBokken - I'm glad you're still enjoying the story. I hope I didn't give you a hard time with ASW because I LOVED IT!
lolo popoki - Mean o' writers block!
Cebalrai - Glad you liked the chapter
WolfDaughter - Here's the next chapter!
Insane Chipmunk - Glad you liked seeing Kanai again
droparmor - Here's more Kanai for you to enjoy! And yes, things will be getting kinda crazy!
FairyMage - Fire… oooh… I could burn Kenshin on a stake… wait there's a story that already did that. -re-reads that fic-
Hitokiri Musei - Here's another chapter… just don't choke on your own tongue. Not a very nice way to die.
Chapter 19 - Salvation
Hiroko rubbed his eyes; he hadn't slept since Battousai had escaped. He sat alone in a booth, in a restaurant in Kyoto. He had scouts wandering the forest, he had different groups randomly checking small villages near Kyoto. He took a sip of sake. "I will make him pay, Muroi." He closed his eyes. "I won't let the demon get away with this." He opened his eyes again to stare at the ceiling.
He was worried; if he didn't catch Battousai soon, he would have to answer to his superiors. They would not be happy that such a dangerous man had slipped through his fingers. He ran his hand over his forehead and grabbed a fistful of hair. "How could this get so out of hand!" he yelled, pulling on his hair.
He hated Battousai more then he had ever hated any man in his life. The boy was just so strong, it was infuriating. He had managed to go through the potions without cracking. Hiroko had done everything imaginable to the piece of trash, and yet he had still refused to talk. Then he even threatened his life and what had happened? He got loose. Hiroko growled. How dare the Battousai make a mockery out of him? If the insult to his pride hadn't been a low enough blow, the jackass took his friend from him as well. "I will find him, and I will gut him," Hiroko growled as he raised the sake to his lips once more. His men would find his hiding place, or he would catch him when he returned to Kyoto.
Kenshin groaned in his sleep and moved his head to the other side. Kanai jumped and his breath caught in his throat. He watched Kenshin with wide eyes, body tense, but Kenshin didn't move again. He let out a long sigh and settled down again. It had been hours since the last time Neko had woken up, and yet he waited.
To Kanai's relief, Neko was the first to awaken a couple of hours later. He had been daydreaming when her timid voice called out. "I'm cold."
After getting over his initial shock, Kanai quickly went and brought back a blanket. Neko was sitting up by the time he returned, and he draped it over her shoulders. She pulled it tightly around her and stared straight ahead at the floor, shivering. Kanai sat down beside her and was quiet for a while. Soon he had to ask the question he had been dying to ask. "Neko, uh, why is he wearing a Shinsengumi uniform?"
Neko looked towards Kenshin, then to Kanai, then went back to Kenshin before facing Kanai again. "I don't know."
"Is he one of them?"
"NO!" she yelled, making Kanai jump.
"Sorry, I didn't know!"
"Well, I don't know either." She looked back at Kenshin. "I don't like it."
"What?"
"The uniform!" she said, with a roll of her eyes. "See the dresser?" she asked, pointing at a dresser on the other side of the room.
"Yeah."
"It has some of my dad's clothes in it. Open the second drawer from the bottom."
Kanai did as he was told and opened the drawer. He reached inside and held up a worn, dark purple gi. "This is a gi," he said stating the obvious.
"That one is too old. There's a brown one, take that out."
Kanai fished around until he found a gi that had a color that looked like a lighter shade of mud. "This one?"
"Yes, that will do." He came back over with the gi. "Help me change him."
He didn't like the idea of touching Kenshin again. "Shouldn't we wait until he wakes up?"
She thought a moment. "No, I can't stand to see him in that uniform. Now lift him up so I can take it off." He positioned himself behind Kenshin's head, and with shaking hands lifted up Kenshin's shoulders. "Be careful with his head!" Neko yelled, when Kenshin's head started to tip back a bit too far. Quickly, Kanai slid in closer and rested Kenshin on his body for a second. He hoped the rapid beating of his heart wouldn't wake him, as he tipped the manslayer's head forward. Sliding back he propped Kenshin up a little more.
Kenshin's face twisted a bit in pain as the sitting up sent bolts of it through his body. Kanai was terrified that he was going to wake up at any moment. Neko reached forward and took off the Shinsengumi gi. With it gone, Kanai was able to see all the bandages that covered Kenshin's entire torso. He gasped in amazement. Neko ignored Kanai's bulging eyes and quickly put her dad's gi on Kenshin. 'That's better,' she thought, as she finished. Her father's gi, like the Shinsengumi's, was a bit big on him, but she liked it much better. "Alright, set him down, gently." With a nod of his head, Kanai slowly set Kenshin down.
"Wow, he's really beat up," he whispered, noting the bruising on Kenshin's neck and face. In comparison he looked a lot worse than Neko did. Neko choked back a sob and pulled the blankets closer to her. She mumbled something, but Kanai couldn't hear what she said. "What?"
"I said, it's my fault!" She wailed and buried her head into the blanket. "It's my fault!"
Kanai moved closer and put an arm around her. "Neko, please tell me what happened."
"Well. I … was … playing when the Shinsengumi …" she said, between sobs.
He shook his head. "No, I want to start at what happened to your parents."
Neko nodded her head. "O.okay." She took a few minutes to calm down. "I'll tell you. We were late getting home. It was dark and we were still in Kyoto when these two men stopped us." Neko told Kanai everything. She told him how Saito had killed her parents, and how she found Kenshin and he had helped her, then left her with an innkeeper promising to return in three days. Then how the innkeeper sold her to a slaver instead. She then told him about Muroi, leaving out his gentle hands, and about Akina. How Kenshin had saved her, and how nice Reizo was, but they were attacked and how someone had grabbed her. Then she told him how Kenshin had come for her and was caught and she was returned to Muroi. The dogs, the trip back to the slavers, Kenshin saving her again, and the trip here. She told him everything.
Kanai sat and stared, wide-eyed, at his friend for a long time after she finished. He couldn't believe all that had happened. He was angry, upset, relieved she had escaped, scared, and hurt that it had happened to her. "It's not your fault," he told her.
"Yes it is! If I hadn't been there then ..."
He stopped her. "From the way I see it, it's this Saito's fault! If he hadn't killed your mommy and daddy then you would have been living here. It's his fault. He's a bad man! Or you could say it was Muroi's or Hiroko's fault! It's not yours!"
Neko blinked a few times and thought. She turned to Kanai and smiled, tears coursing down her face. "You're right. It's not my fault!" She hugged Kanai and cried. "Thank you! Thank you! You're my best friend! I'm so sorry for all the times I was mean to you!"
"It's alright!" he said, hugging her back. "I told you! No matter what happens I'll be here for you. You're my best friend, Neko. Nothing is ever going to change that." Neko wanted to say something, anything, but she was crying too hard, so she just hung onto Kanai. She cried herself to sleep.
Kanai lay her down next to Kenshin. It was getting late, he had to get home. He didn't want to leave her, but he didn't need his mom looking for him and accidentally stumbling on their secret. "I'll be back tomorrow," he whispered to the two sleeping forms. He went to leave, but stopped. Instead he went to Neko's room and retrieved Kenshin's sword. He walked back into the room and set it beside him. "Please protect her." He stood, took one last glance towards the sword, and left.
Early the next morning, Kanai woke up. He checked to see if anyone was in the hall; seeing no one he opened his door all the way and walked out dragging his futon behind him. Tiptoeing out of his house, he was nearing the door, and he thought he was in the clear until he heard his mother's voice behind him. "Where are you going?"
Kanai jumped and dropped everything he was half carrying to the floor. "Nothing mom!" He said, turning and facing her. She stood tall and lean, with her hands crossed in front of her chest. Her black hair was up in a messy bun and her blue eyes studied her son carefully. Her red lips were in a playful frown.
"It doesn't look like nothing. What are you doing with your futon?"
He looked down at the floor. "Well, you see ..." He couldn't tell her what he was really doing with it. "…um..."
"Well?"
"You see, I, ah, found a neat little area, cave, like, bush."
"Cave like bush?"
"Yeah. And I wanted to sleep under it tonight. Please mom, can I?"
She sighed. What a strange request, although it hadn't been unwelcome. Since the disappearance of the Midoris and their little girl, Kanai had done very little except mope around the house. It was good hearing he was starting to get back to his normal self. "Sure." It warmed her heart when she saw her boy's brown eyes light up.
"Thanks, mom!" he said, hugging her legs. She rubbed his head, trying to fix his hair.
"You go have fun, but come back for lunch, alright?"
"Okay!"
"Did you have any breakfast?"
"Yup!" he answered, as he picked up his dropped bundle and ran out the door. "Bye mom!" She smiled and shut the door.
Neko was already awake and sitting up when Kanai came, carrying his futon. "I brought a bed for you!" he said proudly.
"But that's yours!" she protested, as he started to lay it on the floor.
"That's alright! I want you to use it!" He finished setting it up and helped her drag herself onto it. "See, that's better than the floor!"
"I could have shared with Kenshin," she said between coughs. She pulled the blankets closer. "Thirsty."
"I'll get you some water!" He jumped to his feet and took off at a run. When he left, Neko reached over and gave Kenshin a shake. His face twisted a little in pain so she stopped.
"Why won't you wake up?" She watched his irregular breathing as she waited for Kanai to come back.
He came back some time later with a bucket of water. He walked very slowly, trying not to spill any of it and setting it down now and then to catch his breath. He set it beside Neko, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a cup. He dipped it into the water and handed it to her.
She took it and drank it quickly. It was cold and fresh; it cooled her burning throat. The water that slipped down the outer edge of the cup wet her hands. When it was empty, Kanai took it from her and refilled it for her. She drank a total of five cups before she had enough. "What about Kenshin?" She asked as she finished.
"What about him?" he repeated, confused.
"Well, he hasn't had any water either."
"But he's sleeping."
"I know, but you need water or you'll die. Right?"
"Well, yeah. But how long does it take to die?"
"I don't know."
"I don't know either!"
Neko sat for a little while and thought. "We'd better make him drink."
"We?"
"I'll need you to help."
"What are you going to do?"
Neko handed him the cup. "Refill this, please." He did so and handed it back to her. "I think someone told me this in a story once, um … you just pour the water in the mouth and they drink." She pulled herself up near Kenshin's head. She opened his mouth and carefully poured the water into it. Kanai held his breath, watching carefully.
Kenshin began to cough and spat the water back up. Neko quickly stopped pouring. "You're drowning him!" Kanai yelled.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Kenshin kept coughing, his body trying to get the water out of his lungs. "What do I do!"
"Turn him over!" Kanai yelled, running up and helping Neko turn Kenshin onto his side so he could spit the water back out. Neko patted Kenshin's back, coaxing him to cough it out. When the water was gone, he was quiet, but his face was scrunched in pain. They had unknowingly pushed him onto his right side, applying too much pressure to his injured ribs.
"Lets try again!" Neko said, determination clear in her voice as they laid him on his back.
"Are you crazy? He was choking!"
"I got a better idea," she said matter-of-factly. "Help him sit up." Carefully, Kanai pulled Kenshin into a sitting position. Kanai stood up and put Kenshin's back on his legs and chest, and tilted Kenshin's head forward. "Hold it back," Neko instructed, carefully Kanai pulled Kenshin's head back and held it in his hands.
Neko opened Kenshin's mouth and carefully poured the water into it. He gagged a little, and she stopped. Kanai tipped his head forward a little, and to their surprise he stopped coughing. The water had gone down. The children smiled to each other and carefully finished off the cup. They made a rather wet mess. By the time they laid Kenshin back on the slightly damp bed, Neko was out of energy again.
She rested her head on Kanai's pillow and pulled the covers closer to her. She was sweating, but still complained that she was cold. So Kanai found her another blanket and gave it to her. She fell asleep, and Kanai hung around until lunch. He went home and ate, but asked his mom for extra food to take with him on his 'camping trip.' Food in hand, he went back over and waited for one of them to wake up.
He started to fall asleep, while waiting, when a yell woke him up. He snapped to attention to find Neko kicking and screaming. He ran to her side. "Neko! Wake up!" he yelled, shaking her shoulders. "Please wake up!" Her eyes opened wide, but they wouldn't focus on just one spot. She began to yell incoherent sounds and words. He touched her face with his hands; she was burning up. Panicking he threw the blankets off her.
"Cold! I'm cold!" she screamed, shivering and sweating at the same time.
"Neko, look at me!" She couldn't, her eyes spun wildly. Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed the bucket of water and dumped it on her.
She stopped screaming and kicking. Her chest heaved as she took in big gulps of air. "Are you okay?" Crying, Neko shook her head.
"I'm scared."
"Neko, you're sick!" He could fell panic starting to creep its way up his spine.
"Where's my mom? I want my mommy."
"Neko, you mom is ... she's …"
Neko turned her head towards Kenshin. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Who? Kenshin?"
Kanai knew this wasn't good. "Neko, we can't handle this! I'm going to get my mom and dad!" He jumped up to go get them, but was stopped by Neko.
"No! We can't!" she cried, turning her gaze to him, fear in her eyes. "We can't!"
"Why! Why Neko, why?" he yelled. "You're sick! You need medicine and I don't know what to give you!"
"But your dad will be scared of Kenshin! He might tell the Shinsengumi!"
Kanai became angry. "My dad would NEVER do that!" he shouted. "My dad's a good man! He and Battousai are on the same side!"
"DON'T CALL HIM THAT!" She was sobbing now. "Don't call him that!"
"Well don't say mean things about my dad and I won't say bad things about him!" He softened slightly when he saw how badly Neko had started to cry. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "But we need help!" He waited for Neko to calm down a little. "Isn't there anyone you can trust?"
She sniffed a few times and thought. "Reizo! Reizo will know what to do!"
"But we don't know where he is!"
"I do! When Kenshin came to save me he told me to go back to the inn. He told me to find Reizo. He has to be at the inn!" She was tired and wet. "I want to go back to sleep." She snuggled up in the damp blankets.
"Wait! I don't know what inn. Or where!"
"It's in Kyoto," she said, drifting off to sleep.
"There are a lot of inns in Kyoto!" He struggled between keeping her awake and coaxing the information he needed from her. He managed to get a decent description of the inn at last. "I'm going to find Reizo. I'll find him and bring him here."
"I'm cold."
"I'll bring you a blanket, but then I'm going to find Reizo, okay? I'm going to get help."
"Mmhm," she mumbled, trying to fall asleep. Kanai covered her with an extra blanket and hurried home.
Kanai's dad was just returning home, and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Where's Kanai?" He was a little bit taller than her and was twice her size. His hair was a light shade of black and came down just over his ears. His brown eyes searched around the room.
She smiled. "Sleeping outside tonight. I caught him this morning taking his futon outside." She saw him frown. "What's wrong?"
"It's those damn Shinsengumi members." She bit her lip as she remembered the frightening event of their house being searched. "I hear they are re-searching places. I want Kanai somewhere we can keep an eye on him." She was going to say something more to that, when their son came running inside.
"Daddy! Daddy, will you please take me to the city?" he asked urgently, pulling on his father's sleeve.
"What do you want to go to Kyoto for?"
"Please, dad! It's important! I need to ... I need to..."
"What is it you need?"
"I need uh ... food!" he shouted. "I need food for tonight!"
"You don't need food, besides we have plenty here at home," his father said stiffly, and removed his son's hands from his sleeve. "And I don't want you sleeping outside tonight."
Kanai started to panic. "Please! Please take me to Kyoto! If you take me, then I won't be sad about not being able to sleep outside."
His mother put her hand on his head. "Are you okay?" She asked, concerned. He never acted this way and he seemed so upset.
"I'm fine mom! I just REALLY want to go to Kyoto. Please! I haven't visited Kyoto in a long time!"
His parents looked to each other, until his father finally gave a sigh. "Alright. Get ready to go."
"I'm ready!" he yelled, running for the door.
Kanai's mom looked over the shops, not really paying any attention to what was being sold. She was worried over her son. He seemed upset, nervous, and he kept wandering off. He'd never acted like this, and she didn't know how to help him. She was pulled from her thoughts when she felt him hug her legs. "I'm sorry mom, I know you're worried." She smiled and gave him a half hug back. Was she being that obvious? "Don't worry mom, I'll be right back. Wait here for me."
"What are you tal ..." Before she could even finish, he was gone, running away from her. "Kanai, come back!" His father heard her yell and the two ran after their son. Kanai was able to weave in and around people easier than his parents and he soon lost them.
He kept running, trying to find the inn Neko had described for him. He was going at a breakneck speed and came to a skidding halt when he finally found an inn that fit Neko's description. Not wasting any time he went in and walked straight up to the man behind the desk. It was a tall man with graying hair. At first, Kanai thought him to be an old man, but as he drew closer it was clear to see that this man was younger then he appeared. "Excuse me," Kanai called softly, intimidated by the muscles on the man's body.
The Innkeeper leaned over the counter to see Kanai better and smiled. The smile made Kanai relax a little. "Can I help you, little boy?"
"I need to find someone." The Innkeeper nodded, encouraging Kanai to go on. "His name is Reizo."
His smile left, replaced with a scowl. "What do you want with him and what makes you think he's here?" he asked threateningly.
The change in the man's manner startled Kanai and he took a small step away from the counter. "I – I need his help. I need to talk to him." He shook under the man's glare. "Please! Neko said he would be here! I need to talk to him!"
"Neko-chan?" The man's face softened a moment, then hardened again. "How do you know Neko? Where is she?"
Kanai wanted to run, but forced his shaking legs to stay put. "She's my friend. I can't tell you where she is, I'm suppose to only tell Reizo."
The Innkeeper looked the shaking boy over carefully. "Why? Why can you only tell Reizo?" He asked in a softer voice. When Kanai didn't answer he went on. "Is she in trouble?" A nod. "Is she okay?" A shrug. He felt his heart rise in his chest, suffocating him. One more question, but he had to word it carefully. "Does she have a friend with her?" The boy thought for a moment, then gave a quick nod of his head. "Does her friend have red hair?" Kanai made no move to answer the question, but his increased shaking confirmed it.
'The Battousai! He's alive!' The Innkeeper was excited. 'But why didn't he come here himself? Why send this boy? Is he injured?' His thoughts were racing. "Boy! Come with me quickly!" He called as he moved out from behind the counter. Kanai looked unsure of what to do. "I'll take you to Reizo!" He quickly followed after the Innkeeper.
He led him outside to the stables. "Where's Reizo?" Kanai asked, impatiently.
"He already left here. They all left after the attack." He called over a stable boy. "Quickly, bring me the fastest horse." The boy nodded and went off to his task. "They moved on to the next safe house." He continued to explain to Kanai as he gathered items to send a letter. "Everyone thought they had died!" He quickly scribbled down something onto the paper. "I promise you, this letter will get to Reizo. I'll hand deliver it. Tell me where Himura and Neko are and he will come." Kanai quickly blurted everything out to the Innkeeper, and he jotted it down on the note. It was folded and when the stable boy came back, the Innkeeper quickly mounted the horse. "Thank you, little one! This will be news Katsura-san will be overjoyed to hear!" With that he took off, wanting to get the letter delivered as quickly as possible.
Kanai watched him go. His job complete, he left the inn in search of his parents. He couldn't help but cringe when he saw his father's upset face, his bottom already feeling sore, and he felt guilty when he saw his mother's worried face. He knew it was all worth it, he would do anything to keep Neko safe. 'For Neko,' he thought once more as his father's hand was raised.
The Innkeeper nearly ran the horse dead, but he pressed it on. The light had already left the sky, but not even the darkness could stop him. He had to get this letter delivered immediately. He had often delivered letters and notices for the Ishin Shishi, wanting to help the revolution in any way possible. Reuniting Katsura and his best fighter would indeed be a great help. Finally reaching his destination he wasted little time locating Reizo. As he promised, Reizo was hand-delivered the letter. Reizo read it quickly. "Are you sure? This isn't a trick?"
"I don't think so. This boy was very young. Too young to understand matters such as this."
For the first time in over a week, a smile graced Reizo's face. "I can get there by tomorrow!"
Hiroko was displeased; all their searching had turned up nothing. "SEARCH AGAIN!" He yelled at his men. "Search more thoroughly this time!" He could feel his temples pulsating. "I want all villages closest to Kyoto re-searched by morning!" All men within the sound of his voice held back a groan. "We will not rest until we've found him!"
Both Reizo and Hiroko had men searching. Both looking for the same person, but each with different reasons. The race to Kenshin and Neko began.