Author's Note: Sorry it took a while to get this out. I seemed to falter a little when it came down to actually writing down what I wanted. But, here's the next installment. Hope everyone enjoys it… Reviewer responses are at the bottom…
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
Red River Raging
Chapter 2
"Mind Games"
Grudgingly tying a blue apron around his waist, Yahiko glared at his father's retreating back, then cast an anxious glance in his sister's direction. He watched as she fidgeted somewhat nervously, trying to conceal the trepidation he knew she trembled with internally.
It didn't feel right leaving her to take care of the rowdy, troublemaking young man that walked through the diner door moments before. Yahiko knew that Kaoru could take care of herself, yet, there was something about the blonde guy that was slightly…off. It worried him.
Shaking his head and sighing, Yahiko turned to the small slab of counter situated beside the steaming oven. Plucking a white bowl from the small shelf above the counter, he grabbed three eggs and released them quickly from their confining, delicate shells.
"Don't overcook those this time, Yahiko," his father grumbled loudly, shooting a knowing look in his direction. "Mr. Fleming was a tad irritated last time."
Yahiko bit down on the inside of his cheek and nodded curtly, keeping his eyes downcast so his father wouldn't see the churning irritation swimming rampantly in them. Quickly stirring the eggs together to form a warm yellow liquid, he poured the contents into an already hot skillet.
The distinctive fluffiness of scrambled eggs formed as Yahiko stirred the contents for even dispersal over the span of a few minutes. Turning down the heat dial of the oven once the food was done, he pulled the skillet away from the overwhelming heat and moved to push the simmering scrambled eggs onto nearby plate.
BANG.
Heart catapulting into his throat, Yahiko's hold loosened reflexively on the plastic handle, and the skillet dropped, crashing to the floor with resounding clatter and slinging globs of eggs all over the formerly clean floor. Yahiko was blindly oblivious to the noise, his mind focused on the gunshot that burst through the air seconds ago. Hurriedly, he stepped through the scattered mess of fallen eggs and pushed the kitchen door open desperately.
He knew he shouldn't have left Kaoru out there all alone. Damn! Damn his father for his overwhelming stupidity and acute selfishness.
As he pushed through the door, heart racing rapidly within his chest, breath held captive in his unmoving lungs, eyes desperately seeking the familiar form of his sister, Yahiko went over countless scenarios of doom, his mind urgently seeking an answer for the deafening off-shoot of the gun.
What he saw made his knees weak with trepidation, and his mind momentarily go blank with fear. His mouth went as dry as an arid desert as he gasped noiselessly with mind-numbing terror.
He wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he knew his sister was in terrible danger. Yahiko watched as the red-haired man he recognized as a regular customer quickly stuffed a shiny black gun into the back of his pants and reach out, grabbing Kaoru with an insurmountable grip of deadly accuracy. As the man started to drag her away, Yahiko regained mobility in his limbs, an incredible anger surfacing in his whirling mind.
"Kaoru!" he yelled loudly, his voice lost in the fray of emotional panic generated by the customers littered throughout the small diner. "Kaoru!"
Pushing his way through the people, Yahiko tried to make it to her. To help her. To save her. To wipe the terror from her face. Time seemed to slow into an almost unperceivable crawl as he watched her disappear from the diner into the sweeping blackness of the alley.
Eyes darting, muscles tensing, he vainly tried to follow.
A hand fisted in the rough material of his sweaty cotton shirt, dragging him backwards abruptly, and slamming his side into one of the adjacent tables. Yahiko gasped with pain, his eyes clouding momentarily as he tried to steady himself against the cool table surface. The same hand which had grabbed his back, roughly grasped the material of his blue apron, lifting him off the floor as if he weighted nothing.
"Where are they going?" a soft voice asked, the onslaught of breath reeking of foul decay.
Ramming his fisted hand down on the forearm of his captor for immediate release, Yahiko gritted his teeth and twisted his body deftly as he landed sideways on the checkered linoleum of the floor. Scrambling to his feet, he grabbed the nearest thing in his hand, waving the slight fork at the smirking man in front of him as he stepped back slowly, his eyes wary.
His assailant was the blond man who had entered a few minutes ago; the man who had started all of this. Out of the corner of his eye, Yahiko watched as a hulking, brute of a man followed the path his sister and the red-haired man had taken, his domineering form disappearing into the dark night. Shit.
Quickly, Yahiko darted his wide, calculating gaze back to the thin blonde man who stood in front of him; a smear of dried blood was caked on the man's otherwise flawless forehead, his eyebrows drawn into a thin line of growing annoyance.
"Where are they going?" the man asked again, tilting his head to the side and raising a blond eyebrow.
"How the hell should I know?" Yahiko spit out venomously.
The man chuckled softly, "You better hope you know, otherwise you're of no use to us."
"You think I care?"
Scanning Yahiko's expression, a twisted smile curled on the man's lips, his eyes lighting with a dark amazement. "I don't think you do," he replied in a deadly soft tone. "But, I think you will when I have a knife on the throat that pretty young thing cowering behind you."
Darting a quick look behind him, Yahiko's mind froze when he saw Tsubame's petit form crumpled on the floor, her face ashen pale as she clutched the leg of the chair next to her so tight her knuckles were a strained white.
"I don't know a damned thing!" Yahiko yelled as he turned back to the blond man, the need to protect the frail girl overwhelming his senses.
"We'll see…." The man started forward in a maddeningly leisurely pace. "Soon, you'll be telling Cho every…little…thing…."
Her eyes widened and pupils dilated as she stared at the imposing man standing in front of her. A surge of shock numbed her limbs as her mind loosely circled his astounding pronouncement. In a voice a little above a whisper, hesitant and trembling with trepidation, Kaoru uttered haltingly, "You're lying."
Raising a red eyebrow in slow, deliberate vexation, Kenshin watched the young woman's lips clench together tightly. "Am I?"
Stumbling back slightly, her shoes slipping on the smooth laminate floor, Kaoru shuddered reflexively as she bumped into the steady embrace of the solid wall behind her. "You have to be," she whispered, licking her dry lips. "Vampires don't exist. They can't exist."
"Don't they?" he responded with a small narrowing of his eyes, diminutive flecks of swirling amber merging with deep violet. "Do you want me to prove it to you? Do you want me to show you that vampires do exist?" Cocking his head to the side, he said, "And they are gradually infesting the world with their presence."
Kaoru didn't respond, her eyes quickly darting from his face to the small, orange-hued pile of ashes littering the open doorway. She visibly swallowed as she closed her eyes tightly in a desperate attempt to regain her collected composure.
"I think proof would settle your nerves," he told her.
"How would seeing some insane man prove to me that he's a bloodsucking creature of the night settle my nerves?" she asked with a bitter laugh. Shaking her head, she continued, "I think you're lying through your teeth. You're just trying to get a rise out of a poor diner waitress."
Kenshin watched as she nervously ran a hand down the tacky front of her wrinkled uniform and sucked in a shallow breath. Crossing his arms over his chest, Kenshin let a small smirk curl his lips. "But, remember…you told me I wasn't human. I only responded to your remark."
"Panic blinded me. How was I supposed to think straight when you speared some…thing…with your sword?"
Sighing as he watched her slowly curl further into the shell of fear she carved mentally for her battered conscious, Kenshin leaned over and unearthed a dull-colored dagger strapped carefully to his shin. He straightened slowly, flipping the blade in his hand so the handle faced Kaoru. "Cut me."
Furrowing her brows together, Kaoru shook her head slowly as her features clouded with anxious disbelief. "No way."
"The blade is made of steel. It can't to any permanent damage to me," he explained in a clipped voice. "Just cut me."
"Cut yourself," she cried, her hands clenching into tight, strained fists.
Sighing impatiently, he clenched his teeth together causing the muscle in his jaw to tick.
"Fine."
Flipping the blade over in his hand with practiced ease, Kaoru watched with growing horror as he drew the sharp metal against the soft flesh of his forearm, leaving a trail of seeping deep red.
Gasping, she instinctively reached out and slapped the dagger away from his arm, her eyes widening and darting to his. "Are you completely insane?" she burst out furiously.
"Look at the wound," he instructed in hard tone, the hand holding the stained blade falling to hang limply at his side. Kaoru stubbornly kept her eyes trained on his, purposely avoiding the gash he sported on his arm.
Who the hell did he think he was, demanding she admire his wound!
"Look at it!"
Somewhat startled by the sharpness of his tone, she grudgingly shifted her blue gaze from his flashing eyes to what she figured was a blood-soaked, mauled forearm.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Blinking rapidly, she frowned with puzzled amazement.
"But…what happened to it?" she questioned. The formerly deep slash appeared to be a shallow, superficial wound, pink flesh merging together and erasing all evidence of the bloody cut.
"Advanced healing," he answered cryptically, watching as her pupils dilated with acute fascination at the accelerated rate of his healing. He lowered his arm to his side. "We are deathly vulnerable to silver and wood. Steel wounds are easily repaired."
"Why do you carry that dagger around then?"
"Not all enemies are fellow vampires."
"Vampire, vampire," she muttered. "You know this could all be an elaborate hoax still."
"Want me to bite you?"
"No," she replied in a disgusted tone, shooting him a glare. "I'd like to see you turn into a bat, though. Can you do that?" she asked sarcastically, her eyes narrowing to stare into his as her accumulating anger slowly replaced the fear trickling through her raging bloodstream.
"No."
"What about garlic? Does garlic hurt you in any way?"
"No."
Frowning, she stared at his pale face, frustration making her limbs tense, uncertainly sharpening her mind. "Show me your fangs."
His eyes narrowed as they flashed angrily, his mouth thinning into a white line of aggravation. "No." Turning away from her, he stalked to the doorway, halting momentarily to look at her over his shoulder. "Stay here. I'll be right back."
Eyes peeled to his form, Kaoru watched as he exited the shadowed room. She remained frozen in place for a split second, then bolted into action, whirling around to press her fingers against cool glass of the window behind her only to find the sliding glass bolted down, preventing any sort of passage in or out of the room aside from breaking the window's thin glass. That would be too noisy, she assessed quickly, turning away. Haltingly, she treaded over to the open doorway of the stiflingly small room, eyeing the disrupted pile of ashes in the doorway suspiciously. Poking her head out and peering discreetly down the hall, she figured the only way out of the building was through the completely obliterated front door lying in pieces on the floor of the hallway.
Did she want to venture into the night? Were there more people after her, waiting patiently for her to make a stupid move and break away from the person who had, so far, willingly and expertly protected her? Maybe not, but did she want to take the chance that there might be?
No.
The need to sit swamped her so suddenly, Kaoru's only response was to fumble blindly beside her and slump limply against the wall, sliding downward into a collected heap on the cool floor. She lowered her head into her balmy hands, her lips pressed together tightly. Kaoru welcomed the comforting solace, her breath whooshing out as her eyes unwillingly filled with a smooth sheen of moisture.
What was happening to her? Pressing her fingertips roughly against her furrowed forehead, she swallowed, begging rationality to join her rampant thoughts of disarray and mounting fear.
Everything seemed to flying by in a rapid, indiscernible pace, leaving her breathless in its wake, the aftermath causing her mind the swirl with disorder. Her life might not have been blissfully happy up until this point, but at least she had felt sane and somewhat comfortable in her ordinary and baneful existence. Vampires, whatever the hell a River Soul was, deranged psychopaths…none had been in her ultimate plan for her life. Yet, they all seemed to appear magically in this night of spiraling mayhem. Fortune, it seemed, had deserted her.
Shaking her head and sighing, Kaoru moaned. Slowly, painstakingly, she regained her composure, welcoming the cool sagacity which normally reigned her in her collected psyche.
Pale moonlight slivers illuminated choppy bits of the room, revealing a bleakly decorated space. Kaoru shifted and started to rise from the ray of insipid light which bathed her form as Kenshin walked through the open doorway, a black duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
"We need to go. More will be coming after us," he told her abruptly, sliding his gaze to hers. She watched as a flash of urgency shimmered in his violet gaze.
Kaoru brushed the dust from her uniform and nodded slowly, her steps carrying her to him languid. He waited, cocking his head to the side and silently motioning for her to follow him. With each step she took as she followed his steady form, her eyes trained on his back, a small slip of confidence filtered into her consciousness. Closing her hands into small fists to tame the nervous tremble, Kaoru blinked uneasiness from her eyes, replacing it with an unperturbed determination.
She had to be strong no matter the circumstances. She could not allow fear of the unknown completely infiltrate her mind.
Kaoru followed the strange red-haired man out of the protective cover of the small building. The subtle tensing of his shoulders as they walked down the dripping, dimly lit alleyway warned her of the possible danger of their precarious position, and that another one of those…things…might be near. They emerged from the alley, yellow flickers of street light illuminating their features with a subtle, disrupted glow. Kenshin took a hold of her wrist and led her to a car almost identical to the one they had previously wrecked. She darted a quick glance at his profile and gazed momentarily at the hard control schooled on his face.
"How many cars do you have?" she asked, needing to break the draining silence between them with a mindless question.
He opened the car door swiftly and ushered her in silently. Sliding in beside her, he quickly started the car with ease, though they remained in place as he placed his hands on top of the steering wheel, leaning back in his seat.
"There is one car to every safehouse," he replied.
Kaoru frowned, her eyes automatically drifting to the building they had departed from. "Safehouse? Is that what we were in?"
Leaning forward, he put the car into gear and pulled away from the curb, his eyes skillfully scanning the road for any strange occurrences.
"There are six in this city. One is in the center with five circling in the outer ring. We find them convenient places to rest or run to in the case of an emergency. Like tonight."
Kaoru sat back against her seat as she assimilated the information, while new and unanswered questions popped into her mind. "Do vampires not live in the city?"
"Some do. Some don't. Each with their own preferences," he replied.
Sighing, Kaoru nodded slowly. "Where are we going?"
"A place where you can be better protected."
As time ticked forward, silence settled heavily, blanketing the two occupants. Kaoru turned her gaze from the quiet man driving through the bleakness of the clouded night and let her eyes skim the blurring landscape of their surroundings. Buildings converged, merged and shrank to only small specks amongst the flourishing foliage of the domineering forest overtaking the dark environment. Stars shone like shining, fair beacons in the pitch blackness of the unfolding night, covered sporadically by the languorous crawl of daunting, immeasurable clouds.
Kaoru's stomach rebelled nervously as she clenched her teeth together, lowering her head to where her chin touched her chest and closing her eyes to blot out her bleary vision of the nighttime.
It had started out as a bad day, evolved into a horrid day, but then…this…happened. Though she knew nothing of what was going on, she knew she only had one person with whom she could rely on. Though she wasn't sure if trust equated in the convoluted mixture, Kaoru knew he was someone who would protect her. But, who would protect her from him? This man…this vampire…remained an utter mystery to her.
Sneaking a covert glance at his schooled face from beneath the concealment of her eyelashes, her curious blue gaze studied planes, slopes, grooves - subtle movements - of his exotic features. Yes. Now that she looked further, she noticed his face was somewhat exotic, and even a small glance at his visage sent a shiver of exhilaration down her spine.
In the recent past at the diner, she had waited on him sporadically for about a year, providing a punch of hot caffeine for his seemingly dragging body. As time passed, Kaoru began to expect his silent presence, their small conversations of randomness and niceties brightening her day a lighter shade. She slowly started to loose herself in the shining brilliance of his violet eyes, swimming in the small amber flecks which mysteriously sparked in the deep depths. Absurdly, he left tips larger than the total of his bill, smiling kindly and walking from the diner with an ease she always envied after a hard day which left her feet aching, and her head throbbing.
Closing her eyes, sweeping her mind into a blissful, dark oblivion, Kaoru inhaled a short breath to steady herself. She had thought she came to know the mysterious man beside her somewhat well. Funny how a person can be so easily blinded and oblivious to the truth. And to life.
The steady motion and hum of the car's engine lulled her, gradually dulling her peaked senses. She must have drifted off into a dreamless state of sleep for a good while, for she awakened to a gentle prodding on her upper arm. Groggily, she lifted her eyelids to stare blankly at the dashboard for a moment before focusing slowly and realizing that the car had stopped. Raising a hand to run her fingers over her forehead to erase the sleep haze clouding her mind, Kaoru flicked her gaze over at the man sitting next to her.
"We're being followed," he uttered abruptly when their eyes clashed. Reading the befuddlement in her eyes, Kenshin reached over and unbuckled her seatbelt for her. "We need to loose them."
Frowning, Kaoru turned to look out of the windshield. "Then why are we stopped?"
"We need to go through the woods."
Eyes widening, mouth falling slightly agape, she raised her eyebrows in amazed question. "Excuse me?"
Sighing, Kenshin opened the driver-side door. "Think of it as a shortcut. They won't expect us to ditch the car."
Kaoru fumbled with her car door, opening it clumsily and stumbling out, her limbs still lethargic from her bout with sleep.
"More people like that thing you…you…that thing you killed?" she asked silently, looking at him from atop the hood of their car.
"Yes. Maybe worse," he told her, disappearing as he retrieved the duffel bag, then rounding the front of the car to come to a halt beside her. "Are you ready?"
Squaring her shoulders, Kaoru nodded determinately. He wrapped his steely fingers around her forearm, leading her into the cover of the trees. Twigs and leaves crunched under the thin soles of her worn white tennis shoes as they treaded quickly through the shadowy maze of trees. The enveloping blackness of the night hooded Kaoru's vision from the specificity of their surroundings, her only choice to follow Kenshin footsteps exactly. Her breath puffed out in small bursts of air, wisps of her hair drifting in her face as they loosened from the ponytail she'd thrown up quickly at work.
They walked in silence for a while, the subtle wave of nature layering a serene cover through the air. Her footsteps matched his, her eyes carefully watching where he placed each foot. If she wasn't careful, she would fall face first on the ground and end up with a mouth full of dirt. But, as they walked, the silent void between them started to irk her. Kaoru shivered as an uncanny sensation of being watched caused goosebumps to rise on her arms.
"Vampires can live a long time, right?" she asked randomly, filling the thick, humid air with soft words.
He turned his head slightly, spearing her with an agitated glare. "Yes."
"How old are you?"
"Older than you," he responded cryptically, turning his eyes forward. "It's best if we keep silent."
Mumbling something under her breath, Kaoru frowned and wriggled her arm from his grasp, crossing her arms over her chest to ward off the daunting chill in the air. Shivering, she sighed and turned her eyes to the ground, watching as her feet shuffled through the ruffled dirt.
"Here," Kenshin said, stopping and abruptly shoving his jacket at her. Blindly, she wrapped her fingers into the black fabric, clutching the clothing to her chest.
"It's not that cold," she protested.
"Just take it."
As she slipped her arms through the snug folds of the warm fabric, Kaoru watched as a suspicious light entered his eyes, his expression tightening as he whipped his head to the side, staring through a break in the trees at something Kaoru couldn't discern.
"Get behind the tree," he ordered softly.
"Why? What's over there?" she asked, stepping up to his side to look beyond his shoulder and into the unknown.
"Get behind the tree," he repeated, turning to push her bodily behind the steady, thick trunk of the weathered tree. "I'll be right back."
Opening her mouth to reply, Kaoru stopped, her eyes widening as his body blurred with a rapid speed, hastily leaving her alone, pressed up against the rigid, jutting bark of the tree trunk. Pushing her fingers against the bark, she closed her eyes and held her breath. Omnipresent silence blanketed the wilderness she stood in, nature humming mutely at an eerie standstill.
Sucking in a short breath, she whipped around wordlessly, her heart fluctuating when she heard the distinctive crack of a twig breaking a short distance behind her. Darting her gaze, she ground her teeth in frustration when she couldn't make out anything. Pressing her body against the tree trunk, she held her breath, then waited.
Nothing.
Nothing moved.
Nothing shifted.
Absolutely nothing.
Then…
A whistle of wind wove its fingers through disrupted leaves, a hushed ripple of rustling flora breaking the vociferous stillness.
But, wait.
There was more….
Panted breathing, rapid movement, grunts of anxious movement.
Kaoru's eyes widened as a massive dog burst into her line of sight, breathing heavily, beady eyes flashing with a vicious ferocity, its lips pulled back from sharp canines in a malicious smirk of revealed intensity. As its eyes locked on Kaoru's stationary form, she felt a tremble of anxiety skitter down her limbs.
In a blur of movement, he launched himself at her.
Kaoru let out a startled gasp of air and quickly jerked to the side as the black mongrel jumped at her, her abrupt movement causing it to ram forcefully into the tree. Scrambling, Kaoru stumbled away from the temporarily stunned animal, her feet carrying her in the direction that Kenshin had taken moments before.
She had only managed to travel a few feet away when an intense yelp of animal pain burst into the air causing Kaoru to freeze and whip around hastily. Stepped back against a prickly bush, she pressed a hand to her churning stomach when she saw the distinct silhouette of a person standing over the limp body of the formerly vicious dog.
And it wasn't Kenshin.
The figure lifted his head, turning a shimmering gaze at her. Kaoru stepped back slowly, only to bump into the solid, warm chest of Kenshin. Relief swept through her bloodstream like a rushing torrent. He placed a hand on her shoulder as if to reassure her.
"Is that the only one?" Kenshin called the mysterious figure standing in front of them.
The one in question moved closer, pale moonlight partially lighting his face. His features were hard, lips drawn into a stern line, eyes blank of expression.
"Yes," the man replied, slipping his hands into the pockets of his coat.
Kaoru frowned, drawing her eyebrows into a confused line. "You know him?" she asked Kenshin, leaning more heavily against his chest instinctively.
"Yes. He's here to help," Kenshin replied. Brushing past her, he came to a stop in front of the taller, more muscular man. "What about the diner?"
"It's covered," the stranger responded.
"The diner? I thought you told me everything would be alright there?" Kaoru burst out, dread stirring in her stomach. "What's going on?"
Kenshin sighed and cast her a patient, yet slightly irritated glance. "It's an afterthought. Nothing more. I doubt anything is wrong."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. But, we don't have time for this. They've let their tracking dogs loose. I'm aware of five, though they may have acquired more of the savage animals," Kenshin stated. "Aoshi…, let's go."
Pushing Tsubame quickly into the storeroom, Yahiko slammed the heavy door shut and twisted the lock hurriedly. Glancing wildly around him, he shoved a tilting stack of boxes against he door, as well as a small table and squatty crate that hadn't been opened yet. Twisting around to glance at Tsubame, he smiled weakly at her, trying to vainly reassure her.
Through the door, Cho's ominous voice filtered evenly. "Here I come…."
As the weak door shook loudly against the sudden heavy pounding, Yahiko stumbled back, his hands grasping the base of a baseball bat his father kept in the room.
"I'm ready," Yahiko replied in a deadly serious tone, eyes peeled to the shaking form of the door.
Author's Note: Things seem to be getting interesting for Yahiko, huh? Poor guy. First his sister gets stolen and now this…I wonder what else will happen to him.
Anyways, don't forget to review and tell me what you think of this. Right below this is the reviewer responses for those who commented on the first chapter. Thanks so much for your support guys. It means a lot.
Reviewer Responses:
half-breed-demon-fox: Hope you liked this update. Review and tell me what you think. Thanks so much for your thoughts on the first chapter!
person: (evil laugh) Yes, I wrote a vampire fic! Though sadly, I did not make it to ten pages…only nine. (frown) I just couldn't force anymore out. This chapter ended up being exactly eight. Pretty long. I'm glad that you liked it, seeing as how I wouldn't have even thought about writing it if you hadn't said something to me. (nods) Thanks so much. I hope you enjoyed this update…It was a pain in the butt to write. (sigh) And of course I won't forget my other stories. (grins sheepishly while looking at the slow progress of White Tides) Uh…yeah… But, thanks as always for your review.
erica6060: Thanks so much for your kind thoughts on chapter 1. I hope you liked this chapter as well!
Wolfie-chan18: Hey! I'm so glad to see you like this one. Thanks very much for reviewing. And I haven't forgotten about the Inuyasha fic I've started…I'm just having a hard time getting the next chapter out. I'll post something soon….I promise. (smile) I hope you review for this chapter and tell me what you think! Thanks again.
Aine of Knockaine: Thanks so much for your review. (laugh) I'm glad you like it so far. I hope you liked this update as well. (crosses fingers)
ixchen: Hi! Thanks so much for your thoughts. I'm so happy you enjoyed the first chapter. Please review and tell me what you think of this one!
Nel: So you like the way I develop my plots? (grin) Thank you. Reading Tendrils of Sunset as well? Double thank you for your compliments of that. It's always great to see people who read multiple fics I've written. Thanks so much for your compliments and support of my writing. (smile) I hope you liked this new chapter of Red River Raging!
Ange Noir: Personally, I've never worked as a waitress, so I'm not completely sure if customers are this rude, though with my past dealings with certain people, I don't find it all that unfathomable. If the waiter/waitress isn't on the ball, some customers can get pretty touchy and temperamental. And like you, I hope I never have to work as one. It took me a little while to see what you meant about how this story similar to Full Metal Panic, but I do see some of the loose similarities, though as the fic progresses it won't be nearly as close. And Kenshin is hardly Sousuke. They both may be a little dense sometimes, but Kenshin's mind isn't wrapped up in the physical workings of military operations. (grin) And my River Soul isn't anything like the Whispered. But, I do love that series. It's one of my favorites. I don't really care for the 'giant robot' aspect as well, but I didn't find it irritating like in most series. Anywho, thanks bunches for your review. I'm so glad you liked the first chapter. I hope you like the update as well.
JBella: Thanks so much for your thoughts. I'm very happy you enjoyed reading it and you feel intrigued to follow up. I'm hoping you liked this chapter as well. Please review and tell me your thoughts! (smile)
lyn: Here's more! Hope you like it.
scythe195: Thanks so much! I'm happy you liked it. Hopefully you liked this chapter as well.
lexa: I like Kenshin's dark personality as well. Not only is it fun to read about, but it's really fun to write. (grin) I'm happy you enjoyed the first chapter. Thanks so much for reviewing!
luvHaru7: Aw, thanks so much. I love vampire Kenshin fics as well. They're great fun to write. (grin) Thanks so much for your kind review. I hope you liked this chapter as well.
loveywhatever: I'm a good writer? (blushes) Thanks so much. I'm glad you liked the first chapter. Thanks bunches for your review!
Triste1: Hey! I'm relieved you didn't think I went overboard with the description and such. Megumi may seem harsh now, but that's how I wanted to resent her character at the beginning. As time progresses, the sister will be revealed in her. She won't be a shrew forever. (wink) I'm still smiling at the compliments you've graced the first chapter with. (smiles) Thanks so much. And I really appreciated you pointing out the mistakes. If there aren't too many and you don't find it particularly annoying, I'd love if you kept on doing it. It helps me greatly. I hope you liked this chapter as well. Thanks so much for reviewing. Your thoughts are very welcome.
Mana Mihara: Hmmm…everyone say hello to my little sister. I guess this is what happens when I forget to log out and she decides to review one of my stories for the first time. (sigh) Oh, well. Next time I'll remember to log out and she'll remember to look before she plops her thoughts down. (grin and wink) Anyways…to my sister: I figured you would like this one. It's a lot different from what I have been writing, huh? I would ask you to tell me what you think of this update, but I already know…you get the ability to reading the hardcopy before I post it…lucky you. (wink) Thanks for reviewing. Remind me tomorrow that I need to work on EE. (grin)
xSilverShadowx: (laugh) Yeah, she must be pretty important of she's got him working as her bodyguard. Pretty darn important indeed. Thanks for your comment!
Brazilianfan: Hi! I'm so happy you like the plot and the way I wrote the first chapter. Thanks very much for your positive encouragement. It means a lot. I'm happy you reviewed.
Minchi: I'm glad you liked the first chapter. Hopefully you think the second chapter is a good continuation. Thanks!
Lendra-chan: (laugh) So what did you think of Kaoru's reaction? Was it somewhat what you expected? I make her seem desirable? What a nice compliment…thanks. Kaoru and Yahiko really do have a dynamic relationship that's usually just skimmed over. I'm very glad you liked the way I made them interact with one another. Thanks a lot for your thoughts. I'm very happy you're liking it so far.
Mizz-Clumsy: Don't worry…I'm going to be updating on all the Kenshin stories I have posted. The next chapter of White Tides is already clear in my mind while I'm still working on the next chapter of Tendrils of Sunset. I'm so glad you like all of my Kenshin fics. They sure are great fun to write. Thanks so much for your thoughts on this chapter. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
NalaravatheRed: Groovy, huh? (laugh) Thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your review.
Tenshi-no-Hana-chan: Um, could you tell me the name of your cousin so I could check. That would be a great help. In all honesty, the idea that Kaoru is the savoir for vampires is not the most original idea. Though…if the way your cousin is writing her story is in fact similar to mine, then there could be some problems. And the only similarities between the titles is the adjective red…and I hold no claims on that. But, I really can't pinpoint your cousin's writing as plagiarism of my work unless I read it, and I have no way of finding it. But…thanks for your compliments on my story. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks!
RogueSummerLover: (laugh) Thanks muchly. I'm happy you enjoyed it. I hope you liked this chapter as well.
The-Lone-Lemon: Addicted? (grins) That great! Here's the next chapter. I hope you liked it as much as the first one. Thanks so much for your review. It means a lot.
Kean: Well, I didn't update particularly fast, but I did update. That's what counts, right? (laugh) I'm so happy you're enjoying the story so far. I hope you enjoyed the second chapter as much. Thanks very much for your encouraging thoughts.
MZ.AMbER EYES: I'm so happy you liked it. And thanks bunches for taking the time to review. (smile)
Ookami-Hitomi: (blushes and grins) Thanks so much. I'm very, very happy you like it so far. Your compliments and thoughts on the story are very welcome. Thanks so much for your review.
Sakura Noki: Finally you can rest, huh? I hope you weren't disappointed by this chapter in any way. I enjoyed your enthusiastic review very much. (grin) It's great to know someone liked my story a lot.
And remember everyone…REVIEW!