Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin... in case you didn't get that before.
Story
"Home!" Chiyo yelled again. "I am finally back home!" She leaned over the railing and looked at the lights of Kyoto. Chiyo had never been this happy, to be back with Seikei, and to be back to the place she knew so well. "How much longer Captain? Until we reach land?"
"A few more minutes." said the Captain. Chiyo smiled and ran to the lower deck to get her case.
Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Yahiko stood looking at the nightfall of Kyoto. Even though it was very late at night, around 11 p.m., the city was still very much alive. Yahiko pointed out rickshaws along the shore line, taking people back home, or to wherever. On the roofs of the houses, tiles laid neatly stacked to provide a tight seal for rain. Geishas, maids, and many other people were busily hurrying to their places. The docks were quite close to where the boat was, and offered a subtlety in the Kenshin-gumi, knowing that they were going to be on land.
"It's different," said Kaoru. "From the last time. I think it gets a little different every time."
"You think we'll see our weasel girl here?" asked Sanosuke.
"I hope so," said Yahiko. "It would be good to see a familiar face."
"All for Kyoto!" yelled the Captain. "Prepare to get off! All for Kyoto!" Kaoru looked back at the stairs where Chiyo had disappeared off to.
"You'd think she be running back up those stairs." said Sanosuke. "Being back home and all."
Then, something unexpected rang through the boat. A loud scream passed in all cracks of the boat. It was a blood curling scream, that emanated through the whole boat. It was almost as if the color in the water had changed to blood at that scream, it was so powerful. Children began to cry, and women began to run from the bottom of the boat, crying "Save her! Save her!". Kenshin turned around and looked at the people running from the lower decks.
"Chiyo-dono!" yelled Kenshin. He ran where everyone else was trying to escape.
"That stupid girl!" yelled Sanosuke. He tossed his bag in Yahiko's arms and ran down to follow Kenshin.
"Kamiya Kasshin is the sword that protects," said Kaoru. She looked at Yahiko, with a determined face on. "She might need to be protected."
"Right." nodded Yahiko, he dropped Sanosuke's stuff and turned to the Captain. "Can you delay our arrival in Kyoto?"
"I'll do what I can." said the Captain. Kaoru ran to the lower deck and Yahiko followed in her footsteps.
Kenshin stood there, battle face on, looking at the man that had Chiyo tied up, with her kimono hiked up, passed her knees showing her thigh. Her mouth was tied with a old cloth, and her hands where tied in a tight knot. Kenshin noticed that this knot was unusual, for it let Chiyo to us her hands freely but her arms where tied behind her back, and the rope was tied around her neck. So if she tried to pull or use her hands, it would choke her. Sanosuke stood with balled fists, looking at the man's gang. They all seemed to be dressed in normal clothes, but they all had swords at their obi. All had ugly faces, and greased hair, Sanosuke looked over at one man. He was standing in the middle with a smile on his face, a evil smile full of hate and greed. Chiyo looked at Kenshin then, Sanosuke. She didn't want them to get hurt, she just wanted to go home. She wanted Kenshin to go to Seikei, and not have to save her, but to save Seikei.
"NnnNnNn, NNNNN!" she yelled though her mouth was tied with a cloth. What she said was "Don't do it, please!"
"Just sit tight Chiyo-dono," said Kenshin, waving her off and smiling at her. "It won't take long, that it won't." Chiyo looked at Kenshin in fake anger.
"NnnNnNnnn! NnnnnnNNnnn!" (You idiot! That isn't what I was saying!)"
"It's been a while, since I fought." said Sanosuke, as he smirked and cracked his knuckles. "I hope it isn't boring."
"Watch your mouth to us, rooster head!" yelled the man that had Chiyo tied up. He was a greasy man, with untamed hair and an ugly face. His eyes where the color of dirt, and mud, and his hair was blacker than smog. His gaze turned to Chiyo, who was looking at Kenshin, and his smile increased on his face. "We're stronger than you realize. When we're done with you, we'll rape and kill the girl. It would be such a pity to waste a beautiful face like this, just on one man. So, we'll all have a taste of her!" All the men cheered and Chiyo tried to scream through the cloth, but it wasn't as loud as she had hoped. "Now now," the man walked over and put his hand under Chiyo's chin to raise it. "You should just accept it. It will be a lot less painful if you just close your eyes..." At this Kenshin's anger boiled, and he drew his reversed blade sword, or Sakabatou.
"You won't lay a hand on her head, that you won't." said Kenshin.
"NNNN!nnnnNNnnnNnn! (Please! Leave me and go!)." said Chiyo.
"Alright then!" yelled the man. He sat up and looked at Kenshin. He didn't spring forward, a small man behind him, in what looked like a bad ninja suit, jumped over him and through a small dagger at Kenshin.
"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!" screamed Chiyo. She closed her eyes, but opened them again at the sound of something sharp hitting wood. Kenshin brought his scabbard up and the dagger stuck itself in it.
"You need to do better than that." said Kenshin. Chiyo froze. He was different, his eyes were something else, not the soft eyes she met before, they where the eyes of a killer. Chiyo closed her eyes, in remembrance.
"Men!" yelled Seikei as he lunged at the fake statue. He cut the statues head right off, without so much as a flinch. He gingerly picked up the head as a lone clapper clapped from far away. Seikei bowed in comic timing, as Chiyo walked into the room.
"I wish I could do something like that." said Chiyo. She took the head from Seikei and placed it back on the statue.
"Like what?" asked Seikei, he tilted his head. He had been able to do this for a long time, so he never really thought of it as something amazing. He looked like a small child asking his mother a cute question.
"Use a sword, defend myself." said Chiyo. She pantomimed holding a sword, and luging at the statue.
"I," said Seikei, his voice had changed from a kind of jesting tone, to one of seriousness and disdain. His childlike expression was gone, and he looked like a man. "will never let you hold a sword."
"What?" asked Chiyo, she was taken aback by this because Seikei had never said she couldn't do anything. He let her try everything she wanted, almost without care or conviction.
"Someone like you," said Seikei he walked over to put his wooden sword away in a glass case. "Doesn't deserve a life like mine."
"What do you mean?" Seikei let his hand drop from his case door, and turned sharply. Chiyo could only see his profile, with his eyes on her. His eyes seemed to glow with the anger inside boiling through. Chiyo was speechless for a second.
"Promise me you won't ever hold a sword." said Seikei.
"I..." Seikei turned fully around and walked close to her. She could feel his breath on her face. Then, he wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. Seikei lowered his head onto Chiyo's small shoulder. Chiyo was confused, Seikei never touched her like this before. Her heart was beating fast, why was this hug so different? They had slept together since the week after Seikei took her, why would a hug make her feel this way? Chiyo's heart came to normal pace again, because she could feel hot tears fall onto her kimono.
"Promise me! You will never hold or use a sword." Seikei yelled at her. Chiyo could feel him holding onto her tighter. She didn't want to make him mad but, she didn't know what to say.
"If you promise me something," Seikei lifted his tear stained face up at Chiyo. "That you will always be there to protect me, so I don't have to."
"I will protect you will my life." said Seikei. He let go of Chiyo, and touched his hand to her cheek. "I promise." Seikei looked at Chiyo, right into her eyes, Chiyo felt a lighting blot go down her back. For the first time, she noticed Seikei's eyes, and how unusual the color they are. Unusual but beautiful. "You are too delicate of a flower for me to crush."
Chiyo was bringing her hand up to touch his face, when she brought her hand up Seikei grabbed it and pulled on it so that her whole body would move. In one quick movement, her lips where on his, and they were kissing. Chiyo wanted to protest, but how long could have her mind lasted, lying to her heart? She let all of her anger go, in this one moment, when Seikei and her finally had a real kiss, not one of fake passion.
Chiyo opened her eyes and looked at Kenshin standing there, he never made a promise to protect her, in fact protecting her would cause him the grief of having to be in Kyoto. "Why would he protect me?" her thoughts raced to her.
"You blocked my dagger!" laughed the bad ninja suit man. "But don't forget there is more, of us then there are of you!"
The whole gang surrounded Sanosuke and Kenshin, they stood back to back and counted each man.
"Damn! How could 20 of you fit on this boat!" asked Sanosuke. "Alright Kenshin, you take ten, I'll take ten." Just then, Kaoru and Yahiko came down, Shinai in hands. "Oh great! Now I get less!" Kenshin noticed out of the corner of his eye, the greasy man picking Chiyo up and into a separate room.
"Sano, can you handle mine?" asked Kenshin. Without even waiting for a response, Kenshin ran through the crowd, and hit two guys out of the way, to get to the other room.
"Alright. Missy, Yahiko, it's up to us!" yelled Sanosuke. He charged at some of the guys, and beat them down hard.
"If you think this is going to be easy, just because I am a girl!" yelled Kaoru as she took out two guys.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" yelled Yahiko as he took down men three times his size. Now all that was left was Kenshin, and the man.
She ran through the streets, her sandals scratching the ground under her. She had to get to the docks, whatever way she could. It was late at night and her eyes hung heavy on her head, as she ran, her legs aching. Long black hair trailed behind her, while the wind bit at her face. It was unusually cold night, but she must get to the docks.
"Are you here today," she asked herself, in her mind. "Are you back from Tokyo yet, Chiyo?"
As the docks came closer into view, a smile creased her face. She picked up her pace and ran faster than ever before, she bumped into a few people but it was worth it. There was the ticket booth, and the man inside was sleeping. She shook him awake and he gave her a horrible glare.
"Is this the final boat from Tokyo?" she asked, out of breath.
"Yeah, but I don't know why it is taking so long." said the ticket booth man. "It was suppose to be here a few minutes ago."
"Do you mind if I wait for it?" she asked. Her breath came back to her small lungs, filling them with sea air.
"Be my guest." said the ticket booth man, he rested his head and tried to go back to sleep. Saya walked over to a small bench and sat there looking on the ground.
"You need to be here," she said to herself. "Please, be on that boat."
When Kenshin got in there, Chiyo was pulling on her arms so the rope around her neck choked her. The man was trying to get her to stop, everyone knows death by suffocation isn't pretty. Kenshin pointed his Sakabatou at the mans temple, and he sweat.
"Pleease! Don't kill me!" he begged.
"How dare you ask for such a thing?" asked Kenshin. His voice was quiet but powerful and made the man tremble. Kenshin looked at Chiyo, her eyes where falling in the back of her head from the lack of oxygen and her brain was beginning to fry. Kenshin hit the man with the back of his sword to get him off of Chiyo. "Chiyo-dono!" Kenshin flipped the blade on his sword and cut the ropes around Chiyo's hands, feet, and neck. As the rope fell to the floor, Chiyo let out a gasp of air as if she had been drowning, and fell sideways. Kenshin caught her, she looked like she had already died. "Chiyo-dono, you'll be okay, that you will." A cough erupted from Chiyo's throat.
"Will you please drop the, that you will?" Chiyo smiled at Kenshin, who was happy to see her alive. "Master Seikei would never say that." Kenshin looked at Chiyo's wrists and feet, rope burns on them, and her neck as well.
"You really think that that is going to be enough!" yelled the man from behind Kenshin. He held a pistol in his hand. "From this range there is no way I can miss the back of your head!"
Chiyo didn't blink, she would have missed something if she did. Kenshin, in one turn, pulled the sword out of the sheath and swung it around to cut the gun in his hand. The man started laughing, thinking that Kenshin did nothing, then the gun popped and it split in half. The man looked scared, and worried.
"Please!" he got down on his knees, and Kenshin picked Chiyo up to carry her out. "Don't kill me!"
"I won't touch you, that I won't." said Kenshin. The man bowed in thanks, as Kenshin kicked open the door.
"Kenshin!" yelled Yahiko. "The captain can't hold the ship any longer, we have to get off."
"Sano," said Kenshin. Sanosuke turned around. "There is a man in there, still looking for a fight."
"Say no more." smiled Sanosuke. He walked right into the room and you could hear the man scream as Sanosuke put his talents to good use.
"Himura-san?" asked Chiyo, she looked at Kenshin who was smiling.
"I said I wouldn't touch him, that I did."
"It's not that," said Chiyo. "Your arm is touching my butt." Kenshin blushed and quickly put Chiyo down. Yahiko held up her bag in front of her face.
"How are your arms?" he asked. Chiyo felt her rope burns, they stung like bees on her arms, feet, and neck.
"They are fine." said Chiyo. She pulled her kimono back to it's proper place, and took the bag from Yahiko. "Thank you all for saving me. Tho' I didn't asked to be saved."
"'Didn't asked to be saved'!" yelled Yahiko. "We risk our lives for you and you say something like that!"
"You could have already been going to The House, but instead you saved me and delayed everything."
"Now now, we shouldn't fight, that we shouldn't." Kenshin looked at Chiyo and noticed that she had questions in her eyes. "We wanted to save you, and protect you, that we did. Plus, how would we have known which house to go to?" Kenshin laughed, and so did Chiyo but in truth they all were worried about what awaited them on land, and what awaited them when they finally get to see Seikei.
To be continued in Chapter 4