Chapter Seventeen: Pirates, Ahoy!
"Heh, heh...pirates, huh? Sounds like fun!" Sagara Sanosuke, Rurouni Kenshin Episode 25
The rain spattered through the thick, leafy branches, wetting the grassy ground many feet below. The rain came down heavily, glowing oddly white even beneath the shadows of the trees. Misao, Sanosuke, and Megumi looked up in awe at the sky through the trees, having a hard time believing what they had thought they had seen.
"Did you...see that?" Misao asked dumbly.
Sanosuke laughed shakily. "No, I completely missed it," he said with weak sarcasm. "...but didn't...what...that thing...didn't it look like a dragon?"
"That's impossible," Megumi whispered, as the wet wind rushed around them. Already, their clothes were soaked through, and it hadn't been raining for more than three minutes.
A moment of silence ensued. Sanosuke, slowly, allowed himself to relive a memory he had, of he and his orphans. Hesitantly, as though afraid he might begin to cry, Sanosuke's tongue slipped out from his lips and caught a glowing raindrop. The rain was oddly sweet, with a comforting tang unlike he had ever tasted. The pureness of the water burned Sanosuke's throat, in a pleasant way that made his body glow with life.
A feeling of grief and love washed over him. Sanosuke swallowed loudly, taking a shuddering breath. In a low voice, he whispered, "Tears."
The two women glanced at Sanosuke questioningly, finding that Sanosuke was looking up into the sky with a sort of mystified fascination. Before they could inquire of what he meant, Sanosuke said, "That dragon... it split the sky. It's raining His tears...Kyoko-chan was right."
"What?" Megumi stammered, afraid that Sano had officially cracked. "Sanosuke, this is serious! That dragon...it might have been Shishio's!"
"Shishio-sama's, you mean...which it wasn't," came a chirping voice from behind. Everyone whirled about to spot a young boy standing in the rain, smiling. His damp raven hair hung in his eyes, his sparkling, yet somehow devious and smirking blue eyes. The mischievous flicker only lasted for a moment, but it was clearly visible when the kid let his emotional veil die a moment.
But the flicker in his eye was ignored as something else displayed the boy's ill intent. For in his arms, lay an unconscious Kaoru. Megumi gasped, her eyes wide, and Sanosuke growled angrily.
"What the Hell are you doin' with Kaoru?" Sanosuke asked, narrowing his eyes in his best "evil" glower.
"Miss Kaoru," replied Soujirou sweetly, "will be coming with me to Shishio-sama's castle. Shishio-sama will be most interested to learn that Kenshin-san can summon emotions into elements, ne? Not to mention, Kenshin-san has gathered Shinomori Aoshi, son of the ex-Okashira; and the infamous, orphan-stashing Sagara Sanosuke at his side."
Sanosuke clenched a fist angrily. "You shut up! Or I'll come o'er there and bust all of those pretty 'lil teeth right outta yer grinnin' mouth!"
"Oh my," Soujirou said with an impish giggle. "Have I hit a nerve?"
"I'M GONNA HIT A NERVE IF YOU DON--" Sanosuke raucous voice was cut off when he suddenly choked, spasming slightly, and coughing blood into his hand. The wind and rain was obviously soaking through his bandages, agitating his wounds. Not to mention his yelling and the stress on his lungs didn't help. Megumi knelt down next to him, granting the boy with a tissue and feeling his stomach critically.
After a second, Megumi looked up with a glint in her magenta eyes. "Listen here, you," she growled, standing and pointing bravely at Soujirou. "I don't know what you want, but you'd better give Kaoru to me right now. We have nothing for you to take, and Kaoru has done nothing to harm you."
Advancing, Megumi ignored Misao's protests as she stepped right up to Soujirou to glare into his eyes. The boy simply grinned back, chirping, "I'm afraid you don't understand, Takani-sensei...I don't want anything from you."
"Megumi--get away from 'im--!" Sanosuke shouted, but it was too late. With speed that could be mistaken for Kenshin's, Soujirou slammed Megumi in the stomach, causing her to shudder and slump into a faint. The lady doctor hit the damp grass, her eyes covered by a curtain of her hair.
"MEGUMI!" Sanosuke and Misao shouted. Sano struggled to get to his feet, ready to charge and beat the crap out of the nervy kid; but instead he simply fell on his face. He groaned loudly as his stomach struck the turf, and the simple force of it caused Sanosuke to black out. Sano winced, and fell silent.
"Sanosuke..." Misao whispered, looking at the unconscious fighter with lost hope. She was all alone, facing this deadly, smiling assassin. All by herself, in this uncanny, glowing rain.
Soujirou smiled delicately, blinking smoothly in the torrent. "Well... you must be Shinomori-san's little girl..."
"I am not Aoshi-sama's little girl," Misao barked back, trying to keep her expression unreadable, like Aoshi-sama had taught her to. If she didn't, it would make it all the more easier for Soujirou to read her moves and thoughts. "I am Makimachi Misao, and Shinomori Aoshi is my sensei in ninjutsu!" Gulping, Misao held up her gauntlets, kunai appearing in a flash between her fingers. "As one of the last true ninja, it's my duty to protect those in which Aoshi-sama would, in his absence!"
Soujirou smiled still, hardly making any other expression other than a bit of amusement at Misao's attempted heroism. "Well then, Misao-san, it's my duty under the King Shishio of the Edo Castle to destroy you and all of your companions. Though, you, Miss Kaoru, and Takani-sensei would be welcomed in the castle. I'm sure there are plenty of uses for you all, despite your treason."
Misao grit her teeth. She knew what Soujirou was implying. "If you think we'll swear loyalty to that crispy freak Shishio, ditching our friends and becoming your soldier's...whores, you have another thing comin'! I, Misao, will never do such a thing! Same goes for Kaoru and Megumi-san!"
"True, you'd probably choose death over that," Soujirou smiled pleasantly, looking over now at the unconscious Sano. "But we have no use for Sagara-san. I'm sure Takani-sensei would do anything to keep her koishii alive."
Misao faltered. "What? Why...how do you..." She gasped, tightening her hold on her kunai. "You've been spying! Government dog!"
Soujirou shrugged. "Not for long. But when Akira-san tried to kill Sagara-san, he was prevented from finishing them both when his fiancé came along. Akira-san didn't want her to see him as being an assassin, because he doesn't want her to think ill of him...he ran to the Kabuki camp, where I have been underlying, and met up with me. He told me everything, everything about your little group that he's found from Saitou-san and from his own investigations."
His expression twitched slightly. "It's amazing even so, that Sagara-san didn't die. Lucky for Kenshin-san and he that Tomoe-san happened to near, otherwise, they'd be dead. Ah well," Soujirou sighed, still smiling pleasantly in the persistent shower. "They'll die soon, anyhow. Sagara-san will go first."
Stepping up, with Kaoru still captive, Soujirou reached into his gi. He pulled out a long dagger, meant for cutting throats and quick combat.
"Hold it!" shouted Misao, brandishing her kunai dangerously.
Soujirou simply smiled, as usual. "I wouldn't if I were you. You could end up hitting Miss Kaoru and killing her instead of me! Dreadful, wouldn't it be so?"
Misao was trapped, frozen in the glowing beads of rain that still came down like a waterfall from Heaven. Soujirou held the knife abroad, stepping carefully in the soggy grass, towards Sanosuke's shivering, unconscious form.
"W-Wait!" Misao yelled, as Soujirou came uncannily close to the boy. "D-Don't kill him... what honor would it be to slay an unconscious, injured boy! Your f-fight is with me... not Sanosuke."
Soujirou smiled still, giving Misao a sideways glance. "True. But honor isn't an issue when you're trying to reach a goal. And my goal...is to serve Shishio-sama, and kill you all; those who dare to defy him."
"Then let's go!" Misao yelled. "You and me, Smiley Boy!"
-
Aoshi's grip tightened on the hilt of the kodachi in his right hand. He gulped, as the rain came pouring still down into his hair, dripping down his face. His oceanic eyes glinted out behind the sopping locks of raven hair, as he made his way towards his amber-eyed opponent, Saitou.
"Kenshin," Aoshi said in a commanding tone. Kenshin's eyes flicked over to him, amid his rage; and Aoshi continued, "Make your peace with the assassin, as I will mine. Do not wait for me; go after Kaoru-san! I feel not only she is in danger."
Kenshin grunted his assent, turning to face the ragged Kiyosatou. "You have angered me," Kenshin said, pointing his sword at the man. "You have tried to kill one of my best friends, and I will make you pay for it. Not only that, but in doing so, you have put the happiness and lives of many others at stake."
"What...?" Kiyosatou growled, grinning shakily. "Those brats Sagara's obviously plotting to rescue? Heh..."
Kenshin tensed. "What have you done to them!" he shouted, gripping his reversed-blade sword anxiously.
Kiyosatou sneered, a line of blood leaking from a cut just above his brow. "Huh. To think you're all really that dense...Himura's son..."
"Where are they!" Kenshin roared.
Snickering, Kiyosatou grit his teeth, looking up at Kenshin with a nasty smirk of victory. "Where do you think?" Kiyosatou laughed, blood flicking from his throat like a serpent's tongue. Kenshin glowered at the injured swordsman, growing fear glowing behind those luminous yellow eyes.
"Shishio-sama knows Sagara won't let go of those brats easily," Kiyosatou huffed, "so he's kept one, knowing that idiot will come after her."
"Kept one?" Kenshin's voice cracked slightly, his eyes widening in horror. "The others...?"
"Dead," Kiyosatou said with sickening satisfaction. "Burned at the stake. All but one, that is. Not that Sagara will ever get his hands on her, since Soujirou's probably exterminating the rest of your fools right now. But extra precautions are wise to make, right? Heh..."
Kenshin stared with mortified shock at the snickering, deranged man no less than ten feet from him. Kenshin's heart thundered in his ears; Kiyosatou wasn't lying, he could tell. Then... all but one child was left alive for Sanosuke to save. Which one? Kenshin didn't know the name of any. This news, if he was still alive, was sure to destroy the Sanosuke Kenshin had come to know for good.
Swallowing, Kenshin bowed his head for a moment, as the rain came down still, the pattering of rainfall shattering the tomb-like silence in the forest. Sanosuke...
Kiyosatou grinned inanely at Kenshin's sorrow, letting loose a demonic snicker. "What's the matter, Battousai the Manslayer? Are you weeping because your friends are dying, each of them, because they had to do with you? The doctor could have died in peace; the Kamiya's could be still out there, free and thieving; Sagara and the priest could be training their martial arts in secret; and Shinomori and his girl could be happily running their bar without disturbance. If only you hadn't come along! If only you and your black luck hadn't come across their paths! It's all your fault their dying, Manslayer!"
"Don't call me that." Kenshin's voice dripped with raspy acid, causing Kiyosatou to fall silent. "I am not a Manslayer. Not anymore. You are. I don't kill. As for what is my fault... I have no control over the plan that has been designed for me. I will go as I am destined, and so will others. As for Shishio... his destruction is inevitable."
Kenshin lifted his head, revealing the glowing, golden eyes behind the mass of scarlet bangs. His black cape hung limply against his lithe form; and in the sparkling rain, his tense form looked all the more menacing, like a demon in the shadows. The rain fell down like dissolving ghosts, pattering against the ground with uncanny echoes.
"I..." Kenshin breathed, his voice deep and meaningful in the deathly silence. "...will assure that."
Kiyosatou grit his teeth. I can't lose... he thought, his deep brown eyes flickering to his sword to Kenshin, back and forth; the only obvious motion of nerves. If I do, it'll be my life in atonement... Koishii, wait for me...I will win!
"I will win!" Kiyosatou shouted, gripping the hilt of his katana with renewed strength. Sprinting at Kenshin with desperate speed, the two crossed blades once more with an echoing clatter.
"Hyohhh!" Kenshin leapt aside, twirling away from Kiyosatou. As expected, the young man leapt right after Kenshin in attempt to slice his back, but Kenshin dodged, using centrifugal force as he spun about, exposing his opponent's back in turn.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu!" Kenshin roared, slamming the flipside of his blade into the back of Kiyousatou's head. "Soryuusen!"
A spurt of blood flew from Kiyousatou's lips, as a gagging noise was made. Kenshin knew Kiyousatou was finished, and had no doubts that the boy would simply faint. But then, a little flash of light sparked upon his blade.
To his horror, Kenshin's sword ignited into full flame. The flames raced from his Sakabatou, devouring Kiyousatou's shoulders and neck, spreading throughout his entire body. The man let out an agonized howl, and Kenshin dropped his sword in horror.
Aoshi and Saitou stood gaping, as Kenshin's fatal technique took toll on its victim.
"NO!" Kenshin shouted, stooping and picking up a handful of slick mud and slapping it onto Kiyousatou's burning shoulder. The rain, though heavy, wasn't enough to stop this supernatural flame. The mud extinguished some of the said fire, but hardly did anything to cease the rest of the inferno.
"You can't die..." Kenshin croaked, his hands shaking at the sight of the dying boy. "I'll never be able to...my sword... Miss Kaoru..."
And suddenly, Aoshi was there. Saitou hadn't budged, looking rather thoughtful in the downpour of glowing rain. Aoshi took his sword, and pressed it to Kiyousatou's neck. "I will," he murmured to Kenshin. "He's not going to live..."
"I killed him..." Kenshin whispered.
Aoshi blinked, jerking his sword in a smooth motion. Kiyousatou gagged as his throat was severed; but before long became still, passing on into the next life, or the next death. "No..." Aoshi whispered, looking into Kenshin's mortified plum orbs. "I killed him."
And then, a high-pitched gasp was heard. "Akira-sama..."
Kenshin and Aoshi looked up to find a startled woman standing a ways away, her long fingers covering her lips in shock. Her wide, ink black eyes were fixed in remorse on the lifeless form of the assassin, and her free hand was clenched in a fist over her chest. Her dusky white kimono had turned gray from the excessive rain, but the splendor of it simply made her look like a lone iris in the luminous raindrops.
"Tomoe-dono?" Kenshin gasped low in his throat, his eyes wide. Could this be... the person she was looking for? Kenshin remembered of when Kiyousatou said that he had to run because he was being followed. Kiyousatou must have fled before completely slaying Sanosuke because he saw Tomoe nearby! ...Could it be that his assassin career was a secret?
"Akira-sama..." Tomoe repeated, staring still at her fiancé's burnt body.
"Kenshin," Aoshi whispered, "You know this woman?"
Swallowing, Kenshin mumbled, "Casually, yes...I think she has some relation to Kiyousatou..."
"Ah." Aoshi stood, twitching the blood off of his blade, and looking at Tomoe squarely in the eyes. Blue met black; but before Aoshi could say a thing, Tomoe had turned on her heel and fled into the forest. Seconds later, she disappeared.
Silence reigned for a moment; before Saitou spoke from close behind, making both Kenshin and Aoshi jump. "My damned cigarettes won't light in the rain."
Spinning around, Aoshi came face-to-face with his narrow-eyed opponent. Saitou's Nihon-Tou lay limply in his grip, though Aoshi could easily tell that if needed, Saitou could lunge into attack. Saitou smirked, flicking a sodden cigarette into Aoshi's chest. It bounced off, landing into a puddle with a light plop.
"Do you wish to finish this?" Aoshi said, lifting one of his kodachi.
Saitou rolled his eyes. "Hn. To think you're dense enough to make that statement a question." Saitou continued, looking down at the slain Kiyousatou. "Though I will get another lecture about disregarding orders if I don't report Akira's death immediately...but I doubt you'll let this matter go unsettled easily, Shinomori?"
"I won't," Aoshi growled in reply.
"Then we'll cross blades again," Saitou said, lifting a corner of his mouth in a sneer. He glanced down at the kneeling Kenshin, who seemed to be in a mortified trance. "Hn. Fair enough, Battousai? We've lost a comrade, but so have you...and I doubt Soujirou will leave any alive, wherever the rest of your group might be hiding. Better hurry. Heh."
Saitou then stooped down, severed Kiyousatou's head, and walked off into the forest with it. A trail of fresh, warm blood was left in his wake. The sparkling rain mixed in with the scarlet liquid, forming a bitter wine that the earth slowly devoured, sinking into the depths of the underworld.
Still up in his tree, Yahiko let loose a long, mournful howl.
-
"Yaaaaaaah!" cried Misao, chucking her kunai with undeniable skill. "Kensatsu Tobikunai!"
Soujirou took a stunning leap into the air, hovering in the rain. Misao gasped, reaching for more daggers, but it was too late. Soujirou came down with a foot outstretched, kicking Misao viciously and sending her flying with a cry. She was smashed against an oak tree, sliding and collapsing limply upon the ground.
"Kk..." Shivering in her little ninja outfit, Misao spasmed as she threw up her own blood. Her fingers desperately grasped the damp grass as though she were searching for something. "A...Aoshi-sama..."
Soujirou landed a few feet away, looking a little amused. "To think I didn't even have to use my knife," Soujirou sighed. "Oh well, I suppose you can't expect one of your stature to be an elite fighter, right?" He smiled sweetly, turning again to Sanosuke.
"All out of assistance," Soujirou sang, though no one was conscious to hear him. He set Kaoru down on the grass, so the extra weight didn't bother him. Soujirou rolled Sanosuke over onto his back, smirking at the young man's pleasantly oblivious expression, mud staining his hair and face like spots on a dog.
"It's just too bad for you!" Soujirou hummed as he slipped his dagger from its sheathe, flipping it into his opposite hand. He positioned it over Sanosuke's jugular, and with only a half-second pause, the blade dived into the victim's neck.
The blade had almost contacted Sano's skin when suddenly, a slender foot suddenly struck Soujirou across the face, catapulting the lightweight to the left. The boy looked rather shocked at the sudden attack, and sat up to find a woman standing, her hands upon her hips.
"Sorry." came a commanding, proud woman's voice. "I must have dislocated your jaw…but…"
Sanosuke shifted in his faint, hearing the tone from afar. Stirring, the spiky-haired boy opened his eyes, to find a familiar person standing over him. He gasped, his voice rasping as he felt blood back up in his throat. "S-Shura!"
"I'm afraid..." Shura said with a smirk, looking at Soujirou with a proud glare. "...I can't let you do that!"
The horn of a ship broke through the pattering of rain, and over the trees a mast and flag was visible. Sanosuke looked as the ship came into view, and upon the midnight flag was the image of a scarlet skull. In the upper corner of the flag was a bright moon, while in the opposite lower corner a flaming sun was seen.
Up the river the ship came, until it glided into view, a brilliant brown vessel that blazed uncannily in the shimmering rain. And upon the side of the pirate ship, emblazoned in a dusky red, was this:
The Promise.
End of Chapter Seventeen
MadiSano: FORGIVE ME! FORGIVE, FORGIVE, FORGIVE ME! PLEASE! I'm so sorry, I haven't updated in weeks! You see, I'm being swamped by writer's block and I went through heck to post this chapter! Please forive me... But yeah, how can Shura return so soon? ...You'll have to wait and see, ne? Mehehe...Also, about Misao getting the crap beaten out of her by Soujirou... you can't really expect her to put up too much of a fight against the Tenken! I'm not saying Misao is weak, it's just that Sanosuke, Aoshi, Saitou, Soujirou, Kenshin, ect are so strong.
DU WELDENVARDEN FARCAI: I'm really not so sure of when Empire comes out! I wasn't even sure of the last book's name! LOL! I officially apologize to you for making you wait so long for this update, and I appreciate your reviews with absolute smiles.
CREWEL: More SM moments, I need! Once Megumi regains consciousness, I have a feeling it will be in Sano's arms. And poor Sano's kids! Megumi's comfort and love will be the only thing he can truly cling to...I apologize deeply for the wait, as you are one of my most anticipated and appreciated reviewers.
ENCHANTEDSLEEPER: LOL! You made me laugh when you said Kenshin went crazy! He did, though. NO ONE touches his Kaoru-dono. Hiss. Rowr. Growl. Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Amakakeru Ryuu No Hirameki. LOL I dunno where that came from. I am so sorry for the wait you had to endure...I plan to update more frequently since my writers block seems to be wearing off as we speak!
ANONYMOUS-CHAN: I am sorry. I'll say it right now: with broken heart and teary eyes, I am sorry for making you wait. It was my intention for Saitou not to like Soujirou so much...lol I thought it was kind of funny. I'm glad I wrote Saitou vs Aoshi well! I liked doing that scene very much. And Sano does affect me a lot; he's my favorite character and proudly displays the personality I look for in relationships. LOL that explains my obsession with him; he's so obnoxious and cute! As to Misao/Aoshi... it's hard for me to write their relationship because I cannot personally understand their romance. I find myself with feelings when in a more Sano/Meg relationship, so I can understand them a lot more than Misao. But I feel Misao is sort of like Aoshi's angel; when he was at the gates of Hell, her memory and undying love saved him and brought him back, giving him the will to fight Kenshin again open-hearted and with the will to live. Aoshi doesn't know how to reply to Misao's affection; hardened by years of battle and since his state of being emotionless is still wearing off...but that's just what I think. That's about as deep as I've gotten in the pairing; I've yet to do more thinking! Thank you!
LADY NEPHENEE RANULF: I'm glad you like my new Kiyousatou! I wanted him to be different, and trade spots with Kenshin concerning the assassin business. And as to Popscicle Boy (lol), I plot to have him face Saitou again later on. He'll leave the scene for a while, but he will return before the end! Promise. I'm glad my writing has impressed you, despite my age! I also apologize to you for making you wait.
SHAUNTELL: As to why Kiyousatou is the way he is, it's because I needed him to be more of a villian, and I was dissatisfied with the Kiyousatou in the manga. And despite the circumstances, if you look closely you find that Kiyousatou is actually very nervous in battle; and is so used to making a quick assassination on an unsuspecting target that he's reckless in a true fight. I'm glad you're pleased! I hope you're not too angry with me for making you wait, as I am heartily sorry.
WOLVEN SPIRITS: First of all, I apologize to you for making you wait for this update. Second of all, I like your user name. LOL:) It's just sort of mysterious and dramatic... I like wolves a lot, I used to be obsessed with them! LOL thank you for your compliments and uplifting review!
PSQUARE: I'm sorry if I made you feel too bad! Not to mention I made you wait for this chapter! (hugs in apology) I'm sorry. And I'm so darn happy I've pleased you! With the seriousness and all...I hope to balance the humor and drama accordingly from now on! I'm really happy to have surprised you with Soujirou's entrance...let's just say his experience with acting will catch our gang off guard in the future! It'll come in handy...for him. And I'm just tickled that you like my layout and my depth of character; I'm so happy! (dances) LOL I'm a crazy nut, don't mind me! And as to Kenshin's "vile dragon" perspective, and yet the whole dragon moves and dragon spirit fire flamethingy...wow! You made methink, "Hey, PSQUARE is right...what's upwith that?" Then I got a little plot and a little evil grin to match, so that question shall be answered later on. Thank you so much!And I think Sano's idiocy is a bit influenced by the trauma he endured, his personality a bit twisted from his rollercoaster of emotion; and yet he can be perfectly serious when he pleases so. I'm enthralled that all of the other character's are perfect; I hope to keep them so, though it is unlikely. LOL my age took you by surprise? Well, you can imagine my own surprise when I found that one as young as I could write like I do! I love it, and I hope to make you yet happier with my future writing! I pray that your stress has been or will be relieved from you, for exams and tests are evil and should burn to a KFC crispy strip! LOL well, see ya and thanks a lot!
Oooooh yes, this is the end. Me sowwy. LOL great now I'm bursting to write more; GOD BLESS, MY WRITER'S BLOCK HAS DIED AND GONE TO HELL! ...Okay, that sounded horribly Un-Christian-like, but hey...lol.
ALSO, IMPORTANT: In case you are wondering when the heck MadiSano put a river near the kabuki stage, as there was no river as far as your recollection goes; it just so happened MadiSano discovered a dastardly plot hole. She needed a river and yet had no river; so she reposted a chapter and insterted a river's presence and killed the plot hole with a mighty cork, thus ensued by triumphant laughter so evil it was scary. The end.
Now that that's over...(sighs) All is good, I hope, so please review and do not kill me for my lack of updating! I shall try to update soon...(slaps palms together and mutters a quick prayer consisting of the words: "Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE!")...and thus MadiSano's comments come to a close. Ja!