Last time on The Promise:
In front of her were a pile of dead bodies burned. Children hanging from poles, bodies littered the ground. Blood mixing with dirt.
"Even the children." Yahiko said looking away, his stomach almost unable to hold the sight as well.
"Where are we going to go?" Megumi asked.
"We have no where to go Megumi, we are all alone in this fight." Kaoru said her hands buried in her face covering her tears.
They stood there till the smolders died down into ashes. They stayed there for the night and when they awoke they saw Kenshin and Sano covered in dirt, they had dug graves for each one of the people. They watched the dawn rise in the morning. Lighting the sky in a multitude of colors enriched in pinks, red, and oranges. Lighting there path towards Tokyo.
"Kaoru, what was it like?" Yahiko asked in a hushed voice.
"What was what like?" Kaoru said her eyes cast down, fatigue wearing her down, as well as the others.
"The village." Yahiko continued on.
"Oh, that, well it was one of my favorite place to go when I needed a "vacation" from the war till I was called again. I had a lot of friends there. Do you know I met Tai there?" Kaoru said smiling at the memory.
"Really? What was she like younger?" Megumi asked
Going back in time when Kaoru first met Tai:
Whispers surrounded her as she walked into the village. Pointing and staring came as well. But I guess a girl covered in blood and carrying a sword would bring that. But one girl was different; she stood up on a cart and told the whole village to pipe down.
"Oh, pipe down you bunch of nosy people! It isn't like you have any right to judge her! Most of you are just as bad!" A young Tai screamed to the crowd surrounding the young hitokiri. They soon realized they had no foot to stand on so the whispering stopped.
"Thank you." A small Kaoru said.
"No problem, I'm Tai." She said smiling towards the young girl.
"I hope you don't find this rude but, I won't tell you my name." she said sad at the secrecy she had to show.
"It's okay, I understand. In this day and age, you have to be secret. I see your carrying a sword." Tai asked.
"Yes." Kaoru said walking forward.
"I think it's cool a girl is fighting in the war, when girls are stuck in the home I find it refreshing to see some one like you. One day I wanna open my own store. My sister does too but in Kyoto, I wanna build one in Edo. I was born there." Tai said never missing a beat.
"Where were you born?" She asked.
"I was born in Edo too." Kaoru said.
"I guess we have something in common." Tai said smiling.
"I hope I'm not forward or anything but can I be your tour guide to the village? And then we might have lunch together. And then you can stay with me and we can clean you up/" Tai asked hoping for an acceptance.
"Sure why not." Kaoru said.
"Yeah! Well first there is the store…"Tai said rambling.
"Kaoru." Kaoru said.
"Huh?" Tai said confused.
"My name, its Kaoru, Kaoru Kamiya." Kaoru said sure of the girls loyalty.
Tai smiled and continued talking.
Back to the Kenshin gang:
"She kind of hasn't changed at all." Kaoru said smiling
"Sounds like it." Megumi said remembering their friend back in Tokyo.
"Miss Tai is always a good friend that she is." Kenshin said
"Did you ever meet Kenshin back then?" Yahiko asked hoping they wouldn't be mad at his prying.
"Yes, I did, towards the end of the war." Kaoru said looking towards Kenshin's direction. His eyes were straight forward looking at the road ahead. Yahiko followed her gaze and realized that the subject would end there.
Sano realizing some built up frustration just suddenly yelled. Causing the group to stare back at the man behind them, looking at him with confusion.
"What's up with you Sano?" Misao asked her eyes wide.
"I can't take it! The tension and everything. I feel like one wrong word will cause some one to snap!" Sano yelled out.
"I think you already did." Megumi said
"Yeah, I'm totally stressed out!" Sano yelled again.
"I think we just need sleep, we are all tired and I guess a little jumpy." Kaoru said staring back at the tall man.
"Why don't we take a break for a rest? This one will keep watch." Kenshin said sitting down on the floor. Fatigue on his features.
"Thank you sir Ken." Megumi said finding a comfortable spot next to a tree.
"I wonder what Lord Aoshi is doing?" Misao said still sad at the lack of her love.
"Probably having a party about you gone." Yahiko muttered
"What was that kid?" Misao screamed.
"Misao, can we not start, were all tired and we just wanna rest for a few?" Kaoru asked pleading for the girl to remain silent.
"Sorry, I guess I'm a bit tired. Nothing a nap couldn't help?" Misao said lying down next to Megumi.
"I'll help you watch Kenshin." Kaoru said sitting opposite from Kenshin.
"No, this one can do it, you look tired and you need the rest." Kenshin suggested.
"I want to." Kaoru confessed
"Oh." Kenshin's face was surprised and still tired at the same time.
It was late afternoon the breeze blowing in the trees. The first few trees were turning the beautiful shades of red and orange. Turning there resting place into a quiet sanctuary for now.
"I was surprised to see you." Kenshin whispered careful not to wake the others.
"As was I. And I didn't plan on tripping at that moment." Kaoru said a blush creeping on her cheeks.
"What were you think about?" Kenshin asked well aware of her answer.
Kaoru's slow creeping blush burst all on to her face and neck.
"Umm, well I was thinking about….about." Kaoru stuttered.
"I was too." Kenshin whispered into her ear.
"When was it when we met first?" Kenshin continued to whisper in her ear.
"In Kyoto, the hustle and bustle of the war." Kaoru said her eyes glazing over.
Back in time:
"Raven you know your assignment, finish it or don't come back." A man in expensive clothing told her.
Kaoru scoffed and smirked. "Have I ever not finished?" Kaoru asked
"No, but this one is different." He kept on.
"What not another old sleazy politician?" Kaoru asked a tad bit more intrigued.
"In a way. First dispose of his bodyguard, and then kill the sleazy politician." The man said blowing a billow of smoke in her direction.
"Whose his bodyguard?" Kaoru said looking out the window at the filthy city below her.
"Battousai." The man said waiting for her reaction.
"Mmm, something interesting for once." She said her face the same emotion before.
"Are you no afraid? I mean this is the…Battousai." The man said a tad bit scared of even saying his name.
Raven laughed at the man's coward ness. "No, for I strike just as much fear in his employer than he does in mine." Raven said getting up from the window seat and unsheathing her sword. It glistened in the moon casting an eerie glow.
"Are you scared?" Raven asked moving the sword toward her face to inspect it.
"No." the man said as he started to sweat, obviously scared of the manslayer in front of him.
"You're a good politician, you lie impeccable well." Raven said as she walked out the door.
At the politician's mansion:
"Ah look out she's…"silence was heard after a metal clang hit the floor
Soon feet were heard running and screams soon followed.
"Battousai protect me!" A fat balding man said hiding behind his desk. A man with hair like the horizon looked up in a pathetic glance toward the man.
"Hiding behind a desk isn't going to save you from me." A woman with hair like night whispered. Her outfit black almost concealing her form in the moons beams.
"Raven! Oh god I'm gonna die, Battousai don't stand there! I paid you to protect me!" The coward man said
"Your money is pointless, but my job is to protect shit like you so…what can you do?" Battousai said smirking.
"Ah, a thing we have in common. It seems my employer; another shit-head wants you dead, and I never leave a job unfinished." Raven promised
The man's face paled.
"I will not let you pass Raven." Battousai whispered
"You do not control me." Raven said her eyes directing toward the man behind him.
"Pay attention to me!" Battousai screamed
"Oh a bit mad now? Temper, temper, calm down, you'll get your chance."
Back to Regular:
"Mmm, now I remember." Kenshin said nodding "That fight was hard, I believe you slashed my hamstring.
That was quite painful." Kenshin said smiling but soon stopped when he realized Kaoru was not.
"Yes, I am sorry." Kaoru said her eyes cast down.
"I guess we should both apologize I mean I stuck a dagger in your back." Kenshin said as his deed to her dawned on him.
"For that I am truly sorry." Kenshin whispered looking in her eyes.
"You gave me that scar?" Kaoru said looking at him.
Kenshin's eyes closed ashamed.
"No, I forgive you Kenshin, I just had forgotten how I had received the scar." Kaoru said as she pulled Kenshin's face towards hers so that he would look at her.
"We did a lot of things we should apologize for. Like getting you all into this." Kaoru said
"I guess it's only fair, I mean I dragged you all around on my problems, I guess now it's you turn." Kenshin said smiling
"I guess so." Kaoru laughed.
Next time:
"Kaoru did you know a Gohan?" Tai asked
"When did you see him" Kenshin asked quickly
"At lunch time, I sent him to the dojo." Tai said innocently
"Doctor Gensai and the girls went there not t long ago to show him where to go." She continued on.
"Oh god, Kenshin the girls!" Kaoru said as they ran to stop Gohan.
XOXOXOOXO
Hoped yawl like it!