Author's notes: Hello everyone, I'm sorry that it's been so long since I've updated but sadly events in my life have kept me to busy to write, but now that it is summer vacation I hope to be able to update my fanfics more frequently. In fact, I hope to finish this story by September. But thank you for your patience. Whenever I get reviews it gilts me into feeling more obligated to update. So, if you want an update sooner…you know where to find the button.
'Divided Waters'
Chapter Seven:
PreparationsBy Rebekah 'KatDrama' W.
"Eh, Kaoru, that is too heavy for you. Here, let me take some…" Kenshin reached to grab a few sticks of woods from Kaoru's large load that she struggled with in her arms.
"I'm fine Kenshin!" She snapped, kicking him back with a sudden movement of her foot.
"Oro?" Kenshin's sharp reflexes caught him from falling. "You don't think she's still mad at me, do you?" Kenshin questioned of a nearby Yahiko who was busy attacking the veranda with his scrubbing cloth.
The boy stopped and caught his breath, wiping his brow with a sudsy hand. "About what? Last night? Most likely." He snickered.
Kenshin rolled his eyes at the juvenile. "It's not funny. I…"
"WOAH!" Karou yelped as she lost control of the wood and fell to the ground and was quickly covered in the painful revenge of the firewood.
"Ms. Kaoru, are you alright?" Kenshin sprang forward, a worried look on his face.
A human head appeared from beneath the pile. "Neva…betta…" Her dazed eyes rolled in circles as the rurouni began to dig to find her body.
"Hey, missy, whatcha doing? Looking for a needle in the wood stack?" A rooster head appeared around the gate. "Ya know, that's not the safest place to play." He laughed jokingly.
"Hey, Sano, wanna help out with the chores?" Yahiko yelled, though he already knew the slacker's response.
"Nah." The muscular man shrugged. "I know I came here for a reason, but seeing ol' raccoon face playing with the wood made me forget…" He scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"How's the wife?" Kenshin asked more out of politeness than curiosity as he finally helped Karou from the woodpile. Not to his surprise she made a grumping face at him and hurried away from the scene. The red head sighed; it was going to be a long day.
"What? Oh, you know Megumi, nothing but work, work, work. Even when she has a day off and it's a perfect day to go into town…" The spiky haired one's sentence trailed off. "Oh yeah! Kenshin!" With a sudden urgency the man grabbed Kenshin roughly by the shoulders, nearly picking him up off the ground. "There's a ruckus going on in town by the police station! That's what I was going to tell you!"
"What's going on?" The Battosai within Kenshin's sweet demeanor was sparked with interest.
"I dunno the full details, but there's a bunch of villagers from down river requesting troops to protect their village," Sano recalled.
"Why?" Kenshin brushed the dust off his shoulder as the larger man set him back down on the ground.
"I don't know, but I think there might be trouble brewing. We should go see!" Sano yelled, already sprinting towards the gate, to which Kenshin nodded his head.
"Count me in!" Yahiko launched himself off of the veranda, tossing his towel behind him. He landed running between the older men. "Hey, what about Kaoru?" He asked Kenshin.
There was certain darkness in Kenshin's eyes as his voice, icy with steel, replied. "Kaoru needs some 'alone' time." With that the three sped into town.
"Your request for backup is denied. We have no reports or proof of this renegade band of samurai, and even if we did it would take some time to process your request for it would have to have Yamagata-san's approval." The police chief told the group of farmers that had presented their village's request.
"Excuse me, pardon me." Kenshin and the others pushed through the gathering crowd to get to the scene.
"Proof? You want proof?" A middle-aged man stepped forward angrily. "They killed my youngest son! And then my daughter killed one of them! The battle grows ever more bloody! Even as we speak the young and old ones that stay home from the fields are in grave danger! They may decide to seek deadly revenge! All that stands between the deaths of our villagers right now is a bunch of children, my only daughter being one of them! Our only weapons are our tools and one lone sakabato," Kenshin's eyes brightened with surprise, "and you ask us for proof that we are under danger with no way to protect ourselves other than to seek military help!" Akio nearly yelled at the officer.
The police chief's curiosity was also aroused. "You say you have but one weapon to defend you? And who to wield it?"
Akio lowered his voice, his anger transferring to his quivering fists. "A lone girl with a mending leg. It is a miracle that we have survived this long."
Sano burst through the crowd into the circle of farmers, pushing Kenshin ahead of him. "A girl you say? Is she about this tall with long blonde hair and a scar across her left eye?" He gestured with a hand.
"Sano…" Kenshin mumbled under his breath, dragging his feet on the ground in protest. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Hey, it's a faint chance it could be Sachi, couldn't it?" He slapped Kenshin encouragingly on the back, though rather roughly causing the rurouni to loose his balance.
Akio turned, shock showing in his eyes. "Yes, that's her. You know her? Are you…perhaps those she left behind in Tokyo?" His heart saddened.
"Yeah, that's us! She's alive? I can't believe it! This is great!" Yahiko danced around Sano, who, getting annoyed, punched him in the head, causing him to go night-night for a little while. Kenshin's heart welled with joy.
"So, she's okay?" Sano asked as he picked up Yahiko and stuffed him under his arm like he was carrying a loaf of bread.
"Her body is healing, but her mind grows ever darker. She has pledged revenge for my son's death, and I fear she has chosen the path of the Hitokiri, which is why we must get someone to stop those samurai soon, before we loose the mind of that child, and the lives of others." Akio turned a pleading look back to the police chief.
Kenshin's thoughts boiled with anger. 'How can she be so foolish!' His mind screamed. He placed an arm in front of the farmer to stop his pleading. "Ask no more, you have gained your warriors. We will go and protect your village." He tried to keep the angry edge off of his voice, but it still dripped with danger. Akio shivered slightly at the smaller man's icy glare.
"Alright! Hear that Yahiko?" Sano shook the little bundle he held. Drool bubbled out of the boy's mouth. "Hmm…poor kid must've fainted with excitement." Sano smiled guiltily as he stuffed the boy back under his arm.
Later that evening at the dojo:
The sun faded over the crested mountaintops in the vague distance. Shadows danced upon the ground beneath the ever-growing purple sky. A grim silence gripped the air, filling it with an uneasy tenseness that could not even be severed with the sharpest of blades. The fading light accented the dojo roof, showing some tiles in major need of repair. In the courtyard a little pile of belongings to be taken on the trip were gathering. A short little redhead stepped unto the porch carrying the evening meal. He sighed heavily, noticing the girl sitting on the veranda, her back to him. Gracefully he sat down beside her. "Are you sure you do not want to come?" His soft voice was warm upon her neck.
She turned suddenly, anger flashing in her umber eyes. Her mouth opened to stutter some angry mutterings, but in disgust she turned she looked away and balled her fists into tight, trembling balls. "No."
Kenshin sighed, his eyes searching the new coming night sky for answers that his mind could not seem to find. "I see." His heart sank, more than disappointed as he stood again. "Are you sure you'll be fine here by yourself?" His violet eyes betrayed his worry.
"I told you, Megumi's coming over to stay for a while, and I'll be busy with my students." She pulled her slender legs up to her chest and rested her head sadly on her arms. How could she reveal the confused feelings that clashed inside her?
"We should only be gone a few days. We'll be taking a boat down the river, it will be much faster that way." She stared at him. His body was silhouetted by the fading sunlight, and her heart trembled.
She sighed. "I'll be waiting…"
Kenshin turned back to face her, an all too fake smile lightening up his face. "And be sure to make room for one more!" He grinned optimistic of Sachi's return.
A slight smirk lit her face. At least everyone seemed to be happy about the news of Sachi, except for her. But what could she do? Perhaps it was fate for Sachi to steal Kenshin away from her. But, if that was true, then could this be the last time that Kenshin could ever be hers? Her brown eyes widened. "Kenshin?"
"Yes Miss Karou?" The rurouni smiled. Slowly the ivory skinned girl stood and then rushed awkwardly up to him. A shameful blush radiating her face she tightly wrapped her arms around him. His eyes lit with pleasant surprise.
"Kenshin…" Tears began to well up in her eyes and spill down her cheeks, staining his chest. Slowly she looked him straight in the eyes. Her lips quivered slightly. "I…I…I love you!" She clutched him tight again. "And…I don't want this to be the last time I ever see you! Please come back safe!" She stuttered.
Kenshin smiled comfortingly, and rubbed a soothing hand on her back slowly. "Have I ever failed to keep a promise to you? I promise I'll bring us all back safe." His eyes closed halfway, reveling in the rare warm moment.
Yahiko stepped around the side of the dojo, carrying a pile of traveling blankets. Catching site of the two he stuck out his tongue in disgust. "Get a room, why don't you!" He turned and began to walk away.
A vein on Karou's forehead stuck out. In anger she grabbed the pan from Kenshin's hand and threw it at the boy, it hitting him square on the head. Kenshin only chuckled, glad that she was back to normal.