The dimly lit resteraunt was grimey in appearance. The booths were worn and fraying visably. Light-foored waitresses rushed between the tables and kitchen. A visable layer of smoke clung to the slightly drooping ceiling. It stink of foul breath and stale sake. A waitress ushered Saito and Kaoru toward the back of the small establishment. Saito settled Kaoru into a booth before disapearing behind a low black curtain in the back of the place. He silently vanished from sight to the chambers beyond.
Battousai glanced about the small diner. There were two exits, the front shoji and discreet door beyond the kitchens that could barely be seenthrough the frantic movements of rushed servers. Not many people were in the booths. One or two suspicious looking characters lurked about, but none were a serious enough threat for the Hitokiri to take notice of. It perplexed the Hitokiri's keen mind that the employees were extremely busy despite the miniscule amout of visable customers. These few diners did not call for such haste. A kind-faced waitress, with long black hair neatly pinned back, seated him in the booth next to Kaoru's own. White paper seperators prevented him from viewing her, but the closeness helped ease his tension.
Battousai ordered a pot of tea and settled carefully into his seat. Adjusting himself to not argivate his wounds, Battousai also had a full view of the entrance, kitchen, and suspicious black curtian.
One odd aspect caught by his golden eyes was that most of the food prepaired vanished into that unrelenting curtain. The waitresses came back into the main room, from that barrier, bodies tense and the smell of fear lingering on them. The Hitokiri also whitnessed a strange argument between two of the waitresses. Apparently one was refusing to return to the room beyond the curtain. She was so vemenant about staying out that she took on all the other customers in the restaraunt from the second waitress. When this vemenent woman came to fill Battousai's tea, he decided some extra scouting was needed.
"You look flushed, perhaps a break is in order." Battousai smoothly assured the woman.
Caught by two unrelenting amber eyes the poor woman could do no thing, but obey. As the young woman slid into the seat across from him, Battousai noticed that she was the same lady who had greeted him. Coaxing the woman befor him to talk took very little effort, she evidently enjoyed speaking. He listened to her rambling, filtering out incocequential things like; her name was Tae, she had worked there for 8 years and had a sister named Tsubame who also worked there, but not today. Shifting through her streams of gossip he found what he needed; that the inner chambers were completely rented out, men bagan coming two days prior, and had continued to come. From what he pulled through the waitress' speech they were all awaiting someone to arrive this morning. The men arriving had been roudy and forced themselves on the female staff. This piece of information was not gleened from Tae's story, but from the angry finger marks on her wrists and the bruised cheek she had attempted to cover with rouge. Battousai let Tae return to her work as he filtered through the information recieved.
Aproxemately 30 men were there, though only a hand full seemed like buisnessmen, the rest were bodyguards or thugs. Such meetings were common in those days of turmoil. Clans joined and broke during such meetings. But of the names mentioned, most likely alias', he could only identify three. Saito Hajime, the man who took Kaoru, was involved. All he knew of that wolf were his battleskills, he could not identify the clans by his presence. Zanza, underground alias for his good friend Sagara Sanoske. Sano was a fighter-for-hire, most likely doing bodyguard duty for gambling money, hense he gave no insite into the clans either. The final name was Kamiya Yosho, Kaoru's father. To use your true name at these types of gatherings ment that he was either very protected, very powerful, or very stupid. Considering the price that he had offered for Kaoru's capture, Battousai guessed he was all three. The Hitokiri still marveled at the fact that Kamiya would hire none other that Hitokiri Battousai to kidnap his own daughter.
Battousai's amber depths sought out the object of his thoughts. By scooting slightly left in his seat, Battousai found that he could see around the paper seperator and gaze at the vision sitting beyond it. Kaoru was sitting, head bowed, silently sipping tea, unware of the man slayer watching her, or so he thought. As her watched her every minute movements, Kaoru's head suddenly jerked up and her blue eyes caught his gloden ones. Both Kaoru and Battousai'a breath breath caught at the unexpected connection. A slow, hesitant smile curved Kaoru's lips. Time seemed to stop as each slowly slid deep into eachother's colored depths. All distractions ceased to exist for the two. Wothout breaking the line of sight, Battousai rose and closed the gap between them. Soft lips touched Kaoru's own. The enraptured spell created between gold and cobalt pairs was broken by the descending of Kaoru's eyelids. The offending lids cut the connection flowing between them. Battousai left the warm protection of Kaoru's kiss to seat himself beside her. Kaoru whimpered softly at the loss of contact. Kaoru gradualy came back to reality and rational thought. She was sitting with Hitokiri Battousai. She had just kissed Hitokiri Battousai, again. How couls he do that to her? As soon as he got close to Kaoru, all coherent thought left her and all she could see was him.
"Oh my! I didn'y know you two were aquanted. Isn't it fine to meet old friends." Tae's chipped voice cut through their mutual silence. "I'll just give you your tea and let you two get reaquainted.
"Thank you, Tae" said Battousai nonchalantly as he accepted the drinks.
Amusment flickered in the Hitokiri's eyes as he watched Kaoru's bewildered expression. Kaoru caught the look. Great! Just great! He was laughing at her, again. She could never get used to this guy.
"Surprised to see me?" Battousai's timbre voice questioned.
"No." she snaped. "I sensed you while we were walking!" Kaoru could not help but snark the first thought in her mind. This Battousai had an unerring ability for frustrating her.
Battousi's face never wavered at her biting tone, but his heart was a different matter. Battousai now understood that he was merely an assassin and kidnapper in Kaoru's eyes. An icy fist clentched his newely revived heart. His only consolation was that if she snapped to him, the terrifying Hitokiri, then her spirit was undoubtably intact.
The Hitoliri's mood clicked into pure buisness. He had a mission. Take Kaor... the woman to his employer, collect his fee and leave. Simple as that, no lingering thoughts of that woman, Kaoru. Battousai rose from the seat with the grace of a tiger.. His focused eyes traped Kaoru's as he wordlessly commanded her to rise. She ascended silently, her eyes pleading with his. Battousai was puzzled by the askance in her azure orbs. She was begging him for something, what he could not understand. The Hitokiri's eyes narrowed as a thought formed in his mind. He thought that Kaoru was asking himto leave her be, let her live out her life with the only man to defeat him. Battousai's misinterpretation was profound. Kaoru's thought was not for him to leave, but for him to take her away. Kaoru knew that this was a meeting her father would be attending. She had even heard his gratting laughter past the black curtain. She knew if she saw him she would be forced to go back to the sleepless nights, the leering men, the drunken endings to the meeting, and worst of all the lonelyness brought by liveing in a house filled with heartless people. She was praying for Battousai to prevent this. Kaoru was frightened as a menacing sneer claimed his youthful face. Kaoru felt tears well in her eyes. He mad rejected her. The Hitokiri's fingers clampt onto her forarm, hauling Kaoru behind him.
Kaoru obeyed his tugs listlessly. What was the point? She would just be led around to another auction where she was the main prize. She would be give to some drunken friend of her fathers, never to escape, never to be with the person she cared for. Kaoru's mind provided her with two images when she thought of the ones she truely cared about. The first was a picture of Battousai as he was after his fight with Saito. Broken, bleeding, her heart felt as though it would break at that image. The second was a image of Saito as he was when he had assured her she would be taken from the horror of her father's house. His face strena and unable to soften, but his voice infused with caring and anger at those who would abuse her. Kaoru wept silently as she recalled. Now knowing that Battousai had scorned her plea, Kaoru's hope sunk, hidding in the farthest reaches of her heart.
Tae watched the strange pair, silently praying for their safety. AS they entered the curtain and vanished from her view she asked Kami, please let the red-haired swordsman protect that kind woman from all the horrors hidden behind that black curtain.
+++++++++++
Mwahaha!! What a place to leave off, ne? Sorry, but i wanted more Kaoru/Battousai action ijn there before I got to introducing more characters. And trust me, there will be many more in the next chapter. I am getting chapters out slower due to the fact that I'm now in full time school and have a job. I'll try to post as much as I can, but no promises! I really don't know kaoru's father's real name so I made my own, just in case your wondering. Oh and I have a little treat for you. As I worked on this chapter my muses suddenly hit me (literaly) with a new idea for a one shot. It's a Misao fic so everyone check it out! It's called One Small Asp. It should be up about a day after this one posts. Everyone read it because I think it's good and I hope you do too. Til next time!
Love and torture, baka_ryu
Review responces~~
CurlsofSerenity: No worries, our Kaoru won't go down that easy! Not with her temper. hehehe
Moonlight's Sorrow: Yep my update may not be dance around room quality to me, but reviews are!!! I'll try to get the next out so you can see Saito's plan... Mwahaha. ehehe
Hizanu: ... ... dots are good! I'm on your favorites list? *cute squeel* happy! Don't worry I don't get ideas easily, I usualy get hit on the head by a iron fan from my disgruntled muse. And Patience is a virtue... that I don't have so the Saito ass-kicking will come!
Wolfgirl: I'm glad you like! Review more so I can hear all of your thoughts k?
Seiyo-san: *snatches out a little invention i stole from my Tenchi Muyo obsessed friend* It's from Washu's lab, called a shrink ray *zaps Saito& shrinks him* Hehehe good idea *chases him around with army boot* Thank you for the review.
Blue orb: I'm sooo happy you think so. I can take criticism too! I swear. I'll update as soo as possible.
Elizabeth65: hehehe... that's exacly what I wanted you to be thinking... you'll just have to wait.
Crystal Renee:Hehehehehe Mwahahaha *watches with amusment as cunks of hair fly* Patience is a virtue dear... and I don't have that one, so you don't have to worry about me not updating. And by the way you say it's not fair right?... I wonder what your basis for comparison is. Let us dance and be friends because we are connected by a single thing... evilness. Til next time!
snorkeypuff: Someone took your name? how awful. Thanks... but I prefer if you call me Ryu.
Miss Battousai: Awsome name! I'm glad you like! I update at my muse's becon call, so you might want to talk to her about updates, of and what's with the love and peace?... it's love and torture!!! hehe just joking!
DarkKishi: I'm so honored by your review. Most reviews are short and do mean alot to me, but yours was thought out and touched my heart. I will, of course, read and review Freedom. I wanted to put more emotion in for Battousai to make him more human, and I'm happy I was successful. Reviews like your make my chapters become better, thank you.
Foxterr: The first story with author's comments to Reviewers eh? Well I got the idea from DoveofNight. I think it makes the story a bit more personal and inviting. I do have otherc haracters lined up to enter actually. As you read in this one Tae & Tsubame debute. I guarentee that more characters come... oh what a tangled web I weave. Thank, til next time.
Vegeta26: I'm glad you like the build-up... some people around here don't want it and just want the strait ass-kicking. Oh well for them. Thanx for the review.
Meeko2: Awsome? kool! you think it's awsome!! Just you wait, I have some great advertures for our dear couple! Mwaahaha.
Boomerang-chan: Hehehe! My joy in life, making reviewer's happy!! Oh no!! No RK? Gods No!! Type, type, type. Yep one must update. Thank you for your sympathy and encouragement!
Demon Koneko: I was going more for a Saito-being-beaten-to-a-bloody-pulp type of thing, but dropping dead is good too. I love Saito because he make one of the best bad/ify guys in the series. I love using him in my fics! I'm glad you like!
Lady Misou*Kenshin: I updated! I have temporary access set up at my house now, but only for about a mounth... enough to get a few more chapters out at least! I don't abandon fics, so no worries. I love reading other author's fics & thanx for looking up mine. If you know any other good fics just tell me. I'm into almost any pairing of RK except yaoi (no offence I just am not into that). Battousai/Kaoru are my fav, but Misou/Aoshi is fun too. And of course Sano/Megumi is always great if I'm in the mood for an abusive relationship! I hear of a new pairing idea from my friend, Katsu/Tae, I might write something for them if the mood hits me. Often I have a tendancy for throwing twists in my story, like the whole Saito thing mwahaha.
RoseoftheDesert: I would love that! *goes into dreamland* *muse smaks her w/ longbow* ow! okay I'm out of it. Thanx for the review!
Battousai glanced about the small diner. There were two exits, the front shoji and discreet door beyond the kitchens that could barely be seenthrough the frantic movements of rushed servers. Not many people were in the booths. One or two suspicious looking characters lurked about, but none were a serious enough threat for the Hitokiri to take notice of. It perplexed the Hitokiri's keen mind that the employees were extremely busy despite the miniscule amout of visable customers. These few diners did not call for such haste. A kind-faced waitress, with long black hair neatly pinned back, seated him in the booth next to Kaoru's own. White paper seperators prevented him from viewing her, but the closeness helped ease his tension.
Battousai ordered a pot of tea and settled carefully into his seat. Adjusting himself to not argivate his wounds, Battousai also had a full view of the entrance, kitchen, and suspicious black curtian.
One odd aspect caught by his golden eyes was that most of the food prepaired vanished into that unrelenting curtain. The waitresses came back into the main room, from that barrier, bodies tense and the smell of fear lingering on them. The Hitokiri also whitnessed a strange argument between two of the waitresses. Apparently one was refusing to return to the room beyond the curtain. She was so vemenant about staying out that she took on all the other customers in the restaraunt from the second waitress. When this vemenent woman came to fill Battousai's tea, he decided some extra scouting was needed.
"You look flushed, perhaps a break is in order." Battousai smoothly assured the woman.
Caught by two unrelenting amber eyes the poor woman could do no thing, but obey. As the young woman slid into the seat across from him, Battousai noticed that she was the same lady who had greeted him. Coaxing the woman befor him to talk took very little effort, she evidently enjoyed speaking. He listened to her rambling, filtering out incocequential things like; her name was Tae, she had worked there for 8 years and had a sister named Tsubame who also worked there, but not today. Shifting through her streams of gossip he found what he needed; that the inner chambers were completely rented out, men bagan coming two days prior, and had continued to come. From what he pulled through the waitress' speech they were all awaiting someone to arrive this morning. The men arriving had been roudy and forced themselves on the female staff. This piece of information was not gleened from Tae's story, but from the angry finger marks on her wrists and the bruised cheek she had attempted to cover with rouge. Battousai let Tae return to her work as he filtered through the information recieved.
Aproxemately 30 men were there, though only a hand full seemed like buisnessmen, the rest were bodyguards or thugs. Such meetings were common in those days of turmoil. Clans joined and broke during such meetings. But of the names mentioned, most likely alias', he could only identify three. Saito Hajime, the man who took Kaoru, was involved. All he knew of that wolf were his battleskills, he could not identify the clans by his presence. Zanza, underground alias for his good friend Sagara Sanoske. Sano was a fighter-for-hire, most likely doing bodyguard duty for gambling money, hense he gave no insite into the clans either. The final name was Kamiya Yosho, Kaoru's father. To use your true name at these types of gatherings ment that he was either very protected, very powerful, or very stupid. Considering the price that he had offered for Kaoru's capture, Battousai guessed he was all three. The Hitokiri still marveled at the fact that Kamiya would hire none other that Hitokiri Battousai to kidnap his own daughter.
Battousai's amber depths sought out the object of his thoughts. By scooting slightly left in his seat, Battousai found that he could see around the paper seperator and gaze at the vision sitting beyond it. Kaoru was sitting, head bowed, silently sipping tea, unware of the man slayer watching her, or so he thought. As her watched her every minute movements, Kaoru's head suddenly jerked up and her blue eyes caught his gloden ones. Both Kaoru and Battousai'a breath breath caught at the unexpected connection. A slow, hesitant smile curved Kaoru's lips. Time seemed to stop as each slowly slid deep into eachother's colored depths. All distractions ceased to exist for the two. Wothout breaking the line of sight, Battousai rose and closed the gap between them. Soft lips touched Kaoru's own. The enraptured spell created between gold and cobalt pairs was broken by the descending of Kaoru's eyelids. The offending lids cut the connection flowing between them. Battousai left the warm protection of Kaoru's kiss to seat himself beside her. Kaoru whimpered softly at the loss of contact. Kaoru gradualy came back to reality and rational thought. She was sitting with Hitokiri Battousai. She had just kissed Hitokiri Battousai, again. How couls he do that to her? As soon as he got close to Kaoru, all coherent thought left her and all she could see was him.
"Oh my! I didn'y know you two were aquanted. Isn't it fine to meet old friends." Tae's chipped voice cut through their mutual silence. "I'll just give you your tea and let you two get reaquainted.
"Thank you, Tae" said Battousai nonchalantly as he accepted the drinks.
Amusment flickered in the Hitokiri's eyes as he watched Kaoru's bewildered expression. Kaoru caught the look. Great! Just great! He was laughing at her, again. She could never get used to this guy.
"Surprised to see me?" Battousai's timbre voice questioned.
"No." she snaped. "I sensed you while we were walking!" Kaoru could not help but snark the first thought in her mind. This Battousai had an unerring ability for frustrating her.
Battousi's face never wavered at her biting tone, but his heart was a different matter. Battousai now understood that he was merely an assassin and kidnapper in Kaoru's eyes. An icy fist clentched his newely revived heart. His only consolation was that if she snapped to him, the terrifying Hitokiri, then her spirit was undoubtably intact.
The Hitoliri's mood clicked into pure buisness. He had a mission. Take Kaor... the woman to his employer, collect his fee and leave. Simple as that, no lingering thoughts of that woman, Kaoru. Battousai rose from the seat with the grace of a tiger.. His focused eyes traped Kaoru's as he wordlessly commanded her to rise. She ascended silently, her eyes pleading with his. Battousai was puzzled by the askance in her azure orbs. She was begging him for something, what he could not understand. The Hitokiri's eyes narrowed as a thought formed in his mind. He thought that Kaoru was asking himto leave her be, let her live out her life with the only man to defeat him. Battousai's misinterpretation was profound. Kaoru's thought was not for him to leave, but for him to take her away. Kaoru knew that this was a meeting her father would be attending. She had even heard his gratting laughter past the black curtain. She knew if she saw him she would be forced to go back to the sleepless nights, the leering men, the drunken endings to the meeting, and worst of all the lonelyness brought by liveing in a house filled with heartless people. She was praying for Battousai to prevent this. Kaoru was frightened as a menacing sneer claimed his youthful face. Kaoru felt tears well in her eyes. He mad rejected her. The Hitokiri's fingers clampt onto her forarm, hauling Kaoru behind him.
Kaoru obeyed his tugs listlessly. What was the point? She would just be led around to another auction where she was the main prize. She would be give to some drunken friend of her fathers, never to escape, never to be with the person she cared for. Kaoru's mind provided her with two images when she thought of the ones she truely cared about. The first was a picture of Battousai as he was after his fight with Saito. Broken, bleeding, her heart felt as though it would break at that image. The second was a image of Saito as he was when he had assured her she would be taken from the horror of her father's house. His face strena and unable to soften, but his voice infused with caring and anger at those who would abuse her. Kaoru wept silently as she recalled. Now knowing that Battousai had scorned her plea, Kaoru's hope sunk, hidding in the farthest reaches of her heart.
Tae watched the strange pair, silently praying for their safety. AS they entered the curtain and vanished from her view she asked Kami, please let the red-haired swordsman protect that kind woman from all the horrors hidden behind that black curtain.
+++++++++++
Mwahaha!! What a place to leave off, ne? Sorry, but i wanted more Kaoru/Battousai action ijn there before I got to introducing more characters. And trust me, there will be many more in the next chapter. I am getting chapters out slower due to the fact that I'm now in full time school and have a job. I'll try to post as much as I can, but no promises! I really don't know kaoru's father's real name so I made my own, just in case your wondering. Oh and I have a little treat for you. As I worked on this chapter my muses suddenly hit me (literaly) with a new idea for a one shot. It's a Misao fic so everyone check it out! It's called One Small Asp. It should be up about a day after this one posts. Everyone read it because I think it's good and I hope you do too. Til next time!
Love and torture, baka_ryu
Review responces~~
CurlsofSerenity: No worries, our Kaoru won't go down that easy! Not with her temper. hehehe
Moonlight's Sorrow: Yep my update may not be dance around room quality to me, but reviews are!!! I'll try to get the next out so you can see Saito's plan... Mwahaha. ehehe
Hizanu: ... ... dots are good! I'm on your favorites list? *cute squeel* happy! Don't worry I don't get ideas easily, I usualy get hit on the head by a iron fan from my disgruntled muse. And Patience is a virtue... that I don't have so the Saito ass-kicking will come!
Wolfgirl: I'm glad you like! Review more so I can hear all of your thoughts k?
Seiyo-san: *snatches out a little invention i stole from my Tenchi Muyo obsessed friend* It's from Washu's lab, called a shrink ray *zaps Saito& shrinks him* Hehehe good idea *chases him around with army boot* Thank you for the review.
Blue orb: I'm sooo happy you think so. I can take criticism too! I swear. I'll update as soo as possible.
Elizabeth65: hehehe... that's exacly what I wanted you to be thinking... you'll just have to wait.
Crystal Renee:Hehehehehe Mwahahaha *watches with amusment as cunks of hair fly* Patience is a virtue dear... and I don't have that one, so you don't have to worry about me not updating. And by the way you say it's not fair right?... I wonder what your basis for comparison is. Let us dance and be friends because we are connected by a single thing... evilness. Til next time!
snorkeypuff: Someone took your name? how awful. Thanks... but I prefer if you call me Ryu.
Miss Battousai: Awsome name! I'm glad you like! I update at my muse's becon call, so you might want to talk to her about updates, of and what's with the love and peace?... it's love and torture!!! hehe just joking!
DarkKishi: I'm so honored by your review. Most reviews are short and do mean alot to me, but yours was thought out and touched my heart. I will, of course, read and review Freedom. I wanted to put more emotion in for Battousai to make him more human, and I'm happy I was successful. Reviews like your make my chapters become better, thank you.
Foxterr: The first story with author's comments to Reviewers eh? Well I got the idea from DoveofNight. I think it makes the story a bit more personal and inviting. I do have otherc haracters lined up to enter actually. As you read in this one Tae & Tsubame debute. I guarentee that more characters come... oh what a tangled web I weave. Thank, til next time.
Vegeta26: I'm glad you like the build-up... some people around here don't want it and just want the strait ass-kicking. Oh well for them. Thanx for the review.
Meeko2: Awsome? kool! you think it's awsome!! Just you wait, I have some great advertures for our dear couple! Mwaahaha.
Boomerang-chan: Hehehe! My joy in life, making reviewer's happy!! Oh no!! No RK? Gods No!! Type, type, type. Yep one must update. Thank you for your sympathy and encouragement!
Demon Koneko: I was going more for a Saito-being-beaten-to-a-bloody-pulp type of thing, but dropping dead is good too. I love Saito because he make one of the best bad/ify guys in the series. I love using him in my fics! I'm glad you like!
Lady Misou*Kenshin: I updated! I have temporary access set up at my house now, but only for about a mounth... enough to get a few more chapters out at least! I don't abandon fics, so no worries. I love reading other author's fics & thanx for looking up mine. If you know any other good fics just tell me. I'm into almost any pairing of RK except yaoi (no offence I just am not into that). Battousai/Kaoru are my fav, but Misou/Aoshi is fun too. And of course Sano/Megumi is always great if I'm in the mood for an abusive relationship! I hear of a new pairing idea from my friend, Katsu/Tae, I might write something for them if the mood hits me. Often I have a tendancy for throwing twists in my story, like the whole Saito thing mwahaha.
RoseoftheDesert: I would love that! *goes into dreamland* *muse smaks her w/ longbow* ow! okay I'm out of it. Thanx for the review!