AN: Contradictory to popular belief, I am indeed still alive and well. Things just have been hectic for me since I started my nursing rounds. Plus there's the projects and the work assignments and the week-long migraine and etc…I'm going to stop babbling now so you guys can just scroll down and read the newest chapter. Hope you like it!
Note: Firstly, for the "Hoshi/Houji" thing I had already clarified it but I will still change Hoshi to Houji so as not to confuse anybody. Secondly, if you wanted to leave a hate note at least have the guts enough to state your name and not just leave an anonymous "you suck" comment in the first chapter. Thank you. Lastly, I will clarify that, yes, this is a Sou/Kao/Batt fic. However I'm leaning more on the B/K side for the moment but that could very well change.
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Upon A Raven's Plight
Chapter six: Foxes and Sparrows
After Battousai left, it took Kaoru but a few minutes to recollect her bearings. Once she did though, she was tempted to smack herself in the face.
How could she do that to herself? Let herself be man-handled like a slave is by her master?
And the worse part was; she had let Battousai leave without the satisfaction of him being severely skewered. (Kaoru reasoned the failure of that possibility by reminding herself that her katanas were left back home.)
If there was one thing that set Kaoru apart from any other female aside from her temper, it would be her pride.
Kaoru had and has always considered herself as an independent and fully capable person. Yet, it was humiliating that she couldn't even prevent that monstrosity from touching her.
The rumbling of her stomach disrupted Kaoru from her thoughts, reminding the young woman that it was already late morning and she hadn't eaten anything since last night.
Pushing her hunger aside, Kaoru heaved a sigh. She let her eyes survey everything within the confinement of her room one more time. It wasn't that the place was lavished in extravagant designs. On the contrary, the room's furnishing was simple. Not really that much worthy of a second glance but Kaoru needed a diversion. Something for her mind to focus on rather than what had happened.
A prickling sensation crawled up her skin and Kaoru narrowed her eyes, senses fully on alert.
She hadn't been aware of it earlier, no surprise there. However, now that she was alone and focused she could feel it. The deep wretched pang churning in her gut, telling her instinctively that something isn't right.
And when it came to her instincts, Kaoru rarely never heeded them.
Kaoru pushed the covers of the blanket away, taking a much longer time to untangle a part of the mass of sheets that twisted around her legs like a serpent's wrap.
Once she finally shoved the wretched thing off of her, Kaoru got to her feet. Ignoring the slippers left at her bedside, Kaoru inspected the room. Her bare feet leaving no sound as her body's weight pressed against the wooden floor with each step she took.
A scowl settled upon her lips. Try as she might, Kaoru couldn't remember ever accommodating a room like this during her previous short visits to the city.
Conclusion. She wasn't inside a hotel as she had secretly hoped.
Besides, hadn't the elderly doctor – Gensai was his name Kaoru remembered – mentioned before that she was in Himura's house?
"You're in Himura's house for the moment."
Come to think of it, perhaps that is why the room seemed to radiate a familiar aura. It was Battousai's, though it was light and almost unnoticeable as if he hadn't used this particular room for quite some time.
Kaoru nodded her head, muttering to herself.
Yes, that was the reason for her critical mind to go on overdrive.
So why couldn't she get that nagging feeling out of her head that it was because of something else?
X-x-X-x-X
The whole place seemed to be alive. The soft hiss of boiling water combined with the sound of food chopping against wood to form a rhythmic group of sounds that's almost harmonious.
However, it failed to muffle the sound of footsteps followed by the swinging of the door, indicating that someone had entered the kitchen.
"I should ask Dr. Genzai for a check up. I'm starting to hallucinate." A sly, feminine voice drawled huskily.
"And 'Hello' to you too Takani-san." Battousai said non-chantilly. He lifted his gaze from the turnips he was chopping to spare his visitor a small smile.
That is, if you call a mere twitch of the lips a smile. Megumi mused. But of course, such emotional behavior, or rather lack-of, is expected from a hitokiri.
The young woman flicked back her long jet-black hair behind her shoulder in a defiant toss. Flashing the red-haired man a coy smile, she said. "Please Ken-san, call me Megumi. It's not like we're strangers."
"Whatever you say Megumi-san." was the Battousai's reply before he turned his back on her to slide the expertly-cut vegetables down the pot of steaming water.
Megumi made no comment, taking the time instead to check out the man standing in front of her. An appreciative look glazed on her face as the young woman left her dark, cinnamon eyes travel up and down the planes of Battousai's body. From the black gi that hid well chiseled muscles down to the white hakama tied from a well-toned lower torso and flowing down a lithe body, stopping just above thin ankles padded with black socks and tucked underneath the straps of his sandals.
Megumi noticed that Battousai still had his hair in the high ponytail. What she wouldn't give to have it unbound and wild; her fingers running through the crimson mane. For a moment, Megumi wondered if those scarlet gold-tinged strands would be as silky to the touch as they looked.
She licked her ruby red lips and a mischievous, almost wicked, smile settled in her features as her eyes gazed down at a particular and generous portion of Battousai's anatomy. (AN: That 'particular portion' depends on the reader's way of thinking. That's all I'm saying.)
Oh yeah, Ken-san was definitely a sight to behold.
"I do hope you don't plan to stand there all day staring Megumi-san. It's starting to annoy me." Battousai's deep baritone voice broke the young woman from her thoughts.
Despite feeling embarrassed having been caught red-handed, Megumi still managed to give a haughty smile that earned her the nickname Kitsune.
"I would've thought that people like you Ken-san are used to this kind of attention." She said teasingly.
Megumi noticed Battousai lifting his shoulders as if to heave off a sigh. Then, the redhead turned and Megumi was surprised to see the weariness and slight irritation radiating in the hitokiri's amber eyes.
"Why are you really here Megumi-san? I'm starting to get sick of this 'beating-around-the-bush' conversation we're having right now and, as you can see, I have more important matters to attend to." Battousai said bluntly.
Stunned, Megumi was silent for a moment. Then, she cleared her throat in an attempt to regain some composure.
"I see…Well then, does this 'important matter' have anything to do with the white kimono I saw perched atop the laundry line outside today?"
The witty, ever sophisticated Kitsune was back, seemingly shrugging off the blow of the redhead's words.
A slender red eyebrow was raised. "I don't see why it's any of your business Megumi-san." Battousai answered coolly.
"It is when Dr. Genzai himself asked me to follow up on her condition." Megumi replied just as smoothly.
Battousai gave no immediate reply, the hissing sound of steaming food kept the place from absolute silence as Megumi unconsciously held her breath.
To Megumi's relief, Battousai turned his back to her again.
"Very well. Help me finish up here and I'll take you to her room." He said.
Megumi exhaled, surprising herself as she did so.
She could not deny that Battousai is indeed an intimidating man.
"Oh and Megumi-san?"
Megumi cocked her head in the redhead's direction.
"What is it Ken-san?"
"Don't call me 'Ken-san'."
X-x-X-x-X
Kaoru peeked out of the shoji door of her room. She looked to her right. Nothing. She turned to look at the left. Nothing.
Still clad in her yukata, Kaoru cautiously walked out of the door. Turning her back to slide the shoji shut; Kaoru let out a small sigh of relief. She was glad to be out of the too stuffy and uncomfortable room.
Now to get down to business.
Almost on tiptoe, Kaoru made her way down the hallway. Where she was headed to, Kaoru had no idea. To be honest, she didn't even know what to look for.
Kaoru had a mission, to find the Battousai's weakness. What she didn't count on was the red-haired hitokiri's 'interest' in her.
Kaoru didn't know whether to gag herself or get mad and beat a certain manslayer to a pulp, though she was seriously considering the latter. Coming from a well-known killer with an authority as high as her Lord Shishio's, Kaoru had expected a somewhat 'colder' personality. What she got instead was all fire and power. A very deadly combination, she had to admit.
Kaoru shook her head, ridding herself of such thoughts. She had to finish this mission.
And hopefully soon, Kaoru didn't want to stay in this place a minute longer than necessary because, honestly, it was starting to give her the creeps though she didn't know why exactly.
X-x-X-x-X
Megumi didn't know what had happened.
One minute, she was busying helping Battousai (though she still preferred to call him Ken-san just when he isn't around) cook and in the next, the red-haired assassin had snapped his head up in attention. His alerted eyes deepening in their amber color.
Unfortunately, Megumi didn't have the time to ask Battousai as the man had sprinted out of the kitchen in a red, black and white blur before she could.
Once the initial shock subsided, Megumi closed her gaping mouth and gave a small huff.
The nerve of the man! Leaving her alone to do his cooking without even telling her the reason for his sudden departure.
X-x-X-x-X
"And where do you think you're going?" A chilling voice caused Kaoru to stop in her tracks.
Kaoru didn't need to look behind her to know who the presence behind her is. Fighting off a grunt of slight anger and, though she wouldn't admit it even to herself, embarrassment at getting caught; she turned nonetheless and immediately her eyes were leveled with the Battousai's.
When she didn't respond, the hitokiri repeated his question again. This time, there was a more steely tone in his voice.
Kaoru merely raised an eyebrow but remained silent. But when she saw Battousai's eyes starting to change from pale amber to melting gold, she finally answered.
"I am bored. I do not want to lie around in bed all day so I decided to take a walk."
Kaoru mentally cheered at herself for her right choice of words. It had been hard trying to keep her sharp tongue from making a scathing remark but she had done it nevertheless.
Battousai's own eyebrow rose up. A sign that he didn't truly believed her but made no comment about it, much to Kaoru's relief.
Instead he said, "You shouldn't be moving around too much. Although I have no doubts that you are fine mentally, you should give your physical body more time to recuperate from the illness."
Kaoru crossed her arms to prevent Battousai from seeing her clenched fists. Her face was a blank look of indifference yet her insides were burning with angry pride.
"I do not think that I need you to tell me what to do, Himura-san." She answered back, her voice as cold as the winter winds. "I am a grown woman and I can take care of myself."
Oh dare he think of her as meek? She wasn't as timid and defenseless as most other women are.
To Kaoru's outmost dismay, instead of getting mad, the infamous hitokiri actually laughed. A deep, throaty laugh that sent involuntary shivers down to her toes. Though she would rather surrender herself to the police then admit it.
"You amuse me so very much Raven and you are not even trying." Battousai commented when his laughter subsided.
Who's Ra–ohh…Her false name. Kaoru wanted to knock herself in the head for almost forgetting such an important fact.
Before Kaoru could think of a reply, the redhead continued.
"I would prefer it if you call me Kenshin though."
Kaoru couldn't help it. She blinked.
"What?" Her voice almost took on a high pitch. Was the man insane? Doesn't he know how dangerous it is given your name to a complete stranger? A part of Kaoru jubilated at the evidence that he was starting to warm up to her. Another part of her, the cautious and albeit slightly paranoid one, wanted to grab Battousai by the shoulders and shake him furiously so much his head would bobble front and back like a doll's.
Battousai gave a knowing smirk, as if he could read her thoughts.
"I do not like to be called Himura so much and I prefer the name 'Battousai' to remain inside the battlefield and not elsewhere."
Kaoru, thinking of no remark to his explanation, merely grunted and tightened the clench of her fists. She wanted so badly to slug him in the jaw and watch in gloating satisfaction as the smirk disappeared from his smug face.
"You seem to have no problem giving such personal information such as your name, Himura-san." She finally remarked.
If it was possible, the smirk on his lips grew even wider. "I know that you are a smart girl and so not dumb enough to reveal my name to outsiders. Also, you will be living in my house and—."
"What!" Okay, now the protest in her voice was clearly evident. Her hands twitched, eager to smash the cocky redhead's jawbone.
Kenshin chuckled seeing the astonished look on Kaoru's face. "Yes, you will be living here as of now. You are mine and should therefore stay here where I can keep an eye on you."
Kaoru remained silent. She didn't trust her voice to speak. She didn't even know if she could, the willingness to do bodily harm was growing stronger.
Reason, fortunately, was quick to act. Isn't this what she wanted though? To penetrate through the Battousai's (She would never call him Kenshin in her mind) wall of defense?
Kaoru uncurled her fists as both her mind and hands relaxed. Yes, let him think of her as inferior and innocent. She could even pretend that she lacked in swordsmanship skills compared to him.
She will swallow that part of her pride for now, if only for the sake of her mission. It will not be easy, as her comrades had often said that she is a proud woman, but she will do it.
Kenshin, on the other hand, was vastly amused with the dark-haired woman's reaction. Her face was as stony as Shinomori's, never revealing her thoughts. Yet it was her eyes that would lead to her undoing. They were a fiery sapphire, burning with an intensity as scorching as melting silver.
He frowned. Perhaps he should teach her to conceal her emotions better. He would never let another man see the intense passion he knew she is capable of, despite her continual resistance of him.
With that thought in mind, his lips twitched back into their usual smirk.
"Ohohoho! You should consider yourself a lucky little girl. Ken-san rarely picks up pathetic strays." The slight nasal tone of a voice that could only be a woman's penetrated the air and catching their immediate attention.
Both turned to the hallway in front of them and saw a figure stepping out of the shadows.
It was Megumi.
"You must be Raven, I am Takani Megumi." She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder in a defiant gesture.
Her ruby-painted lips curved into a sarcastic smile. "A pleasure to meet you."
X-x-X-x-X
It wasn't until late that evening that Kaoru was finally left alone in the house. Wearing an impossibly bright yellow kimono Megumi lent her – Kaoru had a feeling that the other woman chose it to purposely drive her insane – she headed towards her room.
Closing the shoji behind her and making sure to snap the latch securely, Kaoru easily maneuvered in the darkness of the bedroom to the lone small desk seated near the corner.
Stray lines of moonlight peeked through as Kaoru unlocked the hedges of a nearby window and pulled it open.
Tonight was perfect. Battousai had left on an evening engagement, Megumi had taken her leave a few hours before sunset and as far as Kaoru could tell, there seemed to be no servants living in the house. She was completely and utterly by herself.
Kaoru loved it.
Whistling a low and seemingly non-rhythmic tune, Kaoru sat in the chair and waited.
An equally soft fluttering sound interrupted her and she stopped. Her eyes fixed on the dark brown sparrow perched atop the window pane. Small golden brown eyes stared at her as if in expectancy.
Kaoru felt a smile curved up her lips and she allowed the action. Shifting her gaze away from the bird, Kaoru clicked open the desk's drawer and took out an ink bottle and a roll of parchment.
Dipping a finger in the ink, Kaoru unfurled the semi-stiff paper with her free hand and started to dot it with the black markings her inked finger made.
X-x-X-x-X
A slight tapping sound jolted Soujiro from his restless sleep. Hand reaching for his katana, Soujiro stopped when he saw the cause of the noise and gave a small sigh of distressed relief.
Tying the loose knots of his sleeping yukata in place, Soujiro got to his feet and walked over to the large full length double windowed-doors that led to the balcony of his room.
Turning the knob, the young man opened one of the doors and stepped aside a bit to let the intruder in.
The intruder, a small brown sparrow, landed on the crooked finger Soujiro held out near his face.
Noticing the tiny, almost unseen, parchment paper tied to one of the animal's leg, Soujiro ran a hand through his tousled dark brown hair before he untied the small black ribbon and unfurled the note.
His usual cold smile crept up his face as Soujiro read and re-read the contents of the paper under the sparse light the new moon provided.
Without a word, Soujiro retied the ribbon to the sparrow's leg and watched as the bird turned its' back in one effortless hop, ruffled its' feathers, and flapped its' small wings twice before taking off into the dark night to return to its owner.
Once the animal had taken flight, Soujiro closed the window door and turned around to walk towards the door with the intention to relay the words written on the note.
X-x-X-x-X
Kaoru smiled as a sparrow hopped over to her side of the window. She opened her palm and waited for the bird to bounce on top before she untied the black ribbon tied to its' leg.
Crooning softly at the small animal, Kaoru petted its' small head with a now-cleaned and ink-free finger.
"Thank you my little friend for sending the message." She said softly. "Now it's time for you to go and rest. I will call you again when I have need of you."
Kaoru watched as the bird blinked its golden brown eyes at her before it ruffled its' feathers in what seemed to be mock anger just before it took flight and disappeared into the darkness even amidst the light of the moon.
Her sapphire eyes flashed silver momentarily.
"Perfect."
X-x-X-x-X
"What is it Tenken?"
Soujiro turned and smiled his usual smile and bowed as his lord, Shishio, exited into the hallway.
The younger man spared a look at the disheveled Yumi standing next to his lord and bowed at her as well before he turned his gaze back to Shishio's.
"Had I interrupted something important Shishio-sama?" Soujiro asked in a sincere tone of voice.
Shishio's crimson eyes gleamed for a moment. "Don't get cheeky with me Soujiro. Tell me know the reason for your untimely visit before my patience wanes out."
Soujiro bowed for a second time. "I deeply apologize but I have come to relay to you Deafusu Shidobu's message."
Yumi's exotic-colored eyes widened in surprise and deep pleasure. "Kaoru has sent a message?"
Soujiro nodded his head at his lord's mistress and wordlessly handed over the note to Shishio.
Shishio unfurled the note and read it, a small smirk slowly appearing on his face as he did so. To anyone else, the contents of the paper would have been utterly useless and mistaken for as trash with the seemingly random small dots splattering in the note.
However, to the Juppongatana's members, it was much more. So much more.
"Excellent. I trust you had already replied to Shidobu?" Shishio asked.
Soujiro nodded his head. "Yes, I had tied the ribbon on the sparrow."
"Marvelous."
"Wait. What did Kaoru say?" asked a growingly frustrated Yumi.
Shishio handed the note over to Yumi for her to read. As she did, Yumi felt a smile twitched at her lips as well. It was both malicious and tender, depending on anyone's opinion.
"I have been successful. So far, the Battousai and everyone else believed me to be innocently naïve and unaware of the world with an immaturely stubborn attitude just as we had planned."
X-x-X-x-X
Kaoru was just in time. Had she dwindled for a minute, she would've been caught.
Kaoru's ki flared and felt the Battousai's own energy as he was about to enter the gates just as she finished tying the last knot of her yukata. Sprinting noiselessly towards her futon, Kaoru pulled the covers over herself and quickly lowered her own ki in the 'sleeping' level.
Too soon for a later, footsteps tapped in the wooden floor of the house, heading towards her room. Kaoru knew that it was the Battousai's. How he had gotten the gates to open and close without moaning from the moving she didn't know. Not that she particularly cared at the moment.
When the footsteps stopped in the front of her door, Kaoru forced herself to lie lax and even managed to fake a few soft snores.
After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, the footsteps finally shuffled and continued their way down the hall.
Heaving a soundless sigh in the total darkness of her room, Kaoru finally closed her tired eyes and snuggled deeper into her bed as she drifted off in a sleep she knew wouldn't be dreamless.
To be continued.
AN: So what did you guys think? Thought I would make Kaoru lose her 'iciness' so easily neh? Hohoho! Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Anyway tell me what you think of the chapter. Good? Bad? Should be utterly ripped into pieces and burned? Whatever you want.
For those who wanted a reply but aren't members of FF, just leave your email add and I'll contact you whenever I can.
As always, pa-alam for now! Until next time. (A hopefully quicker next time.) Peace out!
Next chapter: Kaoru is introduced to a few other members of the 'Kenshingumi' while Battousai gets to say about his own thoughts of the mysterious and enigmatic 'Raven' and proves to readers that he isn't as ignorant and over-sexually frustrated as readers are lead to be believed. A few of the Juppongatana may pop out every now and then, especially the love-lorn Soujiro.