When they were within a mile of the bandit hideout, the small cluster of warriors found themselves surrounded. Tasuki and Tamahome nearly jumped their attackers, Hotohori only a split second behind them, when Kenshin casually stepped towards the group and calmly surrendered. That course of action nearly got him throttled by Nuriko.
"What were you thinking?" the crossdresser demanded. Kenshin shrugged.
"That we can get inside without fighting," he answered absently. "After all, they already know we're here, de gozaru."
"But now we're tied up and we have no weapons," Tamahome growled. Kenshin shrugged again, unconcerned.
"There's another problem," Tasuki cut in, looking worriedly at Kenshin. When the smaller redhead blinked at him questioningly, he elaborated. "Eiken is a real pervert and he has this thing for petite young women."
"Won't he be surprised," Nuriko muttered under his breath. Tasuki glanced up at him.
"Eh?" he asked intelligently.
"Well, Kenshin's not exactly…" he paused, noting the pointed look the tiny samurai was giving him. He cleared his throat and started again, improvising. "Kenshin isn't defenseless, you know?"
"I know that," Tasuki said firmly, still frowning. "But she is tied up."
Hotohori made a strange noise in the back of his throat at the redhead's continuing stupidity at believing Kenshin to be female. The noise drew attention to himself. One of the bandits approached him arrogantly, flipping his blue hair out of his face as he walked. The movement revealed a long scar down his left cheek.
"Well, missy, if you worry about your little redheaded friend so much, you could always take her place," he leered, green eyes flashing dangerously. Somehow, the emperor managed to keep a straight face. Nuriko had to bite his lips to keep from laughing.
Kenshin cleared his throat and looked pointedly at the others. After a few glares, exasperated looks and a few grins from Kenshin and Nuriko, they came to a silent agreement. Trying to look properly cowed, Kenshin cleared his throat.
"I'll go to Eiken, de gozaru," he murmured, trying to keep his voice light and feminine. "Just don't hurt my friends."
The bandits glanced at each other and shrugged.
"So be it. Take the girl to the boss and throw the others into a holding cell," the bandit who had been leering at Hotohori ordered. He glanced at Kenshin with sympathetic green eyes, hiding the look from the other bandits.
Releasing an almost inaudible sigh, he grabbed Kenshin's wrists where they were bound behind him, dragging him forcibly away from his comrades. Kenshin took one last opportunity to glance back at the others before they were out of sight. Hotohori and Tamahome looked vastly annoyed, the former because the priest was in danger and the latter at the sheer stupidity of the situation. Nuriko was still trying not to laugh. Tasuki looked absolutely stricken, clearly worried that Eiken would hurt him. The fanged boy hadn't been with the group long enough to recognize the presence of 'de gozaru' in Kenshin's speech to know that the petite samurai wasn't concerned about the situation.
Trying not to snicker and give himself away, Kenshin allowed himself to be led forcibly through winding halls of a large building. Once they were out of earshot of the other bandits, the teenager eased his grip and leaned over to whisper in his ear.
"Look lady, I'm really sorry about this. I'll try to get you and your friends out of here, but I'm not sure what I can do," he murmured. Kenshin turned slightly to peer into the miserable emerald eyes. He grinned widely.
"Don't worry about me, de gozaru," he chuckled. "Could you just get the others loose once I start fighting?"
"Sure lady," he said, eyeing Kenshin strangely. "But what about you?"
"I'll be fine, de gozaru," Kenshin said, adopting a vapid smile. The blue-haired teen looked at him uncertainly.
"Okay," he said doubtfully. "I'll do what you say, but only because I saw the looks you and those other two ladies were givin' each other. They obviously trust you. But Genrou was right to look worried. Be careful, ya know. Eiken is dangerous."
"Genrou?" Kenshin asked.
"Tasuki," the bandit teen corrected himself. "I've just know him as Genrou since we were kids. Can't break the habit. I'm Koji, by the way."
"Kenshin," the redhead offered, still grinning. "And you really don't have to worry, de gozaru. I know how to fight."
"Sure lady," Koji muttered. He looked up when Kenshin snorted. "What?"
"Nothing," Kenshin replied. "Take me to Eiken and release my friends. I'll get rid of him before you get back, de gozaru."
"Sure lady," Koji said again, shaking his head and sending his blue hair flying. Sighing, he stopped at a door and knocked loudly.
"What?" a loud, drunken voice demanded.
"Got a little lady for ya," Koji called through the door. "We captured her and her friends a ways from here."
"Send her in," the drunkard within demanded.
Koji looked at Kenshin mournfully as he pushed open the door, leaning very close as he did so.
"Good luck," he whispered. Kenshin winked.
Koji watched until he had pulled the door fully closed. He turned to leave and froze, wide emerald eyes staring at the door for a moment in utter disbelief. The redhead's hands had been untied, clasped casually around the unwound rope. A disbelieving grin bloomed on his face. He hadn't seen the small warrior slipping free of the binding.
"Maybe she has a chance after all," he chuckled softly, hurrying down the halls to free his old friend and his strange collection of companions.
* * *
Kenshin stood calmly just inside the room, fingers twisting around the rope in his palms as he scanned the room for something he could use as a weapon. He quickly disregarded the assorted battle-axes and maces he saw hanging from the walls. A walking stick in the corner of the room caught his attention and a smirk appeared on his face. It wasn't a sword, but he could still clobber someone with it. His thoughts were interrupted by an alcohol slurred voice.
"You're a pretty one," he drawled, leaning forward.
Kenshin turned to face the man, almost laughing himself sick when he saw what awaited him. An overweight man well past his prime, drunk and wielding nothing more dangerous than a metal fan stared back at him. Shaking his head in disdain, he tossed the rope aside and walked coolly to the corner to retrieve the solid oak staff. The fat man raised his bushy eyebrows.
"Untied, are ya?" he laughed. "What? Ya gonna fight me with that stick?"
"Surrender," Kenshin said firmly. Eiken laughed louder, turning red. Kenshin rolled his eyes, wondering how he could be so blind not to recognize a warrior.
"Drop the stick, missy, and come over here," Eiken growled, his close set eyes lighting up as he studied Kenshin closely. When Kenshin didn't obey, he raised the metal fan in his hands threateningly. "Or else."
Kenshin raised the wooden staff, expecting the man to throw it or try to hit him with it. He was expecting the irritated growl, but not the furious gesture and the infuriated shout.
"Rekka shinen!"
Kenshin was even less prepared for the tidal wave of fire that descended on him. Unable to defend himself, he opted to dodge, leaping into the air. Spinning mid-leap, he propelled himself off of the ceiling towards the gaping man.
"Ryu tsui sen!"
Kenshin gaped when the drunken man managed to counter the attack, blocking the blow with the large metal fan he held. Quickly reassessing the situation, he decided that he wouldn't go easy on the overweight alcoholic. Rebounding off of the wall behind Eiken, he lunged forward, eyes blazing.
"Amakakeru ryu no hirameki!"
The wooden staff in Kenshin's hands snapped like a twig, but the damage was done. The Hiten Mitsurugi final technique had knocked his opponent unconscious and flung him at supersonic speeds through the wall and into the surrounding woods. He almost grinned at the simplicity of the won battle when a horrified cry met his ears.
"DA!!!"
"Oro?"
To Be Continued…
Sorry about the delay! A combination of writers block and medical school attacked me. And for those of you saying that I use the school excuse too often, I do not! It's a valid excuse and will be for years to come. For example, this week alone, required readings come to over thirty chapters. It hurts just to think about. I'm only in the first week of the current class, and I'm already several hundred pages behind in my reading.
For those of you saying that Kenshin is twenty-eight and not thirty, I know that he is in the series. This is set a couple of years after the Shishio arc.
Show me you love me for my efforts (as miserable as they are) and R&R!!!