The Art of Seduction: Chapter 4
Forest Promenade
by Iridian
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, it belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki.
Soujirou had not been able to sleep that night. It was unfortunate, because he would be traveling today, but some things cannot be helped.
With a sigh, he got up, and began neatly making his Western-style bed, making it seems as if no one had slept in it at all.
Well…technically, no one did thought Soujirou ruefully, carefully slipping on his tabi and geta and quietly entering the hallway.
"Sou-chan!" came a voice from behind him. He turned to find Misao beaming at him.
"Ohayou Sou-chan," said Misao.
"Ohayou Misao," replied Soujirou, his smile broadening to match her own.
"Arigatou for bringing me back to my room, Sou-chan. I didn't mean to…fall asleep…not that you're boring or anything, I had just finished tracking down the guys, took me a while, but-," Misao was cut off as Soujirou smoothly but into her ramblings.
"Would you like to come eat breakfast, Misao?" said Soujirou.
Misao smiled brightly, then followed the Tenken down the hallway to eat their morning meal.
Four hours prior…Aoshi needed out of this place. Misao was here…a previously implausible thought, but there it was. Aoshi was not one to question his own eyes…and ears for that matter.
He snuck into the hallway, only to find the Tenken carrying his young charge back into her room.
What is he doing with Misao?
Aoshi leaned back against the wall, waiting for the Tenken to come back out into the hallway.
He has changed, I feel it.
Aoshi gave the Tenken a curt nod, then turned back into his room.
He sat, cursing himself for his inability to leave this place undetected.
Waiting quietly for any signs of noise in the hallway to pass, Aoshi again slid soundlessly into the hallway. He narrowed his eyes as he saw Sano pass into the hallway, little Tsubame-chan cradled in his arms.
Again, he waited patiently for Sano to exit the room, then put a knowing smirk on his face.
"Itching to be a father, tori-atama?" said Aoshi, his voice dropping a note of seriousness into his words.
"No more than any other guy," replied Sano curtly, before turning and getting back into his room.
Aoshi again turned back into his room.
I can't leave through that damn hallway…He looked around, and saw the wide open window, a gentle breeze blowing in.
He leapt stealthily through the window, his large frame blending into the background.
He was free!
Now to find somewhere to meditate…
Morning again…"Shinomori-san?" said Soujirou, surprise lacing his voice as he witnessed the Okashira calmly sipping his tea in the dining room.
"Seta," returned Aoshi, pouring himself another cup of fragrant chrysanthemum tea.
"Aoshi-sama!" said Misao, immediately moving to take a seat next to him. She lifted the cover of the teapot, frowning.
"Do you need more tea, Aoshi-sama?" said Misao, already moving to fetch more tea.
"Sit, Misao," said Aoshi, turning his head to look at her.
Misao smiled, then sat down next to Aoshi, her posture surprisingly demure for her nature.
Soujirou felt a slight stab in his heart.
Misao really cares for Shinomori-san. It is a futile emotion. Shinomori-san obviously sees her as a sister thought Soujirou.
He shook his head, wondering why he even cared about the goings-on of the Oniwabanshuu, and continued to smile benignly, though with more effort than usual, trained to ignore pain that hadn't managed to touch him in years.
---
Kenshin awoke to find sunlight streaming through transparent white curtains, a warm body cuddled into his chest, and a pleasant feeling of wholeness. Such feelings had gone unfelt for years, and he found himself unwilling to leave it.
He turned to gaze down at this woman that he had known for a period of time so insignificant comparatively to his life, but had managed to uproot him all the same.
Unfortunately for him, his sleeping seraphim was not the weak image she portrayed, and she rolled, her arms lashing out, managing to hit the legendary hitokiri upside the head.
"Oro…" came the surprised groan from the defenseless hitokiri. Kaoru stirred, her blue eyes opening to Battousai with swirly eyes, swaying slightly from his sitting position.
Needless to say, Kaoru started laughing.
Kenshin tried to pull himself together and give her the hitokiri glare that had paralyzed so many during the Bakumatsu, only managing to look slightly demented.
"Oh, Kenshin, are you," Kaoru paused to catch her breath, "ok?"
Kenshin shook his head sharply, concentrating on Kaoru. "Do I look ok?"
"Oh…uh, gomen nasai Kenshin," said Kaoru, her voice teasing.
Kenshin glared. "All I have to say, onna, is that this better not be happening at any time near to our wedding night. I'd like to be at full capacity." He smirked as Kaoru's face began reddening. Grinning, he continued, "I'm sure you'll want the same thing."
Kaoru's head shot up, shooting Kenshin a half-hearted glare, her cheeks still flaming.
He arched one red eyebrow. "I see you agree with me."
Climbing out of bed and pulling on his dark blue gi, he walked towards the door, only pausing to tell Kaoru to come to breakfast.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Kaoru buried her face in her blankets and moaned loudly.
Kenshin, still in the hallway, grinned.
---
Kenshin walked into the dining room, his expression smug, and sat down and poured himself a cup of tea.
Kaoru soon followed, her cheeks bearing on a slight residue of her previous flush, as she sat down and poured herself tea, as well as refilling Aoshi and Misao's cups, answered by a polite thank you from the both of them.
Misao cleared her throat. "Kaoru, would you like to spar with me today?"
Kaoru turned, surprised, to stare at the young ninja.
"If you like."
Misao and Kaoru stood outside, Misao in her blue Oniwabanshuu ninja uniform, and Kaoru in a dark green gi and black hakama.
The two bowed, in a customary kenjutsu acknowledgement, and disappeared into the forest.
Aoshi, Kenshin, and Soujirou took up lotus positions on the outer rims of the forest, overshadowed by several large bamboo.
Misao's heart was beating uncontrollably. She felt like she was being hunted by something far deadlier than herself.
She was leaping from branch to branch, the leaves obscuring her from view, trying to search for Kaoru's ki. Her search was futile.
Kaoru had been in the same spot, her fighting ki hidden, leaning quietly against a tree as she waited for Misao to find her. She was still in plain view of Aoshi, Kenshin, and Soujirou, and was waiting for Misao to return. Bored, she fiddled with the twin kama she had chosen to fight with today.
She knew that Misao had secreted several kunai along her person, as well as a pair of wakizashi she wielded.
Kaoru had long since tired of the wait. She stuck her kama into the tree she was leaning on, and reached for the longbow she had strapped to her back along with a small quiver of arrows resting at her feet. Idly, she pulled out five arrows, and shot them seemingly targetless into the forest. Her fighting ki flared slightly, warning Misao of her presence.
Misao gasped as five arrows came whizzing in her direction, all five not aimed towards vitals, but instead towards all of her extremities, two grazing her arms, two cutting along her legs, and one whizzing close to her head, shaving off stray hairs that stayed in place long after Misao had left.
Kaoru waited, setting down the bow and quiver, and unsheathing her kama from the tree, shifting into a fighting stance, her right leading and left parallel behind, her knees bent and kama raised in a traditional beginning stance.
She shifted almost imperceptibly to the left as two kunai came at her head, embedding themselves deeply into the tree directly behind Kaoru.
Misao dropped into a crouching ninja stance, noting Kaoru's dismissal of her kunai. She swiftly pulled out another four, and throwing them at Kaoru, darted off to attack from the other side, her twin blades drawn.
Kaoru whirled, dodging the kunai and twisting to meet Misao's attack on her other side.
She used the fourteen inch curved blades to effectively trap Misao's blades, bringing them together and twisting, Misao's wrists immediately letting go to prevent further damage. Kaoru executed a back flip, throwing the blades at the tree behind her, the blades landing parallel to each other, quivering in their new scabbard.
Misao snarled, now unarmed but for the four kunai that remained in her possession.
Kaoru smiled, knowing that Misao was essentially unarmed but for an undetermined number of kunai on her person. She shifted, throwing the two kama from her hand at the tree behind Misao, knowing full well the ninja would be able to dodge.
She sunk into her stance, waiting for Misao to make her move.
Misao leapt forward, her hands aimed in slashing movements towards Kaoru's vitals.
Kaoru leapt back, then twisted forward, landing a flying butterfly kick on Misao's chest while moving to stand behind the ninja, promptly hitting pressure points on Misao's elbows, the ninja dropping the two kunai she held in each hand, startled.
Misao spun, aiming a flying kick at Kaoru's head, Kaoru only ducking and the ninja went sailing over her head.
Misao was infuriated, her blows blocked with ease and carelessness that belied Kaoru's true efforts in the match. Finally, after a seemingly endless dance, Kaoru caught both of Misao's arms in a jujitsu lock behind her back, sweeping her legs out and putting her fingers to the deadly pressure point on the back of Misao's neck.
After a moment, Kaoru let go, standing and helping Misao stand, brushing off the leaves that had stuck to her uniform.
Misao bowed, a mirror-image of Kaoru.
"You were playing with me," accused Misao.
Kaoru nodded, then smiled. "That was my first time handling those kama, they're even better than kodachi for defense."
Misao gaped, her mouth hanging wide open. "You mean…you beat me with such skill…with weapons you had never even picked up before?"
Kaoru nodded in acknowledgement, moving to yank her kama out of the tree.
"Better than kodachi?" said Aoshi, frowning.
Kaoru turned, smiling at the cold man. "Yes, they have the same reach and essentially the same blade, but the curve and the attachment allow or superior trapping and maneuvering capabilities."
"I see my deshi has picked up yet another weapon." Soujirou sighed. "You're horrible at them though. Must you put your shishou through such pain. To see the deshi that I trained so hard reduced to waving kama around pointlessly…"
Kaoru bowed. "Shishou, I wanted to try out a new weapon and have a little fun, that's all."
Kenshin grinned. "First time, huh? No wonder."
Soujirou strode over to Kaoru and plucked the kama from her hands. "You're even holding them weird…," moaned Soujirou.
Misao went and leaned on a tree, awestruck.
Aoshi walked over, staring down intensely at the young girl.
"No need to worry Misao. Kaoru is of a class that is hard to reach," said Aoshi, trying to console the young girl.
"She beat me. With weapons she had never used before, no less." Misao stood, a new determination in her posture.
"Seta-san, do you think you can teach me as well?"
Soujirou turned, surprised.
"I will accompany you on your trip, and we can train on the way," said Misao, set in her decision.
"Misao, my mission will be dang-."
Misao waved her hand, dismissing it. "I am not that bad, Seta-san, and if your student is that good, I am sure that if my skills fail me, you will be ample protection," said Misao, her voice betraying an uncharacteristic seriousness.
Soujirou tried to answer, but Aoshi cut him off.
"He'll be dealing with Jinchuu associates and the Juppongatana, Misao. Not the yakuza you deal with," said Aoshi.
"Misao, I want to take a walk, come with me?" said Kaoru impulsively. Misao followed, her commanding voice brooking no argument.
"We'll be back soon. Take your weapons, Misao."
Soujirou tossed Kaoru the kama and the bow, and the duo walked off into the forest.
---
"Kaoru?"
"Hai."
"Why did you ask me to come with you?"
Kaoru sighed. "Those idiots were going to say the wrong thing." She walked to a large bamboo tree, settling herself at the trunk while fiddling with her kama. She gestured to the spot next to her, the younger girl moving to seat herself.
"Your skills are very good, Misao. However, the skills of the elite, the class that Soujirou, Kenshin, Sano, and Aoshi are a part of…they are of a different level. The Jinchuu and the Juppongatana elite are also of that level. You would not stand a chance." Kaoru said in a matter of fact tone.
Misao ducked her head, understanding. "You would stand a chance, Kaoru-san," whispered Misao.
Kaoru laughed. "I would, but I have been trained by the best. All of the ones in my father's good graces at least." She looked over at Misao.
"You still want to go."
Misao locked gazes with Kaoru, her sea-green eyes blazing. "I want to improve. If I don't compete against the best, how will I ever hope to stand a chance?"
Kaoru grinned. "You're just as stubborn as I am."
Misao looked at her, questioning.
"If I wasn't going to get married, I would've asked to go as well."
Misao suddenly grinned, a slightly hentai expression on her face. "So, Kaoru-san, do you like Kenshin? He's not as handsome as my Aoshi-sama, but all the girls fawn over him. I'm sure he likes you."
"I'm less confident in that than you are, it seems."
Misao shook her head vigorously. "If Aoshi-sama looked at me like Kenshin looks as you, I think I would die and go to heaven!"
Kaoru smiled at the genki ninja.
"I'd rather live," said Kaoru conclusively.
---
Kaoru sighed yet again as Misao tried to convince her shishou to allow her to accompany him. She probably knew she was a liability too…they wouldn't be infiltrating just some common yakuza, this was the Jinchuu headquarters!
"But Sou-chan! I-," started Misao. Soujirou held his hands up, trying to call a truce.
"Misao, I cannot allow you to be in such danger."
"But-."
Kaoru cut in, tired of the argument. "Neither of you will be going."
Both heads turned to her, surprised.
"You will both accompany myself and Kenshin to his estate, where we will be married. You will both be in attendance."
Kaoru got up abruptly, then walked out of the room.
Soujirou smiled at the dumbstruck Misao. "That's my deshi."
He smiled benignly at Misao.
Misao sweatdropped, then smacked Soujirou upside the head.
"Ara!"
---
The next day, the whole party was on the road.
"Hey tori-atama, move!"
"Hey weasel girl, why don't you?"
Kaoru smacked her forehead, wondering why Kami-sama hated her so much.
Even Aoshi's cool façade looks fake, and Soujirou's smile seems noticeably strained. Kenshin…looks…
Kenshin turned to see his fiancée staring at him, her startling blue eyes glazed.
He felt his heart speed up.
"Let's move."
Kenshin's amber eyes looked over them all, knowing them all capable enough to keep up.
"I want to get back home, and we're going to be speeding up. Strap on your packs and let's go," said Kenshin, his voice toned down.
Tsubame looked at Kenshin.
"Umm…Himura-san, I don't think I can," said Tsubame, looking at the ground.
She felt herself being lifted up, and settled comfortably on an very high perch.
"Don't worry about it chibi tanuki-chan. I got you," said Sano, grinning at her.
"We'll switch off every twenty miles, Sano," said Aoshi.
They moved.
---
By nightfall, the six had reached the front gate to Kenshin's huge compound.
They walked to the gate, where guards immediately crossed their spears over the gate.
Kenshin walked up, his gold eyes glinting in the dim torchlight.
The guards bowed. "Himura-sama."
Kenshin nodded in acknowledgement as the guards opened the gate to let them in.
Chapter 4! I'd like to thank all of you for your support! I hope all of you liked the fight scene, since I've been taking martial arts for…my whole life, and I specialize in all kinds of weapons. Hope you all liked the chapter! Review!
Iri
Reignashii: It's definitely going to stay Battousai x Kaoru, but all the other pairings are alternate…I think I'm going to be surprising some people…
Moonstarduchess: Thanks!
Kimahrigirl: I'm not good with the whole story-starting thing, it's much easier once I get the ball rolling. Thanks for the review!
DakBug: Thanks! I love hearing that…music to my ears and inspirational too, LoL.
Thanks to:
Lovely pinay
Half-breed-demon-fox
Tkdl
Iron chefs lady
For reviewing!
