Warnings: Un-betaed, Slight Character OOC (or, as I call it, artistic license).
It was no surprise to find Sano at Megumi's house and clinic, trying to wheedle a free meal from her. Kenshin's appearance stopped their conversation short and focused their attention on him. Kenshin allowed his friends to fuss over him for a moment, grateful to have people willing to overlook his past and simply care for him, no matter the length of time between his visits.
But he finally settled them down by telling Megumi there were people in jail needing her attention. The doctor rose at once to get her medicine bag, and the three of them headed out towards the edge of the city.
"You'd think they'd realize Jou-chan is here to stay," Sano commented with derision. "She's been challenged a lot more in the past few months, but four guys at once? That seems grossly unfair."
"It's fortunate you were there to help her, Ken-san," Megumi added, casting him a knowing, sideways glance.
Kenshin hid a grimace. Trust Megumi to remember his interest in the Inspector. "Actually, she did all the hard work. I didn't arrive until the very end, so I helped her bring them over to the jail."
Sano whistled in appreciation. "She took down all of them on her own, then? Impressive."
The tall fighter seemed both amazed and pleased by Kaoru's skills, enough that Kenshin didn't bother to correct him. He had seen for himself that the Inspector could have won the fight without his intervention - had she bothered to draw her sword.
He knew why she didn't, but he didn't understand why she carried such a useless weapon around. Was it all just for show?
But no, Kenshin had arrived just in time to see the entire confrontation from the beginning, curious as to how the Inspector would handle the situation. Kaoru had accurately sized up her opponents and strategized the best way to defeat them with minimal amount of effort. Being outnumbered didn't seem to faze her, either. And the way she moved with such flowing grace demonstrated endless kata repetitions and a well-developed sensitivity to the flow of battle. She also appeared to have experience in actually fighting against skilled opponents, not just the usual petty criminals one would run into more frequently.
His musings were interrupted when Sano nudged Kenshin. "Did you get a good look at her sword? Someone said both edges are sharpened enough to split silk in half."
Kenshin snorted in derision. The rumor mills seemed to have no shortage of exaggerations regarding the Inspector. Anyone who knew anything about weapons would know Kaoru carried a Japanese katana. "As I said, I showed up at the very end. I didn't see her weapon at all."
Megumi glanced at him again, her deep brown eyes turning speculative. Kenshin wondered what had given him away, his words or his tone. Whatever it was, he knew the doctor suspected something was going on that he wasn't sharing with them.
To his relief, they arrived at the jail and Megumi turned her attention to the patients, heading straight for the occupied cells. Kaoru, cloaked in her Inspector persona, greeted Sano and the doctor warmly while avoiding eye contact with Kenshin. She unlocked the prison doors one at a time for their checkup, staying close by in case any of the men tried to harm Megumi. Kenshin watched them, noticing their easy, rehearsed movements. Something like a trusting relationship must have developed between the two women while he had been off wandering.
Sano propped himself against the wall closest to the entrance so Kenshin joined him there. They didn't speak, instead keeping their attention focused on the prisoners. Sano remained relaxed, but Kenshin knew it was a facade; if any of the men made a sudden move to attack either person, he would come to their aid in a split second.
That was one of the reasons why the men got along so well. In this day and age of people looking out more for themselves rather than their neighbors, Kenshin knew Sano despised injustice of any kind, though he tried to disguise it under a carefree, nonchalant attitude. Kenshin had seen all the good the fighter did for those who couldn't protect themselves, and it only further cemented his respect.
It was, he suspected, also the reason why Megumi tolerated Sano's drinking and gambling habits, and probably Kenshin's tendency to wander far and wide with no attempt at communication while he was gone. She knew both of them needed a steady influence in their lives. Megumi was their anchor they could always come back to, a semblance of home neither man ever truly had.
His eyes slid to the shorter of the two females, considering everything he had learned about her in the past five months. Kenshin didn't exactly know why he was so curious, but as he wandered about, a few carefully placed questions yielded a lot of information on Kamiya Kaoru. He was surprised to learn that she did indeed know Saitou Hajime and had actually grown up studying kenjutsu under his instruction. That alone was surprising, though perhaps it shouldn't since he had witnessed her skills first-hand. But the other rumors about her were unexpected and a somewhat troubling. Seeing her take on those four men earlier today only confirmed there was some truth to the gossip.
What to do about her? Kaoru clearly had her reasons for what she was doing. Kenshin was loathed to ruin whatever her intentions were, especially since he didn't understand why. But the danger to her was unacceptable. She would end up hurt or dying. Even the thought of her being defeated by simple ruffians trying to make a name for themselves by taking out an Inspector was enough for his gut to tighten in anger. "Sano."
The fighter glanced down. "Yeah?"
"What do you know about Saitou Hajime?"
A surprised expression crossed his face. "The Inspector General?" Sano thought about it. "I guess not a whole lot. He transferred here as Inspector a few years ago, to bring order back to the city. Ruthless kind of fellow, sees everything as black or white so he put a lot of people in prison and killed a fair amount as well. He did his job well, though." He glanced at the challengers in the cell. "A little too well, seeing as he left behind a gaping hole in the police department when he was promoted and left. If he hadn't been so ruthlessly efficient, maybe his successors could have done a better job and not be scared off so easily."
"Where was he stationed before he came here?"
"I don't know for sure. I saw what kind of man he was so I did my best to avoid him. You know, being on opposite sides of the law now and again." Sano gave him a measured look. "Why are you asking?"
"Just curious," Kenshin said mildly. "I was traveling around and heard his name connected to a man named Kamiya Koshijirou."
Raising his eyebrows, the fighter glanced at Kaoru. "Any relations?"
"That's what I wanted to find out."
They lapsed into silence again, Sano musing on that bit of news. Kenshin let him think, content to watch the Inspector escort Megumi to the last patient at the far end of the room. He tensed for a moment when he saw a suspicious move, then slowly relaxed as Kaoru slapped the prisoner's arm away and said something while shoving a fist under his nose. Megumi didn't even blink twice, and the man settled down, allowing the doctor to examine him.
"Hey, Kenshin."
The odd tone in Sano's voice had him lifting his head up with an inquiring look. The fighter didn't move from his position, and there was a peculiar expression on his face as he stared at the two women.
"I heard a rumor that, in all her months here, Jou-chan has never drawn her weapon. Not because she can't or something, but because she won't. And the reason why people keep challenging her is to see how far they can push before she finally pulls her sword out. What do you think is going on?"
Kenshin considered his friend's words, which seemed to fit what he had learned about her. He chose his response carefully. Until he was completely certain, it didn't seem right to say anything about his suspicions. "It wouldn't surprise me if the less moral citizens look upon it as a test or a dare. But it doesn't make sense that she would provoke them in such a way, adding more danger to herself."
"Yeah," Sano muttered. "That would be absolutely idiotic."
From the tone of his voice, Kenshin wondered if Sano did think Kaoru was, indeed, actually that foolish. His friends must have gotten to know her better during his absence with the way they acted and spoke about her. "And not to mention that if she fails here, respect for the title of Inspector would be further diminished. It might even bring about martial law, as you mentioned before." He couldn't imagine how the current government would react to one of the cities enacting military rule, especially so soon after the civil war.
Any further opportunity for conversation ended when Megumi and Karou finally left the last cell. "None of them need any further treatment or medicine," the doctor said. "As usual, you left enough bruises to have them think twice next time they decide to break the law." Megumi frowned and then glanced at the first cell. "Except that one. It looks like he wasn't touched at all, yet he's unconscious."
Kenshin hid a smirk when Kaoru glanced at him before her gaze skittered away like a nervous animal. "He must have simply seen Inspector Kamiya's skills and fainted," Kenshin suggested.
He was pleased when Kaoru didn't dispute him, but she did change the subject. "Thank you for coming, Megumi-san. You know to send the bill to the city, correct?"
"I certainly do. These challengers are now the main reason why my clinic can stay open to serve the less fortunate," Megumi said with a sly grin.
"Bill what you need to, I'll make sure it's paid," Kaoru assured her.
Sano chuckled in approval at their scheme. "I'm shocked, I tell you. Isn't that considered fraud, Inspector?"
She eyed the taller man with a baleful look. "Isn't conning people for food or drink a felony?" she retorted.
"Hey, I never con. I'm always dead serious with my threats," Sano said with a straight face.
Kaoru dismissed his playful words and finally turned her attention on Kenshin who perked up, interested in what she had to say. "Thank you for your help," she said with a bland expression on her face.
"It was no trouble," Kenshin answered. He let his eyes glint in amusement at her formal posture, uncaring if Megumi or Sano saw it.
She nodded once in acknowledgement and then slipped on her haori before moving to open the door. "I appreciate all your assistance, but I'm afraid I'll need to take my leave. I'm already extremely late for a meeting with the Council members."
"Come by for tea again soon, Kaoru-san," Megumi told her. Kaoru flashed the other woman a non-committal smile before leaving.
With the Inspector gone, Sano sighed and clutched his belly with a dramatic groan. "I never did get breakfast. Maybe we can go get some meat buns at the marketplace. What do you say, Kenshin?"
He agreed because he had nothing else to do until later, even if it meant spending money he could ill afford to use. Megumi shook her head in mute exasperation and headed back to her clinic. But before leaving, she extracted a promise from Kenshin that he would at least have dinner with them tonight, thereby ensuring he wouldn't leave at least until tomorrow.
That was an easy promise to make because Kenshin had no intention of resuming his wandering until he pulled the truth from Kamiya Kaoru - whether she was ready to tell him or not.
It didn't take much effort to encourage Sano to share all that had been going on in the city. Most of it had to do with Inspector Kamiya, still very much fodder for gossip even after all these months. Kenshin listened to the stories of the duels she had fought, some more public than others. The frequency of such challenges alarmed Kenshin and he didn't know how Kaoru had survived for this long without drawing her sword.
Between the gossip and the information he had picked up in his travels, Kenshin decided it was enough to confront the Inspector and demand some answers. He didn't pretend to understand why he felt so compelled to interfere with her life, but someone had to look out for her since no one else appeared to care. What was the Inspector General doing, not even checking up on her? What about her family?
"Hey Kenshin, you look like you're plotting something."
Jerked from his thoughts, Kenshin looked at Sano who lounged on the engawa in a relaxed pose. They were waiting for Megumi to finish the last of her patients before going to eat dinner. Kenshin had offered to cook but the doctor refused, saying she wanted them to catch up from the past five months of his absence, not put him to work.
"If it's a fight, count me in," the taller man continued. "I'm starting to feel a little restless. Now that there's an actual police presence back in the city, there's less brawls happening. Maybe I'm getting rusty."
"Not a fight, sorry," Kenshin said with a chuckle.
"But you're plotting, right? Is it about Jou-chan?"
The swordsman eyed his friend, wondering if he was starting to become predictable. "Why would you think it's about the Inspector?"
Sano scoffed. "Come on, Kenshin. You just happened to be in the area to help Jou-chan? You pumped me for information about her in the guise of catching up with news of the city? And you keep giving her these weird looks."
"What weird looks?" Kenshin frowned, trying to remember if he had been making odd faces at her. Perhaps that explained her reticence against him?
Grinning, Sano nudged him. "Gotcha."
Kenshin sighed and leaned back against the wooden column of the engawa, resting his sword against his shoulder. If he was starting to fall for Sano's jokes, maybe he needed to visit more often to inure himself against the taller man's vacuous sense of humor. In the past two months, it dawned on Kenshin just how tired he was of wandering. A man could only go from place to place aimlessly for so long. He had thought it was his price to pay for his bloody past, but surely he had wandered long enough?
He knew Sano and Megumi would be pleased if he chose to settle down in the city. There was much good he could do here, being a fixture and a familiar figure in one place, instead of drifting around and running into people who needed help by mere chance.
The road kept beckoning him to follow, but the hypnotic pull became less and less enticing. The idea of living in his first home as an adult held great appeal.
Before Sano continued to tease him, the shouji behind them opened and Megumi stepped out. "What a day," she said with a long sigh, massaging her left shoulder. But she straightened up and smiled at the two men. "Ready for dinner?"
Sano sat up and grinned back. "Always."
Kenshin allowed him to be pulled into their easy camaraderie and the three friends made their way to their favorite restaurant. As he listened to Sano tease Megumi and the doctor retort with mostly fabricated disdain, he smiled to himself. Whether he continued to wander or settle down, it was nice to know his friends would be there for him.
After a leisurely dinner, they meandered through the city as it closed up for the night, chatting about whatever came to mind, from patients to gambling wins. Around them, people called goodnight to one another as twilight rapidly descended on the city. It was late enough that most vendors had already closed for business, lamps flaring to life from house to house and the streets clearing with startling speed. The night air remained still and cool, giving up shadows in light of the full moon watching over them. The serene quiet was a stark contrast to the bustling city it was during daylight.
Megumi yawned behind a hand, her shoulders slumped with exhaustion she could no longer hide, and they stopped in silent accord. "Sano, you should walk Megumi-dono home," Kenshin suggested.
Sano frowned. "What about you?"
"I have something to do. Don't wait up for me." He turned to go, hoping neither one would stop him. They didn't.
Kenshin had taken the opportunity earlier in the day to stop by Inspector's office and check her schedule. Kaoru's terrifying secretary hadn't exactly allowed him to see where she was at any given moment, but he caught a glimpse of the patrol list at the edge of her desk and saw Kaoru had assigned herself Deadbeat Alley for the evening. But even if Kenshin hadn't gotten that information, he would have guessed that was where she would be. Kaoru would never allow her deputies to go to such a dangerous place alone, but of course it was completely fine for her.
He headed towards the area known for gang activities and where career criminals made their homes. Compared to Deadbeat Alley, Sano's place in Ruffian Row seemed like a luxurious section of the city.
As he strode down the narrow streets, the houses began to change from wood and stone to wood and straw, growing smaller and smaller until the homes were little more than ramshackled buildings, most with parts of the roof or doors missing. Kenshin glimpsed of lamps and moving shadows within some of those houses. Despite the potential danger of cave-ins, apparently it was better than sleeping out in the open.
The area remained surprisingly quiet. The odd light here and there and the raucous laughter of drinkers and gamblers behind closed doors stayed contained. Kenshin realized that Kaoru wasn't intending to enforce the laws so much as to maintain peace and order in this neighborhood. She had probably realized it was a waste of resources to crack down on every drunkard and gambler in the area; there wouldn't be enough cells for all of them. And she was smart enough to pick her battles, given her limited resources and shortage of deputies. As long as they stayed behind closed doors and didn't hurt any innocent people, she would allow them to continue business as usual.
It took him only a few minutes to find Kaoru strolling down the main road, her gaze alert for any problems. She stopped, eyes narrowing when he came into view. "Why am I not surprised to find you here?" she asked with a sigh.
Kenshin ignored the question. "It's dangerous to be here without the support of your officers," he warned her.
Her eyes flashed and Kenshin remembered the flare of temper from this morning. He didn't know why she kept suppressing her emotions, but he much preferred the fire in her eyes over the stiff, stoic personality of the Inspector.
"I'll be fine," she answered in a clipped tone. "What are you doing here? Sano doesn't live anywhere nearby."
"I came to find you."
Kenshin watched as the moon illuminated a flash of panic, then wariness, and then resignation across her face. How she expressed herself all that in a span of two seconds amazed him. Whoever Kamiya Kaoru was, she was not what he expected, and Kenshin found himself even more fascinated by her. "Why?" she asked. He wasn't surprised to see she tucked her emotions back just as quickly as they appeared, but her shoulders remained tense.
Stepping forward to close some of the space between them, Kenshin studied her straight posture and the slightly odd tilt of her sword on her belt. "I'm here for some answers."
The fire in her eyes stirred again. "I don't believe I owe you anything, Himura-san."
"Kenshin."
He fought to hide a grin when her temper rose to the surface once more in the form of her clenching her right fist until the knuckles turned white. Maybe if he kept provoking her, she'd drop that too-serious mask of hers and show her true self, which was far more interesting than the bland Inspector she pretended to be. "I'm not your friend, Himura-san. In fact, I'm thinking more likely we are enemies."
Kenshin gazed at her for a moment before his eyes fell to the weapon girded at her waist. "If you believe that, then draw your sword," he said softly.
His words jolted her physically and she froze. Neither of them said anything else as the seconds ticked by until Kaoru's shoulders slumped. "So you do know," she murmured.
He had hoped he was wrong, but her concession made it clear he wasn't. Kenshin shook his head and strode forward to bridge the final distance between them. "You're risking your life every day, whether you're challenged or not. Why are you carrying around a useless sword?"
Kaoru stared at him, eyes wide in the pale moonlight, glittering like the stars suspended in the inky darkness above. Kenshin drew in a deep breath because she looked so exposed for that one brief moment, when she dropped her guard in front of him.
Undoubtedly she hadn't meant to show him that deep vulnerability. But Kenshin admired her inner strength and determination that reassembled itself in record time, right in front of his very eyes. Maybe the mask she wore as Inspector wasn't a fake Kaoru, he thought suddenly. Perhaps she just wanted to show people a different side of her. The idea that maybe she wasn't pretending, struck Kenshin. After all, he was doing the same exact thing.
"It's not useless."
Mentally shaking himself, Kenshin brought his attention back to her and frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kaoru placed her left hand on the hilt of her sword. It was a practiced gesture, one that looked natural and as if she did it often, as most swordsmen did. "It's not useless," she repeated. "It's a reminder to me. Of my past." Her eyes remained focused on him, tension still vibrating around her but now blended with something else, almost like a desperation to explain, or maybe convince herself. "We all have a past, Himura-san. We all have something we don't want to forget."
He knew exactly what she meant, but it still didn't quite answer his question. But before Kenshin could ask her to clarify her particular situation, his instincts stirred and he glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowed. The soft shuffle of footsteps reached his ears and then someone turned the corner to approach them.
He felt Kaoru slide into a defensive stance as she, too, sensed this person wasn't the usual garden variety ruffian. Turning around to keep the stranger in full sight, Kenshin studied him. The man was about the same height as Sano, and just as lean under the tan kimono he wore. But the similarities ended there. He carried a daisho tucked into his belt. The solid grey hair of an old man, held back by a black band around his forehead, seemed unusual given his unlined skin. His smile showed teeth like a predator as if he was hunting prey. Under his black hat, his strange eyes seemed to refract the moonlight so they stayed shadowed and hard to see.
He looked like any other wandering swordsman who just happened to show up in one of the more dangerous districts of the city at night, but an aura of wrongness emanated from him, causing Kenshin to shift slightly closer to and in front of Kaoru.
"Uhu-hu-hu! What are the chances of this run-in?" the man cackled. Malicious pleasure deepened the man's voice, almost causing Kenshin to wince at the sheer malevolence the stranger seemed to give off. "I've only just arrived but it seems like I found exactly who I'm looking for so quickly. Are you the Inspector of this city?"
Kaoru brushed past Kenshin to address the man in her firm, official-sounding voice. "I'm Inspector Kamiya. And to whom am I speaking?"
"Oh, so polite! Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kurogasa." Here, the man gave an exaggerated waist-deep bow before cackling again as he straightened up. Pinpoint pupils pierced straight at her. "I'm here to kill you."
Kenshin's first instinct was to shove Kaoru behind him and get the man's focus off of her. But he knew not only would she not welcome his interference, it would damage her reputation as well. If he jumped to her rescue every time there was danger, she would lose the respect of the citizens and outlaws of the city.
And, he realized, perhaps she didn't need rescuing after all. Kaoru didn't even flinch from the disturbing announcement. "I am the head of law enforcement in this city. Challenging me to a fight is grounds for arrest."
Her words sounded rehearsed and even a little bored, as if she had spoken them dozens of times before - which she most likely had. But Kenshin knew this time around, it wasn't going to be as easy to defeat this man. His eyes narrowed, wondering how someone of Kurogasa's skill heard about these challenges and came to confront her.
The stranger didn't seem equally concerned by her return threat. "So serious, Inspector! This isn't quite the welcome I expected. Are you always this rude to visitors of your fair city?"
"You mistake truth for rudeness," she returned.
Despite the situation, Kenshin had to smile as he remembered his own 'warm welcome' from Kaoru. Perhaps this really was her idea of greeting people.
Kurogasa glanced at him just then and his eyes widened in surprise. His reaction was so overly dramatic it came off as contrived, as if he was a thespian and playing a part. "Uhu-hu-hu, and what have we here? Another swordsman? I wasn't interrupting a fight, was I?"
"No," Kaoru said.
"Yes," Kenshin replied at the same time. Kaoru glared at him but he ignored it. Given a way to extract her from this dangerous situation, Kenshin continued, "I intend to claim my right to challenge the Inspector first. If you'll excuse us."
"Oh, not at all, not at all," Kurogasa assured him. He flopped down in the middle of the street, cross-legged and peered at them with an eager gaze that seemed more appropriate for a child than a grown man. "Please, do go on ahead. I so love a good fight!" And he sniggered again, this time the pitch high and piercing.
Kenshin frowned at the unusual action. The other man wasn't acting normal at all. There seemed to be something wrong with him. At first, Kenshin assumed it was just darkness of his soul. Now, he wasn't so sure.
Kaoru didn't seem to know what to make of him either because she asked in patent disbelief, "Are you intending to just sit there?"
The tall stranger shrugged. "Why not? The scent of blood always blends in well at this time of night." He slid a knowing, sly gaze to Kenshin. "Doesn't it, my fellow hitokiri?"
Ignoring the startled look Kaoru swung at him, Kenshin kept his focus on Kurogasa, trying to figure out what the other man was doing. He wasn't surprised to be called out, but it made for uncomfortable questions he'd have to answer at a later time. "I'm afraid you have it wrong. I'm just a rurouni."
"Uhu-hu-hu, and I'm a karp! You're a killer, I can see it in your eyes," the other man sneered. He tapped his chin in a thoughtful gesture. "Maybe after I slay the girl, I'll turn my sword on you. Or, maybe I should challenge you first so you can show off your hitokiri skills in front of her before you die. Your lady friend there doesn't quite seem to know who you are." He leaned forward and his tone changed into one of dark overtones. "I guess she doesn't see the blood stains on your hands."
Taunts like that weren't new to Kenshin, but it never got easier to hear them. Still, he maintained a tight rein over his emotions, determined not to let Kurogasa goad him into doing something he would regret later. Grasping at the solution the other man offered him, he replied, "If you wish to challenge me, I'll accept. But not here, where innocent people could get hurt."
Kurogasa threw his head back and howled with laughter, the sinister sound echoing into the still night air until the ringing sound faded and left a gaping hollowness in its place. "So determined to be a protector. How unusual. Fine, it doesn't matter to me. We'll have some privacy at the abandoned temple just east of here. But I've got a condition of my own."
"And what's that?"
He leaned forward, eyes gleaming with fervent, mad glee. "I insist on fighting the hitokiri within, not this weak shadow of a man you are now." Kurogasa gestured towards him with a flap of his hand. "I can tell you've lost your edge. That happens if you pretend to be something you're not, like a rurouni. Become strong again, strong enough to challenge me."
"This is unacceptable," Kaoru interrupted with an edge to her voice. Her eyes flicked over at Kenshin to include him in her displeasure. "Duels were made illegal six years ago. It would be better, Kurogasa, for you to move on if you don't wish to be arrested." As a warning, she put her hand on the hilt of her sword, sliding one foot back into an attack stance.
The tall man sneered and thrust his hands out, wrists together. "Go ahead, Inspector. Tie me up and cart me away to prison."
Kenshin felt Kaoru bristle at the mocking, challenging words. "He is trying to bait you into attacking him," he murmured to her, trying to diffuse the situation so she wouldn't do something foolish either. "He sees through your threats."
"If I must, I'll fight him," she returned without looking at him. "If I have to, I'll draw my sword."
"And then what?" Kenshin asked plaintively. "How do you plan on defeating him, armed as you are?"
At his words - logical words, he thought, designed to make her see reason - Kaoru turned her head so he could see the fire burning bright in her cobalt eyes. "This is my city, Himura-san. I'll handle the problem as I see fit. Kindly step aside. This isn't your fight."
Kenshin realized two things just then. One, he had unintentionally insulted Kaoru's skill and now she was hell bent on proving him wrong. Second, Police Inspector Kamiya Kaoru would never back down, even if the odds were against her. And despite Kurogasa's erratic behavior and the sense that he was no ordinary swordsman, Kenshin didn't feel anything except implacable resolve and unshakable confidence from her.
"So interesting," Kurogasa mused, watching their interactions with a calculating expression. He slowly rose up from his seated position and put a hand on his sword. "Let's see what happens, Inspector."
Kenshin suddenly stumbled back, mouth dropping open in disbelief as he regained his balance. Kaoru had actually shoved him away, presumably from danger, with a hard push before she ran forward to meet Kurogasa. Two second later, he heard the clash of metal on metal. Focusing at the two figures staring at each other between their crossed weapons, Kenshin realized that Kaoru hadn't drawn her weapon completely. Instead, she had pulled her sheathed katana completely from her belt and then drew her sword partially from the saya, revealing just enough of the blade to block Kurogasa's attack with both hands raised up against the downward thrust.
After tense seconds of challenging the other with their chi, they sprang apart with several feet between them. Kaoru remained ready, but Kurogasa sneered and sheathed his sword. "This isn't fun after all. A little girl is playing swordsman and a hitokiri lets her fight in his place. What a disappointment."
The scorn in his voice made Kaoru visibly seethe. "Little girl? Letting me fight? You're just begging me to knock you out, aren't you?"
He dismissed her outraged words by turning to Kenshin. "And what about you? You won't come to your woman's defense? I could have killed her twice over already."
"You wouldn't have gotten close the first time," Kenshin replied evenly, hand drifting towards his sword. "But Kaoru-dono is right about one thing. She isn't fighting for me. I'm still willing to accept your challenge, assuming my condition is met."
"Much better! I agree to your terms, as long as you meet mine." Kurogasa pointed at him, and his voice deepened with the ultimatum he issued. "Show me the hitokiri within, and let's make this a fun fight to remember. Or I'll kill you, and then go after your precious Inspector Kamiya!" With a cackle of malevolent glee, Kurogasa turned and leapt back into the darkness where he came from.
AN: As my beta is unavailable, I did my best to keep everything flowing. I just got sick of the endless editing and decided to post the chapter since I'm not making any further big changes. Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and alerts. Please let me know what you think about the story and what direction you think it's heading in. I'm really enjoying reading the speculation and ideas you all share. My update schedule is posted on my profile.