Sano was the first to recover from his shock. He ran towards her. "Megumi!" He cried joyfully. She immediately clocked him over the head with her fist. "Hey! What the heck was that for?" he demanded, rubbing the welt that was appearing on his skull.
"For not coming to my rescue, you stupid rooster head," she snapped angrily. He was about to retort when she came forwards gripping him tightly in an embrace. He stood there, too stunned to do anything. "I missed you," she whispered. She didn't care at that moment that her friends where there watching or even about the tears freely running down her face.
Sano gazed down at her guiltily, slowly putting his arms around her. Cradling her in a gentle hug. Kaoru watched with a smile of pure joy on her face. Yahiko looked away, giving them the moment. Hiko just stood silently in the doorway. "You had me worried fox ears," Sano told Megumi in a kind tone. "You alright?" She nodded her head, not daring to let him go. "How'd you manage to get away?"
"I didn't," she answered, in a quivering whisper. Everyone in the room was quiet so they could hear her. "They just let me go." Kenshin took a shaky breath trying to calm himself. "They wanted me to deliver a message."
"To who?" asked Yahiko.
She pulled slightly away from Sano, so she could see the others, but didn't let him go. "Someone named Battosai." She answered before Hiko could stop her. Hiko groaned inwardly as the conversation went out of control from there.
"Battosai?" asked both Kaoru and Yahiko confused.
A low growl escaped Sano's throat, "Battosai." Megumi looked up at him with surprise.
"You know him?" she asked.
"Battosai is the most infamous gang name around," he told them, anger flashing in his eyes. "He's worse then Shishio. He's part of the Juppongatanna." He gritted his teeth. "What I wouldn't do to get my hands on him." Kaoru could have sworn she caught Kenshin stiffening. Sano turned his attention back to Megumi. "What was the message?"
Megumi opened her mouth to answer. "It-"
"That's enough Megumi," interrupted Hiko, a stern look on his face. "That's not something I'll let you go blabbing around." She nodded quietly with a slight frown. Sano expression darkened as he glared up at Hiko. "That information won't do you any good Sano," Hiko continued, interpreting the teens look. "So don't go doing anything rash."
Sano let out a huff. "As you keep saying."
"I'd listen to him, Sano," Kaoru told him in a stern voice. "The Juppongatanna isn't something to mess with."
"That's right," added Megumi, brushing the tears from her eyes.
"Why does everyone always direct that at me?" demanded Sano in a huff.
"Because," answered Hiko mildly. "You're the only idiot who doesn't listen around here."
Kaoru looked away, her cheeks turning red. "That isn't true." A silence fell over the room. She shifted uncomfortably.
"What happened Miss Megumi?" asked Kenshin, pulling the attention away from Kaoru. "If you do not mind this one asking."
"Well," Megumi began, taking a deep breath. "After the Oniwaban grabbed me and Kaoru… they separated us. They took me under the slide were I was guarded. That was, until these two creepy people showed up. They said they were from the Juppongatanna and they ordered the Oniwaban away. One was a girl in a red kimono and the other was a boy who wouldn't stop smiling." Kenshin's hands tightened, squeezing water out of his wet pants. Though his face remained expressionless. "I think… I heard your voices before the boy knocked me out. When I woke up, I was tied up in a large-" Her eyes caught sight of Hiko's silent warning. "Dark room," she finished quickly. "The only person was the girl, who kept a close eye on me. Then, just today, not that long ago, the boy showed up again completely soaking wet. He kept babbling about beating someone-"
"The little slime," growled Yahiko. "He was probably talking about Kaoru."
This caught Hiko's attention. "What?"
"The brat who gave Kaoru the concussion had a very creepy smile," Sano told Hiko.
"Are you sure it was the same guy?" asked Hiko, he stood up pushing off the wall. "Could someone describe him? Megumi listen up."
"Alright," said Kaoru. "Well, he was about Yahiko's age with short brown hair, with this emotionless smile. He was wearing a blue shirt and jeans. He had this funny little laugh as well."
Megumi nodded. "That's him."
"Did you hear his name at all?" asked Hiko, hope rising. The group all looked at one another shaking their heads. Hiko fell against the wall with a heavy sigh. Rain pounding against the window was the only sound.
"Soujiro Seta," they all turned to look at Kenshin. His voice was quiet, filled with tension. "The girl's name is Yumi Komagata. They're both high ranked members of the Juppongatanna picked by Shishio himself." His face was hidden behind a wall of wet crimson hair.
Dead silence filled the room. The very air pressing down upon them. "How… do you know that Kenshin?" asked Hiko worry in his voice.
There came no immediate answer from the redhead. "This one…" began Kenshin, wishing at that moment he was anywhere but there. "He… went after Soujiro when Kaoru was…" His eyes were glued to the ground.
"What!" cried Kaoru in horror. Her voice faded, leaving an unsettling stillness as every pair of eyes stared at Kenshin. He could feel their gazes boring into him. He rose to his feet, sneakers squeaking on the tile floor. It felt like he was being cornered. His heart began to pound. He didn't like this. He had to get away. Escape. He had to.
"That's enough Kenshin," Hiko told the teen, breaking the redhead's train of thought. "I think it's time we headed home." Kenshin slowly moved across the room. His breathing was shaky, quietly thanking the long fiery bangs that hid his face. He didn't dare look at the people in the room who were staring back at him. Hiko surveyed the occupants. "You all have rides?" They all nodded quietly. "Alright then, take care. Come along Kenshin," he turned, starting to lead Kenshin out the door.
"Wait!" cried Kaoru suddenly. Kenshin stopped just before the entrance, turning ever so slightly. "Can I… have a moment… alone with Kenshin please?" The group slowly flowed around Kenshin not daring to look at him as they passed. Kaoru watched him as he took a hesitant step towards the end of her bed. She waited till their friends had left. When the door clicked shut she turned her sapphire eyes back to Kenshin. He shifted nervously, his face hidden from sight. His clothes were soaking wet, she noted. Seconds passed and he didn't speak, leaving her to start. "You… haven't said a word to me since…" She bit her lip, she wasn't sure where she was taking this. "I deserve it though. I shouldn't ha-"
Kenshin shook his head. "This one should be the one apologizing, that he should."
"But Kenshin, you-"
"He is sorry Miss Kaoru," he gave a low bow. "You should have never been involved."
"It's my own fault. I was being hot headed. I should have listened. It's just I…" she faulted wondering why she had done it. "I wanted to show you how strong I am." The words flowed from her lips by themselves and she recognized them to be the truth.
His face remained impassive, showing no reaction to what she said. "This one will never let anything like this happen again, that he swears." He turned to go.
"Kenshin wait!" She shouted, tears coming into her eyes. "Listen to me!" He froze, not turning to look at her. They were both dancing around the one point on their minds. They knew it but neither seemed too able to speak of it. Kaoru found she just couldn't leave it alone. "I… was scared. I was so scared. Scared out of my mind, afraid what… you were going to go after that boy. I didn't know where you were. I was so… afraid. I was at my wit's end. When you told me not to face him, then when he… the way I saw you look at him. The look on your face, you wanted to hurt him. Make him pay ten fold for what he did." She broke off unable to continue. Tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry, Kenshin. I'm so sorry." Those were the only words that would come to her. She couldn't find the ones she really wanted to say.
He shifted ever so slightly to look at her. His sorrowful lavender eyes just visible behind the curtain of fire red. "Soujiro… got away, that he did." It was then that she saw the large bruise on his face.
"Then… you really…" she stammered.
He nodded solemnly. "Sorry Miss Kaoru. This one will make sure this never happens again."
"What will you do?" She demanded, fear rising in her voice. He made no answer. "Kenshin, what will you do?" He was trying to pull away from her, to get out. "Kenshin!" Her voice was the only thing keeping him there. "You said you didn't know, but you've already made up your mind. You're going to go after Shishio because he hurt me? I won't let you!"
"How will you stop this one?" he asked in a fierce voice, his narrow violet eyes glaring at her. His voice sent a quiver of fear through her. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"I do," she answered, finding hidden courage to meet his gaze. "I'm dealing with my friend Kenshin Himura, not a gang member, thug or anything like that. I don't care who you were in the past! All I care about is the present."
A look of pure surprise came onto his face. For a second, it broke the mask that hid his expression. She could see Kenshin, just standing there, with nothing haunting him. It was a true look, which turned to wonder as he stared at her. A warm smile touched his face, shining in his eyes. Then, the moment passed and he slid back behind his barriers. The blank look crept back into his eyes.
"It is… this one's fault you're hurt Miss Kaoru. He's very sorry," he said slowly.
A sad look came onto her face. "Please don't apologize, it's my fault as well." She interjected.
"But this one got a warning from Saito that the Juppongatanna were-" He stopped, realizing what he'd just said.
"Saito warned you?" she whispered. "Is that what that meeting was?" Kenshin didn't answer. "What will you do now?" she inquired after a moment.
"This one will not do anything foolish."
"Do you promise?" she asked.
"Promise me one thing."
Kenshin's eyes went wide. "What?"
Kaoru sensed his sudden unease. "Promise not to go against Shishio." He hesitated taking a step away from her. "Please Kenshin."
"Maybe," was all he mumbled, quickly retreating from the room.
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Weee! 10 chapters I'm on fire! Ahhh! Water, water I need water!
Big thanks to my three reviews Stella-neko, MikaylaMae and Crewel. I hope all you guys enjoyed the newest chapter. Kenshin is such a fun character to play with (grins) and I just couldn't leave the name Shinta out of the story. (Squeels) I can't wait till I post the next chapter! Ch11 is going too awesome. I've got to go start correcting it! Till then!