The school bell rang, but she didn't really hear it. She rose half-heartedly from her desk, before slowly making her way down the hall. Her body was sliding through the familiar motionswhile her mind was miles away. She didn't even realize she was outside her locker till Sano spoke. "Hey Jou-chan," he grinned, tugging on her ponytail.
She glanced up at him for a second. "Oh, hey Sano." She greeted in a quiet tone, before looking back at her locker. She didn't even notice Megumi standing beside him.
He cocked an eyebrow. "'Hey Sano'? Are you feeling alright Jou-chan?"
"I don't know," she answered, slumping against the locker beside hers. Megumi placed a hand on Kaoru's forehead.
"Well, you're not running a fever," supplied Megumi.
"Nothing like that," Kaoru replied with a sigh. She stared down at her hands. "Kenshin… left." Two small words that caused her heart to go cold and her voice to break.
"What do you mean left!" cried Sano in disbelief.
"Hiko wanted to keep him safe," she answered. "He…" she trailed off. She couldn't bring herself to say anymore. She couldn't say the truth. She wondered if it was because of the promise Kenshin had asked her to keep. Megumi's voice pulled her out of her reverie.
"Now what? With Sir Ken gone your stupid rooster-headed plan of spying on him isn't going to work," Megumi pronounced with triumph to Sano. He scowled at her, only provoking her to flash a fox-smile at him. "Did Katsu find anything about that message?" Neither noticed Kaoru's hands tighten into fists at the mention of the note.
"Not much," answered Sano. "Shishio keeps a low profile, no one's seen him in over seven months. The only people who know where to find him are his most trusted members. Katsu can't find anything to help with the message. He doesn't have a clue what 'go to Tomoe' means. The only people who know the answer would be Shishio and Battosai but as far as I know, he's gone."
"Battosai's dead?" asked Megumi. Kaoru cringed slightly at that.
Sano gave a shrug. "I heard that Shishio killed him during the infighting several months back. Of course, Shishio and his cronies started that story. No one knows for sure if it's true, though he hasn't been seen at Mizuki High since the rumour started."
Kaoru eyes suddenly brightened, "Mizuki," she breathed, springing forwards suddenly, dashing from the room.
"Kaoru!" shouted Megumi, going after her friend with Sano close behind.
Kaoru pushed her way through the crowded hallways, a determined look in her eyes. She shoved the door to the classroom open, stepping in. The door banged loudly as it struck against the wall. The room was gloomy, she could just make out on the far side a figure bent over a desk. She stood a few feet from the door, taking a deep breath.
"Where is he?" she demanded.
A pair of cat like amber eyes rose, staring up at her. "Who?" he asked in a mocking tone.
She gritted her teeth, "Kenshin." He knew perfectly well who she meant but she wasn't going to let her temper ruin her only chance.
Saito sat back in his chair, twiddling a pen between his fingers. "What makes you think that I would possibly know?" A smile curled onto his face.
"You taught him at Mizuki High."
"I don't know what thoughts cross my students' minds, Ms Kamiya. All I do is teach them history. I'm not a fortuneteller, I don't know where he is."
"Don't play games!" she came close to shouting. "Where is Kenshin going?"
He regarded her lazily from the other side of the room. "Don't play games? You're mistaken Ms Kamiya, that is precisely what you are doing." His golden eyes flickered to the door as Sano and Megumi entered. "You three are but children, playing foolish games." The two teens shivered under his gaze as they moved to Kaoru's side. "You don't even realize what you're walking into. You don't understand the danger." His eyes drifted back to Kaoru, who ignored the shiver that ran up her spine as she met his gaze. A flicker of interest entered his eyes. "You, Ms Kamiya, have a much better understanding of what is taking place here. Though you are a fool trying to stop it."
"Why?" challenged Kaoru. "How is stopping Kenshin from doing something that could end up getting him killed or worse, how is that being foolish? He's my friend, I won't sit by and do nothing while he puts himself in danger."
"Tell me then, if you know so much, who is he? Do you even know his true nature?" She faltered unable to answer, gaze falling to the floor.
"Sir Ken's our friend," answered Megumi. She didn't quite know what the conversation was about but from the sound of it both she and Sano could tell Kenshin was heading for trouble.
"And what ever it is he's facing, we won't let him do it alone," added Sano, cracking his knuckles.
Saito regarded the unruly haired teen. "How far does that loyalty go? Do you really know whom you have pledged friendship with? Of course someone so thick wouldn't really know. You don't understand the nature of someone lik-"
"Stop!" yelled Kaoru taking them all by surprise. No, she told herself mentally, she hadn't stopped him because of Kenshin's promise, she hadn't. But that didn't stop the tiny voice in the back of her mind telling her she had. Her hands clenched into fists, eyes flashing with anger. "I won't let you say that about Kenshin! We don't care who he was before. I don't care at all!"
"Then, where is he?" he asked coldly. Her breath caught, eyes widening. "If you're so close, why isn't he here? Could it be that you weren't able to stop him?" Kaoru clung to herself, taking a step backwards. Saito smirked his guess had hit its mark.
"Hey!" yelled Sano, anger rising. "What's the big idea saying that to Jou-chan you yellow eyed freak!" Saito merely glared at the teen, the twisted smile still on his face.
"He's right," whispered Kaoru's trembling voice. She fell back against the wall, leaning on it for all her support. "I had a chance already. Kenshin… he looked me right in the eyes and… I was scared of him." The realization of her words hurt, but the look of utter shock on Sano and Megumi's face made it unbearable. "I blew it, he told me the truth and I… I didn't know what to do. I had a chance to stop him from walking away. I just sat there. Watched him leave… and he won't be coming back."
It took a long moment for Sano to recover his voice. "Where's he going?" he asked her kindly. He'd have to ask her later what Kenshin had said.
She took a deep breath, looking up at her friends. The determined fire that had burned brightly in her eyes a few minutes ago had been completely extinguished. "To face the Juppongatanna." They paled, a heavy silence filling the room.
Megumi was the first to break it. She rounded on Saito with a determined glare. "Where did Sir Ken go?" Saito shrugged, turning back to the papers piled before him. Megumi marched across the room, slamming her hand down on the wooden desk. "I asked you- where's Sir Ken going? Where's he going to face the Juppongatanna?"
"Why should I tell you?" his voice was low and dangerous, gold eyes creeping up from the desk to glare into her own. "You don't know the world you're about to drag yourselves into. How dangerous it is," he turned his gaze to Kaoru, who was watching them. "Once it ensnares a person it never lets go."
She looked away, lips drawn in a thin line. Her courage was completely gone. She had nothing left to counter against Saito's comments with. He had hit the one point she could not deny, there was nothing else she could do here to help
"Mr Saito, you deal with us or Hiko, Kenshin's guardian," Megumi warned, pulling his attention back. She wasn't sure if Saito knew Hiko but judging by the flicker of worry in his eyes, he did. "Tell us now."
He slowly stood up, picking up the pile of papers out from under Megumi's hand. "He's heading to the same place where Battosai fought Shishio." He had reached the door, pausing for a moment. "It isn't wise to tangle in the affairs of the Juppongatanna." Quickly he left, without another word.
Megumi let her breath out, leaning against the desk. She was shaking slightly now that Saito was gone.
"Nice job," congratulated Sano.
"Thanks," she smiled. She glanced over at Kaoru, who was leaning against the wall, face hidden from sight.
"Jou-chan?" asked Sano, putting his hand on her shoulder.
She didn't look at him, she just couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. She wasn't helping, anything she did, anything she tried, failed. She'd already failed Kenshin, it was her fault he was gone. Even if they could find him, he wouldn't come back, not to her. It left her numb realizing that his goodbye to her was meant to be forever.
He'd tried so hard to guard his look that night, but she'd seen him watching her anxiously for an answer. She couldn't meet those innocent eyes of his, knowing he was Battosai, and that simple act had shattered him completely- broken the little spirit he still had left.
She wanted- she needed to speak to him again, to try to tell him- she bit her lip- tell him what? She wasn't even sure what she wanted to say. What could she say to one who was called a bloodthirsty demon? He'd opened up to her, something she'd always wanted him to do, and the truth he had given her? It had left her scared more than anything in the world.
That had been her chance, right there, and she'd blown it so easily. She turned her head and he left her without a backward glance, never seeing the regret in her eyes for what she'd done.
"Hey, Kaoru say something." He was worried now, she realized, the fact he said her name was proof enough.
"I've… really screwed up," she whispered, sliding down the wall.
"What happened?" he asked. "Why did Kenshin leave?"
"I promised I wouldn't say."
"Jou-chan this isn't the time!"
"What's it matter why he left?" she yelled with a sudden ferocity that startled Sano. "He's gone and- and he's not going to come back! He won't, even if we do fine him…" Her voice slid down in decimals, returning to its quiet misery.
"Kaoru," he snapped, forcing her to look at him. "Tell me what he said."
"A promise is a promise, no matter what," she wasn't listening to him, her eyes staring off so far away.
"Do you want him to die?" He felt her muscles tense up. "Do you, Jou-chan?"
The answer was slow to come but full of power. "No."
"Then tell me."
"You'll hate him… you'll hate him for it."
"Jou-chan! Why would I hate him? He's my best friend and you said he's in trouble. Please, Jou-chan, tell me what he said."
"It doesn't matter what he said… not now. I'm… afraid of him and that… forced him away. Maybe that's just what he wanted… those sweet violet eyes, who knew… what dark secrets they held."
"Kaoru," began Megumi, coming towards them. "Are you going to sit there and sulk all day? We need to find Sir Ken, never mind what he said."
"How?" whispered Kaoru. "We don't even know where he is… Saito's clue doesn't help us."
Sanosuke voice was calm as he replied, "I know where we can find out."
-----------------------
Ugh… that took way longer then I wanted it to… (keels over) It was going to be longer but I was lazy. Next chapter will hopefully get posted sooner since I've already started correcting it.
As a important note I'm officially entered the last months of school and exams are on there way so, I'll just say it now, updates are probably going to slow down for a while. Though believe me I'd rather be writing then doing evil schoolwork… ugh…
Big thanks to my wonderful reviews and well wishers, helped me get over that nasty cold I had.
MikaylaMae: You're going to have to wait a little longer to find out what's happened to Kenshin, hee.
Summer Star: Shot yes, yes, but it's the quality rather then quantity that counts… at least that's my excuse. I really worked hard on that moment with Kaoru just missing him, glad I got the emotion across.
Seta: I really try hard to get the right emotions into my work, glad you've been enjoying it.
Reignashii: (Grins evilly) Mwahaaaaaa! It's an author's job to evil.
Stella-neko: Any other thoughtful ideas you have would be greatly appreciated. That's the right idea with top, that and I thought it would be nifty to put it in since I think Kenshin has one in the movie about his past… I've never seen them though, no idea what there called. Yes Kaoru just missing him, wonderful scene in my opinion.