A Truth In the Darkness

A Tale of Rurouni Kenshin

Chapter Three: A Friend Very Much In Need

Kenshin was feeling more than frustrated to find the place nearly entirely vacated. He was beginning to think he should just go ahead and scour the river edge for his friend when he heard the sound of someone approaching. It sounded as though they were running.

A man appeared from around a building, running in Kenshin's direction. He had a pick-axe in his hand. The man showed no sign of slowing down as he got closer. Kenshin had to take a moment to asses if the man was attacking him or just in a hurry.

The rurouni put both hands out, urging the runner to stop. "What is going on here?" Kenshin quizzed. "Where is everyone?"

The man was gasping. "At the old mine. There's been an accident. The children!" was the man's hurried response. And he dashed around Kenshin to continue running.

"Wait! Where is this mine?" Kenshin yelled after him.

"Follow me," the man yelled over his shoulder.

Kenshin took off with out hesitation after the man, pacing him with out trouble. Mine, accident, children. Kenshin knew exactly where Sano was now. Despite his street thug facade, Sano had a heart of gold and a sympathetic nature to those in need. He hoped silenty that his impetuous friend would be careful.

The two running men arrived at the clearing near the cave. Kenshin saw the men, women, and children all vigorously digging away at what used to be the entrance to a cave. As he ran to join them, he searched for a certain spike haired brunette and an outstanding white jacket that would be in the thick of all of this. He didn't see him.

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Kyou was trying very hard not to be scared. Because Sano-san had asked him not to be. And he wasn't, really. Sano-san seemed really nice. He liked him a lot. Kyou was glad he wasn't hurting anymore. He watched the sleeping man in front of him. He had said he needed to rest so Kyou wasn't going to try to wake him up. The boy still had the bandaged hand in his.

Kyou yawned. He was getting sleepy. He lay down on his stomach and rested his cheek on Sano's outstretched hand. It was so quiet in here. He yawned again and decided to join Sano-san in his nap. Clutching the bandanna tails to his chest, the boy drifted off to sleep.

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Kenshin started toward the mine, then spotted the soba stand attendant sitting off to the side of the entrance, under a tree. He hurried over to him.

"Excuse this unworthy one, my friend, the man that was with this one earlier at your soba stand," Kenshin asked, noting he was dabbing at a cut on his forehead with a cloth, "have you seen him?"

"Sanosuke is inside the mine, I'm afraid," said the soba- man apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"What happened?"

Shuhei quickly related the events to Kenshin. "I took a look inside and saw him with the lantern about a hundred paces from the entrance," he continued to explain. "I couldn't tell if he had the little boy with him or not. Then all of a sudden, boom! The cielling collapsed again, like an explosion."

I do hope he and the boy are all right. The entrance is blocked worse now than it was before," the soba attendant commented.

"Not for long..." Kenshin stated and took off at a run. He quickly scaled the mound and asked the locals to step aside. Pulling sakabatou from scabbard, Kenshin began a series of directed blows at the pile of rocks, splicing them and scattering them where no one was standing. The locals were awestruck with the sight of it, but Kenshin was in no mood to care.

This cutting with the reversed side of the reversed blade katana opened a large space in a very short time. Kenshin ordered over his shoulder, "I need a lantern!" One was handed to him and he disappeared into the opening.

Kenshin bound down the rocks on the inside of the cave with a hitikori's grace. He held the lantern high, sandals making nigh a noise on the littered floor, trying to see into the darkness. He sensed first what he could not see, the silent light of two ki's in the rear of the cave. One was fading. Kenshin bolted in that direction.

"Sano!" he called, listening intensely for a reply, or any sound at all.

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Kyou awoke, sleepily. He thought he heard something. He was hoping it was Sano-san, waking up. But the boy could see in the now fading lantern light that he was still asleep.

He let go of Sano-san's hand long enough to rub at deep brown eyes. And then he clutched it again. Kyou wished he could give him a blanket, he felt kinda cold. Mama always gives me a blanket when I'm cold, he thought. I wish she was here ... I wish Sano-san would wake up. Kyou put his head back down on the bandaged hand. Just watching the teen.

Then he heard a voice calling his name. Kyou sat up. Sano-san had told him to answer. "Over here," Kyou whispered. He thought about the rocks falling down.

The man called again. "Over here," he said a little louder. Kyou could hear someone coming. Then he saw the walls of the mine shaft were getting brighter.

He looked down at Sano-san and wondered if he should wake the man. As he looked up, a small man with bright red long hair came into view. He was holding a lantern.

"No! Sano!", Kenshin gasped as he saw his young friend lying very still beneath a large rock. Despite the reassurance of the faded ki in his mind, he felt a knot form in his stomach. The rurouni dropped to his knees and touched his ruffian friend's neck, affirming a pulse. There was one, a faint one, but there was one.

"He's sleeping," came a tiny whispered voice from between two big boulders, just on the other side of Sano. Kenshin looked up to peer between them. He noticed two little hands curled around Sano's.

"Can you come out of there?" Kenshin asked of the child. "Are you hurt?"

"I can come out. I'm not hurt. Are you going to wake up Sano-san?"

"This one will," Kenshin replied to the child, tmasking his worry from his voice. "But first we must get you out of this place. What is your name?"

"Kyou."

"That is a very strong name," the red head told the boy. "Kyou, you've go to let go of his hand now, okay?" he asked gently, aware that his composure was cracking in the face of seeing his best friend in such a condition, but maintaining facade as well as he could.

"Okay."

Kenshin noticed a tone of regret in the little boy's voice. He reached over and moved Sanosuke's arm so he could get out with out stepping on the had to hurry this up he knew, Sano hadn't much time. He propped the lantern between two rocks. The child was on the other side of Sano and he needed to lift the boy over him.

"Come on," Kenshin said encouragingly, holding both arms out to pick him up.

Kyou climbed out of his shelter and stood holding both arms up to the rurouni. Kenshin noted the child was wearing Sano's bandanna.

"Sano must think you are quite special," Kenshin told the child as he picked him up. "He never let's this one wear that," he said, pointing to the red cloth.

The boy looked down at Sano, and then smiled to Kenshin, "He likes my stories!"

He was both relieved and amazed that he didn't seem hurt or frightened at all. "You must be a wonderful story teller, Kyou," he told the child as he grabbed the lantern and headed for the way he came in. He hated leaving Sano there alone. Second time today, Kenshin thought with a sharp pain to his heart.

Kyou looked over Kenshin's shoulder as he was carried , looking to the back of the mine. he hope Sano-san woke up soon, so he could show the man how well he could run.

Kenshin reached the bottom of the rock pile at the entrance and put the lantern down. "You want to go for a little ride, Kyou?" he asked the little boy. He nodded.

The rurouni set him down and turned his back to the boy and knelt on one knee. "Okay," he said, "jump!" He jumped on the long haired man's back and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Hang on tight!" he told the boy over his shoulder.

He stood then and bound up the pile of rocks with the same ease to which he had come down them. It was easier with the child held securely to his back. As he bound, he was considering how to get his injured and unconscious friend up this pile of rocks.

Kenshin graced the top and helped Kyou get down. He guided him through the opening. There were cheers and applause as the boy emerged from the mine. He turned back to Kenshin, "Are you gonna go wake up Sano-san now?" he asked. "I want him to watch me run."

"This one is going back to get him now, Kyou," Kenshin answered as he lowered the child into waiting arms.

Kenshin waited until the child had been taken out of earshot . "Sano is very badly hurt. This one is not sure that he even wants to move him," he told Shuhei, his features hard. "He is going to need a doctor."

"A doctor from the Oguni Clinic is on the way," Shuhei assured him. "Someone sent for one as soon as they heard of the cave-in. Just in case."

"Good," Kenshin sighed heavily.

"Need some help in there?" asked Shuhei.

Kenshin shook his head. "No, this one does not wish anyone else getting hurt. However, there is need of a litter to get him out of there. Can you work on getting one made?"

"That won't be a problem," Shuhei replied and started down the rock pile. "One litter coming up!"

Kenshin hurriedly climbed back down inside the mine, picked up his lantern and raced through the debris. Back to his friend's side.

He set the lantern beside the rocks. "Sano?" he tried again as he knelt beside his younger friend.

Kenshin could take a closer examination of the teen now that Kyou wasn't there. He noted with exploration a patch of something dark and moist on the side of that spiked brunette head. He touched it gently. Blood. It was discolored by the dirt that had showered down on him.

Kenshin stood over Sanosuke and found an even splitting point in the boulder pinning him. Drawing his reverse blade sword a second time, Kenshin flipped it and used the sharp edge to deliver a precise blow down the center of the block. The beast split neatly in two and fell on either side of Sano to roll slightly out of the way.

Kenshin could now see the damage that had been rendered to his best friend's body. There was a stinging of what might have been tears that started at the corners of his eyes but went no further. Sano's left arm lay at an odd angle, and it was covered in blood. And more blood was trickling from beneath the left shoulder of his jacket, down his upper arm, to drip into a puddle on the floor.

Kenshin checked the younger man's pulse again. Still the same. Holding his breath, he very slowly and very carefully turned Sano on to his back. He realized with a shock that this was the first time he had actually noticed the ex-gangster was breathing. Or at least making an attempt to breathe. Kenshin cringed.

"Hang on, my friend," he said as he gently gathered the younger man in his arms and stood. Sano was heavier than he, and far lankier, but Kenshin had no problem with him. The younger man was light for the build of his frame. Kenshin thought briefly that they should really offer to feed the boy more often than they do. Leaving the lantern, Kenshin trusted his senses to pick a safe route back to the entrance.

Kenshin was trying to be very careful about not jarring his injured friend as he made his way through all the debris. He reached the bottom of the rock pile. "Hello?" the rurouni called urgently up to the opening.

A head popped in and he recognized the soba attendant. "How is he?" Shuhei asked quietly.

"Not good," replied Kenshin, looking down at the still figure of the teen in his arms. "Is the litter finished?"

"Got it right here," was the reply. "I'll lower it down to you."

"And you're gonna need some help down there," Shuhei continued.

He did need another set of hands for the litter. "Thank you," Kenshin said sincerely.

It was not Shuhei who entered the cave. This man was lean and yet muscular. And younger than the soba-man. "I'm Kyou's uncle, Enrii. Is he going to be all right?"

"This one does not know," Kenshin answered with a lowering of his brows.

The litter was lowered down and Enrii found a flat enough surface to lay it out. Kenshin lowered Sano on to it. "Okay, nice and slow," said Kenshin as he and Enrii lifted the litter and started their ascent. Enrii nodded.

They inched their way up with the litter between them. Making sure it stayed level and not getting caught on any rocks.

When they reached the top and guided the litter through the opening, Kenshin was surprised and buoyed that there were so many people waiting to offer a hand in transporting his friend to the bottom of the rock pile. There were no cheers this time, only silent concern.

A smaller, elderly man with long eyebrows and a long mustache rushed to greet them. "Gensai-sensei," Kenshin greeted of the man.

"Himura-san," Gensai returned, forgoing a bow of greeting for moving to examine Sanosuke. "Let's get young Sanosuke down from here so I can have a decent look at him."

Kenshin nodded and they carefully brought Sano down to ground level.

"He's been very badly hurt," Kenshin chose to state to obvious to the doctor and friend. "He was pinned under a rock . It fell across his back and left arm."

Doctor Gensai examined Sano, then announced, "It will be too far to take him back to the clinic. I will need to take him to a place where I can administer to him. Can anyone offer..." He never finished his sentence. There were too many offers.

Kenshin looked about in amazement. Not a single person had left. Even though the local children were safe and sound, they had all waited to see this stranger rescued. Now they were offering their homes to him.

It turned out that Shuhei had the best argument, he was a lonesome man with a relatively large home to offer. Centrally located with enough room to cater to the injured man and his friend.

There was a little voice among the crowd. Repeating "scuse me" politely over and over. The voice got louder as it approached the circle surrounding Sanosuke.

A little boy appeared, carrying something in his arms. "He needs a blanket," Kyou said as he walked up to the litter and started covering Sanosuke with it.

Enrii looked up to his sister as she emerged from the crowd. "He insisted we run to the house and get a blanket for him," Kyou's mother said in explanation. She tearfully smiled at the sight of her son carefully tucking in the blanket around the tall brunette man who had bravely gone into the mine to find the little boy.

"We must hurry," Gensai said solemnly, looking at Kenshin. A local offered use of his wagon.

They carefully loaded Sano into the wagon and made their way to Shuhei's home. It was late in the afternoon when they pulled up to the door.

The injured man was carried in through the shoji and then Gensai-sensei ushered everyone out of the room, excused himself to the use of his medicinal box and he would call on Kenshin when it was time.

"Would you like something to eat or drink?" Shuhei asked of the small red haired man. Kenshin just shook his head, his eyes on the room down the hall. "You're friend's going to be all right, young fel . . . you know, we never have been introduced. My name is Kinra Shuhei"

"Hmmm? Oh, so sorry. You are right. This one is Himura Kenshin," he said, returning the slight bow from the soba-shop owner.

"Himura Kenshin? You wouldn't be that young man causing something of a stir round Tokyo of late, would you?" Shuhei said in amazement. That explained the impressive sword skills shown at the cave-in, thought the elderly man.

"Yes," Kenshin said flatly. "What is taking so long?"

"I've heard that Gensai is an extraordinary doctor," Shuhei said, taking the hint that Kenshin was in no mood to be fussed over. "He is very thorough, I'm told," Shuhei commented.

"He is," Kenshin agreed. "Gensai-sensei is a close friend, he has tended many wounds. Thank you, Shuhei-dono for . . ."

"No thanks necessary," Shuhei interrupted. "This whole area is thankful for what you and your friend did today."

Kenshin was about to reply when Gensai-sensei called him and he rushed down the hall. The doctor stopped him just outside the door.

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Author's Free Talk:

Heh, my text program offered to put "Author's Freeloading" in there as I was typing that out. Okay, maybe I'm the only one that easily amused.

Any road, yes, I know, Kenshin to the rescue again. He gets that honor a lot in my stories for injured Sano. Somehow (maybe because I all ready wrote it) I have the feeling that Sano will be the one getting some well deserved praise for his efforts though. But he has to be well enough to receive that praise first, doesn't he?

Any particular bedside-guilt-trip scenes you folks want out of Kenshin and/or Sano during the recovery process? This is your last chance for input there, or i post what I have. I'd be amused to hear if anyone had any particular problems they wanted aired between the two friends though, you know I'd write them out

Thank you to all who have been reading this, and a smile and a grin for those kind enough to share their opinions in reviews.

Next Chapter: Hopes, Dreams, and Fears