A/N: Because many of you read all of my fanfictions, you will recognize the term below, Mesu Tora, from 'Beloved of The White Flame'. It refers to a female tiger... I have chose it to refer to a male tiger's mate, hence; Mesu Tora is the meito of the Kodora, or 'The Small Tiger'. The reference is the same for both stories but refer to different individuals and circumstances as well as different metaphorical exhibition and reasoning. Therefore, the similarities in the use of the term 'Mesu Tora' between the two fanfictions fairly well ends with the fact that it is naming the bearer as the Mate or Meito of The Kodora. Behavior manifestations and personality traits are completely individual to each female chosen to bear the Title of The Mesu Tora... as are the reactions, instincts, gifts, and skills of the one called 'The Kodora'.
A/N: I apologize for any scripting errors, spelling errors, and grammatical errors. I really stink at that stuff even though I have word perfect and everything. But I did not send this chapter to my dear Haruko. She is like swamped at home with a lot of things going on, and I did not want to add to her burdens right now… so, I'm flying on my own this time around. Bear with me please. You all know she is much better at beta reading than I am. I just felt like she needed a break to get caught up in her personal life… Send her you emotional support, I really think she could use it right now. God Bless Her. I'm dedicating this chapter in honor of her and all of the hours of hard work she puts in for me. Much love, and humble gratitude to you, My Dear Haruko. This is for you. Kanzen ne Tsuki
Glossary: Mesu Tora=Female Tiger, Kodora=Small Tiger, Meito=Mate
Chapter Eleven
The Kodora's Mesu Tora
October 31, 2001. Tuesday
Halloween Day, 5:38 p.m.
3 ½ hours before the dance
"Hey, is there room for one more in there, or is this a private party?" The trembling and tentative voice of Kenshin's younger brother quietly wormed its way into his ear successfully gaining his attention and pulling him a fraction or two away from the precious bundle of the warm, relaxed little Angel he held in his arms. Deep midnight blue eyes filled with the misty shine of unshed tears met and locked with the wide anxiety filled blue-gray ponds that belonged to a brother that meant nearly as much as the precious bundle, and Kenshin released a small hoarse cry of heart felt need as he reached out a strong arm and pulled the trembling form of his equally emotional brother into the fierceness of his desperate embrace.
"Soujiro... Oh God..." Kenshin pushed his face into his brothers shoulder as Soujiro's arms closed around him and tried to hold him tight without crushing the tender form of Cleo, who was pinned between their chests.
"Kenshhiin... I m-missed you... God, I missed you, b-brother..." And then the two brothers stood quietly in the middle of the hallway not making even the smallest sound. They just held onto each other and Cleo as if their very lives depended upon them remaining in close physical contact for as long as humanly possible, and no one standing around them in the hallway made any move to try and pull them apart. That was until Hiko began to notice the reactions that the 'tender' little scene was evoking within those people who were watching.
School Master Saitou, who was standing with his pretty wife, had his arm lovingly wrapped around her slender shoulders and her snugly tucked against the protection of his side. Tears were sliding down her lovely pale face, and she looked as if she might break out into 'Amazing Grace' at any moment there was such a look of sorrow frozen upon her fine boned features. Master Saitou himself looked as if he had swallowed something that tasted particularly bad the way his brows were drawn so tightly together and his thin lips were drawn back showing his teeth in half a snarl. He looked angry, disgusted, and appalled all at the same time, and Hiko felt a cold shiver of apprehension slither up his spine as the memory of the State Social Services threat suddenly began playing through his mind.
'Why the hell did the brats have to be so fucking emotional today of all days? Why couldn't they have waited until later... when we were in private? Why do they have to put on such a frigging show for everyone just when I'm trying to make everything look good? Don't they know anything, for God's sake?' Then his eyes caught sight of 'Her', and he felt a rush of new fury surge through his system erupting into a blazing inferno of white hot flame as it exploded into his blood stream. 'Who.. The fuck.. Is.. That?' She was beautiful on all accounts. Long silky black hair that was pulled back into a large butterfly barrette cascaded down her back like the flowing satin of raven's wings easily reaching her shapely hips where it ended in a mass of tumultuous curls. Huge rounded blue eyes glistening with the purity of fresh tears, glimmered in the pale afternoon light like twin sapphires filled with the eternal shine of perfectly matched crystals. She had the face of an angel. Sweet, innocent, fragile... another shiver rippled through his tall muscular frame that had nothing to do with apprehension or fury. Recognition. Rage. Grief? Confusion.
She was standing just a few feet behind Kenshin and his siblings, but not quite with the School Master and his wife, and as his heated emerald gaze raked over her slender youthful form, it became quite obvious to him. The tears in her eyes, the doe-faced look of hope and sorrow plastered across her delicate features, and the way she seemed to be unconsciously reaching toward the hugging threesome without actually approaching them all told him one undeniable thing. SHE was with HIM... with Kenshin. Somehow that little asshole had managed to get himself attached to the prettiest thing Hiko had seen in years... and for some unconscionable reason, it was really pissing him off. How in the bloody 7-hells had that red-haired demon managed to get himself a...
'Girlfriend??' Hiko's emerald green eyes narrowed dangerously as he continued to study the raven-haired girl behind Kenshin. 'He has never had a girlfriend before... He's never even had any real friends before... I thought I made sure of that.' Black eyebrows knitted together ominously as he reviewed his plans for his step-son's incarceration, and he began mentally clicking off details as he went. 'I made sure the rumors about the details of his arrest and conviction got dropped into mainstream circulation. That, in and of itself, would make it nigh impossible for him to gain anyone's trust or make friends. No self-respecting snobbish teenager one wants to be friends with a kid who killed an old man for practically no reason. After all, they have their own reputations to worry about without getting mixed up with a known felon.' A big mental smile passed through his mind as he savored the reactions the rumors he had carefully started had caused throughout the small school. That single act had all but ensured his step-son would forever remain a pariah at Ive Payne no matter how hard he tried. It was a silent victory that Hiko cherished every time he and Dharma came to visit the brat and found him still completely alone, and Hiko had made sure it stayed that way by carefully nurturing the foul story of the old man's demise at Kenshin's hands every chance he got.
But as Hiko watched the lovely black-haired girl cry and smile over Kenshin's emotionally charged reunion with his brother and sister, he felt the rise in his hatred of the boy grow even more because of her. He did not like Her being with Kenshin. He did not like it at all, and the more he thought about it, the more he knew she was going to mean trouble for all of his plans if he did not get the two of them apart somehow. How he was going to do that without everyone knowing it was by his hand, he did not know, but he had to get them separated before she ruined everything. At the moment he understood he had absolutely no power, it was going to take time to plan this whole thing out so he would not be suspect, but Hiko knew he could at least put an end to this current situation at hand before he lost total control. So, with that thought in mind, he strode up the hallway, pulled the brothers apart, and then started to try and take Cleo out of Kenshin's arms.
It was a poorly conceived idea on his part, and an even worse plan. Hiko was not prepared for what happened next, that he was not. But it was something that would be talked about by the Senior class of 2001, who came running out of the Gymnasium in response to the commotion, and inadvertently witnessed the entire event for weeks to come.
"All right, that is quite enough for now... come on, Soujiro, let go of your brother before you choke him." Kenshin vaguely felt the presence of his brothers body being roughly yanked away from him, and a sudden rush of cold air sent gooseflesh dancing across his arms and down his back as the warmth went with it. "Now then, Miss Cleo, come to Papa... you have been hanging around Kenshin's neck quite long enough... Come here..." Warning alarms and protective screaming instincts began going off in Kenshin's head all at the same time as he felt his step-father's hands grabbing at the warm little body laying on his chest, and that hated voice saying the words that would take his beautiful Angel away from him, but before he could react, he was suddenly holding a screaming, clamoring, clawing wild-cat in his arms. Cleo, it seemed, had absolutely no intention whatsoever of relinquishing her place of comfort and safety within her brothers arms, least of all to allow herself to be passed into the arms of 'Papa'.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONOOOOOOOOOOOOONOOOOOOOOOOO! IWANNNASTAY WITHKENSHIN!!IWANNASTAYWITHKENSHIN!!IWANNASTAYWITH KENSHIN!! WANNASTAYWANNASTAYWANNASTAYWANNASTAY!" She screamed and screamed while her arms and hands lashed out viciously at her Father making him take a surprised step back to avoid her thin razor sharp baby claws. A flood of tears streamed down her tiny face as she was visibly consumed by a panic that no one could explain or control... Except Kenshin, who at the moment was just as surprised and shocked as everyone else.
"Cleo Nyreece!" Hiko growled at his youngest child in a deep threatening voice as he advanced on her once more with the obvious intention of forcing her to let go of her brother. "I will not accept this behavior from you, Young Lady. You will cease this catter-whalling immediately and let go of your brother. You are embarrassing your Mother and I... and you are making a spectacle of yourself, and I will not have it... Do you hear me? I will not have it!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Cleo whailed and practically crawled around Kenshin's neck trying to get away from her Father's advancing presence. "I'm not a spekital... I'm not... I'm not..."
"You are... You are behaving like a spoiled brat... Now come here and stop all of this squalling and carrying on immediately." Hiko grabbed for her a second time, but found himself thwarted from reaching his goal by the iron grip of a very strong hand around as it closed around his wrist like a steel vice.
"I do not think she wants to go with you just now... Sir." The voice was low, steady, but completely neutral. Not one hint of a threat or disrespect was evident in the tone, yet there was no giving in to it either. It was a simply spoken statement, but it had a sense of finality about it that was undeniable if not unsettling and the hallway grew cold and silent as a grave as the eyes of the crowd of newly gathered spectators froze in disbelieving awe and dread.
"I'm sure I did not hear you right... Kenshin." Hiko's voice was cold as ice as he turned his head and met the level dark lavender gaze of his red-headed step-son.
"I assure you... Sir. You heard me quite clearly." Still the voice was steady and neutral while the grip on Hiko's wrist remained clenched tight as a vice. "It seems to me that she wants to spend a bit more time with me, and I do not see any problem with that whatsoever. She is not a problem or a burden to me. In fact, Sir, I am quite enjoying this reunion with her. After all, I have not seen her for almost 4 years, have I?" Hiko was cornered, and he knew it, but he was not ready to give in yet.
"No, you have not, Kenshin." Icy hatred filled his emerald eyes although his voice remained as even toned as the boy-man in front of him. "That is precisely why I think she needs to come back to her Father... She really does not know you... does she? You are still a stranger to her... aren't you?" A malicious gleam of victory shimmered in those evil pools of deep dark green as Hiko expectantly held his free arm out to receive his daughter, but once more, he was not prepared for what happened next.
"Perhaps, Sir, you should ask Cleo what 'she' wants to do instead of making such an important decision for her by yourself. It appears to me that you are not very well versed in child psychology or you would realize that causing her more emotional trauma after such an important event as this can only bring about further problems and bonding issues later in her life as well as separation anxiety and abandonment problems now." A gentle yet knowing smile curved Kenshin's mouth as he carefully released his grip on his step-fathers wrist. "What she needs at this moment is reassurance and security, not further emotional upheaval and identity issues to resolve. Surely a man of your intelligence can understand that. She is quite safe where she is at this point, and I am quite comfortable in keeping her right here, so, if you don't mind... Sir, let's just leave things the way they are, shall we?"
Hiko stood frozen with his eyes blown wide open in shocked outrage. 'How dare that little prick lecture me...' He raged inside his mind as he took in the gentle smile and the diamond hard violet crystals in the face of the boy-man standing steadily before him without any show of fear or apology for his actions. 'He's not the least bit afraid of me.' Hiko realized, as a rush of superiority complex surged through his boiling psyche. This was no longer the little wild animal that had always got in his way at home while he was trying to mete out his measure of discipline... Kenshin had grown up, and being all on his 'lonely' had forced him to grow up in a way Hiko had never bargained on.
Kenshin had done Hiko one better than he had ever given him credit for. The kid had always had more guts than he knew what to do with, and he had used them blindly like an untried wolf-cub, but now... Now he had the brain and confidence to go with the guts, and he was by no means any mans fool. Kenshin had grown into the personification of 'The Bad Kid' Hiko had always told everyone he was. Cold. Emotionless. Self-assured. Intelligent. Deliberate. And Manipulative to a fault. If he had not known for himself that Kenshin was incapable of murder or truly harming anyone, seeing him like this could almost change his mind. The kid was bloody unnerving and Hiko felt as if he had just been 'castrated' in front of all of these people by the calm, deadly intelligence that had quietly outmaneuvered him. A blinding red hot rage began boiling up within him sifting dangerously through his rational mind shifting his perspective away from his original goal, and his large hands clenched unseen into massive fists at his sides.
"You forget yourself, boy..." Hiko snarled in a low warning voice that bespoke a violence in the man Kenshin knew all to well. "I'm still your Father, and it is my rules we live by... not yours." A slow nonchalant half smile lifted the corner of Kenshin lips as his eyes shaded a gleaming violet- gold, and he once more shifted Cleo's light weight onto one hip.
"Let's get one thing straight, old man..." All eyes suddenly turned toward Kenshin as they listened to a voice they had heard a thousand-thousand times. It was his 'I don't give a shit, you go to hell,' voice, and none of them could believe he was using it on this mountain of a man... who was his Father. "I'm not a 'boy' anymore."
"Maybe... maybe not... but, I am still your Father."
"Is that so..."
"Yes, that's so."
"I don't think so. And Kenshin's eyes flashed a deep rich gleaming gold that shown eerily from his stony face as he locked and held the raging green gaze of the furious man in front of him. The sound of several muffled gasps could be heard coming from all around the two men, but neither seemed to be hearing any of them as the tension between them soared a hundredfold.
Saitou gripped Tokio's shoulders painfully as he watched in disbelief the scene that was now unfolding itself before him. He had actually thought that everything was going to be all right once the three siblings had gotten together. It had shocked him beyond rational thought when the old man had yanked young Soujiro away from Kenshin and then tried to take the little girl away as well. What was he thinking? Was he insane? Didn't he have any idea what that kind of a separation could and would do to those kids? Did he even give a shit? Now, he was watching something he had never thought to see. Hiko Seijurou practically threatening Kenshin, and in front of so many witnesses.
"Hey, Dad?" Ruakii sidled over next to his parents with Tomoe in hand, a look of confusion and worry on both of their faces. "What's up with Himura? Who are all those people? We heard all this screaming and shit clear in the Gym. What's going on?"
"Kenshin's family." Saitou's voice was tight as he spoke and he did not turn to look at his son as he spoke which was quite unusual and struck Ruakii as very strange.
"His Family?? If it's his family, what is all the screaming about?"
"Not here, Ruakii... not now... later."
"But Dad..."
"Later." Saitou's voice was sharp and final bringing a look of hurt to his son's face until he turned to follow the line of his Father's intense gaze. That was when he noticed Kenshin holding a little girl in his arms with her arms wrapped so tightly around his neck it looked like she might pull his head right off, and he was facing a mountain of a man with black hair who was looking death at him.
"Who is the little girl, Mom?" Ruakii asked as he cast a furtive look at the equally confused Tomoe.
"Kenshin's little sister, Cleo."
"Sister?? Himura has a little sister? I didn't know that."
"No one does but your Father and I... He hasn't seen her since she was a baby."
"Why not?"
"His Step-Father wouldn't allow it." Saitou's voice was like ice. "He believes Kenshin is a bad influence and does not want him to have a bad affect on Cleo."
"That is bullshit!" Ruakii snorted. "Himura's may be an asshole, but he's not a bad influence on anybody."
"Hummmm.... Maybe you should tell HIM that sometime, Ruakii." Saitou finally turned and met the dark brown gaze of his son. "He could use all the friends he can get."
"What do you mean by that? The guy won't let anybody be his friend, Dad... He's a fucking loner. Besides, he did kill that old man you know..."
"Do you really believe that, Ruakii? Do you really believe that if you can stand there and say he's not a bad influence on anyone?"
"Well... I... I... What do you believe, Dad?"
"I believe he's innocent."
"WHAT??"
"You heard me. So does your Mother."
"I... I don't know." Ruakii looked at Tomoe who was now wearing a confused thoughtful look on her pretty face. "What?" He asked as she turned to look at him. "What are you thinking?"
"Well, if he was really as bad as everyone says... would he have... well, would he have been able to get Kaoru-the-mouse to trust him when no one else could?"
"Good point..."
"You never know, Ruakii.." Saitou said to his now ambivalent son . "Even I was willing to believe everything the Police and his parents fed me about him, but lately... I just can't swallow it anymore. It's a suit that just doesn't fit him like it used to... 'Course, I don't think it ever did fit. We made it fit because it was easier to do that than try to figure out who he really was."
"Who is he Dad... I mean, what are you talking about?"
"Look at him, Ruakii... Just look at him." And Ruakii's brown eyes turned to watch as the nemesis of his teenage life protectively held a little girl tightly against his heart while facing the biggest, most frightening looking 'beast' of a man Ruakii had ever seen.
"You forget yourself, old man... You are not MY Father, and I do not have to listen to you anymore." If Hiko's voice had been icy, then Kenshin's was cold and smooth as a polar lake. "You are the One who abandoned ME here, and for that, I owe you a great thanks. It is the only decent thing you ever did for me."
"You arrogant little bastard. How dare you speak to me in such a manner. I demand you show me the respect that is due me. I AM still your LEGAL Father, and you will honor me as such." Kenshin watched blandly as the large man advanced one threatening pace in his direction. He did not move an inch. He did not even flinch, but calmly stood his ground.
"At the moment," He replied, his voice dropping to a low rumble in his chest. "'You' are MY legal nothing, or have you forgotten who my LEGAL guardians are? If you have, allow me to introduce them to you. I am sure you remember School Master Hajime Saitou and his lovely Wife, Tokio Takagi." Kenshin politely waved toward the mentioned couple who both took several steps forward showing their presence and support for the young man. Hiko could feel himself losing ground quickly in this battle of words and wills, but that realization only seemed to push him forward despite the knowledge that he was putting his own plans for further interference and manipulations into jeopardy. His rage was making him careless, but he would see this insolent little prick on his knees begging for leniency before he was through if it was the last he did today.
"Do not try to match wits with me, young man. You will surely lose if you do. I have always had the upper hand in all things to do with you and your life, so if you have no wish for further difficulties... give Cleo to me and I will remain true to my agreement with Master Saitou, and allow your brother to come to school with you. Otherwise... the deal is off. Get me?"
Slowly Kenshin turned around and gestured to the girl behind him. Quiet words were spoken between them, and a very complacent Cleo was tenderly handed over and wrapped snugly up against the girls soft breasts even as the little girl wrapped her own little arms around that graceful neck and sought refuge in the mane of silky black hair. Another gesture was made and Soujiro walked over to stand beside the girl as well, and then Kenshin turned back and faced Hiko. A slow smile of pure acid crossed his handsome face as he deliberately shifted his feet apart about eighteen inches.
"Isn't that just like you... Father," He sneered over the word making it sound more like a disparaging slur than an honorable Title. "Manipulating the deal after the papers are all signed and delivered because the odd wrinkle or two showed up to cramp your style..." Pale hued golden crystals shimmered with life, and then began to glitter brilliantly like polished amber in the sun as Kenshin's fighting energy and protective spirit began to rise to the surface. "Well, let me enlighten you, old man. This time, that isn't going to happen. This time, you do not get to change the rules to suit yourself. This time... We play it my way... we play by my rules, not yours."
"Oh My God..." Saitou could feel the sudden rising shift in Kenshin's ki as if another physical entity of pure elemental energy had entered the hallway and joined them. The power and strength of his purpose was enormous as it reached outward from his body and blanketed all of those people around him in a shield of golden warmth. "Kodora... what are you doing?"
Ruakii looked up at his Father in bewilderment and laid a questioning hand on the taut muscle of his shoulder. "What's going on, Dad?" He asked in a shaky voice. "Can you feel it? What is 'this'? What is happening?"
"It is Kenshin's spirit ki, Ruakii. He is preparing to do battle, and he is trying to protect all of us as well."
"It... It's huge... I-I've never felt anything this big before, Dad... "
"Neither have I." Ruakii's head whipped up and he stared at the shocked look on his Father's usually stern profile. He could see the awe and wonderment on his father face as well as the worry and confusion.
"Dad??"
"I didn't know he could do this... I didn't know."
"I did." The low baritone of Sanosuke Sagara drifted over Ruakii's shoulder and into Saitou's hearing range. "I saw it once, but only for a minute... that was enough."
"Is he dangerous like this, Sano?"
"Yes, Sir... Scared the shit out of me... but he can control it... if he wants to."
"If he wants to... God help us."
"Your rules?!" Hiko roared and finally lost his perspective completely to the rage surging through his system and lunged at the red-haired golden-eyed demon in front of him. 'You're dead!' His mind screamed. 'You're dead!' And he sent the massive ball of his clenched fist at a deadly speed toward the hated face of his step-son. 'DIE!!!' But his fist found no purchase and Hiko stumbled past the place Kenshin had been standing only an instant before. 'What the...' He turned swiftly in an attempt to defend any counter punches, but instead found his adversary standing in a low crouch several feet away eyeing him with a bland look. 'How...'
"You are getting slow, old man." Was the sarcastic remark from the seemingly unruffled young man staring at him. "I seem to remember you being able to move much faster than that... or maybe, I just got better than you. Which would you say is the reason that you missed me when you had such a clear shot of my head?" One elegant brown eyebrow raised questioningly as the golden gaze raked over the older man in quick assessment. "I think you just got too slow... don't you?" The slur was obvious.
"You fucking little bastard..." Hiko puffed in a breathy whisper meant only for Kenshin's ears as he squared his shoulders and rolled his neck. "It really is about time I taught you a lesson... You've been gone way too long, haven't you? You forgot whose in charge, and where the line of command starts... and ends. And... you forgot whose got all the answers to your past..." He smiled with evil satisfaction as he watched the look of profound understanding that crossed Kenshin's face as the words he had just said sank in. "That's right, you little maggot. I'm the one who fixed everything so you'd end up taking the whole rap for what went down that night." Sneering with victory, Hiko hissed his confession into Kenshin's stunned face. "I did it all. I fed you to the Police on a Silver Platter... I made your Mother give you up... I did everything." An evil whispery laugh slid between his lips as he waited for the cold reality to settle deep into that arrogant insolent mind. "What do you think about that, Maggot-boy? Huh? How does that little piece of Knowledge set in your craw? I hope it burns. I hope it burns like hell."
Kenshin forced his features to remain completely devoid of emotion as the fury of three and a half years of wrongful incarceration and a wrongful verdict of guilty rushed through his body like the flood of a hundred rivers surging into a empty lake bed.
On purpose... the old sonofabitch had done it on purpose to get him out of the house. But why? Kenshin's mind was whirling and spinning on the edge of irrational fury even as it raced trying to see a reason as to why Hiko would go to such outlandish lengths to get him away from the rest of the family... and for such a long time as well. And then it came to him like the flash of a mighty lightening bolt. Power. Control. Infinite Superiority without conflict. Perfect Domination.
Kenshin had been the thorn in his side, the gall in his throat, the bane of his existence... his life's nemesis. Kenshin had been the one and only thing Hiko could not control, and he had been the one thing that kept getting in the way of Hiko's being able to control everyone else. Kenshin had always tried to protect his Mother and his Brother from his step-father's raging abuse. It had been his unrelenting tenacity that had forced him to stand up to the unrighteous authority again and again and again no matter how badly he was beaten. He would rather die than stand aside and allow the others to be abused, and he had fought Hiko like a wild thing every single day they had lived together as Father and Son, and because of that, Hiko hated Kenshin more than anything else in his life. Kenshin was the only thing he had never been able to dominate. No matter how much he beat him or punished him, Hiko had never been able to break the boys spirit or his sense of honor and responsibility toward the others. Sending him away was his last resort and the only way to be rid of the boy... short of killing him. (Though, the thought had occurred to him often enough.)
But now Hiko waited. Waited with baited breath for the boy-man to lose his precious control and drop his guard. It would happen, he knew it would happen. But, then again, nothing had happened the way he had expected it to that day.
"It sets just fine with me, old man." Kenshin kept his voice low as well, not wanting everyone to hear this particular conversation. Why he had been convicted and incarcerated was becoming irrelevant to him as well as a mute point. "You dumping me in here still remains the best thing you ever did for me. At least I had the chance to find out what it feels like to have somebody care what happens to me."
"What? You mean Her? That pretty little black-haired whore you got over there?" Something back in the far reaches of his brain began to wriggle around as that particular insult spilt from his thin lips. It sounded… familiar? "You think she really cares abut YOU? If you do, then you are even more stupid than you were three years ago when I cut you loose." Hiko's tone was cruel, but then, it was intended to be, and he watched carefully to see what sort of reaction he would get out of Kenshin after calling his pretty little girl a whore. To his continued consternation and growing frustration, there was not one. Kenshin just remained in his defensive crouch staring solemnly at Hiko with those crazy looking gold colored eyes. "What's the matter, boy…" He sneered desperately trying to get a rise out of the stoic teen like he used to be able to. "No more fight left in you?" Hiko ran a hand roughly through his thick black hair as he grinned mockingly at his step-son. "You never were much of one to fight very long, were you? I always could beat you without raising a sweat."
"Hmmmm," Kenshin's voice remained quiet though it easily shifted toward a more menacing tone as his eyes narrowed into wolfish slits. "Seems to me that YOU are the only one sweating in here at the moment, old man, and you have yet to lay a single finger on me... I wonder what that means?"
"It doesn't mean anything." Hiko snarled and flexed his shoulder eyeing the crouched teen.
"Really... Seems to me it could mean a lot of things."
"Like what?" Long nimble fingers deliberately folded themselves into a rock hard fist.
"Like, for instance... You have gotten slow and sloppy in my absence, or... You weren't prepared for me to be all grown up and facing you like a man, or... maybe it's both, plus you've just gotten fat and lazy with nobody to keep you on your toes since I left. Whatever it is, you are a pitiful excuse for a man the way you are. You are nothing but an overstuffed bully in a $3,000.00 suit." The last was spoken in a voice that so resembled the low growl of an animal that the short hairs on the back of Hiko's neck stood up in silent alarm, and it was in that moment that the big man finally realized something very important. Kenshin was playing with him. Kenshin was playing with him like a cat plays with a mouse, and had he had been playing with him almost from the very first moment he had grabbed his wrist when he tried to take Cleo. Hiko suddenly knew he was outclassed and outmatched... and a little pinch of fear tweaked deep down inside his stomach as he locked gazes with the golden eyed man wolf crouched before him. No longer the untried cub fighting on instinct and guts alone… He knew exactly what he was doing, and in the space of a breath, had turned the tables on the blustering abuser. 'He is better than I am...'
Suddenly the blur of Hiko's tan trench coat was all anyone could see as he rushed Kenshin's smaller crouched form in a blinding burst of unnatural speed, and as the hulking beast bore down on the young warrior, a high thin scream of terror split the stillness of the hallway letting the blood of the past pour forth upon the two men in a fountain of truth and grief.
"KENNSSHHHINN!!!" Dharma was screaming hysterically as she flew forward toward the scene and what she feared most would happen.
Hiko was going to kill her son... after all this time, after everything she had done and gone through... after everything she had given up... He was going to kill Kenshin anyway.
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
But Kenshin was ready... He had been ready from the moment he had taken up his defensive stance. It was the same one he had used on Ruakii the day of Kata Finals, and he was going to use it on his Step-Father the same way.
As Hiko lunged at him bringing the cannonball of his fist arching downward at a sharp angle meant to catch Kenshin in the side of head, thus crushing his temporal bone and possibly killing him, Kenshin, using his shorter stature to his advantage, ducked beneath the punch and caught the right side of his step-father's chest against the ball of his left shoulder. As he absorbed the concussing force of the lunge with his left knee, Kenshin braced his right foot firmly behind him, twisted himself sharply at the waist bringing his right shoulder around in a hard roll, and smashed his squarely clenched fist dead-on into the center of Hiko's heavily muscled center of gravity with all of the leverage he possessed as well as the power he had absorbed from Hiko himself.
"EEEEEEEEEEEYYAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
THHUUDDD!!
"AARROOOFFFFFF!!"
WHAMMP!!
The incredible mass of Hiko Seijuro sailed backwards through the air coming to rest in a hard impact on the old wood floor about ten feet away from Kenshin, who was standing still as a statue frozen in contact stance, his eyes blown open wide into fiery golden orbs and his mouth trembling as if he were standing in chilled ice water.
What happened next happened in a flurry of blurred bodies and muted colors.
Kaoru swiftly handed Cleo to a gapping Soujiro who took her in his shaking arms.
Saitou yelled for Ruakii to go and call the Police as he leapt forward and rushed toward the fallen Hiko.
Dharma Himura stumbled in midstride as the shock of her son's action against his step- father exploded in her mind, and as she dropped to the floor in a dead faint, Tokio ran quickly to her side.
And then Kenshin was slumping to his knees in a state of post shock induced exhaustion his head drooping dangerously close to the floor, but before he could topple over completely, he was seized in the strong, wildly frightened embrace of his one beloved, his Mesu Tora, who pulled him back up and crushed him against the steadiness of her young body.
"Kenshin???" Kaoru cried his name in an anxious voice as she felt him go limp against her. "Kenshin?? Are you all right?? Kenshin?!" No response came from him and she gathered him up even closer into her arms until she had his face pressed against the curve of her neck. "It's all right, Baby..." She crooned to him as she began rocking him back and forth while stroking the back of his head. "It's all over... and you are Ok... Cleo is Ok too... You did it, Sweetie... You beat him... You beat him... You did it." Over and over she assured and reassured the limp red-headed form draped over her shoulder even as tears began to slide down her cheeks. She still could not believe what she had just seen. It had been like watching something out of a movie, and that was about how much control she had felt like she had over the situation. But as helpless as she had felt then, she felt a hundred times more helpless now.
"Is he Ok, Kaoru?" Slowly she looked up and met the dark concerned eyes of Ruakii Saitou as he knelt down in front of her and her precious burden. "Do you need some help?"
"He's... He's gone unconscious I think..." She sounded so small Ruakii felt a squeeze in his gut that soon formed an unwanted lump in his throat.
"Yeah... He's pretty much out it looks like... Why don't you let me help you... I'll pick him up and we can take him back to the dorm, Ok?"
"Ok..." Her huge blue eyes gazed at him with such a look of helplessness Ruakii knew he was doing the right thing. He was still reeling from the shock of what had just happened himself. He had never seen anything like that before in his life... at least not in a real fight. The way that Kenshin had used that big man's own power against him and leveled him like a pile-driver had been nothing short of 'sweet', and it was in that moment that Ruakii knew he would never be as good as Kenshin and he did not want to try to be anymore. Now he knew why Kenshin trained so hard, why he was such a cold hard ass, and why concentration was such a big deal to him. If Ruakii had to live with the thought of having to face what Kenshin had just faced, then maybe being as good as him would be important again, but he did not have to face what Kenshin just had. He did not have to worry about living with that kind of an animal in his house, and he did not have to worry about protecting himself or his little sister. In the space of only a few moments, Ruakii Saitou's opinion of Kenshin Himura had completely changed, and a respect he thought he would never feel for the aloof sarcastic red-head had finally grown within his soul.
Kenshin was a real warrior. He knew what it meant to fight for a reason... a REAL reason. No wonder Ruakii had never been able to goad him into a fight. He had worse things to deal with and worry about than punk fights and petty rivalries.
Carefully Ruakii bent down and maneuvered Kenshin's unconscious body over his shoulder and then stood up lifting it up with him. After making several adjustments, he turned and motioned for Kaoru to follow. As they passed, Soujiro fell in behind them, Cleo still held snugly in his arms her little face awash with tears of fear and anguish. She had witness most of the engagement from Kaoru's arms despite the girls attempt to prevent it, and although she had not cried out or screamed, her little body had shuddered uncontrollably until it was all over.
"Is Kensh-shin dead, Soujiro?" She asked in a terrified whisper as they followed the boy who was carrying their brother.
"No, baby. He's not dead... don't even think that way." Soujiro gently wiped her face and kissed her cheek. "He's just.... sort of sleeping, but he's going to be Ok, so don't you worry or anything. I promise he is going to be Ok."
"Promise?" Rounded blue eyes searched his face as she sniffled and bit her lower lip in worry.
"I promise... cross my heart." And he made the motion so she could see. "Ok?"
"Ok...but I'm still scared... what about Papa?"
"I don't want you to think about Papa right now, Cleo... I don't want you to think about Papa at all. Understand?" Serious blue-gray eyes looked steadily into her small worried face. "Papa doesn't matter right now... Only Kenshin matters... And he is all I want you to think about... Got it?"
"Got it." She buried her nose against his cheek and chin and hugged him close. "I love you, Soujiro."
"I love you too, Baby." He rubbed his face against her nose and squeezed her little body. "I love you too... and so does Kenshin. You remember that, Ok?"
"I do... I remember, Soujiro. I love him too."
"That is good, Baby. That is really good."
"Soujiro?"
"What Cleo?"
"Can I stay here and live with you and Kenshin?"
"I don't know, Baby..." Soujiro felt the burn of emotion crawl through his chest as he thought of letting her go back to Denton with their parents. "I don't know."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saitou knelt beside the stunned form of Kenshin's step-father looking into the glazed dark green eyes waiting for the man to regain his rational thought so he could find out if he were all right or not. Ruakii it seemed, had tossed his cell phone to Tomoe who had called 911 and reported the fight and the Police were on their way. He could hear the sirens already.
"You evil sonofabitch..." He muttered under his breath as he looked up and considered the fallen form of Dharma Seijuro where she had fainted in the middle of the hallway on her way to try and save her son from the hammering fists of his step-father. "What sick twisted games have you been playing with these two the last 3 years? What did you threaten her with that made her agree to putting Kenshin in here and then basically abandoning him? What the hell did you do?"
On the floor beside him, Hiko began to moan and move. "Wh-whaat the h-hell..."
"I wouldn't be moving around too much if I were you, Mr. Seijuro. At least not until we find out whether or not you're hurt."
"Hurt?" Hiko raised his head a couple of inches off the floor and sharply shook it as if trying to clear it of some sort of a fog. "I am not hurt." He growled and tried to set up, but then moaned painfully and clutched his chest. "Damn... maybe I'll have to rethink that. What the hell happened?" He asked with mild confusion in his deep voice as he gingerly lowered himself back to the floor.
"You don't remember?" Saitou gazed at the larger man suspiciously.
"Remember? Remember what?"
"The fight you just had with your son, Mr. Seijuro."
"Fight? What are you talking about, a fight?" Thin black eyebrows furrowed angrily as emerald eyes snapped with accusation. "I would never fight with Soujiro, so just exactly what are you inferring Master Saitou?"
"I was not referring to Soujiro, Mr. Seijuro... I was referring to Kenshin. You just had a fist fight with your oldest son right here in the hallway of Ive Payne... Do you remember NOW?"
"With Ken...?" Saitou watched as the confusion and anger slowly disappeared from the big mans eyes as was replaced by the realization that he had indeed just had a fight with his oldest step- son... in front of more than a dozen witnesses... and he had lost.
"Ahhhhh, I see, you DO remember... perhaps you would allow me to help you up now. It would appear the only injury you sustained was some deep bruising around your sternum. It does not appear you hit your head when you landed, and that was my main worry. You did fly several feet before hitting the floor, you know."
"I-I did?" Hiko looked up into the thin face of the School Master just in time to catch the fleeting look of pride and appreciation before it was replaced with his usual mask of plain indifference.
"Indeed, you did. I estimate at least eight or ten feet. So, you really are quite lucky you did not slam your head when you landed. Quite lucky. It was a hellofa punch."
"Are those siren's I can hear?" Hiko asked as the high-pitched whine reached his ears.
"Yes Sir. We called the Police. They should be here any moment now."
"Good."
"Excuse me?" Saitou raised a questioning brow at Hiko's statement as he helped the larger man carefully stand up. "Why do you say that?"
"Because I want to press charges against that wild animal for assaulting me."
"Assaulting 'you'?" The astonishment in Saitou's voice was so profound that Hiko turned and looked at him indignantly.
"Yes, assaulting ME." He brushed some dust off the sleeves of his tan trench coat as he eyed the dozen or more teens that were gathered around silently watching with their large bewildered eyes. "He struck me while I never laid a single finger on him. In my book, that qualifies as assault. Plus, he refused to return my daughter to me... I could almost accuse him of kidnaping as well." Cold green crystals turned to meet the angry confusion of Saitou's topaz gaze as Hiko nonchalantly straightened his cuffs and collar. "Indeed, I could have Kenshin arrested for several gross violations of his parole which would land his insolent little ass right in the county jail."
"Not without witnesses you can't." Saito spoke very smoothly and very coldly bringing Hiko's gaze back to his face. "I won't let you."
"You have no say in the matter, Master Saito. It is my word against your's, and since I am the one who is injured and Kenshin is obviously untouched... the case is simple. He assaulted me."
"He was defending himself."
"Was he?" A cruel smile curled Hiko's mouth as he fixed his tie. "We'll see."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ruakii laid Kenshin down on his bed and Kaoru gently fixed a pillow under his head. Bitting her lip in worry, she tenderly reached out to smooth some of the tangles of red out of his pale face. He had expended so much energy trying to remain calm, trying to concentrate, trying to remain in control that he had completely over taxed his body and mind to the point of total shut down, and she wondered how long it would take for him to recover. How long would it take for him to wake up? Concern and helplessness congealed in her chest threatening to cut of her air as she carefully sat down next to him and placed her hand against his cold cheek.
"Kenshin?" She whispered his name brokenly as her thumb stroked against his skin. "It will be Ok, Sweetie... You are going to be Ok... I'm here, Soujiro is here, and so is Cleo. We are all here, so it's all right if you rest now, you did what you had to do, and it's Ok if you rest... so you rest, Baby. We will be here when you wake up. I promise." And then she leaned down to him and pressed a soft kiss against his still lips and another to his cheek. "I promise I'll be here when you wake up, Baby... I promise I will." Then Kaoru stood up and turned to look at Soujiro and Ruakii. "I have to go back out there for when the Police come. Somebody has to stay here with him...?"
"I wanna stay... let me stay, please let me stay. I'll be quiet, I promise... Please??" Cleo's little voice was filled with entreaty as her round blue eyes searched Kaoru's pale face. "Please let me stay."
"Of course you can stay, Kitten." Kaoru held her arms out for the little girl, and as Soujiro handed her over, Cleo's little arms wound themselves tightly around Kaoru's neck. "But you can't leave the room. You have to stay right here with Kenshin. Will you do that, Kitten? Will you promise to stay right here while the three of us go back up to the school?"
"Yes... I promise I won't go anywhere... I won't leave Kenshin for even one minute."
"That is my good girl." Kaoru hugged the precious little red-haired Angel and kissed her cheek. "I know Kenshin would be so happy to wake up and find you with him."
"Really?" Hope shone from the rounded pools of midnight blue as they stared into Kaoru's glittering sapphires. "Would he really be happy to see me?"
"Yes Kitten... You know he would. So why don't you climb up there next to him and snuggle close and go to sleep. I think you are a little tired too, aren't you?" Cleo nodded her head and tried to hide a yawn that automatically stretched her mouth open at the mention of sleeping. "I thought so." Kaoru smiled and kissed the little girl again. "Here you go," She said as she deposited the warm bundle onto the bed next to Kenshin and watched as Cleo snuggled up next to her brother and laid her head on his chest. "You go to sleep now, everything is going to be Ok."
"Ok." Cleo nodded and yawned widely again then let her eyes close. It would not be long until she would be asleep. It had been a very long day for the little one. Very long indeed.
Closing the door with a subtle 'click', the three teenagers quietly left the room and headed back to the main building where all of the adults were. As their feet raced across the snow covered grass, they could hear the sound of the Police siren's getting closer, and a feeling of anxiousness and determination began to grow deep within Kaoru's heart. Kenshin. They were coming for Kenshin.
'I won't let them take you away, Kenshin.' She vowed to him inside her mind as her feet flew across the ground. 'I won't let them have you again. I won't let this happen again. I swear it to you, My Kodora. I won't let them do this to you again... I will fight for you every step of the way, and I will not let them have you. 'HE' will not make what happened today your fault, and I won't let them blame you for this... I swear I won't. I'll make them understand... I'll make them see... I promise you, Kenshin. It's my turn to protect you, and I won't fail... I promise you I won't fail.'
It seemed that in the face of Kenshin's personal war, and the recent battle he had just fought, that the quiet frightened mouse that had been Kaoru Kamiya was beginning to evolve into something much more powerful. Her own pain and trouble was being pushed aside as she placed her 'Kodora's' needs before her own. Kenshin needed her. He needed her to be strong for him. He needed her to fight for him while he could not fight for himself, and as the true spirit of the Mesu Tora was born within her heart, Kaoru flew on the wings of an Avenging Angel with every determination to protect her beloved Meito.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Hmmmm...One has to set and ponder now... why does Kaoru seem 'familiar' to Hiko, and why does it cause him grief and anger that she is with Kenshin? And why is it imperative for him to get them apart at any cost? And where do Soujiro, Cleo, and Dharma fit into all of this tangled mess? Sooo many questions...so few clues... This 'fight' is long from over, and the Somber Man is far from being out of the picture. Old habits die hard, and revenge is best served cold. Halloween is nigh, and the hour of Samhain is almost upon us. Does 'Love' really conquer all?
Please read and review… this was actually a very difficult chapter to write. It is one of those dang transition chapters that you have to write in order to move from one aspect of a story to another… they are a real pain, but necessary. And yes……. The dance is stiiiillllll coming…. And lots of surprises with it. Not all of them are good either. Wink. ~~~~~~~~~~~poof* Tsuki-san
A/N: I apologize for any scripting errors, spelling errors, and grammatical errors. I really stink at that stuff even though I have word perfect and everything. But I did not send this chapter to my dear Haruko. She is like swamped at home with a lot of things going on, and I did not want to add to her burdens right now… so, I'm flying on my own this time around. Bear with me please. You all know she is much better at beta reading than I am. I just felt like she needed a break to get caught up in her personal life… Send her you emotional support, I really think she could use it right now. God Bless Her. I'm dedicating this chapter in honor of her and all of the hours of hard work she puts in for me. Much love, and humble gratitude to you, My Dear Haruko. This is for you. Kanzen ne Tsuki
Glossary: Mesu Tora=Female Tiger, Kodora=Small Tiger, Meito=Mate
Chapter Eleven
The Kodora's Mesu Tora
October 31, 2001. Tuesday
Halloween Day, 5:38 p.m.
3 ½ hours before the dance
"Hey, is there room for one more in there, or is this a private party?" The trembling and tentative voice of Kenshin's younger brother quietly wormed its way into his ear successfully gaining his attention and pulling him a fraction or two away from the precious bundle of the warm, relaxed little Angel he held in his arms. Deep midnight blue eyes filled with the misty shine of unshed tears met and locked with the wide anxiety filled blue-gray ponds that belonged to a brother that meant nearly as much as the precious bundle, and Kenshin released a small hoarse cry of heart felt need as he reached out a strong arm and pulled the trembling form of his equally emotional brother into the fierceness of his desperate embrace.
"Soujiro... Oh God..." Kenshin pushed his face into his brothers shoulder as Soujiro's arms closed around him and tried to hold him tight without crushing the tender form of Cleo, who was pinned between their chests.
"Kenshhiin... I m-missed you... God, I missed you, b-brother..." And then the two brothers stood quietly in the middle of the hallway not making even the smallest sound. They just held onto each other and Cleo as if their very lives depended upon them remaining in close physical contact for as long as humanly possible, and no one standing around them in the hallway made any move to try and pull them apart. That was until Hiko began to notice the reactions that the 'tender' little scene was evoking within those people who were watching.
School Master Saitou, who was standing with his pretty wife, had his arm lovingly wrapped around her slender shoulders and her snugly tucked against the protection of his side. Tears were sliding down her lovely pale face, and she looked as if she might break out into 'Amazing Grace' at any moment there was such a look of sorrow frozen upon her fine boned features. Master Saitou himself looked as if he had swallowed something that tasted particularly bad the way his brows were drawn so tightly together and his thin lips were drawn back showing his teeth in half a snarl. He looked angry, disgusted, and appalled all at the same time, and Hiko felt a cold shiver of apprehension slither up his spine as the memory of the State Social Services threat suddenly began playing through his mind.
'Why the hell did the brats have to be so fucking emotional today of all days? Why couldn't they have waited until later... when we were in private? Why do they have to put on such a frigging show for everyone just when I'm trying to make everything look good? Don't they know anything, for God's sake?' Then his eyes caught sight of 'Her', and he felt a rush of new fury surge through his system erupting into a blazing inferno of white hot flame as it exploded into his blood stream. 'Who.. The fuck.. Is.. That?' She was beautiful on all accounts. Long silky black hair that was pulled back into a large butterfly barrette cascaded down her back like the flowing satin of raven's wings easily reaching her shapely hips where it ended in a mass of tumultuous curls. Huge rounded blue eyes glistening with the purity of fresh tears, glimmered in the pale afternoon light like twin sapphires filled with the eternal shine of perfectly matched crystals. She had the face of an angel. Sweet, innocent, fragile... another shiver rippled through his tall muscular frame that had nothing to do with apprehension or fury. Recognition. Rage. Grief? Confusion.
She was standing just a few feet behind Kenshin and his siblings, but not quite with the School Master and his wife, and as his heated emerald gaze raked over her slender youthful form, it became quite obvious to him. The tears in her eyes, the doe-faced look of hope and sorrow plastered across her delicate features, and the way she seemed to be unconsciously reaching toward the hugging threesome without actually approaching them all told him one undeniable thing. SHE was with HIM... with Kenshin. Somehow that little asshole had managed to get himself attached to the prettiest thing Hiko had seen in years... and for some unconscionable reason, it was really pissing him off. How in the bloody 7-hells had that red-haired demon managed to get himself a...
'Girlfriend??' Hiko's emerald green eyes narrowed dangerously as he continued to study the raven-haired girl behind Kenshin. 'He has never had a girlfriend before... He's never even had any real friends before... I thought I made sure of that.' Black eyebrows knitted together ominously as he reviewed his plans for his step-son's incarceration, and he began mentally clicking off details as he went. 'I made sure the rumors about the details of his arrest and conviction got dropped into mainstream circulation. That, in and of itself, would make it nigh impossible for him to gain anyone's trust or make friends. No self-respecting snobbish teenager one wants to be friends with a kid who killed an old man for practically no reason. After all, they have their own reputations to worry about without getting mixed up with a known felon.' A big mental smile passed through his mind as he savored the reactions the rumors he had carefully started had caused throughout the small school. That single act had all but ensured his step-son would forever remain a pariah at Ive Payne no matter how hard he tried. It was a silent victory that Hiko cherished every time he and Dharma came to visit the brat and found him still completely alone, and Hiko had made sure it stayed that way by carefully nurturing the foul story of the old man's demise at Kenshin's hands every chance he got.
But as Hiko watched the lovely black-haired girl cry and smile over Kenshin's emotionally charged reunion with his brother and sister, he felt the rise in his hatred of the boy grow even more because of her. He did not like Her being with Kenshin. He did not like it at all, and the more he thought about it, the more he knew she was going to mean trouble for all of his plans if he did not get the two of them apart somehow. How he was going to do that without everyone knowing it was by his hand, he did not know, but he had to get them separated before she ruined everything. At the moment he understood he had absolutely no power, it was going to take time to plan this whole thing out so he would not be suspect, but Hiko knew he could at least put an end to this current situation at hand before he lost total control. So, with that thought in mind, he strode up the hallway, pulled the brothers apart, and then started to try and take Cleo out of Kenshin's arms.
It was a poorly conceived idea on his part, and an even worse plan. Hiko was not prepared for what happened next, that he was not. But it was something that would be talked about by the Senior class of 2001, who came running out of the Gymnasium in response to the commotion, and inadvertently witnessed the entire event for weeks to come.
"All right, that is quite enough for now... come on, Soujiro, let go of your brother before you choke him." Kenshin vaguely felt the presence of his brothers body being roughly yanked away from him, and a sudden rush of cold air sent gooseflesh dancing across his arms and down his back as the warmth went with it. "Now then, Miss Cleo, come to Papa... you have been hanging around Kenshin's neck quite long enough... Come here..." Warning alarms and protective screaming instincts began going off in Kenshin's head all at the same time as he felt his step-father's hands grabbing at the warm little body laying on his chest, and that hated voice saying the words that would take his beautiful Angel away from him, but before he could react, he was suddenly holding a screaming, clamoring, clawing wild-cat in his arms. Cleo, it seemed, had absolutely no intention whatsoever of relinquishing her place of comfort and safety within her brothers arms, least of all to allow herself to be passed into the arms of 'Papa'.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONOOOOOOOOOOOOONOOOOOOOOOOO! IWANNNASTAY WITHKENSHIN!!IWANNASTAYWITHKENSHIN!!IWANNASTAYWITH KENSHIN!! WANNASTAYWANNASTAYWANNASTAYWANNASTAY!" She screamed and screamed while her arms and hands lashed out viciously at her Father making him take a surprised step back to avoid her thin razor sharp baby claws. A flood of tears streamed down her tiny face as she was visibly consumed by a panic that no one could explain or control... Except Kenshin, who at the moment was just as surprised and shocked as everyone else.
"Cleo Nyreece!" Hiko growled at his youngest child in a deep threatening voice as he advanced on her once more with the obvious intention of forcing her to let go of her brother. "I will not accept this behavior from you, Young Lady. You will cease this catter-whalling immediately and let go of your brother. You are embarrassing your Mother and I... and you are making a spectacle of yourself, and I will not have it... Do you hear me? I will not have it!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Cleo whailed and practically crawled around Kenshin's neck trying to get away from her Father's advancing presence. "I'm not a spekital... I'm not... I'm not..."
"You are... You are behaving like a spoiled brat... Now come here and stop all of this squalling and carrying on immediately." Hiko grabbed for her a second time, but found himself thwarted from reaching his goal by the iron grip of a very strong hand around as it closed around his wrist like a steel vice.
"I do not think she wants to go with you just now... Sir." The voice was low, steady, but completely neutral. Not one hint of a threat or disrespect was evident in the tone, yet there was no giving in to it either. It was a simply spoken statement, but it had a sense of finality about it that was undeniable if not unsettling and the hallway grew cold and silent as a grave as the eyes of the crowd of newly gathered spectators froze in disbelieving awe and dread.
"I'm sure I did not hear you right... Kenshin." Hiko's voice was cold as ice as he turned his head and met the level dark lavender gaze of his red-headed step-son.
"I assure you... Sir. You heard me quite clearly." Still the voice was steady and neutral while the grip on Hiko's wrist remained clenched tight as a vice. "It seems to me that she wants to spend a bit more time with me, and I do not see any problem with that whatsoever. She is not a problem or a burden to me. In fact, Sir, I am quite enjoying this reunion with her. After all, I have not seen her for almost 4 years, have I?" Hiko was cornered, and he knew it, but he was not ready to give in yet.
"No, you have not, Kenshin." Icy hatred filled his emerald eyes although his voice remained as even toned as the boy-man in front of him. "That is precisely why I think she needs to come back to her Father... She really does not know you... does she? You are still a stranger to her... aren't you?" A malicious gleam of victory shimmered in those evil pools of deep dark green as Hiko expectantly held his free arm out to receive his daughter, but once more, he was not prepared for what happened next.
"Perhaps, Sir, you should ask Cleo what 'she' wants to do instead of making such an important decision for her by yourself. It appears to me that you are not very well versed in child psychology or you would realize that causing her more emotional trauma after such an important event as this can only bring about further problems and bonding issues later in her life as well as separation anxiety and abandonment problems now." A gentle yet knowing smile curved Kenshin's mouth as he carefully released his grip on his step-fathers wrist. "What she needs at this moment is reassurance and security, not further emotional upheaval and identity issues to resolve. Surely a man of your intelligence can understand that. She is quite safe where she is at this point, and I am quite comfortable in keeping her right here, so, if you don't mind... Sir, let's just leave things the way they are, shall we?"
Hiko stood frozen with his eyes blown wide open in shocked outrage. 'How dare that little prick lecture me...' He raged inside his mind as he took in the gentle smile and the diamond hard violet crystals in the face of the boy-man standing steadily before him without any show of fear or apology for his actions. 'He's not the least bit afraid of me.' Hiko realized, as a rush of superiority complex surged through his boiling psyche. This was no longer the little wild animal that had always got in his way at home while he was trying to mete out his measure of discipline... Kenshin had grown up, and being all on his 'lonely' had forced him to grow up in a way Hiko had never bargained on.
Kenshin had done Hiko one better than he had ever given him credit for. The kid had always had more guts than he knew what to do with, and he had used them blindly like an untried wolf-cub, but now... Now he had the brain and confidence to go with the guts, and he was by no means any mans fool. Kenshin had grown into the personification of 'The Bad Kid' Hiko had always told everyone he was. Cold. Emotionless. Self-assured. Intelligent. Deliberate. And Manipulative to a fault. If he had not known for himself that Kenshin was incapable of murder or truly harming anyone, seeing him like this could almost change his mind. The kid was bloody unnerving and Hiko felt as if he had just been 'castrated' in front of all of these people by the calm, deadly intelligence that had quietly outmaneuvered him. A blinding red hot rage began boiling up within him sifting dangerously through his rational mind shifting his perspective away from his original goal, and his large hands clenched unseen into massive fists at his sides.
"You forget yourself, boy..." Hiko snarled in a low warning voice that bespoke a violence in the man Kenshin knew all to well. "I'm still your Father, and it is my rules we live by... not yours." A slow nonchalant half smile lifted the corner of Kenshin lips as his eyes shaded a gleaming violet- gold, and he once more shifted Cleo's light weight onto one hip.
"Let's get one thing straight, old man..." All eyes suddenly turned toward Kenshin as they listened to a voice they had heard a thousand-thousand times. It was his 'I don't give a shit, you go to hell,' voice, and none of them could believe he was using it on this mountain of a man... who was his Father. "I'm not a 'boy' anymore."
"Maybe... maybe not... but, I am still your Father."
"Is that so..."
"Yes, that's so."
"I don't think so. And Kenshin's eyes flashed a deep rich gleaming gold that shown eerily from his stony face as he locked and held the raging green gaze of the furious man in front of him. The sound of several muffled gasps could be heard coming from all around the two men, but neither seemed to be hearing any of them as the tension between them soared a hundredfold.
Saitou gripped Tokio's shoulders painfully as he watched in disbelief the scene that was now unfolding itself before him. He had actually thought that everything was going to be all right once the three siblings had gotten together. It had shocked him beyond rational thought when the old man had yanked young Soujiro away from Kenshin and then tried to take the little girl away as well. What was he thinking? Was he insane? Didn't he have any idea what that kind of a separation could and would do to those kids? Did he even give a shit? Now, he was watching something he had never thought to see. Hiko Seijurou practically threatening Kenshin, and in front of so many witnesses.
"Hey, Dad?" Ruakii sidled over next to his parents with Tomoe in hand, a look of confusion and worry on both of their faces. "What's up with Himura? Who are all those people? We heard all this screaming and shit clear in the Gym. What's going on?"
"Kenshin's family." Saitou's voice was tight as he spoke and he did not turn to look at his son as he spoke which was quite unusual and struck Ruakii as very strange.
"His Family?? If it's his family, what is all the screaming about?"
"Not here, Ruakii... not now... later."
"But Dad..."
"Later." Saitou's voice was sharp and final bringing a look of hurt to his son's face until he turned to follow the line of his Father's intense gaze. That was when he noticed Kenshin holding a little girl in his arms with her arms wrapped so tightly around his neck it looked like she might pull his head right off, and he was facing a mountain of a man with black hair who was looking death at him.
"Who is the little girl, Mom?" Ruakii asked as he cast a furtive look at the equally confused Tomoe.
"Kenshin's little sister, Cleo."
"Sister?? Himura has a little sister? I didn't know that."
"No one does but your Father and I... He hasn't seen her since she was a baby."
"Why not?"
"His Step-Father wouldn't allow it." Saitou's voice was like ice. "He believes Kenshin is a bad influence and does not want him to have a bad affect on Cleo."
"That is bullshit!" Ruakii snorted. "Himura's may be an asshole, but he's not a bad influence on anybody."
"Hummmm.... Maybe you should tell HIM that sometime, Ruakii." Saitou finally turned and met the dark brown gaze of his son. "He could use all the friends he can get."
"What do you mean by that? The guy won't let anybody be his friend, Dad... He's a fucking loner. Besides, he did kill that old man you know..."
"Do you really believe that, Ruakii? Do you really believe that if you can stand there and say he's not a bad influence on anyone?"
"Well... I... I... What do you believe, Dad?"
"I believe he's innocent."
"WHAT??"
"You heard me. So does your Mother."
"I... I don't know." Ruakii looked at Tomoe who was now wearing a confused thoughtful look on her pretty face. "What?" He asked as she turned to look at him. "What are you thinking?"
"Well, if he was really as bad as everyone says... would he have... well, would he have been able to get Kaoru-the-mouse to trust him when no one else could?"
"Good point..."
"You never know, Ruakii.." Saitou said to his now ambivalent son . "Even I was willing to believe everything the Police and his parents fed me about him, but lately... I just can't swallow it anymore. It's a suit that just doesn't fit him like it used to... 'Course, I don't think it ever did fit. We made it fit because it was easier to do that than try to figure out who he really was."
"Who is he Dad... I mean, what are you talking about?"
"Look at him, Ruakii... Just look at him." And Ruakii's brown eyes turned to watch as the nemesis of his teenage life protectively held a little girl tightly against his heart while facing the biggest, most frightening looking 'beast' of a man Ruakii had ever seen.
"You forget yourself, old man... You are not MY Father, and I do not have to listen to you anymore." If Hiko's voice had been icy, then Kenshin's was cold and smooth as a polar lake. "You are the One who abandoned ME here, and for that, I owe you a great thanks. It is the only decent thing you ever did for me."
"You arrogant little bastard. How dare you speak to me in such a manner. I demand you show me the respect that is due me. I AM still your LEGAL Father, and you will honor me as such." Kenshin watched blandly as the large man advanced one threatening pace in his direction. He did not move an inch. He did not even flinch, but calmly stood his ground.
"At the moment," He replied, his voice dropping to a low rumble in his chest. "'You' are MY legal nothing, or have you forgotten who my LEGAL guardians are? If you have, allow me to introduce them to you. I am sure you remember School Master Hajime Saitou and his lovely Wife, Tokio Takagi." Kenshin politely waved toward the mentioned couple who both took several steps forward showing their presence and support for the young man. Hiko could feel himself losing ground quickly in this battle of words and wills, but that realization only seemed to push him forward despite the knowledge that he was putting his own plans for further interference and manipulations into jeopardy. His rage was making him careless, but he would see this insolent little prick on his knees begging for leniency before he was through if it was the last he did today.
"Do not try to match wits with me, young man. You will surely lose if you do. I have always had the upper hand in all things to do with you and your life, so if you have no wish for further difficulties... give Cleo to me and I will remain true to my agreement with Master Saitou, and allow your brother to come to school with you. Otherwise... the deal is off. Get me?"
Slowly Kenshin turned around and gestured to the girl behind him. Quiet words were spoken between them, and a very complacent Cleo was tenderly handed over and wrapped snugly up against the girls soft breasts even as the little girl wrapped her own little arms around that graceful neck and sought refuge in the mane of silky black hair. Another gesture was made and Soujiro walked over to stand beside the girl as well, and then Kenshin turned back and faced Hiko. A slow smile of pure acid crossed his handsome face as he deliberately shifted his feet apart about eighteen inches.
"Isn't that just like you... Father," He sneered over the word making it sound more like a disparaging slur than an honorable Title. "Manipulating the deal after the papers are all signed and delivered because the odd wrinkle or two showed up to cramp your style..." Pale hued golden crystals shimmered with life, and then began to glitter brilliantly like polished amber in the sun as Kenshin's fighting energy and protective spirit began to rise to the surface. "Well, let me enlighten you, old man. This time, that isn't going to happen. This time, you do not get to change the rules to suit yourself. This time... We play it my way... we play by my rules, not yours."
"Oh My God..." Saitou could feel the sudden rising shift in Kenshin's ki as if another physical entity of pure elemental energy had entered the hallway and joined them. The power and strength of his purpose was enormous as it reached outward from his body and blanketed all of those people around him in a shield of golden warmth. "Kodora... what are you doing?"
Ruakii looked up at his Father in bewilderment and laid a questioning hand on the taut muscle of his shoulder. "What's going on, Dad?" He asked in a shaky voice. "Can you feel it? What is 'this'? What is happening?"
"It is Kenshin's spirit ki, Ruakii. He is preparing to do battle, and he is trying to protect all of us as well."
"It... It's huge... I-I've never felt anything this big before, Dad... "
"Neither have I." Ruakii's head whipped up and he stared at the shocked look on his Father's usually stern profile. He could see the awe and wonderment on his father face as well as the worry and confusion.
"Dad??"
"I didn't know he could do this... I didn't know."
"I did." The low baritone of Sanosuke Sagara drifted over Ruakii's shoulder and into Saitou's hearing range. "I saw it once, but only for a minute... that was enough."
"Is he dangerous like this, Sano?"
"Yes, Sir... Scared the shit out of me... but he can control it... if he wants to."
"If he wants to... God help us."
"Your rules?!" Hiko roared and finally lost his perspective completely to the rage surging through his system and lunged at the red-haired golden-eyed demon in front of him. 'You're dead!' His mind screamed. 'You're dead!' And he sent the massive ball of his clenched fist at a deadly speed toward the hated face of his step-son. 'DIE!!!' But his fist found no purchase and Hiko stumbled past the place Kenshin had been standing only an instant before. 'What the...' He turned swiftly in an attempt to defend any counter punches, but instead found his adversary standing in a low crouch several feet away eyeing him with a bland look. 'How...'
"You are getting slow, old man." Was the sarcastic remark from the seemingly unruffled young man staring at him. "I seem to remember you being able to move much faster than that... or maybe, I just got better than you. Which would you say is the reason that you missed me when you had such a clear shot of my head?" One elegant brown eyebrow raised questioningly as the golden gaze raked over the older man in quick assessment. "I think you just got too slow... don't you?" The slur was obvious.
"You fucking little bastard..." Hiko puffed in a breathy whisper meant only for Kenshin's ears as he squared his shoulders and rolled his neck. "It really is about time I taught you a lesson... You've been gone way too long, haven't you? You forgot whose in charge, and where the line of command starts... and ends. And... you forgot whose got all the answers to your past..." He smiled with evil satisfaction as he watched the look of profound understanding that crossed Kenshin's face as the words he had just said sank in. "That's right, you little maggot. I'm the one who fixed everything so you'd end up taking the whole rap for what went down that night." Sneering with victory, Hiko hissed his confession into Kenshin's stunned face. "I did it all. I fed you to the Police on a Silver Platter... I made your Mother give you up... I did everything." An evil whispery laugh slid between his lips as he waited for the cold reality to settle deep into that arrogant insolent mind. "What do you think about that, Maggot-boy? Huh? How does that little piece of Knowledge set in your craw? I hope it burns. I hope it burns like hell."
Kenshin forced his features to remain completely devoid of emotion as the fury of three and a half years of wrongful incarceration and a wrongful verdict of guilty rushed through his body like the flood of a hundred rivers surging into a empty lake bed.
On purpose... the old sonofabitch had done it on purpose to get him out of the house. But why? Kenshin's mind was whirling and spinning on the edge of irrational fury even as it raced trying to see a reason as to why Hiko would go to such outlandish lengths to get him away from the rest of the family... and for such a long time as well. And then it came to him like the flash of a mighty lightening bolt. Power. Control. Infinite Superiority without conflict. Perfect Domination.
Kenshin had been the thorn in his side, the gall in his throat, the bane of his existence... his life's nemesis. Kenshin had been the one and only thing Hiko could not control, and he had been the one thing that kept getting in the way of Hiko's being able to control everyone else. Kenshin had always tried to protect his Mother and his Brother from his step-father's raging abuse. It had been his unrelenting tenacity that had forced him to stand up to the unrighteous authority again and again and again no matter how badly he was beaten. He would rather die than stand aside and allow the others to be abused, and he had fought Hiko like a wild thing every single day they had lived together as Father and Son, and because of that, Hiko hated Kenshin more than anything else in his life. Kenshin was the only thing he had never been able to dominate. No matter how much he beat him or punished him, Hiko had never been able to break the boys spirit or his sense of honor and responsibility toward the others. Sending him away was his last resort and the only way to be rid of the boy... short of killing him. (Though, the thought had occurred to him often enough.)
But now Hiko waited. Waited with baited breath for the boy-man to lose his precious control and drop his guard. It would happen, he knew it would happen. But, then again, nothing had happened the way he had expected it to that day.
"It sets just fine with me, old man." Kenshin kept his voice low as well, not wanting everyone to hear this particular conversation. Why he had been convicted and incarcerated was becoming irrelevant to him as well as a mute point. "You dumping me in here still remains the best thing you ever did for me. At least I had the chance to find out what it feels like to have somebody care what happens to me."
"What? You mean Her? That pretty little black-haired whore you got over there?" Something back in the far reaches of his brain began to wriggle around as that particular insult spilt from his thin lips. It sounded… familiar? "You think she really cares abut YOU? If you do, then you are even more stupid than you were three years ago when I cut you loose." Hiko's tone was cruel, but then, it was intended to be, and he watched carefully to see what sort of reaction he would get out of Kenshin after calling his pretty little girl a whore. To his continued consternation and growing frustration, there was not one. Kenshin just remained in his defensive crouch staring solemnly at Hiko with those crazy looking gold colored eyes. "What's the matter, boy…" He sneered desperately trying to get a rise out of the stoic teen like he used to be able to. "No more fight left in you?" Hiko ran a hand roughly through his thick black hair as he grinned mockingly at his step-son. "You never were much of one to fight very long, were you? I always could beat you without raising a sweat."
"Hmmmm," Kenshin's voice remained quiet though it easily shifted toward a more menacing tone as his eyes narrowed into wolfish slits. "Seems to me that YOU are the only one sweating in here at the moment, old man, and you have yet to lay a single finger on me... I wonder what that means?"
"It doesn't mean anything." Hiko snarled and flexed his shoulder eyeing the crouched teen.
"Really... Seems to me it could mean a lot of things."
"Like what?" Long nimble fingers deliberately folded themselves into a rock hard fist.
"Like, for instance... You have gotten slow and sloppy in my absence, or... You weren't prepared for me to be all grown up and facing you like a man, or... maybe it's both, plus you've just gotten fat and lazy with nobody to keep you on your toes since I left. Whatever it is, you are a pitiful excuse for a man the way you are. You are nothing but an overstuffed bully in a $3,000.00 suit." The last was spoken in a voice that so resembled the low growl of an animal that the short hairs on the back of Hiko's neck stood up in silent alarm, and it was in that moment that the big man finally realized something very important. Kenshin was playing with him. Kenshin was playing with him like a cat plays with a mouse, and had he had been playing with him almost from the very first moment he had grabbed his wrist when he tried to take Cleo. Hiko suddenly knew he was outclassed and outmatched... and a little pinch of fear tweaked deep down inside his stomach as he locked gazes with the golden eyed man wolf crouched before him. No longer the untried cub fighting on instinct and guts alone… He knew exactly what he was doing, and in the space of a breath, had turned the tables on the blustering abuser. 'He is better than I am...'
Suddenly the blur of Hiko's tan trench coat was all anyone could see as he rushed Kenshin's smaller crouched form in a blinding burst of unnatural speed, and as the hulking beast bore down on the young warrior, a high thin scream of terror split the stillness of the hallway letting the blood of the past pour forth upon the two men in a fountain of truth and grief.
"KENNSSHHHINN!!!" Dharma was screaming hysterically as she flew forward toward the scene and what she feared most would happen.
Hiko was going to kill her son... after all this time, after everything she had done and gone through... after everything she had given up... He was going to kill Kenshin anyway.
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
But Kenshin was ready... He had been ready from the moment he had taken up his defensive stance. It was the same one he had used on Ruakii the day of Kata Finals, and he was going to use it on his Step-Father the same way.
As Hiko lunged at him bringing the cannonball of his fist arching downward at a sharp angle meant to catch Kenshin in the side of head, thus crushing his temporal bone and possibly killing him, Kenshin, using his shorter stature to his advantage, ducked beneath the punch and caught the right side of his step-father's chest against the ball of his left shoulder. As he absorbed the concussing force of the lunge with his left knee, Kenshin braced his right foot firmly behind him, twisted himself sharply at the waist bringing his right shoulder around in a hard roll, and smashed his squarely clenched fist dead-on into the center of Hiko's heavily muscled center of gravity with all of the leverage he possessed as well as the power he had absorbed from Hiko himself.
"EEEEEEEEEEEYYAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
THHUUDDD!!
"AARROOOFFFFFF!!"
WHAMMP!!
The incredible mass of Hiko Seijuro sailed backwards through the air coming to rest in a hard impact on the old wood floor about ten feet away from Kenshin, who was standing still as a statue frozen in contact stance, his eyes blown open wide into fiery golden orbs and his mouth trembling as if he were standing in chilled ice water.
What happened next happened in a flurry of blurred bodies and muted colors.
Kaoru swiftly handed Cleo to a gapping Soujiro who took her in his shaking arms.
Saitou yelled for Ruakii to go and call the Police as he leapt forward and rushed toward the fallen Hiko.
Dharma Himura stumbled in midstride as the shock of her son's action against his step- father exploded in her mind, and as she dropped to the floor in a dead faint, Tokio ran quickly to her side.
And then Kenshin was slumping to his knees in a state of post shock induced exhaustion his head drooping dangerously close to the floor, but before he could topple over completely, he was seized in the strong, wildly frightened embrace of his one beloved, his Mesu Tora, who pulled him back up and crushed him against the steadiness of her young body.
"Kenshin???" Kaoru cried his name in an anxious voice as she felt him go limp against her. "Kenshin?? Are you all right?? Kenshin?!" No response came from him and she gathered him up even closer into her arms until she had his face pressed against the curve of her neck. "It's all right, Baby..." She crooned to him as she began rocking him back and forth while stroking the back of his head. "It's all over... and you are Ok... Cleo is Ok too... You did it, Sweetie... You beat him... You beat him... You did it." Over and over she assured and reassured the limp red-headed form draped over her shoulder even as tears began to slide down her cheeks. She still could not believe what she had just seen. It had been like watching something out of a movie, and that was about how much control she had felt like she had over the situation. But as helpless as she had felt then, she felt a hundred times more helpless now.
"Is he Ok, Kaoru?" Slowly she looked up and met the dark concerned eyes of Ruakii Saitou as he knelt down in front of her and her precious burden. "Do you need some help?"
"He's... He's gone unconscious I think..." She sounded so small Ruakii felt a squeeze in his gut that soon formed an unwanted lump in his throat.
"Yeah... He's pretty much out it looks like... Why don't you let me help you... I'll pick him up and we can take him back to the dorm, Ok?"
"Ok..." Her huge blue eyes gazed at him with such a look of helplessness Ruakii knew he was doing the right thing. He was still reeling from the shock of what had just happened himself. He had never seen anything like that before in his life... at least not in a real fight. The way that Kenshin had used that big man's own power against him and leveled him like a pile-driver had been nothing short of 'sweet', and it was in that moment that Ruakii knew he would never be as good as Kenshin and he did not want to try to be anymore. Now he knew why Kenshin trained so hard, why he was such a cold hard ass, and why concentration was such a big deal to him. If Ruakii had to live with the thought of having to face what Kenshin had just faced, then maybe being as good as him would be important again, but he did not have to face what Kenshin just had. He did not have to worry about living with that kind of an animal in his house, and he did not have to worry about protecting himself or his little sister. In the space of only a few moments, Ruakii Saitou's opinion of Kenshin Himura had completely changed, and a respect he thought he would never feel for the aloof sarcastic red-head had finally grown within his soul.
Kenshin was a real warrior. He knew what it meant to fight for a reason... a REAL reason. No wonder Ruakii had never been able to goad him into a fight. He had worse things to deal with and worry about than punk fights and petty rivalries.
Carefully Ruakii bent down and maneuvered Kenshin's unconscious body over his shoulder and then stood up lifting it up with him. After making several adjustments, he turned and motioned for Kaoru to follow. As they passed, Soujiro fell in behind them, Cleo still held snugly in his arms her little face awash with tears of fear and anguish. She had witness most of the engagement from Kaoru's arms despite the girls attempt to prevent it, and although she had not cried out or screamed, her little body had shuddered uncontrollably until it was all over.
"Is Kensh-shin dead, Soujiro?" She asked in a terrified whisper as they followed the boy who was carrying their brother.
"No, baby. He's not dead... don't even think that way." Soujiro gently wiped her face and kissed her cheek. "He's just.... sort of sleeping, but he's going to be Ok, so don't you worry or anything. I promise he is going to be Ok."
"Promise?" Rounded blue eyes searched his face as she sniffled and bit her lower lip in worry.
"I promise... cross my heart." And he made the motion so she could see. "Ok?"
"Ok...but I'm still scared... what about Papa?"
"I don't want you to think about Papa right now, Cleo... I don't want you to think about Papa at all. Understand?" Serious blue-gray eyes looked steadily into her small worried face. "Papa doesn't matter right now... Only Kenshin matters... And he is all I want you to think about... Got it?"
"Got it." She buried her nose against his cheek and chin and hugged him close. "I love you, Soujiro."
"I love you too, Baby." He rubbed his face against her nose and squeezed her little body. "I love you too... and so does Kenshin. You remember that, Ok?"
"I do... I remember, Soujiro. I love him too."
"That is good, Baby. That is really good."
"Soujiro?"
"What Cleo?"
"Can I stay here and live with you and Kenshin?"
"I don't know, Baby..." Soujiro felt the burn of emotion crawl through his chest as he thought of letting her go back to Denton with their parents. "I don't know."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saitou knelt beside the stunned form of Kenshin's step-father looking into the glazed dark green eyes waiting for the man to regain his rational thought so he could find out if he were all right or not. Ruakii it seemed, had tossed his cell phone to Tomoe who had called 911 and reported the fight and the Police were on their way. He could hear the sirens already.
"You evil sonofabitch..." He muttered under his breath as he looked up and considered the fallen form of Dharma Seijuro where she had fainted in the middle of the hallway on her way to try and save her son from the hammering fists of his step-father. "What sick twisted games have you been playing with these two the last 3 years? What did you threaten her with that made her agree to putting Kenshin in here and then basically abandoning him? What the hell did you do?"
On the floor beside him, Hiko began to moan and move. "Wh-whaat the h-hell..."
"I wouldn't be moving around too much if I were you, Mr. Seijuro. At least not until we find out whether or not you're hurt."
"Hurt?" Hiko raised his head a couple of inches off the floor and sharply shook it as if trying to clear it of some sort of a fog. "I am not hurt." He growled and tried to set up, but then moaned painfully and clutched his chest. "Damn... maybe I'll have to rethink that. What the hell happened?" He asked with mild confusion in his deep voice as he gingerly lowered himself back to the floor.
"You don't remember?" Saitou gazed at the larger man suspiciously.
"Remember? Remember what?"
"The fight you just had with your son, Mr. Seijuro."
"Fight? What are you talking about, a fight?" Thin black eyebrows furrowed angrily as emerald eyes snapped with accusation. "I would never fight with Soujiro, so just exactly what are you inferring Master Saitou?"
"I was not referring to Soujiro, Mr. Seijuro... I was referring to Kenshin. You just had a fist fight with your oldest son right here in the hallway of Ive Payne... Do you remember NOW?"
"With Ken...?" Saitou watched as the confusion and anger slowly disappeared from the big mans eyes as was replaced by the realization that he had indeed just had a fight with his oldest step- son... in front of more than a dozen witnesses... and he had lost.
"Ahhhhh, I see, you DO remember... perhaps you would allow me to help you up now. It would appear the only injury you sustained was some deep bruising around your sternum. It does not appear you hit your head when you landed, and that was my main worry. You did fly several feet before hitting the floor, you know."
"I-I did?" Hiko looked up into the thin face of the School Master just in time to catch the fleeting look of pride and appreciation before it was replaced with his usual mask of plain indifference.
"Indeed, you did. I estimate at least eight or ten feet. So, you really are quite lucky you did not slam your head when you landed. Quite lucky. It was a hellofa punch."
"Are those siren's I can hear?" Hiko asked as the high-pitched whine reached his ears.
"Yes Sir. We called the Police. They should be here any moment now."
"Good."
"Excuse me?" Saitou raised a questioning brow at Hiko's statement as he helped the larger man carefully stand up. "Why do you say that?"
"Because I want to press charges against that wild animal for assaulting me."
"Assaulting 'you'?" The astonishment in Saitou's voice was so profound that Hiko turned and looked at him indignantly.
"Yes, assaulting ME." He brushed some dust off the sleeves of his tan trench coat as he eyed the dozen or more teens that were gathered around silently watching with their large bewildered eyes. "He struck me while I never laid a single finger on him. In my book, that qualifies as assault. Plus, he refused to return my daughter to me... I could almost accuse him of kidnaping as well." Cold green crystals turned to meet the angry confusion of Saitou's topaz gaze as Hiko nonchalantly straightened his cuffs and collar. "Indeed, I could have Kenshin arrested for several gross violations of his parole which would land his insolent little ass right in the county jail."
"Not without witnesses you can't." Saito spoke very smoothly and very coldly bringing Hiko's gaze back to his face. "I won't let you."
"You have no say in the matter, Master Saito. It is my word against your's, and since I am the one who is injured and Kenshin is obviously untouched... the case is simple. He assaulted me."
"He was defending himself."
"Was he?" A cruel smile curled Hiko's mouth as he fixed his tie. "We'll see."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ruakii laid Kenshin down on his bed and Kaoru gently fixed a pillow under his head. Bitting her lip in worry, she tenderly reached out to smooth some of the tangles of red out of his pale face. He had expended so much energy trying to remain calm, trying to concentrate, trying to remain in control that he had completely over taxed his body and mind to the point of total shut down, and she wondered how long it would take for him to recover. How long would it take for him to wake up? Concern and helplessness congealed in her chest threatening to cut of her air as she carefully sat down next to him and placed her hand against his cold cheek.
"Kenshin?" She whispered his name brokenly as her thumb stroked against his skin. "It will be Ok, Sweetie... You are going to be Ok... I'm here, Soujiro is here, and so is Cleo. We are all here, so it's all right if you rest now, you did what you had to do, and it's Ok if you rest... so you rest, Baby. We will be here when you wake up. I promise." And then she leaned down to him and pressed a soft kiss against his still lips and another to his cheek. "I promise I'll be here when you wake up, Baby... I promise I will." Then Kaoru stood up and turned to look at Soujiro and Ruakii. "I have to go back out there for when the Police come. Somebody has to stay here with him...?"
"I wanna stay... let me stay, please let me stay. I'll be quiet, I promise... Please??" Cleo's little voice was filled with entreaty as her round blue eyes searched Kaoru's pale face. "Please let me stay."
"Of course you can stay, Kitten." Kaoru held her arms out for the little girl, and as Soujiro handed her over, Cleo's little arms wound themselves tightly around Kaoru's neck. "But you can't leave the room. You have to stay right here with Kenshin. Will you do that, Kitten? Will you promise to stay right here while the three of us go back up to the school?"
"Yes... I promise I won't go anywhere... I won't leave Kenshin for even one minute."
"That is my good girl." Kaoru hugged the precious little red-haired Angel and kissed her cheek. "I know Kenshin would be so happy to wake up and find you with him."
"Really?" Hope shone from the rounded pools of midnight blue as they stared into Kaoru's glittering sapphires. "Would he really be happy to see me?"
"Yes Kitten... You know he would. So why don't you climb up there next to him and snuggle close and go to sleep. I think you are a little tired too, aren't you?" Cleo nodded her head and tried to hide a yawn that automatically stretched her mouth open at the mention of sleeping. "I thought so." Kaoru smiled and kissed the little girl again. "Here you go," She said as she deposited the warm bundle onto the bed next to Kenshin and watched as Cleo snuggled up next to her brother and laid her head on his chest. "You go to sleep now, everything is going to be Ok."
"Ok." Cleo nodded and yawned widely again then let her eyes close. It would not be long until she would be asleep. It had been a very long day for the little one. Very long indeed.
Closing the door with a subtle 'click', the three teenagers quietly left the room and headed back to the main building where all of the adults were. As their feet raced across the snow covered grass, they could hear the sound of the Police siren's getting closer, and a feeling of anxiousness and determination began to grow deep within Kaoru's heart. Kenshin. They were coming for Kenshin.
'I won't let them take you away, Kenshin.' She vowed to him inside her mind as her feet flew across the ground. 'I won't let them have you again. I won't let this happen again. I swear it to you, My Kodora. I won't let them do this to you again... I will fight for you every step of the way, and I will not let them have you. 'HE' will not make what happened today your fault, and I won't let them blame you for this... I swear I won't. I'll make them understand... I'll make them see... I promise you, Kenshin. It's my turn to protect you, and I won't fail... I promise you I won't fail.'
It seemed that in the face of Kenshin's personal war, and the recent battle he had just fought, that the quiet frightened mouse that had been Kaoru Kamiya was beginning to evolve into something much more powerful. Her own pain and trouble was being pushed aside as she placed her 'Kodora's' needs before her own. Kenshin needed her. He needed her to be strong for him. He needed her to fight for him while he could not fight for himself, and as the true spirit of the Mesu Tora was born within her heart, Kaoru flew on the wings of an Avenging Angel with every determination to protect her beloved Meito.
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A/N: Hmmmm...One has to set and ponder now... why does Kaoru seem 'familiar' to Hiko, and why does it cause him grief and anger that she is with Kenshin? And why is it imperative for him to get them apart at any cost? And where do Soujiro, Cleo, and Dharma fit into all of this tangled mess? Sooo many questions...so few clues... This 'fight' is long from over, and the Somber Man is far from being out of the picture. Old habits die hard, and revenge is best served cold. Halloween is nigh, and the hour of Samhain is almost upon us. Does 'Love' really conquer all?
Please read and review… this was actually a very difficult chapter to write. It is one of those dang transition chapters that you have to write in order to move from one aspect of a story to another… they are a real pain, but necessary. And yes……. The dance is stiiiillllll coming…. And lots of surprises with it. Not all of them are good either. Wink. ~~~~~~~~~~~poof* Tsuki-san