An: hehe I'm positively evil I know. Updating is gonna be harder. I said I was working 40 hours a week right? That's gonna change a little bit. Probably more about 10-15 hours a week now. Did I also fail to mention I'm taking 15 units at college, and doing theatre, soccer, and managing friends and a boyfriend, plus homework? Hmm...
Buffybot76- You all need to go read her fanfiction. My beta reader, muse, and chick who keeps me accountable for OOC and keeps me on track for where I'm going with this fic. You stinking rock! She got me to start this fic on a whim.
Miburo Kid- WAI WAI! tremble don't hurt me!
Koneko- Term of endearment
Shouji- the paper wall door thingies. If you don't know what I'm talking about, e-mail me and I'll get you picture.
Konban wa- Good evening
Saitou scowled. Why the hell did he do that?
Because you felt like being an asshole His mind retorted.
Oh.Yea.That.
Saitou pulled out a cigarette and watched the fireflies dance across the water. The water rippled, and a firefly disappeared, swallowed by a fish.
"A year ago I would've thought that to be the perfect answer for everything" Soujiro told him softly. Saitou said nothing, watching the smoke rise from his cigarette, amber eyes hardening. Damned Shishio.
"Excuse me for interupting Hajime san. Misao san seemed very upset. Would you like me to go after her?" Soujiro asked him politely.
Saitou got up and turned.
"What exactly is your interest in this?" He questioned him, amber eyes narrowing in suspicion, as he flicked the cigarette butt from his fingers.
"I don't think I understand your question Hajime san"
"It's a bit too convienent for me that you appear in the middle of nowhere to save her, and then assume your going to accompany us wherever we go" Saitou told him flatly, hand going to his sword.
"I'm sorry you think that I am involved in this somehow Hajime san, but I am a rurouni, now"
"Go wander yourself into a river then and Stay out of my way" Saitou told him, hand clenched on his sword hilt.
"I do not wish to fight you Hajime san, that would prove nothing" Soujiro told him calmly with a smile.
"Nandeshite?" Saitou snarled, grip on his sword tightening.
"I have already fought with Battousai. You are no match for me." Soujiro shrugged.
"You arrogant-"
"I mean no disrespect to you Hajime san. I acknowledge your skill and effort in the Bakumatsu and your rank and skill as third captain of the Shinsengumi. Forgive my coldness sir, But were we to fight, I would most likely succeed."
Saitou said nothing, amber eyes glinting dangerously.
"I also came to inform you Hajime san, that there are several other enemies in this forest and we should consider moving locations, otherwise more harm might come to Misao san." Soujiro told him.
Saitou let go of his sword. He was right damn him. And Saitou was playing into his hands. But he couldn't let Misao get hurt. Anymore than he already had. Murmuring a curse, wondering why the hell he was bending over backwards for the damned itachi girl, Saitou honed in on her Ki and followed after her.
"Come with me" Saitou ordered. At the very least he could keep an eye on the smiling brat.
"Hai" Soujiro replied.
Misao sprinted through the trees. She was breathing hard as she picked up her pace. The faster she ran the worse the pain crept up her side. She grimaced but sped on. It was nothing in comparison to what HE had done. Damn you Aoshi. Misao cursed. She couldn't escape. Her pride, her honour had gotten her this far. But she couldn't be rid of his face. Of the way he treated her. Every man she met would remind her of him. Could she never be rid of him?
Ice cold eyes, face chiseled in stone. Her beloved Aoshi sama. It used to be that she could recall every feature, every jagged piece of bang that always hung over his eyes. His cold calculating glances. His refusal to EVER see her as anything but a child. Now that was replaced by smirking amber eyes, that frightened her even as they intrigued and invited her closer. Misao broke stride, curling up into a ball, and sobbing. Why did it hurt so bad? Why did it have to be this way?
She shivvered in the fading light, feeling the wind flowing through the grass. Her tears dripped down her cheeks and to her arms. She sniffled, her lungs burning. She was tired of this pain. Was there no one made for her? She had always dreamed to be wedded to Aoshi and bearing his children. There had never been any other possibility. Then Saitou had come and ruined her world. There was something about him that always caught her offguard, that always kept her on her toes. It challenged her. But he pushed her away time and time again. Exactly as Aoshi had, did, and always would. She heard stirring in the grass and froze.
Her heart beat rose, and she slowed her breathing.
Saitou scowled. They were being followed. If he led these men to Misao, they'd be in a bigger mess. Saitou would have to fight them now.
"Damn it" Saitou snarled drawing his sword, and issuing a battle cry. He surged forward slicing between the bandits, cutting down the center of their flank.
"GO find HER" Saitou snapped, deflecting a blow aimed for his head, and returning the favor. The blood squirted into another opponents eye, and Saitou ran him through with his blade.
Soujiro nodded and bowed, gone in a blink of an eye, sprinting. God like speed came in handy for this sort of thing. The grass gave way as he moved through the forest. He could feel her ki. Something was wrong. Going into his favored attack,the Shukuchi he drastically increased his speed, exploding through the forest.
Misao could feel the sword at her neck.
"Get up" Came the harsh order. Misao didn't have to be asked twice. Fingering her wrist guards, she ever so slowly tried for her kunai. She felt his fist connect with the back of her head. She was on the ground clutching the aching spot. Lifting her fingers to her face she realized that they were bloody. Gasping and starting to tremble, She heard an explosion. She ducked, covering her head, as she heard the continuous explosions all around her. What the hell was it? She could feel the wind behind each one.
Then it stopped. Blinking and opening an eye, she looked around at the fallen bandits.
"Misao san it's dangerous to run off like that. Please be more careful from now on" Soujiro told her, sheathing his sword.
"Y-you did this?" Misao asked incredulusly at the boy.
Soujiro smiled and nodded.
"allow me to introduce myself. I am Soujiro Seta, the Tenken and former member of the Juppongatana. I served under Shishio. Currently, I am a rurouni. Pleased to meet you" He told her bowing politely.
Misao eyed the boy. This boy....this had been the boy to break Kenshin's sword. This had been the boy that had recruited Aoshi into Shishio's army. He had played a part in Aoshi's fall. Because of him Aoshi was now a cold emotionless body. Green eyes turn to Jade fire.
"You bastard!" Misao snarled kunai out and launching them.
"YOU RUINED HIM!" She cried throwing everything she had into her punches and kicks. The boy simply dodged them.
"He was BROKEN because of YOU!" Misao snarled, slashing with her kunai desperately trying to get a blow in.
"You're referring to Aoshi san aren't you?" Soujiro asked her.
"STAND STILL AND DIE!" Misao snarled, kunai launching everywhere. Her vision was getting blurry. She could feel the blood trickling down the back of her neck. She didn't care
"Aoshi san was broken because if he hadn't been, he would've killed himself. He was obcessed and looking for his own death, Misao san" Soujiro told her, grabbed her and holding her wrists firmly.
"NO! You ruined him! He was fine before he left! Aoshi would never want to end his own life!" Misao cried.
"He got himself involved with Takeda Kanryuu. The opium trade had a part in his downfall. He foolishly followed Takeda Kanryuu and sacrificed his friends. The juppongatana did nothing but offer him a place within our plan. He chose his path" Soujiro replied softly.
"Liar!" Misao yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Misao san, we need to get out of this area. Please calm yourself, and follow me. I'm to take you to Himura I presume?"
"Where's Saitou?" Misao asked him whipping her hands away from him as soon as he released her.
"He's fighting off the bandits. We need to get to safety before we are overrun and out numbered."
"You COWARD!! You're letting him fight all those bandits by himself" Misao snarled.
"I was Ordered by Hajime san to retrieve you and leave"
"Convienent excuse" Misao snapped.
"Make no mistake Saitou Hajime is more than capable of handling this group" Soujiro told her, frowning at her obstinance.
"Then we can help him" Misao retorted.
"We will be surrounded within the hour if we do that and overwhelmed. Forgive me Misao san,but you cannot move as quickly as either of us, and will be a burden when sneaking and retreating. If Hajime is left on his own, he has a higher possibility at surprising the enemy and retreating safely."
"So you're just going to leave him?" Misao asked, tone softening.
"The wolf of Mibu can more than handle this group of bandits. I assure you he's been in worse situations. I will take you to Himura's and then double back to Nagoya to find Saitou. But for now we must retreat." Soujiro told her.
Misao nodded sadly. She would just get in the way....again if she stayed. Numbly, she followed through the forest. Dodging and weaving between shurbbery, Soujiro kept them at a quick pace. Misao prided herself on her speed. Currently, she felt dead, numb, sluggish. She felt weak. Useless. Why was she here? Why did Saitou ever think twice about her? She couldn't help him. What would she do now?
She had no home. She was wandering with a former member of the Shinsengumi, now turned cop, and had no idea what she was going to do with her life. The proclaimed Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu was now lost. She had no where to go if things didn't work out. The precinct probably didn't even know she existed. There were always her friends. But, Kaoru and Kenshin didn't make enough at their dojo to have one more mouth to feed. Already with Yahiko and Sanosuke that had to make it hard enough. Misao was too proud to live off of them.
The Oniwabanshuu would never take her back. Her martial art skills weren't even enough to sell her sword for hire. Not to mention she still had next to no swordsman skills. On top of all of this was the fact that she was a very short, flat chested little girl . Girls who had no family, or good marriage ended up on the streets and in brothels. Misao quivered. She had seen what brothels did to girls. Never. Let her starve to death, or be sliced through her bowels before that.
Her thoughts shifted again to a yellow eyed smirking wolf. She pictured his jagged bangs, falling into his face. His crooked grin, always a smirk. And those amber eyes, threating to devour her even as they encased her in their amber fire. He had a strong distinguishing chin. He always had an arrogant swagger about him. As if he knew something you didn't. Misao couldn't help but smile. He was a very attractive japanese man. Powerful, cunning, intelligent, and....while Misao had yet to see the fullness of it, kindness. Her heart ached, as she thought of him.
Her vission blurred. Her head pounded. The back of her neck was crusty with dried blood.
Saitou she prayed softly as the darkness took her. Please be safe.
Slice. Saitou's blade whipped, ringing through the air as he caught another bandit off guard. He was slowly making his way North East. He was hoping to run across a river, or perhaps somemore cover than the thinning trees and bushes. Running water would even be useful at this point. Hell anything to keep him from running anymore than he'd already done. Saitou was getting too damned old for this. Cursing, the captain, tokio and kami sama for this fate he continued on, taking another group by surprise. He had gone through about 7 groups. Hopefully the trail he'd left would throw off any followers. The carnage would most certainly make them think twice. Saitou smirked.
Hopefully that smiling idiot found her. Saitou paused a moment to catch his breath. Closing his eyes, he pictured the genki little ninja girl. Green eyes alight with an inner passion, her smile. Her haior whipping as she moved. Those jagged bangs he always found himself wanting to tuck behind her ears. What was she to him?
She was a partner....but that did little to uncomplicate the already overly complicated situation. He enjoyed her company true....but did he want more? Those soft pink lips against his felt undeniably good. Her lithe form molded against his, and he found himself desiring to know exactly what was beneath her gi. But that could simply be attributed to lust. Sexual attraction wasn't a new thing for him. It had been a while since he'd been with a women. Tokio had run off quite a while ago, but even before then he had no time to waste rolling around in a bed. No matter how pleasureable. Things had been hectic and busy.
Did he want to act on it? To seduce her and take her? She was practically throwing herself at him, but was that truly what he wanted. More importantly how would that effect their working relationship? Wheather he liked it or not the Itachi had wormed her way deep within the frozen heart of the wolf. He felt a deep responsibilty to her. He had to care for her. A young girl like her banished by her own blood, forced to scrounge for herself. If he didn't take care of her she'd end up in a brothel. For some reason imagining her in another man's arms...forced to do what should only be done in love made Saitou's stomach turn.
She was too innocent. Such a thing would shatter her. No. If he was going to take her it would have to be more than out of convienence and desperation. She deserved more than that. To his astonishment, the more he came to know the fiery green eyed ninja, the more he wanted to know her. He respected her, for her accomplishments, even her failures. She never gave up. Her eyes never lost their inner spark.
To say Kenshin was startled to feel his ki was an understatement. Rising swiftly, and cautiously so not to awake the precious burden sleeping beside him, he reached for his sakabatou. Sleeking with hitokiri speed and stealth, he opened the shouji door and made his way to the gate, pressing against the side of the house, keeping to the shadows. Violet eyes pierced the darkness searching. He was masking his ki now. Where was he?
Kenshin vanished. The sound of two blades ringed through the air. Kenshin landed, bringing his sakabatou up to block the incoming blow he knew would be there. Looking into the grey blue eyes of the smiling child he'd met from the Kyoto incident, Kenshin's eyed narrowed.
"Good evening Himura san. I hope I haven't come an an inconvienent time" Soujiro told him, slicing his sword up Kenshin's mockingly and retreating. He sheathed his sword quickly and sidestepped reveiling the precious burden he'd been carrying. Kenshin's violet eyes widened.
"Misao dono!" He cried, smelling the blood, and feeling her ki as he stared at the unconcious ninja.
"She took a blow to the head, and this was the only place I figured I could take her safely. I must double back to help out a friend. I'll be back in a few days. Oyasumi" Soujiro told him, going into the Shukuchi.
Kenshin ignored the boy, concern for Misao overtaking his need for an explanation. Whatever was going on, it was already in motion, and Kenshin couldn't stop it. It would filter it's way back here. Back to him. As it always did. Kaoru would not be happy. Picking up the lithe girl, he heaved her over his shoulder gently.
"So it begins again" A voice, he knew only as his koneko whispered.
"Aah" Kenshin replied, unable to meet those piercing aqua marine orbs that he knew were glaring at him.
"I'll get Megumi. Set her in the guestroom" Kaoru told him, sighing and wrapping a blanket further around her.
"Arigatou Koneko" Kenshin whispered gratefully.
She wasn't going to fight him. They'd been over this. Everytime something happened he was called to take care of it. And everytime Kaoru was left behind and put in danger. He couldn't keep doing this. It wasn't fair to ask of his angelic wife, who worried night and day over him whenever he left. There had to be younger swordsman out there that could handle this sort of thing. Kenshin was getting older. It was a fact. Eventually he wouldn't be able to achieve god like speed. Eventually someone would slip through his guard.
This had kept him from Kaoru. From telling her how he really felt. He wanted to protect her, at all costs. Especially from himself. She had called him a coward. She had told him the only thing he was protecting was himself. That he didn't want to feel anything. She had been furious, cheeks flushed, eyes ablaze in fury. Kenshin had never loved her as much as he had in that one moment. Her saw her eyes fill with tears. And he had made her his. Forever.
Setting Misao on the futon in the guest room, he surveyed the damage. Her head would need attending to. She had various cuts and bruises running along her arms and legs. Kenshin eyed her hands. They were sliced and calloused. Frowning he took a closer look. She had been using a sword. Misao didn't use swords. She favored kunai. Aoshi would never teach her swordsmanship. Of course Aoshi probably hadn't moved an inch from where Kenshin haf left her. Poor girl.
How had she ended up here. Soujiro had mentioned a friend. Violet eyes widened. Misao wasn't wearing her Oniwabanshuu gi. Something was very wrong. A knock at the door interrupted Kenshin's thoughts.
"Konban wa Megumi dono" Kenshin told her.
"So the little itachi girl is injured is she?" Megumi asked, with a smirk. She opened her bag of supplies. And kneeled beside the girl. She ran her hand along her forehead, and frowned.
"Kenshin, if you would be so kind as to get some candles. Kaoru get some hot water and a rag. Preferably from the furo." Megumi ordered, getting out a needle.
Kenshin nodded, and exited the shouji door.
"Kenshin" Kaoru said, following after him.
"Aah, Kaoru dono?" Kenshin replied, turning to face her.
She had scowl that marred her beautiful features.
"Please..." She broke, eyes watering and throwing herself into his arms.
"No more nights praying that you'll be safe. Please....don't do this!" Kaoru whispered.
Kenshin's arms wrapped tightly around her, nuzzling her neck.
"Koneko-"
"Kenshin...I...I'm pregnant" Kaoru whispered, tears spilling down her creamy cheeks.
Violet eyes widened, arms trembling.
"You, you're....you're.." Kenshin choked.
"I want my child to know his father. Please. Let this one be. Someone else can save Japan" Kaoru pleaded.
"I-" Kenshin couldn't speak. He was a father. This would change everything.
"Hai" Kenshin promised firmly, arms encircling around his wife, and kissing her tears away.
Shinomori Aoshi was up early. Having finished sharpening his Koadchi, he grabbed his pack, ready to go.
"Ohayou" The voice he knew so well told him groggily.
"Nothing escapes you Okina" Aoshi told him, flinging the pack over one shoulder.
"You're leaving then?" Okina asked him, his face reveiling nothing of his thoughts.
"Aah" Aoshi replied, blue green eyes bright and alive with determination.
Okina said nothing.
Aoshi waited as was polite for the man to finish. Should he try to stop him, Aoshi wouldnm't stand for it. This was too important. Everything rested on him finding her, and bringing her home.
"Bring her home" Okina ordered, brown black eyes filled with sorrow. The old man had been crushed when he'd discovered the remains of the temple. Okina had ordered after 2 days that the Oniwabanshuu find her. She had left Kyoto. What was worse Saitou was gone as well.
Aoshi's grip on his pack tightened, knuckles white, green eyes narrowed dangerously. Whatever was going on, if Aoshi could find him, he would find Misao.
"Kyotsukete ne" Okina muttered. "Bring her home safe"
"Aah" Aoshi replied, taking off towards the road.
(an: Please don't kill me. We're gonna really start getting into the storyline. I've had that part down all along! It's just taken getting up to that point. Mad love to my reviewers. Despite my busyness I worked to get a chapter out for you! )