Cho frowned at the man in a police uniform eating a bowl of soba at a street stand. Watching Enishi lounge around a mansion for a week was enough to make Cho consider hitting the road; Shishio didn't make him feel like a minion the way Saito did. "He received four huge fire lanterns with baskets attached to them that are large enough to carry two people." Cho stood at the end of the bench while Fujita paid for his meal.
"He laid low after the attacks on Chief Uramura and Maekawa-dojo. Now he's going somewhere via hot air balloon." Saito adjusted his uniform cap and turned to Broom-head "What was he doing just before you left?"
"They were starting fires in the back to launch them. You're not going to return any of my swords yet, are you?"
Saito put on his second glove "Of course not." He scanned the skyline then started walking.
"The kid told me about you two, but I wanted to see for myself." Sano handed a small bundle to Kenshin. "What made you decide to act now, in the middle of all this?"
Kenshin unwrapped the cloth revealing three grenades. "The Obi was purchased before this one's memories returned; however there was no opportunity to give it to her until he had become himself again." He carefully set the small bombs next to him on the covered porch "There is no knowing what Yukishiro Enishi may mention during our fight therefore this one sought to assure Kaoru-dono of her place before hand." That, and her eyes were so blue in the twinkling lights of the fireflies.
"Well your timing sucks for me, now I owe Tae a hundred yen."
"You were betting?" That explains why she took him to the jewelers' and harassed Kaoru about their relationship. "We will discuss your gambling after the battle."
Kaoru approached with a tray of tea and onigiri "Would you like something to eat before sunset?"
Sano grabbed a rice ball with one hand and a cup with the other then thanked her with his mouth full.
Kenshin glanced to where Megumi was still scooping rice from the bamboo steamer and wrapping the onigiri in seaweed. He thanked Kaoru and took a cup of tea.
"Please eat, Kenshin. They aren't as good as yours, but still…"
He accepted one recalling the way she savored his rice the day after they exchanged gifts. Kaoru took a ball of rice from his hands before he had a chance to wrap it and licked her lips as if it were chocolate.
Yahiko was watching the western sky "We probably have about half an hour until dusk."
"That should be enough time to further discuss our tactics." Kenshin put his cup on the tray for Megumi to take to the kitchen.
"They'll likely start with their cannon aimed at the dojo." Sano stood with his feet should width apart already missing the fishbone he threw away.
No one disagreed with that, although Kaoru frowned at him "And they ought to attack all at once instead of taking turns one at a time. If Gein pressed his attack and Fuji of Hagan showed up much sooner at the Aoi-Ya there would have been a different outcome."
"Too bad Misao didn't make it." Yahiko turned his back on the setting sun and rested against the wall.
"Yes, that is regrettable. Kaoru-dono, please reconsider-"
"My grandfather built this house. Don't ask me not to defend it, Kenshin."
Kenshin had to concede because outside of locking her in the storage shed… no. "Make defending yourself the priority. Yahiko, are you prepared to strike?"
"Leave gadget-man to me." Using tricks and tools to kill and maim simply because he thinks its fun; thanks to Kaoru he'd show the fool what skill is.
"Do you want to use one of these?" Sano grabbed two of the grenades.
"No, this one will leave them to your discretion. However, ending this quickly is preferable. Fairness is for one-on-one duels and not necessarily extended to one who attacks innocent acquaintances."
"Got that right."
"Battosai!"
They looked up to see four small hot air balloons "Enishi will be able to see every sword move while his style remains unknown."
"They can attack whenever they choose and we can't touch them."
Sano stepped up "Let Tsunan take care of Whale Mouth instead of showing your blade already." He lit the short fuse with his friend's flint device as the Armstrong landed taking aim at Kenshin and Kaoru. If Sano spent the past ten days practicing his throw instead of pounding rock perhaps it would have gone into the barrel as he intended.
The explosion knocked the man into the street and he wasn't getting up so Megumi went over to see if he was still alive while Banjin and Hyoko jumped from their balloon.
Banjin smashed the gate with his new gauntlets "Ha!"
"He is confident." Kaoru moved to the covered porch.
"But his mind is weak." Yahiko joined her.
"What did you say?" Banjin focused on the pair.
"True, Yahiko." Kaoru assessed the man's metal clad fists. "That move was pointless."
"So he's the same type?" Megumi entered the yard looking over at Sano "I see."
"How brave of the women and children to stay," Hyoko lifted his left hand preparing to shoot his small arrows "Why don't I-"
Kenshin and Sano moved to block "You are forgetting who your opponents are." Kenshin unsheathed his sakabato "Megumi-san, is Kujiranami alive?"
"He's still breathing." She stepped onto the porch.
"So you're Battosai. Great, I'll defeat you." Banjin turned from Kenshin to Sano "But first I'll clear my name from last time."
"Wait, how can he have a grudge against Kenshin when he doesn't even know who he is?" Yahiko fingered the hilt of his shinai tucked at his waist.
"He reminds me of a puppy the way his attention is so easily diverted."
"True," Kaoru couldn't disagree with the doctor "And he has no real strength since he has to rely on two pieces of metal. Nothing Sano can't handle." The three dismissed Banjin and turned toward Hyoko to see Kenshin still standing in front of the man.
Hyoko held the trigger cord for the arrows strapped to his left wrist thinking of a way to goad Battosai when he saw Sano kick Banjin in the face breaking his nose. "I can't believe you are so fragile. No wonder you didn't defeat him before."
Banjin turned away from Sano who used the short diversion to check on the other enemies; someone else was in Enishi's balloon and a large box was tied underneath the basket. It looked big enough to hold Iwanbo; that must be Gein with another fake body. He quickly lit another grenade and threw it in the general direction of the closest balloon just before Banjin's right gauntlet connected with his head.
Kenshin flipped the blade locking the cutting edge forward and leapt at Hyoko slicing through the device on his wrist so he didn't have any ranged weapons to use against Yahiko. The second grenade warped the bottom of Enishi's basket and the box underneath crashed into the street. It was another doll although it didn't look as much like a man this time. Kenshin regretted not taking one of the grenades to ruin the gears from the inside before Gein climbed into the mouth.
Kaoru quickly tucked a bokken into her hakama belt and stood with her feet shoulder width apart at the top of the porch steps while Yahiko smashed his shinai against Hyoko's temple. He gave the man time to climb to his feet thinking that Yutaro would have been prepared for that head strike. Yahiko was very unimpressed "I'm facing another goldfish turd?" Yahiko held his shinai at midlevel "Why are you standing around instead of attacking? If you're scared to face someone strong then leave already."
"I will kill you for that." Hyoko began listing some of his shadow weapons to discourage the boy and dampen his spirit.
Yahiko didn't really care as long as dynamite wasn't involved. With those metal spikes curved around Hyoko's shoulders the boy was limited to elbow and wrist attacks. When the man finally decided to draw a sword Yahiko struck the metal discovering it was dull and that Hyoko had no skill. Easily out maneuvering the blade to land solid hits was fun and Yahiko took a step back to laugh out loud.
Banjin looked away from Sano to see what was so funny and saw Hyoko's bloody face. "A little kid did that to you? What a weakling!"
Sano wasted no time using left handed Futae No Kiwami on his face smashing Banjin's nose to the point he was only able to breathe through his mouth. "Don't forget you have me!"
Hyoko pulled out a glass jar and introduced the brat to Bishamon's Sword. He loosened the cork stopper before throwing it to make sure it broke open when it collided with Yahiko's shinai. This time Hyoko's sword changed direction in mid-swing cutting the boy's upper right arm.
"Wait Yahiko, think before you attack!" Kaoru tried to figure out how the powder changed the sword's direction while Yahiko was cut on his left arm and left leg. "Yahiko step back. Even someone holding a sword for the first time doesn't aim at legs. That sword has magnetic properties."
"But knowing the trick doesn't tell you how to deal with it." Hyoko grinned.
"Myojin Yahiko, Tokyo Samurai, does not need everything explained." He charged low and fast to steal Hyoko's sheath. As he expected the blade was more attracted to the magnetic sheath than the iron powder on him. Unfortunately holding the sheath while covered in iron powder caused the metal spikes to quickly curve toward him. Yahiko was stabbed in his arms, ribs and legs.
Hyoko stepped back pulling his spikes out of the boy to watch him fall then laughed when he noticed Kaoru unguarded at the top of the steps. He grasped the trigger with his right hand and raised his left arm to find the device holding his small arrows was cut through. None of the remaining shadow instruments were useful at this range yet Hyoko didn't want to get any closer to the angry woman.
Yahiko staggered a bit however he was on his feet with shinai in hand "What are you looking at her for? I'm not done with you yet."
Kaoru was absolutely furious with the man and desperately searched for a way to get Yahiko away from him; the brat was barely able to stay on his feet. She clamped her lips to keep from yelling at Yahiko to guard himself because she didn't want to draw Hyoko's attention to his unprotected head. She risked stealing a quick glance to see Sano take an elbow to the throat and Kenshin was facing an updated puppet with rotating arms so she drew her bokken to pummel the spikes off Otowa Hyoko.
Yahiko saw a dull sword and six sharp points coming at him again yet refused to back down. He automatically crossed his wrists over his head the way he practiced five thousand times over the past week as he muttered "Blade Catching" then slid the back of his hands along the flat of the blade murmuring "Hawatari" as he used every shred of his remaining strength to stab his hilt into Hyoko's neck crushing his windpipe.
Megumi was at Yahiko's side in an instant removing his gi to assess the damage. She looked back toward the porch to tell Kaoru there were no life threatening injuries and saw the girl sitting in a daze with her bokken resting on her knees.
"Ken…shin."
The puppet's upper arm swiveled in one direction while the forearm twisted in another to grab Kenshin and throw him to the ground behind it's back. Kaoru was sure Gein was going to crush him in the fist, not that landing so hard was much better. She ignored Megumi's insult about her weak knees and got to her feet as Kenshin stood up and turned his blade sharp side out.
According to Okina and Misao the previous version had impervious skin and the head rotated in a complete circle. This one was able to rotate all joints in a complete circle, but perhaps Kenshin could pierce the skin and disable the gears in the shoulders or elbows. He used a Dragon Hammer strike on the right elbow only to find that Gein was able to detach the joints so that all Kenshin accomplished was putting a hole in the skin. Once the joint was reattached the break in the elastic skin wasn't in a useful spot.
He took a running leap and used Dragon Flight to find out how far the skin was able to stretch before tearing apart. Gain detached the arm leaving the cables to be cut through as Kenshin ripped the skin; the right arm landed on the other side of the street.
"Come down and face me Enishi!"
"You murdered my sister and I will cast down Jinchu when there is no one else for you to fight!"
Sano landed hard against the dojo wall close to Kaoru cracking the plaster then held his neck as he stepped away from the wall trying to take a breath.
Banjin jumped onto the porch "That's my favorite move. Grab, crush and throw!"
Megumi wasn't able to do anything for Ken-san yet, but she knew what to do for Sano "You stupid bird head! Are you planning to use that mastery of layers?"
Banjin turned on her "Woman, we are in the middle of a fight here!"
Sano smirked at how easily his opponent was distracted "Kenshin made me promise not to fight fair, but since you've obviously only ever fought those weaker than you cross your arms like this" He held both arms in front of his chest "so I can use my right hand against both gauntlets."
Banjin grudgingly complied only because he was certain the idiot would fail. However Mastery of Three Layers shattered both gauntlets and Mastery of Two Layers broke his ribs. Suddenly he was on his back trying to breathe without having his right lung punctured.
"Where is Kenshin?"
He was prone, sliding along the ground until he reached the puppets severed arm. Kenshin made it to his knees then coughed up blood.
"That's bad, very bad." Megumi did not like the way Ken-san was holding his ribs as he got to his feet.
"This is functional beauty! I will show you my creation of physical beauty later." With lightning speed Gein twisted the puppet around to take Kenshin's back "Do you still think I am playing?"
"If you don't know the taste of blood or pain everything you do is mere play."
Megumi wanted to smack Kaoru for getting teary eyed and Kaoru wanted to run over there and hug Kenshin for using the severed arm as a shield. Their relief was short lived when the puppet's remaining left arm was raised and began twisting as it smashed into the ground where Kenshin had been standing. The fingers were also rotating as Gein crashed the hand into the street again trying to crush his elusive opponent.
"Each time the hand hits Kenshin thrusts into the wrist and although he's bound to destroy this new Iwanbo he is still going to face a rested Enishi who has seen too many of his moves."
"You worry too much Missy. When this fight is over we can make sure he gets some rest before facing his brother-in-law."
"And whatever care he needs is nothing compared to this rooster-headed idiot." Megumi was still trying to stop the bleeding in both mangled hands.
Seeing that Kenshin was being pushed back to the neighbor's fence gave Sano an idea "Hey, where is the last grenade?"
"By to door where you left it." Kaoru retrieved it, but he wasn't able to grab it.
"I have a feeling Kenshin's is going to have to use the same move he used against Aoshi and Shishio. We need to create a diversion so Enishi doesn't see it; light the grenade and throw it up as hard as you can before Kenshin attacks."
Kaoru saw Kenshin standing on the roof the neighbor's gate and wasted no time using a torch on the dojo wall to light the small bomb and threw it toward the two small hot air balloons.
Kenshin heard the explosion and instantly hit Gein with Dragon Flight of Heaven turning the puppet into so much scrap. He looked back at the dojo to make sure everyone was okay then sighed with relief thinking that it was only Sano wasting the last grenade again. The balloons were still there and the puppet master stayed in the remains apparently unable to stand.
"Come out of that toy and fight on your own."
"I am old and have less skill than Otowa Hyoko who was killed by the boy. I must decline."
Kenshin entered the yard to find it was true. The body was in the middle and Yahiko was unconscious at the bottom of the steps although Megumi had obviously cleaned and bandaged his wounds. Enishi was momentarily forgotten as Megumi and Kaoru led him into the dojo to treat his injuries.
Once Kenshin was seated on the raised platform under the student plaques Kaoru knelt by his right side. "I hope that grenade kept Enishi from seeing you destroy Gein's puppet. What move did you use?"
"Amakakeru Ryu No Hirameki." Kenshin rested his left hand on his knee and fisted his right to get past the pain while Megumi unwrapped his abdomen. "The Hiten Mitsurugi secret move relies heavily on purity of heart to stand on the paper thin wall between defeating an enemy and killing." He removed his kimono to make it easier for Megumi "Kaoru-dono, your support provides much strength; therefore, no matter how difficult, this one will keep fighting to protect those within sight."
Kaoru gripped her knees "Please protect yourself most of all, Kenshin. I want to stay with you."
"That is the intention; however, perhaps we should wait until after the fight with Enishi to discuss it. He is determined to make this one pay for Tomoe's death."
Kaoru nodded, uselessly wishing that fourteen years of atonement was enough. She doubted Kenshin's brother-in-law regretted any of the lives he took so Enishi wasn't able to grasp the concept of remorse. "How will you reach Enishi when he has no ability to understand you?"
"Hopefully knowing this one's wife is all that is necessary." She was the only common ground, although his memories probably didn't coincide with Enishi's fantasy of her.
Kaoru stood up and headed for the door to check on Yahiko. Leaving him out here alone wasn't a good idea and Sano sitting on the top step didn't count.
"It looks like whoever is in that last balloon will be joining us soon, Missy."
Kaoru heard him land on the roof and followed Sano down the steps to stand on the other side of Yahiko. She drew her bokken seeing the man perched on the peak with a left arm long enough to reach the porch roof. "It looks like that arm with spikes on each finger is his only weapon. Guess it's my turn."
"Hold on there, Little Miss." Sano moved his right arm as if to block her.
"Sano, are you about to imply I'm weak and unskilled?" She held her bokken ready to strike his right shoulder.
"That never crossed my mind." He lowered his arm and took a step back.
"What are your ties to Yukishiro Enishi?" Saito walked into the yard taking a drag on his cigarette. "Oh, I see." The one he was after was still in his balloon. Otowa Hyoko was no longer a concern, not that he'd been much of a problem to begin with, and Inui Banjin was on his back struggling to breath. Where was Gein? And who was the freak on the roof?
"We thought you were dead!" Sano's shout brought Kenshin and Megumi out to the porch.
"That doesn't answer my question." He noticed Kujiranami climbing to his feet "Cho, disable the cannon again." Saito crushed the stub with his heel.
"What? Now I have to clean up after them?" Cho muttered looking around for a weapon to use and only found Hyoko's dull weak blade. Are you serious? He mourned the loss of his collection all over again.
"Watch out!" Kaoru yelled at Kenshin and Megumi when the creepy man on the roof raised his left arm and extended the short blades on his fingers. She and Sano protected Yahiko as roofing tiles and chunks of wood went flying. Why was her dojo always being damaged? She squared her shoulders and glared at her enemy as she moved closer to the middle of the yard. Kaoru stood with her feet shoulder width apart holding her bokken at midlevel waiting for an attack.
Yatsume grinned showing his sharpened teeth "Pick up your sword Battosai or I will face the woman."
Kenshin stepped between Kaoru and the wolf "Saito, why are you here?"
"I am after the arms dealer in the sky. His existence is a threat to Japan."
"Enishi has already stated he will come down when there is no one else to fight."
"Is that freak all that remains?" Saito lit another cigarette.
"Yes."
"Then step aside Kamiya. I don't want to lose the opportunity to take Yukishiro down."
Kaoru didn't have much of a choice so she tucked her bokken into her hakama tie and went back to stand guard over Yahiko. Kenshin joined her putting a hand on her shoulder as they watched Saito unsheathe his katana.
Megumi knelt by Yahiko's head "Who has the advantage?"
Sano stood between her and the fight "I can't see him losing to anyone but Kenshin."
Yatsume jumped to the ground and quickly used his modified arm to scoop up enough dirt to slow the Gatotsu's momentum. Kenshin was a little upset that Saito's thrust was pushed back; a longer fight gave Yatsume more chances to learn how to counter attack. Kaoru felt him grow tense and reached up to cover his hand on her shoulder which calmed him somewhat.
Saito directed a thrust at Yatsume's left hand, the only place unprotected by the second wall of dirt he threw up. Five short spikes instantly closed around the blade stopping the thrust; however it was a simple matter to pull the blade back and strike the extended arm with Zeroshiki. Saito's katana was buried up to its hilt as Yatsume screamed in agony.
He lit another cigarette waiting for a chance to retrieve his blade, the one chosen from Cho's room. Fortunately Yatsume decided to attack from above making it easy for Saito to jump on his back forcing him to land on his head. "This sword is worth too much to let rust in blood." The wolf grabbed the hilt and roughly pulled the blade free causing another scream of agony.
Megumi and Kaoru felt a little sick and squeamish seeing the mess Saito made of his opponent. Kenshin released Kaoru's shoulder to approach his enemies already knowing the next move. He grabbed the hilt making Saito stop and look up.
"What are you doing?"
"One death tonight is enough. Megumi-san, please see that he doesn't die here."