Chapter 3- Groping Shadows

Misao sat propped up on her elbows, her burnt leg stinging painfully. Kenshin had placed her there, gently laying her on the mat. Kaoru had said nothing, but was obviously still upset about the chaotic mess she had made in the courtyard.

She still heard Kaoru shouting orders to Sano and Yahiko.

"Sweep up those ashes, Yahiko! Don't just spread them around!…Sanosuke! Where do you think you're going? Come back here and help me clean up this mess!"

Misao felt restless as she shifted her position on the mat, trying to become more comfortable. The room felt humid and dense. She lifted one hand and patted her moist cheeks, wishing she could get up and walk outside where she could breathe wind-stirred air.

But as she bent her legs to stand up, she winced. The pain flared up through her calf, causing it to ache even more than it did before. The red skin was hot and painful to the touch, with small blisters beginning to form.

Exasperated, she sighed and leaned back on her elbows, looking longingly towards the shoji door, which was slightly ajar. If only she could get up and open it wide, maybe some fresh air would blow through and make the air less stuffy.

She could call Kenshin from the kitchen and ask him to open it. But then she would feel even more stupid than she did already.

Bumping against a cooking pot…baka. She smacked her head with the palm of her hand, berating herself.

Turning towards the small window to her left, she watched as the wind outside blew against the canvas flap, making it rise and fall with each breeze. She upturned her head, trying to catch some of the air that made its way inside…

The flap rose gently. She caught sight of a dark hooded figure, standing outside the window. The flap softly dropped back into its place.

Misao blinked, not sure what she had seen. Her heart began to pound as she leaned towards the window, waiting for the next breeze…

The flap stirred again, except this time, not by the wind.

A black-gloved hand, long and elegant, lifted the canvas flap. A dark hood, the face obscured by the deep shadow it offered, peered into the room.

A deep terror flooded her thoughts. Opening her mouth to yell, Misao couldn't find her voice. She choked on her breath, struggling to lift her hand to draw her kunai.

In an instant, the cloaked form slipped through the window, soft black boots making no noise as it glided, in one step, to Misao's side, grasping her raised arm in a tight grip.

"Now, none of that," a voice from the depths of the hood whispered, its tone tinged with mockery.

Another hand clapped over her mouth, squeezing her jaw painfully as long fingers dug into her cheek. Misao struggled violently, trying to free her arm, trying to kick, ignoring the pain shooting through her leg. Screaming against the hand, she twisted and jerked her body under the tight grip. She beat her feet against the floor, trying to alert the others. The figure sat astraddle her legs, forcing them to be still.

"Kenshin!" Her cry came out as a smothered shriek. "Kenshin!"

The hand clamped on her jaw only tightened its grasp, forcing her head back onto the floor. Misao's vision blurred and grew dim as the pain through her jaw increased. Her limbs felt like lead and a fierce nausea crept into her stomach, bringing bile to the back of her throat.

She lay limp for a moment, feeling like she would faint. Her breath was hot and sticky against the glove over her mouth. She stared up into the hooded face, blinking heavily, trying to bring her eyes to focus. The only thing she could see of the face were thin lips curved into a sadistic smile.

"So you have captured his eye, have you?" the voice murmured in a low voice. "And have you truly given him your heart?"

The hand had eased its grip on her face. Drawing a breath and letting out a muffled cry, Misao flailed her free arm towards her assailant, desperately flinging her kunai out from her fingers. The voice uttered a dark curse through gritted teeth as one of the sharp little blades embedded itself into its shoulder.

The hand clutching her arm shot out and grabbed her wrist, pinioning both of her arms to her chest, making her unable to move.

The voice laughed a soft throaty laugh. "Spirited, are we?"

Misao lay helpless, unable to resist any longer. The hold on her jaw was tighter than before, making her head begin to buzz and her eyesight hazy. She tried to yank her head to the side, to make the hand on her face release its clutch, but to no avail.

She was trapped. Her breaths came in soft whimpers. Kaoru's commands echoing through the courtyard, the clatter of Yahiko's broom and dustpan…it all seemed like a world away, unable to hear her frantic cries.

"Sweet dreams," the voice whispered.

The hand released her face. Misao opened her mouth to yell, but a rough cloth was shoved over her nose. The smell tingled her throat, a sickly sweet scent, choking her breathing.

Immediately, she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, her eyes growing heavier and heavier. Her body felt like it falling down a deep abyss, darkness engulfing her, its weight dragging her down into oblivion.

"Shhhh…" the voice soothed. "Shhhhhhhhh…"

Kenshin grimaced, sucking in his breath between his teeth. Blood oozed from his index finger, trickling slowly down his hand.

He sighed and placed the knife he had been using on the wooden cutting board, careful not to touch the onions he had been chopping. He picked up a cloth from the table and dipped it into the cup of water he had been drinking from, gingerly pressing it to his hand.

"You making any food in here?"

Sano sidled up beside him, his hands in his pockets, an eager look on his face as he looked at the cutting board.

Smiling, Kenshin shook his head.

"Only chopping onions for tonight's dinner, that I was," he said, tossing the cloth aside onto the table.

"You cut yourself?" Sano frowned when he saw the red stained material. "That's not like you."

"This one was thinking about Aoshi," Kenshin admitted, picking up the knife again. "He's been away for quite some time now."

Sanosuke shrugged indifferently. "At least he's not stalking around the place like he owns it."

Kenshin chuckled under his breath as he resumed his cutting.

"No comment please," Sano said, grinning wryly.

The knife paused, poised over the cutting board. Kenshin looked up sharply, his violet eyes gazing at nothing, his expression anxious.

"What is it?" Sanosuke kept his voice low, taking a step closer.

The ruruoni blinked, then turned his head to meet Sano's gaze.

"Nothing," he said quietly, ducking his head. He continued his cutting, but his face remained troubled.

Sano was silent as he reached over to pick up a piece of chopped onion. He jerked his hand back as the knife clattered to the floor.

Kenshin took a quick step back, his hand raised, motioning for him to be silent. He tilted his head to one side, as if listening intently, his eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Do you hear something?" he asked in quiet voice, not relaxing his stance.

Looking towards the hallway, Sano was still for several moments, his forehead furrowed. But he shook his head.

"No, I can't hear anything. Just Jou-chan storming around the courtyard."

Kenshin lowered his hand, bending down to pick up the knife.

"No…" he said slowly. "Not that…this one thought he heard his name being called."

Sano guffawed loudly, this time taking a handful of onion pieces.

"Maybe you're cracking for real this time," he said, stuffing them into his mouth. "But at least that loud girl is quiet for once."

"Misao-dono!"

Kenshin dashed out of the kitchen, bounding across the courtyard, Sano right behind him. He heard Kaoru call out his name as he ran, but he didn't stop. He tore open the sliding door, staggering inside of her room.

It was empty. The canvas flap over the window stirred gently in the wind.

He cast his gaze around the scene, looking for what was out of place. The mat was askew on the ground, as if there had been a struggle. Several kunai lay scattered across the floor. One was embedded into the wall, a thin piece of paper thrust through it. The tip of the kunai was stained with blood.

You are too late now.

Find one who smiles at nothing;

He has the answers.

-Misuteri