Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters. I am just a fan girl with a wild imagination.
****Kaoru's Pov****
In Sano's Car.
After finding out that the Shrine was an hour and a half away from Kenshin's place, Sano promised that he could get them there in 45 minutes.
He had made good on his promise. He drove like a bat out of hell.
"SANO. Stopppp! I am going to puke! I can't take anymore." * Dry Heave*
"Lucky for you little Missy we are down the street from your beloved shrine!"
Kaoru's head was swimming.
Kaoru guessed that she had whiplash from all of the crazy driving maneuvers Sano attempted during their time together.
Sano finally slowed down to drive down the main road towards the Heian Jingu.
Kaoru was too car sick to appreciate the familiar trees as they came into view.
Kaoru rolled down the window and upchucked the meal that Kenshin had made for her earlier.
"Gross! Come on Missy don't tell me you can't handle a little Tokyo drift!" Sano yelled in outrage.
Kaoru simply groaned in response and kept her head hanging out the window.
She waited for Sano to stop and let her out, but he just kept going.
Wait what is he doing? He can't drive all the way to the entrance!
"Sano…Ugh..what.. are you-" *HEAVE*
"Don't worry Missy! I am getting you the VIP parking spot!"
Sano had somehow managed to drive his car up through the narrow black pillars in front of the shrine.
This brought his car to the entrance of the main gate.
Ideally the black pillars kept cars from turning off the street and onto the Shrine grounds.
Kaoru decided now would be a good time to get out of the car.
Kaoru pushed open the button for the butterfly doors earning another yell from Sano, and literally rolled out of the passenger seat and onto the ground.
Kaoru wanted to kiss the hard service.
Her relief was short lived, as their boisterous arrival had attracted the wrong kind of attention from tourists, and the staff of the shrine.
Within minutes, Okina, Megumi, Misao, and other shrine stuff showed up to see what was going on.
Kaoru heard the voice of her friends yelling in the distance.
"Kaoru! Is that you? Oh my god, what happened to her!"
As they approached, Sano got out of the car nonchalantly and came over to where Kaoru lay. He scratched the back of his head. He genuinely confused by her state of disarray.
"Um Missy, you, okay?"
The first of Kaoru's crew to reach them was Megumi. She eyed Sano, his weird outfit, and assumed the worst. In a flash she was in his face.
"Who the fuck are you? You have some nerve parking in front of the shrine and showing up with my missing friend!"
Sano was taken aback. Were all human women so feisty these days? Or was it just Kaoru and her friends?
He was instantly flattered.
"Missing? She hasn't been missing, she's been getting that good loving. Maybe she needed to get away from tightwads such as yourself!"
"Tightwads?! That's it. I am calling the police!"
Megumi pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and started to dial while glaring at Sano. Sano swiftly grabbed the phone out of her hand and dangled it in the air out of her reach.
"Nah-ah ah, none of that. I brought your girl back safe and sound. The name's Sanosuke Sagara."
Megumi stared at Sano in outrage and tried to jump to grab her phone. Sano laughed at her vexation and moved phone a little higher each time she jumped.
Sano had just met the woman of his dreams.
Yes, it was love at first sight.
Well love at first argument.
As they bantered, Gramps and Misao came to diffuse the situation. Gramps attempted to intervene in the argument as Misao headed over to Kaoru.
Misao moved to help Kaoru to stand.
*****Soujiro POV******
Soujiro been waiting around for a few days in close proximity to the shrine.
A loud black car had caught his attention and he decided to follow it's path.
Sure enough, it had headed straight to the front gate of the shrine. A familiar blue head of hair emerged from the car and rolled onto the ground.
Today is my lucky day.
Soujiro saw the argument between Megumi and Sano as an opportunity to sang Kaoru.
With Lighting speed, he intercepted Kaoru from Misao, grabbing her behind the waist and slinging her over his shoulder.
Misao cried out in disbelief causing everyone to cease their activity and watch with dread as Soujiro carried her away.
Time seemed to stand still for all of them.
Soujiro was more than 100 yards away from them in a span of 5 seconds.
He called to them as he left, "Sorry! It looks like your friend Kaoru has an important date with Lord Shishio, you'll have to see her later!"
Kaoru was too dizzy to fight back against Soujiro as he carried her farther and farther away from her friends.
************Itochu Meeting **************
Kenshin sat next to Hiko as he faced the board members of Itochu.
The meeting was being held from Hiko's private penthouse.
Hiko served as the president of Itochu and its chief operating officer.
Kenshin was the unofficial executive vice president.
The majority of the members were not in person, they were staring back at them through holograms.
The technology made Kenshin's reunion with the group safer, as everyone involved in his assassination plot had yet to be discovered.
The only people in person with Hiko and Kenshin were Saitou Hajime, and Yahiko Myojin. They were board members who served directly under Hiko and had become some of his most trusted colleagues.
Hiko had called an emergency meeting on this day to discuss Kenshin's reappearance and how to resume normal operations while launching an investigation.
The board members were not thrilled or relieved to see Kenshin.
Specifically, Takeda Kanryu (Chief financial officer) and Sadojima Hoji (Chairman & Chief executive officer), seemed the most disturbed that he was back.
This was noticed by Kenshin and Hiko throughout the course of the meeting.
"So are you planning to launch this investigation?" Takeda questioned rudely.
"Yes, Hiko we have more important matters to attend to. Now that Himura is back, he can pick up the slack for the past three months." Hoji followed.
"I understand how Kenshin's absence has affected finances by creating missed business opportunities. However, I can't ignore these recent events, and neither should you. It's time to pull your heads out of your asses." Hiko was livid.
"Takeda, where is your CSO Soujiro? I find his prolonged absence equally as alarming as Himura's." Saito questioned.
Saito was always quick to call out the elephant in the room. He didn't care who it offended or what their social standing was within the company.
Takeda's face froze in his hologram. Four pairs of eyes were now trained on him awaiting his statement.
"I-I cannot comment at this time as to why Soujiro may have abandoned his position. I am still trying to contact him."
"That's bullshit and you know it." Hiko smirked at him.
"What proof do you have that what he's saying is bullshit." Hoji countered.
"Please, gentlemen. This seems to be getting off topic, I am willing to resume my role here at Itochu and aid in the investigation at the same time." Kenshin reasoned.
"And how will you do both? You're needed on the front lines." Jin-e interjected.
Udo Jin-e was the manager of corporate planning.
Before Kenshin could answer his personal phone started buzzing loudly on the table.
It was Sano calling. Hiko and Kenshin locked eyes.
Sano knew better than to interrupt them right now. Something must have happened.
"Hiko, I need to take this." Kenshin pressed.
"Make it fucking quick." Hiko growled.
Kenshin stood up and grabbed his phone. He exited out of the board room and into the hall. He made sure to try to get out of earshot from the other demons.
"Not now Sano, I am still in the meeting."
"Sorry Kenshin, it can't wait. Kaoru's been kidnapped."
"WHAT."
Kenshin's world stopped.
"Sano. What. Happened." Kenshin ground out.
"Well..ya see.. when I went to drop Kaoru off at the shrine, Soujiro showed up and sort of took her."
"How in the hell did he manage a thing like that? Weren't you protecting her?"
"Ya..um he had an opportunity to snag her when I was arguing with Kaoru's doctor friend."
"How could you be so distracted that you missed Soujiro? Sano, I trusted in you!"
Kenshin punched the wall in anger leaving a large dent.
"I'm sorry Kenshin, we'll get her back!" Sano tried to comfort him.
"Sano, I need you to try to track him. I will come join you as soon as this meeting is over." Kenshin stressed.
"Aye-aye, I will get right on that!"
Kenshin hung up the phone and ran his fingers through his hair. Kenshin felt his gut fill with dread.
This was bad.
Kenshin knew Soujiro would take Kaoru right to Shishio.
There was no telling what Shishio would do to her.
He was not a demon known for his kindness.
They needed to find her now.
***Kaoru POV****
Kaoru bopped dumbly against Soujiro's back as he raced away from the shrine.
She watched her friends and everything she loved to disappear from view.
Once they were far away enough that no one could be pursuing them, he slowed down to a power walk.
At the end of the street Kaoru saw a long black hummer limo parked a few yards in front of them.
Let me guess, another fancy demon getaway car. Kaoru rolled her eyes.
These egotistical demons.
Soujiro slid Kaoru off of his shoulder and pushed her to stand.
He used a hand behind her back to hold her forearms together as he steered her towards the limo.
Kaoru didn't put up a fight as she stumbled towards the car. She was too tired to fight back, she decided to cooperate with her captor.
Soujiro opened the car and guided in her into the back seat of the hummer.
He scooted in next to her and waved for the driver to get going. Then he turned to Kaoru with a rope in his hands.
"Hold out your hands."
Kaoru held her hands out and Soujiro tied them up. Afterward he sat back and smiled at Kaoru.
His whole demeanor changed.
The edges of his eyes lifted to align with his peaceful smile.
"Thank you for being obliging Kaoru, I thought I was going to have to knock you out."
He was thanking her?
"Ya sure." Kaoru responded flatly. She didn't know how she was supposed to participate in this interaction.
Kaoru took a moment to study Soujiro up close. He had the face of young teenager, bright blue eyes, high voice, small build.
She would almost believe that he was an average human boy if she hadn't just witnessed his display of strength and agility.
"We should arrive at our destination in about 30 minutes, so why don't you just sit back and relax."
"I'll relax as much as a hostage can." Kaoru's voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"Now Kaoru, we prefer the term guest. You are to meet with Lord Shishio."
"Who is he exactly? I've never heard of him." Kaoru voiced her thoughts.
"Lord Shishio is an entrepreneur, a business owner of sorts, and the most notorious gang leader in all of Japan. He could single handedly wipe out the Yakuza if he wanted to. He is one of the strongest demons in the world."
As Soujiro rambled on, stars seemed to fill his eyes. He sounded like a fan boy.
"Great." Was Kaoru's only reply.
She slumped in her seat and looked out the window. Soujiro let her be.
Somehow, she had managed to meet a powerful demon which led to her getting kidnapped by another powerful demon.
Life was really working out for her right now.
After a little while Kaoru saw their car head up a long winding road through the mountains. Kaoru recognized this road as the one that led up to Mt. Hiei.
Kaoru confirmed her suspicions as they got to farther up the road and she saw the mountain looming in the distance.
"If I remember correctly, Six Tori Shrine is here too?" Kaoru voiced her observations looking over a Soujiro for confirmation.
He smiled back at her as if they were in the middle of a geography lesson.
"Yes, that's right. The Shrine of the Six Torii is hidden in the depths of Mt. Hiei, northeast of the city of Kyoto."
"Um..why are we going to this Shrine?"
"The Shrine is a religious temple converted into a stronghold for the underworld militia warlords."
"What?! How is that possible? I thought demons couldn't be on holy ground?"
"Clever girl, but you'll see." Soujiro's smile never faltered as he answered her.
His smile is starting to creep me out…
As they approached the shrine, the car pulled forward to a stop.
Kaoru saw the road before them move, a slab of road moved back revealing an underground tunnel.
The car continued on, descending with the tunnel. As they drove, the slab moved back closing them in.
"AHA! They drove under the shrine."
"Yep. Pretty nifty planning, don't you think? Lord Shishio is brilliant."
If Kaoru's hands weren't bound, she would shake the boy next to her.
Does he not have his own identity?
Upon their arrival, Soujiro led Kaoru out of the car by her bound hands.
They had parked in front of a large mansion.
A mansion. Underground. This is nuts!
They entered the mansion and were greeted by a beautiful busty woman.
"There you are! Took you long enough Soujiro!"
"My deepest apologies Yumi, waiting for the right opportunity took some time." Soujiro said sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
"Alright, well I can take things from here." Yumi spoke with an air of authority about her.
She turned toward Kaoru and looked her up and down. Yumi wrinkled her nose in disgust as she eyed Kaoru's outfit.
"You, come with me. No funny business or else." Yumi made a motion under her neck with a long finger.
"To my prison cell?" Kaoru answered.
"No idiot, I will take you to my boudoir. You can't meet with lord Shishio looking like that? It's a disgrace."
Kaoru glared at Yumi's backside and followed her down the hallway.
What a snob! They care about the appearance of their prisoners.
Kaoru made sure to pay attention to the direction of the twisting and winding hallways as they walked. In case the opportunity to escape presented itself later.
Yumi took Kaoru through a red oak door with a golden handle.
The room smelled of lilac, and roses, with some other expensive musk infused into the scent.
She pushed Kaoru to a chair in front of her vanity and ordered her to sit down.
Kaoru looked around Yumi's dressing room. It was like a scene from a palace. Huge painted rare tapestries lined the walls.
Silken curtains lined each window and separated parts of the room.
Yumi had a large red chaise lounge chair with matching red Victorian loveseats on either side in a sitting area off to the side.
In front of Kaoru in the center of the room, a large Victorian vanity with a mirror was stationed.
On the far side of the room there was a large wooden wardrobe, a liquor cabinet and gold liquor cart.
On the other side there was also a bathroom. While Kaoru couldn't see all the inner workings of the bathroom, she saw a golden clawed foot stick out of the corner, apart of a large bathtub.
On the surface of the vanity rested various perfume bottles, make up kits, and accessories for a woman to fix herself up.
"Isn't it perfect? Shishio let me design this room however I liked. He paid for everything."
"What am I doing here?"
Yumi's face soured at Kaoru's questions. She would have loved some compliments on her choice of interior design.
"You will get dressed, clean up, and report to Lord Shishio."
"And if I refuse?"
"Idiot, there is no other option." Yumi looked up and then smirked at Kaoru.
A gun floated in the air, controlled by a phantom hand above them.
It followed Kaoru's every move; with every tilt of her head, it adjusted its angle.
Kaoru tensed up and stopped moving. Shit.
Kaoru changed her approach.
"You were saying? "Kaoru asked hesitantly.
"Good girl! See that bathroom over there? Go rinse off quickly and come back to this chair."
Kaoru got up and sprinted over to the bathroom. The gun matched her pace and followed above her, ducking down to go through the bathroom doorway.
Kaoru was about to close the door when Yumi stopped her.
"No closing the door."
Kaoru growled and awkwardly turned to the tub. The knobs on the tub turned themselves, adjusting the temperature on their own.
Kaoru looked back over at Yumi for an explanation, but all she got was another smirk and a wave of her hand.
"Come on, we haven't got all day."
Kaoru lifted her shirt over her head and slid her pants down to her ankles. She stepped out of her clothes and into the tub.
She heard Yumi click her tongue behind her, almost as if she was showing approving of Kaoru's body.
Kaoru sat down in the bath and began to lather up her body with an available bar of soap.
Yumi had laid down on her chaise lounge and was filing her nails. She would glance at up Kaoru occasionally checking on her.
Kaoru wanted to enjoy the bath but couldn't under these circumstances. After a few minutes of washing, she drained the tub and stepped out.
She grabbed the red towel that had appeared outside the bathtub and wrapped it around herself.
Kaoru carefully walked back into the main room and over to the chair. Yumi motioned for her to sit back down.
Yumi came up behind her and looked over Kaoru's shoulder and into the large mirror at both of their reflections.
Yumi ran her fingers through Kaoru's hair and tied it up over her head.
"Hmm, what to do, what to do." Yumi said thoughtfully. "Oh, I know."
Make up brushes and cosmetics floated around Kaoru and Yumi. They started to open and mix themselves.
"How are all these inanimate objects moving around? Is that you?"
Kaoru wondered if Yumi was a demon too.
"Yes, that's me. It makes everything so much more convenient."
Kaoru watched the brushes begin to apply product to her face while Yumi made her way over to the wardrobe.
Yumi opened its grand wooden doors and began to rummage through the clothes.
Kaoru looked up to see the gun still poised over her.
There was no way to escape.
Yumi picked out a few pieces and headed back over to Kaoru.
"Here put this on."
It was a traditional pink Japanese yukata with peach blossoms printed all over it. After Kaoru had stepped into it, Yumi stepped behind her to tie a red obi around her waist.
Yumi used another spell to curl and tie up Kaoru's hair into a long ponytail.
Kaoru looked at herself in the mirror. She looked nice, but for the wrong occasion. Yumi clearly had expertise in this area.
"Why the long face, don't you like it?"
Kaoru nodded. Not knowing what to say.
"Alright let's go. We've kept him waiting long enough."
*****Author's Note. Here are the board members of my fake demon Itochu. Notice some of the villains from the show. 😊****
Honjo katamari- Board member
Takeda Kanryu -Chief financial officer
Sadojima Hoji - chairman & Chief executive officer
Sawagejo Cho- President of the machinery department
Yukyuzan Anji- board member
Seta Soujiro – Chief administrative officer
Uonuma Usui- General manager, business development
Udo Jin-e. – General manager corporate planning
Isurugi Rajiuta- Board member