Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Tanabata Jasmine ❯ Transition ( Chapter 17 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I'm looking into owning Watsuki, though.

Warning: No real nastiness, but I do hit massive spoilerage for the end of the Kyoto arc.

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Tanabata Jasmine Chapter 17

Trust Himura to go missing in the middle of summer.

Three days Makimachi Misao had been on lookout at this particular entrance into Kyoto, looking for Kenshin or either of the men Kaoru had described. Before that, they'd gone through the city with a fine tooth comb, searching for any rumour or shred of gossip about a plot against the Battousai. So far, their efforts had turned up little.

So here she sat, perched on the rooftops above the street, sweating in the heat of the early afternoon while she watched travelers enter the city. If Senzo Karanai was indeed bringing Kenshin in from Osaka, this was the road he would arrive on. Of course, that was assuming the rurouni in question hadn't already escaped on his own. Misao found it hard to believe he'd been kidnapped in the first place. What kind of legendary swordsman allowed a mere merchant to carry him off?

“A really, really stupid one,” she muttered.

“What was that?”

“Nothing!”

She grinned cheerfully at Omasu, before turning her eyes back to the road. They watched in pairs; easier, then, for one of them to slip away if needed. Not her first choice of partner, naturally - much as she liked the other woman, Misao had hoped Kaoru's telegram would draw a certain, moody former Okashira from his seclusion. But Aoshi refused to be drawn, barely reacting at all to the news of Kenshin's abduction, apart from the merest tilt of his head.

If Misao didn't know better, she would think Aoshi didn't give a damn. Certainly, it was the impression he would give to a stranger - but that brief inclination, that subtle angling of his chin as she told him, spoke volumes to a girl who'd watched him for much of his life. The fact that he had yet to move from his room - that she'd noticed, at least - merely told her that Shinomori Aoshi was planning something.

Whatever he was up to, she hoped he had better luck than the rest of them. Three days of watching the road in the sweltering heat without any luck was enough to try anyone's patience, and she wasn't known for hers to begin with. Misao was spoiling for a fight. She just needed a reason to start one.

“Misao-chan?”

She glanced at Omasu briefly, then down to where the other woman was pointing. New arrivals, and familiar ones at that.

Misao grinned.

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They arrived in Kyoto in the early afternoon. Sanosuke walked slightly ahead, forging a path for them through the traffic with an impatient look on his face. Kaoru followed behind, keeping a sure grip on the sakabatou, glancing at the people they passed. Glancing beyond them, into the narrow alleys and side streets that led away from the main street, searching for the elusive trace of red hair. Granted, the chance of Kenshin casually wandering through the crowd was next to nothing. She knew this. It didn't stop her from looking.

Behind her there was a snort of derision, and Yahiko's foot connected with the back of her knee. She stumbled forward, catching her balance as he spoke scornfully. “Stop being so slow! If Kenshin's here, he's not going to be lurking around some corner spying on us.”

“Oh, shut up,” she muttered, flushing with embarrassment. Ahead, Sano turned to regard her with amusement, and she glared steadily at him until he turned and sauntered onward. The altercation had caused heads to turn, and she hurried after Sano before too many people began to stare at the bruised woman clutching a sheathed sword to her chest. The last thing she needed was to be arrested for violating the sword ban.

Wilting slightly in the summer heat, she kept a tired eye on the fluttering ends of Sano's white gi as the former gangster chose their path, hesitating now and again before he chose a new direction. She caught the doubtful look on his face at one point, and grinned ruefully; it occurred to her that maybe they shouldn't be letting Sanosuke lead the way to the Aoiya. His sense of direction wasn't reassuring at the best of times.

Kaoru was searching for a semi-tactful way of telling him so when she was distracted by the sound of Yahiko's muffled yelp, and she turned sharply to see him crashing to the ground under the weight of someone else. She reached instinctively for her bokken before it registered exactly who Yahiko's assailant was.

“Get off me, itachi musume!”

Makimachi Misao, expression caught somewhere between self-righteous indignation and grinning pleasure, pushed his face into the dirt. “Not until you apologise for kicking Kaoru-san!”

Chivalry from a pint-sized Okashira. Kaoru didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted. “Misao-chan?” She was summarily ignored by both combatants, and flushed as passersby paused in the street to gaze curiously at the two rolling in the street and swapping insults.

Sanosuke was more forthright, wading into the melee to snag a length of dark braid and yank the girl up and away from Yahiko. “Much as it's fun to beat on the kid, think you could wait until a better time?”

“It's been a boring day.” Misao glared at him and snatched her hair back from his grasp, before turning a half-pirouette to beam at Kaoru while Yahiko struggled to his feet with a scowl. The grin faded as her gaze flicked to Kaoru's cheek, then down to the sakabatou clasped in her hands. “I'd almost hoped you were joking.”

Kaoru blinked, and then smiled tiredly. “I wouldn't joke about something so serious. But it's good to see you again, Misao-chan, despite the circumstances.”

Misao smirked. “I've been following you, actually. You know this tori atama is off course by four streets?”

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Not too long ago, Kaoru had faced Okina in much the same fashion; kneeling on a cushion next to Yahiko and asking for the whereabouts of Kenshin. It was almost eerie, how similar the situation was. The only real differences were Sanosuke's presence, lurking in the open doorway, and the quiet desperation that she couldn't quite keep from her voice.

She smiled at Okon as the woman served them tea, and took the cup in her hands before speaking uncertainly. “I appreciate the help you've given us, Okina-san. I had hoped you would have some luck...?” She trailed off, glancing at the old man hopefully.

“Very little, I'm afraid.” Okina took a sip of his tea, and met her gaze evenly. “Senzo Karanai has a home here in Kyoto, but by all accounts he hasn't set foot in it for about three weeks. We're watching it in case he returns, but I doubt that will happen.”

“Why wouldn't he?” Yahiko looked confused.

“By your own account, two of his men were arrested. He's going to be keeping a low profile here in Kyoto.” Okina frowned. “What concerns me more is that we've seen no sign at all of their movement here - and yet their arrival should have preceded yours by two days.

“That could mean one of two things. The first is that you've been lied to, and that Himura was never bound for Kyoto at all.”

Kaoru blinked. That was an option that hadn't occurred to her - and yet it really should have. The police had let the two men go without any concrete confirmation; there was nothing at all to deter Aki from lying to them. She bit her lip. If they were in entirely the wrong place—

“Aki was telling the truth,” Sano said calmly, catching and holding Kaoru's gaze. He smiled at her, reassuringly. “The bastard took far too much pleasure in delaying us for him to have lied about the destination. What's the other option?”

“That whoever took Himura knows enough about you that they are aware of your connections to us. They'll go to painful lengths to avoid detection by any potential informant.” Okina sighed. “The people we're dealing with are obviously very intelligent, or this situation wouldn't have arisen in the first place. A truly cunning man could find many ways to gain entry to Kyoto unnoticed.”

“So you're saying that your people won't be able to find Kenshin, is that it?” Sano's tone was deceptively mild.

“Entering the city and staying invisible within the city are two different things,” Okina countered. “All I'm saying is this will take longer than expected. And their method of operation tells us a great deal in itself.

“Consider the timing. It wasn't so long ago that Himura defeated Shishio Makoto - and Senzo Karanai, it seems, has been out of Kyoto for three weeks. I would surmise he left for Tokyo a day or two after you did.”

“Which means...?”

“I get it,” Misao interjected. She sat cross-legged on her own cushion, stroking her chin in what Kaoru assumed was an attempt to look calculating. “It was only after Himura fought Shishio, that someone hired Senzo to bring him back here.”

“Someone who knows that your group has established ties with the Oniwabanshu,” Okina added. “When you consider those facts, the list of suspects in his kidnapping shortens a great deal. Particularly when you consider that anyone capable of taking Himura Battousai by force has to be at least as cunning as Himura himself. We're certainly not dealing with a casual grudge.”

Shishio Makoto was dead, beyond any doubt. His death had been witnessed by all four men who battled him at Mt Hiei. By all accounts, Kenshin had not dealt the killing blow; Shishio's own body had betrayed him at the last.

On the other hand, that particular detail was not widely known. Kaoru frowned. “The Juppongatana. Are they still accounted for?”

“All but Soujirou and Iwanbou.”

“Wouldn't be the kid,” Sano mused. “He left Shishio of his own accord before we ever touched the guy.”

“I think you can rule out Iwanbou as the mastermind,” Okina said dryly. “But don't forget: Shishio had at least five hundred men who supported him. Not all of them were arrested. And that isn't including his own information network.”

“It doesn't make sense,” Kaoru murmured. “If this was revenge for Shishio, why not just kill him outright? And why wait so long? Kenshin was recovering from that battle for almost a month, afterward. He was vulnerable. Why wait until he returns to Tokyo, before sending men to bring him back?”

“I have a better question,” Yahiko said thoughtfully. “If they're so worried about being spotted by the Oniwabanshu, why are they coming back to Kyoto in the first place? They could have traded Kenshin off somewhere less dangerous for them. Why risk it?”

They stared at him.

“Very good point,” Okina finally said, nodding with approval. “And so we only have a piece of the puzzle. This may not be vengeance for Shishio at all, then. On the other hand, it'sa good bet that someone who was close to Shishio is involved. That affords us another avenue of investigation, at least.

“As for their choice of destination ... perhaps whoever hired Senzo is anchored in Kyoto somehow. A man who can't afford to leave? Perhaps his absence would cause too many questions. Or perhaps he's sick.”

Kaoru stared down into her cup and sighed. There were too many questions, too much confusion - and no clear indication on whether Kenshin had even arrived. She'd hoped that the police in Osaka might have had news, but the officer waiting for them at the docks had regretfully informed them otherwise.

“Kaoru-san?”

She looked up to meet Misao's concerned gaze, and smiled faintly. “I'm alright. Just thinking.”

Misao grinned. “Don't worry, Kaoru-san. This is Himura we're talking about. He's not the kind of guy who'll take being kidnapped without a fight! They'll have to fight tooth and nail to keep him.”

That's what I'm afraid of. Kaoru sipped her tea, and kept her worries to herself.

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He'd lost track of time again; the brief moments in which he surfaced from the dull haze were too disjointed and pain-filled for him to get his bearings. The first time he twitched awake, face pressed against floorboards that rattled beneath him in movement, his attention had been entirely taken by the searing hurt that ran the length of his arm, biting deeply into his shoulder. He couldn't feel his hands. An attempt to move, to assess the extent of his injuries, had flared the hurt into white hot agony and sent him spiraling into oblivion.

After that, there were fragments. Booted feet near his face, partly concealed by the curtain of his own red hair. The sound of horses. Cigarette smoke, thick in the air. He fought stubbornly to stay awake. His last clear memory was of rough hands dragging him carelessly across the wooden boards, before the pain dragged him under again.

Now, there were voices.

Cool fingers, with the dried out texture of paper, traced the length of the cross-scar before they tilted his head to the side and pushed hair away from the side of his head in a brisk gesture. The movement stung.

“You hit him?”

“Senzo's drug was ... unavailable. I took the next best option.”

"So, probably a concussion." The hand moved away from the injury, descending instead to his shoulder, probing across the length of the collarbone. He flinched away from the touch with a sharp intake of breath as it sent pain sheeting down his arm. The fingers hesitated, then withdrew altogether.

"Yamato. His collarbone is broken."

"Hai. Is that a problem?"

The unfamiliar voice sharpened. "By itself? Not at all. Hand me your belt knife."

A moment later, Kenshin felt the sharp edge of steel pressed against his wrist, and tensed. But the knife merely sliced upward, through cord he hadn't even been aware was there. Too unfocused. The thought itself scattered as his wrists fell free from their bindings, and he clenched his teeth, fighting to remain conscious as pain tried to override his senses again.

From far away, he heard Yamato's curious voice. "Why do you care? Aren't you going to kill him?"

"Whether I kill him or not isn't the issue," came the flat reply. "But I will not cause unnecessary pain. It is dishonourable."

"...Hai, Bayushi-san."

Bayushi.

Kenshin opened his eyes and stared hazily into the face of a man old enough to be his father. A man who met his weary gaze with a humourless smile..

“Himura Battousai,” the man greeted flatly. “You don't know me, but I certainly know you. Shall we talk?”

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You haven't seen the last of Senzo and Yoshida, in case you were wondering. I have plans (many plans), and I have to make sure all the threads tie together, but they definitely still have a role to play, yes indeedy.

Reverse Paradigm 2:Thanks for the congratulations and the review! And yup, I can add a mini glossary right here - after this, the Japanese kinda got stripped out, as someone pointed out I was misusing it in a couple of places. ::looks guilty:: I'll just glossarize (is that a word?) all the Japanese I've used so far, even if some of them are pretty obvious, hehe. You never know. ^_^

::leaves pocky for the Bakachuuuu::

GLOSSARYFOR CHAPTERS 1 - 16:

Aa = yes/yeah (less decisive/formal than `hai', at any rate…)

Ano = um

Arigatou/Arigatou gozaimasu = Thank you.

Baka = idiot

Bokken = wooden sword

Busu = ugly/hag (Yahiko's insult for Kaoru)

Che! = more Japanese swearing, heh. I think it's often used by Sano as a kind of “Tch!” thing…

De gozaru yo/na/ka = Kenshin's way of finishing his sentences, a more archaic version of desu yo/na/ka. This is translated in the anime as “That it is”…

Dojo = school

Geta = Japanese sandal

Gi = Japanese shirt ... uh … thingy. Heh. You know.

Gomen/Gomen nasai = I'm sorry (polite)

Hakama = wide legged pants

Hai = yes

Hitokiri = shadow assassin

Iie = no

Jou-chan = Sano's name for Kaoru. Usually translated as `missy'.

Ki = swordsman's spirit

Kitsune = fox

Kunai = throwing dagger

Kuso = damn

Maa, maa = now, now

Mou! = Sheesh! (Kaoru uses this a lot)

Nani = what

Ne = hey

Onegai = please (more a begging form of it)

Sakabatou = reverse blade sword

Sessha = Kenshin's way of referring to himself - This unworthy one.

Shinai = bamboo sword

Sou ka = I see

Sumanai = I'm sorry (less formal)

Tanuki = raccoon dog (also translated just as raccoon)

Tori atama = *grin* Rooster head

Wow … I didn't realise I'd used that much … O_O.

Next chapter: Along-expected confrontation, and a possibly-long hoped for appearance of someone else ...