Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Certain Clarity ❯ 12 ( Chapter 12 )

Title: A Certain Clarity (12/30)

Author: Franzi Dickson

E-mail: fdickson@ix.netcom.com

Archive: The SxSAS Archive, fanfiction.net and others (eventually). If you want it on your site, just ask.

Rating: NC-17 for wet dreams, sex, drugs, violence and other badness.

Warnings: m/m sex, lemon, assorted bad things in this part and future ones

Disclaimer: They don't belong to me. I'm just doing bad things with them. Don't sue me.

Chou looked up as he bounded in the door. "Hey, broom-head, where's Saitou? I gotta talk to him!"

"He's out. What's up rooster-head?"

"Damn. Where'd he go?"

Chou shrugged. "He's been out for a while. Why don't you just tell me whatever it is."

"I found out some more about that cult."

The blond raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't give me that; I found out by accident. The point is, they really are mixed up in something."

"You sure?"

"Pretty sure. They look like just a bunch of poor nutcases, but according to my source, they're luring rich people in with some kinda seances or something. And he said something about drugs and incense too."

"Damn." Chou whistled. "That would explain the weird smell, and the last kid was into that stuff." He thought for a moment. "You might as well go tell him. He said he was going to go question Doctor Takani later… He could be eating or something though; it *is* kind of late."

Even as Chou finished speaking, he was already going. He couldn't have said why he was running. A number of surprised policemen snatched at their papers as his passage sent them flying.

"Sano?"

He was panting. "Have you… Have you seen Saitou?"

"Saitou?" She sounded amused.

"… was supposed… to be… coming here…"

"No, I haven't seen him. Why? Did you need to talk to him?" Her eyes twinkled as her voice took on its foxy tone.

"Damn! Where'd he go?"

"Sano, what's wrong?"

He shook his head. "It's probably nothing. If you see him, tell him I was looking for him."

"Sano…"

"No, it's nothing." He waved and sauntered out of the gate. He didn't want to worry her. It probably *was* nothing. He walked faster. He'd just find Saitou and make sure… what? Well, he could tell him his information and then go. Simple. Quick. Where would he have gone?

He was approaching a commercial street now. Most of the shops had closed for the evening, but lights shone from the restaurants. Damn, he was hungry. Maybe he was eating dinner. The old weirdo liked soba, he remembered. Maybe one of these noodle shops…

This case was really one of the more trying he had had, and it didn't help that he seemed to be going soft in the head. He drummed his fingers on the table. They certainly were taking a while to bring his food. He fingered the bottle in his pocket. Hopefully, the lady doctor would be able to confirm that it was the same poison she had told him about. It wasn't certain, of course, but it would give him hope that this was, at last, the correct trail to follow.

Finally! Pale hands set the bowl before him. He breathed in the aroma. Perfection. Others might scoff at the gustatory charms of this dish, but its simplicity lent refinement. This was just what he needed to ground himself. He hadn't really been thinking clearly all day. He still felt like he was walking about in a dream. Now, with the sample in his possession and the ahou out of the way, perhaps he could finally get a handle on this case. He raised the bowl to his lips. What the devil!

"Saitou!"

What was the ahou doing here, and so out of breath too?

The boy's tense face relaxed into a grin. "Seems you were wrong, old man!"

"Oh?" He took a sip of the broth. Delicious.

"That cult is up to something after all!"

Damnation. "Look, ahou, I'm trying to enjoy my dinner in peace."

"No, I really found something this time."

He watched with some annoyance as the ahou plunked himself down opposite him.

The boy leaned forward. "Listen, I have a source that says that the cult is involved in some kind of séance racket."

Saitou idly watched him as he spoke. The boy licked his lips and Saitou felt an answering tingle in his own lips. Blast! What was wrong with him these days?

"I see."

"No, it gets better; they were giving people something weird to drink and burning funny smelling incense and… Saitou?"

A slim girl in a drab, brown kimono was slipping through the door of the noodle shop. Odd. Did he know her?

"Uh, like I was saying about the seances…"

He looked back at the ahou. The tingling in his lips continued. He touched one finger to them. Hmm…

"Saitou?"

"That's very interesting, why don't you accompany me while I visit Doctor Takani. You can tell me about it on the way." The ahou looked confused.

"But you haven't finished your dinner."

He shrugged. "I'm not as hungry as I thought."

"Ok, if you say so."

The ahou still looked confused as they left the restaurant.

"Hey, Saitou, what's with the hurry? I thought you wanted to hear about the seances."

"So tell me about them." The tingling was markedly more pronounced. He would walk. He would ignore it.

"Well, my source said that they were luring in rich people without much family left… Hey, are you even listening to me?"

If he just focussed on walking, he would be fine. One foot in front of the other. Ignore the rising lethargy in his limbs. Move.

"Saitou?"

Her clinic should be just there, but he felt so weak…

"What's the matter with you? Don't tell me that boring soba gave you a stomachache… Saitou!"

How odd. He didn't remember stumbling, but why else would the ahou be supporting him?

"What the hell?"

"Doctor Takani…" His mouth felt fuzzy and numb.

"Shit! What's going on? Saitou?!"

So weak.

"It's the poison, isn't it? It's the fucking poison! Saitou!!!"