Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Atonement ❯ Chapter 7
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: twistedgirl 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Angst | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 04.12.2014 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 301 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Angst | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 04.12.2014 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 301 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer- I don’t own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the awesome characters, nor do I make any money from the writing this story.
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Kenshin slid open the door to his darkened room and tore the sheathed sakabatou from his waist. He chucked the damnable weapon and it slid along the floor toward his futon. He brushed the moisture from his eyes with the back of his hand before sliding the door shut behind him. He hadn’t stopped shaking since he’d left Enishi at the bamboo forest. He’d done what he had to for Enishi’s sake. The man’s pleas to stay had cut him more deeply than any sword ever had. He shivered as he remembered the heat of Enishi’s body as he’d held the man until he’d fallen quiet. Enishi’s final words were his incensed promise to see his Jinchuu through. His brother-in-law’s guttural wail of anguish had torn through the still night as Kenshin stepped out from the bamboo stalks to return to the dojo.
Back at the dojo, Kenshin knew his arrival hadn’t gone unnoticed. He’d seen Sanosuke’s shadowy form sitting on the veranda outside. And now he felt the man’s presence on the other side of his door, lingering silently.
“Prepare yourself, Sano. Enishi and the others are coming as planned,” Kenshin solemnly muttered just loud enough for his friend to hear from the other side.
For a moment, Sanosuke couldn’t answer. One look at Kenshin’s silhouetted untied hair and dazed stagger back to his room had told Sanosuke exactly who he’d met and what they’d done together. His knuckles cracked as he bunched his fists.
“Good.” Sanosuke’s voice seeped with malice. “I’ll crush him. All of them.” The muscles in his jaw twitched beneath his skin. “Does he look like her…like Tomoe? Is that why you let him do this to you?”
Kenshin leaned back against the wall beside the door and slowly slid to sit with his head bowed, resting in his palms.
“No, that’s not it.”
A painful lump formed in Sanosuke’s throat. If that wasn’t the reason, then why did his best friend continue to lower himself to that terrible man? Enishi couldn’t be that strong! Sanosuke knew that he, himself, could defeat the asshole if Kenshin would only let him! But since he couldn’t interfere, watching Kenshin do it would have to suffice.
“Sleep well, then,” Sanosuke replied tersely. He turned and walked away.
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Enishi returned to the Yokohama mansion in the early afternoon. He could hardly keep his eyes open. He rubbed them to ease the stinging, only adding to the puffiness and redness, he was sure. One step through the door and his comrades had all fallen silent. Too exhausted for a confrontation, he mustered his last bit of energy to sneer.
Enishi grumbled and plodded past them toward his room. His nostrils flared as he folded his arms across his chest. Idiots! All of them! He’d felt Gein’s hard stare from beside him, but strode by, chin raised. He hadn’t the time for their suspicions that he was hiding something. He’d already roused Mumyoi’s as it was.
“There won’t be anything left of Battousai and his friends when we’re done with them!” Banjin shouted after him, his voice echoing throughout the spacious corridor. His boast was followed by the spirited, malicious laughter of the others.
“Battousai is mine!” Kujiranami bellowed. The jeers intensified.
“You hear that, Enishi?” Banjin shouted over more laughter. “We’ll finish them all off for you!”
Enishi closed the bedroom door behind him and navigated the few remaining paces before dropping his sword and collapsing into the large chair. The light that flooded through the window burned his eyes. Each day had become more difficult than the last; each night more sleepless. He could hardly think straight anymore. He wanted to relax, but the raucous laughter and pre-battle chatter from his comrades rekindled his anxiety. When they received the upgraded weapons Enishi’d promised them, they’d certainly be raring for a fight.
Mere hours ago, Battousai had ignited an inferno within him that had left him parched, longing for just one more touch. And now Enishi was all alone again, just how he’d always liked to be. So why did being alone this time feel so cold and wrong?
“Tomoe, give me your strength,” Enishi pleaded. He hated Battousai, right? Of course he did! His sister demanded it and he couldn’t betray her. This long-standing animosity had driven him this far, pushed him beyond his limits. He couldn’t abandon it now, no matter how heavy the burden to carry or how much it ripped him up inside.
“I feel nothing,” he muttered like a mantra, rocking back and forth. “He has to pay for what he’s done.” He rubbed his knees.
“I WILL punish him,” he whispered. Yes, he’d promised Tomoe that he would.
“I won’t disappoint you again, Tomoe.” His voice cracked. How long could he suppress these new desires for his enemy before his sister no longer smiled? He couldn’t let her know how he felt about Battousai! He couldn’t lose her smile!
“This all ends! I won’t fail!” Now was the time to see the fruits of his labor. Battousai had spoken of a promise, but Enishi had his own promises to keep. And he wouldn’t let anyone interfere, especially his comrades.
Enishi closed his eyes. Battousai was about to learn that Tomoe’s little brother always gets what he wants, and this time there was more at stake than just the Jinchuu his sister desired. Enishi had decided on a new plan for the rogue redhead, but first he needed to sleep.
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Kenshin awakened with a start. Recognizing no imminent danger, he relaxed. He’d been on high alert ever since his first encounter with Enishi on the bridge; when the man had admitted to masterminding the recent attacks on his friends. It was dawn. The warm glow of the sun bled through the rice paper panels of his shoji door. He grabbed his kimono and dressed quickly. He and the others had much to do in preparation for the upcoming battle. There were only three days left.
Kenshin opened his door to find Sanosuke standing there. Unlike the cheerful look his friend usually had when Kenshin was on his way to make breakfast, the man had a dark expression.
“I’ll make something to eat,” Kenshin happily offered. He tried to walk around his friend, but Sanosuke stepped in front of him.
“Sano?” Kenshin asked.
Sanosuke grabbed the man’s wrist and walked him backwards back into his room. “I want to know what’s going on,” he demanded sharply. “What are you hiding from me? And don’t tell me it’s nothing!”
Kenshin’s eyes widened. “If I don’t start breakfast, the others will—”
“Let Kaoru make it for once!” Sanosuke snarled. He clutched the front of Kenshin’s kimono with both hands. “Tell me everything.”
Kenshin’s cheeks heated. He looked down at his feet, trying to find the right words to explain how things with his brother-in-law had gotten out of hand. How could he admit that he’d completely lost control of the situation?
Infuriated by Kenshin’s silence, Sanosuke hauled the man up to meet his glare. “I was up all night because of you! All night trying to figure out what it is that you’re trying to accomplish all by yourself!” he hissed through clenched teeth. “First, you tell me not to worry because you have everything under control.” His breaths grew heavier. “Then you tell me that you’re doing what you have to do to keep Enishi away from the dojo to protect us.” Sanosuke’s brow scrunched. “And then last night you disappear for what seemed like an eternity and when you return, you tell me to be ready; that Enishi will attack us as planned!”
Sanosuke seethed, leaning closer. “What the hell does that mean? Did you give your body to him again for nothing?” He snapped his hands away and clenched them into tight fists.
Just then he noticed a crimson mark on his friend’s skin, peeking out above where the sides of his kimono crossed at the top. He gawked incredulously.
Kenshin tried to pull his kimono shut higher, but Sanosuke yanked it open to expose more deep red marks sprinkled across his chest and down his torso—revealing evidence that Enishi’s mouth had been all over his body.
When Kenshin raised his head, the haunted look in his gaze sent a chill down Sanosuke’s spine.
“Why are you letting him do this to you?” Sanosuke exclaimed. His eyes sharpened. “I want the truth!” He searched the man’s face for answers. “Didn’t I already tell you when this all began, to never treat me like a liability or I’d break your mouth open with my fists?”
“I’m sorry for worrying you this past week,” Kenshin muttered, feeling Sanosuke’s eyes drilling into him. “I tried to explain that his sister’s death was an accident. But he wouldn’t listen.” His voice faltered as he continued. “I thought I could take advantage of his weakness to reach his heart, but I’ve lost myself in the process, and I’ve hurt him more than I ever could’ve imagined.” He backed up and plopped onto his futon.
“Now you feel sorry for him?” Sanosuke derided. “After what he’s done to you? And to us, your friends?” His breaths were heavy now.
“You didn’t hear how he cried out when I left him there alone,” Kenshin barely managed to whisper. “The torment in his voice was too much.” He bowed his head. “I destroyed him. Left him alone. Again.” He bit his bottom lip to keep his grief in check. “I’ve failed, Sanosuke.”
Sanosuke slammed his fist into his open hand. “And you didn’t hear ME apparently when I begged you to stay away from him in the first place!” Sanosuke snapped. His heart ached more each second to see his friend lament over such a man. “You idiot, Kenshin! You’re too kind!” He glowered down at his friend. “I knew this would happen!” He paced the floor. “Do you think I’m too weak to help you? That pisses me off!”
“No!” Kenshin protested. “It’s I who was weak. I need your strength, your advice. Please, Sano. I don’t even know what I’m feeling anymore.”
Sanosuke froze. The muscles in his jaw quivered with restraint. “Loneliness! You’re feeling loneliness, dammit!” he barked. This was a feeling he knew too well. He crouched in front of his friend. “I told you I’m here for you!” His voice dropped to a gravelly whisper. “I told you I’ll give you anything you want!”
Sanosuke scowled. “Do you know how it makes me feel to see you give yourself to someone like him?” He grabbed the sides of Kenshin’s face. “I would follow you to Hell to stand beside you; to fight alongside you as your equal.” His voice faltered. “I offered myself to you and you still don’t see it.”
Kenshin put his hands over Sanosuke’s. How had he not noticed the extent of Sanosuke’s pain?
Sanosuke’s expression softened. “You’re such an idiot sometimes, Kenshin. What I’m trying to say is that I—”
The sound of quickly approaching footsteps caught the attention of both men, who yanked their hands away from each other.
“Kenshin?” Kaoru called out. “Are you going to make breakfast?”
“Yes, Miss Kaoru,” Kenshin replied, mustering as much vivacity as he could manage. “I’ll be right there.”
Once certain Kaoru was out of earshot, Sanosuke turned his attention back to his friend.
“What I’m trying to say is that you could never fail, Kenshin,” Sanosuke said. “I’ve looked up to you since the day you defeated me.” He quietly chuckled at the memory. “You changed my life and made me a better person, and you’ve done the same for many others. That isn’t failure.”
Kenshin grabbed Sanosuke’s hands and gently squeezed. “Thank you, my friend, for everything.” Confiding in Sanosuke had always brought him great relief when things were difficult. After a lifetime of keeping his emotions under such tight wraps, Sanosuke was the only person he trusted with both advice and to fight by his side.
Sanosuke curled his arm to pull the man closer to his side, holding him tight for a moment. His brow crinkled. Friend. That word stung like salt poured into a gaping wound.
Sanosuke released Kenshin and as they stood, Sanosuke added with grim deliberation, “I know your issues with Enishi are between the two of you, but now I have my own grudge to settle with your brother-in-law.” He cracked his knuckles. “And it WILL be settled.”
Kenshin bowed his head.
“Now, about breakfast,” Sanosuke changed the subject. He playfully punched Kenshin’s shoulder.
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Kenshin’s eyelids fluttered open, having thought he’d heard something outside. It was dark. What time was it? Still fully dressed and lying on his back, he realized how tired he must’ve been to let his guard down and fall asleep in this manner. A sweeping glance from this supine position revealed nothing but the pitch black that enveloped his room. Still, he felt uneasy.
“Sanosuke?” he whispered into the dark. The hair stood up on the back of his neck. Something was wrong.
Before Kenshin could move, a hand shot out from the darkness above his head to clamp a cloth tightly over his nose and mouth. His assailant smothered him silent. This scent that burned his nose and throat smelled similar to Otowa’s Kasui Busuen, the poison gas that temporarily paralyzes the limbs. The hand squeezed tighter, asphyxiating him, pressing his head down with incredible strength. He writhed like a madman. He swung and clawed desperately to free himself. But it was no use.
“Don’t fight it,” a deep voice cautioned.
Enishi! Kenshin felt himself slipping into oblivion.
Enishi gathered the man into his arms and hurried out of the room. He had to leave the property quickly before he was spotted. He’d take the man to the island in that woman’s stead. From there, he’d decide where they’d go next. In time, he hoped Battousai would understand how much he needed him.
As he rushed toward the front gate of the property, a man stepped in front of him. He pointed at Enishi. “I knew you’d try something like this!” Sanosuke snarled.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” Yahiko shouted as he burst out of the dojo with Kaoru close behind. “Let Kenshin go!” he demanded.
Kenshin’s head throbbed as he drifted in and out of consciousness. The drone of angry voices filled his ears. Disoriented, he squinted to see two dark figures rush from the front of the dojo.
Sanosuke cautiously took a step closer. Noticing the way Kenshin’s body sagged in Enishi’s arms, he exclaimed, “Kaoru! Yahiko! Stay back! I’ll take care of this!”
He turned his attention back to Enishi. Enishi was near his height and weight and carried what had to be a long sword strapped to the left side of his back. He knew he would have to release Kenshin to draw it, though. He cracked his knuckles.
As Kenshin’s foggy mind cleared a little, he realized the gravity of his situation. Enishi was trying to whisk him away, but his friends were not going to allow that to happen. He wanted to move, but his buzzing limbs felt heavy as lead.
“Release him!” Sanosuke demanded, clenching his fists at his sides. Although he’d been more vigilant this past week, he hadn’t counted on a surprise attack such as this. Enishi must’ve used some means to disable Kenshin. Poison, maybe?
“MOVE BEFORE I KILL YOU!” Enishi growled, his tone more desperate than he’d intended. He clutched Kenshin closer to his body. His muscles tightened with surging adrenaline.
Enishi’s bottom lip quivered with rage. He refused to lose! Not after straying this far from his original Jinchuu plans! Battousai had taken hold of him and pulled him down to this hell where he could think of nothing but him! That initial taste of his enemy’s body had torn into the fabric of his psyche! Years of meticulous plans unravelling at a pace far too fast to stop! Half a lifetime of hatred and planned revenge washed away in this emotional tsunami!
He had to take Battousai with him! He couldn’t stay in Japan and he wouldn’t leave without him. This was the only way to ease the pain and hunger within him AND keep his sister’s beautiful smile. He wouldn’t lose either! Battousai’s friends wouldn’t be able to stop him. He would paint this property with their blood and entrails if that’s what it took to leave with Battousai!
“Then I guess I’ll have to take him from you by force!” Sanosuke threatened. He rolled his shoulders as if limbering up for a fight. “I know Kenshin wants me to stay out of this, but you leave me no choice since you’ve incapacitated him.” He lowered his head and raised his fists. His voice grew menacing. “I WILL stop you.”
With a haughty laugh, Enishi strode toward Sanosuke, Battousai still in his arms. He’d intended on silently whisking the man away under the cover of darkness! He wasn’t about to let this bastard get in his way!
“Be careful, Sanosuke!” Kaoru yelled from behind Enishi. She shrank back when Enishi turned his head back toward her.
“I’m taking what I’m owed!” Enishi snarled. “You have no right to stop me!” When he turned his attention back to Sanosuke, he was met with a fist to his face.
Sanosuke’s lips curled back, baring his teeth. “You can’t walk out of here until you defeat ME!” He punched Enishi again, sending the man staggering backwards. Because Kenshin was still in the Enishi’s arms, there was little else Sanosuke could do without the risk of hurting his friend.
“No!” Kenshin tried to protest, but the two stubborn men were too entrenched in their ire to hear him. He weakly clutched Enishi’s shirt.
Enishi tightened his grip on Battousai. Every fury-driven thump of his heart commanded him to draw his sword. But his arms quaked violently in restraint. He would not release Battousai, not even for a moment! Again, he walked toward the front gate, and felt Sanosuke’s fist. The salty taste of blood filled his mouth. He grinned maniacally.
“You think fists will stop me?” Enishi scoffed. “I FEEL NO PAIN!”
Breathing heavily, Sanosuke felt Enishi’s warm blood running down his knuckles. Yet his rage was far from satiated. The mere sight of the man who’d done such terrible things to the person he cared most for both sickened and infuriated him. He raised a fist to strike again.
“No more, Enishi!” Kenshin growled. The poison was beginning to wear off quickly now. He weakly lifted his hand to wipe the warm fluid flowing from Enishi’s nose. The man’s face was a mess! He tried to twist from Enishi’s grasp so he could stop this fight. He understood Sanosuke striking Enishi to keep him from leaving, but why wasn’t Enishi fighting back? His brother-in-law continued to walk toward Sanosuke as if daring him to hit him again.
“You heard the man!” Sanosuke turned his head away with disgust when Kenshin doted on Enishi’s wounds. “I don’t know why Kenshin defends a piece of shit like you, but you’d better be grateful!” he snarled. The man said he didn’t feel pain, but Sanosuke knew he was lying. The power of Sanosuke’s strikes and his bloody fists had felt the damage done.
Enishi didn’t care how many times he got hit. He wasn’t going to release Battousai and he wasn’t going to fight back. He refused to physically destroy Sanosuke and give him the chance to garner Battousai’s pity. The mere thought of Battousai showing that gentle expression to anyone else pained him. He couldn’t allow himself to even imagine it for another second, lest he lose the last of his self-control.
Kenshin again demanded Enishi to stop. This man acted like a stubborn child!
Ignoring Kenshin, Enishi turned his head to spit a glob of blood. He glowered at Sanosuke. “He killed my sister!”
Sanosuke’s shoulders stiffened. “That doesn’t give you the right to kidnap him! Only a coward takes someone against their will!”
“He gave himself to me!” Enishi let out a guttural roar.
“You took him by force!” Sanosuke yelled, his voice wild with rage now. “I heard it all, you bastard!” He swung his arm in emphasis.
Kaoru gasped and covered Yahiko’s ears.
“You jerk!” Kaoru shrieked at Enishi. “You’re wrong about Kenshin! He didn’t kill Tomoe on purpose! The truth is in her diary that’s en route from Kyoto right now! Read it before you—”
Kaoru was interrupted by a thunderous volley of explosions at the front gate of the property. The concussion blew both Sanosuke and Enishi back. Dust and wood fragments from the gate and part of the outer wall whipped around them like a tornado. Enishi turned his side to the blast, hunching protectively to shield his captive from the shrapnel. Fuck! They found me!
Kenshin’s ears throbbed from the ear-piercing explosion. A deafening shrill ring drowned out all sound. He winced with pain as countless tiny lacerations peppered his body despite Enishi’s attempts to protect him. Four dark forms emerged from the dust and debris cloud. Enishi’s comrades! Kujiranami’s massive silhouette was in the front. The Armstrong Cannon? No, this was a different weapon—one that looked to have a blade on it as well!
“I knew you were up to something!” Banjin shouted, stepping in front of Otowa and Kujiranami. He pointed at Enishi. “You’re stealing our prey!”
“Now, that’s not fair,” Otowa sniffed with mock disbelief. “Telling us that we had to wait 10 days to get our chance to kill him, and then you steal him for yourself in the meantime. I didn’t expect this from you. Lucky for us, with the right ‘incentive’, the train station attendant flapped his big mouth.” He snickered.
“Now he has a broken jaw!” Banjin added with obnoxious enthusiasm. “But not before he told us about your little trips to Edo!” He laughed wickedly. “What—you think a white-haired punk like you would go unnoticed?”
Gein remained silent, lurking behind the others.
Kujiranami shoved Banjin aside. “Battousai!” he bellowed as the three continued their approach.
“Touch him and I’ll annihilate you!” Enishi rumbled through clenched teeth.
“He’s mine!” Kujiranami thundered in reply. “You promised us—every man for himself to finish him off!”
“You’d better do as he says,” Otowa said mischievously. “If you try to attack us, you’ll have to leave Battousai unguarded anyway.” He pointed beyond the destroyed gate behind him. “Besides, we destroyed your little escape plan—the hot air balloon,” he taunted.
With an arrogant chuckle, Enishi lowered Kenshin to the ground and took a wide step to stand over him. They dared defy him? He’d finish them off here! He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Besides, he needed to tie up loose ends anyway.
Kenshin grunted when he landed awkwardly onto his hands and knees. The sheath and fabric Enishi used to shroud his weapon dropped beside him. Kenshin looked up to see Enishi step forward, vertically spinning a long, formidable blade. Kenshin watched with horror and fascination as this towering man wielded the blade adeptly. He was unsure of what skills the man possessed and how he planned to use them.
Kenshin scrambled to a safe distance behind Enishi before standing up. Save some residual tingling in his limbs, the poison had nearly worn off. He had to stop this fight!
“Battousai!” Kujiranami barreled toward Enishi.
“You dare to cross me?” Enishi snarled. His comrades’ insubordination enraged him. With a swift lunge, Enishi swung his blade at Kujiranami then kicked the back of the blade to propel the sharp steel into the man’s grenade launcher arm attachment. It hurtled through the air. Kujiranami landed on the ground with a loud thud.
From the corner of his eye, Enishi saw Otowa take a small step toward Battousai. He swung his sword lightning fast to block the speeding arrow from Otowa’s sleeve. He swung his sword again, intentionally missing the man by a hair. Instead he lunged forward and punched the man’s face, which knocked him to the ground.
Enishi whirled around to Banjin, who had his gauntlets up in front of his face to swing or block. Enishi brought his sword overhead then swung down to hit the blunt side of the blade with his left palm. With a loud whack to propel it, the razor sharp edge tore into the man’s gauntlets.
The pieces of the broken gauntlets hadn’t yet hit the ground when Enishi positioned for the next strike just as Kujiranami got to his knees and was again calling Battousai’s name.
“Don’t kill them, Enishi!” Kenshin commanded.
Enishi resented Battousai’s ridiculous request. Nonetheless, he threw his sword aside and grabbed Kujiranami by his shirt and unleashed a ferocity that erupted from the pent up frustration of holding back on Battousai’s account.
“Never say his name again!” Enishi shrieked hoarsely. Strike after strike, Enishi pummeled Kujiranami’s face. The man’s groans of agony only spurred him on. Even when the massive Kujiranami fell onto his back, Enishi tumbled with him, punching him over and over, his glasses falling off in the process.
“Stop!” Kenshin yanked Enishi off of Kujiranami. He wrestled the exhausted man onto his back and straddled his torso. He hadn’t expected his brother-in-law to wield such skill and power with that unique sword, and with a speed that rivalled his own. But the man’s unpredictable bouts of anger worried him.
“Enough!” Kenshin roared. He slapped the man’s cheek with enough force to sting his own palm.
“I’m not your possession! Tomoe wasn’t your possession!” Kenshin shouted. “You don’t have the right to poison and kidnap someone to have things your way!” And although it was clear that Enishi’s comrades were unexpected, the man’s lack of camaraderie even within his own ranks was disturbing. Was there no one the man cared about other than himself?
Enishi’s body stiffened at those words. “She was my SISTER! AND NOW BECAUSE OF YOU, HER SMILE IS FADING!” He grabbed Battousai’s wrists. “Do you understand?” His fingers dug into the man’s flesh as he raised his head. “You’re all I can see now! She’s dead in my mind, too!” His body quaked now as his voice quieted. “You’ve killed her twice!”
“You can’t see her smile because you’re letting go of the past!” Kenshin fisted the material of Enishi’s shirt and yanked him up so their faces were only inches apart. “Become the man that Tomoe would want you be! Make her proud! Make ME proud!”
Enishi turned his head away. His cheek still throbbed and now his face flushed at the humiliation of being scolded in front of everyone. Battousai’s harsh words stung.
Kenshin gave the man a shake before continuing, “Everything I told you; Tomoe’s death being an accident and how I feel about you, is the truth!” Kenshin let go of Enishi, rose to his feet, and stepped back. “I’ll leave the diary in that shack for you. Read it! Learn the truth about me and Tomoe. I’ll be waiting.”
Enishi frowned as he looked around to Battousai’s friends, who were all on high alert, ready to put themselves into harm’s way for this man. This wasn’t how his plan was supposed to turn out. Battousai was supposed to leave with him. He slowly stood up and took a few steps closer to Battousai when a cloud of smoke exploded around him.
“We’ve got to leave! The authorities are coming!” Gein threw another smoke bomb in preparation for a hasty departure. After what he’d just witnessed, it was clear that his comrade wasn’t going to leave without intervention. He snatched up the man’s sword and sheath before they disappeared into the billowing smokiness.
“A legendary swordsman like you living like a slave is a disgrace!” Enishi grumbled as everything around him was swallowed into a haze.
“A peaceful life is not slavery,” Kenshin remarked from somewhere in the smog. “I’m fulfilling Tomoe’s wishes to protect without killing.”
“You’ll never know peace!” Enishi fumed. “Enemies from the past will never stop seeking vengeance!” Damn that Gein for interfering!
“I know they won’t,” Kenshin replied. “But using my sword to protect brings me peace and happiness. Now it’s time for you to find yours.”
“I have!” Enishi replied frantically. He stumbled about, waving his arms in all directions, when a hand caught his and held tightly. The hot touch sent an electrical jolt through Enishi. Battousai! He lunged forward into the murkiness to embrace the man, but an arm snatched him from behind.
“We have to go,” Gein thrust the sword and sheath into Enishi’s outstretched hand. “Mumyoi didn’t come—this was supposed to be a reconnaissance mission. It’s only a matter of time before he’s discovered. We have to leave NOW.” He tugged the man toward the front of the property.
“I can’t leave without him!” Enishi howled. He had to find Battousai; hold him one more time! “I don’t have anyone now!” he pleaded. “He said he didn’t want me to be alone!”
The approaching frantic voices from the street meant he was out of time.
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To be continued…
Author’s Note- I apologize for this extremely belated update! Again. *sigh* So many college papers to write this semester (and last semester, too)! Grrr… I can’t wait for summer break for some free time! A big thank you to anyone still following this story. And thank you so much to those who reviewed! I’ve messed with this chapter for far too long, so hopefully it came out okay. To be honest, it’s really difficult to follow the intensity of the previous chapter, so I hope I pulled off a decent chapter. I’m going to crank it back up in the next chapter, though! Mwhahahaha! Thanks again! ^_^
Chapter Seven
Enishi’s voice was tearful as he made one last plea. “DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND? YOU’RE THE REASON THAT I’M ALIVE! I LIVED TO TAKE MY REVENGE ON YOU! YOU CAN’T WALK AWAY FROM ME LIKE THIS!”```````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````
Kenshin slid open the door to his darkened room and tore the sheathed sakabatou from his waist. He chucked the damnable weapon and it slid along the floor toward his futon. He brushed the moisture from his eyes with the back of his hand before sliding the door shut behind him. He hadn’t stopped shaking since he’d left Enishi at the bamboo forest. He’d done what he had to for Enishi’s sake. The man’s pleas to stay had cut him more deeply than any sword ever had. He shivered as he remembered the heat of Enishi’s body as he’d held the man until he’d fallen quiet. Enishi’s final words were his incensed promise to see his Jinchuu through. His brother-in-law’s guttural wail of anguish had torn through the still night as Kenshin stepped out from the bamboo stalks to return to the dojo.
Back at the dojo, Kenshin knew his arrival hadn’t gone unnoticed. He’d seen Sanosuke’s shadowy form sitting on the veranda outside. And now he felt the man’s presence on the other side of his door, lingering silently.
“Prepare yourself, Sano. Enishi and the others are coming as planned,” Kenshin solemnly muttered just loud enough for his friend to hear from the other side.
For a moment, Sanosuke couldn’t answer. One look at Kenshin’s silhouetted untied hair and dazed stagger back to his room had told Sanosuke exactly who he’d met and what they’d done together. His knuckles cracked as he bunched his fists.
“Good.” Sanosuke’s voice seeped with malice. “I’ll crush him. All of them.” The muscles in his jaw twitched beneath his skin. “Does he look like her…like Tomoe? Is that why you let him do this to you?”
Kenshin leaned back against the wall beside the door and slowly slid to sit with his head bowed, resting in his palms.
“No, that’s not it.”
A painful lump formed in Sanosuke’s throat. If that wasn’t the reason, then why did his best friend continue to lower himself to that terrible man? Enishi couldn’t be that strong! Sanosuke knew that he, himself, could defeat the asshole if Kenshin would only let him! But since he couldn’t interfere, watching Kenshin do it would have to suffice.
“Sleep well, then,” Sanosuke replied tersely. He turned and walked away.
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Enishi returned to the Yokohama mansion in the early afternoon. He could hardly keep his eyes open. He rubbed them to ease the stinging, only adding to the puffiness and redness, he was sure. One step through the door and his comrades had all fallen silent. Too exhausted for a confrontation, he mustered his last bit of energy to sneer.
Enishi grumbled and plodded past them toward his room. His nostrils flared as he folded his arms across his chest. Idiots! All of them! He’d felt Gein’s hard stare from beside him, but strode by, chin raised. He hadn’t the time for their suspicions that he was hiding something. He’d already roused Mumyoi’s as it was.
“There won’t be anything left of Battousai and his friends when we’re done with them!” Banjin shouted after him, his voice echoing throughout the spacious corridor. His boast was followed by the spirited, malicious laughter of the others.
“Battousai is mine!” Kujiranami bellowed. The jeers intensified.
“You hear that, Enishi?” Banjin shouted over more laughter. “We’ll finish them all off for you!”
Enishi closed the bedroom door behind him and navigated the few remaining paces before dropping his sword and collapsing into the large chair. The light that flooded through the window burned his eyes. Each day had become more difficult than the last; each night more sleepless. He could hardly think straight anymore. He wanted to relax, but the raucous laughter and pre-battle chatter from his comrades rekindled his anxiety. When they received the upgraded weapons Enishi’d promised them, they’d certainly be raring for a fight.
Mere hours ago, Battousai had ignited an inferno within him that had left him parched, longing for just one more touch. And now Enishi was all alone again, just how he’d always liked to be. So why did being alone this time feel so cold and wrong?
“Tomoe, give me your strength,” Enishi pleaded. He hated Battousai, right? Of course he did! His sister demanded it and he couldn’t betray her. This long-standing animosity had driven him this far, pushed him beyond his limits. He couldn’t abandon it now, no matter how heavy the burden to carry or how much it ripped him up inside.
“I feel nothing,” he muttered like a mantra, rocking back and forth. “He has to pay for what he’s done.” He rubbed his knees.
“I WILL punish him,” he whispered. Yes, he’d promised Tomoe that he would.
“I won’t disappoint you again, Tomoe.” His voice cracked. How long could he suppress these new desires for his enemy before his sister no longer smiled? He couldn’t let her know how he felt about Battousai! He couldn’t lose her smile!
“This all ends! I won’t fail!” Now was the time to see the fruits of his labor. Battousai had spoken of a promise, but Enishi had his own promises to keep. And he wouldn’t let anyone interfere, especially his comrades.
Enishi closed his eyes. Battousai was about to learn that Tomoe’s little brother always gets what he wants, and this time there was more at stake than just the Jinchuu his sister desired. Enishi had decided on a new plan for the rogue redhead, but first he needed to sleep.
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Kenshin awakened with a start. Recognizing no imminent danger, he relaxed. He’d been on high alert ever since his first encounter with Enishi on the bridge; when the man had admitted to masterminding the recent attacks on his friends. It was dawn. The warm glow of the sun bled through the rice paper panels of his shoji door. He grabbed his kimono and dressed quickly. He and the others had much to do in preparation for the upcoming battle. There were only three days left.
Kenshin opened his door to find Sanosuke standing there. Unlike the cheerful look his friend usually had when Kenshin was on his way to make breakfast, the man had a dark expression.
“I’ll make something to eat,” Kenshin happily offered. He tried to walk around his friend, but Sanosuke stepped in front of him.
“Sano?” Kenshin asked.
Sanosuke grabbed the man’s wrist and walked him backwards back into his room. “I want to know what’s going on,” he demanded sharply. “What are you hiding from me? And don’t tell me it’s nothing!”
Kenshin’s eyes widened. “If I don’t start breakfast, the others will—”
“Let Kaoru make it for once!” Sanosuke snarled. He clutched the front of Kenshin’s kimono with both hands. “Tell me everything.”
Kenshin’s cheeks heated. He looked down at his feet, trying to find the right words to explain how things with his brother-in-law had gotten out of hand. How could he admit that he’d completely lost control of the situation?
Infuriated by Kenshin’s silence, Sanosuke hauled the man up to meet his glare. “I was up all night because of you! All night trying to figure out what it is that you’re trying to accomplish all by yourself!” he hissed through clenched teeth. “First, you tell me not to worry because you have everything under control.” His breaths grew heavier. “Then you tell me that you’re doing what you have to do to keep Enishi away from the dojo to protect us.” Sanosuke’s brow scrunched. “And then last night you disappear for what seemed like an eternity and when you return, you tell me to be ready; that Enishi will attack us as planned!”
Sanosuke seethed, leaning closer. “What the hell does that mean? Did you give your body to him again for nothing?” He snapped his hands away and clenched them into tight fists.
Just then he noticed a crimson mark on his friend’s skin, peeking out above where the sides of his kimono crossed at the top. He gawked incredulously.
Kenshin tried to pull his kimono shut higher, but Sanosuke yanked it open to expose more deep red marks sprinkled across his chest and down his torso—revealing evidence that Enishi’s mouth had been all over his body.
When Kenshin raised his head, the haunted look in his gaze sent a chill down Sanosuke’s spine.
“Why are you letting him do this to you?” Sanosuke exclaimed. His eyes sharpened. “I want the truth!” He searched the man’s face for answers. “Didn’t I already tell you when this all began, to never treat me like a liability or I’d break your mouth open with my fists?”
“I’m sorry for worrying you this past week,” Kenshin muttered, feeling Sanosuke’s eyes drilling into him. “I tried to explain that his sister’s death was an accident. But he wouldn’t listen.” His voice faltered as he continued. “I thought I could take advantage of his weakness to reach his heart, but I’ve lost myself in the process, and I’ve hurt him more than I ever could’ve imagined.” He backed up and plopped onto his futon.
“Now you feel sorry for him?” Sanosuke derided. “After what he’s done to you? And to us, your friends?” His breaths were heavy now.
“You didn’t hear how he cried out when I left him there alone,” Kenshin barely managed to whisper. “The torment in his voice was too much.” He bowed his head. “I destroyed him. Left him alone. Again.” He bit his bottom lip to keep his grief in check. “I’ve failed, Sanosuke.”
Sanosuke slammed his fist into his open hand. “And you didn’t hear ME apparently when I begged you to stay away from him in the first place!” Sanosuke snapped. His heart ached more each second to see his friend lament over such a man. “You idiot, Kenshin! You’re too kind!” He glowered down at his friend. “I knew this would happen!” He paced the floor. “Do you think I’m too weak to help you? That pisses me off!”
“No!” Kenshin protested. “It’s I who was weak. I need your strength, your advice. Please, Sano. I don’t even know what I’m feeling anymore.”
Sanosuke froze. The muscles in his jaw quivered with restraint. “Loneliness! You’re feeling loneliness, dammit!” he barked. This was a feeling he knew too well. He crouched in front of his friend. “I told you I’m here for you!” His voice dropped to a gravelly whisper. “I told you I’ll give you anything you want!”
Sanosuke scowled. “Do you know how it makes me feel to see you give yourself to someone like him?” He grabbed the sides of Kenshin’s face. “I would follow you to Hell to stand beside you; to fight alongside you as your equal.” His voice faltered. “I offered myself to you and you still don’t see it.”
Kenshin put his hands over Sanosuke’s. How had he not noticed the extent of Sanosuke’s pain?
Sanosuke’s expression softened. “You’re such an idiot sometimes, Kenshin. What I’m trying to say is that I—”
The sound of quickly approaching footsteps caught the attention of both men, who yanked their hands away from each other.
“Kenshin?” Kaoru called out. “Are you going to make breakfast?”
“Yes, Miss Kaoru,” Kenshin replied, mustering as much vivacity as he could manage. “I’ll be right there.”
Once certain Kaoru was out of earshot, Sanosuke turned his attention back to his friend.
“What I’m trying to say is that you could never fail, Kenshin,” Sanosuke said. “I’ve looked up to you since the day you defeated me.” He quietly chuckled at the memory. “You changed my life and made me a better person, and you’ve done the same for many others. That isn’t failure.”
Kenshin grabbed Sanosuke’s hands and gently squeezed. “Thank you, my friend, for everything.” Confiding in Sanosuke had always brought him great relief when things were difficult. After a lifetime of keeping his emotions under such tight wraps, Sanosuke was the only person he trusted with both advice and to fight by his side.
Sanosuke curled his arm to pull the man closer to his side, holding him tight for a moment. His brow crinkled. Friend. That word stung like salt poured into a gaping wound.
Sanosuke released Kenshin and as they stood, Sanosuke added with grim deliberation, “I know your issues with Enishi are between the two of you, but now I have my own grudge to settle with your brother-in-law.” He cracked his knuckles. “And it WILL be settled.”
Kenshin bowed his head.
“Now, about breakfast,” Sanosuke changed the subject. He playfully punched Kenshin’s shoulder.
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Kenshin’s eyelids fluttered open, having thought he’d heard something outside. It was dark. What time was it? Still fully dressed and lying on his back, he realized how tired he must’ve been to let his guard down and fall asleep in this manner. A sweeping glance from this supine position revealed nothing but the pitch black that enveloped his room. Still, he felt uneasy.
“Sanosuke?” he whispered into the dark. The hair stood up on the back of his neck. Something was wrong.
Before Kenshin could move, a hand shot out from the darkness above his head to clamp a cloth tightly over his nose and mouth. His assailant smothered him silent. This scent that burned his nose and throat smelled similar to Otowa’s Kasui Busuen, the poison gas that temporarily paralyzes the limbs. The hand squeezed tighter, asphyxiating him, pressing his head down with incredible strength. He writhed like a madman. He swung and clawed desperately to free himself. But it was no use.
“Don’t fight it,” a deep voice cautioned.
Enishi! Kenshin felt himself slipping into oblivion.
Enishi gathered the man into his arms and hurried out of the room. He had to leave the property quickly before he was spotted. He’d take the man to the island in that woman’s stead. From there, he’d decide where they’d go next. In time, he hoped Battousai would understand how much he needed him.
As he rushed toward the front gate of the property, a man stepped in front of him. He pointed at Enishi. “I knew you’d try something like this!” Sanosuke snarled.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” Yahiko shouted as he burst out of the dojo with Kaoru close behind. “Let Kenshin go!” he demanded.
Kenshin’s head throbbed as he drifted in and out of consciousness. The drone of angry voices filled his ears. Disoriented, he squinted to see two dark figures rush from the front of the dojo.
Sanosuke cautiously took a step closer. Noticing the way Kenshin’s body sagged in Enishi’s arms, he exclaimed, “Kaoru! Yahiko! Stay back! I’ll take care of this!”
He turned his attention back to Enishi. Enishi was near his height and weight and carried what had to be a long sword strapped to the left side of his back. He knew he would have to release Kenshin to draw it, though. He cracked his knuckles.
As Kenshin’s foggy mind cleared a little, he realized the gravity of his situation. Enishi was trying to whisk him away, but his friends were not going to allow that to happen. He wanted to move, but his buzzing limbs felt heavy as lead.
“Release him!” Sanosuke demanded, clenching his fists at his sides. Although he’d been more vigilant this past week, he hadn’t counted on a surprise attack such as this. Enishi must’ve used some means to disable Kenshin. Poison, maybe?
“MOVE BEFORE I KILL YOU!” Enishi growled, his tone more desperate than he’d intended. He clutched Kenshin closer to his body. His muscles tightened with surging adrenaline.
Enishi’s bottom lip quivered with rage. He refused to lose! Not after straying this far from his original Jinchuu plans! Battousai had taken hold of him and pulled him down to this hell where he could think of nothing but him! That initial taste of his enemy’s body had torn into the fabric of his psyche! Years of meticulous plans unravelling at a pace far too fast to stop! Half a lifetime of hatred and planned revenge washed away in this emotional tsunami!
He had to take Battousai with him! He couldn’t stay in Japan and he wouldn’t leave without him. This was the only way to ease the pain and hunger within him AND keep his sister’s beautiful smile. He wouldn’t lose either! Battousai’s friends wouldn’t be able to stop him. He would paint this property with their blood and entrails if that’s what it took to leave with Battousai!
“Then I guess I’ll have to take him from you by force!” Sanosuke threatened. He rolled his shoulders as if limbering up for a fight. “I know Kenshin wants me to stay out of this, but you leave me no choice since you’ve incapacitated him.” He lowered his head and raised his fists. His voice grew menacing. “I WILL stop you.”
With a haughty laugh, Enishi strode toward Sanosuke, Battousai still in his arms. He’d intended on silently whisking the man away under the cover of darkness! He wasn’t about to let this bastard get in his way!
“Be careful, Sanosuke!” Kaoru yelled from behind Enishi. She shrank back when Enishi turned his head back toward her.
“I’m taking what I’m owed!” Enishi snarled. “You have no right to stop me!” When he turned his attention back to Sanosuke, he was met with a fist to his face.
Sanosuke’s lips curled back, baring his teeth. “You can’t walk out of here until you defeat ME!” He punched Enishi again, sending the man staggering backwards. Because Kenshin was still in the Enishi’s arms, there was little else Sanosuke could do without the risk of hurting his friend.
“No!” Kenshin tried to protest, but the two stubborn men were too entrenched in their ire to hear him. He weakly clutched Enishi’s shirt.
Enishi tightened his grip on Battousai. Every fury-driven thump of his heart commanded him to draw his sword. But his arms quaked violently in restraint. He would not release Battousai, not even for a moment! Again, he walked toward the front gate, and felt Sanosuke’s fist. The salty taste of blood filled his mouth. He grinned maniacally.
“You think fists will stop me?” Enishi scoffed. “I FEEL NO PAIN!”
Breathing heavily, Sanosuke felt Enishi’s warm blood running down his knuckles. Yet his rage was far from satiated. The mere sight of the man who’d done such terrible things to the person he cared most for both sickened and infuriated him. He raised a fist to strike again.
“No more, Enishi!” Kenshin growled. The poison was beginning to wear off quickly now. He weakly lifted his hand to wipe the warm fluid flowing from Enishi’s nose. The man’s face was a mess! He tried to twist from Enishi’s grasp so he could stop this fight. He understood Sanosuke striking Enishi to keep him from leaving, but why wasn’t Enishi fighting back? His brother-in-law continued to walk toward Sanosuke as if daring him to hit him again.
“You heard the man!” Sanosuke turned his head away with disgust when Kenshin doted on Enishi’s wounds. “I don’t know why Kenshin defends a piece of shit like you, but you’d better be grateful!” he snarled. The man said he didn’t feel pain, but Sanosuke knew he was lying. The power of Sanosuke’s strikes and his bloody fists had felt the damage done.
Enishi didn’t care how many times he got hit. He wasn’t going to release Battousai and he wasn’t going to fight back. He refused to physically destroy Sanosuke and give him the chance to garner Battousai’s pity. The mere thought of Battousai showing that gentle expression to anyone else pained him. He couldn’t allow himself to even imagine it for another second, lest he lose the last of his self-control.
Kenshin again demanded Enishi to stop. This man acted like a stubborn child!
Ignoring Kenshin, Enishi turned his head to spit a glob of blood. He glowered at Sanosuke. “He killed my sister!”
Sanosuke’s shoulders stiffened. “That doesn’t give you the right to kidnap him! Only a coward takes someone against their will!”
“He gave himself to me!” Enishi let out a guttural roar.
“You took him by force!” Sanosuke yelled, his voice wild with rage now. “I heard it all, you bastard!” He swung his arm in emphasis.
Kaoru gasped and covered Yahiko’s ears.
“You jerk!” Kaoru shrieked at Enishi. “You’re wrong about Kenshin! He didn’t kill Tomoe on purpose! The truth is in her diary that’s en route from Kyoto right now! Read it before you—”
Kaoru was interrupted by a thunderous volley of explosions at the front gate of the property. The concussion blew both Sanosuke and Enishi back. Dust and wood fragments from the gate and part of the outer wall whipped around them like a tornado. Enishi turned his side to the blast, hunching protectively to shield his captive from the shrapnel. Fuck! They found me!
Kenshin’s ears throbbed from the ear-piercing explosion. A deafening shrill ring drowned out all sound. He winced with pain as countless tiny lacerations peppered his body despite Enishi’s attempts to protect him. Four dark forms emerged from the dust and debris cloud. Enishi’s comrades! Kujiranami’s massive silhouette was in the front. The Armstrong Cannon? No, this was a different weapon—one that looked to have a blade on it as well!
“I knew you were up to something!” Banjin shouted, stepping in front of Otowa and Kujiranami. He pointed at Enishi. “You’re stealing our prey!”
“Now, that’s not fair,” Otowa sniffed with mock disbelief. “Telling us that we had to wait 10 days to get our chance to kill him, and then you steal him for yourself in the meantime. I didn’t expect this from you. Lucky for us, with the right ‘incentive’, the train station attendant flapped his big mouth.” He snickered.
“Now he has a broken jaw!” Banjin added with obnoxious enthusiasm. “But not before he told us about your little trips to Edo!” He laughed wickedly. “What—you think a white-haired punk like you would go unnoticed?”
Gein remained silent, lurking behind the others.
Kujiranami shoved Banjin aside. “Battousai!” he bellowed as the three continued their approach.
“Touch him and I’ll annihilate you!” Enishi rumbled through clenched teeth.
“He’s mine!” Kujiranami thundered in reply. “You promised us—every man for himself to finish him off!”
“You’d better do as he says,” Otowa said mischievously. “If you try to attack us, you’ll have to leave Battousai unguarded anyway.” He pointed beyond the destroyed gate behind him. “Besides, we destroyed your little escape plan—the hot air balloon,” he taunted.
With an arrogant chuckle, Enishi lowered Kenshin to the ground and took a wide step to stand over him. They dared defy him? He’d finish them off here! He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Besides, he needed to tie up loose ends anyway.
Kenshin grunted when he landed awkwardly onto his hands and knees. The sheath and fabric Enishi used to shroud his weapon dropped beside him. Kenshin looked up to see Enishi step forward, vertically spinning a long, formidable blade. Kenshin watched with horror and fascination as this towering man wielded the blade adeptly. He was unsure of what skills the man possessed and how he planned to use them.
Kenshin scrambled to a safe distance behind Enishi before standing up. Save some residual tingling in his limbs, the poison had nearly worn off. He had to stop this fight!
“Battousai!” Kujiranami barreled toward Enishi.
“You dare to cross me?” Enishi snarled. His comrades’ insubordination enraged him. With a swift lunge, Enishi swung his blade at Kujiranami then kicked the back of the blade to propel the sharp steel into the man’s grenade launcher arm attachment. It hurtled through the air. Kujiranami landed on the ground with a loud thud.
From the corner of his eye, Enishi saw Otowa take a small step toward Battousai. He swung his sword lightning fast to block the speeding arrow from Otowa’s sleeve. He swung his sword again, intentionally missing the man by a hair. Instead he lunged forward and punched the man’s face, which knocked him to the ground.
Enishi whirled around to Banjin, who had his gauntlets up in front of his face to swing or block. Enishi brought his sword overhead then swung down to hit the blunt side of the blade with his left palm. With a loud whack to propel it, the razor sharp edge tore into the man’s gauntlets.
The pieces of the broken gauntlets hadn’t yet hit the ground when Enishi positioned for the next strike just as Kujiranami got to his knees and was again calling Battousai’s name.
“Don’t kill them, Enishi!” Kenshin commanded.
Enishi resented Battousai’s ridiculous request. Nonetheless, he threw his sword aside and grabbed Kujiranami by his shirt and unleashed a ferocity that erupted from the pent up frustration of holding back on Battousai’s account.
“Never say his name again!” Enishi shrieked hoarsely. Strike after strike, Enishi pummeled Kujiranami’s face. The man’s groans of agony only spurred him on. Even when the massive Kujiranami fell onto his back, Enishi tumbled with him, punching him over and over, his glasses falling off in the process.
“Stop!” Kenshin yanked Enishi off of Kujiranami. He wrestled the exhausted man onto his back and straddled his torso. He hadn’t expected his brother-in-law to wield such skill and power with that unique sword, and with a speed that rivalled his own. But the man’s unpredictable bouts of anger worried him.
“Enough!” Kenshin roared. He slapped the man’s cheek with enough force to sting his own palm.
“I’m not your possession! Tomoe wasn’t your possession!” Kenshin shouted. “You don’t have the right to poison and kidnap someone to have things your way!” And although it was clear that Enishi’s comrades were unexpected, the man’s lack of camaraderie even within his own ranks was disturbing. Was there no one the man cared about other than himself?
Enishi’s body stiffened at those words. “She was my SISTER! AND NOW BECAUSE OF YOU, HER SMILE IS FADING!” He grabbed Battousai’s wrists. “Do you understand?” His fingers dug into the man’s flesh as he raised his head. “You’re all I can see now! She’s dead in my mind, too!” His body quaked now as his voice quieted. “You’ve killed her twice!”
“You can’t see her smile because you’re letting go of the past!” Kenshin fisted the material of Enishi’s shirt and yanked him up so their faces were only inches apart. “Become the man that Tomoe would want you be! Make her proud! Make ME proud!”
Enishi turned his head away. His cheek still throbbed and now his face flushed at the humiliation of being scolded in front of everyone. Battousai’s harsh words stung.
Kenshin gave the man a shake before continuing, “Everything I told you; Tomoe’s death being an accident and how I feel about you, is the truth!” Kenshin let go of Enishi, rose to his feet, and stepped back. “I’ll leave the diary in that shack for you. Read it! Learn the truth about me and Tomoe. I’ll be waiting.”
Enishi frowned as he looked around to Battousai’s friends, who were all on high alert, ready to put themselves into harm’s way for this man. This wasn’t how his plan was supposed to turn out. Battousai was supposed to leave with him. He slowly stood up and took a few steps closer to Battousai when a cloud of smoke exploded around him.
“We’ve got to leave! The authorities are coming!” Gein threw another smoke bomb in preparation for a hasty departure. After what he’d just witnessed, it was clear that his comrade wasn’t going to leave without intervention. He snatched up the man’s sword and sheath before they disappeared into the billowing smokiness.
“A legendary swordsman like you living like a slave is a disgrace!” Enishi grumbled as everything around him was swallowed into a haze.
“A peaceful life is not slavery,” Kenshin remarked from somewhere in the smog. “I’m fulfilling Tomoe’s wishes to protect without killing.”
“You’ll never know peace!” Enishi fumed. “Enemies from the past will never stop seeking vengeance!” Damn that Gein for interfering!
“I know they won’t,” Kenshin replied. “But using my sword to protect brings me peace and happiness. Now it’s time for you to find yours.”
“I have!” Enishi replied frantically. He stumbled about, waving his arms in all directions, when a hand caught his and held tightly. The hot touch sent an electrical jolt through Enishi. Battousai! He lunged forward into the murkiness to embrace the man, but an arm snatched him from behind.
“We have to go,” Gein thrust the sword and sheath into Enishi’s outstretched hand. “Mumyoi didn’t come—this was supposed to be a reconnaissance mission. It’s only a matter of time before he’s discovered. We have to leave NOW.” He tugged the man toward the front of the property.
“I can’t leave without him!” Enishi howled. He had to find Battousai; hold him one more time! “I don’t have anyone now!” he pleaded. “He said he didn’t want me to be alone!”
The approaching frantic voices from the street meant he was out of time.
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To be continued…
Author’s Note- I apologize for this extremely belated update! Again. *sigh* So many college papers to write this semester (and last semester, too)! Grrr… I can’t wait for summer break for some free time! A big thank you to anyone still following this story. And thank you so much to those who reviewed! I’ve messed with this chapter for far too long, so hopefully it came out okay. To be honest, it’s really difficult to follow the intensity of the previous chapter, so I hope I pulled off a decent chapter. I’m going to crank it back up in the next chapter, though! Mwhahahaha! Thanks again! ^_^