Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Black Shadow, Piercing Light ❯ Piercing Light ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Rurouni Kenshin all belongs to Sony, Jump, Watsuki and other folks.

***Oh, and the idea of a certain prison guard was influenced by Fatal Love.

This story is mostly from Kaoru's POV but I'll go back and forth between her and Kenshin. I hope this chap isn't moving to slow. I'll explain Megumi and Kaoru's relationship in the next chapter, which will be out in like two days.

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Black Shadow, Piercing Light

Chapter Two

Kaoru was glad to get out of there, Megumi was getting on her nerves, and Kenshin was just a bit too…intriguing. She closed her eyes for a second remembering her brief encounter with the red-head.

**memory**

"Kaoru this is my good friend, Himura Kenshin. Ken-san, this Kamiya Kaoru." Megumi sang.

"Sessha considers this a true honor to meet you, Kamiya-san." Kenshin said with a bow, deeper then necessary.

'My, he's so polite. How cute.'

"Oh, just call me Kaoru and I'll call you Kenshin." Kaoru said much to loudly, eyes wide, and smiling brightly.

Kenshin just blushed, looking surprised and gave her another small nod.

'Baka, you're much to forward! Guys, don't like forward girls. Wait, why do you care?' Flustered, Kaoru hurriedly backed away to her seat and sat down quickly. 'He's a freaking jail bird! A sexy jail bird…Arghh! Why am I so nervous!'

Sano interrupted Kaoru's raging hormones "Kitsune, what about me?" he asked.

"Oh, and this is my gambling fool, Sagara Sanosuke. Now scat and take this raccoon with you."

Kaoru was a little too flustered to bust Megumi one for that comment so she settled for a pout.

"Che, anyway, you better get talking, you only got 30 minutes, I'll take the girl and we'll wait outside. Remember security camera's on, so no hanky panky." Sano smirked.

"Don't be jealous, Ken-san is a gentle, man un-like some people." Megumi snapped. Kenshin blushed deeply, lowering his head, and hiding his eyes. Megumi's tone was sharp, but her eyes conveyed a delightful and seductive amusement as she described Kenshin's "gentle" nature.

"Come on Jo-chan."

"Who you calling Jo-chan! I have a name."

***end memory***

'Humph! Private meeting is it? I'll show her private,' Kaoru fumed as she slumped in her highly uncomfortable chair outside the visiting room. Kaoru glanced up at the chicken-headed guard who was still lazily chewing a fishbone. 'He looks just as ticked as I am, wonder if it's be cause he felt like he should be doing his job or because he wanted to be with Megumi.'

"What you looking at?" Sano rumbled, cocking his head at Kaoru.

Kaoru just crossed her arms and looked away. She was feeling uncomfortable in this prision, being the daughter of the former Chief of Police of Tokyo, she new that convicted criminals could sometimes be spiteful. That man was not helping. She was uncomfortable with the fact that her heart was still going flip flop from her brief in counter with the mysterious man. 'This Kenshin, he looks and seems so sweet. Excpet for that scar, he looks like he wouldn't hurt a fly. But a cross-shaped wound, it's almost like a brand, that's evidence that he's been into some deep stuff. But his presence just seems so…nice.'

"Oi, you got a nick name kid?"

Kaoru tossessed her head towards Sano, eyes blazing. She gripped the ends of her purse. Sano quickly raised his hands in surrender.

"Chill, jou-chan! Don't get mad cause I called you a kid. Maybe you just look young. How old are you anyway?" Sano asked, shrugging his shoulders. Kaoru's snappy reply was momentarily interrupted by the sound of shouts and marching.

"What's that?" Kaoru asked curiously.

"Prisoners coming through, goin' to the mess hall. Normally they don't come through here, but there's contruction in the normal passage. Sano moved to stand next to Kaoru as the prisoner's neared her area.

'So the chicken's got a protective edge,' thought Kaoru as she noticed his hand going to his baton. Kaoru briefly looked at the prisoners with eyes of compassion. 'It's a shame men have to be locked up like animals. I wish all men could be free. I wonder how many people my father put in here. I hope they don't notice me and start to cat-call' Fortunately it seemed that Kaoru was far enough away from the prisoners for them to notice her. Turning to Sano, Kaoru decided to relax.

"I have a nick-name. But I hate it, so you don't get to know. As for my age that's none of your bus-" Suddenly she was interrupted by a loud shout.

"Kamiya!" a tall, gruff prisoner boomed while pointing at her. Kaoru turned at the sound of her name in shock.

"That's the Kamiya bitch! A burly man screamed. Kaoru winced as she looked into his eyes, which seemed to burn with flames of hatred.

"You know him?" Sano asked as he looked from Kaoru to the man. Sano knew him as Hiruma Gohei, a major brawler and all around shit-head in the prison.

"I-I" Kaoru studdered, trying to find words. 'One of daddy's enemies?'

The man continued to shout, starting a commotion of hoots and whistles from the other prisoners. Some of the guards attempted to restrain Gohei.

"It's you! I recognize Kamiya's little wench anywhere!" Gohei, snarled as he struggled with the guards. Sano put a hand on Kaoru's shoulder, pulling her out of her seat. Just as he did, Gohei swung a large fist at one of the guards knocking him out cold. Gohei spun to grab the arm of another guard as he reached for his gun, snaping the guards neck in the process.

"Riot!" one of the prisoners shouted as chaos insued. Seeing this as an opportunity, prisoners began to break out in violence. Sano jerked Kaoru up out of her seat and thrust her towards the door.

"Get in the room! This ain't gonna be pretty!"

After a few seconds of stunned disbelief at the riot unfolding before her eyes, Kaoru snapped out of her haze and charged towards the visiting room, hitting the door as she reached for the knob, the blaring of alarms and a sudden flash of motion next to her face caused her to instinctively snap her head up and away from the movement. It was Gohei. He and several of the other prisoners were filling the hallway. Kaoru looked up noticing Sano standing in front of her.

"Move it Sagara this is a fair fight between me and the Kamiya girl." Gohei said as he stepped forward menacingly, flanked by five of his thugs.

"It's Zanza to you, and if you wanna get to the kid you gotta go through me!" Sano replied, grinning and cracking his knuckles. Kaoru looked from Gohei to Sano. 'Why is this guy after me?' Kaoru thoughts were interrupted as she felt a strong hand on her shoulder thrusting her back..

It was him. Kaoru couldn't see his eyes, for he hung his head allowing his long bangs to cover his face, but Kaoru could see his jaw was tight and he walked, despite his legs being chained with, dangerous authority.

"You challenge an unarmed female. You proceed to fight six to one. This is hardly fair." His tone was low and dangerous. Kaoru stepped back. She wasn't the only one who felt him, as some of the thugs with Gohei backed off.

"So lady Battousai wants to fight." Gohei smirked. Gohei raised his hand and punched the wall with some much force it cracked in several places. Crying out with a loud voice he beckoned more of his men. Immediately over twenty men broke out of the chaos and began making their way to the small circle that Gohei and his men had made around Sano, Kaoru, Kenshin and Megumi.

"Be cool Sano we don't want anything unneccsary, protect Megumi-dono, I will see to this young lady, as they have targeted her." Kenshin said seizing up his opponents.

'This isn't good. Normally taking them all would be easy, but I must…I need to protect this litle angel. Whatever she's done, Gohei doesn't deserve to touch her. I just hope Sano can take at least half.' He glanced over at Sano who was pushing a shocked Megumi back in the visting room.

"Boss! What about the chicken and that fox!" one of Gohei's men shouted as several of the men motioned to grab Megumi and Sano.

"Anytime dick-head! Anytime!" Sano said as he pounded his fits together and croutched in front of Megumi.

Gohei, motioned for his men to stay back. Putting his hands on his hips, and throwing his head back in laughter. "Don't interfere. Today is a good day men! You will witness the death of the strongest by my hands. It's about time somebody killed you and stripped you of your title, Battousai. I shall take today what is rightfully mine, and avenge myself with the blood of the Kamiya bitch!" Gohei said with a laugh.

"If you want the title, come and get it." Kenshin said, his voice a low-dangerous rumble.

"Arghh!" Gohei, bared his teeth and charged, running forward with more speed Kaoru thought the large man could muster. Kenshin stood still, unmoving.

'Is he going to fight him? But there's no way! Both his hands and feet are chained! This is crazy but I've got to do something I've got to do something!' Kaoru's let her eyes frantically search the small area for a weapon, settling on the chair she had been sitting in. 'Yoshi.' Kaoru thought with a sly grin.

Kenshin smirked a feral grin at Gohei's haphazard attack. He would simply wait untill he got close enough, step aside and let him hit the wall. Then he would catch him from behind and-

"Yamete!" Kaoru shouted, springing forward towards Gohei.

Kenshin looked up and to his surprise, discovered his little angel had a chair and was swinging it towards Gohei's head. She connected. Kenshin's mouth dropped a little before he moved forward to push Kaoru back. 'Baka, should have known from her ki that she wouldn't stand back.'

Although her blow was swift and forceful enough to break skin, Gohei turned with a swiftness Kaoru didn't know he had, he swung his large fists back and brought them towards each other with lighting speed, Kaoru's head, centered between them. Kaoru blinked as realization hit her on the last second.

'He'll crush my skull. No time to dodge!' She closed her eyes, bracing for the impact that never came.

Once Kenshin saw Gohei's eyes, he knew the man wanted Kaoru's life. For some reason the thought of him harming her enraged him. The sight of her squeezing her wide blue eyes shut in fear drove him mad. 'She should never have to be afraid like this. He mustn't hurt her.' Kenshin sprang into action, sliding below and in between Kaoru and Gohei, Kenshin clamped his hand-cuffed fists together over his head. Digging his feet into the ground Kenshin sprang upward, busting Gohei up under the chin. Before he could recover, Kenshin spun and smacked him with his clamped fist across the face.

Kenshin glanced out of the corner of eye to notice Sanosuke brawling with some of the other men. The man was laughing, as prisoners went flying every which way.

'At least somebody's having a good time,' Kenshin thought

Gohei quickly recovered from Kenshin's blow, in fact he looked amused.

"Battousai, you must be tired from all that banging in the shower." Gohei started to laugh.

Kenshin twisted his lips, eyes blazing, knowing he was being baited. 'Just keep going Gohei, I don't need to baited to want to spilt your skull.' Kenshin though menacingly.

Kaoru flinched as she noticed a change in Kenshin's posture, his body began to become strangely still…'I don't know what this is about, but I don't want that beautiful man toget hurt because of me. Wait…did I say beautiful? Arghh!'

Regaining her courage Kaoru quickly stepped forward.

"Don't laugh Baka!" Kaoru shouted in a voice that resonated with more power than her petite body looked like it could muster. All eyes went to her.

"I demand to know why you attacked me. Is it because of my father?" Kaoru stated as she placed herself in a defensive stance.

"Ha, don't even try it girlie, I am a master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. I know it just as well as I know your mother's ass." Gohei laughed.

"Liar, you could never be a student of my father's. Your name - I demand to know!"

"My name is Hiruma Gohei, that should strike a cord for you, Kaoru-chan." Gohei said, giving Kaoru a wicked smirk.

At that moment time for Kaoru stopped. The screams and shouts around her swirled into an incoherent, muffled noise.

'Hiruma Gohei. The man…He is the man, that killed my father. Hiruma Gohei…Father's friends… his enemy…Gohei-san.'

Kenshin peered at the young woman, she appeared to have fallen into a trance, though her eyes were very alive, a dying fire. Her mouth dropped open slightly as a single tear slipped down her porcelin cheek. The fighting spirit within her fizzling out to a dull sorrow. Kenshin felt a tug in his heart as he sensed the change in her ki. She didn't notice Gohei clasping his large fits together. With a loud scream he charged her, bringing his fists down with veroucious force, intent on crushing her skull again. Kenshin didn't doubt that his blow would be powerful enough to kill her, he had seen it done before. This was Gohei's special, perfected move, that he often used on smaller, weaker prisoners. It was also a move that Kenshin had often parried in an effort to protect those weaker prisoners.

'Fool. In his rage he must have forgotten my presence, I should make this slow and painful, for making her cry, but this whole area will be put on lock down soon, better make it quick.'

With near god speed, Kenshin dropped between Kaoru and Gohei. Thrusting of the ground, with knees tucked to his chest, Kenshin waited to he was level with Gohei's face then jack-nivfed straight out, smashing Gohei's face with his feet. The sound of bone crushing and teeth breaking could be heard, grabbing the attention of some of the men. Sano was still going strong, guarding the room that held Megumi but the more men fell it seemed, the more joined the fight. Gohei stumbled and fell backwards, but he was hardly down for the count.

'Damn this body! My physical force is never enough.' Kenshin crused britterly to himself as he scanned the area for a weapon, his eyes spotting the legs of the wooden chair Kaoru had broken over Gohei's head.

'It's hardly a sword, but it'll do. I'll just have to hit 'em where it hurts making it count.'

Kenshin grabbed the chair leg and was on Gohei before the man could blink. With vicious presicion Kenshin struck Gohei in the center of his throat, with the pointed end of the chair leg. Gohei wrentched forward violently, coughing up his lungs.

Kenshin ran through the remainder of Gohei's men like a blazing fire, aiming for throats, eyes, ears, temples, and crotches. Soon all that was left of Gohei's men was a writhing heap of moaning bodies.

"Ba-Batt-Battousai…" Gohei wheezed in a choked hoarse voice, spitting out a tooth as he struggled to get up.

"K-Kamiya, die." Gohei said, looking at Kaoru with eyes full of pure evil and hatred.

Kaoru gasped and tears began to fall freely down her face.

"I am the strongest! I'll prove it with your death-" Before he could finish Kenshin grabbed his right hand, and kicked him savagely in the throat. Gohei fell to his knees, defeated.

"Do you still want my name? See if you can use it like this." Still holding his hand Kenshin grabbed his middle finger and wrentched in out of it's socket, repeating the same process with his other fingers. Gohei screamed in agony.

Countless other prison guards had already poured into the area, restraining and cuffing the riotous prioners, they were making theirway down the hall.

Kaoru gasped as she observed the expression on Kenshin's face. The sweetest was gone. Only to be replaced by a cold, silent, fury. Was he doing this for her?

Kaoru stepped forward.

"Stop!"

"Kenshin! Snap out of it! We need to get you out, before the riot patrol comes through." Sano screamed.

But Kenshin was oblivious. He twisted Gohei's fingers back, mercilessly snaping bone and tearing the ligments beyond repair. A dead frown gracing his lips. Suddenly he felt a soft hand on his shoulder and a delicate voice, gentle and lovely as a summer breeze.

"Stop. You don't have to do this."

Kenshin haulted, his eyes going wide, as he turned to look at Kaoru. She stood before him, blue eyes filling with tears of compassion. 'Those eyes…' For a brief second he felt as if he could pour all his pain into her and she would receive him with arms wide open.

Quickly, he snatched himself away and looked at his shoes, the wall, and the guards, and finally down at his cuffed hands. Shame burning is face red and filling his heart.

"This situation looks as if its been…neutralized." A guard replied as he surveyed the writhing bodies. "What about that one, Sagara?" He repleied pointing at Kenshin."

"I got this one." Sano, laughed as he pretended to rough Kenshin up.

"These chicks were visting, before all hell broke loose." Sano replied to the questioning eyes of the other guards as their eyes lingered on a badly shaken Kaoru, and Megumi.

"Sano, please see to these young women, I will go with these guards." Kenshin said, his head down and voice low.

"Aa" Sano was a bit surprised at the tone of Kenshin's voice. 'That Baka, he lost it again, now he's going to be fucked up for the rest of the week. Che! I hope he'll stay outta trouble. I'll have to watch his back to make sure he doesn't blow his chance to spring this rat hole. Sano pushed Kenshin maybe a little too roughly in the direction of one of the other guards. But he was angry, he didn't like to see Kenshin go all nuts like that, knowing how hard the man was trying to change.

"Be easy on him, he helped me protect these girls during the riot."

The guards grunted in response as they dragged Kenshin down the hall.

"Ken-san…Will he be alright?" Megumi asked, her voice quiet.

"Don't know, somebody is gonna talk. Ain't none of these guys dead…You know what that means.

'Ken-san… you're to be released in two weeks. Please don't do anything crazy before then.' Megumi thought as she looked after the red-headed man.

Kaoru noticed the worried expressions on their faces. Guilt and confusion poured over her. She didn't know how she felt, all this was just too crazy. This morining things were fine, now horrid memories of her fathers death at the hands of Gohei washed over her like a flood. It had been just a little over a year ago, and Kaoru had tried her best to destroy the memory of those wicked faces. She was actually fairly successful. News of her father's brutal murder and the slaughter at the Kamiya dojo at the hands of his former partner and student had been in all the Tokyo newspapers, but Kaoru had gone into seclusion. Speaking to no one, and watching no T.V. Her father's death had wounded her badly and she'd spent the past year successfully, although sub-conciously erasing her memory. Every negative image, every memory of Gohei's face had faded to blackness only to be thrown back into her face today.

"Kaoru-chan…" Megumi called to her softly, noting the far-away expression in the young girl's eyes, her large blue eyes re-filling with tears.

Kaoru snapped out of her haze, noticing Sanosuke and two other guards were trying to usher her out of the hallway.

"We need to leave tanuki-chan."

"Yeah, kids shouldn't stay out too late."

Kaoru knew they were trying to cheer her up, so she smiled for them and nodded her head.

Kaoru looked in the direction that the guards had taken Kenshin as she was ushered with Megumi out the prison.

'That man…Kenshin. He protected me, but why? He seemed to really be fighting to keep me safe…until the end. At the end of the fight he changed. He became like a different person. I would never believe it from before, but he fought like a man possessed, and I know that was hardly the fullest extent of his power. And his eyes, so full of pain and regret. What have you done Kenshin? Why do you fight like you have nothing to lose? I know you wanted to hide when I looked into your eyes. But it's too late, I've seen you. I've seen what you need……Love.'

*******End of Chapter two*******

Chapter three will be up soon, like in two days, because I've already started writing it. I'll never take so long to update again, just moved and started an internship so I've been busy.

But please review and let me know what you think! If you like it, love it or hate or have regrets do tell!

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