Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Saving Grace ❯ Dark Rage and Danger ( Chapter 7 )

[ A - All Readers ]

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Kenshin-gumi but all original characters and the story line are mine.

Author's notes:

Chaos_Eye- Thanks so much for the review. Sorry about the errors. I'm having a friend of mine help me proof everything, so I'll try and have those fixed soon. Megumi only makes a small appearence but she shows up for a bit.


Chapter Seven: Dark Rage and Danger

Tai had known the moment she'd seen Raven come in that he'd taken something. He usually did, it was one of his bad habits, but this time he'd done it with Karou. He'd put Karou in danger so he could steal. Normally it wouldn't have bothered Tai that much but today it was just enough of a spark for her frayed nerves to send her into a storming rage.

She tackled him and started to punch him as they both fell. They hit the ground hard and Tai couldn't breath when he kicked her. Tai saw spots but she managed to grab his leg before he tried to kick again. She twisted hard and heard a satisfying thud and a yelp of pain. Her vision clearing, she climbed to her feet and dragged Raven up by his hair. He lashed out and Tai felt a burning pain run across her face. She saw a glint of steel, Raven had pulled a concealed blade and had actually used it against her.

Karou watched in shock. It wasn't until she saw the glint of steel and Tai's blood that she regained her senses ans yelled for Kenshin. He was at her side in a moment, followed closely by Soma. Tai could feel blood burning her eyes, but she didn't care. She grabbed Raven's haori and used her weight to throw him into the side of the gate. When he hit she saw something fly out of his haori and land in front of Karou.

"Gun powder?" Tai growled slamming Raven's head into the gate. "What the hell are you doing with gunpowder? Where did you get it?"

"It's mine so back off," Raven hissed back kicking out with both feet. His kick caught Tai in the stomach and she let him go, but not before slamming his head into the gate again. Raven stumbled shaking his head to clear it. He could taste blood, his lip was split. 'How dare Tai interfer after what she did.' Raven thought darkly. He growled and turned to attack her when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He tried to pull away but Soma's grip was strong.

Tai was catching her breath and trying to wipe the blood out of her eyes when strong arms grabbed and pinned her. Through the haze of her rage she could hear the voice of the man, Sanosuke, trying to calm her. "Hey it's ok. Calm down kid. Calm down."

She relaxed slightly, but she saw Soma helping Raven up, dusting off his clothes, comforting him. She felt the sting of old pain rise in her chest. 'Why does he comfort him? He pulled a blade, he could have killed me. He stoled and put Karou in danger. It's his fault. It's his fault!' her mind screamed as she struggled, kicking, biting, and finally breaking away from Sano's grip. He tried to stop her but she was too fast. She grabbed Raven's hair and jerked his head around so he was looking at the sack of gunpowder. "Where did you steal that?" she yelled.

"None of your business bitch," Raven screamed back.

"Shut up!" Tai yelled as she jerked his hair again, making him gasp in pain. "You put Kamiya-san in danger for that. What if you'd been caught? Kamiya-san would have gotten in trouble because of your stupid game. You're a dirty thief!"

Raven's eyes blazed. He knew he'd gone too far when he pulled the blade, but no one was going to call him a thief. All he could do was yell back. "At least I didn't kill my own father!"

Kenshin gasped when he heard what Raven yelled. 'What the hell is going on?' He looked to Soma, the boy's face was pale and strained and his mouth gaped open like a fish. Raven stood beside him with the same face. Kenshin turned to Tai, blood dripped from a deep slash above her eye. Her face was blank, but he could see the mask behind her eyes cracking. For a second he saw the deepest sorrow and pain, it was greater then even he knew. Then it was gone, replaced with a gripping rage that froze Kenshin's soul.

Tai's eyes flashed pale green, her breath coming in harsh pants. Kenshin saw her tense before she reached for her sword. He did the only thing he could, he hit her, hard on the temple. Her eyes grew wide for a moment before they glazed over and she crumpled, droping like a stone.

Sirius stared up into the dark sky, he'd arrived in Kyoto an hour ago. He wanted nothing more then to curl up somewhere and sleep, but he just couldn't stop thinking about what he had just done. He had left his siblings, all that was left of his family, with the Battousai, the most feared assasin during the Revolution. Even now his name made people shudder. He had heard the stories of how he had laid aside his sword, and that seemed to be true from what he had seen in the market, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was happening in Tokyo and that it would only get worse.

CRACK!

Sirius narrowed his eyes and shifted his weight so he sat more comfortably on the tree branch. 'Who would be all the was out here at this time.' Sirius wondered as he turned his body and gripped his sword.

"I have come with a message from my master, Origami-san," a cool voice said from below. Sirius could barely make out the cloaked and shadowed form in the darkness. "He says you are to meet him at his home tommarrow at dusk. He trusts you remember where it is," the figure continued with a bow. "Will you comply?"

Sirius glared in to the darkness. "Your master seems braver then he was last time we met. I will comply to his wishes."

"Good. I shall see you then," the figure hissed greasly before fading into the night.

Kenshin slowly opened his eyes. He'd been tossing and turning for hours, but he just couldn't sleep. Everytime he closed his eyes his thoughts turned to all that had happened that afternoon. His luck being what is was the moment Tai fell Aya had come running out of the house followed by Jynx and Momo. As soon as she saw Tai on the ground Aya started to wail at a high pitch that made everyone wince.

As soon as they heard her Yuki and Doubarou came running. They assesed the situation quickly and soon realized what must have happened. Yuki tried to quiet Aya and keep Jynx and Momo from joining her wailing, while Doubarou managed to get a pale faced Soma to help him get Tai into the dojo.

Kenshin wanted desperatly to ask what the hell was going on, he could tell by Sano's face that he felt the same way, but Kenshin knew that this wasn't the time. Karou had ended up calling Miss Megumi who checked out both Raven and Tai. They were both fine she had said. Tai's eye were still glazed and her skin was clammy but with rest she would be fine.

Kenshin grimace at the memory. Guilt twisted in his stomach. He had hurt the girl and even though it may seem to be the only way causing pain is never the answer. Sighing he slowly got up. 'Maybe a walk will help,' he thought as he padded softly down the hall. He stopped at the guest room. 'Perhaps I should check on Tai, she may need something.' He slide the door open.

His eyes could make out the dark forms of Raven, Soma, Doubarou, and Momo. Aya had rolled off her futon and was sprawled on the floor. Kenshin picked her up carefully and placed her back under the covers before moving close to Tai and Yuki's bed. He was shocked when he reached down and found only blankets. Yuki and Tai were gone.

Kenshin stood slowly his body tense. 'Where are they? Did something happen?' Kenshin spread out his senses, searching carefully. He felt the small sleepy ki of those around him and off on the edge, one bright restless ki. He slide the door open and stepped out into the night air. Next to him Yuki lay sleeping soundly. 'Well, I found one, now where's the other?' Kenshin wondered as he looked into the darkness.

CREAK!

There was something on the roof. Kenshin could hear a slight rustling, a shifting of weight. He stepped out into the yard and turned to see two green eyes staring at him. Even in the darkness Kenshin could see the feverish glint in Tai's eyes. He could only imagine the black bruise that must have formed on her temple.

Kenshin sat on the ground as they watched each other in silence. He breathed in the scents of the dojo, comforted by the feelings of home. He closed his eyes and thought of Karou. His Karou, Kenshin sighed in content. A soft breeze ruffled his hair and tickled his face.

"It's a nice night," Tai said softly, finally breaking the silence.

"Yes, it is," Kenshin agreed, slowly opening his eyes. "Though, even is such nice weather don't you think you'd be more comfortable inside?" Kenshin asked, flicking crimson locks out of his face.

"Probably," Tai answered pulling her gi tighter around her as the wind blew again, "but Yuki has trouble sleeping inside sometimes and I didn't want to leave her out her alone."

Kenshin looked at Tai intently. 'Could this simple protective attitude be coming from the same girl that only hours before had almost pulled a blade on her brother?'

Tai shivered. She could see it in Kenshin's violet depths. He wanted to know about what happened. She took a deep breath. "Do you wish to ask me somthing, Himura-san?" she asked carefully.

Kenshin, caught off guardby her directness, looked away unsure if he should continue. Should he really ask her?

Seeing him hesitaite, Tai nodded and continued for him, better to get it over with. "You wish to know if I killed my father, do you not?"

Kenshin stared at her. "Yes," he said quietly.

"I thought so," Tai whispered, her head down. Her hair was free of its binding and fell into her eyes. In the light of the sickle moon it gleamed a strange silver instead of its natural gold. Suddenly she was gone. Kenshin blinked a few times, then he felt a hand on his shoulder. "I will tell you what you wish to know from here if you don't mind," Tai said coming from behind him.

'She is fast. I could barely see her ki when she moved.'

Tai sat before him, her legs folded beneath her, her sword lay on the ground close at hand. "I murdered my father when I was twelve years old," she began. Her head was still down, so Kenshin couldn't see her face, but he could hear the rough edge of sorrow in her voice. "My father was a hard man who saw no use in those who were weak. The day my sister Aya was born my mother fell ill. My father blamed her illness and certain death on the weakness of the child and he tried to kill Aya. We managed to stop him but not before he killed my mother and my brother Saiyan. After he left home that night I took Saiyan's sword and hunted my father down. I killed him not far from our home." Tai said before looking up slowly.

Kenshin gasped. Before him sat, not a warrior, but a little girl. He could see the same deep pain in her eyes as before. "I am sorry," Kenshin told her.

Tai's eyes flashed and closed over in hatred once again. She glared at Kenshin. "I don't need your pity. I did not kill my father in selfdefense or to protect another. I murdered him in cold blood, in rage and a need for revenge!" she shouted.

Kenshin gasped, taken back by her ferocity. "This is the reason that Sirius-san will not teach you?"

"It is," Tai comfirmed. "That is why I taught myself and have no use for the rest of them," Tai spat out as she stood and quickly returned to her place on the roof.

Kenshin stood also, his eyes narrowed. "Why do you carry such hatred for your siblings? Why so you seperate yourself?" he asked quietly.

"It is my place. They have no wish to be with me. They have called me murderer and say I am not to be trusted for fear that I may kill again. They speak of me as if I were a wild blood thirsty beast. They say these things with out proof, but I will not allow them to become liars. So I hate them and become what they say I am," Tai told him, her voice cold with a bite of bitterness. She stared at Kenshin but her eyes were unfocused, like she was deep in thought.

"That is not the only way," Kenshin whispered. Tai suddenly focused on him again.

"What do you mean?" Tai asked so softly that Kenshin barely heard her.

"I have a feeling that you don't wish to kill again, so don't. It makes no difference what they say you are. In this era you are free to be as you wish," Kenshin paused looking at Tai. "Do you believe that is was Saiyan-san's wish for his sword to be held in hatred?" Tai's eyes grew wide, her mouth open to object. "I do not believe you are bloodthirsty and if I didn't trust you I wouldn't allow you in the dojo. I say you are simply someone who has lost their way, but is not evil. Will you make ma a liar or will ou become who you truly are and wish to be?" Kenshin asked louder then he intended to. Then slowly he entered the dojo whispering a goodnight to Yuki, who had awakened during his talk with Tai.

Kenshin was almost back to his room when he heard a small sound of shuffling feet. He didn't turn, but merely waited.

"Do not jude us for the choices we have made. You did not see the remains of our father when that demon witch was done with him." Raven growled as he stepped out of the shadows.

Kenshin felt anger burn inside him. "You dare akd me not to judge when you judge her everyday. Tell me, young one, what makes the two of you any different. You could have killed her today with that concealed blade, and what of Sirius-san and I. Are we not hitokiri? What make us any different?"

Raven snorted. "Isn't the answer obvious? You and Sirius killed for the Revolution. You killed for a better cause, for a better life, not for revenge or cold hearted blood lust."

"Then what about you? What is your excuse?" Kenshin cut in coldly.

Raven merely shook his head. "Don't you see? I don't need one. I am the one who must punish her." Raven turned and quietly padded back into the shadows, leaving Kenshin to fall in to uneasy dreams of a golden haired demon with glowing green eyes.