Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Man who Loves Kamiya Kaoru ❯ The Beginning Battle ( Chapter 4 )

Ryunosuke snapped his fingers and at least fifty men, if not more, filed into the small room and surrounded them. Kaoru, Yahiko, and Misao all let out gasps of surprise. He's been planning this all along, Yahiko thought, grimacing. If Kenshin doesn't get here in time, it's my job to protect Kaoru. Misao started muttering obscenities while Kaoru locked eyes with Ryunosuke.

 

How she couldn't see it before she didn't know, but his eyes definitely screamed “killer.” Where's Kenshin, Kaoru thought frantically. I don't know what's going to happen next but it can't be good.

 

“Kaoru-sama, I'll ask again, are you going to come willingly or will my men have to teach your small friends a little lesson?” Ryunosuke asked. Yahiko and Misao trembled with anger in front of Kaoru.

 

“Don't underestimate us!” Yahiko yelled, and blindly thrust forward at Ryunosuke.

 

“Yahiko! No! Come back!” Kaoru cried. But it was no use. Yahiko thundered forward and took a big leap just as one of Ryunouke's men flew forward to meet him and slashed his sword quickly. Yahiko crumpled to the floor with surprise. Kaoru screamed.

 

Blood flowed from a deep cut on his shoulder. Not fatal but no doubt painful. Kaoru rushed forward to protect Yahiko while Misao recklessly took a chance herself and knocked out four men before one caught her and held her at knife point. The man pulled her over to the corner out of the center of the room while Kaoru tried to stop the flow of blood from Yahiko's shoulder.

 

Just then Kenshin and Sano skidded into view. Kaoru watch their face change from concern to anger when they noticed Yahiko on the floor and Misao held captive.

 

“Yahiko! Misao! Kaoru-dono! What's the meaning of this, Shichiro?!” Kenshin shouted. Ryunosuke merely laughed.

 

“You must be the Battosai that boy said would defeat me easily. I have to say, you don't look like much, I rather though Battosai would be a great brute not a scrawny little girly man,” Ryunosuke said to the roaring laughter of his men. Sanosuke growled. Kenshin's eyes merely narrowed more.

 

“This one will ask again. What is the meaning of this? Do you really expect to take Kaoru-dono with you?” Kenshin asked, hand on his sword. Ryunosuke laughed.

 

“I suppose that's meant to intimidate me, Battosai, too bad I don't fall for those weak-minded tricks. I want Kaoru-sama and I shall have her. As I have already informed her she can either come willingly or I'm afraid I will have to teach her little friends here the true meaning of pain,” Ryunosuke replied.

 

“Kaoru-sama? What right do you have to be so familiar with her, Shichiro?” Kenshin asked disdainfully. Ryunosuke grinned.

 

“I have the right from Kaoru-sama herself, isn't that right darling?” Ryunosuke said glancing at Kaoru over his shoulder. Kaoru's face flamed up when she realized what Ryunosuke was about to do.

 

“Kaoru-sama,” he started. “Visited me in my room this morning where we shared a very tender moment and she begged me to call her Kaoru. That is where I get my right, Battosai.”

Kenshin was about to yell that this was a lie, that Kaoru would never go against his wishes, when he saw her face and the obvious truth blared out at him. She had. Kenshin struggled to think of something to say. Sanosuke, though, had no trouble at all.

 

“You bastard!” he shouted. He cracked his knuckles. “You try to hurt any of them and you'll have to deal with me!”

 

“Gladly, bird-head, but first you must pass my test, I don't fight just anyone, defeat my men first and I will fight you, than Battosai,” Ryunosuke sneered.

 

“Only fifty? Easy, I could defeat 200, come on, at least give me a challenge!” Sano yelled. Ryunosuke laughed.

 

“Bird-head, I think fifty will be more then enough to defeat you but I-” Ryunosuke started when someone behind him stirred. Yahiko was rising to his feet, face wincing with pain, but he was standing nevertheless. Kaoru begged him to sit back down.

 

“No, Kaoru! I'll help you fight Sano. I want to defeat them too,” Yahiko said strongly. Sano nodded, even though he was sure he could get them all on his own.

 

“This, I would enjoy seeing,” Ryunosuke laughed.

 

“I'll leave you ten,” he said. Yahiko gave a curt nod and picked up his shinai. Sano looked down at Kaoru. “Little miss, you might wanna get out of the way.” Kaoru got up and hurried over to Kenshin. He moved her behind him to block her from any harm that might come but he wouldn't look at her. She couldn't read his expression. She gripped his sleeve.

 

“Kenshin? Kenshin, I'm so sorry. I-I-” Kaoru tugged on his sleeve trying to get him to look at her. “-thought it wouldn't be any harm. I don't want you to be mad with me.”

Kenshin still kept his face forward. “This one is not mad at you, mainly himself and Shichiro Ryunosuke. This one just wishes you would realize that when you are not careful Yahiko, Sano, and this one have to work even harder to protect you.” he said simply.

 

Kaoru felt as though she'd been slapped in the face and her heart pulled out. Did Kenshin think she couldn't fight for herself? No doubt Yahiko and Sano didn't, and as true as most cases were that she didn't defend herself well, the fact that Kenshin thought she couldn't fight to save herself or even the people she loved was a hard blow to take.

 

She bit back tears and released Kenshin's sleeve. She looked up and realized that the fight had already started. Her eyes widened. She had thought Ryunosuke was boasting when he said Sano couldn't take on all fifty-some by himself. He had only knocked out 7 henchmen and had already sustained massive bruising. Something she knew hard-head Sano could take, but still.

 

Yahiko was in a worse state. Three men lay on the ground around him and he was currently trying to fend off four more. Kaoru took a moment to peek at Misao. The girl was desperately trying to slip out of her captors grasp but was gaining only a little wiggle room. Kaoru wondered why Kenshin didn't attempt to help her. Then she remembered Kenshin knew Misao could fight for herself and but leaving Kaoru unguarded would be like giving Ryunosuke her on a gold plate.

 

Kaoru once again bit back stabs of hurt and anger. A crash to the left brought her back to the battle. Yahiko had fallen, his sword five feet away from him, and was being held down by five swords pointed at his head.

 

“Yahiko!” Kaoru screamed. Kenshin gripped his sword, ready to step in if it came to that just as Sanosuke smashed into the wall and fell to the floor. He had taken down ten more men but ten more kept popping up. He got up and tried to use his mastery of the two layers and knocked out five more men. Sano was getting ready to use it again when smart henchmen decided to ram his sword through Sano's palm.

 

Sano ignored the pain and curled his other hand into a fist, ready to lash out when a second sword went careening in through his uninjured hand. Knowing his major weapons were out of commission the men rushed him and struck him with their sword until he flew into the wall again and fell to the floor. There was a pause but Sano didn't get up. He was still breathing, but he'd need some treatment for those wounds soon or he'd lose a lot of blood.

 

“SANO!” Kenshin roared, unable to believe that the hard-headed man could actually be down. At least 30 men remained including the few guarding Misao; Sano and Yahiko only knocked out a total of 25 men together.

 

“Kaoru-dono! Be on guard!” Kenshin roared before striking forward, while pulling the sakabato out of its sheath and forced a little less than half of the men remaining to fell unconscious.

 

When Kenshin jumped back onto the step near her she counted only 18 men left standing, struggling Misao still held captive by two of them. Ryunosuke's smile disappeared at Kenshin's action. His face was not one of fear like Kaoru hoped, no, he was angry. His help was dropping like flies and if he let Kenshin keep going his shot at getting Kaoru was over.

 

“Battosai, I see I needn't test you with the rest of my men. You will have the honor of actually fighting with me, don't take it lightly. You do not understand how much I want that woman to be mine,” Ryunosuke growled, taking his sword from a man bobbling at his side, obviously his second in command. Kenshin stepped forward to avoid Kaoru getting hurt.

 

“You are taking matters lightly if you think this one will allow you to take Kaoru-dono,” Kenshin bellowed. Kaoru blushed, she'd always fantasized two men fighting over her, but now she found that she didn't care much for the idea anymore.

 

“Very well, Battosai, I see we are on equal ground. I will clear the battle arena,” he said, and snapped his fingers. Four men rushed forward and picked up Sanosuke and Yahiko, carried them over and deposited them at Kaoru's feet. She quickly started bandaging their wounds with strips of cloth ripped off her dogi.

 

Meanwhile, the final battle started. Kenshin and Ryunosuke soon disappeared in a series of sword moves. Kaoru was awed. Ryunosuke was a good as he said, maybe even better. Both men had sustained a few cuts but Kenshin was worst off. Kaoru worried as she always did but continued caring for Sano and Yahiko.

 

Misao had stopped struggling to watch the match and was wincing at each blow Kenshin received. Not to say Ryunosuke didn't receive any. Every time he did Misao would cheer so loudly the men holding her would press the knife tighter against her throat trying to get her to shut up.

 

The battle went on for ten more minutes. Blood from both men was on the ground, but they were both to stubborn to give up. Sano and Yahiko were regaining consciousness but were paralyzed with pain. Kaoru moved so they could watch the match.

 

“Tired yet, Battosai? You must know you'll lose anyway. Kaoru-sama will see that she'd be happier with me and will spend our life making beautiful children to carrying on my family name and I will have a beautiful wife to come home to every night. I can afford her the best of everything while you can only give her second-rate protection. How can you possibly think she'll be happier with you?!” Ryunosuke roared with laughter.

 

Kenshin's temper shot out of control with those words and he struck forward with Ryushosen (Dragon's Flight). Ryunosuke fell to the ground. Kenshin grunted and turned his back to go to Kaoru.

Just then Ryunosuke's sword flew up so fast even Kenshin's fast reflexes couldn't stop him.

 

“KENSHIN!” Kaoru screamed. Misao, Sano and Yahiko gasped.

 

Ryunosuke plunged his sword through Kenshin's back narrowly avoiding any organs that might make the move fatal. The attack was more than enough however to send Kenshin sinking to the ground. Kaoru rushed forward to catch him and pulled him over to the others. She took up her wooden sword again and stood in front of her wounded friends.

 

“Kaoru-dono…no!” cried the barely conscious Kenshin.

“Kaoru don't be stupid!” Yahiko hissed from the floor. Sano muttered obscenities along the same lines. But still neither could move, and Misao was still trapped, staring astonished at Kaoru as if she didn't believe the woman was serious.

 

Ryunosuke and his remaining men merely laughed.

“Kaoru-sama, there's no need. I've defeated Battosai and you're other friends. They're lucky they're even alive. And now you're mine to take,” he told her, wiping tears of laughter out of the corner of his eyes.

 

Kaoru set her mouth in a hard line. She would protect herself, she would protect her friends, and she would show everybody, Kenshin especially, that she wasn't weak. She held her sword tighter and pointed it at Ryunosuke.

 

“No, I will fight. For my friends, and for me. I will not go willingly into your house, Shichiro!” Kaoru promised. Misao looked proud of her little speech. Sano and Yahiko were a mix between pride and shock. Kenshin's eyes merely widened as he called out her name again.

 

“Kaoru-dono…no!”

 

Kaoru didn't turn around. “I have to,” she said. “Sit back Kenshin, for once I will protect you, that's a promise.”

Kenshin didn't know how to respond. He'd seen her skills; he knew she couldn't defeat Ryunosuke. He tried to sit up but he couldn't, his wound was giving him too many problems, he felt as if any second he'd sink into unconsciousness. But he couldn't, he had to protect Kaoru.

 

“Kaoru-dono-” he started, but Ryunosuke cut him off.

 

“Now, now, Battosai, I like feisty women. Don't worry, I won't fight her, unless she goes through the same test as your friends,” Ryunosuke grinned and turned to Kaoru. “Defeat 18 men Kaoru-sama and I will award you a fight with me. I promise my men won't intentionally try to kill you and neither will I but in return you must promise to come with me when you lose, Kaoru-sama.”

 

Kaoru thought about it. She had never fought this many strong men at one time before, could she really do it?

 

“No, Kaoru-dono, don't…” Kenshin murmured. That settled it. Kaoru took a step forward. Sano, Yahiko, and Misao added to Kenshin's pleas but that did nothing to stop her.

 

“I accept,” She said firmly.