The sun had managed to come out for a bit that afternoon. Kenshin, Sanosuke, Kuma, and Hachi walked together on the dirt road towards the dojo. “You know, Kenshin…” Sanosuke started to say, but was instantly rebuked with a jab to the stomach with the hilt of his sakabatou.
“For the last time, Sano…!!” the samurai exclaimed, “Shessa was not drunk de gozaru yo!!”
His friends just chuckled and rubbed his bruised stomach. “Yare, yare. That wasn’t what I was going to say. I was about to tell you that you weren’t the only one lucky last night.” Kenshin stopped and stared at him from over his shoulder. “That’s right!” Sanosuke said triumphantly, “I got the Fox to stay with me… not doing what you and Jou-chan were doing last night… but to stay with me. I-I never knew that just being close was so… so great!”
Kenshin grinned. “Now you know what I’ve discovered this past month staying in Kaoru’s room. She makes the world just disappear. She makes me feel so complete.”
Hachi whimpered. “Man, all this love talk makes me wish I had a woman who loved me…”
Kuma blinked his eyes. “What are you talking about, Hachi-san? What about Shimako-san?”
”That cold-hearted hag?!”
“She’s your wife for crying out loud!!”
Sanosuke elbowed Kenshin. “So if you weren’t drunk, then surely Jou-chan was…”
“SANO!!!”
They suddenly stopped. Tae and Tsubame were standing in front of the dojo. Tsubame was holding a bouquet of wild flowers, Tae, a wrapped parcel. Their faces were white with fear. “What’s going on? Tae? Tsubame-chan?” Sanosuke asked, as he was the first to come up to them.
Tae struggled with the words. “It’s… horrible…”
Tsubame broke down in tears, “Kaoru-san… Yahiko-kun…”
Sanosuke brought into a run, going past them. “MEGUMI!!” he called. Through the gate, the odor of blood caught him. “MEGUMI!! JOU-CHAN!! YAHIKO!! ME GU MI!!!”
Kenshin and the cops were right behind him. There was blood trailing on the ground. Broken shinai. Carriage tracks. “KAORU!!” Kenshin exclaimed, running towards the house. He stopped at her room, the door torn from the wall and lying on the ground, splatters of red on it. “Kaoru…” he uttered, his heart beating fast as he entered.
The room was in shambles. There were sure signs of struggles. He looked back and forth. There was something written on the wall in red. He walked up closer to it as Hachi and Kuma reached the doorway. “Himura-san! What is it?” Kuma cried, his face so worried.
Kenshin stopped in front of the writing. ‘If you want to see the boy and the doctor again, come to the memorial place.’ Tsueng had signed it. On the floor was Kaoru’s ribbon, stabbed into the ground with a dagger. It seemed like it had been set on fire. Kenshin closed his eyes for a moment, wondering if there was a special meaning.
“Himura!” Hachi cried with frustration, “It’s just like before! They’re reusing the same tactics! I should have seen it coming! Dammit all!! Kaoru-chan, I’ve let you down!!”
“Still, there’s something I don’t understand…” Kenshin uttered, “This message doesn’t mention a thing about Kaoru… is she already…?”
Kuma shook his head. “There’s no way she’s dead already! Himura-san, Yashiitomo has every intention on keeping his end of the deal. He uses sick humor indeed, but there’s no way he’ll go back on his word. I still think she’s alive!”
Hachi nodded. “Kaoru-chan wouldn’t let them kill her that easily! Not without a fight! She’s probably holding them off for now! That’s why we have to get to her quickly!”
“You’re right!” Kenshin said, finally turning around, “I promised Kaoru to take care of everything for her! I’m not going to let Yashiitomo have his way and I’m not going to let anyone die!”
Sanosuke was standing behind the two cops, holding Megumi’s medicine case. His eyes were glassy. “Yakuso… that damn Tsueng is going to get it!! Come on, let’s get going!”
As they walked out of the dojo, Tsubame and Tae were waiting. Sanosuke walked up to them, their faces were still frighten and worried. Tae sighed at the ground. “Will they be all right?”
Tsubame was still sobbing. “Yahiko-kun…”
Sanosuke put his hand on Tae’s shoulder and hugged Tsubame with his other arm. “Daijoube, daijoube… everything is going to be fine. Kenshin and I ain’t gonna let those assholes get away with this. We’ll bring them all back. Just go home and try not to worry… Daijoube…”
Kuma watched from afar, imaging the same scene years ago. Keisuke was comforting him and the other students. Promising Kaoru will come home safely. Promising that he’ll do his best. ‘Keisuke… somehow… I feel like you are here with us... Keisuke… I’m going to do my best… to bring back that important person…’
Just then a carriage came. Hachi poked his head out. “Heh, I ran into town and got the first one I saw. Come on! Let’s go rescue them all!!”
* * *
An hour ago, Yahiko woke up. His head was bleeding, his wrists were tied. He couldn’t believe that he had tried to fight that man, his moves ineffective, his shinai useless. ‘Yakuso!! Why did I let him take me and Megumi! …Megumi?! Where is…?!’
He relaxed to see that she was nearby, her head bowed as she was still unconscious. She was also tied up. He wondered where they were. It was so cold. His hands were like ice. The place was really dark, but he could make out the small room, a small light coming from outside. It was still daytime. He closed his eyes for a moment, ‘Kaoru…?!’
“Yahiko…kun…” Megumi’s voice caused him to look towards her, “Where’s Kaoru-chan?”
“I don’t know.” he replied, sensing the worry in her face, “I’m sure she’s all right. Those bastards aren’t going to do anything to her… not until tomorrow when the deal is. That’s as much as I know though.”
“Still…” she sighed, “Her injuries… she might not stand a chance against them…”
“Kenshin and Sanosuke should be on their way!” Yahiko said hopefully, “In the mean time, we got to get out of here! Like hell I’m going to be someone’s hostage! I want to help Kaoru too!” Megumi nodded at his encouraging words. “Now, get over here so I can untie your ropes.”
Using her legs, she scooted towards him, until her back as against his. Yahiko went to work, his nimble fingers pulling and tugging at her ropes. Megumi grinned slyly. “You know… when you get older, this skill will be a lot more useful.” He stopped in confusion. “Ohohoho! The girls will be all over you!”
Yahiko’s face turned red. “Me-gumi! Now’s not the time for jokes! I-I’m trying to concentrate here!”
“Okay…” she purred, “What ever you say…”
‘Aw man…’ he sighed, ‘If she’s gonna be like this, maybe I should just leave her tied up!’
* * *
Outside, Kaoru sat on the stairs of the mini shrine, her hair down, her wrists not tied up or anything. Her kimono was soaked with blood as her wounds had been reopened during her struggles in the abduction. She sat, fists clenches, her face glaring towards the man before her.
“This is low, Yashiitomo.” she said, “There’s no need for hostages when you have me right here.”
“Aa, sumimasen.” Tsueng cut in, “It was all my idea. You see, I’m all for my father’s plans, but I have other interests too. I suppose it was the only way I can meet Battousai. I’m going to have a bit of fun with him when he gets here.”
“You bastard…” Kaoru wanted to hit again like she did back at the house, but she didn’t want to experience the awful reaction he gave her. An open kiss, so wanton and shameful. She had slapped him for it, but it didn’t make her forget. ‘Kenshin…’ she almost sobbed, ‘I don’t want to kiss anyone but you.’ Now Tsueng was luring Kenshin here with her friends as bait. This enraged her completely. “I won’t forgive you for this!!” she sneered, pulling herself up.
Yashiitomo smiled towards his adopted son, then looked to her. “Kamiya Kaoru, you have bigger things to worry about. After all, your father gave me his word. How much longer are you going to make him a liar?”
“I’m not…!”
“How much longer are you going to support such a useless technique that shouldn’t exist!” Yashiitomo continued, “A technique that is nothing but full of deceit and false hope! Kamiya Kasshin Ryu shall go to hell along with you!!”
“NO!” Kaoru exclaimed, “Kasshin Ryu is none of those things! I won’t let you degrade something that means so much to me and other people!” She picked up the shinai lying at her foot and faced it at him, “Yashiitomo, the only reason my father gave you his word was because you were endangering lives! Threats and fear are no way to get what you want! Your way is all wrong and I won’t let you continue anymore! I will defeat you!!”
“You make me laugh, little girl!” he said as she approached him.
“Don’t underestimate me!” she said, “I am the one who took the sight from your eye away! I can sure as hell do it again!”
Yashiitomo smiled, feeling his eyepatch. “I know, but with those injuries, you really don’t stand a chance against me. You should have thought this out. If you really wanted to defeat me, you would have taken better care of yourself. Now your ten years of training have gone to waste. You’ve wasted your life, Kamiya.”
“Iie…” she uttered, “I received these injuries protecting people I love. I don’t regret any of it. Even with these injuries, you will be defeated…”
Without another word, she took into a run, clutching the shinai with her non-injured arm, her hair flying in her face. Through the strands, she concentrated, expecting his attacks. As she figured, he drew his sword and sent a swing of sharp wind at her. She sidestepped the attacks, keeping her pace, keep going towards him. He sent another swing at her, but she leaped up high in the air, bending her elbows and gripping the ends of his shinai.
“What…?” Tsueng uttered as his father looked up in surprise to see the girl coming down at him, the shinai at his neck, pinning him to the ground. She quickly bashed him in the head and leaped off him to the side, expecting a counter. But he didn’t get up. He remained lying on the ground, gagging and paralyzed. “Is it over…? That quickly…? Otou-sama…!”
Breathing hard, Kaoru gripped her shoulder. She had pushed herself too far, but she had done what she wanted. ‘Is it over…?’ she thought, staring towards the fallen man. All of sudden, pain ripped through her. She felt like she was being squished to death; she could move. Wounds starting appearing all over her body, slowly becoming deeper, she cried out involuntarily.
“I won’t let you defeat my Otou-sama!!” Tsueng said from behind, tugging at the wires she was encircled in, “You bitch will pay for this!!”
“Tsueng!” Yashiitomo had recovered and sat up, “Don’t kill her now. I have other plans for her.” Tsueng pouted a bit, releasing her. Kaoru crumbled to the ground, clutching at the grass, throbbing all over. “Kamiya Kaoru, you still have not held up to the deal. Therefore you will die. Slowly. Alone. As you deserve to.” He smiled. “Put her in the carriage, Tsueng.”
“Hai, Otou-sama.” Tsueng bending down to pick up her broken body. “Oh? What’s this? An engagement ring?” He simply slipped it off her finger. “There’s no need for this in Hell. I’ll be sure to return it to the fool who gave it to you. And tell him how he wasted his love on a pathetic bitch like you. Goodbye, Kamiya Kaoru.”
* * * “KAORU!!” Yahiko kicked the door down of the shrine. Megumi was behind him. They saw the carriage already at a distance. Tsueng was waving towards it, and then turned to see them at the top of the stairs. “Oh? What’s this?”
“You asshole! Where is Kaoru!” Yahiko growled, picking up the shinai that was lying at his foot, “Where is she, dammit!!”
Tsueng smiled. “She’ll be with her father soon.”
Megumi clenched her fists. “Just what the hell do you think you’re saying?! Tell us now!!”
“Megumi, stay back!” Yahiko said, going in front of her, “This bastard is asking for it, but it’s going to get dangerous! I need you to be out of the way!” She nodded and stepped backwards into the shrine as he leaped down the steps and slowly approached the guy, “I’m asking for the last time, where did you take Kaoru!”
“You should worry more about your own lives. After all, you might just die any moment.” he said slyly, walking towards him, “It could end anytime, you never know… when you woke up this morning, had you any idea?” He held up his rod of wire, “Wouldn’t you like to go back to sleep, boy?”
“Asshole…” he grumbled, “Don’t underestimate me!!”
“Oh?” Tsueng said. In a one movement, he sent the wires flying at Yahiko. Yahiko caught them on his shinai, gripping it tightly. With a quick yank, the rod came flying at him. Yahiko rolled away, gripping it in his arms. “Hmp!” Tsueng reached into his coat and took out a gun. “It’s funny what kind of things you find lying on the ground. Now get up boy and face your death like a man!”
“Yahiko!!” Megumi cried, as the samurai sat up, staring nervously into the barrel of the gun, “What…?!”
“YAMERO!!!” Both Kenshin and Sanosuke came at Tsueng from behind, fists and sakabatou making contact. In moments, the gun was fire to the ground, Tsueng face flat. After a second, he sat up, grinning at them. Sanosuke and Kenshin prepared themselves.
“Battousai, Sagara… I’ve been waiting for you both.” he chuckled, dropping the gun and reaching for Yahiko’s shinai, the wires coming with him, “A battle was what I wanted.”
“Stop your talking.” Kenshin said, “I just came for my friends. I don’t feel in the mood to listen to the likes of you.”
“Oh? Then I'll speak more. Take this Battousai!” The wires came at Kenshin’s feet, him falling to the ground.
“KENSHIN!!” Sanosuke yelled as his friend was being dragged towards Tsueng. Yahiko leaped from behind and grabbed onto his neck, while Kenshin did his best to move along with the wires so that they didn’t cut into his skin. When he got close enough with the wires sagging, he was able to stand, knocking the shinai away with his sakabatou. “TAKE THIS ASSHOLE!” Sanosuke called as he joined in the assault, his Futae no Kiwani attack sending Tsueng to the ground, this time for good.
“You guys!” Yahiko cried in relief, as Kuma and Hachi handcuffed Tsueng, “You made it!!”
Megumi came running out of the shrine into Sanosuke’s arms. “You okay? Did they hurt you?” he uttered, holding her to him, “Oh Kami-sama! I’m so glad…”
“Sanosuke…” she sobbed.
Kenshin bent down to pick up the ring which how fallen out of Tsueng’s coat during the fight. He then looked to Yahiko. “Where’s Kaoru?”
Yahiko exclaimed, “They took her somewhere! I don’t know where! The carriage left not that long ago! I don’t where they went!!”
The image of her ribbon flashed in his mind. “No… we have to hurry!!” he cried, “Everyone into the carriage! NOW!”
“Explain what’s going on!” Megumi said as they filed into the now crowded carriage, including Tsueng. “Ken-san, where is Kaoru!”
Kenshin just closed the door. “I’ll explain my theory on the way there, since it seems that we won’t anything out of this guy.”
* * *
It was getting dark. By the time they reached downtown Tokyo, it was already nightfall. Kenshin and company stuck their heads out of the windows to look towards the dojo. There were flames filling the evening sky.
“Kaoru…”