"DAME DESU!!" Tsubame could only cry out as the sword was drawn and aimed for Kaoru. She was able to roll out of the way from the darting blade, but Goheh caught her off guard by kicking her in the ribs. Kaoru collided with the motionless Yahiko, the two of them in a painful pile. Now it was just Tsubame and Kenji, the two of them in tears. 'Sonna... what do I do now...?!'
Kiheh - the brains of the operation - looked over to Tseung to give more orders. "Help my brother in looking for the deed and getting that woman to sign it."
"Hai hai," Tseung grumbled, going to walk towards the fallen swordsmen. "The dojo's best defeated, isn't this interesting? Well, tell us where you put the deed and we'll hurry this up." Several pins popped out of his sleeve and he fixed a happy grin. "What fun am I going to have here...?"
"YAMETTE!!" Tsubame ran in his way, still not sure what she was doing. 'Buying time for someone to come help us... No, no one who could is in the area... And I can't send for Sanosuke-san... Yahiko-kun and Kaoru-san are down... It's up to me to protect Kenji... demo... what can I do?!'
"Nee-chan, get out the way," Tseung said, licking his lips, "I'm warning you. With the kid, it could get messy..."
"Don't be a fool!" Goheh snapped, grabbing him over by the back of his shirt, "We don't hurt babies! That's insane!"
"C'mon! The brat's a Kamiya! They ain't no different!" he argued, "Now lemme go, you big oaf!!"
Kiheh nodded his head. "The more I think about it, the brute has a point. This little mongrel will inherit everything - the dojo, the technique... even Battousai's sword skills. We better put an end to him."
'No!' Tsubame thought, as she saw that all three of them were coming towards her. Kenji had stopped crying and lifted his head in surprise - as though he sensed what was going on. Worse of all, the pistol was aiming for Kenji, and not her. 'I can't let anything happen to Kaoru-san's baby! Demo... DEMO...!'
Just then, Tsubame had an idea. She knew if she messed up, she and Kenji surely would be dead, but she still had to try. As Kiheh neared them, her eyes flashed. 'NOW!' With that, she lunged forward as though throwing herself to the ground. Bracing Kenji, she collided with Kiheh, using all her weight to knock him off his feet. In the frenzy, the gun slipped out of his hands and went off, shooting a hole through the wall of the dojo.
"Dammit!!" Kiheh grumbled as his brother helped him up, "What the hell just happened here?! Get that girl!!"
"Hai, Niisan!!" Goheh replied, he and Tsueng turning around to Tsubame. "N-Nani?!" he exclaimed as Tsubame held the pistol out at them. "What are you trying to do??"
"G-Get out of here..." she stammered. Sweating at the brow and her hands shaking, Tsubame tried to calm herself down. "I mean it... I-I'll shoot!"
"Let me handle this," Tsueng noted, stepping forward. He couldn't help but chuckle as he readied his thread attack and neared her without any fear. "You're not going to do anything, Nee-chan. Look, this has nothing to do with you. We'll let you go if you act reasonably. I promise."
"Usou desu!" she snapped, "The likes of you cannot hold any promises. And after what you've done to my friends - I won't forgive you! I'm not letting you get away!!"
"Brave words, Nee-chan... but, I'm afraid they'll be your last."
With that the threads came towards her neck. In the same instant, a person broke through the wall and deflected the attack with his arm. "Cheh!! I don't think so!!" Sanosuke snarled, tearing free from the hold, "You bastards are messing with the wrong people! These are my friends and like hell I'm going to let that happen to them! Naa, Tsubame-chan??"
"H-Hai!" she gasped, overwhelmed with relief, "Arigatou, Sanosuke-san..."
Grinning, he turned to the big guy. "Oh, so you think 'cuz Kenshin is out of town, you stand a chance?? I'll teach you a lesson!!" It took a good punch to send Goheh to the floor. "Kimi ni Futae!" Sanosuke chuckled as her looked over to the rest. "Who's next??"
"H-Hurry up and finish him off!" Kiheh stammered, but then he realized that Tsueng had disappeared, "Hah? Hah? Where did that guy go!?"
"You're out of luck, Teme." Sanosuke noted, going to kick the little man across the room. Kiheh collided with his brother and fainted. "Pathetic..." he sighed, looking over at them, then over his shoulder, "Demo they managed to beat up my friends..."
"Sanosuke-san!" Tsubame cried, rushing over and handing him Kenji, "I'll get some help! Yahiko-kun and Kaoru-san are really hurt!"
"I get it," he replied, "I'll stay here and guard the fort. Be sure to get the Fox and the police too."
"Hai!"
Sanosuke watched her run out of the dojo and into the road towards town. He then looked down at the baby in his arms. "What are you smiling about??" Kenji just closed his eyes and went to sleep. Sanosuke dropped his head back and sighed, going to check on his fallen friends. "Daijoube?"
"Un," Kaoru uttered, leaning against the unconscious Yahiko, "Atashi daijoubu desu..."
But Sanosuke knew better; he could read her face and knew that she was in pain. Yahiko didn't look that good either. 'Kenshin, nice timing for a trip... Cheh, this is nothing I can't handle... right?'
* * * * * * * * * *
Kenshin woke up. He was sitting against a tree somewhere in the woods. Rubbing his eyes, he wondered how he ended up there and where exactly he was. 'Her...' He remembered the woman who had crossed his path, yet again. 'It's that woman from Wakana... Why is she here?'
He flashbacked to the holiday he spent in the seaport with his family; the fire in the forest and the woman named Hanako who mysteriously disappeared before his eyes. 'Everyone said she died in the fire... Didn't she?'
He then realized that he was just outside the town of Mitsukou, his destination. He would have taken four days to get there given the conditions, but somehow he had reached it in a little over two days. Strange as the situation was, Kenshin couldn't linger on it. He wanted to get this over with and head home as soon as he could.
Walking down the road that lead through the bushes, he finally made it to the main road. Not too far was his sister's home. Smiling, he came through the gate and was immediately bombarded by children.
"Kyaaa! Ken-ojichan is here!!" chimed his nephews and nieces, "Okaasaaan!! Ojichan de gozaruu!!"
"Yokkata de gozaru," Serika cried, running over to her brother and giving him a hug. She then led him into the house, where hot tea and blankets were waiting. "I was worried something would happen to you on your journey. I couldn't believe you decided to come alone."
"I didn't decide..." he started to say, but then Mai climbed in his lap, "Oh, hey there little one!"
"Kaoru-obachan doko??"
"Aa, Kaoru stayed home in Tokyo with Kenji," he explained.
"Doushite?? Is she sick??"
"Iya, chigau de gozaru..."
Serika placed a cup of green tea on the table in front of him. "Shinta, are you sure you can face him alone? It's going to be a difficult battle, de gozaru na?"
"Even I have some doubts," Kenshin replied, taking his hands out of his sleeves and picking up the cup, "I feel like I might be too old for this... But this is the only way it'll end."
"Sou de gozaru yo... I just wish you could live peacefully with your family and not have to worry about these things. Demo, there's always something that happens." Serika said, sitting down with him, "Shinta, if you want Hiroya will come with you."
"Iya, I'd rather do this on my own."
"...I understand." She got up and started to walk out of the room, "I'll fix up a bath for you and a room... You better get your rest before you go face him."
"Neesan," Kenshin's voice stopped her from leaving. He smiled towards her and bowed his head. "Arigatou de gozaru."
"Arigatou de gozaru," Mai said, imitating her uncle. Serika let out a laugh and then left the room. "Nee, Ojichan... who are you going to face???"
"An old friend..." Kenshin replied, his eyes moving towards the window. Outside, it had started to snow.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Megumi and Genzai walked into the room, stretching and yawning. They had finished their surgery on Yahiko, who had suffered some terrible wounds. It was evening now - Kaoru, Tsubame, and Sanosuke were sitting together in the room, eating their dinner.
"Mm mm! Umai!" Sanosuke chimed, stuffing his face, "Tsubame-chan's cooking has always been the greatest! I think you might even be better than Tae! You ought to open your restaurant of your own!"
"So you could eat there for free??" Kaoru noted, glaring at him from the corner of her eye. A chopsticks full of noodles appeared in front of her face. "Arigatou," she replied, turning to Tsubame who were holding them. She then took a bite.
'Kaoru-san's injuries aren't as dangerous as Yahiko-kun's,' Tsubame thought, looking over the woman. Her eyes fell to the bandaged hands. 'Demo... That impact had broke several bones in her hands... It's as bad as the time Sanosuke-san broke his hand fighting Shishio-san...'
"Ara ara," Megumi sighed, sitting down next to Kaoru, "How in the world did this happen? With Kenji here no less! Those two went off to jail, but that Tsueng-guy got away. We should call Ken-san back before the brat shows up here again."
"Cheh!" Sanosuke spat out a fish bone and folded his arms behind his head. "Don't worry about it, Fox! I can handle that guy!"
"Handle?? You couldn't handle the simplest of tasks I give you - what makes you think you can take care of this?? Kaoru-chan and Yahiko-kun are both injured, and we've got to worry about Kenji-chan's safety."
"The kid is fine! Tsubame-chan took care of him!"
"You still don't get it, do you??" Megumi snagged him by the arm and dragged him out of the room. Leaving the door open a crack, she pointed into the room. "Look at Kaoru-chan... Do you think she can really make it without Ken-san??"
"She's doing fine ..." Sanosuke started to say, but his wife clobbered him on the head, "Itai! What the hell is that for??!"
"All you men are so damn stupid..." she sighed, pulling him closer, "I meant emotionally... There's a big chance that Kaoru-chan's wound won't heal the right way... She might not be able to practice kenjutsu ever again..."
"N-Nan daze?!" This was the first time it occurred to Sanosuke how serious the wound was. He had thought Yahiko's was bad, this was just as worse. Clearing his throat, he calmed himself down and replied, "I think Jou-chan can handle it. We don't need to drag Kenshin back here."
"Baka!" Megumi yanked him by the ears. "You mean to tell me that if I was seriously injured, you wouldn't want to come see me?! That you'd think that I could 'handle it'???"
"Oi oi!!" he cried, breaking free from her hold, "You're different! Jou-chan ain't quite all that feminine! She could take it like a man!"
"You're so stupid..." Megumi insisted, going back into the room.
"What? It's true!" he said, going after her, "Cheh! You make it seem like a big deal..." He and Megumi both stopped and saw Kaoru looking at her baby. Sighing, he realized that Megumi had won this fight and went over and lifted Kenji from his basket. "Jou-chan, want to hold him??"
"Hai," she replied, sounding a bit weary. 'What a question to ask... of course I want to hold my own baby... Demo, I couldn't...' Sanosuke handed her Kenji, who rested against chest. Without the hands to support him, Kaoru used her arms, which rested on her lap. There was no way she could get up and rock him around the room. 'Not now... of all times...'
* * * * * * * * * *
It was in the middle of the night when Kenshin got up from bed. He dressed as quietly and quickly as he could. The hospitality his sister and her family had shown him was too much. He almost didn't want to go. But he knew he had to.
'The more I stay here... the more danger I'm bringing to them. And how could I sleep when that man is roaming around the town at this hour. I must put an end to him tonight!'
As he tiptoed down the hallway, cradling his sakabatou, he paused to see one of the doors slid open. Mai, rubbing her eyes, stumbled out into the hall. "Ojichan...?"
"Ma-Mai-dono..." Kenshin stammered, going up to the little girl, "All your brothers and sister are sleeping - why are you awake at this hour??"
She smiled brightly. "I need to go to the bathroom!"
"Oro..." Kenshin face-faulted, but quickly recovered. "I'll take you," he said, holding her hand and leading her outside where the outhouse was. The two of them stopped; the world was completely covered with a white blanket of snow. It looked so peaceful and yet in the middle of it all was a woman in a purple kimono. "Sonna..." Kenshin gasped, releasing the little hand.
"Who's that Oneesan?" Mai asked as Kenshin started to move forward, "Ojichan... I feel scared. Kowaii de gozaru...!"
'Same here... I have this feeling inside... It's rattling my spine... Doushite... Why does this woman always show up? What does she want from me? Is it... is it the curse...?'
Before Kenshin could voice his questions, Hanako disappeared before their very eyes. Both Kenshin and Mai stood in amazement, but felt very weak and collapsed to the ground. 'Doushite...?' Kenshin thought, his arms around the child as snow started to fall on them, 'Dou... shite...?' Answers too far to be reached, his eyes fell close.