'Sou na...' Kaoru thought, watching the flames before her. 'It's hot... my skin is burning... like that time...' She could picture the burning dojo perfectly, hope of survival flickering away as she was on the floor, her body and spirit broken. 'Kono toki ni... I thought I really was going to die... aren't I dead? I did fall off a bridge...'
A voice was calling her, "Kaoru-san... Kaoru-san!" Ripping from the nightmarish memory, Kaoru opened her eyes to see a small fire before her. Lifting her head, she saw Miki hovering over her with a cup of hot tea. "Nee, you're awake. Yokata ne!"
"It's... morning..." she uttered, blocking the sunlight with her hand, "W-What happened? How did I end up here?"
"Oh, this kind man who helped me, rescued you." Miki explained, "I had gotten lost looking for you and then he appeared and showed me how to get to the path. However, he insisted on finding out you when I mentioned that you were my friend. We found you hanging on that rope from the broken bridge. You had passed out, but the rope had tangled around your arms."
"Sou ka." Kaoru sighed, now away of the sores on her arms and wrists, "I must've been hanging there for over an hour. Demo ne, I never would have thought I'd make it out of there alive."
"What are you talking about?" Miki laughed, "You're the strongest woman I've ever known. I have no doubt that you'd survive anything, Kaoru-san!"
Kaoru blushed. "Arigatou for your faith in me, demo I'm sure even a strong person can be defeated..." she noted, getting up off the floor of the shack-like cabin and stretching. "Shikashi, where is that person who saved me?"
Miki pointed out the door. "He's outside, chopping firewood. He's kind of like an outdoorsy person. I've never heard of anyone living out here in these woods... but this guy has made this abandoned cabin his home. The people of Wakana are all paranoid over him, thinking he was a prowler. Boy will I prove them wrong!"
"Yoshi, we'll head back as soon as possible." Kaoru insisted, walking towards the door, "Demo, I first have to thank him."
Stepping outside, the sunlight seemed even more brighter. Blind for a moment, Kaoru moved forwards towards the sounds of wood spliting. But as she came to the clearing and her blue eyes had focused, she stopped in surprise, her mouth dropping open.
"Ma... Masaka...!"
* * *
Meanwhile, Sanosuke spied at the dojo from a distance. 'Cheh... there's got to be about twenty of them... sure I can take them all on, it's just I haven't had a good enough breakfast... maybe I should come back later...' he reasoned with himself, 'Jotto! You just can't leave those ruffians in Kaoru's place.... what am I saying?! I'm a ruffian myself!'
"Nee, Sano-han! Ohayou~!" chimed a cheerful voice behind him. Startled, he fell over onto the ground. Tae stood over him, holding a bag of fruit. "What's going on? I just came by to see if Yahiko-kun had breakfast... who are all those people in Kaoru-chan's home??!"
Sanosuke quickly covered her mouth. "Shhhh! Don't bring their attention over here. I'm trying to find a way to ambush them. You see, they've taken over the place and I gotten get them out now."
"Sano-han, Kaoru-chan isn't going to be too pleased over what's happened while she was gone!" Tae scolded, shaking her finger at him, "After all that she's been through, you think this is what she needs?"
Sanosuke stared at her, his mind fading back to a couple days prior. Sometime around dawn, he was walking home from an night out with the row house boys when he saw Kaoru passing him on the road. Stopping, he grinned and held out his hand.
"How about it, Jou-chan?"
"Mou, dame de-su!" she snapped, taking out one of her shinai from her bag and attempting to clobber him. "There's no way I'm lending you any money!"
"Stingy!!" he snarled, covering her face with his hand and pushing her away, "It's work, work, work for the money and you can't even loan a friend. You money-grubber!"
"Baka, you don't know what I have to do!" she argued, "I have a family to support, my child's future to prepare for, my husband's medical bills to pay - and many other people depending on me! If you want some gambling change, then go ask your wife!"
"Megumi said she won't lend me any until I pay her back." Sanosuke grumbled, "Besides, it's not for gambling. I need to get Megumi a birthday gift."
"Wasn't her birthday last month?"
"That's besides the point! You gotta help me out, Jou-chan! I'll do anything - please PLEASE?!" he cried, taking her hands and putting on his most sincere look. Kaoru sighed; it was too early in the morning to have her defenses up because she couldn't turn him down. Finally, she reached into her sleeve and took out a bundle. "ARIGATOU YO!" he exclaimed, waving it before stashing it in his pocket.
"Don't spend it all at once. And I expect you pay me back someday." Kaoru said, going for the road again, "I had to work at Maekawa-sensei's this morning, but now I'm off to the next job at another dojo. Jaa ne!"
"Aa, matta na!" he said, waving after her. Suddenly the footsteps slowed. "Hmm?" Sanosuke wondered as she just crumbled to ground. "J-Jou-chan?!" Running up to her, he realized that she had collapsed.
'According to Genzai-ojisan, she had overworked herself. This is her vacation and chance to relax from all that stress. This news won't help her health either. What kind of friend am I?' Sanosuke frowned at his thoughts, gazing off into space.
"NEE!" Tae brought him back to the present, "What are we going to do?! Should we just call the police? I mean, aren't they trespassing!"
"Like the police can do anything about yakuza. It'll be an ugly fight and I don't want them to get in the way." Sanosuke replied, "Besides, if they hear that gambling is involved, I'll be busted. Do you really want me to go to jail??"
Tae tilted her head to the side. "I wouldn't mind it because the amount you still haven't re-paid me is a crime..."
"Yare yare..."
* * *
Kenshin gazed out the window. He had been up all night, since he and Takeru returned to the apartment, empty-handed. Rocking the snoozing Kenji, he let out a yawn and shook the red hair out of his eyes. 'I've never been so worried in my life... is this how Kaoru feels when I disappear on her. This is really hell...'
"Himura," Takeru said, walking into the parlor with two cups of coffee, "Drink this; it'll wake you up. We'll go looking for the girls soon. But what are we going to do about the baby?"
There wasn't anyone to look after Kenji, who was starting to miss his mother. Kenshin frowned, not knowing what to do, other than take him along. "Let's get going as soon as we can. That's all I can think of."
"Your call... but I don't do diapers." Takeru replied, going to gather up some supplies. He then lifted up his sword and blew the dust off it. "Let's hope the girls didn't find the prowler. Although, Miki is good at finding trouble."
Kenshin gazed down at the baby's face. "Not if Kaoru finds it first... Today was supposed to be our last day of vacation de gozaru. We haven’t even enjoyed it yet."
“A holiday in Wakana?” Takeru uttered, lifting a smile. “Omoshiroi… all this time I’ve been trying to leave Wakana. Daga, this is the place that Miki loves… there’s no escape I guess.”
“There are just some things we cannot escape…” Kenshin replied, now standing and facing the other swordsman, “Soushite, a certain woman who can make you live with it…”
Takeru nodded. “Sou yo. Let’s go, Himura.”
* * *
"Anata wa..." Kaoru stammered, not able to stop shaking. Visions of fire burst in her mind as she glared at that man. "Yashiitomo Takeshi!"
Yashiitomo released his ax and stared at her with his one good eye. His clothes were a big tattered, his hair had grown longer from the last time she saw him. He didn't say a word but curled his fists at his side, the ax landing on the ground with a large thud.
"A-Ano...!" Miki said, walking in between them and looking back and forth. "Do you know him, Kaoru-san??" She saw the grave look in her face. "K-Kaoru-san??"
"What are you doing here?" she snapped past her at the calm man, who hadn't moved at all. "Why aren't you in jail? Doushite...?!"
"Dakara," he finally spoke, lowering his head, "They released me. I was pardoned and released. My crimes are washed away..."
"USOU!" she exclaimed, "You must've bribed someone... or blackmailed...! There's no way...!! Your crime... it cannot...!!"
"Kaoru-san??" Miki stammered, grabbing onto her arm, "What on earth are you talking about? Who is this guy? I-Is he a convict...??!"
Yashiitomo turned away, chuckling. "I'm an old memory... of the way things used to be..."
"No, you're a nightmare." Kaoru replied, "That doesn't seem to want to go away."
"Hmhmhm... you never change." he sighed, "You're still that foolish Kamiya brat I fought years ago. Haven't you learned anything at all since then?"
"IRESAI!" she yelled, breaking into a run, "You threaten my loved ones for the last time! I won't let you get away with it! NEVER!!" She charged the tall swordsman, who didn't even flinch. At the last moment, he caught her wrist and twisted her arm around her back. "Aaaa...!"
"Yamette kudesai!" Miki cried, trying to pull apart his mighty hold, “You’ll break her arm! Stop it!! I don’t understand what’s going on here, but you’re hurting her!!”
As Kaoru bit down on the pain, Yashiitomo leaned in to whisper in her ear, “You are human. Your mother and father were not ashamed to accept defeat… you mustn’t forget… as long as you live…”
“… eh?” Kaoru didn’t know why she was crying, or why Yashiitomo released her. He just got up and turned away, going to walk back to his chore. “Ma-Matte!” she said, standing and wiping her eyes, “I won’t turn away any fight with you! If you attack, I swear I’m ready!”
“Hmhmhm…” He chuckled, then burst into laughter, “Just like Tetsu, that idiot… demo… I’m tired. I don’t feel like fighting you right now. Maybe some other time, Kamiya Kaoru.”
Kaoru slowly nodded her head, then took Miki’s hand and broke into a run. Pulling her friend through the forest, she did as much as she could to distance herself from the reoccurring nightmare that had started fade with each year of her life.
‘I won’t forget… I won’t ever forget it…’ she swore to herself, fighting back the angry tears, ‘Keisuke…’
* * *
The yakuza were having fun back in the dojo, but one of their goons were a little worried. “What if one of the neighbors call the cops or if those bastards come back here. I heard that kid, Myoujin, can defeat over fifty men!”
“All rumors!” replied a comrade, “Don’t worry about it. We’ll just stay here until the master comes back. Then we can clarify who owns the dojo or not!”
”But doesn’t the master own the dojo??”
“You’re missing the point!” he snapped, smacking him about, “We ask him whose deed is real and then give the appropriate money for it. That way we don’t deal with cops and lawyers and crap like that. Of course, if he doesn’t cooperate with us, we’d have to shake things up, daga, that’s part of the fun!”
“A-no!” said a voice from the gate. They peered outside and saw Tae nervously standing there with trays of food. “Jaa… I’m from the Akebeko. We’re doing door-to-door advertising. Would you like a free sample??”
“Would we! There’s like no food in this house!” they said, leading her inside. Within minutes everything on the trays were gone. “Uwah! That’s good food!! Could you make some more!?”
“Eheh, demo na, I need the ingredients. Could you boys go into town and gather them up for me and I’ll make you a grand feast on the house!” Tae said, taking out a two-page list, “Hayaku na!”
As majority of the group rushed out to the market, Sanosuke watched from behind the fence. ‘Only a few are left. I can rush them up for the meantime… only… Tae seems to enjoying herself way too much.’
“Ahahah, you are so sly! Of course I’m single!” Tae laughed, blushing as the thugs were flirting with her, “And cooking is not the only thing I’m good at… OHOHOHOHO!”
Sanosuke covered his face. ‘Cheh, I knew all women are alike…’ He almost fell over with surprise when Tsubame patted his arm. “Uwaah?!”
“Sanosuke-san, what are you doing??” she asked, Yahiko and Megumi behind her, giving him the evil eye.
* * *
Takeru steered the boat alongside the shore of the vast forest. They had decided to search farther this time. Kenshin examined a map as the baby slept in his back pouch. ‘Where could they have gone…?’ Suddenly, the sight of smoke in the distance was seen, as well as flames. “Ma-Masaka?!”
“Chikuso! What’s going on?!” Takeru gasped, staring up at the blaze. He then spotted some ships parted up a make-shift pier up ahead. “Looks like the villagers have been us… they’re trying to smoke out the prowler with our wives in the mess.”
”Nan de gozaru ka?!” Kenshin exclaimed, “We’ve got to hurry!!”
“Hai!” Takeru said, putting on the speed as they inched towards the rocky edge. Kenshin leaped off the boy, only to realize that the baby was still with him. “Leave him behind. It might get dangerous.” Takeru suggested.
“Iya, Kaoru would kill me if I did such a thing. What should I do?!” he sighed, as Kenji woke up. “We can’t possibly bring him into there either…”
”You stay here then. I’ll go look for them.” Takeru replied, “We’ll take turns. Just stay put. I’ll be back!” He then ran into the forest alone.
“Takeru-dono…” Kenshin uttered. Hearing some rustle in the bushes, he turned and saw a woman, her skin pale and hair black, the face of a distant memory. Kenshin just stared, in shock. “Oro…”
Hanako smiled, approaching him. “Nan desu ka? Why do you look at me like that… like I’m a long lost love or something?”
”S-Sore wa… bezuni de gozaru!” Kenshin frantically insisted, “You don’t remind me of anyone! You just… just…” She stopped right in front of him. “Oro!”
She lifted her hand to his scarred cheek. “They call me the ‘Snow Lady’. Like I’m a phantom or something; that I bring cursed luck to those I meet. Isn’t that silly?”
“Ha… Hai de gozaru…” he stammered, sweat rolling down his face. ‘What is wrong with me? My eyes are becoming heavy… and I can barely breath… what is she doing…?’
“Sleep… you need your rest.” she said, closing his eyes with her fingertips, “You’re tired… tired of fighting… tired of this life… tired…”
Kenshin slowly slumped to his knees. ‘Why can’t I fight her… I feel so weak…’ he thought as sleep crept on him. ‘No! I mustn’t lose to her… Kaoru would… she would…’
Kaoru mentally gave him a good punch. ‘You faithless pig! Kenshin no bakaa!’
“ORO!” His eyes flickered open and he saw her astonished face. “I don’t know who you are, or what you’re trying to do… daga, I won’t allow it!” he said, drawing his sakabatou for defense. All the while, Kenji was happily laughing on his back.
Hanako just grinned evilly. “You cannot do anything.” With that, she disappeared from sight, leaving behind a bewildered swordsman. All the while, the flames had grown stronger, the forest covered with red.
“KAORU!” Kenshin exclaimed, unable to take it anymore. He broke into a run, right into the blaze, taking along Kenji with him.