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Anime/Manga » Rurouni Kenshin » Tango In The Devil's Lair
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Author of 6 Stories |
Tango in the Devil’s Lair
By Memorie
Disclaimer: I don’t own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters.
Summary: Kaoru never imagined her first job would involve a gang of thugs, kidnapping, and their sexy, obnoxious leader Battousai. Will her current boyfriend rescue her in time before the Battousai manages to kidnap her heart as well?
Note: FORGIVE MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M SOOORRRRRY!!!!!! This is the last chapter. I know you would be saying “what the hell? Why couldn’t see have done it ages ago?” but when I posted chapter 11, my teachers began to hit me with assignments right in the face. I realised halfway through the term I couldn’t write this chapter until I’d finished everything! I’m truly sorry and I realise not many of you would remember the story’s plot. I’m sorry! I really am.
The Ending To Our Story - The Time We Spend Alive
The country’s dirt roads in Nagoya were busy, even in midday, when the sun shone its hottest. Everyone was preparing for the summer festival.
A young teenager sat at a low table outside the restaurant he’d stopped by, and watched children run around the public streets and mothers fuss over what food to buy for the festival. He saw a young boy all alone and crying his eyes out. He must’ve been lost.
The teenager was merely passing through the little town, staying the night in a cheap room above a restaurant. He’d come with companions who, like him, were on their way home to Kyoto from Yokohama.
“Yahiko!”
The young man turned to the voice.
Speak of the devil…
-
Tomoe sat on her futon in the dark room of her apartment, staring blankly at her brother’s unsmiling photograph. She could not shed the tears she cried in her heart. She could not make visible the pain she was feeling inside.
“Enishi.”
She rested her cold hands on her warm belly. She felt restored again and smiled, even though the thought of her brother would not leave her.
She looked down to her unborn son, and repeated her brother’s name. Enishi.
“Maybe, this time,” she began to whisper to her baby, “I can protect you as my child, instead of my brother. Maybe then, you won’t grow up unloved and unfeeling.” She raised her eyes to the photo and thought for a second she saw him smile.
She closed her eyes and lay down on her futon, and began to tell a story to whoever could hear her soft voice.
“Once upon a time, there was a young girl who fell in love with her kidnapper. Unknown to her, someone had found out about the dark, murderous crime she’d committed. That poor, young girl… was about to receive the biggest surprise of her life…” Tomoe smiled bitterly. “Oh, how I pity her…”
Kenshin and Kaoru both tensed and looked to the closed living room door. Her fingers had just finished securing the last bandage around his wounded shoulder, though now she realised her efforts would be for nothing.
He turned to look at her face, but could not meet her eyes. “They’re here.” He whispered and began to move away from her.
“Kenshin?” Kaoru gripped desperately on his shirt. He grabbed her hand and gave her a helpless squeeze before gently releasing her hold. He gripped his sword and bowed his head. Breathing deeply and ignoring her terribly obvious stare, he walked to the door.
“Kenshin?!” Kaoru repeated frantically. She rose from the couch and ran after him; only he beat her to it and turned to her. Dropping his sword, he hastily walked her backwards towards the ceiling to floor windows and pushed her up against them. He did not look into her eyes; he could not bring himself to do it. He knew if he did, he’d break apart.
Stroking his face in an anxious manner, Kaoru begged him with her cries to look at her. “Please don’t do this. Run away before they find you. They don’t know I killed Enishi. You can escape and when they take me back home, I’ll come find you.” Kaoru pleaded. She felt his heart beat rapidly against her breasts and his muscles were tenser than usual.
Kenshin shook his head and kept staring at her lips. “It frustrates me. Something doesn’t feel right. What if they do know?”
“But no one was there. They couldn’t possibly know. Please, you have to escape!” Kaoru cried and rested her heavy head on his collarbone. Only hours ago, she was thinking of dying with him; to end her life if they killed Kenshin. But the sudden realisation that he was going to be killed shocked her. She never thought it would feel so painful knowing that the one you love was going to die in little time. “I don’t want you to die. I take back everything I said of dying. Please, escape.”
Kenshin gazed pathetically at the crown of her head and held back the tears. He stroked her hair, believing it would be the last time he could enjoy it. Lifting her chin with his trembling fingers, he looked her in the eyes; gazing upon the sapphire that he’d never see again. Slowly as not to frighten her, he lowered his lips to hers in a kiss; savouring her sweet taste for the last time.
When they broke apart, Kenshin had made up his mind. “I’m going to leave the room for a minute,” he hushed her with a kiss when she protested, “and I’m going to see what the situation is, if I can escape or not.”
Kaoru’s tears fell in relief and she pulled him to her in a deep kiss. “I love you.” She whispered hoarsely against his mouth.
He reluctantly pulled away and she crumbled to the floor, weak without his body supporting hers.
“Don’t leave this room. I’ll be back.” He told her before picking up his sword and running out the room. He slammed the metal door securing Kaoru inside before sprinting up the stairs. Jumping out the window at the back of the house, he ran through the bushes to where his men were firing at the enemy.
Upon arriving, Kenshin immediately hid behind a tree. From what he’d just witnessed, five men wearing the yakuza’s crest just shot the last of Kenshin’s men. From where he stood, he looked for all his hidden bases and no man seems to be alive or visible.
For the first time, Kenshin felt responsible and powerless. Half his men were fathers; he’d met some of their children on odd occasions. What was he going to say to them? Was he even going to get out of there alive?
“Seems this is the last of them.”
Kenshin listened closely to what the men were saying.
“Finally, now we’ll just storm Battousai’s underground and kill those sons of bitches.”
Kenshin’s eye’s widened. Do they really know about Kaoru?
“Yeah, that bloody bitch murdered our boss. Too bad we can’t have fun before we kill her.” One of them laughed and the others joined in. Kenshin rage fumed and he came out from his hiding place and pounced on the men. It took them by surprise and they had no time to call out for help.
Dripping with blood, Kenshin raced back to the house, hoping he’d bought himself some time. He had to get Kaoru out of there. They both had to escape.
Climbing in through the window again, he raced down the stairs and opened the metal door. Slamming it shut, he made sure to secure the door. Calming himself down, he leaned his forehead against the cold frame and tried to think of a plan.
“Kenshin?” Kaoru called from down the hallway and she hesitantly walked to him. She gasped when she saw all the blood and feared it was his. “What happened?”
“They know.” Kenshin forced himself to say.
Kaoru remained quiet, realising what his words meant. She was going to die.
Her breathing became laboured and she reached her palm to Kenshin forearm to try to calm herself down. “Is this it? Are we giving up?” She asked, fearing he’d respond yes.
“… No, we have to get out of here now.” He said and grabbed her hand tightly. He led her to the living room and ordered her to grab the hidden guns under the couch. As she did that, Kenshin ran to the ruined kitchen and grabbed whatever he could find that’d help them climb down the mountain and to the safety of the valley. Running back to the living room, he looked at Kaoru just as she stood.
Kaoru looked at him as she threw the last of the hidden guns on the cushions and fleetingly, she smiled at him.
Only her smile turned into one of horror when a loud bang sounded in the upstairs house. Kenshin turned to the door in disbelief. Footballs ran all over the ceiling and Kaoru felt her heart ache. Their only chance to escape had now come and gone.
She turned to Kenshin and watched him shake his head. “No, no, NO!!!” He shouted and threw everything in his hands on the ground. He dropped to his knees and held his head while screaming. Kaoru ran to him and threw her arms around him. She held onto him and wept on his shoulder. They knew now, nothing would help.
Kenshin lifted his head to Kaoru and ran his eyes over her face. He couldn’t hold the tears. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
Kaoru didn’t know how to reply, “Me too.” She whispered lamely. There was another bang, this time at the metal door. Taunting and laughing voices shouted from outside the door, making the couple feel like cornered prey. Kenshin had never felt more a prey than he did now.
Wiping away the tears angrily, he helped Kaoru stand and gently pushed her against the window. The sun was half dipped into the horizon. He lent over and kissed her anxiously. For the last time, he held her tight against his body and she ran her fingers threw his locks.
“Stay here.” He whispered against her cheek and kissed a tear. He let go and unsheathed his sword for the last time. He crouched down in the middle of the room, facing the doorway.
“What are you going to do?” Kaoru asked as she wiped her tears away. She didn’t know what else to do. They were going to storm in here any second and kill them.
“Protect you until death.” He said.
Kaoru watched the door and waited. She watched as Kenshin gripped tightly on his sword and tensed his shoulders. She slumped against the glass and smiled wryly. Even though she was going to die, her life was not flashing before her eyes.
“Useless saying.”
There was a silent whoosh in the air from beyond the glass and Kaoru widened her eyes. Besides the thundering sound of glass shattering in her eyes, an excruciating pain dug deep in the pit of her stomach.
-
Kenshin was staring at the door with thoughts running wild in his mind when they were cut off by the exploding sound of the window breaking. He spun around and stared disbelievingly at scene. Time had slowed down, tiny shards of glass floated gracefully yet dangerously around Kaoru’s heavenly figure, sparkling like water sprays. The sun fell behind the hills just as her body crumbled to the ground.
It would’ve been beautiful, if only blood did not soak her stomach and her face pale like a ghosts.
Kenshin stumbled to his feet and blindly ran to catch her body. He missed. She hit the ground and he dropped down beside her. Everything around him was blocked off as he stared at the blood dripping from her mouth and her eyes search for him. She choked on her words and finally closed her eyes.
Kenshin couldn’t breathe. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. She wasn’t supposed to die like this.
A foot appeared in Kenshin’s sight and he looked up perplexed. A man he’d never seen before wearing a mask looked down at him. For a second, they just looked. Then, he made a small bow and said, “Excuse me,” before Kenshin fell in darkness.
“What the hell are you doing in here, Gein? Where are they?” He called out and lowered his gun to his side. There was a whole lot of blood, but no bodies.
Gein looked up to them and moved his hand from behind his back. It was becoming dark with the sun already long set and stars appearing.
“What are you hiding behind your back?”
Gein raised his arm and held two severed heads by the hairs. “Oh? You mean these?”
The men who were in the room grimaced and turned away. The leader didn’t look convinced.
“Where are the bodies?”
“I threw them into the waterfall. The cops will find them in a day.” He said and turned back towards the window where a rope attached to a helicopter appeared and waited for him. He looked up to see Tomoe look out and nod approvingly.
“Why did you kill them when the order was given to my group?” He man called out again annoyed.
Gein turned back towards him and the motion made the heads swing and bang against each other. “I have special orders from Miss Tomoe.” He paused and smirked behind the mask. “Besides, you would’ve done it all wrong.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?!” He leader called out aggravated, but Gein had already grabbed onto the rope tightly and was hoisted up. The helicopter flew away and the men retreaded.
Battousai’s house was then burnt to the ground. The devil’s lair was consumed by its own flames, never again to exist on the face of the earth. Besides, the devil and his demon had no place in this world, only unless they were to be reborn again… as humans.
“Yahiko!”
The young man turned to the voice.
Speak of the devil…
Yahiko rose to his feet and stretched upwards. Sanosuke walked in his direction in a lazy manner as he cared a small sack on his back. Behind him walked a composed Megumi with her arms delicately crossed.
“Did you get the train tickets?” Yahiko asked bored.
“Yeah, though the train doesn’t leave for another hour. Megumi wants to stop by the souvenir shop to get a special cream for doctor Gensai back at home.”
“It’s a medical herb, you ungrateful fool. You should be thankful the doctor allowed us to reside with him for the passed five years and continuing.” Megumi scolded the taller man. Yahiko merely watched.
“Yeah but that’s because he needs you to help look after his patients.”
“And what do you do to help out in the place? Yahiko has the job of receptionist and delivery boy while you lug around the house disturbing everyone with your whining and flirting. I swear, I’ll just tell the doctor we don’t need you anymore and he’ll kick you out for good.”
“Oh, don’t be that way, baby. I still love you.”
“Urgh!”
Yahiko chose to ignore the two squabbling and looked around the street. He looked back to the little boy who was still crying all alone. He decided he’d go over to him but paused when he saw a pretty lady with long black hair approach the child and giggle brightly. Strangely, she looked familiar.
Yahiko watched as the lady picked up the child and he smiled joyfully. Yahiko smiled slightly. The lady spoke to the child and looked to her left. The child and Yahiko looked as well and spotted a man not to far away balancing three ice blocks in his hands.
Something in Yahiko’s mind clicked and he stared in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes and watched intently as the family laughed together.
Could it be?
He looked at Megumi and Sanosuke and back at the family. Yahiko found himself smiling.
Tomoe gazed down at Kenshin closed eyes. She stroked his cheek and wiped the rest of the blood that’d died on his forehead. She willed him to open his eyes, but he did not.
Gein knocked gently on Tomoe’s door and opened it slightly. “You called for me, Miss Tomoe?”
“You must’ve hit him too hard. He would’ve been awake by now.” She replied annoyed.
Gein apologised. “Please regard it as my duty of avenging my deceased master.”
“Alright, I will.” Tomoe smiled dully. “You did a fine job, Gein.”
“Thank you, Ma’am. But please do consider that if this matter is revealed, your life will be in danger.” Gein looked at her back as she caressed the sleeping man’s face. He moved to the sleeping girl and checked her wound. The bullet wound was beginning to heal nicely.
“I already know that. But I think I did the right thing.”
“I cannot completely agree with you, Ma’am, but I do intend to have Enishi’s wish for Kaoru’s safe fulfilled.”
“Good. After this matter is settled, you and I will have nothing to do with each other. If you believe the Higher Ones suspect you of anything, then I give you permission to leave the Yakuza and go find a place to hide. If you wish to continue serving, I only ask you forget this ever happened.”
“As you wish, Miss Tomoe.” Gein bowed and left the room.
-
An hour later, Kenshin finally became roused from his slumber, though thinking about it, he couldn’t understand why he was still alive. He did not feel any torturous pains in his body besides the splitting headache thumping in his head.
“You’re awake.”
His eyes shot open and he sat up on the… futon? The sudden movement had left him dizzy and he held his head in pain. “Where am I?” He asked whoever it was there.
“You’re in my apartment.”
“Tomoe?” Kenshin thought it was her voice. Was it really her?
“Yes. Rest your head, Kenshin, no one is after you anymore.” Kenshin felt her cold hands gently push him back onto the futon but he resisted and turned to look at her. She pulled back and allowed him to sit opposite her.
Kenshin gazed blearily at her calm figure and wondered if he was dead or still dreaming. “What happened? Was it all a dream?”
“No. I requested a favour from one of Enishi’s henchmen to create a diversion to let you escape.” Tomoe shrugged casually. “It was a bit harsh of me to ask him to build your bodies in only an hour, but luckily he had spares already prepared.”
Kenshin rubbed his temples unsure what she’d just said. “What are you talking about? What bodies?”
“Your bodies were found in the valley below your hide out. From now on, to this world, you as the Battousai are dead.” Tomoe said.
“What?” Kenshin muttered unsure. This was too much to take in.
“Now you are just Kenshin Himura, a simple man. You’ll be living in Nagoya with your wife-”
“Wife?” His eyes widened.
“Pardon me. Wife to be.” Tomoe corrected.
“Tomoe, what are you talking about? What’s going on? Why am I still alive? Where’s-” Kenshin came to a realisation and gasped, “where’s Kaoru?”
“Right beside you.” Tomoe gestured to his left and when he looked, he saw Kaoru sleeping soundly on the futon beside him. He ran his eyes over her body and noticed the tight bandages wrapped around her body. Doubtfully, he reached out to touch her and sure enough, he smiled in relief when he felt her warm wrist and her beating pulse.
“How is this possible? Why aren’t we dead?” Kenshin turned back to Tomoe, still holding on to Kaoru.
“I saved you.” Tomoe said steadily. She looked at his reaction through half-leaded eyes.
Kenshin was overwhelmed and confused. “But why?”
“It’s because I pity you that you still breathe.”
“But why shoot Kaoru? Why put her through so much pain.” He asked.
“Don’t mistake my motives, I did not mean any harm to Kaoru. She was just a precious tool for my revenge.”
“What do you mean?”
“She took away my only brother.” Tomoe’s expression darkened. “And you started this whole mess by kidnapping her. My revenge was to show you how much it hurts to watch the one you love die.” Tomoe looked to Kaoru’s sleeping form and sighed. “But I still care about you and Kaoru was my brother’s only love, so I’m giving you two a place to live and a chance to start over.”
Kenshin looked at Kaoru and stroked her cheek lovingly. Subconsciously, she lent into the touch. He smiled.
“Is this it? Is this the end?”
“If you will it, you can start over. Not as the devil Battousai, but as a human, Kenshin Himura.”
“Tomoe?”
“Yes?”
Kenshin bowed down so low his head was touching the futon. “Thank you. Thank you.” He repeated again and again until Tomoe was shedding tears and smiling at him.
“Your welcome.”
Sanosuke paused in mid sentence and stared at Yahiko weirdly. “What’d ya say, kid?”
Yahiko turned to the older man and smiled brightly. “Nothing. Say, in the near future, can I return here for a holiday?”
“Yeah, what for?” Sanosuke asked. Megumi looked at Yahiko wonderingly.
Yahiko shrugged. “No reason, I have a feeling I’m going to meet some old friends.”
“What old friends? Yutaro is your only friend, you loner.” Sanosuke lightly punched the fifteen year boy teenager.
“Shut up!”
“What old friends, Yahiko?” Megumi pushed Sanosuke aside and looked at the boy.
Yahiko looked to the backs of Kenshin, Kaoru and their son. Megumi followed his gaze but didn’t spot them. She turned back to Yahiko and saw the bright smile upon his face. Was it possible he saw someone she knew as well?
“I’ll tell you one day, Megumi. For now, let’s just go home.”
With that said, he turned away and hoped when he returned, he could once again meet the man he looked up to and the pretty girl who’d saved the man’s life from the darkness.
One day, our paths will meet again…
The End
-0-0-0-
Thank you for your patience and guidance, and until I write again, this is my good bye to you.
Memorie.
