Under The Circumstances

an r.k. fanfic

 

CHAPTER TWELVE

 

Betrayed

 

 

"There's some thing inside me that pulls beneath the surface

Confusing. Consuming."

 

Linkin Park

 

 

 

 

 

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Misao lay with her cheek to the floor, her face still stained with the tears that had only recently stopped flowing. To anyone else it may have seemed that she had given up hope completely and was now lying on the rough tatami, hopelessly awaiting her fate.

 

That was, of course, if they didn't know the real Makimachi Misao.

 

In the darkness Misao's pupils had opened wide, narrowing the blue-green of her eyes until they appeared as a thin eerie glow around them. Her lips were pressed thin in concentration as she forced her hands to move invisibly, although excruciatingly, against the tight bindings around her wrists and into the back of her obi. After several moments, her painstaking efforts were rewarded when her fingers touched the smooth hilt of a tiny dagger hidden deep within it's folds. One would have had to remove her clothes completely to reveal the tiny blade which was barely  four inches long. Concentrating hard, Misao cut the bindings around her hands, hissing with pain when the blade accidentally slipped into her left palm.

 

Blood flowing freely from her hand, she reached down to free her legs as well. Once that was done she clutched the knife between her teeth and stood up. Moments later, the silken folds of her obi fell to the floor, the beautiful kimono and gold combs she was wearing soon followed. Underneath, Misao's chosen undergarments were, in fact, a skimpier version of her regular practice outfit, the essential difference being that these were made of violet silk. Picking her obi up off the floor, she began to wind it around her waist once again.

 

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Soujiro crouched in the bushes a few hundred yards from the house. From his vantage point he could sense, more than see, the presence of several swordsmen hidden about the compound and mercifully, he had had the presence of mind to actually try to come up with a plan to bypass them.

 

Suddenly, there was a flash of red and navy blue and before he knew it Kenshin was crouched up on the ground next to him. "Thank Kami-sama you're safe." he whispered. Before Soujiro could react, Aoshi was there as well on his opposite side.

 

He gaped like a fish for a few moments before speaking, "Bu…I…How'd you find me?"

 

Aoshi's face remained stoic as he scanned the path ahead. "In your rush to get here you were quite careless," he said bluntly, "An amateur tracker could have followed you."

 

Soujiro's face began to redden and Kenshin suspected that it wasn’t from embarrassment. "Sano, Saitou and the others will be here shortly," he quickly interjected, "As soon as we realized what was going on, I sent Yahiko to fetch the proper authorities."

 

Glaring at Aoshi briefly Soujiro nodded, "Hai, that's good," he agreed "Shikashi… Misao-chan might need our help now."

 

"Hai, that's right." Kenshin agreed.

 

"There are a lot of them around the place though." Aoshi observed, ever the cautious, level headed one.

 

Soujiro looked as if he were ready to burst, "Who cares how many of them there are, Icicle?!" he hissed, "I said Misao's in there now and…"

 

"Shh…be quiet." Kenshin ordered covering the younger ronin's mouth before he gave their position away.

 

Aoshi eyed Soujiro coldly, "I was just stating the facts Tenken. Do not think that I would let anything happen to Misao."

 

Kenshin was soon reminded of how strong Soujiro actually was from the way he brushed the ronin's hand away almost absent mindedly as he stared Aoshi coldly in the eye.

 

"Yeah," he snarled, "Just the way you didn't let anything happen to her in Kyoto three years ago!"

 

Aoshi said no word, but his eyes narrowed into thinner slits that Saitou's as his hand tightened on his weapons of choice. It was so unlike him to show even the slightest bit of emotion, Kenshin unwittingly pulled back, wondering if his eyes had ever looked so dangerous in battle. Soujiro, however held his ground, gray eyes staring unblinkingly into an expression no more welcoming than a winter storm, anger boiling inside him like the black lake of burning water that had ultimately destroyed Shishio's stronghold.

 

A smile crept across Soujiro's features, one that chilled the redheaded rurouni to the bone. Unlike the smiles of the young man's past, which were as blank as they were blissful, this one was glaringly cynical and full of an enmity that he had never once seen before on the younger ronin's face.

 

"I suppose I should thank you Shinomori-san," he hissed, "If it hadn't been for your blind hatred and wanton trampling of MY Misao's heart, she might have never have let me into her life."

 

The sound of cold steel sliding out of it's sheath was unmistakable, and the scene that unfolded before Kenshin's eyes made him want to fold in upon himself. In an instant, Aoshi had unsheathed the shorter of his two blades and now held the edge of it against the smooth, pale skin of Soujiro's throat, while the other hand had firmly and painfully secured itself in the mass of Soujiro's ebony hair. A single, drop of red blood welled up where steel caressed skin, but Soujiro's expression grew even more defiant as he made no move to defend himself.

 

"Go ahead," he urged on quietly, "If it will help to heal your precious ego go on and kill me, hurting her just seems to come naturally to you anyway..."

 

Aoshi's eyes blazed with anger as he pulled the ronin's head even farther back, inflicting as much pain as he possibly could. "Shut up!" he hissed in a voice that had not been heard in three long years, "What would an emotionless puppet like you know about human feelings?! Everything that I have done, I've done for her! You hear me? Everything!"

 

Kenshin looked on in shock as Soujiro slowly closed his eyes and the smile that he had held wavered slightly, "Perhaps what you say is true," he whispered, "Perhaps I am emotionless. But when I'm with her that doesn't seem to be so true."

 

Aoshi's grip loosened slightly, allowing some of Soujiro's bangs to fall free of his grasp. As they fell over the top half of his face, two long, silvery trails ran down each side and his voice cracked as he spoke again.

 

"I was her enemy, but I swear, if it hadn't been for her, Himura would have had to kill me as well." he swallowed involuntarily, sending a fresh drop of blood sliding down the silvery edge of the blade, "If I have come to understand what love is, then I...I love her...I have loved her ever since."

 

The silence following Soujiro's confession seemed to stretch across infinity itself. Gradually, the look of hatred which blazed in Aoshi's eyes faded away to be replaced with one of muted shock. Drawing away from the younger man, he released him from his vice-like grip and sat back on his heels, his head falling forward onto his chest to hide his expression beneath the curtain of ebony silk that fell against his forehead.

 

Seeing that the sudden danger had now passed, and keeping in mind that a much greater risk still lay in their path, the eldest warrior broke the awkward silence the only way he knew he could. "Okay," he said, "Here's the plan. I'll take the men hiding in the trees to the left and Aoshi will deal with the ones on the right. Soujiro, you go straight up the path and get the ones hiding in the shadows around the house itself. This discussion can wait until we know that Misao is safe."

 

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Misao hid in the shadows of the dim hallway outside the room she was previously held captive in. Kaede must not have had much faith in her abilities as a ninja because the door was not strongly bolted and the lone guard which was standing before it now lay unconscious in her place. Knife still gripped firmly between her teeth, she silently inched her way toward what she hoped was freedom.

 

"So, they're here." A low voice rumbled somewhere up ahead.

 

"Misao's friends certainly aren't fools, " Kaede's voice broke in pensively, "They figured us out faster than I'd imagined."

 

 

Oh how Misao's palm itched for the feel of her kunai! That bastard, she should have known that he was just using her to get to one of her family. Her throat burned with anger and tears of frustration began to form in her eyes. "Fucking bastard!" she whispered in the darkness, dagger now gripped tightly in her right hand. "You just try to touch one of them, I'll slit your bloody throat!"

 

"Shinomori," the first voice said slowly and thoughtfully, "You'll pay for what you did to my Kazume."

 

Misao froze. "Kazume…" she whispered. It couldn't be!

 

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"Aoshi-sama! Aoshi-sama! "

 

A seven year old Misao ran toward her young guardian, squealing with delight when he caught her up in his arms and squeezed her tightly. "Aoshi, I woke up and you weren't there! I was so scared! I dreamed that a monster was chasing me and…" Misao pulled her face away slightly, "Aoshi-sama? Are you…crying?" Misao watched in disbelief as a huge tear rolled down Aoshi's usually calm face. Reaching out she caught it on her index finger staring at it with wonder until it dripped down to the earth below.

 

"Misao-chan," Aoshi said softly, "Do you remember how Okina told you how Tsuran-san was going to punished for being disloyal?" Misao nodded, unsure of what that had to do with anything.

 

Aoshi paused, and for a moment it seemed to her that he was going to burst out into sobs the way she did when she had skinned her knee earlier in the week. "Kazume-san, she wanted to take the punishment for him Misao. She…she's dead."

 

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Fresh tears rolled down Misao's face as she remembered how she and Aoshi had clung to each-other in grief that night over the loss of their friend. If that man out there was indeed the fallen Oniwabanshu Tsuran Katsuya, then…Kaede…oh gods!

 

Kaede was his son!

 

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"This lack of self-control I fear is never ending, controlling..."

Linkin Park

 

 

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Kenshin and the others moved like lightning, taking on their opponents with as much speed and precision as they had within them. Men fell like flies everywhere each one knocked senseless before he could even try and defend himself against the three deadly swordsmen which tore thorough the path and the gardens with the force of a hurricane.

 

When all threats around the vicinity had been neutralized, the three men regrouped and headed for the door. Three strong feet kicked simultaneously and the mighty barrier splintered under the force.

 

"Katsuya!" Aoshi roared angrily, "Get out here you fucking coward!"

 

"Maa maa," a mocking voice called from the shadows, "Is that any way  to speak to one of your most loyal followers, Aoshi?"

 

Suddenly, there was movement from the corners and three long leather bands whipped out and caught each intruder by the wrist. "Kuso!" Kenshin thought as he realized that a large net was being thrown down over them.

 

Think fast.

 

Twisting his wrist at an odd angle, Soujiro managed to cut the strap which bound his sword-hand. Then with shout he jumped up to meet the net slicing it to pieces before it could trap them. Kenshin looked up with a mixture of pride and relief, Soujiro was obviously capable of thinking as quickly as he moved.

 

Landing lightly, Soujiro re-sheathed his sword as his companion's restraints slid harmlessly to the floor. His eyes were fixed on Katsuya's son who stood quietly observing his every move. There was something there in their eyes, an enmity which had existed between certain men long before they were born, and one which would live on after they both had died.

 

Tsuran Katsuya looked pleased, "My, my Lord Aoshi, what interesting company you keep!" he fingered the hilt of his katana thoughtfully, "And here I thought this was going to be a boring fight."

 

Aoshi was unmoved. "Where is Misao?" he demanded.

 

Tsuran laughed, an evil empty laugh that chilled one's bones.

 

"Do not worry Lord Aoshi," he jeered, "I will be sure to dig a grave big enough for you both to spend eternity in."

 

"Teme…" Kenshin growled stepping forward slightly eyes already tinged with amber.

 

Aoshi held him back, "No Kenshin," he said firmly, "this is my fight."

 

Kenshin conceded, "As you wish." He said quietly.

 

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From her hiding place, Misao heard the crashing noise as the front door was broken down. "What the…" she began to say when she heard a voice she just barely recognized as Aoshi's, roar for Katsuya to reveal himself. Misao did not know how to feel at this turn of events, elated that Aoshi came to her rescue, or terrified of his obvious rage. Aoshi was not one to run blindly into a trap, but his normally mellowed-out emotions were in obvious disarray. Her heart and mind were still at war when she heard a familiar shout, "Soujiro!" she thought happily, Aoshi had not come alone as she had feared. 

 

"Do not worry Lord Aoshi, I will be sure to dig a grave big enough for you both to spend eternity in."

 

Misao's temper flared with the remark and her grip on the dagger tightened even more. She preferred to face an opponent head on, but this time, she felt that her captors deserved to be stabbed in the back. Literally. She began to move forward when she heard a whispering on the balcony above her.

 

"Be sure to wait for Tsuran-sama's signal, minna."

 

Misao's eyes narrowed, sneaky bastards, they did not intend for this to be an even fight at all. Well, it was up to her to make it so then. Gripping the knife between her teeth, she slinked off into the shadows as quietly as any hitokiri could.

 

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Aoshi and Katsura faced each other in grim silence, muscles taut, Kodachi at the ready to slice open their opponent's throat. "I've waited so long for this Shinomori." Katsura said quietly, "ever since you took my beautiful Kazume away, this is all I've been praying for." Aoshi scowled at the older man angrily, "I did not take her away you bloody fool," he said quietly, "You did that. You and your foolish ambitions." 

 

Katsura's smile wavered for a moment but he managed to keep it pasted on his face like a mask as he spoke:

 

"Everything I did back then I did for my family, you of all people should see that."   

 

However, Aoshi was firm, "No Katsura," he said quietly, "You did it for yourself."

 

Katsura paused, his smile now completely disappeared, "I'm tired of this," he growled preparing to charge Aoshi head on, "Prepare to die like the dog you are!"

 

Aoshi planted his feet more firmly to the floor.

 

"Let's go." He whispered.

 

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Kenshin watched as Aoshi and Katsura charged each other. To tell the truth, this was his first time witnessing a battle where both competitors used the kodachi style. Or course, he had complete faith in Aoshi's abilities, he would not have allowed the younger man to charge into a fight he could not win. He watched carefully as Aoshi sidestepped Katsura's first attack, the older man was no fool though, using the momentum of his body he spun holding the shorter sword at  shoulder level. Kenshin's eyes narrowed as the tip of the blade dug into Aoshi's upraised arm, drawing a long line of blood. Aoshi jumped away from the offending blade and fell into his ready stance again.

 

Suddenly a tiny noise made it's way to Kenshin's ears from upstairs, it sounded like, a scuffle? Grabbing the hilt of his sword, he turned briefly toward Soujiro who nodded in understanding.

 

With a sharp nod of his own, Kenshin cleared the balcony above him in one leap.

 

Watching him go, Kaede turned toward Soujiro with a feral smile, "Well, I guess that just leaves the two of us chibi-chan." he said deliberately falling into an offensive stance.

 

Soujiro watched him through narrowed eyes for a moment before sliding into a battou-style position himself. "

 

"After you." He said softly.

 

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'chibi-chan' -little one, usually used to address a child.

Teme- bastard (or to the effect of I guess…)

 

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