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Standard disclaimers:
I don't own Ruroken. Unfortunately Watsuki and some big name companies already
have this privilege.
Special thanks to Hana Himura who edited this story for giving me helpful
hints
and advice and to Firuze Khanume for giving helpful comments and critics
about Asiyah and Enishi =^^=.
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CHAPTER 7:
The next morning -more accurately: around lunch-time- Tokio woke up with
one
of the most horrible headaches she had ever experienced. The sun, just
wandering around the house, was shining through the nearby window directly
into her face and was hurting in her eyes. Annoyed she clasped her blanket
closely around her and turned her back on the window. It was useless, she
realised.
Growling, but submitting into her miserable fate, she crawled out of her
bed
and down the stairs straight into the kitchen where she hoped to find some
aspirin to relieve her... only to find some of the others already gathered
around the table.
Wordless Tomoe shoved the aspirin-bottle over to her awfully looking friend.
While holding her aching head with one hand and opening the bottle with the
other hand, Tokio nodded thankfully.
"Take two, Tokio, you look like you could need them."
Akira was leaning back in his chair, reading a popular life-style magazine
for
furnituring and sipping on his coffee.
"I wonder how you both can look so relaxed and refreshed today." Envious
Tokio glanced at them before taking an aspirin together with some water.
"That was the entertaining night after the last guests left." Akira blinked
over the rim of his journal ambiguously what earned him a kiss from Tomoe
and another annoyed glance from Tokio.
"Hey! I'm back!"
Shocked Tokio nearly chocked on the pill and the water. Coughing she tried
to
get her protesting throat under control. It seemed that everyone except her
was feeling well and already up.
"Enishi??? You have already been out??? Where have you been?"
With an expression of disapproval on his face Enishi leaned forward and spoke
loudly in her ears.
"Not everyone has an alcohol problem, Tokio. I visited Sagara's place, and
worked on the machines. Lately we made progress improving the performance."
"Please don't speak so loud, Enishi." Holding her head, Tokio placed her
forehead on the table.
"What's wrong, Tokio?" Asiyah appeared in the door-frame and Enishi
stepped aside to let her pass. She must just have had a shower, her red hair
was still wet and a towel was wrapped around her shoulders. She looked much
like Kenshin with the bath-robe she was wearing.
Bugged, Tokio covered her face with her hands, murmuring.
"Am I the only one feeling so bad?"
"I told you about your alcohol problem."
Intentionally Enishi raised his voice and took his time to smirk about
Tokio's discomfort and misery, before he went to the fridge to check for
a
proper lunch.
"There is some beef and noodles left from yesterday. Does someone want
to have lunch, too?"
The moan coming from Tokio made his smirk deepen, while Asiyah sat
down, rubbing her hair dry.
"A portion for me would be fine, and for Kenshin one, too, please. He will
come soon."
Now Enishi grimaced, but it passed the attention of the people around.
"For Tomoe and me please, too." Akira raised over his journal before
concentrating back at the content.
The grimace deepened as Tokio noticed, peeking through her arms at him.
She knew he didn't like the idea of preparing lunch for Kenshin and he
still held grudges against Akira because of Tomoe. Not for the first time
she wondered how Tomoe had managed that Enishi at least 'accepted' Akira
and if she had already told her younger brother about the marriage they were
planning.
"Oh, you're preparing lunch?"
Megumi and Aoshi appeared in the kitchen and slowly but steadily Enishi
was losing his patience.
"I didn't intent to cook lunch for you all." He grumbled more to himself
as to the others.
"I am out of this." Tokio winced, her head back resting on the table.
"Aoshi wanted to invite me later, you don't need to count with us."
Megumi was setting up a little breakfast for them both, and relieved
Enishi turned back to the fridge. It wouldn't have been enough for all.
Aoshi was digging through the newspapers of the day, looking for the
latest political news and was totally absorbed in them.
Megumi poked Tokio mercilessly on the back, making her moaning.
"Hey, little-one, what about you? We still need to discuss some urgent
matters, we could do this in the restaurant."
Tokio moaned louder.
"No way of escaping, Tokio. You promised to discuss this with us today."
Tokio raised her head.
"Don't you have any mercy, Megumi?"
"No. I know my limits... in contrast to you."
Pleadingly Tokio turned to Aoshi who remained unmoved.
"We'll leave in some minutes."
"Hello altogether!" Kenshin appeared cheerfully, a towel around his
shoulders in the same manner as Asiyah, his hair spread and
down like his sister's, still dumb from the shower he had had.
He noticed Tokio's head resting on the table and patted her back.
"How are you, Tokio?"
"Just leave me alone."
"What's wrong with her?" Kenshin wondered wide-eyed, leaning closer, embracing
her and trying to comfort the obviously miserable feeling young woman.
"That is only her usual" Misao popped up right in the middle of the group
and
leaned over to her sister's ear, squeaking the next word loudly into it.
"hangover!"
Groaning Tokio put her hands over her ears, maybe going to lunch together
with
Aoshi and Megumi was the best solution as long as Misao was in the kitchen.
She could escape her high, loud voice which didn't make her headache better.
Giggling satisfied, Misao took the last free seat.
"What's for lunch?"
"Beef and noodles from yesterday evening. I've one bowl left for you."
Meanwhile Enishi had divided the remains of food fairly -though the portion
he
reserved for Kenshin and Akira seemed to be *slightly* smaller- and heated
them in the microwave.
"Oi, you are having lunch?" With ruffled hair and a big yawn Sano joined
the
gathered friends. Barely being capable of opening his eyes he grabbed the
nearest bowl, the owner was just distracted by looking for Tokio, and
gulped down the content instantly.
Seeing that there was nothing she could do to help her friend, Megumi
reached for her bowl... but it was gone.
"WHERE IS MY BREAKFAST???"
Megumi jumped from her seat.
Coughing Sano patted with his fist against his chest, a few traitorous
rice-corns landing in Megumi's hair. Bored Aoshi pointed behind Megumi
where Sano was desperately -and very suspicious- trying to hide the bowl
behind his back while chewing on both cheeks.
"YOU... YOU..."
"Please, can't you lower your voice?" muffled Tokio's voice was heard from
the
table.
Sano shrugged innocently, showing Megumi both hands and shaking his head.
With a clash, the bowl landed on the floor.
"You can eat mine." Still not looking up from his newspaper, Aoshi shoved
his bowl over to his girl-friend.
"AOSHI! This is about principles! He just ate my meal without asking me."
"It is too late, only wasting effort, Megumi. You won't get it back."
"DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AOSHI!" He remained with his nose dug into the news.
"ARGH!" Fuming Megumi stormed out of the kitchen, shoving Sano aside, making
him tumble.
"Can I have your bowl then?" With twinkling eyes, Misao beamed up beside
Aoshi.
"Sure." Only to be ignored, for he dug his nose back into the newspaper.
"You already had beef and noodles!" Tokio protested, opposing her sister.
"I am a busy and sporty young woman, Tokio. I need the energy." Misao
shoved down the rice. "Are you feeling better?"
Slowly, Tokio raised her head.
"Yes, the aspirin starts to work."
"Aspirin? Can I have one?" Sano looked almost as awful as Tokio.
"Here." Enishi handed him three.
"What a horrible morning..." Tokio sighed.
"It serves you well after having drank too much." Unmoved Misao finished
Aoshi's breakfast.
"Blablabla.." Her sister grumbled.
"Can we leave now?" Dressed up Megumi was back and while ignoring Sano
visibly, she pulled Tokio up from her chair. "Come on, Aoshi, let us go."
Silently Aoshi followed his girlfriend and her friend outside. Only as
Megumi wanted to slide behind the wheel, he interfered.
"Let me drive."
Tokio grumbled.
"Gods, I want to survive this day. You drive like a maniac."
But Megumi had already given the key to Aoshi and was already sitting besides
Tokio on the backseat.
They drove in silence, the restaurant was not too far and they would
need their full attention on the planned conversation.
But as soon as they had sat down and ordered their meal, Aoshi turned
to Tokio.
"So what have they found out?"
Clasping her glass -filled with water- tightly, Tokio knitted her brow
concentrated. Though she felt miserable, she didn't want to give false
report.
"mmm, at the beginning it was a bit difficult, they didn't want to have
me observing the examination. But after your interference and making
our interests and position clear, they let me watch. They found out that
Yamamoto seemed to be sliced with the weapon lying under the bed..." she
took a
refreshing sip of her water "... though something aroused their suspicion
and they were discussing if it was actually used. You know... Tomoe
pointed out that the sword could be a copy and some traces lead to the
assumption that something is wrong about THIS sword. However, I couldn't
follow their discussion to full extent. As you claimed I represented the
hospital interests during the later examination of the corpse. They worked
thoroughly..." she bit her lip nervously, casting down her eyes "... and
they
took a sample from his blood, handing it for examination to their lab."
Unseen Aoshi's hand fisted and Megumi's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Can they oversee it?"
Tokio shook her head in a negative gesture.
"Not a chance. I took a sample myself later, they can't miss it. There is
morphine, this can be explained with his therapy. He got it to subdue
his pain. But there are also traces of other drugs that can't be missed."
Aoshi's tightened his fist, the nails digging deep into his flesh.
"Can't this be remains of his former drug consumption, before he was taken
into hospital?"
"No," Tokio inspected her water glass closely, it had a nice shape and would
fit to their equipment. "Taking into consideration how long he already was
lying in hospital and how fast these drugs are metabolised... no. It was
in his BLOOD. Two day maximum that he took it. But judging from the amount,
I'd say he has taken them short before his death."
Aoshi frowned thoughtfully.
"Or he was given it short before his death, maybe against his will. That
still leaves the question where he got the drugs or who gave them to him."
Megumi's features grumbled more with every sentence.
"Surely not from me or someone of the personal. Tokio and I keep this place
clean, we hide well what we have there. And we need to know how the killer
entered the hospital and vanished unseen. I hate the idea of the murder being
an inside job, it would mean that either one of our staff or one of the other
patients has a criminal connection."
Nervously Tokio nearly dropped the glass she was still holding.
"Maybe someone knows about us and used the chance to get rid of Yamamoto
AND to draw attention on us. To distract from himself. Maybe Yamamoto
knew something about the organisation he got his potions from and had to
be muzzled."
Aoshi shot her a death-glare.
"The last part is obvious, I think. But someone knowing about us is an
interesting idea. The problem is: what conclusions will the police make?
WE know it wasn't US, but the police doesn't. We need to observe the
development closely and start investigations ourselves instantly, finding
the REAL murderer and organisation behind. Otherwise they might stumble over
us while they are snooping around."
The three friends exchanged worried glances, Aoshi already planning
the next step.
"It might be best when I ask Enishi to sneak into the computer system of
the
police and spy out what they already know while we all are on guard." His
jaw
tightened.
"We will be among the prime suspects, we can't close our eyes to this. We
are in serious trouble." Angrily he turned to Megumi. "Why did you accept
this
junkie in your hospital? You knew he would only cause trouble and draw
attention on us. It was like inviting the police in."
Megumi stared back.
"He is from an influential, wealthy and important family. There was no
chance to reject him."
Aoshi frowned.
"It is too late anyway. Tokio, where is the stuff?"
"I removed everything we kept in hospital, before they searched it, but
some is still at home. When they seriously snoop around, they will find it."
Thoughtfully Aoshi chewed his fish. They had been interrupted in their
secret talk several times by the waitress who had brought them their orders,
but now everything had arrived.
"We need to hide it, I have already an idea. I'll take care of it."
They continued eating in silence until they were nearly finished, again
it was Aoshi who broke the silence.
"Tokio, while Enishi tries to hack into their system, you and Misao
should call these two policemen and seek their acquaintance."
Sighing Tokio tried to evade his look.
"You are really serious, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am."
"But I feel always so embarrassed in his company!"
A foxy grin appeared on Megumi's face.
"Come on, Tokio, you can't fool me. You are attracted to him."
Somehow Tokio felt that Megumi might be right... she had a strange feeling
about this man. Even Misao had already realised it and was teasing her.
But she just took a sip from her water and murmured nearly inaudible.
"Great. Now even Megumi is teasing me with him."
Lunch was finished with the time and they decided to go back home, not
knowing yet what disturbing news awaited them.
When they finally entered the house, they immediately knew that something
was wrong. It was silence in the kitchen, only some sobs could be
heard and comforting words.
Enishi stormed annoyed out of the room. At the sight of the three
friends, a relieved expression appeared on his face.
"Gods, some normal humans... don't go inside if you don't want to
witness whining and wailing."
"What has happened?" Aoshi was the only one not making a surprised face.
"Go inside and judge yourself, I'm in my room if you need me."
Megumi, Aoshi and Tokio peeked into the kitchen. Misao, Kenshin, Sano
and Asiyah were comforting a sobbing girl, they barely recognised her
with her red eyes. Tomoe and Akira seemed to be gone, and Kenshin was just
taking the girl, Kaoru, into his arms, caressing her shoulders.
"shshshs, everything will be ok, everything will be in order."
Kaoru snivelled louder and threw her arms around Kenshin.
"Oh, Kenshin, how can this ever be ok? What I am supposed to do?"
Misao stepped closer and caressed her hair.
"You can stay here with us, if you want?"
With tearful eyes, Kaoru looked up.
"Really?"
"Really, we have some rooms left and the others won't have something
against it."
Kaoru laid her head back on Kenshin's shoulder, the three friends in the
door looking astonished at each other, watching the unfolding scene silently.
Finally Tokio stepped forward.
"What has happened?"
Worried Misao looked at them.
"Her father has been arrested for Yamamoto's murder in the Takagi-hospital."
Accusingly she stared at her older sister. "By your fine friend."
Instantly the three friends at the door exchanged hopeful glances,
Misao jumped up. "DON'T EVEN THINK OF IT."
Aoshi nodded and grabbed Tokio by her arm, whispering into her ear.
"Call him, we need some news. If her father wasn't the murderer and they
find it out, they will start with their investigation from zero."
He shoved her gently in the direction of the phone and she obeyed.
Unwilling maybe, but on the other hand this could turn out interesting.
She had never been with a policeman before... and he even had arrested the
father of Misao's friend. Tempting.
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TBC.....
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I hope you all still like it and wait for another chapter, I'll try to make
it not such a long wait again =^^=
Started: October 31st 2002
Finished: January 9th 2003 (YEAH!!!)
First posted: January 9th 2003 on my homepage
Mara