Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Walk in the Sunlight ❯ A Glimmer of Hope ( Chapter 15 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Angie-san 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.13.2008 | Pages: 5 | Words: 8.6K | Visits: 534 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.13.2008 | Pages: 5 | Words: 8.6K | Visits: 534 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.
Kenshin tilted his head to the side to avoid the frayed remains of the severed noose swaying gently in his path and silently navigated his way through the quiet wood that had stood at the base of Mount Fuji since time immemorial; Megumi keeping the rapid pace only steps behind. Gliding effortlessly over the volcanic rock covering the forest floor he tried to tamp down the slight twinge of nostalgia tightening his chest. It had been over a hundred years since he'd tread this path through Aokigahara to the very base of the mountain where the mansion lay. To be honest he had never expected to make this journey again, nor had he ever really wished to, but this time he had no choice. To get the answers he needed he would even come back here to where death ruled.
And death truly did rule within these trees. Over the centuries this forest had claimed its fair share of troubled souls. That had been the main reason the Ishin clan had chosen this as their home after the war. Here, buried deep within the haunted forest and the mountain itself, they could live freely, hidden from the world's prying eyes. Even now, in this day and age, very few humans dared to tread these hidden pathways through the cursed forest and those who did found themselves hunted and slain. None had ever reached the cavern carved deep into the lava rock where the forest butted up against the mountain, unless they were guided there for the pleasure of those residing within the mansion.
A sick feeling stirred slightly in the pit of his stomach and he tried to ignore the acidy taste filling his mouth. There had been many times when he himself had been that very hunter, herding the lost souls that had come to the forest to take their own life to a fate far worse than suicide.
Crinkling his nose in disgust, he shoved the thoughts from his mind as a cool wind picked up, the cleansing breeze settling his stomach somewhat. Glancing over his shoulder as they crossed the unofficial boundary line that marked the beginning of the Ishin land, he smiled sadly at the grim determination darkening Megumi's face. He wasn't the only one who had intentionally stayed away from the mansion and the memories it held, but her reasons were far different from his own.
Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly as he turned his attention back to the trail. It was here within these very trees and the mountain ahead that she'd lost her innocence as a child when she'd wandered away from her adopted family. She had only been fourteen at the time, a young girl, almost a woman really, at least in the eyes of those of her time. He resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder again and instead absently scanned the forest to both sides of them as his mind drifted back to that night over two hundred years ago.
It had been the excited jeers of the others who had opted to stay within the mountain that had unwittingly drawn him and Sano to the common room that night. To this day he could still remember the crippling fear that had darkened her eyes when the hunters had her cornered up against the tightly closed gate that led to her salvation. She had accidentally stumbled into their home believing she would be safe from whatever she'd been running from, but instead found herself facing something far worse than the lost souls haunting the wood.
The only thing that had saved her from certain death that night had been he and Sano. If they hadn't been there she would have been dead long before Katsura had caught word of her presence within the mountain. Granted most had feared the Elder but many would have done the deed anyway and accepted the consequences just to taste her fresh, untainted blood. It had been the longest two hours of his life but thankfully, in the end, he and Sano had been able to keep the others at bay until Katsura had arrived. And much to the chagrin of all the vampires who had been licking their lips in anticipation, Katsura had ordered them to let her go.
To this day, as far as he knew, she was the only one to see the mansion and its inhabitants and live. And yet, even though she had been spared from death that night she hadn't been spared from the scars the other's taunts and advances had left on her impressionable mind. For months afterwards she had refused to sleep, forcing herself to stay up through the darkest hours of the night, while her adopted family slept oblivious to what had happened.
An almost indistinguishable smirk whispered across his lips. But what was truly shocking about the whole thing was her attachment to he and Sano even after she'd endured the hellish attention of the rest of their kind. For some reason she had decided that night when they'd tried to deliver her to her family that she wouldn't go home unless they came back to see her. Neither he nor Sano had been able to refuse, which had surprised them both. From that night on they'd watched over her in the dark of night; a friendship blossoming between the three of them as he and Sano had watched her grow from a curious child into a beautiful woman, her accomplishments and setbacks their own.
A brittle twig snapping beneath his foot broke into his thoughts and Kenshin sighed softly as he adjusted their direction slightly. But that was all in the past now, much had changed when Sano had fallen for her. If only Sano had asked, things may have been different for them but he could also understand how Sano felt... he certainly did now.
Doing his best to ignore the tiny twinge of fear that Kaoru might die before he could do anything about it, Kenshin shook his head to clear the thoughts and focused his attention on the task at hand again. They were getting close, he could feel it.
Throwing a glance into the darkened forest to check their location, he narrowed his eyes when he noticed a flicker of movement to their left. Frowning, he stared intently at the shadow keeping pace with them twelve feet away then smirked coldly when the hunter noticed and flitted out of sight. So they were being watched. He shouldn't be all that surprised though, considering what he'd done the last time he'd been here.
Shrugging it off, he gave his attention back to the trail and quickly closed the last quarter of a mile to the mansion. Moments later he burst out of the trees and skidded to an abrupt halt as his eyes settled on the eight foot tall oak gate embedded in the side of the mountain twenty feet away; the pale moonlight spilling onto the barren expanse between the treeline and the mountain making it shine against the dark rock.
Doing his best to ignore the memories the sight invoked, he waited patiently for Megumi to catch up. Almost immediately he felt her come up beside him, her instant wariness almost tangible. Hiding a smirk, he glanced to her and whispered, "Are you ready for this?"
Megumi gave him a scathing look. "Does it really matter?"
Kenshin had the good sense to look sheepish, "No. I guess it doesn't..."
Megumi snorted and started for the gate. "Then let's get this over with."
Kenshin chuckled lightly under his breath and followed in her footsteps. As they neared the gate swung open on silent hinges, the light of the many candles he remembered lining the walls of the main cavern spilling into the moonlit darkness. A small sympathetic smile whispered across his face when Megumi hesitated for a moment just outside of the illuminated area. So those scars were still there too. Biting back the sigh burning the back of his throat, Kenshin was just about to reassure her that she had nothing to fear this time, since she was one of them, when she straightened her spine in defiance and stalked forward.
A hint of a smirk touched his lips as he came to where she'd been moments before, he should have known better. Megumi wasn't one to let those scars stop her from doing what she'd come to do. Taking a deep breath to get himself ready, he slowly followed in her footsteps and for the first time in over a hundred years crossed over the threshold into the cavern that he'd once called home. Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the subdued light, he frowned at the sound of the heavy door closing behind him; the dull thud sounded like a coffin lid slamming shut.
Snorting softly at himself, he shook off the feeling and scanned the dimly lit cavern taking note of the dozen or so vampires lounging on various sofas and chairs scattered around the common room. Many of which, he noticed, were glaring daggers at him. Stifling the chuckle burning the back of his throat, he made his way around Megumi and started towards the tunnel that led to Hiko's rooms. He'd only made it a couple of steps though when a chipper voice that should have been dead over a century ago suddenly sounded into the quiet cavern.
"Himura!"
Startled, Kenshin stopped dead in his tracks and snapped his attention to the slight figure on the lone set of stairs carved into the cavern wall, his eyes widening. "Misao?"
A huge smile lit up the tiny woman's face and moments later he found himself enveloped in a bone crushing hug. "Aoshi told me you were coming! I thought he was lying!"
Stunned speechless, Kenshin stood stock still and tried to figure how this could be. How was this little slip of a woman here? The last he knew she had refused Aoshi, several times in fact. And then it hit him as a sudden surge of anger ripped through his veins. Pulling her off of him, he held her at arms length and growled, "Did Aoshi change you against your will?"
Misao gave him an indulgent smirk and snorted softly as she shook her head. "No. It's your fault," she said, poking him in the chest. With a grin she took a step back, "Actually, not yours but Tomoe-san's. She talked to me a couple of days before you tried... to... well... you know...."
Trailing off, Misao visibly swallowed and started nibbling on her bottom lip, her sudden nervousness bringing a sad smile to his face. Putting on a more convincing one, he gently prodded, "What did she say?"
Misao gave him a nervous glance and whispered, "She... told me that there was nothing to be afraid of. If I truly loved Aoshi it would be okay. And I figured if she said that then it had to be true."
Kenshin kept his smile firmly in place and somehow managed to keep himself from flinching as a knife of pain stabbed deep into his heart. Tomoe must have thought it would be okay too. But she'd been wrong, so very wrong. Shoving the thought from his mind, he did his best to shake off the memories and asked, "So, you finally let him do the change then?"
Misao grinned, her relief palpable. "Yeah, and Tomoe-san was right. Everything is okay."
Kenshin couldn't help but smile at her sheer happiness. Well at least one of them had had good luck with the human they'd fallen for. Preparing to give her a belated welcome to the family he was stopped when she all of a sudden waved her hand at Megumi and asked, "Who's this? Your wife?"
Kenshin choked as a startled hiss exploded from the woman beside him. "No," he managed before Megumi could say anything. "This is Takani Megumi, she's come to help me with Iizuka."
"Oh..." Misao exclaimed in awe as her eyes widened into saucers. "... so you're the one Sano changed against her will."
Kenshin almost laughed at the startled glance Megumi threw at him. Must be she didn't know that she was actually quite well-known among their kind even though she'd never spent any time within the mansion after she'd been changed. Tucking his hands into his pockets, he simply shrugged.
"Yes, that would be me..." Megumi grated softly, as she shifted her attention back to the petite vampire. Glancing back to Misao himself, Kenshin was just about to change the subject before Megumi's irritation could get the better of her when a mischievous glint he knew far to well appeared in Misao's eyes. Before he could do anything but open his mouth she leaned towards Megumi with an evil grin, "Y'know... I'm surprised you let him live. If Aoshi had done that to me, I'd have killed him."
Kenshin winced as Megumi threw a black look at him; her eyebrow twitching slightly. Swallowing nervously, he decided to head off the verbal flaying he could see swimming in her eyes, "Misao, where's Iizuka?"
Misao immediately straightened and waved her hand at the stairway, "He's in the aerie. Aoshi's standing guard right now." All of a sudden her eyes flew wide and she back-stepped quickly, "Oh! I forgot! Aoshi wanted a drink!" And without another word she vanished down the tunnel that lead to the coldest part of the mansion where a small stock of blood was kept for times like these when vampires were unable to go out to hunt.
Chuckling lightly, Kenshin shook his head and started for the stairs. Well at least that made his life a little bit easier, he wouldn't have to deal with Hiko until after he knew whether or not Iizuka really did house Katsura's blood.
"Can you please tell me what it is with you guys and human women?" Megumi asked as she came up behind him. "I never thought Shinomori-san would choose a mere human for a life partner."
Taking the stairs two at a time, Kenshin shrugged. "I honestly don't know. As far as I know only Aoshi, Sano and myself have ever fallen for a human. Most either choose from among those already changed or don't choose at all." Peeking at her over his shoulder, he smirked as they rounded the bend that lead the stairway back towards the surface of the mountain. "You know, I could ask you the same thing. What drew you to Sano and I all those years ago when we saved your life?"
Megumi smiled shyly and Kenshin had to consciously stop himself from tripping over his own feet. Surprised, he waited patiently for her to answer the question neither he nor Sano had ever asked before.
"To be honest, it was the way you two kept everyone else from coming near me. You guys never once let them go through with their threats." A soft sigh whispered from between her lips. "No one had ever done that for me before. Not even the people who took me in after my family was killed. I guess I didn't want to lose that, so I wanted to keep you two near so I'd feel safe." Snorting softly, she shook her head as they came to rest at the top of the stairs, the cool breeze eddying through the hall tossing her raven locks across her face. "It's ironic really, I felt safe with you two killers but I didn't around the family that had taken me in."
Kenshin gave her an understanding smile as he started down the tunnel that led to the cell housing Iizuka. "You were our saving grace too, so I guess we're even."
"I doubt that, but thanks." Megumi said doubtfully, the sarcastic lilt in her tone making him grin. "So where are we going?"
Kenshin said nothing as they rounded the last bend, the heavily banded oak door at the end of the hallway answering her question. "Behind that door is every vampire's worst nightmare," he said as he covered the last few feet to the door and its reluctant guard. Inclining his head in greeting to the stoic, icy-eyed vampire reclining against the wall beside the door, he asked, "What condition is he in?"
Aoshi's lip quirked up ever so slightly in a miniscule smirk. "Alive..." And without another word he started turning the wheel that retracted the foot long iron bolts buried into the rock beside the door.
Kenshin resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the single word reply. Was the man ever going to change? You'd think after being with Misao for so many years he would have loosened up a little bit. Snorting softly at the unlikelihood, he glanced to Megumi, "I want you to stay out here until I call for you."
Megumi gave him a questioning look that quickly faded and she gave him an understanding nod. "Don't kill him quite yet. I can't keep an Elder's blood alive that long."
Kenshin smiled grimly and took a deep breath as the full impact of who he was about to face finally hit him. Doing his best to ignore the sudden surge of anticipation tightening his chest, he waited patiently as the grinding of iron against stone filled the hallway. And yet, even though Iizuka was here, within arms reach, he would have to somehow manage to control himself. He wouldn't sacrifice Kaoru's life to appease the killer in him. She was worth far more than that one single moment of gratification Iizuka’s death would bring.
Moments later a dull thud resounded through the tunnel as the bolts slid all the way back. Snapped from his thoughts, Kenshin strode for the door as Aoshi pulled it open.
"Close and lock it behind me."
The tall vampire simply nodded and Kenshin headed into the open-aired, moonlit room; the cool breeze flowing through the floor to ceiling iron bars directly across from him cooling his blood some.
The door slammed shut behind him and he smiled as a soft rustling sound to his left caught his attention. Without so much as another breath, Kenshin pivoted effortlessly to the side to miss whatever strike Iizuka was trying to make and shot out his hand wrapping his fist around the little snake's neck. Iizuka hissed as his fingers tightened to the point of nearly crushing the windpipe.
"Did you really think you could take me that easily?" Kenshin purred, his eyes immediately taking on their amber hue. Throwing the supposed 'Elder' into the iron bars across the room, he smirked. "You, of all people, should know better than that."
Iizuka scoffed and picked himself up. "What do you want, Himura?"
For several moments Kenshin simply eyed the man who had destroyed his life with contempt. How was it that this little weasel of a man could manage to mess up his life so badly... twice? Granted the first time had been his own fault, but this time... this time, the little snake had done it all himself. And for what?
Unable to answer that question, he took a deep breath to calm the killer itching to wipe the worthless vampire from the face of the earth and cocked an eyebrow, "Honestly? I want you dead. But unfortunately that will have to wait for a little while longer."
With a smirk that set Kenshin's teeth on edge Iizuka crossed his arms and casually leaned against the iron bars that would soon let daylight spill into the cell. "Why? Don't have the balls to do it now?" Snorting sarcastically, he added, "Never pegged you for a spineless leech."
Kenshin grinned icily, not rising to the bait. "Trust me, I have every intention of killing you for what you've done. But first you're going to help me with something."
Iizuka's smirk tilted up even more. "What makes you think I'll help you do anything?"
A flinty smile settled on Kenshin's lips and he took one small measured step towards the seemingly relaxed vampire. "You will have no choice. For once you will save a life instead of taking it."
A sarcastic snort exploded from Iizuka. "Save a life? Isn't that a little contradictory to what we are?" Leaning forward slightly, he grinned, "Or are you still are a little bit upset about your human dying? You'd think you'd -"
Iizuka didn't get any further as Kenshin instantly closed the distance between them; his amber eyes all of a sudden blazing with barely suppressed fury. Locking his fist tight around Iizuka's neck again, he slammed the little snake's head into the iron bars... hard. Squeezing as much as he dared, he scowled as Iizuka's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Don't you ever bring that up again. What you did was nothing but a desperate act against someone who didn't deserve to die!"
Iizuka sneered into his glare and forcefully wrenched the hand from around his neck. Rubbing the abused flesh, he side-stepped around Kenshin and headed back into the room. "It seems you've forgotten that it wasn't my fault she died, it was yours. I only meant to kill you, it was you who killed her."
Kenshin nearly snarled as the barb hit home. Clenching his fist so tight that blood started to drip from his knuckles, he took a deep breath and counted to ten in an effort to calm the killer aching to rip the little snake to pieces. If this kept up he'd end up butchering him before he could get the much needed blood from the filthy weasel. Taking a couple of more calming breaths, he slowly turned to face Iizuka. "That may be, but that doesn't absolve your guilt. You will die for that and for what you've done to Kaoru, but not until you've given me what I want."
Iizuka chuckled lightly and shook his head, "Didn't you hear me before? What makes you think I'll give you anything?"
An almost feral smile danced across Kenshin's lips and without a word he shot forward and rammed into Iizuka, throwing him into the unforgiving stone wall. Not giving the vampire time to recover, he pounced on him and flipped him onto his stomach. Jamming his knee square in the middle of his back, he twisted Iizuka's arm back viscously, "You forget, I've always been the faster one. Even with Katsura's blood you're no match for me."
Iizuka hissed and thrashed violently, trying to break free. Wrenching the arm back even more, Kenshin was rewarded by a tiny 'pop' that sounded into the quiet. "Keep it up and I'll rip this arm off."
Iizuka growled low in his throat and stopped thrashing. Twisting the arm a little bit more to assure that the little snake was immobile, he called out, "Aoshi, send in Megumi."
Iizuka snorted in indignation. "What? Need back-up?"
Kenshin smirked and pulled his arm back a little bit more, "No, she's going to check to make sure that you can help me."
Iizuka hissed painfully, but kept his mouth shut as the iron bolts slid back again. The door slowly swung open on silent hinges to reveal a very wide eyed Megumi staring out at the steadily lightening sky beyond the wall of bars. Clearing his throat, Kenshin grinned when she snapped her attention to him, "You better hurry. It will be daylight soon."
Megumi simply nodded and hurried to where he had Iizuka pinned. Still a little wild eyed, she dropped to the floor and quickly undid the snaps holding the small case she'd brought along closed. "Now I see why you said this is every vampire's worst nightmare. H-how can he stay alive in here ?"
Giving her an understanding smile, he was just about to answer when Iizuka started thrashing like a madman as she pulled an empty syringe from the case.
"What in the hell are you doing?!"
Twisting Iizuka's arm to the breaking point, Kenshin almost smiled as a much more painful 'pop' exploded into the room followed by a pain-filled howl. "I told you I'd rip it off. Keep it up and I will."
When nothing but panting came from his captive he nodded to Megumi to continue. "There is a three foot stretch against the back wall that is shaded the entire day. As long as the vampire stays in that space they'll be safe... drained, but safe."
Megumi mouthed a silent 'oh' and visibly shivered but said nothing as she set to work acquiring the blood that would be tested. Filling the syringe, she capped it off and gave him a nod. "That will be more than enough to test."
Kenshin grinned and inclined his head towards the door. "You leave first, I don't trust this little snake."
Megumi gave him a curt nod and hastily stashed the precious blood back into the case and quickly made her way to the door, moments later the door swung open just enough for her to exit. As the door swung closed behind her Kenshin released his captive and smiled as Iizuka immediately hurried back against the wall to avoid the first rays of daylight slowly creeping across the floor.
"I'll be back as soon as I know, either to kill you or to have you transported to where you need to be." And without another word he spun on his heel and headed for the door.
A sarcastic snort came from the back of the room. "You're going to have to kill me Himura because there is no way I'm going to help you."
Not bothering to turn around, Kenshin whispered, "You will have no choice." And with that he left the room as silently as he'd come. Giving Aoshi a nod as he passed, he was just about to thank the icy-eyed vampire for his part in the capture when he was stopped by a voice he had hoped to avoid; the owner still out of sight but quickly closing the distance.
"Hey Aoshi, Hiko said I could... find... Ken-shin... ... here..."
Kenshin hissed lightly as Sano trailed off and stumbled to a stop, his widened eyes firmly fixed on the woman he hadn't seen this close in almost two hundred years. Out of the corner of his eye, Kenshin saw Megumi tense and he quickly strode forward. "Yes, I'm here. Did you need something?"
Sano opened his mouth to say something but quickly snapped it closed again, his attention still trained on the only woman he had ever loved. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Kenshin snapped his fingers in front of the transfixed vampire. When Sano finally gave him his attention he said, "Let's go back downstairs where there's more room. I know you and she need to talk but first I need her to test Iizuka's blood."
"I don't have anything to say to that idiot!" Megumi spat angrily from behind him.
Biting back a tired sigh, Kenshin slammed his hand over Sano's mouth to keep whatever the spiky haired vampire was about to say from digging his grave any deeper and swung his attention to the irate woman behind him. "You said you'd give him one chance to redeem himself. He has waited almost two hundred years to apologize to you and you will not deny him that."
An irritated huff exploded from Megumi as she leveled a hard glare on him. "And you will stay out of my way if I decide to kill him?"
Kenshin smiled, "Yes, I will, but first you will hear what he has to say."
Megumi threw Sano a scathing look, then nodded curtly. "First I need to test this sample. Then I will see what this idiot has to say for himself."
Relieved, Kenshin smiled and dropped his hand from Sano's mouth, "Fair enough." Giving his attention back to the stunned vampire in front of him he asked, "Where can we go for her to do this?"
Sano visibly snapped back to himself and glanced to Megumi again, "What do you need?"
For a minute Kenshin didn't think Megumi was going to answer and then she said, "All I need is a table, I have everything else in the case."
Sano shrugged. "My rooms should work and they're far away from the common room, which is now filled since daylight has broken."
Kenshin inclined his head and glanced over his shoulder, "Will that work?"
Megumi nodded.
"Then let's go, the sooner I know the sooner I can deal with Hiko and get back to Naha." Kenshin said as he waved Sano to lead.
Sano said nothing and simply spun on his heel, quickly leading them back down the tunnel. Kenshin smiled slightly at the tall vampire's haste. Even though he hadn't been around for a hundred and fifty of those two hundred years he knew each one must have been pure agony for Sano, something that would have broken most men. Granted his best friend may have deserved it but still, the fact that the spiky haired vampire still held on paid tribute to how much he loved her, or at least how stubborn he was. A ghost of a smile was on Kenshin's lips as they came to the common room and shot towards one of the many tunnels leading to the small caves that had been carved for each resident of the mansion. He could fully understand why Sano was in such a hurry, it must be even worse having her here within reach and still having to continue to wait.
Heartbeats later Sano stopped them in front of a tall wooden door, waving them in as he pushed it open and vanished into the pitch black. Following behind, he and Megumi stayed just inside the door and waited for Sano to light the lamp he knew every room in the mansion had. Shivering slightly at the cold, he smiled wryly. He really was getting soft if he couldn't handle the cold of the mansion anymore. Even though the mansion lay within a dormant volcano, heat was a rarity and only created by the fire pits in the main room. Most vampires wouldn't be bothered, but ever since Iizuka had irrevocably changed him he hadn't been able to handle the cold as easily.
Moments later soft light flooded the room and Sano waved to the small table nestled against the wall. "That's all I've got. Do you need anything else?"
Megumi inclined her head slightly and moved to the table. "I need that lamp over here if you would," she said, more civilly than Kenshin expected her to.
Without a word, Sano carried the oil lamp over and set it down in the middle of the table then stepped back. "Anything else?"
Megumi simply shook her head. "No, this should be fine." With that she set to work removing everything she needed from the case. Quickly finishing up the task, she waved for them to come closer as she pulled out the syringe of blood she'd taken from Iizuka and uncapped it. Dropping several drops onto the freshly cleaned glass slide, she uncapped a small vial sitting beside the slide and glanced up. "With this I will be able to tell if this is indeed only Katsura's blood or not."
Kenshin quirked an eyebrow, "How?"
"When this serum is dripped onto our blood it separates the different parts, namely the human blood that still remains and the blood that has been tainted by the vampire blood. But unlike the rest of us, the Elder's blood is so pure that there is nothing to separate. No human blood can survive when mixed with Caine's."
Kenshin's eyes flew wide and he muttered, "But if that's true then why can't the change be reversed? If the blood can separate like that then -"
"Because the separation is only temporary..." Megumi said, cutting him off. Smiling sadly she shrugged, "The separation only lasts for less than a second and then the two bond together again. There is no way to keep them separated long enough to siphon off the tainted blood."
Kenshin mouthed a silent 'oh' and whispered, "I'm sorry."
Megumi gave him a small cheerless smile and flashed Sano a black look. "It's not your fault, it's his." Holding her hand up to stop Sano from opening his mouth, she whispered, "We'll talk about that in a minute. First let me do this."
Kenshin hid the smile tugging at his lips and leaned closer to watch as Megumi held the vial over the blood and let several drops drip onto the puddle. Using his heightened eyesight, he watched and waited for some type of reaction. A miniscule twitching in the blood had his heart in his mouth but as the seconds continued to tick by with no other reaction he slowly settled back down and let out a relieved sigh when Megumi confirmed his hope.
"There is nothing left of his own blood, Iizuka has fully assimilated Katsura's blood. Your plan should work."
A wide grin spread across Kenshin's face, "Thank you Megumi. You've just made a young woman's chances go from zero to one hundred... or at least seventy-five."
Megumi glanced at him and quirked an eyebrow. "Seventy-five?"
A sardonic smirk replaced his smile and Kenshin heaved a sigh, "I still have to convince shishou to help me. I need both Katsura's and Hiko's blood for this to work."
"Good luck with that," Sano spoke up sarcastically. "Hiko has been even more of a pain in the ass since Katsura died. He doesn't like being the head of the clan."
Kenshin exhaled lightly, "I will find some way to convince him because Kaoru deserves to have the sun more than anyone else in this miserable world." Glancing to Megumi, he asked, "Will you come with me to Naha and help me do the change?"
Megumi gave him a curious look and nodded, "I'll admit, I'm extremely curious to meet this 'Kaoru' that has you working so hard. If I may ask, why can't she have the sun? She's human, isn't she?"
Kenshin smiled sadly, "She was born with a disease that doesn't allow her to go into the sun. In fact, if she is exposed to it for any length of time it can kill her."
Megumi's eyes widened and she whispered, "Oh..."
Kenshin smiled and took a step back towards the door before she could question him any further, "I have to go talk to Hiko and you two need some time too, so I'll meet you both back in the common room when I'm done."
If it was possible, Megumi's already pale skin whitened even more as a slightly wild look settled into her eyes. Kenshin couldn't stop the smirk that tugged at his lips at her obvious distress. So in the end she wasn't as immune to Sano as she'd tried to make him believe, maybe they would still have the happy ending they both deserved. Without another word he silently left the room and closed the door behind him. It was all up to Sano now, hopefully his old friend would take advantage of this chance he'd just been given because he seriously doubted Megumi would ever give him another one.
Throwing one last glance at the door, he sighed softly and shot down the dimly lit corridor towards the common room. Moments later, he silently entered the thinning out crowd in the common room and threaded his way to the tunnel across the cavern. Listening quietly to the whispers following him across the richly tiled floor, he grinned. It seemed the vast majority of his brethren still hadn't gotten over his little temper tantrum all those years ago. He shouldn't be all that surprised though considering he'd just about destroyed this very room, and several of them for that matter, in his anger.
Stifling a chuckle, he quickly vanished into the well lit tunnel that led to the rooms of the head of the clan. Rounding the last turn in the corridor, he slowed as he neared the intricately carved oak door standing directly in his path. Hesitating for a moment, he simply stared at the life like rendering of their founding father and did his best to collect his thoughts. This was going to be... difficult.
Steeling himself, he rapped his knuckles hard against Caine's carved chest and waited for some signal to enter. Moments later the heavy door silently swung open and he took one last settling breath then stepped into the dimly lit antechamber.
"What do you want?"
Kenshin smirked as he closed the door behind him, still the same old Hiko, blunt and to the point. Glancing to the left where his master's voice had come from, he spied the Elder across the lightly furnished cave and moved further into the room to settle down into the chair situated directly across from where Hiko sat nursing a bottle of sake.
"I need your help to change Kaoru." Kenshin stated, not bothering to beat around the bush. With Hiko it was best to be just as blunt as he was.
Hiko snorted lightly and narrowed his eyes as he set the sake jug aside. "So that's why you wanted Iizuka alive. To try to make your woman into someone like you."
Kenshin simply nodded and prudently kept his mouth shut.
"And what makes you think I'm going to allow you to risk her life like that? You know as well as I do that she could die."
Not missing the hard edge in the Elder's voice, Kenshin met the icy glare fixed on him and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Yes, she could, but the truth is she's already dying..." Doing his best not to flinch at the sharp pain saying that out loud caused, he sighed wearily, "... If I do nothing she will die in a month anyway without ever having the chance to feel the sun warm her skin without pain."
For several extremely long moments Hiko simply stared at him with a look he couldn't quite put a name to and he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end at the intense scrutiny. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, Hiko said, "Does she know what you are planning to do?"
Kenshin shook his head. "No, I didn't want to give her false hope. Right now she doesn't know anything about what I'm doing." Straightening back up, Kenshin sighed, "I know you're still angry with me for what I did to Tomoe but please help me with this. She, more than anyone I know, deserves to have this chance."
A heavy silence fell between them as Hiko settled back heavily and crossed his arms. Resisting the urge to fidget, Kenshin simply met the black stare fixed on him and waited. The almost deafening silence stretched for several more moments before Hiko absently grabbed the sake jug and took a drink. "So you are doing this to give her the sun? Have you thought about whether or not she will want to be cursed with an indefinite lifetime? Forever is a long time, you of all people should know that best."
Kenshin scowled and settled heavily against the hard chair back. "Yes, I have and to be honest I don't know if she will or not. She doesn't even know what I am, so it's very possible she will hate me when she finds out anyway and won't listen. But there is nothing I can do about that, all I can do is get everything set and then ask."
His former master said nothing as he narrowed his eyes slightly with an almost thoughtful look. Doing his best to ignore the tiny twinge of hope growing in his chest, Kenshin kept quiet and simply waited for the Elder to say whatever was on his mind.
"What will you do if I don't agree?" Hiko asked suddenly, startling Kenshin.
Taking a deep breath, Kenshin let it out slowly and muttered, "Then I will have to let her die and hope her God sees fit to give her another chance that will include the sun. And if he does then maybe... I'll get a second chance with her too..."
Hiko snorted and shook his head, "So it's not just to give her the sun. You honestly love her, don't you?"
Kenshin smiled sheepishly, "Yes, I do."
Hiko shook his head again and rose, heading for the other room. "Fine. If she allows you to do this to her then I will help you."
Kenshin's eyes flew wide and he snapped his head around as the Elder vanished into the darkened room. At a complete loss all he could do was stare at the empty doorway in stunned silence. Did he just...?
Moments later that question was answered when Hiko came back in and tossed one of the ear devices Sano had into his lap. "Call me on that and I will come if she decides she wants to put up with you for time without end." Settling back into the chair he'd recently vacated, Hiko grabbed the sake bottle and emptied it in one swallow then added, "For now I will keep Iizuka here. If the time comes that she accepts the change, I will bring him myself."
Kenshin couldn't help the huge smile that spread across his lips. Standing, he dropped a deep bow in respect. "Thank you, Shishou. I will call as soon as I know."
Hiko simply nodded. "Fine. Now get out. Unlike you some of us still need to sleep during the day."
Kenshin smirked and rose, heading for the door, "Getting old, Shishou?"
Hiko snorted sarcastically as he pulled open the heavy oak door. "You wish. Maybe when I come you and I will have a little match to see if I'm getting old..."
Kenshin's smirk widened into a full-blown smile, "I'll be eagerly awaiting that match."
Another snort followed him out the door and he closed it soundly behind him as a huge grin spread across his face. That had been easier than he'd thought. And with Hiko's agreement all the pieces were finally in place, now all he needed to do was convince the one he'd done all this for to take this chance. His grin faltered at the thought and he silently headed back down the corridor to the common room. To be honest, that was going to be the hardest part of this whole plan, convincing Kaoru and her parents.
Snorting softly, he absently navigated the dimly lit corridor. Who was he kidding? It wasn't going to be just hard, it was going to be near impossible. Not many people in their right mind would believe what he was about to tell the Kamiyas. And the worst part was he still didn't know exactly how to go about explaining to them what he was and what he wanted to do. At least he had one thing going for him, Dr. Genzai already knew what he was which should help. Sighing softly, he shook his head, hopefully that would be enough.
Coming to the mouth of the tunnel, he set aside his worries and scanned the few remaining vampires still lingering in the common room for some sign of Sano, or at least Megumi if she'd managed to somehow kill his old friend. Spying them both across the dimly lit room, he started across the tiled floor and did his best not to grin at the fading bruise on Sano's left cheek or the obvious streaks of blood still staining his face and arms. By the looks of it Megumi had been sure to make her point, and rather... violently, if he wasn't mistaken. But at least it looked like they'd managed to work out their differences since they were sitting together on the sofa even though there were several empty chairs around them. Quickly closing the distance, he finally did smile when he noticed the satisfied look on Megumi's face.
"So I take it you accepted his apology?" he asked as he closed the last few feet and settled down in an overstuffed chair across from them.
Megumi smirked, "You could say that..."
"It would have been helpful if she'd simply accepted it instead of beating me about senseless first." Sano grumbled as he rubbed his abused cheek; the bruise all but gone now.
Kenshin smiled and shrugged, "You know you deserved it. You're lucky she didn't kill you."
"Yeah, I know." Sano grouched with a scowl. Giving him a sideways look, he asked, "So, what did Hiko say?"
Smirking at Sano's obvious attempt to change the subject, Kenshin shrugged and held up the device Hiko had given him. "He said he'd help and gave me this. I have to call once I've convinced Kaoru to allow the change. He'll bring Iizuka with him then."
Kenshin chuckled at the stunned looks that flew across both of their faces. Settling back into the chair he waited patiently for one or the other to regain their composure. Surprisingly enough it was Sano who managed to get himself back together first and growl, "How in the hell can you get him to agree to stuff like that!"
Kenshin shrugged, "I have no idea. I was just as shocked as you are."
"Does that mean you'll be leaving for Naha then?" Megumi asked when she managed to recover herself. "Do you still want me to come?"
Kenshin nodded, "Yes on both accounts. I'll wait here until night falls and then I want both of you to come with me." Stifling a sigh, he rubbed his face wearily as the weight of what he had to do settled heavily on his shoulders. "I'm going to need all the help I can get to explain what we are and what I want to do."
"You mean... she doesn't know what you are yet?" Megumi asked in disbelief.
Kenshin winced at her tone and shook his head. "No. I didn't want to scare her away." Avoiding her incredulous gaze, he sighed heavily, "I know I should have said something but... I couldn't risk the chance of losing her friendship."
Megumi shook her head. "You do realize you could lose it all."
Kenshin inwardly flinched and finally met her glare, "Yes, I do, but I would much rather have the few memories I have and the chance that she will agree to the change than to have scared her away right from the start."
Megumi inhaled deeply and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You really are something, do you know that?" Sighing, she fixed him with a look that reminded him of a mother reprimanding an errant child. "It's a good thing you've got me along this time, I seriously doubt either of you would be able to handle this on your own."
A crooked smile tilted up Kenshin's lips. "You're right, but we do have one ally down there already." When Megumi gave him a confused look he added, "Her doctor knows what I am."
Megumi's eyebrows shot up at the information. Holding up a hand to stop her next question Kenshin stood. "You'll have the answers soon when you meet him but for now we should rest. It's a long way to Naha and I want to get there as soon as I can."
Megumi clamped her mouth shut and nodded even though he could tell she was dying to ask just how the good doctor knew.
Glancing to Sano, he asked, "Where can Megumi and I stay for the day?"
Sano shrugged and gave him a sardonic smirk, "You can stay in your old rooms...no one wanted them after you nearly destroyed the mansion." Glancing to Megumi, he smiled suggestively, "And you can stay with me if you want to..."
Kenshin almost laughed at the light blush that instantly lit up Megumi's extremely pale skin and before she had a chance to back out he said, "I think it would best if she stayed with you since my rooms haven't been opened or cleaned in over a hundred years."
Megumi threw a glare at him that tried to be menacing but for some reason didn't quite make it. Grinning at her sorry attempt to make him feel bad, he spun on his heel and headed for a tunnel adjacent to the one that led to Sano's rooms. She may kill him when they got up later but at least she and Sano would have some much needed quality time.
Two hundred years was an awfully long time to be alone... and so was the one hundred plus years he himself had been wandering alone. Vanishing into the dimly lit corridor leading to his rooms, he grinned. But soon, if he was lucky, he'd be able to remedy that situation. It was an awful lot to ask of a woman he'd met only weeks before but the benefits to her would far outweigh his own.
Now all he had to do was convince Kaoru of that and everything would be just fine.
Please review and let me know what you think.
A Walk in the Sunlight
Chapter 15 - A Glimmer of HopeKenshin tilted his head to the side to avoid the frayed remains of the severed noose swaying gently in his path and silently navigated his way through the quiet wood that had stood at the base of Mount Fuji since time immemorial; Megumi keeping the rapid pace only steps behind. Gliding effortlessly over the volcanic rock covering the forest floor he tried to tamp down the slight twinge of nostalgia tightening his chest. It had been over a hundred years since he'd tread this path through Aokigahara to the very base of the mountain where the mansion lay. To be honest he had never expected to make this journey again, nor had he ever really wished to, but this time he had no choice. To get the answers he needed he would even come back here to where death ruled.
And death truly did rule within these trees. Over the centuries this forest had claimed its fair share of troubled souls. That had been the main reason the Ishin clan had chosen this as their home after the war. Here, buried deep within the haunted forest and the mountain itself, they could live freely, hidden from the world's prying eyes. Even now, in this day and age, very few humans dared to tread these hidden pathways through the cursed forest and those who did found themselves hunted and slain. None had ever reached the cavern carved deep into the lava rock where the forest butted up against the mountain, unless they were guided there for the pleasure of those residing within the mansion.
A sick feeling stirred slightly in the pit of his stomach and he tried to ignore the acidy taste filling his mouth. There had been many times when he himself had been that very hunter, herding the lost souls that had come to the forest to take their own life to a fate far worse than suicide.
Crinkling his nose in disgust, he shoved the thoughts from his mind as a cool wind picked up, the cleansing breeze settling his stomach somewhat. Glancing over his shoulder as they crossed the unofficial boundary line that marked the beginning of the Ishin land, he smiled sadly at the grim determination darkening Megumi's face. He wasn't the only one who had intentionally stayed away from the mansion and the memories it held, but her reasons were far different from his own.
Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly as he turned his attention back to the trail. It was here within these very trees and the mountain ahead that she'd lost her innocence as a child when she'd wandered away from her adopted family. She had only been fourteen at the time, a young girl, almost a woman really, at least in the eyes of those of her time. He resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder again and instead absently scanned the forest to both sides of them as his mind drifted back to that night over two hundred years ago.
It had been the excited jeers of the others who had opted to stay within the mountain that had unwittingly drawn him and Sano to the common room that night. To this day he could still remember the crippling fear that had darkened her eyes when the hunters had her cornered up against the tightly closed gate that led to her salvation. She had accidentally stumbled into their home believing she would be safe from whatever she'd been running from, but instead found herself facing something far worse than the lost souls haunting the wood.
The only thing that had saved her from certain death that night had been he and Sano. If they hadn't been there she would have been dead long before Katsura had caught word of her presence within the mountain. Granted most had feared the Elder but many would have done the deed anyway and accepted the consequences just to taste her fresh, untainted blood. It had been the longest two hours of his life but thankfully, in the end, he and Sano had been able to keep the others at bay until Katsura had arrived. And much to the chagrin of all the vampires who had been licking their lips in anticipation, Katsura had ordered them to let her go.
To this day, as far as he knew, she was the only one to see the mansion and its inhabitants and live. And yet, even though she had been spared from death that night she hadn't been spared from the scars the other's taunts and advances had left on her impressionable mind. For months afterwards she had refused to sleep, forcing herself to stay up through the darkest hours of the night, while her adopted family slept oblivious to what had happened.
An almost indistinguishable smirk whispered across his lips. But what was truly shocking about the whole thing was her attachment to he and Sano even after she'd endured the hellish attention of the rest of their kind. For some reason she had decided that night when they'd tried to deliver her to her family that she wouldn't go home unless they came back to see her. Neither he nor Sano had been able to refuse, which had surprised them both. From that night on they'd watched over her in the dark of night; a friendship blossoming between the three of them as he and Sano had watched her grow from a curious child into a beautiful woman, her accomplishments and setbacks their own.
A brittle twig snapping beneath his foot broke into his thoughts and Kenshin sighed softly as he adjusted their direction slightly. But that was all in the past now, much had changed when Sano had fallen for her. If only Sano had asked, things may have been different for them but he could also understand how Sano felt... he certainly did now.
Doing his best to ignore the tiny twinge of fear that Kaoru might die before he could do anything about it, Kenshin shook his head to clear the thoughts and focused his attention on the task at hand again. They were getting close, he could feel it.
Throwing a glance into the darkened forest to check their location, he narrowed his eyes when he noticed a flicker of movement to their left. Frowning, he stared intently at the shadow keeping pace with them twelve feet away then smirked coldly when the hunter noticed and flitted out of sight. So they were being watched. He shouldn't be all that surprised though, considering what he'd done the last time he'd been here.
Shrugging it off, he gave his attention back to the trail and quickly closed the last quarter of a mile to the mansion. Moments later he burst out of the trees and skidded to an abrupt halt as his eyes settled on the eight foot tall oak gate embedded in the side of the mountain twenty feet away; the pale moonlight spilling onto the barren expanse between the treeline and the mountain making it shine against the dark rock.
Doing his best to ignore the memories the sight invoked, he waited patiently for Megumi to catch up. Almost immediately he felt her come up beside him, her instant wariness almost tangible. Hiding a smirk, he glanced to her and whispered, "Are you ready for this?"
Megumi gave him a scathing look. "Does it really matter?"
Kenshin had the good sense to look sheepish, "No. I guess it doesn't..."
Megumi snorted and started for the gate. "Then let's get this over with."
Kenshin chuckled lightly under his breath and followed in her footsteps. As they neared the gate swung open on silent hinges, the light of the many candles he remembered lining the walls of the main cavern spilling into the moonlit darkness. A small sympathetic smile whispered across his face when Megumi hesitated for a moment just outside of the illuminated area. So those scars were still there too. Biting back the sigh burning the back of his throat, Kenshin was just about to reassure her that she had nothing to fear this time, since she was one of them, when she straightened her spine in defiance and stalked forward.
A hint of a smirk touched his lips as he came to where she'd been moments before, he should have known better. Megumi wasn't one to let those scars stop her from doing what she'd come to do. Taking a deep breath to get himself ready, he slowly followed in her footsteps and for the first time in over a hundred years crossed over the threshold into the cavern that he'd once called home. Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the subdued light, he frowned at the sound of the heavy door closing behind him; the dull thud sounded like a coffin lid slamming shut.
Snorting softly at himself, he shook off the feeling and scanned the dimly lit cavern taking note of the dozen or so vampires lounging on various sofas and chairs scattered around the common room. Many of which, he noticed, were glaring daggers at him. Stifling the chuckle burning the back of his throat, he made his way around Megumi and started towards the tunnel that led to Hiko's rooms. He'd only made it a couple of steps though when a chipper voice that should have been dead over a century ago suddenly sounded into the quiet cavern.
"Himura!"
Startled, Kenshin stopped dead in his tracks and snapped his attention to the slight figure on the lone set of stairs carved into the cavern wall, his eyes widening. "Misao?"
A huge smile lit up the tiny woman's face and moments later he found himself enveloped in a bone crushing hug. "Aoshi told me you were coming! I thought he was lying!"
Stunned speechless, Kenshin stood stock still and tried to figure how this could be. How was this little slip of a woman here? The last he knew she had refused Aoshi, several times in fact. And then it hit him as a sudden surge of anger ripped through his veins. Pulling her off of him, he held her at arms length and growled, "Did Aoshi change you against your will?"
Misao gave him an indulgent smirk and snorted softly as she shook her head. "No. It's your fault," she said, poking him in the chest. With a grin she took a step back, "Actually, not yours but Tomoe-san's. She talked to me a couple of days before you tried... to... well... you know...."
Trailing off, Misao visibly swallowed and started nibbling on her bottom lip, her sudden nervousness bringing a sad smile to his face. Putting on a more convincing one, he gently prodded, "What did she say?"
Misao gave him a nervous glance and whispered, "She... told me that there was nothing to be afraid of. If I truly loved Aoshi it would be okay. And I figured if she said that then it had to be true."
Kenshin kept his smile firmly in place and somehow managed to keep himself from flinching as a knife of pain stabbed deep into his heart. Tomoe must have thought it would be okay too. But she'd been wrong, so very wrong. Shoving the thought from his mind, he did his best to shake off the memories and asked, "So, you finally let him do the change then?"
Misao grinned, her relief palpable. "Yeah, and Tomoe-san was right. Everything is okay."
Kenshin couldn't help but smile at her sheer happiness. Well at least one of them had had good luck with the human they'd fallen for. Preparing to give her a belated welcome to the family he was stopped when she all of a sudden waved her hand at Megumi and asked, "Who's this? Your wife?"
Kenshin choked as a startled hiss exploded from the woman beside him. "No," he managed before Megumi could say anything. "This is Takani Megumi, she's come to help me with Iizuka."
"Oh..." Misao exclaimed in awe as her eyes widened into saucers. "... so you're the one Sano changed against her will."
Kenshin almost laughed at the startled glance Megumi threw at him. Must be she didn't know that she was actually quite well-known among their kind even though she'd never spent any time within the mansion after she'd been changed. Tucking his hands into his pockets, he simply shrugged.
"Yes, that would be me..." Megumi grated softly, as she shifted her attention back to the petite vampire. Glancing back to Misao himself, Kenshin was just about to change the subject before Megumi's irritation could get the better of her when a mischievous glint he knew far to well appeared in Misao's eyes. Before he could do anything but open his mouth she leaned towards Megumi with an evil grin, "Y'know... I'm surprised you let him live. If Aoshi had done that to me, I'd have killed him."
Kenshin winced as Megumi threw a black look at him; her eyebrow twitching slightly. Swallowing nervously, he decided to head off the verbal flaying he could see swimming in her eyes, "Misao, where's Iizuka?"
Misao immediately straightened and waved her hand at the stairway, "He's in the aerie. Aoshi's standing guard right now." All of a sudden her eyes flew wide and she back-stepped quickly, "Oh! I forgot! Aoshi wanted a drink!" And without another word she vanished down the tunnel that lead to the coldest part of the mansion where a small stock of blood was kept for times like these when vampires were unable to go out to hunt.
Chuckling lightly, Kenshin shook his head and started for the stairs. Well at least that made his life a little bit easier, he wouldn't have to deal with Hiko until after he knew whether or not Iizuka really did house Katsura's blood.
"Can you please tell me what it is with you guys and human women?" Megumi asked as she came up behind him. "I never thought Shinomori-san would choose a mere human for a life partner."
Taking the stairs two at a time, Kenshin shrugged. "I honestly don't know. As far as I know only Aoshi, Sano and myself have ever fallen for a human. Most either choose from among those already changed or don't choose at all." Peeking at her over his shoulder, he smirked as they rounded the bend that lead the stairway back towards the surface of the mountain. "You know, I could ask you the same thing. What drew you to Sano and I all those years ago when we saved your life?"
Megumi smiled shyly and Kenshin had to consciously stop himself from tripping over his own feet. Surprised, he waited patiently for her to answer the question neither he nor Sano had ever asked before.
"To be honest, it was the way you two kept everyone else from coming near me. You guys never once let them go through with their threats." A soft sigh whispered from between her lips. "No one had ever done that for me before. Not even the people who took me in after my family was killed. I guess I didn't want to lose that, so I wanted to keep you two near so I'd feel safe." Snorting softly, she shook her head as they came to rest at the top of the stairs, the cool breeze eddying through the hall tossing her raven locks across her face. "It's ironic really, I felt safe with you two killers but I didn't around the family that had taken me in."
Kenshin gave her an understanding smile as he started down the tunnel that led to the cell housing Iizuka. "You were our saving grace too, so I guess we're even."
"I doubt that, but thanks." Megumi said doubtfully, the sarcastic lilt in her tone making him grin. "So where are we going?"
Kenshin said nothing as they rounded the last bend, the heavily banded oak door at the end of the hallway answering her question. "Behind that door is every vampire's worst nightmare," he said as he covered the last few feet to the door and its reluctant guard. Inclining his head in greeting to the stoic, icy-eyed vampire reclining against the wall beside the door, he asked, "What condition is he in?"
Aoshi's lip quirked up ever so slightly in a miniscule smirk. "Alive..." And without another word he started turning the wheel that retracted the foot long iron bolts buried into the rock beside the door.
Kenshin resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the single word reply. Was the man ever going to change? You'd think after being with Misao for so many years he would have loosened up a little bit. Snorting softly at the unlikelihood, he glanced to Megumi, "I want you to stay out here until I call for you."
Megumi gave him a questioning look that quickly faded and she gave him an understanding nod. "Don't kill him quite yet. I can't keep an Elder's blood alive that long."
Kenshin smiled grimly and took a deep breath as the full impact of who he was about to face finally hit him. Doing his best to ignore the sudden surge of anticipation tightening his chest, he waited patiently as the grinding of iron against stone filled the hallway. And yet, even though Iizuka was here, within arms reach, he would have to somehow manage to control himself. He wouldn't sacrifice Kaoru's life to appease the killer in him. She was worth far more than that one single moment of gratification Iizuka’s death would bring.
Moments later a dull thud resounded through the tunnel as the bolts slid all the way back. Snapped from his thoughts, Kenshin strode for the door as Aoshi pulled it open.
"Close and lock it behind me."
The tall vampire simply nodded and Kenshin headed into the open-aired, moonlit room; the cool breeze flowing through the floor to ceiling iron bars directly across from him cooling his blood some.
The door slammed shut behind him and he smiled as a soft rustling sound to his left caught his attention. Without so much as another breath, Kenshin pivoted effortlessly to the side to miss whatever strike Iizuka was trying to make and shot out his hand wrapping his fist around the little snake's neck. Iizuka hissed as his fingers tightened to the point of nearly crushing the windpipe.
"Did you really think you could take me that easily?" Kenshin purred, his eyes immediately taking on their amber hue. Throwing the supposed 'Elder' into the iron bars across the room, he smirked. "You, of all people, should know better than that."
Iizuka scoffed and picked himself up. "What do you want, Himura?"
For several moments Kenshin simply eyed the man who had destroyed his life with contempt. How was it that this little weasel of a man could manage to mess up his life so badly... twice? Granted the first time had been his own fault, but this time... this time, the little snake had done it all himself. And for what?
Unable to answer that question, he took a deep breath to calm the killer itching to wipe the worthless vampire from the face of the earth and cocked an eyebrow, "Honestly? I want you dead. But unfortunately that will have to wait for a little while longer."
With a smirk that set Kenshin's teeth on edge Iizuka crossed his arms and casually leaned against the iron bars that would soon let daylight spill into the cell. "Why? Don't have the balls to do it now?" Snorting sarcastically, he added, "Never pegged you for a spineless leech."
Kenshin grinned icily, not rising to the bait. "Trust me, I have every intention of killing you for what you've done. But first you're going to help me with something."
Iizuka's smirk tilted up even more. "What makes you think I'll help you do anything?"
A flinty smile settled on Kenshin's lips and he took one small measured step towards the seemingly relaxed vampire. "You will have no choice. For once you will save a life instead of taking it."
A sarcastic snort exploded from Iizuka. "Save a life? Isn't that a little contradictory to what we are?" Leaning forward slightly, he grinned, "Or are you still are a little bit upset about your human dying? You'd think you'd -"
Iizuka didn't get any further as Kenshin instantly closed the distance between them; his amber eyes all of a sudden blazing with barely suppressed fury. Locking his fist tight around Iizuka's neck again, he slammed the little snake's head into the iron bars... hard. Squeezing as much as he dared, he scowled as Iizuka's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Don't you ever bring that up again. What you did was nothing but a desperate act against someone who didn't deserve to die!"
Iizuka sneered into his glare and forcefully wrenched the hand from around his neck. Rubbing the abused flesh, he side-stepped around Kenshin and headed back into the room. "It seems you've forgotten that it wasn't my fault she died, it was yours. I only meant to kill you, it was you who killed her."
Kenshin nearly snarled as the barb hit home. Clenching his fist so tight that blood started to drip from his knuckles, he took a deep breath and counted to ten in an effort to calm the killer aching to rip the little snake to pieces. If this kept up he'd end up butchering him before he could get the much needed blood from the filthy weasel. Taking a couple of more calming breaths, he slowly turned to face Iizuka. "That may be, but that doesn't absolve your guilt. You will die for that and for what you've done to Kaoru, but not until you've given me what I want."
Iizuka chuckled lightly and shook his head, "Didn't you hear me before? What makes you think I'll give you anything?"
An almost feral smile danced across Kenshin's lips and without a word he shot forward and rammed into Iizuka, throwing him into the unforgiving stone wall. Not giving the vampire time to recover, he pounced on him and flipped him onto his stomach. Jamming his knee square in the middle of his back, he twisted Iizuka's arm back viscously, "You forget, I've always been the faster one. Even with Katsura's blood you're no match for me."
Iizuka hissed and thrashed violently, trying to break free. Wrenching the arm back even more, Kenshin was rewarded by a tiny 'pop' that sounded into the quiet. "Keep it up and I'll rip this arm off."
Iizuka growled low in his throat and stopped thrashing. Twisting the arm a little bit more to assure that the little snake was immobile, he called out, "Aoshi, send in Megumi."
Iizuka snorted in indignation. "What? Need back-up?"
Kenshin smirked and pulled his arm back a little bit more, "No, she's going to check to make sure that you can help me."
Iizuka hissed painfully, but kept his mouth shut as the iron bolts slid back again. The door slowly swung open on silent hinges to reveal a very wide eyed Megumi staring out at the steadily lightening sky beyond the wall of bars. Clearing his throat, Kenshin grinned when she snapped her attention to him, "You better hurry. It will be daylight soon."
Megumi simply nodded and hurried to where he had Iizuka pinned. Still a little wild eyed, she dropped to the floor and quickly undid the snaps holding the small case she'd brought along closed. "Now I see why you said this is every vampire's worst nightmare. H-how can he stay alive in here ?"
Giving her an understanding smile, he was just about to answer when Iizuka started thrashing like a madman as she pulled an empty syringe from the case.
"What in the hell are you doing?!"
Twisting Iizuka's arm to the breaking point, Kenshin almost smiled as a much more painful 'pop' exploded into the room followed by a pain-filled howl. "I told you I'd rip it off. Keep it up and I will."
When nothing but panting came from his captive he nodded to Megumi to continue. "There is a three foot stretch against the back wall that is shaded the entire day. As long as the vampire stays in that space they'll be safe... drained, but safe."
Megumi mouthed a silent 'oh' and visibly shivered but said nothing as she set to work acquiring the blood that would be tested. Filling the syringe, she capped it off and gave him a nod. "That will be more than enough to test."
Kenshin grinned and inclined his head towards the door. "You leave first, I don't trust this little snake."
Megumi gave him a curt nod and hastily stashed the precious blood back into the case and quickly made her way to the door, moments later the door swung open just enough for her to exit. As the door swung closed behind her Kenshin released his captive and smiled as Iizuka immediately hurried back against the wall to avoid the first rays of daylight slowly creeping across the floor.
"I'll be back as soon as I know, either to kill you or to have you transported to where you need to be." And without another word he spun on his heel and headed for the door.
A sarcastic snort came from the back of the room. "You're going to have to kill me Himura because there is no way I'm going to help you."
Not bothering to turn around, Kenshin whispered, "You will have no choice." And with that he left the room as silently as he'd come. Giving Aoshi a nod as he passed, he was just about to thank the icy-eyed vampire for his part in the capture when he was stopped by a voice he had hoped to avoid; the owner still out of sight but quickly closing the distance.
"Hey Aoshi, Hiko said I could... find... Ken-shin... ... here..."
Kenshin hissed lightly as Sano trailed off and stumbled to a stop, his widened eyes firmly fixed on the woman he hadn't seen this close in almost two hundred years. Out of the corner of his eye, Kenshin saw Megumi tense and he quickly strode forward. "Yes, I'm here. Did you need something?"
Sano opened his mouth to say something but quickly snapped it closed again, his attention still trained on the only woman he had ever loved. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Kenshin snapped his fingers in front of the transfixed vampire. When Sano finally gave him his attention he said, "Let's go back downstairs where there's more room. I know you and she need to talk but first I need her to test Iizuka's blood."
"I don't have anything to say to that idiot!" Megumi spat angrily from behind him.
Biting back a tired sigh, Kenshin slammed his hand over Sano's mouth to keep whatever the spiky haired vampire was about to say from digging his grave any deeper and swung his attention to the irate woman behind him. "You said you'd give him one chance to redeem himself. He has waited almost two hundred years to apologize to you and you will not deny him that."
An irritated huff exploded from Megumi as she leveled a hard glare on him. "And you will stay out of my way if I decide to kill him?"
Kenshin smiled, "Yes, I will, but first you will hear what he has to say."
Megumi threw Sano a scathing look, then nodded curtly. "First I need to test this sample. Then I will see what this idiot has to say for himself."
Relieved, Kenshin smiled and dropped his hand from Sano's mouth, "Fair enough." Giving his attention back to the stunned vampire in front of him he asked, "Where can we go for her to do this?"
Sano visibly snapped back to himself and glanced to Megumi again, "What do you need?"
For a minute Kenshin didn't think Megumi was going to answer and then she said, "All I need is a table, I have everything else in the case."
Sano shrugged. "My rooms should work and they're far away from the common room, which is now filled since daylight has broken."
Kenshin inclined his head and glanced over his shoulder, "Will that work?"
Megumi nodded.
"Then let's go, the sooner I know the sooner I can deal with Hiko and get back to Naha." Kenshin said as he waved Sano to lead.
Sano said nothing and simply spun on his heel, quickly leading them back down the tunnel. Kenshin smiled slightly at the tall vampire's haste. Even though he hadn't been around for a hundred and fifty of those two hundred years he knew each one must have been pure agony for Sano, something that would have broken most men. Granted his best friend may have deserved it but still, the fact that the spiky haired vampire still held on paid tribute to how much he loved her, or at least how stubborn he was. A ghost of a smile was on Kenshin's lips as they came to the common room and shot towards one of the many tunnels leading to the small caves that had been carved for each resident of the mansion. He could fully understand why Sano was in such a hurry, it must be even worse having her here within reach and still having to continue to wait.
Heartbeats later Sano stopped them in front of a tall wooden door, waving them in as he pushed it open and vanished into the pitch black. Following behind, he and Megumi stayed just inside the door and waited for Sano to light the lamp he knew every room in the mansion had. Shivering slightly at the cold, he smiled wryly. He really was getting soft if he couldn't handle the cold of the mansion anymore. Even though the mansion lay within a dormant volcano, heat was a rarity and only created by the fire pits in the main room. Most vampires wouldn't be bothered, but ever since Iizuka had irrevocably changed him he hadn't been able to handle the cold as easily.
Moments later soft light flooded the room and Sano waved to the small table nestled against the wall. "That's all I've got. Do you need anything else?"
Megumi inclined her head slightly and moved to the table. "I need that lamp over here if you would," she said, more civilly than Kenshin expected her to.
Without a word, Sano carried the oil lamp over and set it down in the middle of the table then stepped back. "Anything else?"
Megumi simply shook her head. "No, this should be fine." With that she set to work removing everything she needed from the case. Quickly finishing up the task, she waved for them to come closer as she pulled out the syringe of blood she'd taken from Iizuka and uncapped it. Dropping several drops onto the freshly cleaned glass slide, she uncapped a small vial sitting beside the slide and glanced up. "With this I will be able to tell if this is indeed only Katsura's blood or not."
Kenshin quirked an eyebrow, "How?"
"When this serum is dripped onto our blood it separates the different parts, namely the human blood that still remains and the blood that has been tainted by the vampire blood. But unlike the rest of us, the Elder's blood is so pure that there is nothing to separate. No human blood can survive when mixed with Caine's."
Kenshin's eyes flew wide and he muttered, "But if that's true then why can't the change be reversed? If the blood can separate like that then -"
"Because the separation is only temporary..." Megumi said, cutting him off. Smiling sadly she shrugged, "The separation only lasts for less than a second and then the two bond together again. There is no way to keep them separated long enough to siphon off the tainted blood."
Kenshin mouthed a silent 'oh' and whispered, "I'm sorry."
Megumi gave him a small cheerless smile and flashed Sano a black look. "It's not your fault, it's his." Holding her hand up to stop Sano from opening his mouth, she whispered, "We'll talk about that in a minute. First let me do this."
Kenshin hid the smile tugging at his lips and leaned closer to watch as Megumi held the vial over the blood and let several drops drip onto the puddle. Using his heightened eyesight, he watched and waited for some type of reaction. A miniscule twitching in the blood had his heart in his mouth but as the seconds continued to tick by with no other reaction he slowly settled back down and let out a relieved sigh when Megumi confirmed his hope.
"There is nothing left of his own blood, Iizuka has fully assimilated Katsura's blood. Your plan should work."
A wide grin spread across Kenshin's face, "Thank you Megumi. You've just made a young woman's chances go from zero to one hundred... or at least seventy-five."
Megumi glanced at him and quirked an eyebrow. "Seventy-five?"
A sardonic smirk replaced his smile and Kenshin heaved a sigh, "I still have to convince shishou to help me. I need both Katsura's and Hiko's blood for this to work."
"Good luck with that," Sano spoke up sarcastically. "Hiko has been even more of a pain in the ass since Katsura died. He doesn't like being the head of the clan."
Kenshin exhaled lightly, "I will find some way to convince him because Kaoru deserves to have the sun more than anyone else in this miserable world." Glancing to Megumi, he asked, "Will you come with me to Naha and help me do the change?"
Megumi gave him a curious look and nodded, "I'll admit, I'm extremely curious to meet this 'Kaoru' that has you working so hard. If I may ask, why can't she have the sun? She's human, isn't she?"
Kenshin smiled sadly, "She was born with a disease that doesn't allow her to go into the sun. In fact, if she is exposed to it for any length of time it can kill her."
Megumi's eyes widened and she whispered, "Oh..."
Kenshin smiled and took a step back towards the door before she could question him any further, "I have to go talk to Hiko and you two need some time too, so I'll meet you both back in the common room when I'm done."
If it was possible, Megumi's already pale skin whitened even more as a slightly wild look settled into her eyes. Kenshin couldn't stop the smirk that tugged at his lips at her obvious distress. So in the end she wasn't as immune to Sano as she'd tried to make him believe, maybe they would still have the happy ending they both deserved. Without another word he silently left the room and closed the door behind him. It was all up to Sano now, hopefully his old friend would take advantage of this chance he'd just been given because he seriously doubted Megumi would ever give him another one.
Throwing one last glance at the door, he sighed softly and shot down the dimly lit corridor towards the common room. Moments later, he silently entered the thinning out crowd in the common room and threaded his way to the tunnel across the cavern. Listening quietly to the whispers following him across the richly tiled floor, he grinned. It seemed the vast majority of his brethren still hadn't gotten over his little temper tantrum all those years ago. He shouldn't be all that surprised though considering he'd just about destroyed this very room, and several of them for that matter, in his anger.
Stifling a chuckle, he quickly vanished into the well lit tunnel that led to the rooms of the head of the clan. Rounding the last turn in the corridor, he slowed as he neared the intricately carved oak door standing directly in his path. Hesitating for a moment, he simply stared at the life like rendering of their founding father and did his best to collect his thoughts. This was going to be... difficult.
Steeling himself, he rapped his knuckles hard against Caine's carved chest and waited for some signal to enter. Moments later the heavy door silently swung open and he took one last settling breath then stepped into the dimly lit antechamber.
"What do you want?"
Kenshin smirked as he closed the door behind him, still the same old Hiko, blunt and to the point. Glancing to the left where his master's voice had come from, he spied the Elder across the lightly furnished cave and moved further into the room to settle down into the chair situated directly across from where Hiko sat nursing a bottle of sake.
"I need your help to change Kaoru." Kenshin stated, not bothering to beat around the bush. With Hiko it was best to be just as blunt as he was.
Hiko snorted lightly and narrowed his eyes as he set the sake jug aside. "So that's why you wanted Iizuka alive. To try to make your woman into someone like you."
Kenshin simply nodded and prudently kept his mouth shut.
"And what makes you think I'm going to allow you to risk her life like that? You know as well as I do that she could die."
Not missing the hard edge in the Elder's voice, Kenshin met the icy glare fixed on him and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Yes, she could, but the truth is she's already dying..." Doing his best not to flinch at the sharp pain saying that out loud caused, he sighed wearily, "... If I do nothing she will die in a month anyway without ever having the chance to feel the sun warm her skin without pain."
For several extremely long moments Hiko simply stared at him with a look he couldn't quite put a name to and he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end at the intense scrutiny. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, Hiko said, "Does she know what you are planning to do?"
Kenshin shook his head. "No, I didn't want to give her false hope. Right now she doesn't know anything about what I'm doing." Straightening back up, Kenshin sighed, "I know you're still angry with me for what I did to Tomoe but please help me with this. She, more than anyone I know, deserves to have this chance."
A heavy silence fell between them as Hiko settled back heavily and crossed his arms. Resisting the urge to fidget, Kenshin simply met the black stare fixed on him and waited. The almost deafening silence stretched for several more moments before Hiko absently grabbed the sake jug and took a drink. "So you are doing this to give her the sun? Have you thought about whether or not she will want to be cursed with an indefinite lifetime? Forever is a long time, you of all people should know that best."
Kenshin scowled and settled heavily against the hard chair back. "Yes, I have and to be honest I don't know if she will or not. She doesn't even know what I am, so it's very possible she will hate me when she finds out anyway and won't listen. But there is nothing I can do about that, all I can do is get everything set and then ask."
His former master said nothing as he narrowed his eyes slightly with an almost thoughtful look. Doing his best to ignore the tiny twinge of hope growing in his chest, Kenshin kept quiet and simply waited for the Elder to say whatever was on his mind.
"What will you do if I don't agree?" Hiko asked suddenly, startling Kenshin.
Taking a deep breath, Kenshin let it out slowly and muttered, "Then I will have to let her die and hope her God sees fit to give her another chance that will include the sun. And if he does then maybe... I'll get a second chance with her too..."
Hiko snorted and shook his head, "So it's not just to give her the sun. You honestly love her, don't you?"
Kenshin smiled sheepishly, "Yes, I do."
Hiko shook his head again and rose, heading for the other room. "Fine. If she allows you to do this to her then I will help you."
Kenshin's eyes flew wide and he snapped his head around as the Elder vanished into the darkened room. At a complete loss all he could do was stare at the empty doorway in stunned silence. Did he just...?
Moments later that question was answered when Hiko came back in and tossed one of the ear devices Sano had into his lap. "Call me on that and I will come if she decides she wants to put up with you for time without end." Settling back into the chair he'd recently vacated, Hiko grabbed the sake bottle and emptied it in one swallow then added, "For now I will keep Iizuka here. If the time comes that she accepts the change, I will bring him myself."
Kenshin couldn't help the huge smile that spread across his lips. Standing, he dropped a deep bow in respect. "Thank you, Shishou. I will call as soon as I know."
Hiko simply nodded. "Fine. Now get out. Unlike you some of us still need to sleep during the day."
Kenshin smirked and rose, heading for the door, "Getting old, Shishou?"
Hiko snorted sarcastically as he pulled open the heavy oak door. "You wish. Maybe when I come you and I will have a little match to see if I'm getting old..."
Kenshin's smirk widened into a full-blown smile, "I'll be eagerly awaiting that match."
Another snort followed him out the door and he closed it soundly behind him as a huge grin spread across his face. That had been easier than he'd thought. And with Hiko's agreement all the pieces were finally in place, now all he needed to do was convince the one he'd done all this for to take this chance. His grin faltered at the thought and he silently headed back down the corridor to the common room. To be honest, that was going to be the hardest part of this whole plan, convincing Kaoru and her parents.
Snorting softly, he absently navigated the dimly lit corridor. Who was he kidding? It wasn't going to be just hard, it was going to be near impossible. Not many people in their right mind would believe what he was about to tell the Kamiyas. And the worst part was he still didn't know exactly how to go about explaining to them what he was and what he wanted to do. At least he had one thing going for him, Dr. Genzai already knew what he was which should help. Sighing softly, he shook his head, hopefully that would be enough.
Coming to the mouth of the tunnel, he set aside his worries and scanned the few remaining vampires still lingering in the common room for some sign of Sano, or at least Megumi if she'd managed to somehow kill his old friend. Spying them both across the dimly lit room, he started across the tiled floor and did his best not to grin at the fading bruise on Sano's left cheek or the obvious streaks of blood still staining his face and arms. By the looks of it Megumi had been sure to make her point, and rather... violently, if he wasn't mistaken. But at least it looked like they'd managed to work out their differences since they were sitting together on the sofa even though there were several empty chairs around them. Quickly closing the distance, he finally did smile when he noticed the satisfied look on Megumi's face.
"So I take it you accepted his apology?" he asked as he closed the last few feet and settled down in an overstuffed chair across from them.
Megumi smirked, "You could say that..."
"It would have been helpful if she'd simply accepted it instead of beating me about senseless first." Sano grumbled as he rubbed his abused cheek; the bruise all but gone now.
Kenshin smiled and shrugged, "You know you deserved it. You're lucky she didn't kill you."
"Yeah, I know." Sano grouched with a scowl. Giving him a sideways look, he asked, "So, what did Hiko say?"
Smirking at Sano's obvious attempt to change the subject, Kenshin shrugged and held up the device Hiko had given him. "He said he'd help and gave me this. I have to call once I've convinced Kaoru to allow the change. He'll bring Iizuka with him then."
Kenshin chuckled at the stunned looks that flew across both of their faces. Settling back into the chair he waited patiently for one or the other to regain their composure. Surprisingly enough it was Sano who managed to get himself back together first and growl, "How in the hell can you get him to agree to stuff like that!"
Kenshin shrugged, "I have no idea. I was just as shocked as you are."
"Does that mean you'll be leaving for Naha then?" Megumi asked when she managed to recover herself. "Do you still want me to come?"
Kenshin nodded, "Yes on both accounts. I'll wait here until night falls and then I want both of you to come with me." Stifling a sigh, he rubbed his face wearily as the weight of what he had to do settled heavily on his shoulders. "I'm going to need all the help I can get to explain what we are and what I want to do."
"You mean... she doesn't know what you are yet?" Megumi asked in disbelief.
Kenshin winced at her tone and shook his head. "No. I didn't want to scare her away." Avoiding her incredulous gaze, he sighed heavily, "I know I should have said something but... I couldn't risk the chance of losing her friendship."
Megumi shook her head. "You do realize you could lose it all."
Kenshin inwardly flinched and finally met her glare, "Yes, I do, but I would much rather have the few memories I have and the chance that she will agree to the change than to have scared her away right from the start."
Megumi inhaled deeply and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You really are something, do you know that?" Sighing, she fixed him with a look that reminded him of a mother reprimanding an errant child. "It's a good thing you've got me along this time, I seriously doubt either of you would be able to handle this on your own."
A crooked smile tilted up Kenshin's lips. "You're right, but we do have one ally down there already." When Megumi gave him a confused look he added, "Her doctor knows what I am."
Megumi's eyebrows shot up at the information. Holding up a hand to stop her next question Kenshin stood. "You'll have the answers soon when you meet him but for now we should rest. It's a long way to Naha and I want to get there as soon as I can."
Megumi clamped her mouth shut and nodded even though he could tell she was dying to ask just how the good doctor knew.
Glancing to Sano, he asked, "Where can Megumi and I stay for the day?"
Sano shrugged and gave him a sardonic smirk, "You can stay in your old rooms...no one wanted them after you nearly destroyed the mansion." Glancing to Megumi, he smiled suggestively, "And you can stay with me if you want to..."
Kenshin almost laughed at the light blush that instantly lit up Megumi's extremely pale skin and before she had a chance to back out he said, "I think it would best if she stayed with you since my rooms haven't been opened or cleaned in over a hundred years."
Megumi threw a glare at him that tried to be menacing but for some reason didn't quite make it. Grinning at her sorry attempt to make him feel bad, he spun on his heel and headed for a tunnel adjacent to the one that led to Sano's rooms. She may kill him when they got up later but at least she and Sano would have some much needed quality time.
Two hundred years was an awfully long time to be alone... and so was the one hundred plus years he himself had been wandering alone. Vanishing into the dimly lit corridor leading to his rooms, he grinned. But soon, if he was lucky, he'd be able to remedy that situation. It was an awful lot to ask of a woman he'd met only weeks before but the benefits to her would far outweigh his own.
Now all he had to do was convince Kaoru of that and everything would be just fine.
Please review and let me know what you think.