Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Seisou Hen ❯ Arriving in Shanghai ( Chapter 8 )

Act 8: Arriving in Shanghai

Daybreak of sunrise, the ship arrived in Shanghai harbor after having a week of travelling in the seas. Enishi stood off carrying his parcels having a woman's hand in his on the other side. Kaoru walked next to him wearing that shun gesture on her face. She was wearing this long Prussian velvety piqao dress having its length ceasing right below the knee. She can't help looking down to her legs, feeling so disgraceful of exposing them. "Tell me. Why do I have to wear this dress again? It's revealing my skin too much!" rankled and troubled in which moment Enishi drags her too scabrous.

"Do I have to explain everything to you? I'm in a hurry, on'na. You'd better step on it!" though in the rude talk, he was quite marveled on how she looked in that dress he had given her. Her elegance and beauty had quickly responded to the color of her dress that matches her eyes.

"What?! Don't talk so BIG mister! It's not because you had taken me away in my homeland means you can restrain me in your rules."

"It looks good on you. Don't worry!" he said and even though his tone was fierce, Kaoru ended up blushing in the compliment. She went all-speechless.

"Suki desu... tottemo suki desu..."

`Damn it!' he cursed in annoyance. Those words had bothered his mind from that night she was drunk. He knew she might have been just hallucinating since she was sloshed. Although, her deep Prussian eyes told him how sincere she was on that phrase she expressed. Remembering how she looked back then in that defenseless state of hers. Sleeping in his arms through the night. Dreaming about her having…

"Enishi? Are you alright?" Kaoru asked when she noticed him to soar up in stupor.

"Don't mind me. Just walk."

He ne'er take any glance at her until they reached the main land. Kaoru couldn't refuse so, against her will, she followed him wherever path he would take her. They went to stroll in the dock, compressing themselves against the huge masses of people. She suffered in each struggle of keeping up with Enishi who was in such a rush until they attain to reach his destination.

"What cause you to hustle so much? You know I couldn't keep up with you that so easily!" she panted heavily, dropping the small knapsack from her throbbing arm.

"Welcome, Yukishiro Enishi." She motioned herself to see who the speaker was. It was a tall man who might have been around the age of Enishi wearing a very warm smile in his face. He was wearing this Chinese tunic though he speaks Japanese language. Odd to think.

Enishi smirked at the two pals ahead of him. There was Kam. A tall, aristocratic, keen man with his stunning blue locks wearing a very adequate crimson mandarin red tunic with a full festooned Jaguar at the side of his cassock. He was still the same man he had met and fight with before and he couldn't believe how many years had passed since the first day they had met. Next to him was Lei. The most freakish, arrogant member which he usually curse whenever he had a sortie together with him. He do sometimes asks himself how Pha-ra chose him to join the famous manslayers in the land of China. He does have some abilities to be proud off but it was not too much to cause any aid.

"I'm glad that you came. Never expected that it should take me to approach so you could come." Lei teased.

"Hmp! It is nothing to be proud of." Enishi countered against Lei's mockery.

Lei just chuckled amorally, which turns out to be so disgusting in Enishi's ears. `How I hoped to kill this man someday…' he turned his attention to Kam who was just smiling good-naturedly. He had never change. "I didn't expected to see a woman with you." Kam said which was expressed in Chinese dialect, unfortunate for Kaoru not to understand neither a single word.

"She's my wife" Enishi replied, same to Kam's rhetoric.

Kam's face turned shock in that moment after Enishi said his words. Kaoru wondered in what the two of them are talking about. She motioned her head to Enishi and then to Kam who was perplexed somehow. It was very confusing until Kam verge upon near her and beamed, "Congratulations Mrs. Yukishiro. I'm so happy for you two."

Kaoru smiled deviously, for the fact that she couldn't understand neither a single word. She turned her glance to Enishi who was suspiring while Lei was on the side, giggling to himself. `Are they trying to pull a joke on me or something?' she thought weirdly.

"Enough of this. C'mon, Pha-ra's been waiting for you. Better not let him to abide for so long. You know how short tempered he is." Lei said as he and that so-called Kam walked ahead in front of Enishi who took Kaoru by her hand. Now, pulling her cautiously to her delight.

~**~

"China!?"

Aoshi nodded, placing a palm under his chin as he tries to observe the huge map he just snared. Sano as usual ended up blabbering in fury after having the knowledge of Kaoru being held to a foreign land. Saitou just sat opposing Aoshi's direction correspondingly heedful in the findings they just obtained.

"This is strange." Aoshi mumbled.

"Completely. What would be the reason why he took her in China? I thought he was waiting for his revenge to be completed." Sano strike a pose in messed up ideas.

"Yukishiro Enishi was well known to be a member of a distinguished syndicate in Shanghai. There must be a reason why he had to go back." Saitou answered.

"With Kaoru?" Sano asked.

"He could not possibly let his decoy to escape so easily." Aoshi adjuncts. "Kaoru was his bait for battousai. I'm sure he'll never let her run away."

"Sung ch'ang. A city in Shanghai. We could get there about a month by a ship." Saitou said.

"Is it safe to follow them in China? I'm quite positive that we could encounter foe's other than Yukishiro." Aoshi gleamed at the two, sharply distinguishing between each clue. "He's a member of a dangerous mafia. We can't easily defeat them."

"What are you so afraid of? All we have to do is to be careful and retrieve Kaoru. That's all!" Sano exclaimed. Finding the situation getting horrid and tougher, he had no choice but to raise his self-assurance and firm in his purpose. He need to save Kaoru and conceivably as soon as possible. Kenshin was too in danger having himself trapped inside his reverie. He might as well commit suicide for that and Sano was afraid to lose two of his love ones.

Aoshi noticed his boldness was much enough to boast. Sano do sometimes thinks like a child justs like Misao. It is very toilsome to have a good conversation with a pigheaded like him.

"It's not that easy to oppose in a gang concerned with an organized crime. These men are one of the toughest underworlds in Asia. There would be a possibility that we will fail or end up to be killed." He said though those words still didn't satisfied Sanosuke's motivations. He was known to be really stubborn and nothing else could by chance change his attitude.

"We have to take this to the police. We need some useful information about them before initiating a fight. It is better if we prepare ourselves until the right time comes for us to attack." Saitou sanctioned having the map in his hands, standing up from his position and left the two in silence.

Sano loss his temper and absently punch the wall with his fist. Producing a massive hole in the bunker. "Kuso! I hate myself for being so useless!!!" he yelled, struggling to let out the pain he was feeling. Deliberately that his friends were in trouble especially Kaoru. Now, that she was unfortunately kidnapped by a great syndicate. She might have been suffering right now, how he wished to erase the thoughts of her being molested or tortured in sense of her femininity.

"You're so wearied. Can't you calm down just for a moment? You always lose your temper." Aoshi said stalwartly.

"Calm down?! Tell me. How can I actually do what you are saying knowing that my friend is out there in a foreign country! What would we know? Maybe she was sold to someone and being wretched at this very moment. Enishi could easily sell her for a price!"

"Don't worry. I'm sure Enishi will never ever do that."

"Why? Is it because, she was his bait?"

"What else?"

Sano refused to hear his boring mockeries and just went to follow Saitou instead. "You're too callused Aoshi. You just have no idea how am I feeling right now!" he closed the tatami so hard, it almost broke in the impact.

"Me? Ruthless?... I don't think so..." veering his head at nowhere, Aoshi started to get all-grievous. `It's just because, I'm the only one who knows who the `bloc of doom' are. They are way too dangerous. Me also... I am completely worried about her. I hope she's alright...'

~**~

Zhao took Kenshin inside one of those rooms around the chamber. He was more flabbergasted just seeing this new, unfamiliar place she took him in. He could smell the aroma of blood around and it was way too obscene than those bloodshed he used to get a whiff of after killing.

She noticed his sudden silence and didn't hesitate to ask him. "Doushita no, Shinta?" she asked.

Kenshin looked to her in a doubtful stare, "Exactly, where are we Zhao? What is this place?" despite of Kenshin's skepticism, she just gave out a smirk at the baffled boy behind her.

"This is my home Shinta. This is the reason why we came here in China."

"Home? I don't understand Zhao."

"You don't have to." She said and straightway opened the door to her room. "All you have to do is to stay in this room as long as were staying in this place, alright?"

Kenshin raised a brow and then turned his eyes to her, "Why?"

"It's for your safety. This place isn't safe, so please do as what I say?" from those words, Kenshin just stood there looking at her without any words to speak. Zhao motioned saying that he could enter.

Still in no reason to relate to, he just did what she wanted to and went inside. There's no use of faltering since he was in a foreign country and place. Nothing else to do but to obey her in those enigmatic means of hers. All in all, he ended up to be stuck beside a bizarre woman.

~**~

Kaoru jarred in each stride of the horse while still profoundly delved through her nap. Enishi on the other hand held her tightly in front of him just to avoid her from toppling off from the saddle. After a long tiring journey from the ship, here they go again by having this road trip through the mountain path. Admitting that he was also exhausted and would wish for a nice rest.

"Here we are." Lei said as they all halt just in front of a huge door attached at the cavern. Enishi glared at the place he used to live in. It's been a year since he visited it whereas, no changes was still done. The same hideout next to a huge auction house in Sung ch'ang just on the other side of that very dim underground chamber.

"Still the same one. Nothing's changed." Kam said to Enishi who was more concentrated in fixating his eyes upon the gigantic gate.

He smirked as he commands the stallion to move. "What can I expect anyway?" he briefly opposed. Just as he moved, the two followed him as the door tediously opened for their entree.

Stepping off from the saddle, he took Kaoru in his arms, carefully in such a way that he never wanted to disturb her snooze. More like a hippogriff, when awakened, she might cause great damage in his head. "Is it okay to take her with me?" he asked. Kam looked to him and nod "Of course. She's your wife isn't she?" while showing such a nice beam, Lei looked at him roguishly. He had no idea why Enishi took the woman he kidnapped with them. It is not necessary to take a wife though it was more like Enishi couldn't just ignore this revenge. It might be one of his schemes.

Enishi stared at Kaoru's staid sleeping face. She looks so peaceful, he almost perceives she was dreaming deeply in harmony. He shook his head franticly being so exasperated to himself. He couldn't come up with a good reason why he gives a damn about this woman in his arms. `She's nothing to him' was the word he struggled to place in his mind though his brain usually fling it away in those moments they encounter.

"Enishi?" Kam called.

He woke himself out from his hypnotic state seeing the two walking on too far. "Umn." he said, following their direction.

Enishi walked with them despite of the nasty smell of blood around. He witnessed almost everybody ferocious cause of the food. All of them looked so tired and hungry that they would do anything so they could devour a cuisine. They were so famished; all he could see was their bones that were covered by their haggard skins. "What happened here? Who are these people?" finally, he exerted to ask. The sight of this beggared people whose nearly at death might induce Kaoru to be nauseated if ever she's awake.

"These are the commoner citizens who escaped the striking bloodshed in Taiwan. Pha-ra took some of them as a slave." Lei answered.

He raised his visage in bewilder, "What's the use of these humans? They can't even stand upon their feet." Saying those words reason of seeing a woman faint weakly on the ground having her children dying near her. So profane and heretical.

"Pha-ra's too kind-hearted with these flimsy mortals. He said he was just trying to help by feeding them." Kam said.

"Tch! Is he serious? He's just causing deep suffering with these people."

"You know well who Pha-ra is. He would do anything to look admirable on public." Lei responded.

"Shut up Lei! We're not allowed to say such words." Kam reminded notwithstanding Lei's obstinacy.

"Sorry." Lei jested then laughed.

"Enough of this conversation. We have to hurry. Pha-ra wanted to see you as soon as possible." He said, glancing on Enishi.

"Now? Can't I get any rest or what so ever?"

"Now." Kam Constricted his eyes, meaning, he's dead serious about his words. "Take your wife in your room. She could rest there while you're gone." By then, he and Lei walked leaving Enishi to the barracks. He watched them leave and soon went to his cabin.

Inside, he saw the berth more to be tidy and fixed. Seems like his arrival was nearly expected that the servants quickly primed it. There, he saw a single bed at the center covered with clean white sheets. He remembered Kaoru who was still in his arms and shortly took her to the bed, laying her ever so gently.

He scorned finding her so lean in spite of her figure. He often wonder where those ponderous foods she ate gone to. Kaoru churned from her position and instantly turned to the other side as she scours to snooze again. Enishi felt himself soften in how she looks right now. Very peaceful. He could nearly wish he could join her in those dreams she was having. Unfortunately, duty needs him whether he likes it or not.

"I'll leave you here for a while..." he said, moreover he took one last sight at her countenance as then turns his heel and egress off from this room.

Outside, Enishi found one of those wards guarding limitlessly around his location. Before he leaves, he ordained the person to guard his room. He's quite afraid of Kaoru going out and took some disgusting sights of those unavailing humans outside. It's better to keep her safe inside the room.

~**~

"That person. Who's he?"

"One of Pha-ra's underlings. I heard he just came back from the Japan."

"Japan? I didn't know the `bloc of doom' has any particular business in that country."

"No task given to him. It was his settlement of stepping in that land."

"That's Yukishiro, Enishi. One of your seniors you bastards." Zhao stepped into the group of garrulous men outside the hall. The four men hurdled in surprise just as when they saw her unexpectedly behind.

"Miss Zhao! How long have you been there?!" the man asked in stun. The others were speechless having their eyes laid upon Zhao's beauty. She was standing there in crossed arms. Her brows were hoisted; a strange scowl was formed in her luscious dawn-tinted lips. "About since when you useless fools started this stupid conversation." She places her hands along her waist. "You amateurs have no right to talk about your superiors, do you happen to know that?"

"Y-yes!" they chorused.

"Good." She said, "Cause, I would wish this thing wouldn't happen anymore understand?!" she yelled as the four dumbfounded nincompoop nodded. "Better do it or... you know what possibilities would happen to your unavailing lives!"

"We understand!" the man said.

"We won't do it again!" the man beside him spoke.

"We promise!" added by the other one.

Zhao stared at the dunce mortals before her. They were so obsolete; she wanted to retch in humiliation. `The underworld had no idea of what kind of men they were taking.' She sighed, initiated to walk pass through them. "Move aside! I don't have any particular business with you." She left leaving those four men in their angry frowns.

"Tch! Never expected a beautiful woman like her could act so barbarous. It's not because she's one of our seniors means she can treat us like dogs!" the man blurt out.

"Huh! Let's see about that. She'll pay for this someday... you'll see..."

~**~

"What?! Kenshin's gone?" Almost tripping off from his feet as Misao tried to explain the sudden news. Yahiko just watched them talked while him being all-cautious to himself since he's not completely healed yet.

"Umn. Those people living near his hut told me that." Tsubame sadly replied.

"Sh*t!" Sano cursed, "Damn it! Where in places would he be gone to?"

Tsubame shook her head in dismay, "I'm sorry but I have no idea where. All I know is... he was taken by that woman whose been taking care of him in Rakuninmura."

"Who? That woman named Zhao?"

"You know her?" Misao asked.

Sano placed a finger in his chin more like thinking of that day he met that woman, "I saw her from the last day I visited Kenshin." He said.

"Sanosuke... well, it's better to introduce myself also. I'm Zhao."

"Zhao? Quite strange for a Japanese name."

"You're right about that. I'm a mandarin, I came from Shanghai."

Sano's eyes went wide as Zhao last words echoed in his mind. `I'm a mandarin, I came from Shanghai.' He snapped his fingers all of a sudden. "That's it!"

"That's what?" Misao asked, perplexed in his actions.

"Shanghai!" he yelled and quickly ranned off from the room.

"M- mate iyo, roosterhead!!!" Misao screamed back, rushing next to him leaving the room and Tsubame a hail.

Tsubame blinked in wonderment, "What was that?" she asked as Yahiko sighs, shaking his head in quandary.

~**~