Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Seisou Hen ❯ Bid Farewell ( Chapter 20 )

Act 20: Bid farewell

"I cannot believe this!" Enishi howled out right when Pha-ra had started to explain each detail. The fact that seeing Hajime Saitou inside the meeting room of the auction house completely stirred him, which made Enishi to ask ponderous questions on Lin.

"Officer Hajime Saitou is one of my contacts in Japan. He's a great friend of mine and also the one who had save me out from danger." Pha-ra watched the bewildered executioner walk back and forth in front of him. Saitou still had that staid face, standing still in front of Pha-ra's desk. He was in perfect time to show up right after Enishi related everything that had happened between him and the man Zhao had kept forbiddingly. First, Lin gotten angry for keeping such an act behind his shadows with Kaoru being Enishi's fraud wife until Saitou came and started to add more elucidation.

"Damn hell! I had been trying to kill him and all along he was an acquaintance of my boss?" he flared out a stare on Hajime who which was chuckling evilly to him self.

"You had been too reckless Enishi that's why you're entering such puzzlement's. How dare you lie to me! I am almost your father and you even ventured to make up some lies. Like for example you being married to my daughter!"

Enishi looked at him angrily, "I did that because I was afraid you people would do something displeasing to her. It is said in the codes that I am not supposed to bring a stranger inside the sanctuary."

"Then you're saying that you did the same way as what Zhao did with this- this battousai you had been talking about."

"Look! If I hadn't brought Kaoru here, you wouldn't have the chance to meet her again. Isn't that enough for an explanation?"

Lin didn't answered. In stead, he held back his anger and sat back to his chair. "You're really stubborn boy. I don't know what to do with you…" he can't stay mad at him. He was almost his real son and he treasures him on that fact. Add to that, his Mafia was in deep trouble and there's not enough time to discuss these things.

Enishi smirked, "Same to you geezer." He raised his head and glared at Saitou, "I never remembered Pha-ra being saved by one of the Shinsengumi."

"It's a long story to tell." Saitou responded. He saw Enishi scowled as he leans against the wall in crossed arms. "So, what the hell are you doing here? Any particular business besides from telling my ratified father that I was telling lies?" he taunted out.

"Nothing much," he puffs out a smoke, "Just visiting an old friend."

Enishi frowned more; "Do you expect me to believe that?"

"I guess."

Enishi almost lose his cool until he returned back to his composure. "I'm sure you're trying to take her away. I'm telling you, if you're planning to kill us all, that won't do enough."

Saitou laughed, "Do you think I'm crazy enough to do that? Himura and me are lying in the same line of strength and ability in sword fighting. I witnessed how you easily defeated the ex-hitokiri, which won't drive me to try any further actions against you. And besides, I didn't know the fact that Kaoru was the daughter of a well-known Mafia commander here in China." He crushed the cigar in his fingers and returned a fiendish stare in Enishi's doubtful eyes. He didn't trust him. It seems his wolf-like eyes drive him to the point of killing him. He disgusts people who think they can mess up with much more potent warriors such as him. In short, he despise him.

They kept quiet for a moment until suddenly, someone started to knock on the wooden door. They all looked at the wooden plank until they finally heard enough of knocking outside. Kam sighed and opened it.

Much to their surprise, they saw Kaoru and Misao in front of the doorway. Enishi caught a sight of his beloved and quickly made his way to take the trembling woman in his arms. "Kaoru? What the hell are you doing here?" he asked in a fretting way of speaking. She was trembling against him, which worried him more. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"They're inside the sanctuary! Aren't you guys going to do anything?" she asked with her voice doddering in fear.

"We will, koishii. We're just discussing some things." He hissed to soothe her down. "It's okay… it'll be alright…" much to his surprise, Kaoru jarred her head furiously. "No! They're inside! Sano and Aoshi was almost killed by them."

Saitou looked at Misao, "They're with you?" he asked.

Misao nodded, "They fought each hoodlums outside just to let us reach this room."

With that, Saitou glanced back to Pha-ra who was starting to observe the situation.

"I do think we should do something now." Kam suggested.

Kaoru was held tightly against Enishi as he starts to pat her back, "Shh… calm down…"

"Don't let them die… please… I'm begging you… go help them please…" she started to cry in worry. The tension was too much and she couldn't help but to sob out the pain she was feeling. In split seconds the door was easily demolished a swarm of ninjas appeared in the room.

When the first three ninja made their move to kill Lin, Lei and Kam came forth and fought with them. Saitou drawn his Katana and joined the battle while Misao threw kunais in her hands. "These are those shameless ninjas who attacked the auction house before!" Misao used her high somersaults, killing the enemies through air.

Enishi drew his watou, taking Kaoru behind him. "Stay behind me!" he started to rip a few ninjas, slashing their guts, slitting their throats, beheading them. Kaoru shut her eyes off just for her not to see this amoral sight. Just when Enishi was finished with another couple of foes, he quickly swept Kaoru in his arms and took her near the corner of the room. She could not almost breath as if she was near death in suffocation.

But the `bloc of doom' was too good for them. Especially when Pha-ra stood from his stool and tried to slay. Saitou was doing good in his sword fighting while Misao keep her guard by doing her precision drillings.

Enishi was too busy in doing some slaughtering that he didn't noticed he was moving a bit too far from Kaoru. Kaoru was alone of the corner, hearing her heart beat so fast. How she wished to help them yet she couldn't find anything-capable stick to be her sword. She had to think of something or she'll quickly die in here. Luckily, she found a metal rod used to transfer coal to the cozy fireplace. A smile crept in her face and quickly took the billet in her hands. She did some little training since she left her dojo yet Enishi did teach her a thing or two. "This will do." She said and then she run to the crowd and started to defeat some rebels.

Lei saw her do some moves which quite surprised him he approach Kaoru and initiate to fight with her. "I didn't know you know how to use some good sword fighting." He scoffed and laughed.

Kaoru smirked at him as she finishes a sole thump on the ninja's head. "I'm no different from Misao, but I'll tell you what. The moment I take the ribbon out of my hair and change into this uniform, gender no longer matters to me and my mind and body becomes focused on the battle. If you think about it, I might not be so different from you either." She definitely loves that statement she made. She didn't expect to say such words.

Lei laughed more as he nods and taps the girl's back. "I'm impressed. I might as well use your abilities." With that, they had their separate courses of killing having almost half of the mob down to their death.

Enishi noticed that Kaoru wasn't standing any longer at the corner so he didn't spare a minute and started to search for her. "Kaoru??" he called out and perfectly, Kaoru immediately found Enishi. They both tried to reach other's presence, avoiding some upcoming dangers. They thought they were safe when suddenly, "Kaoru! Behind you!!!" Enishi yelled out when he caught a sight of a ninja verging near behind Kaoru.

Just before she could glance at the person, the ninja promptly stab her in the back. She winced out in pain as the blade gone deeper to her flesh. She could feel it rip her severely.

"Shit!" Enishi rush his way to reach her.

Misao saw what the foe did with Kaoru so she quickly threw kunais on the person's back. The man was in pain and went dead on the ground, joining the cold corpses. She cried Kaoru's name and went to go towards her.

She fell lifelessly on the floor with a bleeding back. It was too painful, she can't hide the agony and tears in her eyes. "Oh God… no…" she uttered breathlessly. Strange yet her vision started to blur. It seems she's getting all tipsy and light-headed, she was swoon from the aching wound. Everything seems to be in slow motion. She can't even fathom what was happening around her.

Enishi reached her first and she completely fell down to his arms. "Kaoru!" he exclaimed out in fright. She looks so pale and weak and this made Enishi dread more. He was starting to panic on what to do since the woman he loves was almost dying against him. "Don't die! Please. Hold on…" he made her lie against his body as he tries to pull out the dagger out from her body. Out of patience, he immediately pulled it off as Kaoru jerk out and cried out in pain. "Shh… it's okay Kaoru. Please, hold on, please?" he caressed her raven hair as he hears her breath heavily. "Enishi… I think I'm going to die…" she uttered sickly.

"No… don't talk. You'll lose your energy." He hissed out and finally decided to take her into his arms. Misao approached him who which looked so worried in how Kaoru appears right now.

"Is… is she okay?" Misao asked care-worn.

Enishi was trembling. He had no idea what to do. All he needed was to save Kaoru from death. She can't die and she can't live him all alone. Not again. He won't lose the sole person he loves just what had happened before. She needed to survive. So, he motioned his head to the others as a sign of fleeting away. The ninja's were almost finished yet there were countless more that was trying to join the combat. Then, they all squirmed through the herd of beast and escaped the meeting room.

They dash their way off to some safe place, which they couldn't find in the moment. Every place was surrounded with Mao's subordinates being defeated by Pha-ra's menials. On their way of fleeting, Saitou caught a sight of Sano and Aoshi who was quite wounded by now. The two joined the group and finally found a sole aisle behind the huge verandas while Pha-ra, Lei, Kam and also Saitou headed back to kill some more.

Enishi placed her down against the wall letting her backrest against it. Her eyes were heavy lidded in feebleness, she was too weak to speak.

"WHAT happened?! What did you do to her??" Sano unexpectedly blurt out when he saw Kaoru. He never expected to see her in this state. He went to her side and cuddles her tightly. He could see pain flickering in her eyes. "Kaoru? Kaoru, are you alright? Answer me, please…" he didn't get any response yet she put a grip in his arm, signifying for him not to worry.

"Some ninja stab her at the back. After that, she turned all wobbly all of a sudden." Misao mouthed out nervously.

"Stabbed? Then, where's the knife?" Aoshi asked. Misao took the blood tinted lancet and handed it to him. After taking a small observation over the blade, he found something adverse on it. His face turned serious than usual and every one of them had noticed it. "What is it Aoshi-sama?" Misao asked, quite lug in discomfiture.

"The blade had been lubricated by a strong poison I suppose." Right after when he had said those words, all of their postures remised.

"N… no… you're joking are you?" Misao almost cried in her tone. Aoshi didn't answered which made things more complicated, "H… how are we supposed to cure it? Every poison had its antidote!" finally she snaps out and started to cry. She looked at Kaoru who was much more half-conscious. "no… she can't die…"

Enishi took his head away, holding his head in disgrace. How miserable he was in thinking of why did he let anyone get near her. It wasn't only him who had thought about it when Sano came to grab him by the collar of his tunic. "Shit! Why did you abandon her?? I thought you love her, how come you let some man go and stab her, huh? Answer me!" he scolded hardly in front of Enishi's face who appears so devastated by the moment. "You bastard! C'mon, look at her! Look at her!" Sano let Enishi's head threw at the spot where Misao was holding Kaoru. He didn't know, yet it seems he was swoon from the situation. He couldn't even let out a single word to oppose. Sano almost cursed an another word in anger. "She's dying… because of you and your bullsh*t!" he threw a punch on him, driving Enishi back against the wall. When he had felt that tinge of pang on his cheek, he didn't waste a minute and quickly returned him with a nice, smooth high kick, tossing Sano on the other side. Just as when Sano was about to exchange punches with him, Misao stepped between them.

"Stop it! This won't do any better!" she yelled out angrily. "It's more applicable if we get her out of here and take her to the doctor!"

Sano sighed and nodded while Enishi wipes the blood dripping from his mouth. "I think so too." Enishi had spoken buoyantly.

"So, how are we supposed to take her to the doctor?" Misao asked.

Before he could answer such question a sole figure came appearing, "Enishi, we have to go." a breathless Kam appeared as his gasping voice attracted each and every one's attention. "The whole building's surrounded by an angry mob of mutiny. Pha-ra and the other's headed to fetch Chiang Chi'ng. We need to get out of here."

"Where are we going?" Enishi asked out in awe. He never expected to flee away from the enemies so soon. `Bloc of doom' wasn't made to retreat from any adversaries. What would make Pha-ra to think such a cacophonous conception?

"We'll take the corner passage. It'll lead us to the dock…" somewhat, his voice turned flat when his eyes suddenly caught a sight of a fragile form of Kaoru lying in Misao's arms. Sano stuck in into the conversation and took Enishi's baffled attention. "Whatever in tarnations you two are talking about, better make up your minds now. We need to take Kaoru to the doctor for cryin' out loud!"

Luckily, Sano's earsplitting voice made Enishi to snap back to reality and nodded his head as an equivocal reply. Even if things were made to be chaotic at this very moment, hell sure he wouldn't let his wife suffer much longer from her agony.

He went towards to where Kaoru lays and went to scoop her into his arms as he exclaimed, "Let's go."

~**~

Beneath the deep bombardment of conflagrations, two figures came emerging with contented expressions plastered upon their faces.

"They're all gone father… should we go after them?" Mao's son, Yao Wan-yen stood forth as his eyes came skimming the whole charred hall. He could sense death had conquered the whole area, meaning that's no one left living at this very moment.

Mao made a small penetrating stare upon the sight with the idea of his target getting the chance to escape his indignation. They may have probably taken the very same reason why they had came. "No… let them escape. I'm sure those parasites knew the possibilities that we may still track them all down."

Yao nod off; "I guess so. But still, I think we should have kept this place to our selves." He said out in complete inquietude. God knows how much he had been persuading his father to take and own this colossal auction house. But as what was expected, Mao refused as to bear in mind that everything was purchased by Lin Piao, the man he abhors.

"I think we should depart. This spectacle is enough for me to see." Mao turned his ankle and sauntered off with his son following his trail. Everything seems to be working just as what was in his plans.

~**~

Fortunately they had reached the arcane burrow right beneath the auction house. There was a conveyance waiting outside as they run their way and arranged everything. Enishi brought her inside the stagecoach, laying her down to the stall.

"Enishi…" she softly called his name. He looked down at her with his hand tightly gripping hers as if they never wanted to isolate each other. She could see sadness through his eyes again, which made more tears flow down to her cheeks. Enishi hissed and kissed her tears away, "Don't cry my love. Please." The words were painful and she couldn't even bear to hear his rueful voice.

Kaoru shook her head and even cried more. She couldn't hold the tears back. She really wanted to weep. "Gomen… Gomen nasai…"

"No… forgive me Kaoru. I should have protected you…"

With a small, painfull smile, Kaoru reached out and touch his face with her pale, soft hand. "Don't blame your self… it's not your fault." With her gentle caress, Enishi clutched her hand and squeezed it mildly. How could he let someone hurt her like this? He had always promised to protect her, to coat her away from any harm… and now, all he could see was failure. He failed to his pledge causing to have the woman he loves in his arms, frail and crying.

Just as then, four figures entered the conveyance as they all find their places to seat. Misao directly went beside the ailing Kaoru while the others took the other side. Enishi noticed the presence of Saitou inside, he raised his eyes and looked at the pair of golden ones before him, "Where's the others?" he adamantly asked.

"They took the other route to the next town. Kam's taking us to the wharf." Saitou shrewdly answered.

"Why are we going to the port?" it doesn't make any sense. Why would the group separate and take detours? Might be one of Pha-ra's raucous schemes.

"Lin wants us to return to Japan for the time being. He and Lei will head to the next town to speak with one of his colleagues about the current situation of your syndicate." And then, the carriage started to move and accelerated away from the burning lair.

Enishi took his palm and threw it in his face. He was worried about what circumstances those two may face especially having Chiang Chi'ng with them. Mao took the coalition's existence and he possibly will use it against the government and allure their reliance with them. Once Mao takes the whole control around Shanghai, he would do anything to track down the remaining segments of the underworld organization… and Pha-ra's no exception to it.

Raising his head, he took one last glance upon the windowpane and stared at the inflamed edifice. It appears like this'll be the last time he'll ever see the place he used to call home. With the light breeze of the blistering air, he ungrammatically whispered, "Farewell…" and everything started vanished away.

~Owari~

Epilogue

A year had passed since the terrible incident happened and yet everything turned out just fine, rather unexpected to happen eventually. Because of Lin Piao's keen schemes, Mao's rebellion finally came to its end from the noted date of February 19, 1880, releasing everyone to their liberty. The old auction house was left burnt and everything the Syndicate had constructed was all transferred to Hong Kong. Enishi and Kaoru, who was quite round in shape because of pregnancy returned and been able to meet Zhao and Kenshin once again. After having such accurate talk with the rurouni and even parted their grieves to each other, Kaoru finally found peace just to know that this huge burden she had been carrying on her shoulders were all long gone. Eight months had gone and Kaoru gave birth to a healthy young boy. Not in her life did she felt such satisfaction... and in fact, there's a sole person she wanted to thank because of all of this beatitude...

Her beloved husband... the Tora.

A/N: (",) Hope you liked it!!!