Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Slumbering City ❯ When Pigs Fly ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me.

AN: Thanks for all of the great comments!

Thanks to Elley for the editing help and Ravyn for bribes!

The Slumbering City

By Indygodusk

Chapter 7: When Pigs Fly

Water dripped from the bathroom faucet in a steady rhythm. Safely ensconced behind the bathroom door, Kaoru grabbed a fluffy towel off the rack and allowed her body to slide down the wall until she was sitting on the cool tile. Then she took a deep breath, buried her face in the towel, and screamed, muffling her yell of frustrated confusion into the terrycloth.

Finally she lifted her head. It was amazing how great a stress reliever screaming could be. Breathing heavily, she cocked her head to see if Megumi had heard and come running. Only the sound of the toaster popping in the kitchen reached her ears. Feeling better, she stood up, used the toilet, and washed her hands and face.

Although her face now felt clean and shiny, her scalp itched. Poking at the pile of dirty and shapeless clothing that comprised her disguise, her face twisted into a moue of discontent. Being a fugitive really sucks.

Mentally counting back the hours, Kaoru realized that she hadn't taken a shower in over two days. Two days of grubbing in a garden, getting splattered with hazelnut chocolate sauce, making out with -you mean escaping from- Kenshin, and then running nonstop around the city. Greasy looking hair and an unpleasant whiff of her underarms further corroborated her math.

Yesterday, Sano had promised that they'd be more difficult to catch than greased pigs. Kaoru hadn't realized how literal the analogy had become. How can Megumi look so good when I look like this? I am a greased pig! Maybe she should let herself be captured. One glance - oh, who was she kidding? - One whiff and Kenshin would be more than happy to have her go far away.

It was tempting, but…. Come on, Kamiya, where's your self respect? Do you really want him to see you as a stinky greased pig? Do you really want to go out in public while smelling like this?

Firming her lips, Kaoru grabbed the hem of her shirt. A jingle of keys sounded in the outer room, followed by Sano's voice. She was out of time. No way could she take a full body shower, but maybe if she was quick…. Flinging off her clothing as quickly as possible, Kaoru wet a washcloth with soap and frantically scrubbed her sweaty body.

A fist pounded against the bathroom door. “You done in there, Jou-chan? We gotta get goin'! The hounds are closin' in.”

Soaking the hand towel, she wiped off the soapy bubbles in three long swipes. She almost fell over trying to dry herself off and slip on her underwear at the same time - her old underwear. Grimacing as her clean feeling faded, she shimmied back into her jeans and shirt. “I'm coming, just a second!” Raking her hair back into a ponytail, she opened the door.

A short, attractive man with sandy blond hair stood next to the window. Kaoru had met Hiroshi briefly the night before when he'd given them the key to this place. “I can see that security man in the trench coat standing outside.”

“Shinomori,” Sano growled and moved over next to his friend to get a look

“No way can we make it out the front door without being seen.” A frown wrinkled his face.

Megumi sidled up to where Kaoru was slipping on her red leather sandals and handed her a cup of tea and a toasted English muffin filled with egg and cheese. The men were over strategizing by the window. Between bites and gulps, Kaoru asked, “You actually had time to make all of this?”

“What can I say?” Megumi replied with a flip of her hair as she slid on her heels. “Anything I do, I do efficiently and well.” Looking Kaoru up and down, the doctor let loose an exasperated sigh. “Kaoru, you forgot to put on your disguise!”

Jogging into the kitchen, Kaoru dumped the last bit of her tea down the drain and put down the mug. Slightly scalded lips stretched around the last bite of her breakfast sandwich. “Fa'wy,” she mumbled through a mouth full of food. She swallowed. “I got distracted by Sano's knocking. Let me go grab them.”

“There's no time now,” the doctor exclaimed and dragged her to the door.

“Come on, Ladies,” Hiroshi said as he ushered them into the brightly lit hallway. “He's coming up the walkway.” Closing the door, he pointed to the right. “The back door's been broken for months. Most people forget it's even there. If we can wedge it open, we should be able to escape that way.”

Despite the fact that they were forced to flee down the rose and cream carpeted hallway, Megumi still found the breath to criticize. “Isn't a broken door against fire code?”

“How can you think about fire code at a time like this?” Sano complained as he ran.

When they reached the end of the hallway, Hiroshi stumbled, stunned at the sight before them. “My door!” he exclaimed with a happy smile. It lit up his face and revealed two enticing dimples.

Kaoru didn't know what he'd been expecting, but apparently it was a lot less grand than what they found. The magic must have fixed the broken-down doorway and turned it into this window lined portal flanked by majestic stone columns. “Please visit my other places too, Sano. Anytime, really!” Hiroshi patted Sano jovially on the back.

The big man barely moved. Sano just scowled at the door. “This isn't exactly a discrete exit anymore.” Motioning the others to stay away from the windows, Sano sidled up and peeked around the wine-colored curtains. “I think it's clear.” He whispered.

Considering they'd been rather noisy as they ran down the corridor, Kaoru didn't know why he'd suddenly switched to quiet now. Better late than never, I guess.

Suddenly, Sano cursed and pulled his face away from the glass. “There are two women moving up the lane. No uniforms, but I can recognize military training from a mile away. They have to be with Shinomori.”

Hiroshi frowned. “Then it's either back to the apartment or up to the roof.”

“Up,” Sano ordered, pushing Megumi towards the stairs.

When they reached the top, Hiroshi pulled out a large ring of keys. After rejecting several, he chose one that, as far as Kaoru could tell, looked identical to its brothers and inserted it into the lock. The gray metal door swung open with nary a creak. Thanks to the magic, no doubt. Kaoru was proud to note that while Hiroshi and Megumi were panting at the exertion of the climb, she'd managed it in high-heeled sandals while barely breaking a sweat. Sano looked to be in similarly good condition.

The roof was bordered by a filigreed metal railing about two feet high. Except for the looming geometry of exhaust vents and fans, the area looked to be empty. “Now what?” Kaoru asked.

“We wait and hope they don't find us,” Hiroshi answered.

Sano loomed over the smaller man. “Wait? Are you telling me you led us up here with no way to escape?”

Hiroshi laughed nervously. “Technically, you led us up here Sano. I just supplied the directions.”

A growl escaped Sano's throat. “Well I wouldn't have chosen this option if I'd known it was a dead end!”

“Well we wouldn't be stuck up here if you would have just done what I suggested this morning.”

“Left them with you? You're kidding, right?”

“With your height and that crazy hair, you stick out around here. I blend in! And there's nothing unusual about a threesome having fun at a love hotel and needing to escape official scrutiny. I could have gotten them out.”
Kaoru's jaw dropped. “Love hotel? Threesome!” Neither man answered, too caught up in their argument.

“You just wanted a chance to grope my girls. Your plan never would have worked!” Sano practically shouted.

“Your girls?” yelped Kaoru.

“You're just jealous that I had a plan. This is just like that waitress last year. You're still smarting over the fact that women find me more attractive than you,” Hiroshi fired back.

“You got her drunk, that doesn't count!”

“Boys!” Megumi's irritated tone sliced through their argument. “Please, I am drowning in testosterone here.”

Hiroshi sent her a cheeky grin. "Well, luckily for you, you're equipped with flotation devices."

Whatever Megumi might have said next was lost as Sano tackled Hiroshi to the ground. As the two men tumbled across the roof, Kaoru and Megumi sat down with their backs against a vent. Eyes meeting, they both cracked up. Maybe it was Hiroshi's words, or the oddness of their situation, but whatever the case, both women felt better after the release of tension.

“So,” Megumi began, “once you escape the city, what will you do?”

Kaoru words trickled out slowly, “Go back home, I guess.”

“You probably won't have to worry about unbound magic back home. After talking to sentient buildings, arguing with mages, and dodging policemen, I'm sure it will be a relief. Soon things will be back to normal.” Megumi said.

“Sure,” Kaoru answered hollowly. Said out loud like that, normal suddenly sounds so, well, bland.

Hearing Kaoru's tone of voice, her friend sent her a sharp look. “That is what you want, isn't it? A life away from magic and Lord Battousai?” Kaoru didn't answer. Megumi cocked her head, “Or is something else the problem?”

“He,” Kaoru hesitated as she looked into Megumi's knowing eyes, and then away quickly. “Lord Battousai would want me to become some grand lady. He would want someone who could be the perfect public figure, someone gracious and refined who'd love to host big parties and parades. That's not me.” Kaoru picked at the fraying hem of her jeans. “He wouldn't want me.”

“Did he say that? About what he wants?” Anger added a snap to Megumi's tone of voice.

Kaoru twisted the white and blue threads tightly around her index finger. “Not exactly,” she answered softly, “but I heard two women outside my door talking that morning. They made sense… and I'm sure they know him better than I do.” Releasing her finger from the threads, Kaoru watched with detached fascination as blood rushed back into the whitened fingertip.

From the corner of her eye, Kaoru saw Megumi shift position to look at her profile, trying to catch her eye. “Do they have soul bonds with him, too?”

Kaoru answered peevishly, “Of course not,” avoiding her friend's eyes.

“Then how would they know him better than you?” Kaoru didn't have an answer for that. “Does the soul bond tell you he wants you to change? That he doesn't want the real you?” Megumi pressed.

At her questions, the Kenshin presence in Kaoru's mind swelled. It had been quiet all morning, but now it burst across her mind like a warm wave. `WANTyouasyou perfectyoulove MINE koi…KOIpleaseplease.' His overlapping words ebbed and swelled like the tide; resounded through her mind like a chorus singing hymns of praise beneath a marble dome. He sounded of velvet caresses and chocolate kisses, of scented candles and steaming hot springs. For one perfect moment Kaoru became suspended in a spell comprised of gossamer sound and emotion.

“Kaoru?” Megumi's voice broke her delicate trance and Kaoru looked up. She knew her eyes were wide and vulnerable.

She didn't want to be vulnerable, hated it in fact, but this was her best friend. She trusted Megumi. Kaoru's voice wobbled as she forced herself to answer, “N-no. The bond says he wants me. He says, but what if-”

A soft finger stopped Kaoru from voicing her fears. “Sweetheart, that man is tearing the city apart looking for you. He kidnapped me and had me locked in Sano's apartment just to get you alone. I think he even roughed up his head of security when he found out you'd gotten away. He was so upset that when you left him that the entire city shook. Trust me, he wants you. And,” Megumi moved her finger down from Kaoru's mouth to tap her on the chest, or more specifically, to tap her golden koi necklace. “Considering how you keep caressing this little trinket, I think you care more than a little bit about him too.”

Kaoru tilted her chin stubbornly. “I do not. How could I? We just met. I'm sure he'll get over me soon. He'll probably forget about me by tomorrow and move on to some other woman.”

A skeptical look graced Megumi's face and arched one raven brow. “Everything I've heard labels him as an honorable man who doesn't make promises lightly. When he does, he always follows through. Always.” She paused a moment to let her words sink in. “I've never heard his name linked seriously with another woman's. Actually, none of the Battousai Lords have been womanizers. The only woman I can even think of that's been linked to that house is the Lady Tomoe, wife of the very first Lord Battousai.” A frown wrinkled her brow. “Which makes you wonder where the children for each new generation came from, since gossip is usually pretty reliable in this town… but then again that family has always been shrouded in secrets.”

Kaoru mumbled something under her breath, but her words were too soft to hear over the sound of the men's wrestling getting closer.

Megumi snapped at them, “Keep it down. We're hiding up here, remember?” Then she turned back to Kaoru. “Now, say that again?”

“He is the first.” Seeing Megumi's incomprehension, Kaoru expanded. “Kenshin, he is the first Lord Battousai.”

Surprise had the doctor opening and closing her mouth several times before finally deciding on something to say. “Well, he's certainly the sexiest old man I've ever met. Think he'd share his beauty secrets?”

“Megumi!” Kaoru growled at her smirking friend.

“It also makes me wonder how long it's been since he's relieved all of that... pent up passion. Would you say he's lost his touch?” A strangled sound escaped Kaoru's throat. “Do you think he needs a tutor to refresh his knowledge of the basics? Free of charge, of course,” Megumi purred.

Only long association with Kaoru allowed Megumi to dodge her enraged charge and flailing fists. Quickly backing up, the doctor held out her hands soothingly. “Now calm down. I'm already married, remember? No need to worry.” Kaoru's expression still simmered with incensed jealousy. The foxy doctor sat back down saucily and sent her a coy smile. “And I think that little demonstration proves that you do care.”

Glaring, Kaoru plopped down next to Megumi in grudging acknowledgement of her claim. Megumi smiled and continued her argument. “Your Kenshin is the premier magic user in this city, probably the entire country. If you've gotten that much information out of your bond with your limited knowledge of magic, just imagine all the things he knows from your side. After forty-eight hours, he can probably recite the age, species, and eulogy for every pet you've ever owned. I'm sure he knows you quite well by now.”

Kaoru gasped. She hadn't even thought of that. “That- that's an invasion of my privacy! How dare he!”

“As if you haven't been doing the same thing, just less expertly,” Megumi chuckled at the sour look on her friend's face, but soon sobered. “What do you want, Kaoru? Do you want to go home, back to a life without all this crazy magic... or do you want to stay? Stay here in the city with me and Sano… and your Kenshin?”

A soft breeze tugged wisps of hair free from Kaoru's braid, tickling them across her cheeks. Staring off into the distance, Kaoru nibbled thoughtfully on her lower lip. “I want,” her wavering voice leveled out and became stronger. “I want,” her steely gaze locked onto Megumi's face. “I want to stay.” Kaoru smiled. “I want to knock that man over the head with my shinai, sit on his stomach, and force him to make the buildings stop trying to swallow me. Then I'd,” a blush stole over Kaoru's cheeks and she coughed into her hand. Slanting a glance at Megumi she finished primly, “I'd give him a piece of my mind.”

“I'm sure you'd like to give him a piece of something,” her friend alleged slyly. Dodging Kaoru's retaliatory swat, Megumi stood up and dusted off the seat of her pants. “Well, what are we going to do about it?” she asked.

Standing up, Kaoru squinted into the sun as she looked off in the direction of Kenshin's mansion in the center of the city. “I am going to go back. You are going to keep Shinomori off my trail long enough for me to do this my way.” She stated firmly, clenching her hands at her sides. “First I'm going to punish Kenshin. Then we are going to talk, and if I don't like his answers, I'm out of here for good.”

“And if you do like his answers?” Megumi asked with a half-smile.

“If I do,” Kaoru took a deep, fortifying breath, “then you'll be my bridesmaid at the wedding.” Her features subtly tightened, “Our small, private wedding.”

The doorknob suddenly turned and rattled. It was locked, but someone didn't seem to care. The door shook a few times as if someone was trying to force it, and then there was silence. Sano jumped up off of Hiroshi and braced his back against the door. Leaning an ear against it, he listened intently. Then he looked up and mouthed, `Picking the lock.'

Placing her hands on her hips, Kaoru scowled. “I am not an animal to be hunted and trapped. It is time Lord Battousai and his minions realize that.” Marching to the edge of the building, Kaoru put one scarlet leather sandal up on the railing and leapt over the side.

“Kaoru!” Megumi shrieked and ran to the place where her best friend had just jumped off. Heart in her throat, she looked over the edge. Then she collapsed onto her knees.

A thin metal walkway now arched across to the neighboring building. Kaoru was already a third of the way across. She had scared Megumi to death, but she was fine.

“Jou-chan?” Sano asked hesitantly.

“She's fine. There's a bridge. Just keep that door shut!” Megumi told her husband breathlessly. Hiroshi joined him in bracing the door.

As Kaoru made her way slowly but steadily across the metal beam, everything was fine. She just pretended that she was walking along a three foot tall wall instead of a thin piece of metal suspended over fifty feet up in the air. Then her heel landed on a seam and her ankle rolled.

Distantly she heard Megumi gasp in horror, but she was too busy straddling the beam, pale faced and white-knuckled, trying not to fall off or faint. She felt lightheaded. `BREATHE!' ordered the Kenshin voice in her mind with startling clarity. Forcing her body to take a deep breath, she tried to focus on her chipped nails instead of the ground so far below.

“Okay, Kaoru, you can do this,” she whispered encouragingly to herself. “You made this bridge and you are going to successfully escape.” Relaxing her fingers, she carefully stood back up and locked her ankles. “By the end of the day, you are going to punish the bad guy and kiss the hero, who is the same person. But that's okay.” Taking a small, shuffling step, she kept up her monologue. “Plus, you're wearing scarlet leather. That's powerful and sexy, which means your feet are too powerful and sexy to slip again on this beam.”

From the corner of her eye, she noticed the other building getting closer. “This is just like walking across the railing of a fence back home. Just like a railing….” Kaoru stopped and forcibly resisted the urge to slap herself on the forehead. Did I or did I not make this bridge? The devil's in the details.

“I'd like a railing on my bridge, please,” she asked the magic nicely. Manners never hurt anyone, and the past couple of days had taught her not to underestimate the attitude and touchiness of supposedly non-sentient edifices. Since this neighborhood was filled with puppy magic, she probably didn't have to worry too much. But better to start out as you intended to continue. Kaoru felt a tingling thrum of fur and sunlight, and suddenly her body was bracketed by two smooth metal railings.

Smiling, she confidently walked the last four feet to the roof of the next building. As soon as she stepped off, the bridge and its railings winked out of existence. Now that she'd figured out a safer method of transportation, she made good time to the edge of the district. When she got far enough away that she didn't see any policemen or suspicious figures below, she formed a ladder to take her to the ground.

Stepping down lightly into an alley, Kaoru dusted her hands off and watched the last evidence of her escape route dissipate. “Alright, sexy shoes,” she announced. “Time to strut your stuff!” Heels clicking on the asphalt, she made a beeline for the street and the Battousai mansion a few miles away.

Acknowledging the bows and salutes as he entered his mansion, Kenshin masked his weariness with a confident and seemingly tireless stride. No one needed to know how close to collapse he truly was, or how low his magical reserves had gotten. A touch to a wooden support pillar confirmed that none of the security spells had been triggered while he'd been gone. Thus assured, he continued towards his bed.

Rounding the corner, he saw Misao sitting next to his door. He was pleased to see that she looked none the worse for wear after their confrontation two nights ago. A large, bright pink bubble was growing out of her mouth. When it reached roughly the size of her head, it popped. Peeling the strands off her nose and cheeks, she plopped them back into her mouth and continued to chew. Purposely scuffing his foot against the floor, Kenshin caught her attention. The ninja, secretary, and sometimes tour guide jumped to her feet.

“Lord Battousai, welcome home,” she chirped cheerfully with a slight blush. Her smile dimmed slightly as she looked him over, perhaps because he was alone or perhaps because of the bruised look in his eyes.

“Do you have important news, Makimachi-san, or can this business wait?” Kenshin asked. His limbs felt leaden with exhaustion. If there'd been another crisis, he worried whether he'd be up to it. Yet duty was duty.

“No emergencies, my lord. Just a few updates,” she explained apologetically. Kenshin sighed in relief. “Saitou-san returned from the council meeting. I can schedule his final debriefing either tonight or tomorrow. Aoshi-sama also reports that several captures were made just a few minutes ago.”

Kenshin grabbed her arm as he hopefully demanded, “Kaoru?”

The ninja girl looked down at his hold and swallowed. “I'm sorry, she's still missing.” Kenshin carefully released her arm and composed his expression. “But our forces captured her companions Takani Megumi and Sagara Sanosuke. From what we can discover, she escaped right before Aoshi-sama cornered them on a roof. Kamiya-san must have used magic to somehow escape, my lord.”

Kenshin could feel his shoulders trying to slump as her explanation drew on. Drawing on the last of his reserves of energy, he straightened his posture and nonchalantly crossed his arms. As Misao delivered a few more bits of information about other problems currently under investigation, he found his mind blanking. Nevertheless, he made sure that part of his mind recorded her words for playback later.

Right now, he didn't have the power to pay attention. Having his hopes raised so suddenly, only to be plummeted right back down into the dark abyss, had overtaxed his weary body and mind. In his weary state, he broodingly wondered if pigs would fly before he had Kaoru back in his arms again. Then again, he was a magician wasn't he? Kenshin had never tried to give a pig wings before, but maybe a flotation spell…?

Looking up, he realized Misao had stopped talking and was waiting for further instruction. Shaking his head loose of silly plans, he tried to remember what he needed to say. I need sleep. “Thank you Makimachi-san. I'll be resting in my quarters. Wake me if there's any more news.” Kenshin made sure to keep his shoulders straight and his stride firm as he walked into his room and closed the door.

Only when he reached the sanctuary of his private rooms did he allow his chin to drop and his steps to drag. Although his vision was blurring, Kenshin took the time to retrieve Kaoru's cross embroidered sock from his pocket, fold it carefully, and set it on his nightstand. Her pair of sneakers rested next to it on the floor. These small mementos were the physical remnants of her flight from him. I will return them to her… personally.

Pulling his shirt over his head, Kenshin wondered if she'd kept his present. Was it too much to hope for that she wore it despite her flight? Stripping down, Kenshin folded his dirty clothes and placed them in a hamper. Then he crawled wearily into his cool silken sheets and gave himself permission to dream, just a little.

In his mind he imagined Kaoru standing in his garden, highlighted by the sunbeams bouncing off his reflecting pool. She looked beautiful. At his approach, she turned with a delighted smile and stretched out her hands in welcome. The sunlight streaming through her clothes emphasized the soft curves of her body. As he grasped her fingers and drew her pliant body against his chest, her honeyed lips met his in a loving kiss.

When they finally parted for air, she leaned back in his arms and smiled dreamily up into the creamy blue sky. With her head tilted back like that, he couldn't help but drop a few kisses along the column of her irresistible throat. Kaoru's skin was soft against his lips. Nuzzling against her collarbone, he rocked her back and forth slowly. From the corner of his eye he could see flashes of sunlight winking off of the golden chain of the koi necklace he'd given her when they'd first met. Burrowing his hands into her hair, he cuddled her close to his body and breathed in her warmth.

If anyone had been watching Lord Battousai sleep, they would have seen nothing more than an exhausted man. Even in sleep the lines of strain on his face and the purple rings under his eyes were obvious. In his arms he gently cuddled a pillow to his chest. His long-fingered hands, known for wielding the deadliest of swords and spells, delicately cradled a handful of silken sheets.

Waiting at a street corner for the walk light to turn green, Kaoru scrunched her blistered toes carefully. She'd been walking for several hours on borrowed shoes and her feet hurt. The only reason I'm still wearing these sandals is because I know it'll hurt more to be kicked with them than without.

While walking through the city, she had been careful to avoid anything that might ruin her plan of confronting Kenshin through her own impetus. That required running away from policemen and not getting too close to any magical buildings. She'd done a lot of walking in street gutters instead of sidewalks today. But it had been worth it. The Battousai mansion stood less than a block away.

Finally crossing the street, Kaoru was brought to a halt by a large wooden barricade stretched across the sidewalk and street. I hate construction! All of the workers seemed to be taking an early lunch break on the other side of the road. Otherwise it seemed deserted.

Examining the scene, Kaoru noticed a long flight of granite stairs fronting a grandiose building. The sign declared it to be a bank. If she stepped up onto the stairs, she could get around the construction. Otherwise, she'd have to detour around the entire square and hope that the way wasn't blocked there too. Her problem lay in the fact that the stairs were closer to the magical bank building than she'd previously been willing to go. Yet she was sick of waiting. Kaoru just wanted this done.

Giving herself a quick pep talk, Kaoru stepped up onto the stairs. Nothing happened. Releasing a relieved sigh, she took one more step and promptly started to sink. Before she even had time to shriek, she'd been sucked all the way down to her chest. Stretching out her arms, Kaoru managed to grab two handfuls of the grassy lawn edging the stone stairway. Despite pulling with all of her might, she only managed to slow her rate of sinking, not stop it. Kaoru tried to utilize the magical part of her mind that had been getting louder and louder the past two days, but still nothing seemed to happen.

Mind racing, Kaoru finally shouted “KOI,” while simultaneously pushing with her magic at the area directly under her feet. Maybe when Kenshin said `koi' he meant to evoke the idea of love and passion, to order her to come, or even to call her a fish. But Kaoru had remembered another meaning of koi: to be thick and dense.

Looking down at the granite steps that were quickly devouring her body, Kaoru screamed it again, “koi!” That word resonated with the surrounding architecture as nothing else she'd done, causing the sludge beneath her feet to firm. After all, it is a word of power in the struggle between Kenshin and me. If I have to acknowledge it, the rest of the world, of his world, better fall in line too.

Grasping more firmly at the handfuls of greenish-yellow grass, she painfully pulled herself out of the liquid stone. With a last wiggle, she flopped onto her back spread-eagled on the grassy verge. As her clothing became saturated with clammy water, Kaoru realized that the lawn must have been recently watered. She was too relieved to care. I made it. Pushing herself up on her elbows, she rolled over onto her hands and knees.

From the direction of the stairs she heard a mocking voice, “I'm impressed you actually got out of that trap, though it could have been done a lot more gracefully. Still, it just goes to show that our fearless leader isn't infallible.”

Looking up in surprise, Kaoru saw a tall, thin man with saturnine features and eyes of burnished brass. His dark hair was slicked back except for a few spiky strands falling over his eyes. “Pigs like to wallow in the mud too. What does that make you, I wonder?” His almost pleasant tone contrasted sharply with the cruel glint in his brassy eyes.

“I was trying to get up!” Kaoru spat out as she carefully stood. The muddy water had soaked through her pants and shirt. Clumps of hair clung uncomfortably to her neck. She looked horrible and she knew it.

What was it with men and pig metaphors lately? First Sano and now this jerk. Right then and there Kaoru suspected that she might come to hate the tall man mocking her.

“So you're Battousai's woman, eh? The little tanuki who escaped?” His cold eyes looked her up and down critically. “I get back into town and find you just a few minutes later. I can't believe you managed to elude them for this long. Obviously you aren't that smart, so they really must have gotten even more stupid while I was gone.”

Kaoru's answer was pithy and offensive. Yet the man didn't even bat an eye. Pulling out a cigarette, he lit it using a spark of magic from his gloved finger. Then he took a long drag. He seemed more bored than insulted by her words.

Suspicion confirmed: I hate his guts! Yet she couldn't attack. The jerk was standing up on the steps where she couldn't go, the cheater.

Although pissed off, Kaoru still was still upset over almost being eaten by the buildings again. It had rapidly become one of her least favorite things. Although she'd used magic to escape the last time, she still didn't know exactly why it had worked. Until she was absolutely certain she could repeat the spell, she didn't want to tempt fate. Unfortunately, that meant no bull rushing the prick and grinding his smirking face into the granite stairs.

As if he sensed her frustration at being thwarted, he took a step down until he was just barely out of reach. His smirk dared her to try it. Kaoru felt steam coming out of her ears, but she restrained herself. As the lighting of his cigarette proved, he knew magic. For all she knew he could have set a new magical trap or strengthened the old one. She wouldn't put anything past him.

“And just where do you think you're going, little pig?” he drawled when she failed to take up his challenge.

“To kick Lord Battousai's head in. You got a problem with that?” Kaoru snapped back. A second after speaking, she mentally slapped herself. She should have lied. How would he react to her threatening his master and lord? Raising her fists, she braced herself for his negative response.

Thus his laughter caught her completely off guard. “Not at all,” he answered. “Go right ahead. I get paid to handle his external affairs. When in the city, I don't have to deal with internal matters like his personal security.” He exhaled a puff of smoke. It drifted across her flabbergasted face and irritated her throat, forcing her to cough.

“However,” his light tone turned cold, “my orders are to bring you in and immediately notify Lord Battousai.” He dropped his cigarette and crushed it beneath his heel.

Kaoru noticed again how menacing his face looked. The morning sunlight emphasized the sharpness of his cheekbones and the cruelty of his thin lips. Trapped by his gaze, she felt like a mouse confronted by a snake. Although she wanted to take a step back, her legs felt frozen.

The moment dragged on indeterminably until he finally broke the silence. “But,” he released her eyes and pulled out another cigarette, “since you are intent on going back on your own, why should I inconvenience myself?”

Confused, Kaoru waited for the other shoe to drop. It can't be that easy to escape him. Nothing has been easy the past few days.

“You really are stupid, aren't you?” he sighed, ignoring her angry growl. “At least the ugly ones are usually the strongest. I'd suggest breaking a kneecap first before you really set in to beating that self-righteous twit.” Kaoru's mouth dropped open in outrage.

“You bastard, don't you work for him? Just who do you think you are?”

“Saitou Hajime, minister of external security and affairs.” Another evil smirk quirked his thin lips as he said, “Just make sure to leave one of his hands unbroken so he can still sign my paycheck.” Flicking his cigarette into the puddle with a hiss, he turned to leave. “And if you're lying to me about going back,” he stopped and turned back to skewer her with a glare, “I'll hunt you down and break your kneecaps instead.”

Swallowing uneasily, Kaoru tried to hide her fear in a show of bravado. “Don't make me laugh. Obviously I am going back right now.” She flicked her wet hair behind her shoulder nonchalantly. “Lord Battousai is there, isn't he?”

“Probably not,” Saitou said unhelpfully.

Kaoru wet her lips hesitantly. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. “Are you going to go and get him?”

“I'm not a messenger. Let him run around the city for a while longer suffering. He'll have to return eventually.” Saitou put his hands in his pockets, shrugged his shoulders, and said, “You can wait.”

Huffing out an annoyed breath at his answer, Kaoru pushed her bangs out of her eyes. “Whatever. I'll be there just as soon as I get around this roadblock without the buildings swallowing me.” Kaoru tried to turn around gracefully, but slipped on the slick grass and fell back down onto her hands and knees with a splat. Mud splashed up onto her face. She spit out the grit and tried not to curse.

Mocking laughter followed her clumsiness. Wiping her cheek off onto her damp shoulder, Kaoru's temper ratcheted up. She didn't care if the building started to swallow her again, she just wanted to pop this guy's head off and use it as a soccer ball.

Before she could launch herself up, she found her arms and legs dangling in the air. In a movement too fast to follow, Saitou had picked her up by the waistband of her muddy pants. Stepping back up onto the granite stairs, he quickly carried her over to the other side of the street like a bedraggled kitten. She could feel the seams of her pants hissing in protest and starting to rip. At least he was wearing gloves so she didn't have to deal with his bare fingers brushing against the top of her butt. But still, how dare he! Kaoru shrieked and struggled. She didn't know what he was doing; she just knew that anything having to do with this man had to be bad.

“Shut up or I'll shut you up. Permanently,” he threatened, bouncing her body with a violent jolt. It ripped out one of the seams on her pants. The shaking also caused her hair to flip over her face and cover her eyes. She couldn't see anything.

Opening her mouth to deliver another enraged bellow, she was forced to stop and spit out a lock of muddy hair. Without warning, Saitou dropped her facedown onto the pavement. “Ouch!” Angrily Kaoru pushed her bruised body to its feet, only to see him already halfway down the block sauntering away. Dusting her begrimed hands off as best she could on her mud soaked clothing, she turned to find herself nose to knocker with the Battousai estate's back gate.

TO BE CONTINUED

Dictionary:

Koi - Depending on the kanji used it can mean: (adj) thick, dense, strong; carp - a fish found in ornamental ponds; (n, vs) love, tender passion (adj. usage would be koishii); (and a bunch of other things that aren't used here… yet.)

Tanuki - Raccoon dog, popular in Japanese myth, canon Kaoru insulting nickname

Author Note: There's a shout out to the series Crusade in here (it's in the B5 universe, so I had to check it out. The music's corny, but I grew quite fond of some of the characters by the end, especially Galen). I used the flotation device joke that Max Eilerson said to Dureena in the bar/dance scene.

 

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