Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Slumbering City ❯ Boxers or Briefs ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me.

Dictionary:

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

Kero - AKA ribbit. This is how frogs croak in Japanese.

Budou - Martial arts, military arts, bushido.

The Slumbering City

By Indygodusk

Chapter 8: Boxers or Briefs

Earth crunched beneath the polished boots of the sentry patrolling the Battousai estate. From her position hiding beneath the prickly branches of a bluish-green shrub, Kaoru tried quietly to scrunch smaller. Something was poking against her cheek. Even her scrunching hadn't dislodged it. Grimacing, she focused on the guard and tried to ignore the discomfort. She feared that if she moved again, he'd notice her.

As far as Kaoru knew, her break-in was still undetected. Nevertheless, the guard seemed to be moving very slowly as he scanned the grounds. When he stood only a few yards away, Kaoru's nose began to itch. She felt a sneeze coming on.

Suddenly the guard stopped and crouched down to tie his shoe. All he had to do was turn his head thirty degrees and he'd see her! Kaoru dug her fingers into the gritty dirt and held her breath. She hoped it would stop the tickling in her throat. Of course, not breathing brought her mind back to the feeling of having her cheek practically impaled by the evil shrubbery.

For some reason, the guard seemed to be having trouble fashioning his laces into a bow. Brow scrunched, he made one loop, sighed, made another loop, and then dropped both laces and started over. Just buy slip-ons next time! Kaoru shouted in her head.

If she didn't take a breath soon, she was going to pass out. At least she wouldn't feel her throbbing cheek anymore. Some higher being must have taken pity on her plight, because the guard finally finished with his shoe. Standing up, he scratched his back lazily. Just go away already! Black spots began appearing at the edge of Kaoru's vision. Finally the guard began moving away.

As soon as he turned the corner, Kaoru violently inhaled and flopped away from the sword-like branch. Her eyes closed in relief. It took a minute to get her breathing and heartbeat back to normal. Rubbing her tender cheek, she braced her nerves and opened her eyes.

After confirming that the courtyard looked momentarily deserted, Kaoru rolled out from underneath the bush. A sprint took her to an unobtrusive side door. With a whispered, “Please don't be locked,” she tried the handle. It turned easily beneath her fingers. Slipping into the darkened hallway, she silently closed the door behind her back.

Dusting off the front of her clothes, Kaoru tried to make her way towards the hidden garden. It seemed the most neutral place for their confrontation, or at least a better choice than his weapons room or bedchamber. After all, she wasn't here to kill him or sleep with him.

Be honest, at this moment you're not sure which you'd like to do more… punishment or pleasure, vindication or surrender…. Kaoru groaned and ignored the heat flooding her cheeks. Shut up! We're going to the garden and that's final! Hearing nothing more from her subconscious, she strode decisively down the corridor.

After a few wrong turns and dead ends, Kaoru realized that she was hopelessly lost. The first time she'd been here, she'd traveled through secret paths to both find and escape the garden. The only hallways she'd openly traveled were with the tour group at the front of the house. Nothing she'd seen so far looked familiar. Why does he have to live in such a big house? Just to annoy me, I bet!

Exasperated, Kaoru blew the bangs out of her face. Placing one hand on the wall, she closed her eyes. “Where is the garden?” she asked the magical house angrily. Nothing answered. Opening her eyes, she bit her lip in frustration. Stupid magic never works when you need it. That's probably his fault too.

Trying to calm her turbulent emotions, she exhaled all of her breath slowly. It took three repetitions of a meditation exercise before she finally felt centered. At her level of budou she really should have been successful after one, but these were unusual times.

Then she asked the house for help again. But with her mind centered and peaceful, her voice came out in a tone full of ritual cadence. “Where is the garden with the newborn fountain at its core? The secret garden with a fountain full of liquid, cool and clear, that smells of sunlight?”

Fully extending her magic muscles, I really hope those don't get strained, Kaoru finally heard something. “Kero kero.” It was the croak of a frog. Not quite believing her ears, she focused again. “Kero kero,” echoed again from the right-hand passage. Kaoru memorized the sensation of whatever it was her magic was doing. Just in case, she waited a few more seconds for another sign.

When nothing else happened, Kaoru opened her eyes, kept her magical muscles taunt, and walked toward the sound. After all, she didn't have anything else to go on. Thump-thud echoed around the next corner.

Kaoru supposed that it could be the sound of a leaping amphibian. The reverberation had a certain heft that just didn't fit a mouse. Because of course those are the only two options. Kaoru rolled her eyes at her own absurdity. And how do you know your amphibian isn't a toad or a mud puppy instead of a frog? Do you even know what sound a mud puppy makes? Thumping herself on the side of the head, Kaoru ordered herself to focus.

Three turns later, she found herself at another dead end. Yet this time, she could hear “kero kero” emanating from inside the wall. “If I were a secret passage, where would my latch be?” Kaoru mumbled to herself. After examining the hallway, she finally decided that it had to be hidden in the intricately carved forest scene edging the ceiling.

While being short was wonderful for hiding under bushes, it made reaching a hypothetical latch at the top of wall rather difficult. The only way she could get to the molding was by going up on tiptoe, stretching her hand as high as it could go, and plastering her cheek and chest against the wall to maintain balance. In her strained position, she found it difficult to draw a full breath.

Pressing and pulling on the carved wood blindly, Kaoru finally heard a muffled click. The wall swung open silently. As her support disappeared, she found herself falling forward. Banging her elbow on the corner, she grabbed wildly at the wall, finally jerking to a stop with her body at a sixty degree angle in relation to the floor. Kaoru righted her body carefully.

Looking back up to where she'd found the latch, Kaoru saw that the wood was carved into the shape of a leaping frog. Should have looked for that in the first place instead of doing it the hard way. Ah well.

Inside the hidden passageway, Kaoru felt much more confident. Although the frog sounds had disappeared, she didn't doubt which way to go. It felt warmer to the left. After a few minutes of jogging down dust-free corridors, she suddenly felt cold. Backtracking until the heat reappeared, she searched for and easily found a latch. Her breathing accelerated.

Opening the door, Kaoru boldly stepped onto the secret garden's veranda. Standing with her hands fisted at her sides and her shoulders thrust back, her eyes briskly swept the quiet sanctuary. She was ready for a fight.

The garden was empty.

Narrowed blue eyes searched again. “He isn't here? I can't believe it!”Kaoru growled under her breath and ran her hand over her face. “What a let down.”

Although she'd been walking all morning, Kaoru couldn't relax. She was too keyed up about the coming confrontation to sit still. Circling the garden, she tried to figure out where Kenshin might be. I guess Saitou was right and Kenshin is still out searching the city.

When her energy finally began winding down, Kaoru shuffled over to the fountain and flopped down. As her eyes traced the carvings and followed the movement of sunlit currents, her tense muscles gradually relaxed. The water burbled into the basin and flowed down through the garden in glitters of silver rope. It was just as she remembered it. As before, the script above the dancing figures carved into the rim proved to be indecipherable.

Going up on one knee to see better, Kaoru winced. Gently pulling up the fabric of her pants, she discovered why. Black, brown, and violet bruises painted her legs like a prairie hen's camouflage. It had to be from when Saitou had dropped her onto the pavement so suddenly.

Sure he'd helped her get around the steps without being swallowed, but that didn't absolve his nastiness. Kaoru bared her teeth at the marks. Someday, Saitou Hajime, I will pay you back!

The angry fisting of her hands brought her attention to the matching bruises around her wrist. There was no mistaking the fact that they came from fingers. Remembering her resolution to hide them from Kenshin, her anger collapsed under the weight of the confused emotions evoked by his name.

From inside her mind she gradually came to hear a sound like the harmonizing of chimes and falling rocks. Concentrating, she finally made out a voice within the percussion. It was Kenshin's soul, trying to speak to her again. Kaoru wished that she could understand and communicate with it more easily. `SorrysorryforgivePlease drinkdrinkfountain Heal pull pleasehealdrink drink the water pulledHurt heal your bruisesHurtscratches painbadbadsorry sorryDrinkpulledBadsorry.'

“You want me to pull something from the fountain?” Kaoru asked the voice. Yet the only response she could make out was more chimes and falling rocks. An ache formed between her eyes, yet his voice didn't resurface from the beats. Leaning over the fountain, Kaoru swished her hands around in the water, but couldn't find anything to grasp onto, much less pull.

Going over his words again, she managed to pick out the phrase, `drink the water.' Remembering how her tongue had been healed the last time she'd tasted water from the fountain, Kaoru cupped a handful of water and sipped. That sunlight scent surrounded her again. Without realizing it, she'd closed her eyes. Opening them again, she noticed that her palm was dry and the painful aches had almost completely disappeared.

Holding her wrist up to the light, she whispered, “Thank you,” to the fountain and the voice inside her head. Only a few yellow-brown streaks remained, as if the bruises had aged the space of days in the time it took to take that one drink. The scratches on her palms had faded from bloody scabs to bright pink lines. It still felt tender, but no longer gave off a stab of pain when accidentally rubbed against a hard surface. Running her hands along the molding earlier had forced her to bite her tongue more than once.

As she opened and closed her hands, she couldn't help but smile. Magic was wonderful… wonderful and confusing. Her smile faded. Megumi was right - Kaoru was a novice at this magic stuff. She had no idea what she was doing.

Kenshin and her soul were probably sitting down in his mind having tea together while discussing the state of the economy and the upcoming pro-wrestling special on TV. Yet half the time Kaoru could barely even find his soul in her mind, much less understand what he was trying to say. She was lucky if she could make out one sentence in ten after filtering them through the static of her own ignorance and confusion.

Communication between the sexes is hard enough without trying to get fancy with magic and soul bonds that, she reminded herself to point out later, seem rather glitchy. Maybe Kenshin didn't do it right? After all, he is a man. I just bet he didn't read the instructions first.

Kaoru traced a frown onto a rock with her wet finger. Just because he understands magical bond-speak, he probably assumes everyone can. What's wrong with face-to-face communication?

Standing up, she gazed down into the pool. The angle of the morning sun turned the wavering surface into a mirror. It reflected her body and the clouds behind her in the sky. The clouds were fluffy and bright. Kaoru was not.

Melancholy thoughts had drawn her face with unhappy lines. These soon morphed into shock, however, when Kaoru noticed the state of her body. She hadn't really thought about how many times she'd been down on the ground today. Now she realized that she should have.

Mud streaked her clothing and face in uneven swaths. Clumps of hair and grass stood out around her head as if she'd just woken up from sleeping in a swamp. Because of the wet cloth and ripped seams, her pants hung oddly on her waist. If she didn't know better, she'd think the picture belonged to an escapee from an insane asylum. One who'd gotten hit by an ugly truck on the way out.

A gust of wind rippled through the clearing and cut through her wet clothing, making her shiver. Hearing the rustling of the leaves, she felt a moment of sheer panic when she at first mistook the sound for Kenshin. No way was she letting him see her like this. No way.

Exiting the garden at a jog, Kaoru decided to search the nearby rooms for a shower. Since it was around eleven o'clock in the morning, she counted on no one being in their quarters. Any occupants should be away at work. Unless someone decided to sleep in.

Luckily most of the rooms in this section seemed abandoned. After about fifteen minutes of scrounging, Kaoru finally stopped when she found a bathroom with a towel. Dropping her booty onto the counter, a sliver of soap and a quarter-full bottle of shampoo, she locked the door.

Shucking her filthy clothing, she turned on the faucet. It whined and shook a bit in protest. For the first minute or so, most of the water going down the drain looked old and brown. She assumed that the magic had been weak for so long that the maintenance spells still hadn't completely recovered. Unfortunately for me.

Kaoru looked over and noticed that the towel hanging on the rack was dusty. This room must have gone unused for a while if even the human butlers have neglected to clean the linens. Picking up the towel, she shook it sharply to remove the dust. The fabric on the opposite side looked clean at least.

When the water finally flowed clear, Kaoru turned on the shower and stepped under the spray. The water swirling down the drain turned brown again, but this time from the grime washing off of her body. Hoping that the sliver of soap wouldn't disappear before the job was done, Kaoru started to scrub.

About forty minutes later, she reached out wrinkled fingers to turn off the warm water. Then she bent over and wrung out her long black hair. I wonder of the water stayed heated so long because of magic or because of a mechanical water heater? Deciding that it didn't really matter, Kaoru reached out for the towel and dried off her now pristine body.

Standing clean and refreshed in the steamy room, she hummed happily to herself. Then she looked over at her damp and dirty clothing, took a step back, and shuddered. I refuse to put those disgusting clothes back on. “But I can't just prance around in a towel that barely covers my butt. What else am I going to wear?” she asked the empty room in frustration. Before her mouth had even finished forming the question, Kaoru felt something approaching.

Clad only in a clinging towel and dripping hair, she wondered if it could be Kenshin. She expected anger or fear at the thought, but instead felt a warm anticipation that had little to do with telling him off. Her stomach fluttered.

As the energy came closer, it finally resolved itself into a familiar presence. Her fingers clutching at the edge of the towel spasmed, and then relaxed. The presence wasn't Kenshin. Smoothing her hand down her stomach in an attempt to settle it - must be indigestion - she waited for her visitor.

The mansion held many different magical spirits. Some were like fastidious butlers who did their best to ignore her, while others were quiet, unobtrusive mice. Then there were the massive guard dog spells fiercely loyal to their master.

Luckily, Kaoru had somehow won over one of the guard dog spells her first time in the garden. Somehow she knew that it had been the one helping her out by forming hallways and doors for her to escape the last two times she'd been here. That spell dog had also kept most of the other protection spells from bothering her. She recognized it in the energy approaching.

Calling the spell dog over, she took a moment to shower it with metaphysical love. Kaoru wasn't sure how she managed it, but the magic inside her responded to her wishes and allowed her to `pet' the dog, running magical tendrils across its spell and smoothing the energy that comprised its form.

After an indeterminable amount of time, Kaoru felt a pop, as if her ears had just adjusted to a change in altitude. Startled, she realized that the spell dog was no longer only on the magical plane. She could see him with her eyes. His transparent body floated in front of her: a gigantic brown mastiff with a crooked front tooth. The dog gazed down at her with warm gray eyes. Megumi would probably call it an ugly behemoth, snaggletoothed and drooling, but Kaoru was in love.

“Do you have a name, big guy?” she asked adoringly. He floated down until it seemed like he was standing on the floor. The top of his head came up to her chest. A whispered word and her hands began to glow with a soft blue light. The light allowed her to once again scratch him lovingly behind the ears. Pushing his head into her hands, the mastiff began thumping his hind leg against the ground in pleasure. Of course, the transparent leg wasn't really corporeal. It passed straight through the floor without a sound, but Kaoru got the point. She scratched harder.

“If you're going to keep visiting me, I guess I'll have to give you a name. How about… Nori! If I'm a koi in this place, you can be my seaweed! Seaweed is very versatile stuff, you know. It can be a home and protection for little fish and seahorses. Plus it's a tasty treat.” He looked down at her with drooping ears and stopped thumping his foot. Her fingers stopped scratching when she saw what a pitiful picture he made. “I didn't mean to imply that you'd be a tasty treat.”

His large, liquid gray eyes reminded her of a fog-shrouded ocean. He lay down so his snaggletooth poked out forlornly where his head rested on top of his front legs. It made for a very sad and pathetic picture. Obviously, he didn't like being compared to an edible plant, no matter what its wonderful side properties.

“Oh fine, we'll go with something else. Don't pout.” Tilting her head, Kaoru tried to get a better sense of his personality. “You could be Orion, the hunter. It's my favorite constellation, but,” looking at the large dog's dejected pose, she shook her head. “But you don't seem like an Orion. Hmm, maybe Gibbous, the waxing moon?” He snorted and looked away. “I'm not implying that you're fat. I can tell that it's all muscle.” Kaoru soothed. Who knew magical dog-shaped spells were so sensitive and picky?

“Okay, you probably want a tougher name, right? Well, what are my favorite things? Maybe one of them will sound tough,” she mused out loud. “I like stargazing, pro-wrestling, kendo and swords, lilacs in the spring, and-” the spell dog interrupted her narration when it bounded up to its feet happily. “You want to be named Sword? That's a good fierce name.” The mastiff gave her a doggie grin, tongue lolling, and turned its transparent fur from brown to lilac in reply.

Surprised, Kaoru asked, “Lilac? You seriously want to be named Lilac?” When her transparent spell dog barked, she couldn't hear it with her ears. Instead, a scented wind promptly blew across her face. It smelled like lilac blossoms. Kaoru laughed. “Then Lilac it is.”

Giving another lilac-infused bark, he planted a slobbery kiss on her cheek and bounded away. Kaoru refused to wonder how a magical dog could leave slobber. Or why it would want to be called Lilac. Instead, she merely wiped her cheek off with a corner of the towel and started searching the room again. She was getting tired of wearing only a towel. It was getting drafty.

Ransacking the cabinets, she hoped to discover someone's spare clothes. Unfortunately, they only seemed to hold extra toilet paper and cleaning supplies. The only exceptions to this rule were the drawers that were completely empty.

Sitting down dejectedly on the closed toilet lid, Kaoru sighed. She really REALLY did not want to put those clothes back on. Slowly she finger combed her wet black hair. Little droplets coolly sprinkled onto her forearms and knees as she worked. Each splash raised goose bumps and reminded her that as the steam dissipated, her warm bathroom was gradually becoming colder.

Finished with her hair, she grimaced and stood up. Dragging footsteps brought her slowly to the moist pile of clothing. Using two fingers, she picked up her underwear. The same goldfish underwear she'd been wearing for the past three adventurous, trying, and dirty days. Her face contorted into a grimace. When she felt Lilac approaching again, Kaoru gratefully dropped the cloth. Putting off getting dressed for a few more minutes wouldn't hurt.

Bounding out of the wall, the transparent lilac-colored mastiff slid to a stop right in front of her feet. His white snaggletooth stood out starkly around the pile of transparent black cloth he carried in his mouth. Holding out her arms, Kaoru allowed him to drop his gift: new clothes! As soon as the cloth touched her arms, it lost its transparent cast and became solid. “Lilac,” Kaoru gushed, “you are the best!”

Sorting through the pile, she discovered a pair of black cotton pants, a man's navy blue dress shirt, and a pair of grey boxers. Kaoru didn't know who they belonged to. Later on she'd find out and thank them. For now, she just cared that they were clean.

Metallic gold irises peeked between sienna lashes - alert, cold, and analytical. Nothing indicated that a split second earlier their owner had been fast asleep. Something had intruded upon his rest: some misplaced sound or unfamiliar scent. Maybe it was Misao sneaking in again, even after his last warning.

Or perhaps the cause was something more sinister. It had been many years since the last wave of assassination attempts, but perhaps he was due for another. At least Kaoru was out of the way and hopefully safe.

A rustle more felt than heard prompted Kenshin to spring into action. Flinging himself out of bed, he snatched up his sword and spun into a defensive crouch, scanning the room as he twirled. Nothing.

His magical senses didn't detect anything out of the ordinary either, nothing besides the usual currents of energy and the still morphing magic from when Kaoru had woken his garden. It had taken him several hours that first day to figure out that the constant tripping of certain alarm spells were due not to invaders but to the strengthening and expansion of previously dormant spells.

Although he could have dreamed the disturbance, he didn't doubt his instincts. He feared that an intruder might have blended into the magic spawned disturbances and escaped detection. Expanding his senses, Kenshin faintly smelled something out of place in his masculine room. The trace whiff dissipated before he could identify it fully. It was a floral scent, but he couldn't say which flower. However, he would recognize it if he smelled it again. Then he would get some answers and, if necessary, neutralize any potential threats. Permanently.

After reinforcing the security spells around his room, Kenshin looked at the clock. It was just after 12:30 in the afternoon. “I shouldn't have slept so long,” he berated himself.

If someone could sneak into his room so easily, they might also have found out about Kaoru. She could be in danger. Of course, she'd managed to evade his entire security force, so she wasn't exactly helpless or easy to find. For the first time that thought gave him some slight comfort.

Although Kenshin wanted to immediately rush out the door to find her, he forced himself to release the door handle and step back. He had responsibilities. Before he continued his search, he'd better get his secretary on the phone to postpone his appointments. Shinomori would also want to deliver an update. Hopefully there weren't any more emergencies that required his presence. Unfortunately, only so much could be delegated.

Stepping towards the phone, Kenshin caught his reflection in the mirror on the wall and was forced to laugh at himself. He wouldn't be able to blend into a crowd looking like this. After all, a naked redhead with tangled hair wouldn't be able to walk around the city without occasioning comment. It would be embarrassing, not to mention inconvenient, to be arrested by his own police force for public indecency.

Slipping on the boxers, soft from multiple washings, Kaoru felt a moment of hesitation. It wasn't like they were dirty, but underwear was an intimate thing. I really hope these don't belong to either Shinomori or that jerk Saitou. Yuck! Kaoru gulped nauseously and checked all the clothing tags just in case there was a name.

Unfortunately, the clothing didn't have any tags. Either they were hand-sewn or the tags had been removed for secrecy, she mused. Maybe it was against company policy to buy certain brands, so the owner of her new outfit removed the incriminating evidence rather than discard them. Just because she'd never heard of such a thing didn't mean it wasn't possible. Or maybe the owner found the tags to be itchy. Whatever the case, I'll have to make sure to return these when I'm done.

Adjusting the clean boxers on her waist, Kaoru grinned. Maybe these just belong to a maid who has sensitive skin. Pleased with this fiction, however unlikely it might be, Kaoru finished getting dressed. The cotton pants fit almost perfectly, although they were a little snug in the hips. She chuckled happily. No way could these belong to either Shinomori or Saitou, they'd be too short! After rolling up her shirtsleeves and pulling her hair out of the collar, Kaoru opened the door to the outer room.

Unsure of what else to do, she picked up her dirty clothing in one hand and, scarlet sandals dangling from two fingers, had Lilac lead her back to the garden. Refreshed and looking good, even if she was in borrowed clothing, Kaoru was ready for the confrontation.

It was with great satisfaction that she dropped her dirty clothing at the base of the maple tree next to the fountain. She'd worry about it later. Right now she had more important things on her mind. Alternating pacing and sitting, she planned out all of the things she wanted to say to Kenshin.

Kaoru waited. And waited. And waited. She was ready for anything - anything but more waiting. “For the love of-,” Kaoru finally yelled out in exasperation. He knew she was in his garden the last time. Why was it taking so long for him to figure it out now?

Newfound instinct guided her next actions. Dipping her hands into the fountain, she spread her fingers and demanded, “I want to know where Lord Battousai is now!” Water churned and swirled, tickling her palms. After a brilliant flash, the pool went flat and quiet. Even the sound of water trickling out into the stream silenced. In-between Kaoru's two hands she felt a tugging, as if her skin were being pulled on by a host of small, suctioning mouths.

Inside the circle formed by her fingers a tiny vermillion disk coalesced. The disk grew to the size of an apple and resolved itself into an image of dark red hair covering a golden-skinned cheek - Kenshin's cheek. By moving her hands farther apart, she managed to enlarge the picture. Kenshin's head shifted and she could tell that his eyes were closed.

Kaoru's first thought was that Kenshin was sleeping. As the picture grew larger, more details appeared. His eyelashes looked clumped and the small lines streaking down his temples and cheeks resolved themselves into rivulets of water flowing over flesh. His face turned away until she could only see a profile. A hand appeared in the frame and pushed the wet hair back away from his face. With his hair slicked down by water, she noticed the crisp lines of his cheekbones and jaw. Wherever Kenshin was, he wasn't sleeping.

For a split-second Kaoru considered rain before remembering the clear sky over her head. When the image shifted away from his face to reveal white tile framing his well-toned shoulders, she fully realized her mistake. Eyes widening at the glistening expanse of skin, Kaoru jerked in surprise. This twitch separated the space not only between her hands, but between her individual fingers as well. Instead of enlarging the current picture like before, the image zoomed out. Turning brick red, Kaoru's eyes snapped shut.

By the time she jerked them open again, it was too late. Her rioting thoughts proved too much for the magic to comprehend. Confused by her conflicting desires, the image broke with a hiss-pop, returning the pool to normal. Or to as normal as a magical fountain could ever get. The soft sound of water running over rocks and singing insects once again rippled through the garden.

“Maybe I'll wait a few more minutes to call him over,” Kaoru mumbled, trying to cool her burning cheeks with her wet hands. “It would be the right thing to do,” she told herself weakly, no matter if her fingers itched to dip back into the pool and watch again as the soap suds glided down his toned body, meandering slowly through the ridges where bicep met triceps and pectoral met abdominal.

But she was already reeling from the brief glimpse she'd just had. Any more and her brain would be reduced to a pile of mush, incapable of forming a complete sentence, much less punishing Kenshin for trying to get his buildings to swallow her. Not to mention that her moral indignation went right out the window if he caught her spying on him in the shower. She was the wronged party here. She deserved justice and couldn't afford to give him anything to accuse her with.

Too bad her body didn't find justice a convincing enough argument against voyeurism. Moving away from temptation, she stood up and forced herself to walk five circuits around the garden. There, the moral high ground isn't that hard. Surreptitiously her eyes peeked over at the fountain. As soon as she realized what she was doing, she turned her head away. Then she bit her lip.

Just for few seconds, Kaoru promised her conscience as she trotted back to the pool. Then I'll get back up on my high horse like nothing ever happened. Kaoru's mouth went dry. Probably in preparation for all of the expected drool.

Using the power of her libido, Kaoru focused her thoughts on the pool again. “Show me Lord Battousai right now.” Her hands were spread underwater and ready to go. Again a close up of Kenshin's face appeared. Not giving herself time to feel guilty or second-guess, Kaoru pulled her hands apart.

Although the expanded picture was startling, it wasn't quite in the way she had hoped for. Kenshin had already left the shower and dressed. Not only that, but he was already in the outer courtyard and looked to be heading out the front gate.

Kaoru's hopes for titillation drowned under a wave of panic as she fully comprehended the scene. If he disappeared into the city, he wouldn't be back for hours, if not the entire night. She'd either have to chase after him, probably fruitlessly, or else wait for him to get tired and return.

Waiting any longer was not in her plans for the day. She'd already used up all of her patience. Kaoru felt fidgety and hungry. Being forced to wait longer would not be without repercussions. If she didn't accidentally destroy the mansion or start a brawl amongst the security forces and magical spells, she'd somehow talk herself into forgiving him without punishing him first. This just won't do.

“Kenshin,” she called into the fountain. “Kenshin, I'm here! I'm in the garden!” He didn't seem to hear her. “Stop, you idiot. Stop!” Jumping up in frustration, Kaoru didn't know what to do. There was no way she could run fast enough to stop him before he left the estate, even if she had known how to get to where he was.

“Damn it,” she screamed, punching the wooden pillar on the veranda. Such was the force of her punch that the skin broke open, leaving bloody streaks on the golden wood. “You should know that I'm here,” she whispered, hanging her head.

Kaoru heard a hollow crack, as if she'd been standing inside of an egg shell that suddenly split open. Suddenly she realized that she'd never taken off the spell hiding her from Kenshin and his magic. Not until her whispered words just now.

Immediately the whole garden began to reverberate. She could see the leaves on the tree trembling as if in a high wind and the rocks vibrating in their beds. The water in the pool turned opaque as white caps and waves formed. Kaoru fell to her knees. She only kept her chin from smacking into the ground by quickly wrapping her arms around the wooden pillar.

Without warning, the shaking stopped. Before the water had a chance to settle, the sliding door jerked open with such force that it cracked and fell off its tracks with a bang! Kenshin, hair damp, face wild and pale, stood in the doorway.

`Kaoru,' his lips caressed her name silently, worshipfully. Their eyes met and light infused his pale face, a savage, almost unbearable conflagration, as if he were a lantern that suddenly opened its shade to reveal a fusion reaction inside. “Koi,” he said. Then his body folded, seeming to collapse.

Shocked out of her stupor, Kaoru lunged to her feet, intending to rush to his side. But seeing him place both hands flat on the deck and arch his back while balancing on the balls of his feet, she realized with a flash that it had been intentional. Aborting her sudden movement mid-leap, she winced as her body protested. I think I pulled a muscle. Tilting her head, Kaoru couldn't figure out just what he was doing.

Answers came when Kenshin began speaking, or rather, Lord Battousai spoke and the very molecules of the air listened. The words emerged from his mouth like heat off concrete or invisible smoke that can only be seen through the shadows it casts. When he finished his chant, the entire garden was surrounded by a honey-colored dome of iridescent interlocking disks.

Kaoru imagined that this must be very like what a bee saw when entering a hive. The disks were prismatic, creating rainbows that flickered through the air like a cloud of butterflies. Face raised towards the apex of the dome, she faintly felt powdered wings brush against her face and eyes.

It enchanted her.

After a moment, Kaoru angrily realized that it was meant to. Without letting her speak a word, Kenshin had trapped her like a bug in a jar, refusing her any equality. A pretty cage was still a cage. If he expected her to be content with this he was in for a big surprise.

Looking towards Kenshin, she noticed that he'd stood up and stepped closer without her noticing. The expression on his face made her nervous. His eyes glittered strangely and she found herself unable to read his thoughts. Then he was suddenly there in front of her, engulfing her in his arms. Kaoru flinched back. Kenshin was too busy hugging her to notice or care.

For a moment her body wavered between remaining tense or relaxing into his hold. The warmth of his body seeped through her borrowed clothing as if it didn't exist. The voices in her head urging her to relax into his arms were drowning out their opposition.

It took a moment for his next sentence to register, distracted as she was by the feel of his hot breath stroking across her neck. “I'm so glad the spell finally caught you and brought you back.” Hearing his words, her warming flesh turned to ice. The cold shocked her anger back to life.

Twisting in his hold, Kaoru elbowed him hard in the solar plexus and leapt back. “It didn't capture me - I came back on my own. And don't touch me, you bastard.” SHE'd been the one who'd come back to talk it out like a civilized human being, but he had to insist on high handed capture attempts, sneaky spells, and arrogant statements.

An emotion flittered across Kenshin's face, too quickly to read, as he rubbed his chest. Cocking his head to the side, he cautiously asked, “Then you realize you were wrong to run away from me?” The pale and frantic look had faded from his face, to be replaced by mien of confidence and authority. “It is good that you admit your mistakes. Of course, you should have let the buildings take you yesterday morning and saved both of us the trouble.” He sighed, but gave her a soft and encouraging smile. “However, as soon as you explain what you were afraid of, I'm willing to forgive you.”

Jaw dropping, Kaoru stepped back and almost stumbled over her pile of soggy clothing. “Forgive me? Well, I'm not willing to forgive you!” After shouting these words, Kaoru bent over, picked up a handful of muddy fabric, and flung it at the smug lordling.

With a surprised yelp, Kenshin twisted out of the way. “Stand there and take your punishment like a man!” Kaoru demanded. Her fury rose higher as he dodged her next two mud-encrusted projectiles.

Out of nowhere, Lilac suddenly coalesced and started barking out loud. Kenshin's face looked startled, but he still managed to dodge both scarlet leather high-heeled sandals with ridiculous ease. Kaoru screamed, grabbed her last weapon, and hurled it with all of her strength.

Simultaneously, Lilac leapt. Tangling his semi-solid body in Kenshin's legs, the spell dog provided just enough of a hindrance; Kaoru finally scored! It was with great satisfaction that she watched the cloth splat against Kenshin's neck, releasing rivulets of brownish-yellow water across his shoulder and down his throat.

“ENOUGH!” commanded Lord Battousai in a voice of thunder that momentarily dampened the honey-prism light to gray and sent the butterfly rainbows fleeing to the far corners. With a whimper that cut off abruptly, Lilac dropped to the ground and rolled over. Flopping his head back, the dog submissively presented his vulnerable belly and neck to his master.

Glowering down at the spell dog, Lord Battousai delicately peeled the sodden fabric off his neck and held out the dripping offender with two fingers. His narrowed eyes stayed glued to the magical canine. A menacing growl escaped Kenshin's lips and Lilac cowered.

Although Kenshin's expression and casual use of power frightened her, Kaoru refused to let her accomplice be hurt. Not if she could help it. “You leave Lilac alone,” she ordered in a voice unexpectedly steady. “Your business is with me, not him.”

Kenshin sent a chilly glance her way from the corner of his eyes. Unnerved, she involuntarily took a step backwards. Then she gritted her teeth and marched forward until they were separated only by the groveling spell dog. “Lilac is innocent. Don't you dare hurt him.”

Still looking every inch the lord and master, Kenshin growled softly at the dog. Lilac responded with a series of barks and whines. The two then locked eyes and some silent communication seemed to occur. Without warning, the spell dog bounded back to his feet. Kaoru jumped in surprise. Shaking himself briskly, Lilac turned transparent, gave Kaoru a reassuring, snaggletoothed doggie grin, and disappeared.

One problem down, Kenshin turned back towards Kaoru and the still dripping projectile in his fingers. “Now, what brought on this-,” Kenshin's words ground to a halt as he focused on the fabric in his left hand. Anger softened into amusement. Kenshin brought up his other hand to untangle and stretch out the mysterious wet lump. Lips twitching, he asked, “Are you trying to tell me something?” Holding the fabric out to her he added, “Koi?”

Kaoru flushed as she realized just what he was holding: her goldfish panties! Sputtering, she made a frantic grab, but Kenshin effortlessly pulled them out of reach. “Ah ah ah, finders keepers,” he teased. “It may have been a few years, but I still remember what it means when a woman throws her panties at me.”

“That's not- I didn't mean-,” Kaoru stuttered, “I was angry, that's all!”

“Of course, but just in case, I'll have these laundered for later.” Twisting his wrist in a strange, figure-eight motion, the panties shimmered and disappeared. Kenshin's smirk widened, “I'll have to compare them to the ones you're wearing now to decide which ones I like best.”

A gasp at his audacity escaped her lips. “Like I care about your opinion! Besides, you aren't going to be seeing me in my underwear at all, so you can get that idea right out of your filthy mind.”

“No? Then I'll just have to guess. With that outfit I'd have to say,” his eyes suddenly widened. Walking around her slowly, he began to laugh. It wasn't a mocking laugh like she'd first expected. Instead, his laughter sounded like a mixture of self-satisfaction, tender lust, and, curiously, relief. Kaoru thought she heard him gasp something about assassins and lilacs, but she wasn't sure.

Pressing suddenly against her back, he placed one scalding hand on her hip and stated against her neck with gentle authority, “Gray boxers, soft against your skin and slightly worn.” When Kaoru jerked in surprise, he wound his other hand possessively around her waist and laughed that self-satisfied laugh softly into her hair.

Kaoru swallowed hard and unsuccessfully tried to disentangle his hands. “Of course not, where would you get a strange idea like that?”

“I know because these are my clothes you're wearing.” Delighted laughter suffused his voice. As soon as he stopped speaking, he started chuckling again. If he didn't stop laughing soon, she was going to do something violent. Kaoru renewed her efforts to escape. His laughter slacked off as he began speaking again. Unfortunately, his hold remained just as tight. “I didn't notice at first because you… fill them out a bit differently. I must say that I much prefer them on you.”

As Kaoru wiggled, the hem of her shirt crept up unnoticed. Kenshin took advantage of her distraction to slip his fingers under the hem and beneath the waistband of her pants. Feeling the tips of his fingers run searingly along her waist beneath the waistband of her boxer's, she bucked desperately. “Yes,” Kenshin breathed huskily, laughter forgotten. “Mine.”

Using the weakening of her knees to her advantage, Kaoru let her body drop, forcing Kenshin's arms up to her shoulders and allowing her to squirm out of his hold. “No touching!” she demanded, placing the slight trunk of the maple tree between their bodies. Her soft pants sounded loud in the silence of the garden.

“In case you missed it, I'm angry at you right now.” Kaoru growled, forcing her breathing to slow even as she kept her knees bent and ready to dodge away from any other attempts to grab her. “You've been inconsiderate and arrogant, and that doesn't make me want to fling myself into your arms.”

The amusement drained from his face as if she'd pulled a plug. An unreadable mask replaced it. Although his face had blanked, she could see his mind racing behind his eyes. Kaoru hoped he was finally reflecting on his actions. It's about time.

“Remember that I had little to no contact with magic before I came here. How do you think I felt when buildings suddenly started trying to swallow me? You bastard, have you ever been pulled into something the consistency of cold oatmeal?” Kaoru didn't wait for a reply.

Now that she'd started, she didn't want to stop. Throwing out her hands she continued, “And most of the time I can't even understand this voice you put in my head, only random words and phrases here and there.” Kaoru realized that she was rather understating the overall impact of the soul-bond on her mind, but she was trying to make a point. If necessary, she could apologize later. “Did you know that most people who hear voices end up in a strait jacket? Maybe this sort of thing is normal for you, but it isn't for me. I might be going crazy and if I am it is entirely your fault.”

Now standing in front of the tree, Kaoru paused in her pacing and cocked one hand on her hip. “You show up out of nowhere, bond me without my consent, and then hunt me down like some sort of criminal when I try to get away to think for a little while.” A crease formed between Kenshin's brows. His lips opened as if in preparation to speak, but Kaoru wasn't finished yet.

“Then when I come back to try and talk this over with you reasonably, you use your magic to trap me here before I can even say a word. Of course I'm upset!” Kaoru exclaimed. “I shouldn't have to explain anything to you.” Twirling away, she began pacing in front of him again. “You should be the one explaining your inexcusable actions to me! Why the magical barrier, why the police, why the traps, huh?” Her voice softened as she held out one hand towards him and revealed, “That hurt.”

During her tirade, Kenshin had stood silently, arms crossed as he listened to her accusations. At her statement, however, he sprang forward and grabbed her wrist, focusing on her bloody knuckles. “You're hurt? Where else, how?” His eyes focused unnervingly on her body, probing for more cuts and bruises.

He completely misunderstood my meaning. Opening her mouth to explain, Kaoru found her jaw snapping shut on the words as Kenshin dragged her demandingly over to the pool.

Sitting down, he forced Kaoru onto his lap. “Did one of my men do something? None of my magic should have physically harmed you, though I now realize I underestimated its unpleasantness. Unless I made a mistake. Was it my spell? Did my magic hurt you?”

Picking up her bloody knuckles, he cupped a handful of water from the fountain and gently trickled it over the cuts. “I expected your anger, but I had hoped I could eventually calm you down. If I've injured you in my zeal to get you back, tell me. Tell me what I've done so that I might make it right,” he insisted. “I never wanted your pain, I swear it.”

Tugging at her clothing, he begged, “How badly are you hurt? Where did I hurt you?” Unable to get a word in edgewise, Kaoru grabbed his hands and attempted to keep her body covered. Something Kaoru feared might be madness glittered in his eyes. “What have I wrought? Not again, please,” he whispered in a pain filled voice as he ran his hands across her body.

Unlike his previous touches, there was nothing sexual or teasing about it. Although still tender, his focus was purely on assessing her body for injuries. She was just glad that he no longer had much to find. Although she wanted Saitou punished, she didn't want him dead.

“Kenshin! Kenshin, I'm fine,” she tried to explain. “I only have a few measly bruises and some scraped knuckles. Calm down, please.” As Kenshin's mumbled apologies continued unabated, Kaoru realized he hadn't heard a word she'd said.

When Kenshin stopped speaking, Kaoru thought he might have finally calmed down. Then he lifted his hand into the sky and spoke more of those words that looked like smoke shadows. Lightning flashed and struck his upraised palm with blinding intensity.

Yelping, Kaoru cowered into his chest. When she lifted her face, she saw the last of the iridescent disks absorbing into his upraised hand. The return of natural sunlight seemed strange after the rainbow-honey light of the dome.

Looking up at the sky, she missed Kenshin dipping his hand into the fountain. However, she quickly figured it out when his wet hand pressed against her lips. “Drink,” he commanded.

“Uh mph,” Kaoru refused through closed lips. Her stubborn nature reared its head. I don't wanna. She wasn't some doll he could maneuver at his whim. Shaking her head, she bumped his hand and spilled out all of the water.

Through her back she felt more than heard Kenshin growl. He brought another handful of water to her mouth. “I can do this all day, Kaoru. Drink it!” he ordered. His free hand held the back of her head steady, limiting her evasive maneuvers. `Just do it. Won'tHurt drinkStubbornDrink,' called Kenshin's soul from inside her mind. Glaring at his corporeal counterpart from the corner of her eye, Kaoru finally opened her mouth and sipped across his fingers.

For a moment nothing happened. She waited for the warm tingle and sunlit scent that had presaged magical healing in the past. The warm tingle began, but quickly turned into a raging inferno. Kaoru felt like she'd just gulped down a barrel of wasabi and then been kicked in the lungs by an angry mule. Gasping, she felt tears streaming from her eyes.

When she could finally breathe, she wheezed, “Are you trying to kill me? What did you do to that stuff?”

Kenshin laughed sheepishly as he wiped away her tears with his thumbs. “I guess I made it a little bit too potent,” he apologized.

Not only had Kaoru's knuckles and bruises completely healed, but her hair had also doubled in length. Unfortunately, so had her nails. “Kenshin, you bastard, look at my hands!” she complained as soon as her eyesight cleared enough for her to see the taloned monstrosities.

“And?” he asked.

“Do something about it,” she ordered imperiously, “before I do something to you!”

Kaoru could hear the smile in his voice as he replied, “As My Lady commands.” At least he seems to have calmed down now. Shifting on his lap, she waited for his magic to come to her aid.

Forming a ring with his thumb and middle finger, Kenshin spoke several words of power into the air. When the echoes stopped, Kaoru examined her hands and feet. “Your spell didn't work. They're still long, Kenshin.”

“Of course it worked,” he replied calmly. “That's what these are here for.” Between his fingers he now held a sturdy looking pair of stainless steel toenail clippers.

Kaoru would have slapped herself on the forehead if she hadn't feared gouging out one of her eyes in the process. “Of course,” she repeated drolly. “Why didn't I think of that?” As Kenshin began her demanded manicure and pedicure, she laid her head back down on his shoulder and sighed. The most powerful mage in the country and he still has to use nail clippers just like everyone else.

An amused smile quirked Kaoru's lips. The mundane nature of it all comforted her. It dissolved the kernel of fear that had been forming from Kenshin's actions and reminded her of the man she'd seen that first night when their hands had touched. Lord Battousai was powerful and frightening, yes, but he was Kenshin of the gentle hands and wicked sense of humor too.

After several minutes, the clipping stopped. Kaoru felt Kenshin's magic again and assumed that he'd returned the clippers to wherever they'd first come from. It was becoming easier to sense when he used magic. For an indeterminable amount of time she simply lay there with her eyes closed. Her head had slowly slipped down to rest against Kenshin's bicep. Feeling her head start to slide down towards his elbow, she took it as a sign that naptime was over.

Opening her eyes languidly, she lifted her head and found Kenshin staring down into her face. As she leaned forward, spikes of his wet hair licked against her cheeks. There was something both vulnerable and ravenous in his gaze, but as soon as she moved, he blinked and it disappeared. Kaoru wondered if she'd really seen the previous emotions or only imagined them.

“Kaoru?” he questioned softly.

Amiably she replied, “Yes?”

“That morning,” she felt the vibration of his hesitant swallow, “Why did you run away?”

TO BE CONTINUED