Control

Things are moving toward their climax. Due to my mistake, this chapter isn’t the climax like it was supposed to be, however, I expect hopefully about three more chapters and this thing should start resolving itself. Let me know what you think!

“dialogue”

‘thoughts’

Blah, blah, blah…I don’t own…blah…

Control
Chapter 17

Kenshin approached his master’s hut warily. He couldn’t shake the horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. He noticed Sano, Yahiko and Aoshi were standing outside awkwardly. Kenshin remembered his promise to Lord Yamagata and a thought occurred to him.

“Sano, Yahiko, would you do me a favor?” Kenshin asked.

Yahiko’s eyes lit up. “How can we help?” the boy asked.

“Sessha would like you to return to Kyoto and send a message to Saito at the Tokyo Police Headquarters,” Kenshin said.

“What does that jerk need to know?” Sano asked, his ire forming at the mere mention of Mibu’s wolf.

“Tell him we found Miyori,” Kenshin replied.

“Why does he need to know?” Sano asked his curiosity evident.

“Please Sano, sessha wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. Time is of the essence,” Kenshin pleaded.

“Come on chicken-head. You heard Kenshin, it’s important! Let’s go,” Yahiko said, tugging on Sano’s arm.

“Alright, calm down. Hey Kenshin, you’re gonna owe me an explanation,” Sano warned, following Yahiko down the trail toward the city.

“Hai,” Kenshin said, watching them go. A new voice caught his attention and he turned from watching his friends depart.

“Um, excuse me, Master Hiko?” Kaoru asked, fidgeting slightly.

Hiko paused with the sake jug almost to his lips. “Yes, Kamiya?”

“Would you have a spare yukata or something Miyori could wear while we clean her clothes? They’re covered in blood and would raise a great deal of attention in town,” Kaoru said.

Hiko nodded and took a sip of sake. “In the chest in the corner are some yukatas I use for sleeping. They should fit. Bring her clothes out, the baka deshi can clean them,” Hiko said, ignoring Kenshin’s oro.

“Hai,” Kaoru said, turning and disappearing inside the hut. She returned moments later with Miyori’s bloodstained yukata and a small basket.

“I saw the soap in the basket and thought you’d need it,” she said, handing the items to Kenshin.

Kenshin searched her eyes and ki for any sense of anger or concern. He breathed a sigh of relief at finding Kaoru calm. She looked at him strangely.

“Thank you, Kaoru-dono,” he said, giving her a small smile.

Her concern wiped away, she smiled back and returned to the hut. Hiko snorted at his student’s and Kaoru’s actions.

“Come on baka deshi, I don’t want the blood to set on my shirt,” he said, rising from his seat on the well-worn log.

“Shishou?” Kenshin squeaked.

Hiko pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do I have to spell everything out for you baka? You have cleaning to do. The river is the best place, the water’s nice and cold. Let’s go, NOW!” Hiko said, starting down the path.

Kenshin started after him, but stopped after only a few steps. Turning he began to address Aoshi.

“I will stand guard,” Aoshi said, cutting him off.

Kenshin bowed and rushed after his master.

As Kenshin and Hiko left, Aoshi turned his attention to the hut. Things were quiet inside and somehow that made him uncomfortable. Taking a seat on the log, he closed his eyes and let his senses stand guard over the small hut.

Inside, Misao and Kaoru sat quietly, looking at each other every few moments. Miyori sat on Hiko’s futon, staring at her hands folded in her lap. She’d said little since coming inside with these two women. They’d been concerned that her clothes were bloodied and they’d found her something else to wear. However, once she’d changed, the conversation ground to a halt. Misao found herself staring at the brusies on Miyori’s wrists, just peeking out from the edge of the yukata.

“Miyori,” Misao began, “the bruises on your arms and legs, they’re recent aren’t they?”

Miyori nodded, trying to keep the memories at bay.

“Those bastards!” Misao hissed. “You’re pregnant and they still wouldn’t leave you alone.”

Miyori blinked for a moment, trying to understand what Misao meant. It hit her like a ton of bricks.

‘Oh kami! They think our captors raped me…but they didn’t. Why would they think…oh no…Kenshin didn’t tell them.’ Miyori’s thoughts were broken by an arm on her shoulder. Raising her eyes, she met Kaoru’s concerned gaze.

“Miyori, are you alright? You’re very pale all of the sudden,” Kaoru said, looking the girl over.

Miyori merely nodded. Kaoru gave her a smile.

“Just think, your family will be happy to hear you’ve been found! I’m sure they must have been worried sick,” Kaoru said.

Miyori looked at her with confusion. “My family? What do you mean?”

Misao’s eyebrows furrowed. “Weren’t you taken from your family like Kenshin was?” she asked.

Miyori shook her head. “My father sold me,” she said. “Our land has not been producing well and there wasn’t enough to feed everyone. Some men offered my father a good bit of money in exchange for me.”

“But why would they do that?” Misao asked.

Kaoru saw the sadness and worry in Miyori’s eyes and felt defensive for the girl.

“Misao, I don’t think that’s important right now,” she said, leveling her gaze at her friend. Turning back to Miyori, her eyes softened.

“Miyori, do you have somewhere to go?” Kaoru asked.

Miyori fought back tears. She shook her head, not trusting her voice. Kaoru reached out and gave her arm a gentle squeeze.
“Don’t worry, you can stay at my dojo in Tokyo. We have plenty of room,” Karou said, smiling at Miyori.

Miyori was shocked and suddenly very afraid.

“T-tokyo?” she asked.

“Hai,” said Kaoru. “Like I said, we have plenty of room and you’ll need someplace to stay. Perhaps after the baby is born, we can help you find a job and a place of your own. At the very least you won’t be alone. You’ll have me, Kenshin, Yahiko and all our other friends to help you.”

Miyori’s hands moved to her stomach at the mention of Kenshin’s name. ‘How can I do this? I can’t stay with them, not when they don’t know the truth. But where else will I go?’

Miyori could not hold back the tears any longer. As they slowly fell, she nodded her acceptance.

Kaoru scooted next to the crying girl and pulled her into a hug.

“Ssssh,” she said, patting Miyori’s hair. “It’s going to be alright. You won’t be alone again.

Miyori felt her heart break and her tears quickly became sobs.

Outside, Aoshi was puzzled by the multitude of emotions he felt swirling inside the hut. The overwhelming amount of fear the girl exhibited made him concerned. Something was not right.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

At the riverbank, Kenshin worked the blood out of the yukata Miyori was wearing. Beside him, his master sat perched on a rock, shirtless, still drinking some of his sake. Kenshin was careful to shield his emotions from his master. He tried to keep his mind blank and concentrate solely on the cleaning he was doing. Hiko had other ideas.

“Well baka, how long are you going to wait to tell me what happened?” Hiko growled.

“Shishou?” Kenshin asked, surprise on his face.

“Don’t play innocent with me baka. My peaceful existence was interrupted today by swordsmen and a pregnant woman and this is somehow all tied to you. So I’d like an explanation…now,” the swordmaster said, growling.

Kenshin sighed. Taking a deep breath, he looked into the piercing eyes of his master. Instead of lying, he found himself telling Hiko the entire story, even including his burgeoning relationship with Kaoru. When he was done, he watched his master’s face for a reaction.

Hiko shook his head and narrowed his eyes at his wayward student.

“BAKA!” he yelled. “How long will it take before you learn from your mistakes? Your hard-headedness has no boundaries. If I’d known the trouble you’d create from having left me so long ago, I would’ve put you out of your misery. Even now, the ghosts of the revolution won’t let you go and now it’s affecting innocent people. You’ve ruined that girl’s life and if it weren’t for the self-induced atonement you’ve made in the last ten years and the feelings of the friends you’ve made, I’d end your pathetic existence right now. Do you have any idea how you’re going to fix this?”

Kenshin hung his head.

“No Shihsou,” he said.

Hiko snorted.

“You fool, why didn’t you tell them what happened in the first place?” he asked.

“Sessha was ashamed and afraid of losing Kaoru-dono,” Kenshin replied.

“Oh quit with the ‘sessha’ crap. So now that you’ve screwed things up, you finally realized how you feel about that Kamiya girl. You’re hopeless,” Hiko said.

“Hai,” said Kenshin. “You are right Shishou. What should I do?”

Hiko shook his head.

“You’ve gotten yourself into this mess; you’ll have to get yourself out of it. I swear, every time I come in contact with you, you bring me nothing but trouble,” Hiko said, standing and walking back toward the hut.

Kenshin sighed and stared at the water rushing by. ‘Shishou is right, I am hopeless. I’m stained with blood and nothing I do will bring anyone happiness. Karma is not finished with me.’

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Aoshi was startled from his reverie by the intense ki of Hiko. Looking up, he saw the swordmaster approaching, shirtless with his cape over one arm and his ever-present sake jug in the other. Hiko sat down on the log.

“Have they come outside?” he asked, indicating the hut.

“No,” Aoshi said.

“Has it been quiet?”

“Hai,” Aoshi replied.

“Hmmm…that’s good I guess,” Hiko said, taking a swig of sake. A wind began to blow through the trees. Hiko rolled his eyes.

“Damn, I need a shirt,” he said, rising. Carefully approaching the hut, he listened for a moment before knocking on the wall to the side of the rush mat that served as a door. Getting no response, he grumbled to himself before pushing the mat aside and entering.

The sight that greeted him surprised him greatly. Miyori sat on his futon, the Kamiya girl at her side, arms around Miyori’s shoulders. Misao sat to the other side, gently patting the girl’s arm. All three looked up at him and Hiko instantly noted Miyori’s tear-stained eyes. He felt an emotion trying to well up before he clamed down on it hard.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said, “however, it is my hut and I need a shirt.”

“Of course,” said Kaoru, hopping up and retrieving one from the chest in the corner.

Hiko slipped it on and noted the flushed cheeks on Misao and Kaoru. He grinned to himself. He noted Miyori had a far-away look in her eyes. Kaoru’s question broke him from his thoughts.

“Will Kenshin be back soon?” she asked.

“Hai, the baka shouldn’t take too much longer,” Hiko said.

“Thank you,” Kaoru said, bowing, “for the use of your hut. Once Kenshin returns we will leave for Kyoto.”

Hiko saw Miyori’s gaze drop to the floor.

“I see,” Hiko said. “Will you be staying in Kyoto?”

Kaoru’s eyes widened in confusion.

“Ah, no,” she said, “we’ll be returning to Tokyo.”
Hiko stood and thought a moment. Kaoru jumped when he suddenly spoke.

“I’ve been meaning to see how my pottery would sell in Tokyo. Perhaps I will tag along. After all the baka deshi has often told me to come visit,” Hiko said.

Kaoru’s mouth dropped open. She couldn’t remember Kenshin ever mentioning that, but she didn’t want to be rude to his master. Quickly pulling herself together, she answered him.

“O-of course! We have plenty of room and it would be an honor,” she said.

Hiko smirked.

“Then I’ll pack a few pieces and we’ll go,” he said.

“H-hai,” Kaoru said, still stunned at the events.

When Kenshin returned awhile later with the clean laundry, he was shocked to see everyone sitting outside the hut, ready to travel.

“Oro, everyone is ready to leave then?” he asked.

“Yes,” Kaoru said. “Oh and Kenshin…,” she began but was cut off.

“I’ll be coming back to Tokyo with you,” Hiko said, coming out of the hut with two bags and his sake jug.

Kenshin fainted straight away.