Control

I’m posting this as well as two more chapters today and possibly a third, depends on if I get to it or not. These chapters reveal who our villain really is as well as why he’s doing this. However, I wanted to take just a moment to answer one of the criticisms of this story that’s been bugging me. As you’ll soon see, this isn’t your standard Kenshin & Kaoru vs. Dr. Evil plotline. It was never intended to be that. I didn’t reveal the villain right away because I wanted time to develop the relationship between Kenshin and Miyori. The villain’s identity is going to change a few things in this story. A note about him, he’s a control freak-to an abnormal level. This story’s titled “Control” for a reason. Some of you have asked why they didn’t use Kaoru instead of Miyori. Three reasons-one, the timing of it; two, the necessity of the doctor insuring that half their plan was foolproof; and three, it wouldn’t necessarily have the same lasting effects on Kenshin as it does with Miyori. Trust me folks, our villain is just an ass.

‘thoughts’

“dialogue”

Control
Chapter 9

Kaoru watched as Kenshin left the dojo to get tofu. They’d been back for three weeks and Kenshin wasn’t the same. She’d thought that once he gotten home and back into his usual routine, that things would improve. But he was still as quiet and reflective as when they’d found him. In fact, in the past three days, he’d seemed to be getting even worse.

Jumping back, Kaoru realized that someone was waving a hand in her face. Her right arm automatically flew out. When her eyes focused, she stood staring at Sano, who was holding his head in pain.

“Sano, what do you think you’re doing?” Kaoru asked as she narrowed her eyes.

“What am I doing? I could ask you the same question! Here I am walking up; talking to you the entire time and you’re standing there like a statue. When I finally get you to acknowledge me, you hit me!” Sano yelled.

“Sorry,” Kaoru said, lowering her eyes. “I was thinking about Kenshin. Something’s really wrong, but he’s not talking about it.”

“So you’ve noticed it too,” Sano said.

Kaoru looked at the fighter with surprise.

“Ever since we’ve found him, he’s been off,” Sano said. “It’s like something happened, but what I can only imagine.”

Kaoru nodded her head in agreement. “He hasn’t talked about what happened to him at all. Whenever I bring it up, he changes the subject or tells me it’s nothing to worry about,” Kaoru said. “I know something happened. He’s just been too unlike himself for something not to have happened. I worry that maybe he’ll try to leave again.”

“Don’t you worry, missy. If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that Kenshin isn’t going anywhere,” Sano said. “I’ll see if I can get him to talk about it. Maybe it’s something he needs to discuss guy-to-guy.”

“Thank you Sano,” Kaoru said. “I just want the old Kenshin back. I want him to be happy.”

“He will missy,” Sano said. “Just give him time. Everything will go back to normal.”

Returning to the dojo after purchasing the tofu, Kenshin entered the kitchen to begin work on dinner. As he started chopping vegetables he became aware of someone watching him. Smiling he acknowledged Sano.

“Good evening Sano! Will you be staying for dinner?”

“Since you’re asking, okay,” the lanky fighter said, leaning against the doorway.

Kenshin smiled as he continued to chop. Sano watched his friend for a few moments before breaking the silence.

“So Kenshin, why won’t you tell us what happened to you while you were a prisoner?”

“Oro!” Kenshin said as he missed a vegetable. “Sano, why do you ask?”

“Because I hate it when friends of mine don’t tell me all the facts. You’ve been acting strangely and the only thing I can figure is that something happened and you’re not telling us out of some misguided notion of protecting us or something. So why don’t you come clean?” Sano said frustration evident in his voice.

Kenshin stopped his chopping and looked at his friend. Sighing, resumed chopping and responded to Sano’s questions.

“Sano, I’ve told you. Nothing happened that you need to be concerned about. I was held prisoner, that’s all. I made a promise to Miss Miyori to rescue her and as soon as Aoshi has a lead, I will do just that. There’s nothing to be worried about.”

“Kenshin, I’ve known you for awhile now and I’m proud to call you a friend, but don’t lie to me damnit! What happened? How can you just be held prisoner and then we’re able to rescue you so easily? It doesn’t add up.”

Kenshin secretly agreed with Sano, but he wouldn’t share his thoughts with his friend.

“Sano, I’ve told you what happened. Please, let it go. I’m sorry I haven’t been myself. I’ve been concerned about Miss Miyori that I have.”

Sano could feel a partial truth in Kenshin’s words.

“Kenshin all I’m saying is that I’m your friend and I’m here. You don’t have to carry whatever it is alone. Your friends are here for you. Don’t shut us out,” with those words Sano turned and left the kitchen.

Kenshin looked to where his friend had been standing. ‘I’m sorry Sano, but I can’t tell you. Until I know for certain what’s happened, I can’t.’ Returning his attention to making dinner, Kenshin tried to banish all thoughts about the previous conversation from his mind.

A week later, Kenshin sat outside on the porch steps, enjoying the late autumn stars. Even though it was cool, he didn’t mind the crisp air. He could hear Yahiko snoring and smiled at the sound. Hearing approaching footsteps, he turned and acknowledged Kaoru as she sat next to him on the steps. Looking up at the stars, she smiled as she watched a shooting star streak across the sky.

Turning to face Kenshin, she watched as he continued to look up. She still felt a space between them, but she had not forgotten about her promise to tell Kenshin of her feelings. Steeling herself, she prepared to speak.

“Kenshin? The stars are beautiful tonight aren’t they?” Kaoru asked.

“Mmhm,” Kenshin responded. “Could you not sleep Miss Kaoru?”

“No. But it’s alright, I’ve actually been wanting to talk to you,” she said.

“Is everything okay Miss Kaoru?” Kenshin asked.

“Yes and no, Kenshin. I’m worried about you. You’ve been terribly quiet since you’ve been back and you won’t talk about what happened to you in the prison,” Kaoru said.

Kenshin sighed.

“I’m sorry Miss Kaoru. I don’t mean to be quiet, but I am concerned and those thoughts have dominated my mind,” Kenshin said.

“You’re worried about the other prisoner, Miyori, right?” Kaoru asked.

Kenshin nodded.

Kaoru looked at the ground in front of the steps.

“Do you love her?” she asked in a small voice.

Kenshin’s eyes widened.

“Oro! Miss Kaoru, where would you get an idea like that?” Kenshin asked.

“You’re obviously thinking of her. You’re so quiet, I can only guess what you must feel for her,” Kaoru said quietly.

“Miss Kaoru, I’m sorry if you’ve gotten the wrong idea. I don’t love Miss Miyori, but I do care about her. She was sold by her family to our captors. I can only wonder what they are doing to her. I got to know her very well. She has a kind heart, much like you. But with a bit of a fire in her spirit, much like you. I guess that’s why I’m so concerned, she reminds me of you,” Kenshin said. ‘And there’s the possibility she’s carrying my child,’ he thought.

Kaoru turned to face Kenshin. “Really Kenshin? She reminded you of me? That’s why you’re concerned?” she asked.

“Part of it, yes, Miss Kaoru. She was young as well. Miss Miyori said she was only 16, that she did,” Kenshin said, looking at Kaoru.

“16? She’s younger than I am and to be sold by her family! I feel bad for her Kenshin. I’m sorry if I’ve been bothering you, but I’ve been worried about you. You see Kenshin,” Kaoru started as she turned away from Kenshin. “When I was alone in the village where those men left me, I made a promise, Kenshin.”

“A promise Miss Kaoru?” Kenshin asked, staring at the girl’s profile.

“Yes, a promise. I swore that when I saw you again I would tell you how I really felt about you. I-I love you Kenshin. I love the man you are today and I’m not afraid of your past. Since you’ve come into my life, I’ve never been so happy. I want to be with you Kenshin. That is…if you feel the same way…,” Kaoru said, taking a peek at Kenshin’s face.

Kenshin felt his heart swell at Kaoru’s words. The love that he felt for her was reciprocated. He ached to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. The fearful look she gave him told him how afraid she was of rejection. Smiling Kenshin took Kaoru’s hand in his.

“Miss Kaoru, your words are the sweetest music to my ears. Ever since I’ve met you, you’ve changed me. You’ve given me a home, you didn’t care about my past and when I went to confront my past, you followed me. You wouldn’t let me become lost to my demons. Kaoru, I do love you,” Kenshin said, feeling his gut clench in fear at the known and unknown.

Kaoru began to cry. Turning, she threw herself into Kenshin’s arms. Holding her tight against him, Kenshin inhaled the sweet scent of jasmine that flowed through her hair. Moving his head, he kissed her hair as he tightened his hold on Kaoru. Kenshin loosened his hold and Kaoru sat back.

“Kenshin, thank you. Thank you for making me the happiest woman on earth!” Kaoru said, dabbing her eyes.

Kenshin smiled at his little tanuki. Reaching out he took her hand again. Taking a deep breath, Kenshin looked into her eyes.

“Kaoru, I want to be with you, but I must ask something of you,” Kenshin said quietly.

“Anything Kenshin!” Kaoru said, smiling.

“I made a promise to Miss Miyori that I would rescue her and I don’t feel right living in happiness, while she is still suffering as a captive. Can I ask that we take it slow until we’ve rescued her?” Kenshin asked.

Kaoru felt tears building up in her eyes.

“Kenshin,” she said, reaching out to cup his cheek. “That is one of the reasons I love you. You care about others so much. I agree with you. It wouldn’t be right. Just promise me that we can still sit together and watch the stars from time to time and I’ll be fine.”

Kenshin smiled and pulled Kaoru in for another hug.

“That I can promise you,” he said, breathing into her hair.

*******

Almost three months had passed since Miyori had come to this new prison. Life had taken on a sort of routine. The door would open in the morning with someone bringing her breakfast. Then later she’d be brought outside to a walled-in garden and allowed to walk around for about an hour, then lunch, another hour in the garden and then back to her room with dinner. Even the doctor’s visits were routine. Everything flowed from one day to the next.

The only thing that wasn’t routine in Miyori’s life were the changes her body was undergoing. At first when the nausea she attributed to her sea voyage didn’t go away, she wrote it off as an illness of some sort. Even the tenderness in her breasts she could ignore. But when her monthly bleeding hadn’t appeared for three months in a row and her stomach became hard, she couldn’t deny that she was indeed, pregnant. Sitting in the chair and looking out at the far-off harbor, her hands fluttered over the small swell of her stomach. She’d experienced fluttery feelings in the past few days and believed it was the first stirrings of her child. A child she couldn’t bring herself to hate.

Her first reaction upon realizing her circumstance was to cry and wish that it hadn’t occurred. She thought in the depths of night, about somehow trying to abort the child. Her heart broke at the thought and she had to abandon all thoughts of ridding herself of the child. Even now as the first flutterings of life in her belly were occurring, she couldn’t bring herself to curse its existence. She did worry though. Kenshin was undoubtedly the father. He was in love with another and had never intended to take Miyori as a lover. If it weren’t for the darts, nothing would ever have happened between them. She found herself wishing for rescue and cursing it at the same time.

Rescue would mean she was free, but free to what kind of life? She was unmarried and pregnant. She had no purity to give to a husband and a life dependent on her for its every need. It was no wonder that Miyori felt herself to have a very bleak future. She’d tried to hold out hope that something would happen to change her situation, but as the days passed and the tiny life inside her grew, Miyori felt herself losing out to a deep depression.

When the door to her room opened, she started. This was not routine. Standing, she faced the door and found herself looking into a face that was familiar and at the same time unfamiliar.

“Who are you?” Miyori asked.

The man across from her smiled. Stepping forward, he put a hand on the small swell of her stomach.

“I’m the man responsible for the little gift you hold here,” he said smiling.

Miyori stepped back, falling into the chair. Looking at his face she realized why he seemed familiar.

“You were the man in the mask!” Miyori cried out.

Laughing, the man regarded the girl.

“So you figured it out. Allow me to introduce myself, my dear. I’m Takayoshi Kido. Since you’ve successfully implemented my plan, I think we can be on a first name basis. Isn’t that right Miyori?”

Miyori’s eyes furrowed in confusion. The man’s name was familiar, but she couldn’t think of where she’d heard it. His voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Come now my dear, we have a schedule to keep. Toshi,” Kido called.

A man entered the room with a box. Placing it on the bed, he turned and left. Kido regarded the girl in front of him.

“In the box you’ll find a yukata. Please try it on, make sure it fits. Then redress. When you’re done, knock on the door. It’s time for you to see an old friend,” Kido said, smiling.

“An old friend?” Miyori asked, trying to figure out what Kido meant.

Turning, Kido walked to the door.

“Hurry now my dear. You’ll see,” he said as he closed the door and left the room.

Miyori opened the box and pulled out the yukata. It was a thin silk, a royal blue color with a beautiful pattern of cranes on it. There was a thin white band that tied it closed. Donning the yukata, Miyori noted the swell of her belly was noticeable. Taking it off, she put her kimono back on. Placing the garment in the box, she crossed to the door and knocked as instructed. A man opened the door and placed a blindfold over her eyes. She was led downstairs and outside of the house to a carriage. She could hear the stamping of the horses and the creak of the leather harnesses. She was helped into the carriage and before long felt it moving. The entire time they traveled she held herself back from daring to hope who this old friend was.

*******

I need to put in one disclaimer-Takayoshi Kido is a real historical figure. I mean no offense to his person or his family in using his name in the story. Obviously he didn’t do anything in real life like what he’s doing here. But I needed a name that wasn’t immediately obvious to everyone, but still fit the plotline. So this chapter gave us some K&K fluff and the question about whether Miyori is pregnant is definitely answered.

Comments and criticisms are always appreciated! Just click on the word “Review”.

Thanks!!