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Chapter 6 - Searching
"Fuck off Chichiri!" Tasuki moaned, reaching behind his head for the godawful block the people in this world used for a pillow and hurling it at his tormentor. He heard it ricochet off of something with a satisfying thunk and eliciting a cry of "Da!" "You told me to wake you up at dawn, Tasuki-kun no da!" Chichiri said ruefully. "Yeah, well, I don't know what I drank last night, but you should know by now not to listen to anything I say when I'm hammered, bakayarou!" Tasuki replied, covering his face with the thick coverlet. "I thought you were going to go looking for Nuriko and Hotohori-sama no da." Tasuki shot up to a sitting position, his eyes finally opening. "Oh yeah!" Chichiri was sitting on the floor, rubbing his head where the block had hit him. "Gomen, Chichiri, I forgot." "No kidding na no da!" Chichiri responded with a hint of sarcasm. "Well, you can wake Sanosuke-kun up, no da. He's even more violent than you are, I'm not doing it na no da!" Tasuki was already on his feet, struggling into his clothes. "Hey! Who says he's more violent than I am? I'll show you who's more violent!" he said as he bolted out the door. He encountered Kaoru halfway down the hall, poking her head out of her room, yawning. "Oi, Jou-chan, where did you stash Sano?" Still yawning, she pointed to the room across from her. "Do you have to shout so early in the morning?" she complained. Tasuki stopped and grinned contritely. "Gomen, Jou-chan, I'm kinda hard to wake up." Kaoru just shook her head, and he knocked on Sano's door. Getting no response, he waltzed in and shook the sleeping gangster violently. "Oi, wakey-wakey, Sano!" A thrown block and several inventive curses later, the two boys were marching down the street, lit only by the odd lantern and the pre-dawn glow. Sanosuke yawned mightily. "I haven't been up this early since the Bakumatsu." Tasuki grinned toothily. "I've never been up this early, but it's your fault for telling those guys we'd be back at dawn." Sano shrugged. "Even Zanza has only so much pull." Presently, they arrived at the alley, and confronted the trembling Yakuza members. Nuriko and Hotohori were nowhere in evidence, and they had to conclude that something had happened to them. "K'so!" Tasuki swore, taking out his frustration on the nearest brick wall. "What are we going to do now?" "Much as I hate to do it, we'd better go to Saitou," Sano growled. "He's the only one with the connections to search the city." "K'so!" Tasuki said again. "What if they ran into Nakago or something? They could be dead!" Sano laid a hand on the bandit's shoulder. "We'll find them, Tasuki." Tasuki grunted. "Come on, let's get back to the dojo and find out what's up with that walking carpet we have trussed up." Tasuki looked up at the taller man, showing his fangs in a fierce grin. "Yeah," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's do that."
Tomo hadn't gone to see Nakago that evening. He told himself that he didn't want to disturb him while he was with Soi. Even before their defeat at the hands of the Suzaku, no one had dared to disturb him while he was with Soi. Still, he knew that was only part of the reason. He huddled under the thin blankets they'd liberated from a shop in the town and tried not to think about what Nakago would want to talk to him about. Damn her! He thought, over and over, clenching his fists in frustration. Why did she get to… why did he… but even in his mind, he couldn't say what he knew in his heart: Nakago had chosen. In the morning, he screwed up his courage and stood outside of the tent Nakago and Soi had shared that night. He cleared his throat loudly. "Nakago-sama, when would be a good time for me to speak to you?" shuffling of blankets answered his call. Then, "Tomo-kun, just a moment," came Nakago's deep, sensual voice. A few moments later, Soi and Nakago emerged from the tent. Soi's hair was down, flowing to her feet in a purple mass of tangled silk. Nakago was in a similar state of disarray, his blond hair unbrushed, his eyes bright from recent awakening. "I'll go wash up and start breakfast, Nakago-sama," Soi said softly, kissing him on the cheek. "That would be lovely, Soi-chan," he replied. Tomo tried to repress a wince and failed miserably. Nakago watched her sway down the path towards the nearby stream, then turned to Tomo. "Tomo-kun, please come in." The tent was in a similar state to its recent occupants. The bed was unmade and the whole place held the faint scent of sex. Tomo knew from long association that any place that held either Nakago, Soi or both for any length of time would eventually come to absorb that scent until it seemed impossible to cleanse away. He loved that smell, it reminded him of his one joy in life - the man standing in front of him, but now it made him feel constricted and trapped. He tried to maintain his normal mask of smiling decorum, but he hadn't put his make up on yet that day, and it's absence made it impossible for him to hide anything. He clenched his fists again and stared at the floor, a flush coming to his cheeks at the other man's scrutiny. "I think you know why I've asked to speak to you, Tomo-kun," Nakago said softly after a long pause. Tomo continued to stare at the floor, silently. "I hope you can understand." Tomo took a breath, blowing it out again in a long sigh. "I understand, Nakago-sama." I understand that you love her, and not me. That, for some reason, now that means that you have to drop me like chaff, and you're hoping that it won't make me hate and desert you like all the others have. Won't that be a fun time, just you, Soi, Miboshi, and the idiot brothers. One wonders if the two of you would ever come out of your tent. He knew he couldn't say any of that, but he had to say something. "Don't worry, Nakago-sama. I am still loyal to you, as always." He looked up, trying to lend credibility to his words, and caught a flicker of surprise as it spread over the former Shogun's face. "I was not concerned about your loyalty, Tomo-kun. I had hoped that this would not destroy what we have always meant to each other, friends. I had thought only to be sure that you were all right." Tomo felt a cynical smile curl his lip. "Of course, we will always be friends, Nakago-sama. And you should not trouble yourself to be concerned with my health. I have always endured, and I shall continue to do so." Nakago stepped towards him, his hand raising, intending to hold, to caress. Tomo knew one touch from that sword-calloused hand would make him forget the pain, would dispel the anger and hatred. He retreated, his back fetching against the canvas wall of the tent as Nakago lowered his hand, a look of confusion crossing his face. "I don't wish to cause you pain, Tomo-kun," Nakago said softly, clearly at a loss. "And I said that you needn't trouble yourself. I will work, as always, towards the furthering of your goals, and we will succeed, this time. I swear it." "I'm not concerned-" "All I require from you is to be permitted to remain by your side, to share in your glory, and to partake in your strength, for as long as I am useful to you, Nakago-sama," Tomo continued quickly. "Emotion is secondary, and only an obstacle to the betterment of Nakago-sama-" "Stop!" Nakago ordered, his voice clear and authoritative. Out of long habit, Tomo stopped the stream of rhetoric before he realized what he was doing. Nakago regarded him for a long time, his blue eyes revealing nothing. Tomo remained silent, unable to restart the flow of words that had been short-circuited so abruptly. "Tomo-kun," Nakago began softly. "I am not good with emotions. I never learned how to deal even with those that I had, let alone those others have." "You don't-" Nakago cut off the rising wave of Tomo's protest sharply. "Shut-up! You may speak later." Tomo fell silent again, fidgeting, and Nakago continued. "I do not wish to lose you, Tomo-kun. You have been as special to me as Soi-chan, and though I do not doubt your loyalty, I do not wish you to become cold to me." He paused, visibly struggling with his thoughts. "Soi's death has taught me a great many things about who I am, and I am very grateful to her for that. One of the things that she has taught me, is that I am capable of love, and that the one I love is her." Tomo squeezed his eyes shut, trembling. He felt Nakago draw close, but he was unable to retreat again. Nakago took his chin in one hand, caressing his cheek with a thumb. "I cannot forget you, Tomo-kun, and I do not understand this impulse of mine to give myself wholly to Soi, but that is what I must do for now. Nevertheless, I do not wish you to be sad, and I wish to do what I can to prevent that." Nakago leaned over and kissed Tomo on the lips. As always, Tomo lost himself in the sensation of those firm, pliant lips against his, and as always, it was over too quickly. His blonde angel dropped his hand and pulled away, standing back a step. Tomo opened his eyes, sensing that, at last, he would be allowed to speak. "No, Nakago-sama. You must do what you feel is best. You have been given a great gift, and, as I love you, I cannot allow you to squander it with misguided feelings that you must protect me. If you feel that the best thing for you is to suspend our relationship in order to devote yourself to Soi, then that is what you must do. I was not lying when I said that I will be all right. Go, be with her, and be happy." At his words, the pain and uncertainty sitting so unfamiliarly on Nakago's face cleared and was replaced with a look of gratitude and a small smile. "Thank you for understanding, Tomo-kun." Tomo bowed and excused himself, heading back to his tent to apply his makeup. As he crossed their small camp, he caught sight of Soi, returning from the stream, her hair bound up in the braids that were her trademark. The bite of pain was less intense, but still there. She smiled sadly at him, with only a trace of smugness, and he forced himself to smile back, and then entered his tent. Back in the comforting darkness, he sank to the floor and placed his face in his hands. As usual, he didn't know if he'd been manipulated, or if Nakago had shown him his true feelings. He also didn't know if he cared.
Ashitare awoke for the second time to the sound of voices. He opened his eye and took in the fact that he was alone. Outside the door, he could hear the sounds of a discussion. "I think he's calm now de gozaru. I think we can untie him." "Anou, but what if you're wrong, Himura-san no da?" "Sou! I don't want some monster rampaging around in my house!" came a shrill female voice he didn't recognize. He started growling deep in his throat.
Kenshin was distracted from his attempt to calm Kaoru's tirade about "the monster" by a sudden sense of impending danger. As he turned toward the door of the dojo, a roar began inside the building, quickly rising to a crescendo even as the swordsman burst through the door, drawing his sakabatou. His cry of "Yamete de gozaru!" was accompanied by the sound of tearing fabric as the ropes gave way. Then, there was a period of silence, punctuated only by Ashitare's laboured breathing. The tableau was almost comical. Kenshin stood in ready stance, his sakabatou pointed at Ashitare, who crouched back, eyes gleaming and claws raised. Chichiri stood with his staff planted, holding his prayer beads in his free hand. Ashitare turned the ferocity of his glare first on Chichiri, then on Kenshin. "You do work with Suzaku," he growled. Kenshin didn't really know what to say to that, but it sounded as though he were being accused of something. "I never meant to imply that I wasn't de gozaru," he replied, returning his sakabatou to its saya. He remained ready to draw it again, however. He just felt more comfortable with it there. Ashitare again glared at Chichiri. "You! Suzaku Seishi!" "Hai no da," Chichiri replied guardedly. "Why am I not dead?" "Huh?" Chichiri dropped his hand away from his beads. "Suzaku-sama brought you back to life because of Miaka-chan's wish no da." "And why am I still alive?" He gestured vaguely around the room. "We have no desire for further conflict with you, Ashitare-kun no da." At that moment, Tasuki and Sanosuke came around the building. Catching sight of Chichiri inside the dojo, Tasuki called out. "Oi, Chichiri! Is that flea-bitten punching bag awake yet?" Ashitare's eyes blazed red and Chichiri turned to give Tasuki an emphatic 'shut-up' gesture. "That one attacked me first!" Ashitare roared, and looked as though he might try to get past Kenshin to get to the red-haired bandit. "It was a misunderstanding no da!" Chichiri cried, trying desperately to forestall further violence. "You killed our friend Nuriko and he was angry na no da!" His words seemed to have an effect. The angry light faded from his eyes. "Nakago told me to." The way he spit the former Shogun's name showed there wasn't much love lost there. "And then when the strong one half-killed me, he killed me the rest of the way." "Oh," said Chichiri. He sensed the anger of the bandit at his shoulder and prayed to Suzaku that the flame-haired Seishi wouldn't do anything rash. Or stupid. "We didn't know that. But we have no interest in fighting with you, just in keeping you from hurting us anymore no da." It seemed as though disaster had been averted. Ashitare relaxed from his fighting stance and looked at them with a neutral expression. "I'm sorry I killed the strong one," he said quietly. At this, Kaoru piped up contritely. "I'm sorry I called you a monster, Ashitare-san," she said. "That was out of line." He grunted, then turned to Chichiri again. "Magician, can you send me back? I don't want to fight them anymore." Chichiri suspected he was referring mostly to Nakago, and heartily sympathized. There's no reason why he should have to, he thought. As the thought came to him, he felt a growing warmth in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out the gem Suzaku had given them. It was glowing deep within the centre, and giving off a soothing warmth. Even as he held it, the warmth and light grew, and then flashed brightly, searing into the retinas of everyone in the room. When their vision cleared, the realized Ashitare was gone. "Kuso! I was hoping to rough him up a bit more!" Tasuki complained loudly into the shocked silence.
At the sudden pulling sensation, Nakago looked up from the breakfast Soi had made. It was too fleeting to follow, but he could tell the others had felt it too. "Tomo-kun, Miboshi, find the Suzaku Seishi. I want to know what they're doing!" "Hai, Nakago-sama," they chorused. They abandoned the remains of their breakfast and headed for town. Amiboshi glanced at his brother for a moment, then toward the tent where Soi was feeding Hotohori and Nuriko and sighed. He didn't like where this was going. He turned back to see Nakago gazing at him with a cold blue-eyed stare. | |
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|Chapter 1| |Chapter 2| |Chapter 3| |Chapter 4| |Chapter 5| |Chapter 6| |Chapter 7| |