Chapter27

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Enishi spun around; anxious to see what had happened, but the sight was not something he’d expected at all. Mao was being held at the throat by an angry Kaoru… or at least that’s what it had seemed at first glance. He strode towards them to do something about it but stopped suddenly as he noticed Kaoru’s expression.

Her eyes looked dead as her head tilted off to the side and all her body seemed to hang limply as if from invisible strings, except her arms, which seemed impossibly strong in contrast to the rest of her. Enishi reeled back. This was not good.

“T’lin Hsing!” he shouted out angrily. “I know you’re out there, show yourself!” There was no response from the silence of the shadows. Mao gasped in garbled pain. “Is your revenge so simple that you would just end it so quickly? I know there’s something more you want.”

A small figure, girlish and light on its feet hopped out of the shadows gracefully and almost seemed to float to the ground. Enishi clenched his teeth to keep from shuddering in face of her blank gaze. She was likely one of the only things that disturbed him so. He was used to reading peoples thoughts and emotions mainly through their eyes.

“You’re very likely right.” Her broken voice spoke, Enishi looked at her with distain, finally over his initial unease. She would only use it to her advantage. She smiled an odd sight on her sprite-like face. Enishi wondered still how she had avoided burning her face while everything else didn’t escape.

“It’s not that simple at all, and I wouldn’t let it be even if it was.” Kaoru let go of Mao and hung like a doll from the air, her feet resting heavily on the ground. “I just wished to play a bit before I began”

“You’ve been around Fang to long.” Enishi said “You never used to use words like ‘play’” T’lin frowned.

“No, I just remember Mao too well.” she hissed unintentionally, her burned vocal chords unable to do much more than that “He’s a monster, I’ll never understand how you can forgive him what he’s done”

“I don’t” Enishi said “It’s not my place to forgive or blame people, as I myself am a monster” Enishi smiled bitterly.

“He will use your little girl as a toy,” T’lin said, her sightless eyes shifting over to Kaoru and Mao, who also seemed suspended now.

“No.” Enishi said simply “That’s what you’re doing, let her go” he finished coldly.

“I’d prefer they didn’t hear any conversation between us” T’lin responded. “I can’t do anything other than hold them now. Mao was always to strong for me to control, and your pet I only caught because she’s unaware. I won’t be able to do it again so I’d prefer to hold on for a while now.” Enishi sighed and turned around

“What do you want; you know I won’t let you kill him.” Enishi said, staring at the tunnel before them. T’lin seemed to fidget behind him; he could hear it even though he could not see her do it.

“Is there anything I can do to change your mind?” She said quietly “I don’t want to be forced to hurt you.” Enishi didn’t turn around

“No.” he said “I’m afraid you can no longer afford to hold back now.” T’lin was silent for a moment.

“I do love you.” She whispered, knowing he didn’t care “But my life is not my own… I am already dead.” She seemed to float across the ground as she stepped in front of Enishi and ran her hand across his face. “I only miss my true sight… when I look at you” she said, a tear slipping down her porcelain face. Enishi looked down at her so coldly that she shivered, almost fearful for the first time in her life. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away from his face.

“If you touch her” he started “I will give you your life back and you will know more suffering than you ever dreamed.” He tossed her hand away. She rubbed her wrist and Enishi heard Mao and Kaoru fall to the ground, free from her arcane imprisonment. The last thing heard before the chaos began was a sob of insanity from T’lin before she disappeared into the shadows.

Saitoh was loosing his patience. It was something that he couldn’t actually ever remember doing. He frowned as he blew out a puff of smoke. He lived by a strict simple justice, Aku. Soku. Zan. Things like this shouldn’t bother him.

There had been no trace of Enishi or the Raccoon girl, although he had been surprised to discover that Kaoru had left with Enishi once again even after seeing Kenshin. As he thought of the state Kenshin was in now.. or this so- called Shinta rather, he found his initial surprise fading. It had been obvious that the girl was in love with the man.

Saitoh had also been aware of Battousai’s feelings for the girl, it had disgusted him to realize that they’d likely live along happy cute little life together until they grew old and had lots of fat happy babys. He smirked. It didn’t look like that would happen now.

Tokio, he had to admit, would likely never have a cute happy life with fat happy kids. He snorted. It had been her choice though, she’d had many men chasing after her, and it figured that she’d go after the only one that hadn’t been. He took a drag of the cigarette. He’d been perfectly fine with keeping her once he’d got her, but he didn’t show it much

Over the years he’d discovered that she wasn’t oblivious as he’d thought. She knew how much he cared. He still thought he could do better by her, although he likely never would. He’d never made her any promises. He had his own agenda and he’d damn well follow it. If Tokio was content to be nothing more than his shadow, then so be it.

He sunk further into the shadows as Shinta stepped out of the building, looking around cautiously as if he felt something. The battousai was regaining all of his old instincts, he observed to himself as Shinta put his hand to his poorly concealed sword. I wonder If I should just do something now… Saitoh thought, preparing to step out of the shadows.

Enishi dodged to the side, sweeping up a drained Kaoru besides him. He didn’t worry about Mao; Mao could handle things himself, despite his frail appearance. He’d have preferred to leave Mao to take care of it himself but he knew him better than that.

He cursed as he realized that Kaoru had passed out. This would be rather difficult. Not Impossible, but difficult nonetheless. The earth started to rumble and the walls flew at him at high speeds. He shouted out in determination and they disappeared, having never existed. Damn Illusions, he thought to himself as he ran to the side, dodging a small one he didn’t want to waste the energy to dispel.

He pushed off the wall, feeling slightly apprehensive as he realized something was wrong. He looked down to find himself holding Mao and not Kaoru. His eyes widened as he glanced back at where he’d thought he’d left Mao. Kaoru was gone.

He’d told her not to touch her, she knew the consequences. He didn’t understand it, unless, unless there had been a third party. T’lin wouldn’t dare do it herself.

“Fang!” he spit out into the empty air. They would both pay twofold for this.