===== 09/07/02 === 05:00:18 p.m. ===== Disclaimer: I still don’t own RK. If I did, I’d be the happiest, little otaku on earth! No offense is meant by this story. It’s for entertainment purposes only. Warning: This story is PG-13, but, as with all my stories, chapter ratings will vary! Rating: PG Spoilers: Jinchuu Arc, probably most of series as well… ~~ denotes shifts in time/character perspective, ** denotes character’s thoughts @@ denotes start/end of flashback ><><><><><>< AUTHOR’S NOTE: Thanks for the reviews! I am trying to do something different with this, so let’s hope I can succeed! Thanks to everyone reading and giving it a chance! ><><><><><>< Summary: After leaving the Aoiya to “discover” herself, Misao runs into the most unlikely person and embarks on an adventure that leads to China, where she agrees to pose as a concubine to destroy an evil mafia boss. Can she save her new companion from the dangerousness of his own mind? When the time for decisions comes, will she choose her newest love or her old childhood infatuation? ><><><><><>< White Tiger, Jade Concubine Chapter 4: Unlikely Savior ><><><><><>< The sky overhead was awash with various shades of pink and purple as the sun slowly vanished beneath the horizon in the distance. Night was falling, bringing with it fierce winds and a surprisingly strong chill. Enishi cradled the young ninja girl against him as he observed the goings- on of the town in the distance. After a short inner debate, he had come to the decision to delay his approach until the blanket of night had fallen over the village. It would effectively hide his identity from any passersby without the use of the cloak, which was presently being used as a covering for the thin girl’s injured body. The hours had passed without her regaining consciousness, an occasional whimper or jumbled murmur escaping her lips as she unconsciously struggled against his grasp before falling into stillness, brow creased, casting her face into a constantly worried expression. It was strange to sit there, holding her protectively as the gusts of wind grew stronger, scattering yellowed leaves across the forest floor. She was thin, almost unhealthily so, her weight light enough not to cause any discomfort as she rested in his lap, face nestled against his shoulder. He had never held a woman in this manner. His sister had been much older and had often been the one offering comfort, embracing him in a protective, soothing, motherly fashion. His experiences with other women had always been concise and emotionless, nothing more than encounters in the darkness. No lingering embraces, no whispered endearments, just the release of pent up sexual energies in brief moments of passion. The sensation of cradling someone against him in this manner was oddly comforting. Nearly his entire life had been spent agonizing over his failure to protect the one that meant the most to him, the one he loved more than anything, and the idea still weighed heavily on his mind. What was it to protect someone, to guard them with all of oneself regardless of the consequences? It was a selfless act, something that Battousai had seemed to master. But to do so required something Enishi wasn’t sure he himself possessed. He had desired to protect his sister, but his failure had stemmed from his own selfishness and his naiveté as the unknowing pawn of nefarious men. The urge to protect was still strong within him, buried under layers of arrogance and feigned indifference. In his mind, it was a weakness, but the desire was so thoroughly ingrained in human nature that he found it impossible to ignore. The madness, the uncontrollable rage, that had festered inside of him for years was now gone. Without it, he was left to discover the version of himself that had been cast aside after he had witnessed the death of his sister. His life could have been so different had Battousai never encountered his sister’s fiancé on that dark night, had she lived, but had those events not occurred, he would not be Yukishiro Enishi. He would not have worked his way up through the triads, he would not have attained the power and style that were uniquely his own, he would not be the same man. He needed that, the identity. After all was said and done, it was all he had left. The girl stirred in his arms, heavy lids lifting to reveal jade green eyes that stared at him dazedly for a moment before drifting slowly shut. For the first time, he allowed his gaze to study her face. Discounting the bruising, she had a pretty, heart-shaped face, fresh and unassuming with large eyes that bespoke innocence while clearly displaying strength and determination. He had found himself admiring her bravery while she had stared at him defiantly, chin lifted, yelling something about Battousai and his woman and later when she had fought the ninjas without hesitation. He wondered if she was the same type of woman that Kaoru was; a woman who thought she could better the world through sheer willpower alone, a woman who would put herself in the line of fire to protect the man she loved. The girl was loyal to Battousai, unwaveringly so. It wasn’t a loyalty in return for payment, though, but a loyalty born from the deepest of loves. A loyalty that could never be broken or marred, even by the horrors of the redhead’s past. She had waited on the island, never once doubting that Battousai would come and rescue her, never losing her faith in him. Enishi wondered what it was like to have someone care that much, to have someone’s complete trust and faith. It was a foreign concept to him. Nearly everyone he knew wouldn’t trust him as far as they could throw him and would most likely vanish the moment his money or power disappeared. **If Onee-san had any faith in me, it was misplaced…I failed her when she needed me most…** As the sky darkened from midnight blue to black, Enishi came to his feet, holding the girl tightly against him as he started for the village. The streets were nearly deserted, only a few stragglers loitering here and there as Enishi made his way to a small inn at the edge of the town. He entered the inn to find a tiny, old woman sipping tea, eyes half-closed. They widened fractionally as she took in his appearance and the battered face of the girl in his arms. “May I help you?” she asked, eyeing him curiously. Enishi bowed his head slightly, lying easily, “I am in need of your assistance. My wife and I were set upon by bandits in the forest. All of our money and possessions were stolen, we barely escaped with our lives…” “That’s horrible,” the old woman commented, face tinged with sympathy. “I would be very grateful if you could offer us shelter for the night,” Enishi continued, doing his best to be humble. “My wife was injured and is in desperate need of a place to rest…” “Of course, of course,” the woman said, rising from her position to stand before him. “This is a very slow season for us. There are only a few guests here…we have plenty of room. You can stay as long as you need to. Free of charge.” Enishi bowed his head once more. “Arigatou.” “Follow me,” the old woman urged, turning towards a staircase. She led him to the second level and slid aside a shoji, gesturing into a dimly lit room. “You can stay in here. I will bring you some food and water.” “You have my deepest gratitude…” “Oh, think nothing of it. You remind me of my son. He died many years ago. It will be nice to have you here, even if it is only for a few days.” Enishi nodded politely, waiting until the woman had disappeared around the corner before he moved across the room, unfolding a futon with his foot and placing the unconscious girl in the center. She moaned as he set her down, face twisting in pain. Enishi watched her with deep turquoise eyes as he set the stolen sword aside and unrolled the futon beside hers. “Here you are,” a voice said from the doorway minutes later. The old woman approached, placing a tray of food and supplies on the floor next to the ninja girl’s futon. “I brought some hot water and clean cloths. It looks like her wounds need tending. I also brought this.” She held out a bundle of light green fabric. “It was my daughter-in-law’s. I figured that she might not have a change of clothing if all of your possessions were taken.” “You are very kind,” Enishi said slowly, surprised by the stranger’s apparent concern and generosity. “We are indebted to you.” The woman waved her hand in dismissal. “I am a lonely old woman. I have no one else to spend my money or attention on. It is the least I can do to help someone truly in need…” Enishi remained silent. In his experience, it was rare for someone to do something without desiring something in return. “Well, then,” the old woman murmured, “I will leave you to your business. Do not hesitate to ask if you need anything else…” “This will be fine, I’m sure,” Enishi replied. “Thank you.” The woman bowed once and was gone, sliding the shoji shut behind her. Aquamarine eyes fell to the thin girl as she moaned once more. Hesitating for less than a fraction of a second, Enishi pulled the cloak off of her body, revealing creamy white skin marred by thin cuts and stained with drying blood. Her wounds needed to be tended. He knew that he could not leave her without first cleaning up some of the damage the omnitsu had inflicted. Reaching to the pile of clean cloths, he dipped one into a steaming bowl of water and wrung it out quickly before touching it to the longest wound. The girl flinched, unconsciously attempting to move away from him. He stilled her with one hand, continuing to cleanse the wound as gently as possible. Four cloths later, the white-haired man settled back on his heels with a sigh, setting aside the bowl of tainted water before wiping his hands on a clean rag and reaching for a bowl of rice. The ninja girl’s wounds had been thoroughly cleansed, the majority of blood removed from the paleness of her skin, and a blanket had been draped over her slender body to cover her nakedness. She was still unconscious, but resting as comfortably as the situation would allow. He finished the rest of the food quickly and placed the tray of soiled dishes in the hallway before shrugging off his jacket and settling onto the empty futon. He was taking the opportunity that had presented itself, knowing that it might be one of the few he would have to rest undisturbed until he reached his intended destination. **Who would have thought that I would be reduced to taking care of one of Battousai’s friends? Life is very strange…** ~~~~~~~~~ Misao woke slowly, lids feeling heavy and weighed down. Full consciousness seemed to elude her, though, and she settled into a dazed, semi-lucid state. Her body felt sore and achy, screaming out in agony if she moved even the slightest fraction of an inch. She turned her head painfully, glancing around, bewildered. **What…I…where…** Hearing the soft rustle of fabric beside her, she blinked, turning her eyes in that direction. The sight that met her eyes was nearly too much for her to handle and she blinked again, feeling confusion rise in her chest. **Yukishiro…** Wincing slightly, Misao allowed her eyes to drift shut, pain rearing its ugly head in her temples as the darkness rose to claim her again. **What’s he…doing…here…** ~~~~~~~~~ Enishi awoke feeling groggy and disoriented. His sleep had been deep and consuming, but a persistent knock outside the shoji had jarred him from his dreams and into wakefulness before he could fully process what was happening. “Yes?” he said, sitting up, blinking sleep from his eyes. “Would you and your wife care for some food?” came the old woman’s voice from the hallway. “It’s nearly noon.” “Noon?” Enishi muttered to himself, raking a hand back through his silvery- white hair as his blue-green eyes fell on the sleeping girl beside him. “Yes, that would be fine,” he called in answer. “Maybe some miso soup, if you have it. My…wife…is still not well…” “Certainly.” Enishi got to his feet slowly, fighting off a yawn as his eyes searched the room for his discarded jacket. Finding it, he slipped into it once more, head jerking up as a whimper sounded from the occupied futon on the floor. The girl’s face had twisted in pain, her mouth going white around the edges. He turned away slowly, sliding the shoji aside as he heard the innkeeper approach. **I’ve done all I can for her. I will leave her come nightfall and hope that she doesn’t regain enough of her senses to follow me…** TBC…. ><><><><><>< Hello, minna! Thanks for reading! Please review! Support this alternative pairing…it’s been running through my mind way too much lately and I might plan other stories with it…oro… REVIEWS = HAPPY MIDORI = FASTER CHAPTERS! I’m trying to make the chapters longer, but when I see a good place to end it, I do…oh, well… ~Midori^_~