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Disclaimer: Shinta: The cast of RK has been really poor their whole life, and we're working for Calger-san without pay! Rurouni: So Sony-dono, please don't sue us de gozaru, after all it's for the sake of fandom! Battousai: Yeah, and if you do try and sue us, I'll Kuzu Ryuu Sen you. Rurouni: That really wasn't necessary you know...Battousai: Shut up. Shinta: Maa maa...

*Calger stares at muse in wonder* You know, it took *months* to write "An Inn in Hokkaido", how are we cranking out this fic so darn quickly? I've been averaging what, 6000 words a week? *muse smiles* Simple, it's called recycled lesson plans and college application procrastination! *Calger blinks and then grins as all becomes clear* Aaaah, I see! Well that makes sense. *turns to audience* Oh, btw, if you didn't hate Yanagi before now, you definitely will by the end of this chapter *evil smile*. On with the fic!

Prism - Chapter 9

The rurouni dug around in the tub of water, pulling out one of Kaoru's underkimono. With a swiftness and efficiency borne of years of practice he scrubbed it clean and wrung the water out of it before hanging it on the line to dry. By all appearances it was a normal spring morning, with gently singing birds, a light breeze and brilliant sunshine. Standing here like this he could almost forget the darkness that hung invisibly over the dojo like a forbidding rain cloud. He breathed deeply and smiled. "I'm relieved winter is finally over. It's promising to be a nice day."

"I suppose," came a sullen voice at his feet. The rurouni glanced down at the boy slumped against the wooden pole that held up the laundry line. Battousai sat hunched down inside his blue gi as if he could somehow hide from the world inside it. Briefly, the rurouni let his gaze stray to the laundry pile next to the washtub. On top lay the green silk gi. It had not fared well with Battousai's late night run; it was now torn in spots and covered in street dust. Fortunately, Kenshin has a fair amount of experience cleaning and repairing silk kimono, though he was still annoyed that the boy had damaged it in the first place. He glanced back at the younger Kenshin's somber face and sighed.

Battousai shook his head. "No it's all right. I like it here. It's familiar, and quiet. It's peaceful sitting here with you."

He didn't see the rurouni's eyes widen in genuine surprise. Battousai had awoken in a surprisingly good mood (for him anyway) that morning, and Kenshin was starting to wonder if something was up. He's hiding something. The rurouni wasn't completely ignorant of his own little quirks, and he knew he had a tendency to be over-cheerful when he was trying to look like nothing was on his mind. Cheerfulness for the hitokiri meant that for once he wasn't snapping irritably at everyone in sight.

Battousai really did look at ease. His eyes had softened from the night before, changing subtly from gold to a light, almost colorless lavender. The hard set of his jaw had also relaxed. Like steam released from a cooking rice pot, Battousai's encounter with Yanagi seemed to have allowed his anger to vent and for his temper to settle down, at least temporarily. The rurouni watched his younger self carefully, wondering when the pressure would start to build again. It was only a matter of time after all; the boy's anger was merely a symptom of their current state. Only being restored would solve the problem for good. Battousai relaxed further against the pole and tucked his arms inside the his sleeves. The rurouni heard him give a gentle, regretful sigh.

The rurouni shook his head, carefully straightening the folds of the underkimono. "I don't think so. It just needs to be cleaned now."

"I'm sorry." Battousai apologized softly, his melancholy expression making him look even younger. The rurouni didn't reply; there was nothing more to be said.

Both Kenshins looked up to see Akari standing solemnly by the porch, her gaze darkening as she looked at Battousai, who glanced away from her uncomfortably. Neither had forgotten yesterday's unpleasant incident at the market.

Seeking to relieve the awkward silence, the rurouni straightened up from the laundry tub and nodded to her respectfully. The Kenshin-gumi as a group had decided last night that Shimizu Akari was not an enemy to them. Without her, as Battousai had so foolishly proved the night before, they could not both find Yanagi and get him to cooperate. She was the key to everything; they had no choice but to trust her. "You are returning to the hotel now, Akari-dono?"

"Hai. If everything you've told me is the truth, then he has been lying to me for years; I need to find out for myself what Yanagi has really been up to all this time. I will also try to convince him to come here and restore you. I wish I could promise you more than that."

The rurouni nodded. "We understand, Akari-dono. I wish the best of luck to you." Kenshin glanced at Battousai, expecting the youth to at least say something to her, but the boy remained silent, studying his lap with intense interest.

Akari glanced at the hitokiri, her expression unreadable. She didn't know exactly what had transpired between Yanagi and Battousai the night before, but she knew that the encounter had not been pleasant. To say that she was displeased with the teenager's recklessness towards her husband was an understatement. From the way the others spoke about him, she knew that the boy before her was the Hitokiri Battousai, a legendary swordsman of unrivaled skill and power. His appearance was deceptive; sitting quietly in daylight the way he was now he seemed harmless, with a gentle, almost feminine face and slim, weak-looking build. But she had already seen for herself his deadly potential; yesterday her heart had raced in fear under his lethal amber glare. Terror had kept her from running even as he'd approached her, his sure and even steps speaking of great strength. He could have easily killed her husband last night; how and why Yanagi had survived a fight with the assassin was a mystery to her, one she intended to solve when she spoke with him. Without another word, she turned to leave.

Suddenly, Battousai stood, taking a hesitant step in her direction. "Akari-dono."

"I..." he hesitated. The rurouni watched him out of the corner of his eye. "Be careful."

Akari simply nodded and continued walking, leaving the dojo without fanfare. Battousai watched her go, uncertain what he was feeling. His mind was a tangle of emotions: frustration with his failure to bring back Yanagi, guilt and regret for going after him the way he did in the first place. But those feelings were dwarfed by concern for Akari's welfare. Yanagi was dangerous, and just because she happened to be his wife didn't mean she was in any less danger from him. He's not sane. Hell, he wasn't right in the head in Hokkaido, and he seems to have only gotten worse since then. Now...now he's capable of anything.

"She'll be all right," the rurouni said gently, sensing his train of thought. "It's best that we leave this up to her for now."

Battousai turned to look at him. "You shouldn't be so trusting. He told me he has no counter-technique. Even if that was a lie, we shouldn't be sending her to find out for us."

From inside, Kaoru eavesdropped on the conversation. She watched with apprehension as Akari slowly, and with great dignity, left the dojo. She remembered the conversation she'd had with the older woman earlier that morning:

"What?" Kaoru paused in combing her hair, looking at Akari with surprise. After everyone had finally retired to bed last night, the woman hadn't spoken another word to either her or Megumi. The woman doctor watched them now with interest from the far side of the room.

Akari continued in a low voice. "My Yanagi has done great harm to you and to your husband. I can't even imagine what it must be like for you, having to deal with a little child and that boy-" here she referred to Battousai with great disdain, "-as well as Himura-san. And yet you just smile, and you don't seem to be angry with me at all."

"Oh...no, how could I be? It's not your fault." Kaoru frowned slightly; the other woman had brought up an interesting point, one she hadn't really had time to consider since this whole thing began. Where did she stand in this matter? Closing her eyes she thought for a long moment, aware of the other woman's expectant gaze. She's a very spirited woman, much like me, and in this case we are equals. She deserves an honest answer. "It...does hurt me to see my husband like this, Akari-san. I've never seen him experience so much pain and fear before, and I've cried for him these past three days. I really have. The rurouni...is very anxious, though he tries to hide it. He doubts himself, and the hitokiri will not obey him, so he fears as well. I also worry. I trust my husband, and I don't believe Battousai will kill if he has another option, but even so I can't help but doubt a little about that, especially after last night. Shinta tries to hold them together, but no matter what he does they just keep growing further apart. I can see all three falling apart before my eyes, and I can't do anything to help. I am angry-no, much more than angry-that Yanagi has done this thing to the man I love. But...I feel my smiles help Kenshin more than my anger. Were our positions reversed, what would do?"

Akari's eyes widened, impressed. She seems so innocent and frivolous when you first look at her, but really she is quite wise. A good match for Himura-san. "I'm not sure what I would do in your place, but I swear this to you Kaoru-san: despite my love for him I will see my husband answer for what he has done. Because if I were you, I'm not sure I could be so forgiving." She let that statement hang for a moment before standing up to leave. "I thank you for all that you've done. I will see you soon."

After Akari had left the room Kaoru looked over at Megumi, and was surprised by the doctor's sympathetic expression. "Poor woman."

Kaoru stirred herself out of her memory. A heavy silence hung over the courtyard. The rurouni had resumed doing the laundry, but Battousai still stood there staring after Akari, apparently at a loss of what to do with himself.

He ignored her. "So, what kind of chaos is on the agenda for today?" Kaoru started at the bitterness in the boy's voice. Looking at his face she saw dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was even messier than usual. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink, and she was just beginning to wonder about that when a red-haired ball of energy suddenly shot between them, almost knocking both of them off their feet.

Battousai whirled around in time to see Shinta launch himself off the porch straight at him. He barely had time to gape in surprise and let out a startled "oro!" before the child hit him full in the chest, knocking both of them back into laundry tub with a tremendous splash of soapy water.

Both Yahiko and Kaoru gaped with identical expressions of horror at the sight of Battousai sprawled in the tub, soaking wet, a happily giggling Shinta sitting on his chest. Kaoru found herself instinctively tensing up in case Battousai decided to turn on the boy for such an offense...then she gave herself a firm mental shake. Baka Kaoru, this is Kenshin! Even the hitokiri wouldn't do something like that. After all, it's only laundry and a bit of water. Shinta bounced up and down on the hitokiri's chest. "Haha, I got you, I got you! That was so much fun!"

Battousai's eyes were very wide as he stared at the pint-sized version of himself. "F-fun? Are you nuts?! Get off me! Rurouni, help!"

The rurouni stared at the dripping form of his younger self and let his eyes travel slowly up to the small pile of suds sitting neatly on the top of the hitokiri's head. It had to be the most ridiculous sight he'd ever seen...and he couldn't help himself. He started to laugh uncontrollably, and had to catch onto the laundry pole to keep from collapsing in fit of near-silent giggles. "You....y-you're all wet!"

Battousai glared at the rurouni then looked helplessly to Kaoru, his gaze almost pleading. It was too much; her horror gave way to a grin, and soon both she and Yahiko were laughing hysterically. It was just too funny; the great Battousai lying helpless in a pile of wet laundry, pinned down by a kid half his size.

The child threw back his head and laughed, the sun sparkling in his brilliant amethyst eyes. "But this is fun, play with us!" He suddenly jumped up out of the tub, pulling Battousai along by one arm. The hitokiri stumbled clumsily out of the water, hampered by a wet gi that had gotten wrapped around one foot. The shirt caught on the edge of the tub and tripped him, sending the teenager sprawling into the dirt. That sent the others into an even greater fit of hysterics.

"You see!" Yahiko got out around his laughter, "You see what I had to deal with all night? That kid's a nightmare!"

His face burning in humiliation, Battousai made a furious grab at Shinta's ankle; the boy skipped easily out of the way and turned to wink at Yahiko. "Ah, but trouble is my specialty Yahiko-san! It's so easy, ne?" He knelt down and patted the prone Battousai on the head as if he were a misbehaving puppy. "He takes everything so seriously, running off alone like that! Bad hitokiri-san!"

Battousai slowly lifted his head and leveled a glare at Shinta. "Are you trying to piss me off, or is this your idea of a sick joke?"

Shinta clucked his tongue disapprovingly at him. "Baka Kenshin-san, you only get mad because you let yourself get baited so easily! You don't have to be so irritated all the time."

"Kenshin," the rurouni said in a warning tone. He walked over and grabbed the collar of Battousai's gi, pulling the dripping hitokiri to his feet. "That's enough of that; go with Shinta and get dried off while I finish this. Please?"

Battousai's eyes narrowed at being ordered about, but he complied without a word. Now is not the time to pick a fight with him. Later...I'll work this out with him later. Taking Shinta by the hand he pulled the still giggling child toward the storage shed. Passing by the porch he met Yahiko's gaze, and the young swordsman couldn't suppress a slight shudder as the hitokiri passed by. Those eyes of his are so creepy! How could he have been hiding inside Kenshin all this time, without us ever really knowing? There was the fight with Saitou but aside from that...I still don't understand what's going on. He looked back at the rurouni, who was collecting all the clothes that had spilled out of the tub.

It was such a normal sight, Kenshin doing the laundry, something he saw his mentor do every day. Standing here with him and Kaoru he could almost forget everything that had happened to them in the past few days, all the weirdness and fear and uncertainty. And Shinta sharing my room...that's gotta go. He may act all cute and well-behaved around the adults but that kid has a streak of mischief in him a mile wide. No wonder Hiko-san has no patience with him, if I had to raise a kid like that... Yahiko couldn't help but smile a little at the mental picture that made. He could almost see a pint-sized Kenshin running away from a giant sword-wielding Hiko, a jug of stolen sake in his arms, an innocent grin plastered to his cherubic face the entire time.

Shinta and Battousai...Yahiko's smile faded. There was such a sharp contrast between the two. How could they both be part of the man he knew, the swordsman who'd become almost like a father to him? "I'll go get Megumi-san," he said quietly, turning to go inside.

Shinta waited patiently as Battousai dug through the storage shed, looking for an extra set of clothes. "I can't believe you did that, now look at us!"

The boy shrugged. "I had to break the mood somehow; you can hardly breathe around here anymore, there's so much worry and fear in the air. Besides, it was fun."

Kenshin found the trunk containing the Kamiya Kasshin training outfits and pulled out two, one for him and one for Shinta. He tossed the smaller set to the boy. "Look, the sooner that woman comes back with Yanagi the better off we'll be."

Shinta hugged the bundle to his chest and looked at his counterpart thoughtfully. "You really should talk to him, you know."

That gave the hitokiri pause. Shinta continued. "He feels very left out and confused. No one has talked to him about this yet, not even Rurouni-san. I think...I think he needs to talk with you. He doesn't know you."

"I know," Shinta agreed, sympathetic. "But you need allies right now. You can't lose Yahiko the way you lost Sanosuke."

"I just knew," the boy whispered sadly. "You came back alone last night, and the things you said to Rurouni-san..."

"Of course," the boy said quietly. "We're not as separate as we seem, Kenshin-san. I feel what you feel, and sometimes I hear what you hear, if it's strong enough. Kaoru-san heard it as well. Do you understand why we are so worried about you?"

Battousai sighed angrily and stripped off his wet gi, tossing it onto the floor. He wrapped the dry white one around his shoulders. "Of course I understand; I'm not off in my own world like the rurouni. There's nothing to be done about it."

"Are you sure?" Kenshin looked over into Shinta's deep violet eyes. He could feel the power emanating from the boy, and he couldn't help but have a measure of respect for his own strength of ki. "Let us help you, instead of closing yourself off or hiding behind a mask of anger."

Battousai felt his eyes narrow in annoyance. He was so tired of everyone telling him that. He pulled the gi shut and began tying the obi almost viciously, pulling the cloth around him in hard jerks. "'Let us help you, let us help you', that's all you people ever say to me! How, exactly, are you supposed to 'help' Shinta? I've always been like this, always. I'm the darkness of Himura Kenshin, the killer, the spoiled immature brat Shishou was always thwacking for his insolence. No amount of talk is going to change what I am. If I fall, I fall. There's nothing I can do about it."

"Why are you so convinced of that?" Shinta, now sounding nothing like a child, cocked his head to one side and regarded Battousai thoughtfully. "Don't forget who you're talking to. I know you don't like being this way; it frightens and upsets you. It hurts you when the others turn from you in fear...so why make them afraid in the first place? Is it really so hard for you to just be you? I know you can be just as gentle as Rurouni-san, and Kaoru-san doesn't have to be the only one who gets to see that side of you. There's no need for you to keep hiding behind the assassin's front."

Battousai stood with shoulders hunched, his pain visible. "I...just can't, Shinta. I can't deal with the others that way. It's not easy for me like it is for you."

Shinta sighed wearily and started changing out of his own wet clothing. "Of course it isn't easy. As you said, it's not in your nature to be that friendly. Masks and shields have no need to get along with other people, do they? That's not why they exist. But even so, you make it so much harder for yourself than it has to be. Especially when you just go off on a hunt without telling anyone-"

"Shut up!" Battousai hissed in sudden fury, whirling on the child. "Just shut up about that! I wasn't going to kill him, dammit! You think I'm that stupid? You do, don't you, you're just like the rurouni, assuming that I have all the brains of a rock! You both should know me better than that. I wasn't going to kill our only hope of getting back to normal! Stop treating me like a child."

Shinta was unfazed by his counterpart's anger. He'd seen it far too many times to be fooled by it. "If you don't want to be treated like the boy you resemble, then stop acting like one. You know what you did was wrong, that's why you're so upset about it now. Don't be so stubborn and arrogant, Kenshin-san."

The battle of wills had begun again, but Kenshin knew he's already lost this one. Shinta was far more than he seemed, and unlike the rurouni he had no fear of the hitokiri. Hearing Sano's words from this child's mouth rankled Battousai to no end, but he didn't dare raise a hand against the boy; he was no fool. After a tense few moments Battousai finally gave up, turning away to finish dressing. "Damn you," he whispered stubbornly.

Shinta smiled slightly, satisfied with his victory. "Just talk to Yahiko-san, okay? You owe it to him."

At the edge of the Western quarter, Akari paused in her steps. She calmly noted the tall man slumped against the wall of a nearby building. For some reason, she wasn't surprised to see him there. "What is it, Sagara-san?"

Sano snorted. "No need to be so formal lady, just Sano's fine. I hope you're not actually planning to go back to that husband of yours."

The polite demeanor that Akari had worn until now dropped abruptly away and she glared at Sano in open annoyance. "And what business is it of yours?"

Sano leveled a serious look at her. "It's my business because I saw everything last night, and your husband doesn't have all his oars in the water. I wouldn't trust that jerk as far as I could throw him, and neither does Kenshin. You think he'll take kindly to being confronted about this?"

Akari didn't like the way the man's words echoed her own thoughts on the matter. It only confirmed her fears, and she had no time for fear right now. "No matter what you say he's done Sagara, Yanagi is my husband and I don't fear him. Thanks for the concern, but it's misplaced. I can handle his little moods."

Sano raised an eyebrow. Well she's a fiery one. Kinda reminds me of the Fox. "Look, I just don't want anyone to end up dead here, not over something like this. You may be the only hope we have, since Yanagi claims he can't fix what he broke."

"You heard me. The guy said last night he has no idea how to put my friend back together, and that he wasn't interested in trying. If you can convince him otherwise, great, but I doubt you can. If what I saw last night meant anything, he may just snap on you."

Akari scowled, trying to hide the worry that was tying her stomach into knots. "What else do you want me to do? Talking to him is the only way."

Sano frowned. "Yeah, I know that. Just be careful, all right? I'd like to stick around in case he tries something."

Akari blinked at that last part, surprised. "I hardly even know you. Don't tell me your concern for me is only for your friend's sake, Sagara-san."

Akari sighed, irritated. He's thick as a brick, just as I thought. "Why would you risk yourself to protect me? You only need me to help your friend. So why does it matter what happens to me after that?"

For a moment, Sano just stared at her. "What do you mean, why does it matter...Hey! What kind of jerk do you think I am? I can't just let a woman get hurt for no reason."

Akari smirked, suddenly feeling playful. "Oh really? So you're this really noble, gallant guy who lives only to save the pretty lady who is the key to saving your friend? You must really like me." She had to force herself not to grin when he blushed bright red. Heh, he really is just a boy in some ways. He's quite handsome though, and it's sweet of him to offer his protection like that. He'll make a woman very happy someday.

Sano was still blushing furiously. "How could I know if I like you, I hardly know you!"

"Exactly," she said, suddenly serious. She stepped very close to him, dropping her voice to almost a whisper. "We don't know each other, and we don't owe each other anything beyond my own sense of responsibility for what my husband has done. Is your concern only for your friend? If it is, then you might as well stay out of it, Sagara-san. I don't need that kind of protection."

Sano scowled, but he had to admit she had a point. Technically, he shouldn't care what became of her as long as she got the job done...but he liked to think that when it came to friends and loyalty, he was better than most men. "I told you, it's just Sano. And no, it's not only for Kenshin."

Akari regarded him thoughtfully, weighing his words. Then she smiled, and he was struck by her beauty. That bastard doesn't deserve a woman like her. I wonder what she sees in him? "All right then...Sano. You may come along if it makes you feel better, just don't let my husband see you."

Sano grinned. "That's more like it. And don't worry, you won't even know I'm there."

Kenshin was pounced on by Megumi the minute he emerged from the shed. "Ken-san, there you are!"

Battousai recoiled visibly from the woman doctor, whom he'd managed to successfully avoid all morning. While he was eternally grateful for everything the woman had done for him medically speaking, her personality was simply too catty for his tastes, and the hitokiri had always been far less tolerant than the rurouni. "Megumi-dono," he said with false pleasantness, aware of Shinta's watchful gaze on his back.

Ignoring his discomfort, Megumi loomed over him and studied his face with interest. "Amazing, you really are Ken-san, aren't you? You've certainly been elusive; Kaoru-chan said you were wounded yesterday, I need to have a look at you."

Battousai kept his expression neutral. "That's not necessary, Megumi-dono. I'm fine."

"That's not what everyone else tells me." Battousai leaned around Megumi and saw the rest of the Kenshin-gumi standing on the porch, watching the scene with interest. Next to Yahiko, the rurouni and Kaoru stood together, hand in hand. Sidestepping the doctor neatly, Battousai strode over to the porch.

Kaoru raised a curious eyebrow at him. "Something wrong, Kenshin? We heard yelling from the shed."

"It was nothing," he said tightly. He turned his glare on the rurouni. "Didn't you tell her that I'm fine?"

Megumi couldn't help but stare admiringly at the teenaged version of Kenshin, dressed in the powder blue and white uniform of the Kamiya dojo. Despite his small stature he was obviously powerfully built, and she could see the strength in his slender arms. He did indeed appear to be fine, though she was startled by his ice-cold manner. By this point she had come to accept that Kenshin had no romantic feelings toward her, but he'd at least always treated her as a friend. Now I see what Kaoru was talking about. What an awful situation for Ken-san. "It's all right, Kaoru-chan, we'll leave him be for now. Are we ready to go?"

"Go?" Battousai echoed, confused. Kaoru slipped the rurouni's hand off hers, casting him an apologetic glance, and stepped down off the porch.

She took Battousai's hand gently. "We really need supplies; we're almost out of food. Kenshin and I are going to accompany Megumi-san back to the clinic. We should be back before long, but we need you to stay with Yahiko and watch over the dojo."

Battousai narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Now wait just a minute, I thought you-"

"Me too!" Shinta suddenly shouted, bounding up to the rurouni and pulling on his hands. "Take me with you!"

Shinta sighed. "You really are a hopeless worrier, Rurouni-san. He won't leave before we get back. Just trust me."

"What are you two whispering about over there?" the hitokiri growled. He sensed that they were discussing him, and he could feel his sword hand twitching in irritation.

"We'll take Shinta-kun with us," the rurouni announced, ignoring Battousai. "Let go, Kaoru, Megumi-dono."

The group headed toward the gate and Battousai stared after them, at a loss for words.

A chill wind blew across the now-silent courtyard and Yahiko couldn't suppress a shiver. Left alone...with the hitokiri. Aw crap.

Akari stood in front of the hotel doors, uncertain. She hoped against hope Yanagi was actually in the room waiting for her, but she couldn't be sure. She forced herself not to look over her shoulder at Sano where he stood in an alley across the street. Part of her was relieved to have someone watching out for her; the rest of her resented the whole situation. How was he able to hide all this from me for so long, and what if Sagara's right? I don't like this... Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the doors and headed up to their room, making sure the guard inside the lobby saw her. It was ridiculous, being afraid of her own husband, but ever since yesterday nothing seemed reasonable anymore. Her world had been changed beyond recognition, catching her in a terrible lie, and she felt helpless as she climbed the stairs to an uncertain fate.

The door to their room was unlocked, and she pushed it open cautiously. She was a little alarmed to see that the curtains had been pulled shut on the windows, casting the room into darkness. She squinted into the shadows and saw a figure crouched on the bed, still as a statue. "...Yanagi?"

I won't be afraid. "You know where I was. What is going on here, Yanagi? How is it that that man is now three different people?"

"'He' sent himself, dear. I had nothing to do with it. Did you create him? Did you really do this thing to Himura-san?"

"What?" Yanagi's voice was a low, pained hiss. She had never heard such agony coming from him, and that scared her far more than his temper ever could. "Yanagi, please I just want to know what's going on!"

Yanagi suddenly moved in the shadows and Akari felt her wrists being grabbed. She gasped as he wrenched her around and threw her into the room. Yanagi shut the door, plunging them both into darkness. She felt his hands close around her wrists again and this time she fought, trying desperately to wrench her hands free. "What are you doing, let go!"

"He's turned you against me," Yanagi whispered in her ear. She froze at his voice, at its sudden and terrible coldness. "I wanted him, wanted his strength, the power of the hitokiri. I wanted to be his equal. But I need you also, Akari-chan. I need you on my side. What did he tell you?"

"What is this power you have," she whispered, "how long have you been able to do this? Why didn't you tell me?"

Akari swallowed nervously, realizing that her fate probably depended on her answer. "I...don't know."

She felt his body press against hers and she couldn't repress a shudder. Who was this man? He didn't seem like her Yanagi at all; her husband had a rotten temper, but he had never treated her like this before, and every instinct she possessed screamed at her to fight back, but something seemed to have grabbed hold of her mind, holding her in place. Her eyes widened in sudden realization. It's him; he's holding me with his mind! Oh my god... She suddenly remembered every time she had ever questioned him, how he had leaned forward to touch her the forehead with what had seemed like tenderness...and every time her will to argue had suddenly evaporated, as if it had never been. It was him, and before now I never made the connection. He's been controlling me! Fear turned to outrage, and she fought back against him, trying to move with all her strength.

"Why are you fighting?" he asked, still in that deadly calm whisper. "You can't escape me. I won't let you leave here, not before you promise to stay with me." His grip tightened even more and she cried out in pain as his nails dug into her skin. She felt hot blood run down her arms. "Gods Yanagi stop it, what's wrong with you? Stop it!"

She felt him lean over her and breathe warmly into her ear, sending chills up her spine. "I won't restore Himura, not until I beat him, not until I win. I am the powerful one now, I will prove that to you all. I am strong, do you hear me, I'm stronger than Battousai!"

Akari opened her mouth to scream but Yanagi knew her far too well; he grabbed her throat and squeezed, just hard enough to warn her. "Your tall friend will not save you. I know he's close by; I felt him arrive with you. You are mine, and I will not go to Himura. If he wants me, tell him to come find me again. If you disobey, if you try to go with him, I-" he suddenly stopped and she felt his hand twitch around her throat.

"Will what?" she croaked. She felt strangely calm, despite the frantic pounding of her heart. She knew what Yanagi was trying to say, and the fact that he was having trouble gave her the tiniest glimmer of hope.

"You will come back to me," he suddenly growled. "Don't you stay with Himura again, you understand?"

Carefully, she nodded, and the crushing pressure of his hand was suddenly lifted. Akari didn't dare move; she had no idea why her husband was acting like this; it wasn't normal, it wasn't sane. She blinked away tears of pain and confusion. "Yanagi...don't you remember? You don't need to prove anything to me. You never needed to show me that you were strong. Won't you...come back to me?"

Yanagi was just a shape hunkered in the darkness near her, and she could hear him panting heavily, like a large and monstrous dog. I've got to get away from here. Is he letting me go? Oh gods, Sagara please still be outside! Please, I have to get away...

"Oh..." she heard him whisper. "You're afraid, aren't you? I can see it around you...I wish you could see what I see." He paused again, as if thinking. "Battousai thinks I can't restore him...I don't think I can either. But I want him to come...how should I get him to come here, Akari?"

"Good," he purred. She heard him move in the dark, and then his hand was on her mouth, pushing her head against the floor. "But he should have more incentive than that, ne? Himura is such a protective soul..."

Sano fretted impatiently in the alley, keeping his eyes glued to the hotel doorway. This is bad, this is really bad. She's been up there a long time. He wanted desperately to run inside and find the couple, but he didn't want to ruin any chance Akari had of resolving this peacefully. Yeah right, who am I fooling? The guy's a nutcase, he's even worse than Jine...

The wind was blowing colder, and there was a hint of rain on the wind. Sano glanced up and saw dark storm clouds starting to gather on the horizon. He'd always been the superstitious type, and gathering storms were always a bad sign. I know it rains a lot in spring but still... He swallowed and looked to the hotel again. Still no sign of her. Then he heard it, a sound that sent his heart into his throat: a shrill woman's scream. "Akari!"

His feet took him into the hotel, past the shocked guard, and into the heart of the nightmare.