I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

Amber Giving Way to Violet

Himura stood up and kicked dirt to smother the remnants of his campfire. After taking the necessary precautions to make sure it was completely out, he set about picking his meager belongings . It was strange how out of all the items he packed, only the bare necessities had stayed with him through his wanderings: his sakabato and the clothes on his back. However he recently bought a pack to replace the one he had had to sell a couple towns back to get some food. He'd forgotten how convenient they were.

Kenshin gives a sigh as he picks up his cherished bag and notices the lightness of it. He was low on food again. He places his hand to his stomach when he feels it begin to protest the lack of any sustenance. He looks down the road from atop the hill he's on and notices a town he hadn't seen in last night's dim light. It looked about 10 miles away.

Suddenly he couldn't bear the thought of taking another step and plopped himself down next to the cold campfire. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He sucked in a chest full of air just as the sun was breaking over the horizon. The beauty of it was painful and he lowered his face into the folds of his hakama. He was not worthy to gaze upon the natural wonder of it.

He was two years along in his wandering but with the constant plaguing nightmares it still seemed like yesterday he was out proving true the name given to him. Battousai. Man-slayer.

On the outside he could feel warmth as the sun made its presence more known. On the inside, however, he was cold as ice. Memories of blood splattered behind his eyelids. Forgotten screams echoed in his head. The memory of one scream in particular never seemed to fade.

He pushed that thought to the back of his head. A familiar ache began in his chest as he shut out her voice. I'm sorry. No good deed could save him from what he had done. Nevertheless, it was his duty to spend the rest of his days helping others. It was the only way to even begin forgiving himself.

It was his destiny. Nothing would change it. Nothing could change the past. Nothing would be able to change the future. He was fated to deny himself for the welfare of others.

And for the first time since he left, he was alright with that.

Kenshin picked up his pack and started heading to the little village. Unbeknownst to him, flecks of gentle violet had begun to invade the violent amber in his eyes.