Standard disclaimers applied.
The Eye Of Hurricane by: ZackireThe leaves rustled softly as the soft breeze blew against it. At the far end of the jungle, a cricket played its sorrowful music as if to mourn for the upcoming event. The leaves rustled again as a group of men stealthily moved around the bamboo littered jungle, hot on the heels of a certain raven haired man.
The raven-haired suddenly stopped in his tracks. There in front of him stood the group who had been pursuing him earlier, no doubt to accomplish their mission. Silently, he poised himself into his fighting mode as he eyed the men who are now positioning themselves around him.
"Seven only?" The midnight haired man mused to himself.
"Tori Hisashi. Surrender and we give you our word that your death would be short and painless. Resist us and you shall suffer," a samurai with yellow hilt voiced out.
"Who send you?" three words from a man of a few words.
"That is none of your business. Now prepare yourself!" one of the men answered.
Smiling at the arrogant tone, Tori silently placed one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other on the sheath. His eyes remained cold and fathomless as he prepares to counter his inexperienced opponent who now had his sword unsheathed and charging towards him.
Pivoting himself on his left foot, Tori unsheathed his fatal weapon and sliced off the opponent's head. Blood gushed out like waterfall, marring the ground with a killer's blood. Raising an eyebrow, Tori welcomed the other's attacks.
At the other end of the jungle, a rabbit scurried back to its den. The cricket paused for a while as if to listen to the alienated sounds. A blood-curling scream sliced through the serenity of Mother Nature's creation and birds flocked from their nest, angered that their tranquility had been plagued. As if on cue, the cricket once again played its mournful rhapsody once the scream had died.
Tori flicked his sword from the blood of the attackers. "Such a waste of well trained samurais," Tori muttered at the carnage before him. Sheathing his sword once more, the wandering assassin once again continued his journey to find inner tranquility and perhaps a reason to stop killing.
@----}---- Kyoto @---}-----
A young lady with raven locks gazed openly into the open space. She smiled softly, thanking the heavens for the family members that were given to her by accident. A retired man slasher, an ex-brawler and a pickpocket who had long time turned over a new leaf.
They had gone a lot as a family. From recovering a stoic maniac ex-leader of ninjas to stopping chaos from spreading all around Japan to killing a blood thirsty walking mummy to a broken hearted brother. All of them were handled calmly. Well of course with a few bumps here and there.
Come to think of it, all of them had a part in every one of them. She was either the back up or the hostage. And Kenshin always had to come and save her together with his sidekick, Sanosuke. The worrier will always be her student, Yahiko.
Even though he is a pain in the neck most of the times, deep down he has a heart of gold. No matter how many times he called her names or criticized her cooking, he would always be there whenever there is trouble and protect her. He is after all her adopted younger brother and all of the unwanted comments are just another form of showing his affections.
Her mind slowly drifted towards a certain flaming red head. Kenshin. When will he realize that she loves him? She had been trying to give him hints and even at the verge of nearly pouring her heart out to him. But he just smiled at her and gave her one of his famous "Kaoru-dono". If this were to continue on, she doubts her love for him would remain the same.
"Oi busu!" Kaoru immediately snapped from her reverie and whipped around. Kaoru frowned at the grinning Yahiko.
"Ano… Mind repeating what you had just said, Yahiko-chan?" the lady whispered as she eyed the young boy dangerously.
"Busu… B.U.S.U." snickered the spiky haired boy. Suddenly realization dawned on him.
"Don't call me chan!!! I am not a… Itai!!" before he could finish his grumbling, a broomstick had hit him square on the head.
Yahiko looked up at the smiling Kaoru as he rubbed his aching head. One must never underestimate a woman, especially a fragile looking woman who looked weak. He has Kaoru as a proof to his theory. That woman even though looked harmless and fragile has a heart of steel, strength of an ox when she concentrates and not to mention a temper of a tigress.
"Jou-chan! Easy on the kid will you. You are going to give him amnesia with all of the knockings and banging," an ex-brawler smiled.
Yahiko turned to glare at Sanosuke. "Who you calling kid, rooster head?"
A fishbone flew to the ground as Sanosuke spat it out. "Come on Yahiko-chan. Everyone here knows that you are still a kid."
Kaoru watched in exasperation as Sanosuke and Yahiko engaged in their daily squabbles. Sanosuke can be a child at times. Well most of the time. It is better that he is in his childlike manner than his rare serious mood. Whenever he is serious, the matter that he is facing is truly a matter of life and death.
"Ohayo Sanosuke. Let me guess you are here for a free meal again," a deep voice asked.
By a miracle, the fight stopped. The zanza broke into a grin as he eyed the flaming red head. "Kenshin! I guess you know me well, pal."
"Sanosuke. Whenever you are here meant you either want a free meal, trying to ask me for more money to gamble or have a sleep over. In short, we know you very well Sanosuke Sagara," Kaoru smiled sweetly, too sweetly.
"Aww… come on Jou-chan. What is family for?" Sanosuke smiled sheepishly.
Kenshin watched with wry amusement as the feared zanza tries to persuade the owner of Kamiya dojo. Sanosuke is right. What are families for?
"Ok. I promise to let you have another free meal that only kami knows how much it cost to support your tremendous appetite but on one condition!"
"Anything…." Sanosuke was practically on bended knees. Kaoru smiled mischievously.
"You accompany me go shopping."
Sanosuke's mouth dropped a foot. Shopping with the woman? The heavens must have hated him. "But Kaoru! Whenever you go shopping, you always buy loads of women things and not to mention walk for miles!!!"
"Ok then. No food, money and sleepover," Kaoru had to keep herself from batting her eyes at the mortified looking rooster head.
After much muttering and curses, Sanosuke at last surrender. Kaoru let the comments about her blackmailing him pass. Sauntering leisurely towards her room, Kaoru prepares herself for shopping. Oh this is going to be so fun!!!
Amidst the large group of people in the streets, a raven haired man with eyes as dark as sin walked casually, careful to hide his sword from prying eyes.
"Kaoru! Can we go home now?" a muffled voice asks as the owner tries to balance the stacked boxes that he had been carrying. It was obvious that he had been shopping with the boxes stacked high that covered the view of the poor man.
Kaoru turned around. Mischief danced in her eyes. "Aww… don't tell me that the great and strong Sanosuke is tired."
Muffles of curses that sounded like women are unfair were heard from behind the stacks of boxes. A giggle escaped the sweet lips of the owner of Kamiya dojo. Women are always good in making men bow to their wishes. The key to it is their ego.
"But Kaoru! This is torture! I'm going to be skin and bones if this keep up and I haven't even eaten yet!" Kaoru had to bite her lips from laughing at the whining good friend of hers.
Smiling, Kaoru eyed the steaming buns that the vender across the street is selling. Mou! How she wished she could buy and eat it but she'd rather not. Kenshin is cooking tonight and that is the reason why Sanosuke is eating over her house. Moreover, her savings are running low.
A defeated sigh escaped the crimson lips. "Ok Sano. We can go home now."
Sanosuke breathed out a sigh of relief. Thank god! He had thought this ordeal would never cease. So intense was he in his musings that Sanosuke failed to notice the man in front of him.
Kaoru heard the sounds of falling boxes and turned around. Behind her and a few shocked shoppers, Sanosuke lay sprawled on the wooden floor. The boxes that hold her shopped items buried him. Can't he do something right for once? Exasperated, Kaoru scooted in between the shoppers to her fallen friend.
"Sano? Daijoubu ka?" Kaoru asked as she buried through her boxes. Instead for the familiar bandaged hand, a strong warm hand met hers.
"Sano… Don't try to tell me that your bandages are destroyed again! Megumi is certainly going to…" the sentence was left uncompleted as Kaoru met the strangest pair of eyes. It was neither black nor dark blue.
Tori felt a hand moving around beneath the boxes. Being a cautious expert assassin he is, his reflexes immediately kicked in and his hand shot out in a death grip. A loud but melodious yelp was heard. Strange, it sounded like a woman. Once the pile of boxes was removed from his sight, Tori looked at the owner of the hand.
Violet eyes clashed with indigo. One look from the innocent beauty before him, Tori immediately released her hand. Collecting himself from the temporary stupor made by the captivating violet eyes, the samurai apologized, "Sumi masen."
Kaoru could feel herself blushing when the well-built man before her gripped her hand. In order to cover her embarrassment, Kaoru politely bowed her head. "There is no need to apologize. In fact, I should be the one apologizing for my friend's clumsiness."
Somehow Sanosuke's hearing had sharpened at the mention of his name. Taking exception of the comment, the great fighter countered loudly, "Clumsiness?! Jou-chan, if you didn't buy this much of things, I would not be in this situation!"
Kaoru visibly winced at Sanosuke's outburst. Remembering her friend's current situation, she took her time finding her friend underneath the boxes. "Hah! And you called yourself a fighter!" Kaoru hauled the sprawled rooster head onto his feet.
For the first time in a very long time, Tori felt a small smile form on his lips. He watched with wry amusement as the tall man with spiky haired cower as the petite looking lady beside him smack the man's back. Tori had winced inwardly when the lady kicked the man on his shin at the man's comment.
Tori is not a man who dwells in such things but somehow he had a feeling if he don't intervene the squabble the lady and the man is having at the moment, something unpleasant was going to happen. He can bet that it is not the lady that will be harmed but the man.
"If it would help, I could lend a hand and carry some of the boxes," Tori asked.
Kaoru turned around and faced the indigo-eyed man. "Oh please don't trouble yourself. We can manage it," she smiled politely. But Sanosuke thought otherwise.
"Don't listen to the crazed onna. She is not the one who needs the help. I would appreciate the help. Don't you dare banter with me in this Jou-chan or I swear I would throw these things away." An outraged gasp escaped Kaoru. But one look from Sanosuke, she immediately swallowed her thought. Satisfied with the reaction, Sanosuke turned and smiled at the man.
Soft chirpings echoed melodiously through the air. Soft crunching sounds blended with the chirpings as two men loaded with boxes and a petite woman walked on the pebbled road.
"I'm Sanosuke Sagara, you can call me Sano. That beauty in the front is Kaoru Kamiya, the owner of the Kamiya dojo that we are heading to at this moment. So what is your name?"
Tori shifted the boxes with ease, careful not to unsettle the boxes. "Tori… Tori Hisashi. You can call me Tori."
A strand of midnight hair wafted in the breeze. Catching it, Kaoru tucked her hair behind her ears. Tori watched the small chore being done and he was amazed that the tigress at the streets just now is this same petite woman. Kaoru turned her head slightly behind and her eyes once again locked with Tori's. Tori's gaze lingered for a moment before he averted his gaze with a slight smile.
"So where do you stay, Tori?" Tori notched his head at the soft calming voice.
"I don't know. I just came to Tokyo today," Tori shrugged.
"Honto? So what are you doing here in Tokyo?" Sanosuke asked.
Tori took in the crisp fresh air of the nearby forest before answering. "I'm just wandering around with no reason in mind except for inner peace."
Sanosuke looked at the man beside him with an understanding look. He should know how an inner peace would mean. After all he had lead a rough life since young. "I suppose you are like Kenshin. But I think he had settled down."
"Kenshin? Who is that?"
"Kenshin was a wanderer like you. If he hadn't worn a gi, most people would have passed him as a girl. But don't mistake his looks. He may looked young but his eyes depicts one of a veteran and wisdom."
"I have an idea! Why don't you stay over at the dojo until you have found that inner peace?" Kaoru smiled as she faced the scarred Tori.
"I agree with Jou-chan. Anyway if you were to stay with us, I have a haunch that you and I are going to be good friends. And you can meet Kenshin. Perhaps he could help you find your answer. So what say you about that, Tori?"
Tori looked from the smiling rooster head to the black haired beauty before him. Should he allow himself accept their hospitality and risked their lives? They looked so sincere especially Kaoru. She looks so… expectant and jubilant… perhaps he should risk the chance and if anyone tries to harm them, he would easily finish them off.
Slowly, Tori nodded. The scene that greeted him overwhelmed him into doing a rare scene. He smiled warmly.
"Tadaima!" at the sound of Kaoru's voice, a boy of ten years rushed to the main gate.
"Oi Busu! You sure took your own…." The sentence trailed off as Yahiko stared at the tall and well built raven-haired man beside a beaming Kaoru.
Kaoru smiled at her student's antics. "Yahiko meet Tori Hisashi. He will be staying with us for sometime. Stop gawking as if he is side dish and help carry the stuff!"
Tori watched in amusement as Kaoru whacked the boy named Yahiko with a paper fan. With a string of curses, the boy unwillingly dragged his feet and helped carry the boxes inside the dojo with Sanosuke trailing after.
"How was your trip to the market, Kaoru-dono?" a deep voice asked.
Tori turned around to find a flaming haired man that barely reached his neck. If he had not looked in the eyes of the red head, he would have thought the man was a woman.
"You must be Kenshin. Sano was filling me up while we walked to the dojo just now. I'm Tori Hisashi but you can call me Tori," Tori politely bowed at the shocked red head.
Slowly, Kenshin smiled. "Watashiwa Kenshin Himura and it is a pleasure to meet you too, de gozaru yo." Kenshin too bowed at the man's hospitality.
"Kenshin! Oh I see you have met our new friend," Kaoru smiled.
"Kaoru-dono. I was just about to ask how was your trip to the market." Tori watched as Kaoru bubbled out the happenings that she went through and how she and Sano met him to the smiling Kenshin. It took her quite a long while before she finished her retelling.
"Anyway Kenshin, could you cook more from today onwards. Tori would be staying with us for a long while, ne Tori?" Tori only smiled.
Once the owner of Kamiya dojo had left, the two men walked together, engaging in a conversation. "So are you a samurai?"
Kenshin looked shocked at the question. His senses immediately shot up sky high. No one had known him as a samurai, an ex-man slasher to be exact, except for certain people. "Hai. How did you know, de gaozaru yo?"
"Your de gozaru yo gave it away."
Kenshin smiled sheepishly at his mistake. It is true. Only samurais especially the experienced one would add that certain phrase after every speech.
"Care to join me to cook in the kitchen?"
Tori looked at Kenshin and pondered for a while. It had been a long time since he cooked. "No harm done I suppose."
After a long while, the kitchen counter was packed with mouth-watering delicacies that suited for an emperor's banquet. Even Kenshin who had the best self-discipline in the dojo had to stopped himself from drooling and snatched the tasty looking dumpling that had been nicely shaped into a gold fish.
"I never knew you were a great cook," Kenshin commented as he once again checked his saliva gland.
Tori smirked at the comment. "Actually it had been a long time since I last cooked. I lived in China until I was twelve and a friend of mine happens to be the best chef in China. He cooks for the emperor of China and I learned quite a lot of stuff from him."
"Oro? The emperor of China? He must be really good."
"I can't deny that. In fact he was only twelve when he became the Imperial Chef in China." Tori once again concentrated on his task that seemed to be very tedious to one who is not an expert in the art of cooking.
Kenshin watched in awe as Tori sliced the fish's meat into slices with great speed and expertise. Frowning, the red head took a step closer and inspected the slices carefully. Nani? Impossible! In all of his life, he had never seen such things being done before.
Tori smirked. No doubt Kenshin is marveled at his sword skills and the slices of fish. With correct accuracy, speed and skill, the slices of fish could be turned into slices of mirror. The smooth surface of every slice made the slices to reflect images like a mirror. Of course without a knife that is very sharp, the chore could never be done. The job is as easy as slicing a man's head off.
A slight frown marred Tori's features. No matter how many times and ways he try, his past would always pounce back at him. His heart bleeds at the sins that he had done. After each man's death under his sword, a prayer for the dead would touch his lips. They are all innocent men who were controlled by their bastard leaders. Each man died with his own belief. But not once had he regretted killing the one who abused innocent men's belief. They are the ones that caused the poverty and misery in the world, they are the one that associate with the devil.
"Waah!!! I had never had eaten food this delicious before. It is a good thing that he is staying with us for a while. Kaoru need not need to burn the kitchen down again…" a fat bellied Yahiko commented heartily.
Sanosuke smirked at the comment. For once his entire life, his stomach was satisfied. He had never eaten any food as exquisite as this before. The food not only looked delicious, it also revives him and he somehow felt fresh after eating them. "I for once agree with Yahiko. It is a good thing that we have Tori around. The food was simply magnificent."
Tori bowed his head at the praises. "Arigatou minna."
"I for once am ashamed that I am a woman. I could barely cook an edible meal," Kaoru blushed at her comment.
"I think it is time to retire. It is late." Kenshin looked at the darkened night.
Kaoru stood up and motioned for Tori to follow her. "Let me show you your room, Tori."
Kenshin watched as the two walked out of the room. Sighing at his satisfied appetite, he began to clear the table.
Fresh smell of wildflowers filled the air as Kaoru laid the futon on the parquet flooring. Tori watched as the beauty fluffed the pillow and the blanket. Her jet-black hair glowed in the soft moonlight. Her creamy skin glowed like a goddess in the mystical light that Luna had cast.
"If you need anything, you can just knock on my bedroom door. Mine is the last room in the corner." Kaoru turned and tried to smile politely at her new friend when her breath was caught in the throat.
Well-defined bare body faced her. Kaoru dropped her gaze from the rippled muscle of his arm to the muscular eight packs. The bare tanned skin gleamed in the soft moonlight, making Tori looked like a sun god. Kenshin had never looked this magnificent before.
Tori held his smile at her blush. He didn't want her to be more embarrassed then she already is. "Is that all Kaoru?"
Kaoru blushed a crimson red when she realized that she was caught staring. "Ie. Nothing else. Oyasumi nasai."
Kaoru pivots on her heel and headed towards the closed door. In her haste, Kaoru missed the fact that the front of her kimono is longer than usual and as one placed it, Kaoru stepped on the material and stumbled. A soft cry escaped her lips as Kaoru closed her eye, waiting for the hard floor.
Instead strong warm arms caught her. Opening her eyes, Kaoru met the indigo eyes for the second time of the day. Shivers rippled down her spine and with what left of her dignity, Kaoru stepped out of the protected embrace. Not wanting to embarrass herself further, the owner of Kamiya dojo scurried out of the room with a quick word of gratitude.
Tori watched with heated eyes as the goddess of the night slipped out of his embrace and his room. With a shake of his head, Tori began to settle down into his new futon. A new day and perhaps a new life are about to take place starting from tomorrow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: So what do you guys think of this fic? Should I continue and write more? Anyway please review and comment. E-mails also accepted. Thanx!