There is a legend among men,
The Samurai with death-sent eyes,
And a cross emblazoned on his cheek,
With his reverse edged sword,
He paved the way to the Meiji Era,
Battousai the Slasher,
No more was he seen,
The swordsman who killed thousands,
From the shadows he came,
Into the night he went,
Leaving behind blood and tears,
Battousai the Lost,
Then a savior appeared,
The man who protected the poor and innocent,
They hailed him as the peace,
Gentle with a sword,
He fought with compassion,
Kenshin the Wanderer,
Now the legend continues….
Prologue
The young boy scrambled away in fear from the leering man towering over him. He shook visibly as the brute grinned, showing blackened gums and broken teeth, his stick tapping, almost in a malicious tease, on the dirt. Brown eyes dilated, reflecting the stick being raised, slowly, then coming down fast….
"Yah……mah…..tae….."
The weapon halted in mid-air as the thug turned to see the unfortunate soul who dared to interrupt him, "Eh?" Raven hair swirled in the slight breeze, long eyelashes lifted, revealing cobalt eyes that harbours the determination of a slayer. The pale girl stood proud, a slender hand on the hilt of a sword. "Yah…….mah……tae….." she repeated. "Ha!" guffawed the man, an ulterior motive glinting in his sickly looking eyes, "And just what are you going to do, wench?"
Typical of a boor to dishonour me by name-calling she thought in foul mood but her pastel pink lips curved upwards into a hidden smile. The next second, she was in the air, spiralling towards the surprised man. Her sword, still in it's sheath, twirled and she thrusted it out, contacting with his shoulder blades. Down he went, in a yowl of anguish, tears streaming down his scruffy face as he begged cowardly. Disgusted, she turned away, holding out an arm to the boy……who suddenly gasped, "Iya! Ne-chan!"
The sword swung up, squarely hitting the already dazed brute, who was hovering madly behind, on the underside of his chin. The force lifted him a few inches off the ground, then he was sprawled flat on his face, unconscious.
Looking a little guilty, the young woman rubbed her head, " Hehe….didn't mean to do that…..arre, dai jou bu?" she turned to the boy, who nodded in incredulity. Bringing up her hand in a salute, she smiled and sauntered away. He looked at the huge man on the ground, then at the vanishing figure, as if in disbelief…..before deciding to pipe up an 'arigato', and running off.
Tbc
By Sukunami Taka