a rurouni kenshin fanfic
The recent rains left low clouds of thick moisture that clung uncomfortably to his skin. His hair was matted to his sweaty brow, long enough to interfere with his vision. He could hear the waters of the river. Mud sucked on his sore feet, making a strange scwelch, but he gritted his teeth and trudged on. A little harmless moisture wasn't going to stop him.
He shook off the brown slop from his feet as the thick formation of trees slowly spread out to reveal the dark torrents of a swollen river. A large flat rock overlooked the tan waters, tipping into the unusually angry waters. It was this rock that had saved his life long ago. The young man allowed a small grin to slip across his face as memories of his childhood rose and bubbled with nostalgia.
For the past ten years on this day, he had visited this rock. It served as a reminder as why he was even here, living and breathing. And the day that he lost the one that he looked up to. The young man breathed deeply and exhaled with a large sigh. Though the thought still saddened him, he'd come to accept everything as it is. Now he was here with bright spirits, free of hatred and grief to pay his respects.
He climbed on top of the flat rock and tossed a few coins into the water. He hoped that the body lost within the river would find them and use them to find happiness in the afterlife. After a quick but heartfelt prayer, the young man turned to leave. He hopped to the ground and surveyed the water-swollen river one last time.
A flash of dark colors stood out from the light brown waters upstream. It rode the rough currents limply. Curiosity sparked the young man's interest. Without a second thought, he waded into the shallow icy waters, the battered currents doing little to his lithe body. When the object floated by with alarming speed, he intercepted it, allowing it to collide with his own. And nearly fell over and drowned when he realized what the dark object was.
A body.
He immediately dragged the unmoving figure to shore. Relief washed over him when he put his ear near the figure's face and heard faint but steady breathing. Then he proceeded to quickly rid the waterlogged figure of the large wet bag that contained it. The figure turned out to be a teenage boy with strange blood red tresses and a single slash scar on his cheek. When the suffocating bag was removed, he coughed and hacked up the mouthfuls of water that he had swallowed.
The young man studied the teenager as he checked his vital signs. He wore the high quality fabrics of a wealthy family, but he was no softy, judging from the calluses from the boy's hands. As the young man pried open the boy's eyes to check the dilated pupil (being around the Fox so much was getting to him, the young man had grumbled to himself), he found a strange violet color. The only piece of jewelry visible was a small intricate charm that the young man couldn't make head or tails of hanging from the boy's sash.
What was the son of an obviously wealthy family doing here?
The young man didn't want to know. The affairs of the wealthy were of no interest to him. Much too messy in his opinion. The teenage boy shivered slightly, bringing his savior out of his musings. Hesitant to involve himself in such affairs, and feeling the pressing need to be on his way, the young man took off his jacket and covered the boy. He knew that the teenager was only a little bit waterlogged and will be fine when he woke up. The boy could obviously defend himself, and this area was surround by many towns full of kind people. The humid air and his jacket will keep him warm. Just to safe, the young man also tucked a small dagger into the red-haired boy's hand.
Sanosuke stood after doing so.
"Keep yourself safe, kid," he told the crimson-haired teenager as he turned to disappear into the forest that kept this section of the river well hidden. Sanosuke shook off his strange sense of déjà vu; something about the boy seemed to be eerily familiar. Unknown to the fighter-for-hire, the small intricate charm he found on the slender redhead had somehow lodged itself firmly onto the one of the bandages that bound his right ankle, twinkling innocently in the light.
Some time later, a black clothed figure approached the resting figure of the red-haired boy and searched him frantically. Not finding what he was looking for, the figure cursed violently and disappeared just as quickly.
As the last warm red glows disappeared over the green hills that guarded the clearing, the long lashes of the river's victim began to flutter. As he opened his large violet eyes he slowly and painfully righted himself up. Confusion shone in his eyes as he surveyed his surroundings and noted the foreign dagger he held.
"Where am I?" he wondered and tilted his clear eyes skyward as he searched his mind for clues. Suddenly, his eyes widened with horror as realization struck him and the dagger fell from his hand, limp with shock. The young boy slumped to the ground and buried his face in his hands.
"I…can't remember…anything…"