Gate Masters Part 1:
The Angel Slayer
By Angel_Slayer_Battousai
dark_mew@edsamail.com.ph
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Author's note:
First and foremost...err....welcome to my sorry excuse for a Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction. It's kind of twisted, but you won't find any out-of-this-world character warping or anything. I'm keeping the characters here as IC as they possibly can. (Yeah, right...)
Anyway, standard disclaimers apply...I own this text file right here and all the letters you see on it...Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Watsuki Nobuhiro...Gatekeepers belong to GONZO...The Angel Slayer and The Countess Reina Chiharu are the fabrication of my mind and my mind alone....Cooking Master Boy can go STRAIGHT to Hell....quotes belong to their respective owners....Love Hina rocks, I tell you....By the way, some parts might be a little lemony...okay, maybe a lot......and violent...but this is not a lemon....or you'll be just downloading this not to read but to....uhm....whatever.
Keep off drugs, read with an open mind, forget about the glaring chronological and spelling errors and you'll finish this fic wih your computer and mind intact.....
I'm a beginner at this. I'm not afraid to admit it. I say it loud and proud.
This story was created on April 9, Year 2000, 1:29:12 am, Pacific Standard Time....completion date is still unknown.....
Updates semiregularly....depending on the webmaster...
Contrary to public opinion my name is not always Angel Slayer Battousai.
If you see AkABANGbang or $n0w_M@n in any CounterStrike Server, do the whole gaming community a favor by switching to the team opposite theirs and kill them. PLEASE. Camp if necessary - just kill them.
Never drink Pepsi. No valid reason, but I hate their commercials...
You *CAN* post this in your website...just email me first..I'd be glad to oblige...and never take off anything, including this disclaimer.
Comments, suggestions, send 'em all to the email address above. The one way up top.
Espresso kicks the hardest when injected straight to your femoral artery. Really.
There are MORE Fanfiction about Gatekeepers around, but not much on the corny alternate kind. You could probably find them all on fanfiction.net but I will be a big rat bastard and say that mine is the best.
But that's the caffeine and my ego talking. Really. Don't take my word for it.
"What do you want, Clarisse? Something to hang on your wall, to remind you of your courage, your incorruptibility? You don't need a plaque for that, Clarisse...all you need is a mirror."
-Hannibal Lecter
-=[Unit Two-One][Angel Slayer]=-
2001
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"The snow falls softly, covering everything in white. This way, no one can see the sadness or tears, the loneliness or fears, no one can see how love is truly beautiful."
**PROLOGUE**
There are the Keepers, and then there are the Masters.
There are those who control the Gate. There are those who are controlled by their gates.
There are those who are the gates themselves.
One man -- only one has achieved that level. To be so connected to his Gate that both his soul and the Gate itself are fused together, giving him unlimited access to it--
--Giving him the power of a god--
--And that man - feared in life as well as in death --
For he never dies, nor stays dead--
--armed with the sword of the gods--
--None other than Kenshin Himura.
The Angel Slayer himself.
=Extracted from AEGIS Data Library,
Entry no. 38974,
command line: Kenshin Himura, Gatemaster Unit=
***********************************************************************************************
This is the story of one man with the power of a god....a group of teenagers presented with the task to save the world....where even a loved one could be an enemy....and the impending invasion that would become the greatest battle in the history of Mankind...
This is the story of The Gate Master.
***********************************************************************************************
******
September 9, 1969. Tategami High, second floor, Room Class 2-A.
******
"Ikusawa, Ruriko!"
Ruriko Ikusawa, 17, of class 2-A of Second Year of Tategami High, straightened in her seat and raised her hand. "Present," she said, looking dejectedly at Ukiya, who was snoring along with Bancho.
*Oh, Shun....you shouldn't have stayed up all night just to give me this...* Ruriko raised her right wrist and eyed the bracelet Ukiya gave her for no apparent reason at all.
*It's months before my birthday, it's weeks before ANY obvious holiday....* The final bell rang, end of the day, and the signal to meet at AEGIS HQ.
As the students poured out of the classroom, Ruriko picked up her bag and walked over to Ukiya.
"Ukiya-kun," Ruriko shook his shoulder gently. "Ukiya-kun!"
No response.
"Ukiya-kun....come on, wake up....the Commander's probably waiting for us..." Ruriko needled, one hand shaking Ukiya's shoulder while the other tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear.
Still no response.
"Okay, fine," Ruriko huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm leaving, and don't say I didn't try to wake you up when the Commander reprimands you again," She turned to leave.
"Gomen na sai, Ruripe," Ukiya's muffled voice filtered through his arms so unexpectedly that Ruriko almost jumped. He stood up and raked his hand across his unruly hair, grinning. His gaze dropped to her hand. "Oh. You wore it..."
"Yes, I..." Uncertainty flickered in her voice, but then she smiled. "I forgot to thank you yesterday night. Sumimasen, Ukiya-kun."
"It's alright, Rurippe, just don't do it again," The keeper of the gate of life narrowed her eyes at Ukiya. "Er.... why don't we go out after the meeting? If you're not doing anything..."
Ruriko stopped. Ukiya was...asking her out on a date?
"Not some fancy stuff, mind you, just some good food and a walk in the park afterwards..."
She silenced him by grasping his hand and looking into his eyes.
"Ukiya-kun, I'd love to."
As they walked to the hidden door to AEGIS, Ruriko pinched Ukiya's wrist.
"Just don't order any more kid's meals, alright?"
Ukiya gave a groan of pain and assent as they went down the tunnel.
***
Ruriko straightened her ribbon, which somehow got tangled into her hair. She looked at Reiko, who was talking animatedly to Feye. Megumi was as usual buried into her notebook. Bancho was dozing. Kaoru was reading something from a piece of paper, probably the poem the teacher assigned to be memorized for a quiz. Yukino was nowhere. Ukiya was studying a sheathed katana that was placed in front of the space where the Commander would pop up.
"Ano....Ochiai-san, what's the sword for?" Ukiya asked the Commander's personal secretary.
Oichia brushed her hair. "I'm not quite sure....all I know is it's been here longer than I have, and the one who owned it died four years ago."
"Well, can I...?" Ukiya reached for the sword.
"I'd rather you didn't," Ochiai said with a frown. "Commander asked me to extract that from the Weapons Cache vault personally. It might be important. Besides," Ochiai leafed through her file. "The sword is programmed to emit nine gigavolts of electricity if touched by anyone but the owner."
Ukiya jerked his hand back, as if it had caught fire.
Ochiai looked at Ukiya strangely, and then laughed into the back of her hand. "Just kidding, Ukiya. I had Megane-kun turn that function off."
"Oh." Ukiya reddened, then glared at Ruriko and Kaoru, who were giggling girlishly.
"It's a Gatekeeper's weapon, if you must know." Ochiai put down her file, unsheathed the weapon and pointed it at Ukiya with the ease and expertise of an experienced swordsman. "A reversed edge sword, with two micro energy amplifiers."
She put it back into its sheath and locked the catch in one smooth motion. "Commander was supposed to give you this during training, but I guess he saw it fit to give you a unit two bokken instead. The gatekeeper who used this took all his life to master it."
"Where'd you learn how to-"
"Just a few kenjutsu lessons, Ukiya. With all the invaders around, a girl can't be too careful, ne?"
Suddenly, Ochiai's mobile phone rang.
"Excuse me." Ochiai hunted for her phone in her pockets as she half-mindedly tossed the sword to Ukiya, who caught it warily, looking at it as if it were a snake.
"Here we are," Ochiai breathed as she pressed the 'accept call' button on her phone. She raised it to her ear. "Hello? Commander? Yes.....you're going to visit him?...say hello to him for me, will you?....um...yes...I'll see to it right away."
She snapped her phone shut and began to open her file. "It seems that Commander can't attend today's meeting. Now I know all of us need to go home early, I for one *need* to clean my apartment, so I'll be brief."
She pressed a key on the Commander's keyboard. A map of Japan appeared on the screen with several red dots on it. "We've been receiving large electric wave signals across the country but that's it. No influxes or hostile activity of any kind. Also no sightings. It seems the invaders are keeping low profile."
She pressed another key. "As for the Dark Gate, we haven't found anybody fitting his description. If you see him, confront him with caution if you have another Gatekeeper with you. If not, call for help. Preferably try to always be in pairs..." Ochiai glanced pointedly at Ukiya and Ruriko. "..just in case." She closed her file and deactivated the screen. "Any questions?"
Ruriko raised her hand. "The school will be holding a play next week, and...we're all in it. We..."
"...are concerned about security?" Ochiai shrugged. "If the invaders attack that time, I'm sure you can take care of them. After all, you'll be in the stage, right? We'll just place heavy surveillance and if any invaders show up, we'll make an emergency intermission. Something vague, like, the lights have gone off and we have to replace them, or something. Megane'll have the Gate Machine prepped up and ready." She looked at the Gatekeepers. "Anything else?"
Silence, except for Bancho snoring.
"Well, if there's nothing else, meeting adjourned." Ochiai tapped the table with an air of finality, and looked at her watch. "Maybe I can catch that last bus..." she walked off.
Ruriko stood up and tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear, thinking of the night ahead. It would be romantic, the stars in the night sky, the fresh air, the lights of the city above them...and maybe, she could ask Ukiya why he had given her the bracelet..... she gave a inquiring look at her bag. Homework could wait.
she closed her eyes, smiling.
"Ukiya-sempai! Sempai!"
"Tage-kun!"
Ruriko's reveries were shattered abruptly by Kaoru and Feye, latching themselves to Ukiya's two arms. A vein throbbed in her temple. Ukiya sweatdropped. The nerve....!
"Sempai!! Let's go to the European Carnival that just came into town! All the other students are talking about it. Please?" Kaoru looked up to Ukiya expectantly. "Well?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't. I have something t-to do tonight.."
"C'mon!" Fei crossed her arms angrily. "You promised!"
"I...I did?" Ukiya looked blankly at the 12-year-old Gatekeeper, who was getting redder by the minute. "I..I.."
"OF COURSE YOU DID!!" Fei tugged hard at Ukiya's arm. "I can't believe you FORGOT!!!" Fei turned her nose up at Ukiya. "Xiao na ni!! If you don't take us I'll ask Yukino-chan to freeze you again!!"
Kaoru tapped his shoulder. "Look, Sempai, this Carnival is only held in Japan once every three years. I've already reserved tickets for all of us, and it wasn't easy. I've got one for you, one for me, one for Fei-chan, one for Reiko-chan, one for Megumi-chan, one for Bancho, one for Megane and one for Ruriko-chan." Her eyes made a pleading look. "Come on. Please...?"
Ukiya looked at Ruriko for help. Ruriko simply smiled and nodded.
"Well....okay...I guess." Ukiya said, a little awkwardly.
Kaoru clasped her hands. "Great! Let's meet near the Carnival ticket stands, a little bit away from the park fountain. Ja ne!" With that, they ran off, Reiko in tow.
Ukiya glanced apologetically at Ruriko. "I...I.."
Ruriko forced herself to smile. "Baka. Don't look at me as if I'll shoot all my arrows at you."
Ukiya let go of the breath he had been holding. For a moment he had thought she would do exactly that. He put her arm on her shoulder. "Ruripe...gomen. I just didn't expect this..."
"It's alright, Ukiya-kun," Ruriko sighed, holding his hand in hers.
She raised her other wrist to look at her watch, making the bracelet tinkle softly.
Ukiya smiled. "I never did get to ask if you liked it."
Ruriko whapped him on the head with her bag. "That's because you were snoring away in class. You could've passed me a note or something. Ukiya no baka."
Ukiya sweatdropped.
Ruriko smiled at him. "Well, if you want me to tell you..." She threw her arms around her neck and kissed him deeply.
The effect was electric. Ukiya was surprised, to say the least. Then he felt Ruriko's tongue caress his, and he kissed her back.
When they seperated, both felt light-headed and warm. Both only felt each other's arms around each other. Both only saw into each other's eyes. Both were oblivious to the outside world.
"Uhm." A cold voice coughed.
That snapped them out of it. Ruriko and Ukiya turned to see Megumi, looking at them over her notebook. Then they realized what they had been doing, and quickly seperated, Ruriko blushing, covering her cheeks. There was an awkward silence.
"I would advise you to refrain from your....current activities until Banba is not in the current vicinity," Megumi raised an eyebrow, "Because he doesn't call you 'Princess' for nothing."
"Umm...thank you, Megumi-san.." Ruriko said softly, bowing. Her hair lightly swayed.
Megumi hmmph'ed in acknowledgement. She turned to Ukiya. "Meet you in the Carnival."
Ukiya looked at her strangely as she walked away. He shrugged and shouted, "Oi, Banba! Meeting's over! Wake up!"
Ruriko's cheeks were still burning. It was so EMBARASSING.....being caught kissing...... but thankfully only Megumi saw them, and she could trust Kuroganei...she wouldn't....COULDN't tell the others, could she.....?
Ukiya offered his arm to her. She blinked at him.
"Well? Shall we?"
Ruriko smiled brightly in acknowledgement. "Let's, my good sir." She took his arm.
After outside the school grounds, Ukiya asked: "So do you like it or not?"
Ruriko looked at Ukiya unbelievingly, and whapped him on the head again. "Ukiya no baka."
****
The man known to AEGIS Far East only as Commander sat in the quiet night air, waiting.
Waiting for the one man that had left AEGIS, the man that became the most powerful Gatekeeper in all the four AEGIS Departments.
He looked at the lights of the Carnival reflected on the river with a sense of irony and sarcasm. He had not expected this would happen at all. All his life he knew the risks, he calculated them either by instinct or just by pure luck. But this was beyond them. He had never known that he would ask this man for help.
It was five years later.
The man came a little bit later, being towed by two little girls.
He had not changed. At all.
His red hair was still long and messy, the reason for not-too-uncommon reprimands for his part. At least it was still tied loosely back. He still looked painfully thin, but the Commander had seen this man in action to know better. And that scar on his left cheek the shape of a cruel cross.
Or an X.
The Commander smiled inwardly when the man's eyes narrowed when he came into view. Kenshin.
"Kenshin? Kenshin? Oniichan?" The little girl with long hair tugged at Kenshin's right hand, concern in her eyes, wondering why Kenshin had suddenly lost interest. "Look, we don't have to go to the Ferris Wheel if you don't want to..."
The other girl tugged at his hand as well. "Yeah, Kenshin. We'll just go to the Carrousel..."
Kenshin looked down on his two wards and smiled. He knelt down on one knee and said, "No, I just have to talk with that man over there. Besides, I promised you two, ne? I'll take you to the Ferris Wheel after I talk with him."
Ayame smiled. Taking hold of Suzume's hand, she said, "Okay. We'll try to look for a nice girl for you to draw while we're waiting, alright Kenshin?" Kenshin opened his mouth to speak but the two had already ran off.
He shook his head sheepishly, and then turned to the matter at hand. Commander.
"Still drawing?" The Commander remarked as Kenshin sat a little ways beside him. Neither man looked at each other.
"It's a bad habit." Kenshin leaned back and enjoyed the fresh air. "One that I might not get around to breaking."
The other man chuckled softly. "You always did have a pencil handy, even on missions. I remember Ochiai-kun putting a pencil in your medpak."
"Well, Ochiai-san was quite generous with the office supplies, so I helped myself. And a man needs to do more than just gatekeeping." Kenshin said, looking up to the stars. "Why are you here, anyway? If you don't mind my asking."
He smiled ruefully. "I never knew you liked carnivals, de gozaru yo."
Wordlessly, the Commander reached into the duffel bag that he had been carrying, took out a long package wrapped in leather and held it out to Kenshin. Kenshin looked curiously at the Commander but took the package anyway and opened it.
It was his old Gatekeeper Sakabattou.
He undid the catch and unsheathed it a little. The micro energy amplifiers were still operational, the blade shiny. The moonlight reflected off it like light would a mirror.
"Ano...Shirei...I can't accept this." He put it back into its sheath and locked the catch. He held it out to the other man. "I know what you're thinking, and frankly, I can't."
"You know as well as I do that you are needed, Himura." The Commander made no move to take the sakaba.
"And you know as well as I do that I have done enough." Kenshin looked at the other man with anger. "I had very well given my entire life to AEGIS. I gave my life to protect the people who might turn into what I protect them from any minute."
The Commander looked straight at Kenshin, unfazed. "Are you finished?"
"Yeah."
Shirei took a file from his bag and tossed it to Kenshin's lap. "Those are pictures of all the enemies we've come across these past few weeks. They're becoming increasingly powerful. Without your help, AEGIS may very well be in trouble."
Kenshin leafed throught the photographs. "Ano...a train? That's original. A racing car...hmmm...that's new....hey, what's-" Kenshin held up a picture of a man in silhouette.
"A Gatekeeper." Shirei breathed. "One who went to the other side."
"Any idea who it is?" Kenshin studied the picture with growing curiosity. The man was strikingly familiar...
"Funny you should mention it. Yes, I have."
"Well, don't keep me hanging. Who is it?"
"Reijin."
Kenshin looked at the picture with sad eyes. "I....knew something would happen, but not like this..."
"The boy had much promise in him."
"He...he was still a kid when sessha left, ne? He was supposed to succeed me as Gatemaster."
"No one can do that, Himura, not even Reijin. No Gatekeeper can control their gate like-"
"I don't control my gate, Shirei." Kenshin placed the picture back into the file. "It controls me."
He looked at Shirei. "Reijin has the ability to surpass my level. In fact, if the invaders already chose him instead of your other Gatekeepers, I'm afraid AEGIS is outmatched. By only one man."
"That's why we need you, Himura. I know I promised you, but..."
"But the fate of the world is more important. I know, I know. It was a good four years with nothing to do while it lasted."
"If it's any consolation, I think we can still convince him to go back to us." The commander tossed a card at Kenshin. It was his AEGIS Identification Badge, renewed. "The invaders haven't fully influenced him yet."
Kenshin said nothing. He looked at his badge. "My picture sucks," Kenshin said simply.
"It's a bad picture, I know. I tried. I had Ochiai-kun find a picture of you from the archives, since your last one was deleted."
Another awkward silence.
"I never knew this day would come, to tell you the truth." Kenshin held up the badge to the light. "I've seen the new ones in action, and I think you've done a pretty good job of training them..."
"What do I know of Gatekeeping?" The Commander chuckled dryly.
"You led three generations of Gatekeepers, Shirei. Surely you must get to know something." Kenshin scratched his head. "By the way...you married her yet?"
The other man stiffened. "..married..?"
Kenshin chuckled. "C'mon, you know! Ochiai! You said you were going to marry her someday, right? You said it the night before I left!"
The Commander was speechless. "I...I.."
Kenshin now laughed. "You...you mean to...tell me...that you haven't even asked her...out..yet..?" he said between gasps of hilarity.
"A few times..." The Commander coughed. "We went out.."
"On those few times you went out, did you ever go to dinner?"
"...no..."
"This is hilarious. The man with 'twice the strategic genius of napoleon' or so he says," Kenshin said, fingers miming quotation marks, "..can't even take out a girl on one decent dinner!"
The Commander looked at his watch. "This conversation isn't going the way I hoped it to be, so I'm taking the coward's way out by remarking that it's getting late and I need to go home." He looked at Kenshin. "Tomorrow, then?"
"As if I have a choice." Kenshin did the AEGIS salute halfheartedly. "Affirmative. AEGIS."
"Maybe we can discuss how you're going to fit into the High School, since you're already 29..."
"Yeah, yeah." Kenshin spied his two girls pulling a girl of about fifteen with short brown hair in his direction. "Go on. Shoo. I have work to do, de gozaru."
Shirei nodded, and started to walk away when he stopped. "Himura, I'm sorry for all of this."
"Sorry and regret always take place in the end, Shirei. You're too late."
The man who is only knew to AEGIS as Commander left.
****
It was perfect.
Ruriko sighed happily, chin propped up with her hands on the table. Not the most expensive place in the city, but certainly agreeable.
The restaurant was quite exquisite, for one that opened once every season. The tables were all koa wood, as far as she could tell, and the whole place smelled of jasmine. Expensive silverware and china dishes adorned the tabletops, with an occasional bottle of vintage wine or champagne half-buried in a ice-filled bucket. And since it was already nightfall, the overhead lights were turned down and candles were lit, making everything glow with a soft inner light, and the silverware sparkle.
But what was most surprising of all was instead of the choking, 'sophisticated' atmosphere you would find in such refined restaurants, it was light-hearted, none of the heavy cramping obligation that you had to watch every move you make. A jukebox was playing an instrumental version of a western song titled 'Eyes On Me'. A party was being held in one corner. It was so perfect, even Yukino-chan seems to be having fun.
*Agreeable? It certainly would be, if you were eating WITH him, him NEXT to you, instead of way across the table...* a nasty little voice pointed out. Ruriko risked a glance at Ukiya, who was chatting animatedly with Kaoru, probably about some sport Ruriko could break her neck playing.
Ruriko massaged her temples, as if to stave off an impending headache.
*Look, as much as I want to sit with him I can't. We can't be seen together. I know Commander's going to have a fit if he finds out.... a Gatekeeper can't have a relationship which could jeopardize or endanger the team's safety...*
*Look, everbody knows already. The Commander knows. Ochiai knows. Hell, even Reiko knows!*
Ruriko put on a smile and politely declined when Bancho and Megane invited her to ride the Carnival's rollercoaster, the Widow-Maker.
"Sorry....I just ate. Maybe later." *Were we that obvious...?*
*You're asking yourself...? You were both practically all over each other earlier!*
She blanched as a mental image came unbidden. Yuck. *Come off it. We've kissed dozens of times....er...wait, why am I talking to myself anyway? Maybe I really do need to lay off coffee....Ochiai said it could severely damage one's brain...* Ruriko smiled inwardly. *Maybe I could talk to Yukino-chan for therapy.....*
"Nee-chan..." a small voice squeaked behind her.
"Hmm?" Ruriko turned to see two girls standing behind her seat; one was holding a large piece of illustration board.
"Ehem." The other girl coughed, and the one holding the board dutifully held it up to let Ruriko see it. In big, bold, crayon-scrawled letters the board said: 'Pay Foxtail a thousand yen and he'll draw you a nice pretty portrait. Please?'
Yukino, who was sitting next to Ruriko noticed the sign. "Foxtail...? I wonder..."
"We also accept group portraits," The girl said, very business-like. "And we can negotiate the price, if you like."
"Who is this 'Foxtail'?" Ruriko asked, smiling. This must be either a publicity act or something. But either way, it was very cute.
"He's-" the girl holding the signboard started but the other silenced her with a finger to her lips. "He's our artist, and we're his managers." She crossed her arms and looked at Ruriko in a very stern manner, much like Yukino when someone doesn't quite understand her. "His job is to draw. Our job is to find victi-..er, customers." She dropped the stern look and took on a pleading one. "Please...?"
"Hai, hai..." Ruriko stood up and straightened her skirt. "Where is this 'Foxtail' of yours?"
"In the park." The girl said, all business. "We can go if you're ready."
"Just a minute," Ruriko turned to Yukino. "Yukino-chan...sumimasen, demo.." She blushed faintly. "...can you...? Onegai?"
Yukino looked at her with that icy detached look that she wore so often, but gave Ruriko a secret little smile and a wink. "I'll watch them for you, Ruri."
"Arigato de gozaima-"
"Iie, doitashimashite." Yukino waved her off. "Say hello to Foxtail for me."
"Do you know him?" Ruriko straightened her bow and chuckled when the girls fidgeted impatiently.
"I hope so." Yukino answered vaguely.
"Nee-CHAN!" The girl almost shouted. "We're running late. Come ON!"
"Hai." The girl then took Ruriko's hand and with a nod to the other girl holding the signboard, they ran off, she barely having time to wave at Ukiya.
You better behave till I get back, Shun Ukiya, Ruriko thought behind a forced, sweet smile. Cause if Ruriko the sniveler catches you fooling around she's going to beat you up so hard it'd take more than the Gate of Life to patch you up.
**
"Get her!" One of the Core Invaders roared. "Get-"
His commands were cut short when a streak of blinding white energy blew him apart; reducing him to red crystal. Black invaders turned to track where the energy bullet came from.
"You idiots are stupider than I thought you were," a mocking voice echoed in the shadows. "Intelligent life? Please." Another flash; one more Core invader destroyed. This was too easy.
Reina Chiharu quickly withdrew her sniper rifle before the invaders could see the glint of sunlight that would reflect off the barrel, and exhaled. She sank down and leaned against the wall.
Intelligent life or not, they don't seem to give up easily. She took a Budweiser from her backpack that was stashed in the corner, along with her katana and Kenshin's daikatana...and the pile of clothes she had been planning to pay for with Kenshin's credit card before this whole farce began.
It had been a quiet day at the mall....she was shopping for some new clothes when suddenly the mall cleared and almost half of the people inside transformed into invaders. She hid inside one of the top-floor shops...and since the invaders were concentrated on the ground floor, it gave her the perfect angle to pick off a few cores with her trusty, collapsible sniper rifle.
"Okay, I'm going to fire another shot now, okay? Now, I really want to be absolutely clear on this.." Reina shouted as she took aim on one of the remaining Cores. "I'm reloading now..." she racked the bolt of her rifle, and slid the bolt home. She felt the bullet click.
"Now my right index finger is around the trigger. You got that?" I'm already shouting, for chrissakes; surely my voice is going to lead them to me....or maybe invaders DO ignore audio signals....
....or maybe they're just THAT stupid.
She squeezed the trigger; a sound the equivalent of a silenced rocket launcher explosion rocked the whole mall. Another core invader vaporized into red crystal.
Reina shrank back into the shadows, shaking her head in exasperation. Just like shooting fish in a barrel.
She popped open the beer, took a drink, and wiped her forehead with the can. She checked the clip of her sniper rifle, and assessed the situation. *Well, if I'm not wrong...I think I've shot down at least four of their cores, and I've got at least three shots left....so...* she risked another look. *There's one core left...*
Slowly, Reina stuck out her rifle and took aim. "And now the stunning, dazzling hunter draws a bead on her prey, which is dumb enough to stray into her sights...now her hand comes up to the rifle to rack another round into the chamber, careful that the noise might alert the otherwise unaware prey..." she said as her own hand slid the bolt home. "...and now..she's preparing to pull the trigger, to send her hapless prey to oblivion..." she centered her sights on the red spot amongst the black. "...she fires..." Reina pulled the trigger.
The invader didn't fall. Instead, one of the black invaders crystallized into green shards.
"Minor setback," Reina said under her breath, and took aim once more. "..she fires.."
Another black invader vaporized into crystal.
Reina cursed under her breath. *Maybe the sights are off...* She racked her final round into the chamber. "...and fires...."
Black invader. Green crystal.
"WHAT?!?" Reina shouted indignantly, unbelieving. Her shriek echoed loudly She threw down her sniper rifle. "I can't believe it!" She kicked the stock of aforementioned rifle, stubbing her toe, making her yelp in pain. "Itai! Hidoi..."
After Reina had stopped jumping around, she sat down, sulking. *I can't believe it! That stupid Core dodged three of my best shots, and he wasn't even grazed!!*
She reached over and grasped her katana. *Oh, well, there's always close combat...but first...* she dug her hands into her bag and took out a can of Budweiser. *Perfect.*
Her gaze drifted to Kenshin's daikatana, or half-katana, half big ugly creepy sword. It was six feet long, the blade was three and a half inches wide, and reverse-edged. It was quite a chore lugging it around, and for the life of her she can't figure out how Kenshin was going to carry it, let alone fight with it.
The hilt was strangely ornated with red and black dragons, the handle pure steel yet having the texture of mahogany. The saya was ebony, the inside coated with steel. Maybe she was just imagining it but sometimes the sword glowed with a black aura....
"Hiko is a madman," Reina said, thinking aloud. Hiko was their master, the one who taught them Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, and this was his weapon. But to give it back to Kenshin and expect him to fight with a sword taller than he was.....more evil than he was...the sword he used as Battousai....
Kenshin....
Reina looked down at her beer can wistfully. Although the reports said he was dead....she knew that he was alive....and now she recieved word that he was living somewhere in this area. Her mission was to deliver the sword to him no matter what the cost...but then, she would do anything...anything...just to see Kenshin again...
She wiped her eyes and laughed. At herself, or at Hiko, she didn't know.
"Cheers, Hiko, you crazy s@#%." She raised her beer in the air for a toast, and then emptied the contents down her throat. Disassembling her sniper rifle with efficiency that would have impressed a drill seargent so that the pieces fit into her bag, she took the two swords, slung her backpack over her shoulder and jumped down from her killspot, landing in front of the invaders.
"Where is the Angel Slayer?" The remaining core invader asked. Reina looked sideways to her back. The invaders had already surrounded her, and forming into something.
"Do you mean Kenshin Himura, or this?" She held out the daikatana, one hand on the handle.
"Because I don't see my Kenshin around....and if he was, he'd die before he surrendered. But if you mean this, I'd gladly give it to you..."
The Core invader reached for it but she withdrew the Angel Slayer sharply.
"Before you can get it, though," her irises glowed white instead of their normal brown color. "..you have to kill me first."
Without warning, she jumped up into the air, tucking the Angel Slayer into her belt and unsheathing her katana in the process. When she landed, she threw the saya away. A quick glance said that she was a good twenty feet from the invaders.
"Attack her." The invaders formed a large centipede, and towered over her with a good thirty feet.
Silently she concentrated. This is for you, Kenshin....give me strength. Her gate opened, white energy swirling, before her.
She dropped into the killing pose of the Gotatsu; something she learned after graduating from Hiko. She angled the blade flat, aimed for the core, and waited for the centipede to charge.
The centipede lunged at her, diving, aiming to crush her with its sheer weight.
..anything to see him again...
She slowly recited her impending attack, more of keeping herself calm than for protocol. "Aku. Zoku. Zan---"
She closed her eyes to stop the tears. *Stop it. Forget about him. Forget about everything. Just focus. Focus on the enemy. Focus on the fraction of the second where you must either strike or get out of the way-
....Kenshin.....
The world suddenly blacked out. Only the invader centipede remained.
"ETHER STRIKE!"
With all her strength, she thrusted her sword and body forward, spearing the centipede in point-blank range, just as it was about to crush her. Her sudden move was so quick, air was torn apart, exploding in all directions, blurring everything, screaming around her, pushing so strongly that Reina was mightily trying to stay on her feet.
Then, amidst of the chaos, the tip of her katana, which was buried into the core, gathered energy....
......and then a huge beam of white energy erupted from the katana, almost blowing Reina off her feet, blasting the centipede high into the air, where it vaporized into crystals.
Reina dropped her katana and sank to the floor, her knees buckling. Panting, she struggled to catch her breath.
*Ouch.* Reina winced as she tried to move her arms. They were burning, and tightening dangerously close to cramping. *I think I just permanently injured myself with that one, but nothing another can wouldn't cure....*
She looked at the battlefield- green diamond shards, a by-product of invader death- slowly floated from the air to the ground. The sunlight made them sparkle.
If Kenshin was here, he'd immediately take out his pencil and start....Reina looked down, tightening her grip on the Angel Slayer as an image of Kenshin smiling flashed before her eyes.
I will find you, Kenshin.....I will. I promise.
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Ending notes:
Thanks for Sn0wM@n and AkAbangbang(my Counterstrike buddies) for pre-reading and encouraging me to continue the fic even when I had writer's block and it was only eight pages long)
Thanks for Ruriko-sama for prereading the fic as well, and saying "You know, it's not as bad as you think..." as well as pointing out to me various mistakes.
Aslo a big thank you for Wings and Li Yilin, as well as other webmasters who had agreed to put up this fanfiction on their sites...
Finally, thank you, the reader. You still with me here?
The Angel Slayer
By Angel_Slayer_Battousai
dark_mew@edsamail.com.ph
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Author's note:
First and foremost...err....welcome to my sorry excuse for a Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction. It's kind of twisted, but you won't find any out-of-this-world character warping or anything. I'm keeping the characters here as IC as they possibly can. (Yeah, right...)
Anyway, standard disclaimers apply...I own this text file right here and all the letters you see on it...Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Watsuki Nobuhiro...Gatekeepers belong to GONZO...The Angel Slayer and The Countess Reina Chiharu are the fabrication of my mind and my mind alone....Cooking Master Boy can go STRAIGHT to Hell....quotes belong to their respective owners....Love Hina rocks, I tell you....By the way, some parts might be a little lemony...okay, maybe a lot......and violent...but this is not a lemon....or you'll be just downloading this not to read but to....uhm....whatever.
Keep off drugs, read with an open mind, forget about the glaring chronological and spelling errors and you'll finish this fic wih your computer and mind intact.....
I'm a beginner at this. I'm not afraid to admit it. I say it loud and proud.
This story was created on April 9, Year 2000, 1:29:12 am, Pacific Standard Time....completion date is still unknown.....
Updates semiregularly....depending on the webmaster...
Contrary to public opinion my name is not always Angel Slayer Battousai.
If you see AkABANGbang or $n0w_M@n in any CounterStrike Server, do the whole gaming community a favor by switching to the team opposite theirs and kill them. PLEASE. Camp if necessary - just kill them.
Never drink Pepsi. No valid reason, but I hate their commercials...
You *CAN* post this in your website...just email me first..I'd be glad to oblige...and never take off anything, including this disclaimer.
Comments, suggestions, send 'em all to the email address above. The one way up top.
Espresso kicks the hardest when injected straight to your femoral artery. Really.
There are MORE Fanfiction about Gatekeepers around, but not much on the corny alternate kind. You could probably find them all on fanfiction.net but I will be a big rat bastard and say that mine is the best.
But that's the caffeine and my ego talking. Really. Don't take my word for it.
"What do you want, Clarisse? Something to hang on your wall, to remind you of your courage, your incorruptibility? You don't need a plaque for that, Clarisse...all you need is a mirror."
-Hannibal Lecter
-=[Unit Two-One][Angel Slayer]=-
2001
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"The snow falls softly, covering everything in white. This way, no one can see the sadness or tears, the loneliness or fears, no one can see how love is truly beautiful."
**PROLOGUE**
There are the Keepers, and then there are the Masters.
There are those who control the Gate. There are those who are controlled by their gates.
There are those who are the gates themselves.
One man -- only one has achieved that level. To be so connected to his Gate that both his soul and the Gate itself are fused together, giving him unlimited access to it--
--Giving him the power of a god--
--And that man - feared in life as well as in death --
For he never dies, nor stays dead--
--armed with the sword of the gods--
--None other than Kenshin Himura.
The Angel Slayer himself.
=Extracted from AEGIS Data Library,
Entry no. 38974,
command line: Kenshin Himura, Gatemaster Unit=
***********************************************************************************************
This is the story of one man with the power of a god....a group of teenagers presented with the task to save the world....where even a loved one could be an enemy....and the impending invasion that would become the greatest battle in the history of Mankind...
This is the story of The Gate Master.
***********************************************************************************************
******
September 9, 1969. Tategami High, second floor, Room Class 2-A.
******
"Ikusawa, Ruriko!"
Ruriko Ikusawa, 17, of class 2-A of Second Year of Tategami High, straightened in her seat and raised her hand. "Present," she said, looking dejectedly at Ukiya, who was snoring along with Bancho.
*Oh, Shun....you shouldn't have stayed up all night just to give me this...* Ruriko raised her right wrist and eyed the bracelet Ukiya gave her for no apparent reason at all.
*It's months before my birthday, it's weeks before ANY obvious holiday....* The final bell rang, end of the day, and the signal to meet at AEGIS HQ.
As the students poured out of the classroom, Ruriko picked up her bag and walked over to Ukiya.
"Ukiya-kun," Ruriko shook his shoulder gently. "Ukiya-kun!"
No response.
"Ukiya-kun....come on, wake up....the Commander's probably waiting for us..." Ruriko needled, one hand shaking Ukiya's shoulder while the other tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear.
Still no response.
"Okay, fine," Ruriko huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm leaving, and don't say I didn't try to wake you up when the Commander reprimands you again," She turned to leave.
"Gomen na sai, Ruripe," Ukiya's muffled voice filtered through his arms so unexpectedly that Ruriko almost jumped. He stood up and raked his hand across his unruly hair, grinning. His gaze dropped to her hand. "Oh. You wore it..."
"Yes, I..." Uncertainty flickered in her voice, but then she smiled. "I forgot to thank you yesterday night. Sumimasen, Ukiya-kun."
"It's alright, Rurippe, just don't do it again," The keeper of the gate of life narrowed her eyes at Ukiya. "Er.... why don't we go out after the meeting? If you're not doing anything..."
Ruriko stopped. Ukiya was...asking her out on a date?
"Not some fancy stuff, mind you, just some good food and a walk in the park afterwards..."
She silenced him by grasping his hand and looking into his eyes.
"Ukiya-kun, I'd love to."
As they walked to the hidden door to AEGIS, Ruriko pinched Ukiya's wrist.
"Just don't order any more kid's meals, alright?"
Ukiya gave a groan of pain and assent as they went down the tunnel.
***
Ruriko straightened her ribbon, which somehow got tangled into her hair. She looked at Reiko, who was talking animatedly to Feye. Megumi was as usual buried into her notebook. Bancho was dozing. Kaoru was reading something from a piece of paper, probably the poem the teacher assigned to be memorized for a quiz. Yukino was nowhere. Ukiya was studying a sheathed katana that was placed in front of the space where the Commander would pop up.
"Ano....Ochiai-san, what's the sword for?" Ukiya asked the Commander's personal secretary.
Oichia brushed her hair. "I'm not quite sure....all I know is it's been here longer than I have, and the one who owned it died four years ago."
"Well, can I...?" Ukiya reached for the sword.
"I'd rather you didn't," Ochiai said with a frown. "Commander asked me to extract that from the Weapons Cache vault personally. It might be important. Besides," Ochiai leafed through her file. "The sword is programmed to emit nine gigavolts of electricity if touched by anyone but the owner."
Ukiya jerked his hand back, as if it had caught fire.
Ochiai looked at Ukiya strangely, and then laughed into the back of her hand. "Just kidding, Ukiya. I had Megane-kun turn that function off."
"Oh." Ukiya reddened, then glared at Ruriko and Kaoru, who were giggling girlishly.
"It's a Gatekeeper's weapon, if you must know." Ochiai put down her file, unsheathed the weapon and pointed it at Ukiya with the ease and expertise of an experienced swordsman. "A reversed edge sword, with two micro energy amplifiers."
She put it back into its sheath and locked the catch in one smooth motion. "Commander was supposed to give you this during training, but I guess he saw it fit to give you a unit two bokken instead. The gatekeeper who used this took all his life to master it."
"Where'd you learn how to-"
"Just a few kenjutsu lessons, Ukiya. With all the invaders around, a girl can't be too careful, ne?"
Suddenly, Ochiai's mobile phone rang.
"Excuse me." Ochiai hunted for her phone in her pockets as she half-mindedly tossed the sword to Ukiya, who caught it warily, looking at it as if it were a snake.
"Here we are," Ochiai breathed as she pressed the 'accept call' button on her phone. She raised it to her ear. "Hello? Commander? Yes.....you're going to visit him?...say hello to him for me, will you?....um...yes...I'll see to it right away."
She snapped her phone shut and began to open her file. "It seems that Commander can't attend today's meeting. Now I know all of us need to go home early, I for one *need* to clean my apartment, so I'll be brief."
She pressed a key on the Commander's keyboard. A map of Japan appeared on the screen with several red dots on it. "We've been receiving large electric wave signals across the country but that's it. No influxes or hostile activity of any kind. Also no sightings. It seems the invaders are keeping low profile."
She pressed another key. "As for the Dark Gate, we haven't found anybody fitting his description. If you see him, confront him with caution if you have another Gatekeeper with you. If not, call for help. Preferably try to always be in pairs..." Ochiai glanced pointedly at Ukiya and Ruriko. "..just in case." She closed her file and deactivated the screen. "Any questions?"
Ruriko raised her hand. "The school will be holding a play next week, and...we're all in it. We..."
"...are concerned about security?" Ochiai shrugged. "If the invaders attack that time, I'm sure you can take care of them. After all, you'll be in the stage, right? We'll just place heavy surveillance and if any invaders show up, we'll make an emergency intermission. Something vague, like, the lights have gone off and we have to replace them, or something. Megane'll have the Gate Machine prepped up and ready." She looked at the Gatekeepers. "Anything else?"
Silence, except for Bancho snoring.
"Well, if there's nothing else, meeting adjourned." Ochiai tapped the table with an air of finality, and looked at her watch. "Maybe I can catch that last bus..." she walked off.
Ruriko stood up and tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear, thinking of the night ahead. It would be romantic, the stars in the night sky, the fresh air, the lights of the city above them...and maybe, she could ask Ukiya why he had given her the bracelet..... she gave a inquiring look at her bag. Homework could wait.
she closed her eyes, smiling.
"Ukiya-sempai! Sempai!"
"Tage-kun!"
Ruriko's reveries were shattered abruptly by Kaoru and Feye, latching themselves to Ukiya's two arms. A vein throbbed in her temple. Ukiya sweatdropped. The nerve....!
"Sempai!! Let's go to the European Carnival that just came into town! All the other students are talking about it. Please?" Kaoru looked up to Ukiya expectantly. "Well?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't. I have something t-to do tonight.."
"C'mon!" Fei crossed her arms angrily. "You promised!"
"I...I did?" Ukiya looked blankly at the 12-year-old Gatekeeper, who was getting redder by the minute. "I..I.."
"OF COURSE YOU DID!!" Fei tugged hard at Ukiya's arm. "I can't believe you FORGOT!!!" Fei turned her nose up at Ukiya. "Xiao na ni!! If you don't take us I'll ask Yukino-chan to freeze you again!!"
Kaoru tapped his shoulder. "Look, Sempai, this Carnival is only held in Japan once every three years. I've already reserved tickets for all of us, and it wasn't easy. I've got one for you, one for me, one for Fei-chan, one for Reiko-chan, one for Megumi-chan, one for Bancho, one for Megane and one for Ruriko-chan." Her eyes made a pleading look. "Come on. Please...?"
Ukiya looked at Ruriko for help. Ruriko simply smiled and nodded.
"Well....okay...I guess." Ukiya said, a little awkwardly.
Kaoru clasped her hands. "Great! Let's meet near the Carnival ticket stands, a little bit away from the park fountain. Ja ne!" With that, they ran off, Reiko in tow.
Ukiya glanced apologetically at Ruriko. "I...I.."
Ruriko forced herself to smile. "Baka. Don't look at me as if I'll shoot all my arrows at you."
Ukiya let go of the breath he had been holding. For a moment he had thought she would do exactly that. He put her arm on her shoulder. "Ruripe...gomen. I just didn't expect this..."
"It's alright, Ukiya-kun," Ruriko sighed, holding his hand in hers.
She raised her other wrist to look at her watch, making the bracelet tinkle softly.
Ukiya smiled. "I never did get to ask if you liked it."
Ruriko whapped him on the head with her bag. "That's because you were snoring away in class. You could've passed me a note or something. Ukiya no baka."
Ukiya sweatdropped.
Ruriko smiled at him. "Well, if you want me to tell you..." She threw her arms around her neck and kissed him deeply.
The effect was electric. Ukiya was surprised, to say the least. Then he felt Ruriko's tongue caress his, and he kissed her back.
When they seperated, both felt light-headed and warm. Both only felt each other's arms around each other. Both only saw into each other's eyes. Both were oblivious to the outside world.
"Uhm." A cold voice coughed.
That snapped them out of it. Ruriko and Ukiya turned to see Megumi, looking at them over her notebook. Then they realized what they had been doing, and quickly seperated, Ruriko blushing, covering her cheeks. There was an awkward silence.
"I would advise you to refrain from your....current activities until Banba is not in the current vicinity," Megumi raised an eyebrow, "Because he doesn't call you 'Princess' for nothing."
"Umm...thank you, Megumi-san.." Ruriko said softly, bowing. Her hair lightly swayed.
Megumi hmmph'ed in acknowledgement. She turned to Ukiya. "Meet you in the Carnival."
Ukiya looked at her strangely as she walked away. He shrugged and shouted, "Oi, Banba! Meeting's over! Wake up!"
Ruriko's cheeks were still burning. It was so EMBARASSING.....being caught kissing...... but thankfully only Megumi saw them, and she could trust Kuroganei...she wouldn't....COULDN't tell the others, could she.....?
Ukiya offered his arm to her. She blinked at him.
"Well? Shall we?"
Ruriko smiled brightly in acknowledgement. "Let's, my good sir." She took his arm.
After outside the school grounds, Ukiya asked: "So do you like it or not?"
Ruriko looked at Ukiya unbelievingly, and whapped him on the head again. "Ukiya no baka."
****
The man known to AEGIS Far East only as Commander sat in the quiet night air, waiting.
Waiting for the one man that had left AEGIS, the man that became the most powerful Gatekeeper in all the four AEGIS Departments.
He looked at the lights of the Carnival reflected on the river with a sense of irony and sarcasm. He had not expected this would happen at all. All his life he knew the risks, he calculated them either by instinct or just by pure luck. But this was beyond them. He had never known that he would ask this man for help.
It was five years later.
The man came a little bit later, being towed by two little girls.
He had not changed. At all.
His red hair was still long and messy, the reason for not-too-uncommon reprimands for his part. At least it was still tied loosely back. He still looked painfully thin, but the Commander had seen this man in action to know better. And that scar on his left cheek the shape of a cruel cross.
Or an X.
The Commander smiled inwardly when the man's eyes narrowed when he came into view. Kenshin.
"Kenshin? Kenshin? Oniichan?" The little girl with long hair tugged at Kenshin's right hand, concern in her eyes, wondering why Kenshin had suddenly lost interest. "Look, we don't have to go to the Ferris Wheel if you don't want to..."
The other girl tugged at his hand as well. "Yeah, Kenshin. We'll just go to the Carrousel..."
Kenshin looked down on his two wards and smiled. He knelt down on one knee and said, "No, I just have to talk with that man over there. Besides, I promised you two, ne? I'll take you to the Ferris Wheel after I talk with him."
Ayame smiled. Taking hold of Suzume's hand, she said, "Okay. We'll try to look for a nice girl for you to draw while we're waiting, alright Kenshin?" Kenshin opened his mouth to speak but the two had already ran off.
He shook his head sheepishly, and then turned to the matter at hand. Commander.
"Still drawing?" The Commander remarked as Kenshin sat a little ways beside him. Neither man looked at each other.
"It's a bad habit." Kenshin leaned back and enjoyed the fresh air. "One that I might not get around to breaking."
The other man chuckled softly. "You always did have a pencil handy, even on missions. I remember Ochiai-kun putting a pencil in your medpak."
"Well, Ochiai-san was quite generous with the office supplies, so I helped myself. And a man needs to do more than just gatekeeping." Kenshin said, looking up to the stars. "Why are you here, anyway? If you don't mind my asking."
He smiled ruefully. "I never knew you liked carnivals, de gozaru yo."
Wordlessly, the Commander reached into the duffel bag that he had been carrying, took out a long package wrapped in leather and held it out to Kenshin. Kenshin looked curiously at the Commander but took the package anyway and opened it.
It was his old Gatekeeper Sakabattou.
He undid the catch and unsheathed it a little. The micro energy amplifiers were still operational, the blade shiny. The moonlight reflected off it like light would a mirror.
"Ano...Shirei...I can't accept this." He put it back into its sheath and locked the catch. He held it out to the other man. "I know what you're thinking, and frankly, I can't."
"You know as well as I do that you are needed, Himura." The Commander made no move to take the sakaba.
"And you know as well as I do that I have done enough." Kenshin looked at the other man with anger. "I had very well given my entire life to AEGIS. I gave my life to protect the people who might turn into what I protect them from any minute."
The Commander looked straight at Kenshin, unfazed. "Are you finished?"
"Yeah."
Shirei took a file from his bag and tossed it to Kenshin's lap. "Those are pictures of all the enemies we've come across these past few weeks. They're becoming increasingly powerful. Without your help, AEGIS may very well be in trouble."
Kenshin leafed throught the photographs. "Ano...a train? That's original. A racing car...hmmm...that's new....hey, what's-" Kenshin held up a picture of a man in silhouette.
"A Gatekeeper." Shirei breathed. "One who went to the other side."
"Any idea who it is?" Kenshin studied the picture with growing curiosity. The man was strikingly familiar...
"Funny you should mention it. Yes, I have."
"Well, don't keep me hanging. Who is it?"
"Reijin."
Kenshin looked at the picture with sad eyes. "I....knew something would happen, but not like this..."
"The boy had much promise in him."
"He...he was still a kid when sessha left, ne? He was supposed to succeed me as Gatemaster."
"No one can do that, Himura, not even Reijin. No Gatekeeper can control their gate like-"
"I don't control my gate, Shirei." Kenshin placed the picture back into the file. "It controls me."
He looked at Shirei. "Reijin has the ability to surpass my level. In fact, if the invaders already chose him instead of your other Gatekeepers, I'm afraid AEGIS is outmatched. By only one man."
"That's why we need you, Himura. I know I promised you, but..."
"But the fate of the world is more important. I know, I know. It was a good four years with nothing to do while it lasted."
"If it's any consolation, I think we can still convince him to go back to us." The commander tossed a card at Kenshin. It was his AEGIS Identification Badge, renewed. "The invaders haven't fully influenced him yet."
Kenshin said nothing. He looked at his badge. "My picture sucks," Kenshin said simply.
"It's a bad picture, I know. I tried. I had Ochiai-kun find a picture of you from the archives, since your last one was deleted."
Another awkward silence.
"I never knew this day would come, to tell you the truth." Kenshin held up the badge to the light. "I've seen the new ones in action, and I think you've done a pretty good job of training them..."
"What do I know of Gatekeeping?" The Commander chuckled dryly.
"You led three generations of Gatekeepers, Shirei. Surely you must get to know something." Kenshin scratched his head. "By the way...you married her yet?"
The other man stiffened. "..married..?"
Kenshin chuckled. "C'mon, you know! Ochiai! You said you were going to marry her someday, right? You said it the night before I left!"
The Commander was speechless. "I...I.."
Kenshin now laughed. "You...you mean to...tell me...that you haven't even asked her...out..yet..?" he said between gasps of hilarity.
"A few times..." The Commander coughed. "We went out.."
"On those few times you went out, did you ever go to dinner?"
"...no..."
"This is hilarious. The man with 'twice the strategic genius of napoleon' or so he says," Kenshin said, fingers miming quotation marks, "..can't even take out a girl on one decent dinner!"
The Commander looked at his watch. "This conversation isn't going the way I hoped it to be, so I'm taking the coward's way out by remarking that it's getting late and I need to go home." He looked at Kenshin. "Tomorrow, then?"
"As if I have a choice." Kenshin did the AEGIS salute halfheartedly. "Affirmative. AEGIS."
"Maybe we can discuss how you're going to fit into the High School, since you're already 29..."
"Yeah, yeah." Kenshin spied his two girls pulling a girl of about fifteen with short brown hair in his direction. "Go on. Shoo. I have work to do, de gozaru."
Shirei nodded, and started to walk away when he stopped. "Himura, I'm sorry for all of this."
"Sorry and regret always take place in the end, Shirei. You're too late."
The man who is only knew to AEGIS as Commander left.
****
It was perfect.
Ruriko sighed happily, chin propped up with her hands on the table. Not the most expensive place in the city, but certainly agreeable.
The restaurant was quite exquisite, for one that opened once every season. The tables were all koa wood, as far as she could tell, and the whole place smelled of jasmine. Expensive silverware and china dishes adorned the tabletops, with an occasional bottle of vintage wine or champagne half-buried in a ice-filled bucket. And since it was already nightfall, the overhead lights were turned down and candles were lit, making everything glow with a soft inner light, and the silverware sparkle.
But what was most surprising of all was instead of the choking, 'sophisticated' atmosphere you would find in such refined restaurants, it was light-hearted, none of the heavy cramping obligation that you had to watch every move you make. A jukebox was playing an instrumental version of a western song titled 'Eyes On Me'. A party was being held in one corner. It was so perfect, even Yukino-chan seems to be having fun.
*Agreeable? It certainly would be, if you were eating WITH him, him NEXT to you, instead of way across the table...* a nasty little voice pointed out. Ruriko risked a glance at Ukiya, who was chatting animatedly with Kaoru, probably about some sport Ruriko could break her neck playing.
Ruriko massaged her temples, as if to stave off an impending headache.
*Look, as much as I want to sit with him I can't. We can't be seen together. I know Commander's going to have a fit if he finds out.... a Gatekeeper can't have a relationship which could jeopardize or endanger the team's safety...*
*Look, everbody knows already. The Commander knows. Ochiai knows. Hell, even Reiko knows!*
Ruriko put on a smile and politely declined when Bancho and Megane invited her to ride the Carnival's rollercoaster, the Widow-Maker.
"Sorry....I just ate. Maybe later." *Were we that obvious...?*
*You're asking yourself...? You were both practically all over each other earlier!*
She blanched as a mental image came unbidden. Yuck. *Come off it. We've kissed dozens of times....er...wait, why am I talking to myself anyway? Maybe I really do need to lay off coffee....Ochiai said it could severely damage one's brain...* Ruriko smiled inwardly. *Maybe I could talk to Yukino-chan for therapy.....*
"Nee-chan..." a small voice squeaked behind her.
"Hmm?" Ruriko turned to see two girls standing behind her seat; one was holding a large piece of illustration board.
"Ehem." The other girl coughed, and the one holding the board dutifully held it up to let Ruriko see it. In big, bold, crayon-scrawled letters the board said: 'Pay Foxtail a thousand yen and he'll draw you a nice pretty portrait. Please?'
Yukino, who was sitting next to Ruriko noticed the sign. "Foxtail...? I wonder..."
"We also accept group portraits," The girl said, very business-like. "And we can negotiate the price, if you like."
"Who is this 'Foxtail'?" Ruriko asked, smiling. This must be either a publicity act or something. But either way, it was very cute.
"He's-" the girl holding the signboard started but the other silenced her with a finger to her lips. "He's our artist, and we're his managers." She crossed her arms and looked at Ruriko in a very stern manner, much like Yukino when someone doesn't quite understand her. "His job is to draw. Our job is to find victi-..er, customers." She dropped the stern look and took on a pleading one. "Please...?"
"Hai, hai..." Ruriko stood up and straightened her skirt. "Where is this 'Foxtail' of yours?"
"In the park." The girl said, all business. "We can go if you're ready."
"Just a minute," Ruriko turned to Yukino. "Yukino-chan...sumimasen, demo.." She blushed faintly. "...can you...? Onegai?"
Yukino looked at her with that icy detached look that she wore so often, but gave Ruriko a secret little smile and a wink. "I'll watch them for you, Ruri."
"Arigato de gozaima-"
"Iie, doitashimashite." Yukino waved her off. "Say hello to Foxtail for me."
"Do you know him?" Ruriko straightened her bow and chuckled when the girls fidgeted impatiently.
"I hope so." Yukino answered vaguely.
"Nee-CHAN!" The girl almost shouted. "We're running late. Come ON!"
"Hai." The girl then took Ruriko's hand and with a nod to the other girl holding the signboard, they ran off, she barely having time to wave at Ukiya.
You better behave till I get back, Shun Ukiya, Ruriko thought behind a forced, sweet smile. Cause if Ruriko the sniveler catches you fooling around she's going to beat you up so hard it'd take more than the Gate of Life to patch you up.
**
"Get her!" One of the Core Invaders roared. "Get-"
His commands were cut short when a streak of blinding white energy blew him apart; reducing him to red crystal. Black invaders turned to track where the energy bullet came from.
"You idiots are stupider than I thought you were," a mocking voice echoed in the shadows. "Intelligent life? Please." Another flash; one more Core invader destroyed. This was too easy.
Reina Chiharu quickly withdrew her sniper rifle before the invaders could see the glint of sunlight that would reflect off the barrel, and exhaled. She sank down and leaned against the wall.
Intelligent life or not, they don't seem to give up easily. She took a Budweiser from her backpack that was stashed in the corner, along with her katana and Kenshin's daikatana...and the pile of clothes she had been planning to pay for with Kenshin's credit card before this whole farce began.
It had been a quiet day at the mall....she was shopping for some new clothes when suddenly the mall cleared and almost half of the people inside transformed into invaders. She hid inside one of the top-floor shops...and since the invaders were concentrated on the ground floor, it gave her the perfect angle to pick off a few cores with her trusty, collapsible sniper rifle.
"Okay, I'm going to fire another shot now, okay? Now, I really want to be absolutely clear on this.." Reina shouted as she took aim on one of the remaining Cores. "I'm reloading now..." she racked the bolt of her rifle, and slid the bolt home. She felt the bullet click.
"Now my right index finger is around the trigger. You got that?" I'm already shouting, for chrissakes; surely my voice is going to lead them to me....or maybe invaders DO ignore audio signals....
....or maybe they're just THAT stupid.
She squeezed the trigger; a sound the equivalent of a silenced rocket launcher explosion rocked the whole mall. Another core invader vaporized into red crystal.
Reina shrank back into the shadows, shaking her head in exasperation. Just like shooting fish in a barrel.
She popped open the beer, took a drink, and wiped her forehead with the can. She checked the clip of her sniper rifle, and assessed the situation. *Well, if I'm not wrong...I think I've shot down at least four of their cores, and I've got at least three shots left....so...* she risked another look. *There's one core left...*
Slowly, Reina stuck out her rifle and took aim. "And now the stunning, dazzling hunter draws a bead on her prey, which is dumb enough to stray into her sights...now her hand comes up to the rifle to rack another round into the chamber, careful that the noise might alert the otherwise unaware prey..." she said as her own hand slid the bolt home. "...and now..she's preparing to pull the trigger, to send her hapless prey to oblivion..." she centered her sights on the red spot amongst the black. "...she fires..." Reina pulled the trigger.
The invader didn't fall. Instead, one of the black invaders crystallized into green shards.
"Minor setback," Reina said under her breath, and took aim once more. "..she fires.."
Another black invader vaporized into crystal.
Reina cursed under her breath. *Maybe the sights are off...* She racked her final round into the chamber. "...and fires...."
Black invader. Green crystal.
"WHAT?!?" Reina shouted indignantly, unbelieving. Her shriek echoed loudly She threw down her sniper rifle. "I can't believe it!" She kicked the stock of aforementioned rifle, stubbing her toe, making her yelp in pain. "Itai! Hidoi..."
After Reina had stopped jumping around, she sat down, sulking. *I can't believe it! That stupid Core dodged three of my best shots, and he wasn't even grazed!!*
She reached over and grasped her katana. *Oh, well, there's always close combat...but first...* she dug her hands into her bag and took out a can of Budweiser. *Perfect.*
Her gaze drifted to Kenshin's daikatana, or half-katana, half big ugly creepy sword. It was six feet long, the blade was three and a half inches wide, and reverse-edged. It was quite a chore lugging it around, and for the life of her she can't figure out how Kenshin was going to carry it, let alone fight with it.
The hilt was strangely ornated with red and black dragons, the handle pure steel yet having the texture of mahogany. The saya was ebony, the inside coated with steel. Maybe she was just imagining it but sometimes the sword glowed with a black aura....
"Hiko is a madman," Reina said, thinking aloud. Hiko was their master, the one who taught them Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, and this was his weapon. But to give it back to Kenshin and expect him to fight with a sword taller than he was.....more evil than he was...the sword he used as Battousai....
Kenshin....
Reina looked down at her beer can wistfully. Although the reports said he was dead....she knew that he was alive....and now she recieved word that he was living somewhere in this area. Her mission was to deliver the sword to him no matter what the cost...but then, she would do anything...anything...just to see Kenshin again...
She wiped her eyes and laughed. At herself, or at Hiko, she didn't know.
"Cheers, Hiko, you crazy s@#%." She raised her beer in the air for a toast, and then emptied the contents down her throat. Disassembling her sniper rifle with efficiency that would have impressed a drill seargent so that the pieces fit into her bag, she took the two swords, slung her backpack over her shoulder and jumped down from her killspot, landing in front of the invaders.
"Where is the Angel Slayer?" The remaining core invader asked. Reina looked sideways to her back. The invaders had already surrounded her, and forming into something.
"Do you mean Kenshin Himura, or this?" She held out the daikatana, one hand on the handle.
"Because I don't see my Kenshin around....and if he was, he'd die before he surrendered. But if you mean this, I'd gladly give it to you..."
The Core invader reached for it but she withdrew the Angel Slayer sharply.
"Before you can get it, though," her irises glowed white instead of their normal brown color. "..you have to kill me first."
Without warning, she jumped up into the air, tucking the Angel Slayer into her belt and unsheathing her katana in the process. When she landed, she threw the saya away. A quick glance said that she was a good twenty feet from the invaders.
"Attack her." The invaders formed a large centipede, and towered over her with a good thirty feet.
Silently she concentrated. This is for you, Kenshin....give me strength. Her gate opened, white energy swirling, before her.
She dropped into the killing pose of the Gotatsu; something she learned after graduating from Hiko. She angled the blade flat, aimed for the core, and waited for the centipede to charge.
The centipede lunged at her, diving, aiming to crush her with its sheer weight.
..anything to see him again...
She slowly recited her impending attack, more of keeping herself calm than for protocol. "Aku. Zoku. Zan---"
She closed her eyes to stop the tears. *Stop it. Forget about him. Forget about everything. Just focus. Focus on the enemy. Focus on the fraction of the second where you must either strike or get out of the way-
....Kenshin.....
The world suddenly blacked out. Only the invader centipede remained.
"ETHER STRIKE!"
With all her strength, she thrusted her sword and body forward, spearing the centipede in point-blank range, just as it was about to crush her. Her sudden move was so quick, air was torn apart, exploding in all directions, blurring everything, screaming around her, pushing so strongly that Reina was mightily trying to stay on her feet.
Then, amidst of the chaos, the tip of her katana, which was buried into the core, gathered energy....
......and then a huge beam of white energy erupted from the katana, almost blowing Reina off her feet, blasting the centipede high into the air, where it vaporized into crystals.
Reina dropped her katana and sank to the floor, her knees buckling. Panting, she struggled to catch her breath.
*Ouch.* Reina winced as she tried to move her arms. They were burning, and tightening dangerously close to cramping. *I think I just permanently injured myself with that one, but nothing another can wouldn't cure....*
She looked at the battlefield- green diamond shards, a by-product of invader death- slowly floated from the air to the ground. The sunlight made them sparkle.
If Kenshin was here, he'd immediately take out his pencil and start....Reina looked down, tightening her grip on the Angel Slayer as an image of Kenshin smiling flashed before her eyes.
I will find you, Kenshin.....I will. I promise.
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Ending notes:
Thanks for Sn0wM@n and AkAbangbang(my Counterstrike buddies) for pre-reading and encouraging me to continue the fic even when I had writer's block and it was only eight pages long)
Thanks for Ruriko-sama for prereading the fic as well, and saying "You know, it's not as bad as you think..." as well as pointing out to me various mistakes.
Aslo a big thank you for Wings and Li Yilin, as well as other webmasters who had agreed to put up this fanfiction on their sites...
Finally, thank you, the reader. You still with me here?