Introduction
In this tale we touch Kenshin connection with the dead his duty to them, what haunts him, his nightmares, but also the wonderful moments he has lost sight of.
Morpheus
"A scattered dream that's like a far-off memory, A far-off memory that's like a scattered dream, I wanna line the pieces up yours and mine." Sora Kingdom Hearts 2
Kenshin has been going through the woods a brisk walk, before dawn. He has been following a path that has been formed by the trail of other wanderers.
However he leaves the safety of the trail to ascend the peak of the hill. He needs to see the view ahead of him, Whether it's the challenge that drives him or the view he isn't sure but he needs this.
There's a couple of hills nested among each other, although they are hills and not mountains still they are considerably large, an entire army could be hidden behind them without anyone being none the wiser.
However it doesn't require a very long and strenuous commitment, it doesn't take long for him, to reach near the top.
The sun has begun to rise, the golden edge has become visible, and for a second under reddy glow, it's as though a blade bled the heavens.
"Oro !"... "Ca caw ca caw" a piercing cry is heard over head, it won't stop screeching, the howls become faint in the distance. As an assassin, no rather even as a child he's been familiar with distressed sounds, I wonder if it's hurt, poor creature perhaps it's a normal calling, the moment soon passes, he continues his trek.
Unexpectedly he sees another er...possibly a man resting against a leaning tree, it's not that he is surprised to see someone, it's odd that he can't sense his aura. As he approaches the person, he lets out a sigh, "he's dead" he whispers. He walk up to the body and starts to examine it. It's definitely a man he's wearing a white kimono that's a bit strange, oh stranger yet he's wearing make up, a performer, no doubt it's hard to make out his facial features, but what an expressionless face for a performer.
But hold on, his eyes how peculiar, midnight black and as though they contain the very stars, an endless...void. Those eyes...Kenshin forcibly pulls himself out, perhaps a symptom of some strange sickness surely, Kenshin steps back a few paces more still staring at the corpse. It's actually quite slim, much taller than average height but not a giant.
I wonder what happened to him out here in the middle of nowhere, disease I suppose, maybe he was cursed, could have been poisoned, perhaps suicide in his favourite location or murder, well it's all the same now that he is dead.
Bandit or samurai, emperor or peasant, a body is a body we all deserve a burial, Kenshin tosses and turns mentally, if it's a good idea to bury a man who is clearly infected with something.
This must be part of my redemption, I have to bury this er man, as he walk closer to the lifeless body it begins to animate.
"Where...the...!...The Awake...sanity...am...I...ripples arh...I was...the furies...the bubbles... I...something is wrong...argh...size...how what...myself...not..in...dreaming...here...feel..."
Kenshin had gripped his Sakabatō, but seeing his disorientation, he releases it. With some reservations Kenshin attempts to converse with the performer, although he's still babbles on "are you okay sir ? do you need anything..."
The disoriented kabuki turns towards the Rurouni, the winds are changing, his kimono is flapping intensely, argh dust there's dust in the wind.
"Ugh" Kenshin seals his mouth after coughing uncontrollably and makes a run for a tree, he lifts his sakabatō to shield his eyes as he looks towards this sorcerer.
No it's not from the wind, the dust it's coming from his hand, he clenches it to a fist reducing the particles emitted from his hands.
I'm not sure if it's even dust, I'm...something's wrong I'm! losing...
consciousness...thud.
The Dreaming
"What's going on...where's the ground...is this real, it's folding...up is down...it's moving... there's a baby here...screaming in ... blood...the foldings have unraveled"
Blink
Kenshin has eventually reached a fixed location in an unfixed reality.
"Where was I...? Where am I now...?"
He looks around, he notices the sun, it's rising , it's setting, it's rising, it's setting, he can't bare looking at it anymore, something is happening something bad is happening.
He looks around this place is a village, he's not sure why he didn't see it before, and it's familiar, there's noises, the noise of birds singing in chorus mingled with the sound of children playing, of families working together.
He soon becomes conscious enough to recognise his surroundings, it's his village in Kansai. It was quite small village, there were just peasants, a few monks in a small monastery, more a big house than a monastery, no samurai, samurai's only exist if there are noble men or lords a poor village like ours was of no consequence to them but we were happy everyone knew everyone.
Right in front of Kenshin is a tree stump, shaped like low chair, it was almost like a small landmark for his village, right next to the stump is a small grave site that the villagers somehow used for pets, he remembers helping digging a hole out of curiosity looking for the dead.
He sees children running around the mini-landmark, he tries to interact with them but to no avail, but this can't be my village there's was this outbreak the village did not survive, so who are these people. He tries to call them again, he cries out but again nothing, something wrong how did I get here ?
And why they are just ignoring me, simply walking around me, dodging and swerving, they won't even stop to look at me.
It's bewildering, for a man who has actively been avoiding people, to be cruelly ignored, as though he's not there, no response whatsoever.
"No ! ... no ! what's going on, why I'm a here, why I'm a seeing, this is not..." sigh.
Blink
Where have I gone now, what's happening I was, is that father ?
Kenshin sees his father helping the grave digger, he used to do that from time to time, especially with the famine and then later the outbreak of cholera it became more common, eventually Kenshin would tag along and help his father with bits and bats.
The samurai follows his father in desperation calling him repeatedly.
"Father it's been ten years" his voice breaks and lowers to a whisper "I've missed you and mother, dearly" he then tries to call the grave digger but the same response.
After repeated attempts Kenshin falls into silence.
Is this real, is he even real is anyone real here. In his helplessness he grabs his father by his hand "STOP THIS FATHER !!!"
His father blankly removes his sons hand and continues to walk ahead, a child comes up to him ! it's me ? I must be around four or five there. He follows them to the village cemetery, and they're digging away, I'm there too I'm fetching a bucket for father.
Dig, dig, dig...
Blink
Kenshin blinks his eye for a moment and it's all gone, his father is no where to be seen he looks around, he's still at the cemetery he's see's himself but older seven perhaps.
What's going on, that's me working with the grave digger, father was too ill at this point to help the grave digger so I became his assistant.
"Whoever is doing this, show yourself" He starts to see all the bodies he buried with him.
But soon he was digging a grave for the grave digger, by this time most of the people in the village had either died, gone looking for help or just left. Soon Kenshin remained as the only one not dead, he had to make sure everyone got a decent burial.
I remember I was on a hill and there was this wind, and a sorcerer I think. I don't understand what's happening, what does this mean then, where am I, is this the afterlife is this real, am I alive.
"Why are you doing this to me, why are showing me this...it's you isn't it the performer is it not? ...STOP THIS RIGHT NOW !!!"
Blink
Again it's all changed, now it's the grave of his parents, he managed to find some flowers more like weed flowers, nearby to decorate them, it was his father first, then not long after his mother.
"Mother, father I'm sorry...
it's been so long I don't ever...
I know it's nobody's fault...
I'm sorry..."
By the time his parents had died he had gained more than enough experience in burying bodies, he personally buried them, he made sure to bury them together.
"Stop this charade already, I already know what happens next"
For him burying the dead became a duty, he didn't bury the slave traders due to some kindness, we are all bodies whether be it slave traders or their slaves and it was his duty to bury those who have no one to bury them.
Blink
It's Akane, Kasumi, and Sakura, he buried them first then the other slaves, and finally the slave traders themselves. The hitokiri persona that he has developed hates having buried scum, but little Shinta can't ignore the dead.
It was a long day thankfully there were shovels in the caravan, I dug and dug and dug and some villagers passed by and started helping. Soon all the bodies were dug, I guess the sight of a child digging had a strong mental impact upon them, they dropped what they were doing and started helping till it was done after we had finished they invited me back to their village.
I told them I'll catch up to them, that I had some unfinished business with the dead before I come.
I wanted leave some mark on the ground, that they were here, I wanted to say bye before I left, but my saviour returned the thirteenth successor to the sword art of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū, the great Hiko Seijūrō, although I wouldn't say that to his face, that was the day I became Kenshin.
Blink
"Where am I now, will this nightmare ever end ?"
Kenshin now sees himself as the hitokiri Battōsai leaving bodies in the field.
He's hesitates, he's sure none of this is really real, but after the thought passes he has another thought, he jumps into battle, he's figures this could be the chance to rid himself of the Battōsai, but at random a force pushes him away, he helplessly watches his past self slaughter away.
He remembers his early days with the Ishin Shishi it took him a while to ignore the bodies he left on the ground abandoned, waiting to be buried.
It was sacrilegious, bodies are sacred, they demand respect. They had to be washed, and buried, and now he was desecrating them, bodies on top of more bodies, washing blood away with more blood.
It pained him seeing them neglected at first, eventually it just sickened him, he had to stomach it out, till he built a tolerance for it.
He knows what's coming there's only one more tragedy left and he knows it, he tries not to close his eyes, but in the slightest blink and everything is gone.
Blink
He can feel the cold air, the snow on his feet, he dares not turn around, no matter what, but he hears them, he closes his eye shut and blocks his ears. He blinks and he blinks to no avail, the air is still cold his feet is still in snow.
"PLEASE STOP THIS, STOP IT !!!...stop it, don't make me relive this moment again"
However he's eyes are forcefully opened and he is forcefully turned to the scene.
It's her...Yukishiro Tomoe, she gave him light in dark times, now it's happening again, she going to come to save me he runs towards her, again the force pushes him back. "Tomoe don't, just move away , I don't need your help, your in the way, stop, stop, please stop"
Kenshin legs give way, he falls onto his knees, his fist clenching the earth mixed with snow, he knows it's not real yet the tears flow no matter how hard he tries to hold them back...
"Silence"
Everything is brought to a halt, Tomoe frozen moments away from her death, Battōsai frozen in his fight against the assassins that surround him, the snow in mid air, the birds over head, and there he his, it's him, I knew it was him.
"My humble apologies swordsman from the east, it appears I have brought you here against your wishes" Kenshin "YOU...what are you, some type of sorcerer, are you not the unconscious man I met before, this was your doing, state your reasons to me, is this part of my torment"
The unknown man keeps silent, letting the swordsman say his piece, however another being could not.
"Sorcerer cacaw unconscious man, cacaw state your reasons cacaw, caww...foolish lost man on the ground, this is the King of Dreams, the folder of realities, the Custodian of all that isn't, his Majesty Mōfiasu cacaw" it screeches out.
"oro" Kenshin notices the Raven it giving me quite the deathly stare, it's upon the sorcerer, er Mōfiasu shoulder, it talks but for some reason it doesn't feel that strange, what's odd is that it seem familiar.
Mōfiasu "Its quite alright" he says to the Raven I believe he called it Mashū.
He starts to address me back again "I am the ruler of these parts, although I am to blame for your predicament, however it was your own tormented mind, that brought you here specifically in the dreaming"
Kenshin "oro The Dreaming, this place, are you saying this place is a manifestation of my dreams ?"
"Quite astute, yes but not just your dreams, all that resides outside of what you call reality is reality over here, ones dreams, hopes ambitions, all that could exist and that doesn't exist is a part of my domain"
Rurouni "but that means this is real" "this is a reality, and that which is outside of here is a reality but not really reality, from here" This is getting me nowhere "How do I return back to my reality?"
Mōfiasu "it is quite easy for me to send you back to the other side however I feel as though I owe you a debt bringing you here to these painful past periods and in light of the fact you were going to give me a proper burial even at your own expense"
Kenshin now standing firmly "it is fine you owe me no debt, other than returning me safely" Mōfiasu "If that is what you desire, but if you wish to meet those whom you have lost it is within me"
Kenshin "...my parents and even...Tomoe !?" Mōfiasu "That is exactly what I am suggesting" Kenshin "I am not able face them" Mōfiasu "Remember the reality here is not the reality there, what you will face are not the same as the ones you lost, rather they can be the ones that weren't lost"
Kenshin "They will not know me as the accursed battosai ?" Mōfiasu "they will see you as whatever you desire, just as this meeting was terribly unpleasant your next meeting can be entirely bliss" Kenshin "What do I do ?" Mōfiasu "nothing I was but waiting for your clear consent, you will be there within the blinking of your eye"
Blink
"Cacaw and his off caw" Mōfiasu "Come let's proceed there's still more mortals out here, more care needs to be taken in the future" Mashū "caw cacaw you are too kind Master" Mōfiasu "This is my domain, and he and the others are my guests whether by choice or chance, I shall see to it they are returned safely" "Cacaw caw too kind sire too kind Cacaw"
Elsewhere in The Dreaming
"Mummy", she puts down her basket and picks him up and holds him close, his arms are tightly wrapped around her, she swings him around before gently placing him to the ground.
There're just outside their house, his mother is getting on household chores and little Shinta is following her around.
Kenshin looks up to his mother, he forgot how young and beautiful she was, she must be around twenty likely younger, I believe I was around three at the time.
He follows her inside the house, he wonders how he was so blessed to have had her in his life. So this is the time that I desired most. It makes sense she wasn't ill at this point so it would be among the few pleasant memories that I have.
She used to have me in her arms all day and I would follow her all day to the point that all our neighbors and friends started calling her Kenshin's mother.
They would say "oh look it's Kenshin's mother", or "morning Kenshin's mother" and the like, even father would joke and say "Kenshin's mother I'm home"
All the experiences I would have had, the life I may have had, but here I am and here they are, it can't end the way it is, we will be reunited one day, but for now I will enjoy these brief moments before the blink.
His father walks into their small house, hugs him and greets him, a part of Kenshin wants to ask them a thousand questions, but he's afraid they'll vanish if he probes too deeply he plays along with the scenario.
He got to spend the day with them, just a normal day in the arms of his mother, on the back of his father, playing eating and being able to lie with them.
Blink
Tomoe puts her hand on Kenshin's shoulder as he about to leave the house he turn around to see her. I think I know what's to come, it has to be this day. I was getting ready for work, Kenshin looks back "Tomoe ?"
We were a married couple for a short while in a remote village there was this day this blissful day, she told me to stay with her for the day. We went out sightseeing, to the market, had a picnic, she seemed genuinely pleased that day, we comforted each other through the night it wasn't our first time but it was special.
She made everything else vanish, no worries, no anger no pain, just pure bliss nothing else mattered that night, it was as though there was nobody else that night but us to think that I get that day again.
Tomoe continues after a short pause "Kenshin...stay with me" Kenshin remembers exactly what he said, he turns around holds her gently "I would love to"
She locked away a secret, deep inside herself, something she once knew to be true, but chose to forget, at least for one day.
Blink-The Awake
The young swordsman awakens, he finds himself leaning against a tree, he checks his belongings, gazes at his surroundings, he does not doubt the events that unfolded.
I'm still at the top of the hill, precisely where I found Mōfiasu, I feel as though I got caught up in something much bigger than myself, much bigger than Japan itself, so there are beings such as him as well, I don't think I will ever see him again though.
It's early morning, the sun has not risen fully, he's not sure if this is the same day or the next, he decides to continue on his remaining trek.
He enjoys the scenery, there's a range of hills scattered about, blue skies with a tinge of red, the sun bottom edge has just left the scenery at the horizon. The sun and skies are mainly covered in patchy clouds, which further leads him to believe he's been unconscious for at least a day, seeing that it was not so before his ordeal.
He takes a good look at the pathways below the hills, he follows it ahead with his eyes, maps it down in his mind. He sits down and decides to take it slow, to think of all the pleasant encounters he has had as well, instead of focusing on the bad.
"Ca cacaw ca cacaw" Kenshin turns to look for the raven err Mashū wherever he is he doesn't sound distressed anymore.
Mōfiasu of the Endless afterthoughts
A remarkable man, unfortunately in my delirium I spread out my sands of sleep, that exceed the effects of any drug and took him away, to The Dreaming against his will.
And due to my lapse and fatigue combined with his recent thoughts and feelings he was taken specifically to those events in his life that revolve around death specifically burials.
Hmmm it seems this man was only born after much blood from his mother, and prior to that there were others he didn't know of, ah the unborn, they are welcome here.
No wonder he reeks of death and delivers it so well, it followed him to his village, then he spread it out himself.
Then there is his hair crimson red, ah it suits him well death is surely his trade and probably his destiny, a realm that is not my concern. But he won't be able to simply bury the hitokiri Battōsai, it will be worthwhile seeing his dreams.
"You don't have to stay anywhere forever" Neil Gaiman
A/N: Quick rundown on names, Mōfiasu is Morpheus from the sandman comics Morpheus was one of the endless his domain was dreams and Mashū is Matthew the Raven who usually accompanies Morpheus. He is one of my all time favourite characters, I hope the story will not be hard to follow for those who are unfamiliar with him.
So I wanted to get into why would a child would bury his own slave traders and I was thinking of somehow injecting Morpheus into the story that would help explain his past and this was the end result.