Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me.
BURDENING VISIONS
Chapter One: Declined Offer, The Beginning
The smell of blood suddenly billowed all around her, assaulting her nose with the metallic odor. A fleeting flash of red like a retreating flame flickered from the corner of her vision. Cobalt eyes widened in surprise as amber eyes loomed out of the murky darkness to stare down at her like knives and pierce into her soul.
Ocean blue eyes flickered open and the young woman escaping from the confusing labyrinths of dreams sat up, gasping. This dream...this same exact dream.... ..
"Hey Kaoru, another dream again?" asked a female voice. Kaoru snapped her head up to see a girl not much younger than herself lifting the flap of her makeshift tent, sending in beams of shattered light.
"Oh! Morning Misao!" Kaoru greeted to the dark haired girl. Misao returned with a beaming grin and entered with an energetic bounce she always possessed, causing her braided hair to swing after her.
"What was it about this time?" she asked her best friend, eyes shining enthusiastically with curiousness. Kaoru shook her head and sighed, placing two fingers against her slightly throbbing temple.
"Same as last time," she replied wearily. This dream strangely took a lot out of her than any of the others. Kaoru was part of the Oniwaban, a wandering clan led by the Lord Aoshi. The Oniwaban was made of many small groups, including Misao's small one of the Kunai and Okina's Aoiya.
"So what brings you here to call me this early in the morning?" Kaoru inquired.
Immediately, faint roses of a blush bloomed on Misao's cheeks. "Lord Aoshi sent for me to get you. Some guy from the Hiten Clan or something came to talk."
"Hiten? You mean the Hiten Mitsurugi Clan, led by Lord Seijuro Hiko?"
Misao's head bobbed up and down, "Yeah, that's it! Okina and I are also to join Lord Aoshi."
Kaoru let an evil grin slip on, "Well, lucky you, getting to be with Lord Aoshi..."
"Don't you dare try anything, Kamiya Kaoru!" Misao warned, suddenly turning very serious.
Kaoru wiped the evil smirk away with friendly reassurance. "Don't worry, I won't. I'll go change then. You go on ahead of me." Misao nodded and left Kaoru to herself, deciding to wait for her outside instead.
Kaoru, though not any sort of leader, had always been an important figure in the Oniwaban's decision making for she was no ordinary girl. She was gifted with what legend called the Soul's Eye, a gift that was good, but sometimes dangerous.
Her inner eye allowed her to see glimpses of the future, bits and pieces that she would have to fit together herself, giving her the title of a Dream Weaver.
Lately, her dreams were a tumult of dark confusion. Kaoru did not know what to make of them...but she knew, more like felt that danger was coming.
As Kaoru let the soft sleeve of a simple, nonetheless pleasing to the eye blue robe, she let her mind wander back to the dream...The scent of blood was so realistic, as well as those amber eyes that blared like beacons on a moonless night. They were eerie...and made ice ripple down her spine.
Shaking her head, Kaoru left her current abode that would soon move again and joined Misao. Unlike her, Misao was dressed in short clothes that allowed easy movement which was probably important for her, since the short girl couldn't stay still for long.
Despite her loudness and size, Misao's high spirits had gained much respect throughout the Oniwaban Clan; many looked up to her in bad times, battles, and deaths.
Misao had brought Kaoru to the largest tent amongst all of the others, not because it belonged to a Lord, but to accommodate meetings, such as the current moment.
The two girls entered the tent to see Okina was already there, standing beside Aoshi who was dressed entirely in black, snowy blue eyes just barely visible through his long raven bangs.
"Good morning, Lord Aoshi, Lord Okina." Kaoru and Misao saluted, giving a quick bow of the head directed to both of them. The older leaders gave their own curt nods.
Aoshi was one to never speak much, but when he did, his voice held an air of authority, not to mention a lack of emotion. He spoke out now, his head inclining slightly to glance at the back entrance of his tent.
"You may enter now, Sir Himura."
The back of the tent was lifted up and a young man entered. He was clad casually in traveling attire and a navy blue cloak that hung down his back. His hair was windswept and a unique red like a flame of blood. Himura, despite his size radiated much power and strength. His eyes that were a shade of violet and blue mixed together that held much more age than the rest of him.
This was the kind of man, Kaoru realized, that many underestimated and ended up getting hurt. His outer appearance looked rather like a young boy's except for the sharp cross scar that clashed vividly on his right cheek.
"This is Sir Himura Kenshin from the Hiten Mitsurugi Clan," Okina introduced as Kenshin gave a swift bow smoothly like a sword unsheathed in a silver arc.
"Lord Hiko sends his regards," Kenshin murmured in more of respect than anything before continuing.
"My Lord and His Clan have set up camp not far from yours. He is aware that we are to cross paths soon. He has a proposal to make."
Kenshin withdrew a folded paper from within the folds of his shirt and handed it to Aoshi. Aoshi opened the parchment and motioned for Misao and Kaoru to read it also. Okina, Kaoru, and Misao stood by his side and read the short and to the point letter.
I, Seijuro Hiko of the Hiten Mitsurugi request that you join our forces under
my best fighter, Sir Himura Kenshin whom I have sent this letter to you with.
Kaoru and Misao glanced at each other. "What do you think, Lord?" Okina asked Aoshi.
Aoshi's icy eyes swiveled towards Kenshin. "Leave."
Kenshin nodded and left their tent in an instant.
"What do the rest of you think about this?" Okina queried.
"I'm not so sure. We do not know much of this Hiten Clan..." Aoshi stated flatly.
"I think it's a great idea!" Misao exclaimed, always the optimistic one, "It shows this clan isn't a cowardly one, considering that they sent their best warrior to us with this message."
"I don't know, I think we should give this some thought for a few more days." Okina said, offering his opinion.
"We don't have a few days. We are moving out later this afternoon." Aoshi declared. The Oniwaban had always traveled constantly throughout the land and often did not stay in one place for more than a day.
"And what do you think, Miss Kaoru? Any dreams?"
Kaoru shook her head. "No...Unfortunately, the dreams lately have not been clear. I've not been able to interpret them and even so...seeing as I have not yet figured them out yet, then I guess they have nothing to do with any of us or the Hiten Clan."
Kaoru's dreams had always been understood when the time was ripe. Their meaning would come to her when they were ready to, and usually in critical moments. Few would have the gift of the Soul's Eye, and it would only come to a specified one or two.
A Dream Weaver, according to prophecies, stories, and legends was born on the night of the full moon and would have hair darker than any night and starlit sapphire eyes, and is always a female.
Kaoru did not know if she was born on a certain night like that, but she did have the specified appearance. For all she remembered, Kaoru had been a small girl when the Oniwaban had found her and made her a member of their clan. She was not quite like a seer, but with much more wondrous dreaming abilities than them. Any clan would do anything to have one with the Soul's Eye amongst them.
Kenshin stood outside, the wind happy to chase at his long crimson locks tied loosely at the nape of his neck. He had but to only glimpse at the girl with raven hair to know she was a Dream Weaver.
Her dark locks of midnight had been pulled back into a high ponytail, loose strands falling upon her face. The most eye capturing however, were the deep ocean orbs of her eyes that were a bright azure and held something he had not seen in any woman he'd met before. Those eyes contained a spark of spirit and determination with innocence despite having the burden of the Soul's Eye upon her.
Kenshin rose out from his thoughts as the two girls from inside left the tent, the short one with braided hair and the dark haired Dream Weaver. They were both oblivious to his presence as they chatted animatedly and walked on.
Moments later, Lord Aoshi emerged with Okina behind him. "Sir Himura. We refuse your Lord's offer."
Golden flecks scattered themselves onto the red head's amethyst eyes with one blink. "Then don't expect any mercy from the Hiten Mitsurugi Clan."
And with a flutter of his long cloak, Kenshin swept off. And though his voice had been soft, it was a warning that would echo in their minds.
Notes:
Well, this is my first fanfic of RK! If you don't count that poem...) Oh goody, and it's another AU...This one has been sitting on my computer for so long. Pretty good in my opinion for something thought of while on a long car drive! (I was able to scribble down notes on a scrap of paper.) I'll update this fast as I can, but I'm also working on my Inuyasha fic, Restless Souls...but it's almost done.
Well, tell me what you think...
In a Review, please!