Disclaimer: Now here's the part of the story we all know and love. yes,
it's the DISCLAIMERS! *Wild applause* Okay, here it goes- I OWN EVERYTHING!
MWAHAHAHAA!!! *Lawyers appear* Okay, okay. You guys always spoil my fun. I
own Hikaru, Futeki, the various assassins, and Yamaneko. Zanza and Kenshin
are a whole different story.
Three years. Three long years of cold, pain, and death. Hikaru didn't come back to herself any more- her eyes always had a glazed look and she never showed any emotion. She had become a top assassin, no where near the fame and fears the Battousai inspired, but her name was dreaded none the less. Many people wanted her dead, but she managed to evade them all. But as she sat in the woods one dark night, a small fire burning in front of her, she couldn't help but think that there was something more to life than what she was living. She thought back to the days when she lived with Kyo, only killing occasionally and when necessary, and actually enjoying the little things in life. Now she was. empty.
How often had she considered killing herself? She knew that if she simply picked up her sword one last time, it would all be over. She would be able to forget all the problems, and see Kyoko again. But she knew that if she did, Kyoko would never have revenge. She refused to believe that her sister's killer was already dead, and if he were it would not have made a difference. She hated the Ishin-Shishi and wanted nothing but to see them all dead. Especially the strongest of them all- the legendary Battousai.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a twig snapping behind her. As quick as lightning, she drew her ittou and spun around. Moving forward faster than the eye could follow, she sliced her hidden attacker across the chest. Not stopping to ponder her kill, she spun around and stabbed his companion. She withdrew her sword with a jerk and let his body fall to the ground. Glancing around, she sensed no more in the woods. Just to be safe, she doused her fire and covered her campsite with leaves. She ignored the bodies of the two men and walked off, leaving the woods as the first rays of dawn broke over the mountains.
She approached a path that led to the village, pausing before she stepped onto it. It was a sunny day, warm and cheerful, but she felt cold. A piece of her had died with her sister, and it had yet to be reborn. Years of killing had hardened her until it looked like she would never be the same again.
She walked down the road, thinking of her next target. It was a man named Tsukeme, whoever he was. Yamaneko, a man that had at one time hired him, hired her to kill him. Rumor had it that Tsukeme was practically helpless, but she never underestimated her opponents. At one time that had almost gotten her killed.
She walked into the village, her sword as inconspicuous as possible. She glanced around her easily, trying not to look suspicious. Years of practice had made her as uninteresting as possible.
She kept her eyes on the shops around her, not meeting anyone's gaze. Not looking where he was going, a young man bumped forcefully into her and knocked her back a few steps. When she regained her balance, her hand went instinctively to her sword.
"Hey, watch where you're going!" The man said. She glared at the man in front of her.
"You watch it, buotoko!" she growled. He narrowed his eyes at her, but she ignored him. As she made her way to the outskirts of the village, she was aware of a foreboding presence above her head. She leaped to the side as a man dropped out of a tree, his sword crashing down where she had been moments before.
"Kan'ippatsunotokoro." She muttered, bracing herself for his next attack. It came, as expected, with a swing downwards. She blocked it with ease and slid her sword up and under, ending his life instantly. When someone gave her an assignment, she never missed or failed. Nothing would stop her until her target was dead. That was why she became known as Hissatsu, or 'Certain Kill.'
She stepped away from his body, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. Thankfully he had ambushed her in a deserted part of town, so his body would not be discovered until tomorrow at least. She walked quickly into the bustle of the main street, making her way to a bar. She found that was the best place to gather gossip and names, and was usually her first stop in a new town. She glanced at a mother holding her child's hand as she crossed the street, chatting happily with her husband. The little girl giggled and held her hand up to her father, who swung her up on his shoulders. As Hikaru made her way through the crowd, she never felt more lost.
Three years. Three long years of cold, pain, and death. Hikaru didn't come back to herself any more- her eyes always had a glazed look and she never showed any emotion. She had become a top assassin, no where near the fame and fears the Battousai inspired, but her name was dreaded none the less. Many people wanted her dead, but she managed to evade them all. But as she sat in the woods one dark night, a small fire burning in front of her, she couldn't help but think that there was something more to life than what she was living. She thought back to the days when she lived with Kyo, only killing occasionally and when necessary, and actually enjoying the little things in life. Now she was. empty.
How often had she considered killing herself? She knew that if she simply picked up her sword one last time, it would all be over. She would be able to forget all the problems, and see Kyoko again. But she knew that if she did, Kyoko would never have revenge. She refused to believe that her sister's killer was already dead, and if he were it would not have made a difference. She hated the Ishin-Shishi and wanted nothing but to see them all dead. Especially the strongest of them all- the legendary Battousai.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a twig snapping behind her. As quick as lightning, she drew her ittou and spun around. Moving forward faster than the eye could follow, she sliced her hidden attacker across the chest. Not stopping to ponder her kill, she spun around and stabbed his companion. She withdrew her sword with a jerk and let his body fall to the ground. Glancing around, she sensed no more in the woods. Just to be safe, she doused her fire and covered her campsite with leaves. She ignored the bodies of the two men and walked off, leaving the woods as the first rays of dawn broke over the mountains.
She approached a path that led to the village, pausing before she stepped onto it. It was a sunny day, warm and cheerful, but she felt cold. A piece of her had died with her sister, and it had yet to be reborn. Years of killing had hardened her until it looked like she would never be the same again.
She walked down the road, thinking of her next target. It was a man named Tsukeme, whoever he was. Yamaneko, a man that had at one time hired him, hired her to kill him. Rumor had it that Tsukeme was practically helpless, but she never underestimated her opponents. At one time that had almost gotten her killed.
She walked into the village, her sword as inconspicuous as possible. She glanced around her easily, trying not to look suspicious. Years of practice had made her as uninteresting as possible.
She kept her eyes on the shops around her, not meeting anyone's gaze. Not looking where he was going, a young man bumped forcefully into her and knocked her back a few steps. When she regained her balance, her hand went instinctively to her sword.
"Hey, watch where you're going!" The man said. She glared at the man in front of her.
"You watch it, buotoko!" she growled. He narrowed his eyes at her, but she ignored him. As she made her way to the outskirts of the village, she was aware of a foreboding presence above her head. She leaped to the side as a man dropped out of a tree, his sword crashing down where she had been moments before.
"Kan'ippatsunotokoro." She muttered, bracing herself for his next attack. It came, as expected, with a swing downwards. She blocked it with ease and slid her sword up and under, ending his life instantly. When someone gave her an assignment, she never missed or failed. Nothing would stop her until her target was dead. That was why she became known as Hissatsu, or 'Certain Kill.'
She stepped away from his body, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. Thankfully he had ambushed her in a deserted part of town, so his body would not be discovered until tomorrow at least. She walked quickly into the bustle of the main street, making her way to a bar. She found that was the best place to gather gossip and names, and was usually her first stop in a new town. She glanced at a mother holding her child's hand as she crossed the street, chatting happily with her husband. The little girl giggled and held her hand up to her father, who swung her up on his shoulders. As Hikaru made her way through the crowd, she never felt more lost.