Bended Shadows

Disclaimer:  Nope, not mine. Rurouni Kenshin characters
belong to Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shueisha, Sony Entertainment and
Jump Comics. Not me. My brain and fingers have just borrowed them for awhile.



A/N: Alright folks, this is my first trip back to the fanfic world in about 7 years, so stay with me. Any comments, or suggestions are, of course, always welcome. This story has been buzzing through my head these past few weeks; I almost couldn't concentrate at work, trying to figure out how I wanted all this to play out. Nothing of the true story is really played out in this section; I just needed to set the stage. The first 3 chapters are already complete, after this one. I just need to proof them over before I post them, I will post chapter one tomorrow evening.  Enjoy, and please let me know what you think, so I know if people out there want me to bother finishing. :P

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"Looks like you were wrong Kenshin."

"Oro?" Kenshin looked over at Kaoru as they walked out of the Akabeko.

"You said once, that everyone would move on, going their separate ways, but now, just a year later, we are all together again. I missed them while they were gone. It feels like old times again, I am sorry that Misao-chan and Aoshi had to leave so soon though, but I am glad they came to visit."

"Yes, I am glad they all came back too Kaoru-dono, that I am."

Kenshin slowed for a moment to allow her to catch up, and casual took her small hand in his own. She smiled up at him. He is so peaceful now; this has been a good year for him. He is finally seeing that he deserves to be loved, and is not afraid of his own love anymore. She blushed slightly as she remembered that first gentle kiss, only 3 weeks ago. We are finally happy.

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Nakao Fumihiro stopped in his tracks, his eyes following the pair strolling hand in hand through the city of Tokyo. His eyes narrowed as the red haired man wrapped his arm around his lady, settling on the small remains of a cross-shaped scar . . .

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A young boy huddled, cowering in a corner of darkened room, watching his father fall to his knees in front of the man who had just killed his brother. "Please, spare my son, he is only a child, I beg of you, please!" He grabbed at end of the man's hakama. Tears rolling down his cheeks, "Please, let him live." The small child's eyes widened in horror as his father, the Lord, pressed his forehead to the ground in front of the hitokiri. Even to a child's mind, the dishonor was apparent; he was bowing down to his attacker! He should challenge him! But he didn't, he only begged and pleaded, the hitokiri looked on, unmoved. "Weakling." He growled under his breath.

The boy let out a small scream as his fathers head rolled sickeningly to a stop, unseeing eyes starring at his sons anguish.

The hitokiri spared one glance to the boy. "You father died in dishonor, but I will honor his request. Leave now and never speak of this again, or you will wish I had finished you here." His amber eyes flashed, in once fraction of a second to deep lavender, and then with a flash of brilliant red hair, he was gone. 

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Fumihiro shook with the memory, insanity glazing over his eyes. "It is you, who will beg now Battousai." His absently ran his finger over the edge of his wakizashi, smearing blood down the blade. Then he smiled, picked up his Katana, and was lost in the sea of people.