AN: To my fellow writers and readers who adore the dark side of the AKK triangle, this two-part story is dedicated to you. This was also inspired by the 100 situations except that I won't be doing all 100 in just one concept.
Secrets of the Past
Part I: The Meeting
Kaoru remained silent as she tried to catch up with Kenshin and Sano. They made their way up the path where Kanryuu's mansion laid.
The gentle rustling of leaves caught her attention and Kaoru stared at the corner of her sapphire eyes at the trees on her left.
It didn't pass her observation that the branches of a particular tree still swung slightly; as if a weight had just been removed from it.
The raven-haired kendo master narrowed her gleaming sapphire depths in suspicion. She didn't point out what she heard though to the others.
She had seen a glimpse of something striped and she knew only one person who could wear such a thing and still remain undetected.
She just hoped that she was wrong; regardless of what her instincts told her.
A tall, lithe figure stood in the shadows of the window curtains, piercing blue-green eyes gazing blankly at the outside premises through the glass pane.
The pupils of the same eyes strained as they moved to glance momentarily at the right, sensitive ears picking up the slight movement of someone sneaking into the room.
"Hanya," The figure muttered in a soft but commanding voice.
The smaller figure dressed in a ninja suit and wearing a horned-devil mask on his face bowed slightly in acknowledgement and gave his report.
"Battousai and his companions are reaching the gates as we speak." Hanya started, his voice low and hoarse. "One is a tall young brown-haired man in white with the character of 'Bad' printed on his back-shirt. Behind them is a child, I estimated about twelve or so, wielding a bokken, and…"
Hanya paused. He felt a slight pang of uneasiness and reluctance at mentioning the last part to his leader.
The soft dimness of the room's light half-shadowed the figure's facial features as he craned a slender neck, piercing blue-green eyes glancing malevolently at the ninja.
"And?"
Hanya silently swallowed the lump of bile that began to form on his throat.
"And following up the rear is a young woman with raven hair and dark purplish eyes. She wore a man's gi and hakama and is seen wielding a bokken as well."
The same pair of emotionless eyes that glanced at the ninja suddenly gleamed with recognition.
"It can't be…" A voice muttered, losing a hint of its iciness.
Hanya hung his head low, his eyes keened on the carpeted floor.
He too wished that it wasn't so, that his sight was betraying him for the first time in his life.
But he'd seen the woman's face clear as day. Moreover, he knew that she noticed him and yet she didn't warn her companions.
No warrior, male or female, would ever do that, especially before an upcoming battle.
Unless what she'd seen was someone she knew.
Taking Hanya's silence as an affirmative, Aoshi turned to gaze out at the window where the fighting had already begun.
He couldn't see who Shijiko was fighting with since the large man was guarding at the gates but he could see the redhead Battousai flipping his reverse-edged sword as he prepared for an attack. From a short distance, the Okashira could also make out the figure of a small boy as he whacked Kanryuu's idiotic minions to unconsciousness with his bokken.
A smirk played on his lips for a moment before it quickly turned into a frown.
Aoshi's eyes hardened into a steel blue as he fixed his gaze on a raven-haired young woman who had her bokken posed high in the air. A couple of crumpled bodies surrounded her.
In the past, this sight would've normally amused him and make him feel proud.
Yet, instead, he felt as if his heart was twisted in a mixture of loathe, disbelief and anger.
Aoshi looked away in slight disgust from the window and turned his gaze onto the other man.
"Hanya." He started; his voice cold as the artic winds.
"Show Battousai and the others in. Tell them I'll be waiting at the hall down this corridor for them."
Hanya bowed and stepped back to merge himself in the shadows. To the untrained eye, it would seem as though the ninja had simply vanished into thin air.
Aoshi brushed away a stray lock of ebon hair from his eyes, void of any emotion, as he made his way to the desk and reached out of his weapon.
The tall young man strapped his katana at his waist and strode out of the room. His footsteps faltering noiselessly as Aoshi made his way down the corridor.
Yahiko let out a hoot of victory as the last of Kanryuu's goons flopped to the ground with a huge bump atop his head.
Normally; Kaoru would've whacked her student senseless in the head for being so overconfident but she was a bundle of nerves ever since she saw Shijiko outside at the gates.
The look of surprise and hurt was so obvious in the face of the large and heavily-scarred man that Kaoru felt the same sickening feeling she'd undergone so long ago in the past.
The loud thud of the double doors of the mansion opening snapped Kaoru from her reverie.
"Let's go then. We've got to rescue Megumi!" yelled Sano as he and Kenshin sprinted inside.
As Kaoru was about to enter, she got the feeling of someone watching her and looked up.
She narrowed her eyes. She could've sworn that a tall shadow was spying on them from one of the windows not too long ago.
But it disappeared so suddenly that Kaoru just shook her head and muttered.
"The sun must be in my eyes." She tried to reason out with herself.
This has to stop!
Kaoru chewed on her bottom lip nervously as she watched Kenshin and Hanya fighting.
At first, Hanya had the upper hand with his illusionary tricks but Kenshin soon figured it out and used the blade of his sakabatou as a measuring instrument.
So now, it seemed as though Kenshin had the upper hand, although Hanya is putting up a good fight.
The raven-haired kendo master frowned prettily while Sano and Yahiko cheered Kenshin on as they watched the battle.
Kaoru didn't know whether to feel horrified, guilty or awed.
Her sapphire eyes widened as she saw Kenshin perform the final attack and soon, Hanya was down for the count.
Hanya, whose mask had been broken in half by Kenshin, groaned and made a move to sit up.
"Okashira is waiting for you down at the corridor. There he will tell you where your friend is held captive." The ninja managed to mumble out despite the wounds in his body.
He looked up at Kenshin who stood before him.
"You are a worthy opponent. I am honored to have fought you."
Kenshin nodded his head.
"Thank you Hanya. Sessha is honored as well as to have fought you."
Hanya gave a grim smile before he lay down on the floor and closed his eyes.
"Go on, I am tired and I need to rest for now. However, you must go and fight our leader at once if you wished to get out of this house alive."
Kenshin nodded his head and dashed his way down the path where Hanya said the next and perhaps final battle will take place.
Sano and Yahiko followed the redhead without any hesitation but Kaoru knelt on the floor besides Hanya and set aside her bokken.
Hanya stole a glance at the young woman as Kaoru bowed her head at him, the long bangs of her raven hair shading her eyes.
The ninja noted the emotions the young kendo teacher must be going through by the tightening of her clutched fists on the fabric of her blue hakama.
Hanya willed himself to give a weak smile.
"Karasu…" He muttered; his voice soft and affectionate.
It was then that Kaoru lost her cool. She stared down at Hanya with tear-stricken sapphire eyes that dimmed into a dull blue.
"Hanya…I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you all. I…"
Hanya placed a finger to his lips to hush the young woman.
"You didn't know Karasu…" He reasoned. "You didn't know that it was us."
"Why Hanya? Why would you and the others work of a man like Kanryuu?"
Hanya shook his head slowly.
"Sometimes; I don't know why either." He admitted. "Kanryuu Takeda is a weasel and a snake. We only worked for him because he paid for our services."
"I don't believe you Hanya. There must be another reason." Kaoru mumbled as she glanced warily at Hanya.
Hanya felt a pang of sympathy as he looked up at Kaoru. The young woman looked worn out and dead tired.
"You should go now. Battousai and the others are probably wondering where you'd gone."
Kaoru nodded her head numbly and slowly, she got to her feet. She glanced at Hanya once last time and said.
"Be careful Hanya; I have a feeling that today won't go as you would've hope it would be."
Hanya had the grace to smirk as he replied.
"Women's intuition right?"
Kaoru felt a small smile wormed it's way into her face.
"Perhaps. Just be on your guard alright?"
Hanya nodded his head.
Kaoru bent down to pick up her bokken when the ninja's hand gripped on her wrist firmly.
Kaoru gave a startled yelp and looked at Hanya's eyes in surprise.
"Okashira isn't too pleased with you Karasu." Hanya warned.
"He has changed a great deal as well. You may not recognize him when you will meet later."
Kaoru's indigo eyes widened at the information. "Aoshi…I…He…"
Hanya grinned slightly and tugged at Kaoru's wrist one last time before he let go.
"Hurry now. You wouldn't want to keep your friends waiting."
Kaoru nodded her head in a daze and carefully side-stepped the fallen Hanya as she maneuvered her way down the hall.
Kaoru took one last peek at Hanya who was still lying on the floor and gingerly wiped away the tear the fell down from her eye.
She turned her head to look forward and picked up her speed.
"I'm so sorry, my dearest friends."
Her soft whisper echoed throughout the corridor and when Hanya heard it; he gave a sad smile.
"I'm sorry as well Kaoru." He muttered softly.
"Oi, Busu! What took you so long," grumbled an annoyed Yahiko as he, Sano and Kenshin watched as Kaoru made her way towards them.
Kaoru merely tossed a withering glare at the thirteen-year-old.
"Shut up Yahiko. It's none of your business." She said curtly.
Yahiko's face turned an angry shade of red. He was about to reply when Kenshin interrupted them.
"Ma, ma…this is no time to argue amongst ourselves."
Yahiko humphed; crossed his arms and looked away from Kaoru.
Kaoru didn't do anything except grasping the handle to the door in front of them and opened it.
She was both eager and dreading for this day to end.
Dreading because she knew that she would have to face him again.
The door creaked open and the four members of the Kenshin-gumi were greeted by the vision of a tall man wearing Western-styled pants and shirt. Black boots blend to the dark purple colors of his snug-fitting clothes and contrasted well with his white-yellow trench coat.
Short ebon hair with wisps of it framed piercing blue-green eyes that held no emotion to them. Lips drew in a thin line as a serious look set upon the man's pale face.
Kaoru's own alabaster skin faded to a shocked white as the man's sized them all up like you would with a potential enemy; his gaze settled on her longer than necessary before he turned his attention back on Kenshin.
"Battousai." The tall man muttered; a look of utter loathe etched on his facial features.
"I am Shinomori Aoshi, Okashira of the Onibawashuu. I must congratulate you at your success in defeating my men."
"However." He added as he steadied himself into an offensive stance.
"Do not underestimate my capabilities."
Kaoru shivered at the coldness of Aoshi's voice.
Hanya was right. Aoshi had changed a great deal. While the Aoshi that she once knew was indeed emotionless, this new Aoshi was even colder.
And stronger as well. Kaoru could pick up his battle aura radiating brightly around him.
Kaoru shuddered once again.
Things do not look good, that they don't.
Aoshi felt a deep feeling of loathe and hurt in his heart as his eyes fixed themselves upon Kaoru's.
He noted the whitening of her skin then and he knew that he had caught her off-guard.
Aoshi swallowed a menacing growl as he gazed upon the Battousai who'd shifted slightly towards Kaoru as if to protect her. He nearly snorted at the idea. Did the redhead really think that he would hurt what was once his?
Battousai was too close to the raven-haired young woman. Just what is he to Kaoru?
Aoshi felt bitter resentment at the world. Circumstances had forced him from Kaoru's warm embrace and now...after he'd spent endless nights of dreaming to be once again in her loving arms… She was here now, in flesh and blood, and with another man.
He gripped his katana tightly until his knuckles turned a death white.
Aoshi knew that he'd left her by his own choice. But it was only for her safety. His hands were stained with the deaths of many and he didn't want Kaoru to suffer because of who he was.
He had regretted his decision and several times he pondered on why he left that day. Thoughts of Kaoru in another man's arms would often cross his mind but Aoshi would always dismiss it; usually accompanied by the utter destruction of a piece of furniture or anything else that he might set his eyes upon.
He was jealous, he knew it. He was jealous that Kaoru seemed so content with the Battousai. For that, he wanted to fight the Hitokiri even more.
He would prove to Kaoru that he was the better man. He would make her see that what was his will always remain as his.
Willingly or not.
Kaoru watched in pure horror as Aoshi got into a very familiar stance.
The look in the man's eyes was dark and menacing.
"Fight me Battousai." He growled.
Kenshin narrowed his eyes at Aoshi.
"We don't have to do this, Shinomori." He warned the other man.
Aoshi merely smirked and raised his sword. "Well you don't seem to have a choice Battousai. Fight me or you and your companions will never leave this room alive."
Kenshin's purple eyes flashed a golden hue. The tension between the two men seemed to still the air inside the hall.
A look of resign crossed Kenshin's face and the ex-rurouni got into the first stance of the Hiten Mitsurugi, his body tensed in anticipation with his right hand poised near the hilt of his sakabatou, ready to take it out if he needed to.
Aoshi's piercing eyes gleamed as he too got into position.
In the side line, Kaoru watched the scene with a dreading look in her eyes. She knew, deep in her heart, that only one of the two would survive intact after tonight.
To be continued
AN: Next chapter will focus on the events after Kanyruu was killed and Megumi was rescued. As a spoiler, Kaoru and Aoshi will have a private talk for the first time.