I own none of the Rurouni Kenshin characters (neither do I own the YYH characters, who will come in later on), they are all property of Nobuhiro Watsuki (as for the YYH characters, they're owned by Yashihiro Togashi), and they are copyrighted by Shonen Jump Manga. The real-life characters, however, are up for interpretation, and I may use them whenever and however I want, albeit the other fans don't try to bite my head off for using them… (e tu, Saitou, Hijikata, Katsura, and Okita...?).
This is a re-write of my older story – Overlooked Witnesses. The only thing it has in common with that story is that the casts of both series are used… I am going to use as few original characters for this as I can, but the villain HAS to be an original character, so there you go right there… there's also all the extras, and I don't know the names of any of the bystanders from the show, so they're all going to belong to me as well. (sighs) why must I do all the hard work…? At least I don't have to draw it all… you'd NEVER see this thing finished. Aren't YOU lucky?
…I'll end my rambling now; enjoy the story!
:Kyoto, Japan:
:July 31st, 1864:
: 4:18AM :
But a single candle lit the room… this cellar of the Padowa Inn. In this room, two men (were they men?) stood by a table, upon which the candle was lit. So dim was the candle that the men's faces could not be seen, but their dark blue haori jackets and callused hands were the only hints as to their identities. Across the table was a set of papers, written on in fine handwriting, almost mechanical, even.
These men were Samurai, their badges of honor hanging from their hips; a katana and a wakizashi each. It was evident that these men were not the typical soldiers… a normal soldier does not hush up in a basement and scurry over a set of papers… no, these men were spies, not ninja, not assassins, but specialized spies.
"This information is definite, then?" The thicker handed of the two asked.
"Hai." Was the response of the thinner wristed man.
The first man punched his left hand into his right hand, "If this is true, then we can severely hurt the Wolves of Mibu…"
"That would be very, very helpful to us…" the second said.
"Indeed… if they lose all of it, the lack of proceeds will surely lead to a collapse… they can't fund their activities if there is nothing to fund them with…"
"Who can we use for an assignment like this?"
"The new Hitokiri, whatever his name is (damn Katsura for not telling me what his name is), is too hushed in red tape for us to use him… and as for the man called Kurogasa, he cannot be trusted… and if the Shinsengumi is hit by an assassin they never heard about…"
"It would be better if we suggest Himura do it…" the thinner man said.
The first man spoke, "I don't trust either of those other two Hitokiri… both of them can easily be persuaded to join or rejoin the Shinsengumi with the proper leverage… that man with the grin whose jaw touches the ground, or that man with the parlor trick of a sword…"
" That is very true… if it is known that the Battousai does this, it might strike some fear into them, that Hitokiri Battousai hasn't lost his edge, and not even the financial backers of the Shinsengumi are safe from him… and not just the swordsmen are at risk…"
"And this strike would further weaken those ghastly wolves' jaws, that they might break with enough pressure…"
"Quiet, Yuuzai! I hear someone coming!"
"Hurry! The innkeeper may come down here! We must leave before he does so!"
And with that, a quick pinch of the hand, and the candle flame was exterminated.
:Kyoto, Japan:
:July 31st, 1866:
: 1:35PM :
If ever a place could smell purely of blood, it would be this place; the streets of Kyoto. For years now, there has been a war here, a war between the conservative Tokugawa Shogunate and its supports, the Shinsengumi, and their imperialist foes, the Ishin Shishi, who backed the Emperor's return to power. Several other groups of warriors would take part in this struggle, but none were as prominent as the Ishin Shishi and the Shinsengumi.
Both factions had a number of renowned, powerful warriors, but the most prominent seldom let the sun light touch their faces, for they strike at night, as the greatest of predators do. They attack from the shadows, when their foes believe themselves safe (and to their dismay, find themselves quite the opposite). They are the Hitokiri, the manslayers of the Ishin Shishi, and among them was the one warrior who was feared by all, save the captains of the first three of the Shinsengumi squads.
Hitokiri Battousai, Himura Kenshin.
Although, seeing this young man (not even twenty yet) in person, one would not believe him to be the Battousai. Slight in frame and small in stature, he would constantly be mistaken for a child. However, all who have seen him unsheathe the katana at his side knew why he earned the name Battousai, he who has mastered every concept of sword drawing… deadliness with grace.
With his ken-ki lowered, he remained invisible to the sixth senses of the Shinsengumi who sought his death, even in this street crowded with civilians, mingled with the Mibu Wolves. Thescar on the left side of his fifteen year old face and the dark blue gi he wore were practically screaming his identity as the Patriot Hitokiri, but the farmer's hat he wore concealed his flaming red hair, and to anyone walking by, appear as nothing but a small man in blue conducting his business. Besides... no one had caught a good enough look of his head to identify him by it... just just saw a flash of red...
Of course, they would have to be blind to miss the two swords at his side.
The temperature was mild, despite the fact that the hottest month of the year was just a day away. This could be attributed to the fact that the sun did not bathe the streets in its radiance, but instead was concealed behind gray clouds, slowly but surely morphing to black thunderheads. As if for a day, the sky mocked those in the beneath it – dark and dreary.
Kenshin turned off the crowded street, and into a small teahouse, one which seemed to be chosen indiscriminately and randomly. So small and unattractive was this teahouse that Kenshin was not surprised to find that besides a woman near a doorway in the rear of the building (which possibly led to a kitchen, explaining her role here), the building contained not a single soul. The assassin observed the room; creaky wood floors, one front exit, and five small tables. Without even realizing it, he began to map out how he would use the building's structure to defend himself and escape, should the Shinsengumi raid.
He sighed, and shook his head slowly. He wasn't there to fight… just to meet someone. Kenshin walked towards the back of the room, and greeted the woman standing at the doorway.
"Konichiwa," the Hitokiri greeted, emotion devoid from his features.
"Konichiwa…" the woman replied. "I am sorry, but we do not allow swords in this restaurant, even for samurai. I would have to insist that you either leave, or disarm yourself."
"I am sorry, but I cannot do that," Kenshin stated.
"Cannot do what?" she inquired, her hand moving behind the bead-strings over the door.
"I cannot disarm, and I cannot leave," was the reply.
"If you do not leave, I will have no choice but to call for help…" the woman warned.
"I am looking for Katsura-sempai," Kenshin interjected.
The woman looked at him for a few moments, her eyes widened in surprise, before asking, "Are you Himura-san?"
"Hai," Kenshin responded.
"Why didn't you say so earlier?" the woman sighed. She removed her hand from behind the door, and Kenshin took note that something was in her hand. Small, made of wood… a sheathed tanto. Of course… she had taken the Samurai to be a threat, and hoped to catch him off guard. Not that she would be successful, but that was her intent.
"I did not ask because were I to announce my name in front of a woman possibly aligned with the Shogunate, it would raise Hell. And though you present no harm, I would greatly appreciate it if you would hide the tanto.
"Of course…" the woman said, rolling her eyes. "I did not know that Hitokiri Battousai was the size of a child."
"I will pretend that I did not hear that," Kenshin said, keeping his poker face, yet allowing an annoyed voice of warning escape him.
"Hah…" the woman chuckled, "My name is Hikari. Follow me, Kondo-sempai is through here."
Kenshin followed after the woman as she turned through the doorway. His eyes narrowed as he entered a small hallway in an effort to protect his eyes from the sudden change to bright light, for a large number of lanterns were hung, and this made it tremendously bright in comparison to the darkening skies he was accustomed to. A short distance later (perhaps ten feet), the woman stopped, and stepped in front of a closed, paper door (the traditional Japanese door).
"He's here," she said quietly. Hikari bowed slightly to Kenshin, and continued back towards the room they had just come from. The door slid open, and a gruff (yet quiet) voice simply said, "Enter."
The Hitokiri stepped into the room, but not before removing the katana from his obi and placing it against the wall as tradition demands. Kenshin looked around, seeing none other than the Ishin Shishi leader, Katsura Kogoro, kneeling on a tatama mat. As Kenshin stepped through the door, someone closed the door behind him. His eyes gaining a slight golden tint, Kenshin saw the man's sword was sheathed; he posed no threat. Though the man was above the average height (making a silent blow to the neck out of the question, but leaving him open for a horizontal slash across the belly…), he did not appear hostile… perhaps he was Katsura's new right-hand man (since Katagai had been murdered). Kenshin tried to calm himself down, but yet again, his instincts took over. The walls were made of rice paper… he'd be able to hear anyone snooping around from a great distance, and the intruders would be silhouetted on the walls. Assuming an attacker came in from the door, in mass numbers, he would be able to make a hole in the walls, fend off the attackers until Kondo made his escape, and he'd follow soon after.
Kenshin shook his head and sighed. Damn Hitokiri…
"Are you alright, Kenshin?" Katsura asked.
"Hai…" Kenshin replied.
"Be seated. Would you care for some sake?"
"No… I only have come for my assignment, and I intend to leave as soon as I have it. Iwajimo's message said you had need of me, and that is my only duty here. I am a swordsman, not a guest," Kenshin replied, emotionless as ever.
Katsura sighed, and spoke "Sake can relieve your anxiety. I noticed you were studying the room when you entered, and maybe you shou-…"
"Damn it, Katsura-sama, the boy wants out of here, just tell him what he needs to know so he can be done with it," the guard said.
"Yes, of course," Katsura muttered. The founder of the Ishin closed his eyes and nodded. "First of all, I thank you for coming on such short notice. Two of our spies intercepted a message between the Shinsengumi and one of their chief backers this morning, and we needed to work quickly so this moment will not go to waste. If we are to succeed in this, we could wound the Miburos financially, and coul-…"
"The content, not the whole speech," Kenshin intruded.
"Don't be so snappy around Katsura-sama, you indignant whelp," the guard warned.
"He's right, Ikuza…" Katsura said, "I'll remove the flowery language…"
"Arigatou," Kenshin mumbled.
"The message that the spies found… let's just say it is very helpful to us. The message was a packet of papers, containing details on a shipment of money tonight between the Shinsengumi and its largest financial backer, second only to the Shogunate itself. The backer is an opium dealer; Takeda Senjukuu… tomorrow, at three in the morning, Takeda is going to make a trade with the Shinsengumi. He is paying them an enormous sum of money, and they are agreeing to provide his son with a Gatling Gun, and also not to kill the two of them off for dealing opium. If Takeda were to be eliminated before the transaction were to take place, it would cripple the Shinsengumi financially."
"When you say 'an enormous sum of money,' how much do you mean?" Kenshin asked.
"Do you know how much money we receive from the Emperor to pay for the Ishin Shishi?" Katsura asked.
"No, but I imagine it is a very large amount of money."
Katsura looked intently at Kenshin, and with two words, caused the Hitokiri's rock-hard expression to nearly drop off his face. "Double it."
"Oro…" Kenshin sighed, and then murmured quietly "… that is a big sum of money… that it is…"
"What was that, Kenshin?" Katsura asked.
"Gomen… it was nothing," Kenshin apologized.
"You have changed your manner of speech, however little," Katsura noted, "Could it be that you plan to change even your voice when the war is over?"
"I have not noticed," Kenshin replied impatiently, "Please return to the subject at hand."
"Right…" Katsura muttered. He then thought to himself, 'You can try to go off the topic just a little with him, but he can never relax enough to see it's better that he change…' Katsura then continued, "As I said, the transaction will take place early in the morning, next morning. If Takeda is to die before this transaction takes place, the meeting will fall apart, and the partnership will fall apart. Do you see where this is going?"
"Hai… but I am not an assassin anymore. I left my status as the Hitokiri in the dark," Kenshin began, "Why not assign Shishio Makoto? Or Kurogasa?"
"Frankly, I do not trust either of those men… in addition, Shishio would go crazy with his flaming sword and blow up the whole building for the Hell of it, while Kurogasa would announce his presence at the gates, and then proceed to kill every single guard in sight so he could fulfill his lust for blood. Of all the assassins under my service, you, Kenshin, are the most reliable, and the one who stays least visible in the shadows."
"I see…" Kenshin said.
"The details of this assignment are being worked out as we speak… I do not have the materials with me as of this moment, but I have arranged all the details to be given to you at a drop point just outside of Aoiya Inn… you know of the drop-off point, I am sure… report there between 4 and 4:15 this afternoon, and await the drop off… a man in a black outfit with a farmer's hat will stop for a short amount of time next to the bonsai tree out front, remove his hat, run his hand through his hair, and then walk east. That is the signal that the documents have been delivered."
"Understood," Kenshin confirmed.
"Once you get the package, find a secluded area on the rooftops, and read the papers inside – they contain information on this assignment, and the timeframe the mission is to be completed. Do you understand?" Katsura asked.
"Why ask questions to which you already know the answers, Katsura-sempai," Kenshin said.
"Please, spare me the formalities, and just call me Katsura… you have known me for three years, and don't you find it unnecessary to add the sempai?"
"No… If you will excuse me, I will begin heading for the drop off," Kenshin finished. The two patriots stood up simultaneously, bowed to each other, and the Hitokiri walked towards the door. Ikuza slid the door open, and Kenshin exited. Just when Kenshin had picked up his katana and began to walk back down the hall, Ikuza slid the door shut again.
"I cannot stand that boy…" the guard said.
"Deal with it, Ikuza, he is the best warrior we have… and he hardly deserves to be called just a boy."
"As long as he's that short, I will call him a boy."
"As long as you continue calling him short, and continue shooting glares into the back of his head, you will continue to leave your neck on the line."
"I can't HELP but glare at him… there is something about him that annoys me to Hell and back."
"That is because he was raising his ki… and he didn't raise it until you started glaring. I saw you the whole time."
"BAH…" Ikuza scoffed, crossing his arms and looking away.
Katsura sighed, and took a sip of his sake. As he did so, he thought, 'It is so difficult to get an intelligent assistant nowadays…'
To be continued…
Thank you for your time and attention. At 7 pages (8, if you include the author notes…), this chapter is pretty short… don't worry, the later chapters will be getting a lot longer. If you look at my story Shadow Detective, you'll know that that's not a promise – it's a FACT. I humbly ask of you for your reviews on this… you may not know it, but getting reviews is the highlight of ANY author on this site…
Oh yes… a little fact about me… as much of a contradiction as it is, there's something you should know about the author – I'm a guy. Yes, a rarity among itself, ne? So, if at times, this thing tends to be saturated with blood guts and gore, I apologize, it's the masculine part of me writing at the time…
… that said, do you see the little button at the bottom? The one that says "go"…? Please click it…