To Dance with a Demon

By Vitreux

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

Chapter One

Beginnings

   "Hey Kaoru!"

   A young woman at the age of twenty turned, her ravened hair flowing about her in a tight ponytail. The blueness in her eyes reflects hints of questioning as she blinked. She was wearing a long white coat, the files in her hands evident her intelligence of the assignment. Spotting her friend and also employee, a smile touched her lips and she called out, "Hey Misao!"

   "You busy?"

   "I was tired! The Hamasaki assignment was really annoying…" Kaoru said dreadfully. She cracked a smile. "But it's my job,"

   "I just don't get you sometimes…why do you love this kind of profession?" Misao asked, staring at her with jade eyes. Kaoru gave a thoughtful face, her clear blue eyes wondered off the small being.

   "It is so…challenging," her eyes lit with fire, "So dramatic. You'll be lost once you're in it."

   Misao rolled her eyes. "Oh yes I'm sure it's dramatic," she said sarcastically.

   Kaoru sighed. "Mou! You'll understand when you worked to my place." She eyed her, "If possible."

   "I heard that."

   "Oh? Did I hear someone talking?" she asked, looking around.

   "Kaoru!" Misao slapped her back playfully as the two laughed together.

   Kaoru Kamiya was one of the top therapists; she was pretty young to even be one. Her fame had traveled far and wide, and also her beauty. She was single, with an only family, Aoshi, her older cousin. He was extremely protective of his younger cousin, at times maybe a little too much, but Kaoru found it rather amusing.

   "Speaking of which, I heard that you have a new patient coming up." Misao whispered, eyes glancing around to see if anyone was listening.

   Surprise shown on the therapist's face, and she asked, "Really? Do you have the info?"

   "It would be against the rules!"

   "Please? Just this once." She begged.

   A sigh escaped from Misao's lips and she carefully took out the files in her hands. "Alright. Just this once."

   Kaoru opened the folder and glanced over the page, "Male, twenty-three, multiple personalities…" she continued, her eyebrow rising.

   "Those kind of cases are getting popular these days," Misao mumbled under her breath.

   Kaoru's eyes scanned over the brief profile. Then she saw his name, the name that belonged to the patient who seemed so mysterious, yet so revealing at the same time.

   "Himura Kenshin, that's his name." Kaoru said.

   "Uh-huh, heard he had transferred from many doctors in the past," Misao shook her head, "Said he was too hard to handle. Poor guy." When Kaoru hadn't reply for a moment Misao raised her head up and stared at the young woman. Only did then the short employee felt the spirit blooming about Kaoru and she could see fire in her eyes.

   "I will cure him."

   Misao sighed at her oblivion, "Yeah, well, you're always like that." She took the file away from the therapist's hand. "Good luck to you Kaoru-san." She winked.

***

   He stared.

   He was sitting on his own bed, for sure. In his own room. His violet eyes traveled around the furniture and for many times already, he felt something was wrong. But he didn't know what it was. He supported himself up but stopped when he saw the marks on his clothes.

   "Oh my god…"

   He touched the red stains on the fabric, a look of horrid draped across his handsome features. It was happening again. His grip tightened on the material and anger rose. If he could only know what was happening, when was happening… but instead, he would always woke up in a different place at the different time. He would have no memories of why he was there, there were no answers. It was like… another side of him took over the control of his body. Another side? He chuckled at his own stupidity. Who was he kidding? He knew sometimes it was much more than that.

   Feeling disgusted with the blood stains, he stripped off his clothes and headed for the bathroom to take a long, long bath. When the warm water hit his burning skin, he let the soothing sensation surpassed him. His flamed hair turned damp, sticky on his back. And he closed his eyes, allowing this short period of time for him to actually relax.

   Although he never wanted to admit, Himura Kenshin was very, very tired.

   He was tired of all the questions and impossibilities swarming through his mind. They were messing up his life, his existence, his being. He had gone to the doctors before, but they all came up with the same answer- Your case is highly unusual, I'm sorry. There were no equipments here to help you. He would nod, and they would say- But I can introduce you some of my friends, they're also doctors. Here, let me get you their numbers. Then he would transfer from one doctor to two, two to three… it never stopped.

   Was it supposed to be this way? His demons had been following him ever since he was a teenage. Whenever he walked pass someone, he would pause and comprehend the differences between them. They were always with the larger number, while he stood alone watching them joke and laugh, doing the things he had never done before. And as the time went unnoticed, he began to seal himself up away from the world. He talked less, he thought less. It was how he grew up.

   Biting his lip, it was so unfair. He slid down to the floor as wet bangs covered his face. He curled up like a ball.

   Feeling trails of wetness sliding down his cheeks, he was no longer aware of the tears. Or was it just the shower?

Yes! I updated!!!!!!! Well actually not an update, but I kind of changed the whole summary and the storyline… wow it's been a year hasn't it? Time flies! ^__^ Hope you people haven't forgotten this fic or anything = =… I need reviews!! I'll get the next chapter up as soon as my time will allow.