A k u m a n o B i s h o , T e n s h i n o N a m i d a

By Ori Oscuro



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F O R E W O R D :

First to soujiro-misao fans (-_-); this fic involves RAPE at this very first chapter. Not on it's cruelest R-rated sense, but a storyline builds up to each and eventual unpredictable twists of events, and same time ponder on the psych of our few beloved Kenshin and. Co. ^_^… ~ori oscuro style, so if you think this is hentai it isn't! It's back to yet another soujiro x misao fic as usual; and well….I tried my darn best to make violence romanticized. Unlike my other mediocre soujiro-misao fics, this one is more on tragedy and emotional trauma, betrayal of trust and all entwine as mysterious fate tied a bittersweet tale of what is well….my most controversial fic I ever dared into. To add more to that, each chapter has slow yet emotional suspenseful pace (might as well a slow YET torturous and macabre pace...think of it as an alternate dark version of my first "Broken Nihontou" only painfully longer @_@). So slow, that Soujiro will re-surface to the later chapters! I'm just trying to test the waters on the dark side, O_o; and to Aoshi-Misao fans…I think you are all going to hate me in doing this (you'll read later chapters WHY). Aoshi and Sanosuke got more screen time and emotional phase with Misao…but errr…not the way you think it is _

Oh, and the title means: "Devil's smile, Angel's tears"

In Pacem,

~Ori Oscuro

X'ss: There are few poignant changes/ corrections (after some little research, thanks to Chaos-chan! ^_~)…mostly the erratums on the locations in RK that I neglected before: That the Kenshin-gumi lives at Tokyo (formerly Edo), and Aoshi, Misao and the rest of the Oniwabanshu's lived in Kyoto…wah, so gomen to everyone (_ _)

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Part one: Fallen Grace



"Omae wa ore no mono da..." Soujiro hissed, beneath those luminous violet orbs a sparkle of blue light hint that sinister thoughts have filled him once again, the strong uncontrolled passion to possess someone, something that is beyond his own control. His indigo gaze flickered with lust that is lost at the darkness as his grip tightened on Misao who flinched as the shot of pain run through her right upper arm.

She could not see him, but the presence seems eerie and familiar, and all that remains to be unseen as his whole being is hidden at the dark shadows in the woods. There is a slinging sound and she feel across the stranger's body seems to be a sword. A blood lusting madman, where he came from she does not know. She waits for the cruel death coming, a slash of it to severe her head to which he could easily accomplish without remorse. But instead, what greeted her came in a flood of shock as his mouth forcibly locked on hers, his tongue swept to her own and she almost choked at the surprise as it searched, marking and claiming, possessing control. His other hand came down quick to clasp her beneath her long braided hair and while the other trying to tear her clothing from her back. The sound of ripping clothing knocked some sense on Misao, This mad man is not going to kill her, and he would ravish her before he does. Desperate to know who he was, she struggled with her hands clasping and grasping that face swallowed in the darkness.

As she scuffled, she made out a single kunai at her one hand and with the old Misao quickly sprang to action; she slashed the kunai across his cheek and tainted Soujiro's face with a line of crimson. It caught him off guard enough to loosen up and Misao proceeds to kick him to the you-know- where. He lets out a feral snarl of pain as she quickly gathered herself up and hastily run to safety. The woods, I had to get out of the woods. Gathering all her strength, she leaped from branch to branch with the cold wind whipping to her torn clothing and exposing her bare back. Soujiro was not to easily give up, he leaps and sprints much faster in such legendary speed that he is starting too caught up with her... She does not have to look back, she doesn't want to. The sound was confused with the whipping of the branches and leaves. A warm gushing breath heaves at her slender neck. And her blood ran cold. "Yamete!! Go away!! " She snarled, quickly turning around but her fist greeted empty air. A slight chuckle and the amused yet unseen Soujiro re-appeared lightning quick at her unguarded side. "You left me no choice, Misao-kun..." as if to remark sarcastically, he knocked her off with a strong blow at the stomach. She gasped at the force of the blow, enough to draw a man unconscious.

Who is he? How does he know my name?

The young swordsman caught her in his arms and was not surprised on her endurance, he knew Misao... It was few days ago. He found her very interesting, indeed, someone that could compete with his standards. He can't help it; she's nimble and quick with a heart of a fiercely independent waif that he immediately falls for her at that day by the river creek as he was on the way out of Kyoto. It impressed him more when he learned that she used to be the grand daughter of his former enemy. The thrill to win her came as a blow when his identity is discovered by Aoshi; he was turned down with disgust and anger and with a threat to his life. He didn't like this to happen, he had no choice. All he wants is a second chance. Now he wants to claim her, as his own and whenever they like it or not…he won't be rejected again. He forced her down, making it this time and he pin her down among the bushes and the ground filled with tall crowding trees to bear silent testimony to what he is about to commit.

This time he really forced her down hard, roughly at the damp pebbly moat. With her defense temporarily weakened, there is less chance of struggle. He threw off his arm protectors, hastily loosening his clothes and pining his weight against hers. Misao gasped as she felt her own legs being parted against by his own legs forcibly, while his slender firm hands tightly gripped her, and leaning down, he tasted the slim column of her neck. The taste of the salty skin, he reveled against it and then biting to her neck roughly in a fit of lust with his fingers digging to her arms bruising them as he takes hold of her as a hapless prey.

"Iya, Iya... Hanase!!" She fiercely struggled, trying to avoid the wet squirm in reaching her ear. She could hear him chuckle, his expression full of dire hunger and an over eagerness in his actions, as his body presses against hers so lustily, his eyes filled with dark excitement. Misao could not bring to release her self from the entrapment, Soujiro's grip is strong and his legs are pressing down hers, in preparation to rid her off her own chastity. It seem helpless, and it filled her with rage, that she don't realize tears where streaming down her eyes.

"You're crying." He commented, swiping the wet ribbons of hair clinging to his face. His expression darkened, his eyes flashed a cold predatory glare, his grip tightening as he neared his face dangerously to her own, breathing heavily close to her. "I'm supposed the one who'll be crying now, Misao! You don't know how it hurts to be disgraced!"

She shot him with an enraged emerald green glares, and spat him at the face, "You're such a bastard, whoever you are….what do you know of human feelings?" The pain of the past shots through him, the statement reminds him of his tainted reputation. Her statement seems to echo all that the others could see is the old Soujiro with a cold-blooded smile as he emotionlessly hacked his victims. It's been a year since he starts seeking for a new life, searching for a meaning. He thought everything would change during that sojourn at Kyoto, the day he met Misao. He wanted her that day, in boy shorts and all, and he tried to know everything about her and get valuable information. The biggest obstacle is when he got to learn she happens to be Oniwabanshu's new leader, the paltry group of ninjas that defeated nearly the whole force of Juppon-gatana. He knew the danger being associated to them, but more or less he wants to put over the past and get with the present time. It wouldn't be easy for the other side to be so forgiving after all. He should have listen to the little voice in his head to hold back…but he stubbornly persisted



Flashback



"Damn that little weasel…you're gonna pay..." even at regular inns, fights with drunken thugs are unavoidable. Still few days more of careful planning, Soujiro can bear to excuse himself with the typical afternoon brawl, still contemplating if he would make the first move.

Not about the fight. About the girl.

A couple of days ago, he would journey out of Kyoto... probably he just visited to face the devils of his past. A crickety old woman who used to cook delicious squid balls before he left is still there, and insists he stays longer. She told that she knows just a young lady that would be a match for him, so he can stop wandering and stay at one place. He ignored it of course, but that day at the creek changed that. He nearly forgot to fill his water pouch as she watched Misao, with her long braided hair flowing and wearing what would look like little boy clothes, leaping from branch to branch with ease. He realized he had been staring too long to her short clothes, and was just about to getting turned on hadn't been the little minx throw a rotten fruit on him. "Hey you baka! What are you looking at?! " she snarled. He saw her eyes; it's the purest of emerald green.

"Ahh...gomen! I just happen to see some...view." he scratches his head, probably at the first time in his life he never gave such a lame excuse, nor did he recall looking absentmindedly to someone that long.

"Well, whatever "view" you are looking at, I don't like the thought of it stranger!" she replied, with slight arrogance in her tone. "You men...gah!! " she shrugged off, as if knowing Soujiro is genuinely sorry already and she leaps off, again, from branches to branches until she's out of his view.

"You're blushing young man; you don't even have sake this morning." The old woman approached, having seen the incident all along. "I am! I don't know, I..." he appeared flustered with the remark; well he can't recall having such feeling. "Its better, puts color on your cheeks." The old woman continued, "You are wondering who's the young lady, eh?"

"She dresses… too tight I think."

The old woman let out a faint laugh as she packed the remaining food Soujiro ordered. "I see, well anyone who'll meet her the first time would say that. But everyone is used at her presence in Kyoto... roaming on short clothes."

" She's from here? " he inquired, suddenly he sounds interested and also much to the old woman's amusement, " I think you and the girl are a good match for each other, both young, untamed and had great skills in fighting.."

That explains her short clothes. "Tell me more about her, please..."

"Well... she says that she claims to be the leader of..."

The crashing sound cuts him off his daydreaming. The sound downstairs from his room is harsher than before, it was the same brawler and he seems agitated and brought some companions. He is challenging which he can barely make out of. Looks like a small boy, later did he notice the particular swinging braid and the furious green glare, it is Makamachi Misao, the girl he had seen few days earlier.

"You don't know whom you're messing with!" and she prepared the tobi kunais on both hands, very sure she can take over them with one lethal swing of this little dagger knives. Soujiro estimated the ratio between agile lass and 4 rough burly men with swords and clubs, maybe it's this could be his good chance he had been waiting for so long. He stood from where he was sitting and kept the paper works and information he gathered in his duffle bag. This would be so easy, it's like catching chicken. But he made doubly sure not to be carried away, moreover, not to kill anyone.

He threw a knife that zing pasts the first one nearest to Misao, it sure did get their attention. "Hey you, there! What's your problem?!" the brawler snarled, he could get his ear cut off with that stance. His other companions look over the direction of the challenger; they were surprised to be greeted by a youth with a sunny smile on its face, as if mocking them. "Bakaero, that kid would be just a waste of time playing hero... YOU get out of here! "

"I suggest I can't do that. You people are being rude and must treat the young lady with respect over there..." Soujiro came out in much clearer vision, standing a few feet less than the troublemakers.

It was the first time Misao heard someone call her a young lady.

Soujiro continued, "Now, if you don't. You'll get a treat from me." And he lays his hand casually to his Nihontou attached to his side. His face is calm and serene, as if he is negotiating who will get the larger part of a food. But he sounds serious, having exposed his sword partially on view. Most of the brawlers starts turning white, "S-Sempai! That kid must be serious, only a few this days know how to use those kinds of swords! "

The initiator of the brawl, who was their leader, scoffed out loud. "Bah! What would a small fry like you get to beat me? You ain't look like someone who could get around our territory!"

Gangs. Street gangs, thieve of bandits. Now he gets it, Misao is doing her duty to eliminate some street thugs, but she can't do it alone.

"I think thugs like you don't have right for any territory," he spoke, adding more flame to the arrogant leader of the pack. "Leave her alone, and let me be the judge of that."

Misao find the strength to speak. "Hey, you are that stranger from few days ago! Just stay out of this, this is officially my business." The leader found this although out amusing and tries to take advantage of the distraction. "Past acquaintances, eh? It seems either way one of you had to go!"

The man lashes out 2 hacking scythes readying to hack Soujiro. But the minute he lounged at him, Soujiro put out a defensive stance with one arm to block the weapon and he drew his sword with the other. He bent backwards, to absorb the blow and took a step forward, drawing enough force with his nihontou as he swung it to create a fatal arc. The attacker stopped dead on his tracks, and in a split second, crimson slits flew to the air from the enemy's wrist and ankles: disabling any possible blow. The attacker cried in pain and surprise, and was greeted by the mortified looks by his lackeys. "Kuso ...Sempai that kid just moved like a pro! We got to retreat for now! " the disgruntled leader look mockingly at his scared comrades, "Bah! I won't such a little boy get in my way!"

"Are you alright?" he asked Misao, his voice having raise concern. His attention seems completely diverted from the raging beaten loser from behind. "Oh, it's nothing stranger. It's just a scratch..." Her eyes widen, "You don't happen to be a ronin, didn't you?" Soujiro is prepared to answer the worst of questions but he noticed Misao's eyes widened in an unnatural degree. He noticed the injured thug charging from behind through her eyes reflection.

"Prepare to die you bastard!!" the man screamed charging with a rough samurai sword, noticing that Soujiro had already put his sword aside and would be too late to draw it out.

Misao thought the stranger would be goner for sure. But to other people's surprise, Soujiro draw the enemy's weapon in an eye blink, injured by its own weapon with a slash at the neck. But gladly the injury is nowhere near a major vein and the enemy ends up gasping furiously for air, as he stumbles quickly with his comrades, out of the inn and limping. This man got a swift pace and a move like a ninja, Misao recall in a slow motion, just when the weapon was to sink to his flesh, he grabs and twists the grip off with his body avoiding the blade in one complex maneuver as he takes hold of the weapon, Having enough force to deliver a blow before the enemy knows it's coming. He had master such hard move and execute is so nice and quick, no one can tell how complicated it looks like. He seems good, having mastered it so young



Young? Misao blinked, this youth got a making of a ronin. He might be a retiring ronin like Himura. He is even better looking than Himura's. At least he didn't have any scar...

"You handle like those losers everyday?" Soujiro questioned, Misao was caught in surprise that he might realize she is observing him a little too long. She flinched and grumbled.

"What's wrong?"

"You look too young to be one, ain't ya?"

"To be a ronin?"

"Hai."

" ..And I think you are a ronin! You demonstrated a complicated move the last time that will take years! I don't think someone young like you could deliver a blow like that!! " Misao said out loud. Soujiro could help but be amused at Misao's curiosity, after all he always been asked the same question by several travelers he'd help among the way. "Yes I used to be a ronin. But now at 21, I'm thinking of retiring already." Misao gaped; surely the youth isn't serious when he said he is only 21. As if noticing Misao's expression, "It's a very pretty long story…" he said, and turns around to make his exit. It's not just the time to explain.

"What's your name?" Misao called out loud, "Hey, stranger!! Good looking-Im-not-so sociable stranger…what's your name?! "

With his back turned and have already walked a couple of few feet away, he tried to restrain to laugh as she called him "good-looking." He looked back and smiled, letting out a wave

"Sore wa himitsu, desu!"

"That's not fair!!" she yelled.

Life isn't always fair…



"You don't know me!! Why are you doing this?! Who are you?! " she screamed, with her futile attempts to stall him as she tried prying off the body atop of her. His arms, if she could just pull off his arms…then maybe

"Oh, but I do know you Misao." The voice spoke coldly, it seems she could imagine whoever face it is he would be smiling in the dark, her curses and acts of hostility only motivates him more: his mouth took to hers again to silence her and his hands roamed reaching her chest. Upon feeling her up, he tears them open even with her ineffectual attempt to hold back. Misao felt cold and bare, her front opened and revealed shamelessly as her torn back. She shuddered as cold nimble fingers and palms slowly and intensely groped at her exposed naked breasts, "…Now you know how to be treated as a grown woman, Misao! And I'm going to give it to you…" Soujiro laughed, his head now giddy and delirious with excitement, and he lost it. All what is now running to his mind is lust, thinking just how she could have looked wonderfully naked to his sight, how to feel her warm body across with his own that he never felt in his whole life…and how would she taste like…

"I beg you please…don't do this to me!! " she cried, the torrid moist and darting kisses she felt that presses down to her neck and down traveling to her modest cleavage, tasting her skin as if he is sucking sweet licorice. One of his hand hold both of her arms folded up to prevent any much more struggle, the other reached down and slid to the uncharted region of her chastity. She then suddenly felt the cold fingers slip in between touching her sensitive core. Her mouth open once more for a sudden protest, but Soujiro locked it with his own again…drowning and choking her cries as he slowly desecrated her being. He felt up within her, his own body moving in a quickening rhythm as he pressed himself closer to her, feeling her up gradually and while pleasurably getting turned on with his groin feeling hard and hot as flame. He reveled upon feeling the sleek wetness between her legs; he knew she came even in against her will. Pools of tears filled her tightly shut-eyes, refusing to look on him, as he reached within deep in her. She has somehow muted herself in shock, her mouth bruised by the rough kisses, as Soujiro detached his mouth to gasp for air. Her fingernails has also dug bruise marks of it's own to his other hand.

Aoshi-san…sukutte kudasai, save me from this mad man…she silently prayed, whimpering. She could feel that Soujiro is undressing her to easily gain access, and he himself eagerly starts untying his hakama's. Misao couldn't see much more or less in the dark, but she felt something rigid pressing below her trying to force entry to her now damp womanhood. In last desperate attempt, she let out her futile defense once more.

"You bastard! Let me go!! " she clawed, and kicked at the merged blackness that masked Soujiro's features. But he didn't give up that easily, not now. He is feeling in total possession of her, at all costs he shall have her no matter what. He snarled, and stabbed a couple of knives to the ground. With it he quickly bounded her fists, and then gagged her mouth by the ribbon that uses to bind her waist. Cruel it is, he don't know what he is doing anymore: it's just the will to have her.

"I'm so sorry Misao…" his jaded tone of voice whispered, "If just Aoshi-san has given me a chance. Too bad his isn't here to save you! There is nothing he could do would change or bring back what was lost. "



He also knew Aoshi?

But she don't have a moment to ponder on that fact, for in all of a sudden Soujiro hoisted her bare legs up to his separate shoulders… enough to let most of the blood to rush to her head, making her feel dizzy for a moment. Then suddenly came a searing hot pain that lanced between her legs, and a long painful moan escaped from her gagged mouth.

It's too late.

The pain is god forsaken unbearable, but there is even more. He starts to plunge deeper within her being, thrusting so deep enough through her womb that she swore she must be already bleeding. The stranger is leaning to her even closer, heaving from slight exhaustion and excitement. He advanced close enough to savor her more till he himself will come inside her being. At one defiant act, Misao dug both fingers deep into his arms, enough for him to withdrew back…and tears off a piece of his sleeve. She struggled to loosen up the gag from her mouth, enough to…

"AOSHI!!! Tasukeru, Sukutte kudasai!!!!! "



"Damare, bakaero!!!" Soujiro hissed, and hit her hard with the bottom of his sword. Her attempts to cry out again was cut off by the surging of his own mouth, as took one last more in drawing the frenzied joy of her climax and plunging himself over the edge into the violent, shuddering world of surcease.



***translations: "omae wa ore no mono da" = "you belong to me/ you are now mine"; "Tasukeru" = "help"; "Sukutte kudasai" = "Please save me"