(Author's Note: this story takes place during Samurai X, prior to Kenshin joining the Choshu. The story is told
through Hiko's eyes, explaining his take on very familiar scenes from Samurai X, the Rurouni Kenshin OVAs)
I heard the screams nearby. I have heard so many, it no longer startles me. I accellerated my pace a bit, as to try
to help, but I knew most of them would die before I would get there no matter what. The screams got louder and
louder. I took another step, and then drew my sword, paying careful attention to that screetch as the sword is pulled
out. A little boy dropped a sword as I approached. The trail was stained with the entrails of men and women,
and a few wagons were broken and overturned on the grass nearby. A few of the murderers turned around, while
the leader killed the last woman there. All that was left was the boy. The two murderers were slain quickly, their blood
getting upon my face. I took my hand to wipe some off, and only one man was left.
"Who are you?" the dirty looking man angrily shouted.
"You won't live long enough to remember my name." I said calmy. Though it may have seemed arrogant, it was the
truth. My skills were both a burden and a gift, but in the end, the sword can bring nothing but death.
The man rushed towards me, sword forward, his sandals flip flopping in the dirt as he ran. As he approached he
was cut into three. Three swipes sounded like one, my speed to much for him. The Hiten Mitsurugi was a style
most no one could defeat. His body parts lay on the ground, a pitiful pile of dead flesh.
I swung the bottle of saki into my hands, and took a sip. A little boy with red hair shivered as he looked at his dead
companions. I gave him my consent for his losses, and told him he was fortunate that I had come that way. I left
him alone, surrounded by the bodies of his family and their murderers. It was late, and I found a place to sleep.
**********
The sky was blood red in the sunrise, I looked at it while sipping the rice wine. I bristled the leaves away from my
face as I passed, I arrived in a circle of dirt, with crude crosses made of wood. In the front were three stones, and
the boy from earlier looking up at the blood red sun, tears crossing his face. My eyes widened. I approached, lay my
hand on his shoulder. "You buried the bodies of your family, and their murderers." I exclaimed. "They were not my
family," the boy sniffed. "They were slave traders. I was sold to them. But last night they stopped being traders or
murderers, they were just...victims." The boy impressed me. I did not know little boys thought such dark and true thoughts.
He pointed at the three stones, telling me the names of each body buried there. "I wish I had flowers...they all deserve flowers..,"
the boy sniffed. "No man should reach Nirvana without the taste of good Saki on his lips," I said, as I poured some of my
wine on the stones. "This is my contribution to them." I asked the boy his name, and I decicided it was not a
name for a swordsman. I gave him his new name. Himura Kenshin. The boy repeated his new name, wonderment
in his eyes. I took him in, and made tought him the the Hiten Mitsurugi swords style.
As he grew, he became more skilled, but eventually he left, thinking he would help people. He killed
many, I am sure of it, I heard much news of it. He became known as the Hitokiri Battousai, and was feared,
and I was responsible for the destruction he had caused.
*************
I came back to the grave site, at the end of the war, and noticed a new cross, with a cloth tied across it. This one was
special, I was sure of it. I poured some Saki upon it, smiled, and made my way.
through Hiko's eyes, explaining his take on very familiar scenes from Samurai X, the Rurouni Kenshin OVAs)
I heard the screams nearby. I have heard so many, it no longer startles me. I accellerated my pace a bit, as to try
to help, but I knew most of them would die before I would get there no matter what. The screams got louder and
louder. I took another step, and then drew my sword, paying careful attention to that screetch as the sword is pulled
out. A little boy dropped a sword as I approached. The trail was stained with the entrails of men and women,
and a few wagons were broken and overturned on the grass nearby. A few of the murderers turned around, while
the leader killed the last woman there. All that was left was the boy. The two murderers were slain quickly, their blood
getting upon my face. I took my hand to wipe some off, and only one man was left.
"Who are you?" the dirty looking man angrily shouted.
"You won't live long enough to remember my name." I said calmy. Though it may have seemed arrogant, it was the
truth. My skills were both a burden and a gift, but in the end, the sword can bring nothing but death.
The man rushed towards me, sword forward, his sandals flip flopping in the dirt as he ran. As he approached he
was cut into three. Three swipes sounded like one, my speed to much for him. The Hiten Mitsurugi was a style
most no one could defeat. His body parts lay on the ground, a pitiful pile of dead flesh.
I swung the bottle of saki into my hands, and took a sip. A little boy with red hair shivered as he looked at his dead
companions. I gave him my consent for his losses, and told him he was fortunate that I had come that way. I left
him alone, surrounded by the bodies of his family and their murderers. It was late, and I found a place to sleep.
**********
The sky was blood red in the sunrise, I looked at it while sipping the rice wine. I bristled the leaves away from my
face as I passed, I arrived in a circle of dirt, with crude crosses made of wood. In the front were three stones, and
the boy from earlier looking up at the blood red sun, tears crossing his face. My eyes widened. I approached, lay my
hand on his shoulder. "You buried the bodies of your family, and their murderers." I exclaimed. "They were not my
family," the boy sniffed. "They were slave traders. I was sold to them. But last night they stopped being traders or
murderers, they were just...victims." The boy impressed me. I did not know little boys thought such dark and true thoughts.
He pointed at the three stones, telling me the names of each body buried there. "I wish I had flowers...they all deserve flowers..,"
the boy sniffed. "No man should reach Nirvana without the taste of good Saki on his lips," I said, as I poured some of my
wine on the stones. "This is my contribution to them." I asked the boy his name, and I decicided it was not a
name for a swordsman. I gave him his new name. Himura Kenshin. The boy repeated his new name, wonderment
in his eyes. I took him in, and made tought him the the Hiten Mitsurugi swords style.
As he grew, he became more skilled, but eventually he left, thinking he would help people. He killed
many, I am sure of it, I heard much news of it. He became known as the Hitokiri Battousai, and was feared,
and I was responsible for the destruction he had caused.
*************
I came back to the grave site, at the end of the war, and noticed a new cross, with a cloth tied across it. This one was
special, I was sure of it. I poured some Saki upon it, smiled, and made my way.