Chapter Two
Frightened
Kaoru's POV
Thick, crimson blood pooled on the dark oak floor of the Sakura Tea House. Delicate, precise hands worked quickly over the gushing open wound "Needle." Kaoru Kamiya ordered as she paused to hold her hand out for the tool. A young geisha named Ayame gently placed the surgical needle in her hand "Thank you." Kaoru murmured as she began patching the holes in the man's lower intestines. The dim light from the lantern flickered in and out, glittering against the perspiration sliding down the doctor's flushed cheeks. This had been her ninth case tonight, yet she hadn't once lost her focus. Kaoru carefully stitched the samurai's flesh back together with an unwavering concentration. One more pull. A snip. She was finished "Could you bandage his wound and tie that end Ayame?" She asked as she moved to her feet.
"Yes Ma'am." Ayame replied eyeing the doctor with concern.
Kaoru nodded her head in appreciation, and silently gathered her supplies to be cleaned. She had only been at the army base for two and a half weeks, and she had already pieced together thirty two soldiers. They had come in with severed arms and legs, fatal lacerations, and punctured organs. Any wound one could think of she had seen in less than a month. It was a brutal awakening to the truth about this forsaken war.
Breathing in cool, crisp night air Kaoru softly shut the shoji screen behind her. She closed her eyes and let the melodious night wrap around her. Crickets rubbed their back legs together in harmony with the faint croaking of distant frogs. Together creating a peaceful melody. It was only in quiet moments like these that she could relax. If only for the time being. Kaoru stepped into a moonlit garden path, and winded her way to a small well at the far end of the enclosure. There she placed her surgical tools into a wash tub at the foot of the well. A gift from Katsura her third day at the base. Kaoru guided a bucket down into the well, and fished out some fresh water to fill her tub.
Once filled to the brim Kaoru set forth in her typical routine. Kneeling down beside the tub, she picked up a scrub brush and a bar of lye, and began to rid her tools of any blood. The water was cool against her flushed skin, and felt simply refreshing to the over-worked doctor "What a night." Kaoru whispered to herself as she continued sterilizing her tools. The conditions of her sterilization weren't ideal, but it was the best she could do with limited supplies. Kaoru picked up one of the needles and gently scrubbed away the blood that had corroded it. There had been so much blood tonight. Many men had entered the clinic on the verge of bleeding out. She had repaired a head wound, five serious lacerations, and three broken legs all just tonight. It was nearly too much for two doctors let alone one, but she had made it work. Kaoru smiled a small bit in the darkness. She has helped more men in this one month then she ever thought should could in a lifetime. That was a rather big achievement to her, and she was proud of her work.
"Good evening doctor." Frightened Kaoru dropped the bowel she had been cleaning back into the soapy water. Suds and cold water splashed up onto her arms soaking the edges of her kimono sleeves, but this was ignored as she quickly turned around to come face to face with a young samurai she had recently patched up. He had kneeled down to her level and was watching her with a creepy, forced smile on his face. Instinctively Kaoru's body put as much distance as it could between him and her.
"Good evening Shishio." She replied tensely. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about this man just made her uneasy.
He placed a hand on the rim of the tub, cornering her between the well, tub, and him. He had pinned her in a corner and Kaoru didn't like this at all. This didn't feel right "What are you doing with this old tub?" He asked though his hungry dark eyes never left her body. Kaoru pulled the neck of her kimono closer together as her stomach twisted into knots "Well?"
Kaoru swallowed hard "Umm, I am washing my surgical tools." She squeaked as he moved too close for comfort.
Shishio placed his other hand against the well, forcing her into a tight spot as his knee pushed its way between her legs "Tell me doctor, how much do you know about anatomy?" He asked mockingly as his hand settled around her waist. Her dark blue eyes widened and panic began to overwhelm her. Shishio's hand traveled up her side, across her shoulder, and rested against her face. His touch scorched her as his fingers caressed her pink cheeks "You're beautiful when you're scared doctor." He murmured as he dipped his head down to the juncture between her shoulder and neck. He placed a soft kiss there before sinking his teeth into her. Kaoru cried out in pain as big, hot tears filled her eyes. What was he doing? Stop… His repulsive tongue slipped between his lips and licked at the broken skin. It stung. "Tell me doctor," He mumbled into her neck "Have you ever been broken?" God help her, she was going to be sick. As he busied himself with untying her obi belt, Kaoru took the time to fish her surgical knife from the tub. Maybe she would get away, but if she didn't at least she wouldn't go down without a fight. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she silently waited for the right moment of chance.
Closing her eyes she concentrated on him, where his body was. Kaoru was going to make damn sure that whenever she got the chance she would leave some damage behind. His hands paused, and right before pushing her obi belt from her waist Shishio made the mistake of trying to kiss her. It was her opening. His lips crushed themselves against hers, bruising them with hard kisses, and his hands were busy with ridding her of her kimono. It was then, while he was distracted, that Kaoru decided to make her move. Knowing she would have to be fast she shoved her knife deep into his side, as far as it would go. Blood leaked out onto her hand, as he growled "You little bitch." Just before doubling over to the side in pain. This was her window to escape. Launching her body off the ground Kaoru made a mad dash to the Tea House.
Her Obi belt had fell off the moment she had got to her feet, and so she held her kimono together as she ran. Her raven black hair came loose from her ponytail and her sandals fell from her feet, but she wasn't about to stop now. Not when she was only a foot away. She quickly closed the distance, and ripped the screen open. Without missing a beat Kaoru slam the door shut behind her and sunk to the floor in a bundle of blue and white kimono. Burning tears flooded her hands as waves of sobs shook her body. She had gotten away. He may have nearly had her, but she had gotten away.
After what felt like hours of crying Kaoru was finally able to regain herself. Her body was still slightly trembling, but the tears had long since dried up. A nauseating headache was now beginning to set up, but that was the least of her problems. Looking down at the kimono hanging loosely from her body Kaoru knew that this wasn't good. She had stabbed him with her surgical knife. Shishio had been looking to hurt her before, but now she feared that she had only made a bad situation worse. He would be back, and he would be angry. Standing up on shaky legs Kaoru stumbled her way up the servant stairs—hoping and praying that she would be able to avoid everyone in the main room, and just lock herself in her room for the rest of the night.
Checking to make sure her windows were locked Kaoru suddenly remembered the bite mark on her shoulder. She carefully slid her fingers over the irritated red marks, wincing as a faint sting told her they were there. She would definitely have to cover that up. Crossing her room Kaoru settled in front of her desk and pulled out a hand mirror, some gauze, and tape. Shishio had broken the skin. The bite was deep, and was already beginning to bruise. Numbly she covered the markings with a piece of gauze and quickly taped it down. She couldn't allow anyone to know what happened. It was already hard enough to find respect as a female doctor, she didn't need an incident like this ruining what little respect she had established. At least that's what she told herself.
Battousai's POV
Slipping in and out of the shadows on soundless, calculated footsteps he was nothing more than a phantasm to the sleeping soldiers in their tents. A dark apparition of their own nightmarish creation—he was the monster who haunted every man's dream, and with good reason. The way he wielded his blade with deadly accuracy, and moved at speeds only a god could perceive was by any measure unnatural. No mortal man could kill another in the heinous way he does. It simply wasn't humanly possible. He was a dangerous predator on the grounds of war. A demonic being whose name struck fear in the hearts of all the Japanese people, he was The Battousai—the most feared samurai assassin of the Bakumatsu era.
The slayer moved with all the speed and grace of a dangerous predator as he weaved his way through the enemy camp undetected. He had scoped the camp out for weeks now under Katsura's command. He knew everything there was to know about the small cluster of tents. He was aware of each shift change, he knew which guards would stand duty and which ones were prone to skipping their shifts, and when the small mobile base would fall silent against the night. No one knew this camp better than he. It was precisely for that reason in which he was assigned his current mission. The order was clear; find the prisoner the Shogunate had taken, and kill him. He was the only one who could do it with such acute accuracy. It would be silent, quick, and under the radar. No one would know that he had even been near the camp until sunrise. Sinking far into the shadows of the targeted tent the slayer kneels down, and waits for the present guard to be relieved. As he had previously calculated this doesn't take too long, and soon the guard leaves the tent unattended as he stomps off, grumbling under his breath about immature, young soldiers. Too quickly for anyone to notice him, he entered the tent. Quietly slipping in leaving the flaps to flutter shut behind him.
Hand on the hilt of his blade, the assassin assessed his surroundings searching for his prey. Once he caught sight of the prisoner his blood ran cold. This traitor was a woman... She sat silently in the middle of the tent, her hands bound to a thick support beam, and her head bowed low. This was the Inshin Shishi's enemy? This small, fragile looking girl? He couldn't believe it. She was the one who had given the enemy more information than they needed to infiltrate one of their field camps to the north. She was the one who had cost many honorable men their lives in the capture of the camp, and had even put their war effort in a retreat. The Battousai found himself at a complete loss. His hand slipped from his blade as he stared at her dumbfounded. Something about killing this woman didn't feel right, he had never done anything like this before. He had sworn so long ago—sworn to never hurt a woman. How could he kill her?
She's a traitor… whispered a darker part of his soul. A part of him that he was slowly losing control of. Men were executed because of this wench. The darkness hissed. They must be avenged. Take her life. Battousai absently regained his hold on the katana secured to his side. He didn't like it, but this mission would have to be completed. It was for the war, for their cause of revolution, but most importantly it was for all the innocent blood that has been shed. Drawing his katana the slayer stepped up to end this traitor's life "You." He froze at the sound of her soft voice. His blade suspended inches away from her slender neck. "You are my punishment." Battousai said nothing, but simply stared at the woman. She looked up at him with a blank stare and smiled. It was an empty smile, devoid of any life "It seems they have sent Battousai the manslayer. Well then continue, put an end to my life. I am ready." She wants you to end her life. Give her what she wants manslayer. Battousai drew his blade back, and with burning golden eyes the katana descending down upon her wretched existence. He was ready to put an end to her life, however as the sword neared her slender neck he froze. The air around them thickened with tension as the katana hung suspended above her throat. He had hesitated. She chuckled quietly in the dark "What's the matter manslayer? Will you not kill me?" Kill her! Gripping the hilt of his sword tightly Battousai decided to finish what he had begun.
"May the divine heavens have mercy on you!" He hissed as the katana effortlessly sliced through the woman's neck. Bone cracked in a sickening way, and crimson blood sprayed from her body like a horrifying rain. The warm blood burned his skin, and soaked his gi. Battousai exhaled heavily as he stared at her beheaded body. It hung limp against the beam, still tied to the godforsaken thing. The assignment was finished, but he felt no sense of pride in this its completion. Flicking his blade clean, the assassin sheathed his katana. The mission over. It was time to return to Katsura. Turning to leave he felt a solid object bump against his foot. Looking down he saw the woman's head. She looked almost peaceful in death; the blank stare of her dark eyes was ever present, and the lifeless smile had never left her lips. Kenshin turned away from her a little disgruntled. Something about how serene she seemed in death spoke to him. All the pain, the betrayal, the guilt washed over him. Drowning him in his sins. However, now was not the time nor the place, in a few minutes a guard would be here to check on the prisoner… He couldn't stay there. So Battousai forced her eerie smile from his mind and concentrated on the task at hand. Composing himself he left the tent and made his way out of the enemy camp undetected.
Three hours later the slayer found himself at the back entrance of the Sakura Tea House's garden. Quietly he opened the gate and slipped in.
Sliding the blood coated gi from his shoulders, Battousai allowed the material to hang loosely from his waist as he headed to the well. Dark red hair cascaded around his shoulders as he released it from the high ponytail, and luminescent moonlight glinted against his pale bare skin. Finely carved muscles rippled against his scarred skin as the cool night air soaked into his very bones. Stepping up to the well he drew a bucket of water and poured it over his head. The water clung to his skin, and washed away the blood that stained his soul. Pristine, clear droplets dripped from his red bangs as he steadied himself against the old well. This had been his nightly ritual for as long as he could remember. Ever since he had joined the Choshu clan and their movement with the Ishin Shishi. Dousing himself in the purity of the water, mentally cleansing his immortal body of its sins. It was the only way that he could save himself from the death that marked his dark soul. Even if it only lasted for a minute. Battousai brought a hand full of water to his face, and made sure to wash away any traces of that woman's blood. That woman… Tomoe. Why had he hesitated like that? Her smile flashed behind his eyes. That horrible empty smile. Gasping Kenshin stumbled backwards, and glanced down at his hands with wide, frighten, golden eyes. Blood seeped between his calloused fingers "Dear god." Shoving his hands into the well he began scrubbing furiously at his fingers. Splashing cold water on to his bare chest, and soaking his hakama he fought vigorously with his guilt-ridden illusions.
"Too much blood." He murmured "So much blood..."
A/N: So Shishio is undoubtedly a creep... Well I hoped you liked this chapter with all of it's drama :) Please comment below. I would appreciate any kind of criticism you have for me :)
