italics: a character's thoughts or an emphasis on a certain
word.
bold: change in environments, chapter titles, or author's
note
***change in time***:hmm, possibly a change in time
Now remember, there are two Kaorus. Try not to mix them up. Make sure you look to see what planet you are on so you don't get confused....enjoy.
Disclaimer:I do not and will never own, Rurouni Kenshin or its characters...
Chapter One: Meeting the Battousai
Planet Earth
I studied the portal before me. It consisted of two large stones with a strange sort of writing on it...one I had never seen before. I turned and glanced at the girl behind me, the girl who shared my name. She had her eyes lowered, almost as if she was trying to hide something from me. I stepped up to her and embraced her.
"Goodbye Kaoru, my sister..." I said softly. Then I turned and walked through the portal. I glanced over my shoulder and could see her image disappearing. I'm so sorry Kaoru, I didn't mean to trick you into marrying someone in my place...
Kaoru stared at the portal. She could see the form of her other self, disappearing through the portal. "I'm sorry my sister, please don't hate me...this was my only chance to escape him," she said, with the sadness evident in her voice. A stream of tears rolled down her cheeks as she saw the portal disappear before her eyes. Good luck Kaoru... Then she turned and walked to a rock, sitting upon it. There she waited for the search party to find her.
Planet Areth
Kaoru blinked rapidly, trying to rid herself of the blindness. She turned around and looked back at the portal, which began to disappear before her eyes.
"No!!!!! Wait!" Kaoru screamed in a panic. Now if I change my mind and want to go home...I can't. I'll never see my parents again. Kaoru dropped to her knees and began sobbing. "Come back..." she whispered. Her head snapped up as she heard the sound of a twig breaking behind her. She felt someone grab her and roughly pull her to her feet. She was startled as she looked straight into the face of Himura Kenshin...only this man's eyes were a brilliant shade of gold.
"You stupid woman! What will you do now? That portal only appears once every ten years...and you've missed it!" the man broke into laughter. Kaoru just stared at him, the fear and confusion plainly showing on her face. She winced as his hand came down across her cheek, sending her flying a few feet. She cradled her cheek as tears began to stream down her face.
"Get up! We are going back home right now Kaoru...and I assure you, you will be punished severely for your deliberate disobedience," the man snarled.
Kaoru pulled herself to her feet. She took off running in the opposite direction of the man. Her breathing was heavy as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her.
So this is what she was running from...oh man! That is not the Kenshin I know. What am I gonna do? Mom, Dad, I am so sorry, I just want to come back home. I'll even marry Kenshin...but now I'm stuck here. I made a mistake, I should have thought about how much I'd miss you before I suggested this. That girl, she knew she was leading me into this! And I called her a sister!
Kaoru sobbed as she ran, making it even more difficult to run. Suddenly, someone grabbed her by her neck and shoved her into a tree. He blocked her body between the tree and his own, shoving himself up against her. The tears fell from her eyes even more swiftly.
"Please, just leave me alone," Kaoru said in a broken voice.
The man just stared at her, an evil glint in his eyes. "The Battousai does not take orders from anyone," he snarled.
Kaoru's mind was going a mile a minute. The Battousai...where have I heard that name before? I remember...I've heard myths about him. The main thing I was told was that every ten years...he makes a big appearance and goes on a killing spree. He then robs the bodies of his victims. There were also instances of other murders...but important people, like a corporate president, or a leader of an army or something. Yet, those bodies were never robbed. This doesn't make sense...
Kaoru's eyes were wide with fear. But wait, he said that portal only opens every ten years. How would he know that...and if that's when the massive murders took place...oh no! "You're the Hitokiri Battousai.." Kaoru said in a voice overwhelmed with fear. Then her world turned black...
Planet Earth
Kaoru was still waiting for the searching party to come get her. They were only about fifty feet away now. She picked up the knapsack Kaoru had carried with her. She opened it up and noticed an unopened envelope with her name on it. Well, if I'm to take her place, I guess this note is for me. Kaoru tore the sealed envelope and took out a piece of paper, beginning to read.
Dear Kaoru,
You are finally nineteen and of age to marry. I know that you have no desire to be married, but please, just give Himura a chance. He really does care for you. He sought us out and asked if he could be the one we chose. And we have gotten to know the young man...he can take care of you.
Kaoru, I know that this is probably not the best way to tell you this, but you need to be told. Your mother and I decided to wait until your nineteenth birthday, so you would be more prepared to handle information such as this. Kaoru, we are not your biological parents. Your mother died during childbirth with you, and your father raised you until you were two years old. Kaoru, please do not get angry with us for not telling you this sooner, we thought it best to wait.
I know that you are now wondering where your real father is. We are so sorry honey...you see, your biological father and I were very good colleagues. He was the corporate head of a large trading business. I worked under him. Seventeen years ago, when you were two, he was murdered. We were walking home from work together, we only lived a short distance away from your real father, and your mother had agreed to baby-sit. Well, we decided to take a short-cut down an ally, one we always took. Someone was standing in the ally. He drew his sword and murdered your father right before my eyes. I was on my knees trembling, fearing for my life. He just turned and walked away. He told me that he wasn't hired to murder me. He was an assassin Kaoru. Some believed him to be the Hitokiri Battousai. I never did get a good look at the man though.
I am so sorry honey. Well, from that point, your mother and I just raised you as our own. We love you so much Kaoru. You are our only daughter. It has been a pleasure raising you. Please, give Himura a chance, he is a good man. And he actually does some work for the police, working against people like the man who killed your father. I love you honey, your mother and I both do.
Love,
Your
Father
Kaoru looked up from the letter with tears in her eyes. Poor Kaoru. But it couldn't have been the Battousai...that portal only opens every ten years. If she's nineteen now, ten years ago she was only nine...she would have had to have been twelve. She heard someone call her name in recognition and before she knew it, the whole party ran up to her.
"Kaoru, honey, please don't scare us like that. Are you okay? Everything still intact and working?" an older woman asked with concern evident in her voice. She was then passed on into the arms of a man. Kaoru assumed these were the parents of her alter ego...now her parents. Kaoru grinned. Parents, I have never known what it was like to be loved. Kaoru's face hardened at the thought of the Battousai. For some strange reason, she loved him deep within her heart. She had grown to over the years. But was it possible for him to ever love her? All he knows is violence...Battousai will you ever see me as anything but a toy for you to play with, and to hurt? I know you can change...please, let him change. Tears slowly drained from her eyes as she hugged her new father.
"Oh, honey...it's okay," her father said patting her on the back. "Guess who else is here and worried about you?" her father asked. He stepped aside, as a man stepped forward, his head bowed to the ground. Kaoru trembled with fear as the man raised his head. "Battousai..." Kaoru whispered right before falling to the ground, consciousness leaving her.
Kenshin looked down at his bride-to-be. "Battousai? She thinks I'm that man from the legends?" Kenshin laughed and then smiled down on her. He picked her up, gently cradling her in his arms. "Let's get her back home, I think she must have been out in this heat too long, that I do," Kenshin smiled at the Kamiyas and began walking back towards their home.
Planet Areth
Kaoru woke up to a stinging and tender cheek. She grunted as she sat herself up. She replayed the day in her mind. She was hoping it had all been a dream, but when she did not recognize her surroundings, she began to cry softly. She suddenly was alerted to the presence of another in the room.
"So you're finally awake are you? Good, now your punishment will begin," Battousai grinned, a hidden agenda in his eyes. Kaoru trembled in fear as she saw him stand up from the chair in the corner of the room that he had previously occupied. She began to scoot away when she realized she had been placed upon a bed. She watched as Battousai sauntered his way over to her and climbed upon the bed, pinning her down with his hands. She cried even harder when realization hit her of what punishment the Battousai had in mind.
***4 hours later***
"You are worthless, you wench! I'll be back later to continue your punishment, but too much of you disgusts me," Battousai said glaring at her.
Kaoru just lay there. She was so broken, she could no longer even cry. She just wanted to roll over and die, but even that was not possible. Battousai had chained her arms and legs to the bed and walked out, leaving her naked with nothing to cover herself. He had beaten her severely until she could not even open her left eye and had raped her repeatedly. And yet, he made a dreaded promise to return later. Her eyes welled up with tears, she was surprised she even had any more to cry.
How could she do this to me? Kaoru sobbed. She knew what this man was like, and she let me walk right into it. I hate her! And now, she is living with my parents, being showered with love. And she has Kenshin a sweet guy who loves me, and I'm stuck with his evil twin! I am stuck with a man who will only abuse me physically, sexually, and mentally until he kills me. Or maybe I can escape...I can use the same portal that took me here. A few more tears slid from swollen lids as she realized she would be stuck on Areth for another 10 years before the portal would be active again. I just don't know I can survive that long. I don't know if I want to...
Kaoru cried herself to sleep, dreaming about the day ten years from now, when she could go back home. But she didn't get to sleep long. The Battousai was back within the hour and repeated the whole procedure over again. This time instead of fighting and screaming like before, she just laid there and took it. Her eyes were empty of life...inside, she was dead.
Planet Earth
Kenshin smiled at the girl he held in his arms. He carried her up to her room and laid her on her bed. He then occupied a chair in the corner of her room, waiting for her to awaken. Her parents were downstairs making some tea to return some of her strength when she woke.
Kaoru stretched as she awoke. She saw who she thought to be Battousai sitting in the corner of the room. Immediately she dreaded what was to come. Her eyes lost their spark and she just laid there waiting for him to punish her like he had so often done before. When the man did not move, she sat up and looked at him questioningly. He looked like her Battousai on the outside, but his eyes were so different. They were a deep shade of violet, not the violent gold she was accustomed to. They looked so soft and gentle, yet they carried a burden which he hid...she could see scars in his eyes...a heaviness he refused to show.
Kenshin smiled at the young girl. "Hello miss, would you mind telling me where my bride-to-be is?" he asked in a light, cheery voice.
Kaoru forced a light laugh, "Why I'm right here Kenshin"
"Miss, please do not act as if you know me, when I know you do not, that I do," Kenshin spoke firmly. "I know you are not my Kaoru, that I do. I know this, because I have known Kaoru practically her whole life," Kenshin said.
Kaoru gasped. "I, uh...wait a second. You haven't known me my whole life, or if I am as you say, you definitely haven't known Kaoru all of hers. I just read a letter my parents sent me, and it has been telling me to give you a chance. That you are a good man, and they have gotten to know you. Explain why they are just getting to know you if we have known each other this whole time," Kaoru spoke sternly.
"Miss, please do not be alarmed. I will not blow your cover, I just need to know where she is, that I do. And if you do not mind, I would like to know your name if it isn't too much trouble," he said.
"My name is Kamiya Kaoru," Kaoru said softly.
"I will say this again, that I will, I know you are not Kaoru so please stop acting as if you are!" Kenshin said, anger starting to appear. His eyes began to flicker with bits of gold, but as quickly as they came, they disappeared, and his eyes returned to their normal violet color. He looked just like my Battousai for a moment...
"But my name really is Kamiya Kaoru...I just am not the one you know," she said softly, her eyes traveling to the ground. "Now, would you mind telling me how you have known Kaoru her whole life?" she asked.
"That does not matter. What matters now is that you tell me where my Kaoru is," Kenshin said.
Kaoru explained the story of how she and her identical twin met. She told him of why she ran away and how she had ended up in his world. She told him of the man she had been running away from. She told him of the portal his Kaoru had traveled through, and she told him of the danger Kaoru was now in.
"So that is why you looked so frightened when you saw me, and that is why you became practically lifeless when you woke up and saw me sitting here," Kenshin said, the anger evident in his voice. His eyes flashed a brilliant golden color and held that color, "I swear if he lays one finger on her..." Kenshin stopped and attempted to calm himself. He took several deep breaths. No...I will not kill again. But can I actually refrain myself if he hurts Kaoru?
Kaoru stared at the distressed young man in front of her. "Kenshin, I am so sorry, really I am. But I had to get away. I need time to heal. But please do not hurt him. I know Battousai can change if we just give him a chance," Kaoru pleaded.
"You love him Miss Kaoru, that you do. I can see it in your eyes. But why love someone who hurt you so bad? How can you ever forgive him," Kenshin asked, though she could read a hidden question in his eyes. He's not asking just for me, he has personal reasons. Himura Kenshin, what is your secret?
"My mind does not control my heart. As much as he has hurt me, and all of the horrible things he has done...I still love him. Love heals all wounds. My heart does not have eyes....it just feels. And I can't help feeling, and knowing, that one day he will change. He will change into someone like you. I know he will, because God answers prayers, and I've been praying for a long time," Kaoru said, hope shimmering in the depths of her eyes.
Kenshin smiled at her. I hope you are right Miss Kaoru, because, one day I will have to reveal a secret to Kaoru, one that could tear her from my grasps forever. And I just hope she has a love for me that can cover my sins, a love that will forgive me. Kenshin looked up. "Miss Kaoru, I think it is time we go get my Kaoru, that I do. Before that man does to her, what he has done to you," he spoke urgently.
Kaoru looked at him fearfully. "Kenshin, I am sorry, please do not be upset with me...but we cannot go get her," she said, sobbing lightly.
"What do you mean, Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin asked, fear in his voice.
"The portal, I didn't tell you how it works. It only opens for a small timeframe every ten years. The portal has closed Kenshin, she's gone..." Kaoru sobbed.
Kenshin just stared off in space, his eyes occasionally glittering with flecks of gold. All this time, just to lose her? Will she still be alive? Oh Kaoru, I've waited so long, I can't, no, I won't lose you now...there has to be another way! Kenshin just put his head in his hands and sobbed softly for his missing bride. I love you Kaoru...I'm so sorry for the ways I have hurt you, and now, you may never know why...
Well, what do you think? Is it worth continuing or should I have just stayed out of the author business? How do you think they will get through this? What about the marriage that is to take place in a weeks time? Give me input, what are you thinking? Well, I hope you enjoyed it...but there is only one way I will truly know....and that is if you click on that little submit button on the lower left side of the screen and give me your opinions. Thanks for reading and cya'll later!
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Videl621