Lone
Wolf
By Ukyou
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I walked down the beachline, as I looked out into the ocean. It was beautiful today, as beautiful as ever.
I parted my hair to the side, as I bumped into something on the ground.
It was a man, about the age of 16, and I picked him up and brought him to the hospital…
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| Chapter 1—My Children|
I carried him into the hospital as quickly as I could. I held the man in my arms, as the doctors put him in a stretcher and carried him off.
I called Syaoran from the hospital, as he told me he would arrive as quickly as he could.
I looked out the window, as I prayed that the man would live.
A nurse walked over to me, as she asked me what exactly happened to the man. I put my head down, as I told her that I had just found him off the side of a beach. She looked at me as if I were crazy, and asked me several more questions.
I answered them, as Syaoran walked in the hospital. I stood up and ran towards him, feeling his arms around me. The nurse looked at us, as she tapped my back. I turned around, as she told me that I could see the man.
I looked at Syaoran, as I asked him if we should see the boy. He nodded his head, as we walked down the corridor of the hospital. I slowly opened the door, trying to make sure that the man wouldn't wake up.
As we walked in, I saw that his pulse was normal, as I held his hand. I asked the doctor nearby if he would be alright, as he told me that he would be "Just fine".
The doctor simply told me that he didn't even work on the boy. As he lay in bed, his wounds healed by themselves, and his pulse became normal. Syaoran simply looked the doctor in the eye, as he exclaimed that it just couldn't be possible.
The doctor told us that it was alright if we take the boy back to our home, because he didn't have one at the time. After a week, we would be forced to either adopt him, or send him to an orphanage.
---
The boy woke up soon after, as he sat there, looking at his surroundings.
Mother…? Father…?
As he asked for them, dark, hurtful memories came back to life…
The man held his head, as he closed his eyes.
I almost forgot…they're
gone…
The man sat in his bed crying, as Sakura walked into the room.
Hmm..? What's wrong…? I see
you're finally awake…
The man looked at her, as he turned the other way and told her to leave him alone.
Sakura walked over to him, as he
simply said I know you're walking to me to comfort me. Leave me alone…
A tear came to her eye, as he yelled at her to go away. Sakura walked out of the room, as she could hear crying inside the hospital room.
She can't be… They're dead…they're
all dead…
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| Chapter 2—Flashbacks |
I Ran out of my house, as mother and father stayed inside.
I breathed in the fresh air, as I ran out into the grassy fields outside my home.
My father let me use an old sword of his. The blade was dull, so he thought it would be safe to give it to me. I played with the sword, swinging it around as if I were my father from his childhood.
Maria came over to me while I was swinging around the sword, and I stopped. The wind blew, as her long hair went to the side. She asked me if she could use the sword, as I agreed.
She then used techniques of which I had never seen done so well. She handed me back the sword, as she held my hand. I blushed, for I liked and loved her very dearly.
We both walked out, towards
a beach. She held my hands from there, as I looked at her in the eyes. Those
beautiful blue eyes of hers sparkled deep into my head. I smiled, as she began
to talk.
Someday, we'll be away from
this war, and we can just fly away…fly faraway from this beach.
I looked over the ocean, as I saw how wide and vast it was.
"Marie..its so big…"
She looked at me, tilted her head slightly, and asked me
If you had wings…wouldn't you fly a great distance to
get away from the war?
I looked out, as I whispered to her
There is no war to run away from…
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I rested my head on my pillow, as I couldn't sleep. I moved constantly in the bed, as I stood up in my bed. I dressed up, and walked outside quietly, making sure I wasn't awakening my parents in the other room.
I walked over to the beach, and sat down. I wondered if Kyoto would attack us again, fearing that they would attempt to attack the Tokyo region.
I picked up a rock, and threw it in the ocean, watching as the ripples slowly formed.
My ears twitched, as I could sense someone walking nearby. I could hear the footsteps, as I looked back. It was Marie…
She smiled, as she sat down. She was in her nightgown, as I could tell that she couldn't sleep either.
I see you
can't sleep either…worried that the war will come again, Kenshin? Don't
worry…it will all soon pass…
|Chapter 3-Awakening|
I screamed, as I woke up from my sleep. I found myself in a warm bed in a house.
My name…my name is Kenshin…
I hit my head, as I thought hard of what I had dreamt about. Where was I? Who was I? Who was Marie?
I stood up, as I looked out the window. It was still nighttime, and I didn't know where I was. Near me, I found a small cup of water. I picked it up gently, as I drank the liquid inside of it. It was sweet, and tasted familiar…
----
Kenshin! Auntie Tomoyo came over
with her homemade sparkling water…
----
I smiled, as I drank more. It tasted just like my aunt's special drink. She had created the drink herself, discovering the recipe from her mother, Sonomi.
I hit my head, as I noticed that I could remember a few more things. I remembered being by the beach with Marie…but I could only remember the events. I can't remember the feeling and emotion of it all…
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I walked outside of the home, passing Sakura in her living room. The house seemed so familiar. So much like my house. Still, this house was so new…
I kept walking outside, as I came to a small beach, the same in which Sakura found me at. I sat down, as I looked at the ocean waves hitting the shore. I smiled again, as the waves touched my feet, very gently. I reached deep into my pocket, as I felt something in there. I pulled it out, as I saw that it was a small card.
…the regret…
I looked at it, the picture of a young, sad woman. The card had been damaged slightly. I put it back, as I sighed deeply. I looked out again, out towards the ocean, as I heard footsteps behind me. I looked back, as I saw that it was Sakura.
She walked pover next to me, her nightgown blowing with the wind. She sat down, as she looked out towards the ocean as well.
Your name is Sakura? I asked.
She replied yes, as she asked me why.
That was also my mother's name…
She looked surprised, as she asked me where my mother was.
I simply looked up, as Sakura could sense something wrong. I stood up, and walked back into her home. She just looked at me, as she felt worried.
That
boy…something is wrong…
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I walked around the home, as I recognized the rooms. I remembered the living room, for I had my first birthday party in that room. My father came home late that night, and my mother and I sat on the couch waiting for him. He hugged me, as my mom brought out a cake, and we had a good time.
I kept walking around, as I saw something that caught my eye. I walked towards it, as I lifted the sword from the glass case. I looked at it, noticing that the blade wasn't dull.
I could rememberwhat my father had said about the sword. He made up little tales of him and my mother going out and saving the world, by capturing small cards. He handed me my own card when I was nine, seven years ago.
My father used to tell me many tales about himself. Once in a while, Aunt Meilin would come over and help tell the stories. I loved them all, the stories were so imaginative.
…but Meilin was dead. My father was dead. My mother was dead. They were all dead…
I could remember as clear as day. It all happened in front of my eyes….
I remember that my father handed me a card, and told me to use it to go to a safer place…
…and when I did, I found myself in a strange place, with a man in a cape standing there. He led me to a door, and I opened it. Soon, I found myself lying in a hospital bed.
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|Chapter 4—More Flashbacks|
The next day, I woke up to the sound of my parents talking to me. They told me that Marie was at the door, waiting for me. I dressed up quickly, and ran to her. She told me that the Kyoto front was advancing towards our position.
I simply stood there, as she explained it all to me, how they had overrun the Tokyan army. Soon, she said, we would all be speaking kansai.
I walked outside, as my father sighed. He told me that there was nothing to be worried about. Soon, someone would send us help. We wouldn't go out without a fight.
Marie grabbed my hand, as we walked back to the ocean.
We both looked out, as I could see a tear in her eye.
My grandparents lived in
Osaka…and now Osaka's been completely destroyed by Kyoto…
I sighed, as we both sat down.
Everyone's dying…and
we're next…
I put my arms around her, as I whispered into her ear, but before I could speak, the alarms went off…
---
I ran home, as my father stood outside.
Quickly! Your mother needs
help…
I ran inside, as I told my father that the Kyotan army was nearby. He nodded, as we all walked into the living room. He grabbed a card, and he gave it to me.
If you remember my stories I told you as a child,
then you should know how to use this.
I held it, as I read the bottom. It read "The Chronos".
Son, there isn't
anywhere else to run now. Use this card, and get the hell out of here!
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I ran out, as I walked to my mother. The alarms were sounding, as I saw that she was having heart problems again. My father would have to go into the city to get medicine. Unfortunatly, the asemy was attacking, as I could hear it all from the city. The city was burning down, and they were moving into the suburbs.
My father walked over to me, and simply told me that there was nothing else to do. He told me to run away from the armies and use the card to run away. I was about to walk out, when I heard my mother open her eyes.
Syaoran…
My father turned around, and ran to her side, and held her hand.
Syaoran…please…take
care of Kenshin…
My mother let out a big breath, as she tilted her head to the side. She was dead. My father sobbed, as he closed her eyes.
Kenshin…run away…
I backed up, as I walked towards my mother.
GO! GO AWAY! RUN AWAY!
I heard gunfire outside, as I ran into the living room. Marie was there, and I grabbed her hand and ran out the door. I saw the Kyotan planes flying above us, as a shell landed on Marie's house. We could hear screaming, as Marie ran towards her home. I grabbed her hand and yelled to her
She cried, as we both ran through the streets of our town. The planes continued to barrage our town with bombs, as Marie and I ran into the nearby forest.
There, I could see that our entire town was destroyed. Soon after, the shogun of Tokyo surrendered to Kyoto, as she stood down.
I explained to Marie that we would have to survive on our own. She put her head on my shoulder, as she fell asleep.
I pulled out the Chronos card, as I realized I could escape from here easily. Still, I couldn't leave Marie…I loved her.
I put the card away, as I fell asleep also. When I woke up, Marie was gone, and I saw the Kyotan soldiers around me. I stood up, as one pointed a gun at my head.
You don't want to end up
like your friend…
A tear came to my eye, as I looked past the soldier. I saw Marie on the ground. She looked like she were sleeping, but I could tell the difference. There was a small red stain on the back of her shirt.
I sat down, as I cried. The Kyotan soldier hit me with the gun arm to shut me up, but I grabbed the arm.
I stood up, as they all pointed their guns at me.
I grabbed the Chronos card, as I said my goodbyes to Marie. The soldiers vanished, as I walked into a grassy plain. A man stood in front of me, dressed in a cape, and had long hair.
I dropped onto the ground, as he walked over to me.
Please…take me away from the Kyotan
soldiers…
He gave me water, as he pointed me towards a door. It just stood there, in the middle of nowhere.
There…is
your destination…
I walked through the door, as I fell…fell…and fell…
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I woke up again. Sakura was sleeping next to me, as I stood up again.
I wrote a note, and left it on the table.
I slowly walked outside, as I walked back to my beach.
I looked out towards the ocean, as I held the Chronos card in my hand.
Marie…I'm coming
back for you…
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I woke up, only to see that Kenshin had left again. I looked around all day, but I couldn't find him at all. Later, I sat in front of my table, and I worried about him. The boy was like a son to me.
I looked down, as I saw a letter sitting on the table…
Dear Sakura,
By the time you have read this, I
would have already gone home.
I must go back..to help someone…and someone you should know personally.
Please…ensure me that you will
move away as soon as the Kyotan army comes. Take this in account, for it will
affect your life…and mine.
We will see again, I can promise that.
--Kenshin
P.S. Please take the heart disease vaccine. It won't hurt taking it.
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I held the note, as I put it in a small wooden box. I never opened it.
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Three years later, at the age of 28, I had my first child. It was a boy, and Syaoran and I debated over his name. I thought hard, and remembered the boy who had come over 3 years before. Thus, we decided to name the child Kenshin.
I got a report from my doctor, telling me that if I had not taken the vaccine for my heart, that I would have had a 99.9 percent chance of dying from heart disease. Soon after though, we moved away from Tokyo along with several good friends and relatives. Three days later, our town was burned down to the ground.
Kenshin soon fell in love with a local girl named Marie Shiratori. I praised them both, as before their wedding, I took out the wooden box to see it for the first time in a long time. As I opened it though, the letter was gone. As if it had disappeared into thin air. I looked at my son, standing outside with Marie near the beach at our re-constructed house after the war. It was not until then, in which I realized what had actually happened…
~fin