The Intricacies of Fate
Chapter 10- Old Destinies
Disclaimers: Standard RK and Flame of Recca disclaimers apply. I do not own any of the characters that would appear in this fic. I am merely borrowing them, if I owned them, I would have animated the Jinchuu Arc series long ago and the second part of FOR. Please don't sue, I'm a good kid.
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"Konbawa Fuuko," greeted Raiha, his voice almost as soft as the moonlight.
Fuuko could feel her heart pounding. It was absurd! The man was a cold-blooded assassin, Kurei's right-hand man and all she could think of is yelling at him for scaring her so badly! Oddly enough, she felt no fear for the man but nonetheless, she moved into a fighting stance in case of aggression.
"What do you want?" she hissed, taking care not to make so much noise. An innocent bystander might get caught in the melee if a fight would erupt... she couldn't risk that. She suddenly remembered the injuries of Misao after her cousin's encounter with Raiha and her eyes turned icy. "Planning to beat up another young girl perhaps?" she asked icily.
A small smile turned the corner of Raiha's mouth up but he sighed, a sad sigh as he jumped down from his perch atop the hedge. His black ninja clothes were concealing in the darkness and he moved further into the shadows so as not to alert anyone else of his presence. He turned his gaze on the young, elegant lady standing in front of him. The only other trace of the tomboyish hoyden Fuuko Kirisawa was attested on the dull gleam of her fujin in the darkness.
"Gomen. I didn't mean to startle you, I merely wanted to ask a few questions," he answered softly, watching the disbelief so vividly etched in her lovely features. Observing her face has become a habit of his since the start of that long-ago martial arts competition. Her fujin was mate to his raijin, a destiny that he himself has not expected. At first, he disdained the arrogance of the young girl as she wielded the fujin in an amateur manner but as time passed, her progress and manipulation of the psychic device has more than matched his own.
Fuuko wanted to snort at the softness in his voice. She knew him to be loyal to Kurei to the soles of his feet and wouldn't hesitate to kill her if so ordered. She gave him the most disdainful look she could scrunch up. "What sort of questions? You mean questions that would betray my cousins who're the current targets of your Master?" she sneered, placing a strong emphasis on the word master. As she looked up into his face in the dim moonlight, the sheer perfection of his face made her catch her breath.
//He's almost as handsome as Mikagami-san... almost, but not quite.//
His eyes narrowed slightly at the edge in her voice. She was too volatile and he doubted she'd ever listen to anything he said, even if it was the truth. "Shikashi, Kurei-sama wants to retrieve something from your cousins. He never enlightened me and I found it distasteful to kill lovely young women such as your cousins. I was hoping that maybe you could tell me what he wants from them so badly that he'd kill anyone who gets in the way!" he exclaimed, forgetting to modulate his voice.
They both jerked at the sound of laughter nearby. Against her will and better judgement, Fuuko replied. "I don't know. But I suppose that it has something to do with a book," she answered sulkily. Raiha searched her face intently and said, "Arigatou. But I think its something more than a book. It's a mystery and somehow your cousins are the only key. You have to tell them to go back to America. Master Kurei won't dare to trail after them in their turf."
At that, Raiha gave Fuuko a long, assessing look and left in a dark streak. To Fuuko it seemed that after Raiha had left, that the wind has resumed its solitary trek in the infinity maze. Fuuko felt the chill of the breeze and shivered, knowing it was always the calm before the storm.
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"Megumi-san?" asked Mikagami as he looked over his shoulder and saw the tall-broad shouldered man chewing on a toothpick who glowered at him. The man despite wearing a white tuxedo, exuded a ruthless countenance. His grin was easy but his brown eyes showed a battle-experience few men perceive behind the lazy grin.
"Oi Kitsune, I think the guy is a little too young for your wiles," drawled Sanosuke Sagara III as he sauntered over to the two of them. A bright flush stained Megumi's flawless cheeks as she lightly caught the ear of the Sanosuke and gave it a twist. "Shut up! He was obviously trying to talk to me all evening!" answered Megumi as she gave a slight smile.
Mikagami coughed. He could feel a blush warming his cheeks as he suddenly felt the enormity of Fuuko's absence. // Fuuko, please appear with the others now!// he prayed as he forced a tranquil expression on his face. He hated scenes and from the looks of it, Sanosuke Sagara III had little concern for public etiquette and decorum. Kami-sama must have heard his prayer for Fuuko appeared, dragging with her Kenshin and Kaoru.
Mikagami breathed an audible sigh of relief. There was a tense expression on Fuuko's face and he found himself wondering at the source. "Konbawa minna-san de gozaru yo," greeted Kenshin, bowing briefly before Sano smacked him on the head. Kaoru retaliated in anger, jabbing an elbow in Sano's ribs. Fuuko and Mikagami could only look at them in surprise.
"Itai! Oi Jo-chan, you haven't changed a bit since I saw you 8 years ago! Still a violent kid! Where's your sister, the weasel-girl? Why are you with my hopeless, red-headed and skinny friend Hikoshichiro-kun?" asked Sano trying to control his laughter. Kenshin merely scratched his head, turning slightly red at Sano's description. Kaoru however, took exception to Sano's quips.
Kaoru gave Kenshin a slight glare before answering hotly, "I'd rather be with him than with you any day!" Megumi laughed as she greeted, "Konbawa, tanuki-chan! Do forgive my incorrigible husband. My, Ken-san, you look as handsome as ever!" Fuuko cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. "Ano, excuse me but how did you guys know each other?" she asked and saw Misao and Aoshi approaching them out of the corner of her eye.
Misao answered Fuuko's question. "Gomen. We should have told you that Sano used to work-- at least partly with otou-san. He and Megumi-san owns a military medical supply factory," answered Misao giving Sano a wink as she moved closer to her sister. "Sou ka," murmured Fuuko. "Shikashi... why have you been looking for me Tanuki-chan?" asked Megumi bluntly, watching the expression on everybody's faces.
An imperceptible flinch ran through the group as Misao gave a nervous laugh. "Maa, maa. Megumi-san, our research seems to have led us to you and we really want to know if you have it," began Misao as Megumi looked startled at the mention of research. "Have what?" she asked as she leaned against Sanosuke, contemplating the earnest expressions on everybody's face.
"Megumi-san... we meant The Book of Binding Spells. All our answers can be found in that book, will you help us?" asked Kaoru, gripping her hands together slightly. Megumi gazed at the girls for a long time, her eyes lingering on Kenshin and Mikagami. She gave a dramatic sigh and tossed her head. "At what price?" she asked slyly and understanding dawned on the faces of everyone.
"Honto Megumi-dono? Sessha is hoping you that you would kindly turn the book over to us," asked Kenshin with his characteristic intensity. For a moment, Megumi gazed long and hard into Kenshin's eyes, a glimpse of the old Megumi Takani shining through before Megumi was jolted back into the present by her jealous husband.
With a sigh, she gazed at Kenshin's face before she answered, "Aa. I have the book. But before I turn it over to you... why don't we all have some champagne?"
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The rest of the night was spent in the Kirisawa penthouse. Most were wearing exhausted expressions while some were still amazed by their visit to the Sagara mansion. They were given a brief history on how Megumi obtained the book.
It was said that a female ancestor of Megumi whose name was Takani Megumi, a doctor in the Meiji era obtained the book upon attending the funeral of her deceased friends who died in a dissension during the turbulent beginning of the era.
With reverence, after the late Takani Megumi got married to a former gangster Sanosuke Sagara I, she has kept the book hiding it with the instructions to never open it until 'old lovers are given the chance once again.' And so the book was passed on, until it reached the present Megumi's hands.
When Megumi handed the book over to Kaoru and Misao, there was a trace of sadness in her eyes. She had said only one thing when asked to explain why she looked so sad. "Love and life are pre-ordained but power could take it all from your hand," she said before showing a birthmark in her shoulder that was a family birthmark. "I was once the book's keeper and it has brought me much joy and pain in my life," she explained before falling silent, held in her husband's strong arms as they stood on the porch, waving goodbye to their friends.
Kaoru, Misao and the others left the mansion then, feeling a part of themselves wrench at the sight of the couple who had bid them farewell. When they arrived, Recca, Yanagi, Shadow and Domon were waiting for them and had stayed through the night as they perused the ancient tome.
Misao and Kaoru were holding the book, tracing the oddly familiar indentations and edges. Their knowledge of the past remained, not in memories but in instinct. Madame Shedrianne's awakening of their past lives left them with more honed and attuned senses, both to the environment and to each other's emotions.
"So what are you going to do now?" asked Shadow, at long last breaking the silence. Misao shrugged, a gesture that was imitated by Kaoru. "Give us a few more days. This book holds more than answers," answered Kaoru as she turned the book over to her sister. Misao nodded, "I feel as if this book is familiar-- too familiar yet I feel wary to open it once gain," said Misao as Recca carelessly took the book from her hand.
"Ooof! This book is heavy," complained Recca as he looked at the single hand Misao used when she was holding the book. "Sugoi Misao-chan... you must have huge muscles," gasped Domon as he tried to lift the book only to be staggered by its weight which seemed to be as heavy a boulder. Yanagi approached them and managed to lift the book a few inches higher than when Recca had first lifted it. "Its not that heavy," she pointed out as Fuuko gave the book try.
Fuuko lifted it almost as easily as Misao did and she looked in surprise at Domon and Recca. "Are you guys drunk?" she asked incredulously as Kagero strolled over and ran a hand carefully over the book's surface. She gave a little smile as she explained the strange occurrence. "The book has Chosen it's owner... owners in fact if you count Fuuko with Misao and Kaoru," she explained. "It means that nobody else can use the book's power unless it is an acknowledged presence," she added.
Fuuko scratched her head as she asked, "Yes but why me? Even Yanagi-chan was able to carry the book although she found it heavy." Shadow shook her head as she answered, "You are of their blood, blood that has touched this book in the past. Yanagi-chan has the potential and that is why she was able to hold the book with only a little difficulty. But if the book's owners die, she will be able to manipulate the power left behind."
At Shadow's words, Misao and Kaoru linked their hands together. Kaoru's right hand over Misao's left hand, palm to palm. It was how they first began the magic, the Blood Binding which has firmly sealed their fates together. Still holding each other with bated breath, they reached out with their free hand to touch the book. A hush descended over the room as their fingertips hovered above the surface. This time, the book hummed and shivered, like a hound anticipating it's master's touch.
Mikagami whispered as he watched the two. "I think I know why Koran Mori wants Misao and Kaoru with the Book of Binding Spells," he said softly, watching with narrowed eyes at the events that unfolded before him. Wearing grim, identical expressions, the two other men nodded, having come to a similar conclusion.
"I know why Kurei wants to have either of them killed," added Aoshi. He staring at the blue light that bathed Misao's face the moment the book was opened. The sight of her made him want to protect her with his life and he could feel his muscles tensing in anticipation of the turbulent future.
"Aa but we won't let them get away with either of their plots," finished Kenshin, watching the same blue light gild Kaoru's face in shadows and light.
The Book of Binding Spells was finally opened, it's true owners brought back by their old destinies left unfulfilled. The book vibrated in welcome and in anticipation of the danger that awaited it's Mistresses.
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"So Raiha, the book is now found isn't it?" asked Kurei as he reclined against the chair, his face hidden in the shadows. A silver gleam flashed when he turned his head to reach for the phone but he hesitated, the mask covering his expression.
"Are they now awakened?" he asked his voice sounding so uncertain that Raiha quickly looked up in surprise from his bowed posture. Feeling as uncertain as his Master sounded, Raiha gave a barely audible answer.
"Hai."
"Then there is no reason to delay any further is there?" asked Kurei as he dialed the dreaded number, seeking to contact the very devil himself-- his father, Koran Mori.
TBC
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Author's Notes:
Ohayo minna! Sorry if the parts are somewhat vague and confusing, I desperately need a pre-reader, please help! If you want to help this poor writer with this particular fic, please e-mail me at
Chapter 11- Requiem of Lost Souls
Ja minna! Please R&r!
~*Jo-chan
