Note: This fic is AU and begins from the end of the Seissou Hen, and involves elements of established fantasy genres.
Prologue: Cherry Blossoms after the Night SkyA star filled sky resplendently displayed its celestial glory to the world, the wonders of its beauty awesome and inspiring. A shooting star flashed across the darkness of space, observed by some people, admiring its pale trail. Under the same wondrous night sky, a lone wanderer sat in the midst of a small, forested place, not far from the well-traveled road that led to Tokyo. The cloaked figure delicately held the small cup in his hand, tasting the tea and letting it warm himself. On his lap rested a weapon whose use was outlawed by the Meiji government, save for the police and some exceptions, or for bandits and thieves. Mizushin Junzo was in no way a thief, nor was he an officer of the law, or one of those special exceptions which the government, local or not, recognized. He was merely one of the traveling swordsmen who walked across Japan, searching. Searching.
And finding things he never particularly wanted to know.
Junzo blinked, silver-blue eyes seemingly as cold as steel, as blue as a cloudless sky on a summer's day. The pale moon above was barely reflected in his tea, the small campfire much more bright than the distant celestial body. Life was never easy, he reflected. In the morning, he would reach Tokyo, and his search for a man would end. And a new journey in his life would begin, one he never thought would have been, not in a thousand years. A faint smile attempted to pass on his lips, but miserably failed. Why is this happening? The veils are breaking, but why now? He sighed and put the teacup to his lips, tasting the bitter liquid, feeling it warm his insides. He calmed down a bit more, and decided to try and sleep. In the morning, he would finish this leg of the journey and get the help he…no, everyone, unwittingly, needed. He almost laughed in his situation. Things like these happen so often in legends, myths, and fairy tales. But I am no hero, no. He breathed in deeply and murmured. "I am not, but there are those who are."
The day's sunlight caressed his cloak as he walked down the pathway that led to the Kamiya Kasshin dojo. It had taken him little time to ask around and find the person he was looking for, as seemingly popular as he was here. Junzo sighed, and took a look around. Again, he had walked past everything and was again on the outskirts of Tokyo. He turned around and closed his eyes walking back again into Tokyo. A few moments later, and thanks to a few helpful locals, he finally managed to get on the path towards the dojo. The dojo appeared at the end of the roadway, and a mild expression flickered on Junzo's face. He approached the wooden doors of the place, pausing in front of it to knock. His lightly tapped on the doorways, which to his surprise and suspicion, swung open. Nani yo? He frowned and cautiously entered the dojo. The petals of cherry blossoms flew lightly past his face. He felt nothing here, no acute feeling of danger, but rather, an aura of melancholy. He tentatively raised his hand to try and catch a petal, when he heard a soft sob.
"Shinta…"
"What?" Junzo looked to the side, and underneath a cherry blossom tree a woman cradled a man in her arms. A redheaded man, with the last traces of a scar fading away on his face. Junzo's breath caught in his throat. Iie..Iie! Mada…nai. I won't let this happen, not yet! He dropped his hand to his side and he rushed forth to where the couple lay. He dropped to the ground as he slid to a stop beside them. The woman looked at him with a peculiar gaze, barely noticing him, then looked down at the man. Chiku so…
The darkness was obstinate, stifling Kenshin. He probed at it touching it, feeling it part but yet he was still going nowhere. Where am I? I'm dead already aren't I? Is this hell? He sat down on the darkness, the shadowy environment enveloping him. He closed his eyes and breathed. A light smile flickered on his lip. Breathe? Did he even still need to breathe, he thought.
Thud.
His eyes flashed open, a hand reaching for the sabakatou that had graced his side for so many years, to find nothing. Indeed, I am dead… He sighed, shaking his head, and once again closed his eyes.
Thud, thud.
The faint sound was quickening, he determined. It was better than eternal darkness all around, at least there was a sound now. He never thought hell would be so…boring. He'd thought that he'd see something around at least. A shudder went through him, and he gasped. What is this? He slapped his face, trying to recompose himself.
Kenshin…Shinta!
"Leave me be…let me sleep."
A flash of light crossed his vision. "Oro?" He blinked, and found himself lying on the floor. His violet eyes gazed down on the wooden floor of the Kamiya Kasshin dojo. Nani? He slowly got up, and looked around. It was indeed the dojo. But he remembered dying in Kaoru's arms, to go and sleep forever. Unless… He grimaced and muttered. "Why is Kaoru's dojo hell?" A sudden pain blossomed from his back, eliciting his face to contort in pain again. He spun around to point an accusing finger at his tormentor.
"Konnichi wa, watashi no shujin." A cheerful Kaoru greeted her husband of over a decade of marriage. She stepped closer to him, as an expression of extreme confusion swept over his face. Kaoru smiled and softly laughed, touching his face softly.
"O-o-oro?!" He blinked and rubbed his eyes. I must be dead…or having a very weird dream. But, I'm dead, right? "Kaoru, why do you look so young? Aren't you old also?"
A spark of irritation flickered on her face. A spark that Kenshin has not seen in many years. A spark that filled his heart with dread. This is hell…
A loud crashing sound emanated from the background. Junzo shook his head, and sipped his tea. "Perhaps I should not have rejuvenated Himura's wife until he had fully recovered, in a day or two more of resting." The sounds of hurriedly spoken pleads of forgiveness reached his ears. The replying sounds that reached his ears told his that for the mean time, those pleas had fallen of deaf ears. He winced as a particularly loud thump reverberated through the house. In a few seconds now…
From the rooms, Kaoru popped out. "Junzo-san, could you come here please?"
"Yare, yare…" He put the teacup down and pushed himself away from the small table. Brushing the wrinkles from his gi and hakama, he stood up and walked off to where Kaoru was innocently smiling. He slid the shoji open. The sight that greeted him caused the veins in his head to pulsate visibly for a few moments, though nothing was seen in his expression. I should have not revitalized her yet. This is pitiful. With a sigh, he set to work on disentangling Himura Kenshin from the sheets and futon.
Glossary:
"Watashi no Shujin" : My Husband (spoken by wife)
"Konnichi wa" : Good Morning
"Mada…nai" : Not yet
"Chiku so" : General curse-word; Damn it