Tapestry of Lives
Chapter one
Woven to Protect
Mayuka smiled softly as she focused on the threads hanging in the air before her. So many beautiful colors, such strong threads. These lives were precious to her tapestry. She touched a fingertip to one, a strand of red silk. It hummed as the vibrations she caused ran up and down its secured length. She could sense the feelings, the want, the suffering, this thread was strong yet still needed more.
With a wave of her hands the threads diminished in size, shrinking until she could see the entire tapestry spread in front of her. Mayuka pursed her lips as she contemplated the patterns. As always, she had set out with something specific in mind, but somewhere along the way she'd been forced to deviate. She touched a small matted know where so many threads had been lost. This had been one of those knots that had caused the deviations, but her starting threads were still mainly in place.
"You spend too much time on this thing, you know." A deep voice came from behind her. Mayuka didn't bother to turn around as she smiled.
"The tapestry deserves my attention. I avoided it, let the threads weave themselves, and I almost lost them all. They are too important to us to be lost at this time."
"You never did tell me who they truly were." The voice traveled forward on cushioned feet, a dark cloak hiding its true form.
"No, and I won't. They are my responsibility." Mayuka straightened from her bent position.
"I would like to know the truth instead of grasping at rumors." The Weaver remained silent. "In the darkest corners I hear about the pivots of a certain warrior, the original of a certain demon." The voice changed from deep to a light whisper.
"I hear names.. Kaori, Keisuke, Kiriko.... Kenshin." Mayuka jumped and turned.
"Where did you hear this? I demand to know!"
"Silence, Weaver," the voice hissed. "I hear the name of a demon called Battousai. They say you are protecting the demon, they say you are giving him happiness."
Her eyes narrowed. "Who are you? I thought I knew, but.." Mayuka stepped to the left; the cloaked speaker was faster. The hand that grabbed her arm was grey, covered in dead flesh. "Let meguuuunnhh"
The figure cackled as it watched the Weaver fall to the floor. "The touch of a demon will do that to one so pure." It kicked the fallen Weaver out of its way and stepped up to the tapestry. "You, safe haven for the demon, you will be destroyed." A sword lifted from underneath the cloak. "You will be destroyed NOW!" With a quick glint the blade rent through the shining threads severing the bottom half of the tapestry, leaving the threads hanging from above to unravel.
The figure walked to the door after sneering at the fallen Weaver. "It was almost too easy, destroying your hopes for the future. Maybe next time I meet Battousai, the demon won't be as.. lively.. as the last time." The laughing figure strode out the door as silently as it had appeared.
**************************************************************************** *
Kenshin sat up in bed as he heard a scream resound through the dojo. "Kaoru-dono," he cried as he jumped up and grabbed his sword. He was at the door to her room, blindly opening the shoji when he noticed something different; his hand passed right through. He heard more crying form the room, continued to try to enter, but couldn't. "Kaoru-dono," he called. "Can you hear me?"
"Kenshin," he heard his reply. "Kenshin, what's happening? I can't, my hands.. I..."
Silence. Kenshin took a breath and tried just walking through the door, if his hand could pass through then so could he. He was greeted by the sight of Kaoru floating on her back in the air. Her long hair fell to just barely brush the ground as a strange light began circling around her. Her eyes were open, staring at him, her mouth was moving but he couldn't hear her. He tried to move forward but a push of.. nothing.. held him back. He watched, helpless as she kept trying to mouth something to him. Finally her eyes looked down then up again. He followed their path and gasped loudly as he saw a ribbon of light beginning to circle around his feet
He tried to jump away, but the light followed and rose around him. He was enveloped in a whirlwind of bright white shot with red. He couldn't see Kaoru anymore, only the lights around him. He screamed a thin thread broke off and began to wrap around his arm. Another circled his torso; more began wrapping the rest of him. His vision began darkening and his head emptying of all thoughts. With a flash, he knew no more.
To be continued
Author's note: Well? This fic is an idea that keeps me awake during long bus rides, peaceful walks. It springs up to different songs from my walkman. Bear with me here...
Oh, and the last chapter of Quiet Thunderstorms is being blushed over as you read, but I've got a plan.. ssssh..
Oh.. I don't own Kenshin.... wish I did.. but I don't
Woven to Protect
Mayuka smiled softly as she focused on the threads hanging in the air before her. So many beautiful colors, such strong threads. These lives were precious to her tapestry. She touched a fingertip to one, a strand of red silk. It hummed as the vibrations she caused ran up and down its secured length. She could sense the feelings, the want, the suffering, this thread was strong yet still needed more.
With a wave of her hands the threads diminished in size, shrinking until she could see the entire tapestry spread in front of her. Mayuka pursed her lips as she contemplated the patterns. As always, she had set out with something specific in mind, but somewhere along the way she'd been forced to deviate. She touched a small matted know where so many threads had been lost. This had been one of those knots that had caused the deviations, but her starting threads were still mainly in place.
"You spend too much time on this thing, you know." A deep voice came from behind her. Mayuka didn't bother to turn around as she smiled.
"The tapestry deserves my attention. I avoided it, let the threads weave themselves, and I almost lost them all. They are too important to us to be lost at this time."
"You never did tell me who they truly were." The voice traveled forward on cushioned feet, a dark cloak hiding its true form.
"No, and I won't. They are my responsibility." Mayuka straightened from her bent position.
"I would like to know the truth instead of grasping at rumors." The Weaver remained silent. "In the darkest corners I hear about the pivots of a certain warrior, the original of a certain demon." The voice changed from deep to a light whisper.
"I hear names.. Kaori, Keisuke, Kiriko.... Kenshin." Mayuka jumped and turned.
"Where did you hear this? I demand to know!"
"Silence, Weaver," the voice hissed. "I hear the name of a demon called Battousai. They say you are protecting the demon, they say you are giving him happiness."
Her eyes narrowed. "Who are you? I thought I knew, but.." Mayuka stepped to the left; the cloaked speaker was faster. The hand that grabbed her arm was grey, covered in dead flesh. "Let meguuuunnhh"
The figure cackled as it watched the Weaver fall to the floor. "The touch of a demon will do that to one so pure." It kicked the fallen Weaver out of its way and stepped up to the tapestry. "You, safe haven for the demon, you will be destroyed." A sword lifted from underneath the cloak. "You will be destroyed NOW!" With a quick glint the blade rent through the shining threads severing the bottom half of the tapestry, leaving the threads hanging from above to unravel.
The figure walked to the door after sneering at the fallen Weaver. "It was almost too easy, destroying your hopes for the future. Maybe next time I meet Battousai, the demon won't be as.. lively.. as the last time." The laughing figure strode out the door as silently as it had appeared.
**************************************************************************** *
Kenshin sat up in bed as he heard a scream resound through the dojo. "Kaoru-dono," he cried as he jumped up and grabbed his sword. He was at the door to her room, blindly opening the shoji when he noticed something different; his hand passed right through. He heard more crying form the room, continued to try to enter, but couldn't. "Kaoru-dono," he called. "Can you hear me?"
"Kenshin," he heard his reply. "Kenshin, what's happening? I can't, my hands.. I..."
Silence. Kenshin took a breath and tried just walking through the door, if his hand could pass through then so could he. He was greeted by the sight of Kaoru floating on her back in the air. Her long hair fell to just barely brush the ground as a strange light began circling around her. Her eyes were open, staring at him, her mouth was moving but he couldn't hear her. He tried to move forward but a push of.. nothing.. held him back. He watched, helpless as she kept trying to mouth something to him. Finally her eyes looked down then up again. He followed their path and gasped loudly as he saw a ribbon of light beginning to circle around his feet
He tried to jump away, but the light followed and rose around him. He was enveloped in a whirlwind of bright white shot with red. He couldn't see Kaoru anymore, only the lights around him. He screamed a thin thread broke off and began to wrap around his arm. Another circled his torso; more began wrapping the rest of him. His vision began darkening and his head emptying of all thoughts. With a flash, he knew no more.
To be continued
Author's note: Well? This fic is an idea that keeps me awake during long bus rides, peaceful walks. It springs up to different songs from my walkman. Bear with me here...
Oh, and the last chapter of Quiet Thunderstorms is being blushed over as you read, but I've got a plan.. ssssh..
Oh.. I don't own Kenshin.... wish I did.. but I don't