I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, or related characters. Tengoku and the Akuma Ryoshi, though, are mine.
*Lines with-in the stars (*) are thoughts.*
Shadow's return, Chapter 5: The return
"Nani?" Tengoku was nonplused, to say the least.
Over the last hour, he had told Yamagata everything he could think of about Atarashiikami, the artifact he was after, and the events of his first visit to this land. After answering questions for more than half of the meeting, the Akuma Ryoshi Okashira finally had a chance to ask the question he'd been wanting to know for some time.
"What do you mean, you 'let various temples have the icons'? Who just lets any monk come in and take remains from a despots ruined keep?"
Yamagata stiffened at Tengoku's outburst. He had done everything he could to make Japan the relatively peaceful land it was. Then, this stranger simply comes in and starts berating him? Kenshin sees Yamagata's reaction, and speaks before the elder man could.
"Yamagata-san did what was required at the time." the red-haired man says. "Japan has a history of religious persecution."
"Exactly." Yamagata was calming himself quickly. "In order to show the other nations that we no longer persecute religions, we let the peaceful temples and shrines take statues and icons that were from their religions. The craftsmanship was remarkable for several of the pieces were amazing. It would have been a real shame to have destroyed them."
"I see." Tengoku says softly. "Gomen nasai. I did not mean to question you or your methods." He bows his head respectfully.
"Yamagata-san." Kenshin says, breaking the uncomfortable silence that sat briefly in the office, "Can you tell us where some of the pieces may have gone?"
"Aa. One of the more impressive pieces was taken to the Shinto shrine right here in Tokyo. I can have a list made up for you of where the other pieces were taken."
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Yamagata-san." Kenshin says, bowing politely as he stands, as does Tengoku. "We will check the shrine and come back for the list if we need it."
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They walked in silence to the shrine. Before they approached the torii, Tengoku brings his magic-seeking device out from under his cloak. The arrow spins loosely for a moment, then slowly, points up the stair-way. Kenshin glances at Tengoku, a surprised look on his face.
*It cannot be this easy.* the battousai thinks. He expands his senses, 'looking' for anything that is out of the ordinary.
Approaching the top of the stairs, Kenshin catches a hint of movement to his right. His hand drops to his sakabatou instinctively. When, after several seconds pass, nothing happens, Kenshin motion the Akuma Ryoshi leader to continue. They walk to the shrine, looking around carefully.
"There." Tengoku says, almost breathlessly. He points to a small disc, engraved with Shinto symbols, set in a small recess in the wall. He reaches forward to grab.
A sudden blow to his stomach sends the large man back and into Kenshin. Tengoku reacts with the swift hiss of his blade leaving his scabbard. The man moves the large, heavy blade with surprising speed and agility at his attacker.
Cloaked in a dark leather cape and hood, the attacker seems to melt in to the shadows, at times disappearing completely. Only the bright blade of a katana gave away his position at these times.
"Akumu Minzoku." the large man mutters, disdain dripping from his voice.
As if waiting for a signal, three more demonic-looking warriors leap from the shadows. Kenshin turns away from the large man, intent on defending his back.
Kenshin doesn't wait for them to start the fight for a change. His sakabatou virtually leaps into his hand as he leaps towards the warriors. As his blade smashes against the blades of his enemies, he finds himself being forced onto the defense.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tengoku, on the other side of the shrine, plays blade on blade against his nearly hidden opponent. Dancing to the side, he dodges a fast diagonal swipe and brings his double-sided blade up to block the return slash that came faster than he had expected. Even as he blocked it, though, a swift kick came to the back of his left knee, dropping him to a knee. Out of desperation, Tengoku lashes upward with his sword, not only blocking the expected strike, but hoping to catch the smaller attack with the tip.
It half worked. The expected strike was defeated, but his attacker managed to avoid being skewered. As the agile warrior bounces back, the hood to his cloak is severed, revealing him for the first time.
"Taiyoryu." His voice comes out barely a whisper as he stares at his old friend he thought dead. His mouth works silently a couple time before he manages to get it working again.
"What are you doing, Tai? We should be working together!" he yells.
Taiyoryu shakes his head, his long white hair, waves around him, obscuring his scarred face. "Our goals put us against each other." the Akumu says softly. "I must return the artifact to its original owners. You wish to give it to the Alliance."
He pauses for a moment, his one good eye staring into Tengoku's own scarred face. "I cannot allow that."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kenshin was beginning to breath hard. He had taken one of his three attackers down, having caught him off balance with a rising strike to his chin. The other two, though, are good and used to working together. While they can't get past Kenshin's defense, they were keeping him from launching an offense of his own.
Tengoku's voice, raised in argument, caught the battousai's attention. Sparing a glance his companions way, he sees some one that he half expected to see, despite being told he was dead. Taiyoryu stands in a defensive position as Tengoku yells at him.
With movement so fast that even Kenshin has difficulty following it, Taiyoryu charges Tengoku. The human raises his large double-edged sword to defend against the blow. His sword cuts straight through the blade of Taiyoryu's katana. The Akumu seems to have expected this, though. He changes the angle of his swing slightly as his blade is cleaved in half by the humans heavier blade. A slight hesitation is all that marks this change as he thrusts the blade deep into the chest of Tengoku.
Moving with god-like speed, faster than he has moved in some time, he sheaths his sakabatou as he charges forward to catch the larger man as he falls. Two fingers held under his nose briefly shows that Tengoku is still breathing, despite the wound.
Taiyoryu takes a step back, giving Kenshin the path out he needs. Grabbing the fallen warrior, the battousai runs for the clinic as fast as he can, Tengoku's heavy sword sparking against the cobble stone paving as it is drug behind.
*Lines with-in the stars (*) are thoughts.*
Shadow's return, Chapter 5: The return
"Nani?" Tengoku was nonplused, to say the least.
Over the last hour, he had told Yamagata everything he could think of about Atarashiikami, the artifact he was after, and the events of his first visit to this land. After answering questions for more than half of the meeting, the Akuma Ryoshi Okashira finally had a chance to ask the question he'd been wanting to know for some time.
"What do you mean, you 'let various temples have the icons'? Who just lets any monk come in and take remains from a despots ruined keep?"
Yamagata stiffened at Tengoku's outburst. He had done everything he could to make Japan the relatively peaceful land it was. Then, this stranger simply comes in and starts berating him? Kenshin sees Yamagata's reaction, and speaks before the elder man could.
"Yamagata-san did what was required at the time." the red-haired man says. "Japan has a history of religious persecution."
"Exactly." Yamagata was calming himself quickly. "In order to show the other nations that we no longer persecute religions, we let the peaceful temples and shrines take statues and icons that were from their religions. The craftsmanship was remarkable for several of the pieces were amazing. It would have been a real shame to have destroyed them."
"I see." Tengoku says softly. "Gomen nasai. I did not mean to question you or your methods." He bows his head respectfully.
"Yamagata-san." Kenshin says, breaking the uncomfortable silence that sat briefly in the office, "Can you tell us where some of the pieces may have gone?"
"Aa. One of the more impressive pieces was taken to the Shinto shrine right here in Tokyo. I can have a list made up for you of where the other pieces were taken."
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Yamagata-san." Kenshin says, bowing politely as he stands, as does Tengoku. "We will check the shrine and come back for the list if we need it."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They walked in silence to the shrine. Before they approached the torii, Tengoku brings his magic-seeking device out from under his cloak. The arrow spins loosely for a moment, then slowly, points up the stair-way. Kenshin glances at Tengoku, a surprised look on his face.
*It cannot be this easy.* the battousai thinks. He expands his senses, 'looking' for anything that is out of the ordinary.
Approaching the top of the stairs, Kenshin catches a hint of movement to his right. His hand drops to his sakabatou instinctively. When, after several seconds pass, nothing happens, Kenshin motion the Akuma Ryoshi leader to continue. They walk to the shrine, looking around carefully.
"There." Tengoku says, almost breathlessly. He points to a small disc, engraved with Shinto symbols, set in a small recess in the wall. He reaches forward to grab.
A sudden blow to his stomach sends the large man back and into Kenshin. Tengoku reacts with the swift hiss of his blade leaving his scabbard. The man moves the large, heavy blade with surprising speed and agility at his attacker.
Cloaked in a dark leather cape and hood, the attacker seems to melt in to the shadows, at times disappearing completely. Only the bright blade of a katana gave away his position at these times.
"Akumu Minzoku." the large man mutters, disdain dripping from his voice.
As if waiting for a signal, three more demonic-looking warriors leap from the shadows. Kenshin turns away from the large man, intent on defending his back.
Kenshin doesn't wait for them to start the fight for a change. His sakabatou virtually leaps into his hand as he leaps towards the warriors. As his blade smashes against the blades of his enemies, he finds himself being forced onto the defense.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tengoku, on the other side of the shrine, plays blade on blade against his nearly hidden opponent. Dancing to the side, he dodges a fast diagonal swipe and brings his double-sided blade up to block the return slash that came faster than he had expected. Even as he blocked it, though, a swift kick came to the back of his left knee, dropping him to a knee. Out of desperation, Tengoku lashes upward with his sword, not only blocking the expected strike, but hoping to catch the smaller attack with the tip.
It half worked. The expected strike was defeated, but his attacker managed to avoid being skewered. As the agile warrior bounces back, the hood to his cloak is severed, revealing him for the first time.
"Taiyoryu." His voice comes out barely a whisper as he stares at his old friend he thought dead. His mouth works silently a couple time before he manages to get it working again.
"What are you doing, Tai? We should be working together!" he yells.
Taiyoryu shakes his head, his long white hair, waves around him, obscuring his scarred face. "Our goals put us against each other." the Akumu says softly. "I must return the artifact to its original owners. You wish to give it to the Alliance."
He pauses for a moment, his one good eye staring into Tengoku's own scarred face. "I cannot allow that."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kenshin was beginning to breath hard. He had taken one of his three attackers down, having caught him off balance with a rising strike to his chin. The other two, though, are good and used to working together. While they can't get past Kenshin's defense, they were keeping him from launching an offense of his own.
Tengoku's voice, raised in argument, caught the battousai's attention. Sparing a glance his companions way, he sees some one that he half expected to see, despite being told he was dead. Taiyoryu stands in a defensive position as Tengoku yells at him.
With movement so fast that even Kenshin has difficulty following it, Taiyoryu charges Tengoku. The human raises his large double-edged sword to defend against the blow. His sword cuts straight through the blade of Taiyoryu's katana. The Akumu seems to have expected this, though. He changes the angle of his swing slightly as his blade is cleaved in half by the humans heavier blade. A slight hesitation is all that marks this change as he thrusts the blade deep into the chest of Tengoku.
Moving with god-like speed, faster than he has moved in some time, he sheaths his sakabatou as he charges forward to catch the larger man as he falls. Two fingers held under his nose briefly shows that Tengoku is still breathing, despite the wound.
Taiyoryu takes a step back, giving Kenshin the path out he needs. Grabbing the fallen warrior, the battousai runs for the clinic as fast as he can, Tengoku's heavy sword sparking against the cobble stone paving as it is drug behind.
