Rurouni Kenshin® does not belong to me. It's just as simple as that. Now read on. XP
Chapter 2
The New Mission
Ten years… Ten years ago. So long yet seemingly so short. Ten years since that that, that faithful day when the Battousai was laid to rest, the in which I had became the Rurouni, the day I left all those memories of the past behind, never to look back to again. Ten years since I was Fate's Wandering Angel. Ten years…
I had been traveling ever since that then, ten years ago. Funny how time seems to fly by but at the same time drag slowly. Day-by-day, night-by-night, it never changed. I was always traveling, never staying at one place to long. That was the life of a Rurouni like myself, that it is. Always traveling and never staying, not even really resting for long, for it being a life of a wanderer. Like they say, no rest for the weary. Yet… what if I were not to wander any longer? What if I found a place where I felt like I belonged there? Some place in which I called home, a place where I could never dare to leave… No, there would never be a place like that. Such a silly thought. I knew all to well of it. My soul, if I truly were to have one, would not allow for such thing to happen for it was too restless.
Traveling, I had been all over the little island of ancient Japan. Well, I really can't say that the land is ancient anymore, not in the time of the Meiji Era. It is anything but that. So much had changed in this time, so much from the ancient times in which one lived by the heart of the sword.
Heart of the Sword… Ironic… My name means the same exact thing. Heh. To think back upon it now. A lesser angel giving a high ranked angel, as of myself, a name, a name in which meant that of the heart of the sword, a name like Kenshin.
Himura Kenshin the Rurouni… No… Rurouni Kenshin. Yes, that's it, Rurouni Kenshin, a name best suited for me, a name in which I called myself now. It's still a wonder how I kept the name in which was given to me by Hiko, the lesser angel in which I spoke of earlier, yet I did. It seemed to suit me well. Besides it was a name in which I carried from my past, the only thing I wished to carry from my past.
If you already didn't know, yes, I am an angel. It is a long story so I would not really go into it with many details, if at all. I'm sure you had already heard of it or you will sooner or later, which ever comes. It is not my place to tell of a tragic past. No, not again. I left it behind and I wished not to bring it up again, not again…
Well, as I was saying, I am an Angel, Fate's Wandering Angel. It had been ten years since I was last given a mission, a mission in which I carried out and completed… unfortunately. It's amazing how long I continued to stay upon this blue jewel planet, Earth, even after my mission was completed since I had not returned back to Kouen. I still wonder of the reasoning behind my actions at times. Eh… But what does one's wonders like this get them in life? Nothing... Nowhere… So it's better to leave it alone. Yet… Aren't they theses what keeps us going, us living, us pressing on for another brighter day? But enough of this. No sense in beating a dead horse. Let me begin upon my story… of my new mission…
After being on Earth for so long I began to forget who, or rather what, I was. That was till he showed up. It wasn't the most pleasurable visit, that it was not, but it was one I shall forget, if I ever. Now, after ten years that Wolf showed up, summoning to his lair back in Kouen having my next mission.
"So…. Why is sessha here again?" I asked innocently looking around in the office of the Wolf, shifting in my seat rather uncomfortably. I wished to be back on Earth not up here in Kouen… in his office…
"Stop your complaining Battousai…." A cool voice spoke back to me chilling the air around us.
"Sessha's name isn't Battousai, that it is not…" I replied rather sternly as I looked to him, my eyes narrowing slightly though still containing their violet hues. "Not anymore… Why are you sessha's messenger anyway? You're a pretty lousy messenger…" I added trying to lighten the tension forming in the air from the two of us.
"Look," he spat out rather annoyed, "it wasn't my idea of having this position as your messenger… I rather be the devil's advocate…"
You already are one, that you are, my mind added in. he stopped momentarily as he looked to me suspiciously. I only looked to him and gave him my goofy smile I developed over the course of the years as the Rurouni.
"Besides, he continued, "this is Fate's doing… No mine…. Now, Battousai… You're still a Battousai by my books got it… boy…?" Once more I couldn't help but glare slightly as I winced at his little name calling game. No wonder I stayed on Earth, now it was starting to make a bit more sense. "And the name's Hajime Saito… Got it?… Not Wolf…"
Wolf, my mind barked back. Yes, it was true…. Saito, or rather the Wolf as I like to say, is none other than the angel messenger to Fate. Actually more like my messenger now…. Fate is so cruel, is it not? He's more like a demon than an angel anyway… And to think, the first time we met was in the war where we talked with our blades more than anything else, not that I minded at the time back than... It's quite funny if you think of all the times our paths crossed and our blades clashed…. Yet, every time we do meet with one another our little 'meeting' always ends up in a draw, a truce, one way or another. You can imagine how we both feel towards one another because of this… You don't? Well, let's just say that the Wolf doesn't like there to be an equal… Eh, unless, of course, you include Tokio but that's another matter. But enough about him. It's not my place to judge, nor talk in matter of fact, about his cursed angel messenger self. I swear he's the devil's advocate… Just add the horn and a tail and maybe a pitchfork… A beard will help to with a mustache and perhaps a…
"Well/" he asked me out loud as he puffed a cloud of smoke in my general direction breaking me away from my little thoughts, rather daydream. I coughed slightly as I waved my hands in front of my face doing my best to clear the musty smoke of the cigarette not wanting it to invade my sense.
"Nani (what)?" I snarled slightly. Well, so much for the cheerful, peaceful, innocent Rurouni. It wasn't my fault really. That Wolf always pushes me to the edge, awakening my Battousai in which sleeps deep within me. Damn Fate…
"Of your assignment kisama (kisama is a rude way of saying you) baka (idiot)," he snapped back at me as he glared to me with those soulless black orbs.
Yup, devil's advocate alright…I glared back to him saying nothing, biting down on my tongue so I wouldn't start out another brawl and get blamed for it… again. He sighed lightly as he heard me say nothing, breaking off the little glaring contest we began to form, turning about in his seat and standing up from his chair.
"Hiko was right on the reports he filed in," The Wolf started as I looked to him confusingly. Hiko? My former master? What did he have to do with anything? "You're really a baka (idiot) denshi (pupil/student) Battousai…" Oh, so that's what….
"Neh…" I simply said as I shifted in my seat once more, letting my head fall back to stare up at the ceiling. Just what I needed. Another lesser ranking angel to tell me I was a stupid pupil….
"If you were paying attention, like you were suppose to, you would have heard mw on what I was saying earlier…" he said looking off.
"Who wants to anyway," I mumbled lightly under my breath like a child would to do an adult when being lectured over something they could care less about.
"What was that?!" he growled as he slammed one hand on the desk, making me jump in my seat slightly. He leaned over towards me as he puffed yet another cloud of smoke into my face. I coughed yet again as I tried to fan the air from the disgusting smell. He was really working on my nerves now…. He continued to glare to me again, his glare not easing for a slight second. Oh if only those eyes can kill…
"Iie! Nothing!" I squeaked lightly as I sat up in my seat holding out my hands and shaking them in front of me. "Sessha said nothing!"
"Hn…" he looked to me a final time, just a bit longer, before he tore his glare away from me walking to one of his many filing cabinets. I heard myself releasing a breath of relief as I saw him walking off. I'm sure he had heard it to for when I let out that little breath of relief, he turned about and looked to me smirking darkly. How I wanted to strangle him then and there. Yeah, I may have been the feared Manslayer Hitokiri Battousai but remember that was the past. The Battousai was put to rest a long time back. I'm the Rurouni now….
"So… About my mission," I started.
"Here…" Slamming one of the filing cabinets shut, he turned on his heel and walked back over to the desk and dropped the folder upon the surface rather carelessly. Taking another, and final, whiff of the cigarette he put it out before pulling out another one and lighting it. He seriously needed those things the humans called nicotine patches, to bad he's already dead, doesn't seem like he'll need one at all. Looking to me he walked on the other side of the desk and sat down on the edge waiting for me to do something. Coughing lightly, from the newly lit cigarette now, I looked to the folder than back up to the Wolf not moving from my place nor doing anything.
"What's this?" I asked as I finally moved, standing up from my seat and walking over to the desk casually. Stopping at the corner, to where the folder laid at rest, I picked up the folder that the Wolf had dropped earlier. "Well?" I looked to him raising a brow.
"Look in the folder and find out yourself Battousai," he said plainly as he leaned off the desk and made it back to his chair. Being in his chair he leaned back in it, looking rather comfortable while doing so, as he looked to the blinded window, the back of his chair facing me. I blinked and couldn't help but shoot another glare to him, though he really didn't see it since he had his back to me, hearing him call me by my old name in which I wished never to hear again.
"Oro?" I heard myself say dumbfounded as I looked down to the folder on the desk. Reaching for it, I lightly grabbed onto the folder and brought it to me. Opening it up I began to look through the stack of paper neatly folded inside the folder. Checking it in and out I began to look at the contents within the flaps of the flimsy folder. "What's this?" I asked again still not being able to put it together.
" What do you think???" Saito said as he puffed yet another puff of smoke. He turned about in his seat, him facing me now, as he hunched over, resting his elbows on the desk and his fingers twined with one another across his face giving him a somewhat sinister look. He stared me down with those black orbs again. Any man, even angel or demon, would have cowered before those eyes yet I did not. I'm not your ordinary man, nor angel at that. But, of course, you should already know that by now.
"I know it's sessha's mission, I said blandly. "But care to tell sessha about it? Of this??" I held up a lone photo of what looked like a baby picture of a girl. What kind of joke was this? I'm on a mission to baby-sit or something? Was Fate trying to humor itself, or even me, from this? Was Fate really that sick?…
"Baka…. Read the files and looks through the other photos… There should be another, more recent, one in there…." He smirked as he chuckled lightly leaning back in his chair once more taking his elbows off the desk only to rest them on the arms of the chair, his fingers still twined with one another. Shaking my head I set the baby photo upon the desk as I picked up the folder looking through it once more, investigating the papers with more care. Rummaging through the paper works I felt a bit odd doing this, since I never, in all my lifetime as an angel, had done this before. Yet here I was doing it, like I said… odd. I couldn't help but be curious on this strange matter as I continued on my rummaging till I stopped upon one page, a recent information page concerning that of my new mission.
Name: Kamiya Kaoru
Sex: Female
Birthday: June 1862
Age: 18
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Height:5'1" ½
Weight: 104 lbs
Blood type: O
Hair color: Black
Eye color: BlueStyle: Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu
Weapon: bokutou (wooden sword), shinai (bamboo sword)
Marital Status: Single
Siblings: None
Distinguishing marks: Fiery attitude, blue eyes, hair tied up in a high ponytail, usually dresses in kendo outfit when practicing the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu.
Background: Is known to be the sensei of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu, a technique in which the sword is used to protect, at a dojo in Tokyo. Other was noted to die after giving birth and father's death is unknown. Disappeared for a few years and showed up recently in the dojo which to be a sensei at. Noted of strange occurrences and aura detected at dojo though unsure, later to be investigated further. Rumored to carry the genes of both an angel and devil.
I stopped as I read the last line over and over again. This couldn't be… "Rumored to carry the genes of both an angel and devil"? What?! Has Fate gone mad?!?!
"Odd, isn't it?" I heard the Wolf's voice speak out to me, breaking the silence that had loomed and lingered around us as I read the reports. "But it's not what you may be thinking of. This child… Rather you onna (woman)… It wasn't that of Fate's doing…"
"Nani (what)?!" I exclaimed in disbelief. My hands slammed down on the desk, the folder shutting beneath my hands. Lifting my right hand up I held it to the side as I looked to him as if he had lost his mind, in which I thought he did when I heard what he had just said. "What do you mean it's not Fate's doing?! Everything is Fate's doing!! How can this not be Fate's doing?!"
"For a High Angel you know so kuso (damn) little…" He took the remaining of his second cigarette from his mouth and flicked it into the ashtray not caring if it was still lit or not. "Not everything is flawless or perfect… Fate may see and do just about everything but this is one thing it didn't do… for once… It didn't even see it coming…."
"But…. But how?" I asked ignoring his little insult he threw to me. I was to stun to care. "How?!"
"Calm down boy," he said calmly still leaning back in his seat. Ph if I could only use my god-speed and kick that chair from beneath him and make him fall straight on his face… Oh how that would- "Are you dozing off again?!"
"Nani?.." I blinked, looking a bit dazed, as I looked to the Wolf.
"Feh… I thought as much… Kuso (damn) baka (idiot)," he cursed lightly under his breath, though loud enough for me to hear. He drew back as he pulled out another cigarette to light. Seriously how many can one carry? He shook his head, snapping me from my thoughts once more, as he stood from his seat once again. He walked over, heading towards me, as I silently sat there letting my arm fall to my side. He looked to me rather pitifully, like a parent scolding a child, before turning back to look to the folder that was placed on the desk again.
"But what were you saying?"
"Hn… Are you going to listen this time?"
"…" I only glared at him for my response hearing him chuckle ever so lightly from this. We may not be the best of buddies but we really weren't the worst of enemies rather… now. "So… of Fate" I finally said. He lifted his hand and quickly cut me off before I could finish off what I was saying.
"Forget of Fate…. Look boy… Like I said, nothing is flawless and this child proves that. It's only rumors of her blood, rumors on her holding the blood of both light and dark, heaven and hell… We're really unsure though. As long as we care, for now, these are only rumors. Still… We're not willing to take any chances… If this child truly does contain both blood that it'll only spell disaster for not only for us and of Kouen… but also of Kokuun and of Fate…."
"…" Once more I was silently, standing there rather dumbfounded as I listened to him. Shaking my head I fell back into my chair, in my seat. How can someone, one soul, can be so much trouble and be a threat to Fate, along with everything else? It just didn't make any sense.
"You see…" he continued on not really minding me, "there is a reason for angels to stay within their own kin, of their own realm, away from, the demons… It's the same with the demons. If a child were to be bore from the two, somehow they crossing with one another, the child will posses not only the power of light but also the power of the dark, powers that can be even stronger than that of Fate's. Do you understand now?"
"Eh…" I shook my head once more, my bangs falling over my eyes, as I slumped down in my seat. Yeah.. I got it but I really didn't believe it… Sitting up I looked to the folder again. Powers that'll even threaten Fate… If that is true than why haven't others done it before?…Why now? "Yeah… I…. I get it… but, why send send me?" I didn't even bother to look to him for my eyes were still glued to the folder.
"You're Fate's Wandering Angel," he answered simply.
"Is that the only reason?" I said softly as I looked up from the folder to the Wolf, raising a brow, as he towered over me.
"Heh… No, it isn't…." he chuckled as he puffed out a smoke from his cigarette, looking down at me still. "Guess you're not much of a baka (idiot) like I thought you were…" I gritted my teeth and held my tongue as he threw this insult at me. "The other reasoning is because of who you are… Rather who you once were, Battousai…"
"Nani (what)?" I couldn't help but asked as I raised a brow hearing him say this. "Why does it matter on me once being a Battousai have got to do with any of this?" I asked.
"This child, rather onna (woman), isn't as innocent and sweet as she may seem… Though being under the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu style which one uses a sword to protect, she still has the abilities to kill or so we think. We rather not take any chances on doing so."
"But what does me being the Battousai have to do with this?" I asked again in frustration hearing him avoiding my question. I know the Wolf was doing this on purpose, pushing me to the edge, to my limit, trying my patience but I wouldn't give in. Normally I would do the same back to him but not now, not when it is something concerning that of my once forgotten name so many have feared before… which they still probably fear today.
"Stop acting stupid boy…." He snarled lightly under his breath. "Why do you think this involves you, Battousai?! Have you forgotten already? Of your style, way, and killing techniques??" Once more I cringed at the memories arising from my past, the past I tried so hard to forget. "With your skills you can 'tame' the girl and make sure she doesn't get out of hand… Also at the same time, protect her from those in which wishes to use her powers for their own selfish deeds…"
"Fight and defend at the same time?" I asked a bit confused. "That's… that's impossible…"
"And it was once though impossible for a single man, or as we known an angel, to change the course of history, bringing it to near ruin but with a new future…" I sat there quietly knowing of my defeat in the argument. I clenched onto the arms of the chair as I sat there with nothing more to say of the ordeal.
"So… I said breaking the silence that began to arise between us, "how do I know her if we meet? I only looked at her baby photo, something hardly of use now seeing how many years has passed now, 18 to be exact really." He smirked as he dug in the pocket of his shirt pulling out a small photo. I raised a brow as I saw him pulling out another cigarette.
"…" Seriously, how many of those things does he have? And where does he hide them all? For kami-san's sake….
"Guess you'll take on the mission?" he said slyly extinguishing the cigarette that he was smoking earlier. Licking his lips he placed the other cigarette that he recently pulled from his pocket, to his lips but didn't light it surprisingly enough.
"Do I even have much of a choice?" I said coolly.
"Heh… I suppose not…"
"So…" I leaned forward in my seating looking up at him.
"Oh, the photo?" he took the cigarette out and looked to it before lighting it and putting it back in his mouth, smoking it. I swear, if he weren't already dead he would be by now from all those poisonous sticks.
"Hai (yes)… the photo…" e merely pointed to the folder still laying carelessly on the desk.
"Well?"
"Well,
what?" I've already looked through it," I pointed out.
"Doesn't look like it," he shot back. "Look though it again and more thoroughly now." I sighed effortlessly as I leaned further to pick up the folder. Leaning back I looked through the folder again. I suddenly noticed, flipping through everything, a small folder that my eyes had missed earlier. Picking it up I looked at the back of it before flipping it over to look to the photo. For a moment I felt my heart stop, skipping a beat. This girl…
Her hair was like that of a raven's coat, dark as the endless night skies and heavy as the darkness that falls over our eyes. Her eyes were a deep sapphire blue pool in which one could be at a loss if they were to stare deep into those sad pools. Her skin seemed so pale and frail, so delicate and smooth like that of a goddess, a goddess in which one can only look to with envy yet never touch fearing that one could stain such pureness. And her lips, small and timid as they were, were seemingly full and luscious. It was hard to believe that such a soul like her could bring upon so much destruction, having to power to bring everything into oblivion if wanted, and bring Fate down to its knees…
"Heh… I suppose you're at a loss for words?" I hear the Wolf say as he chuckled. I looked up from the photo to glare to him before looking back down to the photo.
"So, she's the one?"
"Correction…" he said, "She's your mission. First thing tomorrow on the first sunrise on the planet over the land…"
"Nani (what)?!?! Wait a minute!! Demo (but)…"
"Eh…" he rose a finer to silence me, which he did sure enough, as he took a few more puffs from his cigarette. "Remember… You have no say in this… You're only that of an angel taking orders… Don't forget that…"
"Hai (yes)…" I sighed lightly seeing no point in dragging on the matter. He did have a point. I was an angel, Fate's Wandering Angel, and I had no say to what was given to me in my missions. Gathering my thoughts I stood up from my seat and took the folder lightly into my arm. Turning to leave I began to head out.
"Battousai," I heard the Wolf calling me. I stopped as I looked to him over my shoulder. "Remember… This is a mission. Don't make a mistake like last time… Angels can't fall in love…" I glared to him, holding my tongue to keep myself from hurling an insult back at him, as I looked off and kept walking out of his office. Making my way out I slammed the door behind me and just stood there for a moment.
"Angels can't fall in love… Why would he tell sessha this? Oroooo…. " I hung my head as my fiery red bangs fell over my eyes once more.
Reaching into the folder once more I felt around in the contents before grabbing what I was searching for. Pulling out the small photo from the folder I looked at it. Starting tomorrow I was to both fight and protect this young onna (woman) that I hardly knew of. Love… Impossible… Putting the photo back into the folder I continued on.
"Destination… Earth… Mission… Kamiya Kaoru… Heaven's little demon…"
AN: gomen that it took so long! I kept forgetting. Bad me, bad bad! XD Well, I finally got another chapter. Hopefully there's still a few people who'll read and enjoy it. Hopefully ~_~ lol Anywho, a little note from me, the author.. o.O; Now that summer have officially begun I may, notice I said may, write more often and update often also! But don't have your fingers crossed. XD Oh and I do have the cover page for the stories yet unfortunately my scanners shot. I have to earn some money to get it fixed or get a new scanner altoghter so you may have to wait awhile before seeing it. That's about it. Oh and before I forget. If you have any ideas for future chapters please e-mail me. I'll love to hear your ideas. Don't worry I'll credit ya! Hai, hai! Ja!