Rurouni Kenshin® does not belong to me. It's just as simple as that. Now read on. XP
Chapter 3
Through the Raven's Eyes
The darkness that surrounded, the coldness nipping at my skin, the shadows that danced a deathful dance around me, the coppery scent lingering in the air like a bad stench, the red liquid flowing like an endless steam of water in which never ceases to stop, and the color of a deep red… These dreams somehow always haunted me whenever I laid to rest and as of lately they have even been occurring to me when I close my eyes. It's frightening for not even I can make sense of it myself. All I know was I felt pain… Not physically but in the heart, if that was possible. I really don't know any other way to explain it in words but all I knew was that it caused me much pain and sorrow… To much…
Oh how rude of me. Here I go blabbering on like no tomorrow about a dream without even introducing myself. How ruse. You must forgive me I tend to be like that. Perhaps that, and other reasons, is why I'm considered to be different. My name is Kamiya Kaoru. I am a young maiden, despite what my little brother Kamiya Yahiko has to say…. The nerve. Calling me a busu (ugly) or even an old hag! But I know he doesn't mean it yet still… I'm only at the age of 18 so how can I be an old hag?!… Oh here I go blabbering on again!
As I was saying I am a young maiden at the tender age of 18. I live alone with my brother, Kamiya Yahiko who is 10 though he acts like he's 5, at the Kamiya Dojo. Our parents are deceased, passed along to a better world. Our mother had died after Yahiko's appearance. He wasn't bore into our family but yet we found him. Rather father found him. It was a stormy night in which I remembered of mother holding my hand. She was so unnaturally pale and weak. She looked to frail under all those blankets, it almost looked as if they were crushing her. Her eyes still shined with life though somehow they did. She held onto me hand as she tried to comfort me. Her words were soft and gentle as she spoke. She spoke of the heavens, of the light, of how she'll watch over me, and how she'll finally get her wings back. I often wondered why she said that but I never asked. I was too heartbroken to see my mother in such condition. Gripping my hand one last time she told me to stay strong for everyone, for my father, my new little brother, me, and for her. With that the sparkle in her eyes soon died out never to twinkle in the light again. It was always raining when something tragic has to happen. Like father… But enough of that.
I'm the head assistant at the dojo teaching a unique technique named after our honorable name, the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. The Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu technique is a technique unlike any other for the sword is not to bring harm or destruction upon others but instead the sword is used to protect. My father had made this unique technique in order to save people not harm. Father… If only he used that technique to survive… I really never knew how he died for all I remember was the dream, that horrible dream. Why? Why was it always that? Just why… Oh no. I did it again haven't I? Got too involved and went on and on. Mou.
Well, being head assistant of the dojo really isn't hard but it is when you're an onna(woman). It's unfair how others can think of you so lowly just because of your gender. Mou! If I can only give them a piece of my mind. But no matter. I suppose this is where I finish introducing myself and start telling of my tale isn't it? Oh what it is to see through the raven eyes….
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I looked around seeing the darkness around me, surrounding me in its blanket. I paniced slightly not knowing where I was and how I got there. All I knew was of the darkness, the very darkness that seemed to creep in my heart.
"Where… Where am I?" I said as my voice echoed in the silence of the room. I heard no replies as I continued to look around. I strained to hear something but still nothing but the dead of silence. Still looking around I finally spotted a girl sitting there with a man standing over her. He seemed to be shouting something yet it couldn't be made out to what he was saying. I only looked on. Slowly the faint memory of my past began to creep into me as I watched this still. I began to draw nearer as I saw both the girl and the man more clearly.
"Father?!" I exclaimed. The man made no movements to hearing my voice but said something else as I saw the figures jumping around. "No, no, no! Not again!! No Father!!!!" I shouted as I reached out and began to run towards him. Yet no matter how fast I ran I still didn't draw any closer to them. I only ran in place. I stopped and froze in place before falling on my knees seeing the man, my father, falling down. The sickening image played in my mind over and over again. I heard whispers among the figure around but I paid no mind. Instead I opened my mouth as I screamed out loud the same exact time as the girl. "FATHER!!!!!!"
I sat there sobbing as I saw him laying there and the girl, me, looming over him. I heard the rain outside as I looked up seeing the figues that once stood around, on the ground. A lightening struck as a bright flash of light appeared in the dark room showing of blood smearing on the floors, walls, and windows. It also showed of the figure standing three holding a blade with blood upon it. He had the eyes of a wild beast yet still had some serenity in them. His hair was the one that caught my attention. It was red, red as the blood."It's.. it's you…" I said as another lightening struck the thunder roaring in the skies.
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"Neh…" I heard myself rather groggily as I slowly sat up from my futon. The morning sun was beaming though the thin doors of the shoji waking me up from my restless dream. "That dream…" I muttered as my gi fell off from my left shoulder though paying no mind to it. "It's always that dream…" I looked to the doors for a moment as if expecting it to open or something but it never did. I sighed lightly as I looked down at my hands that rested carefully yet carelessly on my lap. My eyes narrowed slightly as my brows furrowed together as I sat there deep in thought.
Why do I keep getting these dreams? Why are they surfacing now?… Mou! It doesn't make any sense, none at all I tell you! Oh kami-san. I'm talking to myself again.. I really need to stop doing that… But… I looked up shifting a bit on my futon to sit up more comfortably. What if the dream is telling me something? Maybe a sign?… I began to think about it till suddenly something broke me from my chain of thoughts.
*SLAM*
I blinked as I lifted my right hand, absent mindedly,
to rub the sleep from my eye in which still lingered on though being awake for
quite some time now. "Yahiko?" I cried out a bit as I placed both my hands on
the futon, pushing myself up to my feet. "Yahiko-chan?"
"I told you!" I heard a loud voice yell back with a flare, "I'm not little!!! Busu!"
I smiled though my left eye twitched slightly from this name-calling. That boy, my little brother, he really needed to be taught a lesson for calling me such things. Ouie! But no matter. He's family, my only family left. I wouldn't mind a name-calling or two.
"Where's breakfast ya old hag?" I heard Yahiko's voice shout again.
Family, I heard myself say, he's your only
family left…. No use in killing him. No sense either.
"Hey can't ya hear me
busu?" That's it. That was the last straw. Readjusting my gi, which I normally
slept in, I opened the shoji doors and slammed it behind me.
"Alright Yahiko-CHAN! You're asking for it now!!!" I shouted sounding a bit angry rolling up the sleeves to my light off-white gi. Though sounding angry I knew I really wasn't. This was really an everyday ordeal. You can say it's like my alarm clock. Though harsh at times I know Yahiko doesn't mean all those things he say. Besides he knows I'm his only family too. He barely knew our mother and also of father. It must be hard not to remember one parent but to not remember two. The gods can be so cruel at times when Fate doesn't smile upon you.
Walking down the empty halls, my footsteps echoing lightly in the crisp morning air, I began to head out to the patio where Yahiko normally tends to be to greet me with a smile. Well, not really a smile. It's more like a funny face but a smile none of the less.
"Well, it's about time," I heard Yahiko say as I entered onto the patio. "I thought you're bones cracked and broke along the way."
"Oh yeah?" I grinned slightly as I reached out to a near wall to grab hold of a bokken(wooden sword also called bokuto) that was resting there. Normally I rested my bokken there since I always train the night before outside before calling it a night. Also it was a good security system to let strangers know that the dojo wasn't helpless. I held the bokken in front of me as I looked to him my eyes glinting a bit of the trouble I had stored for him. Me and my little bokken, or bokken of pain as Yahiko would like to call it. Hearing him gulp Yahiko laughed nervously.
"Hey sis… Eh heh… You know I didn't mean to say that… right?" He sounded so funny when the tables turned.
"Sure little brother. Tell that to my bokken!" I raised the bokken above my head as I raised my voice. At that instant it was a cue for Yahiko to get his tail out of there and that's exactly what he did. Stumbling a bit he managed to run off, literally running into the shoji doors, and escape my wrath… For now that is.
Heh, I laughed inwardly to myself as I lowered my bokken, holding it to my side with my right hand gripped firmly on the handle. I turned my head to look out onto the property of the dojo, my dojo really. I sighed as I lowered my head a bit. It wasn't always like this, it was once proudly owned by father. Father… My mind thought bitterly. I bit down hard upon my lower lip as my upper lip curled slightly feeling the water forming in my eyes and blurring my vision. No, I won't cry. I promised not to… cry… Kami-san… Please help me. Oh father…
I looked up, feeling the bokken fall from my grasp, the tears nearly betraying me by falling out of my eyes. I bit onto my lip still trying desperately not to cry. I couldn't cry and I knew that. It'll be so selfish. I'm the older one and I'm the one looking out for both Yahiko and myself. But to cry like this. It would be unheard of. And besides, what would Yahiko think? I can't pose myself as a fragile rose that can only be handled with the utmost delicate care. No, I had to be stronger than that. Letting out a little sigh, finally letting go upon my lower lips before biting it down to break the skin and cause it to bleed, I looked back down once more to the property of the dojo, blinking my saddened tears from my sapphire eyes.
"No more crying," I heard myself say out loud to no one but the air, "Come on Kaoru. You can't cry… Not now… think of Yahiko." I lowered my head, my bangs covering my eyes, as I gripped my fist tightly to my side. "Think of Yahiko not only you…." Suddenly I heard a small creak in the flooring causing me to look up and turn around. I saw Yahiko standing there as he blinked, half of his body hiding behind a corner. Seeing that I had spotted him he slowly showed himself fully putting on a silly grin.
"Hey I heard something drop and I was wondering if you really broke your bones and fell," Yahiko said slyly. He continued to hold the silly little smile as he looked to me raising one hand to scratch behind his head.
"Oh Yahiko…" I said softly as I walked to him,
reaching out to him, and pulling him towards me encircling my arms around him
and hugging him like a mother to a child trying to protect them from the cruel
and harsh world. "Yahiko promise me you'll stay strong no matter what…."
"What are you talking about?" Yahiko said sounding a
bit furious though I didn't really know why then. "You make it sound like you
give up so easily! Sis! I know you're not like that! Come on! Put your act
together… " He looked up to me. "Sis… Be strong… please?"
So much innocence in those brown eyes of his, so much of the unknown to him, so much that the world held back its truth from this innocent boy, from my brother. It was just a sin to do so but I wouldn't have preferred it any other way. Let him grow oblivious to the world's true horror around him, I didn't care, as long as he never goes through all the pain I had endured as of far.
"Yahiko," I managed to say again my throat going dry as I hugged onto him still. "I promise… I promise…."
The day went along pretty normal after that. It wasn't much per say, like any other day, but it was enough to keep me happy and going. I often wonder if Fate really looks down upon me and if so than why? Why be so cruel to one in which never had gone against Fate? I often wondered that yet never did the answer come. I simply hate Fate, I really do.
It was mid-afternoon already and the sun was set high in the sky beaming its bright rays down on the earth below. It was a fine day with the air still cool, being in the lovely season of fall, yet warm having the sun warm the air. I was out practicing my swings while Yahiko inside was doing his daily chores. It was a bit of practice for him not just because I'm lazy, but maybe that helps a bit too. You see when you clean the floor enough it builds the muscles in your arms which in turn make you weild the weapon in your arm better since you can control it better. Well, that is my way of thinking but believe me it works. Yahiko is a prime example.
"Sixty-five!… Sixty-six!.." I shouted as I continued
to swing the bokken in front of me. I felt the beads forming on my forehead as
they dripped on the side of my face.
"You know fifty is enough," I heard Yahiko saying off
behind me. I turned about and saw him sitting there, the rag next to him, with
his arms across the chest. "I still don't see why you have to push yourself to
the limit and do that? The war's over and this is the time of peace…" He was
right. With the new Meji era, I knew it was supposedly the time of peace yet my
soul wouldn't accept that. My soul still burned like wildfire and wouldn't let
me rest, to accept peace, but instead rather keep fighting.
"Yahiko," I began to say. "It's just training… Besides, if I don't train I won't be in the best shape." I looked ahead of me at my bokken that I still held onto, my grip being very tight as if I was trying to squeeze blood from a stone. "And also it helps me relax." I knew Yahiko would be staring at me oddly.
"Relax?" he asked questionably. "Since when does stressing your body make you relaxed? Sis… You're really weird you know that?" I claughed lightly as I turned around and shook my head lighty. He rolled his eyes a bit as he just sat there.
"Aren't you suppose to be doing your chores Yahiko?" I asked as the thought came up in my mind. I really hadn't noticed the rag next to him till now.
"Well yeah…" he said as he shifted a bit. He must have been thinking of an excuse to slack off right now seeing how he didn't answer right away. "um.. I wanted to watch you practice," he lied. I laughed again as I stood up and let the bokken fall and rest by my side, my grip loosening on the wooden weapon.
"Watch me practice, is it?" I looked at him and grinned.
I raised the bokken in front of myself while still looking to my little
brother. " What if I practiced on you?"
"ahh!!" he shouted as he crawled backwards right into the shoji doors. "Ok, ok! I was just relaxing! But I really did wanted to watch you practice!!" he managed to say as he looked to me smiling nervously.
"You better be thankful you're my little brother or I wouldn't be so kind to you," I joke around. I walked over and set the bokken back on the wall to rest as I sat next to him picking up a small towel to wipe the sweat I worked up. Sitting down I felt my arms and legs tingling as if to rejoice to rest for a bit from all the training I've already done.
"Yeah…. Thankful," I heard him mutter under his breath. I raised a brow and looked to him.
"Hmm? What was that?" I asked him as I saw his body tense. He knew just as well as I did what he said under his breath. I wasn't as deaf as he thought I was. Sure I may be called a hag but that didn't mean I couldn't hear either.
"Nothing! Nothing at all!!!" He looked to me nervously waving his hands in front of him.
"Yeah right!" I reached out towards him and hooked my arms around his neck holding him in a headlock.
"Ahh! Hey what are you doing?!?!" he shouted a bit alarmed. Before I even answer I balled up my fist, sticking out the knuckle of my middle finger, and brought it on the top of his head and gave him a noogie. " Ahhhhhhh!!!!!" He managed to squirm out as he glared at me a bit. "What's the bid idea bu-" He immediately stopped as I held up my balled fist hinting him of another noogie attack. I'm such a loving sister, yes?
"Hmm.. Well, you better get back to your chores
Yahiko so you can do your daily training too." I said as I began to stand up. I
heard him grumbling in displeasure but I didn't mind. This was for the better
anyway. Reaching for my bokken I heard a light scream not far from where the
dojo was. "Nani?" I exclaimed as I froze and looked up. "That sounded like…"
"It came from the Akabeko," Yahiko said as he finished the sentence for me. I looked to him and nodded as I snatched the bokken.
"Yahiko stay here while I go there," I instructed him
"No! I'm going with you," he began to protest. I looked to him and shook my head.
"You're not going," I said sternly as I looked to him seeing a bit of disappointment in his eyes. I didn't know if it was for not going or because of him not going to prove himself he was strong to me. He always wanted to do that since he, in turn, wanted to protect me since I protected him all this time. "Beisdes…" I said as I softened my voice. "Someone strong has to be behind to protect this dojo for me. The person has to be very powerful to protect this place…" I saw a smile fall upon his lips as his eyes gleamed a bit. He gave me a nod as I returned the nod. "alright. Now guard this place with your life."
"Will do sis!" he shouted as I began to take off.
He's growing up so fast, I thought as I made my way through the town weaving through on the dirted roads. Growing up so fast? my mind repeated, Great, now I feel old!… I continued to run as I slowly came to a crowd gathering around the small little restraunt. I skid to a stop as I held the bokken behind me. Walking to the crowd I began to push my way though. Getting to the front I saw a young woman sitting on the ground with a policeman standing over her. Tae???
"Do you dare to mock me?! Do you even know who I am?!" the man shouted.
"I'm sorry sir…" the young woman, Tae, said as she looked up to him holding the side of her face which looked a bit red. I widened my eyes seeing this wondering what was going on? Why did that man struck her like that? Tae wasn't the one to instigate anything or get anyone upset. Before I went further in my thoughts to think about it I saw a small girl run in front of Tae and holding her arms out. It was none other than Tsubame, a small girl like Tae who helped out at the Akabeko.
"Please sir!" Tsubame said looking to the man holding her arms out as if to shield Tae from the man.. She nearly trembled where she stood as she'd done this looking up to the policeman straight in the eyes. "She said there's no more room sir. We don't want to be an inconvience nor start any trouble!" I glared looking at the scene unfolding before my eyes. I continued to watch as I saw a red haired man off to the side in the crowd. For a moment I looked to him as he stopped and looked to me. Quickly I looked off hearing the policeman shout.
"Do you dare to speak to me child?!" he shouted as he raised his hand as if to strike her. Tsubame let out a little scream as she looked to the side and held her arms in front of her as if knowing what was going to happen next.
"Stop it right now!!!" I shouted as I stepped up from the crowd. The crowd began to whisper among themselves as I did this but the glare from the policeman quickly silenced him. He let his hand down as he turned to look at me. I looked to him than to the crowd and looked around no longer seeing the odd red haired man in there.
"What is this? Are you women that stupid to stand up to a man like myself?" he shouted nearly spitting on me. I blinked as I focused my attention toward the policeman. I didn't waver as I only stood there still gripping onto the bokken behind me, hiding it from his plain view.
"Are you truly a man in which you must pick a fight with a woman?" I shouted back. I heard some gasps and a fee snickers from the crowd, not to mention a snarl or two from the policeman. It wasn't as if I had anything against them it was only that I hated those that picked on weaker people if they didn't get their way or even for their own amusement.
"What did you say?!" he growled. He didn't bother to let me speak as he raised is hand and swung it to slap me. I thought fast as I gave a quick twist of my right foot, having that foot ahead of my left, and swung my right hand which held the bokken in front of me at him. Not only did I managed to catch him off guad and block the slap he meant for me but I also managed to get him on the side of his neck, making it hard enough for him to feel the pain shoot through his body.
"I said are you truly a man in which you must pick a fight with a woman," I said calmly as I stood there looking to him. His eyes were wide as the pupils thinned in his eyes. he was frozen in place as the bokken rested on his neck until he fell back. Pulling the bokken back I looked at the policeman and shook my head. "Guess not." I looked up to Tae and smiled. "You ok Tae-san?"
"Oh Kaoru-chan!" she sxcalimed as she jumped up and literally tackled hugged me giving me a good bear hug. I felt as if I was going to pop in that woman's arm from her hugging so hard. "I'm so glad you're alright!" I smiled as I patted her back with my left hand. I looked down seing Tsubame walking to me.
"Domo arigato (Thank-you very much) Kaoru-san," Tsubame said as she gave a little bow. I could tell she was glad that I had intruded between her and the policeman before being slapped. I smiled, having Tae finally let go, and nodded to her.
"It's alright…" I said gently as I looked to them both. "I was more worried about you two than anything else. I hope he didn't hurt you too bad." Tae nodded as she continued to smile looking to me. "Sorry I didn't come earlier… Wish I've got here sooner." Suddenly my stomach gave off a loud growl as I blinked and blushed a bit being embaraeesed to make such a sound. I heard a little giggle from Tsubame as Tae blinked and looked to me.
"Oh you must be hungry!" Tae said. "Come than. I can help you make a meal for both you and Yahiko! Don't worry about it'll be my treat for what you've done today! Besides I'm sure you hadn't had a decent meal for awhile now!" I blinked as I stood there for a moment.
"Huh? Hey what is that suppoe to mean?!" I asked her raising a brow yet before she even gave me an answer she quickly took my left hand and dragged me to the restrauant laughing a bit. Being dragged I watched Tsubame bowing to the crowd and hearing her saying something before they clapped a bit and dispearesed. Before doing so I caught a glimpse of the red hair once more looking at me almost as if staring. Soon I disappeared into the restraunatnte losing the sight of the man yet again. "Taeeeeeee!!!!"
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"Wow… That was really good!" I said as I finished up the last remaining rice in the bowl. Tae smiled as she sat next to me. She had been generous enough to make me a bowl or rice with Miso soup and curry. She also went out of her way to make a fresh new batch of kimchi (a dish which is cagabe that is seasoned with spices) to set it all off.
"I hope that was really good," Tae said as she smiled to me. I laughed.
"Isn't that what I just said?" I laughed again setting the bowl down. "That was really good though and filling too. You're right. It's been awhile since I had a really good meal like that. To bad I'm only skilled in fighting and not cooking. I think I'm more made to be a husband than wife," I joked. Tae laughed as she shook her head.
"You would be a fine wife and mother," she pointed out. "You not only have the will to live on your own but you can also be depenedent and protect you and others you care about. Like Yahiko for instance."
"Heh.. I guess you're right," I said softly nodding. "I do try to protect yahi- Oh no! Yahiko!!! I forgot about him!! He must be starving by now!!!!"
"Don't worry about it Kaoru-chan," Tae said standing as she took my tray. I began to object since I wanted to carry the tray since I ate it but she didn't let me and took it herself. "I'll get a tray for you to carry home to Yahiko. It wont' take long." With that she went off in the back to the kitchen as I stood up dusting myself off. Using the sash around my waist I slipped the bokken in there to hold it since I was going o carry the tray with two hands. I know I could carry it with one but knowing me I didn't have enough grace nor balance to carry it in one hand. Odd o think that in fighting I have the grace of a dance but in everything else I was a complete klutz. "Here you go," I heard her voice call out. I looked up and saw Tae standing there holding the tray.
"Ouie!" I said as I took the tray giving her a small bow. "Arigato Tae-san. I'm very thankful for the food and everything else." She smiled as she bowed back/
"It was noting," she said. "It was the least I can do for today. You better hurry home before Yahiko gets to mad and wild for even you to control." I laughed at this joke and nodded. Tae knew about us more than anyone else. She, and also Tsubame, was family to us.
"Right. Thank-you again." Giving a quick bow with my head to her I turned on my heel and went out. Walking out I stepped on the policeman who still layed there still taking a little 'nap'. I smirked a bit as I continud to walk off. Mou! I better hurry.. the sun's already setting! I can't believe I took my time!! I shouldn't have taken so long! I'm such a terrible sister! I hope Yahiko won't be to mad.. he shouldn't! I mean I have Tae's cooking here! I stopped and gave a smile before noticing where I was. I was already at the bridge leading to the dojo. Wow… That was quick.. I guess I hardly paid any attention how fast I was going. Oh well. I began to walk still heading towards the dojo and saw a figure standing there. "Oh hey Yahiko!" I shouted as I smiled and picked up the pace still holding the tray. I stopped quickly seeing a figure behind my brother.
"Hey Kaoru!" he shouted waving to me smiling.
"Welcome home," the figure said as he smiled his violet eyes falling on me, looking to me through his red hair.
"It's.. it's you…" I said nearly dropping my tray.
A/N: Gomen!! I didn't mean to take so long!! Mou! Gomen gomen!! Man.. I went to an anime convention though in Atlanta yesterday! It was so fun! There was a Hiko, Megunmi, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke!!!!! Ok enough ranting! I'll try to update sooner.. Wait I said that before didn't I? Na ja!! n.n;;;