Finally! I'm done with the 1st chapter of my AU RK fic! My first big one....... IF I can actually focus on this, though. This is merely a teaser and I'd like the readers/reviewers' opinion on this before actually continuing. I have a real nasty habit of stopping in the middle of something, which drives my family (myself included) nuts.
Author notes at the bottom, clearing almost every question up.
Disclaimers: I wish I could but I can't. All of the RK books belong to Watsuki-sensei, the anime stuff to Sony. T\T
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Part 1: Beginning Links Los Angeles, California, USA December 2002"We're live in SkyFox, camera's rolling and going over the 110 Freeway and covering what definitely appears to be a car pursuit. Right we're now passing Highland Park and still heading southbound.
"We've got, five, seven, nearly more than a dozen black and whites chasing this nutcase going through three narrow lanes. I think we've been covering this chase for already forty minutes but the actual pursuit has been going for almost an hour and fifteen. Reason why this started was that the present driver had shot and stabbed several civilians at point-blank range, then fled into this Camry. We're assuming that a hostage situation is most likely since the vehicle was moving upon the hijacking and it had temporary stopped for several minutes.
"The driver is said to be a tall, Asian but Caucasian-looking male, with hair that some witness claimed to have been bleached beyond recognition. Police advise those on the streets to clear way and stay inside as the suspect is considered to be armed to the teeth and extremely dangerous."
Down on the ground, the white 2001 Camry weaved dangerously in and out of traffic, the driver laughing maniacally. Next to him sat a bound and gagged young woman, obviously a college student, evident by the pile of enormous and heavy books sitting next to a large duffel bag. Fury and fear mixed in her sapphire eyes as he continued to play chicken on the first freeway of southern California. Even though she occasionally drove on the 110 going both ways, she'd never go past 60 mph in that area unless it was a life and death situation or her name isn't Karen Kamaryn.
"What's the matter, little lady? Not enjoying this so far?"
If looks could bend shotguns, then this guy would've have at least over fifty broken bones, as the human bone is stronger than metal.
A toothy grin, square white teeth against pale skin and ash-gray hair (with one stray bang hanging on his right). His green eyes (and one nasty shade, by her opinion) glittered dangerously, as well insanely.
"Oh, don't worry. I won't be doing anything to you, yet. Besides, it isn't you who I'm after. It's someone else...... Oh yes...... He'll be here......"
The kendo instructor couldn't help but give a shudder when he licked his lips. 'This guy's totally crazy! If he doesn't slow down soon, we're both gonna be killed!!'
"By the way, I know what you're thinking about. If I don't slow down soon, the two of us are going to be nothing more than pink and red tissues on the asphalt. Where's the fun if the risk of dying is low?"
If possible his grin went wider, the foot pressing on the gas pedal more. Steadily, the needle began to climb higher on the speedometer. 60.... 70.... 80.... 90.... 95....
'SOMEONE PLEASE SHOOT THIS MANIAC!!!!!'
Thus, Karen went back to getting the gag out of her mouth and trying to ditch the rope.
Behind them, black and white police cars, blaring their sirens and flashing those loveable red-and-blue lights, were lead by a very infamous (or famous) officer with quite the reputation.
First Captain Kevin Hakan Bartolome "Battai" Hilmringer of the LAPD was someone you definitely don't want to cross paths with. One of the youngest captains in the task force, and a plainclothes officer at that, his mind was a calculating one. Capable of figuring out the distance between two objects within mere seconds. The ability to shoot directly on target at seven to eleven hundred yards, a distance most veterans have problems with. On hand-to-hand combat, predicts his opponent's next move and taking them out in the most efficient way. On the occasion, he would be in the sharpshooter brigade when emergencies arose.
Despite all those amazing traits, his attitude and efficiency is what kept others from really trying to be pals with him. Allies is what Kevin considered only in the police force, save those who were the closest.
However, it wasn't just his slight cold attitude and indifference that kept him apart on the field. He also carried an aura that pretty much said if anyone was to completely piss Kevin off, make sure you had renewed your health insurance. There were several times when this officer became completely cold, face and voice lacking any emotion, making him barely readable.
"Captain, we've confirmed the driver, as well as the passenger," one of the dispatchers said, voice crackling through the radio.
"10-4, dispatch. Who's our maniac?"
"A favorite of yours, Jean Udian."
A feral snarl. "The passenger?"
The sound of keyboards clacking away. "Not much right now, though a guy who's supposed to be the older brother says that she's gonna graduate from UCLA in about six months, according to one of our boys at the scene. She was about to pick him up for lunch when the hijacking occurred."
An extremely frustrated sigh. "Copy that and stand by. Alright, boys, let's roll! It's Udian and we're most likely to get a hostage situation on our hands. I want all of you morons to be cautious with your movements. The nut's expecting me and NO heroics. If I find out the idiot then he or she is gonna be stuck on paperwork for weeks. Got it?"
"10-4," came the chorus, a few shakily.
With a stronger determination, Kevin shifted his powerful red Firebird up to the highest gear and slammed onto the gas. He hated when he was chasing someone he had put behind bars. They always came back, doing something stupid that got them sentences worse than their previous ones.
Behind the captain in the passenger seats, Sax wuffled softly, sensing his master's agitation. The four-year old dark-gray/black German Shepard was Kevin's backup partner only for emergencies when negotiation couldn't diffuse a tense situation. This dog was silent, always obeying his owner's command and taking down the bad guys hard, like a dragon striking its prey from the heavens. When surrounded by children though, he would let them climb all over him happily. It was as if the Shepard knew that they were worth protecting with his and his master's life.
If Kevin was going to take down Jean without harming the hostage, then he was going have to pull out the big guns and, much as he hated it, some better help.
Following that thought, calloused hands flipped through the channels through the radio waves.
* * * *
"Yo, Ken!"
Kenneth Rufus Banji "Softwin" Hilmringer looked up from his flat screen monitor, blinking large eyes. Also a redhead from their paternal side, he was Kevin's younger twin brother by exactly four minutes. Of course, despite being born at the same date and raised in the same environment, you'll always have differences.
Ken was more soft-spoken, carrying a soothing air that was pretty much the complete opposite of his older brother's aura, hence his nickname (but for the life of this officer, the more cheerful twin still can't figure out the reason behind Kev's nickname). Identical carmine-shade, waist length of hair though Kevin's was up in a high-ponytail, whereas the younger twin tied his at the nape of his neck. Narrowed, hard gold eyes of their father for the more active sibling while innocent, soft violet ones of their mother on Ken.
Given his calming and peaceful nature, it was obvious that the younger twin took up in negotiating. And he happened to be quite successful, ten times out of ten. Ken also had a K-9 partner, a two-year old white/light-gray Retriever named Salem who happened to be quite playful at times. Except during serious cases, this full-grown puppy would rather be jumping onto people hard.
"Oro?"
A fellow officer waved the walkie-talkie. "Your bro called. Catch him on his cell."
Giving a sigh, Ken slipped an ear set on and punched Kevin's mobile on speed-dial. "What is it this time?"
"Udian and we're gonna have a hostage situation on our hands," came the flat voice of his older twin over the whining of the sirens. "You remember how he's like."
A groan as the younger sibling shrugged into his jacket, making sure his bulletproof vest was on. "How could I NOT forget? The last time he nearly killed Toan, we both got double-duty on paper work from Halmje."
Kevin snorted, immediately shifting down in order to make a hard right and ignoring the slight yip from Sax. "Sagi is gonna have a headache this time." A crackle through the radio, silencing him for several moments. "Aw, crap. Is Sagi coming along this pursuit?"
Ken looked up from starting his four-door white Toyota pickup, ignoring the happy barks from Salem. "Oh shit."
LAPD chief Halmje Sagi was marching toward his cruiser in a very crisp and strained manner, brows furrowed that made him look much like a P.O.ed wolf. Cops outside in the parking lot immediately scrambled to be out of his way, like the Red Sea parting for Moses but with more fear. With a slam that pretty much startled half the officers back in the department, the chief literally peeled out of the parking lot with burning rubber and shot off.
"Kenny?"
"He's severely pissed and I told you don't call me that! We're not kids anymore!!"
A snicker drifted through the cell phone waves.
* * * *
"We're still live over this pursuit that's been going on for more than an hour-and-half already. Now heading toward San Pedro. Thank goodness that the 110 is straightened out on this part of the freeway system. Getting off onto the PCH and now on surface streets. So far, there's no sign of the chase coming to an easy stop, evident by the erratic driving behavior. This definitely going to end in a standoff, most likely a shoot-out is going to occur. This guy is driving as if--
"Oh God, side-swiped a car and the vehicle has flipped over! 11-41 for the civilians! 11-41! Jesus Christ, more people are gonna get into more trouble because of the lunatic! I've lost count how many red lights and stop signs he sped by, even bypassing one of the Metro buses with barely six inches to spare! Again and again, civilians are trying to get out of his way without crashing into each other themselves OR the police. CHP, Long Beach and San Pedro PD joining in now with LAPD.
"JEZE LOUISE!! Officer down! Officer down! The moron actually crashed into a motorcycle cop! This adds onto his list of failure to yield, counts of assault with a deadly weapon, taking a hostage, and who knows what! Several of the pursuing officers are assisting the fallen one and ambulances are arriving on scene for the civilians."
A sudden crackle through the chopper's radio temporarily silenced the airborne reporter, green-blue eyes scrunching up to make out the conversation.
"We just heard that they're asking if anyone has spikes. I doubt that's gonna help this chase since we're still in lunch hour. Yep, got a negative from the commanding officer but I think they're gonna try something else. As I was saying earlier, this maniac is driving as if he was a freshly escaped convict."
"Randy!"
Miranda "Randy" MacKenzie paused on her commentary, looking over to the pilot, Sherman, her braid swinging. "What is it?!"
"We're heading over toward the Harbor and just got a call that we need air clearance! Coast Guard AND Harbor Patrol!"
"How long can we get back onto the chase?!"
"Tops, fifteen minutes!"
"Get that clearance on the double! Why aren't there any police copters out here?!"
"Most of them got trashed from last week's storm! A few are still grounded due to mechanical problems! We're still in El Nino season and be glad that rain's predicted for tomorrow, not today!"
"Damn! Any other choppers?!"
"KCAL, KTLA, NBC, and CBS but they also need clearance!"
A string of curses that erupted from the petite reporter caused both pilot and large cameraman to blush. Thankfully, their conversation during the broadcast was muted by the thoughtful Kurt, manning the heavy camera. Also luckily, those at home thought the crewmembers were talking on the radio when the silence came from their TVs.
Finally, all the helicopters broadcasting the chase got clearance and flew over the Port, SkyFox the first to recover.
"Alright, folks. We're back live after that brief interruption. Sorry but due to regulations we needed to get air traffic clearance ever since 9-11. Can't blame 'em. Right now, we're directly over hundreds of cargo crates and they're still continuing the chase. If the suspect right now ditches the car the police are gonna be stuck here for quite awhile since this place is almost like a maze. On your upper-left screen corner you can see that workers are immediately evacuating this area of the port, which is good thinking on their side. Never a good idea to be--
"Hold on, we got something." A quick pause. "Just confirmed that they're going to try the PIT maneuver to take the suspect out. If they could just get into some wider space then there's a strong chance that this chase will be over but the police will have to deal with a hostage situation."
And PIT Kevin did. As Udian moved the Camry away from the crates and toward the docks, the red-haired police fired his engines and nudged his Firebird just behind the Camry's back left wheel. That sent the college student's car into a full 360 (and her screaming, since she finally got the gag off) before bumping to a stop next to another cargo container. Not to mention completely killing the engine and trashing the paint job Karen had did, by herself, several weeks back.
Screeching to a total halt, Kevin trained his gun onto the car, keeping one strong grip on Sax's leather collar, while making sure they both had their bulletproof vests on. The dog was growling angrily softly in his throat, smelling Udian's scent and with good reason. Sax was originally owned by the maniac when the canine was just a puppy and let's just say no happy memories for this cop dog with Jean. The red-haired sniper had saved the tiny thing after it was abandoned right in the middle of the southbound 405 during rush hour in a rare major thunderstorm.
"Easy, boy, easy. I know you want him as badly as I do but we have to follow protocol first," Kevin soothingly whispered. Reluctantly, Sax muted his growls to low rumbles but stayed in a crouching position, ready to spring forward at the man's command.
"UDIAN! WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!! GET OUT!!" a fellow officer shouted through the speaker system. Every single gun in that area clicked, loading the first bullet.
Ordering the Shepard to stay down, the red-haired captain reached for his radio. "Come on out, Udian. If you want a fight to finish, do it out here and let's get it over with!"
Inside the car, shoving the airbag away, Mr. Smiley chuckled a bit, sending chills down Karen's spine. The bit of blood on his forehead, where it crashed upon the car's impact in the corner of to cargo crates, got licked off with his fingers. Thankfully, the student had enough sense to put on a seatbelt so she got away with a bruised chest.
"He's heee~eere. I told you he'd be here. Haven't had this much fun since four years ago. Oh, the fun. I can't wait."
'Moron, asshole, jerk, idiot!' She wiggled the bounds a bit, loosening them but still not much. Curiosity finally got the better. "What's with you and this guy? That you would even risk other people's lives to meet?!"
Taking out a lit cigarette out of nowhere, he took a very long drag. "You really want to know, little lady, huh?"
A glare that promised pain and maybe death.
Several centimeters of the stick burned off, teeth gleaming with the yellowish tinge of a heavy smoker. "He and I used to have fun back in the police academy. You would call it rivalry but it was the battle of the strongest there. Whenever we had competitions or tests, the two of us were always on the opposite sides. Of course, he always won, thus earning him the title 'the strongest'. Now, I want to know how strong he is after I had been gone from five years. Not to mention, the moron was weak, always protecting his little family and that dear brother of his. You won't be able to understand but you'll see what I mean by him being 'the strongest'."
"And you assaulted several people on the streets in broad daylight, hijacked my car and now keeping me hostage just to meet this cop?! You outta be stuck in prison!!!" Karen screeched.
A sudden stare from his eyes, silencing the young student. Immediately, she tried to gasp for air but couldn't. Bright sapphire orbs widened upon realizing the predicament she just got into.
"A little something I picked up while spending time on my own. You only have just five minutes, ten if you're really good. Just to keep you from interfering. If I remember correctly, the idiot must have called for his little brother. Now, if you'll don't mind me, I'll have to borrow you and your car."
With a final chuckle, Udian leaned back to pick up his bag.
* * * *
"What took you, Kenny?"
"Traffic due to the few crashes and shut up, Kevvie. How's it going?"
"Not good. He's still inside and he has a girl as a hostage."
Ken looked at his older brother from the other side of the Firebird. Salem sat quietly next to his trainer, also ready to pounce but silent. The same officer was still shouting through the speaker, voice now a bit hoarse.
"Don't tell me you completely forgot the training Shishou taught us."
"I didn't. I'm just surprised at how she hasn't broken down yet."
Kevin's radio crackled. "Would both of you shut up and get this over with?" came the snappish voice of their chief.
The older twin snorted, still keeping a good aim at the car. "Well, excuse me but I'm not the negotiator here."
"Then get to it Sergeant Softwin!"
Sighing in defeat, Ken stood up a bit, his brother covering him.
"Udian! Just come out from there so that we can get this over with! I know what you want! We all know what you want!"
Every officer in the surrounding area tensed, sweat beading on his or her foreheads. Snipers took aim, ready to fire upon the right moment and at the right spot. Pilots and crew in the choppers held their breaths in the growing tension. Adrenaline course through their veins except something different ran through the twins'. More like a different type of fury.
Silence.
Salem wuffled a bit but Ken held a finger, telling the dog to stay. Ears on Sax flattened out, teeth
already bearing as his anger mounted. Kev immediately pressed his hand onto the four-year old's fur, emanating control and order to his K-9 partner.
Finally, Udian came out partially grinning as always but holding a still bound Karen with a gun to her head. Both twins recognized what he had done.
"Udian, why did you do that to her?!" Kevin hissed through his teeth, rage pounding in his bloodstream. Hands tightened around his police issued .45 pistol, now trained at Jean's head. Even though both brothers always try to avoid killing the suspects, the older one seemed to have the tendency to go into a mode that got nicknamed 'assassin' or 'hitokiri', courtesy from several fellow Japanese officers. He rarely exploded but this situation was wearing down his nerves tad fast.
"What? Oh, just to keep her from bothering us. I hate inconveniences and it wouldn't be as terrific!" The gun left her head, twirling it around one bony figure but always still too close.
Ken frowned, HIS gun geared more at the spinning weapon. "But why that tactic?"
A sense of recognition flitted through the negotiator's mind, almost like this event had happened a long time ago. Side-glancing at his older sibling, Ken noticed the same look on Kevin's face.
"Hm? Taping is easy to get rid of and you can't use peace-bonds on a person's mouth," Udian replied, still smiling. "Now, how about it, Battai? Up to my offer to finish things?"
Karen barely flinched when she felt the rising aura coming from the plains-clothe cop, despite her predicament. It was so overwhelming! Not too many of her male relatives could match up to this guy, save three peculiar family members. It was as if he wanted to slice off her captor's head and then slice the man into bits. Though raised in a family where death was highly possible, Karen still hated to see blood shed.
Quickly running through his options, Kevin finally decided that the unorthodox way was the only way out.
"Ken...."
A frown crossed the younger man's face. "You're actually going to use it."
"Been awhile."
"But we only did it on straw dummies, not real people!"
"Doesn't matter in this situation. He's a dummy anyway."
"Kevin! You're not serious! Halmje's gonna have your ass!"
Placing his gun back into his holster, Kevin shuffled over to the back seats and lifted the cushions, revealing a compartment. Flipping a latch, the older sibling revealed a lacquered case and opened it.
Inside laid a gleaming sheathed katana, light bouncing off the polished saya. The tsukaito looked a bit scruffy, as if it was used quite often but it still held in place. Though near smooth, the tsuka still shone with good care. Albeit ruffled with a few fraying strands the sageo stayed wrapped around the saya tightly and securely, it's purple shade loosing a bit coloring from age.
As the young captain reached out a hand to grasp the sheathed katana, it instead flew up to his hands and he instinctively closed his fingers around it. Startled temporary, Kevin looked at the katana with wide gold eyes but shook it off. There was a hostage to be saved and a maniac to be put back behind bars, hopefully with a life-sentence without chance of parole. He swiftly considered on whether to leave his gun behind but decided to keep it on him, just in case.
Stepping back out into the open with his prized weapon (in his left hand), the captain stopped several feet away from Udian. Kendo training driving over her shocked mind, Karen recognized the maai of the captain's: far enough to avoid taking any damage but close enough to take either defense or offense if Jean made the first move.
"Captain Hilmringer, what the hell are you doing?!" Sagi hissed, the Colt .45 aimed directly at Jean's head. The chief had already moved up to where the Firebird is, using the other cars as cover.
"If the river is not going where it wants to, then it will find another way to reach the ocean, be it violently or gently," came the soft but cold reply.
Blinking amber eyes once, the police chief only re-holstered his issued firearm, flipped out a cigarette and took a long drag. "Do what you must."
"Chief!"
"As much as I hate to admit it, your brother has a strong point, Sergeant. We both know that Udian isn't the type of moron who would do things the normal way. If there was such a way as 'normal' with him around."
Giving a defeated sigh, Ken took hold of Sax's collar in case the 4-year old canine bolted. Both dogs were smart, much smarter than the other police dogs but for some reason the German Shepard tended to act more on instinct instead of reason.
Smiling wider, Udian tossed away his gun and reaching into his duffel bag, pulled out a pair of daisho. Why would a nutcase use a pair of old Japanese swords to finish personal business was pretty much beyond the other officers' comprehension but for the twins, Karen (who got a faint idea), and Halmje it made absolute sense. Jean always had a passionate sense for swordplay, especially dealing with kenjutsu..... If 'passionate' is the right word for a man who had kept bugging the former chief like an insistent fly with words that had caused two officers to faint and the others to immediately be wary of him.
Sticking his daisho through his belt, Udian unsheathed the katana, holding it horizontal.
'The Ichi position of the Nikaidou Heibou.....' Kevin's eyes further narrowed, also drawing out his katana but flipping it over. Though holding a license that allowed him to carry such a weapon around, he was forbidden to use the sharp side until as an extremely last resort.
//--flashes of sparks against striking blades under moonlight from a full moon--//
=======================================================
A young rookie, sitting inside his cubicle, shot his head up at that moment.
"A memory of before....... akai ryuu is starting to wake..... finding his ao tori. Korosu tai mamoru."
One hand touched his head, as if trying to make sense of the images running through his mind.
"Kin no me soshite murasaki no me..... seeing something from a long, long time ago. Gray haired loosing more than just strands...."
Grass colored spheres looked out the window, as if trying to see someplace else far away.
=======================================================
Both twins' eyes widened against the images. 'What the--'
"CAPTAIN!" one lackey yelled.
Udian was already charging and Kevin immediately blocked it, loosing only a few hair strands. Quickly, the younger man shot forward, thrusting so fast that it looked like all of his strikes were done at once but more like a rain of blows. Unfortunately, the crazier swordsman blocked all of them.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Ryuu Sou Sen," Ken muttered softly, his Japanese flowing as if he was raised in Japan. "Not surprised that he's able to block them all."
Sagi raised an eyebrow as the other officers watched in rapt fascination. Briefly, the curling smoke from the lighted tip shaped into something but dissipated as soon as it took form.
Again, Jean focuses his eyes on Kevin as they circled each other.
"That doesn't work on me, Udian!" the red-haired captain yelled, breaking it off easily.
A fast thrust, Ken recognizing the move.
'One-handed level strike....'
Kevin dodges at the last moment, earning gasps from some of the officers in the background.
'Side stroke from the ichi form.'
A duck, again nicking several strands off.
'I keep this up and I'm gonna loose more hair than Pop can out drink Shishou! Jyu-form overhead downward strike...'
This time, instead of avoiding the blade, the young captain catches the strike with the butt of his tsuka and whipped it around, causing Udian to fall back a step and loosing his stance. Diving in, Kevin held his katana with both hands, ready to drive the final blow but gets caught by surprise. Though retaining his blade and off balanced, Udian, still grinning, switches from his right to his left from behind, cutting Kevin's left shoulder unexpectedly. Blood immediately splashed out onto the still damp pavement as the red-haired officer fell down, a grimace on his face.
"Kevin!" A flash of pain lanced through Ken's left shoulder the same time his brother got cut, ignoring the yells coming from the other cops. Barely wincing, the younger officer looked at the spot, almost expecting the crimson liquid to come out. Nothing but the memory of a remaining sting. Again, a sense of déjà vu crept through his mind at what just happened but still not able to place it.
Growls brought Ken back to reality. Looking down, he realized that Sax was ready to bolt, along with his own canine. "Sax, down! Not yet! You too, Salem! DOWN! Get the paramedics!"
Reluctantly, both dogs hunched back to the asphalt, teeth bared angrily. They didn't understand why they weren't allowed to help but they knew that disobeying orders wasn't a good thing. Sax might not be Ken's partner but this K-9 had learned to trust his owner's brother as he trusted Salem. Although the younger Retriever was a big puppy at heart, he was still a trained police dog, thus his want of taking Udian down.
Still struggling to breathe, Karen couldn't help but stare at what just happened. It was as if she KNEW that was going to happen.
//--katana from the left slicing a magenta gi, a female cry of worry, blood seeping into the grass--//
"Heh heh.... You read all my moves up until that last back-pass. You're still far from being Battai back during those days. What fun would it be if I could finish you in the time it takes to finish three cigarettes? Boring! Come now, what ever happened to that spirit? The little lady has only two minutes left to live. Either she breaks it out herself, which I highly doubt it'll happen or you'll have to kill me."
Silent, Kevin got into a crouch, his grip tightening on his katana. "Bastard...." came out as a feral snarl. "Talk it through your sword." 'Fraggit all to hell! This happened to be my favorite leather jacket! Toni's gonna be pissed when I get home....'
Ken flinched at his twin's ken-ki, rising again upon saying those words. Seemingly cold on the outside, the older sibling hated it when innocent civilians' live were injured, held hostage, or just plain in their hands. It was like always walking between that paper-thin line of life or death.
"Moron....." Sagi muttered, taking another drag.
Still crouching, his head held down, Kevin seemed to have suddenly disappeared....
....only to reappear and having the blunt side of his katana smashing into Udian's face, crushing the nose. Neither Ken nor Sagi ever so much blinked an eyelid, save those who gave yells and/or gasps of surprise.
"Heh heh heh... HAHAHA!!!! I couldn't even see your movements! This is the Battai I knew so well back in those days!" Using his thumb, Udian pushed the messed up appendage straight again with a loud crack (not to mention causing the younger rookies to flinch).
Standing up, Kevin glared glittering yellow orbs at his present source of frustration and headaches. "Shut the hell up and let's get this over with, BC. I'm not going to have a civilian die at my hands nor yours."
"'BC?'" Sagi raised an eyebrow.
"He used to always wear a cap that was black, thus earning him the nickname Black Cap during our academy days. We called him BC for short back then," the younger officer replied quietly. "Unfortunately, he might as well be the guy to pay for all of the cadets' hospital bills at the time as well."
"Why am I not surprised that the Headmaster didn't tell me when I took over?"
"You could say that she didn't want things out of her control. Not to mention, Udian was reasonably a top student." Ken shrugged helplessly, hands still around the leather collars.
The familiar sound of a blade going over a wet stone immediately snatched at Ken's ear. Whipping his head (and hair swiping past Sagi's face) around, he saw that Ken had did noto and was already in a battou-jutsu stance. Years of drilling from their master also got him to recognize which move his twin was going to use.
At that point, Udian was starting to feel giddy. Despite beating up all those punks in the darker parts of LA, he never got quite the rush he was feeling now. It was also accompanied by a sense of something he didn't like and brushed it off.
'Battou-jutsu..... Like iai-jutsu; drawing one's sword at a speed increased thrice, cutting down the opponent, chiburi and noto all in one movement. Battai's fastest technique! If I can just dodge that strike once he flips his katana over, he'll be open! Double-edged sword technique...... I CAN MAKE IT!!'
"Take this, Captain Hilmringer!!!"
Immediately, a charge but Kevin stayed where he was, waiting. 'Right foot facing opponent, left foot behind to avoid cutting self when drawing, figure out the maai before striking.... I might as well surprise this moron.'
'He might be the fastest but he forgot about the timing it takes to flip a katana around! That's your handicap, Battai!'
When Udian reached the line where life and death stood, Kevin snapped out his sword and flipped it, missing the gray-haired nut by just a few millimeters. Reason would be that the older man had pulled back upon reaching the captain's range.
'Fast! Victory is mine!' Jean swung his katana down. "I'VE WO--"
--which got replaced by the sound of breaking bones.
'Nidan battou-jutsu?! Katana and saya......' he thought, falling down onto the pavement. His elbow was at an angle it shouldn't normally be and as soon the sharp pain dissipated, it was replaced with throbbing that pound his senses.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu battou-jutsu, Sou Ryuu Sen," Kevin said, voice clear and cold. "I'm aware that I'm forbidden to use the sharp side of my katana and the fact that battou-jutsu is a one-strike technique. I also know that the timing it takes for me to flip my sword is also crucial and to pull it out reversed would be a bit difficult. The origin of my nickname Battai is short for Battousai; I was the one who learned and mastered all of the battou-jutsu techniques. Your elbow is shattered and tendons severed. The career which you chose is over and so ends your life on the streets."
Still high on adrenaline, Jean whipped out a black .45 and aimed it at Karen with his left hand.
"Let's see if you can save the girl's life, Battai!"
A spark sent the tiny piece of metal erupting.
Everything went into slow motion, each second almost in sync with each beat of a slow heart.
Kevin tried to turn but the pain in his shoulder finally clouded his sense of balance, add in the mixture of slick water and oil prevented him from moving far or fast.
Leaning against her car door, Karen struggled to move yet being still paralyzed made that difficult.
Halmje turned his head toward Udian but saw that the ex-cop had the gun to his own head, still grinning.
In a forest far, far away, birds immediately took flight at that moment, causing one figure to pick up his head. Watching the avians, he knew things were being set into motion.
Amber eyes, that had never showed any emotion, actually widened for once.
A second shot fired.
Golden pupils nearly shrunk half their size.
Crimson took flight like liquid pebbles.
Sapphire orbs shot wider than before.
Time almost stopped.
Green spheres suddenly glazed over a bit, also widening. "Korosu..... arimasen. Tasukete to mamoru..... iki masu."
Then... temporary silence.
"I-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"
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Long winded Author notes:
Yatta!! Finally completed this! Never thought I'd ever finish this thing. Welp, on to clearing things up.
Kevin and Kenneth should be easy to guess. They're both Kenshin but split into Battousai and Rurouni. Well, Rurouni isn't as dense or as slow; a little more "normal". The concept of them being twins was courtesy of Rina K. Fenderson's "Lost Souls" on her site. Idea is similar but our writing is different, as one of her twins is a girl. It ain't plagiarism. I cleared up ya months earlier, Rina-san so if you find this, please don't kill me.
Karen, of course, if our favorite shihandai. She's more of a senpai rather than a real assistant instructor. There are actual dojos here in LA. One teaches aikido near where I live and inside is totally neat. Much better than Western gyms, IMHO (my Eastern heritage rearing it's head, once again). I had to change the ages between her and our redheads for a fairly good reason that most of us already know. Not to mention, much more convenient for my side. On the part of Karen having three male relatives, some of you might be partially surprised, others shocked, or the rest ready to throw sharp objects at me.
The rookie cop with green eyes happens to be my own character so no taking without permission. As for him in the RK world of the Meiji Era, still working out the kinks. For now, he's stuck here. I'll reveal in a profile.
Halmje Sagi is the oh-so-lovely Mibu no ookami, Saitou Hajime. You all noticed that I used the first two letters of their names to use here. I can't quite imagine using their original names in present-day LA. Bad enough on confusing which name is the first or last name now. Toan is (ta-da!) Takagi Tokio, Saitou's wife. Dunno if she's gonna show up. You should notice that neither redheads are surprised that Sagi's married. That's on purpose. The other main characters WILL be surprised, like Misao. ^\~
Toni is a character that has caused some mayhem for the KxK lovers. Yup, Yukishiro Tomoe. I'm considering whether to kill her or not. Votes, anyone? Enishi's gonna show up as well. For Kiyosato Akira.... almost got it figured out.
Shishou wa shishou! Here, Hiko's a relative of Kevin and Ken but the twins call him "shishou" out of habit.
The chase scene is from watching too many "World's Wildest Police Videos" and the likes of that show. What happened here is more or less accurate in what I've seen and yes, Southern California is known as the "capital of all car chase in the world". Probably thanks to the extensive freeway system we have down here since if it's not on one day of the month, it's another. Be it robbery, carjacking, hostage situation, or assault during any time.
El Nino is a mass of warm water in the South Pacific, warmer than usual, occurring around October-November and ending in around March. That results in major raining along the length of the West coast on both Americas. Pain in the butt for drivers. Heavy rain + oil residue + dust = high potential for big problems. Driving during the beginning season is dangerous, courtesy of hydroplaning and the same goes for AFTER a shower.
The fight between Jean Udian (Udo Jin-e) and Kevin is pretty much ripped off from the manga/anime. I had to head over to maigo-chan's site for catching the words and actions, since watching it is a bit tricky. Using a katana in a time like now is pretty much out of the ordinary but when has the RK world been ordinary? As Kenshin uses a sakabatou to fight Jin-e, Kevin had to flip his katana. Speech is more or less the same, just changed to fit the present timeline.
Our reporter in the sky is Misao, pilot Shiro and cameraman Kuro. The older recorders are freakin' heavy but I can't imagine the ones used for news stations. Why Randy? Short for Miranda! Using Randy as Misao's name symbolizes her tomboy ness. Yes, Aoshi-sama will show up. On the code 11-41, it's police-ese for "ambulance needed". Reporters and pilots in helicopters usually know the basic police codes as they aid in chasing the bad guys.
PIT is short for Precision Immobilization Technique. Used by police cars to do what I mentioned in the chase scene: nudge or slam onto the side of a car at the right moment and spot, you kill the engine and more easier to get the bad guys. There are other variations of the name but the meaning is pretty much the same.
Sax and Salem are also on symbolization. Sax means "he who bears arms, the swordsman" in Old English; other words, satsujin-ken. Salem is a form of Salim, Swahili for "peace"; sakabatou. Kevin means "handsome, gentle or lovable" in Irish. "Handsome", yes but "gentle" and "loveable"? Maybe. Kenneth is Gaelic for "handsome". Karen is a form of Catherine, "pure or purity" in Greek. Fits Kaoru, ne? "Admirable" in Latin for Miranda.
Practically, almost all the names mentioned here will have some meaning that attributes to the RK characters. I don't know why I even do the research......
KCAL, KTLA, NBC, and CBS are news station. KCAL and KTLA is local Southern California, whereas NBC and CBS are nation-wide. SkyFox is the helicopter, property of KTTV, also known as Fox, another nation wide news station. Mentioning of 9-11 is tribute to that incident. Almost a year yet it seems like yesterday.
For the terms on describing the katana, here's a link: http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/glossary.htm. Extremely useful. Chiburi is the flicking of the sword, to rid it of blood and body tissues. Noto is sheathing of the katana, along the blunt side so that the sharp side doesn't touch the metal jacket inside the saya.