* * * * * *
A Starless Night
* * *
"They should be back by now," Okita Souji murmured as he gazed out into the starless night.
The tall man who had stepped outside beside him did not immediately reply. He, too, was watching the dark silence. Finally, the man calmly reasoned, "It possibly is something trivial."
"They are obligated to immediately report back, Saitoh-san." The taller man nodded; he knew that, of course. "They would not be late without good reason," Okita softly said to himself, and then spoke more loudly, "I'll send out a few men to make sure."
Saitoh Hajime nodded again, but his mind was on another matter. The Ikeda-ya affair had passed some time ago, but something lingered at the back of his mind. Staring into the distance, he quietly mused, "The hitokiri-- would he return?"
Okita looked up, wide-eyed.
* * *
"Oi! Matte!" A man yelled at a lone figure walking in the darkness. He ran up beside the slowly striding young man. "Hondo Kurosei of Choshu, in charge of your assignments," the man introduced himself. "Dark without stars, eh?"
The young man did not reply or even look up, but remained walking at the same pace.
"Your technique is amazing. Those Miburo wolves didn't even get a chance to unsheathe their swords," Hondo spoke approvingly. Hondo paused, realizing that the young man would not respond in any way. He then said in a lighter tone, "I hear that it's been a while since you've been in Kyoto. I was afraid that the Hitokiri Battousai would lose his touch as a commoner in Otsu."
This time the young man replied. "There is nothing to be afraid of," he stated quietly, and then abruptly said, "Excuse me," and turned a corner.
Hondo watched the young man slowly walk away. The red hair, cross scar on the left cheek, and that cold politeness -- this was the infamous Hitokiri Battousai. But Katsura Kogoro had told Hondo that the Battousai had changed. Perhaps something that happened in Otsu... Hondo shook his head. That was none of his business. He needed to report to Katsura.
Hondo turned back in the direction he came from.
He was greeted by an arching swing of a blade.
* * *
I am an first-time authouress who suffers from severe lack of motivation. I've always enjoyed reading fanfics when I'm bored, but this is the first time I've written a story that wasn't assigned by my teachers.
My first fic^_^ R&R onegai! Comments, suggestions, flames, anything! (If my computer catches on fire, I have my golfish aquarium nearby ^_;)
A Starless Night
* * *
"They should be back by now," Okita Souji murmured as he gazed out into the starless night.
The tall man who had stepped outside beside him did not immediately reply. He, too, was watching the dark silence. Finally, the man calmly reasoned, "It possibly is something trivial."
"They are obligated to immediately report back, Saitoh-san." The taller man nodded; he knew that, of course. "They would not be late without good reason," Okita softly said to himself, and then spoke more loudly, "I'll send out a few men to make sure."
Saitoh Hajime nodded again, but his mind was on another matter. The Ikeda-ya affair had passed some time ago, but something lingered at the back of his mind. Staring into the distance, he quietly mused, "The hitokiri-- would he return?"
Okita looked up, wide-eyed.
* * *
"Oi! Matte!" A man yelled at a lone figure walking in the darkness. He ran up beside the slowly striding young man. "Hondo Kurosei of Choshu, in charge of your assignments," the man introduced himself. "Dark without stars, eh?"
The young man did not reply or even look up, but remained walking at the same pace.
"Your technique is amazing. Those Miburo wolves didn't even get a chance to unsheathe their swords," Hondo spoke approvingly. Hondo paused, realizing that the young man would not respond in any way. He then said in a lighter tone, "I hear that it's been a while since you've been in Kyoto. I was afraid that the Hitokiri Battousai would lose his touch as a commoner in Otsu."
This time the young man replied. "There is nothing to be afraid of," he stated quietly, and then abruptly said, "Excuse me," and turned a corner.
Hondo watched the young man slowly walk away. The red hair, cross scar on the left cheek, and that cold politeness -- this was the infamous Hitokiri Battousai. But Katsura Kogoro had told Hondo that the Battousai had changed. Perhaps something that happened in Otsu... Hondo shook his head. That was none of his business. He needed to report to Katsura.
Hondo turned back in the direction he came from.
He was greeted by an arching swing of a blade.
* * *
I am an first-time authouress who suffers from severe lack of motivation. I've always enjoyed reading fanfics when I'm bored, but this is the first time I've written a story that wasn't assigned by my teachers.
My first fic^_^ R&R onegai! Comments, suggestions, flames, anything! (If my computer catches on fire, I have my golfish aquarium nearby ^_;)