We interrupt the regularly scheduled fan-fiction to bring you this
important Author's Note:
Sorry to break into the story like this, guys, but I got a review from Nakoya Moonwind who claimed that "Kenshin's eyes are NOT blue..." What was she thinking!? Seriously. Watch the anime, chick!! When Kenshin is acting like his cheerful, non-Battousai self, his eyes are friggin' BLUE!! When he's in Battousai form, or when he's in a really, really, really serious fight, his eyes are AMBER. But otherwise, they're BLUE!! I know what I'm talking about people!! *coughs* Also, I want to thank all of you reviewers out there!! Especially: disturbed-demon-gurl, Brittanie Love, whisper*2*imaginary, and Rue no Hime. You guys are AWESOME! Thanks for sticking with me!! I guarantee you a happy ending!! Thank you. ~Kay-chan
Now back to the regularly scheduled fan-fiction: Battousai no Kokoro
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
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~04~
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Kenshin walked into the ice-cold bedroom. Aoshi was lying on a mat on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Then he noticed Kenshin's presence in the room, he looked over. Misao slid the door shut behind Kenshin, and Kenshin walked slowly up to Aoshi.
"Aoshi."
"Himura."
Aoshi's voice wasn't as smooth as normal; there was a rasp to it. Had Kenshin really hurt him that badly?
Kenshin took a seat next to the mat, silent. Aoshi said nothing. All that could be heard was the birds chirping and the owls hooting and the occasion howl of the wolf. Then:
"Why didn't you kill me?"
Kenshin blinked, but before he could open his mouth, Aoshi continued.
"As I lied awake, feeling my energy draining out of me, I couldn't believe I wasn't dead. Even after what I did to you... even after I tried to take you life... you left me alive..."
Aoshi coughed. He'd said too much at a time. Kenshin's eyes were serious as he looked at the wall. He didn't answer. Aoshi finished coughing and looking over, speaking roughly again.
"Well?"
Kenshin didn't make eye contact. He took a deep breath, then spoke in his smooth tone.
"I was once Battousai the Manslayer, that I was. I could have easily killed you. But I have taken an oath to never kill again, that I have. Instead of killing myself, back at the end of the Revolution, I vowed to never take another life ever again. The other part is that I may live to repent for all those that I killed as a manslayer."
He paused, staring at something on the wall. Aoshi was watching the ceiling, waiting for him to continue and wondering how this applied to his still being alive.
"I thought that by not killing you, you could repent for the lives that you took, just like I am doing now, that I am. Not to mention, Aoshi, that I have vowed not to kill again, that I have."
A heavy silence followed his words. Aoshi was glaring with his cold eyes at the ceiling. Then, almost out of nowhere, he started laughing. Kenshin blinked and looked at him. He didn't see what was funny. Finally Aoshi gasped three words between his raspy laughter.
"Repent-my-ass!"
Then he started coughing. Coughing hard. Like he was going to cough up his lungs. Kenshin was staring at the wall, controlling his anger, controlling his expression, keeping it blank. Finally, Aoshi finished his coughing fit and sighed heavily.
"You can't change who you are, Himura. Even I know that. Battousai the Manslayer will always be a part of you. You can never escape him..."
With that, Aoshi coughed again. Kenshin stood, his eyes shadowed by his long red bangs.
"I mean it, Himura. You are still Hitokiri Battousai. That will never change."
Kenshin said nothing, only walked from the room and into his own.
He was scared.
He could still feel the Battousai in the darker parts of his heart.
And he was hungry... for the satisfaction of killing...
And Kenshin didn't know what to do...
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Kaoru awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside. She laid awake for some time before she remembered what had happened the previous night. She sat up and smiled.
"Kenshin..."
About fifteen minutes later she came out into the front room, dressed and ready to go. Sano stood with Yahiko by the door. Yahiko was holding his sword over his shoulder.
"'Bout time. Let's go!"
Kaoru nodded, and Sano opened the door. The three of them ran otside. Kaoru was grinning ear to ear. That rarely happened anymore. But now...
The only thing on Kaoru's mind was her goal...
Kenshin... We're coming... I'm coming!
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Sorry to break into the story like this, guys, but I got a review from Nakoya Moonwind who claimed that "Kenshin's eyes are NOT blue..." What was she thinking!? Seriously. Watch the anime, chick!! When Kenshin is acting like his cheerful, non-Battousai self, his eyes are friggin' BLUE!! When he's in Battousai form, or when he's in a really, really, really serious fight, his eyes are AMBER. But otherwise, they're BLUE!! I know what I'm talking about people!! *coughs* Also, I want to thank all of you reviewers out there!! Especially: disturbed-demon-gurl, Brittanie Love, whisper*2*imaginary, and Rue no Hime. You guys are AWESOME! Thanks for sticking with me!! I guarantee you a happy ending!! Thank you. ~Kay-chan
Now back to the regularly scheduled fan-fiction: Battousai no Kokoro
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
*
*
*
~04~
*
*
*
Kenshin walked into the ice-cold bedroom. Aoshi was lying on a mat on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Then he noticed Kenshin's presence in the room, he looked over. Misao slid the door shut behind Kenshin, and Kenshin walked slowly up to Aoshi.
"Aoshi."
"Himura."
Aoshi's voice wasn't as smooth as normal; there was a rasp to it. Had Kenshin really hurt him that badly?
Kenshin took a seat next to the mat, silent. Aoshi said nothing. All that could be heard was the birds chirping and the owls hooting and the occasion howl of the wolf. Then:
"Why didn't you kill me?"
Kenshin blinked, but before he could open his mouth, Aoshi continued.
"As I lied awake, feeling my energy draining out of me, I couldn't believe I wasn't dead. Even after what I did to you... even after I tried to take you life... you left me alive..."
Aoshi coughed. He'd said too much at a time. Kenshin's eyes were serious as he looked at the wall. He didn't answer. Aoshi finished coughing and looking over, speaking roughly again.
"Well?"
Kenshin didn't make eye contact. He took a deep breath, then spoke in his smooth tone.
"I was once Battousai the Manslayer, that I was. I could have easily killed you. But I have taken an oath to never kill again, that I have. Instead of killing myself, back at the end of the Revolution, I vowed to never take another life ever again. The other part is that I may live to repent for all those that I killed as a manslayer."
He paused, staring at something on the wall. Aoshi was watching the ceiling, waiting for him to continue and wondering how this applied to his still being alive.
"I thought that by not killing you, you could repent for the lives that you took, just like I am doing now, that I am. Not to mention, Aoshi, that I have vowed not to kill again, that I have."
A heavy silence followed his words. Aoshi was glaring with his cold eyes at the ceiling. Then, almost out of nowhere, he started laughing. Kenshin blinked and looked at him. He didn't see what was funny. Finally Aoshi gasped three words between his raspy laughter.
"Repent-my-ass!"
Then he started coughing. Coughing hard. Like he was going to cough up his lungs. Kenshin was staring at the wall, controlling his anger, controlling his expression, keeping it blank. Finally, Aoshi finished his coughing fit and sighed heavily.
"You can't change who you are, Himura. Even I know that. Battousai the Manslayer will always be a part of you. You can never escape him..."
With that, Aoshi coughed again. Kenshin stood, his eyes shadowed by his long red bangs.
"I mean it, Himura. You are still Hitokiri Battousai. That will never change."
Kenshin said nothing, only walked from the room and into his own.
He was scared.
He could still feel the Battousai in the darker parts of his heart.
And he was hungry... for the satisfaction of killing...
And Kenshin didn't know what to do...
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Kaoru awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside. She laid awake for some time before she remembered what had happened the previous night. She sat up and smiled.
"Kenshin..."
About fifteen minutes later she came out into the front room, dressed and ready to go. Sano stood with Yahiko by the door. Yahiko was holding his sword over his shoulder.
"'Bout time. Let's go!"
Kaoru nodded, and Sano opened the door. The three of them ran otside. Kaoru was grinning ear to ear. That rarely happened anymore. But now...
The only thing on Kaoru's mind was her goal...
Kenshin... We're coming... I'm coming!
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