The Immortal Manslayer
Chapter One: Remembrance
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Tokyo, Present Day
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
In a small, old cemetery on the outskirts of the modern metropolis known as Tokyo, a man much older than he looked stood motionless at one grave in particular. Though it was late November and light shower of snow was softly falling on him, he paid it no attention as he was off in his own world of remorse. His long red hair flowed with the slight breeze passing over him as he stared intently at the name carved into the headstone:
Kaoru Kamiya
"Miss Kaoru," he whispered. "How long as it been now? Almost 140 years. I truly miss you, that I do. And not a day goes by that I don't regret not telling you that I..."
He paused and closed his eyes. Even now, even after all this time he still had trouble saying those words. Back then it was simple embarrassment that kept him from saying them. As silly as it sounded, the legendary manslayer was embarrassed to tell beautiful young woman that he cared for her. He hid that fact well enough and explained it to the others that he was simply afraid of letting her get too close to him for fear that some old enemy would come back and use her to his advantage. Which had actually happened once. It was something he still blamed himself for even though Kaoru and the others had tried to convince him it wasn't his fault. Still, if only he had kept his guard up. If only he had-
He shook his head to chase those thoughts away. This was not the time nor place for those thoughts. This was a place for reflection and remembering the better parts of his former life. It was a place where he could find happiness in those old memories as he struggled in his "new" prolonged life. A life now almost completely dominated by the violence and bloodshed he had longed to escape.
But here, here he could find respite from those fights, for indeed none of the enemies tracking him now could attack on this holy ground, and relive those peaceful days. Well...peaceful for the most part. There were some moments where he had to return to fighting, but it was only to protect the weak. But in those moments in between the fighting, those were the moments he would treasure forever. Those long, lazy days with everyone from the dojo. Miss Kaoru of course, along with Sano, Yahiko, Dr. Gensai, Suzame and Ayame, and Miss Megumi. They had all been his close friends. Friends he never thought an old manslayer and wanderer like himself would never have. Of course they were also the reason he would never admit to his embarrassment about telling Miss Kaoru about his feelings because he knew Sano and Yahiko would never let him live it down.
He chuckled softly as images of those two taunting him sprang into his mind. Although had it actually happened, he knew it wouldn't be very funny for him, but looking at it now and knowing he would never see them again made it funny for him in some morbid way. Perhaps it was because that was all he had left of them now, his thoughts and memories. He had made plenty of friends over the last decade, hell century, but they would always be the most dear to his heart. And what kept him going in his new life was the thought that somehow, someday he would be reunited with them.
"Someday. And perhaps someday I'll finally be able to express my feelings to you," he told the headstone.
He stared at it a few moments longer. The white snow that had accumulated on and near it somehow seemed appropriates it. It was soft and gentle for now but in an instant it could whip itself up into a raging storm. Kind of like her. Another smile spread across his face at that, knowing that if she where to hear that statement it would surely earn him a smack on his heard from her bokken. He closed his eyes and gave a small prayer for her and the others before turning to walk out of the cemetery.
As he exited the sacred land he felt an all too familiar tingling sensation at the base of his skull. Normally he would bring his guard up and get ready to draw his sword from the duffle bag he usually carried with him, but there was no danger this time, he knew who it was. It was the same man that had driven him here countless times in the past. A man who had become his new mentor and a close companion. He looked towards the short, black haired man as he approached his car.
"You ready?" He asked, leaning against his car.
"Yes," the red haired one answered as he walked over to the passenger side.
"Kenshin," his friend spoke up, gaining his attention. "You can't keep doing this. Eventually you have to let this go."
"I can't," the former manslayer replied, lowering his head. "They were all too special for me to just forget them."
"I'm not saying that, hell that's what keeps some of us sane. I'm saying you can't keep coming up here year after year. It's not healthy."
"Are any of the lives we lead healthy?"
His companion gave him an incredulous look. He really hated it when Kenshin was right.
"Just get in the car," he said, slipping into the driver's side.
Kenshin repeated the action for the passenger's side and fastening his seatbelt the car sped away from the cemetery. He watched the scenery pass by as they headed into the city. It was certainly not the Tokyo he remembered. This Tokyo was full of large skyscrapers, cars, stores both large and small, and huge billboards selling several different kinds of products. Yes it was vastly different from the city he used to call home. But such was the nature of progress. Though he had already seen so much progress made in the ten years after the revolution ended, he never in his wildest dreams imagined he'd see something like this.
He tore his gaze away from the passing scenry to again study the man driving the car. Henry Fitzgerald. The man he felt in some way led to his new long lasting life. He knew it wasn't directly, and Kenshin never blamed him one bit, but it was after he had met Henry and learned of war between immortals going on around that his life seemed to change drastically. At first he thought that the idea of men and women fighting for each other for countless centuries was farfetched but after witnessing a quickening first hand, he had no choice but to believe it. Then he felt an unbridled sorrow for Henry and his kind. He had spent most of his short life fighting and he knew what that could do to someone. Having to fight for your very life potentially forever was something he couldn't even begin to imagine. Of course that was before his life actually DID change, so very long ago...
***
Disclaimer: I own neither the Rurouni Kenshin nor Highlander. They are own by their respective companies and creators.
Author's Notes: As stated above this is a crossover between Kenshin and Highlander. I didn't want to start it off like this, but I was in the mood to write something small and this scene just called to me. So here it is. There will be a follow up chapter to it that explains the thing set up in this one, but as for WHEN exactly...I dunno. I have about three other fics going on right now as well as school and work so that puts a serious crimp in my writing time. So just look for it...whenever...
Chapter One: Remembrance
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Tokyo, Present Day
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
In a small, old cemetery on the outskirts of the modern metropolis known as Tokyo, a man much older than he looked stood motionless at one grave in particular. Though it was late November and light shower of snow was softly falling on him, he paid it no attention as he was off in his own world of remorse. His long red hair flowed with the slight breeze passing over him as he stared intently at the name carved into the headstone:
Kaoru Kamiya
"Miss Kaoru," he whispered. "How long as it been now? Almost 140 years. I truly miss you, that I do. And not a day goes by that I don't regret not telling you that I..."
He paused and closed his eyes. Even now, even after all this time he still had trouble saying those words. Back then it was simple embarrassment that kept him from saying them. As silly as it sounded, the legendary manslayer was embarrassed to tell beautiful young woman that he cared for her. He hid that fact well enough and explained it to the others that he was simply afraid of letting her get too close to him for fear that some old enemy would come back and use her to his advantage. Which had actually happened once. It was something he still blamed himself for even though Kaoru and the others had tried to convince him it wasn't his fault. Still, if only he had kept his guard up. If only he had-
He shook his head to chase those thoughts away. This was not the time nor place for those thoughts. This was a place for reflection and remembering the better parts of his former life. It was a place where he could find happiness in those old memories as he struggled in his "new" prolonged life. A life now almost completely dominated by the violence and bloodshed he had longed to escape.
But here, here he could find respite from those fights, for indeed none of the enemies tracking him now could attack on this holy ground, and relive those peaceful days. Well...peaceful for the most part. There were some moments where he had to return to fighting, but it was only to protect the weak. But in those moments in between the fighting, those were the moments he would treasure forever. Those long, lazy days with everyone from the dojo. Miss Kaoru of course, along with Sano, Yahiko, Dr. Gensai, Suzame and Ayame, and Miss Megumi. They had all been his close friends. Friends he never thought an old manslayer and wanderer like himself would never have. Of course they were also the reason he would never admit to his embarrassment about telling Miss Kaoru about his feelings because he knew Sano and Yahiko would never let him live it down.
He chuckled softly as images of those two taunting him sprang into his mind. Although had it actually happened, he knew it wouldn't be very funny for him, but looking at it now and knowing he would never see them again made it funny for him in some morbid way. Perhaps it was because that was all he had left of them now, his thoughts and memories. He had made plenty of friends over the last decade, hell century, but they would always be the most dear to his heart. And what kept him going in his new life was the thought that somehow, someday he would be reunited with them.
"Someday. And perhaps someday I'll finally be able to express my feelings to you," he told the headstone.
He stared at it a few moments longer. The white snow that had accumulated on and near it somehow seemed appropriates it. It was soft and gentle for now but in an instant it could whip itself up into a raging storm. Kind of like her. Another smile spread across his face at that, knowing that if she where to hear that statement it would surely earn him a smack on his heard from her bokken. He closed his eyes and gave a small prayer for her and the others before turning to walk out of the cemetery.
As he exited the sacred land he felt an all too familiar tingling sensation at the base of his skull. Normally he would bring his guard up and get ready to draw his sword from the duffle bag he usually carried with him, but there was no danger this time, he knew who it was. It was the same man that had driven him here countless times in the past. A man who had become his new mentor and a close companion. He looked towards the short, black haired man as he approached his car.
"You ready?" He asked, leaning against his car.
"Yes," the red haired one answered as he walked over to the passenger side.
"Kenshin," his friend spoke up, gaining his attention. "You can't keep doing this. Eventually you have to let this go."
"I can't," the former manslayer replied, lowering his head. "They were all too special for me to just forget them."
"I'm not saying that, hell that's what keeps some of us sane. I'm saying you can't keep coming up here year after year. It's not healthy."
"Are any of the lives we lead healthy?"
His companion gave him an incredulous look. He really hated it when Kenshin was right.
"Just get in the car," he said, slipping into the driver's side.
Kenshin repeated the action for the passenger's side and fastening his seatbelt the car sped away from the cemetery. He watched the scenery pass by as they headed into the city. It was certainly not the Tokyo he remembered. This Tokyo was full of large skyscrapers, cars, stores both large and small, and huge billboards selling several different kinds of products. Yes it was vastly different from the city he used to call home. But such was the nature of progress. Though he had already seen so much progress made in the ten years after the revolution ended, he never in his wildest dreams imagined he'd see something like this.
He tore his gaze away from the passing scenry to again study the man driving the car. Henry Fitzgerald. The man he felt in some way led to his new long lasting life. He knew it wasn't directly, and Kenshin never blamed him one bit, but it was after he had met Henry and learned of war between immortals going on around that his life seemed to change drastically. At first he thought that the idea of men and women fighting for each other for countless centuries was farfetched but after witnessing a quickening first hand, he had no choice but to believe it. Then he felt an unbridled sorrow for Henry and his kind. He had spent most of his short life fighting and he knew what that could do to someone. Having to fight for your very life potentially forever was something he couldn't even begin to imagine. Of course that was before his life actually DID change, so very long ago...
***
Disclaimer: I own neither the Rurouni Kenshin nor Highlander. They are own by their respective companies and creators.
Author's Notes: As stated above this is a crossover between Kenshin and Highlander. I didn't want to start it off like this, but I was in the mood to write something small and this scene just called to me. So here it is. There will be a follow up chapter to it that explains the thing set up in this one, but as for WHEN exactly...I dunno. I have about three other fics going on right now as well as school and work so that puts a serious crimp in my writing time. So just look for it...whenever...