Chapter Nine
Aisu had walked the street of Kyoto for several weeks now, by day and by night. The legendary killer had not shown himself. She had seen Saitou every day without fail but only in passing. They had not spoken again since the meeting in the shop and he was much colder to her when they passed in the streets. It was clear to her now that Saitou was indeed looking for the Battousai, but for a very different reason. /All I want is to find out who Hitokiri Battousai really is. Saitou wants to kill him. I must find him before Saitou does or risk never finding out.// Aisu's urgency increased with every passing day yet the manslayer remained hidden.
She masked her ki at all times both to conceal herself from Saitou as well as from the Battousai. Shadows were plentiful in Kyoto's narrow streets, yet every shadow was a reason to halt and watch. Disappointment usually followed. There was no one hiding in those shadows. No one was up at this time of day, much less in the drizzling rain that had characterized the last few nights. Just the same Aisu made her nightly rounds. Halting at every shadow as she did now. A coach passed her, the horses' hooves dulled by the splattering of the rain. She waited for it to pass out of sight and glanced around for any sign of movement. There was none, as usual. She leaned against the building that shrouded her in darkness.
Another fruitless night, or was it. Even through the noisy rain was dominant she could hear footsteps somewhere. She could see something now too. A figure was moving from shadow to shadow, following the coach. The silhouette was masking their ki well, a swordsman. Saitou she thought immediately. But Saitou didn't move in one fluid motion like that, nor was the form tall enough. Whoever it was, was of delicate build, definitely not Saitou.
She followed the shadow, which was catching up with the coach quickly. Finally she made her move, running silently past her target stopping a few yards in front of him. The figure had stopped, his face still hidden in shadow. The man's hand rested on the sword at his side, ready to draw at any moment. Neither moved out of the shadows for a long moment. Aisu took the initiative, stepping forward into the light, her silver gray eyes looking where the man's eyes must be. The man also took a step forward; his long fiery hair caught the light and in a moment his narrowed violet eyes met hers. /Himura Kenshin. Kenshin. It is you. How could you.// Thought failed her.
"Who are you?" His voice was threatening. Nothing remained of the innocence she had known.
Aisu gave no answer. Her mind was frozen. Her thoughts were frozen. She could not move a muscle.
"Who are you?" Kenshin's voice was harsher this time, as if he was growing impatient.
/Himura Kenshin. Hitokiri Battousai. No, I won't believe it. and yet.//
"Take your hand away from your sword," he said suddenly taking his battoujutsu stance.
Aisu realized that her hand had come to rest on the hilt of her sword. He had seen that as a threat. /He probably just looks like Himura Kenshin. I'll prove you're not Kenshin. I know Kenshin's fighting style. I'll fight you Battousai and prove you are not Kenshin Himura.// Her mind was screaming, desperate to find an explanation. She took her own battoujutsu stance. The Battousai rushed at her and their blades clashed together, their speed equal. The Battousai retreated a step, only to charge again. Aisu jumped up ready to use the Ryu Tsui Sen. Her blade was hardly thirty centimeters from the Battousai when he blocked it, just like Hiko had stopped Kenshin's attacks when he had trained him. Aisu recovered her balance, landing neatly on her feet. She re-sheathed her sword and rushed at him. He mirrored her. Their blades clattered against each other and a moment later both sheaths had done the same. /He knows the Dou Ryu Sen. Hitokiri Battousai.//
"Hitokiri Battousai," she said softly, out loud this time. "Himura Kenshin."
Kenshin was not the least bit phased by his first name but Aisu thought he sensed uncertainty from him as she mentioned his second name.
"Yes," he said shortly, pausing before he continued "You're style, it's similar to mine."
"No, it's not similar," Aisu said, giving up any pretense of who or what Kenshin had become. "Our styles are exactly the same."
Aisu straightened. There was another ki somewhere close by. It had approached during her brief fight with the Kenshin. Whoever it was, was doing everything to mask his ki. Aisu found its source nonetheless. She stared unblinkingly into the shadow from which she was sure it came. Kenshin seemed to have noticed it too and was looking in the same direction. As her eyes adjusted, she could see the tall figure, Saitou.
"There's no need to hide anymore," Aisu said, annoyed at the fact that she had been looking right into his eyes for the last minute and he still had not moved.
"So I was right after all."
The tall figure stepped out of the shadows coming closer to where she and Kenshin were standing, acting as if they had not found him. Saitou was standing there, wearing the smirk that had haunted her for the last weeks. Anger rose to the surface of her eyes.
"I figured you were hiding something from me when we met back in that shop." He came closer, his smirk unrelenting.
"So, you and the Hitokiri use the same style. Most likely learned it under the same master too." Saitou stopped, a few meters away from her.
"I should thank you for leading me here. As you might have guessed, the Battousai and I have some unfinished business. It's time for you to decide whose side you're on."
"I am on no one's side." Aisu said defiantly, hating him for finding her. Hating him for destroying her first true chance to talk with her fellow apprentice, however disgusting she found his way of life.
"Incorrect." Saitou said in is cold superior tone. "The Battousai and I have a fight to finish and we will finish it now. There is nothing you can do to stop it. After I defeat the Battousai I will deal with you."
"It's not that easy." Aisu said quietly, putting as much menace into her voice as she could muster.
"It is that easy," he replied in the same tone
He stepped past her and faced Kenshin, who had taken his stance as soon as his name was mentioned. Saitou had done likewise. Her anger flared at being pushed aside like an insignificant little girl. She whipped around as fast as she could. In a blur she was standing between the two fighters glaring into Saitou's eyes. Her ki was flaring like her anger. Saitou almost took a step back but caught himself, pulling an amused smirk over his features. The wind was picking up with brutal cold. Aisu's eyes narrowed further. She was about to speak when footsteps resounded in the street. She scanned the direction from which they were coming and heard Saitou curse under his breath. Kenshin, who had remained silent since Saitou had arrived, was looking into the same direction.
"Looks like our meeting has been cut short," Kenshin commented. He gave Saitou a cold stare, receiving one in return. His violet eyes rested briefly on Aisu before he disappeared.
Aisu also started to turn away. She had but a few steps when Saitou spoke behind her.
"You cannot walk a middle path in this age. The Battousai and I are enemies. You cannot be at peace with both of us." He glanced at the pendant he had given her. Aisu followed his eyes, realizing the liquid had turned into the stone. Saitou pulled up another smirk.
"You did it again," he said.
Aisu turned around, likewise disappearing into shadows, leaving Saitou behind.
Aisu had walked the street of Kyoto for several weeks now, by day and by night. The legendary killer had not shown himself. She had seen Saitou every day without fail but only in passing. They had not spoken again since the meeting in the shop and he was much colder to her when they passed in the streets. It was clear to her now that Saitou was indeed looking for the Battousai, but for a very different reason. /All I want is to find out who Hitokiri Battousai really is. Saitou wants to kill him. I must find him before Saitou does or risk never finding out.// Aisu's urgency increased with every passing day yet the manslayer remained hidden.
She masked her ki at all times both to conceal herself from Saitou as well as from the Battousai. Shadows were plentiful in Kyoto's narrow streets, yet every shadow was a reason to halt and watch. Disappointment usually followed. There was no one hiding in those shadows. No one was up at this time of day, much less in the drizzling rain that had characterized the last few nights. Just the same Aisu made her nightly rounds. Halting at every shadow as she did now. A coach passed her, the horses' hooves dulled by the splattering of the rain. She waited for it to pass out of sight and glanced around for any sign of movement. There was none, as usual. She leaned against the building that shrouded her in darkness.
Another fruitless night, or was it. Even through the noisy rain was dominant she could hear footsteps somewhere. She could see something now too. A figure was moving from shadow to shadow, following the coach. The silhouette was masking their ki well, a swordsman. Saitou she thought immediately. But Saitou didn't move in one fluid motion like that, nor was the form tall enough. Whoever it was, was of delicate build, definitely not Saitou.
She followed the shadow, which was catching up with the coach quickly. Finally she made her move, running silently past her target stopping a few yards in front of him. The figure had stopped, his face still hidden in shadow. The man's hand rested on the sword at his side, ready to draw at any moment. Neither moved out of the shadows for a long moment. Aisu took the initiative, stepping forward into the light, her silver gray eyes looking where the man's eyes must be. The man also took a step forward; his long fiery hair caught the light and in a moment his narrowed violet eyes met hers. /Himura Kenshin. Kenshin. It is you. How could you.// Thought failed her.
"Who are you?" His voice was threatening. Nothing remained of the innocence she had known.
Aisu gave no answer. Her mind was frozen. Her thoughts were frozen. She could not move a muscle.
"Who are you?" Kenshin's voice was harsher this time, as if he was growing impatient.
/Himura Kenshin. Hitokiri Battousai. No, I won't believe it. and yet.//
"Take your hand away from your sword," he said suddenly taking his battoujutsu stance.
Aisu realized that her hand had come to rest on the hilt of her sword. He had seen that as a threat. /He probably just looks like Himura Kenshin. I'll prove you're not Kenshin. I know Kenshin's fighting style. I'll fight you Battousai and prove you are not Kenshin Himura.// Her mind was screaming, desperate to find an explanation. She took her own battoujutsu stance. The Battousai rushed at her and their blades clashed together, their speed equal. The Battousai retreated a step, only to charge again. Aisu jumped up ready to use the Ryu Tsui Sen. Her blade was hardly thirty centimeters from the Battousai when he blocked it, just like Hiko had stopped Kenshin's attacks when he had trained him. Aisu recovered her balance, landing neatly on her feet. She re-sheathed her sword and rushed at him. He mirrored her. Their blades clattered against each other and a moment later both sheaths had done the same. /He knows the Dou Ryu Sen. Hitokiri Battousai.//
"Hitokiri Battousai," she said softly, out loud this time. "Himura Kenshin."
Kenshin was not the least bit phased by his first name but Aisu thought he sensed uncertainty from him as she mentioned his second name.
"Yes," he said shortly, pausing before he continued "You're style, it's similar to mine."
"No, it's not similar," Aisu said, giving up any pretense of who or what Kenshin had become. "Our styles are exactly the same."
Aisu straightened. There was another ki somewhere close by. It had approached during her brief fight with the Kenshin. Whoever it was, was doing everything to mask his ki. Aisu found its source nonetheless. She stared unblinkingly into the shadow from which she was sure it came. Kenshin seemed to have noticed it too and was looking in the same direction. As her eyes adjusted, she could see the tall figure, Saitou.
"There's no need to hide anymore," Aisu said, annoyed at the fact that she had been looking right into his eyes for the last minute and he still had not moved.
"So I was right after all."
The tall figure stepped out of the shadows coming closer to where she and Kenshin were standing, acting as if they had not found him. Saitou was standing there, wearing the smirk that had haunted her for the last weeks. Anger rose to the surface of her eyes.
"I figured you were hiding something from me when we met back in that shop." He came closer, his smirk unrelenting.
"So, you and the Hitokiri use the same style. Most likely learned it under the same master too." Saitou stopped, a few meters away from her.
"I should thank you for leading me here. As you might have guessed, the Battousai and I have some unfinished business. It's time for you to decide whose side you're on."
"I am on no one's side." Aisu said defiantly, hating him for finding her. Hating him for destroying her first true chance to talk with her fellow apprentice, however disgusting she found his way of life.
"Incorrect." Saitou said in is cold superior tone. "The Battousai and I have a fight to finish and we will finish it now. There is nothing you can do to stop it. After I defeat the Battousai I will deal with you."
"It's not that easy." Aisu said quietly, putting as much menace into her voice as she could muster.
"It is that easy," he replied in the same tone
He stepped past her and faced Kenshin, who had taken his stance as soon as his name was mentioned. Saitou had done likewise. Her anger flared at being pushed aside like an insignificant little girl. She whipped around as fast as she could. In a blur she was standing between the two fighters glaring into Saitou's eyes. Her ki was flaring like her anger. Saitou almost took a step back but caught himself, pulling an amused smirk over his features. The wind was picking up with brutal cold. Aisu's eyes narrowed further. She was about to speak when footsteps resounded in the street. She scanned the direction from which they were coming and heard Saitou curse under his breath. Kenshin, who had remained silent since Saitou had arrived, was looking into the same direction.
"Looks like our meeting has been cut short," Kenshin commented. He gave Saitou a cold stare, receiving one in return. His violet eyes rested briefly on Aisu before he disappeared.
Aisu also started to turn away. She had but a few steps when Saitou spoke behind her.
"You cannot walk a middle path in this age. The Battousai and I are enemies. You cannot be at peace with both of us." He glanced at the pendant he had given her. Aisu followed his eyes, realizing the liquid had turned into the stone. Saitou pulled up another smirk.
"You did it again," he said.
Aisu turned around, likewise disappearing into shadows, leaving Saitou behind.