Hello, it's me again. Sorry for the delay. As you know English isn't my native language, I had to spend double of time to write this fic out. So if you have any comment, feel free to tell me. Constructive comments are most welcome!
Warning: Have I mentioned this fic is heavily DARK, ANGST, not to mention OOC before? *nodding head* No? Well you're warned now. And good (?) news here! This fic would change rate from PG13 to R, immediately. Amazing, isn't it? Well I sometimes impress on myself with my fickle mind. Ok, that's all. On with the story!
The Predestination
Chapter2 The Fire
"Nice to meet you," she bowed, in her usual slow tone. "I'm Kamiya Kaoru, the younger daughter of the Kamiya family. Kamiya Megumi is my elder sister."
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"Ah, indeed, now I remember you. You're the other Kamiya girl, who have never left your house for once in your life. It's said that you was born with some unnamed disease, there were no doctors could do anything about it." Said the old man excitedly.
"Yes, that's me. Ojisan really has good memory." Kaoru smiled, clear eyes twinkling.
Complimented by such a warm voice was the first time for the old beggar, he couldn't help but square his shoulder proudly and look straight to Kaoru. While trying hard to widen his long-abandoned eyes and get a better look of her, the blinding sunlight projected from the back of Kaoru made him feel dizzy. Therefore, he didn't know if it's his eyes playing trick on him or else, but this Miss Kaoru, bathed in the sunlight with such a sincere smile, is really familiar…
"I really don't get it," said Kenshin indifferently, shattered the old man's musing. "if your family have done so much charity, why would you have such a disease? Don't they say 'There is justice in this world.'?"
Hearing this, Kaoru merely smiled again. Instead of answering, she turned her head to Yoko, "Take this ojisan to Megumi-nechan, I'll see you around."
"But…"Yoko's protest was stopped by Kaoru's stern gaze. Her young miss could be really stubborn sometimes.
"Alright, you old beggar, let's let Miss Megumi see if she could do anything for you." While taking the old man form Kenshin, Yoko murmured indignantly. Ohhh, that smell.
After watching them stumbling away, Kaoru refocused her gaze on Kenshin. "Could you show me the way in? I'm sorry I don't know how to address you."
"Himura." Kenshin grunted. Without further explanation, he turned to walk towards the temple.
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They walked through corridors in silence until Kenshin decided to speak,
"You still haven't answered my question." his eyes looking straight in front of him.
"I don't think my illness is some kind of punishment, if that's what you meant." Kaoru replied calmly.
"And neither my family's help towards those in need was done expecting any return."
There she goes again. From the moment he saw her, she is always like this.
No asking, no complaining. Is she really that satisfied with what she has?
Without warning, he whirled around sharply, startling Kaoru.
"Do you want to know what I think of your family? I think your family are all hypocrites," He started shortening the distance between them, leaving Kaoru no choice but step back until her back was pushed against the wall. Disgusting, disgusting! What would a girl who has never left her little shelter know? Who does she think she is?
"Since your great sister is a deity, why hasn't she tried to cure your nameless disease?" By now, his face was only several centimeters away from Kaoru's. His nostrils were filled with the smell of herbal medicine. Seeing the expression of Kaoru's eyes became uncertain for the first time, Kenshin grinned, satisfied.
What is this throbbing pain in her head? She was sure she didn't feel it until she arrive this temple.
Now the drumming in her head seemed dramatically unbearable with Kenshin's nearness. She was only standing by her will.
"Himura kun, I believe you've heard the ojisan's words. I was born with this disease." She answered weakly. "Every one has his own destiny. If it's god's wish that I have this disease, then I have to accept it."
Hearing this, Kenshin's grin disappeared without a trace. He couldn't help but grab her wrist with a brutal force, earning a whimper from Kaoru. "Destiny you said? Do you know why I have to stay this temple? It's all because one good-for-nothing fortune teller said that I was the demon reincarnate, that I would eventually kill everyone." At this, he increased the force of his grasp. "And my ignorant parents who were originally shocked by this," he raised a lock of his hair. "actually believed that wretched fraud's words." He chuckled, but there was no mirth in his eyes. "After that they couldn't stand the pressure from their neighborhood anymore, so they decided to kill me instead." He smiled bitterly at Kaoru's surprised gasp.
He could still remember that night clearly, the jumping light of firebrands held by people around him; the wild look on his father's face; and the tear-streaked one of his mother's. He closed his eyes painfully. "Is it my destiny to be imprisoned in this damn temple? Is it my destiny to be betrayed by my own parents? Do I have to accept all this bunch of shit? Do I? Do I?!" Damn this woman! Ever since she showed up, all seeds of evil intention inside of him seemed have been activated by their own. And now he even told her his long-forgotten past which he had buried deep inside of his memory.
While looming over her, Kenshin's face was surround with the shadow. Only a bundle of faint sunlight cast on his left cheek, emphasizing the scar.
He…has been betrayed by his own parents? Maybe that's why he has become so cynical. And this scar…she held out her free hand, touching Kenshin's cheek feather lightly making him stiffened. must be the evidence of that tragedy. "This must hurt you very much." Unwittingly, she breathed out those words.
"Hurt?" Kenshin laughed hoarsely. "what do you know about hurt? You never really see how dirty this world is." And he has seen so much, the betrayal of his own blood, the dirty business of this temple's monks. They think their little dirty tricks were really that seamless? That because of the abbot had taken him, the demon incarnate in, no one would notice they were making opium under cover? Well, let's just say he couldn't just let his life pass him by uselessly in this backyard. That's why he especially hates those whose deeds don't accord with their words. That's why the existence of this woman only gets on his nerves.
"The way you felt hatred is natural," Kaoru spoke breathlessly. "Being a human, it's natural to have such emotions. But you could change. You don't have to be plagued by the miserable memory for the rest of your life."
"Change? Now you really sound like a naïve girl. Don't you understand? They don't care how I behave. It's my existence they want to deny. They don't want me at the first place."
He has seen Megumi the deity once from a distance. By then, he only felt disgusted by the crowd that worshiped her. But now he really wants to ruin this girl in front of him.
"You know what? Compared with your great sister, I think you're more like the deity." he narrowed his eyes dangerously. "What do you think people would say if I take the deity's virginity right now, right here?" Golden pupils shone eerily in the shadow. "Let's see if you could still be that content with your lot." He tore Kaoru's veil violently and tossed it away, revealing a pale face. Due to Kaoru's poor health, it's hard to tell whether she is pretty or not. Even if she is, her emaciated look had lessened her beauty quite pitilessly. The only feature on her face that could be called pretty was the pair of her eyes. They were deep and doe-like, bespeaking her wit and innocence.
He isn't that inexperienced as most would think. He has seduced several females who came to this temple to pay their respects. He was meant to let them see, let all of them see how this abandoned sinner could destroy this "sacred" place of Buddha. Dipping his head, he ruthlessly ravished Kaoru's lips, and then stopped, grinning at her helpless wide eyes. While staring down on her, he noticed her face was coated with cold sweat. Her face was so pale that it became tinged with slight green.
How would he want this kind of woman?
But he just couldn't stop himself. Her lips were tender and sweet that left him in a trance. One of his hands snaked inside her clothes, tasting her soft and smooth skin. The other one remained holding both of her wrists between their bodies. Her unique scent of damsel made him lost, arousing his desire. Now he really wants her.
Even if she is only a sick woman!
Pinned against wall, Kaoru could do nothing but use her wrists, which were the only obstacle between their scandalously close bodies, to push him uselessly. Kenshin's aura hung around her heavily, leaving her no space to breathe.
The drumming pain in her head seemed to spread around her body, making her vision blurry. Just when she thought she would pass out, Kenshin was suddenly hit by the head. Unprepared for this, he could do nothing but fell on her body powerlessly.
"Well, well, lookie here. Two little lovebirds are making out. Haven't your parents told you that it's no good to do such dirty things in temples?" one burly man who carried a giant sword on his shoulder sneered, several his fellows roared with laughter. Then the boy's body was kicked mercilessly aside.
Kaoru was stunned at first. She couldn't quite react to the change of events. These muscular men were all armed with weapons. Their faces were covered with dust like they were just returned from a long journey.
"It's a girl." One of them pointed out, sizing Kaoru up, then he frowned at her sick look. "She looks… ok. How come she's thinner than a bamboo?" he made an attempt to grab Kaoru's arm. This brought her to the reality. She dodged the man's hairy hand quickly and burst out a fit of violent coughing.
"You…" she dodged again, moving to Kenshin's side. His head had been broken. Blood was running from the wound. She hurried to press at the wound with her sleeve, making the fine cloth soaked with blood immediately. "What do you want?" Ashen faced, Kaoru managed to squeeze out those words. Her body couldn't stop the trembling from the shock.
"Look at her. Aren't you afraid she has some noxious disease?" the man who spoke first stopped others who still hadn't given up. "Go to find the deity! Burn this temple down. No witness would be left! As to this boy…dump him to the well." The men yelled approval and then sprinted to action.
Kaoru watched horrified at them. She screamed without thinking, "Help! Somebody h…" she was stopped by being knocked to the wall. A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. In her blurry vision, she noticed Kenshin's being dragged like a rag to the well. "Himura kun!" she cried, rushing to the well to hold his hand in the last minute, stopping his unconscious body from falling. Even if he had just been… "impolite" to her, still he shouldn't be treated like this.
"Why are you doing this? Has this temple's people done something offend you? Why do you want to kill them?" she spoke, a trace of anger in her voice. She sensed a light burning smell, and knew those men had started the mission. What could she do to protect people from getting hurt?
She felt scared as well as angry. Angry at herself has never left her house. Now she couldn't think of anything to save this young monk.
"Why? Because I feel happy to do this, of course." He gazed at Kaoru, speaking at ease. His fellow have all scattered around leaving him here. He suddenly felt an urge to tease this fragile girl. Glancing at Kenshin, he was reminded that there was once said a boy who is the demon incarnate lived in the temple. "If he's the demon incarnate then what am I? The king of Hell?" He muttered.
His gaze suddenly hardened, cutting his giant sword into the well, he bellowed out at Kaoru. "I'm telling you, little missy. The kind of person I hate most in my life is someone like you. I didn't come here to hear your lecture." Here he lowered his voice, "however, I could offer you a deal here: if you let go of this boy's hand, I'll spare you a life. Otherwise, you'll both be dead. What do you say about it?"
"No! I'll never let go!" Baffled by the man should offer this kind of deal, despite the fact that she was gradually being dragged into the well as well, Kaoru spoke in a trembling voice, "How could you be happy by killing people? They're human like you! Do you know how many people would be sad if you kill just one?"
"Shut up! Living in this world you only have two choices, either kill others or be killed. If you have question with that, then come to kill me first! I'll ask you one last time: you let go or not? If you don't then I have to cut your hands down!"
Shaking her head vigorously, Kaoru uttered nothing but increase her hold on Kenshin, her knuckles turning white.
The man suddenly smirked, "Ow, isn't our little missy afraid here? Don't you worry, after cutting yours down, I'll cut your little boyfriend's as well. So that you won't be able hold hands even in the hell, ha ha ha…"
Biting her lower lips, Kaoru fought back her tears. She was indeed a little afraid, afraid that she wouldn't be able hold Kenshin there once her hands got cut down.
The man's laughter finally died down, and Kaoru closed her eyes as she saw the sword being lifted and swung towards her hands…
With only a blink, the young boy hang by the well suddenly leapt out borrowing Kaoru's forces, pushing her away with another the hand in the process.
Kaoru gasped, being pushed to the ground. She raised her head, watched Kenshin uncertainly.
Kenshin paid her no heed. He just stared the burly man coldly. A new bloody scar on his left cheek completed a cross. "I owe you nothing now, woman. Get out of here as soon as you can."
He didn't lose his consciousness completely in the past several minutes. He just lost his strength temporarily. If it weren't for Kaoru, he would've fallen to the hard bottom of the well. He owed her this once.
"I wouldn't care even if you want to kill all the monks in this temple, but you shouldn't kill me." Like a wounded beast, he wiped the blood on his cheek away. His golden eyes never left the man's. "now it's time to pay back your mistake."
The man was shocked at first, but he quickly gathered his wits and swung the sword at him. Kenshin stood right there, kicking up an axe left by other bandits. Without dodging, he let the sword cut into his shoulder at the same time as the axe split the burly man in half.
"No!" Kaoru cried, but covered her mouth in time stopping herself from vomiting.
"Are you afraid? He was right. It's either you kill or be killed. Does it disgust you? Then go ahead, throw your heart out. See if your conscience along could let you live." He stared at her. It was hard to tell whose blood was on his face.
She returned his gaze with teary one. Her whole body was trembling like a leaf in the wind.
He narrowed his eyes, "why did you save me? You could just let go of me."
"I…Every one would do the same thing under that circumstance."
"Even if it wasn't me you were saving?"
"Yes…"
"Damn it!" he spat out angrily. He was angry at himself. Why did he even want to ask her! "What are you still staying here for? Do you want to be burned to death?"
"Burn…the people!" she called out, struggling to stand up.
"You want to save those people? By you?" he asked her incredulously. While contemplating her words, he got angrier and angrier. What she really meant was that whoever got into this kind of situation, she would save him none the less.
Just then, he had fantasized that she would save him because it was "him". Never in his fifteen-year life had he met someone who would go this far for him. But to her, it's all the same. For him, she would throw her life away; for others, she would do it anyway. Such a theory made him upset with no reason.
"Watch out!" he suddenly yelled, throwing the axe, slashing a bandit running towards her.
She gasped, watching the man twitch one last time.
"How do you save those people? You would only get killed once you got in."
"I…" she couldn't retort. Now she really hates herself for having undergone no martial training before.
"I could save them for you." Kenshin suddenly said, gazing at her calmly. "But only on one condition."
"Which is?" she asked breathlessly, looking at him with wide eyes.
"You must promise to give your life to me. Wherever and whenever it would be, once I order, you'll have to come with me." He held her gaze, the intensity in his eyes was frightening.
It was only a moment before she nodded firmly, "Hai. I promise you."
Kenshin couldn't help but sneered at her response. "Is it so called the 'benevolence'? Then you indeed bring it into full play. You could die for anyone, promise anything." He grabbed her wrist. "Follow me. If you still want to walk out this fire safely, you'd better stay with me. Now I want you to watch closely. This would be the first and the last good deed I'd do in my life. Only for you, Kamiya Kaoru. From now on, your life is mine." With that, he pulled her into the burning hall.
In that troubled year, he was fifteen, and she was fourteen. Unbeknownst to them, two people who never in their life could have any connection with each other had crossed their path from that fateful moment.
TBC
Special thanks: H.E.R., marstanuki, omochi, Val, Sabrina-star, Chiki, Chiruken, Leigh, Rekka's Angel, Emerald Eyes, thank you for all the support you gave me. You guys are the best! *hugs*
Chiki-chan, you wouldn't mind if you let me know your e-mail? I'll tell you more about myself. ^_^
