The Devil's Workshop
MysticShadowWanderer
Disclaimer: OH HOW THE DISCLAIMING SHALL RENDER OUR SOULS COLD AND TORN UPON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE IN WHICH WE CANNOT OWN ANY OF THE ANIME/MANGA WHICH WE WRITE ABOUT AND FOR WHICH WE LIVE! OH THE CRUEL INJUSTICE OF IT ALL! OH WHAT A WORLD IT IS WE LIVE IN WHEN A FAN CANNOT WRITE A SIMPLE STORY WITHOUT HAVING TO POST A DISCLAIMER FOR FEAR OF LEGAL ACTION AGAINST OUR VERY... uh... erm... damn...
*****
Chapter Four: Equilibrium
Again Battousai was first to rise in the morning, and went for a walk along the river. It seemed to be quickly becoming his choice place to go to do any thinking that might be necessary. And there was a lot on his mind this morning. He had opened up to Kaoru, even if only a bit, and that was more than just slightly disconcerting to him. How could he regain the upper hand in the situation? His pace was slow as he watched the water swirl and rush away from him, lapping gently at the banks with the extra height it had gained from the previous night's rainfall. Clasping his arms behind his back, he wondered about the girl. He had to admit that he liked her personality, stubbornness aside. The way she confronted him was intriguing and the way she shrank in fear when his voice rose was arousing to him like it never had been with any other woman. He was coming to the realization, if at an extremely belated pace, that she meant at least a little more to him than the others, and there were more than a few others.
"Damn semi-mortality, damn it to hell!" he exclaimed aloud. "Whatever god put these fucking restrictions on us should be condemned to an eternity in the seventh level of hell. No. The punishment should be worse, if that's at all possible."
With his violent proclamation, he fell silent again, trying to decipher his emotions so that he might find a way to get around them and be freed. He didn't want to love and need, all he wanted was hate, power, and blood. But it seemed that the gods had a twisted sense of humor and had destined him to be bound to this worthless mortal. And he was helpless to stop it if he didn't do something soon.
'I suppose I could just kill her,' he mused. 'That would make things easier. Is there a punishment for that?' He searched his memory for a few minutes. 'I don't think there is. Best I should kill her and disregard the notion of fucking her, it might complicate things further.'
Thus he made up his mind. Kamiya Kaoru would become another one of the countless victims of his blade. He already knew the flavor of her blood, from last night, and he smiled at the thought of having much more than just that small taste.
***
When Kaoru didn't hear Battousai moving about, she assumed he had gone off on his own again, and set about fixing breakfast for the both of them. A frown rose to her face, she knew what others said about her cooking, and, truthfully, she could never her bring herself to eat much of it herself. She really couldn't blame them.
But today she had to cook something at least edible, she was cooking for not only herself, but Battousai as well. She closed her eyes for a moment, as if mentally steeling herself for some great battle. When it was her in the kitchen, that was more than likely what it would turn out to be. With an ominous gulp, she warily began the preparations for a meal that would at least not be turned to charcoal. Hopefully.
***
About half an hour later, Battousai returned. Sniffing the air, he easily caught the scent of tea and something that was really unidentifiable, but that smelled like smoke and fire. He grinned caustically, apparently Kaoru had tried to fix breakfast and had failed miserably. He shrugged to himself, it wasn't as if he would have eaten either way, he didn't like breakfast much. Tea would suit him fine.
'If she didn't manage to ruin that as well.'
He entered the kitchen and couldn't help but chuckle. Kaoru sat on the floor despondently, and covered in soot. It looked as if she'd engaged in an epic battle with the stove, and lost horribly. Being a hitokiri and having resumed his cool exterior, he of course didn't offer her any help, and simply poured himself a cup of tea and sipped it, watching her over the with his eyebrows raised.
"Don't you say a word." She glared at him.
"And you're going to stop me?" he asked mockingly. "How?"
That was the last thing she needed to hear at the moment, and she finally snapped. She stood, heat rushing furiously to her face, and began yelling at him. For a moment he didn't respond, being shocked that she would even dare stand up to him. Then, as if in slow motion, he carelessly dropped his cup to the floor where it shattered, and moved toward her. Her eyes widened when he gripped her by the shoulders and shook her roughly.
"That." He accented himself with another snap of his wrists and jarring of her body. "Is quite enough. If you speak to me like that again, I will not be responsible for my actions." To prove his point, he let go of her, and brought the back of his hand across her face forcefully, sending her sprawling across the floor.
Pushing herself to a half sitting position, weight supported by her hands, Kaoru peered up at Battousai from beneath the black curtain that her now loose hair made about her. This time she didn't attempt to hold back the tears that rose to her eyes, and let them stream freely down her cheeks, leaving damp tracks that marred the perfection of her porcelain skin. Battousai kept himself from cringing at this, and growled at the urge to wipe the tears away. She was a mere human, after all, he was above this petty emotion. In half awe, half terror, Kaoru watched him leave the room, and leave a notch in her doorframe with his katana so quickly that she had no time to utter even a feeble protest. She didn't know where he was going, but at this point she no longer cared.
"I wanted to help you Kenshin!" she yelled after him.
Outside the dojo, Battousai paused mid-step. He didn't turn around or say a word in return, but he heard her remark, and it brought pain to his heart. 'Himura Kenshin... Himura Battousai... Hitokiri Battousai,' he thought, carefully considering each of the names he'd been given over the centuries. He dared not even think of the first, but automatically began with Himura Kenshin. 'So many names, each less familiar than the one before it. Whatever part of me that was mortal has long since been denied and slaughtered. And it wasn't my fault. It was never my fault.' Quietly, so low that Kaoru hadn't even a chance of hearing him, he let himself speak aloud, "It isn't my fault."
***
Battousai stayed out all day and late into the evening, leaving Kaoru to herself to think. It appeared to be too late to help him, especially if he refused to be helped, but she was not one to give up so easily.
'What about the man that first came here, the polite one? If he can act the part so well, does that mean that somewhere, deep inside him, that this persona lives? Is that possible?'
Being so young, she wasn't sure of any of these things, she hadn't lived long enough to know the truth about human nature, although she was naturally more observant than most women her age. There was no way that she could blame herself for that, and decided that she would just have to do everything possible to get Battousai to trust her. Could he trust?
This question plagued her mind as she made her way to the bathhouse and began to heat the water. 'Can a hitokiri trust? And what about one that isn't mortal? It seems that those two things combined would make for a man who trusted no one. I just can't win.' She sighed as she slipped into the water, ducking her head under to feel the warmth completely engulf her. It made her wonder what it would be like to be surrounded by the warmth that was Battousai. The thoughts shamed her momentarily, but then she closed her eyes and gave herself up to such wanton fantasies. Was she or was she not seventeen and able to care for herself?
Suddenly she bolted up, having forgotten to breathe, and having remembered just exactly where she was. The bathhouse, wouldn't it be only too easy for him to walk in and find her there? This was obvious, so obvious that she wondered if she had chosen this time to bathe , about when he would most likely be returning, simply because of that fact. Did she indeed wish to be caught? It took some more consideration when that thought arose. She laid her head back and shut her eyes in frustration, this man was too confusing for her, and she wasn't sure what the emotions that were tearing through her should be labeled as. Never had she been this bewildered by anything, she knew swordsmanship and how to get by on her own, not about something as frivolous as what could possibly be love. Had she loved him all along, then? Did she love him now? She couldn't be sure, but she had the feeling that if she weren't in love, she easily could become so. There was just something about him, something she couldn't put her finger on, that tempted her to play a dangerous game with him. It was likely that no woman had ever stood up to him the way she had. That made her frown, she still wasn't sure why she put her life at risk like she did with him, it made no sense. The only explanation was that there was something different about Hitokiri Battousai.
***
Battousai heard Kaoru taking her bath that evening, but ignored the urge to go in and join her. It would only create more confusion, and that was the last thing he needed. If he felt he had to have her, he could wait until she was dead, it wouldn't make any difference.
When the moon rose over the quietly slumbering city, the snow began to fall, lightly at first, and then with increasing intensity. Battousai scowled, he hated the snow. So white and clean, it taunted him with what he could never have again, what some days he thought it might be nice to be in possession of. Purity. Innocence. Happiness. All things that he might like at some point, but were forbidden to him.
Slinking down the hall, he entered Kaoru's room, katana already in hand. He had early on decided that he might as well do the deed while she slept, it was his way of showing what little gratitude he had towards her. After all, she had let him stay in her home. The least he could do was kill her painlessly.
The moonlight that seemed to be so familiar to him glinted of the shining blade as he stepped to her futon and raised it above his head. He grinned at his own actions, trying to remember when he had become this dramatic. As he swung the blade down, Kaoru's eyes snapped open and she reflexively rolled to the side, his katana just barely nicking the flesh of her shoulder. It was enough to sting and draw blood, but she'd gotten more serious wounds in her life, largely from over-sharp kitchen knives.
"Not the first time this has happened, darling, or are you just that well trained?" Battousai asked lazily.
Kaoru said nothing and stood quickly, trying her best to compose herself and get into some sort of defensive stance. But she had no bokken with her, and she knew that against the Battousai she would stand no chance anyhow. This was the man of legends, the hitokiri who cast fear upon the hearts of the strongest and bravest of men. She was surely doomed to die.
Battousai stalked her movements easily, as if he were toying with her; the cat playing with its mouse before it finally killed it. Kaoru swallowed hard, the man truly was a demon. He was closing in on her; she backed up until she hit the wall. There she stood, trembling, as he took his time in walking to stand in front of her and hold his katana to her throat, the deadly sharp end grazing the soft flesh there.
"It's sad, really, that this is how it had to end, beautiful," he said with a careless smile.
"You bastard," she hissed. His smile widened. "You heartless son of a bitch. I thought you were different, but you're a demon. Just like they said."
"Too bad, isn't it?" he said with a dark stare.
"Kill me then." It was taking all the courage she had in her weakening body, but this was the only chance she had left. "If it makes you feel better about yourself, kill me."
"Gladly." He moved his katana forward slightly, blood beginning to bead at the base of her throat.
"Hitokiri Battousai deserves no farewell, however... Sayonara, Himura Kenshin."
Battousai paused, katana ready to spill her lifeblood, and Kaoru stood dead still against the wall. The room hung in a delicate balance between life and death.
*****
A/N: And you thought my last cliffhanger was evil. BHAHAHHA! Seriously, I sit here and write saying "Ok, how can I piss 'em off this time?" I don't know why you guys read this stuff anymore, besides the fact that I never tell you what's going on! NOW YOU SEE MY MIND! MY CRUEL AND HIDEOUS PLOT IS UNVEILED! :manaical laughter::cough: Ok. Now that I've settled that, I'm going to turn on hide's (or Hyde's, whichever you prefer) New Day's Dawn and jam (sort of) while responding to all my reviewers. I luff you guys! I was going to put them in alphabetical order when I realized "whoa! that takes effort!" so here they are in order of review date. Go ahead, scroll down.
nobody: I apologize if Kaoru's being OOC bothers you, gomen nasai. Well... not really. ^___^ People under stress do strange things, and going through a war's going to change anybody, whether it's subtle or not. I'm actually glad you pointed that out, I wanted people to know that. YAY! Domo! Oh, and no, Kenshin isn't immortal, he's semi-mortal, which is similiar. Difference is that he can be killed by a weapon or accident, but the chances of either occuring are very low (you should listen to my near-death-experience stories sometime ^_^). Also, semi-mortals can change bodies, somewhat like reincarnation, to blend in with the time period. Fun, ne?
Leokia: Gracias para cosas simpaticas tu habla! (Thank you for the nice things you speak...?) Well... I guess that works. Close enough. I'm glad you like my story, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside ^_^
Fanfiction Wanderer: You sick person you! :says the one who's writing the story...: ^_^ Just kidding! Sort of, I guess. Ah well, I love ya anyhow! Don't worry, my mortal friend (I'm making assumptions here), your lemony-waterful (waterfall?) dreams shall soon be fulfilled! Ah! And big thanks for the compliments, I like to know I'm achieving depth and comprehension (I sound like my English teacher now).
Minna: My sincerest thanks! (That DEFINATELY doesn't sound like me, does it?) THANKS!!!! (That's better.) I'm glad you liked it!
Clemen: Domo arigatou! Also, I think your email address is SPIFF. Ah yes, as you pointed out, it WAS wrong of me to leave you hanging, wasn't it? But no one ever said semi-mortals have a good sense of right and wrong ^_^ That explains Kenshin, lol. Oh yeah, and it totally rocked to hear that my idea was original. Made my day!
gohanluvr: Wow. That's a lot of 'omg'ing! ^______^ Domo arigatou!
Ali-chan: YAY! I'm an inspiration! And all this time I thought I'd only be useful as a bad example. You are so amazingly right, Battousai is sexy. More than that... he's like sex personafied. (I should use that in a school paper some time...)
Ryoko: Arigatou! I guess... I'm really running out of witty things to say. Gomen.
Orchidaceae: Damn that name is hard to spell... Oh yes, arigtaou! The relationship should prove to be QUITE interesting ^_-
Lady Zhanael Daiche: HI!!! Yup! I'm evil! But then again, so are you, you said so yourself. Try to stay away from those diseased muffins next time, eh? By the way, anyone who happens to be reading this read her :points at Lady Zhanael Daiche: fics! They're good!!!
nee-chan: Aw! So sweet of you! Thanks so much for complimenting both my fics at once. It's like a double-shot...
Mika: Yikes. That was quite a commanding review O_O I'm afraid you may be disappointed, I'm not going to be able to promise anything gentle about the Battousai. We'll see ^_^
Midnight-Primrose Riddle: Cool name. And thanks! It's really nice for an author to hear that she's capturing her characters, it means we're getting the job done right.
vash-the-stampedes-gal13: Muchas gracias! Trigun is a cool show...
dragontamer101: Evil cliffhangers... :smug face: heh heh heh... You remind me of me, only maybe less crazy. I dunno... don't know you that well. You'll know what's going on in that red head of Battousai's soon enough, don't worry. All will be revealed. (In more than one way, I'm afraid O_o) I'm still working out just what happened in Kenshin's past, but as soon as I know, you'll all know too!
LiLNeKo: Thanks very very much ^_^ Also, I plan on updating fairly frequently when you put it that way! Of course!
DespitefulSaint: I LOVE YOU TOO, FOR REVIEWING!!! But not that way. You know what I mean ^_^
anonymous: Ooo.. the hide-in-the-shadows-dark-and-spooky type! COOL! Anonymity is fun. Thanks for your review!
sessha himura: Wow. Biting. I've never heard that before, and it's awesome. Thanks for letting me know this Kenshin was different from the normal, as that is what I've been working at. Domo!
chibiBattousai: Aren't personalities great? So fun to see what different people come up with... Ok... now I'm just spitting out your words. I can't help it, it's true! Thanks a ton!
noner_89: Soon enough for you? Hopefully! I don't want to displease the reviewers ^_^
Geminidragon: Wicked penname. And nope, Kaoru's not semi-mortal, she's just regular old human. Sorry if I didn't make that clear enough!
battousia-crazy64: You know, I sympathize with you, empathize, even. About being empty on the inside. It makes me happy that you can relate to my story, but at the same time it makes me sad. It sucks to feel that way, I know. :big hug: I'm glad you're enjoying it!
Ok, I think that's everybody. If I missed you, yell at me on AIM or email or review or something. I don't think I missed anybody... Anyhow... I've realized that Battousai told Kaoru his age was 20. That does seem to contradict him being semi-mortal, so I'll try to explain. Gomen nasai. I should have earlier. (It doesn't seem that anyone's caught that yet, but you never know.) Here's the deal. Semi-mortals of Battousai's kind (and my kind) have a sort of rebirth. It's quite like reincarnation, but you keep your memories and knowledge of all your past lives. For example, I remember France, Ireland, and Egypt, and you'll soon know just what Battousai remembers. The reason Battousai gave his age as 20 was because that was what Kaoru could comprehend, his years in human terms in this specific body. I know it's a little confusing, but if you want a more in-depth clarification, catch me on AIM (KurenaiSeito) or email me (kurenai_seito@yahoo.com) and I'll be more than happy to talk your virtual ear off. Now, it's late and I have school in the morning, so I must be slipping off to dreamland where I so desperately wish I could live forever.
MysticShadowWanderer
Disclaimer: OH HOW THE DISCLAIMING SHALL RENDER OUR SOULS COLD AND TORN UPON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE IN WHICH WE CANNOT OWN ANY OF THE ANIME/MANGA WHICH WE WRITE ABOUT AND FOR WHICH WE LIVE! OH THE CRUEL INJUSTICE OF IT ALL! OH WHAT A WORLD IT IS WE LIVE IN WHEN A FAN CANNOT WRITE A SIMPLE STORY WITHOUT HAVING TO POST A DISCLAIMER FOR FEAR OF LEGAL ACTION AGAINST OUR VERY... uh... erm... damn...
*****
Chapter Four: Equilibrium
Again Battousai was first to rise in the morning, and went for a walk along the river. It seemed to be quickly becoming his choice place to go to do any thinking that might be necessary. And there was a lot on his mind this morning. He had opened up to Kaoru, even if only a bit, and that was more than just slightly disconcerting to him. How could he regain the upper hand in the situation? His pace was slow as he watched the water swirl and rush away from him, lapping gently at the banks with the extra height it had gained from the previous night's rainfall. Clasping his arms behind his back, he wondered about the girl. He had to admit that he liked her personality, stubbornness aside. The way she confronted him was intriguing and the way she shrank in fear when his voice rose was arousing to him like it never had been with any other woman. He was coming to the realization, if at an extremely belated pace, that she meant at least a little more to him than the others, and there were more than a few others.
"Damn semi-mortality, damn it to hell!" he exclaimed aloud. "Whatever god put these fucking restrictions on us should be condemned to an eternity in the seventh level of hell. No. The punishment should be worse, if that's at all possible."
With his violent proclamation, he fell silent again, trying to decipher his emotions so that he might find a way to get around them and be freed. He didn't want to love and need, all he wanted was hate, power, and blood. But it seemed that the gods had a twisted sense of humor and had destined him to be bound to this worthless mortal. And he was helpless to stop it if he didn't do something soon.
'I suppose I could just kill her,' he mused. 'That would make things easier. Is there a punishment for that?' He searched his memory for a few minutes. 'I don't think there is. Best I should kill her and disregard the notion of fucking her, it might complicate things further.'
Thus he made up his mind. Kamiya Kaoru would become another one of the countless victims of his blade. He already knew the flavor of her blood, from last night, and he smiled at the thought of having much more than just that small taste.
***
When Kaoru didn't hear Battousai moving about, she assumed he had gone off on his own again, and set about fixing breakfast for the both of them. A frown rose to her face, she knew what others said about her cooking, and, truthfully, she could never her bring herself to eat much of it herself. She really couldn't blame them.
But today she had to cook something at least edible, she was cooking for not only herself, but Battousai as well. She closed her eyes for a moment, as if mentally steeling herself for some great battle. When it was her in the kitchen, that was more than likely what it would turn out to be. With an ominous gulp, she warily began the preparations for a meal that would at least not be turned to charcoal. Hopefully.
***
About half an hour later, Battousai returned. Sniffing the air, he easily caught the scent of tea and something that was really unidentifiable, but that smelled like smoke and fire. He grinned caustically, apparently Kaoru had tried to fix breakfast and had failed miserably. He shrugged to himself, it wasn't as if he would have eaten either way, he didn't like breakfast much. Tea would suit him fine.
'If she didn't manage to ruin that as well.'
He entered the kitchen and couldn't help but chuckle. Kaoru sat on the floor despondently, and covered in soot. It looked as if she'd engaged in an epic battle with the stove, and lost horribly. Being a hitokiri and having resumed his cool exterior, he of course didn't offer her any help, and simply poured himself a cup of tea and sipped it, watching her over the with his eyebrows raised.
"Don't you say a word." She glared at him.
"And you're going to stop me?" he asked mockingly. "How?"
That was the last thing she needed to hear at the moment, and she finally snapped. She stood, heat rushing furiously to her face, and began yelling at him. For a moment he didn't respond, being shocked that she would even dare stand up to him. Then, as if in slow motion, he carelessly dropped his cup to the floor where it shattered, and moved toward her. Her eyes widened when he gripped her by the shoulders and shook her roughly.
"That." He accented himself with another snap of his wrists and jarring of her body. "Is quite enough. If you speak to me like that again, I will not be responsible for my actions." To prove his point, he let go of her, and brought the back of his hand across her face forcefully, sending her sprawling across the floor.
Pushing herself to a half sitting position, weight supported by her hands, Kaoru peered up at Battousai from beneath the black curtain that her now loose hair made about her. This time she didn't attempt to hold back the tears that rose to her eyes, and let them stream freely down her cheeks, leaving damp tracks that marred the perfection of her porcelain skin. Battousai kept himself from cringing at this, and growled at the urge to wipe the tears away. She was a mere human, after all, he was above this petty emotion. In half awe, half terror, Kaoru watched him leave the room, and leave a notch in her doorframe with his katana so quickly that she had no time to utter even a feeble protest. She didn't know where he was going, but at this point she no longer cared.
"I wanted to help you Kenshin!" she yelled after him.
Outside the dojo, Battousai paused mid-step. He didn't turn around or say a word in return, but he heard her remark, and it brought pain to his heart. 'Himura Kenshin... Himura Battousai... Hitokiri Battousai,' he thought, carefully considering each of the names he'd been given over the centuries. He dared not even think of the first, but automatically began with Himura Kenshin. 'So many names, each less familiar than the one before it. Whatever part of me that was mortal has long since been denied and slaughtered. And it wasn't my fault. It was never my fault.' Quietly, so low that Kaoru hadn't even a chance of hearing him, he let himself speak aloud, "It isn't my fault."
***
Battousai stayed out all day and late into the evening, leaving Kaoru to herself to think. It appeared to be too late to help him, especially if he refused to be helped, but she was not one to give up so easily.
'What about the man that first came here, the polite one? If he can act the part so well, does that mean that somewhere, deep inside him, that this persona lives? Is that possible?'
Being so young, she wasn't sure of any of these things, she hadn't lived long enough to know the truth about human nature, although she was naturally more observant than most women her age. There was no way that she could blame herself for that, and decided that she would just have to do everything possible to get Battousai to trust her. Could he trust?
This question plagued her mind as she made her way to the bathhouse and began to heat the water. 'Can a hitokiri trust? And what about one that isn't mortal? It seems that those two things combined would make for a man who trusted no one. I just can't win.' She sighed as she slipped into the water, ducking her head under to feel the warmth completely engulf her. It made her wonder what it would be like to be surrounded by the warmth that was Battousai. The thoughts shamed her momentarily, but then she closed her eyes and gave herself up to such wanton fantasies. Was she or was she not seventeen and able to care for herself?
Suddenly she bolted up, having forgotten to breathe, and having remembered just exactly where she was. The bathhouse, wouldn't it be only too easy for him to walk in and find her there? This was obvious, so obvious that she wondered if she had chosen this time to bathe , about when he would most likely be returning, simply because of that fact. Did she indeed wish to be caught? It took some more consideration when that thought arose. She laid her head back and shut her eyes in frustration, this man was too confusing for her, and she wasn't sure what the emotions that were tearing through her should be labeled as. Never had she been this bewildered by anything, she knew swordsmanship and how to get by on her own, not about something as frivolous as what could possibly be love. Had she loved him all along, then? Did she love him now? She couldn't be sure, but she had the feeling that if she weren't in love, she easily could become so. There was just something about him, something she couldn't put her finger on, that tempted her to play a dangerous game with him. It was likely that no woman had ever stood up to him the way she had. That made her frown, she still wasn't sure why she put her life at risk like she did with him, it made no sense. The only explanation was that there was something different about Hitokiri Battousai.
***
Battousai heard Kaoru taking her bath that evening, but ignored the urge to go in and join her. It would only create more confusion, and that was the last thing he needed. If he felt he had to have her, he could wait until she was dead, it wouldn't make any difference.
When the moon rose over the quietly slumbering city, the snow began to fall, lightly at first, and then with increasing intensity. Battousai scowled, he hated the snow. So white and clean, it taunted him with what he could never have again, what some days he thought it might be nice to be in possession of. Purity. Innocence. Happiness. All things that he might like at some point, but were forbidden to him.
Slinking down the hall, he entered Kaoru's room, katana already in hand. He had early on decided that he might as well do the deed while she slept, it was his way of showing what little gratitude he had towards her. After all, she had let him stay in her home. The least he could do was kill her painlessly.
The moonlight that seemed to be so familiar to him glinted of the shining blade as he stepped to her futon and raised it above his head. He grinned at his own actions, trying to remember when he had become this dramatic. As he swung the blade down, Kaoru's eyes snapped open and she reflexively rolled to the side, his katana just barely nicking the flesh of her shoulder. It was enough to sting and draw blood, but she'd gotten more serious wounds in her life, largely from over-sharp kitchen knives.
"Not the first time this has happened, darling, or are you just that well trained?" Battousai asked lazily.
Kaoru said nothing and stood quickly, trying her best to compose herself and get into some sort of defensive stance. But she had no bokken with her, and she knew that against the Battousai she would stand no chance anyhow. This was the man of legends, the hitokiri who cast fear upon the hearts of the strongest and bravest of men. She was surely doomed to die.
Battousai stalked her movements easily, as if he were toying with her; the cat playing with its mouse before it finally killed it. Kaoru swallowed hard, the man truly was a demon. He was closing in on her; she backed up until she hit the wall. There she stood, trembling, as he took his time in walking to stand in front of her and hold his katana to her throat, the deadly sharp end grazing the soft flesh there.
"It's sad, really, that this is how it had to end, beautiful," he said with a careless smile.
"You bastard," she hissed. His smile widened. "You heartless son of a bitch. I thought you were different, but you're a demon. Just like they said."
"Too bad, isn't it?" he said with a dark stare.
"Kill me then." It was taking all the courage she had in her weakening body, but this was the only chance she had left. "If it makes you feel better about yourself, kill me."
"Gladly." He moved his katana forward slightly, blood beginning to bead at the base of her throat.
"Hitokiri Battousai deserves no farewell, however... Sayonara, Himura Kenshin."
Battousai paused, katana ready to spill her lifeblood, and Kaoru stood dead still against the wall. The room hung in a delicate balance between life and death.
*****
A/N: And you thought my last cliffhanger was evil. BHAHAHHA! Seriously, I sit here and write saying "Ok, how can I piss 'em off this time?" I don't know why you guys read this stuff anymore, besides the fact that I never tell you what's going on! NOW YOU SEE MY MIND! MY CRUEL AND HIDEOUS PLOT IS UNVEILED! :manaical laughter::cough: Ok. Now that I've settled that, I'm going to turn on hide's (or Hyde's, whichever you prefer) New Day's Dawn and jam (sort of) while responding to all my reviewers. I luff you guys! I was going to put them in alphabetical order when I realized "whoa! that takes effort!" so here they are in order of review date. Go ahead, scroll down.
nobody: I apologize if Kaoru's being OOC bothers you, gomen nasai. Well... not really. ^___^ People under stress do strange things, and going through a war's going to change anybody, whether it's subtle or not. I'm actually glad you pointed that out, I wanted people to know that. YAY! Domo! Oh, and no, Kenshin isn't immortal, he's semi-mortal, which is similiar. Difference is that he can be killed by a weapon or accident, but the chances of either occuring are very low (you should listen to my near-death-experience stories sometime ^_^). Also, semi-mortals can change bodies, somewhat like reincarnation, to blend in with the time period. Fun, ne?
Leokia: Gracias para cosas simpaticas tu habla! (Thank you for the nice things you speak...?) Well... I guess that works. Close enough. I'm glad you like my story, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside ^_^
Fanfiction Wanderer: You sick person you! :says the one who's writing the story...: ^_^ Just kidding! Sort of, I guess. Ah well, I love ya anyhow! Don't worry, my mortal friend (I'm making assumptions here), your lemony-waterful (waterfall?) dreams shall soon be fulfilled! Ah! And big thanks for the compliments, I like to know I'm achieving depth and comprehension (I sound like my English teacher now).
Minna: My sincerest thanks! (That DEFINATELY doesn't sound like me, does it?) THANKS!!!! (That's better.) I'm glad you liked it!
Clemen: Domo arigatou! Also, I think your email address is SPIFF. Ah yes, as you pointed out, it WAS wrong of me to leave you hanging, wasn't it? But no one ever said semi-mortals have a good sense of right and wrong ^_^ That explains Kenshin, lol. Oh yeah, and it totally rocked to hear that my idea was original. Made my day!
gohanluvr: Wow. That's a lot of 'omg'ing! ^______^ Domo arigatou!
Ali-chan: YAY! I'm an inspiration! And all this time I thought I'd only be useful as a bad example. You are so amazingly right, Battousai is sexy. More than that... he's like sex personafied. (I should use that in a school paper some time...)
Ryoko: Arigatou! I guess... I'm really running out of witty things to say. Gomen.
Orchidaceae: Damn that name is hard to spell... Oh yes, arigtaou! The relationship should prove to be QUITE interesting ^_-
Lady Zhanael Daiche: HI!!! Yup! I'm evil! But then again, so are you, you said so yourself. Try to stay away from those diseased muffins next time, eh? By the way, anyone who happens to be reading this read her :points at Lady Zhanael Daiche: fics! They're good!!!
nee-chan: Aw! So sweet of you! Thanks so much for complimenting both my fics at once. It's like a double-shot...
Mika: Yikes. That was quite a commanding review O_O I'm afraid you may be disappointed, I'm not going to be able to promise anything gentle about the Battousai. We'll see ^_^
Midnight-Primrose Riddle: Cool name. And thanks! It's really nice for an author to hear that she's capturing her characters, it means we're getting the job done right.
vash-the-stampedes-gal13: Muchas gracias! Trigun is a cool show...
dragontamer101: Evil cliffhangers... :smug face: heh heh heh... You remind me of me, only maybe less crazy. I dunno... don't know you that well. You'll know what's going on in that red head of Battousai's soon enough, don't worry. All will be revealed. (In more than one way, I'm afraid O_o) I'm still working out just what happened in Kenshin's past, but as soon as I know, you'll all know too!
LiLNeKo: Thanks very very much ^_^ Also, I plan on updating fairly frequently when you put it that way! Of course!
DespitefulSaint: I LOVE YOU TOO, FOR REVIEWING!!! But not that way. You know what I mean ^_^
anonymous: Ooo.. the hide-in-the-shadows-dark-and-spooky type! COOL! Anonymity is fun. Thanks for your review!
sessha himura: Wow. Biting. I've never heard that before, and it's awesome. Thanks for letting me know this Kenshin was different from the normal, as that is what I've been working at. Domo!
chibiBattousai: Aren't personalities great? So fun to see what different people come up with... Ok... now I'm just spitting out your words. I can't help it, it's true! Thanks a ton!
noner_89: Soon enough for you? Hopefully! I don't want to displease the reviewers ^_^
Geminidragon: Wicked penname. And nope, Kaoru's not semi-mortal, she's just regular old human. Sorry if I didn't make that clear enough!
battousia-crazy64: You know, I sympathize with you, empathize, even. About being empty on the inside. It makes me happy that you can relate to my story, but at the same time it makes me sad. It sucks to feel that way, I know. :big hug: I'm glad you're enjoying it!
Ok, I think that's everybody. If I missed you, yell at me on AIM or email or review or something. I don't think I missed anybody... Anyhow... I've realized that Battousai told Kaoru his age was 20. That does seem to contradict him being semi-mortal, so I'll try to explain. Gomen nasai. I should have earlier. (It doesn't seem that anyone's caught that yet, but you never know.) Here's the deal. Semi-mortals of Battousai's kind (and my kind) have a sort of rebirth. It's quite like reincarnation, but you keep your memories and knowledge of all your past lives. For example, I remember France, Ireland, and Egypt, and you'll soon know just what Battousai remembers. The reason Battousai gave his age as 20 was because that was what Kaoru could comprehend, his years in human terms in this specific body. I know it's a little confusing, but if you want a more in-depth clarification, catch me on AIM (KurenaiSeito) or email me (kurenai_seito@yahoo.com) and I'll be more than happy to talk your virtual ear off. Now, it's late and I have school in the morning, so I must be slipping off to dreamland where I so desperately wish I could live forever.