Gomen nasai minna-san!!! I'm sorry for the terrible chapter. I suppose I
just had a mind flunk. x_x please forgive me!
In answer to some questions: No, Kenshin will not take up a killing sword again. However, I have placed this particular fan fiction during maybe his first or second year of wandering, so it is quite possible that he would become battousai again, (just as he did with Jin-e Udo) considering this takes place about 1870/71, about two years after the Boshin War. I think Kenshin left the Ishin Shishi (Imperialists) and gave up his killing sword after the battle of Toba Fushimi, the first decisive battle of the war. So, this means it's been barely two years since he's killed anyone, and if he could still 'loose control' and become edgy after eight (ten?) years of wandering, you could bet your money that he'd be a bit 'edgy' after only two!
By the way, if anyone has any exact dates on when Kenshin left the Ishin Shishi and such, I'd be much obliged. It helps me maintain my focus, if you know what I mean.
Hurray! I finally got my hands on the Rurouni Kenshin manga! (Vol. 1& 2) I love the anime, but I think I like the manga just a wee big more ^_^
"This one is most indebted to you for your hospitality, but he must begin wandering again, as is his nature." The red-haired rurouni bowed to the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood. He did not deny that this place helped to ease his mind, but then again healing was not something he was searching for. No, quite the opposite in fact.
He climbed down the ever-wondrous length of exquisite stairs, reaching the ground level below with relief. He passed through the open clearing, nodding as he passed by Boromir, a smile playing on his lips as he caught sight of the miniature eavesdroppers. Oh yes, he knew they had listened; his senses were amplified too much by Hiten-Mitsurugi to have not noticed. More pairs of eyes watched him than those, he noticed.
A tall, rugged looking man regarded him with polite curiosity, yet his eyes held some deeper knowledge, of what that knowledge was Kenshin could not guess. Two more half-sized creatures watched him, though they both wore a more cautious expression than their insatiably curious counterparts. As he walked he saw another strange creature. Small yes, but of larger girth and weight than the furry-footed ones. He had a long brown beard, and wore heavy armor. What he was Kenshin could not have guessed. The last of this odd group was an elf, though he had a different air about him that suggested he wasn't from Lothlorien. In a small amount of time, Kenshin and his guide were out of the center of Caras Galadon.
The anonymous elf led him through the trees along a winding dirt (yet well paved) path for an eternity it seemed to Kenshin. The sun was low in the west when his ears caught the sound of trickling water. Kenshin could see small gray boats docked in calm water. The elf stopped and faced him.
"The Lady Galadriel said that you would be welcome to use one of our boats. They are small yet swift and sturdy, and will bear you down the river to wherever you wish to go, though the south has become more dangerous. If you wish to journey north, I can have someone escort you to the northern gates, and across the Nimrodel. Which do you prefer?"
Kenshin's head swam with the information. With an 'oro' and a laugh, he settled his confusion. "Whatever is most convenient for you. Sessha supposes he could go south, the idea of going blindfold again does not appeal to this one."
The elf raised a brow in question then remembered, "Oh, you speak of when you entered Lothlorien. Now that the Lady regards you as a friend, you would not have to go blindfold."
"Is that so?" wondered Kenshin. North or south? He said that the south was becoming more dangerous; perhaps I can help in some way. "South it is then." He smiled, walking past the elf towards the boats and out onto the grassy lawn. The elf followed the rurouni with worried eyes.
Why do my senses tell me he's insane? Perhaps it is because he is a human, and they have always been strange.
The elf shrugged his shoulders and followed, giving directions to other elves to prepare a boat. "We have included some supplies for you," the elf said to Kenshin, showing the surprised rurouni the packages of sweet-smelling bread and skins of water.
"All of this for me?" he picked up one leaf wrapped morsel, and studied it.
"It is lembas, a special way-bread. It lasts long, and very little will fill even the hungriest person." Kenshin bowed in thanks, not knowing what to say. For a trespasser, they were certainly treating him kindly. Kenshin was directed to a boat, but before his guide could turn away, he asked,
"What is your name?"
"Omandune," the elf replied. "I work as a guide sometimes, but normally I serve on the northern borders with the guards."
"Could you please give this one's thanks to Haldir? Sessha would be most thankful." The elf waved his farewell.
"I will. Take care, Carfinrandir!" the elf ran down the path, his gray clothing blending with the shadows and white bark of the mallryn trees.
Carfinrandir? Oro? The red-haired wanderer wondered as he climbed into the waiting boat. An elf handed him a long, leaf shaped paddle, and pushed him off into the open water. He paddled down the calm waters of the Celebrant, which then flowed into the great Anduin, as Lord Celeborn had described.
The current was swifter than the pristine flow of the Celebrant, and what little experience Kenshin had with boats was in smaller rivers, easily bridged yet a great opportunity for escape after a duel or a long battle. The sun sank low below the western horizon, when Kenshin decided it was time to make camp. He paddled the boat towards the western shore, a small lawn where the trees were beginning to thin. Getting as close to the shore as possible, he jumped into thigh-deep water and pulled the boat as far up onto the bank as possible. He then prepared his camp.
"Yokatta!" he shook the dirt from his hands as he looked over his handiwork. A welcoming fire blazed in a circle of mismatched stones, and an area under a tree had been cleared of leaves and twigs for the bedroll the elves had supplied. All that was left was to bring out the lembas; he was most curious to see what it tasted like. Retrieving some of the way-bread from the boat, he nibbled off a corner. "Not bad," he mumbled, taking another small bite, then feeling he wasn't really that hungry anymore.
"It is lembas, a special way-bread. It lasts long, and very little will fill even the hungriest person." Omandune's words came back to him as he put away the food. "This should come in handy, though it's a pity they couldn't lend me a fishing pole. I wonder if the fish like lembas?" He admitted, taking one last glance down at the bread. He re-filled his water skins at a small stream that flowed inland from the Anduin.
Returning to camp, he found the only thing left to do was sleep. Leaning against the tree in his typical position, he dozed off.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
'It's comfortable to sleep against the stacks, that's all. A hitokiri doesn't need anything else from books."
"Maybe you should give up killing men, then you'd have a chance to read all these books."
"I am the killer who brings the bloody rain, you don't want any part of that. You should not cling to things which smell of blood."
* * * * * * * * * *
Kenshin awoke with a start. A wave of anguish flooded through him, the memories he had tried to escape were catching up to him like a hunter after it's prey. Leaning his head against the tree he waited for the next onslaught of memories. It had happened once before, nearly a year ago. These tsunamis of memories, how long would it be before they ended? Would he ever be free from the past?
"Please spare this child!"
"Akane!!!"
"Please Shinta, don't look."
"Shinta! Shinta! You are just a child! You couldn't choose how you were going to live your life like we did. You must live!"
"Live. Shinta. Live for me."
"Bearing a grudge against these men will not bring your loved ones back."
The memories of that fateful day, when his life was changed forever. When Kasumi, Akane, and Sakura were killed. When he buried all of them with his bare hands. When he met Hiko Seijuro, and the journey began.
A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope this chapter is better than last. I wasn't sure whether to end it here or keep going. For those of you who don't know where Kenshin will go after this. well neither do I. What I do know is that you all have different opinions, so I'm going to do a poll on what you think.
Should Kenshin go:
West across the downs to Fangorn?
Or,
South into Rohan?
You decide! Please review to answer!
Some other stuff: Anyone wondering about names? Omandune means (or as close as I could translate) "From the blessed west". (Source: "The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth" by Ruth S. Noel) Unfortuantely I had to edit his name, as anyone who read this before would notice that the "a" in his name was replaced with a "?". I don't know why FF.net would not read accent marks. it kinda looks funky without it, but oh well.
"Carfinrandir" is pretty obvious, as I put the translation right after it when it first appeared in the chapter. Still don't know? It's "red- haired wanderer". Fits Kenshin perfectly ne? (Same source).
Thanks for reviewing!
In answer to some questions: No, Kenshin will not take up a killing sword again. However, I have placed this particular fan fiction during maybe his first or second year of wandering, so it is quite possible that he would become battousai again, (just as he did with Jin-e Udo) considering this takes place about 1870/71, about two years after the Boshin War. I think Kenshin left the Ishin Shishi (Imperialists) and gave up his killing sword after the battle of Toba Fushimi, the first decisive battle of the war. So, this means it's been barely two years since he's killed anyone, and if he could still 'loose control' and become edgy after eight (ten?) years of wandering, you could bet your money that he'd be a bit 'edgy' after only two!
By the way, if anyone has any exact dates on when Kenshin left the Ishin Shishi and such, I'd be much obliged. It helps me maintain my focus, if you know what I mean.
Hurray! I finally got my hands on the Rurouni Kenshin manga! (Vol. 1& 2) I love the anime, but I think I like the manga just a wee big more ^_^
"This one is most indebted to you for your hospitality, but he must begin wandering again, as is his nature." The red-haired rurouni bowed to the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood. He did not deny that this place helped to ease his mind, but then again healing was not something he was searching for. No, quite the opposite in fact.
He climbed down the ever-wondrous length of exquisite stairs, reaching the ground level below with relief. He passed through the open clearing, nodding as he passed by Boromir, a smile playing on his lips as he caught sight of the miniature eavesdroppers. Oh yes, he knew they had listened; his senses were amplified too much by Hiten-Mitsurugi to have not noticed. More pairs of eyes watched him than those, he noticed.
A tall, rugged looking man regarded him with polite curiosity, yet his eyes held some deeper knowledge, of what that knowledge was Kenshin could not guess. Two more half-sized creatures watched him, though they both wore a more cautious expression than their insatiably curious counterparts. As he walked he saw another strange creature. Small yes, but of larger girth and weight than the furry-footed ones. He had a long brown beard, and wore heavy armor. What he was Kenshin could not have guessed. The last of this odd group was an elf, though he had a different air about him that suggested he wasn't from Lothlorien. In a small amount of time, Kenshin and his guide were out of the center of Caras Galadon.
The anonymous elf led him through the trees along a winding dirt (yet well paved) path for an eternity it seemed to Kenshin. The sun was low in the west when his ears caught the sound of trickling water. Kenshin could see small gray boats docked in calm water. The elf stopped and faced him.
"The Lady Galadriel said that you would be welcome to use one of our boats. They are small yet swift and sturdy, and will bear you down the river to wherever you wish to go, though the south has become more dangerous. If you wish to journey north, I can have someone escort you to the northern gates, and across the Nimrodel. Which do you prefer?"
Kenshin's head swam with the information. With an 'oro' and a laugh, he settled his confusion. "Whatever is most convenient for you. Sessha supposes he could go south, the idea of going blindfold again does not appeal to this one."
The elf raised a brow in question then remembered, "Oh, you speak of when you entered Lothlorien. Now that the Lady regards you as a friend, you would not have to go blindfold."
"Is that so?" wondered Kenshin. North or south? He said that the south was becoming more dangerous; perhaps I can help in some way. "South it is then." He smiled, walking past the elf towards the boats and out onto the grassy lawn. The elf followed the rurouni with worried eyes.
Why do my senses tell me he's insane? Perhaps it is because he is a human, and they have always been strange.
The elf shrugged his shoulders and followed, giving directions to other elves to prepare a boat. "We have included some supplies for you," the elf said to Kenshin, showing the surprised rurouni the packages of sweet-smelling bread and skins of water.
"All of this for me?" he picked up one leaf wrapped morsel, and studied it.
"It is lembas, a special way-bread. It lasts long, and very little will fill even the hungriest person." Kenshin bowed in thanks, not knowing what to say. For a trespasser, they were certainly treating him kindly. Kenshin was directed to a boat, but before his guide could turn away, he asked,
"What is your name?"
"Omandune," the elf replied. "I work as a guide sometimes, but normally I serve on the northern borders with the guards."
"Could you please give this one's thanks to Haldir? Sessha would be most thankful." The elf waved his farewell.
"I will. Take care, Carfinrandir!" the elf ran down the path, his gray clothing blending with the shadows and white bark of the mallryn trees.
Carfinrandir? Oro? The red-haired wanderer wondered as he climbed into the waiting boat. An elf handed him a long, leaf shaped paddle, and pushed him off into the open water. He paddled down the calm waters of the Celebrant, which then flowed into the great Anduin, as Lord Celeborn had described.
The current was swifter than the pristine flow of the Celebrant, and what little experience Kenshin had with boats was in smaller rivers, easily bridged yet a great opportunity for escape after a duel or a long battle. The sun sank low below the western horizon, when Kenshin decided it was time to make camp. He paddled the boat towards the western shore, a small lawn where the trees were beginning to thin. Getting as close to the shore as possible, he jumped into thigh-deep water and pulled the boat as far up onto the bank as possible. He then prepared his camp.
"Yokatta!" he shook the dirt from his hands as he looked over his handiwork. A welcoming fire blazed in a circle of mismatched stones, and an area under a tree had been cleared of leaves and twigs for the bedroll the elves had supplied. All that was left was to bring out the lembas; he was most curious to see what it tasted like. Retrieving some of the way-bread from the boat, he nibbled off a corner. "Not bad," he mumbled, taking another small bite, then feeling he wasn't really that hungry anymore.
"It is lembas, a special way-bread. It lasts long, and very little will fill even the hungriest person." Omandune's words came back to him as he put away the food. "This should come in handy, though it's a pity they couldn't lend me a fishing pole. I wonder if the fish like lembas?" He admitted, taking one last glance down at the bread. He re-filled his water skins at a small stream that flowed inland from the Anduin.
Returning to camp, he found the only thing left to do was sleep. Leaning against the tree in his typical position, he dozed off.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
'It's comfortable to sleep against the stacks, that's all. A hitokiri doesn't need anything else from books."
"Maybe you should give up killing men, then you'd have a chance to read all these books."
"I am the killer who brings the bloody rain, you don't want any part of that. You should not cling to things which smell of blood."
* * * * * * * * * *
Kenshin awoke with a start. A wave of anguish flooded through him, the memories he had tried to escape were catching up to him like a hunter after it's prey. Leaning his head against the tree he waited for the next onslaught of memories. It had happened once before, nearly a year ago. These tsunamis of memories, how long would it be before they ended? Would he ever be free from the past?
"Please spare this child!"
"Akane!!!"
"Please Shinta, don't look."
"Shinta! Shinta! You are just a child! You couldn't choose how you were going to live your life like we did. You must live!"
"Live. Shinta. Live for me."
"Bearing a grudge against these men will not bring your loved ones back."
The memories of that fateful day, when his life was changed forever. When Kasumi, Akane, and Sakura were killed. When he buried all of them with his bare hands. When he met Hiko Seijuro, and the journey began.
A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope this chapter is better than last. I wasn't sure whether to end it here or keep going. For those of you who don't know where Kenshin will go after this. well neither do I. What I do know is that you all have different opinions, so I'm going to do a poll on what you think.
Should Kenshin go:
West across the downs to Fangorn?
Or,
South into Rohan?
You decide! Please review to answer!
Some other stuff: Anyone wondering about names? Omandune means (or as close as I could translate) "From the blessed west". (Source: "The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth" by Ruth S. Noel) Unfortuantely I had to edit his name, as anyone who read this before would notice that the "a" in his name was replaced with a "?". I don't know why FF.net would not read accent marks. it kinda looks funky without it, but oh well.
"Carfinrandir" is pretty obvious, as I put the translation right after it when it first appeared in the chapter. Still don't know? It's "red- haired wanderer". Fits Kenshin perfectly ne? (Same source).
Thanks for reviewing!