Disclaimer: All events, names and locations aside from those which are historically known and/or from Rurouni Kenshin TV Series and OAV itself are created by the author. The author cannot be blamed for any emotional, psychological and physical damage that may result in reading this fic.
Rurouni Kenshin
Kenji
Chapter 1: Just A Smile
"Time flows like a river, history repeats itself."
1941
"So how is the Great Empire's army doing?" asked a voice from the dark corner of an alley.
Hijiro Takami turned around. A rather small man emerged from the corner laughing at Hijiro. Hijiro approached the man and hugged him strongly. "It's doing great, the Sun god has favored us, Takashi-san."
Takashi released from the embrace of his old friend. "Sou ka. Then what brings you here to Kyoto, friend?" His face became serious now. The reply came a few seconds after, "Ano... The army granted me a few days of vacation. So I came to spend it here. And I heard there's a hitokiri going around here; don't scare me like that!" Hijiro's voice sounded fake.
Is there something wrong? Hijiro? It's not you? What really brings you here?
I will find out soon.
Takashi spoke, "Sou desu ne. You know about the hitokiri here in Kyoto? He's only been attacking in Kyoto, you know. I never knew the army would be that welled informed." Takashi waited for a reply from Hijiro or any facial expression at least. There was none. "Ah, why don't you go to my house, Hijiro-san. We can drink sake or tea if you'd like there and talk more," he suggested. Hijiro shook his head.
"Takashi-san, I'd really like to. But time is limited and I have a few affairs to finish for today. Gomenasai. If you'd like, we could do it tomorrow?" Hijiro gave a wide smile after the last phrase.
Hijiro? What's wrong? What's happening?
That's not you. You'd never refuse.
"Ja ne," Hijiro murmured. Then he ran into the main streets and was soon nowhere to be found. Takashi ran and tried to catch up with him. But yet to no avail.
--
Hijiro ran as fast as he could and then entered another small alley where for sure Takashi could not follow him. He leaned on a brick wall still trying to catch up with his breath. That shouldn't happen again, never... that was dangerous. He shouldn't know, he thought. Then he stood upright again. He took a map from his kimono sleeve scanning it for his place of destination. Where was that restaurant? Arghh... can't find it. But he continued to walk aimlessly.
The sky suddenly darkened. It started to drizzle. The rain slowly became stronger. Hijiro was forced to stop and go rest in an inn for a while. He went in his room and rested in his futon. Soon he fell into a deep slumber.
Hijiro woke up. He looked around, the candle in his room had been put off. He stood up. He went out of his room and decided to stroll around for a while. He couldn't see anyone... no one. No one seemed to be in the world except him. It was awfully quiet. No sound could be audible. Not even the objects around him seemed to have produced noises.
It was dark outside. Vision was only a few meters ahead of him. He opened the doors to the street. He looked around. There was someone. There was a man with long hair and wearing a hat to conceal most of his face, he wore wooden slippers. He approached the person. He bowed in respective. Yet the person wasn't the type to reply.
The person took out a katana out of his sleeve. He quickly thrust the katana towards Hijiro's chest. Hijiro quickly drew his katana out and maneuvered it to block the person's attack. The assailantwithdrew from his attack; stared at him. Then dashed in lightning speed at Hijiro. Hijiro could only watch as the unidentified attacker slashed through his ribs. Blood dripped slowly. His eyes widened from shock...
Hijiro woke from the nightmare. He stood and looked around at his rather small room. A scented candle lit the dark room. The rain has stop yet he was shivering cold. A gust blew through the window blowing the candle out. It was awfully dark again. He decided to venture out to look for a lantern or candle.
He tried to look for the innkeeper yet she was not there. It was surprisingly silent. He tried to muster words yet he could not. No sound could be heard. Hijiro looked at the eerie but beautiful moon as he walked out. And there in the narrow streets of Kyoto, the man was there- the man of his nightmares.
The moon shone spookily on this man. Hijiro gripped his katana as he courageously approached him. He screamed at the man, "Dare ga?!" The man gave no reply, just a smile. From a secret compartment in his clothes, Hijiro drew his sword.
--
Hijiro, Takashi knew, was sometimes too nosy for his own good. That was proved when he was relieved from the Kempeitai for disobeying orders. Hijiro had found a guerilla hideout. He took action without consultation. Though Takashi had advised Hijiro against it. Their whole unit had been killed with the exception of Takashi and Hijiro. Hijiro being the captain was obviously dismissed. Takashi, out of conscience, resigned and settled to be the ordinary police department in Kyoto.
Takashi decided to write some haiku distracting himself from Hijiro.
The mystery man quickly dashed at him with one hand holding the battou. Hijiro thrust his sword forward. The attacker ducked then slashed through his midsection. Hijiro fell. His vision blurred. And blood started to flow out. He was dying.
Rain then suddenly started to pour. Blood mixed with water. The assailant then placed his sword above Hijiro's neck. Hijiro closed his eyes. Death was near. The man smiled once more.
"Stop," A deep voice from the shadows said. A man wearing a blue kimono and his faced veiled with black cloth. He drew a reversed kattana. A dark aura surrounded him.
The assailant looked at the man from foot to toe. The assailant's smile disappeared. He shook slightly in fear. He placed his weapon in his battou. And as quick as he had attacked Hijiro he escaped. Hijiro's savior approached the bleeding Hijiro.
Hijiro was still breathing but he had already lost his sight. The man from the shadows took the care to talk to him though all hope was lost for his life. "Daijobu ka?"
Hijiro in his last words murmured, "Just... a smile..." Hijiro smiled. He lost closed his eyes and eternally slumbered. Though he died a violent death, his face was peaceful.
--
The telegram machine disturbed Takashi's thoughts. A message from the police department; it read: "Victim of assassin found dead Sakura Inn." Not again, Takashi thought. He stood up and glanced at the window. The sun's rays fell into his room. Yet it did not feel warm, not warm at all.
--
"Chief Takashi Kaede," the investigator greeted. "Good to see you here. This case is another unusual case. The victim bled to death. The throat was not touched unlike those of most cases. But as usual, no witnesses."
"Sou ka?" Takashi mused. He looked at the body lying in the distance. It was awfully familiar. It couldn't be. No. He did not want to know if indeed it was Hijiro. He shook a bit. But what if it was not.
"Has the victim been identified?" Takashi inquired. "We're sure the person is not from Kyoto but his age, name and other details are unknown," replied the investigator.
Takashi's heart beat fast. Sweat poured down his forehead. But with hesitation, he took a step forward. He took a closer look. His anxieties had been confirmed. The man he considered a close friend was murdered. His body sprawled on the pavement.
In him, conflicts burst. As a policeman, his job was to stay focused on the case and catch the infamous assassin and throw him to the authorities. But yet as friend of Hijiro, he wanted vengeance. The feeling of bloodlust aroused the usually calm and decisive Takashi.
Takashi crept to his deceased friend. His chest had been ripped. Yet in that cruel death, Takashi observed that Hijiro smiled. He did not know why.
Takashi's emotions were convicting him. He should have stayed with Hijiro. Feelings of remorse and guilt fell on Takashi. He was self- imploding. In his eyes, his fiery anger glowed. He smiled; not a smile of joy, but a smile of endless hate.
The skies darkened as the rain begun to fall. Thunder roared. The wind blew furiously. The police started dispersing into buildings. But Takashi was still there- smiling. A comrade called for him.
"I am right here," he boomed in a negative tone. He stood up. He touched his revolver.
You will die. You will be crushed. I will tear you apart. I will avenge him. I will avenge him. You will feel pain. You will die slowly... in my hands.
The man who was with Hijiro in his last breath was looking at Takashi from a distant corner. He shook his head. He held out his hand to touch the raindrops caress his rugged hand. "The rain pours like blood. The thunder growls in fury. The wind howls in despair."