A/N:
Sorry it took me so long to get the next chapter up. I've been incredibly busy lately. Anyway, hope you like the chapter and REVIEW PLEASE! (you know you want to :-D)
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me yadda yadda...
________________________________________________________________________
"Battousai!"
"What is it."
"Katsura is holding a meeting in the conference room right now, and he wants you to be there!"
"I'll head over there right now."
Kenshin sighed after the man left and started heading towards the conference room. He always dreaded the meetings Katsura forced him to attend. He was simply Katsura's assassin, nothing more. It didn't make any sense to him why Katsura would require him to attend a meeting for important officials only. Nevertheless, he knew that he had to go anyway because Katsura specifically asked him to attend the meeting.
Walking briskly, the short but well built red head quickly made his way towards the conference room. The inn the Choshu organization stayed at was very spacious, so Kenshin actually had to walk for a while before finally reaching the conference room.
Just before he reached the room, he heard rising voices that clearly indicated a heated debate was taking place within the room.
"I object! That assassin has already taken down too many of our men already! We need to do something about him!"
"We already lost too many men to him! We can't afford to send anymore men to their deaths!"
"Ah, Battousai! Please come in!"
Kenshin had reached the entrance to the conference room at that point but had not entered the room. He merely did not want to interrupt the discussion at hand, which had gotten very interesting. He had heard about this other assassin that was killing the men of Choshu and its allies by the dozen. He himself had never come face to face with this mysterious new assassin but he often wondered whom he could be. Obviously, this man was extremely skilled with the sword.
Katsura, always observant, had seen Kenshin lurking by the door, however, and quickly called him into the room. Kenshin was used to Katsura calling him Battousai. He figured it was meant to keep his true identity a secret.
"My fellow comrades, may I introduce you to Battousai. Battousai is my most prized assassin, and if anyone can help us in this dilemma, it is him."
Kenshin inclined his head towards the men in greeting. He was never one to talk and mostly kept quiet. "I'm sure that you're well aware of Makoto Shishio's newest assassin. He has been a threat to us for about two months now. Nobody knows exactly who he is or where he came from or what sort of technique he uses. The technique that he practices is quite unlike anything anyone has ever seen before, or so I am told," continued Katsura in his deep calm voice. He knew that Kenshin was not much of a talker.
"Men who have fortunately escaped after catching sight of this new assassin have recalled him to be a merciless killer. He strikes without a sound and kills without mercy. We can no longer tolerate him to continue on a killing spree of our men, and that's why we asked you here today, Battousai. We need you to stop this assassin before he kills too many of our most important men. Will you assist us?" At this point, Katsura's warm brown eyes had settled on Kenshin's sharp amber ones.
Kenshin knew that Katsura was silently pleading for his help and simply nodded to show his assent. Afterall, he had taken care of many targets before. This new assassin would be no different.
"Very well. You will be joining a small group of our men to accompany Shinsaku Takasugi to the west side of Kyoto tomorrow for a very important meeting. Takasugi is going there to meet with one of our most important allies, the Oniwabanshu. I am positive that the assassin is going to attack tomorrow night. Shishio will not allow such an important meeting to take place. You must keep him safe, Battousai."
"I will."
With that, Kenshin turned and left the room. He will personally see to it that Shishio's newest assassin will no longer be of any trouble to the Choshu organization. He will not fail Katsura, not now and not ever.
Kaoru was walking through a beautiful sakura tree grove. The pink flowers were in full bloom and the petals were slowly drifting towards the ground. The sight took her breath away.
Walking happily through the grove, Kaoru felt the soft petals fall onto her body. They were everywhere, in her hair, on her shoulder, and covering the light yellow kimono she had adorned that day.
Smiling blissfully, Kaoru closed her eyes and began to twirl around with the sakura petals dancing all about her.
Suddenly, an odd aroma drifted to Kaoru's senses. 'That's weird. That's definitely not the aroma of the sakura blossoms. I wonder what that could be.'
Slowly opening her eyes, Kaoru froze at the sight before her. She was not covered in sakura blossoms as she had thought, instead, she was drench in blood.
The thick dark liquid was all over her body. The blood was oozing down her once lovely kimono and dripping off her long dark tresses.
Kaoru tried to scream but the sound was stuck in her throat.
The sakura petals themselves have turned a deep crimson and were showering down upon her. No matter where she ran, she could not get away from the shower of blood.
Her eyes were covered in blood now making it impossible to see. Falling to her knees, Kaoru tried to wipe the blood off, but to no avail.
The blood had gotten everywhere now. It was in her eyes, in her ears, and all over her face.
Once again Kaoru tried to scream but her mouth was filled with blood. The disgusting metallic taste nearly caused her to puke.
Kaoru was drowning now. She was drowning in the sea of raining blood and slowly it entered her mind as well, engulfing her entire being.
With a gasp Kaoru woke from her dream. Panting hard, she quickly reached over and brought a cloth to her face, wiping away the sweat trickling down her face.
It was the fifth time that month that she had had that same dream. Even now, she can still imagine herself suffocating in the sea of blood. Shivering, Kaoru quickly laid back down on the futon and pulled the covers to her chin.
She was in the same room she woke up in when Enishi had first kidnapped her and brought her to Shishio's mansion. Since that day, she was given this room and became another one of Shishio's 'helpers,' as he called it.
The dreams were a constant part of her life now and she was even strangely kind of used to having them. There was no doubt in her mind as to why she had those dreams. It was due to her killing...
After reading the scroll and learning her family's secret technique, Kaoru had become a master of swordsmanship. None of Shishio's other men could even come close to defeating her and she quickly became his leading fighter.
Kaoru thought back to the first time she was made to kill, to slaughter. She had not wanted to, being a person with a kind and pure heart but again, Shishio threatened to kill her loved ones. With no other choice, Kaoru had done the deed. It was two men who were carrying a message to Katsura of the Choshu organization. What surprised her the most was that she killed them swiftly and without any mercy even though it was only her first assassination. It almost felt as if she was an entirely different person while she was killing.
Shishio was currently fighting a war to control all of Japan with Choshu and its allies, and Kaoru was sent to do his dirty work. She felt like a pawn in his sick little game and despised every moment of what she was forced to do.
Since that first time she had killed, she had greatly hardened herself. She was no longer the innocent and careful girl that she once was. She had become a hard, cold, merciless assassin.
Tears slipped out of her dark sapphire eyes at the thought. She knew that she would never become who she once was ever again.
Soujiro grabbed a few more articles of clothing and threw them carelessly into his makeshift knapsack. He was never one for neatness.
He continued to angrily shove more clothing into his sack. How dare his parents try to control him like that! He should have a say in his own life afterall.
He knew that his parents meant well but ever since he was a little boy, they had always tried to control his life. Well, he had had enough! He was going to join in the war no matter what his parents said.
Besides, ever since Kaoru left, there is nothing to keep him here any longer.
Kenshin shivered as a cold breeze swept through his body.
'Damn, it's cold tonight. Of all the nights to be stuck outside.'
Tonight was the meeting between Choshu and the Oniwabanshu, and Katsura counted on Kenshin to get Shinsaku Takasugi to the meeting safely. Although Kenshin always put duty ahead of everything else, he couldn't help but curse at his luck of being stuck escorting Takasugi on such a chilly night. He could almost see his breath turn into little crystals of ice when he breathed.
However, the cold didn't stop Kenshin from constantly being on alert. Katsura had warned him of the assassin's appearance tonight and no way in hell would he ever fail Katsura.
"Do you really think that assassin's going to show up tonight?"
"I have no idea but I sure hope he doesn't. I don't know about you but I have no intention of dying today or any other day until I'm old with a long white beard."
Kenshin mentally scoffed to himself. Some of the men working for Choshu absolutely disgusted him. All they do is brag about how they are involved in the war just to be able to find themselves some pleasurable company. And once the men were truly needed to fight, they were pure cowards.
Kenshin deeply despises men who pretend to fight only to reap in its sinful rewards. He himself fights to ensure a better future for Japan and no other reason.
He also knows that most of the other members of Choshu are frightened of him. The only person who is not scared of him is Katsura. Of course, Katsura is not at all like the rest of the fools fighting in this war. He actually knew what he was doing.
The men are scared of him mostly for his terrifying aura and his striking amber eyes.
The man simply reeked of power and most men are scared off from just sensing his immensely dangerous ki. Others are scared stiff when they catch sight of the assassin's golden orbs that seem to be able to see anything and everything at anytime; the eyes of a ruthless killer.
His cold, stony, impassive exterior have also sent more than one shiver up the backs of men and women alike. The killer appears to have no feelings at all. Few have ever heard him talk and when he did, it was always in a harsh sharp tone that seemed to slice through the air, his face not moving in the slightest.
Furthermore, no one knows his true name, where he comes from, or even his age. The Battousai is a complete mystery to all the men. Not even Katsura knows everything about the Battousai. All that is known is that if a man with dark red hair is seen, be sure to stay far away from that area.
Kenshin personally prided himself in being able to scare the men so terribly. He prefers to simply carry out his duty in peace without any outside interruptions.
All of a sudden, a sharp wind whipped past somewhere near Kenshin. Instinctively, his body tensed, ready for battle, as he searched the area with his bright amber eyes that glowed eerily in the dark night.
Closing his eyes briefly, Kenshin seeked out the area with his ki.
'There, by the trees...' Knowing his ki sensing powers will never fail him, Kenshin rushed towards the trees.
When he reached there, he saw that the battle has already begun.
Though the assassin only appeared a mere moment ago, there were already several dead forms surrounding him as he continued to slaughter the men who stood little to no chance against him.
Running forward, Kenshin caught the blade of the assassin just as he was about to kill another one of Choshu's men.
While running to reach the assassin, Kenshin did not get a really good look at him due to the darkness of the night, but from what he saw, he noticed that the assassin was even smaller than himself.
Although the assassin is small, he is undoubtedly extremely skilled. Kenshin has never seen someone move so fast before. Of course, it did not match his own godlike speed, but Kenshin is still deeply impressed with the skills the assassin is exhibiting.
With the assassin fighting with skill, speed, and confidence, Kenshin knew it would be a good match.
Never did he expect the assassin to turn his face towards him after his block, though, and reveal piercing ocean blue eyes and facial features that could only belong to those of a woman.
'Those eyes, never have I seen such deptless eyes. I could lose myself in those saphire blue pools forever..'
Shaking himself out of a moment of shock and reverie, Kenshin let his defenses slip for a brief second.
Within that instant, the assassin rapidly turned around and attempted to attack Kenshin from the right.
Regaining his composure, Kenshin quickly dodged the attack and dived forward with his own assail.
'Whether or not she is a woman, her life will end here tonight by the blade of my sword...'
A/N:
I've been really busy these days so I don't know when I'll be able to get the next chapter up, but it may be a lot sooner if I get a lot of reviews! =)
~starannie14
Sorry it took me so long to get the next chapter up. I've been incredibly busy lately. Anyway, hope you like the chapter and REVIEW PLEASE! (you know you want to :-D)
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me yadda yadda...
________________________________________________________________________
"Battousai!"
"What is it."
"Katsura is holding a meeting in the conference room right now, and he wants you to be there!"
"I'll head over there right now."
Kenshin sighed after the man left and started heading towards the conference room. He always dreaded the meetings Katsura forced him to attend. He was simply Katsura's assassin, nothing more. It didn't make any sense to him why Katsura would require him to attend a meeting for important officials only. Nevertheless, he knew that he had to go anyway because Katsura specifically asked him to attend the meeting.
Walking briskly, the short but well built red head quickly made his way towards the conference room. The inn the Choshu organization stayed at was very spacious, so Kenshin actually had to walk for a while before finally reaching the conference room.
Just before he reached the room, he heard rising voices that clearly indicated a heated debate was taking place within the room.
"I object! That assassin has already taken down too many of our men already! We need to do something about him!"
"We already lost too many men to him! We can't afford to send anymore men to their deaths!"
"Ah, Battousai! Please come in!"
Kenshin had reached the entrance to the conference room at that point but had not entered the room. He merely did not want to interrupt the discussion at hand, which had gotten very interesting. He had heard about this other assassin that was killing the men of Choshu and its allies by the dozen. He himself had never come face to face with this mysterious new assassin but he often wondered whom he could be. Obviously, this man was extremely skilled with the sword.
Katsura, always observant, had seen Kenshin lurking by the door, however, and quickly called him into the room. Kenshin was used to Katsura calling him Battousai. He figured it was meant to keep his true identity a secret.
"My fellow comrades, may I introduce you to Battousai. Battousai is my most prized assassin, and if anyone can help us in this dilemma, it is him."
Kenshin inclined his head towards the men in greeting. He was never one to talk and mostly kept quiet. "I'm sure that you're well aware of Makoto Shishio's newest assassin. He has been a threat to us for about two months now. Nobody knows exactly who he is or where he came from or what sort of technique he uses. The technique that he practices is quite unlike anything anyone has ever seen before, or so I am told," continued Katsura in his deep calm voice. He knew that Kenshin was not much of a talker.
"Men who have fortunately escaped after catching sight of this new assassin have recalled him to be a merciless killer. He strikes without a sound and kills without mercy. We can no longer tolerate him to continue on a killing spree of our men, and that's why we asked you here today, Battousai. We need you to stop this assassin before he kills too many of our most important men. Will you assist us?" At this point, Katsura's warm brown eyes had settled on Kenshin's sharp amber ones.
Kenshin knew that Katsura was silently pleading for his help and simply nodded to show his assent. Afterall, he had taken care of many targets before. This new assassin would be no different.
"Very well. You will be joining a small group of our men to accompany Shinsaku Takasugi to the west side of Kyoto tomorrow for a very important meeting. Takasugi is going there to meet with one of our most important allies, the Oniwabanshu. I am positive that the assassin is going to attack tomorrow night. Shishio will not allow such an important meeting to take place. You must keep him safe, Battousai."
"I will."
With that, Kenshin turned and left the room. He will personally see to it that Shishio's newest assassin will no longer be of any trouble to the Choshu organization. He will not fail Katsura, not now and not ever.
Kaoru was walking through a beautiful sakura tree grove. The pink flowers were in full bloom and the petals were slowly drifting towards the ground. The sight took her breath away.
Walking happily through the grove, Kaoru felt the soft petals fall onto her body. They were everywhere, in her hair, on her shoulder, and covering the light yellow kimono she had adorned that day.
Smiling blissfully, Kaoru closed her eyes and began to twirl around with the sakura petals dancing all about her.
Suddenly, an odd aroma drifted to Kaoru's senses. 'That's weird. That's definitely not the aroma of the sakura blossoms. I wonder what that could be.'
Slowly opening her eyes, Kaoru froze at the sight before her. She was not covered in sakura blossoms as she had thought, instead, she was drench in blood.
The thick dark liquid was all over her body. The blood was oozing down her once lovely kimono and dripping off her long dark tresses.
Kaoru tried to scream but the sound was stuck in her throat.
The sakura petals themselves have turned a deep crimson and were showering down upon her. No matter where she ran, she could not get away from the shower of blood.
Her eyes were covered in blood now making it impossible to see. Falling to her knees, Kaoru tried to wipe the blood off, but to no avail.
The blood had gotten everywhere now. It was in her eyes, in her ears, and all over her face.
Once again Kaoru tried to scream but her mouth was filled with blood. The disgusting metallic taste nearly caused her to puke.
Kaoru was drowning now. She was drowning in the sea of raining blood and slowly it entered her mind as well, engulfing her entire being.
With a gasp Kaoru woke from her dream. Panting hard, she quickly reached over and brought a cloth to her face, wiping away the sweat trickling down her face.
It was the fifth time that month that she had had that same dream. Even now, she can still imagine herself suffocating in the sea of blood. Shivering, Kaoru quickly laid back down on the futon and pulled the covers to her chin.
She was in the same room she woke up in when Enishi had first kidnapped her and brought her to Shishio's mansion. Since that day, she was given this room and became another one of Shishio's 'helpers,' as he called it.
The dreams were a constant part of her life now and she was even strangely kind of used to having them. There was no doubt in her mind as to why she had those dreams. It was due to her killing...
After reading the scroll and learning her family's secret technique, Kaoru had become a master of swordsmanship. None of Shishio's other men could even come close to defeating her and she quickly became his leading fighter.
Kaoru thought back to the first time she was made to kill, to slaughter. She had not wanted to, being a person with a kind and pure heart but again, Shishio threatened to kill her loved ones. With no other choice, Kaoru had done the deed. It was two men who were carrying a message to Katsura of the Choshu organization. What surprised her the most was that she killed them swiftly and without any mercy even though it was only her first assassination. It almost felt as if she was an entirely different person while she was killing.
Shishio was currently fighting a war to control all of Japan with Choshu and its allies, and Kaoru was sent to do his dirty work. She felt like a pawn in his sick little game and despised every moment of what she was forced to do.
Since that first time she had killed, she had greatly hardened herself. She was no longer the innocent and careful girl that she once was. She had become a hard, cold, merciless assassin.
Tears slipped out of her dark sapphire eyes at the thought. She knew that she would never become who she once was ever again.
Soujiro grabbed a few more articles of clothing and threw them carelessly into his makeshift knapsack. He was never one for neatness.
He continued to angrily shove more clothing into his sack. How dare his parents try to control him like that! He should have a say in his own life afterall.
He knew that his parents meant well but ever since he was a little boy, they had always tried to control his life. Well, he had had enough! He was going to join in the war no matter what his parents said.
Besides, ever since Kaoru left, there is nothing to keep him here any longer.
Kenshin shivered as a cold breeze swept through his body.
'Damn, it's cold tonight. Of all the nights to be stuck outside.'
Tonight was the meeting between Choshu and the Oniwabanshu, and Katsura counted on Kenshin to get Shinsaku Takasugi to the meeting safely. Although Kenshin always put duty ahead of everything else, he couldn't help but curse at his luck of being stuck escorting Takasugi on such a chilly night. He could almost see his breath turn into little crystals of ice when he breathed.
However, the cold didn't stop Kenshin from constantly being on alert. Katsura had warned him of the assassin's appearance tonight and no way in hell would he ever fail Katsura.
"Do you really think that assassin's going to show up tonight?"
"I have no idea but I sure hope he doesn't. I don't know about you but I have no intention of dying today or any other day until I'm old with a long white beard."
Kenshin mentally scoffed to himself. Some of the men working for Choshu absolutely disgusted him. All they do is brag about how they are involved in the war just to be able to find themselves some pleasurable company. And once the men were truly needed to fight, they were pure cowards.
Kenshin deeply despises men who pretend to fight only to reap in its sinful rewards. He himself fights to ensure a better future for Japan and no other reason.
He also knows that most of the other members of Choshu are frightened of him. The only person who is not scared of him is Katsura. Of course, Katsura is not at all like the rest of the fools fighting in this war. He actually knew what he was doing.
The men are scared of him mostly for his terrifying aura and his striking amber eyes.
The man simply reeked of power and most men are scared off from just sensing his immensely dangerous ki. Others are scared stiff when they catch sight of the assassin's golden orbs that seem to be able to see anything and everything at anytime; the eyes of a ruthless killer.
His cold, stony, impassive exterior have also sent more than one shiver up the backs of men and women alike. The killer appears to have no feelings at all. Few have ever heard him talk and when he did, it was always in a harsh sharp tone that seemed to slice through the air, his face not moving in the slightest.
Furthermore, no one knows his true name, where he comes from, or even his age. The Battousai is a complete mystery to all the men. Not even Katsura knows everything about the Battousai. All that is known is that if a man with dark red hair is seen, be sure to stay far away from that area.
Kenshin personally prided himself in being able to scare the men so terribly. He prefers to simply carry out his duty in peace without any outside interruptions.
All of a sudden, a sharp wind whipped past somewhere near Kenshin. Instinctively, his body tensed, ready for battle, as he searched the area with his bright amber eyes that glowed eerily in the dark night.
Closing his eyes briefly, Kenshin seeked out the area with his ki.
'There, by the trees...' Knowing his ki sensing powers will never fail him, Kenshin rushed towards the trees.
When he reached there, he saw that the battle has already begun.
Though the assassin only appeared a mere moment ago, there were already several dead forms surrounding him as he continued to slaughter the men who stood little to no chance against him.
Running forward, Kenshin caught the blade of the assassin just as he was about to kill another one of Choshu's men.
While running to reach the assassin, Kenshin did not get a really good look at him due to the darkness of the night, but from what he saw, he noticed that the assassin was even smaller than himself.
Although the assassin is small, he is undoubtedly extremely skilled. Kenshin has never seen someone move so fast before. Of course, it did not match his own godlike speed, but Kenshin is still deeply impressed with the skills the assassin is exhibiting.
With the assassin fighting with skill, speed, and confidence, Kenshin knew it would be a good match.
Never did he expect the assassin to turn his face towards him after his block, though, and reveal piercing ocean blue eyes and facial features that could only belong to those of a woman.
'Those eyes, never have I seen such deptless eyes. I could lose myself in those saphire blue pools forever..'
Shaking himself out of a moment of shock and reverie, Kenshin let his defenses slip for a brief second.
Within that instant, the assassin rapidly turned around and attempted to attack Kenshin from the right.
Regaining his composure, Kenshin quickly dodged the attack and dived forward with his own assail.
'Whether or not she is a woman, her life will end here tonight by the blade of my sword...'
A/N:
I've been really busy these days so I don't know when I'll be able to get the next chapter up, but it may be a lot sooner if I get a lot of reviews! =)
~starannie14