===========
Chapter One
=========== Shinta was walking back to his master's house for supper at dusk. He was with three friends, Akane and Kasumi, who he was trying to ignore, and Sakura. Sakura always was special to him. He did not know why, or care, the fact was he thought he loved her. It seemed everything was as it should be this day, until suddenly a band of thieves attacked. They had obviously mistaken him for his master's son. Many people said they were twins. This was impossible because Shinta had to slowly watch his parents die of cholera. The bandits seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Shinta was too scared and shocked to count them. He was too busy trying to protect himself and make sure Sakura did not get hurt. He did not notice Akane had been killed.
Then, he noticed a dark haired boy. His hair was darker then any ink, darker then any night, darker then any blackness, darker then any dark. He instantly recognized this boy; it was the boy he thought was his best friend, Maru.
"Maru, NO!!!" Shinta yelled, but it was too late, Maru had killed Kasumi. He and another bandit were about to attack Sakura. "No! Kill me instead! My life is nothing!" Shinta yelled while he was diving into their swords paths. Both swords sliced into his left cheek. They slashed straight through his cheek; he knew he would have a scar if he lived. He definitely did not expect to live though. He screamed as he was cut; as if he would rather die a thousand deaths then go through that pain.
Shinta heard them talking over his screaming somehow they said something about not being supposed to kill him. They also said something about killing 'the girl'. The next thing Shinta knew, Sakura was lying beside him and they were gone. After all of them were gone he finally realized they were untrained in any art, they merely came across swords by good fortune.
"Shinta, you must stay alive. Kasumi, Akane, and I messed up our own lives. It was our fault we were slaves. Yet, you did nothing and had to suffer just as we did. Take advantage of Master's death. You can fix your life, and help others now," Sakura said, "Now please leave me, I am dying and have no hope of life. If you get medical help now you can live."
"No, please don't leave me!"
Just then a samurai of tremendous skill appeared. Samurai were not uncommon these days. A war was soon was soon to break out, or so many thought. On the thieves' way back he killed them all. Everyone but Shinta was killed. Shinta thought about what Sakura's last words were. He buried everyone before the samurai spoke.
"What is your name boy?" he asked.
"M-my name...is...Sh-Shinta, sir," he sobbed as he wiped a mix of blood, sweat and tears from his face.
"That name is too gentle for a swordsman, from now on you are to be known as Kenshin. I, Hiko Seijuro, 13th master of the HitenMitsurugi-Ryu, will train you until you become a master swordsman"
"Please master, let me protect the civilians," Kenshin asked yet again. It was the second year of a great civil war. The Meiji forces fought to end the Toku-Gawa dynasty. It was year 1854.
"I am truly sorry Kenshin, but I cannot let you fight, you are not only too young but you have not yet mastered HitenMitsurugi-Ryu yet," Hiko said. Kenshin knew in his heart this was probably true but did not wish to accept it.
"I am still the most skilled and most mature for miles!" Kenshin yelled angrily.
"Most skilled? Almost definitely. Most mature? It seems like it was only a few days ago you were wetting the bed and having trouble with the simplest of tasks..." Hiko said blankly.
"Stop it! I am no longer a little kid who can be convinced by a few words!" Kenshin said, he could feel himself growing red with anger; his fists were clenched so tight he thought he might start bleeding at any moment, and if that had happened he'd become even angrier because he'd have to ask Hiko for help.
"But I'm not done reminiscing yet; what about that time that you jumped in the lake in the dead of winter?"
"STOP IT!!!" Kenshin was so angry he could have killed Hiko, along with the rest of the country and not care at all. "When you became my apprentice I became like your father, I am now the one who decides what you do."
"But you are NOT my father so stop acting like it!" Kenshin yelled and walked away in fear. Not fear of Hiko. Fear of himself, what he might be driven to do if he continued their argument, he was already unknowingly planning something unbelievably foolish.
He began to run as fast as he could, which was very fast because the Hiten-MitsurugiRyu relied upon the user's of the mastery of speed and ma-ai [mastery of space between oneself and ones opponent]. He ran all the way to Hiko's house, where he kept his katana.
Kenshin ran in, drenched in sweat, as it was a hot summer day. He forgot about the glass encasement shielding these swords. Suddenly he couldn't control his hands' quivering and they were sweating without stopping. He decided to try to lift it anyway. It was impossible for him to keep a grip. He couldn't hold it. He lost his grip...
Surely Hiko heard the crash; Kenshin grabbed the daisho and ran. He ran to the woods. When he got there he couldn't stop running. He hit his head on a few braches but didn't stop. After he didn't know how long, he finally reached town. Knowing it was stupid, Kenshin stopped for a drink.
"Pretty nice daisho you got there, kid," the hooded man next to him said, "where'd you get it?" His voice sounded familiar but Kenshin didn't know from where. Perhaps an old friend from when he was a kid... "I-I got it from my master, why?"
"No reason, you just seem a little young to be carrying a daisho that old around"
"It's just an old piece of junk..."
Kenshin quickly finished his drink and left because he was drawing attention to himself. He didn't know where to go, he needed sleep. The only person he trusted in town was Asche, the girl who ran the inn. After a while of wondering the streets, he decided to spend the night at the end. He ran in without realizing it, because he was eager to see Asche.
"Hello, Asche?" he said.
"Yes Kenshin?" she replied.
"Do you have an extra room?"
"We always have a room for you."
"Alright, thanks. How much do I have to pay?"
"One hundred yen"
"Okay" he said reaching into his robe.
"Thank you, by the way, why aren't you at Hiko's?"
"I can't tell anyone..." "Oh, come on. You can tell me."
"Okay, but you can't tell anyone"
"Fine, Fine. Just tell me"
"We got into an argument because I wanted to protect the civilians in the war. He thinks I'm too young so-"
"-You are too young, Kenshin-."
"-So, I snuck into his cottage and took his daisho" "You WHAT? YOU STOLE HIS DAISHO!?"
"Shhh..."
"You do know you're going to die right?"
"I would rather die then let those entire innocent people die. I am prepared to leap into hell if it means I save even one person...my life...it means nothing"
"That's not true Kenshin!"
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't! I didn't want to tell you this, well, not yet. You mean... everything to me; if something ever happened to me then I would have to kill myself to relieve myself of the pain of losing you."
"What?"
"You heard me..." there was a tear in her eye.
"So why don't you join too? We can leave this town and run forever together."
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"I mean I feel the same way. Why don't you join the Satsuna with me? Their recruiting session is tomorrow."
"I can't use a sword..."
"I will teach you. I am the most skilled warrior for miles around."
"Well...okay, I can't deny that I want to fight the Imperialists."
"We leave first thing tomorrow." In the morning, Kenshin woke before the sun rose. He decided not to wake Asche, he knew they would both be killed, her first probably. He did not want to have to go through such pain, watching the only person who he hadn't let down yet die.
He arrived at the Satsuna training grounds before hours dawn.
Chapter One
=========== Shinta was walking back to his master's house for supper at dusk. He was with three friends, Akane and Kasumi, who he was trying to ignore, and Sakura. Sakura always was special to him. He did not know why, or care, the fact was he thought he loved her. It seemed everything was as it should be this day, until suddenly a band of thieves attacked. They had obviously mistaken him for his master's son. Many people said they were twins. This was impossible because Shinta had to slowly watch his parents die of cholera. The bandits seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Shinta was too scared and shocked to count them. He was too busy trying to protect himself and make sure Sakura did not get hurt. He did not notice Akane had been killed.
Then, he noticed a dark haired boy. His hair was darker then any ink, darker then any night, darker then any blackness, darker then any dark. He instantly recognized this boy; it was the boy he thought was his best friend, Maru.
"Maru, NO!!!" Shinta yelled, but it was too late, Maru had killed Kasumi. He and another bandit were about to attack Sakura. "No! Kill me instead! My life is nothing!" Shinta yelled while he was diving into their swords paths. Both swords sliced into his left cheek. They slashed straight through his cheek; he knew he would have a scar if he lived. He definitely did not expect to live though. He screamed as he was cut; as if he would rather die a thousand deaths then go through that pain.
Shinta heard them talking over his screaming somehow they said something about not being supposed to kill him. They also said something about killing 'the girl'. The next thing Shinta knew, Sakura was lying beside him and they were gone. After all of them were gone he finally realized they were untrained in any art, they merely came across swords by good fortune.
"Shinta, you must stay alive. Kasumi, Akane, and I messed up our own lives. It was our fault we were slaves. Yet, you did nothing and had to suffer just as we did. Take advantage of Master's death. You can fix your life, and help others now," Sakura said, "Now please leave me, I am dying and have no hope of life. If you get medical help now you can live."
"No, please don't leave me!"
Just then a samurai of tremendous skill appeared. Samurai were not uncommon these days. A war was soon was soon to break out, or so many thought. On the thieves' way back he killed them all. Everyone but Shinta was killed. Shinta thought about what Sakura's last words were. He buried everyone before the samurai spoke.
"What is your name boy?" he asked.
"M-my name...is...Sh-Shinta, sir," he sobbed as he wiped a mix of blood, sweat and tears from his face.
"That name is too gentle for a swordsman, from now on you are to be known as Kenshin. I, Hiko Seijuro, 13th master of the HitenMitsurugi-Ryu, will train you until you become a master swordsman"
"Please master, let me protect the civilians," Kenshin asked yet again. It was the second year of a great civil war. The Meiji forces fought to end the Toku-Gawa dynasty. It was year 1854.
"I am truly sorry Kenshin, but I cannot let you fight, you are not only too young but you have not yet mastered HitenMitsurugi-Ryu yet," Hiko said. Kenshin knew in his heart this was probably true but did not wish to accept it.
"I am still the most skilled and most mature for miles!" Kenshin yelled angrily.
"Most skilled? Almost definitely. Most mature? It seems like it was only a few days ago you were wetting the bed and having trouble with the simplest of tasks..." Hiko said blankly.
"Stop it! I am no longer a little kid who can be convinced by a few words!" Kenshin said, he could feel himself growing red with anger; his fists were clenched so tight he thought he might start bleeding at any moment, and if that had happened he'd become even angrier because he'd have to ask Hiko for help.
"But I'm not done reminiscing yet; what about that time that you jumped in the lake in the dead of winter?"
"STOP IT!!!" Kenshin was so angry he could have killed Hiko, along with the rest of the country and not care at all. "When you became my apprentice I became like your father, I am now the one who decides what you do."
"But you are NOT my father so stop acting like it!" Kenshin yelled and walked away in fear. Not fear of Hiko. Fear of himself, what he might be driven to do if he continued their argument, he was already unknowingly planning something unbelievably foolish.
He began to run as fast as he could, which was very fast because the Hiten-MitsurugiRyu relied upon the user's of the mastery of speed and ma-ai [mastery of space between oneself and ones opponent]. He ran all the way to Hiko's house, where he kept his katana.
Kenshin ran in, drenched in sweat, as it was a hot summer day. He forgot about the glass encasement shielding these swords. Suddenly he couldn't control his hands' quivering and they were sweating without stopping. He decided to try to lift it anyway. It was impossible for him to keep a grip. He couldn't hold it. He lost his grip...
Surely Hiko heard the crash; Kenshin grabbed the daisho and ran. He ran to the woods. When he got there he couldn't stop running. He hit his head on a few braches but didn't stop. After he didn't know how long, he finally reached town. Knowing it was stupid, Kenshin stopped for a drink.
"Pretty nice daisho you got there, kid," the hooded man next to him said, "where'd you get it?" His voice sounded familiar but Kenshin didn't know from where. Perhaps an old friend from when he was a kid... "I-I got it from my master, why?"
"No reason, you just seem a little young to be carrying a daisho that old around"
"It's just an old piece of junk..."
Kenshin quickly finished his drink and left because he was drawing attention to himself. He didn't know where to go, he needed sleep. The only person he trusted in town was Asche, the girl who ran the inn. After a while of wondering the streets, he decided to spend the night at the end. He ran in without realizing it, because he was eager to see Asche.
"Hello, Asche?" he said.
"Yes Kenshin?" she replied.
"Do you have an extra room?"
"We always have a room for you."
"Alright, thanks. How much do I have to pay?"
"One hundred yen"
"Okay" he said reaching into his robe.
"Thank you, by the way, why aren't you at Hiko's?"
"I can't tell anyone..." "Oh, come on. You can tell me."
"Okay, but you can't tell anyone"
"Fine, Fine. Just tell me"
"We got into an argument because I wanted to protect the civilians in the war. He thinks I'm too young so-"
"-You are too young, Kenshin-."
"-So, I snuck into his cottage and took his daisho" "You WHAT? YOU STOLE HIS DAISHO!?"
"Shhh..."
"You do know you're going to die right?"
"I would rather die then let those entire innocent people die. I am prepared to leap into hell if it means I save even one person...my life...it means nothing"
"That's not true Kenshin!"
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't! I didn't want to tell you this, well, not yet. You mean... everything to me; if something ever happened to me then I would have to kill myself to relieve myself of the pain of losing you."
"What?"
"You heard me..." there was a tear in her eye.
"So why don't you join too? We can leave this town and run forever together."
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"I mean I feel the same way. Why don't you join the Satsuna with me? Their recruiting session is tomorrow."
"I can't use a sword..."
"I will teach you. I am the most skilled warrior for miles around."
"Well...okay, I can't deny that I want to fight the Imperialists."
"We leave first thing tomorrow." In the morning, Kenshin woke before the sun rose. He decided not to wake Asche, he knew they would both be killed, her first probably. He did not want to have to go through such pain, watching the only person who he hadn't let down yet die.
He arrived at the Satsuna training grounds before hours dawn.