Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, the characters, or anything related to it. The anime is owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro.
Fanfic Title: Epic of a Rurouni
By: Et-chan, the Disgraceful One
Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance
Rating: PG-13 for violence and mild language
Summary: Can Heaven find a way to forgive a thief?
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Chapter 2: Death Wish
An uneasy laugh found its way out of Seta Soujiro's throat as a waitress hurriedly shoved him out into the streets of Kyoto.
"Next time, make sure you can pay for your meal!" she shouted at him. She then quickly turned and slid the shoji screen door of the restaurant shut with a violent snap.
Soujiro scratched his head in an embarrassed way as heads of passers-by turned his way. Since the ninja he met had pick pocketed him, he had no choice but to pay for his meal by washing dishes with the restaurant staff. The scent of soap and food had engulfed Soujiro's nostrils then. The air was thick with moisture and it was also musty with too many people being crammed in one place. He was relieved that he got finished with his pile soon because he didn't want to die from excessive heat and the scent of unwashed skin.
He stopped thinking of the horrid dish-washing and rose off of the dirty ground. His eyes gazed up at the sky solemnly. A mellifluent mixture of orange, pink, purple, and yellow accentuated the departing sun that would return to watch over the historical city of Kyoto like an angel in the transcendent sky. The warm air stopped lingering like a contagious disease and was replaced with a cool wind that whistled with a melodic tone through the vicinity.
Soujiro tore his eyes away from the sky and looked about him. Where do I go now? He brooded while the zephyr that speeded by caused ripples through his loose attire. He frowned; I can't go into an inn because I don't have any money. He sighed in unison with the breeze and began to head north where he would soon meet the menacing facade of a forest.
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A forest was never the safest place at night but Soujiro's heart instructed his mind as if saying, "This is your path, Soujiro." The Kikuichimonji Norimune clanged at his side as he sauntered deeper into the cryptic forest. He gripped the hilt of the wakizashi to silence it because he felt the presence of people about him. His eyes scoured through the forest, squinting every now and then to see any signs of movement in the green darkness. His keen ears caught the sound of water splashing to his right. With feet creeping and heart pounding, Soujiro sauntered as stealthily as a ninja to where he expected the noise to have erupted from.
A scream accompanied the splash as he began to scamper up a tree to see the people better. While in the safety of the rustling tree tops, he saw that the kunoichi he met earlier was being held by the men she had stolen from.
"What's this? Money you stole from someone else?" said the thug that Soujiro had gutted in the stomach earlier. He opened the girl's yukata a bit and snatched the money that rubbed against her stomach. The other man that held her yanked her away so she wouldn't try to get the money sack back. The man tossed the bag in a gleeful way in the air, the coins inside it clinked against each other in an appeasing way.
"Well, now I have my money back. But before we let you go, we should have some fun with you," the man said. He was grinning from ear to ear, showing off unpleasant yellow teeth. He grabbed her clothes, threatening to tear them off.
Without thinking, Soujiro leaped off of the tree and smacked the Kikuichimonji Norimune's scabbard across the face of the ruthless thug who grabbed at the girl's outfit. The man automatically released her and fell to the ground in a pathetic heap. Soujiro pulled the kunoichi close to him. In a swift motion, he whirled around the girl and used the dull side of the wakizashi to attack the man that held her. The man screamed in pain and crumpled to the ground like worthless paper.
"Does anyone else want to kiss the ground?" Soujiro asked coldly, his eyes narrowing into those of a batousai.
The few men who were still standing shook their heads fervently, sweat that was infused with fear dripped down their lurid faces. A murmur that sounded like "Tenken" escaped from one of the horrified men.
With his blue gaze still piercing through their very souls, Soujiro quickly regained his sack of money from the man that was shifting and cowering on the ground.
Soujiro sheathed his wakizashi and smiled pleasantly at them. "Good, now get out of my sight and never bother this girl again. Or else you shall feel Tenchuu for the rest of your days."
The men helped up their comrades and left quickly.
Soujiro turned to where the girl stood, that perpetual smile still glowing on his handsome face.
"Hey, wait!" he called after the kunoichi when he noticed that she was running off into another portion of the towering, verdant forest.
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Sorry 'bout that, I began to procrastinate since I was too lazy to hand-code this chapter sooner. Chapter 3 will be up very, very soon (hopefully). ._.;