I know I haven't posted in a looooooooooong time, but I've been busy with
exams and junk. Anyway, here we go again! This is chapter 2 of my badly
written story. Please find it in your heart to enjoy it, and please, tell
me what you thought afterward. Please? Okay, well, at any rate, it's
late, and I bid you farewell.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or anything. Don't sue me!
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Once More by Supersaiyanchicken
"Die!" She burst from the darkness and swung her sword. He whirled around as she flew toward him. His eyes widened...
The blade stopped, less than an inch from his head. Kaoru stood, still, silent. 'Why? Why didn't I kill him?!' He stepped back and stared at her suspiciously.
"What's the matter?" he asked. "I thought you were going to kill me." She glared at him.
"I just spared your life! Isn't that enough?" she spat. He smiled at her. "Don't mock me! Stop smiling! Why are you staring at me?" He didn't reply. She realized that her clothes were still on the ground and threw him a horrified look.
"That's why you're looking at me like that! HOW DARE YOU!!!" She began to swing her sword wildly at him. The attacks were poorly aimed and easy for him to block, but powerful nonetheless. He staggered backwards. She relented her assault after a moment and stood with her hands on her knees, panting for breath. He gave a small laugh.
"Believe me, Kamiya-san, I would not dream of looking at you inappropriately." She scowled at him.
"Like I believe you," she growled. He shrugged.
"Believe what you wish. I thank you for sparing my life. I guess this makes us even." He turned to go.
"Wait!" He paused. "I would have won that fight! Tell me your name!" He looked at her over his shoulder.
"My name? ...They call me Hitokiri Battousai." And saying this, he was gone. Her jaw dropped.
"He...he is...Battousai...?" She stared after him. "I've actually fought Hitokiri Battousai?!"
Kaoru shook her head and turned around. Dwelling on that now would waste time. Besides, a woman who looked to be about her size had stepped out onto one of the porches lining the street. Kaoru smirked and sheathed her sword.
"Hey!" she called, beginning to walk towards her. She could already feel the woman's blood on her hands.
* * * * *
Battousai entered the inn. He could hear voices yelling angrily from the other room. He stepped in. The arguing instantly stopped.
"What's going on?!" he asked, puzzled. A man with long hair stepped forward.
"Battousai-san," he said, holding out his hand. Battousai shook it.
"Who are you?" he asked. Another voice replied, "His name is Shishio Makoto."
"Ah, yes. I've been hearing about you." Shishio smirked.
"Perhaps I'm not being as careful as I should be," he remarked. Battousai shrugged. Shishio stepped back and Battousai looked at the other people in the room.
"So, why are you all here?" he asked. "This is dangerous. It would be wise for you to leave." There was a murmur of dissent among the men gathered.
One of them spoke to Battousai. "There has been a slight setback in our plans. Apparently a group calling themselves the Oniwabanshuu has set itself up here in Kyoto. They aren't making things any easier for us." Battousai nodded.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked.
"Go with Shishio-san and deal with the leader of this group. His name is Shinomori Aoshi."
"Very well."
* * * * *
Kaoru stepped out into the rain, wearing new clothes. She looked up and down the deserted street. This town was so empty at night these days. Yet before the fighting...she had lived here. There wasn't a constant fear of death. People could be found laughing and walking on the streets at all hours.
She headed for her house. Despite the fact that she was an important member of the Shinsengumi, the location of her home was still unknown by many. It was safest that way.
"I'm back!" she called, stepping through the door. She heard screams of delight and saw her two little sisters running toward her. She scooped them into her arms and hugged them tightly to her chest.
"Ayame-chan! Suzume-chan! How are you?" she asked happily. She put them down and they looked up at her with loving eyes.
"Kaoru! You're back!" cried Ayame delightedly. She hugged her sister's leg. Kaoru patted her head and knelt down.
"Has anything happened while I've been gone?" she asked Suzume. She shook her head.
"Nuh-uh," she said. "Nothing happened. It was boring." Kaoru laughed and planted a kiss on her forehead. She straightened up. "Where's Yahiko?" she asked. Suzume shrugged. Kaoru nodded and walked down the hall. She saw a light on and stepped into the sparring room of the house. Before the Bakumatsu had begun, before her father had died, he had run a large kendo school. Kaoru had become a master of the style and her father had appointed her assistant master of the school. But he was gone now...
Her brother Yahiko was sitting on the bare floor of the dojo and reading. He had a candle with him and it provided the meager light which lit the room. He looked up when she entered.
"You're back," he said simply. She walked over to him.
"How've you been doing?" she asked. He shrugged.
"Alright. It's pretty dull here, though. Wish we could go somewhere." Kaoru smiled.
"It's not as fun as you think, Yahiko-chan. Not everyone is too nice out there. You could get killed." He laughed.
"I doubt it. I'm not too bad with a sword, you know." She nodded.
"Yeah, but you're not as good as me, and I still get hurt sometimes." He snickered.
"That's because you're a girl! An ugly one too!" She punched him playfully on the arm. He lunged at her and knocked her over. Sitting on her chest, he began to tickle her until she was laughing too hard to breathe.
"Give up?" he asked fiercely. She nodded frantically and he got off her. She lay on the floor panting heavily.
"See? I can beat you!" She laughed and ruffled his hair. He squirmed and tried to escape.
"You need to get to sleep," she said, standing up. He groaned, plopped back down on the floor and picked up his book. Kaoru placed her hands on her hips and sighed.
"Yahiko-chan," she said exasperatedly. "Please listen to me." He ignored her. 'How is it that I can kill a man without feeling anything and yet I can't make my little brother go to sleep?' she thought. "Fine," she said. "You can do whatever you want. Just don't complain to me when you're too tired." She turned on her heel and stomped out in a huff.
She walked into her sisters' room and found them already asleep in their beds. They were so sweet...she couldn't forgive herself in anything ever happened to them.
* * * * *
Battousai watched the building in which the Oniwabanshuu had supposedly established their base. No one had entered or exited for almost two hours. Shishio had fallen asleep and was leaning against the wall. Battousai resented his apparent lack of motivation, but was able to have a conversation with Shishio's apprentice, Seta Soujiro. This boy was a strange one. He never stopped smiling, and spoke politely to everyone.
"Someone's coming." Battousai backed into the shadows. Soujiro was right. A tall, thin man with a mask looking like a demon strode past them and entered the building.
"That's the building we want," said Soujiro. Shishio opened his eyes.
"Let's go," he said.
* * * * *
After taking a short bath, Kaoru headed back into the sparring room to get Yahiko. She found him asleep on the floor. She lifted him up and half-carried-half-dragged him to his room. He collapsed onto his bed as soon as the reached it. She kneeled next to him and pulled the blanket over him.
As she was walking out, she heard him say, "Kaoru?" She turned.
"Yes?" He looked sheepish. "Uh...could you...stay here...until I...uh...fall asleep?" She was taken aback. He never asked for things like this; indeed, he usually acted disgusted at signs of affection.
"Yahiko-chan...what's wrong?" She was startled to see tears in his eyes. She sat down at the head of his bed. He crawled into her arms, something he hadn't done for years. He began to cry softly.
"Kaoru...I'm always scared...scared that something will happen to you one day...and you won't come back...and we won't know what happened..." She hugged him close.
"Don't worry, Yahiko-chan. Nothing's going to happen to me." He lifted his head and stared at her with wide eyes.
"How do you know?!" he demanded. "If you got hurt we wouldn't find out...you just wouldn't come home...ever...what would happen to us?"
"I don't know," she replied truthfully. "But I do know that I will not get killed. You have to trust me, Yahiko-chan, I don't lose. I can't. You are too important to me." He gave her a watery smile and put his head in her lap. She sat cross-legged and softly stroked his hair. She felt his body loosen up from its previous tension and he soon fell asleep.
She laid his head onto his pillow and exited his room. She had never known...he had never said anything. She hated the idea of leaving them alone day after day, but she couldn't do anything about it. These were troubled times.
* * * * *
Battousai jumped out the window, the glass shattering all around him. He ignored the sharp pain as the shards ripped through his skin and rolled as he landed. He heard Soujiro hit the ground behind him, but didn't wait for Shishio. 3They began to run. Suddenly, they heard a blood curdling scream. Shishio burst through the doors, his body aflame. He ran straight past them and off into the distance. Soujiro ran after his master worriedly, leaving Battousai to take care of himself.
Battousai brushed off his clothes and began walking away. They had failed. Not good. His superiors wouldn't be pleased. But it had been an impossible mission to begin with. The Oniwabanshuu far outnumbered the Ishin Shishi's assassins. Maybe they had known that he would fail.
Battousai wondered vaguely what had happened to Shishio. It didn't strike him as a particularly heavy loss if Shishio died...he wasn't the friendliest person.
Battousai entered the inn yet again. Without bothering to see if anyone was waiting for him, he went straight to his room and fell asleep.
* * * * *
By the following morning, the clouds had vanished from the skies and the sun was beaming down upon the city of Kyoto. Battousai woke to find the sun in his eyes and tried to fall back asleep, but was unable. He had just finished dressing when Katsura entered his room. He greeted him with a "good morning" and gave him his next assignment. His tone was stiff; Battousai could tell that he was upset about the failure of the previous night's mission. After delivering the message, Katsura left. Battousai stood for a moment before leaving as well. The actual kill was not until the night. But he had to find his target during the day and keep an eye on him until then.
'Kiyosato Akira. I pity you,' he thought, stepping into the morning sun.
* * * * *
Wiping his sword clean, Battousai looked up at Katsura. His leader was smiling at the scar on his cheek, running from his eye to his chin. It was still bleeding slowly.
"I never thought anyone could possibly hurt you, Himura," he said. "Was your opponent exceptional?" Battousai slid the sword into its sheath.
"No," he replied. "Stubborn." Katsura nodded.
"Well done, in any case. We have no assignments for you at the moment, so you may do as you please. However, as always, be careful." Battousai walked away. 'I need a bath,' he thought.
* * * * *
Kaoru smirked and shoved her blade through her victim's neck. Blood splashed against the ground. There was a lot of blood on her sword as well. She brought the steel to her lips and licked the blood off. A wonderful taste. This man had been rich, in good health, and in excellent shape. He had squirmed just right when the blade had first penetrated his skin. How she loved to kill people like him.
She heard footsteps and turned. Saitou was walking up to her along with Okita and several other Shinsengumi warriors. His narrow yellow eyes were blazing with fire.
"Saitou-san, I-" The back of his gloved hand collided with her cheek. She stumbled backward.
"Do you have any idea what you are doing?!" he snarled. She stared up at him in shock but didn't reply. "You stupid fool, you cannot simply go around killing anyone you want! Why do you constantly do this?!" Kaoru didn't respond.
'Why do I do this?' she asked herself. 'I'm not even sure I know.' But she said to Saitou, "It really makes no difference. I was not caught, and he didn't have any family left." Saitou's lip curled.
"That is completely irrelevant! You know that you are not to kill unless it is in your own defense or you have orders!" Kaoru cringed. Although she feared almost no one, Saitou was one of the scariest people when he got mad. He glowered at her for a minute before turning and walking away. Okita helped her up.
"Don't let him get to you, Kamiya-san," he said cheerfully. "However, I do believe that there is some truth to what Saitou-san says. You shouldn't be so reckless." Kaoru pushed him away and stomped off. He stared after her with a small smile on his lips.
"Okita-san! Let's go!"
"Hai! Coming, Saitou-san!"
* * * * *
He fixed his katana and wakazashi at his side and stepped from the bath house. The inn was small, and dirty, but it had everything he needed.
"Hitokiri Battousai." He turned, hair flying out behind him. A blade flew toward him and he only barely managed to get to the side. It was a kunai. He heard another one whistling as it came toward him. He drew his sword and cut it before it hit him. He strained his eyes looking into the darkness for his assailant. He thought he could make out a small figure, but before he could make sure, it disappeared.
He didn't have a moment to react. A kunai pierced his shoulder, and another one clipped his leg. He fell back. He heard footsteps and looked up.
"Wow, you aren't so tough!" laughed the girl. She had long, black hair, pulled back into a single braid that fell a long way down her back. She didn't look very menacing. On the contrary, she was grinning happily, and didn't seem to have murder on her mind.
"What do you want?" asked Battousai, wincing at the pain. She didn't move or reply. He pushed himself up and drew his sword. The wound in his shoulder kept him from holding the katana straight, and he wouldn't have been able to fight properly anyway, because of the other cut in his leg.
"You? The famous Battousai?!" Her voice was extremely irritating. She sounded incredulous, as though she doubted him. Well, it was clear why...
"I will say again: what do you want?" She stomped up to him and glared at him.
"What do you think?! You tried to attack our headquarters two nights ago! Did you think we were going to let you guys just get away?!"
"So the Oniwabanshuu sent a weasel-girl to ambush me?" he asked, puzzled. Her face grew red.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY???!!!" She pulled her arm back to throw another kunai.
"Makimachi-san. Stop." The girl looked around. Battousai recognized him. It was the same Shinomori Aoshi that he was supposed to have killed two days ago. He was leaning against the wall of the inn, arms crossed, icy eyes staring emotionlessly at the two of them.
"Shinomori-sama!" gasped the girl breathlessly. She dropped the kunai she was holding and bowed low to him. He ignored her, but Battousai thought he saw the briefest of smiles appear on his lips for a moment. However, any trace of a smile disappeared as he began walking toward him.
"Himura Battousai, the most powerful samurai alive. I am disappointed that you were so easily defeated. Makimachi-san is not the strongest of our fighters. How is it that she managed to beat you?" Battousai grimaced and lifted himself up with his katana.
"A surprise attack," he replied. "You send a girl to ambush me at night? I thought the code of the Oniwabanshuu did not permit such cowardice." He saw Aoshi's eyes flash.
"You dare make a mockery of us?!" demanded Aoshi. "After I spare your life, you have the nerve to question our honor?! Do you wish for me to kill you?!" His hand closed around the handle of his kodachi. Battousai shook his head.
"You misunderstand. I mean to make no mockery of you. My question was serious. From what I have learned, I did not believe that a surprise attack such as this was ever executed by the Oniwabanshuu, for it certainly is not honorable."
"Makimachi-san is not the most professional of our organization. Certainly, if we had planned such an attack ourselves, it would have been carried out properly, and you would have died. However, because of this cowardly attack, we shall spare your life, for now. Make sure you do not anger us again." He turned toward the inn. "Come, Makimachi-san. You have much to answer for." Misao cringed and followed Aoshi into the inn. Battousai stumbled after them.
'This day has been too long. I need to rest,' he thought. He lay down on the bed, and sleep claimed him instantly.
* * * * *
She watched her sisters play from the porch. The other kids of the neighborhood had sought out Ayame and Suzume and asked them to play. Kaoru had let them, thinking it would be good for the girls to have a little fun.
"Excuse me?" Kaoru looked up into the face of a smiling elderly woman.
"Can I help you?" she asked politely.
"Battousai-san wishes to speak with you," she said. "He asks that you meet him at the Aoiya in two hours." Kaoru was surprised.
"Battousai? Why does he want to talk with me?" The woman gave her a wider smile.
"He didn't say," she said. And she walked away.
* * * * *
He watched from the shadows. The rain was falling hard now. Similar to the last time they had met. Less than five minutes. He had been unable to stop thinking about her. He was unsure why, but there was something about her...
A horse-drawn carriage rode by, splashing water onto him. He was drawn sharply back to reality. He stepped into the rain, holding an umbrella over his head.
He heard a sound and ducked. Looking up, he saw a blade attached to a chain cut through the umbrella. He rolled to the side as the weapon was pulled back.
'Shinsengumi?' he thought frantically. 'No. Someone from the shadows, like myself.' The man attacked again. He dodged backwards and drew his sword. Swinging it down, the man flung out another chain, which circled around Battousai's blade and snatched the katana from his grasp.
"Dammit!" Battousai spun to his left, but the metal still nicked his arm. A few drops of blood were visible for a brief moment before the rain washed them away. Battousai caught the chain of the blade and pulled forward. His assailant stumbled, and the katana dropped to the ground. Battousai lunged forward and grabbed it. He turned quickly, seeing the blade coming at him. He dodged to the side and rushed forward. The man jumped at him at the same time. Battousai swung his sword, and it connected with his opponent's head. The blade cut straight down, slicing the man in two. The rain turned to blood.
Footsteps were approaching. Battousai forced himself to his feet. A woman was standing in front of him. There was blood on her too, no doubt from the fight that had just taken place. She was surveying the scene with an emotionless look. Her eyes seemed unfocused. Battousai's hands clenched around the handle of his katana.
'I have been seen,' thought Battousai. 'What do I do now?'
There! Finished. I hope everyone liked this, I did put quite a bit of work into it! Please please please tell me if you liked it! Thanks!
Op-T Aku Soku Zan
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or anything. Don't sue me!
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Once More by Supersaiyanchicken
"Die!" She burst from the darkness and swung her sword. He whirled around as she flew toward him. His eyes widened...
The blade stopped, less than an inch from his head. Kaoru stood, still, silent. 'Why? Why didn't I kill him?!' He stepped back and stared at her suspiciously.
"What's the matter?" he asked. "I thought you were going to kill me." She glared at him.
"I just spared your life! Isn't that enough?" she spat. He smiled at her. "Don't mock me! Stop smiling! Why are you staring at me?" He didn't reply. She realized that her clothes were still on the ground and threw him a horrified look.
"That's why you're looking at me like that! HOW DARE YOU!!!" She began to swing her sword wildly at him. The attacks were poorly aimed and easy for him to block, but powerful nonetheless. He staggered backwards. She relented her assault after a moment and stood with her hands on her knees, panting for breath. He gave a small laugh.
"Believe me, Kamiya-san, I would not dream of looking at you inappropriately." She scowled at him.
"Like I believe you," she growled. He shrugged.
"Believe what you wish. I thank you for sparing my life. I guess this makes us even." He turned to go.
"Wait!" He paused. "I would have won that fight! Tell me your name!" He looked at her over his shoulder.
"My name? ...They call me Hitokiri Battousai." And saying this, he was gone. Her jaw dropped.
"He...he is...Battousai...?" She stared after him. "I've actually fought Hitokiri Battousai?!"
Kaoru shook her head and turned around. Dwelling on that now would waste time. Besides, a woman who looked to be about her size had stepped out onto one of the porches lining the street. Kaoru smirked and sheathed her sword.
"Hey!" she called, beginning to walk towards her. She could already feel the woman's blood on her hands.
* * * * *
Battousai entered the inn. He could hear voices yelling angrily from the other room. He stepped in. The arguing instantly stopped.
"What's going on?!" he asked, puzzled. A man with long hair stepped forward.
"Battousai-san," he said, holding out his hand. Battousai shook it.
"Who are you?" he asked. Another voice replied, "His name is Shishio Makoto."
"Ah, yes. I've been hearing about you." Shishio smirked.
"Perhaps I'm not being as careful as I should be," he remarked. Battousai shrugged. Shishio stepped back and Battousai looked at the other people in the room.
"So, why are you all here?" he asked. "This is dangerous. It would be wise for you to leave." There was a murmur of dissent among the men gathered.
One of them spoke to Battousai. "There has been a slight setback in our plans. Apparently a group calling themselves the Oniwabanshuu has set itself up here in Kyoto. They aren't making things any easier for us." Battousai nodded.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked.
"Go with Shishio-san and deal with the leader of this group. His name is Shinomori Aoshi."
"Very well."
* * * * *
Kaoru stepped out into the rain, wearing new clothes. She looked up and down the deserted street. This town was so empty at night these days. Yet before the fighting...she had lived here. There wasn't a constant fear of death. People could be found laughing and walking on the streets at all hours.
She headed for her house. Despite the fact that she was an important member of the Shinsengumi, the location of her home was still unknown by many. It was safest that way.
"I'm back!" she called, stepping through the door. She heard screams of delight and saw her two little sisters running toward her. She scooped them into her arms and hugged them tightly to her chest.
"Ayame-chan! Suzume-chan! How are you?" she asked happily. She put them down and they looked up at her with loving eyes.
"Kaoru! You're back!" cried Ayame delightedly. She hugged her sister's leg. Kaoru patted her head and knelt down.
"Has anything happened while I've been gone?" she asked Suzume. She shook her head.
"Nuh-uh," she said. "Nothing happened. It was boring." Kaoru laughed and planted a kiss on her forehead. She straightened up. "Where's Yahiko?" she asked. Suzume shrugged. Kaoru nodded and walked down the hall. She saw a light on and stepped into the sparring room of the house. Before the Bakumatsu had begun, before her father had died, he had run a large kendo school. Kaoru had become a master of the style and her father had appointed her assistant master of the school. But he was gone now...
Her brother Yahiko was sitting on the bare floor of the dojo and reading. He had a candle with him and it provided the meager light which lit the room. He looked up when she entered.
"You're back," he said simply. She walked over to him.
"How've you been doing?" she asked. He shrugged.
"Alright. It's pretty dull here, though. Wish we could go somewhere." Kaoru smiled.
"It's not as fun as you think, Yahiko-chan. Not everyone is too nice out there. You could get killed." He laughed.
"I doubt it. I'm not too bad with a sword, you know." She nodded.
"Yeah, but you're not as good as me, and I still get hurt sometimes." He snickered.
"That's because you're a girl! An ugly one too!" She punched him playfully on the arm. He lunged at her and knocked her over. Sitting on her chest, he began to tickle her until she was laughing too hard to breathe.
"Give up?" he asked fiercely. She nodded frantically and he got off her. She lay on the floor panting heavily.
"See? I can beat you!" She laughed and ruffled his hair. He squirmed and tried to escape.
"You need to get to sleep," she said, standing up. He groaned, plopped back down on the floor and picked up his book. Kaoru placed her hands on her hips and sighed.
"Yahiko-chan," she said exasperatedly. "Please listen to me." He ignored her. 'How is it that I can kill a man without feeling anything and yet I can't make my little brother go to sleep?' she thought. "Fine," she said. "You can do whatever you want. Just don't complain to me when you're too tired." She turned on her heel and stomped out in a huff.
She walked into her sisters' room and found them already asleep in their beds. They were so sweet...she couldn't forgive herself in anything ever happened to them.
* * * * *
Battousai watched the building in which the Oniwabanshuu had supposedly established their base. No one had entered or exited for almost two hours. Shishio had fallen asleep and was leaning against the wall. Battousai resented his apparent lack of motivation, but was able to have a conversation with Shishio's apprentice, Seta Soujiro. This boy was a strange one. He never stopped smiling, and spoke politely to everyone.
"Someone's coming." Battousai backed into the shadows. Soujiro was right. A tall, thin man with a mask looking like a demon strode past them and entered the building.
"That's the building we want," said Soujiro. Shishio opened his eyes.
"Let's go," he said.
* * * * *
After taking a short bath, Kaoru headed back into the sparring room to get Yahiko. She found him asleep on the floor. She lifted him up and half-carried-half-dragged him to his room. He collapsed onto his bed as soon as the reached it. She kneeled next to him and pulled the blanket over him.
As she was walking out, she heard him say, "Kaoru?" She turned.
"Yes?" He looked sheepish. "Uh...could you...stay here...until I...uh...fall asleep?" She was taken aback. He never asked for things like this; indeed, he usually acted disgusted at signs of affection.
"Yahiko-chan...what's wrong?" She was startled to see tears in his eyes. She sat down at the head of his bed. He crawled into her arms, something he hadn't done for years. He began to cry softly.
"Kaoru...I'm always scared...scared that something will happen to you one day...and you won't come back...and we won't know what happened..." She hugged him close.
"Don't worry, Yahiko-chan. Nothing's going to happen to me." He lifted his head and stared at her with wide eyes.
"How do you know?!" he demanded. "If you got hurt we wouldn't find out...you just wouldn't come home...ever...what would happen to us?"
"I don't know," she replied truthfully. "But I do know that I will not get killed. You have to trust me, Yahiko-chan, I don't lose. I can't. You are too important to me." He gave her a watery smile and put his head in her lap. She sat cross-legged and softly stroked his hair. She felt his body loosen up from its previous tension and he soon fell asleep.
She laid his head onto his pillow and exited his room. She had never known...he had never said anything. She hated the idea of leaving them alone day after day, but she couldn't do anything about it. These were troubled times.
* * * * *
Battousai jumped out the window, the glass shattering all around him. He ignored the sharp pain as the shards ripped through his skin and rolled as he landed. He heard Soujiro hit the ground behind him, but didn't wait for Shishio. 3They began to run. Suddenly, they heard a blood curdling scream. Shishio burst through the doors, his body aflame. He ran straight past them and off into the distance. Soujiro ran after his master worriedly, leaving Battousai to take care of himself.
Battousai brushed off his clothes and began walking away. They had failed. Not good. His superiors wouldn't be pleased. But it had been an impossible mission to begin with. The Oniwabanshuu far outnumbered the Ishin Shishi's assassins. Maybe they had known that he would fail.
Battousai wondered vaguely what had happened to Shishio. It didn't strike him as a particularly heavy loss if Shishio died...he wasn't the friendliest person.
Battousai entered the inn yet again. Without bothering to see if anyone was waiting for him, he went straight to his room and fell asleep.
* * * * *
By the following morning, the clouds had vanished from the skies and the sun was beaming down upon the city of Kyoto. Battousai woke to find the sun in his eyes and tried to fall back asleep, but was unable. He had just finished dressing when Katsura entered his room. He greeted him with a "good morning" and gave him his next assignment. His tone was stiff; Battousai could tell that he was upset about the failure of the previous night's mission. After delivering the message, Katsura left. Battousai stood for a moment before leaving as well. The actual kill was not until the night. But he had to find his target during the day and keep an eye on him until then.
'Kiyosato Akira. I pity you,' he thought, stepping into the morning sun.
* * * * *
Wiping his sword clean, Battousai looked up at Katsura. His leader was smiling at the scar on his cheek, running from his eye to his chin. It was still bleeding slowly.
"I never thought anyone could possibly hurt you, Himura," he said. "Was your opponent exceptional?" Battousai slid the sword into its sheath.
"No," he replied. "Stubborn." Katsura nodded.
"Well done, in any case. We have no assignments for you at the moment, so you may do as you please. However, as always, be careful." Battousai walked away. 'I need a bath,' he thought.
* * * * *
Kaoru smirked and shoved her blade through her victim's neck. Blood splashed against the ground. There was a lot of blood on her sword as well. She brought the steel to her lips and licked the blood off. A wonderful taste. This man had been rich, in good health, and in excellent shape. He had squirmed just right when the blade had first penetrated his skin. How she loved to kill people like him.
She heard footsteps and turned. Saitou was walking up to her along with Okita and several other Shinsengumi warriors. His narrow yellow eyes were blazing with fire.
"Saitou-san, I-" The back of his gloved hand collided with her cheek. She stumbled backward.
"Do you have any idea what you are doing?!" he snarled. She stared up at him in shock but didn't reply. "You stupid fool, you cannot simply go around killing anyone you want! Why do you constantly do this?!" Kaoru didn't respond.
'Why do I do this?' she asked herself. 'I'm not even sure I know.' But she said to Saitou, "It really makes no difference. I was not caught, and he didn't have any family left." Saitou's lip curled.
"That is completely irrelevant! You know that you are not to kill unless it is in your own defense or you have orders!" Kaoru cringed. Although she feared almost no one, Saitou was one of the scariest people when he got mad. He glowered at her for a minute before turning and walking away. Okita helped her up.
"Don't let him get to you, Kamiya-san," he said cheerfully. "However, I do believe that there is some truth to what Saitou-san says. You shouldn't be so reckless." Kaoru pushed him away and stomped off. He stared after her with a small smile on his lips.
"Okita-san! Let's go!"
"Hai! Coming, Saitou-san!"
* * * * *
He fixed his katana and wakazashi at his side and stepped from the bath house. The inn was small, and dirty, but it had everything he needed.
"Hitokiri Battousai." He turned, hair flying out behind him. A blade flew toward him and he only barely managed to get to the side. It was a kunai. He heard another one whistling as it came toward him. He drew his sword and cut it before it hit him. He strained his eyes looking into the darkness for his assailant. He thought he could make out a small figure, but before he could make sure, it disappeared.
He didn't have a moment to react. A kunai pierced his shoulder, and another one clipped his leg. He fell back. He heard footsteps and looked up.
"Wow, you aren't so tough!" laughed the girl. She had long, black hair, pulled back into a single braid that fell a long way down her back. She didn't look very menacing. On the contrary, she was grinning happily, and didn't seem to have murder on her mind.
"What do you want?" asked Battousai, wincing at the pain. She didn't move or reply. He pushed himself up and drew his sword. The wound in his shoulder kept him from holding the katana straight, and he wouldn't have been able to fight properly anyway, because of the other cut in his leg.
"You? The famous Battousai?!" Her voice was extremely irritating. She sounded incredulous, as though she doubted him. Well, it was clear why...
"I will say again: what do you want?" She stomped up to him and glared at him.
"What do you think?! You tried to attack our headquarters two nights ago! Did you think we were going to let you guys just get away?!"
"So the Oniwabanshuu sent a weasel-girl to ambush me?" he asked, puzzled. Her face grew red.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY???!!!" She pulled her arm back to throw another kunai.
"Makimachi-san. Stop." The girl looked around. Battousai recognized him. It was the same Shinomori Aoshi that he was supposed to have killed two days ago. He was leaning against the wall of the inn, arms crossed, icy eyes staring emotionlessly at the two of them.
"Shinomori-sama!" gasped the girl breathlessly. She dropped the kunai she was holding and bowed low to him. He ignored her, but Battousai thought he saw the briefest of smiles appear on his lips for a moment. However, any trace of a smile disappeared as he began walking toward him.
"Himura Battousai, the most powerful samurai alive. I am disappointed that you were so easily defeated. Makimachi-san is not the strongest of our fighters. How is it that she managed to beat you?" Battousai grimaced and lifted himself up with his katana.
"A surprise attack," he replied. "You send a girl to ambush me at night? I thought the code of the Oniwabanshuu did not permit such cowardice." He saw Aoshi's eyes flash.
"You dare make a mockery of us?!" demanded Aoshi. "After I spare your life, you have the nerve to question our honor?! Do you wish for me to kill you?!" His hand closed around the handle of his kodachi. Battousai shook his head.
"You misunderstand. I mean to make no mockery of you. My question was serious. From what I have learned, I did not believe that a surprise attack such as this was ever executed by the Oniwabanshuu, for it certainly is not honorable."
"Makimachi-san is not the most professional of our organization. Certainly, if we had planned such an attack ourselves, it would have been carried out properly, and you would have died. However, because of this cowardly attack, we shall spare your life, for now. Make sure you do not anger us again." He turned toward the inn. "Come, Makimachi-san. You have much to answer for." Misao cringed and followed Aoshi into the inn. Battousai stumbled after them.
'This day has been too long. I need to rest,' he thought. He lay down on the bed, and sleep claimed him instantly.
* * * * *
She watched her sisters play from the porch. The other kids of the neighborhood had sought out Ayame and Suzume and asked them to play. Kaoru had let them, thinking it would be good for the girls to have a little fun.
"Excuse me?" Kaoru looked up into the face of a smiling elderly woman.
"Can I help you?" she asked politely.
"Battousai-san wishes to speak with you," she said. "He asks that you meet him at the Aoiya in two hours." Kaoru was surprised.
"Battousai? Why does he want to talk with me?" The woman gave her a wider smile.
"He didn't say," she said. And she walked away.
* * * * *
He watched from the shadows. The rain was falling hard now. Similar to the last time they had met. Less than five minutes. He had been unable to stop thinking about her. He was unsure why, but there was something about her...
A horse-drawn carriage rode by, splashing water onto him. He was drawn sharply back to reality. He stepped into the rain, holding an umbrella over his head.
He heard a sound and ducked. Looking up, he saw a blade attached to a chain cut through the umbrella. He rolled to the side as the weapon was pulled back.
'Shinsengumi?' he thought frantically. 'No. Someone from the shadows, like myself.' The man attacked again. He dodged backwards and drew his sword. Swinging it down, the man flung out another chain, which circled around Battousai's blade and snatched the katana from his grasp.
"Dammit!" Battousai spun to his left, but the metal still nicked his arm. A few drops of blood were visible for a brief moment before the rain washed them away. Battousai caught the chain of the blade and pulled forward. His assailant stumbled, and the katana dropped to the ground. Battousai lunged forward and grabbed it. He turned quickly, seeing the blade coming at him. He dodged to the side and rushed forward. The man jumped at him at the same time. Battousai swung his sword, and it connected with his opponent's head. The blade cut straight down, slicing the man in two. The rain turned to blood.
Footsteps were approaching. Battousai forced himself to his feet. A woman was standing in front of him. There was blood on her too, no doubt from the fight that had just taken place. She was surveying the scene with an emotionless look. Her eyes seemed unfocused. Battousai's hands clenched around the handle of his katana.
'I have been seen,' thought Battousai. 'What do I do now?'
There! Finished. I hope everyone liked this, I did put quite a bit of work into it! Please please please tell me if you liked it! Thanks!
Op-T Aku Soku Zan