(Beyond Cosmos) Angel in Our Midst
By CrystalBlueSeraph
Part 2
The glossy quality her eyes had undergone gradually eased as her focus narrowed down once again on the swimming lavender orbs that were regarding her with utter grief and slightly diminishing hope coupled with a determined demand, a demand that she wanted to comply but simply couldn't.
She was saddened; saddened that she caused such emotion. She couldn't help but wish that things not to end this way, that her departure wouldn't be so utterly painful to all of them, but all she could do now was give them comfort to the best of her limited ability.
She could feel it now, every moment passed was every step away, leading to a place where she couldn't be with them but only in memory.
She heard the others call her name, and with slight difficulty roamed her vision, passed Kenshin and to the others hovering behind him and around them. She saw their worried gazes and once again had the urge to touch them, to ease their pain, but with disappointment and regret, she conceded on what her current state of immobility could accomplish.
She smiled a small smile full of sincerity of which, as she foresaw, lifted their spirit if only for a little bit.
"Please..." She started slowly and softly. "...do not fret. I will be gone from this plane but will never really perish. Have you forgotten what I told you?"
It had been a nice day, their routine broken by bouts of spontaneous gleeful humor and mischievousness on Yahiko's side, when the serene stillness of their surrounding rendered him bored and idle.
Usagi was sitting on the wooden floor three feet above the ground, her back leaning on one of the support beams that were created as a foundation of the house, her left leg stretched out before her and her right leg slightly bent with her right arm resting on the knee. On her left side was the shoji screen leading to the room that was given to her by her gracious hostess and friend...Kaoru.
She took a deep breath and sighted contentedly. She loved this place, this environment, the camaraderie and love of those individuals that befriended her in such a short time.
She roamed her gaze at the courtyard resting it at its middle which was several paces away from where she sat, silently watching Ayame and Suzume as they frolicked around in playful circles and loud laughter, their faces full of mirth and abandoned happiness, both brimming with unblemished innocence.
It was very refreshing.
They had been dropped off by Dr. Genzai at the break of dawn for he had an annual Doctoral gathering to attend to in Kyoto, leaving together with Megumi Takani, a striking woman of grace who had great knowledge in the arts of medicine. 'Amy', she thought wistfully.
The little girls, roughly the ages of three and two would be staying with them in the next two days. Usagi had been quite enthused of the added company, the two giving her more reason to continue on...to continue on living.
They, together with all the friends she acquired, reminded her why she was still alive, why she continued on fighting, why she had to continue her never-ending quest for peace, why she continued to help, why she lived... why she existed.
She looked wistfully at the gate, picturing the ritual goodbyes Sanoske and Kenshin had always given, to wherever they go to although she was not sure where and to do what, and analyzed its difference to the other times it was given. Yes it was given with as much enthusiasm as before, but underlying its outward deliverance, was great seriousness... a foreboding unrest.
The thought made her frown a bit, but she was not one to continue on imagining things that was merely an insight of which had created feelings of turmoil. She preferred to continue on feeling the cheerfulness that had surrounded her during the past two months and decided to resume watching the antics of the two little girls who both possessed twinkling innocent brown eyes.
As a slight cooling breeze passed through her relaxed form, a sudden urgency gripped her senses, and in less than a blink of an eye, she was found half crouched in a side angle right in front of Suzume, startling the two years old in wide eyed shock.
Usagi's left arm was extended, parallel to her left leg that was straight and balanced on toes. Her right leg was bent, her foot flat on the ground supporting her weight. Her right arm was also extended on the opposite direction of her left arm, and within its grip was the hilt of a small throwing knife, its blade pointed at the blue sky, glinting with the rays of the bright sun.
Yahiko, who had been practicing with his bokken, was frozen on his spot, his bokken midway from swinging downward. He blinked a couple of times at where he had seemingly watched Usagi disappear. After a couple more blinks, he roamed his gaze at his surrounding just to spot her in a half crouched position, tense and ready, holding a small throwing knife away from Suzume. He saw her scanning the area, concentrating at where the small knife was facing.
He watched as she raised from her stance in a swanlike grace, fluid it its execution, thoroughly controlled with subtle appearance of complete purpose.
He was entranced, enthralled, and absolutely, undeniably enamored, notwithstanding the fact that he had witnessed something anomalous and thoroughly shocking; it was just that he hadn't seen anything so beautiful before in his young life.
Usagi focused her senses at the spot where she believed the knife that was intended to kill originated from. Unable to find the source, she expanded her aura using some of her slowly regenerating energy, to scan the wide radius of their vicinity, to locate any malevolent aura or auras that seek harm, and halt its blinding intent on ending an innocent life.
That was so close. If she hadn't recovered from her recent lack of energy, she was not sure if she would be able to save her. She was so relieved she caught the knife just in time, a mere inch away from the little girl's beating heart.
Sure that the dark energy was not in their immediate vicinity and away from the large area covered by her searching aura, she relaxed her form and knelt down in front of the shocked little girl whom she rendered speechless.
She reached with her left hand, one that was devoid of the offending knife, and gently run her slender fingers on the girl's smooth right cheek.
"I'm sorry for startling you. Are you well?" Usagi asked Suzume softly. She gave the little girl a smile that encouraged the little girl to smile back in return.
Suzume nodded and proceeded to ask her a question, her small face devoid of shock but now filled with curious wonder. "How did you do that?"
"Do what?" Usagi replied, knowing what Suzume really pertained to. She just wanted to think of a good answer that would not reveal too much of herself and her abilities. She needed to investigate more of the occurrence that just transpired because in her heart, the malevolent aura she felt, even in such a short time, was not foreign to her. "You know...umm...appear! Poof! Like that." Sezume explained with a dramatic wave of her small arms. Her sister Ayame who had been watching stood beside Suzume and nodded her head sagely for she herself was curious.
"Oh! That! I just moved real fast. I didn't really mean to scare you... just to... surprise you. It was a nice trick, wouldn't you say?" Usagi explained, blue eyes sparkling with humor to hide the worry that would surely show and be recognize by the two little girls' astute observation. Contrary to everyone's belief, children are very in tuned with people's feelings.
"Wow! You could move that fast? Can you teach me how?" Ayame asked.
"Well..." Usagi touched her chin, making a show that she was thinking. "...I could, but..." She ruffled Suzume's brown hair. "...it would take long hours of patience and less fun. And you only have two days left before your grandfather comes and picks you up. You wouldn't want to spend the rest of your days in training wouldn't you, instead of playing and having fun?" Usagi explained playfully, hopeful that the girls choose the latter.
"Oh, yeah." Suzume replied thoughtfully. "I think I want fun with Uncle Ken than train." She concluded.
"Why don't you girls pick some flowers over there, and you may give it to Kenshin when he gets back?" Usagi asked, pointing at a group of flowers on the far corner of the yard, near the vegetable garden.
The girls complied and reached the clumps of flowers as fast as their little feet could carry.
Once the girls were far enough, Usagi brought forth the knife and studied it. Upon its hilt were red strings and in one of the strings was a tied piece of paper.
Across the yard, Yahiko approached the preoccupied rabbit and peered at the knife she was holding. He wanted to know what just happened and the knife's significance to Usagi's odd behavior, his fascination overpowered by his curiosity.
Usagi opened up the small rolled parchment, finding a written message within its small confines. She read it quietly once and making no sense in it, read it once again, out loud, for Yahiko to hear.
"Governor Ryu Ishida. Noon. A ghost from the past."
Usagi rolled up the small parchment once again and scrutinized the knife that delivered it. "I don't understand. The message does not make sense at all. And why was it delivered in such a way? Intended to spill innocent blood?"
Yahiko contemplated the cryptic message he heard, processing its meaning and its familiarity. He knew that the question she asked was directed at him, but he himself had no clue on how and what to answer. He was also startled to find out that the knife almost killed Suzume. This thought brought back the image he saw moments ago, its beauty and grace, bringing forth a realization that he doesn't know Usagi very well. She was still a stranger.
"I do not know. But it would be wise to give the message to Kenshin and the others. They might know of its significance..." He frowned a bit. "...Noon. That would be ten minutes from now."
"Yes. You're right." Usagi agreed. She scanned her surrounding once more, and sighting, proceeded to the same spot she was at and returned to her relaxed form, although seemingly alert than before.
She had so much to think. First was the show of one of her surmountable abilities to Yahiko no less, and the upcoming, she had no doubt, battle that would occur. Her presence alone was an indication, a thought that had sporadically entered her mind in the past couple of days, but pushed at the recesses of her consciousness for she need not stress herself during her recuperation.
'And so it begins.' She thought.
The day passed without any more incidences. Five hours had passed and she was in the process of preparing supper when the three adults of the Kamiya dojo arrived, but unlike before, tension filled their aura. Something dire happened.
Since the need for conversation outweighs the need for sustenance, Usagi suggested they move to one of their rooms and they did, opting to use hers.
Yahiko, his curiosity peaked ever since the mysterious knife incident, questioned them impatiently. "So, what happened?"
"What do you mean?" Kaoru replied, eyes wary. She left an hour before noon, missing the knife incident, to visit several of her students' families to discuss something about noncompliance. On her way home, she encountered Kenshin and Sanoske and opted to walk with them.
"Something happened. And I know it is not good, based on all of you're long faces. Stop hiding it from us because if you do not, I won't tell what happened here this afternoon." Yahiko taunted with a smirk but underlining it was his own weariness due to the coincidental ominous feelings and occurrences.
He eyed Kenshin who remained impassive and in deep thought since their return. He was leaning on the wall of the room near the shoji screen, cross legged and head bowed, his scarlet hair obscuring his eyes from view, his face hidden in the shadows.
"Come on...spill." Yahiko added.
"Yahiko."
Yahiko looked at the golden haired girl who addressed him. With a subtle movement, she removed a small knife and a small parchment from within her obi and placed it on the floor right in front of her kneeled form for everyone to see.
"I think it would be of great importance not to withhold this matter to them." Usagi continued, gesturing with her hand the items placed before her. "The small parchment has a message in it that we could not understand. It was attached to the throwing knife you see before you."
Yahiko acquiesced to her gesture and decided to tell the tale himself. "It was not just the message that confused us but also the manner it was delivered." With that said, he became more solemn. "The knife was intended to kill Suzume."
A gasp was heard within the room's confines. Kaoru's face was filled with horror and distress. Before she could ask the child's health, Yahiko continued...
"If Miss Usagi had not caught the knife," He beamed and looked admiringly at the subject of his veneration. "...which was splendid by the way, Suzume would not still be here with us right now."
Silence greeted his declaration. And enthused of having everyone's attention which was very rare, he elaborated. "It was almost noon when it happened. I was practicing with my bokken when I happened to glance at Miss Usagi. She was just leaning at the wooden beam by her room when she suddenly disappeared. When I looked around, I saw her right in front of Suzume, holding that knife away from her." He gestured at the said knife.
"Afterwards, she extricated that note from one of the ribbons hanging from the hilt of the knife." He finished.
Continued silence greeted him. Everyone was quietly contemplating what was said. Usagi was thinking if it was the right time to enlighten them of her real being, of what and who she really was and still is, while the rests were quietly analyzing what had transpired and its ominous significance to the news they had received just recently.
The silence was disrupted by slow muted footsteps, gaining everyone's attention. They watched Kenshin as he sat down in front of Usagi, closing their circle, and steadily, he reached for the small parchment. They watched as he unrolled the parchment and quietly read what was written. They watched as his eyes turned glassy for one moment and turned golden just as fast and quickly returned to its normal color although unreadable.
Kenshin could not believe it, the puzzles connecting together one by one. But how was it possible? He was there. Kaoru was there. He even checked just to make sure. But how did he...how was he still living? He should be dead. But the pattern was the same. Could it be possible that somebody else was imitating him? Imitating his style, his way of killing?
Author's Note
Hello everyone. First, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for reading my story.
Thank You also for those who reviewed. I was so ecstatic that you all liked it. I would be lying if I said it doesn't matter if my readers didn't review because receiving feedbacks, well encouraging ones, are very self fulfilling. It also helps knowing that someone appreciates my effort.
Well. For those who got confused with the story jumping, I think I could explain. The SCRIPT part of the story indicates the past or you could say FLASHBACKS, it's just that I don't want to use that word in this story to keep it all solid in form. The NONSCRIPT part would be, as you all guessed, the PRESENT.
I probably upset some of you because I have written in the beginning that this story would just be TWO PARTS.
SORRY!!!
Writing the second part took so long and I kind of got impatient and decided to post this right away. I promise to end the story in the THIRD PART though, because honestly, I wanted to have a finished story of my own.
Thanks again for the following reviewers:
Tsuki no Tenshi
koldy
angelwings6117
Eternal Cosmos
Fire Dolphin
Tangled Junky