* Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki. The Wheel of Time is the property of Robert Jordan.

* Words with (*) are explained in the glossary.

The Dragon Reborn
Chapter 4: Forgotten Memories

Not long after that the redhead arrived at his destination. "Home at last…" He heaved a sigh of relief and flung the gate open. "Kaoru-dono, I'm---"

The scene that greeted him stopped him dead in his track while his eyes widened in horror.

***

The open gate revealed a big fang painted on the ground right before him. Kenshin's eyes darted to the gate, and indeed, he found similar symbol carved on it. Dragon Fang. They said that when a person was suspected to be a Darkfriend, he got a Dragon Fang carved on his door. What is the meaning of this? Do they accuse me of being a Darkfriend as well?

He stepped on the big painting on the ground warily. There was this nagging feeling that he had been through this once, but he ignored it. As the redhead walked toward the house, the clouds pulled back slowly from the moon, slowly revealing the Kamiya dojo. Only, it wasn't in the same state as it had been when Kenshin had left that morning. The front door was torn off and there were holes at the walls.

What happened…? Cautiously he entered the house and lit a lantern. He gasped in shock as he saw that the whole house was in a mess. Everything was turned upside down. It was as if it had been raided. And there were lots of Dragon Fangs painted on the wall, the floor, everywhere… And somehow, seeing the house in its current state triggered something in the back of his mind.

In his mind's eye he saw similar scene. Another place, another time, but the same situation. When or where or how, he did not know. The familiarity was almost too painful. He shook his head slowly and shooed the feeling away. I'm probably just daydreaming… Where is---

Kaoru-dono… The thought of her hit him like a bucket of cold water. "Kaoru-dono!!!" Frantically the redhead searched through the house for any sign of Kaoru, in vain. She was nowhere to be found. He shouted her name again and again, but still, none answered his desperate cry.

Suddenly something Sanosuke had told him years before struck him, and panic began to creep into his mind. You know what they do to a Darkfriend, Kenshin? Sanosuke's voice rang clearly through his head. They say that a Darkfriend deserves only one punishment, and that is--- Kenshin's eyes widened in alarm as he remembered the rest of their conversation. Light, it can't be true! Kaoru-dono…

***

My head hurts… It was the first thought that came to her mind as she began to regain her consciousness. What happened…? She wanted to rub her forehead, easing the throbbing pain, but both of her hands were restrained by something. Her eyes snapped open as she realized that she was tied to a wooden pole erected in the middle of a clearing outside the village. Her mouth was gagged with a piece of white cloth bound behind the masses of her raven hair. What the... Bits by bits the memories of what had happened returned to her. It made her stomach knotted.

They raided my house… That thought alone would have been enough to make her teeth gritted in anger, but at this moment Kaoru had something far more important to worry about than her house: her own life. Her wary gaze was fastened at the crowd gathering not far from her and to the burning torches they held with their hands. They accused me as a Darkfriend because I didn't acknowledge Kenshin as one… She shuddered in fear as she thought of the consequence being accused as a Darkfriend. She looked down at her feet, and found firewood piled around her feet. Are they really going to---

"People of Akita," The heavy voice of Maeda Tetsuya grasped everybody's attention immediately, including Kaoru's. "It is past midnight already. The time has come…" He announced while keeping his gaze straight at Kaoru. As if on cue, someone began to chant, "Darkfriend… Darkfriend…" Soon the other joined him, repeating the word 'Darkfriend' like a mantra, while they headed toward Kaoru.

Her eyes bulged in horror. Light, they are really going to do it! She wanted to scream and beg them to stop, but the gag in her mouth prevented her to do so. What came out was only incoherent mumbles.

She kept struggling uselessly, as the townsfolk got closer and closer, until they all gathered around her. They kept maintaining a safe distance from her, though. Tetsuya emerged from the crowd and stood in front of Kaoru. Right beside him was Hideki Takeshi, the bald merchant. Tetsuya bowed his head and said a prayer. "May the Light have mercy on your soul. May the Light cleanse your soul from evils. And may the Light see that your soul reborn will walk in the Light." He leaned forward and stuck out his torch. The firewood around her began to catch fire as he stepped backward while the crowd kept chanting the word 'Darkfriend'.

Smoke began to invade her nostrils. Kaoru was beyond any panic as she saw the fire dancing around her feet and felt the heat. Somehow through all off her futile attempt to free herself, she managed to loosen the white cloth that gagged her mouth. And she did the only thing she could. A desperate scream pierced the darkness of the night. "KENSHIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!"

***

She has to be alive! She has to! Kenshin was running as hard as he could, using every bit of god-speed he possessed. Kaoru-dono, hold on! Please, don't let me be too late… Faint voices reached his ears, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. It seemed like some kind of mantra, though.

Seconds later he reached the top of the hilly slope. Panting heavily, he saw a crowd gathering down there. They formed a half circle, with something at the center. Kaoru-dono! Two men stood right in front of her, one with his head bowing as if saying a prayer, the other with his chin raised arrogantly. They have torches in their hand! Kenshin thought in panic as he heard clearly now what those people were saying. But he had no time to think, as right at that moment Maeda Tetsuya chose to light the fire at Kaoru's feet.

Kenshin's feet were planted to the ground as he saw the flame dancing at Kaoru's feet. The missing piece of the puzzle was finally put right into its place. It was as if he was brought to a different world, different time. Only instead of one, he saw two burning wooden poles in his mind's eye. Light, they killed my parents! Mother!! Father!!! NOO!!!!! Tears streaming down his cheek as the memories of what had happened eight years ago rushed into his mind. The pain and the agony, the grief and the feeling of helplessness, they all came back to him at once. The lad fell onto his knees and pounded his fist to the ground. I couldn't save you… Father, Mother… I was so weak that I couldn't protect the most important persons to me… I'm sor---

"KENSHIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!" Kaoru's scream jerked him back to the present. Kaoru-dono! Kenshin blinked his eyes. There was only one burning pole there. And Kaoru was bound to it.

Another feeling began to surface from the depth of his heart, cracking the already turbulent emotion. Panic, fear and sadness began to subside, replaced by something almost alien to Kenshin. Almost. He had gone through this before, eight years ago. Back then I couldn't save my parents. Back then I failed to protect the most important persons to me… Pure rage built up rapidly in him, threatening to take over his sanity. I won't let them take her away from me! Not again! It was beyond his power to control it as he roared furiously. "What have you done to Kaoru-dono?!!!" And then there were sparkles of gold in those blazing violet eyes…

***

Kaoru's scream didn't soften their hearts at all. On the contrary, it fueled their anger. The crowd was still chanting when suddenly lightning came down from the now-clouded sky. It struck a big tree not far from them and burned its leaves to ashes. Mouths gaped open at the sight as the chanting stopped.

"What in the world… The sky was clear just one minute ago!" Takeshi exclaimed in disbelief as he heard thunder growling in the sky and gray clouds moving to conceal the moon from their view. "This is summer anyway, there can't be---"

The ground behind the crowd erupted suddenly. The Akitans had no time to think as multiple eruptions followed through the crowd soon after, as if clearing a path for someone. Those who weren't quick enough to step aside were sent flying. When it was all done, a pathway divided the crowd into two. And someone was walking through it.

"Himura…" Tetsuya whispered slowly. There was hint of anxiety in his tone, as Kenshin that was heading straight to Takeshi and him, was not the Kenshin they all knew. His head bowing and his steps heavy, there was no kindness and gentleness at all in his demeanor. The redhead smelled of rage and fury.

"So here we meet again, Darkfriend." Takeshi greeted Kenshin mockingly. "Soon you will die too! You will meet the same fate as your whore!"

"My whore?" Kenshin's voice was dangerously calm. He lifted his head and the people around him gasped. His eyes were not the usual violet, but amber, and they glinted with wrath. The only thing that stood between Kaoru and him was Takeshi and Tetsuya. He raised his hand and the two adults were sent flying several meters away. "You dared to call her my whore?!!" The menacing gaze he fixed at the fat man made him cowering fearfully.

"Kenshin…"

Kaoru's pained voice brought his attention back to her. "Kaoru-dono!!" The fire was beginning to burn her feet. Damn it… What should I do?

"You're late, Darkfriend." Takeshi said coldly as he began to regain his composure. "There's nothing you can do to save her…"

"No!!" Kenshin shouted at the fat man angrily as he frantically thought of a way to put out the fire. "I won't lose her! Not again!!"

"Mark my words, Darkfriend. She will die, just like your parents did!"

What happened next, Kenshin could not explain. All of a sudden the fire around Kaoru was gone, leaving only the pile of burnt woods at her feet. At first he blinked in confusion as he had no idea what he did, but then a wave of relief washed over him now that Kaoru was safe. He was about to step toward her when the sound of a man screaming in agony stopped him.

Behind him, Hideki Takeshi, his whole body engulfed in fire, was rolling on the ground desperately while he was howling like a madman.

"Himura, what have you done to Hideki-san?!" Maeda stared at Kenshin and Takeshi incredulously.

"I don't know…" The redhead stared at Takeshi for a moment, then rushed to Kaoru. Quickly he cut the rope that bound the girl to the pole and caught her in his arms before she fell to the ground.

"Kenshin… you came… It hurts…" Sobbing uncontrollably against his chest, the girl was slowly losing her grip on consciousness. First drops of heavy rain that was about to come hit the ground, soaking everyone on that area. The rain got harder by every minute that passed.

Kenshin hugged her trembling form tightly as he buried his head in her hair. "Ssh… Kaoru-dono, I'm here… I'll protect you now…" He caressed her black tresses gently, his words barely audible in the midst of the rain. "I won't let them hurt you anymore… Not ever…"

But is it?

The redhead was still whispering words of comfort to Kaoru when he felt cold metal pressed at his neck. Slowly he turned around as not to let his throat be slit open, and found Tetsuya standing right in front of them with a sword at his hand. The tall man wore a stony expression as he pointed the tip of his sword to Kenshin. "Himura, whatever you did to Hideki-san, undo it!" Despite the heavy rain, the villagers hadn't succeeded in extinguishing the flame that engulfed Takeshi yet.

Even with the tip of the sword pressed unto his temple, Kenshin met Tetsuya's stony gaze levelly. Not a trace of fear was found in his now-violet eyes. The glint of anger was still there, though. "How can I if I didn't even know what I did!" He barked at Tetsuya. "I wish I knew, but I swear I didn't know what happened!"

"Then both of you will die by my own hands!" The crowd cheered behind him as he continued, "You injured many of us," He indicated the villagers that were hurt by the explosions on the ground. Nobody died yet, but they would if they didn't get some help immediately. The rain didn't help the situation at all. "… and our honored guest as well." Takeshi wasn't only a well-known merchant in Akita, but he was a close friend of Tetsuya as well.

The villagers finally managed to put out the fire that engulfed Takeshi, but the man suffered severe burn wounds all over his body. The fire had just begun to blaze fully when Kenshin had accidentally moved it to Takeshi. He was in far worse condition than Kaoru who got only slight burn wounds at her feet.

"Pay for your deeds, Darkfriends." Tetsuya raised his sword, preparing to carry out the execution.

By now the crowd had gotten wild. "Kill them!" "Annihilate the Darkfriends!" and similar shouts were heard clearly despite the pouring rain. Everyone was soaked to the bone, but it didn't seem to have any effect on them.

I'd die first before I let them lay their hands on her again... I swore to Koshijirou-san that much at his deathbed… Kenshin thought while his drenched body crouched over Kaoru protectively. Tightening his embrace even more, he closed his eyes, ready to accept the blow. My blood shed before hers; my life given before hers…

And Tetsuya swung the blade downward.

Kenshin waited for the blade to come, but it never did. Instead, the sound of two swords clashing against each other was heard. The rain hadn't stopped yet, but it no longer fell upon Kaoru and him. The redhead opened his eyes, and found the figure of a tall man looming over them. Tetsuya's sword that was about to split his skull in two was blocked by the kodachi he held in his right hand. Shinomori Aoshi… He recognized the man in black as one of his guests a few days before. Kenshin's eyes widened in astonishment as he realized that there was an invisible dome above the four of them, preventing the rain from soaking them further.

Shinomori Aoshi deflected Tetsuya's blow easily. "Stay back."

"You…" Tetsuya recognized Aoshi as one of the two strangers that currently resided at Akita. "Who do you think you are, ordering me around like that?!" He readied himself in a battle stance, his sword poised at his right hand. "You are going to---"

"I suggest you comply with Aoshi's order, Maeda-san." That cold voice could only belong to one person. The smell of white plum assaulted Kenshin's senses. Yukishiro Tomoe rode on her white mare leisurely through the rain. Not a single drop of rain touched her pale skin; she had that invisible dome above her too. "You wouldn't win a fight against Aoshi, not even if you trained for a million years."

Everyone watched in amazement as they now realized that there was an invisible shield above Tomoe, Aoshi, Kenshin and Kaoru. They couldn't see it, but something clearly deflected every drop of rain that fell on it.

Tomoe dismounted right beside her Warder, and knelt beside Kaoru. The Aes Sedai eyed Kaoru's injury and let out a sigh of relief. "She'll be all right; don't worry." She said to Kenshin as she laid her hands on Kaoru's feet. A soft murmur escaped her lips. "To be able to make it rain this hard…"

The crowd, including Kenshin and Tetsuya, gaped in astonishment as the burn wounds at Kaoru's feet disappeared. Not a trace of the rough treatment she had received could be seen at her flawless skin. And she began to stir up.

Kenshin held back the tears that threatened to escape his eyes as he hugged Kaoru tightly. "Thank you… Yukishiro-san, thank you…"

The woman only nodded and straightened her travel dress as she stood up.

By now the whole crowd had already understood whom they were dealing with. Tetsuya threw his sword aside and rushed toward Tomoe, but Aoshi's glinting blade stopped him from getting too close to her.

"Please, I mean Yukishiro Sedai no harm!"

Aoshi didn't budge at all.

Tetsuya knelt until his face touched the wet grass. "I beg you, Yukishiro Sedai! Please help my friend Takeshi! You are the only one who could save him! Please…"

Tomoe put a hand on Aoshi's shoulder, but the Warder didn't lower his kodachi at all. "I will help Takeshi-san and your fellow villagers who are in grave danger…"

"Oh, thank you, Yukishiro Sedai! Thank you very---"

"Under one condition." Tomoe gazed at Tetsuya sharply. "That you will leave Himura-san and Kamiya-san unharmed."

"What??!" Tetsuya asked incredulously. "You expect us to let Darkfriends loose in Akita? But you---"

"We have a bargain, Maeda-san." Tomoe cut in curtly. "And your friend isn't getting any better."

Tetsuya clenched his fists, but he realized that he had no other choice. "All right." His teeth gritted in anger as he answered. "You have my word. We will not harm Himura Kenshin and Kamiya Kaoru."

***

A little while later…

"So you remember now what happened eight years ago?"

Kenshin nodded reluctantly. The sleeping Kaoru was laid in front of him. Her wounds Healed by the One Power, she needed some rest to regain her strength. He caressed her hair softly. The thought of almost losing her still made him shivered.

"Everything of it?" Tomoe, who sat behind him, inquired further. Aoshi stood at the doorway as if keeping a watch.

"Only a part of it." The redhead sighed heavily. "It all started when the other children in the town bullied me. After beating me up, they were going to drown me in the river. Maybe they meant it as a joke, but I took it seriously and…" He closed his eyes for a while before continuing with a bitter voice, "I channeled… a few of them were hurt pretty badly." His fist clenched that it almost pained him. "Back then I didn't understand what I did. I was confused, and I ran into the woods. I… I really didn't mean to hurt them." The pained look returned into his face. "When I came home late at night, I found my house empty. My parents weren't there anymore… I don't really remember what happened after that. The next thing I knew was that I found myself bound to a pole. The rest happened just exactly like what I've been dreaming of…"

"Do you remember how you escaped?"

"Not exactly." Kenshin shook his head slowly. "I only remember running through the woods. I could hear those townspeople behind me…" My feet hurt, but I had to run for my life… He furrowed his eyebrows, digging up his mind for those long forgotten memories. "There was a silvery vertical line… everything went black after that. When I woke up, I was already at Kamiya dojo…"

"You lived at Yamaguchi. Do you realize how far it is from Akita?"

"I don't even know where Yamaguchi is…"

"Yamaguchi is about 3 months from here… It's in the southern coast of Japan. That's why I was puzzled of how got here in the first place. I think I know…"

"How?"

"You said a silvery vertical line. From what I read in the books, it is possibly a Gateway. Nobody knows how to make it these days… With it, you can Travel to any place you want to."

Long silence followed. "Yukishiro Sedai, did I really kill his brother?" Kenshin stared at the palm of his hands. He had that downcast expression on his face.

"You did…" Tomoe replied softly. He thought he heard sympathy in her voice. "…accidentally though. It's like what you did to Hideki-san. It seems that somehow you managed to move the flame from Kaoru to him instead of putting it out."

Kaoru-dono, Kaoru-dono… He wept silently. I am a killer. I am a male channeler… I almost killed innocent people again… How can I ever face you again? His lament was interrupted by the sound of Aoshi's kodachi being drawn out of its sheath.

Tomoe felt her Warder's annoyance. "What is it, Aoshi?"

"It's the townspeople again." Aoshi replied shortly. "They're outside the gate."

- End of Chapter 4: Forgotten Memories -

Glossary:

Glossary is (partly) quoted from: www.angelfire.com /ca7/ewot/index.html

* Dragon Fang: a sign carved on the door of those who are suspected to be a Darkfriend.

Author's Note:

* Map op Japan: www.jinjapan.org /kidsweb/japan/map/j_regi.html

* A bit explanation about the memory thing: Can you imagine a little boy seeing his parents killed so brutally in front of his eyes? That's what happened to Kenshin. I hope it is clear from this chapter what happened at his childhood. The trauma of it made him lose his memories (don't know what psychologists would say; let's just assume that it's possible. ^_^). When he saw the same scene replayed before his eyes in real, he remembered.

* For WOT readers, I know that male and female began to channel at the beginning of their adolescence. For the sake of this fic, I altered this fact (Kenshin channeled for the first time at 11). Can't take a whole volume just to know which one can channel, can I? I would get nowhere with the story then…

* Nicky9: I don't know if you got the hint somewhere in the middle of this chapter, but it might answer your question about Kaoru having secret power like Kenshin. :-)

* link-no-miko: apparently I've got another role for Saitou. Too bad, he would've made a good Elyas, though Elyas is nowhere as cold as the Mibu Wolf.

* Thank you so much for sticking with this lazy author. I hope I'll see you at the next chapter!