A/N: Ah, my first RK fic and the first chapter is a cliffie! I'm pulling
this idea from amazing Bakumatsu fics and too much angst. I hope you enjoy!
Falling into Chaos
Timeline: After Mad Geomancer, cmpletely ignores Jinchuu arc. Spoilers: Kyoto arc, Kenshin's past Warning: AU on parts of Kenshin's past, bastardized Yamagata, graphic violence, mild shonen-ai, mental torture, gore, I leave anything out?
Chapter One: Shockwaves
A year had passed in peace for the Kamiya dojo. Yahiko had gotten much better ay Kamiya Kasshin Ryu since inheriting the ougi and was well on his way to becoming a master. Sanosuke continued his freeloading tendencies, but he had moved into an extra room in the Kamiya dojo, since he was there most of the time anyway. Kaoru was exstatic at the number of students she now had. Five more had joined the dojo, making seven, counting Yahiko and Yutaro. The five others were a year younger than Yahiko and still quite unskilled, but their drive was true and they were all coming along well. Of course, they never came at lunchtime. Their drive was not do great as to suffer Kaoru's cooking. Megumi was still the crafty fox lady, throwing her self at Kenshin and drowned in work. Gensai and the girls came over nearly everyday. Tae and Tsubame were doing well and the business at the Akabeko was booming. As for Kenshin, he was still the clumsy rurouni and extremely observant warrior he always had been. He still cooked for the dojo, long having since banned Kaoru from the kitchen, and dealt with everything with his unerring sense of patience. All seemed at peace at the Kamiya dojo. Calm, quiet, serene...
"YAHIKO! GET BACK HERE!"
That is, serene for the Kamiya dojo.
"Nya! Busu! I, Yahiko-sama am too high above practicing with the new babies!" Yahiko crowed as he raced across the yard.
"Ya-hi-ko-chan!" Kaoru articulated, each syllable resonating fury.
"What, Busu?" Yahiko said obnoxiously, while internally quaking with fear.
"Get back in the dojo and show Ryo-kun, Hiro-kun, Tenchi-kun, Nobu-chan and Ran-kun what a true student of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu should act like."
"Hai." Yahiko said quickly and raced back into the dojo, falling into line with the other boys, who naturally hadn't been watching the whole episode. Calmly angry Kaoru was just damn freaky! "Heh!" Kaoru said, bursting into a grin and flashing the victory sign at Kenshin.
Kenshin smiled tolerantly from his place in the shadows. 'They truly are like family.' Kenshin thought with a smile, 'my family.'
"Strike! Strike! Strike!" Kaoru's commands resonated from the dojo, "One hundred more strokes! Faster Ryo! Adjust your hands Tenchi! Step farther out Nobu-chan! Good Yahiko! Nice Ran! More passion Hiro!"
Kenshin smiled and turned away from the dojo, making his way silently down the halls toward the outer courtyard. The wind moved through the trees, rustling the leaves and sending their sweet scent through Kenshin's long, blood red hair. The long summer was turning quietly to fall, the earth changing with the passing season. The days got colder and the nights longer as winter crept around the bend, brushing by to tease the feet left out on cold mornings, a prelude of colder nights to come. Kenshin stood in the middle of the courtyard, breathing in the changing air. Winter would come soon this year, ending the long summer. He smiled at the thought of trying to skate on the frozen river. Last year, Sanosuke had suceeded in an amazing feat, he slide a mile down the river after falling trying to skate two feet. Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan had yet to let him forget it, their childish laughter taking the sting from the memory.
But there was something else in the air. Murmurs of chaos and deaths in towns not far from Tokyo. Fires in Yokohama, a reign of crime in Kyoto. Fear tinged the air with its icy hold.
'I hope whatever this is ends soon. The people deserve peace after the chaos of the last year. Shishio and the geomancers were enough to keep the towns gossip busy for years. I just hope its enough to keep the chaos at bay as well...'
"...shin." A voice called.
"Kenshin!" The same voice called, more insistantly.
"OI! EARTH TO HIMURA KENSHIN! COME IN KENSHIN!"
"ORO!?" Kenshin yelped and leapt a good four feet into the air and caught by strong arms, which were immeadiatly fought.
"Hey! Hey! Kenshin! It's me!"
"Sano?" Kenshin stopped struggling. "Mou! What was that for?"
"You were totally spacing out Kenshin. Ya know its really creepy when you do that!" Sano pouted, defending himself aganist scaring the swordsman. Gently placing Kenshin back on his feet, he spun the smaller man around to face him.
"Kenshin, tell me what's going on."
"Nothing's going on Sano." Kenshin said neutrally, "It's nothing to worry over."
"If it wasn't I could scare you like that." Sano said pointedly.
Kenshin gaped at him. When had Sano learned to read him like that?
"Its nothing of importance." Kenshin said calmly.
Sano's eyes narrowed, "Kenshin...."
"Yet." Kenshin continued. "I'll tell you if it becomes serious. Until then I will not burden you."
Sano's gaze dimmed with sorrow. 'Will you forever hide from us, Kenshin? Must you continue to face these things alone? Is this your atonement?' Sano thought sadly gazing intently into Kenshin's eyes. Sighing he released his hold on Kenshin's shoulders, straightening to his full height. "Alright Kenshin. But you tell us as soon as it gets to 'a little more than nothing' got it!"
"Maa maa.."
"Promise me." Sano said intently.
Kenshin's gaze hardened, his soul shing through as the rurouni mask slipped. "I give you my word. I'll tell you if it becomes a concern."
"Kenshin? Sanosuke?" Kaoru's voice called from the dojo doors. Behind her the six boys were still practicing, improving with each stroke, each time moving a little closer to greatness. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing at all Kaoru -dono!" Kenshin smiled, mask fully back on. Sano cursed her timing.
"Something's wrong, I can tell." Kaoru said deviously, "Tell me."
"Nothing is wrong Kaoru-dono."
"Kenshin...." Kaoru's tone held a note of warning.
Kenshin held up his hands to ward off the coming tirade and was quite literally saved by the bell, er, knock.
A sharp rap came from outside the door. Sano went to open the dojo gate, revealing the caller.
"You're-" Sano began.
Kaoru looked shocked.
"Yamagata-dono." Kenshin breathed, surprised. By now the boys had stopped their strokes. Another hundred as the punishment was worth seeing Kenshin talk to Yamagata.
In full government attire, Yamagata stood outside the door, backed by his carriage.
"Himura-kun, it has begun."
TBC......
Dun, dun, dun.....Yamagata will have a big role here and the angst is about to role in.
Preview of next chapter:
"A pissed Kenshin. Now that is definitely not something you see every day, and it was damn scary."
Reviews will be used to feed my speedy update mused, flames will be laughed at and sent back to burn your butt courtesy of Shishio.
Shishio: *evil grin*
WoF: Down boy, bad evil muse!
Falling into Chaos
Timeline: After Mad Geomancer, cmpletely ignores Jinchuu arc. Spoilers: Kyoto arc, Kenshin's past Warning: AU on parts of Kenshin's past, bastardized Yamagata, graphic violence, mild shonen-ai, mental torture, gore, I leave anything out?
Chapter One: Shockwaves
A year had passed in peace for the Kamiya dojo. Yahiko had gotten much better ay Kamiya Kasshin Ryu since inheriting the ougi and was well on his way to becoming a master. Sanosuke continued his freeloading tendencies, but he had moved into an extra room in the Kamiya dojo, since he was there most of the time anyway. Kaoru was exstatic at the number of students she now had. Five more had joined the dojo, making seven, counting Yahiko and Yutaro. The five others were a year younger than Yahiko and still quite unskilled, but their drive was true and they were all coming along well. Of course, they never came at lunchtime. Their drive was not do great as to suffer Kaoru's cooking. Megumi was still the crafty fox lady, throwing her self at Kenshin and drowned in work. Gensai and the girls came over nearly everyday. Tae and Tsubame were doing well and the business at the Akabeko was booming. As for Kenshin, he was still the clumsy rurouni and extremely observant warrior he always had been. He still cooked for the dojo, long having since banned Kaoru from the kitchen, and dealt with everything with his unerring sense of patience. All seemed at peace at the Kamiya dojo. Calm, quiet, serene...
"YAHIKO! GET BACK HERE!"
That is, serene for the Kamiya dojo.
"Nya! Busu! I, Yahiko-sama am too high above practicing with the new babies!" Yahiko crowed as he raced across the yard.
"Ya-hi-ko-chan!" Kaoru articulated, each syllable resonating fury.
"What, Busu?" Yahiko said obnoxiously, while internally quaking with fear.
"Get back in the dojo and show Ryo-kun, Hiro-kun, Tenchi-kun, Nobu-chan and Ran-kun what a true student of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu should act like."
"Hai." Yahiko said quickly and raced back into the dojo, falling into line with the other boys, who naturally hadn't been watching the whole episode. Calmly angry Kaoru was just damn freaky! "Heh!" Kaoru said, bursting into a grin and flashing the victory sign at Kenshin.
Kenshin smiled tolerantly from his place in the shadows. 'They truly are like family.' Kenshin thought with a smile, 'my family.'
"Strike! Strike! Strike!" Kaoru's commands resonated from the dojo, "One hundred more strokes! Faster Ryo! Adjust your hands Tenchi! Step farther out Nobu-chan! Good Yahiko! Nice Ran! More passion Hiro!"
Kenshin smiled and turned away from the dojo, making his way silently down the halls toward the outer courtyard. The wind moved through the trees, rustling the leaves and sending their sweet scent through Kenshin's long, blood red hair. The long summer was turning quietly to fall, the earth changing with the passing season. The days got colder and the nights longer as winter crept around the bend, brushing by to tease the feet left out on cold mornings, a prelude of colder nights to come. Kenshin stood in the middle of the courtyard, breathing in the changing air. Winter would come soon this year, ending the long summer. He smiled at the thought of trying to skate on the frozen river. Last year, Sanosuke had suceeded in an amazing feat, he slide a mile down the river after falling trying to skate two feet. Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan had yet to let him forget it, their childish laughter taking the sting from the memory.
But there was something else in the air. Murmurs of chaos and deaths in towns not far from Tokyo. Fires in Yokohama, a reign of crime in Kyoto. Fear tinged the air with its icy hold.
'I hope whatever this is ends soon. The people deserve peace after the chaos of the last year. Shishio and the geomancers were enough to keep the towns gossip busy for years. I just hope its enough to keep the chaos at bay as well...'
"...shin." A voice called.
"Kenshin!" The same voice called, more insistantly.
"OI! EARTH TO HIMURA KENSHIN! COME IN KENSHIN!"
"ORO!?" Kenshin yelped and leapt a good four feet into the air and caught by strong arms, which were immeadiatly fought.
"Hey! Hey! Kenshin! It's me!"
"Sano?" Kenshin stopped struggling. "Mou! What was that for?"
"You were totally spacing out Kenshin. Ya know its really creepy when you do that!" Sano pouted, defending himself aganist scaring the swordsman. Gently placing Kenshin back on his feet, he spun the smaller man around to face him.
"Kenshin, tell me what's going on."
"Nothing's going on Sano." Kenshin said neutrally, "It's nothing to worry over."
"If it wasn't I could scare you like that." Sano said pointedly.
Kenshin gaped at him. When had Sano learned to read him like that?
"Its nothing of importance." Kenshin said calmly.
Sano's eyes narrowed, "Kenshin...."
"Yet." Kenshin continued. "I'll tell you if it becomes serious. Until then I will not burden you."
Sano's gaze dimmed with sorrow. 'Will you forever hide from us, Kenshin? Must you continue to face these things alone? Is this your atonement?' Sano thought sadly gazing intently into Kenshin's eyes. Sighing he released his hold on Kenshin's shoulders, straightening to his full height. "Alright Kenshin. But you tell us as soon as it gets to 'a little more than nothing' got it!"
"Maa maa.."
"Promise me." Sano said intently.
Kenshin's gaze hardened, his soul shing through as the rurouni mask slipped. "I give you my word. I'll tell you if it becomes a concern."
"Kenshin? Sanosuke?" Kaoru's voice called from the dojo doors. Behind her the six boys were still practicing, improving with each stroke, each time moving a little closer to greatness. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing at all Kaoru -dono!" Kenshin smiled, mask fully back on. Sano cursed her timing.
"Something's wrong, I can tell." Kaoru said deviously, "Tell me."
"Nothing is wrong Kaoru-dono."
"Kenshin...." Kaoru's tone held a note of warning.
Kenshin held up his hands to ward off the coming tirade and was quite literally saved by the bell, er, knock.
A sharp rap came from outside the door. Sano went to open the dojo gate, revealing the caller.
"You're-" Sano began.
Kaoru looked shocked.
"Yamagata-dono." Kenshin breathed, surprised. By now the boys had stopped their strokes. Another hundred as the punishment was worth seeing Kenshin talk to Yamagata.
In full government attire, Yamagata stood outside the door, backed by his carriage.
"Himura-kun, it has begun."
TBC......
Dun, dun, dun.....Yamagata will have a big role here and the angst is about to role in.
Preview of next chapter:
"A pissed Kenshin. Now that is definitely not something you see every day, and it was damn scary."
Reviews will be used to feed my speedy update mused, flames will be laughed at and sent back to burn your butt courtesy of Shishio.
Shishio: *evil grin*
WoF: Down boy, bad evil muse!