Through The Eyes of The Assassin- Chapter 16
By: Roaring Flames
This unworthy authoress has kept you waiting for a few months and I apologize for the lateness for this update. Please forgive me and please note that from now on, I can only update on breaks due to that fact that I am trying to finish some of my video games and still keep up with homework. Sad excuse I know, so please be nice to me and thank you.
For The Love of A Memory…'Let sleeping dogs lay, they say' Kaoru thought to herself as she peaked into Kenshin's room. He was sleeping against some stacked books right next to an open window. Her eyes wander upon his sleeping form as she shivered slightly, it was very cold outside and he had his window open. 'Is this guy insane?'. Kaoru tiptoed into his room and slowly shut the window. She turned slightly to find his eyes closed, she walked out the room in the same fashion as she entered. When she slid the shoji door, Kenshin opened his eyes and turned his head slightly over to the shut window in confusion.
Why was she caring about the about him and not herself. He thought the girl should be more worried about herself and not so much about the people around her. It was in the midst of winter and the inn was cooler than it usually was. He opened his window and saw the sky was in white cream form, the looks of the first snowfall of winter. He got up slowly and walked over to the rice paper door and opened it.
His thoughts of snow brung about the memories of Tomoe and the happy times they spent together before fate threw him an unlucky hand and took her from him as he regained a happiness that he wanted forever... Lost in his own little world, he did not watch where he was going and smacked into a wandering Kaoru.
As Kaoru lost her balance, an arm wrapped around her waist and caught her from hitting the ground. She opened her eyes to find herself in the arms of Kenshin; She blushed slightly and quickly released herself from him. She could've sworn she saw his eyes were violet, not their average steel blue or the occasional amber when normally left during the night. His eyes went back to their normal steel blue and he walked past her as if nothing happened.
She turned to him in confusion to that event and shook her head; she walked back to her room. Just as she was about to enter, she shivered slightly as the winter's hand wrapped itself around her small form. She didn't hear him approach and jumped when she felt a haori land on her shoulders. Kaoru turned around to find Kenshin right next to her and his hand on her forehead. The coldness of his hand sent shivers down her back and she hugged the warm clothing around her tighter. He moved his hand off her forehead and then she watched as his eyes narrow into a sort of disappointed stare. "You need to take care of yourself better Kaoru-dono, now because of your carelessness you have a fever." He said in his emotionless tone with a hint of possessiveness in it.
She clenched her fists in anger that he was telling her how to take of herself. "You have no right in telling me how I should take care of myself! You probably want me to die so that you won't have to deal with me any farther and you can have a nice clean conscious that you don't have any more witness to your crimes!" She shouted to him as he walked away from her not really expecting this to turn up. He turned to and approached her yet again. He was angry at what she said and she knew it, she was ready to pick a fight with him.
"One, I only stated that only because you've been working way to hard in order to keep others happy while not caring for yourself. Two, I only spared you that night only because you reminded me of something I did wrong a long time ago okay?!" He said in an anger filled tone that would send most men to their knees. She raised an eyebrow at the idea that he was opening up a little bit to her. While he slapped himself mental, knowing that he was never going to her the end of this from her. So this is how Kaoru acted before the "Incident" and it took a little cold just to show her true colors.
"What did you do wrong in the past that made you spare me?" She asked while closing the distance between him and her. She got in his face and in his life in a matter of minutes, something that no other person accomplished without having the life knocked out of him. Kenshin said nothing else and vanished in front of Kaoru. He used his god-like speed just to get out of a question about Tomoe, he knew she was going to try to revel what was to be buried in the midst of the past and sealed by the frozen wall on his heart.
Kaoru shook her head and walked to the staircase. As she approached the staircase she heard footsteps and was quickly then knocked off her feet by Kisa. Kisa flew half way across the hall and hit the far wall. She rubbed her head and got up on the slippery floor. "Kaoru-chan!" She yelled while a big smile stretched across her face and she jumped on her lap. Kaoru gave Kisa a hug and looked around for the extremely happy hitokiri. Kisa tried to hide her smile by putting her hands of her mouth, but she end up giggling.
"KAORU-CHAAAAAAN!!" Kotori yelled as she popped out of nowhere and landed right next to a now freaked out Kaoru. Kotori rubbed the back of her head and smirked evilly that their little plan worked. She then opened her eyes and smacked Kaoru on the back.
"So, Kaoru-chan, were you and Battou-kun gonna get together, huh? Huh?" She asked sly as she poked her shoulder, neko ears popped out of her head as she turned her head over to the staircase.
"Hey Rooster-head how was the chicken fodder over at Megumi's? Hmmm?" She asked the white coated, browned haired information gather as he walked up the steps to the second floor. His eyebrow twitch when he heard his most hated nickname.
"Well Baka Neko, I wouldn't say I was at Megumi's. I was over at the Aoiya visiting everyone else."
"Suuure for a week!"
"I was over getting some info on the Castle!" He let out as he was pretty pissed off at cat girl and her nosey comments. Not realizing that a non-authorized personal was listening in into the conversation taking place. But none of them really noted that. Sano took a deep breath and relaxed a little bit. He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Kotori. She looked at the piece of parchment in question at what its contents were and as she was to open the little paper, Sano's hand covered it and he whispered to her. "On your own alone time, Neko." She nodded her head and placed it in her hakama pocket.
Kotori then walked away from the group to her room on the third floor. Kisa's head turned to Kaoru in question as to what was going on and Kaoru just shook her head. Well this had to be expected, as it was the base of the Inn Shi Shi, not some kind of place friends would get together to have a chat. Kaoru got up from the floor as the tall man went back down the stairs and then she heard some stopping coming from upstairs. Kotori came running down the stairs and was in a really bad mood. Whatever was on the paper must've been really bad to be able to upset such a good nature girl.
Kaoru followed after her quietly and heard a slam coming from the shoji leading outside. Kaoru the went into an unoccupied room and poked he head out the window to see Kenshin leaning against a sakura tree as Kotori started yelling at him. She worried that something big was up and that maybe that it wasn't a good idea to get involved. Maybe…
Kotori's face was flushed red in anger as she then threw the piece of paper at the red head's face. Kenshin caught it and ripped it into shreds in one fluid motion. His amber eyes glared at the blond and she glared back.
"What were you thinking?! Now Kaoru is the target!! You let things slide for too long!" She screamed.
"Do you think I should've killed her on sight when I killed her father?"
"My point being that you weren't supposed to kill him! You went against Katsura's orders and killed the enemies "White Flag"!!! This damn war would've been over now, but no you just had to kill him, you just had to!!! Fuck you! It's your damn fault and now they want Kaoru back! Kenshin this turning up to be another "Otsu incident"(SP?)!!! Kotori then paused to take a breath and look up to Kenshin who didn't seem like it affected him directly. He closed his eyes and fell into a meditative state.
'I made a mistake and left a witness alive. Then I receive a death threat aimed at Kaoru and me. Damn everything, I only exist to cause unhappiness to those that get close to me and death to others. What am I? Damn you Kami! Tell me! I don't deserve to live and every time I go into battle I secretly hope that… That I will…'
"Kenshin?"
'That I will finally…'
"Kenshin are you okay?"
Kenshin's eyes opened to find that Kotori had left and that he was lying on the ground in the snow. His eyes shifted slowly up to meet azure eyes filled with concern and sorrow. All… directed… at him… His eyes then fell back down into the snow and he felt everything leave. Hatred, sorrow, pain and failure just disappeared. In its place he felt something fill him that he never thought would ever be his. Happiness, content, peace in his chaotic mind and maybe, just maybe, love…
Kaoru saw a small smile light his face and she smacked his head. Was he making fun of her for being worried? She thought he was going to do something that would take him away from her forever…
Kenshin's eyes opened up and pushed her away. A chain rattled out of the darkness and pierced him. The blade cut a long line across his chest; it was shallow yet, the cut burned like hell. Was the blade poisoned? Or was the assassin's skill so sharp, that he was merely playing with him. Kenshin hoped it was neither he couldn't die now he had to protect Kaoru. He remembered that the slip included Kaoru's name on it along with his. 'This is bad…' He thought to himself as the weapon came in for a second assault. He drew his blade and threw the chain-sickle to the side. 'Wait! Chain-sickle?! The younger brother of boomerang girl? Shit!'
The little boy came out of the darkness. He charged and threw a little black pellet on the ground. The pellet exploded into a giant dust cloud and burned Kenshin's eyes. Kenshin then heard Kaoru suffocating and the clanging of a chain. He then took that as the little brat trying to take out Kaoru.
"Not on my time, asshole!!" Kenshin yelled as he drew his blade. He felt the wind pick up in an odd way and he was thrown forcefully backwards into a nearby tree. 'What the hell…?' he thought as he felt his eyes get heaver and started to he screams in the distance.
'I want to die…'
To Be Continued…Yes, I know that I am evil and that I left a cliffhanger. Well, I hope this satisfies you a little bit. Im going to update "Pirates of the North Pacific" soon and I am going to be posting a new, short "fruits Baskets" story. So if there are any "fruba" fans out there please read it.