A/N: Gomen nasi to those who hate long chapters. I sat down today and started writing and it just kept going and going and going until it was done. There was a lot that had to happen and there just wasn't a good place to end it... at least I couldn't find one that I was satisfied with until the one I ended with. So... gomen, it is very long. I just hope it is cohesive and flows well. I do not write my best when I am sad... and this last week has definitely been a difficult one. Humble thanks to those who offered their condolences on the passing of my father-in-law. It is very difficult trying to get used to Dad being gone... today I found a pair of his shoes I had forgot to put away and I burst into tears and cried for almost half an hour (while I sat on the couch hugging them up to my chest.). It's just hard, but this too shall pass in time (Like a fucking kidney stone.) Be that as it may, here is my humble offering... please enjoy.
A/N: As to the FanArt Kissing Gallery Contest... the rules are located on my webpage on the Update and Info page. You'll have to scroll down to the March 1st RED entry. Its all there. I have not had any entries yet... -_- Which makes me sad... but it is open for 3 months, so I'm waiting. Come on you artists out there. Get to drawing... I want some pics... ^o_o^ Tsuki-san
A/N: Just to set a few questions straight that have come up lately… everyone is still worried about Kaoru not 'getting in' on the power-train with everyone else. Once again I remind you all… the story isn't over yet, and The Mother of The Beloved is far from out of the picture. Patience is a virtue… and good things come to those who wait. KNT
Haruko: This is a really long one, phew! But it was one of the most enjoyable chapters, seriously. I'm terribly sorry for the delay, family problems, college applications have kept me busy, so this story has been stuck on my com for the longest time. Please forgive me. M(_)M
Glossary: Koishii=Dear/Darling, Saiai=Beloved, Kodora=small tiger, Mesu Tora=female tiger,
Meito=Mate, Hai=Yes, Ne=No
Spanish Glossary: ninos=child, rosa=rose, Querida=beloved/dear, Hermano=brother, Bruja=Witch,
Puta=Whore/Slut,
Chapter Fourteen
Dawn of The Sea Spirit
Morning came and with it an ill wind that spoke of icy rain and sleet. Thick misty fog clung to the tops of the Taki Mountains while dark clouds hung low on the horizon obscuring the Sunrise as well as blocking out the warmth of those bright heavenly rays. Frost hung in delicate icy patterns from the narrow branches of the surrounding trees and bushes turning Tokyo into a temporary fairy wonderland albeit a bitterly cold and unwelcome one. A thin sheen of ice covered the road and walkways creating a treacherous trap for the unwary travelers venturing out that morning, and many fell prey to its slippery danger. Bumps, bruises, and broken bones seemed to be the order of the day and the physicians would no doubt remain quite busy treating the walking and limping wounded as they wandered into the clinics one after the other.
It was promising to be a very dismal and unpleasant day, and the occupants residing within the Saitou household who could stay inside decided that was indeed the best choice. As for those who had responsibilities to attend to, they dressed for the cold and reluctantly ventured out into the frozen wind swept world waiting for them.
Saitou slowly but deliberately made his way to the Police Station with Hiko in tow. The old sword master had decided to go with the Wolf just in case he 'needed his assistance with anything complicated that might come up.' Saitou had given him a disgusted but tolerant look and then begrudgingly agreed. Kenshin figured he had given in so easily because he missed the old Misturugi Master just as much as the sword master missed him, but neither would admit it.
Yahiko had joined Soujiro as he walked the reasonable distance to his privately owned mercantile so he might open it for business that morning, though he doubted he would have many customers venture in that day.
That left Kaoru, Tokio, Kuumi, Quii, the twins; Ruakii and Tokken, Kenji, and his Father all at home for the rest of the day. Tokio and Kaoru were busy brewing analgesic teas to help Kenshin with the increased pain in his joints that had been caused from the dramatic drop in the temperature over night. It was supposed to be Spring... there should not be any frost like this. The ground should not be frozen or covered with ice. There was something very wrong with the state of the weather... it was not a natural occurrence. It could not be a natural occurrence. Kenshin was worried, very worried indeed. He was remembering another time when the weather had become unnaturally cold in the dead of Summer... August he thought, if he remembered right, and the coincidence was making him think about things he was not sure he wanted to think about. He was not sure he wanted to even consider them.. But if what he were thinking was true, then...
"Is Kenji and Quii awake yet, Tokio-san?" He asked in a quiet and respectful voice to the dark- haired woman kneeling next to him pouring his third cup of tea since arising two hours ago.
"I am not sure, Himura-san. But I will go and check for you." Her soft brown eyes were filled with deep concern as they moved over the paleness of his face and the thin line of his lips. "Is the pain giving in at all, Himura-san?"
"Hai... some. Thank-you for trying to help, Tokio-san. I am ever grateful for your kindness and care. I am certain I will be better soon." Kenshin tried valiantly to smile for her, but it was a poor offering despite the effort. The pain reflected in his eyes was something he could not easily hide, and its presence seemed to affect everyone. Having had to watch the great warrior slowly disintegrate over the years had been agony for all of them as well as himself. He had been so strong, so powerful, so steadfast in his vows and loyalties. They had all leaned on his strength in one fashion or another, and he had held them up each and every one without complaining or admonishing. He was their rock and the axis upon which their family unit turned and functioned as a whole. Without him they would not have survived, and without him now they would surely flounder.
"I have some healing balm that I could rub into your joints, Himura-san, that may help as well as the tea. Would you allow me to do that... Please, I cannot bear to see you in so much pain. It... its breaking my heart... Kenshin." Tokio dropped her head as she finished and a sigh of despair lifted her shoulders. A moment later she felt the lightest pressure of Kenshin's hand on her arm as he reached out to her in a comforting gesture.
"Tokio," The gentle tenor of his voice addressing her as a friend brought the sting of tears to her eyes as she felt his love spread over her like a warm blanket soothing her and reassuring her that everything would be all right. "Please do not worry yourself so over me. It was my fate to end up this way. Megumi-san warned me of it years, and years ago after my battle with Shishio."
"You knew THIS would happen to you?" Her beautiful face was filled with immense sadness as she looked into his kindly violet eyes. "But why? Why should THIS happen to you and to no one else? Why?"
"Because of the Hiten Misturugi Ryuu." Kenshin shrugged and then winced slightly as the gesture caused little daggers of pain to lance down his spine. "I was not physically built to withstand to enormous amounts of stress and pressure it's techniques put upon my body and bones through the years... I am paying for that now. The God-like speed, the enormous power of the attacks... they all took their toll upon my body and wore my joints down to the bone... I was too small. Hiten Mitsurugi is meant for larger men, like my Father... My Master. Only the large muscular body has the necessary structure and bone density to withstand the magnitude of stress and strength the power demands of the wielder."
"I never knew... Oh Kenshin, I'm so sorry."
"Please do not be sorry, Tokio... I was able to accomplish many honorable deeds with my sakobatou while I still had the ability to wield it. For that I am more than grateful and satisfied. So please do not be sad.... I am not." A gentle smile curved his mouth lighting a tender glow in the pain filled depths of his violet eyes. "I paid my debt to Kami-sama, and then I was able to prove myself to be an honorable and just man in the eyes of my family and the woman I love. I am satisfied... I have no regrets."
"I think I understand, but there is one thing I would like to know." Wiping the tears away with the back of one of her hands, Tokio cast a furtive gaze down the hallway toward the room where Kenji and Quii slept. "What about your son? What about Kenji? He is built of small bones the same as you. Will he not suffer the same fate as you have?"
"No, he will not." Kenshin's voice was quiet but firm as he set his jaw in a stubborn line.
"How do you know that?" Questioning brown eyes looked at his solemn face and waited for an explanation.
"Because... he is stronger than I was. He is better than I was. And because... he has much of Kaoru's ki in his soul as well as Mine. He has her indominatable will to never give up, he has her gift endless of hope and conviction, and he has her courage and tenacity. He will never end up like this... like me. He was born 'The Holy Warrior of Truth and Honor', his birth was blessed by the 'Hand of Fire', and his life is meant to go on and on. There is much for him yet to do, Tokio, and Quii must go with him." The serious gaze of his violet eyes looked deeply into Tokio's startled brown one as he watched her try to digest what he was saying. "Yes, Tokio... Quii is Kenji's mate and she must go wherever he goes... they are bound to face the trials together. Her ki is meant to enhance his... together, they could be nigh invincible."
"But... what do they face, Kenshin? I don't understand. Why would Kenji have to be so strong plus have Quii's power behind him as well? What or who could be that powerful that it would take them both to vanquish it?" Fear congealed upon her fine features as she searched his for an answer.
"I do not know, Tokio. That is why I need to talk to them. I need to know 'where' they 'went' and 'what' they saw while they were there. I need to know what happened. I need to know every single detail they can remember, and I need to find out how Chi-stan fits into all of this because if Kuumi is right, then he is the reason Kenji was born the way he was... I must have solid facts to deal with because the things I am thinking are beyond my own comprehension and I dare not utter them out loud even to my own ears for fear of sounding insane..."
"Are they any more insane sounding that what we faced 16 years ago, My Brother."
Kenshin whirled around, the pain suddenly forgotten as well as ignored, and looked into the bright glowing jade green orbs of the tall dark haired man standing in the doorway of the room he shared with Kaoru. Though a thin layer of frost clung to shiny black of his hair, it was still plain to see that Shinomori Aoshi had changed little over the years. His handsome face showed little if any emotion despite the eerie green light glimmering from his jade eyes. The long dual-bladed kodachi jutted out behind him lifting the tails of his tan overcoat as it rose at an angle over the back of his head. It was rare to ever see him without the deadly weapon, or the small, lithe dark-haired woman who stood smiling at his side. Misao's sharp blue-green eyes snapped with life and intelligence, and then narrowed to worry as she took in the degenerated state of their red headed friend.
"Aoshi..." It was a pained whisper coming from the core of Kenshin's heart as he felt the undeniable tug of the tall ninja's most unique bond with him. "You came."
"Of course." The usual bland tone of Aoshi's voice never failed to bring a smile to Kenshin's face and it did now even as it sparked the shine of tears within the amethyst gaze that reached out to lovingly embrace him. "I always come when I am called, do I not?"
"Hai... usually."
"I will try to forget you said that... Brother." A quirk of one thin black eyebrow greeted
Kenshin's comment and then he was gracefully lowering his tall lanky frame to the floor across from the red-haired Samurai. "So, you must tell me everything now... the sounds of the Kodora's screams were frightful enough to listen to during the night, but your worrying heart is more than I can bear."
"I am sorry." Kenshin bowed his head in respectful apology and recognition of the ninja's remaining sharp ki senses. "I was not truly aware I had reached you."
"Were you not trying to?" The eyebrow raised in scepticism. Kenshin did not usually broadcast or 'reach' unless he intended to. This was disconcerting news to Aoshi.
"Not consciously... Perhaps my soul and spirit know better what I need that my mind does."
"Most assuredly, shin-yuu. I can feel you better than most, but not as well as some." The barest ghost of a smile touched his face as his eyes drifted to the beautiful but worried face of Kaoru. "It would appear you are not the only one who is bearing this burden, shin-yuu." The ache that had started inside of his heart early that morning began to grow as he reached out to touch the pain that was Kaoru. 'She is afraid for him,' He thought. 'But she is also afraid for... Hmmmmm.'
"No, I am not. There are many involved this time, Aoshi... too many." Aoshi noted the weariness in Kenshin's voice and felt an unwanted sense of his own worry for the man rise quickly to the surface. There was more going on here than he had expected. This was not just a simple family squabble as he had thought it to be. Neither was it a new awakening of another segment of Kenji's powerful ki which he had also wondered about considering the emotional upheaval in the Kodora last night. Both of his assumptions were wrong. He could sense the faintest residue of another ki still lingering within the small house. Its foreign properties baffled him and singed the corners of his mind as he tried to touch it, but there was also something small and familiar about it that he could not quite identify. Confusion erupted within Aoshi's logical brain. Something was very wrong, very wrong indeed and it was time that all of the words were spoken and all of the shadows were dispelled.
A mental message passed from one mind into the other as gracefully as a glacial lake spills a stream of water down the hill to douse a roaring fire, and with just as much grace, Kenshin turned to Kaoru and Tokio and asked them to fetch Kenji and Quii. It was time to bring everything out into the open.
It was time to begin planning... again.
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Long tapering icicles hung around the massive open skylight that graced the center of the massive ceiling looking much like hundreds of shimmering iridescent daggers placed and waiting to drop upon the unsuspecting who may happen to pass underneath their lethal points. Long blades and short wakizashi seemed to be gleaming in their icy perfection each hungry for the blood of an innocent with which to sanctify its 'steel'. Forever protective, forever diligent, forever loyal... as long as the wind blew and the ice world remained frozen each would remain steadfast in its icy vigil ever watchful... ever prepared... ever faithful.
The freezing icy wind howled through the huge opening like old women kneeling in grief over fallen soldiers upon a battlefield of blood and death, and as it swept through the Throne Room, it cast glittering ice drops upon the snowfield floor making it sparkle like a diamond carpet. It was a frozen glittering world of twinkling rainbow colors as the shadows slashed and danced in and out of the light bending it through the thousands of natural prisms that were being made. It was glorious... It was Magnificent... It was Hell...
Christian de'Angeles lay curled into a fetal ball in one of the corners of the massive Throne Room, his dark blue eyes wide and staring outward but seeing nothing. His strong lithe body was still as death the only indication of life being the very faint rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Otherwise, the young Spaniard appeared all but lifeless with his arms crossed tightly over his chest and his knees drawn snugly up against them.
Within his mind his thoughts were wild and confused and he could not focus on and single one of them. Instead, they flew by him at outrageous speeds refusing to allow him time to recognize their significance or frivolity, and so he lay in a state of living mummification while his mind slowly disintegrated into madness.
However, every so often he would be heard muttering unintelligibly to himself, and if one truly wanted to try and understand what he was saying, one would have to kneel down next to him and place an ear next to his pale fluttering lips and listen with every ounce of intent available because it was an endless litany of the same word repeated over and over and over again with scarcely a breath in between.
"KenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenji....."
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The Diary of Alyse de'Angeles
Leon, Spain
Ashes of The Red Rose
August 22, 1632
Papa knows... to my eternal and everlasting shame, he knows. He caught me getting sick behind the well this morning and said it is the fifth day he has watched me do this. The look on his face was so furious and filled with rage, I was actually afraid he might kill me, but instead he just turned away and walked back to the hacienda. I feel so ashamed and dirty. I feel like a puta or worse in his eyes. Before I was still his daughter, still his ninos rosa that had been mistreated by that bastardo, Lucas. But I could see it in his eyes... he doesn't love me anymore. I am pregnant and I have brought shame to his name. Oh God in heaven... tell me what to do. I don't know what to do.
Papa is going to go to Senior Margoles' hacienda today. I over heard him telling Estephan he was going to go after midday. I wonder what he is going to do? I wonder what he is going to say? I am so afraid. If he tries to confront Lucas with the rape, I know he will try to deny it, I know he will, and his Father will side with him and they will say it was my fault. They will say that I enticed him or tempted him. Mon Dios! I will be arrested!
August 23, 1632
There has been an emergency meeting of the Holy Tribunal called for tomorrow morning. They are demanding that I appear before the Inquisitors to answer allegations made by Lucas and his father that I bewitched him into defiling my body and impregnating me with his demon child. They are accusing me of witchcraft. There have been no accusations levied against MY family, just against me... God Damn Lucas into the burning depths of Hell forever. He has murdered me and our child to save his own tainted soul from gallows. He would rather see me burnt as a Bruja than face his own demise at the end of a rope for committing rape. Filthy, disgusting, conniving, white-faced coward. I will see him in Hell before I let him get away with this. He has not heard the last of me.
August 23, 1623–Late afternoon
They have allowed Papa to have a Midwife check me, and she says that it 'appears' the baby is normal and not the deformed spawn of a demon. This appears to be disconcerting to both the Midwife and the Priest who accompanied her to our home. Neither of them seemed to know what to say. They then proceeded to make me stripe off all of my clothes so they could examine every single inch of my naked body. I have never felt so humiliated in all my life. The Priest was a Gentleman of some 35-40 years old, and he was quite bold about poking and prodding his way in and out of the most private places of my body. The examination seemed to go on for hours. They made my female place bleed they prodded and stretched it so many times. My anus as well. I do not know what they were looking for, but they kept looking and looking, and when they did not find it, they looked again. I cried the entire time.
Once they were finished, there was no apology for what they had done to me, no explanation as to what they were looking for, and no comments as to if they had found anything. They simply nodded to my Father and departed our home. I, myself, believe they were looking for the mark of the Bruja, but could not find it. Somehow, I do not think that will matter in the least when I go before the Tribunal in the morning.
August 24, 1623–Late Afternoon
I have until Sunset before they come to take me away to the prison. They have allowed me this long to gather but a few of my things that I will need while I am incarcerated there the next 5 or 6 months until the baby is born. I still cannot believe what has happened, it feels so unreal almost like a play on some sort of a stage and not my true life. Or perhaps it is a dream from which I may yet wake from to find myself warm and safe once more in my own bed. But I know neither of those things are true. I have been convicted of Witchcraft by the Tribunal of Inquisitors and sentenced to death by burning after my baby is born.
So strange... so strange. They determined that the babe is pure, innocent, an unwilling party to my crime of bewitchment and temptation upon its Father. The Midwife and the Priest who came to our home yesterday to examine me both attested to that. As I am well into my fourth month, the babe has formed enough that if it were of evil origins, the blood extracted from my womb during the 'probing' would have been black, but it was not. It was bright red and very fresh. This indicated to all present that babe was indeed pure.
However, as the examination for the Mark of The Bruja, none was found just as I expected, but, as I also expected, that piece of Evidence was not necessary for my conviction. It had been carefully noted that during the 'inspection' of my naked person, that I had shown no modesty whatsoever in trying to 'hide' my body from the 'eyes' of 'men' and had simply stood and allowed myself to be touched in whatever manner was put upon me. This remark had brought such gasps and shouts of 'slut' from the audience present, I wished fervently at that moment for God to strike me dead, but He did not.
Interestingly enough, the fact of my sobbing with shame during the entire examination was never mentioned, and I was never allowed to say anything in my own defense.
When Lucas was brought forward for questioning, I fixed my gaze upon his white-fishes face and poured every ounce of hatred I felt for him into that look. I wanted him to know I knew what he was doing to me, and why. He looked at me once, and hurriedly looked away. I could feel his fear and it made me feel stronger. He will pay for this deed he has done to me. He will pay, and he will pay dearly.
He stood before the congregation and the Tribunal and spoke his lies in a weak little-boy voice that had them all but swooning into the palm of his hand. He told them how I had tempted him with my half-covered breasts by leaning over him and brushing up against him in a wanton manner while whispering sultry words of forbidden passion in his ear. His voice rose on a note of distress as he explained how I had all but pulled him onto my hot naked flesh and forced him between my legs while my hands rubbed him in places I was never meant to touch until he could control the beast within him no more.
"It was a Bewitching, I tell you..." He sobbed and broke down letting huge tears roll down his cheeks as he choked out his words. "I tried to invoke the Holy Spirit, but her Evil was just too strong... she is a powerful and deceitful Witch. She hid her cunning within the trappings of Love and Loyalty. She draped herself with a cloak of innocence that nearly fooled Father Capuano and Midwife Setera into believing she might yet be pure. Her Magick is powerful... and my soul has been tainted forever by the foul touch of her. Dearest God... Forgive me...!"
Then Lucas had allowed himself to collapse upon the pulpit forcing several of the younger Priest's to come forward to help him down. It was disgusting. I wanted to spit on him as they carried him past my cage, but I did not dare. Who knew what they might do to me if I did.
It was after that point that the Tribunal began calling members of our general social district to give testimony. They were being questioned about the business practices of my Father and Brother. No one had anything but good to speak of my Family, and none could say where I could have learned my 'evil and shameful' craft. After nearly 25 testimonies, the Tribunal seemed satisfied and called a cessation on that matter.
It was then that they had me brought forward and placed at the testimonial pulpit.
"Seniorita de'Angeles, do you understand the gravity of your situation here today?"
"Si, Senior."
"And do you understand that should you be convicted of these crimes you are accused of you will be put to death most painfully?"
"Si... Senior."
"What say you in your own behalf?"
"Does it really matter what I have to say, Senior? You have already decided whether or not I am guilty, thus whether or not I will live or die. Why should I demean myself by trying to plead my own innocence when it will make no difference except create a moment of amusement for you and the rest gathered here to watch my public humiliation?"
"You are very brazen and bold with your words, Seniorita. Most Bruja are... but then, you should already know that; however, I do admire someone who has the courage to face their imminent demise without fear, and even for one so young as you, you seem to have much courage."
"I have nothing to be afraid of."
"Really, Seniorita. You do not fear the flames?"
"No, I do not fear death."
"You should, Bruja." He snarled at me. "God Almighty punishes the sinner with pain equal to his or her crime, and he punishes the Bruja worst of all because you are in league with his enemy, The Devil!"
"I am in league with no one, Senior. I am but a simple girl who was raped and then abandoned by a cowardice boy who was too frightened to face up to his responsibilities to me. And now he would rather save his own black soul from the hangman's noose by feeding me to the flames, than to let his blasphemous tongue speak the truth of what happened that day."
"Lies, Bruja! You speak lies before this Holy Court!" I watched with great satisfaction as the old Inquisitors face turned a dark purple while he beat his wooden gavel against the block of wood upon his Judges table in an effort to quiet the now noisy congregation. It seemed no one liked what I had just said. Poor weak minded mice.
"I never lie." I spoke to him in the calmest voice I could find and I met his furious eyes straight on so he could see the absence of deceit in them, and for a brief moment I saw him falter in his resolve. I will cherish that moment for the rest of my days because I know he knows I am not a Bruja, he knows Lucas is lying, and he knows he is condemning an innocent girl to death for a crime she did not commit. But even though he knows this, he will do it anyway because the Church must be right, and he must save face.
He stood up at that point and spoke the words that condemned me to prison for the duration of my pregnancy, and when my child was born, I would thereto be taken to the Towne Square where I would be bound hand and foot to a wooden pier whose base would be set afire, and I would be burnt until none but ash remained.
I proceeded to vomit over the side of the pulpit, and then I fainted. I woke up here, in my room with Estephan patting my forehead with a damp cloth. He looked frightfully old and worn out. I suppose I cannot blame him. This has been trying for us all, and it will be him who is left to care for my child once it is born. I think he will make a very good Father, and I told him so. That made him cry, and he gathered me up in his arms and held me close to him for the longest time. I cried too. We never held each other enough when we were growing up. Now we will never get the chance to again. Why did we waste so much time?
Oh Estephan, I am so sorry. I should have told you long ago how much I loved you my hermano. My sweet, beloved hermano.
They are here and it is time to go. They say I cannot take my diary with me... whatever will I do to pass the time?
January 18, 1624
Prison of The Iron Gate
Record of Birth
Born: girl child to prisoner #17798. Appearance: four normal extremities; movement noted with each one, two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth, normal sexual organ appearance, normal anal appearance. Ten toes, ten fingers. Strong, loud cry upon stimulation after extraction from mothers body. Clear fluids vomited from lungs and stomach, regular respirations, strong heart beat. No unusual markings found upon child's body during inspection; flesh is clean. Cord cut and tied.
Prisoner/Mother: Passed afterbirth with moderate amount of difficulty. Afterbirth appears normal. Blood from cord is bright red and fresh. Mother continues to bleed from birth canal. Labored with birthing for 15 hours.
January 19, 1624
Prison of The Iron Gate
Girl child born to prisoner #17798 given to One Estephan de'Angeles who has been identified as the child's natural Uncle by Inquisitor Ramone'. Child is noted as being in good health. Uncle urged to secure the services of a wetnurse as soon as possible if he wishes the child to live.
Senior de'Angeles is noted asking about the welfare of prisoner #17798 who is his sister. He is told she survived the birth of the child but is very weak. That is all he was told.
January 23, 1624
Prison of The Iron Gate
Prisoner #17798 is very ill since the birth of her child five days ago. She continues to have bleeding and is running a fever. Despite her failing condition and probable death, the Tribunal has ordered that her execution he scheduled for the morning.
January 24, 1624
Prison of The Iron Gate
Proceedings for the execution of Prisoner #17798 did not go as planned; however, she is dead at this time. May God have mercy on her poor soul, and on those she took with her.
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Kenji and Quii both look none the worse for wear as they approached the small ring of adults gathered inside of Kenshin and Kaoru's bedroom. It took a few moments for them to realize who all was there, and once they did, it was shock instead of joy that reflected on their faces and in their voices.
"U-uncle Aoshi?" Kenji stammered in worried confusion as he knelt next to the tall stoic ninja he revered so deeply and bowed low touching his forehead to the floor. "Why have you come?"
"Has something happened at the Aoiya?" Quii followed Kenji's example and paid homage to the spiritually powerful man as she knelt next to her mate. "Have you heard something from Uncle Sano and Auntie Megumi? Are they coming?" Most of the time, when the quiet ninja and his spunky wife showed up, it meant either trouble or an impending visit from the ever absent Sanosuke and Megumi who seemed to have lost their way back home since they moved to Aizu.
"No, Dear Ones," Aoshi cocked his head and favored his two favorite younglings with the twitch of a smile and his all encompassing blanket of love as he wrapped them up in the protection of his powerful ki. "The Aoiya is fine... and I wish I had news that Sano and Megumi were coming from a visit... In fact, Himura," He sent his voice over his shoulder to Kenshin without breaking eye contact with the two teens. "Perhaps we should send for Sanosuke and sweet Megumi... they may be very useful this time around... hummm?"
"Hai, I agree, that I do." Kenshin nodded his head even as his mind began to calculate just how long it would take for a letter to get to Aizu and then for the couple to travel to Kyoto.
"Do not worry about sending letters, Himura. Use that new telegraph item they have down at the train station. It is much faster and more efficient."
"Hai, hai... excellent idea, Aoshi. Excellent idea."
"Of course it is." The eye brow lifted just a fraction as if to emphasize his point and Kenji had to hide a smile behind his hand. Uncle Aoshi would never change, but then, if he did, he would not be any fun at all. Hearing a muffled sniggering beside him, he carefully shifted his aqua-blue eyes to the side and caught Quii trying to stifle her own amusement at their Uncle's expense, and feeling his gaze upon her, mirth filled topaz eyes looked over and met his, and it took all they had at that moment not to burst into laughter. Because of the closeness of their spiritual bond, their feelings of mischief almost tripled as their energy automatically surged together and became one very large emotion. As it was, the 'essence' of the massive 'giggle' hung in the air like a third party setting with them, and it was very hard to overlook.
Each of the adults, save Uncle Aoshi, began exchanging their, 'Don't they understand this is supposed to be a serious talk?' look while Kenji and Quii did their best not to actually look anybody directly in the eye until they could get a handle on the 'floating giggle'.
'I did not know I was so amusing, Kodora.' Kenji's eyes flew open in stunned shock as his head shot up and he met the ever silent ninja's cool green gaze.
'Did I just hear you in my head?' Kenji thought hard as he looked intently at those clear jade crystals staring at him.
'Of course, Kodora... is it really so shocking to you that this would be possible?'
'Well... I... I... Hai, Uncle. It is that shocking. I thought I could only do this with Otousan.'
'Ne, youngling. Your gift is great. It is far beyond any of ours. We each have to be bonded to the other in order to mind-speak, but you... you are telepathic with anyone you wish... even one who has never been trained to use his or her ki, or does not possess a ki.'
'No ki... how can I reach someone who has no ki? Does that not mean he has no soul?'
'No, only that he is not meant to be a wanderer in the spiritual world like you or I or the others we know who possess ki's.'
'You mean not everyone has a ki.'
'Not necessarily. I mean not everyone is meant to USE their ki as we are. Few are chosen to fight... fewer still are chosen to protect and serve... and even fewer are chosen to judge and punish.'
'I do not understand.'
'You will, Kenji-san... one day very soon, you will.'
'I do not think I like how that sounds, Uncle.'
'You are not supposed to, Kodora. None of us who are chosen ever like it... but fate choses each of us very specifically because of our talents, the weave of our soul, the strength of our spirit, and the courage within our heart.'
'I have been chosen to save my brother... he... he is in great danger and I have to save him.' Kenji dropped his head as he was suddenly filled with uncertainty.
'Your brother? Who? Yahiko? Soujiro? Who?' Anxiety tinged Aoshi's mind voice.
"What is going on, Kenshin?" Kaoru knelt down behind her husband as he watched the odd exchange of looks between the ninja and his son that had started a few moments earlier. "What are they doing?"
"I think... they are mind-speaking."
"Mind-speaking?" Kaoru and Tokio repeated in unison their voices filled with confusion. "But I thought you were the only one who could mind-speak with Kenji? You are the only one bonded to him."
"Hai, that I am... but Kenji-san has a very powerful ki, Koishii, and that in and of itself may make it possible for one as powerful as Aoshi to touch him despite not being bonded."
"But how? I do not understand?"
"Energy attracts energy, Koishii. Aoshi is the most power water ki I have ever encountered. He nearly healed my damaged ki by himself that day, remember?"
"Yes, I remember."
"He is also the most spiritually attuned to the ki of anyone surrounding him... Especially mine or anything to do with mine because of the fusion we shared. Kenji has part of my ki so it would be possible for Aoshi to contact that part of him and possibly initiate a mind-speak." Kenshin smiled in respectful appreciation. "Well done, shin-yuu. Well done."
"I don't know why your complimenting him, Kenshin." Kaoru sounded exceptionally irritated. "We cannot hear a damn thing either one of them is saying so we don't know what they are even talking about."
"Calm yourself, Saiai." Kenshin turned and gently kissed her anger flushed cheek. "You know Aoshi. He will tell us every minuscule detail once they are finished."
"And don't you know it." Misao settled herself next to Kaoru and wrapped a comforting arm around her. "You know how much he loves to be at the center of attention when HE is the one who knows everything."
"How could I forget." Kaoru rolled her eyes, making Misao and Tokio laugh.
"Koishii," Kenshin gently admonished her, and then returned his gaze back to the ninja and the two teenagers. 'I too am wondering what you are talking about, my brother. That I am.'
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"Hello, My Precious Boy." The hideous head of the Bane leaned over the still form of the young man curled up on the icy floor, the long stringy ropes of its hair piled up around him like the woven chains of a cell. "I am back, Querido. Did you miss your Madre?" The narrow snout nudged and prodded the stationary body of the man, but there was no response. A low menacing growl rumbled deep within the broad muscular chest and the beast bared its razor sharp teeth as it lowered its jaws threateningly toward the exposed vulnerability of his left jugular and carotid arteries. "So sweet... so sweet... tasty meat..."
"OoooooooOooooooOOOooooo...." The low pitiful moan dribbled from his dry and cracked lips as some instinct to survive clicked on and forced him into making a response to the insanity of the Bane's inquiry. "M-mm-moth-therrrr..."
"Yes, yes, yes..." The Bane mewled into his ear and then swept his frigid body up into its long muscular arms cradling it like a baby against the taut hair-covered breasts. "Christian... my baby, my precious baby boy... mmmmmm." Snout and maw were burrowed into and then buried within the fragility of his throat as the Bane pulled his body out of its protective fetal curl. "Mummy loves you, precious..." It cooed and cawed over the hysterically frozen man, as the liquid silver of its eyes shimmered and swirled like twin lakes of living ice. "You are blood of my blood... flesh of my flesh... bone of my bone... I can feeeel the power that lives inside your body, my lovely son... and soon, soooon you will know what it is like to have the power of the universe at your fingertips... I will show you, my lovely, lovely son... I will show you everything, and then, I will be unstoppable."
"N-n-nnoooo...." Christian tried to struggle against the strength of the Bane but his body had been drained of all its useful energy, and he hung limply in the cradle of those monstrous arms. A raspy gleeful laugh filled the frozen expanse of the winterland created within the Throne Room, and then the walls rang and ricocheted with the high pitched screams of agony being torn from the weakened body being held so lovingly in the Bane's arms. The embrace it seemed had grown much closer as the Bane sank its fangs into the same festering wounds upon Christian's chest that it had used many times before, and as the life force of his very soul was being drained from him, he threw one arm wide stretching his palm outward in pleading supplication even as he cried out in his pain.
"KENJI!"
Suddenly Kenji grabbed his head and cried out in pain, and then he was grabbing frantically at his chest as he began to scream and scream terror and agony consuming him together.
"STOP!STOP!STOP! YOU'RE KILLING HIM! YOU'RE KILLING HIM! SSTTOPP!" Quii reached out and grasped him with both arms and pulled him tightly to her chest, and closing her eyes tried to see what Kenji was seeing. In the flash of but an instant she stood beside her mate watching but unable to help... watching, and unable to believe... watching as...
Large rounded topaz eyes filled with tears flew open as Quii cried out with Kenji's pain running through her frightened voice. "It's killing him!" She sobbed as she started to shake Kenji violently trying to bring him back from where they had been. "It's stealing his life energy... and it's killing him... Oh Kami... it's killing him. Kenji!" She yelled in a frightened yet demanding voice and as suddenly as he had gone, Kenji opened gold tinted aqua eyes and returned. Tears began to stream down his pale face and those bright anguish filled eyes searched for and found his Father's startled and more than worried gaze.
"Kenji-san?" Kenshin held his arms out to the distraught teen, and in a moment they were filled with the trembling form of his sobbing son. "Kenji... Oh my aisoku, what has happened to you? What has happened to your brother?" Kenshin cradled Kenji close to his heart like he had when the boy had been small, and then began to slowly rock him back and forth looking for a comforting rhythm that would calm the younger man. "Tell me... tell me, saiai Kenji... tell me what has happened to Chri-stan... tell me about the place you and your Mesu Tora have been, Kodora, and tell me about the Adversary the two of you face. I must know what you face, Aisoku, if I am to help you find it's weakness, for I fear I know what plagues you... and if I am right, it will take more than a small tiger and his mate to defeat it."
"How, Otousan... How can you possibly know what we face?" Kenji burrowed into the comfort of his Father's shoulder and wrapped his arms around him as tightly as he could. As long as he held onto his Father, Kenji felt like nothing in the world could touch him. He would always be safe within the security of these arms. They would protect him forever... wouldn't they?
"Tell me first what you saw... then we will talk about what I know." Kenji felt a shiver run up his spine at the ominous sound of his Father's voice. He had never heard him speak like that before. Something was more wrong that he thought, and Kenji felt himself becoming more afraid that he had been.
"We saw a-a... well, we saw a Monster, Otousan."
"A Monster?"
"Hai."
"What sort of Monster did you see Kenji-san? Can you describe it to me?" Kenshin's brow furrowed as his worried gaze met a similar look in Aoshi's jade eyes.
"That could be difficult." Kenji pulled back from his Father and looked toward Quii. "You saw it better than I did, Quii. Perhaps you should describe it."
"Hai, Kenji... If you wish." She looked apprehensive.
"That I do, Saiai." He said softly and moved back to her side where he put an arm around her and pulled her close to him. "You know what you saw. Just tell Otousan everything... he will believe you." Topaz eyes filled with uncertainty looked into his gold-tinged aqua-green gaze for reassurance, and then they turned to look steadily into the waiting violet crystals of Himura Kenshin.
"I saw a Beast." The voice was small but steady as she began. "It stood on its back legs, but ran on all fours. It had... hands, like a person but it also had long claws instead of fingernails. They looked very sharp and pointed... more like talons I suppose... and it's arms were long... gangly like, and very muscular." Quii was watching Kenshin's face very closely for his reaction, if any, to her description, but her remained completely passive save the bright inquisitive look shining in his intelligent eyes.
"Hai. Please continue."
"It had really strong looking back legs too. They were built kind of like a dogs back legs, you know, the way the haunches muscles and the bones come together and make that sharp angle?"
"Hai. I understand."
"Well, they looked sort of like that, but not totally... they looked a little bit human too, and it had feet. Really big feet." She cast an anxious look up at Kenji because she knew she sounded completely insane and laughable... even to herself, but he merely nodded indicating for her to continue, so she resumed eye contact with the red haired Samurai across from her and started talking again. "The head was huge... but then, everything was huge, you know?" Kenshin nodded. "It looked like a big mix-up of a bunch of different animals or something like that. I mean, it had really long ears that swooped back from its head sort of like a bat except longer, and its eyes were shaped real elegant like... you know, all almond shaped like a great big cat with really long eyelashes which I thought was exceptionally strange, but whatever."
"Hai." Kenshin smiled indulgently at the teens description and opinion. That was Quii.
"But the rest of the head was all mouth, and I mean jaw with teeth that looked like dagger blades... dozens and dozens of them. And when It opened It's mouth, it looked like It could swallow a person whole. I swear it, Uncle Kenshin. And it had hair everywhere. Dark brown hair all over its body... and it had hairy rope things coming out of its head that almost looked like whips. They went all the way to the ground. It was the most horrible thing I have ever seen in my life."
"I believe you, chibi-chan." He whispered in a tight voice. "That I do." And then he sat silent for the longest time leaving both Kenji and Quii in bewilderment wondering what he was thinking. When they turned to speak to Aoshi, they found him in the exact state of thoughtful silence, as was Kaoru. However, Misao and Tokio were just as baffled as they were. It looked like they were just going to have to wait until one of the three were prepared to speak... however long it took.
After perhaps ten minutes of solemn meditative silence, Kenshin finally spoke to the puzzled teens before him, and when he did it was to ask the first of several very startling questions.
"Quii," He began in a low unfamiliar tone. "Did you notice the color of this Beasts eyes? Did you get that close?"
"Yes, Uncle Kenshin. It nearly killed me." Kenshin's head shot up causing Quii to gasp in shock as she was introduced to the Battousai for the first time in her life. "Kenji??" She whispered in a very tiny uncertain voice, but he was just as stunned and startled as she was and did not know what to say either.
"Nearly killed you? How?" Still the same low, unfamiliar, harsh voice.
"It had chased me down a long twisting alley until I feel, and at that point it had me cornered. I had no where to go... It was ready to pounce and kill me, but Kenji made it in time... and he stopped it." The power emanating from the man she had known as her gentle Uncle all her life, was such a fierce and angry energy that Quii could not help but tremble in its presence. 'The Battousai.' She whispered to herself.
"I see." He nodded toward his son as he made brief but significant contact. "Well done."
"Th-thank-you, Otousan." Kenji swallow against the lump of uncertainty in his throat and then sought out the reassuring gaze of his Mother. She did not smile at him, nor were her eyes warm. Instead she offered him a look of belief and trust that told him he should believe and trust as well. 'I am trying, Okaasan,' He thought as he leaned into her unwavering strength and resolve. 'I am trying.'
"Continue, Quii-san. Tell me, the Beast's eyes, did they look like flowing shimmering lakes of liquid silver? Did they appear as if they themselves were almost alive?"
"Y-y-yes... How..."
"And tell me, Quii-san," The Battousai cut her off before she could formulate the question any farther. "Did this Beast speak to you, and if so, was it a woman's voice you heard?"
"Yes."
"Otousan..." Kenji spoke to try and get his Father's attention. "It spoke to me as well though I did not see it like Quii did."
"It spoke to you, but you did not see it? How is that, Kenji-san?" The sharp golden gaze of the Battousai slid sideways until it came to rest uncomfortably upon him.
"It spoke to me from the shadows just before it attacked me... that was the point in time when the window of that world opened up and let me reach through and pull Quii inside with me."
"I see. We will discuss THAT later, but for now, I want to know what SHE said to you, Kenji-san... what did the Bane say to you?"
"Bane??"
"Answer the question, Kenji-san." Aoshi leaned forward prompting the younger to man stay focused on the matter at hand. "What were the words SHE spoke to you?"
"Umm... It said, 'It is the Unborn Himself... and something about what a great honor it was to meet me, and that we had 'tasted each other before', then it called me a 'precious boy' or something like that."
"Is that ALL SHE said, Kenji-san? Did SHE say anything else? Think." The Battousai's gaze bore into his soul like a flaming torch setting afire the like side of his ki until it came blazing to life with a fury bringing the brilliant golden ring around his pupils to glorious life.
"It said one more thing. It said, 'May your Father's soul rot in everlasting Hell."
"Kami-sama...."
"God protect all our souls..."
"Kami-sama, save both of my son's..."
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Thanks for reading. Now I'd really appreciate some helpful reviews. I have not been getting very many for this fic lately, so means one of two things to me. Either people don't have anything good to say about it... or they aren't interested enough to say anything. I like reviews because they help me write better, and because they give me ideas for current fics and future fics. Anyway.... Please Review... It would help me out a lot if you did. Thanks. Tsuki-san
A/N: As to the FanArt Kissing Gallery Contest... the rules are located on my webpage on the Update and Info page. You'll have to scroll down to the March 1st RED entry. Its all there. I have not had any entries yet... -_- Which makes me sad... but it is open for 3 months, so I'm waiting. Come on you artists out there. Get to drawing... I want some pics... ^o_o^ Tsuki-san
A/N: Just to set a few questions straight that have come up lately… everyone is still worried about Kaoru not 'getting in' on the power-train with everyone else. Once again I remind you all… the story isn't over yet, and The Mother of The Beloved is far from out of the picture. Patience is a virtue… and good things come to those who wait. KNT
Haruko: This is a really long one, phew! But it was one of the most enjoyable chapters, seriously. I'm terribly sorry for the delay, family problems, college applications have kept me busy, so this story has been stuck on my com for the longest time. Please forgive me. M(_)M
Glossary: Koishii=Dear/Darling, Saiai=Beloved, Kodora=small tiger, Mesu Tora=female tiger,
Meito=Mate, Hai=Yes, Ne=No
Spanish Glossary: ninos=child, rosa=rose, Querida=beloved/dear, Hermano=brother, Bruja=Witch,
Puta=Whore/Slut,
Chapter Fourteen
Dawn of The Sea Spirit
Morning came and with it an ill wind that spoke of icy rain and sleet. Thick misty fog clung to the tops of the Taki Mountains while dark clouds hung low on the horizon obscuring the Sunrise as well as blocking out the warmth of those bright heavenly rays. Frost hung in delicate icy patterns from the narrow branches of the surrounding trees and bushes turning Tokyo into a temporary fairy wonderland albeit a bitterly cold and unwelcome one. A thin sheen of ice covered the road and walkways creating a treacherous trap for the unwary travelers venturing out that morning, and many fell prey to its slippery danger. Bumps, bruises, and broken bones seemed to be the order of the day and the physicians would no doubt remain quite busy treating the walking and limping wounded as they wandered into the clinics one after the other.
It was promising to be a very dismal and unpleasant day, and the occupants residing within the Saitou household who could stay inside decided that was indeed the best choice. As for those who had responsibilities to attend to, they dressed for the cold and reluctantly ventured out into the frozen wind swept world waiting for them.
Saitou slowly but deliberately made his way to the Police Station with Hiko in tow. The old sword master had decided to go with the Wolf just in case he 'needed his assistance with anything complicated that might come up.' Saitou had given him a disgusted but tolerant look and then begrudgingly agreed. Kenshin figured he had given in so easily because he missed the old Misturugi Master just as much as the sword master missed him, but neither would admit it.
Yahiko had joined Soujiro as he walked the reasonable distance to his privately owned mercantile so he might open it for business that morning, though he doubted he would have many customers venture in that day.
That left Kaoru, Tokio, Kuumi, Quii, the twins; Ruakii and Tokken, Kenji, and his Father all at home for the rest of the day. Tokio and Kaoru were busy brewing analgesic teas to help Kenshin with the increased pain in his joints that had been caused from the dramatic drop in the temperature over night. It was supposed to be Spring... there should not be any frost like this. The ground should not be frozen or covered with ice. There was something very wrong with the state of the weather... it was not a natural occurrence. It could not be a natural occurrence. Kenshin was worried, very worried indeed. He was remembering another time when the weather had become unnaturally cold in the dead of Summer... August he thought, if he remembered right, and the coincidence was making him think about things he was not sure he wanted to think about. He was not sure he wanted to even consider them.. But if what he were thinking was true, then...
"Is Kenji and Quii awake yet, Tokio-san?" He asked in a quiet and respectful voice to the dark- haired woman kneeling next to him pouring his third cup of tea since arising two hours ago.
"I am not sure, Himura-san. But I will go and check for you." Her soft brown eyes were filled with deep concern as they moved over the paleness of his face and the thin line of his lips. "Is the pain giving in at all, Himura-san?"
"Hai... some. Thank-you for trying to help, Tokio-san. I am ever grateful for your kindness and care. I am certain I will be better soon." Kenshin tried valiantly to smile for her, but it was a poor offering despite the effort. The pain reflected in his eyes was something he could not easily hide, and its presence seemed to affect everyone. Having had to watch the great warrior slowly disintegrate over the years had been agony for all of them as well as himself. He had been so strong, so powerful, so steadfast in his vows and loyalties. They had all leaned on his strength in one fashion or another, and he had held them up each and every one without complaining or admonishing. He was their rock and the axis upon which their family unit turned and functioned as a whole. Without him they would not have survived, and without him now they would surely flounder.
"I have some healing balm that I could rub into your joints, Himura-san, that may help as well as the tea. Would you allow me to do that... Please, I cannot bear to see you in so much pain. It... its breaking my heart... Kenshin." Tokio dropped her head as she finished and a sigh of despair lifted her shoulders. A moment later she felt the lightest pressure of Kenshin's hand on her arm as he reached out to her in a comforting gesture.
"Tokio," The gentle tenor of his voice addressing her as a friend brought the sting of tears to her eyes as she felt his love spread over her like a warm blanket soothing her and reassuring her that everything would be all right. "Please do not worry yourself so over me. It was my fate to end up this way. Megumi-san warned me of it years, and years ago after my battle with Shishio."
"You knew THIS would happen to you?" Her beautiful face was filled with immense sadness as she looked into his kindly violet eyes. "But why? Why should THIS happen to you and to no one else? Why?"
"Because of the Hiten Misturugi Ryuu." Kenshin shrugged and then winced slightly as the gesture caused little daggers of pain to lance down his spine. "I was not physically built to withstand to enormous amounts of stress and pressure it's techniques put upon my body and bones through the years... I am paying for that now. The God-like speed, the enormous power of the attacks... they all took their toll upon my body and wore my joints down to the bone... I was too small. Hiten Mitsurugi is meant for larger men, like my Father... My Master. Only the large muscular body has the necessary structure and bone density to withstand the magnitude of stress and strength the power demands of the wielder."
"I never knew... Oh Kenshin, I'm so sorry."
"Please do not be sorry, Tokio... I was able to accomplish many honorable deeds with my sakobatou while I still had the ability to wield it. For that I am more than grateful and satisfied. So please do not be sad.... I am not." A gentle smile curved his mouth lighting a tender glow in the pain filled depths of his violet eyes. "I paid my debt to Kami-sama, and then I was able to prove myself to be an honorable and just man in the eyes of my family and the woman I love. I am satisfied... I have no regrets."
"I think I understand, but there is one thing I would like to know." Wiping the tears away with the back of one of her hands, Tokio cast a furtive gaze down the hallway toward the room where Kenji and Quii slept. "What about your son? What about Kenji? He is built of small bones the same as you. Will he not suffer the same fate as you have?"
"No, he will not." Kenshin's voice was quiet but firm as he set his jaw in a stubborn line.
"How do you know that?" Questioning brown eyes looked at his solemn face and waited for an explanation.
"Because... he is stronger than I was. He is better than I was. And because... he has much of Kaoru's ki in his soul as well as Mine. He has her indominatable will to never give up, he has her gift endless of hope and conviction, and he has her courage and tenacity. He will never end up like this... like me. He was born 'The Holy Warrior of Truth and Honor', his birth was blessed by the 'Hand of Fire', and his life is meant to go on and on. There is much for him yet to do, Tokio, and Quii must go with him." The serious gaze of his violet eyes looked deeply into Tokio's startled brown one as he watched her try to digest what he was saying. "Yes, Tokio... Quii is Kenji's mate and she must go wherever he goes... they are bound to face the trials together. Her ki is meant to enhance his... together, they could be nigh invincible."
"But... what do they face, Kenshin? I don't understand. Why would Kenji have to be so strong plus have Quii's power behind him as well? What or who could be that powerful that it would take them both to vanquish it?" Fear congealed upon her fine features as she searched his for an answer.
"I do not know, Tokio. That is why I need to talk to them. I need to know 'where' they 'went' and 'what' they saw while they were there. I need to know what happened. I need to know every single detail they can remember, and I need to find out how Chi-stan fits into all of this because if Kuumi is right, then he is the reason Kenji was born the way he was... I must have solid facts to deal with because the things I am thinking are beyond my own comprehension and I dare not utter them out loud even to my own ears for fear of sounding insane..."
"Are they any more insane sounding that what we faced 16 years ago, My Brother."
Kenshin whirled around, the pain suddenly forgotten as well as ignored, and looked into the bright glowing jade green orbs of the tall dark haired man standing in the doorway of the room he shared with Kaoru. Though a thin layer of frost clung to shiny black of his hair, it was still plain to see that Shinomori Aoshi had changed little over the years. His handsome face showed little if any emotion despite the eerie green light glimmering from his jade eyes. The long dual-bladed kodachi jutted out behind him lifting the tails of his tan overcoat as it rose at an angle over the back of his head. It was rare to ever see him without the deadly weapon, or the small, lithe dark-haired woman who stood smiling at his side. Misao's sharp blue-green eyes snapped with life and intelligence, and then narrowed to worry as she took in the degenerated state of their red headed friend.
"Aoshi..." It was a pained whisper coming from the core of Kenshin's heart as he felt the undeniable tug of the tall ninja's most unique bond with him. "You came."
"Of course." The usual bland tone of Aoshi's voice never failed to bring a smile to Kenshin's face and it did now even as it sparked the shine of tears within the amethyst gaze that reached out to lovingly embrace him. "I always come when I am called, do I not?"
"Hai... usually."
"I will try to forget you said that... Brother." A quirk of one thin black eyebrow greeted
Kenshin's comment and then he was gracefully lowering his tall lanky frame to the floor across from the red-haired Samurai. "So, you must tell me everything now... the sounds of the Kodora's screams were frightful enough to listen to during the night, but your worrying heart is more than I can bear."
"I am sorry." Kenshin bowed his head in respectful apology and recognition of the ninja's remaining sharp ki senses. "I was not truly aware I had reached you."
"Were you not trying to?" The eyebrow raised in scepticism. Kenshin did not usually broadcast or 'reach' unless he intended to. This was disconcerting news to Aoshi.
"Not consciously... Perhaps my soul and spirit know better what I need that my mind does."
"Most assuredly, shin-yuu. I can feel you better than most, but not as well as some." The barest ghost of a smile touched his face as his eyes drifted to the beautiful but worried face of Kaoru. "It would appear you are not the only one who is bearing this burden, shin-yuu." The ache that had started inside of his heart early that morning began to grow as he reached out to touch the pain that was Kaoru. 'She is afraid for him,' He thought. 'But she is also afraid for... Hmmmmm.'
"No, I am not. There are many involved this time, Aoshi... too many." Aoshi noted the weariness in Kenshin's voice and felt an unwanted sense of his own worry for the man rise quickly to the surface. There was more going on here than he had expected. This was not just a simple family squabble as he had thought it to be. Neither was it a new awakening of another segment of Kenji's powerful ki which he had also wondered about considering the emotional upheaval in the Kodora last night. Both of his assumptions were wrong. He could sense the faintest residue of another ki still lingering within the small house. Its foreign properties baffled him and singed the corners of his mind as he tried to touch it, but there was also something small and familiar about it that he could not quite identify. Confusion erupted within Aoshi's logical brain. Something was very wrong, very wrong indeed and it was time that all of the words were spoken and all of the shadows were dispelled.
A mental message passed from one mind into the other as gracefully as a glacial lake spills a stream of water down the hill to douse a roaring fire, and with just as much grace, Kenshin turned to Kaoru and Tokio and asked them to fetch Kenji and Quii. It was time to bring everything out into the open.
It was time to begin planning... again.
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Long tapering icicles hung around the massive open skylight that graced the center of the massive ceiling looking much like hundreds of shimmering iridescent daggers placed and waiting to drop upon the unsuspecting who may happen to pass underneath their lethal points. Long blades and short wakizashi seemed to be gleaming in their icy perfection each hungry for the blood of an innocent with which to sanctify its 'steel'. Forever protective, forever diligent, forever loyal... as long as the wind blew and the ice world remained frozen each would remain steadfast in its icy vigil ever watchful... ever prepared... ever faithful.
The freezing icy wind howled through the huge opening like old women kneeling in grief over fallen soldiers upon a battlefield of blood and death, and as it swept through the Throne Room, it cast glittering ice drops upon the snowfield floor making it sparkle like a diamond carpet. It was a frozen glittering world of twinkling rainbow colors as the shadows slashed and danced in and out of the light bending it through the thousands of natural prisms that were being made. It was glorious... It was Magnificent... It was Hell...
Christian de'Angeles lay curled into a fetal ball in one of the corners of the massive Throne Room, his dark blue eyes wide and staring outward but seeing nothing. His strong lithe body was still as death the only indication of life being the very faint rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Otherwise, the young Spaniard appeared all but lifeless with his arms crossed tightly over his chest and his knees drawn snugly up against them.
Within his mind his thoughts were wild and confused and he could not focus on and single one of them. Instead, they flew by him at outrageous speeds refusing to allow him time to recognize their significance or frivolity, and so he lay in a state of living mummification while his mind slowly disintegrated into madness.
However, every so often he would be heard muttering unintelligibly to himself, and if one truly wanted to try and understand what he was saying, one would have to kneel down next to him and place an ear next to his pale fluttering lips and listen with every ounce of intent available because it was an endless litany of the same word repeated over and over and over again with scarcely a breath in between.
"KenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenjiKenji....."
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The Diary of Alyse de'Angeles
Leon, Spain
Ashes of The Red Rose
August 22, 1632
Papa knows... to my eternal and everlasting shame, he knows. He caught me getting sick behind the well this morning and said it is the fifth day he has watched me do this. The look on his face was so furious and filled with rage, I was actually afraid he might kill me, but instead he just turned away and walked back to the hacienda. I feel so ashamed and dirty. I feel like a puta or worse in his eyes. Before I was still his daughter, still his ninos rosa that had been mistreated by that bastardo, Lucas. But I could see it in his eyes... he doesn't love me anymore. I am pregnant and I have brought shame to his name. Oh God in heaven... tell me what to do. I don't know what to do.
Papa is going to go to Senior Margoles' hacienda today. I over heard him telling Estephan he was going to go after midday. I wonder what he is going to do? I wonder what he is going to say? I am so afraid. If he tries to confront Lucas with the rape, I know he will try to deny it, I know he will, and his Father will side with him and they will say it was my fault. They will say that I enticed him or tempted him. Mon Dios! I will be arrested!
August 23, 1632
There has been an emergency meeting of the Holy Tribunal called for tomorrow morning. They are demanding that I appear before the Inquisitors to answer allegations made by Lucas and his father that I bewitched him into defiling my body and impregnating me with his demon child. They are accusing me of witchcraft. There have been no accusations levied against MY family, just against me... God Damn Lucas into the burning depths of Hell forever. He has murdered me and our child to save his own tainted soul from gallows. He would rather see me burnt as a Bruja than face his own demise at the end of a rope for committing rape. Filthy, disgusting, conniving, white-faced coward. I will see him in Hell before I let him get away with this. He has not heard the last of me.
August 23, 1623–Late afternoon
They have allowed Papa to have a Midwife check me, and she says that it 'appears' the baby is normal and not the deformed spawn of a demon. This appears to be disconcerting to both the Midwife and the Priest who accompanied her to our home. Neither of them seemed to know what to say. They then proceeded to make me stripe off all of my clothes so they could examine every single inch of my naked body. I have never felt so humiliated in all my life. The Priest was a Gentleman of some 35-40 years old, and he was quite bold about poking and prodding his way in and out of the most private places of my body. The examination seemed to go on for hours. They made my female place bleed they prodded and stretched it so many times. My anus as well. I do not know what they were looking for, but they kept looking and looking, and when they did not find it, they looked again. I cried the entire time.
Once they were finished, there was no apology for what they had done to me, no explanation as to what they were looking for, and no comments as to if they had found anything. They simply nodded to my Father and departed our home. I, myself, believe they were looking for the mark of the Bruja, but could not find it. Somehow, I do not think that will matter in the least when I go before the Tribunal in the morning.
August 24, 1623–Late Afternoon
I have until Sunset before they come to take me away to the prison. They have allowed me this long to gather but a few of my things that I will need while I am incarcerated there the next 5 or 6 months until the baby is born. I still cannot believe what has happened, it feels so unreal almost like a play on some sort of a stage and not my true life. Or perhaps it is a dream from which I may yet wake from to find myself warm and safe once more in my own bed. But I know neither of those things are true. I have been convicted of Witchcraft by the Tribunal of Inquisitors and sentenced to death by burning after my baby is born.
So strange... so strange. They determined that the babe is pure, innocent, an unwilling party to my crime of bewitchment and temptation upon its Father. The Midwife and the Priest who came to our home yesterday to examine me both attested to that. As I am well into my fourth month, the babe has formed enough that if it were of evil origins, the blood extracted from my womb during the 'probing' would have been black, but it was not. It was bright red and very fresh. This indicated to all present that babe was indeed pure.
However, as the examination for the Mark of The Bruja, none was found just as I expected, but, as I also expected, that piece of Evidence was not necessary for my conviction. It had been carefully noted that during the 'inspection' of my naked person, that I had shown no modesty whatsoever in trying to 'hide' my body from the 'eyes' of 'men' and had simply stood and allowed myself to be touched in whatever manner was put upon me. This remark had brought such gasps and shouts of 'slut' from the audience present, I wished fervently at that moment for God to strike me dead, but He did not.
Interestingly enough, the fact of my sobbing with shame during the entire examination was never mentioned, and I was never allowed to say anything in my own defense.
When Lucas was brought forward for questioning, I fixed my gaze upon his white-fishes face and poured every ounce of hatred I felt for him into that look. I wanted him to know I knew what he was doing to me, and why. He looked at me once, and hurriedly looked away. I could feel his fear and it made me feel stronger. He will pay for this deed he has done to me. He will pay, and he will pay dearly.
He stood before the congregation and the Tribunal and spoke his lies in a weak little-boy voice that had them all but swooning into the palm of his hand. He told them how I had tempted him with my half-covered breasts by leaning over him and brushing up against him in a wanton manner while whispering sultry words of forbidden passion in his ear. His voice rose on a note of distress as he explained how I had all but pulled him onto my hot naked flesh and forced him between my legs while my hands rubbed him in places I was never meant to touch until he could control the beast within him no more.
"It was a Bewitching, I tell you..." He sobbed and broke down letting huge tears roll down his cheeks as he choked out his words. "I tried to invoke the Holy Spirit, but her Evil was just too strong... she is a powerful and deceitful Witch. She hid her cunning within the trappings of Love and Loyalty. She draped herself with a cloak of innocence that nearly fooled Father Capuano and Midwife Setera into believing she might yet be pure. Her Magick is powerful... and my soul has been tainted forever by the foul touch of her. Dearest God... Forgive me...!"
Then Lucas had allowed himself to collapse upon the pulpit forcing several of the younger Priest's to come forward to help him down. It was disgusting. I wanted to spit on him as they carried him past my cage, but I did not dare. Who knew what they might do to me if I did.
It was after that point that the Tribunal began calling members of our general social district to give testimony. They were being questioned about the business practices of my Father and Brother. No one had anything but good to speak of my Family, and none could say where I could have learned my 'evil and shameful' craft. After nearly 25 testimonies, the Tribunal seemed satisfied and called a cessation on that matter.
It was then that they had me brought forward and placed at the testimonial pulpit.
"Seniorita de'Angeles, do you understand the gravity of your situation here today?"
"Si, Senior."
"And do you understand that should you be convicted of these crimes you are accused of you will be put to death most painfully?"
"Si... Senior."
"What say you in your own behalf?"
"Does it really matter what I have to say, Senior? You have already decided whether or not I am guilty, thus whether or not I will live or die. Why should I demean myself by trying to plead my own innocence when it will make no difference except create a moment of amusement for you and the rest gathered here to watch my public humiliation?"
"You are very brazen and bold with your words, Seniorita. Most Bruja are... but then, you should already know that; however, I do admire someone who has the courage to face their imminent demise without fear, and even for one so young as you, you seem to have much courage."
"I have nothing to be afraid of."
"Really, Seniorita. You do not fear the flames?"
"No, I do not fear death."
"You should, Bruja." He snarled at me. "God Almighty punishes the sinner with pain equal to his or her crime, and he punishes the Bruja worst of all because you are in league with his enemy, The Devil!"
"I am in league with no one, Senior. I am but a simple girl who was raped and then abandoned by a cowardice boy who was too frightened to face up to his responsibilities to me. And now he would rather save his own black soul from the hangman's noose by feeding me to the flames, than to let his blasphemous tongue speak the truth of what happened that day."
"Lies, Bruja! You speak lies before this Holy Court!" I watched with great satisfaction as the old Inquisitors face turned a dark purple while he beat his wooden gavel against the block of wood upon his Judges table in an effort to quiet the now noisy congregation. It seemed no one liked what I had just said. Poor weak minded mice.
"I never lie." I spoke to him in the calmest voice I could find and I met his furious eyes straight on so he could see the absence of deceit in them, and for a brief moment I saw him falter in his resolve. I will cherish that moment for the rest of my days because I know he knows I am not a Bruja, he knows Lucas is lying, and he knows he is condemning an innocent girl to death for a crime she did not commit. But even though he knows this, he will do it anyway because the Church must be right, and he must save face.
He stood up at that point and spoke the words that condemned me to prison for the duration of my pregnancy, and when my child was born, I would thereto be taken to the Towne Square where I would be bound hand and foot to a wooden pier whose base would be set afire, and I would be burnt until none but ash remained.
I proceeded to vomit over the side of the pulpit, and then I fainted. I woke up here, in my room with Estephan patting my forehead with a damp cloth. He looked frightfully old and worn out. I suppose I cannot blame him. This has been trying for us all, and it will be him who is left to care for my child once it is born. I think he will make a very good Father, and I told him so. That made him cry, and he gathered me up in his arms and held me close to him for the longest time. I cried too. We never held each other enough when we were growing up. Now we will never get the chance to again. Why did we waste so much time?
Oh Estephan, I am so sorry. I should have told you long ago how much I loved you my hermano. My sweet, beloved hermano.
They are here and it is time to go. They say I cannot take my diary with me... whatever will I do to pass the time?
January 18, 1624
Prison of The Iron Gate
Record of Birth
Born: girl child to prisoner #17798. Appearance: four normal extremities; movement noted with each one, two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth, normal sexual organ appearance, normal anal appearance. Ten toes, ten fingers. Strong, loud cry upon stimulation after extraction from mothers body. Clear fluids vomited from lungs and stomach, regular respirations, strong heart beat. No unusual markings found upon child's body during inspection; flesh is clean. Cord cut and tied.
Prisoner/Mother: Passed afterbirth with moderate amount of difficulty. Afterbirth appears normal. Blood from cord is bright red and fresh. Mother continues to bleed from birth canal. Labored with birthing for 15 hours.
January 19, 1624
Prison of The Iron Gate
Girl child born to prisoner #17798 given to One Estephan de'Angeles who has been identified as the child's natural Uncle by Inquisitor Ramone'. Child is noted as being in good health. Uncle urged to secure the services of a wetnurse as soon as possible if he wishes the child to live.
Senior de'Angeles is noted asking about the welfare of prisoner #17798 who is his sister. He is told she survived the birth of the child but is very weak. That is all he was told.
January 23, 1624
Prison of The Iron Gate
Prisoner #17798 is very ill since the birth of her child five days ago. She continues to have bleeding and is running a fever. Despite her failing condition and probable death, the Tribunal has ordered that her execution he scheduled for the morning.
January 24, 1624
Prison of The Iron Gate
Proceedings for the execution of Prisoner #17798 did not go as planned; however, she is dead at this time. May God have mercy on her poor soul, and on those she took with her.
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Kenji and Quii both look none the worse for wear as they approached the small ring of adults gathered inside of Kenshin and Kaoru's bedroom. It took a few moments for them to realize who all was there, and once they did, it was shock instead of joy that reflected on their faces and in their voices.
"U-uncle Aoshi?" Kenji stammered in worried confusion as he knelt next to the tall stoic ninja he revered so deeply and bowed low touching his forehead to the floor. "Why have you come?"
"Has something happened at the Aoiya?" Quii followed Kenji's example and paid homage to the spiritually powerful man as she knelt next to her mate. "Have you heard something from Uncle Sano and Auntie Megumi? Are they coming?" Most of the time, when the quiet ninja and his spunky wife showed up, it meant either trouble or an impending visit from the ever absent Sanosuke and Megumi who seemed to have lost their way back home since they moved to Aizu.
"No, Dear Ones," Aoshi cocked his head and favored his two favorite younglings with the twitch of a smile and his all encompassing blanket of love as he wrapped them up in the protection of his powerful ki. "The Aoiya is fine... and I wish I had news that Sano and Megumi were coming from a visit... In fact, Himura," He sent his voice over his shoulder to Kenshin without breaking eye contact with the two teens. "Perhaps we should send for Sanosuke and sweet Megumi... they may be very useful this time around... hummm?"
"Hai, I agree, that I do." Kenshin nodded his head even as his mind began to calculate just how long it would take for a letter to get to Aizu and then for the couple to travel to Kyoto.
"Do not worry about sending letters, Himura. Use that new telegraph item they have down at the train station. It is much faster and more efficient."
"Hai, hai... excellent idea, Aoshi. Excellent idea."
"Of course it is." The eye brow lifted just a fraction as if to emphasize his point and Kenji had to hide a smile behind his hand. Uncle Aoshi would never change, but then, if he did, he would not be any fun at all. Hearing a muffled sniggering beside him, he carefully shifted his aqua-blue eyes to the side and caught Quii trying to stifle her own amusement at their Uncle's expense, and feeling his gaze upon her, mirth filled topaz eyes looked over and met his, and it took all they had at that moment not to burst into laughter. Because of the closeness of their spiritual bond, their feelings of mischief almost tripled as their energy automatically surged together and became one very large emotion. As it was, the 'essence' of the massive 'giggle' hung in the air like a third party setting with them, and it was very hard to overlook.
Each of the adults, save Uncle Aoshi, began exchanging their, 'Don't they understand this is supposed to be a serious talk?' look while Kenji and Quii did their best not to actually look anybody directly in the eye until they could get a handle on the 'floating giggle'.
'I did not know I was so amusing, Kodora.' Kenji's eyes flew open in stunned shock as his head shot up and he met the ever silent ninja's cool green gaze.
'Did I just hear you in my head?' Kenji thought hard as he looked intently at those clear jade crystals staring at him.
'Of course, Kodora... is it really so shocking to you that this would be possible?'
'Well... I... I... Hai, Uncle. It is that shocking. I thought I could only do this with Otousan.'
'Ne, youngling. Your gift is great. It is far beyond any of ours. We each have to be bonded to the other in order to mind-speak, but you... you are telepathic with anyone you wish... even one who has never been trained to use his or her ki, or does not possess a ki.'
'No ki... how can I reach someone who has no ki? Does that not mean he has no soul?'
'No, only that he is not meant to be a wanderer in the spiritual world like you or I or the others we know who possess ki's.'
'You mean not everyone has a ki.'
'Not necessarily. I mean not everyone is meant to USE their ki as we are. Few are chosen to fight... fewer still are chosen to protect and serve... and even fewer are chosen to judge and punish.'
'I do not understand.'
'You will, Kenji-san... one day very soon, you will.'
'I do not think I like how that sounds, Uncle.'
'You are not supposed to, Kodora. None of us who are chosen ever like it... but fate choses each of us very specifically because of our talents, the weave of our soul, the strength of our spirit, and the courage within our heart.'
'I have been chosen to save my brother... he... he is in great danger and I have to save him.' Kenji dropped his head as he was suddenly filled with uncertainty.
'Your brother? Who? Yahiko? Soujiro? Who?' Anxiety tinged Aoshi's mind voice.
"What is going on, Kenshin?" Kaoru knelt down behind her husband as he watched the odd exchange of looks between the ninja and his son that had started a few moments earlier. "What are they doing?"
"I think... they are mind-speaking."
"Mind-speaking?" Kaoru and Tokio repeated in unison their voices filled with confusion. "But I thought you were the only one who could mind-speak with Kenji? You are the only one bonded to him."
"Hai, that I am... but Kenji-san has a very powerful ki, Koishii, and that in and of itself may make it possible for one as powerful as Aoshi to touch him despite not being bonded."
"But how? I do not understand?"
"Energy attracts energy, Koishii. Aoshi is the most power water ki I have ever encountered. He nearly healed my damaged ki by himself that day, remember?"
"Yes, I remember."
"He is also the most spiritually attuned to the ki of anyone surrounding him... Especially mine or anything to do with mine because of the fusion we shared. Kenji has part of my ki so it would be possible for Aoshi to contact that part of him and possibly initiate a mind-speak." Kenshin smiled in respectful appreciation. "Well done, shin-yuu. Well done."
"I don't know why your complimenting him, Kenshin." Kaoru sounded exceptionally irritated. "We cannot hear a damn thing either one of them is saying so we don't know what they are even talking about."
"Calm yourself, Saiai." Kenshin turned and gently kissed her anger flushed cheek. "You know Aoshi. He will tell us every minuscule detail once they are finished."
"And don't you know it." Misao settled herself next to Kaoru and wrapped a comforting arm around her. "You know how much he loves to be at the center of attention when HE is the one who knows everything."
"How could I forget." Kaoru rolled her eyes, making Misao and Tokio laugh.
"Koishii," Kenshin gently admonished her, and then returned his gaze back to the ninja and the two teenagers. 'I too am wondering what you are talking about, my brother. That I am.'
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"Hello, My Precious Boy." The hideous head of the Bane leaned over the still form of the young man curled up on the icy floor, the long stringy ropes of its hair piled up around him like the woven chains of a cell. "I am back, Querido. Did you miss your Madre?" The narrow snout nudged and prodded the stationary body of the man, but there was no response. A low menacing growl rumbled deep within the broad muscular chest and the beast bared its razor sharp teeth as it lowered its jaws threateningly toward the exposed vulnerability of his left jugular and carotid arteries. "So sweet... so sweet... tasty meat..."
"OoooooooOooooooOOOooooo...." The low pitiful moan dribbled from his dry and cracked lips as some instinct to survive clicked on and forced him into making a response to the insanity of the Bane's inquiry. "M-mm-moth-therrrr..."
"Yes, yes, yes..." The Bane mewled into his ear and then swept his frigid body up into its long muscular arms cradling it like a baby against the taut hair-covered breasts. "Christian... my baby, my precious baby boy... mmmmmm." Snout and maw were burrowed into and then buried within the fragility of his throat as the Bane pulled his body out of its protective fetal curl. "Mummy loves you, precious..." It cooed and cawed over the hysterically frozen man, as the liquid silver of its eyes shimmered and swirled like twin lakes of living ice. "You are blood of my blood... flesh of my flesh... bone of my bone... I can feeeel the power that lives inside your body, my lovely son... and soon, soooon you will know what it is like to have the power of the universe at your fingertips... I will show you, my lovely, lovely son... I will show you everything, and then, I will be unstoppable."
"N-n-nnoooo...." Christian tried to struggle against the strength of the Bane but his body had been drained of all its useful energy, and he hung limply in the cradle of those monstrous arms. A raspy gleeful laugh filled the frozen expanse of the winterland created within the Throne Room, and then the walls rang and ricocheted with the high pitched screams of agony being torn from the weakened body being held so lovingly in the Bane's arms. The embrace it seemed had grown much closer as the Bane sank its fangs into the same festering wounds upon Christian's chest that it had used many times before, and as the life force of his very soul was being drained from him, he threw one arm wide stretching his palm outward in pleading supplication even as he cried out in his pain.
"KENJI!"
Suddenly Kenji grabbed his head and cried out in pain, and then he was grabbing frantically at his chest as he began to scream and scream terror and agony consuming him together.
"STOP!STOP!STOP! YOU'RE KILLING HIM! YOU'RE KILLING HIM! SSTTOPP!" Quii reached out and grasped him with both arms and pulled him tightly to her chest, and closing her eyes tried to see what Kenji was seeing. In the flash of but an instant she stood beside her mate watching but unable to help... watching, and unable to believe... watching as...
Large rounded topaz eyes filled with tears flew open as Quii cried out with Kenji's pain running through her frightened voice. "It's killing him!" She sobbed as she started to shake Kenji violently trying to bring him back from where they had been. "It's stealing his life energy... and it's killing him... Oh Kami... it's killing him. Kenji!" She yelled in a frightened yet demanding voice and as suddenly as he had gone, Kenji opened gold tinted aqua eyes and returned. Tears began to stream down his pale face and those bright anguish filled eyes searched for and found his Father's startled and more than worried gaze.
"Kenji-san?" Kenshin held his arms out to the distraught teen, and in a moment they were filled with the trembling form of his sobbing son. "Kenji... Oh my aisoku, what has happened to you? What has happened to your brother?" Kenshin cradled Kenji close to his heart like he had when the boy had been small, and then began to slowly rock him back and forth looking for a comforting rhythm that would calm the younger man. "Tell me... tell me, saiai Kenji... tell me what has happened to Chri-stan... tell me about the place you and your Mesu Tora have been, Kodora, and tell me about the Adversary the two of you face. I must know what you face, Aisoku, if I am to help you find it's weakness, for I fear I know what plagues you... and if I am right, it will take more than a small tiger and his mate to defeat it."
"How, Otousan... How can you possibly know what we face?" Kenji burrowed into the comfort of his Father's shoulder and wrapped his arms around him as tightly as he could. As long as he held onto his Father, Kenji felt like nothing in the world could touch him. He would always be safe within the security of these arms. They would protect him forever... wouldn't they?
"Tell me first what you saw... then we will talk about what I know." Kenji felt a shiver run up his spine at the ominous sound of his Father's voice. He had never heard him speak like that before. Something was more wrong that he thought, and Kenji felt himself becoming more afraid that he had been.
"We saw a-a... well, we saw a Monster, Otousan."
"A Monster?"
"Hai."
"What sort of Monster did you see Kenji-san? Can you describe it to me?" Kenshin's brow furrowed as his worried gaze met a similar look in Aoshi's jade eyes.
"That could be difficult." Kenji pulled back from his Father and looked toward Quii. "You saw it better than I did, Quii. Perhaps you should describe it."
"Hai, Kenji... If you wish." She looked apprehensive.
"That I do, Saiai." He said softly and moved back to her side where he put an arm around her and pulled her close to him. "You know what you saw. Just tell Otousan everything... he will believe you." Topaz eyes filled with uncertainty looked into his gold-tinged aqua-green gaze for reassurance, and then they turned to look steadily into the waiting violet crystals of Himura Kenshin.
"I saw a Beast." The voice was small but steady as she began. "It stood on its back legs, but ran on all fours. It had... hands, like a person but it also had long claws instead of fingernails. They looked very sharp and pointed... more like talons I suppose... and it's arms were long... gangly like, and very muscular." Quii was watching Kenshin's face very closely for his reaction, if any, to her description, but her remained completely passive save the bright inquisitive look shining in his intelligent eyes.
"Hai. Please continue."
"It had really strong looking back legs too. They were built kind of like a dogs back legs, you know, the way the haunches muscles and the bones come together and make that sharp angle?"
"Hai. I understand."
"Well, they looked sort of like that, but not totally... they looked a little bit human too, and it had feet. Really big feet." She cast an anxious look up at Kenji because she knew she sounded completely insane and laughable... even to herself, but he merely nodded indicating for her to continue, so she resumed eye contact with the red haired Samurai across from her and started talking again. "The head was huge... but then, everything was huge, you know?" Kenshin nodded. "It looked like a big mix-up of a bunch of different animals or something like that. I mean, it had really long ears that swooped back from its head sort of like a bat except longer, and its eyes were shaped real elegant like... you know, all almond shaped like a great big cat with really long eyelashes which I thought was exceptionally strange, but whatever."
"Hai." Kenshin smiled indulgently at the teens description and opinion. That was Quii.
"But the rest of the head was all mouth, and I mean jaw with teeth that looked like dagger blades... dozens and dozens of them. And when It opened It's mouth, it looked like It could swallow a person whole. I swear it, Uncle Kenshin. And it had hair everywhere. Dark brown hair all over its body... and it had hairy rope things coming out of its head that almost looked like whips. They went all the way to the ground. It was the most horrible thing I have ever seen in my life."
"I believe you, chibi-chan." He whispered in a tight voice. "That I do." And then he sat silent for the longest time leaving both Kenji and Quii in bewilderment wondering what he was thinking. When they turned to speak to Aoshi, they found him in the exact state of thoughtful silence, as was Kaoru. However, Misao and Tokio were just as baffled as they were. It looked like they were just going to have to wait until one of the three were prepared to speak... however long it took.
After perhaps ten minutes of solemn meditative silence, Kenshin finally spoke to the puzzled teens before him, and when he did it was to ask the first of several very startling questions.
"Quii," He began in a low unfamiliar tone. "Did you notice the color of this Beasts eyes? Did you get that close?"
"Yes, Uncle Kenshin. It nearly killed me." Kenshin's head shot up causing Quii to gasp in shock as she was introduced to the Battousai for the first time in her life. "Kenji??" She whispered in a very tiny uncertain voice, but he was just as stunned and startled as she was and did not know what to say either.
"Nearly killed you? How?" Still the same low, unfamiliar, harsh voice.
"It had chased me down a long twisting alley until I feel, and at that point it had me cornered. I had no where to go... It was ready to pounce and kill me, but Kenji made it in time... and he stopped it." The power emanating from the man she had known as her gentle Uncle all her life, was such a fierce and angry energy that Quii could not help but tremble in its presence. 'The Battousai.' She whispered to herself.
"I see." He nodded toward his son as he made brief but significant contact. "Well done."
"Th-thank-you, Otousan." Kenji swallow against the lump of uncertainty in his throat and then sought out the reassuring gaze of his Mother. She did not smile at him, nor were her eyes warm. Instead she offered him a look of belief and trust that told him he should believe and trust as well. 'I am trying, Okaasan,' He thought as he leaned into her unwavering strength and resolve. 'I am trying.'
"Continue, Quii-san. Tell me, the Beast's eyes, did they look like flowing shimmering lakes of liquid silver? Did they appear as if they themselves were almost alive?"
"Y-y-yes... How..."
"And tell me, Quii-san," The Battousai cut her off before she could formulate the question any farther. "Did this Beast speak to you, and if so, was it a woman's voice you heard?"
"Yes."
"Otousan..." Kenji spoke to try and get his Father's attention. "It spoke to me as well though I did not see it like Quii did."
"It spoke to you, but you did not see it? How is that, Kenji-san?" The sharp golden gaze of the Battousai slid sideways until it came to rest uncomfortably upon him.
"It spoke to me from the shadows just before it attacked me... that was the point in time when the window of that world opened up and let me reach through and pull Quii inside with me."
"I see. We will discuss THAT later, but for now, I want to know what SHE said to you, Kenji-san... what did the Bane say to you?"
"Bane??"
"Answer the question, Kenji-san." Aoshi leaned forward prompting the younger to man stay focused on the matter at hand. "What were the words SHE spoke to you?"
"Umm... It said, 'It is the Unborn Himself... and something about what a great honor it was to meet me, and that we had 'tasted each other before', then it called me a 'precious boy' or something like that."
"Is that ALL SHE said, Kenji-san? Did SHE say anything else? Think." The Battousai's gaze bore into his soul like a flaming torch setting afire the like side of his ki until it came blazing to life with a fury bringing the brilliant golden ring around his pupils to glorious life.
"It said one more thing. It said, 'May your Father's soul rot in everlasting Hell."
"Kami-sama...."
"God protect all our souls..."
"Kami-sama, save both of my son's..."
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Thanks for reading. Now I'd really appreciate some helpful reviews. I have not been getting very many for this fic lately, so means one of two things to me. Either people don't have anything good to say about it... or they aren't interested enough to say anything. I like reviews because they help me write better, and because they give me ideas for current fics and future fics. Anyway.... Please Review... It would help me out a lot if you did. Thanks. Tsuki-san