Disclaimer:Nope... don't own RK. I have a tape though...
This is what happened to Kaoru... whew it was so hard to write this one! well enjoy!
4 Little Bird
The search for Kaoru Kamiya has begun…
~*~
Inside a cave in one of the small islands near the fishing village, there lay a woman. (Ooooh… who could it be?) Ebony tresses tussled, her kimono ripped at the sides. The side of her head had stopped bleeding leaving red crusts on her hair. A man in his mid-40's entered the scene, in his hand, he held a bucket of water. He splashed the water on the girl's face, waking her up.
Gingerly, the woman got up, she opened her eyes, blue orbs now eyeing the man before her.
"Get up, Kotori!"
Kotori? Who was that? She could only assume that it was her since the man was still staring at her. It was unnerving. The man grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her close. They were face to face.
"Who---?" the man slapped her. She was shocked, first, she woke up soaking wet in a cave and now this strange man is beating her up.
"Show some respect to your master, Kotori" She stared at him. He sighed.
"It seems like you did lose your memory, well then, I'm Reiji Kurosaki, your master."(?!) the woman tried to remember, but she couldn't place the name. Her "master" turned to leave. "I want this room cleaned when I come back. Otherwise, you're not gonna eat. You understand?" then he left. "Kotori" was left standing in her "room". Then she begun to work.
~*~
Kotori/Kaoru POV
It had been 7 months since I woke up in this cave. Master has gone out again. He never let's me out. I wonder how the sunshine would feel? Life has certainly been hard. I'm not able to recall anything and Master wouldn't say a thing about my past. "This is not the right time." He would always say whenever I ask him. Then he would beat me up then make me train all day and night with no food and no sleep.
I was always afraid of him. My Master is such a violent man. He stops at nothing to punish me, for what sin, I would not know. For being curious? Maybe… I wouldn't know. I cannot disobey him, whenever I did he would chain me up and drag me to a room and beat my back using his whip.
It hurted too much. None of my pleading stopped him. My tears and cries didn't stop him from hurting me.
After that, I never asked him a question. I took in everything he would say to me, believing it was the truth. I dared not even to dwell in the past less I get punished if ever he found out He had that much command upon me. I was that helpless.
He was kinder to me when I became more submissive. He didn't see the need for more violence when I have become so willing to accept his every word. I would rather have it this way.
He does train me hard though. Nothing would ever get in the way of my training, even if I was sick, he would still train me. I didn't see the purpose of all this. He wouldn't tell me.
Martial arts came very natural to me. I found myself enjoying my training. I first trained using kodachis since they're lighter and shorter than the katana. My progress made Master happy too. I hoped he'd always be. I dread the day when I'd disappoint him.
My favorite and specialty is with my trusty daggers. I have two of them, one in each hand. I guess that's why I was called Kotori. I was like a little bird flying high into the sky. I loved jumping around and I loved my aerial attacks. Yes, I was a little bird, my daggers are my wings. That's what I am, a little bird with lethal wings.
One odd thing Master always tell me to do was to lock up in his library and making me read to him every book all of which are about a single man, a man named Battousai. The name makes me flinch sometimes. There's something to it.
The book contain detailed accounts of the fights of Battousai, also known as Kenshin Himura (a flinch again). Master told me to memorize every detail by heart.
This Battousai has fiery red hair and his eyes were amber. Sometimes his eyes turns a gentle shade of purple, the better to deceive people (?!)
He has mastered the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu and was a mass murderer during the Bakamatsu. (ever wondered why Reiji was fired?)
He was the source of many of the bloodsheds in Kyoto. He had forced a woman named Tomoe Yukishiro to become his wife after he murdered her fiance'. Tomoe ran away. When he learned about this he hunted her down and killed her one winter night along with another man. After that, he went about his life like nothing happened. (whoever fired Reiji should be honored, I dare say.)
"How could such an evil man be allowed to exist?" I was disgusted.
"Yes, he's very evil, but that's not all. There's more if you read on." Master pointed at the other books.
"How could you keep records about such a filthy thing?" I couldn't help myself. I turned to look at my master, he only smiled.
"The better to inform people of his evil ways." That's what he said. It makes sense. My master was doing it for righteous purposes. I feel my degree of respect for him rise up. (no! Kaoru no!)
""One day, you might face him in battle. Remember everything you've learned here and show him no mercy.
"He deserves something worse than death!" I seethed. He was glad with my answer and gestured me to continue reading.
After the Bakamatsu, Battousai went missing. Government officials were hunting him down. He went to Tokyo and there he met a kenjutsu teacher named Kaoru Kamiya.
Kaoru Kamiya, somehow that name means something to me. Master cleared his throat and told me to continue.
"Hai, gomen, sensei."
He led Kaoru to believe that he was just an ordinary wanderer. The girl believed him and let him stay at her dojo. Soon he revealed his true intentions. He had seduced the girl and has taken control over the dojo. Soon, he had let people such as gangsters (A spiky haired man named Sanosuke Sagara, also known as Zanza), thieves (a boy named Yahiko Myoujin) an opium manufacturer posing as a doctor (a woman named Megumi Takani). They are also friends with Aoshi Shinomori and Misao Makimachi, both from the underground syndicate called the Oniwabanshu. They are under the protection of one Saito Hajime otherwise known as Lt. Fujita Gorou.
Soon after, Battousai and his friends decided to take over Japan. A group named Juppongatana led by Shishio Makoto (ew! Shishio? A hero?) tried to stop them they have succeeded at the cost of Shishio's life. He died along with his girlfriend Ayumi Kamagata and his assistant, Houji. His right hand man, Soujiro Seta was the only one to survive although no trace of the young lad was found.
Battousai's group retreated but was still able to destroy a large part of Kyoto. Their group has become famous all over Japan, not to mention feared.
Upon hearing of Battousai, Enishi Yukishiro, Tomoe's younger brother saved Kaoru from Battousai's clutches. Kaoru, still convinced that Battousai's causes were good interfered the battle, thus Enishi lost.
After that, Kamiya Kaoru went missing. Speculations say that she was already killed by Battousai, some say she has escaped and is being hunted by Battousai.
That was it. That's all there was in the library. I felt a surge of anger after learning of what he has done to Kaoru.
~*~
Seeing her reaction, Reiji smiled. He placed his hand on Kotori/Kaoru's back.
"I have something to tell you." I looked at him, wondering what he's going to say.
"It's about your past…" he seemed to pause to think. I perked up, hanging unto his every word. This is the first time he wanted to talk about my past.
"Kotori, listen to me carefully" he draw his breath "that Kaoru Kamiya…" he looked me straight in the eye. "she's YOU."
I was shocked, I didn't know what to say.!
"I hid you here to keep you safe, he intends on killing you."
I can't believe what I was hearing. I'm Kaoru Kamiya? Then that means, that lame excuse of a filth, Battousai toyed with my feelings and used me?!
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"
"And what? Let you go outside and get yourself killed?!" he reasoned. True, that's exactly what I wanna do. I want to fight Battousai. I want to make him pay! He reached for me and hugged me.
"Then what with the punishments?!"
He looked hesitant to answer at first. (^_^)
"To make you stronger, wouldn't you agree? Nothing can hurt you anymore, right?"
I nodded. I'd believe him. I would believe everything he'd say to me. He's the only one I could trust, I know that now.
"I only wanted to protect you, Kotori"
Kotori?
"Why do you keep calling me Kotori? You told me I'm Kaoru!" (^_^)
"Forget that name. You are no longer Kaoru. You're no longer a weakling who can't protect herself. Live with that. Forget about everything and live a new life."
"NO! I'm gonna make Battousai pay for what he did to me! I can fight him, I know I can." Funny, I couldn't care less if Master beats me up now. Anger was running through my veins. Revenge. That's what I wanted.
~*~
Seeing Kaoru/Kotori's reaction Reiji smiled inwardly. Everything was going according to plan.
"Alright, I guess you wouldn't have it any other way. Now that you know the truth."
"Thank you so much Master, please train me more."
"Of course. I wouldn't just let fight without proper training."
"Battousai better watch out. He better look out for a deadly little bird, he wouldn't even know what hit him."
This has got to be the most twisted part. Gosh! imagine all the enemies becoming the hero and vise versa! I mean hello?! Shishio? the savior of Japan?! how totally twisted is that? i think I'm getting goosebumps!
Well that was it. Kaoru's angry, and Kenshin better be ready. He's in for a surprise. NEXT! Kenshin and Kaoru finally meet! yay!
Is it just me, or is Kaoru being somewhat like Soujiro? I mean I love the guy, but I think this is what was probably done to him, being told day by day that the strong live and the weak die, like a mantra.
Well in Kaoru's case she's led to believe that Kenshin's a bad guy. Soujiro's gonna have a major if not minor part here. I just have to put him here...
I'm really sorry about those cliffies! I needed those because the story is divided into parts so that the whole plot isn't revealed untimely. but I'm happy to say that starting from Chapter 5, chapters would in the least be LONGER. I have finished dropping off li'l details needed in the story. (details? what details?)
I know exactly how it feels when you read a story and end up with a cliffie. I hate cliffies too. But sometimes they're necessary... :-(
I actually tried thinking of another name for Kaoru because i saw in RoaringFlames story "through the Eyes of an Assassin" that one of the characters was named Kotori already, Kotori means li'l bird, it will have something to do with what's Kaoru's like in the future. I actually tried to go for the name "Panther" but I don't know the japanese word for that.
I'm almost finish with chapter 5. I just have to give Reiji's character a bit more depth. honestly, I think being obsessed with Battousai was a tad too shallow, he's almost like Jin-nei... I'll try fixing this up. Please review...
I'm so happy! here's the replies!
Roaring Flames: best commemnt yet, hope you update soon too.
Sezza chan: Yes, that REiji's some nasty piece of work! he's done something bad this time. I hate him, but I created him *sigh*
Rain angst: i dunno what to reply but thanks!
Lendra-chan: after the BIG WAVE part, things are gonna get light and I intend to continue writing this, I got it all figured out till the end. it just need a few tidbits more.
StarofFoam: all is going well including my lovelife. (^_^) so expect good things.