Disclaimer: I dun own RK, I only read the manga... all rights are reserved for Watsuki-sensei.
A/N: IMPORTANT: I have decided that this story will be on Hiatus... (like it wasn't already) My storyline has become more difficult than I had anticipated... I am taking time out to rewrite and I guess the best word is to refreshen things in the story. I am sorry it took me so long to update, but things in my life have become a little difficult, and my time to write has dwindled a little bit. I will be updating my other stories but this one is special to me and I want it to be better. So please forgive me for taking so much time in this one. This story will go on.
Kyoto
It was barely dawn and already they were on the outskirts of Kyoto. They had taken a carriage, was it ever fast! Rarely had the boy experienced such a treat, Kenshin watched the buildings zoom by, he had never seen a city so large. Most of his life had been spent up in the mountains amongst the trees.
"You should memorize every alleyway and street in this town, in a week you will have your first assignment." Katsura watched as the redhead exuded a child-like interest in the workings of the city.
Turning back into his age appropriate mask, Kenshin nodded understanding what the man requested of him.
"I also suggest you be wary of meeting people outside of the Ishin-shishi." Yes, Katsura had given the boy a quick lesson on the Choshuu faction and what the Ishin actually were. "If you do go out to study the alleys -like I suggested- I advise you make sure you have no followers, if anyone finds out where we are stationed because of a stupid mistake, we will kill you."
Kenshin nodded again, not like he was afraid of death threats, his master seemed to deal those out by the dozen on any given day.
"We're here Himura-san," Katsura exited the carriage, "This is Iizuka," Katsura turned to the one called Iizuka, "Show him where he will be staying, I have business to attend to."
"Follow me." Iizuka lead the teenage red-head to a room in the upper levels of the inn. "This is where you will be staying."
Kenshin peered into the room, "What's with all of the books?"
Iizuka shrugged, "They've always been here." The older man stepped out the door, "Dinner won't be for a few hours, you can get situated until then."
Kenshin just nodded looking out the window to the city below.
So this is where his destiny had lead him? Kyoto was known as a city of demon's, plighted by battle, with nights of endless blood. Now, he too would be contributing to that blood, was it worth it?
0-0-0
He had been in Kyoto nearly a week now and was making his way down past the main street into the less reputable parts of the city. He skulked past a small bar, it was midday and already you could smell the cigarette smoke and see the drunkards drinking their full.
Kenshin could see Hiko in the bar right now, yup he could see his master red nosed and barking for more sake.
It hadn't taken him long to memorize every alley and corner of the city. Sighing with resignation he made his way slowly back to the inn.
0-0-0
"It's about damn time you got back here!" Admonished the Wife of the inn's owner, a stout motherly figure, "You're meal is getting cold! You're lucky there's anything left, the things I do for the greater good!" She muttered as she walked down the halls to the kitchen where she resided.
Assignments
Kenshin had been sitting in the window when the first envelope came, looking back on it he couldn't even remember the name, he didn't want to remember their name. Leave no witnesses; that was what Iizuka told him. Leave no witnesses.
0-0-0
It was dark when he left, veiled by the shadows he followed his assigned target, Kenshin couldn't help but feel the sudden weight of his sword at his side grow just a little more. His first target must have been an easy one, there were no guards, the man didn't even carry any protection.
The man, who must have only been a weapons merchant, stepped down a deserted alley. Kenshin waited like an owl hunting a mouse, calmly deciphering the right time to strike.
"Your life is mine." Was that even his voice? It seemed too deep, something that much surpassed his fourteen years.
The man turned to face him, Kenshin didn't give him time to respond, he didn't want him to respond. It seemed a blur Kenshin disappeared from sight only to reappear behind the target, striking him down in one foul swoop.
The force from his attack caused the bodies blood to splatter the alley, covering him as well. The metallic smell seemed to overpower his nose and clog his senses, all he could see was blood, all he could feel was blood. After a moment his stomach churned at the realization: he had enjoyed it. Even if for just a single instant.
"You're the new one?" Someone questioned from the shadows.
"Inspectors?" Kenshin said blankly sheathing his sword. He had been told that they would come
"You did good work," Said one observing the lifeless corpse at his feet, "He didn't even know what hit him." Turning away the man joined his companions who had started to plaster the alley with leaflets with the kanji 'Tenchuu' on it.
"..." Kenshin walked away not really caring to respond to the mans complement.
0-0-0
When he reached the Inn later that evening he went straight to the bathing house and scrubbed what seemed like blood that was caked on. It seemed to get under his skin making his back crawl with an uneasy feeling.
All things become easier with time. Where had he heard that before? Probably something master said to assure him of his cooking, but that had never happened either.
0-0-0
The week passed and he got four more assignments, each one was completed with ease. Soon the city whispered about an assassin without a face, a monster, some said. Demon was what others had referred to. Sometimes it was unbearable to see how close some people can get to the truth.
Battousai
Sleep, it was something one could not afford if they wished to stay alive. Kenshin found himself on guard constantly. He had long abandoned the comfortable futon that he only used twice since his arrival in this 'Demon City'. He instead, resigned himself to sleep against the stack of books stored in his room. Not that it mattered to him anyway, the less sleep he got the less he was haunted by the blood that had seeped into his soul.
A short rustle at his door told him that another envelope had been slipped into his room, another person would lose their life tonight.
0-0-0
This time his target had decided to bring along with him a bodyguard. It made no difference, a life was a life, and soon they all came to an end.
"Your life is mine." The phrase seemed so suitable, Kenshin was after all, his victims judge, jury, and executioner.
"Demon..." His target whispered, it was true, the blood that he had spilled these past weeks and become a part of him, Kenshin was a new person even his eyes had become a feral amber, he truly was a demon.
The targets guard stood dutifully in front of him, protecting the man. It was no use; he too would fall pray to the demon's hands. In one fluid motion Kenshin jumped into the air and executed the ryuu-tsuisen, coming down with lightning speed on the skull of the guard.
Kenshin's target fell back against the wall the blood of the one who died protecting him splattering his face. The man looked at Kenshin with utter horror "Th...that attack... it's- you know..." Kenshin cocked his head to the side and approached the man with a predator's gaze.
"Battousai..." It was the last word the man said as steel cut away his vocal chords and pulverized his arteries.
The crimson stained the ground at his feet. "Battousai?" He looked down at his blood stained hands, "No, you were right the first time I am a demon." The hitokiri turned to walk away when something caught his attention.
A muted sob echoed from the end of the alley, Kenshin stretched his senses. 'Nothing more than a child.' He thought to himself, it was at that moment that something that Iizuka had said to him. Leave no witnesses. 'But he's just a child...' Kenshin thought as he walked away. Kenshin only killed the deserving, and a child's life never deserved to end. This innocents life would not be stolen by his sword.
0-0-0
"Good morning Battousai." It was Iizuka, he was leaning lazily against Kenshin's open shoji.
"What did you just say?" Kenshin spat, he never thought he would hear that name again.
"Battousai." Iizuka scowled at him, "Do you not understand the concept of leave no witnesses? I had to clean up your mess this morning."
"What do you mean?" Kenshin growled at the man, his patients running thin.
"Because you refused to kill one measly boy I had to kill him and his family. Do you know what it's like to have to kill a baby?" Iizuka's voice had dropped to a low growl and he was looking out the window now. "Your foolishness destroyed the lives of four innocent people. Our job, what we are here for is to prevent senseless deaths like that. You let something like this happen again and I will kill you myself."
To be continued...
A/N: This will be the end for a while... I hope to straighten this story out sooner rather than later... so please keep an eye open for it.