Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or any creations from it so yeah.
Behind My Back – Chapter Two – By Cherry Chibi
'A Night of Death'
* * * *
Battousai waited in the dark near the Kamiya Mansion, it was truly a grand place and impressively guarded, for once he had to think in advance and strategically to get pass just the gates. He glanced at the time, 10.45pm. 'Almost time.' He made his way to the back and snuck in through an open window. 'Katsura said that Mr. Kamiya would be in the meeting room with his brother and daughter…' The kill would be made quick and easily.
* * * *
Meanwhile, Kaoru stepped out of the bedroom and a body guard escorted her towards the dining room. When Kaoru entered she felt that something was wrong. 'I think that I've forgotten something…' The fact there was a cold and cruel feeling emitted in the room made her feel edgy. Kaoru shook her head in confusion. 'Don't be so paranoid.' She changed her mind slowly when she thought that she smelt blood and the scent of pinewood.
She entered the dining room to find it with unusually few maids preparing the dining table as well as having a very gloomy atmosphere rather than being filled with the usual loud cherry voices of the maids. "Excuse me, maid, where's Sanosuke?" Kaoru asked a maid who was preparing making sure that the chopsticks were being placed on the table perfectly beside the napkins. The maid bowed to Kaoru, smiled politely and replied with a warm voice.
"Mr. Sanosuke was sent to China to help Ms. Megumi at a medical clinic there. I hope that your father didn't forget to tell you…"
"That's alright." Kaoru said quietly. 'I'll have to ask him about that myself…' After she had replied to the made, a certain delicate fuse lit and she stormed out of the dining room and a maid rushed out behind her.
"Miss Kaoru, your father will be here soon with your uncle for supper." Another maid said to Kaoru.
"Yes, I know …" Kaoru replied; trying to keep her tone as polite as possible. She thought for a moment and remembered that she hadn't taken her medication for the day. "Please tell him that I'll be back soon, I have forgotten to do something." With that, she hurried off back towards her bedroom without any body guards – but why would she care?
"Yes, Miss Kaoru." The maid walked back into the room in a hurry.
Kaoru entered her bedroom and picked up the blue bottle, 'This… illness sure brings crazy things to my head…but…' The scent of blood and pine was powerfully strong in her senses and she shook her head. 'No… can't be.' The scent of pine was so familiar that it was almost unbelievable. She took out a chalky pill and swallowed quickly.
She then noticed an envelope that was sitting on her bed, 'That wasn't there before…' She picked it up and found her name scrawled over it with familiar writing. It was unusual for her father to send such letters or notes and she had the temptation to put it down but decided against with a tinge of hope. Gently, she flipped it over and opened the envelope. She pulled out a small 10 by 10 centimeter paper, 'What was I even thinking?!' She thought with slight disappointment, 'But, better than nothing… I think.'
On the piece of paper, only one sentence was written, almost a quote but she couldn't remember where it came from. It read:
He who has not forgiven an enemy has not yet tasted the most sublime enjoyments in life…
Still unsure what the note even meant, whether her father was telling her to forgive him or meaning something else, she tucked the note away in her pocket. In her gut, she felt that tonight held some dark cloud over it and was tainted. 'You're getting paranoid again!' She spun at the heel and made her return to the dining room slowly. On the way back the smells, the feelings and the thoughts from before slowly disappeared.
* * * *
Eleven o'clock.
Battousai peeked through the opening of the wooden door. He spotted Mr. Kamiya speaking with his brother. They both had a resemblance of brown hair and eyes. Then he saw a girl enter who the same brown eyes except black hair. 'Must be his daughter.' Immediately, Battousai entered and drew out his sword. "I will perform Tenchu."
"An assassin!" Fear struck the eyes of his victim. Except for the eyes of Kaoru's father. He looked onto Battousai with pity.
"He who has not forgiven an enemy has not yet tasted the most sublime enjoyments in life." Mr. Kamiya said directly forward, his eyes were looking past Battousai to the door. The man looked like he had aged beyond his time, from a lack of an important essence in life, something that had once held onto dearly. But now, as the saying goes, 'what goes round, comes round' – his time was finished and how willing was he to accept.
Showing no mercy and wasting no time, Battousai advanced onto them and made the first step towards completing his task.
* * * *
"F-Father…" Blood froze and time stilled. Kaoru watched horrified as the red-haired man stabbed the sword through her father's neck. When she had pulled herself back to reality, silence had already returned. She ran to the closest statue and hid behind it. 'Him? Why…'
She shrank further in her hiding spot, hands gripping her head, tears collecting to fall. When the assassin walked passed, she caught a glimpse of the man's appearance and his bleed cross scar and pieces fell together. Suddenly, he's unusual appearance was much more saddening than fascinating. No wonder he comes so late to the restaurant… It's because he's a shadow assassin…'
When the man was out of sight, she stepped out of her hiding and walked towards the entrance of the room where her father was. Tears trickled slowly. Her breath accumulated in her throat at the sight. Bodies lying on the cream carpet. Blood stains everywhere. Not being about to take anymore, she doubled over and took in deep angry breaths. 'Why though? What did father and uncle do? Why? WHY?'
"Why? What did he do?" She wanted answers. But it would take time. However, unsure how she should feel at that moment besides loss, she gripped her hands into fists tightly. She wasn't going to let this tear her down, she wasn't going to let one man ruin the rest of her life. She knew that her father would of hated to see her cry and she knew that mother would have told her to be strong.
'I'll have to talk to Tae… maybe she can help me…It won't be safe for me here… I have to find another place…' After, she stopped once more at the door, she rested her hand against the door post, 'Father, you were looking at me… no fear… were you expecting this?'
She crushed her eyes shut and tears kept flowing. The hand on the doorpost clenched and hammered against the doorpost. "… hope you'll be happy in the next life…" There was an aura of those very short moments that made Kaoru feel the hidden loneliness inside her. 'This has been fated. There is purpose to why I survived this…'
She sniffled and melted into the darkness. 'I don't know what's to become of me now… but I have to find somewhere to stay for awhile and tomorrow… when I see that man again…I'll ask.'
* * * *
More to add to the list. Battousai slowly strode along the road on the path that he had tread so many times that he couldn't remember a night when he didn't set foot on it. His scar bled like a curse taking its toll and he ignored it while the damned poison liquid dripped from his chin. Hearing rushing footsteps from behind, he turned into an alley.
"Hey!"
He turned around and faced a young woman in school uniform. Fierce amber eyes meet brown eyes. He remained silent. 'What does she want?' The girl didn't look like any threat. Her ki told him that she was no stronger than a frightened rabbit. Her short brown hair was tucked behind her ears and her eyes focused on him with a deathly glare.
"Why did you do it?" She asked. In her hands she firmly held a bokken. "Why did you kill my family a week ago? Why didn't you spare my younger brother?! Why didn't you spare any of them?!" Battousai figured that she must have been a witness. He drew out his sword.
"You dare follow me to meet your death." Battousai said coldly, "You are futile." Even with his deathly gaze and his icy tone, the girl didn't budge from her stance or did her anger subside to fear. Slightly amused, he asked, "Aren't you afraid?"
"Why should I be?" The girl replied. "I've seen death. I've heard death. What use would it be for me to run in fear? We all end up in the same fate in the end."
He charged using part of his strength and attacked her. Remarkably, she dodged. The girl had just managed to escape with a part of the flesh on her arm spit open. The putrid smell of blood once again was released to Battousai's senses. He tried to blank his mind from the disgust he felt.
The girl dropped her bokken and stood there with an emotionless gaze. Her haunting eyes stared right into Battousai's. Warm crimson fluid flowed along the curved of her arm and dripped from her fingertips. "How can you kill someone so easily?" She questioned. She bowed her head. "I… I'm always weak…. What do I do?" Her voice was in despair as she staggered and fell onto her knees.
Battousai showed no expression and advanced to the final blow. He leapt into the air. "You are to cease existing."
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AN: Sorry for not updating sooner but believe it or not, I had an eye operation so it was no computers… or manga… or drawing… or reading for awhile. #-^x Still have a patch over my eye! It's pretty cool… Ahem. Besides that, I've edited Chapter One at the very, very bad written fight scene. I had a read through it and I couldn't stand it… hopefully that part was a bit better. I've also changed the genre for this fanfic, it'll from now on be Romance/Angst. ^-^x
Califpinay3001: Sorry about the fight scene… I think that I should've made it a bit more detailed (that's why I edited it) … anyways, thanks for reading! #-^x
Gaby: Thanks! Hope you liked this chapter! #o^x
Lynnie6: Waa! Thanks! I'm overjoyed! You like this fic so far? *proud* Thanks! #.^x
Tsugoi Karkarlena: Oh no, its in Japan, I didn't realize that I had written fork and spoon… #.-; Oh well, in Japan I think that they also use those utensils… #.-; Boy, you sure are observant.
Silver Knight 7: I've updated as soon as I could. #-^x Thanks for reading.
Nee-chan: Thanks for the advice… #.-; I kinda had to redo the first chapter for this fic quite a number of times… I think I lost track or something, well, hope this chapter was better. #-^x
Thanks for R/R! I hope to update again soon so until then…
~ Cherry Chibi