Another Chance…
Archangel and Female hitokiri Battousai
R Angst, violence, romance, lemon {Greek, Christian and Japanese culture in one}
Syn: an angel grants kaoru the possibility to go ten days into the pass to undo the people who made Kenshin scars. Can she do it without going crazy from the sadness and hurt in her heart?
Previously:
He showed no emotion as he leapt into his attack stance and flew toward the maiden, sword forth!
Her eyes they awaited his sword with a defiant shade of teary blue…
'Oh kami-sama, help me!' she swallows hard
Yet through it all, there was something this assassin could see, very much taste. Her tears breathe a sin she wish to hide and conceal in the vastness of her heart, something far too foreign for him to understand.
All she could do was watch on, as the death she most certainly awaited rose on red wings of the devil to aim at her heart. But then, she tasted her tears, and she knew, as the wand she painted all her life to live, she no longer had to live the lies, he would take her pains away, and she waited for him, most definitely. Propping her legs that somehow were shaken in fear, she tilted her head back and revealed her neck and eyes that shone sacrifice and good nature. Then before his very eyes, his focus was sent into a kaleidoscope of disruption, and things that were supposed to be forgotten were raised.
'Live…for me Shinta…live for me' Akami whispered sadly as her tears fell and her hair was pull back revealing her slender throat that time itself paused on to allow the shape of metal to protrude her perfect-crafted throat. The heavens and the Earth scream, and the sacrifice of love for the innocent, was suddenly not understood, but tasted.
Then why could he feel, feel the agony and the most certain innocence in this woman, which was as silver as a jewel in the hands of ebony? There was a tread that connected somehow this woman to Akami, it worried him and in the middle of his attack to the young woman, he closed of his blow! She dropped to her knees… her whole soul was awaiting that one blow to the eternal revert blackness.
Battousai turned his back, 'Akami…why has your reverie come back after so long in the face of this woman? What do you try to tell me?'. Drawing a light breath, he closed his eyes and tried to think the reasons, but then as countless times as he tried to think, nothing showed, all he ever did see was black, a pity really.
"Y-you…didn't k-kill me?" she whispered in the hollow of the darkness.
Battousai had never heard such a gentle-feminine whisper in such a long time. She really sounded so much like Akami. Turning around just so slowly, he peered at the small bundle that look downtrodden in burden and misery. Her head was bow in defeat, perhaps it was mild shock, but her words, they were still too crisp as the frost on leaves.
"Do you want me to?" his voice was anew, a wash of cold water on her face. Such devoid and prosaic sounding. No energy or electrical flicker of emotion flowed. Such a boy—man, boy, shouldn't have been left to the hands of blood.
"…Haahhaha! Why not?" she laughed…her words slowly broke to tears. Battousai's first thought was, was she mad? But then she hoisted her head, and he saw her fears unveil on swift wings. Burning and screaming in tunes he understood far too well. Then in the supple silence of the stare they grew, he saw the voice her innocence sang in her blue eyes. They were so broken, but it lived and sang most melodically. But many things contradicted the very stare her shared with her, 'if she is not a konichi, then ---how does she know my…name?'
It was preposterous really! I mean, no one knew his name, except the Ishin Shishi and master Hiko Serjiou. Yet he had to come to terms, neither Kogoro Katsura or Serjirou Hiko were lame men, they could both hold their tongue and hence, their sword, so she couldn't be a konichi. Rallying that one out, he allowed the suspicions to fill him.
'If you façade woman, you façade well!' was his only rebuking thought…
Sheathing his katana, he with coldness painted on his face, went forward and lifted her to her feet by the mere kimono she wore.
"Who are you peon?" he barked
"Your mistakes…" was her only reply…as tears fell from her face. Kaoru was having such a hard time dealing with Kenshin's younger side, he was more aggressive and in her book witty.
Slamming her against the wall, she groaned out in pain. She gritted her teeth not liking how he treated her.
"Now…" he paused showing a lecherous shade of devouring amber, "tell me who you are…?" he whispered dangerously low, his words dripping lethalness mixed with a fine wine of intimidation.
"W-What, if I don't tell you?" she gritted her teeth, her voice challenging and testing some volumes to his.
Battousai was amazed, not a man or woman dare show him this little respect. He logo it then, she was mad. There was no other way she could have been sane or even mental to dare his hue of voice. The character he embossed was like fire in the darkness of nigh. But she was by all treads of sanity, lost to this sight. A shame she had to die now…so bitterly…
"If you don't tell me…woman…I shall have your neck?" he unsheathed his katana and pointed it at her neck. She was so close to his face, she could feel his breath against her sweaty skin.
"The Bakumastu doesn't knight a man Battousai for just joke-and-tell you know; for such a big a name, mustn't be wasted to the sands of youth by an amateur who can't even kill when he sees a predator. Go ahead, slit my throat, stab my heart and drink my blood, but let it be known, it solves nothing…when you spilt the blood of an innocent. You are no man if you kill when you don't even have to…" she challenged him…
She could see his facial expression fueling in wrathfully.
"Fool" he slapped her across the face. Her raven hair followed the direction of her face. Her hair covered her face, but her eyes so much…
"Why do you hurt me Kenshin…in a way…I say the worse part of you is me…?" she whispered sadly…
Battousai quirked a brow.
Pushing her back onto the floor, he pulled her hair back and looked into her eyes. Those trembling lips redder than the blood he spilt on her cheeks teased him. Her sapphire eyes perfect by all chemistry and math sparkled the most heavenly silver that shone so much innocence and fear…and sadness. Touching her cheek, she felt how callused his hands had been even if he was young. Gently he caressed her cheek tracing a line of blood over her cheeks, two lines of transparent tears ran down her cheeks settling as a perfect spear at the bottom of her chin. She took a sharp gasp of air when she felt the pain hurt more within her. He slowly trailed into the direction of her lips. Stubborn they seem as they sauntered a wicked flavor of red with some dashes of melancholy pink. Touching her lips, he saw how she swallowed hard and parted her lips…
Cocking his head to the side, he watched as the tears raced across her face, the pain molded and etched most distinctively.
"I'll ask you again woman…" he spoke lowly, rubbing her lips watching how captivating her eyes were. The way they sparkled and somehow coordinated with the way she cried amazed him. Such a beauty paused the clock in his head and painted an illusion, which was once gray to colour. Imagine all this occurred in just a few minutes.
"Who are you?" he whispered soundlessly. His breathing tickling the dampness on her cheek.
"I—I am---I am…" she didn't say anything as cries seem to break her words.
"You are?" he pulled her hair harder and looked into her eyes.
She cried…that was all time could grant her to do…
He let her hair go and she lied against the floor, just crying.
"A waste of time" he whispered to himself…
"But your waste of time" she answered back…
"Who do feel you are?" he asked pointing his blade on her lips…
"I am…Kamiya---Kaoru…" she whispered.
He removed the blade and sheathed it yet another time. Pulling her up by the collar, he looked at her in the eyes, "how do you know my name?" he asked her…watching how she sniffed.
"Lets just say…if I told you…you'd never believe me" she smirked seeing him snarl.
"Spiffy aren't we?" he voiced in her face.
"Not as much as you…Mr. Ruthless" she added, her stubbornness showing unconsciously.
He arched a quizzical brow at her. "If you like your neck woman, I advise you watch those sassy statements. Much of your life depends on the hot statements from your mouth," he boldly added.
She swallowed the lump and looked away.
He began walking out the dojo, his footsteps were deep but she didn't pause to contemplate how her Kenshin from the future resembled this Hitokiri so much. She turned her head and weaved her hands in a knot over her heart.
'The angel thought…I had purpose…she should have known…' a single tear falls, 'I had none'
"Come" he called coldly toward her.
She didn't move. His strides stop when he didn't hear her footsteps. Growling ever so lightly, he quickly walked to her and pulled her by the collar out the dojo.
"How dare you treat me like this?" she finally barked out.
"Shut up!"
"What? I'll have you know I'm a lady and you better treat me with some dignity" she snapped out his grasp. She realized he didn't pay much attention to her, odd really since he was like two minutes ago all over her! He was more like giving a quizzical watch of their environment. As if he were sensing something approaching.
"What are you doing?" she asked…
"Shh!" he hushed her. Turning to her in one quick moment he said curtly, "hide"
Running into the closest bushes, she whispered, "What are we hiding from?"
He didn't respond. All he ever did do was just look out with daring ambers. For some odd reason Kaoru hadn't manage to stop and take time to appreciate his young docile features---maybe docile was wrong, but they certainly were fresh and in check.
Her eyes roved over his bloody red hair, the way it looked was like flames from a burning phoenix. Trailing from the tips of his tendrils she fashioned to his amber eyes, the indirect elliptical cat eyes shone a lava-filled volcanic eruption that spoke a burden far too insurmountable for the age of his youth. She trailed lower marveling at how his profile was simply beautiful, both feminine and masculine cut. Nothing was too much or draped too little, everything complemented and accented him to the best of their potentials. Then her bold-blues settled over his lips, they were seamed in a line as if he were waiting. She realized something, his cheek…there was no scar…
To undo the scars, to undo Tomoe, Kiyosato…everything… (Angel said this)
'Kiyo-sato…he must have been the first person to give Kenshin the first scar…'
{Past-original flashback: {Cuts Kenshin on the face} They fought until the man was left on the floor bleeding, 'Please—stop—my T-Tom-oe…T-omoe…' the bleeding man begged as he looked forth on the image of a beauty which struck heaven itself. 'You were a worthy bodyguard…now you must die' voice the Battousai as he struck his blade into the man's throat…}
"You know…it's not polite to stare…" he pointed off.
A deep blush bloomed on her face, "Oh…I'm sorry…" she whispered turning her face from his.
"I really didn't mean to…" she was shut off when he raised a hand in the air to halt her speech.
"Warlord Saito don't you find it's strange we haven't gotten back any news from the Shinsen shinobi's in Yamaguchi?" asked a young boy with brown hair and distinctive brown eyes with a child like face known as Okita.
"They could rot in hell Okita, as far as we're concern they were never Shinsen…" spoke a cold natured man who was much taller in height but wore the same logo-material of green and white with triangles about the material. They both for some apparent reason was walking about at night…perhaps back from a meeting.
Kaoru studied the men, but then she felt something tugging at the edge of her kimono. She thought it was Battousai so she slapped his hand. He turned to her and gave an expression that was equal to hers.
"Nani?" he asked angrily…
"Hentai! Don't push your hand up my kimono" she voiced…
He gave an expression which seem to be saying 'what the hell?'
He shook his head and kept looking on at the two. Kaoru fumed. Looking at the floor, she turned white. There in the light of the moon, was a pair of angry eyes in a face of mud-brown fur, long whiskers and sharp white-gleaming teeth that hissed at her.
Kaoru touched Battousai's shoulder but he didn't pay any attention to her, instead he eavesdrop the very important conversation both Shinsen spoke about.
"K-kenshin…" she sounded terrified…
"Hush"
She swore she was going to faint when the animal's tail touched her. 'Why didn't he kill me kami?'
"Kenshin…" she called another time
"What?" he asked angrily in a whisper tone…
She pointed to the floor where the rat had been until it raced under her kimono, she was about to scream when he placed a hand over her mouth to restrain her from screaming. She cried against his hands wishing she could die about now. Yet she was too strong, she pushed out his grasp and made her way into the clear. Both Saito and Okita drew blades as a reflex action and looked at the small woman who wore an innocent pair of blues.
"You…" called Saito sternly…
"Me?" she looked around and pointed at herself.
"Yes you…what are you doing out here?" asked the man most curiously…
"Um…strolling. Well gotta go, bye…" she bade and quickly made her way out of harms way, but the Shinsen never rally to let fresh blood walk so idly past them especially when she could very well be eavesdropping their conversation.
"Uh uh uh! Don't be trying that" Saito exclaimed…
Kaoru with fear in her eyes begged for a God to show in any possible means, and he did.
"Don't" came a cold voice…
The light of the moon slowly settled on this unknown character voicing his ego as the almighty
"Hitokiri Battousai, what a pleasant surprise…" spoke Saito in a sardonic voice. His eyes speaking a dripping fluid of venom.
Kaoru ran behind Kenshin where he awaited Saito and Okita.
"Is she your little whore?" asked Saito in mock…
"What…did he just say?" Kaoru felt like biting that man's head off.
"Perhaps…but I believe the battle is amongst us, not her" he deciphered…
"Growing soft are we Battousai? Being a ladies gentleman are we, what next are we to expect from you, a woman perhaps, with all that hair and pretty girl features you could pass as a good whore" Okita lashed
Battousai never struck, he just stood and awaited the first move…
"I can sense you came here to fight…" Okita ushered, "well then, lets fight…shall we?"
"You Shinsen speak too much"
"Humph! Lets do this thing"
Battousai held his famous position, his right hand lingering over the sheath to the left of his side, and his left foot protruding towards the enemy. Awaiting Okita's first mistake, Battousai held his ground. He was more of a thinker than a fighter, even though his fighting skill was far greater than his thinking ability. He knew what to expect and how to react and this knowledge gave him a great advantage over his enemy. He watched as Okita stared at him, with a fictitious smile on his face. He knew at once that it was just his front. Deep within the young boy's heart laid a deadly secret and only Saitou knew what this secret was.
Okita flew forward, a sword in both hands, towards the impatient Battousai, who pushed forward as well, revealing his katana from its protective sheath and slicing horizontally at his enemy. Okita saw the blade coming forward and in a swift moment, he jumped back to dodge the blow! Battousai pushed forward even more and sliced again but this time in a vertical direction. Again, Okita dodged his attack. Battousai got irritated and pulled out his other katana and sliced, this time with a X-Strike, causing Okita's shirt to be sliced into four pieces…missing his neck by an inch. Scars began to form on his chest and the X was imprinted there. He watched down at his newly-obtained injury and then watched back at Battousai, his eyes filled with revenge.
Okita, filled with rage, leapt forward, his sword in hand. As he approached Battousai, he began to cough and stumbled on the ground, right below the feet of the 'man-slayer'. Saitou watched cautiously at Okita, waiting for his reaction to his illness. Battousai watched down at his feet, held his sword and raised it to the air. Saitou reacted swiftly and pulled out his sword and aimed at Battousai's weapon. He would not allow Okita to die by the hand of the 'man-slayer'. As Battousai's blade descended, a certain female thought.
Kaoru seeing the man coughing and body weak with disease, was drawn to the sympathy which she was entitled as human to feel. Running out she stood between the two and halted Kenshin, "no…enough blood has been spilt, the moon has witnessed too much…please…let us go…" she begged.
Okita watched as the woman stood between them both, in a way protecting him from Battousai's deathblow…
"Move away woman…"
"No…there is no battle to be won when your antagonist is broken…" she whispered…
Battousai never felt like killing a woman like today. This woman was a handful.
"We shall finish this another time Battousai, a time when your woman isn't here so she won't be ordering you around" the both Shinsen laughed and retired in the shadow.
"Kenshin?" she called seeing him standing perfectly still
"I should kill you"
She didn't answer, but she bit her lips.
"And I will kill you if you ever insult the ego of this hitokiri again" he coldly added
Pulling her by the hand he carried her off the Ishin Shishi headquarters. All the while Kaoru memorized the direction they took to get there.
The journey was silent, as a gap remain between them both.
'So much blood you have drunk and sipped, why do you stray your heart into rooms which offer only voids of emptiness. How do you deal with your frustrations and the very sin you endowed yourself in most indulgently? Blood and killing a primal burden in the chapters of your life…why must you sink your soul in the sulk of your mistakes?'
She looked at the trees as they rustled just so gently combing the winds that filtered through; she could see the shadow danced and draft with the moonlight. The tall grasses waved out to her and all she ever did feel was this lone empathy and sorrow for herself, and for …him, this fighting yet dying warrior.
"Come…quickly" he called…
She followed his suit and before she knew it, they had arrived at what seem to be an Inn. She looked at the placed, inspecting it for some two minutes, the place was a bit run-down but she didn't mind. Battousai knocked on the door.
Kaoru's attention was drawn to the knock on the door, and before her very eyes, a small opening opened to a pair of brown eyes.
"Himura-san? Is that you? Oh---and whose that behind you? You know the rules, no whores…"
'What does everyone have with calling me that?'
"She is not…" came his cold reply…
"She better not…come on in" she shut the piece and opened the door.
They both entered and Kenshin looked at the old woman, whispering something incoherently to her she nodded and smirked.
"Where should she sleep?" asked the old woman…
Kenshin didn't listen as he seem to walk away. Kaoru followed him and she called out.
"Kenshin" she called
He kept walking his strides timed to perfection.
"Kenshin…" she voiced again
He stopped. Turning his head to his shoulder he waited for her to respond.
"Are you angry at me?" she inquired… the tune of her voice somewhat hurt.
He walked away leaving her in the shadow of her thoughts to think. She sighed when she saw how tough the situation had become. It was no longer Rurouni Kenshin she was dealing with…she was dealing with a cold-blooded murderer. Her world was no longer civil and decided, all she did feel was a strange yonder that buried her in think bounds of dejection and unfathomed ambiguity.
Leaning her head lazily against the pole she despondently looked at the moon. Sighing yet another time, she wished the angel hadn't given her this wish in the first place. What was the use when their hearts were alternately angled from the next? Everything he did show made her sore in an insufferable heartache.
'Maybe I have no use afterall…maybe I was to die…die most distastefully'
"You seem burden child…" came an olden voice…
Kaoru sluggishly turned to the woman. "Perhaps…"
"You teenagers really have an awful way of answering the elderly. No respect for the old. So we're old and a bit senile, that doesn't mean we haven't gone through the same troubles…" the ancient voice jabbered…
Kaoru looked at the woman. Her face burned an immaculate burden.
"I apologize. It's just…I'm going through a lot right now. Again I apologize for my lack of manners…" she concluded.
The woman laughed a bit, her face though filled of wrinkles sparkled a beauty only the old could feel and likewise appreciate. "It's alright child…" the woman paused joining Kaoru as they watched the moon, "it's beautiful isn't it?" appealed the old woman…
"Hai…it most certainly is…"
"What is your name my child?" she implored…
"Watashi wa Kaoru…Kamiya Kaoru" she replied
"Why the sorrow and pains my dear?"
"It's my life…it wrecks…" she labeled.
"Nonsense! Nothing in life wrecks dearest, its only if we want it too. Because we take things very much for granted, we forget to see we're often the ones in control, and because we forget those things, we feed our pains and let them seem that they're in control. But that isn't true my dear…life is really a wonderful thing…live the moment whilst it last" she hinted
"If what you say is true…then how do you deal with this nations blood and the very sins which you are apart of?" she reckoned
The woman went silent. "Sometimes, we have to contort, no road is smooth, no matter how colourful we wish to paint and control it…just remember that Kaoru-chan. What I do…is my job…and by and by, my only means of survival. You must understand, I don't try to be apart of the sin…I just try to be apart of humanity and however humanity is…I follow"
Kaoru bit the insides of her cheeks and couldn't help but feel so much more confused.
"Maa maa; you are young child, tonight is your night, so sleep. You are tired with burden and much pain." The woman observed seeing that Kaoru was barely awake by her fears. Kaoru followed the woman's accord and was lead to her own room.
"Sleep, your soul is weary, tomorrow, morn awaits your footsteps" she bade and with that was out. Kaoru stood in the room, it was so different from hers, but not really in a sense. Making her way to the futon she lied upon it huddling herself from all the grieves her heart layered on her. Closing her eyes, she tried dreaming of black the colour of her future death…
It was somewhere in the middle of the night Kaoru had repeated dreams of this beautiful young man, much like the man Kenshin had struck that night, but he was smiling and holding a beautiful woman's hand. She never managed to catch her name…but she was most certainly beautiful. Awaking from her dream, she looked around, it was still late.
'Oh gosh, I forgot. Kiyasato-san is still hurt…he'll die with those wounds.' Pushing the sheets off, she placed on her sandals and grabbed a few sheets and belongings that the old woman had placed out for her. Running through the blackness, she peeked and peeped trying to make out any silhouettes or forms. There was none, luckily for her. Tip-toeing out the room's area, she made her way past the hall area and finally there was the door leading out. Running toward it she opened the door and ran…
She followed the road her mind had mapped. The night was much colder as she could feel silver breaths on her. She ran though, not caring of the obscurities of the night. There in the same direction of the dojo, she made her way around it and still bleeding and groaning for his beloved, she ran out to him. His eyes were closed, tears falling down his face.
'He must have really loved her…I guess in a way, the greatest pain is not being able to go back to your lover one last time…never saying--- I love you' she thought sadly.
Touching his cheek, he blinked back… "T-Tomoe?"
"No… I'm not Tomoe, my name is Kaoru…" she paused…
"Kaoru?" he repeated…
"Yes…Kaoru. I'm going to take good care of you…" she trailed him into a deserted shack, must have been the mobs one, but she didn't care right now. Breaking a few pieces of wood, she placed one of the sheets on the floor and then she ran back out and dragged the half bleeding man in. She laid him on the sheet and began taking off his gi. He held her hands and he looked at her.
"W-Why?" he whispered…
"May you find some comfort that even I care. Please let me help you…" she begged…
He let her hands go and she weakly smiled. Ripping the gi she saw how deep his gash had been. It bled profusely and nothing seem to make it stop. Wiping the wound he groaned out…
"Agggh! It hurts…"
"I know it does…but I'm trying" she wiped the wounds, but every time she wiped the blood more would return.
"M-Maybe you should just leave me here…to die…" he stammered.
"Look at me" she looked straight into his eyes. "You have a woman to go after, you can not fail her, you can not fail Tomoe Yukishiro…" she fought…
"Y-you know Tomoe?" he quirked a brow…
Kaoru realized she said her surname. Sighing she nodded.
"Tomoe wanted you to know Kiyosato… she loved you and that she's waiting for you…" she paused tears falling down her face, "so don't fail her…"
He nodded. Swallowing the lump Kaoru ran out into the streets to get water, stealing some water from a barrel, she ran back to the shack and began washing off the wound. Getting a dry piece of cloth she pressed it against his wound causing him to groan and twist in pain.
The night phased as the cries of one man seem to evoke tears in the young woman. All Kaoru could do now was hope and pray he'd live. Holding him in an embrace for mental support, she whispered in his ear, "everything is going to be alright…"
[To be Continued…]
[Author Notes from Archangel: [Posted by Fhb] Archangel isn't home, he's gone by his cousins for the weekend, I know I should have gotten his author notes, but he left so early today, fear not he'll be back soon!!
[Authoress Notes from Female Hitokiri Battousai:A pleasure it was to make this chapter. The idea was spoken about since last year. I'm sorry you guys had to wait such a long time for this update but the truth be told Archangel and myself are busy, he had finals and I had finals and we're not in the same class or anything, so it's hard. I'm sorry for the wait still. I hope you guys liked it. Thanks for reading even if you did or didn't like it!! All the best and see you in the next chapter.
Notes to clarify: Kaoru can get flashbacks of the original past. She sees things that Battousai (well this one in the fic) never saw, because she stopped him from ever going through with the flashbacks she saw. These flashbacks are from the Ova, but Battousai can't see them, because our tenshi won't allow him to…
Please review!