Bakumastu's Best Romance Novel.
Fhb
R- contains suggestive material and contains some 'stuff'
Chapter 20 —Awaking the real Hitokiri Battousai (Part 2)
"Master Vacknatae'" spoke the man looking on at the effete youth.
"Whattt?" he drawled a tired expression feeling a bit nonchalant.
"Master Vacknatae', you have a visitor…" the servant informed looking up from his posh black and white attire.
"Really?" the young man asked, sitting up from the chair he practically was falling off.
At age eighteen the young man had already gain much to his title. By name of Jempiah Vacknatae' the young man was a creator of evil and a soul of salacious dreams.
At a tender age in his life, Vacknatae' grew up on the streets using gambling as his only method of survival. Probably the only form of education he had, Vacknatae became a smooth tyrant on the streets, playing the game with all his trust on the dice. Money was precious to someone who lived in poverty, who had nothing but owed the ghetto more and more each day. In debt at the age of nine, Jempiah lost everything he had at the choice of one bitter move he made in the pub those many years ago. It was then Jempiah lost everything- and the ghetto came looking for him. Caught by the police - since he was on the run, Jempiah was taken to an orphanage where he was beaten to a point he could take no more. In no time a family fell in love with his beautiful solace and in so doing accepted him into their rice arms. Jempiah lived seven years with the people he called family until he killed them off and founded himself an amusing pastime. Sensual women. When rumor became destiny, Jempiah found himself hearing gossip that one specific Asian girl could transcend life via a dance. Jempiah amused that such a woman could prolong his life, immediately hired the best soldiers and workers paying them handsomely for their efforts.
Now at the age eighteen, grown predominant in England as a Lord of Terror, Jempiah came to the place where battle seem to always be in progress. Japan. With already three women who belong to the dance that gives life, Jempiah needed two more. And it was taking a lot more time than he expected.
"Please, bring our guest in…" spoke Jempiah in platonic manner.
"Yes Master Vacknatae'" the servant answered curtly leaving his young master.
Jempiah grew happy right on the spot. Biting his thumb in anxiety his facial expression seemed all charged up. 'Maybe it was one of the girls' though highly unlikely Jempiah had a way with keeping hope.
"Master Vacknatae', your visitor Mr. Lin" the servant spoke.
Jempiah sighed, 'oh great!'
With a nonchalant and unfazed expression, Jempiah grew dim when he saw the man. Too much expectancy gets men no where it seems.
"Mr. Vacknatae…" spoke the man being escorted to a chair sat silently on the western chair.
"Mr. Lin…" Jempiah greeted with a small nod.
"It is a pleasure sir to alas meet you" the man spoke bowing his head in respect.
Jempiah simply rolled his eyes at the man.
Jempiah said nothing. He simply looked at the man with an intrepid look of boredom.
Mr. Lin sorted his throat, "my lord, I have heard much of you, indeed its come to my awareness that you're looking for two of the girls from the Asian Five, correct?" asked the man seeing a sudden sparkle of interest in Jempiah's eyes.
"Indeed. Do tell me how you know of the Asian five?" Jempiah asked in an enthralled manner.
"But of course. I would do so my lord…but for a price" the man now wore besmirched looks. Jempiah scowled at the innuendo.
'So they all know me for the money…amusing, just amusing' thought Jempiah.
"A price you say?" he placed a finger under his chin, rubbing his digits as he thought.
"A price milord. A price I think a man as great and powerful as yourself can surely give. A trade for a trade" the man deciphered.
"And tell me" Jempiah removed his hand wearing a grim face, "tell me what possibly could make me give you the dollars of my pocket for lies you might have created…?" Jempiah was no fool when it came to people and their fibs.
"Oh trust me Mr. Vacknatae', for what I say will come to pass, even whilst I speak you will find what I say is true…" the man assured placing a hand under his chin as he watch the hodge-podge of emotions run across Jempiah's features.
"Again Mr. Lin the things you tell me maybe cooked up lies…lies in which anyone can create…" Jempiah added…
"Really?" the man paused looking down momentarily, "so tell me my lord Vacknatae' how many people know about the famous Asian Five and the trancer it holds…" the man spoke.
Jempiah opened his eyes in shock. If it was one thing nobody knew, it was the fact a trancer was indeed present in the group of girls. Nobody knew of such news, except of course for the man Jempiah heard it from, but he was killed soon after so how could anyone else know of such news. Fearing that more would know of the awesome trancer who prolongs the life of any man due to one dance, he hissed out in anger.
"Now now…don't be so upset. No one knows of her…nobody knows of this information. Trust me, its top secret…" he hinted
"So how do you know huh?" Jempiah wanted to know indeed how.
"Why from being a man, who just happened to be a part of everything. I worked hard you know, being who I was, always being informed of things I shouldn't know. It was one day that my best friend who happens to be my wife told me. My wife Mr. Vacknatae, is the teacher of the dance. She died recently explaining to me that the dance can only be practiced at least five times in life. It takes life you know Mr. Vacknatae as it gives. I lost her due to the fact the dance took her life, and a lot of it was due to the fact I didn't have a good salary. I quitted my job and came to the closest person who wanted information about the Asian Five…and I tell you the things I know is so much more advance than what you think you know. I could intrigue you and the search which that you undergo right as we speak will be no more when you find a way to capture her with ease. There are ways you know Mr. Vacknatae' and its seemingly come to my attention, you're not getting anywhere" the man ended seeing Jempiah clench and unclench his fist. Jempiah growled.
"How much do you want for this information?" Jempiah hated to give money as free as air for things he should have known.
"I like pounds Mr. Vacknatae and in return a hundred thousand pounds for my information" the man informed licking his lips in victory.
Jempiah superciliously looked at the man. The man looked at the boy as well.
The man had to agree he never saw a boy who looked this way. His locks were bright gold which bled with life and shine. While eyes of coated with aquamarine-blue danced with many fantasies. His face was indeed European, and perfection- it seem to emboss him with much strength.
"Very well Mr. Lin…" he paused, "Yazo…" Jempiah called…
Jempiah's servant came forth, "yes Master Vacknatae'?" the man said posh…
"Bring me 100 thousand grand" Jempiah addressed never taking his eyes off Mr. Lin.
"Yes milord" the servant vanished from their sight.
Jempiah leaned back in his chair tapping his fingertips against each other in a sophisticated manner.
"Go ahead Mr. Lin and tell me your story…" he spoke…
"Nah-uh…my money and then my story…" the man dubbed coldly.
"Very well" Jempiah tersely responded.
Yazo, the servant and perhaps greatest friend to Jempiah became the man to serve hard cash.
The money was dropped in the center of a coffee table where Jempiah looked at the man.
"Talk…" Jempiah spoke.
"Very well. The dance famously known as the Dance of Sins was created from two countries in Asia. Egypt and India. Egypt was the first place since many sensual dances were derived from the place. My wife, Camille Neur, a history teacher was on her vacation. She traveled to Egypt where she studied most of the dances. She learned several making sure to write down her findings in a book. For two years she practiced each of the dances, by the age 21 she headed to Calcutta in India, where she also learned some of the dances that were not sensually intoned, but were dances to the Gods. These dances were normal dances where movement a lot like the Egyptians created somewhat a same pattern of intricate movement, a lot like hypnotizing power. Camille stayed three years in India, learning a lot of the lords, like Mother Laskmi, Shiva and several others. The Indians, like the Egyptians serve many Gods. Egypt worship Gods like Rah and Anubis according to purpose. My wife believed in several Gods, indeed it was safe to say she was indeed pagan. But she didn't care, for with each dance she learned she brought out… from religion and dance…a mistake…a sin." He paused, "when she returned to China she cracked down on each of the dances. She chanted ohms and recited prays every minute over the one dance she created. My wife all together created seven dances. But just one she created through sin. When I married Camille, after many months she conceived. She would soon in time give birth to our child. But Camille…she worked hard on the dance. In her spare time she would fine-tune her dance and make it more and more powerful. She wanted the Earth to remember her dance and when it did, it would quake and shake in fear of its supremacy and awe. Yet the closer and closer she came to giving birth to our child there were disturbances of our peace when she decided she would pray to two Gods, Anubis and Shiva. Both Gods, Mr. Vacknatae' are doers of evil, doers of death. Yet she pray to them to enhance her dance. The dance had to be different and it was these two Gods that would decide so." He paused looking at Jempiah.
"She gave birth in early September that year, a few weeks later…our son…he died. Camille told me that the two lords, Shiva and Anubis required a sacrifice, an innocent sacrifice. She offered them…our child…" he trailed off into a whisper.
Jempiah was indeed fascinated, even if it was a lie, he couldn't deny the man knew how to tell a story.
"They took his life and in her mourning and victory, Camille created…a sin of allowing the Gods to take an innocent, but not any innocent, her son. Devastated that she could do such a thing, she named the dance, the dance of Sins." He spoke, "so you see, there is a meaning for the name of the dance…"
"Do continue, you seem to be quite the story teller, you know, as you seem to evoke the emotion as you go along" Jempiah mordantly added seeing the man grit his teeth. "Do continue, after all I'm not paying to sit your fat ass on my chair…" he aware…
The man sighed, "Camille no longer wanted to be with me. Already unwell from the loss of our child, she decided that she would keep her distance and that's exactly what she did. She did however perfect each dance, all six, until the last one, known prominently as the Forbidden Sins or Forbidden dance of Sins. Camille decided however before she grew old, she would want someone to learn and practice her art. To see if fully it would live its name." He paused, "she chose four normal girls, each with a different background, a different style all together, but the last girl, she sampled carefully. Camille had gone to Europe, England to be precise since her search took her there. And in the light of the day, she found a pacifist. A young one…one she would favour over all. Camille asked the girl about learning a pretty dance. There was however one thing that is required and Camille found. Innocence. When our son died, he was an innocent, that meant evil Gods and evil dances require some form of innocence and the girl, Kaoru was the perfect fit. They girl never knew what she learnt would be both her relaxation and her death in time to come. Over the holidays, where the five girls met in England, they learned a bit of each dance each day. In time, they did well, knowing the first six dances perfectly. Camille, was now down to her last dance. The forbidden dance. Afraid that she would kill one of the girls, she taught young Kaoru about the dance alone. In private. Six of the dances are practiced with all the girls (Asian five), but jus one is practiced with the girl, Kaoru alone. Kaoru learned about the dance from sketches of paper, and when it was time to actually practice the moves, she got it. She practiced the dance twice knowing from facts that if she learned the dance in a total of five, she would die. Who knows how many times she practiced it…" he paused…
"You can reach her in her dreams though Mr. Vacknatae', but that's only if you're persistent." He spoke…
"I never saw this Kaoru…but look for blue eyes…really blue eyes…" he spoke…
"Hmm…" 'I've seen these eyes already' thought Jempiah with a smirk on his features.
Dear Ms. Kogoro,
We are please to inform you that you are accepted to the International Pacifism Association for youths. You along with six other British students will take the position which progresses for a week. If you oblige you will mail the address on your letter, if you do not, do not respond to the week's deadline notice. All applicants will require full name, age and location.
Your mission is partake in as many pacifism contributions as possible. You will be marked and become legible for the Pacifist Noble Award.
Earnestly we implore you to oblige and ultimately show the Pacifism board what are your capabilities.
Thank you.
Respectfully: Board of Pacifism in Japan.
t was five o' clock the next morning when a figure lay deeply contemplating on their bed.
With eyes intently staring at the ceilings fine detailing, it were those same eyes that dazed off into space. Lying on a huge burgundy-sheeted western bed, was Jempiah. His abysmal eyes never ceasing to amaze any woman, became confused when he thought of what this sinister fellow, Mr. Lin, told him. Indeed everything became a hodge-podge of ideas, plans and future tasks. He was bitterly disoriented due to the fact he now knew zero of where his little trancer was.
Many things, like the fact she was no ordinary woman and her dance prolongs life, wasn't new to him, but the fact that he practically saw the description of blue eyes, in his head, confused him. He barely knew her and for the time he did, he understood she meant peace. Yet every-time he tried to understand her a bit better, he would find her---and torture her, miserably. Indeed, he didn't need to frighten her to death from his dreaming scam, all he wanted was quiet resolve.
Still confused he thought more of how he could possibly find a woman like her in a population like this? It was indeed a bit preposterous, but he had to try something, anything perhaps. Not knowing how to begin, he shook his head from his daze. Leaning forward in a position that he was sitting up he stared at the mirror in front of him.
'I barely know you little pacifist…' he thought taking in his reflection.
'I barely know you…the woman you have become. So much time is being wasted and all I can do is dream of you. Why must I place myself into a situation where the odds are against me? I thought this Mr. Lin could help me, indeed, he only made situations worse. What is there now, to do?' Jempiah peered his reflection yet another time.
'She alone has the power to prolong my life…' he paused, licking his lips slowly in thought, 'I can do this…I must find her' he thought. Looking at himself one more time in the vertical mirror, Jempiah raced through his thoughts. Even if failing to find her would build his guilt, Jempiah couldn't deny he wasn't suffering already. Jumping off the bed he took into a paced-walk. The morning was young and the day ahead of him was burning bright with advance, Jempiah resolved he would find her…one way or another.
His heels somewhat stomped into the wooden flooring as he raced down the hall with the cool morning air going through his hair. Placing a hand through his sleek locks, he smirked when he kept thinking of her, 'soon little koneko, I will have you…and you will be mine, always'
Jempiah laughed sinisterly to himself, feeling that he had won the battle never fought.
Kaoru looked at the ceiling reflecting the day that had gone by. It was already five in the morning and the place was very dark.
Smiling at the friends she made, she stopped in her thoughts when the image of a certain fellow became zoomed up in her mind. Seto Yoshiba. Perhaps the only person she found brawly rude and yet brawly interesting, Kaoru confessed, he enticed her always.
A smirk came to her face as she dug deeper into her thoughts. She had to admit, their meeting was a bit unconventional, but its better that way than stereotypical. She bit her lips remembering the way he called her onna, and reassured her it was okay to look up at him, in the eyes…those grey intoxicating eyes…
Kaoru agreed, there was a lot of space between them, and it was this space that kept them apart from completely understanding each other, but seriously Kaoru didn't find herself head over hells attracted for Seto, it was actually something, more…
Realizing what she just thought she quickly sat up, 'what do I mean by, more?' indeed, what did she mean, 'I mean, we're just friends…yeah, friends, that's it, what's there to fear?' she laughed uneasily in her mind. She dreadfully slow swallowed the lump in her throat.
And before she could find this resolution within her head, his face was suddenly shown again to her. It was so ---so weird to Kaoru. I mean yes Kaoru liked boys and yeah she would even flirt to keep her girlish sanity at times, but still, she loved one guy over them all, Kenshin. Her Kenshin, the man who fought under her skin and stole her heart. A small smile danced across her face when she remembered the way he reassured her he would always be there. To Kaoru, Kenshin was a potential lover till the end. He worked hard to impress and fulfill her, both in advice and sexually. Yet ever since the Ishinshishi became a bit more unsettled with new trainings and programs for the group to better itself, Kenshin hardly had time for Kaoru. Kaoru respected that of course, since she knew he had to live up to her father's expectations. Her father believed a great deal in Kenshin, not because he was Battousai, but because he dare to push himself into situations no one would. Indeed it became so impressive, that Kaoru dare not intrude. The second reason as well, would have been the fact, Kenshin didn't disclose his relationship to anyone. Though Kaoru told her best friends she was in love with him, no one really knew how serious the two had become.
Kaoru sighed a bit, she loved her Kenshin…oh yes she did, but Seto---it was like— 'oh give it a rest' thought Kaoru.
Leaning back into the futon she covered her face with her sheet a bit exasperated and confused.
'I am not suppose to be so confused. I mean its suppose to be so easy for me to be with Kenshin. Ughh' she sighed, 'but its not, it's in fact a lot harder choosing and being loyal to someone. I mean I'm no dirty girl wanting two boyfriends, but it's a bit complicated…why am I acting like I want to be more than a flirt with Seto. Can I even control myself around him? Oh gosh –this is so complicated!' she sighed again, 'maybe, its his eyes that gets me. Yeah, maybe its that. It was his eyes that captured me when we first gazed at each other…those eyes…greyt eyes…' admittedly, they were cruel, like they were covered in aggression and hate. Pain was always floating in his eyes. She felt as if he saw all the immorality and allowed it in some way to become part of him, it was a bit heart-wrenching and in that moment of realization it came to her.
Like Kenshin Kaoru was attracted to the flaws of men. It was a bit weird why a woman would fall for a man flaws instead of his perfections, but to Kaoru, if a man had a flaw she would be able to fix it and therefore compatibility was present.
Smiling that she wasn't attracted to him in a like-like manner, she pushed the sheet off and smiled broadly in contentment.
Shutting her eyes to take in her quiet realization, she heard grunts coming from outside. It was a bit odd to hear someone making noise this early morning. Repeatedly she heard the grunting proceeding. She took to her heels and followed the noise. Opening her shoji silently, she stepped out her room with socks on her feet. Walking silently down the quiet hall she could hear the snores from the sleeping residents of the Ishinshishi. Stopping in the middle of the hall, she listened for the noise, it still came from outside. Moving quickly she sped down the flight of steps making sure to be quiet on her way to the bottom. Reaching for the shoji in front of her, she pushed it open quietly only to find:
"Seto" she whispered softly.
An: Wohoo, another chapter up and running. I hope I cleared everything up with the Asian Five, Jempiah's crew and Kaoru's dance. So I hope that settles it. I know the chapter was a bit boring, since a lot of the chapter deals in the information of the dance and Jempiah.
I also hope I helped with why Kaoru feels this way for Seto. So I don't want anyone to worry, I'll try to put some waff in the next chapter. And Camille, see, I used your name! Hope you like it!
Thanks for reviewing you guys…I love you. (Hugs all of you individually)
Thanks so much.
Holler me with a review!