Seed of Hope
Chapter 2: Meeting You

(A/N: Wow, I can't believe it. I going to do some REALLY MAJOR overhaul in this chapter, so bear with me. Thanks for all your support in this fic, really appreciate it. Will try my best to put up my the new chapters soon, especially since now that I have to stay at home and recuperate after my 13-day stay at the hospital. Enjoy!)

Soujirou stirred, his eyes still felt extremely heavy and it seemed to be asking too much of his body to open his eyes. Gingerly bringing his hand up to his forehead, he tried his best to recall earlier events. The recollection of things proved too much in his weakened state and he could feel himself slipping back into unconsciousness.

Remembering where he was, the poor boy tried his best to get up. It wouldn't do to find himself being yelled at in the middle of the street by an angry carriage-driver, especially since he had not the mind nor the strength and of course the money to calm the angry driver. In extreme discomfort he began to mentally will himself to get up. He was not ready for the pain that would come. The injuries he had sustained from the fight seemed to have reopened and he could feel the familiar warmth of blood coursing down his leg from where the man had kicked him.

Inwardly groaning, he lay back down, when he realised that something was wrong. If he had been lying in the middle of a busy street, where was the familiar chattering of ladies as they did their grocery shopping? How come no one had yelled at him for blocking their way? Where was the supposed carriage driver who was supposed to be screaming at him? Questions began to fill his head and the former Tenken instinctively began to reach out for his katana… only to find that he was weaponless and his shirt along with his yukata was gone!

The former Tenken could now feel a feeling akin to fear. Trying his best to get up again, the boy struggled to move his limbs, only to hear the sound of laughter coming from his right.

"I wouldn't try to move if I were you. You were hurt pretty bad when I found you. You have two broken ribs, a broken left arm and a sprained right ankle."

"Wh- what? Who are you?"

Soujirou's question remained unanswered as the person helped him to sit up. It was then he realised that he was lying on a tatami mat.

"Here, drink this."

Soujirou slowly sipped the cool drink, enjoying the feel of the liquid entering his throat. It was pure bliss. Lying back down on the tatami mat, Soujirou felt his strength slowly return to him and that he could at last open his eyes. Gently, Soujirou opened his eyes. At last, he could see the face of his benefactor and thank him or her personally.

Soujirou looked around, only to find that everything was covered in darkness. There was something wrong with his sense of sight, he couldn't see a thing. He had become blind! The poor boy started to panic, he now knew what his victims must have felt before he had killed them. Before anything else could be done, he heard a familiar voice.

"You do not have to worry rurouni. You only temporarily lost your sense of sight, you will regain it soon enough."

Soujirou heaved a sigh of relief at the stranger's words. Strangely enough, he found himself believing what the person had said. He found it weird that he should take comfort in those words, especially since he did not know who the person was.

Lying back onto the tatami mat, Soujirou closed his eyes again. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to lose his sense of sight. Perhaps it was meant to be. Fate worked in such mysterious ways...

(A/N: End of the EDITED chapter 2, hope that you guys will still support this fic. Thanks)