Sigh. I'd originally not intended to write a BKK fic, but then I changed my mind because Kenshin was so cute. XD. Please R and R!
Chapter Three
Disclaimer: I don't own rk. Aww.
After the creepy ritual, they brought it back to the village and gave it to the Tomoe's sister to bring up. Still shaken, I'd done no more then follow my father mutely, unable to say anything or even to think clearly. The deep sense of foreboding was still present, of course, but right then I'd known I couldn't do anything more. So, after getting home and reprimanded with a long bamboo stick, I went to bed. Pushing my tear-streaked face (and my sore butt too), I resolved to wash my hands of this demon-baby matter. I reasoned that it'd only brought me trouble so far, so I'd best forget it.
In the following weeks, it became clear that the curse of the plague had been miraculously lifted. No one fell sick anymore, and even comatose patients had risen again the day after the Batotsu had been summoned. So, as I went about with my father, busy helping the villagers to get resettled in their lives, I pushed the baby incident back, further into the depths of my mind.
The next few years were relatively uneventful. I matured, grew up, gained a figure, was chased by suitors (who were discouraged violently), learnt about life, you know, the works. I lead an idealistic life: Both my parents had been blessed with good health, and the three of us lived together in a harmonious (and expanding!) village. I still subscribed to the 'living happily ever after' fairytale school of thought, so I hoped, and expected, to one day find someone who would sweep me off my feet.
My days were spent helping my father, doing chores with my mother, and secretly learning a sword skill from my mother! It was terribly exciting. See, girls aren't supposed to be so athletic and fit. But, my mother's family had taught her (on the sly) a sword skill that she had been tasked to pass down to her children, aka ME! So, we sparred with light bamboo swords (bigger versions of that horrendous child-torture cane-thing), and everytime my father walked in on us practicing we pretended to be dancing. Heh, heh. So my life wasn't totally monotonous, especially for the awkward moments during village gatherings where my father would ask me to dance ("Kaoru, you've been practicing so hard! Come on, show us what you've learnt from my beautiful wife!") and I would desperately plead sick, clutch my stomach, and try to hurl. Still, something was bothering my sixteen year old mind, and had for a long time.
Battousai.
If you recall, he should be six or seven years old now. However, as I'd grown, he'd grown too. Very quickly. Within those six years, he'd matured to a young and intelligent man. Attractive and witty, he had many girls in the village besotted with his flaming red hair (which I head was 'Oh, soooo sexy!) and his strong masculine figure (which was, oddly enough, 'just godlike! swoons, drooling at the mouth'). As a responsible young lady, I tried to avoid him. Unconsciously, he still gave me the shivers. Besides, my father had stood up for this man when he was a baby, and I did not want to strain our relationship.
However, no one in the village seemed to remember that he was supposed to be six, yet he had the appearance of a sixteen year old, and the intelligence of one much older and wiser. He already had a reputation of genius, and recently, I'd been seeing more of him then I would have preferred, since he had been helping the head of the village and my father in dealing with village problems. Truthfully, I secretly thought he was quite hot, too. I was at an age where hormones were almost everything. Additionally, I was quarter-awed and three-quarters-spooked-out that he, apparently, had a soft spot for me. Everytime we met on the street, he would smile disarmingly at me, speak softly and politely in that husky voice of his, and even give me a small present, be it a pretty bunch of flowers, a string of clay beads, or a basket of fresh fruit. Certainly, I didn't trust him, but too my shame, I found myself enjoying the 'power' his attention gave me.
On the other hand, when I looked at him, wariness still took up more then fifty percent of my gaze. Mysteriously, and very horribly, five of the six men who'd witnessed his birth from a dead friend had recently been found, blood-less, at desolate places in the jungles around our village, their bodies ripped apart. The only people who had seen him that still remained alive were myself, and of course, my father.
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That day, I met him again, coming out of my father's house with the new village chief after concluding a brief discussion about the chief's responsibilities. As our eyes met, I felt a chill. There was something hungry and dangerous in his amber gaze that scared me. Uncharacteristically, I felt threatened, and so ripped my sapphire eyes away.
After they left, I spoke with my father, voice tinged with urgency.
"Father, I have something to tell you. Do you remember Battousai's birth, six years ago?"
"Kaoru, there is no need to bring up such a sorrowful period in the village's history. Why are you-"
I looked around nervously before cutting him off. "Father, listen to me! Don't you find it strange that five of the six men there are now curiously dead? Don't you see that Battousai must be responsible? He has grown sixteen in six years! Father, you know with your heart that there must be something very wrong with him! We must do somethi-"
My father interrupted me, his face scrunched up in concern. "Kaoru- that could be just a coincidence. Besides, have you seen with your own eyes Battousai doing anything he should not have done? On the contrary, he has helped our village so much! People are even saying that HE should be the new chief after this one abdicates."
"No. Father, as your daughter I insist that you pay attention to this stream of convenient 'coincidences'!" I prayed desperately as I played my one and only trump card. "Father, if you truly love me, please, promise that you will do something about that man!" I hoped my father would predictably accede to my request.
"… How about this, Kaoru? Let's give Battousai a little more time, to observe him and find out his true intentions. Look, if he does anything remotely suspicious, I promise that I will do something about him! Okay?"
Ha, ha. As usual, my father had been a sucker for that line. Nodding my head reluctantly, I agreed to this compromise. This could not be considered a true victory, but at least he had listened to me. However, neither of us noticed the burning amber eyes that peered through the bushes.
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Everything went well (that means normally) for a while. Battousai continued to gain influence around the village. Now, it was certain that he would be asked to be the village chief in no time. Uncomfortable with this, I tried hard not to worry over it, shifting my focus to my non-existent career. One day, I decided that I wanted to work for myself, instead of just helping my father and living off his salary.
So, filled with the energy and enthusiasm of youth, I decided to start teaching martial arts to children who wanted to learn how to protect themselves! That way, I could earn a living for myself, pass down my mother's sword style, whilst teaching the village how to protect themselves. Killing three birds with one stone! My specific target audience was young girls. It was a common thing to see a strapping and muscular, testosterone-driven boy raping a pretty girl, and thus gaining marriage rights to her, regardless of betrothal or promises to another. It was sickening, so I wanted to teach them how to protect themselves, and effectively (like me!) fight off those useless bastards that tried anything.
As I was saying, I finally gathered the courage to talk with my father to find out if he would like to let me use the large hall in my class to teach students.
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At dinner, I tried to raise the topic casually. "Eh, father, may I use our hall for mumble mumble mumble mumble?"
"Huh? What do you need to hall for?" He asked curiously.
"I want to whisper very fast set up a martial arts school for bullied kids, father." Unfortunately, I think he was feeling particularly alert that day. He caught it.
"WHAT? NO WAY! You are a YOUNG LADY, young lady! You must NOT spoil your reputation, or NO ONE will want to MARRY YOU!"
"But, Father, I want to do this! Who cares if anyone wants to marry me?"
"… I DO! You need to settle down, have kids, and carry on our family name! Do you want the Kamiya name to DIE OUT COMPLETELY?"
"But, father! Don't you see that even if I DO marry, my kids will have to take my husband's name?"
"I said no, Kaoru! At least my grandchildren (and I BETTER GET SOME before I turn forty) will have proud Kamiya blood running through their veins. It's final. You are not to set up this ridiculous school of yours. Since when did you know martial arts anyway?"
He was on dangerous ground, so I tried the hysterical daughter move. "FATHER! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO RUIN MY LIFE? WHY DON'T YOU LET ME DO WHAT I WANT TO DO?" It was getting more and more real. I no longer felt like I was acting.
"KAORU! You WILL control yourself like an educated young lady! How can you raise your voice at me, your father! I said NO, and that's FINAL!"
"FATHERRR! YOU DON'T LOVE ME, OR YOU'LL HAVE LET ME DO THIS LITTLE THING THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!"
He blew. "KAMIYA KAORU! HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST THAT EVERYTHING I DO IS NOT FOR YOUR GOOD! YOUNG LADY, YOU'RE GROUNDED!"
I ran to my room and cried until my bed could absorb no more tears. I thought my heart was broken, that my father didn't love me, and that the sky had fallen down on my silly little teenage head. Outside my window, a pair of glowing amber eyes watched me as I sobbed my tear ducts to bits. Now, I know that that night had sealed my father's fate. Now, I would do anything to not have been so impulsive, but it was too late. I'd done what I'd done, and my father would pay.
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The next day, my mother woke me up for breakfast, trying to comfort me. As I sulked at the table, waiting for my father to appear so we could start the meal, a loud cry reached my ears. Instinctively, I followed the sound through the kitchen, past my mother's and father's bedroom, and into my father's work room. There, my mother stood over my father, hands clutched tightly together at her chest. My eyes widened with emotion, guilt, and regret.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed, flinging myself down beside him. This COULD NOT be! He was so healthy yesterday, vigourously participating in our screaming match! He had been fine! I could not believe that the pale white face, and open lifeless eyes could be those of my proud father. Why was fate so cruel, taking away my father like that! Around his body, there was no blood. In fact, he looked like one of the five dead men who had seen the ritual so many years ago. My eyes narrowed: He had been murdered, just like they had.
My mother, unable to stand the sight of her dead husband, turned around, and gasped in horror. Afraid for her, I whipped around too, and stared blankly as my heart truly broke into two.
There, on the wall, painted in bright red blood, were the words: "For Kaoru."
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REVIEW! REVIEW! Thank you, reviewers of my previous chapter! Please tell me what you think of this chapter. I'd appreciate suggestions, comments, corrections, anything will do! Thank you!