Disclaimer:
DJ: God, why can't I just own Rurouni Kenshin. :Lawyers come in:
Lawyers:pointing to picture: Because he does.
DJ: Wha…ToT, fine, I do… :Lawyers give DJ Battosai-like glares and she whimpers in return: …not own Rurouni Kenshin. BUT I DO OWN THE PLOT AND ANY ORIGANAL CHARACTERS!
Rurouni Kenshin: The Whispers of Insanity
Chapter 1: Awkward Introductions
By, DJ Baka-chan
"I push my fingers into my eyes, it's the only thing that slowly stops the ache, but it's made of all the things I have to take. Jesus, it never ends, it works it's way inside. If the pain goes on, I'm not gonna make it!"- Slipknot, Duality
I guess everyone deserves a happy ending, but why does it never turn out that way for me? Death follows me everywhere I go, and it's impossible to even rid myself of the sent of blood. And as I tread down the streets of Meji Era Tokyo, wearing tattered clothes, my body drenched in blood, and a katana in my hand, people look at me as if I were a monster…and I am. To kill so many as a hitokiri is just another way to brand yourself a monster. And as I finally reach the gates of a dojo; the clouds of impending doom release all hell unto us; thunder, lighting, rain… And next thing you know it will be hailing. I have reason to be so pessimistic, but it's something I will never talk about again. The dojo gates were open and as I leaned on the wall, a young girl inside spotted me. She rushed over to me without a second thought.
"Come on we have to get inside." She grabbed my arm and helped me as I limped along side her. I tried to protest but she was content on helping me. My vision began to blur as she helped me into the dojo and I was weakening with every step I took. I took another step and then collapsed but instead of hitting the cold, wet, porch of the dojo I met with the girl's arms. She pulled me onto her shoulders and carried me on her back. I was surprised at the strength she had. My vision became even worse and it begun to hurt to breath. I began gasping for air and I saw the girl, a look of horror crossed her face when she noticed how serious my condition was. Such concern, I haven't ever met a person who was even concerned for my well-being, I was only used by those who "cared" about me. The girl was fretting over my tortured body, worried about every single little scratch. I opened my eyes, just trying to hold on a little longer, just long enough to comfort her. Don't claim my body yet Death, I won't allow you to, not now. She looked at me and saw amber eyes, piercing amber eyes that dug into your very soul, extracting every inch of it with in seconds. Her face turned a pale color and at the very moment I thought that she would just leave me here to die. But the doubt in her mind vanished in an instant and she cradled my body in her arms. I clutched to her body, she was so warm and soft, and I wouldn't let go. She looked down at me in surprise.
"Don't leave…" My voice was barely above a whisper. She was confused by my words but they quickly left her train of thought. My vision faded to darkness. I felt my head swirling and heard muffled voices. Death was yet again trying to claim me but I couldn't hold on this time. And then I fell, into a dark abyss with no end. Into the Hell that was meant for hitokiri. I had lost my battle with darkness.
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"WHEN THE HELL DID I FALL ASLEEP!" I cursed my self for letting my guard down. It was at that moment noticed I had been laying on a futon, my hair was let down on my shoulders, I was only wearing a pair of pants, and that my body was covered in bandages. A wave of pain hit me in an instant but I ignored it, like most pain my body feels. My amber eyes scanned the room for anything but it seemed to be just a small, empty room. The shoji clicked open and my eyes turned to meet with a raven-hair, blue-eyed beauty. She was holding a tray in her hands with two cups of tea and a teapot and was looking at me as if I had just pulled a sword to her throat. Her eyes closed, she breathed in deep, and the grim expression changed to happy one.
"You're finally awake! Look, I brought you some tea…" She stopped when she noticed I was standing right in front of her, looking right into her face. I was so close, that I could feel her breath against my face.
"What are you doing!" She backed away from me, shouting numerous things but I couldn't hear them. Her behavior intrigued me. She acted as thought she was mad but the look on her face showed that she felt as though she had been violated.
"Gomen…" was all I could mutter. Her face showed surprise, but a normal plain look returned within seconds.
"Here." Was all she said to me and she held the tray forward. I grabbed the cup of tea and sat down on my knees. She kneeled down too and placed the tray between us. Tastes terrible. Does this woman know how to cook? I thought. I looked back to her. But I guess her beauty makes up for that. She sipped her tea, eyes closed. One then opened to look at me and she noticed I was staring at her again.
"Will you stop that? It's getting on my nerves." Upon these words, I came back into reality. I simply smiled but it came to her in a perverted way. I screwed up my face and tried again and got what I was looking for. I noticed that she was awfully comfortable around me, especially since I'm a stranger. She got up and opened the shoji to leave. I got up and stood right behind her.
"Why are you leaving?" I whispered right into her ear, my breath going down her neck. She turned around and pushed me.
"What the hell was that for?" I yelled at her. She seemed surprised by my words.
"Why are you such a pain in the…" She trailed off knowing what she was going to say.
"Go on," I urged, "say it." She stomped her foot and her face got all scrunched up in anger.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU! I HELP YOU AND ALL I GET IS A PERVERT WITH NO RESPECT AND A DIRTY MOUTH…" She trailed off again, holding her tongue. I smiled. I was so far away from reality that I didn't notice the fist coming at me until seconds before I could block it. I caught her hand in my palm and raised my elbow, starting towards her gut. It took her a minute to realize what I was about to do and she flinched, awaiting the blow to knock the wind out of her. But my elbow never even came in contact with her body; it never even brushed her kimono. I don't know why I stopped, but my body wouldn't allow me to bring any harm to her. An image of Tomoe flashed through my mind and I winced in mental pain and suffering. While I was, again, slipping away from reality, the girl took the opportunity to kick me in the groin. My eyes shot up in rage and I sent a piercing glare of death at her and before she could react I had pulled my katana out of its metal prison and released the beast on her. I had pinned her to the wall with my left hand roughly pushing against her shoulder. My right hand, meanwhile, held my bloody katana to her throat. I was breathing heavy and that wouldn't be so if weren't in such a condition. Another wave of pain hit me, this time stronger than the last. My katana clattered to the floor and my hand weakened, slipping from the girl's shoulder. I was on my hands and knees, panting, with sweat dripping down my face. The haunting images flashed through my mind, the images of the day I went insane. I then noticed the tears pouring from my eyes and the soft gentle hand that wiped them away.
I turned my head to see the girl, but she appeared as,
"Tomoe?" I asked, puzzled. Maybe I'm dead; maybe that day was just a dream. No it can't be…I killed her, he killed me. I'm dead and I know it and yet…I feel alive. "Am I dead?" I asked while chocking back sobs. So this is what the great Hitokiri Battosai amounts to now, A voice whispered in the back of my head. You are nothing but a delusional madman, living in the past. Your not dead, that's not Tomoe, you're just insane. It's true, I am insane.
"What's wrong? Hello? Wake up!" I could here the girl's voice. She was shaking my shoulders. It was she, not Tomoe, who had comforted me.
"Please! Wake up!" I could hear her frantic cries but they were barely reaching me. Why should I? I was just about to kill you moments ago. You should have killed me. I deserve to die.
"No you don't…" I realized I had said that out loud. I could feel her arms pull me into her warm chest. She's only comforting you. I reminded myself, She doesn't care in any way shape or form about you. She's just the kind of person who can't watch another die. I pulled myself up out her arms and looked down at her and smiled. I then turned my head away.
"I'm really going insane." I smirked to myself and looked back at the girl, puzzled as ever.
"What in Kami-sama's name is wrong with you? One minute you look like you're on the brink of death, the next you're all happy and saying you're insane!" She tried to push herself up with her right arm and began fall. I caught her in my arms, and in an awkward position. I lost my balance and fell on top of her. Her face turned about as red as my hair. I found myself pulling my lips towards her own. She tried to push me off of her but I just strengthened my grip.
"Stop…" She was frantic. My eyes opened and pulled myself up. I gave her my hand and she pulled herself up. The warring clans within my mind began fighting. The Battosai half of me was pushing to just do it and make love against her will but the Kenshin half of me was telling me to come to my senses. She saved you! It shouted. And you'll repay her by scaring her for life? Come to your senses! But the Battosai half was tempting me with her beauty. She's the most beautiful woman you have ever seen! Don't lose this opportunity because that idiot wants you to be polite! Just do it! But despite his temptations I used my better judgment and listened to the Kenshin half of me.
"Gomen, I…just don't know what came over me…" I rubbed the back of my head. She was still deeply blushing and not paying attention to me. I wonder what she's thinking… She snapped back into reality.
"I...i...it's…ok…" She stammered. She was toying with her fingers, not looking at me but at the ground. "Do you have anything to eat around here?" I found myself asking, "I'm hungry." When she didn't respond I put my index and middle fingers under her chin and pulled her head up. "Hello? Anyone there?" I smiled, finally in a happy way for once. Her sapphire eyes contacted with my own topaz ones. She began toying with her fingers again. To her, this was awkward.
"Uh…yes. I'll go cook up some lunch…" She was stammering again. She began to head over to the open shoji. I placed my hand on her shoulder and she stopped.
"It's no problem if I cook it myself. After all that trouble I caused you it's the least I could do." She just nodded her head. "Ok… I'm going to go get cleaned up…" She shifted her eyes away again. She then added, "What's your name?" I smiled again; I guess it just felt good to be happy about something again.
"Kenshin, my name's Kenshin. And yours?"
"Kaoru, Kamiya Kaoru."
Thank you for reading all! For that, you get a Kenshin plushie. :hands around Kenshin plushies: There. Now, I'd like it if you all review. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO. >:)