Disclaimer: I DO own Rurouni Kenshin! I have Volumes 1,3, 5, & 10 in my closet!
Trickery and Malice
Kenshin dreamed of the past. Images of his boyhood flashed behind his closed eyes. There was Hiko, the waterfall, the brown training ground, and himself, sitting at the bank, watching the water wash by in the blue and green stream. The situation was that he was neglecting his duty to fetch water, and the wooden bucket lay empty and forgotten in the tall grass.
He was just a boy, his arms wrapped loosely around his drawn up knees, staring off with clear, intent eyes, dragonflies zipping past. He felt wetness fall upon his head, and he reached up. Suddenly, his hair was longer, and snow began to fall. He stood up. The water bucket was gone, and his two swords were once again at his belt. Their weight felt strange to him, and foreboding.
The area was white, and the scenery changed subtly, and he somehow knew that he wasn't at Shishou's mountain any longer. The dark strokes of the kanji from the ransom letter flashed white in his mind. Kekkai Forest.
He stood, his shoulders squared. He heard soft footsteps behind him. She was so light she barely made the snow crunch. He turned.
He met dark hair, elegantly framing a beautiful, ivory colored face he knew well. The scarlet edges of her inner kimono stood out from the world of white. She was not smiling, but he didn't mind.
He stared at her, silently. He didn't try to touch her like he had before, when she entered his dreams, only to have her stay for a lingering moment as if to satisfy him, and then slowly melt away. He smiled, wistfully. "Hello, Tomoe."
Her face took on a more grievous tone. Her eyes were downcast, like she wanted to hide her tears. In the middle of the forest, in the softly swirling snow, they relived the night before the end. Tears formed in those dark eyes, and Kenshin stepped forward to embrace her and hide her vulnerability. She wept into his shoulder, and he brushed his face against her silky hair, sighing quietly.
Just like before, her presence slowly began to fade. He clutched at her tighter, before her body lost its solidness. The faint scent of white plum grew stronger, and Kenshin shut his eyes. Iie…please, no…
The wind howled, and the snow flew fiercely. He smelled blood and fell to his knees, and opened his eyes. She was dead, again, her limp body cradled on his lap against his chest. On her face was the last, most beautiful of her smiles, stained by the image of blood. The final tears beside her closed eyes struck the same chord in his heart as it had done back then, and he held her tightly and wept.
The pain he had caused her… and now…
"Tomoe… TOMOE!"
"Kenshin…" came the small voice. Numbly, he looked up, tears blurring his vision. He saw Ami standing in the snow, her clothes looking even more like rags compared to the pure white. She looked out of place, lost and forlorn.
He looked down. Tomoe was still there. Her stroked her chilled face and kissed her good-bye, laying her down gently. He stood up, feeling heavy, and walked away towards Ami, knowing that if he looked back she'd be gone.
As he neared her, Ami suddenly turned her back to him. Deliberately, she stretched out her arms. Kenshin froze in his tracks. Her image wavered, and he saw Tomoe again. Their figures blended, faded, always shifting. There was a rush of speed; Kenshin found his katana in his hands, and he struck.
Horrified, he expected to see Ami fall to the ground, or perhaps, Tomoe once more. Instead, it was the figure of a young man who lay dead, pale blue eyes staring empty up to the sky. Ami stood safely to the side, but her stare froze Kenshin's core. Her face began to screw up, on the verge of tears.
"Hiro," was all she said, and she began to cry. "Hiro, Hiro, Hiro, its Hiro."
The body changed. It was Kiyosato Akira, the bodyguard he had killed that had been Tomoe's fiancée. It became Tomoe, and then the body of the boy he had never known, only heard about, once more.
"Ah…" he said, eyes wide. He reached out with a trembling hand to the changing corpse, and then snatched it back, tearing his eyes away. He looked up to the sky, his hands clenched into fists, and screamed.
"STOP IT! I NEVER DID THAT!" His cry changed until it was nothing but a loud yell, similar to the way he cried out while taking charge of his ki. He did that now, hoping that it would blast away the whole scene. A final gust of wind crashed into him, giving him its final gift, a wave of hakubaikou scent. Despite himself, his cry changed to her name.
"TOMOE!"
A hand shot out and gripped the fabric of his gi, dragging him down.
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He was thrashing now. At the first sound of his moans, Ami's eyes had flown open, and she turned to him, scared. When he began to shift, she pushed the covers off herself and pulled herself slowly over to him, her leg bothering her. She hung over him, frightened, unsure as to what to do. Because of this, she did not notice the shadowy figure behind the shoji that slipped quietly away.
"Kenshin," she whispered, her voice too quiet. A little louder: "Kenshin!"
He was perspiring slightly, and his expression made her heart fly out to him. She stroked his forehead, trying to reach him in his dreams, whimpering sympathetically with him as he groaned.
When he began to truly struggle, she became terrified.
"Kenshin!" she tried to hush him, her eyes beginning to tear. The pain in his face made her want to cry for him. She didn't care if she woke him up anymore. She wanted him out of whatever dream he was having. She threw herself down upon him, grabbing the loose cloth of his yukata and crying into his chest, holding him down and hugging him at the same time.
"Wake up, wake up," she cried, and his eyes sprang open and he sat up. She fell off of him, wiping her eyes, the beating of her heart still frantic. She gave him time to prepare himself, and then she looked at his face.
"Ore wa…" his expression was surprised. He was considerably calmer than Ami. "What did I…?"
She sniffed, brushing back her hair. "A nightmare?"
Suddenly, his expression tensed.
"I don't think you woke anyone…" Ami tried to comfort, but he cut her off.
"Do you smell…?"
"Huh?" she asked, surprised, watching his face carefully. She sniffed the air. "I don't smell anything."
Kenshin seemed to relax at that, sighing and putting a hand to his head. "It's nothing, then. I'm sorry for waking you."
"It's all right." She smiled timidly at him. "Go to bed again, okay?"
Kenshin smiled faintly at her instructions. "You too, Ami-chan."
"Hai," she said, and crawled back to her futon and tucked herself in. Kenshin did the same, staring up at the ceiling.
What evoked this dream? It's been a while since I've had a nightmare like this…He looked over at Ami, and remembered the part she and her brother had played. The troubling words about her brother must have partly inspired it, along with Naoko's obvious grief about her husband. And… my own wife… who I unknowingly destroyed even before I met her…
Tomoe… I want to talk to you… when I woke, I thought I smelled a faint trace of white plum…Kenshin closed his eyes, but no vision of his late wife came to him. Slowly, he sunk into sleep once more.
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Days passed. The swelling and pain in Ami's leg slowly disappeared. Kenshin started his labors to pay off the herbalist, doing household chores such as repairing what needed to be fixed and cleaning. Naoko, for the most part, they did not see. She was a solitary woman, it seemed, though she did try and force herself to be nice to them. They met at mealtimes and bumped into each other at other places in the house, for it was not that large. It seemed to Ami that Naoko would study her as they passed. It was awkward between them. Ami remembered the friendship that had formed between Kenshin, herself, and the Kamachi's. She supposed it was asking for too much for the same to happen again. However, one day, Naoko sought her out.
Ami was watching Kenshin clean the floor, with troubled eyes and a mouth that threatened to turn into a frown. She blushed that Kenshin had to work like that. Silently, her eyes followed him as he went back and forth with the small rag that had been given to him across the hall.
I want to help you… you shouldn't be doing things like that, Kenshin. Her eyes softened, and the weight that she had hidden inside her chest felt stronger. You saved me. In truth, I should be thankful to the herbalist, but when I think about it I thank you, Kenshin. When I was bitten, I wasn't as scared as I should have been, until…
"Ami-chan."
"S-Shizuma-san." Ami said, startled. She twisted around in her seat to look at the woman. Ami gave her a small, tentative smile. "Hello."
Naoko smiled back. She looked past Ami's head and watched Kenshin, and Ami turned too. Silently, they both watched him work.
"He's a hard worker, isn't he?" Naoko stated.
Ami, still staring at Kenshin, nodded. "Aa."
Behind her, Naoko held her breath, as if unsure. Unknown to Ami, Naoko opened and clenched her fists a few times, trying to draw resolution. And then, she said, "Ami-chan… neither you or Himura-san have explored this city yet. I thought it'd be good if we went out to the lake nearby, and afterwards go shopping."
"Really?" asked Ami, pushing herself up into a standing position and turning to her hostess, beaming. "That would be wonderful."
Naoko smiled, and motioned to Kenshin with a jerk of her chin. "Tell Himura-san that my nephew will lead him into town first. I'll fix you up, Ami-chan. We should look well for the marketplace." She started back to her room, smiling at Ami over her shoulder. "I noticed you never fix your hair up. I have some ribbons you might like to try in my room."
"Okay," said Ami, excited at the turn of events. "I'll meet you there. Thank you!"
Naoko nodded and disappeared, and Ami walked quickly over to Kenshin to tell him the news, glad that he was getting a break. Kenshin agreed and minutes later, he and Shun left the house first, walking at a comfortable pace down the road. Shun acted submissive and even nervous around his aunt, but he began to talk easily a while down the road.
"My aunt probably just wants to talk with Ami-chan," said Shun, answering Kenshin's question. "She's very curious about you two, I hope you don't mind."
"Of course not," Kenshin said. "I understand very well."
"I have to say that I'm curious myself," Shun admitted, scratching behind his ear. He looked down at the shorter man. "How good are you with that sword? A wandering life must be a dangerous one."
"Competent enough," Kenshin said.
"I see. My uncle, Shizuma-san's husband, was good too. It didn't stop his life from ending during the war, though. I shouldn't say, but…" Shun's voice lowered a notch, though Naoko certainly was not around to hear. "…Shizuma-san went a little crazy at his death. My mother sent me to live with her, just to keep an eye on her."
"She tried to hurt herself?"
"Yes. It's been around three years since. She's relatively normal now, but from those who knew her before, you can definitely sense a change…"
"I see," said Kenshin, a weary sadness in his voice. None of this grief… I did not know any of it until Tomoe. It was then I understood what war was. For some, perhaps it was a chance to gain honor, but for most it was death, pain, sorrow…
He remembered his dream, and, closing his eyes for a moment, he saw her face before him. Well, Tomoe…
He saw her shadow in front of him, a hazy, unclear picture, but her head was bowed. He heard the echoes of her voice. "If I hadn't found something—someone to hate, I would have gone mad…"
He recalled the feeling of her held against him as she broke down after confessing. He wished now he could have comforted her more.
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Back at the house, Ami entered Naoko's room apprehensively. She wished Kenshin were still here. I shouldn't be scared of her, she rebuked herself. Naoko-san helped save me, too.
Naoko was kneeling by her dresser. "Come in," she beckoned. "Sit here, Ami-chan."
Ami knelt beside her, and pushed back her kimono to put her hand against her bite, rubbing it carefully in reminiscence as she watched Naoko take some items out of the drawer and set it on the dresser top. She thought Naoko would start on her right away, but the herbalist applied some to herself, and Ami realized she was going to wait her turn. They both kept silent until Naoko was done, which didn't take a long time.
Naoko picked up a pretty comb made of a wood with a reddish brown color and motioned Ami nearer. Taking a seat behind her, Naoko began to brush Ami's hair. Ami's skin tingled and she felt slightly embarrassed, knowing that Naoko was probably finding lots of tangles. Her eyes kept to the floor, her hands clasped in her lap.
"Ami-chan," Naoko said softly. "You're wearing a very pretty kimono."
It was white with pink blossoms and a few yellow stripes. Ami admired it, but thought it didn't look very good on herself. "Thank you," she said.
"Did you and Himura-san pick that out?"
"Oh," Ami blushed, "no. Kenshin and I almost never go shopping for things like that. The last people we stayed with gave me it."
"I see." There was a pause, and then she started again. "Is it fun, living with Himura-san?"
Ami blushed again at her wording. "It's… it's wonderful, really." Her voice lowered and almost took on a dreamy quality as she talked. "I was so glad when he let me be with him. I was determined to not hold him down. But even if I had, he wouldn't complain. He's been so kind to me, always…"
"Then you care for each other a great deal," Naoko said delicately. She noticed Ami's shoulders became stiff.
"I… I care for him a lot. Very much. He likes me too, though," she said, hesitantly. "I think. Mm."
"Why?"
Ami found Naoko's questions a little strange, but she didn't mind answering them. It felt a little good to talk about her feelings for him. Kept inside, she felt fit to burst sometimes. "Why do I care? Because… he's very kind- understanding, too. I think it's just the way he looks at you. Like he won't judge you… and he's strong and brave and he always helps people and he's selfless-" she broke off, trying not to get carried away, but she had so many more things to say about him.
Naoko was silent, and Ami was afraid that the woman thought she was stupid. Finally, she spoke, but her words weren't comforting.
"How are you sure these are true? That it's not just a façade. You don't know about his past."
Ami felt like she had been slapped. "They are true! I've been living with him for months now. And his past hurts him, so I'm not going to ask."
"Hurts?"
Ami wished Naoko would hurry with her hair. She just wanted to tie it and leave. "It's not happy, obviously. Mine isn't that great either, at some parts. Who cares about it?" She was getting huffy.
Naoko must have realized she was going too far, because she said soothingly, "All right," and tried to change the subject. "Now, what ribbon would you like to use, Ami-chan?"
Ami pursed her lips, forgiving Naoko. "I'm not sure…"
The herbalist reached forward and her slender fingers passed over a thin, pink ribbon. Her fingers hovered over them, and then she said, "Let me give you a hairstyle, Ami-chan. It's a pretty one."
"Okay," Ami consented. Naoko picked up the pink ribbon and gathered the back half of Ami's hair, leaving the front over her shoulders. Ami felt her make a ponytail and then gather it up a second time. When Naoko was done, she patted Ami lightly on the shoulder and pointed to the mirror on the dresser. Ami scooted forward and looked at it, turning her head to the side.
The ribbon was long, and wound around her hair many times, securing the strange, long, loose bun Naoko had made on her. Ami thought it looked strange, but decided it would grow on her quickly. She tilted her head down, and the hair not tied up fell to hide her face, but it obviously was not as affective as when all of her hair was free. "Thank you," Ami said, a little mystified, lifting her hands to run across her hair. She wondered if this was all they were doing, and if now they were free to follow after Kenshin. She wondered if he'd like her new hairstyle.
"You're welcome," Naoko said, putting away the other ribbons and the comb. She smiled faintly. "You have lovely hair, if you'd take care of it better."
"I'll try," Ami promised. She watched Naoko pick up a bottle of liquid out of the drawer and stare at it, contemplating. "What is that?" Ami asked tentatively.
"Perfume…" Naoko glanced at her quickly as if she were afraid the word would trigger something.
"Oh." Ami said, looking at the bottle with interest. "How nice."
"Do you know any scents, Ami-chan?" Naoko asked. Ami shook her head. Naoko took a breath and reached a decision. She opened the stopper. "You don't recognize this? It was popular too."
"No," Ami said honestly. She sniffed. It was a faint scent that made her want more. Naoko tipped the bottle as if to pour it, and Ami slowly held out a hand, extending her pointer finger. Naoko pressed the opening of the bottle against it, and when she drew it away, a drop of perfume was on Ami's finger. Naoko gestured her to put it behind her ears and wrists, and Ami obeyed. "So… what is it?" Ami asked shyly.
Naoko put the bottle away and stood up, looking down at her with a strange look in her eyes. "Hakubaikou."
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Ami felt strange as she walked down the road with Naoko. She wasn't sure if it was a combination of her new look or because Kenshin was not there walking beside her, but she felt apprehensive. Kenshin… I'll join you soon.
Closing her eyes for a moment, she tried to remember the feeling of pain that the snakebite had given her. Seeing Kenshin begin his work seemed to make her think about it more often, how she owed him and how unfair it was that he had to work while she stood off by the side. Not even standing, but sitting, rather.
When I was bitten, I wasn't as scared as I should have been, until later. I told myself not to worry because I believed in Kenshin, but despite that, the panic settled in. I couldn't ignore the pounding of my own heart. I could have died, if it had been anybody other than Kenshin. He's so fast, and he saved me. He took the time to save me. And when I woke up the next day, seeing him beside me brought me closer to him more than before. It was such a strong mix of emotions…
"What are you thinking?"
Ami didn't reply, not wanting to. Naoko did not seem to mind. In a satisfied voice she said, "The scent you're wearing, hakubaikou, is supposed to make people reflect on the past. I don't know if it affects the wearer."
Ami twined her fingers together, staring at the ground. "I think it does."
"I think so too."
No other words passed between them until the lake came into sight, large, blue, and sparkling. Ami picked up her pace, trying not to make it look like she was trying to leave Naoko behind. A faint breeze reached her and blew back the hair lying against her face. She looked around and reached the shore, but Kenshin wasn't there.
Ami heard the crunch of Naoko's footsteps behind her slow to a halt. "Where is Shun?" she asked impatiently. "Perhaps they're walking around the shoreline. Wait here, Ami-chan, I'm going to look for them."
"All right," Ami said softly. She waited until the sound of Naoko's footsteps had disappeared, and then she knelt down to the water and dipped her fingers in. It was cool, and she plucked a pebble from the bottom. Standing up again she threw it and watched it collide with the water, making a "plunk" sound. Drying her fingers on her kimono, she sighed. Kenshin, where are you? I know you'll come for me. Hurry.
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"Aunt must have taken the other route," Shun observed later from his perch on the boulder. Both men were standing and facing the lake, waiting for the others.
"If she did, where they would end up isn't too far from here," Shun explained. "I'll go look for her, you stay here, Himura-san." He leapt off and started away.
"See you," Kenshin said politely. He walked closer to the water's edge. The breezes were becoming stronger. He closed his eyes and stood there as if in rest. There was a faint scent in the wind… like flowers…
His eyes snapped open, a startled violet. What in the world…? Hakubaikou… He leaned forward, scanning for the source of the scent that evoked so many memories…
There are flowering trees, but they aren't hakubaikou… is someone wearing…? It shouldn't bother me, but this is the second time I've smelled this scent… I need to…To his surprise, his feet were already moving. He didn't care if he was disobeying Shun; he just had to find the source of it. He might find nothing at all, but he'd at least search for the sake of running… running to escape these fears and the irrational pounding of his heart. What did he expect to find, after all? The original wearer was dead. Tomoe… Tomoe!
He was running through trees and then he broke out into the clear space of the shore.
There was the figure of a girl standing by the water, her hair gathered back in a fashion familiar to him…
… a long pink ribbon wound tightly to gather back the rest of her hair, leaving the rest across her shoulders to frame her pale face. Sensing his approach, she slowly turned, her dark eyes fixing boldly onto his.
The girl turned.
Kenshin staggered, eyes wide. "No!" he said harshly, and despite his shaking legs, he marched rigidly over to Ami, who was wearing his dead wife's hairstyle and perfume. You can't be Tomoe! You can't end up like her, don't you dare mimic-
She let out a cry and ran into his arms, burrowing into his chest. Kenshin realized he was sweating and took a large gulp of air, trying to calm himself down as Ami held him up, her hold on him tightening as she wailed.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! What's wrong? I'll undo it- I'll take it all off!" She reached back and yanked out the ribbon fiercely, her hair cascading down once more. She stepped back to look for approval in his face, her eyes flashing with anxiety and fear.
She saw none, only Kenshin's stricken face, so she turned around and dashed to the lake, hovering clumsily and then bending down to scoop up some water. She splashed herself, trying to wash off the scent as best as she could. Kenshin watched her, regaining control of himself.
"Ami," he called, suddenly weary. "Ami-chan, don't…"
She ignored him, scrubbing hard on the places where she had applied the perfume. Kenshin could see that the sleeves of her kimono were soaked. He sighed, putting a hand to his head.
What's wrong with me? How could I have become so weak? To be scared of phantoms… of what were… Passing Kyoto brought up memories, but it's been more than a week since we came down the mountain…
"HEY!" Shun shouted in alarm, quickening his pace towards them, Naoko in tow. "What the-?"
Ami straightened up quickly, wringing out her hair, staring breathlessly at them, her eyes darting over to Kenshin. "We found each other. I… I felt hot," she lied feebly.
Naoko looked suspiciously from Ami to Kenshin, and then turned away to hide her face. Shun marched over to them, groaning that Ami shouldn't be so impulsive. He glanced over at Kenshin as if to rebuke him too, but thought better of it.
"So," he said finally, when no one spoke, looking around. "Are we still going to the market?"
"Naoko-dono's plans were to go," Kenshin started slowly. "We wouldn't want to disrupt that."
"Shizuma-san?" Shun asked, turning to his aunt. Naoko faced them again. She looked disgruntled, and then nodded.
"Let's go, please."
Uncomfortably, they started on their way. Naoko fell back to walk on the other side of Kenshin, and Ami sped up, sensing a private conversation.
"So, Himura-san," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "You disapproved of Ami-chan's looks?"
Kenshin glanced sharply at her and then looked ahead. "It reminded me of someone," he said shortly. "Did you do it for her?"
"She chose the ribbon and perfume on her own," Naoko said quickly.
"What about her hair?" Kenshin persisted.
Naoko was silent for a moment. "It seemed to be the best choice. I wasn't going to give her my expensive hair pins, and it seems I made a good choice judging from the way she dunked herself in the lake."
She walked quickly away from him, and Ami fell back silently to his side before Kenshin could think. "I'm sorry," she said again, as he knew she would.
"You have nothing to apologize for," said Kenshin. He looked at her. She was trying to comb her hair with her fingers to make it presentable. He waited a moment and then gently gathered a bunch, helping her. "You shouldn't have done that." A small smile teased at his lips as he watched her turn pink.
"I'll never… I'll never wear any of those things again." Ami muttered, keeping her eyes averted from Kenshin. His fingers running through her hair made her blush, as with any other contact.
"Only if you don't want to," Kenshin amended. "I promise I won't become so worked up next time."
"It's okay," came the soft reply.
Still helping her comb her hair, Kenshin's eyes focused on Naoko's back.
She supplied the perfume… the ribbon… she did Ami-chan's hair… and am I supposed to believe this is all coincidence? Sometimes I suspect that she knows who I am… but how could she know what Tomoe looks like? She had to have known Tomoe, if she dressed Ami up like this. What is she trying to achieve by pulling off this stunt?
Kenshin frowned. If this were all true, he didn't like how Naoko was using Tomoe and Ami-chan to get to him. It wasn't like the confrontations he was used to. I suppose I'll stay on guard… but if this is all she'll do, she's basically harmless…
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8 Years Ago
Summer was beginning once again. One night, among the chirpings of bugs, there was a crinkling sound of footsteps crushing dry grass. The pace was slow, and when the house was reached the scrapes slowly came to a stop. The person had halted. After a moment's pause, a white hand reached forward to pluck a berry, the fingers delicately poised. At that moment, one of the houses' shoji slid open with a loud scraping noise and light flooded the scene."Get back, thief!"
There was a scrambling noise and as Naoko ran out, her short sword ready in her hand, she heard the soft ring of metal being drawn. Naoko's livid eyes widened in surprise and her sword hand lowered a fraction. In the fireflies' green light was a girl, clothed in white, a dagger in her hand. The girl's deep black eyes were narrowed, on the defensive, but as Naoko slowly neared closer, she smelled the alcohol before spotting the slight blur in them.
"Who are you, girl?"
The girl's grip on her tanto did not lessen, but she replied civilly enough. "A woman on the path of revenge. Excuse me."
She stepped back into the shadows, but was followed by Naoko, who was intrigued by her reply. "My name is Shizuma Naoko," she said sharply. "Give me your name. I have also thought of revenge, many times. Tell me, and maybe we'll find we are allies."
The dagger was lowered and sheathed. The girl stared at her from the gloom, her face unreadable. Her voice was clear through the night. "My name is Yukishiro Tomoe. And I… I seek revenge against Hitokiri Battousai."
It was as if someone has shoved Naoko hard in the chest. She could not breathe for a moment, hearing her most hated enemy's name on the lips of another with the same intent. She was shaken. "Kami-sama… that demon Battousai…"
Battousai…
The familiar feeling of icy numbness spread through Naoko's body, stilling her. It gripped her heart, compressing it. The intense hatred she had felt almost ever since her husband was murdered sprung familiarly upon her, but now she had burst of fierce joy. Maybe now she had finally found someone who could relate to her. She had to invite her inside- she had to!
"Yukishiro-san," Naoko said, her voice trembling slightly. "Yukishiro-san, please come inside so we can talk. I don't know what plan you have, but my husband was high member of the Shogunate…"
I can help you get to him. I will help you reach your goal, and by that I'll reach mine as well. That hitokiri needs to die. I can't bear living on the same earth as the murderer of Hasegawa-san…
Slowly, Tomoe nodded. She stepped closer, into the light, and Naoko saw she was beautiful. She wondered how far Tomoe had been traveling, and wondered at how she had survived the dangers of being a young, lone woman, traveling with only a dagger for protection. Beauty could be a hindrance… but as Naoko led her inside, she thought to herself that somehow it would aid Tomoe on her journey. Perhaps, even the shadowed assassin would be… Naoko shuddered in revulsion. To let the bastard touch her would be disgusting… but the ultimate outcome would be worth it.
Naoko served her tea and they talked late into the night, the candles shrinking, their lights growing slowly dimmer. They told each other their sad stories without shedding a tear; they were above that. The discussed ways to get to Battousai, and Naoko supplied Tomoe with her own knowledge, thankful for the information she had received in turn for being married to an official.
"When you get to Kyoto, ask for the Yaminobu. The Shinsengumi's activities will rise in Kyoto, but they won't take you in. The Yaminobu's main goal is finding the weakness of Battousai, I've heard... you could spy for them, perhaps. Battousai is a young man, so chances are hopefully he won't suspect you…"
Tomoe's face was impassive. Naoko couldn't tell if the news that Battousai was just a boy affected her. But Naoko trusted her that it would not. When they were done, both were exhausted from planning, but it was a sweet exhaustion. Naoko could taste triumph as she went to bed, imagining Tomoe accomplishing what both wanted. It impressed Naoko that Tomoe had left her family and sacrificed everything for this. Naoko was similarly burdened but could not throw everything away. It made her writhe in her bed that perhaps she was weaker in this way, but assured herself with the thought that she could not get to Battousai the way Tomoe could.
After lending her the use of the bath and serving breakfast, Naoko wished Tomoe luck as the girl set off the next morning. The thoughts behind the girl's face were a mystery throughout the whole period of time Naoko had spent with her, but Naoko could imagine the hate writhing inside of her. Good luck to you… for the first time in my madness, I've felt hope… kill Battousai, Yukishiro-san. Then we'll all be released.
Naoko went on with her life, but the first few days after meeting Tomoe were spent trembling at night, wondering if anything had happened yet. She asked for information from her contacts and but got it rarely. When she heard that Yukishiro Tomoe had been successfully planted into the Choshuu Ishinsishi base, it was like a bomb exploded. Then the Ikedaya incident had occurred and Naoko could get no information on Tomoe's conditions or whereabouts. She and the Battousai seemed to have disappeared. Naoko dared to hope that the demon hadn't killed her, but that the girl was still with him, serving the Yaminobu in secret. It was in the next year that Naoko finally heard of Tomoe's fate: the girl had been forced to marry Battousai, but he had killed her during the Yaminobu attack, which failed. The Battousai was alive, coming out of the encounter with only another scar across his cheek.
Naoko wept and cursed him over and over. After Toba Fushimi and word spread that the Battousai was either dead or had disappeared, Naoko lost all hope of him being killed. She was sure that Battousai was alive. If he had died, someone would have collected his head. The disappointment, which was by far an understatement, drove her insane, but by then her nephew had already been sent to take care of her, and Naoko suffered inwardly. Over the years, the grudge lessened in weight, but remained in the back of her mind like a figurine pushed to the back of a shelf, collecting dust, but still present.
Almost, almost- Naoko had nearly beaten it. Feeling such hatred and having no way to act on them was torture. So many years had passed, and then, one misty morning, a red haired stranger had shown up with a girl in his arms… Whenever he smiled, it felt like he was taunting her. She wanted to tear at him when he said her name. How dare he put on this false humility, he who killed so many men… and, by what was known, one woman. The bastard had killed his own wife- the poor girl, Naoko thought to herself, gritting her teeth. Poor, unfortunate Yukishiro-san; she had spent the last months of her life beside the monster that had killed her fiancé. Again, the injustice infuriated her Naoko, that Battousai only had a scar to show the attack that Tomoe and the Yaminobu had sacrificed themselves for.
It's my turn, Naoko realized. The Battousai coming to my doorstep was not a mockery from the gods. It's my chance to finish what no one else could do. It's to test my resolution! For Hasegawa-san, for everybody, I can finish off this man!
Alone, she laughed to herself. It was a joke on Battousai. He, who had not suffered the ultimate defeat in battle, would be killed unsuspectingly by a mere woman. It was indeed laughable. She only wished that the old government still existed; to them she could boast this feat. The new Meiji government would arrest her for murder against one of their top warriors. It doesn't matter… as long as I know what I've done…I can live the rest of my life in triumph. I got revenge when no one else could.
It was counting chickens before they hatched. Alone in her room, mostly at night, Naoko imagined what it would be like when she finally poisoned him. During the day, when she was around him, it was harder to feel as if she had conquered. She was constantly suspicious, trying hard to mask herself. She couldn't let this opportunity pass by letting her inner planning slip. She watched him, as well.
She grew bolder. She wanted to exercise this power, that she had Battousai in her hand and that she was ready to crush him at any time. She thought again of Tomoe- how had the Battousai felt when he killed her? Nothing at all, most likely. He was a demon hiding behind a smiling face. He had the girl, Ami, completely ensnared. It sickened her to see him seduce the child like that.
What would she do with Ami once Battousai was dead? Would she have to kill her as well? Naoko did not want to accept that as a possibility. The girl was ignorant, that was certain, but that didn't mean she had to die. If she were taught correctly, she could repair her ways and understand the true monster Battousai was. He was not a soft-spoken, polite man named Himura Kenshin. Inside, always lurking, was the murderer.
But as she watched them, always sitting together, talking and laughing, that stupid, stupid little girl blushing around him… it could not be tolerated.
You have no clue, do you? Naoko hissed in her mind at night, her fists clenched. But I can see… even if I told you his deeds, you'd refute them, wouldn't you? In her mind, Naoko could see Ami's eyes widen, flecks of gold visible.
"Kenshin never killed anyone," she protested, her hands wringing against her chest. "He wouldn't."
"He did He was a demon, a monster, and everyone feared and hated him-"
"Shut up, shut up!" the girl would cry, but unable to shut out the truth. Naoko loomed over her, knowing she had won.
"Do you know how many he killed? He killed his own wife. He killed my husband. He took out his sword-" here, Naoko's breath was shudder, seeing the imagery from her own words, "- and he swung. He killed them, splashing blood, all those poor men's blood-!"
"No no no!" The girl was infuriating. Naoko was telling the truth, and if Ami wouldn't accept it, it wasn't Naoko's fault. She slapped her, over and over, and she liked that behind the sting of the blow, in the girl's wails, that she was crying because she knew the truth. She was a doomed soul, heart and soul captured by Battousai.
When Naoko woke in the middle of the night, she lay numb in bed. Her own viciousness mystified her. So, this is the strength I can find in my time of need. She thought of revenge again, thinking of Hasegawa-san, Tomoe, and the countless others. Slowly, it occurred to Naoko that death was just a moment. She wanted to play with Battousai's mind during the last days of his life. She would torture his mind, just as he had tortured hers. Forming such scenarios, excitement grew in her, and in the dead of the night, she carried them out. She took hakubaikou perfume from her drawer and pulled out the stopper in front of Battousai and Ami's room. She stayed as long as she dared but left satisfied, hearing Battousai groan and Ami whimpering over him.
Ami. What the girl would hate was to be used against Kenshin. Naoko could kill two birds with one stone. Ami would be her pawn. And this scenario evoked such curiosity from Naoko that days later when she spotted Ami alone, sitting by herself, Naoko found herself setting it in action.
Naoko took Ami to her room, and dressed her like Tomoe. This act was much more direct, and Naoko knew she was taking a dreadful risk, but she continued on. At the lake, she almost missed Battousai's reaction, but she knew he must have been shaken. Could he have felt guilt? It was pleasing to know, but it came with a large price- with cold fear gripping her heart, Naoko was sure that Battousai suspected her. Would he murder her in her sleep soon? Now she knew she had to act quickly. Some time soon, she would poison Battousai and finally get the revenge that so many others failed at. She knew she would.
Hasegawa-san would be proud of her.
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A/N: It's long (I think) and it's late. Not much to say, but I hope it's doing all right. Lots of doubts here, but hopefully this little ending arc is plausible. As always, please review and let me know what you think and if there's anything I can do to make it better... for instance, if there's some point on a character I haven't touched yet or needs more explanation, like, why was Kenshin so upset over Ami's appearance… (my excuse for that is that they've just passed Kyoto a while ago, and quoted from Kenshin in the grave scene of Kyoto Arc, it brings up memories…((oh wait, that was his excuse for not seeing Tomoe!)) and that he had his nightmare, smelled hakubaikou… and then all of the sudden, he sees a figure that look like her from the back. Yeah, perhaps it's not so faulty. After all when Kenshin saw Enishi for the first time in about 11 years, he hallucinated and saw the figure of Tomoe and had a bigger reaction than this.)
Well, thank you for reading! R&R. :P