Disclaimer applies.

Notes: This was originally going to be just one chapter but then it got too long, so I split it in two.

Kakusei: Awakening

Chapter Four - Shape Without Form, Shade Without Colour

Breathe in, breathe out. drip Breathe in, breathe out. drip

There was only one more left.

He could feel it. Sense the man's presence.

Only one more.

"Who are you? What is your business with Takeda Kanryuu?" His hoarse whisper echoed through the dark black void.

drip

A figure cloaked in white stepped out from the shadows. It was a tall man, somewhat broad in the shoulder. The man strode forward, carrying himself with a certain elegance and pride. His eyes were a glittering brown, and his long dark hair was tied back and streaked with silver. His flowing white foreign coat flared out gently behind him.

Aoshi's sharp ears caught a low chuckle, almost indiscernible in the patter of rain.

"You are quite an interesting young man, aren't you? Disposing of my men so quickly, so efficiently." The man's voice was a warm tenor, soft and almost musical.

"Who are you?" repeated Aoshi, more sharply.

The tall man ignored him. "And sensing my presence even as you fought alone against three of them, all worthy fighters themselves... Yes, even a pitiful amateur like me can see that you are no ordinary man."

"You are no amateur," Aoshi replied coolly. "You have been attempting to mask your ki ever since I arrived."

This time, the tall man broke out into raucous laughter. "I am pleased that you noticed. Nevertheless, I am afraid you are mistaken. I am no warrior, but a simple merchant."

Aoshi's eyes narrowed. "Then you are... Takeda's business rival?"

"His rival? Ha! I suppose you could put it that way."

"Then leave. With your men all disabled, you cannot hope to win against my man and me. Come back for Takeda some other time -- although I will guarantee your failure even then."

"Ha! Though I am alone, your own man is badly hurt himself. And he is still embroiled in his own fight. Did you not notice? So we are even. No, you are at a disadvantage, for while you fight, you must watch also for the welfare of your employer -- he is your employer, is he not? -- while I, on the other hand, need only to look after myself. And at any rate, I would be a pitiful coward to turn down your challenge! Come!" The man drew out a glittering katana. Without a moment of hesitation, Aoshi rushed forward to meet him with his own kodachi.

drip

(echoes in an endless void)

Come! the old okashira yells. come at me!

he rushes forward to meet the man, kodachi in hand. a flash: sunlight gleaming upon clashing blades. the bright ringing of metal upon metal. three black strands of hair drift to the ground. the okashira is old, but still as fast as ever.

but he will be faster! faster! swirling like the wind, like water, cascading

everything seems to slow down before his eyes

come at me!

not fast enough still not fast enough

drip

water and blood

aoshi-sama!

falling from the sky

gray blue

okashira, okashira

silence

OKASHIRA

and he thinks, though the thought flies past in an instant (no time to think no time to think)

i cannot lose.

He could not lose. Winning was meaningless, but to lose meant that everything he had ever lived for, fought for, was a lie, an illusion. He could hear the heavy breathing of both his opponent and himself, drowning out even the solemn tolling of the rain. He could see the whiteness of the other man's ridiculously ostentatious Western-style coat flickering in and out of the shadows, and the stained dull gleam of both their blades. All else was silence. All else was darkness.

Merchant or not, this man was no novice swordsman, Aoshi thought. The man's height left Aoshi, a tall man himself, at a rare disadvantage. Aoshi's normal kicks and punches were difficult to execute against the taller man, leaving him constantly on the defensive with his kodachi. He knew he had to switch to another strategy, and soon, but he was finding it hard to think. It should not have been hard. He had fought against opponents larger than himself in the past. But this opponent was fast, despite his size, and did not appear to be tiring any time soon.

But then the illusion shattered, and the emptiness melted away, and once again he heard the shouts of other men echoing through the night. It seemed as if it were raining harder than ever. The rain washed away the blood and the grime accumulating upon him, washed away the stench of burning men. Hyottoko's bulking body materialized on the edge of his vision, and Aoshi let out a breath he had not realized he was holding. He saw now that his opponent was maneuvering himself closer and closer to Kanryuu, apparently still lying unconscious on the ground. This, he thought wearily, was his chance. Risky, perhaps, but his muddled brain could come up with no better solution at the moment.

Closer and closer inched the tall man to his prey. Aoshi waited, biding his time, patiently parrying each thrust, each slash. His fingers were numb with cold.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Aoshi's adversary had reached his goal at last. The tall man towered over Kanryuu triumphantly, katana raised like a snake poised to strike. With a sudden shout, Aoshi launched himself at his opponent. Just in time, the man brought up his sword to block the incoming assault. But cornered against the alley wall, the man could not dodge the subsequent blows Aoshi dealt him. The tall man doubled over in pain as Aoshi leapt back, out of reach of the man's katana. To Aoshi's surprise, his opponent began to cough, a terrible, hacking sound. Blood dribbled from the man's mouth as he took several long, shuddering breaths.

"I am afraid you, too, are mistaken," said Aoshi coldly as they both gasped for breath. "The welfare of Takeda Kanryuu is not of my concern. I play -- to win."

At this, a startled smile crept onto the tall man's face.

"You wished to know who I am?" rasped the man, a strange light coming into his dark brown eyes. "Then let me tell you now: My name is Ebisawa Minoru, and I shall not rest until the one known as Takeda Kanryuu is dead!" With one final burst of energy, the man rushed forward, slashing across Aoshi's arm. Aoshi dropped his own blade and gripped the bleeding gash with his other hand, more from shock than from pain.

"Remember..." choked Ebisawa as he fled, staggering slightly. "This is just the beginning..."

Aoshi stared at the swirling folds of the long white coat as the tall man melted away into the darkness of the night. He made no attempt to follow. Rain dripped from his face. His hands were frozen stiff and stained with blood. Ebisawa Minoru, he repeated in his mind. Ebisawa Minoru. He turned to Hyottoko, who stood breathing heavily at his side, having just finished off his own opponents.

"Daijoubu ka?"

"Daijoubu desu," came the weak but buoyant reply.

He looked more closely at the fire man. The wounds were numerous, though mostly shallow. Aoshi had no choice but to have faith in the fire man, and hope that he would be able to last until they returned to the mansion.

Hyottoko now turned to check on the conditions of Ebisawa's men. Aoshi too bent swiftly over his fallen employer. To his disgust, the fool was neither hurt nor unconscious, merely cowering pitifully, frozen stiff in his fear.

"W-well done, my dear Aoshi," stammered the businessman, seeing that the danger had passed. "Well done, indeed."

Aoshi resisted the urge to slam his fist into the man's face. At that same moment, he realized that the ragged gray bundle the businessman was cowering behind was, in fact, a person. A boy. His limbs were slender and white; his face smooth and delicate. Aoshi thought he could detect a faint smear of makeup lingering upon the boy's skin... an onnagata, Aoshi realized, vaguely recognizing the face from the earlier performance. So the boy had to be at least fifteen... yet he looked like a child of no more than twelve.

The young actor stared at him, unflinching. Aoshi looked away, disquieted.

"What is this," he hissed.

Kanryuu looked up at him, face unreadable behind cracked glasses. "His name is Tetsuo-chan," purred the businessman smoothly, in control once more. "Isn't he a lovely specimen? I took great pains to ensure that we would be able to watch his performance tonight. He is a greatly sought after actor. Talented, is he not? And --"

The businessman was interrupted with a well-placed hit. "Cease your useless babbling, fool," Aoshi muttered under his breath as he shouldered his employer's body. The boy continued to stare at him with unnervingly wide gray eyes. Aoshi suppressed a sudden shudder. There was a feeling of foreboding in his heart.

Hyottoko spoke now, finished with his examination of Ebisawa's fallen men. "This one is still alive, Okashira. Should I?"

Aoshi nodded, still watching the boy. Hyottoko shouldered the unconscious attacker in reply. After a moment's hesitation, Aoshi said to the boy, quietly, "Can you stand?"

The boy said nothing, but stood. He was unexpectedly tall, despite his slight build, though still small for his age.

"Follow us," said Aoshi simply, and turned. The boy took a tentative step forward. Then another. And another.

The three of them began to trudge through the muddy streets of Edo, heading back to Kanryuu's mansion. Aoshi wondered what had gotten into him, deciding to bring the boy back with him. The cold was making him numb to everything. He could no longer feel the pain from his wound. He wondered if the cold had gotten to his mind as well. But it was too late to turn back. Too late to regret.

The rain continued to pour.

The rain, pattering incessantly on the dusty streets of edo. running down his back in icy trickles. across the road in muddy streams. rain drips down his face in rivulets. like tears, falling from the sky. the wind whips at his soaking clothes and at his hair, pulled back in a high ponytail.

okashira, okashira, calls a voice in the distance.

okashira, it is over it is all over edo-jo has fallen

you lie!

fallen fallen fallen the castle has fallen

you lie!

okashira... onegai

he is swept away in a sea of umbrellas, floating down the street in a somber parade. edo castle looms before his eyes in all its glory, a ghost castle rising from the mists.

And then Kanryuu's white mansion loomed before his eyes, materializing behind a gauzy gray curtain of rain.

it is over all over

how can it be, when it has only just begun?

"This is just the beginning," he whispered to the falling rain. Water streamed down his face, into his eyes, blinding him.

"The real game... starts now."

Tsuzuku