Chapter 13: Buried Feelings
"Ack, okay, okay, let's take a break," Say panted as she gasped for breath, clutching her side. She was slowly getting used to getting a workout, since Kyouri was improving. The young hanyou's abilities skyrocketed after she took off her necklace, and now she was probably even better than Rei.
"Fine," Kyouri sighed, stabbing her training pole into the ground as she attempted to calm her own breathing.
"Dang," Say grinned as she joked, "If you keep going on like this you'll be able to take on father." A glint flashed in Kyouri's eyes, but she didn't answer.
"DAMN IT!"
A loud screech suddenly filled the air, making Say's eyebrows rise in surprise.
"Hm, it seems that Rei is having another temper tantrum," Say grinned as "damn it" was shouted repeatedly, ringing through the training yard, along with several nasty sounding crashes. "Let's go see if we can torment her some more."
Say sprinted out of the yard, heading for Rei's training area, as Kyouri shrugged and followed at a more leisurely pace.
By the time Kyouri had arrived where Say and Rei were, several trees had been uprooted and some new craters graced the ground. Rei was sitting in the middle of the chaos, huffing angrily as electricity cackled around her.
"I am going to kill that bastard," she scowled angrily as her eyes burned a hole into the ground in front of her.
"Who is she talking about?" Say asked nonchalantly at Aisu, who was standing nearby with wide eyes (probably fearing for her life), along with her sister, Uneri.
"There was a human yesterday that prevented Rei-nee-san from getting her target, Say-nee-sama," Aisu responded reluctantly. "Father got quite angry and promised her she would spend a year in the dungeons if she failed again."
"You didn't kill your target?" Kyouri asked, interest piqued for the first time. It was rare that any of them let their prey live past the night they were assigned.
"Look, it wasn't my fault," Rei snorted angrily. "Some idiot half-drunk bastard came running and began yelling at me at the top of his lungs." Rei scowled some more before continuing. "It wasn't long before every frickin' light in the district was on. Fool, I should've killed that bird head." Kyouri's eyes widened, but she didn't move otherwise, though her pulse quickened.
"What did he look like?" she asked carefully, eyes still wide in an otherwise stoic face.
"Big ugly hair, a tacky white jacket with a red headband and some pants," Rei frowned at Kyouri. "He had a big freakin' mouth, too." Kyouri felt her breath catch in her throat as her blood froze, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end.
"I'm taking this assignment," Kyouri said suddenly, her fists clenching as her heart pounded loudly.
"What? No way in hell!" Rei retorted, getting up and striding towards Kyouri. "This freak's mine, you got that?"
"I said," Kyouri frowned through clenched teeth, piercing Rei with fierce green eyes as her aura spiked around her menacingly, "that I'm taking this assignment." Rei stepped back, but didn't say anything as she pressed her mouth into a thin line. Kyouri finally broke her burning gaze and strode out of the yard. She didn't notice the troubled look on Say's face as she followed her.
No way… he can't be alive…
"What the hell was that all about?" Say asked her, matching Kyouri's stride as she caught up to her.
"Nothing," Kyouri replied sharply.
"That little 'nothing' was a whole lot of something," Say frowned, not buying Kyouri's explanation at all.
"There's just
something I need to check," Kyouri snapped. "Why do you
care?"
Say stopped, placing her hands on her hips as she gazed
at Kyouri sternly, "Have you forgotten that it's up to me
who gets which assignments? As far as I'm concerned, Rei still has
this job." Kyouri faced her cousin, her blood pulsing through her
rapidly.
"Say, don't make me hurt you," Kyouri said icily, challenging Say's fierce gaze with her own.
"I'd like to see you try," Say retorted calmly. They stared each other down for minutes, neither blinking, bodies tense and ready to strike.
A fight seemed inevitable until, finally, Kyouri sighed, knowing she wasn't at Say's level yet. "I just need some closure."
"On what?" Say asked, arching her eyebrows.
"I need to see if it… if it was really him." For the first time in weeks, Say finally noticed, Kyouri's eyes were a troubled green. "Maybe he's not dead…" There was a piercing pain in her eyes as she looked at Say sadly. "But I don't understand… I watched him die…"
Realization dawned on Say as the pieces clicked together. Her eyes widened, and Kyouri caught it.
"Say," she said softly, her eyes hardening once again. "You know something, don't you?" Say didn't answer, but pressed her lips together in silence. Kyouri frowned, her aura flowing around her. "Say, answer me, or else."
"Or else what?" Say snapped, irritated that Kyouri would have the nerve to challenge her constantly. Kyouri didn't respond, but the growing aura around the hanyou was answer enough.
"I don't want to fight you," Kyouri said. Say seriously considered taking on Kyouri, but if she did it would mean an end to the longest lasting friendship she had ever had. She sighed heavily, lowering her eyes as Kyouri's aura receded.
"It was Muma," she responded simply.
"Muma?" Kyouri echoed as she waited for more.
"Yeah, she's father's favorite mode of persuasion," Say explained grudgingly. "She has the power to control dreams so well that you can't tell if they're real or not."
A shadow fell over Kyouri's eyes as she considered this.
It was all an illusion.
"I didn't realize he had used her on you," Say said quietly, watching Kyouri. "I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter," Kyouri replied emotionlessly. "It won't change anything."
"I could give the assignment back to Rei if you want," Say offered.
"No, I'll do it," Kyouri replied blandly as she began to walk away. "What're the chances of running into him anyway?"
Say watched as Kyouri disappeared around a corner, feeling a sense of helplessness settling deep into her stomach.
Sano sighed heavily, letting the warm summer breeze wash over him as he walked lazily down the dirt road. It was another hot day in Tokyo, especially after a long night of drinking.
He closed his eyes as listened to the sound of the river that flowed cheerfully by the road, smelling the damp earth and hearing the swaying grass in the light breeze.
One month, and just as he thought he had forgotten, something came along and reopened the wounds.
It all started the day before, when an unexpected letter arrived.
Hiya, Kyouri!
Greetings from our house. Yes, our house. Shousei and I have made it back safely and are now staying at home with our parents!
Bet you're wondering why it took so long for us to write, aren't you? Well, we had to stop by Yamainu's place first, and then wait for them to stop celebrating his arrival before we could leave. To say his village was happy to see him would be an understatement. He is, after all, the son of the leader's daughter, half blood or not. Shousei and I had a good time staying there, which is kind of weird in itself, but the fact that we could go along openly kind of threw us off. After three years, it's only natural, ne? Yami, on the other hand, was hanging out and laughing all the time. I don't think I've ever seen him grin so much, and it's been a while since I saw those teeth!
We left him there and headed back home, fearing the worst (especially our father). We figured if all else failed we could at least crash with you or Yami (now aren't you happy it all worked out?). Our parents were happy to see us, along with our hoard of brothers. Shousei and I were nearly smothered to death when they all "fox" piled us when we got back! We also had a long talk with Father and Mother, and they've promised not to pressure us to wed yet. We are still young, anyway, and there'll be plenty of time to find a mate.
We hope you're reading this letter in good health, both physically and spiritually, and we hope to hear from you soon. Yami sends his best wishes, along with his whole tribe, even though they don't know you.
Lots of love,
Sachi and Shousei
P.S. You and Sano-kun better be getting it on!
Sanosuke shook his head, the letter reciting itself in his head just as Kyouri's farewell letter had done a month ago.
Along with bringing painful memories, it made his suspicions of Kyouri's true intentions grow. She hadn't gone to China with them, so where was she?
He stopped, looking at the river and feeling a throbbing in his chest. He tried to brush off the feeling, looking forward to the commotion his friends at the dojo brought him.
Distraction after distraction was all he could hope for.
"Oi!" Sano called lazily as he stepped into the large yard of the Kamiya Dojo as means of greeting.
"Hello, Sano," Kenshin smiled up from the pile of laundry he was currently scrubbing clean. "Here for dinner, this one supposes?"
"So what if I am, Kenshin?" Sano grinned as he slumped down into his usual spot on the walkway. "Where are jou-chan and the kid?"
"We're right here, stupid," Yahiko called from inside the drill hall as he jogged out. He stood in front of Sanosuke huffily, looking peeved. "Please tell me you're here to pick up your friend, he's driving me crazy."
Inside the hall loud cheers of "Oh my, how well done!" and "You're so strong, Kamiya-san!" were heard, making Sano raise his eyebrows in wonder as Yahiko gritted his teeth in annoyance. Before he could ask, Kaoru came out, laughing rather awkwardly as a small mousy man with grey hair followed her.
"I've always looked up to swordsmen--er--women," the small man laughed. "I'm so lucky to be able to spend time in this dojo!"
"You're still here?" Sano asked, arching an eyebrow at the man.
"Oh, hello, Sagara-san!" the man quipped. "Why are you here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Yahiko mumbled under his breath, shooting glares at the small man.
"Kyuuso-dono, will you be staying for dinner?" Kenshin asked apprehensively.
"Oh, I believe I will!" Kyuuso laughed heartily, then added as a second thought, "If you don't mind."
"Er, no, no," Kaoru laughed, "In fact, why don't you go and set out dinner? We'll be there in a second."
"All right, Kamiya-san!" the old man squeaked. "Leave it to me and you just rest!" He scampered down the walkway and disappeared around the corner, heading to the kitchen.
At that moment Kaoru's character changed completely. She turned on Sanosuke, her eyes practically spitting fire, "Sanosuke, next time I forbid you from bringing any of your little friends to the dojo."
"He's not a friend," Sano frowned. "I just didn't want him to follow me to my place."
"But why did you bring him here?" Kaoru cried, throwing her arms up in dismay.
Sano shrugged, "I figured he'd feel safe in a dojo."
"Kaoru-dono, perhaps we should be cutting him a little slack," Kenshin smiled. "He did experience a horrible ordeal last night."
"You have near death experiences all the time, Kenshin!" Yahiko exclaimed. "But I don't see you clamping on to perfect strangers for security! The guy's a nut case! He even complimented Kaoru's cooking!"
"He's not that bad," Kaoru mumbled. "At least he shows appreciation."
"Relax, just give him a few days and he'll forget the whole thing," Sano said dismissively. "He'll be out of here before you know it."
No one answered as they all stared at Sano in disbelief.
"Then you keep him," Kaoru fumed.
"This one wonders if Megumi-dono would take him…" Kenshin mused.
"That's not a bad idea," Yahiko replied, "They guy's crazy enough to be sick."
"Dinner's ready!" a cordial voice called out.
"How can he stay so happy all the time!" Yahiko cried as he stomped down the walkway, Kaoru following him and berating him for being so noisy, leaving Kenshin and Sanosuke alone.
"So what do you think, Kenshin?" Sano asked, his mood getting more serious.
"It is likely that the assassin you encountered last night was a professional," Kenshin replied. "Chief Uramura told this one about a series of murders that often occur a few times every month. Every victim is killed quickly and efficiently, and they are all debtors, just like our friend."
"That means they'll come back for him."
"Most likely, which is why it would be best for him to stay at the dojo for a while, no matter how--er--painful it might be."
"Hey, I'm not the one that has to live here." Kenshin shot an annoyed look at Sano, but he just grinned and let it slide.
Sano stood up and patted Kenshin on the back, "Don't worry about it, they're nothing we can't handle if they just take off like that one last night."
"Hai, hai," Kenshin sighed, "Just don't get too cocky."
"Like you don't?" Sano replied, raising an eyebrow at the small rurouni.
"Let's just go eat dinner," Kenshin frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as Sano grinned behind his back.
Every night they were there, staring at her with wide angry eyes. She watched the crowd slowly swell as the number of her victims grew, and each night it seemed there was a new pair of hateful eyes watching her.
They were waiting for her, waiting to drag her soul down to hell.
Her friends--Sanosuke, Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko--and all those other nameless humans she had killed stood on the other side of that dark river as she sat tied to the opposite bank, silent tears running down her face.
She would wake from the same dream almost every night, wiping the tears off her face with the same apathetic expression she wore throughout the day. It didn't matter if her humanity showed up during the cover of night, as long as she remained demonic throughout the day.
It didn't matter that her true emotions broke through in her dreams, as long as she could hide them from everyone else during the day.
Including herself.
But tonight it would be different. There would be four less pairs of eyes watching her across the River Styx that night, because she didn't kill them.
It didn't change anything. Even if he was alive, she knew she could never tell him her secret. None of them would ever accept her.
She was here just to finish her assignment, nothing else. It didn't matter that her target happened to be in the same dojo she had lived in. It didn't matter that her friends were behind the wall she was standing by. It didn't matter that perhaps somewhere she could still be aching for them.
It didn't matter because she was not human.
"Sano, they're here," she heard Kenshin's voice say. A small unfamiliar squeak echoed through the air, and she figured it had to belong to her target. She heard the shuffle of clothes as they stood, ready to face their opponent.
She pulled her hood over her head and her scarf over her mouth, then jumped up and over the wall, her naginata gripped securely in her hand.
"Boulevard Of Broken Dreams"
Green Day
I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever
known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk
alone
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken
Dreams
Where the city sleeps
and I'm the only one and I walk
alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
I
walk a...
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My
shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish
someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone
Ah-ah,
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah
I'm walking down
the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border
line
Of the edge and where I walk alone
Read between the
lines
What's fucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital
signs
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone
I walk
alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk a...
My
shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the
only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will
find me
'Til then I walk alone
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah,
Aaah-ah
Ah-ah, Ah-ah
I walk alone
I walk a...
I
walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where
the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk a...
My
shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the
only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will
find me
'Til then I walk alone...
Note: I don't know about you, but I think that song fits…
A naginata is a long staff with a curved blade at the end, just so ya know.
Be proud of me! It didn't take me forever to write this chapter! ALL HAIL THE HARDWORKING AUTHOR!
(-reviewers die laughing-)
Okay, okay, so this may happen once in a blue moon, touchy touchy touchy. I do want to get updating faster, but who knows how the summer will agree with my writing. I will be leaving for a trip to Mexico from June 13 to June 20, so don't expect any updates then.
Has anyone seen Star Wars 3? I did on Friday night with some friends, and it was freakin' HILARIOUS! (I doubt it was meant to be that way, but it was eleven at night and we were all hyper with popcorn). If you have seen it, check out the new VG Cats comic that's a spoof off the movie. Also freakin' hilarious, and in a good way! (www. vgcats .com)
Anyways: oooh, the long awaited reunion arrives! Who knows, maybe if you review, I'll get to writing it faster (hint hint). Oh, I am so subtle.
Reviewer Responses:
K.T. Youko: Gomen, but I make my chapters as long as they have to be. But I did update fast, ne?
WhiteRabbit5: YES! BEWARE THE PMS'ING HANYOU! Lol That would be so great! I should've made Say comment on that or something… Nope, KT Youko beat you to the first review, tho' you're usually the first one to review (which is great since I love your reviews). Maybe this time, ne? Ready… set… GO!
FairyMage: Well, you can download Samurai Champloo, can't ya? That's what we were doing until my brother got too lazy and just forgot to do it (cuuuurse him). I like it better in Japanese, but that's just me. Ed was one of my favorite characters! I cried on the episode where she left, then cried even more on the last one (SPIIIIIIKE!). I haven't been updating my Xanga page very much, I'm about as good at updating that as I am for updating my fic! (-sweatdrop-). I'll get better, honest! You want reviews? Don't we all? (I'll check out your fics when I have time, that I will!).
Rayne-chan: Such few words yet so clear your meaning was. Grammar bad I have, but funny Yoda is. Bewaaare the M&M's, unnatural they are. (don't ask, but thanks for your review!).
OmasuOniwabanshu: lol Yup, I think you're right about Say's mom. Everything the evil one touches just tends to squiiiiirm (that didn't sound right O.o). I finished your Sou-fic (but you probably already know that) and I just want to say how much I loved it (again). It makes me feel all fuzzy inside that an author like you takes time to read my fic!
Long author's notes danger they are. Sensing dark force coming in I am. BEWARE OF POPSICLE STICKS YOU SHOULD! RUNNING AWAY I AM!
Anakin: Review or I'll molt on you.
