Love... Hate... and Then There's You
Written by: JadeFoxxx (AKA: Devil-Babe-911)
Summary – She had been betrayed by everyone she had ever let close to her heart, never trusting them or anyone else again...until she met him. Battousai the Manslayer...Can she find the trust and love that she's longed for...in an assassin sent to kill her? Kagome/Kenshin RKIY
Anime – Rurouni Kenshin/InuYasha
Main Couple – Kagome/Kenshin
Genre – Romance / Action / Adventure
Rated – M (Medium Violence) (Medium Sexual Themes) (Excessive Blood and Gore) (Attempted Rape) (Excessive Language) (Rape)
Chapter III
Akuma Hime Battousai
The sword is a tool for killing,
The art of swordsmanship is the art of killing.
No matter which fine phrases or words you put to it,
That is the truth.
-x-x-x-
It had been three months. Her form had changed drastically since; now a beautiful woman with long knee length black hair, white/silver streaks running in alternate places and stunning blue eyes with silver specks that stood out in the darkest hours of the night. Her forehead held the Crescent Moon of Sesshoumaru's family and now hers. It was a light pink with silver outlining it. Her skin was fair and flawless, filled out in the right spots perfectly. She was a lethal beauty with blood covering the majority of her.
She didn't know where she was but she knew that it was neither her time nor their time. It had only been a few days ago when she happened upon...this time.
-Flashback-
Kagome wandered the eastern lands and came upon a pool of water with a glowing orb.
'Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child.'
She frowned at the soft whispering of the orb and walked forward. The water was up to her knees when she was in arm distance of the orb. She reached her hand out when she felt something, jumping from the water in time to avoid having her leg devoured by the water dwelling creature that resembled a long snake slash crocodile.
"Why do you search for the Orb of Era girl?" It spoke in a croaky voice, though its mouth did not move.
"The Orb of Era?"
"You seek what you know nothing about? Foolish...you are a blind child stepping into unfamiliar waters." Kagome ignored the truth behind the words as she had walked into water that she couldn't see in.
"Forgive me, I was not aware that this was your home or that this was the dwelling place of some Orb. I shall take my leave."
"Move Not! You are here for a reason, of that I know. A purpose, for no one finds the Orb of Era on mere coincidence. To search for the Orb means death, only one with purpose and reason can find the Orb of Era...and live."
"I've already traveled from my time to 500 years into the future, so unless that glowing ball can get me home...I'm not interested."
The crocodile/snake thing gave a weird cackle. "Give it a try then. Surely someone who has traveled has made a connection and link with the Orb of Era. It should lead you home."
'...should? Now...when has Lady Luck ever been one to side with me?' She sighed, "I highly doubt it, but...the chance of seeing my family again...is one I can't pass up." She stepped back into the water and up to the Orb of Era; once more she stood arms length away from the orb. Her arm rose hesitantly to the orb and she glanced back at the creature who gave a nod of encouragement. She closed her eyes and turned her head back before pushing her hand into the orb. She didn't feel much of a difference but...when she opened her eyes...she was definitely no longer in the swampy area of the Eastern Lands.
"...but I'm not in twentieth century Tokyo either." She said, a small pout appearing on her lips.
Someone bumped into her and knocked her into someone else. It was then she not only realized that she was in a war but also that she was bout to be cut down. Jumping to the side gently she avoided the hit.
This all started three days ago.
-End-Flashback-
Now, she was still avoiding swords. A man, who had seen her but not recognized her or her fighting style, had sent someone to kill her. She had been avoiding him since. Now she was in the middle of a war, avoiding swords, killing, evading her assassins and still trying to keep a healthy agenda; food, water, sleep, regular baths, morning exercises...not at all as easy as it sounds.
"Damn it girl, stop dodging!"
Side stepping, she rolled her eyes. "Am I supposed to let you hit me?" She asked in annoyance, scoffing when he charged blindly at her and in an unexpected movement, she stopped and held her blade out, a few stopped to see and watched the man run through her sword on his own account. "You told me to stop dodging...so I stopped." She felt a presence behind her and moved her head as a blade was brought down, the others continued to fight again, not having time to watch their newest soldier.
"98, 99, 100, 101, 102...how many more must I kill...105!" She rammed her blade into the side of someone's neck.
"Akuma Battousai! DIE!" She sighed as she pulled her blade from the neck of the fool she had just killed and turned to come face to face with...
"A Kid? Don't you have a bed time or something?" She asked coldly as she turned away from the kid and weaved her way through the massive body count before making her way down a narrow ally near by the battle so that she could take a breather. The child followed after her intent on killing her. "Kid, why are you even here?" She asked as she leaned against the wall.
"I-I'm here to kill you!"
"So then...kill me." She said, let her eyes fall shut.
"..." He placed his blade hesitantly to her neck.
"I will ask again, why are you here?"
"I answered already!"
"Not here holding your sword to my neck. Why are you fighting in the war? You mother must be so worried. I know I would be if my son was out fighting in a war. I would worry myself sick."
"S-sick? You can't worry yourself sick!"
"Yes...yes you can. Just like you can die of a broken heart...You can worry yourself sick or just worry yourself to death."
"M-mama will be fine." She felt the sword tremble against her neck, a small incision drew blood and she sighed.
"She might stop eating, too worried over her sons' own health. May not be able to sleep, too busy crying at night to get to sleep. May stop―"
"Please! Stop it!"
The sword fell from his hands as he crumbled to the dirt and blood covered ground. She opened her eyes and glanced to the boy, his brown hair stained with blood, a few scratches on his arms, none from a sword though. It looked like he had just been able avoid death while searching for her. He glanced up and she saw emerald green eyes, tears swelling in his eyes, hers as well. 'Shippou...'
'Okaa-San! Inuyasha said you weren't coming back because of me!'
'Inuyasha! SIT BOY! Shippou, that's not true, I will always come back.'
'You promise?'
'Yes, I promise.'
A tear mixed with blood from her cheek, fell to the ground and she gave a derisive laugh, standing up she held out a hand to the kid.
"Huh?"
"Come on, I'm taking you home. It isn't in me to hurt a child or let one get hurt while foolishly following some idealistic dream of a Utopia." He slowly took her hand and she pulled him up before getting on one knee and letting him climb onto her back.
"Which way to your home?"
"It's south from the frontlines."
"Fine, how old are you." She asked as she took off running at a fast pace, his arms holding onto her for dear life.
"E-eleven."
"And your name?"
"Makita...Shiba Makita." He said with more control now.
"I'm―"
"Akuma Hime Battousai, I know that."
"Hehe, I'm Kagome Higurashi. So call me Kagome."
"So they changed your name then?"
"It's not a name, Akuma Hime Battousai, it's a title."
"Oh." He yawned and laid his head gently on her shoulder. She smiled softly, continuing at a slightly slower pace so not to wake him.
It was well around morning when she arrived at a village.
"SHIBA! My Shiba...you're alive!" A woman with the same brown hair cried as she came running out of her home. Shiba was still sleeping as Kagome helped the woman retrieve her child from her back.
"Why, why did you bring him here?"
"Would you prefer I leave him in the clutches of the war?" Kagome asked with a deadpan look on her face.
"W-well, no but―"
"What's going on out here!?" A burly old man called loudly as he came out of her house.
"I thought I sent him away with the soldiers."
"I brought him back, who are you?"
"General Tzao. You?"
"Akuma Hime Battousai, or at least, that's what they call me." The villagers' coward back in fright as Shiba started to come too.
"AH! Kagome, that man took mama and daddy hostage and sent me to fight. He said he would kill them if I declined."
"Why send a child and not the father?"
"The child had the blood of a samurai, no a monster. He had witnessed blood shed already and I knew that when a child with sword experience snapped, he would be a swordsman of radical strength."
"I see...anything else. The woman seems scared of you for more then one reason."
"I played around with her a bit, what's it to you. Perhaps you want to fool around as well?" He asked with a sick grin. Her hand moved to her sword.
"Take Shiba in the house. He has seen his share of blood shed." His mother took him in like told. Kagome used her thumb to release Tsukihime from the tight grip of her sheath before taking it in her other hand and with one quick movement, severing his head. A few screamed but others could only stare.
"I'll take my mess with me, good day." She brought her sword down on the head then down on the body before lifting it so that the two were skewered on her sword before walking away with the bloody mess hanging from her blade held over her shoulder.
'Men...such a disgusting race in their own, human or demon, it matters not. Well...I'll give a few their dues.'
She arrived at the battle about five hours later and she watched as the battle seemed to part at the sight of the enemies general on her sword.
-x-x-x-
Hard violet eyes watched the figure make its way through the parting crowd.
"So she is my next victim." His voice said softly but firmly, his red hair pulled into a wild pony tail and a cut on his cheek still dripping with his last assassination.
He watched as she slumped warily against the empty side of a cabin. He had followed her through the battle watching her fighting style and stances. Her movements were that of a child in a game of tag, avoiding and dodging attacks with a playful demeanor, yet her eyes still cold and hard.
"...confusing girl."
-x-x-x-
Kagome had felt his eyes on her the entire time. She had killed multiple assassins before this one, yet...she felt that if he confronted her...she wouldn't be able to kill him. 'What's he waiting for?' She felt her eyes close from exhaustion and despite the situation...she fell asleep with her assassin watching over her worn out and tired form.
-x-x-x-
Me: I WANT REVIEWS! I LOVE MY REVIEWERS SO MUCH I JUST CAN'T HELP BUT UPDATE WHEN I GET A BUNCH OF REVIEWS!