[Author's Note: I claim no rights to Rurouni Kenshin. I also make no profit whatsoever from publishing this work of fanfiction.]
She brushed past a cloud of girls huddled together, staring at her and whispering as she walked by. Making her way as gracefully as possible through the throng of staring white faces, she ascended a staircase and found her second floor classroom near the middle of the hallway. The door was propped open, and inside were yet more faces that turned to watch her take a seat by the window. The scents of late summer and early autumn swirled together in the breeze as it blew her hair softly across her neck. It was a welcome relief, given how stuffy the uniform was. She stared out across the city, looking at the apartment that she had moved into night before. A sigh rolled past her lips as she wondered if this mission was really going to be worth her time. Just as she was beginning to drift off into the events of the last year she was interrupted by the sound of approaching feet.
"So you're the new transfer student?" The voice spoke to her in French. The foreign transfer student turned her head away from the open window to greet the speaker. A young woman with a thick, gorgeous braid of brown hair, her bangs just barely kissing her skin. "My name is Yvette. It's not often a girl as pretty as you joins our school so suddenly." Yvette smiled broadly. "What's your name, new girl?"
"My name is Kamatari. It's very nice to meet you, Yvette!"
The carriage was at finally pulling into a small neighborhood in Paris, and Kamatari couldn't wait to get out and stretch his legs. He had been sitting for hours in this tiny, cramped vehicle, traveling over bumpy roads since this morning to reach the secret headquarters before nightfall. Perhaps an hour before sunset, his wish was finally granted. The door was opened and he leaped out onto the sidewalk.
"Nnnnhh...augh! So stiff! Would it have killed headquarters to spring for something with a little more cushioning?" Bending himself this way and that, Kamatari turned to the coachman. "Say, would you mind waiting here for a bit?" This latter was spoken in perfect French, catching the coachman slightly off guard.
"Of...of course, miss! I wouldn't leave a nice young lady like yourself without a ride so close to dark."
"Thank you so much." He winked, turning on just a bit of charm. "You're very kind." And with that, he strode up the short walk and rapped on one of the double doors. While he waited he took note of the house. It was a little dated, and slightly run down. It was quite large compared to the average Japanese home, but he'd seen bigger of course. The walls were a faded blue color and the sides were cracked a bit. The door opened a narrow margin, and in the entry stood a tall Japanese man with hair shorter than his own, and shaggy compared to his well-kept but also unbuttoned uniform. Beneath it was a simple white undershirt. It didn't take any observer very long to figure out that he was hung over.
"Do you have to bang so loud?" He looked the person before him up and down. "Yeah, you're the one alright." He stepped aside. "Come in. The Captain is expecting you."
"Thanks. Don't mind if I do." Kamatari stepped past the man and into the house. "Pardon the intrusion." There was a door to the left that was open with some light shining through. He took that to be where he was going, and walked briskly through the door.
"Finally decided to show up." The man who spoke sat behind a desk. His hair was cut very short, and was beginning to gray in various spots. He had various papers strewn about the desk before him, some of which he brushed aside. "Sit. You need to be briefed, and then we need to get you to your apartment before the doors close for the night."
"Ah, so the rumor is true, then? You're sending me to pass as a young lady at an all-girls' school? A ritzy one, apparently." Kamatari flopped into the chair before the desk. "So, what's the story?"
"...so irreverent. Well, since you insist, I suggest you listen closely." The man folded his hands. "Your mission, being your first, is rather easy. You will pretend to be a girl in this secondary education institute. It is filled with the daughters and nieces of wealthy merchants and politicians. You will befriend them as best you can, and listen for whispers of the intent of their relatives. Anyone whom you become particularly close with will be a prime source of information once you can establish a relationship with their fathers."
"...that's it?"
"Yes. That is your primary mission. We may have smaller side tasks for you from time to time, but that will constitute the majority of your time here." The man rose from his chair. "My name is Manzo. I will be your handler. That means that I am in charge of you, and orders that come from me are to be followed immediately and without question."
"Manzo...? Is that your family name? Given name?"
"It is the only name that you will address me by." Manzo gestured behind Kamatari to the other man who was stepping into the room. "You've already met Reizo. He will be your contact—you slovenly man! Button your uniform like I told you!" He cleared his throat to continue. "When you need something such as equipment or relaying of information, contact him. If need be he in turn will contact me. You will have regularly scheduled meetings with the both of us throughout the course of your mission."
"I see. Anything else I should know?"
"Yes. Since it is critical that no one discover you are a man, you are not to have relations with anyone. Including men. Is that understood?"
"Pfft. Fine." Whatever, he thought to himself. Shishio-sama is the only man I could ever want, and he's...he's...
"Reizo. We're going." He snapped his fingers. "On your feet. We're taking you to your lodgings." Kamatari stood, trailing behind the two men as the returned to the waiting carriage.
"Ah, miss," The French driver greeted Kamatari. "I waited, just as you asked."
"Thank you again." Kamatari beamed at him. "You're quite a gentleman." The other two looked at each other and Manzo grimaced.
"I almost feel bad for him..." he muttered in Japanese.
Reizo, Manzo, and Kamatari climbed up into the tiny space. The journey to the apartment was silent, apart from the bumps in the road. The entire time, Kamatari did nothing but stare through the window. Look at the architecture. Look at the roads. And the foreigners! Well, I guess I'm the foreigner here. Still, it's all so different in this country. I miss Japan already. Finally, after the last of the light had left the sky, they came to a halt in front of a rather new-looking apartment. Hopping out first, Kamatari looked up at all the floors.
"This isn't what I pictured when you said 'apartment.'"
"It's the West. You weren't expecting it to look like home, were you?" Manzo snorted. Home...I don't remember what it felt like to have one.
"It can take some getting used to, Paris." Reizo mustered the energy to speak. "It's rather a pain in many ways, but I don't mind it. You'll adapt." Manzo was unlocking the door as he spoke.
"This way."
Manzo led Kamatari up three flights of stairs and down a hallway. Stopping at a door near a window, he inserted a key into a new but simplisticly-designed handle. The door opened to reveal a small sitting room, connected to which was a bedroom, bathroom, and toilet.
"There is a communal kitchen downstairs on the first floor. I suggest you adapt to Western cooking as restaurants here can be quite expensive and we don't have very much of an allowance to give you." The old man pointed to a pile of paper on a table near a window. "Those are the final particulars to turn in for your enrollment. You are already registered. Fill out those documents according to the cover story we assigned you. Do it tonight."
"What?! I traveled all this way and you're making me fill out paperwork?!"
"Shut up and do your job. And do it quickly. You'll need sleep because school starts bright and early tomorrow. Reizo will be by in the morning to show you the way, but after that it's your responsibility. It's not a far distance and the school is large. You'd have to be an idiot not to find it."
"Fiiiinee..." Kamatari sighed out as he sat to begin what amounted to be his first homework assignment.
"The coachman will bring your things up before we depart. It shouldn't be hard to keep up that insulting masquerade. Just don't get too attached to him and blow your cover this first night." Reizo and Manzo exited the room, and Manzo slowly shut the door. "Filthy okama..."
Kamatari flinched at the word. It's not like he hadn't heard it before. Rather than that he'd even embraced it at one point. But he found lately that it had been getting to him. Ever since the Battousai had killed his beloved Shishio, Kamatari no longer had quite the confidence and bravado he used to. He had very little care for life. He would certainly have committed suicide if Chou hadn't told him about Shishio's will. Now he knew he must live on for Shishio's sake, no matter how badly he sometimes wanted to die and join his love in Hell.
He finished the mound of paperwork left to him. The moment he made the last stroke of the pen he got up from his chair, stalking across the floor, and crashed into the bed in the next room. He pulled off his outer layer of clothing and covered himself in the sheets. This bed feels weird. Nothing like Japan at all. Another deep sigh rocked his exhausted body. I just need to focus on getting through this. Maybe I can get reassigned soon. An all-girls' school...I wonder what it will be like...
"So, are you supposed to officially welcome me? Show me around or something?" Kamatari grinned his brightest at the brunette.
"Well, no, not exactly. I can later, if you want." Yvette took the next seat over. "Do you mind if I sit here?"
"Of course not. It'd be my pleasure."
"Thank you. Your French is impeccable, by the way." Yvette smiled again. "How long have you been studying it?"
"Oh, I learned a long time ago. I just had to brush up on my skills before I came over."
"And...uhm...how long might you be staying?"
"I'm not sure. But I'll be around for a while." Kamatari looked into the brown eyes that had been staring at her for a while. "If you wouldn't mind showing me around later, I'd really appreciate it." Those same brown eyes lit up the moment he'd asked.
"I would be happy to. In fact there's this-"
"Students. Good Morning." An older woman who anyone could figure out to be the teacher stood before the room. "Today is more of a formality than an actual class. We have procedure and rules to discuss and I would like to put it behind us as soon as possible."
"I think that's the most boring thing that happened to me since I arrived in France." Kamatari grumbled as he walked beside Yvette down the street. "Half a day of nothing but trivial speeches telling us everything that we read in our enrollment materials."
"Yes, it is boring. You know Kamatari...you look quite feminine and demure, but you don't hesitate to speak your mind." She smiled again. "Is that common in your country?"
"Huh? Oh. Well...it depends on the person and the situation I guess. The same as anywhere. I'll try to refrain from it."
Yvette laughed.
"No, no. Don't. I like it. I think we could use more women who do the same." She stopped and motioned to a door. "This is it." What she meant by 'it' was a small cafe tucked neatly into a residential area. Yvette opened the door and all eyes turned to see them enter. All of said eyes belonged to women. A woman in her thirties waved at the two from behind a counter.
"Yvette! Welcome back! Nice to see you staying in school."
"Hello Audrey. The place hasn't changed since last term, has it? Still the same?"
"No, no. Nothing's changed except that I've gotten older." Audrey's face perked up even more as she noticed the second guest. "Who's your foreign friend? She's cute."
"My name is Kamatari. It's very nice to meet you, Audrey." Kamatari introduced himself.
"Oh! She speaks French! That's a surprise. Well, there's a table right here so we can catch up. Why don't the two of you take a seat and I'll be right with you."
"Thank you, Audrey," Yvette replied. "Come sit next to me, Kamatari." Kamatari nodded and set himself down in the indicated chair. "I hope you like it here. It's close to campus and it's for women only, so I'm pretty comfortable being here."
"It has a very nice atmosphere. You must come here often." Yvette giggled a bit in response to the suggestion Kamatari made.
"Yeah, here and one other place. Still the other place doesn't serve coffee like Audrey's. Do you drink coffee, Kamatari?"
"Ah...er...I've had it. To be honest it was a little much for me." He bashfully itched the back of his head, trying not to indicate dislike for something his new friend had said she liked so much.
"Even with cream and sugar?" Yvette looked a little surprised.
"Eh? You put sugar in it...?" Yvette just blinked. "Uhm...to be honest I prefer tea."
"Oh, I see. I quite like tea as well. You simply must try the blend of Earl Grey that Audrey has imported—it's fantastic."
"Earl Grey, huh?"
"Do you not like Earl Grey...?" Yvette's face had become concerned, as if she was worrying that she'd chosen a bad location for their first outing.
"N-no! Actually, it's my favorite!" That's a lie, he thought. I prefer green tea, especially some refreshing sencha. But I suppose I should learn to like black from now on...
"Oh good. And anyway, what good is tea without sweets, right?" Her face springing right back to its previous happy expression, Yvette picked up the sheet on the table that had the menu items listed on it. She took a cursory glance, deciding quickly. And then she stood up from the table. "I have to use the restroom. I'll be right back." She walked down the hallway leading to the rear of the cafe, Audrey catching her on her way out of the kitchen.
"So? Is that girl-"
"What?! No, Audrey, no. Of course not." Yvette looked away, back toward where she had left Kamatari sitting. "I'm just showing her around. That's all."
"Well, it is unusual to see you spending time with anyone your own age. Minus the twins of course. And I never would have expected to see you with a foreigner."
"See? I told you. She's just a friend." Yvette left Audrey to her work and used to the restroom, returning to Kamatari minutes later. Audrey was standing at the table, making idle conversation with the girl as Yvette returned to her seat.
"So, shall I bring your usual order, Yvette?"
"Yes, please."
"And you, miss Kamatari?"
"I was recommended to try the Earl Grey."
"Excellent choice. And since it's your first time here, why don't I add some small sweets on the side? For free, of course." She winked at Yvette, who rolled her eyes, and then left the younger girls to fetch their orders.
"I apologize if she was obnoxious and overly talkative, Kamatari. She's just like that, I'm afraid." Yvette sighed.
"It's perfectly alright. I don't mind. You have a very nice friend, Yvette."
Yvette smiled again, showing she was more at ease, and Kamatari could make out the hints of blush on his friend's cheeks.
"You know, I'd like it if I could also consider you a friend, Kamatari." Yvette's blush spread even further. "I feel like we could be good friends. What do you think?"
Kamatari was somewhat taken aback by Yvette's frankness. The request was rather sudden. Nobody in Japan specifically came out and said such things after only half a day, if ever at all. Actually, I don't think I remember anyone ever wanting to be my friend. At least, no one who didn't have ulterior motives. It is part of my mission to befriend these sorts of girls. I don't see why not.
"I would be honored if you would consider me a friend, Yvette. I also think the two of us could become very good friends."
For the second time in a day, Yvette's face glowed brightly in appreciation. She looked like she was about to say something when Audrey approached the table once again, carrying their orders.
"Here you are, ladies. Two Earl Grey teas, one with cookies, and a strawberry tart. I also brought the milk, cream, and sugar for Yvette." She shot the brunette a glance. "I know you like sweet things. Enjoy." Audrey left the two to their food.
"Well, how is the tea?" Yvette changed the subject as she mixed her own with milk and sugar. Kamatari sipped his own and tried to suppress his reaction. It's so much more bitter than I'm used to! I miss green tea!
"It's nice. Though I think I'd like to try it with sugar. Maybe some milk." Yvette grinned, figuring out at last that Kamatari had never actually had Earl Grey before. She said nothing though, preferring to watch her classmate struggle through the cup slowly. Kamatari on the other had now knew that she knew, but kept quiet. Real smooth, Kamatari. She saw through you much too quickly. Some undercover agent you're turning out to be!
"So where is it you're staying, Kamatari?" Yvette asked as the door to Audrey's swung closed behind them.
"Just a small apartment near campus."
"Is that it? I thought your studies were sponsored by your country's government. Surely they wouldn't house you in some kind of hovel, would they?"
"It's not so bad." I have lived in worse. "Well, I should probably be going back there."
"Shall I walk you there, then? I'd really like to see where you live."
"O-oh! No, no, it's still a mess. I haven't unpacked and I'd have nothing to offer you in the way of food..." Kamatari stopped, seeing Yvette's face droop.
"I see. I suppose that my presence could be a bother to you." The mission briefing Manzo gave him tugged at the back of Kamatari's mind, and he saw an opportunity.
"Well, perhaps I could come to your house sometime, then. I'm sure your home is beautiful." He must have made her happy to say so, because Yvette perked back up.
"Alright, then. It's decided. You'll come to my house soon. We'll set it up for when we both have free time. But!" Yvette became serious, leaning forward and pointing her finger into Kamatari's face. He was worried that she was about to make some unreasonable demand. "When you visit me, you are staying the night. I will hear to arguments. Got it?" Unsure what else to do with himself, Kamatari nodded. Yvette smiled again. "Good. Well then, I'll see you at school tomorrow. Goodnight." She waved a bit and walked off.
"Goodnight." Well, that went well enough. I made a friend on my very first day. Should keep that Manzo guy off my back. Smiling to himself and finding that he might be cut out for this kind of work after all, Kamatari walked back to his apartment.
After a bath and some time attending to his hair, Kamatari gladly slid back the sheets of his bed and climbed in. He simply stared at the ceiling, thinking. He had already put himself in a good position in regard to his mission. He had made a friend, and had even been promised an invitation to the girl's house. It was much faster than he would have expected, but this provided him the perfect opportunity to meet the father. He might even admit that he'd taken a liking to Yvette and her warm attitude towards him. Anything he could learn about the family and their business he could rub in Manzo's face for treating him like garbage. He grinned at his chance for payback, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.
The air was thick with the smell of blood and corpses. It was almost completely pitch black, but there was just enough glow from somewhere off in the distance to barely illuminate mounds of dead bodies dotting the horizon. It was a pale light, and it held no warmth in color or temperature. The dark and dank atmosphere was almost like that of a moist cave, though that could not be so as the ground was clearly dirt and there were no walls or ceiling to be seen. In this wasteland Kamatari found himself padding about, trying not to arouse the attention of anyone still left on the abandoned plain of battle. He looked skyward to try and orient himself, but there were no moon and stars above, nor were there clouds. There was...nothing.
"Damnit. Where am I? And what the hell is with these bodies left in piles?" He was whispering angrily to himself. The carnage was sickening, and the stench was getting to him just as much. "How do I get out of here...?" He wondered aloud.
"You get to leave after we finish talking, if you like," stated a deeper voice behind him. Kamatari froze, the voice sending shivers up and down his body. He never thought he'd hear that voice ever again. But it couldn't be true. "Hey! Do you intend to ignore me? You certainly would never get away with that when I was alive."
He whipped around. Standing there in front of him was a familiar face, wrapped in bandages that concealed burned skin. The muscular figure smiled at him confidently with an air of command. The man's eyes were intense, one could even say tinged with madness. But to Kamatari they were the eyes he had longed to meet with his gaze for so very long.
"Shishio...sama..." His breath caught in his throat. The burned man smirked with satisfaction.
"It's been a while, hasn't it Kamatari?"