DisclaiMer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.
JeniNeji Comments:
Here is an update...hmm, well Im sorry, but my beta-reader is somewhat busy so this chapter is not edited. Sorry for the grammar. If there is a beta-reader with free time, please contact me.
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The Voice
4
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The guilt I can't wash away, never.
Leave me demon! Or…
Conscience.
God?
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How long had passed since he saw her for the first and last time? A week? Three weeks or a month?
A month.
Yes, albeit he had tried to make the illusion that he didn't care or didn't bother, he remembers. A month since she had been taken a way and a month since he had failed. Failed in what? He wasn't sure, but he knew he had.
This month has been weird and unexpected. He had more days off that people to murder and he had found the need to go out and kill something. Rapist…about to rape, vagabonds or simply drug sellers. He hadn't been able to get rid of the feeling of weakness, of helplessness. And it was starting to affect him.
These last days his sword no longer rested at the wall, he rested against the headboard of his bed with sword in arms. His long left habits had returned to him, stronger, sharper and deadlier.
This whole matter was scum. Katsura no longer answered his calls and well, he didn't answer his current partner either. It was only fair. Battousai had lost his name, his position and the company's trust. He was sure that they were already cowering at headquarters, fearing what he might do. As they should.
They had been right. This case had become as personal as the blood or the smell he carried. Still, leaving him out was not the smarter thing to do. He had believed them to be more sensible and more intelligent. Seems like he had given them too much credit.
He had no trouble with going over and kill a few of them. How many have he killed already? Over a thousand? Why would a few more rotting corpses matter?
Kaoru. She had been on that scoundrel's hands for a month. How many things he had done to her? How many times he had defiled her? Tasted her sweat? How many times had he hit her? Made her bleed?
He knew there was more than that. She was a mediator and she had been implanted with a series of mechanical devices on the back of her head, which served to save all her contacts information and enable her to connect to computers to communicate with the bureau. They were surely after the information she stored. It was a complicated system which needed costly programs to uncover them, but he doubted that a mafia boss lacked such resources.
She had become a hindrance, a menace, an enemy to the Company. He could only hope she had erased everything before going to the mission…or that she didn't store anything too important.
Was she even alive?
It burned him to think of that. It had been his fault, it was because she was his partner. If she was someone else's partner she would have simply being ignored or killed. She would have been tortured so long. It was his fault.
His fault.
His fault.
Because he had killed Yukishiro Tomoe, a witness.
Snarling out loud and slashing at the objects surrounding him, he managed to gain some control over his crazed self. He needed to go away, he needed to kill someone, he needed to find her or get drunk or cry.
He needed to get out of his apartment! Now!
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The bar was filled with excitement, and sadly, people. Sometimes it was odd, in a bar full of people no one noticed you, in an empty one all eyes were on you. This was the thought that Battousai tried to engrave on his mind to remain in this noisy place.
With great skills he made his way through the bar at the end of the club without touching or being touched by anyone. It was necessary, he was not in the mood for people, he was not in the mood to be annoyed or seduced. He was in the mood, for the first time in a decade, to drink all the sake he could find and loose consciousness.
It was with a blank face and dull sense that he finally settled on an empty boot and looked at the straight line of liquors bottles at the wall, searching for one to call out to him. None did.
"Hey, my friend" Kamatari's lively voice and smile greeted him "Aren't we seeing ourselves too often lately?" the womanly bartender asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Back off Kamatari" the low menacingly voice of Battousai replied. His cold amber eyes glared at the tall bartender in front of him. "Do you have sake here?" Battousai asked after once again glaring at the colorful bottles resting against the wall.
A small chuckle left Kamatari and his eyes turned apologetic "Sorry, I had" Kamatari said with mirth "I have a suicidal client today. I think she's trying to overdose herself in alcohol and die" he joked and signaled to a girl reclined against the counter a few boots away and smiled once again "In fact, I even wonder if it's possible" the bartender said as he looked up while drying a glass.
"Do not joke with those things" Battousai growled out, obviously not in the mood "That's disgusting" he commented and then sighed "Give me whatever crap exists that can take this foulness of me" those had been the most honest words he had said this last month. He fucking didn't care any more, he was tired of not saying how angry he felt. He was Battousai and no one could kill him off, it was foolish to hide these things.
Kamatari smirked amusedly and turned to the line of bottles "You know what are we going to do darling?" the affeminated man said with a grin "We are going to mix a little of everything here…I am sure you are strong enough to handle it" he challenged the renowned assassin as he began to pour a little of everything he could come up to on a wide crystal glass.
Battousai watched as Kamatari happily began to shake the drink and he could see the overdosed girl at his side turning to face Kamatari wearily. He could only see a little of her through the corner of his eyes, but someone as foolish as her didn't deserve his attention, so he proceeded to ignore her.
"Here you go!" Kamatari said lively, dramatically placing the drink in front of the red haired assassin "Good luck".
Battousai looked at the drink for a moment before taking it with confidence. He smelt the drink and instantly scowled at the coating scent of strong alcohol. Taking a deep breath he pressed the glass to his mouth and began to drink. A strangled moan escaped his throat as the liquid burned its way down and burned his lips. After ten seconds he had drowned the entire drink and paced the glass forcefully against the counter.
Kamatari clasped his hand proudly and grinned at the short man in front of him "You have no equal, my friend" the bartender praised and laughed "Anything else is on the house tonight" Kamatari offered and moved to attend some other, impatient, clients.
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Kogoro Katsura stared at the other occupants of the room silently. Not wanting to say anything and resigned to what he knew was going to come.
"What has happen with the white tiger?" a man asked evenly, reclined against his chair.
"The matter is being taken care of" another replied "We are tying down his drug deals with Japan…it had leaked more than we had really anticipated" the man informed with a guarded voice "However, there are more pressing matters".
"Battousai has become useless" a man had commented with aggravation "He's no longer collared".
"It's a shame" another said nervously "He is the best assassin on Aku-Soku-San".
A silence engulfed the place "It was a bad idea to pair him after all…even when they seemed to work so good together. This has become a major problem".
"The girl has probably blurted all the information she held and her hardware also" the first man once again spoke "Her signal had appeared on Japan again, paranoid, never stopping…she knows we know".
"We must get rid of her Katsura-sama" another voiced "She's just putting our company at risk and still confusing the Battousai. Maybe if we tell him she's was killed he would return" the man suggested.
The room was silent and Katsura took the word "The girl is the last Master descendant of the sword style Kamiya Kasshin, if we kill her, it would be lost forever" he explained "Even so, do you still want to end her life?" he asked the heads of Aku-Soku-San.
"Yes" they voiced "We would send and assassin tonight".
Katsura slumped his shoulder and after a sigh stood abruptly, showing his rejection at the plan "Be prepared…if Battousai snaps…you will need the strongest assassins to stop him".
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"Kamatari-san" the soft voice of an obviously drunk woman called. Her black haired head was resting against her right shoulder, giving Battousai her back. She was the ultimate image of depression.
The always smiling face of Kamatari closed on her and he placed his hand in a comforting act over hers "What do you need little one?"
"I want that drink" she said weakly "The one you prepared especially for that man…" she pouted "…the one from before…the big glass" she continued describing vaguely.
Kamatari raised and amused eyebrow and glanced at the Battousai with a pinched smile "Baby, I think you have drink enough" Kamatari said softly "Maybe you should go home…I can hail a cab for you sweetheart".
Her eyes widened darkly and she jumped from her chair. It seemed as if all the alcohol she had drowned instantly faded "Do not call me that" she growled with a feral glare "I hate it" she said through gritted teeth "call me Kaoru" she whispered and as if all her strength was drained from her once again stumbled over the counter "and I can't go back home…not anywhere…they will find me" she sobbed.
Kamatari's soft face changed to frightened with her sudden snap, to then pitiful "I'm sorry little one" the bartender soothingly said "Maybe you can stay at my place…or here" he offered with a sad smile.
The girl shook her head slowly "I don't need a place to sleep…I need that drink" she said impatiently "Come one, give it to me Kamatari, I'll pay you" she pleaded.
Kamatari sighed and began to make the original but uncreative drink. He met eyes with Battousai who was looking at him warily "I'm not drinking that" Battousai's cold voice warned.
Kamatari smiled uneasily "Don't worry…is for our little suicidal" the bartender said tersely "I am betting she had a run away groom, girl is to pretty to have another problem" Kamatari said with a shrug of his shoulders "Want a refill of that?"
Battousai nodded numbly. He was wearing a black tight shirt with black jeans…and he liked passing unnoticed on these crowds. Actually he has always liked black…and red. His eyes turned to Kamatari as he handed the girl the ultimate drink. The girl had sat straight and slowly took the drink between her hands. She looked at it as if she were about to drink water with a dead fish in it, he smirked. She had fire, there was no doubt that she dreaded the drink in front of her, but was still planning to drink it. A suicidal all right. "Are you sure about this?" he heard Kamatari ask the young woman who nodded. She slowly pressed the glass to her little lips and her eyes pressed together and she took a tentative sip. She quickly scowled and stuck out her tongue on distaste, making his grin even wider. However, he watched in fascination as she once again sipped, this time a bigger portion. She definitely had guts.
Kamatari's eyes suddenly left the hilarious girl and stared straight ahead. A frown marked his usually smooth features and he stood up straighter. The audacious and usually brave bartender shifted nervously and began to dry glasses again.
This made the impressive assassin turn to the crowd curiously. A suspicious looking man was making his way towards the bar. His moves were smooth, though he had seen many move with much more grace, but what caught his attention was the pair of guns strapped at his chest and the long knife.
Battousai had seen many things on his life, right, he was an assassin. However, he had never seen an assassin display himself so much…what was happening with youngsters? He smirked, if the man thought he was going to kill Kamatari he had it wrong, he wasn't about to let the bartender who gave him free drinks die so easily. This was just what he needed, a way to relieve his stress.
It came as a complete surprise when the suicidal woman at his side chuckled darkly "Didn't I told you Kamatari…I couldn't go home…but they still found me" the thin black haired girl giggled. She slid down from her booth with a feline gracefulness and stood straight, her high heel black boots clinging against the dark blue tiles of the club.
Battousai watched with stunned fascination as the incoming assassin stopped and took on one of his guns and pointed it to the woman's forehead "You are charged with treason and I have come to deliver the sentence" the man informed on a incredible rough voice, making it hard to understand him at all. The crowd screamed and hurriedly parted from the assassin's path, however, the young suicidal didn't move at all.
The petite girl laughed and her blue eyes pierced the assassin in front of her "I don't think so" she countered with a mocking voice and disappeared.
Battousai was electrified, mystified by her. Her speed and movements were coldly calculated and controlled. Something he had never believe the intoxicated woman had been capable of even sober. But the fact was that she was currently standing over the paralyzed assassin with two straight fingers pointing to the roof as if mimicking a gun clearly told otherwise.
"I won't allow myself to be killed by a petty assassin…warn your mediator" she said sultrily "I will be killed by one of the best…be sure of that" she said with a cruel smirk and knelt down and after pressing a certain point on the man's neck sent him into oblivion.
The crowd stared at the 5'2 female with appreciation, and so did he. How the hell that happened? He must have drink too much to have missed her fighter's ki…or maybe she was too drunk to have one. He didn't want to think that he was loosing his instinct because that would mean his defeat, and Hitokiri Battousai was never going to be defeated.
He watched as the woman once again walked towards the bar to an agape Kamatari. He saw her soft smile and the sensuous way she tilted her head to the side "I'm sorry Kamatari" she began soothingly and placed some dollars over the counter "I better leave…don't want to cause any more trouble" she smiled apologetically.
Kamatari remained silent, too astounded to actually say anything and the girl bowed slightly and turned to leave when Kamatari reacted. "Don't go Kaoru, let me give you a coffee before you leave" the bartender pleaded with concern.
"Kaoru?" the awed whisper left Battousai's lips and he was met with a pair of heads turning his way. Suspicious blue eyes and concerned brown ones.
"Don't hurt her" pleaded Kamatari nervously as he looked between the two.
Kaoru's blue eyes became cold and she shifter her hips just so. She looked at the slender red-haired man with calculating eyes and smirked knowingly.
He was ultimately tempted by her eyes, her moves and the skill behind them all. Was this the woman he had been thinking about incessantly the last month? If she was…it was worth it.
He watched as she walked closer to him, her steps smooth and wickedly alluring, very confident about her body and beauty. He felt his body flinch knowingly and a soft sigh left his slightly open lips. He wasn't sure if she was a goddess or a very enticing demoness…he didn't know if he really cared.
"Do you know that thug?" her lovely voice asked as she finally closed the bridge between them, standing just inches in front of him.
His amber eyes glazed a little as the scent of flowers mixed with alcohol reached his nostrils, however, her little hands pushing against his tights and she coming even closer to him made him let go of a deep surprised breath. She was definitely a very sexy devil!
"I know you" he breathed out and smiled as she tilted her head with a smile on her face. In a quick move he snaked his hand behind her head and trapped her lips with his, taking full advantage of her nearness and tilted head. He felt her impatiently opening her mouth and with even more impatience he dug inside, finally allowing his tongue to accomplish one of the many things it had wanted to do this last month. Just one…He felt her hands clenching his shirt and forcefully pulling him towards her and he doubled a little to give in on her demands. He wasn't a man who usually allowed women to take control, but given the circumstances…he was in a very good mood.
After he felt the nerves below his tongue began to ache he pulled away from her, and she let out a throaty sound of protest and pushed herself against him, trying to catch his lips again. He smirked at her, the whole play enticing him further.
"If you can't go to your house" he managed to voice out coherently "you are welcome in mine. Tonight. Tomorrow and if your good…the day after as well" he offered with a smirk. He felt his breath catch up on his lungs as she slipped closer to him and nibbled on his ear.
"Understood. Battousai, sir"
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To be continued
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Jenineji's Note:
Please, if there is a beta reader interested in helping me out, contact me. I will appreciate it greatly, chapter 5 is already finished, it only needs to be beta-edited.
Please, comment!