The Illusion of Normal

Part 8: The Grand Scheme of Things

Did Kenshin agree with the idea of working at a flower shop? No, he did not, he was hardly able to keep his head up let alone deal with the increasing number of people. He watched from the table as Ran did the reopening of the flower shop, the papers were on there and soon Omi was teaching Kenshin the finer points of being a florist.

Kenshin had hated this point of his life, he sat down looking around the girls who came and went, some were talking to Omi while others were still talking about how cute Kenshin looked. Blushing from behind Ken and Yohji who were now trying their best to shelter him, one thing Ken finally had enough. "That's it! Leave him alone right now, can't you see he's not feeling well," Ken walked up and put his hands on Kenshin's shoulders. "Come on, this is really not good for you. Come up to the apartment and rest."

The apartment of Weiss was not what Kenshin would expect, it was clean and well kept, the living room had a good sized Television on it, a couch, it looked almost like the pictures Kenshin saw in magazines. He sat down on the couch with a huff and saw Ken looking at him. "Sorry, when I see people doing that it gets on my nerves. Maya-chan used to have that happen all the time when she came to stay with us before she got sick. And when I see it happen to you, I don't want you to fall into that."

"This one didn't mean to be in the way," Kenshin just whispered.

"What? No way, you're not in the way at all," Ken laughed sitting down next to him. "It is just that look you gave Omi was the same look Maya-chan used to give me. She was never good in a crowd. So I thought you needed a little escape."

"How is Maya-dono?" Kenshin asked and saw Ken's eyes look wounded.

"She's doing better, but her vision is still giving her trouble. It isn't fair, she never deserved what happened to her," Ken walked off and smiled. "Just don't worry, she'll get better eventually. I am sorry that Callesto-san disappeared, I hope you find her."

As Kenshin was left in the apartment, he knew his empathy abilities were coming through, he let a gasp and just lay on the couch. Why now? Of all days why? He thought this and lay there, he remembered this was also how he reached Callesto. He fought through the series of emotions, only to find the faintest of flicker, but soon it was bombarded with something, something much more dark than he expected. He saw Callesto standing holding herself, she was crying inside her room. They made her use it again to find out the truth of someone's emotions, if only I was there to comfort her, he opened his eyes to see Ran looking down at him.

"Are you okay?" Ran asked.

"I tried to find Callesto-dono, but even with me being like that, it doesn't work," Kenshin sat up slowly and shook his head. "All I know is they made her do it again and it hurt her, that it did." He felt helpless, he felt scared for her. "This one must find her."

"I know," Ran walked away. "Let's get you back to the Dojo."

Crawford's use of Callesto was limited, he would not allow her much access to it, and though he had wanted her hidden at the Kamiya Dojo, the fact remained that Eszette were becoming interested in Kenshin. He let his eyes move to the painting, he sighed letting it hang in her room. "Damn this, now they're aware of him too," he whispered and made a face. He wanted Kenshin not involved in this fight, he had decided to go double agent when Kritiker offered Callesto safety.

"It is my fault," he walked into her room and she was sitting on the bed, her hands on her face. "I'm not sure if I should say a…"

"He's dead, isn't he? My powers killed him," she shook her head. "It was just like with that doctor at the school. Bradley, I can't keep doing this. I'm not like you or Schuldich."

"Callesto, you'll be free soon, I promise, and you and Kenshin will never see this," he touched her face and shook his head. I hate using her, I hate even the idea of making her do this, she's an asset, but at what cost. Family comes before all else. This is what that boy, Fujimiya is feeling, his sister is a pawn too.

He walked into his office and his eyes were on the desk, he saw Aya's file, he touched it and then looked down. "I'm not doing this to a young girl!" He whispered this and walked into the hall. "Eszette wants Fujimiya's sister."

"You're kidding me!" Schuldich walked up to inspect what was written, he was glaring at it. "Why?" he then saw another file, one concealed under it. "Kenshin too?"

"I don't know why they are interested in him," Crawford gave a sigh and walked away. "So far, Kenshin will come to us, rather us come to him. Let Callesto guide him to us."

Schuldich walked by and made a face. "I don't want Kenshin involved, neither do you, what can you do against orders. These orders didn't come from just Eszette is it?"

"They come from Rozen Kreuz, the scientists there have become very interested in Kenshin and I would rather protect him from that." Crawford walked to the end of the hall and waited for Schuldich to follow him out. "We are to inform Kritiker of the threat on Kenshin's life, but we must also be aware, we can't give away our motives. We were ordered by Persia to complete this without much recourse."

"Yeah, but what of Nagi and Farfarello, they're still under Eszette's influence." The German's eyes moved making a face. "I can still play the role, but we are looking at almost killing our cover."

"Remember the original Schwarz was founded on the principle of double agent assassins. We take our orders and we follow through, even if it makes us the villains. As I remember it, the Shinsengumi had to do the same thing during some missions in the Bakumatsu."

"Listen, I have no care for history like you, and I don't care if you and your sister are related to that Haijime Saitou guy who founded the Kritiker agency." Schuldich whispered and crossed her arms. "I will follow the orders, but if Eszette finds out we betrayed them, it's on all our heads."

Kenshin woke with a start, he looked around the dojo, something filled him with dread, he walked into the hall to find that the alter to Kaoru was left open. He knelt down lighting the incense and clapped his hands together praying, then closing it, he made his way to the front door. He heard nothing really, just the night birds, then the sound of an owl, he turned his attention to the gate, something was wrong, something was horribly wrong.

Then he whispered, "Kikono-dono, something is wrong with your little son, that there is, I can feel it." He made his way to the gate and saw Ran carrying Omi inside, the boy was coughing. He silently saw Ken and Yohji arguing.

"You screwed up, now look what happened to Omi!" Ken yelled, he was not aware that Kenshin could hear him.

"Look, how was I to know about the freaking labs were military based and were once used for chemical warfare, huh? I couldn't have known…" Yohji stammered.

"Like that bitch, Nue was going to try to kill us all, she used you! Just admit it, she's not the woman you were in love with," Ken was about to continue when Kenshin finally said something.

"If you don't mind, this one will attend to Omi's injuries, come in when you decide to act like adults," Kenshin's voice was cold and distant, he walked into the dojo and into one of the rooms. A futon was unrolled and Omi was moaning softly. The smell of fresh blood and also something much worse caused Kenshin to let out a gasp. "Take those two home, leave Omi here."

"What do you intend to do?" Ran looked gravely at him.

"Omi is going to be sick, but his blood is infected with something I don't know," Kenshin whispered and he reached out to touch the boy's forehead. Instinct was taking over a little. "I have to purge the infection."

Ran knew that by the end, Omi would be just like him, a vampire. He turned his head. "Are you sure that Kritiker doctors…"

"They will be too slow to respond, by then Omi will dead," the former samurai's eyes were serious and narrowed a little. "Let Omi rest here…he is cousin after all to you, even if you do not accept the Takatori side. Omi is still Kikono's son."

Ran nodded and went outside, he told Ken and Yohji that Omi would be fine in Kenshin's care.

As soon as the room was empty, Kenshin was now responding to instinct, he sighed thinking. How does one save him? He touched Omi's forehead and remembered how he saved Ran at the hospital after being injured from the exposition that killed his parents and put Aya-chan into a coma. He brought Omi up into his arms and whispered something into the boy's ear. "You're very ill, Omi, this one must purge the poison from your blood. If I don't, you could die," he whispered taking Omi's shirt off, he touched the left shoulder feeling the pulse. "I'm sorry." He bit, he heard Omi's yelp, he felt the boy's body jolt a little and then fall against his chest.

Don't fight me, Mamoru, don't hate me for what I'm doing to you, Kenshin's thoughts merged with Omi's mind. He could feel the boy's eyes flutter a little and he could hear his breathing. Try to control yourself, if you over do this, it could kill the both of us. Kenshin didn't know if that was true, he felt Omi's body relax as he drank, he could feel the heartbeat growing faint, then he rested Omi's head against his shoulder, he made a soft cut on the nape of his neck. Mamoru, open your eyes…please, let me see your blue eyes. I need you to do what I tell you. He saw Omi's eyes open, the lights were dimming and his eyes were turning grey.

Opening Omi's mouth with his fingers, Kenshin brushed the wound letting his blood go into the boy's mouth. Drink, you have to drink my blood to live, if you don't you will die, he let his merged mind melt a little into Omi's consciousness. Slowly Omi started to suck on the wound, he could feel the confusion and the feeling of fear fill him.

I can't do this, Kenshin-kun, please…it hurts, Omi was crying a little as he realized what was happening he felt his body pushing against the wound. Why are you making me do this?

Kikono-dono would not want me to abandon you, neither would Ran or anyone else that cares about you. I hate doing this, but you're a Himura, Kenshin brushed the boy's hair from his eyes letting the boy drink more, the eyes were turning a dark yellow. "I'm sorry, Omi. I never wanted to awaken the curse that could pass out of you." He whispered and stroked his hair.

As soon as the crisis passed, Kenshin let the boy rest, he walked into the hall and leaned on the wall, his eyes closing. "You couldn't stop him from becoming like us, could you? You knew it could have passed him by," Ran walked up. "Now he's just like us."

"That mission was botched from the start, you have only yourselves to blame. If you ever do that again, I'll throttle all of you," Kenshin glared, he let the Battosai out enough to make a point. "I am not a violent person, but I can be…"

"I know you can be, but what…" Ran felt his body going stiff, he had never thought to challenge Kenshin like this, not like this. He knew better, he knew what would happen if both were angry enough. He went to check on Omi only to have his ancestor blocking the way.

"Let him rest, his body is adjusting and it will take a few hours before he will be able to join you three again."

The first lesson Omi learned when he woke was eating was not an option anymore, he sat staring at the white bottle set in front of him. He blinked and looked up as Kenshin watched from the tatami mat next the futon. "The first time is always the hardest," he heard Kenshin's voice, he also saw the knife. "If you can't drink the animal blood, I will wean you to it if I have to."

"I can do this," Omi reached for the bottle, then felt his hand shake, he tried to drink only to choke, he was coughing and staring at it. "What's wrong with me?"

He watched Kenshin's expression change. "It's too soon for you to drink it, that's my guess," he saw him take a knife cutting his wrist, then Omi bolted forward fastening his mouth to the wound sucking on it. He was gasping a little and sucked harder, he felt Kenshin wince, then felt his hand holding him onto the wound.

"Easy, easy," he heard Kenshin pulling him off. "I know you want more, but this one needs to get blood too."

The door opened and saw Ran walking in, he was setting down some of Omi's clothes and then the boy blinked. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean…"

"Ken and Yohji said they were sorry," Ran said shortly and walked to his room, he was still getting upset regarding what happened to Omi.

"Give him time," Kenshin watched the reaction, then saw Omi gazing at him. "It isn't your fault."

"It's because he found out he was cousins with the Takatori, isn't it?" Omi turned his head and looked down. "I don't mind that Ran-kun hates me, but really is it really my fault that…" He sat starting at the bottle of blood. "I'm sorry, Kenshin-kun, I don't know if I could ever get used to being your so-many great-grandson."

"I don't think on it," Kenshin touched his head. "I remember Kikono-dono said the same thing about being my so many great granddaughter. She had always thought I was just a cousin of sorts, then when she found out the truth, it was like I had hurt her. Yet, when she had you, it was the greatest joy in her life. The lights in her eyes were bright, then I realized the truth, Shuichi-san begged me never to tell you or Reiji. Yet, your grandfather knew the truth, he told me he should have never allowed Reiji to marry Kikono." He looked sadly down at a photograph of little Mamoru in his lap. "Omi, you must forgive this one."

Omi stared down at the photograph of himself as a small child sitting in Kenshin's lap, the child was smiling up. "Gomen, Kenshin-kun, you must have really love Ka-san, huh?"

"I raised her from the time she was a small child of six with her twin brother, Kyo. She was sixteen when she met Reiji and Shuichi and both fought of her. She hated that they could never get along," Kenshin smiled touching the picture of Kikono, then turned his attention as Ran came in.

"I'm going to move Omi into the Dojo, I don't think it will be safe for him, and I'm worried about him biting anyone," Ran said this almost like he had a great deal of concern over this. "Omi…are you going to continue with school?"

"I am," Omi glared at him and shook his head. "I'm not a danger to anyone."

That was when Kenshin made his own thoughts. "Let him stay in school, Ran." He got up and to speak only to have Ran walk away again. "I wish you wouldn't treat Omi like this."

Watching from the table, Omi looked down, he blinked, he stood up walked around his new found bedroom. Kenshin and Ran had left him well enough alone to adjust, he went over to a cabinet and found two gis folded up, he blinked and opened it. He found that the soft yellow gi and a blue almost black hakama. He smiled a little and gazed around the room, he found a photograph, then blinked. "This was Yahiko's room," he turned his head to see Ran walking in. "Don't let Kenshin catch you trying those on, they're ancient and falling apart. These are his memories and that's all Kenshin has." He put his hand on the cabinet closing it, then he turned his head. "The dresser over by the door is where you can put your clothes."

"Ran-kun, gomen," the boy bowed his head, his eyes were down, that was when Ran stopped.

"Stop say that," Ran put a small box down and shook his head. "You're not Takatori Mamoru, you Himura Omi now." He walked toward the door, he let his head move to the side. "Don't hurt Kenshin."

"I won't, I would never hurt him," Omi looked down. "How did you become a vampire?"