Asylum Diaries
MysticShadowWanderer
Disclaimer: I've spent my whole life in love with despair...
Prologue
Kaoru's hands were pale and bloodless around the base of the black umbrella that protected her from the light rain. An involuntary sigh escaped her; It's a lovely day for a funeral, she thought as she stared absently at the warm brown earth in front of her. Who was in that dirt? She couldn't remember. Motherfatherbrothersister... it didn't matter. She didn't understand why she had to be with all these people, why they wouldn't leave her be. Strangers filed by her, the wide-eyed, childlike creature standing at the grave side, having stayed far longer than acceptable; these people, all familiar faces with no names, all the same, patted her on the back (she shuddered at their touches, but knew that she could not run from them), whispered formulated condolences, and she forgot the words as quickly as she forgot who they were here today to bury.
Parents, she told herself quickly, Today we tossed my parents into the ground like so much useless garbage.
Friends and family watched Kaoru curiously, and as they took their leaves, one by one, they shook their heads sadly. Something was not right about that girl. The tragedy had surely jounced her out of her right mind. And they left it at that. Kaoru had never had any close friends, though her late parents had been in contact with many of their own, and the family was comprised of distant relatives. To all of these people who had turned out on the grey, somber day, Kaoru was a complete mystery, and they were all far too busy with their own troubles to take the time to unravel her secrets.
Watching the dirt in total silence save for the soft, sweet rise and fall of her breath, Kaoru realized somewhere in the back of her mind that she was far too fascinated by this process. This Americanized way of dealing with death, this burial in a box, was enrapturing, and she eyed the soft ground as if at any moment the corpses of her parents might rise again. She wondered what they looked like now, what they would look like months, or even years, from now. A small smile crept across her face, and the few people that remained near her backed surreptitiously away before finally deciding to take their leave of the cemetery. Soon she was alone save for one shadowed figure that watched, arms crossed over his chest, from where he leaned against an ancient tree while near-breathless, hushed laughter began to ring from her pretty lips.
Kenshin didn't like to watch; he didn't like to see the aftermath of his work. But somehow he had become involved in a way he despised, so he stood in the back of the small group of people, ignoring the rain that stained his hair blood red and lent a freckled pattern to the weave of his expensive suit. He didn't watch the onlookers as they reverently placed roses on the shining coffins, instead he focused on the child of the two people he'd killed. She looked as though she belonged anywhere but here, like she was removed from the entire process. He'd seen grief before, knew how different people responded to death, but she seemed unaffected. And that caught his interest.
Her eyes were clear, deep blue and cold, almost blank, and they were attentive to the encased bodies before her. Sleek black hair that had been left loose, presumably for the occasion, spilled over her right shoulder as her head tilted in a manner that displayed intense concentration and reflection. Kenshin wondered what she was thinking that replaced all those emotions that she was supposed to be feeling upon the untimely deaths of her parents. Body language told him that she was overly tense, like a frightened animal ensnared, and he realized that she did not like being surrounded by so many people. How strange she was, and how perfect a picture she made in her tailored black skirt and jacket, with the rebellious red silk shirt glaring out from underneath as if to dare anyone to comment upon it. Blinking to clear his coolly distant amber eyes, he noted the sweep of her dark lashes against her porcelain cheek and the way her lips were pursed with displeasure. What a mystery this girl was; she was the complete opposite of what he'd known her parents to be. He had a new goal now, his own objective outside his job. He wanted to discover this fragile-looking woman's oddities for himself; his sights were set on Kamiya Kaoru.
A/N: Alright, I know I shouldn't have started a new story while I'm working on three others, but I don't care. This was compelling me to write it, so I listened. Ok, this might be... really disturbing. I'd give you the premise, but I don't want to ruin the story, so just beware. In case anyone cares to know, I've been listening to a lot of Otep while I've been writing this. Hopefully it won't get in the way of my other projects. Reviews are always lovely, my dears!