DISCLAIMER: If you know them, I do not own them ^_^
A flash of lighting illuminated the dark gray rolling clouds overhead and cast long dancing shadows on a scrambling samurai, blood-soaked and severely wounded. Despite the blood flowing wounds, the samurai gripped his katana determinedly. Seconds later a pair of amber eyes emerged from the darkness, ice cold eyes that seem to light up the surroundings with their own eerie glow. Now, a look of fear crossed the samurai's eyes.
"W-What do you want?"
"Your death is needed to bring upon a new and better era." The sound of a whistling blade cut followed the emotionless reply and there was a sudden bright gleam as the thunder swallowed the death cry of yet another warrior.
From the shadows beyond, a young child stared in horror as his father fell to the ground with a dull thud and a pool of blood began to form under the corpse. "Father…I will avenge you."
"KENSHIN!" A loud bellow echoed across the dojo's backyard.
The long hair samurai looked up from his laundry in surprise and muttered, "Oro?" Then watched curiously as his friend, Sanosuke sprint across the yard.
"They opened a new gambling hall downtown and a lot of people have gathered there. I need your Hiten Mitsurugi reading technique if I am going to win big!" Without waiting for a reply, Sanosuke grabbed Kenshin by his ponytail and took off for the gambling hall with a spiral eyed Kenshin bouncing on the road behind with every step.
Upon reaching their destination, Sanosuke roughly kicked opened the doors and grinned broadly at the startled gamblers. "We're here Kenshin! …Kenshin?" Looking over his shoulder, Sanosuke spied an extremely beat up Kenshin. "What happened to you?" Sanosuke jerked the banged-up samurai to his feet and dusted him off. "Come on…I need your eyes to win big," Sanosuke whined petulantly.
Kenshin pulled his wits together and sighed, "Sano…how many times do I have to tell you, I do not gamble."
"You're not gambling, you are merely facilitating my process of winning."
The tall street fighter narrowed his eyes as his short companion turned to leave. "If you don't help me, I swear I will tell Kaoru that you are having an affair with Megumi!"
Kenshin stared at his friend, eyes wide in aghast. "T-That's blackmail and also a lie!"
Sanosuke shrugged, "Hey, I spent half my life doing illegal things. What else is new? Besides, truth or not, you know how Kaoru is going to react." With that retort, he turned and headed towards a table where multitudes of earnest gamblers were gathered. "You're smart Kenshin, think about it."
Kenshin stood gaping after Sanosuke while pondering his options; help Sanosuke win and go against his morals or go home and later face the fearsome wrath of the fiery woman. Kenshin gulped, let out a defeated sigh, and hastened to follow Sanosuke.
"Kenshin? Sanosuke? What are you guys doing here?"
Kenshin and Sanosuke whirled around to spy Misao with a mountain of coins and the ever-present Aoshi quietly watching over her.
"This is the last place I would have expected to find you Aoshi." Kenshin remarked, smiling slightly.
"Misao wanted to buy a few things before we left back to Kyoto and sort of ran out of money. We might need to spend one more night at your lodging." Aoshi arched an eyebrow, asking the wordless question.
Misao remained quiet (remarkably) and shifter her weight from one side to the other, waiting for Kenshin's answer.
"Our dojo will always be open to the Oniwabanshuu."
Misao cheered as Aoshi gave Kenshin a silent nod of appreciation.
Two hours later, the group of four left the gambling house carrying large sacks filled up with cash. Together they headed back to the dojo with Misao chatting animatedly all the way. When they reach the dojo, Kenshin knocked cautiously on the door. The effect was immediate. Abruptly the doors burst opened and Kenshin was knocked violently to the ground.
"Oro!"
An extremely angry Kaoru swept Kenshin to his feet and shook him violently. "Where were you the whole day? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
"Gomen ne…Sano dragged me off for some private business."
Kaoru shrugged, anger fleeing as quickly as it came. "Oh yeah, dinner is ready and the Chief is here to see you."
"Oro?"
"He said he had some information that you might want to hear."
Kenshin nodded and quietly stole away to the waiting room where the extremely nervous Chief was sitting and closed the door gently behind him. "Is something wrong?"
"A young man with a large group of followers had within one week ravaged two cities and is now rumored to be heading towards this one. From what my spies told me, his name is Yami Kageno, the son of the renowned samurai, Chikara Kageno." The Chief brushed a hand through his hair in agitation. "I sent out many spies through out the city, but they have uncovered nothing."
Kenshin froze at the name Chikara Kageno and the images of the spectacular duel against the Shadow Master fifteen years ago rose in his mind. Out of all the warriors he had ever faced, Chikara Kageno was by far the best. The samurai had been the fourth leader of the Nightstalkers, yet another powerful clan from the past who mastered the Shadow Blade Kenjutsu and Chikara had been one of the assignments for the Hitokiri Battoussai. Unlike all those who had perished without a fight, Chikara had matched the Hitokiri speed for speed and skill for skill. It was not until the great Shadow Master slipped on a puddle, when he fell victim to the Double Dragon Flash. Even then, the samurai refused to submit to death until the Hitokiri lay down the final fatal stroke.
"What about Detective Hajime?"
"I couldn't find anything." A cold voice drawled from the shadows behind Kenshin.
Kenshin nodded without turning around, acknowledging his former enemy and partner against Enishi. "We meet again Saitou Hajime."
"Indeed, Battoussai. A master of the shadows is hard to find. I'm sure you will find him a worthy opponent."
Kenshin nodded again, "Chikara was a worthy opponent for the Hitokiri Battoussai. If his son has any of his father's skills, he will be worthy indeed. I will seek him out."
After Saitou and the Chief left, Kenshin sat alone for a long time in deep thought, absently sipping his tea. Upon hearing a quiet rustling, he looked up to see Aoshi entering. "The blood of the past always return to haunt us. You must cut off the source to prevent vengeance from hunting the Hitokiri."
Kenshin closed his eyes and sighed, "If Yami is anything like Chikara, and I fear that I will not survive this battle."
There was a long silence following Kenshin's remark, broken when Aoshi got up to leave. As he reached the door, Aoshi gazed at Kenshin over his shoulder. "We will not let you die, Himura Kenshin." With that firm promise, Aoshi left the room.
A flash of lighting illuminated the dark gray rolling clouds overhead and cast long dancing shadows on a scrambling samurai, blood-soaked and severely wounded. Despite the blood flowing wounds, the samurai gripped his katana determinedly. Seconds later a pair of amber eyes emerged from the darkness, ice cold eyes that seem to light up the surroundings with their own eerie glow. Now, a look of fear crossed the samurai's eyes.
"W-What do you want?"
"Your death is needed to bring upon a new and better era." The sound of a whistling blade cut followed the emotionless reply and there was a sudden bright gleam as the thunder swallowed the death cry of yet another warrior.
From the shadows beyond, a young child stared in horror as his father fell to the ground with a dull thud and a pool of blood began to form under the corpse. "Father…I will avenge you."
"KENSHIN!" A loud bellow echoed across the dojo's backyard.
The long hair samurai looked up from his laundry in surprise and muttered, "Oro?" Then watched curiously as his friend, Sanosuke sprint across the yard.
"They opened a new gambling hall downtown and a lot of people have gathered there. I need your Hiten Mitsurugi reading technique if I am going to win big!" Without waiting for a reply, Sanosuke grabbed Kenshin by his ponytail and took off for the gambling hall with a spiral eyed Kenshin bouncing on the road behind with every step.
Upon reaching their destination, Sanosuke roughly kicked opened the doors and grinned broadly at the startled gamblers. "We're here Kenshin! …Kenshin?" Looking over his shoulder, Sanosuke spied an extremely beat up Kenshin. "What happened to you?" Sanosuke jerked the banged-up samurai to his feet and dusted him off. "Come on…I need your eyes to win big," Sanosuke whined petulantly.
Kenshin pulled his wits together and sighed, "Sano…how many times do I have to tell you, I do not gamble."
"You're not gambling, you are merely facilitating my process of winning."
The tall street fighter narrowed his eyes as his short companion turned to leave. "If you don't help me, I swear I will tell Kaoru that you are having an affair with Megumi!"
Kenshin stared at his friend, eyes wide in aghast. "T-That's blackmail and also a lie!"
Sanosuke shrugged, "Hey, I spent half my life doing illegal things. What else is new? Besides, truth or not, you know how Kaoru is going to react." With that retort, he turned and headed towards a table where multitudes of earnest gamblers were gathered. "You're smart Kenshin, think about it."
Kenshin stood gaping after Sanosuke while pondering his options; help Sanosuke win and go against his morals or go home and later face the fearsome wrath of the fiery woman. Kenshin gulped, let out a defeated sigh, and hastened to follow Sanosuke.
"Kenshin? Sanosuke? What are you guys doing here?"
Kenshin and Sanosuke whirled around to spy Misao with a mountain of coins and the ever-present Aoshi quietly watching over her.
"This is the last place I would have expected to find you Aoshi." Kenshin remarked, smiling slightly.
"Misao wanted to buy a few things before we left back to Kyoto and sort of ran out of money. We might need to spend one more night at your lodging." Aoshi arched an eyebrow, asking the wordless question.
Misao remained quiet (remarkably) and shifter her weight from one side to the other, waiting for Kenshin's answer.
"Our dojo will always be open to the Oniwabanshuu."
Misao cheered as Aoshi gave Kenshin a silent nod of appreciation.
Two hours later, the group of four left the gambling house carrying large sacks filled up with cash. Together they headed back to the dojo with Misao chatting animatedly all the way. When they reach the dojo, Kenshin knocked cautiously on the door. The effect was immediate. Abruptly the doors burst opened and Kenshin was knocked violently to the ground.
"Oro!"
An extremely angry Kaoru swept Kenshin to his feet and shook him violently. "Where were you the whole day? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
"Gomen ne…Sano dragged me off for some private business."
Kaoru shrugged, anger fleeing as quickly as it came. "Oh yeah, dinner is ready and the Chief is here to see you."
"Oro?"
"He said he had some information that you might want to hear."
Kenshin nodded and quietly stole away to the waiting room where the extremely nervous Chief was sitting and closed the door gently behind him. "Is something wrong?"
"A young man with a large group of followers had within one week ravaged two cities and is now rumored to be heading towards this one. From what my spies told me, his name is Yami Kageno, the son of the renowned samurai, Chikara Kageno." The Chief brushed a hand through his hair in agitation. "I sent out many spies through out the city, but they have uncovered nothing."
Kenshin froze at the name Chikara Kageno and the images of the spectacular duel against the Shadow Master fifteen years ago rose in his mind. Out of all the warriors he had ever faced, Chikara Kageno was by far the best. The samurai had been the fourth leader of the Nightstalkers, yet another powerful clan from the past who mastered the Shadow Blade Kenjutsu and Chikara had been one of the assignments for the Hitokiri Battoussai. Unlike all those who had perished without a fight, Chikara had matched the Hitokiri speed for speed and skill for skill. It was not until the great Shadow Master slipped on a puddle, when he fell victim to the Double Dragon Flash. Even then, the samurai refused to submit to death until the Hitokiri lay down the final fatal stroke.
"What about Detective Hajime?"
"I couldn't find anything." A cold voice drawled from the shadows behind Kenshin.
Kenshin nodded without turning around, acknowledging his former enemy and partner against Enishi. "We meet again Saitou Hajime."
"Indeed, Battoussai. A master of the shadows is hard to find. I'm sure you will find him a worthy opponent."
Kenshin nodded again, "Chikara was a worthy opponent for the Hitokiri Battoussai. If his son has any of his father's skills, he will be worthy indeed. I will seek him out."
After Saitou and the Chief left, Kenshin sat alone for a long time in deep thought, absently sipping his tea. Upon hearing a quiet rustling, he looked up to see Aoshi entering. "The blood of the past always return to haunt us. You must cut off the source to prevent vengeance from hunting the Hitokiri."
Kenshin closed his eyes and sighed, "If Yami is anything like Chikara, and I fear that I will not survive this battle."
There was a long silence following Kenshin's remark, broken when Aoshi got up to leave. As he reached the door, Aoshi gazed at Kenshin over his shoulder. "We will not let you die, Himura Kenshin." With that firm promise, Aoshi left the room.