Legacy

 

An RK Fanfic: i.e. the author doesn't claim rights to the anime used.

 

 

 

Chapter 16 - Requiem

 

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"…bring the pain."

 

                                         Mindless Self Indulgence

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The ship loomed in the face of the setting sun, casting its evil shadow over the entirety of the Tokyo bay. Those caught in its gloom found themselves unable to move as if its very presence filled their souls with the most terrible and paralyzing fear. The silence stretched across the crowd like a wave, so that even the smallest of children, years short of the age of accountability and reason could not even find the voice to cry out in terror at the sight of this devil's chariot straight out of their worst nightmares.

 

Aoshi watched from under the eaves of one of the ramen stalls near the waterfront with narrowed eyes. This thing was evil; of that he had no doubt at all. However, to his discomfort, that was all he knew of this occurrence.

 

His contacts would have told him of any ships expected to come into harbor, especially one as well equipped as this. Everything aboard the vessel seemed not just in good condition, but as brand new as the day the things were made. The sails were crisp and the deck highly polished as if not one booted foot had dared to scuff the surface. However, the most disturbing fact of all was that its bow was completely clean of any crustacean that might have found it profitable to lodge itself there.

 

Soon after the ominous thing had docked, it's crew began to come scuttling down the ramp burdened with several large strongboxes. He had been so intent on the vessel, that he'd never noticed that a carriage drawn by four fearsome-looking ebony stallions had been stationed at the foot of the ramp, ready to take whoever was aboard to their destination within the city.

 

Little by little, the people around began to break free of whatever spell had kept them silent and whispers of curiosity began to ripple throughout the crowd. Who's ship was this? Was it some wealthy statesman from a foreign land? What did they want? Should they be afraid? Not one of these questions was lost Aoshi's keen ears. The truth was, he himself wondered what was going on.

 

Then suddenly she appeared, a beauty among beauties.

 

Every man's eye turned upward toward the top of the ramp where a shimmering panel of scarlet silk fluttered in the breeze to flash a bit of equally silky flesh. A slender white hand rose to brush back a long wisp of hair to join with a larger mass of shimmering midnight tresses that cascaded all the way down to where the slits of the dress began. Two cinnamon colored eyes sparkled out of a face the color of fresh milk as a perfect mouth stained light pink parted in cynical half-smile beneath them.

 

The man running the stall nodded his head appreciatetively in the direction of the ramp where the young woman was now descending toward the carriage below. "Now there's a classy woman right there," he commented, "Wonder what she's doing in Tokyo?"

 

The man sitting next to Aoshi chuckled, "Didn't you see what she was wearing? I bet she's one of those high-class Chinese women come to marry one of those upper-classmen who think they're too good for some Japanese poontang." 

 

Aoshi put down his chopsticks, "Well that was elegant." he thought satirically.

 

The chef shrugged. "Maybe," he said, "but whatever she's up to, she sure seems to have the resources to do it."

 

Deciding that he was finished with his meal, Aoshi dropped some money on the counter and made his way outside where the warm, late evening air began to take on a definite chill. Making his way back to his rented rooms he allowed his mind to wander over the events that occurred back at the port

 

 

"Beauty among beauties…"

 

"…cynical smile…"

 

" …sure seems to have the resources to do it."

 

Something about this woman disturbed him. Rational or not, it was the truth. He would have to find some answers for his questions in the morning.

 

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The first thing Hideki was aware of as she approached the house was how quiet it was. Usually there was some ruckus or other going on within the gates. Then she realized that there was no smell of dinner coming from the kitchen and an unfinished load of laundry stood in the bucket nearby. "Kaoru?" she called nervously, "Kenshin? Yahiko?!" by the time she had spoken the young boy's name she was already running toward the front steps. Kicking her sandals from her feet she ran inside and called their names again.

 

As she called Kenshin's name for the second time, Kaoru appeared in the doorway of the living room. "Hideki?" she called, "What's wrong?"

 

With the exaggerated relief that worry brings, Hideki ran toward her cousin and threw her arms around her neck. "Oh thank God!" she exclaimed breathlessly, "You're alright."

 

Kenshin and Yahiko looked on with curiosity from inside the room, "Hideki-dono?" the redhead asked standing up, " What happened? What's wrong?"

 

Hideki let go of Kaoru and quickly wiped her eyes as she turned to face Kenshin. "I just," she began, "I came back and the house seemed so empty, I…I got nervous I guess."

 

"I’m sorry if we frightened you," Kenshin apologized, "We just lost track of time."

 

A third voice that held the lisp of a small child spoke up from outside of Hideki's field of vision.

 

"It's alright Hi-chan, everybody's still safe."

 

Turning around she found the individual who had addressed her. There, sitting next to Yahiko's knee, was the creature that she considered her best friend.

 

Kero looked up at her sympathetically as her mouth dropped open in silent question. He turned towards Kaoru with a guilty look in his amber eyes, silently asking her to explain.

 

Kaoru's eyes shimmered a little but her expression grew determined as she put a hand on her cousin's shoulder.

 

Hideki didn't turn around, instead she reached out to Kaoru with her mind.

 

"How much did you tell them?"

 

Kaoru smiled as if it were painful to do so, "Only what they needed to know about us," she answered telepathically, "There are some things that aren't my place to say."

 

Hideki let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you honey," she whispered placing her hand atop Kaoru's, "Well now," she said turning toward the others, "I guess I have some explaining of my own to do, but how about some dinner along with the speech? I'm starving!"

 

Understanding her need to appear unafraid, Kenshin nodded in agreement. "You're right, I'll get right on it. Yahiko, why don't you help me out?"

 

"Sure thing." Yahiko replied getting up to follow, but as he passed by his foster mother and aunt he looked Hideki straight in the eyes.

 

"You don't have to worry Hideki-chan," he said with a smile, "You don't stop liking somebody just because they're different."

 

Hideki blinked hard against the tears that threatened to come. Unable to vocalize an answer she bent down and wrapped her arms around Yahiko's lean frame and kissed his temple fervently. Releasing him she looked straight into his eyes, "Girls are so going to love you when you're older," she said with a smile, "Thank you Yahiko-kun, that was very sweet."

 

Yahiko blushed brightly, "Y-You're welcome." he managed to stutter before following a smiling Kenshin into the kitchen.

 

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"So this Tian is a magic user just like you and Kaoru right?"

 

Hideki frowned thoughtfully into her noodles as she searched for words to explain, "Not exactly Yahiko-kun," she answered, "The power that Kaoru and I wield as captors is all our own, people like Tian feed off of the power of others…like a parasite."

 

"Gross." The child answered making a face.

 

"Ditto," Kaoru agreed, "How did you get mixed up with her anyway?"

 

Hideki sighed and put her bowl down, "After Tou-san and I…parted ways back in China. I got a job working in a busy little restaurant in Beijing. I liked it. The pay was good and the place was classy enough to keep most of the undesirables out and Mrs. Feng, the owner, and I got on really well. "

 

There was a slight pause before she continued.

 

"I met someone, Wang Jierong, a regular. In time we became…friends. Then, one day he invited me to spend the day with himself and his family in their house a few miles out of town. I accepted. When I got there, I found that the "house" he lived in was actually a mansion where he lived with his sister…"

 

"Tian." Kenshin guessed.

 

Hideki smiled, "That's right," she answered, "However where her brother had been cool and sneaky, she was direct and impatient. Together they cast a holding spell on me and tried to get me to tell them where I had hidden these." She pulled a small leather bound book out of her obi and set it on the floor. As she opened it, several slips of parchment floated out and danced in the air in a circle over the table. The key around Kaoru's neck began to glow and lifted itself out over the neckline of her kimono.

 

"These Clow cards are not really a source of power themselves," Hideki continued, "They feed off the magical energy of the person who uses them to achieve the desired effect. However they are valuable, one can do things with these, which would be impossible using conventional magic. In the hands of those two the effects could be devastating. That's one of the reasons why I fled China and came here."

 

Suddenly the cards changed direction and formed their circle around Kaoru who started in surprise.

 

"The other reason," Hideki finished giving her cousin a loving look, "Is that these cards weren't meant for me anyway."

 

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