Standard disclaimers:
I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Watsuki and some big name companies do.
ON WITH THE STORY:
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There's a devil crawling along your floor
(How much longer)
With a trembling heart,
He's coming through your door
With his straining sex in his jumping paw
There's a devil crawling along your floor
And he's old and he's stupid and
He's hungry and he's sore
And he's blind and he's lame
And he's dirty and he's poor
There's a devil crawling along your floor
Lover-man! Here I stand forever, Amen
Cause I am what I am what I am what I am
Forgive me, baby, my hands are tied
And I got no choice, no, I got no choice at all
words by Nick Cave
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CHAPTER 10: CROWS
WARNING: OOC, a bit mystery AND: VIOLENCE! Starting (!!) with this chapter
my
insane brain shows its real capacity.
We left Kondou's audience room and I suddenly felt sick. My intestines were
turning, I had to choke, nearly breaking down, close to lose conciousness.
How could one human being feel so sick?
I didn't want to show it openly -I had my pride-, but I had to grab Hajime's
kimono before breaking down. When I recovered for a short time and ran as
fast
as I could to the toilet, where I threw up. The world was turning, my knees
were shaking, I had an precise idea what was wrong.
I opened the door and stood directly in front of Hajime, who was leaning
with
his back against a wooden pillar, smoking.
"Go to the doctor, Tokio! You look terrible!" That idiot drove me insane!
Ouch! The world was turning again, my intestines twitched, I was defeated
by
pain and obeyed.
"I'll go and see the doctor."
All of a sudden he grabbed the collar of my kimono, and I came to an abrupt
halt.
"Wrong, Tokio. WE go to the doctor. No way I let you walk alone through
Kyoto
again. Who knows whom you'll meet this time."
***
The horrified doctor didn't need much time for his short questions and brief
examination. He obviously sped up, with me as a patient and Hajime leaning
against the wall behind him, smoking only one cigarette. A quick examination
indeed, he wanted to get rid of us.
The doctor breathed deep before 'announcing' the result.
"You are pregnant, nothing serious. Would you please leave, I have some
other
patients waiting."
'WHAT? Pregnant? Nothing serious? I wish you the feeling of sickness I have.'
I had already assumed it, but hearing it from the doctor? Realising it?
I cast
a glance at Hajime. His lips twisted into a self-content, self-satisfied
smile. Visibly he appriciated the thought of having me carrying his child.
I walked out in trance, closely behind Hajime.
I was pregnant? OH MY GODS, I was too young, too unstable, too irresponsible.
High time to grow up, control my temper and stop behaving childish. AND
to
solve the Yoshinori-problem. I definitely didn't want my children to be
as
unstable as I was. It was the day I decided to give up sword-fighting and
behave properly as an adult woman. But first I would have to solve Yoshinori-
problem, he was a threat.
We were on our way back, I was still walking directly behind Hajime, he
was smoking the next cigarette, I smelled and saw the smoke.
"My Gods, I'm having a baby." I still chewed on it, but realisation was
dawning.
"That's the basic idea of being married, Tokio."
I admitted it, he was right. But I had never wasted a second, intense thought
on it.
We turned around the next corner, a crowd gathered.
A crowd in the streets, what was that? Something must have happened there,
what?
I wasn't interested in the incident, I hated crowds. All these nosy people
interested in other one's harm! As if this would ease their own grief.
Nosiness, malicious glee. This attracted the lowest instincts in mankind.
Hajime got ready to investigate the reason for the crowd.
"Stay close to me."
***Flashback***
Shim-machi, Osaka
"Stay close to me, Tokio-chan."
People were gathering, I was so small! I wasn't able to see anything!
My father tightened his grip around my wrist, the place crowded.
People screaming, running around, confused.
I was pushed from one side to another, my gaze was locked on my father.
He stared at the free place in front of him, as steady as a rock, people
floating around us. What was going on? What did my father saw? What was
so
terrible that he hold his ground so unmoved?
Ouch! Someone fall over me, my wrist snatched of his grip, I was dragged
away
by the mass.
"Tokio-chan!"
"Father!" I panicked, screamed. Where was I? I was too small to see anything.
Crying, yelling for my father, I managed to escape the crowd, there was
a free
space, I headed towards it.
A body was lying in the middle of the free space, blood spread around it.
It
was a young man, he was still alive. I recognised him.
"Brother!" This couldn't be! My brother! I rushed forward, I wanted to take
him into my arms. This was one of his silly shows for me, for sure!
He would jump up soon, smiling wide "Got you, kitten!"
"Brother!" I reached him, he turned his face,...
Someone grabbed me around my arms and waist and laid a hand across my mouth.
***End Flashback***
I was in Kyoto!
Instinctive, distracted I had stepped back from the crowd into the shadows
between the houses, a BAD mistake.
No one looked in my direction, everyone was concentrated on the incident
on
the street. A trap! Yoshinori! I had walked right into his trap! He knew
what
had happened in Shim-machi.
Struggling against him would be a waste of time.
"Everything all right, Tokio?" I nodded, I knew I had no chance to succeed,
and he released me.
"Sorry, for the rough introduction, but I had to be sure, Saitou is not
around."
"What have you put on stage there?"
"Only a small accident."
How far would he go? How obsessed was he? Was he really abusing his powers?
I
had no evidence, nobody would believe the daughter of a dishonoured Samurai
against such a powerful man. Be careful, Tokio!
"You are early, Yoshinori-san."
His eyes narrowed at the addressing, but I didn't want to get too personal.
"Have you finished translating the paper?"
"I still have to translate some parts." I was near a panic now. I needed
more
time, I had to tell Hajime about this. Why hadn't I considered this earlier?
"Where is it?"
"At home."
"Can I come in five days to catch it? It is urgent." Five days? He would
come
earlier.
"Yes." He nodded, and I turned to hurry back to Hajime, he gave me a feeling
of security I needed right now. But Masahiro grabbed my wrist to restain
me,
he wouldn't let me get away that easily.
"You had to visit the doctor?" I needed my whole self-control to hide my
emotions. Maybe this was the reason, why he wanted to speak with me. If
he
would reveal that I was pregnant, his lip would flip. 'Gain time, Tokio!
He
will get his information from the doctor sooner or later, but you need more
time.'
"Yes, it is nothing serious." Yoshinori narrowed his eyes, trying to find
out
the truth, was I strong enough? Did I hide it enough? He caressed my cheek,
observing every line of my face closely.
"Did he hurt you?"
"No, I don't feel well, that's all, nothing serious." He wasn't believing
me,
that was sure, but he realised I wouldn't tell him.
"You are better telling the truth, Tokio. He is no match for me. I can help
you out. I just want you to know. Trust me." NO WAY!
"See you in one week, Yoshimori-san." If he really visited the doctor, there
wouldn't be more than two days left. Would Hajime be able to defeat him?
I
had my doubts, but I had to tell him about this. Yoshinori would try to
kill
him for sure! He had to be prepared! I was a fool to assume I could get
rid off
the cunning Ninja by being married.
Much to my dismay he leaned forward, kissing me slightly, I felt his lips
touching mine, but he was satisfied, he wanted more and eagerly he
deepened the kiss. Trying to hide my discomfort -I didn't want to arouse
his suspicion- I remained rooted to the place. I have never been so relieved
before when a kiss ended and when I watched him retreating into the shadows.
Imperceivable he was now.
I felt myself going back to the street with shaking knees, and my sight
was
clouded. NO! I pulled myself together, where was Hajime?
I pushed my fears aside and began to burrow my way through the crowd.
STOP! What was that? A familiar ki?
'Use the crowds or the shadows for killing', I suddenly remembered. My field
of vision veiled. The crowd around me vanished, the voices a soft murmuring.
Time seemed to slow down, I turned.
Battousai! Standing directly in front of me. We were staring at each other.
What was he doing here? This incident was obviously Yoshinori's doing.
I reached out my right hand to touch his left cheek, he reached out his
right
hand to touch my left shoulder. My hand was only a breeze away from his
cheek,
I could almost feel the warmth of his body... but there was no warmth in
him.
"Kraa!" What was that?
"Kraa" "Kraa" I was distracted once more, blinked, Battousai had vanished.
"Kraa" "Kraa" I looked up high in the sky, a crow was flying over my head.
A
crow? There a second crow? Crows in the sky in the late morning, in the
summer? They should rest somewhere at this time. Was I going insane? Where
was Hajime?
I continued to burrow my way through the crowd, alarmed now, but Battousai
had
disappeared.
There was Hajime, he seemed to be annoyed with me. Again I hadn't done what
he had told me, but he acknoledged my presence with a nod.
He was kneeling in front of a dead man and woman with her child, examining
them. The woman looked awful, the baby terrible, cut in small pieces. The
small hands, the small feet, the little head scattered around, the trunk
cut
up, intestines ripped out. The head opened, the brain ripped out.
The woman had a long cut across her face, the hair was cut off, lying in
a
pool of blood underneath her, her abdomen was cut open, but the gash through
her throat obviously finished her. The throat was barely recognisable.
The man must have tried to protect his little family, without success. There
was still a dagger through his heart, Yoshinori would never leave one of
his
kunais or shuriken behind. Too traitorous.
I choked, it was the first time I was shocked when seeing a murder. 'Small
accident'? A bit ironic, wasn't it? Yoshinori had gone too far. Murdering
my
parents had been evilly enough.
Would we be able to defeat him? I laid a hand on Hajime's shoulder.
"Hajime-san?" He turned, looked up to me, I needed my whole self-control
not
to show my emotions here on the street, but he must have registered my pale
face, my uneasiness and seriousness.
"I have to tell you something, it is important."
"I have to clear this first."
"No, you haven't. It is part of what I have to tell you." I would have to
grow up faster than assumed.
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TBC...
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