DISCLAIMER: Rurouni Kenshin characters (c) Watsuki Nobuhiro,
Shueisha, Sony Entertainment and whatnots. I am not making
any money out of this. I only want to make people happy by
reading my fic.
It was just a trick
Chapter1: Memories
It was just daybreak; Soujirou woke up in the end
of the forest he has been travelling through. He looked
up to the sky and saw some swallows flying towards the
north.
"The swallows are coming back. It's spring now!" said
Soujirou smiling as he always is.
"I have to move on or I'll never finish it." he started
walking off the forest.
Soujirou was now in the market. He was looking at
the food that was sold in the market. Suddenly, he heard
some sound...
"Oh that's my stomach who's crying. He wants something to
do!"
Poor Soujirou haven't eaten a thing since 3 days ago, a
kind little boy gave him some bread for saving his teddy bear
from drowning. Now he was very hungry but didn't have any
money so he couldn't have his lunch. Then he heard someone
shouting.
"Someone please help me catch the cat!"
It was the voice of a girl. Soujirou looked up and saw a black
and white cat. He jumped up and in a flash, caught the cat and
landed lightly on the ground. By that time, the girl who
shouted appeared just in front of him. She was exhausted for
running nearly one kilometer to catch the cat. She caught her
breath and stood up straight with a big bright smile on her
face and said.
"Thank you very much for catching the cat for me! She was
very naughty. I ran about one kilometer until I met you."
she looked surprised as she saw Soujirou.
"Soujirou! I'm so happy to see you again!" the girl said
almost crying.
"Oh! You are Izumi right? Izumi, I didn't recognize you because
of your hair." Soujirou looked surprised.
"Ah?!! My hair? Oh yes, I let it grow because I do not need to
fight now." she gave Soujirou a big smile.
"I thought I would never see you again after that, Izumi."
Soujirou was very happy to meet his friend again.
Izumi was a girl of seventeen. She had two long braids
a bit longer than her shoulder. She was like Soujirou. She
always smiled even if she was unhappy. She's Soujirou's friend.
She was once one of the Jupon Katana but because she failed
to do a mission, so Shishio ordered Soujirou to kill her
but he didn't want to and so he told her to run away and
never come back. If you want to know about how they met
and other things concerning them then continue to read the
story.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you remember that. I'm
so sorry." Soujirou quickly said knowing that he hurt her feelings.
"Anyway, that's past. Let's not think about it."
"After that thing, where did you go?"
"I went wondering about for some time but when I came to this
town I realized that instead of wandering and doing nothing I
should use my time to help people so I stayed in this town. Some
kind people have a small hotel. They let me live with them but
I have to help in the hotel. They treat me good. And I help the
poor people in need."
"And you, why are you here? On a mission?"
"Hmm.... to tell you the truth, I left Shishio-sama. After the
battle with Himura-san, that is my last battle, I decided to look
for my answer so I became a rurouni like Himura-san and I think
I've found some clues but anyway, I will help the poor in my journey."
No one talked for a few seconds and then Izumi finally said
"Soujirou, I think you're not going too quickly, are you? Why don't
you go to the hotel and maybe they could give you a room to stay in.
Then we could talk more frequently because I have a lot to tell you!"
"Ok!" Soujirou replied very quickly and off they went to the hotel.
"I'm home." Izumi said.
"Izumi! Where have u been so long? I only asked you to take Miki
for a walk. You went for nearly two hours!" the daughter of the family
who let Izumi stay with them said as she ran to them.
Her name was Asuka. She had the same age as Izumi and had long
black hair which were up to her waist.
"Ah! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout. I didn't know there was
someone else." she said embarrassed.
"Izumi, mom wants to see you."
Izumi went into the house leaving Soujirou and Asuka alone.
"Izumi, when you have finished with the housework, go to
the market and buy me a fish and cook it for diner." Asuka's mother
said.
"Hai! I will do it as soon as possible. And, can my friend stay
here for some days? He's on a journey but he doesn't have anywhere
to stay in so..."
"Yes, your friend can stay here."
"Thank you very much! I'm going out to tell him."
During this, Asuka and Soujirou started talking about
themselves. Asuka said treated that her family treated
Izumi very well and she said that Izumi was very helpful
to them. And she was boasting about herself. She said that
she had the most beautiful hair on earth and she also thought
that she was very pretty but she isn't VERY pretty. Then
she talked about her money. She said that her family was
the richest family in the town. Soujiou was not very
interested in what she said but still he pretended to be
interested just to be polite. Then Izumi appeared and told
Soujirou happily that Asuka's mother let him stay here for
as long as he wanted. Izumi showed Soujirou the way to his
room and after that, she said that she would go to his
room and talk tonight because she was very busy and so,
she only had the night to talk to him.
That night, when all the people were asleep, Izumi went
to find Soujirou.
"Soujirou, I would really like to go back to the time when I
was still with Shishio-sama. It was the happiest time in my life."
"Yes and do you remember how we met?"
"Of course I remember. It was 11 years ago. I was a servant in a
family which my master was a very important person to the government.
They always bet me but I don't know why, I always smiled. One night
I had to sleep outside.
*Flashback*
"It will be very cold tonight." the young Izumi was blowing her hands
with warm air. Then she saw two vague figures coming toward the house.
"Who would come here at this time?" she said softly. She climbed up the
fence to see who was coming but unfortunately, she fell off and landed
on the snow outside the house. Soujirou and Shishio were coming nearer
and nearer. Little Izumi turned her ankle and was sitting on the snow with
pain. You may ask,
"Is Shishio going to kill her?" I can tell you for sure. He didn't kill
her. He didn't kill her because of her smile. Yes, because of a smile.
Just like Soujirou. When Shishio and Soujirou arrived to the gate of
the house, they noticed little Izumi sitting on the snow and holding her
foot. Shishio held up his sword, wanting to kill her but at the last moment,
he stopped. He couldn't believe his eyes. She was smiling like Soujirou!
"How could I be so lucky?" he thought.
"I find two children that can help me in only one night! With them, I
can easily take my revenge on the government that wanted to kill me!"
he said to himself.
"My name is Shishio. Do u want to follow me and leave this family that
never treated you like a person?" asked Shishio. Izumi nodded, her eyes
still looking a bit frightened.
"Soujirou, you stay here and look after her. I go in and finish the work."
said Shishio with a smile and he went inside the house and killed everyone
in it.When this was happening, Soujirou told Izumi what Shishio had told
him; the strong live and the weak die. After Soujirou finished to tell
Izumi that, Shishio came out.
"I'm finished. We can go," he said and the three of them went away.
*End of flashback*
"That is how we met."
"We learnt sword skills together. You had to help Yumi-san and me,
Shishio-sama."
"Remember the time I had to wear the kimono?"
"Yes, I remember. It was New Year's Eve and I think... I think you
were very pretty." he looked down and blushed as he said that.
"Did I really?" Izumi looked as most astonished. She looked pretty
in the kimono she had hated so much? Had Soujirou gone mad?
"Did I really look nice in the kimono? You must remember that at that
time, my hair was just like yours and I used to wear your things too!"
Izumi was very confused. Before, she used to be rather boyish.
She wore Soujirou's clothes and had her hair cut short. I sometime
wonder if she knew she was a girl.... Soujirou looked at her and
brust out into laughter. Izumi looked at him and scolded him
"What's so funny?"
"Oh nothing. It's just that you looked so confused and stuff.
Telling you the truth, you really looked pretty in the kimono."
Oh well, that was a very happy time."
"Yes that was really a very happy time,"
"It was a happy time until that thing happened."
"Yes, I remember I had to fight an enemy. I fought very hard but
I lost and so Shishio-sama wanted to kill me but you were so kind
and you told me to go away and never come back here."
"I know I did right to let you go instead of killing you."
"Well, when are you going to go?"
"I think maybe tomorrow morning."
"Oh! Then you better go to sleep or you wont have enough energy
to go on your journey!"
Izumi got up and headed to the door.
"It was very happy talking to you Izumi." Soujirou called as she
went out.
"Me too!"
The next morning, Izumi was at the gate watching her
friend go away. She wanted to go with him but somehow, she
wanted to stay.
"Good luck on your journey and hope we will meet again!"
Soujirou waved his hand without turning back and then
went away. Izumi went back into the house.
An hour later, a man in a red and purple clothes went
in the village where Izumi was living. He had an army of
sodiers with him. He shouted angrily.
"Is there anyone called Seta Soujirou here? If yes then tell
him to come and see me now!" Izumi stepped forward.
"Look at her, he said, this young lady thinks we are looking
for a girl!" he laughed and the whole army laughed too.
"Why do you want to see Soujirou? Did he do any harm to you?"
"I want to see him because I want to kill him. He killed
my wife six months ago and he'll have to pay for it!"
"Well, let me tell you something. I don't know where Soujirou
is now but even if I knew I wouldn't tell you!"
"So you don't want to tell me. he pointed to someone in the army.
"You, go and make her talk."
The soldier walked forward and wanted to hit her but Izumi
escaped the blow.
"So, you want to fight. All right, I'll play with you." Izumi
took a wooden sword from the door of one house and they started
to fight but in less than three minutes, the soldier was lying on
the floor.
"Finished. Anymore?" Izumi looked around her. Nobody moved.
"It's my turn now." the man rushed towards her.
Soujirou was a long way from the village now but something
was troubling him.
"I wonder why. I have some bad feelings. Is there any trouble in
the village? Should I go back and see?" he said to himself.
"I'll go back" he decided at last.
The man rushed towards Izumi. Izumi escaped but the
man was caught up with her. She went to her top speed but
the man could still catch up with her. She began to fear.
Would her sword skills be good enough to beat the man if
her speed was no use?
"No, she thought, I'm not going to loose this battle."
but unfortunately, she received a hard blow on the back from
the wooden sword of the man. And then she received other blows
in her arms and legs. She fell to the ground lying still. The
man thought she was dead.
"The reason why you lost this time is because you weren't
sure of your skills." He turned to his soldiers.
"Half of you search the whole village in case they hid Soujirou
somewhere in here. The other half take all the people here
back to our hideout and let them be our slaves. Bring them
there gently and I don't want any dead people." the man turned
to go.
A while after they were gone Soujirou was walking in
the street of the village. He looked surprised to see everyone
gone. Then he discovered Izumi. She was still like dead
on the floor.
"Izumi, Izumi. Are you ok?" he ran to her. He bent down and
looked at her hard.
"Oh, I know how to make her wake up." He stood up and went to
fetch a bucket of water and poured it down on Izumi.
"Oh Soujirou! How dare you pour water on me?!! Ouch!" Izumi got
up but dropped down lying as soon she was on her feet because
herbody ached a lot after the fight.
"Soujirou, answer me sincerely. Did you ever kill someone's
wife? I mean after you left Shishio-sama?
"Izumi looked very serious now. Souirou replied
"Of course not. You know me do you? When I say something,
I do it don't I?" Izumi nodded. She felt tears running down
her cheeks
"Sorry Soujirou. I shouldn't have thought you would do
something like that. Sorry."
"That's alright." Soujirou bent down, wiped away her tears
and said.
"I never was angry with you and never will I." Izumi stared
at him and smiled.
"What did you mean by me killing someone's wife?" asked Soujirou
suddenly remembering what Izumi said.
"Oh I asked you this because a man came to our village with his
army and said that you killed his wife and wanted you to pay for
it. He couldn't find you in the village and so he took everyone
in the village to be his slave." Izumi told Soujirou exactly what
happened.
"That is weird, said Soujirou, but let's talk about it after you
get better." he helped her into the house.
Three days after that, Izumi was completely well. She
was even better.
"Let's go and find the man and ask him why he is so certain
that it was you who killed his wife, Soujirou." she told Soujirou.
"Yes, I want to know it too. Let's go now." Soujirou stood up.
"Before we go, let me do something. Go out the house and don't
look in or else...."
Soujirou saw in Izumi's eyes that if he did not obey he
would be terribly sorry so he went out and waited. Izumi
went to a drawer, took out some clothes exactly the same
as Soujirou's, put them on, took a knife and cut her hair short.
"It's the time for me to be a boy again," she said quietly.
End of chapter one
Finished: 27/3/99
Revised : 27/4/99
Re-revised: 10/5/99
Re-re-revised: 7/6/99
Feel free to send me any comments at inu_99@hotmail.com
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