[KFFDisc] That Which Lingers - Part 17 (very rough draft)

Like it says, a very rough draft.  This part is really short and
there's not much going on action-wise -- it's mostly just background
information.  However, there should be a lot more action in upcoming
parts!  ^_^

---------------
This story is set in my own ALTERNATE REALITY Rurouni Kenshin universe
which I've called "The Nightwitch Tales" -- think of it as Rurouni
Kenshin mixed with various supernatural and paranormal elements.
Other stories in this alternate reality are: "Night Visitor"; "All in
the Family"; and "Romancing the Wolf".
 
It takes place after the end of the Kyoto story arc.  After that, all
bets are off.  Elements of the Revenge story arc may show up in the
story.
 
WARNING:  This story is "semi-dark" -- it has dark elements
(violence, profanity, etc.) but it's not a darkfic!  Actually, there's

quite a bit of romance in it....     ^_-

As always, C&C is greatly appreciated!   ^_^

======================================================================
    THAT WHICH LINGERS:  A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic by MadamHydra
======================================================================
        Part 17:  BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS
======================================================================

---------------
Disclaimer
    All rights and privileges to Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro
Watsuki, Shuiesha, Sony Music Entertainment, and associated parties.
The characters of these series are used WITHOUT permission for the
purpose of entertainment only.  This work of fiction is not meant for
sale or profit.  Original portion of the fiction included here is
considered to be the sole property and copyrighted to the author.

---------------
Text Conventions
    (  ) are character thoughts
    / / and // // represent various sorts of mental dialogue
    [ ] denote visual or time notes

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[ Kyoto - mid-August, 1878 (11th year of the Meiji period) ]

    In their room at the Aoiya restaurant, Kenshin put his sakabatou
within easy reach and began to skim through the book Saitoh's wife had
given him.  The text provided a much more detailed background for the
story told by Tokio's grand-aunt Asuko but the old woman had told them
the most important parts.  The text's description of Kinslayer matched
perfectly with the black sword used by Misao and later stolen by
Kaoru, down to the peculiar hilt ornaments.

    Sano and Yahiko watched their friend with a mixture of concern and
unease.  They both knew that Kenshin was terribly worried about Kaoru,
but he was behaving calmly.  A bit TOO calm for their liking.  It was
an ominous sort of stillness, just like the eerie hush in the air just
before a big thunderstorm.  They couldn't help wondering how much of
this icy self-control was from the Kenshin they knew and how much of
it was from the Battousai.

    Sano glanced at his friend who quietly reading with his back
against the wall and uncomfortably, "Oy, Kenshin...."

    "Yes?"

    "You mind telling us what happened the last time you bumped into
that Minobe guy?"

    Kenshin put the book down and said simply, "I never knew him by
name, but I do recall the incident that Saitoh described."

    "The collapsing bridge thing?"

    "Yes.  It was almost thirteen years ago to thi day.  I was acting
as a bodyguard to one of the older members of the Ishin Shishi.  That
night, I was escorting him back from a meeting with some other
members.  There had been some security problems recently so we were
especially alert.  Our route took us by a bridge at the southern end
of Kyoto.  It had been raining heavily for the last several days and
the canals were nearly overflowing.  As we were passing by one of the
bridges, five Shinsengumi swordsmen jumped out from an alleyway.  They
were inexperienced and stupid.  The battle ended up taking us out onto
the bridge.  I was about to finish off the last man when a full squad
of Shinsengumi appeared on the opposite side of the canal.  By the
time they got onto the bridge, it was starting to shake dangerously.
I jumped for the bank just as the bridge collapsed.  The Shinsengumi
were caught in the middle of the bridge and they all fell into the
water."  Kenshin shrugged slightly as if to say, 'And that was that'.

    Yahiko could barely repress a shiver at the cool indifference in
Kenshin's voice.  It was so unlike him.  The young boy coughed, then
said tentatively, "Kenshin...?"

    "Yes, Yahiko?"

    "So what happened to the other guys?  The other Shinsengumi who
showed up later?  The ones the fell into the canal...."

    "I don't know.  It was an abnormally cold August and the canals
were choked with debris.  It's likely that some, if not all, of them
drowned."

    Yahiko stared at Kenshin.  The swordsman's eyes were not shifted
to that feral golden shade that he remembered so well from the dojo
battle with Saitoh, but Kenshin's pale violet gaze was devoid of the
warmth and empathy that the boy was used to seeing.

    (His voice... it's so empty.  He doesn't seem to care that he
slaughtered four swordsmen who were probably no match for him.  He
doesn't seem to care that an entire squad of men probably drowned
right before his eyes.  How can he say that he cares about the people
he killed when he talks like he doesn't feel a damn thing at all?)

    But Yahiko found himself thinking back to his conversation with
Kenshin a few days ago when Kenshin said, 'I think... even acting as
the Hitokiri Battousai... somewhere deep inside, I already knew that
each life was valuable in its own way.'

    (I can't believe that he would lie about something about that.  A
part of him MUST have cared.  But... doesn't that sort of mean a part
of him DIDN'T care?  Is that how he managed to survive all that
fighting and bloodshed in Kyoto?  By not caring, at least on the
outside?)

    As Yahiko struggled to reconcile the Battousai's apparently
callous disregard for human life with the Kenshin he knew, Sano
watched his friend suddenly rub his forehead and grimace slightly.

    "Hey, you okay?"

    Kenshin said quietly, "Yes.  It's just that I don't particularly
enjoy thinking about what happened during the Bakamatsu."  He
hesitated briefly.  "And now that I'm in Kyoto, the memories are
stronger than ever.  They feel so vivid, so real."  Almost
unconsciously, he rubbed at the blue hair ribbon around his right
wrist as if seeking reassurance... or perhaps to remind himself of the
present.

    Sano muttered, "Great.  Just great.  And there's no telling when
Kaoru will show up around here!"

    Kenshin looked a bit startled.  "No. I'm certain that she'll
appear within the next day or so."

    "Why's that?" asked Yahiko.

    "Minobe or his ghost has gone through all this trouble to recreate
the circumstances of that night on the bridge, even going to the point
of entangling the entire city of Kyoto in this waking nightmare.  If
you following THAT reasoning, it's only appropriate that the final
confrontation take place on the exact anniversary of that night on the
bridge."

    "Which is?"

    "Bon... the Festival for the Dead.  August 13th."  Kenshin's lips
curved up in a wintery smile.

    Sano smacked himself on the head.  "Damn it!  How could I have
totally missed that!  That's less than three days away!"

    Yahiko said, "So we don't have much time...."

    "Much time to do what!?  There's not a whole hell of a lot WE can
do!" snapped Sano.  "It's all up to Kenshin."  With a worried look,
the fighter said, "Can you fight off those memories of the Battousai
for that long?"

    Kenshin did not immediately answer.  Finally, in a steely voice,
he said, "No matter what happens, I'm not going to forget Kaoru and
what she means to me... not after all we've been through... I refuse
to lose that because of some madman's hunger for revenge."

    It was only later that Sano realized that Kenshin never truly
answered his question about the Battousai.

-----------------------------------

    However, it seemed that memories of the bridge incident were not
so easily dismissed.  While Sano and Yahiko slept, Kenshin stared out
the window at the dark sky and the rain, remembering....

    And on the Takagi estate, sheltered from the cold, steady drizzle,
Saitoh leaned against a tree overlooking the koi pond.  He took a
long, slow drag on his cigarette as he recalled a similar rainy night
thirteen years ago.

-----------------------------------

[ Kyoto - August 13th, 1865 ]

    As Saitoh Hajime, the Captain of the Shinsengumi's third squad,
finished discussing the evening's mission with his men, one of the
newest members of his group spoke up.

    "But what are you going to do about the Battousai?"

    Saitoh lifted an eyebrow and said coolly, "Nothing."

    "Nothing!?  If he's causing us so much trouble, why haven't we
hunted him down and exterminated him?"

    "Keep your mind on the task at hand, Minobe.  We have more
important things to do tonight than chasing after Himura Battousai."
Saitoh turned away, apparently bored with the conversation.

    Matsuda, one of the more senior members of Saitoh's troop
muttered, "I hope we don't run into him tonight.  The timetable's too
tight.  If we get bogged down in an extended battle, it could
jeopardize the whole plan.  More importantly, we could lose the
element of surprise."

    "Are you saying that we should run away from a single man?" Minobe
snapped in an outraged voice.

    Saitoh shrugged.  "True, the Shinsengumi do not flee from
adversity, but it would be infinitely more convenient to avoid a
confrontation with the Battousai tonight.  There'll be plenty of
opportunities for duels and challenges later on."

    Minobe would not be so easily diverted.  "Well, you might be
afraid to face him, but I'm not!"

    Several of Saitoh's more experienced men exchanged cynical looks
and rolled their eyes at this display of reckless arrogance.  However,
Saitoh chose to be amused by Minobe's rash words.  With a nasty
chuckle, he said, "Oh ho.  So you think you can take on the Battousai?
 Don't be an idiot."

    "He can't possibly be as good as they say," sneered the young man.

    "No.  He's better.  You'll be lucky to survive the first exchange
of blows, Minobe.  If you want to get yourself killed, that's fine
with me, but do it some other night."

    Minobe flushed bright red with rage, then stormed off into a
corner to sulk.  He was soon joined by several of his friends.

    Saitoh turned to Matsuda and said, "I hate getting saddled with
such a pack of immature idiots."

    The other man shrugged and said, " You know we're a bit
short-handed at the moment.  We had to accept these members of the
fifth squad in order to boost our numbers. He's an excellent fighter.
Lots of talent."

    Saitoh scowled.  "But he has no brains and no judgment.  And a
fool like that is a danger to himself and the people around him.  If
the Battousai doesn't kill him, I just might end up doing it myself."

-----------------------------------

    Carrying an umbrella to shield himself from the steadily falling
rain, a middle-aged man was being warily escorted by several
swordsmen.  Just behind the man walked a very young man, a teenager
really.  The lanterns along the street were just bright enough to
illuminate his long, bright red hair which was caught up in a high
ponytail and the crossed scars marring his left cheek.

    The older man glanced soberly at the redhead and said quietly,
"Himura-san...?"

    "It was as we expected, Tomoboko-san," the redhead replied in a
cool voice, his left hand resting easily on the hilt of his katana.
"Your nephew sold the information about the meeting to one of the
Shinsengumi's informants."

    The older man grimaced, then said, "So what happens now?"

    "He's already been taken away for interrogation."

    "I see.  That explains the sudden change in the meeting's
location."  He shook his head sadly.

    Himura suddenly stiffened, then whirled just as five young men
charged out of a nearby alleyway.  The lead swordsman yelled,
"Battousai!"

    His opponents were dressed in the familiar Shinsengumi uniform,
but they looked raw and inexperienced compared to the other
Shinsengumi he had encountered before.

    (New recruits looking for easy prey.  Idiots.)

    With a sharp gesture, he sent the other bodyguards on their way
with Tomoboko.  However, it seemed that this pack of Shinsengumi
swordsmen was not hunting for ordinary Ishin Shishi blood tonight.

    They were hunting specifically for him.

    With a scowl distorting his handsome features, the lead swordsman
snapped, "THIS is the fabled Hitokiri Battousai?  A scrawny
teenager!?"  He snorted.  "My old aunt is bigger than he is!"

    The Battousai cared nothing for their bravado.  One hand on the
hilt of his katana and the other on the sheath, he coldly snapped out
a single word.

    "Come."

-----------------------------------

    Several hours later, one of Saitoh's men came running up,
shouting, "Captain!  Something's gone wrong!  The Ishin Shishi were
already on the alert even before we got into position!"

    In the distance, Saitoh and his men could see the glare from a
large fire reflecting off the heavy cloud cover.  With the constant
rain, there was little chance of the flames spreading, but it was a
bad sign, nevertheless.

    "The fighting had already started," Saitoh snapped.

    One of the other members in his troop shouted, "Saitoh-san!  If we
cut across the southern canal, we can be there in a few minutes!"

    As the squad ran through the increasingly heavy rain, Saitoh
wondered what -- or who -- had alerted the Ishin Shishi forces.  He
soon had his answer as the squad of swordsmen reached the edge of the
canal.  He instantly recognized the three combatants blocking the far
end of the bridge.  The first man was that idiot Minobe and the second
was one of Minobe's equally idiotic friends.

    The third man bore the unmistakable red hair of the Battousai.

    (That fool Minobe!  His fighting's probably attracted the
attention of every Ishin Shishi fighter within three blocks!) seethed
Saitoh.  It was no wonder that the enemy were ready for attack.  Even
now, he could see Ishin Shishi forces converging on the bridge.
However, he and his men had a mission to complete and the Shinsengumi
would not tolerate any interference, especially from the opposition.

     He glanced at his men and said, "Fight your way through and head
for the designated location.  I'll deal with the Battousai."  And with
those words, Saitoh and his men charged across the rain-slicked wooden
bridge.  At that moment, one of the Battousai's opponents fell,
leaving Minobe alone to face the master swordsman.

    Saitoh's squad was barely halfway across when the structure shook
alarmingly as the swiftly flowing water in the canal slammed a large
uprooted tree into one of the bridge's main supports.

    (Damn.  Another impact and this whole thing will collapse.)  He
glanced upstream only to see more chunks of debris coming their way.

    "Go!" shouted Saitoh at his men.

    By this time, Minobe was undoubtably realizing that the Battousai
had more than earned his deadly reputation.  Saitoh snarled in a
mixture of dismay and anger as a panicky swipe of Minobe's sword
completely missed the Battousai and sliced deep into one of the bridge
supports.  It was the deathblow for the structure, which had already
been badly weakened by the constant pounding from the debris-filled
floodwaters.  There was a loud crack, everything shuddered, then the
whole bridge abruptly crumbled.

    Saitoh caught a glimpse of the Battousai effortlessly leaping for
the safety of the canal bank, just before he plunged deep into the icy
churning waters.  As he clawed his way back to the surface, something
hard slammed into the back of his head and everything abruptly went
black.

    The next thing Saitoh could remember was the feel of mud oozing
between his fingers as someone struggled to haul him out of the
torrential flow of water.  He lay on his stomach for a few moments,
vomiting up all the water he'd swallowed, then he turned over onto his
back and stared upward.  He instantly recognized his rescuer.  Muddled
and exhausted, Saitoh dazedly thought that Takagi Tokio -- even though
she was soaking wet and splattered all over with mud -- was quite the
most beautiful young lady he could ever recall seeing.

-----------------------------------

[ Kyoto, mid-August, 1878 (11th year of the Meiji period) ]

    Saitoh dropped the cigarette butt and ground it out.  His lips
curved upward in a rueful smile and he murmured, "And as they say, the
rest is history...."

    With those words, Saitoh Hajime retired to his bedroom and fell
asleep in his wife's arms.

-----------------------------------
(end of part 17)

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Next part:   Conversations with a senile old lady and Kaoru returns...
really!  =^_^=

--------------------------------------------
madamhydra@aol.com         /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/:E

http://www.oocities.org/~madamhydra/