Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic
Rurouni Kenshin & Samurai X Original Japanese Version ©N.
Watsuki/Shueisha * Fuji-TV * SME Visual Works Inc. * Sony Pictures
Entertainment
All Fanfics created by Chiruken (me) were written for the
sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale.
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The blanket seemed to be absurdly
small and inadequately suited to the current task at hand. Aoshi stared glumly at the fire and resisted
the childish urge to tug more of the blanket towards him. “Tell me again why I’m sitting her in
my…um…essentials.”
Kaoru ducked her head to hide her
grin. It appeared that she wasn’t the
only one to be feeling acute embarrassment.
“It was your idea, Aoshi.”
“Oh yes…it was, wasn’t it?” He had a feeling the Battousai would take
exception if ever he discovered the actual extent of this compromising
situation. He shrugged inwardly. He doubted he’d ever find out anyway. It wasn’t as if he was going to tell and it
seemed unlikely that Kaoru would either.
Kaoru cleared her throat
nervously. “Um…Aoshi…I need a little
more of the blanket please.”
“Oh really? Now isn’t that a surprise. Forget it, Kaoru. If I give over any more my modesty will be
compromised. Just try to think of
something else.”
“Like what? Oh, I know.
Why don’t you tell me about that book you found.”
“What book?” He asked innocently.
“The one you’ve been trying to hide
since we left the burned house behind.”
“Oh…that book.” His mind drew a blank. How could he distract her when he was
preoccupied with trying to preserve his rapidly dwindling dignity? “I have no idea what’s in it. I haven’t had a chance to look through it
yet.” When in doubt, honesty
works. He thought grimly.
“Well, there’s no time like the
present.” She waited, carefully
avoiding looking in his direction.
“I’d rather not.”
“Why not?” She scowled irritably.
“How about a compromise? You
bring out the book and we read it together and I’ll stop pestering you to give
me more of the blanket.”
Aoshi pondered the situation for a
moment then sighed. “Who would be more
embarrassed, Kaoru? You…or myself? Think about it. I don’t believe you’ve thought things through.”
“Fine. Then give me the blanket, Aoshi.” She lifted her chin, calling his bluff. At least she hoped it was a bluff.
“You are too stubborn for your own
good, Kamiya Kaoru.” Aoshi picked up the
book and held it for a moment. “Are you
prepared for whatever information this book might contain? There may be something in here that you
might not with to know.” He was
thinking specifically about information regarding the Battousai and his alleged
wife…and the possible confirmation of Aoshi’s own suspicions regarding the
child Shinta.
Kaoru frowned, a little
uncertain. “Such as?” When Aoshi didn’t answer she straightened
her shoulders and lifted her chin.
“Just open the book, Aoshi. I’ll
decide if I can deal with it or not.”
Despite her bravado she was worried. What if this book contained information about Kenshin? What if she discovered some deep, dark
secret that he’d been hiding all these years?
She bit her lip nervously. There
was only one way to find out.
Aoshi shifted a little closer and
opened the book. It was just as he’d
suspected…a journal. The writing was
somewhat faded, but was unmistakably done by a feminine hand. He read in silence for several pages then
stiffened with a muttered oath. Beside
him Kaoru gasped. Whoever wrote this
had a very grievous grudge against the Battousai…large enough for her to wish a
very gruesome death on him. He read on
somewhat reluctantly, suppressing a shudder of distaste at the malicious words. Kaoru, he knew, should not be reading
this…and neither should he. The right
thing to do would be to throw it in the fire and destroy every poisonous word
written in it.
Kaoru had never realized that such
hate could exist. This woman had hated
Kenshin so much…Tears momentarily blurred her vision. Had Kenshin known? She
sympathized with the unknown woman who’d written these words, yet it had been a
revolution. Men died every day. That didn’t make it right, or any easier,
but to hate a man for doing his duty to his cause to this extent wasn’t
right…nor was it healthy.
Aoshi understood bitterness. He, himself, had held a grudge against the
Battousai that had nearly destroyed them both.
But this woman, here, in fine detail, she outlined precisely how she was
planning to exact vengeance for the death of her fiancé on the Battousai. Aoshi suppressed another shiver. The wrath of a woman knew no bounds.
Kaoru gasped and turned to
Aoshi. “Did you know anything about
this, Aoshi?” He shook his head slowly
and she returned her gaze to the faded journal. “This seems a little…“
Her voice trailed off as she searched for the appropriate words to fit
the situation.
“Excessive?” Aoshi supplied helpfully. This woman’s plan had been cold, ruthless and
cruel. Her intention had been to place
herself in close proximity to the Battousai, then trick him into falling in
love with her to unsettle him enough that she could kill him.
As the pages turned, the full extent
of the unknown woman’s warped thinking became clear. In her eyes, Kenshin was a demon…something inhuman. She plotted with an unnamed spy within the Ishinshishi who was close to Kenshin. Who could it have been? The conspiracy didn’t end there,
though. Another unnamed man, this one a
representative of the shougun, was another ally. He was
to do the actual killing.
It was unbelievable that he hadn’t
heard anything of this elaborate plot.
Aoshi frowned thoughtfully.
Perhaps these people had acted on their own, without the official support
of the shôgun. He shrugged
inwardly. Whatever the case, it was a
miracle that the Battousai didn’t fall into this trap.
Kaoru turned the page and read with
a sinking heart. The woman’s
description of Kenshin was laced with venomous hate. She couldn’t imagine hating someone this much. It went completely against her nature. Even after Kenshin had saved her life, her
opinion of him didn’t change. “What an
ungrateful, spoiled brat.” She couldn’t
hold in the outraged outburst.
Aoshi nodded in full agreement. It was shocking to discover that the
Battousai hadn’t seen through this woman’s act. She’d gloated in her journal that he hadn’t suspected a thing. That didn’t seem right to him. The Battousai he knew wasn’t so easily
fooled. He could think of few who could
match the Battousai’s skills of perception.
It made no sense to him. What
was he missing?
**To Be Continued…**
***
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Author’s Notes:
1.I don’t hate Tomoe-san…really I don’t. It just seemed right to make her into the villain for this story.
2.I know, I know…Kaoru finds out about Tomoe from Kenshin directly
(at least that’s what I heard…I haven’t read the manga nor have I seen the new
OAVs). Call it poetic
license…imaginative liberties…whatever you want. I made it up.
3.See? I remember to NOT
put the definitions into directly into the story this time! No extra work for Chiruken! Yay!
4. I just discovered a most fabulous truth about writing and
life: It’s so much more fun when done
while eating Nestle Parlour® Smooth and Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream. MMMYummm!
Sinful? Yes. Satisfying?
Definitely. Hehehe…I’m so
bad! I sent my hubby out into the
middle of a cold Saskatchewan winter’s night to the corner store to get some
for me! >>sigh<< But it was soooo good! (Besides…yesterday I had a full container,
and when I checked it today…there was only THREE spoonfuls left. It certainly wasn’t ME who ate it all! So I feel justified.)
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Definitions:
Ishinshishi: Imperialist patriots
shôgun: general; head of the samurai government