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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Mamorigami

by Chiruken

Chapter 18

Shitei

“I would save your mortal wife if I could, Kenshin…spare the two of you the pain of separation…” Shinigami shook her head with a soft sigh. “But it is beyond my power to do so.” When she didn’t receive a reply she tilted her head to the side and studied the man before her, staring at her with shocked disbelief. “What is it?”

He blinked and slowly raised a hand to rub at his eyes before looking again. “Ano…you’re younger than I thought, that you are.” He winced and shook his head sharply. He studied her openly and slowly reached out, touching his fingers to her flame red hair, a slightly brighter shade than his own hair.

She smiled and, to Kenshin’s utter amazement, blushed. “Thank you, itoshigo…it is gratifying to know that I’ve managed to maintain my youthful appearance…even after all these centuries.”

“Oro? Centuries?” Kenshin frowned uncertainly as he gazed into the demon’s youthful features.

“Yes, centuries. Immortality has its advantages, you know.” Shinigami tossed her head with a grin and a wink. “Now…” She rubbed her hands together, an odd light reflecting in her golden gaze. “It’s time to teach you the basic skills of survival.” When he merely gazed at her with confusion clouding his features she sighed and shook her head. “The rules have changed, Kenshin. You are no longer obligated to operate under the normal laws of mortality.”

“Oro?!” Kenshin’s eyes widened and he shook his head sharply. “What are you saying? You can’t mean…” His words trailed off into nothingness as if he were unwilling to give voice to his growing suspicions.

Shinigami’s smile widened. “But of course I do. You are my son. As such you are entitled to take your rightful place by my side. And enjoy the same advantages as I do, of course. But there is much that you must learn in order to survive as you are now.”

Kenshin closed his eyes and shook his head again. “No.” He whispered softly. It was too unbelievable to be true. All this time…all these years…his only consolation to his guilt-ridden conscience had been the promise of respite from the nightmares his death would bring. Now Shinigami was telling him that he had to endure an eternity of blood-filled nightmares? It was unacceptable! His eyes snapped open and he fixed a burning amber gaze on the demon before him, a feeling of grim satisfaction filling him when she took a hasty step back. “No.” His low voice was forceful in the denial. “I refuse. I don’t want this. Take it back, Shinigami, and return me to my set path.”

Shinigami narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth in an answering snarl of fury. “I will not! The process is irreversible. Even if it weren’t, I would never give you up again. Never!” The wind rose, whipping her long flame coloured hair around her petite form. She raised a hand and pointed an immaculately manicured finger at the center of his chest. “Lesson number one…defense!”

Kenshin felt an invisible force slam into his chest, throwing him back, away from the creature standing before him amidst a tempest of swirling debris. The air was knocked from him as he hit the large tree towering above him and felt shock ripple through him when he heard the distinctive sound of its trunk cracking. Falling to his knees, he closed his hands into fists in the warm sand, eyes closed tight as he took stock of his physical condition. He expected to feel pain, assuming his ribs to be cracked after such an explosive attack. His eyes snapped open when he felt nothing of the sort. He was winded…and that was all. Slowly he looked up and met the demon’s angry gaze reluctantly.

“What are you doing, Kenshin? Get up. And why didn’t you try to block that? You can’t continue to rely on your natural resilience to protect you forever! You can be killed if you aren’t careful!” She raised her hand again. “Now…try to block it!”

“Wait!” He shouted the instant before the wind slammed into his chest again with enough force to throw him back again. He hit the ground with a loud groan, spitting sand and leaves out of his mouth before standing again. He brushed at the grit clinging to his clothes, movements harsh and angry. “As I was trying to say, Shinigami, I have no idea what it is that you’re expecting of me, that I do not.” He looked up, expression revealing his annoyance. “Nor do I want to know. I just want to go home, that I do.”

“This is your home. Stop being so stubborn!” She advanced on him quickly, form blurring from the speed she exerted. Kenshin didn’t have time to react before he felt a blow connect with the side of his head and he fell to his knees, dazed. “Honestly! How did you manage to survive this long? Have the intervening years weakened you so much, Battousai?” She planted her hands on her hips and glared down at him. “Get up! You’re embarrassing me!”

He shook his head slowly in an attempt to clear the fog from his mind and the stars from his vision. He raised a hand to press against the throbbing in his temple where he could feel a bump forming. “Itai!” He winced and looked up at Shinigami with a censuring expression in his violet and amber eyes. “That was a cheap shot, Shinigami, that it was!” He pushed himself to his feet and swayed before reaching out and bracing his hand against the tree. “I can’t help it if you’re faster than me.”

“Oh please! Spare me the whining!” She grabbed him by the front of his gi and pushed him back into the tree. “You were faster than this when you were an infant! Now stop fooling around, Kenshin.” She raised her arm, hand closed into a fist, and drew it back. “All right. Block this time!”

Eyes widening in horrified shock, Kenshin shook his head quickly. “No!” Instinctively he knew that one direct hit from Shinigami would drop him like a sack of potatoes more effectively than Sanosuke’s Futae no Kiwami. Desperately he raised his arms in an attempt to ward off the blow he knew was coming. To his utter shock and embarrassment the punch didn’t land. Instead he felt the diminutive demon grab him by the front of his gi and throw him back towards the beach. Acting on pure instinct he flipped in midair and landed lightly on his feet. “I’m better with a katana…” He muttered under his breath, hastily casting his gaze around for anything that could be used to simulate one. His eyes fell on a slender piece of driftwood, glaring bright white under the sun, and he dove for it, snatching it up and testing its strength in one fluid motion, turning to face the advancing Shinigami again with the improvised weapon held up in a defensive position.

Shinigami paused and tilted her head to the side curiously. “What are you doing?” She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Ahh…I see. Well, if it makes you feel better, use whatever you wish. Now…defend yourself!” Raising both hands, palms facing the former hitokiri, she sent forth a tremendously powerful blast of destructive ki towards him, knowing that if he failed to block this time then he’d be feeling the effects for a very long time.

Shifting his stance, Kenshin narrowed his eyes and watched as the explosive energy bore down on him. Rather than moving to block, he chose to counter the attack. Springing forward with his makeshift weapon raised he met Shinigami’s attack head on, much to the demon’s frightened outrage. Lowering his weapon, Kenshin struck the ground forcefully. “Do Ryu Sen!”

“What are you doing?!” She cried moving forward with her ungodly speed just as he struck the ground. “You aren’t using a blade you moron!” The next instant she was thrown back and found herself staring up at the sky, reaching up to brush the sand and grit from her face, spitting leaves and chunks of dirt. Slowly she sat up and stared at the rurouni who in turn was staring at her with an identical expression of comic surprise. “Well…that was interesting.” Slowly she stood and brushed ineffectually at her clothes. “Defense, Kenshin, does not mean counterattack.”

“Ano…” He stepped forward slowly, almost afraid that he’d inadvertently hurt her. “I’m sorry, that I am. Are you all right, Shinigami?”

She scowled at him, golden gaze narrowed in obvious displeasure. “You should be more concerned with yourself, itoshigo.” With that she disappeared, only to reappear behind him, fist coming down to strike him on his exposed side. She was mildly surprised when her fist connected with the driftwood as he spun to face her. “Better…but not good enough yet.” She kicked his legs out from under him.

Kenshin sighed as he stared up at the clear sky, seemingly mesmerized by the cloudless expanse of blue. “I don’t want to fight, that I do not…”

Shinigami dropped down beside him with a sigh of her own. “I’m not asking you to. But you need to know how to defend yourself. Your skills were phenomenal by human standards, Kenshin…but you’re on a different level now. You must train yourself to react faster, harder, no longer holding back. Those you will be defending against are a lot stronger, faster, and tougher than the mortals you fought before. Humans can’t touch you, itoshigo…but demons can. I can’t be with you at all times…you have to learn to defend yourself.” She turned her amber gaze on him again. “And you have to start utilizing the unique gifts you possess. But we’ll leave that for tomorrow. For now, rest. We’ll continue training in the morning.” With that said, the small form dissipated, became formless mist and disappeared, leaving Kenshin sitting with his mouth partially open as he stared where she’d been a moment before.

***

Definitions:

Mamorigami: Guardian (Deity)

Shitei: teacher and student

Author’s Notes:

Thanks ever so much for continuing to read and review! It’s really made my day, that it has.

I’m sorry about the sporadic updates…but now, on top of Writer’s Block (it seems to be lifting slowly! Yay!) and no Plot Bunnies (anyone seen them yet?) I’m sick. Dang it! I hate summer colds! They’re nearly impossible to get rid of.