Part Three
Crack!
In the Kamiya Dojo, Kaoru blinked in shock.
“The cup…cracked?!”
“Maybe it was objecting to having your cooking placed inside it. I sure am.” Came a low growled voice as the wanderer re-entered the dojo room, whipping his mouth with a cloth.
Kaoru pouted. “It wasn’t that bad.”
Snorting, the man settled down by the wall, not saying anything.
Now it was quiet again, Kaoru tried to return to her calligraphy - but… a dojo master must be accomplished in many arts, like the samurai of old Kaoru-chan…
Everything was reminding her of her father! And that meant that everything was reminding her of the rurouni’s words.
“And do you think your father, the creator of ‘swords that give life’ would be happy if his daughter gave her life to protect his school?”
She looked down, frowning slightly.
Father…
“They echo in your head, don’t they?”
Returned to reality, Kaoru’s head snapped up. “Eh?”
The man continued, not looking at her. “Her words. She has the unique ability to see into your heart and strip away all your illusions with just a few words.”
Kaoru looked down hesitating, before her eyes sparked and her lips firmed opened her mouth to answer -
“Kaoru - san.”
She jumped. “Kihei?”
It was.
Relaxing, Kaoru continued. “Kihei, you scared me. What is it?” She gave him a curious look.
Kihei came closer. “It’s about selling the sale of the dojo.”
She blinked. “Kihei, I’ve told you before - I have no intentions of selling.”
“Actually…” He pulled a piece of paper out of his sleeve and pointed to it. “…the paperwork is already made up.”
Kaoru paused. Something was wrong. “Kihei?” Why would he…
Slowly, Kihei’s eyes opened from their usual squint. “I just need your seal.”
With a crash, the door opened, revealing a huge, bear-like man with a large beard, and several thugs behind them.
Kihei continued. “And then the property will be ours.”
The large man grinned. It was not a nice grin. “Yo!”
Kaoru paused as she looked at the mans eyes, there was something…
Her eyes widened. “You!" It was the murderer!
Kihei interrupted. “Hiruma Gohei, master of Kiheikan.” His smile widened “This is my younger brother.”
Kaoru jumped back toward the wall and grabbed one of the swords off of it.
“I don’t like to do it this way. I’d much prefer to make a legal purchase.” The goons drew closer as Kaoru took a ready stance. “But you were getting to close to discovering my brother’s true identity. It was all moving forward quite nicely, I thought. Playing the good tempered old man to gain the trust of a woman living alone…” Kihei sneered. “Unfortunately for you, you are just so stubborn about your sword fighting.”
“Kihei…” Kaoru’s lips trembled. This was Kihei - she’d thought she knew him! How could he betray her like this!
“So I used my brother to cook up this murder commotion, and discredit the name your school.” Kihei continued.
“The fame of the Hitokiri Battousai was just what we needed. Legends of his terrible prowess have been told for years, so even though his presence was unbelievable, no-one dared stand against him. Thanks to him, it took only two months to reduce you to this.”
Kihei’s grin got even wider as he looked around the dojo proprietarily.
“By my estimate, the value of this land will increase five or six times with the westernization policy and the growth of industry. It would be wasted on some sword-fighting school.”
“Ki…hei…”
“Damn, girl, is that all you can say,” came a voice from the side. The wanderer, forgotten until then, slowly stood up, “I think I’ve heard enough.” He turned to the giant. “So you’re the one disgracing the name of ‘Battousai’ are you?” He reached behind his back. “Let me show you no-name thugs how Kenjutsu is really done…”
The thugs attacked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Kiheikan dojo, red hair flying behind her, the rurouni danced.
In the Kamiya Dojo, turquoise eyes narrowed in concentration, the wanderer fought.
Blue eyes widened as Kaoru took in the sight before her. The wanderer was good! He didn’t use the odd blade like a katana - instead of going for major arteries or limbs; he struck out at joints, breaking bones instead of cutting them off.
But…no matter how good he was - there were so many of them - and the murderer, Hiruma Gohei, was so big…
And that sword…
Now that he wasn’t deliberately covering it, she could see what had seemed so strange to her the first time she had seen it.
“The blade is a katana - but the hilt?” speaking to herself softly, she didn’t expect him to hear her, or answer when he was in the midst of a battle.
“It’s a wattou.”
“A…wattou?”
He paused, looking around. More cautious now, the thugs surrounded him, but none wanted to be the first to go after him, so he decided to answer her question.
“After Toba Fushimi, we traveled all over Japan, until eventually all that was left was Tokyo and Kyoto. Once that happened, we went on the nearest ship we could find, and ended up in Shanghai. We were taken in by a Japanese family, and they had a book in their possession that showed how to perform a sword style called wattoujutsu. A wattou is a sword with the blade of a Japanese katana, but the hilt of a Chinese broadsword. Wattoujutsu was created by a man who had learned my partner’s sword style, but had been kicked out by his teacher, and in anger he created this sword style specifically to beat her sword style. She insisted I learn it.”
Kaoru was confused. “But why would she want you to learn a sword style that is best used against hers?”
“Because, if she ever goes mad and returns to what she once was, into a monster - she wants me to be the one to take her down.”
Ignored, the giant snorted. “Bah, no woman could be that good! Women can’t learn swords, everyone knows that!”
He turned to Kaoru and began to advance as the thugs, taking strength from their leader, roared and attacked the wanderer.
“My big brother says your motto is ‘swords that give life.’” He grinned even wider. “Why don’t you use that sword to save your own life?” He laughed.
Kaoru swallowed and tensed as his eyes narrowed.
“If you won’t come to me, I’ll go to you.”
Now!
“Yah!” Kaoru jumped, bokken swinging - and hit!
Only to be picked up and tossed away like so much dirt. “Hah!” He smirked. “I’m wearing armor little girl. You can’t beat me with that pathetic piece of wood.”
Trembling, Kaoru got up. She wouldn’t fail. She couldn’t!
“Ha-” he caught it.
Crack!
Eyes wide, Kaoru backed away, her bokken now only a splintered piece of wood slightly larger then the hilt.
Grin widening, the giant spoke. “Like I thought - a woman with that philosophy can’t fight.” He picked her up by the collar of her gi and shook her. “And look.” He said, turning her to face the rest of the dojo. “Your ‘knight in shining armor’ can’t save you now.” Kaoru’s eyes welled with tears as she saw. There were simply too many thugs, and the wanderer was wounded now, blood staining the shoulder of his gi, and sweat dripping into his eyes.
“My goal is violence! My essence is killing!” Gohei roared. “That’s what Kenjutsu is all about!” Kihei came forward and cut Kaoru’s thumb before pressing the bloody thumb to the deed paper.
“That’s it. The land is ours.” Kihei smiled like a devil. “Kamiya Kasshin Ryu is no more.”
Kaoru closed her eyes. No…
“Hey, little brother.” Kihei addressed Gohei. “Take care of that rat, will you.” He said, nodding to the wanderer.
Gohei dropped Kaoru, who landed in a puddle on the floor, feeling like the world had just dropped out on her. Her dojo…her father’s dojo…Kihei…This could not be happening.
With a click, the door slid open, revealing Nishiwaki standing there, looking like Kaoru felt - his eyes were so wide that the iris were only little pinpoints surrounded by dirty yellow whites, and his mouth kept opening and closing like a fish out of water.
Distracted from the wanderer, Gohei looked at the man. “Nishiwaki? What’s wrong with you?!”
“Str…” said Nishiwaki, finally able to make some sound. “Strong…”
Gohei blinked as Nishiwaki finally collapsed - revealing the small, slender, red haired woman standing behind him, eyes a cold narrow blue.
Unnoticed by everyone else, the wanderer, from where he was cornered by Gohei’s thugs, smirked. Drama queen…
Kaoru found her voice. “Ru…rurouni?” she questioned softly.
Despite the softness, the rurouni heard her. “Sorry I’m late.” She said, stepping into the room. “The man over there told me everything.” She shot a narrow look at Kihei. “I thought there was something iffy about you…” she turned back to his brother. “I’ll deal with you later.”
Kihei gulped.
Gohei turned to face her more fully. “You again.” He sneered.
“Are you here to talk about “swords that give life,” too?!”
The rurouni looked down, before answering heavily. “No.” Kaoru’s eyes widened. “A sword is a weapon.” She spoke, walking forward. “Kenjutsu is the art of killing.” Shishou…
“Whatever pretty words you use to speak of it, this is its true nature.” The rurouni continued walking forward, her eyes shadowed by the fall of her hair. “What Kaoru-dono says are the words of one who has never dirtied her hands. An idealistic joke.”
Kaoru’s eyes filled with tears as she looked down. “Rurouni.” she whispered to herself.
“But…” Kaoru looked up again - into the rurouni’s gentle violet eyes as the woman smiled at her. “I like Kaoru’s idealism better then the true nature of Kenjutsu. And if I had one wish - it would be for the world to except her ideals as its true nature.”
Without looking away from the rurouni Gohei addressed his brother. “Brother, you don’t mind if I kill her do you?”
Kihei gritted his teeth. I’ll deal with you later… “No. She’s in the way. But we’ve got what we came for, so just get the guys to kill her.” He looked around disgusted. “What’s left of them anyway. Why are you just standing around?!” he shouted at the remaining thugs, of which there were about twenty. The wanderer had gotten rid of many of them, but there were still over half of the original thugs there.
Kaoru looked over at the wanderer - surely he would help his wife?! But he was simply leaning against the wall, calm as you please, even smiling slightly. Noticing Kaoru, he winked at her.
Fuming, she looked back at the rurouni - just as Gohei gave the order. “Go on!” he roared, and the thugs attacked.
“Run rurouni!” Kaoru shouted.
The rurouni’s eyes were blue again. “I don’t like needlessly causing injuries, so anyone who doesn’t want to go to the doctor, please leave.”
The thugs laughed as the prepared to attack. What could one little girl do against them? “There aren’t going to be any injuries!” one shouted. “Only one dead body!”
They attacked. The rurouni danced.
Drawing her sword, three men went down. Crouching down and whirling around, another three fell to the floor, their knees broken.
The rest of the thugs only had time to gap before she was on them, raising her sword to the level of amber eyes, and sweeping so fast Kaoru could only see a blur before four men were down, their swords broken and blood spraying in the air.
Moving so swiftly she could hardly be seen, the rurouni danced through the remainder of the thugs.
Kihei gaped, uncomprehending. “She’s taking out four or five with each swing. Is it sorcery?!”
“No.” Kaoru said, buoyed by the sight before her. The part of her that was assistant master cried out look, see! This was what she strived for; this perfect mastery over your own body, till the sword you wielded was an extension of your own arm.
It was beautiful.
It was terrifying.
It was everything she’d ever wanted.
“No.” she repeated, more firmly. “It’s not sorcery - its speed!”
Without her noticing, the wanderer raised an eyebrow at her approvingly. He’d been right when they first met- she did know swords.
So did Gohei. “Speed of the sword. Speed of the body. Speed at reading your opponents moves. She’s using them to bring down as many as she can, with the least possible movements!”
It was over. The rurouni stood, facing away from them, the only one still standing, her odd reversed blade resting on her shoulder.
“One thing, I forgot to mention.” She said, slowly. “Hitokiri Battousai’s school of Kenjutsu isn’t Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, nor did he use whatever mash up of styles you use.”
She turned to face them, revealing cold, deadly amber eyes.
“The style he used is an ancient one, from the Sengoku era, designed to pit one against many. It’s called Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, and without a sakabatou, it is slaughter with deadly swiftness.”
Three pairs of eyes widened, as one turquoise pair flashed in amusement.
“But how…”
“During times of war, when people are desperate, they will take on anyone.”
The rurouni continued. “When you are young, it is easy to bind your chest and wear boy’s clothes, and after you show enough skill, they don’t care what gender you are.”
Kaoru’s eyes widened. She couldn’t be saying what she thought she was, she couldn’t. “No…rurouni…”
She continued. “Only six people, during the Bakumatsu, knew my gender - Katsura Kogorou, Takasugi Shinsaku, Okami-san, Saitou Hajime - though he was an accident -, a man named I’izuka…”
She raised a hand, and pointed at the wanderer. “And him.”
She paused. “Though personally, I always thought at least some of the rest of the Shinsengumi figured it out, what with the way some of them were always sort of flirting…”
Kaoru spoke softly. “So…you...are the Hitokiri Battousai?!”
“Interesting!” Gohei called out, advancing.
Despite having just seen the rurouni take out so many men, and claim to be the most feared killer in Japan, Kaoru couldn’t help but notice that the tiny woman seemed even more small and slender next to the giant - she barely came up to his waist!
Gohei grinned as he spoke. “I didn’t think you were that strong the other day - you were hiding your strength!”
The rurouni gazed up at him, expressionless. “I’m not like you; I don’t like mindless violence, so I hesitated when I should have finished you the other day. I regret that now.”
Her eyes narrowed even more. “Don’t worry; I’ll make up for it.”
“You’re confident.” Said Gohei mockingly. “Or maybe just arrogant.”
He slowly unsheathed his sword, grinning at the sound.
“This world doesn’t need two Battousai’s! The name should belong to me!”
He raised his sword to strike - only for the rurouni to vanish.
“Eh?” his eyes widened, confused.
“Up here.” Came a cold voice. Gohei looked up, to see the rurouni above him, ragged sleeves flying back like the wings of some great bird, bloody hair flying around a pale perfect face, offset by narrow amber eyes, and with the cross shaped scar drawn in red across one cheek. Demon… he barely had time to think to himself - before the rurouni landed, sword striking Gohei so hard he crashed into the ground, as Kihei and Kaoru could only watch helplessly. So…strong…he thought to himself, before unconsciousness came to him on black wings.
“I have no attachment to the name the name Battousai.” The rurouni said to Gohei’s unconscious body. “But I won’t but it on to a man like you.”
The wanderer got up from his slouch against the wall. “Well, that’s taken care of.” He said.
“Almost.” She answered - and turned to face Kihei.
“You’re the only one left.” She said, voice cold as snow. “Shall we test…” she raised the sakabatou in front of her, and then flipped it delicately to the sharp edge. “…the sharpness of this blade?” She asked him.
Kihei fell back against the wall, frothing at the mouth as with a tinkle he lost control of his bladder.
The rurouni’s nose wrinkled delicately as she plucked the deed from Kihei’s limp hand. “It figures,” She spoke to her partner, “that a man who would arrange such a thing would be the worst kind of coward.”
He snorted in agreement as she ripped the deed into little pieces.
Kaoru watched, eyes wide, as the rurouni spoke - this time to her. “My apologies Kaoru-dono. I didn’t want to hide from or deceive you, but over the past ten years, I’ve learned that’s it is best if my identity isn’t known.” She looked over her shoulder and smiled at Kaoru - with gentle violet eyes.
“I really am sorry.” She said, before turning and beginning to walk to the door.
Kaoru tried to find her voice. “W…” She licked her lips. “W…” Damnit they were almost at the door! “W…WAIT A MINUET!”
The rurouni’s eyes widened as she oro-ed to herself.
“How am I supposed to fix this mess by myself?!” Kaoru asked. “Look at the floor!” The two travelers did, seeing that where Gohei had been sent headfirst into it there was a great big floor. The rurouni oro-ed again. “I could care less about someone’s past!” Kaoru continued, glaring at them.
“You should have cared more about Kihei’s past.” The wanderer muttered.
Kaoru looked at him slanty eyed. “I’ll work on it.”
“It’s better if I go.” The rurouni said gently. “You can finally work to clear the disgrace form your school now, but it would be bad if the real Battousai stayed here - you’d loose everything.”
“I didn’t say I wanted the Battousai to stay.” Kaoru called out. ‘I want the rurouni to -” she pulled back and put her hands over her mouth. Idiot, idiot, idiot! She chanted to herself. Now they’d never stay!
She turned around quickly so they wouldn’t see her eyes fill with tears. Damnit, she didn’t want to be alone in the dojo anymore! One of the reasons she was so excepting of Kihei was that he’d been a presence in a far to empty dojo after her father had died. She didn’t want to be alone again…
“W-well, fine! If you have to leave, then leave!” she said, before softening her voice a bit. “But if you’re leaving, at least tell me your name. ‘Battousai’ is a warriors name - your parents can’t have given it to you…”
Silence, then the sound of the door closing. Her shoulders slumped a little.
“Kenshii.”
She turned around - and there were the wanderer’s, one smirking slightly, and one smiling softly at her. “Himura Kenshii.” The rurou- no Kenshii, said softly. “That is my name…today.” She titled her head at the man beside her. And that’s Enishi, Yukishiro Enishi.”
Kaoru gazed wide eyed at them, a happy, bubbling feeling growing in her chest. They were going to stay!
“We’re a little tired of traveling, so if you don’t mind, may we stay with you a while?”
Kaoru beamed.
And so the story begins, in the eleventh year of Meiji, with the arrival of two wanderers, Yukishiro Enishi and Himura Kenshii.