Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Battousai Unleashed ❯ The Gift and the Curse ( Chapter 1 )

The Gift and the Curse

The day was warm and scented with cherry blossoms and hints of rain. Kaoru and Yahiko were the only ones left at the house since Kenshin had left to buy tofu for the evening meal. Kaoru was dressed in a pretty blue kimono, wearing her favorite indigo ribbon. They were expecting company for dinner, an old friend of her late father's. She was scurrying about setting the table and yelling at Yahiko to get off his lazy butt and help.
Yahiko grumbled at the trouble, but helped spiffy the place up, nonetheless. He swept the porch swiftly and stared at the path to see Kenshin returning. He waved and called.
"Oi, Kenshin! You're just in time! Ugly is getting restless!"
"Yahiko, I heard that!!" Kaoru's annoyed voice came from inside.
Kenshin sweat dropped and continued into the house with his basket of tofu.
"Yahiko, I'm sure Miss Kaoru does not appreciate you calling her names, that she does not. Come, let us go inside and help Miss Kaoru."
"Oh, alright," Yahiko grumbled, yet again.
By the time the guest had arrived, everything was cooked and set at the table. The elderly gentleman greeted Kaoru warmly and hugged her like he would a daughter. Kaoru hugged the man back with tears in her eyes.
"Uncle Tsuyu! Oh I'm so happy to see you!"
"My, my little Kaoru! You certainly have grown into a beautiful young woman! You must have many young men fawning for your hand in marriage!"
Kaoru blushed and giggled, a sound that neither Kenshin nor Yahiko had ever heard her produce. Tsuyu sat at the head of the table with Kaoru by his side. Kenshin sat across from him at the other end of the table, and Yahiko sat across from Kaoru.
"My dear, Kaoru. You are probably wondering why I am here all of a sudden."
"Well, not to seem rude Uncle Tsuyu, but yes."
"You see, my dear. It was your father's dying wish that I come to you on the eve of your 20th birthday and present you with this," he said, handing Kaoru a wrapped present.
The present was long and heavy. Kaoru's brow furrowed as she wondered what it could be.
"Don't be shy, Kaoru! Open it, open it!" he urged.
Kaoru smiled and quickly, but delicately, opened the package. She let the twine that held the wrappings fall and carefully unwrapped it. She gasped, letting the white cloth around the object to fall to her lap and reveal the most ornate sword she had ever lain eyes on. The hilt was made of fine cherry wood and wrapped with strips of black leather, the end of which held a red liquid within a crystal. The blade itself was a strong steel that glimmered in the dimming light of the sunset. It had a beautiful rose etched into the side of the blade. Next to it was a jet black scabbard with like rose design, but in color.
Kenshin and Yahiko also gasped at the beauty of the object. Kaoru gently touched the rose design and a lone tear splashed onto the blade.
"This was my great grandfather's sword...."
"Yes. Your father entrusted it to me to be sure it would never be stolen. Now it is time you had it back. You remember what you father told you of the sword, do you not?"
"Yes. Yes, I remember."

*FLASH*

"Kaoru, whatever you do, never touch this blade with the intent to use it in battle. The crystal at the end of the blade holds a part your great grandfather's blood. If ever a Kamiya were to hold this blade with that intent...they would gain the strength of TaoLo Kamiya. Yet in that same instant...they would lose their true selves to the darkness within their soul. In that way...it is both a gift and a curse. Promise me, Kaoru. Never use this sword as a weapon!!!"
"I promise, daddy! Never, never!" a young Kaoru vowed.

*FLASH*

Tsuyu nodded. He abruptly got up, then.
"I'm sorry, little Kaoru. I must leave. One last warning. Many are after the sword for it's power. You must protect it, Kaoru. With every fiber of your being. Let no man lay ahold of that sword."
"I promise, Uncle. No man will lay a hand on the Hi Mei Sword," she vowed, "I will protect it."
"Good, good...God be with you, Kaoru."
Kenshin narrowed his eyes as Tsuyu left. What the man had said, worried him. He would be vigilant and help Miss Kaoru protect the sword, that he would. Yahiko was oohed and ahhed over the sword. Kaoru, sheathed the blade and placed it on a holder on the nearby wall.

Kaoru awoke the next morning, feeling refreshed. She quickly dressed in her gi and woke up Yahiko.
"Wake up, sleepyhead. It's time to start training."
"Aww, what about breakfast?!"
"We'll train until Kenshin has made breakfast," she said.
Yahiko growled, but got up and dressed while Kaoru walked to the dojo.
"Good morning, Miss Kaoru!"
"Morning, Kenshin!"
"You're up earlier than usual, Miss Kaoru."
"I actually slept well last night. I guess having that missing piece of family history back is giving me peace."
"Ah. Well, breakfast will be ready in an hour, that it will."
"Wonderful! I just have a feeling that nothing can spoil my mood today! Not even Yahiko!"
Kaoru continued to the dojo, leaving behind a slightly smiling Kenshin and a sleepy Yahiko, trudging after her.
The day wore on and Kenshin left again for more tofu for that evening's meal. Kaoru and Yahiko were left alone again in the house. For once, the duo was getting along. Both held some cards in their hand and sat at the kitchen table.
"You got a 5?" Yahiko asked.
"Go fish."
"Grr! You're cheating, I know you are!"
"How can someone cheat at go fish?!" she asked, offended.
Unbeknownst to either of them, 3 shadowed figures had entered the house stealthily. They quietly searched through all the rooms first, looking for the object of their desire, the Hi Mei sword.
At the market, Kenshin looked toward the dojo, a dark sense of foreboding tugged at him. He quickly paid for the tofu and ran back to the dojo. Something was wrong. He didn't know what it was, but Miss Kaoru was in danger, that she was! And he had to hurry and get there to save her.
Not finding what they were after, the 3 shadows had no choice but to make themselves known to the two occupants of the house. They would force them to talk and hand over the sword that belonged to their master.
Kaoru put the cards away as Yahiko poured himself a glass of water in the kitchen. She yawned and looked outside to the setting sun. Kenshin would be back soon to start dinner. She had been feeling a bit uneasy for the past half hour, yet she had no idea why. Before she had more time to ponder in the issue, a smoke bomb was thrown into the room, filling it with black smoke. She coughed and quickly used the sleeve of her kimono to shield her nose and mouth. Yahiko had dropped to the ground, shielding himself with a wash cloth.
In an instant, Kaoru was pinned to the wall by a hand on her neck. She cried out from the shock of being so harshly shoved into the wall.
"Tell us. Where is the Hi Mei sword?!" the man demanded.
"Never! You won't lay a hand on that sword!" Kaoru screamed, hoping that the lingering smoke hid the sword from view.
It was merely yards away from them. So close, yet so far. She wouldn't look in that direction or they would see it, though.
"Wench! You will tell us or you will die!" another proclaimed.
"Haah!!" Yahiko screamed while charging with his bokken.
"Yahiko!" Kaoru cried out as the man holding her, dropped her and proceeded to join his friends in disarming the young boy.
"Ahhh!" Yahiko screamed in pain as his arm was mercilessly broken.
"Yamete! Don't hurt him! Onegai!"
"You will hand over the sword, or the boy dies."
"Ahhh!" Yahiko screamed as more pressure was added to his already broken arm.
Kaoru picked up Yahiko's discarded bokken and stood ready.
"Let him go. Fight me and if you win, I'll hand over the sword," she said.
The leader snapped his fingers and pointed at her. The other two charged and fought her. She had difficulty in dodging due to her kimono, but she was doing well nonetheless. One of the ninjas then unsheathed his blade and took her on himself. She began to have difficulty. Finally, his blade cut through her bokken and left a small cut on her right cheek. He kicked her and she went flying, falling into a roll just beneath the sword.
"Kill him," the leader said, tossing Yahiko to one of his men.
"No!" Kaoru yelled, a flash of the warning of the sword making its way to her head as she looked up at it.
All became slow motion as Kaoru grabbed the sword and began to unsheath it.
"I won't let you!" she screamed as she threw the scabbard to the side.
She was momentarily engulfed in a red aura before her eyes narrowed and she took a battle stance. Without needing a prompt, the two ninjas lunged forward. Yahiko watched the events unfold with widened eyes. It was as if a completely seperate person was fighting, not Kaoru. This warrior was skillfully avoiding attacks and landing her own.
"I've had enough, playtime," she said in a whispers, "Shine!"
Kaoru lunged toward the first ninja, her blade out to the side. It sliced through the ninja's side, swiftly. Blood sprayed upon her arm and face and dripped from the end of the sword. The other ninja approached from behind her. She swiftly turned and slashed upwards, cutting through his torso from the right side of his waist to his left shoulder. He fell with a dull thud. A pool of blood was forming on the floor and staining the wood a deep crimson.
The leader threw Yahiko to the side and took out his own sword and faced her.
"Kamiya Kaoru...you truly are the pride of the Kamiya Kasshin style...," he sneered, "Nothing more than a manslayer...hypocrite!"
Kaoru screamed in rage and lunged at him. The swords clashed and sparks flew. Her eyes narrowed further and seemed to flare with red fire in the place of the once serene blue. Yahiko crawled back toward a wall, his eyes inexorably drawn to the bloodshed before him. His young mind was struggling to comprehend what was occuring. Was this really Kaoru?! It couldn't be! Kaoru said a sword was a tool to protect, not kill! This wasn't Kaoru! It wasn't!!!
Kenshin heard the sounds of swords clashing and dropped the basket of tofu. He quickly ran into the house and was met by the smell of blood and death. He saw Yahiko in a corner with wide eyes and quickly pulled him out of the room. He could only hope he would recover from what he had witnessed. Kenshin's next objective was to find Miss Kaoru. He again, entered the room and his eyes were drawn to the fight. To his great shock and surprise, it was Miss Kaoru that was fighting...with her great grandfather's sword! Again, his nose registered the smell of blood and then his eyes saw the dead bodies on the floor and the pool of blood that was increasing and staining the floors.
"Die, Kamiya Kaoru!" the last ninja proclaimed before bringing his sword down in a slash.
"Go to hell!" she screamed, rolling to the side and plunging her blade into his side, piercing him all the way through.
More blood sprayed upon her lovely face as she twisted the blade. She stood and kicked the body off her blade. Lifting the blade up to the fading sunlight, she admired the power of it. The blood flowed smoothly down the steel and onto her delicate hands. At that moment, Kaoru seemed to return to her own body. The sword clattered to her feet and she stared at her blood covered hands in fear and disbelief.
"No...NO!" she screamed as she backed up from the bloody scene.

*FLASH*
"...both a gift and a curse..."
*FLASH*

She looked up to see Kenshin, wide eyed and starring at her in disbelief. Tears flowed down her cheeks, washing away the blood on her face.
"Gomen....," she whispered before she absently grabbed the sword and pushed past him.
"Miss Kaoru!!" he yelled after her, chasing her, "Wait!"
Kenshin grabbed a hold of her waist and pulled her to him. She was shivering in self-loathing and fear. She held onto the sword with white knuckles.
"Miss Kaoru...," Kenshin soothed, "Please. You must let go of the sword, that you must."
"I can't...I can't, Kenshin!" she cried, "What did I do?! What did I DO?!"
She crumpled to the ground, clinging to his pant leg. Kenshin kneeled and hugged her close.
"Kenshin...I killed...I have 3 men's blood on my hands!" whispered in remorse.
"Shh...Kaoru...it will be alright," he replied, his hand in her hair.
Out of anyone, Kenshin could understand her in this moment. He was the only one that could understand her and she realized that. She had been given no other choice than to use the sword. She cried into his chest, her bloodied hands clutching onto his kimono. Kenshin crushed her to him in sorrow. Miss Kaoru would never be the same, that she would not.