Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Belonging ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

Title: Belonging

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all it's characters do not belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for a little while

A/N: Okay, so this is what I hope to be a very dark, angst-filled fiction. I just love stories filled with conflict and hurting and stuff…but of course the plot must be good as well. If you have some comments about this little fic of mine, If you hate it, you like it, you want me to continue, please review it so I'll know if I should continue writing or let this fiction die a peaceful, quiet death. Thanks. ^_^

Kyuketsuki - vampire

Tsukuru - made vampire

Umareru - born vampire

Lamia - Magical creature like a vampire but with higher power. The True Immortal Vampires that cannot be killed. No one really knows the extent of the true powers they wield.

Momban - the Kamiyas are all considered Momban or Wardens of the Gates. They are Priests or Priestesses that have great power.

Jogoku - hell

Tengoku - Heaven

Nedan - Blood Price, very important to vampire clans. It is viewed as revenge or atonement for wrongdoing…a way to even up the score.

Ki - life energy

Meikai - demon world. The people here mostly want to rule all the realms.

Kaibutsu - The race of people who live in Meikai.

Makai - The `between' world where all planes converge. The inhabitants of this plane can cross over to other realms. It is the threshold into Ningenkai (Human World)

Youkai - The inhabitants of Makai. As a whole they view the humans as beneath them. There are different types of Youkai; vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters…so on…

Reikai - Spirit World (this is where the Magical Creatures and Spell Casters come from} It is the world Kaoru came from.

Rei Ki - possessed energy by the inhabitants of Reikai

Nakama - Life-mate. A very strong bond…

Shidôsha - Leader…a form of address meant to show respect

/*Looks up at the notes*… Don't worry…you don't need to memorize it to follow the story. It's just so that you have a reference if you so wish…I hope you enjoy my fic. This is my first Rurouni Kenshin endeavor so please tell me if I'm doing a good job and should continue or if should just not write anymore…Thanks ;P/

Prologue:

[Makai, The Plane between the Spirit and Demon worlds. It is the closest plane to the Earth Realm, Ningenkai]

He was very quick with dispensing the numerous guards posted outside Shinomori Aoshi's home. "Shinomori…" he snarled. He hated the name and everything it represented. The Shinomori's were the greatest vampire clan and the leader of the Vampire Council. The same Vampire Council that had denied him his right.

The others wouldn't understand…but he knew Aoshi would.

Aoshi would understand…

He would see and he would know.

And he would suffer.

There wasn't a single sound was heard, no one inside the house grew aware of the fact that their human barricade to keep him out were all lying on the cold floor, dead.

Battousai watched in the shadows, his amber eyes hooded.

So the girl was here as well.

Her movements were swift and easy and graceful but there was no practiced allure in them. There was a purposefulness to her that made him take notice. Her long hair glinted violet in the light and further enhanced the creamy texture of her white skin and the sapphire glow of her eyes. There was a faint glow of power around her. It was strong but calm, like the surface of the ocean that covered the world. His eyes flared as he watched the Ki surrounding her. It was Rei Ki, a type of energy only the inhabitants of the Reikai, the Spirit World, could possess.

In a way he understood why Aoshi had chosen the woman for his Nakama.

It was too bad she had to die.

He had come for her life.

OOOOO

"Anata, even from afar I can sense your unrest," Kaoru whispered softly as she sat down across from Aoshi and smiled at him. "Are you unwell?"

Aoshi looked up from his contemplation of the reports he was reading and studied her. A small smile graced his normally stoic lips as he noticed that his betrothed's hair was in slight disarray. He leaned forward and tucked a stray strand behind her ear, caressing her face in the process. "Do you mind that we had had to postpone the wedding?"

It was supposed to have happened four years ago when she was fourteen but the Wars had held up most of his time and even now, with the tentative peace within all the realms, there seemed to be a new uprising to keep him from her.

"It doesn't matter," Kaoru assured him with a small smile as she leaned into his touch. "We are already life-mates. The wedding is just for show to others." She lifted a hand and to touch the hand Aoshi was using to caress her cheek, "What is bothering you?" she asked softly. "Truly…"

He leaned back and was silent as he studied her: his life-mate, his Nakama, the other side of his soul.

He did not want to burden her with the news of the uprising but he knew too that she should know. She was a Kamiya after all. She was from the lines of Momban, the warden of the Gates.

"Do you remember Battousai?" he asked quietly.

Kaoru nodded as she poured her husband tea. "Yes, I do. He is the great Hitokiri, am I correct? He is one of the reasons why the treaty was signed and why there is peace between our lands."

Aoshi accepted the tea gratefully and waited until she had settled down again before he continued. "He was very involved in the war effort to keep the demons from invading our lands as well as Ningenkai. Not much is really known about him but from what we've gathered he was born here in Makai and that he is a Kyuketsuki Umareru. A born vampire."

"So he's like you…" Kaoru said. It made sense. Vampires were one of the most powerful types of Youkai in the Realms, well known for their natural speed and skill in fighting. They were virtually indestructible except if you lopped their heads off or stabbed them in the heart with a wooden stick. There were two types of vampires. The Umareru, which meant born, they were what they were naturally. They can age but they can also stop their aging. They could have children if they so wished. The Tsukuru however were made vampires. They were not born vampires but had been changed. Whatever age they had been when they were changed would remain their age forever. They aren't capable of having children.

By law, only the Umareru were allowed to create Tsukuru. No made vampires shall ever create another of its kind.

It was a law that the Vampire Council led by the Shinomori Clan, had made to protect the sanctity of their bloodlines.

Aoshi shook his head, "He is not like me. Not anymore. What he has become now is far different from what I am. You see Kaoru, he has become a Lamia," he said tiredly. "At least that is what the reports say…"

"I thought they were only legends within your kind?" Kaoru said, surprised. Lamias were born vampires who had managed to attain true immortality. Even contact with wood could no longer kill them. "I'd always thought that the Lamia was something all vampires aspired to but will never attain…I've never heard of anyone being able to…"

"That's true. I'm guessing it's only a rumor meant to arouse fear," he closed his eyes and sighed taking another sip of tea.

"I suppose s-" Kaoru's sentence was cut of by her startled scream.

OOOOO

Kaoru screamed as she was hauled up, an arm seemingly to suddenly materialize around her throat. Her panicked eyes sought and held that of Aoshi, trying to understand what was happening and knowing by instinct that this thing holding her imprisoned was beyond anything she had ever felt or seen before in her entire life.

Aoshi watched as Battousai held his life-mate captive in his arms. Aoshi had only seen the man once during the Wars and had met with him only briefly. The Battousai he had seen then had been solemn and dangerous but he didn't have this aura of absolute…darkness and death clouding around him.

Battousai was no longer the man who had helped in pushing the forces of darkness back with in the Gates that held them.

This man was something different and Aoshi throat tightened at the thought of Kaoru in this madman's clutches.

"Battousai…" Aoshi hissed angrily his heart pounding as he watched the redhead press his sword more firmly against Kaoru's neck. "Let her go. She has nothing to do with you!"

"Do you feel it now Shidôsha?" Battousai snarled sarcastically as he stared into Aoshi's eyes. "Do you feel the pain? The rage?"

"It wasn't my decision!" Aoshi said his hands moving to the weapon at his back.

"Don't!" Battousai ordered sharply, amber eyes narrowing. "Move and she dies."

Aoshi knew that Battousai was out for revenge. "Do whatever you want with me but leave Kaoru alone!"

A bitter mocking laugh, "What about my Tomoe, Aoshi? Did the filthy humans leave her alone?" he asked harshly. "They brutalized her and killed her even though she had done nothing."

"Kaoru had nothing to do with it! Neither did I!"

"Oh but you do! The both of you; Human Lovers…your Council wouldn't even let me claim the Blood Price for such a transgression!"

"That's because peace has finally come into the lands. If you kill humans now, the treaty would dissolve!" Aoshi reasoned his concerned eyes looking at Kaoru's face. She was pale and panting. "You're hurting her," he said raggedly.

Battousai quirked an eyebrow at Aoshi's tone, "That's the idea."

Kaoru cried out as his hand tightened on her neck forcing her chin up and exposing more of her neck to his blade. She gasped in horror as she felt his long canines extend and pierce into her skin, his warm mouth on top of the open and bleeding wound, sucking. "Don't…" she chocked out.

Aoshi's whole body stilled, anger thrumming throughout his body like a raging fire. "Stop it!"

Battousai mind was whirling as he continued to drink from the woman. Her blood was heady and intoxicating. It was pulsing with a power and energy so pure and raw and elemental. He could not quite understand it but he wanted to control it, to reach it nonetheless. He lifted his head and licked the flesh he'd injured feeling her shudder against him. He glanced at Aoshi and smirked, lifting one eyebrow. "You choose well."

"I'll hunt you down and kill you myself," the taller man growled out.

"How are you going to do that? If you move, I'll kill her." Battousai said tauntingly. "But if you don't move…I'll kill her."

"If it's revenge you want then kill me…" Aoshi bit out. "Or are you afraid to take on someone who has more than a fighting chance of winning over you?"

The sound of laughter, bitter and hollow reverberated through the room. "You truly are worth your position in the ranks, Shidôsha. You think you can rankle me enough so that I lose control? Never. You see I came to claim what is yours since you have denied me what is mine."

"She can't be yours. She is bonded to me!"

"There are ways…" Battousai said his lips open upon Kaoru's cheek so that each word he spoke was like a caress. "She is your life-mate but her body is still pure, you have not claimed all of her…"

Kaoru felt something strange about this man's Ki. There was too much power pulsing in him for him to be a mere vampire. He felt like death itself. When he had drawn her blood into him, a slight connection had been formed and her mind had touched briefly with his.

It had been a vile, dangerous place covered with blood and swirling with insane hatred.

Kaoru whimpered feeling the cold steel press against her throat. Aoshi…

"Do you want to watch as I ravish her Aoshi? Or do you want her to watch you die first?"

Aoshi growled. "Fight me and leave Kaoru out of this!"

Kaoru could feel Battousai's evil intent. There was so much hatred in him; there was insanity as well as a deep, abiding agony that dug into her soul.

"No Aoshi, don't!" Kaoru yelled her eyes widening in comprehension. "Don't fight him."

"What…Kaoru…"

"He's lamia…you can't kill him Aoshi, he's lamia."

A chill slithered up and down Aoshi's spine as his mind digested exactly what Kaoru had said. He's lamia.

Lamia.

They were legendary.

They were not even supposed to exist.

"Good work Momban. I didn't think you could tell…" Battousai's said in a cold voice, his canine grazing her neck once more. The collar of Kaoru's kimono had opened slightly revealing a little more skin of her shoulders and neck. Battousai's tongue traced the white, warm column before his mouth opened slightly against the crook of her neck and then to her shoulders. He seemed to know the fury his actions were invoking in Aoshi and he was enjoying taunting the other man.

Kaoru met Aoshi's eyes silently. They were linked and she used their bond to tell him without words that she loved him.

Aoshi's fists tightened in anguish. He felt so powerless.

Battousai smiled and whispered softly into Kaoru's ear. "Pay attention little girl. You're my possession now. I don't want you connected to anyone else but me…"

Aoshi felt his mind-link with Kaoru severed as another presence overwhelmed her mind. In a rage, he realized that Battousai was forcing himself inside of Kaoru's mind. From the look of acute pain evident in her face, it was torture for her.

OOOOO

He was insane.

Kaoru realized this as soon as his mind engulfed her.

Unlike the times when she'd been in Aoshi's mind, Battousai's mind was a twisted jagged place of darkness and insanity. Clear crystal points, like knives and daggers jutted out of every direction threatening to cut her with each movement she took.

There was so much blood and hatred that even she was in danger of being pulled inside his insanity.

She used every inner power she possessed to gain some control. A bright blue light engulfed her entire body, shielding her from the torrents of thoughts around her.

She could see flashes of his memory.

She shared in some of them, but only for a moment because it was always wrenched away by some unknown force. She felt herself being pushed and pulled and tumbled headlong into a tunnel where in there was…

Nothing.

Kaoru was surprised to note that this place was emptiness. She'd never been this deep inside another person's mind before and still she felt that gentle pull coaxing her ever forward.

It's dangerous…she realized. She was in his subconscious now…and she could be trapped here if his mind proved to be stronger than hers.

And then she heard it.

A child's voice calling out to her

Help me…

"Where are you?" Kaoru called out.

Closer…

"Where?"

It hurts so much…

Kaoru responded to the pain in the young boy's tone and she blindly sought it out, knowing she was delving deeper into an assassins mind but not caring. Someone was in pain and she had to help…and then there was a blinding light and Kaoru saw a little boy curled up in a tight ball. His hair was titian, neither red nor gold but a beautiful mixture of both. The boy was shivering and crying and Kaoru felt the pull of his need.

She closed her eyes as she was pulled closer into the light, the intensity of it blinding.

And she felt the hands on her hands and the small frame press against her.

"Help me…"

Kaoru opened her eyes and looked down and saw that the little boy was clutching at her. "Who are you…?"

"Please…it hurts…"

Amethyst eyes stared up at her. They were wet with tears and darkened by pain and agony. Kaoru wondered what an innocent child was doing inside Battousai's mind. Had he been trapped here as well?

Kaoru closed her eyes and bent down to clasp the young boy's body against her. She called on the power of the Ancient Gates and opened the Gate of Inochi, the life light.

"Warm…" the boy whispered as he burrowed closer to her.

"Who are you?" she asked again, stroking his hair.

"Shinta…"

OOOOO

Dimly, Aoshi heard footsteps coming closer and closer but he could not bear to tear his eyes away from what was happening in front of him.

Kaoru was…Kaoru was glowing.

Oh he knew she had to be pretty powerful. She was descended from the Kamiya Family after all. They were known as Momban: Wardens of the Gates.

But he hadn't realized exactly how powerful she was.

Battousai froze his eyes snapping towards Kaoru before he stilled and his eyes glazed over.

It was the thrall. Kaoru was inside his mind and they were connecting.

"Kaoru…please be strong enough…don't let him engulf you…" Aoshi whispered knowing he could not do anything until it was over. If he broke the thrall, he could do permanent damage to Kaoru's mind. He could trap her inside Battousai's consciousness and lose her forever.

Soujiro came in, his sword drawn and ready to protect his masters. He halted as his eyes took in the details of the room.

Aoshi standing like a statue looking pained.

And then Kaoru…Kaoru was glowing.

Kaoru was being held captive in the arms of…

The breath left Soujiro's lungs as he realized exactly who it was that held Kaoru. "B-Battousai?"

OOOOO

"Shinta?" Kaoru asked as she stroked the boy's hair. "What are you doing here?"

"I…I live here…" the boy said looking at her. "I ran because it hurts too much…"

"What hurts?" Kaoru asked wondering if she could free the boy from Battousai's mind.

"Everything…" Shinta said sniffing. "But it feels nice now…with you…"

Kaoru felt the boy shift and suddenly he wasn't a boy anymore but a young man only a year or so older than her. She blinked and moved away suddenly conscious of her body against his. "What…where?"

He smiled at her. "My name is Kenshin…"

"K-Kenshin? What have you done to Shinta?" Kaoru asked her eyes narrowing. She looked around but the light that covered them kept her from seeing anything or anyone else.

"Shinta is fine…you helped him and he wants us to help you…"

"What do you mean?"

"You have a glow about you. You are Momban, yes? A Gate Keeper?"

Kaoru nodded. "Yes…I am. Born to Serve and Protect the Gates."

Kenshin nodded his eyes sad, "We need you to stop him…please…"

"You mean Battousai?"

Kenshin nodded. "Yes. It's my fault…I lost control…I lost…and now everything will be destroyed…"

"I don't understand…" Kaoru said shaking her head. "How can you expect me to stop him when I'm trapped inside his mind? I…he's a lamia. There's nothing in the known Universe that can kill him."

"You can stop him Kaoru…Use the gates…"

"H-how?" she asked softly. A part of her wanted to help but another was terrified. She wasn't the strongest in their clan. There were others who wielded the magic stronger than her. She wasn't even an official Momban yet. She'd chosen to be with Aoshi and leave Reikai…

"It is you who was sent here for a purpose, do not doubt yourself…" Kenshin said. "Please help us…"

"But I'm inside his mind…"

"Shinta and I…we can help you…will you help us Kaoru…?"

Her heart was pounding as she looked at him. His hair was so long and beautiful. It looked like it was a golden flame neither red nor gold but blazing with it's own fire. His eyes were the gentlest, saddest eyes she'd ever seen. They seem to encompass all the sorrows of the worlds combined. She felt something inside of her respond to him and she found her hands lifting to cup his head and pull him closer until her lips touched his.

It was a gentle kiss.

A comforting kiss

But it was a kiss nonetheless and Kaoru's eyes snapped open and she found herself staring into large, violet eyes that looked startled and in awe all at once.

/What am I doing? What's going on…Aoshi…/ Kaoru's conscious mind screamed at her to let go. She forced her hands to let go of him and she backpedaled away, panting. A hand rose to touch her lips. The only person ever to touch her there was Aoshi and now…now…

"I…" she began.

The brightness around them intensified and Kenshin looked up in concern. He glanced at Kaoru once more. "Will you help us Kaoru…? Will you set us free…? We don't have much time…"

Kaoru wanted to shake her head and tell him to leave her alone but found herself nodding. "Yes…"

OOOOO

Soujiro and Aoshi both covered their eyes as sudden flash of light was emitted from Kaoru's body. They had to brace themselves to withstand the shockwave of energy that flowed from her form.

"She's…she's opening a Gate…" Soujiro said in awe. He'd never seen something like this before. The energy flowing from Kaoru was so strong and elemental. The waves battered against his body but it wasn't painful exactly.

It was just so damn strong.

He planted his feet more securely to the ground but he could still feel himself being pushed away. The only thing keeping him from being flung up in the air and slammed against the wall was the fact that he had positioned his sword in front of him to slice some of the energy waves to lessen the impact. "I can't keep this up much longer…" he muttered feeling his feet slipping ever backwards. He adjusted his body's alignment so he wouldn't fall over.

Aoshi held up a shield to protect him from the energy waves. Kaoru's aura was engulfing both Battousai and her. He tried to use their mind-link but found that it was still blocked. "Kaoru!" he yelled out in frustration. "Kaoru!!!!!"

Suddenly the light pulled in on itself and the energy waves stopped.

Both Kaoru and Battousai still seemed to be in the middle of The Thrall.

Soujiro and Aoshi both watched in stunned silence as something coalesced between Kaoru's cupped hands.

Rei Ken. The Sword made up of pure energy.

Soujiro and Aoshi's eyes both widened as Kaoru thrust the sword inside of her piercing her body as well as Battousai who was holding her from behind.

From Soujiro's point of view he could clearly see the sword impale the two; the sword entering Kaoru's body and exiting at Battousai's back.

Their bodies arched in reaction to the invasion and they gasped, falling out of the thrall.

OOOOO

The two men watched as the woman slowly slid to the ground, her eyes still wide the with shock of feeling the sword spear her soft flesh. Battousai staggered backwards, a look of disbelief on his face as he clutched the wound that was not healing.

"No!" Aoshi cried out in horror as he felt the bond with his life-mate slowly begin to fade within his body. Her soul was leaving…she was dying.

He raced towards her, dropping to his knees and clutching her in his arms.

Soujiro stepped back as Aoshi's aura flashed black before his eyes. He'd never seen the older man's aura so dark…it was frightening.

"Why?" Aoshi demanded angrily, his eyes lighting up with inner fire as he stared down at her, his face so close she could see her reflection in his eyes. Kaoru felt absolutely terrified and infinitely sad at the same time. She tried to open her mouth to speak but instead a wracking bout of cough hit her shaking her body and making her throw up more of her life's precious blood.

"Why?" he asked again in an anguished whisper.

Her hand lifted to touch his face. "I…"

"No. I won't let you die. Do you understand me?" Aoshi said as he bit his wrist, blood pouring out. "Drink my blood…if you're a vampire then you won't die…"

"No…the sword I used…from gate…" Kaoru coughed turning in his arms so she could vomit up more blood.

"Kaoru…" Aoshi's voice was anguished.

"Lord Shinomori…" Soujiro said in awe as he watched Battousai's form on the ground. "B-Battousai is…" Battousai's body lay on the ground, the wound Kaoru had inflicted on him, open and bleeding. There on his cheek was a marking that had not been there before. It seemed burned into his skin, X.

"What's happening Shidôsha…?" Soujiro asked in a hushed whisper as he watched Battousai's body disappear in balls of red light.

"It doesn't matter…" Aoshi said flatly.

"B-Battousai?" Kaoru asked haltingly, finding it very hard to breathe. Aoshi's Ki was so dark with anguish, rage and despair. She wanted to comfort him but found she no longer had any strength left.

"The bastard is dead." Aoshi said as he watched her eyes and memorized every curve of her sweet, beloved face. "I would have taken such pleasure in making him pay for what he did to you."

"He'll come back…" she whispered, "but…so will…I…" Kaoru's eyes closed and Aoshi felt her leaving. "The mark…" she whispered softly.

"No!" he howled out in pain as his arms tightened around her still form. He looked down at her when he felt her body get lighter. She was disintegrating…becoming blue light floating up into the sky. "Kaoru!!!!!"

/To Be Continued…/

A/N: So, what did you guys think? Sorry if Battousai was a bit of an SOB here but I need him to be for the story…anyway, he's not all bad hence Shinta and Kenshin is still inside his mind…Sorry for any grammatical errors but English isn't my first language. ^_^ This is my first Rurouni Kenshin fiction and I'm not sure if I'm doing a good job or not so please review. Tell me if you like to read more of this story or if I should just let it be…if you want to read more, please review…please…please… ;-P