Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Fire ❯ He ( Chapter 2 )

Fire
© Kaz, 2003

Fire. The evolution of heat and light by combustion. The symbol of courage and passion. The symbol of destruction and death. But to a certain young man with a fragile, scarred heart... it doesn't mean so much anymore.

Fire.

Fire had always been special to me.

The emblem of courage.

Excitement.

Passion.

Love.

Love.

"Misanagi..."

Until that day.

Until that one moment transpired between us.

And ever since then, fire had lost its significance in my life. It no longer motivated me like it used to do. It no longer inspired me, no longer made my heart burn with desire to accomplish what I thought of doing. It no longer gave me the strength to do what I should do. In fact, all it gave me... were painful memories.

Of her.

Misanagi Moriya.

Despite our cultural differences --- her being Japanese and I being German --- we had so much in common. We appreciated the same things. We enjoyed the same things. We took pleasure in the same things. Bats, for example. She had the uncanny talent of manipulating them, making the creatures of the night follow her every command... and I had the natural ability of making them come to me without getting my hand chewed off in the process.

We could've done so much, so much more if we only had the chance.

But fire took her away from me.

That's why I dislike it.

Resent it.

Hate it.

That one moment put an end to everything we ever shared --- the time we had together, the things we talked about, the unsaid feelings we had for each other. That one moment put an end to the relationship that was going on between us, the relationship that barely even started. I could've done something to prevent it, to prevent our separation, but I did not want to take the risk. Not when the the life of the woman I loved was at stake.

It made her scream. "Schneider, I love you!"

I turned to look at her... for the last time.

... I saw fire.