Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Letting Go of Love ❯ Trouble's A Comin' ( Chapter 1 )

Hi all!

 

 

If any of you are a fan of my stories on FanFiction, you may remember this fic. After reading some of the comments left and re-reading the story myself…well, I realized that I really didn't write this as well…or as clear…as I could have.So, I am doing a re-write. Hopefully, more people will read and review this time `round. I am truly trying to honor NobuhiroWatsuki's incredible work, so I am putting a lot of thought into this. So, if you read this before, please read it again and tell me what you think. Or,if you've just come across it, tell me what you think, anyway!

 

 

Youkai

 

 

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin created by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

 

 

P.S. I also realized that I didn't set up a timeline for this...let's just say it's after Enishi, but before Sano and Megumi leave. How's that?

 

 

-1234567890-1234567890-1234567890-1234567890-1234567890-123 4567890-

 

 

Letting Go of Love

Chapter 1- Trouble's A'Comin'

 

 

The forest became a blur of green and brown as they ran through it, but they paid little heed - their quarry was just ahead. `They' were Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Yahiko, as might be expected. Kenshin was in the lead, followed closely by Sano, who was followed in turn by Kaoru and Yahiko. They had not planned on making a mad dash through the forest earlier today…however all plans are subject to change....

 

 

***Flashback - earlier that day***

 

 

Kaoru had been teaching classes at the Maekawa dojo that morning. It was only a half-day's study for the students there, so Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko decided to meet her as she came back through town and splurge a bit by going for lunch at the Akabeko. After catching up to Kaoru halfway through the market square, the four had taken no more than a few steps toward the restaurant when a loud crash was heard behind them.

 

 

Turing around, they say that one of the market carts full of fruit had been knocked over. Standing next to the overturned fruit cart was a man - a newcomer, by the looks of him - as tall as Sano and dressed in Western-style clothing: a dress shirt, pants, boots, and a long trenchcoat. The man was gesturing wildly and yelling, though Kenshin and the others couldn't quite tell what he was saying.

 

 

Curiosity got the better of them and they moved closer, soon able to hear the man's words. The words were shaking, the tone irregular…he was either pissed as hell, a few swings short of a full kata, or both.

 

 

“I am here on behalf of the Katil family. I am Katil Kouchi and am looking for the Hitokiri Battosai! If any of you know where he is, tell me now!”

 

 

To emphasize this last point, he kicked one of the fruits that had fallen when the cart was knocked over. It hit the wall of one of the nearby buildings and smashed, creating a red stain on the wall. Kaoru didn't have to look at Kenshin to know that he was moving from their listening spot to stand in front of Katil.

 

 

“Katil,” said Kenshin, careful to keep his tone even, regardless of how he wanted to lash out. “Why have you come here to seek the Battosai?”

 

 

Katil paused in his rantings to observe this challenger. Short, red-headed, and armed with sword, a katana to his eye. Little to pay attention to, but something convinced Katil to answer his question.

 

 

“My mother and father were killed in the fires of the Bakumatsu, leaving my brother and I alone. He was my only family…until the Battosai killed him without a care! Since then, I have made it my life's goal to hunt down and destroy the Battosai. This town is his last known location.”

 

 

Kenshin bowed his head, causing his hair to fall and cover his eyes. “Sessha used to be known as the Battosai. If you must fight him, Sessha must ask that the battle take place away from the town.” Katil raised an eyebrow.

 

 

“You? You are the Hitokiri Battosai?” he said, slowly reaching his right hand into the open left side of his trenchcoat as he spoke. Kenshin stiffened at the other man's motion. “Yes,” he replied tersely. “That Sessha is.”

 

 

Those words seemed to be an unknown signal, for Katil rushed at Kenshin, pulling a katana out of its sheath where it had been hidden behind his coat. Kenshin easily sidestepped him, causing Katil to leave a long gouge in the ground with his katana.

 

 

“If you wish to fight outside of this town, I suggest you follow me, Battosai!”

 

 

With those words, Katil turned around and ran at top speed out of the market, out of town, towards the forest. After a brief second of shock, Kenshin followed him, followed closely by Sano, Kaoru, and Yahiko. Which brings us back to our four heroes on their run through the forest.

 

 

***End Flashback***

 

 

Running for about ten minutes through the blurred forest, the pursued one stopped, causing his pursuers to stop a few feet away from him. Glancing around, Kenshin and the others realized they had stopped in a small clearing, but before anyone could comment on it, Katil whistled shrilly and took off running again, through the opposite end of the clearing.

 

 

“What was that for?” asked Yahiko, shaking his head, as if to clear it from the ringing.

 

 

“I think that's what it was for, Yahiko,” said Kaoru, who was looking to the side of the clearing.

 

 

The whistle had apparently been a signal, for no sooner had Katil made the sound and left, than did a group of a dozen men came out of the bushes, ready to fight.

 

 

“Kenshin, you go on ahead and leave these guys to me.”

 

 

Kenshin turned toward his taller friend, about to ask him if he was sure, but when he saw Sano cracking his knuckles with a smirk upon his face, he stopped.

 

 

“Alright. Yahiko, stay with him, though, just in case.”

 

 

“No problem, Kenshin.”

 

 

Kenshin and Kaoru pushed through the barrier of men and continued after Katil. The sounds of battle could be heard for a good distance after they left the clearing. Battle cries and shouts of pain could be heard from the men sent to stop them. Intermingled with them were the shouts of both Sanosuke and Yahiko....

 

 

“Aw, this is too easy!”

 

 

“Oi, idiot!”

 

 

Kenshin and Kaoru smiled as they ran.

 

 

-1234567890-1234567890-

 

 

After another minute or two of running, Kenshin and Kaoru found themselves in another clearing with Katil waiting for them.

 

 

What is it with this forest and clearings? thought Kaoru. She had little time for other thoughts, however, for Katil began the fight.

 

 

Kenshin and Kaoru worked well together, considering they hadn't fought an enemy as one before. Separate enemies with the same goal, sure - but both fighting the same person? Kenshin made sure that had never happened. Irregardless of the past, now Kaoru's feints and attacks distracted Katil long enough for Kenshin to come in and truly damage him. Simple, but it worked.

 

 

At least, it worked for a while. Katil soon caught onto the pattern of their attacks; he placed a smile on his face as he side-stepped a swing from Kenshin, bringing him face-to-face with Kaoru. The smile never left his face as he swung his leg up and around, catching Kaoru in the stomach to send her flying backwards into a tree.

 

 

A sickening crack followed the impact of Kaoru's body hitting the tree; she slid to the ground, unconscious.

 

 

Katil turned back to Kenshin, the smile still in place. “Oops…it appears I hurt the woman....”

 

 

Kenshin snarled as he leapt toward Katil again, his anger at both Katil and himself for Kaoru's injuries fueling his attack.

 

 

-1234567890-1234567890-

 

 

Sano and Yahiko had just about finished off the dozen fighters - only a few remained in anything close to fighting condition. Sano turned his head toward Yahiko as he took out yet another fighter.

 

 

“Yo, kid! These few won't last long - go catch up with Kenshin; see if the two of them could use some help!”

 

 

“Alright,” said Yahiko, knocking out one more fighter with his shinai as he turned to run up the path.

 

 

“Incoming!”

 

 

Yahiko ducked as one of the last fighters went flying over his head to land in the brush on the side of the path.

 

 

“Watch where you're aiming, would ya?”

 

 

“Sorry, but it's kinda hard when you're working with inferior materials!”

 

 

Yahiko laughed, then continued his run towards Kenshin and Kaoru.

 

 

-1234567890-1234567890-

 

 

When he stepped into the clearing, the first thing Yahiko saw was Kaoru, stirring from her enforced cat-nap. He ran to her side and helped her to sit up.

 

 

“Oi, Kaoru! What's going on?”

 

 

She shook her head, trying to clear the last of the fogginess from it. Pointing towards the two swordsman, she replied.

 

“Kenshin's still fighting Katil. I was fighting myself, but Katil caught me off guard - threw me against this tree and I -”

 

Kaoru broke off and Yahiko followed her gaze to the fight. Kenshin had been steadily backing away from Katil's attacks, towards Kaoru. But in doing so, he couldn't see that there was a small hole in the ground a few feet behind him - he was headed straight for it. Yahiko was frozen - he could do nothing up watch as the next few minutes unfolded.

 

 

Kaoru got up as Kenshin's foot hit the hole and he fell. Katil's sword came behind his back, then he swung it up and over his head to finish the fallen swordsman....

 

 

-1234567890-1234567890-1234567890-1234567890-1234567890-123 4567890-

 

I know…basically the same evil cliffie.... But I hope the story flows better.... Anyway, lemme know what you think.

 

Youkai