Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Shibireta Shinzo (Numb Heart) ❯ A bloody encounter ( Chapter 1 )

Title: Shibireta Shinzo (Numb Heart)

Author: d-strike

Pairings: Enishi/Kaoru

Type: Original

Summary: Year 2065 AD, Arcacia was the main capital on Earth where a notorious Syndicate resides. A group of powerful men and women ruling whose wits were no match from an ordinary one. Ruled by a unit of powerful assassins whose names had scattered among the galaxy. A band of brothers who least expected to be destroyed by a mere single young woman. A woman who led two hearts in a fierce clash, ruining friendship, camaraderie, and trust in exchange of a bitter betrayal.

Act 1: A bloody encounter

Dark skies surrounded the whole sky of Urla Jupiter as a midnight blue Fergio spacecraft landed at the main dock of the largest Special Armed Forces Union abbreviated as S.A.F.U. As it disembarked gracefully onto the grounds, the hatch opened revealing a figure of a young woman with clear cobalt eyes and dark bluish hair wearing a slightly modern-old fashioned Japanese Kimono walking towards the main entrance of the building.

A slightly stout man approached them and somewhat bowed for recognition, "It's a pleasure to have you with us; Miss. Hiko-san is waiting for you inside."

She bowed in return, "Take me to where he is." She ordered and the man complied. He took her to the depths of the S.A.F.U building until they reached a certain office where the head officer is patiently waiting.

"I'll take it from here." She said to him as she went in without any company.

As she entered, she found the room was evidently silent with nothing much for a lamp shade as a source of light. The man she expects to see stood over to the vast window with his back facing her. She gave a long weary sigh and planted her hands on her slender hips. "Why am I here?" she asked, tone bored as a lazy sloth.

"You sound too disappointed. Did I disturb you?" He spun around only to face her with that usual smirk plastered on his face. His long hair was securely tied on his back as his hands dug its way to his pockets.

"As a matter of fact," she gave a soft yawn and eyed him unenthusiastically, "you just prevented me from winning more chips in the Casino in Mars. I could have been very, very rich if it wouldn't be for you and your stupid calls."

The older man chuckled at this and took his seat, "You'll never change, kid."

She smirked in return and shrugged her shoulders, "What'd you expect, old man? A born gambler will always be a gambler." She too took one of the chairs in front of his chair, "So, what's with the `mission thing' you've been yapping about?"

"Oh, this wouldn't be too hard for you if that's what you're worried about." Hiko coughed nervously as he took a few files on his hand.

She eyed him skeptically, "Now, why do I find it quite hard to believe you?"

Hiko shook his head and sighed, "It's a very simple task, Kaoru. I will assign this to you because I know you can do this." He averted his brown eyes away from her prying blue ones and pretended to shuffle through his folders. "All you have to do is to visit a minor wage war and kill a few men then retrieve a stolen artifact from Saturn."

Kaoru was skeptic about this. It was too plain and for all she knew, one of Hiko's usual hobbies was to risk her life by instructing her to some blood bath battle just to get some luscious bounties. She narrowed her eyes and asked, "What's the catch?"

As for an answer, he threw a file containing a few information of what and who she's about to deal with. "The wage war will be led by some bandits who most likely stole an important artifact from the ruins if Tyran Saturn. And that Syndicate prepares to steal it away from their hands." He took the mug sitting on his desk and took a sip on his black coffee, "We're not really concerned about which side we should be aiming at. The Bandits and the members of the Syndicate are both our enemies. You have to focus on the artifact since it'll give you 800,000 rubles for the bounty."

"So you're saying that I'm not only dealing with fatal outlaws but also members of the Syndicate?" Kaoru feigned a hurt look as she placed both of her hands on her ample bosom, "You really want me to get killed! How could you?"

Hiko as annoyed as ever grunted and said, "Stop being overdramatic and get over with it." He opened his eyes and stared on her again, "Are you going or not? `Cause if you chicken out, I can still find other bounty hunters out there who's interested with 800,000 rubles." He felt a small smirk play on his lips as he saw the look of aggravation appearing on her face, "That wouldn't be so hard, now would it?"

Kaoru shook her head and sighed, "The bounty is all I'm after for." 800,000 rubles, how could I ever reject that? I need money in order to live much longer in this universe. She wistfully thought and she replied, "Alright, I'll take it."

"I know you will. You can never deny the smell of fresh money on your hands." Hiko sarcastically mumbled although Kaoru's ear was sharp enough to hear it.

Kaoru sneered and then she stood up only to give Hiko one last arrogant look, "If we're talking about money, old man, you can definitely count on me."

Hiko grinned and nodded, "Who could have thought a girl like you would be so anxious to take hold a few bucks in her hands?"

"Yeah, whatever." Kaoru countered back, "Where and when do I leave?"

"Tomorrow morning, in Apocalypta Venus. You'll arrive there by midnight, just right on time." He replied.

"Fine, I'll leave by dawn. I'll contact you when I arrive there." She took the folder, turned on her heels and walked towards the programmed door.

"Don't forget to read the directives on those files!" Hiko almost forgot to remind her so he hoped that his yell reached her ears. The last time she disregard the orders, it almost killed her. Hiko sighed and opened the communicator on his desk, "Lisa, call Shogo for me will ya?"

--

The sun was unbearably hot and truth be told, they had to stay in this goddamned planet until dawn comes. Venus was the second planet nearest to the sun and the thought of it burns his skin more. With a groan of discontent, he leaned back against the heated metal wall and watched a few sands blown through by the passing winds, "Do I really have to be on this? Aren't you two enough to take down a bundle of bandits without my help?" he drawled lazily as he carefully studied his bandaged hands.

"Quit whining, rooster. If you're desperate in backing out, leave and never show that lazy ass face of yours on my office ever again." The other man took a cigar from his pocket and lit it up to release circles of smoke.

"Tch, fuck off! I don't have to take orders from you even if that'll make me escape this dull task." The lanky chestnut-haired assassin replied, turning his head towards the red-head standing a few feet away from him. "Kenshin, is this artifact really that important? I mean, we could have bought it instead if you so dearly wanted it."

"The artifact means nothing to me, Sano." Kenshin answered back. "These are no ordinary bandits and they're taking hold a very infamous and exceptionally high-priced relic." He turned his head towards Sano and gave him one of his winning smiles, "I'd like to take the challenge, that's all."

Sano narrowed his eyes dully and shook his head, "I was quite expecting that answer from you." Who could have thought a simple and restrained man like Kenshin Himura would ever have bloodlust over something that he finds fairly challenging? And to think that this man also holds a very famed Syndicate on Earth. No stupid human being would ever dare to challenge this in-disguised demon.

Kenshin gave a half-hearted laugh and said, "You know me too well, Sano." And then he arranged his coat and placed his sword on his waist. "Let's go. The bounty's waiting for us." And with that, the three men walked towards the lagoon and disappeared through the blinding gale of sand storm.

--

"Well, well, well… it's seems I've arrived too soon." Kaoru mumbled as she saw a herd of men standing forth her, armed in swords, guns and other sorts of weapons you could think of. She landed her Fergio at the deepest part of the forest although the sound of its raging engine took the attention of this merry band residing around. That'll sums up the reason why she was standing here, getting the glares and glowers from her enemies. Damn, I should have checked the time distortion in this planet…

"Who are you? Are you from the Syndicate?" one of the men carrying a sword who appears to be their leader asked out loud.

She shook her head, eyes closed as she answered back, "No. Although I am here to steal the artifact from you." And then she narrowed her eyes towards them and draws two guns dangling on both of her thighs. "And the bounty placed on each of your heads."

The man laughed hysterically along with his gang. "I'm sorry to say this, lil' missy. But we're not threatened by your futile threats." He draws out his sword and licked the polished blade of it. "However, it'll be nice to see your blood in our hands."

"Really?" she pointed two of her guns at them and yelled, "Not before I get your bloods on mine!"

A painful exchange of gun blows, sword clashes and bloody screams could be heard.

--

It was cold, terribly cold.

And dead corpses lay dead before her.

Only two were remaining and it seems they're the skilled ones too.

Kaoru stood there, only one gun left on her hands, her body smeared with blood of the hundreds of bandits she killed. All of her ammos were gone and so as her resilient bombs run out. And these two bastards were cornering in a terrible snail-pace. "Where is the artifact?!" she yelled, both eyes alert to each movement of these crooks.

"You son of a bitch!" the man with a thick beard yelled back, "You'll have to step on my grave before laying your filthy hands on it!" he made a stance and run towards her for his final attack.

"Damascus no!" the other called after him but it was too late. Kaoru shot him directly to where his heart lays and another dead body collapsed on the pile of lifeless bandits in front of her. Blowing the smoke forming on her pistol, Kaoru looked over to where the other target was and smirked, "What now, geezer? It's your turn to die." But before she could aim him her last bullet, the man was already sprinting to attack her.

Fuck! Kaoru tried to aim it on his forehead but the enemy was too fast that it took some time for her to aim it directly.

And as she was about to release her last and final bullet, she felt a cold, sharp metal piercing through her flesh that made her eyes fall out wide. He hit her precisely on a part that strikes her internal organs. As a reaction to the pain, she shot him just right at the center of his eyes, blood surging from his skull as he fell helplessly to the ground.

Kaoru watched his death and slightly backed off so he wouldn't be able to put all of his weight on her. The battle was over… and in her left hand was the rune of Venus. An orb she took from the pocket of the dying bandit. Seconds later, she winced as the aftereffects of her wound started to unfold. She looked down and found that her obi was completely drenched by blood. Her own blood.

She quickly threw off the empty gun and placed a palm above her wound. Blood was continuously flowing, causing more dizziness to the pale bounty huntress. Damn you Hiko! Why do I always trust my life to you? She then limply fell to the ground on her knees, feeling that her life was leisurely leaving her body. A woman against a battalion of men… that wasn't fair. She winced again as the blood flow wouldn't stop.

Kaoru hung her head low and released a deep chuckle, "Is this the end? Am I dying?"

--

"What the fuck happened here?" Sano thought out-loud as he saw the whole area where the bandits dwell. All he can see was a shattered hideout and blood-red grounds. The whole area was filled with dead bodies that they were off to kill, in particular.

Saitou was quite surprise since he wasn't expecting to see a sight like this. Well, they were the ones who are supposed to cause this blood bath. It's fairly puzzling that there were other beings that did this kind of manslaughter. It was bloody, yet too picturesque to remember.

"Someone intruded into our little hunt." Kenshin was definitely upset. He came here to find some creatures worth killing and this scene welcomes him? "Who did this?" his face was cruel, completely disappointed since they have traveled from afar just to kill these dead people.

"Oi, Kenshin." Sano called and Kenshin looked over to him as a response. He found the brown-eyed assassin looking through his shoulder. He followed his gaze and was stunned to see the thing that he was looking at.

At the center of all these dead corpses was a figure, smeared with blood as it kneels unto the dead, dirty grounds of this forest. Kenshin narrowed his eyes and walked over to the last remaining person who was alive. Sano and Saitou shared looks and then followed the red-haired assassin.

As Kenshin stops a few feet away from the half-conscious human being, he asks in a stern voice, "Are you responsible for the death of these men?" he received no answer which made him much more annoyed than ever.

"I think its dead." Sano said as he too was curious whether it is this very person who caused this mayhem.

Saitou drew out his sword and pointed it to the lowered head of this unknown stranger, "Answer when you're asked or else we'll have to end your life as well."

They heard a low chuckle coming out from the strange being and saw her shoulders shrugging from her own, pitiless laughter. Three men were surprised when the stranger raised its head to face them.

Kenshin's eyes widened, It's a girl? A very young one to be exact. She appears to be only seventeen or eighteen, something in between. Her heart shaped face has trickles of blood from her head and her eyes void from any emotion a girl should possess. "Did you kill these men?" he asked again; almost choke out his words from the mere thought of it.

She laughed more although winced when her flesh started to remind her that it has a deep wound. "What is it to you? Are you going to kill me?" even her voice was emotionless. She knew too well she was going to die. What's the point of screaming and begging for these men to spare her life? It'll be much better if they kill her right now. At least she wouldn't have to die slowly, which for all intents was more painful.

Kenshin saw no fear through the aura of this woman. It seems it was she carelessly slaughtered all the bandits. He looked down and saw the rune held tightly by her left hand. She's here for the bounty too. I see… "You stole the artifact we sought to find." He held out a palm to her and said, "Hand it over."

"No."

"What?'

"I said no!" She spewed out on his hand, seeing that even her saliva was filled with blood.

Out of patience, Kenshin took out his own sword, held the dishelmed hair on the back of her head and tilted it up so she could feel the hard metal against her neck. "Do you want to die early, woman?! I can easily snap your neck or behead you whenever I want!"

Instead seeing fear and terror on her eyes, they remained emotionless and a smirk slightly pulled on her bloodied mouth. "Go ahead. I don't care."

"Are you challenging me?" Kenshin narrowed his now golden eyes and pressed the metal against her skin, drawing another slit of blood.

"Kill me if you want!" She cringed and said, "I'm dying anyway." Then she removed her hand from her open wound, revealing it to the three Syndicate members standing in front of her.

Sano cleared his throat and nodded, "She's right, she is dying. Look at that stab."

Saitou only shook his head and walked off. It will be pointless to kill a person who's about to die. It was more like doing them a favor. They would much prefer a fast death than a slow one. And this girl is one of those types of people.

Realization drawn Kenshin back and found that the challenge of killing this woman vanished promptly. Kenshin released her head violently and stood back. "We'll get the artifact once she dies." Sano nodded on this although he felt a pang of pity just by watching a woman dies. He averted his eyes only to look over some direction where her face wouldn't be able to hunt him.

She was panting hard and her face was getting blanched by each passing minute. The last thing I need is a group of men watching me kick the bucket… so much for a hunt. Her vision was getting blurry and couldn't precisely see the faces of her assailants and audience as well. All she could see was a pair of purple eyes and red hair. And just when she was about to close her eyes and allow death to take her life away, she heard a faint yet sturdy voice coming from one of the Syndicate members.

"What's your name?" Kenshin asked out of curiosity. He was quite amazed to see and meet a woman who can kill almost a battalion of men, to think that these men she killed were one of the ill-famed bandits in the galaxy. She could have put a great fight against me if she's much stronger than this.

She was about to throw another rude remark when suddenly…

"Kaoru!"

A figure of a tall man with a long straight hair was running towards her. "Shogo…" Kaoru mumbled out in pain and when she felt his arms envelop her wearied form, she finally passed out.

Shogo grimaced at the sight of her. It was a good thing that Hiko called him or else Kaoru could have died in Venus without anyone of them knowing. "Who are you?" he asked them as he gives them a guarding look.

"We're from earth. We came here to retrieve that artifact from those bandits." Sano answered, quite thankful that someone finally came for the girl's rescue.

Shogo furrowed his brows and asked, "You've seen her bleeding to death and still you haven't helped her?" as if he was expecting them not to answer him, he directed his attention towards Kaoru and whispered. "C'mon, Kaoru. I'm taking you back." As if he was oblivious to the three men surrounding him, he took her lithe form in his arms and started walking off.

Kaoru… Kenshin kept the name scripted deeply into his mind. "Where are you taking her?" he was not really expecting to ask that out loud. Sano and Saitou only stared at him.

"To S.A.F.U, Hiko would be very upset if something bad happens to his handpicked bounty huntress." And then he finally walked off, disappearing from the eyes of the three Syndicate members, completely smitten to what had just occurred.

"Shouldn't we have killed those two?" Saitou said as he tries to light another cigar, "They've seen the three assassins in the flesh. Anyone who lays an eye upon us must be exterminated."

"Oh, shut up, wolf! Those two wouldn't wish us any harm. We haven't done anything wrong to them." Sano countered back.

Saitou sighed and shook his head, "Honestly, how could a soft-hearted man like you ever had the chance to join this Syndicate?"

"Fuck off, alright?" Sano ignored him and turned towards the quiet red-headed assassin. "Let's go, Kenshin. There's nothing else we can do in here."

Kenshin nodded his head and then left along with his comrades. As much as he hated to admit it, all he could think off right now was the black-haired beauty and her blood stained face. Never have he seen such a beautiful woman before. Kaoru…

TBC