Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Evil Within ❯ Awakening - Conjecture (8b) ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Awakening - Conjecture - TEW8B




The Evil Within


Chapter 8b - Conjecture




Pre-chapter note: I got my order of events mixed up
a tiddle bit…my bad. ^_^ The first part with Rofocale is the morning of the
day Misao returns to the Kamiya dojo, where I will be picking up in the part
after the first…I mean, the second part. *just got herself confused* Er. Queh!
Never mind.


So technically, this part with Rofrof should've
been in the last chapter, silly me. I just thought that starting a chapter with
Rofocale would be special, or something, since I've never done it before. Heh.
Is everything clear and dandy now? Hai? Kewl. Here we go!





Rofocale's
mouth pulled into a cold, amused smile as he watched Aoshi soundlessly walk
through the forest with vigilant golden eyes.


Rofocale
was well aware of the fact that Aoshi knew that he was watching him, as the
devil always did when he wasn't inside of Aoshi's body.


He
leapt through the trees effortlessly, his stealth identifiable with that of a
deadly assassin's. Halting his movements, Rofocale narrowed his eyes as he saw
that Aoshi had suddenly ceased treading the forest's path.


Rofocale
smirked as he sensed Aoshi's apparent hesitation. They had reached the end of
the forest, where Aoshi had stayed in quiet seclusion away from humanity and
from harsh reality for six full days.


The
demon tilted his head back and faced the brilliant blue skies, closing his
dangerous eyes and breathing in the temptingly succulent scent of human blood.
It was a smell he had always loved and craved, even back to a time so long ago
he could barely recall any of it. His-or Aoshi's, it depended on how you
looked at it-fights with Okina and Himura had reawakened that hunger…there
were so many humans in Tokyo, and they were so close to him he could already
smell the blood that flowed through their veins. The very thought of it almost
caused Rofocale to almost lose the concentration that held him suspended above a
pathetically frail tree branch. He uttered an irritated, reprimanding curse to
himself as he felt his feet brush the branch. It almost cracked under the light
pressure.


Aoshi
remained shrouded by the dark shadows cast by the trees that surrounded him, his
icy blue eyes observing everyone walking past him, unaware that there was a man
watching them.


What
are you waiting for? Rofocale
projected the impatient thought towards Aoshi.


Rofocale
smirked again as sensed the Okashira's apparent surprise at his sudden
question. In the days after he defiled that god-forsaken girl, the soul reaper
had mostly kept quiet, allowing Aoshi to drown in his own shame and repentance.


Souls
were a great deal easier for Rofocale to fully claim when their
pseudo-possessors were tortured.


Of
course, he himself knew exactly how much he needed Aoshi's soul…it wasn't
a matter of his task any longer; it was a matter of survival. It was a matter of
holding unto what little he had left of his own soul.


You're
still here?
Aoshi's answer wasn't a true inquiry; it was more of an angry accusation.


You
know I am,
Rofocale answered innocuously, mirthlessly snatching a small bird that had
soared into his peripheral vision with his right hand and running his thumb over
its soft stomach. You didn't answer me, he
added, extending his left fingers, watching as the talons there extended into
sharp, crimson claws that gleamed under the morning sun. He lightly raked them
over the bird's breast, his eyes glittering scarlet as he heard the fowl cry
its soft protest. What are you waiting
for?


I
don't have to answer to you,
Aoshi thought back, knowing all too well that Rofocale could probably already
sense what he felt-reluctance, abject fear, and wretched penitence.


Rofocale
didn't trouble himself to respond any longer as he increased the pressure of
his claws against the animal's skin, slowly piercing it open, draining the
life out of it. He then raised his now-embedded talons out of the dead fowl and
brought them to his mouth, running his tongue along his blood-soaked fingers in
hopes of satisfying the hunger that ached inside of him.


The
warm liquid did not serve its purpose, though. All it did was to increase his
desire for human blood, to make him need its addictive taste further still.


Cursing,
he retracted his claws and let go of the bird as he returned his attention to
Aoshi, who had just stepped out of the protection of the darkness. He reverted
back to his spirit form, a mere myriad of colors shifting and changing in such a
way that he could easily go unnoticed.


He
followed, bounding silently over the houses Aoshi aimlessly walked by, his lips
pulled into a discontented scowl as he desperately resisted the temptation to
take full control of Aoshi and satisfy his desire.


Out
of nowhere, a petite, fair-haired girl who couldn't have been more than twelve
caught Rofocale's eye. She was standing right in Aoshi's path, below the
roof that Rofocale was crouched upon, staring at the paper crane in her hand,
fascinated.


He
inhaled the girl's scent, shivering as the sweet odor of the blood pulsing in
her assailed his senses. Unable to resist, Rofocale leapt down. He looked around
to make sure he attracted no attention from the busy people around him. A smile
pulled on his lips as he slowly willed himself to solidify. Keeping his right
hand behind him, he licked his lips in anticipation as his claws slowly
unsheathed themselves. He raised his arm, so fast it could not be seen by
anyone, be it his prey or the people that surrounded him. To them it was a pale
blur that could be easily mistaken as a trick of the sunlight. Then in another
motion just as quick, he brought his arm down, his talons directed at the right
side of her throat.


Then
he felt fingers tightening around his arm in a steel grip, hindering its motion.
The girl remained where she was, unaware of how close she had been to death.


"I'm
not letting you do this," Aoshi whispered, his fingers like a vise around the
demon's forearm.


Rofocale
narrowed his eyes, slowly allowing his arm to relapse into its previous form, a
mere chilly fog that caressed one with cold fingers, and slipped out of
Aoshi's grasp.


You
cannot stop me, he
thought back, lifting his head in a gesture of proud dominance.


His
intended victim turned her head to look at them, abject terror crossing her face
as her eyes focused on Rofocale's arm, which was now somewhat visible. It
contrasted sharply against the rest of him, which was a completely solid figure.


"What
are you looking at?" Rofocale hissed, regarding her with eyes that flashed a
brief red.


The
girl shook her head soundlessly, breathing bated, her unusually pale eyes
reflecting the crimson in his. She looked at him for a few seconds longer. Aoshi
could hear her heart beat at an alarmingly fast rate. She glanced at Aoshi, and
then sprinted of into the crowd.


"What
did you think you were doing?" Aoshi angrily asked, his voice studiously low.
"I saw how you were looking at the girl. You were ready to kill her, weren't
you?"


Yes.
And so? Rofocale
answered Aoshi's question with a placid, unruffled calm that he was certain
would prove to infuriate the okashira further as he began to glide down the
street. He slid into a hidden alley, beckoning for Aoshi to follow him, just as
screams and calls for police permeated the air.


You
can't just kill an innocent child! Aoshi
thought back, following Rofocale as he walked deeper into the alley. You
cannot just harm people when you want to, where you want to.


It's
what I do,
Rofocale answered simply, turning to him with hollow, cat-like eyes in silent
communication.


Aoshi
thought he detected a hint of bitter resentment resonating in his answer, but it
was so fleeting that he immediately dismissed the idea. You
are a callous, heartless demon.


And
you, Rofocale
answered easily, are a good-for-nothing
soulless mortal.


Just
as I was, Shinomori. Just as I was.


The
demon looked out into the street, his eyes narrowing as he watched people rush
past in apparent search for him and Aoshi.


I
will never be
like you, Aoshi objected, studiously keeping his ubiquitous mask of iciness
though he knew that in the darkness he could be barely seen, very much aware of
the puppet strings that ran from Rofocale's fingers to his own wrist.


Oh,
we're more alike than you think, Rofocale
smirked, probably more than you'll ever
know.


Damare!
Aoshi answered
furiously, shaking his head. I will never
be like you. I will be freed from you,
Rofocale. I swear it.


Shikashi…for
now, Rofocale's
smirk widened into a full-fledged smile as an idea struck him, I
can be you.


Aoshi
turned to him, azure eyes gleaming with resigned hatred as he realized what
Rofocale planned to do. His gaze followed the visible string that symbolized his
separation from the demon. Its whiteness stood out in the murky shadows of the
passageway. It was also moving, being withdrawn back into the devil's fingers.


Rofocale
met his eye, his eyebrows lifting in arrogant supremacy as he slowly slipped
back into his insubstantial form. Then he vanished completely, his laugh a
hollow echo in Aoshi's mind.


Aoshi
was now alone. He looked around with eyes that glowing ruby-red in the darkness,
a merciless smile growing upon his lips as he allowed the shadows to embrace
him, its cold fingers wrapping around him like a lover's.


He
would wait for the city to be cloaked by the darkness of the night before
feasting.


Unsheathing
one of his kodachi, he ran it along his fingertips and watched as the blood
dripped to the ground with a bemused smile on his lips.


Crimson
rain would fall upon Tokyo tonight.





Makimachi
Misao was sinking into a seemingly endless spiral of misery as she cried in
Himura Kenshin's arms, his comforting words an unintelligible whisper to her.


"Kenshin?
Who was at the door?" Kamiya Kaoru stepped out onto the yard, rubbing her
closed eyes like a child and yawning. Her eyes snapped wide open, though, as she
saw who was collapsed against him.


"Misao-chan!"
She immediately hurried towards them, frowning in concern as she looked at the
dark-haired girl trembling uncontrollably. "Come on inside, it's cold out
here." She led both of them into the house.


It
was several minutes later by the time Misao's sobs had quieted down, and
Yahiko had been awoken as well.


"What
happened, Misao-chan?" Kaoru asked as she set down the tea that she had made
before Misao, who was now seated on a soft cushion on the wooden floor in the
middle of everyone.


"Where's
Aoshi?" Yahiko cut in, scratching his head in confusion.


Kenshin
threw the boy a silencing look, shaking his head almost imperceptibly as he
turned to Misao. "Are you all right now, Misao-dono?"


Misao
nodded and forced out a smile. "Hai," she answered quietly, sipping the tea
that she had been given. It didn't taste very good, but burning sensation it
caused in her throat made her feel a little better, "I'm sorry for causing
so much trouble this late at night."


"Daijoubou,"
Kaoru shook her head, smiling, "but…why are you back? You're supposed to
be in Kyoto by now."


Misao
looked up from her tea, eyes dry but tormented, lips pursed and pale, as if they
were bloodless. She simply held Kaoru's concerned sisterly gaze in silence.


"Shikashi…if
you don't want to tell us, you don't have to," Kaoru hastily added,
patting Misao's arm, "I'm just worried."


"Well,
don't be." Misao answered, her answer coming out sharper than she'd wanted
it to sound.


For
a moment, they all sat in uncomfortable silence, all of them more than a little
surprised at Misao's minor outburst.


Well,
Yahiko thought
wryly, crossing his arms and raising one eyebrow, that was pleasant.


"Gomen
nasai," she murmured after a few seconds, "I've been a little edgy lately,
is all."


"It's
all right," Kenshin responded quietly, smiling, "you just must be tired."


"That's
probably it," Misao agreed, knowing all too well that that was not the reason.
"I promise I'll tell you what happened, ne? Not right now…I just
can't."


"Hai,"
Kaoru replied before narrowing her eyes carefully. "Misao-chan? Are you sick?
You look a little…pale."


Misao
turned to Kaoru. "Only a little," she answered cautiously, avoiding the
older girl's eyes, "don't worry about it. I'm fine."


"Are
you sure?" Kenshin asked, his lilac eyes shining with obvious concern.


"Hai.
Daijoubou."


"Well,"
Kaor u said, looking a little uncertain as she stood up, "if Misao-chan is sure
she's fine, I guess the only thing we should now is to get some sleep. It's
really late."


"I'm
sorry again for waking you guys up," Misao mumbled as she got up as well.
"Where will I be staying?"


"You
can stay in the old room you slept in," Kaoru answered, smiling. "We have
something to tell you tomorrow. It really isn't all that important, but I
think you should know about it."


Yahiko's
jaw dropped open, evidently indignant. "What do you mean not important? Baka! I
think it's really important!"


Kaoru
shook her head. "Don't mind him. He's just a little…excited."


"You
can tell me right now," Misao murmured, "because I'm really not all that
ti-" her words were interrupted by a drowsy yawn as her eyes grew
heavy-lidded.


Kenshin
laughed. "Don't worry about it, Misao-dono. We'll tell you tomorrow." He
gently nudged her into the room at the end of the hall. "Oyasumi."


She
nodded sleepily, the thought of sweet slumber after long hours of walking almost
making her smile. Almost. "Oyasumi nasai, minna. Arigatou."


"Oyasumi,"
Kaoru smiled at her as she reached out and began to close the shoji.


"G'night
weasel girl!" Yahiko teased, cupping his hands around his mouth so that Misao
would be able to hear him through the paper door that separated them.


"Good
night, Yahiko-chan," was the quiet answer from inside the darkened room.


"I
wonder what happened to her," Kaoru whispered to Kenshin as they all began to
walk towards their respective rooms.


"I
don't know," Kenshin answered seriously, his eyes looking somewhat
disheartened, "but I'm sure it has something to do with Aoshi."


Yahiko
shook his head. "There something seriously wrong with that guy. After all that
weasel girl's forgiven him for, he keeps on screwing up."


Kenshin
shrugged. "I guess we'll know what happened soon enough. For now, we get
some sleep as well. Good night."


"'Night,
Kenshin."


"Oyasumi
nas ai, Kenshin."





"The
mysterious murders that had swept the west side of Tokyo begun early last night
and took everyone by surprise. For now, the body count is eighteen, all of them
reportedly drained of most of their blood. According to the pattern of the
incidents, the killer seems to be moving eastward. Heavier security has been
placed around the city, but there has been no detection of the criminal so far."


Kenshin
sighed and placed down the newspaper he had been reading out loud for a moment,
regarding everyone gathered there with obviously worried amethyst eyes.


Kourinno
Tenkage, who was back from Niigata-she turned out to be the surprise they had
told Misao about the night before-frowned and shook her head, her eyes flashing
in apparent concern.


"Kami,"
Megumi shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself and shivering in
something that resembled disgust, "this is terrible."


"Aa,"
Sanosuke agreed, his dark eyes narrowing as he glanced at Misao, who had just
woken up and was listening in absolute silence, "good thing Misao didn't get
hurt, ne? You were coming from the west side of Tokyo, after all. You
too, Tenkage. You were coming from the east, but still. It was pretty dangerous
last night."


"That's
true," Kaoru nodded, "especially since you were both all alone."


Misao
shrugged, her face still completely impassive. She was starting to remind Yahiko
of a statue made of marble, down to the chilly temperature of the smooth
surface. He had taken her by the arm to drag her outside where everyone was
gathered moments ago, and was surprised to feel her unpleasantly cool skin. It
was almost as if she were lifeless.


Tenkage
nodded, brows furrowed and her lips still pulled into a frown.


"Is
there anything else, Kenshin?" Yahiko leaned over Kenshin's shoulder, trying
to peer at the newspaper on his lap.


"Not
much, de gozaru yo," Kenshin nodded and cleared his throat, picking up the
newspaper and beginning to read again, "So far, there have been no solid
descriptions of the man, except that he was clad in dark clothes and had red
eyes, whilst some eyewitnesses have argued that he had golden eyes." He
looked up. "That's it. That's all they have."


Kaoru's
attention was no longer on Kenshin. Her eyes were fixed upon Misao, whose hand
had flown to her mouth and her eyes were wide and stunned.


"Misao-chan?"
she asked quietly, "What's wrong?"


"It
can't be," Misao whispered, shaking her head as tears quickly began to pool
in her eyes, "it just can't. Not him."


"Not
who?" Sano cocked his head to the side, lips drawn into a grim line as he
waited for answer.


"Misao?"
Megumi prompted gently, leaning over the younger girl, an expression identical
to Sano's descending upon her features.


"I…when…we-"
Misao broke off into quiet, incoherent whispers as her sobs overwhelmed her, the
tears that streaked down her pale face making an even more piteous sight.


For
long, uncomfortable moments, they all sat around Misao, listening to her quiet
weeping, watching her slowly rock back and forth, as she cradled her head in her
arms.


"Misao-dono,"
Kenshin murmured softly, reaching out and placing a reassuring hand on her
trembling arm, "what is it?"


Looking
up, Misao drew in several deep breaths in attempt to calm herself as she looked
around the five gathered around her, each of them wearing almost identical
expressions of confusion, concern, and apprehension.


"Aoshi,"
he whispered, her fingers wrapping themselves around her hair as the tension
welled up inside of her, "it was Aoshi."


"What
about him?" Kaoru asked gently. "What did he do to you?"


Tenkage
regarded Misao with cold golden-blue eyes as she listened for an answer.


"I…"
Misao lapsed into silence and sighed, suddenly looking pathetically tired and
drained, "I don't know where to start."


"Starting
from when you left would be nice," Sano answered, shoving his hands into his
pockets and regarding her with unusually calm dark eyes.


Megumi
shot him a warning look. Sano could be so callous at times, she thought
disdainfully, shaking her head.


"Right,"
Misao murmured, drawing her knees up to her chin and rubbing one eye, "we left
over a week ago, ne?"


They
all nodded.


"He…was
acting strangely," she said, her voice gradually softening as she continued,
"you know, like he did here at times, once being his usual self and at other
times totally different."


"That's
true," Yahiko nodded in agreement.


"And
when…when we were in the forest getting ready to get some sleep," Misao
paused for a moment as she held back the tears that threatened to fall, "and
he…he kissed me. Roughly."


Sano
narrowed his eyes as he listened and met uneasy gazes with Kenshin. They both
had a bad feeling of where this was going.


"I
looked up at him," Misao went on, bowing her head, her voice now so soft it
was barely a whisper, "and I saw his eyes…they were…red. Like the color of
a demon's eyes. Red that flashed with gold as I struggled against him. I told
him to stop. He didn't listen. I asked him who he was, and he didn't answer.
I was so scared…I didn't know what to do." She faltered as a lone tear
streaked down her face, like a single drop of rain falling from clear blue
skies.


"So
what did you do?" Megumi asked quietly.


"I…I
fought back. I bit his lip when he kissed me," she whispered as memories of
that night flashed before her mind's eye, "I know I wounded him, I saw the
cut. And I saw it close. I saw the blood that dripped down his chin enter his
wound before it closed."


"He…he
healed himself?" Kenshin's eyebrows arched in disbelief.


"I
know what it sounds like," Misao muttered, shaking her head, "but I know
what I saw."


"It's
okay, Mi-chan," Kaoru answered comfortingly, "go on."


"Then
he hit me…held my arms behind my back and slapped me across the face." Misao
felt more tears fall, but made no move to wipe them away. "I tried to fight
back again, but he was too strong. And then he…he poisoned me."


"How?"
Sano interrupted softly, his hands now clenched into angry fists.


"When
he kissed me again…I felt the poison enter my throat. It was like he had venom
flowing through him, and he…" she shook her head again, burying her face in
her hands. "Soon after that I felt too weak to move, much less continue
struggling against him. He threw me on the ground and…"


The
silence that stretched between all of them was deafening. All that could be
heard was Misao's shuddering breath.


"And
he raped me," she finished, voice trembling, "he raped me."


Megumi's
gasp rang clearly throughout the yard.


Kaoru
drew in a deep breath as she felt Kenshin's arm wind around her waist, a move
that was made out of pure instinct.


"Aoshi…raped
you?" Tenkage asked, her eyes narrowing in incredulity.


"That
bastard is going to pay," Sano muttered, eyes glinting furiously as he cracked
his knuckles out of pure habit.


"No,"
Misao shook her head and met gazes with Tenkage, "it wasn't Aoshi. It
couldn't have possibly been Aoshi. His eyes…they were the eyes of a demon,
not of a human."


"So,
what are saying?" Sano asked bitterly, "that it was an akuma and not Aoshi
with us the whole time?"


"I
don't know!" Misao cried, turning to Sano with cerulean eyes wide with fear
and resentment. "I just know it wasn't him."


"Calm
down, Misao-dono." Kenshin smiled complacently, though for the first time,
Sano thought it looked forced. "We'll figure this out somehow."


"So
what happened after that?" Yahiko asked.


"I-I'm
not exactly sure. The poison was rather powerful," Misao murmured, her voice
strangely calm and even as the silvery tears dripped down her gaunt cheeks, "I
was unconscious for about three days, they told me-"


"They?"
Kaoru interrupted questioningly.


"I'm
getting there," Misao answered," when I woke up I was in some sort of an
inn. The Tsukimaya Inn. The woman-her name was Yukiko, she was the owner's
daughter-told me that I had been in a rather deplorable state for days. They
even said it was possible for me to have died if a man hadn't brought me over
there." Misao paused and a small, bitter smile played on her lips. "It was
Aoshi that had brought me there."


"How
do you know?" Kenshin asked quietly.


"Yukiko
described him for me. Tall, dark hair, blue eyes, expressionless face-it had
to be him," Misao's voice was so full of conviction that Sano didn't even
have the heart to contradict her-no one did. "They said he even paid for
everything I needed, from the doctor to the medicine to my whole stay there."


"That
doesn't sound like Aoshi-san, though," Megumi murmured thoughtfully.


"I
know it doesn't," Misao snapped, her eyes flashing and the tears momentarily
stopping, "but we all know that he's been different lately."


Understatement,
Sano thought sarcastically, though he kept his lips pressed together in an
attempt to hold back his true opinion. After a few seconds, he spoke. "So what
you're saying is…the man who's responsible for the murders is and at the
same time isn't the icicle."


Misao
hesitated. Then slowly, very slowly, she nodded. "Gods," she cried, her
normally euphonious voice a mere raspy rumble in her throat, "what I
wouldn't give to talk to him right now!"


"The
man rapes you and you want to see him," Sano muttered to himself, shaking his
head in disbelief. "Is that how much you love him?"


Misao
didn't answer; Sano guessed she didn't hear him, and from the lack of harsh
glances he got, he guessed no one but Megumi, who stood beside him, had heard
his snide comment.


"How
is this even possible?" Misao muttered, angrily beating her fists against the
sides of her thighs as tears continued falling. "How could this have
happened?!"


None
of them said anything. None of them really knew what the answers to her
questions were.


Tenkage
cleared her throat. "Perhaps you should rest for a while, Mi-chan. Maybe then
you can think about things more clearly." Not to
mention we could talk about this without Misao hearing every word we say.



Misao drew in a deep breath,
ready to answer, but the unusual sound of the leaves of the trees whispering
brought her attention.


"Someone's
here," she murmured, her eyes wide with abject fear.


Tenkage
looked around, her hands clenching anxiously in the soft material of her kimono.
"Who is it?" she asked quietly, almost fearfully.


Sano
drew Megumi closer to him, eyes darkening to an almost midnight-black as his
trepidation increased.


"Kenshin,
can you sense who it is?" Kaoru asked, though she already had a sinking
feeling she already knew who it was.


Yahiko's
brows met at a crease in his forehead as he waited for Kenshin to answer.


Kenshin
slowly nodded, his amethyst eyes narrowing as they reflected the sun's rays, a
golden glow in them…Kaoru couldn't tell if it was merely a trick of the
light, or he was truly turning into Battousai. "It's Ao-"


He
never finished his words, for a figure leapt down to the ground with almost
feline grace.





Author's
Notes: Strange, very, very, very strange. X_X Can you say, Rofocale: The
Vampire? Anyway…thank you to Migi, Aki, Seranida, Catriana, and Mikomi for
volunteering to preread for me. :-)
The first part, at least. I really owe you guys a lot of fanks. :-D Is this a
cliffhanger? :confused:
<<<Chapter
8A
Chapter 9A>>>
The
Evil Within
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