Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Unexplained Happenings ❯ Blood and Amber ( Chapter 2 )

Saitoh calmly pulled the cigarette from his lips and leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing in wicked amusement. 'Because we'll pay you well for it.' He straightened up again casting an appraising eye at the broken shutters on the windows and cracks in the walls. His golden eyes slid back to Kenshin's violet ones which were narrowed in fury.

Kaoru-dono could use the extra money. He thought to himself. It's the least I can do for her after she took me in. He wiped his wet hands on his hakama and stood up to face Saitoh.

'Fine,' he snapped. 'Lead the way.'

***

Kaoru watched the exchange between Kenshin and Saitoh from the kitchen window, torn between worry and amusement. She'd never known Kenshin to be a sarcastic person, kami knew he needed to work on it a bit, he was obviously out of practice, but she found it hilarious to see possibly the two most feared and formidable warriors of the Bakumatsu bickering in her back garden like house wives while one did the laundry.

She sobered quickly however when Kenshin stood up and began to walk away from Saitoh. She sighed quietly, wondering to herself how long it would be before Kenshin was offered a permanent job in the police force. She wondered if he would take it.

***

½ an hour later Kenshin and Saitoh had just arrived at the crime scene, a small restaurant in a very unpopular and secluded section of Tokyo, far away from the city's central markets.

Three junior officers stood not far away with their heads together, poring over a small sheath of papers. The smallest one looked up for a moment and caught sight of Saitoh, he snatched the paper from the other two and hurried over to hand it to his senior.

'Here's the report, sir.' He said, quickly pulling his hands away as though afraid Saitoh would grab them. Saitoh nodded casually at him and took another long drag from his cigarette, as the young officer quickly bowed and scurried away to his peers, casting one last frightened look over his shoulder as he left.

Kenshin smirked at Saitoh. 'It would seem that your own officers are afraid of you Saitoh, that they are.' He stated trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.

'That particular one is,' Saitoh muttered, looking at the young officer with contempt, unfortunately the young man chose that exact moment to brave another glance, getting the full impact of the ex-wolf of mibu's deadly glare. He paled and turned around again so quickly he almost tripped his colleague who was standing next to him.

'Ahou.' Saitoh snorted with distaste and Kenshin tried to hold in his amusement.

Saitoh flicked his cigarette away and turned, 'Well Battousai, shall we?' he invited raising one eyebrow at his shorter acquaintance.

Kenshin shrugged before following Saitoh to the door of the restaurant, he had almost made it through the door when his senses were assaulted by the stench of fresh blood. He paused for a moment gathering his bearings, there was a very strange feeling emanating from that room, the ex-hitokiri wasn't sure he wanted to enter. He shook his head imperceptibly as the strange feeling increased, no he definitely didn't want to go in there.

Saitoh turned to see what was keeping him, one eyebrow raised to show his impatience. Then his eyes widened slowly as what he was seeing slowly sank in. Kenshin was standing pale faced and tense, with his warm violet eyes almost twice their normal size, his mouth was slightly open and he seemed to be holding his breath.

The wolf of mibu had never seen Hirokiri Battousai afraid before, and instead of the amused feeling he thought the sight would bring, he was instead filled with a deep foreboding. He took three quick steps towards the red head and waved his hand in front of his eyes. Kenshin didn't move. Saitoh grabbed the back of his gi and dragged him back a short distance, Kenshin immediately came back to life, slouching over slightly and breathing heavily.

'What was that all about Battousai?' Saitoh asked curiously.

'I…I'm not sure.' Kenshin gasped, turning to him. 'Didn't you feel it?'

'What?' asked Saitoh, he would never outwardly show it but he was deeply unnerved by the Battousai's uncharacteristic display of fear. He knew from first hand experience how hard it was to rattle the ex-assassin, yet he had just witnessed him absolutely frozen in terror, something was definitely amiss with the young red head.

Kenshin took another deep breath before shaking his head slowly. 'Never mind, I was imaging things. My mistake.'

Saitoh again raised an eyebrow, this time in disbelief. 'Well then, lets go in shall we?' he drawled.

Kenshin swallowed quietly, aware of Saitohs eyes on him, he nodded once, sharply, and together they walked once again towards the building. Again Kenshin hesitated just before the door, but Saitoh pushed him sharply in between the shoulder blades, causing him to stumble forwards into the dark room.

Kenshin felt, for the first time in his life incredibly glad for both the presence of Battousai and greatly more disturbing the presence of Saitoh Hajime. The scene he was taking in required a detached professionalism towards blood, without it he would have fallen to his knees at the undeniably gory state the establishment was in. He used parts of his Battousai persona to focus on the job at hand and not the fact that he could see what appeared to be a human ear a short distance to his right. Saitoh's presence was appreciated because he was a solid fact, quietly standing to the right of Kenshin, he was calmly taking in the scene before him. The only sign of his disgust a slight curl of his upper lip, he was a rock in this scene that appeared like a nightmare before them. Something Kenshin definitely needed for the few moments he took to compose himself.

Blood was everywhere, dripping from the ceilings to fall in thick crimson pools on the floor, running down walls and coating the entire surface of the floor, there seemed to be no end to it. Kenshin felt his eyes widen further as he recognised multiple body parts strewn across the gory floor. He silently did a gruesome tally and came to the conclusion that there were at least fourteen bodies worth of parts.

'Over here Battousai.' Saitoh called beckoning him imperiously with one finger.

Kenshin moved towards the tall policeman trying not to step on any of the extremities coating the floor.

'What?' he asked.

'What do you make of this?' Saitoh drawled pointing at the wall.

On it was a large diagram with foreign letters crossing back and forth in what looked like blood. There was also a green stone roughly the size of a fist imbedded in the centre. As the windows were coated with blood Kenshin found it very difficult to see the pattens clearly he leaned forwards slightly trying to get a closer look, as he was bending forwards he felt the same strange force he'd felt outside, wash over him, only this time it was stronger, more concentrated. He felt his knees weaken and his vision momentarily blacked out. He awoke a few seconds later to find himself being propped up by Saitoh who was looking at him closely.

Kenshin immediately tried to regain his own feet, stumbling only slightly as his head spun.

'What on earth is wrong with you today?' Saitoh smirked.

'I…I'm not sure.' Kenshin mumbled, he turned once again to Saitoh, his large violet eyes serious. 'Did you honestly not feel that?'

'Feel what Battousai?' Saitoh asked dryly.

'That strange presence.' Kenshin persisted, watching his old enemy closely for signs of deceit.

'No, Battousai, all I felt was absolute disgust as you passed out in my arms.'

Kenshin blushed angrily, but didn't retort. Saitoh wasn't lying, he really hadn't felt it of that he was certain.

'Oh,' he muttered confused, he turned once again to the symbols roughly drawn on the wall. And at once unbidden, an image of the floating man found its way into his mind. He shook his head slowly. '

'Saitoh?' he began. 'Can you get that green stone down for me?'

Saitoh shrugged and ordered one of the junior officers to pry it out of the rock. The young policeman then wrapped it in a square of silk and handed it to Saitoh with a deep bow, Saitoh took it carelessly and tried to hand it to Kenshin who shook his head and put his hands behind his back with a slight blush.

'Maybe it would be better if we examined that in your office. There would definitely be more light, that there most certainly would.'

Saitoh raised a mocking eyebrow and stowed the stone in one of his pockets before leading Kenshin outside to where a carriage was waiting.

***

Kaoru stood watching Yahiko practice his kata, Kenshin had been gone for hours and she had a bad feeling, it was something she couldn't quite place a finger on, it was almost like she could feel it in the air. She also had the distinct feeling that it in some way involved Kenshin, she shook her head mentally, thinking she was imagining things and turned her attention back to Yahiko pushing the worries to the back of her mind. If anyone can look after themselves kenshin can, she thought.

***

Kenshin and Saito were standing in front of the big oak, western style desk in Saito's office, discussing the murders.

'Well,' Sairo began, stubbing out a cigarette in his already overflowing ashtray and reaching absently for another. 'We so far know none of the victim's identities, or what happened to them,' He paused momentarily, smirking slightly. 'aside from the fact that were all found smeared across a dingy little restaurant there appears to be nothing linking them at all, any ideas about what happened Battousai?'

Kenshin frowned thinking hard, for those bodies to be everywhere like they were he was certain it was not done by any run of the mill weapon, as far as he knew only two men in Tokyo were capable of doing that much damage with a sword Saitoh or himself, and from the mess created the strokes wouldn't have been very clean or well executed. No the ex-hitokiri was sure an ordinary blade was not used, but other than that he could only think of one other possible explanation which in his mind was utterly ridiculous.

"Well?' prompted Saitoh.

Kenshin cleared his throat somewhat nervously. 'It's …' he hesitated for a moment knowing how strange this would sound, before he plunged on recklessly. 'It's like they…exploded from the inside out.' Kenshin braced himself, waiting for a scathing remark from the taller man.

Saitoh placed his cigarette down a closed his eyes, 'Yes, that's what it looked like to me too.' He admitted.

Kenshin looked up a bit surprised that Saitoh had taken his comment at face value. 'How do you plan to find out for sure de gozaru ka?' he asked curiously.

'I'm having some juniors interrogate those who live in the immediate area to the establishment, and have also organised for a select group of gun powder and fire works specialists to inspect the bodies…' Saitoh paused. 'Or should I say pieces?' He grinned humourlessly at the dark glare on Kenshin's face before continuing as thought there had been no interruption. 'So we can then hear a professional opinion on the possibilities of explosives being used in the attack.'

Kenshin looked at the table where a copy of the diagram found on the wall had been placed, he felt a grudging respect for the line of logical thinking from his old nemesis. No wonder he was so formidable, Kenshin thought wryly to himself. He looked up at the policeman again waving one hand at the drawing.

'And this?' He asked curiously. 'Have you found out any information on its origin?'

Saitoh picked up his cigarette again. 'Not so far, I've got the local scholars and some of the more knowledgeable senior citizens looking into it, but…' he paused to take another puff of his half finished cigarette, smirking at the red haired man before him.

'I have a distinct feeling that you may be the key to that little part of the puzzle Battousai.' He lowered his cigarette leaning forwards slightly. 'You and the green stone.'

He walked around to the other side of his desk to pull out the cloth covered stone from the top drawer where it had been resting, he then walked back around to where Kenshin was standing with his arms folded in front of his chest.

'And how did you reach that brilliant conclusion if I may ask?' He asked flatly, only half heartedly attempting his usual rurouni politeness.

Saitoh began unwrapping the stone as he answered.

'Because Battousai, if you haven't noticed it would appear that so far you are the only one affected by it in any way.' He finally pulled apart the last of the wrappings to reveal the green stone, and as Kenshin caught a glance of it, the stone began to glow faintly, the ex-assassin only had time to register the feeling of unease and another feeling he couldn't place before he fell face first towards Saitoh's desk.

He heard Saitoh exclaim and jump forward to prevent him hitting his head on the sharp corner. He remembered feeling vaguely gratefull before his mind was whisked away to Kyoto.

He was once again in the tree waiting for the floating man to walk towards him, but this time Kenshin noticed something he hadn't before. The man had a sewn on the back of his navy cloak in a very dark green thread. It was very hard to see in the semi darkness of the nights sky but Kenshin was certain that it was the same one that had been on the wall of the restaurant where the massacre had taken place.

The man once again levitated up to meet him, but this time Kenshin's attention was focused on the glowing green stone atop the staff, it appeared to be the exact same one from the wall, it had the same fiery green light and flawless finish, about the size of a fist, but this time it was wrapped in what seemed to be a thin layer of blue crystal, the staff itself was made of a deeply polished hardwood and was much longer than an ordinary walking stick, reaching at least a foot over the mans head.

As the green light faded once again, Kenshin felt his mind leave the tree to join once again with his body, which he could see in the distance slumped against a wall with Saitoh shaking it. Saitoh had just picked up a glass of water to throw on him when he felt his mind slip back into place with a gentle click. He opened his eyes and looked at Saitoh who's eyes widened momentarily for some reason unknown to kenshin. Saitoh then shrugged carelessly and threw the water over Kenshin's prone form anyway.

Kenshin didn't mind as it helped clear his head, but glared at Saitoh anyway. Saitoh smirked back, 'You know what Battousai? I think you may have an allergy or sorts to that stone.'

'I think it may be something significantly more than that, that I do.' Kenshin replied pushing his sopping hair out of his eyes and attempting to stand.

'I wouldn't move just yet if I was you.' Saitoh drawled with an air of superiority.

'And why would that be, if I may ask?' Kenshin demanded.

As an answer Saitoh reached into his drawer and pulled out a small mirror, he tossed it at Kenshin who caught it, curious despite himself, he looked into the mirror before slumping back against the wall in defeat.

'Oh.' He muttered.

'Oh, indeed Battousai.' Saitoh said studying Kenshin intently.

Kenshin sighed and looked into the mirror one last time, taking in the paper white skin, dark circles under his eyes and then finally the eyes themselves which were a rich glowing amber.

'But I don't feel any different, that I do not, most certainly not like Battosai.' He said confusion evident in his voice.

'Not the point.' Saitoh said, dismissively waving his hand. 'Stay where you are, while you tell me what you meant by your earlier comment of it being, and I quote, something substantially more than that.'

Saitoh's voice took on a very slight mocking tone you look like you are about to collapse again, so please don't do it where I'll have to catch you, it's incredibly disturbing having my arch nemesis unconscious on my floor when I'm not allowed to kill him.'

Kenshin snorted slightly and rolled his eyes, but stayed put, instead of retorting he cleared his throat and told him everything he could remember about the mysterious man.

***

Whew that one was HUGE!!!

Review me to let me know if this story is worth continuing. If it is the next chapter should be up really soon ^-^x.