Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Wanderer ❯ The Fountain of Our Dreams ( Chapter 8 )

Wow.. time seems to fly by fast. I'm sorry for taking so long.. but here it is! I'm afraid to say that this chapter focuses mainly on Kaoru and Kenji. I hope ya'll don't mind! Enjoy!

 

 

Chapter 8: The Fountain of Our Dreams

 

Having finally soaked in the remarkable tale that led her to be trapped here, Kaoru was silent. Who knew how long they would be in this room, it was not that she felt like it was dangerous, but the prospect of spending weeks, possibly months.. and even the possibility of eternity in this room with of all people, Enishi, was just slightly embarrassing, if not borderline appalling. After all, the man had threatened her life once long ago; granted he never carried out the threat, or moreover would not. She took this moment of silence to fully take in her surroundings; Enishi had apparently decided it best to leave her be for the time being. Aside from the ornate arcs she had noted earlier, she found that the dining table sat on a slightly raised and carpeted platform at the north end of the chambers, 6 steps descended to the “dance floor” and in the center of the steps was a red carpet, roughly 3 paces wide that spread down the stairs and to the center of the room, which held a large stone fountain.

 

The height of the pool came to about her waist; however the statue of twin angels in the center towered to a good half body higher than her. The two celestial beings, one female the other male were clasping hands, water trickling out from where their hands met, water also emitted from the free hands that lay at their sides. The fountain intrigued Kaoru, and she found herself leaving the chair to approach it. Glancing down into the water, she was startled to find the image within the water. She had expected to find a reflection gazing back at her; however that was found to not be the case. What she didn't expect was the sight of clouds, and an occasional bird or two fly by, as if the picture within the fountain were real. It was of course, wavering with ripples of the water, but she could almost swear that there were tiny specks in the distance, and that she was gazing at the world from a hawks eye view. Enishi's voice drifted to her ears.

 

“Think of someone, someone alive…”

 

She didn't know why in the world he wished her to do such a thing, but decided to comply. At the moment, Kaoru was still relatively struck dumb at their situation and was more compliable then normal. Instinctively she thought of Kenji, his fire mane hair, his eyes, height, even the frame of his body. Still gazing at the liquid, she found her son's figure in the water, gazing at something, someone. Fascinated, she watched on, and gradually not only was there her son, but Kenshin, an older Yahiko, and a younger form of herself and Enishi. She guessed the latter two to be Uneki and Shijin. Captured by this scene, she watched on in wonder, attempting to read lips whenever she could. Her fingers reached out, wanting to touch the figures, as it seemed so real, the more she watched the clearer and more still the scene became. A whisper left her lips just as her figures touched the frigid water, attempting to caress the figure of her son and comfort him as she read his words (End of previous chapter, `Where's my mother') “Kenji…”

 

Abruptly the scene disappeared, and all she saw was the crystalline water and the stone beneath it. She cried out in panic at loss of her son, “NO!” Whirling around, she faced Enishi and implored him to bring the scene back. “Let me see him again, Enishi! Help me see my son again!!” It seemed that the truth of the matter had finally struck her. She was far away from her loved ones. As he didn't answer fast enough, only stood there with sad eyes, she turned towards the fountain again, commanding it, “Show me Kenji! Bring him back! Kenji… Kenji?!” She sobbed out, “Kenji.. come back”, having sunk to the floor, her hands tightly grasped the edge of the fountain, tears causing small ripples in the water as they fell. “Give me my life back…” she whispered, forehead resting on the cold stone edge in defeat, and tears wetting the stone, a few strands danced in the water.

 

 

 

 

Kenji never received an answer. He stood there, glaring at all the figures there, loathing them all for not answering his question, for depriving him of the one person he desired to see. This woman who seemed the physical replica of his mother disgusted him, who did she think she was? No one could replace Kaoru… no one ever would, no matter how hard they tried or how similar to his mother they seemed to be. He had no idea why anyone would pretend to be his mother, or why Yahiko would pull such a foul trick as this, but it only led to the fueling of his anger. The tempest fire within his eyes burned in fury at this exclusion he was receiving; just then a breeze swept by, cooling the flame of his anger. Within its tendrils he heard its words, perhaps they were but a dream for no one else seemed to discern the voice tangled within the airs caressing fingertips; whatever the case the message was distinct and brought hope into his mangled heart, “Kenji...” it had whispered.

 

Upon hearing this air born message, his head snapped up, glancing at the air in a bewildered yet hopeful gaze. It was then that he heard another cry borne on the winds, “NOO!” He could discern his mother's voice from any others, and was quick to break free of that small crowd and run in the direction the wind had come from. He heard the cries of his name from his father and `brother', as he rushed through the gates. “MOTHER!!!” his voice rang through the threshold of trees, praying that he would receive a reply... to no avail. He rushed through the coppice, bits and pieces of thorns and sticks clinging to his clothing, the branches tearing at his face, but all he did was brush them off and continued blindly through the groves.

 

 

 

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and knew it to be Enishi's, who else would be here? “Help me... please.”, now, faced with a situation that she had no control over, where she was but a helpless victim; her persona of a strong woman who always managed in a dire problem, dissipated as the realization that there were few solutions dawned upon her. The knowing and comforting hand seemed to quell her panic, though the touch of the foreign hand seemed a bit eerie.

 

“It's alright, calm down and concentrate.” He attempted to soothe her. The two had yet to find out that Kenji had heard the woman. Having spent quite a while here, Enishi had learned to lip read remarkably well, and could control the fountain just as easily as changing a channel on our modern day televisions. An emotion quite like jealousy rose within his being as he had `listened' to Kenji. Ever since Tomoe, there had been no one who cared for him, no one that would even recall his existence and call forth fond memories in his name. He wished that there was someone out there that he could share a strong relationship with, much like Kaoru and Kenji's.

 

As bid, Kaoru attempted to soothe her nerves. Taking deep breathes; she allowed a smile to wash over her face as wave after wave of fond memories of Kenji drifted to her. Leaning over the water, she gazed into it again, hoping the image would be of her son. Her wish was granted. There in the rippling water, she watched as her son ran blindly. Brows knitted in concern, and it took all her will power to resist reaching out and soothing his frantic soul. However, panic soon rose again as she watched, and in the distance, though he could not see it, she saw the ground fall, and the deep chasm that he was heading towards. Knuckles turning white, she gripped the stone edge with all her might, frantic tears falling from eyes and dropping into the water. “KENJI!!!” Repeatedly she screamed his name, ignoring the tight hold Enishi had on her shoulder. She watched as he raised a hand to shadow his eyes from the blinding sun. Her breathe caught as he turned his head back, as if listening to someone call his name. He had stopped running for that split moment. However, apparently what he had heard had greatly upset him, for he soon began to run again, eyes closed as tears began to form in his orbs. In her agony, she watched as a foot stepped on nothing but air and he tottered on the edge of a cliff. Unable to contain herself anymore, she screamed his name, and her arms lashed out as if to embrace him, hoping to save him from toppling over the edge.

 

Kaoru's eyes instinctively closed as water splashed unto her face. She soon found herself half in the clear water, her palms against the stone bottom. Tears trailed down her eyes, gushing forth just as a little brook. Sinking back to the ground, she sobbed into her hands and fell back into Enishi's embrace. He could do nothing to comfort her.

 

 

 

 

Having broken free of the trees, he was faced with the searing sunlight in his eyes. Raising a hand to shadow his eyes, he squinted into the distance, the other hand cupped by his mouth to magnify his voice, “MOTHER!!” Occasionally he stumbled, but he didn't care, he knew she was out there somewhere, “WHERE ARE YOU?!”

 

“Kenji!”

 

His father's voice drifted to his ears, he glanced back, and halted within his steps. Kenji clenched his fists, and quivered. Why were they not helping? He had heard Kaoru's voice, was sure of it…but they remained doubtful. “Mother... I heard my mother, we have to find her!”

 

“Kenji… back there, at the dojo. That was your mother.” His voice was soft, and he stood only a few dozen yards away from his son. Kenshin did not know what to do. How do you tell a child that the mother he knew was gone?

 

“Lies! I won't listen to you… why should I trust you? You're not my father, you don't know mother like I do. She's changed since you left; she's not the person you knew. That lady may have looked like her, but that's NOT my mother.” Perhaps he was crazy; perhaps he truly was the only one who heard her voice. But he knew that it had really been hers, somewhere buried beneath all the skeptical thoughts, he knew it was her. “I'll find her... with or without your help.” He managed to ground out those last few words before he turned and began running towards the direction he had been originally heading However, his head was bowed, eyes shadowed by his fiery hair, and vision blurred with the tears forming in his eyes. He didn't notice the cliff until one of his feet had gone over. Kenji attempted to bring it back and gain his footing, however, the supporting foot that had firmly planted itself into the ground slipped, and he soon felt the edge slip out of his grasp. Eyes closed in terror at what he knew was inevitable, his remains would soon be splattered upon the ground.

 

“KENJI!!”

 

A rush of wind blew, seeming to surround him, and he felt himself be jerked. Eyes opening in surprise, he glanced up, and found that he had extended one of his arms. Those orbs of his began to moisten, for his hand was intertwined in cold, but familiar hands. Though almost transparent, he saw her, pulling him and keeping him from plummeting. He saw her blue eyes, filled with tears, and could almost hear her sobs. For that moment, time seemed to stop, and though he didn't want to, reflex bid him to blink, and when he did, she was gone. Instead, he found himself clutching the firm root of a tree, and could've sworn that the tree's “legs” had not been lodged there before. Then again, he didn't really see much from the time he had lost his footing, besides the looming ground. He gazed at the spot, as if not seeing, attempted to bring back the image of his mother. Eye's glazed over, and he didn't even feel nor know when he had been pulled up by his father and Yahiko. In his stupor, and shock of seeing this apparition, he did not acknowledge the questions of his well being that the others presented to him. When he did come to his senses, he found himself lying on a futon in the village doctor's hut, surrounded by eyes peering down at him. He ignored them, turned upon his side, closed his eyes, and began to weep.

 

Kenshin, Yahiko, and the doctor left him then, but as they closed the door, they heard his whisper, “She's gone…”

 

 

TBC

 

Well.. what can I say? Sorry if you didn't like it, or ^^ it's good to hear you enjoyed it. Whatever the case, I'd like to know your opinions (Please at least be civil if you didn't like it though!) Also, I've yet to decide what the coupling will be… votes!! I need votes!

 

 

Thank you soooo much to all those who have reviewed! You don't know how much I appreciate them.