Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ What You Don't Know ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

A/N: This is a repost of a story that I originally published on AFF. Since the RK category hasn't been transferred from the read-only archives, here is the full and complete version here. Thank you to moondog for the reminder to put them here.

 

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

 

 

Prologue

 

Sound. Muted noises gradually distill themselves into the quiet afternoon breeze and the murmur of cicadas. For a while, floating in the cocoon of sound is all there is.

 

Then a gentle light filters through eyelids, moving randomly in concert with the sound of the breeze. Eyes open and slowly focus after several long blinks. Dark rafters of questionable familiarity come into view. A delicate brow furrows, and thoughts wrapped in cotton try to shake their bindings to make sense of what's before them.

 

Pain strikes like a coiled serpent, dormant one moment, and blinding the next. Eyes close and crinkle in discomfort. After a moment, the pain recedes enough for confusion to return.

 

Where? What? How?

 

Thoughts sluggishly begin to move, driven by a building panic of not knowing. The mind is frighteningly blank, unable to answer even the basic questions in the haze of pain. Eyes open again, head turning slowly to take in the dim room, lit only by filtered light coming through the shoji. Shadows of objects pull at the senses, but do not offer any answers.

 

The drive to know propels weak limbs to roll to one side, knees pulling slowly in, hands pushing shakily upwards. Little needles of pain rush all over, body protesting at movement over unseen wounds and unused muscles. Panting, the futon comes into focus between shaking arms, rumpled from the effort of sitting up.

 

A long effort to stand is met by another flash of head pain. Too much, too soon, but the panic has settled in deep. The darkness of unknowing and the darker fears behind the emptiness drive the body onward. Hands and knees, towards the light of the outside, towards an answer.

 

Pain and nausea take over again when the doorway seems just in reach. A muffled thump and crackled moan sound as limbs refuse to support the effort. Eyes stare unseeing towards the wall, as regaining breath takes too much concentration.

 

Startled noises from outside filter in as footsteps rush closer. The shoji opens smoothly, and eyes close against the wonderful but painful light.

 

A loud gasp.

 

“Kaoru!”