Crossover With Non-anime Series Fan Fiction / Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Aka Tenshi ❯ Vol. two, Chap. ten: Scandal ( Chapter 10 )

Scandal

“It's my first day back.” Kaoru thought in despair. She returned home last night. Her parents when happy to see her alive and well. But Kaoru felt empty. She felt so lost without Aka-Kenshin. The next morning only made things even colder. Nothing was familiar to the vessel anymore. Kaoru felt as if she had disappeared into this heavy cloud of doom and couldn't return to her old life. What once had a great appeal seemed dull and grey now. Kaoru was once again a prisoner of her old life. She thought of running away again. But Aka-Kenshin told her to stay home. He even promised to come and see her as much as he could. Sadly, it just wasn't the same as her being right by his side.

Kaoru sat at her desk looking out of the window. Today looked as if it would rain at any second. Her brain felt disconnected from her body. This was aching in her heart and soul. “Kaoru!” she heard someone call out to her. It sounded so distant. The vessel slowly turned to the source in front of her. Her best friend, Ami, was standing close in front of her. She looked concerned. Kaoru slowly returned to Earth. “Are you okay?” her friend asked. The vessel was hesitant at first. If she told the truth, Ami would think she had lost her ever-loving mind. “Just make up a lie quick.” she thought. “I'm fine.” Kaoru said at last. “It's just the morning, it's making me down.” Ami kept eyeing her in concern. “Are you sure?” she asked. “You seemed to be depressed about something.” Ami then sat down beside of her. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked. This of course annoyed Kaoru. She instantly became angry. “LOOK!” the vessel just snapped. “Nothing is wrong! Everything is fine! GO AWAY!!!!” Ami moved back in shock! Kaoru had never yelled at her before. It really hurt. What brought this change? Ami's eyes welled with she as she ran away crushed. Kaoru stared at her looking a little hurt.

“Why did I get angry at Ami for?” Kaoru as she walked down to the girls' bathroom. “She was just trying to help me.” The vessel made it into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. As she passed the mirror, something strange caught her eye. Kaoru slowly backed up to the long glass mirror and looked closely at herself. She looked a little skinnier than before. Her school uniform seemed to hang off of her small body like towels. Appetite was still normal but it was as if she hadn't eaten in days since she had ran away from home. Her skin looked as pale as a corpse. The vessel's face looked white and breakable. Only her breasts looked normal with their big size. Kaoru leaned in closer to the mirror. She also noticed that she had heavy sand bags under her lovely brown eyes. But, that wasn't the biggest shock ever. Her eyes themselves were big, faint, and glassy. This was a very strange twist. “Oh Kaoru,” the vessel said to herself in a child-like voice. “What big eyes you have!”

For the best of everyone, Kaoru decided to walk home alone. She just couldn't face Ami or anyone after what happened this morning. She even spent the rest of the day hiding in the bathroom to avoid everyone. “If I could just get by without anybody noticing or stopping me for questions, I'll be get fine for the time being.” Kaoru thought to herself. If only it was that easy. The vessel then pulled out a small charm necklace Aka-Kenshin had given her to give her a tad bit of help. It was in the shape of a dog and pure silver. The charm was so cold that it burned in Kaoru's small hand. Aka-Kenshin said it would protect her when she was in need of a guardian. Suddenly, it disappeared from her hands. In a panic, the vessel looked around for it. She finally heard snickering. The girl slowly looked up to see Rikako standing over her. She was dangling the charm necklace over Kaoru's head with a smirk. “Well, well, well.” Rikako called out. “If it isn't the pathetic little shrimp. Did you enjoy your trip from loser land?” Kaoru became upset again. Rikako was the senior girl that bullied poor little Kaoru again since she was a freshman at Tokyo High. She tormented Kaoru by always stealing her things, calling her names, and getting her in trouble with the teachers. The bully was a high and proud girl who looked to pick on younger girls that were prettier than she. Why, she even thought that she was better than everyone else. Kaoru and her parents had dealt with her numerous times but nothing ever really changed.

“Give it back!” Kaoru screamed out. Rikako just laughed again. “Why should I? It's mine now!” she barked. “It looks only for more sophisticated beauties like myself, not obnoxious little whimps like you!” “No it's not!!!” the vessel screamed as she tried to jump for it. “My boyfriend gave it to me!” This made Rikako laugh even louder as she kept dangling the charm over her head. “Your boyfriend?” she asked aloud. “You've got to be kidding me! No boy would ever want you! You're just a sick little weed!” “I do have a boyfriend! Give me my necklace back!!!” Kaoru wailed again. Rikako just laughed and ran away with it. Kaoru became even more frustrated and ran after the bully. The vessel chased Rikako further into the schoolyard. Kaoru lost most of her strength and sank to her knees. Rikako turned to her and laughed out loud. “You are such a loser!” she called to little Kaoru. “You know what, you can keep your stupid necklace. I never wanted it anyway! I'm too beautiful for such a piece of junk!” Then, Rikako threw the necklace to the ground. Big mistake! Because, Rikako there heard dogs. “What was that?” she asked in a panic. Kaoru quickly looked up. “Hear what?” she asked softly. Rikako kept still. Then, a pack of Hellhounds rushed towards her and began viciously attacking her. “HELP!!!!” she screamed out. “Kaoru, help me!” But the vessel slowly rose to her feet and quietly watched. She just felt indifferent. It was as if her soul had went out for a walk for hours at a time. Even her eyes were glassy and blank. The dogs kept viciously attacking the school bully. Rikako tried to scream out for help again but one of the hounds ripped out her throat violently. The blood and bits of flesh began to pour all of the ground.

This slaughter went on until four of the teachers raced to Rikako's aid. They had heard the screams from inside the building and went outside to investigate. They managed to chase off the dogs only to find the senior lying dead in a flesh and bloody mess. They became sick with fear. “Quick!” a male teacher yelled managed to yell at last. “Call the police and get an ambulance!” “Right.” s newer teacher said quickly. Then he ran back into the school for the phone. Right then, Kaoru collapse straight to the ground out cold. The teachers all turned to her in panic. “Kaoru!!!” they cried out as they crowded around her. But the vessel couldn't hear a thing. She was weak into a coma-like sleep for energy loss of her trip.

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