Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Deluge ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

Deluge

by Kellen

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Kenshin has always stood to protect the helpless, but while helping a stranger, he finds himself fighting for his own survival. A chance encounter leads to disaster, and Kenshin and his friends are caught in the middle….

Author's note: Well, here we are. A new fandom for Kellen. I could really use some characterization help, so please, if you see anyone out of character, hit me with it. I need to hear these things. I've set this story in the first arc, before Kyoto. Sanosuke is around, Yahiko is in the picture and Kenshin and Kaoru are just getting to know one another. And, yes, yes, I have original characters. It's hard not to when the whole objective is Kenshin protecting strangers.

Disclaimer: The recognizable characters and settings herein are not mine; they are someone else's intellectual property. I make no profit from this. Even my original characters are an homage to the original creator, and therefore, I am not even sure I can claim them.

Feedback: Please. This is my first Rurouni Kenshin fanfiction, and I could really use the readers' insights and perspectives.

Special thanks to Nanaia for being a superb last minute beta. You are wonderful. Thank you.

Okay, on with the story…

Deluge, Chapter One:

It wasn't so much the yelling that caught his attention, nor was it the dark blur headed toward him. This was, after all, a busy marketplace, and while the air fairly rang with both cheer and tension, not a thing was hostile. The sun was warm, the air crisp and clean, and Kaoru's voice echoed pleasantly as she chattered about whatever was on her mind as they strolled along the street.

Himura Kenshin's attention was caught by none other than a woman. It wasn't that she was especially pretty; she was obviously a foreigner, with auburn hair only a few shades darker than his own wild red locks and green eyes that were wide with panic and frustration. It was the panicked way she looked around and the nimble way she navigated the crowds that held Kenshin's gaze.

He was so busy trying to pinpoint the source of her distress that he nearly forgot about the dark blur weaving through the crowd. It wasn't until it was upon he and Kaoru that it registered. Stupid. The word echoed in his mind as he stepped in front of Kaoru to take the impact.

And impact it was. Kenshin was bowled off his feet as Kaoru shrieked and jumped aside. Kenshin rolled to his knees as the small form sat up. Kenshin blinked. All right. A child. He rose to his feet and extended a hand to the boy sitting in the dirt and rubbing his forehead. Of course, with my luck, it'd turn out to be a dwarf master swordsman with some strange new technique who possesses the power to hide his ki. Kenshin shook his head, dispelling the cynical thought, and smiled at the sandy-haired boy as Kaoru moved to stand next to him.

The anxious woman - for anxious she was, as her ki fairly screamed - nearly shoved the diminutive man out of the way to get to the boy, babbling all the while in a language Kenshin recognized, but could not understand. He narrowed his eyes, trying to pick out the few English words he knew, but she spoke too fast. Kaoru put her hands on her hips and immediately started to berate the woman's manners in rapid fire Japanese. Before Kaoru's first sentence was done, the boy added his voice, a high-pitched whine. Kenshin was certain his ears would start bleeding if nothing intervened soon. His hand on Kaoru's shoulder stopped her tirade and he turned to the gaijin woman, sorting through what little English he knew to find the appropriate way to shut her up.

The woman, though, narrowed her eyes at the arguing boy, held up her hand and barked one word. Kenshin may not have understood the word itself, but he understood the intent, and it nearly had him doing the same as the boy: shutting his mouth immediately, drawing up straight and hanging his head in shame.

Kaoru's mouth thinned, obviously upset at the way her stroll had been interrupted, but before she could say anything, the gaijin woman turned to her with a weary smile. "I'm sorry," she said in accented Japanese. "My son and I will be leaving." She held out her hand and the boy latched onto it sullenly. "I didn't mean to interrupt your afternoon."

Kaoru shook her head, mollified by the apology. "Oh, no. It's fine, really."

Kenshin smiled at the woman as pieces fell into place. A worried mother usually needed no excuse for outlandish behavior. She nudged her son toward him, all the while keeping a wary eye on him.

"Gomen," the boy stuttered, not quite daring to meet Kenshin's eyes. "I did not… ah… run to you."

Kenshin did his best not to chuckle at the broken Japanese. The gaijin woman looked absolutely mortified and Kaoru was suppressing giggles. Well, I can at least reply in kind; poor kid. "It is fine," Kenshin told the boy, tripping over his own English. "Not hurt."

Kaoru's eyes widened. Well, of course, Kenshin told himself. I never told her that I knew a little English. Why bother her with what I learned as hitokiri?

The gaijin woman relaxed, only to tense again as the boy asked a question. "Katana?" he said, pointing to the sword at Kenshin's hip. The foreigner put her hands on the boy's shoulders and tensed, ready to pull him away. Kenshin smiled at her, doing his best to put her at ease.

"Sakabatou," he corrected, thumbing the blade loose and showing the boy the first few inches.

The boy's forehead creased and he said in Japanese, "Wrong side."

"Hai."

The woman's fingers tightened on the boy's shoulders. She's not happy with the talk of swords. He sheathed the blade quickly and deliberately kept his hands away from the hilt. The boy shook his mother's hands free and stepped forward, extending his right hand. "David Wymer."

Kenshin shook his hand, a little bemused by the boy's forward attitude and by the western custom. "Kenshin." Best not to confuse the boy with family names.

Inordinately pleased, the boy bowed to Kaoru and she introduced herself. Kenshin looked toward the boy's mother, and couldn't help but narrow his eyes. She had paled, and her hand had strayed to her throat. She fairly resonated with fear, her mouth agape and eyes wide. She moved forward, brushing past Kenshin in her haste and grabbed David's wrist. "We are late," she offered as explanation, casting an apprehensive glance at the swordsman as she dragged the waving - and complaining - boy away.

Without a word, Kenshin and Kaoru watched them disappear into the crowds. Kaoru finally broke the silence. "Why was she afraid?"

Kenshin shrugged, looking for the simplest explanation. "She wasn't happy with my sword, that she was not."

"That wasn't it, though," Kaoru insisted.

"Aa, I know," Kenshin replied thoughtfully. "She was only a little apprehensive when the boy asked after it. She nearly panicked when he said his name, though."

"Why was she so afraid?"

As curious as he was, Kenshin felt compelled to point out that it wasn't exactly their concern.

"I know, but…" Kaoru trailed off, staring in the direction the pair had gone, concern clouding her features.

Kenshin nodded. "I'll keep watch, that I will," he assured her.


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So, Battousai enters the scene. I was warned, I do admit that. Dark eyes tracked the woman's and the boy's progress through the market. The many warnings he'd had that if anything was tried in Tokyo, Battousai had a likelihood of ruining things echoed in his head, but the words only made him smile, albeit grimly. Difficult. Things must always be difficult. For once, I'd like one of these jobs to run smoothly. Last time, it had been a runaway horse that marred things, the time before that, the lover of his target got in the way. Expecting things to run smoothly this time had been a dream. A very nice dream, but a dream nonetheless.

Plans might have to be adjusted. The man in the shadows bit the inside of his lip, thinking. Perhaps Battousai was merely a coincidence. He shook his head, though. Best not to think that way. A potentially dangerous man had just made contact with his target, and potential dangers needed to be taken care of. Still, he didn't want to just engage Battousai; his level of skill was nigh untouchable, but fighting Battousai was pushing it. He needed only to keep the swordsman occupied and out of the way while he dealt with his target.

After all, Battousai's death was not what would bring the payment. Though I could probably find someone more than willing to pay a large sum for that red head.

Occupy Battousai. Kill the target. Abduct the boy. All in order to break the man that ran Wymer Shipping Company. But, there were three objectives, and only one of him. I'll need some help.

The dark eyed man grinned. Despite the sudden complications, he felt good about this one. A plan was forming, and this plan involved mayhem on a large scale.

It was perfect.

TBC…

I hope you've enjoyed the ride. The second part should be out soon.

Cheers,Kellen