Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ La Femme Fatale ❯ Chapter 1

Standard Disclaimers Apply. RK was never mine… never is and never will! @_@x

I dedicate this to my cousin who's still not back in the writing: hope this gets you back in shape. I love you so much.

For almost a century, an unfortunate clan had been the target for assassinations. Its women-elder or young-seemed to be wiped out, one by one, in the face of the planet. And now its year 2002, and the so-called 'curse' will have to recur all over again… sooner or later. Somebody has to stand up and stop this madness before it consumes all women in its line.

La Femme Fatale

Chapter One

New York City

November 1980

"Miss Keiko, we're here."

Keiko Korenaga almost jolted from the backseat of her black Mercedes. She looked outside and saw people coming up the big staircase of the Hotel. A grin escaped the corner of her lips as she saw the flamboyant costumes of the guests.

She saw a woman dressed ala Medusa with snakes on her head; a man with a knife 'stabbed' in his chest; small children dressed like fairies and such.

She smiled at the marvel before her, adding up the sparkle and radiance of the lights of the venue.

Her musings were cut by a horn blowing impatiently from behind them.

"Miss Keiko…?" asked the worried driver.

"Oh," was all she could say as the man quickly stepped out of their car and opened the door for her.

A male usher bowed his head as he saw her emerge from her car and offered his hand. Keiko smiled and gave her hand in return. Giving her driver a small nod, "I'll take a cab, Mr. Sazaki… go home and sleep."

"Are you sure Miss Keiko?"

"Yes. Its quite late… I don't want to bother anybody, you know," she said, smiling.

The driver smiled back. "I'd be just a call away, Miss." And he went off.

The usher led Keiko inside. She felt her heart flutter slightly as they entered the reception hall where the other guests were still chatting.

Not wanting to cause any further commotion due to her arrival, she asked the usher if her dress has already been delivered and taken to her room. The usher affirmed and said that it has already been delivered an hour ago and is in her quarters.

"I'd like to rest for a while, please," she said.

"Yes Miss Keiko but the one who will conduct you to your room waits for you inside the hall," the usher said.

Sighing, "Okay then," she said.

Upon arriving at the main door, the usher bowed and instructed her to continue on inside. The door of the great hall opened and Keiko stepped in…

"C'mon you stupid camera! You just gotta work… please, not this time…" photographer Gerald Thompson fidgeted the lens of his camera from one corner of the hall. He was one of the three commissioned photographers that will cover this 'talk of the town' Halloween event. One was assigned outside the hotel to shoot at the incoming guests; one was for the venue and sights, and him, for the main gathering inside the ballroom.

Groaning deeply, "Tsk! This is getting me nowhere…!" he murmured to himself.

One security man came walking by and frowned upon seeing him battle with his own camera. "Hey, you okay there?"

Gerald looked up to the person who asked him. "Y-yeah! Everything's just f-fine!"

"Just make sure it is, because Madame doesn't want any flaws in this party she threw for the city magistrates. Get your work done," the muscular man said sternly.

Gerald gulped at the tone of the man. He then quickly checked his camera once again; he adjusted the lens, he clicked the buttons, he discarded the old film… but it still wouldn't work.

"What the f-!" he mumbled.

He was actually excited about this project since it's the first time he had handled a big event like this and, practically, the organizers had said he was to be paid 'generously' by the woman who initiated this gathering-this Madame.

He never had any chance to meet this woman. All he had heard about her were probable rumors-that she was a spinster, a tomboy, and a weird loner.

Gerald smirked at the last thought: a loner. Boy, who would want to be with a lot of people when you almost own half of the world's top industries?

This Madame was indeed rich. She threw parties unimaginable in its pomp and glamour. Her friends were the stars, the royals, the world leaders… seldom people can be with them one at the same time. She had her private plane that takes off at anytime she wishes; her bodyguards were almost dozens; and her food in one sitting is just enough to feed one poor colony in Cambodia. So were the stories about her.

They say she was Chinese… some say she was Japanese… and a lot had mistaken her as a mixture of both. When asked of her nationality, she proudly says she is Japanese but she grew up in China. There, her retreat, her so-called 'Great Mansion', is a get-away for luxurious vacationers who would want to spend their money for nothing and anything lavish. One overnight stay at the exclusive riverside mansion would cost you at about a year supply of Cristal. But the amenities and services are, they say, fit for the master of the house herself. Good business.

I forgot the stand…! Gerald cut his thoughts upon realizing his one equipment missing. He quickly stood up and run up to the room provided for them photographers to keep their apparatuses. He bumped into some important people in their respective colorful costumes that almost left him star struck but then he had managed to apologize for his carelessness. He continued to climb up the grand staircase and ran several paces along long corridors of the first rate hotel.

"Madame, the party is on-going and according to as planned."

Huh? M-madame?

Gerald said to himself surprised. Looking at the slightly opened gigantic door, he saw a ray of light penetrating from it, the warm and perfumed air that reached him from the same opening. The conversation of two or three men with one lady in language at once respectful and reverent, and the words "yes Madame" repeated several times indicated clearly that he was in front of the rich woman's private apartments.

Knowing her appearance wouldn't hurt, would it? He said to himself. He waited in the shadows for a while and peeked slowly from the door slit.

A petite woman, his back on him, in a black silk robe, was talking to a largely-built man on her side.

"Good. Are the guests all in?" the woman said.

"Almost, Madame. The ballroom is packed with people and is waiting for your appearance," the large man replied.

"I still don't feel like showing myself to them. How about Keiko? Has she arrived? How does she going to appear?"

"Our informant said she will just come with her driver and will be dressed as a Spanish Queen."

A loud laugh sends shivers down Gerald's spine.

In between laughs, the woman continued. "What is she trying to prove, by showing herself like that? That she's more powerful than me? Tell me Cortez, is she going to prove the others anything?"

"No Madame."

"What about you, Ricardo? What can you say?"

Another different voice answered, "She doesn't stand a chance against you, Madame."

The woman laughed loudly again.

Gerald frowned when he saw the woman approach a table and pulled out its drawer.

"Leave me now, I have to prepare myself for the big show tonight," Madame said to the two men. "Inform me once Keiko arrives."

Gerald ran in one corner and hid himself before the two have gotten out of the room. He saw them approach the stairs and descend.

Sure that they have gone, curiously, Gerald moved towards the door again and watched the woman inside.

Oh my God…

He felt his heart beat fast as he saw her with a magnum in hand, looking at a portrait pinned at the wall. A man with spiky white hair and glasses dressed like a Japanese daimyo was in the painting. With him in the picture was a Chinese teen of around fifteen to seventeen years. Blowing the candles below the portrait, she bowed in front of it before speaking.

"Father… please guide me once more. Help me take my revenge on my enemy, OUR enemy. At any moment she will come… and the fury inside me will take over again. As I have promised to you, she will never find peace with what she had done to you…"

She loaded the silver bullets to the gun.

Gerald ran distraughtly back to the place he was in earlier. He could feel his sweating palm against his face. His eyes were wide in fear.

I swear she is going to kill someone… somebody here!

At that moment fresh cheers announced the arrival of one of the most illustrious guest of the ball. The magistrates did as they have done with every important guest, and preceded by their sergeants, they advanced to receive the half-Japanese actress Keiko Korenaga.

Gerald knotted his head for it was seldom to see the actress in person, and it was lucky for him to be there despite the fear that looms in his heart about what had transpired earlier.

If only my camera would work…! He said, trying to look for a fuller view of the latter.

The actress entered the great hall, and it was noticed that she looked sad and even weary. She still hadn't been wearing the costume she was supposed to be in and instead was only covered up to her foot of a white mink coat. She only remained in the hall for a short time to receive the compliments of the city dignitaries and to reply to the salutations of the other guests.

Suddenly, a man came making his way through the crowd and went straight to the actress and, in a strange voice, said, "Miss, the ball will begin in an hour. You have to get changed."

Keiko uncomfortably stared at the man but just nodded. The man excused her from the guests and instructed her to follow him to be conducted to her room.

Just as she had been taken away, Gerald had a clear view of the main hall.

Shit! How could I be so unlucky? She's gone and won't be back until an hour!

The moment Keiko had disappeared, the curtain of a small gallery-which up to that time had been closed-was drawn, and the pale face of the one who threw the party, the woman who had feared by Gerald a while ago, dressed as the Ice Queen, appeared. Her eyes were fixed on the direction of the actress, whose back was on her while walking, and a terrible smile passed over her lips: the actress' end is nearing.

A man came up to the small stage and picked up the microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please… it is an honor for me to announce to you, our dear gracious and most beloved… Miss Li Mei Yukishiro!"

There's a big mystery surrounding what happened during Kaoru's abduction by Enishi and this is where this story came from. I sort of screwed up the idea and this came up. Hope you all like it. Tell me your opinions! Go and review! Thank you. ~Tracy Leigh