Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Memories in Kyoto ❯ White Plum ( Chapter 8 )

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Inochi Ryu: YO PEOPLES!!! ^^

Inuyasha; geez… bout time you updated -_-;;

Yukiko: SHUT UP, MAN! AT LEAST, SHE WRITES FANFICS!!! UNLIKE SOME ILLITERATE PEOPLE I COULD MENTION… *cough, cough*

Inuyasha: SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU OLD HAG!!!

Yukiko: *glares* OLD HAG?!! WELL, EXCUSE ME, INUBAKA!!!

Inuyasha: MY NAME ISNT INUBAKA!!!

Inochi Ryu: *smiles evilly* I wouldn't say that…

Inubaka: o_0 HEY! WHAT THE---?

Yukiko: May I?

Inochi Ryu: sure *waves hand*

Yukiko: SIT BOY

Inuyasha: *faceplants*

Inochi Ryu and Yukiko: that's better

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White Plum

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Kenshin squirmed, wanting Seijuro to tell him all he knew about Rae. Seijuro looked at Kenshin, his eyes intense with suspicion. He sighed, shaking his head.

"You stupid apprentice…" he groused, receiving a glare from Kenshin. Darn it! Why couldn't Seijuro just give him a straight answer?! Kami-sama must have forgotten to give him a brain. Kenshin suppressed his laughter, feeling a bit out of character. He hadn't insulted his master for quite a while. In truth, it felt… good. Seijuro noticed.

"What are you thinking about now, my stupid pupil?" he asked, sneering, Kenshin shook himself. Focus! He needed answers now and couldn't afford to wait.

"Nothing, Seijuro," he replied. Kenshin twitched, growing impatient. "Well?" he continued, referring to his questions.

Seijuro snorted, trying to figure out how to begin. "Rae is the daughter of a friend," he said, pouring himself some more sake.

Kenshin resisted the urge to give Seijuro a good smack with his sword. "Who?" he inquired, his voice tensing slightly.

"It's no one you know," his master responded, shrugging. He sipped his sake.

Kenshin sighed with frustration, thinking up ways to get back at Seijuro. With much effort, he pushed the many evil things that came to mind, clenching his fists as he did so. "Really?" he asked, curiosity feigning his voice. "Try me."

Seijuro smirked. His stupid apprentice was still the same, even after ten years into the Meiji Era. Just an immature little boy. He knew Kenshin was on the border of wringing his throat but… why spoil the fun?

"Why? If I told you, you wouldn't know them anyway so what's the point?" he queried, putting his elbow on the table. He leaned on his fist, watching Kenshin, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER," Kenshin said firmly. He was getting annoyed. Seijuro always did this. Whenever he asked a question, it always amounted to this. Well, not this time. "WHO IS HER MOTHER?"

Seijuro detected a hint of irritation in his voice. He would continue to humor him. It was just too good to pass up! "Some girl."

Kenshin's eye twitched. Okay, now he was pushing it. "DOES THIS GIRL HAVE A NAME?" he asked, his voice rising.

"Of course," Seijuro confirmed, purposely taking Kenshin's question the wrong way. Kenshin clenched his teeth.

"You old…" Kenshin muttered, stopping himself from finishing his sentence. He breathed, air hissing through his teeth. "AND THAT WOUL D BE?"

"Oh, her name? Why didn't you say so?" Seijuro smiled. Kenshin bit his lip, trying to contain the many names that he would call Seijuro. He couldn't take it anymore!

"You know, I missed you. It's always fun to talk to you," Seijuro commented. He was being honest and had no fear of letting his favorite, stupid pupil know that.

"SEIJURO," Kenshin said, the tone of his voice well into dangerous. "WHAT IS HER NAME?" he repeated.

"I believe her last name was Yukishiro…" the older man said, looking into space.

Kenshin softened at this. His anger toward Seijuro disappeared almost completely, leaving only a bit of frustration that he had to cope with. He nodded, signaling Seijuro to continue. Seijuro knew very well that his pupil was eager to know her first name. It was written all over his face.

"Her first name was… Tomoe…" he said, rubbing his chin.

"And…?" Kenshin stared at him intently, waiting for the answer. He wanted to know who the father was. He had to know.

His master sensed his desire. Seijuro smiled, rubbing the back of his head. "Oh, and I don't know who the father was," he stated simply, laughing.

Kenshin slapped his hand to his forehead, narrowing his eyes in frustration. He didn't know who the father was?! Could he get any stupider?! He closed his eyes tightly and bowed his head, refraining from speaking his thoughts out loud. Seijuro didn't know who the father was… He narrowed his eyes. Tomoe…

He opened his eyes. Seijuro stiffened at Kenshin's glare. His eyes were tinged with an amber glow, the dark pupil a small circle in the midst of golden iris. Kenshin shifted, indicating Seijuro to continue.

"What sort of connection to you have to Rae then?" he asked, his voice low and threatening. Seijuro sipped his sake. Kenshin was serious. Guess his fun was over…

"It's a long story," he explained, unsure of how to approach the issue. His apprentice's eyes flashed menacingly, sending a chill up his spine. He smiled. Kenshin still had those eyes. So dangerous yet admirable.

"We have all day," Kenshin retorted, scoffing. Seijuro sighed, drinking the last bit of sake in his cup before setting it down.

"Fine," he answered, moving his body so that he faced Kenshin. "Better get comfortable, Kenshin."

Kenshin's amber gaze faded away, gradually of course. Spots of violet reappeared; reassuring Seijuro, but the amber glow still remained as a warning.

"It started out like this…"

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The mountains were covered in thick forests and seemed to roll in large waves across the land. A plethora of deep valleys and narrow crevices wound through the shadows of the hills. Small streams ran quickly, snaked around boulders and trees, meeting another river or the sea. The sky was a dim blue, shading the awe-inspiring landscape with dark clouds.

Seijuro paid no attention to the gloom around him. He continued to walk on the dirt path that went through the mountains, often taking a break to drink down some sake and rest. He brought a sword with him just in case there were any… complications. The sky grew darker, the sun giving off its last rays of light before disappearing. Red dusk rushed the dark blue hue of the sky, giving the green hills an eerie crimson glow.

He was used to this. In the time of the Revolution, the sky always seemed to be blood red, even at night, when the moon was high. The moon, then, was not a comforting white light but rather a deep scarlet, shining upon the many rivers of blood that flowed freely in Kyoto. He knew who the cause of these red streams was. His stupid apprentice, Himura Kenshin. Or rather… Hitokiri Battousai. He did not know where he was now or if he was even still alive. The Revolution was drawing to a close and soon would be in no need of his services. Where would he go then? He had no family to return to or friends that he could stay with. Kenshin had nothing, only remorse and the feeling of loneliness.

Seijuro often wondered about Kenshin. What if he had stopped him from going? He sneered. This question was constantly tugging at his mind ever since he left. Of course, he knew the answer. Had he stopped Kenshin, this revolution would have been a failure. All of Japan owed a great debt to him. Because of his assassinations, he shaped a future for all to behold and cherish. He committed many a sin by doing so but for a greater cause. Seijuro had not wanted him to go because he knew. He knew that Kenshin would have to bear his terrible deeds forever. Many men could not take it so how would a young teenage boy be able to? He knew very well that Kenshin was not the average teen. No teen could move with god-like speed and be so skilled with a sword. This did not matter. Just because one was skilled in the art of swordsmanship did not mean that one had the will to carry such a burden.

How he would bear it would remain a mystery to Seijuro. He just hoped that somehow his stupid apprentice would find his way. He smirked. No, he would not hope. He knew.

He stopped suddenly, his eyes narrowing. The air had become muskier, heavier. He sniffed. This smell was… smoke? His eyes moved to the sky, spotting thick clouds of black smoke rolling in heavy layers across the red atmosphere. He ran along the road with great speed, accelerating as he went. What if someone was hurt?

Seijuro swallowed nervously, the air around him growing denser and hotter. Ashes blew by, carried by the heated wind. Sparks shot up into the clouds, outlining them with an orange tint. The ground was littered with burnt wood, some still dancing with flames. He stared at this sight, his eyes widening at the source of all this chaos. A monstrous fire enveloped a small house, literally eating away at the once solid base. Large blazes burned on the border of the surrounding trees, licking at the trunks of tall pines.

All Seijuro could do was stare, utterly stricken with fear. A scream rose from inside, barely heard from the explosion of flames that shook the house with such force, the roof was on the verge of collapsing. Someone was still inside. It sounded like a woman. Without thinking, he ran towards the fire, trying his best to avoid the sinister flames that threatened to burn him, inside and out. The cry rang out again, much louder this time. He hoped that he would make it in time.

Sprinting, he ran to the back of the house, leaping over burning logs and ducking under branches of fire. Now came the hard part: finding whoever it was that was trapped. Sweat slid down his face in large drops, falling over his eyelids. He coughed at the smoke that filled his lungs, nearly suffocating him. He didn't care. He had to find her. His ears stretched out, listening for another cry. It never came.

He growled in frustration. She wasn't dead. He refused to believe. At the moment, he didn't know why he cared but he knew, deep in his heart, that he would feel guilt for countless years. No one would die when he was around. No one. Continuing his trek through the hot demonic flames, he spotted a limp form lying upon the singed grass. It made no movement but rather stayed still. He rushed towards it, kneeling next to it. It was the woman. Her eyes were closed, almost peacefully as if accepting her death. Damn. He was too late.

Seijuro bowed his head. He was right there. He could have saved her. First, he had lost Kenshin, by letting a boy of such tender age to go and fight in the Revolution, as an assassin. He knew not whether his pupil was dead or alive but to him was just… missing. Forever. He had a feeling that he would not see Kenshin again. And now… he had let another life slip away. This was the same. He was there. He could have prevented it. But no… he had failed again.

Her eyelids fluttered. Seijuro gasped, blinking. Was he hallucinating? He leaned in closer to her face. Her hot breath puffed against his skin in ragged pants, making him sigh and smile. She was still alive! Quickly, he scooped her up in his arms, dashing over and under wild flames.

Just a little more… he thought encouragingly. The air around him became lighter and he found it easier to breath. He inhaled the fresher air gratefully, soon finding himself in a clearing. A cool breeze blew through his hair, making him exhale as it cool him down. His eyes went to the woman in his arms. He put his ear to her mouth, sighing in relief when he found that she was still, although barely, breathing. She lay drooping in his arms, her eyes still closed.

A faint smell tainted the air. What was it? He sniffed. It was the smell of white plum. It cleansed the air of all dirt and grime, filling his lungs with the sweet smell of flowers. All the stenches of burnt wood seemed to drift away in a breeze of perfume. Her appearance certainly went with her scent.

He blinked, seeing her for the first time. Raven hair fell in graceful locks, framing her delicate face. She wore a white kimono, the cloth folding around her small body. Well, it would have been white if she hadn't been in a house that was on fire. He cocked an eyebrow. A white kimono? If he didn't know better, he would say that this woman was dead. He knew very well that just because one was wearing a pure white kimono didn't mean that they were dead. There was always the possibility of being a bride… But she wore a pure, plain, white kimono. Plus, why would someone set the house on fire? Usually, when someone dies they are cremated… He widened his eyes. Whoever it was who set the fire thought she was dead. It wasn't attempted murder, he was sure of that. The fire was meant to cremate this woman and only for that purpose.

He turned, resting his gaze on the flames that burned at the border of the forest. There was dry brush over there so it should have spread… No, this was a controlled fire. This woman was presumed to be dead but was in fact, still very much alive when the house was set aflame. A moan reached his ears. He felt her shift in his arms, half-conscious.

"Not now," he whispered. "Let us get you somewhere safe first." Seijuro walked down the dirt path again, leaving the house to be burned. He had no right to put out that fire. It was set in memory of the woman who lay in his arms right now and deserved to be left to burn until it died out. He went quickly, carefully caressing the wilted form that he carried. He needed to get her to a doctor.

His mind went to work, remembering and mapping the fastest route to the next city or village. Well, the only place that was close enough was Kyoto… He nodded, racing down the road. Another groan escaped the woman's lips. He swallowed. He would have to be careful… The trees around him became nothing but blurs, rushing past him in a blend of green and brown. Kyoto wasn't too far. If he hurried, he would make it by morning if he kept going. It was going to be a long night.

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Inochi Ryu: YAY! Another chapter finished. ^^

Inuyasha: o_0 THAT'S IT?!! BUT… BUT… BUT…

Yukiko: *sighs* INUBAKA!!! GET OVER YOUR FRICKIN' FEAR OF CLIFFIES!!!

Inochi Ryu: -_-;; *stress mark*

Inuyasha: DAMMIT! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO STOP AT THE GOOD PART?!! *grumble, mutter*

Yukiko: *gasp* WAS THAT A COMPLIMENT?!! FROM YOU?!!

Inochi Ryu: o_0 OOC…

Inuyasha: IT WAS NOT A COMPLIMENT!!!

Inochi Ryu: *sly look* sure… right…

Inuyasha: *stress mark* IT WASN'T!!!

Inochi Ryu: Uh huh… *changes subject* Well, whatever! Stay tuned, readers!! AND DON'T FORGET TO R&R!!! ^^

Inuyasha: TT but… but…

Yukiko: *sighs* SIT BOY

Inuyasha: *faceplants*

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