Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Memories Long Untouched ❯ Depression Like Poison ( Chapter 1 )

Memories Long Untouched

Chapter 1: Depression like a Poison

A/n: Excuse the name. I like to try to come up with creative ones for the chapters, but it doesn't really fit that well. Because…well, you'll find out. If you're reading this, congratulations! I spent two months working on this, and I don't know if it's all that good, ok? Just review and tell me. Think about it, if you don't review, then I get sad. Out of depression I take all my stories off, causing depression to the readers of the other ones. I am so depressed that I never use fanfiction.net again. Now, think about what would happen if that happened to everyone! The world would come to an end as we know it, right? Not only would fanfiction.net be completely destroyed, but everyone would be in the depths of depression as well. To summarize all that, just review.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, setting, or personalities, emotions, etc… that Nobuhiro Watsuki so generously created. I only own the subtle stupid plot.

`No. Don't fight it. Your purpose is to kill, to destroy lives.' A single tear ran, mixing with blood. Yet it wasn't his blood. It was Kyosato's blood.

People like him weren't meant to feel sadness or remorse.

`People like me.' He thought.

-Flashback-

A woman, her body bent over him. Protecting him.

"No Shinta! You have to live! Us, we have been able to enjoy living our lives, but you are just a child! You have to live, and choose your own path in life, Shinta!

-End flashback-

What had they meant when they said to choose his own path? Surely not this.

He closed his eyes. There was nothing inside. Or at least there wasn't supposed to be. Yet pain and sorrow lived in his depths, and he couldn't fight them.

"WHY?!?!?!", he shouted at the darkness. Then something came he did not expect. It was…laughter. He was laughing, and not a hardy laugh, or a friendly one. It was a shrill maniacal one that sent chills up his own spine. He couldn't take back what he had done.

In a whisper, as if he were telling a secret to himself he said, "I am a hitokiri…." Then he threw his head back and laughed some more. "I will live out my days as the Battousai!" And it rang through the Kyoto streets.

Kenshin yelled, jumping up and breathing hard. Kaoru ran into the room, with a frightened expression, her hair a bit tousled. "Kenshin, are you ok?! We heard yelling!"

Kenshin turned away in shame. He couldn't let Kaoru see him like this. He could not let her know his pain. He turned back, a warm smile plastered on his face. "Nothing Miss Kaoru, I guess it was just a bad dream. Funny thing, I don't remember anything terribly wrong happening in it."

"Alright then Kenshin, whatever you say.", she replied, with a sigh. `I wish he'd just open up more. I wonder what's really wrong.'

Yahiko was waiting in the hall. He didn't really look tired, as if he had been waiting for this to happen.

"Was it the same as last night?"

"Yeah." Kaoru looked through the window at the darkened sky. "Oh Kenshin."

However, her caring mood lasted only for a moment, until she was back to her old self again. She turned to Yahiko.

"Now that you're up, you can start the laundry!"

"But Kenshin always does the laundry!"

"I said, get to it! Besides, I think Kenshin just needs to be alone for now."

Yahiko walked away, muttering under his breath.

Little did Kaoru know, but Kenshin had heard their conversation and was rather irritated. He didn't want to be alone; for fear that the memories would creep up on him. Memories of Tomoe. Memories of blood. Memories of being Battousai. `I guess nothing's ever really gone is it?', he thought.

Almost as if apprehensively, dawn slowly crept upon them, and the sun reached the peak of the mountains. Kenshin picked up his sword and walked out of the room. On the sliding door there was a note.

Kenshin,

Went to the market. Be back soon. Breakfast on the table.

He sighed. There was only he, the dojo, and painful memories in the house.

Kenshin sat. Mochi for breakfast again. Today was going by slowly.

His fingers drummed on the table, as he stared out at the road. No one was passing by. There was utter silence.

His dreams were beginning to become more frequent. Usually, Kenshin was a very light sleeper, but not lately.

That was okay, though. Kenshin was 29 now, and had fought many battles, and didn't know when death would silence him. He hoped for soon. Of course, he did not wish to hurt the people around him, but trouble seemed to follow him everywhere. It would be better if he wasn't there.

Suddenly, he felt dizzy. And everything around him started spinning. He felt himself fall backward, but he couldn't move. Then darkness fell upon him.

Hands all around him. Shouts, more darkness.

Kenshin awoke very late at night. There were voices. Two people were in the room with him, talking.

He was lying on a futon, and his sword was gone. He still couldn't move.

"Miss Megumi, are you saying someone tried to poison him? But who?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it was obviously for revenge for something. Everything will be alright. Dr. Gensai and I removed the poison from his body. He should be good as new by tomorrow."

"What should I tell him when he wakes?"

"The truth. Sir Ken does not deserved to be lied to."

Megumi left. Kenshin closed his eyes, as Kaoru approached him.

"Oh Kenshin…" He heard her voice choke, with pain. He could hear the tears welling up in her eyes. She put her head to his chest and started crying.

"Miss Kaoru, don't cry."

"Kenshin!? You're awake!", she exclaimed, lifting her head. Her face expressed confusion and happiness. "How long ago did you wake?"

"Not too long ago, a few minutes."

"So, you know?"

"Yes, Miss Kaoru."

Her eyes were once again flooded. "I'm so glad you're alive!"

Kenshin lifted his hand and wiped her tears away. "Now Miss Kaoru, I told you not to cry."

"Kenshin…"

"Yes Miss Kaoru? What is it?"

"Kenshin, Kenshin, Kenshin…." She stood up, and just kind of looked at him, her head cocked. Suddenly she got a very angry expression.

"Oro?"

"KENSHIN! DON'T YOU EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!" , she yelled, hitting his head with her closed fists.

"Ahhh!" Three little bumps sprouted from the top of his head.

"Oh Kenshin." She said again, putting her face in her hands. She abruptly turned and marched out the door. (A/N: talk about mood swings.)

THE NEXT DAY…

Kenshin awoke to the sound of birds singing softly outside the dojo. It was such a beautiful day. He decided to go for a walk.

Kenshin crept throughout the dojo. Of course, no one else was up. He usually rose around 5 when everyone else rose around 7.

Out the front door, down the steps, and through the large gate surrounding the property. Where to go now? `I think I'll visit the shrines.'

He started his journey up the steps. There were many of them, and stone statues lined the sides as he walked. The air smelled of a fresh dawning of spring.

Yet suddenly, he smelled a faint scent of blood. He looked down at his hands, and they were drenched in the thick red mixture. In withdrawing his sword, he found that it too was stained with the blood of a man, as the unmistakable sound of rain rang in his ears.

`I killed all those men…what's going on?'

Then he heard a voice behind him, it was Kaoru. The blood and rain were gone, and he turned to face her. The sun shone brightly on the two of them, just looking at each other. The wind rustled the leaves, blowing their hair and clothes slightly. (A/N: OMG, I totally can picture that in my head! Such a Kenshin moment!)

Together they walked the rest of the way up to the shrine in silence. Sitting in the shade, Kaoru began to speak.

"Kenshin, is something bothering you?" , she blurted out. Her voice was full of hope and care.

"Why Miss Kaoru, why do you ask?", was his reply. He smiled toward her, and she turned to face him. She just kind of looked at him again, and then burst into tears.

"Please tell me Kenshin! I know something's wrong! I can tell! Please just talk to me!"

Kenshin looked at her, and then put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Now Miss Kaoru, you don't need to worry about me. There's nothing to cry ab-"

"Just stop it Kenshin! I…I care about how you feel. Is it something that I did?"

He pulled her to him in an embrace, and she cried onto his shoulder.

"I guess…I'm just…", he started. Kaoru looked him in the eye.

"Memories are beginning to call to me, Miss Kaoru. Memories that have not been touched in a long while."

And so Kaoru smiled at him, for the first time in a long time, and said "Always remember, it doesn't matter what happened then, because, it's all behind us now, alright?" And Kenshin nodded in agreement, because she had accepted him, and who he was, without hesitation. Everything was at peace again. But like most good stories, peace never lasts for long.

A/N: Hey, that is not the end! I know, it seems like a one shot, but there is soooo much more! R&R!