Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Midnight Angel ❯ Midnight Angel ( One-Shot )

This songfic has been nagging at me from the far reaches of my mind for the last while, the image of Tomoe's ghost hugging Kenshin as he slept, hanging, forever etched into my mind. Most of the time, I absolutely adore the Kenshin/Kaoru and Battousai/Kaoru pairing, but I feel the need to justify the love (yes love) of Kenshin and Tomoe.

Hopefully this will make up for the disappointment of my stupidity and me on `Tenderness'… if you haven't read my note there, you should.

Summary: Kenshin's wanderings have lead him to Tokyo. He stays near the docks for the night; tomorrow he will continue his journey… although we all know what happens next.

`Thoughts'

"Speech"

~"Lyrics"~

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, or the song `Midnight Angel' sung by Jimmy Ranken. I'd like to, but life can be so cruel…. U_U *sniffle*

Midnight Angel

Kenshin, former Ishinshishi assassin, known as Hitokiri Battousai to some, walked Tokyo's deserted streets late at night. The only person besides him was a drunken man, passed out on the street, snoring softly in his alcohol-induced slumber. Some would think that this was just an ordinary man strolling down the street, that is, until they saw his sword. It was a very special sword, a sakabatou, crafted by Ari Shakku, a master swordsmith.

`Tokyo looks about the same since the last time I came, but then again, I always seem to arrive in darkness.' Kenshin lightly chuckled at his own musings as he passed a small shrine, the smell of the sea growing stronger with each step.

An indistinguishable form followed a couple of steps behind him, but no sound of shuffling feet came from this person. The color of the figure's kimono was white, a red obi keeping it shut, and a purple sash hanging from the form's arms. It was obviously a woman; the only other feature was her hair, tied into a low ponytail, the end looping back into the tie.

~"I took a walk in the midnight hour

By the dock and the chruchbell tower

I felt the night bust open wide

Midnight angel by my side"~

Kenshin looked ahead, and could now see Tokyo Bay. Two young people turned onto the street, walking away from him. They were quite young, probably no more than seven years younger than him, and were holding hands. They stopped and slid open a shoji door, before stepping inside and closing it after themselves. With a slight sigh, Kenshin continued at his already steady pace, the figure following behind him once again.

~"I passed young lovers on the street

Holding hands, shuffling feet

Makes one wonder where love goes

Midnight angel only knows"~

Kenshin finally made it to the docks.

`Hmm, it should be around here somewhere,' he thought, as he looked around. `A-ha, found it.'

What Kenshin had been looking for was a small grove of Sakura trees, the same place that he rested at every time he came to Tokyo. It was a pretty place, especially at night; the moonlight reflecting off of the water and cutting through the branches that would be blossoming in only a few short months.

~"Midnight angel meet me down

By the water's edge and the harbor town

I'll bring the lock you bring the key

Midnight angel comfort me"~

Kenshin leaned back against the trunk of one of the larger sakura trees. Staring up into the midnight sky, where two seabirds flew, gracefully dipping and twirling around each other like two lovers dancing on the ground. As he watched them soaring, he began to think of one of the reasons that he became a wanderer. The figure that had been following him had sat down beside him, wrapping her arms around his slim waist, her lovely and pale face resting on his shoulders.

~"Up above the seabirds fly

Shimmering white in a wintry sky

How I love to watch them soar

Don't seem to dream much anymore"~

`I hope that Tomoe has found peace with her fiancée,' he thought, vision slightly blurring as he thought of his ex-wife. Suddenly, he felt a pang of loneliness as he remembered the couple on the street.

`I'm so sorry Tomoe; I wish that I hadn't killed you.'

Even after ten years of wandering, it still hurt, but as the saying goes: love is like a double-edge sword, either bringing pleasure or pain, sometimes both.

As if she knew of his thoughts, she softly whispered: "Do not worry anata, I have found peace, and I was not afraid of death. You are forgiven; do not think that you have not been, for over the years you have helped so many."

Even though he couldn't hear her, Kenshin felt as though a small part of the weight was lifted from his shoulders and relaxed, sinking into a light sleep, sakabatou in its customary position on his shoulder.

~"Midnight angel meet me down

By the water's edge and the harbor town

I'll bring the lock you bring the key

Midnight angel comfort me"~

That night in Tokyo, Hiruma Gohei prowled the streets, killing under the name of `Hitokiri Battousai' striking fear into the heart of those he was chasing after. He killed without mercy, spreading rumors, planning his revenge on Kamiya Kaoru.

Kenshin slept on, oblivious to the new situation that would be appearing before him in the morning. Finally, he got the rest that he hadn't got in months, fully sinking below the siren's song of slumber. Tomoe staying by his side all through the few hours until dawn.

~"I took a walk in the midnight hour

By the dock and the chruchbell tower

I felt the night bust open wide

Midnight angel by my side"~

Just before dawn, Kenshin awoke; feeling more rested in those short hours than any other night from the past few months.

`I suppose perhaps I will find a small food stand, buy some food, and be on my way,' he thought, replacing his sword in his sash, pulling the small bag of his personal belongings over his shoulder again.

Taking a deep breath, Kenshin stretched as he looked out to the sea, a thin layer of morning mist rising off of the water. The sun was just rising, casting a warm, red glow onto the mist and the water. Turning, he then sighed, as he knew that it was time to continue his wanderings.

His stomach growled slightly, `Or maybe I'll continue after a small breakfast,' he thought, moving down the street. He was headed towards the middle of Tokyo, to a small place called the Akebeko, which he had eaten at once before, and found the food to be quite good, though it was a tad bit expensive. Tomoe looked at his retreating back.

"After today anata, you will not be alone anymore. Find happiness with Kamiya Koaru. Aishiteru, my second love" she whispered into the wind, fading slightly. Floating upwards, she allowed a smile to grace her beautiful face, before fading even more.

`I will be watching you still anata, you may not see or hear me, but I am watching you still.' She thought as she gracefully glided after Kenshin, a small but comforting presence for him.

~"Midnight angel meet me down

By the water's edge and the harbor town

I'll bring the lock you bring the key

Midnight angel comfort me"~

Authoress' Blabber… Ending notes and such…

Well, hopefully you all have enjoyed my sonfic. Oi minna-san, you had better review, or just maybe I'll have to use my elemental power on you… or maybe Sephira jo's BeatingStickM15 will do… *smirks evilly* Hey Sephira-san… *walks off to go and find her, intent on taking the beating stick in case the people need a little *cough* persuasion *cough* to review* Hehehe, I'll be back… more than likely when I put out the next chapter on Memories Forgotten [to which I seem to be having some writer's block *growls*]… However, trying to break this nasty youkai writer's block, I've come up with an OC [Original Character] for Inu Yasha, and I am 1/4 done the second chapter! I will post it here and at adultfanfiction.net… when I get the time, and chapter 2 done, that is.

Glossary of Japanese Terms

Minna-san: everyone

Anata: literally it means you, but can mean darling, honey… when speaking to a husband/wife

Aishiteru: I love you

Sakabatou: reverse-blade sword

Hitokiri: roughly translates to manslayer, but I happen to like assassin better.

Battousai: Kenshin's nickname from the bakumatsu. "Battou' is one of his sword techniques that he uses (actually called battou jutsu) and `sai' from the dvds I got from Christmas (in the liner notes) and also from a reviewer on my other fic, `Memories Forgotten' (yoshimi-senpai: Domo arigatou gozaimasu) it is used as a nickname… sometimes used roughly as

`master' but in this case, it is normally used for a nickname.

Tanya ~// e-mail me at tanya_langston@hotmail.com I'd love to talk! ^_^ and I do have msn and Yahoo IM- Sesshoumarus_koibito //~