Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Fourteenth Master ❯ Confrontation ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Fourteenth Master

Ch. 3- Confrontation


_ _ _ _ _
"You two truly are the best... and the most fortunate. You've got someone
on your side."
Simeltaneously they say,
"Yeah, sure."
_ _ _ _ _


In a lull in the war, for a few days, Kenshin and Saizen get a rest.
For Saizen, against his will, the days are first recovery. His bandages
confining his movements, he does little training. He, in his own mind, feels sluggish
after his bandages are removed,though, in the eyes of all but the Hitokiri Battousai,
he is faster than in previous days. In his training after the removal of his bandages,
he creates a custom technique that works for him greatly, not draining him as much
as the succession technique. A first-effort if you will. He practices it, and, with this
constant revision, he grows faster and more agile in all his skills.
But as he becomes more efficient in his mind, he pushes most of the world
away. Few does he keep near him and he grows from most of his friends, becoming
cruel during peace and excited at the thought of battle.
During Saizen's rigorous physical training, the Hitokiri Battousai, at one time
known as Himura Kenshin, undergoes meditation. Several men that made up the
vanguard for attack and seige missions try often to congradulate him on his many
successful missions, only getting an icy flame of a glare for their efforts. Two weeks
pass with no updates on the war, then, when the sun was just rising on the fifteenth
day, Kenshin recieves a mission- the kind of mission that earned him his title.
--|-------
As he stands near a tree, mid-forest, in Choshu territory at dusk, he reviews
his mission once more.
A name familiar to him stands out and for an instant he wonders, but quickly
dismisses the thought as the last of the sun falls to its rest under the sea.
In that moment of beauty, an innocent boy shows himself in the Battousai's
eyes but soon gives way to the cold, unemotional killer with the eyes of fire that dwells
in Himura Kenshin.
--|-------
In the dark of night, the Battousai's eyes would shine brightly but the eyelids
are half shut to guarantee stealth. One of the Battousai's targets lies well hidden behind
wall and guards.
In his mind, Battousai's plan is formed, plotting, step-by-step, his route through
the twisted hallways of the fortress. The fortress, having once been under Ishinshishi control,
now held by Bakufu Gunjin, concealed Battousai's third of four targets. The first of the
guard placements was seemingly unoccupied- the guard was dead asleep, posing no
threat at the moment to the Battousai. But for precaution, he kills the man, to make certain
he is not later caught when he wished not be.
The words, "God take him" whisked through Battousai's mind as he tore through
the amateur swordsmen the shogunate trusted as guards. He reaches his target in a
matter of minutes and slays him as the words,
"Heaven's Justice" roll off his tongue.
He escapes the fortress and sends one of the spared guards off to alert the
nearby police. With a loud yell, the guards's last feeling is a blade through his stomach.
"None can see the Battousai and live."
--|-------
Saizen dons his headband and white and navy blue uniform and ties fast his obi. He
slips his katana through the tight sash and exits the inn, his plan, in his mind, well worked out.
--|-------
Battousai waits in the shadows for his target to show. The question of why anyone
would travel at night when bandits or those like himself could lie in wait circles in his head,
but is pushed to the back of his mind as a bit of silver glints in the half-moonlight.
He reflects on moments in his young life of training on the mountain on nights like
this. He would look out at the moon and dream as a boy should. He would... but that same
silver rocks him from his recollection of a childhood shortlived.
He almost steps forward when the silver dissapears. Something about this person
caught the attention of Battousai- they very distinctly let their energy be felt, right until they
moved. Battousai felt a very strong ki from this apparent warrior... a familiar ki.
He feels it again like the feeling of a very faint, short breeze on exposed skin or
the subtle shift of grass under a trained footstep.
He catches wisps of the energy nearing him but from different places each time.
A brief thought hits him then is forgotten,
"Is this my last fight? ...No, it's not time to die for me."
With the same feeling he got when training with Hiko, the excitement of a duel,
the Battousai draws his katana.
In that very short moment, the energy seemed to have dissappeared. He feels it
approach and as he reaches a ready position, his sword is struck by another and he is thrown
off guard for a brief moment. His attacker uses the instant and trips Battousai, quickly getting
sword-tip at the throat of the young assassin.
Battousai wonder how anyone could ever fall him and anger creates an idea. His right
hand very near his sword hilt, he whips the blade to his attacker's chest and they hold the lethal
positions for seconds that last hours. The standing warrior soon speaks,
"Hitokiri Kenshin... no, Hitokiri Battousai. To think you'd come so far for this."
Anger rages in the Battousai and he tries to calm, speaking through clenched teeth,
"Heaven demands your death."
The warrior's eyes grow elated and shine bright in the semi-darkness,
"Your commanding officer is a fool. Amazing what the slightest false information can
do to a man. He got so excited to think that I, the one and only Hitokiri Saizen Tamoru, would turn
traitor on my country's beliefs. He wanted me out of your way so bad... it's disgusting."
'...Hitokiri Saizen...? Katsura?! My God!!'
Hitokiri Saizen pulls his sword from Battousai's neck and sheaths it. He extends his
hand to raise Battousai and the fallen soldier knocks it away.
"Why did you want me here?"
"Tonight it does not matter. Just know that you are not the best."
The Battousai glares at the other hitokiri as he rises and straightens his hakama.
"Now go, Battousai, and confess to your commander his foolishness to assume and
believe so happily."
Battousai's eyes reach beyond simple contempt to pure and true hate. He makes one
last comment before slipping into the darkness,
"None have ever knocked me down. It will NOT happen again."
Hitokiri Saizen stands in a clearing while the moonlight shines on his silver hair and
smiles at his own craftiness.
--|-------
Himura Kenshin, now back to himself though still known as Battousai, thinks over
Katsura's anger and embarrassment, and part of him is pleased that he could cause the man
such discomfort. He walks on the streets, his mind on his own matters when he hears a scream
and looks up to see some soldiers harassing a woman.
"They are... NO! Ishinshishi! Those... bastards," thinks Kenshin as the anger of the
Battousai emerges.
Just as he reaches within twenty yards of the soldiers of lost honor, he notices the
milk-white hair of the hitokiri that boldly confronted him the night before rushing toward the
very same target. The Battousai stands in wait and watches as the soldiers stop and the woman
draws a blade.
They all turn to Saizen with katanas and daggers and close in on him.
Battousai wonders for a moment why Meiji soldiers would attack their own comrade,
then sees the shogunate symbol on the back of one of the soldiers hakama and everything
comes into focus.

When the soldiers turn on him and the lady draws a dagger, Saizen notices the Bakufu
icon on one of the soldiers uniforms and curses himself,
"Damn my heroics. Kill... OR BE KILLED!!!"
Saizen goes into a dance, his attacks well trained and dodges fluid, cutting down the
four imposter soldiers, leaving the woman standing, petrified with fear.
Saizen stares at her,
"Run. Run and tell Yoshinobu that Saizen Tamoru will never die."
The woman runs away, dropping her dagger at his feet.
Battousai turns away and Saizen's words echo in his mind,
"Saizen Tamoru will never die."
"We'll see... we'll see," thinks Kenshin, having become inagressive again.
--|-------
"I'm here for the hitokiri."
The innkeeper looks up into the eyes of this ...messenger, she assumes by his
elaborate dress. She asks calmly,
"Battousai or Saizen?"
The herald's eyes grow wide and his mouth opens,
"They're both here?!"
A young lady comes in and smiles at the messenger,
"Hitokiri Battousai is not here, Mother. He left yesterday evening and is yet to
return."
The messenger smiles back at the girl and recovers his cool, turning back to the
innkeeper,
"Well, I'm here to see Hitokiri Saizen."
"He is asleep right now."
"Then could you give him this?"
The messenger slides an envelope to the innkeeper over the desk.
"Sure. Have a nice day."
The messenger walks out of the inn and the keeper turns to her daughter,
"Amiko, take this to Tamoru-san."
"You said Sai-chan was sleeping."
The mother glares at the girl,
"Tamoru-san does not want visitors."
"Why do you call him Tamoru-san? He's not an old man."
"Just go."
The girl prepares to argue again but decides against it and walks to Saizen's room,
slipping the envelope into her kimono sleeve.
"I wonder... Sai-ch-"
Saizen slides open the door to his room and puts a finger to Amiko's lips,
"Ami-chan, calm yourself. There's no reason I would not have heard a simple knock."
"Sorry Sai-chan I-"
"Shh. I said not to call me that outside the room."
"Gomen."
Saizen smiles at her and pulls her into his room, locking together their lips as he
slides closed the door. As he pulls away for breath, she speaks,
"Uhm... oh... Sai-chan... oh... stop. You've got a message."
Saizen's eyes lose their sensual sparkle and grow serious... depressed,
"Really? Was the message by mouth?"
Amiko reaches into her sleeve,
"This envelope... wait... let me get it."
Saizen stops her,
"No. Not now. Come back this evening and give it to me. It's too early anyway."
"Okay... I'll see you later Sai-chan."
"Work hard tonight, Ami-chan."
Amiko walks out of the room under Saizen's sad gaze.
"Oh Sai-chan... it'll all be over one day... and we can be together... just stay alive for
me," says Amiko to herself as she walks past Kenshin.
"Ohayo Ken-san! Genki desu ka?"
Kenshin just walks beyond her to his room, never looking up.
"Ken-san? ...what's wrong?"
Kenshin stops at his door and looks to Amiko. He tries to be in good spirits, his eyes
only ending up more depressed than Saizen's,
"My hair... still smells like blood."

~To Be Continued~
a/n:Uh huh, uh huh, now what? Feel free to review, I'd do it for you.