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It takes place after the end of the Kyoto story arc. After that, all bets are off. Elements of the Revenge story arc may show up in the story.
WARNING: This story is "semi-dark"-it has dark elements (violence, profanity, etc.) but it's not a darkfic! Actually, there's quite a bit of romance in it.... ^_-
As always, C&C is greatly appreciated! ^_^
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Disclaimer: All rights and privileges to Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shuiesha, Sony Music Entertainment, and associated parties. The characters of these series are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit. Original portion of the fiction included here is considered to be the sole property and copyrighted to the author.
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Text Conventions:
( ) are character thoughts
/ / and // // represent various sorts of mental dialogue
* ----- * ----- * marks the start/end of dreams or flashbacks
[ ] denote visual or time notes
In the late evening, three days after leaving Tokyo, the steamship entered Osaka harbor. As the ship pulled up to the dock, a steady, cold drizzle began to fall.
After Saitoh, Kenshin, and the others disembarked, they realized that someone was waiting for them. Actually, there were two different people waiting for them under the shelter of a nearby porch. Nearby, two carriages waited. Kenshin and the others recognized the first man. Shiro of the Oniwabanshuu looked tense, unnerved. It was easy to see that he had bad news to tell them.
Exactly the same could be said of the policeman waiting for Saitoh. He saluted smartly and said, "Inspector Fujita. Here's the information that you requested. And the Chief Inspector wanted me to fill you in on new developments." The young officer glanced at Kenshin and the others, then hesitated.
Saitoh gave the others a bored look, then shrugged. "Go ahead."
The policeman took a deep breath. "You heard about the... the things... apparitions that have been showing up in the streets of the city."
"Yes."
"Things have gotten worse since then."<> "How so?"
"There have been increasing number of reports of... of erratic behavior in the city. People attacking other people for no rational reason. And two nights ago, a woman reported that she unexpectedly encountered some armed men walking near her house. She claims that one of the men physically shoved her out of the way... then vanished before her eyes."
"Hmmm."
"The next day, there was a flurry of reports about the same sort of thing... people who say they actually touched or were touched by these apparitions that mysteriously appear and vanish. It started out with minor things like a touch or a shove, but the contacts have steadily escalated to actually serious blows or assaults."
The young policeman hesitated, then said, "Last night, a man was seriously injured. He claimed that his attacker was a man who died over a decade ago."
As Sano and the others exchanged stunned looks, Kenshin said quietly, "You said injured. How so?"
The policeman glanced questioningly at Saitoh, who gave him a curt nod.
"He was slashed along his leg and chest, apparently with a sword. But it gets even worse. Sir," he hastily added, turning back to Saitoh.
"Go on."
"Three more similar incidents have occurred since last night. And the doctors don't think that the last two men will survive."
"And they claim the same thing?"
"Basically, yes. It's either someone they already knew to be dead and/or the attacker vanishes into thin air. These are the only attacks which have independent witnesses or in which the victims were able to describe what happened. There may be more which have gone unreported or which are unverified for various reasons, sir."
Misao and Aoshi gave Shiro sharp looks. He nodded discretely.
Yahiko glared at Saitoh and shouted, "You KNEW something like this was going to happen!"
Saitoh gave the boy an irritated stare, but shrugged it off. Turning back to the young officer, he said, "Anything else?"
The young man handed him a few sheets of paper. "The information that you requested."
Saitoh took the papers and said, "Very well. Wait by the carriage. We'll be leaving shortly."
As the young policeman saluted and hurried away, Saitoh quickly skimmed through the papers.
Sano said, "What the hell is that about?"
Saitoh smirked slightly. "It's a report on Minobe Junichi. It seems that he died just over a week ago in Tokyo. For the last thirteen years, he's been a crippled invalid, tended by his sister, Junko."
Misao whispered, "The timing.... That CAN'T be just a coincidence."
Kenshin said, "And what happened to his sister?"
Saitoh smiled slowly. "She's dead. Suicide. She threw herself off a bridge and drowned after her fiance and his entire family was massacred by a mysterious assailant. The fiance's name was Uboshita Sachi."
All three of the Oniwabanshuu stiffened.
Misao thought, (Uboshita! That's Jiya's old friend... he and his family were the first to die in the killing spree caused by that damned black sword!)
Kenshin said thoughtfully, "The connection's starting to become clear."
Sano muttered, "It's making no sense to ME!"
Saitoh snorted and said, "Moron. Minobe Junichi's death appears to have been the trigger for this whole series of events." He flicked the papers in his hand. "Because it says here that Minobe Junichi owned a sword, a weapon that never left his hands even though he was hopelessly crippled. After his death, the sword disappeared. Now do you get it, you idiot?"
Yahiko muttered, "So... if that sword was the same black sword we saw...."
"Then his sister must have been the very first one taken over by that sword! And... And she slaughtered her fiance and his entire family... then she probably killed herself because of what she'd done," Misao said in a horrified whisper.
(Oh god... if I had succeeded in killing Aoshi... I would have done the exactly same thing....) She shivered and huddled against to Aoshi, who silently put a hand on her shoulder.
"But what does he want with Kenshin!?" yelled Yahiko.
"Isn't it obvious?" purred Saitoh, giving Kenshin a look of malicious amusement. "The Battousai's the one who crippled Minobe Junichi all those years ago."
Kenshin inhaled sharply. "How do you know that?"
Saitoh shrugged carelessly. "Minobe was Shinsengumi, a swordsman in my unit."
Sano clenched his fists. "You bastard! You knew who this guy was all this time and didn't tell us!?"
"I'm telling you now."
"Why didn't you tell us earlier!?"
"What good would that have been?"
"Arghhh!" Sano was so irritated that he was at a total loss for words.
Kenshin's voice was detached, devoid of all emotion. "Describe the incident in question, Saitoh."
The former Shinsengumi captain smiled nastily. "It happened thirteen years ago almost exactly. It was early August during a rainy night... rather like tonight. Minobe, the idiot, challenged you on a bridge near the southern end of the city. During the fight, the bridge collapsed, nearly taking my entire troop with it. Is this starting to sound familiar to you?"
From the look on Kenshin's face, it definitely was. He said, "So that was Minobe. But how did he become crippled? I didn't...."
Saitoh snorted. "It could have been you. Or it could have been the falling debris from the bridge. Who knows? All that matters is that Minobe and his sister blamed you for his condition."
"Which was?"
"He was almost totally paralyzed, unable to move anything below his neck. I'm surprised that he lived for so long."
Yahiko complained, "Now wait a minute! All this explains why this Minobe guy hates Kenshin so badly, but what does he have against YOU?"
Saitoh shrugged. "Who knows? I imagine he blames me for some perceived slight which has been magnified all out of proportion after all these years. Minobe was a conceited fool, whose arrogance far outstripped his abilities. An idiot, rather like Roosterhead," he said, glancing at Sano.
"Now wait a minute...!"
While Sano yelled and Saitoh ignored, Aoshi was having a quiet conversation of his own with Shiro. The ninja basically confirmed the young police officer's information, except for the scope. The government, either inadvertently or deliberately, had badly underestimated the number of unexplained incidents.
Finally Kenshin said, "Sano, please calm down. We have more important matters to worry about. I want to get to Kyoto as soon as possible. We also need more information about that sword... its history and its capabilities." There was no need for Kenshin to mention the most important reason to go to Kyoto.
Kaoru would be there... eventually.
Saitoh said, "Ah yes, the sword. Well, I'm going to talk to an expert as soon as we get to Kyoto." He scowled irritably. "Tag along if you like."
"Who might that be?" asked Misao, briefly turning her attention away from Shiro.
Tokio stepped forward and murmured, "My grand-aunt Asuko is very knowledgeable in history and legends, particularly those of the Kyoto area and those of the supernatural kind. And if she can't help us, then she can undoubtedly refer us to someone who can."
Sano grinned. "Oh ho! We're going to get a chance to meet some of your in-laws, eh, Saitoh? I'm looking forward to that!"
A very disconcerting smirk appeared on Saitoh's face. "Be careful what you wish for, fool."
As for Sano, he couldn't help but remember the last time they travelled this road-the tense, headlong rush from Kyoto to Osaka to destroy Shishio's warship and the more leisurely, triumphant return back to the unburned city.
(And now, here we go again. But this time, things are a hell of a lot messier.)
This new enemy was completely different from any opponent they'd ever faced before... one whose hatred was so powerful that it could reach from beyond the grave and twist reality itself. And in one fell swoop, the cursed sword had made Kaoru bait for a trap, a human shield, and very possibly-the most horrifying prospect of all-a deadly weapon against Kenshin.
(And Kenshin...,) Sano thought. This time, his friend was facing enemies both inside and out. Not only did he have to worry about the sword, Minobe, and Kaoru, but Kenshin now had to face the very real danger of losing himself in memories of the past... of returning to the feared Hitokiri Battousai in both mind and soul. In comparison, the battle against Shishio seemed almost pathetically simple and straightforward.
The fighter glanced at Kenshin. (All that time on the boat... I'm sure he's already thought this thing through a dozen times over. But like he said, there's no choice. This won't go away by itself. We've got to do something before something truly terrible happens to Kaoru and the entire city of Kyoto.)
The fighter gazed out at the rapidly approaching city with a growing sense of dread.
(Kyoto... the old killing ground of both the Hitokiri Battousai and Mibu's Wolf.)
Shiro shrugged helplessly.
"I don't know. But you can feel the fear in Kyoto. The temples have been packed with worshippers. People are seeking out spiritualists and anyone with any pretense of occult knowledge, looking for answers or protection."
Aoshi said, "All the apparitions date from the period of the Bakumatsu no Douran?"
With a grim nod, the Oniwabanshuu muttered, "As far as we can tell."
Misao asked worriedly, "How's Jiya doing? You said that he actually saw...."
"Yes. Okina saw the ghost of his old friend in the Aoiya garden."
"It's going to get worse," said Aoshi.
Misao muttered, "The apparitions... they're becoming more tangible... more real as time goes on, aren't they?"
"That's what Saitoh's been hinting at all along. If the cause of these events isn't stopped and destroyed, Kyoto is going become a bloody battleground again all over again."
"Man, Saitoh's in-laws must be loaded with cash. This place makes even Yatarou's mansion look cheap!" muttered Yahiko.
Misao sputtered, "Wait a second, this is the Takagi estate!"
As Saitoh made an annoyed sound, his wife bowed slightly and said, "That's correct."
The massive doors opened and a middle-aged woman stepped out to greet them. Bowing deeply, she says, "Tokio-sama! I'm so happy to see you again."
Tokio smiled and graciously nodded her head. "I'm glad to be back, Suzue."
"Asuko-sama has been awaiting your arrival." In more restrained tones, the woman turned and said, "Good evening, Inspector Fujita."
Saitoh snorted and stalked through the gates into the compound. The others trailed after him, with the exception of Shiro who headed off to the Aoiya to notify the others of their arrival.
As Suzue led them through the main house, Kenshin abruptly stopped at a display of rustic-looking pottery in a little nook.
"Kenshin, what's up?" ask Sano.
The swordsman stared at the artfully arranged bowls and murmured, "Those dishes look familiar...."
Suzue chuckled, "Ah! Asuko-sama has a particular fondness for the works of the artist Kakunoshin Niistu. That's just part of her collection."
Kenshin looked rather startled. "Did you say Kakunoshin Niistu'?"
"Why, yes. Is there something wrong?"
"Uh, no. Please excuse me. It's very rude for us to keep Tokio-dono's grand-aunt waiting."
As they continued on their way, Misao leaned over and whispered to Kenshin, "Isn't 'Kakunoshin Niistu'...?"
The red-haired swordsman nodded, "Yes, that's the name my master Hiko Seijuro's been using for the last several years."
"What a bizarre coincidence...."
Tokio introduced the ladies to Kenshin and his companions. Gesturing to the women in order of age, she murmured, "My grand-aunt, Takagi Asuko. My aunt, Takagi Yuki. And this is Risako."
The old woman said in a crisp, acid voice, "So, Saitoh, you finally get up the courage to pay me a visit, eh?"
The policeman glared at Asuko and he said shortly, "I've been very busy. Obligatory family visits were the last thing on my mind."
"Excuses, excuses." Asuko's gaze turned to Kenshin and smiled slowly. "Come here, boy." At first they thought she was referring to Yahiko, then she pointed a long-nailed finger in Kenshin's direction.
The redhead obligingly approached the seated women, but Sano was startled to notice that Kenshin's hand was not so casually resting on his sword. He glanced at Aoshi and was even more startled to see the wary look in the man's eyes, even as the former Okashira kept his kodachi close at hand. And Saitoh's tension was self-evident. It seemed impossible but all three men-probably the best swordsmen he'd ever met-was treating this positively ancient old woman as if she was a potential threat.
But when Asuko's gray eyes skimmed over him, Sano felt a chill run down his spine and understood their reaction. The woman was SCARY.
Asuko stared at Kenshin for a moment, rather like a buyer examining a colt for sale, before turning to the young woman sitting behind her. "So, what do you think of him, Risako?"
The young woman briefly examined Kenshin with pale brown eyes, but said nothing.
"And what brings both the old and the new Okashiras of the Oniwabanshuu, the Mibu's Wolf AND the Hitokiri Battousai to visit an old woman at this hour?" Asuko said with a chilly smile.
Saitoh bared his teeth slightly and snapped, "Not my choice, certainly."
"Of course not. I know your opinion of me. I make you nervous." In response to Saitoh's sneer, Asuko said, "Only your fanatical sense of duty would bring you calling. So you must want information from me. Oh, sit down, all of you. You're spraining my neck." Once they were all seated, she snapped, "Well, spit it out. What do you want to know?"
Sano thought nervously, (God, this woman has a tongue like an ox-whip!) He fervently hoped that he wouldn't do anything to attract her attention.
Kenshin coolly said, "We're seeking information about a black katana and the Minobe family. We have reason to believe that these things are related to the strange events recently taking place in Kyoto."
"Tell me, was there a design of a dancing dog somewhere on the sword?"
A startled Misao said, "Yes, there is. It's on the hilt ornaments and the tsuba of the sword."
Asuko chuckled ominously. "Then your question is hardly a challenge. You're talking about the infamous cursed sword of the Minobe family." She glanced at her patiently waiting grand-niece and said, "Tokio, fetch the Isimara text, if you please. Risako, show her where it is."
Risako got up and bowed to the formidable Asuko. As the young woman led Tokio out the door, Asuko continued, "The dancing dog was an old crest of the Minobe family, but it has fallen out of use in the last century or so."
"Well? What else?" Saitoh said with a scowl.
"You youngsters are so impatient. Very well. The black sword was created over 400 years ago by a young woman as a gift to the man she loved, Minobe Koji. Is the name familiar to you?"
"No, it isn't," said Kenshin.
"Small wonder, considering what happened. Minobe Koji was the finest swordsman of his day and possible for more than two centuries afterward. Unfortunately for this young woman, Koji was already married to a lady whom he loved dearly. The romantic poems he sent his wife are famed to this day for their beauty and sensuality." Asuko gave Saitoh a malicious look. "Which reminds me, Saitoh. I'm still waiting for a great-grandniece or grandnephew from you. I'm not getting any younger, you know. Just what have you and Tokio been doing all these years?"
Everyone's head swiveled to see Saitoh's reaction. They could hear him slowly grinding his teeth together and it took a few seconds before the policeman gritted out, "That's none of your business. Now about this sword?"
The old woman smirked, but continued with the story. "Well, legend has it that this young woman made a pact with a demon in an effort to win the man she so desperately loved. First, the demon was supposed to create a weapon that would make Koji the deadliest swordsman alive. Second, the demon was supposed to find a way to get rid of Koji's beloved wife." Asuko shrugged. "The woman was a naïve fool and careless. She botched the wording of the pact in a spectacular fashion."
Misao whispered in a sick voice, "Oh no. I think I can see what's coming."
Asuko chuckled nastily. "Indeed. The demon-forged blade accomplished what the young woman wanted... just not in the way she wanted. As soon as Koji drew the sword to examine it, he was overcome by insane hatred and bloodlust. He turned and slaughtered his pregnant wife and their two young children. He then nearly wiped out the entire Minobe clan before he somehow managed to kill himself. From that day on, the black sword was known as 'Kinslayer.' It was supposedly locked away deep within the Minobe family treasure vaults and that was the last that anyone's ever heard about it."
Aoshi spoke up for the first time. "Why wasn't the sword destroyed?"
Tokio's grand-aunt gave him a long, penetrating stare. She pursed her lips and said, "Easier said than done. Various people tried their best to either break or lose the sword. They failed and usually paid a severe price for the attempt."
Saitoh snapped, "So how did this dangerous weapon end up in the hands of someone like Minobe Junichi?"
The old woman shrugged. "That I do not know. Ask the Minobe family." She sipped her tea and said, "Now tell me why you ask about Kinslayer."