Madam Hydra's That Which Lingers

Part Eighteen: Unexpected Views [A]

   This story is set in my own ALTERNATE REALITY Rurouni Kenshin universe, which I've called "The Nightwitch Tales" -- think of it as Rurouni Kenshin mixed with various supernatural and paranormal elements. Other stories in this alternate reality are: "Night Visitor"; "All in the Family"; and "Romancing the Wolf".
   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
[ Kyoto, mid-August, 1878 (11th year of the Meiji period) ]

   If she wasn't in hell, it felt pretty damn close.
   Kamiya Kaoru stalked down the lonely forest path, her pace quick and purposeful. So far she hadn't encountered anyone on this obscure route and was pathetically grateful for that fact. She lived in constant dread of what the demon blade would do if someone foolishly attempted to confront her or attack her. She had no doubts that the sword would force her to kill them without hesitation. However, worrying about others helped to keep her from brooding about the sword's plans for HER.
   Kaoru had been a hostage before and she never forgot that feeling of total helplessness. This time, things were infinitely worse. Instead of ropes and gags, chains and locks... this time, her own body was her prison.
   When she had awoken in the clinic three nights ago, she had been unaware of anything being wrong... not when she got up in the middle of the night... not when she softly murmured Kenshin's name... not even when she picked up the whimsical little stone figurine that sat in Dr. Genzai's office. She'd had no idea of what she was about to do until she had brutally slammed the figurine down on the back of an unsuspecting Kenshin's head.
   * ----- * ----- *
   Instead of being frozen in horror at what she had just done, Kaoru found herself calmly stepping over Kenshin's body and picking the sword... that cursed black sword.
   Trapped inside a body which no longer was hers to command, she could only watch helplessly as she easily peeled the loose wrappings away from the dark blade. At that moment, she fully expected to find herself hacking off Kenshin's head with a single stroke. There was nothing she could do except weep in despair.
   However, it seemed that the sword had other ideas. It wasn't ready to kill Kenshin... not yet. When Aoshi appeared in the doorway and called her name, she spoke but the voice was not hers. The alien voice was ugly and choked with hatred. And when whatever had possessed her finished delivering its threats, Kaoru found herself leaving the clinic, but not before the sword left Aoshi a parting reminder of its power.
   (It did something to him. I don't know what, but I'm sure of it.) Kaoru could remember too clearly the sudden flash of agony that stopped Shinomori Aoshi dead in his tracks and drove him to his knees.
   After fleeing the clinic, she found herself running through the darkening streets at terrific speed. Her breath rasped in her throat and her leg muscles burned with the exertion, but she was just a helpless passenger, unable to slow down or stop. She ended up in a modest house located on the outskirts of Tokyo. Fortunately, the building had been empty and deserted. The aura of old, old pain and bitterness clung around the place like a perceptible stench.
   Her captor -- the THING that now had total control of her body -- knew exactly what it wanted and where to find it. She first retrieved a black lacquered scabbard that fitted the sword perfectly. She then walked through the house, picking up a few more items. A silken bag to hide the now sheathed sword. Clothing that fit her adequately. A hefty money pouch from a hidden cache.
  : Stepping out into the garden, she had gazed down into the still waters of the pond. Kaoru could see her wavering reflection and shuddered as a cold, wicked smile appeared on her lips. As she left the house, she paused briefly to look back. Her hand lifted and Kaoru watched herself abruptly snap her fingers. There was a muffled whoosh, a flash of yellow flames, and a thick column of black smoke began to climb into the night sky. Kaoru walked away into the darkness, leaving the small house to be devoured by the hungry fire.
   * ----- * ----- *
   As she sat in the dark woods and stared blankly into the campfire, Kaoru thought long and hard about her current situation. It wasn't as if there was anything else for her to do. Her possession was different from Misao's. Her senses were unaffected, and as far as she could tell, her mind was entirely her own. Unlike Misao, she was not swamped by irrational hatred or driven by an urge to kill. But she was trapped inside her own skull, unable to do anything more than occasionally weep when she was alone... and that was purely on the whim of whatever monster or spirit was in control of her body.
   Her captor -- or possessor -- was clearly interested in keeping her alive and well. That was perhaps the most worrisome aspect of it all. That mean that this mysterious bodiless enemy had a purpose for her and she had plenty of horrifying ideas -- all of which involved using her against Kenshin.
   And when she had found her feet headed toward Kyoto, she knew....
   Sometimes she wished for oblivion, to be unaware of what was going on around her, but most of the time, she was glad to be conscious. She clung to the hope that she might find some opening, some way to free herself. But no matter how she concentrated or struggled, there seemed to be an impenetrable wall between her mind and her body.
   As time passed and she moved closer and closer to Kyoto, Kaoru gradually became almost grateful for that mental wall. While the wall kept her trapped inside her own mind....
   ....that same mental barrier also kept things OUT.
   She could sense not one, but two presences in the sword. The first entity seemed to be that of a young man, consumed by an unspeakable hatred and hell-bent on facing Kenshin -- or rather the Hitokiri Battousai -- again.
   The second presence was much fainter, but also much more frightening.
   It was powerful... and it was not human.
   Although the second presence or entity kept a low profile compared to the first entity, Kaoru was not fooled into thinking that it was harmless. There were times when she thought she could sense the second entity quietly scratching at the mental walls imprisoning her... testing them... trying to find a way inside. It was just like a predator clawing and gnawing at a turtle shell in an effort to get to the tasty insides.... She would have shuddered if she could.
   Curiously, the first entity seemed totally unaware of the second entity. That made her wonder exactly who -- or what -- was the true puppetmaster in this horror show. Was it the first presence, the entity that hated Kenshin so badly, or was it second, more secretive and cunning presence?
   (I'll be in Kyoto early tomorrow morning. And what happens then?)
   Kaoru never doubted that Kenshin would come to Kyoto to confront her, but she couldn't help wonder just who would she face in Kyoto?
   (Himura Kenshin... or the dreaded Battousai?)

   Just after dawn, Misao dashed down the stairs of the Aoiya at her usual reckless pace and headed for Jiya's favorite sitting room. She thought back to last night and her conversation with Aoshi. She couldn't help smiling every time she thought about it.
   The effort required to bare his inner feelings had apparently exhausted Aoshi. Misao barely had time to savor the intimacy of the moment before he had retreated behind his emotional walls again. Aoshi had politely informed her that he could handle the rebandaging of his leg wounds himself.
   But thanks to Tokio's advice, Misao was figuring out just how to deal with Aoshi's outward coldness. Instead of feeling hurt or rejected, she had backed off and left him with a perky smile.
   (He wants to change. He wants to FEEL. It's just that he doesn't really know how... but I'll be there to teach him, no matter how long it takes. I swear!)
   On the ground floor, she saw Yahiko trudging sleepily toward the bathhouse, then she passed by Okon who was carrying an empty water basin. From around the corner, Misao could hear the sound of sputtering and cursing which could only be coming from an outraged Sano.
   "Damn you, Okon! What's with the cold water!? Couldn't you have just kicked me in the ribs or something!?"
   The older woman gave her a wicked grin and a wink before heading off toward the kitchen.
   Misao excitedly flung open the door to the sitting room and came to a screeching halt. Jiya, the lech, was happily flirting with Tokio as she calmly served tea to the old man, Himura, Aoshi, and her husband Saitoh.
   Aoshi tensed almost imperceptibly when Misao burst in. Any ordinary person wouldn't have noticed, but all men in the room were far from ordinary. Aoshi's brief flicker of tension was enough to attract the attention of at least one other person in the room.
   As he sipped his tea, Kenshin wondered just what was going on between Aoshi and Misao.
   Misao opened her mouth to speak, then suddenly bit back the words when she realized that Aoshi definitely wouldn't be happy if she blurted out the more intimate details of their late night conversation. She settled for a cheery smile and said, "Did you get a good night's rest, Aoshi... -sama?"
   She was well rewarded for her restraint. Aoshi relaxed ever so slightly when he realized that Misao isn't going to make an exhibition of herself and him. Misao was also glad to get a very subtle look of approval from Tokio.
   Eyeing the perky girl with disfavor, Saitoh said, "Hmph. If you were a puppy, you'd be wetting the floor in excitement."
   "I'd what!?" shouted Misao.
   "But now that you're finally up...."
   "Finally!? Why you jerk, how dare you act like you've been waiting for hours? It's barely dawn! I told you I'd be ready to go with you to the Minobe...."
   "No, you're not," Saitoh said with a decided smirk. Before Misao start shouting again, he reached into his tunic, pulled out a folded message, and flicked it in Misao's direction. She snatched the paper in midair and scowled at it. It was plainly addressed to her.
   "What does Takagi Asuko want with me?"
   Saitoh shrugged. "You're asking me? You're the one with the note. Try reading it."
   With a low growl of aggravation, Misao opened the note, then said in a startled voice, "She wants to see Aoshi-sama and me as soon as possible."
   Kenshin gave her a curious look and said, "Does she give any reasons?"
   "Not really. She says that she wants the two of us to retrieve some information for her. But why us?" Misao glanced uncertainly at Aoshi.
   He put down his tea cup and said quietly, "Because she feels that Himura should remain around Kyoto to await Kamiya Kaoru's arrival since he's Junichi's main target."
   "So you think we should go?"
   "Takagi Asuko is a difficult, abrasive woman, but no fool. If she wants us to retrieve some information for her, it's most likely to be critical."
   Saitoh smiled nastily. "Then that leaves just you and me to interrogate that Minobe woman, Battousai."
   "Sano and Yahiko will be accompanying us," was Kenshin's cool response.
   "They'd better show up in the next two minutes because I'm not going to sit around waiting until the chickenhead decides to crawl out of bed."
   At that moment, a grouchy, still damp Sano stomped into the room.
   "Speak of the idiot and he appears," said Saitoh with a malicious grin.
   It was just after dawn when the young woman called Kamiya Kaoru arrived in Kyoto. With increasing numbers of panicked people leaving the city, it had been easy for her to lose herself in the commotion and slip into Kyoto unobserved. She paused in an alleyway to orient herself, then headed off purposefully.
   It only took a few minutes for her to arrive at the old Minobe compound. The grounds were badly kept, hinting at an owner who was no longer capable of maintaining the property. Or perhaps an owner who simply didn't care any more.
   She smiled coldly as she ignored the front entrance and slipped in through the back gates. Her caution was unnecessary. The large house was essentially deserted. Except for a single elderly maid, there seemed to be no other servants around. Kaoru silently made her way toward front of the house and the quarters of the only member of the Minobe family still in residence.
   Minobe Emi was an old, lonely, bitter woman. She had never had many friends and as the years went by, those friends had drifted away, alienated by her increasingly hostile and strange behavior. For the last decade or so, she'd spent an increasing portion of her time sitting in her rooms, muttering to herself, and waiting. However, the eerie events plaguing Kyoto told her that her revenge against the Battousai had finally truly begun after thirteen long years.
   The door slid open with no warning. Emi whirled around to viciously reprimand the intruder, but something in the young woman's malicious smile stopped her in the tracks.
   "The years have been unkind to you, Aunt."
   Emi slowly rose to her feet and babbled, "You... you know me?" She blinked and whispered, "Junichi?"
   The younger woman laughed bitterly. "Oh yes. It's me. In spirit, if not in body."
   Before the conversation could continue, the elderly house servant knocked on the door to the room and said, "Minobe-sama, you have several visitors."
   The old woman said irritably, "Oh, do make them go away."
   "But they insist," said the nervous female servant in a near-whimper. "And I don't think they're the sort to take 'no' as an answer."
   "Who are they?" Emi asked.
   "I don't know, but one of them is a tall, evil-looking police officer. He called himself Inspector Fujita Goro or something like that. He's accompanied by a lady, a scruffy streetfighter, and a young boy."
   Inside her mind, Kaoru couldn't decide whether to dance for joy or to have a fit of panic. If Saitoh, Sano, and Yahiko were here, it was almost certain that....
   "Is that all?" muttered Emi.
   "No, Minobe-sama. The last one's a young man with red hair and a nasty set of scars on his face."
   (KENSHIN!!!)
   However, Kaoru's body threw back her head and laughed cruelly.
   "What's so funny!?" snapped Emi.
   "You mean you don't know, you stupid old woman? Your visitors could only be Saitoh Hajime and Himura Battousai."
   "What!?"
   "Don't tell me that you didn't realize that they were bound to come here once I told them my name."
   "You told them your name!? Why?"
   A vicious expression appeared on Kaoru's face as she snarled, "Because they have to know what this is all about. That's why! Otherwise it's all pointless!"
   The old Minobe aunt edged away nervously from Kaoru as the younger woman's expression turned thoughtful.
   "But the time isn't right. My enemy hasn't fully returned yet."
   (You bastard! How DARE you try to force Kenshin into becoming the Battousai again!), Kaoru fumed silently.
   Junichi made Kaoru's body advance menacingly toward the quivering servant. After a brutal slap, she grabbed a hold of the servant's kimono and hissed, "Let them in. But if you give them any hint of my presence...." She gave the servant a vicious shaking. "You'll be begging for death. Do you understand me?"
   "Y-y-y-yes. I understand." The servant groveled a bit, then scurried down the hall.
  &bnsp;Kaoru turned back to Emi. "The same goes for you, old crone. If they find out that I'm here, I'll be happy to demonstrate the power all these years of suffering have bought me."
   Emi couldn't stop her knees shaking. This wasn't the way she'd planned it. She should be in control. She should be the one giving orders. But the malicious gleam in the young woman's eyes told her that the slightest mistake or attempt at disobedience would not be tolerated.
Go to Subpart B
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