B
e
c
o
m
i
n
g

t
h
e

P
a
s
t







Facing Your Worst Fear




Snapping my eyes open I readjusted to the light that shone within the dojo hall. Cocking my head slightly to the side I quickly took in my surroundings. Briefly remembering I been here once before, in my fight with Saito. It was also my second glimpse of a very beautiful girl. Very beautiful indeed.

Frowning as I felt the so called “rurouni” demanding control once more. Wondering why it was again I was bought forth? Glancing at the raven haired beauty I recalled that she had, for a lack of better words, summoned me. Righting myself to stand before her, narrowing my eyes I took a second to study the young girl in front of me. Instantly I notice,

Sadness

Fear

Confusion


Quickly I scanned the rurouni part of myself, searching for the answers, demanding them! Suddenly the girl moves to stand back from me almost as if she was in fear of me. Swiftly I assured her,

“No need for fear with me, Kaoru. I have not, nor will I harm you.”

Fresh tears fell at my words, puzzling me further. Grinding my teeth I suddenly snap,

“Stop that. I have never hurt you, nor will I. So stop cowering.”

As suddenly as my out burst had came so did hers.

“You baka, Hurt me? You have hurt me in more way then any other person I have known has.”

I had been in mid reach of her arm when she spoke those words. Suddenly my arm felt heavier than it should, but my head, well…..

It was pounding.

Not from an headache, nor from me taken control. Simply my head was pounding because, I was…was

Pissed.

I could almost feel the heat coming from my eyes, surely as I once was told, that they look like a wolf’s eyes. To close of a resembles to Saito for my liking. But Saito was not my opponent, but yet this was a battle none the less.

Laughter wasn’t something that I heard often, even if it was a sad, hollow sound. And yet I listened to Kaoru as she laughed and cried at the same time. Demanding I hissed,

“Hurt you? I have never, and I grow tired of repeating myself. If this something the rurouni has done then take the matter up with him.”

Quickly her eyes found mine and she takes a moment to stare within my golden eyes, and then she snaps,

“The rurouni? Hai I suppose you could say this is his fault. But then I would be lying to completely blame him.”

Cocking my head to the side I wonder at her statement, so the rurouni was at fault here? Then why must I be involved? I would rather be back in the abyss with the haunting pair of black eyes. I stopped when I realized that those eyes I had been haunted by for so long had somehow suddenly changed colors?

“Then I suggest we leave this for the rurouni and yourself to sort out.”

“NO”

Raising an eyebrow I watched as Kaoru squared her shoulders and faced me. Looking me dead in the eye, whispering

“I wish to speak of…..of…..Himura Tomoe.”

My eyes narrow as my hand tightens around the hilt of my sword, manners completely forgotten.

Do not speak of something in which you know nothing about little girl.”

I watched as something flashed in Kaoru’s eyes, and I heard the rurouni within pleading to take control once more. Some where in the rurouni’s thought I felt an understanding, I also felt a need to smooth Kaoru’s soul.

But she had said something unforgivable.

Softly a whisper caresses my ears,

“Is that so? Is that how you……..”

Her voice waived, but she continued tears and all,

“Go away Battousai, I found the answer I seek. Just give me my rurouni back.”

Something made me watch every tear that fell, something inside me answered her plea the best way I knew how,

I am not going anywhere just yet.”

With that her head snapped up and she yelled,

“Give me back my rurouni, your not wanted here!”

Grinding my teeth once more I watched as Kaoru’s pain flash around her soul, her ki telling me that I was missing something?

Softly I heard a whisper within my ears, coming from the rurouni.

She needs to know you.

Needs me? What was the baka ravening about?

Tomoe

Stop it I hissed back.

Kaoru

Stop it

Black and white plums

Stop it NOW!

Blue and jasmine

So what I yelled back, then I heard the rurouni give a small cry as he fell silent. Alone in my thought I dawned on me what the rurouni had been doing. Snapping my head up to met Kaoru’s tear stained face. Stunned I would only whisper in surprise,

“You wanted me?”

Her fear showed as I watched her nod.