From: "floribelle maximo" FLORI-dono's arashi PART 2 It was dark, hot and damp in the room. The stench of human and animal waste hung in the air. I huddled in one corner because it was all the space I had. Me and the other children were packed and crammed so that movement was limited. A rat scuttled at my feet. I wanted to scream but I was too weak. I had not eaten for days and the only sustenance I had was a small drink of stale water from time to time. This I gathered by cupping my hands and catching the drops of rainwater seeping through the rafters of the roof and falling down on my head. The door opened and the light coming in was too bright. We had to shield our eyes which had already grown accustomed to the darkness. "Get in!" a gruff voice ordered. I saw a burly man push inside a boy of six. And just as quickly he opened the door, he closed it. The boy landed on top of me. He apologized softly and tried to sit, but having little room to move, he ended up huddling close beside me. I took a good look at him. He was thin and pale and sniffling like the rest of us. But I knew then that he was not like us, he was different. In the first place, he had red hair and his eyes which were wide open were an uncommon shade of violet. "Who are you?" he asked asked. Startled, I answered immediately, "Arashi. And you?" "Shinta." "Why are you here?" he queried. I was a little irritated by his questions but I answered nevertheless. "I was sold by my father." "Shitsurei shimashita," he apologized. "I shouldn't have asked." I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm already used to the idea. How about you? How come you're here?" He stared at his grimy feet. "My parents died of fever and I had nobody so I was brought here." I could tell that he was trying hard not to cry and somehow my heart went out to him. At least he was brave, even if he asked a lot of questions. Suddenly, the door opened once again. The same man who brought Shinta in earlier was standing, "You!" the man said, pointing at me. "Come here!" I was so nervous. My knees started to shake so hard I almost couldn't stand up. It was my turn. I would be out of this god-forsaken place and I could only hope that life would better from now on. And that is the only thing I could do, hope for I still did not know what was in store for me. Will I be bought as a slave? Or will I be a prostitute? I shuddered. "What's the matter with you?" the man shouted. He then got hold of my arm and shoved me out of the room with him. He didn't care if he had to step on any of the children's bodies. I could still hear their weak cries as the man's feet got in contact with their limbs or chests. As he closed the door, I saw Shinta looking at me, his violet eyes wide and his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. PART 3 "Nooooo!" I screamed. It was that dream again. "Shh," a soft female voice said, trying to soothe me. "It's just a bad dream. Sleep." My chest was hurting and I felt so weak that gladly, I obeyed the voice. When I woke up, it was morning. Sunlight filtered through the half open window of the cottage. Where was I? I looked around and saw that the room I was in was small, just enough for a futon and a low table. It was neat but I could see that several of the walls were merely patched with wood. I tried sitting up but stopped at the sudden pain in my chest. I winced. Gingerly, I moved my fingers over the bandage covering it. I remembered the events of last night. Suddenly, the door slid open and in came a beautiful woman carrying a tray. She was tall and willowy. She had black hair and eyes but there was something lacking. It was a smile. "Ohayou gozaimasu," she greeted me. "Ohayou gozaimasu," I retuned. "Good, you're already awake," she said. "I brought you breakfast and some tea." "Demo sumimasen, but..." "Eat first before you ask questions," she said. There was an iron will in her and I knew I wouldn't be anwered if I asked so I obeyed her. She must be the woman who comforted me in my torubled sleep last night. After drinking the last drop of tea, she cleared away the utensils and stood up. "Wait..." I stopped her. She smiled at me faintly. It was a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. "I'll call my husband and he'll be the one to explain." Husband? She went out. I didn't know that Shinta or Battousai or whoever he was, was already married. I admit I was taken by surprise. The door opened this time to reveal Shinta. He greeted me politely and sat on the floor, with his back on the wall. "I hope you are feeling well," he said in a soft voice not like the one I had heard last night, during the fight. "Yes I'm fine, thank you for asking and... for saving my life." I managed to say. It was a little painful to even talk. "Were they all killed?" I prayed that they were. The fewer people who knew my identity, the better. "No. Hajime Saitoh survived," he said. I cursed. Now the Shinsengumi will be after me. Knowing Hajime, he would not stop until he'd get my head. I had to think of something but not now. "I wounded him deeply but I had to help you," he continued. "It has been a long time since I last saw you, Arashi." I looked up in surprise. He still remembered me after all these years. "Yes," he said as if confirming my thoughts. "I could never forget a friend, or a foe. Sometimes I'd wonder what happened to you. I see now that we've crossed paths again, we're both assassins as we were both slaves as children." I nodded. "What happened when they took you away?" he asked. I stared at his violet eyes. They were no longer the hard eyes of an assassin. They had become soft like that which followed me, pleaded at me as a child. But I couldn't help but notice that those same eyes had grown a little bleak and wary. He had seen much of the world, little of the good but most of the evil. Oh Shinta! "It would be better if we not say anything at all," I said as I shook my head. I saw the stunned look on his face, but it was only for a moment. "We are both assassins and as it is, we've already risked much. I think that finding that each of us is alive despite the dismal circumstances is enough." I explained looking at him squarely in the eyes. "But, I am glad to have met you again, Shinta." "I understand, Arashi," he said. "And I am no longer Shinta." "You want me to call you Battousai?" "No, I don't have any fondness for that name. My name is Himura Kenshin." I had to smile at that. "Heart of sword," I murmured. "That suits you." Himura. Battousai. He could call himself any name he wanted but to me he would always be Shinta. The corners of his mouth lifted a little. "Yes, I've been told that often enough." We both laughed softly then stopped. I sighed. "Too bad we're enemies," I said. He shook his head. "Arashi, we have never been enemies and we will never be. We may be fighting but we are only fighting for what we believe in. This is not personal. If we've only lived in another time, I'm sure we will be the best of friends." I closed my eyes. Tears were prickling behind them. No! I wanted to scream. "I'm just so sick of fighting," I thought. "Every person I kill is like destroying myself little by little. And I do it because I had to and not because I believed in something. I am but a human butcher, nothing more." "I must be tiring you," he said as he started to get up. I quickly opened my eyes but it was the door sliding close which I saw. Silently, I let the tears fall down. It had been a long time since I cried and it felt good to feel the warm, salty liquid trickle down my cheeks. I pondered about the things he said. It made me realize that I was living a lie. What I was, wasn't really me. I reflected on the things that had happened and I was still reminiscing when sleep claimed me. --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- GRAB THE GATOR! FREE SOFTWARE DOES ALL THE TYPING FOR YOU! Tired of filling out forms and remembering passwords? Gator fills in forms and passwords with just one click! Comes with $50 in free coupons! Click Here ------------------------------------------------------------------------