Well, as I’m suffering now a severe writer’s block to finish part 2 of "Grief, and Hope" (I thought this part would be easy... the story itself is ready, but it looks like so tasteless... -_-#), I decided to put something about Tomoe too, just for fun. Not that this could enter the challenge, since it’s been done in a hurry and I don’t think the result is good, or at least good enough to figure in the Tomoe Challenge. (to make matters worse, I don’t think this one fits the rules... -_-#) Anyway, hope you enjoy it... and let’s see if html works for once.

Standard disclaimers apply, as usual.

C&C’s welcome.

 

Plenty of spoilers in this one, including the most recent Jump issues.

 

 

Not Enough

(from the album "Balance", Van Halen. All rights reserved.)

 

*piano intro*

(In a cold and snowy winter, Tomoe appears to be in an small ancient Shinto shrine lost somewhere in a clearing amidst the green and white woodlands. The weak, yet warm rays of the morning sun light dimly the trees and the roof of the shrine. As the piano begins, slowly but in a steady step she goes down the old wooden stairs, covered with soft flakes of white snow, and heads to a frozen pond in front of the shrine. She stares at the ice and focuses on her own reflection. In a sudden motion, Tomoe punches her mirrored face, shattering the thin layer of ice. The piano solo slowly heads to its end as she closes her eyes in an attempt to avoid seeing thousands of cold faces looking expressionless to her. But her memories fill up her mind and flashes of the past pass in front of her goggled eyes.)

[To love somebody naturally]

(Her heart beats strongly again as she sees herself and Kiyosato Akira together, sitting down in a wooden bench in the streets of Edo. They’re younger, and she looks to Kiyosato as he tells her how much did he like her. How much did he love her. His face is bright, and a heartwarming smile makes Tomoe shudder.)

[To love somebody faithfully]

(But Tomoe is silent. She absent-mindedly casts a look to Kiyosato’s eyes. His eyes, clear and shining with love, enthusiasm and hope, meet hers, dark with taciturnity, somber with nothingness. Nevertheless, an involuntary spasm of her right hand betrays how deep she loved him. But Kiyosato doesn’t notice it.)

[To love somebody equally]

(Kiyosato caresses her hair and leaves. Although Tomoe says not even a goodbye to her fiancé, her eyes follow him until he disappears in the crowd.)


[is not enough]

(Kiyosato Akira hands a hair ornament ("kanzashi") to Tomoe as a token of engagement. She doesn’t even smile at the gift, accepting it without uttering a word of joy.)

[is not enough]

(Kiyosato Akira says his last goodbyes to Tomoe before going to Kyoto to serve in the Kyoto Mimawarigumi. He sighs as Tomoe is quieter than ever, her head bowed down. Her hair falls over her face, concealing her expression. But when Kiyosato turns his back, an inaudible "goodbye", can be read from Tomoe’s lips. Yet such word would never reach Kiyosato.)

[it’s not enough]

(She appears cold as usual when she gets the news of her fiancé’s death. Calmly she dismisses the messenger as she enters her house. Inside, she moans and feels her heart throbbing with exasperation, a huge contrast with her emotion devoided face. )

 

[To love somebody secretly]

(Along with the piano, which starts again the same notes, the scene also goes back in time again as now they’re playing some card games together, in Kiyosato’s house. He never wins, but the defeats, instead of causing him dismay, somehow feeds a fire of his that keeps him trying over and over again.)

[and never touch]

(Tomoe plays her role with boring simplicity and disgusting seriousness. However, her eyes display a softer look at Kiyosato, like she was acknowledging his efforts.)

[To love somebody honestly]

(Tomoe hears from his nervous fiancé that he’s going to Kyoto, in order to get a higher status in society so that he could bring greater happiness to her. His voice is slightly shaken with fear and anxiety.)

[and always trust]

(Tomoe bows her head, in a way that could mean both agreement and sorrow.)

[To love somebody tenderly]

(Her cheeks warm a bit as Kiyosato gives her the hair ornament. She does not dare to lift her face, as a slight moisture unwillingly wets her eyes, concealed by the bangs of her hair. When Kiyosato looks at her eyes, they are already back to normal, cold and empty.)

 

[the tender touch]

 (Kiyosato smiles and softly strokes her chin.)

[is not enough]

 (He whispers, "See you soon", to Tomoe and leaves, never to return.)

[it’s not enough]

 (Her fists, tightly clenched, are trembing as she is bent over the letter of Kiyosato’s death, open on a table.)

 

[Love hurts you sometimes]

(The guitar riff takes over the piano as the place suddenly switches to Kyoto as Tomoe now sees three corpses lying on the street. )

[It's not so easy to find, no]

(Tomoe instantly recognizes one of them as being Kiyosato Akira, her fiancé. She stretches her arm, trying without success to reach his body.)

[Searching everywhere]

(She runs wildly and aimlessly through the streets of Kyoto.)

 [You turn and swear]

(Feeling a presence of someone, she turns and her eyes open wide to see a young swordsman behind her.)

 [It's always been there]

(A young swordman with a high ponytail, in a somewhat torn clothes, his sword threateningly drawn. His hair is red and his light brown eyes cast a glimpse at her. A scar can be seen in his left cheek. They stare at each other.)

 

--------------------------------------------

(The silence in the music marks a shift in the scene: now, the focus is on Kenshin, who is in the Rakuninmura, sitting down and leaning his back on a wall. His sword is sheathed and chained. The piano once again starts, as his tired eyes also behold the events that happened in the past, fifteen years ago.)

 

[To love somebody foolishly]

(A perfume of white plum blossoms lingers in the air as Kenshin watches Tomoe, standing on a pool of blood. Blood also leaves numerous stains on her kimono, as she says coldly to Battousai, "It often appears as though blood showers on tragic scenes but...you're the one who really showers the blood aren't you...")

[can happen once]

(He sees Battousai dropping the blood-stained sword, mute with surprise.)

[To love somebody hopelessly]

(In the Kohagi Inn, Battousai pushes Tomoe with violence, panting heavily as he realizes he was almost killing her.)

[it hurts so much]

(Tomoe says, laying her shawl over Battousai, "You need a sheath to suppress the madness... ")

[To love somebody equally]

(Battousai closes his eyes and whispers, "...if you had a sword in your hand, will I kill you or not... The answer is "no"... Not you... ever...")

[is not enough]

(Battousai leaves his hut, a crumbled paped held tightly by his left hand. His eyes are glittering with rage.)

[is not enough]

(Soaked with his own blood and almost dying, Battousai closes his eyes to attempt a final strike to the Mutekiryuu old master.)

[it’s not enough]

(A scant scent of white plum blossoms and Battousai widens his eyes as he slashes both Tomoe and the old man, killing them.)

 

[Love takes a little time]

(Back to his hut, Battousai is laying down, looking at nothing. Tears roll down his face.)

[It's not so easy to find, no]

 (Battousai remembers her saying, "It’s all right... please don’t cry...")

[Searching everywhere]

(He sighs, disbelief still reflected in his face.) 

[You turn and swear]

 (He glances to the desk and sees Tomoe’s diary.)

[She's always been there]

 (He gasps as Tomoe is back again, writing her diary. Speechless, he stands up in a jump and runs to her.)

[standin' there....]

 (But Tomoe turns to him in a ghostlike manner. No smile on her face. Battousai goggles his eyes as Tomoe slowly closes her eyes and disappear, leaving only her diary behind.)

 

*guitar riff*

( Flashes from the most recent happenings pass before Kenshin’s eyes like a movie.  The cannon attack on the Akabeko. The fateful meeting with Enishi. The destruction of Chief Uramura’s house. The fight with Iwanbou. His fight with Enishi. The defeat of the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki. Kujiranami seizing him. The perfume of white plum blossoms. The corpse of Kaoru. His arrival at Rakuninmura.)

 

[And if it don't come easily]

 (Back at Rakuninmura, Tsubame runs and begs to Kenshin help Yahiko, who’s suffering in the fight with Kujiranami.)

 [One thing you must believe]

 (Kenshin lifts up his head and sees Tomoe kneeled down, with tears in her eyes, begging to help him. Kenshin shudders.)

 [You can always have trust in me]

  (Kenshin’s sword starts to get warm.)

 [ ‘Cause my heart will always be]

 (Kenshin is startled. He looks at his chained sword with amazement.)

 [Yours honestly]

 (A faint scent of white plum blossoms comes from his sakabatou.)

 

[Love hurts sometimes]

 (Closing his eyes, he tries to purge such thoughts from his mind, telling himself he’s been a victim of illusion.)

 [It's not so easy to find, no]

 (He clutches his sword, telling it to be quiet, because he wants to rest. Forever.)

 [Searching everywhere]

 (He mutters that the sins he committed are beyond redemption. His eyes can’t even cry anymore, gloom being the only emotion he feels.)

 [Then turn and swear]

 (He glances at his sword, and he realizes there’s another hand holding delicately his sakabatou.)

 [It's always been there]

 (Astonishment takes him as he sees Tomoe, her face showing an unusual sadness.)

 [Standing there]

 (They stare at each other for a moment, without exchanging any words.)

 

[Love hurts you sometimes]

(She extends her hand to Kenshin. He shakes his head, denying it.)

 [Not yours, it's not mine, no]

(He tells her in an exausted voice, "Go, and leave me.") 

[Love is only to share]

 (She replies in a cold tone of voice, "Have you abandoned me?")

[You turn and swear]

(Kenshin cries in an unheard voice, "Of course not! How can I forget my past?! How can I avoid wallowing in the mud of my murders?!" His eyes are wide open with desperation. )

[It's everywhere]

 (Tomoe quietly closes hers and says, "I see..." A shadow of a smile runs in her lips as she opens her eyes, now with a poignant tone of affection. "Come, stand up. I forgive you.", she invites, her hand still extended to Kenshin.)

[Standing there]

("Now... and also in the past... there are still people who believe in you who are waiting for your return."

Kenshin suddenly opens his eyes and in a vigorous strain of his muscles, he breaks the chains of his sword. )

['Cause it's always been there]

(She closes her eyes as he takes her hand to stand up. Walking slowly, he smiles to himself, feeling the warmth of the scabbard and the perfume of the white plum blossoms. He turns back and see her waving to him beside his father, a faint yet tender smile on her face. He closes his eyes and sees inside of him a small clearing amidst green and white woodlands, where a beautiful woman is also waving to him, sitting on the wooden stairs of a small Shinto temple. His smile widens and he walks out of Rakuninmura as the piano gradually fades out.)

 

 

Kansei. (finished)

 

Hope Tomoe didn’t sound too OCC...

Serizawa Kamo