From: "Tin Mandigma" Hello, minna-san! ^_^ Major thanks to Ashfae-san and Jan-san for the comments on Road 11a ^^;; Here's 11b, a day late, yeah, but I had problems accessing the 'net yesterday. Thanks! P.S. Beware of the very long notes at the end of the chapter! ;) A Road Less Traveled by Tin Mandigma --------------------------------------------------------- This is a Rurouni Kenshin-inspired fanfic written entirely for entertainment purposes only. Standard disclaimers apply. --------------------------------------------------------- Part 11b: "This OK, Ken-san?" Megumi muttered as she heaved a bundle of old letters into the hallway. Behind her, Kaoru lugged a box overflowing with books and broken pieces of furniture. "I think that's the last of it, Megumi-dono," Kenshin answered from behind a pile of junk. He grunted as he placed his burden on the flor as well. "I thought we were going to research about Marisa and Hojo, Kenshin, not houseclean for the Shizukus," Kaoru said with a wry grin as she wiped her hands on a clean rag. Kenshin smiled back at her. "It was kinda difficult wading through that load of discarded material. At least we've sorted everything out." "I'd bet," Megumi snorted. Kenshin was such a neat freak sometimes, he must have some sort of neurosis. They'd spent the entire morning 'sorting' through the material in the Shizukus' storage room and nearly half of the afternoon categorizing them. She didn't think she'd had this much physical exercise since Kyoto. 'A lifetime ago,' she thought and she smiled at her own wistfulness. 'Stop it, Megumi.' "Yahiko's bound to come with the carriage soon," Kenshin said as he poked a falling heap of papers back into position with his foot. "Yeah, it's nearly dark," Kaoru replied, looking a bit surprised. "Time does fly fast when you're busy." Megumi started nervously. The shadows had lengthened on the floor, lending the hallway a dim haze. She didn't like the memories twilight in this house evoked. "Why don't we wait for him outside?" she asked with a forced smile. Kenshin nodded understandingly. "Of course." He hurriedly picked up a couple of boxes. "I think it's still light outside," he said softly. "I wonder how Sano and Aki-san got along for the entire day?" Kaoru mused as she grabbed a box of her own. "I could only hope both of them are still intact," Kenshin threw over his shoulder as he started down the hallway. Megumi grinned. Sanosuke and Akiko had gone to the main district office early that morning to look for more information about the Shizukus, a task which Sano had decried vehemently when Kenshin had assigned him to be Akiko's escort the night before. "Why the hell can't *you* go with Aki-san?" he protested. "I need to look for something in the house," Kenshin had answered mildly. "And I'm sure Aki-dono prefers your company to mine." Akiko had beamed at both of them. "How gallant of you, Kenshin. Of course I'd grab the chance to spend an entire day with Sano. What woman wouldn't?" she winked at the disgruntled Sanosuke and the snickering Yahiko. "Now, Sano," Kaoru had admonished the next morning as they all stood in the driveway leading out of Akiko's house. "I'm sure it wouldn't be so bad. You and Aki-san make a smashing couple. Megumi's not jealous, so don't worry about it." "You're an impudent young lady, Jou-chan, for a racoon girl," Sano had scolded fiercely before his face relaxed into a rueful smile. "Kenshin should keep you on a leash," he'd said and gave her a brotherly hug. Or maybe, Megumi remembered thinking later, it wasn't so brotherly. "Ne, Megumi..." Kaoru nudged her. Megumi blinked. "Huh?" "We need to get going," Kaoru said. She smiled at Megumi, half in concern, half in surprise. "Are you OK? Each time I try and talk to you, you either look incredibly spaced out or you're busy arguing with Sano." Megumi smiled. "Well, yes, I--" A familiar shout, followed by the sound of pounding feet making their way slowly but surely toward them, stopped her in her tracks. She saw Kenshin's face whiten. "Is that Sano?" Kaoru frowned in confusion. "I thought we were supposed to meet at the house--" Megumi blinked as a large shadow fell across her, blocking her path. She heaved a deep sigh, torn between exasperation and weary amusement. Sano grinned at her. "Hey, guys," he said with a casual wave of his hand. "Sano," Kenshin said harshly. "What are *you* doing here?!" Megumi exchanged a worried glance with Kaoru. Kenshin's tone was strongly vehement, almost angry. Megumi fidgeted, troubled by the sudden tension in the air. "Aki-san and I finished early so I thought I'd come over and give you a hand," Sano said with what seemed like deliberate nonchalance. "Yahiko will fetch us--" Kenshin began. Sano cut him off. "He's still enjoying the tea and mochi Sayaka made for him. He'll be along." He smiled. "Besides, I couldn't wait to tell you what we've found out." Kenshin remained purposefully silent, his eyes narrowed. Megumi decided to take up the slack. "And what *did* you find out?" "That you were right all along Fox," Sano said smugly. "What--?" Kaoru asked, frowning. "We didn't have any success in the district office, so Aki-san suddenly had the bright idea to search *her* stuff," Sano answered with a wry grimace. "It was a good thing we found it easily or I would have gone mad at the incredible amount of junk that woman keeps in her house..." "Get to the point, Sano," Kenshin said curtly. "Jealous, Kenshin?" Sano mocked. Alarmed, Kaoru held out a conciliatory hand. "Kenshin--" "No," Kenshin snapped. "This is ridiculous, Sano." Sano didn't speak, glaring instead at Kenshin. "Look, why don't we just talk about this in the house--?" Megumi started when Sano grabbed her arm, keeping her in place. "I want you to hear it now, Fox," Sano said, his gaze still on Kenshin. "A couple of letters addressed to Aki-san's great-great-grandmother said something about Shizuku Hojo's 'mysterious' withdrawal from public life. Based on the date of the letters, I'd say that 'withdrawal' happened around 1637-1638." "So there *is* a connection with the Shimabara revolt," Kaoru exclaimed. "And..." Sano said, looking expectantly at Megumi. Megumi thought she might as well let him have his moment. With a sideways glance at Kenshin, she sighed. "OK. We're all ears. What's the clincher, Sano?" Sano grinned. "The letters also mentioned Shizuku Marisa's eloping with a certain Nagisa Takehito as being the reason for Hojo's bitterness," he said smugly. Kenshin stared at him. "She eloped?!" he choked out in a stupefied voice. Sano nodded, pleased at Kenshin's reaction. "And the worst part of it was that Nagisa Takehito was one of the daimyo's personal bodyguards." Megumi shook her head slowly. "This is--unbelievable," she said weakly. "Believe it, Fox," Sano muttered. "Where was Nagisa from?" Kenshin asked. "From Osaka," Sano answered, his eyes flickering with an odd light. Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "Was that detail included in the letters, too?" he said with studied casualness. Sano shrugged, his face shuttered. "I guess." Megumi cleared her throat. "I think we'd better get going," she said slowly. "Maybe Yahiko's already waiting--" Kaoru nodded. "Yes, of course--" She stopped abruptly, clapping a hand on her forehead. "Wait a sec. I forgot to get the Bible!" "Bible?!" Sano said, surprised. "Why--" But Kaoru was already moving. "Ken-san thought we could use it as a sort of reference," Megumi explained. "Just in case we find some more foreign documents." "Kenshin?" Kaoru called out. "Where did you place it?" Kenshin frowned. "I don't know... Isn't in the--" He paled. "What is it, Ken-san?" Megumi asked in concern as Kenshin wheeled around abruptly. "Sano, why don't you and the others go ahead? " Kenshin said briskly as he started down the hallway. "I'll follow as soon as I get the Bible." Kaoru poked her head out of the library doorway. "Kenshin, where are you going?" "He's going *there*," Sano muttered, walking hurriedly after Kenshin's departing figure. "Hey, Kenshin, wait!" Megumi's breath caught as she realized where 'there' was. And the last time they were in 'there...' She froze as Kaoru grabbed her arm, urging her forward. "Kaoru, I don't think--" "We can't let them go together, Megumi," Kaoru said insistently as she dragged Megumi along with her. "You saw how--how they were." Her eyes darkened. "We have to make sure." Megumi suddenly felt too apprehensive to protest further as she and Keaoru drew near the Room, which was located at the end of the corridor. She swallowed dryly as she peered inside, heart pounding. Twilight had crept into the Room, emphasizing the silent gloom pervading the atmosphere. Kenshin's hair gleamed copper-like in the darkness. "Well?" Sano drawled from where he lounged in the doorway. "Did you find it?" "No," Kenshin said abruptly. "I couldn't see anything." He sighed. "We should just come back tomorrow." Sano straightened. Megumi felt his arm brush hers as he stepped forward into the dim interior. "Don't be silly, Kenshin," he retorted mildly. "I'm sure it's lying in here somewhere." "Sano, really, it's no big deal," Kenshin said, a tinge of nervousness in his voice. He moved swiftly to stand in front of Sano. "Yahiko's probably waiting for us." "Waiting for another minute or two won't hurt him," Sano said pointedly. "Besides, Aki-san would raise hell if she knew you left such a valuable relic lying around..." He took a step forward, bypassing Kenshin. "Come on. We're wasting time." "Sano, please!" Kenshin burst out, his expression alarmed, almost panicked. He shot a warning glance at Megumi. Hands shaking, Megumi entered the Room. "Sano, I think we should listen to Ken-san..." Sano stared at her. "What the hell is the matter with all of you?!" Thunder rumbled in the distance. In response, the shutters rattled, lifting slightly to let thin tendrils of cold wind seep into the Room. Megumi shivered. "Sano," she forced out, "you don't understand--" "Then enlighten me," Sano said defiantly. "I will, in the house," Kenshin replied hurriedly. "We *have* to go." Sano shook his head. "I am *not* going anywhere, Kenshin," he said with deliberate mildness. "Sano--" Kaoru gasped. The shadows fell. It hit her like a blow in the face. Megumi clutched her arms around her stomach as the familiar punishing cold crept agonizingly into her clothes. "Kaoru," she said hoarsely. "Kaoru." The wind rose, beating loudly against the windows and the wooden walls like a frightened child. She looked around her frantically for an escape route, away from the coiling blackness which writhed angrily once again, blocking their way out. "The window!" a voice said. A blast of drizzle-drenched air caressed her cheeks as shutters were slammed open forcefully. She groped blindly in the dark, fighting the urge to scream. 'Have to leave this place...' Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kenshin grab Kaoru and drag her unprotesting towards the open window. Megumi heaved a sigh of relief when she remembered... "Sano," she choked out through chattering teeth. She turned And saw him standing where she had last seen him, near the doorway, facing the towering column of smoke and cold and buried memories, with head held high, posture defiant. "Sano!" Kenshin rasped. "Sano, don't--!" "It can't hurt me," Sano said dully. Kenshin lunged desperately towards his friend, grabbing his sleeve. "Sano, please, you have to listen to me!" Sano flung an arm outward, catching Kenshin solidly in the stomach and sending him flying into the wall with a deafening crash. "Kenshin!" Kaoru cried out. The Shadow didn't move as Sano approached, steps heavy and lagging, like a condemned man. Instead, It waited with anticipation, malicious in its eagerness, coiling within itself... Like a snake about to strike. "No!" Megumi screamed. ... before springing on Sano like a released trap, consuming him in its dark embrace. Her vision dimmed mercifully, hiding her gaze from what should never be seen, what she could not bear to see. But clarity came all too quickly. The Shadow looked at her from Sano's eyes. Megumi saw Kaoru sway unsteadily on her feet, her terrified eyes staring blankly as It came closer and closer, her starkly white face flickering with a mixture of dread, fear... and overwhelming hatred. Megumi swallowed as It spared her a trifling glance, before moving on, to claim Its real victim. 'The dream,' Megumi thought hysterically. 'Kaoru!' It was nearly upon the other girl, looming over her hungrily... She heard a hollow thud as Kaoru collapsed on the floor in a senseless heap and she wished she could faint, too, and wake up, as if from another more horrifying nightmare, to convince herself that this was not real... Her wide eyes searched the Room unseeingly, looking for-- A sharp hiss, like an indrawn breath. Kenshin groaned as he pushed himself away from the wall, pieces of splintered wood clinging to his palm, falling to the floor. He staggered towards the unconscious Kaoru, hand on the hilt of his sakabatou, drawing it halfway out. Blood seeped down his face as he turned slowly, blocking Its path. The world seemed to be moving in slow motion, like a circle whirling around and into itself, causing the moment to freeze, scene by painful scene. 'Another relic of time,' Megumi thought, her mind reeling, flooded with visions of two other men who had stood facing each other as *they* faced each other now: the tall heavy man, shoulders hunched like a raging bull's, shaking with crazed rage; and the other man, slim and erect, the pointed tip of his drawn katana shimmering brightly like a pinpoint of light. The scene wavered thinly, rendered insubstantial as past overshadowed present. A gust of air hit her in the face and she froze, for it was not the cold damp touch of a rainy night, but the warm balmy breeze of another summer evening, laden with the scent of dried flowers, more than two hundred years ago. End of Part 11. NOTES: 1. Put very simplistically: The Shimabara revolt happened in 1637-1638. It was instigated by Christian farmers in protest of the economic policies of the shogunate and the bakufu's lack of tolerance with regard to Christianity generally, and Japanese Christians especially. The insurgency movement culminated in the death of more than twenty thousand Christians. However, many historians have put forward the claim that the rebellion was an economic protest first, and a religious one second, as shown, for example by the involvement of some of the nobility in the revolt. While a majority of the Christian population in Japan before and after Shimabara were peasants (who were actually sons of ex-samurai disgraced because of their conversion to Christianity), a considerable number of the ruling class also accepted the religion. The Shizukus are my fictitious examples of this fact ^_^ I wasn't really sure whether Bibles were disseminated to the converts (because I was even more uncertain as to whether the Holy Book was translated to Japanese; maybe there were some Japanese copies but these were probably scarce). I was pretty certain, though, that if there were Bibles, they would be in the possession of the richer Christians, again like the Shizukus ^^;; Furthermore, I think some of the better-educated would have learned English, especially if they were in close contact with priests and missionaries. All purely speculative, of course :) 2. I named Marisa after a Filipino-Japanese friend of mine (as I did Kozue) ^_^;; Her nickname was Misa. I kinda liked the sound so... ^^ In any case, I hope I didn't violate any pre-Meiji Japanese naming conventions *grin* Which, of course, I probably did since, like Jan-san said, 'Marisa' is not a Japanese name but it is almost certainly a Western (read in this case: Christian) one. ^_^ 3. I finally managed to find some information on spirit possession and exorcism in Japan (note: this is a sort of delayed commentary on Road 10) in a compilation of scholarly articles. The author of the article in question (forgot his name, left my notes ^^;;) said that while some historians would trace the idea of spirit possession in Japan to ancient Shinto tradition, the practices and beliefs associated with such actually stem from esoteric Buddhist sects which were in vogue in 8th century Japan. The number of cases of spirit possession reached its peak during the Heian period, as exemplified for instance in the "Tale of Genji." A scene in the later parts of the novel described Lady Rokujo's possession of Murasaki, Genji's principal wife, to spite Genji (the whys and wherefores are beyond the scope of my already rambling notes, gomen nasai ^_^.) In any case, illness seemed to be a primary symptom of spirit possession (and most victims were women ^^;;.) Unlike Chinese spirits, however, Japanese spirits do not have to be necessarily moved by righteous wrath: jealousy, anger and hatred were more than adequate motives to possess a person, even in (in extreme cases), innocent passersby. (Hey, Road's not that far-off, ne? ^^;;) The author also categorized spirit possession as either being eidetic (wherein the patient gets sick for absolutely no reason at all) or hysterical (think Kaoru in Road.) Most cases were a mixture of both. Exorcism was usually performed by Buddhist nuns or priests. The process involved three people: the exorcist, the medium (will look for the Japanese term) and the patient. The exorcist recites sutras over the patient, driving the spirit away from his or her body and into the medium's (usually a young female). The exorcist would then ask the spirit, now speaking through the medium's voice, the reasons for its unrest, followed by the performance of rituals designed to appease said spirit. Japanese exorcism differs from the Western type (which aims to eradicate the spirit completely from this plane of being) in that it only seeks to save the life of the individual possessed, leaving the spirit to roam where it wills. My own exorcism ritual was, I fancy, more a product of watching Tokyo Babylon than conscious replication of this fact but then again, (as I said before) Kozue is a very eclectic medium ^^;; and the Shizuku ghosts are not a culturally-bound lot so... ^_^ 4. Most of you must have noticed that I did not name the 'town' where Road is supposedly set ^_^;; I only had the faintest idea about geographical divisions in Japan, let alone Meiji Japan ^_^v Deliberate vagueness was the safest option *grin* --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- Register now and you could win a Volkswagen New Beetle at LiQ.com! Click below, 'cause it's going fast! While you're at it, check out our great entertainment products at fantastic prices! 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