The Raven and the Wolf: Chapter Two
a side story to "To Forgive and Forget" by Ayame-chan
AUTHOR'S NOTES: ...Wow....people *liked* this fic! ^_^ I'm glad. Well, here's more of this fic! I'll end it soon, though...
"Things are not faring so well in Kyoto," a voice said in the darkness.
It was pitch black in the room with only the moon dimly shining through the rice paper doors. Ten figures sat around a long table. Each of their faces were masked with darkness.
In the underground of Japan, there lies a society that runs the lifestyle of Japan itself. In other words, this society is the true rulers of Japan for countless of thousands of years. The society was known as the Riskbreakers, willing to sacrifice dignity and their lives for a more powerful and better country. However, that is the name of their dispatchers, the families who have sworn loyalty to the society and have done their orders. The real society is unknown. Not even the Riskbreakers themselves know who are the faces that they serve.
"Many have died," a second voice said across the room. "The Ishin are going too far on their killing spree."
"Those lives can easily be replaced," a third voice rebutted. "What is our status?"
"The Ishin are doing quite well with young Masaki's help," the fourth voice replied. "However, Kaede is...lacking."
"It is not the girl's fault," the third voice said in defense. "This is only the first time that she has failed."
"The first time, but not the last," the fourth voice pointed out. "You defend her because she is your student."
"That is not it," the third voice argued. "You know quite well that she has done all of her many previous missions successfully. Nothing is able to escape her grasp."
"But Hajime must be killed," a fifth voice replied. "She has not done so, yet."
"Then she will make sure he will be dead soon."
"Why him, I wonder?" a sixth voice asked. "Why not the young boy?"
"It is a deed that must be completed," the leader replied. "He is like a thorn in our side. If he does not die, then our plans for the peaceful era will be ruined."
"Persuasion cannot work?" a seventh voice asked.
"Don't you think we have tried?" an eighth voice answered. "The boy's too stubborn with the idea of Aku. Soku. Zan. He remains strictly loyal to the Shinsengumi."
"Then temptation, then?" the final voice suggested. "To come to think of it, why not wed Kaede to him? They make a rather charming couple."
Kaede's master snorted in response. "It will never work."
"Why not?"
"She would rather kill herself than to be wed to someone. The girl cannot stay put at home as a wife."
"But from what Rekka has observed, he is too the same."
"..."
"Enough arguing," the leader interrupted. "Mitsu."
A ninja stepped forth from the wall. "Hai?"
"Send this message to Kaede at once. If she is not able to execute her mission in five days, then she will be killed."
The ninja bowed. "As you wish." She disappeared.
"Why such a harsh ultimatum?" the third voice asked.
"At this time, we cannot afford our identities to be revealed."
Tokio stared down at the paper given to her, its beautiful handwriting beginning to disappear.
"I understand," she murmured.
"The powder that I have given you should be able to hasten your progress, Tokio," Mitsu replied in the shadows.
Tokio sighed. "Thank you for your concern, Mitsu, but I can handle it."
"Be careful," Mitsu replied and returned to the darkness.
Tokio paid no mind to the disappearing ninja. Instead, she pondered on her goal, still holding the letter in her hand.
"Tokio-san?"
She jumped slightly in surprise, clutching the blank paper to her chest and turning around to find the very man she was, and still is, supposed to assassinate.
"W-what is it, Saitoh-san?" she asked and smiled.
He blinked about twice before slowly replying, "Your father has asked me to get you. He has something to tell you."
"Did he tell why?" she asked, regaining her former composure.
Saitoh gazed one second in her eyes before fixing them somewhere else and replied, "Ie. I assume it's a personal matter."
"Sou ka..." Tokio murmured thoughtfully before nodding again. "Arigatou, Saitoh-san. I'll come to him right away."
She hurriedly walked passed him, loose strands from her hair lightly brushing against his cheek. His eye muscles involuntarily twitched at the feeling. As he watched her go, Saitoh's suspicions grew. When she had passed by, he could smell the sweet scent of her perfume and something else he did not expect would be on a young woman like her.
Blood.
MORE AUTHOR'S NOTES!
*Dun dun dun...* Now, what will Saitoh figure out, I wonder? ^_^ Yes, I'm making this up as I go along, and I'm glad that you guys like this fic! I planned to make this fic only three or four chapters long, so the end will be coming soon....I hope ^_^. Hope you enjoyed this! R&R!!