STORY SUMMARY Rurouni Kenshin: The Nightwitch Tales - "That Which Lingers" All earlier parts can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/~madamhydra/TWL.html ----------------------------------- Prologue: The Shadow of Ghosts to Come During the Bakamatsu no Douran, an ambitious young Shinsengumi swordman, Minobe Junichi, has an encounter with the infamous Hitokiri Battousai which has tragic consequences. Saitoh Hajime has no sympathy whatsoever with the young man's problems. However, Junichi's aunt offers him a way of obtaining vengeance... but only if he's strong enough. ----------------------------------- Part 1: Unexpected Encounters Tokyo, late summer and a few months after Kenshin's confrontation with Shishio. Misao has come to Tokyo for a visit and a little investigating into a series of apparently random murders plaguing the city. As she and Kaoru go shopping, they run into none other than Saitoh Hajime's mysterious wife, Tokio. They've barely recovered from that shock when they encounter a deranged man who commits suicide before their very eyes. Inexplicably, Misao grabs the man's weapon, an eerie black sword, and nearly guts Kaoru. The ninja girl leaves in pursuit of more desirable prey... Shinomori Aoshi. ----------------------------------- Part 2: Pursuit and Prey Tokio brings the injured Kaoru to Megumi's clinic. When Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko find out what happened to Kaoru and learn of Misao's murderous plans, they attempt to warn Aoshi, then set off in pursuit of Misao. However, Aoshi is already on his way to Tokyo after Okina receives news of even more inexplicable murders in Tokyo. ----------------------------------- Part 3: Cat Scratch Fever Along a forest trail leading from Kyoto to Tokyo, Misao awaits in ambush. She viciously attacks Aoshi, using both the black sword and cruel words. Stunned by the unrelenting onslaught, Aoshi is losing the battle for his life. However, a ghostly encounter with Hannya at the gravesite of the Oniwabanshuu gives him the strength and determination to free Misao from the black sword's control... an act that leaves him perilously close to death. ----------------------------------- Part 4: Stained Hands and Hearts Misao, now back to normal, struggles to deal with what she's done to Aoshi and goes for help. Fortunately, she soon encounters Kenshin and Sano. Back at the clinic, Megumi struggles to save Aoshi's life, Tokio patiently takes care of Misao, and everyone else tries to figure out what's going on. Tokio's husband Saitoh Hajime shows up at the clinic just in time for his wife's home-cooked dinner. ----------------------------------- Part 5: Two Hearts As One Saitoh explains his theory about the mysterious murders in Tokyo (using food as visual aids). When Megumi goes to check on Aoshi, she makes the mistake of picking up the black sword. The doctor attempts to kill Tokio, then uses her as a shield just as Saitoh attacks. ----------------------------------- Part 6: A Few Intimate Moments Kenshin's interference barely manages to prevent Saitoh from skewering his wife in the ensuing confusion. Aoshi manages to warn them about the black sword and its evil power. However, it seems that both Kenshin and Saitoh are immune from the murderous impulses which possesses every other person who handles the cursed weapon. ----------------------------------- Part 7: Times Gone By Aoshi talks about his earlier confrontation with Misao and the black sword. What follows is a night of uncannily real dreams for nearly everyone. All the dreams go back to Kyoto and the Bakamatsu no Douran. With their own eyes, the dreamers see the Hitokiri Battousai and Shinsengumi Captain Saitoh Hajime in all their lethal glory. Aoshi and Misao end up sharing the same dream and take the opportunity to talk about what's happened between them. When morning comes, an unconscious change in Kenshin's hair style shows that he too has been thinking of past times in Kyoto. ----------------------------------- Part 8: The Past Revisited On their way back from a quick visit to the Kamiya Dojo, Yahiko and Sano walk right into a dream, but this time they're wide awake. They witness the death of Yahiko's father... at the hands of the Hitokiri Battousai. ----------------------------------- Part 9: Regression As Yahiko struggles to deal with what he's just seen, Saitoh amuses himself by teasing Misao back at the clinic as Megumi regains consciousness. Kenshin, Saitoh, and the others gradually work out the link between the black sword and the recent series of murders in Tokyo. Meanwhile, in Kyoto, the streets are abuzz with rumors of ghostly apparitions. As Kenshin and the others examine the cursed sword, everyone is drawn into a vision of the past and a turning point in the life of the Hitokiri Battousai as they witness how Kenshin received the first half of his cross scar. However, this time, the dream leaves tangible traces... in blood. As Kenshin struggles to deal with an unnerving confrontation with his younger self, Saitoh suffers an equally disturbing memory lapse. ----------------------------------- Part 10: Consolation Tokio gives Saitoh support and reassurance after his memory lapse while Kaoru goes to talk to Kenshin. During the conversation, Kaoru comes to a sudden understanding of what lies behind Kenshin's emotional reserve and does her best to reassure him. The intimacy is broken by two visitors, both bringing bad news from Kyoto. Saitoh and his wife leave the clinic after Saitoh issues an offhand invitation to accompany him to Kyoto. ----------------------------------- Part 11: Retaliation Yahiko has a quiet, but intense discussion with Kenshin before everyone goes to bed at the clinic. But the night is shattered by a terrible loss. Kaoru is gone and with her, the cursed black sword. She leaves behind an unconscious Kenshin and a grim challenge. ----------------------------------- Part 12: The Downward Spiral When Aoshi and Misao explain what they can about Kaoru's apparent possession and disappearance, Kenshin comes to the painful conclusion that immediate pursuit is futile. Instead, he must go to Kyoto if he hopes to free Kaoru from the sword's influence. In the meantime, Tokio prepares for her and her husband's return to Kyoto. At the harbor, as they all are about to board the boat to Osaka, Kenshin has his own loss of memory. ----------------------------------- Part 13: Reminders Sano and the others struggle to deal with a Kenshin who has almost no memory of them, Kaoru, or the events of the past ten years. Saitoh himself suffers a flashback to the Bakamatsu no Douran. As Saitoh and Kenshin prepare to fight, Tokio intervenes. She shows Kenshin Kaoru's hair ribbon which restores his memories to normal. ----------------------------------- Part 14: On a Slow Boat to Osaka On the boat, there's little to do but talk and ponder. Sano and Misao discuss romance and their role in the upcoming confrontation in Kyoto. Afterward, Misao asks Tokio for advice on dealing with difficult men. Kenshin resolves to hold on to the hope and joy that Kaoru's given him. ----------------------------------- Part 15: Family Ties Kenshin, Saitoh, and the others arrive in Osaka to unwelcome news. The uncanny events in Kyoto are worsening at an alarming rate and now people are getting injured. They head for the estate of Tokio's family to consult her great aunt Asuko, who is an expert in matters of the occult. An intimidating old woman, Asuko gives them vital background information about the sword known as Kinslayer and its powers. Meanwhile, Tokio encounters a young woman called Risako in the gardens. During the ensuing conversation, it becomes clear that Tokio knows a great deal more about the current situation with Kinslayer and Kaoru. The conversation also reveals the rather complicated family relationships between Tokio, Saitoh, Risako, Kenshin, and Hiko. ----------------------------------- Part 16: Heart to Heart Kenshin and his companions return to the Aoiya restaurant and spend the rest of the evening discussing the discovery of the cursed black sword and how that sword relates to the mysterious events in Kyoto. As Misao attends to Aoshi's injuries, the two of them have an intimate conversation as they struggle to deal with their feelings for each other. ----------------------------------- Part 17: Bridge over Troubled Waters More details of that night on the bridge, thirteen years ago in Kyoto, when Minobe Junichi rashly challenged the Hitokiri Battousai, are revealed as both Kenshin and Saitoh recall the incident from two very different points of view. ----------------------------------- Part 18: Unexpected Views A helpless prisoner of her own body which is now controlled by Kinslayer and Minobe Junichi, Kaoru finally arrives in Kyoto and the details of her last night in Tokyo are revealed. The next morning, Aoshi and Misao get summoned by Takagi Asuko for a special mission. The others, including Kenshin and Saitoh, prepare to pay a visit with Minobe Emi, Junichi's half-senile aunt. Kaoru arrives at the Minobe house just before Saitoh and Kenshin show up. In the meantime, Asuko sends Misao and Aoshi to a shrine outside Kyoto in order to retrieve important information about Kinslayer and the demon who created the weapon. Before they leave, Misao has a very interesting discussion with Asuko about the girl's fighting skills. ----------------------------------- Part 19: Total Eclipse of the Heart As Misao and Aoshi travel to the shrine, they talk about their individual encounters with Hannya's ghost. The conversation becomes unexpectedly emotional as Aoshi finally lets Misao know how he truly feels about her, although not in words. Back in Kyoto, the confrontation between Minobe Emi, Kenshin, and Saitoh turns unexpectedly ugly. Before matters worsen, more bad news arrives. Kenshin remains at the Minobe estate to search for clues while Saitoh leaves for the countryside to investigate reports of several massacres. As Saitoh investigates the forest near the scene of a massacre, he is ambushed by monsters. However, it is the monsters who receive an unpleasant surprise. In the meantime, Kaoru ambushes and separates Misao and Aoshi in the forest outside of Kyoto. Aoshi's desperate victory against the demonic creatures summoned by Kaoru -- or rather, by Minobe Junichi -- leads to a terrible, heart-wrenching discovery for the former Okashira. ----------------------------------- Part 20: Transformations As Aoshi is fighting for his life, Misao's confrontation with the possessed Kaoru and Kinslayer results in a deadly foot chase. After Misao is finally cornered, an unexpected savior appears. In the meantime, a sinister shift in reality results in the full emergence of the Battousai. An ugly confrontation ensues when Junichi shows up in Kaoru's body. Junichi says a bit too much and ends up fleeing from an enraged Battousai. Hiko Seijuro has a nasty confrontation with Risako over Kenshin. Finally, Aoshi shows up at the Aoiya looking for Saitoh's wife, Tokio. ----------------------------------- Part 21: Hidden Aspects Misao wakes in an ancient shrine and encounters the infamous wolf-spirit known as the Hunter. She also bumps into Hiko Seijuro who knows a great deal more than he tells. Enlisting Hiko's help, Misao discovers the name of their demonic enemy and the long-standing feud between the demon and the Hunter. Saitoh suddenly shows up at the shrine and Misao comes to a startling realization about the Hunter and the Wolf of Mibu. Meanwhile, at the Aoiya Restaurant, Shinomori Aoshi prepares to kill Tokio. However, Saitoh's wife proves to be unexpectedly resourceful and elusive. ----------------------------------- Part 22: The Shedding of Masks Kenshin searches his own soul for answers as he pursuits the possessed Kaoru. Aoshi corners Tokio. Misao founds a worried Sano and Yahiko at the Aoiya. After a hasty exchange of information, they set off to track down Tokio and the homicidal Aoshi. Misao manages to free Aoshi from the demon's grasp, but only temporarily. As the demon's minions close in, Saitoh shows up at the last minute, but in a rather disturbing manner. ----------------------------------- Part 23: The Sacred and the Profane Sano, Yahiko, and Misao finally come face to face with the infamous Hunter and get a taste of its power. The Hunter, as embodied by Saitoh Hajime, and the Love-Eater, who is currently in possession of Shinomori Aoshi, have a long, unpleasant conversation as they talk about the feud between the two entities, one that's existed since the beginning of time. The date of the final confrontation is agreed upon and set. When Saitoh allows Shinomori to leave, then teaches Sano, Yahiko, and Misao an interesting lesson about love. -----------------------------------