Subject: [kffdisc] Kisetsuhazure Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 04:57:59 +0200 (MET DST) From: Fredrik Lundgren Reply-To: kffdisc@onelist.com To: RKFFML From: Fredrik Lundgren Written by Teto (m801tts@hem2.passagen.se) Rurouni Kenshin is copyright of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I'm not using his work with permission, and bla bla bla all the legal stuff that no one really reads anyway.... Well, here's another fic that I just suddenly had to write. I kinda like it, and I think the story is something that should really be explored. But please make up your own mind, and feel free to send me comments. So, lets' get started on the fic.... Shall we? ^_^ -------------------------------------------------------------------- One more, would this never end? The title Battousai was sure a lot more of a bother then it was anything else. At times it seemed to bring in all kinds of hot heads, all set on just one thing. Being the first to beat the famous Battousai. This one wasn't any different, a young, arrogant little fool with nothing else in his head but fighting. Probably around Kenshin's own age, or made just one or two years younger He was a bit taller, and muscular, then Kenshin with a full set of pitch black hair pulled back into a hard braid, his sky-blue eyes was calm but his gaze were cold and hard as he watched Kenshin. He had sent the usual threats and challenges. It was with reluctance that Kenshin, with Yahiko and Kaoru in tow, had gone to the appointed place this morning to face his challenger. The trees had just started turning from a lush green to an orange, rusty red color, color that made the forest look like it was on fire. It was truly a beautiful sight, but non of the four people in the clearing paid any attention to that. Kenshin wondered if he really was just that, a hothead. Or if he to had participated during the bakumatsu. It was hard to tell these day. Time healed many wounds, and not many still thought about the events that was in the past, even if it was not such a distant one. "Give up", the hothead shouted, "If you just give up I won't kill you!". That phrase was also beginning to become old. Kenshin let out a deep sigh. "Well then", Kenshin replied, "I'll take my leave then". He bowed and started to turn around. "Then I win!", the hot head gloated, "I'm stronger then the Battousai!". "What every you say", Kenshin replied in an uninterested tone of voice. The tone of his voice seemed to go well with the young hot head, as he suddenly dropped back into a stance. His sword held in a vertically in front of his face. A simple stance, but effective. He didn't leave anything unguarded, his mind and body was ready to jump at seconds notice. "Are you mocking me!", he demanded. "Gomen", Kenshin apologized, "I'm sorry of it sounded that way, it was not my intention". Kenshin apology only seemed to anger the young hothead further. "I have fought and won against several swordsmen", the hothead sneered, "I'll add you to my list of accomplishment". "Gomen", Kenshin apologized again, "But I would rather not fight you. We have no quarrel, so I see no need for this". The hothead was gritting his teeth. "Coward!", he accused, "Draw your sword or I will kill you where you stand!". "Kenshin has given up on this idiocy!", Yahiko shouted back at him, "Why can't you people leave him alone!". The hothead threw a cold glance towards Yahiko and then return his gaze to Kenshin. "Does a child speak for the Battousai?", he mused. Kenshin didn't reply. "Maybe I should have challenged him instead", he went on, "Then this might have been worth my time". "Try it!", Yahiko was already fuming, "I can beat you any day!". The hothead didn't throw a glance at him this time, his lips just formed an arrogant little grin. "Don't you worry", he said, "If you are in such a hurry to die, I can accommodate you as soon as I have taken care of the Battousai". Kenshin sighed and eased himself into a stance, moving his saya into a comfortable position and pushed out his sword a bit with his thumb. "I guess I have no choice", Kenshin said with another sigh, "If you can handle the pain", he paused and his gaze suddenly hardened, "come!". Kenshin didn't want to fight, but he wouldn't run from one either, and he could see no other course of action. His tuned sense and intuition told him that no word would ever sway his opponent. "That's my man!", the hothead grinned. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Kisetsuhazure" a Rurouni Kenshin fanfic by Teto -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Dammit", he thought to himself, "My arms are aching again". It was a numbing pain, making his arms feel tired and slow. The last thing he needed right now as he faced off against the Battousai. Everything seemed to be going wrong, the ache in his arms, and was sweating profusely. Drops of sweat was slowly trickling down his face, finally falling from his jaw down onto his hands. He ignored the ticklish sensation it cause as he concentrated on his opponent. He had studied the battousai's fighting technique so much that he could recite each technique in his head, but yet he could not perform them. This annoyed him to no end, it was the most perfect techniques, capable of killing with one stroke. A stroke so fast that is blurred to your eyes. He wanted to know how they worked, he had tried over and over to perform them. But there was always something missing, something that wasn't right. He wanted. no! He needed to know what that was. He desired the knowledge so much that he was willing to risk everything in a fight against the Battousai himself to learn it. He studied the stance Kenshin had chosen. From what he had learned about the style, it was probably the stance for battou-jutsu. Which meant he had to attack first, or he wouldn't stand a chance in hell. But he couldn't just attack head on, that would leave him open to the lightning fast stroke that would surely come. But how could he avoid it? He didn't wasn't quick enough to dodge it, nor was he strong enough to block it. He needed an attack that would make battou-jutsu an awkward attack. He carefully examined the Battousai for any kind of clue as to a way to attack. His opponent was standing, his right food leading, with his torso turned so that his side was facing him. The sword, now almost behind him, was tilted upwards, ready to lash out in one deadly attack. At the best, he could only hope that the attack would slice his chest in half. Chest.. That was it!!! Battou-jutsu was a chest high attack, it would be awkward to use against an attack that was to low. It was his only chance. Slowly he began to crouch down, tensing up in preparation for his attack. It would also serve as a guise for his real actions. He knew the Battousai could read an opponents movements like no other could, but he couldn't read minds... * * * * "He's good", Kenshin thought to himself as he waited for an attack. There was no opening in the young hot heads defense. Not a single weakness anywhere. Kenshin started to wonder if this man wasn't a survivor from the bakumatsu after all. There were others as young, or even younger, than himself fighting in the bakumatus on both sides. He had killed some of them, but surely some had survived. Sweat was trickling down the young mans face, much more so then Kenshin had seen on any opponent before. It put a small dent in the young mans fierce look. He was probably nervous. Kenshin hated to admit it to himself, but he was quite possibly the best fighter in the country. He didn't like giving himself credit for anything, and being called the strongest fighter alive was a petty thing. At least to the Battousai. But others care much for the title, and it often made people apprehensive. Often even afraid. Still, he had never seen a challenger looking so nervous before. And yet there was the fact that the man had to be more then just a common fighter. His mere grip on his sword proved that. And then there was the fact that he couldn't read him, and this worried Kenshin. That had never happened against anyone but Seta Soujiro before. He had chosen to attack with battou-jutsu because of that. And for the same reason he had chosen it against Soujiro. To attack first or, as it probably would be in this case, make his opponent attack first. He was sure this young hot head was good with his sword, but he was not Seta Soujiro, he wouldn't have the speed of that young man. Which would make him an easy target for battou-jutsu. Everything around him seemed to vanish as he prepared himself for the attack he was sure would come. Birdsong, light glittering in the river near by, a small animal hurrying across the opening slightly behind his opponent, his senses was homed in on the young man and didn't take notice of anything else. Slowly the young man started to crouch down, his muscles tensing up. "What's this?", Kenshin asked himself. This he hadn't expected, and it was something new. Sure he had seen similar things from the Oniwa Banshu, which was often a prelude to a power full jump. Was this the same thing? A mild curiosity swelled up in him. He didn't doubt that he would win, since he had every confidence in his own abilities, but this was a new thing. An attack he hadn't seen before, and even more so. He hadn't been able to make out what technique the young man was using. He could feel the Battousai inside of himself, it was almost like a person of it's own, existing within the same shell as himself. He calmed himself down and the Battousai almost grudgingly backed away too. * * * * "Oi! Kaoru", Yahiko whispered to his companion, "What style is that?" He watched the young man as he crouched. "I don't know", she frowned as she tried to make the style the man was using, "I've never seen anything like that before". The man had crouched so low that his bent left knee was at the same level as his face. His right leg was pushed out in front of him, making his body tilt slightly forward. The sword in his hands pointed forwards, face high and with the sharp edge pointing upwards. "How is he suppose to do anything with that kind of a stance", Yahiko muttered, "It doesn't make any sense!". "I wonder..", Kaoru thought out loud, "Maybe we have underestimated him all along". Yahiko gave her an uneasy look. "What do you mean?". "It may be a strange stance", she continued, "But it also almost impossible to hit him while he's that low. And any attack must surely be very easy to avoid, since it can only come from above". "I guess", Yahiko was amazed as to how much his teacher could see in that stance, "But he's too low!", he argued, "He can't attack >from there!". "Oh, he can alright", Kaoru threw a nervous glance towards Kenshin, she knew Kenshin would never be nervous during a fight. It simply wasn't in his nature to feel such an emotion during a fight, "It's just takes more leg power". Just more leg power. She wondered if the young man would have power enough to be capable to attack. He looked so ordinary that it was almost scary, no one would expect this man to own such skills as he now proved to have. But the question still remained, did he have enough strength in his legs. But if he didn't, why would he have taken that stance. * * * * The attack came suddenly as the man bolted upwards, almost coming halfway up in a standing position as he started to move forwards. His body was heavily tilted forwards and his sword outstretched in front of him. "That's Shiden no Tachi!", Yahiko exclaimed as he recognized the technique. The hot head continued forward as Kenshin tensed up, preparing for his own counter attack. But just outside of his reach, the young man suddenly lunched himself forward in a dive, his body only moving a bit above the ground. He lashed out with his sword, in a spinning motion, towards Kenshin. The sound of metal hitting metal rang out through the open space as Kenshin was forced to draw his sword in order to parry the attack with an awkward downwards stroke. Kenshin cursed to himself as he understood the lengths of which he had underestimated the man. His skill was formidable, and he used a style of sword fighting Kenshin had never seen before. Without stopping the young man heaved himself up in a handstand and flipped back onto his feet, launching an attack as soon as his feet touched the ground. His sword cutting through the air in horizontally, using the force of his turn to attack towards where Kenshin had been. The sword sliced through empty air as Kenshin sailed up above him in a high leap. "Ryu Tsui Sen!", his voice came down to those below him as Kenshin, head first, came sailing back towards the ground. Kenshins sword hit the ground with a muffled thud, spraying gravel in all directions. But the young man narrowly managed to avoid being hit through a quick back flip. "Oh no, you don't", he grinned towards Kenshin as he landed safely on his feet. Kenshin looked at his opponent, stunned by his sudden show of speed. * * * * "He's good", Yahiko said, his eyes wide from what he had just witnessed. He had avoided Kenshin Ryu Tsui Sen. "Now I see", Kaoru suddenly exclaimed, "He's using a pieced together style! He's taken parts from different styles and merged them together into his own style. And those acrobatics are amazing!". "So that was Shiden No Tachi?". "Probably.", she stopped herself to consider what she had seen, "But didn't that attack also have some similarities with Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuiji?". They watched as the two once more faced of, this time Kenshins sword was leveled horizontally in front of his eyes. While the young man tilted his backwards, following his left leg backwards with the tip of the sword almost touching the ground. This time Kenshin attacked, his sakaba-to slashing in a downwards stroke towards the midsection. The young man answered by thrusting his sword upwards, again the sound spread across the ground around them. The fight was fierce, swords coming together with a distinct metal against metal sound, then pulled back only to crash together again. "He's good", Kenshin thought to himself as he parried a low stroke that was aimed towards his right leg and skipped away to get some distance, "He keeps avoiding me with his acrobatics". Panting slightly he gazed towards opponent, he had to find a way to counter him. Someway to make him either unable to use his agility, or to use it against him. His eyes narrowed as he noticed how heavily the man was panting, he was even rubbing his right shoulder. Which meant he was surely tired, and he probably couldn't keep it up much longer. But even so, he had continuously speeded up his movements. In the little time since the fight had began, his speed had more then tripled. "May I ask your name?", Kenshin called out to the young man. He got a suspicious glance in return, "I guess it can't hurt", he sounded a bit unsure if himself this time, "Kishiro Ippei". "Your technique Ippei-dono?", Kenshin asked, "I've never seen anything like it before, which school is it?". Ippei didn't answer immediately, he watched Kenshin in order to try and determine if there was some sort of ulterior motive for his question. He finally sighed and answered. "You shouldn't", he said, "It's not any school at all". He smirked a bit, "Or many schools, depending on how you look at it". "I see", Kenshin voice was calm as he replied, "I thought I'd recognized several of your techniques when you attacked. You are a good fighter Ippei-dono", Kenshin continued, "Can we leave it at that and end this. I hope you do not take this the wrong way, but you look as if though you are pushing yourself to far". A smirk formed on Ippei's lips, "What is this? Mercy for me from the Battousai?", he crouched down to the same stance he had taken as they had begun, "Gomen, but I have to do this. And none of your words can make me change my mind". In a single motion, Kenshin rotated his sword and carefully sheathed it. "I guess there I have no choice", his eyes hardened briefly, "But I will end this now, since I don't think your body would be able to hold out much longer". The smirk in Ippei's lips faltered, "Awfully sure of yourself, aren't you". "Even a blind man does sometimes find light in his darkness", Kenshin replied as he took a firm grip of his sword, "Let's get this over with". "Let's!", Ippei's agreed as he again propelled his body forward. * * * * "How will he attack?", time seemed to move slowly as Kenshin examined the attack, "He won't use the same attack as before. He's to good for that". He carefully watched as Ippei came to the distance where previously he had dropped, and just as before he suddenly dived again. "Is he really going to use the same technique?", kenshin thought as he prepared to parry the blow. Then, just as suddenly as he had dived, Ippei seemingly bounced back up, lashing out his sword towards Kenshins head. "Ryu Sho Sen!", Kenshin sword flew out of it's sheath and connected with Ippei's, using the attack to deflect Ippei's attack. The power behind Kenshin counter, and the upwards angle of his sword, caused Ippei to take a few staggering steps backwards. But Kenshin didn't stop, his sword moved in a wide arc until it had almost formed a complete circle, and was inevitably pointing towards the ground. "Do Ryu Sen!". A cloud of dust, gravel and stone flew towards Ippei as he struggled to take control of his faltering feet's. Instinctively he raised his hands to protect his face as the cloud enveloped him. He could feel the stones pounding against his body, but he stood his ground and managed to stay on his feet. Now he needed to quickly get his guard up, he couldn't afford to let the Battousai through. He lowered his hands to take up his stance. His eyes widened slightly as he found himself looking straightly into the cross scarred face of the Battousai, no more then a few feet away. He was moving forward with his right shoulder towards Ippei, and his sword behind him. His right hand was firmly gripping his sword. "It's over", there was no doubt about it. Ippei knew that he had lost. The moment almost seemed to stop. He could feel the drops of sweat as they poured down his face, the dull pain in his shoulders was now as sharp as a blade, making his body refusing to obey his commands. It just seemed to want to fall apart. His arms started becoming so heavy, and with the added weight of the sword he could barely hold them up. His lungs burned with each breath. With a final powerful stamp of his right foot, the battousai's arm blurred in front of his eyes. "Sou Ryu Sen!" The force of the impact was greater then he could even have imagine. He was certain that is it hadn't been a sakaba-to, it would have cut him in half. He could feel the ribs breaking under the tremendous pressure, the air in his lungs as it was forced out. Then suddenly the sharp pain he had felt in his chest and arms during the entire fight, and the dull throbbing pain as it had been before, suddenly exploded, totally nullifying the pain that the battousai's sword has caused. He couldn't even scream out his pain, all he could do was utter a few faint groans as his body convulsed. Then he slammed hard onto the ground and everything vanished. * * * * Kenshin was hardly even panting after his last attack, his body was so perfectly conditioned that small excursions such as this one was hardly enough to make him sweat. He watched his opponent to see if he would get up. He probably wouldn't since few could handle being hit by even one of the techniques in Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, so three in a row should be more then enough. He might even have gone a little to far.... "You won Kenshin!", Yahiko cheered as he ran up to him grinning, "Of course, we never had any doubts about that". Kenshin just smiled and chuckled softly, Yahiko was always very excited after one of his fights, even though he by now had probably seen more of them then anyone else. "Yahiko?", the young boy turned as he heard Kaorus voice. "Yeah?", he called back. "Come and help me". "But I..", he started. "Just get here!", Kaoru interrupted him. Sullenly he stalked over to Kaoru, who was crouching next to Ippei. "What?", he asked as he reached her side. Kaoru was staring intently at Ippei as he was laying there, sprawled on the hard ground. Her suddenly very pale face had a strange look on it, her eyes where wide and her lips was pressed together so hard that they where nothing more then two white lines. Kaoru glanced over her shoulder towards Kenshin and then lowered her voice, "Get Kenshin home!", she whispered, "Now! Quickly!". "What is.." "Hush!", she whispered harshly, "Lower your voice, don't let him hear you!". She emphasized her point by putting her finger over her mouth. "What is it?", Yahiko whispered and crouched down beside her. Kaoru looked down towards Ippei, she reached out and laid a hand on his back. She once more glanced nervously over her shoulder towards Kenshin. "What's wrong?", Kaorus almost frightened behavior made him feel very uneasy for some reason. "Get Kenshin home", her voice was no longer as firm at it had first been, "Don't talk about this fight, don't say anything to anyone. And if he asks tell him that I help him to a hospital". Her lower lip was starting to tremble slightly. Yahiko could feel a cold fear slowly creeping onto him, "What's wrong?", his voice betrayed far more of his sudden fear then he would have wanted. Kaoru cover her mouth with the hand she hadn't placed on Ippei's back and drew in a shuddering breath, tears was starting to glitter in the corners of her eyes. "He's dead", she said in an unstable voice. Yahiko could feel the blood draining from his face. * * * * "What are they up to?", Kenshin asked himself as he watched his two friends crouching beside Ippei. "Is he alright?", Kenshin called after a little while. They both seemed a bit startled at his question. "Y-yeah", Yahiko stuttered a bit as he spoke, "He's just swell. Wouldn't you be if you got a sword in your side?". It was an effort at a joke, but it came out rather flat. Kenshin started walking towards the two, "Is something wrong?", he asked. They certainly wasn't acting normally. Yahiko spun around and ran up to him, "No no no", he was a bit flustered, "Let's just get on home Kenshin, Kaoru'll take him to a hospital. If we're lucky we can get home and make dinner before she can". He started pushing Kenshin away from where Kaoru sat beside Ippei. "Wait!", Kenshin protested, "I should help her!". He dug in his heals in the ground, refusing to let Yahiko move him an inch. Yahiko put all his weight against Kenshin chest as he pushed. Slowly Kenshin could feel his feet starting to slide across the rough gravel. "Stop it Yahiko!", Kenshin said as he took a stop to his side to go around the boy, "I should help her. She can't carry him be herself". Yahiko quickly caught his arm switched from pushing to pulling. "D-don't Kenshin", his voice was stuttering slightly as he spoke. "Yahiko!", Kenshins voice was much harder this time, "Let go!". Yahiko stared at him, he had never heard such a harsh phrase coming >from Kenshin before. At least not one that was meant for him. It wasn't a threat, that was something Kenshin wouldn't do. But it had a tone of finality to it. With a sigh filled with regret he gave in a let go, his arms falling to his sides as he simply stood there, staring at the ground. Kenshin threw him a slightly worried glance over his shoulder as he approached Kaoru, who was still crouched down beside Ippei. Her back was faced towards Yahiko and himself, so she couldn't see him as walked up to her. "How is he?", Kenshin asked from behind her. Kaorus head snapped up in surprise, her face deathly pale as she stared at him, her eyes wide. "W-w-why.", she started and then directed a look of undisguised anger towards Yahiko. Her face softened slightly as she saw the pained look on his face. "Why don't you go home with Yahiko and start preparing dinner?", she suggested, "And I'll be back as soon as I have seen him to a hospital", her voice had a certain tone of pleading to it. She stood up and reached out to try and push him away, but Kenshin easily side stepped her and crouched down beside Ippei's body as it laid there, face down. "You could have turned him over Kaoru", he accused as he grabbed Ippei's kimono and rolled him over. Ippei's face was contorted into a terrible grin, a grin of deep pain, and it was white as a sheet. His eyes were glazed over, vacant, as they stared up towards the empty sky. His kimono had been loosened as Kenshin turned him, and his chest was now clearly visible. It was covered with small purple bruises with one large, colored in a much darker, almost black, tone of purple, at his right side, across the ribcage. His hands was locked so firmly around his sword that the knuckles was white. Kenshin flew up, staggering back a few step. He pointed mutely at the dead body, his mouth trying to form words that simply wouldn't come. "K-kenshin?", he barely noted Kaoru's trembling voice. He had killed someone, the realization struck him harder then any blow he had ever received had. His mind reeled, making him feel dizzy. This couldn't be happening, it simply couldn't! Bile started to rise in his throat, making his mouth taste sour. Slowly, but irrevocably, he felt the careful restraints he had placed on himself starting to wither away. This was it, he was a hitokiri again. "Kenshin", Kaoru's voice was much closer this time, "It'll be alright", she tried to assure him. But her own frightened and trembling voice gave little of anything. She reached out in what she thought would be a comforting touch. "No....", Kenshin's voice was barely a whisper. Kaoru brought a hand up to his chin, gently stroking her thumb across the skin just bellow his left eye. "Please", her voice was unsteady, "It'll be okay". Kenshin stared at the body, a vast sorrow swept over him. This wasn't suppose to happen, not to him. He had prevailed against Aoshi, Soujiro, Shishio.. the list was long, and he had fought them all without having to turn to the hitokiri for help. He had gone to the brink of death without having to turn to the hitokirir. He had thought that his old nemesis was finally gone.... Silently he walked up to Ippei's body an crouched down beside it. He reached out and felt for a pulse, hoping that it had all been a mistake. "I'm sorry Ippei-dono", there were truly no life in the body before him. Without another word he closed Ippei's eyes for the last time, "At least I learned your name.....". He turned around and started to walk away, only stopping as he walked past Yahiko. "Yahiko", his voice was sad, but it was more an order then anything else, "Here!". He pulled out his sword and sheath from where it had rested and held them out to the surprised boy. "Please take it!". Yahiko couldn't do anything but stare at it, "I c-can't", he finally managed to get out between tightly clenched lips. Kenshins look spoke the same thing as his voice, "Very well", he said and placed the sword at Yahiko's feet's and continued walking, "Take good care of it". "I'm going back home", he called over his shoulder. Yahiko stared at the sword by his feet for a long time before he silently bent down and picked it up. The weight was familiar, at least the physical weight was, but the added weight to it almost made him drop it. His hand shook as he stood there, mouth gaping, with the sword tightly gripped in his hands. "Kaoru.", he started, turning towards his teacher in search of guidance, hope or just a simple helping hand in holding onto the sword. It wasn't that it was hard to hold on to, his hands had hold the sword before. It was the implications of what it meant, the way Kenshin had looked at him when he had handed him the sword, how he had simply discarded by his feet, that was the real burden. He no longer needed it, no longer capable of restraining himself from killing. His eyes were pleading as the sought out Kaoru's. Kaoru's shoulders was slumped in defeat, her face hidden behind her hands with tears streaming down her face. She knew it just as well as Yahiko. They had lost him.. * * * * Kenshin thought about what he was going to do now, as he walked towards the Kamiya dojo. He hardly noticed anyone on the busy street as he numbly walked onwards. His side, where he had always kept his sword, ached for the presence of his comforting companion. During the years that he had owned the sword it had become more then just a simple sword to him, it was a symbol of his pledge. Even when it had been destroyed by Soujiro, the new sword had instantly slipped into the morals that his previous sword had stood for. Non killing, protect the weak..... How hollow those words seemed to him now. A continued on towards the dojo, passing the Akabeko without even noticing Tae out in front of the resturant greeting him. Neither did he take any notice of greetings from local people who all adored and looked up to him. Not as the Hitokiri Battousai, but as Himura Kenshin. Could he stay here? Could he still protect these people? Will they instead fear me now as the Battousai.... He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he felt in his heart that that was the truth. No matter how much he had helped them during the time since he came to the Kamiya Dojo, this would spread like wildfire. Before he knew it, he would have become the Battousai in the eyes of the people. He hardly even noticed, and almost walked past the dojo as he pondered about his own future. The doors quietly slid open and closed behind him. He stopped in the yard for a few minutes, taking in everything he could see. Trying to bring back some happy memories >from everything. For the first time he realized just how many memories he had in this place, almost all happy. Without a word he turned his steps towards the training hall. The training hall was silent as he entered, the floor neatly polished. Kenshin managed a small smile as he guessed Yahiko took some pride in that floor although he loudly complained every time Kaoru made him clean it. He walked over to the wooden tablets hanging on the wall. There were only two there, on for Yahiko and one for Yutaro. Yutaro..... His memories slipped back towards the young boy, who had already grown into a man. Again Kenshin's lips formed a smile as he remembered Yahiko's last word to the boy, as they parted for the last time. "You're the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu Medical Section" Kenshin chuckled to himself. Turning away from the tablets he continued towards the small altar at the far end of the training hall. But he came to a stop as he saw a series of planks with a slightly different shade then the others. Kenshin knew the reason very well. "I didn't say I wanted the Battousai to stay! I said I wanted the Rurouni to stay". Those planks had replaced those that had been ruined the day he had first met Kaoru, when he had ruined the floor by smashing Gohei right through it with one stroke. That day Kaoru had said that she didn't care about his past, only who he was now. With a deep sigh he walked up to the altar and sat down in front of it, his legs crossed infront of him and his hands in his lap. * * * * "Oi! Onna!", Sano called out over his shoulder as Ayame pulled at his hand to make him go faster, "I never said you had to tag along!". Megumi sniffed at him while carrying a sleeping Suzume, "Who said I came along for your sake. I'm visiting Ken-san! You just happened to be going at the same time". Sano snorted to himself and muttered, "Yeah right, you just wanna make me miserable", while stumbling forward a few steps as Ayame yanked at his arm. "Oi! Slow down Ayame!", he finally called out, "We're no in any hurry". "I wanna see Ken-nii!", she pouted. Sano laughed a little and lifted the suddenly giggling little girl onto his shoulder. "Don't worry, Ken-nii will always be here". "Unless mister 'no brains all brawn' here drags him of to some other foolish escapade", Megumi commented with a smirk, as Suzume slept in her arms with her head leaning against her chin, "ne, Ayame?". "Uh hu", Ayame nodded her agreement. "Oi!", Sano growled playfully causing Ayame to giggle even more, it even brought a smile to Megumi's lips. "If you'd only be a little more like Ken-san", Megumi said with a mock sigh. "Oro....", Sano did his best to sound like Kenshin sending Ayame into another fit of giggling. The small group continued down the road, laughing and giggling as they went. * * * * "Kaoru?", Yahiko asked a bit tentatively, "What are we gone do now?". The two of them silently waked down the road. "Kaoru?", Yahiko tried again after a few moments of silence. "How should I know?", Kaoru finally snapped back at him. Yahiko jerked back a bit at the unexpected intensity of her reply. "I'm sorry", Kaoru continued after a few more moments of silence, "but I really don't know". They had called, and explained everything to the police. The chief and gotten a sad look on his face as she had told him that Kenshin had killed him. It was a duel, so no one considered it to be a murder. The chief had said that no matter how sorry he felt for Ippei, he felt many times more sorry for Kenshin. His worst nightmare had just suddenly become a reality. Both their thought was interrupted as they ran into Sano and Megumi not far from the dojo. "Jou-chan!", Sano called out, "Yahiko!", not really noticing the looks on their faces. Megumi was much more observant. "What's wrong?", she asked. There was a long moment of silence as the group continued towards the Kamiya dojo. "It's Kenshin", Yahiko finally managed, "He got another challenged". "WHAT!", Sano eyes suddenly lit up, "And he left me behind?", he roared. "No", Yahiko said while staring at his feet, "It's nothing like that. He's still here, he just went back to the dojo alone". "Then what?", Megumi asked. Her voice starting to betray the worry behind them. "He died....", Kaoru whispered. Sano stopped dead in his tracks, gaping at Kaoru. "What?", his face had turned pale. "Kenshin killed him". Sano lifted Ayame from his shoulders and gently put her down on the ground. Without a word he took of running as fast as he could the remaining way to the dojo. * * * * "Kenshin!" Slowly Kenshin opened his eyes and glanced over his shoulder, away >from the altar where he had been meditating, towards the main door of the training hall and the tall dark figure standing in it. There was a long awkward silence as Kenshin and Sano watched each other from either side of the training hall. "I heard about the fight", Sano finally broke the silence, "You're not planing on doing anything crazy are you?". Kenshin turned his head back towards the altar, his eyes finally resting on the face of the idol on top of the altar. "I don't know", he admitted. "You better not disappear like the last time...". "I said I don't know". Kenshin could hear the faint rustling of cloth as Sano discarded his shoes by the door and walked into the training hall. His wrapped feet made little sound as he walked across the dojo floor and slumped down next to Kenshin, eyeing him nervously. "Come on Kenshin", he tried, "What good would it do? Leaving everything behind?". Kenshin turned his eyes towards his friends face. It had the same calm, almost carefree, look it always had, except for his eyes. No matter how hard things got, Sano had always been able to see a streak of the hard determination of his friend in his eyes. Now all he could see was fatigue. "I said I don't know", Kenshin repeated for the third time, "I will do what ever I think is best for everyone". Sano watched him as he turned back to the altar, closed his eyes and resumed his meditation. Even though there wasn't much change on the outside, Sano could feel the oncoming change on the inside. "I'll be outside", he said as he stood up. Kenshin didn't reply. * * * * "How is he?", Megumi asked as Sano quietly closed the door to the training hall. "I'm not sure", he replied, "He wouldn't answer me. He wants to be alone". "What's he going to do?" "He wouldn't tell me". "Well, what...." "DAMMIT!", Sano snapped, "I don't know! He wouldn't tell me anything!" "I'm sorry", Megumi directed her eyes towards the ground. Sano just sighed and slumped down on the porch. "Nah, it's okay", he started, "Guess we're all a bit jumpy right now". Megumi managed a faint smile. "I'm worried though", Sano admitted, "He's just sitting in there by the altar". "Maybe he's trying to get some perspective on what's happened", Megumi offered, "It's a huge thing to deal with, especially for him". "Maybe.... But I'm worried what he'll do when he comes out". Megumi watched him quietly for a while. "How about you?", she asked, "How are you?". "Me?", Sano was a bit confused by her question. Megumi walked over hand sat down next to him. "How are you feeling?", she looked him straight in his eyes. Sano was a bit taken back by this sudden concern for him, but he had to admit to himself, no matter how their relationship was, that he was glad for her presence. "It hurts", he said after a long silence, "He's done so much for us. He's saved all of us from something, and now he's the one that needs to be saved". "And there's nothing we can do for him", Megumi agreed. "Makes you feel kinda helpless", he said, "doesn't it". Megumi didn't answer, she just slipped her small hand into his much larger and gave it an encouraging squeeze. Sano looked at her hand in his for a while before he closed his hand and gave her a squeeze back. They both sat there in silence, hands looked. * * * * Yahiko stood silently before the neatly folded futon that Kenshin used. He was still holding the sakaba-to in his hands. He stood there for a long time before he laid the sword on top of the folded futon, a place where Kenshin usually placed it when he was doing chores around the dojo, and slipped out of the room. * * * * The night came quickly, much more so then anyone at the dojo would have wanted. But not matter how much they wanted to halt time, it went on without paying any attention to their concern. Kenshin still hadn't come out of the training hall .... A small group was standing in the main doorway to the dojo. Megumi was carrying Suzume, just as she had earlier that day, and Sano carried Ayame on his shoulders. The little girls head was tilted forward, her chin resting on top of Sano's head and her hands gripping two hand full of his hair. Sano, didn't seem to care, although he did grin at times as the little girl accidentally yanked his hair. Both girls were sound asleep. "I wonder if he's still meditating?", Megumi asked, once again cradling the sleeping Suzume to her chest. She stirred a little in her sleep, and Megumi brought a hand up and gently smoothed the little girls hair. All eyes turned towards the training hall. "Are you sure we shouldn't stay up and wait for him?", Kaoru had been a point of breakdown the entire day. Her eyes were red and there where dark tear marks under them. Yahiko reached up and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "C'mon Kaoru", he said, "You really need a rest. You should see the way you look". "I guess you're right", she admitted. She did feel exhausted. "It's been a long day for everyone", Sano said as he turned around and started walk out through the open door, "We need some sleep. Megumi and I'll be back tomorrow. We'll work this out, you'll see". They said their goodbye as Megumi and Sano slipped away in the dark. Yahiko and Kaoru watched them go for a while before the to went to their different rooms and prepared for the night. * * * * Inside the dojo the darkness was almost so thick that it was almost like a solid wall. Kenshin had quickly realized that keeping his eyes closed or opened didn't make much of a difference, he couldn't see his hand a few inches away from his face anyway. He had listened to the activities out side, Megumi's and Sano's short discussion, everything that had happened during the day. And finally Megumi and Sano leaving. He had been waiting for this. He listened carefully as Yahiko and Kaoru prepared their beds. He could soon hear the faint snoring as Yahiko fell asleep. But he couldn't hear anything from Kaoru. He waited for quite a long time before he quietly stood up and walked up to the door that out of the training hall that was closest to Kaoru's room and slip it open. The yard was faintly illuminated by the full moon that hung far above him, shining like a polished coin. He watched it silently for a few seconds before he walked up the Kaoru's room and slip the door open, just enough to get a small view of the room. Kaoru was stretched out on her futon, her cover drawn up to her chin. He could see her chest slowly rising and descending as she slept. He slip the door open enough for him to slip through and closed the door behind him. His feet made little sound as he walked up to Kaoru and crouched down beside her. "Kaoru-dono", he whispered as he gently smoothed down her hair. Even though the only light available was that from the moon, he could still see the blackened streaks beneath her eyes. Her sleep seemed restless and plagued by bad dreams as she moaned in her sleep, tossing slightly. "Kaoru-dono", he whispered again. Kaoru stirred slightly in her sleep. Still half asleep she opened her eyes and blinked at him, she was so exhausted that her mind hardly registered what was happening. "Kaoru-dono", Kenshin whispered a third time as he kept smoothing down her hair, while being careful not to fully wake Kaoru, "Everything's going to be alright", he whispered. Although he hardly thought she even heard him, she content smile spread across her lips, as she relaxed. He bent down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, and as he withdrew he hesitated and bent back down and placed one on her lips as well. Kaoru snuggled her cover closer as Kenshin kept smoothing her hair. She quickly fell into a deep sleep, one that this time didn't seem to be haunted by bad dreams. After that Kenshin stood up and left the room, careful not to wake her up. Outside the moon was still casting an eerie glow across the yard. Hardly strong enough to really see anything, but at least allowing one to avoid any larger obstacles. Next he checked in on Yahiko. He slid the door open a bit and watched boy from the door. Judging from the loud snoring, he didn't think the boy had any real problem sleeping. He closed the door and went to his own room. He wasn't very surprised to find his sword there, he had guessed that Yahiko would try to give it back to him. He sat down by the bundle of cloth that was his own futon, and lifted the sword of it. Holding it infront of himself and drew it out a few inches and eyed the blade as is gleamed in the moonlight. It was a trusted friend, but just as Kaoru, Yahiko and the others, it was now something he couldn't keep. He had been a fool to think that it would last. He pushed the sword back into the saya and laid it back down on his futon and stood up. Without and further thought he left the room. Walking with determined steps he walked towards the dojo entrance and opened it. He threw one last glance over his shoulders before he disappeared out onto the road outside the dojo. He quickly walked through the city and out of it. He kept on walking until he came up on the top of a hill overlooking the city that looked quite small beneath him. He looked back towards the city which he for a long time now had called home. It looked so peaceful. He could just, at least he thought he could, make out the Kamiya Dojo. "Gomen ", he said quietly, "but I can't stay. Not anymore". He turned around and walked away. All around him the leaves on the trees were slowly starting to change color. The green color had almost totally been replaced by a rusty red color that almost made it look as if though the entire forest was on fire. Kenshin stopped for a few moments to watch a few leaves slowly floating down towards the ground, swaying back and fourth in the light breeze. "Summer's over", he told no one but the trees. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, well..... that is, as they say, it! Did ya like it? I certainly hope you did...... It took some time to write! If you want to send me some feedback, please do so to m801tts@hem2.passagen.se Some explanations to stuff: Kishiro Ippei So who is this guy anyway..... well, to be honest..... The name Ippei comes from one of my martial arts instructors. A guy with black belt in several martial arts, a pretty cool guy! ^_^ And you should know where Kishiro comes from....... (duh! The author of Battle Angle Alita... does that ring a bell?) I don't want to tell you to much about this guy. Because I might do another story to continue this one. But that depends on some information I need to get first. Even a blind man does sometimes find light in his darkness This phrase is the favorite saying of my Ippei-sensei. The meaning of it is kinda that no matter how much you may dislike a quality of yourself, or one of your ablilities, you might just find that it'll sometimes be very valuable to you. In the case of Kenshin, I'd say it means that no matter how many he has killed, and how much he regrets it. It does prove that he is indeed very strong, which enables him to be very sure of his own abilities. This might sound arrogant, which is a quality which you'll probably not find in Kenshin. But if you watch the series, you'll find several places where his comments are very similar, proving that he does know of his own strength, thus making him very sure of himself in a fight. Kisetsuhazure This means end of season, and if you read the final monologue that Kenshin has, you should understand why I called it that. There's also some deeper meaning to it. To spell it out for you, I compared Kenshin's at the dojo as the 'Summer', thus when he leaves... summer ends (Pretty logic... huh?:) and autum sets in... It's a pretty graphical way of describing it but I think it works well. And don't give me any trouble 'bout the name! Me and a buddie argued over it for more then three hours..... That's all.... Cya in the next fic! ^_^ _______________________________________________________________________ VeritaS / Renegades (fredrik.lundgren@mbox302.swipnet.se) UIN:4213748 http://home6.swipnet.se/~w-67585/anime.html (VeritaS Anime Mod archive) _______________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Star Wars fans are using ONElist to share the fun. http://www.onelist.com Are you?