Subject: [kenshinfanfics] T.A.THE FINALE!!!!! Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 14:42:17 -0700 From: Mihoshi Reply-To: kenshinfanfics@makelist.com To: kenshinfanfics@makelist.com ALRIGHT!! YES YES YES!! Now I can breath again. After this it's the final chapter and then I'm done!! I need critism!! I NEED editing!! I need to BREATH! I know therez about a ZILLION mistakes and about a KADRILLION ways of doing some partz better! So spill your gutz out, I'm ready. ^_^ Angels Arise The red irises of Battousai pierced the night air as he examined his sword for any traces of blood. He had just finished licking away the remains of the dead man's blood. A tingling copper taste travelled across his taste buds, bringing him deep pleasure. But it wasn't enough. He needed more. Battousai smiled, his lips curving in to a lop sided grin. More people were coming. Four of them. A tingling sensation enveloped his stomach. Kill Kill them all. He licked his lips with a blood stained tongue. The group stopped a couple of feet away. Battousai watched them with greedy, prestilent eyes. He turned his body towards them, the light black fabric blowing in the night breeze. Kaoru saw the craziness that played across his face as the harsh wind blew across the empty dock. Her face was blessed with false courage but her insides were twisting like a wrung out shirt. Kenshin, Battousai, and Hitokiri Battousai. The power of all three, rolled into one body. She clutched her sword with trembling hands. Sanosuke walked up beside her. "We have to be careful. This is the man that killed Saitoh Hajime." Yahiko lowered his eyes. Megumi closed her eyes and lowered her head. Kaoru stepped forward. "Please let me handle this." "Oui, Jo-chan!! You can't be serious!" "Kaoru!" "There is no way I'm letting you go!" Kaoru looked at her friends, her expression soft and glowing. Her family. "I want to talk to him. I know that Kenshin is in there somewhere." She began walking towards the grinning Samurai. Sanosuke was going to follow when he felt a hand on his arm. Megumi looked up at him with sad eyes. "Sanosuke...this situation is out of our hands. Let Kaoru talk to him, there's nothing else we can do....." He looked out at the deck. "If he touches Jo-chan, I'm gonna..." "Shhhhh....." Megumi held his hand and put her other hand on Yahiko's shoulder. "Don't worry, everything is going to be fine." she whispered. Kaoru stood infront of the possessed man, her cool calm eyes betraying the fear she felt. He looked at her with a gruesome expression. "You will be my second sacrifice." Kaoru felt shivers coursing through her veins. She stood her ground, shaking her head. "There was a time when you weren't like this." The flame haired man smiled, amused. "Are you trying to stall." Kaoru breathed a shaky breath. "Maybe I am." Laughter, insane laughter. Kaoru felt it all around her. "You have great confidence, I will enjoy this." He threw his sword aside and smiled another insane grin. "I'll tear you apart with my bare hands." There was nothing on his mind except murder. "No, I won't let you. Kenshin is in there somewhere, and I'm not going to let you use his body to kill any longer" Taunting laughter was heard once again. Kaoru clutched her sword protectively, feeling her head take on the spinning of a lifetime. His bellows subsided into another maniac grin. "But don't you see, I am Kenshin. His dark soul is what gave birth to me. I am his shadow, I follow him everywhere and I grow with him. He was a dumb fuck to think he could escape me, no man can escape his shadow." "No, Kenshin did escape you" Kaoru's ocean eyes shone with resolve. "He has saved so many lives. He has made lifelong friends. No matter how much guilt he has, to me he is the purest angel on the face of the planet." That seemed to strike the man. He spat out bloody saliva, eyes flashing violently as his lips curled back into a snarl. He was pissed. "Shut up bitch!! I know how dirty and tainted he is! I can feel the bitterness in his heart, the venom flowing through his veins. He fought for the freedom of Japan but everyone still glares at him, still calls him cold blooded. The world has turned him down over and over again and I have always been there with him." His eyes shone bloody murder. "I CAN"T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!" An animal scream escaped his lips. He leapt at Kaoru with swiftness that was blinding. Hard knuckles dug into Kaoru's belly and she screamed as her stomach exploded on fire. She reeled back in the air and was caught by an angered Sanosuke. This was getting personal. Sanosuke lowered Kaoru to the ground. Megumi knelt at her side, eyes wide. "Kaoru!!" Yahiko scrambled up beside her and was shaking her shoulders. "Kaoru, you ok??" Tears.... painful tears trickled down her flushed cheeks. She choked up her breaths in painful coughs. Kenshin had hit her. Sanosuke was all flared up. The monster had hit his Jo-chan.... "BASTARD!!!!" Sanosuke ran up the dock. The scream barely had time to penetrate his lungs before Sanosuke was on him, rolling on the ground with the murderer that killed Saitoh Hajime. Eyes in flames he toppled over the smaller man and had his fist back. The red haired man looked up at him in alarm. "THIS IS FOR JO-CHAN!!" Sanosuke bought his bony knuckles down, the scarred Samurai flipped his body over and dodged the fist just in time to see the wooden plank split in two. The possessed Samurai was behind him in a moment, his elbows ripped across Sanosuke's spinal cord with emense power. Sanosuke cursed loudly as he hit the ground with a loud crash. The man stood above him, his eyes pulsing with crimson fire. Sanosuke spun around on his hands and kicked the Samurai's legs, the Samurai fell on his hand and flipped over on to his feet. Fuck, this bastard got three times the speed Kenshin had. Sanosuke jumped to his feet and propelled his fist forward. "KURAEI!!!" The man jumped onto Sanosuke's fist just as Sanosuke released his Futaei no Kiwami. Sanosuke's eyes widened. What the fuck?? Just like the time with Enishi. He looked up in time to eat some knuckle. Sanosuke fell to the floor and quickly jumped up as the Samurai landed on the planks before him. The man leapt full speed and caught Sanosuke in the stomach, Sanosuke skidded backwards. Mouth emptying vital fluids, he landed in a fury of leaves as his back smacked against a tree. "Sanosuke!!!" Megumi was running up to him as the blood continued to pour out of his lips. "Sanosuke!!" It was no good, his mouth was too busy flooding to speak. Megumi was sobbing as she fumbled with her medicine case. Yahiko had stayed back with Kaoru but was watching the whole thing with alarmed eyes. Megumi tilted his heard upwards, Sanosuke screamed out in pain. A distant snap was heard. Megumi's eyes widened in horror. "Sanosuke..your neck..." The back of his neck was bruised up in a sickening blue and purple. Sanosuke breathed noisily. "I can't...I can't move my neck..." Megumi drew in a couple shaky breaths as the tears flowed from her like a flooded well. She reached up and snapped two branches from the tree. Trembling, she began applying the sticks to the front and back of his neck. Trying her best to ignore the agonising shrieks of the fallen fighter. She rolled a bandage around the sticks and neck, fastening it together. Sanosuke moved to get up, neck screaming sharp protests. Megumi grabbed his sleeves. "No you don't!! You're not going anywhere!" "...Hafta..save Kenshin.." he muttered before another pang clamped his mouth close. He staggered to stand but fell back down as the pain shot up his throat. Megumi helped him to the ground. "If you get hit one more time, you'll break your neck ...." Megumi sucked in a fiery breath. ".....Sanosuke...you'll die..." Yahiko's eyes widened in pure dread. Sanosuke...die? Kaoru was breathing hard, knees on the ground, torso pushed over her stomach. Still in shock, she didn't even know or see anything. Yahiko heard faint footsteps and realised that he was still after Sanosuke. Kenshin was going to kill Sanosuke. Yahiko gritted his teeth. There was no way he was going to let Sanosuke die. Yahiko drew in breaths thick with fear..and ran. "YAMERO!!!!!" The scarred Samurai stopped as the young boy skidded to a halt infront of him. The boy stood there, eyes wide open with terror, small hands holding a flimsy wooden sword. Possessed eyes stared down him with insane madness, Yahiko couldn't help but feel his courage slip away..... No, not now. Weakness was not an option. "You're not touching him!!" The words boomed with false confidence. The Samurai cocked his head to the side, his anger showed plainly on his shadowed face. "Boy, I'm gonna kill you if you don't get out of my way." Yahiko felt his knees failing him. He returned the words with a cold stare. "Let's see you try it." Yahiko swung his blade as the Samurai bolted at him. Dodging easily, the Samurai lodged his foot into Yahiko's ribs. Yahiko's compact body shot across the dock and crashed against a wooden post. Blood spewed out of his lips. Yahiko screamed in agony, cold blackness was threatening to swallow him whole. He stood up, vision swirling with flashes of white. One hand on his shoulder, he limped his way back to the possessed Samurai. Slowly and painfully. The Samurai looked at him with angry crimson irises. Yahiko stood infront of him, panting madly. "No...you..don't.." Broken sword held infront, he challenged the Samurai again. The scarred man couldn't help but grin. He would definitely kill the boy, but first, he wanted to wipe the Spiky headed bitch off the planet. Drawing his fist back, the Samurai bounded forward. He smacked him in the pressure point. Yahiko staggered forward like a hung over drunk, before collapsing on the floor. His last combat had been in vain. The Samurai looked up and started towards the tree. Megumi opened her eyes in terror as she watched the scarred man approach him. Sanosuke tried to get up but another painful crack was heard. He staggered and then fell back down, Megumi helped him to the ground. Sanosuke choked up a mouthful of blood. "....Megumi...he's after me....you..hafta get away...." Megumi huddled against his body. Sanosuke grimaced. "Megumi...go...leave....he's only..after me..." "No, I'm not leaving you!!" She sobbed. The footsteps growing nearer as they spoke. A woman was always stronger when she was in love. "If you die..we'll go together." She would face death with him. Sanosuke ignored the sharp pain that seared his back and collected the crying woman into his arms. His blood splattered her kimono. The one woman he loved and he couldn't even protect her. His blood mixed with the tears on her face. There was no more hope. He held her tighter and began to weep with her. Saitoh, I'll be joining you soon.. ********************************* Blackness. A figure lay crouched, pale arms hugging her knees to her chest. 'You're the only in the world that can save him from his own guilt.' No, I never save him. He always has to save me..... Ocean waves, an ebony angel. 'No matter how many obstacles come between you two..' He's gone. Kenshin's gone. 'You must always keep faith.' No hope. It's over. 'Himuura-san truly loves you.' No one could love me. Numb. Kaoru felt the coldness seep right to her bones. The walls of black seemed to be jumping out at her, but she didn't care anymore. She was so tired. The icy winds played with her, whispering soft words in her ear. 'Go to sleep.' 'Disappear forever.' Kaoru surrendered herself to the gentle voices, mind and body relaxing. Sleep. She came so close to it, when she heard a mad shriek like gun fire. Startled, she jumped up and landed on a vast meadow of grass. Grass? The sun was shining, the skies stretched blue over the wide horizons. A soft crash or water smashing against a sandy shoreline caught her ears. She turned towards the sound and found nothing but green. Then something else caught her ear. Over on the other side of a hill.. Somebody was crying. A voice filled with such agony it made her heart flutter. Kaoru made way through the grassy meadow, curious but frightened. The cries grew louder as she climbed a soft mound of grass. A flash of red hair caught her eyes. "Kenshin?" The little boy looked up at her with puffy violet eyes. His innocent face was all dirty with dirt and tears, there was no scar on his right cheek. Kaoru stared at him baffled. "Kenshin?" The boy looked at her confused. Then he stood up and wiped the dirt off his face, which really caused it to smear more. Kaoru couldn't help but smile. "I'm Shinta." his voice responded shyly. He held out a small dirty hand which Kaoru took in her own. He cocked his head to the side like most little kids do when they meet somebody. "What's your name?" "Kaoru." The boy smiled. "Your name sounds like what the crows say." Kaoru chuckled softly. The boy's grin broadened. Suddenly another shriek thundered the air. Kaoru realised it was the same voice that bought her here. Shinta pulled his hand out of her grasp and ran. "Shinta!!" He was fast for a young boy, he had disappeared into a sudden dark forest that had appeared out of nowhere. Kaoru ran after him. Just as she stepped in to the forest, the scene had faded away to a small clearing surrounded by low shrubs. In the middle, lay a bloody figure. Golden, reddish hair sprawled around the girl's head like a broken spider web. Shinta's small hands were on her face, patting it with his now blood stained hands. Kaoru stepped forward and looked in to the wide blue eyes of the dead woman. Shinta looked at her, innocence awashed in blood. "Daddy's friends killed mommy." "They killed her coz she was different." Kaoru watched as Shinta broke into sobs. She knelt down before the woman and closed her blue eyes with a trembling hand. She was barely eighteen, a beautiful Gaijin that had been murdered in cold blood. Just because she was different. The scene faded away to another time. It was the man she knew, cross scar on his face as he travelled the streets of a distant town. Everybody looked at him with anger. The man stopped and looked at the town people. His big violet eyes regarded them with regret and sorrow. Then he turned and walked away, but not before a young villager rushed infront of him, face screwed up in anger. "You can't stay here!!" The wanderer stopped. The man shouted directly in his face. "You are working for the devil himself! That hair, those eyes." The villager narrowed his eyes. "It's not normal! You must be a devil worshiper!!" Around them the crowd was getting all fired up. "Oni!" "ONI!!" "Leave us alone!!" "Go put your curse on some other town!!" Kaoru felt tears well up her eyes as she watched the crowd fall in on the helpless wanderer. Just because he was different. The world was black again. The sound of ocean waves lulled beside her. Kaoru wept bitter tears. Inside, her heart was still registering the dismal scenes that had played before her. It wasn't fair. Why was all these blasted agonies heaped on Kenshin's shoulders? "All through his life, there was no love." That voice. Kaoru spun around to face a woman glowing in soft whiteness. "Not even I...." Tomoe held out a transparent hand. "Give him the love he needs." The ebony angel faded away. "Please." Those final words echoed in the blackness like a broken record. Shinta, Battousai, and Kenshin. He was waiting for her. This time she would save him. The ocean waves grew louder. "KENSHIN!!!" The scarred Samurai turned away from the huddled couple just in time to get knocked off his feet. Kaoru grabbed his stomach and together they rolled across the dock. The Samurai growled and pinned her hands to the ground. Kaoru screamed as his finger nails dug into her burning flesh. She gritted her death and stared up into the dark blood-eyes of the possessed Samurai. The yellow moon hovered over them like a menacing spotlight. Beside them, the katana glinted. In a quick motion the Samurai plucked the sword from the wooden planks. A second later the tip was at Kaoru's throat. "Crazy bitch." Kaoru stared at him with undaunted eyes. She was going to embrace her fears. To gain her love. 'Don't fear the reaper.' She finally understood those words. It was an omen. If she fell under Kenshins sword, he would be lost to the reaper forever. And that was meant to be...she knew it. Kaoru was up against fate. She was the last step in the Blood Bind. She drew in a shaky breath. "A sword is a killing weapon. When you use a sword that is what it becomes." The red eyes flinched slightly, she felt the sharp steel prick her neck. Kaoru raised her voice. "No matter how many words you use to cover that, that is the truth." She smiled. "But over the truth...I believe in Kaoru-dono's honest ways." A vacant expression had crept across his face as the words were said. He looked uncertain. Kaoru pressed on. "I'm not asking for Battousai to stay, I'm asking for the wanderer to stay." Kaoru played the memories, bit by bit, word for word. "Welcome home Kenshin." "But...I want to be with Kenshin forever." She placed a trembling hand on his cold cheek. His eyes widened as she caressed his scar. "I love you too..." "Kenshin." "AUHHHHHAAHH!!" He threw the sword aside and clutched his head with ripping fingernails. Flickers of violet flames flashed against the pulsing crimson. Something was tearing him apart from inside. Kaoru scrambled to her knees, and watched as he battled himself. There was nothing else she could do but sit and watch. The flames, the blood coloured flames seared his body. Explosions of bright red and white were flashing across his eyes. It was the end, his body couldn't take it anymore. Something was trying to tear his guts out. Kenshin. How could a man try to kill his own shadow? The scarred man ripped at his hair with bloody fingers. "YAMERO!!!!" The howling was drowned out by the loud beating of his heart. It beat louder and louder. The shadow realised he was sinking back in. No, he was dying. Kenshin wanted life so bad, he was willing to kill a part of himself. "NOOOO!!" The searing flames. The flashes of colour. The beating of his heart. ************************** Kenshin landed on the deck with a hard thud, his body screaming with physical agony. The pain seemed to heighten for a moment and, all of a sudden... It dissapeared. He didn't try to surpress the surprise on his face when he saw the two figures standing over him. Tomoe and Kiyosato. Arm in arm. Thier transparent bodies were glowing moonbeans as they stood there and smiled at him. And then they disappeared as suddenly as the pain did. Then something began to happen.... Something felt funny on his face. "Kenshin!!" Kaoru grabbed his shoulders and looked at him with bottomless blue eyes. She gasped. "Kenshin,...your scar!" Kenshin moved his fingers to his face and probed the skin. He was surprised to find smooth skin. No indent, no ragged lines. No traces of the cross scar. He had been given his second chance. Kaoru looked down at Kenshin's face and smiled. Warm violet eyes greeted her. She began to cry. Kenshin was back. "Kaoru-dono...." He cupped her face with cold trembling hands. Tears trickled down his cheeks. "It was horrible....I was going to kill you...And then I was going to kill everyone else.." His voice quivered with sorrow. "I was the Grim Reaper." Kaoru smiled. "No.." she held his head to her heart and spilled warm tears on his face. " ...you're my Tattered Angel." End- Part XII MWA HA HA!! Okey, tell me where I screwed up! Therez one more to go and then itz finished! Bare with moi.....^_^ About the Saitoh part. I've decided that, this is my story and even though personally I didn't want him to die, it works into my storyline. So it stays. Sorry to all Saitoh fans and other ppl that didn't want him dead. Death is a reality that ppl can't escape. (Not even in a fic!!) -Mihoshi "Cognito erguem. I think therefore.....I am." ---- Read this list on the Web at http://www.makelist.com/list/kenshinfanfics/ To unsubscribe, email to kenshinfanfics-unsubscribe@makelist.com To subscribe, email to kenshinfanfics-subscribe@makelist.com -- Start a FREE E-Mail List at http://www.makelist.com !