From: "Sakka-chan" Hi minna-san! Here's Chapter 19... it's a little rough around the edges, but it'll do for now... ^_~ If there are any glaring errors, please don't hesitate to point them out... my eyes are crossing after 10 straight hours of writing. @_@ For new readers, the previous 18 chapters can be found at http://www2.netcom.com/~sakka/times.htm Abbreviated disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin isn't mine... I'm just doing this for fun, not for profit! However, original characters like Unmei are mine... so if you want to use them, please ask nicely first... ^_^ Feedback is always welcome... you can reply to the list or directly to sakka@ix.netcom.com However, be warned -- this fic meddles with what some fans seem to consider the tried-and-true romantic pairings in Rurouni Kenshin. So... if you positively hate fics that don't follow that mold (i.e., Aoshi & Misao, Sano & Megumi... get the idea? ^_~) you probably don't want to read this one! Having said that, I hope those who do read it keep an open mind and enjoy the story! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- < > - denotes thoughts * * - denotes emphasis // // - denotes flashback dialogue Chapter 19 -- Reckonings, Part 2 Megumi gently wiped the last of the crusted blood off Misao's face with the damp rag Tatsuya had handed her. "There, Misao-chan... now you look more like yourself, except for those bruises," she said, dropping the soiled cloth back in the basin. The doctor wiped her hands on her smock as she continued gently scolding the unconscious girl. "Really, what were you thinking, fighting that cruel, evil man by yourself? You should have at least brought that baka tori with you... what he lacks in brains, he makes up for in muscle." Tatsuya couldn't help smiling briefly at Megumi's one-sided dialogue as he tucked the heavy blanket around their patient. "Her temperature seems normal again, Megumi-sensei," he said. "Which means her internal organs are likely undamaged, ne?" "Probably," Megumi said, frowning as she felt Misao's forehead. "Still, I want to keep an eye on her. If there is anything else wrong with her, it will show up in the next day or so." "I'll be happy to --" Tatsuya began, but he was interrupted by a low moan from Misao. She shifted, her eyelids flickering open. "Me... gu... mi... sensei?" she murmured groggily. "Sano?" Megumi and Tatsuya exchanged worried glances. The doctor rested her hand lightly on Misao's head, saying -- "Misao-chan, please go back to sleep. You need your rest after everything you've been through." Misao tried to rise, but Tatsuya gently restrained her. "Listen to Megumi-sensei, Makimachi-san... you're not well..." A few tears slipped from Misao's eyes as she glanced around the room. "Where's Sano?" she said, her voice trembling with anxiety. "I need to see him... tell him..." Megumi gritted her teeth. "Misao-chan," Megumi said, brushing the girl's damp bangs out of her eyes. "Sanosuke isn't here right now. He told me to tell you he's keeping his promise to you." Misao's reaction was the exact opposite of what Megumi had hoped for. She sat bolt upright, her face contorting in pain, and cried -- "No, no, no! That's not what I wanted at all! He's *such* an idiot! I have to find him..." She lurched out of bed... and promptly collapsed on the floor, trembling violently. Megumi muttered something about stubborn, quick-tempered weasels as she and Tatsuya lifted Misao off the floor and put her back into bed. "You don't understand," Misao sobbed as Megumi tucked the blanket tightly around her again. "Toushi is a killer... he doesn't care... it was bad enough when Aoshi-sama... now Sano, too... it's not fair..." Misao clenched her eyes and jaw tightly, trying to compose herself. She turned her head away from Megumi's grave, sympathetic face, feeling her tears slip onto the pillow. ..................... Sano hurdled the doujou's back gate, skidding to a halt by the laundry-tub. His eyes narrowed as he saw a wet, soapy diaper hanging over its edge. He heard the sound of voices coming from around the front of the doujou. As he rounded the corner of the building, his suspicions were confirmed. Aoshi and Toushi stood facing each other, swords drawn.... and Kenshin stood on the porch, watching them with one hand on the hilt of his sakabatou and a grim look on his face. Sano approached him warily, waiting until he'd caught Kenshin's eye before hopping up onto the porch. "Well, that was easy," Sano said, pitching his voice so only Kenshin could hear him. "I was gonna ask you to help me track these guys... didn't think they'd end up here." Kenshin didn't reply. Sano swallowed and continued gamely -- "Been a long time since I've seen you this pissed. That bastard didn't threaten Jou-chan or Kintou, did he?" "If he had," Kenshin said, keeping his eyes on the swordsmen, "he wouldn't be standing right now." Sano thought, shuddering inwardly. "Right," he said, turning to watch the combatants. Toushi gritted his teeth against the pain in his abdomen, which was burning and throbbing more intensely with every movement. He could feel fresh blood seeping into the bandages his grandmother had applied to the wound. Aoshi glanced down at Toushi's stomach. The onmitsu followed Aoshi's gaze, grimacing as he saw a darker stain spreading across the black fabric of his shirt. "If you surrender now, I'll take you to the clinic to have your wounds treated before you're imprisoned," Aoshi said without changing his defensive stance. "You won't get the same courtesy from the police." Toushi let loose a short, sarcastic laugh. "What a kind offer," he sneered. "But you should be worrying about yourself, Oniwabanshuu scum." With that, he charged. Aoshi met his attack easily, deflecting Toushi's flying blades with minimal effort. The wound on Aoshi's chest was long, but shallow enough to be of little consequence. Toushi, on the other hand... Aoshi spun out of the way of Toushi's Onmyou Kousa, then launched himself back at his opponent, aiming for his exposed neck with a Goukou Juuji. But as Aoshi's kodachi scissored toward their target, Toushi flipped one blade over in his hand, using the hilt to block the attack by jamming it into Aoshi's oncoming blades. Toushi then swung his free sword around with all his strength into Aoshi's undefended left arm, growling in satisfaction as he felt the blade slice deeply into flesh and muscle. Aoshi felt pain for only an instant before his entire arm went numb, his sword sliding out of his useless left hand and clattering to the ground. Heedless of his wound, Aoshi pushed his remaining blade hard against Toushi's upraised hilt, knocking the sword from Toushi's grip, then drove his elbow into Toushi's bleeding stomach. Toushi staggered backward, doubled over, his mouth open in a silent scream of agony. Aoshi danced away from him, breathing heavily, his eyes slits of cold blue fire. Sano winced as he watched the strike to Aoshi's arm. Sano had barely inched forward when Kenshin extended his arm in front of the street fighter. "Wait," he ordered quietly. "Aoshi is equally skilled with a single kodachi... and his opponent is losing strength. The fight isn't over yet." Sano grinned down at his friend. "You sound more like yourself now," he said. "I was worried for a minute." Kenshin smiled slightly as they watched Aoshi point his sword at Toushi, raising it to eye level. "This is your final chance, Toushi," he said coldly. "Give up now or prepare for death." Toushi slowly straightened, flicking the blood from his sword as he hissed through clenched teeth -- "Never. I will avenge my father... even if it costs me my life!" Toushi sprang toward Aoshi as he uttered the last word. Aoshi thought. Toushi's eyes widened as his target faded from view... then reappeared in a shifting blur all around him. "What the hell?" he sputtered, his eyes darting wildly. In his confusion, Toushi lowered his kodachi slightly for the space of a heartbeat. It was more than enough of an opening. Aoshi bared his teeth as he broke from the flowing movement of Ryuusui no Ugoki and slashed his single sword across Toushi's chest with all his might... once... twice... three times in the blink of an eye. Blood sprayed from the wounds as Toushi gasped -- "No... can't lose... to you... now..." Toushi crumpled to the ground. Sano let out a long breath, and Kenshin dropped his hand from his sword. "Well done, Aoshi," Kenshin said solemnly as he and Sano jumped down from the porch and approached the wounded okashira. Aoshi didn't reply. He approached Toushi, studying him carefully. "He's still breathing," he said flatly, his hand tightening around his sword hilt. "I'm glad," Kenshin said, a subtle note of command in his mild voice. "I would rather you didn't kill him. Better that he lives to answer to the police for his crimes." Aoshi paused, then nodded curtly. The three men froze as they heard a faint voice calling Kenshin's name. "That's Kaoru," Kenshin said, glancing worriedly at Sano. "Go ahead," the taller man said with a reassuring smile. "I'll make sure things are taken care of here." "Arigatou, Sano," the red-haired swordsman replied, running toward the back of the building. The street fighter turned to Aoshi, who stood like a statue over his fallen opponent, blood dripping from the fingers of his wounded arm. "Oi, Shinomori, your arm looks bad," Sano said, moving closer to Aoshi. Sano stopped in his tracks as Aoshi held out his sword to block his path. "It's fine," he said coldly. "Don't concern yourself with me." "I couldn't care less about you," Sano retorted hotly. "But I promised Misao I'd bring you back to her... and I'm sure she'd rather you be alive than dead." Aoshi stared at Sano blankly. "Why?" he asked. "Eh?" "Why did you promise Misao that?" Aoshi asked, his brow furrowed. Sano looked away from Aoshi, studying one of the kodachi lying on the ground near Toushi's crumpled form. Sano bent down to pick it up, brushing the dirt off its hilt, which glimmered in the fading late afternoon light. Sano closed his eyes, dozens of images of Misao filling his mind... her eyes, sparkling with mischief and life... her laughing face as she sparred and teased and flirted with him... the ardent way she returned his kisses, murmuring his name like the sweetest of endearments... Sano then recalled her tear-streaked, anguished face as she watched Aoshi leave to follow Toushi. His eyes snapped open resolutely. Sano raised his eyes to Aoshi's again, speaking quietly -- "I promised her that because she would've blamed herself had you died in this fight." He looked away from the onmitsu again, adding gruffly -- "And because... for some reason I'll never understand... she still loves you." Sano watched furtively as Aoshi's ice-blue eyes darkened with a feeling the street fighter couldn't quite put his finger on. Forcing a nonchalant expression, Sano flipped the kodachi over in the air, catching it by its hilt. "I still don't understand what this was all about," Sano said lightly. "What happened between you and this Makimachi Taki guy anyway?" Aoshi inclined his head slightly as he stared at Sano, considering whether he should bother to answer. "After our okashira's death, Makimachi Taki and his mother challenged Okina's decision to appoint me okashira in Okina's place," Aoshi replied. "Makimachi Taki challenged me for the right to head the Oniwabanshuu, and I accepted. We fought, and I defeated him... but as I turned and walked away from him after the fight had ended, my defeated opponent pulled a knife out of his boot and threw it at my head. Hannya saw what Makimachi Taki was up to and knocked me out of the way, suffering a wound to his shoulder as a result." Aoshi almost smiled as he remembered what Hannya said as Aoshi helped him to his feet... // I guess I don't need to tell you that you will always have my support... okashira... // A familiar pang of remorse gripped Aoshi as he remembered Hannya's steadfast loyalty. His voice grew colder as he continued -- "I then banished Makimachi Taki from the Oniwabanshuu... and told him if he ever returned, he would be killed on sight. He protested, appealed to his allies in the Oniwabanshuu to support him. But they turned away, having seen him for what he really was... a cowardly bully without any honor --" "Liar!" Sano and Aoshi stared in amazement at Toushi, who had somehow managed to stand again, despite the puddle of blood he'd left on the ground. He brandished his single kodachi, yelling -- "My father wasn't like that! Obaa-san told me... she said he wasn't like that before! *You* made him that way!" With impossible speed, he hurled himself at Aoshi. Sano tried to step in front of the wounded okashira, but Aoshi shoved Sano out of the way with his good shoulder. Caught by surprise, Sano tumbled to the ground. "Don't interfere, Sagara," Aoshi growled as his blade met Toushi's with a resounding clang. -- on to Chapter 19b! -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Want to help promote education? Help kids learn to read? AND earn extra income? Join our affiliate program for the successful Hooked on Phonics product and you will do all three! http://click.egroups.com/1/1633/4/_/_/_/951187371/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------