Fatality Of The Strong

Chapter 1: All for the love of friendship.

By: Devilspet

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Rurouni Kenshin

Kenshin Himura stood on the edge of the river, a dagger held securely in his right hand. He knew what he must do. He looked up at the moon; it glittered brilliantly in the night sky. Kenshin took a deep breath and raised the dagger.

Kenshin held the pointed edge of the dagger to his chest, not wavering from his position the slightest. Kenshin wasn't afraid; he knew it was something he must do.

He heard footsteps from behind him, but he didn't have to turn and look to know whom they belonged to.

"Kenshin??" she asked, "What are you doing?" she asked when she saw the dagger at his chest.

Kenshin looked at her. "Miss Kaoru, why are you here?" he asked the girl who had spoken to him.

"I asked first, what are you doing?" Kaoru repeated.

Kenshin smiled at her. "Doing away with your problems," he simply said.

"Doing away. . . my problems?" Kaoru echoed. She gasped when she realized what he meant. "Kenshin, why?" Kaoru breathed.

"No, no, now it's your turn to answer my question," he said quietly, the sharp blade still held firmly near his heart. "I came looking for you," Kaoru answered.

Kenshin grinned. "That's sweet of you, Miss Kaoru, but this is the only way, that it is." It amazed Kaoru at how calm he could be in this situation.

Yahiko and Sanosuke came running down the path from where Kaoru came from. "Kenshin, Kaoru, what're doing way out here??" Sanosuke called as he and Yahiko made their way to their friends.

Sanosuke stopped dead when he saw the dagger at Kenshin's chest. Yahiko ran into him and got up to yell at Sanosuke when he saw a glint of light. He looked at Kenshin and gaped. "K-Kenshin, what, exactly, do you think you're doing?" Yahiko asked nervously.

Kenshin smiled again. "I'm doing away with all your problems and mine. If it weren't for me, we would not be in so much trouble. And I fear that if I do not do this, I take the chance on becoming a manslayer once again, that I do. It's getting harder for me to handle and this is the only way to insure that it does not happen, that it is." Kenshin stated solemnly.

Kaoru felt several tears fall down her cheeks.

"Sano, Yahiko, take her back with you, will you?" Kenshin asked, smiling once again.

Sanosuke and Yahiko both nodded and walked forward to pick up Kaoru, who had fallen to her knees and was crying uncontrollably. They practically had to drag her away.

Kaoru struggled horribly. "No, Kenshin, no, don't do it, please! Come on, Kenshin, just come home with us . . . we don't care what you've gotten us into."

Sanosuke and Yahiko pulled harder as Kaoru struggled more.

Kenshin could do no more than ignore her. He was shocked to feel tears roll down his own cheeks. "I'm sorry, Miss Kaoru, I did love you, that is the truth," he whispered.

Kenshin put a little pressure on the knife. He was satisfied when in drew blood. Sanosuke and Yahiko were half way down the road but Kaoru still insisted on screaming at Kenshin. They tried hushing her but she just yelled louder.

"KENSHIN!! DON'T!!" Kaoru yelled, still struggling in the two boys' grip. '

See you all on the other side, that I will, I know it. But hopefully later than sooner.' Kenshin thought happily. He put one last, cheery smile on his face.

"KENSHIN!! PLEASE, DON'T DO THIS, PLEASE!! KENSHIN, YOU CAN'T!! I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU!! KENSHIN, PLEASE, I LOVE YOU!! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS!!" Kaoru screamed one last time before she became hoarse. Then, she gave up struggling and fell to the ground, once again, crying. Sanosuke and Yahiko felt so much pity for her but they couldn't do a thing now.

Kenshin's smile disappeared. He was astonished by Kaoru's words. He closed his eyes painfully, but not because he knew he was going to die, it was because he really couldn't stand leaving Kaoru like that. "I'm sorry, I have no choice . . . I'm sorry, Miss Kaoru, I love you and I will forever." Kenshin whispered into the wind that blew around him as if waiting for him to get on with murdering himself so that it could take away his soul.

He gripped the dagger tighter and plunged it into his chest, directly into his heart, which had broken at those last few words. Kenshin smiled slightly. "It's finally over. Take care . . . my friends . . . my love . . . take care, I will most certainly miss you all," he breathed. He pulled the dagger out of his chest and fell to his knees. "Goodbye . . . don't worry, we'll meet again, I promise . . ." he choked. Kenshin fell. "That . . . I do," He fell, face forward, into death, face forward into the pool of his own blood on grassy bed of the bank by the river . . . dead.

Kaoru sobbed louder and Sanosuke and Yahiko looked at the ground, not wanting the other to see their own silent tears. "NO!!" Kaoru cried into the night. "KENSHIN, COME BACK!!" she screamed. What killed the boys was that there was absolutely no way that would happen.

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Chapter 2: Kenshin?

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Preview of next chapter:

Kureno Izaki walked through the village on his way to the Kamiya Kasshin dojo that his boss was sending him to for some reason. He said that the owner was a close friend; her name was Kaoru Kamiya. Kureno had fiery red, long hair. He wore a green and black kimono, much like Kenshin's, but he didn't know that.

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