Killing without Remorse

By: Prince Marth aka Xai

Disclaimer: I donnot own the characters, but the Hand of Death enemy, and escort man are mine.

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Kaoru was sitting up straight stunned, tears filling the sides of her eyes, "Ken...shin.... no, Kenshin no!!" she stuttered and started to cry. "I'm....sorry Miss Kaoru... I must leave." Kaoru just sat crying. Kenshin stood up, he walked straight out from the dojo, his face was not calm however, he stood there without looking at Kaoru, "I-I will, I have no choice..." He muttered to himself. "You don't have to, No!! You don't have to Kenshin!!!" Kaoru was now choking back tears as she spoke. Kenshin just kept walking, his eyes were not blue any longer, they glowed with the hate of the Manslayer he once was. His sword was not the old reverse Blade he once weilded. "I have to Kill, I can keep my promise no longer... You will not be safe if i do not kill." Kaoru was too overcome with tears she could not speak, Kenshin just kept walking. "wait." Kaoru finally said. "Miss Kaoru, I cannot leave my past behind me,'Hitokiri Battosai' the name i cannot abolish, I was meant to kill." "No, you are Kenshin!! No...." Kaoru could no longer talk, keshin just kept walking, "Ken-shi.....nnn.... " Her voice faded out as Hitokiri Battosai left the dojo. He turned just before he was out of sight, " Please Miss Kaoru.... Donnot Follow Me... It is too dangerous, and i can never return.... I-I'm sorry."

Sanosuke walked out of the dojo onto the porch, "Kaoru, he has his ways, he has to go, you should know that." Kaoru," shut up Sanosuke!! Just shut up!!" "Kaoru! You have to calm down, Kenshin is........-who he is..." Sano walked back inside. Kenshin traveled down the street. "So. You asked me to meet you here." "ah, Battosai, glad you could come." the man said. Kenshin glared deep into the man with his glowing eyes, "How dare you act like this is nothing!" kenshin drew his sword. "waiiit!!" The casual voice of the man turned into that of panic as he realized that Kenshin's sword was not reverse blade. "Kenshin's expression did not change, he sheathed his blade and walked over to the man, " where is he?!" He asked impatiently. "he is not far, Battosai." The man drew his own blade silently and thought 'If i kill him now, i will not have to worry, master wants him dead anyway.' "You fool!" Kenshin screamed as he lifted the man by his colar. The man shuttered, "Please donnot kill me..." he whinned. Kenshin threw him to the ground, " killing you would be a waste of energy, If you try to pull that again though......, I will kill you." "Y-yess sir himura.." the man shuttered again. "Now lead me straight to him and do not waste time!" "Yes sir." they walked on in silence as the trees around them shook and cracked in the wind that had been building since Kenshin had left the dojo. They soon arrived at an elaborite mansion, it was very dark, however, because only one room appeared to be lit. From the outside it appeared to be a very long, and large room and about two stories high. The man lead Kenshin inside and lit a small candle, "f-follow m-me mr Himura-ra" the man was still shaking from what had happened. Kenshin did not speak, but followed the man down a long dank hall-way and soon arrived at the lit room. The man spoke, this time flawlessly, but slightly up-tight, " sir, I have brought the B-battosai!" "good" a deep voice said from the shadows on the far side of the room. The man that had lead Kenshin to the mansion left the room. "Ah Battosai, i have longed to meet you!" He spoke again. "I cannot say the same to you." Kenshin spat, "You are the nameless one, known only as 'The Hand of Death' killing people for your amusement." "Yes my legend is one to rival even yours Battosai, actualy I'm surprised you are angered at me, I figured you would like my style." "You Fool!! You disgrace the era we fought for!! You have taken many lives, Now I will take your life!" Kenshin drew his blade, but he was not really Kenshin, He had become the Full Battosai, his eyes blazed with the flames of hate, he drew his blade. "You are a powerful opponent, but you are indeed the fool, for i will end your legend to-" He was cut off as Kenshin struck him, the blade tore through the flesh of the nameless one's left arm. "I missed!" Kenshin said. "GAHH!!, so they do not lie! You really do have god-like speed." Blood flowed from the wound, but only in slow trickles and it soon stopped. "Ha, you cannot cut through me so easily!" "You idiot! I missed!" Kenshin said with anger. The man attacked Kenshin, his blade was aimed straight at Kenshin's chest. "Ha!" the man said as the blade made contact. "Hmm, are you proud? You managed to cut my shirt off." Kenshin spat. "whaat?! how could I miss?" the man said shocked. "easily, I moved." Kenshin said in a very casual voice. Kenshin braced his body and the man thrusted his blade at Kenshin." I will not miss this time." Kenshin jumped above him, but was too late as the man's blade struck him from behind. Kenshin fell to the ground. Blood stained the wood around him a deep red. "so that was all it took to take down the legendary Battosai. Hmm you are wea-" Kenshin held his blade to the man's neck, "do you honestly think you would have killed me with such a simple technique? You will die for your insolence!" Kenshin pushed the blade closer to the man's neck.

Kaoru sat back at the dojo, troubled, "Sano!! I can't wait anymore!! I want to find him!! I want to find Kenshin!!" Kaoru was almost in tears again. "Look, Missy he told us not to follow him, and any way, I'm sure if we did we would just get in his way. You know how Kenshin is-" " No!! when he left he was not Kenshin!!" "what do you mean?!"sano said with a dangerous anxiety to his voice. "He wasn't Kenshin, He was....... batto-" Kaoru burst into tears. "No... it can't be.... . . . he........." sano's voice was quiet. 'We have to find him! Please Sano, Please!!" Kaoru begged, still crying. 'I hate to say it, this is even more dangerous..but it might be the best thing to do, before he kills some one." Kaoru just started crying uncontrollably. "alright! stop crying!! It won't bring Kenshin back!! you know that Kaoru!!We'll go find him, but please, stop crying." Sano said quickly. Kaoru stopped crying, shocked at what Sano said, but stood up and grasped her wooden sword, " Let's bring Kenshin back." They left following the foot prints Kenshin left behind, however as they followed the trail the wind became even stronger. Finially they reached the mansion, 'this door is open..." Kaoru said. "wow, this isn't a very welcoming place." Sano said. They walked in and noticed the light from down the hall, "This seems to be the only lighted room in this place." Sano said. "This must be were Kenshin is..." Kaoru said. They walked down the hall and found themselves in the large room. Kenshin now held his blade striaght against the man's blade. "Kenshin!" kaoru screamed. "Uh?" Kenshin said, but he soon lost his balance, and slipped, "Kaoru, why did you follow me?!" he said angerly. "Be- -because... I-" Kaoru could not speak as she watched the Battosai Kenshin fight.

The Man released his blade,"Now i will Kill you!!" he said as he set his blade, "This is the reason they call me hand of death!!" He slashed his blade against the sconse on the wall, and the blade was flaming. "Die Battosai!!" "Hmm, I've heard that before-", Kenshin stabbed, the flaming blade dropped and the floors began to blaze."- and too many times before" Kenshin had knocked the blade from the man's hand. "How?! how are you so fast?!" the man choked. Kenshin's eyes blazed again, "Your killing spree is over, hand of Death!" Kenshin lept into the air and was about to come down with his blade when Kaoru screamed, "Kenshin!! NO!! Kenshin, you can't kill him!!Ken...Shin!........." Kenshin looked into Kaoru's eyes and dropped his blade ontro the ground, and fell from the air in a tired heap on the ground. "Why? why didn't you kill me?" Kenshin looked up, his eyes werea soft blue again, " I have no reason to...' at this point the flames had gone out. "This isn't....-" The man feel, he he was unconsious, and exhausted from the battle. Kaoru went ver to Kenshin, he spoke, "Kaoru, I'm sorry, all of this time i did not look into your eyes, I was afraid I would not be able to kill, but I did not realize at the time, i really did not want to kill. I am sorry I put you through all of this.. Miss Kaoru." Kenshin smiled, Kaoru blushed and smiled back, " Oh Kenshin... don't worry." They all left for the Dojo...