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( ) means thoughts

Ghosts of his Past

He held his sword up to the light. Blood trickled down the blade like tears being shed far it's latest victim. Tears that would never come from it's wielder. Ice blue eyes stared on as an emotionless expression was reflected into the cold steel. The war was over, his heart was now a broken empty shell. Exhausted from battle Kenshin fell to the ground barely registering the impact. Before sleep came to claim him, all he could think about was Tomoe.

(Now that we have the time)

All around Kenshin there was darkness. " You could have been happy here if you never picked up a sword." A dim light could be seen in the distance. "Tomoe… it can't be…" A lump had formed in his throat cutting off the rest. Pomegranate flowers filled the air as he broke into a run with tears welling in his eyes as he embraced Tomoe. "Tomoe! I'm sorry…I'm sorry I'm so sorry!" Kenshin couldn't stop himself. all he could do was apologize as he cried into her shoulder. "How long will they let us live like this?" Tomoe asked. Live. The word seemed strange to Kenshin. It had been a long time since he had felt the will to live. "Kenshin?" Tomoe asked waiting for an answer. "…… Till the war is over" he said softly.

Even as he said these words they felt hollow to him. He knew they could not live together. She was dead. He killed her with his own hands. Kenshin lifted his head so he could see her face one more time. Tomoe lifted her pale fingers and touched the cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. " What happed to cause this one?" She asked tracing the newer horizontal slash. Kenshin could barely find his voice. His mind raced, struggling to think of the words. "… You gave me this just before you died in my arms" he confessed. "You're dead." Blood gathered at her shoulder under his hand. "Dead?" Tomoe echoed "Am I dead to you Kenshin?"

"No! no Tomoe your all I think about!" Kenshin cried. The blood was growing darker. Blood began to drip out of the corner of he mouth. "Oh God! Tomoe, no!" Tomoe collapsed and disappeared. "Tomoe!" Kenshin called as the horizontal slash ripped open and bled freely. Kenshin tried to call Tomoe again but his voice was no longer his own, but that of a certain body guard's. " I'm sorry Tomoe I tried to live for you." Kenshin froze. Kiyosato. Kenshin snapped his eyes shut he didn't want to see. However he didn't have to see to notice that the atmosphere had changed. It was raining, and the stench of blood hung heavily in the air. Kenshin's teeth were clenched with guilt and fear. Still the cold voice of the body guard. Interrogated the Battousai

"Did you enjoy my wife you Bastard?" Kiyosato spat.

"I didn't know." Kenshin said with a shaky voice. "Where do you get the balls to marry a dead man's fiancé!" Kiyosato accused in a cold tone

"I didn't know" Kenshin whispered as the older, vertical slash reopened an like the last, bled openly. "You butchered me right in the street and moved on with your life. It didn't matter to you in the least did it? You even turned around and slaughtered Tomoe as well. I guess it doesn't matter to you who suffers as long as your lust for blood is sated!"

"How could have known…"Kenshin whimpered.

"You can't stop it you can only help it succeed!" A voice of a deranged man spoke in place of Kiyosato. Kenshin had enough of this. He reached for the katana at his side and unsheathed it. Turning around he saw a tall figure in the distance The voice sounded familiar to him but he couldn't tell who it belonged to. The rain had stopped. Everything was now dark, dry, and sour.

Ha ha ha, see you're already relying on the sword! Are you capable of nothing but killing? You're not are you! You'll just keep killing till you die!" The katana sliced through the man's side, but even that did not silence the horrible laughter. The man grabbed Kenshin's throat and lifted him off the ground. "even if you could somehow manage to calm your thirst for blood, what the hell makes you think you can change anything. You're a swordsman doomed to die by the sword even if it's by your own." He grabbed the katana from Kenshin's hand as strength was leaving it.

"I WILL avenge my sister" Enishi proclaimed. Kenshin's vision began to blur. With the remaining oxygen he could gather into his lungs, he swore in front of Enishi that in memory of Tomoe, he would not take another life. That struck a nerve in Enishi. He dropped his sister's murderer on the hard ground below. Kenshin coughed and gasped for air as Enishi stood as if in shock.

"You… Why you little shit! more lies! A monster like you will never be able to stop!" Enishi screamed Enishi kicked Kenshin in the ribs his lungs now felt as though on fire in his chest.

"A monster like you doesn't deserve happiness!" Enishi swung the katana at Kenshin

(I'm gonna die!) Kenshin quickly got up and ran as fast as he could. "Dragon spiral strike!" Enishi bellowed.

(He knows my moves) A tidal wave of energy swept the ground and tore it apart beneath Kenshin's feet, sending him through the air. Taking the second katana, he countered "Dragon Flight!" Enishi fell over. Kenshin could only hear Enishi's scream through the rubble. He couldn't tell where the foe fell. Kenshin landed near a crater. Every muscle in his body burned. (It's over)

The loss of blood was becoming too much. (Where am I?)

Kenshin knelt down trying to stay focused. Enishi was still there bent on killing him.

"You are a murderer and should be dealt the same fate!" roared a voice from the disheveled rocks. Chained sickles raced towards Kenshin from all directions, two of them pierced through both of his arms and looped around their own chains. Kenshin screamed in agony as the dragged him toward the crater.

"Hehehe ah HAHAHA!" There was that cruel laughter again. From the distance, Kenshin could see Enishi rise from the rubble completely unscathed. Suddenly all the moister left Kenshin's mouth. (Enishi…?)

There stood Enishi with hellfire burning in his eyes, Katana in hand. "Did you honestly believe this wouldn't happen?" Two more chained sickles shot through Kenshin's elbows.

Enishi approached slowly, dangerously toward him. "you who fights like the demon deserves no less!"

Kenshin felt sick.( Is he still human)

"Make no mistake, your victims will have their revenge!"

Kenshin gasped; did he dare look behind him?

Hands. There were hands reaching out to drag him down further into the crater now wreathed in flame. " Burn in Hell Batousai!" This was the last thing as Enishi ran him through the chest with his own sword Blood spurted out of Kenshin's mouth as he succumbed to darkness

Kenshin woke up in a cold sweat. Katsura was standing over him. "You're still here huh?"

(I'm alive)

"The troops have left already, the battle is won, the war is over and here I find you sleeping. You of all people I would thi- Hey are you ok? You look sick."

(What was that? Where was I? That was too real to brush off as a simple dream.)

"If it's alright with you Katsura, I would prefer to leave in secret. I promised….

owari