Swords Dance
a/n: Don't ask why. This is a rewrite of my first fic- Swords Dance
with the same two original characters. R+R please.
-- -- -- -- --
"You've been running. For you I have no sympathy."
There is the sound of a blade through a body.
"naze... naze... NAZE?!"
-- -- -- -- --
"It's over Himura-san. Kaoru is gone and you can't change it."
Kenshin sits in a corner, against the wall of the kendo room of the
Kamiya Dojo, his eyes downcast, bright with unshed tears.
"You can't stay like this. Go out, get some air.
It'll make you feel better."
"O-okami... where... is Kaoru? Where... did she go?"
"WAKE UP!! LISTEN HIMURA-SAN, KAORU IS DEAD!!!"
Kenshin looks up at Okami, his eyes like they never knew this fact,
even though her blood still stained the floor.
"This... couldn't be..."
"You will recover today, or I'll beat some sense into you."
The haze covering Kenshin's violet eyes pulls away, the oddly colored
irises shining brightly in the morning sun. Very suddenly, Kenshin
grows very quiet... very relaxed.
"You're right Okami. This... is not the time for mourning."
A very confused Okami looks deep into the eyes of the serious Kenshin,
"Just... what are you planning?"
Kenshin steps out of the room and walks out of the Dojo, then breaks
out in a run toward Saitoh's hideaway. Okami, in the dark about this
strange destination, follows after Kenshin, struggling to keep up with
his speed.
"KENSHIN!!!!!"
***
' Hmm... Kamiya Kaoru... she looks even better now...'
The strange man staring through the window at Kaoru in her room
staggers away, toward the cover of trees.
' Ooohh... my head...'
He fingers a package wrapped in fine cloth,
' This... can wait.'
***
Kenshin pounds on the door of the small hut, waiting quite impatiently
for an answer. After almost a minute, Saitoh opens up, an angry
expression on his face.
"What the... what do you want MR. Himura?!"
The contempt in his voice is plainly obvious but Kenshin ignores it.
"So. What do you know about this recent murder?"
The dull, hateful expression grows curious,
"Murder? Of whom?"
"Kaoru."
The curiousity becomes interest,
"No... I knew nothing of it. Where did it occur?"
"You... seem awfully interested."
"I'm an officer. I have to have these things reported and taken care
of."
"...At the Kamiya Dojo. The blood is still there..."
"And the body?"
Kenshin glares at Saitoh,
"Would you keep a corpse in your home?!"
Kenshin storms away from Saitoh, Okami hidden by trees. The latter
steps out and marches up to Saitoh.
"Here's what we know..."
***
The drunken man falls through the open window, startling the sleeping
Kaoru into wakeness.
"Who... are you?"
Kaoru's right hand reaches slowly for her bokkan, resting at the
bedside.
"What are you doing here? How did you get in?"
".......K... Kaoru... Kamiya... you *hic* will... come with me *hic*...
and we'll... start our life together."
Those words echo in Kaoru's mind, bringing back a faint, long forgotten
memory of a time when everything that mattered did not have violet-eyes
and red hair.
"Zeto? Marsh Zeto? What... are you doing back in Nippon?"
Zeto smiles, his brown eyes glinting in the window-held moonlight.
Quickly, he pulls out his saber.
"You... gave up on me... Left me in the crosswinds of time and this
hell of life."
This comment strikes Kaoru into a state of confusion.
"What... are you talking about?"
Zeto's smile of companionship fades, replaced by that of a drunken man
bent on vengeance.
"We're gonna start a new life together. When I drag you to hell with
me."
***
"Do you know the killer?"
It was one of those very rare times that everyone Kenshin ever knew
came to visit. Aoshi came, dragged by Misao, and was the last to speak.
Even though everyone was there at the Dojo, Yahiko was outside
the room, wandering the grounds, having returned from his visit to the
Takimi gravesite. In his absence, Misao sits in a corner, crying her
eyes out, Sano leans against the wall, his fist clenched, his eyes
focused on the dust particles traveling the ground, and Megumi crying
into Sano's shoulder. Of them all, only Kenshin, Okami, and Aoshi show
no emotion, these three the only ones with tongues free enough to
speak. Okami looks up at Aoshi, studying the tall, coated man, weighing
the question in his mind, to answer or to keep quiet.
"Well... I know who did it..."
Sano's head snaps up.
"Who? Tell me who so I can properly punish the bastard."
' Shimatta... next time I should keep quiet.'
"A... man... that I know from my... past."
Thoughts come quickly to Kenshin, the first overbearing all the others.
Anger builds in him, a vivid image of the cause of this anger pasted
forever on his memory.
"Zeto."
Okami nods slowly, reluctantly.
"Himura-san... let me apologize for my brother's... stupid actions. Let
me also ask-"
"Kenshin," interupts Aoshi intentionally, "How will you deal with
this?"
Even through this last question, Kenshin keeps silent. He stands and
pushes his saya through his obi. He then walks over to Okami and pulls
his katana out of it's saya. He stares at the sharp blade, his eyes
taking in the very light reflected from the sun. A word escapes his
lips unheard, though seen by the nearby Okami and the observitave
Aoshi-
"Beautiful."
He shoves the hilt into Okami's palm, the recently sharpened blade
digging lightly into his hand, drawing a few drops of blood.
"Sano. Do you remember what I said... when I fought Shigure?"
Sanosuke stares at Kenshin totally lost to the source of this inquiry.
"I said... it didn't matter how much of my own blood flowed... but that
I'd stop him from shedding other people's blood."
Everyone looks up at Kenshin, wondering where he was headed with these
words.
"And... I stopped him from shedding blood."
The unemotional face of a former assassin fades from Kenshin, replaced
by a deep depression.
"But... why do I go away... and leave the precious blood of Kaoru to be
spilled?"
"Kenshin..."
Kenshin looks up from his sakabatou hilt then, and the sandess in his
eyes is apparent.
"Why is it... the ones... I love have to be hurt?"
Kenshin walks silently out the door and to the courtyard just as Yahiko
finds the group. He spins at the sight of the very unhappy Kenshin
passing him, then looks into the room to find quite an odd combination
of persons staring in complete quiet.
' Weasel girl? Rooster head? Okami... Aoshi? What...'
"What is happening here? Why're all you here?"
Aoshi turns his back on the door, facing Misao,
"Come. It's time we went."
The girl, still crying, rises slowly to her feet and buries her head in
Aoshi's chest. He reacts very differently, comforting her in a
reluctant, nervous embrace, leading them both outside and away from the
Dojo. Okami then walks to the door, placing his left hand on his
katana's hilt and his right hand on the door frame,
"I'll talk to Kenshin."
Megumi then pulls away from Sanosuke, the show of emotion too much in
front of the young Myojin boy,
"I've got a long way home."
Sano, being the last one in the room, dimly realizes he had just been
left to explain the happenings of the last few days,
"Well... things are going to... change."
***
There is a scream from inside the main building.
Then, the clash of steel on steel.
"Where... did you get a sword?"
Kaoru's brow wrinkled in determination, her very will to stay alive for
Kenshin giving her strength, she speaks through clenched teeth. "This...
was never to be used... this was a... gift."
The swords collide a few more times until Zeto's drunken mind makes him
stumble, leaving a deep cut on his left arm.
"Tch... damn..."
He recovers at once, deflecting her next blow only to catch an elbow in
the rib-cage.
"What the hell? How... is she moving so quickly?"
The next thing he sees is a blade coming from his right, headed to his
neck. He ducks, the slash passing harmlessly over him, and drives his
own saber into Kaoru's neck. As she goes part-limp, and falls toward
him, he catches her with his shoulder and slowly pulls out the sword.
When a bit of blood squirts on his face and in his open mouth, he
passes out on the floor of the ken-jutsu training room, their duel
having led them all over the dojo in flight and chase. His own blood
flows from his arm and onto the ground, mixing with that of the last
Kamiya.
"When I drag you to Hell with me..."
The morning sunlight shines into the room onto the closed eyes of the
fallen man, waking him painfully from his position. He rises, his
vision blurry, then notices the dry feeling on his left arm and the
hardness of his clothes. He wipes his eyes with the back of his hand,
the smell of blood and death conquering his senses. As his sight
clears, he sees first the body of Kaoru on the ground, the ring of
blood around her.
"Kami-sama... tetsudau watashi ni kudasai...
onegai-shimasu..."
He runs quickly from the scene, first picking up his saber, then
fleeing from the room, from the Dojo, from the area. As he runs, he
strips himself of the vest cloaked in blood and uses part of his shirt
to scrape dry blood away from his wound, forcing out new blood, this
being held in by the same bit of cloth.
***
Kenshin rests nearby the rocks of the miniature pond, laying, his eyes
closed to the warmth of the sunlight, his body very cold. Okami walks
up to him without a sound, his jet black hair swaying with his long
strides and the wind. His green eyes rest on the lightly breathing form
of Kenshin.
"Are you okay Himura-san?"
Eyelids flutter and violet, with hints of amber, stares up at Okami, a
cross between hate, regret, and planning in the brightness of the
colors.
"It doesn't matter how much of my own blood flows, but I would keep him
from shedding other people's blood. Are those my words... or the words
of a rurouni?"
"Himura-san? What're you saying?"
"If there is a new world that can be created by my sword, a world where
anyone can live peacefully and without fear... If my arm can create
that world...I will serve as Heaven's Justice. I will kill."
"Kenshin... what are you talking about?"
"I wonder... if THOSE were really my words... or just the belief of a
foolish young boy?"
"Kenshin, you've created a new world, really you have."
"No I haven't. There is still no peace. People still have to fear for
their lives. My arm," he raises his sword hand to the sky, "has done
nothing more than... delay the coming of truth."
Okami gapes at Kenshin, wondering what he could mean by his most recent
confessions.
"I find that... my promise to never use a sword to KILL again... has
left more people in pain than ever before."
The younger warrior just stares down at the now rising Kenshin.
"But... when I did kill, all it was was spilling innocent blood. I had
just as much right to die as did the men I killed, for they fought only
for what they believed was right. I made it rain blood with no real
truth or meaning in my heart."
"What... do you mean by these things?"
"The worst thing about living... is that, we're scared to die. And this
fear... keeps us alive."
Kenshin starts to walk away.
"You should go home."
***
Zeto walks through the dark forest on the west border of the Tokyo
area. He hunts for one thing, but sees not the familiar building until
two hours into his search. When it is spotted, he dashes toward it,
stopping just short of the door, his arm raised, questioning himself.
' I wonder... if he'll accept me...?'
He pounds on the door, hoping he would be answered by his half-brother.
The door creaks open partly to reveal the bright lime green eyes of the
young swordsman. In quick succession to the door opening, the eyes open
wide in surprise,
"Z... zeto?! What is it that you would bother me so late?"
"Brother... I need you to keep a secret."
Okami rushes in the other man, looking about to make sure no one else
was near, then shuts the door with a -click-. Zeto brushes his long
black hair away from his chocolate eyes and sweat-drenched forehead.
"Well... what is it?"
"Sake... murder..."
Okami inhales sharply, then leans forward.
"Tell me everything."
***
Kenshin sleeps fitfully in Sano's room, completely unwilling to stay in
his own room, Sanosuke bunking with Yahiko. That night a dream comes to
him, a nightmare to haunt him for days.
As two men, both of their faces blurry beyond comprehension, talk to
one another, their voices unintelligible to the standing Kenshin, there
is a sword drawn. The smaller of the two says something and dashes
forward, blood flying after the quick blade.
Over and over this repeats, growing steadily worse, each time a body
part flying off with the retreating sword, great amounts of blood
spilling, flying above the ground. Finally, Kenshin wakes, a very
simple plan in his mind.
"Conquer a fear by confronting it."
***
"ZETO!!! YOU STUPID FOOL!!!! Have you lost your MIND!?!"
Zeto stares down into his small cup of coffee, secretly knowing this
exclamation would come.
"No brother. I was very drunk... it seems, I can't take in much sake."
"Why the hell were you drinking anyway?!"
"Well... I was depressed. I hand't heard from Kaoru in over two
years... and all I was hanging on to was the last thing we said to each
other."
"And that was?"
" 'We're gonna start a new life together.' ...one day together... and
we'd... I'd... made such plans. And Himura Kenshin was the only flaw in
my plan. Damn him... but I didn't want to kill her... I couldn't
have... I love Kaoru... or at least... I did. I guess... I should
confront Kenshin?"
"What kind of stupid ass are you? He could kill you. You've gotta run."
Zeto shudders at the word.
"I've never run away. I'll never run away."
"Really? Would Mother say the same?"
Okami walks away from his guest, contempt and dissappointment in his
voice.
***
Kenshin wanders through the outskirts of the city, looking outward upon
bare land, hoping to spot the small home of his young, black haired
friend. When it is finally seen, he notices a man, also with black
hair, sitting on the doorstep, every once in a while tipping a small
cup to his lips, then refilling the cup from a small bottle.
' Sake... black hair...'
As he draws nearer the building, he can see the brown eyes of the man.
' He seems to fit the description... but... why is he here?'
When he gets even closer, the man on the step seems to notice him,
"Hello Kenshin."
"...You are Zeto?"
He nods.
"You shall be payed in full."
"I shall recieve what I am worthy of and nothing more."
"Well Kenshin... would you like to eat before this next event?"
"Give me sake. It's all I need for this."
"Zeto?"
The man looks up to Okami, his dark brown eyes dull,
"Best to fight fasting."
"Fine fine... We'll see where this goes."
All the people previously comforting or questioning Kenshin come to
Okami's home to see the solution to the murder. Shinomori Aoshi and
Sagara Sanosuke, the two that cared the most about the solution, stand
at the ready in case something is to happen, and everything is silent
as thunder rolls in the clouds above.
"Oh perfect," comments Sano just as the rain tears through the cloud
and comes down.
Kenshin and Zeto take ready postions as the rain creates a glow on
their swords.
"Himura Kenshin. Hiten Mitsurugii Ryu, in the honor of the late Kamiya
Kaoru."
Zeto steps his right foot backward, his blade held parallel his leg,
the tip inches from the ground.
"Marsh Zeto. Original Technique, for redemption."
Zeto charges at Kenshin, the latter attempting battou-jutsu for a quick
finish. Zeto stops just as the sword comes out and spins to Kenshin's
left, thrusting at his shoulder. The violet eyed warrior guards the
attack then slashes upward at Zeto. The taller fighter rolls suddenly
backward, then leaps forward to try and slash the ex-hitokiris neck.
Kenshin steps back, his bicep taking a bare touch by the sword, then
jumps back as a foot swings at him in a hook.
The two stop and stare into one another's eyes, circling as they
prepare for round two.
Kenshin tries for the Ryo Sho Sen and Zeto dodges with an uncanny
speed, getting behind Kenshin and readying for a strike, shoulder to
waist. The warrior of red hair spins, knocking the strike away,
thrusting his blade at Zeto's stomach, hoping to cut him open and be
done, only to find the thrust hitting open air. He looks up, seeing
Zeto falling rapidly toward him and leaps up, the two blades colliding
in air like titans. They fall to the ground, Zeto on his feet, having
backflipped in the air, and Kenshin on his left knee, falling straight
backward after the brief sword contact made while airborne.
They circle once more and rush at one another, suddenly stopped by a
silvery blade with a deep blue hilt and hand guard. The rain seems to
fall harder on the duelists as there is no action for a few seconds.
Kenshin's hair is plastered to his forehead and Zeto's falling
backward, looking combed. They trace the blade and hilt back to the
hand of the young warrior with no light in his eyes.
"Stop this now."
Zeto screams over the thundering to his brother,
"DON'T INTERFERE!"
"This is pointless."
Kenshin steps back a few times, kneeling to catch his breath.
"IT'S NOT POINTLESS!!!"
"Really? Then, what is the purpose of this fight?"
"It... it's for Kaoru."
Okami sighs, expressing his shame at his brother's idiocy,
"Didn't you love Kaoru?"
Zeto's eyes grow wide,
"Of course I did."
"Wouldn't you want her happy if you had the chance to make her so?"
"I would do anything."
"Then do you realize why this fight is pointless?"
"You don't understand brother! I killed her... so I should die for
her... in her name!"
"You want to disgrace her?"
"NANI?! How could you mean?"
Okami sheathes his katana, shutting his eyes to the rain and numbing
his body to the chill wind.
"Everything you do in her name disgraces her now. You killed her, yes.
But you were drunk, tired, and under those circumstances, jealousy can
be very strong."
"You act like I'm trying to escape her!"
"You are."
"I DON'T RUN AWAY FROM ANYTHING!!!!!"
"Did you run away from everyone else to come to me when our family
died?"
"That... was... dif-," he is cut off by both his brother and the
thunder.
"That is exactly the same."
Zeto steps back once,
"I was rejected... outcasted by my friends."
Okami shakes his head,
"You wouldn't accept their help. You were too proud, ne?"
"IIE!!!"
"Don't lie."
"NO NO NO!!!!!!!!"
Zeto falls to the muddy ground holding his head and shaking violently.
"i didn't run... i didn't run... i didn't... run..."
"Tell the truth."
"If... I've been fleeing... let me die in battle. Let me die
honorably."
Now, Aoshi speaks up, heard easily even under the rain on the ground
and thunder and lightning in the sky,
"There is no honor in cowardess."
"You... bastards... you've all turned on me cuz of my mistake haven't
you?! I'll kill you all!!!"
Zeto stands, grabbing his saber and starting to run toward Okami, to
get by him to Aoshi.
"You've been running. For you I have no sympathy."
There is the sound of a blade through a body.
"naze...naze... NAZE?!"
"My brother was always a coward. But, when he started lying, it was
inacceptable."
"M...e? a... coward...? heheh... heh..." Zeto coughs up blood, trying
to get out his words before death, "I... never...ran away... except..."
His last breath and words are muffled by a lighting crack and shortly
after a roll of thunder.
Kenshin stares in awe when he notices that Zeto's body misses an arm.
He sees in his head the nightmare and the scene molding into one,
cancelling each other out slowly.
"You... killed your brother?"
"You told me once, that, in the war, you killed for what you thought
was right. I knew this was right. I know, this is right."
~Owari~
a/n: very different ending than the first two times eh? well, I felt
that was the way it should end, that he be payed for what he did. Well,
review please, I wanna know what you think about this.
a/n: Don't ask why. This is a rewrite of my first fic- Swords Dance
with the same two original characters. R+R please.
-- -- -- -- --
"You've been running. For you I have no sympathy."
There is the sound of a blade through a body.
"naze... naze... NAZE?!"
-- -- -- -- --
"It's over Himura-san. Kaoru is gone and you can't change it."
Kenshin sits in a corner, against the wall of the kendo room of the
Kamiya Dojo, his eyes downcast, bright with unshed tears.
"You can't stay like this. Go out, get some air.
It'll make you feel better."
"O-okami... where... is Kaoru? Where... did she go?"
"WAKE UP!! LISTEN HIMURA-SAN, KAORU IS DEAD!!!"
Kenshin looks up at Okami, his eyes like they never knew this fact,
even though her blood still stained the floor.
"This... couldn't be..."
"You will recover today, or I'll beat some sense into you."
The haze covering Kenshin's violet eyes pulls away, the oddly colored
irises shining brightly in the morning sun. Very suddenly, Kenshin
grows very quiet... very relaxed.
"You're right Okami. This... is not the time for mourning."
A very confused Okami looks deep into the eyes of the serious Kenshin,
"Just... what are you planning?"
Kenshin steps out of the room and walks out of the Dojo, then breaks
out in a run toward Saitoh's hideaway. Okami, in the dark about this
strange destination, follows after Kenshin, struggling to keep up with
his speed.
"KENSHIN!!!!!"
***
' Hmm... Kamiya Kaoru... she looks even better now...'
The strange man staring through the window at Kaoru in her room
staggers away, toward the cover of trees.
' Ooohh... my head...'
He fingers a package wrapped in fine cloth,
' This... can wait.'
***
Kenshin pounds on the door of the small hut, waiting quite impatiently
for an answer. After almost a minute, Saitoh opens up, an angry
expression on his face.
"What the... what do you want MR. Himura?!"
The contempt in his voice is plainly obvious but Kenshin ignores it.
"So. What do you know about this recent murder?"
The dull, hateful expression grows curious,
"Murder? Of whom?"
"Kaoru."
The curiousity becomes interest,
"No... I knew nothing of it. Where did it occur?"
"You... seem awfully interested."
"I'm an officer. I have to have these things reported and taken care
of."
"...At the Kamiya Dojo. The blood is still there..."
"And the body?"
Kenshin glares at Saitoh,
"Would you keep a corpse in your home?!"
Kenshin storms away from Saitoh, Okami hidden by trees. The latter
steps out and marches up to Saitoh.
"Here's what we know..."
***
The drunken man falls through the open window, startling the sleeping
Kaoru into wakeness.
"Who... are you?"
Kaoru's right hand reaches slowly for her bokkan, resting at the
bedside.
"What are you doing here? How did you get in?"
".......K... Kaoru... Kamiya... you *hic* will... come with me *hic*...
and we'll... start our life together."
Those words echo in Kaoru's mind, bringing back a faint, long forgotten
memory of a time when everything that mattered did not have violet-eyes
and red hair.
"Zeto? Marsh Zeto? What... are you doing back in Nippon?"
Zeto smiles, his brown eyes glinting in the window-held moonlight.
Quickly, he pulls out his saber.
"You... gave up on me... Left me in the crosswinds of time and this
hell of life."
This comment strikes Kaoru into a state of confusion.
"What... are you talking about?"
Zeto's smile of companionship fades, replaced by that of a drunken man
bent on vengeance.
"We're gonna start a new life together. When I drag you to hell with
me."
***
"Do you know the killer?"
It was one of those very rare times that everyone Kenshin ever knew
came to visit. Aoshi came, dragged by Misao, and was the last to speak.
Even though everyone was there at the Dojo, Yahiko was outside
the room, wandering the grounds, having returned from his visit to the
Takimi gravesite. In his absence, Misao sits in a corner, crying her
eyes out, Sano leans against the wall, his fist clenched, his eyes
focused on the dust particles traveling the ground, and Megumi crying
into Sano's shoulder. Of them all, only Kenshin, Okami, and Aoshi show
no emotion, these three the only ones with tongues free enough to
speak. Okami looks up at Aoshi, studying the tall, coated man, weighing
the question in his mind, to answer or to keep quiet.
"Well... I know who did it..."
Sano's head snaps up.
"Who? Tell me who so I can properly punish the bastard."
' Shimatta... next time I should keep quiet.'
"A... man... that I know from my... past."
Thoughts come quickly to Kenshin, the first overbearing all the others.
Anger builds in him, a vivid image of the cause of this anger pasted
forever on his memory.
"Zeto."
Okami nods slowly, reluctantly.
"Himura-san... let me apologize for my brother's... stupid actions. Let
me also ask-"
"Kenshin," interupts Aoshi intentionally, "How will you deal with
this?"
Even through this last question, Kenshin keeps silent. He stands and
pushes his saya through his obi. He then walks over to Okami and pulls
his katana out of it's saya. He stares at the sharp blade, his eyes
taking in the very light reflected from the sun. A word escapes his
lips unheard, though seen by the nearby Okami and the observitave
Aoshi-
"Beautiful."
He shoves the hilt into Okami's palm, the recently sharpened blade
digging lightly into his hand, drawing a few drops of blood.
"Sano. Do you remember what I said... when I fought Shigure?"
Sanosuke stares at Kenshin totally lost to the source of this inquiry.
"I said... it didn't matter how much of my own blood flowed... but that
I'd stop him from shedding other people's blood."
Everyone looks up at Kenshin, wondering where he was headed with these
words.
"And... I stopped him from shedding blood."
The unemotional face of a former assassin fades from Kenshin, replaced
by a deep depression.
"But... why do I go away... and leave the precious blood of Kaoru to be
spilled?"
"Kenshin..."
Kenshin looks up from his sakabatou hilt then, and the sandess in his
eyes is apparent.
"Why is it... the ones... I love have to be hurt?"
Kenshin walks silently out the door and to the courtyard just as Yahiko
finds the group. He spins at the sight of the very unhappy Kenshin
passing him, then looks into the room to find quite an odd combination
of persons staring in complete quiet.
' Weasel girl? Rooster head? Okami... Aoshi? What...'
"What is happening here? Why're all you here?"
Aoshi turns his back on the door, facing Misao,
"Come. It's time we went."
The girl, still crying, rises slowly to her feet and buries her head in
Aoshi's chest. He reacts very differently, comforting her in a
reluctant, nervous embrace, leading them both outside and away from the
Dojo. Okami then walks to the door, placing his left hand on his
katana's hilt and his right hand on the door frame,
"I'll talk to Kenshin."
Megumi then pulls away from Sanosuke, the show of emotion too much in
front of the young Myojin boy,
"I've got a long way home."
Sano, being the last one in the room, dimly realizes he had just been
left to explain the happenings of the last few days,
"Well... things are going to... change."
***
There is a scream from inside the main building.
Then, the clash of steel on steel.
"Where... did you get a sword?"
Kaoru's brow wrinkled in determination, her very will to stay alive for
Kenshin giving her strength, she speaks through clenched teeth. "This...
was never to be used... this was a... gift."
The swords collide a few more times until Zeto's drunken mind makes him
stumble, leaving a deep cut on his left arm.
"Tch... damn..."
He recovers at once, deflecting her next blow only to catch an elbow in
the rib-cage.
"What the hell? How... is she moving so quickly?"
The next thing he sees is a blade coming from his right, headed to his
neck. He ducks, the slash passing harmlessly over him, and drives his
own saber into Kaoru's neck. As she goes part-limp, and falls toward
him, he catches her with his shoulder and slowly pulls out the sword.
When a bit of blood squirts on his face and in his open mouth, he
passes out on the floor of the ken-jutsu training room, their duel
having led them all over the dojo in flight and chase. His own blood
flows from his arm and onto the ground, mixing with that of the last
Kamiya.
"When I drag you to Hell with me..."
The morning sunlight shines into the room onto the closed eyes of the
fallen man, waking him painfully from his position. He rises, his
vision blurry, then notices the dry feeling on his left arm and the
hardness of his clothes. He wipes his eyes with the back of his hand,
the smell of blood and death conquering his senses. As his sight
clears, he sees first the body of Kaoru on the ground, the ring of
blood around her.
"Kami-sama... tetsudau watashi ni kudasai...
onegai-shimasu..."
He runs quickly from the scene, first picking up his saber, then
fleeing from the room, from the Dojo, from the area. As he runs, he
strips himself of the vest cloaked in blood and uses part of his shirt
to scrape dry blood away from his wound, forcing out new blood, this
being held in by the same bit of cloth.
***
Kenshin rests nearby the rocks of the miniature pond, laying, his eyes
closed to the warmth of the sunlight, his body very cold. Okami walks
up to him without a sound, his jet black hair swaying with his long
strides and the wind. His green eyes rest on the lightly breathing form
of Kenshin.
"Are you okay Himura-san?"
Eyelids flutter and violet, with hints of amber, stares up at Okami, a
cross between hate, regret, and planning in the brightness of the
colors.
"It doesn't matter how much of my own blood flows, but I would keep him
from shedding other people's blood. Are those my words... or the words
of a rurouni?"
"Himura-san? What're you saying?"
"If there is a new world that can be created by my sword, a world where
anyone can live peacefully and without fear... If my arm can create
that world...I will serve as Heaven's Justice. I will kill."
"Kenshin... what are you talking about?"
"I wonder... if THOSE were really my words... or just the belief of a
foolish young boy?"
"Kenshin, you've created a new world, really you have."
"No I haven't. There is still no peace. People still have to fear for
their lives. My arm," he raises his sword hand to the sky, "has done
nothing more than... delay the coming of truth."
Okami gapes at Kenshin, wondering what he could mean by his most recent
confessions.
"I find that... my promise to never use a sword to KILL again... has
left more people in pain than ever before."
The younger warrior just stares down at the now rising Kenshin.
"But... when I did kill, all it was was spilling innocent blood. I had
just as much right to die as did the men I killed, for they fought only
for what they believed was right. I made it rain blood with no real
truth or meaning in my heart."
"What... do you mean by these things?"
"The worst thing about living... is that, we're scared to die. And this
fear... keeps us alive."
Kenshin starts to walk away.
"You should go home."
***
Zeto walks through the dark forest on the west border of the Tokyo
area. He hunts for one thing, but sees not the familiar building until
two hours into his search. When it is spotted, he dashes toward it,
stopping just short of the door, his arm raised, questioning himself.
' I wonder... if he'll accept me...?'
He pounds on the door, hoping he would be answered by his half-brother.
The door creaks open partly to reveal the bright lime green eyes of the
young swordsman. In quick succession to the door opening, the eyes open
wide in surprise,
"Z... zeto?! What is it that you would bother me so late?"
"Brother... I need you to keep a secret."
Okami rushes in the other man, looking about to make sure no one else
was near, then shuts the door with a -click-. Zeto brushes his long
black hair away from his chocolate eyes and sweat-drenched forehead.
"Well... what is it?"
"Sake... murder..."
Okami inhales sharply, then leans forward.
"Tell me everything."
***
Kenshin sleeps fitfully in Sano's room, completely unwilling to stay in
his own room, Sanosuke bunking with Yahiko. That night a dream comes to
him, a nightmare to haunt him for days.
As two men, both of their faces blurry beyond comprehension, talk to
one another, their voices unintelligible to the standing Kenshin, there
is a sword drawn. The smaller of the two says something and dashes
forward, blood flying after the quick blade.
Over and over this repeats, growing steadily worse, each time a body
part flying off with the retreating sword, great amounts of blood
spilling, flying above the ground. Finally, Kenshin wakes, a very
simple plan in his mind.
"Conquer a fear by confronting it."
***
"ZETO!!! YOU STUPID FOOL!!!! Have you lost your MIND!?!"
Zeto stares down into his small cup of coffee, secretly knowing this
exclamation would come.
"No brother. I was very drunk... it seems, I can't take in much sake."
"Why the hell were you drinking anyway?!"
"Well... I was depressed. I hand't heard from Kaoru in over two
years... and all I was hanging on to was the last thing we said to each
other."
"And that was?"
" 'We're gonna start a new life together.' ...one day together... and
we'd... I'd... made such plans. And Himura Kenshin was the only flaw in
my plan. Damn him... but I didn't want to kill her... I couldn't
have... I love Kaoru... or at least... I did. I guess... I should
confront Kenshin?"
"What kind of stupid ass are you? He could kill you. You've gotta run."
Zeto shudders at the word.
"I've never run away. I'll never run away."
"Really? Would Mother say the same?"
Okami walks away from his guest, contempt and dissappointment in his
voice.
***
Kenshin wanders through the outskirts of the city, looking outward upon
bare land, hoping to spot the small home of his young, black haired
friend. When it is finally seen, he notices a man, also with black
hair, sitting on the doorstep, every once in a while tipping a small
cup to his lips, then refilling the cup from a small bottle.
' Sake... black hair...'
As he draws nearer the building, he can see the brown eyes of the man.
' He seems to fit the description... but... why is he here?'
When he gets even closer, the man on the step seems to notice him,
"Hello Kenshin."
"...You are Zeto?"
He nods.
"You shall be payed in full."
"I shall recieve what I am worthy of and nothing more."
"Well Kenshin... would you like to eat before this next event?"
"Give me sake. It's all I need for this."
"Zeto?"
The man looks up to Okami, his dark brown eyes dull,
"Best to fight fasting."
"Fine fine... We'll see where this goes."
All the people previously comforting or questioning Kenshin come to
Okami's home to see the solution to the murder. Shinomori Aoshi and
Sagara Sanosuke, the two that cared the most about the solution, stand
at the ready in case something is to happen, and everything is silent
as thunder rolls in the clouds above.
"Oh perfect," comments Sano just as the rain tears through the cloud
and comes down.
Kenshin and Zeto take ready postions as the rain creates a glow on
their swords.
"Himura Kenshin. Hiten Mitsurugii Ryu, in the honor of the late Kamiya
Kaoru."
Zeto steps his right foot backward, his blade held parallel his leg,
the tip inches from the ground.
"Marsh Zeto. Original Technique, for redemption."
Zeto charges at Kenshin, the latter attempting battou-jutsu for a quick
finish. Zeto stops just as the sword comes out and spins to Kenshin's
left, thrusting at his shoulder. The violet eyed warrior guards the
attack then slashes upward at Zeto. The taller fighter rolls suddenly
backward, then leaps forward to try and slash the ex-hitokiris neck.
Kenshin steps back, his bicep taking a bare touch by the sword, then
jumps back as a foot swings at him in a hook.
The two stop and stare into one another's eyes, circling as they
prepare for round two.
Kenshin tries for the Ryo Sho Sen and Zeto dodges with an uncanny
speed, getting behind Kenshin and readying for a strike, shoulder to
waist. The warrior of red hair spins, knocking the strike away,
thrusting his blade at Zeto's stomach, hoping to cut him open and be
done, only to find the thrust hitting open air. He looks up, seeing
Zeto falling rapidly toward him and leaps up, the two blades colliding
in air like titans. They fall to the ground, Zeto on his feet, having
backflipped in the air, and Kenshin on his left knee, falling straight
backward after the brief sword contact made while airborne.
They circle once more and rush at one another, suddenly stopped by a
silvery blade with a deep blue hilt and hand guard. The rain seems to
fall harder on the duelists as there is no action for a few seconds.
Kenshin's hair is plastered to his forehead and Zeto's falling
backward, looking combed. They trace the blade and hilt back to the
hand of the young warrior with no light in his eyes.
"Stop this now."
Zeto screams over the thundering to his brother,
"DON'T INTERFERE!"
"This is pointless."
Kenshin steps back a few times, kneeling to catch his breath.
"IT'S NOT POINTLESS!!!"
"Really? Then, what is the purpose of this fight?"
"It... it's for Kaoru."
Okami sighs, expressing his shame at his brother's idiocy,
"Didn't you love Kaoru?"
Zeto's eyes grow wide,
"Of course I did."
"Wouldn't you want her happy if you had the chance to make her so?"
"I would do anything."
"Then do you realize why this fight is pointless?"
"You don't understand brother! I killed her... so I should die for
her... in her name!"
"You want to disgrace her?"
"NANI?! How could you mean?"
Okami sheathes his katana, shutting his eyes to the rain and numbing
his body to the chill wind.
"Everything you do in her name disgraces her now. You killed her, yes.
But you were drunk, tired, and under those circumstances, jealousy can
be very strong."
"You act like I'm trying to escape her!"
"You are."
"I DON'T RUN AWAY FROM ANYTHING!!!!!"
"Did you run away from everyone else to come to me when our family
died?"
"That... was... dif-," he is cut off by both his brother and the
thunder.
"That is exactly the same."
Zeto steps back once,
"I was rejected... outcasted by my friends."
Okami shakes his head,
"You wouldn't accept their help. You were too proud, ne?"
"IIE!!!"
"Don't lie."
"NO NO NO!!!!!!!!"
Zeto falls to the muddy ground holding his head and shaking violently.
"i didn't run... i didn't run... i didn't... run..."
"Tell the truth."
"If... I've been fleeing... let me die in battle. Let me die
honorably."
Now, Aoshi speaks up, heard easily even under the rain on the ground
and thunder and lightning in the sky,
"There is no honor in cowardess."
"You... bastards... you've all turned on me cuz of my mistake haven't
you?! I'll kill you all!!!"
Zeto stands, grabbing his saber and starting to run toward Okami, to
get by him to Aoshi.
"You've been running. For you I have no sympathy."
There is the sound of a blade through a body.
"naze...naze... NAZE?!"
"My brother was always a coward. But, when he started lying, it was
inacceptable."
"M...e? a... coward...? heheh... heh..." Zeto coughs up blood, trying
to get out his words before death, "I... never...ran away... except..."
His last breath and words are muffled by a lighting crack and shortly
after a roll of thunder.
Kenshin stares in awe when he notices that Zeto's body misses an arm.
He sees in his head the nightmare and the scene molding into one,
cancelling each other out slowly.
"You... killed your brother?"
"You told me once, that, in the war, you killed for what you thought
was right. I knew this was right. I know, this is right."
~Owari~
a/n: very different ending than the first two times eh? well, I felt
that was the way it should end, that he be payed for what he did. Well,
review please, I wanna know what you think about this.