The Fires of Vengeance- Chapter 1: The Match Is Lit
JK (watching while everyone gasps in shock): Yes, I am writing a non-humor fic.
Evil Authoress: What is running through your mind, child?
JK: Well, a friend of mine once said that every angst writer has to have at least one, crappy, humor fic. So I say that every humor writer has to have at least one, crappy, serious fic.
Kenshin: It makes sense, that it does.
Sanosuke: Don't listen to him, JK. He's just trying to get on your good side so you don't make him suffer.
JK: I know. But it won't work, Kenshin.
Kenshin (distraught): Why not?
JK: Because in a non-humor fic, someone is bound to suffer unless it's romance.
Kenshin: But what about all the other types like supernatural, action/adventure, and poetry?
Sanosuke: Poetry? Who the hell writes poetry?
JK: Sanosuke!
Sanosuke: What did I do?
Yahiko: It's not polite to insult poets. Unless you insult poets like Kaoru who writes little love messages to a certain red-haired, violet-eyed, cross-shaped scarred—
Kenshin: We get it, Yahiko!
Sanosuke (slapping Kenshin on the back): Aw…he's embarrassed.
Kaoru: I do not write love notes to him!
JK: Yes you do. I have one right here. (reads from the note) Dearest Kenshin, Today marks the one week anniversary since I met you. I have to admit, it was love at first sight for me. And I don't know how you feel, but if your affection is anything like mine it's no surprise you can't sleep at night. I know I can't. You're in my dreams and my nightmares. I know! You're stalking me, aren't you? I knew men couldn't be trusted! And another thing—
Megumi: Tsk, tsk. No wonder Kenshin won't even look at you, Kaoru.
Kaoru: I never gave him the note, Megumi!
Evil Authoress: So you're confessing that you wrote it! And this isn't the end of Kaoru's suffering!
Kaoru: What's that supposed to mean?
JK: That you suffer quite a bit in this fic.
Sanosuke: So…Kenshin and Kaoru suffer, right?
JK: Yup.
Sanosuke: How? They don't get married or something?
Kaoru and Kenshin: SANOSUKE!
Sanosuke: And what happens to me, Megumi, Yahiko, and everyone else?
Yahiko: Megumi's probably suffering from being married to you, Sano.
Sanosuke (after gasping): I can't be married to Megumi! That would mean I would have to stick with only one woman!
(Megumi bashes Sanosuke on the head with a frying pan.)
Megumi: He was begging to be hit.
JK: Anyway, without further ado (or stupidity of the characters) I present you with the fic! Enjoy! (Or at least try to.)
Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin. I don't own his reverse-blade sword. Heck, I don't even own a wooden sword! Now I'm depressed! Thanks, you damn disclaimer!
Disclaimer: Anytime.
JK: (stares) Okay…before I completely lose my mind, I don't own any part of Rurouni Kenshin. On to the fic!
"Let's see…one yen…two yen…and…what the hell?! This can't be all the money I have!" said Sanosuke, and began scanning the area around him to see if he dropped any money. Kenshin burst out laughing and had to shove his fist in his mouth to stifle the sound.
"SHUT UP, KENSHIN!" Sanosuke screamed. Kenshin stopped, but a very evident smile remained on his face.
"So, Sano, what exactly do you intend to gamble with?" Kenshin asked. Sanosuke was still looking around for money he, or any other unsuspecting soul, had dropped, but he managed to reply.
"Your money," he said simply. Kenshin's smile was immediately replaced by a sour look.
"What money?"
Sanosuke stopped. "Don't you work, Kenshin?"
"No," Kenshin replied. "Kaoru-dono usually takes care of matters regarding money." Sanosuke snickered.
"You're so manly, Kenshin!"
"You shut up, Sano! And besides, where do you get your money from?" Kenshin never saw Sanosuke doing work of any kind ever since he quit the fighter-for-hire business, and he suspected whatever money Sanosuke did make, it wasn't from any noble cause.
"That's for me to know and you to never find out," said Sanosuke.
"You and Megumi aren't running some kind of secret underground opium network, are you?" Kenshin asked slyly.
"Very funny," said Sanosuke. "Speaking of women, Kenshin, how do you manage to stay with only Kaoru? I mean, if she was a normal girl then I'd get it but she's so…"
"So…?"
"She's so…Kaoru," said Sanosuke, frowning. "I would never be able to stay with just her."
"I really don't understand what you mean, Sano," said Kenshin with his rurouni innocence.
"Come on, Kenshin. The walls aren't thick and I'm not deaf. I hear noises coming from—"
"It appears we have arrived, Sano," said Kenshin quickly and entered the house. Kenshin may have been swift, but that didn't stop Sanosuke from seeing that his friend had turned a pale shade of crimson. Pleased with himself, Sanosuke followed Kenshin inside.
"So how much money do you have today, Sano?" one of his friends asked. Before answering, Sanosuke looked around to see where Kenshin had gotten to.
He was sitting in a corner quietly, sipping his tea again. Sanosuke sighed. He's not going to be any help to me if he doesn't guess right at least twice. Sanosuke thought, disgruntled. Especially since I only have two yen… "Oh crap!" Sanosuke yelped.
"What?" his friend asked.
"I only have two yen," said Sanosuke, blushing.
"Well, that's okay. You can go home after we take all your money," said his friend happily.
"So we'll go home in a few minutes, we will," said Kenshin, smiling at Sanosuke. Sanosuke sat down next to Kenshin.
"You better place a good bet at least once, or God help me I'll kill you," said Sanosuke in a murderous whisper. Kenshin calmly sipped his tea.
"I'll try," said Kenshin.
"Okay, let's begin," said Sanosuke's friend. (A/N: I'd give him a name…but when it comes to names, I suck.) "Pick two numbers."
"Er…evens six and four," said Sanosuke tentatively. The dice were rolled, and the result wasn't in Sanosuke's favor: three and five.
"Damn it…" Sanosuke muttered. Kenshin continued to sip his tea while Sanosuke glared at him.
When it was their turn again, Sanosuke made Kenshin choose the numbers. "Are you sure, Sano? My luck is horrible. I'll probably make you lose all of the rest of your money."
"Pick the damn numbers!"
"Evens, six and four."
"Kenshin, I just picked those!"
"If we choose the same numbers over and over rather than skipping around, there's a greater chance we'll win," said Kenshin calmly.
"Really?" Sanosuke asked. "I need to start learning the Hiten Mitsurugi style." Kenshin sighed. Probability had absolutely nothing to do with the Hiten Mitsurugi style. It was just plain old common sense.
"So, evens six and four?" his friend asked.
Sanosuke nodded.
"Suit yourself," he said, rolling the dice. The results, much to everyone's amazement, were six and four. Kenshin gaped at the dice while Sanosuke did a little victory dance around the room. Everyone else just looked from Sanosuke to Kenshin and back again.
"Sano," Kenshin began when Sanosuke was seated, "what do the dice say?"
"Six and four," said Sanosuke brightly. "Why?"
"Wow…" Kenshin was in a state of shock and Sanosuke had to punch him to make him come to.
"It's true what they say, you know. There is a first time for everything," he said once his consciousness came back.
"Yup," Sanosuke agreed.
"Evens, two and two," said Kenshin when it was their turn again.
"Whatever happened to that whole 'pick the same numbers' philosophy?" Sanosuke asked.
"Well, the chances of it landing on the same numbers twice in a row are slimmer, so I decided to pick different numbers," said Kenshin.
"Whatever. They better be right, Kenshin." Once again, the dice matched Kenshin's bet.
"Yeah, Kenshin, your luck is really bad," said Sanosuke sarcastically.
"I guess it isn't as bad as I thought it was," said Kenshin.
An hour later Sanosuke and Kenshin left the house of Sanosuke's friend, considerably richer than they were when they had entered it. Sanosuke was parading the streets like he owned them, and Kenshin was quietly walking alongside him.
"Make way for the luckiest men in Japan!" Sanosuke shouted. "Hey, moron, move aside. Sanosuke Sagara and Kenshin Himura coming through!"
"I don't give a raccoon's ass about you two," said the man who had intentionally bumped into them.
"Hey, Kenshin, I believe Squinty just insulted your girlfriend," said Sanosuke.
"Saitou? What are you doing here?" Kenshin asked suspiciously.
"Some stupid felon escaped from prison yesterday. Shame, and he was going to be executed too. He was seen somewhere in Tokyo, and I was sent to look for him. I doubt I'll find him, though," said Saitou.
"Hey, don't you think you should be a little more worried about this, Squinty?" Sanosuke asked.
"Number one, don't call me Squinty. Number two, no, I don't," said Saitou, still with his unnerving calmness.
"Well, if you don't care, then I don't see why we should," said Sanosuke happily and continued on his way. "Step aside! Luckiest and richest men in Japan coming through!"
"Battousai," Saitou said quietly, having to bend down so Kenshin could hear him, "be on your guard. The man was a great admirer of yours, and there's a great chance he went from Akita all the way to Tokyo just to find you."
"Thanks for the warning, Saitou, but I think this felon will be disappointed when he sees that I've sworn off my hitokiri ways and won't bother me again," said Kenshin confidently. But although he acted calm and rational, Kenshin's mind was in turmoil.
"Don't thank me, Battousai. Tokio made me do it. In fact, I would've liked to watch this whole charade play out without you knowing a thing," said Saitou evilly. "Anyway, I really must get going." He proceeded to walk in the direction Sanosuke and Kenshin had just come from. Kenshin stood as if rooted to the spot, turning everything over in his mind. This is all too strange. First I dream about the times before even the Revolution. Then my luck is impeccable during gambling, and I know it's been years since so much as one of the numbers I guessed appeared on a die. And lastly, Saitou shows up with a warning that someone may be looking for me. Could it be that all these events are linked somehow? Is something really going to happen?
"Kenshin!" Sanosuke called, breaking into Kenshin's thoughts. "Did someone attach lead to your feet? Come on! I want to show Megumi that I'm richer than she is!"
Kenshin shook his head. No. Everything's normal. Sanosuke and his bizarre way of showing affection for Megumi is proof of that. Nothing dangerous is going to happen to Kaoru and the others. It's all inside my head. And yet another little voice spoke in the back of his mind as he followed Sanosuke. It's what I thought last time, though. The time when Saitou showed up and nearly killed Sanosuke. Something is going to happen, although what that something is even I don't know. I just hope no one except for me will be harmed. Kenshin thought. It was then that he noticed that Sanosuke was no longer parading through the streets and shouting about how he and Kenshin were rich. Instead, he was staring at Kenshin with concern etched all over his face,
"What's the matter, Kenshin? You haven't said a word for the past five minutes. Just what exactly did Saitou tell you?" he asked.
Kenshin smiled his rurouni smile. "Nothing at all, Sano. I was just figuring out the best way to make sure you don't end up with any of my money."
"Hey! That money belonged to my friends, you know!" said Sanosuke angrily. "And if it wasn't for me, you would never have won it in the first place!"
"Calm down, Sano! I was kidding!" Kenshin said, holding his hands up to protect himself since Sanosuke looked like he could kill someone.
"I knew that," said Sanosuke. "Make way for the great Sanosuke Sagara and Kenshin Himura!" Doesn't he get tired of screaming that? Kenshin thought, somewhat irritated.
"Now, where's Megumi?" Sanosuke asked when he reached the Kamiya dojo. He went inside to find someone to gloat to. Kenshin waited for him outside. For some reason, he felt that he just couldn't go in, almost as if he would find something too disturbing if he did. Or that he would miss seeing something important happen outside.
"How much do you want to bet that they all went off to the Akabeko to eat without us?" Sanosuke asked, coming out of the dojo.
"What do you mean?" Kenshin asked, keeping the alarm in his voice to a minimum.
"No one's home!" said Sanosuke angrily. He watched as Kenshin's eyes narrowed like they always did when he was being serious.
"They would never leave without us, Sanosuke," he said. "Besides, it's too late for a beef pot." They were both silent for a moment, Sanosuke angry that there was no one to show off his yen to and Kenshin contemplating what may have happened.
"Maybe they're out back or something," said Sanosuke, and ran to go check. It was only then that Kenshin noticed a note pinned to a tree near the dojo. Sighing with relief, he went to go read it. I knew there was no reason to panic. He thought.
He ripped off the note and read it to himself.
Battousai,
Hopefully this letter reaches you before your woman's precious dojo burns to the ground, taking this letter with it. I am a humble fan of yours who has admired you since I was five years old and first heard of your existence. And I must say I was rather disappointed to discover that you have become a pathetic wanderer who has sworn off killing. And you also carry a reverse-blade sword now! What is running through your mind, Battousai? With skills such as yours you could probably take over Japan if you were to gather followers! But you are letting your skills go to waste, Battousai. Why? Why would an assassin like you, famous during the Revolution and after, decide to throw away such a glorious past and the prospect of an even more glorious future? I have run away from the police in Akita a day before my execution just to get to the bottom of this. And when you do answer all my questions, I have a favor to ask of you. My life is not one worth living, so I did not run away from execution simply because I wanted to save myself. I want you to kill me, Battousai. There is nothing I would love more than to die with the Battousai's sword tasting my blood. I will choose when I wish to die and who shall kill me, not the police. I await your arrival at the docks.
Sincerely,
Shinta Wakamaru
P.S. I suspected that you would never agree to come, so I've taken extra precaution. I have your woman and your friends here with me, so if you wish to see them alive ever again I advise you to come.
Kenshin stared at the letter as if it was a bomb that was about to go off. I knew this would happen. He thought. I should've done something to prevent it from happening, but I denied it to myself. Wait…what does he mean, "before your woman's precious dojo burns to the ground"? He couldn't have… Kenshin sniffed the air and found traces of smoke in it.
"Kenshin!" Sanosuke called, running over to him. "There's a fire!"
"I know, Sanosuke. I will leave you here to put it out while I go find Kaoru and the others," said Kenshin, and began running in the direction of the docks.
"Hold on a minute, Kenshin!" He grabbed Kenshin by the shoulder. "Where are Kaoru and the others?"
Kenshin turned around to face him, his eyes a cold shade of blue rather than the usual lavender. "I will be the one to go save them, Sanosuke. Do as I request." Sanosuke let go, but Kenshin didn't run just yet. "You were wrong, Sanosuke. We are not the luckiest men in Japan," said Kenshin, and then continued running at a pace faster than Sanosuke had ever seen Kenshin run. And the tone he employed…it wasn't his usual way of speaking. When Kenshin was in a battle his tone was colder than when he was hanging laundry, for example, but never did it have the harsh quality of his manslayer countenance. Kenshin wasn't back to being Hitokiri Battousai completely, but if someone didn't snap him out of it, their dear little rurouni would be wiped from existence.
"This is pointless, you know," said Kaoru angrily to Shinta Wakamaru. "Kenshin will never return to being a manslayer. I'm afraid the police will have to kill you after all."
Shinta glanced at her coldly before flinging a dart in her direction. It caught her hair, but didn't damage anything more than that.
"Quiet, woman. The Battousai will do as I want. Otherwise, you shall die." Shinta walked over to Kaoru and caressed her face for a second. "I can see why the Battousai wouldn't want anything to happen to you. You're very pretty."
"That's a huge insult coming from you," said Kaoru, shrinking back.
"Shut up, Kaoru!" said Yahiko, speaking for the first time since they got there. "Talking back to someone who has a sword when you have your hands tied behind your back is a very stupid thing to do!"
"Well, well, well," said Shinta, walking over to Yahiko. "You can talk. And all the while I was thinking that you were mute."
"I wish he was," Megumi muttered. Since Shinta was right next to her, he heard this.
"And you have a voice too. Good. I don't know how long it'll be before the Battousai shows up, so I'd like someone other than this loud-mouthed girl over here to keep me company."
"Stop calling him Battousai!" Kaoru shouted. "Kenshin will never become a manslayer again!"
"Toying with people's emotions can bring out the worst in people, miss," said Shinta matter-of-factly.
"He has a point, Kaoru-dono." All four of them spun around to find Kenshin calmly approaching them. "And the same would be true for me…if I was your average person." Kaoru, Yahiko, and Megumi immediately noticed that his voice was different from his calm, cute one.
"Ah, Battousai. I knew you would show up. Your girlfriend was trying to convince me otherwise. She must not have much faith in you. Did you have to pay her or something?" asked Shinta.
"You bastard! How dare you imply that I'm that kind of woman?!" Kaoru screamed.
"Shut up, Kaoru!" Megumi and Yahiko ordered.
"So…Shinta Wakamaru…coincidences can be rather frightening," Kenshin asked.
"I like your tone, Battousai. It sounds like you would be ready to tear me to shreds. But can you wait until after my interrogation?" Shinta asked.
"First I would like it if you listened to what I have to say…Shinta," said Kenshin.
"You seem to find my name interesting," Shinta observed.
"Then I suppose it really is a coincidence that you bear the name I once did. The name given to me by my parents was Shinta, but when Hiko Seijurou began teaching me the Hiten Mitsurugi style, he dubbed my name too weak for a future assassin. Kenshin seemed more suitable considering it means 'heart of sword,'" Kenshin explained.
"Well, I feel honored to have anything in common with you, Battousai," Shinta said brightly. Kenshin blinked.
"You had questions for me, did you not, Shinta? I will answer them as best I can. I became a wanderer because I feel guilty for all the lives I've taken. With my sword I wish to repent for what I have done rather than commit more sins. It's that simple. As for the glorious past and future you spoke of, I see no such glory in murder. And I have no intention of stripping Japan of its government, no matter how feeble it is," said Kenshin. "And if that is all you wished to know, then I will be taking my friends back home and will allow you to leave peacefully if they are not harmed."
"Tsk, tsk. You truly are weak now. Coming face to face with my idol after all these years has left me disappointed. I was obsessed with you, Battousai. Every one of my actions occurred only after I wondered whether or not you would do the same. I learned swordsmanship only because of you, not because I wanted to learn it. To be honest…" Shinta grimaced. "…I was afraid of swords. "But I suppose I can still ask you for that favor, can't I?"
"I have no intention of killing you, or anyone else ever again, Shinta Wakamaru. All I ask is that you step aside while I take what isn't yours to manipulate and head home," said Kenshin.
"Ah…I hear a trace of a hitokiri in that statement, Battousai. When you say they're not mine to manipulate, does that mean they're yours?" asked Shinta.
"No. And I refuse to answer anymore of your brainless questions," said Kenshin, his voice even colder than it was the last time he spoke. He moved his hand to his sword, but then thought better of it and put his hand back to its previous position. Mr. Wakamaru might take it as an indication that I would ever even consider killing him as I am now. Thought Kenshin.
"Well then, Battousai. I suppose you need some persuasion," said Shinta, calmly strolling over to Kaoru. He unsheathed his sword and put it to Kaoru's neck. "Do you think your woman would be pretty without her head?"
"Step away from Kaoru before I make you regret that your wench of a mother brought you screaming into this world," Kenshin said in a harsh whisper. Immediately he was sorry he had spoken.
"Well…it certainly sounds like you would be willing to kill me if I touched her," Shinta said. "Then you leave me with no choice, Battousai." He began pressing the sword against her neck, but Kaoru managed to kick him before he could do too much damage.
"There was no need for that," Shinta said, standing up and clutching his stomach. "I wouldn't have really killed you. It may have hurt, but you would have lived."
"Kaoru! Are you okay?" Kenshin asked, alarmed.
"I'll be okay…" she said weakly. Kenshin studied her, the anger building inside him. When he fist found out about this admirer of his, Kenshin was angrier than he had ever been because Kaoru and the others were in danger because of him. But now, he felt a fury one hundred times greater than that of the one he felt then. He was actually considering killing Shinta Wakamaru so Kaoru wouldn't be harmed anymore. And I'll have to do it fast, too. He thought as he watched the blood flow down Kaoru's neck and stain the collar of her kimono since she was unable to wipe it away.
"Although killing you is awfully tempting now, Shinta Wakamaru, I refuse to give you that satisfaction," Kenshin said. Before he could continue, Shinta turned to Kaoru and slashed her arm.
"Will you give me that satisfaction now, Battousai?" Shinta asked slyly. Kenshin looked at Kaoru again. All of his attacks seemed to be aimed only at her...is it possible that he knows something I don't about Kaoru? Something that would really concern me if I did know? Kenshin wondered. Kaoru was sitting quietly, not crying out or showing any signs at all that she was in pain. But Kenshin knew that she was, and that it was a pain only she could be able to withstand. And it was all because of him, because she didn't want him to become a manslayer again just to avenge her pain. She's terrified, I can tell. She doesn't want me to become a hitokiri ever again, even if it means that she'll suffer. Kenshin closed his eyes and when he opened them again he knew that they were amber-colored.
"I'm sorry, Kaoru," he said softly, and flipped the blade of his sword. (A/N: Before I continue, for those who don't know, when Kenshin's eyes become amber-colored it means that he's become Battousai. When he's his kawaii, wanderer self they're lavender, and when he's facing someone in battle or something serious is going on, his eyes are narrow and kind of blue.)
"Finally," said Shinta, "I thought I'd never get you to crack."
"No…Kenshin, don't do it. Please. Not for me…" Kaoru pleaded helplessly. Kenshin didn't hear her.
"You'll regret this, Shinta. Your death will not be a quick one, and it won't be without pain," Kenshin warned.
"Feh. Like I care about that. As long as you kill me, I'm happy," said Shinta. Kenshin spat.
"Enjoy your trip to hell, then," he said. Then he seemed to disappear from view.
"You mean you're going to use one your Hiten Mitsurugi moves on me, Battousai? I'm truly honored," said Shinta.
He's mad! Thought Yahiko, watching as Kenshin appeared above Shinta.
"Ryu-Tsui-Sen!" Kenshin screamed, and brought his sword down on Shinta's unsuspecting, but thrilled, head.
"Ba-battousai. You…didn't…" Shinta choked.
"I didn't what? Kill you?" Kenshin asked. Kaoru managed to smile. He had returned to his usual self. His eyes were blue, but his voice was normal.
"Why…didn't…" Shinta asked weakly.
"Because," said Kenshin, "I couldn't stand the thought of doing you a favor after you harmed Kaoru-dono."
"But…how…"
"I flipped the blade of my sword back at the very last moment. Sorry, but no matter how close I get to being the Battousai again, I'll never kill," said Kenshin. But as soon as he uttered the second sentence he knew it was a lie. By the time he flipped his sword back, there was only about a millimeter left for the sword to travel to hit Shinta. And it had taken all his will-power to do so.
"I told you, Shinta Wakamaru! I told you that you would never get Kenshin to kill again!" said Kaoru triumphantly. Then, she fainted from blood loss.
"Perfect timing, Kaoru," Yahiko muttered as Kenshin untied him.
"He didn't harm the both of you, did he?" Kenshin asked. Megumi and Yahiko shook their heads.
"He probably knew you liked Kaoru. Otherwise he wouldn't have kept calling her your woman," said Yahiko smartly.
"Or maybe he knew something even I don't," said Kenshin.
"What?" Megumi asked. Does he suspect it? She thought.
"Never mind," said Kenshin, shaking his head. He was now completely back to being a rurouni, so he didn't want to worry anyone any further.
"What about him?" Megumi asked, indicating Shinta.
"He's paralyzed. The police will find him here tomorrow, and he will be executed like he was supposed to be in the first place. I feel bad for the poor fellow, though. His insanity led him to have his life end very early. He can't be older than sixteen," said Kenshin. He lifted Kaoru. "Let's go see if Sanosuke managed to put the fire out, shall we?"
Kenshin stared at the charred remains of the back of the dojo. To him, they would always serve as remnants that his past could never be erased. And he would serve as the same kind of remnant to everyone he knew.
"You okay, Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked, coming out to see what he was doing. Kenshin nodded. They stood in silence for a moment before Sanosuke said, "Megumi said Kaoru should be fine." Kenshin nodded again. "She also told me everything that happened."
"Sano…remember what Saitou once said?" Kenshin asked.
"Who in their right mind would pay attention to anything Squinty says?" Sanosuke asked in return.
"He once said that a manslayer will always be a manslayer," said Kenshin. Sanosuke wasn't sure if he was talking to him or to himself.
"Yeah, and?" Sanosuke ventured. What was Kenshin driving at?
"I didn't want to believe it…but now I agree with him," said Kenshin. "I think it's finally time for me to go off wandering again, Sano. And this time, I won't tell any of you where I'm going. Don't follow me. And please explain to everyone that my reason for doing this is that since I'm a manslayer, I may end up harming them or they may end up being harmed by someone connected to me." He stood up. "Please understand, Sano. I don't want to cause anyone anymore unnecessary pain."
"Kenshin, don't be stupid!" said Sanosuke, shoving him. "You've had a past as a manslayer since day one and it's never killed anyone!"
Kenshin smiled sadly. "Not yet, you mean."
"I told you! Kaoru will be fine!"
"That's this time, Sano. There's no guarantee that everyone will survive the next time this happens," said Kenshin. "Please. The reason I'm asking you to pass this on is because I would be tempted to stay if I had to explain it to another person."
"Kenshin, I can't let you leave," said Sanosuke. "Don't think we were happy about it last time."
"I'm sorry, Sano," said Kenshin. He turned away from Sanosuke and began walking away, leaving him standing there, dumbfounded.
Kaoru woke up, feeling nauseous. Then suddenly, she retched, narrowly missing her futon.
At that moment Megumi entered the room and looked at Kaoru sadly.
"I just spoke to Sanosuke," she said,
"And what did he—" Kaoru wasn't able to complete her sentence since she had to turn around and throw up again.
"Kaoru…" Megumi was unable to continue.
"Never mind that, Megumi," said Kaoru. "Can you please tell Kenshin to come in here? I have something important to tell him."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Kaoru," said Megumi.
"Why not?" Kaoru asked. She was feeling very sick, but she needed to tell Kenshin her news. And Megumi toying with her wasn't making her feel any better.
"Kaoru…Kenshin left," said Megumi quietly.
"What?"
"He left."
"Well, he better come home soon. This is really important!" said Kaoru. "When is he coming back?"
"Never," said Megumi. Kaoru gaped at her, wide-eyed.
"No," she said, shaking her head in disbelief, "it can't be! Kenshin wouldn't leave!"
"He would and he did, Kaoru! And you're just going to have to accept that," said Megumi. Then her expression softened when she saw that Kaoru was silent, tears flowing out of her blue eyes. "I'm sorry."
"You don't understand, Megumi! There's no way you'll ever understand what I'm feeling right now!" Kaoru screamed miserably.
"I know that you feel horrible, Kaoru, but—"
"There's a reason I've been throwing up so often," Kaoru interrupted, not wanting to hear any condolences. "Megumi…I'm…I'm…" Kaoru couldn't bring herself to utter the word.
Megumi hated being a doctor at that particular moment. "I know, Kaoru. I know. You've been throwing up so often because you're…because…" She couldn't bring herself to say it either. It was as if uttering that one word made it real, and for Kaoru it would be a very cruel reality.
"Pregnant," Megumi said finally. "It's because you're pregnant."
JK (staring at fic): What have I done?
Evil Authoress: You've created an evil work of fiction, that's what. Oh well. It got all shoujo at the end. Shoujo is good! (munches on popcorn)
JK: Shoujo is girl's manga/anime, by the way. And I'm sorry this was so long! But when I get behind a keyboard, I start typing like the Energizer bunny.
(Cricket sounds can be heard.)
JK: Anyway, I know this wasn't too serious at the beginning, but there's no way you could call the ending humor.
Evil Authoress: Yeah, yeah. Skip the crap. What do we get if we review?
JK: Well…you could get a plushie of your favorite character. Or plushies if you have more than one. Or you could get a plushie of your least favorite character so you could stick pins into it and turn it into a voodoo doll. I don't care. Just tell me what you want in a review, and I'll distribute them next chapter.
Evil Authoress: My review's going to cost you one Sano and one Seta plushie.
JK: Fine. And speaking of reviews, I generally pray that I'll get ten, but since not many people watch Rurouni Kenshin I won't be surprised if I get less than half that amount. But I'll only continue if I get four. Oh, and all flames will be used to burn Shishio (again) and we might even add his "girlfriend" to the kindling.
Evil Authoress: And if anyone has a good girl's name for a character, she'd be really happy if you told it to her in a review.
JK: Thanks for taking the time to read my feeble attempt at a non-humor fic!
