"Oh, I don't think so battousai! I've waited too long for this!" Cackling laughter emanated from the enormous grin on his mouth. The man's calloused thumb pulled the hammer back with an echoing CLICK. Kaoru's eyes blinked from shock as she stared blankly at the barrel of the gun. She moved her eyes to look at the strange man in front of her, and saw no fear in his eyes... no remorse... no feelings. She was beginning to perspire, am I going to die? I can't--
"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin screamed and the man pulled the trigger.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as the deafening sound of the gun shot rang through Kenshin's ears. Kaoru-dono! The gun-holder's face was lit up with pure joy as he looked at the battousai's golden eyes. Kenshin's sword was instantly unsheathed, and turned towards the pistol, but it was too late. The bullet went straight through to the back of her head causing it to instantly jerk backwards as the bullet made its way out the other side. Shock was still evident on her face as soft tears fell from her eyes, and blood kept pouring out of the deadly hole. Her back arched forward as her two arms swung straight ahead, body collapsing instantly into Kenshin's awaiting arms.
"What's the matter battousai. It looks like your past has finally caught up with you, and you've failed to protect yet another substantial woman in your life," the man grinned, satisfaction evident among his features. He began to giggle at the site of Kenshin trying to coerce the corpse into waking up. "She's not going to wake up battousai. Can't you see the blood pouring out of that huge hole in her head! Aww... look, she's crying, " he teased and couldn't take it anymore as uncontrollable laughter poured through his mouth. The laughing was making his stomach tighten, and he was almost on the floor in hysteria.
"Kaoru-dono. Wake up. Please wake up," was all Kenshin could manage to say before he heard the man's annoying laughter. His eyes became a deadly gold as his free hand reached for the handle on his sword. He lay the still Kaoru gently onto the ground, being careful not to damage her head. Her blood soaked the grass and pooled into the nearby river. His grip on his sword tightened as he silently flipped the blade, and, moving so stealthily that you could barely even tell he was moving at all, with one mighty swing upwards, the gunman's body lay in two separate pieces on the already tainted ground. Kenshin stood in triumph next to the dismembered corpse, his golden eyes ripping the already disfigured body apart. All he felt was hatred...
"What's the matter battousai? Afraid that your past misdeeds have finally caught up with you? You're lucky that I decided to have a little fun before I kill you. Haven't you heard of the game... Russian Roulette? Don't worry, the next chamber actually has a bullet inside. I'm saving it for you," he said as he turned the gun towards Kenshin. Kenshin's body was perspiring heavily as he looked up, still standing a few feet away from the gunman and Kaoru, and realized that the scene before was only another hallucination. His heart was beating faster as he fought back the urge to break down at the disturbing images of Kaoru's cadaver. His cheek was bleeding profusely, but only from Tomoe's scar, the other remained closed. Even though, internally, Kenshin was ready to crack, he managed to maintain an outwardly calm demeanor.
"You're wrong, you are the lucky one," the words spat out in icey shards, "you should be thankful that the shot never connected. Other wise you would be dead, sliced cleanly in half," his eyes were becoming increasingly dangerous as a slight grin formed on his lips,"with nothing but a look of horror on your face." Kenshin hissed, eyes glowing amber.
Kaoru was shocked at his words, Kenshin, you cannot kill, tears trickled down her cheeks as she finally took a breath after, surprisingly, she realized she had been holding it in. "No need to cry, I only want to kill the battousai," he wiped a tear from Kaoru's cheek and a sly, crooked grin, formed at the corner of his mouth. "I won't kill you," he chuckled, "not until battousai is dead. I want to have a little fun with you before I kill you," he turned to Kenshin as he said this, his cold glare boring into him.
"The only one who will die... is you, if you do not release Kaoru-dono unharmed." Kenshin's hand gripped the handle of his reverse blade sword with one hand, and the sheath with the other. "I've had enough of these games," he said, but the man had already cocked the gun, aiming it straight at Kenshin's heart. Kenshin started to charge, but for some reason his lightning speed was off a bit, and the man fired, pushing Kaoru out of the way with his other hand.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru turned, running straight for the Rurouni.
"Kaoru-dono, get out of the way!" Kenshin yelled as he pulled Kaoru into him, holding tightly around her waist with one arm while pulling his blade out with the other, and leaping into the air to avoid the shot. Kaoru whinced, "Ken," and something wet started to pool between his arm and Kaoru's body, "shin." She began to weeze, each breath followed by a slight cough, leaving driblets of moisture around Kenshin's chest. Still suspended in the air, Kenshin looked down at her, then further down to the ground at the trail of red trickling from the bottom of Kaoru's kimono. How could I have been too slow? There's no way the bullet was faster than my speed... I was too slow... It's happening again. By now, Kaoru was breathing deeply, each inhalation followed by coughs laced with blood.
Kenshin finally connected with the ground again, but was surprised to see that the man had vanished. He sensed the man's prescence in the bushes nearby, but was too worried about Kaoru to go after him. Almost instantly, Kaoru was cradled in his strong arms, and they arrived at Megumi's clinic.
"Megumi-dono!" Kenshin screamed when he ran inside.
"Ah, Ken-san, what a lovely surprise," she stated playfully, but her mood changed instantly when she saw Kaoru's body. "Place her on the table," she felt Kaoru's forehead, "she has a high fever, we have to get her out of these clothes. I need more light, please go find Dr. Gensai... and hurry!" She said while untying Kaoru's obi. Kaoru's blood was everywhere on her body, but the shot had penetrated through her back, which was beginning to spasm causing more blood to fuse from the hole. Megumi lay Kaoru on her stomach, her kimono covering the lower half of her body still, and her head tilted to the right so she could breath.
"Will she be alright?" Kenshin asked when he returned to the room with Dr. Gensai in tow, and an extra lamp. He couldn't help but stare at Kaoru's bare form, glazed in red. It's just like the dreams... I've killed you Kaoru... His heart tugged in his chest while looking at her spasming body. I have failed you Kaoru-dono, tears began to well up in his eyes and he turned his back towards them. "Please... Megumi... will she be alright?" He pressed, voice cracking slightly, but unoticable to the others.
"I'm not sure--It looks like the shot has gone through one of her lungs... it... doesn't look good." Her face saddened.
"Please, Megumi, help Kaoru-dono."
"I will do all that I can." She said and began her work.
I hope you guys like it so far :) Tell me what you thought about this chapter ;) hehe, this time, it's not a dream, and she really was shot =Þ Sorry for the long delay in updating, but i had exams ^_^x
PS... I don't own Kenshin blah blah blah...