Author's note: Here we are ladies and gentlemen the home stretch. I'm only going to do a few more chapters after this and I be doing a X-men evolution Harry Potter crossover. To get more information read the next chapter to this story once it comes out. –Rei
Summary: Blood has been spilt because of me. And yet when I look into your eyes I do not see disgust instead I see sad understanding and another emotion I dare not identify. You think you are not worthy of me but how wrong you are. It is I whom am not worthy of you, my fallen angel. The time for talk and half measures is over the silence has already descended. But the silence always must give way to the storm. It is time for the truth of my struggle to be known. May kami-sama have mercy upon us.
Kenshin fought as best he could without killing his opponents yet their' numbers seemed to be endless. Sweat poured down his face and the former hitokiri strained against the instinct to kill the bastards that dare invade his home. He had lost track of Yahiko and Sano some time ago and Kaoru was nowhere to be found.
'Kaoru'
(Flashback)The moment Kenshin saw Kaoru's silhouette move beyond the path that led to town he immediately rounded on the Okashira and his diminutive companion. He didn't even bother to lower his bangs to conceal his eyes, which he knew were now blazing gold. The smaller of the two took an involuntary step back at the sight of his demonic orbs.
"What is going on"?
While Misao did her best not to fidget Aoshi calmly regarded the Battousai with icy eyes. He knew the repented assassin wouldn't harm them besides there wouldn't be enough for him to do anything drastic.
"To find that out Battousai you must first question how much exactly you know of your woman," he drawled impassively
Just as Kenshin was about to answer he, Aoshi, and Misao sensed the approach of an ominous energy. A growl ripped its way from the Rurouni's throat. He gripped at his reverse blade sword with white knuckled hands automatically sinking into the Batojitsu stance.
"We will finish this later Shinomori," he promised threateningly
Aoshi didn't answer. He merely drew his short swords and next to him Misao drew her kunai. The watched as the shadows seemed to extend into the dojo moving silently toward them setting fires as they went.
Seeing a tall lean man and a spiky haired child running at top speeds toward the dojo with the former carrying a black metal staff Aoshi seriously doubted if they would ever finish their' conversation.
(End flashback)
Kenshin dropped his shoulder low in his inattention and was slashed with the blunt edge of a dagger for it. The others that were attacking him took the opportunity to close in on the Rurouni. They circled in like crows to a dead carcass with their' weapons and clothes in various stages of disarray. Kenshin could do little to stop them his attention was too divided.
His eyes flickered erratically between slightly steely amethyst and fiery amber. The metallic smell and the taste of sweat, fire, and blood were in the air. Whose blood was spilt remained to be seen and the burning was most defiantly the dojo. Kenshin set to work once more maneuvering around them like a snake, constantly striking. His sword became his fangs as he used it to break bones and sever tendons.
"That's yours Jou-chan"?
The Rurouni flicked his eyes toward where he heard Sano had called out. Immediately the former assassin's eyes widened. Kaoru was there and unharmed. However this wasn't what caused Kenshin to become momentarily unable to contain his shock. It was the weapon she wielded. The once assumed metal staff had become a sword and stealth not so unlike his master's. Kaoru became a whirlwind on legs, her eyes vacant, and her cherry blossom lips set into a smile.
He watched as she slit the throat of the first hooded assassin that came near her and then plunge her sword into the spinal cord of the next. The very sight of Kaoru spilling blood confused the horrified Rurouni yet it aroused the Battousai to no end. Neither parts of his personas lusted for the kill but both of his personalities could agree she never looked more deadly or more beautiful.
Rip!
Kenshin hissed through his teeth as one of his attackers got through his defenses and slashed his midsection just above his hamaka ties. Throwing his weight backwards Kenshin managed to avoid having the horizontally held blade from completely disemboweling him. Kenshin back flipped and used the ground as a spring to throw himself forward into a Ryu Kan Sen. the assailant whom nearly spilled Kenshin's guts was now down for the count.
The former assassin didn't bother to slow down his movement; speed was his best ally now. Quickly counting how many were still standing Kenshin sighed in complete frustration. There were twelve, two dead on there feet, six trying to get close enough to subdue him and four that were trying to take him down from a distance. Kenshin gritted his teeth, his stomach felt as if it were because of the constant jerking.
The injury was slowing him down and five of the invaders were able to get a few good hits off of him because of it. Kenshin's usually boundless patience was running out with each injury he took. He could hear Aoshi and his companion who he learned was named Misao fighting without reservation. From the sound of it the two were winning.
"SANO"!
The wanderer turned his head sharply at the sound of Megumi's scream, only to see the she doctor holding the broken form of the former street urchin. There was blood everywhere. The former manslayer couldn't even tell if it were Megumi's or Yahiko's. He watched as Sanosuke defended both woman and child from the people who obviously wanted to kill them. The former gangster too was covered in blood. His usually white clothes reduced to a mostly deep red color with black soot.
Kenshin continued to try to subdue his attackers without killing them yet it was becoming apparent that nothing short of death would dissuade them. The former manslayer fought as best he could but the now nauseating stench of burning and death reeked havoc on his senses.
Battousai wanted out and he wanted out now. His darker half railed against his restraint viciously wanting to destroy the intruders without inclination. The Rurouni fought valiantly against his other half but in the end even the stubborn red head couldn't prevent the breaking of the proverbial camel's back.
Kaoru fought on the now mostly destroyed porch of her house. She had already killed a good deal of the intruders and had managed to buy Megumi and Sano enough time to get to Yahiko. But it was like fighting an army all by yourself, there was no way to win because of the shear numbers. And the invaders were slowly but surely wearing her down even as their' numbers decreased. Kaze no kumori was not meant for long enduring battles.
Suddenly the shinkan felt the bite of steel digging into her upper thigh. Turning slightly the shinai noticed a man whom mask had fallen off sometime during the fight held various throwing knives out at the ready. She looked down at her thigh to see a knife identical to the ones that the man held now protruded from her now liberally bleeding wound.
However Kaoru didn't have time to dwell on the thought of kill the fool that stabbed her. She dodged another knife throw and grabbed a hold of one of her attackers, disarmed he or she, and used he or she as a shield. The kendo teacher then rolled away from three other intruders trying to remove various parts of her anatomy. Dropping her sword sheath Kaoru quickly ripped the knife from her wound. Strong as Kaoru was, she still could not hold in the scream of pain that erupted from her throat when she removed the knife.
The blade had managed to go all the way to the bone. Kaoru fought back the urge to throw up or faint from the amount of blood she was loosing. Stars danced in and out of her vision and the shinkan's moves become more sluggish and her techniques less refined. She panted in exhaustion; her leg felt like it was on fire and blood oozed down her leg seeping into her hamaka. Kaoru looked from where she was crouched into the eyes of her would-be murderers.
The kendo instructor raised her sword defensively determined to live or take as many bastards as she could with her to the afterlife. Kaoru took down one after another yet her energy began to wan. By the time there was only one left Kaoru was so tired she could barely lift her own sword. Her last opponent stared down at her with cold eyes, her mother's eyes. His own glaive was covered in blood and his uniform in filth.
It was then that Kaoru was absolutely sure that she was going to die. Her sword hung limply at her side and Kaoru was on her knees. Any defiance or strength of any kind was drained from her body, leaving behind a grim resignation. The silence as he approached was thunderous in the shinkan's ears. Kaoru knew that Kenshin and the others could take care of the rest of the intruders and this was reason enough for her to give up. It could end with her, her 'family' would be safe and her revenge would be complete.
'It's only fitting that my end be by the hand of my mother's brother, the reflection of what she was before she loved'
Sure enough her would be executioner stepped forward raising his weapon for the finally stroke. Fear threatened to tear all her resolve away yet Kaoru pushed it away.
'This is what I want' she thought firmly.
Yet still Kaoru could not help the memories that flooded through her mind. She remembered when they first met, how unconsciously she felt Kenshin's strength and his pain. She remembered laughing with Tae and arguing with Megumi. Her earlier adventures with Misao always brought a smile to the young kenjitsu instructors face. And teaching Yahiko, there was no greater joy for Kaoru than to show the young man another way of life, a life that she would never truly have.
Kaoru watched ominously as her attacker's weapon began to fall. The swing would fell her for sure for it was aimed to slip her skull in half. Kaoru stared at him unwilling to turn away from the bringer of her demise. Yet the blow that she expected was never to come. The assassin froze in his downward slashing motion, his weapon falling from his grasp. Kaoru backed up just in time to avoid having her foot chopped off.
The man's corpse wasn't far behind. Kaoru had to back up even more or be pinned down by the now dead weight. She only stopped when she felt the warmth of her burning home singe her hair. The shinkan's eyes were now wide and her breathing labored. She stared at the dead man with shock, unable to move. All of a sudden she was in his arms. This embrace Kaoru only felt twice before and that was during the Gohea and Jineh escapades. In it Kaoru felt safe even adored to a certain extent.
"You have a lot of explaining to do Kaoru"
The young kenjitsu instructor looked up at the tune of his voice. Instead of the accusing or reprimanding tone she expected of the Rurouni it was the deep almost proud baritone of the Battousai. Instinctually her hold around Kenshin's neck tightened as she looked into amber pools stolen from the sun. The former manslayer held no qualms about holding her bridle style using the arm under her legs to rub her uninjured thigh. When her confused gaze met his Kenshin smirked.
"The Rurouni is taking a nap now Kaoru" he whispered seductively
She blushed. Murderer that Kaoru was but she still knew little to nothing of the ways between women and men. Kaoru buried her head just beneath Kenshin's chin and breathed in his scent. Aoshi approached the silent couple while Misao helped Megumi move Yahiko. Kenshin watched Sanosuke take care of the last intruders.
"We must go now Battousai, the government will no doubt find about this and will ask question that some of us don't know and others are not ready to give"
He regarded the icy eyed Okashira thoughtfully.
"Throw them" he indicated the invaders, "into the fire, we don't need more problems"
Aoshi didn't even bat and eyelash at the obvious order. The Battousai was right after all and there was no time to question his mental stability. The former manslayer retrieved Kaoru's weapon before joining Misao and Megumi. So the Oniwabanshuu leader called to Sano and the two set to work while the other five survivors of the Kamiya dojo massacre went to the clinic to treat their wounds.
None of them questioned the actions that were taken. It might have been shock or necessity. The only guarantee they had was that none of them would forget this night or the days following afterward.