Chapter 9

Kaoru smoothed down an imaginary wrinkle in her pink kimono as she sat on a chair in the veranda. Enishi was sitting in another chair, leaning back, his tachi propped up on the floor beside him. His eyes were focused on a speck in the distance. A ship. He held a telescope to his eye and observed the ship for a minute before handing the scope to Kaoru.

She held it up as well, taking a moment to focus on what she wanted to see. Her heart quickened when she saw who were on board. Sano and Yahiko were there, the young kid still bearing bruises from his previous fight and looking proud of it. Aoshi and Misao were there, and Saito of course. Surprisingly, even Megumi had come along, the doctor. No doubt they were expecting to need her services.

She looked at Kenshin last. His face was set and determined as he gazed ahead. Yet even from this distance, she could see that he also looked to be at peace.

Kaoru set down the scope and bit her lip. In their previous fight, Enishi was the one with the stronger resolve and she had worried about Kenshin who had been dealing with the memory of having killed his own wife. Now, it was the other way around. Kenshin was the one with the resolve, and Enishi was wavering. Enishi had always drawn strength from his jinchu, but now that he was stepping away from it, he had nothing to replace it with except his newfound friendship with her. But it was not as strong as jinchu, not now in its early stages. Perhaps if they had more time, but now it was still fragile.

Kaoru was shocked out of her thoughts when she heard an explosion over the water. Enishi's eyes narrowed as Heishin approached him gleefully.

"Water mines," the Chinese said. "Now they have to come in smaller boats and will not be able to land as a full force."

"I told you not to interfere," Enishi said in acid tones.

"I said I will stay out of your fight with Battousai," Heishin said. "But I see no reason to miss the opportunity to hurt Tokyo's police force at the same time."

"I do not approve of it," Enishi snarled, standing up and picking the man up by his collar. Heishin's four bodyguards did nothing when Enishi threw the man on the floor. "Get out of my sight. If you interfere again I will kill you myself and throw you out to the sharks."

Heishin got up and brushed himself off. He left without saying another word. Kaoru looked after him, not liking the way he smiled when he turned away, before turning her attention back to the approaching ship. The ship had stopped moving, and half a dozen boats have been lowered to the water.

Kaoru looked through the scope again. "Misao is blowing up the mines ahead of them with Aoshi's help."

Enishi nodded. "He was the one who discovered the truth about the puppet. Battousai has some powerful and loyal friends."

Kaoru twisted her hands around the scope. He was right. Kenshin had friends to lend him their strength. Even Shishio had his henchmen. Whereas Enishi… he had even sent Heishin away.

Enishi stood up, taking his tachi and slinging it over his shoulder. He held out his hand to her. "Come," he said. "Let us meet them at the shore. I will hear what Battousai has to say."

She took his hand and let him lea her downstairs and out of the house. They did not hurry, but took their time. As they walked through the trees, Kaoru's trepidation increased with every step until she stopped walking. "Enishi…" she said uncertainly, looking at their joined hands.

"What is it?" He faced her.

She sighed. "I just need to say something. Did you see Kenshin's face? He looked resolved to settle this."

"I know."

"But you, Enishi, you look… uncertain," she said.

If it had been any other person that said that to him, he would have killed them on the spot, but now he only raised his eyebrows.

"I'm not worried about Kenshin anymore. I'm worried about you," she said.

"What would you have me do, Kaoru?" he asked. "Everything that I have done has led to this moment. I can't change it anymore. There will be a confrontation. What kind of confrontation that will be, I don't know. Things have been set in motion long before, and now I can't…"

Sensing his internal battle, Kaoru pulled him towards her. She quickly wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the lips. He froze for a moment before he began to kiss her back, dropping his sword on the ground so he could press her body closer to him.

"I care about you," she said, breaking off the kiss to rest her forehead on his chest.

"I know," he said, stroking the back of her head. "But thank you for telling me that."

They locked eyes for a moment, until they heard sounds of fighting coming from the beach. Kaoru's eyes widened. "Who's fighting?"

Enishi's face contorted in anger. "Heishin," he hissed, releasing her and continuing to walk towards the beach. Kaoru hurried after him, reaching the edge of the woods just in time to see all four of Heishin's bodyguards call to the ground.

Heishin himself was running towards the woods. When he was near enough, Enishi punched him in the face so hard the small man went flying into the nearby trees.

"Worthless piece of shit," he muttered, wiping his blood stained hand against a tree trunk, He turned to Kaoru slightly. "Please wait here for a bit, Kaoru."

Enishi stepped out onto the beach and surveyed the scene in front of him. All four of Heishin's bodyguards were down, but none were dead. He looked ahead and saw Kenshin walking towards him.

"Battousai," he began, but before he could even take a step, the tip of a bokken was shoved in front of him and he found himself looking down at Yahiko.

"Hold it right there," Yahiko said. "Where's Kaoru? Because if you tell me that she's dead, I don't care what Kenshin says, I'm going to kill you!"

"Idiot!" Sanosuke interjected, shoving Yahiko out of the way. "You're still injured from all the fights you've been getting into these past few days. Step aside, and I will be the one to kill this crazy bastard. Now, Mr. Glasses, where' Jo-chan?"

Enishi smirked and looked at where Kaoru was standing in the woods. He gave her a slight nod and she stepped forward, waving at them to show them she was all right. "I'm here, everyone, I'm all right," she called out.

Enishi looked at Sanosuke and Yahiko. "Now you see she's unhurt. Get out of my way. I have things to settle with Battousai."

Kaoru came closer as Enishi faced off with Kenshin. She had no idea what to expect, but she could see the hatred in Enishi's eyes as he looked at his brother-in-law. However, she saw him pinch the bridge of his nose as the adjusted his glasses. He's trying to stay in control. If Kenshin is going to talk him down, he would need to be careful with his choice of words. Kaoru considered going to them to join them, but Enishi had told her to wait, and she didn't want to compound his problems by disobeying him at this crucial moment.

"I see you have made it out of the living hell I created for you, Battousai," Enishi said, tapping his sword against his shoulder. "Did you not like the punishment you had to endure for all of those people you killed?"

"It's true that I have killed a lot of people, Enishi," Kenshin said. "And I have spend years trying to atone for that. When I was inside that living hell, I thought that my life was not worth anything anymore."

"But you made it out. You came back. You, who took so many lives, cannot give up your own life?" he asked. "Do you know how many children you have orphaned? How many wives widowed?"

Kenshin shook his head. "No-"

"You killed my sister, and she was all I had in this world," Enishi said, frowning. "Even now, your scars do not heal, because you are not yet forgiven. How can you live your life knowing that?"

"I had given it a lot of thought," Kenshin said, doubt clouding his eyes momentarily. "I cannot bring the dead back to life, no matter how hard I try. But what I can do is to continue to live my life protecting others that need it, to see the smiles of the people in front of me. If I can do that, then I can atone, little by little, for what I have done before. This was the answer I found in hell, and this is the answer that allowed me to finally see Tomoe's smile."

"Nee-san smiled for you?" Enishi asked, his voice dropping dangerously low.

Kenshin nodded. "Tell me, Enishi, after everything that you have done, has Tomoe smiled for you?"

Enishi closed his eyes as if searching for his sister inside him. "Nee-san," he whispered. "Why would you smile for him and not for me?"

Kaoru shook her head. She knew if Kenshin said anything more, Enishi would lose his internal battle. "Kenshin," she called out, stepping forward. "Stop-"

Kenshin looked at her reassuringly. "It's all right, Kaoru-dono. You stay there. I will come and get you shortly."

"No!" Enishi yelled, unsheathing his tachi and pointing it at Kenshin. "She wouldn't smile for me because you stole her smile! You stole her from me when she was alive and you steal her from me even now when she is dead!"

"Enishi!" Kaoru cried. She started to run towards him but was startled when a pair of hands grabbed her from behind.

"Kaoru-san, don't!" Misao said, stopping Kaoru from approaching the impending fight.

Kaoru fought against Misao's hold. "I have to stop them, Misao," she said desperately. "I can stop them from fighting! Enishi listens to me…"

"No, look," Misao said. "Nobody can stop them them now."

"I have to kill you to get nee-san's smile back. Here I go, Battousai!" Enishi sunk low to the ground and started his attack, moving towards Kenshin.

Kenshin blocked Enishi's blows, but the force was so great that he was forced to take several steps backwards until they hit a tree. The tree was destroyed by Enishi's blade, slowing him down enough to allow Kenshin to mount a counter attack.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Kuzu Ryu Sen!"

Kaoru gasped as she recognized Kenshin's second strongest attack that hit Enishi when they first fought in Tokyo. "No, Enishi!" she whispered, seeing Enishi prepare to receive the attack.

"Enishi? Who are you cheering for, Kaoru-san?" Misao asked.

"None, they shouldn't be fighting," Kaoru said.

The two swordsmen came together, both of them yelling with exertion, and both were thrown back by the force of their attacks. Enishi quickly attacked again with a downward slash, which was blocked by Kenshin.

Misao's eyes were round. "What happened to Himura's attack?"

Kaoru's eyes followed the fight intensely. "Enishi was able to block every strike of the Kuzu Ryu Sen." She knew Kenshin will not kill Enishi, but it was not Enishi's like she was worried about, it was his mind. She also wasn't worried about Enishi beating Kenshin. She had seen his resolve, and knew he was fighting with a renewed inner peace. He will be stronger than he was before.

Kenshin and Enishi both jumped into the air. Kenshin was higher, until Enishi used a technique that allowed him to do another jump in mid air that gave him the height advantage over Kenshin. He hit Kenshin on the shoulder, sending Kenshin crashing to the ground, but Kenshin quickly recovered and jumped up to meet him with a Ryu Sho Sen. However, Enishi blocked Kenshin's attack with his arm band, gaining more momentum in the air, and delivered another blow to Kenshin, smashing him to the ground once more.

Misao gasped. "That guy is so strong!"

Kenshin, Kaoru thought as she watched the rurouni get up. Enishi, please stop.

Enishi unleashed a series of whirlwind slashes, sending Kenshin smashing into a tree. Then he lunged at Kenshin, impaling him with his tachi before slamming Kenshin head first into the ground. Kenshin struggled to get up on one knee, and started another Kuzu Ryu Sen.

Before he could land the first strike, Enishi punched him in the face, then delivered a kick to his torso that sent Kenshin flying into yet another tree.

"Get up, Battousai!" Enishi screamed. "Get up and pay for your crimes! The dead cannot avenge themselves so it falls upon those who are left alive to avenge them!"

Enishi swung his sword angrily. "I will send you to hell, so you will never again see my sister who is in heaven!"

Kaoru gasped as Enishi's nerves bulged over his body, including his face. Enishi… Kenshin…

Kenshin struggled to get back on his feet. Enishi started another flurry of attacked, Kenshin barely being able to block them.

"It's no use, Battousai! With my nerves of insanity, every sense is heightened. Every movement's speed is increased. Any technique will be futile against me now!"

Enishi continued pressing his attack, until Kenshin sheathed his sakabatou. Beside Kaoru, Misao cringed, holding a hand up to her ear. "Ouch!" she cried.

"What is it?" Kaoru asked.

"There was a- a high-pitched sound, my ear hurts," Misao said.

Enishi had stopped attacking, holding up his hands to his ears. "Battousai!" he cried, shaking his head while leaning on his tachi. "What did you do to me!"

Kenshin straightened up, panting heavily. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ryu Mei Sen. It's the opposite of battoujutsu. By quickly sheathing the sword, I created a sound which has number your super sensitive hearing. You have lost your sense of balance and equilibrium, Enishi. Stop fighting now."

"No! I will not stop fighting you!" Enishi attacked Kenshin, but this time, Kenshin easily evaded his attack.

"Enishi, please stop your attacks," Kenshin said.

"No! I can only attack and attack. I have no defense, I have no use for defense! The only thing in this world that I wanted to protect was stolen by you!"

Kaoru closed her eyes. Even in the middle of battle, he holds on to his pain. When she opened her eyes again, she was that Enishi was in his stance for his ultimate attack.

"Get ready, Battousai!" Enishi lunged forward.

"Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki!"

Kaoru watched, stunned, as Kenshin was able to break Enishi's sword. The tip of the tachi spun in the air before it struck the sand. Enishi fell on all fours, panting heavily.

"That's it!" Misao said, raising her fist in the air. "Himura won!"

"We're not done yet!" Enishi screamed, struggling to his feet. "Battousai!"

Kaoru looked at him, and at Kenshin who was bloodied and barely standing up as well. This has gone on long enough, she thought.

While Misao was busy celebrating Kenshin's victory, Kaoru gave her the slip and ran to where Enishi was. "That's enough," she said firmly. "That's enough," she repeated more gently, reaching him where he stood.

"Calm yourself, Enishi. Neither one of you can fight anymore." She tried to keep her voice steady as she placed her hands on his chest, feeling his heart racing, his muscles rock hard, his nerves coarse just beneath his skin. She touched the bridge of his nose, and he closed his eyes, his nerves receding back deep under his skin.

"I'm sorry," he said tightly. "I said I wouldn't fight him."

"I know you tried your best to remain in control," she said softly.

"When he said nee-san smiled for him, it was hard for me," he said in a low voice. "But when he said he was going to come and get you as well… I lost nee-san to him, I didn't want him to take you away, too. "

"I am still here, Enishi," she assured him. "And you haven't lost Tomoe. I haven't met her, but I know she is a kind person who loves you dearly. She will not leave you. Her smile is still there, inside you, you just need to remember to smile for yourself, so that the part of her that lives in you will smile as well."

He brought up a hand to rest at her waist. "Kaoru, I-"

He was cut off by the sound of a gunshot, and Kaoru looked up in time to see Kenshin fall to the ground after taking a hit on the arm.

"Heishin," Enishi hissed.

The Chinese was laughing as he stumbled to the beach. "You all thought I was dead! I'm going to kill all you bastards!" He reloaded the gun and pointed it at Enishi. "Starting with you, former boss."

"No!" Kaoru cried, stepping in front of Enishi and holding her arms out.

"Kaoru-dono!" she heard Kenshin cry as she heard the gun fire, and then a much closer voice, "Kaoru!" before she felt herself being turned around as Enishi neatly pivoted around her. Then with a cry of rage, he punched Heishin, once on the face, and once on the torso, and he would have punched him again in the face but Kenshin had appeared at his side and stopped him.

"Stop, Enishi," Kenshin said.

"He's a piece of shit," Enishi said.

"Even if he is, if you keep on killing, you will lose Tomoe's smile forever." Kenshin nodded as Enishi dropped his hand. "You protected Kaoru-dono. Thank you."

Kaoru approached them. "Kenshin, you should let Megumi-san take a look at your wounds."

"That I will," Kenshin said. "But after she treats Enishi."

"It's okay, I will look after Enishi," Kaoru said.

As Kenshin walked away, Kaoru turned her attention to the taller man. "Enishi, thank you for protecting me."

"You're welcome. But the first one I wanted to protect… my only sister…" He buried his face in his hands as he sank down on his knees.

Kaoru knelt on the sand in front of him and threaded her fingers through his hair. He rested his head on her lap as he continued to cry. Kaoru held him and let him, for she knew that it was the first time he was really grieving for his sister. She bent down, resting her forehead against the back of his head.

After a long while, Kaoru felt someone kneel down beside her. "Kaoru-san?"

Kaoru looked up to see Misao holding up Tomoe's diary. "Thank you, Misao-chan," she said, taking the book.

"Megumi-san has finished treating Kenshin. The rest of the police force are arriving on the island." Misao looked at Enishi warily.

"Enishi, let me take a look at your wound before the police get to you," Kaoru said.

Enishi sat up, and Kaoru's heart twisted when she saw his bloodshot eyes. "I'm not hurt, Kaoru. I caught the bullet with my arm band."

Kaoru hesitated for a moment, then handed him the diary. "Tomoe-san's diary. I don't know what's in it, but… I think you should have it."

He took it from her, running his hand over the cover before tucking the small book into his pants. "Thank you," he said. "Don't worry about me, Kaoru. I'll be fine. Nee-san hasn't smiled for me yet, but… she doesn't look as sad anymore."

Kaoru smiled. "She doesn't?" she asked.

"Yes. And then just now, I saw your smile as well."

Kaoru could hear the footsteps of the police officers approaching them. "Enishi… I don't want you to end up in jail…"

He suddenly leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers so quickly she didn't have any time to react. "I know. Don't worry about me."

Two policemen came and bound Enishi's hands behind his back. Kaoru felt her eyes water as she watched them lead him away.

"Are you all right, Kaoru-san?" Misao asked. "He kissed you."

"Did anyone else see?"

"No."

Kaoru sighed. "Please don't tell anyone."

Misao looked at her. "I won't, but… are you sure?"

Kaoru nodded. "Do you remember when Aoshi-san attacked Okina? Everyone believed he deserved to be punished for what he did, but you believed there was still good in him. I believe it is the same with Enishi. He didn't mean anything bad with that kiss. He just didn't want to say thank you in a lot of words."

"I understand what you mean. I wish Aoshi-sama thanked me like that sometimes," Misao said, drawing a short laugh from Kaoru. "But, Kaoru-san, that Enishi… he's a fine-looking man, isn't he?"

Kaoru continued to smile. "Yes he is."

"Hey!" Sanosuke said, coming up to them. "What are you two giggling about? The ship's getting ready to leave."

Kaoru stood up, brushing her tears away. "All right. Everyone, let's go home."