Theme: Plunge

Theme: Plunge

Setting: Reverse Arc

Pairing: KK

Warning: I ruthlessly plundered the OVA, but otherwise...

Notes: Still dedicated to kokoronagomu.

Words: 372

61. Plunge

She had wondered time and time again what his victims saw.

Now she knew.

She stood frozen at the other end of the alley, the alley that was an eternity long and an eon wide. A chasm that was the difference between light and dark, good and evil heaven and hell...blood and rain...

A dancing shadow, seemingly bloodstained, killing four men in the space of seconds...mere seconds. In a few seconds you could blink, sew a few stitches, make a quick decision. It had never occurred to her that you could end so many lives in mere seconds.

Snip, snip, snip, and the strings of fate were sliced, one by one, as lines intersected at impossible angles.

The chasm was growing, and she was fading away.

Kaoru was ice, as still as a statue, as she drank in the truth of death, of war, of blood...of hope...

Step. Step. Squish, squish, squish, the blood under her feet was slippery. It took such care to keep from falling...

She advanced, the night crowding in at the corners of her eyes. "Ken...shin...?"

"Kaoru..."

"You're bleeding..." She said in the barest whisper, motioning to the scar on his face. Sure enough, it was open again.

The screech of steel on steel made her jump, into his arms, and their eyes met, blue on amber, bright on bright. With sudden energy, Kaoru seized him by the hand and tugged him away, around the corner and into the night.

--

The inn was empty, and they had scarcely entered when the innkeeper rushed to them. She shoved packages into both of their arms.

"It's not safe here anymore. Get out of here, and don't return. Hurry!" Nodding, Kenshin was leading now, dragging her at top speed through back streets to the edge of the city. The sounds of battle were getting fainter behind them.

"Himura!"

"Katsura." Kenshin addressed his superior. "You're alive."

"Those of us who have survived must take refuge until we can regroup. I've prepared a safe house for you. Kaoru, please, accompany him. A married couple will blend in better. I'll send for you when I need you, Himura. Go!"

They left, running again, the night luring into scenery and twisting mountain roads.

--

Just so it's clear, this arc should be in chronological order, unlike others. And I may even go into the Reflections Arc so I can massacre it.

Review! ...running on no sleep (thanks, Kit-Kat) chickentyrant5.