by Suiren
Crunch. Bounce. Smash.
I didn't know you could break bones in the afterlife.
I find myself falling, falling down and finally landing hard against a gray stone wall, which slopes softly until the bottom -- a wide, smooth gray pit, impassive and oppressive at the same time with its mouth open and ready to swallow idiots like me who stumble right into it.
Yet there, in the center, is a ghastly but familiar sight.
The dojo.
It looks nothing like the one I've been staying in in my own private Heaven, but its our dojo all the same -- only now I find myself gazing at it when its at its worst. Everything is gray tone, the trees are bare, the roof needs repair, and dust covers everything. Nothing around it holds a spark of life. Akira lands next to me, in a much more graceful manner since he knew what was coming and shoots me something of a death glare, like it's my fault we've ended up in a huge depressing pit in some side section of hell.
Oh wait. It is my fault.
He looks over at me coldly.
"This is what you came for. And now I have to tell you the hard part."
I turn my amber eyes towards him impatiently.
"Go in. See her. Say your goodbyes. But then you have to leave her. She will not recognize you, Kenshin, and if you stay -- you will be lost to hell just like she is. And neither of you will know eachother."
I frown a little. "It doesn't work that way."
"You are overconfident, Battousai. Your woman will not know you."
"You don't know us."
I step away from him and head towards the dojo.
~*~Kenji's POV~*~
As soon as the dojo was out of my sight I began to run, bursting forth with all my strength and all my speed, letting my legs carry me away from home as fast as they've ever carried me before. Tears sting my cheeks like ice as I close my eyes and run blindly, letting my feet carry me. They know the way.
I don't like leaving the others behind. But I can't stay there if I can't control myself.
It's late when I finally reach Hiko's, and I see the man sitting next to a fire drinking sake with an expression that I can't quite fathom. It's sad...but it's calm, too. I slow down to gather my breath and begin to walk towards him.
~*~Kenshin/Shinta's POV~*~
I step inside the dojo slowly and cautiously step inside.
"Kaoru-dono?"
I look around and a small shaft of light falls on messy, silver-streaked black hair, belonging to a small woman sitting in the corner. She raises her head and a pale face, with darkened and empty blue pools of eyes that normally sparkle like sapphires dotted with night's stars lock onto mine.
"Who's there...? Who are you?"
Akira is right, then. This is going to be harder than I thought.
"A neighbor. Do you have any tofu?"
She stands up and begins trying to wipe dust away, to make the place presentable, and I can see she's been crying.
"No...I haven't gone to the market." She says apologetically, eyes nervously focusing everywhere but on me. "You see, since all the students left me... I haven't had enough money to get things like I used to... and my friends are all gone too.."
"Your friends? Like who?" I ask, trying to fathom just how much she does remember.
"My top student... and a doctor friend, and my husband's friend... and..."
"Your husband? What happened to him?"
"He died...far far away... and left me alone...he broke a promise.."
So. Her version of hell states that I never came home, that I died far far away, and broke my promise to return.
"I don't think he'd do something like that."
She dodges the question. "And the dojo needs repair...but I'm getting so old and there's nobody to help anymore... and nobody wants to train with me." She says, looking around nervously.
"Kaoru. Look at me."
Her eyes lock on mine and she looks away again. "So no. I don't have your tofu. You should go."
"Kaoru."
"GET OUT!"
"No."
~*~Hiko's POV~*~
"Himura Kenji. Son of my baka deshi." I state flatly. "What brings you here?"
He approaches quickly and bows.
"I have some bad news.."
I take a sip of sake and frown -- the taste is bitter.
"Well, out with it then."
"My parents...they've..passed away."
Baka Deshi. I'm supposed to die before he does.
"I see. And thus ends Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu."
"You aren't going to pass it on?" He asks, somewhat disappointed.
"No. I'm not." I say abruptly. He frowns.
"Am I not as strong as him? Not good enough?"
"No. Stronger." I say with a slight frown. "But Yahiko showed you an even stronger style, I believe. You should stick with that path."
"Perhaps.."
~*~Kenshin/Shinta's PoV~*~
"Please...leave me alone." She whispers, voice broken and veiled in sadness.
"I promised you I'd never do that."
"No! Only one person's ever promised that... and he couldn't keep his promise!" She yells, sobbing as she throws the nearest object, a bokken, at me. Well at least some things don't change...it hit me right between the eyes. I sigh, and frown a little.
"Goodbye, Kaoru."
She makes no reply as I step outside. Akira looks at me with that told-you-so look some people get when they think they're right.
"I was losing it." I admit slowly, and he starts to open his mouth to say something but I interrupt. "Tell Tomoe I said goodbye. Tell her to enjoy her happiness with you."
"You can't possibly mean that --"
"Oh...I do. And I will. And I am."
" -- you're going to give up heaven for that girl." He finishes, staring at me blankly. I shoot him the rurouni smile and head back inside, kneeling next to Kaoru. Already I can feel my grip on sanity sliding.
"Kaoru. I don't have much time so I just wanted to tell you a few things. I don't want you to be sad anymore -- it's not your fault you're so great that a guy would give up heaven just to be with a girl like you. You're beautiful...and you were my redemption in life, so I will try to be yours in the afterlife. I'll keep my promise to you, because I'm not going to be alone. If I can't help you... maybe the best thing I can do is join you. In a few moments, I doubt I'll remember you though...so before that happens...I love you."
I close my eyes, and slip into the darkness.
~*~Kaoru's POV -- yes yes, the moment you've all been waiting for~*~
My eyes widen, and I feel like I've broken free of a horrible nightmare. Shinta's kneeling next to me and I feel my heart skip a beat.
"Shinta! Shinta! Look at me!"
His head tilts as he glances over at me.
"Ma'am..? Who are you?"
"No...Shinta..."
A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates. School's been mad busy, and I have band and hockey to deal with. I'm thinking one more chapter, plus a preview for what I'm thinking in ways of a sequel. Dun dun dun! Reviews, people. I heart you all. ^_^
-- suiren