by ElysianKiss
Realizations
"Kryptonite" - 3 doors down
I took a walk around the world to
ease my troubled mind
I left my body laying somewhere
in the sands of time
I watched the world float to the dark
side of the moon
I feel there's nothing I can do, yeah
I watched the world float to the
dark side of the moon
After all I knew it had to be something
to do with you
I really don't mind what happens now and then
As long as you'll be my friend at the end
If I go crazy then will you still
call me Superman
If I'm alive and well, will you be
there holdin' my hand
I'll keep you by my side with
my superhuman might
Kryptonite
You called me strong, you called me weak
but still your secrets I will keep
You took for granted all the times I
never let you down
You stumbled in and bumped your head, if
not for me then you'd be dead
I picked you up and put you back
on solid ground
If I go crazy then will you still
call me Superman
If I'm alive and well, will you be
there holdin' my hand
I'll keep you by my side with
my superhuman might
Kryptonite
If I go crazy then will you still
call me Superman
If I'm alive and well, will you be
there holdin' my hand
I'll keep you by my side with
my superhuman might
Kryptonite
Yeah!
If I go crazy then will you still
call me Superman
If I'm alive and well, will you be
there holdin' my hand
I'll keep you by my side with
my superhuman might
Kryptonite
(Ooohhh oohhh oohhh x3)
Battousai arched his blade precisely to formally
introduce it to Tenryu's side. Blood splashed over the blade and
Tenryu took a step back. He narrowed his eyes. He would not
lose to this puny man before him. He would claim victory and then
his prize. Bringing the Hi Mei sword up, he blocked the Battousai's
latest attack. Their swords clashed loudly and caused vibrations
of energy to ripple around them.
Kaoru watched as Kenshin, no, Battousai battled
with Tenryu. Even at this stage of battle, it seemed Battousai was
just equal in power to Tenryu. All she could do was watch as the
battle raged on. Her own inner demon was crying out to be set free
and help kill the man who dared to say such things against her honor.
She took an unconscious step toward the battle, only to be stopped by Sanosuke's
hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him then, concern and blue
fire both in her eyes.
"This is Kenshin's battle,
missy. Take it easy," he said.
"I can't take it easy, Sanosuke!
Kenshin...he's going to break his vow! I have to stop him somehow!"
"And what are you going
to do, anyway, Kaoru?" Yahiko asked, "You don't even have a sword!"
Kenshin blocked an incoming thrust but was not quick
enough to stop Tenryu from slipping beneath his defenses. He grunted
as he felt the cold grip of steel sliding through his flesh and then the
hot rush of his blood. He grasped his bleeding hip out of reflex
and that was all the time Tenryu needed. Tenryu narrowed his eyes
and his lips curled into a sinister smile. He lunged forward and
barreled the Hi Mei sword into the reverse blade. The impact of the
collision was hindered only by Kenshin's good arm and thus the reverse
blade took flight out of Kenshin's grasp, clattering to a stop several
yards away.
Tenryu's laugh cackled and he continued to swipe
his blade at Kenshin. Kenshin was forced to dodge the blows as quickly
as possible. This could not be good for his chances. Yet Tenryu
was reveling in early victory. He was certain that one well placed
blow would end it all. But for now, he would have his fun with his
prey. The Hitokiri Battousai would learn to fear him; learn the consequences
of keeping him from his desires.
"How does it feel, Battousai,
to know your end is near?" he asked, wickedly.
"Stop this!" Kaoru yelled,
in tears, "Please, stop!"
"Nothing to say, Battousai?
You should take this chance to say good bye to Kaoru. The stupid
girl is so loyal to you, she is of no lasting use to me. Once I finish
with you, I will make Kaoru my woman and then, I will kill her. Her
death will be like the sweetest of wines, because you won't be able to
stop me."
Kenshin growled in outrage and slipped under Tenryu's
advances. He grabbed hold of the wrist holding the Hi Mei sword and
his golden gaze burned deep into Tenryu's now blacked orbs. Tenryu
merely smiled as if he had Kenshin right where he wanted him. And
indeed, that was precisely the case. Tenryu quickly freed his wrist
and sent a well placed kick into Kenshin's injury. Kenshin cried
out in pain and fell to the ground a few feet away, his blood coating the
earth beneath him. Tenryu licked his lips and began to advance on
Kenshin, slowly.
Something snapped in Kaoru at last, she would not
allow Kenshin to die. She would not be some helpless victim like
all times before. She had tasted blood before, she would taste blood
again. And the blood she craved was that of Tenryu Mitsurugi.
She calmly picked up the discarded reverse blade sword and used her practiced
speed and barreled into Tenryu, knocking him away from the injured Kenshin.
Her eyes blazed red fury, like the blood she so craved to spill.
Hitokiri Battousai could only watch as his counterpart,
the Kirei Battousai, fought for him. In all his years, he had never
been protected by another in this fashion. Kaoru had always been
his to protect and here she was returning the favor, it seemed. His
golden gaze swirled with the violet cloud that was his other self, the
rurouni. The rage of the man slayer seemed to calm and disappear
as he watched his beloved Kaoru battle on his behalf.
Kirei continued to battle Tenryu with rage and anger
within her very being. Tenryu laughed and teased her to no end.
"Come now, Kaoru.
Do you really think you could defeat your master? I taught you everything
you know! I OWN YOU, YOU FOOLISH WENCH!" he thundered as he sliced
down at her with a practiced arc.
Kirei blocked the advance and slipped into his defenses to spill a
portion of the blood she craved. Tenryu staggered back a bit, trying
not to cradle the wound on his shoulder. He immediately charged at
Kirei. The two swords let off sparks with every clash.
It seemed their spars together were working both for and against them during
this battle. They each knew how the other thought in battle.
They could predict each other's moves and read each other's strategies.
Neither was getting close to their goals.
Tenryu managed to leave a gash on Kirei's shoulder
as well. They were even, hit for hit, slash for slash. Kirei
sucked in the oxygen she needed and regarded Tenryu during a rare moment
of inaction. Both were circling the other and sizing them up.
In all the time that Kaoru had trained under Tenryu to become the Kirei
Battousai, there was one move that she had never mastered. She had
never even dared to try to use it. It was nearly impossible to block
and deadly. Kirei's mind came across this technique and locked upon
it. Would she be able to execute the attack? Would she have
the chance?
Yahiko and Sanosuke had made it to Kenshin's side
in record time after Kaoru took his place. They were shocked at the
skill and grace she seemed to now have with the sword. However, they
quickly snapped out of it and were temporarily bandaging Kenshin's wounds
with strips of cloth from their own clothing. They soon had him bandaged,
which helped to stop his wound from bleeding anymore.
Yahiko gripped his bokken tightly as he watched
the Kirei Battousai battle with the one that was called Tenryu Mitsurugi.
He had to admit that Kaoru was impressive as the Kirei Battousai.
And he had to further admit that he saw her as a big sister. He knew
he didn't stand a chance of really helping, but if Kaoru would need a distraction,
he would provide it.
Sanosuke also found his eyes drawn to Kirei Battousai.
While she was fierce and definitely a worthy opponent in battle, he could
easily see where the name Kirei would fit her. With her deep ebony
locks caressing her ivory skin like fine silk, her blazing ruby eyes, and
the sheer gracefulness of her technique, how could he help but not call
her beautiful. Breathtaking was more the word for her at this
moment. She was like an angel of retribution, deadly, beautiful,
and ethereal. He shook himself out of his poetic thoughts as he realized
this was "missy" he was thinking about.
Beside him, Kenshin was mirroring the same sentiments
and adding pride to the top of the stack. He was proud of Miss Kaoru,
that he was. She had become an excellent swords woman. But
he was concerned for her as well. He discerned that it was really
Kirei Battousai fighting out there, not his Miss Kaoru. And yet,
finally understood that they both were one of a kind. His eyes were
opened to her. No other woman would throw herself into the hells
of battle to save one such as him. No other woman would have kept
him from breaking his oath countless times at her own sake. No other
woman made his heart swell indescribably and his loins respond in the way
they did.
"Sano," he whispered.
"Hai, Kenshin?"
"I think, I'm in love with
Miss Kaoru," he replied shocked.
Sano smirked and shook his head. So it took
missy a bloody battle to get Kenshin to finally realize that? What
a character! Sano laid a hand on Kenshin's shoulder and looked at
the smaller man.
"About time you admitted
it, Kenshin."
Kenshin looked up at Sano in surprise. Had he been the only one
not to realize his own feelings for Miss Kaoru?!
Tenryu staggered back as Kirei managed to once again
strike his shoulder and worsen the wound she had previously inflicted.
"I won't lose to you!!!"
he screamed in outrage.
"You will lose, Mitsurugi.
This is the end," Kirei responded.
She leapt up into the air, her right arm tucked over her left that
was outstretched before her. Her eyes narrowed as gravity brought
her downward. It was time, in this moment what she had failed to
master in two years came forth as perfectly as if it was naturally ingrained
in her being.
"Hiten Mitsurugi style,
dragon drop!" she roared as she thrust her blade down in a perfect arc.
Tenryu looked up in shock and fear. He faced his end, closing
his eyes in acceptance and dropping his sword. Pupil had surpassed
master as it was fated to happen. He smiled a small smile as he felt
the blade make contact and slice through him, from his forehead to his
navel. He fell to his knees as the the pain gripped his very being.
And yet, there was no blood. At the last second, Kirei had flipped
the reverse blade to its dull side. He looked up at her then, eyes
full of fear and gratitude.
"Why?" he asked.
"You may have trained me
to kill. And I may have killed by your side. But I am not a
true man slayer as you would have hoped. My father taught me that
a sword should be used to protect and not kill. That is what I will
do. That is who I am," she replied, her eyes a brilliant blue.
He smiled and closed his eyes, falling to the ground,
unconscious. Kaoru bent over and picked up the Hi Mei sword.
She broke the crystal and Tenryu's blood dripped out of it. She tossed
the Hi Mei sword in the air and flipped the reverse blade, slicing through
the air several times. When the Hi Mei sword landed on the ground,
it was shattered in many pieces.
"No man will ever lay hold
of the Hi Mei sword again," she whispered.
She turned to face Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko and
smiled brilliantly. The breeze rippled through her now loose hair.
The moonlight made her seem even more like a beautiful spirit.
"Wow, Kaoru! That
was awesome! You kicked his butt!" Yahiko cheered.
Kenshin stood and stared at her, Kaoru took a step forward. Sano
cleared his throat and dragged a protesting Yahiko inside.
"Miss Kaoru," Kenshin whispered.
"Kenshin," she replied,
"Are you all right?"
"Hai, Miss Kaoru.
I am just fine thanks to you, that I am."
"Good," she smiled, "I...I
was scared. When I thought I might lose you, Kenshin. I couldn't
let that happen. All those times you protected me, saved me, I couldn't
let you die for me."
"Miss Kaoru, I would gladly
die for you if it meant to keep you safe."
"Kenshin..."
Kenshin smiled and strode toward her, swiftly closing
the distance between them.
"Can you ever love an unworthy
man such as myself?"
"Can you ever love an unworthy
woman such as myself?" she asked in return.
"I can," he said.
"And I do," she replied.
Kaoru leaned in and kissed him softly. Kenshin wound his arms
around her, pulling her close. Again his heart felt full in the knowledge
of his love for her and her return of that love. In his arms, he
held a small slip of a girl, and in that same package, a fierce warrior.
It was an enigma to him, but it seemed not to matter at the moment.
All that mattered to them both was the warmth of the other's arms and the
sweetness of their kiss.
~*Owari*~
