Chapter five is here, meet Zanza and find out more about the world of Gehenna and the egos that reside there, especially Megumi's ego. Of course, with classic Karina style mind torture!

Dedicated to: Arashi (You already know where I'm going with the KxK and TxK thing, but for the sake of suspense, I'll not repeat it here ^_^ Let's just say... I going to give myself a headstart from all the pointy objects and run), Crystal (you're too nice to me, first the drawing, now you review again! I might introduce Ayame and Suzume, don't know yet), Gaberiel (heehee, don't we all? *grins*), Kitsune-onna (Chapter three was... something I thought up while washing dishes. And they say washing dishes is supposed to be boring ^_^), Carolyn (I love Zanza being a badass, but I also love Sanosuke's personality. I'm deadlocked between the two for favoritism), nim (I don't think I'll have writer's block with this story, it's one that has really inspired me and I'll try to get them out faster. Life's a killer), Sagara Sanosuke (Oh GOD!! Sanosuke signed my fic!! *jumps around like a lunatic* But you got one thing wrong, I AM my fic obsessed writer alter ego *grins*), Angel fan (you hit the nail on the head precisely *laughs*), Xara (when I do try vodka and doughnuts, I'll give you an email and tell you! *shakes head* No no, this will not be centered on Kenshin Kaoru, it's 99.5% Sanosuke Megumi. Sorry I can't make this a yaoi fic for you, but... *thinks* I think I can put in a little something about Sagara-taichou and Sanosuke later on...), and Gabi-hime (It was fluffy, but things are taking a turn for the not-as-fluffy here. I am really flattered to be on the receiving end of the compliment, I absolutely love your "Tears In The Rain" series and you're also a fabulous webdesigner! Thanks again!)

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They Say Cameras Are Only Good For Pictures... 5
By: Karina Kineshi (coronaflare@mail.com)

Surely it can't be...

It couldn't be...

The advice that Battousai gave certainly was needed; Sanosuke couldn't believe his eyes. If looks were deceiving, of what worth were appearances? It was not possible for these two egos to share the same body; it couldn't be...

If Sanosuke hadn't heard her singing earlier, he wouldn't have recognized this alter ego of Megumi's. This soul was the complete opposite of her, instead of having luscious black hair; this one had wispy white hair that hung all the way down to the ground. The woman was hunched over while she was sitting down, and there was an obvious bulge near her back. Megumi's hands were soft and virile; her hands were gnarled and aged with rheumatism. The only similarity between the two was the purple doctors smock that they both wore.

Battousai heard the audible gasp that Sanosuke emitted, though it seemed like the old woman didn't notice. "It's not too late to turn around now."

So great was his desire to run and curl up into a ball, but yet... he was so keen on finding out just what was in the recesses of Megumi's soul. "No. Never." Sanosuke strode over and cleared his throat. The woman stopped whatever she was doing while she was sitting cross-legged on the floor, but said nothing. "Excuse me, are you... Takani Megumi?"

The woman visibly flinched. In a halting voice that sounded eerily akin to Megumi's, she said, "No... I am only a soul of the body known as Takani Megumi. What is your business with me?" The woman didn't face him.

Sanosuke gathered all the courage and love in his heart and shuffled over to where the woman sat. He was careful not to startle her and move too fast. "My name is Sagara Sanosuke. I'm new here in—"

The woman shook her head, causing Sanosuke to instantly stop. "No, you aren't new here, you just haven't been here for a long time." The woman turned to face him, and Sanosuke braced himself just the correct amount. What a sight she was! Her face was hard and chiseled, her nose sharper than an eagle's beak. Dark nooks and craggies made her aged face look like staring down into a canyon. Two dark, luminous eyes swimming in water peered out from their sunken holes. The skin, especially around her eyes, was semi-transparent; Sanosuke could see veins etching webs around her face.

She laughed sarcastically. "What's the matter, am I not what you were expecting to find? Does my countenance abject fear into your heart?" She chuckled bitterly and turned her back to him again. "Men. You're all good for nothing."

Sanosuke felt like crying; was this his beautiful Megumi? Other than the purple smock she wore, he could still draw some similarities. For one, the tone with which she spoke, it was exactly the one that she used when she was irritated with him. Had Sanosuke not known any better, he could have sworn that Megumi was the one who was scolding him. And for another... this woman's eyes... they held the same spell that Megumi had.

She has a way of drawing you in.

Yes, with her eyes.

Unfazed, Sanosuke walked over to where she sat and gracefully knelt down beside her. Her head was down over so far that her forehead almost touched her stomach. It was like the fetal position, only sitting down. "Megumi..."

"You will not address me without formality. My name is Megumi-sensei." She snapped her head up quickly and glared at him. "Why are you here, Sanosuke-san? What is your business with me?"

"I only came to visit you."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to."

She raised her head and said forlornly, "There's always an alterior motive behind all men's desires. What do you want to use me for? Opium? Sex? It's always one of the two; don't even try to fool me. I've seen way too much of the world to know that it's not worth living." Sanosuke was stunned speechless. "What's the matter boy? Forgot what you were going to say?"

Sanosuke now saw it; it was her eyes. Although they were Megumi's eyes, they were dark and soulless. That special fire that he admired in her eyes was nonexistent; Sano compared it to peering into a still black pond. The water on that pond just seemed to suck the light out of the air keep it from reflecting.

Without that fire, Megumi is...

The woman snarled. "I've been watching you from Gehenna since you rescued me from Kanryuu... and for that... I owe you a huge debt of gratitude. It was one of the only times a man has ever shown mercy to me..." Her eyes grew distant, but quickly returned back to their frigid state. "I thought that it was because you were being kind to me... but I was wrong." All the fury in her voice had exceeded the limit, she was now shouting. Sanosuke closed his eyes; Megumi shouting at him was more than he could bear.

"You drove me out of the body, but my suspicions about you never went away. Now I see... this... this... mockery!" A real life screen came up beside Megumi-sensei's feet; it wasn't in a cauldron but seemed to be a puddle on the ground. Sanosuke peered over; he saw himself kissing the hand of the real Megumi. The woman sneered, and the scene instantly vanished. "I knew it. You were just using my body to fulfill your own desires! You never loved me; you only loved what I could give you! You are just as worthless as the members of your pitiful gender!"

Sanosuke had reached his breaking point. The visage may not have been Megumi's, but that was her voice. Teasing him. Mocking him. Belittling him. He staggered to his feet and stumbled to where the shocked Battousai stood. Megumi-sensei did not even turn to bid him farewell. Instead, she muttered under her breath, "Come back when you want more, you that has the head of a rooster..."

He stopped in his tracks and turned around to look once more at the hunched figure.

That struck a chord in him... rooster?

"Can... can we go?" Sanosuke tugged on Battousai's sleeve, on the verge of tears. "Please... let's go..." Astonished, Battousai mechanically nodded his head. "C'mon, please..." Sanosuke pleaded.

Battousai closed his eyes and said, "Fine, let's go. If ever you want to come back, just tell one of us, and we shall lead you back to her." Sanosuke wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve and nodded tearily.

Surely they cannot be soul mates, Battousai thought. The way she reacted... it was not one of love. But...

He looked at the whimpering child clinging onto his arm, scared and defenseless. Sanosuke's eyes were shut so tight that his forehead creased like the folds of a cloth.

No one has ever provoked such a reaction from her before...

While the two egos were walking away from her, Megumi was trapped in the darkness once again. Alone, just as she had started.

Just as she had feared.

First, it came as a small pinprick of moisture. Then, it had escalated into rivulets of tears that coursed down her elderly face. She assumed the position that always comforted her, the one where it made her as small as possible. She sobbed into her knees, her voice coming out as a series of strangled words. "How... how come..."

How come you don't love me back?

*****

He pulled the blanket around his face and shivered. It certainly was cold in Gehenna, but he'd never noticed it before until now. He pulled it up over his face so that he was only breathing in air that he had already breathed before. Oddly enough, the air never got stale; he never had to once poke his head outside the blanket for fresh air.

That's right, I have no body, he thought glumly.

Sanosuke felt like dying. He felt foolish at not heeding Shinomori's words; she really did have a way of drawing people to her. It was those luminous eyes...

How he pitied her.

Sanosuke nipped that thought before it could develop further. Despite her appearance, he was sure that there was Megumi in there somewhere. She would not have wanted him to be feeling sorry for her. And if Megumi ever taught him anything, it was not to waste his time and energy giving someone pity, it was to "get up off your ass and do something about it." He smiled wistfully; that was Megumi for you. His face turned serious again... that woman was radiating pity. This Megumi-sensei and Megumi were on two ends of the same spectrum...

A soft voice jarred him out of his thoughts. "Sano-chan... I have a surprise for you... maybe it'll answer a question of yours..."

Sanosuke sighed and pulled the blanket tighter. "Go away Shinomori, I really don't want to talk right now."

He heard a sniffle, then a silence. Sanosuke didn't care at this point if Shinomori's feelings were hurt. The man gets over it so quickly... As if on cue, Shinomori started talking again. "Don't you want to know what food tastes like here in Gehenna?"

"No." It was a clear statement. "Leave me alone." Sanosuke was then aware of something cold and wet being stuffed into his ear. He reached up and grabbed it; it looked like some kind of fruit.

"But you need to try eating. You have to..." Shinomori pleaded.

Sanosuke threw off the blanket. His eyes felt like they had just been boiled from staring at the sun too long. The thing was about the size of an outstretched hand, and it felt soft to the touch. The outside was a rainbow of red, orange, yellow, and green swirled together. The fruit even smelled like color. "What is this?"

Shinomori gave him a half-smile. "Do you remember the time when you asked your woman friend what kind of fruit she would be? When you were bound to the lady?" Sanosuke nodded and vaguely remembered, but the name of the fruit she said escaped his mind. "It's a mango."

It's sweet... and rare to find here...

He remembered. He turned to the smiling man standing beside him, "You're going to try to make me forget about Megumi by eating this, aren't you?" Sanosuke asked. "After all, what good is fruit if you don't have a body?"

Shinomori was still smiling; and when the weight of the words sunk in, he put a hand on his chest. "Sano-chan... do you only have that much trust in me?" Sanosuke gloomily put the mango down beside him and pulled the cover over his head. Shinomori watched the display with disgust. "Fine! I was going to talk to you about how to get out of here and get back to your body, but all you've done is cry. The more you cooperate with Battousai and I, the faster you can see your beloved's face. I thought that you'd be strong, but now... you are just weak."

The last sentence was the exact moment were realization hit. Shinomori and Aoshi were indeed similar; they valued being strong enough, although for different purposes. Sanosuke peered over the blanket's edge, only to find that the man had already disappeared from sight.

I am acting like a child...

Shinomori sighed and summoned a chair from the fog. "That bad, huh 'batty'? I'm guessing my hunch about the soul mates was wrong, right?"

Battousai shook his head, much to Shinomori's surprise. "The woman never talks, yet, I've never seen her talk so much as she did today. I don't think she's ever talked so much combined as just then. It was like seeing him made her unleash something."

"So... it might be true?"

"I don't know, but..." Battousai stopped and pointed at his hand. "She started to dematerialize when he started talking to her."

Shinomori gasped. "Dematerialize? Are you quite sure?" Battousai nodded. "Then there's no doubt in my mind that they are soul mates." They sat in companionable silence for a minute; this was gigantic news to digest. Actually finding your soul mate is unheard of... Shinomori spoke up. "I found out how our little friend got here. You know that strange word he was muttering earlier?"

"Ca-ma-ra?"

Shinomori nodded. "It's a camera. It takes still pictures and it has a flash of light just before the image is processed."

Battousai slowly closed his eyes. "And this flash, it was the flash that was seen on all four of the party's faces before they recovered. Except... Sanosuke didn't recover. Do you think that somehow the soul thought that its time had come to leave and the flash was orchestrated to be divine mandate?"

"No. I am pretty sure of that now. Divine mandate does not take place with the 'heaven's light'. It's not possible." Shinomori looked at Battousai with all seriousness. "What I think is that Zanza somehow found a loophole and expelled the chosen soul from the body by way of trickery. Sano-chan thought that the time for him had come and Zanza pushed his mind to make it very believable. That's why the other three recovered; their souls knew it was just a flash. The chosen one thought it was something more."

Battousai moved the sword to a more comfortable position and crossed his legs. "This is making sense so far. But why deny Zanza his time in the body? Tokio will find out sooner or later, we should just let things run its course. What if he's not dangerous?" He tried to find an answer in Shinomori's eyes. "I guess the real question is, why are you so concerned for him? If Zanza went through all that trouble to find a loophole, then good for him! He looks like he wouldn't harm that woman..."

"Still... looks can be deceiving..." Shinomori rose from his seat. "We can't take that chance. We must inform Tokio at once to get to the root of this. I will go to her at once and explain the situation. Keep watch over him." He shed his clothes and then disappeared in a blinding flash of light.

Battousai shook his head. Shinomori always wanted to take matters into his own hands. He personally didn't see any harm in letting Zanza have his time in the body; he'd been here long enough to know that sticking your nose in situations you had no business in always led to trouble.

In fact...

He sighed as he got up, a frown appearing on his face. "Tomoe, that's how you got killed..." He closed his eyes and raised his face to the black sky. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Where are you now... my love..."

Suddenly aware that he wasn't alone, he froze. In as calm a voice as he could muster, he asked, "Just how long have you been standing there?" Sanosuke didn't even have time to blink, but Battousai moved so quickly and quietly that he wouldn't have seen his movement. He was acutely conscious of the sword blade not two inches from his nose. "It's not polite to eavesdrop like that, you contemptuous fool. Especially on someone like me..."

*****

"How come you don't kiss me like that in private?" Kaoru teased.

"Oro?"

She smiled; it was so nice to make her poor husband flounder like that. Megumi was certainly right; manipulation was a useful tool in making men do your every will. Kaoru walked back to Kenshin and took his arm, laying her head on his shoulder. "Then again... I think that you kiss better..."

Kenshin blushed redder and nearly fainted into her arms. "Kaoru, you shouldn't say such things in public..." He lowered his voice, "Can't it wait?"

Kaoru turned around. She was struck with the sight of Sanosuke kissing Megumi's outstretched hand. She laughed, "Well, they obviously can't." She dragged Kenshin to do a complete 180-degree whirl around. "Megumi-san, do you know what the plan is?"

Sanosuke stood up tall and looked at the couple that interrupted. Kenshin blinked at the glare he received. "Sorry Sano, we have to know what we're going to do from here."

Megumi sighed and hit Sanosuke's chest with the back of her hand. "That's all right Ken-san, we were planning on going on a separate train back to Tokyo." Sanosuke looked down at Megumi and cracked a smile, but didn't say anything.

"A... another train?" Kaoru echoed. "Aren't we going to visit Misao-chan?" Kenshin looked just as dumbstruck as she did.

Megumi sensed their hesitance and said, "Well, rooster here wants to take off this annoying suit, and I for one..." She pushed down her bodice even more and took a deep breath. "... I can hardly breathe in this thing."

Sanosuke spoke up. "Did you bring our regular clothes, little girl?"

Kaoru blinked at the use of the new nickname. "I thought Kenshin was supposed to bring them." She pointed at the ex-rurouni, who put his hands up as if to show that he claimed no responsibility for it. "Don't tell me... you forgot..."

Kenshin grimaced and got ready for the imminent hit. "I didn't know you wanted me to pack clothes! I'm so sorry!" A chorus of voices heralding the extent of Kenshin's stupidity sang in harmony.

Kaoru sighed. "Honestly, did you think that we were going to walk around like this all day?"

"Ken-san, you... you..."

"Shows what you're good for, Himura..."

The three lightheartedly laughed while Kenshin assumed his "Yes, you're all right about me" position, the one that consisted of him putting his hand behind his head and smiling like he was clueless. "I guess that means we have to go to Misao-dono's, maybe she can give us extra clothing."

Sanosuke bent over and whispered something in Megumi's ear; she was staring straight ahead while contemplating his words. Kenshin and Kaoru looked at each other; unsure what to think. Megumi jerked her head up in surprise. "You're not going to believe this... but..." She looked at Sanosuke stupefied. He nodded as if to confirm her doubts. "But... he brought our clothes for us. They're still on the train..."

Kenshin could only stare in shock; this was not the Sanosuke that he knew.

"You're right, I'm not the Sanosuke that you know..." He said it with such seriousness that Kaoru took a couple of steps backwards towards Kenshin. Megumi didn't even look so sure either. He continued, a slight smile crossing his face. "Can't a person become responsible without people suspecting him of having a fever?"

Kaoru let out a small chuckle. "Wow Sanosuke, you're really starting to impress me." She narrowed her eyes playfully and nudged him on the ribs. "Is it because of a certain lady dressed in red?" Megumi blushed while Sanosuke looked at her with that same intense gaze. "Does that mean that you're finally ready to pay me back for all that money you owe?"

Sanosuke never took his eyes off Megumi. "How much?"

"K-Kaoru-chan!"

"Ah, Kaoru-dono?!" Kenshin caught Kaoru just before she hit the ground. Passerby wondered what on earth could have caused the woman to have such a reaction.

Zanza blinked in confusion, "What'd I say?"

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Author's notes: You might be wondering about Megumi's ego's appearance. This is the spirit world, appearance does not matter here. I just imagined that if Megumi had been working to make opium for Kanryuu, that must be how she felt inside: old, alone, and bitter. Adding something new with Battousai's love for Tomoe, it's a wonderful plot twist. The chosen soul loves Kaoru, but his other ego still loves his previous wife... how will that work out for Kenshin?

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Bring it. I'm ready.