Disclaimer: I do now own Rurouni Kenshin or anything that has been created from it. (Something that I'd wish for though…) However, I do own characters like the Goddess of Time, the other gods, Tsuyomi, Crystal, Shauna and Enchantress.
A Dream Angel's Problem – Chapter 9 – By Cherry Chibi
'Seeing Double'
..-*-..-*-..
Kaoru slowly woke up. She stood and looked around. She was still at the park but her body was translucent. 'What's happening to me?' She turned around and found her body lying on the ground. 'Am I… dead?' She heard the sound of rustling and turned to her left to find Kenshin. "Kenshin!"
..-*-..-*-..
Kenshin couldn't see anything, he could've sworn that he had heard someone call his name but there wasn't anyone around. 'There is some sort of energy force here… I could feel it…' Kaoru's necklace was held firmly in his left hand. 'Use my intuition…'
..-*-..-*-..
"Kenshin! Can't you hear me?" Kaoru walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kenshin?"
..-*-..-*-..
He stiffened, 'Kaoru?' Kenshin listened carefully, he had heard her, but her voice was as gentle and quiet as the wind. He placed a hand over where Kaoru's was. He carefully listened and tried to sense where she was.
"Kenshin, what are you doing here?"
"I came here to help you," He replied shortly, "I don't want to… lose you." He wanted to say so much to her right then and there but what he wanted to express was too hard to put into words. There was a period of silence and he suddenly felt worried, had she gone already?
There was a long period of silence; Kenshin closed his eyes as he felt a gentle touch on his cheek.
Through the darkness he could now clearly see her; she had a glowing white aura around her. She wore a sweet smile which was true to him. Almost as if instinct had taken over, Kenshin held Kaoru's forearms and made stern eye contact with her.
"…I love you too."
flashed across his eyes before he replied with a warm smile. It wasn't the Kaoru who had been staying with him that was standing in front of him. It was the Kaoru who was the Dream Angel, the potential Goddess, and someone who he didn't deserve or can ever have. She belonged to the heavens not down here on earth.
Kaoru looked down with sadness, 'Kenshin… he… feels… alone… If only I could find a way to stay here with him… or even find a way to get rid of Enchantress without being risked of being locked in Hell for eternity…' She wanted to shatter into a thousand pieces. 'No… I will be strong… I must be strong… for him… for… us,'
The scenery around them changed into a vast field that had the large Sakura tree in the centre. Kenshin looked around awestruck. He had been here before, with Kaoru. She took him here.
"I want, this time until tomorrow night to be filled with happiness," Kaoru said with a smile, "Will you share this time with-,"
Kenshin brushed his lips over Kaoru's, he smiled inwardly as he felt Kaoru's lips curve upwards. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gladly returned his kiss.
* * * *
Crystal stepped over a large boulder. She gazed around, the beauty of the vast green fields were breathtaking. 'Kaoru certainly has a wonderful imagination to create such a retreat.' She raised her senses and tried to pick out where Kaoru would be. 'I knew it was coming, I have to find Kaoru in her soul form so that I can bring her back to Archangel Kaoru. One half cannot win without the other.'
She ran when she felt a shockwave from her left. "Kaoru!"
* * * *
A warrior archangel flew through the dark skies. Her raven coloured hair shone in the moonlight. She had large and wide black feathery wings which were singed from the flames of hope. Her sapphire eyes looked determined as she landed in the park. 'One more hour,'
"Kaoru, you don't have to do this," Tsuyomi appeared through a porthole.
"I have told you this before and I won't repeat myself again, I don't want to see you again," Kaoru winced when a sharp pain struck her behind her neck. "What is this?"
"WHAT?! How could you escape the curse?!" A replica of Kaoru appeared from the shadows with flaring red eyes.
Archangel Kaoru gasped. "Oh no…"
"Twin Separation…" Tsuyomi muttered in dread, "Kaoru! You've got to drag Enchantress out of your own body and banish her! I'll help you!" he got into a stance. "Gates of Hell reveal yourself! Circle once again to where you once dwelled! Open your entrance and accept this demon!" His eyes flared white as a shock wave was sent from him.
The Yume Orb appeared before Archangel Kaoru. She raised her hands and glared at her replica. "Where is my other half?" She asked demandingly. "Enchantress! You're not going to win this fight!"
"Oh yes I will, banish me in this body and you will lose your other half," Enchantress laughed. Some of her features were beginning to show, her blood red eyes, fangs and marks across her skin appeared.
Kaoru gritted her teeth. 'How did my other half get separated from me? How am I going to bring Enchantress out of my body? She's somehow gotten rid of my other half. That leaves only one choice for me…'
Tsuyomi concentrated. A force field surrounded him. 'It will take me exactly one hour to complete the opening of the Gates of Hell. Kaoru, I am sorry for my sins, I am no longer fit to be your guardian but please let me help you one last time…' He had come to his senses after Kaoru's outburst at him. It had hurt to think that she didn't want to see his face ever again but he loved her too much to let her fight on her own.
* * * *
A loud shout startled the couple.
Kaoru sat up from Kenshin's lap. "Crystal?" She stood up and Kenshin followed suit.
"Kaoru! There you are!" Crystal stopped and gaped at Kenshin, "How did you get here?" She averted her gape at Kaoru who was looking guiltily at her feet. "You know that you can't bring him here…" Crystal whispered.
"I don't care…" Kaoru hissed back. She turned around and gazed at Kenshin. "I better get going…"
"Kaoru! You're other half is fighting right now! You have to go to her!" Crystal questioned incredulously.
Kaoru nodded sadly. "If I fail, Kenshin, you will wake up as if it were all a dream, you'll never remember me in reality," Kaoru said in a suddenly calm voice which worried Crystal and Kenshin a lot, "Even if there will be a day when you forget me Kenshin, I will never forget you." She smiled at Kenshin. "Farewell."
"No! You can't say that!" Kenshin couldn't move his body. Something held him back. He watched with grief as Kaoru vanished in a white glow. When she vanished his body was set free.
"Wait," Crystal said, "Until midnight, then you may see her."
Kenshin's amber eyes flared. "I never wanted her to fight alone! Crystal! You're going to take me to her! I'm not going to let her become a mere memory!"
"You can't interfere with this fight! It is Kaoru's fight and you must accept it! Twin Separation, Demon, Gates of Hell opening and a Banishing Call are NOT a good combination! If you get in the way, someone will get hurt! So sit down and stop being an idiot! All you can do now is give her emotional support!" Crystal used her powers and pushed Kenshin into a sitting position. "Goddess, why me? Why us?"
"Why can't I do anything for her? What use is my sword if I can't even protect the one I love?" Kenshin cursed under his breath.
Crystal sat beside Kenshin with a sigh. "Kenshin, there are always times when you feel vulnerable and helpless, you just have to have faith in Kaoru… she will make it. I know it." Crystal smiled at Kenshin, "Knowing Kaoru, she would never give up without a good hard fight. She would do anything to protect the ones she cares for."
"I know that," Kenshin replied. "But I can't stop thinking, what if she doesn't come back? What if I lose her?"
* * * *
A/N: I'm so sorry that this chapter is so short; I'll make sure that the next one will be extra long! *Promise* I've just had a minor break through from Writer's Block on this story so I apologise if things were confusing or even… bad. I tried my hardest. If you have any ideas PLEASE tell me. *puppy dog eyes* I'm so stuffed…
Hells-angel8: You must love K/K couplings right? (Who doesn't?) I hope that you liked this chapter!
Chris37: Thanks a lot for your reviews! ^-^x
MP1: No problems. *smiles* I like your stories and… I'm still deciding whether or not I should put Kenshin and Kaoru together in the end. *Evil laughter*
Gracianeko: A hole in the Law? Hm… it'll depend on whether or not I put Kenshin and Kaoru together…like what I said for MP1, I'm still deciding whether or not they should be together in the end. Maybe you'll be lucky… nah… maybe not…
FireKitsune/Ina no Miko: Aw chee… *blushes* Thanks!
Lil-miss-kitsune: Hope that you liked this chapter too!
Sailor Scout Buddy: Thanks for catching up! ^-^x It's great to have you back on board!
Mada: Hi! Well, I'm still deciding on that… ^-^x
Alright, thanks for your reviews! You guys rule!!! *Looks up* By the looks of things, majority of you want a good/happy ending… hm… well, just one more chapter before the epilogue! Thanks for being such loyal readers! *laughs* ^-^x
Next update will be next Friday! Ja!
~Cherry Chibi
