Chapter 3: The Fight For Their Lives

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Hey all! First off, I want to answer my one *sniff* reviewer!

Teresa: Thanks for the review! It's people like you (my true friends) who give me the inspiration to keep on writing… no matter how bad I suck at it! Thanks bunches! Love ya like a sister…..

~April Marie

Now that that is out of the way…. On with the story!

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Mei ran past the kitchen outside. She feel to her knees in front of the stone bench in the garden. Overhead, a Sakura's tree's blossoms swirled around her. She clutched her chest and let the tears fall freely. 'Why did she keep this from me? Why did he keep this from me?'

A movement behind her startled her. She quickly wiped away her tears and turned to face no other than Kenshin. "You really should be in bed now, Miss Mei. It's getting dark," he said, motioning toward the setting sun.

Mei smiled and scoffed. "I'm a big girl now Kenshin. I can take care of myself." Mei quickly chocked back another sob.

Kenshin knelt down on one knee to meet eye level. "I know that." The wind blew softly, blowing more blossoms around them and making Mei's hair flow slightly. Kenshin lightly brushed the hair out of her face. Mei looked down at the ground, but Kenshin lifted her chin and stared deeply into her eyes, searching for any response. "Mei… you've been crying…" Kenshin observed, sliding a finger across her red streaked face.

What happened next was unexpected. Kenshin leaned forward and caught Mei's lips with his own. He quickly pulled away, realizing what he had done. Mei felt as if she was floating away from all her troubles on a big white fluffy cloud. The only thing that existed was her and Kenshin. She pulled him into another kiss and leaned back, hitting her head on the stone bench. She fell into a lapse of giggles. She opened her eyes, still giggling, to find Kenshin's grinning face mere inched from hers.

Kenshin just couldn't believe it. He was looking into the eyes of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and would ever see. He loved everything about this woman. Her smile, her laugh, even her anger. Which is obviously genetic, he once thought, watching Mei and Kaoru chase Sano and Yahiko around.

"Mom? Mommy!" The couple looked up, startled. Kenshin was about to tell her something important when Akira's voice had rang through the courtyard. Kenshin helped Mei stand. Mei leaned forward and kissed Kenshin lightly on the tip of his nose then ran inside.

Kenshin stood there for a minute or two before making his way to the dojo.

Snap.

Kenshin wiped around. A black shadowy figure raced across the lawn. Kenshin stood very still. He whirled around and unleashed his sword in just enough time to block the attack. Pushing with a great force against the offender's sword, throwing him to the ground like a rag doll. "Who dare intrude upon my home?" Kenshin demanded of the man.

The man immediately threw back his hood and reviled his identity.

"Ensihi…. I should have known."

"Now, is this the way to treat an old friend?" Ensihi smirked wickedly, suddenly thrusting all his weight on his sword, sending Kenshin flying backwards against the wall of the dojo…. Which just happened to be where Mei's room was.

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Mei slowly walked back to her room. Akira was sound asleep, dreaming happily again. She had just lain down on her futon when the breath-taking sound had snapped her out of her drowsiness. Then came the familiar "Oro." Followed by the unmistakable thud of Kenshin's body hitting the ground. Kenshin……..

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Kenshin quickly recovered and attacked again, missing him by mere centimeters. "What's the matter, Himura? Getting to old for this?" Ensihi laughed mockingly. Kenshin replied with another attack, only missing again.

"Kenshin what's going…." Mei stopped short in sentence. The scene that lay before her left her in utter disbelief. She only had time to unleash her own reverse-blade and block the attack that was coming at her. She soon found herself battling another person who had every intention of killing her.

Kenshin and Mei soon found themselves back to back. "Who are these people?" Mei asked. "Auggggg!" she cried, tumbling out of the way of another attack.

"I don't know… eh….. Who you're fighting…. But…. Uh….. I'm fighting Ensihi." Kenshin replied, throwing himself forward so as not to hut Mei with his next attack.

Mei quickly dodged her opponents attack and flipped up in the air and called on the Mitsarugi Style. "Ensihi?" Mei asked landing softly on the ground next to Kenshin.

Mei side-swiped the sword out of the hooded figures hands and now had to point of her blade at the intruder's neck. "Give it up. You can't beat me," Mei snarled, poking her attacker.

The hooded figure slowly removed the hood and shook her hair out. "You're a…. girl…." Mei stuttered. The girl quickly kicked the sword out of Mei's hand.

"Yes. I am." The girl retorted firmly. This girl…. She's so familiar…. Each dived for their respective swords. Only to be stopped by Ensihi.

"Let's go, Raye. What had to be has been done."

The girl gave Mei a 'I'll be back' defiant look. And they left. Mei stood until they were out of sight, then clutched her shoulder and fell to the ground. "Uhhh…" came the soft groan from her lips.

"MEI!" Kenshin cried running at her. "MEI!"

Kaoru and the rest of the gang slowly stepped out onto the porch. Kaoru let out a yawn. "What's going on out here? Oh my God, MEI!" Kaoru cried jumping off the porch, soon being followed by Sakura and Akira.

"What happened to my mother!?" Akira asked, choking back tears.

Kenshin held Mei's lifeless form close to his chest for a long time, not answering. Akira had grabbed her Aunt Kaoru and was sobbing. Yahiko was standing there looking very lost along with Sano who was scratching the back of his head.

Kenshin glanced up over the bleeding body of Mei. He was no longer Kenshin the Rurouni, but Battousi the Manslayer. He stood, gently carrying Mei inside and laying her on her futon. When he stepped back outside, Kaoru stood, "Kenshin! What are you doing?"

The only answer Kenshin gave was the look he tossed over his shoulder before walking into the mist to look for Ensihi and his helpers.

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Mei slowly opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times. "Why hello, Mei. I thought you'd be waking up soon." Megumi slowly circled over to her new patient and smiled down at her. "How are you feeling?" She asked sweetly.

"Kinda… drowsy…" Mei replied, closing her eyes.

Suddenly, Kaoru walked in. "Here's the moist towel you wanted, Miss Megumi," she said placing it on the stool closest to her. It was after this she looked down at Mei ready to heave a heavy sigh, just to realize her sister was awake. "Mei! Your awake!" she cried.

"Yeah… Where's Akira and Kenshin?" Mei asked happily.

"Akira's babysitting Amye and Suzumie for Dr. Genzi," Kaoru forcefully smiled cheerfully. There was a pause then came the question Kaoru didn't want to hear.

"…. and Kenshin?" Megumi handed Mei a cup filled with a foul smelling liquid. Mei wrinkled her nose.

"Mei, he… he's not here right now."

"Where is he?" Mei took a sip and made a gagging face behind Megumi's back.

"I… I don't know…"

Mei laughed nervously. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I mean… I don't know."

"You have to have some inclination where he is," Mei said, bringing the medicine to her lips.

"He went to find Ensihi." The words came out rushed and fast, but by the look on Mei's face, she had understood. The glass fell from her shaking hands and let out a small gasp, before falling back into the overwhelming darkness.

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Not everything is what it seems…….. So look beyond what you see……..

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I need what you people think about the story! Should I stop? Go on? Forget my life as a writer? Tell me people! If you have any questions, ask away………………….