Author's Notes: The last chapter was... well received. Yes, I am happy with how that one turned out. Man, it's just that I love to see Kenshin go Battousai and I still say Jineh was the craziest of all the enemies Kenshin faced. Enishi was mentally ill thinking Kaoru was Tomoe and making Kenshin think Kaoru was dead, but lets put it this way. At least Kenshin didn't have to WATCH Kaoru suffer like he did when Jineh put the Shino no Ippou upon her, right? I don't know. Let's just be happy Enishi and Jineh weren't working together. That could have been... chaotic. : shivers :
The Legend of Himura Kenshin
EPISODE 7- Deathmatch Under the Moon! Protect the one you Love
Kaoru's View
Kenshin... no... he's being defeated. Kenshin can't lose! He's too strong to die out here by Jineh's tortured sword. He won't let himself die like this. I know he won't.
Oh Kami-sama, make him stand up again! Stop that blood that flowing from his wound...
Ken...
What just happened?
Kami-sama. I can't breathe. Jineh put a spell on me. Why can't I breathe? Magic isn't real; it's an illusion, so why can't I breathe anymore? Kenshin, stand up please...
"You bastard what have you done to Kaoru-dono?"
Did he just call Jineh... a bastard? Kenshin, what's going on in your head? Why is he using me like this? Do I really mean that much that you'd change your ways just to save me? Why is Jineh egging you on like this?
I have to conserve this breath. I have five minutes. That's it. Kenshin... get up please! I don't want to die here... please help me...
My head is pulsating now. The lack of oxygen to my system is causing me to feel limp. I refuse to close my eyes though. Kenshin still hasn't moved and Jineh is still trying to convince him to turn back to the Battousai, while I sit here, helpless. I hate being helpless. But I'm so lightheaded, that if I tried to do anything I'd fall over, faint, and die just like that.
I don't want to die suffocating.
Did Kenshin just... break Jineh's nose? I didn't even see that.
His... eyes.
Kenshin, what did you do? Please don't tell me you've...
"As you said, there is no time for talk. If you want me to kill you, then please hurry up and prepare for death."
You did. Kenshin, you can't go back to being a manslayer! I'd rather die like this than let you break your vow over me! Please, you have to realize that. You can't ruin what you've spent 10 whole years trying to establish; you can't stop your atonement just because of me. Do you know the guilt I would carry if you did? Do you have any idea what life would be like after that? I don't want to see you kill. I know you don't want to kill.
Let me die here so you can keep your vow.
Battou-jutsu stance.
He's going to kill him. Kenshin is really going to kill him. Jineh seems intimidated now. My sight is failing. Everything is going blurry. My entire body aches now. Why? Why does it have to be this way? Kenshin will kill Jineh, and it will have done nothing. I'll die anyway.
Kenshin, stop while you still can.
Jineh barely missed being hit with Kenshin's sakabatou. But... did Kenshin just use the sheath? He did it. He defeated him.
But why can't I breathe?
"To free the girl of the Shino no Ippou, you're going to have to kill me."
Oh no. Kenshin, don't! Stop!
"To protect Kaoru-dono, I shall become a manslayer once again!"
He flipped the blade.
I have to stop him. What use is the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu to me if I don't use it to protect the one I love, even if it is from himself? If I can't protect myself, then I can at least try to save him from the demon that he harbors within.
Kenshin, stop! Don't! Please! You've done so much, affected so many people's lives since you started your atonement, since I had you stay with me at the dojo. Don't end it all now. Kenshin... ...Kenshin...
Kenshin...
"Don't!"
I did it. He dropped the sword.
"Don't go back to being a manslayer. You can't use swordsmanship to kill."
He's running for me now. And I'm falling. I freed him. If I am to die now, I welcome this death full heartedly.
Kenshin, you can still remain a wanderer. And now... now... I welcome the black.
Author's Notes: Yeah. That was... strange. Probably not too good. It's hard to do something that's in the middle of a fight. You have to think that all the thoughts go fast, and Kaoru's would have been racing. I hope that was good! This is a longer one than usual, so be happy!
Love and hugs,
Crystal Renee