That night came quickly and Tokie was helping Kaoru and another geisha get ready for their newest guests. Kaoru applied the makeup the same as she always had so many other times before. She picked out a pink kimono with pink flower hairpin. The other, newly graduated, geisha was giddy and full of butterflies. Tonight was her first night of entertaining of being a full-fledged geisha. Kaoru on the other hand was quiet and had a long and worried look on her face. Tokie didn't bother to console her knowing what the problem was and knew only until Himura came back would Kaoru be happy again.
When the guests arrived Tokie greeted them in the usual fashion and brought them up to the same room Kaoru was entertaining not long ago. As the two geishas walked Kaoru observed her company. There was two business men and… Kaoru held her breath opened her eyes wide in fear and shock. The man sitting at the head of the table was Shishio. Kaoru quickly remembered her promise to Kenshin to stay safe and only hoped that Shishio wouldn't recognize her.
She quickly regained herself and put on a happy, respectful face. As she poured the sake for the five of them she looked down and her hand shook slightly as she poured for Shishio. The other geisha was flirting with Shishio while the other men were just laughing and drinking sake. Kaoru though, was kneeling in a very stiff manner and didn't seem in the mood to talk. As one of the strange men took a gulp of sake he fell onto Kaoru's hand and she gave a quickly yelp and yanked it out from the drunk.
As soon as Kaoru gave that cry Shishio suddenly became very alert. He stared at Kaoru; her face was so familiar. As Kaoru nursed her hand she glanced up at Shishio who was watching at her. She knew he was starting to figure her out.
Shishio started to chuckle then broke into a crazed laugh, "So you thought you could fool me woman?" he said once he quieted down.
Kaoru got up and started to back toward the wall, but the men quickly got in front of the door blocking her escape. Her heart was pounding from her chest and fear took over. She held her injured hand to her chest and Shishio raised his hand menacingly and struck her to the floor. But Kaoru was made of stronger stuff, she put a hand to her burning red cheek and looked up at him as tears streamed down, but she wouldn't scream, not for him.
And like that day in the forest Shishio picked her up by her hair and bent down to whisper something, "Well, well isn't this a familiar incident, but this time there's no Himura to save you woman," his voice was full of satisfaction and somewhat relief.
"Here's what I want you to do…go find Himura and tell him I'll be at the main street at midnight and I'll be expecting him there ready to die. Well do you understand?" he said.
Kaoru looked upon him with the most primal look of hatred and didn't answer.
He started to laugh, "I'll take that as a yes, now go wash up and put on a cheaper kimono. No need to ruin such a beautiful one. Besides I think that one might look better on Miss Yumi here," he gestured to the other geisha who was playing with her fan and was completely smashed unaware of anything going on. He threw Kaoru by her hair to the door and the man blocking it stepped aside and Kaoru crawled out of the hell hole and into her room.
That bastard, she though, as she wiped the last of make up from her face and glanced up at the clock it was ten to eleven and Kaoru and quickly grabbed on of the typical male kimonos she wore casually. She ran down the outside stairs and ran to the nearest hotel where she was certain Sano was staying and where Kenshin would be.
It was a quick run but when she asked the clerk if a red haired man and a very tall one were in one of the rooms she found out they just left heading to the warehouse uptown. Frustrated but determined she ran to the warehouse until she was able to hitch a ride on mule drawn wagon and hopped off at her destination and hastened to the warehouse with the doors open and men standing guard outside. That had to be it none of the others showed any sign of activity. She ran to the doors until one of the guards, unfortunately the very smelly one, grabbed her before she could set one foot inside. He held her off her feet by clutching her around the stomach and held her under his arm.
"Nooooo! Let me go! I have to see Kenshin! Noooooooo! Kennnnshinnnn!" she kicked and screamed but her efforts seemed futile until Kenshin came running down the other end of the warehouse.
"Wait! Let her go! Go leave us be," he said to guard before he was about to throw her out on her ass. Instead by his master's wishes he set her down gently and apologized to both of them and left.
"Kenshin…Kenshin he, he was there at the teahouse and, and…" she started to cry and stutter hopelessly.
"Kaoru! Kaoru calm down and tell me what's wrong," said Kenshin trying to console her best he can.
Kaoru took a few deep breaths and stopped her tears, "Kenshin, Shishio is not where you think he is."
"How did you know he wasn't here?" he asked rubbing her arms with his hands.
"Because he was at the teahouse with me."
Kenshin's face became very serious and stoic like; "Did he notice you?"
"He did and told me to tell you he's going to be at the main street at midnight. Kenshin I'm worried he might try to harm Tokie or the other geisha," she said anxiously.
"Don't worry. If I know Shishio he'll be conserving his strength and trying to think up a way to cheat," Kenshin looked at Kaoru but to her it seemed like he was concentrated on something else.
"Kenshin?" she whispered as she noticed an amber glow flare up in his eyes.
"Kaoru I think its best you come with me and Sano to main street. When I fight Shishio I want you to stay with Sano," his voice was becoming cold and low.
And with that Kenshin took Kaoru around with his arm and they walked together to main street to face the threat together and Sano following not far behind.
When they got there the air was more than chilly and as they turned onto the main road Shishio was there standing in the middle with his loose bandages blowing with the wind and two same men from the teahouse flanking his sides.
"Himura! Welcome to 'death road'!" he cried out from a few feet to Kenshin. "So I see your little girlfriend came through. Don't look so worried girl, I didn't harm our hostess, but it seems young Yumi has taken a liking to me and my money so she took a early retirement from being a geisha," he started to laugh and laughed even more when Kaoru shouted out less than repeatable curses. Until Sano held her back and dragged her on the side of the street leaving only Kenshin and Shishio and his men did she stop cursing and stopped struggling.
Kenshin only took one look at Kaoru and smiled at her then his gaze returned to Shishio's men charging him. And like lightning Kenshin unsheathed his sword and jumped into the air towards the first man who held up his sword but the cheap metal broke as Kenshin slashed through it and the man's chest and he fell to the ground bleeding on the dirt road. Kaoru turned her face into Sano not wanting to see the gore and carnage. Sano only looked on knowing Kenshin thought this fight as personal and wanted to deal with it alone. The other man stood shaking in his spot looking at his fallen comrade. Kenshin then turned his sword to the man who quickly dropped his own and started running down the alleyway into the night screaming
Kenshin then pointed his sword to Shishio who answered silently by unsheathing his sword.
"Good help is so hard to find these days. Don't you agree Himura?"
Kenshin was silent and he and Shishio started walking in a circle as they sized each other up.
Kaoru looked up from Sano to see the two of them stop and hold their positions, "Kenshin," she whispered.
And at that very moment the two swordsmen charged each other. The clash of the swords was loud and as their blades were crossed the two of the struggled to hold their ground until they both leaped away. They charged again and to Kaoru all she could see was the sparks from the numerous clashes. Kenshin took a low swipe and cut Shishio's hip and Shishio got a slash on Kenshin's arm causing both of them to fall back. Shishio put his hand to his hip and looked at the blood flow. No one made him bleed no one! And he yelled a battle cry and made for a final attack charging. Kenshin stood his ground and just barely managed to step aside as Shishio lunged his blade forward and drove his sword through Shishio's back as he tripped and fell to the ground with his eyes still open.
Kenshin watched breathing heavily as the blood flowed from his defeated opponent's mouth. Kaoru let out a long sigh, she didn't even realize she was holding her breath. Sano released his grip on her and let her run to Kenshin's side and fuss over his wounds.
"Kaoru don't worry it was just a scratch believe me I've had worse," he said and Kaoru got hold of his neck and brought him down for a quick kiss and he gave a quick twitch as it ended up making his wound sting.
"Kenshin I swear don't you ever get yourself hurt again!" she said and they both started to laugh and embraced each other warmly.
Sano smirked and at Kenshin started to walk down the street and leave the two of them alone and head for the far side of town where women tied their obi in the front. But he saw something squirm in the shadows of the alley and as he walked toward it he found Tokie tied up with a thick piece of cloth around her mouth. He pulled her out of the shadows and quickly undid the cloth and called to Kenshin and Kaoru who came running as Tokie came into view.
Kaoru quickly knelt down and started untying Tokie who was sobbing uncontrollably. "Tokie please calm down. Shishio's dead now," Kaoru said and she slowly coaxed Tokie to tell her what happened slowly.
"No Kaoru! Not me, he… he burnt down the teahouse," Tokie managed to get this out and broke into tears again and Kaoru took her in her arms and started to weep herself.
Once they got Tokie fully untied they all ran to the teahouse and found it in ruins. Kaoru went to the edge of the ashes and knelt down and held what was left of her home in her hands.
Tokie spoke quietly as she, Kenshin and Sano walked to Kaoru's side, "Shishio made sure no one tried to put out the fire. I was outside in the garden when it started and he came and tied me up…" her voice failed her and she became quiet.
Kenshin put a hand on Kaoru's shoulder and said quietly, "Kaoru, I'm sorry. This is my fault I shouldn't have gotten you and Tokie involved with this… I"
Kaoru quickly cut him off, "No Kenshin! I'm glad I met you," she got to her feet and faced him. "Kenshin meeting you was the best thing that happened to me. This isn't your fault don't you dare blame yourself! This was his fault and he got what was coming to him! And Kenshin I…I hoped you wouldn't regret us," Kaoru started to feel like Kenshin was starting to lament ever getting involved with her.
Kenshin looked surprised at Kaoru and her strong words and felt ashamed, "Kaoru, I didn't mean it like that. I know I haven't said it out right but you know that umm, I…I love you…and I want you and Tokie to come to Kyoto with me and you and I can get married and you can retire from being a geisha. I'll help you and Tokie open up a new teahouse and we can get married and and…"
Kaoru was completely taken aback. No one, no matter how drunk, had ever given her a confession of love, a relocation offer and a marriage proposal all in one sentence…but she could think of no one she'd rather have say that to her. She jumped into his arms and they started laughing as Kenshin spun her around.
Tokie and Sano smiled at each other and after Kenshin set Kaoru down they all walked to the hotel where they would stay until morning and catch the first train to Kyoto and start all over again. They walked into the shadows putting their arms around each other's shoulders and smiled together heading to a new life and a fresh start together… and that was the end of a geisha and the yakuza.