Reves' note: Did I forget to write a disclaimer for chapter two? I'm sorry! I'll make up for it now: I do not own in any way Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters. There, I said it...^_^

Reve's other author's note: As usual I can't think of a decent chapter title, so brace yourselves and get ready for...

Hangman's Truth

Chapter 3

Stormy Horizons

++

- 15 months previous to the hanging. (Megumi's perspective) -

It was a beautiful morning. Dewdrops glistened on flower petals as the birds overhead serenaded the new day, and a trembling breeze fluttered though the window to reveal the gentle scent of budding flowers and fresh growth. You could not pick a better day to be alive.

Unfortunately I missed this triumph of nature, spending most of the morning inside.

All thanks to a certain rooster.

At the crack of dawn (or so it felt) a familiar looking baka appeared at my door, cradling an injured hand and limping ever so slightly. I was not in one of my best moods.

"Again?!" I snapped, trying vainly to tame my hair with my fingers and trying to look respectable in my nightgown. I gave him my best glare.

"What's the matter with you?" He retorted. "You look like you just woke up!" He grinned a little before realizing his mistake.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. A very deep breath. "As a matter of fact—"

Sanosuke blanched a little, realizing I was about to explode. He suddenly thrust his hand at me; probably guessing my doctoring instincts would take over before I had a chance to finish my sentence. He was right.

I sighed. "Come in and let me have a look at it."

"Sit down." I said motioning to the tatami mat. He did. As gently as I could I took Sanosuke's hand in my own, and saw him wince. "The joint in the second and third fingers are probably broken," I said. "I'll need to set them strait and put them in a splint."

I looked up to see a certain rooster trying to put on a brave face. Trying and failing miserably.

My suspicions were confirmed as he said, "Will it, you know... Hurt?"

"Most likely," I answered a matter-of-factly. "But not as much as you did when you broke them." This probably was not much comfort to Sanosuke, for he twitched a little and said, "Well, can we get it over with?"

Funny how a man who practically endures pain as a living is scared to set a couple bones straight. I told him this with a scorn on my face.

"Well technically I don't make a living of it anymore, so—"

The setting of the fingers itself went rather well, if you exclude my occasional "Hold still!" and the suppressed yelps coming from Sanosuke. Honestly...

I just then noticed that part of his usually bandaged midsection was exposed. As I looked closer I caught a glimpse of old scars under his gi. I leaned over for a closer look.

"Take off your shirt."

"What?"

"Take off your shirt. I want to see the scars on your sides."

"I...It's nothing."

"Well I have reason to believe otherwise. Take off your shirt." I grabbed his collar and proceeded to do it myself. "And those bandages," I added as an afterthought.

"Kitsune will you just lay off a little? It's nothing." He got slightly annoyed look on his face as I persisted, and sharply pulled away. A loud rip resonated across the room.

"Kitsune..." Sanosuke muttered testily. "You—"

I wasn't listening to what he was saying, but instead had my attention focused on his midriff. White scars decorated the all sides of the part of his midsection usually hidden by bandages. I was speechless.

I realized I was holding my breath, and let it out slowly; I equally realized my fists were clenched in anger. I put down the bandages I had obtained in our brief struggle, and traced the outline of a rib with one finger. I felt the pain of his wounds.

Seeing as he was already doomed, Sanosuke willingly let me remove the rest of his bandages. Once I had discarded them, I looked at what seemed to be old white stretch marks caused by excessive swelling and bruising. This was most likely the result of broken bones gone untreated. Broken bones that had never fully healed.

I thought of asking him how he had obtained such scars, but thought better of it.

His face portrayed the look of someone who was trying hard to suppress painful memories.

++

Twelve years previous to the hanging. (Sanosuke's perspective)

-

It wasn't supposed to end this way.

If someone had ever asked me what I thought my future would look like, I'd have been pretty optimistic. I guess I just took my happiness for granted. You just don't see these kind of things coming.

It was freezing that night, and my shirt did little to keep in the heat. I had just spent the last two days walking so I must have been tired, but the cold was too intense for me to notice. My feet kept trudging on, one after the other, until walking, like breathing was a mindless instinct. Are we there yet?

We finally got back to base camp, where general Shindo Takewaki was waiting for us. There was something a little creepy about his tight-lipped smile, and it gave me a chill down the back of my spine. I wondered what he was going to tell us. I just wanted to go to sleep...

"You have been in the service of the Ishin government for several years now..."

There were no clouds that night, and a full moon. I let my head drop back, and I stared, open-mouthed, at the sea of stars above me. The general's voice became a soft droning in the back of my mind. I was so tired I could have fallen asleep right then and there.

"...Spread lies about the price of rice becoming cheaper..."

What lies?

"...And in doing so you have caused the people to lose faith in our government. Those who have impersonated government soldiers cannot go unpunished."

Cries of protest and indignation rose from among the Sekihoutai. I was wide- awake by then.

"I see now."

Captain!

Right then all I had ever worked for came crashing down at my feet. All those things I'd fought for, justice and equality for all, was a lie. An ugly lie spun by the Ishin Shishi. We were all going to die for following orders.

I don't exactly remember what happened next. Captain threw me to the ground, and I heard the sounds of shots being fired. Next thing I know I'm running for my life.

Captain Sagara was shot.

The fall seemed to take forever. I heard myself yelling; I was suddenly plunged into darkness, and I couldn't breathe. It took me a while to realize I was under water. It was so cold. The rapids were rushing around me, dragging me down to the bottom of the river, squeezing the life out of me. Air. I need air. I was clawing, digging my nails into the sides of the riverbed, trying to get that much closer to the surface, but all I was managing to do was bloody my fingers. My ribcage felt it was going to collapse, and my lungs were burning. Air! I need...

The rapids got stronger, and I got bashed against the rocks at the bottom of the river a couple times. I remember this incredible pain in my side as I felt a crack, and then...

I was transported to a place where I felt nothing at all.

-

When I finally woke up I was lying face down along side the river. Painfully I turned onto my back to look up at the same sea of stars as before and took a sweet breath of air. I'm alive.

They're not.

What happened just smacks me in the face and I remember the shots and the blood and the cries and I realize I'm all alone.

Dead dead dead they're all dead dead dead.

Before I really know what I'm doing I start crying and can't stop. I can't hold back; I try, but I'm nine years old and I'd die on the inside if I didn't. It's hurting my ribs and I'm gasping for breath...My tears are just streaming down my cheeks, and I'm in danger of drowning a second time.

Dead.

I stop crying and take slow, shaky breaths. It's not that I think I've cried enough: I'm just too exhausted to cry anymore. Plus my ribs are killing me. I need sleep. So I do.

++

3 days previous to the hanging (Sanosuke's perspective)

- -

"You're under arrest!" A raspy voice behind me shouted. "Raise your arms above your head and don't make any sudden movements!"

I ignored him, turned around and crossed my arms. "What the fuck is this all about?"

The police officer blanched and shuffled his feet. His katana was still at my throat, but it was shaking visibly.

"W-we do not have the liberty to disclose that fact Sagara-san. Please let us escort you to the police station where we will—"

"First get your katana out of my face."

The officer's voice wavered. "Pardon?" the police force behind him was getting more nervous by the second. I hate policemen.

"I said, get your katana out of my face." Don't make me say it again.

The officer, looking small, put his sword back in its sheath.

At that point I noticed Yahiko beside me, gripping his shinai with white knuckles, ready to take on anything. That kid tries hard, but he's still got a lot to learn. I sigh and shuffle my feet a bit. What should I do?

I'd been in jail before. When I was younger, I'd get in trouble once in a while, stay for a couple of days, then get out when I felt like it. The cell I'd be in was usually nicer than where I was staying at, anyway. When I didn't feel like going to jail, like now, I'd give the police the slip, and they wouldn't see me for a couple months. 'Course if I did that, I'd be on the Wanted list for a while, but it's not like it mattered back then.

It matters now though.

I can't just disappear now. I've got a fiancée, a permanent place to live, and a job. If I leave now, all the stuff I worked to get will be ruined; I'd be an outlaw again. I haven't done anything too bad in the past couple years, besides running up a couple tabs, so the most they could hold me for what, not even a day? Maybe I'll just get a fine or something.

Damn it, I told kitsune stuff like this wasn't going to happen anymore. I'll just get it cleared up as quick as I can and go back home.

Sometimes it's better to give up and move on.

Beside me, Yahiko was already getting into a stance and was preparing to attack. I sighed and put my hands in my pockets.

"Alright, I'll go to the station with you. This better not take long."

The officer didn't say anything, but bowed. I shrugged off the guy who wanted to put cuffs on me and started walking. I knew the way.

Yahiko was so surprised he fell over. "But!" He started. "W-what? But why...?"

I didn't answer but looked over my shoulder at him and said, "Don't tell anyone where I've gone."

"But I—"

"Don't tell anyone: not fox-lady, not Kenshin, not jou-chan."

"Why?"

"'Cause brat, I don't want them knowing I was in trouble with the police again." I'll probably end up telling kitsune eventually, but that's not the point. "I don't want them to worry or nothing, got that? I'll be back before you know it, anyway. It's not like this thing is gonna take long."

Yahiko nodded, realizing why I wanted this whole thing kept secret. I was ashamed.

"I won't tell anyone."

I grinned. "Good."

-

So I walked off in the company of a garrison of police officers, sure that this thing would blow over pretty quick, and that I'd be home with Meg before I knew it.

I was so sure.

-

++

Twelve years previous to the day of the hanging; the morning after the Sekihoutai's destruction: (Sanosuke's perspective)

Morning. Sunlight's burning my eyes. Captain Sagara's dead.

I'm lying on something soft. I'm lying on a futon in the middle of a well- lit room, and sunlight's streaming through a crack in the thin rice paper doors. I'm alive.

"He's not awake yet," I heard a shy voice whisper behind the walls. I closed my eyes. "Is he going to be alright?"

A rough voice replied, "He'll be fine, though he needs a couple days' rest. I've bandaged his broken ribs—" Well that explains the crack I heard. "—But the lad will most likely carry the scars forever. He'll need to stay put for several additional weeks for them to heal properly. If not, it will be a handicap to him for the rest of his life."

"Doctor..." another voice muttered irritably. "Did you know, that he's...?"

"I know," said the rough voice. "And I know of the harm and the pain him and his comrades have caused. What to do about it is up to you."

"Now if you'll excuse me, I must be leaving."

I heard good-byes being said and then a swish as the door to my room was opened. Two shadows fell over my face. I didn't move and kept pretending to be asleep.

"He doesn't look as if he'd be any threat," whispered the first voice shyly. "Can't we let him stay here? Just until his ribs have healed?"

"No."

"He's a liar," the voice continued angrily, "him and his friends mislead us, and tried to disgrace the Meiji government with their lies. Whatever punishment they have received will never be enough."

"They're Evil."

"But—" protested the first voice, "he's only a boy!"

"Boy or not," said the second voice angrily, "he leaves tomorrow."

"And that's final."

++

Reves' author's note: THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I cannot stress enough how every single one of your reviews made my day. Sigh! I'm so happy! ^_^ An extra thank you to everyone who answered my questions! THANK YOU! On a final note, feel free to email me about anything! Anything at all! I'll write back, promise!

Reves' other author's note: That's all folks! As usual reviews are much appreciated, as is criticism, as are ideas for this story. See you next chapter!

-reves