Author's Notes: I LIVE!!! Okay, I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in two months, but you gotta be kidding me!!! Do you honestly believe that I'd be able to write 32 chapters non-stop without any kind of break? Well, that was my break peoples, and the only break from this story. Now I plan on FINISHING this story and soon. But don't worry, the end won't come for a few more chapters. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! Thank you minna- sama! I'm going for 400 reviews!
Disclaimer: I don't own my muses, I just play with them. Meow.
On with the story!
Chapter Thirty-Three
Such thoughts spurred Aoshi's heart for action, but he had to be calm. He would not move. The Tenken would have the first strike.
Soujiro could hear his heart pump in his head. 'At last the time comes for me to prove to myself that I have found my true love! This one is for you, Master. And for you. . . Misao. . .chan.'
Soujiro found that his right foot was thumping on the ground, the hand that held his sword was shaking violently, and his crystal blue eyes were fixated upon the calm and unmoved Aoshi.
'The weak die and the strong live. Remember that, Soujiro.'
Finally, Soujiro could not stand it any longer. He took a step forward, raised his sword and charged at Aoshi. Aoshi didn't move until the last moment, and Soujiro whipped around to see Aoshi standing calmly behind him.
Aoshi had both swords out now. He had somehow unsheathed the smaller sword so quickly that Soujiro had not seen it. Both swords were brought down, and Soujiro felt an icy pain on his right shoulder.
Gasping, Soujiro jumped backwards and away from Aoshi. 'He's fast!' he thought. 'He could have easily sliced my head off right there, but he didn't!' his eyes narrowed. 'He's toying with me. . .' Soujiro clutched to his shoulder, trying to smile, but could not when he felt the warm blood oozing from his gi.
'The weak die and the strong live.'
Soujiro took his hand away from his shoulder. 'I must not show weakness. . .' he thought, and charged once more, forcing a smile on his face, and moving as fast as he could to match Aoshi's quickness.
Everything whirled around Aoshi. He could barely keep track of where Soujiro had run off to, but he could tell that the Tenken was running around him. Aoshi saw the sword in the corner of his eye; turned and brought his sword up to block.
But that was not where the sword was headed. The sword cut deeply into Aoshi's leg, and Aoshi now knew where Soujiro was. He brought his sword down and Soujiro was once more visible.
They jumped away from each other, Aoshi with one wound on his left leg, Soujiro with two wounds; one on his right shoulder and another on his back.
It was only now that Soujiro remembered the rain. They were both soaking wet; wet from the rain and wet from blood.
Somewhere over in the bushes, Misao was clutching her diary. 'Wow. . . who knows why on earth they would try to kill each other for little ol' me!' she wondered.
-----
"You are sure he is Battousai?"
"Positive. Believe me. When have I ever done you wrong?"
"Heh. That was impressive how you killed Tomoe Yukishiro."
"Thank you, but you should give the credit to Battousai."
"He killed her?!"
"Well yeah. Haven't you ever heard the book called 'Ten ways how to kill your wife'?"
-----
"KAORU-DONO!!"
. . .
"KAORU-DONO!! WHERE ARE YOU?"
. . .
"KAORU-DONO!! PLEASE ANSWER ME!!"
. . .
"KAORU-DONO!!"
'They seem so distant,' she thought. 'His calls. . . they're so far away. . .' She looked around herself. It was so dark. . . she could see the stars. 'Where am I?' she wondered.
She gasped when she turned to see a beautiful field of flowers. 'Is that heaven?' she looked down. 'I don't deserve to go to heaven. . .I'm just forgotten. . .Why would I want to go with her? With that. . . . that Tomoe!?'
She smirked. 'That is. . . IF she's in heaven. . .'
She slapped herself upside the head. 'Oh what am I thinking??? This is not right!!! I shouldn't be here!!! Where is Kenshin???'
"KAORU-DONO!! PLEASE. . . . PLEASE ANSWER ME!!"
She listened more carefully. 'Was there. . . . desperation in his voice? Sadness?'
"KAORU-DONO!!!"
'Was that a sob?'
"Alright. . . I understand if you don't want to talk to me. . ." he was saying.
'His voice seems so much closer now. . .'
"But please. . .at least let me know you're alright. . ." he mentally slapped himself. "No. . . of course you're not alright. . .I'm sorry. . ."
Kaoru opened her eyes. 'Is that. . .?'
There was Kenshin, on the ground, his violet eyes closed and a tear rolling down his face. "I lost one woman I loved. . ." he whispered. "Now I've lost another. . ."
Kaoru tried to move herself from the position she was in; laying on the ground, covered by a bush right next to the small creek. 'Kenshin. . . he remembered me! I've got. . . to get to him. . .' she pulled herself worm- like towards him.
The darkness started edging away.
'Kenshin. . . look at me. . .'
Kenshin sighed a sob.
'Kenshin. . .'
Kenshin kept on mumbling to himself in a numb state. "Oh Kaoru. . . I remember when I first saw you I knew. . . I knew I loved you. . ."
"Kenshin. . . ." Kaoru whispered, moving closer to Kenshin and trying so hard to regain her voice.
"I remember the first time we kissed. . ."
". . .K-Kenshin. . ."
Kenshin looked around as if he had heard a voice, but thought it was his imagination and went on mumbling, "When you told me you loved me. . ."
"Kenshin!" Kaoru's voice was getting stronger.
"When I told you that I loved you and you didn't believe me. . ."
"Kenshin! Kenshin! Kenshin!"
"Now Tomoe is dead. . . I have to move on. . . I love you Kaoru. . . . but I know you'll never forgive me. . ."
"KENSHIN!! KENSHIN!!!" Kaoru practically leaped onto Kenshin, all her strength returned from this dramatic speech from Kenshin. Kenshin's eyes widened and he turned to face her. Kaoru smiled down at him. "I. . .forgive you."
Kenshin was shocked. "Kaoru?. . . .You shouldn't forgive me. . . it was all my fault. . ."
Kaoru suddenly turned very evil. "I'LL ONLY FORGIVE YOU IF YOU PROMISE ME THAT YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE ME!!!" her voice dropped down. "And that you'll never. . . forget me. . .again."
Kenshin started up at her and realized that she very heavy while on top of him and the wound on his stomach where Kaoru had accidentally stabbed him was hurting very badly. His left cheek was hurting very badly too, with it's band-aid on top of it and everything.
(Want me to take that PAIN off your MIND???) Battousai snickered.
Rurouni just smiled.
"Kaoru-"he couldn't say more when she suddenly pressed her lips to his.
-----
"And this other woman. . . who is she?"
"Kaoru Kamiya, Battousai's new woman."
"I see. . ."
-----
"JOU-CHAN!!!"
"TANUKI!!!"
"BUSU??"
"MISS KAMIYA!!!"
"OI!!"
"ARE YOU OUT THERE? BECAUSE IF YOU AREN'T, I WILL KILL YOU!!!"
"HEY, I BET WE'D NEVER FIND HER. . . . SHE PROBABLY WENT TO UGLY- LAND!!!"
"IF YOU CAN HEAR US, JUST SHOUT!!!"
Sanosuke, Megumi, Yahiko and Okina all listened and waited, but nobody answered. Okina sighed, "I wish we could find her soon. . ."
Yahiko rubbed his throat, "Yeah, I'm going hoarse! Stupid. . . no good busu. . . ."
Megumi put her hands on her hips. "Maybe she doesn't want to be found. She just needs some alone-time."
Sanosuke glared at her, "OR she's in a position where she can't speak! Now come on! We've got to find her!" he went off running.
The other three watched him wide-eyed.
"Gee. . . Rooster-head is sure worried."
Okina nodded, silently thinking, 'He loves her, but he knows he can't have her because she loves Himura-san. Such a noble young man. . .' he glanced at Megumi. 'He's very worthy of her. . .'
-----
Misao gasped, gaped, and allowed herself to cry. 'I thought they would just fight a little. . . I didn't think they'd kill each other. . .'
The fight raged on, and Soujiro realized that he was loosing. 'I won't loose to him! I won't loose Misao!' he told himself.
Aoshi remained calm. 'He's weakening. . .' he felt the pain in his leg, and several other cuts all along his body that Soujiro had given him. 'And so am I. . . this fight will be the death of both of us. . .'
Soujiro watched from the corner of his eye; a drop of blood falling from his head where Aoshi had struck him.
'Be one of the strong, Soujiro.'
Soujiro suddenly realized that the world was spinning. 'I've lost too much blood. . .' he thought.
Aoshi watched Soujiro fumble around. 'This fight is mine. . . and Misao is mine. . .'
As if reading his mind, Soujiro said, "I will never loose Misao to you! I love her so much. . ."
"Surrender Tenken. . . You're injured too badly. I will allow you to live if you surrender but if you don't. . ." Aoshi had the insane urge to lick his sword, but he retained it and remained calm. "I'll kill you, you know that."
"Yes, but I will die for Misao!" Soujiro stood tall suddenly, his sword out in front of him. "I will die for Misao and I will die as a warrior!" He smiled, but his smile that once had a pleasing and irritating look to it now was depressed and yet proud of his sadness.
'Don't be weak. . .'
"As you wish. . ." Aoshi calmly charged forward, sword raised, and brought it down upon Soujiro.
Misao's eyes grew wide as blood shot in all directions. "NOOOO!!!!"
To Be Continued. . .
Author's Notes: SUSPENSE!! Oh yeah baby!!! I'm really sorry. You know how evil I am. . . Please review!! Thank you minna-sama! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! Press that button. . . or else!!!!