Disclaimer: I do not own RK or PMK or any of their characters.

The final showdown.

Chapter 14: Wolf's Fang

"Ichiro," Saitou replied tiredly. The hunt had worn him down. He was sick of the baiting and killings, worn out by the nightmares that plagued him. "Why? Why did you kill Tokio?"

The man replied softly. "I'm not Ichiro. Ichiro died in the goal fire many years ago. I'm Ran, who was born the instant Ichiro died." Saitou understood. Izumi Ichiro was a gentle boy. Ran was born so he can deny the gentler part of his nature. Ran was the demon created by Ichiro in that goal.

"Ran killed Saitou's family, the Miyagi household and the policemen. But Ichiro spared the life of a boy who had survived the Miyagi mansion massacre at a Kyoto clinic." A red-haired samurai's voice cut into Saitou's thoughts. Himura? Why is he here? Saitou frowned as he saw the former hitokiri and the newspaper editor with him.

Ran fumbled for a reply. At this moment, Kaoru thought she heard Kenshin's voice. She tried to raise herself off the bed, over-balanced and fell, landing heavily. Pain shot through her belly. Rei came in and saw the stricken woman. "The baby's coming," Kaoru gritted her teeth from the pain. Rei ran out to inform her companion.

"Ran! She's in labor…" Rei's eyes bugged as she saw the three newcomers. One of them was Battousai! Then she saw Katsu and Katsu saw her.

"Himura-san," Ran smiled. "Go see to your wife. She's in the there. Rei, surely you can handle this." Rei nodded. Ran was a young man. Somewhere inside, the gentle Ichiro still lived. If only they didn't have to kill him…

Saitou probably had that thought in mind as well. Kenshin wondered if he should intervene. Does he have the ability to defeat auch an opponent without killing? Or will this principle of his only lead to his demise? Now that he's got a family...

"Himura, go to your wife. This is between me and him," Saitou hissed a warning. Kaoru let out a shriek of pain. Kenshin's worry for Kaoru outweighed any desire to fight. "Try not to…" Kenshin gave up, nodded and ran into the shack.

"Who are you exactly?" Katsu confronted Rei. He saw someone had been beating her. "Not now, go get a doctor, please!" She pleaded with him before disappearing into the shack. The two combatants faced each other, oblivious to Katsu's presence. Katsu ran to Megumi's.

Inside the shack, Kenshin managed to lift his groaning wife back onto the bed. "Kaoru, are you alright?" She was in pain. Beads of perspiration dotted her brow. Rei was warming water over a small fire in the front room.

"Ken-shin…" The cramps were becoming stronger now. She squeezed Kenshin's hand hard. So he's really here, which means… She visually checked him for any signs of battle and was relieved to see that he had none. He was only a bit out of breath from running after Saitou.

Outside, the two men faced each other. Aku Soku Zan. The wind howled, stirring the long grass. By the moonlight, Saitou can clearly see the resemblance in Ran's face. The Okita siblings were very alike in looks. Ichiro had inherited his looks from his mother. It seemed as if he were facing Soshi in a duel.

Both men moved into their favorite Gatotsu stance as the wolf watched. Ichiro had learnt well, Saitou noted. The boy was a genius even then. He was proud of his unofficial student. Saitou had taught the boy Gatotsu although he was using a bokken then. Still, it was flawless. The wolf sniffed the air in anticipation.

Ran's face was sphinx-like and blank. When will he attack? Soshi had taught him that need to hide both thought and emotion in battle. Then Ran shifted from man to demon. His eyes took on a crazed demonic look as he charged Saitou with his sword…

"Kenshin? What's that?" Kaoru tried to rise, frightened by the thunderous crash that sounded outside. "Hush, Saitou's fighting," Kenshin reassured her. Only Saitou himself can lay this particular Bakumatsu ghost to rest.

The ferocity of the attack stunned Saitou. He would have been dead had he not dodged out of the way. A tree behind him was splintered. Seta was right about him being a demon. Trying to block one of his attacks will only shatter both his sword and arm-bones. Saitou has learnt that from Soujirou's example.

There was only one logical way to defeat the demon's sword. He has no defense. One strike to kill, but it will leave him open to attack. But Saitou has nothing to lose.

Panting from exertion, both men resumed their stance. Ran was sneered as he saw that Saitou had sustained injuries to his legs from the shockwave of the charge. They waited, building up their attack. Again they charged. This time, Saitou did not dodge. Gatotsu Zero Stance! Pain shot through his body. Blood splattered onto the dewy grass.

The silvery-grey wolf lifted its head to the moon and howled. Spent, both men collapsed on the grass. Rei gave a choked cry and ran to her man. Saitou's eyes were closing. He saw the slight girl cradling Ichiro to her. He sees that she's young and very feminine despite her cropped hair and boy's clothes.

He hears a low moaning and realizes that Kenshin's tanuki wife was in labor. He hears footsteps, more than one, three or maybe four pairs… His hearing was dimming, too. Blood. He can smell the blood, his blood. It was warm, pouring from his wound… Darkness.

"Saitou-san!" Tetsu had followed Megumi back with Katsu. Megumi took a look at both combatants, heard the loud cries of pain from within the house and immediately took charge.

She first went over to the fallen men. She saw one was beyond help and gave instructions to her temporary assistants to help the other. Then she went into the shack and chased Kenshin out of the birthing room. He has no place there when the baby's coming.

"Megumi?" Kaoru blinked as Megumi lit a lamp for light. Megumi nodded. "Kaoru-chan, save your strength. How many months?" Her trained hands felt Kaoru's belly, trying to gauge how far the baby was gone.

"E-Eight!" Kaoru shrieked as another contraction occurred. "Good! Now deep breaths," Megumi moved her patient into position for delivery. "On my count, push…"

Outside the room, Kenshin nervously paced about. Ignored by the humans, Ran's wolf loped off in search of more interesting sport.

Author's notes:

Yes, I know it's a bit disappointing Kenshin does not fight in this fic. Like any concerned husband & father, he has other things on his mind. But hey, the fic's lead character's Saitou. And it's a fight to the finish between two wolves. Who lives? Who dies? Stay tuned.