The Final Battle/
Hiten Mitsurugi vs. Hiten Mitsurugi

"It is time…" Hiko Seijiro said, "That I tell you something about Kenshin that he hasn't probably shared with you, that you should know." He said, softly, the last day of their training.

"Is it about…?"

"Yes. It's about Kenshin's scar." Hiko said to her, "It's a legend that has been sealed away from you that you should know about."

"I see…"

"You should know this about Kenshin, because you care so much about him, and you need to know about this."

"Are you saying…?"

"I don't know. That is up to you." Hiko told her, "Let me tell you the story first. There are probably many things running through your mind now. Like: why did Kenshin become a wanderer, and why had he vowed to never kill anyone again."

"I always told him before… that I didn't care what he did in the past." Kaoru said, "I don't want to know… if he wouldn't want me to."

"If you truly care for him, you should be able to swallow this without changing your attitude towards him." He told her.

"I understand."

"Right now, Kenshin is undergoing a time of confusion. This is perhaps because his mind is still as strongly dedicated to the past as the present. He is fighting between who he is now and who he was 11 years ago."

"Oh…"

"The reason why I trained you… was so he could get a stronger impression on the present, than in the past. Because it is the present that concerns the world. Not the past… stupid apprentice."

"I see…"

"But it is essential for you to know about his past in order to begin to understand his feelings inside. You understand, even though he didn't want you to know, you were sent here for a reason. He probably knew that I would reveal his past to you."

"Alright… I will listen. For his sake."

"A long time ago… Kenshin was trained by me, through the Hiten Mitsurugi, as you already know. What you don't know, is what happened after he left my instruction. He immediately got himself politically involved with the Choshu revolutionary squad, led by a man named Katsura."

"Oh…"

"His skill was so exceptional, that he was sent to Kyotou, and assigned orders in order to assassinate different members of the shogunate, in order to break down the system. Which he did, quite successfully."

"So that's… why he assassinated so much people before…"

"One of the men… that Kenshin assasinated, scarred him. He left a deep line across my apprentice's face, Kenshin's first scar. That man's name was Kiyosato. He had perished against his will to live. You see, he had a fiancé he was scheduled to marry the following year. Her name was Tomoe Yukishiro."

Kaoru gasped, "That's the woman you mentioned earlier…"

"Tomoe wished to destroy Kenshin when she found about Kiyosato's assassination. So she willingly became an envoy for the shogunate, and the shogunate used Tomoe in order to keep track of Kenshin. They wanted her to deceive him, and trick him by being his friend, while she was really just giving them his whereabouts."

"So…"

"However." Hiko interrupted her, "In the middle of her mission, Katsura, the leader of the Choshu rebellion, had a talk with her, and asked her to act as a sheath to hold back my apprentice from killing people. Now she was intertwined with the Choshu, as well as the Shogunate."

"Of course, she played along, until she started to know Kenshin better. A month before Kyotou was sent aflame, Katsura sent Kenshin and Tomoe to Otsu, in order to act as newly weds to prevent suspicion until they called Kenshin back to the Choshu."

"Over that amount of time, Kenshin and Tomoe got to know each other really well. But while that time… when my apprentice was with her, he found something that I told him about that he had not found until he stayed with Tomoe. The value of life."

"When he confessed this to Tomoe, they began to fall in love with each other."

Kaoru gasped, "You-you mean--!!"

"But something very terrible happened. Tomoe was already a damaged woman, and her heart was torn between both her fiancé, Kiyosato, and Kenshin. Her anger and hatred was mixed between her love of Kenshin. For over time, she found that he was a pure man, despite his assassinations, and that he only intended for justice. It eventually made her betray the shogunate at the end."

"While this happened, Kenshin heard news that Tomoe was a traitor, and that she was working for the shogunate all along. When he found this out… he pursued after Tomoe in search of the truth, and while he was trailing her to the hideout of the shogunate, three members of the Bakufu Shogunate attacked him. All three of these men, he thought, were affiliated with Tomoe; thus, he let himself get hurt… from carelessness. His mind was tearing apart. Tomoe had passed this onto him…"

"He…"

"It's a particular trait that all women tend to possess." Hiko paused, "He almost died that day. But at the end, before he was going to die, Tomoe sacrificed herself, in between the blades, and protected Kenshin from the killing blow. And in the process gave him the cross shaped scar that you see upon him today."

"She… died… for him…?"

"Yes. Ever since then, Kenshin has been a damaged man."

Tears began to drop from Kaoru's eyes.

"It is true that Kenshin has lost Tomoe. But he has only truly continued to live because of you." He said to her, "You must realize this. Tomoe is no longer with him. But he has found you… and you have replenished his spirit, and his meaning of life, after 11 years of wandering and confusion. He has found a place within you, you must decide whether you want that relationship to grow between you."

Kaoru nodded.

"I trained you… so you would be able to act as a shield, to protect Kenshin." He told her, "Kenshin is faced with another endeavor that will threaten his life. It is your choice whether you want to protect him or not. However, I feel that you may be his only hope this time. It is only you that can surpass Tomoe…and conquer the past."

"I understand." Kaoru had said, "Thank you… for everything." She bowed, "It's time to go. Now it is I … who must do the honorable thing…"

------

Aoshi stood, holding his big sheath.

"Aoshi Shinomuri… I wish I knew more about you." Yuki said to him, "I feel like I've been left out of the picture of something. I won't make the same mistake as underestimating you, however."

Aoshi stood still.

"Up to now I haven't been using all my strength. Let's make this quick." She rushed to Aoshi, with both katana's ready to perform a battoujitsu.

Aoshi dropped the sheath and freed his two kodachi's and blocked the attack.

"Double Kodachi's." Yuki said, calmly, "Impressive."

Aoshi began to attack quickly and steadily. His moves were a flurry of attacks between the combinations of his two Kodachi's.

"Oh no… will he get hurt like Himura's other friends?" Misao asked Okina.

"It's a fair game." Okina said, "Aoshi's advantage is that his weapons are shorter, so therefore, it's easier for him to manuever. However, Yuki's advantage is that her sword has a longer range, so it's hard to really say who will out-do who."

Aoshi looked like he was having the upper hand in this battle. He had truly mastered the art of the double kodachi's. It was obvious that he was not going to go down easily.

"Humph!" He thrust one of his Kodachi's at Yuki's throat, but she blocked it and flicked her wrist twice, spinning her katana, causing her blade to catch onto his and forced him to drop his kodachi.

"Careless." She said.

"I think not," He threw his Kodachi straight at her.

As she dodged, he rolled and picked up his other Kodachi on the ground. She struck as he finished rolling, but he blocked her attack anyways.

"You've gained nothing!" she said, and began attacking him. Aoshi, with one Kodachi alone, began to do a series of both blocking and dodging.

Aoshi suddenly slid back and circled around Yuki.

"I can still see you." Yuki said, "Don't think I can't."

While circling, Aoshi picked up his other Kodachi.

While he did, Yuki didn't wait for his attack anymore, she went straight at him without a moment's hesitation. But she found she missed.

"An after image…" she said to herself, "You're faster than I thought."

Aoshi continued to circle, "Kaiten KENBU!"

In the middle of his attack, he found himself stopping.

Yuki had slashed across his stomach before he could even come close enough to attack her. Aoshi took a step back.

"Your reaction speed has increased." He said, weakened.

"I have no more time for games." She said, "You will meet your end." Her attacks were fast, but this time, she changed her acceleration over time. Aoshi found that it was harder to predict when she would be using all her speed compared to her original speed. Both were quicker than the eye, and he had only his own instincts to guide him.

"Agh!" Aoshi yelled, as she slashed him across the wrist, her fourth successful strike. Then she sliced him again across his thigh. He kneeled down upon the snow.

"It's time!" Yuki declared.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Misao screamed, as Yuki stabbed through Aoshi's chest. They watched in horror as Aoshi fell, not moving.

"As you might've guessed." Yuki announced to everyone, "I didn't kill him, yet." She said, "I just stopped him. Like the others." She glanced at Saitou and Sano, "I will kill them by mutilating them in front of your eyes before I destroy you." She told Kenshin.

"No, you won't." Okina said, "You'll have to face us as well." He turned to the other seven, "I will lead the attack."

Kenshin's eyes widened, "No, sir!"

Shuura, Misao, Okina, and all three other Aoya members leaped at Yuki. But the fact was inevitable. For a moment, the Kunai's, Okina's metal garments, and the other Aoya members projectiles, and Shura's whip, seemed to be holding Yuki down for the longest time. Kenshin watched as Yuki maintained a calm face while taking each one of them down… one by one.

After they had all fallen, Yuki looked up, across to Kenshin.

"No more friends to hide behind." She said, "It's time."

Kenshin took a step forward, "Yes, it is."

The snow started to gather up ferociously. Kenshin looked at Yuki. No cuts, no injuries, on her body. Sano was truly the only one who managed two clear strikes upon her. But even that… wasn't able to hold her down.

"You've come to the pinnacle of your life." Kenshin said, slowly, "This is where it all leads up to. But afterwards, what next?"

"I have yet to find out." She said, "Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself." Her hair fluttered throughout the wind.

"You look almost exactly like me." Kenshin said, "When I was fighting in the revolution." He told her.

"I've waited for this moment for so long…" her eyes were sparkling with excitement, "We've had something in common… Kenshin… the inclination to serve justice. I hope you agree this meeting of ours was of fate."

"I have friends… and I have a life to live." Kenshin said, "I will not die today."

"Regardless of what you think." Yuki said, "Justice will prevail." She made a face, "You may listen to what Aoshi had to say, but the truth is that no matter what, the past will catch up with you. You were meant to atone for your sins, for everything you did!"

"I believe so, but not this way. You threw away everything just to destroy me, that was your fault. I will not make the same mistake as you. I have a life to live."

"So did all those you killed before." Yuki said, her cold voice penetrating towards his, "Regardless, they were unable to defend themselves, as so will you!"

She threw a sword at him at that instant, and he dodged it.

She rushed at him, and screamed at the top of her lungs, "KUZO RYUUSEN!" she performed the 9 lightening fast strikes upon him.

"HuuuAAAH!!!" Kenshin's battle cry filled the area, as he blocked everyone of them by executing the exact same move at the exact same time.

For a moment, their blades intertwined, and they found themselves looking into each other's eyes. Then they both pushed back at the same time, backing away from each other.

"You're using your full strength." Yuki smiled, "Good."

"You haven't slowed down as well." Kenshin said, "You will face the true strength of Kenshin Himura, that you will."

He lunged at her and performed a battoujitsu on her, but she blocked it with a semi vertical battoujitsu of herself.

"Your strength is futile, you will lose!" she parried and struck at the back of his neck. He dodged her and kicked her side as hard as he could.

She moved with the blow, lessening the impact.

Kenshin rushed again, and waved his sword so quickly that a beam of light reflected from it and blinded her.

"Urgh!" she cried out, covering her face with her free hand..

"KUZO RYUUSEN!" Kenshin cried out, executing the onslaught of all nine attacks upon her. She flew back and hit a tree behind her, her clothes practically torn apart from the blow. Tattered, yet not broken, she stood up.

"Ha!" she said, wrinkling her nose, "Perfect!" she rushed at him, and they began to unleash savage blows against the other. Kenshin began to break a sweat as she began to change her acceleration within every move, making it difficult to predict her next strike.

Even worse, like last year in his fight with Soujiro, she had no emotion on her face, making it extremely difficult to predict which move she would use next.

They moved like lightening across the field. Her sword dueled with his, in almost a romantic way, like a rushing river. Their attacks were both identical, and for the first time, Kenshin found out how it was to be fighting against himself.

She blocked his sword, and plunged her sheath into his right eye.

"URGH!" He yelled, as next she slashed his arm with her blade. He used his free arm to grab his own sheath, and he slammed it upon hers, causing her sheath to break, releasing the pressure upon his eye before it broke from the pressure. Yuki followed up, slicing him again across the chest.

Kenshin backed away and kneeled down and started panting, hard. Blood began to trickle down from his right eye.

"Too bad I didn't pop it." Yuki said.

Kenshin used his sword as a buttress as he stood up to face her. He raised his sword and stood in stance, closing his eyes, he concentrated.

"ARRRGHHH!" Yuki cried, her face distorted in anger, as she rushed at him.

He blocked her first move and twirled, catching her in between the ribs. She cried in pain as she ignored the attack and followed up with a lunge, he blocked that yet again with a flicker of his wrist, his sword countered and landed upon her shoulder.

"Urgh!" She kneeled down. Then he did an uppercut strike, sending her flying up into the sky, and then slamming her back down on the ground. She screamed as she hit the ground, and twisted in pain, uncontrollably.

She finally managed to kneel forward, her hands still pressed down and imprinted onto the snow. She looked down at the snow and started panting hard as well.

"You…are just as cold as you were as you killed my mother." She said, her voice trembling, "You've waited until this moment, while I was weakened, to fight me and make me suffer!" she cried out, tears dripping down her face.

"You still have a future." Kenshin said to her, "Live."

"No… I don't! You took it away from me a long time ago." She tried standing up, but she fell, "You… killed… my family!!!" she screamed, her lungs pouring out of her, "You took away everything I ever had! You don't understand!"

Kenshin's head began to grow hot.

"I have no reason left to live." She raised her sword, ready to commit suicide.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Kenshin screamed, rushing at her. As soon as he did, she reaimed her sword, and it went through Kenshin's outstretched hand.

"Urgh!" Kenshin's eyes widened.

Yuki kicked him away.

"You fool!" she laughed, as he flew and hit a tree, "You're too soft!"

Kenshin breathed hard, holding his right hand, "You…"

"Your ideals are pure stupidity." Yuki said, "Don't count on living on the future, your life has already come to an end."

"Never!"

She laughed and stood up, tears still dripping down her eyes, "Now suffer, as I have!" she said, picking up her second Katana from the floor.

Kenshin's right hand trembled as he grabbed onto his katana again.

"It's time to end everything, now." He said slowly.

He rushed at her and performed an upward strike to her face, but she blocked it and used both swords upon him. He flicked his wrist, causing her blades to go the other direction, reversing her strikes, giving him a split second to pull out his sheath to plunge it into her abdomen.

While her swords were twirling in reverse, she switched both of her hands onto the opposite sword handles, crossing her arms like an X. And then she uncrossed it, at lightning speed.

She broke Kenshin's sheath before it hit her and elbowed him in the face while doing it, with both elbows. Kenshin moved back from the impact.

As he did so, Yuki head-butted him in the chest, causing him to yelp in pain as his breath got knocked out of him.

"What a pitiful strength… the will to survive." Yuki giggled like a girl as Kenshin lay, sprawled upon the snow, "How can an assassin find the will to survive?"

Kenshin remained laying, catching his breath.

"Is it because of your friend, 'Miss Kaoru'?" She couldn't help it anymore, and began to laugh wickedly. As Kenshin lay, his eyes began to open.

"Your will is meaningless. You have no more need to survive."

"You're wrong…" Kenshin panted, "I have her…"

"No, you don't." She said, "What do you think will happen when I tell her that the man she loves has already slept with another woman?"

He saw himself laying down, closing his eyes, I'm sorry… Miss Kaoru…

Kenshin's eyes snapped open, water collecting within them.

"How can you live with her, knowing that she knew that you already gave your heart to me, before you had to her!" she said smirking.

Kenshin felt like he had just been hit by a train. He rolled over and tried to stand up, but failed.

"Will you lie to her, and dishonor your 'love' to her?!" she laughed, "Where is your will? How can you find it if you've already dishonored your love!"

"It was forced." Kenshin said, his head shaking, "You… gave me no choice…" tears began to drip from his face.

Yuki dropped her smile, "You may have thought otherwise. I believe with your friend, Aoshi's words, you may have found some strength. But you understand now, there is no way out. I have you now, battousai…"

Kenshin stood up, anger in his eyes.

"I took that which was most precious to you." She said, "Yes… yes… you feel it now, don't you? I took away your last hope. Your last… pitiful, hope."

Kenshin began to tremble, his eyes a-flame.

"I stole her from under your nose and you didn't even realize it." She said, coldly, "It was unexpected." She continued, "Like my mother."

Kenshin's eyes flared at her.

"Right when you found a place to live in, where you were finally accepted, I destroyed it." she said, coldly, "just like Tomoe… die knowing your life was meaningless."

Suddenly, Kenshin couldn't take it anymore, and he screamed out loud. After he was done, he looked back at her, his eyes bright hazel.

"If you wish to die..." He growled, switching his reverse blade sword around, "Come and try to destroy me."

Her eyes widened in hatred, glancing at him, "Finally you die for what you are!" Fiery images of her mother jousted within her, causing her to match a hatred that equal to Kenshin's. Then they both charged.

They began to attack each other savagely, but none could catch the other. They were both in a blind rage, attacking and slashing everything. Bitter images were sticking unto their emotions, causing them to wield their swords with unlimited hate.

Finally, he sliced her across the face with his blade.

She went with the blow and spinned, slicing him across the abdomen.

"Argh!" Kenshin said, as she sliced again upwards, from his chest to his shoulder. He backed away.

"It's useless." She dashed, continuing to rush at him, "It's time to die!"

"I… don't… think so!" Kenshin said. Unafraid, he rushed straight towards her.

"AMAKAKERU, RYUU NO HIRAMEKI!" He roared, executing his ultimate attack.

But the execution was flawed. For some reason, this time around, he felt something slide against his left foot, and it stopped him. His eyes widened, and he fell down upon the snow.

Yuki suddenly stopped in mid-action, her displacement in motion so sudden that as soon as she stopped, a hurricane of snow burst forward ahead of her.

"Struck yourself with your own move." Yuki said, her eyes narrowed, "It seems like you lost the thing that made you once undefeatable, ne?" she asked him, "The will to survive."

Kenshin cursed, the blood from his foot soaked deep into the snow.

"You've lost, you have nothing to live for anymore." Yuki blinked, "It's a pity."

Kenshin stood up, slowly, "No. I don't care anymore…" he said, his face covered by his hair, "I won't let you live after all the crimes you've committed."

"I will say the same thing." She said back to him.

"I will take you down with me, then." Kenshin said, "For the sake of justice."

Yuki blinked, "You can try."

She dashed towards him and took hold of his collar, and pulled his body up and up to hers. Kenshin cried out into the wind.

"Let me look into your eyes." She said, "What peculiar, interesting, eyes…" she said. Her own eyes, Kenshin saw, were heartless, and cold. She threw him back into the ground.

As she threw him, he grabbed onto the drape of her kimono, and pulled her along with him and they both fell onto the ground.

She fell on top of him and pressed her elbow upon his neck. She continued to apply more pressure on him. As she did so, he used his legs to kick upward, sending her body rolling forward ahead of him. They both stood up at the same time.

She wielded her double katanas at him, "Attack!"

He did. They began to start slashing again, but unlike Yuki, Kenshin lost a sufficient amount of blood every time he tried to strike her. From his cuts before, his energy was slowly draining, but he continued striking, despite his pain.

She used the Kuzo Ryuusen again, and he did as well, blocking all her attacks. They landed both on opposite sides of the Arena. Only Kenshin kneeled down and started panting.

"Since we're both at a standstill." Yuki said, calmly, "Why don't we have an Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki Contest."

Kenshin looked up at her, could I do it? He looked across the battlefield, barely able to see Yuki clearly from his blurred vision.

He remembered the time when he performed the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki successfully. Even Shishio wasn't able to counter it. I'd have to be faster than her… Kenshin thought, while his vision started twirling around him. He saw colored dots appear, and he found his breath was harder to catch. I'd have to use… the last of my energy… but that… will be enough…

He stood up, and took a deep breath, "I'm coming… Tomoe… I'm so sorry it took so long." He rose his sword, stained in his own blood.

He looked at Yuki, and she looked back at him. Suddenly, everything began to become still. Everything flashed before Kenshin's eyes. All his assassinations, his betrayal from Tomoe, his wandering years in solitude, and the warmer parts of his life with Miss Kaoru with him.

I've lived my life… it's time to repent… now! He began to charge.

Yuki grinned, and accelerated to her full speed, charging at him, her hands by her side. Kenshin, as well, accelerated, his hand on his blade…

"Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki!!!" A loud battle cry echoed across the area.

Kenshin didn't know why, but he thought he saw two katana's fly towards Yuki's blades, before the explosive power of the Amakakeru burst into presence. And he also thought… he saw dark hair, and a yellow kimono beside him.

The force was equal on both sides, and Kenshin found himself knocked back a little, as Yuki did as well. They both landed where they started.

"No way!" she yelled out loud, "A triple Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki duel!"

Kenshin felt himself falling, drained of his energy. Then he felt someone catch him. His vision was now blurry, and he thought for a moment he was looking at Tomoe Yukishiro. "Tomoe…" he uttered. Then he felt her hug him.

"Don't die…" Miss Kaoru said to him, "Kenshin… I love you." She put her soft hand upon his cheek, where his scar was, and kissed him.

For a moment, Kenshin's vision was cleared. He looked deep into her eyes, while their face was only inches apart, "Miss Kaoru… I'm sorry…" he said, "There are so many things… I wanted to tell you…" and he collapsed.

"Kenshin!" she screamed.

"Don't worry." Yuki said, from behind her, "He won't get up again. He's dead."

"No!" Kaoru said, facing her, "I believe in him." She said, strongly, "He won't die." Her voice penetrated through Kenshin, causing him to slowly open his eyes.

"Rest… Kenshin." Kaoru said, laying him down beside the nearest tree, "I'll admit I'm not Tomoe, nor Hiko, but I'll protect you, even if my life depends on it." she faced Yuki.

Yuki just stared at her, and then began to laugh.

------

Kenshin Ending Theme Song…