Dark Side

Chapter 11

Declaimer: RK does not belong to me.

Old-fashioned mirrors- mirrors in the old days were made of brass or copper since they have reflective properties.

Author's Notes: well, here are your 2300 words. You guys probably know by now that it is very hard for me to write a long chapter. please leave me lots of reviews so I can make my fic better.

Kaoru woke up to a painful headache; her head throbbed like it was going to blow up. She put a hand to her head and groaned. What's going on? Why does her head hurt so much?

Then she spotted Battousai sitting there on the windowsill and the events before she fainted came rushing back to her. She gasped. She could remember up to when she drunk the whole cup of sake in one gulp. Then, it was all a blur of images and a faint scream. She thought it sounded like Yahiko. She also remembered being pressed against Battousai and her cheeks reddened.

"Oh, what happened?" she asked with her hand in her hair.

Battousai looked towards her with an amused look.

Her hair was a mess, dark pockets were under her eyes and her face had a tinge of green to them. He had to keep himself from laughing. The corner of his lip twitched. Kaoru noticed that.

"What?"

"Nothing, just get some more sleep." Yahiko walked in from training then. One look was all it needed to send him into a laughing fit. He fell on the ground and roared with laughter.

"And here I thought you couldn't get any uglier. Hahahaha." Kaoru looked towards Battousai with an interrogative glare. Who turned away.

"Is there something on my face? What's wrong with my face?!" She yelled.

"You, you look like the walking dead." Yahiko thought his ribs would crack from laughter. His legs were kicking the air like mad.

Kaoru got out of her futon and got dressed, she had to fix herself up before she deal with her impolite brother. Then she made for the washroom. Battousai followed her. Kaoru looked at him with an annoyed look.

"What do you want?"

Battousai didn't answer. He just kept following her.

Kaoru stopped. "What do you want?" she asked again.

"I have to stay with you at all times so you don't get kidnapped." She became angry. She put her hands to her hips.

"I can take care of myself, go away."

Battousai gave her a withering stare and she shivered. "Like that day when you were almost raped?" Kaoru flinched. She couldn't find anything to say back.

They glared at each other. Kaoru gave up; this guy was impossible.

Battousai waited outside as Kaoru went inside. She was pissed; she made up her mind to stay in there for an extra long time.

Battousai leaned against a wall patiently. He wrapped his arms over his chest. He knew she was going to take an extra long time in there. Suddenly, he felt a presence out side of the hotel. He knew exactly who it belonged to.

She was looking in the mirror pleased with the makeover when Battousai walked in. She jumped. Battousai walked over and picked her up despite her protests, she struggled in his arms but it was useless. Then he started back to their room. All the while attracting some unwanted stares from his coworkers. She noticed that the flames of battle were in his eyes.

He dumped her on the futon upon entering.

"Stay here." He said before he left. Closing the door behind him.

"W, where are you going?" her question was unanswered by Battousai who walked out then. He was ready for battle. Saitou had finally come to finish off what they had started.

Kaoru was worried; she decided to follow him despite what he said.

Saitou was waiting for him in a forest not far from the hotel.

"Battousai, I see you've found yourself a girl." Saitou said upon seeing his opponent. Kenshin didn't answer to that. All that Saitou received was a stare that would have made most man freeze.

"I've been waiting for you Saitou. I think it is time that we finish our duel."

"I was thinking the same thing." The wolf of mibu said. "But are you ready for my gatotsu?" he got into the same stance he used last time.

"So you call it the gatotsu." Battousai crouched into his Battoujutsu stance.

They stared each other down much like the last time. Kaoru rushed to follow up; she came upon a clearing in the dense forest with her boken in hand, only to witness battousai and another man in a stale mate.

"Kenshin." she was whispered worriedly. She leaned against a tree in anticipation.

As if made of one mind, the two warriors charged at each other at that exact moment. Saitou thrust his sword forward with unmatched strength. Kenshin lept up to avoid it, He prepared an overhead slash. Saitou jumped up with an upward Gatotsu that surprised Battousai, who twisted in mid air to avoid being impaled, but his cheek was pierced. Battousai landed first and pulled out his sheath. Then he sheathed his sword and rushed to where Saitou would land. He whipped out his sword with god like speed when his enemy landed, the flash of steel made Kaoru blink. Saitou parried the strike, but the sheath came flying towards him at ultra high speed. Saitou jumped away from the attack but was still hit hard. He landed a few meters away. Clutching at his side while gasping for air.

"You have improved Battousai, I'm glad to see that. Then there is no need for me to hold back." He got into another form of the gatotsu and charged at Battousai. His thrust ended where Battousai's head was a moment ago, a lock of red hair was cut off from Battousai's head. Saitou side sweeped but his attack was blocked by Battousai who used that force to spin around and embedded his sword in Saitou's back. Saitou would have been killed if he hadn't flipped his sheath up to block the attack at that very moment. He was blown away by the force of the attack and fell a short distance away. Battousai had the advantage now. Saitou slowly got up and turned around to face his opponent.

Battousai saw the glint that was in Saitou's eyes, now he understood why he was called the wolf of Mibu. His blade shone in the light of the rising moon.

"You have become truly powerful Battousai." He said in a dangerously low whisper. "But I cannot allow you to defeat me." He braced himself for the upcoming attack with his sword at his side.

Battousai was as quiet as ever during battle. He silently sped towards Saitou in a speed only he could understand. His sword flicked and Battousai's sword came down in a slash aimed at the head of a defenseless Saitou.

"GATOTSU ZERO SHIKI!!" Saitou's sword was embedded in Battousai's shoulder before he could even see how it was followed through. Battousai spun and landed. That was the most powerful attack that he had ever had to face. Battousai grabbed the hilt of Saitou's sword and tried to pull it out but he felt as if his shoulder was on fire, the blade dripped with his blood at the tip. The pain was so consuming that for a moment, he just lay there on the ground motionlessly.

"Kenshin!" the clear and tender voice of Kaoru filtered through his thoughts and he suddenly felt a new strength come to him. It wasn't the strength that kills; it was a power that far surpasses the strength to kill. He didn't understand it.

Kaoru rushed to his side and thought over her options frantically. Her boken was dropped on the ground nearby. She kneeled on the ground.

"Go away." Battousai whispered through his pain.

"I can't do that." She announced determinedly. "What should I do?"

"Go away." Battousai said again.

Kaoru knew what to do but was too afraid to do it. She knew she had to pull the sword out. But she was scared to death; dealing with flesh and blood wasn't her favorite. Pulling a sword out of someone's shoulder was simply terrifying. She finally made up her mind when she saw how much pain Kenshin was in and braced herself. She tugged on the sword gently, noting the hiss of pain that came from Battousai.

The moon was above them now; shining brightly.

"I said go away." Kaoru ignored him and continued to pull the sword out. She worked slowly and as carefully as she could. Battousai endured the excruciating pain; his blue gi began to turn a darker shade as the blood seeped through. He studied Kaoru's concentrated face silently; it somehow eased the pain a little.

Saitou watched the scene. He knew that neither him nor Battousai would be able to continue. He mustered all the strength he had left and limped away. He would have to settle his score with Battousai some other day. Deep in his heart, he knew that the revolution was already over.

Kaoru had finally managed to release Battousai from the sword. He looked indifferent. He just lay there looking at her. She decided to ignore his stare and continued working.

She pulled off his gi and tore off a strip of cloth from her own shirt. She wrapped the cloth around his shoulder carefully, all the while applying enough pressure so the flow of blood would be stopped.

Kaoru was exhausted when was finally done. She got up and dusted her hakama to treat the stranger's wounds when she noticed that he had disappeared.

"Where did he go?" She questioned.

"Were you going to tend to his wounds too?" Battousai questioned. He was barely surprised.

"Of course." She announced determinedly with her fists clutched at her sides. "The wounded must be tended to no matter if they are friend or foe." She recited the teachings of the Kamiya Kasshin ryu. "That is part of the teachings of my father's sword style, the sword that protects." She finished passionately.

"A sword that protects. That is impossible, a sword is used to kill no matter how you say it." Battousai argued.

"I wouldn't expect a manslayer like you to understand." Kaoru shot back, hurt filtered through her voice.

"Why did you choose me over him?" Battousai's sudden question caught both of them off guard.

"W, what do you mean?" Kaoru asked dumbfounded. She sat on the ground beside Battousai tiredly.

"Why did you choose to tend to my wounds before him?" Battousai repeated his question in a different way, eyes never leaving Kaoru's face. His back was against a tree. The duel had drained all of his strength.

"I, I don't know." Kaoru stuttered. "I guess you were closer?" The moonlight shone on his face and reflected the amber colors that were in his eyes; she thought he looked beautiful.

Battousai laughed. He relaxed and wrapped an arm over her shoulder lazily. Kaoru tensed. She looked towards Battousai, her eyes trailed down his well- toned chest and abdomen. Battousai noticed that.

Kaoru suddenly realized what she was doing and turned away quickly blushing furiously. 'What had come over her?'

She gradually relaxed in his warm embrace and leaned into him.

"What happened yesterday?" She asked suddenly.

"What are you talking about?" Battousai had an idea of what she's talking about but decided to make sure.

"Yesterday, you asked me to drink Sake with you. But I think I got drunk. Then what happened?" she asked quietly.

"It was today, it happened this morning." Battousai told her. Then he went on to explain the events truthfully. He could feel her heartbeat gradually grow faster as he went on.

When he was done. He was sure that Kaoru was embarrassed enough for one day so he let the subject drop.

They were both exhausted. After a few minutes spent in silence. Kaoru fell asleep and leaned her head on his shoulder. Kenshin liked the feeling when she was pressed against him. She was so pure; he could feel it in her life force, he wondered how someone like her could exist in a time like this, she was like a streak of light that shines through in a world of darkness. He looked at her, she looked so perfect. He couldn't help it; kenshin bent down and kissed her gently. He absentmindedly pulled her closer and soon fell asleep him self.

Kaoru woke up in her futon. The moonlight fell on her face. Ever since she became acquainted with Battousai, her sleeping patterns have been disturbed beyond fix. Thinking of Battousai made her remember the fight with the stranger. She frantically searched for him. But he wasn't there.

Yahiko is as usual asleep.

Kaoru got up, she noticed that she was all washed up and is in her sleeping wear. She was too embarrassed to think that maybe Kenshin had washed her.

She went out the door and headed for the bathhouse. She had to find him to make sure that every thing is all right. The halls of the hotel were dark; she noted that it must be very late for the lights were all put out. She froze when a pair of amber eyes stared at her in the dark.

"Ken, Kenshin?" She went over uncertainly. Battousai walked over silently and sweeped her off her feet and carried her back to their room. He had just got back from the bathhouse. He was angry that she had left without his permission.

Kaoru for the first time noticed the cross scar on Kenshin's cheek. She fingered it. He tensed.

"How did you get that?" The look that Battousai gave her was more than enough to make her terrified.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Notes: well, there's your extra long chapter. is there any new character you guys want me to add to the story? Sanoske? Megumi. Etc.