Dark Side

Chapter 12

The bolded letters indicate very important information concerning the story. So please read those if not the whole Author's Note.

Old-fashioned cuffs- cuffs in the olden days are just a big wooden board with holes in it for the hands to go through. It opens up so the hand can go through. Then it closes and locks up. There is also a big hole for the head.

Author's Notes: I was quite disappointed by the amount of reviews for my last chapter. So I decided to write this chapter nicely so you guys would go back to review my last chapters. Just so you know. My story doesn't always end up at the top of the update list even if I update the latest so please add me to your author's alert or favorite stories list so you can check for updates every couple of days. If you don't have an account, then please search for me. I even get kicked off the update list once in a while. Dark Side just disappears from the listings!!

The Barrie thing is just a poll to see how many of you guys actually read the Author's Notes. You guys don't have to put Barrie in your reviews any more. Huge thanks for all of you guys who reviewed so far and told me what a browser cookie is.

And I just cannot emphisize enough the importance of music while reading. escpecially for this chapter. romance at beginnning and dark music for the rest. (seymore's theme is really good for the dark music.)

Battousai looked down at Kaoru with hatred. The hate was not directed at her, but they were directed at the bandits who killed his parents. He could still remember the night that they were robbed by those filthy bandits.

There was a boy named Shinta. His family was poor. They worked on a farm. But that year a drought hit his village and the crops just wouldn't grow. His family had to work as slaves for a living. One night, while they were working in the fields, a group of bandits came out of the forest and killed off all of the other slaves and took what little money they had. His parents tried to protect him. But they were killed. Shinta rushed to the bandit that had killed his parents and grabbed his sword. Then his eyes turned amber and he slew the foul man without hesitation. He was mad with hatred and revenge consumed him. He killed over 5 bandits; one slashed him in the cheek before he died. Then he was surrounded. He managed to dodge another slash but another scar was printed on his face. They beat him down. The leader was about to kill him when the remaining 30 or so bandits were killed in an instant. Shinta looked up to see the most magnificent man he had ever witnessed...

Battousai snapped out of his musing as he entered their room. Kaoru was still terrified from his gaze. She was frozen in his arms. He put her down and gave her a reassuring smile.

"If you don't want to tell me. Then it is your business. I have no right to interfere." Kaoru said as she fingered the corner of his gi. She wanted to see to his wound. He relaxed and sat beside her. She pulled of his gi and began to examine his wound. She blushed when her hand made contact with his skin.

He turned to face her. Then he reached over an arm and pulled her towards him. She tensed at first but relaxed and leaned her head against his neck. He put one hand under her chin and lifted her face so she would look into his eyes. He gazed at her perfect complexion.

She moved her face a bit closer to him as if giving him permission to kiss her. She reached up and brushed his cheek with her delicate hand.

"Kenshin." She whispered blissfully. She felt the warmth radiating from him and couldn't contain herself. She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him towards her.

Kenshin allowed her to. He moved forward and kissed her. His hand slid down to her neck and began to stroke her. She moaned and smiled. He pulled away and looked into her pleading crystalline eyes before dipping in for another, more passionate kiss. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her even closer to him. She put her arms around his neck and pulled on him. Neither Kenshin nor Kaoru knew why they were acting that way, but they didn't care for at the moment all they could think about was each other. He pushed her down on her futon. He layed open mouthed kisses on the delicate skin of her neck and slowly moved down to her collarbone. She moaned and ran her hand through his hair. Kenshin began to pull off her nightshirt when he stopped. He sat up and stared into her eyes. He had almost lost control. How does this girl always manage to do this to him?

He got up and took one last look at the still confused Kaoru before he walked out the door.

Kenshin slept outside the door that night.

The next day, Battousai was nowhere to be found.

The night was dark as usual. Battousai trailed his last assignment with stealth. He took care to stay in the shadows, he made no sounds, all that was heard was a mere rustle of silk as he passed by. His soon to be victim had six guards with him. But they were no problem for Battousai. The seven men walked into a dark alleyway.

Battousai came out of the shadows.

"I believe you are the secretary of defense of the shogunate?" a cold voice chilled the air.

The guards turned around to see a red haired man in dark blue gi and gray hakama standing at the entrance of the alley as if blocking their way back to the living world. His sword glinted in the moonlight by his side, although the man was small, they could feel an unrivaled power coming from him. The guards pulled out their swords shakily and prepared themselves for battle. One charged for Battousai and was killed instantly. Blood sprayed everywhere. The man's head rolled away lifelessly.

Three more guards charged. Three flashes of steel were seen in the gloom as the ruthless assassin took three more lives. The two remaining guards made a desperate attempt to fend off the assassin. Two more flashes. Now Battousai's final assignment is unarmed. The man fell to the ground with terror in his eyes. He watched as Battousai walked slowly towards him. Blood dripped from the tip of his sword. The bodies of his guards lay behind the assassin. The secretary of defense put his hands in front of him desperately as if he was hoping that that might be enough to keep the demon away from him.

The sickening sound of steel tearing against flesh was heard in the small, foul alley.

"That would be the last one." Battousai whispered as he flicked the blood off of his sword, then he took out a pale cloth and carefully wiped off the remaining liquid. Battousai sheathed his sword and struck it into the ground in front of his most recent victim like a gravestone. His long bangs hid his face from view. He turned and walked towards the entrance. Just before he left, Battousai turned back and prayed for the men that he had killed. Just like every other mission. 'May you find happiness in the afterlife.' Then he walked away. Leaving behind the sword that had accompanied him throughout his career as an assassin.

Kaoru and Yahiko were bickering as usual. He had made another comment about Kaoru's face. They were locked in battle; clouds of dust surrounded them.

Katsura walked in then. The siblings stopped to look at him.

Katsura sat down formally and waited as the two "kids." sat down in front of him.

"You are Kenshin's boss right?" Kaoru asked.

"Yes, I am here to inform you that you two can leave here as soon as tomorrow." Katsura announced, noting the gasp that came from both Kaoru and Yahiko. "Battousai has finished his last assignment, it is officially okay for our enemies to know him." He continued. "The emperor's army is on its way here as we speak. As soon as they move into Kyoto, the war will be over and we will be victorious."

Kaoru should be happy, but she wasn't. "What about Kenshin? What will happen to him?" She questioned with worry in every word. She knew something bad was brewing.

"Kenshin." Katsura sighed. A deep sadness was in his eyes. "Kenshin, would have to be executed." Kaoru felt as if the world froze over at that moment.

Aoshi in the mean while practiced vigilantly in the mountains. He had trained at the edge of life and death ever since Battousai had defeated him. Aoshi's eyes narrowed at the memory, Battousai had defeated him with a simple trick.

"Battousai." He whispered. He would not lose to the Battousai again. He had developed a new technique in his days of training. Its power surpasses even his ultimate technique the Kaiten Kenbu. Just then, one of the Oniwaban ninjas came into the clearing that Aoshi was training in. She bowed towards her lord.

"Lord Aoshi, sorry to interrupt your training." She continued when Aoshi looked towards her. "We've spotted a massive army moving towards Kyoto. They are carrying the banner of the emperor." She informed her lord.

"Hm, so the revolution is over. The emperor's army is here." He suddenly realized something. 'That means that Battousai...' "You may go Misao." He told her before he went back to digesting the recent news. The female ninja gave her lord a longing look before merging back into the shadows.

"W, why." Kaoru had to keep her voice steady. Yahiko was in shock.

"He has committed assassinations that will make the new government crumple like an avalanche if ever they were released to the public." Katsura replied gravely. "I'm afraid that's the only choice we have."

Kaoru stood up. "Does he know?" she asked, pain was evident in her voice.

"Yes." Was the simple reply. Katsura felt nothing but sorrow for his assassin. First, he had stolen his childhood and now, his life. "Himura will be honored as hero of the Meiji government." Katsura said monotonously as if that would make up for his death.

"I don't care if he is honored or not!" Kaoru yelled. "He is a human being just like us. He doesn't deserve any of this." Tears streamed down Kaoru's cheek. She fell on the ground in sorrow. She put up a hand to her face to try to stop the flow of tears but to no avail.

Yahiko had finally regained his ability to speak. Hatred was in his voice. "How could you." He whispered. His eyes were blazing with anger. "First you use him to do your dirty work, and now you want to kill him so you politicians wouldn't be blamed." Yahiko was disgusted. His hands were balled into fists by his side. "You are the ones who should be executed." His voice filled the room with fury.

Katsura was shaken. He hadn't expected such a response from the two. He turned away from Yahiko's furious gaze. "It isn't my intensions. I would never want Himura to be sacrificed. But the government made the decision." He said through his remorse.

Battousai walked in then. He witnessed the scene that greeted him and realized that Katsura had told the sibling of his fate. He walked over and sat on his window, staring at the night sky.

Kaoru was by his side.

"You can't let them do this to you!" she pleaded holding onto his arm. "You don't deserve any of this." Battousai ignored her.

"Kenshin! Please, don't let them do this to you." Kaoru's pleas fell on deaf ears.

"If anyone should die, it's these dirty politicians." Yahiko referred to Katsura.

"Don't talk about it as if you understand the situation." Battousai finally spoke. Silencing everyone in the room. "Katsura-san was against this with all of his being." Battousai said. "He is not the one to blame." Kenshin said monotonously. "And besides." He paused before saying, "I deserve to die after all the evil crimes that I have committed." He closed his eyes to gather his bearings.

"Kenshin, no." Kaoru cried. She held on to him as if he would slip away from her. "Dying is not the way to repent for your deeds. That is the easy way out!" Kenshin's eyes widened. "You have to repent by helping the people that have been affected by you. You have to repent by protecting the people with your sword." Kenshin stared at her. "You must wield your sword for justice from now on!" she cried into his neck. "You can't die, I still need you." He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer.

Yahiko and Katsura had left the room allowing some along time for the couple before their separation.

"But it's too late Kaoru." He whispered in her ear. A tear rolled down his cheek. He realized then that he loved her. They stayed that way for the entire night. Neither letting each other go. The moon shone on the couple.

In the morning. Twenty burly men arrived at the hotel, they had swords. Kaoru was woken when Battousai laid her on the futon. "Don't leave me." She pleaded hopelessly.

Kenshin bent down and kissed her for the last time.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Not letting him go.

She failed in her attempt. Three men cuffed Battousai and dragged him out; Kenshin gave her one last longing look before he walked away. Kaoru lay paralyzed on her futon. One hand reached out to where her beloved Kenshin was before he exited the door. She collapsed from sadness. She couldn't move one finger. She lay like that before Yahiko burst in from the door with his sword strapped to his back. His eyes were red, most likely from crying.

"What are you doing!" he yelled frantically. "Get up, get up. Get up!!!" He screamed.

"Why are you laying here like a zombie!" he shook her. "Get your things and we might save Kenshin!" Kaoru finally awoke from her trauma and jumped up. She grabbed her boken and rushed out the door with a new energy with Yahiko in tow.

"Lets go!"

To Be Continued

Important question underneath
sorry guys, I'm having a writer's block. but I promise to get the chapter out before the end of the week.

This story is close to the end. The sequel will be called "The Soaring Dragon."

Any one can devise the underlying meaning of the title? Leave me a review. If you guys really like my story. Please just take a moment to review. Thanks