Dark Side

Chapter 13

Author's Notes: well, here's the last chapter. That's all I can say at this moment.

THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GUYS GAVE ME!!!!

DARK/SAD MUSIC

Dark clouds loomed overhead, the air hung heavy with the promise of a violent storm.

Battousai walked solemnly towards the execution grounds. He had always thought that he deserved to die. But those words that Kaoru spoke to him gave him a new will to live. But things are as he said, 'too late.' He wanted nothing more than to go back and fall into Kaoru's arms. He desperately wanted to see her face one more time and that would be enough. But he knew that his hopes were futile. Kaoru would never come after a murderer such as himself.

Heavily armed men strolled all around him, preventing him from escape. Battousai could feel himself shaking on the inside. Why did it have to end this way? The image of his beloved master came into his mind.

'Master.' He thought.

They had arrived at the execution grounds; it was located in the middle of a large forest. The trees were dense enough to block out what little light that shone through the clouds only one path lead to it. A low rumble of thunder rolled across the land as if protesting the death of The Heart Of The Sword.

There were about 50 guards present and countless number of Meiji officials.

Seven men lifted Battousai up to the top of a large pile of wood. Then they tied him up to a big wooden pole with thick ropes drenched in oil. Then they poured oil all over him making his bangs mat to his face. Battousai's eyes held no emotion in them. He simply stared off into space waiting for the end. Katsura was there; he was one of many Meiji officials who came. He stood in front of the big pile of fuel and bowed towards his best assassin. A tear fell out of his eyes as he bowed.

"I'm sorry." He managed to mutter. The other officials paid their respects before Battousai's final parting from this world.

A suddenly light lit the dim atmosphere, casting long shadows all about.

The torch had been lit. A man walked over and stood beside the soon to be pyre. One man dressed in black made a wave with his hand signaling the begin of the burning.

Every one watched with baited breath as the torch was dropped on the pile of wood, which instantly caught fire. Battousai stared as the glowing demon slowly surrounded him.

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"No, Kenshin!" Kenshin looked up. He saw the most beautiful person he had ever seen. His lips curved up into a gentle smile. 'Kaoru.'

A few men began to surround Kaoru and Yahiko trying to keep them at bay. Kaoru and yahiko soon went to work. Kaoru knocked out several men with her boken. Yahiko took care of the rest. They ran towards the fire. But ten or twenty men blocked their path. Kaoru and Yahiko fought desperately, but there were too many men. They were soon beaten and tied up. She looked in horror as the fire slowly crept towards Kenshin. Yahiko's struggle beside her was futile.

Everything looked hopeless as the fire began to lick at the edges of Battousai's hakama.

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Until a kunai zoomed out of the confines of the dense tree, killing one of the guards. All the men were at attention instantly. Then came a tall man in with stunning blue eyes. He slowly emerged from the shadows; his movements were so fluid that he looked like a ghost in the gloom. His blue icy gaze scanned the area. Men's blood chilled at the intimidating glance.

"Aoshi." Kaoru said. She didn't know if this was good or bad.

The guards hastily pulled out their swords in preparation for battle. Aoshi ignored them as if they were insects.

A few guards gathered the officials into a corner from the frightening man.

His icy pupils focused on Battousai.

"Battousai." He began. "If there is any man that will ever kill you. It would be me." He announced in his monotone. Then he drew his two kodachis, his two swords shone in their own pale light. He flipped them so the cutting edges were facing outwards from him.

He suddenly charged towards the pyre with more speed than the last time that Kaoru had seen him; he looked like a deadly shadow charging for its prey in the dark. Guards jumped out of his way terrorified.

Aoshi shouted as he unleashed his new ultimate attack "Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren!!" six brilliant flashes merged into one momentarily blinded everyone on the scene. The flames died out instantly as the pyre exploded into six parts. Sparks flew everywhere from the tremendous force of the attack. The dark forest was lit up for a brief moment. Battousai was freed from his bindings; his brain had finally started working again. He dropped to the ground and stared at Aoshi.

Every one on the scene was awed by Aoshi's strength.

"Here Battousai." Aoshi said as he tossed Kenshin a sword. "One of my spies told me that you no longer have your sword with you."

"The oniwaban groups' information is truly impeccable." Kenshin replied. "But I no longer plan to take another life." He smiled.

"What." Aoshi whispered, eyes narrowing. The guards had finally regained their ability to move and charged at the two warriors foolishly. Aoshi slashed through them one by one like they were trash. Kenshin drew his sword and flipped the blade. The two swordsmen disposed of all the nuisances in a matter of seconds as they zoomed from here to there. Awing the crowd yet again for it was the first time that most of them had witnessed Battousai in battle.

Kenshin quickly ran over and freed Kaoru and Yahiko from their bindings.

"We must leave right now." Kenshin informed them.

"Come to see me when you have regained your ability to kill Battousai." Aoshi said before he disappeared back into the shadows. He was surprised at Battousai's change, but Aoshi only thought that Battousai was delirious from the recent events.

Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko quickly exited the scene. Before they left. Katsura stepped up.

"Kenshin, take care." Kenshin gave him one last bow before the trio disappeared into the forest.

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STOP PLAYING DARK/SAD MUSIC and play something cheerful of arrogant.

At the top of the tallest and most forested mountain in Kyoto...

A tall man sat before his kiln, his 'artworks' were slowly hardening under the intense heat of the flames. He lifted a cup of sake to his lips and sniffed delicately at the smell that wafted from it before he slowly sipped at it, enjoying every bit.

"Nothing in this world tastes better than a cup of sake brewed in the spring." He said in his deep, powerful voice to no one in particular. Suddenly, his senses tingled as he felt three people's presence approaching. The man stood up with an arrogant smirk on his face. 'Seems like I have three unexpected visitors.'

First off, the man was tall and very muscular. He was well over two meters tall probably. He had long, dark green hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, which trailed down to his waist. He also wore a gigantic cape that flowed behind him even though there was no wind. And no one could miss those big, red collars. They stuck up as if made of steel. (Or maybe just too much starch.)

His arrogant smirk only grew wider as the three people got closer. 'It's about time.' He thought.

Finally, the three appeared from the woods. The man eyed the trio with amusement. One was a kid with spiky hair and large, brown eyes. He wore a yellow dotted shirt. The other one was a girl with raven hair and blue eyes. She wore kendo training clothes. The girl was just a bit shorter than the red haired man who wore a blue gi and gray hakama. The guy had violet eyes and they turn amber occasionally. And all three of them had twigs and scratches all over them, most likely from running in his forest. They were trying desperately to get the twigs out of their hair when the man spoke up.

"Well, who do we have here?" the man spoke, every word dripped with arrogance. "If it isn't my idiot apprentice."

"Oro?" Kenshin um, oroed. "Master." He pleaded.

Kaoru and Yahiko gasped. 'This is Kenshin's master?'

"What, I'm still your master?" the man teased his student. "I thought you decided to abandoned your master three years ago?" He continued, the smirk only got wider. "Aren't you strong enough to survive on your own, hnnnn, Seems like you had to come back to me after all."

"Master!" Kenshin just couldn't stand this guy's ego. He then introduced the people present. "This is Kamiya Kaoru." He motioned towards Kaoru. "And this is Yahiko Myoujin." Kenshin continued. "Kaoru, Yahiko, this is my master, Hiko Seijurouu. The thirteenth successor to the Hiten Mitsurugi style of swords...." Kenshin was cut off.

"Enough already, you could go on for days telling them how great I am!" Hiko said. "What do you want?"

Kaoru and Yahiko were at a loss for words. They had never seen Kenshin act this nervous before. All they could do was stare with their mouths open.

"Oro." Kenshin stuttered. "May we stay at your house for a while master?"

"You idiot apprentice!" Hiko boomed. "You can't even find your self a place to stay. How pathetic." He turned away.

"Ma, Master, we are being chased by the government!" Kenshin retorted.

"Oh, so they find no more use for you anymore?" Hiko mocked. "This is exactly why I told you not to join the revolution. And you have betrayed the teachings of the Hiten Mitsurugi style." Hiko continued to criticize his 'stupid pupil.'

"I'm sorry master." Kenshin apologized like a little kid pleading to a parent after being caught stealing cookie.

"hmm." Hiko thought. "Knowing you, you would have just went with the government and died." Hiko was actually surprised. "Why are you still alive?"

"Oro? Kenshin just couldn't stand his master sometimes; being the master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style has its disadvantages. "Master, I thought I deserved to die." Kenshin's tone became serious "But then miss Kaoru helped me and I found a new will to live." Kaoru smiled.

"Hmm." Hiko didn't show it, but he was happy that his stupid pupil came back. "What? Do you plan to stay at my house forever?"

"No master. I came back to master the Ultimate Technique of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style."

The End

Author's Note: well there you have it, the last chapter of Dark Side. I hope you guys enjoyed the story. I just wanted to say that I appreciate the support that you guys gave my. If you haven't reviewed please do. And I just wanted to say that I had a lot of fun writing this. (I mean a lot.) And "The Soaring Dragon." Will come out in a short while when I have written a few chapters.

And I think I'm going to write a few one shots to relax my nerves from the intensities of the drama.

Until then, see ya!! Oh, and feel free to email me.