disclaimer: Watsuki Nobuhiro, Sueisha, etc.
warnings: hints of Aoshi + Soujirou, romance, PG-13
spoilers: manga vol.14 and a bit of 15 (err... forgot the anime eps.)
notes: sequel for Moon Over Kyoto (better read that first, and also Mask of Innocence!!)

* * * * *

There Will Be Love There
Part 1: Reason to Live

He sat there alone in Houji's room. The room actually looked more like a library; lines of shelves were filled with books of many authors and titles. The room was dark and cold, but he didn't move from his place. He was waiting for him, Battousai Himura. And then his fight with the ex murderer from the bakufu era could finally begin.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there when he heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway. And then he felt the man's aura drawing near. He didn't have to move, certain that his opponent would be able to feel his presence in the room. And he was right.

The dim light filled the room as Himura Battousai creaked the door open. Aoshi's eyes opened slowly, knowing the time he'd awaited for so long had finally come. He was more than ready right now, Aoshi thought vaguely as he rose from the couch, eyes never leaving his opponent to be.

"You've finally come," he said calmly to the red headed man. "It's time for you to fulfill your promise, Battousai Himura."

He wasn't alone, Aoshi noticed. He was with his friend from Tokyo, the raven-haired man who'd come to Kanryuu's place with Himura. And the woman who'd just entered the room with them was one of Shishio's people. He couldn't remember her name, but she was definitely with Shishio. To report on their fight, perhaps?

Himura's eyes were looking directly into his. "You've changed so much," the shorter man said, his tone filled with... disappointment? Aoshi couldn't define it. "I can't even recognize you anymore, Shinomori Aoshi."

Aoshi stared at the man standing before him for a long minute before he finally removed his two kodachis from their sheath. "I will change into anything as long as I can gain the title of the strongest after defeating you." He gritted his teeth, making a move to attack. "Draw your sword, Battousai..."

Their eyes met again, but then Battousai's hand released his sword. What the hell? Aoshi could feel the anger starting to build up inside him. What the hell was this man thinking?

"What are you doing?" His voice came out cold and calm. "You came here to fulfill your promise, did you not?"

"I will," the red-haired man said quietly. "But my opponent is not you. My fight is with Shinomori Aoshi, an ex member of the Oniwa Banshuu. And he is not you!"

Aoshi didn't flinch. "What do you mean?"

"I will fulfill my promise, but not with a man who considers fighting above everything else."

Aoshi raised his kodachis into the air. He'd had enough of this. "Quit the chatter."

With remarkable speed he moved forward for an attack, one kodachi ready to strike its target. But he wasn't surprised when Battousai Himura succeeded in avoiding that first strike, jumping into the air and landing on top of one of the bookshelves. Aoshi lifted his head upwards to see the man. He planned his next attack, but the ex murderer kept avoiding him, not even drawing his sword.

Battousai only ran from his every assault, forcing Aoshi to chase after the smaller man. He knew that his only chance to attack was if he made it to the top of the shelves with Himura. With that thought, he stepped onto the shelf, trying to climb. His opponent saw that and jumped down to the floor. Aoshi failed to see that Battousai had pushed the wooden cabinet with his shoulder when he landed.

Aoshi lifted his face in time to see the books fall on top of him. He knew that he might have been crushed by the shelf if he hadn't stepped back, but another shelf was waiting behind him. There was only one thing he could do.

Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren.

The wooden shelf was ripped into two sections, books flying through the air. Aoshi could see that man standing before him now, his purple eyes widened in total surprise. Aoshi knew that this was his chance to strike. He raised his kodachi and stabbed in the direction of the man's chest. The sound of metals meeting echoed through the room, followed by the sound of the shelves and the books hitting the floor.

Battousai Himura had used his sword as a shield.

* * * * *

"You finally came back," Aoshi said icily. A part of him smiled in victory when he saw Battousai using his sword in the fight. But the other part wasn't satisfied because he hadn't drawn the sword completely from its sheath. "Now, we can really fight." He raised his free kodachi and whirled it in his hand before making another strike at his opponent.

But his kodachi was deflected by Himura's sword a second before it touched him. Battousai jumped to avoid it, but blood started to flow from his shoulder. Aoshi didn't give his opponent time to even catch his breath before he attacked again. Battousai tried to dodge his attacks with his speed, but Aoshi was faster this time. The smaller man fell to the floor, landing on one of the fallen shelves. Aoshi drew his kodachis again and ended his strike with a kick to the side of Battousai's face; he was, after all, a kempo fighter.

Blood spattered across the floor. Himura lay limply on his back. Aoshi took his kodachis from the floor, eyeing the red haired man coldly.

"Get on your feet, Battousai. The you that I know would never succumb to that kind of strike. I'll repeat what I said earlier; it's meaningless to defeat you like this," Aoshi continued. "Because the one I should take down is the strongest man of the end of the bakufu era. In other words, you as Hitokiri Battousai."

There was no reply from the man sitting before him. Aoshi gritted his teeth. "By defeating you as Hitokiri Battousai, I can present this fight to my four deceased friends, proof that we, Oniwa Banshuu, are indeed the strongest." And for a minute there, he thought he could see the shadows of his friends.

His friends who had died protecting him...

K'so! Why? Why did they have to die?!

"That's why I threw away everything of me," Aoshi said again, his tone cold, "Pride, mercy, kindness, badness." His mind turned to the old man he'd almost killed on the mountain and the girl who stood by the door, eyes wide with surprise.

Okina... Misao... The people who understood his life...

"Get up, Battousai. This is the time for me to defeat you. To finally gain the title as the strongest. That way I can end my duty as the last okashira from the bakufu era..." Aoshi grasped his kodachis even more tightly. "Reverse your sword and fight me with all your power..."

Himura Battousai's eyes turned to slits, filled with something Aoshi couldn't define. Anger, perhaps? But he didn't really care; nothing was more important than to win this fight and achieve the title of the strongest.

And then Battousai suddenly embedded his sword into the floor, using it to help him stand as blood dripped from his wounds. "Gain the title as the strongest and end your life, you say?!" His words came out angry. "So that is the reason you challenged me to this fight, Aoshi?!"

Aoshi didn't even blink as his opponent stood. "None of your friends wanted this to end with your death! Not Misao-san, not Beshimi, Hyottoko, Shikijou, not even Hannya!"

The sword left the floor and was raised into the air. "But alright, Aoshi. Let's do what you want. But I won't become Hitokiri Battousai to defeat you. I will answer your challenge as Himura Kenshin."

* * * * *

Aoshi felt that sudden anger again in his heart; He swung his kodachi to one side, bringing more books tumbling from the shelves. "How can you defeat your opponent when you're concerned for their lives!" he started. "You've killed so many people in the bakufu era. Isn't that why you gained your title as Hitokiri Battousai?!"

"I don't need to become Hitokiri Battousai to defeat you because I have already received my ougi," the red haired man suddenly said. "I can fight with all my powers without turning into anyone...!!"

"Another speech..." Aoshi said in a mocking tone.

Himura's expression didn't change. "Speech or not, you'll just have to prove it."

"Ye just have to do it, right, Aoshi?" a voice interrupted the silence. Aoshi turned to see Battousai's friend leaning in the doorway. He'd almost forgotten about the raven haired man's presence in the room. "It's useless for you two to talk; we have no time, there's something we have to finish," the man continued. "You're the challenger in this fight; if you as a challenger want this fight to end it means that Kenshin has already won!"

Aoshi had to admit that he was right. He turned to face Himura Battousai again; his eyes met a pair of calm, confident eyes belonging to a man named Himura Kenshin. He breathed hard before he finally said, "Battousai. Let's begin."

They moved forward with remarkable speed, Aoshi knew that he had to use both of his kodachis now. Somehow, Himura seemed to move even faster than before. Was he telling the truth about not becoming Battousai Himura to defeat him?!

Aoshi swung his kodachi, but once again Himura used his sword to shield his body. And then before he was ready to strike again, the smaller man had jumped into the air, his sword in his two hands. Their weapons collided, his two kodachis against the reversed sword. Aoshi felt his legs going numb. How can it be?! he asked himself. How can Himura Battousai be so strong?!

His body was forced down, but his knee was still able to support him. He felt blood dripping past the collar of his coat. What the hell--?!

"You still think that it was just a speech?" Himura stood before him, rubbing the side of his neck where it was cut by his two kodachis.

"It's still too early to be so proud," Aoshi managed to reply. "It was only one thin line that separated you and me. I could almost cut your throat."

Himura's eyes were dangerous. "With that one thin line, do you now realize that I am stronger than you are?"

Aoshi was startled. What was he talking about?! He was stronger than him?! Maybe, maybe he was right. He knew that he would have died if he had moved just a little slower a moment ago. But how did he manage to have such power? Aoshi's eyes widened the tiniest bit. Himura's ougi...

"When I practiced for my ougi, I was standing between life and death. I started to give up hope and in the middle of that despair I finally received my ougi," Himura started again. "The spirit to stay alive was the one that encouraged me; it was something I consider a gift."

Stay alive...?

What the hell was he talking about?! What was good about life if you didn't have anyone any more?! What reason did he have to...

"Aoshi, you said that you've thrown away everything in coming here. To throw away your feelings, anyone can do that," the red haired man said. "But you have nothing left in your heart and that is the reason why you're weak."

"What?" Something inside his heart started to quiver. What?! What?! What?!

"Hannya, Shikijou, Beshimi, Hyottoko, your faithful comrades have died now. And I understand that you want to take the title as the strongest for them," he said calmly. And then more fiercely, "But with that weak heart of yours, it is useless! You only used them as a reason to run away! You've disgraced them by turning yourself into the evil man you are now!!"

Beshimi... Hyottoko... Shikijou... Hannya...

I've disgraced them...? What...?! What...?! What...?!

* * * * *

"What...?" His mouth moved with its own will. "SHUT UP!" Still holding his kodachis, he threw a good punch at Himura's face, making the man's lips split and bleed.

"So emotional." Himura said quietly. "Does that mean that you also realize that?"

Another punch landed on Himura's chin, making the shorter man fall to the floor. Aoshi stood before him, his palms grasping his kodachis even tighter, almost trembling. "You don't know anything..." he said almost calmly, but he couldn't fool himself; he was starting to lose himself. What was happening to him?!

"At least I know that your real purpose in gaining the title as the strongest was so you could kill yourself," Himura breathed thickly. "It was just an excuse so you could run away from reality..."

Aoshi gritted his teeth; his foot lifting to kick the smaller man until his back bumped another shelf. "If you don't change the way you think, you'll torture yourself with guilt over your friends' deaths..." Himura said again. "I know about that. But if you keep going like this... you won't make them happy..."

His fist landed once again on Himura's face, but the pain started to build inside his heart. His eyes stung; why did it hurt so much to keep them open?! Himura could still stand before him, eyeing him with... concern?!

"Aoshi... Your weakness... You've made the four of them your reason. You've turned them into evil spirits in your heart!"

I...?! I... was the one who turned them into evil spirits?!

He raised his kodachi once more, recklessly. But Himura Battousai only stretched out his hand, taking the sharp metal in his palm. Aoshi's eyes widened as he saw crimson colored liquid start to drip from his kodachi and then to the floor.

"Aoshi, did you know... that Misao-san appointed herself as the okashira, and she did her job so well...." Himura said suddenly.

The image of the braided girl popped into his mind. Misao, yes, he had known that she would be a good leader. Perhaps even better than himself.

"Misao is strong..." Aoshi said almost inaudibly. "I don't want to be involved with the Oniwa Banshuu anymore. I could go on by myself..."

The blood still dripped to the floor as Himura continued his words. "But did you know that the strong girl cried because she was so relieved when I promised her that I wouldn't killed you?!"

Aoshi started, that sting in his heart getting deeper.

"No matter how strong, she's just a sixteen year old girl. I'm sure she's been through so many things, but..." Himura's voice started to turn low, "the only person who can make her cry is you...!!"

Misao...

Aoshi couldn't believe that his hand started to tremble. The image of Misao, crying, was there in his mind. Misao.. Such a strong girl she was. She cried..? And the tears were for him...? It wasn't supposed to be like this... He could imagine tears streaming down her face. The sweet, innocent face of the girl he had left so many years ago when she was just a little girl.

Sweet, innocent face...

Tears...

He remembered the tears flowing down someone else's cheeks, wetting an angelic face under the light of the moon. He remembered those eyes so wide he thought he could drown inside their depths. He remembered how the smile could still cross that sweet, innocent face as he cried...

Tears for him...

I'm sorry...

Please don't be sorry...

Shinomori-san...

"Now that you know the truth, do you still want to run away from reality?!" Himura's voice brought him back to the room. "Do you still want to die after presenting the title as the strongest to your friends?! You should reawaken the power inside your heart! Have pride in yourself again! Turn back the time that you stopped long ago at Kanryuu's place! It's time for you to come back!"

To die...

A reason to live...

That's what Himura had said. It was easy for him to say because he had so many friends waiting for him to come back. He had something to live for... Himura had his reason to live. But as for himself...

A reason... Someone... Someone who cares... Someone waiting...

Misao... Okina... Aoiya...

I'll be waiting for you here... Waiting... Waiting...

Shinomori-san...

Soujirou...

He pulled his kodachi from Himura's hand, planting one last punch in his opponent's ribs and turned away. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus only on the fight. His heart trembled as he started to remember.

The smile, that strange smile... the tears...

"Maybe you think that our fight can't prove which of us is stronger, is that why you can't fight?" Himura's voice came out calmer now. "If that's the only reason for us to fight. I'll take the challenge..."

Aoshi closed his eyes briefly before turning back to see his rival. Strange how much relief he felt now, like the burdens had been lifted from him. "Win or lose had nothing to do with it..."

"Yes, that's the reason for our fight." Himura continued.

* * * * *

This is going to be the end, Aoshi said to himself. This time he would end everything, as an apology to his loyal comrades... for using their death as a reason to make himself strong... to run away from reality... But it would all end here. Yes, he'd end everything. With his victory!

He made the first move to attack, lifting his two kodachis. The kodachi in his left hand almost touched the right side of Himura's neck. It was that one thin line that separated his kodachi from Himura. The next thing he knew Himura raised his sword to the air. Aoshi's eyes widened.

Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki

Himura's ougi! Masaka...!!

Instead of the pain in his chest, he felt himself flying through the air. He saw bright light above him, too far away to touch with his hand. So bright... so serene... like nothing he ever witnessed before in his life.

Was that the moon shining above him...?

Or was it Soujirou's smile...?

As he closed his eyes, he could hear Himura resheath his sword. The room became clear again the minute he opened his eyes. He had landed on the cold floor, eyes staring at the ceiling.

"It was just one thin line between me and your kodachi," Himura said suddenly. Funny, his voice almost sound like he was soothing a little child. "But it was still thick enough..."

Aoshi closed his eyes for just a minute or two, before realizing that all his muscles had become numb. "Can you stand up?" Himura asked him.

"No, temporarily. Apparently your last strike paralyzed me totally and I won't be able to move for a while..." Aoshi said weakly, eyes kept staring the blank ceiling. "But my mind is clear, I feel strange... but relieved..."

Himura didn't say anything, just stood there looking at him. "Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki..." Aoshi breathed, "Your ougi is so powerful... But it takes too much strength and reduces your power by half afterwards. You shouldn't use it too often..."

"I know," came the short, weak reply.

Himura's friend said something about them not having much time left and asked him to hurry. Aoshi nodded to the red haired man weakly, trying to assure him that it was okay to leave him there by himself. "Go on... I'll follow you later..."

And soon, there was just him and the silence. It hurt too much for him to breathe right now, but he'd be okay. Himura was strong, he had to admit that. Not only physically, but also in something he couldn't put a name to. Wisdom, perhaps...? But for a second there, he knew that he could see the moon. It was the same moon he saw above the hill with Soujirou...

Maybe Battousai would be fighting Soujirou next...

Soujirou...

* * * * *

Soujirou tied the knots of his shoes more tightly, trying to get used to them. His smile only faded for the briefest second when he heard that Himura had released his ougi to defeat Shinomori Aoshi. Himura hadn't killed him, of course... but he had to admit that he'd been a bit afraid that he would. But then again he was relieved that Aoshi had lost the fight because he knew that if Aoshi had won, maybe Shishio-san would have killed him instead...

Yes, that was it... He smiled. Aoshi was okay and there was nothing to be worried about...

Someone slammed the table hard and he turned towards Houji who stood, facing the telegraph. "What's the matter with you, Houji?" Shishio's voice was his usual low and calm tone.

"It's a message from our contact in Kyoto. The attack on Aoiya was a total failure! Iwanbo is running away... Henya, Kamatari, Fuji, and Saizuchi have been arrested...!" Houji gritted his teeth; sweat started to drip uncontrollably from his forehead. He must be worried, Soujirou smiled faintly, because he was the one who planned the whole scheme and now it was a disaster...

"That means..." Shishio's smile was still in place, "...most of the Juppon Gatana have been lost? Is that what you mean?"

"How can it be?!" Houji was furious. "Even Fuji with his giant body was defeated!"

Soujirou only chuckled as he started to get ready. "That means that they were stronger than we were, that's the only problem." He smiled, tapping his shoes to the floor. "In this world, the strong will live and the weak… will die. But don't worry..."

Soujirou reached for his sword, carrying it in both hands. "I am strong. I'll become the whole of the Juppon Gatana; I'll fight, and I'll win. Easy, isn't it?!" He smiled widely to the two other men in the room before walking to the secret door. "Now would you excuse me... Ja ne..."

He closed the door behind him and walked to the room that had been prepared for his fight with the Battousai. How much longer did he have to wait? What was taking Himura Battousai so long? Was it really that far to his room from Aoshi's chamber?

Aoshi...

No, he mustn't think about him now. He had a fight, an important fight, and he mustn't be distracted by anything. It was important for his Shishio-san for him to win this fight. And he would...

He would win...

-tbc-

notes: yes, it's tbc, you don't think that it will end here, do you? :) next is Soujirou's fight (vol 15 and 16 in the manga)