A/N: It's been years I know and I do apologize to everyone who's been following this story. Anyway I said I'd finish this fanfic and I intend on doing so. I can't write as fast as I want to, my sched's too hectic but still I'm trying my best to finish this one. Now here's another new chapter for all you guys. Hope you like it and thanks to everyone who's ever reviewed. MWWWAAHHHH!
Disclaimer: Again let me say that Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X is not of my own creation, though I wish it was, and blah blah… same disclaimers apply…
KENSHIN the DRAGON HUNTER Chapter XVI: Kaoru's Fate
……….Mount Genesis……….
"The rains have stopped" Kenshin said as he clutched the heart mushroom close to his own heart as if it was the most precious thing in the world.
Dargove, rested and healed, not only physically but emotionally as well began to fly hard and fast to Cepheus forest. "Please let us get there in time," he prayed, harder than he's ever prayed before. "May the gods be merciful…"
.…….Rowe Valley……..
Aoshi strode to the valley, seemingly oblivious to the hundreds of soldiers eyeing him curiously.
One of the officers stepped forward and blocked Aoshi's way. "Who are you stranger, and what business do you have here?" he asked as he drew his sword and laid the tip of its blade on Aoshi's neck.
Aoshi glared at the officer, his eyes cold and piercing.
The officer, for the first time got the full view of Aoshi's eyes. He suddenly trembled and beads of sweat formed on his face as he came to recognize the man he just insulted. "A… A… Aoishi Shinomori…" the officer stuttered as he said the name of the man before him.
The other soldiers were stunned and terrified upon hearing the name of the stranger. They've all heard of the legendary Oni Gang and their fearless leader, Aoshi Shinomori. They were both an elusive and highly skilled gang whom even Shishio have not controlled because he could not find their hideout.
It was said that Aoishi lost his heart when he lost family as a young boy. He grew up a cold and fearless man. People say he has a look that chills the heart, an icy stare and a face that never smiles. He was neither afraid of anyone, nor anything… not even death. He was brilliant in battles and his sword skills are legendary.
The commotion attracted the attention of Soujiro Seta, the commanding general of the soldiers. Soujiro is just a young lad of nineteen, but his sword skills are already known throughout the kingdom. His heart is as cold as Aoshi, but his face is never without a smile, a smile that is as chilling as Aoshi's cold face.
Soujiro urged his horse forward and saw the man who caused the thick air of fear around. As he approached, the soldiers parted to give him a clear path. The officer holding a sword to Aoshi's neck quickly backed away.
Aoshi watched as the young lad, still in his teens, approach him on horseback. He's heard about Shishio's youngest and most skilled general. The lad was smiling, but Aoshi felt great fierceness about him. Aoshi clenched his fists… There is something about that boy that annoys him!
"That cold stare, that arrogant stance…" Soujiro thought as he neared Aoshi. "Fitting for the leader of the Oni Gang. Still, there is something about him that annoys me!"
Silver-Vesca watched the two men eyeing each other. Even from a distance, the young dragon could see how different each man is from the other. Yet, the dragon could not help but notice, how alike they are in so many ways as well.
Almost in a split second, both men's swords were drawn and they clashed in midair! The loud sound of metal scraping against metal could be heard and sparks from the intensity of the friction caused by both swords lit the darkening sky.
Every spectator held their breath as both men landed on the ground, panting. Never had they seen such an extent of skill in swordfights before!
Aoshi stood and looked back at the young boy he'd just fought. "He's good" he thought. "He's very good!"
Soujiro looked back at Aoshi, with smile on his face and thought "He's brilliant!" He knew his men expect more out of this fight but he just looked at them. "Let him go" he ordered then turned and went to his tent.
Once inside the privacy of his tent, Soujiro tried to collect his thoughts. Something happened as he was fighting Aoshi. He knew Aoshi felt it too. "Who is he?" Soujiro asked himself. He knew that was a silly question because he was the expert on the Oni Gang. He knew more about each member than anyone of Shishio's soldiers. He'd been tracking them for years now under Shishio's orders. "So why did I let him go?" Soujiro wondered.
"What happened back there?" Silver-Vesca asked Aoshi as he approached.
Aoishi did not answer. He seemed deep in thought.
"Who is that kid?" Aoshi asked himself. He felt something so familiar about him when they fought. He knew the kid felt it too when their swords met. It was almost like a nostalgic feeling. Aoshi shook his head. He doesn't understand what it was about, or why the kid let him go just like that but right now he has more pressing things to worry about.
Silver-Vesca watched Aoshi silently. He never thought of Aoshi as a man who could be affected by anything, but that fight seemed to have stirred something within Aoshi Shinomori.
Cepheus Forrest
Sano and Willow stared at Misao and Yahiko and their hearts sank. Something terrible must've happened to their friend…
Sano wanted to scream… do something, hit someone, break anything, but all he could do was stand there and stare at Misao and Yahiko crying.
Misao looked up, tears streaming down her face and looked at Sano with a sad, almost defeated expression. "I don't know what else to do…" she said, "she's going to die and I can't do anything about it!"
The thought of Kaoru dying woke Sano up like a splash of ice cold water on his face. "What are you talking about!" He said "You're a great sorceress… magic is in your blood. Here are the herbs you asked for. It's not too late, you could still weave your magic and help Kaoru!" Sano dropped the herbs in front of the still crying Misao and gripped her shoulders tightly. "You have to pull yourself together! You're the only one who could do this and if you give up now, Kaoru's dead! Tell me what you need… MISAO!" Sano yelled and gave her a little shake which snapped her out of her trance.
"Ok… Ok…" Misao said, as she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "I need some fire, boil some water and crush the herbs you brought, make sure they are fine, like a paste."
Sano nodded and seeing Misao was back to her old self, he turned his attention to the young grief-stricken boy beside Misao. "Yahiko, I can't build a fire without wood. I need you to go and gather some."
Seeing as his request seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, Sano gently placed a hand on Yahiko's shoulder. "I won't pretend to fully comprehend what you're feeling right now. But I do know this, you're sister is fighting to survive. That's why I'm willing to fight to keep her alive. Now you could either stay here and cry over Kaoru, or you could get up and help us make this potion to make her better… It's your choice."
Slowly, Yahiko bowed his head and wiped his tears. "I'll get the wood" he said and stood up to do the task he's been asked to do.
Sano sat for a while, admiring the strength of spirit of his two new friends. Until… WHACK! Misao gave him a strong punch in the head and yelled "All that persuasive talk and here you are finding time to just sit around! I told you to crush those herbs!"
"Birdbrain!" Yahiko chimed in as he unloaded some wood near the campsite.
Sano mumbled and grumbled and gritted his teeth, taking back his feeling of admiration for those two as he began to crush the herbs into a pulp.
Willow was silently but attentively watching what has been going on. Under the circumstances, she found herself smiling at Sano. He handled the situation very well showing that he definitely have the potential of commanding an army some day. "He has his father's blood" Willow thought. He knew instinctively that Misao and Yahiko had to be dealt with in different ways and he did it splendidly!
Still, Willow knew no matter how hard everyone in here will work to save Kaoru, they will not succeed unless they have the final ingredient… She looked up, hoping to see Dargove hovering over them, but there was nothing there except the darkening sky and the silhouette of the leaves of the trees looming over them ominously. "Hurry Dargove…" she whispered softly. "Hurry back…"
……Outskirts of Cepheus Forest………….
Aoshi wasn't sure what led him to Cepheus forest but he seemed to have assured himself that it was just instinct and not a constant whispering voice that only he seemed to hear. He felt it too… he was getting close to his target. "I think I'll find what I'm looking for here" he said to himself.
"What was that?" Silver-Vesca asked as it was the first time in hours since Aoshi said something.
"Nothing…" Aoshi said, not intending on thinking out loud.
"Come on Aoshi, I heard you say something. What are you looking for anyway? Must be something really important or… someone…" Silver-Vesca's eyes glistened at the thought that Aoshi might be looking for a person who was very important to him. It seemed odd at first, but then if something was to ignite a bit of passion from Aoshi, it must be a person he cares for.
Aoshi's eyes narrowed. Silver-Vesca's words hit a nerve and this irritated Aoshi. He is a man who would not admit even to himself that he would ever care for another person. He'd had enough. He wanted to continue this journey alone from now on. He started drawing his sword, planning on knocking out his annoying dragon companion when suddenly, he heard flapping of great giant wings above him. He looked up just in time to see the most magnificent creature he's ever laid eyes on! It was a brief encounter, for the beast was traveling at lightning speed towards the heart of the forest, but Aoshi got the full view of the enormous dragon which was almost twice as big as the one he's with now.
"Dargove…" Silver-Vesca said, almost to himself.
"You know that dragon!" Aoshi asked, surprised.
"We dragons know our kind" Silver-Vesca said softly. "And I'm pretty sure that something's wrong…"
Aoshi nooded. He too felt the urgency of the dragon that flew by. "Let's follow it" he said and started running towards the direction the large dragon went. Without question, his companion followed.
……………Cepheus Forest, Campsite of Kenshin's group………
"Where are they?" Misao said worriedly. "I'm almost done, and I need that mushroom now!"
"Don't worry Misao," Yahiko said burning with confidence and trust, looking nothing like the beaten young boy he was earlier, "They will come for sure!"
Almost as if on cue, the people in Cepheus forest heard Dargove's flapping wings. He landed swiftly but smoothly near Kaoru and everyone there saw that there was something different about the dragon and his rider. The guilt in Dargoves eyes seemed to have been replaced with hope, and the fierceness in the Dragon Hunter's eyes has been replaced with gentleness. Both figures were transformed beyond words. Something must have happened between the time of their lift off and their landing to have caused such a tremendous change among the two of them.
Kenshin jumped off Dargove and rushed to give Misao the Heart of Mushroom. "Are we… Is she…?" Kenshin spoke, his concern apparent.
"She's going to be fine now." It was Yahiko who answered Kenshin's question. He looked at Kenshin and Kenshin looked back. No words were spoken, but Yahiko smiled, and to his and everyone else's surprise, the Dragon Hunter smiled back.
Kaoru woke up to the sounds of the forest at night. She blinked, trying to recall what had happened that day. Memories of her encounter with the Goddess of revelation, then that sudden pain she felt , but before that, something even more terrible had happened… she remembered that awful sound of Kenshin's sword slashing Dargove's flesh… "Oh no!" Kaoru's eyes flashed with worry… "If he hurt Dargove again… I'll… I'll…"
Kaoru sat up and looked around, not wanting to admit to herself that she really didn't know what to do if Kenshin had done something else to Dargove. To her relief though, she saw Dargove safe and fast asleep beside Willow. Misao, Sano and Yahiko too were sleeping soundly. She gently pulled up Yahiko's blanket as it slid off him and slowly stroked her brother's cheek. She looked at her friends and smiled feeling grateful to all of them, not really knowing what they did for her, what they had gone through for her that day. But the back of her mind, Kaoru felt as if death had toyed with her. She figured her friends must have done something extraordinary to have brought her back to life and Kaoru was sure she owed her life to everyone there. She felt her eyes water… How lucky she felt to be surrounded by such friends!
Caught in the moment, Kaoru failed to notice the shadowy figure that was closely watching her every move. He made no attempt to go to her, knowing full well that she was in no danger. For now, he was content to keep an eye on her. But then he saw her worried look, and watched as she scanned the grounds for Dargove. Her sigh of relief as she saw her dragon friend was safe gave Kenshin a stabbing pain in his heart.
Kaoru still thought of him as the enemy… a dragon hunter. Kenshin couldn't really blame her, that is who he is, or who he was. And she had seen what he did to Dargove earlier that day. He knew Dargove has been her family for as long as she could remember, she would never forgive anyone who would harm him. "She will never forgive me" he thought to himself. Too hurt to look anymore, Kenshin turned away from the woman whom he longed for, but whom he felt deep in his aching heart, could never belong to him.
...to be continued(c",)