Disclaimer. Once again, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin!
/ / / /CHAPTER TEN / / / / / /END GAME / / / / /
Kenshin saw his whole world shatter as Kaoru fell forward to the ground. He tried to use his god like speed to reach her but he was frozen. His feet would not move. It seemed as if his whole world has suddenly come to screeching halt. Everything seemed to have happened in slow motion and he was powerless to stop it. His whole body was filled with awful terror. He incoherently saw flashes of light explosions in front of him. Something grazed his cheek and then he felt himself falling towards the ground. His insides screamed with glut wrenching pain.
The last thing he remembered uttering before he hit the ground was not again!
Please God! Not again!!
********** *********** *********** ************* *********** *********** ************ ******
Aoshi saw Kaoru hit the soft grass and immediately sprung into action. He ran towards Misao and quickly pushed her onto the ground and covered her with his own body as shots ran out. Misao was screaming underneath him for her brother and Kaoru. He looked around frantically trying to pinpoint the rapid gunfire. People were screaming and running hysterically everywhere. He looked for Kenshin and saw him still standing where he was before Kaoru fell forward. The look on his face unnerved Aoshi. He knew what Kenshin was remembering. He silently prayed that Kaoru was still alive. He yelled to Kenshin to duck and take cover just before a bullet grazed his cheek. He saw Hanya out of the corner of his eye running towards Kenshin and knocking him to ground for cover.
Aoshi sighed relief and tried again to pinpoint the gunfire as bullets hit the ground around him. As quickly as it started it stopped and dozens of people lay unmoving on the ground around them. Misao stopped screaming and moving underneath him as he strained to listen.
He heard her ask him if he was alright to which he nodded and then she asked about her brother to which he replied was fine. When she asked about Kaoru he did not answer her. ************* ************* *************** **************** **************** **************
Kenshin had finally snapped out of bewilderment and immediately tried to crawl towards Kaoru before a spray of bullets engulfed her body.
The ground seemed to have knocked some sense into him-as well as Hanya. He faintly heard Hanya yelling at him and then a sharp slap across his face which brought him back to reality. He crawled towards Kaoru immediately as bullets hit the ground surrounding her body. He stopped and backed off. Who ever was doing this would suffer greatly.
He could hear laughter in the background as a man suddenly came into view. He was wearing an all black haori and pants as he came forward stopping some distance away from Kaoru.
Kenshin would have normally been shocked but due to the circumstances he was not. Kenshin looked at the man before him as his eyes narrowed menacingly and turned dark amber.
"Don't worry Battousai. Do you honestly think that I would kill something that I have yet to have sampled? She will be fine. I have only knocked her unconscious with a tranquilizer dart."
Kenshin tried again to reach Kaoru all the while keeping his eyes on the man in front of him.
Again bullets sprayed the ground between them.
"No, no no," said the man tsking. "I said that I was not trying to kill her, but you on the other hand I have no qualms about killing. In fact, you are the reason why my fiancée was taken away from me in the first place. I came here to reclaim what is and what will always be mine," he said bitterly.
It was then that Aoshi had recognized who the man in black was. He knew that he had seen him before. It was Masayo.
"She's beautiful, is she not?" He asked Kenshin.
"I thought so the moment that I first laid eyes on her. Of course she was only six then, but I knew that I had to have her," he said as he walked forward and kneeled beside her limp body. He reached out to touch her face which caused a volatile reaction in Kenshin.
"Don't you dare touch her!!" Kenshin yelled to Masayo.
Masayo snarled angrily and slapped Kaoru across her face.
"You impudent bastard!! Don't tell me what I can and can not touch!! I will do as I please! Especially with something that belongs to me!"
As quickly as his anger came, it dissipated and Masayo appeared to be calm once again.
"From your reaction I take it that you care for her deeply. I know that you have sampled her. Although I can't blame you I must kill you and her. "
Masayo affectionately touched her face tracing the redness of the slap that he had just delivered.
"How unfortunate. I really thought that she would be the one who would make me settle down."
Kenshin was filled with so much rage. Once he got his hands on Masayo he would tear him from limb to limb. But first he must find out where the gun fire was coming from and terminate it. He could not reach Kaoru or Masayo if the gattling gun kept interfering. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aoshi and Misao crawling towards the mansion. He would try to keep Masayo's attention focused on him.
"Don't worry samurai! You won't be alone in the afterlife for long. She will be joining you once I have finished with her. A woman so tainted can not become the wife of Masayo Takanaka!"
Masayo looked down at Kaoru's unconscious body with longing. "I can't wait to taste the pleasures of her supple body!"
"Why?" Asked Kenshin between gritted teeth. He would die before he would let this man place his dirty hands on HIS Kaoru.
Masayo seemed to be taken a back by his question. "Why?! Because I can! You took something that belonged to ME! The penalty is death!"
"You stupid bastard. That's not what I was asking you," said Kenshin with deadly calm. "I want to know why you waited until tonight for your attack."
"My men and I have just tracked you to this area. When I learned of the celebration that was being held, I knew that it had to be tonight. Your guard would be let down."
"Are you not working with anyone else?" Asked Kenshin.
Masayo seemed to be surprised again. "Hell no! I work alone! I don't need help from anyone nor am I anyone's funky. I am going to make you pay for this!"
"So, you are saying that you are not working with anyone and that you did not kill the three top ranking officials nor did you send two samurai warriors to assassinate me?" Asked Kenshin.
"What is the matter with you? I told you no! Now quit procrastinating. It is now time for you to be terminated.
************ ************* ************* *************** ************** *************** Once Aoshi saw the man appear next to Kaoru's unconscious body recognition dawned on him. The bastard had been in attendance at the party the whole time and they had not known. Aoshi knew that he had seen the man before, but did not recognize where. He remembered doing some reconnaissance work while visiting the area where Masayo's mansion was located. He had come across the man in a bar. The man had severely beaten one of the prostitutes in the establishment and was boasting it to the men who were in the bar. It sickened him. It took everything that he had to not kill the man then and there, but he did not wish to draw attention to himself nor did he wish to get involved.
He should have.
Maybe if he had eliminated the problem then, this would not be happening right now. Aoshi silently prayed that Kenshin would keep the man's attention focused on him while he made it silently to the mansion so that he could spot the operator of the gattling gun.
Aoshi whispered to Misao to be quiet and to follow his lead to the mansion.
******** ********* ************** ************ ****************** ********************
"Goodbye Samurai," said Masayo as he motioned with his hand for the hidden rifleman to kill Kenshin.
Kenshin was prepared to use his God like speed to evade the bullets but when nothing happened he assumed that Aoshi had taken care of it for him.
Masayo seemed to get nervous. He motioned again with his hand and when nothing happened, Kenshin smiled.
Kenshin stood up gracefully and immediately went into a battle stance.
"I'll tell you what Masayo. How about you and me fight for Kaoru?" He said confidently.
Masayo snarled and then he dropped suddenly to the ground where Kaoru lay and placed a dagger to her throat.
"Back off, or I will kill her! She belongs to me! No one will have her!"
"You had better kill yourself, because I can guarantee you that I will not be merciful."
Kenshin senses were sending him out warning and danger signs everywhere. Signs that he had ignored earlier. There was someone else there, but he could not determine who. He quickly shut himself off and focused solely on Kaoru. He knew that Masayo would do it. He would kill Kaoru. He had to do something and do something quick.
Instincts took over and before he knew it, he had sent one of his swords into Masayo's heart, killing him instantly. The man fell down beside Kaoru and Kenshin immediately ran towards her and lifted her from the ground.
He removed the dart from her neck and pressed his finger tips to the base of her jugular. He slowly opened her eyes and stared up at him as if waking from some sort of a dream.
"Kenshin?" she asked groggily. "What happened? Did I drink too much sake again?"
"No Kaoru," he laughed. Relieved that she was ok.
He sat there on the grounds holding her within his embrace happy that she was alright.
He knew that it was not over. Someone was still there. He could feel it. The someone that he had felt earlier that night but had shrugged it off. The someone who had betrayed him. The someone who at that very moment would more than likely take advantage of the situation. He looked around frantically searching for the culprit. Masayo had surly given him a cover to fall under for an open attack.
He looked around and saw Hanya checking the villagers who were in attendance for the party that were now getting up from the ground. It seems that the Oniwabanshu members had protected everyone so no one was seriously hurt. He sighed in relief.
He immediately picked up Kaoru and started for the mansion trying to get her out of harm's way when an old gentleman staggered close to him asking for assistance and fell on Kaoru while she was resting in his arms.
Kaoru gasped as the old gentleman stood back. Kenshin started to ask the old gentleman if he was ok when he felt something wet on his fingers. He immediately sat Kaoru down and saw that his hands and her back were covered with blood.
Panic seized him again.
"Kenshin? She asked gasping for breath.
"Kaoru? He tried to turn her over to check her wound but she cried out in pain causing his heart to constrict violently.
Tears blurred his vision as he looked down at the love of his life in his arms. Everything was going to be ok. He had defeated Masayo and now everything was going to be alright. Right?
"Kenshin, I was going to tell you something important tonight."
"Shhh, don't speak. You need your rest," he said as he took off his haori and placed it under the wound in her upper back.
"I love you Kenshin. I'm sorry that I did not tell you sooner. I'm sorry that I got angry with you, please forgive me?" She stated as she coughed.
"There's nothing to apologize for," he winced when he saw a sputter of blood from her cough land on her lips. "I am the one who should be apologizing. I would have never gotten you involved if I had known that things would have turned out this way. This is all my fault."
"Don't," she said weakly placing her porcelain fingers to his lips.
She was so beautiful, he thought. He began to think about the first time he saw her.
"Kaoru, will you marry me?"
Kaoru felt overjoyed. Kenshin had asked her to marry him.
"Yes!" she said as she started to cough again. "Yes, I will marry you Kenshin Himura."
"I love you," he said as tears overflowed from his eyes and cascaded down his cheeks to fall onto her face as he held her close.
"Promise me, that you won't kill anymore. Please. I see what it does to you. Each and every time it takes something away. Promise me that no matter what, you won't take another life Kenshin?"
"Yes, anything Kaoru, just don't leave me. I don't think that I could make it without you."
Kaoru smiled up at Kenshin and ran her hand through his hair. "Like silk," she said as her eyes closed and her hand fell away.
"Kaoru!" Yelled Kenshin in agony.
"Kaoru!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He screamed as he held her tighter in his arms sobbing. His greatest nightmare had come true again.
Misao and Aoshi had arrived back on the grounds as Kenshin continued to scream in agony. The sound hurt Aoshi's soul. Misao immediately started to scream as well as Aoshi grabbed her and held her tight in his arms.
Kenshin immediately became aware of his surroundings again. Hanya was standing close to him some feet away and Kaoru's killer was also in the disguise of an old man.
"Hanya? Please take Kaoru inside to safety," he said handing over Kaoru to Hanya.
"What is wrong Kenshin?" Hanya asked concerned.
"Just take Kaoru and go, please."
Hanya nodded and left the grounds immediately with Kaoru lying lifeless in his arms.
Kenshin stood up and stared at the man who was responsive for everything that had happened thus far.
His eyes were black as coal and they seemed bottomless filled with anger.
"I guess that I should be thanking you. If it were not for you, I would have never met the woman who taught me to love again."
"Just call me cupid," said Shishio as he removed the disguise.
"May I ask one question?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Why?"
Shishio laughed. "Because you took away two things that I held dear within my life. My title as the greatest swordsman who ever lived and the love of my life."
"Who may that be?" Asked Kenshin.
"Kamatari."
Kenshin was surprised.
"That's right Battousai. You took away Kamatari. Before you came into our lives, Kamatari and I were doing just perfectly. We were both in love and things could not be any happier. Then you came that day, and you had to save her. Once you did that, she was lost to me. She was the strongest and bravest woman that I had ever met. For that, you will die. I tried to become a better swordsman just like you. I tried to become a manslayer like you as well, but it did not work. She still loved you."
"How sad and utterly pathetic. Are you telling me that you did all of that just for the love of someone who did not share the same feelings as you did?"
"It's not so pathetic once you think about it. You were willing to die tonight to save the woman you loved."
"Woman being the operative word here," said Kenshin.
"What? Quit talking nonsense and prepare for battle. One of us will not leave here alive today."
Shishio unsheathed his blade and attacked Kenshin who in turn unsheathed his sword as the two warriors battled relentlessly. The battle lasted for close to an hour as each warrior fought non stop until they were both breathing hard from near exhaustion.
"I don't wish to kill you," said Kenshin. "I want to keep you alive for days and torture you in so many ways that you will beg me to keep you alive.
"You wish."
"What I can't understand is why you are so angry with me? I did not ask for this affection. You yourself can see that I am in love with someone else. Believe me when I tell you this. Kamatari is NOT my type."
"Shut up!" Yelled Shishio as he came forward with his sword and tried to deliver a strike.
Aoshi as well as the other members of the Oniwabanshu watched the fight unfold before them. The fight lasted for several minutes as Kenshin fought bravely. Shishio had fallen to the ground without his sword which had been knocked away by Kenshin. Kenshin raised his sword high about to deliver the final blow when he paused.
He heard Kaoru's final words echoing in his ears. "Promise me that no matter what, you won't take another life Kenshin?"
"I promise! Kaoru," he said as he lowered his sword.
"I will let the law officers take care of you," he said as he turned to walk away.
He felt movement behind him as something alarmed his senses as a knife flew by his left cheek and entered into Shishio's jugular. Kenshin turned to see the look on Shishio's face to be that of total and complete shock, and then he fell backwards and died.
Kenshin immediately turned back around quickly to see a man in black some distance away from him. He seemed to be familiar to him, but Kenshin did not question it since his senses told him that he had nothing to fear from the man. He thanked the gentleman with his eyes and slowly walked back towards the mansion.
He did not know what he should do. Everything that he had held dear was now gone. He felt hollow and empty inside. He wanted to just give up right there, lie down in the grass and die. Kaoru was dead. His life, his soul, his love was gone and she was never coming back.
*************** *************** *************** ********************* **********************
That was the last chapter guys. I hope it was not too depressing. But, don't fret, the Epilogue has not been finished yet. It should be up sometime later this week. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU 100 TIMES INFINITY for all of your reviews. They mean a lot to me. Honestly. Thanks.
Shady!!!
/ / / /CHAPTER TEN / / / / / /END GAME / / / / /
Kenshin saw his whole world shatter as Kaoru fell forward to the ground. He tried to use his god like speed to reach her but he was frozen. His feet would not move. It seemed as if his whole world has suddenly come to screeching halt. Everything seemed to have happened in slow motion and he was powerless to stop it. His whole body was filled with awful terror. He incoherently saw flashes of light explosions in front of him. Something grazed his cheek and then he felt himself falling towards the ground. His insides screamed with glut wrenching pain.
The last thing he remembered uttering before he hit the ground was not again!
Please God! Not again!!
********** *********** *********** ************* *********** *********** ************ ******
Aoshi saw Kaoru hit the soft grass and immediately sprung into action. He ran towards Misao and quickly pushed her onto the ground and covered her with his own body as shots ran out. Misao was screaming underneath him for her brother and Kaoru. He looked around frantically trying to pinpoint the rapid gunfire. People were screaming and running hysterically everywhere. He looked for Kenshin and saw him still standing where he was before Kaoru fell forward. The look on his face unnerved Aoshi. He knew what Kenshin was remembering. He silently prayed that Kaoru was still alive. He yelled to Kenshin to duck and take cover just before a bullet grazed his cheek. He saw Hanya out of the corner of his eye running towards Kenshin and knocking him to ground for cover.
Aoshi sighed relief and tried again to pinpoint the gunfire as bullets hit the ground around him. As quickly as it started it stopped and dozens of people lay unmoving on the ground around them. Misao stopped screaming and moving underneath him as he strained to listen.
He heard her ask him if he was alright to which he nodded and then she asked about her brother to which he replied was fine. When she asked about Kaoru he did not answer her. ************* ************* *************** **************** **************** **************
Kenshin had finally snapped out of bewilderment and immediately tried to crawl towards Kaoru before a spray of bullets engulfed her body.
The ground seemed to have knocked some sense into him-as well as Hanya. He faintly heard Hanya yelling at him and then a sharp slap across his face which brought him back to reality. He crawled towards Kaoru immediately as bullets hit the ground surrounding her body. He stopped and backed off. Who ever was doing this would suffer greatly.
He could hear laughter in the background as a man suddenly came into view. He was wearing an all black haori and pants as he came forward stopping some distance away from Kaoru.
Kenshin would have normally been shocked but due to the circumstances he was not. Kenshin looked at the man before him as his eyes narrowed menacingly and turned dark amber.
"Don't worry Battousai. Do you honestly think that I would kill something that I have yet to have sampled? She will be fine. I have only knocked her unconscious with a tranquilizer dart."
Kenshin tried again to reach Kaoru all the while keeping his eyes on the man in front of him.
Again bullets sprayed the ground between them.
"No, no no," said the man tsking. "I said that I was not trying to kill her, but you on the other hand I have no qualms about killing. In fact, you are the reason why my fiancée was taken away from me in the first place. I came here to reclaim what is and what will always be mine," he said bitterly.
It was then that Aoshi had recognized who the man in black was. He knew that he had seen him before. It was Masayo.
"She's beautiful, is she not?" He asked Kenshin.
"I thought so the moment that I first laid eyes on her. Of course she was only six then, but I knew that I had to have her," he said as he walked forward and kneeled beside her limp body. He reached out to touch her face which caused a volatile reaction in Kenshin.
"Don't you dare touch her!!" Kenshin yelled to Masayo.
Masayo snarled angrily and slapped Kaoru across her face.
"You impudent bastard!! Don't tell me what I can and can not touch!! I will do as I please! Especially with something that belongs to me!"
As quickly as his anger came, it dissipated and Masayo appeared to be calm once again.
"From your reaction I take it that you care for her deeply. I know that you have sampled her. Although I can't blame you I must kill you and her. "
Masayo affectionately touched her face tracing the redness of the slap that he had just delivered.
"How unfortunate. I really thought that she would be the one who would make me settle down."
Kenshin was filled with so much rage. Once he got his hands on Masayo he would tear him from limb to limb. But first he must find out where the gun fire was coming from and terminate it. He could not reach Kaoru or Masayo if the gattling gun kept interfering. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aoshi and Misao crawling towards the mansion. He would try to keep Masayo's attention focused on him.
"Don't worry samurai! You won't be alone in the afterlife for long. She will be joining you once I have finished with her. A woman so tainted can not become the wife of Masayo Takanaka!"
Masayo looked down at Kaoru's unconscious body with longing. "I can't wait to taste the pleasures of her supple body!"
"Why?" Asked Kenshin between gritted teeth. He would die before he would let this man place his dirty hands on HIS Kaoru.
Masayo seemed to be taken a back by his question. "Why?! Because I can! You took something that belonged to ME! The penalty is death!"
"You stupid bastard. That's not what I was asking you," said Kenshin with deadly calm. "I want to know why you waited until tonight for your attack."
"My men and I have just tracked you to this area. When I learned of the celebration that was being held, I knew that it had to be tonight. Your guard would be let down."
"Are you not working with anyone else?" Asked Kenshin.
Masayo seemed to be surprised again. "Hell no! I work alone! I don't need help from anyone nor am I anyone's funky. I am going to make you pay for this!"
"So, you are saying that you are not working with anyone and that you did not kill the three top ranking officials nor did you send two samurai warriors to assassinate me?" Asked Kenshin.
"What is the matter with you? I told you no! Now quit procrastinating. It is now time for you to be terminated.
************ ************* ************* *************** ************** *************** Once Aoshi saw the man appear next to Kaoru's unconscious body recognition dawned on him. The bastard had been in attendance at the party the whole time and they had not known. Aoshi knew that he had seen the man before, but did not recognize where. He remembered doing some reconnaissance work while visiting the area where Masayo's mansion was located. He had come across the man in a bar. The man had severely beaten one of the prostitutes in the establishment and was boasting it to the men who were in the bar. It sickened him. It took everything that he had to not kill the man then and there, but he did not wish to draw attention to himself nor did he wish to get involved.
He should have.
Maybe if he had eliminated the problem then, this would not be happening right now. Aoshi silently prayed that Kenshin would keep the man's attention focused on him while he made it silently to the mansion so that he could spot the operator of the gattling gun.
Aoshi whispered to Misao to be quiet and to follow his lead to the mansion.
******** ********* ************** ************ ****************** ********************
"Goodbye Samurai," said Masayo as he motioned with his hand for the hidden rifleman to kill Kenshin.
Kenshin was prepared to use his God like speed to evade the bullets but when nothing happened he assumed that Aoshi had taken care of it for him.
Masayo seemed to get nervous. He motioned again with his hand and when nothing happened, Kenshin smiled.
Kenshin stood up gracefully and immediately went into a battle stance.
"I'll tell you what Masayo. How about you and me fight for Kaoru?" He said confidently.
Masayo snarled and then he dropped suddenly to the ground where Kaoru lay and placed a dagger to her throat.
"Back off, or I will kill her! She belongs to me! No one will have her!"
"You had better kill yourself, because I can guarantee you that I will not be merciful."
Kenshin senses were sending him out warning and danger signs everywhere. Signs that he had ignored earlier. There was someone else there, but he could not determine who. He quickly shut himself off and focused solely on Kaoru. He knew that Masayo would do it. He would kill Kaoru. He had to do something and do something quick.
Instincts took over and before he knew it, he had sent one of his swords into Masayo's heart, killing him instantly. The man fell down beside Kaoru and Kenshin immediately ran towards her and lifted her from the ground.
He removed the dart from her neck and pressed his finger tips to the base of her jugular. He slowly opened her eyes and stared up at him as if waking from some sort of a dream.
"Kenshin?" she asked groggily. "What happened? Did I drink too much sake again?"
"No Kaoru," he laughed. Relieved that she was ok.
He sat there on the grounds holding her within his embrace happy that she was alright.
He knew that it was not over. Someone was still there. He could feel it. The someone that he had felt earlier that night but had shrugged it off. The someone who had betrayed him. The someone who at that very moment would more than likely take advantage of the situation. He looked around frantically searching for the culprit. Masayo had surly given him a cover to fall under for an open attack.
He looked around and saw Hanya checking the villagers who were in attendance for the party that were now getting up from the ground. It seems that the Oniwabanshu members had protected everyone so no one was seriously hurt. He sighed in relief.
He immediately picked up Kaoru and started for the mansion trying to get her out of harm's way when an old gentleman staggered close to him asking for assistance and fell on Kaoru while she was resting in his arms.
Kaoru gasped as the old gentleman stood back. Kenshin started to ask the old gentleman if he was ok when he felt something wet on his fingers. He immediately sat Kaoru down and saw that his hands and her back were covered with blood.
Panic seized him again.
"Kenshin? She asked gasping for breath.
"Kaoru? He tried to turn her over to check her wound but she cried out in pain causing his heart to constrict violently.
Tears blurred his vision as he looked down at the love of his life in his arms. Everything was going to be ok. He had defeated Masayo and now everything was going to be alright. Right?
"Kenshin, I was going to tell you something important tonight."
"Shhh, don't speak. You need your rest," he said as he took off his haori and placed it under the wound in her upper back.
"I love you Kenshin. I'm sorry that I did not tell you sooner. I'm sorry that I got angry with you, please forgive me?" She stated as she coughed.
"There's nothing to apologize for," he winced when he saw a sputter of blood from her cough land on her lips. "I am the one who should be apologizing. I would have never gotten you involved if I had known that things would have turned out this way. This is all my fault."
"Don't," she said weakly placing her porcelain fingers to his lips.
She was so beautiful, he thought. He began to think about the first time he saw her.
"Kaoru, will you marry me?"
Kaoru felt overjoyed. Kenshin had asked her to marry him.
"Yes!" she said as she started to cough again. "Yes, I will marry you Kenshin Himura."
"I love you," he said as tears overflowed from his eyes and cascaded down his cheeks to fall onto her face as he held her close.
"Promise me, that you won't kill anymore. Please. I see what it does to you. Each and every time it takes something away. Promise me that no matter what, you won't take another life Kenshin?"
"Yes, anything Kaoru, just don't leave me. I don't think that I could make it without you."
Kaoru smiled up at Kenshin and ran her hand through his hair. "Like silk," she said as her eyes closed and her hand fell away.
"Kaoru!" Yelled Kenshin in agony.
"Kaoru!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He screamed as he held her tighter in his arms sobbing. His greatest nightmare had come true again.
Misao and Aoshi had arrived back on the grounds as Kenshin continued to scream in agony. The sound hurt Aoshi's soul. Misao immediately started to scream as well as Aoshi grabbed her and held her tight in his arms.
Kenshin immediately became aware of his surroundings again. Hanya was standing close to him some feet away and Kaoru's killer was also in the disguise of an old man.
"Hanya? Please take Kaoru inside to safety," he said handing over Kaoru to Hanya.
"What is wrong Kenshin?" Hanya asked concerned.
"Just take Kaoru and go, please."
Hanya nodded and left the grounds immediately with Kaoru lying lifeless in his arms.
Kenshin stood up and stared at the man who was responsive for everything that had happened thus far.
His eyes were black as coal and they seemed bottomless filled with anger.
"I guess that I should be thanking you. If it were not for you, I would have never met the woman who taught me to love again."
"Just call me cupid," said Shishio as he removed the disguise.
"May I ask one question?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Why?"
Shishio laughed. "Because you took away two things that I held dear within my life. My title as the greatest swordsman who ever lived and the love of my life."
"Who may that be?" Asked Kenshin.
"Kamatari."
Kenshin was surprised.
"That's right Battousai. You took away Kamatari. Before you came into our lives, Kamatari and I were doing just perfectly. We were both in love and things could not be any happier. Then you came that day, and you had to save her. Once you did that, she was lost to me. She was the strongest and bravest woman that I had ever met. For that, you will die. I tried to become a better swordsman just like you. I tried to become a manslayer like you as well, but it did not work. She still loved you."
"How sad and utterly pathetic. Are you telling me that you did all of that just for the love of someone who did not share the same feelings as you did?"
"It's not so pathetic once you think about it. You were willing to die tonight to save the woman you loved."
"Woman being the operative word here," said Kenshin.
"What? Quit talking nonsense and prepare for battle. One of us will not leave here alive today."
Shishio unsheathed his blade and attacked Kenshin who in turn unsheathed his sword as the two warriors battled relentlessly. The battle lasted for close to an hour as each warrior fought non stop until they were both breathing hard from near exhaustion.
"I don't wish to kill you," said Kenshin. "I want to keep you alive for days and torture you in so many ways that you will beg me to keep you alive.
"You wish."
"What I can't understand is why you are so angry with me? I did not ask for this affection. You yourself can see that I am in love with someone else. Believe me when I tell you this. Kamatari is NOT my type."
"Shut up!" Yelled Shishio as he came forward with his sword and tried to deliver a strike.
Aoshi as well as the other members of the Oniwabanshu watched the fight unfold before them. The fight lasted for several minutes as Kenshin fought bravely. Shishio had fallen to the ground without his sword which had been knocked away by Kenshin. Kenshin raised his sword high about to deliver the final blow when he paused.
He heard Kaoru's final words echoing in his ears. "Promise me that no matter what, you won't take another life Kenshin?"
"I promise! Kaoru," he said as he lowered his sword.
"I will let the law officers take care of you," he said as he turned to walk away.
He felt movement behind him as something alarmed his senses as a knife flew by his left cheek and entered into Shishio's jugular. Kenshin turned to see the look on Shishio's face to be that of total and complete shock, and then he fell backwards and died.
Kenshin immediately turned back around quickly to see a man in black some distance away from him. He seemed to be familiar to him, but Kenshin did not question it since his senses told him that he had nothing to fear from the man. He thanked the gentleman with his eyes and slowly walked back towards the mansion.
He did not know what he should do. Everything that he had held dear was now gone. He felt hollow and empty inside. He wanted to just give up right there, lie down in the grass and die. Kaoru was dead. His life, his soul, his love was gone and she was never coming back.
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That was the last chapter guys. I hope it was not too depressing. But, don't fret, the Epilogue has not been finished yet. It should be up sometime later this week. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU 100 TIMES INFINITY for all of your reviews. They mean a lot to me. Honestly. Thanks.
Shady!!!