Chapter 15: Never


"Here," Kaoru said as she lay down a tray full of cups of tea on the walkway. "Everyone drink up!" She tried to sound cheerful, but the heavy atmosphere quickly put out her strained happiness as the Kenshin-gumi silently took the cups of tea. Only the sounds of the cloud-darkened night were heard over the sound of drinking.

The screen door behind them slid open, revealing a worn Megumi. No one said anything as she sat down and made herself comfortable, taking a cup of tea and sipping it silently.

"Well?" Sano asked impatiently, irritated by the mounting tension. Megumi sighed heavily, then put her cup on her lap, giving it a forlorn look as she refused to look Sanosuke in the eye.

"I was able to get all of the bullets out of her body," she began, focusing on the reflection of herself in the murky green water. "They were all in her abdomen and chest, and two of them damaged her lungs and one damaged her kidney." She closed her eyes, knitting her eyebrows together. "There is internal bleeding that I cannot stop. I'm not sure how long she'll last, but it won't be more than tonight." A thick layer of realization smothered them as the severity of her words sunk in.

Kyouri was going to die.

"Megumi-dono," Kenshin said faintly. "Is there nothing you can do?"

"Even if I was at the clinic, with more resources, there would be nothing I could do. All I am able to do now is numb the pain." Megumi spoke in an emotionless doctor's voice, but hung her head sadly. "I'm sorry."

She reached into her sleeve and pulled something out, then held it out for Sanosuke. "Here," she said, her dark brown eyes giving him a melancholy look. He didn't answer, but reached out and let whatever was in her hand drop into his own.

He looked into his palm, seeing dark pieces of what seemed to have been a round stone.

"It was her necklace," Megumi said, this time her voice filled with sadness, "It was able to deflect one of the bullets. If not for that, her death would've been instant."

It couldn't be her necklace; he remembered what it looked like. It had been a deep red, sparkling with gold in the sunlight as he had held it in his hands so long ago. These pieces of rock were brown, almost black, completely lifeless.

"She's going to die," he stated to no one in particular, already aware of the answer. Megumi nodded as Kaoru held back a sob and Kenshin and Yahiko gazed at the ground dejectedly.

Sanosuke stood up, then walked into the room without a word. No one tried to stop him, no one tried to console him.

Only Kyouri could comfort him at that time, and she was lying unconscious in a futon behind them.


"I don't get it," he muttered angrily, slouching down in a corner of the room, "Damn it, Kyouri, help me out here."

He gazed at her motionless form before him, as if expecting her to open her jade green eyes all of a sudden and get up to explain everything to him.

Explain why she had left him, why she had lied to him, and why she had tried to hurt him.

And to explain why she had saved him.

He shifted forward, so that he was closer to her. He could still smell her usual smell, bringing back bittersweet memories that caused him pain and happiness. Her soft brown hair was strewn over the futon, glinting even now in the soft light of the lantern in the corner of the room. He could barely make out her slow breaths, her pale lips parted and face almost white with the loss of blood.

He clenched his fist tightly around the pieces of stone, hanging his head as tears spotted the ground beneath him.


"He still hasn't come out?" Megumi asked, walking up to the group sitting lamely in the practice hall, Kaoru and Yahiko dressed for training but neither doing anything. Kenshin shook his head forlornly, referring to Sanosuke, who had refused to leave Kyouri's room until she passed away.

"He didn't even eat anything we brought from the Akabeko," Kaoru sighed dejectedly. "He hasn't moved since last night."

"Megumi-dono, just how much longer does she have?" Kenshin asked.

Megumi sighed and shook her head, "Honestly, I have no idea. It's a wonder that she's survived so long." She looked outside and noted the setting sun. "But whatever's been holding her to this world is bound to break soon."


I'm floating…

There was nothing but darkness, her brown hair fluttering around her as she barely acknowledged her presence.

Am I dying?

She couldn't move her body, her fingers, her eyes; it was as if every part of her being, except for her mind, had been paralyzed.

I wonder where I'll go.

She recalled the angry faces of her victims, all glaring at her from across the Sanzu River (a.k.a. River Styx), waiting for her so they could drag her soul down to hell.

That's right, I'll be going there…

Hell couldn't be so bad. How worse could it be than her living hell on earth?

Already on Earth she had experienced the loss of the one man she loved, but at least now she could pass on to the other world knowing he was still alive.

Even as these thoughts crossed her mind, she noted the heavy feeling that was starting to spread from her stomach. It felt as if lead had been pumped into her and was now part of her blood, making its way to every inch of her body. She could feel it as it slowly traveled upwards, as it finally reached her head.

She took in a deep breath, and plummeted to the ground.


Bright green eyes snapped open suddenly, a deep breath entering the body as sweat formed on the forehead. They attempted to focus on whatever was ahead, and soon they could make out an off-white ceiling.

She lay there, taking in soft but panicked breaths as color returned to her cheeks and feeling to her numb body.

After a few minutes of lying there, barely becoming aware of herself, she sat up, reaching up gingerly to touch her face with her fingertips.

I'm… alive?

She looked up, studying the room in front of her, feeling the futon with her other hand as her heart pounded in her chest.

She was in the dojo.

And that meant he was somewhere nearby.

She clenched her fist and shut her eyes.

She had to get out. Now.

She stood up suddenly, ignoring the lightheaded feeling that came with the rush of blood to her head, as she vaguely realized the door was to her right. She went to open it, when a voice stopped her.

"Running away again, Kyouri?"

A trickle of sweat ran down her face as her hand began to shake. She looked back slowly to see a pair of golden brown eyes glinting in the half light.

He stood up, suppressing the disbelief that had consumed him ever since he watched her open her eyes.

She was alive.

"You should lie down," he said, his voice blank to mask the storm of emotions within him. "You're still recuperating."

She was silent, her hand still poised to open the door as she stared at him with wide green eyes. After a few minutes she closed them slowly, having had her fill of his presence and acknowledging her situation.

"I'm leaving," she stated, and without another word she flung the door open and stepped out. The sun had set only a while ago, seeing as the sky and scattered clouds were still tinted with gold and red. She clenched her fist, setting herself to leave this heartache once and for all.

"Where to?" Sanosuke asked, stepping up behind her.

"Back," she simply answered. She shot a sharp look at him, "Don't try to stop me."

He stared back at her sternly, clenching his fists as well, "At least explain to me why this is happening."

"That would be a waste of my breath."

"Why are you doing this?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"I would if you would tell me."

"You have never understood."

"I have always understood you!" he exclaimed as emotion mounted within him.

"Don't be so pretentious!" she shot back.

"We've known each other since we were kids! We were always able to talk! Why not now!"

She was silent, gazing at him with her vivid green eyes, "You have never known me."

He took in a deep breath, loosening his grip as he knit his eyebrows, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"The person you thought you knew never existed," she continued. "It's time for you to let go."

"Is that why you left me?" The question lingered in the air, unexpected by either of them, even Sanosuke.

She clenched her teeth, suppressing everything within her, "I left you because it was necessary."

"Necessary to take up a job as a killer?"

"Necessary to--!" She stopped herself, unwilling to let him know that everything she had been doing was for him.

"Sanosuke?" a surprised voice said. "Kyouri?" The rest of the Kenshin-gumi was standing before them, all staring at the couple with wide eyes.

"You're… you're alive!" Kaoru exclaimed happily, tears welling in her eyes. Kenshin and Megumi were smiling as well, though a look of disbelief was visible under their happiness. Yahiko was looking at Kyouri with a baffled expression, his disbelief more visible than his happiness.

All their looks of relief, all of their delight at her being alive… it hurt her heart as much as Sanosuke's questions.

She looked away from them, looked away from her friends' faces so they wouldn't notice the sadness in her own.

"I already said I was leaving," Kyouri said, turning away from them. She glanced at the group, "Don't try to stop me." She jumped down to the ground, then put on her shoes. Sano scowled angrily, then went into her room. A second later he emerged, the large naginata in his hands.

"Aren't you forgetting your weapon, assassin?" he spat, throwing it at Kyouri. She caught it with one hand, refusing to look at his angry face.

"Thank you, Sagara-san," she responded flatly.

"At least answer me one question before you leave," Sanosuke growled as she turned. "Why did you save me?" She stopped, knowing the answer was simple enough that she could utter it in a few words, but did not dare open her mouth for fear of letting those words slip out.

Because I love you.

She began to walk forward again, ignoring his request.

"Hey!" Sanosuke exclaimed angrily. "I said answer me!" She didn't, but kept heading to the gate. "KYOURI!" He ran forward and grabbed her wrist. Her reflexes kicked in automatically, and she spun around and kicked him squarely in the chest.

He flew back and hit the walkway with a nasty thud, slumping down so he had to support himself on a beam as he breathed with a pained expression.

Her eyes widened as her body began to shake. Why had she hurt him?

"Is--is that how this is?" Sanosuke groaned as he struggled to stand up straight. "Everything you ever said to me was a lie? The person I thought you were never existed? Are you really this killer?" She didn't answer, but attempted to swallow the large lump in her throat.

"Never try to attack a trained assassin from behind," a voice suddenly said. "Unless you want to die or experience pain, as you just did." Everyone's gaze shifted to the yard behind Kyouri as she continued to stare forward, already knowing to whom the voice belonged. She turned slowly, facing a young woman who was cloaked in a white cloth wrapped around her head and shoulders.

Kenshin stared at the young woman that had appeared so suddenly, dressed in such exotic garb--what looked like a tunic and sandals that tied all the way up to her shins--wondering where she came from. Not only that, but why he hadn't been able to sense her until now?

"What are you doing here, Say?" Kyouri asked, frowning at the girl.

"I'm here to fetch you, of course," Say responded, her eyes, her only visible feature, narrowing.

"I would've come back on my own," Kyouri growled. "Wasting time to get me was completely unnecessary."

"Forgive me," Say replied, sarcasm coating her voice, "But they were direct orders from Father."

"What?"

"Finish Kyouri's assignment and bring her back--that's my mission for tonight."

"You finished my assignment?" Kyouri asked, furrowing her brow.

"The old man wasn't that difficult to track down," Say shrugged. "I found him buying a ticket for a boat headed for the continent."

Kenshin tightened his grip on the hilt of his sakabatou as he felt air around him tense.

"Fine," Kyouri stated. "I'm ready to leave, lead the way." Say didn't move, giving Kyouri a strange look from under her cloak.

"I didn't tell you the last part of my mission," Say said dully. Kyouri arched an eyebrow as Say continued, "It was to punish Kyouri for her disobedience and incompetence."

This time it was Kyouri who felt herself tense, "What?"

"He wants me to kill the master and student of this dojo," Say finished.

"Like hell you will!" Sanosuke exclaimed, jumping forward and drawing back his fist. He was stopped, however, as Kyouri outstretched her arm in front of him. He looked at her face, and saw an expression of pure conviction in her eyes.

"Over my dead body," she hissed at Say.

"Don't say things like that," Say replied languidly, reaching up and putting her hand on the hilt of a sword strapped to her back. "I'd hate for them to come true."


Note: I'm not that sad that Kyuuso died, he ticked me off. I honestly didn't expect him to come out so… freaky.

So Say and Kyouri have to fight now, and… yeah… I'm not gonna say anything for fear of giving anything away (-clamps mouth shut-). I hope Kyouri's "revival" wasn't too sudden or anything, and I wonder if you're all confused. Don't worry, tho', as it will all be explained in due time. For those of you who have seen/read InuYasha, you should already know the reason (-wink wink-).

I have a very happy announcement, so I'm putting it in bold!

I've updated my other RuroKen fic! Yup, that's right, I have another RK fic! The only thing is that it's about Enishi and an OC (I -heart- OC's), and it's set after the Jinchuu ark (for those of you who haven't read it, sucks for you!). Also, Sanosuke's not in it, since he's gallivanting around Mongolia or something at that time (-sadness-). Still, I kinda like that fic, and I'd appreciate it much if you would check it out! If you at least partially enjoy this fic, I don't see why you wouldn't enjoy my other fic!

You guys may be wondering why I wasted time putting such a petty fact in bold (I updated, whoo hoo -twirls finger-), but it really is a big deal since that fic hadn't been updated since FOREVER!

So, ya, I have no shame and happily patronize my fics every chance I get.

Reviewer Responses:

WhiteRabbit5: Yah, maybe the Sano Kenshin switch was a little lame, but I couldn't think of anything else (gomen). Of COURSE I read HP! JULY 16! WOOT! Well, I think Kenshin would at least be a little peeved if someone was flirting with Kaoru, even if he would hide it. And, yes, I am very lucky to have reviewers like you guys (-hugs!-).

FairyMage: I absolutely loathe the english translations, and prefer to ignore the anime most of the time since I don't have the resources to watch it with subtitles. I prefer manga, anyway, though that may be considered blasphemy to many (tho' I have to admit some shows are waaay better as anime and should never become manga). Gomen, this may be considered out of place in this fic, but what did you think of my Enishi fic? You didn't leave any remarks at all, and I was kind of put out… Oh well! (-huggles FairyMage anyway-).

KT Kyouko: Hoh hoh hoh, you don't want to eat me! Why eat me when you can have this delicious hamster? (-throws Hamtaro in hopes you chase after him and forget about sessha-). Yes, blue eyes are better and much more prettier on Ken-san (-snuggles Ken-san-).

Rayne-chan: And da chapter ends for today! (-bows-)

OmasuOniwabanshu: I think I may forget to explain this later in the fic, so I may as well do it now since you're the only one that asked. I guess Kyouri did overpower Kenshin with her aura, and I tried to make it seem like more of a human instinct type thing to be scared. I mean, aren't all human's scared of demons? (well, at least the normal ones?). Oh well, it was mostly me trying to find an excuse for Kyouri to fight Sano (-shrug-). Ugh, good luck with the writer's block. My condolences (-nod nod-).

Kumori-hime: And welcome to a new reviewer! I already told you all I needed to say (like that you're crazy), and I hope you've gotten to the kiss kiss part (-wink-).

I HAVE OVER 100 REVIEWS NOW! HAPPY MEEEEEE!

As insignificant as this achievement may seem to all of you well established authors, I'm practically floating on air!

LEAVE ME MORE! XD

Oh, and my trip to Mexico was so kick ass. Check out my blog (now set up as my homepage on my profile) if you want to know more about it, or if you're just really bored and have nothing better to waste your time on. (-grin!-)