Chapter 20: The Blood of a Father
'Put him down…" she hissed again, though this time the intensity of her voice was supported by a wave of energy filled with hatred.

Kenshin's gaze shifted from those dangerous red eyes to the face of her uncle; he was looking, for the first time, stoically at his niece, still holding the limp form of Sanosuke by the arm.

Without a word the demon lord dropped the blood soaked street fighter to the ground, stepping over him and towards Kyouri.

"Kenshin," the cold voice said, and he realized she was speaking to him, even though her gaze was still pinned on the demon before her. "Pick him up." The slate green slitted eyes turned to look at him, as cold and frightening as ever before. "Keep him safe."

Kenshin nodded, gulping down a large lump in his throat. He eyed the demon rather warilyfor a second, then ran towards Sanosuke as quickly as he could. He isn't moving… Kenshin worried as he reached Sanosuke. He gazed down at his friend, in awe of the sheer damage and carnage the demon lord had managed to make out of just one body. He might have been able to believe it wasn't really Sanosuke laying on the ground, half of his face raw and deformed and his white clothes crimson red with his own blood, if it weren't for the one eye that was open and gazing at him painfully.

"K-ken…" he gasped in a gargled voice.

"Don't say anything, Sano," Kenshin replied quietly as he bent down and picked him up, trying not to cause too much discomfort to his friend. "Kyouri's okay now, and we'll get Megumi-dono to take care of you soon." He was saying this not only for the battered street fighter, but for himself as well. "Just hang on."

"Ky-kyouri…" Sano gasped, just as his head hung down and he slipped out of consciousness. Kenshin reached a point in the yard as far away from the two demons as possible. He set Sanosuke down gingerly, then stared at Kyouri.

Win.

-

"Hello, what's this?" the demon sneered with a tight smile. "My little hanyou smells like a nekoyoukai! cat demon" He lowered his head slightly, glaring at her with his smile still in place. "Just what have you done, Kyouri?"

She responded by letting a low sound of anger escape her lips. He felt another wave of energy press him, and realized her whole body was steaming.

The blood soaked gash in her shoulder seemed to tighten for a moment, then came together and healed completely, leaving no trace but the shed blood and torn clothes. Every other part of her body reacted the same, each injury hissing with energy then closing up as if it had never been there.

After a minute she was standing before him, completely whole and well.

"Are we going to have to do this all over again?" he sneered, tilting his head to the side. He licked his lips once, taking pleasure in remembering the look on her face just a few minutes ago. "Fine."

This time he charged first, eager to draw blood once again, especially after seeing all his beautiful gashes cleared away. His pointed hand fell, poison running to the tips of his fingers in hopes of meeting with flesh.

Instead, they met hard ground.

She had shifted to the side at the last moment with shocking speed, then completely ignored his puzzled face as she slammed a clawed hand into the side of his face.

He flew back, feeling his blood wet his shoulder as it poured out of the wound on his cheek. He flipped, landing upright and glaring at the hanyou as his face burned.

He touched it with the tips of his clawed fingers, feeling wet and hot black blood for the first time in a century.

"Congratulations, little hanyou," he snapped, all the sarcasm and ironic cheer gone from his voice. "You've managed to piss me off."

A smirk tugged at her lips, but she didn't respond. Instead, she was flying at him as a feral battle roar rose from her throat, both hands glowing red with immense heat.

He dodged her first attack, but she was ready with another. He felt iron hot claws swipe through his yukata and into his chest, grazing him but nonetheless causing him pain.

He hated pain.

Before he could respond with an acidic swipe of his own, she was slamming her knee into his gut, then clawing at his arms with inch long and red hot claws.

By the time he was able to get away, both his sleeves were in tatters and his dark blood was hurrying to heal his wounds. The burning energy of the attacks, however, seemed to retard the healing process and blood ran down his arms.

"I said I was going to kill you," she hissed, grinning bitterly, "I'm going to keep my promise, Uncle."

Cracking her knuckles threateningly, she charged again.

-

"Dammit," Kenshin cursed, ripping the sleeve off his gi and applying it to Sano's bleeding gut. "Come on, Sano, stay with me."

The street fighter had been losing copious amounts of blood, a small river of red flowing from his body. Kenshin was trying with all his might to stem the flow of blood.

His efforts appeared to be in vain, however, since Sano's main wound went all the way through his body.

Kenshin gritted his teeth, feeling a sense of hopelessness and frustrated anger well up inside of him. He looked at Sano's face, noting that the side that was still whole was getting paler and paler.

"Come on, Kyouri," Kenshin muttered, clenching his fist. "He doesn't have much longer…"

-

"What's happening?" Aisu cried, clutching her sister Uneri in terror. "I don't understand…"

Uneri was also sniveling in fear, her wide blue eyes mirroring what was happening below in the courtyard.

"I…I don't know…" Rei muttered, her attention wholly on the fight. "Everything's changed…"

"Rei-nee-san," Uneri whimpered, "I'm so scared."

"Calm down!" Rei snapped, locking an eye on them as she tried to keep the other on the battle, "You're supposed to be demons! High blooded demons! Don't be scared!"

"B-but…" Aisu replied quietly, "She's so scary…"

Rei looked down at the courtyard, watching Kyouri make child's play out of her father. She could see flashes of the blood red eyes as Kyouri moved swiftly around the demon, submitting harsh and fiery blows to him.

Rei gave an involuntary shiver.

She was scary.

-

She jumped back, landing softly on her feet as he slowly gave way. For the first time he was on his knees, looking at the red covered ground beneath him with wide and shocked eyes.

"Don't tell me you're done already," the cold voice of Kyouri hissed at him mockingly. "I'm barely beginning to enjoy myself."

"Bitch," he growled, glaring up at her with all the intensity he could manage. She didn't shrink back, however, as he expected her to, but simply gazed back at him with indifferent cold eyes.

"You can't scare me, not anymore," she said softly. "You've lost your grip on me."

"DIE!" he yelled, charging forward. He landed a solid hit on her stomach, and was almost ready to congratulate himself before he realized she was grinning up at him.

"I was just about to say that," she smirked. She gripped the wrist of the arm that was lodged in her stomach, anchoring it so he couldn't move as she grabbed his other arm.

He squirmed as he tried to release himself from her grasp, feeling panic well up inside of him.

He was scared for his life. Still, he knew he still had pieces to play.

"Kyouri," he whispered hoarsely, feeling a sharp pain in his chest from his injuries. "Kyouri, listen to me."

She didn't respond, but merely gazed at him intently, as if waiting for him to continue but treating him like a waste of time.

A small grin flickered onto his features, "Are you really going to kill me?"

"Yes," she replied easily.

He faltered slightly, but quickly composed himself, "Will you end my life now?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you deserve to die."

"Why?"

"Because you have hurt so many others."

"Who have I hurt?"

"My father, my cousins, my friends. Me."

"Why do you think I did that?"

"Because you're evil."

"Because I wanted power."

"I will make you lose that power."

"What are you doing now?"

"Ending your regime."

"And how are you doing that?"

"By killing you."

"No, by using your own power against mine." His smile grew a bit larger. She said nothing, gazing at him indifferently. "How do you think you got that power?"

She looked at him silently, her face unreadable.

"Do you think the power you have is any different than mine?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because…" she faltered, her eyes showing a hint of reluctance and doubt.

"Because you didn't kill others? Because your power is your own?"

"Yes."

"You have killed." He felt her grip tighten on his arms, and knew that she was really listening now. "Look at that pathetic heap laying in the corner of the yard. I'm sure you can smell what I smell, being the demon of immense power that you are. Tell me, Kyouri, can your nose pick up what mine can so easily detect?"

She didn't reply, but her mask was falling slightly, so he could see a storm of emotions within her red eyes.

"Death, Kyouri. I smell death." He was grinning fully now, feeling the old sense of power returning to him. "That human is dying. Can't you see the flow of his life escaping him? Can't you see the futility of the human beside him, trying to quell the river? Why do you think he's dying?"

She was frowning now, easily uncomfortable.

"Because he loves you."

She began to tremble slightly, trying to regain the control she once had over herself.

"Do you understand? All that blood he is shedding fuels this power you have. You are no different than me." He grinned. "Your strength is as blood soaked as mine."

"Silence," she hissed, and, without another word, great flames erupted from her hands, engulfing the figure before her. "Die."

"You may delude yourself, Kyouri!" he laughed, even as the great fire consumed him, "But you know and feel the truth, as do I! WE ARE THE SAME! YOU ARE WHAT I AM! YOU HAVE KILLED YOUR FATHER AS MUCH AS I HAVE!"

She stepped back, watching the fire grow as she willed it. Still, she could not silence his voice, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she craved silence.

And so he died laughing.

-

He was shaking, teeth gritted together and blue eyes wide open.

She had done it, the demon was dead.

So why did he still feel as if they had been defeated?

He turned away from the limp form of Sanosuke, the street fighter, and looked at Kyouri, the demoness.

She was gazing at the smoldering remains of her uncle with an blank face, streaks of red gracing her cheekbones and blood stained claws at her side.

Would he lose them both?

"Dammit," he cursed yet again. He checked Sanosuke's pulse for the umpteenth time, praying he had made it so he could take him to see Megumi.

He didn't give a damn what Kyouri did now.

She was gone.

He clenched his fist as he drew away his hand from Sanosuke's neck.

And so was he.

Kenshin clutched the hilt of his sakabatou tightly, his knuckles whitening as his eyes burned.

Crunch.

He heard a step directly behind him, and immediately felt the ominous presence of Kyouri.

He spun around, standing up with his hand ready on his hilt. He didn't know what this demon had in mind, but she wasn't getting Sanosuke's remains.

"Kenshin," she whispered. The grip on his hilt loosened, and the sense of fear slipped slowly away.

She was crying.

"I need to give it back," she continued as the tears flowed from her blood red eyes. "Please, let me see him."

Kenshin gulped, but nodded as he stepped away.

"I still have a human heart. I'm too weak to properly control my emotions like full demons should."

She would never hurt him. Not Sanosuke. She loved him.

Kenshin hung his head sadly at the thought. It didn't matter anymore. No matter how much she loved him, no one could bring back the dead.

"Sanosuke," she whispered, kneeling down and tentatively lifting his blood soaked form so his head was resting in her lap. A tear fell onto his face, smudging the dried blood as it ran down his pale cheek. "Sanosuke…" She clutched him tightly, hugging him as she huddled over him, her shoulders shaking. "I'm so sorry…"

Kenshin watched in amazement as the same fire that had consumed the demon lord earlier erupted from her, completely engulfing both demon and human.

Kenshin could no longer see her back or Sanosuke's arms as the fire grew in intensity. It roared and brightened the dark and somber night, warming his face and chest. He didn't understand what was happening. Was she cremating Sanosuke's body? Was she killing herself as well?

The fire died down almost as immediately as it had begun. Kenshin's eyes widened in shock when he realized both figures of Kyouri and Sanosuke were still there. Nothing had changed, however, as Sanosuke was still lying as immobile as before. Kyouri didn't move, still sitting with her back towards Kenshin and Sanosuke's head in her lap.

Kenshin wondered for a moment if he had merely imagined the great flame, running his hand through his bangs.

He turned, ready to go home, to see Kaoru and Yahiko and Megumi, even if he had to tell them the horrible news.

"Kyouri…?" a voice said. Kenshin's head snapped up as he turned abruptly back to the forms of his two friends.

Sanosuke's arm was moving.

"Kyouri? What's wrong?" he heard Sanosuke's voice say. Kenshin ran towards them, stopping at Sanosuke's side and looking incredulously at his body.

All the wounds were gone, only the caked blood remaining.

"Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked in an awe-filled voice. "What's going on? What happened?"

"S-sano?" Kenshin stuttered. "Y-you're alive?"

"What?" Sano looked down at himself, then back up at Kenshin. "Er, yeah, I guess so. Shouldn't I be?"

"O-oro…" Kenshin muttered, falling to one knee in shock.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Sano grinned, sitting up. "Right, Kyouri?"

As he sat up, however, Kyouri fell back. She landed on the ground with a dull thud, just as a thick log or a heavy doll would sound. She wasn't moving, and she hadn't responded at all to what Sanosuke had said.

Her eyes were half open, clear green and white, just as they had been hours before, and a small smile was frozen on her lips.

"Kyouri?" Sano asked, panic in his voice as he made his way to her. "Kyouri? Hey! Come on, answer me!" He propped her up so he was holding her torso, her blank eyes gazing at him. "Kyouri! What's wrong! Kyouri!"

"Sano!" Kenshin warned, motioning to an approaching figure. Sano looked up, his face a mask of panic as he gazed into Rei's electric blue eyes.

"Hmph," Rei snorted, lowering her eyelids haughtily at the three people before her. She examined Sano's face and expression carefully, then Kenshin's wary eyes, and finally Kyouri's limp form and vacant face.

She crossed her arms, frowning at her cousin, then at Sanosuke. "I guess I owe her enough." She began to walk away. "Leave, now."

"OI!" Sano yelled back indignantly. "Tell me what's wrong with Kyouri!"

Rei stopped in her tracks, then pierced Sanosuke with a harsh gaze, "Get out before I change my mind and kill you." Sano said nothing, but continued to glare at the demoness' back.

"Sano," Kenshin said tentatively, "We should get Kyouri to Megumi."

"Yeah," Sano frowned, looking down at Kyouri with worry. He gently closed her eyes with his hand, then scooped her up as he stood. He shifted her in his arms until her head was resting in the crook of his neck and her arms were in her lap.

Without a backwards glance or another word, he turned and began to make his way out of the courtyard, Kenshin following morosely behind.

The fight had ended, but had they truly won?


Notes: I'm sure you're all getting used to cliffhangers by now. And not just ordinary cliffhangers, but cliffhangers that are left unanswered for whole months.

Yep, it's really been a month since I've posted my last chapter.

Honestly, time just flies by. It doesn't feel like a month, but I guess it has been. A lot of the people I've subscribed to haven't updated in a while, so that also has a weird effect on how time passes by for me.

We're all slackers, aren't we?

Well, not all of us, maybe just the 16 year old girls living in Arizona sitting at their computers at 10:00 pm updating their fics after a month's wait.

Yeah, they're total slackers.

I hope all's well for all you readers. Know I love you, each one, because you're all very special….

DON'T LISTEN TO WHAT THEY TELL YOU! YOU'RE JUST SPECIAL, DAMMIT!

Or so my mom says.

Um, yeah, did I mention it was ten o' clock?

LEAVE A REVIEW, AND BE SPECIALLLLL!

Reviewer Responses:

Fairy Mage: I'm sorry if you got mad at me, I really didn't mean anything bad by it! You are an excellent beta, and I'm very sorry that college ate you. I LOVE YOUUUU! DON'T DIE ON MEEEE! I hope you still get some time and enjoyment for and by my fic and all the others you read.

K.T. Youko: Ahh, that's good! The music helped my otherwise lame fight scenes come to life! Whoop! (I honestly don't like writing fight scenes very much, I'm not very creative in that way…). Ahh, it's a shame. Some day I will post a chapter that will be completely error free! Then I will just laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh when I WIN! MWA HA HA! (it's like a game, right? ;) ). Now, did you really think I could kill Sano? Hell no! That'd break my heart too! T.T

White Rabbit 5: DON'T MESS WITH ME, WOMAN! (-fumes-). Naturally I missed you, you've only been reading/reviewing this fic since forever! (no pressure, eh?). It's ok if you stop reading it, but if you read a chapter, then you have to leave a review, ne? (isn't it your philosophy?). I'm glad you liked the fight (I don't like writing fight scenes, I have no creativity for such things!), but I'm glad you liked the conversation with Kaoru and Megumi more. I really wanted to show what I was trying to show in a not too cheesy way, y'know? (gee, I'm so articulate). Anyways, I'm glad it worked. As for the fight scenes, I actually think I write them much better than I used to because I read your fics (which, btw, I'm still waiting on). Ahh, it seems as if we're all a bit too busy sometimes for fanfics, eh? 'Tis life…

OmasuOniwabanshu: Mwa ha ha, sessha made you wince! I wanted them vivid, it would be kind of lame for it to be "he punched Kyouri. It hurt." Eh, my story takes place before the Kyoto Arc, but after the Kanryuu incident, so Sano doesn't know it yet. (-shrug-) he will eventually! Kenshin did help out in his own way. This was more of a personal fight, so I didn't want too many people jumping in. :D

Angel of Mercy: Heh heh, about those flaming katana's of doom… (-sweatdrop-) WE CAN'T ALL BE HIGH ON SUGAR ALL THE TIME! SPARE MEEE! O.o

Ryoko of the Darkness Rising: (-GASP!-) YOU DON'T REMEMBER WHAT YOU WROTE A MONTH AGO! SHAME! Eh, you probably don't remember what I'm talking about, eh? XD

Waterswind: Heh heh, I actually liked your review, even if it was so short! Thanks! I hope you keep reading!

RockMobster: (-sniff-) How can thou think thy doesn't matter? I LOVE THEEE! (-glomp!-). Thanks for the review, it really does matter and I really do appreciate it. SO LEAVE ANOTHER ONE! XD

HAPPY BELATED HALLOWEEN!

AND LEAVE A REVIEW OR ANGEL OF MERCY WILL CHASE YOU WITH FLAMING KATANA'S OF DOOM! (as I am now being (-ducks-))