Hello to all of my loyal readers sorry because of the long wait I had exams all this week but I passed! So I can give my undivided attention to this story. I hope you continue reviewing this story and please review my poem that is called Strong Enough!!! I need to know if it is good or bad. I just want a couple of reviews not a lot I want to know where I need to improve. --Aya45

Darkness surrounds me
Where I am, I leave death in my wake
I want her warmth around me
Not this eerie feeling of loneliness

 Chapter 16
Her death is mine...
The Village (Where Kaoru lives)

Kenshin's POV:

I never thought that it would end up like this all I wanted to do was finally tell Kaoru that I loved her and soon after get married. Koishi how did I go wrong...but I will protect the village that you have protected for so long...I promise you that much...

End of Kenshin's POV:

When they got to the village, they heard battle screams and saw corpses. What horrified the Kenshin-gumi the most were the women and children fighting for their lives with fear in there eyes.

"Misao, Yahiko go help the children Sano, Aoshi and I will go over their...Megumi you go help the injured." Kenshin said

They nodded and began fighting and Megumi began helping the injured as much as she could.

"Hey dog-breath why don't you fight me!" Yahiko yelled as he got in a defense stance with his bamboo-sword in front of him.

"NANI! YOU LITTLE BOY!" roared the ninja as he ran toward him and left the small girl that he was attacking alone.

The ninja took out his twin kodachi's and swiped air as Yahiko dodged it quickly and yelled out, "Kamiya Kasshin Style Hawatari (I don't know if I spelled it right sorry if I didn't --)"

The attack did a double diagonal slash on the ninja's chest and knocked him down unconscious. The small girl managed to whisper to Yahiko, "Where you sent from Kanna? Are you here to help us or are you another enemy...Lady...Kao—Sakura would not like that...she is busy battling other ninja's if you are a enemy I suggest you don't confront her or you will die...but thank you for helping me..."

She ran off in a hurry, fear written on her face as she looked desperately for someone. Yahiko sighed as he looked at the surrounding ninja's that where forming around him.

"Don't they ever learn?" Yahiko started blocking attacks from the ninja's and was having trouble.

Misao angrily threw kunai's at the Daimio Ninja's and cried out, "You have no skill! I am Makimachi Misao the leader of the Oniwaban!"

"The Oniwaban is nothing compared to the Daimio Clan! Attack her!" A ninja yelled out as he pointed his sword to her.

"Heh...fools..."

Aoshi was not even breaking a sweat as he knocked out unconscious every ninja that came his way. Sano on the other hand...

Sano punched the lights out one of the ninjas that where attacking a helpless old woman and did his all famous attack (I forgot what his attack is called if you can tell me what it is called that would help thank you!)

Kenshin "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Sen!"

Kaoru my love were doing all we can...

Megumi was throwing sleeping powder and

"Leader were being defeated by a group that has come out of now where." A ninja reported as he was bent down on one knee and his eyes where staring at the ground in fear for his life.

"What!?" Mayuri roared

The ninja flinched and continued, "What are your orders sir?"

"How many men are there?" He asked coldly trying to gain control of himself.

"...I don't know there might be none left but those that surround you and myself..."

"I see...let us retreat for now and attack another village...get the remaining men and head out...we need a better plan." Mayuri said as he turned around and whistled to get his ninja's in better format.

"Yes sir..." He replied as he ran toward the village

Kenshin knocked down the last man that he was fighting until he heard, "RETREAT!"

Sano "What! They're retreating!"

"Let them! It's no use following!" Aoshi replied coldly as he looked at the ninja's jumping off.

Misao held her injured arm and cried out, "Megumi come over here!"

Megumi quickly went to Misao's side and looked at her injured arm as she replied, "It looks okay but let me put some bandages on it."

Yahiko had a side wound but not serious as he grabbed some bandages from Megumi and treated himself.

"Well we've done all we can for this village the ninja's are gone for now but we can at least check if everyone is okay." Kenshin said as he looked at the injury of a boy around his 20's.

"Are you Himura Battosai young man?" asked Maho as she walked out of her small house with a sword in her right hand.

"I do not go by that name any longer...ma'am...but..." Kenshin trailed off as he looked at Maho

"...Kaoru she is like a daughter to me...but I will tell you...how she has lived for the past 5 years." Maho started

"Who are you...?" Yahiko asked

"My name is Maho and I have seen Kaoru's heart isolate herself from love ...since she first passed to this village...come with me and I will tell you all I know..." Maho walked to her home leaving an air of mystery in her wake, the Kenshin-gumi all nodded and walked behind her.

Maho's Home:

They all sat down on the floor mats around the small table and could hear the moan's of men who where seriously injured but where being helped by the women.

"Will you please go on with what you where telling us ma'am." Aoshi said coldly

"Yes of course...this is where Kaoru lived for the last 5 years she told me all about herself and her previous life and family...especially about the 3 of you who did not take her seriously, that she wanted to change her swordsmanship...well she has changed her swordsmanship." Maho looked at Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko and frowned instantly.

"...How can you have let her become an assassin? If you had cared about her that much why did you let her pursue her killings!" Megumi yelled angrily as tears where daring to fall out of her eyes. "...Because she told all of us...the villagers...that she would protect us from harm...demo..."Maho trailed off

"...But what?" Sano asked cautiously

"Kanna...."Maho continued

Kenshin's eyes went wide as he remembered:

Flashback:

"KANNA!" Kaoru yelled out in rage

"We have found her fallen Sakura!"

"THE most precious thing in your life ...now she'll die in Leader Watashima's hands! Haha"

End of Flashback

"That was the girl...Kanna was captured and Kaoru told us that she loved her dearly..." Kenshin spoke passively as he had never spoken before.

"...What has happened to her is she with Kaoru?" Maho spoke suddenly

"She was captured by Daimio Ninja's, I know the direction they headed." Yahiko said

Maho looked up startled and quickly said, "You must go if they even lay a finger on Kanna, Kaoru will...I don't even want to say...but if Kanna where to die...Kaoru would die of grief...Kanna was the closest person to Kaoru in he time here."

They all got up and Kenshin asked, "Thank you for your help ma'am but...may we collect Kaoru's things before we leave...she will be coming with us after this war."

Maho shook her head and said, "I am sorry to tell you...but she doesn't really use kimono's...anymore there is only one kimono that she used and that's in Kanna's room..."

Kenshin nodded and he bowed with gratitude as he gestured for all of them to go before something terrible where to happen.

They all ran out of the village and toward the location where Kaoru followed the Daimio Ninjas that held captive Kanna.

Following the Daimio Ninjas:

Kaoru kept her speed and cursed under her breath, as she could not see any longer, where the ninjas where.

I cannot believe Watashima would sink so low as too capture Kanna...if anything happens to Kanna.I swear he will die a slow painful death.

Village where Kyo is at

"Leader we have the most precious thing of fallen Sakura."

Kyo looked at the unconscious girl and said, "Put her over there and we will wait for---"No need to wait Watashima..."---huh?"

Kaoru's sapphire eyes glowed menacingly in the night and her ebony hair swirled in the passing wind, "How dare you go an take Kanna away from me...what has this young girl done to you nothing if you wanted to battle me you should have come yourself."

Kannas dagger was safely in her obi so the ninjas that tied her up did not notice. Kaoru growled as she unsheathed her katana and put it in front of her a she said, "Prepare yourself!"

Kyo smirked and replied, "Oh how I have waited for the day that I should battle you once again."

Kaoru "Well then stop talking and battle me."

He quickly took out his katana, and in mere seconds their where sounds of sword clashing. They where face-to-face as the other had mere excitement on there eyes.

Kyo angrily did a right slash trying to hit Kaoru's side but she jumped up in the air and with her sword I front of her, her sword gracefully hit cold metal from Kyo's sword he had blocked it in the nick of time.

Kaoru who had jumped backward ran toward him with top speed cried out, "You will die for the killings your clan has committed Kyo!"

Kenshin and the others got to the village just in time to see the battle roaring on. Kenshin had never seen Kaoru battle like this...what was making her fight like this. His eyes roamed the area of the village and saw ninjas that where already busy battling the men, but his amethyst eyes caught a young girl unconscious on the ground and was tied up.

Kaoru was engrossed with the battle to notice the eyes that lay upon her. She had to resort to her technique but...what kept her from doing it.

Kanna...

Kyo studied Kaoru's emotions but saw none her eyes where nothing but emotionless sapphire pools and her mind only concentrated on the battle.

Kaoru swiftly blocked an attack that headed for her and with one kick of her left foot hit Kyo in the stomach making him lose air as he fell backwards.

Misao mouth was in an "O" form and Yahiko was to busy trying to look at the attack that Kaoru was making.

Now is the time to do my attack...

Kaoru's high ponytail came unloose as tresses of ebony hair flowed behind her, Kaoru sheathed her sword and closed her eyes as she stood a couple of feet away from Kyo.

Kyo thought to himself, "What is she doing...?"

Kyo shrugged it off as he cried out, "KimeKaru!"

The attack was to be a quick kill but Kaoru who was prepared vanished before Kyos eyes. Kyos eyes went wide open with surprise.

Kaoru who was behind him took out her katana and with an upward motion slashed Kyo's back in an instance.

"Ug..." Kyo held his ground and thought to himself, "Incredible speed..."

Kanna's eyes fluttered open as she looked at her surroundings in surprise she was thinking to herself, "Where am I...the village I must warn Kaoru about the village...but...where is Kaoru."

Kanna tried to move but noticed that her hands and feet where tied up. She groaned inwardly and remembered about her hidden dagger that she had stashed into her obi.

Quickly she grabbed the hilt with her right hand and took out the sheath, it took her a couple of seconds before she finished untying her self. Quietly standing up she looked at the battle of Kaoru and Kyo. "Kaoru...huh..." Kanna looked at the red-haired man...he seems fit in description of what Kaoru told me...once...could he be Himura...the man Kaoru fell in love with.

He was looking straight at her and gesturing for her to come their way...

"They must know who I am..." Kanna thought

Kaoru quickly blocked an attack that was coming at full power and said, "Do you know what your even fighting for?"

Kyo hesitated a moment before answering then he said, "My master said that we where fighting for Japan to have better peace!"

Kaoru and Kyo stopped fighting for just a second, there mind was totally focused on the battle and the outside world couldn't be heard to them.

Kanna spoke loudly so the Keshin-gumi could hear but Kaoru continued with her battle, "Kaoru loves all of you...and I... love her huh---

Kanna saw that Kaoru was about to die if she did not do something. Both Kaoru and Kyo had openings that they could strike to kill but if they did the other would die.

Kanna averted her gaze toward the Kenshin-gumi and smiled sadly. Her eyes bore love and kindness as she ran toward the battle; she dropped her dagger and in mere seconds was in front of the kill.

Kaoru's blade bore through Kanna and into Kyo, as Kyo's blade knocked out of his hand by Kanna's small delicate hand.

Kaoru's eyes went wide open with anger, surprise, and sorrow...

As she cried out, "KANNA!!!!!"

TBC...

Aya45: Yes that part was like Tomoe's death but read on...

Thanks for the support my loyal readers... Please continue reviewing and I will write ASAP! -- Bye