Koonichiwa my loyal readers! From here on, I will correct my misspelled word Hakama! Although I misspelled the word through my other chapters, I cannot correct them because unfortunately my brother deleted the other chapters! The nerve of him that little brat! Well I tallied the votes and there where more A's then B's. THEREFORE, I must go with A. Sessha is really sorry for all the other readers that wanted B. I'll make you a deal if I can do an alternative ending after I finish this story then I can follow on to B. It's still going to be in the same story, but you have to give me sometime to write the alternative ending! Well enjoy the chapter; if no one wants me to do the alternative ending please tell me while you review! Therefore, I will not start writing it. Aya45
Previous Chapter:
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!!!!!"
Chapter 18
Her Undead Spirit
Kyo felt pain surge through his body yet he smiled softly as he said, "...I have know one to go back to so I welcome death..."
Kaoru fell to her knees and cradled Kanna's small body as she slowly took out her katana from Kanna's chest.
"Kaoru...I'm sorry..." Kanna whispered as she gripped Kaoru's hand and smiled softly
"No please stay alive Kanna..."Kaoru said as tears dare fall from her eyes
"Kaoru I love you...so please keep living and repent for your unwanted sins. The man you told me about...who you once loved...I know he still loves you even when you have killed so many...one day I'll come back to you and when I do...you will have a new life...I know you still love him...Kaoru my elder sister and mother to me...goodbye..." Kanna whispered gently as she smiled softly and held Kaoru's hand.
"I love you too Kanna!" Kaoru cried out as Kanna took her last breath and died slowly and peacefully Kaoru kissed Kanna's forehead softly.
The Kenshin-gumi saw what happened in slow motion and Kenshin walked over a crying Kaoru and embraced her tightly as he said, "Kaoru I am here for you...it'll be okay..."
This young girl died the way Tomoe did...so I know how Kaoru suffers...
Kaoru had closed her eyes yet they shot open and she pushed Kenshin and abruptly stood up as her eyes narrowing and darkening to a deathly color as she sheathed her katana and said, "My name is not Kaoru it is fallen Sakura! I will kill...those who oppose me..."
Kaoru's voice was like a demon's she was no longer the fallen Sakura who protected the village she came to love, yet a blood-thirst assassin who would kill with no mercy.
Kaoru then began her reign of horror as she began to kill ninja's with nothing of remorse in her heart.
Misao "Oh no we have to stop her or she'll end up killing innocent people!"
Aoshi's eyes narrowed and said, "How do we do that I suppose? After that girls death her eyes have turned like a demon's."
"You are the fallen Sakura I suppose." One of the ninjas asked as he got in a defense stance.
"Yes so come... I have killed most of the ninjas in this village." Kaoru said icily.
Kenshin's eyes where fusing with amethyst and amber and finally his battosai side won as he growled, "Kaoru your killing ninja's that are even begging for there lives!"
Kaoru finished her last kill and chuckled coldly as she turned around her eyes still narrowed as she replied, "Do you want to battle me battosai?"
The battosai took out his sakubato and replied, "...You fight for no reason I must bring you back to reality Kaoru...open your eyes look what you have done to those who even begged for mercy in there last breaths!"
Kaoru pointed her katana at the corpse of Kyo Watashima and replied, "This man killed for no reason he only followed his masters orders...soon I will bring avenges to my Kanna's death."
"Fight me and I will be the judge if you are worthy to battle those that where the cause of Kanna-san death." The battosai sheathed his sakubato.
Kaoru stood in a defense stance and then with a swift movement she said, "Tell me battosai was it not revenge that you wanted for your ex-wife Tomoe when you accidentally killed her if it wasn't that she had met you it would have never had happened?"
The battosais eyes went wide open but he kept his ground and replied, "That is in the past...this is the present and what awaits us is the future...Kaoru."
"STOP! Do not call me by that name...I am called fallen Sakura...I am the devils servant and will kill those that where the cause of Kanna's death!" Kaoru roared as she ran with speed compared to Kenshin's. The battle has started and they would fight...until either would falter...(Kenshin isn't going to kill Kaoru because you know he loves her but wants to bring her back to reality)
Kenshin vanished from Kaoru's sight and did an attack from behind which Kaoru blocked barely.
'He is holding back...'
Kaoru "No...I must stay calm...focus on the target...which is Himura Kenshin..." She thought stiffly
Before Kenshin could make another attack Kaoru had vanished from his sight.
Kenshins eyes showed surprise as he attacked mere dirt. "She is hiding her ki!" Kenshin thought shockingly
"Are you shocked Kenshin...tell me what do you think I have been doing these past years...fiddling with my hair until you came to find me...NO! I have trained night and day...waiting for the day you DID find me so we could battle" Kaoru whispered into Kenshin's ear as she passed him and laughed peevishly.
Kenshin turned his head in utter surprise and looked at Kaoru sneer with contempt until she made an attack causing Kenshins and her sword clash. There faces where centimeters away and they could feel each other's warm breath on their faces.
Her face held no emotion so Kenshin could not figure out want side she would attack on...unless she made a sign with a slight movement of her foot.
"Tell me Kaoru, did you not once love me?" Kenshin asked with regret in his voice as if it was his fault in this battle.
Kaoru faltered in her next attack making it obvious to where she was going to hit at next. Her face still emotionless yet her body tense as if hesitant of what to say.
Until she said, "I wanted to find out my true potential...and that wasn't to stay in my house with you protecting me. Although you where my first love, I was still a mere child. In order to have found myself I had to leave."
Kaoru's hakama was torn from each side and her gi was tattered accept for her bandages which where dirtied. She looked at the people that she used to call friends and then averted her gaze to Kenshin who looked at her with too much love and sorrow.
"...Make this worth my time battosai..." Kaoru said coldly and then she sheathed her katana and stood there motionless.
Kenshin "Kaoru I...---
Kaoru swiftly ran at top speed and took out her katana as she yelled, "Treken Su Ya Ryu Ultimate Attack Jina Chu!"
Battosai emerged from Kenshin and as Kaoru was going to make the attack he yelled, " Hiten Mitsurgi Style Amakekru Ryu No Hemiki!"
Kaoru was thrown up in the air and then hit the ground with a loud thud, Kenshin bled from the side and down to his legs he stood there with his sakubato still in his hand and held his side still bleeding.
The Kenshin-gumi looked in awe at the final attacks of the two swordsmen (Woman for Kaoru) and slowly they ran toward Kenshin and Kaoru cautious if Kenshin was still the battosai and Kaoru still would attack them.
Kaoru's eyes shot open at the ki's of her past friends as she tried to get up on her own but couldn't.
"Ug...darn...I lost..."Kaoru thought
Her anger gave her the strength to get up with as much burning rage as she had she could not come to hate anyone anymore. Life has given her misery beyond what she has imagined. She held her side and looked at her past friends helping Kenshin with his injuries.
"So I got you wounded after all Kenshin..." Kaoru said with superiority as she smiled with fondness at her damage at the famous battosai.
"Kaoru...?" Kenshin said gingerly
Kaoru "I am left with loneliness and misery in this world without Kanna at my side...but the rest of the Daimio Clan has left I suppose it would be alright to fight with you...in this war"
Her expressionless face was a mask to hide away her sorrow. Kaoru walked over to Kanna slowly trudging, fell down beside her beautiful peaceful corpse, and sighed with content as she whispered something with to much love that could only be heard in the spirit world probably.
Misao looked at Kaoru and said, "You have not been the only one miserable my friend...I am one to talk because you where the one who had me worried for you."
Kaoru turned her head and frowned and replied, "You would still call this manslayer a friend?"
Misao smiled softly and without hesitation she walked over to Kaoru and hugged her with such warmth, Kaoru's hard eyes softened as she said, "What have I done to my child?" She looked at Kanna and tears dared fall...I shall always have my hands tainted with blood...
Sanosuke sighed and walked over to Kaoru and patted her head with brotherly love and replied, "Missy you have changed to much for this man to understand you but if you're always by Kenshins side and by your friends then...I won't even take second thought to see that your still my best friend and like little sister."
I do not deserve this...when I have said to them such cruel words...
Aoshi "Kamiya I will now watch you more closely and when you come to the Aoiya I shall teach you to meditate to control your raging spirit..."
Kaoru looked at Aoshi from the coroner of her eye and nodded in approval, just as she has done with him before this mess had come to be. Yahiko "Kaoru...you where like my mother and older sister...I still see you that way even through all that has happened between us." He smiled softly and walked over to her with ease in his ki.
Megumi had her eyes shut, her arms crossed over her chest, and then she said softly, "Kaoru you have disappointed me gravely, tanuki you where as pure and innocent as a flower why my dear did you kill, and taint your hands with blood of others?"
Kaoru stood up despite the surging pain and carefully picked up Kanna's corpse, with the help of Misao and Sano.
"Yes...I have disappointed the kitsune trifle isn't it? Megumi say as you wish my life has been closed away from me and yet Kanna was my ray of hope that I would learn and improve my skill more."
Kaoru said stiffly as she turned her back on Kenshin who had by then moved toward her slowly. "Forgive me Kenshin...I do not deserve your love...forgive me Megumi for my disappointment that I have caused you...forgive me all for the sins I have committed..."
Kaoru turned her head slightly so a side view of her face could be seen. One lone tear fell down her cheeks and a small smile appeared faintly on her lips. "My biddings for now...my love..."
She looked straight ahead and ran at her own god-like speed toward the woods.
Misao "Kaoru!" She took a few steps forward but stopped letting her stretched out arm fall to her side. Sano scratched his head and sighed with sadness.
Megumi fell to her knees and covered her mouth as tears fell down, then the sound of thunder was heard and rain began to pour hard.
Kenshin stood there with his arm limp and his knees weak, "Kaoru...you will always deserve my love because we are now the same..."
Faintly she ran hard clashing rain fell hard on her through the woods.
"I have hurt him again my dear child...but I must go to Maho...to my home where I belong." Kaoru said painfully because of her injury.
Through the clearing, she could faintly hear the cheers of the men because they had defeated most of the Daimio Ninja's. With the last of her strength she walked through the village and yelled, "Villagers! I have come with news that the Daimio Clan has retreated do not get overwhelmed with one victory for many come!" Her voice bellowed in the clashing rain and the men saw Kaoru standing before them carrying Kanna and blood now began to drip from her abdomen, the final attack of the Hiten Mitsurugi hit hard on her. Kanna's last drop of blood went through Kaoru's gi and the silk bracelet, which was given to Kaoru by Kanna, was tainted with hers and Kaoru's blood.
The clashing rain stopped and soon it was drizzling. The men and some of the women aiding the men came forward and one asked, "Kaoru-san what has happened to the girl? Why do you bleed so Kaoru-san!?"
"...She has died by the leader of one of the squadrons...but I have killed the one who did it and won victory over some of the Daimio Clans ninja's...I bleed the blood of the battle between I and the formal Hitokiri Battosai."
Maho stepped out of her house and stared in horror at Kaoru's state and Kanna's corpse.
"Kaoru! What has happened my child come with me to my house..." Maho said somberly as she saw through Kaoru's emotionless eyes...they where lonely and sad.
The villagers wanted more answers but saw Maho's dark penetrating glare and where quiet. Kaoru trudged into Maho's house and laid Kanna down into her futon.
Kaoru put her katana down beside her and sat down beside Kanna. Maho slowly closed the door behind her and sat down beside Kaoru, who looked distant.
Maho looked at Kanna's corpse and cried silently caressing Kanna's pale cold cheek, all the way murmuring, "My baby..."
Kaoru "Forgive me Maho...she died by my hands...she got in the middle of my battle between Kyo, because she saw my opening, she was a shield for me."
Maho "You do not need to hide your tears from me child...I know you to much by now."
Kaoru could not hold it in any longer as she brought her head down on Maho's lap and began to pour her heart out crying and saying, "It was my fault!" Maho gently soothed her and rubbed her back softly.
20 minutes had passed...and Kaoru controlled her self and composure. Maho bandaged her slowly not wanting to hurt her anymore. She sat the way a manslayer sat, her sword leaned against her chest her leg was 2 inches away from her chest bended and her other leg crossed side ways on the floor. Her hair was tied back to a sloppy low ponytail. Her bangs hid her eyes.
(She sat the way Kenshin usually sits. Aya45)
Maho brewed some tea and looked at Kaoru solemn figure then what appeared shocked her. Kanna's spirit appeared behind Kaoru and wrapped her arms around Kaoru's neck her chin laid on Kaoru's head. She smiled softly and looked at Maho with love and kindness, and then disappeared slowly as though she where never there.
She is with Kaoru even now...she will never leave her side until Kaoru dies they will once again be reunited...
"What do you look at Maho?" Kaoru asked softly as she stood up gently and walked over to where Maho stood brewing the tea.
Maho surprised expression softened and smiled saying, "Nothing my dear..."
Always...I will be by your side...even when you grow older and with the one you love my dear elder sister...
"Let me help you..."Kaoru said
"Kenshin I am done bandaging the injured...there are about 20 deaths...do you want us to go to the village Kaoru is at." Megumi asked with sadness in her voice
Aoshi's enigmatic face looked at all the moans of pain coming from the villagers and he said softly, "Where were all the swords the sword shops where selling?"
"They where given away to a group of men...asking for about all the swords in the shop that where well over 40." Yahiko said as he walked over to Kenshin who was seated down.
"She knew before anyone...I suppose." Misao said huskily as they all knew whom she talked of.
Kenshin got up and said mournfully, "Shall we?"
They all nodded in approval and began to walk on toward where Kaoru was.
"Maho dear I will do the cooking you sit down and relax." Kaoru said quietly as she took the knife from Maho's hand and began chopping some radish and checking the heat of the water in the pot.
Maho smiled pleasantly and sat down on a mat that was already set out by Kaoru. She looked toward the mat, which was once used by Kanna...
Kanna...how I miss you...I loved you too much to feel this pain and will always have this pit in my heart...mourning for you.
Just on time, which Kaoru had calculated, entered the Kenshin-gumi.
Kaoru's eyes where hidden by her ebony colored bangs and she continued to chop the radish and putting some in the pot of water. She looked over at the cooking fish and felt the stares of the Kenshin-gumi. Maho feeling the tense atmosphere said, "Kaoru my child will you go ask Miyu-chan for some more herbs if she is not to busy bandaging some of the men with there injuries."
Kaoru stopped her cooking and looked up and nodded as she said, "Yes Maho...as you want." Maho got up and walked over to the cooking pot and gazed at Kaoru walking out passed the Kenshin-gumi.
"You may all sit if you desire." She said firmly and put some cut radishes on top of one of the fishes, which continued to cook. She checked on the finished rice and then began to chop some vegetables.
Kenshin "Maho-san...I am truly sorr—
"No you do not have to be sorry it was not your fault it was of her choice and hers alone." Maho said sternly
Himura-san...Kaoru may seem cold now but she is real warm-hearted...talk to her...
Kenshin who had, had his head down looked up startled. He had heard a soft, melodic, voice and it spoke to him with such kindness that he did not deserve. Could it have been...Kanna?
Maho looked at Kenshin with an intense gaze her eyes where dark and did not show any emotion of what she was thinking but abruptly turned her head and averted her gaze to her finished cooking.
Yahiko sat down and sighed tiredly as well as Misao, Sano, and Megumi.
Aoshi had his arms crossed across his chest and looked at Maho with curiosity.
"Kaoru is in suffering you all must know that already...she has not wanted me to tell anyone but she...feels very responsible for the war that is happening but she has told me this is why she will never leave this village it is to vulnerable. She has told me this war will end up with the Daimio Clan winning because of the rule of no swords from the government." Maho said solemnly
The Kenshin-gumi looked at each other and Misao said, "That's not true...the Daimio Clan was planning this from the start before Kaoru got involved in it."
"They will not win because of the strong influence of the government over them and if needed the Imperial Army will join this war."
At that moment Kaoru walked in and frowned for the first time revealing her emotions openly at everyone and said, "...Maho they did not need to know of my thoughts of this war..."
Oh, my dear Kaoru they need to know of your thoughts...
Kanna's spirit unseen by everybody hugged Kaoru tightly by the waist and smiled softly.
I will never leave you...do not be sad Kaoru...
"Kaoru we must talk about this..." Kenshin said quietly and he looked Kaoru straight in the eyes showing her all of his love.
One day I will return to you in the flesh my dear Kaoru...but by then you will very well not need me...
TBC
Aya45: Lalalala School is so boring. I have been so busy sorry I have not update my dear readers but I will try harder for the next chapter...Review this chappie please! Lots of Reviews are so welcomed! LOL