I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Ohkami is a friend of mine, ohkamimajin. This is based on an RP that Ohkami, myself, and a few other people did a few years ago. In this fic, Saito is not married. Thank you to FairyMage and ohkamimajin for reviewing!!! Reviews are welcome, flames mean more s'mores!!!! A double line means flash back.
Slowly I walked back to the inn. My mind was cloudy with thoughts about Saito. Oh Inari, how can Saito and I… I know I had a crush on him during the war but… We were, are, worst enemies. But how come… Damn.
With that I looked up at the sky and sighed before walking into the inn's courtyard. Then I spotted Ohkami and Neko in front of me.
"Shit," I whispered as I jumped behind the edge of the building.
I took a second to steady myself. Where the hell is my sword? Floated through my mind. It hadn't been returned to me after I got out of the clinic.
Then, I noticed a figure with a silvery outline. It wasn't far away from me. My jaw dropped when I recognized it. The figure was Souzou. He stood looking at Ohkami and Neko before turning and looking at me. His lips curled into a smile, a cold sadistic smile.
"Hello Izumi." He said in a sinister voice.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my arm. I struggled to stay standing. Flashes of light started whizzing by me. Doing the best I could, I tried to get to cover.
"Shit." I muttered under my breath.
I felt myself being pushed by someone. As I reached the side of the building, I saw Saito. He had a few tears in his shirt and cuts on his arms and face.
"Saito?" My voice didn't sound like it was mine.
"Be quiet, you're hurt," he ordered me. "I'll take care of this."
With that, he moved to the other side of the wall and started to walk toward the figure of Souzou. Suddenly, Kana appeared and matched strides with Saito before stopping and talking to him. I couldn't hear what she said but Souzou disappeared.
"What the hell was that?" I asked myself as I heard people running.
"Izumi!" A familiar voice yelled.
Something supported me as I felt my knees go weak.
"Are you alright?" Kenshin asked me.
"I'm fine." I said, looking up. "It's good to see you again Sano."
"Wait minute…" Sano looked from me to Kenshin. "How do?"
"Long story." I replied as I put some weight on my feet.
"We must go." A young man told Kenshin and Sano. "There is an angry spirit here. And it is after her." He pointed at me.
"What are you talking about Kazuki?" Sano stared at his friend. "Who would want to put a curse on Izumi?"
"Ask her." He growled.
Sano and Kenshin both looked at me curiously. Thankfully Saito pushed Sano away.
"What are you doing here roster?" He mocked Sano.
"What if I said that Izumi is a good friend?" Sano got right up into Saito's face.
"So that is it." Kenshin whispered, looking from Saito to me. "He's the one."
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said as I brushed past them.
I started walking to my room. Oh shit. Why the hell is Souzou being jealous? I mean, he always said the he wanted me to be happy no matter what but then again…How the hell did he find out how I feel about Saito? I mean, we did kiss, but still… I never said anything.
"What's up Izumi, are you okay?" Ohkami's voice came out of a dog that stood in front of me.
"Drop it Ohkami," I growled. "Please change out of your dog form. You're starting to freak them out." I motioned the Sano and Kazuki behind us.
With that, I headed toward my room. Ohkami followed me. Once inside, I collapsed onto my bed. Ohkami transformed back into her human type form.
"Want me to heal you?" She asked.
"What do I have to lose?" I sighed and pulled my shirt off.
Ohkami got into a chanting position. Tcha thca em ankh. I heard her chant. Suddenly, my arm felt healed.
"Thanks." I smiled, feeling a little better. "Sorry I was a little short tempered."
"No problem." Ohkami replied, patting my shoulder.
Then, there was a knock on the door. Ohkami got up and opened it. Kenshin and Sanosuke stood there. Both looked at me eagerly. I sat up straighter as they walked in the room. Sano sat down next to me on the bed while Kenshin kneeled next to it.
"Are you alright Izumi?" Kenshin looked at me.
"Fine thanks to Ohkami." I motioned to Ohkami, who sat in one of the chairs.
"How you doing?" Sano smiled at Ohkami.
Ohkami giggled and I gave Sano a death look, before looking out the window. Kenshin touched my arm to get my attention. I looked at him curiously.
"Do you know why this is happening?" He asked me quietly.
"Not really." I replied.
Without warning, a wave of pain shot through my burn. I pitched forward and Sano caught me. For some reason, I couldn't talk. The pain was almost unbearable. Kenshin must have gotten up, because I felt him pull my inner shirt off. The three of them gasped.
"But I thought I healed you." Ohkami's voice was surprised.
"That thing doesn't look good." Sano added.
"I guess black magic can't heal everything." Ohkami mused while looking at it.
"This isn't new." I gasped between breaths. "I got it ten years ago. Damn, it feels like it did… When I just got it."
I looked up at the others. Kenshin nodded gravely while Ohkami sat there looking thoughtful. Sano was looking at me as if I was crazy.
"Whoa whoa whoa," He seemed a little upset. "Don't tell me you think there are such things as ghosts."
"I do believe that you have a friend who is a shaman Sano." Kenshin told him.
"Well if they do," Sano continued ranting. "Who would want to do something like this to you?"
"Why don't you go find Saito Sano?" I urged him, not looking in his eyes.
"But-" Kenshin must have given Sano a death look because he got up and walked out of the room.
"I'm guessing you know who did this." Ohkami remarked as Sano closed the door.
"Well, if my memory serves me, then yeah." I grimaced as the pain became more intense.
"Why would Souzou want to put a curse on you?" Kenshin questioned me.
"Uh oh." Ohkami whispered. "We better go find Saito."
With that, the three of us ran out of the room. We almost ran into Sano and Saito in the hallway. I looked at Saito for a second before something caught my eye. It was Souzou's ghost. He smiled before shooting a beam of light at Saito. To my horror, the beam hit Saito and he fell to the ground.
"Why Souzou?" I asked, tears threatening to fall. "What did Saito ever do to you?"
"He stole you from me." Souzou's voice was like ice. "And for that, he must pay."
With that, he shot another beam of light at Saito. This time, Sano stepped in the way. He took the full force of it, yet remained standing.
"Sano…" Souzou's voice trailed off.
"Be gone demon!" Kazuki's voice growled from behind us.
"I will get my revenge Izumi." Souzou whispers as he starts to disappear. "I promise."
"Let's get Saito out of the hallway." Kenshin said as he helped me carry Saito to my room.
As we placed him on the bed, Kazuki looked menacingly at Ohkami.
"I can heal him if you want." She suggested. "I may not be able to see ghosts but I can still heal him."
"Demon voodoo doesn't work on humans bitch." Kazuki spat.
Death wish.
"Oh yeah. Well for thing, ghosts and humans are two very different things, don't get them confused. And two, I've used my magic on humans tons of times. So maybe you should check your info before you wrongly accuse me next time."
"Stupid demons." Kazuki mouthed as Ohkami healed Saito, who groaned and sat up.
"So who's magic doesn't work now?" She asked triumphantly.
"Are you alright?" I sat down next to Saito.
"Fine." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"What do we do now?" I turned my attention to Ohkami.
"The ghost is gone for now, but probably not for long. You're sword isn't going to much damage. He has magic so he's got the advantage."
"I know."
"The only way to get rid of a ghost is to make its soul pure." Kazuki looked at me instead of Ohkami. "Anger taints a ghost."
"How the hell am I supposed to get rid of his anger?"
"Who is the ghost?" Saito looks into my eyes.
"That's not the only way." Ohkami spat back at Kazuki. "Ghosts who stay sometimes have unfinished busyness. If he completes it, he goes into the afterlife. But since we don't know what the unfinished busyness could be…"
"Izumi." Saito gently touched my arm. "Who is the ghost?"
"My lover, Souzou Sagara." I didn't look at him.
"We're just going to have to explain." Ohkami's voice was somewhat soothing. "If he really loved you then he'll understand."
"I'm sorry Izumi." Saito's voice didn't register until he was at the door.
"It's the only way." Kazuki smiled triumphantly.
"No." My voice was hoarse.
"I'm sorry. I love you Izumi." Saito closed the door behind him.
"Wait a minute!" Sano stood up all of a sudden. "So that is why the Captain is angry. Oh… Wait a minute! You're in love with Saito!!!"
"It took you long enough," Kazuki shook his head.
"Everyone knew?" Sano looked dumbfounded.
All of us nodded. Sano scowled before I stood up.
"Ohkami," I looked at her. "I know how we can do this. The spell we used when we fought those demons in Tokyo."
"There is no spell that can let a demon see demons." Kazuki's voice rang.
"You should mind your mouth, that you should." Kenshin seemed to appear again.
"You with me Ohkami?"
"Damn straight."
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I ran as fast as I could to the cliff where Souzou was killed. That was the only place that they could go. It was where Souzou died and Saito and I kissed. My breath was coming out in puffs. Sano, Kenshin, and Ohkami were behind me. Suddenly, we came to the hill, Saito was on the ground and I rushed to help him up.
"You alright?" I asked him as I let him lean on me.
"Fine." He whispered.
"Why Izumi?" Souzou gasped and I looked at him; tears were streaming down his face. "How could you fall in love with him, a Shinsengumi? It was they who put that brand on your shoulder. You didn't trust them then, why do you trust them now?"
With that, he shot another beam of light at me. Sano stepped in front of it and took its full force. He staggered before glaring at Souzou.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but don't kill Saito." Sano yelled as he gripped his shoulder. "If you kill him, then you'll be killing a part of Izumi."
"Izumi!" Ohkami's voice broke my thoughts. "I think I know a way that we can defeat him."
"How?" I whispered.
"You wouldn't understand…" Souzou was still talking.
"Try me." Sano seemed to be trying to keep him busy.
"Sanosuke, you were too young."
"Well," Ohkami whispered in my ear. "If his deepest desire is fulfilled, then he can pass into the next life. I can make it seem to him that Saito is dead. Hopefully it will work."
"It better. Go ahead, do it." I murmured.
"Can't you see that Izumi is happy?" Sano was doing a hell of a job distracting Souzou.
"I can never let her love that bastard. He's a liar and a killer. He tried to kill her ten years ago, and as soon as he gets the chance, he'll finish the job. I can't let him do that. I'm sorry Sano." With that, Souzou shot a beam of light at Sano.
Suddenly, there was a light surrounding Souzou. A few seconds later, it vanished. The whole area seemed to become lighter, as if a dark force was surrounding us. Sighing, I looked down at Saito. My heart stopped. He wasn't breathing.
"Ohkami, we need to get Saito to a doctor now." I didn't even recognize my voice.
"Sheesh, what is it and you humans with doctors?" Ohkami asked as she healed Saito.
"Think you could heal me too gorgeous?" Sano limped and sat down next to us.
Ohkami giggled before healing Sano. I smiled and shook my head.
"I can't believe that your influence hasn't changed him one bit." I whispered to Kenshin.
Kenshin smiled as he helped me get Saito to his feet. Ohkami and Sano were still flirting until Kenshin nudged Sano with his toe.
"So what's next?" Kenshin looked around at us.
"Let's go to the bar." Ohkami suggested, hopping up. "You still owe me a drink Izumi."
"Sure, why not?" I smiled and paused to look at the sunrise before following the others to the bar.
A/N: I've been working on this a lot because we've had 4 snow days. Hopefully everyone likes. This is not the end of the story, there is plenty more to go.