Beta-ed by the fantastic SJEscape

Warnings: Long fight scene ahead which means violence and blood

The rest of the morning through the lunch hour found Kaoru dealing with multiple complaints from traders about the closed gate. Then a flood of reports regarding criminal mischief came in, those who decided to take advantage of the confusion of merchants being rerouted to another entrance. It seemed like all the troublemakers came out at once to cause problems. Kaoru went out and personally dealt with six of those incidents, hauling the offenders back to jail, some in less than pristine shape after defying her orders.

But through the busyness, it unsettled her that Sano hadn't gotten back to her about the information she requested, not even to say he hadn't heard back from his friends yet. Her note had stressed the urgency of the matter and he knew she was waiting for some sort of reply. So after things finally calmed down and she trusted her deputies to take care of the rest, Kaoru took a moment to head over to the clinic. Without an actual job, Sano spent most of his days gambling with his friends or hanging outside Megumi's door. He said it was because he had nothing else to do, but Kaoru suspected Sano stayed as an unofficial bodyguard, discouraging any potential troublemakers from bothering a single, unarmed woman. While there, she could also ask Megumi to come to the jail and check over the new prisoners.

But when she arrived at the clinic, the front gate was ajar and no one was around. It was quite possible the doctor was out on an emergency call, but Kaoru didn't think Megumi would simply leave her home and clinic open so carelessly. She ventured inside, looking around the courtyard. "Hello? Megumi-san? Sanosuke?"

The air held the stillness of an empty building and her words echoed back without a response. Kaoru saw a shouji open and slipped off her shoes to step up the engawa to peer inside the room. She gasped upon seeing the mess. Now more certain than ever that something had happened to the doctor, Kaoru whirled around to check the rest of the clinic when she saw the note pinned to the column.

Her heart stuttered for several beats before starting up again. Kaoru hastily slid her zori back on and dashed for the shrine as fast as she could, clutching her sword with ice cold fingers of dread creeping through her heart. She would bet an entire years' salary that Kenshin had gone to face Kurogasa alone, to get his friends back.

Minutes later - precious minutes ticking away with merciless speed while the hostages faced grave danger - Kaoru arrived at the shrine. Evidence of battle was apparent, from the deep grooves on the ground to the splintered tree branches and peeled bark indicating a high velocity impact. She looked around wildly before her gaze settled on Kenshin and Kurogasa. They were several feet apart and facing each other. The bottom of her stomach dropped.

Both men were bleeding in multiple places, but Kenshin appeared to have taken the brunt of the damage. Through the tattered gi she caught glimpses of deep gashes still dripping with blood. A puddle of crimson liquid collected around him, far more than seemed safe to lose. He remained on one knee, the tip of his sword in the ground as he leaned on it for support, panting heavily. She was shocked at how badly Kenshin was hurt.

Their eyes met and she saw the spark of regret in his eyes. Kaoru suspected he would later apologize for not being able to defeat Kurogasa on his own so she would have to finish what he could not. She reminded herself to berate him for doing what was supposed to be her job, after this was over. He should have informed her that the hitokiri had taken hostages because that clearly made it strictly a police matter.

Sano looked just as bad, sprawled on the ground and unmoving though his gaze rested on her through the glazed pain. Unlike Kenshin, there was only one visible wound on his leg which was actually more worrisome because that meant one hit had knocked Sano down. Megumi had tied a strip of cloth around his left thigh but it already seeped red, most likely from a sword wound. She supported his head on her lap, a trembling hand caressing his forehead gently. The only consolation was that Sano was at least awake and alert and the doctor would keep him still until they could move him to a safer location and treat the wound properly.

Anger, already simmering from the situation, coursed through her veins. How dare Kurogasa involve innocent civilians in this? It was bad enough Kenshin took it upon himself to face the hitokiri alone, but taking hostages was cheating and dishonorable. And the man did so especially after they had agreed no one else would be included in their fight.

This was her most important test as Inspector to date: protecting her citizens and bringing about justice from those who would break the law. And Kaoru refused to let anyone die today, not if she could help it. "Kurogasa!" she yelled, her voice shaking with unsuppressed fury.

He turned to glance over his shoulder, as if surprised to see her. But that was just a show, he had probably sensed her approach from a mile away. "Oh? Good timing, Inspector. Did you come to see your friends die before you join them in the afterlife?" Kurogasa inquired in a polite tone.

"You won't touch another hair on them," she snapped. Kaoru was gratified to see that he hadn't gone unscathed himself; a deep shoulder wound and several slashes on his torso and side indicated multiple solid hits. But the injuries caused by the sakabatou, even wielded by a master swordsman, didn't seem to have fazed the taller man at all. "This won't end well for you," she told him with all the confidence she could muster.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Sano trying to sit up with a long groan that jolted her. It was hard to see the normally stalwart man so shaky. His face turned ashen as Megumi scolded him for moving, but he murmured something to her that subsided her fierce tirade.

Distracted from the fighter moving, she barely heard Kurogasa laugh. "And who will stop me? You and that broken sword you carry?"

Kaoru's eyes widened and she snapped her gaze back to the hitokiri, her hand automatically moving to the hilt in a gesture meant to ease her anxiety. "What?"

Kurogasa showed all his teeth when he smiled. "Isn't it obvious? Your sword doesn't rest like it should on your obi. And according to local rumors, you've never drawn it. So that either means it's not a real sword, or it's broken."

"I've never needed to draw it for anyone," Kaoru retorted, refusing to give him the satisfaction of confirming he was right. But it was too late; from the corner of her eye, she saw Sano's and Megumi's twin expressions of shock flood their face as they listened to the conversation.

She didn't dare look at Kenshin. She couldn't afford the distraction.

Her goading worked because Kurogasa's eyes narrowed and all amusement fled his voice. "Oh, you will. I'll force you to draw it!" He ran straight for her, raising his sword up to attack.

"Jou-chan!" Sano bellowed. "Be careful!"

Sano did not have to tell her twice. The hitokiri was extremely fast and, in the space of two seconds, had already covered more than half the distance between them. Kaoru dropped low, legs spread apart for balance and preparation for speed as she let her hands rest on the saya and hilt of her sword. As Kurogasa came roaring up at her, she pulled out the entire scabbard from her obi and blocked the downward slash above her head. At the same time, she moved her back leg forward and dropped her center of gravity even lower for stability, sweeping her opponent's legs out from under him. But he seemed to have anticipated her attack because he jumped backwards, landing a few feet away. Kaoru completed the leg rotation and shifted back into a ready stance.

Instead of looking furious or surprised, Kurogasa's pinpoint pupils glowed with an odd light. "Oh so very interesting, Inspector. Perhaps you're as good as people say you are," he mused, tapping on his chin with a finger. "But I can already tell you've been fighting weaklings to hone your skills. You're definitely not on the same level as a hitokiri. Slightly dissatisfying, but I suppose you'll do for now."

Kaoru ignored the palpable disappointment in his words. She had felt his strength in that single downward slash and even now, her arm still tingled with lingering numbness when all she did was simply block. No wonder Kenshin and Sano both had trouble with him. He was strong, fast, and willing to kill. That gave him an edge no one else had.

She glanced at Kenshin who remained kneeling but watching them with unblinking eyes. His body was completely still and Kaoru realized he was gathering his reserves for possibly one last attempt, taking the time to shore up his strength and find the right time to unleash his attack. Did that mean he simply expected her to distract Kurogasa until he could stand again? She refused to be simply a diversion until Kenshin got himself under control!

So she looked back at her opponent, hoping he didn't see her left arm still feeling shaken. "'Slightly dissatisfying'?" she echoed. "Why do you deserve to fight a hitokiri when you said you'd make me draw my sword, and you haven't done so?"

Kurogasa looked her over with renewed interest. "Hmm, if I kill you first, will Battousai finally be ready to show up? Not even his friends could force the presence of the greatest hitokiri to return."

Working hard to not drop her jaw in shock at the unexpected, legendary name, Karou couldn't resist her eyes flying towards Kenshin again. The rurouni who made a vow to never kill again was the Hitokiri Battousai? Even as a child, she had heard whispers of the strongest man in the civil war and how terrifying he was in battle. His targets always died. He had never failed in a mission. Of course, rumors also insisted he was a seven foot giant with a sword taller than most men. He had disappeared after the war ended, presumably dead.

Oh, they were going to have a nice, long talk after all this was over. How dare Kenshin hide something so important from her, after they agreed to share their past? His violet eyes glittered like cold gemstones as he returned her gaze, but she couldn't read his expression at all. He remained still yet watchful as he silently gathered his strength.

"Ah, so you didn't know," Kurogasa mused, apparently reading her struggle to remain impassive. "Why didn't he tell you? Perhaps so that you wouldn't judge him? Are you that important to Battousai, Inspector?"

Kaoru let her eyes drift back to the tall man, grasping onto the one truth she knew about the rurouni. If nothing else, she believed Kenshin when he had said he would never kill again. Her voice rang clear and strong as she corrected the other hitokiri. "His name is Himura Kenshin."

Her response caused Kurogasa to thin his lips together in displeasure. "What a disappointment. I came here expecting to find a decent fight and all I'm dealing with are naive children who think the sword is a plaything. A sakabatou and a broken sword won't defeat me. So die for your foolishness, if that's what you want!"

The intent to kill radiated from the madman, reaching her in waves and making her heart race. This was it. Kaoru took in a deep breath to clear her mind and sweep away any doubts or fears. She was born and raised as a warrior, and she would not dishonor her family name by entertaining any thoughts of defeat. She found her warrior's calm within and peace in her heart and mind flowing together, which would make her attacks strong and sure and strike true.

Kurogasa ran towards her, sword reaching out in a fast swing towards her neck. Kaoru ducked and stepped to the side to evade the attack. As she lashed out with the sheathed sword still in her left hand towards his arm in a feint, she spun on her heels until she was back-to-back with him and aimed her right elbow to his kidney. The sharp blow caught Kurogasa off-guard and he stumbled forward a few steps. But before Kaoru tried to follow up with another attack, he pivoted to face her and his sword came flying at her again, swifter than the last time. With no choice, she lifted her weapon up to block the slash. The sharp blade cracked into the saya and splintered wood scattered around them. She jerked the sheath towards him to heave Kurogasa's sword away from her and stepped forward, forming a fist with her right hand and aiming it at the wrist holding his weapon.

But before it connected with the hope that he would drop his weapon, a strong hand clamped down on her swinging fist to stop it in mid-attack. Kaoru tried to pull away but his grip was strong and tight to the point where she was afraid of bruising. If her wrist was damaged, it would be that much harder to hold her sword. Gritting her teeth, she yanked her sword free and swung it around behind her, pivoting on her left heel in an attempt to thrust the end of her saya into Kurogasa's stomach. But before it connected, he dropped her wrist and leapt back to avoid the hit. Kaoru continued the spin until she was facing him again, dropping into a ready crouch in case the taller man attacked her in the brief moment of blindness. When none was forthcoming, she pushed off with her feet to close the distance between them. Her left hand continued to hold the saya under the hilt while her right hand landed on the tsuka as if to draw the sword. But instead of pulling the weapon out as she surged forward, Kaoru used the entire sheath to meet the slash from Kurogasa. Her right hand then grabbed the wrist holding his sword to keep it immobile while she lashed out with her right foot against the left side of his head.

The high kick connected with a solid thunk and Kurogasa's neck snapped from the high velocity move. His dark eyes unfocused for a moment and a trickle of blood ran down from his ear. But while the attack was successful, it left her vulnerable, apparently long enough for Kurogasa to grab her descending foot.

"Uhu-hu-hu, Inspector. Who would've thought you'd add a little fisticuffs into a sword fight?" Kurogasa remarked with a chuckle. His recovery time was remarkable; the tall man no longer looked disoriented or even slightly shaken from the solid strike. "No one mentioned your hand-to-hand combat skills. Do you always battle your opponents like this?"

"Maybe I developed the ability just for you," she snapped, struggling to keep her balance while preventing his sword arm from moving to cleave her in half.

He laughed again and, with casual strength, flung her away by the foot. She landed on her back, skidding back another foot and wincing as the dirt and rocks scraped against her gi and shredded parts of it. "I must admit, it's a rather entertaining battle so far. But I hope there's more to you than this attempt."

Kaoru slowly climbed to her feet, her wrist throbbing lightly. It was slightly sore, but not enough to keep her from using it if necessary. Shaking her hand out, she brushed her loosened hair out of the way and glanced at her saya. Kurogasa's blade had chipped two separate parts of the wood but hadn't gouged it deeply enough to expose the blade housed within. It would hold up to a few more attacks, but she needed to figure out a better method of gaining the upper hand quickly. And right now, the only thing she could think of was to taunt him until his anger gave way and he made a mistake she could exploit. So Kaoru said coolly, "Need I mention that you haven't made me draw my sword?" She had hoped that a combination of her sword and kempo skills would be enough to fight against Kurogasa but the black hat hitokiri didn't seem thrown off by her unorthodox maneuvers, as most others would have.

"True," he conceded, "but not drawing it won't defeat me either. We'll see how long you'll hide your blade, Inspector. And Battousai," Kurogasa added, turning to the man still kneeling in the dirt, "feel free to jump in any time you'd like. I know you're not willing to just sit there, watching your woman fight a losing battle."

Bristling at the insult, Kaoru wanted to bite out a blistering response when Kenshin replied first. "I believe Inspector Kamiya will be more than you can handle, Jinei." His tone was low and quiet, but the words came out unmistakable.

She shot the red-haired man a quizzical glance, hardly believing her ears. Twelve hours ago, Kenshin had insisted she wouldn't be able to defeat him. Had he changed his mind after seeing her fight? Or was he hurt worse than she thought, and he was trying to buoy her spirits in case he couldn't help? Somehow, Kaoru didn't think it was the former, and the latter wasn't a consideration she was willing to entertain.

For his part, Kurogasa threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, really? She's put up a decent fight so far, I have to admit. But it's far too easy to see through her tactics. In an effort to compensate for her lack of a real sword, she's trying to slow down the tempo of the battle by mixing in kempo, with some barely adequate results. But that can only take her so far. The end result will still be the same: death for all of you!"

It was somewhat frightening that Kurogasa had read her plan within just a few minutes of fighting each other, but Kaoru knew that had been a distinct possibility. A swordsman of his caliber didn't stay alive for so long just because he knew how to wield his blade. Of course he'd be able to figure out her strategy. She had just hoped it would have taken him longer while she figured out how to defeat him.

But it looked like she'd have to rely on a different maneuver, and fast. Kaoru considered her slightly damaged saya and the blade within. Her kempo skills were not quite as good as Saitou had wanted, especially considering that most of her opponents would be men who were bigger and stronger than her. The close hand combat method was ideal for someone like her, who could utilize her opponent's force against themselves instead of trying to match their brute strength. But Kaoru had never quite taken to learning more than just beyond the basics, which severely annoyed her teacher who espoused readiness at all levels - and now she regretted not paying more attention when she should have.

"Well, Inspector, I'm waiting to be arrested, if you can beat me." Kurogasa's mocking tone dug deep into her pride and she lifted her eyes to scowl at him.

But she kept her temper because Kaoru knew she couldn't let his jeering affect her in any way. Taking in two cleansing breaths, she allowed the motion to ease the tension that had arisen from his reading of her strategy and his taunting. Her head cleared enough to take a firmer grip on her saya and concentrate on what to do next. Modulating her tone, Kaoru replied, "That's not all I'm capable of, Kurogasa. You should surrender now and your cooperation will be taken into account during your sentencing."

"Uhuhuhu! How generous of you, Inspector." His lips then twisted into a contemptuous sneer. "But I think I'll take my chances on defeating you." He raced forward for another confrontation.

Without any other recourse, Kaoru moved to meet him, dodging the diagonal slash in the opposite direction and lifting her saya to smash it against Kurogasa's head. But his free hand crossed over to slap the sheath away and, at the same time, his sword arm bent at the elbow to thrust it into her ribcage. Kaoru jerked away to the left, reaching out with her right palm to block the elbow when she didn't move fast enough. She pushed his arm down roughly, but Kurogasa used the momentum like a fulcrum to jerk his sword back up and towards her. Lifting her sheath up to parry the attack, she heard the wooden scabbard crack again at the solid hit. Pushing her opponent's katana away from her, Kaoru spun around him. She knew better than to use the same move on the experienced hitokiri twice so instead of aiming for his kidneys again, she rotated until she faced Kurogasa's vulnerable back.

But before she could take advantage of her position, he whirled to meet her as if he'd expected that movement, his sword racing towards her with incredible speed. Kaoru ducked and felt the end of her ponytail catch the edge of Kurogasa's blade. The hacked hair fell around her like a mockery of confetti, and she took a brief moment to mourn the uneven cut of her beautiful tresses.

But it also served to highlight just how fast her opponent was, when he wanted to be. Had her reflexes not been up to par, it would have been her neck that had been sliced. Crouched down, Kaoru stuck her damaged saya between Kurogasa's legs and twisted it so the sheath would hit his ankles and trip him. Instead, Jinei leaped up and kicked his left foot out, aiming for her head. She jerked her head aside to avoid the boot to the face and caught part of it on her shoulder. Ignoring the jarring pain, her right hand grasped his boot and shoved it away with all her might. He fell on his side but rolled right up to his feet just as Kaoru sprang upwards as well.

A niggling of doubt surfaced as she stared at him. Kurogasa appeared deceptively agile and unhurried. His calm, impervious demeanor to everything she'd thrown at him so far shook her. If he just shrugged off all her attacks like they were nothing, could she actually defeat him? The black-hatted killer was right; his skills had been honed on the bloody battlefields of war while most of her fights were against criminals whose offenses were rarely worse than a knife fight. No matter how hard her sensei pushed her or how hard Kaoru had trained, she would never match his experience. Perhaps she should let Kenshin take over after all.

"Kaoru-dono."

Surprised at the grave tone coming from the sidelines, she turned to Kenshin who slowly struggled to his feet. Leaning heavily on his sword to help him, he eventually managed to stand up on his own. Kaoru almost took a step towards him before remembering that she was in the middle of a battle and she shouldn't turn her back against her opponent.

But Kurogasa seemed fascinated by what was going on and made no move to attack either of them. "Ready for another round, Battousai?" he asked with a toothy grin.

Kenshin spared him a brief glance before his eyes slid back to Kaoru without answering the hitokiri. "Kaoru-dono, we are counting on you." And then he did something she didn't expect. He lifted up his sword and turned it over to slowly sheath the sakabatou. Then he pulled out the entire weapon from his obi and held it out horizontally just underneath the tsuka. His eyes, darkened to a deep, solemn amethyst, didn't waver from staring at her intently.

"Uhuhuhu," Kurogasa muttered but Kaoru ignored him because she suddenly realized what Kenshin was doing. Casting her opponent a quick sideways glance, she tossed her own sheathed weapon to the side and darted towards Kenshin, hoping to make it to him before the hitokiri realized what was happening.

But her optimism was short-lived because Kurogasa let out a bark of laughter and bolted to intercept her. His speed matched hers within five steps and Kaoru caught a glimpse of a smirk as they ran parallel to each other. "First one to get the sword wins, Inspector!"

Kaoru didn't even bother to waste her breath responding as she caught movement from the corner of her eye. Kenshin waited until her attention turned back to him before he threw up the sheathed sakabatou high towards her. Kurogasa slowed as his eyes followed the arc of the weapon. Kaoru used every bit of speed to step up on a broken wooden post, originally part of the fence, and jumped upwards. Airborne, she stretched her left arm out. The sheathed sakabatou landed neatly into her grasp, as if it was guided by unseen hands.

As gravity started to pull her back down, Kaoru twisted her body until she faced Kurogasa as she fell back to earth. The rush of air roared in her ears, her heartbeat thudding so loudly she was sure everyone heard it. Lungs pumped air in and out at an increased speed but remained steady. Her hair, now completely free from its ponytail, trailed behind her as her clothes fluttered from the air pressure. The sakabatou rested comfortably in her hands, waiting for her to unleash it on her opponent.

Kurogasa's grinning visage greeted her as she dropped hard on one knee, then rolled to put some space between them so she would be ready for his next attack. The impact of landing made her teeth rattle and her knee vibrate in pain, but she didn't have time to worry about any injuries. Instead, as she surged back to her feet from the roll, Kaoru used the spinning motion to help her unsheathe the borrowed sword and swipe it at Kurogasa in a makeshift battoujutsu.

As she expected, the hitokiri leapt back to avoid the slash. Tossing aside the saya to free her left hand, Kaoru pressed forward and followed with one step, then another, and continued to attack, pushing him backwards. Their swords clashed again and again, reverberating through the air like a deadly song. Holding a full length katana for the first time in over a year, muscle memory took over and she pressed even the slightest advantage over her opponent as she had been taught. As if she was back in Saitou's training hall again, Kaoru heard the barking orders of her sensei in her mind as she trained. Trained … to kill.

That thought jarred so she paused in her onslaught for a split second. Kurogasa sensed her hesitation and took control, turning his sword so it slid past the sakabatou with a screech of metal and straight for her throat. Kaoru threw herself backwards, bending at the waist to avoid the fatal attack, and lashed out blindly with her weapon to give her space to recover. Straightening back up, she stepped back to block another slash, eyes widening as Kurogasa's speed suddenly became faster and he struck harder.

"Now this is a fight, Inspector!" he crowed as they reversed positions and Kaoru slowly edged backwards under the onslaught. The air filled with the clash of their weapons and the blur of silver on silver. "Sword to sword, fighter to fighter. Winner lives and the loser dies!" He cackled, eyes bright with maniacal delight.

Gritting her teeth, Kaoru shoved down any uncertainties because it would otherwise mean her death. It occurred to her, in the back of her mind, that if she did die here, Kenshin and the others would be defenseless. Without a weapon, what would they do?

It was all she could do to keep up her defenses against Kurogasa's rapid attacks. From the corner of her eye, Kaoru saw Kenshin had somehow made his way towards Sano and Megumi and was doing something to help the fighter with his wound. Sano had managed to sit up and a wave of relief washed over her.

Her friends' presence reminded her just how important it was not to give up. Determination surged through her like a drug giving energy to her limbs. Something must have changed in her eyes or perhaps her expression because as their swords crossed and allowed a brief pause in the fight, Kurogasa raised his eyebrows. "That face, those eyes… Are you gaining a second wind, Inspector? All because of the sword you're holding?"

The sakabatou, Kaoru realized in the back recesses of her mind, couldn't exactly be used like regular katana. She had first felt it when she attempted the modified battoujutsu. The reverse blade had slowed the speed of the draw ever so slightly as the sharp edge brushed against the saya coming out; the friction decreased the velocity enough for Kurogasa to see and dodge the attack. And now, using it to defend and slash, she noted a few more differences. While it weighed the same as a normal sword, because the sharp edge was on the other side, it changed the balance of the weapon ever so slightly. Also, using the blunt side required an increase in power to make an attack effective; a live blade would simply lacerate skin but the sakabatou wouldn't cut and therefore needed more energy input to cause damage. Kaoru had adapted without thinking too much about it, but these adjustments were just enough of a foreign sensation that she was aware of the unfamiliar weapon in her hand and her movements slowed unconsciously. What disconcerted her was that Kurogasa hadn't picked up on it yet.

Or perhaps he did and was still holding back, toying with her. The idea that he still didn't consider her seriously as a fighter sent a surge of fury down Kaoru's spine, settling within her limbs for an extra burst of energy. With an actual sword in hand, she could now use a specialty move designed to win most fights. Kurogasa would pay for taking her so lightly.

They broke apart and she backed away until she had enough space to execute her next move. "Second or third or fourth wind, it doesn't matter. You'll be stopped here today, Kurogasa." She transferred the reverse blade sword to her left hand and widened her stance, shifting her right hip forward but still maintaining the majority of her weight on her hind leg. Drawing the weapon back until it was even with her chest and grasping the end of the tsuka, Kaoru stretched out her hand until it rested very lightly on the tip of the blade.

"Oh? Something else new? You're full of tricks are you, Inspector?" Kurogasa studied her new stance before dropping into a defensive position. "Come!"

Letting out a battle cry, Kaoru lunged forward, making sure to keep her weapon steady and straight. Her aim was the non-fatal target of the hitokiri's shoulder and she shifted her angle just the slightest to target it. But her eyes remained steadily on Kurogasa, to assess how he would handle this technique, her sensei's specialty.

She had never used the gatotsu in battle before, and the handful of times she'd succeeded in landing one in practice was with a wooden sword with Saitou. But all those times of practicing against a dummy, aiming for a variety of body parts, and learning from the master himself, Kaoru felt confident in launching the attack. Even when Kurogasa dodged the thrust and lifted his sword to parry the secondary slash, her body automatically reacted by launching into another high kick. This time, her leg aimed for his neck, her left leg using the momentum of her lunge to power the move.

"Kaoru-dono!"

Kenshin's horrified voice filtered through her mind just as she realized where she went wrong. Maybe I should have shaken off the rust before I tried the gatotsu, Kaoru chided herself as Kurogasa grabbed her by the throat with his left hand and squeezed.

Spots immediately danced in her vision. Kaoru choked, instinctively slashing at her opponent to escape from the unrelenting pressure. But Kurogasa easily knocked away the weak swipe and his fingers tightened its grip. Self-preservation and panic sprang up, clouding all other thoughts. Dropping the sword, Kaoru's hands scrabbled at her throat, trying to pry his fingers off her windpipe while wheezing for air. She dangled from the vise grip, barely registering that the hitokiri lifted her choking figure up higher in what was probably an impressive display of strength. Dimly, Kaoru realized it was designed to horrify and demoralize their audience but then any further thoughts scattered as her body cried out for much-needed breath.

The gatotsu, like most specialized moves, required complete commitment by the user. Kaoru had done just that, confident not only in her ability to execute the maneuver, but to fall back on a second and even a third attack if Kurogasa had somehow managed to block the initial thrust. But her error stemmed from one of the basic lessons she had forgotten. Even now, Saitou's voice echoed in her head as her vision dimmed. The recollection of the lesson with her sensei was so sharp, Kaoru almost smelled the tell-tale signs of cigarette smoke as the memory played on.

"The gatotsu is a deadly attack. If executed correctly, this move will essentially finish any fight, ninety-eight percent of the time. Very few people can dodge its destructive attack. But…"

Young Kaoru leaned forward, eagerly drinking in every word he spoke. "But what?"

Saitou's cool amber eyes bore into her. "But in your case, the gatotsu will only work if your opponent's skill level is below yours. The strength of this attack relies not just on skill and timing, but on the brute strength of the user. You, Kaoru-chan, with your slight figure and scrawny limbs, will never be able to use this maneuver to its full potential."

Her young, naive self had protested Saitou's words immediately but now, as her struggles slowed, Kaoru realized the truth of her sensei's words. She simply didn't have the mass to power her thrusts like Saitou did. With her light weight driving the gatotsu, it must have been a simple basic thrust that Kurogasa was able to shake off with ease. Even worse, instead of realizing what had happened and retreating from danger, Kaoru had launched into the kick, drawing even closer to her opponent and rendering herself open and vulnerable. Kurogasa had shifted to take the hit on the shoulder while simply leaning forward to grab her.

As her eyes started to flutter shut and her struggling subsided, she caught a splash of something red charging towards them. "Jinei!" the crimson blur screamed.

Kenshin. The hand around her throat slackened just enough that Kaoru was able to choke down a brief gulp of air before she was slammed against something hard and a sharp object settled against her neck. She wheezed, chest heaving to suck more air in greedily. Her unbound hair obscured her vision for a moment but then she realized Kurogasa had turned and pulled her against him so they were both facing Kenshin. The hitokiri's chest behind her rumbled and, realizing they were words, Kaoru mustered enough energy to focus on what was being said.

"That's close enough, Battousai," Kurogasa warned. The steel blade dug into her skin enough to draw blood. It trickled down to her collar bone and disappeared inside her gi.

Kenshin stopped ten feet away and Kaoru felt his eyes scanning her. "Kaoru-dono, are you all right?" he demanded.

For some reason, Kaoru thought the former hitokiri's eyes flashed golden but it was probably because she had nearly been choked to death and spots still danced in her vision. In fact, if she didn't concentrate, she could have sworn there were two Kenshins floating in front of her. "Never better," she rasped. Swallowing took a lot of effort because her throat was so sore but at least the words sounded recognizable.

Kurogasa cackled. "She's a feisty one. I guess you like a woman with a little fight in her. So do I." He dipped his head and Kaoru felt him inhale the scent of her hair, no doubt in an effort to drive Kenshin into rage.

But she didn't bother to see if it worked. Taking advantage of the brief respite to steady herself, Kaoru remained as still as she could to keep the hitokiri's attention off her. Two dark tones, one furious and one mocking, faded into the background as her senses returned and raced with possibilities on how to get out of her predicament. Kurogasa had relaxed his grasp just enough for her breathing to ease and eventually even out, although his hand still rested at the base of her windpipe with uncomfortable pressure. But it was his weapon that was the biggest problem. As close as it was to her arteries, Kaoru had no doubt one wrong move and he wouldn't hesitate to slash her throat. She consoled herself with the thought that if Kurogasa wanted her dead, she would have been already. But she was betting on the fact that he was trying to draw out Battousai from the war by using her as a hostage.

The faintest odor of cigarette smoke hung in the air, drawing Kaoru back to her memories.

"If I can't use the gatotsu like I'm supposed to, then why are you teaching it to me?" young Kaoru demanded. Her hips, legs, arms, and shoulders shook from soreness as Saitou ordered her to practice the same stance over and over again, until her temper erupted from the futility of the exercise.

Saitou narrowed his eyes, the only indication of his disapproval at her outburst. "Being prepared will keep you alive." Leaning forward until he was eye level with her and close enough she saw the golden rings of his pupils, he added, "Besides, you're my student. I use gatotsu and therefore you'll learn gatotsu." He then reached over to flick her in the forehead, none too gently. Kaoru flinched and stepped back, rubbing the injured spot to erase the sting as she glowered at him. "If you have enough breath to complain, you're not working hard enough. You'll do the gatotsu fifty more times and then finish with five hundred swings. Now, get back into formation!"

She had learned the gatotsu as ordered but her sensei was right. Her body type would never be able to take full advantage of the devastating attack.

Lesson learned, and painfully so. But now she had to find a way out of Kurogasa's hold. She could only think of one way out of her opponent's grasp though it might be humiliating as a warrior. But if it worked, she'd be in a much better position. So Kaoru steeled herself in preparation for the move and caught Kenshin's eye just before she slumped in Kurogasa's arms so he carried her dead weight as if she'd fainted.

"Kaoru-dono!"

No one could ever claim Himura Kenshin was a natural actor, she thought sardonically as she allowed her dead weight to hang in Kurogasa's grip. He could have at least tried to sound alarmed. Instead, his tone fell flat with no trace of panic. It would be a miracle if this worked.

But one thing Kaoru could count on was that most men treated women the same, no matter if she was a trained swordsman or not. It was a lesson she had learned early on in life, taught by her mother who'd experienced the same misogyny herself. So as she remained boneless and unmoving in the hitokiri's arms, she heard him comment, "Oh? She fainted?" as if it was common for people to lose consciousness while just standing there.

With those words came the slightest loosening of his grip around her throat and the slackened blade. As soon as she felt Kurogasa relax as much as she could expect, Kaoru jerked upright fast and hard until the top of her head smashed into the underside of the hitokiri's jaw. At the same time, she reached for his arm and did her best to yank the weapon away from her to reduce the damage to her neck. She had already experienced Kurogasa's quick recovery against any attack and there was little time to escape his arms.

Kenshin jumped forward to help by grappling with Kurogasa's sword arm. He struggled to keep it locked in position so the weapon couldn't be turned against her or himself. Kaoru wrenched herself from Kurogasa's grasp and dropped down to grab the sakabatou before swinging it at his legs. The taller man jumped to avoid the attack and snapped out a punch towards Kenshin's face. With no choice but to let go or get hit, the rurouni leapt back to put distance between them.

Kurogasa didn't seem deterred or surprised by the inelegant escape of his hostage. Instead, he shifted his attention to Kaoru still on the ground and she barely brought the sword up fast enough to block a swift downward slash that would have cleaved her from the shoulder down to her belly had it connected. The clash of metal reverberated down her arm and nearly numbed the entire limb. She could only stare at her opponent, amazed at his sheer strength and nonchalant attitude. Nothing seemed to phase him. Nothing worked against him.

"What's wrong, Inspector? Have you run out of little tricks yet?" Mockery adorned his voice and eyes and Kaoru gritted her teeth against it. Grasping the hilt with both hands, a feral yell tore from her throat as she pushed against his weapon hard enough to break his guard. She surged to her feet and attacked him with swing after swing, blind with frustration and fury and even embarrassment. Kurogasa stepped back against the onslaught but in between her movements, Kaoru caught a glimpse of a wide smirk on his face.

That smug smile set off alarm bells in her head and Kaoru realized she had let her emotions get the best of her and led her into dangerous territory again. But before she could backpedal to create a safe distance between them so she could regain her composure, Kurogasa caught her sword with his and pushed it away so her body was left wide open for attack. His left hand shot out and blocked her right arm, keeping her from swinging her blade back into him while he drew back his own katana and swiped it towards her midsection.

Kaoru felt the sword cut through her gi and part of the sarashi, leaving behind a long gash on her abdomen. Instinctively, she'd leaned forward and sucked in her stomach to minimize the damage but the sharp edge left stinging pain behind in its wake. She stumbled back a few feet, trying to regain her balance as Kurogasa locked eyes with her.

"It's been fun, Inspector, but I think we both know that it's over."

Helpless fury welled up inside of her but there was no outlet left. Was it truly over? Had she come this far, only to be defeated by what some would call a relic of the past? If she couldn't defeat Kurogasa here, she might as well kneel down and offer her neck to him because she would never be an effective law officer. Where had she gone wrong? Was she not as good as she thought she was? Kurogasa had taken almost everything she threw at him with his eerie calm and he remained mostly unscathed. She was too predictable, too slow, too weak to stop him.

I'm sorry, Kaa-san. I've failed you. Standing there in the battlefield, her chest heaving for breath and running low on energy, her hair loose and sticking grimly to her sweaty face, her uniform torn and spotted red, sore and bleeding, an overwhelming tide of hopelessness and despair pressed down against her shoulders until she wanted to collapse on the ground in defeat.

"Kaoru-dono!"

Icy guilt tore through her. Kenshin had even given up his sword because he trusted her to win this battle. How could she face him now, after failing him? But his next words doused her with cold sobriety.

"Believe in your abilities. Trust yourself as much as we trust you."

Kenshin's quiet but urgent voice once again broke through the throes of self-loathing and thin edge of panic, and managed to shove back the waves of fear roiling within her. His words struck her and the rightness of what he was saying further cut away the despair that clouded her judgment. Kaoru realized she had made yet another amateur mistake, one that could have cost not only her life, but those of three other people. That was unacceptable. She was willing to die in the line of duty to protect those under her care, but she wasn't willing to take anyone with her.

Her kempo wasn't up to par. Her gatotsu was useless against Kurogasa. But those weren't the only weapons in her arsenal. She had been trained in another fighting style, which promoted not only the defense of other people, but of the wielder as well. Her father had based the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu not on brute force, but mindful strategy.

Kaoru instinctively felt around for her sword, seeking comfort upon touching the familiar braided threads of the tsuka. But it wasn't there. Instead, she had flung it away as easily as she had once trampled on the beliefs of katsujin-ken. The broken blade had been with her ever since she left her father, and by her side ever since she parted from Saitou-sensei to walk her own path. As she had told Kenshin, it made her feel as though her mother was close to her, offering her comfort and strength. And now, she realized that she needed to put aside all fears, all conventional, stifling thoughts of what a swordsman did, and live up to the ideals she'd decided on.

"Kaoru-san, you're hurt! Let me bind you up. Ken-san can take over."

Without breaking her gaze from Kurogasa, Kaoru shot her hand out to stop any movements her friends made on her behalf. "Stay back, Megumi-san. This fight isn't over yet."

Kurogasa looked mildly interested and tracked her movements as Kaoru slowly straightened up. Her wound burned and stretched with each motion, but she ignored it and the blood oozing from the injury. Instead, she glanced around and spotted Kenshin's saya lying on the ground a few feet away. Trudging towards it with slow, measured steps, she picked it up and then stared at the blade in her other hand. Her gaze then shifted towards Kurogasa, who hadn't moved and observed her with a slight sneer. Kaoru nodded to herself, having made her decision. She sheathed the sakabatou and turned towards Kenshin. "Thank you," she said quietly. "But this is your sword. It's not mine."

There was a strange light in his eyes, and a faint smile of resignation that curved his lips. Kenshin seemed to know exactly what she meant, and what she intended to do. "Kaoru-dono," he began.

She shook her head to stop him from speaking further. Turning back to Kurogasa, Kaoru began speaking as she carefully propped it against a tree where Kenshin could retrieve it later. "I almost brought my katana," she told the hitokiri. "It was given to me by my sensei when he deemed me worthy to have one. But I couldn't bring myself to touch it. The one I carry now was my mother's. I had dreams of finding the bandits who killed her and avenging her death with her own sword. My father broke it so that I could never use it against anyone."

Kurogasa didn't seem to mind her conversational story and even tilted his head slightly to indicate interest. "Oh?"

"I was stubborn back then, too. I had all sorts of grandiose plans of becoming an instrument of law and justice." Kaoru smiled ruefully as she remembered her past idealistic self. "But then I learned how damaging a live blade can be." She trudged over to where her sword lay and closed her fingers over the hilt. "My father tried to teach me that when I was younger, but he failed to talk me out of my anger." Straightening up, Kaoru strode back to within the unseen boundaries of the battlefield, until she faced the hitokiri ten feet away. Sliding the saya back into her obi, she slowly pulled out the broken blade. "I tried defeating you with the gatotsu. I tried with the sakabatou. But now, to honor my parents, I'm going to defeat you with this sword."

"With a broken blade?" Kurogasa scoffed. "No warrior in their right mind would use such a weapon. If you couldn't defeat me with a sakabatou, why would you think you could do it with an incomplete sword? It's a disgrace and a mockery!"

"Yeah, Jou-chan, what the hell are you think- oof, ow, Megumi, what was that elbow for?"

Sano's voice barely penetrated Kaoru's concentrated gaze on Kurogasa as she raised the shorn katana until it was horizontal and parallel to the ground. Nearly half the metal was gone, cut cleanly through at an angle to create an inadvertent sharp point at the end. "It can't be a disgrace if I triumph over you. With the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, I don't need a complete sword to win. All I need to know is that I will do everything within my power to protect people. And because there are people relying on me for that protection, I can't fail. I won't fail."

Kurogasa considered her words for a moment, then shrugged with indifference. "Fair enough. Let's see this Kamiya Kasshin Ryu up close before you die."

In unspoken accord, they dashed towards one another, weapons held ready until they extended it to attack at the right time. Kaoru kept her eyes intently on the man who ended up playing a surprise part in the development of her swordsmanship. She blocked, thrusted, parried, slashed, and dodged, running through every kata she remembered. The broken sword no longer had the reach, but Kaoru had trained herself to get used to half the span. It was just about the length of a kodachi and by using the Kasshin Ryu, she could emphasize defense much more easily. Upon finding an opportunity to attack, she was forced to draw in closer, but her natural agility and sharp eyes allowed her to keep up against Kurogasa's speed.

She would win. She had to, to become the defender she wanted to be. And she would prove it to everyone here by using a broken sword with a ryu she had once turned her back on.

Kurogasa didn't make it easy on her, and in fact seemed to get stronger and faster than ever before. The dark pinpoint eyes, glowing with bloodlust, burned into her as he calculated her movements and reacted accordingly. His sword, where she had failed to protect herself, bit into her arms and torso, but they were shallow wounds thanks to her superior defense. Kaoru didn't falter, watching him closely, waiting to see that moment when she should strike. Weariness and doubt fell away like shedding her haori and a fresh surge of energy infused her body. Every time she moved her sword, she pictured it as an extension of her arm and her spirit. Her mind and body communed in unison, already calculating the next move just as soon as the previous one was completed. This melding imbued a strange sensation within her and through her, almost like joy and freedom and solemnity of her task, all rolled together in a nameless, breathless emotion she couldn't quite identify. It struck Kaoru that perhaps this is what her father meant about a sword to revitalize life.

She saw his eyes widen and the realization in her brain clicked - there! That was the opening she was waiting for. Without pausing, Kaoru blocked a side thrust, dodged a second slash, and pushed off with her hind foot to surge forward into an attack. The swords clanged together, an odd echo with one blade being far shorter than it should, but she pressed him back not just physically but with her swordsman spirit.

And it seemed as though the tables had turned. Kurogasa began losing ground, taking back one step at a time to avoid the merciless onslaught of Kaoru's aggressive attacks. Even his defensive stance began to waver and she almost felt the subtle shift of his mind from confidence to confusion to fear. That uncertainty allowed her to slip under his guard and slam the jagged end of the sword into his right shoulder.

Kurogasa didn't scream even though he should have, because Kaoru felt bone and muscle give way to the blade in her hands. She'd deliberately chosen the opposite shoulder where Kenshin had already wounded him. This way, he would never be able to raise up a sword again. The hitokiri would live, but justice would be served.

He stumbled away from her and she let her hands drop from the weapon, watching as he glanced at hilt protruding from his body. His laughter started off slow and disbelieving, until it rose into a hysterical, high-pitched laughter that made Kaoru wince. But then the eerie sound cut off suddenly as Sano limped up to him and punched Kurogasa so hard the hitokiri flew back, hit a tree, and slid to the ground, unconscious.

"I have been wanting to do that for so long now," he commented, rubbing his fist with satisfaction.

Kaoru stared at the tall fighter and suddenly the adrenaline ebbed away to leave her swaying. She slumped to her knees as a giant wave of exhaustion rolled over her. While she was glad he was okay, the only way she could express it right now was by teasing him. "Sano, you're late with the information I asked for."

Sano blushed as he rubbed the back of his head in awkward embarrassment. "Yeah, something came up."

She would have chuckled if she had any energy left. "I'll let you off the hook this time. But how are you walking? Shouldn't you be lying still?"

"What, you think a single stab wound can keep me down for long?" Sano laughed and flapped his hand airily. "Megumi and Kenshin patched me up enough during your fight. This is nothing, especially with the best doctor in the prefecture right here."

Unconvinced but hardly able to deny his robust attitude, Kaoru simply nodded. Megumi hurried over to her, but Kaoru waved her off. "I'm fine, just some cuts and bruises. Nothing a long nap can't cure. You'd best see if Kurogasa is going to die from blood loss."

"I'll go with you," Sano told the doctor.

Kaoru had to smile at his protectiveness because Kurogasa was clearly knocked out. But her thoughts scattered as a shadow fell over her, and not in the direction she would have expected Kenshin to come from. The chi was one she knew intimately, a presence nearly as familiar as her father's. Her stomach bottomed out and she slowly turned her head up.

The familiar scent of a lit cigarette should have been a dead giveaway of his arrival, had Kaoru been more alert. Or did the vague aroma of smoke trigger her memories while fighting the hitokiri? He must have seen the battle, at least a part of it. Tawny eyes glinted down at her with a mixture of exasperation and dark satisfaction. They stared at each other for several long heartbeats until the newcomer finally broke the silence with a snort. "Trust you to do things the hard way."

AN: Apologies to anyone who finds fight scenes tedious and hard to read. I didn't realize it until I read some of the comments in the previous chapter that these aren't everyone's cup of tea. However, I felt this chapter was necessary as part of Kaoru's growth and its contributions to the plot. Hopefully it was entertaining enough to read through. Please review to let me know whether you liked it or not.

Next Chapter: Revelations and Confrontations