Chapter 16: The Former Realities

"Why do you keep calling me that!!!?!" Kenshin screamed. "I'm not Battousai! Battousai was alive in the Bakumatsu… That was over a hundred years ago! It's physically impossible."

"Come on, Himura," Chou said, smirking and putting a fist on his hip. "Don't you believe in reincarnation?"

"Reincar…. AGH!" He grabbed his head and shut his eyes.

You're always worrying about everybody else, and you're always risking your life. You're such a jerk.

Kaoru…She was wearing a yellow and orange kimono, smiling at him from a bridge.

I want to be strong so that next time I won't need any help from you! I want to be strong enough to stand up for my parents' name myself!

Yahiko…He was wearing yellow and green and had a shinai around his shoulder.

I kept holding grudges until I couldn't hold anymore... All because of the death of someone I looked up to!! If I hadn't met Kenshin I would have never figured things out. I would have been a man full of hate, who held a ton of resentment.

Sano…Sanosuke was dressed in a white outfit, very poor looking, and had a red scarf around his head.

I'm just glad I was able to meet all of you and find out that there are good people in this world. I was finally happy being with you. Thank you all.

Megumi…She was dressed in a pink kimono with a violet apron tied over it.

Because you've slain so many people, you don't even value your own life. That's what allows the manslayer's heart that lies deep within your true heart to take over your soul. Even if you use the power of that manslayer for a self-sacrificing purpose such as protecting those you love or the weak, it's still only one tiny pebble in the never-ending river of time. Live on, Kenshin. That way you'll be able to use the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki as you please and you'll never again lose to the manslayer within you.

Hiko…SHISHOU!!!! He had adorned a white cape with a red collar. What is it? Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki…I… feel like I've seen it before…

I have slain many… but I will repent for all of my sins by using this sakabatou, de gozaru yo…

Kenshin stared down at his feet, seeing the bodies of people laying at his feet. They were bloody and cold, deceased by the cut of his own blade. He slid the blade into its sheath. I will never… kill again…

Kenshin collapsed onto the floor, holding his head and screaming. Seeing the faces… all of those victims… and for some reason he knew it was he who held the blade. He could feel everything fading, but he could see the faces of his friends, the victim that cut his face, and the beautiful girl that smelled of white plum as she placed the dagger against his cheek.

-

"Let's get outta here!" Chou's voice echoed in his ears.

"Sayonara!" Soujirou laughed. "We don't want to fight right now, ha hah!"

"Kenshin…"

Kenshin didn't say anything.

"I think he's unconscious, Seijirou," Saitou's voice said.

"What'd they do to him?"

"Knowing them, who knows?"

"Damn… I hope he's not hurt too bad."

"Hito…kiri…" Kenshin whispered.

"Hm?" Hiko blinked, but Kenshin didn't say anything else.

The door slammed open.

"Kenshin! We're here to save you!" Sano yelled at the top of his lungs, giving his most heroic pose.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried.

"You're late, Sagara," Saitou smirked.

"I told you we should've driven faster!" Sano yelled at Misao.

"I wasn't about to get a ticket you stupid rooster!!!" Misao threatened. "That's why I have my license and you don't!!!"

"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried again, running to him and tenderly placing her hands on his face. "Oh… he's hurt…" She reached into her shirt and pulled out a white handkerchief. She began cleaning his face.

"Uh… uh?" He opened his eyes slightly.

"He's okay!" She smiled at him in relief.

"Kaoru-dono?" He asked lazily. The scene of his victim flashed into his mind. "AH!" He grabbed his head. "Make it stop…"

"Kenshin?" She held him close to her. "What's wrong?"

"I can't stop seeing what I'm seeing…" He muttered, leaning against her. "I'm sleepy now… so just let me… rest here…de gozaru yo…" He fell unconscious again.

"We need to get him to a doctor," Kaoru said.

"I'll drive!" Misao cheered.

"I'll stay here…" Aoshi said. "I have some business to settle with them when they get back."

"I'll stay too," Saitou said, cracking his knuckles.

"Me three!" Sano yelled triumphantly. "I'll prove to you guys that I'm the best fighter of all of you!"

"Shut up, boy, the grown-ups are talking," Saitou smirked.

"Aoshi! You're not gonna let him talk like that are you?"

"…"

"FINE!" Sano sat down on the ground. "I'll get you one of these days." Saitou took this time to laugh at him.

-

Misao had driven them to the hospital where Kenshin had been hospitalized.

Hiko stood over Kenshin, watching him jerk, toss and turn in bed while the doctor read the stats on a machine.

"He seems to of suffered some head trauma, according to the symptoms. Has anything distressing happened to him recently?" The doctor asked.

"His parents…" Hiko began, then looked at the floor. "They…"

"They were murdered…" Kaoru whispered, looking at the floor as well.

The doctor seemed taken aback by this, then realized that he needed to act professional. "I'm sorry. Now…" He wrote something down on his clipboard. "Are you his guardian?"

"You could say that," Hiko shrugged.

"Please, come with me," The doctor said.

They left the room.

Kaoru walked over and sat on the edge of Kenshin's bed. They didn't find any wounds on his body… but why was there blood on his face…? Oh… poor Kenshin… I hope he pulls through okay. What did they do to him?!

Kenshin opened his eyes. "K-Kaoru-dono?"

"Ah, Kenshin!" She cried in both shock and relief. "Oh, are you all right?" She put her hand on his face.

"Hai," Kenshin muttered, raising up, his sheet falling down along his waist.

"What happened, Kenshin?" She asked, setting her hand into her lap.

"To tell you the truth… I don't remember, de gozaru yo… All of these things…rushing through my head…" Kenshin put his palm to his face.

"Kenshin… The doctor said you suffered slight head trauma…"

"Kaoru-dono…The things that went through my head… I felt like I'd seen them before, even though I never… I never would do it… I'd never live like that… It… I…"

"What did you… see?"

"Murder…"

She gasped.

"They all died… by my own hand… I was… a samurai or something…"

"A samurai? The samurai were banished over a hundred years ago, Kenshin," Kaoru said.

"Yeah, I know… It was almost as if it was… a memory from a past I didn't live, de gozaru yo…"

Kaoru stared at him worriedly.

"Oh! I must sound crazy, de gozaru yo," Kenshin smiled timidly and laughed.

"N-no!" Kaoru cried, waving her hands in defense. "I… I think we all have dreams like that."

"Have you, Kaoru-dono?"

"Believe it or not, yeah!" She put her hand behind her head and giggled.

"Well, I think that something isn't right about my dream… I was awake… when it started… I heard voices, and… -and I saw all of you in strange clothing…"

"You mean me and…"

"Sano, Yahiko, Megumi-san, shishou…"

"Shishou?"

"Oro?"

"Who's shishou?"

"I didn't say that. I said Hiko-san."

"No, you called him--- Maybe there is something wrong with you…"

"Maybe…" Kenshin looked down at his lap. "Kaoru-dono… Do you believe in reincarnation?"

"Hm? I suppose. Not many know what to believe, you know?" Kaoru smiled at him. "Do you?"

"…" Kenshin nodded slowly.

"Ken-"

The door swung open. Hiko and the doctor came in discussing something when they realized that not two, but four eyes were staring at them.

"Hello," Kenshin waved, smiling nervously.

"You're awake?!" The doctor cried.

"Hai," Kenshin nodded. "-and I'd really like to go to the bathroom if you could tell me its location, de gozaru yo."

"I don't believe it…" Hiko said, stunned.

"It's over there," The doctor said, pointing to another door nearby.

"Yeah, but you might not want to get out of bed yet, kid," Hiko said.

"Oro? Why not?" Kenshin asked, blinking innocently.

"Well… because you're naked, and there's a lady in the room."

"Deh!" Kenshin's eyes bulged out, and his ponytail stood straight up on end.