(VERY LONG) Epilogue

Souzou...Souzou? Where are you? I can't hear you, can't hear your breathing…what's wrong?

I snapped my eyes open, breathing hard. I was in a small room, surrounded by pottery. Such a sight confused me until I sat up and looked around. A man wearing a white cloak with red borders was sitting near the fire, heating some more clay.

"Finally awake, apprentice?" he smirked, turning around.

"Master!" I said breathlessly. "How…how did I get here?"

"I had a doctor bandage your wounds," he answered. "I found you on the side of the river where I went to draw water. Sure surprised me. Never expected to see you again."

"…"

"So since I paid for your medical expenses, and watched after you since last night, you owe me a couple of things," he said, smirking again. "Go to town and get me some sake. I ran out."

I remained silent as I slipped on my shoes, gingerly balancing myself on my right leg. It had been bandaged tightly and into a splint, so it didn't hurt that badly. My shoulder was stiff and hard to move, but since it was in the left shoulder, I should be able to wield a sword.

"Oh, and Kikome." I stopped and turned around.

"Yes?"

"What happened to that Sagara that you went with? I thought he would take good care of you," he commented. "And what's up with the red kimono? I'd never thought you'd buy one."

"…Master, where are the other sets of clothes?" I asked. He pointed to a pile near the bed. I took a pair of robes and went outside. "I'll change, then go to town and find you the newspaper; you'll understand everything once you read it."

Taking the money and both swords, I changed in the forest quickly and walked down to the city slowly. I could hear the ringing comments of the citizens in my head. Two men's conversation I heard in particular.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"What happened last night! The Sekihoutai Army were executed for spreading false rumors about the government halving taxes!"

"No way! I can't believe it! They were just here a month ago! I heard they were coming back soon too!"

"Yeah, but Shindou-sama arrested and executed them near that potter's house! I heard a boy and a girl got away, but they got the captain!"

"That Sagara Souzou guy?'

"Yeah. I can't believe it. They're such frauds."

I walked over to them silently. They raised their heads when they saw me approach them.

"Hey, can I help you?" one of them asked.

"I'm looking for an edition of the newspaper for today. Do you have one, by any chance?" I asked calmly.

"Yeah, and I don't need it anymore, so here." He handed it over. "It's about the Sekihou Army, arrested last night. They—"

"I know," I interrupted. "More than you do, for sure. Most details are best left alone," I added quietly at his confused look.

I walked away, buying some sake along the way. It was evening, and the lights in the city had begun to be lit. Climbing the hill to back to Master's house, I took a glance at the paper in my hand, then finally unable to resist, I read it slowly and carefully. It said the following:

Last night, late at night, Shindou Tatewaki arrested and executed the false army, the Sekihoutai. The Sekihou Army is accused of spreading false rumors that the government would halve the taxes of the people and citizens of Japan if they would serve as soldiers. Spreading false rumors would be overlooked by the government, but the fact that the Sekihoutai Army was poisoning the hearts of out people with false hope is sheer villainy. We cannot allow this to happen.

I smirked silently and replayed what happened last night in my head. We were poisoning the hearts of the citizens? That's really amusing.

I opened the door and tossed the jar of sake to Master. He caught it with a frantic look in his eyes. Making sure it was safe, he scowled at me and growled, "I understand you're in a bad mood, but be careful with something so precious." He regained his teacher look and asked me quietly, "Did you get it?"

I silently tossed over the newspaper edition, watching him scan it and read it attentively. His eyes darted here and there, rereading, trying to piece it all together.

"Funny, isn't it?" he said quietly, finished reading. "They make you sound like what, a bunch of…hypocrites?"

"It's the way it is," I said coldly. "Captain Sagara was too trusting. I should have seen it."

"Sagara?" he said, eyebrows raised. "I'd thought you would call him Souzou by now, especially you." Seeing me react, he added with his usual air of superiority, "You've been my apprentice for six years, Kikome. I know how you and that idiot apprentice's minds work. You fell in love with him, didn't you?"

I stayed silent, brooding. I really couldn't hide anything from him. But did that mean he knew what I wanted to do?

As if he knew my mental question, he voiced it. "What are you going to do about this, Kikome?"

"I-I don't know," I stammered. "I— "

"Again, you can't hide anything from me," Master interrupted sharply. "You're planning to kill them, aren't you?"

"I—I don't…"

"Stop stuttering, Kikome, and tell me seriously, are you out to kill them?" he demanded sternly.

I fell silent once more, trying to say what I could in the lightest attitude. I decided to be blunt.

"Yes," I said firmly. "It's simply the same way that they did to me. I am going to make them pay for what they did to Sagara Souzou and the rest of the army."

"Kikome, you can't go ruin your life because of something stupid like this, it—"

"Something stupid!" I yelled suddenly, not believing my master had said something like that. "Do you call framing people that were doing and carrying out your orders something stupid! We were pawns! Just little people that were easily disposed if something came along in their way! How can you call that 'something stupid'? So what if I am! What can you do! Can you not see it, Master! I will not let them get away with this! They ruined my life, blemished the Sekihoutai's name, and people all over Japan are vilifying us because of them! They are getting honor and money for framing us!"

"Kikome, I know!" Master said loudly, drowning out my voice. Seeing me stop yelling, he said calmly, "I'm not going to stop you, so you don't have to worry about that. What you should be worried about is if you have the strength to do this."

"Strength?" I said in a hysterical voice. "You do realize that I'm your apprentice and that I have completed every part of the Hiten Mitsurugi teachings, including the part that Himura Kenshin had left unfinished? I am ready and unworried about possessing the 'strength' you are talking about."

"Not physical strength," he said impatiently. "Emotionally, mentally, are you ready for this? I understand that you have gotten used to the sight and scent of blood because of the ambushes with the Sekihou Army, but that was blood shed from protection. What you are doing is murder, assassination, the killing of your enemies for vengeance. Are you ready for this?"

I nodded curtly without hesitation. "I am no longer a thinking person. I am out for revenge and that is what I am going to get."

"You're only fifteen, not to mention a female, and you're out to assassinate one of the most important patriots," Master summarized. "Not what I would call really wise."

"Not just one, Master," I said, turning to leave. "There were several patriots involved. I'll track them down, one by one. Shindou is last. And just because I am fifteen and a girl doesn't stop me. I don't think emotionally, don't think mentally, and only out to kill. So both your apprentices are now assassins."

Master sighed heavily. "So they are…the idiot's even become a hitokiri, hitokiri Battousai, in fact."

"Battousai?" I said, taken back. "Kenshin's Battousai of the patriots?"

"Mm. You'll be on opposite sides. Tell me, Kikome, what are you going to be called?"

The question brought a cold smile to my face that represented no emotion. "If the patriots have Kenshin as Battousai, then mine is obvious. Sokusai. Slayer. After all, that's what hitokiri means, doesn't it?" I turned around to face Master, a gleam of light that almost represented insanity in my eyes. "Thanks very much for the consolation, Master. It helped a lot. Hiten Mitsurugi will be put in much use in the next few months. Sokusai…" I repeated softly, "has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

I picked up my bag with the kimono and other clothes in it, slid the two swords in my belt, and took a step out when Master's voice stopped me.

"You truly lack emotions, happiness and sadness," he said quietly. "Most women would cry if someone they cared about died."

I turned halfway around for the last time. "Do I?" I asked, unaware of the cold tear sliding down my face. "It's selfish, isn't it?"

I walked out, letting the mat fall behind me as I looked up to the bright moon. Tears that I barely noticed joined the first as I stepped farther, into the path I'd chosen. As the wind blew gently, brushing away my tears into an altered direction, I murmured the word I had chosen as my title softly under my breath:

"Sokusai."

Part 1: Time of the Sekihoutai: END