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A Change in Heart

Saito & Sano

They ran on towards the door, unaffected by the shouts of the desperate and cowardly businessman watching frightened at his window. The sound of swords slashing and people dying was all around them.

The gunmen of Kanryu's private army were lined up and had formed a wall in front of the intruders, but Saito mercilessly stopped them all with a single swing. Nothing remained, only a scene worthy of the Bakumatsu. Saito smirked as he walked confidently up to the door.

The wood was suddenly shattered as a Sano released all his pent-up emotions in his punch. Subdued and melancholy Sano followed his companion onto the true battle field.

He would wait here, in the shadows of war. Soaking up the scene, he continued to walk towards the building.

Perhaps, the last responsibility I have here will be taken care of by… others.

He refused to think of his friends.

Perhaps these people can manage to keep this city clean of the eternal evil that lurks in all shadows of this world. I can finally move on, protect the rich, the poor… the weak from evil. I will follow the teachings of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu farther than any before me. I will be the lonely hero, feared and hated by all yet in truth, a bringer of justice.

He sighed. More wickedness: good could be perceived as evil. Yet…

It is selfish. I long for the chaos, the confusion, the excuse of 'kill or be killed'. It will return, and I will be the liberator. Perceived as evil, I will hide in the shadows next to the evil I fight. An outcast, a fallen god, wandering lonely and hated on this earth… is that punishment enough?

Shift

Kenshin's eyes shot open as his current reality came flooding back to him.

It seems one man is not quite dead… Sanosuke, that baby, he wouldn't kill it, not after what he had learned from… that the Rurouni, the former Ishin Shishi…

He refused to associate himself with the kindness he had once known, even for that short time. He would not remember the love he had shared in that short time of happiness. He would not remember that it was the killer he now brought out that had ended it all. Himself…

Some mechanism turned in his heart. A single tear slid silently down his cheek, mixed with his blood.

Even my sadness is not pure. My tears mix with my blood.

I am so selfish… I did not deserve the love afforded to me by Tomoe, or Kaoru, Sanosuke… Yahiko…

It's too late for me…

Too late…

She collapsed in a pile of tears and exhaustion. The excess emotions finally took over, and the lingering hangover affected her further.

What's the point? What can I do? And why should Kenshin need me… It's not as if he loves me. If he did, he would not have left me alone… She shivered at the memory or his eyes when he first arrived in the forest to save her from Jin-E. Those eyes… they were not filled with a sense of duty.

So very alone…

Love… His eyes said he loved her though…

The very thought of it broke her down. She sank down onto the dirt road, unable to stop her body, nor the sobs that racked her body.

Perhaps it was simply worry… worry for a helpless woman, the damsel in distress. Yes, that must be it. The tears stopped. She had forced her sorrow to leave; only anger remained.

He thinks I'm helpless!

That was her only thought, as she blocked out all other feelings she held for Kenshin. She stood slowly, head bowed, more enraged than ever. Her eyes were covered in the shadows. As she straightened her body up into a standing position, her eyes riveted, glazing over without emotions as she examined her surroundings once more. Her feet started to move, pace increasing until she was running.

A small ping resounded through her body as her heart went ice cold. No longer guided by her feelings, she turned in the direction of the gunshot she had heard in the distance and ran, only blankness in her mind.

But a feeling of fright was hidden, a feeling of anticipation, and of admiration…

Kenshin!

(AN: the ping sound Kaoru heard was the click in Kenshin's heart, not a gun shot. Their hearts are linked… you'll see why in a later chapter)

As splintered wood fell to the ground, the first opponent appeared from within the cloud of dust. A man, with short arms but long legs, appeared. He wore a strange demonic mask and had gaudy stripes on both of his arms. The costume in itself was unappealing to Sanosuke.

Before the debris had settled, without the courtesy of a speech or greeting, Saito struck first. The powerful Gatotsu thrust, at half strength, was easily avoided by the martial artist, deflected by only his hand. Saito was unperturbed, his face staying emotionless, even as he received a powerful kick to the stomach.

It seems that this 'Oniwabanshu' has talent. He is powerful and skilled but…

He smirked.

…Not skilled enough. How did someone like him survive the Bakumatsu, and emerge with a powerful reputation?

There was a quick and sudden thrust thrown at the masked man's shoulder. So again the flow of the battle restarted. Blood sprayed out, trickling down the martial artist's arm towards his numbed hand.

Saito sighed. I thought he would twist the other way, forcing my sword into his heart and killing him. It seems this battle must drag on a bit longer.

Why did he sigh? Sanosuke shot a glance at the other, slightly surprised. The hit on his shoulder was a good, solid strike that created an important wound, unless…

Did he mean to kill this man? It was just the second attack of his fight; the opponent seemed a skilled and honorable fighter as well.

There is something wrong with this ally, something about him… a killer instinct? A former assassin perhaps? No, not even Kenshin acted like this man. Though only Kaoru could be the one to confirm his thoughts.

Kaoru…

Sanosuke thought back to Udou Jin-E… to the fear that had been present and hidden behind her deep depression.

Was Kenshin really so frightening?

"Did you really live through the Bakumatsu?" Sanosuke's eyes again focused in on the battle before him. The words of the cold blooded man licking the sweet blood of his blade in ecstasy had woken him from his deep train of thought.

"I realize the Oniwabanshu clan did survive. But you… weakling. You don't have the skills or the demeanor to survive such a… gruesome war." Saito smirked.

Yes, gruesome it was…

He grinned. Though it didn't bother him at all. The severed heads, the dying screams, the sounds of pain… he quite enjoyed them actually, and to this present day.

Editor: HAHA! Guess who's running the show now! ME! And I demand a tribute of mangos! Hunh? Oh, don't worry about the authoress and her muse… I think they're… still locked up in that closet? Oh. Dear me. I suppose I should do something. They'll figure out how to get out on their own anyhow.

Actually, she's having some issues with her computer, so the task has come upon ME. Oh snap, beat that. xDDDDDDDDDDD

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