I'm back, I'll just be brief, here's a summery incase you forget the story so far:

-Kenshin killed udou jin-e and left the dojo, bumped into megumi, was challenged by aoshi

-sano enlisted saito/fugita as help to defeat kanryu and save megumi to give her a second chance at life/ a chance to atone for her sins

-Kaoru was broken but determined to go with Sanosuke and fight with him and see Kenshin

-megumi had saved sano's life and was, duh, captured by Kanryu, like in the manga

on with the story!!

One More dead, How Many More Tears Must be Shed?

Twisting a bit, the masked fighter wrenched his arm free, at the same time thrusting the fist of his unharmed arm hard into the man's face. Jumping back, the fighters returned to their positions.

Saito was moving in again even before Han'nya had completely readied himself and set his footing.

This stike, again.

The squinty eyed man rushed towards him, instantaneously upon him, attacking with the same technique. The masked fighter began to duck and charge as well, attempting to balance the oncoming speed and match it while throwing a punch of his own.

Crrrrrick

The point of the Saito's poised blade contacted the strange mask of the martial arts warrior, quickly shattering it into tiny pieces, almost as thin as dust.

Plitt… Plitt…

The sword had plunged straight through the nearly impenetrable mask directly into the unsuspecting skull of the pathetic man. A disfigured face met the disgusted eyes of the wolf as it was revealed, having worn the last of a thousand masks. Soft gurgling escaped the spy's throat as blood began to stream into the open mouth that was gasping for air.

Unceremoniously, he jerked his sword out of the deformed face of a once skilled fighter. A wad of spit sprang from Saito's mouth as he degraded the skilled martial artist, disgusted his sword had ever come in contact with such an ugly thing and tasting his unquenchable animal bloodlust growing. As the former Oniwanbanshu fell into the bleak solitude of blackness beyond, his uneven eyes remained open, seeing all, yet unseeing all the same.

With his last breath, the fighter whispered out his final words: "One such as you will never defeat the Okashira of one of the Bakumatsu's strongest fighting forces the-" But he was gone.

Sanosuke stood in the corner. Staring. Silent. Motionless. He watched as the man's face began to shadow, the scraps of his humanity left behind fading before Sano's eyes. He had not even bothered to re-sheath or wipe his dripping sword. He followed the red trail of a martial artist's blood as it slowly thinned to a stream of infrequent drops. Determination was written in his features; he couldn't take it.

The murder of a skilled individual, when only a clear victory or incapacitation was necessary, was unacceptable. Worse, he had shown the dead man no respect. Had been disgusted by the appearance of a man who had survived a life time of pain and given up everything to become a faithful warrior to a strong Okashira.

In one quick motion Sanosuke's fingers had pulled the misshaped eyelids of the worthy warrior and hid his pupils forever from the horrors of our world. Then he was off again, sprinting along side the killer. Sano received a small smirk from the man as the only recognition for his actions.

Stupid hatchling, had you been born but a few years earlier, the Bakumatsu would have killed you too. How that weakling survived- cowardice, I'm sure- was luck, not skill. You have no skill. Even worse, you have not the heart of a true warrior. You are weak, caring, and easily controlled by your unbridled emotions. Saito smirked. Pathetic.

Their footsteps continued to fall, moving farther and farther from the crumpled body pooled in blood.

---

Kenshin, nearly at to the end of the courtyard now, still savored the chaotic scene that so fitted the Hitokiri ruling his heart. He had seen the fight, watched that man who had been standing quietly reverently close the eyes of the victim of Saito's cruelty.

Watched the smooth steel glide effortlessly through the skull of the spy,

Watched that gorgeous, crimson liquid flow freely down a past man's face, into his mouth, soaking his clothes, wetting the floor.

He shivered. Anticipation. He licked his lips, making them glisten with their new wetness. Yes, soon it will be my turn to kill again, soon I will-

"Kenshin!" The cold and calm voice cut through his thoughts, as severely as his sword has sliced short hundreds of lives.

His face froze. Alert, he shifted slowly, turning his face towards the source of his interruption. His eyes rotated, aiming slowly towards the shadow standing at Kanryu's open gate.

Shiiing

Gold flashed across his dark eyes, staying only for a second, staying only until he saw that his newly acquired target was—

"Kaoru…" he breathed letting his lips wrap around the word, allowing his brain to absorb the name that meant so much to him. His face darkened, eyes glinting with a golden tint.

No. that was only another link to the past. The name meant nothing but pain and guilt. He could not avoid her glare as steady eyes met his. He could not avoid her. Few days had passed since that day… since… he refused to think of Jin-E.

If she could not be forgotten, she would have to be destroyed.

He readied himself, bending into a fighter's stance, preparing to unsheathe his sword the moment that person came close enough.

One lone tear fell silently down her face, but her resolve did not weaken. The droplet rolled unchallenged, lonely, down the soft pale cheek of a young girl, distraught… destroyed.

An unsteady hand held her wooden sword, dangling it lightly from the fingertips, lightly brushing the tip of the grass. She raised her arm. Slowly. Deliberately. A careful breath. Not to calm herself, but to prepare for certain death at the hand of a loved one.

Her slight tremble became obvious and the smirk on the Hitokiri's face was unpleasantly cruel. Again she was hardened. If only she could bring the Rurouni back, even for a short time. To have him awaken from his daze, overpowered by sadness as he had been saved by Tomoe's death, so be it. She would die for him.

She gasped. Her mind slowing turning, registering her own thoughts, as if they had been completely foreign. I would die for him…

One final tear, full of all her pain, her regrets, and her fears, glided down her face. Absorbed into the soft cloth of her clothing, the wet spot seemed to shine with all the emotions hopes and dreams she had let go. She spoke at last breaking their long silence.

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ok, ummmm… I'm really sorry I haven't updated in forever, but if I get like, say 5 replies, I will actually come back in full and update consistently… I fully expect that you have all abandon me by now but whatever. Hope you (if you exist) enjoyed it anyways, see yas!

Editor: Alright dears. Review. or I'll kick you in the shin.