Victory...?

"come." It was a simple command, but that one syllible had a world of meaning. the hitokiri's eye's shimmered as the moon glinted of his empty face. His mind was empty of emotion, even of thought, only survival instincts remained. Could he really battle in such a state? Yes. He must. There was no other choice, if he let the tears… and his past effect him, his thoughts would be clouded with doubts with uncertainty.

He began to rush forward, slowly at first, increasing as he raced faster and faster through the courtyard outside Kanryu's manshion. He had to cut himself off from feeling, because the only one left to support him, the only one left who he had ever trusted had given up on him. a tear identical to the clear jem that had run down Kaoru's face now adorned his.

He was upon her now. A quick slash at waist height was easily evaded, but forced to move backward suddently, the girl was caught off balance, and half a second later, blood came pooring from her arm as the slashed line running down it began to trickle. It was nothing serious, but it seemed to Kaoru that going back was not an option. Had she really meant so little to him?

Kenshin watched the blood stain the dojo master's arm. Anger began to gleam in his eye's as the emotions began trickling out of his uncontrollable phyci. She had not prevented udou jin-e's death, and now… now she wanted his? It was too much. Even Tomoe hadn't tried to kill him… tomoe.

His conscience over took him, blood as thin as tear drops began to run from the scar on his cheek. He was jolted suddenly out of the emotional healing when a sharp smack on the shoulder was delt out by— by

His eyes narrowed. She could never replace tomoe, he should have known. He could never avenge tomoe either but he, he had tried and now? He looked into her eyes as the frail body shook.

She was not worthy of a swift death, nor was she the one destined to free the hitokiri of his earthly pain. A golden gleam shown through his tinted eye's once more. It must end. His concentration returned, the small blows they had been exchanging seemed nothing now. A leap backwards, not retreat, but preparation. Kenshin lowered himself to the growd, nearly invisible in the shadows. And then—

Shiiiing!!

The warm liquid began to pool around Kaoru's livid body. eye's wide, as she watched in disbelief the man she had loved, the man she had, lost, the man she had failed to save, even for a minute. Gasping breathing, uneven and shallow for the wound across her belly. Reaching one uncontrollable hand to her face in spasms she realized not a single tear was falling. She had really let go, really givin up. Her face was dark and blank. Why then, why had she fought him? darkness began to take over her mind as she closed her stony eyes from the world she prepared for the next, but what met her was far less comforting.

Her eyes snapped open as cold sharp steal sliced her unsuspecting skin apart. Lifing her head slowly from the ground where it lay, she stared at the wound. A long thin streak stretched from her right shoulder to her left hip. More blood began to seep through. A second, unnecessary slash formed a mark she could never forget. Her eyes flashed suddenly to Kenshin's cheek… why? An unsteady hand reached out, into the unclear surroundings, darkness clouded the edges of her vision but still her hand stretched out, upwards towards the scarred man.

One more the shadow turned away, red hair slowly disappearing into the distance, never to return. Still her hand waited, waited for one last touch of her beloved's hand. Vision let her, all senses gone. Only bleak darkness kept her company in her lonliness, and one thought: Kenshin. One last trembling moment. Something brushed at her hand, something seemed to reach for her, her deaf ear seemed to hear but nothing registered. A small smile graced her dieing lips. He had come back, she had not died in vain.

Limp. Her arm fell slow as a feather to lie, unmoving in the soft blood drenched grass.

'thank you' were her final thoughts, but her soul had separated long before the arm died.

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please don't get mad! I know it's short and un-edited but I wanted to make sure you know I'm actually back for good so I decided to update anyway.

Please read and review! I'll return soon! Promise!

Wasabi: and a promise is a promise!