[KFFDisc] That Which Lingers - Part 20 (revised rough draft)

Well, here's the next part!  I apologize for the length but I just
keep writing and writing and writing....

This part may be a little confusing time-wise because the first
section of this part happens at the exact same time as the very last
section of Part 19 (when Aoshi makes his unhappy discovery).  The time
cues I've added are all relative to the end of Part 19.  I hope it
makes sense.  If not, let me know and I'll try to figure out a better
way of handling it.   ^_^;;

---------------
This story is set in my own ALTERNATE REALITY Rurouni Kenshin universe
which I've called "The Nightwitch Tales" -- think of it as Rurouni
Kenshin mixed with various supernatural and paranormal elements.
Other stories in this alternate reality are: "Night Visitor"; "All in
the Family"; and "Romancing the Wolf".
 
It takes place after the end of the Kyoto story arc.  After that, all
bets are off.  Elements of the Revenge story arc may show up in the
story.
 
WARNING:  This story is "semi-dark" -- it has dark elements (violence,
profanity, etc.) but it's not a darkfic!  Actually, there's
quite a bit of romance in it....     ^_-

As always, C&C is greatly appreciated!   ^_^

======================================================================
    THAT WHICH LINGERS:  A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic by MadamHydra
======================================================================
        Part 20:  TRANSFORMATIONS
======================================================================

---------------
Disclaimer
    All rights and privileges to Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro
Watsuki, Shuiesha, Sony Music Entertainment, and associated parties.
The characters of these series are used WITHOUT permission for the
purpose of entertainment only.  This work of fiction is not meant for
sale or profit.  Original portion of the fiction included here is
considered to be the sole property and copyrighted to the author.

---------------
Text Conventions
    (  ) are character thoughts
    / / and // // represent various sorts of mental dialogue
    * ----- * ----- *  marks the start/end of dreams or flashbacks
    [ ] denote visual or time notes

**********************************************************************

[ Kyoto, mid-August, 1878 (11th year of the Meiji period) ]

------------------------------------

    About a half an hour before Aoshi's horrified discovery, Misao was
wandering around an unfamiliar area frantically searching for any
trace of him.

    One minute, they had been walking side by side along the shadowy
forest path... the next instant, a thick, cold mist had rolled across
the pathway, obscuring everything.

    As the mist gradually thinned, Misao peered around wildly as she
realized that Aoshi was nowhere in sight.  She fought down the urge to
run around shouting his name.

    (Damn it, girl.  You're a ninja.  Stealth, secrecy, and all that
stuff.  Keep it quiet.  You've been alone in the woods by yourself
before.)

    But there was something strange about these forests... something
uncanny.

    She paused a moment, listening hard for any trace of sound.
Nothing.  Then again, she was looking for Aoshi.  Of course, he
wouldn't make any noise.
 
    Misao scowled.  (Great.  How do two expert ninjas find each other
in a great big forest?)  She suddenly grinned, then whistled the low,
haunting call of a forest bird.  The little trill at the end would
tell an Oniwabanshuu that another member was in the area.  She
listened intently, but heard no response.
 
    "What a charming sound."
 
    Misao jumped, then whirled around to see a slim female figure
emerging from the shadows.  The ninja girl had no trouble recognizing
her.
 
    "KAORU!?"

    Misao then caught sight of the hideously familiar sword hanging
over Kaoru's shoulder.  In a sick voice, she whispered, "Kinslayer."

    "Ah, I see that you've discovered the name of my sword."

    The ninja girl glared at Kaoru and said, "You're Minobe Junichi,
aren't you?  What have you done with Kaoru!?"

    "I really think that you have more important things to worry
about."

    "What the hell are you talking about?"

    "Shinomori, for example."
 
    Misao clenched her fists and hissed, "What have you done to
Aoshi!?"

    "Oh, it's just 'Aoshi' now, is it?  No more 'Aoshi-sama'?  Just
what have you been up to, little girl?"  Junichi shrugged Kaoru's
shoulders and said, "At this very moment, he's probably fighting for
his life... and losing."

    "You're lying!  He can't lose!  He's better than anything you can
throw at him!"

    "That might be true IF he was in peak condition.  As you should
well know, he hasn't been feeling his best recently."

    "Where is he!?"  Misao whipped her head back and forth, searching
for any sign of Aoshi, but she saw and heard nothing.  "Damn you,
Minobe!  Where IS he!?"

    A mocking smile appeared on Kaoru's lips.  "And even if I did tell
you where he is, what could you do?  If Shinomori can't handle my
creatures, what makes you think that a half-trained ninja like
yourself can?  And you with a broken arm, too."

    Misao growled, practically speechless with rage.  But inside, she
had the sickening feeling that Minobe Junichi was right.  What could
she do?  She shook her head furiously and shouted, "Shut up!  Just
shut up!"

    "You know I'm right.  Face it, you're just not good enough,"
Junichi said, his voice -- or rather, Kaoru's voice -- dripping with
malice.

    Misao tensed as Kaoru unsheathed Kinslayer, but instead of
attacking the ninja girl, Kaoru simply held the blade by her side and
made no threatening motions.

    Simmering with fury, Misao growled, "So, what do you want from
me?"

    "I'm here to give you the chance to save your precious
Aoshi-sama's life.  It's a very simple deal.  I'll spare his life for
a little of your blood."

    Misao blinked, then spat out, "If you want my blood so badly, why
don't you just take it!?  A half-trained ninja girl should hardly be
any trouble for a 'great' swordsman like yourself!"

    Junichi shrugged carelessly.  "I'm not in the mood to go chasing
you around.  Just give me some of your blood and Shinomori lives."
Kaoru lifted the blade and extended it, the sharp tip of the blade
hovered just a few feet away from Misao.

    (It's a trick!  It has to be!  If Junichi went through all this
trouble to separate and ambush the two of us, he can't be willing to
just let either of us go in exchange for a little blood from me!
But... but if I don't do it, Aoshi could die!)

    Misao was half-reaching for the sword tip when she abruptly
remember Takagi Asuko's warning from the night before.

    (Asuko specifically warned me that Kinslayer has power over the
people it injures through their blood!  That must be how it possessed
Kaoru without her even touching the blade.  And that's how it hurt
Aoshi back at the clinic!  Somehow, after tasting their blood, it now
has the power to control them!  Oh my god!  If Kinslayer can do THOSE
things to people whose blood it takes without their consent, what can
it do to someone who surrenders their blood voluntarily!?)

    Misao immediately snatched her hand back and hastily retreated.

    Junichi said impatiently, "Don't waste time, you stupid girl.  The
longer you wait, the more likely that Shinomori will die a slow and
painful death."

    In a low, anger-choked voice, Misao said, "You bastard!  You had
no intention of letting either Aoshi or me go!  You were planning to
trick me into voluntarily offering my blood to Kinslayer so you could
make me into another one of your puppets!  Is that it?  And what were
you going to force me to do once I was under your control!?"

    An angry scowl flashed across Kaoru's face.  Junichi snarled,
"You're too damn clever for your own good, girl.  You're quite right.
Since Kamiya didn't consent to having her blood drawn by Kinslayer, I
can only go so far with her.  You, on the other hand....  I could do a
lot more with you."

    Misao shuddered as she saw the cruel smile that distorted Kaoru's
face.

    Junichi continued, "Your knowledge changes nothing.  The deal
still stands.  Surrender yourself to me or Aoshi dies!"

    Misao again slowly lifted her hand toward Kinslayer, then a memory
flashed through her mind....

        * ----- * ----- *

    A clearing just outside of Tokyo.  While his life's blood slowly
soaks into the rich soil of the forest, Aoshi smiles at her... REALLY
smiles at her as he whispers, "Misao... you're... back...."
 
        * ----- * ----- *
 
    And another, much more recent memory....

    Misao thought, (He told me, 'Don't let that cursed sword win after
all you've been through.  Don't allow despair to destroy what you
are.'  Aoshi risked his life to free me from Kinslayer's spell.  He
risked his life to bring me back to myself... to the person that he
and all my friends care about.)

    And somewhere deep in herself, Misao found the strength... not the
strength to cling blindly, but the strength to accept the decisions
and choices of others despite the cost to herself.

    She felt a terrible ache in her chest, almost as if her heart was
ripping in two.  Perhaps it was as she slowly lowered her hand for the
last time.  With her head hanging low, Misao spoke in a shaky, but
utterly determined voice.

    "No.  I refuse your devil's bargain."

    Junichi looked startled, then snarled viciously, "So, you DON'T
care enough about him to...."

    Misao lifted her head and stared directly into Junichi's eyes.
Tears slowly ran down her cheeks as she said, "I love him, more than
you can possibly understand.  Aoshi fought and risked his life to free
me from the spell of hatred and rage that consumed me."

    Her blue eyes glittered with fury as she continued, "If I simply
give in and surrender to Kinslayer's power without even a struggle, I
dishonor him.  It cheapens all the pain he's suffered, all the blood
he's shed, and all the sacrifices he's made."

    Misao's body trembled, then she screamed, "I WILL NOT PERMIT THAT
TO HAPPEN!!!"  She gasped for air before adding in a frighteningly
even voice, "He is Shinomori Aoshi, the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu,
and the man I love.  I will not squander the gift he has chosen to
give me at such a great cost to himself."

    Junichi stared at her, momentarily stunned.  From the confused
expression on Kaoru's face, it was as if he couldn't believe what he
was hearing.

    She tossed her head defiantly.  "So, Junichi.  You can have my
blood, if you want it so badly, but only by force.  Believe me when I
tell you that I won't make it easy for you."  She tensed, ready for
action.

    "I... see."  Junichi shook Kaoru's head in frustration, apparently
unable to believe that he had misjudged her so badly.  He snapped
Kaoru's fingers and a pack of low, squat shapes collected at her feet.
 

    "Very well, then I have no use for you."

    The hairless, pale beasts were an incredibly ugly cross between a
pig and a dog -- heavily muscled, with massive claws on their short
legs and gaping mouths full of long, vicious tusks.

    It was easy for Misao to guess Junichi's intentions.  One look at
the pack of beasts and she took off without waiting for Junichi to
finish his threats.  Several seconds passed before he recovered from
his surprise and set the monsters on her trail.

    The shrubs and small branches left long, red welts all over
Misao's body and face as she ran for her life.  The short-legged
creatures crashed through the undergrowth after her with a surprising
turn of speed, but she had not been idly boasting about her foot speed
when she had first encountered Himura Kenshin on the road to Kyoto.
She managed to stay ahead of the pack, but not by much.  If the
monsters managed to catch her, she was as good as dead.  With her
broken arm, she knew that she had no chance of fending them off.

    She burst out into a clear area, only realizing too late that
there was a deep stream bed just over the slight rise.  Her left foot
landed on empty air and she flailed wildly as she tumbled into the
gully.  The heavy impact of the fall drove the breath from her lungs.
It took her several precious seconds before she managed to regain her
wits.  She turned over only to see several of the beasts perched at
the upper edge of the gully, preparing to pounce down on her.  Misao
frantically rolled aside at the very last second and felt the ground
shake as one of the pig-dogs just missed stomping on her head.

    She leapt to her feet, only to scream as her head was brutally
wrenched backward by her braid.  For a terrified second, she thought
her neck was about to snap.  Misao twisted aside in a frantic attempt
to avoid the monster's raking claws as she tried to pull herself free,
but the beast's grip on her hair was too tight.  Without a second
thought, her right hand drew the tanto and slashed.  The razor sharp
blade sheared effortlessly through her thick hair.  Misao actually
nicked her own ear in her hurry to free herself.  She then lashed out
with a vicious kick that sent the first monster crashing into the
other members of the pack.  As the creatures struggled to sort
themselves out, Misao scrambled up the opposite side of the gully and
dashed into the forest.

    Junichi burst into the clearing just in time to see Misao
disappearing from view while his monsters squealed furiously at each
other.

    "You fools!  Get moving!  I want her head...!  Wait!"  Junichi
snatched the long braid of black hair from one of the pig-dogs, then
slowly smiled as another, even better scheme suddenly popped into his
mind.  He chuckled ominously.

    Fondling the heavy, silky braid now in Kaoru's hands, Junichi
kicked the monsters on their way.  After warning them not to return
until they killed Misao in the most painful way possible, Junichi
headed back in the direction from whence he came.

    Back to Shinomori Aoshi.

-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------

    After being an unwilling witness to Junichi's brutal deception
using Misao's braid, Kaoru ranted and raved, but to absolutely no
effect.
 
    (Junichi, what kind of monster are you!!!  How could you do such a
thing to another human being!?)
 
    Junichi totally ignored her, like he always did.
 
    She shuddered.  By the gods, the sheer, calculated cruelty of
it....  She would never forget the look on Aoshi's face when he
recognized what she had been holding in her hand.

    (I was so wrong to consider him cold and unfeeling.  If he didn't
care... no, if he didn't LOVE Misao, he never would have reacted the
way he did.)
 
    She wanted to shout that it was a lie, a great big lie, but even
if she could have said the words aloud, she was afraid that Aoshi
wouldn't have heard her.  By that time, he had long since disappeared
into some personal hell of his own.  No doubt with ample assistance
from Junichi -- or rather, from Kinslayer.

    With seething bitterness, Kaoru hissed, (DAMN you, Junichi, for
your damned mind games!)
 
    She abruptly froze as she sensed the stirring of that mysterious
second presence contained within the sword.

    (I'm such an idiot!  What happened to Aoshi....  Junichi couldn't
POSSIBLY have thought up something so... so perfectly CRUEL.  Not by
himself, anyway.)

    By this time, she had become painfully familiar with Junichi's
thought patterns.  He was consumed by hatred, arrogant beyond
belief... and not terribly bright.

    Actually, he could be considered a bit stupid.

    (All this intricate planning... all these vicious games with
Kenshin, Aoshi, and Saitoh... everything that's been going on.  It's
simply too well planned.  Too sophisticated.  Junichi's like a spoiled
brat.  If he wants something, he wants it NOW.  After being forced to
wait for thirteen years, there's no way he'd have the patience for all
these schemes.  So what's really going on!?)

    At that moment, a hideous image sprang into Kaoru's mind.
 
    ....Junichi moving her body like a puppeteer controlling a
puppet....
 
    ....and in the shadows behind Junichi, someone -- or someTHING --
manipulating HIM....

    And it was laughing.
 
----------------------------------

    Misao had gained some valuable distance after escaping the gully,
but the demon beasts chasing her were tireless.  She was rapidly
losing ground as exhaustion took its toll.  Misao suddenly heard a
distant scream... the scream of some horribly wounded animal.  She
instinctively turned to check behind her, and failed to notice the
sudden change in the terrain.  Without warning, she fell, rolling down
a slight slope before crashing head-first into something big, solid,
and hard.

    She had managed not to cut herself on her tanto as she skidded and
rolled downhill, but that was the only piece of good luck in the whole
mess.  When she tried to sit up, she very nearly passed out.

    (Owww.  Damn.  Can't just lie here.  Got to get up....)

    As Misao whoozily pulled herself to her knees, she heard her
pursuers rapidly approaching.  With her back against a huge, vertical
slab of stone, there was nowhere for her to go.  To make matters
worse, she was unarmed except for the tanto -- she had used all her
kunai during the chase.  Misao wiped the blood from her eyes,
tightened her grip on the weapon, and braced herself for attack.

    The pig-dogs were just cresting the top of the slope when a low
ominous growl filled the air.  The monsters skidded to an abrupt halt.
 Misao blinked in confusion as expressions of terror and panic
contorted their bestial faces.  They slowly began to back away,
squealing and snuffling wildly.

    Chills suddenly ran down her own spine as she heard the
unmistakable howl of a wolf.  And it came from somewhere very close.

    The eerie, echoing cry was the last straw.  Their morale utterly
broken, her pursuers turned tail and fled for their lives.

    Almost too afraid to look for herself, Misao glanced very, very
slowly to her left and couldn't believe her eyes.

    Less than ten feet away, on a rocky outcrop, stood a great wolf.

    A HUGE wolf that glowed with a dark blue fire.

    A wolf she could actually see THROUGH.

    The last thing Misao remembered before she passed out was the
gleam of the wolf's cold amber eyes....

-----------------------------------

    In the mountains east of Kyoto, Hiko Seijuro stepped into a
clearing littered with monster corpses.  As he coolly looked around
for clues, he abruptly stiffened as he heard a howl echoing among the
mountains.

    "Hmph.  So the Hunter is back," he muttered.

    Hiko turned as he detected several creatures clumsily crashing
through the underbrush.  They were obviously headed in his direction.
He smiled to himself and murmured, "So it seems that there are some
monsters left for me."

    He calmly waited.  Sure enough, within a minute or so, a horde of
squat, brutish pig-like monsters burst into the open area.  They were
more interested in running away from the source of the howl than in
attacking, but Hiko was not about to let a pack of demon creatures go
roaming about at will.

    Even in the dimly lit forest, the steel of his blade glittered.
And when the flashes faded, there were fifteen more monster corpses
strewn about the clearing and a man in a white cape leisurely
sheathing his sword.

    The contemptuous, raucous call of a raven shattered the quiet.

    Hiko whirled around and glared up into a nearby tree.  Even as he
watched, the raven hopped down from a high tree branch.  By the time
it landed on the ground, the large bird had become an austere-looking
woman dressed in a loose, black kimono.

    "Risako."  Hiko looked less than pleased by her presence.

    She gave him an icy smile in return.  "Hiko."

    "What are you doing here?" he snapped irritably.

    Her amber eyes narrowed at his tone.  "That's really none of your
business."

    "It is when you go tramping through my neck of the woods."

    "They're hardly YOUR woods.  This is Father's territory and you
well know it."  She bared her teeth slightly as if daring him to
challenge her statement.

    Hiko shrugged carelessly.  "He never seemed to mind my presence."
 
    "Or maybe you're simply not worth his attention," she murmured, a
malicious gleam in her eyes.

    He snorted and said, "So what are you doing in Kyoto?"

    She returned his careless shrug.

    Hiko's eyes suddenly narrowed.  "Don't try to tell me that you're
finally taking an interest in Kenshin, not after abandoning him all
those years ago."

    Risako glared at him.  "As I said, it's not your business."

    "It is if it involves my student.  After all, YOU deserted him."

    She narrowed her eyes and growled, "I was not about to let
Masaki's murderers go free!"

    "So you dumped your newborn baby on some poor peasant family while
you were off indulging in murder and mayhem."

    "Don't sound so self-righteous, Hiko.  You have no concept of my
feelings on this matter.  And while we're on the subject, what took
YOU so long to find Kenshin?"

    Hiko gave her a nasty look.  "I was travelling during that time.
I didn't even know Masaki left a son until I ran into a group of
bandits who were about to kill a small, red-haired, violet-eyed boy."
He shrugged, then added, "Maybe it's just as well you didn't raise
Kenshin.  I shudder to think what sort of mother you would've made."

    Risako leaned forward and snapped, "As if YOU had any more
experience in raising children?"
 
    Hiko leaned forward himself and replied acidly, "I could hardly do
a worse job than you.  At least I taught him a sense of self-worth,
which is more than you would have done.  I know your general opinion
of men all too well, Risako.  The thing that really astonishes me is
that you ever managed to put those feelings aside long enough to fall
in love with my best friend and have his child."

    "Leave my husband Masaki out of this," Risako said in an ominous
voice.
 
    Hiko gave her a chilly smile.  "Make me."

    The angry tension between the two was abruptly broken by the
arrival of a small owl.  It flashed between them and perched on
Risako's shoulder.  It hooted briefly before silently gliding away.

    She flicked her long silky hair over her shoulders and said, "I
don't have time to waste arguing with a fool like you, Hiko."  With a
graceful sweep of her long, black sleeves, Risako was gone and a large
black raven winged its way back toward Kyoto.

    Hiko watched her until she disappeared, then twitched his cloak
back in place.

    "Hmph.  It's no wonder my idiot pupil can be so damn obstinate.
It has to come from his mother's side."

-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------

    Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko ended up spending the next several hours
searching the Minobe house from top to bottom, looking for any clues
that could help them to defeat and destroy Kinslayer.  It was a
particularly infuriating experience because of the old woman's
presence.  Not trusting Emi out of their sight, they were forced to
drag the uncooperative woman along as they examined every single room
in the house.

    After the first ten minutes, Sano was convinced that the old crone
was stark raving mad.  One moment, she'd be cringing at the slightest
sound or harsh word, but the next moment, she'd be screaming epithets
and obscenities at Kenshin.

    The repeated outbursts certainly didn't help Kenshin's mood at
all.  But when she finally switched to recounting stories of the
Hitokiri Battousai's murders, real or imaginary, that's when Sano
really started to get worried as he watched the redhead's expression
become colder and colder.

    For the first few stories, Yahiko had tried arguing with Emi, but
Kenshin had put his hand on the outraged boy's shoulder and gently
said, "Don't waste your energy, Yahiko.  Nothing will convince her
that she's wrong.  Let's concentrate on finding something that might
help Kaoru."

    That brief flash of the Kenshin they knew was enough to bring a
faint smile to Yahiko's worried face and gave the boy the
determination to ignore Emi's ramblings.  However, he couldn't keep
himself from glaring at the old woman when she started on an
incoherent story about some massacre that was too outlandish to be
believed.

    The boy glared at Emi and thought, (The Battousai may have killed
hundreds of people... maybe even more.  But I damn well know that he
didn't kill for the sheer fun of it, you ugly old bitch!).

    However, when she started mumbling about a tragic incident
involving a young couple and a bloody disaster of a wedding ceremony,
Kenshin's patience finally snapped.  The swordsman turned to Sano and
said very evenly, "Sano, I don't care how you do it, but keep her
quiet."

    Before the fighter could object, Kenshin added, "If you don't,
then I'll shut her up myself."  Despite the apparent lack of emotion
of his friend's voice, Sano was pretty sure he detected a faint,
pleading tone.

    Sano thought, (That last story really touched a nerve, didn't it?
In his current state of mind, I've got no idea what Kenshin might
do... and I think he's not entirely sure himself, either.)

    Unwilling to test his friend's tenuous self-control, the fighter
hastily said, "Don't worry, Kenshin.  I'll handle it.  Why don't you
go ahead to the next room, okay?"  As Kenshin silently exited the
chamber, Sano turned around and nearly bumped into Yahiko.  The boy
silently held up several torn strips of cloth.

    "Thanks, Yahiko."
 
    "No problem."
 
    Sano took the cloth strips and advanced on Emi, who gave him a
contemptuous stare.

    "You wouldn't!" she screeched in fury.
 
    The fighter smiled grimly.  "Listen, you damn bitch.  Normally I
don't beat up on people weaker than myself.  And normally, I would be
the very LAST person to agree with Saitoh Hajime.  However, in this
case, I think I'm going to make an exception."

    That morning, he had been both shocked and infuriated to realize
that Saitoh was perfectly willing to beat up an old woman for
information.  He had been equally upset that Kenshin had been
perfectly willing to let Saitoh proceed without interference.  But
after listening to Emi boast about using Kinslayer to get her revenge
for nearly three straight hours, he had lost all sympathy for the old
woman.

    (You damn bitch.  No remorse.  Not a single scrap of remorse.  You
bloody well KNEW what would happen if the demon in that cursed sword
woke up.  And you didn't give a damn, did you?  You planted a bomb and
you didn't care how many people would get hurt when it finally went
off!)

    Sano growled, "Your brother, husband, your sons... they knew what
they were doing!  Anyone who fought in the Douran knew the risks
involved!  You really think that getting revenge this way would fix
anything?  All you're doing is dishonoring their memory!"

    Emi spat out, "How can you possibly understand what it's like to
lose everyone that matters to you...!"

    "You're not the only person who's lost their entire family, you
stupid old hag!!!" shouted Yahiko in the old woman's face.  "You don't
see me sitting around and moaning about it!  It hurts like hell but
you don't see me taking it out on the whole world!  I managed to find
a new home... a new family... people to care about!  And now because
of your crazy scheme for revenge, I could lose all of that!"

    For a brief instant, Sano was afraid that Yahiko was about to kick
the old woman, but the boy barely managed to restrain himself.  The
boy took a few deep breaths, then muttered, "I'm going to help
Kenshin," before stalking out of the room.

    Staring after Yahiko, Sano thought, (Sometimes I think you're way
smarter than me, kid.  You pretty much figured all this out on your
own.  Kenshin had to pound ME into the ground before I realized that I
wasn't doing anybody any good by sitting around brooding about past
injustices and loved ones lost.)

    The fighter stared down at the sullen old woman and said quietly,
"I can understand the desire for revenge... how the hatred eats at
your guts.  And unlike the kid, I let the whole world know it."

    A sly look appeared on Emi's face.  "Then you of all people...."

    Sano stared at the old woman and gritted his teeth.  "But unlike
you, I don't expect -- or want -- innocent people to suffer just
because I was unhappy.  That's what I think Kenshin finds really
unforgivable.  If you went after him alone, I don't think he would've
minded.  But both you and your nephew Junichi had to involve totally
innocent people in this feud.  Not just Kaoru, but all those murdered
people in Tokyo and now everyone in this entire city."

    "You don't understand...," she whined, strangely unnerved by the
scathing contempt she saw in Sano's eyes.

    "No, I don't understand how you feel... and I really don't want
to."

    With those words, Sano briskly stuffed a wadded up strip of cloth
into Emi's mouth, then proceeded to tie her arms and legs.

-----------------------------------

    After nearly four hours of painstaking work, Kenshin and his
companions had precious little to show for all their efforts.  Emi had
reluctantly pointed out her sources of information -- a pitiful
handful of tattered, ancient scrolls which were all written in some
odd dialect or code.  Hopefully, Tokio or her grand-aunt Asuko would
be able to make sense of the documents.

    As Sano untied Emi and removed her gag, the first thing the
infuriated old woman said was, "Don't worry about that precious whore
of yours, she's already here in Kyoto...." Emi suddenly went quiet as
she remembered that her nephew had explicitly warned her not to reveal
his -- or Kaoru's -- presence in the city.

    Kenshin reacted instantly by grabbing Emi's kimono and hauling her
off the ground.

    "Where is she?" he said softly.
 
    Emi nervously stared into Kenshin's pale eyes which seemed to
flicker between an icy purple and a pale gold.  If she didn't tell
him, who knows what the Battousai might do to her.  And despite her
consuming desire for revenge, she still wanted to live very badly.
But if she did tell the Battousai what he wanted to know, Junichi
would make her pay for her loose tongue.  The stress was too much for
the old woman and she fainted.

    "Kenshin, is she...?"
 
    The red-haired swordsman casually dropped her to the floor with a
thud.  "No, Sano.  She's just passed out for the moment."  He turned
to Yahiko and said, "Get some cold water...."

    The house servant peered into the room and said in a shaky voice,
"Please, that's not necessary!  The young woman the mistress spoke
of... she was here, but she left hours ago."

    Kenshin snapped, "Where did she go?"
 
    "I... I don't know!  All I know is that she slipped out of the
house just after the police inspector left!  I have no idea where she
went!"

    Kenshin simply stared at the trembling, mid-aged woman.  She
collapsed on the floor and wailed, "Truly I don't!  She muttered
something about it being Saitoh's turn.  That's all!  Please don't
kill me!  Please!!!"

    Sano saw his friend inhale sharply and asked, "What's wrong,
Kenshin?"
 
    "Of course... Saitoh's turn," the redhead murmured softly.
 
    Yahiko yelped, "What about Saitoh!?"
 
    "Junichi took Kaoru away from me.  Now it's Saitoh's turn... to
lose the woman he loves," said Kenshin in a stark voice.

    "Oh no.  Tokio...," a horrified Sano whispered.
 
    "Exactly.  Come on."
 
    Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko ran out of the Minobe house, leaving
behind an unconscious old woman and a terrified house servant.
 
-----------------------------------

    The confrontation was probably inevitable.  As Kenshin, Sano, and
Yahiko raced around a street corner, they were abruptly confronted by
a group of Shinsengumi swordsmen.  Kenshin put his hand on the hilt of
his sakabatou and sharply said to Sano and Yahiko, "Stay back.  I'll
deal with this."

    Before the fighter and the boy could protest, one of the
Shinsengumi bawled, "The Battousai!"  As one, the squad of swordsmen
charged.

    Kenshin drew his sakabatou and lunged to met their attack.  He
effortlessly swept the first attacker aside.  The second swordsman was
better.  It took two strokes to take him down.  And so it went....

    Sano thought, (They can't be real!  Except for Saitoh, the
Shinsengumi don't exist anymore!)  He jumped aside as one of Kenshin's
opponents skidded past the red-haired swordsman and practically landed
at Sano's and Yahiko's feet.  As the dazed swordsman tried to stand
up, Yahiko whacked him on the head with his shinai.

    After watching the swordsman collapse to the ground, the boy then
turned to Sano and said nervously, "They're supposed to be ghosts,
aren't they?  I mean... all the Shinsengumi are dead, right?  They're
not real...."

    But as Sano reached down and prodded the Shinsengumi that Yahiko
had knocked unconscious, the fighter wasn't so sure.  The guy
certainly FELT real enough.  His flesh was warm and he was breathing.

    "Like hell if I know, Yahiko."
 
    Sano watched as one of the swordsmen missed Kenshin's head and cut
a great gash into a wooden fence.  The man paid dearly for the mistake
when Kenshin smashed him across the throat with his sakabatou, sending
his opponent crashing to the ground, choking and gagging.

    (He isn't holding back at all!  Damn, if it wasn't for the fact he
was using a reversed blade, Kenshin would be slaughtering them....)

    Almost as if Sano's thought had been the trigger, it happened.
 
    In a single frozen instant of time, the entire world seemed to
dim, then something seemed to... shift.

    ....change....
 
    ....twist....

    ....flip....
 
    To Sano, it was if reality itself took a sudden sidestep.
 
    Then the strangeness was gone and everything began to move
normally again.  As he tried to figure out what the hell had just
happened, the fighter watched Kenshin finish his swordstroke.  The
redhead's opponent collapsed to the ground in a spray of blood....

    (WHAT THE HELL!?)
 
    Sano could only stare in total stupefaction as a puddle of blood
steadily grew under the fallen Shinsengumi.  Something warm and wet
splattered his cheek.  Sano reached up and wiped at the dampness, then
stared in horror at the smear of blood on his fingertips.

    Jerking his gaze back to the fight, he numbly watched as Kenshin
sliced open an opponent's belly and in the same downward stroke,
severed another opponent's leg.  Bright red blood filled the air and
stained the nearby walls.

    In a choked voice, he heard Yahiko's horrified whisper.
 
    "Kenshin's sakabatou...."
 
    Sano's gaze flew to his friend's sword... and he couldn't believe
his eyes.
 
    (No.  It's impossible!)
 
    Arai Shakku's final masterpiece, the Sakabatou Shinuchi, was a
sakabatou no more.

    Somehow, in mid-battle, between one second and another, Kenshin's
sword had become a katana....
 
    "KENSHIN!!!" Sano screamed.
 
    Kenshin noted the shouting in the background, but ignored it for
the moment.  He recognized the swordsmen facing him.  They had fallen
once before under his blade.

    They would do so again.
 
    There were three more Shinsengumi charging toward him... then
there were two... and then there were none.

    The last of the Shinsengumi fell before Sano or Yahiko could
overcome their paralysis.  They could only mutely watch as Kenshin...
no, the Battousai coldly surveyed the surrounding carnage.

    After a long moment, Kenshin abruptly blinked, then his eyes
widened in shock as he lifted the katana in his hand and watched as
the blood ran down the blade.  As he stared aghast at the dark red
droplets staining the once pristine blue ribbon wrapped on his wrist,
a familiar female voice suddenly spoke.

    "So, now that you have a proper sword again, tell me.  How does it
feel to be slicing through flesh for the first time in over a decade,
hm?"

    Sano and Yahiko yelped, "Kaoru!?"

    Kenshin slowly lifted his head and glared, his pale eyes
glittering with barely suppressed rage.

    "No.  Not Kaoru.  Minobe Junichi."

    Kaoru and Kenshin stared at each other across a blood-soaked
street.

    ....a woman imprisoned inside her own body....
 
    ....a man ensnared within his own mind and memories.
 
-----------------------------------

    Inside her body, Kaoru quietly wept.
 
    (Kenshin.  Oh my god.  Kenshin....)
 
    She suddenly gave herself a mental smack in the face.
 
    (Stupid girl!  I can't just curl up and die.  I have to be strong.
  Whether he's the Hitokiri Battousai or Himura Kenshin, it doesn't
make a difference.  He's still the man I love, damn it!  I won't let
him go!)

-----------------------------------
 
    Somewhere, deeply buried beneath the icy persona of the Battousai,
Kenshin breathed a silent sigh of relief.  Junichi might be in control
of Kaoru's body, but he could see the silent desperation in her
eyes... and the fierce determination.   Although trapped, Kaoru was
still herself.  Junichi hadn't managed to touch her mind and soul...
at least, not yet.
 
-----------------------------------
 
    Using Kaoru's body, Junichi pouted.  "You don't seem that
surprised to see me."

    The Battousai flicked his sword, casting off the last remaining
drops of blood, and said coldly, "Your aunt told us of your arrival in
Kyoto."

    Junichi snarled, "That stupid old bitch!  I warned her to keep her
mouth shut!  How dare she cross me in such a manner!?"

    "What are you doing here?"

    "Oh, I just had to see my old enemy the Battousai finally
reemerge.  How did you like that last little touch with the sword?"
Junichi made an evil smile appear on Kaoru's face.  "That's only a
small sample of what I can do now."

    "Then why go through this farce with the ghosts and dreams?
Destroy me if you can," the Battousai demanded.

    "Oh no.  That would be TOO easy.  I want to meet you, sword to
sword.  It's only fair.  After all, I want the world to know who's
really the best swordsman."

    Sano finally found his voice.  "Fair!?  How can any of this
possibly be considered FAIR!?"  However, both Junichi and the
Battousai totally ignored him.

    "Then let's settle this, here and now."  The Battousai slowly
sheathed his sword.
 
    An angry look flitted across Kaoru's face.  "NO.  I choose the
time and the place.  Besides, it wouldn't feel right without Saitoh's
participation.  He hasn't gotten my real invitation, yet."

    The Battousai's eyes abruptly narrowed.  "What have you done to
Tokio?"
 
    Junichi smirked and exclaimed, "Oh, now I understand your earlier
question!  You were wondering why I'm not chasing after Tokio!"  A
wild snicker erupted from Kaoru's throat.  "You should be flattered!
I wanted to deal with you personally, so I'm going to let my messenger
do the dirty work."

    "Messenger?"
 
    "None other than the former Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu."

    Yahiko hissed, "What the hell are you SAYING!?"
 
    In a low, harsh voice, the Battousai demanded, "What have you done
to Aoshi?"
 
    Kaoru -- or rather, Junichi -- threw her head back and laughed.
 
    "Such a passionate man, under all that ice.  Oh, I simply showed
him what it feels like to kill the woman he loves."  Junichi chuckled.
 "He did the rest to himself."

    Yahiko and Sano exchanged frantic looks.  The boy babbled, "Does
Junichi mean who and what I think he means!?"

    Sano muttered, "I'm not sure.  I can't imagine that cold fish in
love with ANYBODY.  But unless Aoshi's been keeping another woman on
the side... who else could it possibly be except the Weasel Girl!?"
 
    Junichi went on to say, "Sometimes I surprise even myself with my
creativity.  The idea just... popped into my head."

    A low growling noise disrupted Junichi's boasting.  He paused and
looked a bit startled.

    At first Sano couldn't locate the source of that unnerving sound,
but a shiver ran down his spine as he realized it was coming from
Kenshin.

    The Battousai was literally quivering with rage as he glared at
Junichi with golden eyes that glowed with fury.  Then without another
word, he lunged toward Kaoru, sword in hand.

    For an instant, Junichi seemed stunned by the Battousai's
infuriated reaction, then a look of crazed amusement appeared on
Kaoru's face.  She turned and fled with a taunting laugh, with Kenshin
in hot pursuit.

    Sano and Yahiko immediately ran after them, but keeping up with
Kenshin turned out to be a hopeless task as they lost sight of their
two friends within seconds.

    As they stood in the deserted street, Sano gasped, "Damn.  There's
no way we can catch up.  Not with the way Kaoru and Kenshin are
moving."

    Yahiko propped himself against a building and panted, "Oh great!
Kaoru's possessed, Kenshin's turned back into the Battousai, and now
the two of them are playing hide-and-seek in the streets of Kyoto!
What the hell do we do now!?"

    "If we can't do anything about Kenshin and Kaoru... maybe there's
something else we CAN do."

    "Like what?"
 
    "We have to find and warn Tokio."

-----------------------------------

    At the Aoiya, Omasu stepped out of the kitchen just in time to see
Aoshi walking down the hallway away from her.

    "Aoshi-sama!"

    He stopped still, but didn't turn around.
 
    "Yes?"
 
    She then noticed the rips and dark splatters on his trenchcoat.
"What happened!?  Are you...?"
 
    "It's nothing."
 
    Omasu blinked at Aoshi's characteristically curt reply.  "Oh."
She glanced around.  "Where's Misao?"
 
    There was a brief pause, then with no particular emotion, he said,
"You might look in her room.  Where are the others?"

    "Okina, Shuro, and Kuro are all out at the moment.  With so many
weird things going on, everyone's busy investigating and checking out
various reports.  Okon and I are the only ones here.  Oh, except for
Tokio-san."

    "....Tokio?"
 
    "Yes, she wanted to drop off some documents for Himura-san."

    "Where is she?"

    "She's chatting with Okon in the upstairs sitting room."
 
    "I see."  With those words, Aoshi continued on his way.
 
    Omasu frowned slightly.  Was it her imagination or was he sounding
a bit... odd?  She shook her head and returned to the kitchen.

    (With all the strange things going on, it's no wonder that my
imagination's starting to run wild.  I wonder if Misao's hungry?)

    Upstairs, Aoshi paused outside the door to the sitting room.  He
drew his two kodachi in a single, fluid motion, then proceeded to
demolish the door and a large portion of the wall.  As the shattered
remains of the doorway fell to the floor, he saw the two women seated
inside.  Ignoring Okon as she gaped blankly at him, Aoshi focused his
attention on his chosen target.

    Saitoh Tokio.

-----------------------------------
(end of part 20)

**********************************************************************

Next part:  The return of the shura.   =^_^=

--------------------------------------------
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