Haunted Destiny

by Mana-chan

Part 4- short chapter...

Kaoru stared at Keiseki, shock reverberating through her body. Keiseki was the hitokiri battousai?!
The Shisengumi defeated the Ishin Shishi? This can't be happening! Where am I? What is going
on?! Where's Kenshin? She shook her head slowly in disbelief, then returned her gaze to Keiseki,
whose eyes were closed tightly, as if in pain.

"Keiseki-san?"

The latter's eyes flew open, and she stared blankly at Kaoru for a moment, then she blinked twice,
and her gaze became cool and steady once more.

"Yes?"

"I...I'm sorry about what happened..it must have been terrible.."

Keiseki's face tightened, and she nodded in acknowledgement.

"Oh it was....it was... after the defeat of the Ishin Shishi, the Shisengumi captured whatever
rebels they could find, even me....and enslaved us.. A new group called the Gaizu has risen to
power, and we serve them..as slaves...if only I hadn't been so stupid.."

Kaoru shook her head. "No..there was nothing you could have done..you did what was good at the
time. There's nothing wrong with that.."

Keiseki whirled on Kaoru and glared at her, tears in her eyes. "You don't understand. The future
of the Ishin Shishi was in my hands, and I let it slip through my fingers..I lost everything
for all of us... Meshito could have become a great doctor when he grew up...but now the Gaizu
beat him and force him to work making opium for them...and he's 22 now..so many years of slavery.
He never even had a childhood. The Bakumatsu and my failure stole it from him..."

Kaoru looked down. "Sumimasen...I didn't mean to offend you...but..what you've told me now is..
completely opposite from the world I grew up in... I don't know what happened, but this isn't
my home..it is, in a way, and yet it isn't..."

The ex-hitokiri looked up, a glimmer of interest in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Kaoru took a deep breath. "Well, according to what I know about the way things are, the Ishin Shishi
defeated the Shisengumi, and the Meiji Era was created. The hitokiri battousai, Himura Kenshin,
played a major role in the victory of the Ishin Shishi, but after the Bakumatsu ended, he disappeared
and began wandering the country, as a rurouni. A year ago, he stumbled upon my school, the
Kamiya Kasshin School, and has stayed there ever since along with two others- Myoujin Yahiko and
Sagara Sanosuke..."

Keiseki stared at Kaoru, her eyes widened in surprise, yet with a glint doubt
in them also.

"You mean to tell me that you're from another world? That's absurd..."

Kaoru shrugged. "I really don't know...last think I remember is reading a letter..written in..
blood..." The smell of white plums...beautiful cherry blossoms drifting...encircling me

"...and then I woke up and saw you looking at me."

Keiseki thought his over for a moment. "Who are you really? What are you doing here?"

Then she began to back away, her eyes narrowed, full of suspicion.

"Kamiya Kaoru des...I told you..I don't know what I'm doing here or where I am..I'm not crazy..
what I tell you is the truth."

The ex-hitokiri stopped. "If you really are from another world, then I suggest you to leave now,
before you become enslaved in this one...a world such as the one you have described to me..with
yet another hitokiri...a good one, who fulfilled his mission, that is a paradise to me, and if
I were in your place, I would never have left it to enter a world such as this."

Kaoru looked down and said quietly, "But I don't know how to go back...."

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

Kenshin meditated for hours, concentrating on Kaoru- her scent, her smile, her laughter, her
every move. Perhaps, if he meditated enough, the answer would come to him, and he would find
Kaoru. A breeze drifted into the room and he took a deep breath, drinking it in. After all, fresh
air brought clear and pure results. A familiar scent shocked his senses, and his eyes flew open
in surprise. <Blood...mixed with..white plums> He stood up abruptly and immediately reached for
the sakabatou at his side.

Kenshin.....

Kenshin started. The voice is calling me from...inside my head..

Kenshin....

The rurouni tightened his grip on his sword, recognizing the voice, though faint.

Tomoe...what have you done with Kaoru?

Although he had loved Tomoe, she was dead, and Kenshin, in his fight with Enishi, had accepted
that fact and learned exactly how much Kaoru meant to him. If his former lover's spirit had
hurt Kaoru, no amount of past love could keep him from feeling hate and anger for her...he would
go crazy, perhaps even become the feared hitokiri battousai once more.

The silky voice became urgent then, calling insistently.

Kenshin..Kenshin...be careful..beware of the one who comes amongst dreams...beware of him,..
do not fear for Kaoru...she is taken care of...I promise you that..it is you, that you must
fear for...beware.

Kenshin's eyes widened, and he stood up abruptly, screaming mentally. What do you mean? Where
is she? Where's Kaoru?

The voice became quiet, almost sad. You love her..don't you? You would die for her...

Hai...hai..I do love her...

And that will be your death....your love. Be careful Kenshin...If you wish..you may go where
she has gone..but..while she will come back safely,..there is no guarantee that you will..

Kenshin frowned and contemplated this for a moment. I can find her.... but..am I willing
to take the consequences..for love?

An image of Kaoru flashed through his mind, her smile beautiful- soft, like the petals of a
cherry blossom.

I'll go..Tomoe..I have to find Kaoru..make sure she's okay, wherever she is.

Tomoe answered softly, the sadness in her voice intensifying. If that is what you want...
all right..

Kenshin nodded and gripped the sakabatou at his side tightly. A sudden wind blasted him
in his face, and he braced himself against its gales. A wall of cherry blossoms began
whirling wildly around his body- growing higher and higher, suffocating him. Through the
howling of the winds, he heard loud yells, calling his name, and then four hands grabbing
at his body. Then darkness closed in on his vision, and silence filled his soul.....

End of Part 4