Haunted Destiny

by Mana-chan

part 5

Keiseki looked up abruptly. "You don't know how to get back?"

Kaoru nodded sadly. "I'm not even sure how I got here.. not exactly, anyway."

"They you'll be stuck here..and if the Gaizu find you, then you will become one of their geishas,
or even worse...."

The intense sadness in Keiseki's eyes frightened Kaoru, and she wondered if perhaps she might
have the power to call upon the "Sword of Sakura" the "friend" had mentioned in her letter.
The sword was definitely the link between the dimensions, but could she control such power?
She- an innocent dojo master who had enough trouble trying to control only one student?

"I might...be able to get back."

Keiseki's eyes brightened slightly, but the sadness remained. "How..?"

"I was brought by some sword..I think..if I can call on it..somehow, there might be a way for
it to bring me back home..."

Keiseki nodded thoughtfully. "That is..if you can call on this sword."

Kaoru sighed dejectedly. "Yeah, I know...wait..let me try something."

Last time this happened..I was in contact with that girl...even if it wasn't mental contact
like my dream, it was a form of contact.. Maybe I can call on her....

Kaoru closed her eyes and relaxed her muscles, breathing deeply and focusing her mind, clearing
it of all thoughts except one- the sword of Sakura. The image of Sakura filled her mind, and the
glisten of its blade captivated Kaoru, drawing her away from reality and into Dream. The familiar
smell of white plums carressed Kaoru's mental sense, and sparked her attention immediately

I know..you're there....I feel you.

The familiar voice answered back softly, its bell-like sound reduced to a pained whisper.

Hai...Kaoru-chan..I am here...

I don't know who you are and why you've done this to me,..but I don't see how coming here
can save Kenshin..Please, send me home.

The voice remained silent for a few minutes. You are sure...you want to go home?

Kaoru thought for a moment. Hai..but I want to save Kenshin, too....

The voice contemplated this. There is..another way..., but I still won't be able to send you
home...not if you want to stay alive..and if you want Kenshin..alive.

Kaoru began to feel angry. Are you..threatening me?

Iie... but I know the consequences..please..you must trust me. I can send you to another time..
akin to your own dimension..but not back to your own time..not yet.

Kaoru turned this suggestion over and over in her head, contemplating it. She didn't want to
remain in this dimension, but how could she leave Keiseki here after hearing the story of her
life and the pain she had gone through?

<Do you think...do you think Keiseki could come too?

Iie... this is her dimension, and she must remain here for the sake of its future,...but trust
me, she will be fine...

Are you sure it will save Kenshin?

The voice remained silent for what seemed like years before finally replying.

Hai..before, it wouldn't have..but with the course of events which have occurred...it will very
likely save him..then again, there are never any guarantees.

Kaoru clenched her fists and nodded firmly. Fine..I will go, as long as I get out of here..and
can save him...

Kaoru felt a feeling of affirmation emanating through her mental sense before the Sakura Sword
began to glow, releasing a soft, pink aura. She gasped as her body suddenly dropped its weight,
sending her floating up into the air. Kaoru's eyes flew open, and she stared down at the ground
below her, where Keiseki stood staring up in amazement. The woman's beautiful red hair and sad
violet eyes haunted Kaoru as she began to fade away into Sakura's glow, reminded of her own
hitokiri battousai-the one who DID succeed. Before disappearing into the shimmering weapon,
she strained her neck and yelled out to Keiseki,

"Don't worry, Keiseki-chan! Everything will turn out fine!!! I promise you that! Your future
is predestined..you will win the fight!"

But her words were carried away by the power of the sword, and the ex-hitokiri only heard one
word- "Keiseki-chan". She called me.."friend".... Kaoru-...chan...wherever you're going..I wish
you luck. Sighing softly, Keiseki tore her eyes from the site at which Kaoru disappeared, the
presence of the girl still lingering in the atmosphere. Perhaps there really does exist such
a world- one where the Meiji Era did arrive..and Edo were called Tokyo... if so, I am happy for
them..and perhaps someday.. our world will be like that too.

Keiseki looked out one more time at the pleasure house from which she had escaped and grimaced
as she realized the alarms were sounding louder and louder. Turning quickly, she ran towards
a path leading into the nearby woods, only to be stopped by an explosion of cherry blossom leaves
accompanied by a great "something" landing with a thud onto the ground. Tentatively, she stepped
forward and studied the "thing"- a person. A shock of long red hair tied back at the base of
the neck and a sword strapped to the waist sent a shudder through Keiseki's body, but still, she
was curious. What kind of man would wander around carrying a sword in these parts? Only the
Gaizu were allowed swords, but they wore uniforms to distinguish them from ordinary people and
slaves.

Suddenly, the person, a man, sat up, and turned around, shaking his head and murmering,
"Oro?" Upon seeing her, his hand immediately shifted from his head to the hilt
of his sword, fixing her in a steady gaze. Keiseki took one look at him and covered her
mouth in shock and surprise at what she saw- intense violet eyes, wild red hair-
the split image of herself on the body of a man! One exception- a cross scar on his left cheek,
whereas she had one on the right....

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

Sanosuke and Yahiko stared in amazement at the spot from which Kenshin had disappeared. They
had grabbed for him, but the intense power of the sakura hurricane had knocked them away,
throwing them backwards several yards before depositing one in a tree and the other with a leg
halfway through the wall of Kamiya Kasshin School. As quickly as possible, Yahiko had jumped out
of the tree, ignoring the cuts and bruises the feat had cost him, and Sanosuke had pulled his
leg out of the wall, returning to the site of their friend's disappearance.

Yahiko looked up at Sanosuke. "You think..you think that's what happened to Kaoru?"

Sanosuke frowned. "I don't know...but that's probably it.. Why didn't we listen to Kenshin?!
How the hell are we supposed to find the two of them!"

"Kaoru will be okay now.. She has Kenshin to take care of her...right?" For once, Yahiko dropped
his "know-it-all" attitude and let his face dissolve into a childlike expression of fear and
worry.

"I don't know....how do we know they got sent to the same place?"

"It's only logical, right..I mean, both involved cherry blossoms..according to Kenshin's account
and what we just saw....so..the same person should be behind this."

Sanosuke gave Yahiko an incredulous look. "Person? Could a person do that?"

Yahiko shook his head dejectedly. "I guess not..but..I ..worry about.."

"Don't worry about them...they are well."

Both Sano and Yahiko's heads shot up and they whirled around to find the speaker. A young woman
stood there, wearing a tattered and bloodied kimono, her face pale, and her eyes sad, but
it wasn't the appearance of her clothes and face that caused the two friends to widen their eyes
in horror and disbelief. The woman was standing there before them, speaking, as a person would
speak to another person, but the voice resounded in their heads only, and her body was temporary
and slightly transparent, as if she were there, and yet not there at the same time. Yahiko
took a step back so that Sanosuke was slightly before him and would serve as the perfect shield
in case of attack.. Sano glared at the boy but did not budge.

"Do not be afraid..I am..Himura Tomoe,..I am here to help you..."

The street-fighter and ex-pick-pocket stared at each others, eyes filled with questions.
Himura Tomoe? Kenshin's dead wife??

The woman nodded, then, as if hearing something she feared, she looked around nervously before
quickly returning her attention to them.

"I will be your connection between Kenshin and Kaoru....you must trust me..for the sake of the
future. Please..I don't have time..just...."

Tomoe's eyes suddenly widened in terror, and blood began pouring profusely from the orifices
of her body. She screamed once, in pain, and then disappeared abruptly, leaving Sanosuke
and Yahiko dumbfounded and horrified, still staring at the spot she had faded from, even more
confused than ever before.

Yahiko looked up, his body shaking with fear and confusion. "Sano...what's going on?"

The older man shook his head gravely. "I don't know.. I really don't know."