Rising Sun: A RK Fanfic
by Mana-chan

Chapter 16

A cool breeze lifted and swirled through the open window into the face of a dark, looming figure
who stood quietly but tensely, watching the quickly gathering storm clouds in the sky through
the web-like branches of the trees above him. He stiffened as the wind picked up and began
to moan, as if crying out for the days to come- the days of a moon dripping red with blood and
a sun hidden by thick, dark mists, bringing forth the eternal Night.

"Yuugure."

The man tore his gaze from the sky and, seeing Night, immediately dropped into a low bow.

"Night-sama.."

"You do remember the two pets I released earlier to deal with Battousai and his friends?"

At the mention of the two devastatingly gruesome and deadly creatures, Yuugure's head shot up,
and he stared questioningly into Night's eyes.

"Well don't you?"

"Hai, Night-sama."

"Only one has returned ...with news that one of Battousai's friends, a woman doctor, had attained
information about my Day that might prove harmful to our cause. Apparently, she had also
devised an antidote or medicine to counteract the effects of our gift to my beauty. The doctor
was killed by my other pet, but unfortunately,..he was killed by Battousai's allies. The remaining
pet is screaming for revenge, Yuugure.."

The Star wondered why Night had given him this information. This was important of course,
because if there was such an antidote that could counteract the effects of their manipulative
spell, everything would be lost..just as it had been for Ayana....Yuugure shook his head.

"Where do I fit into this, Night-sama?"

A slow, evil smile spread across Night's handsome face.

"The antidote has not been found...and we cannot risk any of my little beauty's friends to get
their hands on it. Your job is to either find the antidote or kill Battousai's allies... I trust
you can do this."

Yuugure looked deep into Night's eyes and shuddered at the evil he saw there. Once a long time ago,
Night had not been consumed by such darkness..but now was another time... Yuugure let his thoughts
drift to Kaoru. If she ever broke free of their spell..if she ever found out the truth and discovered
that he had tricked her, and not only tricked her, he had also killed her friends, she would never forgive
him. Yuugure's lips tightened. But then again,..she didn't have to find out, did she?

"Hai, Night-sama. I'll get on it right away."

Night smiled.

"Good."

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

Kimiko saw death flash before her with Battousai's sword. Now she'd never be able to find Hebi..
if she'd only listened to her childhood stories about the hitokiri..if only she'd been more
careful! But now it was all over....life, the hope of seeing her sister again,...everything.

"KENSHIN!!!!!! STTTTOOOOOPPPPPPPPPP!"

The sword stopped 2 cm from Kimiko's face, it remained suspended for a moment, then slowly, slowly,
it was lifted away. She let out a breath and turned towards the speaker, surprised to see a child
with disheveled hair supporting a young man of perhaps 20 or so years of age, both in terrible shape
although the older man was considerably worse. Both were staring at Battousai, looks of
fear and anger etched all over their faces, but mostly it was surprise. Battousai had dropped his
sword, and now turned to face the two newcomers, conflict suddenly distorting his face.

"Kenshin....who is that...I know..that name."

The boy took a step forward. Immediately, Battousai's sword came up into a challenging stance.

"Kenshin..what are you talking about? That's YOU!"

Kimiko looked from Battousai to the boy and back again. What were they talking about?

"Don't you remember?.. We came to look for Kaoru! Night kidnapped her!"

At the mention of Kaoru, Battousai's eyes flashed and he held his sword up more firmly.

"Any friend of Kaoru's..is an enemy of mine!"

Now the older man supported by the boy looked up, anger crossing his handsome, but at the moment,
haggard features.

"What the hell is wrong with you Kenshin? Jo-chan is part of our family? Remember? You LOVE her! Or
have you forgotten that too? Damn it Kenshin, have you forgetten us along with her? What happened
to you!"

The sword was lowered.

"You..who..who are you?"

Sanosuke's eyes darkened, and he answered tightly.

"Sagara Sanosuke des...," he motioned to Yahiko. "Myoujin Yahiko des.."

Pictures began to fill Battousai's head, and he remembered a boy, fighting so hard to be strong..
He remembered a man with the character for "evil" written on the back of his robe with incredible
strength..a man he had fought..an enemy? The feelings he began experiencing were not that of hate and
resentment, though- not feelings that one would feel toward an enemy. They were quite the opposite,
but he had FOUGHT this other man..how could he have fought him and not hated him? Not had a cause
to lift his sword against him? With Kamiya Kaoru, it was different. He had reason to fight her..
she had caused his heart pain..terrible pain. He shook his head, and for the second time that day,
lowered his sword.

"I...am not sure I remember...you..and for that reason, I cannot trust you..especially because you
are friends of Kamiya Kaoru. She has caused me great pain, and because of that, she must be an
enemy."

Sanosuke's eyes softened slightly but still held they're tight gaze.

"Kenshin... the pain you're feeling..it's love. You're hurting because you're blaming yourself..
You tried to hide it from us before, on the forest trail.. I didn't know it then, but I know now.
You're blaming yourself for letting her get kidnapped!"

Kenshin looked at Sanosuke, his face expressionless, but his heart in great turmoil.

"Since when did love cause such excruciating pain? I don't blame myself for anything.. I don't
know what you're talking about."

Yahiko sighed with exasperation.

"Kenshin! You're denying it! You're hiding the truth from yourself!"

"SHUTUP!!! My name is not Kenshin!!! It's HITOKIRI BATTOUSAI!"

Shock exploded on both Sano and Yahiko's faces. Yahiko erupted, "SINCE WHEN DID ANYONE HAVE THE NAME
'HITOKIRI'..'MANSLAYER'. No mother would give her child a name like that...I don't know what happened
to you, Kenshin,...but even in this state, you ought to know that...No mother....."

The golden orbs began to take on a violet hue, and Sanosuke looked at Kenshin hopefully.

"Don't hide the truth, Kenshin...don't lock away your love..and most of all, it's not your fault."

The violet swirled violently, clashing with the gold, and a violent storm arose in Kenshin's
eyes, in his heart.

Kimiko watched the scene, amazed. She didn't understand what was happening, but somehow she knew
that Battousai's transformation into "Kenshin" was very important, essential for whatever purpose
Battousai had in life. She looked at the hopeful faces of the young man, Sanosuke, and his child
friend, Yahiko, and smiled. They reminded her of herself..full of hope to see someone they love
again...She prayed to the gods.

Let them find their "Kenshin" again...and let me find my sister...

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

Kaoru smiled brightly to herself. Now it's all up to Battousai to come here! I'll kill him...I'll destroy him for the dreams he's cursed me with and the pain he's caused Night!!! She laughed softly, but felt a sense of dread and pain growing steadily in her heart. What's wrong with me...I've wanted this for so long,... since forever, haven't I? Confusion washed over her former confidence. A tiny voice whispered in her mind, "You're killing someone...who might have loved you....." Kaoru shook her head. How could someone as evil as Battousai love anyone, especially her? He'd never even met her ... She forced the tiny voice back into the dark depths of her thoughts, refusing to let it disturb her plans. So engrossed was she in her thoughts, that she didn't see the figure standing in her path until she had run right smack into him, tripped and toppled backwards only to have him grab her arms and pull her upright again.

"Sumimasen! Sumimasen! I didn't mean to..."

She looked up to see Tora's dark eyes staring back at her. Quickly, she broke free from his grasp.

"You...you...."

He shrugged, turned around, and began to walk away. Immediately, Kaoru felt guilty for treating him like this.. After all Ralon HAD said that Tora wasn't all that bad..he'd just been through more than his share of pain, and the results of such pain involved strange actions...She thought quickly of a way to get his attention.

"Tora! Tell me...Tell me about Ayana!"

End of Chapter 16

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