The Final Mark part II
A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic

by Hiko Seijuro (CronusZ@bellsouth.net)

All characters in RK are  Nobuhiro Watsuki.
I made up some people, but it won't break my heart if
someone uses them or something.
WARNING:  This fic contains spoilers from various parts!
Go away if you don't like spoilers!!

II : Consumed

	"Go ahead, Kaoru.  I'll just be over here looking at
that guys' stuff, okay?"  Kenshin said.
	Kaoru nodded and headed across the street to the building
where Yahiko and Sano had disappeared into.  She took care to
avoid the bustle of the crowd, and hopefully get out of the
burning sun for a little while.
	As if by reflex, she slapped her shoulder, as if from a
mosquito bite.  
	 she muttered in thought.
	It was then that the pain began to force itself into
her body.  She collapsed, shivering wildly, and screaming from
the tremendous shock her body was feeling.  The intense vibration
of her muscles caused her to panic, and she could hear others
yelling for help, running to give her room.  But she could hear
Kenshin best of all, screaming her name with all of his mustered
breath, and was at her side in an instant.
	"Kaoru!  Kaoru!!  What's wrong with you?!"  Kenshin pleaded,
absolute terror and concern in his voice.  The shaking had subsided,
and Kaoru felt intense heat and ache come to her forehead.  She barely
managed to get out his name before the darkness came.
	
	***	

	"Yahiko!  Take a look at this one!"  Sano said, pointing to
the jewelry strewn about the dealer's table.
	"Sugoi!  I've never seen anything like that before...hmmm..."
	"Whatcha thinkin', Yahiko-chan?"  Sano asked, sarcastically.  He
knew what the boy's reaction would be before he said it.
	"Sano..."  Yahiko said, looking somewhat glum.
	  Sano thought.
	"...don't call me CHAN!"  Yahiko finished, using a form of Shuku-
chi to climb onto Sano's head, and devour the man's hair.
	"OY!  Get the hell offa me, you little #@$%!  I'm gonna kick your
sorry little @$$ if you don't...aru?"  Sano stopped his usual string of
curses, as did Yahiko when he heard a vicious scream from outside, and
then, a familiar voice. 
	"Kaoru!  Kaoru!!"  the voice screamed.
	Sano was instantly out the door, Yahiko following suit.
	"Jo-chan!  Kenshin, what the hell happened?  She looks white as a
sheet!"  Sano said, the concern growing in his voice.  Yahiko arrived and
was shocked to see Kaoru, on the ground, screeching in pain, and writhing
wildly, before she uttered a word.
	"Ken..shin............"  
	Kenshin's eyes popped open in anger, sorrow, and guilt.   he asked himself, and the gods that may be convinced it was her 
time to die, didn't answer.  He clenched his teeth. 
	  he screamed in his head.
	"Oy!  Kenshin!  I found somethin' you might wanna see..."  Sano said,
offering the small note found near the needle that had been found on Kaoru's
neck.  Kenshin snatched it quickly from his hand, the anger visibly showing
on his face, and especially his eyes.  Sano shivered.  The narrow eyes of
the hitokiri was Kenshin's way of expressing anger.  Great anger.
	Kenshin read the small document several times, and then his eyes 
narrowed further in solemn confirmation.  Sano saw a gleam in the narrowed
eyes, a sign of true rage coming to the surface.
	"Sano."  he said.
	"Who did it, Kenshin?"  Sano asked.
	"Take Kaoru to Megumi, NOW."  he said.
	"But..."
	"NOW!" he yelled at his friend.  As he did, he stood, and moved 
through the crowd, only to catch the assassin on a fence across the street.
He was dressed in a full black standard ninja suit, mask and all.  Very
tall, looking exceptionally strong, Kenshin gauged.  The man's eyes had
a fire behind them, anger that Kenshin couldn't comprehend.  Yet the man's
demeanor was calm, cool, in control.  Just like Saitoh.  
	"Ibuki Goro."  Kenshin said.
	The man said nothing, and jumped off of the fence, and began to leave
the area.  Then he turned after a few steps, and addressed Kenshin.
	"I hope she knew the risks when she married you, Battousai."  the man
said.
	Kenshin's gaze was cold and deadly, as the man showed a smile.
	"She'll be dead within minutes.  Maybe not as quickly
as my family died, but definitely much more painfully.  I'll be waiting
in your favorite city, Battousai.  It's over for you, now and forever."
the man said, and disappeared before Kenshin could move a muscle.
	  Kenshin asked himself, but then
remembered a more pressing matter, and quickly ran to Takani Clinic.

	***
	
	"Her heartbeat is getting very weak..."  Megumi said, concern 
growing as she checked various parts of Kaoru, trying to get a better
idea of what had happened.  She had tried to get a sample of the 
formula used on the small needle, but not enough was there for her to
get a sample.  Not only that, but truthfully, she had never seen a poison
do this to a person.  It was so quick, deadly, and painful at the same
time.  Megumi assumed it had entered directly into one of the main
arteries.  If that was the case...
	 Megumi thought.
	Kenshin's eyes were wide with frustration, anger, and fear, fear
for Kaoru's life.  She was a shade of white he had never seen, even the
sheets that he cleaned so well had been nothing compared to this.  Her
fever was very high, and her breath was coming in rasps.  He also noticed
Megumi's face as she measured her pulse, and knew that things may go for
the worst, especially if they couldn't find out what was wrong with her.
Sano seemed to voice his own thoughts.
	"DAMN IT, JOU-CHAN!  Stop pissing me off and wake up!  You're tougher
than this, aren't you?!"  he said extremely firmly.
	 Kenshin thought.
	Yahiko had run off to get some fresh cold water, in hopes to calm
Kaoru's fever.  Yahiko cursed her out as he ran as quickly as his young
legs would carry him.
	 he thought, knowing
what he said isn't what he really meant.  He didn't want her to die, even
if he couldn't finish his Budo.  She had saved his life four years ago, and
given him a home and a purpose.  Kenshin had taught him to be a man, and
given him advice no one could have ever given him if he had lived on the
streets.  Kenshin was his hero, and Kaoru was too.  If she died...
	  he said,
very determined.  But he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of loss
and dread coming to his emotions.  Almost as if everything was leaving
him.  He tried to block the thoughts, and pulled the water up from the 
nearby well.  His legs hurried back to the dojo, and he kicked the door
to the side.
	Only to find Kenshin standing there.  Yahiko was taken aback.
	"Kenshin..."  he said.
	But Kenshin heard nothing.  His eyes were amber and brilliant, the
eyes of a man long suppressed in the guise of a rurouni.  And in the guise
of a husband, and future father.  He slowly walked out of the dojo, and
headed off to the main gate, silent the entire way.  With a turn to his
left, Himura Kenshin had left.  Yahiko was stunned somewhat.
	  he thought to himself.
	And as he turned back into the dojo room where Kaoru was resting,
he realized the answer.  Megumi's tears and and Sano's blank expression,
along with the lack of movement from Kaoru's body made it all too clear.
	And he cried, mourning the loss of the woman who had changed his
life.  
	The thunder rippled throughout the night sky, exploding as each
tear left his young face.

	*	*	*
	
	Kenshin walked through the storm, heading for the marketplace.
Each raindrop to his body brought another memory of her.  
	  he thought.
	Memories of Tomoe flooded his mind.  Her departing smile only served
to infuriate him further, as he realized his failure once again had repeated
itself, only in another incarnation.
	
	Lightning.
	He arrived at the booth he had visited earlier that day, and found
the tool he had been searching for.  A Satsujin Sword made by Shatku Arai.
He withdrew it from the saya, and admired the gleam of Shatku's unique
blade design.  The design of efficient killing.
	
	He placed the sword back in its saya.
	Lightning.
	<...you will die.>
	He turned to the main road, oblivious to the weather pounding on his
body.  It was then that he noted a presence all too familiar.  In the form
of a police officer, with white gloves, a nihontou, and a cigarette.  He 
stood under a home's porch nearby, shielded from the rain.
	"Saitoh."  Kenshin said, plainly.
	Saitoh's eyes narrowed, and took another drag of his cigarette.
	"It's illegal for you to carry a sword nowadays, Battousai.  Did
you know that?"  he asked nonchalantly.
	"Try and stop me, fool."  Kenshin replied.
	Saitoh was taken slightly by surprise.
	 he thought.
	"I'm afraid, Battousai, I can't let you find Ibuki Goro just yet."
Saitoh said, taking another deep drag.
	"If you get in my way, you die."  Kenshin said.
	"Well, then."  he said, flicking the cigarette into the street, "we
have something to settle now don't we, Battousai?  I've waited some time
to do it as well.  14 years, to be exact."  Saitoh said, sliding into his
Gatotsu stance.  
	"You must be in a rush to die.  I'll help you on your way."  Kenshin
replied, drawing out his katana, and going into a Battou Jutsu.
	Himura Battousai and Mibu's wolf stood in the rain, probing each
other's weakness, but none existed.  
	Lightning struck the nearby building, and the fight began.

Comments are welcome...
keep in mind, this idea was conceived before I had seen recent Jump
issues with Enishi doing the unthinkable. (those who know you know what
I mean.)  I just now got around to finishing this.

send comments to CronusZ@bellsouth.net
Previous volumes can be found at: 
	http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shrine/2727/fics.html
	
	
	
	

	
	
	
	
	

    Source: geocities.com/tokyo/shrine/2727