Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Battousai Unleashed ❯ A New Day ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

A New Day

'Die Another Day' - Madonna

I'm gonna wake up, yes and no
I'm gonna kiss some part of
I'm gonna keep this secret
I'm gonna close my body now

I guess, die another day
I guess, die another day
I guess, die another day
I guess, die another day

I guess I'll die another day [Another day]
I guess I'll die another day [Another day]
I guess I'll die another day [Another day]
I guess I'll die another day

Sigmund Freud... Analyze this, Analyze this, Analyze this

I'm gonna break the cycle
I'm gonna shake up the system
I'm gonna destroy my ego
I'm gonna close my body now

Uh, uh

I think I'll find another way
There's so much more to know
I guess I'll die another day
It's not my time to go

For every sin, I'll have to pay
I've come to work, I've come to play
I think I'll find another way
It's not my time to go

I'm gonna avoid the cliché
I'm gonna suspend my senses
I'm gonna delay my pleasure
I'm gonna close my body now

I guess, die another day
I guess I'll die another day
I guess, die another day
I guess I'll die another day

I think I'll find another way
There's so much more to know
I guess I'll die another day
It's not my time to go

Uh, uh (Laugh)

I guess, die another day
I guess I'll die another day
I guess, die another day
I guess I'll die another day

Another day, Another day, Another day, Another day, Another day, Another day....

The doctor and his assistant worked quickly, and long into the night to try to help her survive. Kenshin sat, his eyes closed in silent prayer for her. When dawn broke over the mountains, he looked up to see the doctor with a hand on his shoulder. He was smiling and that brought a small amount of relief to Kenshin.
"It seems she will be fine, sir. She is blessed that you brought her here as quickly as you did."
"Hai. She is truly blessed, that she is," he replied, softly threading his fingers into her raven hair.

---

Sano sighed as he looked outside on another boring day at the Kamiya dojo. Yahiko was practicing his sword fighting skills, having promised that he wouldn't stop until Kaoru came back. He didn't know how much more he or Yahiko could take. Life without Kaoru and Kenshin was almost unbearable. Thank goodness he still had Megumi.
"Yahiko, take a break, huh? You've been practicing all day."
"No! Just a few more strokes, then I'll take a break," the boy announced proudly.
"Suit yourself, kid..."
"Stupid ugly...when are you coming back?" he thought.
As though in answer to his prayers, a couple of shadows walked toward the dojo. In the heat of the sun, they couldn't make out who the pair was. However, it didn't take them long.
"Kenshin! Kaoru!" Sanosuke yelled out in greeting.
"Kenshin! Ugly, you came back!"
"Why, Yahiko, did you miss me?" Kaoru teased.
"No way! Why would I miss an ugly girl like you?!"
"I missed you too, little Yahiko..."
"Grrrr...!"
"Hey, Missy," Sano said, smiling broadly and giving her a huge hug.
"Oof! Sanosuke! I...can't...breathe!"
"Sano, please let Miss Kaoru breathe!" Kenshin protested.
"Eh, sorry, Missy."
"I missed you to, Sanosuke," she smiled.
"So where have you been?" he asked seriously.
"I think Miss Kaoru needs her rest, that she does..."
"No, it's okay, Kenshin. They should know.... Let's go eat some lunch and then I'll answer any questions you two have," she said.
A few hours and four full stomachs later, the Kenshin-gumi sat in the dojo. Kaoru sat before them and sighed, deeply. She looked at them all in the eye, one by one. She tucked some stray hair back, revealing a thin scar on her right cheek. Sanosuke narrowed his eyes a bit and Yahiko gaped. Kenshin looked even and attentive.
"I should probably start at the beginning, ne? You all know what happened on the day after I received the Hi Mei sword," she began, "After I had realized what I had done, I ran to the river. While I was washing my hands, a man came up to me and told me he would help me and to trust him. For some odd reason, I found myself doing just that, trusting him. He goes by the name Tenryu Mitsurugi, heir to the Hiten Mitsurugi style. I don't know what his real name is, and I don't care. He taught me how to fight in the Hiten Mitsurugi style and even helped me to somewhat master the battou jutsu style. We grew close. And when I had completed my training he asked me to stay with him. I said I would. That was almost a half a year ago. Since then, I have been going by a new name myself..."
"Go on...," Sano prodded.
"I am known as the Kirei Battousai," she confessed.
Yahiko gasped and his eyes widened in shock. Even to this village, the name of the Kirei Battousai was known. In fact, some had proclaimed the Kirei Battousai to be worse than the Hitokiri Battousai of the revolution! Sanosuke sat back, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.
"Y-you're the Kirei Battousai?!" he finally exploded, "Missy, what happened to you?!"
"The Hi Mei sword," she replied, "It was controlling me. It was like I was possessed with a completely different persona. And...I don't think she's gone forever, only suppressed..."
She finished in a whisper and Kenshin narrowed his eyes a bit.
"Suppressed?" he asked.
"Hai. She's a part of me, Kenshin. Just like the Hitokiri Battousai is a part of you. I don't think she'll ever really go away," Kaoru replied.
"I see," Sano said, breaking the tense silence that had followed her last revelation.
"Wow. I can't believe ugly is the Kirei Battousai," Yahiko said aloud.
"Yahiko, I would stop calling me ugly if I were you. Unless you want to meet the Kirei Battousai...," Kaoru threatened, a tinge of blue-red flame glowing in her eyes.
Yahiko eeped and bowed down quickly.
"Gomen, gomen!"

---

"I will have my revenge on the Hitokiri Battousai and I will have Kaoru back," Tenryu vowed as he held up the repaired Hi Mei sword.
The sword glinted in the moonlight, but lacked it aura of red flame. It shone with a blackness that came from Tenryu's own soul. He had replaced the blood crystal with drops of his own life fluid. He would use the power of the sword to gain his vengeance and his love.
"Master Tenryu, please. I beg of you. Do not use this sword! It is unstable! It's aura is disturbing and evil!" an elderly man, pleaded.
"You dare question me, Chiriko?!"
"No, master! I only..."
"Die, you filthy traitor!"
Tenryu brought the sword down, cutting through the man from his left shoulder to his right hip. The man's upper torso fell away from his lower body and blood sprayed and flowed. Tenryu's cold laughter filled the the hut as his aura spiraled in a tornado of inky blackness.
"You will be mine, Kirei Battousai! I made you! And if you won't be mine willingly, I will kill you...," he whispered harshly.

---

Kaoru woke from her dream, panting and sweating. She felt a coldness run up her spine. Something was coming, something unbelievably strong. She stood and stared out into the moonlight. She shivered visibly and took a step back. She could feel a warning lingering in the air, a threat. It was as if someone had willed her feel their evil intent upon her. She didn't like this feeling. She almost jumped as her door slid open.
Kenshin regarded her seriously. He had felt the aura as well. Something was amiss, that it was. And whatever was going to inevitably occur had something to do with Miss Kaoru. He would protect her diligently, to make up for his lack of judgment two years ago.
"Miss Kaoru, you should be in bed, that you should," he said, softly.
"I'm not really tired, Kenshin. I feel something...evil is coming. I'm afraid. I'm afraid whatever it is, will unleash Kirei."
"I will protect you, Miss Kaoru, I swear it!" Kenshin said, passionately, surprising both Kaoru and himself.
"Arigato, Kenshin."
She took a step toward him and then another. Soon she was but a mere foot away from him. Her eyes moistened and she fell into his arms, crying. She cried for all she had endured, for all those she had killed, and for all those who were in pain because of her. But most of all, she cried for him, for the only man she could ever truly love, Kenshin.
Kenshin hugged her close and rubbed her back, soothingly. When this was all over and he was sure Miss Kaoru was safe, he would tell her how he felt. They were kindred souls, he and she. And he wanted nothing more than to protect and love Kaoru until the day he died. And he would fight valiantly to do so, that he would.