Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Final Blow ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

I only got one review for the last chapter but oh well, I decided to update anyway. And thanks for the review Gamergal20. Here's chapter 2.

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The next day it was made obvious that Kaoru was indeed recovering when she was able to stay awake for nearly three hours. Though that normaly would have been a short stretch of time, it was a vast improvement over the proceeding week.

With the news of Kaoru's recovery in the air, spirits were high at the dojo. Kenshin had deciced to put the issue of Monkusai off until later that night. Megumi, Doctor Genkai, and his granddaughters were all showing the first signs of smiles since the attack. Even Sano and Yahiko was been relatively friendly with each other.

They were all setting on the porch, talking about anything and everything which was not related to the attack, as they allowed Kaoru to get some more rest.

"Uncle Ken, Uncle Ken, come play with us. Pleeeaaaasssseee," Ayame yelled as the two children ran seemingly in circles.

Never being able to refuse the little girls anything, Kenshin, followed shortly by Yahiko and Genkai, left Sano and Megumi sitting quitely on the porch.

"Do you think he'll be o.k.?" Megumi's questioned was voiced so softly that Sano almost believed it had been his imagination.

She didn't have to clarify who she was talking about. They had discussed it in passing before. Even Yahiko was aware that the were dealing with a no win situation. If Kaoru had been killed from the attack, no one would have been able to stop Kenshin from hunting down the man and killing him. Even with Kaoru's slow recovery there was still a very good chance that Kenshin would seek revenge. It hurt Sano to think that way, to doubt the one man who had done so much good for others but Sano knew that, even with his pure heart and good intentions, the Battousai was a part of Kenshin. As much as he tried to think of that part of Kenshin's past over and done with, Keshin had already made it clear that he would once again become the manslayer in order to protect those he loved. Now they had to figure out whether or not he was willing to keep the Battousai under control for those same people.

"Of course he is. As soon as he sees Jouchan up and about, all thoughts of revenge will leave his head. Even if it might have been a lie, he felt that he owned Megumi that would bit of reassurance.

"Liar," she whispered, none of her usual confidence in her voice.

"You don't know that for sure. Kenshin is strong," he had to break for a moment because the man in question seemed anything but strong while running chasing the little girls around the yard. But with Kensin appearances were always deceieving. "He's strong enough to survivive this. He's gone through too much to back out of his oath now."

"Normally I would think so too but he would do anything for Kaoru. He can't stand the thought of her in possible danger," Megumi argued.

Before Sano could think of a reply, the sounds of laughter floated throughout the yard. Kenshin, despite his non-ending grace while fighting, had tripped in his attempt to catch Ayame.

"Uncle Ken fell," both girls yelled in unison.

A dispondent Kenshin picked himself up off the ground and joined in the laughter. Seeing Kenshin so happily, so innocently, laughing, Megumi began to feel her doubt disappear.

A few minutes later, everyone but it's tenants were forced to leave the dojo in order to beat the oncoming darkness. After checking on Kaoru despite Megumi having done so before leaving, Kenshin retired to his room for the first time in days.

He barely had a plan. Even though he had never lacked precision before, something about this man threw him off balance. The fact that he still wasn't sure what to do with Monkusai once he had found him only hurt his case.

That night, despite his growing unease, he had no dreams. That just made it easier for him to rise even earlier than usual and start on his chores. Around midday after he had checked on Kaoru, he left the dojo to go to the marketplace. Kenshin knew that this wasn't the place that it had all started, that the reason behind it all must have happened elsewhere. Nonetheless, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty about his involvement in the attack. He saw it as yet another hurt he had been the cause of. This made the Battousai's force just a little louder.

Keshin spent nearly three hours questioning the shoppers and had yet to get anything besides an angry stare. He was about to return home when he had his biggest break yet.

"Hey, ain't that the guy that's staying with the girl that the boss tried to kill?" Kenshin heard a voice whisper.

"I don't know. Which girl?" came an answering whisper.

Kenshin knew that they didn't know that Kenshin could hear them. They sounded half drunk and nearly oblivious to the surroundings.

"The one that owns that dojo. I don't really remember her name but she didn't seem like much of a threat. Can't really figure out why he would want to get rid of her," another slurred voice answered.

Kenshin had stood still long enough. These men knew where Monkusai was and he was going to get some answers.

Spinning around he advanced toward the group. There were only three of them but they were all of considerable size but Kenshin knew that that just meant that they made a louder noise when they were knocked down.

"Hahaha, I think he heard us."

"So what? What's he gonna do?" the biggest of the group asked.

They were drunk and obviously didn't mind a little bit of trouble but Kenshin was a lot more trouble than they could handle. The only one of the group who hadn't spoken was the first to rush at him. Deciding he didn't want a fight out in the open, Kenshin quickly ran toward one of the open alleyways. Not wanting to let such easy prey to get away, they were just as quick to follow him.

When they arrived at the narrow passage, Kenshin was no where to be found. The one who had been the first to charge was now the first to go forward. Nearly halfway through the passage, Kenshin stepped out from his hiding place in the shadows.

With a smile on his face, the man lunged. Kenshin did a quickly sidestep and twisted back around to knock the other fighter into the wall. For such a big man he had little stamina, because he didn't pick himself up from the place at which he had fallen.

Seeing his fallen comrade, one of the two reamaining ones charged. Taking a swipe at Kenshin with his sword, he was surprised to find that his opponent was no long there. Glancing around, the mystery was soon solved when an elbow connected with the back of his neck and he quickly sank down to unconsciousness.

The third of the group, the same one that had mocked him only minutes before, now stood a little way into the alley and was seriously contemplating flight. Kensin had other things in mind. Using the same speed which had won him endless battles, he manifested behind the taller thug.

"Where is your boss?" he asked, his vioce cold and deadly.

"Wha..What boss?" the man asked.

Kenshin was not in the mood for this. "The boss that you and your friends spoke of. The one who attacked Miss Kaoru. Where is he?"

"I don't know who you're talking about."

Losing all of patience, Kenshin slowly advanced on the man. Fear seeming to have him planted, the man remained motionless until Kenshin got there. When he was nearly in nearly chest to chest with his oppponent, Kenshin grabbed the him by the material of his clothing and slammed him into the alley wall. Still holding the cloth in his hand, he lifted the much taller and heavier man off the ground.

"I will only ask you one more time. Where is he?"

The man was now so scared by Kenshin's obvious display of strength that it took him a moment to absorbed the question and even longer to form an answer.

"He went to finish the job. He said that the brat was getting better and he had to go and make sure that she never recovered," the man answered in a near whimper.

Everything faded out. The alley, the men laying on the ground, and even the man he was still holding. they only thing he could cmprehend was the Monkusai went to kill Kaoru. Again.

Dropping the large man unto the filthy ground, Kenshin took off at full speed toward the dojo. Even knowing that he was way behind, he couldn't give up on arriving in time. He just hoped that he wouldn't be too late.

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A/N: O.K. there it is. I'm hoping to get more reviews this time. I didn't know it but I had it fixed so it wouldn't accept anonyumous reviews but that's off now so sorry. Please read and review but it not thanks for just reading.