Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Final Blow ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

A/N: O.k. I got a new beta but she has a lot to do so she hasn't go to beta this yet. When she gets the chance I'll repost it. Thanks to Miss Aurelia for reviewing, I 'm glad you liked it.

*****

Swing, slice, swirl. All the long ago techniques came back to him easily. He knew exactly when to sidestep and when he needed to jump back. He was so lost in the movements of his sword that he didn't even notice when Sano had come down off the porch, had barely noticed when he had moved to stand directly in front of him.

Sano, on his part, all but kissed his life good bye. No one else who had seen the underside of that blade had made it out alive and he doubted that he'd be the exception. So in the last few moments he had left, he could only close his eyes and wait.

"What are you doing out here," Sano heard a voice ask him. Kenshin's voice.

"I...uh....came to check up on you. Didn't know that you were practicing though. I'll just go back in," Sano said, relieved that not only was he still alive but had managed to sound almost normal.

Nodding his head, Kenshin went back to his practices. He had a new plan now and he needed to be prepared. He wasn't going to wait till tomorrow to face Monkusai, he was going to track him down today and be back with Yahiko before tonight. He had no doubt he could do it, all he would have to do was employ his old methods of persuasion.

*****

"So hows Jou-chan? She gettin' any better?" Sano asked a tired looking Megumi.

"We've got the bleeding completely under control and almost have all the blood she lost back in her but we're still taking it slow in case there's another wound that we haven't discovered. What about Kenshin? Is he doing any better?"

"No, I don't think he is. I think he's actually getting worse."

"Is there anything that we can do?"

"There hasta be. We just ain't figured it out yet. I think he might be going after Yahiko."

"Well that one was obvious. Of course he isn't going to let Kaoru go, he wouldn't have let that happen even if he were still himself."

"I mean today. I don't think he has too much patience in that matter."

"Kenshin has always had patience and from what I hear about the Battousai so does he. What makes you think that he won't wait."

"I'm not sure. It's just a feeling but I think it's right."

As Megumi and Sano continued to argue, neither of them noticed that Kaour had woken up. Her body was tired and her mind was still hazy but she understood everything they were saying.

No, Kenshin wouldn't do that. He wouldn't kill a man, he promised.

Even as she denied it she knew that is was true. Kenshin had been through so much and then all he asked for was a simple life. It was a thing many people managed to achieve daily but it was also something which eluded Kenshin.

And now this. Only it wasn't Kenshin the man was after. It was her.

Maybe I should have told him.

Even as she thought it she knew she couldn't. It really wasn't her secret to tell but she'd sworn that she'd take it to her grave. She had to, for her father.

Thoughts of her father soon led to thoughts of Yahiko. He was like her little brother and now a man, a murderer, had him. She had the same picture in her head as Kenshin, Yahiko being defiant in every ascept, afraid but willing to die before letting anyone know. They had to get him back before he actually was hurt. She struggled to ignore the voice that said that it may already be too late.

But she couldn't let Kenshin do this. It would change him forever. Ever time he had killed a man a piece of his soul had died. He had spent 10 years building that back up and she wasn't going to let him destroy it. Especially not for her.

She wondered if he even knew how she felt for him. She doubted it. Ever perceptive in battle, he wasn't the type to pick up on that short of thing but the truth was that she loved him. She loved his gentle nature and his kind heart. Every time the Battousai had fought to take over she had tried her best to stop it and every time it had failed her heart gave a little leap for joy.

Now she was going to have to stop it again. It was her fault that the man had taken Yahiko and she wasn't going to let him take Kenshin too.

*****

He had finished his praticing and had decided to forego meditation. Now all he had to do was track him down. He planned to go once again to the marketplace but he had no intention of being either polite or nice.

After a brief walk he arrived to find the marketplace the same as always. Wooden food stands as well as carts lay out fish, rice and other edibles available to buy. Carpets and mats lay displaying hair ornaments, kimonos, and other everyday needs and wants.

He decided to check out the same place which he had found the three men. Walking down teh dirt streets he was surprised to find himself enjoying the scenery but the bright colors and the sound of laughter was appealing to him.Since Kenshin neverethought of the Battousai as seperate people, to him that was the same as denying the crimes which he had committed, he failed to realize that it was the peace-loving rurouni who enjoyed these things.

He failed to find the three men who ha attempted to assault him but he did manage to find teh bar in which they had most likely gotten drunk.

He walked in the door and was nearly ovrepowered by the stench. There were many drink houses that were respectable and was even fairly nice but this wasn't on of them. The stench of rooten fish and old sake reached him even before the noisy antics of the occupants did.

He really didn't want to question every singel individual in the bar, they all seemed way too drunk so he decided to just ask the question once.

"Has anyone here seen the man called Monkusai or any of his men?"

No one seemed to have heard him as they went on with their business.

O.k. if they want to do this the hard way.

He pulled out his sword and held it high enough for everyone to see.

"You all heard my question the first time. Now I would really appreciate an answer," Kenshin said his voice low and dealy despite his desire for everyone to hear.

And everyone did hear. But many saw it as a challange. No one came into their bar and issued a challenge. No one.

As men around him began to stand up Kenshin began to count. They would be easy. Not only were they not fighters but they were drunk. They began to advance on him as he readied his sword.

*****

Sano and Megumi had come up with a plan. It would take two of them to execute but Kaoru had already been stablized and Megumi felt it safe to leave her for a short period of time.

They only had to use a little reasoning to get to Kenshin. They would just have a nice talk and Kenshin would be his old self. Sano didn't tell Megumi about his back-up plan to knock Kenshin senseless and keep him out until Kaoru woke up. He didn't think she would agree with him. Oh well, too bad for her.

When they got there they discovered that he had already gone.

"Oh no. Where did he go?" Megumi asked.

"He probably already left to find him. I'm gonna go and see if I can find Kenshin first," Sano said and ran off.

Megumi stayed outside for a little while longer to try and figure out when everything had gone so wrong. It seemed to always be this way. Then she reminded herself that they had made it this far and none of them was weak, they could make this.

She decided it was time for her to head back in but she took her time. She was physically as well as emotionally tired.

When she made it back to Kaoru's room she nearly fainted. Instead of finding Kaoru sleeping like she had expected she found an empty pallet.

*****

Wow that's one of the longest chapters yet. It's going to get a lot more action packed from here on out but I'll be careful to keep other elements in it too. If you would liek me to continue please review so that I know anyone is reading it, thanks :-).