Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Findings of Earth ❯ At the end of the road ( Chapter 17 )

Author's notes: Sorry for the long wait, I hope you all like the chapter.

Special thanks to JP for beta reading!

The Findings of Earth

By Misanagi

Chapter XVII

At the end of the road

"We need to go, Kaoru," said Kenshin after a while. "If we stay here they'll get

us, I know that. We need to find the key."

Kaoru raised her head and looked at Kenshin, "the key?" she asked.

"Yes, the first boss had a fake so the real key must be hidden somewhere. We

need to find it."

"Why?"

"Because the only way we can put a stop to this is to find what is inside that

box. Think, Kaoru, where could your father have hidden the key?"

"I don't know…" Kaoru closed her eyes for a moment and forced herself to

remember. There must be something to help her think; she knew that if she

thought hard enough she might find that key. She was always very close with her

father. He trusted her and shared almost everything with her. She even

knew the combination of the safe in her father's office even if her father

never kept anything really valuable in there. She was grateful for that, when

she went back to her house with Kenshin the safe was empty. If it

wasn't for the hidden money her father had left her they would be in a deeper

hole that the one they were in. It was unfortunate that she had to leave it all

at that house Kenshin and she were hiding in before the first boss found them.

"The money," she said, not even realizing that she was speaking out loud, "there

was a box there that I never checked!"

"What?" asked Kenshin.

"Do you remember the money we got from my house?" He nodded. ""well, there was

this little metallic box with it but I never looked inside, I don't

know what's in there but I'm willing to bet it's the key! My father always hide

the important things in his secret safe."

"And where is that box now?" asked Kenshin, he feared that maybe the first boss

had gotten it when he captured them.

"It's in that house we stayed. After you went to face the gang men, I was left

alone in the room. I had my purse with me with the money and the box inside.

I hid the purse on top of a beam in the roof before I went out and followed you."

"So the box is still there." It wasn't a question.

"I think so."

"Get ready then, we need to go back to that house and look for that box, we need

the key."

* * *

They left their little house in the middle of the park and walked to the house

they were taken from a few days before. Luckily they weren't that far away and

the walk only took a couple of hours. It was a nice walk too. They enjoyed the

company of the other and loved every moment they spent together. They were

walking in silence when Kenshin noticed that Kaoru had a sad look on her

face and that her eyes were lost somewhere, like she was looking at something

that wasn't really there. Kenshin brushed her cheek with the back of his hand

and she turned around and looked at him, she read the unspoken question in

his face.

"I was just thinking, remembering, do you remember them Kenshin?"

There was no need to specify who she was talking about. He knew. "Of course I

do," he replied softly. He remembered them as well as he remembered Kaoru and who he

was. He got his memories back and his friends, his family, were part of that. He

missed them. He was now living in a world that was so different from the one he

remembered and he was facing so many problems, sometimes he wished his friends

were back with him. At least, he had Kaoru.

"You know what I regret the most?" she asked, fighting back tears. "I never saw

Kenji grow up. I left him before he married or met a girl he like, before he

opened his eyes to the world around him and realized that he was no longer a

child but a man. I wasn't there to help him with his own children or his doubts,

I left him too early."

"We both did," said Kenshin. "But Kenji is a strong soul and I'm sure he did

just fine. I miss him too and I also have many regrets but I'm confident that he

became a great man. Remember that we didn't leave him alone."

Kaoru had to smile at that. They did leave but Kenji was surrounded by a

wonderful group of people. They left him with a family who wasn't bound by

blood but by a much deeper bond. They were all linked by their souls; their

friendship, love and sacrifices for each other were proof of that. Her son was

in good hands.

"I still wish we knew what happened to him," said Kaoru.

"I'm sure he did fine but I wonder also what happened to everyone we left behind,"

replied Kenshin.

"I miss them, every one of them. We lived a rough life but I treasured every

moment of it."

Kenshin smiled sadly thinking about past times. After everything that he went

through, he still thought of those times as something precious, everything he

did, every decision he made, every time he used his sword, it was all a path

that led to her. The woman in front of him was worth all the sacrifices and a

minute with her merited years of fighting.

They walked in silence the rest of the way. Each thinking deeply about their

pasts and the life they were living then. They had met under the most horrible

circumstances but they had met none the less. The light had told them that they

would have to deal with many tests but that if they were together they would be

able to succeed.

They arrived at the house in early afternoon. Kenshin surveyed the place and

made sure that there weren't any gang man inside or outside the house. After

everything was safe he and Kaoru entered the deserted house and headed upstairs.

"I hid my purse in the room we slept in, come on," she said and headed for

the stairs. "I don't think they found it, I don't think they even knew we left

something here."

Kenshin nodded and silently followed Kaoru. He kept his eyes open and he was

ready for anything. They had caught them once, they wouldn't do it again.

The afternoon sun entered the room through the closed white shades, making it

dark but bright enough to see. Kaoru walked directly to a small table located in

one corner of the room. She climbed on top of it and then used her arms to grab

a wooden beam near the roof and pulled herself up.

Kenshin opened his eyes wide and couldn't help but say "Oro" at her acrobatic

display. He knew the woman he loved had skills but he never imagined she could

do that.

Kaoru giggled a little and smiled down at Kenshin before crawling from one end

of the beam to the other. Kenshin eyes were glued on her; he was hypnotized by

the graceful movements. She reached the other end and carefully stood up. She

balanced herself against the wall and with her right hand reached for a lamp

that hanged just above her head. Moments later she retrieved her purse. She

threw it down to Kenshin who caught it without taking his eyes from her. Kaoru

then sat back on the beam and before Kenshin could blink she jumped to the

floor.

"Oro?"

Kaoru landed perfectly. She brushed the hair from her face and looked at Kenshin who

was still looking at her with a puzzled look. "What?" she asked, smiling. "There

was no kendo team in my school so I joined the gymnastics one. I quitted after a

couple of years to train in Kendo outside school but I still learned a little."

Kenshin took a couple of moments to assimilate the new information and then sat

on the floor, where Kaoru soon joined him. She opened her purse and threw all

the contents on the floor. She ignored the money, lipstick and other implements

that fell out but grabbed the small metallic box. "This is it," she said. "I hope

the key is inside it." She opened the box and smiled when she saw the small

silver key inside. She took it out and showed it to Kenshin with a triumphant

smile on her face.

* * *

He sat in a simple wooden chair in a dark room. He wasn't tied down; there was

no need for it. He knew that escaping was not an option and even if it was, the

two big guys guarding the door would never allow it. The door opened with a loud

crack and light suddenly entered the room. He put his hand in front of his eyes

to shield them from the brightness. He blinked a couple of times as his eyes

slowly got adjusted. When he looked up Mr. Mashido was already in front of him.

He couldn't talk. Just looking into the piercing gaze of those dark eyes made him

stay silent.

"Leave us," Mr. Mashido said to the men standing on guard. They obeyed and

the first boss was left alone in the room with him.

"I expected better from you, Yutaka."

That name hit him harder than any blow could ever have. It had been at least

seven years since he last heard it and he thought he would never hear it again.

"I don't have a name any more," said the first boss. "Yutaka is dead."

Yan Mashido smiled. It had been a long time since he last saw his friend. They

had kept in contact but they had never met in person, not until then. "It's

stupid to keep blaming yourself for what happened," said Mashido and offered a

cigarette to the first boss. The first boss took it and then Mashido lighted it.

"I stopped blaming myself a long time ago, Yan. I know who's fault it is,

yours."

"I wasn't the one who pulled the trigger," replied Mashido as he lighted his

own cigarette. "It was you."

"You made me do it, you tricked me!"

"She needed to die, Yutaka. She betrayed us."

"She was my wife!"

"I loved her too," said Yan in a cold voice. "But things need to be done; if she

betrayed you she didn't love you."

"She didn't betray me. She found out about everything and did as her heart told

her. You… we killed her family, what else was she supposed to do?"

"Are you telling me that you would have gone to jail for her? That you would

just let her testify against us?"

"I would have done anything to keep her alive."

"Then why did you shot her?"

Why? He had spent the last seven years asking himself that question. Why? He

loved her with all his heart and she loved him in return, until she found

out that he was responsible for the death of her family and she couldn't forgive

him. He didn't blame her; he loved her enough to understand that. After she left he

spent a week locked in his room. He drank and thought about her, he drank and

remembered the good times together, he drank to forget her, he drank to make the

pain go away, he drank and he drank. Then one day Yan knocked on his door. They

had been friends since school, they were partners in their clandestine business

and he had even saved his life once. He was the godfather at his wedding, even

though he loved the bride just as much. Yan sat with his friend, they drank

together and then he finally had the nerve to tell him what he had come to say.

Izumi was cheating on him. Yan said that she had an affair with a police man and

that she told him all about their business. She told him because she loved him

and Yutaka meant nothing to her. It was a lie but Yutaka was in too much pain

and too drunk to think otherwise. He was angry and he was hurt. He took his gun

and went to find her. It was a mistake, the worst mistake of his life.

"Don't look at me like that old friend," said Yan. "I know you hate me and we can

part ways after you finish this mission, that's if you ever manage to do it."

"There is nothing I've wanted more in the past seven years," answered Yutaka.

"You know that if I could bring myself to kill you I would have done it years

ago."

"I'm glad you still value a little of our friendship but I still need the

documents inside that safe box. If you fail I won't hesitate to do to you the

same I did to her."

"I know," replied Yutaka, "I underestimated Kenshin but it won't happen again."

"You are in a terrible mess my dear friend. You lost the girl and now she is

being protected by your best fighter. You don't have the key and you killed the

only person who knew where it could be,"

"I killed him on your orders." Yutaka alleged and Yan just smiled. "My men are

already checking his property;" he continued, "the key has to be there."

"And what about the girl, one is not good to me without the other."

"We are looking for them. My men have the city surrounded, they'll be found in

no time."

"You have a week, Yutaka," said Yan Mashido as he turned to leave the room.

"After that either you'll be free of me or you'll join Izumi in death."

* * *

Kenshin looked around the bank as he walked inside. Kaoru walked beside him with

a confident look on her face. Kenshin's sword was hidden below his black coat.

He didn't think he would need it inside the bank but he didn't felt safe without

it. Kaoru walked to a desk and greeted the man behind it with a smile.

"I remember you young lady," he said. "You came a few days ago with your uncle,

didn't you?"

"Yes I did," replied Kaoru. "I'm glad you remember me."

"You left in such a hurry, were you upset or something?."

Kaoru didn't hesitate. "No, we just had an appointment and we were kind of late

but it's kind of you to ask."

"So what can I do for you today?"

"I need to open the safe box again."

"Oh, certainly, do you remember the number?"

"356367742B" Answered Kaoru confidently. Kenshin's face remained the same but he

was quietly wondering if Kaoru had memorized the number in her last visit to the

bank.

"And may I see some ID please?"

Kaoru took her ID from her purse and handed it to the man. She was grateful that

he had given it back to her the last time and not the first boss.

"Well, all is in order," said the man after he checked the information. "Follow

me please."

They arrived at the big doors and the man turned and looked at Kenshin from

behind his glasses. "Only the lady can enter the vault" he said.

Kenshin was about to object but Kaoru smiled at him and said, "I'll be okay." He

nodded and let her go. The confidence in her eyes told him that she would be

alright.

Kaoru followed the man into the vault. He gave her the box and then exited the

room to give her some privacy. She took the key from her pocket and slowly

inserted it into the box. `I hope this works,' she thought before turning it.

The box clicked. She smiled hopefully and then lifted the top slowly. The box

was full of papers, documents that she didn't understand. She flipped through

some of them until she found some photographs. She gasped when she saw them.

There were the first boss and Mr. Mashido next to the dead body of a woman,

there was another of them carrying the body and one of the first boss and the

same woman when she was still alive. Kaoru didn't need to know more. She took all

documents and photographs and put them in her bag, then closed the box

and called the man. "Thanks a lot," she said and then she quickly left the

vault.

Kenshin was waiting for her outside the doors. She took his arm as soon as she reached him and guided him outside.

"We are going to the police," she said as soon as they were on the street. The

tone of her voice left no room for discussion.

* * *

Kaoru sat in the front row of the court room. She was wearing a black pant suit

with a blue shirt, her hair was let down and it ran all the way to her

back. Her eyes were fixed on the man in the witness box. Kenshin was sitting with a

controlled expression on his face as he calmly answered the questions they were

asking him. He was wearing a black suit himself, a white shirt and a deep blue

tie. His red hair was held in a low pony tail.

Kenshin answered truthfully to every question he was asked. He completely

ignored the eyes of the accused, eyes that threatened that if they ever got out

they will hunt him for ever. He told his story from the time the gang got him

until the day Kaoru and him walked out of the bank and headed for the police

station.

They had told the police everything, all about the gang, their capture, Kaoru's

father assassination and they had delivered the documents that had been hidden

inside the safe box. The police took them into their custody while they

investigated more and studied the documents. They spent a week in the police station. They

weren't prisoners but that was the only way the police could guarantee their

safety at the moment. They stayed in a special part of the jail, just the two of

them and they received constant visits from the detectives in charge of the

case. One week later they found out that after Kaoru's father went into business

with Yan Mashido he discovered that not all of his operations were legal, he

dig a little bit more and started gathering evidence against various crimes he

discovered Mr. Mashido committed. Yan Mashido discovered what Kaoru's father was

doing and threatened his daughter. That was when he opened the safe and deposited

all the evidence there; he thought that if he had something against Mashido his

family would be safe. He was wrong.

At the end of the week the police captured Yan Mashido and the first boss. It

had been six months and they were finally approaching the end of the long trial.

Kaoru had already testified and Kenshin was the last one. The police had offered

them both protection in exchange for their cooperation and had absolved Kenshin

from every crime he committed during his years with the gang. Most of the gang

men who decided to testify against their boss got similar treatment or a reduced

sentence. With the testimony and the documents Kaoru's father had gathered,

things didn't look well for Yan Mashido and their first boss, who's real name

was Yutaka Enomoto.

Kaoru sat silently watching Kenshin. After the criminals had been arrested they

were able to move out of the jail and into a small house that was always

monitored by the police. Kaoru smiled, Kenshin had asked her to marry him again

and they were going to do it after the trial was over and they moved to their

new home. The police had promised to relocate them and change their identities

so they wouldn't have to worry about revenge from the people they helped put

behind bars.

Kenshin finally finished his testimony and the jury left to deliberate. It

didn't take long, thirty minutes later they came out and declared the defendant

guilty and the judge sentenced them to life in prison.

Kaoru and Kenshin walked out of the courthouse together, the nightmare was over

and they had the rest of their lives ahead of them.

"So what do we do now?" asked Kaoru as they walked down the street.

"Anything you want," answered Kenshin looking into her beautiful eyes and holding

her hand. "We have our whole lives ahead of us."

-Owari

* * *

Author's Notes: Oh my! I can't believe this is done. I hope you enjoyed the

fic, I had a really good time writing it. There is an epilogue coming up and

that's it. Thanks for supporting me during the year it took me to write this.

Misanagi