Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Man who Loves Kamiya Kaoru ❯ Final Battle Begins: Kenshin vs. Ryunosuke ( Chapter 7 )

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Final Battle Begins: Kenshin vs. Ryunosuke

 

Kaoru shut her eyes tight fearing the worst. She fell as if in slow motion, knowing if she didn't die, she would, at the very least, be seriously injured by a blow to her head. As the air moved around her Kaoru vaguely took in the voices of her friends calling out to her. She heard thunderous footsteps but doubted if anyone would make it to her in time and with her feet bound Kaoru had no way of turning her body to land in a softer way.

No…she was going to hit any second now…here it comes….bmf. Kaoru didn't feel any pain, in fact, she felt safe. Her head nestled into the soft cloth and warmth of someone's body. She cracked her eyes open and looked up.

“Kenshin!” Kaoru exclaimed joyfully. Kenshin had saved her, very much like he had that time with Jin-e. Kenshin looked down at her with a relieved expression on his face. He cradled her tighter, one arm around her shoulders, one under her knees, and straightened up.

“Are you alright, Kaoru-dono? This one apologizes for not getting here sooner,” Kenshin said tenderly, a warm smile on his face as he looked down at her. Kaoru felt tears well up in her eyes. She was so happy he was okay. She placed a hand to his bandaged wound.

“Kenshin…I…I'm so glad you're alright!” Kaoru clenched a fistful of his dogi and leaned her head on his shoulder. Kenshin responded to her touch by gripping her tightly for a moment and then slowly softening his grip again.

“Not to break up this little reunion, my love, Battosai has trespassed on my property and ruined our wedding plans. I am very displeased,” Ryunosuke snarled as he looked down on them from his throne. Sanosuke, Yahiko and Misao all yelled insults. Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he looked up at the evil man before him.

“Sano,” he said, firmly, not breaking his glare at Ryunosuke. “Keep Kaoru-dono safe while I deal with this man.” Sanosuke strode forward and took Kaoru from Kenshin's arms and backed away to Yahiko and Misao to watch the inevitable fight.

Kenshin stepped forward, eyes narrowed in the fiercest death glare any of them had ever seen. “Shichiro, you have gone to far. You have cheated a fair deal with Kaoru-dono, you have touched her without her permission and plan on forcing her into a marriage she does not want. You also might've have seriously hurt her just now,” Kenshin's hand went to his sakabato. “You will pay for this and then you will do no more harm to innocent people.”

Silence greeted Kenshin's words. Sano paused in the process of tearing the chains from Kaoru's ankles. Ryunosuke looked down at him, his face a stone mask. Then suddenly in broke into a wide grin and he laughed.

“Your words amuse me, Battosai, that you think I should give a woman a choice instead of taking what I want? I have never heard something so absurd in my life. My bet with my woman was no more than a game. Whether she won or not, I was still going to take her and you couldn't even stop me!” Ryunosuke got to his feet and pulled his sword from its sheath. “I see now that Kaoru-sama and I can not live peacefully until you are dead. Come, Battosai-meet your death!” Ryunosuke sneered. Kenshin also pulled his sword out and struck a stance. Misao and Yahiko's eyes widened, afraid for Kenshin. Sanosuke looked somber and Kaoru, now free of her chains, tearful.

“No! Kenshin-don't! Let's just leave! Please!” she cried. Images of Kenshin hurt from the last fight flashed across her mind. She didn't know what she would do if Kenshin died. Ryunosuke turned to look at her.

“My love, you can't honestly think I would let you leave me? No, no, this fight will happen and Battosai will lie dead at my feet as I marry you!” he laughed cruelly. Kaoru gasped as Sano, Yahiko, and Misao looked at Ryunosuke like he was deranged and Kenshin tightened his grip on the sakabato.

“Shichiro, let this battle begin, I'm sure Kaoru-dono is eager to come back home,” Kenshin growled. Yahiko and Misao cheered and Sano grinned. Ryunosuke roared and jumped at Kenshin brandishing his sword and Kenshin blocked it. They dived and ducked around each other, each bringing out the best of their moves and giving the other a few cuts but neither had fallen yet.

Ten minutes later, the fight broke apart as Ryunosuke threw Kenshin, who landed gracefully across the room, sliding to a halt. A good 20 feet of space stretched out before them. Their eyes locked on each other neither giving up and blinking or looking away. Their audience waited in baited breath as the two looked at each other.

“Ready to give in to death, Battosai? You can't possibly think you can make her happier than I can. I'm rich, handsome, and more eager and ready to love her than you are. Your past stops you from devoting yourself completely to her. You can never seem to keep her safe either,” Ryunosuke smirked at Kenshin's shocked face. “My assistant has done research and I know all about Jin-e, and all the other battles you've faced and Kaoru has always been one step away from death with you. I can protect her, my men surround this fortress and nothing will happen to her. I can offer her everything and you can offer her nothing.”

Kenshin shook with anger. Yahiko, Misao, and Sano were open-mouthed at the cockiness of Ryunosuke.

“That's not true! Kenshin don't listen to him!” yelled Kaoru, her face a mask of horror and anger. Kenshin couldn't look at her but his shoulders straightened a bit. Ryunosuke laughed.

“You believe her?” he said. “She is a naïve young girl, infatuated with Battosai, the mighty assassin, you think she knows what she wants, who she loves?”

Kenshin breathed hard and let his sword drop a little bit.

“No! You're wrong, Ryunosuke!” Kaoru shouted. “I don't like Battosai, but I understand he's a part of Kenshin. I love …Kenshin!” Kaoru finished softly. Kenshin's head swiveled towards her an unmistakable look of joy and surprise crossed his features. Yahiko and Misao high-fived and Sano grinned. Ryunosuke was in front of her before Kenshin could even think.

Sano and the others, surprised, stepped back as Ryunosuke grabbed Kaoru and tilted her chin up to his as she tried to break away.

“You may love him now, but after he is finished, you will love me, my love, I promise you that,” Ryunosuke said, and then smashed his lips against hers in a hard, lusty kiss. Kaoru squirmed but Ryunosuke would not let her go. Suddenly he felt Kaoru jerked away from him.

Kenshin stood a few feet away, with an arm around Kaoru's waist, his sword pointed at Ryunosuke's chest.

“Let's finish this, Shichiro.”