Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ There Must Be No Witnesses ❯ Death and Tears ( Chapter 4 )

"You'll fight me, then?" his violet eyes met Kaoru's.

"Hai."

"No!" she whispered. Seya ignored her. She could barely contain the savage joy that had invaded her. But she sucked in a deep breath. "Fine. Then I accept your challenge." -she said softly- "But I will kill her anyway."

Chapter 4

Everyone's eyes were on Seya.

Kenshin's eyes had widened and Kaoru was holding her breath. This time she was certain Seya would do it. The way her body trembled in anticipation, the dangerous edge to her voice.

Understanding lit Kenshin's eyes briefly. She would do it. And she would enjoy it. Now it was time to make a choice. To save Kaoru he would have to hurt Seya. Again. Could he do it? `Yes', he answered himself silently. But he would have to become ruthless. He had to find the old wounds and cut them open again. He had to play her smart, mercilessly. Play her like only Battousai knew. He winced inwardly at his own thoughts. Kami knew all he wanted to do was comfort her. Save her from herself. Erase the pain from those eyes. Instead of that, he was about to prey on that pain, break the fragile dam that held it, in order to save the life of an innocent. And he would hate himself for it.

He regarded her in silence, noting the burning love/hate emotion reflected in her eyes. Yes, I'll be your father, your lover… what you need.

His eyes flickered, amber slits in the darkness of the room.

" No you won't."

" What?" Seya's eyes narrowed incredulously.His amber eyes were hard, commanding.

"You will let go of her, because you don't really want to hurt her.And because I say so.I know what you want.And I want it too…."

Seya couldn't believe what she was hearing.She felt her muscles tremble, almost against her will. And the old shivers made their way down her spine: It was Battousai who spoke to her, dangerous, seductive.

Kaoru crumpled to the floor, crying silently. Seya had let go of her long ago.

"Kenshin, please.Don't do this to her." Kenshin's face was a mask. His thumb pushed the hilt of his sword quickly, and the blade slid forward, a couple of inches out of the sheath.

Seya grinned and sheathed her weapons.Her heart was pounding in her ears, almost making her dizzy.Her eyes were locked to Kenshin's and she soon forgot about everyone else in the room.

Yahiko had been inching closer and closer to Kaoru, until he managed to pull her away from Seya's feet. Megumi pressed her thin lips together tightly, her eyes pinned to Kenshin.She could see that he was tapping into Seya's emotions, reading them clearly, and then using them.That's how Battousai fought.But Kenshin.?

Now, looking at Seya's face and body language,Megumi gasped.The uneven rise and fall of her breasts, the almost imperceptible trembling of her thighs, her lips slightly parted. Lust. The thin layer of sweat that covered her skin.The red blush of her face and neck.The hardened nipples and abdomen, marked clearly through the thin cloth of her Chinese shirt.Pure, raw LUST.

But Kenshin remained impassive.Couldn't he see? Megumi glanced at Yahiko and Kaoru, hoping that they were oblivious to the sexually charged heat that invaded the air. The sweet smell of Seya's young body, anticipating the pleasure it knew it would feel. Yes, even Yahiko sensed it.Kaoru, of course, knew.

Megumi cursed Seya for ruining her own life, and for coming out of the silence, into their lives, after so many years. Things would never be the same, she realized, as she watched Seya square off, like Kenshin.

They locked eyes and moved back, away from each other silently, one the mirror of the other. Might as well get this over with, Kenshin thought grimly.

He charged with unexpected speed. Seya's right hand flew to her waist. She met him halfway, blocking his blade with her own. Their eyes, still locked, blazed as they measured each other. It was an uneven display of force and Seya soon discovered that the Samurai's delicate appearance belied his actual strength. She realized that she would have to back off, and she did, jumping away from him with surprising agility. She soon charged again though, and her blade glinted in the pale moonlight that shone softly through the half open shoji.

What she lacked in strength she made up in speed; the others watched in silent awe as she cut through the night air in smooth swipes of metal. Her speed almost matched Kenshin's. *Almost* thought Kenshin as he heard the metallic whir of the blade swinging past his ear. She tried again, and again he dodged, this time adding a slow thrust to keep her occupied. She avoided him easily, turning with great speed, bringing her right arm around, rotating her shoulders and waist, making sure her feet were separated and well planted, to add more power to her thrust. It was a lovely, textbook move, but largely ineffective against this adversary.

Damn,damn,damn! She thought, beginning to get desperate. She tried once again,jumping up in the air, a vertical strike. This too was executed impeccably, but it was all useless against Kenshin.

Fear churned her gut, a wild feeling of emptiness,bordering on panic.He was nothing more than a man,was he not? He must have a weakness in combat.But what? She moved back, away from him, giving herself space. They were both sweating, but her fighting instinct told her that he was nowhere near his level. The knowledge that he was holding back, cheating her, flooded her with frustration. More than angry ,she was hurt.

" Battousai…" she pleaded, then flung herself at him half-heartedly. He resisted her easily. "Damn you. Damn you!" she yelled.

Standing there, with her eyes closed, waiting for a sign that would never come, she realized that she was just being stupid. She had to tap into that anger, that pain, and use it, like her uncle had taught her. It was the only way she could ever stand a chance to him.

She breathed deeply, then squared off into fighting stance again. Tensing, then relaxing, her tired limbs waited for some order from her tormented brain. So helpless she looked, that for a moment the others hoped she might give up. But Kenshin knew better. With a heavy heart, and the bitter taste of guilt in his mouth, he waited silently, expecting her to charge at any moment.

Yahiko squirmed nervously. He was partial to a swift (harmless in the long run) blow to Seya's head from Kenshin, that would deliver them both. But it was Kaoru who spoke out, her normally clear voice sounding coarse and strained to Kenshin's ears.

"Stop it Kenshin!! Can't you see? She LOVES you."

His eyes flashed briefly with anger, with pain. Of course he could see. It was written all over her face, plain as day. Of course he knew. She loved him, and her passion was

consuming her, and stirring his senses. And her pain was only fuel for his guilt.

He had heard of such things, where hate was so strong it turned into a deeper love, a stronger emotion than anything felt before by that person.

Now, Seya couldn't live without him, not a night went by without the vision of his amber eyes clouding her dreams. Cold and distant, like Kenshin was now, standing before her silently. And she couldn't live with herself, for needing him, for wanting him like she did. The one whose amber eyes had glinted in the darkness, the one with the scarred cheek. The man who had killed her parents. The man that made her blood boil with lust. The only way she could ever redeem herself was killing him.

So he had to face her. Kenshin had realized that refusing her challenge would hurt her more than thrusting a blade through her. It would be like dishonoring her again. Just trying to show that he was sorry, that he cared, was insulting to her. No, her Battousai wasn't like this at all.

And now she had found her center. She had remained impassive when she heard Kaoru's unanswered plea. She stood in front of him, gripping her sword with her hands. He was not surprised when he saw her eyes, like emeralds, cold, hard. And empty, as they had been at first. She was once again master of herself.

Kenshin searched her features, trying to find some sign as to what she might be thinking. She held his gaze evenly. And then she did something that surprised them both. She sheathed her sword. And that's when Kenshin knew. Even as he ran towards her, he knew it would be too late. The knowledge of what was about to happen, and his impotence to stop it made him a helpless spectator. Seya had already drawn her knife.

Kaoru's weary eyes widened in understanding.

"Seya!" she cried, and her voice was lost in the vastness of the dojo. It was as if time had frozen. They all watched as Kenshin ran, some half hoping that he would make it; he didn't.

The knife plunged through her flesh and a gasp escaped from her lips, just as Kenshin covered the last couple of feet that separated them. She sank to her knees even as Kenshin held her up, trying to pry the knife from her hands. Finally, Kenshin, on his knees as well was able to pull the knife out of her belly and hold her as she fell back. A dark stain quickly spread across the fabric of her Chinese shirt. Kenshin held her hands with his own bloody ones, and the irony of her blood on his hands did not escape him.

Her eyes were very wide and full of tears and a thin line of blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth and travelled down her chin and to her neck.

The blood of her wound flowed freely now, a never-ending river of red that stained everything in its path.

Her eyes were locked with Kenshin's, and the others, forgotten, didn't dare break the unexpected intimacy of the moment. They merely watched as the soft moonlight crept in through the open windows and fell on them, giving their pale skins a deathly glow.

She was beautiful, like all young girls under the stars, and her eyes were full of love for her Battousai, who kneeled before her, amber eyes blazing softly.

But her body was dying slowly, painfully, and her feet were starting to feel heavy, until she felt them no more. She tried to fight the lightness in her head, and the chilling coldness that was creeping up her legs, until she realized it was a blessing, because it numbed out the searing pain in her abdomen, and it relieved the taste of blood from her mouth.

Mustering up all her strength, she managed to grin at him and reach her hand up to touch his unruly red hair, but her hand failed and came down limply just as her body was shaken by the final spasms of agony. Her body broke out into a cold sweat as it trembled violently. Her eyes widened and her mouth sputtered blood. And then she was very still. With a sigh, she exhaled her last breath.

Kenshin slowly let go of her hands, which were cold and damp, and closed her eyes, which were still open, green eyes startled at their on death.

His own hands were caked with dry blood, and he stared down at them silently. He heard someone shuffle towards him, and he knew it would be Kaoru. When he lifted his head, he found her sad eyes were full of warmth. She embraced him longingly, and he let her, but for Kaoru it was like hugging a piece of stone. Still she persisted, trying to instil some of her warmth into him, her wilful nature refusing to let go of the man she loved, the man she knew loved her. But it was over. Something more had died in that room along with the girl: his capacity to forgive himself.

As Kenshin put his arms around the woman he loved for the last time, he felt her hot tears on his neck. He looked over her shoulder and his eyes met with Megumi's who stood across the room,behind Yahiko, with her hands on his shoulders.

Tears soaked the front of Megumi's kimono, as she bowed her head, because she knew things would never be the same. They would bury Seya's body, and clean up the dojo. Maybe the stench of death, of loss, would remain in that room forever. And then, before dawn, he would be rurouni Kenshin again, and he would leave the comfort of the Camiya home for the rest of his days.

By Ran-chan

I'd like some reviews if it's not too much trouble. Please be objective. Don't whine or spit on my name because I destroyed Kenshin's happiness forever, I made it clear from the beginning that this wasn't a `feel good' story; just tell me what you think about my writing style, plot, character development, etc.