Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Oblivion ❯ Chapter 2

Standard disclaimers apply. I'm just in high school… no mum, no dad… just me. Don't sue! ^_*

>Omake!!!<

Firstly I wanna thank the reviewees of the last chapter, hope you stick with me 'til the end. So many thanks… ^_^

Secondly, I'll be flying to N.Y. this Wednesday and be back next week so I guess there'll be no updates up until then. But I'll be trying to post the next chapter for 'Fox' (my SD fic) coz I dunno… I really love that story. Its related to me, actually. That's why its so special and I'm always inspired to write about it. Please try to check it out if you're a Slam Dunk fan, most especially Rukawa-kun! (kawai, neh? ^_*).

So for now, I hope you'll like this second chap as the continuation of the so-as-you-say 'cliffhanger'. Thank you again.

Read on! (… and review!)

"Oblivion"

Chapter Two:

They were already inside the Aoiya and encircled in a room.

Sano sat with his knees almost touching his chin as Okon changed his bandages. He glanced at Kenshin's poor condition, refusing to rest until he had heard what happened to Kaoru and Yahiko. All the Oniwabans could do was to apply salve to his wounds to stop it from bleeding.

But Sano knows its not the wounds that make Kenshin's condition worsen.

It was of sadness.

For himself, again blaming his self for not being there when Kaoru needed him.

He could feel his friend's anguish, having expected everything to the way it was planned. They never thought something could slip out of their grasps.

Shit. If something happens to those two I swear…!

"Kaoru sent a letter to Tokyo the morning you left to fight Shishio. And a telegram came in this morning from your friend, Megumi. She said she'll be coming here so she can take care of you all," Okon told Sano as she put the final wrappings of his broken hand. "Is she a doctor or something?"

Sano just chose to nod. He then looked over Misao beside the tea-sipping Okina.

He suddenly felt irritated. "Tell us what happened."

Misao seemed surprised. Okina understood her feeling and was about to speak when she prevented him.

Shaking her head, she whispered. "No. Its okay Grammps. I'm still the Okashira, neh? I'm the one who should tell them."

Okina nodded.

Misao toyed with folds of her uniform. She felt uneasy disclosing the memory of what happened the other day.

Himura saved us all… but now all we can repay him is this?

Inhaling deeply, she prepared to speak.

"When the Juppongatana came here, we all prepared ourselves for the fight that will surely take place anytime. Yahiko took over the masked Henya, Okon and the others challenged that stupid Iwanbou, while me and Kaoru settled with Kamatari of the scythe,"

Silence.

"During our match with her I was knocked down by the steel ball hanging at the end of his scythe. Kaoru tried to keep up fighting him until I regained consciousness again…"

"WHAT?! You let Jou-chan fight alone!" interrupted Sanosuke. He felt the bandages of his fists were almost snapping, causing Okon to stare at him in fear.

Okina gave Sano a stern look. "Misao's not finished yet," he declared.

"Feh," he muttered.

Kenshin was still quiet in one corner beside Omasu, who was now as quiet as he is.

Casting Sano a guilty look, Misao continued. "I came back and we had managed to break the scythe. Kaoru demanded Kamatari his surrender, as well as his companions to fall back. But he was stubborn and still tried to fight. Kaoru was left with no choice but to give him a taste of his stupidity-she broke half of her bokken against Kamatari's knee…"

"Obviously, Kamatari had lost to Kaoru and automatically thought of suicide since he couldn't come back to Shishio disgraced. But fortunately, I had gotten to knock him unconscious before he could even do it. But, he was fast enough to back up his bruised honor," Misao paused.

Her face suddenly became expressionless.

Sano felt Kenshin stir up in his corner.

N-no… Kenshin hissed.

The dead air around them and the dangerous aura she could sense from Kenshin made Misao continue. "After Saikutchi and Fuji's defeat by your Master Hiko-Himura-we thought everything was finally over…"

FLASHBACK

"Now I have fulfilled my promise to my baka deshi. Trust him in this one, though I doubt if he has the guts and will to defeat Shishio if his inner demons get the best of him," Hiko told them sheathing his sword. "Oh well, he has a chance more or less… being trained by an excellent master like me…"

"You egomaniac!" Misao and Yahiko screeched.

Kaoru smiled. "We know, Hiko-san. And we all thank you," she looked at the horizon. "The war's over."

Misao stared at Kaoru. "Over?" she said thoughtfully. "I-I can't believe it. Its finally over."

Kaoru turned to their Oniwabanshuu friends. "Thank you all, for helping Kenshin. Now its really up to him."

Gazing up at the bright clear sky, Kaoru whispered.

"Please come back safe and sound, Kenshin. We're all coming back home in Tokyo together…"

Misao beamed happily as she watched Kaoru's hopeful face.

I wonder what will happen when Himura comes back. He and Kaoru-chan sure share a special bond.

Oh! How they look beautiful together.

Aoshi-sama… I miss you so much.

Now that this is all over, we're all going to start anew.

Misao sighed.

Kaoru-chan…

I hope she's not too worried. Himura's going to beat the crap out of Shishio, that's for sure…

"H-huh?"

Misao's brow arched upon noticing the strange glassy state of Kaoru's eyes. She was motionless, staring up blankly.

Weird…

With her eyes still fixed up in the skies, Misao stepped up and reached out for Kaoru's hand. "Kaoru? Are you ok-"

"Hey busu! Cut the drama, will ya?!" Yahiko was beside them now as well.

Misao's eyes widened as she realized the feel of Kaoru's hand. "Y-yahiko!"

"What?"

"K-kaoru's hand! They're freezing cold!"

Yahiko felt her sensei's hand. Startled upon confirming Misao's observation, Yahiko shook Kaoru by her shoulders. "K-kaoru? KAORU!"

"Grammps! Everyone! Help us! Kaoru-!" Misao shouted, her voice shaking. She couldn't understand what's happening. Her mind was not working at all. How-? When…? What's happening to her? "Kaoru-chan! Please answer me!"

As if as a response, Kaoru's body dropped flaccidly in Misao and Yahiko's arms. With her eyes still opened and glassy, the others ran towards them in shock.

END OF FLASHBACK

"… and up to now she has been like that still. Yahiko had been watching over her all night-as if he was the one responsible with what happened," Misao's voice seemed to crack.

Sanosuke only stared at them, mouth hanging open in disbelief. I'm sure the boy sure feels broke. I hope he's alright…

"Jou-chan…"

No sound was heard from Kenshin.

Okina shook his head. "The doctor have examined Kaoru… and had found this," he got from his sleeve a needle-like glass vial and handed it over to Sanosuke. "It seemed to us that Kaoru-chan has been poisoned."

"P-poisoned?" said the rooster-head looking at the vial.

"Yes. Poisoned. It looks like Kamatari had managed to infuse that to Kaoru before he passed out from Misao's jab," Okina stated. "But that poison is no ordinary one. It's a daikon poison."

"Daikon…?"

Okina looked directly at Sanosuke. "Daikon poisons are made from rare plants that grew only in Shanghai. They were first introduced in Japan and were originally used by spies, like us during the Tokugawa era for self-defense. But it was banned shortly after it was proved to be lethal. Its effect would be just to drug the enemy, but when taken in large doses such as the amount of that vial, it can paralyze the body, making the individual feel numb and ice-cold at first. Eventually, the poison would block the body's primary senses, like what happened to Kaoru-san."

"Shit," Sano muttered. "What will happen to her now? I-is Jou-chan gonna d-die?"

Okina wailed. "No, Sanosuke. She's not going to die. Good thing I still have the medicine to counteract the poison. But its not an antidote. The poison is still inside Kaoru-san's body. What I gave her will just weaken it, one way or the other…"

One way or the other? "What do you mean?"

"I still don't know the effects of the drug I gave her, but it sure will guarantee that the daikon poison will not kill her anymore. I'm afraid its up to her now. All we can do is wait and observe, I believe," explained Okina.

"WHAT? You expect us to just sit and wait to whatever might happen to Jou-chan in case your drug doesn't work? Kenshin saved Kyoto, and all he asked was Jou-chan and the boy's safety! Is that too much to ask!" Sano gritted his teeth in anger.

"And you!" turning to Misao. "Kenshin risked his life just to fulfill his promise to you that he'll bring back that asshole Aoshi. And this… this is what you gonna welcome him with?"

Okina casted Sanosuke a threatening glare. "Watch your tongue, young man. I…"

Misao looked at Okina. "Its alright. What Sano has been telling us is true. Its our fault we let this happen. If it wasn't for me, being a weak Okashira, Kaoru-chan couldn't have…"

"M-misao-d-dono…"

All of them looked at the ruruoni at once. He stirred up a little and and tried to gather together his strength. Omasu assisted him.

"Himura, you should get rest-"

"No," he hissed. "I thank you for trying your best to save Kaoru-dono, and looking over Yahiko…"

"But Kenshin-" Sano interrupted.

"Iya, Sano..suke," Kenshin retorted in between painful spasms. "What happened was none of anybody's control. We shouldn't blame the Oniwabanshuus because they have no f-fault in it… whatsoever…"

"… after all, if it wasn't for them, the Shishio faction wouldn't be defeated. T-they helped us in many ways I couldn't enumerate more, Sano…" Kenshin said.

Everyone was silent. But they were surprised as Kenshin tried to stand.

"Kenshin!"

"Himura-san!"

"Oh!"

Kenshin began to cough blood again. His wounds opened again as he stand. Omasu looked at the others helplessly. "Please you must sit down, Himura-san. Your wounds! They're going to bleed again!"

But it seems Kenshin had become deaf to their pleas.

"Calm down Himura!"

"You should rest now-!"

"Kenshin! We should get you to bed…!"

Kenshin stopped at the door. Without looking back at them, he said.

"I-I want to see Kao-ru…"

But before he could dissuade Sanosuke any further, his body collapsed.

There! Hope you like it. Please push the button and make me smile. See yah!