Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Prisoner of War ❯ Confrontation ( Chapter 22 )

Hi! I'm back from the dead! Sorry about the long wait for this chapter. I really had a hard time writing it because I like the next chapters better. There are at least two more and then an epilogue if you want it. Oh well. I started this chapter about nineteen times before I was satisfied. Please forgive that it's so short.

Disclaimer: Kenshin and all his buddies and enemies belong to someone else.

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The lights of Edo were bright in the distance. They looked like little flames breaking through some black piece of wood. She was there. Just a mile or two away from him. Kenshin swung his sword against his opponent, and he fell with a thud. Kenshin looked down at the man. He would have a nasty bruise to his neck. He probably would never be able to breathe easily for the rest of his life. But he would breathe again. He would breathe heavily as he threw a ball to his daughter or taught his son to wield a sword or made love to his wife. Kenshin sighed and moved away, ever closer to the lights of Edo. Suddenly, the scent of tobacco filled his lungs. He looked to his left over the expanse of unconscious bodies. He never looked behind him. Behind him, there were boys trying to find the people he'd left alive and kill them. Kenshin did not like being witness to death that he couldn't stop. He watched the burning end of a cigarette move closer to him.

"I always smoke in battle. The taste of it drowns out the blood. I close my eyes, and I could be anywhere. Waiting for dinner, in the market picking out vegetables, or even on my porch after making love to my wife. That's a wonderful feeling, isn't it Battousai? Except, you didn't smoke, did you? Stealing my wife and my cigarettes would have been just too much." Kenshin narrowed his eyes at the man before him. There was hatred rolling off of him in waves. How could this man speak of her so carelessly? The white beads of his sheath clattered as he gripped the hilt of his sword.

"I want you to know something, Battousai. You took away the most important thing in my life. I love my wife. I've loved her since the moment we met. That's why I didn't kill you that day. She wouldn't have liked it. I love her, but you stole her love away from me. For five years, we were happy. I treated her wonderfully. Then you show up, and everything changes." He took a puff off of his cigarette. Kenshin sank into a battle stance, freeing his sword ever so slightly from its sheath.

"I tried to get her love back. I treated her like gold. I made her a veritable princess. I did anything, everything for her to make her love me. I bought her new clothes, jewelry. It didn't work. So I heated her bath for her. I got us a softer futon. You know what she did? She took the old one into a spare room. The entire time I'm not home, she lays in that futon. Nothing worked. So I asked her what she wanted. Do you know what she said, Battousai?" He took another puff of his cigarette. Kenshin remained silent and motionless.

"Kenshin," he hissed, "That bitch wanted you. So I did other things to win her love. I made love to her, over and over. She cried, Battousai! She cried when I touched her. She used to whimper. She used to call out my name. Now she cries. She whispers your name like she thinks I can't hear her. She cries because of what you did to her!"

"She cries because of what you did to her," Kenshin replied. Saitou spit the cigarette out of his mouth at Kenshin.

"Shut up! That didn't work. Nothing I did worked. Then, we found out. I did what I had to do, and she started hating me. Then, I tried to beat it into her. If I couldn't earn her love, I would take it. I would make her love me! I hit her until I couldn't recognize her for the blood, and still she called out your name! She called for you as if you could save her!" Kenshin's eyes were wide and their violet depths swirled with anger.

"I will save her! You will suffer for what you have done to Kaoru!"

"Don't you ever say her name! I will kill you, and then she will have to love me again!" The two men rocketed toward each other. Their swords clashed, sending tiny sparks spraying away from them. They pushed into each other vying for strength before breaking apart. Saitou raced toward Kenshin again, his sword held high in his left hand. He slammed down into him but hit nothing but air as Kenshin turned and dodged the strike. Had he not hated him so much, Saitou would have marveled at the way Kenshin moved like water, always fluid and graceful, always moving. Kenshin's sword came up around and slammed into Saitou's side. He stumbled a bit before turning and launching his attack again. Again Kenshin evaded. His sword slammed into his neck. Saitou huffed a few times. His sword lunged forward, striking Kenshin in the shoulder. The smaller man cried out and backed off. Saitou slowly rose to his feet.

"Die, Battousai!" He charged. Kenshin ducked at the last possible moment, weaved around him, and struck him in the neck again. Saitou dropped to his knees and passed out. Kenshin breathed slowly and gripped his injured shoulder. He felt the ribbon pool itself in the sleeve of his uninjured arm. Carefully he untied it and looked down at Saitou. He gripped the ribbon tightly.

"It's time I return this to whom it belongs." He looked toward the fiery lights of Edo and ran as fast as he could.

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A/N: Check out my sestinas and my RK/IY crossover "Hanyou." Please review!