Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ When Angels Fall ❯ When Ghosts of the Past Collide, All Shatters ( Chapter 7 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

When Angels Fall: When Ghosts of the Past Collide, All Shatters

By: Kiamirei

-Assume the standard disclaimer goes here, which includes the
statement that I do not claim to own Rurouni Kenshin. And as always,
please review this story, or email me with your comments. Thanks to
those who have read this far!

The door is opened, to finally, finally, to reveal Hajime Saito.

"Why, Battousai. I thought you'd never come."

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Kenshin stood there, gazing at his enemy. Saito smirked

.

"Speechless? I'm flattered. But I'm afraid I can't just sit here while
you stare at me; I have things to do, you know."

"Go to hell, bastard."

"You'll have to send me there yourself."

"Draw your sword."

At last, the two warriors were reunited. Kenshin felt a profound sense
of relief at this. Everything was in place, and he would finish the
fight left unresolved so many years ago. He was dispersing with his
enemies, and then he could go back to his Shishou, before deciding
what to do about the government. Adrenaline rushed through him as he
drew his new sword, and he watched as Saito did the same.

Mibu's wolf was incredibly happy, now that his nemesis had found him.
They could finish their fight, and when the floor was stained with the
Battousai's blood he could go on to do the things he planned. Saito
gave Kenshin a short bow, acknowledging him as the enemy that he
respected, and smiled a small smile when the other man did the same.
They stood there like that: a tall man, with raven hair, eyeing a
shorter, almost feminine looking younger man with hair close to the
color of blood. Then the spell was broken, and their swords met. A
guard came to the door, but after a shout from Saito he hurriedly
left, ordering his companions to do the same.

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Panting, nearly collapsing from exhaustion, the Sanosuke, Kaoru, and
Yahiko had nearly reached the government building; it was in their
sights now, and they forced themselves to run faster.

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Hiko kept running, his white cloak billowing out behind him. His
intense, dark eyes spotted the building he was looking for, and the
erudite swordsman hoped that he was not too late.

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They were in mid-battle. Mibu's wolf met Hitokiri Battousai with
hatred that was shared on both sides, pitting Battou-jutsu against the
Gatoutsu. In the beginning, both Saito and Kenshin had attempted to
use normal sword techniques, but after each got wounded and nearly
lost his head, they had quickly learned to use the skills they had
spent most of their lives perfecting. The Mibu no Okami also learned
to avoid double Battou-jutsu attacks in which the sheath came first
unless he wanted to be gutted, or to have his throat slit, and the
Hitokiri Battousai learned not to use Ryu Tsui Sen attacks against the
Gatoutsu, unless he wanted to be impaled. Another thing that they
learned was that their swordsmanship had sharply decreased since the
revolution. Kenshin's god-like speed had been reduced to semi-god-like
speed, and Saito's speed had also decreased.

One disadvantage that Saito had was that he only had one attack that
could rival Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu (the Gatoutsu), while Kenshin had
myriad attacks up his sleeve. They had been fighting for a while now,
and Kenshin had used less than half of the arsenal of deadly attacks
that Hiten swordsmanship taught. Perhaps he had been a fool when it
came to the philosophy of the school, but he had certainly learned all
but two of the attacks perfectly. Another advantage that the hitokiri
had was that he could do combinations of the deadly attacks, while
Saito could only to the same one attack in different positions.
However, though his skills had decreased, it was true, Saito had a
large advantage where strength was concerned. Bitterly, Kenshin
reflected that had he stayed with his Shishou a little longer, he
might have the strength that the thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi
Ryu possessed.

He could not contemplate this lament for very long, though, as a
Gatoutsu came flying at him. The man barely managed to avoid getting
skewered, but paid for his lack of concentration by receiving a long
slash on his shoulder.

"Idiot!" Saito roared. "Pay attention! I have not waited to do battle
with you for a decade only to be faced with a fool that can't keep his
mind on the battle at hand!"

"Gomen...now, die!"

"I'll drag you with me if I do!"

Kenshin quickly tried to do his Ryu Shou Sen move, but backed out of
it as soon as he saw Saito's sword leveled at him, ready to stab him
in the stomach. Instead, he swiftly executed the Dou Ryu Sen, and when
Saito dodged it he attempted another double Battou-jutsu attack. The
wolf dodged the first attack, and moved his sword in to Kenshin's
vulnerable area, but had to dodge again as the sheath came flying at
him. The two parted, and went down on one knee, panting.

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Yahiko, Kaoru and Sanosuke had finally reached the gates of the
building, which were now unguarded. They ran through without
hesitation, knowing that to find Kenshin all they had to do was follow
the path of destruction.

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Only a minute or two behind the other three, Hiko, too, entered the
building where his former pupil was obviously doing battle.

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Shing

Clang ping

Shing, shang ping clang

Clack

Thwack

Shang

Shang shing

Clang shing

Ping shang

Shing

Shang

Clang

Shangshing

The sound of metal striking metal (or, one time, scabbard striking
arm) was continued on for what seemed like and eternity, and still
there were no signs of stopping. No one had a clear advantage yet, and
no one was winning. Saito and Kenshin's battle had reached its climax,
though, and now both contestants had delved deep inside their souls or
former selves to attain the speed they had had ten years ago. Ryu Kan
Sen Kogarashi met Gatoutsu, and Gatoutsu met Dou Ryu Sen. They parted,
both panting heavily, continuing on through sheer determination.
Kenshin sheathed his sword for about the sixtieth time that day, and
willed himself not to collapse from exhaustion, while Saito willed his
arms not to drop off of his body. Specks of blood were strewn about
all over the dark, wood floor, and Saito quickly paused to wipe the
sweat and blood from his chest, while Kenshin attempted to clean the
blood off of his arm but only succeeded in smearing it. Fatigue bore
down on both of them, and perspiration ran down both of their bodies
in torrents, but both had long since made up their minds that this
battle would be to the death.

It was then that Sanosuke, Kaoru, and Yahiko entered the room.

"Kenshin!" they all cried simultaneously.

Saito managed a smirk, though he was fighting hard to catch his
breath.

"You...you know...these people?...Himura Battousai?"

"Apparently. They seem to think......that they're my friends."

"But...they're...not now?"

"No....They were my...friends a while ago...before I woke up....I was
not myself...back...then."

"Soo...desu. Shall we...continue? I...I don't have...all day."

"Aa."

The two warriors of the revolution proceeded from there, no longer
paying any attention to the three intruders. As the two flew at each
other, burning with hatred and desire for closure, for the first time,
Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Yahiko fully realized that there was nothing,
absolutely nothing that they could do. Having been through more
battles than he would ever have wished, having seen more destruction
that most other people, Sanosuke knew, but could never tell his two
companions, that the battle would last for only one or two minutes
more.

Kaoru could barely keep from crying, and cursed herself for her
weakness. Yet, her feeling was understandable, wasn't it? The
atmosphere was dark, oppressive, and the walls of the room seemed to
close in all around them. A chill filled the air, but the girl could
not be sure that it was not simply because she was so terrified. So
this was the Battousai. Surrounded in blood, sweating from head to
toe, both opponents obviously dying to kill one another. Currently
trying to. This was the Battousai, who had made a name for himself in
the revolution, who had taken out an entire building's guards, just to
get at this one man, to kill him, to cause him harm, to make him
bleed. Perhaps Sanosuke was right, perhaps he was not evil, but he was
dangerous, and destructive, and so willing to end another man's life
that it scared her. And was not this Saito person just as bad? Was he
not attempting to kill the man she cared about the most? Did he not
desire to cause Kenshin's blood to flow until there was no life left
in him? And what could she do about it? Nothing, absolutely nothing.
The tears came then, and Kenshin/Battousai quickly looked her way, as
did Saito, but neither glanced at her for more than half a second, and
neither cared.

Both Kenshin and Saito knew that the end would come soon; they could
not possibly go on much longer. With as much speed as he could muster,
Saito launched another Gatoutsu as Kenshin prepared another attack.

Time stood still then, as the two legends flew at each other, and
Sanosuke's heart dropped in his chest. This was the end. Would they
live? Die? Or would they kill each other? Yahiko hid himself behind
Sanosuke's leg, and he, too cried, unable to stand the scene but
unable to tear his eyes off of the two.

Kenshin had started moving a little bit slower than Saito, and knew
that this was a very, very bad mistake. Mibu's wolf was coming at him
at a speed that was almost faster than most people could track, and he
had no clue what he was going to do. His sword was still sheathed, and
death was coming in less than five seconds if he did not do anything.

Saito smiled, now, and it was not mocking. Victory was his, and he was
genuinely happy. He would kill the assassin, and their dual would
finally be over, after an intermission of over ten years. The wolf
could not imagine being more content. He could go on with his life, as
soon as this man was good and dead.

The Hitokiri Battousai watched his enemy come flying in at him. Each
moment stretched on for an eternity, in slow motion almost. Then
everything moved to realtime, and he had only a few seconds left to
live. The assassin realized, suddenly, unexpectedly, that he wanted to
live. He wanted to live, and to visit Tomoe's monument, and to be
reunited with his master. He wanted to cleanse the Meji government,
and he wanted to settle down and learn to live in a peaceful era where
his skills were not needed. He wanted to live, and be happy, and to
help people, and to protect the era that he helped to create.

Clenching his amber eyes shut, with a scream of pure, uncontrolled
emotion he closed his fist around the hilt of his sword, and operated
on pure instinct. Desperate, so incredibly, incredibly desperate to
live, hardly knowing what it was that he was doing, he executed the
attack that he had practiced too many times to possibly count, the
attack that his entire life had been based upon, the attack that had
saved his life more times than he could remember: the Battou-jutsu. He
led with his left foot this time, giving him more power, though it was
a slightly dangerous move. The man was still screaming as he drew his
sword with a speed faster than he had ever reached before, faster than
any god could ever be, energy and willpower flowing through his veins,
mixing with desperation that he had never felt before. Without knowing
it, Kenshin Himura, the Hitokiri Battousai, the man who was once the
boy Shinta, had perfectly executed Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's succession
technique: Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki.

Saito was not prepared for this sudden burst of speed.

Faster than Sanosuke, Kaoru, and Yahiko could ever have expected or
been ready for, almost faster than they could see, Mibu's wolf was
struck down by the Hitokiri Battousai. Saito didn't have time to look
surprised. As he hit the floor, he looked up into Kenshin's now open
eyes, and smiled a small, sad smile.

"I-It would seem...that you've...won." And then he died, as Kenshin
impaled him to prevent the wolf from using his last strength to kill
him.

His blood pooled, and the crimson liquid was everywhere, staining
everything: on Saito's clothes, on his sword, on the floor, on
Kenshin, on Kenshin's sword, on the walls, even a little bit got on
Sanosuke. Kenshin stared at the body.

And then he froze, stopped breathing. His body trembled, and he was
glad that his back was turned to the three spectators, so they could
not see his face. Distantly, he heard the girl and the little boy
crying, and heard Sanosuke's whispers to comfort them. The need for
air took over, and he gave a small gasp as he took in air. He closed
his eyes now, blinked several times, and closed them again. It was
half a minute before they opened again, and when they did, they shone
violet in the darkened room.

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Hiko practically flew up the stairs. The sounds of battle had ceased,
and he knew that was not a good sign.

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He lowered his head, filled with shame.

"Sessha..."

Hearing this, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanouske started to rush over to him.
The Battousai had never, ever, said `Sessha' before; only Kenshin did
that. However, the man knew they were coming, and growled, in the
voice of the Battousai, "Stay right there, or you'll regret it."

They halted. This couldn't be Kenshin, could it? Perhaps only it was
only a momentary lapse in the Battousai?

Kenshin shook his head, barely keeping from crying. He had broken his
vow. After ten years of peace, of repenting, he had killed. And why?
Because of a little poison and insomnia? How could he have been so
weak? How could he let this happen to him? Hiko had been right; he was
a fool, and there was no cure for him. Kenshin dropped the sword, and
knew that there was only one option open to him. If he could not keep
his word, he had no right to live. To show his shame, and to show his
emotions, he would kill himself.

He now drew his Sakabatou, flipped the blade, and chopped the scabbard
in half, putting the two pieces under his buttocks, creating an
incline so that he would not fall backwards when he died. Kenshin knew
he was no samurai, but he would end his life like a warrior,
nevertheless. All three of his friends froze in terror when they
realized what he was about to do, but no matter how hard they tried,
they could not make themselves move closer to him. He turned his head
towards them, and upon seeing his eyes, they realized, horrified, that
Kenshin Himura had indeed returned to them.

"My life has been a failure," he said softly. "I'm sorry...I'm so
sorry."

Having said what were to be his last words, he gripped the blade more
firmly. Swiftly, he plunged it into his stomach, and cut it open
horizontally, swiftly jerking the sword up at the end of the cut,
creating a flap for his guts to fall out of. He did all this without
flinching, without making any noise at all, and without making a
sound. It was then that Hiko Seijurou burst into the bloody room to
see his student committing suicide. Kenshin turned his head towards
the man.

Shishou...he thought.

"Kenshin..." Hiko murmured, overcome with sadness. "I can be kaishaku,
if you wish."

Kenshin smiled, and the thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu knew
this to mean yes. Quickly he walked over to the dying man, and drew
his own sword. Even more quickly, he brought his sword down on the
back of Kenshin's neck, stopping with only a thin span at the front.
Blood flowed more swiftly running down his body from his neck and his
stomach. It was a good death, perfectly carried out as Yahiko and
Kaoru sobbed.

Thus did the ghost of the boy Shinta, thus did Kenshin Himura, thus
did the Hitokiri Battousai, die.