This fic was inspired by the Seissouhen OVAs. I must warn you that this is full of spoilers of the OVA. All characters belong to Nobuhiro Waksuki.

Final Steps

By Maria Cline

It is funny how a man's opinion of another changes over time. When I first saw him, I was scared of him. His small stature, his strange eyes, and his red hair made him very unique. I didn't know his name. After he killed me, I hated him. I hated him for taking me away from the physical world and leaving my fiancé behind. After he married my fiancé, I envied him for making the woman I love happy and for being able to marry her when I can't because of him. After he started to wander, I watched him to see if he will keep his vow to never kill again.

Many years passed and my opinion of this man, my killer, changed. When he stopped killing, he became nice and helpful. Many times, he would offer his services for food and shelter; he didn't join the new government like the others had. He could have had anything in Japan he wished but all he wished to do was to redeem himself for the blood on his hands and the scar I helped put on his face. It wasn't until he met the kendo girl did the scar start to heal. She healed his heart like many could not. She gave him purpose in his life. She became his new sheath. I watched her and him take care of each other and fill in the gaps in their lives and hearts. I cannot help but feel happy for them, especially since my beloved supported their union. So, we watched over them like a pair of angels. Their child was happy with their love. I had thought that with his body unable to fight with a sword any more that his wandering days are finished. Until the man who killed me left the woman who was his sheath. He wanted to atone for what he had done; it was the path he had followed for a long time. I followed him and my beloved stayed with the new sheath.

For the years that passed, I followed him on his journeys. I saw many souls passed on but many more were saved by him. Still, he could not see the ones he saved but the ones he failed to save. He came back to his home time and time again with his wife and my beloved waiting with a smile.

However, the man I watched was fading away, the disease he picked up from his travels tore at his body and yet he still fought on to help others. My fear, anger, jealousy, and even curiosity had changed to awe and admiration. The man I watched and I were not that different. If things had been different, we may have been good friends. The last night the man I watched and his sheath spend together, the man confessed his true name. My beloved and I were stunned to hear it. Neither one of us knew the name he was born with.

How can he be given the name Shinta? He promised her that he would return with a smile that last night and in the morning he left.

The months went by as I followed the man I called Shinta. He helped the wounded and the sick while his health faded. Finally, the war in China ended and Shinta went to the first boat back to Japan. However, he never went back on that boat.

I watched untouched by the pouring rain and the raging winds as the boat rocked back and forth. Shinta was in the rain too and watched as a man younger than he was washed away. With speed that I thought he had lost, the man I watched traded places with the man and sank into the sea.

I couldn't let the man I watched die there. He promised his wife that he would return. I died before I could return; I cannot let that happen to anyone else. Even if he was the reason I couldn't return in the first place.

I do not need to breathe so I dove into the sea without thought and flew to his side. He was still reaching out to the surface but he could not make it on his own. He wanted to live. He wanted to return. I had to help him. Gathering all of my will, I focused and lifted his small body up to the air he needed. After I hear his lungs gasped for air, I held on to him and kept him on the surface.

The storm passed and I was exhausted. While I do not need rest like the living, I still can get tired. With my help, the man I watched swum to shore and rested on the beach. I fell asleep as well. My spirit was tired and I could not go on.

I woke up at the rising sun to see Shinta sitting next to me staring at the sea. His gaze was glassy and his aura had faded. His mind had weakened and he cannot leave China on his own again.

I watched him and guided him when he needed it. There was a small shack near where Shinta and I had landed with food reserves and water. Occasionally, a stranger would come out of curiosity and maybe even helped him. However, Shinta pushed him away. Deep down, he knew that what he had was contagious. He couldn't stand the idea of infecting anyone else.

Days passed as I watched him. I could not help but wonder if there was anyone who cared about him enough to rescue him. He was alone in this world with his wife and family across the distant sea. Shinta watched it all the time; maybe he was hoping that a boat would come to help him. While his memory had all but vanished, I still hear him mutter his wife's name. It broke my heart that Shinta cannot do anything to return.

One day, a familiar man rode in on horseback. I smiled at the wonderful sight. Sanosuke the fighter who had left Japan had ended where we are. Was it chance? Or someone else had guided him? I didn't care. He watched his friend wander back to the shack and he followed. Like before, Shinta shoved him away to protect him and he stood back. With great care, Sanosuke picked up Shinta and laid him on the bed. He rushed out of the shack to get a doctor and yelled for him to stay where he was. I had to laugh at the comment. He could not go anywhere in his condition.

The day passed and I waited patiently. Shinta had regained his strength and stared out of the window like he always does. The sun was setting when Sanosuke returned. His heart was heavy, obviously the doctor refused to come with him and he knew why. He saw Shinta staring out of the window and told him that he will get some food and firewood. I had to smile, Sanosuke knew that Shinta's mind was not entirely there but he was doing everything in his power to treat him like he always does to at least preserve his dignity. It was nice for Shinta to have such good friends.

After he started the fire and roasted the fish, Sanosuke just watched him like I do. He started to talk about what he had been doing with his life. Shinta just stared down muttering 'Sanosuke' and 'Kenshin' repeatedly like a small child learning how to talk. His friend told him to just save his strength and focus on getting better. He picked up a stick of fish and studied it. Proving how forgetful he can be, Sanosuke tossed the fish toward Shinta who just lifted his hand and missed it entirely. The look on Sanosuke's face was pure shock. I admit even I was stunned. The man who killed me, the man who had killed so many in the past, the man who was known as the most dangerous in the world, had become so slow he could not even catch that fish. Sanosuke picked up another fish and handed it to him.

There was no ribbing, no jokes, not even a tease. Instead, he asked him if it was good. Shinta just nodded at him and smiled slightly. I can sense the pure anguish in the man's heart as he raced up and hugged him. He held him tightly and yet with such care like a mother comforting a child. As he held him to his chest despite the disease Shinta carried, he told him that he will return him to Japan, back to his wife. I was relieved that this brash but kind-hearted man will help him return to Japan. I was slightly jealous that another will aid him but he was alive and I was not. There was only so much I can do for him. Shinta needed the help of a living person.

Weeks passed as Sanosuke helped Shinta. He fought a tiger and came back with the meat as a delicacy and for the meat's curative powers. Slowly but surely, Shinta became healthier stronger but he was nowhere near as healthy as he should be. I watched them as they rode to Shanghai in hopes of getting a boat to Japan. Sanosuke rode hard but had to stop often to keep Shinta alive. He fed him, bathed him with great care while making sure he did not catch the disease, and even talked to him about the past. However, I sensed that while Sanosuke was still healthy, the idea of taking care of the man who had defeated him was working hard on his soul. He may not be able to handle the constant care any longer.

The last night just outside of Shanghai, Sanosuke was staring out at the stars while Shinta slept. I watched the two from where I was. Sanosuke took a deep breath and started to speak. "What can I do? You know that I would do anything to help Kenshin but I can't stand to see him like this any more. If I leave for Japan with him and he dies on me, I cannot take it. I want to remember Kenshin as this super powerful samurai who defeated me but not like this. I don't want to leave him alone and yet, I don't want to see him fade away like this."

His words hit my soul. Sanosuke had seen death many times. While Shinta's condition was not affecting his friend physically, it was hurting his heart. I focused my energies and appeared before him. He gasped in shock and then looked around. I smiled at the reaction and replied, "Don't worry, I heard your prayer. I had been watching you and I am grateful for what you did."

Sanosuke just stared at me wide-eyed and nodded. "Right. Who are you? I don't recognize you."

I didn't blame him for not recognizing me. We never met in life and I doubt he would figure out what role I played in Shinta's life before I died. I better be honest with him because Sanosuke hates liars. "We never met but I knew him." I explained softly and then looked down. "I was the one who gave him the first half of his twin scars."

Sanosuke sat back and stared at me. I can sense that he was suspicious about me. I do not blame him. I had every right to hate Shinta for what he did so long ago. "Why are you here?" He asked finally.

"To help you and him." I explained as I sat down beside him. "I will tell you the truth. I had been watching him for many years so I understand the scars he held on his heart and on his face. Before I died, I promised my beloved that I will return with a gift. I failed to keep that promise. I did hate him once but not any more. I want to help him get back to his wife before it was too late. You had done a great job with him despite the pain in your heart. Put him on the next boat to Japan, make it as close to Tokyo as possible, and I will guide him the rest of the way."

He just gawked at me in disbelief. I cannot blame him for being suspicious but I cannot force him to accept my deal. Finally, he said, "Well, you don't seem to want revenge and if you wanted him dead, you would have helped kill him a long time ago. You seem like a nice enough ghost, okay, I trust you."

The next day, Sanosuke and Shinta went to Shanghai and managed to get a boat to Yokohama for free. For once, Sanosuke was showing pure joy as he hugged Shinta and told him about the boat. Then, a look of guilt and regret filled Sanosuke's face as he explained that he wanted to go but he had other things to do. There was no doubt that he wanted to come back with him but he couldn't. His aching heart won't let him. At that moment, Shinta's eyes became focused and he looked at his friend. He smiled slightly and stuttered out, "Sano-Sanosuke, th-thank you."

Typical, even with his body and mind as a wreck, he still had to cheer up those around him. Sanosuke just hugged him again with nothing to say. After he helped Shinta onto the boat and made sure that he will be taken care of, he stood at the port and I looked at him for the last time. He lifted his head and said his farewells. Then, he gazed at me as if he could see me and just nodded. He was confident in me; he had full faith in a man who had died over twenty-five years ago. I had to prove that trust.

The boat sailed through the calm open sea. Unlike before, there was no rain, no powerful winds, just calmness in the air that was welcoming even to someone who cannot be affected by little things like weather. Shinta sat out like always staring ahead. I watched him and the crew who stayed their distance. I cannot blame them, he was sick and they don't want to catch anything he had.

On the last day of the voyage, a stray cherry blossom fluttered through the air and landed in front of him. Interested, he picked it up and said in a determined voice, "Kaoru."

I nodded at him. He was staying alive just to keep his promise. Despite the pain, weakness, and pure delusion, he still remembered his promise to his wife. That promise was giving him strength like the promise I made to my beloved to return to her. The boat docked ahead of schedule and we left the port.

Shinta walked slowly from the city. His aura was fading and he was in great pain. There was no way that he can go on by himself. I placed my hand onto his shoulder and focused my energy. "Shinta, remember your promise to your wife." I told him as I gave him my power.

"Kaoru." Shinta walked in a steady gait.

I nodded as I maintained my hold on him. His pain, his sorrow, and even his hope became one with me. I had to help give him strength; I had to help him keep his promise. "Yes, do it for her."

Living people passed by and looked away as if ashamed. No one stopped to help us to our journey. There is no doubt that none of those who saw him see a fallen swordsman but they saw him as a pitiful sick man. My strength waned as we trudged on. How much longer can Shinta walk? How much longer can I keep up my strength? Who will help us?

Then, Shinta relied less on me and still walked on. In fact, he seemed to walk faster than before. I looked up to see three beautiful girls walking beside me giving him strength. Then, more spirits appeared beside us. Many of them I recognized as people Shinta had saved in the past and died later on in life. There were the ninjas who sacrificed themselves for their commander. There was the kindly old doctor who had helped Shinta with the wounds. There was the man who had recruited Shinta to become the manslayer. The spirits of those who had fought with him and against him joined in. It was as if everyone dead who had been touched by this man's kindness had appeared. There was a parade of spirits surrounding us giving us strength. The warm glow encompassed us and giving Shinta the strength he needed to continue on our path.

All of us walked through the day and night it took. Shinta's life was fading away despite the strength everyone had given him. The spirits whispered their encouraging words to him. The man walked on weakly.

Finally, we reached the cherry blossom grove just outside of the dojo. It was the same place where Shinta and his beloved had said goodbye when he first left for Kyoto. The cherry blossom petals transformed into small white feathers before my eyes. Everyone paused to see Shinta's beloved sick with the same disease come from behind a corner being supported by my beloved and many other spirits. She smiled brightly and ran toward him leaving the spirits behind. Shinta shook off the bonds we held and stumbled forward. He fell into her lap smiling. "I'm home, Kaoru." He whispered softly.

"Welcome back, Shinta."

I slumped to the ground exhausted. My beloved put her hand on my shoulder and whispered, "Welcome back, Akira."

I kissed her hand gently and watched the lovers in the distance. Despite the pain radiating from their bodies, I can sense nothing but absolute joy; the joy of being with each other for so long. I can feel their happiness of a promise kept. They were content with seeing each other and the last traces of hatred that I had in my heart vanished.

My beloved and I went up to see Shinta's bright aura fading gradually. His wife spoke kind hopeful words toward him. I held my beloved's hand tightly as the man I hated, feared, envied, and liked come into my world. Finally, his wife brushed Shinta's red hair away to reveal an unmarked face. The scars I had helped created so many years ago had disappeared completely. He had healed from the wound I caused. His aura faded completely from my sight.

A bright light surrounded Shinta as his body and spirit separated. He flew out of his body free from pain and sorrow and hovered over his wife and then looked down at himself. It was just like when I had died only I was alone. "Hello, Shinta, my name is Akira. It is nice to finally meet you." I said as I held out my hand.

"Akira, you had been kind to me despite of what I did. Thank you." Shinta took my hand.

When we first met, we were enemies, and then we were joined by the woman we both loved, and then in the end we became friends. The scars and hatred in our hearts healed after so many years. What happens now I do not know but I do know that we will have a long time to figure everything out. Right now, Shinta and I will wait with Tomoe for Kaoru to join us and we will finally be together forever in a world without pain and loneliness.

The End

While I watched Reflections, I found myself wondering how Kenshin survived the sea and walk all the way to Tokyo. He must have some form of help.

In case you didn't know, Akira, Tomoe's dead fiancé was Kenshin's guardian angel of sorts. From what I watched from the OVAs and manga, Akira was a kind man who does what was right. He may eventually forgive Kenshin for killing him.