Theme: Escape
Pairing: KK
Setting: Reverse Arc
Warnings: None
Notes: None
Words: 1,132
25. Escape
She swore that if she had to take another step, she'd die. For once, even Kenshin looked exhausted. They lay, sprawled out across the grass, breathing heavily. Already he was starting to get up, and Kaoru moaned. They were off the damn mountain; they could rest for another minute or so!
"Maybe we should take another minute." Inwardly Kaoru danced; outwardly, she remained prone on the ground. Kenshin sat down beside her, looking less and less tired. She was beginning to believe the tales of him being demonic or inhuman; how did he have any energy left?
"I used to live on a mountain, and I always carried all the shopping. I got used to the work after a while." As if he had read her mind, he answered her question. She yawned.
"Do you think they've figured out we ran for it yet?"
"Maybe. They'll still have to catch up with us- it's snowing up there now."
"Good. If we have to run again, I will curl up and die. Or at least want to."
They stayed there in silence for some time, watching the stars come out, one by one. It was almost too quiet, with only the occasional skitter of a bug or wind in the trees to remind them they were surrounded by life. When the moon was above the tree line, Kenshin pulled Kaoru up by the hand, and they continued on. If they were lucky, in a few days they might reach Kyoto.
And sure enough, fate seemed to smile on them, as the city loomed ahead. The sound of people reached their ears, but Kenshin was more concerned about finding allies without getting killed. He knew Katsura had to be coming soon, once he found out Iizuka was missing. No one too dangerous was around, so they crept into a shady inn and took a room for the night. Another quiet night, filled with mostly the sounds of their own breathing.
"Do you think the war will end soon?" Kaoru asked abruptly.
"I don't know. I hope so."
"If it does, we could really get married. Go somewhere and live quietly."
"Could we?" The idea was foreign to him. Would someone like him be allowed such a thing? Peace?
"Why not? We could...we could just live. Without worrying all of the time."
There was the sound of footsteps, cutting their conversation short, and Katsura himself entered the little room. He looked relieved.
"Kenshin. You're all right."
"Iizuka was the traitor." Kaoru said bluntly, not wanting to hear the pleasantries. She couldn't help but slightly resent Katsura. Was it right, to take an innocent soul and twist it to believe killing was the right way? "He and a man who might be my uncle tried to kill Kenshin."
"And you." The assassin added.
"Not me." She protested.
"They would have killed you too, Kaoru. You were a witness to their treachery."
"Is Iizuka dead? I sent him only to make sure you weren't getting weaker..."
"He's alive, or he was when he slipped past him on our way out." She said shortly. Was that all Katsura worried about? Losing his prized assassin.
"The storm may have disposed of him, but be careful. He'll still be able to help the Shogunate out if he wishes to." Kenshin said.
'We have a new hideout." Katsura informed them. He named the location. "Come there tomorrow. Kenshin, you'll have an assignment in a few days, and Kaoru- there's a safe house I plan on sending you to. You'll be safe there."
"What are you saying? I'm staying with Kenshin, even if you do think I dull his blade. It's not up to you where I go or what I do."
"I would prefer Kaoru stayed near me. She's a target now as well."
Faced with all this opposition, Katsura couldn't do anything but give in. "I'll see you soon."
--
It was strange to think that this would be the last time he washed his uniform free of blood. Tomorrow he'd have fresh clothes, and a road ahead of him. There were so many unknowns.
Numbly, he scrubbed at e dark stains. They were thick, and stubborn, but fading all the same. The water began to change color. He wouldn't have to watch the blood seep out even again.
"AH! It's him! Battousai!"
"Die! Die, you demon!"
"No! No!"
"Ahhh!"
Blood, coloring the streets and even the air, until he was drowning in it rather than running through it. And still they had fallen, into heaps that tripped both allies and foes. Oh, they had fallen- they seemed so slow, for some reason. As if time had frozen, dragging out his final battle on and on and on and on until he was certain this was how he'd die...
Gasping, he dropped the uniform and pulled it back out of the tub. The stain was almost gone.
"Kenshin? There you are...I was worried, no one said they'd seen you come in!" Kaoru was here. Where had she been while he fought? He wasn't sure...he'd known some of the safe houses were broken in, but for the life of him he couldn't remember which she'd been in. As far as he could see, she was...fine. A little shaky, and concerned, but unharmed. The way she'd been an hour ago when he'd paused to look in on her before going to clean himself up.
"I've been here since the battle ended."
She could think of nothing to say to that. So she spoke instead of the future, a future they now had. The war was over.
"Tomorrow we're going to Tokyo. I want to know if my dojo burned down or if it's salvageable. If it is, I'd like to go live there."
"Was in the city itself, or..."
"On the outskirts."
"It should be alright. Looted and raided, maybe, but still intact- there's no point to burning things outside the city."
"Yes...I'm glad...Kenshin, should we get married tomorrow?"
"What? Tomorrow?"
"Yes, tomorrow. If it's sunny."
"I don't see why not."
--
They knelt at the gravestone; plain, but surrounded by fresh flowers. Kaoru was certain her father would have liked them. She sighed, a pang of grief bursting somewhere inside.
"He would have been proud of you." Kenshin muttered. "You've done very well for yourself."
"Do you think so?" She stood up. "Well, I have a lesson to teach ,we'd better go. Bye, Father." She turned to move and tripped over another gravestone.
"Oof! Whose grave is that?" Kenshin knelt beside her, pulled her off the pile of irises she'd landed on (someone must have really loved this person) and read the inscription.
"Tomoe Yukishiro. That's odd."
"Why?"
"I just...I thought I knew her, but no. I don't. Let's hurry back."
--
The ending wasn't what you thought it would be, was it? I left a lot to the imagination, but I planned it that way. At least, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. I have a really short one for Gallimaufry that's too short to even post (or so I feel) But I can't add to it...hell, maybe I will post it later today.
Review! ...spark my creative juices! Chickentyrant5!