Tsuabame clutched the blanket tightly in her hands, a knot in her stomach. She was too excited and nervous to sleep. ‘Tomorrow… this is it… there isn’t any turning back… everyone is counting on me… demo… demo… atashi…’

She closed her eyes, scenes from the long night playing back in her mind. She could see Kaoru lit up face as she first introduced her idea, “The more I think about it – four against fifty men or so… it’s no use. Demo! If we can somehow narrow the battlefield by using the space… we can make it one against one or two. And because of the single entrance, the enemy cannot retreat if we block it off – I want to finish them off for good!”

“Sou desu ka!” Tsubame cried, “I know what you’re saying… you, Yahiko-kun, and Sanosuke will each have better chance. Demo, Kaoru-san, what about the townspeople…?”

”According to Hiro-san, the townspeople are always kept at the edge of the square, by those boundaries of the entrance. There they line up and are chosen who to go next, as well as kept in check so they cannot rebel. If we can push them out of the town square, they won’t be caught in the crossfire of the battle.”

”And the hostages… Kenshin-san…?” she asked. Kaoru was rubbing her chin, thinking about that. Tsubame then replied, “Maybe we can escort them into one of the buildings? And have one person stationed to protect them until the fight is over?”

“Aa, good idea! Demo… I was wondering… who are we going to narrow the battlefield. It’s not like we’ve got any alleys in this town nor can we move buildings…”

”Sou desu ne…” Tsubame uttered, dropping her head. ‘How are we going to do this? Kaoru-san’s idea is great, demo…’ Her eyes moved from the platform of the hanged hostages to the ground, following the shadows left by the moonlight. She saw a revelation of what could happen in a flash. ‘Aa?! Sou ka!!’ She turned towards Kaoru and exclaimed, “I’ve figured it out!!”

From there, the two of them drew a diagram and ran back into the house, getting out of their yukatas and into hakama, then getting the boys up. Finally Yahiko and Sanosuke got up and followed to the woodshed where they got all the supplies they needed: rope, shovels, nails, and hammers…

Yahiko rubbed his eyes, “Shimatta! I can’t believe you were capable of this kind of planning, Tsubame!” he cried as they were in the square making preparations, “You seem so, so innocent!”

Tsubame blushed. “Ano… is that… a bad thing?”

”IYA! I was just saying…!!!” he cried all flustered.

“Jou-chan!” Sanosuke said, running over, “This building has a slim walkway that leads into the back of town. It’s barely there but the hostages can escape that way. But I’m thinking… we’re going to need a diversion in order to start this up. If they suspect something in the beginning, they might turn on the townspeople right away.”

”Wakarimashita. I have a diversion in mind… and a backup plan if this fails.”

”Fufu, you got everything in mind, don’t ya?”

”Iie, Tsubame-chan came up with most of it. She’s really a brilliant genius.” Kaoru said with a smile, eying the girl behind her. Tsubame dropped her hammer and sneezed.

Yahiko eyed her with a concerned look, “Daijoubu da yo?? Naa, Tsubame?!”

Tsubame remembered Yahiko’s face as she was trying to calm down and get some rest. Kaoru had sent them back to the house while she and Sanosuke finished things up. But even Sanosuke was sent back – she had heard him bumbling down the hallway about an hour ago, mumbling about how tired he was. Now, she could hear Kaoru slowly passing her room. At last, she could fall asleep. Morning was coming soon.

* * *
Kaoru collapsed onto the futon completely exhausted. She didn’t want to tell anyone, but during that whole time she thought she was going to faint. Turning her head slightly, she could see Kenshin sleeping so peacefully. It was natural for him to have nightmares and to toss and turn… but tonight, he looked as though he didn’t have a care in the world.

‘Kenshin… you seem so far away, but you are right here next to me… why can’t I reach you… ?’ Resting her eyes, she remembered the early days. How starved for affection she was and distant he was. But then, somehow a miracle happened and she was able to have him, in her arms, one heart and one soul. Yet now, things had gone back in time.

She wanted to reach out and touch him, but then she knew that would wake him and he would probably draw away and say something that’ll hurt. She turned away from him, crying herself to sleep.

* * *
As the sun was rising, Sanosuke, Tsubame, and Yahiko were all ready, but found that Kaoru was still resting. “Let the girl sleep a bit more. She can catch up.” Sanosuke reasoned, leading them away from the screen door, “We’ve got to support her during this thing.”

Yahiko gripped the bundle of shinai in his hands. “Aa… shikashi… this will be my finale battle with you all. Ore… Ore wa… I’m retiring from the Kenshin-gumi for good.”

The other two just stopped and stared at his serious face. After a long pause, Sanosuke smacked him upside the head. “What the hell ya talking about?! You’re too young to be ‘retiring’!! What kind of shit…!?”

”TEME!!!” Yahiko growled, punches hitting air, “What I’m talking about is… I want to stand on my own, I want to find my potential. After this battle… Kaoru will release me from her school and I can go and do as I please. Therefore, I will fight this battle to my best – I won’t let you all down!”

“Yahiko-kun…” Tsubame uttered, staring into his determined face, “Atashi mo… I’ll do my best as well, even though… even though I know I’m…”

Sanosuke put his hand on the top of her head. “What’cha talking about?! Tsubame-chan, you’ve got an important role in this too and you are going to do great!”

”A-arigatou, Sanosuke-san.” she uttered, with a nod. The three of them walked away from the room, closing the door quietly. As they walked into town, Tsubame gazed up into the clear sky, ‘Minna… I won’t let you down!’

* * *
Kenshin’s eyes flickered open. Next to him, he saw Kaoru’s tired form, turned away and facing the wall. Sitting up, he looked over her, noticing the bruises on her arms and sore on her hands. ‘Kaoru? What have you been doing?’ he wondered, moving closer. His eyes moved to the bandage at her neck, covering the scratch she received from his sakabatou. ‘Kaoru…’

He remembered the look in her eyes as she held the sword without hesitation, that icy blue which haunted him. She would gone through with it if he hadn’t stopped her. Why did he even attempt to leave? Why did he doubt her? Why did he doubt himself? Kenshin clutched his head and whimpered. So much pain and fear, all he really wanted was her… comforting him, smiling at him… days of certainty that seemed to last forever.

‘Iya, dame… I can’t go back to that… because it will make it harder for the both of us. Kaoru won’t able to forget me and be miserable for the rest of her life… and I, I will lose my nerve to give my life – then what will happen to this town? My sister, Hiro-dono, the kids… iyaya! I have to… I can’t keep running from this. Forty-eight lives… forty-eighty lives…’

Tears were filling his eyes and he couldn’t help but let out a sound of pain. He clutched the sheets and sobbed. He hadn’t cried this much not since the Jinchuu and he thought that Kaoru was dead. Now, he wished that he was the one dead and that forty-eight lives were returned and this town was safe and Kaoru wasn’t suffering.

‘It’s all because of me… its all my fault!’ On impulse, he gathered Kaoru into his arms and held her, crying into her hair, wanting her to wake up and comfort him, tell him things to ease his mind… her voice alone. But again, his conscience brought him back in check, ‘Kenshin – dame! She’ll wake up and then what… will you make her suffer more?’

He quickly released her and rolled back into his corner, hiding his tear-stained face. He could hear her stirring and then sitting up, yawning. “Are? Was I … dreaming?” she uttered, “I thought Kenshin was holding me…” She turned around and looked towards him; he was back to the way she had last saw him. She frowned slightly. “Mou, it was a dream.”

Kenshin closed his eyes and listened to her get up and leave the room, ‘Aa, it was only a dream, Kaoru…’

* * *
Kaoru walked outside, dressed and ready to leave for town. She had about three hours of sleep and still felt tired. Walking over to the side of the house, she knelt over the basin and slashed some water into her face. ‘Mou, get it together – you’ve got work to do…’

But as she tried to move away, she was stuck with nausea. Feeling sick to her stomach, she bent on her knees, her face lined with sweat. ‘Doushite?! This again… what’s going on with me?! Is my body trying to tell me something… I can’t take it any more!!’ Kaoru stumbled away from the water basin, and threw up into a bucket. Still feeling sick, she clutched her stomach in pain. ‘Somebody… please… help …’

“Kaoru-dono!”

She lifted her head and turned around, “S…Serika-san…”

”Doushita no, Kaoru-dono? Are you in pain de gozaru?” the older woman asked, kneeling to her and giving her support, “You need a doctor de gozaru ka?”

”Iie, it’ll go away soon… I just… it’s was a bit strong today.” she replied, relief starting to kick in, “I don’t know what it is, but it comes and goes since recently.”

”Sou de gozaru.” Serika uttered as they got up from the ground, her arm still around her, “Demo, if it hurts, that can’t be good. You really should see a doctor about it, and soon de gozaru.” Kaoru nodded quietly at the given advice. Serika eyed her over and uttering, “I wonder… Kaoru-dono, when was the last time…” She stopped and shook her head, “Iiiyaya! That’s too personal to ask de gozaru!”

”What is?” Kaoru asked, blinking, “Serika-san, you mustn’t be embarrassed – I mean, we’re sisters now so you can ask me anything you what.”

”Honto de gozaru ka?” Serika replied. She just waved her hands, laughing, “Maa maa! Bezuni de gozaru!”

Kaoru smiled. “You and your brother are so alike. I’m glad you two have found each other after all these years.” She then lowered her head, thinking, ‘Demo, Kenshin is… I’m losing him. And even after today… what will I prove? Nothing will change at all… he’ll still feel guilt and pain – those who were killed cannot come back to life. He has sworn never to take another life, demo these people were killed indirectly by him… Dakara…’

All of a sudden, one of the children came wandering out of the house, “Okaa-san, baby is crying… she wants you de gozaru yo.”

”Uhn! Let’s go to her de gozaru.” Serika said, picking up the young boy and holding him in her arms, turning for the house. She stopped to look back at Kaoru, feeling she had something to say, “Nan de gozaru ka?”

”Watashi…” Kaoru uttered, folding her hands, “I have to get going… demo, Serika-san, can I ask you to do me a favor? Could you… tell your brother…”

* * *
Things were running normally in the main part of Mitsukou. The town square were active, businesses open and such. But deep in the people’s hearts were fear, knowing that the anit-Battousai group would return sometime in the afternoon, as they had the week before. Picking a random few to kill, as they had done with the ones on display. Kenshin entered the square, looking from side to side, in his hand a bundle of flowers. He went straight for the hospital.

“Ara… Shinta-ojichan!” chimed a little girl, sitting up in her futon, “Konichiwa de gozaru~!”

Kenshin smiled and knelt down to her, “Aa, konichiwa, Mai-dono. Kore.” he said, giving her the flowers.

“Wai wai! Atashi ni?!” Mai cried, smiling brightly, “Arigatou de gozaru, Shinta-ojichan!!”

“Does your tummy hurt anymore de gozaru?”

”Nn nn, not anymore de gozaru. Ohta-sensei said I can go home soon de gozaru yo. Are my brothers and sisters well de gozaru ka??”

“Aa, minna wa genki de gozaru yo.” Kenshin replied, going to pat her on the head, “Demo, Otou-san and Okaa-san were very worried de gozaru. Please promise never to eat anything you find on the ground de gozaru.”

”Uhn! I won’t! Especially yucky mushrooms de gozaru!!” Mai replied, “Demo, Shinta-ojichan, you were worried about me too de gozaru ka?”

”Aa, very worried to de gozaru.”

Mai’s smile brightened as she took hold of his hand, “Okaa-san is glad you came home de gozaru. We all are! Okaa-san used to tell us stories about you… about your heroism and battles, demo we never knew if you were real de gozaru. Then one night, I saw Okaa-san… she was crying, but she looked happy. She was saying, ‘My brother is alive! He’s alive de gozaru’.”

Kenshin lifted his head and blinked at her. She just laughed and bent over, pressing a kiss on his scarred cheek, “Mai-dono…”

”I’m so glad you came back to life de gozaru, Shinta-ojichan!” Mai chimed, going to give him a hug. Kenshin couldn’t say a word. At last, he nodded his head, and returned the hug.

* * *
Outside the Anti Battousai-gumi had arrived, gathering every townsperson to the square and taking down the corpses from last week, getting fresh rope ready. Kenshin stepped outside, glaring at the scene. Even patients in the hospital had to be taken outside, lined up in the cold afternoon breeze as the leaders of the group did their choosing.

“It’s going to stop here!” Kenshin exclaimed, coming forward, “I’m the one you want! The Hitokiri Battousai!” There was silence all around lasting for the longest time, “It’s true… I’ve come to pay for my crimes. But please – stop torturing the people of this town. If I give my life… please…!”

“Wakatta.” one of their stronger fighters uttered, “In exchange for your life, we will end our punishment. After all, what we really want is the death of the man who slewed our fathers during the Bakumatsu. Then, this whole thing will be finally over.”

Kenshin didn’t struggle as a group of men came over and dragged him over to the platform. He stopped suddenly as they also started dragging Serika, Hiro, and Mai. “Teme!! What are you doing?!!”

”Just in case you change your mind – we want some insurance.” another swordsman green cloak and head-dress replied, as they were each tied up by the wrists, “After all, the Ishin-Shishi are known for being sneaky and corrupt. You can double-cross us anytime. We know you’re in-capable of keeping a promise.”

The four of them lined up on the platform, the executioner went over, putting nooses around their necks. He made the one around Kenshin’s extra tighter. With a final tug, he went to the end of the rope for Kenshin, a knife in hand.

‘This is it…’ he uttered in his mind, tears blurring the scene in front of him. There was a row of soldiers in front of him, the three strong leaders at center. Behind them was the crowd of people and their faces, watching in horror. He wondered if somewhere one of them was Kaoru. If she had come to see him off after all. But then he remembered the message Serika told him before he left the house.

“Kaoru-dono… she said, she has to go, soushite… she refuses to say ‘good-bye’ to you. She said that as long as she doesn’t say it – it cannot be official… and someday, someday surely…”

Kenshin clenched his eyes tighter as he saw the arm lifted the knife, aiming to break the threads and letting it loose, the blade going at immense speed, ‘This is it… Kaoru, gomen…’