Premium Spirit Productions Presents...

A Rurouni Kenshin/Ninja Scroll Crossover

Darkness before Dawn.

By Sentora

 

Rurouni Kenshin and all it's characters belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki,

The great guys at Sony and Jump magazine, I'm just borrowing them for this

crazy fic. Same goes for Ninja scroll, whoever it belongs too. ?_? The new

ones, however, belong to me...So ask nicely if you want to use them, Kay? ^_^

                                                                                                  

Part 5: The answers you seek..... (part b)

 

The wind gathering in the shrine was immense.....the very walls starting to

tremble and the deafening howl rising every second mixing with the twin's

wild laughter....and when released, they realized, the power of those winds

will crush them....

 

"Behind me!"

 

No one argued, stepping back as Arain held out Excailber in both hands, the

flat of the blade facing the twins as it glowed....seemingly thousands of

fairies swirling around her like a miniature tornado....the lake instantly

freezing from the sheer cold they generated, everyone behind shivering from

the backdraft and preparing the best they could....

 

"DIE!!!!" The twins outstretched their arms and unleashed something

comparable to a typhoon/hurricane at ground level....

At the same time Arain screamed a battle cry and unleashed the fairies with

a thrust of her hand....

 

When the two attacks met it was incredible.....The fairies swarming into the

wind as one against it....a Technicolor hurricane around them that was

blinding to look at....The fairies slowly but surely CANCELING it's

force....both casters grunting with the effort of trying to force the other

to back down and die....

 

"You're wasting your time!" The twins roared. "You can't hold out forever

Arainhod!" Even as they spoke, they added more power....Arain pushed back a

little but giving back as good as she got, the twins obviously growing

frustrated....

 

So frustrated that....

 

"Look at their body!" Karou exclaimed. The twins' body was rippling more and

more now like disturbed water....water.... "It's the waters! They're using

the waters to form their body!"

 

"And if it's water...." Sano grinned. "Arain can freeze it and I can shatter

it!"

 

"And what if you hurt the children as well?" Megumi shot back. "Think!"

 

"You're both right." Shuriken interrupted. "We just have to find a way to

weaken their mind enough that the separation is possible and won't kill

them...."

 

"STOP IT!!!!!"

 

'Scream' wasn't a strong enough word for what Tomoe did. Nether could one

fully describe it....The results were definitely clear however: It flattened

everyone and cracked the newly formed ice, everyone feeling it more than

hearing it......shattering both spells like one would glass. The twins got

the worse of it, slammed into the far wall with tremendous

force....collapsing to their knees and coughing up a bit of blood.

 

"What the hell....."

 

"Tomoe...."

 

Tomoe stood there, an incredible, silver blue aura radiating off her, her

hair and the ends of her kimono sleeves and obi dancing from it's invisible

wind. Her eyes matched the aura in color and glow, seeming both human and

inhuman at the same time. "Stop it....Stop this fighting now!" Her voice was

even different. More commanding. Ancient...."There's no need for this

violence!"

 

The twin staggered to their feet with pained laughter. "A bit late for

chastising, 'mother'..... (Koff.) Or should we call you B-"

 

"You're angry with me, I understand...."

 

"Angry? We DESPISE you!" Angry tears flooded their eyes. "Momma told us

everything...How you used father and then ruined his life! Everything is

your fault!" They flickered over to Tomoe in an instant, bringing Murasame

down....

 

And inch from her head.

 

"Murasame refuses to hurt it's masters." She said calmly as they tried

attacking again and again, the sword stopping by bare inches each time

before the twins threw it aside and lunged at her with their bare

hands....Only to fly back several feet as Tomoe calmly raised a hand and

'pushed'. "Torashin..... Yunomura....Let the hatred go long enough to listen

to me....."

 

The others watched in stunned amazement. "What the hell....?" Sano repeated.

Shuriken and Arain looked grimly at each other. "Why didn't she...."

 

"Shut up! We won't listen to your lies!" The twin's body violently distorted

for a second, their faces twisted with rage. "You can't deny what you've

done!"

 

"No, I can't or try to." Tomoe replied sadly. "Ashura has told you the

truth, but only half of it, children. My actions at first were to hurt your

father but everything changed, I changed....If you don't believe my words

then look inside!" With that she moved unbelievable fast.....the twins

crying out as she caught their head in her hands....pouring her memories

into their mind.....Both crying out in pain as the others watched. The

memories the emotions attached flew past the twins' mind, seeing and feeling

everything with her: Her anger as she swore vengeance for Akira-san....Anger

slowly changing understanding the more time spent with Father....Then to

love....her determination as she attempted to save her husband and the pain

as she died instead....Her noble sacrifice of her feelings for Kenshin and

bless his engagement to Karou.....

 

Tomoe let them go....The twins holding their head as they staggered back....

"...Can't be....you lie...."

Their body began to distort wildly as their control crumbled. "THIS CAN'T BE

TRUE!!!" They lunged at Tomoe, now a bloated thing barely humanoid....

 

"NOW!"  Tomoe yelled as she ducked.....

 

One tentacle like 'arm' lashed out to crush everybody before they scattered,

Soujirou leaping onto it and pinning it to the ice with his sword.....Arain

gathering her energies as she pulled back and unleashed the spell just as

Sano dashed forward.....freezing the entire thing solid....The thundercrack

deafening as the Fuate no Kwami shattered the mass into thousands of tiny

ice shards and powder that rained everywhere.

The now separate forms of the twins falling gently to the ground under

Tomoe's guidance, unmoving....

"Are they....?"

 

Tomoe walked over to check....

 

And barely jumped back as the massive limb came down.

 

They hadn't noticed the debris resuming shape until it was too late....The

huge,misshapen form, still driven by the twins hate, lunging at Tomoe as she

covered the children with her body....

 

"RYU-TSUI-SEN!"

 

Karou could of sworn that the massive pillar of energy that erupted from

below was dragon shaped before slamming in the creature in a explosion that

forced them to look away from or be blinded.....Hearing the well known

battle cry and the monster's fading moan.....and when it was safe to look,

Kenshin was standing over Tomoe and the children with his Sakaba drawn and

back facing them, letting the melted remains of the creature briefly cover

him and merge into his body....Only Tomoe and the children seeing the softly

glowing, golden left eye.

 

"We...did it....Brother....." Yuno's eyes filled with tears.

 

"Father....is...awake...." Torashin smiled before both passed out.

 

Kenshin knelt down and stroke their cheeks, looking up at Tomoe's sliver

eyes for a moment with a smile of recognition.....

 

"Kenshin.....?" Karou nervously asked as she stepped forward. *Is it...Is it

really him?*

 

The glow faded from both Kenshin and Tomoe's eyes, Kenshin turning and

smiled tiredly. "Sorry to worry you all....Oro!" He couldn't finish since

Karou had translocated herself over at his side that same instant and

bearhugged him in crying relief....Tomoe chuckling as he turned blue and

everybody facefaulting....

 

Silk watched the scene with amusement above, clinging to the ceiling with

her bare hands the whole time and observing everything unnoticed. Seeing

everything she needed to she crunched her across the ceiling and climbed out

through the hole they'd made earlier....

 

##

 

Yukashiro mansion.

 

It had been a close one, everyone admitted. Jubei had been extremely lucky

that the tree had fallen with him into the ocean since he passed out on

impact, it kept him from drowning. (Kenshin gleefully gave him hell about it

the entire trip back, like asking him should they bury it with honor or keep

it as a souviener.)

Other than Jubei's severe injury they'd made it back mostly unhurt.

 

At least physically.

 

All doubt about Tomoe among the others had tripled after witnessing that

outburst, even Karou was a little wary of her now despite herself. Tomoe's

behavior afterward didn't help matters much: Claming up completely, even to

Kenshin and shuffling like a zombie....and as soon as they arrived she

practically barricaded herself in her room with the children, still

unconscious from overexhaustion according to Megumi and Arain, holding them

and humming the same song over and over....

 

Kenshin....Kenshin seemed to be himself at least. Megumi had checked him up

and down and sideways and declared him well, even his injuries were gone.

Sano and Yahiko had 'interrogated' him to make sure he was 'really Kenshin'

before getting shooed off to go get supplies in town. Jubei still annoyed

him and he was as painfully polite as always.....At the same time they felt

a wrongness about him.....couldn't put their finger on it.....

 

Karou knew.

 

Something was out of whack with her Kenshin alright, and it had to do with

the three in Tomoe's room. Kenshin was pretending the whole thing didn't

happen or that the 'water' didn't have any effect on him....And Karou

decided to put that nonsense to an end in her typical way....

 

She found him right where she expected to: 'Sweeping' the hall outside

Tomoe's room for the tenth time while sneaking glances at them through the

cracked door....sigh and go back to 'work' and repeat the process. He was so

occupied he didn't even notice her, which worried (and infuriated) her

worse. "Kenshin..." He yelped and nearly hit the roof. "Daijoube?"

 

"Hai! Hai!" He nervously laughed, now vigorously sweeping up a dustcloud.

"Just a little cleaning, nothing wrong at all!" he stopped. "You don't

believe me."

 

She crossed her arms and smiled wryly. "Nope."

 

"I didn't think you would."  He sighed as he set the broom down and leaned

against the wall. He had been trying to distance himself from Tomoe awhile

for good reasons he couldn't explain to anyone.

 

Very good, very scary reasons....

 

"I'm going to break this habit of yours sooner or later....." She said

firmly. Kenshin chuckled ruefully at that before getting somber again, Karou

stomping her foot. "Mou! Sometimes you can be such a...." She made a visible

effort to rein in her temper. "Those are your children, Kenshin. Your flesh

and blood, HER flesh and blood. You should be with them now and stop

worrying about what I think."

*That's not it at all. But I'll let her think otherwise.* "And what do you

think?" he countered.

 

"I honestly don't know what to think." She said simply. "All I know is that

I feel like I'm losing a piece of you every passing moment....and I'm scared

what I'm seeing instead." She looked at him defiantly. "I know you're not

being a hundred percent with me....."

 

*You have no idea.*

 

"...But just spend time with them. With her." She kissed him briefly. "And

I'll wait until you're ready to tell me the truth."

 

And with that she tossed him into the room, Kenshin tumbling across the

floor and into the wall in an upside down heap. Tomoe didn't even twitch.

"Oro..." Kenshin shook off the dizziness as he stood.

*One of these days, I'll figure that girl out.*

 

The sight made his heart ache. Tomoe was cradling their heads in her lap,

her loosened hair a dark blanket around the three of them. The twins looked

contently dreaming.

 

Kowaii....

 

They returned at that moment, Kenshin not fighting the memories this time

but floating in their current....

Seeing the same scene as now, only altered: She wore a foreign dress now,

her features more gaijin but still very familiar....their room lavishly

decorated in gaijin style....

 

.....Was that Excailber on the wall?

 

"Beautiful." He heard himself say, his reflection in the mirror by the bed

revealing the same slight changes in his features, wearing a simple shirt

and pants the same color of his Gi. 'Tomoe' blushed and smiled.

 

The memory was gone as quickly as it came, Kenshin noticing that Tomoe was

now doing the same thing.

"Tired of watching from the door?"

 

Kenshin blushed and looked sheepish. "I didn't want to intrude...."

 

She smiled, and stretched out on the futon to give him room, shifting the

children between them as Kenshin nervously lay down facing her. As if

sensing his presence, Torashin moved over and snuggled up to him chest,

murmuring 'Father.' Yuno mirrored him with Tomoe.

 

Father....Kenshin felt a surge of pride and love fill him, reaching out to

stroke both of their hair. "....I used to dream of this....." He choked out.

 

"As did I....." Tomoe whispered with a smile. "And it's all because of

Ashura....Fate can be strange indeed."

 

"Hai."

 

Several moments went by in silence, in the unspoken need to enjoy this

moment as long as possible....feeling, no, knowing it would possibly end

soon.....then....

 

"You feel it, don't you?"

 

Kenshin nodded sadly. "The longer I stay in your presence...."

 

"As with me." Her eyes were very faintly glowing even now, just as his were.

"I'm not even sure if I....If I want to find a way to stop it....."

 

Kenshin didn't reply at first. Then he edged closer to rest his head in her

chest.

 

"Let's....not worry about that now....just....hold me....."

 

Tomoe draped an arm around him, and Sleep soon claimed both.

 

##

 

Downstairs in the living room.

 

The quiet bothered Arain more than she liked to admit as she examined

Murasame, careful not to draw it out of it's hilt. (No telling what it would

do....)

 

Stupid old man....You better have a damn good hunch to call a meeting of the

Stonehenge council....

 

She glanced over at Soujirou and Shuriken and smiled at the cute scene the

two made: Both had fallen asleep against each other waiting for Sano and

Yahiko to get back with dinner....even in his sleep Soujirou protective of

his client from the way he slipped an arm around her and cradled her against

his chest. *Then again, she probably ceased being a 'client' way back.*

Arain thought ruefully. *I doubt he'll be unemployed anytime soon even

though it's over now.....*

 

Is it really?

 

Arain ignored the little voice with an effort, instead eavesdropping with a

fairy on the drama that was probably unfolding in the kitchen....If the shit

didn't hit the wok, that is.....

 

"I swear you and Sano are the luckiest bakayarous in Japan...."

 

"Is this your usual bedside manner or are Sano and I lucky?"

 

"Don't push me, Kimagami or you'll regret it." She warned even as her cheeks

flushed. *Damn the man! Him and that damn charm! And Damn Merlin for not

being here to patch him up instead while I'm at it!*

"As I was saying, if Ashura's strike had been any deeper you would of lost

this arm, as it is you better not move it until Merlin-san arrives." She

smirked at his frown, finishing the bandage and splint. "At least I don't

have to waste good medicine on you, the seawater did such a nice job of

killing any infection."

 

"Don't remind me." He grumbled. "It STILL burns...."

 

Megumi chuckled. "And man enough to admit when you're in pain, unlike that

other fool. Sometimes I wonder if you and Sano aren't long lost brothers,

you're so alike...."

 

"Charming, handsome, brave...."

 

"And stupid." She finished for him, ignoring the little voice that agreed

with him.

 

"That's not all we have in common...." He muttered.

 

"Nani?"

 

"Nothing." Jubei stood up, or tried to....Megumi barely supporting his

weight to keep him from collapsing.

 

"Take it easy! You've still weak from....." Too late she realized her

blunder, now trapped by his deep brown eyes. "....From...from...."

 

"Bloodloss?" Jubei meant to be helpful but the words came out as something

far from it. "No....." He brushed a stray lock away from her eyes, Megumi's

heart skipping a beat.  "Something.....else....."

The medicine box falling over had the same effect as a bucket of ice water.

They immediately split apart, blushing fiercely.

 

"Gomensai....! I...."

 

And when they realized they spoke at the same time, Jubei chuckled. "We're

making a habit of this...." Megumi couldn't help but grin. "Ladies first."

 

"I....I want to apologize, Jubei....." Megumi looked contrite. "I have

been....misleading you....."

 

"To make Sano jealous, I know...."

 

"You knew....!"

 

"Hear me out before you get angry." He asked, his tone almost....pleading.

"I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you two, you sound like you're

already married." Megumi's blush deepened. "One reason why I went along was

because I wanted to help you....The other is.....well....I'm just as guilty

as you of pretending I feel something I don't to benefit myself."

 

Megumi slowly understood. "I remind you of someone....Someone you

loved....and lost."

 

An ironic smile crossed his lips. "Her name was Kagero. A ninja like myself.

The two of you are so alike....both in beauty...." Megumi blushed. "And bad

temperament." He smirked at the curse she spat at him. "She was also cursed,

her body so infused with poison she could kill with a touch. She was so

remote and cold because it, and it took us time to finally get past those

walls....Time we didn't have. Ashura's brother, Gemma murdered her in front

of me." He sighed. "When we met, it was like having her all over again, even

if I knew you didn't mean it. Selfish as hell but I didn't care, I even

hoped at one point I could win you from Sano......"

 

"Jubei...." Megumi felt badly for him. "I'm so sorry...."

 

"It's not your fault." He interrupted her. "I knew what I was doing, and now

thanks to you I can finally get it out and on with my life, and for that I

owe the both of you a lot." He smiled genuinely. "So as soon as that big

moron gets back you better get your act together, K?"

 

Megumi chuckled. "Hai, Hai, I will. And you follow your own advice!"

 

Both chuckled at that....And then Jubei gently cupped her cheek in both

hands, his eyes smoldering.....Megumi's heart dropping into her stomach.

"Ano...."

 

"If you don't mind.....I'd like to kiss you this once...Just to see what it

would have been like if things had been different...."

 

"I....." This time Megumi couldn't resist. "Don't mind at all...."

 

They kissed.....

 

In the living room Arain spit out her tea.

 

"Tadima!" Sano and Yahiko burst in the kitchen door just as they parted.

"Dinner is...." He dropped the bag of food right on Yahiko's head and

clocked him before the boy saw what he did. "....Served."

 

It was the longest, most uncomfortable silence in Megumi's life. Sano's

expression wasn't hurt, more like confirmation of something he knew a long

time.....Then abruptly turned and walked out without a word, knocking over

Yahiko again in his hurry. Megumi excused herself and ran down Yahiko again

as she sprinted after him. "Idiot!" Arain clanged Excailber's hilt of

Jubei's head. "Look what you did!"

 

Sano had reached the pond by the time Megumi caught up with him. "Sano wait!

It's not what you think!"

 

"I'm stupid but I'm not blind." He said as he stopped, his back still to

her. "Not like you haven't been over him like a cheap Gi...."

 

"Sano if you would just....!"

 

"I only have two things to say to you, Takani Megumi. The better man

won....."

 

He suddenly turned around and grabbed her by the shoulders, paralyzing her

at point blank with those deep brown eyes.

 

"But I'm the better kisser."

 

Not that Jubei was a bad kisser, quite good in fact, but the one Sano laid

on her made her slippers curl....

All the denied passion between them the last two years igniting like a

powderkeg as she kissed him right back just as forcefully, wrapping a leg

around his waist.....and what seemed like hours later they finally broke

apart, panting for breath as they leaned against each other....

 

"(Huff) About damn time...."

 

"(Puff) What the hell....(Koff) took you so long...."

 

They didn't have time to answer the stupid question, too busy kissing

again....

 

Back at the house, Arain blushed at the description her fairy provided.

"From your expression," Jubei said dryly, "I guess they made up."

 

"That's....one way of putting it." She called back the fairy....It would be

hard to look at them later as it was without...further details....

 

Jubei leaned back and grinned. "Yep, yep, Just like I planned....."

 

Arain raised an eyebrow. "How stupid do I look, Kimagami?" He winked at her

in reply. Arain sighed.

"Whatever....I'm gonna go raid the wine cellar for something to knock me

out."

 

"Mind company?"

 

"....."

 

"I'll take that as a yes."

 

They left Yahiko drooling on the floor.

 

##

 

Stonehenge.

 

Humans had pondered it's existence for centuries and would for centuries to

come, it's secrets too vast and dangerous for common mankind. One of these

secrets being that the Avalon council assembled here to discuss matters of

the highest importance.

 

Like now.

 

"Thou understand thine risk ye take, Merlin?"

 

Merlin sighed. "God knows I wish I was wrong. But the evidence is clear my

lady."

 

"Very well. I will assemble the council."

 

"Thank you, My lady."

 

The queen of the water nymphs, the Lady of the Lake, hid her laughter behind

her hand. "Ye no need of such formality between us. Has thou forgotten the

name you called me long ago?"

 

*I wish.* Merlin thought darkly as he admired the 'young', red-haired woman.

She was the only one who unnerved him....made him feel as clumsy as a

schoolboy even now.  First loves did that to you, no matter how powerful or

wise you were. Sometimes he wondered....after all Gawain had passed away

long ago....she must be lonely and only a thousand years younger....

 

"Don't go there" He muttered.

 

"Did ye say something?"

 

"Nothing, my la- I mean Lily."

 

She smiled warmly at him as if she knew what he was thinking. *Wouldn't be

surprised.* He grumbled.

 

"Then let us begin." Lily said as she stepped over to the center of

Stonehenge. Merlin joined her as she held her hands together and bowed her

head, eyes closed as she spoke. "What once was done, now undo, Return

thyself to your form true....." The ground rumbled beneath them, thousands

of fairies circling around the structure... "Court of Avalon, assemble as

you will....." Her voice grew stronger as the fairies increased in

speed....the ocean around them reacting to the spell in great waves that

crashed against the cliffs.... "Your sacred duty now fulfill!"

 

Even though Merlin had seen it a million times, it still was inspiring to

watch Stonehenge reveal it's true form.... The 'Ancient stones' becoming

polished black marble and reshaping themselves as the faires swarmed over

them and raised the sister stones rose from their hidden locations in the

soil....partially completing a structure seeming to be a cicrle of large

stone doors surrounding a courtyard....Ancient symbols and text writing

themselves on the stones in bursts of light......The threatening waves

surged over the cliffs and into the Stonehenge from all sides.....each

doorway filled with portals similar to Merlin's as the water touched them

and flowed around the court to make a 'floor' of sorts solid enough to walk

on but still flowing like water. The faires final task to literally form the

'roof', bathing them in their glow as they circled above. "Incredible...."

Merlin sighed, Lily smiling.

 

Each member of the court stepped through the doors, each female and of every

race of Avalon: Centaur, Unicorn, Siren, Elf, Fairy, Troll, Dragon....all

were represented. The 'floor' raised a sitting stool or couch for each to

sit or lie down, forming a crystalline throne under Lily as she sat down.

"The Stonehenge council is now in session. I apologize for summoning ye at

such a late hour, but the matter at hand is too far great to wait another

second."

 

"Does this concern your granddaughter's foray into the Human world?" The

Siren sang, her extremely long blond hair barely covering her nakedness.

*Can't they at least wear something close to attire?* Merlin ruefully

thought.

 

"And why isn't Merlin with her?" The harpy leered, folding her wings and

preened her hideous bird body, gulping down a maggot she picked free. "Has

his long sleep softened his edge so he needs our assistance to recover

Excailber?"

 

"Excailber has already been recovered and bonded with Arainhod." Lily

replied. "Both are well and the thief has been punished."

"So what's soooo Important?" The great red dragon princess, King's pride,

yawned rudely. "We all have other pressing business to attend to, Mistress."

 

She didn't see Merlin's grin. * I bet you do...* Merlin stepped forward to

address everyone. "It is good to stand before the Stonehenge council once

more, my kinswomen. As I look around I can see you all have exceeded your

foremothers from my generation." The pretty blond Centaur slyly winked at

him, Merlin unable to stop from smiling back. "However my joy is clouded by

the dark tidings I bring, A danger not only to the human world, but ours as

well."

 

There were murmurs of shock and disbelief. "What threaten Avalon?" The huge

trollop grumbled. "We'll get together and smash!"

 

Despite the crude way they talked, trolls were much smarter than they looked

thankfully. *Makes this easier....* "I wholeheartedly agree. The trouble is

that this threat is something that Avalon hasn't faced before thus we have

no knowledge of what exactly we're up against."

 

"Impossible." She looked annoyed. "EVERYTHING in Avalon bookhouse. Nothing

Avalon don't know."

 

"That's what I thought as well. After all...." He walked around

theatrically, looking at each member. "Our society has existed since time

began and knowledge of both worlds have been carefully recorded by the

librarians or by the scribes of each race. So in that case if one doesn't

know...." He paused a bit to look King's pride in the eye. "Another will."

 

"Does this have a point?" King's pride snorted, adding a sarcastic tone.

"Ancient one?"

 

"I don't understand as well," The elven queen said, her large green eyes

icy. "Are you saying that my people have made a mistake?"

 

*Careful Old boy, You know how huffy Elves are when you point out a flaw in

their 'perfection'*

 

"Not at all, your majesty, Your librarians and scribes have yet to do

so.....However it's rather odd that I can't find a single thing on this

subject. This 'Triseoul' business...."

 

Everyone looked confused, everyone except who Merlin knew wouldn't, and even

though her reactions weren't as readable as normal people, Merlin could feel

her get nervous. *Yeah, you better be...*

 

"Forgive me, Merlin. But one of three lives?" Lily, right on cue as planned,

spoke up. "Even I have not heard of such a thing."

 

"Nether have I until recently, My lady. Now what could possibly exist that

we know nothing about? Yet the word is Avalonian in nature and there are

several incidents recorded that went unsolved since it seemed they were just

random and unconnected....save for the fact an enormous amount of power was

used each time and...."

 

"Are you going to waste our time much longer, 'Ancient one'?"

 

Lily eyed the dragon sternly. "I know your mother taught you better manners

than that, King's pride."

The dragon glared at him for a moment before submitting in apology.

 

*Thank you kindly* Merlin grinned.

 

*Anytime.* She sent back to his surprise.

 

"No, I won't bore you with details, I'll go straight to the point. Oddly

enough, it has some connection with Excailber and the swords, one I couldn't

see until a collage pointed out an old love story recorded a long time ago,

even before Excailber was crafted....Beautiful story of a dragon falling in

love with a human...." He paused for effect, sensing a particular female's

nervousness increase. "Very tragic, eh King's pride? Why don't you relate it

to us?"

 

"Ahh...My memory isn't perfect of it....It's been so long since...."

 

"But surely you have a record of it?"

 

"Before the great dragon uprising we did yes." King's pride was clearly

flustered now. "Sadly they were destroyed and the only ones well versed in

the tale were killed."

 

"Oh, how tragic....." Merlin sighed....before his eyes hardened and he

glared at her. "...And so very convient...."

 

"My fellow kinswomen...." Lily said firmly. "Thou have gathered tonight to

investigate the strong possibility that King's pride and her court are

guilty of High Treason and Conspiracy toward Avalon, Not only fully aware of

the Triseoul menace....but responsible for it....."

 

##

 

"How could she be so calm?"

 

Karou had pretended she didn't hear Megumi's whispered comment to Arain

earlier, but it came back to haunt her as she lay down in her room to

'sleep' like she lied she would.

 

Calm? Sure.

 

Perfectly alright with this? Absolutely.

 

Am I lying?

 

You bet your cute ass I am....

 

The strong front was for Kenshin's and Tomoe's sake alone. In reality she

felt like breaking down and crying and beating the hell out someone to make

them feel as bad as she did.

 

But most of all she was scared.

 

*What will become of us now?* She looked up at the ceiling as if it would

answer. *Kenshin and Tomoe are parents now....Where do I fit in? Do I fit in

at all? Will he....will he leave me for them now?*

 

The rational part of her commented that she was actually jealous, that's

all. *Hell yes I am!* She admitted. *I wanted to have his children....me and

only me! I finally got him all to myself and now I have to share?! Why can't

you ever leave us alone Kami-sama!*

 

Kami didn't answer. *Mou, get a grip, Kamiya.* She scolded herself. *It's

not as if Tomoe planned this. She must be going through the same thing as I

am, Right?*

 

Somehow....she wasn't so sure.

 

Restless, she stood and walked into the quiet hallway. *And then there's

Kenshin himself. The waters changed him more than he's letting on....I can

sense his growing power as well as....* She stopped that train of thought

immediately. *THAT part has got to be my imagination....."

 

Not suprisingly, she stopped at their door. *Awfully quiet in there-MOU!*

Karou blushed fiercely. *Karou no hentai!* After a moment's hesitation she

cracked the door. *Just to check if they're all right...*

 

The moonlight revealed the cozy scene, Karou not knowing if she should feel

awed by how cute they all looked sleeping together.....Or just a bit

incensed to see HER fiancée pillowed against Tomoe's breast, the latter's

arm rather possessively draped around him....

 

Her claws gently stroking his hair.

 

.......NANI?!!!

 

Tomoe's eyes were white flames in the semi darkness as they

opened....luminating fangs....the outright hunger and passion in her face

twisting it into something demonic as she lowered to his throat.....

 

Stopping only when she noticed the petrified Karou standing there.

 

Hissed and sprang....

 

##

 

King's pride chuckled nastily. "You have evidence to your claim, 'ancient

one'?" She flexed her claws. "Or will I have the pleasure of gutting you

here for your insult?"

 

It was no idle threat. Dragon law dictated that one could answer an insult

in combat to satifisy honor, dragon or not. "I have enough." Merlin replied,

unnerved. "I went back over those incidents and found something interesting.

In every case a couple with a child or twins were involved, and in every

case the child and one of them died under unusual circumstances, and the

surviving member of the family would go berserk and wipe out everything

around him in a burst of power.  This seemed to happen once a generation,

which is why they were overlooked as unconnected. Further digging revealed

that at the most recent one, not more thirty years ago, occurred at the home

of someone that I'm sure you all have heard of: Yukoshiro Musashi."

 

There were a few murmurs at the name. Musashi, or 'Oborie' was well known to

the Avalonian people, not only as the former Murasame master but for several

other deeds that proclaimed him a hero. Merlin could tell King's pride was

getting flustered. "Best you could do was to dig up that old fossil...."

 

"That old fossil has been adopted as one of my family, King's pride." Lily's

voice was ice. "Insulting him is the same as insulting me."

 

The dragon shut her mouth quickly. Merlin chuckled before going on. "Oborie

was a valuable source of information. He perfectly described what happened,

and it was exactly as the others except something new: The father was one of

the swordbearers and they were being hunted by cloaked humans with oddly

colored eyes and reptilian features. And only one thing fits that

discription: A dragon taking human form."

 

"Liar!" King's pride roared

 

"I realized the other connection at that point. They all involved one of the

swordbearers. They all occurred under unusual, often violent circumstances.

Especially one." He gave an apologetic look toward Lily. "The deaths of two

of her highness' grandchildren."

 

Lily didn't have to fake her pain. Garrison and Gawain were her only

grandchildren out her hundreds that died young and violently....Father and

child murdered by the wife, Tomora. Only Gawain's twin survived.

 

On the other hand, Merlin had never seen a dragon pale before.

 

"But wasn't they murdered by Tomora when she went mad?" The unicorn asked.

 

"Depends on how you see it." Merlin drove another nail into King's pride's

coffin. "She killed them....only because she was driven mad by

something...or someone who wanted them dead. The report said that Tomora

suffered horrible nightmares suddenly before the act, nightmares of cloaked

men...." He looked at King's Pride. "Why?"

 

"This proves nothing!" King's pride argued. "Tomora was a human of the

outside world, you know exactly how unstable they are! And we are not the

only ones who can mess with a human mind using magic or illusions or

whatever...."

 

King's pride was interrupted by the ice spike that rose out of the floor and

stopped just a centimeter from her throat.....trying very hard not to

swallow at the calm, but frightening rage on Lily's face as she spoke.

 

"Ye already are, as the human would say, in very deep shite King's

pride...." She said evenly. "Ye may dig thyself out a little by confessing

now."

 

*Now I know where Arain gets that viscous streak of hers.* Merlin thought

ruefully.

 

*Who did ye think taught her?* Lily sent with a mental smirk.

 

##

 

Karou had no chance to react, Tomoe on her that same instant....pinning her

arms down and slamming a knee into Karou's stomach as she snarled in her

face.

 

"Interfere."  Her voice was unnatural, her eyes flames.....Then with an

insane amount of strength she hauled Karou up onehanded like a sack of

potatos and slammed her the wall so hard it splintered, the girl instantly

limp and unable to stop her as Tomoe started to drain her. "Always

interfere!"

 

"Tomoe!!"

 

Tomoe turned around to stare at Kenshin, the glow softening at his terrified

look....ashamed..... "No..."

 

Soujirou and Shuriken came tearing down the hallway at that moment,

Shuriken's pendant glowing wildly.  "What the...." Shuriken's eyes widened.

"Cultivator!"

 

Tomoe's eyes flared and she literally roared....throwing Karou like a

ragdoll into them and knocking them over as she bolted down the hall on all

fours and LEAPT from the staircase...landing hard enough on her feet to

shake the floorboards and snatched Murasame off the wall in one

motion...smashing through the doors and out into the night.....

 

"Daijoube, Karou?"

 

"Hai...." Karou looked at her fiancée in dread. "Was that ...was that

really....?"

 

Kenshin's eyes were hooded as he helped her up. ".....Hai."

 

"Is everyone alright?" Arain, Yahiko and Jubei ran up as they started

downstairs. "Excailber sensed a Cultivator-"

 

"It's Tomoe....she just went berserk..."

 

Arain swore fiercely. "Why didn't we or Merlin sense it until now...."

 

"No time for that!" Kenshin snapped. "Can you track her, Arain-dono?

Teleport us to where she's headed?"

 

"I can." Arain glared at Kenshin for a moment, Kenshin glaring right back.

*You knew, you midget bastard....*  "And I'll probably have to kill her as

well."

 

"We'll see." He said flatly.

 

"Could someone explain what just happened?" Yahiko said in expiration. "What

the hell's a Cultivator?"

 

"Cultivators are undead creatures created by Excailbron's power, Like

Gregor." Shuriken explained. "If a person dies violently part of their

consciousness or soul or whatever you want to call it, is burned into their

body like a scar." An apologetic look to Kenshin. "The Tamashii no

Shuukakusha has a way of using that impression to revive them, however to

keep their bodies from detorating they need to drain the life force or Ki of

a victim for food or they'll die again." She looked thoughtful. "I think the

reason we couldn't detect Tomoe earlier was because she wasn't a full

Cultivator yet because she hadn't killed...."

 

"Instead she drained what she could and cocooned herself during the day,

rejuvenating herself enough to go about at night."

 

Everybody stared at Kenshin.

 

"Gomensai for keeping it from you, but I can't explain how I know that." He

looked older as he said that. "At least not now."

 

*Kenshin....* Karou earlier fears tripled.

 

Everything clicked then. Tomoe's little disappearing acts. The odd 'illness'

that affected everybody on the boat.....Then everybody had a sinking feeling

where she was the night before.

 

"Clever girl," Arain admitted. "But her body couldn't hold out on that for

long so she must've of killed someone and became a full fledged Cultivator,

which means Ashura can now control her...."

 

There was no need follow up that thought.

 

"What the hell...." A decidedly rumpled looking Sano and Megumi stepped in

at that moment.

 

"We'll explain on the way, Sano."  Kenshin said. "Yahiko, you and Megumi

stay here with the kids."

They nodded. "Where is she now, Arain?"

 

Excailber hummed. "South." Arain translated. "Three miles from here. She's

stopped there for some reason."

 

"Let's go get her then." Jubei said, then glanced at Sano. "What's wrong

with your neck?"

 

The mother of Hickeys crowned his neck, it's sister on Megumi's neck. There

was a bit of grass here or there on them as well. "It's....It's a...." Sano

flustered, Megumi blushing. "...Rash."

 

"Ya sure?" Jubei smirked. "Looks like a hic...."

 

"It's a rash!!!" Sano thundered as he and Megumi reddened. The others

chuckled despite themselves.

 

##

 

King's pride put on a show of unconcern that fooled no one, smashing aside

the ice spear.

 

"You can't make me confess to anything, Your highness." She sneered.

"According to high Avalonian law, The Royalty of a race can take any

measures to ensure the survival of their people...."

 

"And this court also follows the laws of every race to ensure fairness." The

Elven queen interrupted. "And Elven law states that a law can be temporarily

be vetoed by vote under extreme circumstances. All in favor?"

 

It was a unanimous vote. Merlin could help grinning. *For once, I'm glad

that Elves are cold-heartedly logical bastards.....*

 

"So much for ye defense, King's pride." Lily said smugly. "Ye can continue."

 

King's pride snarled in frustration. "You can't do this!"

 

"We can...." The harpy sneered. "And worse if ya like since Harpy law isn't

as kind."

 

Defeated, the dragon relented, not before giving Merlin a scathing look and

mouthing "Bastard. I'll get you for this."

 

Merlin smiled in reply.

 

"As Merlin has surmised, this concerns the swords...In fact the legend

behind their creation is a carefully altered truth that Dragon royalty

created to keep the truth secret at any cost. We even started the Dragon

revolution as a cover for executing all of the Royal family of that time old

enough to know of it and destroy the records. They thought that weaving the

truth as a fairy tale would hide it well, but I see that was a grave error."

 

"Hide the truth?" The Unicorn asked.

 

"That Bane, the stardemon that terrorized the humans.....and the dragon in

that story are one and the same." King's pride grinned evilly. "The 18th

crown princess of the first dragon dynasty!"

 

##

 

Asuka was home to many unusual artifacts and ancient structures of long

forgotten use. One of these was a odd looking stone known as the Sakafune

Ishi, or 'liquor ship rock'. It didn't look like much, a large stone on a

hill, odd 'trenches' and shallow holes dug into it's surface. However, It's

true purpose was unknown for centuries, wild stories speculating of

supernatural use.....

 

Why would Tomoe come here?

 

"Place gives me the creeps...." Sano muttered, everybody agreeing. The light

mist around the area heightened the dark vibes that permeated the area to an

almost choking level....the air much colder than it should have been,

freezing in fact.....

 

"Everybody listen to me." Kenshin said in a emotionless, brutally firm

voice. "Whatever happens, do NOT react in anger or a threatening way. Tomoe

is very confused and unstable at the moment...and not only because of the

Cultivator aspect as well. Stay out of my way." He looked at Karou. "That

goes double for you, Karou."

 

So cold....Her anger finally broke free of it's prison. "You're not

Kenshin."

 

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Nani?"

 

"I said you're not Kenshin." Karou said firmly as she stepped back from him.

The others' earlier confusion melted into hard looks as they realized it.

 

Kenshin's voice softened. "What are you talking about, Koibito? Are you sure

you're alright....?"

 

"You didn't say Oro when she surprised you." Sano said angrily, cracking his

knuckles. "Not mention you're acting nothing like Kenshin at all. Who are

you?"

 

"I told you not to...."

 

Too late.

 

Tomoe exploded out of the mist....unleashing another of those 'screams' that

bowled everyone over as she charged right for Karou....This time Karou ready

for her as she caught Tomoe's lunge and rolled back...flinging her into a

tree HARD....Only for Tomoe to immediately spring back at her as if the

impact was just a slap....

 

And stopped as Kenshin shouted something in an alien tongue...claws bare

inches from Karou's blocking arms....

 

"What the...." Sano didn't understand what Kenshin just said, but the name

he mentioned was familiar.

"Did he call her....."

 

"It's Latin!" Shuriken exclaimed in shock. "He said 'They art not thine

enemy.....Empress Bane!"

 

##

 

 

THAT was unexpected.

 

King's pride chuckled. "Oh, yes....Dear great, great auntie Bane. I have to

say she left quite an impact."

 

*I was right..... Damn!* Merlin thought "Let me guess: The Royal family

feared her so they dumped her among the humans."

 

"Half right, 'Ancient One'. Bane wanted to go among the filthy beasts. You

see Bane had immeasurable power unlike ever seen before, how she was born

with it we STILL don't know. Added to that she was so naïve and young as

well, and that much power in the hands of an emotional little eggchick like

that scared the hell out of everybody EXCEPT her idiot mother and father.

They were so sure that Bane wasn't a threat, that she could learn control as

she matured and bring the dragon race to a new golden age. Of course the

other members of the court saw through that bullshit and plotted to get rid

of her without looking like they wanted to. Auntie had such a curious streak

so they 'convinced' her to study the humans for a while and learn all she

could. Her parents loved the idea as much as she did so she was outta their

hair and happy as well."

 

"So dragons DID have brains in the old days." The harpy remarked. "Shocks

the hell out of me!"

 

"What happened to this generation?" There was too much sarcasm in the

Centaur's remark to it to misunderstood as a dumb blond question. King's

Pride growled threateningly and spat flame at the harpy's feet....only to

have the taste knocked out of her mouth as Merlin used his staff like a

quarterstaff.

 

"Do it again...." He warned in a voice of stone. "Please."

 

King's Pride's eyes glittered dangerously but she knew that he meant it. The

others, including Lily, chuckled. The dragon recovered the tatters of her

dignity and continued. "Unfortunately this was a temporary solution. Bane

had spent too long as a human....and ended up falling in love with one of

the mangy creatures....one who just happened to be a swordsmith with the

unusual ability mixing magic with his art." She gave Lily and Merlin a

sardonic look. "Somehow I doubt that was just a trick of fate."

 

*I agree.* Merlin thought.

 

"Anyway, that really didn't go well with everybody home, however Bane's

parents allowed the travesty to take place and dared anyone to have a

problem with it. Can you believe they were HAPPY for their daugther? The

morons! Only the council saw the threat: The maggot half-breed they'd

conceive would have Auntie's power and possible more, and among the humans

that was asking for disaster. So they came up with a simple yet brilliant

way of handling the problem....by inciting the humans to riot and kill them

for us. That way it couldn't be traced back to them." King's pride sighed.

"Unfortunately...."

 

"They only succeeded in killing the child and driving Bane mad with

grief...." Merlin interrupted, explaining the rest of the story to everyone.

The entire council was both touched at the tragic end and outraged at the

dragons from their glares at King's Pride. "But you couldn't leave them be,

could you? Instead you made this elaborate cover-up and hunted them down

every time they were reincarnated...." Merlin was angry now. "And every time

you killed one of them the surviving member would relive Bane's grief and

unleash that power explosively, killing themselves and anyone around. An

endless cycle...."

 

"That was nessacary!" King's Pride was foaming now. "And it is NOT

reincarnation. By absorbing half of Bane's essence that monkey gained a

chunk of her powers as well and guaranteed immortality. Upon death he and

the other half of Bane flee to new hosts, One of which is always a

swordbearer for some odd reason and the other seemingly random yet both

always resemble the last couple. A Human does not deserve such power!"

 

"For this hatred and fear mine grandchildren were murdered?" Lily snarled.

 

"Yes!" King's pride sneered. "Didn't you notice the change in your grandson

after marrying that human slut? It's slow but noticeable as both halves

slowly awaken....and when the child or children, usually twins, are born the

awakening is complete. By then we usually exterminate them before anything

else happens....."

 

"ENOUGH!" King's Pride realized her blunder too late. Lily was enraged now

at that remark, and only extreme control kept her from slaughtering her

there. "Speak ill of my kin again.....and You're Luggage."

 

If it wasn't so serious, Merlin would have laughed at that threat, getting

an image of Lily's fairies carrying red dragonskin travel bags and

chests.....

 

Then it hit him. Similarity! THAT'S was what bothered him about Tomoe and

Kenshin earlier. Save for a few minor details, the two looked EXACTLY like

Tomora and Garrison! And the latent power....

 

That's meant....!

 

Merlin swore fiercely.

 

##

 

Back in Japan....

 

"Empress Bane?!!!!"

 

"Remember the story I read earlier?" Karou's voice was hollow and crushed,

as if her entire world came crashing down. "....it's them....The Dragon and

her swordsmith lover...."

 

"But....that would mean....both legends are one and the same!" Shuriken

said. "But why didn't the Amulet...."

 

"The amulet contains Bane's wisdom and intelligence, Shuriken." Arain

guessed. "Not her memories and essence...."

 

Tomoe had shifted to a wary crouch, her eyes sliver blue again. Kenshin's

left was gold again as he held out his hand and stepped forward....

 

Only to be batted aside like a rag doll by Tomoe into a tree, the woman

gasping in pain, convulsing.... choking out more of that strange language

between breaths as she held out a restraining hand to the rising Kenshin.

 Shuriken translated as Tomoe whirled

on them and hissed out more.

 

 He walked toward her with a smile.

 

 

Tomoe shot a fearsome glance at Karou.

 

Kenshin shook his head.

 

Normally Karou would have been pissed to be 'written off' like that, instead

she choked back a sob. *I...guess they...truly belong together....*

 

"Oi! What the hell did you do with Kenshin and Tomoe!" Sano roared.

 

His answer was a blast of light from Tomoe's hand that Arain barely

deflected with Excailber, The tree it hit instant ash. "Your Kenshin and

Tomoe are still here, Sagara." Kenshin said in Japanese. "They are a part of

us now as are all those we have previously been."

 

"This is too damn weird for me." Sano muttered, glancing at Karou in pity.

*Poor Jou-chan....*

 

Tomoe's convulsions had tripled, screaming now as her hands ripped into bone

claws and the rest of her body started to change back to it's inhuman

form....skin shedding away....

 

 

 

"Kenshin!!!" Arain shouted. "She'll kill you!"

 

"She will not." He said firmly. "I have more than enough power."

 

And with that he lunged forward and embraced her....Tomoe sinking her claws

into his back and her fangs into his neck....the thunderclap of the

unleashed power knocking everyone flat....Everyone seeing two dragon shaped

auras rising from them and entwining before it became blinding.....and then

as quickly as it came the power faded and they saw a fully restored Tomoe

slumped in Kenshin's embrace. Kenshin looked exhausted but smiling at the

girl he lovingly held.

 

 

 

"NOW!!!"

 

Everyone was caught off guard....the air alive with strands of a webbing

like material launched from seemingly everywhere at them to wrap around

their arms and legs, yanking them upwards.....choking in the purple cloud of

smoke that swept in after and weakened them all ....Sano breaking free with

an effort only to be sideswiped by Silk before he touched the

ground....cracking a tree in two from the impact....Sano barely to his feet

before the large tree limb Silk wielded shattered his kneecap and dropped

him again.... Silk proceeding to club him half to death before finally

kicking him into another tree....more 'webbing' tying his limp form to it as

Silk grinned up at them. "Surprise!!" She crowed as Mother and Daisho

dropped down from above. "Comfy?"

 

"This is getting on my nerves...." Jubei snarled.

 

Ashura made her usual grand appearance from the shadows, shifting to human

as she walked up. "All of the cast is finally assembled onstage and the true

performance can begin!" She smirked at their struggles to get free. "Don't

bother. The paralyzing effect of Daisho's breath will last for hours. And

the lovebirds over there are too drained from their happy reunion to use

their powers as well, just like I knew they would." Ashura's grin was

frightening. "I love it a plan goes so well, don't you?"

 

They could only helplessly watch her laugh.

 

##

 

Before anyone could react Merlin rammed his staff down King's pride's

Throat, choking her.....Angry as they'd ever seen him.

 

"Did you hire Ashura for your dirty work?! Answer me or I'll make you eat

this!" The dragon gagged out something that made Merlin withdraw in

surprise. "What did you say?"

 

"Merlin!" Lily excailmed.

 

"Forgive my rudeness, my lady." He said. "But I just realized that the

recent attack on Avalon wasn't a random event after all, but part of this

mess. Shannon was a pawn of The current Excailbron bearer, Himeno Ashura,

and she in turn was hired by this great stupid beast...." He glared at

King's pride. "Or so I thought."

 

"(Koff.) You heard me....old man...." The dragon nursed her throat, managing

a sneer.

 

"She came to us!"

 

##

 

"Before I answer the hundreds of questions you have, where are my children?"

 

"YOUR children-!" Tomoe spat.

 

"Yes, MY children, Tomoe." She shot back. "Or is it Bane now I'm speaking

to?"

 

Bonding with a entity that had lived for centuries obviously improved one's

vocabulary. The nicest thing out of the string of curses Tomoe unleashed was

"spawn of a worm filled whore." Even Sano and Silk were impressed.

 

"Enough flattery, dear." Ashura sounded bored at the tirade. "You can't

thank me enough for all I've done and you know I'm right." Tomoe hissed.

"Yes you did help keep them alive Bane, since Tomoe's death before their

birth interrupted your awakening but it wasn't enough. I had to give part of

my own life-force to them as well as their father's to fully save their

lives. That is why they have my features as well as yours.

I won't bore you with the exact details of the ceremony...." She impishly

grinned at Kenshin. "Or how I managed to take what I needed from you

Kenshin, that's my little secret. Although I will say I enjoyed it

immensely...."

 

Tomoe looked even angrier at that, although no one knew why of course.

Kenshin didn't ether and he honestly didn't want to think about it.

(Although he had a suspicion-HELL NO!) *That bitch!* Tomoe thought. *She

drained him while she.....She...* Tomoe screamed in frustration as Ashura

and Silk laughed. "You'll never touch them again!!"

 

"Don't bet your life on it." Ashura sneered. "No place is beyond me...." She

grinned at Arain. "Not even Avalon....."

 

"Are you ever going to get to the point?" Jubei grumbled. "The usual villain

routine to explain everything?"

 

Mother hocked and spit a mass of the webbing around Jubei's mouth to shut

him up.

 

"Agratou." Kenshin said tiredly.

 

"Kimagami has a point. It's time to get the show on the road...."

 

##

 

If the earlier confession rocked the court, this flattened them....

 

"Came to you?" The trollop growled. "How could outsider know to get to

Avalon?"

 

"I don't know....she was very knowledgeable of the place, like she lived

here before. Anyway she made us a deal, she would handle our little problem

for us, no questions asked, no payment. She only needed one thing from us:

Some of our blood to form an elixir of some sort. We jumped at the chance,

after all it was practically free...."

 

The centaur saw that Merlin was too shocked to hit the dragon for her

stupidity, so she did it for him....her powerful hind legs rocking King's

pride's skull and knocking a few teeth out. "Sorry." She said. "Slipped."

 

Everyone knew what dragon blood could do to a person. Something in it

attacked the mind....and if one knew how they could use it drive the victim

insane or control them or....Merlin bit down the urge to blast King's pride

to hell. *Why would Ashura need that for? More importantly....how does she

have such knowledge of Avalon and it's secrets....*

 

When the answers hit him, Merlin nearly screamed in horror.

 

##

 

Ashura explained to them everything King's pride had revealed to the court

before filling in the holes.

 

"I'll admit that there were times you guys almost mucked everything up.

Especially you, Battousai."

She chuckled ruefully. "I shoulda known if anyone could survive Enishi's

'poison' it would be you."

 

"It wasn't poison was it?" Tomoe growled. "You were attempting to force my

beloved to awaken with that dragon's blood weren't you?"

 

"Correct as always, girl. It was an experiment really...Of course I had to

lead your stupid brother around the nose by taking your disgusting form

Tomoe, and it was an awful risk to take with Battousai life but it was worth

it. If it worked it would of made things much simpler for me. If not it

still succeeded it's purpose. Not only to destroy the mental barriers that

Kenshin erected at Tomoe's death and allow himself to awaken....but to also

complete the centuries long goal of the Tamashii no Shuukakusha by proving

my mastery of Excailbron."

 

She suddenly looked contrite. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot I'm speaking to those

ignorant of our art." She held up Excailbron. "This sword is the blood and

harnessed dark energies of Bane....able to absorb the blood of it's victims

to strengthen it's power as well as steal their knowledge and memories. The

Tamashii no Shuukakusha is the perfect balance of that power, using that

knowledge to it's advantage toward it's goal: Unification of it's previous

power separated by Bane's lover. Every one of my ancestors have slowly

worked toward this piece by piece but now I shall succeed, thanks to my

uncle."

 

"You mean...." Shuriken paled. "You want to revive Bane herself?"

 

"Try harder, Lady Maximus...."

 

##

"What tis amatter, Merlin?" Lily looked concerned. "Ye look as if hell is

after ye!"

 

"Worse than that, Milady. Everything is horrifyingly clear now: One of the

swordbearers were always a host which would mean that at one point an

Excailbron weilder was a host. Do you all understand what that means?" It

slowly dawned on them, looks of horror etching on all of them. "All the

knowledge of both Bane, her husband and the past lives they've assimilated

is within that blasted sword! All it would of taken was a drop of blood!

That's how Ashura knew of Avalon and everything!"

 

"Because my Grandson was a host...." Lily murmured.

 

"Right! I didn't think it was of importance till now, but the last host was

an Excailbron bearer who died thirty years ago, which makes him Ashura's

father or uncle! And since your grandson died long before the knowledge

would be there when the sword managed to absorb some of his blood after

awakening. But that's not even the worse of it as you now all realize now."

 

  "Realize what, Old man?" King's pride snarled. "So the sword knows what

Bane and that fleabag lover does. What she going to do, revive Bane...."

 

She was cut off by Merlin ramming his staff down her throat again.

 

"You stupid flying feedbag! Don't you see what you and your idiot ancestors

done to us?" Merlin roared. "You've allowed the swordmaker's knowledge into

her hands! The process of how the swords were created and how to undo it!"

He rammed the staff harder down. "But not to revive Bane...."

 

##

 

Ashura's grin was frightening to behold.

 

"I want to BECOME Bane...."

 

As if on cue, thunder rumbled in the distance, adding to the terrible

realization that crossed their faces.

It was so obvious they should of seen it....Bane's power was the only thing

that Ashura could gain....

"Of course...Everything you need is here," Karou murmured. "The swords, the

amulet, both halves of Bane ....As well as the forge...."

 

"Very perceptive, Karou-dono! Atta girl!" Ashura simpered. "Shame on you for

not seeing it earlier, love." She scolded Kenshin. "I can understand her

highness not remembering since she was just a slab of meat at that time. It

was here at the Sakafune Ishi that you created the swords from Bane's body

and separated her essence. Thirty years ago you attempted to destroy it

while inhabiting the Excailbron wielder at the time, my uncle, to prevent us

from our goal. Luckily you failed, well, for me anyway."

 

"So what was all that about Triseoul then?" Soujirou asked.

 

"That nonsense was created by the lovebirds here to throw us off.  The

Triseoul is simply the title of Bane's lover's hosts, because each 'life'

represents each of the parts. In Kenshin's case, 'Shinta's Excailber,

Battousai's Excailbron, the Rurouni the Murasame, and all three combined,

Kenshin, for the Eye of Bane. Is everyone caught up now? Good, because I'm

getting impatient now." Ashura gave Kenshin a cross look. "Oh and you WILL

perform the ceremony.....you don't have a choice in the matter and you know

it. And if you're even more stubborn THEY will pay."

 

Kenshin's laugh sent chills down one's spine. "The needs of the many

outweigh the needs of the few, Ashura." Kenshin mirrored her sneer. "They

have no value to us compare to keeping our power out of your hands, we could

care less what you do to them."

 

"Oi!" Sano had recovered enough to respond to that remark. "When this is

over I will kick your body hopping ass!"

"Nice try, but you don't fool me." Ashura snorted. "Kenshin and Tomoe are

part of you now so you do care, and you're not as heartless as you'd like me

to believe. Enough wasted time!" She raised her hands to the sky

theatrically. "Immortality awaits!"

 

Mother crouched down.....the cancerous hump on her back decreasing a bit as

she literally vomited up several worm-like THINGS in a stream of green

slime....the wriggling masses growing arms and to the size of puppies as

they scurried up the webbing toward them.....three separating from the swarm

as Silk and Daisho hopped up to take the swords and Amulet from the

girls....BITING the girls on their arms for Daisho to catch some of their

blood in a cup as well before joining the rest of the swarm to engulf

Kenshin ....dragging him down to the 'forge' as they formed 'chains' by

linking tail to tail and their teeth the 'locks' that bit deeply into his

wrists....Kenshin feeling dizzy from whatever poison they pumped into his

system....forcing him to stand in the center as Daisho slung the amulet

around his neck and stabbed Murasame down into a hidden 'keyhole' at the

southern 'hole....Silk heaving the steadily heavier Excailber into the

eastern hole and Ashura fitting Excailbron into the western one. "Turn!"

 

A hissing sound was heard as they turned as one.....the seal breaking with

an unearthly moan....Ancient symbols similar to those of Stonehenge

appearing in flashes of light as the ancient stone smoothed into black

marble. The three hopped off as Sakafune Ishi 'unlocked' itself for lack of

a better word, the ground rumbling as the REST of the structure rose from

below the surface....looking more like some hellish four foot altar than a

forge, especially the three slender, oddly twisted pillars that towered and

bent over above the main structure, giving the impression that a huge three

fingered claw was holding the entire thing....the main structure unfolding

into three sections, one with each sword, and sliding the 'troughs' out of

their resting places to connect to the now revealed center platform that

Kenshin stood upon.... The final part of the transformation was for the

'fingers' tips to unfold and form a platform sizeable enough to lay a dragon

across above the center.

 

"Incredible...." Arain breathed.

 

Daisho offered the cup for Ashura, who drank it down in one glup and wiped

her lips. "I should've of seen it sooner...." Arain growled. "You used

Shannon to draw me out of Avalon, so you can get my blood as well as

Shuriken's...."

 

"Too little too late, Lady Maximus." Ashura taunted. "Watch and see why...."

 

Part of the slimy herd keeping Kenshin pinned detached to swarm over the

struggling Tomoe.....dragging her to the platform over Kenshin....Tomoe

crying out from the pain as she was stretched out  in a spreadeagle fashion

with a 'chain' for each limb, the monster's teeth biting deep into her

ankles and wrists....binding her to it like a sacrifice....Up close Tomoe

realized the 'platform' was in truth a complicated looking drainage

system....the statues working like pipes to drain whatever liquid released

into her platform to each sword and finally into the center where Kenshin

was bound.

 

And with growing terror, she had a good idea what that liquid would be.....

 

Ashura sprang up the side of a pillar to stand above Tomoe with a fiendish

grin, holding one of the nastiest looking swords Tomoe had ever seen, a

long, thin ripsaw edged affair that made Daisho's look loving by

comparison..... "I apologize ahead of time, Tomoe....I've come to regard you

as a annoying, bratty little sister I couldn't help but love, and this will

be VERY unpleasant...." Tomoe fought not to cringe at the animalistic grin

that twisted Ashura's features. "But I need Kenshin to release the power

needed slowly, instead of in one huge burst that will incinerate us

all....which means I'll have to slowly torture you until your cultivator

body finally gives out." She raised the sword. "No hard feelings right?

Good, I'd hate to have that on my conscience....."

 

"TOMOE!" Karou screamed.

 

Ashura's laughter was wild and sadistic....the sword moving so fast it

vanished but it's touch horrifyingly visible....Tomoe jerked and screamed

despite herself as the seemingly hundreds of slices, stabs, and slashes tore

her clothes and soon her flesh to shreds.....deep enough to bleed but not

kill quickly....literally flaying her alive....worse still her body was

frantically healing the wounds it could in a futile effort to save her, a

fact that horrified her trapped friends even more as they could not look

away from her or the steady river of blood draining down to the center and

filled each hole with her blood....

 

Worse still was watching Kenshin slowly go beserk as he watched

helplessly....convulsing and foaming at the mouth....his palms bleeding from

his hands clenching so tightly....."stopitstopitstopitstopohpleasegod"

His pleading voice rose in feverish pitch...everyone feeling the gathering

power....arcs of it snapping across the forge from time to time....And then

Kenshin snapped and threw back his head, the glowing left eye flaring to

such brilliance it was a wonder it didn't burn out in it's socket as he

screamed. "STOP IT!!!!!!"

 

Then all hell broke loose.

 

##

 

The court was settling back into order from Merlin's revalation when it

came....the entire world seeming to go beserk all at once like a terrified

animal: Violent winds sweeping through the place and the earth quaking below

them....the ocean heaving a massive tidal wave right at the court....Lily

saving everyone from being crushed by freezing the wave soild and shattering

it into fine snow as it began it's descent....using her will to try and

soothe the angry ocean around them. "What manner of Sorcery is this?!!!"

 

Merlin looked gravely toward the intense light in the horizon.

 

"It's begun...."

 

##

 

Translvainan mountains.

 

The young couple's horses went berserk and almost threw them off....every

animal nearby reacting similarly as they regained control. "What tis

amatter, Alucard? The animals...."

 

The handsome young Dampyre looked grimly at the horizon. "They're reacting

to something out there, Maria....Something like I've never felt before...."

 

##

 

Around the world, Every immortal hit the ground in agony....the quickening

within them reacting to Kenshin's outburst as well....One in particular....

 

Duncan Mcloud braced himself against his house, gritting at what felt like

his insides boiling. "What the hell.....!"

 

##

 

In China....

 

Cologne stood among the chaos that had erupted among the Amazon

village,...her eyes locked on the horizon despite the rebelling farm animals

and violent tremors ravaging her village.

 

"After all this time...." She whispered as she leaned on her walking stick.

"It's finally happened...."

 

##

 

Alexander and Oborie felt the power release even more accutely than the

others, collasping to their knees and clutching their chests....feeling as

if part of them was being ripped out as they choked out their daugther's

names...."

 

##

 

Kenshin's body jerked violently, bonelessly with the first power surge. With

the second. The third. The 'chains' died flaming, squealing deaths with the

following two spasms and with the last thrust his hands

Heavenward and unleashed a maelstrom of power that seemed to rock the island

and lash at the witnesses with it's fury....the trapped heroes feeling as if

it would tear them apart, even Silk grunting a bit as the swirling energies

Kenshin generated took the shape of massive snake like dragon circling the

atlar. Ashura seemed obvious to the whole thing, still madly slashing away

at Tomoe....the dragon's scream, her mad laughter and Tomoe's hoarse screams

mixing into a twisted symphony...."KENSHIN!!!!"

 

Tomoe's weakening scream fell on deaf ears.....Kenshin fully under the

control of the power as the forge came alive, energized by the released

power.....the symbols flaring brilliantly and Tomoe's stored blood in the

holes churning below the swords as they glowed as one in tune with Kenshin's

flaming left eye. He outstretched his right toward Excailber in a beckoning

guesture.....the blood around the great blade surging up to engulf and

consume it....even taking the form of Shinta for a brief moment before

gathering and hurling itself down it's trough like some massive snake to

wrap and slither and whirl around Kenshin endlessly as he reached for

Excailbron and did the same....Battousai appearing this time after the black

blade was consumed and joined it's twin ....The Rurouni the last to appear

as finally Murasame met the same fate..... "The time has come!" Ashura threw

aside the sword and held up Tomoe with one hand, eyes gleaming with

insanity. " The moment that now, thanks to you, this world ends...." Her

free hand shifted into a wicked set of claws.....and with her next words she

plunged them deep into Tomoe's chest vicously.  "And I begin!!!"

 

At the same time Kenshin planted his feet....raising his hands upward as the

'snakes' and the energies drew into his hands......holding them there for a

brief moment....a soiltary tear rolling down his cheek.....

 

And then with a scream slammed it down.....

 

The resulting explosion was tremendous.....actually tearing everybody free

and throwing them backward several feet....the pillar of light that engulfed

Kenshin, Ashura and Tomoe blinding....the roar of the incredible power

drowned out by an even more intense scream that spoke volumes of pain and

suffering....Karou feeling her heart twist as she realized it was

Kenshin.....

 

And an eternity later the power flow ceased to nothing....Blessed silence

returning once more....Although the sight that awaited them was far

worse....

 

Ashura stood on her platform....seared and bloodly but

triumphant.....holding the ravaged and limp Tomoe over her head, still

impaled on her claws while supporting her with her free hand....an offering

to heaven or hell....the barbaric sight heightened even more by her laughter

as she THREW Tomoe like she was nothing more than rubish to land at their

feet with a sickening crunch and splattered Karou with her blood.....Karou

to shellshocked to move even as Tomoe reached a shattered hand toward

Kenshin....managing to gurgle out his name before she finally collasped and

lay still....eyes staring blindly in the same shock they were frozen in....

 

And Kenshin....

 

He kneeled in the center of the now quiet altar. Gi and Hakama reduced to

smoldering rags that barely covered him in the power release. His chest

heaving in exhaustion and pain at each breath and wisps of smoke raising

from his still overheated body. His hair undone and wild, a crimson hood of

blood over his eyes and as he cradled the result of the ritual for all to

see.

 

The combination of Excailber, Excailbron, Murasame and the amulet into one.

The sword was both awe inspiring and hideous....combining the aspects of

each individual part and yet twisting them. The hilt was shaped like a

dragon's head and neck, the Amulet forming it's eye and it's jaws obscenely

wide open to form the hilt's crosspiece and loll out it's 'tongue'....the

blade like that of Excailber's but the jet black of Excailbron and dripped a

sheen of blood the same way Murasame dripped water....a beastial roar rising

from it and it's hilt as it silthered from behind and up around Kenshin to

sneer at them. "Beautiful, isn't it...." Ashura hopped down from her perch

and stood in front of them, eyes closed and grinning. "The sword represents

the body of Bane and stores it's vast power. All that is needed now is

Bane's essence to complete Unification."

 

She opened her eyes....the grin widening as the silver glow within them

brightened.

 

"And I'm halfway there. By taking the blood of each swordbearer I guranteed

that I would be the next host, and the Tamashii no Shuukakusha will keep her

weakened and under my control. Now to finish it...." She walked over to

Kenshin, who hadn't even moved the whole time. "Sorry, love....I know you're

hurting and exhausted but we must finish what we begun." She stood in front

of him, arms outstretched to receive the sword. "Give it to me,

Battousai....Complete my destiny...."

 

Kenshin looked up at her, the other's unable to see his expression as he

raised the sword....

 

And before anyone could react lunged and yanked her forward....running her

through the heart with a scream....

 

For one horrible moment, Karou hoped that Kenshin was so far gone he had

broken his vow not to kill....a terrible hope that scared her at how much it

relived her....

 

Unfortunately it didn't last.

 

The dragon aura exploded around them with a roar....another energy storm

kicking up around the two...Ashura's pained expression turning into a smirk

while Kenshin's expression slowly drained from helpless anger to resigned

exhaustion as the dragon aura and the surrounding energy surged from him and

into Ashura with a mournful moan....Ashura stumbling back and hunched over

as Kenshin ripped the sword free viscously and stabbed it down into the

altar....The glow of Kenshin's left eye fading before he pitched forward on

his face, unconcious.

 

No one dared to breathe.

 

Then Ashura laughed....laughed and laughed....picking up the sword....the

hideous wound she suffered already sealing itself.....unleashing a hellish

burst of wind toward the village below the hill with a backhanded blow of

the sword without looking.... The wind ripping across the village all the

way to the ocean with seemingly no effect.....then a second later everything

that it passed over tore apart: people, houses, animal and even the very

earth itself.....the waters parting violently.....the staggering path of

destruction revealed when the smoke cleared like a jagged scar across the

land....the village torn in half and a great trench stretching all the way

into the ocean.....

 

"Holy shit...." Sano gasped.

 

Ashura shealthed the sword and sneered at them....A blood red aura like oily

smoke and flames rising from her body as her eyes glowed a haunting

white...."And the game ends in the only way it could," She said, a wave of

her hand snapping the webbing and dropping them to the ground. "We win. It's

been entertaining...."

 

"....But all good things come to an end....." Silk chuckled as they

advanced. "And that includes your lives as well...."

 

"...St....Stop...."

 

Everybody, even Ashura stopped and stared. "No way...." Silk grumbled.

 

Kenshin was to his knees, using the Sakaba as a crutch..... "Sugoi!" Ashura

breathed. "An ordinary man would be unconcious! Half dead even! And you're

ready to fight?!!" She smiled, blushing a bit. "You truly are worthy of the

name Battousai...."

 

"...N-Not to fight....Ashura...." If it was possible, Kenshin sounded worse

than he looked, completely broken.... "To accept.....your offer...."

 

"Oh? And what offer is that?" From the superior tone of her voice, Ashura

knew the answer to her question. It was her final and geastest victory and

she wanted to savor it....

 

"I...will rule by your side....as the Battousai and your only equal...."

 

"NO!" Karou screamed and darted forward, Silk grabbing her by the

neck....almost causally hammering Sano down as he lunged....kicking him down

and pressing down on his throat....

 

"I will throw away the sakaba and my vow!" He yelled. "I only beg of you to

spare them! I will do all that you ask but only if you don't....." that

surge of strength ended soon as it came, Kenshin's voice breaking. "...Just

don't kill them....I'm begging you.....At least spare me that."

 

"Anything for you, Battousai...." Ashura nodded at the others, Silk throwing

Karou down and kicking Sano one last time for good measure. "Since you asked

so nicely I will spare their lives for your sake. I'll give you a moment to

say goodbye, since it will be a long time before you'll see them again.

We'll be so busy....." Her grin was feral and triumphant. "Anata..."

 

Sheer willpower was the only thing that let Kenshin stand and stagger over

to them. "Don't...(koff) do this to me Kenshin...." Sano pleaded as he

crawled to his feet.

 

"Take care of everybody for me, Sano." Kenshin said sadly. "You'll do that

for me, right?"

 

"Yeah....I'll do that, Kenshin." Sano suddenly reached out to hug him best

he could. "But one day I'm comin for ya...."

 

"I'll be waiting...." Silk chortled.

 

Kenshin turned to Jubei. "I'll be seeing you REAL soon, Kimagami." He said

with a forced edge. "You're the first person I'll come looking for."

 

"Bet on it." He growled back, but like Kenshin it was forced.

 

"Fare thee well, Himura Kenshin." Arain said simply. "It was an honor

fighting with you."

 

"As it was with you, Arainhod Maximus." Kenshin turned to the crying

Shuriken and the grim Soujirou. "Take care of him, Miko-chan, promise?" She

nodded before bawling into Soujirou's shoulder. "And Kami-sama go with you

on your journey, Soujirou."

 

"Till we meet again, Ken-san." He replied.

 

Daisho yawned loudly.

 

His last goodbye was the hardest. "Karou...."

 

"Damn you Himura Kenshin!" She was near hysterical, beating his chest as she

raged. "Why do you always have to play the martyr! I hate you!" Kenshin

embraced her tightly and let her cry into his chest. "You swore you'll never

do this to me again....You promised!" Her voice failed her, reduced to a

sobbing wreck in his arms. "You...promised....me..."

 

"Gomenasai, Karou...." He whispered "But I must break my promise...."

 

He cupped her chin in his hands, stroking away her tears as he gazed at her

tenderly.

 

"But I swear to you on my life...this is the LAST time I'll hurt you. EVER."

 

And then he kissed her like he never had before....with every fiber of his

being and all his emotion for her....Karou feeling a jolt go through her as

she returned it with equal force....feeling a part of herself go with him as

the kiss ended all too soon and she embraced him tightly.

 

"Just a bit longer...." She whispered.

 

"We've wasted enough time, Battousai." It gave Karou some comfort to hear

the touch of Jealousy in Ashura's voice. "We have a world to conquer after

all...."

 

Reluctantly Kenshin let her go and gave her the Sakaba, which she cradled

tightly to her chest like a child and nodded. Watched him kneel by Tomoe's

still body and close her eyes....kissing his fingertips and pressing them to

her lips while whispering something they couldn't hear. (A prayer for her?

Final endearments?) Then walked toward Ashura like a man to his excution....

 

Walk out of her life....

 

"Ken...shin...."

 

His body finally gave out....Ashura there to scoop him into her arms like a

sleeping child and sneer at them. "Don't worry, Karou-dono.....I promise he

will be just as loved and cared for in my arms as he was in yours....."

 

"You don't know the meaning of love or care, you bitch!" Karou snarled more

like herself. "Don't think this is over between you and me!"

 

Her grin widened. "We shall see...." Then turned to Jubei. "Oh, I haven't

forgotten you, Kimagami. I'll give you until sunset tomorrow to rest and

recover for our battle....or run for your miserable life to somewhere I

can't follow, which dosen't leave many places for you to go. The choice is

yours. If you choose the former like I know you will, you'll know where to

find me." Impossibly, her grin grew even more wicked. "Or maybe I'll grant

your death wish of fighting the Battousai. It's the least I can do for a

dying man!"

 

She laughed as she opened a portal and walked in, followed by Mother and

Daisho. Silk turned and waved, blowing kisses as she joined them. "Ja teme!

I love you, bye, bye hope I get to wring your neck soon, chicken boy!"

 

Karou sank to her knees as the door closed, reaching for him even as it

closed....screamed her agony....

 

##

 

Screaming that ended as she snapped awake and sat up on the futon, Yahiko

screaming himself and falling off his chair. "Damnit Busu! Don't do that!"

he yelled.

 

*A dream? Was it all a horrible.....* The frail hope was shattered as she

saw she was still in the Yukashiro mansion....still holding the sakaba and

saya.....

 

She cradled it to her chest.

 

Kenshin....

 

"'Bout time you woke up." Yahiko grumbled, although it was more for show

than heartfelt. "You've been out cold since last night. How do you feel?"

She just stared at him for a moment then lay back down and turned away from

him. "Oi! Don't you start that crap again! You don't have time to fall

apart....!"

 

"WHO'S FALLING APART?!!!" Followed by slamming him onehanded and headfirst

into the floor. Yahiko popped his head free from the crater he made and

grinned at her.

 

"Heh, that's a relief. Everybody was worried that you'd have a relispse or

whatever the heck Megumi called it of last time and we don't have time for

that...."

 

 

 

and we don't have time for that...."

 

"No need to worry, Yahiko-chan." She interrupted with a smile, amused and

touched at his worry as she ruffled her hair.

 

He grumbled but let the chan remark slide. For now. "Everybody's waiting

downstairs along with dinner. Tomoe...." He bowed his head. "We only had

time for a simple ceremony and burial at sea. I wish I could of done more

for her..."

 

"Don't say it!" Karou slammed down the saya on the floor, making him jump.

"Don't even start! What happened last night would of happened anyway! You

being there would'nt of changed that!" She lowered her voice to a calming

whisper. "Tomoe wouldn't want you worrying yourself over her. Instead she'd

want you to focus on saving Kenshin. That what you do if you want to honor

her."

 

"Stop reading my mind, Busu." He growled halfheartedly, secretly glad for

her scolding and that she hadn't given up hope. "Let go eat."

 

The gloomy mood downstairs brightened somewhat on Karou's arrival,

especially the now recovered Sano and..."Merlin-san!"

 

"Ah, Karou." The old man's grumpy expression didn't change, but his eyes did

twinkle a bit. "Glad to see you're awake. Oh, and I've brought the twins to

Avalon for Arain's grandmother to care for. Considering the circumstances

that's the safest place for now."

 

"Thank you, Merlin-san. So now we can concentrate on getting Kenshin back."

 

"Told ya so, Megumi." Sano drawled. "Pay up."

 

"Put it on my tab." She sneered.

 

Merlin looked at her carefully. "So you're willing to fight Ashura despite

her power, Child? She is no longer an ordinary opponent."

 

Karou met his gaze evenly. "I'm willing to do whatever it take to get

Kenshin back. As for Ashura....I'll burn that bridge when I get to it!"

 

"Hell yeah, Jou-chan!" Sano chuckled.

 

"Baka onna...." Jubei snorted as he tried to stare her down. "Kenshin

sacrificed everything to spare your life and now you're going to throw that

away? Besides, The Kenshin you knew is probably gone anyway by now....and if

he is he will be your enemy. Could you fight him?"

 

"Then what do you suggest, JUBBY!" She got right in his face. "Let you waltz

in all alone like some hero and take them out alone?"

 

"I've faced worse and survived and I can do it again." He shot back. "I'm

not going to let you waste...."

 

The Sakaba, edge forward, appeared out of nowhere and in his face, the

others wondering if Jubei was gulping from the blade or the demonic look on

Karou's face.

 

"You listen to ME cause I'm only gonna say this once, Bakayarou." Her voice

was ice. "Kenshin is MY fiancee and I'm not some helpless damsel in

distress! I am the heir of Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu and I can put my life on the

line for him just as he's done for me! No offense, Jubei, But it's going to

take all of us to beat Ashura!"

 

*Is it me....* Yahiko pondered as he grinned. *Or is she becoming more like

Kenshin by the minute?*

 

Merlin suddenly laughed. Jubei gently poked her in the head with a finger,

off balancing her a bit as he grinned. "Excellent! You understand!" Merlin

said gleefully. "This is truly the Darkness before dawn.....the moment where

things always seems the bleakest but as long as you can still hope you'll

succeed. I needed to know if you was ready to commit yourself to stopping

Ashura at any cost, Karou."

"Don't listen to him...." Arain smirked, Merlin scowling. "He just wanted to

give one of his cheesy speeches. The old man had some news for us but wanted

to wait for you. So spit out already, Merlin."

 

Merlin grumbled something about disrespectful little brats before going on.

"Take a look at this, everyone."

A word of magic and the image of a ship in Asuka harbor appeared in the

air....

 

Then again, ship wasn't a strong enough word for it: The massive vessel that

Merlin showed them looked more beast than ship with it's misshapen and

hulking replitian form, built of some unearthly looking material that

resembled scale.....the red sails adding to the effect with their wing like

design as well as the gaping razor toothed maw that was the ship's

prow.....Everyone getting the impression that it could EAT ships or anything

else in it's path.....

 

".....The hell?!!"

 

"As a show of her power, Ashura built this monstrosisty from sheer will and

whatever material nearby, including PEOPLE....Powered by an engine of pure

magic and god knows what firepower....With that thing she could easily wipe

out any fleet in her path and take over each country in short time. Thing

is...."

He turned a skeptical eye to them. "WHY would she build such a thing when

she possesses Bane's vast power?"

 

"....She not at full strength yet!" Soujirou exclaimed.

 

"Exactly!" Merlin replied. "The ritual gave her the power but her body needs

time to reconstruct itself to handle it....I estimate that she's only a

quarter of her full strength. It's sounds like a long shot but it's the only

chance we'll have to stop her. After that she'll be unstoppable....."

 

"She could do THAT at only a QUARTER of her power?" Sano whistled. "Holy

shit...."

 

"My favorite kind of odds." Jubei grinned. "So what's the plan?"

 

"Ashura's expecting you alone, Jubei. She wouldn't arrogantly flaunt her

power like this otherwise....So we can use this to our advantage to make a

stealthy attack to sink her ship and whatever army she's probably building,

rescue Kenshin and defeat her at the same time. We'll separate into groups

and attack simultaneously at each weak point."

 

He pointed the cane at the harbor and prow. "Arain, Sano, and Yahiko will

make a frontal attack to take out the army and draw their attention. Megumi

will be acting a support role to cure your injuries as well as your back up

with a few gifts from the Jamisons. Is that satisfactory?"

 

Everybody nodded. "Heck, All Fox onna needs is that damned medicine box of

hers." Sano remarked, Megumi half scowling and half blushing at his concern.

"Ashura probably couldn't even stand up to that...."

 

"Listen you....."

 

Merlin sweatdropped before clearing his throat. "The others will enter the

ship during the confusion with three objectives. Soujirou and Shuriken will

cripple the engine, Jubei will damage the hold enough to sink the ship and

Karou will focus on rescuing Kenshin. After that we'll have to play it by

ear and hope Kenshin's up to adding to the cause." He looked gravely at

Karou. "You realize that may involve you facing Ashura alone, Karou...."

 

"I understand, Merlin-san. And I'm ready for it."

 

"Finally I will insure that Ashura stays put. Avalon cannot directly

interfere since this a human matter for now, however, her highness the Lady

of the Lake CAN insure her grandaughter's safety with a gift or two...like

altering the weather at sea bit or something to that effect." He grinned.

"And I'm a resident of both worlds and responsible for Excailber and it's

wielder so I must preform my duty to both worlds."

 

"Bending the law without breaking it." Arain grinned back. "Can always count

on Grandmama."

 

"Now all that's left is to give instruction on the 'tools' the Jamisons and

I devised to aid you...."

 

Karou chuckled to herself as she leaned her cheek against the cool hilt of

the Sakaba.

 

*We're coming for you, Kenshin.....Just hang on a little longer!*

 

End of Chapter 5. (FINALLY!)

 

Author's note. I apologize for the length of this chapter. I was too

stubborn to let this story go further than six chapters and I had to unload

the bombshells before that part. I guess I also owe a major apology to the

Tomoe, Kenshin and Karou fans for the tourture the last scenes put them

through. (Says this while hiding under the desk.) I hated to do that to

them, but it was nessacary no matter how much it hurt. If it's any

conslation I'm STILL a little depressed about it. But it aint over yet! Who

knows what the next chapter will bring! * Sneaky wink and Saitou like grin*

 

Seeya in Chapter 6: Curtain Call. (Can anyone give me a better title?)

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