MadiSano: And here you are, at the last chapter of Fallen Wind. I'll finish up at the end, so see ya till then!

Disclaimer: I OWN KENSHIN! Nah, just kidding. I don't.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN, FALLEN WIND: AND THEN, ANOTHER

Three Years Later, after Kasumi's Death….

"LET'S FINISH THIS, BATTOUSAI!"

Zanza swiveled his Zanbatou over his head at an amazing speed, using centrifuge to add to his crushing strength and the Zanbatou's weight. A short, raven-haired lad, and a teenaged girl named Kaoru stood by; watching as Zanza confronted a strange man with red hair and an X-shaped scar.

The man was silent, observing Zanza as he screamed in his rage.

"From the moment the Sekihou Army was disbanded, I became a Fight Merchant, and delved deep into combat!" howled Zanza, swinging his Zanbatou downwards at the Battousai, all his rage and power concentrated in the attack. "While I enjoyed my fights, I was able to forget everything! And in these ten years, I've gained strength!"

Howling in anger, Zanza shouted, "WITH THAT STRENGTH, I NOW CRUSH THE GREAT PATRIOT!"

Battousai remained calm, viewing Zanza's oncoming attack with pale purple eyes. "Still, you do not have the strength to crush this one."

The two of them attacked, Battousai swinging his odd sword upwards, while Zanza brought down his massive sword. "HYAAAAAHHH!"

CRACK!

Zanza stared in shock as he saw his Zanbatou being chopped into one-fifth of its original size. Battousai leapt upwards, holding his sword beneath his left arm, muttering, "Hiten Mitsurugi Style…Ryutsuisen."

With god-like speed, the man brought down the flat of his sword upon Zanza's head, with amazing strength that nearly knocked Zanza unconscious. The Fight Merchant saw flashes of light as he vision died, but he found support by clutching to the hilt of his Zanbatou. He slumped against it, breathing raggedly.

Landing softly upon the ground, Battousai looked up, saying gently, "You seem…as hardheaded as they come. You are the first to take a Ryutsuisen and not fall." Glancing at Zanza's poor state of health, and his shaking limbs, Battousai said, "You are barely standing. Stay here while a doctor is called."

Turning away, Zanza was enraged to hear the boy and woman let out a sigh of relief. Looking up at Battousai with fiery rage, Zanza snarled, "It's—not—over—yet! I haven't fallen yet! I haven't lost!"

The man looked back at him with an unreadable expression, his mouth a straight, thin line.

His breathing raspy with blood and pain, Zanza growled raggedly, "I swear upon the names of Sagara—and Sekihou—that I will DIE before I lose to a 'patriot'!"

Battousai turned on his heel, returning to Zanza. The woman named Kaoru gasped, knowing that approaching Zanza in his state of rage was dangerous. "Kenshin…you can't…"

Zanza ignored her, preparing to attack the Battousai. "That's it, come! Come here!" Zanza roared, clenching his right fist, causing blood to squelch between his fingers.

Kenshin paused, and abruptly punched Zanza right across the face. The wanderer earned surprised stares from Kaoru and the boy named Yahiko. Zanza's face contorted in an expression of shock, his mouth hanging open slightly, and his eye muscles slack.

"Don't you have the wrong opponent?" Kenshin asked, narrowing his violet eyes at Zanza. "Did the Sekihou Army teach you to kill 'patriots', or did it teach you to complete the revolution?"

Renewed rage arose in Zanza. "Don't you preach to me!" he snarled, blood spraying from his mouth as he shouted. "You spoke of equality, but drowned it in your own greed! Don't speak of revolution, then create a world of lies, and sleep easy in it!"

"You're wrong!" cried Kaoru, making Zanza blink. "Kenshin isn't one of those! He never even took a position in the government! He uses his sword to defend people!" Kaoru stopped for breath, but then continued. "You think of Kenshin as Hitokiri Battousai only! Don't make wild accusations, not when it's you who came picking this fight!"

Zanza coughed up blood, staring at her in surprise.

Kenshin turned to Zanza again, saying, "Zanza, the revolution has not ended. It's true that the fighting stopped ten years ago, and a new order was installed. But those of us who desire a better world still find ourselves trapped in a world where the weak are exploited. So this one, though unworthy, wields his sword to offer some aid to the weak."

Turning away, Kenshin said, "Whether it will be one year or ten…or an eternity before the revolution is attained…no one can say, but this is my method of giving payment to the people who sacrificed for the Meiji Revolution."

Walking over to Kaoru and putting his hand on her shoulder, Kenshin finished solemnly, "Payment…to those who were killed…by Hitokiri Battousai."

As the former Hitokiri joined his loved ones, a dawning comprehension came upon Sanosuke.

He's the same…the same as Captain Sagara, who fought for the new age he saw in his dreams. This man is the same. And still…he continues to fight. I lost hope, even when Yami and Kasumi tried to show me the way out…I gave up. Drowning myself in fighting and trying to forget it all…

Smirking slightly, Zanza let go of his Zanbatou, letting it drop to the ground.

I am sorry…Yami…Kasumi…

…Captain Sagara…

Falling to the earth in a faint, Zanza's last thoughts were, By this man, I was so utterly…beaten…

The next day, Zanza escaped from the hospital. Though he was supposed to stay there for three months, he refused and snuck out. Zanza was covered in wounds, matted over by bandages and such; every movement he made caused him an ache.

On his way to wherever, Zanza encountered some annoying thugs and punched them out. He had a row with them a few days before, and was in a 'wicked' mood to match his jacket. The guys deserved it anyways; previously they had backhanded Tae, the waitress at the Akabeko. Picking on women, especially those Zanza halfway cared about, really fueled his temper.

In the process of kicking the ruffians' butts, Zanza met with Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko. After explaining what he was doing, he turned to leave.

Kenshin stopped him, noticing once more the kanji on Zanza's back. "Zanza…the evil mark of Aku on your back…you're not going to take it off?" Kenshin asked, blinking.

Sanosuke sighed. "No…the Sekihou Army is a past I won't forget. I can't take this symbol off." Smirking, he added, "Look, I'm not perfect…I'm nineteen, what did you expect?"

Turning around, smiling still, he continued. "And I did like what you said yesterday, but words are cheap…and so…to see if you really are different from those Ishin Shishi, with their empty ideals...I'm going to stick around and see who you really are."

Kenshin blinked in surprise.

"One more thing," Zanza said, turning again to leave. "I'm not Zanza anymore. My Zanbatou's broken, and my fight days are gone. Now I'm just Sagara Sanosuke, fighting enthusiast. Just like you're not Hitokiri Battousai anymore…"

Giving them a thumbs-up, Sanosuke began to walk away. "So, don't you start wandering again without my permission, Kenshin!"

As he walked down the street, sporting his many injuries, Sanosuke turned his face heavenwards. Letting the warm sunshine spread across his face, Sanosuke remembered what it felt like to protect someone. Someone…someone like…Kasumi.

A warmth and yet a coldness filled Sanosuke when he remembered again Akiyama Kasumi, the girl he had loved. Will I ever feel that way again? Or…but…no one can take her place. Even if I met the meanest, most sarcastic witch on the planet…she still wouldn't be Kasumi.

Kasumi…Yami…just you wait. Zanza's gone and he's never coming back. I'll keep my promise, and I'll come home. Soon enough, you guys…just you wait.

Sanosuke disappeared into the crowd, the Aku on his jacket rippling in a nonexistent breeze, like a fallen wind.

OWARI…

THE END.

MadiSano: I would like to thank all of my reviewers for encouraging me in this fanfiction, and I express my gratitude to everyone who read this far. You truly make me smile! Please review this last chapter and tell me exactly what you thought overall. I like to read, so make them as long as you want!

For those of you who are upset with the ending, of Kasumi's death, review and tell me whether or not I should write a sequel. If I decide to, you'll know. And, even if you're not upset about the ending and you want a sequel, review and let me know! Your opinions are appreciated.

I love you all, and I thank you for inspiring me! I had so much fun!

Last but in no waythe least, I want to thank Jesus Christ for giving me the talent of writing, in which I take so much pleasure in. I take no honor to myself, but the praise given to me I reflect right to Christ--it's only becuase of Him that I can write like I can. Love You!

This is MadiSano, signing out. Fallen Wind is complete.