Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin belongs to the great Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Summary: It's the third year of the Bakumatsu. Kaoru's older brother, and only living relative, is departing to fight with the Sekiho army. Terrified, she forces him to take a family charm that is the key for anyone in the Kamiya line to fall in love. Kaoru feels that the charm will give him greater incentive to return home safely. If he dies without returning the charm, Kaoru will never find love- or so the old family legend has asserted for generations. The fates cannot be persuaded to spare life, however. Will a cold manslayer grant the man's dying wish?

This story has some violence and Kenshin is very OOC in the beginning. Please do not read this if violence or aggressiveness is offensive to you.

Edited: 9/18/14

Eternity

Chapter One- Loss

Only the sound of chopsticks digging into sticky rice and the soft sound of chewing broke the uncomfortable silence that had coated the room for the past fifteen minutes. Takeshi sat at the table with perfect posture as he consumed a bowl of domburi with exquisite grace. After swallowing his mouthful thoughtfully, he reached down for the small choko in front of him and lightly sipped at his sake. As he replaced his cup, the silent woman sitting across from him reached out to refill his drink.

"There's no need for that," he said. "One is more than enough for this night. I wouldn't want my senses to be diluted."

The slender hand floated back to rest on the owner's lap helplessly. "Of course," she replied softly as she looked down again, letting her dark bangs cover her eyes. The young woman's fingers curled into her palm once more to form small, tight fists as she fought to keep her tears at bay.

"You know, today your cooking has actually been somewhat bearable," Takeshi jested. The woman remained in stony silence. He decided to change tactics- perhaps flattery would be the key? "To tell you the truth, it's actually one of the best meals you've cooked. It's a shame you haven't touched your food yet."

If she had heard him, she made no indication. The twenty-year-old man sighed and lowered his bowl as he turned his head to peer outside. The last tendrils of the sun's fading light were rapidly fading, turning the sky a deeper shade of blue every moment. It was the last sunset Takeshi would enjoy at home. "Kaoru, you know I'm going to come back, right?"

The petite woman clenched her fists tighter.

"You're grieving as if I were already dead. Is this how you want me to remember our last moments together? Please, at least give me some peace of mind and make me believe that you will be sound in my absence." He turned to face her again. "I haven't heard your laugh or seen your smile in days; you've never been this serious before. Of all people I'd hate to be the one who made you like this."

Kaoru swallowed a large lump in her throat, steeling herself for what was about to come. With hardened determination, she blinked away the glossiness in her eyes and resolutely raised her head to look at the man. "You know it's the thought of losing you that terrifies me."

Takeshi smiled. "Do you really think I'm that weak, my dear?" Kaoru shook her head immediately. "Then there's no need to worry. I'll be fine. No one knows how long this will take, but the second we are done I will come home to you. I want you to be proud of me, sister."

"I'm already proud of you. You're the one who rebuilt this house after it was burned down and you're the one that raised me after mom and dad died. You're the reason father's Kamiya Kasshin-Ryū still lives on. Please don't go just for-"

"How many more families must be torn apart like ours was, Kaoru-san?" Takeshi interrupted a bit too defensively. "I'm sick of seeing them kill fathers and rape mothers and laugh at homeless children. I'm sick of seeing the remnants of once-happy families die slowly because they can no longer support themselves. I cannot stand watching orphans starve or looking into a widow's hollow eyes. For years good people have suffered and I've had enough! The Sekihotai fight for a better future. I will fight for justice with them so the children of the future will be able to truly smile and lead happy lives!"

"Now that's what I like to hear!" came a familiar voice from just outside. They turned to look at Sanosuke as he approached leisurely with his palms resting on the back of his head. A long blade of grass was hanging from between his teeth, and grinned at Takeshi with an excited glint in his eyes. "And I thought everyone else was excited to get out of here, but they're limp noodles compared to you," he said, forgetting Kaoru's feelings on the subject.

Takeshi smiled widely at his comrade but it did not reach his eyes. "It is time, then?"

"Just about everyone is ready to go. We'll be leaving within the hour."

"Excellent. Can you give me a few minutes with my sister, please? I'll be right there."

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't get all sappy," Sanosuke chuckled as he turned around and walked toward the gate of the Kamiya residence.

When Takeshi turned back to Kaoru, he realized that she was completely rigid. He smiled softly at her and walked around the table to grab her hand. "Come with me. I have something to show you." He tugged her hand gently and led the girl outside and around the building. They came to a stop a small distance away from the blossoming sakura tree that hovered over the small koi pond at the edge of the yard. Takeshi looked up at the deep blue sky intently for a moment.

Kaoru stared at her brother, memorizing every feature from his perfect high ponytail to his excellent posture to his bold nose. She memorized every crease and the exact color of his uniform and ran her eyes along her family's most prized possession- the sword that had been passed down for generations and carried the very essence of the Kamiya Kashhin-Ryū. The steel made it easy to attack wicked men to the point of rendering them immobile, but the entirely blunt blade ensured that it would never take a life. The sheath was made of dark wood on which there were characters for bravery, justice, protection, and love. It was the only steel sword her family ever used outside of training precisely because it was the only steel sword that had never killed.

Kaoru never doubted her brother's skill; he was a swordsman who moved with impeccable grace and with perfect, precise attacks. But despite this, he couldn't possibly have a chance of survival when he would be throwing himself into battles in which he would be outnumbered- especially by bloodthirsty men who would not hesitate to take his life. Tears welled up in the seventeen-year-old's eyes just as Takeshi turned to back to her.

"Please don't cry for me, Kaoru. Never mourn for me because I will be saving dozens of lives. Is that any reason to be sad?" He paused to wipe a stray tear from her pale cheek. "Now look," he pointed his index finger to the sky. "Do you see the Sode Boshi?"

Kaoru nodded once she had identified the stars.

"Good. Do you see that very bright star above her head? It's right there."

"I see it."

"A long time ago, when you were so young that you still couldn't keep your eyes open after sunset, mother showed me that star and told me that if she was ever away from us to look at that star and think of her. She promised that as long as that star still shines brightly, she will be here to heal our aching souls."

This brought a fresh set of tears to Kaoru's pained, blue eyes.

Takeshi turned to face Kaoru. "If you're ever distressed, I want you to look at that star and remember that no matter the distance, I am always with you."

"For someone who was just trying to convince me that you will come home, you're making it sound a lot like you won't," Kaoru finally choked, and she gave up on holding back her tears. She clung onto her brother's torso tightly and started sobbing.

He squeezed her in return and the two stood in the emotional embrace for a few moments.

Sanosuke cleared his throat loudly from the other side of the residence, signifying his impatience. Kaoru and Takeshi broke apart and smiled brokenly at one another.

With quick movements, Kaoru pulled out a small kanji charm that her mother had given her when she was a child. The charm, not unlike the sword, had been passed down for generations and was already delicate from years handling. The silver metalwork was gracefully spun to form the symbol for 'eternity', and Kaoru ran her fingers across its smooth surface, smiling at the small sense of comfort it gave her.

Kaoru was not materialistic by any means. Only her bokken and this charm had any significance to her, but while anyone could see the practicality in toting a bokken around, no one ever saw the charm, let alone had any idea why it could have been so deeply cherished.

A long time ago, when her mother was still alive, Kaoru had been told the story of the eternity charm that her mother had tenderly laid in her eager hands. Her mother had explained that ever since its creation, not one Kamiya had fallen in love without the tiny charm being passed from a man to his future wife. With wide, enthralled eyes, Kaoru had looked up at her smiling mother and asked her if was really true.

"Yes, my dearest," her mother had told her, earnestly. "When a man gives you this charm, he will fall in love with you, and you with him. Together, you will both be happy for the rest of your lives, and in the afterlife, as well."

Kaoru had never forgotten that moment, and it was one of her favorite memories with her mother. The young woman had been carrying the charm tenderly for the previous six years, but she knew it was time for the charm to meet a new owner. She pressed the character into her brother's hand and closed his fingers around it before he could protest.

"Kaoru," he said in confusion. "I'm going to war- not to meet a woman."

"You never know who you will meet along the way," she corrected, always being a firm believer in fate. "Besides, you know how much this charm means to me, Takeshi. And you know it's impossible for either of us to fall in love until you give it to a woman and I receive it from a man. You better bring this back to me." Kaoru's words were forceful, despite her weak tone.

Takeshi nodded resolutely and patted his little sister's head affectionately. "I have to go now. Take care of yourself and the dojo. It better be spotless when I get back. And I expect a huge meal, as well," he joked lightly, trying to abate her tears. They turned and walked side by side to the gate of the Kamiya residence.

"It's about time!" Sanosuke groaned anxiously. "Come on- I thought you wanted to kick some butt!"

"More than ever, good friend," Takashi replied eagerly. The two best friends both grinned and walked outside, Kaoru following dejectedly a few paces behind. Takeshi turned to Kaoru one final time. "Remember- no tears for me, alright? The world isn't as bright without your smile."

"Hey! I thought I told you not to get all sappy!" Sanosuke said loudly. He turned to Kaoru with a lopsided grin. "Don't worry about him, alright? I'll make sure he stays out of trouble," he said with a wink. "You should be happy, Missy. Maybe some men around here will be brave enough to start making moves on you now that they won't have to fear the terrible wrath of your overprotective brother for a while."

This comment earned him a sharp whack on the back of his head and death glare from the short woman.

Sanosuke laughed good-naturedly as Takeshi frowned. "I suppose I'll have quite a few battles to fight even after I get back…" he mused.

The two soldiers turned and started walking down the narrow street to meet with the rest of the Sekihotai and then begin their quest for peace.

"Takeshi!" Kaoru yelled once she found her voice.

The men were nearly out of earshot but her brother turned around. "I want that charm back, do you hear me?!"

He merely waved in response and despite the distance, Kaoru could still see his huge grin.

"Hurry back, big brother," she whispered to herself.

Fires had been burning for hours, leaving Kyoto in a state of hopeless chaos. Sweltering heat made men pant desperately for fresh air, but they only succeeded in inhaling the thick smoke that billowed around them. They wiped their foreheads in vain, trying to keep the never-ending beats of sweat from dripping into their eyes. Nearly blinded from the vast plumes of black smoke, it became increasingly more difficult to brace themselves for the next attack that could strike from any direction, but they pressed on and tried to ignore the pain that streaked through their lungs.

The Sekihotai had separated and were ordered to purge the streets of all evil and corruption. Takeshi darted nimbly through the streets, searching for more men wearing the enemy's colors. Though he had stayed with his group for the majority of the time, he had finally run off on his own. He figured it would be easier to cover more ground this way and end the battle sooner.

A woman's pained scream rippled through the thick air, followed by the raucous shouting of men. Takeshi ran toward the new targets without hesitation.

As he rounded the corner, his eyes narrowed. Six men crowded around a tall, yet pathetically frail woman, laughing hysterically. "Two!" They chanted in unison as they heard a sickening crack and a pained scream.

"Leave the woman alone!" Takeshi shouted fiercely, causing the men to look up in shock. They took in his exhausted expression, slightly slumped shoulders, and his heaving chest.

They laughed harder. "Don't you think you're a bit outnumbered?" One of them goaded as they turned to face him.

"Let her go," Takeshi spat.

"What a fool!"

"He thinks he has a chance!"

"Let's kill him slowly."

Five of them approached him menacingly while the last one grasped the woman harshly.

Takeshi cried out in rage and rushed at the oncoming men, efficiently breaking two men's arms and another's leg in only a few swings. The three of them crumpled to the ground writhing in agony behind him, their screams echoing through the street. Without giving the others time a chance to grasp what had just happened, Takeshi had rendered them helpless as well. He stood up slowly and glared at the final man who now had the woman's already maimed hand between his filthy hands.

"We've already broken two of her fingers. Come any closer and I'll break more."

"What a coward you are to hide behind such threats against an innocent woman! Step forward and fight me like the warrior you're supposed to be!"

"Three!" the man shouted back as he easily snapped another delicate finger. The woman let out another anguished scream.

With another battle cry, Takeshi rushed forward with his sword raised. He didn't see the man's dagger until it was too late. It flew at him so quickly that there was no time to even consider dodging it.

The sharpest point made a sickening sound as it pierced the flesh of his abdomen. Though pain seared through him and his eyes flashed in agony, his expression remained neutral. Out of either pride or honor, Takeshi was determined not to show weakness.

By the time Takeshi looked down, warm, sticky blood was already oozing out of the fresh wound, leaving him feeling dizzy and slightly sick. Calmly, he reached down and pulled the blade out quickly, and without so much as a flinch. More of the red liquid squirted out, leaving the ground around him permanently stained. Takeshi looked back up to the sick beast that found pleasure in torturing the innocent. This was a battle, for kami's sake, and he was hiding out here and abandoning their true purpose. It was disgusting, and as Takeshi dropped the blade to the ground, he lowered himself into an attack stance.

The man's smirk died on his face and a look of terror reigned on his features. "You're not human!" he shrieked.

"We're all human. The difference is that when I have someone to protect, nothing stands in my way," he said acidly and ran at the man, who only had time to shove the woman away and try to deflect the downward slice. A scream tore through him as he felt his right arm tear away from his shoulder, splashing them all in crimson blood.

The stupefied man looked at the bloody stump in disbelief, not quite registering what had happened. After a few bleary seconds, he fell to the ground unconscious.

Takeshi forced himself not to hack away any other limbs, if only for the poor woman's sake. She'd already seen enough. "Can you walk?" he asked gently, trying to help her to her feet.

"Please, sit down!" she finally cried, shaken from her stupor. "Your wound must be tended to immediately." The woman was already lamely trying to tear at the hem of her sleeve to use as a temporary bandage. The middle, ring, and pinky fingers on her left hand were bent in nauseating angles and the pain she felt as she fought to obtain a makeshift bandage wrenched at her gut, making her nearly vomit.

Takeshi grasped her right hand lightly, making her teary eyes look up at him. "I need to get you out of here. I've had worse wounds than this in the past so don't worry. Can you stand?" he asked again.

She tried to climb to her feet but whimpered in pain as she rested her weight on a sickly twisted ankle.

A burning hatred struck at Takeshi's heart and he tried not to think of all the other innocent people that were being tortured at that very moment. He wished he could be in a hundred places at once, helping all of them. "I will carry you to the river. You should be safe there for right now."

"No! Stop," she sobbed as he reached for her. "I'll walk. You can't lose any more blood." She bit her lip hard in hopes that the pain there would distract her from her left hand and her ankle as she hobbled forward as quickly as she could force herself.

Takeshi opened his mouth to object but quieted once he caught the look of pure determination that burned in her eyes. It nearly mirrored his own selfless resolve. Such a strong quality was rare and should never be belittled.

They walked at a moderate pace, Takeshi strongly admiring her tenacity all the while. Even as she pressed herself beyond her limits to walk, she kept tearing at the hem of her sleeve, ignoring her broken fingers.

She was so focused on making her useless fingers work that she didn't see a dip in the ground. Her shoe caught in the uneven path and the sudden jerk had her flying forward. Takeshi caught her just before she hit the ground.

He scooped her gently in his arms despite her protests and held her away from his chest so as to not get blood on her kimono.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered in agony. "I'm fine. I can walk. I'll pay more attention."

Takeshi smiled grimly. "Never lose that determination," he said and began to jog with her in his arms.

She bristled but remained quiet as she grabbed her hem for the third time and finally ripped all the way through. Without hesitation, she reached to Takeshi and wrapped it around his body, tying it tightly over his wound.

"Thank you," he said, a tinge of pain seeping into his voice accidentally.

"Hold me closer to you," the woman demanded.

"What? Why?"

"I need to apply pressure so the bleeding will slow."

Takeshi hesitantly relented and forced himself not to gasp in pain as she firmly placed her hands on the wound. He urged his eyes upward just in time to see eight men speed down the street perpendicular to him.

"Don't tell me that all of you are afraid to take me!" a familiar voice shouted.

Takeshi came up to the intersection of the streets and looked in the direction the men had come from, only to see Sanosuke about to fly by after them. When he saw Takeshi he skidded to a stop.

The spiky-haired fighter wasn't sweating nearly as profusely as Takeshi but he was covered in nearly twice as much blood, though none of it was his own. They took in each other's grimy appearance and broke out into grins.

"You look like hell," the taller man laughed.

"At least I don't have blood splattered all over my face," Takeshi teased. "Shouldn't you be going after them?" he nodded his head in the direction of the men who had been fleeing Sanosuke.

"Nah- the third unit is down that street anyway. I'm sure those thugs are already dead by now. Where are you taking her?" Sanosuke questioned, indicating the woman who looked like she was forcing herself not to faint.

"It should be safer by the river. At least I can get her some water and the air should be somewhat more bearable."

"Water, huh? I could use some. We've been at this for hours. The smoke is killing my throat." In the second of silence before Takeshi could respond, they all heard something dripping. Sanosuke looked down at the small pool of blood between Takeshi's feet. "Is that from you?" he asked in rare, genuine concern.

Takeshi had forgotten that the woman in his arms was blocking the view of his abdomen, so Sanosuke hadn't been able to see the wound.

"It's nothing," Takeshi replied. "I'll wrap it up properly once I get her to safety." He started moving again but Sanosuke grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to a stop.

"What do you think you're doing? Let me carry her. You're in no shape this."

"Really, it's no big deal, Sano. Fighting is something I am in no shape for. Just help us get to the river in one piece, alright?"

Sanosuke would have argued further but he knew that Takeshi was right, as always. He grumbled loudly but nodded. "You lead the way- I can't find a damn thing in this city."

"You mean to tell me that the great Sanosuke is lost?" Takeshi laughed.

The taller man glared. "Just go. I've got your back."

They sped down two alleys, into a large commons area, and up three other streets, Sanosuke hacking down anyone who opposed them. The smoke was thinning out slowly and light breezes of fresh air wafted down a wider lane to their left. "It's this way!" Takeshi shouted excitedly. The thought of fresh, cold water sliding down his burning throat and being able to breathe properly encouraged him to run even faster.

But just as the river crept into sight, the two men were forced to a stop. Between them and their destination stood nearly thirty men wearing dark clothing covered with heavy armor. All of them grinned and cackled menacingly.

Sanosuke swore loudly.

Takeshi calmly placed the woman on the ground gently and propped her against a wall. Together, he and Sanosuke gripped their swords and stepped forward to face them.

Sanosuke glanced at Takeshi's slightly hunched form. The makeshift bandage was already soaked completely through with dark blood. "Damn it, Takeshi," Sano said quietly enough so only he could hear. "I can take care of this. Don't you dare let yourself get killed here. Just protect the girl."

Takeshi forced himself to smile at Sanosuke. "You have been the best of friends, Sano. Thank you for everything." And without giving Sanosuke a chance to grasp the words, Takeshi raised his sword and ran toward the mass of sword-wielding men.

Sanosuke watched, frozen, as Takeshi dove straight into the group. He had sliced the hands off three men before Sanosuke finally snapped out of his stupor. "You idiot!" Sanosuke screamed in both rage and alarm. He leaped at the laughing men and hacked down two in one swing, desperately trying to catch up to his comrade. "Come back here!"

The young woman sat in the alley, horrorstruck and unable to move. She felt guilty enough because Takeshi's wound was her fault… but to add to it, two men were going to die to protect her, a cripple now, who from that point on could not even make a significant contribution to society. How could she ever live with the shame?

Sanosuke blew through three other men and looked up to search for Takeshi in the mass of bodies. Their eyes met and time seemed to crawl to a stop as Takeshi's determined expression flitted to one of agony. Sanosuke tore his eyes away and saw that in the second of distraction, one of the men had stabbed Takeshi in the stomach, just below his already profusely bleeding wound.

"TAKESHI!" Sanosuke's terrifyingly enraged scream pierced the air and even made a few men who were about to swing at him pause. Sanosuke gripped his sword until his knuckles were white and kept screaming as he killed everyone who dared stand in his way.

He had made a promise to Kaoru to keep her brother safe and he was going to keep it, damn it! In his determination, Sanosuke got so close that he was only five meters away from his friend.

And without warning, the two sweaty men who were getting ready to strike Takeshi again dropped dead. Takeshi, who was in mid-swing, was so stunned that he nearly dropped his sword. He tightened his fingers quickly and panted heavily, relieved for a three second reprieve, though he had no idea what had caused it. He had lost so much blood already that he swayed for a moment, trying to regain his balance. He blearily tried to focus on the enemies in front of him, but because he was so light-headed and in such excruciating pain, it was nearly impossible. All he saw were shadows woven between the smoke, and none of it wanted to stay still long enough for his eyes to focus.

There was no mistaking the laughter, however, as more men closed around him, all of them raising their swords. Takeshi's head swam in confusion and his befuddled mind could no longer hold onto anything.

Sanosuke struck down another man and looked for Takeshi again. The glazed look in the man's eyes and the way he swayed about, barely capable of standing, made Sanosuke's heart jumped into his throat, and it thumped there sickeningly. "Don't you dare give in, do you hear me!?" Sanosuke shouted. "Takeshi!"

Still sitting along the wall, all the woman could do was hold her breath and watch as her savior and his friend darted around in the mass of enemies. Though it never looked like they had much hope, it finally seemed like their lives were seconds from ending. Even the screams grew louder, and she knew some final blow was about to sink into flesh. For a heartbeat, her eye caught the tip of a sword that gleamed above everyone's heads but just as it descended, a flash of blood appeared… spraying in the opposite direction it should have.

She focused on that spot, drained now from both the loss of blood and from the pain of her useless fingers. Suddenly, blood splattered in every direction much more rapidly than she had ever seen. Had they all committed seppuku in unison? The woman knew it was impossible, but within seconds, nearly all of the men had dropped like flies. Only one flash of scarlet seemed to move now, but the pain was finally too much to bear and her eyelids slid shut as she fell to the ground.

Sanosuke strained his eyes to search for the culprit. Were there gunmen?

No- he hadn't heard any shots or smelt gunpowder. The only hint he had was the flash of dark blue that would flit past each man an instant before he fell to the ground, lifeless. Their blood pooled together to form a sea of red, flowing all around him and coating his shoes.

Sanosuke scanned for any movement over the bodies, trying to assess the situation and figure out what was going on. Could he be sure that this invisible weapon was an ally of the Sekihotai? He forced himself to follow the impossible movements of the bluish blur and realized that there was a deep red flame that billowed closely behind it.

Sanosuke's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized that the blur was actually a person. 'It can't be… how can someone move that quickly?' But the longer he watched in awe, he couldn't deny it. The blue and red streak would dart from one man to the next and in an almost invisible flash of silver, they would stiffly fall.

He had never believed in gods but Sanosuke couldn't think of any other explanation. A human could never move half as swiftly.

The spiky-haired man finally forced himself to look back to Takeshi, who was also spellbound. Takeshi never saw the man next to him sit up and clutch onto a dagger.

"NEXT TO YOU, TAKESHI!" Sanosuke shouted.

Takeshi was so dazed that instead of heeding the warning, he looked over to Sanosuke. He whimpered in pain as the dagger sunk into his back and he fell to his knees.

"I'll kill you, you bastard!" Sanosuke screamed, but before he could even demand his feet to run, racing god appeared and struck down the offender in a gleaming, silver spark.

Four things happened at the same time:

There was a sinister cackle that came from right behind Sanosuke.

The blur stopped moving just long enough for Sanosuke to take in a blue haori, white hakama, fiery red hair, and fierce amber eyes that were slit into a glare that focused directly behind Sanosuke.

Takeshi coughed up a dangerous amount of blood and fell forward onto his hands.

And something blunt hit the back of Sanosuke's head, making his eyes lose focus of everything.

'Battousai. He must be the Battousai…' was his last thought before he fell into the inky abyss.

Before the final Bakufu even saw the legendary manslayer, he was already on the ground, staring sightlessly into the black sky.

Battousai closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, he crouched low, about to fly off into the night, but Takeshi's strangled voice made him hesitate.

"Please…" Takeshi choked. "Please do something for me. I beg you."

It may have been due to his weariness from hours of running about, or the stifling smoke that infested his lungs, or the fact that it was a dying man's final wish. Battousai refused to entertain the notion that the reason he walked back to the pitiful-looking man was because of some weakness in his heart. He was the sword of the Ishin Shishi. There was no room for weakness. Compassion would only destroy him.

He stood over the man's hunched form and waited in relative patience, secretly admiring how the man was even still alive with such mortal wounds. The man had fought valiantly enough and Battousai realized that the surge within his chest was born of respect for the dying man.

Takeshi coughed again as he reached into his pocket with trembling hands. "I will… be eternally in y-your debt i-if you take this and… gi-" But Takeshi was too weak to even finish his plea. "Kao-" he breathed out and collapsed onto the street.

Battousai found himself actually considering the request. He stood there for a long moment before reaching down to pry the object out of the man's hands.

The silver chain that gleamed in Battousai's fingers was almost surprising, in the sense that it was the only thing around that was barely touched with blood. The chain and the charm hanging from it mesmerized him momentarily, and he wondered why a simple kanji symbol could have ever been significant enough to be a man's last request. What had the man been trying to say?

"Eternity," Battousai whispered, his fingers running over the character with surprising grace. 'What a useless charm…' But even as he thought this, he placed it in a pocket within his gi.

Battousai looked over to the two lonely survivors and concluded that because the spiky-haired man had risked his life to protect the woman, he would certainly take care of her when they regained consciousness. His mission had been completed- he had done more than his share in the assassinations of the Bakufu men that had resided in Kyoto, saved several civilians, and led many of them to safety.

Seeing no need to linger in a place so filled with the stench of death, Battousai flicked the blood off of his sword, sheathed it, and ran off toward the river and out of sight.