* Disclaimer* All rights to the Rurouni Kenshin Characters are Watsuki-sama's, Jump Comics, etc.  All right to the character " Incarnations" Are property of Piers Anthony.  There are references made to his book " On a Pale Horse." But you do not need to have read the book to understand what is happening. =) This is only a little fanfic by a crazed Kenshin fan, I'm a poor college art student, and not even worth suing!  Enjoy!

Authors Note-
 Well, I came up with this fic when I still believed Kaoru was dead.  But I liked the idea of it so much that I decided to keep on writing it. (Even though it's been established that, yes… she IS alive)  Consider this a "what if this happened" fic.  Kind of like an alternative where Enishi does actually kill her.   I know, it sounds awful, but believe me; this ISN'T going to be depressing!( well, there WILL be some conflict) I'm determined to make it happy!   And to appease all those Kenshin and Kaoru fans out there…well… >=)
 

* A little pre-fanfic know-how about "On a Pale Horse."

The incarnations mentioned in this fic are taken from " On a Pale Horse."  In Piers Anthony's book, he takes these aspects of life and creates people for them-- much like we imagine there being a "Father Time," and a "Mother Nature."  Here, I will be making references to human incarnations of " Death," "Fate," "Time," and "Nature." ( so far-- I don't know what other ones I shall bring in from his book yet.)
 
  Oh-- Death also rides a horse, Mortus, which can also conveniently be a car (limo), boat, etc.  Whatever Death might need as a mode of transportation in the moment.
 

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CHAPTER 1- The Hands of Fate

 Death reclined in his easy chair at his mansion in purgatory.  He didn't have his black cloak on, and without it he looked like a normal, living human being.  He wasn't particularly handsome.  His teeth were crooked and he was a skinny pole of a man. About in his mid 30's with a few wrinkled worry lines on his pale visage.  He sipped a drink and flipped on the TV.

" Today's news.  Lucifer has stepped down to a new leader, one Makoto Shishio who's balked him time and again in various political speeches.  This Shishio which will be known as the Devil from now on claims to reform and glorify Hell.  His new slogan campaign "The Strong Survive and the Weak Perish," will be recorded in History as the means to Lucifer's defeat."

Death sighed and turned off the TV. "What is the Afterworld coming to?"
His Butler handed him a letter.
 " You're mail, sir…"
 " Ahh-- thank you."  Death opened the letter and read.

 " Dear Death, You suck-- why'd you have to take my daddy?  I hate you.
      Hilary"

 Death rolled his eyes.  " Another one?  I can't do anything right…"

 He took up a pen and some paper and responded…

 " Dear Hilary,
  I'm writing in response to your letter concerning the death of your father.  I'm very very sorry, I know it must have been a truly tragic experience for you and your family.  But sometimes people's Fates are chosen for them…"

 Death trailed off and stopped the letter, thinking hard.
 " Fate's are chosen for them… Fate--" He dropped the pen and picked up the phone, dialing a number quickly.
 
 Two rings… Three.
" Damn it, Fate-- pick up the phone!"
" Hello?" The voice of a practical woman answered. " Fate speaking."
" Fate! I'm glad you're there.  It's Death."
" Thanatos!  It's so NICE to hear from you! So what's up?"
 "  I need to speak to you, this is urgent."
 " I'll be right there Death.  Anything for you my boy."
 The phone clicked and Death hung up a moment later with a loud sigh.
 " She still treats me like a kid-- Jeez… I'm only a few millenniums younger…"

 A moment later the butler appeared.
 " Fate is here to see you sir."
 " Please send her in."
 " Yes sir."
 The butler vanished and a moment later a middle aged, plump lady walked in.  She was rather plain, wearing a Grey business suit and her mousy colored hair was tied back in a tight bun at the nape of her neck.  She gave Death a rosy cheeked smile.
 " Death! Tell me, what's so urgent?"
 The butler left and closed the door.  Death offered her a chair, which she accepted.
 " I need you to check your threads for me… the fate of Himura Kenshin…"
 " Oh my-- that one?  He's such a legend around here…" She drew up her hands and long thin threads formed in what looked like a game of cats cradle.  She judged it carefully.
 " He's got 15 hours left until he dies.  The poor guy is killing himself with neglect and abject depression."
 " Damn it-- I know that… But-- you can CHANGE that fate! Can't you?"
 Fate blinked twice in astonishment.  " Oh no-- I'm NOT getting myself tangled up in one of your schemes…"
 " Please Fate, I'm asking a favor-- remember the time I got you out of trouble with Nature?"
 " The matters between Nature and I have NOTHING to do with this!  Don't even THINK about blackmailing me Death-- "
 " You're my last hope-- It's your job right? You judge the fates of every human on earth!  Why can't you just cross a few threads of Himura Kenshin's Fate?"
 " The only person who can change his fate, is Himura Kenshin himself--" Fate shook her head, she suddenly changed into a young, slender, bouncy teenager.  She began to spin the threads on her fingers.  Her voice had changed higher and was carefree.
 " I only spin the threads of fate…"
She then turned to her former appearance, a middle-aged lady, and her voice back to its sensible sounding bravado.
"… And I may judge the threads of fate."
 Then she turned to an old crone; her voice scratched and dry.
" And I may cut the threads of fate… deciding when they should end…"
She turned back to the middle-aged lady again. " But I can't change them once they've been spun! I don't want to get fired…I like my job."
 " You don’t understand, Himura Kenshin will go to hell if he dies as you see in your threads."
 Fate stopped in mid sentence and gaped at him.  " Really?"
 " Yes-- he's in my jurisdiction, if he kills himself, the scale will be tipped, and he's going to Hell."
 Fate was quiet for a long time.  Finally said, " Ok ok-- What can I do?"
 " If you can't change his fate… is there any alternate realities?  Consider if he lived, what would happen?"
 She consulted her threads, moving a few and crossing some paths. " Well, There is only one way that he can live…"
 " Which is?"
 " If he gets Kamiya Kaoru back."
 " But-- she's dead.  She went to heaven yesterday."
 She switched a few more threads around and then shook her head.  " Well, That is the ONLY way he will live. Believe me… all other ways point to the inevitable."
Death ran a thin hand through his black hair in frustration.  " Damn it-- well… consider that Kamiya Kaoru WAS still alive and with him, what would happen?"
Fate consulted the threads.  " Considering that she comes back to him, alive and well, he will recover, punish Enishi to a fitful extent for what he did… and then live happily with her for the rest of his life.  He'll have 2.5 kids, a dog, and a dojo… and live to be… umm, " She turned to the crone, "… 60 years old."
 Death scowled. " But, Kamiya Kaoru is DEAD!  How can she-- " Then he trailed off… " Wait-- what if…"
 " Oh dear me… what's on your mind?  I don't like that sly look--"
 " She went to heaven yesterday didn't she? She's probably been weighed then, right?"
 Fate saw where he was going and put up her hands.
 " Don't look at me, I haven't checked the scale charts for the incoming souls in the past few days…"
 " But-- if she's over 90%…"
 " Well-- the girl was pure and innocent… it's possible."
 "THANKS FATE!" Death jumped up and gave the old woman a hug.  She turned into the bouncy young teenager and drew back from him aghast.
 " Death! You naughty boy-- you know Time will get jealous if he sees us together!"
 " Oh-- stop joking… I wouldn't get in between you and Time.  You know that.  But, I really do thank you for your help."
 She winked at him.
 " No prob! Please call again.  Good luck, Himura sure doesn't deserve Hell, that's for sure.  I hope you know what you're doing though. " Then she disappeared.
 Death grabbed his black cloak on the way out the door.  He put it on with the hood over his head and his image of a normal person instantly became that of a skeleton.
 
 Once outside a Golden Palamino galloped up to him from a distant field.  Death patted his mane.
 " Take me to the central computer at Purgatory Mortus."
 The horse tossed it's long white mane and Death mounted the saddle.  Then they were off and a moment later in the central chamber of the main computer.  Death had special access to the computer because it was where he weighed his souls.
 He walked up to the computer and typed in his password.  Then his inquiry.
 The computer took a moment to process, but the result sent a smile to his face underneath that bony mask.
 " Kamiya Kaoru, age 17, died September 8 (date chapter 207 was published in Japan), 1880.  Good  92%, Evil 8%.

 He turned from the computer and mounted Mortus again.
 " Take me to Heaven Mortus."