* 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! 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.
 

CHAPTER 13 - Truth Revealed
 
 " Yes," He looked at her very seriously.  " I have been talking with Kaoru."
 Megumi was surprised at the sudden confession. " Ken-san… Kaoru-san is."
 " She's dead, I know.  But--" Kenshin bit his lip.  How could he tell her in a way that she would believe him?
 " But?"
 Kenshin was silent for a long moment. " Ok-- You know how I turned up on your doorstep, half dead after the fight with Enishi?"
 Megumi eyed him confused. " Yes?"
 " Well-- Kaoru came to me, as an angel… and she brought me to you to be treated."
 Megumi's face looked pained. " Go on…"
 " And, at first I didn't believe it myself, that there was this beautiful angel talking to me.  And it was Kaoru!  But then she spoke to me, and told me that everything was ok. And the past few months she's been with me, as my guardian angel.  No one can see her or hear her but me…" He looked up to her hopefully.  Megumi's expression was one of total shock.  Kaoru put her hand to her forehead.
 " Baka Kenshin-- she doesn't believe you at all!"
 " Well, how am I supposed to tell her to make her believe me?" He said out loud back at Kaoru.  Megumi's eyes widened even more and she turned her head in the direction Kenshin was looking.
 " K-Ken-san…"
 
 " Now you're making her even more concerned!" Kaoru said angrily.
 " It's not as easy as it looks!" Kenshin's voice heightened, revealing his anxiety.
 
 " Ken-san…" Megumi put a hand on his shoulder nervously.  " Please calm down…"

 " Kenshin! Forget what I said!" Kaoru nervously wrung her hands, " Just…tell her it was a lie then! I don't want you to be put in an institution!"
 " It's too late now Kaoru-dono… she already thinks I'm insane."

 " Ken-san, I never said that-- I…"
 
 " But that's what you're thinking, isn't it?" Kenshin looked at her.  Megumi couldn't hold his compassionate gaze and lowered her head.
 " I'm sorry, Ken-san…"
 " Megumi-dono, I can understand why you wouldn't believe me.  Until this happened, I wouldn't have believed it myself."
 " Ken-san…"
 " But-- even if you don't believe me." He gazed over at Kaoru lovingly.  " Even if I am really imaging all of this… then I'm content with being insane."
 Kaoru could feel her temperature rising. " Kenshin! Don't give up so fast, you IDIOT!" She stalked over to him and grabbed him by the front of his Gi.
 " Oro! Kaoru-dono… I--"
 " STOP the pathetic interlude! I don't want your friends treating you like you're insane!"
 " But-- Kaoru-dono. They won't believe me, no matter what I do!"
 
 Megumi rubbed her eyes.  How was Kenshin doing that? Trick with wires? It looked very well like some invisible force lifted him up by his Gi.  And now it was supposed to be Kaoru? She quickly stood up and ran towards the door.  Kenshin looked back at her.
 " Ahhh! Megumi-dono… It's ok! Don't be scared! It's only Kaoru!"
 Megumi threw open the door to the examination room.  Sano, Yahiko, and Misao all jumped up.
 " Well?" Misao ran up to her hopefully. " He's not really insane? Right?!"
 " I-- I don't know what to make of it… He was talking to her right in front of me… I was inclined to believe he was… but--" she looked back towards Kenshin, It really did look like someone was grabbing him by the front of his Gi.
 " What the?" Sano looked at him confused.
 " Is he using wire?" Yahiko wondered.
 " No! It's really Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin said with a sweatdrop.  Maybe Misao or Yahiko would believe him.
 " Grrr-- I'M not about to let them lock you up!" Kaoru said defiantly.  She saw their reactions to what she was doing and a sly idea came to her mind.  " Heh…"
Kenshin saw the look on her face and he felt a twinge of fright.  " K-Kaoru-dono… what's that look on your face for… ORO! Kaoru-dono… what are you--?!"
" If this is what it takes--" she wrapped her arms around him and beat her wings.  Lifting him completely off the ground.
 " AHH! Kaoru-dono… please don't do that!" Kenshin said exasperated.  Everyone looked up at the floating Rurouni in disbelief."
 " Oh my god…" Megumi took a step back and grabbed onto Sano's arm for support.
 " Himura?!" Misao looked at Yahiko who had a similar look of confusion.
 " Is-- it true? Is Kaoru really there?"
 " Is it a ghost!?" Sano said in shock.  He took a few steps back, remember his encounter with his boss the night he'd learned Futae no Kiwami."
 " Don’t be silly!" Megumi's voice cracked slightly, they could tell she was still worried, despite her words.  " Ghosts aren't real.  I'm sure-- he's using some sort of wire or something!"
 " Can a wire do that?" Misao pointed with a shaky finger.

 Kenshin was circling the room.
 " OroOOOOOOoooooooROOooooooo…. Kaoru-dono-- sessha is getting dizzy!!!"
 He whirled in the air, swooped down just above their heads, did somersaults and spins and flips.  Kaoru laughed.
 " This is actually kinda fun!"
 " Kaoru-dono… I think I'm going to be sick…"

 " What the fuck is going on!?!" Yahiko muttered.  " Is it REALLY Kaoru?!
 
 " Maybe a trick of the light…" Misao contemplated.
 " KENSHIN!" Sano yelled up at him.  " You'd BETTER be telling the truth or I'm gonna pound you to a bloody pulp as SOON as you get your ass back on the ground!"
 " Oro!! Sano-- it's true! I swear!" Kenshin looked up at Kaoru pleadingly.  "Kaoru-dono… please put me down!"

Kaoru stopped her circling and sighed heavily. " This isn't working… I wonder if I CAN show myself to them…" She noticed Kenshin looked a little green-faced.
 " Kaoru-dono… I'm going to throw up…" he muttered.  " The room is still going in circles…."
 " You're such a baby!" she scolded. " Wasn't that just a little fun? Come on, admit it!"
 " I'd rather take Shishio AND Enishi on at the same time…" he said under his breath.
 " Hmph! Wimp!" She swooped low and then dropped him a good 3 feet above the ground.
 " ORO!" Kenshin landed on the ground with a thud, then looked back up at her annoyed.  " What did sessha do to deserve this?"

 " Kenshin-- give it up! How did you do that?" Sano looked at him seriously.  " If you're pulling some huge joke, then this is NOT funny!"
 
 Kenshin met Sano's angry gaze and sighed.  " I can't prove it to you…you have to trust me."

 " Hold on a sec Kenshin!"  Kaoru sat next to him and pulled a thin book from the sleeve of her Kimono.  She opened it up and read the fine print under Rule Number 2. " Hmm… only under matters of extreme urgency may the guardian angel show themselves to the said family or close friends." She shut the book and tucked it back into her Kimono sleeve. " Well, I'd say this was an emergency, you're seconds away for being declared mentally insane, right?"
 
 " I think that's how it's going, yeah." Kenshin nodded.  Kaoru looked up and saw that the worried group of friends had nothing more than confused or angry looks on their faces.
 " Himura- as much as I want to believe you…" Misao said slowly.  " I- I can't believe that Kaoru is is… back from the dead.  It's totally ludicrous!"
 " She's right." Yahiko said.
 " Ken-san… I think it's best that you go someplace where it's nice a quiet, and peaceful…" Megumi took a step forward towards him.  " Where you won't have to fight anyone…"
 " All right… that's it…" Kaoru voice had a tinge of anger in it.  She stood up quickly.
 " Huh? Kaoru-dono? What are you--?" Kenshin looked up at her and saw that she began to glow brighter. She cupped her hands together and closed her eyes.  Kenshin looked at her confused until he heard a gasp escape Misao's lips.
 " Misao-dono?" Kenshin turned to see the girl fall to her knees.  She was staring intently at Kaoru, her mouth wide open.  " Misao-dono, can you see her?"
Wordlessly, Misao nodded.  Megumi was the next one to gasp; she fell back, suddenly weakened and Sano caught her.
" Oi! Megumi-- what's wrong?"
" Don't-- you see her?" Megumi couldn't tear her eyes away.  Sano squinted. " I still don't see her."
" I see her…" Yahiko muttered.  " Kaoru…" His heart suddenly tightened in his chest.  The woman that had been almost like a sister to him was slowly become visible in front of his eyes.  It was like she was coming back to life.
The image of Kaoru in a flowing white off the shoulder Kimono, with a light purple Obi and graceful white wings slowly materialized.  Everyone but Sano gasped as she lifted her head. Her face in full view, it was definitely Kaoru.
 " What's going on?! Oi! Megumi--" Sano stopped at a swift gesture from Megumi. He looked closely, squinted his eyes as hard as he could in the direction everyone else was looking.  But saw nothing.
 Kaoru slowly opened her eyes and looked up at each of them.  She smiled softly. Yahiko took a step forward.  He felt an incredible need to rush over to her.  To be held in her protective embrace.  But he stood firm, refusing to let his tears surface.
 " Kaoru- is it you?!"
 " Yahiko, Minna…" He voice was soft and sweet.  Sano gasped as her voice entered his mind.  Everyone else seemed to see her but him.  "Why?"
The scent of Jasmine filled the room.  Kaoru smiled warmly at all of them.  " Hai, it's me."