* 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 19- A Battle for Nee-san.

 Tsubame gave a small whimper as she could felt the cold steel of the knife press against her throat.
 " TSUBAME!" Yahiko grabbed his shinnai and in a fit of rage charged Enishi. "LET HER GO!"
 Enishi easily sidestepped Yahiko's advance and the boy crashed to the ground.
 " Yahiko-kun…" Tsubame's voice squeaked with terror, " Don't-- he'll kill you, like he killed Kaoru-san!"
 Yahiko stood up and looked over his shoulder at Enishi. " Let Tsubame go Enishi-- I'll fight you!" He held his shinnai in a ready stance. " I'll avenge Kaoru's death!"
 " Perhaps you weren't listening to me earlier…" Enishi pressed the flat of the knife closer to Tsubame's throat, she whimpered again. " I want the Battousai."
 " I'm here Enishi."
 The crowd parted to let Kenshin pass through.  His eyes were dark and narrowed.  That gaze sent a shiver down Sano's spine.
 " Ahh--- So what I heard was true…" Enishi chuckled and set Tsubame down harmlessly.
 " Yahiko-kun!" Tsubame turned and ran into Yahiko's arms. He instantly dropped his Shinnai to hug her tightly.
 " Is Tsubame-dono all right?" Kenshin asked Yahiko without shifting his eyes from Enishi.
 " Yeah." Yahiko answered for the girl, who was already sobbing into his Gi.
 " Take her out of here. Go somewhere safe.  Sano, get everyone out of here." Kenshin fingered his Sakaba.
 Sano threw up his arms and bellowed. " EVERYONE OUT! USE THE BACK DOOR--"
 Enishi and Kenshin stood face to face. Enishi grinned while Kenshin scowled.  The party dissipated around them until Sano, Megumi, Misao, Aoshi, and Kaoru remained.  Yahiko had taken Tsubame out as Kenshin had ordered.
 " What should we do." Misao whispered to Sano. " Should we stop them?"
 " No way-- Enishi's here for blood." Sano responded.
 " But-- Ken-san is still in no condition too--" She was promptly cut off by Aoshi.
 " --Battousai wants atonement for Kamiya Kaoru's death… I can plainly see it in his eyes."
 " No!" Kaoru protested.
 All turned to Kaoru surprised. Kaoru shook her head.
" No--" She repeated again, "That's NOT what Kenshin told me!"
 " You don't WANT him to avenge your death?!" Sano said incredulously.
 " I don't want him to get KILLED!"
 " You don't have much faith in Ken-san."
 " That's NOT it… It's just that-- that…" Kaoru bit her lip, she was sick of the fighting.  Nothing but death came from fighting.  Last time it was her own death-- who would it be this time? The group watched from a distance as Kenshin drew his sword.  Enishi still hadn't bothered to take his out of the bag slung over his shoulder.
 " Battousai, you amaze me." Enishi said slowly.  His maniacal grin was replaced by a malicious scowl.  " How is it-- that you are still alive? I destroyed your life… you must not have loved her if you were able to recover so quickly.  I must say I'm terribly disappointed in you."
 " Shut up Enishi." Kenshin warned.  " You have no idea how much I loved her."
 " But you see…" Enishi swung the sword from his shoulder and unwrapped it.  He held it up so the edge glinted in the sunlight. " … If you recover like that-- it means my Jinchuu isn't quite complete yet.  Let me see…" He ran his gaze over the watching group and pointed his sword at Megumi. " How about that one? The doctor? Would you be sad to see a sword stuck through her heart?"
 " KISAMA!" Sano bellowed, stepping in front of Megumi. " TOUCH HER AND I'LL BREAK YOUR FACE!"
 Enishi was unruffled by this.  He chuckled and then turned back to Kenshin, who's gaze was a little darker.
 " So… what do you say?" Enishi gave an innocent shrug. " Would TWO deaths do it for you?"
 " Enishi… You picked this fight, and I'll give it to you.  I will not allow you to hurt any more innocent people."
 " I think you're missing the point, Battousai." Enishi crouched low, his sword raised over his head pointing towards him in a deadly arc.
 
 Kaoru saw the dangerous gleam in Kenshin's eyes, the more Enishi taunted him, the angrier he was becoming.  A deadly calm had settled around them.  She stepped forward, calling out nervously to Kenshin.  Scared he would revert to the Hitokiri.
 " Kenshin…"
 He twitched slightly, sensing that she was right next to him. " Don't worry Kaoru, I'm fine, but I need to do this."
 Enishi paused his attack and relaxed, he threw his head back and laughed.
 " What's so funny!" Kenshin yelled at him.
 " Oh-- Oh of course! It makes sense now-- did you hear him too Nee-san? Yes-- that's what I thought…" Enishi eyed Kenshin. " He's talking to the Kamiya girl…"
 Kaoru gasped, Kenshin stiffened.
 " I see it's true… so she's with you is she? Just like nee-san is with me? Nee-san always pulled me through the difficult times with her smile.  Does your girl smile for you too Battousai? Is that how you survived the hard times? I wasn't expecting that… not at all--" He chuckled.  "Well-- we can't have that…"
 " Yeah-- So Kaoru-dono smiles for me…" Kenshin frowned.  " And yes, she's who pulled me through this."
Enishi glared at him. " As I said--"
" And you know what…" A mischievous glint was in Kenshin's eye now-- Kaoru wondered what he was up to.
" What?"
" Kaoru-dono hates you…"
 Enishi's blinked confused. Kenshin continued.
 " She hates you because YOU killed her."
 Enishi shook his head.  " The replacement for my sister HAD to die!"
 " She's talking to me now--- " Kenshin pressed on.  He pointed his sword straight at him, allowing the yellow light of the Battousai to illuminate his eyes. His voice rose in a fury.  " She wants HER JINCHUU!"
 " KENSHIN WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!" Kaoru cried.
 Kenshin ignored her; Enishi took a step back. " NO-- No… that's-- NO!!"
 " It's true-- you killed Kaoru-dono…" His eyes flickered the fires of insanity.  " I'll serve my own JINCHUU!"
 Enishi shook his head. " BASTARD! YOU'RE LYING! SHE'S NOT REALLY THERE!"
 The two flew towards each other in a flash; metal clashed and dust rose in a swirling cloud.  Kaoru collapsed to the ground, watching helplessly.
 " Kenshin was smart in that…" she could hear Sano's comment to the watching group.  " He got Enishi so rattled up-- just look!"
 The dust cleared, Enishi lay sprawled on the ground, a line of blood ran down from his forehead.  He got up slowly, using his sword as a crutch.
 " Nee-san… why aren't you helping me?" Enishi whimpered.  " That girl-- I HAD TO DO IT! I had to avenge you! NEE-SAN!"
 " So-- nee-san isn't smiling for you now? Is that it?" Kenshin's sleeve was ripped, with a little blood. " Maybe she agrees with Kaoru-dono."  The yellow light from his eyes had died back down to purple.
 " NO! NEE-SAN WANTED IT!" And Enishi charged him again.
 
 And the battle raged.  Enishi was getting driven into the ground by Kenshin's sword.  But his endurance made him rise blow after blow until his face was covered with blood.  Kenshin had a few cuts.  The worst being a blow from behind that left a dark trail of blood running down his back.
 " Kenshin!" Kaoru saw this and paled.  How long would this go on? Until one died? No-- Kenshin would not kill Enishi… but Enishi would not allow himself to lie in the dust.  If he was going to fall-- he was going to die when he did it…that meant--
 " I have to stop this… but-- I  CAN'T… How can I make them stop?" Then she remembered what Enishi had said.
 
 " Nee-san wanted it…"

 " Of COURSE! Tomoe-san!!!" Kaoru thought as she retreated from the fight. Then turned and called, " KENSHIN! HANG IN THERE!"
 She raised her wings and lifted into the air.  Black feathers left a trail as she ascended.
 Kenshin didn't bat an eyelash, he continued the battle.
 " HITEN MITSURUGU RYU-- DO RYU SEN!"
 " KYAAAA!!" Enishi smashed into a wall.  Debris flying everywhere.
 
****

 Kaoru clenched her fists, sweat formed on her brow as she flew up higher and higher.
 " I can do it--" She told herself.  " Just-- a little further." Her wings ached, her whole body ached, but if she stopped she would fall like a rock...  No-- She couldn't afford to stop.  " Tomoe-san will stop this! Once and for all!"

 Kaoru collapsed on the cloudy ground and instantly found herself sinking through.  She had to keep her wings moving to keep from going all the way through. There would be no rest until she made it back to earth.  She found Tomoe strumming lazily at a harp, sitting under a plum tree.
 " Tomoe-san!"
 " Kaoru-san, what happened to your wings?!" Tomoe put the harp aside and stood to greet her.  Kaoru grabbed her arm.
 " No time to talk--- you have to come with me!"
 " W-Where?" Tomoe allowed Kaoru to pull her out from under the shade of the tree.
 " To Earth! Kenshin is fighting Enishi-- you're brother who killed me!  You have to help me! You HAVE to stop them!"
 " Nani? What? I don't understand…slow down there---" She laughed.  " Help you? How can I do that?"
 Kaoru bit her lip… this was not going to be as easy as she'd hoped, Tomoe didn't remember her brother.
 " Tomoe-san," she took a deep breath.  " Your brother really loved you, and when Kenshin killed you he went insane and as his revenge he killed me-- and he thinks that you're always with him and that YOU wanted him to kill me-- you have to convince him that what he's doing is WRONG!"
 " Woah-- slow down Kaoru-san… He thinks I told him to KILL you? I've been up here!"
 " I KNOW! He's crazy! And he needs professional help!"  Kaoru continued to pull her upwards, her wings straining. " Please-- come with me."
 " I would-- but I'm not allowed to go to earth, Only Guardian Angels can do that.  I can only watch what's going on-- I can't interfere."
 But-- you CAN on my authority! I'm a Guardian Angel!"
 " No-- I can't Kaoru-san. I don't want you to get into trouble-- that only way I could go would be under the authority of an incarnation, and they'd have to clear it with God or the Archangel first."
 Kaoru's wings cramped and froze… She crashed to the ground.  Tomoe looked down at her in shock.
 " Kaoru-san! What's happened to you!"
 " Please…" Kaoru's tears came unbidden.  She slowly began to sink down towards earth.  " I love Kenshin… I don't want him to die-- and I don't want him to kill… I just want peace for him. Please… "
" Kaoru-san… I… " Tomoe grabbed her arms and pulled her up again, keeping her from sinking.  " I…"
Kaoru looked up at Tomoe through her tears.  Tomoe was suddenly awash with guilt.
" In life you started this…" Kaoru whispered to her.  " In death-- I want you to finish this."

****

 Kaoru had been gone only about 20 minutes. But it was more than enough time to make the two men barely standing, blood ran down their faces and they leaned on their swords, both breathing heavily.  Kenshin was no not much better off than Enishi.
 " Enishi--" Kenshin managed to stand without the aid of his sword.  " I was content to let you live your life thinking that you'd destroyed me… I wasn't going to hunt you down… you've taken the most precious thing in the world from me… why can't you be satisfied?"
 " Battousai, I will not be satisfied until I've destroyed you completely-- Nee-san won't be satisfied either."
 " Does Tomoe really agree with the tactics of destroying the lives of innocent people?"
 " NEVER MENTION MY SISTER'S NAME!!!" Enishi charged in a rage, Kenshin lunged too meet the charge but both crashed into what felt like an invisible wall before they could connect.  Stunned, both fell to the ground, wondering what had just happened.  Kenshin gasped to see Kaoru appear in a radiant ring of light.  She floated a few feet above the ground, facing Enishi.  He knew Enishi saw her.  The spiky haired swordsman froze in horror at the familiar face.
 " Y-You…" He managed to stutter.
 Kaoru gazed down at him. " Stop this, both of you will end this dispute right now."
 " Kaoru-dono… please step aside." Kenshin said as he attempted to rise again.
 Enishi said nothing; he only looked at her open mouthed. Suddenly, the image of his sister which he always carried in his mind was no where to be found.  He looked around frantically for her.
 " Nee-san? NEE-SAN WHERE ARE YOU?!"
 " She was never there." Kaoru said softly.  Enishi looked up at her again in amazement.
 " No-- Nee-san ALWAYS smiled for me-- she was ALWAYS there…"
 " Kaoru-dono… what are you doing?" Kenshin asked, he leaned on his sword heavily. Kaoru looked back at him and smiled reassuringly.  Then she turned back to Enishi and raised her hands in prayer, her eyes closed. " I have something I would like to show you."
 The air in front of her seemed to shimmer and move; As if it was water that rippled when touched by the wind.  A brilliant halo of light emerged and Tomoe's image could be distinguished.
 " NEE-SAN!?" Enishi gasped.  Tomoe's face hadn't changed at all since her death--- She looked at him with that familiar calmness and composure, Enishi's joy turned to disbelief because she was not smiling at him.  She looked at him blankly. Not sad, but not happy either.
 " Tomoe?" Kenshin's reaction was also similar.  Kaoru floated to the side and the glowing halo expanded and she floated out of it.  Her ghost was in full view to both of them, and she was surrounded by so much light they had to shield their eyes.  Tomoe turned her eyes onto Kenshin, and inclined her head.
 " Greetings, Anata…"