Author's Note: Well, taking a break from writing either of my chapter fics… and decided to finish my Kyuuzo one shot! Sorry it took so long… because I have little experience in writing war experiences and stuff like that- but don't worry! After watching History war movies, this should be a cinch! Well, it's not very graphic- I hope?
EDIT: FINALLY decided to post it up! For you people that are waiting for an update for 'A Samurai's Way', don't worry, I made you wait... and I'm going to make you wait a bit longer... because I haven't started on the next chapter, yet. I promise I'll post it before the holidays end, hopefully... meanwhile, enjoy?
My new legend (well, for this fic):
Stuff like this: a memory
Stuff like this: a thought
Stuff like this: emphasis on something
---------------: change of scene
Disclaimer: If I owned Samurai 7, would Kyuuzo have died? No. He wouldn't- and he would be the main character in the series… but now, I don't own anything of Samurai 7... Now leave me alone so I can cry…
It Made Me Feel Like I Was Alive...
By: Hyourinmaru
Kyuuzo One Shot
Pointing his blade at Katsushiro, Kyuuzo asked, "Do you want to die?"
Stuttering, Katsushiro replied, "I find you to be… an admirable person. That's all I wanted to say."
'An admirable person, he says. He does not know what it takes to become someone like me…'
The sun slowly sank down, the skies darkening- yet there seemed to have no cease in the activity below. Clang of metal against metal, men of opposite sides exchanging blow upon blow, fighting for what they believed is right. Often, blood is spilt, from gashes and wounds, dripping steadily to the ground, yet they never paused nor hesitated- until they were killed. Predominately, bodies were strewn around the battlefield, dying, or dead, some missing body parts. Crows flapped down on the bodies, pecking on flesh, cawing loudly in excitement.(1)
'People had to do what they did to survive- it was either to kill or to be killed. For me, to kill was to prove of my existence- that I am living in this world.'
At the heart of the battlefield, a young man appeared unharmed by what is happening around him. He stood in a stance, holding two katana in front of him, waiting for the people circling around him to attack him. His eyes narrowed, pupils darting around, trying to gauge his current predicament.
'The trill of battle, of bloodlust and killing- all that summed up what was felt in the war. It had the same effect on me. It had the same effect on everyone.'(2)
With a yell, a man ran forward, intending to cut the man in half. The younger man blocked the attack with one of his katana, cutting the man in half. The body seemed to still for a moment, before falling with a wet thud. The others came charging after, vengeance in their eyes. Within seconds, the younger man dispatched them, weaving around a deadly dance of death.(3) Then they came. They who had traded their bodies for more advanced, mechanical bodies; they who had carried guns with them, with technological improvements to quicken their movement; they who could destroy anything in their path without using much power. But he wasn't afraid of them. He wanted to shed more blood- he wanted to kill more. Kill.
'Then the war ended, and samurai were no longer needed.'
The young man wandered endlessly from city to city, a shadow flittering around, barely seeming to exist. He didn't seem to fit in any crowd, the katana strapped on his back differentiated from local merchants and civilians. He accidentally brushed his shoulder against a large, dim-witted man.
"Hey! Watch where you're going, punk," the brute of a man exclaimed loudly, stopping the younger male with his overly large hands on his shoulder. He turned his head around, glaring icily at the one that stopped him, brushing the hand off his shoulder. It left the brute stunned for the intensity of the glare, but the brute, obviously used to having his way, followed the 'punk', wanting to teach him some manners. Before he had punched the younger man, he was swiftly slashed by the man's katana, leaving behind a quivering, twitching mess behind.
"Be thankful I haven't killed you," the youth said apathetically, before walking away from the crowd forming around the injured man, whispers and gossip began emerging.
"Kyuuzo, you are assigned to be Ayamaro -sama's bodyguard. It was rather impressive swordsmanship you had back there- perhaps you can teach the guards some things," Tessai informed him.
The man seemed not to hear of his current status, and kept walking down the hall. 'To be reduced from a samurai to a bodyguard. Pathetic.'
'Protecting someone- no wars, no fights- no bloodshed. I could not tell if I was an empty shell- or living in one.'
Out of the entrance of the dwelling of the shikimoribito, beside a large cliff, Kyuuzo approached the body of Hyougo.
"Why did you do it?" Hyougo asked.
"…It made me feel like I was alive."
"Baka."(4)
'Which was what I told Hyougo- if I hadn't have joined Kambei, I would still be taking orders and be a mindless puppet.'
Coughing up blood, Kyuuzo said to Kanbei, "I be waiting… at the village…"
'Ironic, how someone who thought that I was an admirable person, had been the one who had killed me- unintentionally, yet, who'd known that a gun would've brought down a samurai like I. For one to have tried to find his own existence, to die by mere bullet wounds… how ironic…'
Author's Note: And somehow, it sort of sucked at the end… oh well, there you have it- my Kyuuzo one shot… I'll start Heihatchi's later- I know how to start it (yetnotrevealinganythinghere). Um, I'll try to change it later on, if I have time, but right now, it looks good. There's some thoughts about Kyuuzo, and the glory days when he was alive, till death! (then breaks down crying) wah! Kyuuzo! Why did it have to end this way!
(1) What happens when you watch too much History war movies… I swear, anyone that took History will lose their innocence- graphic images (not like that, pervs!)
(2) Of course, I have never been in a war before- so, technically, it might not just be everyone…
(3) Well, when I first saw how Kyuuzo fought, it seemed like he was dancing when he was fighting (like Kimimaru dude/ bones guy in Naruto).
(4) Words taken from the anime itself!
So… review! I would like how you guys are thinking about my first One Shot! I'll have to start on the next chapter of 'A Samurai's Way', so be patient!
Hyourinmaru