**Pechan disclaims the Rurouni Kenshin franchise.
~ the Fall ~
Hajime Saito stopped to catch his breath. He couldn't remember the last time he ever felt winded like this. He never had to catch his breath. Although, with the two gashes in his legs, the cross carved into his chest, and the burnt flesh on his left shoulder left him feeling juts a sting of pain. And it was wearing him down too much for his taste.
He leaned against a wooden wall, and smelled too much smoke. All the petroleum in this factory was catching fire. What caused it to erupt this way? Probably that crazy fool at Shishio's side was trying to kill them all at once.
He smirked, not that that would happen. He broke open the door, allowing them ample time to escape. Of course, unless that idiot Sagara tried to help him in some moronic way, they could be trapped in here with him.
Saito felt the ground beneath him shake, and he clenched his teeth. The sting was getting worse with every step.
He sprang, just as the ground beneath him erupted. Fire and burning chunks of wood and petroleum sprayed, and Saito tucked and rolled for a landing. His performance was getting cut by half by his wounds. He slowly got on all fours, trying to stand. But as he did, he noticed a great deal of blood- his blood- pooling underneath him. He frowned and forced himself anyways. His shoulder burned, and he gripped it, smearing his white gloves red with his own blood. He nearly forgot the smell of his own blood. It had been a long time since he was hurt this bad.
He groaned, and leaped again, down the catwalk. The two walls he was standing against collapsed, and set the area behind him aflame. The walls groaned, and more eruptions happened far off in the distance. But they were getting closer.
He had to get out of this building. He rapidly scanned his thoughts in his head, thinking of all the twists and turns this whole factory had. The place was a labyrinth, and that woman Yumi had taken detours and the like. It was hard to retrace your steps.
No, he couldn't retrace them, anyways. The bridge connecting to the mountain was destroyed-
An explosion erupted, and Saito had no choice but to run down the catwalk again. It shook with his steps, since half of it was blown away. He wouldn't be surprised if it crumbled underneath his feet any minute. He came to the corner, and stopped. He looked around the building, and found the other side was falling apart in a burning mass of scarlet and gold. He smirked, and crossed his arms.
'Just my luck,' he thought, 'I was the only one who knew the way out with an escape plan and everything, and I blow it on a moron, a loner, and a Battousai. I wouldn't be surprised if they got lost with that idiot's sense of direction, anyways.'
He pulled out a cigarette, and held it close to the flames that licked against the walls. After it was lit, he was away, and gripped the banister railings. He puffed for a minute, thinking.
No way right. No way left. Down was the obvious choice, but he was pretty sure even his body couldn't withstand the fall. Regardless of how badly injured he was.
"Yare yare........." he muttered, with nothing left to say really. He was a samurai, and all spent up their lives in some mission sooner or later. Besides, he didn't fear death.
His stomach growled. He smirked, thinking he should've eaten the ohagi his wife made.
He stopped smoking, and slowly smiled, thinking of his wife Tokio........
~~Flashback~~
"Tokio, I have to go now."
Tokio grabbed her husband's jacket, and pouted, "Awww, come on!! Just one, alright?"
"I have something very important to do, so I must get going."
Tokio frowned, and crossed his arms, "Too important for my cooking? What is it, the Day of Reckoning?"
He smiled, and pulled on his white gloves, "It's nothing, Tokio. I'll eat it when I come home."
'If I get home,' he thought, smirking.
But his wife sensed there was something at risk. She had good intuition, at times when it concerned his life. But concerning her life? Her intuition failed her own safety most of the time. Foolish girl.
"Goro, you've been kinda quiet. Is this another.............. another lone mission? Because if it is....."
"It's nothing, Tokio. As I said, don't worry-"
"I do too have to worry!! You're going away for a long time, aren't you?" she grabbed his arm here.
"How could you tell?"
"You're taking three boxes of cigarettes!! Either you suddenly are gonna die again, or you just got the munchies for them."
He frowned, "I wish you'd stop going through my things-"
"Tough sh!t, that's what being a husband and wife is about. See, the husband protects the wife, and she bosses him around. And sometimes they have sex when they're bored."
He slowly smiled, and laughed in his throat. She cracked a grin, "Well, what time can I expect you home by?"
He grabbed her shoulder, and pulled her close. He pushed her bangs out of the way, and kept his hand over her ear, and then kissed her with everything he had. He could feel her legs nearly fail her, as she tightened her fingers around his arms. When he finally pulled away, Tokio stammered, "..... o-oh, you're going away for a w-while, I see........"
He smirked. She knew when he showed his love to her, it might have been his last. Before, she would have made a big deal about it. But, he always came back. So she never worried anymore. She kissed his cheek, and said, "Well, wherever you're going, get me a souvenir!! Okay? And don't get you're clothes covered in blood!! You know how much I hate washing that stuff out......."
He opened the door, and nodded, "Good bye, Tokio."
"Good bye, Goro," she said, warmly.
~~
Saito flicked the ashes off his cigarette.
Tokio.........
Of course, he had promised to get her something on his way back. Well, she certainly would be mad, he wouldn't be able to bring back anything. More over, he wasn't going to come back himself.
He smirked, "Yare yare, now she'll be mad I didn't come back in time for dinner."
The ground rumbled again. He let out a stream of smoke, finding this whole death thing tedious. He had been waiting a good ten minutes, and the flames still haven't engulfed his body. It gave him time to think. Since these were going to be his last minutes, he sighed.
"She's probably waiting for me with her geta in hand, ready to beat me up. Since I'd be coming home late."
He watched as the catwalk in front of him peeled away from the building and groaned as it tipped over. The flames ate into the wood and clung to the metal, and the whole thing fell into the rock canyon beneath it. Glancing over the railing, Saito noted that it tore apart as it hit, with fire spattering in all directions.
If this was how long death felt, it was starting to annoy him.
He flicked away his cigarette, as it wore down to a burning nub. Why should he wait for death? It was obviously taking it's time with him. Perhaps this was a sign?
He smirked, and faced the canyon, "I've certainly helped bring many people to Death. Perhaps this is Death's way of paying me back."
Once again, his thoughts wandered back to Tokio. What was she doing now? Probably changing for bed. He'd usually come home late, and find her sleeping in their futon. He loved the way she slept. She always slept with one hand under her pillow, and her long raven hair swirled around her on the floor. He liked it when she wore it down. It seemed to butterfly from her head, as if someone had purposely, and artfully, placed her hair beneath her to make her pale face seeming to glow against her jet black hair. It had a blue shine to it, and her fair skin was tinged only slightly. Her lips would be parted, and forever a shade of red, from wearing lipstick too much. Her eyelashes would flutter in her sleep, as he knelt next to her. He did like coming home.
Just to see her emerald eyes open, and sparkle as she smiled as she found him next to her. She always rewarded him with a kiss, and usually wouldn't let go of him for the whole night, relieved to have her Goro back. Of course, she usually tried to whack his head for waking her up so late, but he always caught or blocked her fist, and pulled her in for another kiss. She could never resist one of those. When the mood struck him, neither could he.
He sighed, and closed his eyes. He wouldn't have minded to see her fast asleep one last time, clutching either one of his white gloves or his police cap for comfort........
He smiled at that scene.
~~ FlashBack ~~
He once came home, and found her sleeping with her hands clutching his hat so tightly in her hand, as it lay on her chest. It rose and fell as she breathed, and he had picked it up, and kissed her forehead. She widened her eyes, and jumped up, as he dodged her punch, "JERK!! I ALMOST THOUGHT YOU WERE SOME RAPIST!!"
".......... Of course, because they all flock to you when I'm gone, don't they?"
She pouted, "Dork!! I nearly got an ulcer from waiting on you for over a month!! Where were you?!!"
He unbuttoned his jacket, and removed it, "At work. Miss me?"
She pouted again, those lips forming a perfect and angry circle of red, "Hell no!! What gave you that idea?!"
"Ever since you used this as a teddy bear," he smirked, holding up his hat.
She blushed, and stammered, "I-It was cold, so I thought I'd get something to........ to........"
He laughed, "You're getting less creative in your excuses, Tokio."
She frowned, then pounced on him, giggling, "Well, maybe you should stick around longer than a week so I wouldn't' have to make them!!"
He lightly kissed her hand as it lay on his shoulder, and undid his belt, "Yare yare, it would be nice to hear my wife say she missed me after a long time."
She giggled again, and wrapped her arms around her husbands waist, her fingers slightly trailing down further south than usual, "Well, she never missed you. Why should she? You always come back!!"
~~
Another explosion interrupted his train of thought. Well, he made up his mind. He never gave up before, so why start now?
'Besides,' he smirked, 'My wife is expecting me for dinner.'
The railing rattled, as another explosion was going to burst out. He scanned the canyon again, and his eyes fell on a niche in the canyon, in front of him. He looked up, and the top of the cliff was a good ten feet. He frowned. If he managed to grab into the niche, he wasn't light weight enough to jump to the top. He never really trained himself for this kind of escape either. He gripped the rattling railing, and looked down below. Perhaps if he jumped out, and dragged his way to the bottom from the wall................
He shrugged, and sighed, "Either way, it's suicide."
But a thought if his wife again crossed his mind, her eyes trying to hide her hope for his return.
He closed his eyes, and whispered silently, "Tokio, my dinner had better be done by the time I get home."
He tensed his les, and gripped the rail. It trembled, and simultaneous explosions approached him. He could feel searing heat on his back, and he clenched his teeth. A flap of charred flesh on his shoulder had been bothering him ever since the fight with Shishio. He growled, reached up, and yanked it off. That shot a panged sting through his body, but that stupid flap irritated him more than anything. Of course, with it gone, it caused a new flow of blood, and he bit on his tongue to keep from fainting.
He tensed his legs again, causing the rends down there to widen, and he cursed himself for getting careless with Usui. Well, he was dead, no use to hold grudges now.
He held his breath, and stepped on the railing, he crouched, tipping forward, and sprung off the railing. The wind rushed passed his ears, and he threw his arms in front of him to tilt his body the way he wanted it too.
The rest kind of happened in slow motion. The explosion set off behind him, and it jolted his body from the shockwave it emitted in the air. He plummeted, gripping his back, as it was singed from the explosion. That caused his body to be sent closer to the rocky wall of the cliff. He was close enough to reach out, and skim his fingers on the granite surface, or to snap his arm off if he got to close. He squinted his eyes, trying to see as he free falled to the bottom. The rocky bottom seemed to get bigger with each second, as the ground rushed to meet the wolf and put him to his end.
He grit his teeth, and gripped his sword. He shouted, as if the very shout was a defiance to the world, proving that this wolf was not done just yet.
He performed a zero stance Gatotsu, thirty feet from the ground, and drove his blade into a crack in the cliff. He kept his fingers clenched but his arm slack, to reduce the shock from the jolt. But even so, his body swung crazily from the deeply embedded hilt, and he couldn't keep his grunt inside. Something cracked in his left shoulder, and he strained to keep his hand on the handle.
He lifted his legs, and grinded his heel into the side of the canyon, trying to keep steady. It was hard with one hand. His leg slipped under him, but he quickly scraped his heel against the cliff again, until it nearly formed it's own niche. He glanced over his shoulder, and saw a few rocks fall from where he stuck his sword into the wall, where he had pinned it. It sounded like forever before they hit the floor.
He reached up, and causing his muscles to squeeze the blood out of his wounds as they bunched up in his movement. It seemed every move he created was worsening his condition. He grabbed the hilt with his right sword, and gave his left arm a rest for a minute. He closed his eyes, and finally let out a weary sigh.
He had been in many life or death situations, but none required him to free fall into a canyon, and stick himself into the wall. He opened his eyes, and looked above. The blue sky was now shimmering under a cloud of brown and ashen smoke, marring the beautiful clouds and azure plain they sat in. The sun shone throughout the smoke, a bittersweet rust color. It looked as if the sun was bleeding, as crimson flames licked up around it.
'Hnh. At the time of death, I'm a pretty good poet,' he smirked, as he gripped the hilt with both hands again. The next was going to be tricky. He needed to get lower to ground, before he let himself drop. Say, he needed to be at least ten feet closer to be safe. Fifteen could be risky, but he could still pull through. He glanced down, catching sight of a tree sticking out of the side, a long trailing crack rose from it. It looked to be a good twenty feet of the ground. Twenty?
He smirked, "Let's see how much Death favors me today."
He leapt off the wall, tipping backwards, and flipped off the rocky side. He yanked his sword out with him, and he fell, his arms outstretched, and his legs above him. With his back to the wall, he craned his neck up, face it, and swung his body to drive his sword into a tree that formed a crack in the side of the canyon. He once again grunted in pain, as his body slammed against the wall, his landing a lot more messy than his last one. He shook his head, forcing away the white dots that danced in front of his eyes. He was feeling slightly dizzy, and glimpsed at the rocks h had smacked into. There was a large red splash on it.
He closed his eyes, and rubbed his head with his free hand. By bleeding at this rate, even if he did land safely, he'd bleed to death before he reached home.
Home......
Once again, through his bleeding daze, he thought of Tokio. He never really wanted to go home, content with drifting here and there with government jobs. But ever since he married the damn woman, he always had a slight inclination to just go home, have her hold him and rest. Some of him wanted to rest right now, forever. He had done his share for Japan, the government, and his wife. He had done so much and more, so why couldn't he rest?
But the wolf inside him paced restlessly, as it eagerly waited to pounce one whatever prey crossed his path. Saito took another glance at the ground down below.
Well, he was close enough to see a bush. He certainly didn't see it before from ten feet higher earlier. That should've been close enough. Saito grit his teeth again, placed one heel near the sunken blade, and pulled out. In order not to permanently break his left shoulder, he had no choice but to land on his right. Of course, that may end up breaking or paralyzing his right. How did the odds bet against him?
Hajime Saito closed his eyes, as he fell one last time..........
**I'll either add more or delete this, depending if enough people like it. Or if I'm bored enough.
~ the Fall ~
Hajime Saito stopped to catch his breath. He couldn't remember the last time he ever felt winded like this. He never had to catch his breath. Although, with the two gashes in his legs, the cross carved into his chest, and the burnt flesh on his left shoulder left him feeling juts a sting of pain. And it was wearing him down too much for his taste.
He leaned against a wooden wall, and smelled too much smoke. All the petroleum in this factory was catching fire. What caused it to erupt this way? Probably that crazy fool at Shishio's side was trying to kill them all at once.
He smirked, not that that would happen. He broke open the door, allowing them ample time to escape. Of course, unless that idiot Sagara tried to help him in some moronic way, they could be trapped in here with him.
Saito felt the ground beneath him shake, and he clenched his teeth. The sting was getting worse with every step.
He sprang, just as the ground beneath him erupted. Fire and burning chunks of wood and petroleum sprayed, and Saito tucked and rolled for a landing. His performance was getting cut by half by his wounds. He slowly got on all fours, trying to stand. But as he did, he noticed a great deal of blood- his blood- pooling underneath him. He frowned and forced himself anyways. His shoulder burned, and he gripped it, smearing his white gloves red with his own blood. He nearly forgot the smell of his own blood. It had been a long time since he was hurt this bad.
He groaned, and leaped again, down the catwalk. The two walls he was standing against collapsed, and set the area behind him aflame. The walls groaned, and more eruptions happened far off in the distance. But they were getting closer.
He had to get out of this building. He rapidly scanned his thoughts in his head, thinking of all the twists and turns this whole factory had. The place was a labyrinth, and that woman Yumi had taken detours and the like. It was hard to retrace your steps.
No, he couldn't retrace them, anyways. The bridge connecting to the mountain was destroyed-
An explosion erupted, and Saito had no choice but to run down the catwalk again. It shook with his steps, since half of it was blown away. He wouldn't be surprised if it crumbled underneath his feet any minute. He came to the corner, and stopped. He looked around the building, and found the other side was falling apart in a burning mass of scarlet and gold. He smirked, and crossed his arms.
'Just my luck,' he thought, 'I was the only one who knew the way out with an escape plan and everything, and I blow it on a moron, a loner, and a Battousai. I wouldn't be surprised if they got lost with that idiot's sense of direction, anyways.'
He pulled out a cigarette, and held it close to the flames that licked against the walls. After it was lit, he was away, and gripped the banister railings. He puffed for a minute, thinking.
No way right. No way left. Down was the obvious choice, but he was pretty sure even his body couldn't withstand the fall. Regardless of how badly injured he was.
"Yare yare........." he muttered, with nothing left to say really. He was a samurai, and all spent up their lives in some mission sooner or later. Besides, he didn't fear death.
His stomach growled. He smirked, thinking he should've eaten the ohagi his wife made.
He stopped smoking, and slowly smiled, thinking of his wife Tokio........
~~Flashback~~
"Tokio, I have to go now."
Tokio grabbed her husband's jacket, and pouted, "Awww, come on!! Just one, alright?"
"I have something very important to do, so I must get going."
Tokio frowned, and crossed his arms, "Too important for my cooking? What is it, the Day of Reckoning?"
He smiled, and pulled on his white gloves, "It's nothing, Tokio. I'll eat it when I come home."
'If I get home,' he thought, smirking.
But his wife sensed there was something at risk. She had good intuition, at times when it concerned his life. But concerning her life? Her intuition failed her own safety most of the time. Foolish girl.
"Goro, you've been kinda quiet. Is this another.............. another lone mission? Because if it is....."
"It's nothing, Tokio. As I said, don't worry-"
"I do too have to worry!! You're going away for a long time, aren't you?" she grabbed his arm here.
"How could you tell?"
"You're taking three boxes of cigarettes!! Either you suddenly are gonna die again, or you just got the munchies for them."
He frowned, "I wish you'd stop going through my things-"
"Tough sh!t, that's what being a husband and wife is about. See, the husband protects the wife, and she bosses him around. And sometimes they have sex when they're bored."
He slowly smiled, and laughed in his throat. She cracked a grin, "Well, what time can I expect you home by?"
He grabbed her shoulder, and pulled her close. He pushed her bangs out of the way, and kept his hand over her ear, and then kissed her with everything he had. He could feel her legs nearly fail her, as she tightened her fingers around his arms. When he finally pulled away, Tokio stammered, "..... o-oh, you're going away for a w-while, I see........"
He smirked. She knew when he showed his love to her, it might have been his last. Before, she would have made a big deal about it. But, he always came back. So she never worried anymore. She kissed his cheek, and said, "Well, wherever you're going, get me a souvenir!! Okay? And don't get you're clothes covered in blood!! You know how much I hate washing that stuff out......."
He opened the door, and nodded, "Good bye, Tokio."
"Good bye, Goro," she said, warmly.
~~
Saito flicked the ashes off his cigarette.
Tokio.........
Of course, he had promised to get her something on his way back. Well, she certainly would be mad, he wouldn't be able to bring back anything. More over, he wasn't going to come back himself.
He smirked, "Yare yare, now she'll be mad I didn't come back in time for dinner."
The ground rumbled again. He let out a stream of smoke, finding this whole death thing tedious. He had been waiting a good ten minutes, and the flames still haven't engulfed his body. It gave him time to think. Since these were going to be his last minutes, he sighed.
"She's probably waiting for me with her geta in hand, ready to beat me up. Since I'd be coming home late."
He watched as the catwalk in front of him peeled away from the building and groaned as it tipped over. The flames ate into the wood and clung to the metal, and the whole thing fell into the rock canyon beneath it. Glancing over the railing, Saito noted that it tore apart as it hit, with fire spattering in all directions.
If this was how long death felt, it was starting to annoy him.
He flicked away his cigarette, as it wore down to a burning nub. Why should he wait for death? It was obviously taking it's time with him. Perhaps this was a sign?
He smirked, and faced the canyon, "I've certainly helped bring many people to Death. Perhaps this is Death's way of paying me back."
Once again, his thoughts wandered back to Tokio. What was she doing now? Probably changing for bed. He'd usually come home late, and find her sleeping in their futon. He loved the way she slept. She always slept with one hand under her pillow, and her long raven hair swirled around her on the floor. He liked it when she wore it down. It seemed to butterfly from her head, as if someone had purposely, and artfully, placed her hair beneath her to make her pale face seeming to glow against her jet black hair. It had a blue shine to it, and her fair skin was tinged only slightly. Her lips would be parted, and forever a shade of red, from wearing lipstick too much. Her eyelashes would flutter in her sleep, as he knelt next to her. He did like coming home.
Just to see her emerald eyes open, and sparkle as she smiled as she found him next to her. She always rewarded him with a kiss, and usually wouldn't let go of him for the whole night, relieved to have her Goro back. Of course, she usually tried to whack his head for waking her up so late, but he always caught or blocked her fist, and pulled her in for another kiss. She could never resist one of those. When the mood struck him, neither could he.
He sighed, and closed his eyes. He wouldn't have minded to see her fast asleep one last time, clutching either one of his white gloves or his police cap for comfort........
He smiled at that scene.
~~ FlashBack ~~
He once came home, and found her sleeping with her hands clutching his hat so tightly in her hand, as it lay on her chest. It rose and fell as she breathed, and he had picked it up, and kissed her forehead. She widened her eyes, and jumped up, as he dodged her punch, "JERK!! I ALMOST THOUGHT YOU WERE SOME RAPIST!!"
".......... Of course, because they all flock to you when I'm gone, don't they?"
She pouted, "Dork!! I nearly got an ulcer from waiting on you for over a month!! Where were you?!!"
He unbuttoned his jacket, and removed it, "At work. Miss me?"
She pouted again, those lips forming a perfect and angry circle of red, "Hell no!! What gave you that idea?!"
"Ever since you used this as a teddy bear," he smirked, holding up his hat.
She blushed, and stammered, "I-It was cold, so I thought I'd get something to........ to........"
He laughed, "You're getting less creative in your excuses, Tokio."
She frowned, then pounced on him, giggling, "Well, maybe you should stick around longer than a week so I wouldn't' have to make them!!"
He lightly kissed her hand as it lay on his shoulder, and undid his belt, "Yare yare, it would be nice to hear my wife say she missed me after a long time."
She giggled again, and wrapped her arms around her husbands waist, her fingers slightly trailing down further south than usual, "Well, she never missed you. Why should she? You always come back!!"
~~
Another explosion interrupted his train of thought. Well, he made up his mind. He never gave up before, so why start now?
'Besides,' he smirked, 'My wife is expecting me for dinner.'
The railing rattled, as another explosion was going to burst out. He scanned the canyon again, and his eyes fell on a niche in the canyon, in front of him. He looked up, and the top of the cliff was a good ten feet. He frowned. If he managed to grab into the niche, he wasn't light weight enough to jump to the top. He never really trained himself for this kind of escape either. He gripped the rattling railing, and looked down below. Perhaps if he jumped out, and dragged his way to the bottom from the wall................
He shrugged, and sighed, "Either way, it's suicide."
But a thought if his wife again crossed his mind, her eyes trying to hide her hope for his return.
He closed his eyes, and whispered silently, "Tokio, my dinner had better be done by the time I get home."
He tensed his les, and gripped the rail. It trembled, and simultaneous explosions approached him. He could feel searing heat on his back, and he clenched his teeth. A flap of charred flesh on his shoulder had been bothering him ever since the fight with Shishio. He growled, reached up, and yanked it off. That shot a panged sting through his body, but that stupid flap irritated him more than anything. Of course, with it gone, it caused a new flow of blood, and he bit on his tongue to keep from fainting.
He tensed his legs again, causing the rends down there to widen, and he cursed himself for getting careless with Usui. Well, he was dead, no use to hold grudges now.
He held his breath, and stepped on the railing, he crouched, tipping forward, and sprung off the railing. The wind rushed passed his ears, and he threw his arms in front of him to tilt his body the way he wanted it too.
The rest kind of happened in slow motion. The explosion set off behind him, and it jolted his body from the shockwave it emitted in the air. He plummeted, gripping his back, as it was singed from the explosion. That caused his body to be sent closer to the rocky wall of the cliff. He was close enough to reach out, and skim his fingers on the granite surface, or to snap his arm off if he got to close. He squinted his eyes, trying to see as he free falled to the bottom. The rocky bottom seemed to get bigger with each second, as the ground rushed to meet the wolf and put him to his end.
He grit his teeth, and gripped his sword. He shouted, as if the very shout was a defiance to the world, proving that this wolf was not done just yet.
He performed a zero stance Gatotsu, thirty feet from the ground, and drove his blade into a crack in the cliff. He kept his fingers clenched but his arm slack, to reduce the shock from the jolt. But even so, his body swung crazily from the deeply embedded hilt, and he couldn't keep his grunt inside. Something cracked in his left shoulder, and he strained to keep his hand on the handle.
He lifted his legs, and grinded his heel into the side of the canyon, trying to keep steady. It was hard with one hand. His leg slipped under him, but he quickly scraped his heel against the cliff again, until it nearly formed it's own niche. He glanced over his shoulder, and saw a few rocks fall from where he stuck his sword into the wall, where he had pinned it. It sounded like forever before they hit the floor.
He reached up, and causing his muscles to squeeze the blood out of his wounds as they bunched up in his movement. It seemed every move he created was worsening his condition. He grabbed the hilt with his right sword, and gave his left arm a rest for a minute. He closed his eyes, and finally let out a weary sigh.
He had been in many life or death situations, but none required him to free fall into a canyon, and stick himself into the wall. He opened his eyes, and looked above. The blue sky was now shimmering under a cloud of brown and ashen smoke, marring the beautiful clouds and azure plain they sat in. The sun shone throughout the smoke, a bittersweet rust color. It looked as if the sun was bleeding, as crimson flames licked up around it.
'Hnh. At the time of death, I'm a pretty good poet,' he smirked, as he gripped the hilt with both hands again. The next was going to be tricky. He needed to get lower to ground, before he let himself drop. Say, he needed to be at least ten feet closer to be safe. Fifteen could be risky, but he could still pull through. He glanced down, catching sight of a tree sticking out of the side, a long trailing crack rose from it. It looked to be a good twenty feet of the ground. Twenty?
He smirked, "Let's see how much Death favors me today."
He leapt off the wall, tipping backwards, and flipped off the rocky side. He yanked his sword out with him, and he fell, his arms outstretched, and his legs above him. With his back to the wall, he craned his neck up, face it, and swung his body to drive his sword into a tree that formed a crack in the side of the canyon. He once again grunted in pain, as his body slammed against the wall, his landing a lot more messy than his last one. He shook his head, forcing away the white dots that danced in front of his eyes. He was feeling slightly dizzy, and glimpsed at the rocks h had smacked into. There was a large red splash on it.
He closed his eyes, and rubbed his head with his free hand. By bleeding at this rate, even if he did land safely, he'd bleed to death before he reached home.
Home......
Once again, through his bleeding daze, he thought of Tokio. He never really wanted to go home, content with drifting here and there with government jobs. But ever since he married the damn woman, he always had a slight inclination to just go home, have her hold him and rest. Some of him wanted to rest right now, forever. He had done his share for Japan, the government, and his wife. He had done so much and more, so why couldn't he rest?
But the wolf inside him paced restlessly, as it eagerly waited to pounce one whatever prey crossed his path. Saito took another glance at the ground down below.
Well, he was close enough to see a bush. He certainly didn't see it before from ten feet higher earlier. That should've been close enough. Saito grit his teeth again, placed one heel near the sunken blade, and pulled out. In order not to permanently break his left shoulder, he had no choice but to land on his right. Of course, that may end up breaking or paralyzing his right. How did the odds bet against him?
Hajime Saito closed his eyes, as he fell one last time..........
**I'll either add more or delete this, depending if enough people like it. Or if I'm bored enough.