This is heavily based on a fanfic called "Hiko no Show" by Phantom
Crossing. I was greatly inspired by Phantom Crossing's work and had to
dabble myself. I thank the author. I also add the disclaimer that Hiko
does not belong to me and I am making no money off this.
~~~
Hiko Seijuro stood solemnly as the mist of the waterfall enveloped him. He noticed his clothes becoming damper and damper as he stood but after all, that was the reason he was here, to make his clothes damp. His mantle at least, his other clothes were innocent victims in the whole affair, but still he did not move. The water in the bucket before him had taken a crimson hue and the bubbles that wafted on the surface sparkled like transparent rubies in the noonday sun because of it.
Crimson.
Finally, he knelt down and touched one of the soap bubbles. It resisted his finger for but a moment before surrendering to him and falling apart to become one once again with the water. With a sigh he wiped his hand across his chest but paused feeling the scar that would forever linger there.
"You didn't kill me, Kenshin," he whispered to the bucket as if it were his former student, "You didn't need to to defeat me. To learn the succession technique. You didn't need to."
He blinked and suddenly the bucket was devoid of soap and water. All it contained now was the blood of his master and the image of his master's lifeless body at his feet. The drops of blood that had fallen from his unsteady sword echoed in his ears like the beating of a drum... His breath caught in his throat...
He gasped and blinked again...
The lifeless body was gone but not the...
Hiko snatched the mantle from the bucket, his eyes wide... his heart pounding.
"Maybe I didn't have to..." he whispered.
Water dripped off the mantle. For a second he just stared at the white and red cloth. Then his eyes dropped back down to the tipped over bucket... The crimson water flowing out on the stone ground, staining it just like when...
He took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. As he flicked the drenched mantle over his shoulder he let out a forced chuckle. "My stupid student, you almost had me there. You almost had me feeling guilty like how you're content in being..."
He left the bucket where it was; he would return for it later. He had to go hang up his mantle to dry and then he could have some sake. Sake would make everything better...
~~~
Hiko Seijuro stood solemnly as the mist of the waterfall enveloped him. He noticed his clothes becoming damper and damper as he stood but after all, that was the reason he was here, to make his clothes damp. His mantle at least, his other clothes were innocent victims in the whole affair, but still he did not move. The water in the bucket before him had taken a crimson hue and the bubbles that wafted on the surface sparkled like transparent rubies in the noonday sun because of it.
Crimson.
Finally, he knelt down and touched one of the soap bubbles. It resisted his finger for but a moment before surrendering to him and falling apart to become one once again with the water. With a sigh he wiped his hand across his chest but paused feeling the scar that would forever linger there.
"You didn't kill me, Kenshin," he whispered to the bucket as if it were his former student, "You didn't need to to defeat me. To learn the succession technique. You didn't need to."
He blinked and suddenly the bucket was devoid of soap and water. All it contained now was the blood of his master and the image of his master's lifeless body at his feet. The drops of blood that had fallen from his unsteady sword echoed in his ears like the beating of a drum... His breath caught in his throat...
He gasped and blinked again...
The lifeless body was gone but not the...
Hiko snatched the mantle from the bucket, his eyes wide... his heart pounding.
"Maybe I didn't have to..." he whispered.
Water dripped off the mantle. For a second he just stared at the white and red cloth. Then his eyes dropped back down to the tipped over bucket... The crimson water flowing out on the stone ground, staining it just like when...
He took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. As he flicked the drenched mantle over his shoulder he let out a forced chuckle. "My stupid student, you almost had me there. You almost had me feeling guilty like how you're content in being..."
He left the bucket where it was; he would return for it later. He had to go hang up his mantle to dry and then he could have some sake. Sake would make everything better...