Chapter 2: The Blind Sword

Kenshin P.O.V.

I looked over to the sleeping figure that slept on edge on the mat next to mine. Akimoto slept as if he expected to be attacked at any moment. He had the blankets loosely wrapped around his body, making them easy to throw out of the way if he needed to get up quickly. His face looked calm but I recognized the small signs of tension and unease that I recognized from the men of the Revolution, the ones that feared that an assassin would kill them in their sleep. He shouldn't have ever had to sleep like this. He went blind as a young boy, his master should've been able to keep him safe from harm. How would he have learned this technique anyways? The one that even a slight disturbance could wake him and cause to be ready for a battle. I had used this technique myself during the revolution but I had abandoned it when I was sure that I had found a safe home with Miss Kaoru.

He was so young. He was only eighteen. What could've possibly made it necessary for him to learn this technique? Maybe it was the way he was blinded in his sleep by a rival bounty hunter of his master, if that was how he was blinded. Strange, we never asked about how he became blind.

My thoughts suddenly changed from the young man to the young girl I once knew, but was no more.

How had she become blind? Had she let her guard down one night and someone tried to kill but only succeeded in taking her sight? Highly unlikely due to extreme skill and power, but possible. Perhaps she blinded herself after all the horrors she had watched and committed at such a young age. That was a likely one. She had a kind heart that would remind her of these deeds until she died. There was also the possibility that the boy was lying and she had not been blind at the time of the battle that took her life. It would be hard to detect if the boy was lying. The eyes gave much away when it came to a human being lying. They could dart around in nervousness, they could twitch in certain ways, and emotions could be shown through them. His eyes were useless to him, but helpful at the same time. He could no longer see yes, by he could no longer express anything through them. In order to see if he was lying, I would have to look closely had his body behavior, and that could be hard if he has been trained to be able to lie without giving himself away.

I could not help but wonder how Ishimaru had died. Was it a sword through the heart? A dagger severing her spine? A blow to the head? What could have possibly killed her? She was strong, not only in body, but in mind and spirit as well. She was immensely powerful last we met, and her power could have only increased over these past years.

A silent rumble in my stomach reminded me that I could not lie and ponder the passing my friend. Breakfast had to be made and Yahiko would not eat the important meal if Miss Kaoru cooked it. I silently got up. The sound of me quietly brushing away the blankets caused the young man to twitch in his light slumber. I slowly and quietly started to make my way to the door, and I was nearly there when the floor beneath my feet betrayed me. An older floorboard underneath my foot let out a creak that was deafening in the silent room as my weight was distributed mainly to that foot.

The young man somehow managed to quickly get to his feet and stand in a defensive stance in my direction without the use of his eyes and with limited use from his left leg.

I knew that this young boy could not harm me, but my instincts disagreed. "It's okay Akimoto! It's just me, Kenshin." I spoke gently, but I swore I heard nervousness creep into my voice. It was as if Akimoto was Kaoru and something had her angry and I was trying to calm her down.

He froze, confusion quickly passing across his face so quickly I might've imagined it. "Akimoto?" He asked.

Could he have forgotten his name? If so, how? Miss Megumi had said that no damage had been done to his head. There only had been a few nicks on the back of his neck and head that were evidence that he cut his own hair.

"Your name is Akimoto. Don't you remember your name?" I questioned him with growing worry.

"Huh? Oh yes! Akimoto is my name." He laughed nervously while scratching the back of his head, his body once again standing at ease. "Sorry to worry you like that. I tend forget a few things after I've spent the night in a new environment. My senses and brain are trying to put together my surroundings and they try to kick a few things out in the process. I was always remember them at some point. I'm okay, honestly."

"Okay, if you insist. I'm going to make breakfast. Would you like me to assist you anywhere?" I asked, still unsure if he was really fine. I was also praying that he hadn't popped any stitches or Miss Megumi would be furious with me.

He blushed a little. "Well, I do have to go to the bathroom, and a bath would be nice. Could you help me get to those places? I can take care of my personal business and bathing on my own." I was about to object on the bathing part out of worry for his safety, but he interrupted me. "I am quite use to taking a bath on my own, and as long there is no one in the hall when I go in and out I will be fine."

"Why no one in the hall?"

"Because they could easily distract me from getting out safely, purposely or not. You yourself have noticed my ability to detect my surroundings, but if anything new is being introduced to them while I am concentrating on a few things in particular, like trying to get out of a water filled tub to a partly wet floor, it will take me by surprise and throw off my concentration and most likely result in me falling or getting hurt." He explained.

I in fact had noticed his ability to detect his surroundings. He had used it when he was feeling from those men, without the aid of his walking stick. I had been that something new introduced in his surroundings, taking him by surprise and causing him to crash into me. He was using the ability now. His unseeing eyes were able to follow my ever move with only his hearing to go off of. My kimono rustled and his eyes found the source of the noise, even though his eyes could not tell his brain what it was. I slowly brushed my hand against the doorway to test him, making a sound that only assassin would here, and his eyes followed my hand the entire time.

"Okay." I say. I start to walk towards the cane Miss Megumi provided for him while his leg healed, but he raised his hand to signal me to stop, then he limped to the corner of the room near his mat and retrieved it. I quickly folded and put away our mats before leading him to the bathroom. Then I started leading him to the bath.

"You can borrow one of my kimonos until we get you a new one." I offered as I lead him, not by hand, but by sound, to the bath.

"No," he replied firmly, "I only wear overly large kimonos for a reason, Kenshin. I will wear this one until I can get a new one."

"Well then, we better go shopping for some after breakfast." I suggested.

"I also have some things I need to retrieve from town. I stashed some personal belongings I brought with me under a place called the Akabeko, at least that was what the people who were going in and out of it called it." He explained.

"Will you tell me what killed Ishimaru? What wound finished her off in the end?" I asked, the sudden desire to know taking over me.

Akimoto chuckled. "Only if you tell me everything you can remember about her. I'll throw in the story of how I went blind."

"Fair enough. We'll exchange stories at breakfast so that everyone can hear, that we will. I have no doubt that Sanosuke will be there as well. He is a bit a of a freeloader." I finished as we arrived at the door. "We are here. It is the door right in front of you. I'm going to heat up the water. Let me know when it's at a temperature you like."

The bath had no incidents. He got in and out without trouble, and he even dressed himself faster than I thought he could on his own. I made a simple breakfast and by the time I was finished, everyone was outside waiting for the meal, even Sanosuke.

Everyone was waiting expectantly, and it wasn't just for the meal.

"So, the kid says that you're going to tell us more about this Ishimaru friend of yours." Sanosuke declares. "Spill."

"Yes, he is, but I'm spilling first since my stories are short and simple." Akimoto explained, his eyes on Sanosuke in what would've probably been a drop dead glare.

"Fine."

"As I told you, I went blind about six years ago. It was right after I had been placed under my master as an apprentice by my parents. I had just witnessed his first kill. It was the first time I had watched a life being taken by a weapon and not illness or old age. I was completely appalled by the sight. I knew my parents no longer wanted to deal with me, even though I was a prodigy with a sword, and I knew my master would not let me go willing due to my skill, or at least, that's what I thought. Later that night I took a small dagger from the various weapons my master always brought, and I carefully dragged it across my eyes so that I would not have to witness my master take another life. I thought I could still fight blind and that I could assist my master without seeing the blood drain from a body. I knew only a short time later that I had been wrong. My master had not been pleased with my deed, but he worried day and night over me as I recovered. When I recovered I could not fight with my sword and I could not do more than assist my master in burying the bodies. He only kept me until he could find a bounty large enough to sustain me for the rest of my life, then he let me go. He told me that I did not need to loose my sight to be set free from the position my parents had placed me in. I had taken my sight for nothing." He then took his index finger traced a faint pink scar I hadn't noticed before. It ran from the corner of each eye and across the bridge of his nose. "I have the scar to prove the deed."

"Now, please tell me how Ishimaru died." I nearly begged.

Akimoto took in a deep breath before sighing. "My master and Ishimaru fought viciously for a long time. My master had managed to avoid the killing blows that she was using more and more as she got more frustrated and he found a way to distract her long enough to deal some damaging blows. He would throw things, rocks, sticks, daggers, and throwing knives in the opposite direction he was going and she would instantly follow these sounds, believing it was him. He would dart in and wound her before quickly going out of range. At one point he was able to dart in and bury his katana so deep in her stomach that is came out of her back. I was the one that cut her hair and buried her all by myself. My master had not escaped unscathed and it was a miracle that he was alive." He explained.

"Did she say anything before her passing?" I asked.

"Yes, she did. She said, 'I'm sorry Big Brother Kenshin, that I could not see you one last time.' Those were her dying words."

I bowed my head solemnly. So, she had missed me as well.

"Wait a minute! Kenshin, you never told us you had a sister! You said that you were an orphan with no living family members." Miss Kaoru cried indignantly.

"She is not... was not my sister. Not biological at least. Due to the fact that we were the youngest members of the Imperialist army of assassins we tended to stick together and help each other when we could. We became each other's family, we became brother and sister." I explained.

"Now it's your turn to tell a story, Kenshin." Akimoto urged me.

"Yes, well... We met one day when she sat next to me for our evening meal..."

*Flashback*

I looked at the little girl that sat beside me. She had blond hair that reached her calf and bright blue eyes. Her face still had baby fat and her body had yet to start maturing. She could be no older than six years old. She should not be here. What father would be foolish enough to bring his daughter with him to war and leave her unattended among a group of men that could easily harm or take advantage of her.

"Where is your father?" I asked her. My voice sounding dull even to myself.

"Dead." She replied simply.

"You should not be here." I warned. "The men here don't care how old you are, they'll do anything they please with you."

"I'm supposed to be here," she responded and she turned to look at me and study me, "And as for the men, if they try anything with me that I don't like I have been given permission to harm, and even kill them." She had no joy in the last statement, like many of this time would. She would only do those things in self defense, though I had doubts that she could.

Then I noticed the sword that rested beside her. It was a strange sword that I had never seen before. It's blade was thick as two normal blades put together and it had a golden hilt. Around the hilt there was a golden guard that would protect the hand or hands of its wielder. Inscribed on the hilt was, "Decisions make who we are and what will be."

"So they are recruiting children now?" I asked with distaste.

"You are a child still." She pointed out.

"Yes, I guess I am. During this war I have forgotten that many times." I admitted. "I have never seen a sword like that before. What is it called?"

"It is called the kakureta himitsu desu. It is specially made for the sword style I have nearly mastered, Himitsu da Honou no Tsurugi. It is recorded as the hardest style to have ever been mastered, but I should master it by next year. I have mastered a few other styles, but this will be my main style. The others are just in case I lose my sword on the battle field and end up using one that is not meant for my style." She explained.

"What does the inscription mean?"

"It means that our decisions are based off who we are and what will be. A strike of the sword can decide who or what will be here tomorrow and who or what will not. It takes the decision of the swordsman to strike with the sword. Decisions and choices are what defines who we are, what we will be, and what will be."

*Flashback Ends*

"That's how I first met her. From that point on she proved that she was bold, daring, kind, gentle, stubborn, brave, smart, wise, and stupid all rolled into one." I finished.

"Wow... she was pretty wise for someone so young. Yahiko could've learned a thing or two from her." Miss Kaoru commented.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

I ignored Yahiko's outburst. "Yes, Ishimaru's mother died in childbirth, her childbirth. Her father died the day before her third birthday from a stray sword from a fight that they were trying going around. She was forced to grow up quickly, but she never forgot how she suffered from when she was little. She never wanted anyone to feel that way again, so she put all her effort in helping end the war. The war that took her father's life."

"After her father's death, Ishimaru lived on the streets. She was an orphan with no one to go to. She struggled to find food and to defend herself. That is, until she met her master. I never met him myself, I don't even know his name, but apparently he saved her from proverty, much like Seijuro Hiko the 13th did for me. The last I heard of her was at the final battle I fought at, and then she disappeared and I lost track of her."


Miss Tae P.O.V.

A few costumers had come and complained about a man rummaging under the front porch and that he had a blond young man for a look out sitting on the porch nearby. They said they weren't blocking the flow of customers, but they still were acting strange. So, I went to go check it out. When I got there sure enough there was a blond young man sitting on the porch staring of at the distance while a man in familiar purple kimono had his waist up under the Akabeko. The young man's blue kimono had a whole on the left quad area and it was stained with blood. A bandaged peeked out from underneath the hole.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked the blond.

"Kenshin is getting my belongings that I stashed under here yesterday. I promise we'll be leaving the moment I get my stuff." He promised, not even bothering to turn his head to look at me. I hadn't even caught him by surprise by sneaking up on him.

"Is that you, Miss Tae?" Kenshin asked as he pulled his head out from underneath the Akabeko, along with a long green bag. Whatever was inside clattered whenever the bag shifted. "I'm sorry if we caused any disturbances. Akimoto here was in a rush when he stashed his stuff here."

"Hey look! It's that kid and he's injured. Get him!" A voice shouted from the street.

And that's when it started. That's when a fight started in front of the Akabeko, and this time it wasn't Sanosuke's fault.


Kenshin P.O.V.

There were a lot of them. There was no way I could keep them all busy and away from Akimoto at the same time. I only take the time to through Akimoto's green bag onto the porch with a loud clatter before I had to turn to try and hold them of.

"Hold them off Kenshin until I can whoop their butts!" Akimoto shouted over the battle cries of my adversaries.

That was something that Ishimaru had always told me when she was trying to get involved in a fight that I was in. I shake my head to quickly clear my head of my deceased friend. What good could he do? Besides get himself killed, that is.

All of a sudden a shadow passed over me and something landed amongst the crowd and all of a sudden the men changed their goal from getting the boy behind me, to the thing that had jumped into their midst.

No... Akimoto. He surely would be killed.

Suddenly the men began to fall. I couldn't see what attacked them, but it was swift. They were unconscious and bleeding, but they weren't dead or mortally wounded.

Soon, all the men were on the floor and none of them were standing, except for one young man with blond hair that was leaning heavily against his sword. The sword had a dull blade that would only cut when a swordsman of extreme strength, and even at that, it would only give shallow cuts.

Akimoto was panting heavily. "It's been a... while since I... last fought... that many. I used a... sword that wouldn't kill Kenshin. I knew you... wouldn't let me... fight if I didn't."

I could only gape at him. This boy he claimed he could no longer use a sword, but he just took on fifteen men blind and injured.


Sanosuke P.O.V.

I was going to the Akabeko to have a beef pot, and I was totally surprised when I saw Akimoto standing, more like leaning on his sword, amongst fifteen unconscious men.

"What the hell happened?" I asked.

"Hey, came back here you thieves!" A feminine voice shouted. I looked down the street to see two thieves being chased by a brunette ninja. "That was the last thing my brother gave to me before he went to war!"

The leading thief who had a little metal chain hanging out of their clenched fist laughed, "Yeah, like that would make us want to give it back more."

"Yeah, like-" The other thief was about to agree with his partner when they both tripped over the bodies on the street and the metal chain went flying.

I instinctively caught the flying object. I looked in my hands to find a metal chain that a Yin Yang sign. I flipped it over and what I saw made my heart stop. On the back it said Sanosuke & Saimora. Wait a second... I gave this to my sister the night I left to fight in the war. By it couldn't be. Our farm had burned down to the ground along with anyone in it while I was away. Could it really be her?

The woman stopped and was staring at me. Then she broke out in a smile and ran towards me. "Bedhead! It's you!" She cried as she ran up and hugged me.

I could only say, "I thought I told you not to call me that!" Before I broke up into tears with her.


Okay, I'm making up Sanosuke's family history along with my sister. I do not know if the Akabeko has a front porch, but I am doing it for the sake of the story. So, I ended the story in a double cliffhanger. How did Akimoto defeat fifteen men on his own? And who is Sanosuke's sister? I will have a flashback of the siblings last conversation and a better description of his sister.

Here a options for predictions, your own are welcomed. Unless, you're my sister. You already know what the heck is going to happen, and she is not allowed to tell any of you.

a) Akimoto is actually a girl.

b) Akimoto isn't blind.

c) Akimoto is Kenshin's brother.

d) Ishimaru is going to rise from the dead and kill Akimoto and his master, and then have a quick tea party with Kenshin before returning to the underworld.

e) Ishimaru is alive.

f) Saimora is actually Sanosuke's girlfriend.

g) Saimora is Kenshin's girlfriend.

h) Akimoto doesn't have a master and he was the one to kill Ishimaru.