Damaged Soul

a Soujiro-centric fic

by Lucathia


part 7


The boy lapsed into unconsciousness again. Kenshin sighed and straightened his back. He made sure Soujiro had wet towels before he walked towards the door.

"No!!"

Kenshin paused in his tracks, motioning for his son to leave. Kenji looked up at him for a moment and left without any words of questioning. Kenshin looked back at Soujiro, who was thrashing wildly. He shook his head, carefully listening to the fitful boy.

"NO!!" Another scream sounded throughout the room. Kenshin gazed pitifully at Soujiro.

"No...Yumi-neesan...don't leave me, won't you forgive me?" Kenshin's eyes widened at the mention of Yumi's name. Wasn't she the woman who died for Shishio? Kenshin glanced at Soujiro and turned around to leave.

One last whimper was heard from the boy. "I wish I can go with you, Yumi-neesan. Just don't leave me alone."


Kenshin walked into the room next to Soujiro's and gazed despairingly at Sanosuke's limp form. Kaoru sat next to Sanosuke with her head buried in her arms. No doctor was able to come and Kaoru had to make the best of what little skills she had.

Kenshin walked up to Kaoru, placed his hands reassuringly on her shoulders, and knelt down next to her. "Don't worry. He'll be all right. He's strong."

Kaoru lifted her head slowly and found herself in Kenshin's embrace. Her eyes glistened with tears that would not fall because they were not meant to. "He doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve this! He shouldn't be lying on the bed like a dead man! He just came back, Kenshin. He just came back! We haven't even talked to him yet. We haven't talked to him in five years! How dare that guy ruin Sanosuke's life. How dare he..." Kaoru's tears finally found their way down her cheeks, and she cried freely. "He doesn't deserve this..."

Kenshin smoothed her hair and tried to rock her a bit. "Hush, Kaoru. He'll be all right. Just wait. He'll be all right. He's strong. Megumi's coming soon, for the reunion. She'll know what to do. She'll know."

Kaoru nodded and sat with her husband in the silent room. Kenshin sat with her, enjoying what little peace they had. Suddenly, Yahiko's voice broke through their silence.

"Kenshin!"

Kenshin, hearing his name being called with such force, ran out of the room as quickly as he could without disturbing Sanosuke. "What is it?" The sight he saw disturbed him greatly.

Misao and Aoshi knelt down next to the body Yahiko brought in. After setting down his bundle, Yahiko faced the wall angrily.

When Kenshin finally saw the hurt person, he discovered it was Saitou. A deep pain coursed through Kenshin's body. Saitou must have been hurt when he was tracking down Soujiro. How many people had he hurt? How had he turned out this way?

Yahiko punched the wall hard. "Damn! Damn that Soujiro! He hurt so many people. He hurt Saitou and Tsubame. He HURT Tsubame!" Yahiko whirled around to face Kenshin. "Who else is he going to hurt?"

Kenshin lowered his gaze, observing the deep gash near Saitou's heart. Misao tried her best to wrap his wounds. "Yahiko, Soujiro almost killed Sanosuke."

The boy samurai blinked hard and yelled loudly. "WHAT? HE HURT SANOSUKE TOO?"

Yahiko pushed past Kenshin and dashed into the guest room that was prepared for Sanosuke. He burst into the room and saw Sanosuke motionless on the bed. Yahiko's face filled with emotion. "SANOSUKE!"

Kaoru gazed at Yahiko with urgency. "Shhh!! Please don't wake him up. He's hurt so seriously."

Yahiko immediately shut his mouth but the hatred in his eyes refused to leave. He knelt down next to Sanosuke, stayed there for a few milliseconds, and got up stiffly. He pushed past Kenshin and stomped angrily into the courtyard with Kenshin following right behind him.

"Don't do it." Kenshin's calm, soft voice sounded dead and tired, but it was still sharp to Yahiko's ears.

Still, Yahiko tuned out Kenshin's words and walked up to a tree. He punched the tree hard, causing hundreds of leaves to drift down. In the flash of a second, Yahiko pulled out his sakabatou, turned it over, and sliced through every single leaf.

"That's what I'm going to do to that devil." Yahiko stuck the sakabatou back into its sheath forcefully. The dead leaves lay limp in the dirt.

"Don't do it." Kenshin remained persistent, standing in front of Yahiko and blocking his way.

Yahiko tapped his right foot in frustration. "Why are you stopping me?" His eyes blazed with fury, anger, hurt, bewilderment, and a hundred other emotions mixed together. His eyes glared dangerously at Kenshin.

Kenshin didn't reply to Yahiko's question for a moment. He hesitated, unsure of how to persuade Yahiko to stop acting rashly. Finally, Kenshin knew exactly why he didn't want Yahiko acting this way.

"I don't want you to be driven by revenge!"

Silence.

Yahiko averted his own gaze from Kenshin's intense, yet caring one. His chin was set at a stubborn angle. His shoulders and legs were flexing, ready for combat at any moment. His right hand was placed at a comforting spot on the hilt of his sword.

"I'm not revenge-driven. It's just that he hurt so many of our friends."

Kenshin shook his head, equally as stubborn. "What about that?"

At Kenshin's words, Yahiko looked up sharply. "What do you mean, 'what about that?' Don't you care what happens to everyone else? Don't you know how he could of killed all of us? Don't you know HE DESERVES TO PAY?" Yahiko's voice got louder and louder as his fury grew.

Kenshin's face took on a serious expression. "I don't ever want to hear you say anyone deserves to pay. I know how much pain you feel because Sanosuke, Saitou, and Tsubame are hurt. I know how much pain you feel because they're my friends too. I'm not uncaring. It's not that I don't think Soujiro should be punished, but you know the result of revenge, don't you?"

Yahiko looked down again.

Kenshin continued on. "Enishi wanted revenge. That's what got us into so much trouble just some time ago. And you know why Soujiro is hurting all of our beloved ones? It's because he wants revenge. You don't have control over your own feelings or actions when you're vengeful. Revenge does! If it weren't because Soujiro was so intent on revenge, he wouldn't have hurt any of our friends."

Kenshin paused for a second and lowered his voice. "You know how cruel revenge is...so don't ever let revenge control your life. And...don't ever let revenge damage your soul." With those words, Kenshin went back into the dojo to leave Yahiko to ponder his thoughts on his own.

Yahiko turned his back to the dojo and sat down on the ground. Looking up at the now clear sky, he hugged his knees and traced his finger through the dirt. "I'm not driven by revenge..." he whispered softly, suddenly more like the little boy he used to be, the boy who always wanted to help in battle but couldn't do much. He finally became a great swordsman, thinking he'd be able to protect his friends and help...but now, it seemed that he wasn't much of a help after all.

"I guess I'm pretty useless." Yahiko rubbed the dirt off his hands, contemplating the situation, when suddenly a feminine voice sounded behind him.

"No, you are not useless."

Yahiko whirled around at that voice. He knew that voice too well. The voice belonged to the girl he wanted to protect. It belonged to the girl he liked for so long. It belonged to the sweet girl who was always by his side when he needed her. It belonged to the girl he failed to protect...but last of all, it belonged to the girl he loved.

"Tsubame!" Yahiko immediately embraced the girl.

"Ouch..." She winced slightly when Yahiko accidentally brushed her wounded shoulder.

Yahiko's eyes widened and he started apologizing and stuttering. "I-I'm sor-rry! Have I h-hurt you?" He would never intentionally hurt the one he cared so much about.

Tsubame smiled shyly. "It's okay. The wound's not that deep. I'm just not used to getting hurt, that's all. If I were more like you guys, I would have healed faster. It's just a small wound."

Yahiko didn't believe her.

"Really, it is! I don't feel hurt anymore." Tsubame tried to convince Yahiko that she was fine, but Yahiko still led her into the dojo to rest more. Right when they entered the room, Misao and Aoshi stopped their conversation, but Yahiko heard part of it...and he WAS not pleased at all.

"YOU MEAN SOUJIRO IS STAYING IN THE GUEST ROOM??" Yahiko's eyes bulged and his fists shook.

Misao played with her braid nervously, having never seen Yahiko this furious before. The last time she saw him he was still a little boy with little skills, but now, right now she could sense the power in the man in front of her. And, oh, boy was his kenki frightening. And so that's why Aoshi spoke for her.

"He's in the guestroom. I carried him there after he fainted from Misao's dart and a fever."

Yahiko never heard the second sentence, for he had already sped toward the hallway.

"DAMN YOU SOUJIRO!"

Everyone sweatdropped. It seemed that Kenshin's reasoning and persuading hadn't helped much.


to be continued


A/N: I hope the third person POV here doesn't feel too out of place...