Kaoru barged into the room, seeing Kenshin still kneeling on the floor,
his face hid behind his auburn bangs.
"What happened, Kenshin?" She rushed to his side, hoping he was ok. She placed a
comforting hand on his back.
".........nothing I couldn't prevent."
"Do...do you want to talk about it?" Sanosuke and Yahiko, carrying an almost
worried-looking Kenji, entered the doorway.
"Just...need some time to think to myself."
Surprised by this answer, she agreed that maybe he did need some time to
himself...to think about what he should do next. Should he just forget about his
daughter and move on with his life? No...Kenshin couldn't do that. With the love
she saw in his eyes for Kenji, there's no way he could abandon Murasaki like
that.
Kenshin wandered aimlessly around the town, not paying attention that was around
him or even in his way, as he nearly bumped into an elderly woman.
What should he do?
...she doesn't know why he killed her. She assumed the obvious....
Even if I did, how could I do that if I loved her so much?
Should I go look for her?
Would she even listen to me?
...probably not.
But she needs to know the truth...the whole truth.
He found himself on the same bridge that he was on many years ago when he had to
think over his decision about going to Kyoto to kill Shishio. Dejá vú, maybe....
it was already late afternoon, and the water looked like a crimson sea from the
reflection of the sun.
A crimson sea of blood.
The image of his sword cutting through Tomoe's back flashed into his mind.
"Why?!" He shook his head, as his own voice asked the question. A comforting
hand startled him.
"Because things happen." Sanosuke was tired of seeing anyone like this. First,
Jo-chan and now Kenshin. He knew he wasn't very good at comforting others, but
at least he could put effort into trying.
"Sano...." Kenshin gave a sad smile, one that was not too convincing that he was
all right.
"Kenshin...it's happened already. You can't change that now." He removed his
hand, staring out at the water, the glare causing the cast of a red hue on his
face.
Kenshin nodded in response. He knew...he already accepted Tomoe's death, and
realized that he had to move on with his life. But why did the past always have
to creep back on him...like it didn't want to let him go?
Because he hadn't let go. Not fully. He thought he had...but maybe he was just
in denial.
"Sano...tell Kaoru I'll be back later." He turned, heading away from his friend.
"Kenshin, wait! You're not leaving again!"
"I'm not leaving...I'm going to Tomoe's grave. Maybe.... something will come to
me."
Relieved, Sanosuke headed back to the dojo to give Jo-chan the news. After,
maybe he could tell a certain brunette fox about recent news...
Kenshin had constructed a small memorial gravestone for Tomoe prior to Kenji's
birth, seeing as Kaoru convinced him that it would be unreasonable to always
travel to Kyoto to honour her grave. He dropped to his knees, pressing his open
palms together.
"Why didn't you follow him?!" Kaoru bounced Kenji on her knee.
"Jo-chan, the guy wants some time to himself. Respect that!" Surprisingly,
Sanosuke was actually starting to sound more and more...mature.
"Guess I should put off dinner for a little while."
"What should I do?" He voiced his thoughts to Tomoe out loud.... it somewhat
make him feel more like he was actually talking to her. Of course, anyone
passing by would think he was crazy...like Enishi.
A faint whisper interrupted whatever answer he hoped to get. "You should die
quietly..."
Startled, Kenshin jumped to his feet, his eyes darted around the secluded spot
to see who his pursuer was. "Show yourself. I don't want anyone to get hurt."
"Funny choice of words, 'father'. Since you've already caused me sufficient
pain." In the shadows, a glint of purple gave Kenshin the answer to who it was.
"Yoriko. I..." He stopped himself. How could he tell her? He had a feeling that
it would be difficult for her to forgive him. "I'm sorry.... but you didn't give
me the chance to tell you everything."
"Oh, I heard everything I needed to hear." She emerged from the shadows, a
frightening scowl on her face...with golden eyes glaring at him.
He gasped, shocked from the sight. It was like looking at a reflection of
himself from 18 years ago...Battousai. "Please...I know you're angry." Was this
fear he was feeling? Fear that his own daughter might...could...would kill him?
But before he could full finish his sentence, she had charged at him. Unarmed,
there really wasn't much he could do, except dodge her attacks. But he knew that
she wasn't the one he should be defending himself from, as he instinctively felt
another presence. As Murasaki charged again, he dodged easily, but grabbed the
back of her shirt, and rammed her back into his lifted knee. She shook, then
keeled forward from the pain, finding it difficult to breathe, as the yellow in
her eyes began to fade.
He took the sword from her hand; she gave little resistance. "Show yourself."
The familiar feeling of a sword in his hand gave him some confidence that he
could beat his opponent...but this was not his sakabatou...and he was not on the
road to spilling any more blood.
"Himura Battousai." Shiro Hyo showed herself, her facing showing little emotion.
"Killing your wife, leaving your daughter with a family to take care of her
while you wondered your years.... and now you've found your own home." Her face
turned to a sarcastic expression of sorrow. "Do you think it was fair of you to
leave Murasaki out of it? Not to mention the fact that you left her out of this
tale when you revealed your past to your friends. What? Were you ashamed of her?
Ashamed of having a child out of wedlock?"
Her words were directed more at Murasaki than Kenshin, as she knew that hearing
these words would only cause better results. The golden glow in Murasaki's eyes
returned, her eyes glaring at Kenshin.
"That's true, isn't it?" Murasaki asked. Her 2 glowing flames of gold met his
soft cool violet-blue ones.
Left her out of the story? Shouldn't he have wanted to go and look for her when
he found this new home? Could he have forgotten about his one and only daughter?
His FIRST child? Did his grief for Tomoe cloud his mind from the fact that he
had a child with her?
His long hesitation gave Murasaki the answer that she wanted. "I wish I wasn't
your daughter! I hate you!"
Kenshin swallowed hard, holding back whatever tears that wanted to creep to his
eyes, but he forced his voice to be strong. "Can we talk about this, please?"
"The last thing I want to do is even see you!" The golden glow grew brighter,
her calm paces nearing towards him. The blade fell from his hand...he deserved
to die after the way he had treated her...forgetting about his one and only
child.
"You're right...take my life."
Satisfied, she slowly took the blade from the ground, her hatred blinding what
little love she had left for her own father. Her hands gripped tightly on the
hilt as she raised it above her head for the final blow.
"No!"
Unsatisfied with this sight, Shiro leapt in the way, blocking Murasaki's sword.
Instead, the purple sword flew out of her hands; this was an unexpected change.
"Not that easily." Her glances exchanged from Kenshin back to Murasaki. "I want
a real fight...not the Battousai giving up so easily." With these last words,
her glance returned to Kenshin, a coy smile on her lips. "I know you have more
fight than that...I want to see the Battousai, not Himura Kenshin."
"...never again." His eyes had been focused on the ground the entire time, but
now they peered angrily at Shiro. "There is no more Battousai."
"Really now? You see..." she sidestepped so Kenshin's eyes fell on Murasaki's.
"A bit of the Battousai exists in her...the drive to kill...the drive to
destroy...to take life as she sees fit. There's no possible way you can say you
don't see yourself in her. Even the same fate..." She motioned to the scar on
Kenshin's cheek and the one over Murasaki's left eye. "A family bloodline
forever to be scarred."
"That's because you're using her! Like I was used!" He took a step forward, but
Shiro blocked his way. He wanted to get to his daughter and try to talk some
sense back into her. "Yoriko! Please! Let me explain..."
"Enough talk." Shiro replaced one of her blades into the sheath on her back.
With the same quick motion, she backhanded him across the face, sending him onto
his back. "Words aren't going to take away your daughter's pain." She cracked
her knuckles, looking over at Murasaki. The golden glow had died, but she could
tell that the hate in her heart in her remained. "C'mon..." she nodded over to
her, signaling that they should leave.
"Yoriko...please wait..." He wiped the trickle of blood from the side of his
mouth; his tongue checked his teeth to ensure none of them were loose or
missing. His other hand reached for his daughter...he only hoped that he would
feel the warmth of her hand in his to show that she would listen.
But that didn't happen. With a swift kick to the side of his ribs from Shiro,
the life and breath flew out of him. A blurred image of Murasaki's face glared
down at him...it pained him...not the physical pain: the emotional pain of a
child turning on his parent. He could no longer bear the pain anymore.... before
finally falling unconscious, the words returned to his mind:
"I wish I wasn't your daughter! I hate you!"
A single tear ran down his cheek.
his face hid behind his auburn bangs.
"What happened, Kenshin?" She rushed to his side, hoping he was ok. She placed a
comforting hand on his back.
".........nothing I couldn't prevent."
"Do...do you want to talk about it?" Sanosuke and Yahiko, carrying an almost
worried-looking Kenji, entered the doorway.
"Just...need some time to think to myself."
Surprised by this answer, she agreed that maybe he did need some time to
himself...to think about what he should do next. Should he just forget about his
daughter and move on with his life? No...Kenshin couldn't do that. With the love
she saw in his eyes for Kenji, there's no way he could abandon Murasaki like
that.
Kenshin wandered aimlessly around the town, not paying attention that was around
him or even in his way, as he nearly bumped into an elderly woman.
What should he do?
...she doesn't know why he killed her. She assumed the obvious....
Even if I did, how could I do that if I loved her so much?
Should I go look for her?
Would she even listen to me?
...probably not.
But she needs to know the truth...the whole truth.
He found himself on the same bridge that he was on many years ago when he had to
think over his decision about going to Kyoto to kill Shishio. Dejá vú, maybe....
it was already late afternoon, and the water looked like a crimson sea from the
reflection of the sun.
A crimson sea of blood.
The image of his sword cutting through Tomoe's back flashed into his mind.
"Why?!" He shook his head, as his own voice asked the question. A comforting
hand startled him.
"Because things happen." Sanosuke was tired of seeing anyone like this. First,
Jo-chan and now Kenshin. He knew he wasn't very good at comforting others, but
at least he could put effort into trying.
"Sano...." Kenshin gave a sad smile, one that was not too convincing that he was
all right.
"Kenshin...it's happened already. You can't change that now." He removed his
hand, staring out at the water, the glare causing the cast of a red hue on his
face.
Kenshin nodded in response. He knew...he already accepted Tomoe's death, and
realized that he had to move on with his life. But why did the past always have
to creep back on him...like it didn't want to let him go?
Because he hadn't let go. Not fully. He thought he had...but maybe he was just
in denial.
"Sano...tell Kaoru I'll be back later." He turned, heading away from his friend.
"Kenshin, wait! You're not leaving again!"
"I'm not leaving...I'm going to Tomoe's grave. Maybe.... something will come to
me."
Relieved, Sanosuke headed back to the dojo to give Jo-chan the news. After,
maybe he could tell a certain brunette fox about recent news...
Kenshin had constructed a small memorial gravestone for Tomoe prior to Kenji's
birth, seeing as Kaoru convinced him that it would be unreasonable to always
travel to Kyoto to honour her grave. He dropped to his knees, pressing his open
palms together.
"Why didn't you follow him?!" Kaoru bounced Kenji on her knee.
"Jo-chan, the guy wants some time to himself. Respect that!" Surprisingly,
Sanosuke was actually starting to sound more and more...mature.
"Guess I should put off dinner for a little while."
"What should I do?" He voiced his thoughts to Tomoe out loud.... it somewhat
make him feel more like he was actually talking to her. Of course, anyone
passing by would think he was crazy...like Enishi.
A faint whisper interrupted whatever answer he hoped to get. "You should die
quietly..."
Startled, Kenshin jumped to his feet, his eyes darted around the secluded spot
to see who his pursuer was. "Show yourself. I don't want anyone to get hurt."
"Funny choice of words, 'father'. Since you've already caused me sufficient
pain." In the shadows, a glint of purple gave Kenshin the answer to who it was.
"Yoriko. I..." He stopped himself. How could he tell her? He had a feeling that
it would be difficult for her to forgive him. "I'm sorry.... but you didn't give
me the chance to tell you everything."
"Oh, I heard everything I needed to hear." She emerged from the shadows, a
frightening scowl on her face...with golden eyes glaring at him.
He gasped, shocked from the sight. It was like looking at a reflection of
himself from 18 years ago...Battousai. "Please...I know you're angry." Was this
fear he was feeling? Fear that his own daughter might...could...would kill him?
But before he could full finish his sentence, she had charged at him. Unarmed,
there really wasn't much he could do, except dodge her attacks. But he knew that
she wasn't the one he should be defending himself from, as he instinctively felt
another presence. As Murasaki charged again, he dodged easily, but grabbed the
back of her shirt, and rammed her back into his lifted knee. She shook, then
keeled forward from the pain, finding it difficult to breathe, as the yellow in
her eyes began to fade.
He took the sword from her hand; she gave little resistance. "Show yourself."
The familiar feeling of a sword in his hand gave him some confidence that he
could beat his opponent...but this was not his sakabatou...and he was not on the
road to spilling any more blood.
"Himura Battousai." Shiro Hyo showed herself, her facing showing little emotion.
"Killing your wife, leaving your daughter with a family to take care of her
while you wondered your years.... and now you've found your own home." Her face
turned to a sarcastic expression of sorrow. "Do you think it was fair of you to
leave Murasaki out of it? Not to mention the fact that you left her out of this
tale when you revealed your past to your friends. What? Were you ashamed of her?
Ashamed of having a child out of wedlock?"
Her words were directed more at Murasaki than Kenshin, as she knew that hearing
these words would only cause better results. The golden glow in Murasaki's eyes
returned, her eyes glaring at Kenshin.
"That's true, isn't it?" Murasaki asked. Her 2 glowing flames of gold met his
soft cool violet-blue ones.
Left her out of the story? Shouldn't he have wanted to go and look for her when
he found this new home? Could he have forgotten about his one and only daughter?
His FIRST child? Did his grief for Tomoe cloud his mind from the fact that he
had a child with her?
His long hesitation gave Murasaki the answer that she wanted. "I wish I wasn't
your daughter! I hate you!"
Kenshin swallowed hard, holding back whatever tears that wanted to creep to his
eyes, but he forced his voice to be strong. "Can we talk about this, please?"
"The last thing I want to do is even see you!" The golden glow grew brighter,
her calm paces nearing towards him. The blade fell from his hand...he deserved
to die after the way he had treated her...forgetting about his one and only
child.
"You're right...take my life."
Satisfied, she slowly took the blade from the ground, her hatred blinding what
little love she had left for her own father. Her hands gripped tightly on the
hilt as she raised it above her head for the final blow.
"No!"
Unsatisfied with this sight, Shiro leapt in the way, blocking Murasaki's sword.
Instead, the purple sword flew out of her hands; this was an unexpected change.
"Not that easily." Her glances exchanged from Kenshin back to Murasaki. "I want
a real fight...not the Battousai giving up so easily." With these last words,
her glance returned to Kenshin, a coy smile on her lips. "I know you have more
fight than that...I want to see the Battousai, not Himura Kenshin."
"...never again." His eyes had been focused on the ground the entire time, but
now they peered angrily at Shiro. "There is no more Battousai."
"Really now? You see..." she sidestepped so Kenshin's eyes fell on Murasaki's.
"A bit of the Battousai exists in her...the drive to kill...the drive to
destroy...to take life as she sees fit. There's no possible way you can say you
don't see yourself in her. Even the same fate..." She motioned to the scar on
Kenshin's cheek and the one over Murasaki's left eye. "A family bloodline
forever to be scarred."
"That's because you're using her! Like I was used!" He took a step forward, but
Shiro blocked his way. He wanted to get to his daughter and try to talk some
sense back into her. "Yoriko! Please! Let me explain..."
"Enough talk." Shiro replaced one of her blades into the sheath on her back.
With the same quick motion, she backhanded him across the face, sending him onto
his back. "Words aren't going to take away your daughter's pain." She cracked
her knuckles, looking over at Murasaki. The golden glow had died, but she could
tell that the hate in her heart in her remained. "C'mon..." she nodded over to
her, signaling that they should leave.
"Yoriko...please wait..." He wiped the trickle of blood from the side of his
mouth; his tongue checked his teeth to ensure none of them were loose or
missing. His other hand reached for his daughter...he only hoped that he would
feel the warmth of her hand in his to show that she would listen.
But that didn't happen. With a swift kick to the side of his ribs from Shiro,
the life and breath flew out of him. A blurred image of Murasaki's face glared
down at him...it pained him...not the physical pain: the emotional pain of a
child turning on his parent. He could no longer bear the pain anymore.... before
finally falling unconscious, the words returned to his mind:
"I wish I wasn't your daughter! I hate you!"
A single tear ran down his cheek.