Chapter 14: Consequences
Meiyomi was already back on the top of the carriage by the time Taiyoryu returned to the group. Kenshin-gumi was already back in the carriage. Tengoku was getting ready to climb in. Nodding to the Akumu, he closes to the carriage door. Taiyoryu looks up to Meiyomi, hoping to see a smile, but she refused to even look his way.
As the carriage pulls out, slowly, jerkily, Akuma Ryoshi goes back to their positions, scouting the trail and area around it. Only Taiyoryu remained at the battle sight.
I wonder what that was about. The thought enters his mind as he thinks about Meiyomi's reaction as he entered the clearing. She wouldn't even look at me.
Forcing the thought from his mind, he set about his work. I can't believe how many they left alive. I told Shireikan their precious no-killing policy would make things almost impossible.
Drawing a small dagger, he moves about the field. Every time he finds a beast left alive, he remedies that with a quick, precise slash with the dagger.
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"But, I killed it!" Yahiko yells.
Kenshin and Kaoru sat on either side of him, trying to calm the young man. Tengoku merely shrugs.
"It wasn't human, Yahiko-san." he says. "Your 'non-killing policy' isn't broken. It merely doesn't apply to these creatures."
"You don't understand!" Yahiko yells at him. "If there's one thing I learned from Kenshin and Kaoru, it's killing is killing, regardless of who it is."
"Yahiko-san." Kenshin says, his voice tight. "You are right, of course. It doesn't matter who it is."
Yahiko gulps audibly. This is what he was fearing. He had broken the greatest rule that Kenshin and Kaoru had put down for themselves, and for others.
"You murdered that thing, Yahiko. Nothing will change that."
Yahiko's heart sinks with this words. I knew it. Kenshin-san and Kaoru-san want nothing to do with me now.
"The only thing you can do is redeem yourself, Yahiko-san. Your remorse is obvious. Now, you have to protect others until you have redeemed yourself."
Yahiko feels a weight leave his shoulders. He stares, unbelieving, at Kenshin. "Demo.."
"This is no light thing, Yahiko-san. It will take a lot for you to redeem yourself. It will be hard on you. I will be hard on you." Kenshin says.
Yahiko takes a deep breath, thinking it over. He looks down, dejected, and nods.
It's all Tengoku can do to keep from laughing.
"What are you about, baka-yarou?" Sanosuke demands.
"Nothing, really." Tengoku says. "I'm trying to respect your ways, but, in my land, Yahiko-san would considered a hero for killing that beast. Here, he is considered a murderer and told he has to repent. It is almost enough to make me laugh." He looks over to Yahiko, his head still drooped, then adds, "Almost..."
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The snow starts to give way and the carriage begins to move a little faster. The weather is still warm enough that the snow melts during the day. With out farther snow storms, the snow has been lessening the entire way. The lessening of the snow means that Meiyomi doesn't have to concentrate as much on driving the horses.
Her mind keeps falling back to Taiyoryu in the woods, fighting the kappa. The memories of watching the battle are enough to make her shudder.
"Our stop is just ahead."
The soft voice of Yoake snaps Meiyomi from her thoughts. She glances over to the seishin, nodding, then begins to prepare the horses to stop. Yoake slips into the seat next to the driver.
"A mon for your thoughts."
Meiyomi curses to herself. To Yoake, though, she asks, "Shouldn't you be scouting the area?"
She shakes her head. "The other three can do that. You look like you have something on your mind."
Meiyomi pauses, hesitant to speak with her. Finally, she decides that she has too.
"I saw Taiyoryu-san fighting those... things." she says.
"And it bothers you to see him in that state. The state of the Ryoshi."
Meiyomi looks at her, confusion and anger vying for control. As bad as she wants to know what that means, this state of the ryoshi, her anger won out.
"That thing I saw fighting in those woods couldn't have been Taiyoryu-san! It was.. was..." She fought for the words, trying to find the ones that best fit what she wanted to say. In the end, there are none.
"Hai." Yoake says softly. "That was Taiyoryu-san, my father. Now you see why people fear him, hate him. When he gets like that, he's little different from the rest of his people." She pauses, taking a deep breath. "If it bothers you that much to see him that way, you shouldn't have gone to see him fighting."
Yoake begins climbing down from the seat, back to the ground, when Meiyomi's next words froze her.
"You mean, like you didn't?"
Yoake nods softly. "Like I didn't." With that, she swings down.
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The door to the carriage opens and Yoake swings in. "We're approaching the opening for Atarashiikami's fortress."
"Arigatou, Yoake-san" Kenshin says.
"We need a plan." Yoake says, staring directly at Tengoku.
He nods silently, the beginnings of a plan already unfolding in his quick mind.
Meiyomi was already back on the top of the carriage by the time Taiyoryu returned to the group. Kenshin-gumi was already back in the carriage. Tengoku was getting ready to climb in. Nodding to the Akumu, he closes to the carriage door. Taiyoryu looks up to Meiyomi, hoping to see a smile, but she refused to even look his way.
As the carriage pulls out, slowly, jerkily, Akuma Ryoshi goes back to their positions, scouting the trail and area around it. Only Taiyoryu remained at the battle sight.
I wonder what that was about. The thought enters his mind as he thinks about Meiyomi's reaction as he entered the clearing. She wouldn't even look at me.
Forcing the thought from his mind, he set about his work. I can't believe how many they left alive. I told Shireikan their precious no-killing policy would make things almost impossible.
Drawing a small dagger, he moves about the field. Every time he finds a beast left alive, he remedies that with a quick, precise slash with the dagger.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"But, I killed it!" Yahiko yells.
Kenshin and Kaoru sat on either side of him, trying to calm the young man. Tengoku merely shrugs.
"It wasn't human, Yahiko-san." he says. "Your 'non-killing policy' isn't broken. It merely doesn't apply to these creatures."
"You don't understand!" Yahiko yells at him. "If there's one thing I learned from Kenshin and Kaoru, it's killing is killing, regardless of who it is."
"Yahiko-san." Kenshin says, his voice tight. "You are right, of course. It doesn't matter who it is."
Yahiko gulps audibly. This is what he was fearing. He had broken the greatest rule that Kenshin and Kaoru had put down for themselves, and for others.
"You murdered that thing, Yahiko. Nothing will change that."
Yahiko's heart sinks with this words. I knew it. Kenshin-san and Kaoru-san want nothing to do with me now.
"The only thing you can do is redeem yourself, Yahiko-san. Your remorse is obvious. Now, you have to protect others until you have redeemed yourself."
Yahiko feels a weight leave his shoulders. He stares, unbelieving, at Kenshin. "Demo.."
"This is no light thing, Yahiko-san. It will take a lot for you to redeem yourself. It will be hard on you. I will be hard on you." Kenshin says.
Yahiko takes a deep breath, thinking it over. He looks down, dejected, and nods.
It's all Tengoku can do to keep from laughing.
"What are you about, baka-yarou?" Sanosuke demands.
"Nothing, really." Tengoku says. "I'm trying to respect your ways, but, in my land, Yahiko-san would considered a hero for killing that beast. Here, he is considered a murderer and told he has to repent. It is almost enough to make me laugh." He looks over to Yahiko, his head still drooped, then adds, "Almost..."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The snow starts to give way and the carriage begins to move a little faster. The weather is still warm enough that the snow melts during the day. With out farther snow storms, the snow has been lessening the entire way. The lessening of the snow means that Meiyomi doesn't have to concentrate as much on driving the horses.
Her mind keeps falling back to Taiyoryu in the woods, fighting the kappa. The memories of watching the battle are enough to make her shudder.
"Our stop is just ahead."
The soft voice of Yoake snaps Meiyomi from her thoughts. She glances over to the seishin, nodding, then begins to prepare the horses to stop. Yoake slips into the seat next to the driver.
"A mon for your thoughts."
Meiyomi curses to herself. To Yoake, though, she asks, "Shouldn't you be scouting the area?"
She shakes her head. "The other three can do that. You look like you have something on your mind."
Meiyomi pauses, hesitant to speak with her. Finally, she decides that she has too.
"I saw Taiyoryu-san fighting those... things." she says.
"And it bothers you to see him in that state. The state of the Ryoshi."
Meiyomi looks at her, confusion and anger vying for control. As bad as she wants to know what that means, this state of the ryoshi, her anger won out.
"That thing I saw fighting in those woods couldn't have been Taiyoryu-san! It was.. was..." She fought for the words, trying to find the ones that best fit what she wanted to say. In the end, there are none.
"Hai." Yoake says softly. "That was Taiyoryu-san, my father. Now you see why people fear him, hate him. When he gets like that, he's little different from the rest of his people." She pauses, taking a deep breath. "If it bothers you that much to see him that way, you shouldn't have gone to see him fighting."
Yoake begins climbing down from the seat, back to the ground, when Meiyomi's next words froze her.
"You mean, like you didn't?"
Yoake nods softly. "Like I didn't." With that, she swings down.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The door to the carriage opens and Yoake swings in. "We're approaching the opening for Atarashiikami's fortress."
"Arigatou, Yoake-san" Kenshin says.
"We need a plan." Yoake says, staring directly at Tengoku.
He nods silently, the beginnings of a plan already unfolding in his quick mind.