"N-nani?!" Koneko stared at her father in shock. "But I don't even know who Battousai is!"
Tetsuo snorted. "You don't know? You have befriended him and you don't know?" he snorted again, disgust evident in his eyes. "Then you're too stupid to be my daughter."
Koneko gasped, her stomach falling deeper into despair. "O-otosan-"
"Quiet." He stepped closer to her, his face menacing. "You will use this sword, and you will challenge Battousai with it." Then he turned, and started to leave. "I will be at the Inoue district with the Ranmyaku. We will finish what you ruined for us."
He was gone by the time Koneko realized that she was alone. She had dropped her gaze to the sword at her feet, wondering - and fearing, who Battousai had to be. She remembered the stories - of Battousai attacking with incredible speed, of Battousai striking without warning to his victims. He was a legend among the assassin groups. Small-time assassins like her father can only hope to learn from him; and develop a fighting technique that could match the Hiten Mitsurugi. A technique like the Hidden Sword.
Koneko sank to her knees, feeling the world spin around her. There's only one man among her new friends who could be Battousai.
"Kenshin-san." She whispered to herself, still staring at the sword. She couldn't fight him. She couldn't kill him. He was a friend, one who had saved her life.
Her hand reached out unconsciously, grasping the sword's hilt. She watched, detachedly, as her other hand slowly slid the sword out of its sheath. The light streaming in from the windows glinted off the slim blade - a work of fine craftsmanship from its tip to its simple wrapped-leather hilt. Koneko could never afford a sword like this with her own money. And her father had told her to use it.
She rotated the sword until it was pointing at her. Then she lowered it to her stomach. She closed her eyes. Koneko could never kill a friend.
Koneko couldn't also kill herself.
She cried out in frustration and flung the sword away from her. It clattered to the far end of the room where the sunlight wouldn't touch. She dropped her hands to her knees, feeling the pressure of the bandage on her wound. It would be cowardice to kill herself now. She hadn't even challenged him yet. Honor dictates that she follow through with her father's wishes or she would bring further dishonor upon her family. Honor also dictates that if she failed, she would have to take her own life to atone for it. But if Kenshin was victorious against her...
Sanosuke had said that Battousai vowed not to kill again, a long time ago. Koneko would probably be saved in that case. But her father said she had to kill...
She clenched her hands into fists, blinking back tears that threatened to fall. She pushed herself off the floor and went to pick up the sword, bringing its leather sheath with her. She slid the sword back into its protective covering quickly, decisively, before going to her room to change. Her practice clothes were still hidden underneath all her folded kimonos, still soft and supple for her to move easily. She transferred her dagger into her new outfit and strapped the sword to her waist. She was ready.
Koneko kept her face devoid of any emotion when she left the hut, walking back to the Kamiya dojo. The sword was a strange weight pulling at her side, even though it was considerably lighter than Kaoru's shinai.
The thought of the black-haired girl almost made her stumble, but she speedily regained her balance and kept walking. What would Kaoru think of her now? Koneko would challenge Kenshin...and either kill him or force him to watch as she committed suicide. She would hate Koneko for making them suffer. And Koneko would probably hate herself during the entire fight.
She was nearly there by the time she noticed that her wound was throbbing. Her clothes were short enough for her bandaged leg to show, and she quickly inspected it. For all the walking she did, Koneko was surprised to find that there wasn't any blood on the bandage. Megumi knows her craft well.
"Don't call me 'chan'!" Koneko heard Yahiko's voice first before the Kamiya dojo came into view. It wasn't much to look at, but Koneko knew the lessons being taught here weren't as deficient as the dojo's appearance. As she looked, she saw Yahiko biting down on the head of brown-haired Sano who was clearly having a time trying to dislodge Kaoru's student.
Koneko stood outside the entrance, hesitating. She didn't know what to say to Kaoru and the others. She didn't want to face their accusing eyes at all.
But it was Kaoru who saw her first.
"Okaeri, Koneko!" the black-haired instructor rushed to greet her, her cheerful greeting catching the attention of the bickering pair who started to approach.
"Kaoru-san," Koneko said, forcing herself to calm down. "is Kenshin-san here?"
"He's in the kitchen, cooking. Nanda?"
"There's something I need to tell him. Can you please...call him out here?"
Kaoru frowned in puzzlement but did as she asked. For that, Koneko was glad. She didn't want to step into the dojo. She didn't want to intrude on the hospitality of her friends when she was about to...challenge one of them.
"Oi, Neko-chan!" Sano called as he neared. "What are you doing out there? Come on in!"
"Arigatou, Sanosuke-san," she kept her gaze on the ground. "But I would much rather stay here."
"Nanda?" Yahiko demanded. "Did somebody attack you?"
"Iie," Koneko shook her head sadly. "I'm only waiting for Kenshin-san."
The red-haired man appeared at that moment, calmly stepping out of the dojo with Kaoru behind him. "Ohayo, Koneko-dono. Have you found your father?"
"Hai, Kenshin-san. My father came back to the hut a while ago."
"That's good news! Was he worried about you?"
"Iie." She clenched her fists and looked straight into Kenshin's violet eyes. She must follow through on what she came here for. "K-Kenshin-san, I..." she took a deep breath. "I came here to challenge Battousai. A fight to the death."
"Koneko!" Kaoru gasped, as everyone's eyes widened with shock. All except Kenshin, who remained calm as he stood in front of her.
"You came to challenge Sessha?" he repeated.
"Hai." Koneko dropped her gaze. "There is a field near here. I will wait there while you prepare yourself."
"Koneko, you can't be serious!" Kaoru reached out and grabbed her shoulder just as she was about to leave. "You can't fight Kenshin! He's your friend!"
"Hai, Kaoru-san. He is my friend." Koneko smiled and gently removed Kaoru's hand. "Please, Kaoru-san, don't make this any harder for me than it already is."
She turned away, and walked to the field she had mentioned, wishing that one of them might be smart enough to send a blade flying to her back. But it was a foolish wish. None of them would calmly kill a friend - even one who would betray their friendship. They were too noble to do that. What of Koneko then?
It wasn't long for her to reach the field, though she slowed her steps a bit to hopefully delay the fight. She had noticed this field on her way back to the Kamiya dojo, thinking that it would be secluded enough for her purposes. She didn't want anyone to witness what she was about to do. Kenshin is a good man; a great friend. And she was about to betray his trust.
She sagged against a tree and waited, trying to keep her mind focused on the upcoming fight. But it was of no use. She kept thinking about the suffering she would cause. All done for her father.
"You don't look as if you want to continue this fight." Kenshin's soft voice came to her.
"Iie, I don't want to continue this fight." she turned to face him, bringing her hand to her sword. "But I have to."
"You have to?"
"It is...a matter of honor." she bent her knees into her fighting stance, noticing the absence of people behind him. "You didn't bring any of your friends with you?"
"They aren't just my friends, Koneko-dono." Kenshin corrected, standing calmly at the spot where he stopped. "They are my family."
"Family." She repeated, bending her knees into her fighting stance. "Then you know why I'm doing this."
"Sessha knows," he nodded. "and Sessha won't fight with you."
She paused in her stance. "Why not?"
"Because, Koneko-dono, Sessha values your friendship more than life."
Koneko froze. He valued her friendship? Did he actually mean that? But no...she had her duty. And she needed to finish it. "Draw your sword!"
Kenshin smiled calmly. "You know Sessha won't, Koneko-dono."
She glared at him. Why was he being so stubborn? Koneko can't fight someone who doesn't want to fight her! She clutched the hilt of her sword. If he wouldn't draw his sword, then maybe she should just make him do it.
She charged at him, quickly eating up the distance between them. At the last moment, she slid her sword free - and aimed for his neck.