Standard disclaimers apply.

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Chapter 8: Learning and Winning

Koneko watched as her blade came closer to its target - and stopped. The sword hovered just an inch away from skin.

Kenshin didn't even flinch once. He looked at her gently with his violet eyes, not angry nor judging. They were just...gentle.

Koneko slowly withdrew the sword. Kenshin was truly set in his way. He wouldn't fight her.

And she couldn't fight him like that. She couldn't.

"K-Kenshin-san?"

"Hai de gozaru?"

"Please tell Kaoru-san..." she sank to her knees. "Tell her that...I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused." And she leveled the sword to herself.

Kenshin's hand shot out before she could do anything, seizing her wrist in his strong grip. "Don't, Koneko-dono."

"I must, Kenshin-san!" she struggled to twist her wrist out of his grasp. For someone so lanky he was surprisingly strong. "I must bring back my family's honor!"

"How did you lose it in the first place, de gozaru? Was it because of Hiroshi?"

Koneko blinked at him. Did he know? Just as suddenly, he tugged on the hilt of her sword, pulling it away from her before she could catch herself. "K-Kenshin-san!"

"Was it because of Hiroshi, Koneko-dono?" he repeated, keeping her sword away from her reaching hands, gazing at her steadily. "What really happened that night?"

His voice was neither accusatory nor judgmental; just a calm tone of voice as though he were greeting her politely. Should she tell him? Of her father's involvement? Or should she wait for something else to happen so she could make a grab for her sword? Something...

"My-my father is a hired assassin." she blurted out, her eyes on her sword. "He has been, for a long time. The Ranmyaku-gumi was just the latest to have hired him."

"And they had planned to assassinate Hiroshi last night?"

"Hai." she nodded, her eyes still trained on her sword. If she can keep him focused on talking... "And fool as I was, I went and ruined it. I shamed my father in front of his own employers."

"And for this, you challenged Sessha?"

"I did it...for my family's honor."

His gaze softened. "Koneko-dono..."

She reacted without thinking. She pushed herself off from the ground and barreled into him, grabbing her sword from his hand. She spun to face him, as he quickly twisted his body and regained his stance.

"And I have to do this...to atone for my failure." she started to push the sword towards her.

"But Koneko-dono is not a failure."

Koneko froze, the blade's tip touching soft cloth.

"Koneko-dono earned honor for herself by doing what was right, and not what others think is right."

Her hands shook. Her father was always in the right, fighting against the people he hated. But Kenshin and his friends...family had long accepted the Europeans. And they didn't seem to be betraying Japan in any way. What is right?

"Koneko-dono," he approached her calmly. "honor is not earned by killing for power. Honor is earned by saving lives...and protecting their happiness."

"That's not what my father taught..." she whispered.

"Your father taught that family honor should rise above everything, including doing what is right. Sessha believes that honor earned by doing what is right, is more important than family honor."

His words sank into her mind, bringing with it fleeting glimpses of the times she used her dagger to help strangers. She remembered how grateful those strangers were, and the number of friends she had met. Including Chihiro-san. Chihiro-san had always thought of her highly, even if she sometimes caused the portly woman to lose money in repairs.

She lowered her sword. "Kenshin-san?"

"Aa de gozaru?"

"My father is at the Inoue district with the Ranmyaku-gumi. They will be attacking Hiroshi again tonight."

He nodded. "Then we must go and stop them."

"Hai." she sheathed the sword at her waist. "But you must allow me to face my father first. He will be suspicious if he sees you with me."

"Hai, de gozaru. Sessha will be behind you, just in case."

They both hurried to the Inoue district, Koneko feeling dread settle in her stomach once again. But beyond that dread she felt...security...and strength. She was going to stop the Ranmyaku's plans again. And this time, she knew she was doing what's right.

Even if it meant stopping her father.

Koneko's wound stung as she ran, reminding her of her injury. She hoped she wouldn't have to fight anyone when they reached the Inoue district.

The Inoue district was bustling when they arrived. People were walking around the streets, chatting amiably with each other. And standing in the midst of the milling crowd, Koneko saw a tall man with a silver lock to his hair.

"Otosan..." she whispered to herself, signaling Kenshin to hide. But when she looked around, he was nowhere to be seen. He must have seen Tetsuo as well and hid.

She took a deep breath and approached her father.

"So you've challenged Battousai." he said without turning around.

"Hai, otosan."

"And you have won?"

Koneko hesitated, thinking of how she should answer him. Then, she decided to tell him half the truth. "Hai, I've won." She did win; she won against the wrong her father taught her.

"So Battousai is dead."

She didn't answer that. Kenshin was actually far from dead.

Tetsuo finally turned around. Instead of the pleased look Koneko expected, her father's eyes danced with anger. "You have never been able to lie very well, Koneko."

"Otosan?"

"I know you, Koneko. You would never kill any of your friends. You were too weak to do so."

She kept silent. Her father was right in saying that she would never kill her friends. But saying that she was weak?

"But it doesn't matter." The anger in his eyes was replaced by cold triumph. "Okawara has gone ahead to deal with Hiroshi, leaving me to challenge Battousai himself. By the time our fight is finished, the Ranmyaku has killed Hiroshi and the Meiji government will learn fear."

"And what do you wish to happen after this?" Kenshin's calm voice came from behind her. Koneko didn't bother looking at him. "Violence begets violence. Killing people has never done much good."

"Speak for yourself, Hitokiri Battousai." Tetsuo unsheathed his sword. "You who killed even more than any assassin did. You who brought the Meiji Era upon us. And you expect me to believe that killing will not do anything to change the government?" he smirked and crouched into his fighting stance. "I challenge you, Battousai! And with your death, the Ranmyaku will triumph over the so-called progress that is happening to this country."

Kenshin didn't move from his spot. He kept his eyes trained on Tetsuo before him, though his hand moved ever closer to the hilt of his sword.

"Wait!" Koneko cried, stepping forward. "I will answer your challenge, otosan."

Chapter 9