Standard disclaimers apply.

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Chapter 9: Victory and Honor

"You?!" Tetsuo barked in laughter. "You want to fight me?"

"Stay back, Koneko-dono," Kenshin told her in a low voice. "This really isn't your fight."

"Iie, Kenshin-san." she shook her head and brought out her sword. "I'm making this mine."

"Koneko-dono-"

"You go and stop the Ranmyaku-gumi from killing Hiroshi. I will stay here to fight my father."

"Do you even realize what you are saying, Koneko?" Tetsuo asked coldly. "Why don't you let your friend fight me instead?"

"Because this is the only way that will make you understand." Koneko retorted. She turned to Kenshin. "Please, Kenshin-san. Let me fight my father alone. You've taught me what it really takes to earn honor, and now I want to show my father that he is wrong. And for this, I need to defeat him myself."

Kenshin stared at her, conflicting emotions in his eyes: concern, anger, calm.

"Please, Kenshin-san."

Finally, he nodded. "Be careful, Koneko-dono."

"Hai. Arigatou, Kenshin."

The red-haired man gave a final nod and left. Koneko turned back to face her father, to finally teach him that she wasn't the weakling he thought she was.

A crowd had gathered by this time, attention riveted at the upcoming fight. She remembered the crowd at the market, when she defended Chihiro and the other merchants. Only this time she was facing her own father, the master of the Hidden Sword. Could she defeat him?

"You are foolish to think that you can defeat me." Tetsuo said, positioning himself to execute the Dance of Illusion. "Where did you learn the Hidden Sword Technique?"

"From you, otosan." she replied calmly, preparing herself to counter his move. "I've been watching you practice."

He smirked. "Then I will show you that learning by watching is not enough to master the Hidden Sword."

Tetsuo charged at her, his sword's blade trailing. He jumped to one side when he was just a few steps away, swinging his sword to her right. Koneko quickly brought her own up to deflect it, adding in enough force to meet her father's. He twisted his body and swung to her other side but she jumped back in time to avoid it. She pressed closer and made a swing of her own, which he blocked easily.

"Illusion of Light." He quickly swung his sword in a series of slashes, allowing the light to touch his blade for an impressive display of flashes.

Koneko blocked each of his strikes, keeping her eyes focused on his arms and not on his blade. She kept up her parries, their swords clashing, until one moment - when she made a split-second slash right after a block.

Her father stepped back, glancing at the thin red line in his arm. "First blood. I've underestimated you." He shifted his grip. "Only once."

He charged again, weaving in and out in quick succession until Koneko was hard pressed to keep her parrying.

He swung at her low. Koneko jumped to avoid his strike. She had barely recovered her balance when he whirled around for a second swing.

Koneko made a desperate parry, twirling her body to avoid the blade - when sudden fire shot through her leg.

She cried out, dropping to her knee. Her injury from that night burned painfully and blood appeared on the bandage around it. She had re-opened her wound.

Tetsuo stood above her. "Once I'm done with you, I will be joining the Ranmyaku in killing Battousai. Then, no one will be left to oppose us."

He drew his sword back for his final strike - and swung.

Koneko speedily grabbed her dagger and thrust it towards the incoming blade. Metal clashed, making her father draw back in surprise.

"You forget, I still have my dagger." she told him and, leg burning, rose to her feet. "I am not yet finished."

Her father's grip tightened on his sword, his knuckles turning white. "So am I."

He swung towards her again, and this time she crossed both dagger and sword to block it. Before he could retaliate, she launched into her own Dance of Illusion, using mainly her sword. She kept her dagger in her hand, waiting for its chance to strike.

She slashed towards his middle, his sword meeting hers halfway. His sword preoccupied, she thrust at him with her dagger. But he quickly brought his own dagger to block her, triumph in his eyes.

"You forget, I have my own dagger." he said triumphantly and tried to stab her chest.

She drew back her dagger and parried successfully. "Iie, otosan. I did not forget."

Keeping her sword interlocked with his, she then jerked forward - and let the hilt of her dagger jab his abdomen.

Tetsuo grunted and tried to step back. But his sword was still locked. He moved in again for another strike and Koneko let him. His dagger seared along her upper arm and she winced. But before he could move, she brought up her own dagger and struck the side of his head with all her strength.

Her father fell back, slightly dazed; his sword clattering to the ground. She had only used the hilt to strike at him.

She stood over him now, with sword and dagger at her sides.

"So. You've won...daughter." he smiled ironically. "You know what you have to do."

"Hai, I do know." She put back her dagger. "But I also know that I don't have to do it." She slid her sword into its sheath. "Kenshin taught me that earning honor was doing the right thing. And killing does not do anyone much good."

"And you believe him?" Tetsuo snorted. "You would believe Battousai over your own father?"

"I believe him because I know that he is right. I'm only sorry that you don't understand."

There were shouts as police officers arrived, drawn by the crowd. "What's going on here?"

"The Ranmyaku tried to assassinate Hiroshi-san again, officers." Kenshin's voice floated amidst the noise. "They're all waiting at his house, being watched over by his guards." He smiled at her, looking none the worse for wear. "Daijoubu de gozaru yo?"

"I won." She smiled triumphantly at Kenshin before turning to the officers. "That man there is also a member of the Ranmyaku." She gestured to her father. "He was going to help them with the assassination."

"Are you sure about this, Koneko-dono?" Kenshin asked, approaching her. "He is your father."

"Hai, Kenshin-san, I'm sure. If he spends enough time to think, perhaps he will understand your beliefs."

"Sessha hopes so too."

They both watched as the officers brought Tetsuo away. For the first time, Koneko felt as though a constricting burden had been lifted from her chest. Her father was gone. She didn't have to go back to their hut and find him waiting. She doesn't have a duty to her father anymore. Except visit him, of course.

"Koneko-dono?" Kenshin broke her thoughts.

"Hai?"

"Sessha thinks we'd better go back to Megumi-dono." He smiled gently. "You're bleeding again."

She laughed, for the first time in days. It felt good to laugh again. Her pain from her injuries quickly faded, replaced by a light-hearted feeling she hasn't felt in a long time. "That's the second time you've told me that, Kenshin-san. But hai, we'd better go back to Megumi-san."

Epilogue