Author's Note: Well, the story's almost finished, about ten more updates and book one of 'Crimson String' will come to a close. This chapter seems kinda slow at first, but it'll go somewhere. Anyway, let's just get on with the story.
Chapter 20: Are You Proud of Me?
Winter had returned rather quickly that year, there is not much to speak of what happened during those idle months between my friendship with Shion and this time in my life which I am about to speak of. This entire incident began one night, it was supposed to be the same as any other. I was treading down the streets of the city, a pack of Mibu's wolves on my tail.
"Hitokiri Kensai, surrender in the name of the Shinsengumi!" the lead Wolf ordered, his claw wrapped around the steel fang on his belt.
I faced the man for a second, his blade racing down from an angle. Seeing this attack for what I think was the millionth time, I drew my katana at the last moment, the Wolf staggering upon pulling my blade away. With a flick of my wrist, his spine was caught in the freezing metal, an iced crater of red take it's place where my sword had punctured. Within a split second, I pried the steel slab away, swinging it toward the next Wolf who charged. Metal crashed through another, my blade finding it's way to his skull after breaking through his sword. The ruby liquid that emitted after began to spray, but suddenly stopped before it could taint my kimono. One Wolf left, he was coming from behind. Without even looking, I plunged my sword behind me, engraving the blade between two of the man's ribs. I pulled upward after, snapping through each rib with ease, his blood freezing upon touching the air. Silence would usually follow after my work was done, but in this incident, it didn't. I heard cries, sniffling coming from around the corner. I decided to investigate, my sword close to my side as I treaded the blood-soaked streets. Turned the corner, surprised at who I had found.
"Mother?!" I was shocked to see her once more.
She turned to me for a second, her face covered in tears and a frown stretched across her face. It was obvious that she was the one crying, but why?
"What have you done, Mina?" Mother sniffed. "What have you become?"
"What have I...?" I said puzzled at her words.
Suddenly she sprang forward, and out of instinct, I plunged my blade forward. I can remember the grotesque image very well, the cringe on her face as the steel kissed her flesh, the cry she made when the rivers of life began oozing from her wound, I remember the pain I had inflicted upon myself, taking my mother away from me once more.
"What have you become...?" Mother asked me once more before her skull met with the stone road.
"Mother!" I suddenly sprang up from my futon. "Just a dream," I had realized a second later.
My entire being was covered in an icy cold liquid, my heart was practically trying to leap out of my chest as I sat there, my entire system seemed to have been drained, trying to recollect what was lost with large huffs. Things began to slow down the moment I had placed my palm over my face, but I was still in shock what I had just done. I had slain my own mother with my own hands, her blood pouring onto my palms as it ran down my blade, seeping through it's guard and collecting on the hilt. I thought I could still see the fluid on my hand, freezing over my fingers and palm as I held it before me. Why did I do such a thing? Even if it was a dream, the fact of the matter is that I slew her. Was it because I've adapted to the battlefield too much, or is it because Kensai had taken control? I knew I wasn't going to find the answer any time soon.
"Mina, is something the matter?" Kenshin asked as he rose from the futon across from mine.
"No, Kenshin," I answered as I tried to recollect my breath, "it's nothing, nothing at all, that it is."
It occurred to me then that there was something about this day, something special happened. I couldn't exactly put my finger on it, all I knew is that this day meant a lot to me, but what was it? I began to pick at my brain, trying to find the answer, but it just wouldn't come, even hours later when breakfast was served. Breakfast was also different that day, that it was.
"What is this?" I asked the maid as I took the sphere of white grains into my hand.
"Rice balls," the maid answered.
"I know that, but where's the meat?" I looked at the rest of the mounds placed in my bowl.
"I'm afraid we forgot to go to the market yesterday," the maid said as she bowed, "I'm terribly sorry."
"Don't worry about it," I told the maid as I bit into the sphere.
"How is it?" Kenshin asked as he took in a morsel of his own share.
"...perhaps we should just get a job at a restaurant or inn," Mother's voice suddenly echoed through my head, "it's better than you..."
"Forget about it, Mother," I remembered my response, "there are no jobs for us in this city, no opportunity, I checked everywhere. I guess I will have to take up the job you recommended earlier..."
"Are you sure?" I remembered the concern on her face.
"...Hai," I had answered, "it's...the only way."
"Ugh!" my hand took a hold of my forehead.
"Mina, are you okay?" Kenshin had asked once a sudden pain shot up to my head.
"...Hai, I'm all right, that I am," I answered.
I didn't feeling like eating afterward, not when Mother's face continued flashing through my mind. Instead, I went out into the yard, taking my scarred bokken off the wall, and swinging the oak curve against the winds. The dream slowly began to make it's way back into my head, another second played with every swing I took. The tears on her face, the push of my blade, her bloody mass in my arms, why was I thinking this, why was I remembering Mother's death at that particular day.
"Damn it all," I spat as I swung my blade, "damn it all!" I swung downward with all my might.
A loud crack followed the crash, one half of the sword ricocheting off the ground and out of the yard's fence. My action had once again drawn in a crowd, all of those eyes peering into my being as I tried to recollect my thoughts.
"What do you want?!" I growled at the masses.
I'm sure I saw at least one or two witnesses jump before they began to return to their duties. Sweat began to travel down my temple again, the frozen winds began weighing the air, making it harder for me to breath.
"Why am I thinking this now?" I asked myself between pants. "I never thought about her death until this morning, why?"
"Mina?" my brother's voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Kenshin," I turned to him for a few seconds.
There he stood with that look of concern on his face, it was always there whenever I was the least bit annoyed or angry. Just gazing into those lavender eyes would soothe my temper, but this time, they didn't have their usual effect. I saw her inside those purple orbs, I saw my mother's frown, as if she were ashamed of her own daughter. I just had to turn away, the very sight of lavender eyes would've brought me to tears if I peered into them any longer.
"What is it?" he asked, placing his hand onto my shoulder.
"Please don't look at me," I turned my head a little more. "Please, just...leave me alone for a bit."
"Hai," Kenshin said with a nod.
I needed to clear my head, standing in one spot wasn't going to solve anything. I treaded toward the yard's gate, the door creaking even with the small nudge I gave it. The streets were as crowded as ever, all those words the people spoke easily commingled becoming nothing but a large blur. My feet turned to the direction to the east, my body shortly following in it's path. My head felt as if it were being pulled to the street, my eyes fixed on each step my feet took. The only things I saw and heard came from my feet. My body was in the streets, but my mind was elsewhere.
"Mina, could you water the crops?" I heard her voice again.
I swatted the memory away with the brush of my hand, probably striking the side of a person as I did so. My eyes began to weigh down after, their being beginning to melt away into tears.
"Are you all right, child?" Mother's voice continued to ring through my head.
"No, I'm not all right," I answered as I continued treading down the street.
By the time I had looked up, I found myself in front of one of the city's rivers. The water was as clear as ever, despite the fallen sakura blossoms here and there. I peered into the translucent liquid for a moment, fixing my eyes on the girl that stared back at me. The image suddenly rippled with the drop of a leaf from a nearby tree, my reflection waved back and forth for a few seconds before it regained it's natural composure. No, it wasn't it's natural composure, in fact, it wasn't even my reflection.
"Mother?" I stared into the image for a mere second. "Hmph!" I threw a stone into the figure.
"You're really losing it, Mina," Kensai suddenly spoke to me.
"What do you want?" I grumbled at the sound of her voice.
"Let's go for a walk," she stated, "turn left."
"Where are we going?" I asked as we mingled with the hoards of citizens.
"It's very important," Kensai answered, "just keep going down this way."
I followed Kensai's every word, every corner she told me to turn, and soon I found myself in a remote area. Not a sign of life anywhere, not a flicker of light either, and I know the sun hadn't set yet either. Small buildings had surrounded me, none of them seemed to be well maintained. The walls were filled with patches of bark or scraps of lumber, the air was musty and heavier than it was back in the populated streets. I must've been in the slums, but why had Kensai brought me here? The area felt familiar to me though, as if I had been here before.
"Recognize this place?" Kensai asked a few moments of observation.
"No...," I answered as my head began to shift from right to left. "Wait a minute," my mother's figure began to flash through my mind for a second, "this is..."
"Please, spare this child!" I heard mother's scream coming from a few feet ahead of me.
I saw my mother, standing before me, her arms extended to the sides as she shielded a young girl standing in the corner behind her. Then out of nowhere, the image of two Mibu dogs appeared in front of her, their fangs bared as they inched toward her.
"Get away from her you bastards!" I screamed as I rushed toward the Wolves.
Without hesitation, I wrapped my fingers around the hilt of my katana, sliding the blade against the sheath's side with all my might as I drew it. The outer curve met at their sides, sliding through their torsos with ease, yet slicing nothing but air. They continued to inch toward her, couldn't allow it, so I swung again. Still no effect, I had to go for a third slash. A fourth followed, then a fifth, I had lost count after as I continued swinging back and forth with all my might.
"Stop it," tears began to flood down my face, running faster with each swing, "leave her alone! Are you hearing me, don't touch her! Don't touch her," I shut my eyes to try and seal the rivers but to no avail, "don't touch her. Don't touch her!" I screamed.
The damage was already done, I heard her screams as the steel fangs engraved themselves onto her body. I could feel a warm fluid caressing against my hand, freezing in a matter of seconds. The veil of darkness slowly lifted from my eyes, the lifeless mass that was once my mother now lay before a pool of ruby red liquid, her face drenched in it's contents. The Wolves began to inch toward the girl standing before my mother's corpse, her lavender eyes as wide as they ever could be.
"No, get away!" she screamed.
"Oh my God," I soon found myself looking into the Wolves' eyes through her own, "this girl is..."
"You," Kensai finished my words, the Wolves and the image of my mother and self disappearing after.
"Why, why am I...?" I began to ponder on the matter again.
"Do you know what day it is?" Kensai asked.
"Today...," I began to think, "today is..."
"Are you all right?" my brother's voice suddenly echoed into my head.
"Today is the day...," the answer was now within my grasp.
"It's not your fault," I remember what I had told Kenshin a second later.
"The day that I met Kenshin," I finally realized.
"Right," Kensai answered.
"This is the place where Mother...," I turned my attention back to the spot my mother had sacrificed herself for me. "Mother...," I stepped toward the tiles that held her body that night.
Without even thinking, I lowered myself toward the cracked blocks, my hand petting the very spot where she once lay. The tears had come again, quickly engulfing my eyes in a translucent residue, streaking down my cheeks once more within the next second. I couldn't hold them anymore, no, I didn't want to hold them anymore. My mother, how I miss her, and Father as well. By touching those stone blocks, I could remember my family.
"Mina, come inside now," I remembered when I was a child, about six or so.
It was winter, and it had begun to snow. I was out in the field playing around in the snow. I was running all over the place, falling down on some random spots and waving my arms and legs up and down in those spots, leaving imprints of angels as I did so.
"Do I have to, Mommy?" I groaned as Father took me into his arms.
"Come on, don't get your mother angry," Father smiled as he led me inside.
Whenever I left my being into the snow when I was a child, the impression of angel would always be left. I'm sure that if I were to wave my arms and legs in the powder substance, the impression of a devil would be left, the surrounding snow melting once it had been engraved.
"Mother, Father," I spoke as I continued to touch the broken road, "you're still watching over me, right? Are you still proud of your daughter after all she's done this past year? Do you hate me for all the things I've done? Do you...still love me?" more tears began to escape my eyes as I asked this.
"What have we here?" a chuckle began to echo around the entire area.
"Who's there?!" I quickly rose to my feet, my left hand swatting the rivers emitting from my eyes.
The shadows had begun to move, coming from the right at first, and then the left. My eyes veered forward after to find another shadow, and my eyes had found a fourth coming from the south. The one in front stepped toward the light, leaving the darkness so I can get a good look of her face, and I knew this particular devil well.
"Misanagi the Flying Arrow," I narrowed my eyes at the sight of the shinobi.
"We meet again, Hitokiri Kensai," Misanagi grinned once her visage had entered the light.
"What business do you have with me?" I asked, my eyes shifting from side to side as the remaining three shadows began swirling before me. "I thought I made it clear to you the last time that I have no intention to fight you, that I don't."
"Well I have every single intention to!" Misanagi spat. "You have some nerve trying to pull an act like that back in Osaka, and showing me pity back in Kodomo-no-Hi, that was just unforgivable. Ren, Zan, Baku, do it now!"
"Nani?!" I soon found a claw-like device launching itself toward me from the shadows.
Without even thinking I pulled my katana from my belt and raised it at the prongs just as soon as they shut. The prongs began to pull me forward after, I tried my hardest not to pulled in to the darkness, forcing all my weight back. I shouldn't have just focused on that one shinobi, because at the last moment I had remembered the other two. The skin on my arm and neck began to sting suddenly, I couldn't help but release my blade from the pronged spear. I found myself suddenly pulled back into the shadows in the opposite direction, my right arm was rendered useless as it was constrained by some kind of invisible device, probably a rope as black as darkness.
"What the hell?!" I tried to fight against the ropes.
"There's no way you're getting out of this one," Misanagi laughed, "those whips have steel inside their leather casing, there's no way you can break out of them!"
More darkness began to leave the shadows after, these silhouettes flying toward me as I lay in place. How hard tried to escape the clutches of my dark restraints, it still wasn't enough. The black silhouettes suddenly landed on my shoulder, and then pain began to shoot inside my entire being, starting with my neck. I couldn't help but scream from as the fangs seeped into my skin, a river of warm fluid began to run down my neck after.
"Vampire bats," I had realized what had bit me.
Another puncture, this time on my constrained arm, another screamed followed. A third followed shortly, then a fourth, I lost count soon after, the bites were too consecutive. I could feel my strength slowly being drained with each drop of blood that poured from my body, I thought I was going to die.
"It can't end now," I told myself as everything began to fade into darkness, "not now..."
Slowly, the bites became painless, the rivers of life flowing like waterfalls as they seeped down every crevice of my body, everything before was beginning to fade into the darkness. That simper on her face and her laugh, was it to be the last image I were to see before I die?
Chapter 20 Liner Notes
The three individuals with Misanagi- From what you've read, there are three other ninjas with Misanagi during her attack on Mina. These three are Misanagi's bodyguards, the Sanada Three, they're seen in two episodes of the Rurouni Kenshin anime series. Right now in the story, they don't have those ridiculous costumes they wore when they fought Kenshin and the others, they just have normal ninja outfits, and Zan and Baku don't have their masks yet, nor does Ren have his eye patch. I just thought I should point this stuff out.
(Next time: "Engulfed in darkness and in blood I lay, the creature that chases me tries to consume me, taking me into it's belly. Even as I escape, the devil and her three shadows await, their fangs bared and their talons sharpened. Fate is working against me, and for once, Man must go against what is destined..." -Himura Mina)
Author's Note: Well how was it? Tell me what you think by leaving me a review, but not a flame. I don't really have much to say anymore in my author's note I don't think. Well, I guess I should tell you readers who also read the 'Twin Dragon Arc' that most of those flashback scenes will be thrown away to be replaced by more dramatic and angsty ones. Well, that's it for now, later.