I bounced up and down slightly, tapping my feet against the ground. I was
'walking' down the street and the passer-bys were giving me nervous smiles.
I grinned back at them, but keep on hopping down the street. It was late
afternoon and there was soon no one anywhere about. I decided to release
the pent-up energy inside me. I tapped my foot against the ground and
started running. Everything seemed to vanish into a white blank but I heard
a faint cry as I speeded down the dirt track. I turned around and stopped
running, finding myself standing beside a girl who had fallen down. "Sorry
for running you down." I apologized and held out a hand to pull her up. She
nodded, taking my hand. I pulled her up and she dusted her clothes off.
"It's ok." She smiled slightly, raising her head. She had jet-black hair
that fell down to her waist and equally black eyes. She had an
expressionless but beautiful face but she seemed pretty young, maybe
younger then me. I smiled, apologizing again. Then I offered to treat her
to dinner to show that I really was sorry. She accepted, saying that she
did not have anywhere important to go anyway. I bought her to a roadside
stall and asked her where she was headed. She didn't say, instead, she
asked if she could accompany me on my journey. I didn't need to smile, as
there was already an innocent grin on my face. I agreed, after all, I was
lonely and could do with some company.
We traveled around, looking for a shelter for the night. I only had spent
two hours with her and I found out that she didn't talk much. I rambled on
about the weather and other unimportant things. Then it started raining. We
ran for the closest shelter, which was a run down wooden hut. It had holes
and rain was leaking through the roof, which made puddles on the floor. The
girl found an area that was not so wet and sat down, setting down her
bundle of clothes on the floor. I sat nest to her and we were silent for a
while. It took me awhile but I realized I didn't know her name. I glanced
at her. She was sitting perfectly still, like a statue, staring straight
ahead, at nothing. The moonlight was shining on her, and her face was
illuminated by a yellowish glow. I noticed something strange. She had
streaks of red in her hair but the red was so dark, it was barely
noticeable because of her black hair. I tapped her on the shoulder and she
jumped slightly, startled out of her trance. I asked her if she had colored
her hair, mentioning the red streaks in her hair. She shook her head,
seeming surprised that I had noticed the red color in her hair. She told me
that the color was natural but no one had noticed it besides herself and
him. I smiled at her. "My name is." she paused, sighing. "Firefly." She
stared at me, waiting for me to comment. "Firefly, huh? That's a pretty
name." I guessed many people could have made fun of her about her strange
name. I opened my mouth to tell her my name but she lifted her hand,
silencing me. "I don't need to know your name." Her gaze burned into my
eyes. I nodded, wondering why. We settled down for the night and fell
asleep.
I awoke, finding Firefly gone. I ran out of the hut, feeling a dull ache in
my back from sleeping on the floor. She was standing out side the door,
still as always. I gaped at her. She turned her head towards me slowly,
asking, "Should we go now?" she had an amused glint in her eye. I shrugged
and strode down the road. We walked all afternoon until it grew dark. I was
amazed at her stamina; most people wouldn't walk this distance without
resting. She didn't even slow her pace since she began walking in the
morning. She had a graceful walk, and she looked as if she was gliding down
the road, floating even. We finally stopped at when it got quite late.
Neither she nor I had spoken a word since we started walking. I felt
strangely full of energy. I hadn't kept so quiet before for so long. It was
strange. Firefly had a weird calming effect on me. "Come on!" I acted on a
sudden impulse and I picked her up in my arms and started running. I left
billows of dust behind me as I ran, faster then the eye could follow. I ran
and ran until I felt my energy slowly decrease and I stopped, panting
slightly. I set her down on the ground, apologizing again and again. She
scowled faintly and straightened her clothes. I looked around me, taking in
my new surroundings. "We're in Kyoto!" I was rejoiced at being somewhere
familiar again. She gave me a blank look. "I have some friends here. We
could stay with them for the night!" I grinned happily and dragged her to
the dojo.
I rapped sharply on the door and I heard a clatter and a crash before some
voices yelling. It took a while before someone opened the door. It was
Yahiko who opened the door. "Hey! It's you!" He ushered me inside together
with Firefly. When we entered the dojo, Kenshin and Karou rose to greet me.
Sanosuke and Megumi remained sitting, eating dinner. "Hi." Kenshin smiled.
I nodded, and stepped aside to reveal Firefly. "Meet my companion." I
gestured to Firefly and he lifted her head to face the curious gazes of
everyone. Kenshin jumped when he saw her face, stepping back, a look of
utter surprise and confusion on his face. Everyone noticed the sudden
change in Kenshin but remained silent. Kenshin finally snapped out of it
and told us to sit down with them. I happily accepted and asked if we could
stay for the night. Kenshin said he was more then honored to let us stay
the night.
We sat down to eat. "What's her name?" Sanosuke suddenly asked. I elbowed
her gently and she gazed up from her food. But she kept quiet. "Maybe she
doesn't want to tell strangers." I grinned sheepishly. Sanosuke frowned,
"She told you right?" I nodded and quickly bent my head to continue eating.
Soon dinner was over and all of us sat around the table, drinking tea.
Firefly sat there, unmoving, holding the teacup in her hand, staring into
space. I nudged her, "Hey." I said quietly. She didn't notice. I shrugged
and leaned back, realizing that the others were staring at me. Firefly
turned her head and stared straight at me, questioningly. "Sorry, what did
you say?" her voice was quiet and smooth. I was distracted from answering
her when Kenshin suddenly leapt up, clenching his fists and storming out of
the dojo. I bounded to my feet and was standing in front of him before he
got far. "Kenshin-san, where are you going?" he didn't say anything; he
simply sank to the ground and covered his face with his hands. I knelt down
next to him, alarmed at his actions. I was dimly aware that the others were
standing at the doorway, watching. Firefly too. He blinked and turned,
smiling faintly at, surprisingly, Firefly. "How old are you?" he asked her.
She stared back at him. "Come on, tell him." I whispered, loud enough for
everyone to hear. She blinked and spoke in monotone. "My name is Firefly
and I'm 15 years old." I froze. She seemed older then her actual age and
even acted like it. Kenshin seemed to grow weak at that statement and he
got up and silently went into the dojo and headed straight to his room.
Karou apologized for Kenshin's strange behavior and prepared us rooms to
sleep in. We had to share a room as all the other rooms were taken up. I
spent sometime outside practicing with my sword. Surprisingly, Firefly
stood outside watching me, as still as ever. "Hey kid!" Sanosuke stomped
down to us. Yahiko was by his side. He pointed to Firefly. "Who are you
really? It had to be really serious or Kenshin wouldn't act like that." I
stepped in front of Firefly; hand on my sword. "Don't falsely accuse her,
she's innocent. She didn't do anything." With a strange jolt, I realized I
was smiling, that fake empty smile. They stepped back, aware that I was
dangerous like that. "It's ok." Kenshin walked up to us, followed by Karou
and Megumi. I bristled, not moving. Firefly touched my shoulder and I
relaxed. They were amazed by the effect Firefly had on me. "Do you have a
knife?" Kenshin asked. Firefly lifted a small knife and gave it to Kenshin.
Kenshin took it like it was made out of glass; carefully and unsure. He
stroked the hilt of the knife slowly and dipped his head, hair falling to
shadow his face. "Where did you get this?" his voice was cracking, unstable
and tired. Firefly didn't answer. He trembled slightly and spoke in a low
voice. The most unexpected thing we expected him to say. "You have red
streaks in your hair." Firefly drew back, and I sensed that she was
suddenly afraid. Why? I was confused. He raised his voice. "Kenji!" A
little boy I have never seen before came running up to our group. I was
shocked. He was an exact copy of Kenshin except for the cross scar and the
fact that he was a little boy. Kenji looked up at me, smiling in the
typical Kenshin way. "Who are you? I grinned, patting him on his head.
"You're like your father." The little boy bounced up and down. Firefly held
out her hand. I fell silent and looked at her. It was unusual. She
hesitantly patted Kenji on the head. Megumi and Karou broke the silence and
shooed everyone back inside.
The next morning dawned bright and clear. I went out side and played with
Kenji, Firefly stood there, watching as usual and silent. I paused in my
playing and went up to Firefly. She didn't move. I waved a hand in front of
her eyes but she didn't even blink. I noticed a tear running down her
cheek. I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her out of her trance. She
blinked rapidly, the single tear gone. "You trying to make her dizzy or
what?" Karou was standing at the porch and glaring at me. I nodded,
grinning foolishly. Firefly tugged at my selves and pulled my head down so
she could whisper in my ear. "Red hair. The little boy and the samurai had
red hair." She whispered hoarsely into my ear. I was totally dazed. I had
no idea what she was talking about. I smiled and nodded. She let go of me
and stared at me. "They do." I patted her on her shoulder. "I don't
understand. Is that bad?" she shook her head. She wouldn't say another word
until we went for dinner.
At dinner, Kenji was eating with us and he seemed pretty happy. After
dinner, Sanosuke and Yahiko got into a fight about who had taken more food.
Megumi was busy trying to clam them down and I was sitting there, silent.
Firefly jerked, lifting her knife and pulling it out of its sheath slowly.
Everyone froze and stared. The blade glimmered. She reached over, holding
the blade waveringly, pointing it at Kenshin. He didn't even flinch. She
placed the knife at Kenshin's face. Karou's breath caught. Everyone was
shocked beyond words. She pressed the blade gently against Kenshin's cross
scar, tracing it. He bowed his head slightly, letting the blade cut into
his skin. It was like he was renewing his scar. I gasped. The blood
trickled down his cheek and flowed down the blade. I jumped up, backing
away. Blood. "No!" I gasped. "No! Stop it! Stop!" Leaning into the blade,
letting the blade cut into him. "No! Stop!" I screamed, and ran out of the
dojo. I ran and ran and I can feel my blood pumping through my veins and I
was going faster and faster. I stumbled and fell; I crashed into the
ground. I lay on the ground, letting dry sobs rack my body. "Hey." I heard
a quiet voice. Kenshin leaned over me and turned me over. Every one
surrounded us. I lay on the floor, sobbing without tears. Kenshin's eyes
widened slightly and I wondered why. Then I knew. I was smiling. I was
smiling and making crying sounds but I was not shedding any tears. I got up
and grinned. I felt so empty and hollow. Every time I thought I could start
a new life and live it over again, the past would catch up to me and bring
me back to the hell inside my head.
Kenshin was still bleeding. I could see pain and grief in his eyes but I
didn't know what was going on. Firefly stepped forward, standing in front
of me. She was still holding her bloodstained knife in her fist. I wriggled
the knife from her hand and dropped it to the ground. Then she hugged me. I
stiffened. I could feel my muscles tensing up and reaching for my sword. My
hand rested on the hilt of my sword. I bent my legs slightly, ready to run.
I could sense a glaze covering my vision. Every body noticed. I tapped my
foot and jerked out of her hug and leapt behind her, drawing my sword and
holding it at her neck. "Don't touch me," my voice didn't sound like my
own. It was harsh and grating, rough and uncaring. My grip tightened on my
sword. My breathing got faster and raspier. "Sorry." One singe word was all
she said. Firefly whispered again. "Sorry." I let go of her, pulling away,
keeping my sword. I couldn't believe I could have killed her. All of us
headed back to the dojo.
The next morning was pretty cloudy. As winter was approaching, it had begun
to snow. The snow fell gently and softly. I stood with Firefly outside,
letting us get covered with snow. I was cold but Firefly seemed to like the
snow. There was a click as someone came out of the dojo. Kenshin walked up
to us and stood beside. "Why do you come inside? It's cold." He seemed to
flinch every time a snowflake landed on him, which was all the time. I
shook my head, smiling. He nodded and went back in.
"Open up! I know you're in there!" Someone was slamming his fist furiously
against the door so hard the door was shaking. I got up and opened the
door. It was one of Shishio's servants. "Traitor!" the man screamed and
launched towards me, drawing a blade at the same time. I dodged and drew my
sword. Everyone else had moved to the side, they obviously knew I could
handle myself. I ran out into the swirling snow and the man gave chase. He
attacked me again and again but I easily moved out of the way every time.
The man turned, seeing Firefly. "Girl! You-." Firefly blinked rapidly, her
once blank face now shocked. "Don't fight." she stretched out a hand, her
eyes pleading. "Don't." the man took the opportunity to stab me in the
shoulder. I hissed sharply, blood spilling onto the white snow. "Don't."
Firefly spoke again. I lifted my sword, feeling my energy filling me,
powered on by anger and hate. "I was right." I whispered, my voice deadly
and dangerous. "Every time I try to live again, some one from my past must
always drag me to the grave with them." I sheathed my sword, tapping my
foot, snow rising. "Die!" I screamed, and drew my sword. I ran around the
man, confusing him. I ran around him in circles, causing the snow to rise
in a small hurricane, trapping him. "Stop!" Firefly shrieked, "He's my
father!" I froze, feeling the snow rushing around, chilling me to the bone.
"Step- father." she added softly, lifting the sleeves, revealing her badly
scarred arms. I shook my head wildly. "No.no.no!" I cried out. Everywhere I
went, it seemed like that were abused children everywhere, a harsh reminder
of my past. I turned to the man; rage blazing up in me. "Why?" I howled.
"Why?" I was angry, very angry. "She even saved your life by stopping me
from killing you. why? Why?" I drew my sword, "it's because you don't know
how it feels!" one last cry and I bought my sword slashing down and a body
fell to the ground with a soft thump. I looked down and saw Firefly
instead. The man was standing there, pale and frightened. I sagged to my
knees, watching the red blood spreading through the snow.
"Crimson snow." a quiet sob was heard. Kenshin was standing over us:
Firefly and I. He was crying, shoulders shaking, fighting the sobs. I just
sat there, letting the tears stream down my face in little rivers, making
no sound. "She's.she's. Tomoe's daughter." with that, Kenshin started
crying loudly. Silence pressed down all around. "It's the past all over
again." Kenshin yelled. I felt the snow continue to swirl around Firefly,
Kenshin and I. I was cold and I could feel the tears just keeping on
flowing. I had killed her.killed Firefly. with my sword. just like Kenshin
had killed his own wife.so many years ago. Only now.I killed his daughter.
I touched her cold face gently; with a shock, I realized she wasn't dead.
"Father." she turned her head to Kenshin, face as blank as always. She
turned to face me. "It's better this way. Don't cry." her weary eyes
flickered to Kenshin and back to me. "Please remember me." her eyes closed
and she was dead. The tears flowed from me and. I was still smiling.