Chapter 12- Melting Ice

The leader of the fallen group now stood there, on the slope, his cloak blowing in the night breeze. But now, he held Genichi to his leg with one hand and had his blade to the boy's throat with the other. Aoshi gasped. "No."

"You think I'd let you get away with taking out my force?" he asked menacingly. "Well, now you shall watch me kill your son!" He began to move the sword's edge closer to the boy's skin.

Genichi gasped. "Ah.Ah!"

Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kenji gasped. "No, not him! Not Genichi!"

Aoshi trembled with rage. "You harm him and I'll."

SHMP! "AGH!!!"

Everyone froze as the terrorist removed his blade from Genichi's arm. The boy screamed in agony as blood spurted from the deep wound to the grass. It was clear, this madman was a terrorist and didn't care about what would happen to himself. It was all about making others suffer, even at the cost of his own life!

"Hahaha! You can kill me, Shinomori, but I'll still have the last laugh!"

Images flashed like lightning through Aoshi's mind. He saw them all: Hanya, Beshimi, his old Oniwaban friends. He saw Misao! His kodachi dropped to the ground. "No." he murmured. He slipped to his knees. "Please." he begged. "Kill me! Make me suffer! Just let my son go! I beg of you! Take me!!"

The caped terrorist relaxed his grip on the sword. "Hm.killing you would have more of a meaning I suppose."

"Papa." Genichi's eyes closed and he fell limp in his captor's grip.

Silence fell as the fate of the boy was weighed out. The man in the cloak finally nodded. "Very well." He tossed the boy at Aoshi. "In that case, you'd best say goodbye to him."

Aoshi dove to catch the child. "Genichi!" Kenji called, heading towards him. But no, Kenshin caught him by the back of his gi.

The okashira knelt there, holding his little son close to his exhausted form. The wound hadn't been as bad as previously thought, but obviously enough to make Genichi faint. Aoshi smiled sadly. "You are safe now, my son. I'm sorry I have to leave you now."

He had made his decision. He would fight this psycho to the death. It was the only way to ensure the safety of those he held dear.

Slowly, he got to his feet and carried Aoshi over to where Kenshin and the others stood. He and the samurai stared at each other for a long moment before the ninja handed him the unconscious boy. Once the difficult task was accomplished, Aoshi turned away. "Take him to safety."

"But you'll." Yahiko began, but instinctively stopped.

Kenshin nodded. He knew that this was Aoshi's battle from this point on. "Kenji, Yahiko. Let's go."

Aoshi felt their ki growing further and further away as he prepared to end the battle. A relieved smirk crossed his face. "Now, we will end this."

.......

Genichi awoke to the sound of running. "Huh?"

Kenshin halted when he felt the boy stir and smiled. "Hello Genichi, good to see you awake now."

The 6-year-old glanced around. "Where.where are we.?" Suddenly, the image of his father flashed into his still-hazy mind. "Wait! Where's Papa?"

The samurai shook his head. "I'm afraid we must keep going as Aoshi said. He his fighting his own battle now."

Genichi jerked free of Kenshin's grip and landed in the grass. "You mean that Papa is still fighting? We have to help him!"

"Forget it, squirt. Your father doesn't want anyone there to get in the way." Yahiko told him.

Kenshin was about to agree, but something in the boy's ocean-blue eyes stopped him. Even as the child stood there, right arm hanging uselessly at his side, blood staining his birthday kimono, a whole new aura seemed to be building up within. It was very subtle, but noticeable to the samurai's knowing eyes. There was no objecting Genichi's plan.

Taking Kenshin's thoughtful expression as his queue to exit, Genichi scampered off, back where they had come from.

"Hey! Genichi, get back here!" Yahiko shouted. "Genichi!"

Kenji grinned. "Yeah! Go Genichi!"

Kenshin placed a hand on his sword handle. "Then I should go back too." He followed in the boy's trail, but at a calmer pace. "Yahiko and Kenji, you had best return to the Aioya."

But his amber-haired son shook his head. "No way! If Genichi gets to go save his papa, then I should go to help you!"

Yahiko rolled his eyes. "I'm not saying anything this time."

Kenshin kept walking. "It is dangerous, Kenji. There is no need for you to get involved."

"I'm going too!" Kenji retorted stubbornly and took off after him, leaving Yahiko alone in the moonlight.

The teenage swordsman stood there for a brief moment, shrugged his shoulders and went after them.