Chapter 9
Sanosuke's hand bled from the scratches and bruises he received from climbing. His feet and stomach suffered the same fate. Sad as he was that on the day of his birthday he was already punished and no Genpuku was celebrated.
"Grr! I'll get her for this." he whispered to himself, though he didn't really mean it. His heart ached for making her cry even though he didn't even know how. But this was outrageous! Ikomoda-sensei didn't have to be so harsh. Sanosuke looked up and with his best hand, being his right, pulled himself up to the top. He sat on the edge of a stone, looking down at the sleeping Gombei. The head servant wasn't much of a watch, was he?
"Suke-san?" A soft sunshine whispered in the light of the crescent moon.
"Man. I even hear her in my thoughts," Sanosuke mused. He looked up at the moon and sighed.
"Suke-san," The voice said once more," Turn around." Sanosuke's eyes widened and turned around. Right in front of him stood Hikaru in a white sleeping kimono. Her skin looked pale under the night sky and her eyes were red from crying. Sanosuke stood and opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He turned his head almost in shame.
"I wish anata weren't my cousin!" Tears began to build in her eyes.
"Anata? What do you mean anata?" Sanosuke tried to keep his urge down of just wrapping his arms around her and telling her the truth.
"Anata, don't jump! I wouldn't be able to live without you!" Hikaru then lifted her hands trying to reach him and staggered forward. Suddenly, she tripped on a rock, falling into Sanosuke's arm, and the two young lovers fell, him on his knees and her on his chest. Sanosuke looked down at her, breathing heavily. The girl's eyes were closed and sleep was on her face. Sanosuke buried his face in her sakura-scented hair. He knew it was too good to be true.
"Why do you torture me so." He whispered in a trembling voice. Sobs busted out of him as tears began to fall. The wind, in its silent rage, began to blow harder, making the splashing water from the waterfall sprinkle upon Sanosuke and Hikaru. Dark clouds began to drift over the stars to cover the sky's innocent eyes. Sanosuke looked up suddenly as small droplets mixed with his tears. He sighed and placed the sleeping Hikaru in his back, ready to take her home.
Suddenly, the sound of gurgling came from below, as if someone's throat was cut. Sanosuke, in alarm, placed Hikaru back on the floor and crawled to the small platform that built above the waterfall. There, he saw a man in a black cloak, bloody sword at hand, savoring the pleasure of his kill. And Gombei? At the man's feet, of course, with his throat cut as Sanosuke suspected. He looked back at his sleeping cousin and frowned. There was no reason to get her involved or hurt. But how could he fight the man? He had no bokken, and his hands were damaged because of the punishment. So Sanosuke did the only thing he could; dive down and surprise the assassin. The man's head spun at once to see the water splash. He wore a mask that covered his entire head, even his hair. The only thing visible was the flash of gold that came from his eyes. He swung his sword to remove the blood from its blade. He turned his body and narrowed his eyes, ready to meet his new opponent.
Sanosuke looked for hard ground underwater. He needed something to push himself off of. Finally finding a boulder to stand on, he looked towards the silhouette of the black-clothed man. He grinned and pushed himself off with all of his strength. He didn't know how he was going to stop or kill the assassin, but he'd have to before he found Hikaru. Sanosuke closed his eyes and suddenly he emerged from the water. He spread his arms as he flew toward the shocked man. He crashed into him, but only Sanosuke fell. Sanosuke stood himself up and placed himself in a fighting stance. The man, holding his sword in front of him from the last block, laughed. He had slanted him blade sideways to propel Sanosuke's launch back to him! The stranger placed his sword back in his sheath
"Go back home. You're a waste of my time, boy," The man sneered. Sanosuke clenched his teeth. He then turned his view to Gombei and he finally found his answer of how to kill the man. In an iron sheath, clasped to the body's heko obi, was a katana, unfastened from the case. He looked back at the man and sighed. He turned and began to walk down the path, but suddenly turned and sprinted to the body. The assassin turned his head quickly, surprised by Sanosuke, and followed the boy's line of dash. Seeing the servant's body on the floor he realized what the boy aimed for. He broke into a charge, and suddenly a race to the katana was set. Sanosuke looked at the assassin as they both approached the sword, and with a cunning thought, stopped and swooped a handful of dirk in his hand and threw it at the man. The hitokiri stopped and with one hand shielded his eyes. As he lowered his hand, he saw Sanosuke already leaning over the body and almost ripping the katana off of it. The boy quickly drew the sword and threw its sheath behind him, setting himself in an Ikomoda Ryu stance. The assassin smiled and unsheathed his sword. He placed his sheath in his other hand, and set himself in a side stance, sheath behind and sword in front. Sanosuke began to breathe deeply, death hovering above him.
"Sanosuke-chan?" Hikaru's voice came from above. Sanosuke turned to the top of the waterfall and gasped, his eyes widening.
"Get back!" He yelled. He turned back to the assassin, but he no longer stood in front of him. He turned his head and finally saw him running towards the cliff Hikaru stood at. Sanosuke began to run after him, but the man was much faster, so by the time he had reached the bottom of the cliff, the man was already halfway there.
"Chikushou! Get away from her!" He yelled at the man. He then took a great leap and grabbed the nearest rock he could get, and started to climb. Hikaru, who stood shocked at the top, began to back away slowly. She began to breathe heavily as the hitokiri's hand had reached the top and the man's covered face appeared. He began to laugh in a wheeze as he lifted his feet from the cliff. But as he was about to get his right foot up, the man staggered.
"Now I got you," Sanosuke smiled below as he held onto the man's ankle. He began to pull the man down, but the hitokiri only began to laugh. He placed his left foot firmly on the ground, and with amazing strength began to lift his right foot upward. Sanosuke held on tight, but was beginning to loose his grip. He then let go of the man's foot and gripped onto the edge before he fell. The assassin looked down at Sanosuke and laughed, leaving the boy in his complicated state. He then turned to Hikaru and a grin appeared under his mask in pleasure. Hikaru backed off a bit and gasped, afraid for her life. The assassin then began walking toward her, slowly, anticipating his move. Hikaru then quickly turned and began to run, but the man stopped her in her tracks as his speed allowed him to catch up with her in the blink of an eye. He took his sword out and slowly placed it under the girl's neck. Hikaru began to tremble in fear and the man began to force her back to lean against him. He laughed and bent down to the girl's ear.
"Such a beautiful face." he whispered, "Such a wonderful scent. it makes my blood rush." He then laughed softly as he carefully ran his sword over her neck without cutting her. Hikaru closed her eyes as tears began to build in them once again. She let out a small sob as the man continued to torture her.
"Aw. did I make you cry?" He laughed again and changed his sword's position to her waist.
"I think I'll cut you here." He changed his sword once more up to her eyes. "Or maybe. here?"
"You're not going to cut her anywhere," Sanosuke's voice came from behind. The hitokiri began to turn his head, but one punch from Sanosuke to his back sent the assassin in a rage. He quickly slashed his sword away from Hikaru and turned to Sanosuke. A frantic cry came from the girl as she held her eyes. She fell to the floor as blood spurred onto her hands. The assassin's eyes widened and Sanosuke took the interruption as an opportunity. He quickly jammed his sword through the man's stomach and the assassin fell to his knees, coughing up blood. Sanosuke then turned his blade inside the man and the assassin began to vomit pints and pints. He removed his sword and the man fell onto his own pool. He then threw Gombei's katana and ran to Hikaru's aid. He kneeled before her and took her in his arms.
The girl screamed and screamed in pain, the blood pouring everywhere. Sano placed her down and took his jacket off. He ran to the river and soaked his training vest with water. He ran back to Hikaru and placed the rag over her eyes, wiping the blood from her hands in the process.
"Take your hands off," Sanosuke commanded. Hikaru did as she was told and a clean cut was seen over her eyelids and the top of her nose. It didn't go very deep, but deep enough to damage her sight. Sanosuke sighed, and began to tear his vest quickly into long stands, placing them all on her eyes and tying them in the back of Hikaru's head. He then lifted her up and took her to the river to put more water in her eyes. Hikaru let out an awful cry as she whimpered and moaned in pain.
"Shh. it's ok." He soothed her. He placed her on his back and began to walk to the edge of the cliff.
"Now, you must grab hold of my neck tight and wrap your legs around my waist. I have to climb down," He said in a calming voice. Hikaru did as he said and Sanosuke began to climb down slowly, step by step, as not to fall. When he reached the bottom, he took Hikaru off of his back and placed her against the cliff. She was sobbing, though she couldn't cry. He placed his hands on her cheeks and kissed her forehead. She reached out to him and grabbed his bare waist tightly, not wanting to let go.
"Gomenasai." Sanosuke whispered. He grabbed her hands and removed them off his waist gently, but she only sniveled again and buried her face in Sanosuke's shoulder. He then got up and lifted her up, shifting her to his back. She placed her head on his shoulder, still giving out small hushed cries now and then. Sanosuke sighed. This was going to be a long night.
Sanosuke's hand bled from the scratches and bruises he received from climbing. His feet and stomach suffered the same fate. Sad as he was that on the day of his birthday he was already punished and no Genpuku was celebrated.
"Grr! I'll get her for this." he whispered to himself, though he didn't really mean it. His heart ached for making her cry even though he didn't even know how. But this was outrageous! Ikomoda-sensei didn't have to be so harsh. Sanosuke looked up and with his best hand, being his right, pulled himself up to the top. He sat on the edge of a stone, looking down at the sleeping Gombei. The head servant wasn't much of a watch, was he?
"Suke-san?" A soft sunshine whispered in the light of the crescent moon.
"Man. I even hear her in my thoughts," Sanosuke mused. He looked up at the moon and sighed.
"Suke-san," The voice said once more," Turn around." Sanosuke's eyes widened and turned around. Right in front of him stood Hikaru in a white sleeping kimono. Her skin looked pale under the night sky and her eyes were red from crying. Sanosuke stood and opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He turned his head almost in shame.
"I wish anata weren't my cousin!" Tears began to build in her eyes.
"Anata? What do you mean anata?" Sanosuke tried to keep his urge down of just wrapping his arms around her and telling her the truth.
"Anata, don't jump! I wouldn't be able to live without you!" Hikaru then lifted her hands trying to reach him and staggered forward. Suddenly, she tripped on a rock, falling into Sanosuke's arm, and the two young lovers fell, him on his knees and her on his chest. Sanosuke looked down at her, breathing heavily. The girl's eyes were closed and sleep was on her face. Sanosuke buried his face in her sakura-scented hair. He knew it was too good to be true.
"Why do you torture me so." He whispered in a trembling voice. Sobs busted out of him as tears began to fall. The wind, in its silent rage, began to blow harder, making the splashing water from the waterfall sprinkle upon Sanosuke and Hikaru. Dark clouds began to drift over the stars to cover the sky's innocent eyes. Sanosuke looked up suddenly as small droplets mixed with his tears. He sighed and placed the sleeping Hikaru in his back, ready to take her home.
Suddenly, the sound of gurgling came from below, as if someone's throat was cut. Sanosuke, in alarm, placed Hikaru back on the floor and crawled to the small platform that built above the waterfall. There, he saw a man in a black cloak, bloody sword at hand, savoring the pleasure of his kill. And Gombei? At the man's feet, of course, with his throat cut as Sanosuke suspected. He looked back at his sleeping cousin and frowned. There was no reason to get her involved or hurt. But how could he fight the man? He had no bokken, and his hands were damaged because of the punishment. So Sanosuke did the only thing he could; dive down and surprise the assassin. The man's head spun at once to see the water splash. He wore a mask that covered his entire head, even his hair. The only thing visible was the flash of gold that came from his eyes. He swung his sword to remove the blood from its blade. He turned his body and narrowed his eyes, ready to meet his new opponent.
Sanosuke looked for hard ground underwater. He needed something to push himself off of. Finally finding a boulder to stand on, he looked towards the silhouette of the black-clothed man. He grinned and pushed himself off with all of his strength. He didn't know how he was going to stop or kill the assassin, but he'd have to before he found Hikaru. Sanosuke closed his eyes and suddenly he emerged from the water. He spread his arms as he flew toward the shocked man. He crashed into him, but only Sanosuke fell. Sanosuke stood himself up and placed himself in a fighting stance. The man, holding his sword in front of him from the last block, laughed. He had slanted him blade sideways to propel Sanosuke's launch back to him! The stranger placed his sword back in his sheath
"Go back home. You're a waste of my time, boy," The man sneered. Sanosuke clenched his teeth. He then turned his view to Gombei and he finally found his answer of how to kill the man. In an iron sheath, clasped to the body's heko obi, was a katana, unfastened from the case. He looked back at the man and sighed. He turned and began to walk down the path, but suddenly turned and sprinted to the body. The assassin turned his head quickly, surprised by Sanosuke, and followed the boy's line of dash. Seeing the servant's body on the floor he realized what the boy aimed for. He broke into a charge, and suddenly a race to the katana was set. Sanosuke looked at the assassin as they both approached the sword, and with a cunning thought, stopped and swooped a handful of dirk in his hand and threw it at the man. The hitokiri stopped and with one hand shielded his eyes. As he lowered his hand, he saw Sanosuke already leaning over the body and almost ripping the katana off of it. The boy quickly drew the sword and threw its sheath behind him, setting himself in an Ikomoda Ryu stance. The assassin smiled and unsheathed his sword. He placed his sheath in his other hand, and set himself in a side stance, sheath behind and sword in front. Sanosuke began to breathe deeply, death hovering above him.
"Sanosuke-chan?" Hikaru's voice came from above. Sanosuke turned to the top of the waterfall and gasped, his eyes widening.
"Get back!" He yelled. He turned back to the assassin, but he no longer stood in front of him. He turned his head and finally saw him running towards the cliff Hikaru stood at. Sanosuke began to run after him, but the man was much faster, so by the time he had reached the bottom of the cliff, the man was already halfway there.
"Chikushou! Get away from her!" He yelled at the man. He then took a great leap and grabbed the nearest rock he could get, and started to climb. Hikaru, who stood shocked at the top, began to back away slowly. She began to breathe heavily as the hitokiri's hand had reached the top and the man's covered face appeared. He began to laugh in a wheeze as he lifted his feet from the cliff. But as he was about to get his right foot up, the man staggered.
"Now I got you," Sanosuke smiled below as he held onto the man's ankle. He began to pull the man down, but the hitokiri only began to laugh. He placed his left foot firmly on the ground, and with amazing strength began to lift his right foot upward. Sanosuke held on tight, but was beginning to loose his grip. He then let go of the man's foot and gripped onto the edge before he fell. The assassin looked down at Sanosuke and laughed, leaving the boy in his complicated state. He then turned to Hikaru and a grin appeared under his mask in pleasure. Hikaru backed off a bit and gasped, afraid for her life. The assassin then began walking toward her, slowly, anticipating his move. Hikaru then quickly turned and began to run, but the man stopped her in her tracks as his speed allowed him to catch up with her in the blink of an eye. He took his sword out and slowly placed it under the girl's neck. Hikaru began to tremble in fear and the man began to force her back to lean against him. He laughed and bent down to the girl's ear.
"Such a beautiful face." he whispered, "Such a wonderful scent. it makes my blood rush." He then laughed softly as he carefully ran his sword over her neck without cutting her. Hikaru closed her eyes as tears began to build in them once again. She let out a small sob as the man continued to torture her.
"Aw. did I make you cry?" He laughed again and changed his sword's position to her waist.
"I think I'll cut you here." He changed his sword once more up to her eyes. "Or maybe. here?"
"You're not going to cut her anywhere," Sanosuke's voice came from behind. The hitokiri began to turn his head, but one punch from Sanosuke to his back sent the assassin in a rage. He quickly slashed his sword away from Hikaru and turned to Sanosuke. A frantic cry came from the girl as she held her eyes. She fell to the floor as blood spurred onto her hands. The assassin's eyes widened and Sanosuke took the interruption as an opportunity. He quickly jammed his sword through the man's stomach and the assassin fell to his knees, coughing up blood. Sanosuke then turned his blade inside the man and the assassin began to vomit pints and pints. He removed his sword and the man fell onto his own pool. He then threw Gombei's katana and ran to Hikaru's aid. He kneeled before her and took her in his arms.
The girl screamed and screamed in pain, the blood pouring everywhere. Sano placed her down and took his jacket off. He ran to the river and soaked his training vest with water. He ran back to Hikaru and placed the rag over her eyes, wiping the blood from her hands in the process.
"Take your hands off," Sanosuke commanded. Hikaru did as she was told and a clean cut was seen over her eyelids and the top of her nose. It didn't go very deep, but deep enough to damage her sight. Sanosuke sighed, and began to tear his vest quickly into long stands, placing them all on her eyes and tying them in the back of Hikaru's head. He then lifted her up and took her to the river to put more water in her eyes. Hikaru let out an awful cry as she whimpered and moaned in pain.
"Shh. it's ok." He soothed her. He placed her on his back and began to walk to the edge of the cliff.
"Now, you must grab hold of my neck tight and wrap your legs around my waist. I have to climb down," He said in a calming voice. Hikaru did as he said and Sanosuke began to climb down slowly, step by step, as not to fall. When he reached the bottom, he took Hikaru off of his back and placed her against the cliff. She was sobbing, though she couldn't cry. He placed his hands on her cheeks and kissed her forehead. She reached out to him and grabbed his bare waist tightly, not wanting to let go.
"Gomenasai." Sanosuke whispered. He grabbed her hands and removed them off his waist gently, but she only sniveled again and buried her face in Sanosuke's shoulder. He then got up and lifted her up, shifting her to his back. She placed her head on his shoulder, still giving out small hushed cries now and then. Sanosuke sighed. This was going to be a long night.