CHAPTER 12: Battousai vs. Miburo

Battousai drew his sword. It gleamed dangerously in the light. Saito flicked blood off of his own. Tokio hurriedly put a pot of water on the stove and lit a fire to heat it. The glow of the flames brought an odd shine to Saito's sword.

"Whenever you're ready," Battousai said. His eyes were an unusual shade of lavender, however flecks of amber resided in the intense iris.

"Your eyes..." Saito began. "They are no longer those of a manslayer..."

"No they are not," Battousai replied. "But I will allow myself to kill only one more person. I will make my vow to never kill again after tonight when you are in your grave!" To prove his point, Battousai attacked with the Ryu Sho Sen, which Saito easily blocked and countered with a slash toward Battousai's stomach. Tokio removed the boiling pot of water from the stove and headed for the hall that led to Okita's room, picking up a cup and some tea leaves along the way.

"Hajime..." Tokio mumbled. She cast a final glance at Saito and walked to Okita's room.

"Hiten Mitserugi Style, Ryu Tsui Sen!" Battousai yelled, jumping into the air. Saito counterd with his Gatotsu third style and their swords clashed. Saito landed next to the stove, while Battousai landed near the doorway. Battousai's hair tie snapped and his long red hair exploded over his shoulders. Saito's sleeve was sliced in two, and it draped down over his hand. He ripped it off, knowing that if he left it, it would just get in the way. The two warriors stood up and turned to face each other.

"You haven't lost any skill yet, Battousai, but if you stop killing, your Hiten Mitserugi Style skills will get dull," Saito said. "Swordsmanship is a way to kill, and no matter how you put it, a sword will always remain a weapon for killing others with." Battousai closed his eyes.

"Yes, that may be true, however," Battousai sheathed his sword. "I have no intention of killing another soul again after this night, that I don't." Saito frowned.

"Do you really believe that, Battousai?" Saito asked, settling into his Gatotsu stance. "Or are you just trying to trick yourself into believing it is so?"

"I believe it with all my heart, that I do," Battousai replied. His eyes opened and there were very few golden shards floating in the sea of lavender. Saito narrowed his amber eyes and they both charged.

Tokio handed Okita the tea and he drank it gratefully.

"I'm so sorry I took so long," Tokio said. "It's just that Hajime and I got into some trouble along the way. He's fighting Battousai right now! Okita, do you think he'll...?" Tokio stopped. She could not bring herself to say the one three- letter word as if it would seal Saito's fate.

"Of course not, Tokio-dono," Okita rasped. "It takes a lot to get Saito-san down!"

"But..." Tokio said, refilling his cup. "He is still recovering from his stomach injury!" She set the cup next to Okita and he picked it up. "He can't fight for that long! It'll start the bleeding again! I have to stop him!" She stood up and ran out of the room, leaving Okita staring after her.

Saito could taste the blood in his mouth. He spat it on the floor, then charged. He felt the Battousai's sword on his own and they both jumped backwards. Both were out of breath. Saito felt that the cloth of his gi around his stomach was wet. He touched it and his hand cam away sticky and red.

My wound, He thought, trying to focus on the Battousai's form. I can't continue the fight... but...

"Hiten Mitserugi Style, Do Ryu Sen!" Battousai pushed his sword into the ground and pulled it forward causing chunks of dirt to fly toward Saito. (A/N: Stupid move, I know, but I didn't want to bore you with another Ryu Tsui, Sho or So Sen, or Battoujutsu.) Saito sidestepped and attacked with a Gatotsu. Battousai narrowly parried it and thrust his sword at Saito's shoulder. Saito moved to the side, the sword grazing past his shoulder creating a small cut. He leaped backwards to avoid another thrust.

"Hajime! Stop!" Tokio's voice yelled. She ran in between him and the Battousai. "Your wound! It'll never heal this way!" Saito stared at her with cold eyes.

"Step aside, Tokio," Saito growled, shoving her away. "I cannot flee from an enemy, that is what bushido states."

"Hajime!" Tokio ran in front of him again. She grabbed his left wrist. "I can't let you continue!" Saito squinted at her, unable to focus on her face. The throbbing pain in his stomach was paining him more now.

"You have to, Tokio," Saito mumbled. He pulled his wrist from her grasp. Battousai relaxed and sheathed his sword.

"I does not want to involve others, that I most certainly do not," he said. "If we continue, many innocent people will get hurt, that they will." His eyes were now a deep lavender, showing no signs of gold whatsoever. He turned and headed for the door. "It appears that this one has turned into a mere rurouni before this one expected, that I have." He gave a small smile over his shoulder at Saito and Tokio and then walked out the door into the night.

"Tokio," Saito said. He hugged her to him. "Thank you, but as a member of the Shinsengumi, if it is a choice between pride or life, you choose pride."

"Hajime..." Tokio said. She stripped him of his gi on the spot, and began to boil a pot of water again after seeing his wound.

A/N: Wow, I had no idea that my fight scenes were good. O_o... Well, if you want to write good fight scenes, then you should describe just about every little thing in detail. Every movement and attack and all of the injuries should be written. It might take a little longer, but... uh... I don't know. If you don't like typing, forget about good fight scenes. Anyway, thank you to Koneko and StunGun Millie for sticking by me... sniff. I appreciate it!