Emotionless
Soujiro, Sano, and Kenshin watched Aoshi and Xien spar.
"Hey Kenshin, who knew that your lil' girl knew kempo."
"It seems she does." Soujiro agreed.
"Soujiro, what do you think of my daughter's fighting abilities,"
Soujiro turned to Kenshin with a cocky half smile. "Well Mr Himura, she's pretty good, but not good enough to beat any of the Juppon Gatana."
"I see. And what do you think of her sword fighting abilities?"
Soujiro sighed. "She's better than any kid her age that I've seen, and that includes myself."
Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly. Shishou, what are you planning for her?
"Ouch!! Aoshi, not so hard!"
Kenshin snapped back to reality to find Xien on the ground, rubbing her cheek.
"You should have been watching. That's enough for today anyway. Tonight we will test your sword fighting abilities."
Xien stuck out her tongue at his retreating back. "No good baka."
"What was that?"
She sweat dropped. "Nothing Aoshi."
The one that she could never mess around with was Shimomori Aoshi.
**..**..
"Prepare Xien, you will not be able to penetrate my kodachi's defenses.
"We'll see about that!!" Xien yelled as she charged.
Sano winced as she was thrown up against a wall.
"Man, that's gotta hurt."
Yahiko, Kaoru and their class stopped to watch in amazement as Aoshi and Xien sparred. All except for one. A sixteen year old frowned slightly as Xien was pummeled.
Aoshi scowled. "I expected more of you Xien. You have not gained much strength here in Tokyo."
"Blame that on my dad."
Aoshi's eyes moved as a blade whipped against his side.
"An after image will not work on me. You should know that by now."
Xien jumped back. Why am I so weak? What happened? I used to be able to match him.
"Come on little one. Remember all that I taught you......."
She launched herself once again only to be smashed up against another wall.
**..**..
"Why why why!! Why can't I beat him!!"
Soujiro stopped his nightly walk. Xien was kneeling on the ground, pounding an already bloody fist into a wall.
"You o.k. Xien?"
Silence.
"Soujiro?"
"Yeah?"
"Why couldn't I beat Aoshi? Did I do anything wrong?"
He sat down beside her. "The problem is, you did everything perfectly."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that to an experienced fighter like Aoshi, you're too predictable."
"And why am I so predictable."
"I honestly don't know Xien."
She turned to him suddenly. "Soujiro, do you feel any emotions?"
"What do you mean?"
"My dad once told me that why you were so unpredictable was because you don't feel any emotion!! Could you teach me to be like that?"
Soujiro frowned. "I don't know Xien. If you want to be like me, you might stay that way forever."
"I don't care!! As long as I beat Aoshi, that's all that matters!!"
Soujiro shrugged. "Then meet me here at midnight."
**..**..
Soujiro smiled as Xien walked up.
"You finally made it. I was beginning to think that you wouldn't make it."
Xien tried to stifle a yawn, but to no avail.
"Yeah, well, I caught a few hours worth before I came and I had trouble waking up.
He chuckled, the rep;ied, "Come with me."
"Where're we going?"
" To a place where we won't be disturbed."
**..**..
Kenshin yawned as he leaned against a pole under the roof of the dojo. The night's peaceful, that it is.
He turned at the sound of foot steps.
"Aoshi, what brings you outside at this time of night?"
"I could not sleep. Besides, I need to talk to you about why I am here."
"Why?"
"It's about Hiko. He misses Xien more than he'll admit to. He sent me to check up on her training. She hasn't improved much."
"Is he expecting anything out of her training?"
"I don't know, but he wants her to return to Kyoto with me to learn what you have neglected to teach."
Kenshin was silent. "So, he wants her to become a hitokiri, is that right?"
"I do not know."
**..**..
"First of all Xien, you have to let everything go."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just what I said, let everything go."
Soujiro drew his katana. Xien assumed a fighting stance and drew hers as well.
"Let's dance."
Soujiro was within striking range before she knew what was happening.
He isn't holding back.
She barely brought her blade up before there was contact. She then twisted and brought her sword along the ground.
"Dou Ryu Sen."
He easily dodged and struck her with the flat of his blade against her cheek.
He's too fast.
She had only gotten up only to be smashed into the ground again, and again, and again. (ooohhh. Poor Xein. @,@)
Soujiro let her get up and rest. Her gi was hanging together in shreds. One leg of her pants was torn completely torn off at mid thigh, while the other lay in ribbons.
Many cuts and scrapes adorned her body, but she had managed to get out of the way before anything serious happened.
Soujiro looked at her, concern in his eyes. She's fighting herself.
Xien stared at him, frustration etched across her face.
"Prepare Xien, this will be the end of the battle."
He lunged. Xien dodged, then used an after image to launch herself into the air.
"Ryu Soi Sen."
Soujiro brought up his blade. She banaged to twist to miss the blade, but not without a long , deep cut gouged into the top half of her arm.
I can't beat him.
**..**..
Kenshin and Aoshi whirled at the sound of the scream.
"What was that?"
Kenshin's eyes widened a little. Xien!!
"Aoshi, follow me. It sounded like Xien."
**..**..
Xien faced down Soujiro's blade.
He's going to kill me.
Soujiro struck and Xien parried, but she was flung back from the force of the blow.
"Xien! XIEN!!!!!"
She heard her dad'd voice, but as if from a long ways away. Lying , there, blood pooling around her, something snapped.
It doesn't matter anymore.
Aoshi and Kenshin stopped their mad dash when they saw Xien sit up.
The three men waited.
"Xien, Xien are you alright?"
Kenshin took a step forward but Aoshi held him back.
"I'm o.k. I guess. Man Soujiro, you have one heck of a strike." She stood up slowly, clutching her sword arm. Her eyes met Kenshin's.
He almost collapsed to his knees. "Wha-what happened to her? Her eyes, they hold no warmth, no light, no.......life."
Xien flashed him a reassuring smile then, and she briefly returned to normal.
"Aoshi, what does this mean?"
"It seems that she has learned to mask her emotions, and become like Soujiro."
"Well Soujiro, I think we should finish this match."
Soujiro smiled. "I guess we should."
They went into fighting stance and began.
Aoshi watched in apparent amusement.
"Aoshi, why're you smiling?"
"You can tell she's enjoying herself."
"I don't get it."
"Look beyond the mask. Deep down, you can tell that she's enjoying messing with Soujiro's mind."
"I see it now, that I do."
Xien pulled a Battou Jutsu followed by a Ryu Sho Sen.
Kenshin stared.
"What is it Kenshin?"
"She almost did an Ama Kakeru no Hirumeki."
Soujiro looked from side to side, breathing heavily. "Stop playing around Xien, let's finish this."
Xien appeared before him when he was looking to the side.
"Dou Ryu Sen."
Soujiro looked before it hit, but he couldn't dodge.
She sheathed her blade and kneeled down to help him up.
"You almost killed me Xien, why?"
She took his hand and helped him stand.
"You didn't hold back Soujiro, so neither did I."
**..**..
"Ouch!! Megumi, could you hold off on the poking? Oww!!"
"It serves you right for going out to train in the middle of the night, that it does." Kenshin replied stern'y.
Xien looked at her amused father and smiled sweetly.
"Dad, is there any chance that you won't tell mom?"
Both flinched as an ear splitting yell filled the night.
"KENSHIN!!!!!! XIEN!!!!!!"
"I think she already knows."
An: finally!!!!! I finally came to the end of this stupid chapter!!!!!!! Almost done!!!!! I'm soo definitely doing a sequel to this one!!! This story is my pride and joy!!!! I'm almost done!!!!! Well, gots ta go and pleez review!!!! By the way, thanx 4 the reviews lady
~destiny
Soujiro, Sano, and Kenshin watched Aoshi and Xien spar.
"Hey Kenshin, who knew that your lil' girl knew kempo."
"It seems she does." Soujiro agreed.
"Soujiro, what do you think of my daughter's fighting abilities,"
Soujiro turned to Kenshin with a cocky half smile. "Well Mr Himura, she's pretty good, but not good enough to beat any of the Juppon Gatana."
"I see. And what do you think of her sword fighting abilities?"
Soujiro sighed. "She's better than any kid her age that I've seen, and that includes myself."
Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly. Shishou, what are you planning for her?
"Ouch!! Aoshi, not so hard!"
Kenshin snapped back to reality to find Xien on the ground, rubbing her cheek.
"You should have been watching. That's enough for today anyway. Tonight we will test your sword fighting abilities."
Xien stuck out her tongue at his retreating back. "No good baka."
"What was that?"
She sweat dropped. "Nothing Aoshi."
The one that she could never mess around with was Shimomori Aoshi.
**..**..
"Prepare Xien, you will not be able to penetrate my kodachi's defenses.
"We'll see about that!!" Xien yelled as she charged.
Sano winced as she was thrown up against a wall.
"Man, that's gotta hurt."
Yahiko, Kaoru and their class stopped to watch in amazement as Aoshi and Xien sparred. All except for one. A sixteen year old frowned slightly as Xien was pummeled.
Aoshi scowled. "I expected more of you Xien. You have not gained much strength here in Tokyo."
"Blame that on my dad."
Aoshi's eyes moved as a blade whipped against his side.
"An after image will not work on me. You should know that by now."
Xien jumped back. Why am I so weak? What happened? I used to be able to match him.
"Come on little one. Remember all that I taught you......."
She launched herself once again only to be smashed up against another wall.
**..**..
"Why why why!! Why can't I beat him!!"
Soujiro stopped his nightly walk. Xien was kneeling on the ground, pounding an already bloody fist into a wall.
"You o.k. Xien?"
Silence.
"Soujiro?"
"Yeah?"
"Why couldn't I beat Aoshi? Did I do anything wrong?"
He sat down beside her. "The problem is, you did everything perfectly."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that to an experienced fighter like Aoshi, you're too predictable."
"And why am I so predictable."
"I honestly don't know Xien."
She turned to him suddenly. "Soujiro, do you feel any emotions?"
"What do you mean?"
"My dad once told me that why you were so unpredictable was because you don't feel any emotion!! Could you teach me to be like that?"
Soujiro frowned. "I don't know Xien. If you want to be like me, you might stay that way forever."
"I don't care!! As long as I beat Aoshi, that's all that matters!!"
Soujiro shrugged. "Then meet me here at midnight."
**..**..
Soujiro smiled as Xien walked up.
"You finally made it. I was beginning to think that you wouldn't make it."
Xien tried to stifle a yawn, but to no avail.
"Yeah, well, I caught a few hours worth before I came and I had trouble waking up.
He chuckled, the rep;ied, "Come with me."
"Where're we going?"
" To a place where we won't be disturbed."
**..**..
Kenshin yawned as he leaned against a pole under the roof of the dojo. The night's peaceful, that it is.
He turned at the sound of foot steps.
"Aoshi, what brings you outside at this time of night?"
"I could not sleep. Besides, I need to talk to you about why I am here."
"Why?"
"It's about Hiko. He misses Xien more than he'll admit to. He sent me to check up on her training. She hasn't improved much."
"Is he expecting anything out of her training?"
"I don't know, but he wants her to return to Kyoto with me to learn what you have neglected to teach."
Kenshin was silent. "So, he wants her to become a hitokiri, is that right?"
"I do not know."
**..**..
"First of all Xien, you have to let everything go."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just what I said, let everything go."
Soujiro drew his katana. Xien assumed a fighting stance and drew hers as well.
"Let's dance."
Soujiro was within striking range before she knew what was happening.
He isn't holding back.
She barely brought her blade up before there was contact. She then twisted and brought her sword along the ground.
"Dou Ryu Sen."
He easily dodged and struck her with the flat of his blade against her cheek.
He's too fast.
She had only gotten up only to be smashed into the ground again, and again, and again. (ooohhh. Poor Xein. @,@)
Soujiro let her get up and rest. Her gi was hanging together in shreds. One leg of her pants was torn completely torn off at mid thigh, while the other lay in ribbons.
Many cuts and scrapes adorned her body, but she had managed to get out of the way before anything serious happened.
Soujiro looked at her, concern in his eyes. She's fighting herself.
Xien stared at him, frustration etched across her face.
"Prepare Xien, this will be the end of the battle."
He lunged. Xien dodged, then used an after image to launch herself into the air.
"Ryu Soi Sen."
Soujiro brought up his blade. She banaged to twist to miss the blade, but not without a long , deep cut gouged into the top half of her arm.
I can't beat him.
**..**..
Kenshin and Aoshi whirled at the sound of the scream.
"What was that?"
Kenshin's eyes widened a little. Xien!!
"Aoshi, follow me. It sounded like Xien."
**..**..
Xien faced down Soujiro's blade.
He's going to kill me.
Soujiro struck and Xien parried, but she was flung back from the force of the blow.
"Xien! XIEN!!!!!"
She heard her dad'd voice, but as if from a long ways away. Lying , there, blood pooling around her, something snapped.
It doesn't matter anymore.
Aoshi and Kenshin stopped their mad dash when they saw Xien sit up.
The three men waited.
"Xien, Xien are you alright?"
Kenshin took a step forward but Aoshi held him back.
"I'm o.k. I guess. Man Soujiro, you have one heck of a strike." She stood up slowly, clutching her sword arm. Her eyes met Kenshin's.
He almost collapsed to his knees. "Wha-what happened to her? Her eyes, they hold no warmth, no light, no.......life."
Xien flashed him a reassuring smile then, and she briefly returned to normal.
"Aoshi, what does this mean?"
"It seems that she has learned to mask her emotions, and become like Soujiro."
"Well Soujiro, I think we should finish this match."
Soujiro smiled. "I guess we should."
They went into fighting stance and began.
Aoshi watched in apparent amusement.
"Aoshi, why're you smiling?"
"You can tell she's enjoying herself."
"I don't get it."
"Look beyond the mask. Deep down, you can tell that she's enjoying messing with Soujiro's mind."
"I see it now, that I do."
Xien pulled a Battou Jutsu followed by a Ryu Sho Sen.
Kenshin stared.
"What is it Kenshin?"
"She almost did an Ama Kakeru no Hirumeki."
Soujiro looked from side to side, breathing heavily. "Stop playing around Xien, let's finish this."
Xien appeared before him when he was looking to the side.
"Dou Ryu Sen."
Soujiro looked before it hit, but he couldn't dodge.
She sheathed her blade and kneeled down to help him up.
"You almost killed me Xien, why?"
She took his hand and helped him stand.
"You didn't hold back Soujiro, so neither did I."
**..**..
"Ouch!! Megumi, could you hold off on the poking? Oww!!"
"It serves you right for going out to train in the middle of the night, that it does." Kenshin replied stern'y.
Xien looked at her amused father and smiled sweetly.
"Dad, is there any chance that you won't tell mom?"
Both flinched as an ear splitting yell filled the night.
"KENSHIN!!!!!! XIEN!!!!!!"
"I think she already knows."
An: finally!!!!! I finally came to the end of this stupid chapter!!!!!!! Almost done!!!!! I'm soo definitely doing a sequel to this one!!! This story is my pride and joy!!!! I'm almost done!!!!! Well, gots ta go and pleez review!!!! By the way, thanx 4 the reviews lady
~destiny
