CHAPTER 5: More Death for Gimmei
Shiki slashed at Saito's arm. The sword sank into his forearm, blood spilling onto the dark green gi that Saito was wearing. He felt the increasing pain, but finished his Gatotsu without hesitating. It sank into the side of Shiki's chest, not hitting any vitals, but causing a terrible wound. The two fighters jumped back.
"Shiki," Gimmei whispered. She ran forward and grabbed onto his body. "Stop fighting! Father wouldn't want you to get killed just for revenge! Please stop! I don't want you to die!" Gimmei held Shiki close to her. Shiki forced her off of him.
"No, I won't die," Shiki coughed. He held his wound. "You just stand there, little sister. I'll kill him so that Father can rest in peace!" He thrust his body forward, burying the short sword into Saito's shoulder. Saito plunged his blade into Shiki's left thigh in response to the attack. Shiki tried to retreat, but Saito wasn't finished with his attack and grabbed onto Shiki's gi with his right hand, then shoved the sword into Shiki's side. They retreated, both bleeding heavily and very tired.
"Shiki!" Gimmei yelled. "Please!" Shiki waved her away with a hand, but did not continue fighting. He was grabbing his side.
"Listen to your little sister," Saito muttered. His vision was blurring. He let his legs become limp, falling to the floor. He watched his blood drip to the dirt. Then, Shiki let out a crazed cry and attacked with all his might. Right before the sword came down to end Saito's life, a spurt of blood shot out of Shiki's injured side, and he dropped the sword and fell to the floor.
"SHIKI!" Gimmei yelled, running over. Saito watched her hold Shiki's body, then fell over, tired and hurt.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Please kill him," Shiki begged Gimmei. He closed his eyes. "Do it for both me and Father. I have met the end........." He let out a pained sigh and grabbed her hand with the last of his strength. Then, he fell limp, his hand resting on hers.
"Shiki, I can't kill him," Gimmei said, starting to cry. She touched his cheek, feeling the warmth retreating from his skin. "Killing wasn't ever what I wanted to do. And he's different. I don't know anymore, Shiki. I wish you were still here. Will killing him stop the pain? You seem to think so but... killing always made me hurt more." And with that, she turned to Saito's body. She crawled over to him and turned him over.
"Why did you kill him?" Gimmei asked. "My father, I mean. Did he injure your pride? Or was it for personal greed?" She felt for a pulse on his wrist, and was slightly relieved to find one. She lifted his body onto her back and stumbled into Shiki's room, which was nearby. She placed him carefully onto the messy futon and ran out the door to get bandages.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Saito opened his eyes to find himself lying in a different room then before. He heard digging outside the shoji door. His head was spinning, so he didn't even attempt to stand. How long had he been sleeping? He'd like to have someone to ask, but the room was empty. Making a quick decision, he rolled over onto his stomach, allowing the waves of pain to pass. Then, he lifted himself up and walked heavily to the door, pushing it open.
"Saito?" Gimmei asked, standing from her crouching position on the floor. There was a half-dug hole in the floor, and Shiki's body was lying on the floor next to it. Her hand crept to the shovel next to Shiki's body.
"I'm sorry," he said. The words were distant and strange. He'd never apologized for killing anyone.
"No, don't be," Gimmei snapped, standing. "I know that this was the way it was supposed to be. I don't know why it happened this way, but it did, and I can't change it." She lifted her green eyes to meet his amber ones. They shot daggers at him. "But I'm not letting you leave, now. I can't live alone, so you'll be my partial servant until you've gotten your strength back. Then, I'll decide if I want you to die or not." Saito didn't reply. Finally, after a thick silence, he walked over to her and took the shovel from her hand.
"I'll do this. You go to bed," Saito said. He walked over to the hole, and crouched to begin to dig, but Gimmei slapped him and gave him a cold glare.
"No. I'll do this. Get out of here and clean the place or something," her eyes held an icy coldness that seemed to cut into his mind. He stared at her, the place where her hand had met his face burning.
"What are you talking about?" Saito asked coldly.
"You're going to do everything I wish of you until you're well," Gimmei replied. "I've locked the entrance so that no one will be leaving except me." Saito gave her a glare.
"No, I'm not," Saito replied, standing. "I'm leaving." He headed toward her room to get his clothes. Gimmei grabbed his arm, spun him around and drove her elbow into his ribcage. He let out a small choke of pain, then grabbed her arm and twisted her into a hold.
"Let go of me!" Gimmei yelled. She squirmed against his firm grip.
"What did you do that for?" Saito asked trying to keep his hold on her solid even though his ribs said otherwise.
"I don't need you to leave and ruin the other part of Shiki's plan!" Gimmei shouted. She raised her leg, attempting to hit his groin, but it didn't work. He simply backed away, then let her go.
"What are you talking about?" Saito asked. Gimmei gave a growl, then stuck out her tongue and crossed her arms.
"Not telling," Gimmei said. "But it has something to do with you." Saito grumbled a response, then turned to get his clothes from her room. Gimmei snatched the fallen shovel and gripped it tightly, jumping into the air and bringing the shovel down on his head with a loud crack. She jumped back and watched him drop to his knees, slowly sinking into unconsciousness. Gimmei turned back to the hole, dropping the shovel by it, then thinking better of it and picking it up again.
"I can't trust him," Gimmei said to herself. "He is an injured wolf after all." She hurried into the room next to Shiki's room and hid the shovel amongst the ninja outfits that were stored there. Then, she opened a drawer and pulled out a roll of spiky wire [1]. She ran back to where Saito was still lying, blood trickling from a gash on his forehead from the blow that Gimmei had given him earlier. She tied his wrists and ankles with the spiky stuff, then dragged his limp body into another room that was bare and dark.
"You will stay in here," Gimmei said into the darkness. Then, she turned and slammed the shoji door behind her.
[1]: Barbed wire was invented in the 1870s in America, so it WAS actually invented by the time RK takes place. BUT, I'm not sure if barbed wire got to Japan by then... probably not, since Japan wasn't really open to foreign influences... but hey, it's fiction. Maybe Shiki came to America and got some! ^_^
A/N: Right... this is where the story begins to get interesting. Next chapter will have more action... and a even more trouble for Saito... if that's possible.
REVIEW RESPONSES:
MissBehavin: Yeah, I was getting a whole bunch of Review Alerts too. I got about... 40 of them from one person! Kenshin will... well, I'd really like to tell you what happens, but I won't. I'll just say that you'll... enjoy reading about... um... Kenshin. Maybe not. But I think you will! I tried to make Gimmei a likeable bad girl, so it's a good thing that you like her! I succeeded! ^_^
Kairi7: No, I'm not stopping 'till the entire thing's finished! Hee hee. I haven't even set a number of chapters. I only know that it's kind of long. And this chapter was for your puppy eyes. ^_^
Shiki slashed at Saito's arm. The sword sank into his forearm, blood spilling onto the dark green gi that Saito was wearing. He felt the increasing pain, but finished his Gatotsu without hesitating. It sank into the side of Shiki's chest, not hitting any vitals, but causing a terrible wound. The two fighters jumped back.
"Shiki," Gimmei whispered. She ran forward and grabbed onto his body. "Stop fighting! Father wouldn't want you to get killed just for revenge! Please stop! I don't want you to die!" Gimmei held Shiki close to her. Shiki forced her off of him.
"No, I won't die," Shiki coughed. He held his wound. "You just stand there, little sister. I'll kill him so that Father can rest in peace!" He thrust his body forward, burying the short sword into Saito's shoulder. Saito plunged his blade into Shiki's left thigh in response to the attack. Shiki tried to retreat, but Saito wasn't finished with his attack and grabbed onto Shiki's gi with his right hand, then shoved the sword into Shiki's side. They retreated, both bleeding heavily and very tired.
"Shiki!" Gimmei yelled. "Please!" Shiki waved her away with a hand, but did not continue fighting. He was grabbing his side.
"Listen to your little sister," Saito muttered. His vision was blurring. He let his legs become limp, falling to the floor. He watched his blood drip to the dirt. Then, Shiki let out a crazed cry and attacked with all his might. Right before the sword came down to end Saito's life, a spurt of blood shot out of Shiki's injured side, and he dropped the sword and fell to the floor.
"SHIKI!" Gimmei yelled, running over. Saito watched her hold Shiki's body, then fell over, tired and hurt.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Please kill him," Shiki begged Gimmei. He closed his eyes. "Do it for both me and Father. I have met the end........." He let out a pained sigh and grabbed her hand with the last of his strength. Then, he fell limp, his hand resting on hers.
"Shiki, I can't kill him," Gimmei said, starting to cry. She touched his cheek, feeling the warmth retreating from his skin. "Killing wasn't ever what I wanted to do. And he's different. I don't know anymore, Shiki. I wish you were still here. Will killing him stop the pain? You seem to think so but... killing always made me hurt more." And with that, she turned to Saito's body. She crawled over to him and turned him over.
"Why did you kill him?" Gimmei asked. "My father, I mean. Did he injure your pride? Or was it for personal greed?" She felt for a pulse on his wrist, and was slightly relieved to find one. She lifted his body onto her back and stumbled into Shiki's room, which was nearby. She placed him carefully onto the messy futon and ran out the door to get bandages.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Saito opened his eyes to find himself lying in a different room then before. He heard digging outside the shoji door. His head was spinning, so he didn't even attempt to stand. How long had he been sleeping? He'd like to have someone to ask, but the room was empty. Making a quick decision, he rolled over onto his stomach, allowing the waves of pain to pass. Then, he lifted himself up and walked heavily to the door, pushing it open.
"Saito?" Gimmei asked, standing from her crouching position on the floor. There was a half-dug hole in the floor, and Shiki's body was lying on the floor next to it. Her hand crept to the shovel next to Shiki's body.
"I'm sorry," he said. The words were distant and strange. He'd never apologized for killing anyone.
"No, don't be," Gimmei snapped, standing. "I know that this was the way it was supposed to be. I don't know why it happened this way, but it did, and I can't change it." She lifted her green eyes to meet his amber ones. They shot daggers at him. "But I'm not letting you leave, now. I can't live alone, so you'll be my partial servant until you've gotten your strength back. Then, I'll decide if I want you to die or not." Saito didn't reply. Finally, after a thick silence, he walked over to her and took the shovel from her hand.
"I'll do this. You go to bed," Saito said. He walked over to the hole, and crouched to begin to dig, but Gimmei slapped him and gave him a cold glare.
"No. I'll do this. Get out of here and clean the place or something," her eyes held an icy coldness that seemed to cut into his mind. He stared at her, the place where her hand had met his face burning.
"What are you talking about?" Saito asked coldly.
"You're going to do everything I wish of you until you're well," Gimmei replied. "I've locked the entrance so that no one will be leaving except me." Saito gave her a glare.
"No, I'm not," Saito replied, standing. "I'm leaving." He headed toward her room to get his clothes. Gimmei grabbed his arm, spun him around and drove her elbow into his ribcage. He let out a small choke of pain, then grabbed her arm and twisted her into a hold.
"Let go of me!" Gimmei yelled. She squirmed against his firm grip.
"What did you do that for?" Saito asked trying to keep his hold on her solid even though his ribs said otherwise.
"I don't need you to leave and ruin the other part of Shiki's plan!" Gimmei shouted. She raised her leg, attempting to hit his groin, but it didn't work. He simply backed away, then let her go.
"What are you talking about?" Saito asked. Gimmei gave a growl, then stuck out her tongue and crossed her arms.
"Not telling," Gimmei said. "But it has something to do with you." Saito grumbled a response, then turned to get his clothes from her room. Gimmei snatched the fallen shovel and gripped it tightly, jumping into the air and bringing the shovel down on his head with a loud crack. She jumped back and watched him drop to his knees, slowly sinking into unconsciousness. Gimmei turned back to the hole, dropping the shovel by it, then thinking better of it and picking it up again.
"I can't trust him," Gimmei said to herself. "He is an injured wolf after all." She hurried into the room next to Shiki's room and hid the shovel amongst the ninja outfits that were stored there. Then, she opened a drawer and pulled out a roll of spiky wire [1]. She ran back to where Saito was still lying, blood trickling from a gash on his forehead from the blow that Gimmei had given him earlier. She tied his wrists and ankles with the spiky stuff, then dragged his limp body into another room that was bare and dark.
"You will stay in here," Gimmei said into the darkness. Then, she turned and slammed the shoji door behind her.
[1]: Barbed wire was invented in the 1870s in America, so it WAS actually invented by the time RK takes place. BUT, I'm not sure if barbed wire got to Japan by then... probably not, since Japan wasn't really open to foreign influences... but hey, it's fiction. Maybe Shiki came to America and got some! ^_^
A/N: Right... this is where the story begins to get interesting. Next chapter will have more action... and a even more trouble for Saito... if that's possible.
REVIEW RESPONSES:
MissBehavin: Yeah, I was getting a whole bunch of Review Alerts too. I got about... 40 of them from one person! Kenshin will... well, I'd really like to tell you what happens, but I won't. I'll just say that you'll... enjoy reading about... um... Kenshin. Maybe not. But I think you will! I tried to make Gimmei a likeable bad girl, so it's a good thing that you like her! I succeeded! ^_^
Kairi7: No, I'm not stopping 'till the entire thing's finished! Hee hee. I haven't even set a number of chapters. I only know that it's kind of long. And this chapter was for your puppy eyes. ^_^