CHAPTER 16: Open Your Eyes
Tokio sat back on her heels, hoping that Eiji would return soon. The wounds on both men lying in front of her were too serious for her to help much. Only a doctor could help them now. She wasn't even sure if Kenshin was alive. She could hardly feel a pulse, and it was slowing down by the minute. Suddenly, there was a loud thud outside.
"I'll see what that was," Gimmei said, walking to the door and pulling it open. She jumped away from the door, a blade inches away from her chest.
"I'll kill you all!!" Chuichi said, a crazed grin on his face. "After all, that was what you wanted, wasn't it, Gimmei-dono?" Chuichi asked, stumbling into the room.
"Y-yes... I did," Gimmei stammered. "But I don't want it anymore, Chuichi!" Chuichi looked at her.
"You don't?" he dropped the sword and it stuck in the tatami mat on the floor. "Then I can only obey. I was hoping to satisfy you... and if this is what you want..." He dropped to his knees, grabbing the sword and pulling it out of the mat.
"What... are you doing?" Gimmei asked shakily. She watched as Chuichi brought the sword to his stomach.
"Goodbye, Gimmei-dono," he said. "I have never been unfaithful to you or your brother... so I've no regrets about what I'm about to do. Honor and bravery are more important than my life." He clutched the sword tighter and sliced toward his stomach.
"NO!" Gimmei yelled, grabbing the blade and pulling it hard from his hands. He looked up at her. Gimmei dropped the sword by Tokio, ignoring her bloody hands.
"Why... you didn't let me..." Chuichi protested, glancing down at the floor. Gimmei gave him a long stare, then said:
"I thought of killing myself many times and never did. I thought I wasn't brave enough to," she said. "But you know, Chuichi, a very wise wolf told me... he told me that it takes more courage to live. And I believe him." Chuichi looked at her, then stood up.
"Thank you, Gimmei-dono," he said. Then, he smiled. "You are also very wise... and you have proven both your courage and strength in your actions." He turned to leave.
"Wait," Gimmei said. "Where are you going?" Chuichi turned around, and looked at her with sad eyes.
"Home," he replied. "I've been away for too long. I'm sure that I can find a life outside the sword, and if I cannot... then..." Chuichi grinned sadly. "I'll be on the road for a long time." He walked out the door.
"Chuichi!" Gimmei called. "If you ever need help, I'm here!" She saw him glance over his shoulder. She stared into his blue eyes.
"Thank you," he said. Gimmei stared at him for a while and he stared back. Then, she ran over him and hugged him.
"You didn't let Shiki kill me," Gimmei said, coming to realization. "YOU were the one who brought my parents' desires to his mind. You saved me! You protected me even more than he did." Chuichi pushed her away.
"Stay here, Gimmei-dono," Chuichi said. "You'll be all right here. And congratulations: you finally stopped a sword with your hands." He cast her one last sad glance and walked through the gate, fading into the shadows. Gimmei stared after him for a long time. Just then, Eiji ran in through the gate.
"The Megumi-dono's here, Tokio!" Eiji yelled. Eiji ran to Tokio who was watching Gimmei intently.
"Good," she said, glancing halfheartedly at Eiji. Megumi walked in, glancing around. Her eyes found Saito and Kenshin lying on the floor, bruised and beaten.
"Ken-san! Saito?" Megumi cried, hurrying over. Tokio stood quickly and bowed.
"My name is Saito Tokio," Tokio introduced herself. Megumi glanced at her.
"Hello, Tokio-dono," Megumi said, bowing. "I am Takani Megumi. I will be... assisting your husband and Ken-san." She knelt down, pulling some jars and bandages out of her bag. She also pulled out a needle and some very thin thread.
"Do you need help?" Tokio asked Megumi. Megumi nodded.
"Yes, I would like your help," she said. She felt for pulses on both men. Then, she skillfully threaded the needle and knelt down over Saito first.
"He's in worse condition," Megumi said, explaining to Tokio what she was doing and how to help.
Meanwhile, Eiji and Gimmei were sitting on the porch, waiting for the two women to come out of the house. Eiji looked over at the girl.
"What's your name?" Eiji asked. "Sorry, I must've forgotten." Gimmei looked at him.
"I don't think I ever told you..." she said. "I'm Gimmei." Eiji nodded.
"I'm Eiji," he said. "You're Saito-san's friend?" Gimmei shook her head.
"Far from it," she answered. "I'm actually his enemy. We were only beginning to understand each other when this happened." She glanced up at the sky. It was pitch black; not even a star could shine through. Gimmei gave a sigh, thinking of all that happened. She swallowed hard to keep a tear from trickling down her cheek.
"Oh," Eiji said after a long silence. "Did Chuichi train with you?" Gimmei looked at him.
"All the time. Why?"
"Just wondering how he got so good," Eiji replied, studying his tanned hands. Gimmei gave him a question mark look.
"You want to know something else, don't you?" Gimmei asked. "You can ask any question, you know." Eiji's head snapped up, but he quickly lowered it and rolled his eyes to her.
"Did he train you?" Eiji asked. Gimmei nodded.
"But only a little," she said. "The basics, really." Eiji nodded, but didn't look at her.
"Oh," he said.
"Chuichi was a good trainer, but he used to be very cautious around me," Gimmei mused. "Especially when my brother was there. He would hardly watch me. He'd be focused on my brother."
"Why?" Eiji asked. Gimmei shrugged.
"My brother wanted to kill me, that's why," she said. "I know that now. At first, I thought that Chuichi wanted to kill my brother, but now I know it's the other way around." Eiji gave a puzzled look. Just then, Tokio walked out onto the deck, wiping sweat from her forehead with a cloth. Gimmei faced her.
"Thank you for all your kindness, Tokio-dono," Gimmei said, bowing her head. Tokio also bowed.
"No, thank you," she said. Then, she pulled out some bandages. She took Gimmei's cut hand in hers and began to wrap up the wound. After a slight silence, Tokio said: "How do you know my name? Did Hajime tell you?" Gimmei shook her head.
"No. I had some of my brother's henchmen do a little digging on you and your husband. They... they found out a lot about you two. Your name isn't legally 'Saito Tokio' is it? It's 'Fujita Tokio," Gimmei answered, looking at Tokio. Tokio stopped wrapping for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes, you're right," she said. "It is." Gimmei smiled and pulled her hand away. Tokio stood up.
"You must be tired. I'll take you to your room and get you a change of clothes. Eiji, go to bed," Tokio said, turning to go into the house. Gimmei followed along with Eiji. She saw Saito on the floor and Kenshin next to him. Megumi was almost finished with the bandages on Kenshin. Gimmei studied both of them, then hurried after Tokio. It was then that she realized that she was exhausted. She groggily took the clothes from Tokio's hands, then stumbled into a room where she clumsily unfolded a futon and changed. Then, she fell on the soft covers and fell into a deep sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: This story will be finished in the next chapter. I promise.
REVIEW RESPONSE:
MissBehavin: Yes... I never do give Saito a break, do I? Okay... everything will be wrapped up in the next chapter. Hope you liked the story!!
Tokio sat back on her heels, hoping that Eiji would return soon. The wounds on both men lying in front of her were too serious for her to help much. Only a doctor could help them now. She wasn't even sure if Kenshin was alive. She could hardly feel a pulse, and it was slowing down by the minute. Suddenly, there was a loud thud outside.
"I'll see what that was," Gimmei said, walking to the door and pulling it open. She jumped away from the door, a blade inches away from her chest.
"I'll kill you all!!" Chuichi said, a crazed grin on his face. "After all, that was what you wanted, wasn't it, Gimmei-dono?" Chuichi asked, stumbling into the room.
"Y-yes... I did," Gimmei stammered. "But I don't want it anymore, Chuichi!" Chuichi looked at her.
"You don't?" he dropped the sword and it stuck in the tatami mat on the floor. "Then I can only obey. I was hoping to satisfy you... and if this is what you want..." He dropped to his knees, grabbing the sword and pulling it out of the mat.
"What... are you doing?" Gimmei asked shakily. She watched as Chuichi brought the sword to his stomach.
"Goodbye, Gimmei-dono," he said. "I have never been unfaithful to you or your brother... so I've no regrets about what I'm about to do. Honor and bravery are more important than my life." He clutched the sword tighter and sliced toward his stomach.
"NO!" Gimmei yelled, grabbing the blade and pulling it hard from his hands. He looked up at her. Gimmei dropped the sword by Tokio, ignoring her bloody hands.
"Why... you didn't let me..." Chuichi protested, glancing down at the floor. Gimmei gave him a long stare, then said:
"I thought of killing myself many times and never did. I thought I wasn't brave enough to," she said. "But you know, Chuichi, a very wise wolf told me... he told me that it takes more courage to live. And I believe him." Chuichi looked at her, then stood up.
"Thank you, Gimmei-dono," he said. Then, he smiled. "You are also very wise... and you have proven both your courage and strength in your actions." He turned to leave.
"Wait," Gimmei said. "Where are you going?" Chuichi turned around, and looked at her with sad eyes.
"Home," he replied. "I've been away for too long. I'm sure that I can find a life outside the sword, and if I cannot... then..." Chuichi grinned sadly. "I'll be on the road for a long time." He walked out the door.
"Chuichi!" Gimmei called. "If you ever need help, I'm here!" She saw him glance over his shoulder. She stared into his blue eyes.
"Thank you," he said. Gimmei stared at him for a while and he stared back. Then, she ran over him and hugged him.
"You didn't let Shiki kill me," Gimmei said, coming to realization. "YOU were the one who brought my parents' desires to his mind. You saved me! You protected me even more than he did." Chuichi pushed her away.
"Stay here, Gimmei-dono," Chuichi said. "You'll be all right here. And congratulations: you finally stopped a sword with your hands." He cast her one last sad glance and walked through the gate, fading into the shadows. Gimmei stared after him for a long time. Just then, Eiji ran in through the gate.
"The Megumi-dono's here, Tokio!" Eiji yelled. Eiji ran to Tokio who was watching Gimmei intently.
"Good," she said, glancing halfheartedly at Eiji. Megumi walked in, glancing around. Her eyes found Saito and Kenshin lying on the floor, bruised and beaten.
"Ken-san! Saito?" Megumi cried, hurrying over. Tokio stood quickly and bowed.
"My name is Saito Tokio," Tokio introduced herself. Megumi glanced at her.
"Hello, Tokio-dono," Megumi said, bowing. "I am Takani Megumi. I will be... assisting your husband and Ken-san." She knelt down, pulling some jars and bandages out of her bag. She also pulled out a needle and some very thin thread.
"Do you need help?" Tokio asked Megumi. Megumi nodded.
"Yes, I would like your help," she said. She felt for pulses on both men. Then, she skillfully threaded the needle and knelt down over Saito first.
"He's in worse condition," Megumi said, explaining to Tokio what she was doing and how to help.
Meanwhile, Eiji and Gimmei were sitting on the porch, waiting for the two women to come out of the house. Eiji looked over at the girl.
"What's your name?" Eiji asked. "Sorry, I must've forgotten." Gimmei looked at him.
"I don't think I ever told you..." she said. "I'm Gimmei." Eiji nodded.
"I'm Eiji," he said. "You're Saito-san's friend?" Gimmei shook her head.
"Far from it," she answered. "I'm actually his enemy. We were only beginning to understand each other when this happened." She glanced up at the sky. It was pitch black; not even a star could shine through. Gimmei gave a sigh, thinking of all that happened. She swallowed hard to keep a tear from trickling down her cheek.
"Oh," Eiji said after a long silence. "Did Chuichi train with you?" Gimmei looked at him.
"All the time. Why?"
"Just wondering how he got so good," Eiji replied, studying his tanned hands. Gimmei gave him a question mark look.
"You want to know something else, don't you?" Gimmei asked. "You can ask any question, you know." Eiji's head snapped up, but he quickly lowered it and rolled his eyes to her.
"Did he train you?" Eiji asked. Gimmei nodded.
"But only a little," she said. "The basics, really." Eiji nodded, but didn't look at her.
"Oh," he said.
"Chuichi was a good trainer, but he used to be very cautious around me," Gimmei mused. "Especially when my brother was there. He would hardly watch me. He'd be focused on my brother."
"Why?" Eiji asked. Gimmei shrugged.
"My brother wanted to kill me, that's why," she said. "I know that now. At first, I thought that Chuichi wanted to kill my brother, but now I know it's the other way around." Eiji gave a puzzled look. Just then, Tokio walked out onto the deck, wiping sweat from her forehead with a cloth. Gimmei faced her.
"Thank you for all your kindness, Tokio-dono," Gimmei said, bowing her head. Tokio also bowed.
"No, thank you," she said. Then, she pulled out some bandages. She took Gimmei's cut hand in hers and began to wrap up the wound. After a slight silence, Tokio said: "How do you know my name? Did Hajime tell you?" Gimmei shook her head.
"No. I had some of my brother's henchmen do a little digging on you and your husband. They... they found out a lot about you two. Your name isn't legally 'Saito Tokio' is it? It's 'Fujita Tokio," Gimmei answered, looking at Tokio. Tokio stopped wrapping for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes, you're right," she said. "It is." Gimmei smiled and pulled her hand away. Tokio stood up.
"You must be tired. I'll take you to your room and get you a change of clothes. Eiji, go to bed," Tokio said, turning to go into the house. Gimmei followed along with Eiji. She saw Saito on the floor and Kenshin next to him. Megumi was almost finished with the bandages on Kenshin. Gimmei studied both of them, then hurried after Tokio. It was then that she realized that she was exhausted. She groggily took the clothes from Tokio's hands, then stumbled into a room where she clumsily unfolded a futon and changed. Then, she fell on the soft covers and fell into a deep sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: This story will be finished in the next chapter. I promise.
REVIEW RESPONSE:
MissBehavin: Yes... I never do give Saito a break, do I? Okay... everything will be wrapped up in the next chapter. Hope you liked the story!!