Disclaimer: I think I've said this enough. I do not own my precious Fuzzy-
sama, Pelvis Elvis, Tea Breath, or any of his friends. :: sigh ::
Author's Notes: Well. We're finally to the chapter where Kenshin has to fight with Soujiro. I'm sorry if this fic seems to be rushing to it's ending, but I have too much going on to just keep trying to write a fic that am bone dry on ideas for when I have so many others swimming in my mind. Do you know how many stories I am working on? 4 RK stories. 1 Inuyasha story I have yet to post. 1 original fiction. I believe, as of now......... at least 4 co-authored stories for ff.net, and 2 more stories at school w/ my friend. That's so much writing to tend to on top of homework and practice. It gets tiring. I'm trying, but working on 12 stories and then having more ideas in your head isn't easy. Anyway, I hope this chapter turns out well and you all enjoy it!!!
~Silhouettes of Shadows~
***Chapter 14- Blade of the Tenken***
Kenshin eyed his opponent with a weary gaze, one that had been dulled by the earlier events of the week. So much had occurred over the short course of time and the affects were beginning to weigh upon him. Megumi would be returning soon to release the slight amount of poison that now ailed Kaoru. The rest of the fighters surrounding the dojo would need medical help, also. Aoshi and Saitou stood on either side of Kenshin, back by at least two steps each.
And the child before him never lost his smile.
The confidence the boy had was unnerving, and his emotions were well hidden. Kenshin understood the fact that his attacks were not as strong without his ability to predict Soujiro's movements and emotions, but he had a reason. He had to protect everyone here. He had a family to take care of. Kenji was too young to go without a father. Kaoru had no reason to go be widowed before she was married. His friends still needed him. There was no choice in this matter. Risking his life was better than letting them die.
He would win this fight.
Drawing his sakabatou from his belt slowly, he set himself into the stance that earned him the nickname Battousai. He wanted to use the final attack as soon as he could, but not until after he had gauged the actual strength that Soujiro possessed. The rumors of the speed the boy possessed rang in his head. Succuchi.
Would he be forced to ward off a speed superior to his own? Could he do that? The fastest he would become was with the final attack, and even then Kenshin need the correct moment to use the powerful attack. Now wasn't it.
Before he knew it, Soujiro had sped off in a blur. Kenshin lost complete sight of the boy with his speed, but kept his ears and eyes peeled. He would need to stop or slow down before he attacked; if he didn't, the force of his blade would pull him into his own attack. Kenshin knew that was the only weakness in Soujiro's technique, and he kept his guard up to predict when it would occur.
Drawing his sword up, he blocked the first violent slash headed toward his body. The force was strong sent him sliding farther away from the door to the dojo. The expression on his face was strict and serious; Soujiro wasn't going to be an easy opponent to defeat. Kenshin berated himself. He had become so used to easy battles over the course of the war that he had completely forgotten that people with this skill existed, outside of Saitou and Aoshi.
But the fact that Soujiro was an underlying minion of Shishio nagged at his mind. He had defeated Shishio at the extent of his own health. So wouldn't it be smart to assume that Soujiro hadn't been as skilled as Shishio? Had he been better, surely Soujiro would have been leading the Juppongatana instead.
In lapse of thinking, Kenshin had almost allowed himself to be slashed across his back. He had spun and halted the attack at the last moment, sending Soujiro back. The expression across his face was quickly cleared, but Kenshin could see the confusion held by the young boy.
Confusion.
That was his advantage.
With the confusion etching itself into Soujiro's mind, he could find a way into the boy, and hopefully, if possible, end this without too much of a fight. There was no way the boy could be angry. He was much too confused. Frustration was extremely possible, and Kenshin knew he was pushing his luck with that, but it was the only way. To get past the speed, he had to get inside of Soujiro's mind.
"Soujiro, why?" Kenshin questioned. "What did Shishio instill in you that makes you so loyal to such an evil person?"
Another sound hit resounded off of Kenshin's sword, and then it echoed off in the distance. Kenshin stood with his sword above his head, where it had warded off an attack that had been meant to end his life. Soujiro kept becoming faster and faster, and this was making him worry. If this was not the complete speed of the boy, then what was? What was his motivation?
"Shishio-sama was there!" Soujiro cried loudly, sliding to an abrupt halt. "He was there! Where were you when I needed to be rescued?"
Kenshin blinked harshly a few times before responding. "What are you talking about?"
"The strong live and the weak die. I am strong. Therefore, you shall die!" came his cry before he sped off again in the general direction of Kenshin.
Bracing himself for the blow, Kenshin kept his eyes on the impressions Soujiro's sandal clad feet made in the ground. If he could keep his eyes on this, then he knew he could predict the exact moment Soujiro would strike. In the concentration of the moment, Kenshin hadn't realized that Soujiro had stopped running within his range of sight. Pain shot through his back and he stumbled forward slightly, wincing as he spun back around, this time blocking the second attack.
"Himura-san, why?" Soujiro asked, his calm face broken out in pure rage. "Why? I didn't deserve this......... killing......... or being killed......... what Shishio- sama says is true!"
"Don't believe everything you hear Soujiro! The truth is for you to find on your own!" Kenshin responded, feeling helpless to the boy's state of mind and to his attacks.
Blocking was about the only maneuvers that he could get in. Each one was laced with more and more malice, more and more pleading, more and more confusion. Soujiro was asking through the fight for a way out. The extreme loyalty he felt toward Shishio was his lifeline, but he wanted off it. Kenshin wasn't that dense, he could tell that plain as day. Soujiro wasn't used to fighting people just as strong, if not stronger, than himself and it was forcing him to think. Apparently something had drawn Soujiro to Shishio in the first place, something traumatic.
"What? What made you join with Shishio?"
"Shishio-sama was strong! He showed me how to be strong, Himura-san, not weak! You kill or be killed......... that is the way of the world. It is because of him that I'm alive still today!" Soujiro cried, shaking his head as he landed, and grasping it.
Staring at the boy and ignoring the extreme amount of blood that was falling down his back, Kenshin watched Soujiro's every move. His fingers gripped tightly into his hair, pulling at his skin I utter frustration. Emotions were new to him; having completely forgotten long ago how to feel anything, Soujiro was overcome with the new experience. It hurt his head, and he blamed it all on one man.
"You. Himura-san, the fact that you're......... that you're still standing, after taking my attacks......... because you are weaker than I......... it frustrates the hell out of me!" Soujiro cried, whipping his blade back into its sheath and pulling into a familiar stance.
"Battou-justu........." Kenshin mumbled so that only he could hear.
Falling back into his own battou-jutsu stance, Kenshin closed his eyes and took in the sounds around him first. The Amakakeru-Ryu-no-Hirameki was a delicate technique. The focus of his heart and energy was essential before he attempted to perform the task. Opening his pools of violet, he saw that Soujiro had taken off into flight.
Not to be outdone, Kenshin sped off himself, his hand over the hilt of his sword. Soujiro watched his movements as their paces became equal, and then unsheathed his sword to attack. Kenshin did the same thing.
Stepping with his left foot, Kenshin spun his body at an angle that confused Soujiro enough to give Kenshin the upper hand. The sakabatou tore through Soujiro's blade, and landed smack in the middle of his chest. Flying across the air before he landed, Soujiro hit the ground roughly. Breathing deeply, Kenshin fell to his knees. His back was threatening to give out, but he was too stubborn to collapse until he was positive this threat toward his family had been defeated. Soujiro continued breathing, but it was raspy.
There was no way he was going to be standing any time soon.
Succumbing to his pain, Kenshin allowed himself to land face first in the dirt just as Megumi and Misao came bursting through the dojo gates.
Author's Notes: I know. That was a VERY short chapter. Forgive me. My motivation has gone, and the only reason I seem to be writing this anymore is because I want to finish it. Thus, it will be finished. Very soon. 2 more chapters at the most. ^__^ I'll try to make those ones longer. I don't plan on updating any of my other stories UNTIL I finish this one, but then again, sicne when did things go my way?^__^
Hope you liked the new chapter! Drop me a line via review, please!
Love and hugs—
Crystal Renee
Author's Notes: Well. We're finally to the chapter where Kenshin has to fight with Soujiro. I'm sorry if this fic seems to be rushing to it's ending, but I have too much going on to just keep trying to write a fic that am bone dry on ideas for when I have so many others swimming in my mind. Do you know how many stories I am working on? 4 RK stories. 1 Inuyasha story I have yet to post. 1 original fiction. I believe, as of now......... at least 4 co-authored stories for ff.net, and 2 more stories at school w/ my friend. That's so much writing to tend to on top of homework and practice. It gets tiring. I'm trying, but working on 12 stories and then having more ideas in your head isn't easy. Anyway, I hope this chapter turns out well and you all enjoy it!!!
~Silhouettes of Shadows~
***Chapter 14- Blade of the Tenken***
Kenshin eyed his opponent with a weary gaze, one that had been dulled by the earlier events of the week. So much had occurred over the short course of time and the affects were beginning to weigh upon him. Megumi would be returning soon to release the slight amount of poison that now ailed Kaoru. The rest of the fighters surrounding the dojo would need medical help, also. Aoshi and Saitou stood on either side of Kenshin, back by at least two steps each.
And the child before him never lost his smile.
The confidence the boy had was unnerving, and his emotions were well hidden. Kenshin understood the fact that his attacks were not as strong without his ability to predict Soujiro's movements and emotions, but he had a reason. He had to protect everyone here. He had a family to take care of. Kenji was too young to go without a father. Kaoru had no reason to go be widowed before she was married. His friends still needed him. There was no choice in this matter. Risking his life was better than letting them die.
He would win this fight.
Drawing his sakabatou from his belt slowly, he set himself into the stance that earned him the nickname Battousai. He wanted to use the final attack as soon as he could, but not until after he had gauged the actual strength that Soujiro possessed. The rumors of the speed the boy possessed rang in his head. Succuchi.
Would he be forced to ward off a speed superior to his own? Could he do that? The fastest he would become was with the final attack, and even then Kenshin need the correct moment to use the powerful attack. Now wasn't it.
Before he knew it, Soujiro had sped off in a blur. Kenshin lost complete sight of the boy with his speed, but kept his ears and eyes peeled. He would need to stop or slow down before he attacked; if he didn't, the force of his blade would pull him into his own attack. Kenshin knew that was the only weakness in Soujiro's technique, and he kept his guard up to predict when it would occur.
Drawing his sword up, he blocked the first violent slash headed toward his body. The force was strong sent him sliding farther away from the door to the dojo. The expression on his face was strict and serious; Soujiro wasn't going to be an easy opponent to defeat. Kenshin berated himself. He had become so used to easy battles over the course of the war that he had completely forgotten that people with this skill existed, outside of Saitou and Aoshi.
But the fact that Soujiro was an underlying minion of Shishio nagged at his mind. He had defeated Shishio at the extent of his own health. So wouldn't it be smart to assume that Soujiro hadn't been as skilled as Shishio? Had he been better, surely Soujiro would have been leading the Juppongatana instead.
In lapse of thinking, Kenshin had almost allowed himself to be slashed across his back. He had spun and halted the attack at the last moment, sending Soujiro back. The expression across his face was quickly cleared, but Kenshin could see the confusion held by the young boy.
Confusion.
That was his advantage.
With the confusion etching itself into Soujiro's mind, he could find a way into the boy, and hopefully, if possible, end this without too much of a fight. There was no way the boy could be angry. He was much too confused. Frustration was extremely possible, and Kenshin knew he was pushing his luck with that, but it was the only way. To get past the speed, he had to get inside of Soujiro's mind.
"Soujiro, why?" Kenshin questioned. "What did Shishio instill in you that makes you so loyal to such an evil person?"
Another sound hit resounded off of Kenshin's sword, and then it echoed off in the distance. Kenshin stood with his sword above his head, where it had warded off an attack that had been meant to end his life. Soujiro kept becoming faster and faster, and this was making him worry. If this was not the complete speed of the boy, then what was? What was his motivation?
"Shishio-sama was there!" Soujiro cried loudly, sliding to an abrupt halt. "He was there! Where were you when I needed to be rescued?"
Kenshin blinked harshly a few times before responding. "What are you talking about?"
"The strong live and the weak die. I am strong. Therefore, you shall die!" came his cry before he sped off again in the general direction of Kenshin.
Bracing himself for the blow, Kenshin kept his eyes on the impressions Soujiro's sandal clad feet made in the ground. If he could keep his eyes on this, then he knew he could predict the exact moment Soujiro would strike. In the concentration of the moment, Kenshin hadn't realized that Soujiro had stopped running within his range of sight. Pain shot through his back and he stumbled forward slightly, wincing as he spun back around, this time blocking the second attack.
"Himura-san, why?" Soujiro asked, his calm face broken out in pure rage. "Why? I didn't deserve this......... killing......... or being killed......... what Shishio- sama says is true!"
"Don't believe everything you hear Soujiro! The truth is for you to find on your own!" Kenshin responded, feeling helpless to the boy's state of mind and to his attacks.
Blocking was about the only maneuvers that he could get in. Each one was laced with more and more malice, more and more pleading, more and more confusion. Soujiro was asking through the fight for a way out. The extreme loyalty he felt toward Shishio was his lifeline, but he wanted off it. Kenshin wasn't that dense, he could tell that plain as day. Soujiro wasn't used to fighting people just as strong, if not stronger, than himself and it was forcing him to think. Apparently something had drawn Soujiro to Shishio in the first place, something traumatic.
"What? What made you join with Shishio?"
"Shishio-sama was strong! He showed me how to be strong, Himura-san, not weak! You kill or be killed......... that is the way of the world. It is because of him that I'm alive still today!" Soujiro cried, shaking his head as he landed, and grasping it.
Staring at the boy and ignoring the extreme amount of blood that was falling down his back, Kenshin watched Soujiro's every move. His fingers gripped tightly into his hair, pulling at his skin I utter frustration. Emotions were new to him; having completely forgotten long ago how to feel anything, Soujiro was overcome with the new experience. It hurt his head, and he blamed it all on one man.
"You. Himura-san, the fact that you're......... that you're still standing, after taking my attacks......... because you are weaker than I......... it frustrates the hell out of me!" Soujiro cried, whipping his blade back into its sheath and pulling into a familiar stance.
"Battou-justu........." Kenshin mumbled so that only he could hear.
Falling back into his own battou-jutsu stance, Kenshin closed his eyes and took in the sounds around him first. The Amakakeru-Ryu-no-Hirameki was a delicate technique. The focus of his heart and energy was essential before he attempted to perform the task. Opening his pools of violet, he saw that Soujiro had taken off into flight.
Not to be outdone, Kenshin sped off himself, his hand over the hilt of his sword. Soujiro watched his movements as their paces became equal, and then unsheathed his sword to attack. Kenshin did the same thing.
Stepping with his left foot, Kenshin spun his body at an angle that confused Soujiro enough to give Kenshin the upper hand. The sakabatou tore through Soujiro's blade, and landed smack in the middle of his chest. Flying across the air before he landed, Soujiro hit the ground roughly. Breathing deeply, Kenshin fell to his knees. His back was threatening to give out, but he was too stubborn to collapse until he was positive this threat toward his family had been defeated. Soujiro continued breathing, but it was raspy.
There was no way he was going to be standing any time soon.
Succumbing to his pain, Kenshin allowed himself to land face first in the dirt just as Megumi and Misao came bursting through the dojo gates.
Author's Notes: I know. That was a VERY short chapter. Forgive me. My motivation has gone, and the only reason I seem to be writing this anymore is because I want to finish it. Thus, it will be finished. Very soon. 2 more chapters at the most. ^__^ I'll try to make those ones longer. I don't plan on updating any of my other stories UNTIL I finish this one, but then again, sicne when did things go my way?^__^
Hope you liked the new chapter! Drop me a line via review, please!
Love and hugs—
Crystal Renee