Author's Notes: I'M SORRY FOR THE DELAY! I've had my Kenshin DVDs and look at this, I never even got around to updating. I'm so stupid, apologize for my horrible lacking. You will forgive me, won' t you? PLEASE: begs to you all : I'm really busy. But I was determined to update all of my stories before my birthday, January 5th. So far the only other story, besides this one, that needs to be updated is Building The Hitokiri, and I'm already ready to update that one, too. Well, here we go.
The Legend of Himura Kenshin
EPISODE 3- Swordsman of Sorrow... The Man Who Slays His Past
Yamagata's View
You are a fool, Himura, but a righteous fool. You have slain so many over the course of the revolution, for ideals you could believe in. I would have expected that you would have accepted the position in the government that you fought for. But considering your duties as manslaughter... I never even heard you consider them so over the course of the Bakumatsu. Something has changed in you over this past decade, something I can't place.
But in a sense, you are right. Using my authority to get people to do what I want is what has created so many corrupt politicians and other powerful leaders, and I do not wish to push such a burden upon you. You seem to be happier now, anyway, and I don't wish to be the cause of your limited peace becoming shattered.
I stand firm on my words, though. One man cannot do much to protect a nation with one sword. He cannot change the world and he cannot hope to bring peace to everyone around him. Even with your inhuman strength and Hiten Mitsurugi skills, you can only do so much.
You wish to repent for your sins, although they are forgivable already. You didn't kill men for the pleasure of it; you did it to save innocent lives, just as you are striving so hard to do now. Even with a reverse bladed sword, I don't believe you will be able to get rid of the demons that plague your heart, or the ones that haunt your mind. You killed for a righteous reason, Himura, one that is excusable and saved many lives. Sacrifices must be made, but as I see you now, the weight of those sacrifices will forever take rest upon your shoulders.
You can't expect to right wrongs that were never committed, Himura, nor can you expect for people to accept what you did. Not many understand the logic behind your existence, but I see you aren't able to accept it yourself. But I won't stop you- this is your choice. I know how much the deaths you caused weighed on your heart- and the one that was never supposed to happen, is the one thing that holding you back from that young boy standing next to you, and the fiery woman to your left.
In all truth, you haven't changed. Your radical ideas though, that is what has shifted in your life. You vow never to kill in defiance of the noble deeds you performed during the Bakumatsu. I do not look down upon you for that, and I'm certain the people who stand next to you in all this do not frown upon them either. You have grown wiser, and your words are more cunning. I don't believe you will be tricked into some of the things you were back when you were a teenager. But, even with your newfound idealism, you are still the same Kenshin Himura I knew back during the revolution. You're still as straightforward as ever, and you're goals are just as high and impossible as before. Yet someone, you managed have to slip into your new lifestyle and like it, I am sure.
I will continue to stand by my statement, Himura. The times of changed, and with the anti-sword law, the samurai class has vanished. You must understand that one man with one sword can't expect to make much difference in the new world. But somehow, your words shock me, yet keep me humble.
"Even if it only the handful of people I happen to meet on the street or in my home, I can still protect them with one sword."
That statement is true as day. But, I won't give up, Himura. Even you can't deny the things that are corrupting our new era, and one day, you will come to help again.
I wonder if you will be able to keep these new, noble ideals then.
Author's Notes: YAY! I wrote it! I hope it sounded refined. That's how Yamagata rubs off on me, that's why I wrote it that way. I hope that didn't suck as much as I fear it did... : sighs : Yamagata was harder to write than I thought he'd be. Oh well. Please review!
Love and hugs,
Crystal Renee