A/N: Okay…I lied there is another author note. Opps. Anyway I just wanted to say in the OVAs I can't tell Kasumi, Akane, and Sakura apart. Some RK fan I am. Anyway if I anyone knows which one is which and knows I got the below part wrong please review and tell me which sister is which. If I got it right… just don't bother.
Chapter 19 - Shinta
Shinta stood tears in his lavender eyes. A top fell from his small hand as he was told once again that both his parents were gone. Taken by cholera. "Mother. Father." The little boy wept.
It didn't take long for a group of slave traders to take him in. They hoped that the boy with the odd hair color would fetch a pretty penny. For now they settled with putting him to work. Shinta did all the choirs that all the men were required to do. At the end of the day Shinta could barely stand. Three girls who were also slaves took pity on the poor boy's plight. They would comfort him and share their food with him. Shinta soon looked up to these girls as sisters.
"Kasumi-dono! Akane-dono! Sakura-dono!" Shinta called out merrily to them. "Here." He proudly held up the wild flowers he had picked. "These are for you!" The girls giggled happily and caressed Shinta's head.
"Thank-you Shinta-chun!" They said as they placed the flowers in their hair and put one behind Shinta's ear. Shinta laughed with them, happy to have them near him.
A couple nights later the group traveled in the moonlight. Shinta held his top out in front of him, the last gift his parents had given him. He gave one of his sisters a smile to let her know that he wasn't tired even though his feet pounded underneath him with each step. He didn't want her to worry.
Suddenly a yell broke the silence of the night. A horrible, pain-filled shriek unlike all the screams little Shinta had heard before. No, this one was a scream of death. "Bandits!" Someone from behind yelled. Now everyone was screaming.
Shinta ran as fast as his tired, short legs would carry him. He felt one of his sister's hands holding his wrist trying to help him run faster but they were running so fast he couldn't take his eyes off the ground to see who it was. Shinta tried to take a look at who was holding his arm but tripped and fell skidding into the earth.
"Get up Shinta!" The frantic voice of Akane called out to him.
"We have to get away." Sakura said helping the boy to his feet.
"Run Shinta." Kasumi said as the four began to run again. But it proved to be useless. The bandits caught up and all they could do was huddle close to one another in hopes the bandits would spare them.
Shinta watched as the bandits cut their way through the last man. "I'm the only boy left." The thought ran through his mind as Shinta picked up a tossed aside sword. It was so heavy in his hands. The bandits laughed at his attempts to lift the sword. "I have to protect them, even if it means…" The bandits moved in closer and Shinta could feel his heart pounding in his chest. "I have to protect them, even if it means…" Shinta tried to lift the heavy sword once more. "Even if it means…" Shinta rushed toward the bandits knowing he would be no match for them when a hand pulled him back. He lost his grip on the sword and it clanged to the ground.
Shinta found himself being held by his sisters. They were protecting him. "Please spare this child!" An ear deafening scream escaped Kasumi's lips as she died.
"Don't look." Sakura tried to cover Shinta's eyes but he clearly saw the blood of his sister as it fell to the ground.
"Please! This child!" Shinta's eyes went wide as yet another sister was stolen from him. Sakura fell back and covered Shinta as Akane's blood fell on her with a sickening slosh.
"Shinta, Shinta. You must live Shinta. You're so young. You couldn't have possibly have chosen your way of life. Live Shinta and live your life better then the ones that ended here tonight… ugh." Suddenly she was lifted up off of him. "Live Shinta." She pleaded as one of the bandits lifted her by her hair. He held her up and ran his blade through her throat. She gasped and reached up her hand and gently grasped the blade that stuck out from her neck. The bandit slowly slid the deadly blade out and dropped Sakura to the ground. "Live Shinta… for me…" With that the bandit struck her through her chest, ending her life.
Shinta could only stare wide-eyed at the corpses of his beloved. He didn't even notice that the bandit had come towards him sword raised. Shinta didn't care if the bandit killed him. He could only stare. Stare at the death that surrounded him. The bandit was about to strike when there was a noise. A man had come from out of nowhere and was attacking the bandits. "Who are you!" The bandit that had killed Shinta's sisters called out.
"No point in introducing myself to the dead." Came the man's calm response.
"Why you!" The bandit charged and in under three seconds was cut down by the new comer's blade.
The man walked up towards Shinta and calmly wiped the blood off his sword as he spoke. "I suppose fate guided me in this direction tonight. They have been avenged. No amount of hatred or anger will bring your loved ones back." He sheathed his sword. "Be glad that you survived." The man began to walk away but took one last look at the boy he had just saved. He knelt eyes glued to the dead bodies that laid bleeding all around him. The swordsmen sighed, this was common place after all, no point in sticking around any longer.
In the morning the man returned to the place in order to bury the corpses expecting that the young boy had run off or committed suicide. But as he emerged from the trees the sight that befell his eyes surprised the man. The barren land was covered in crude wooden crosses marking the grave of each and every person that had been killed the night before and there in the center was the young boy standing alone in the early morning sun. "You made graves for the bandits as well as your parents?" The man asked the boy as he approached.
"They were not my parents. They were slave traders. I was sold to them after my parents died of cholera. But after they died they weren't bandits or slave traders anymore. They were just dead bodies."
"What are those." The man asked about the three stones which stood side by side that the boy stood in front of, tear stains on his cheeks.
"Kasumi-dono, Akane-dono, Sakura-dono." Shinta said motioning his head to each stone in turn. "I only knew them for a short while but I still wanted to protect them because I was the only boy there, even if it cost me my life. But they protected me saying 'Please spare this child.'" Shinta sighed his voice quivering. "I was too small. I wanted to find them decent stones, but this was all I could find. I don't even have any flowers to offer them."
"It's a shame for anyone to leave this world without the taste of good sake. I offer what I can. This is my tribute to them." The man walked forward and poured his offering on the three stones.
"Thank-you."
"I am Seijuro Hiko. I am a swordsman."
"Swordsman?" Shinta repeated.
"My boy, you failed to protect these loved ones. You were entrusted with the lives of those three. Your small hands will remember the weight of their bodies but you will carry the far heavier weight of their lives with you forever. Now you must gain the strength to support yourself and protect others. Then, you will be able to live your life, and defend cherished lives."
Shinta thought his information over a little. "Protect…" He thought out loud.
"Boy what is your name?"
"Shinta." He answered quickly snapping from his thoughts
"Hm, too soft for a swordsman. From this day on you shall be known as Kenshin."
"Kenshin." Shinta repeated his knew name.
"I have found myself a pupil consider yourself, fortunate." Kenshin and Hiko stood just a little while longer looking down at the three stones. "Come Kenshin." Hiko said sternly moving away. Kenshin moved to follow but something grabbed his leg. Kenshin looked down and was horrified to see a bloody hand grabbing his ankle.
"Hiko!" The boy screamed terrified as parts of one of the bandits began to dig itself up from his grave. "Hiko help me!" He yelled turning and seeing that the man just stood an angry scowl on his face. Soon more hands rose grabbing Kenshin's small frame. "Master help me please!"
"Why should I help an uncaring apprentice such as you?" Hiko asked as he watched. "You should have listened to me when I told you not to leave my mountain!" Hiko yelled.
"Kenshin, Kenshin, why did you let us die?" Sakura's corpse asked in a choked voice as she too rose from the grave.
"Sakura-dono! I'm sorry!"
Kasumi and Akane soon joined her. "Why didn't you protect us. Now we are dead now we are dead!"
"Kasumi-dono! Akane-dono! Forgive me! Please!" Kenshin could feel himself being pulled down.
"You killed us Battòsai! You killed us! You didn't protect us!" A loud chorus of voices rang out in Kenshin's ear. Kenshin wanted to cover his ears with his hands to drown out the screaming but the battered and bloodied hands kept his arms to his side. Kenshin shut his eyes.
"Kenshin, you can't block us out." A small voice cried.
Kenshin opened his eyes and stared back at a sunken eyed Taku. "Will you forget us? Will you forsake the ones you have wronged?" Kenshin struggled against the hands that kept trying to pull him into the earth. "Kenshin, you won't be able to save her if you don't stop. Kaoru will end up just like her." Taku walked over and placed his finger next to Kenshin's left eye, near his nose. Slowly he drew his finger down to the bottom of Kenshin's cheek near his jaw. Kenshin could feel his skin part from Taku's gentle touch as if his finger was a dagger. "Nakami will end up just like him." Taku continued. This time Taku placed his finger higher up on Kenshin's cheek and dragged his finger down to Kenshin's chin. "And Senko, I, and everyone else you care about will end up just like them." Taku reached down and took both of Kenshin's small hands into his. As Taku touched his hands Kenshin could feel the weight his hands had born that faithful night he had met his Master. "Stop this Kenshin." Taku's voice fell to a whisper. "Stop this and open your eyes before it's too late. Stop Suiso before he makes the bloody rain fall."
Suiso saw Kenshin's eyes clear and come to focus. He had been yelling intelligible things during the last few moments and seeing him snap out of his trance surprised the captain. "What's going on?" Suiso thought angrily. "It's suppose to be draining his strength!" Suiso grabbed the wood in Kenshin's loosened grip and ripped it from Kenshin's grasp. Kenshin snapped fully to attention and tried to sit upright. His head swam and he fell back to his elbows.
Suiso held his treasure in his hand. He felt so powerful. It almost seemed like Kenshin had given him more power. The Battòsai was an interesting man, an interesting man indeed. Suiso quickly un-sheathed his sword and aimed it at Kaoru. "This is the end Battòsai! I am tired of playing games!" Suiso yelled as he charged Kaoru.
Kenshin tried to sit up but found his strength gone. He couldn't even feel his limbs. "SUISO!" Kenshin yelled frustrated.
Kaoru felt her muscles tighten as she awaited the final blow that's why she was surprised when her body began to move. She heard Nakami call out her name as he pushed her out of the way. "Kaoru!" Kaoru felt him push her away and then the boy let out a yell as the two of them fell to the ground. Kaoru quickly gathered her wits after hitting the floor and looked over at Nakami. He laid on the ground clutching his right shoulder. Blood already staining his clothing under his hand.
Kenshin gripped the hilt of the Sakabato, angry. "Suiso." He gritted through his teeth as he forced himself to sit up.
Suiso looked over and saw Kenshin straining to sit up. "He can move?" Suiso thought, his brain burning with confusion. "How can he be moving already?" Suiso stood dumbfounded as he watched Kenshin struggle to his feet.
"This one won't allow you to hurt anyone else, that I won't." Kenshin announced once he had gotten to his feet.
Suiso smiled but deep down he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had thought Kenshin would have been left completely drained after holding his power for so long. "Why don't you rest Battòsai? You seem weary." Suiso held up his sword. "Do you really think you can fight me when you can barely stand?" Kenshin's reply was an unsheathed Sakabato. "I see." Suiso widened his stance. "I'll knock you senseless then I will kill your friends." Suiso said with a smirk.
"Miss Kaoru, please take Nakami and yourself somewhere safe." Kenshin lowered into a fighting stance as Kaoru picked Nakami up and carefully backed out of the room.
"Be careful Kenshin." She said reluctant to leave him but she knew Suiso wouldn't kill him. With Nakami and her there Suiso might use them against Kenshin. So with a heavy heart Kaoru left to take care of Nakami's bleeding shoulder.
"Well Battòsai are you ready now?" Suiso taunted when Kaoru had left. Kenshin gave a small nod. "Well then… here I come!" Suiso yelled as he rushed at Kenshin.
Chapter 19 - Shinta
Shinta stood tears in his lavender eyes. A top fell from his small hand as he was told once again that both his parents were gone. Taken by cholera. "Mother. Father." The little boy wept.
It didn't take long for a group of slave traders to take him in. They hoped that the boy with the odd hair color would fetch a pretty penny. For now they settled with putting him to work. Shinta did all the choirs that all the men were required to do. At the end of the day Shinta could barely stand. Three girls who were also slaves took pity on the poor boy's plight. They would comfort him and share their food with him. Shinta soon looked up to these girls as sisters.
"Kasumi-dono! Akane-dono! Sakura-dono!" Shinta called out merrily to them. "Here." He proudly held up the wild flowers he had picked. "These are for you!" The girls giggled happily and caressed Shinta's head.
"Thank-you Shinta-chun!" They said as they placed the flowers in their hair and put one behind Shinta's ear. Shinta laughed with them, happy to have them near him.
A couple nights later the group traveled in the moonlight. Shinta held his top out in front of him, the last gift his parents had given him. He gave one of his sisters a smile to let her know that he wasn't tired even though his feet pounded underneath him with each step. He didn't want her to worry.
Suddenly a yell broke the silence of the night. A horrible, pain-filled shriek unlike all the screams little Shinta had heard before. No, this one was a scream of death. "Bandits!" Someone from behind yelled. Now everyone was screaming.
Shinta ran as fast as his tired, short legs would carry him. He felt one of his sister's hands holding his wrist trying to help him run faster but they were running so fast he couldn't take his eyes off the ground to see who it was. Shinta tried to take a look at who was holding his arm but tripped and fell skidding into the earth.
"Get up Shinta!" The frantic voice of Akane called out to him.
"We have to get away." Sakura said helping the boy to his feet.
"Run Shinta." Kasumi said as the four began to run again. But it proved to be useless. The bandits caught up and all they could do was huddle close to one another in hopes the bandits would spare them.
Shinta watched as the bandits cut their way through the last man. "I'm the only boy left." The thought ran through his mind as Shinta picked up a tossed aside sword. It was so heavy in his hands. The bandits laughed at his attempts to lift the sword. "I have to protect them, even if it means…" The bandits moved in closer and Shinta could feel his heart pounding in his chest. "I have to protect them, even if it means…" Shinta tried to lift the heavy sword once more. "Even if it means…" Shinta rushed toward the bandits knowing he would be no match for them when a hand pulled him back. He lost his grip on the sword and it clanged to the ground.
Shinta found himself being held by his sisters. They were protecting him. "Please spare this child!" An ear deafening scream escaped Kasumi's lips as she died.
"Don't look." Sakura tried to cover Shinta's eyes but he clearly saw the blood of his sister as it fell to the ground.
"Please! This child!" Shinta's eyes went wide as yet another sister was stolen from him. Sakura fell back and covered Shinta as Akane's blood fell on her with a sickening slosh.
"Shinta, Shinta. You must live Shinta. You're so young. You couldn't have possibly have chosen your way of life. Live Shinta and live your life better then the ones that ended here tonight… ugh." Suddenly she was lifted up off of him. "Live Shinta." She pleaded as one of the bandits lifted her by her hair. He held her up and ran his blade through her throat. She gasped and reached up her hand and gently grasped the blade that stuck out from her neck. The bandit slowly slid the deadly blade out and dropped Sakura to the ground. "Live Shinta… for me…" With that the bandit struck her through her chest, ending her life.
Shinta could only stare wide-eyed at the corpses of his beloved. He didn't even notice that the bandit had come towards him sword raised. Shinta didn't care if the bandit killed him. He could only stare. Stare at the death that surrounded him. The bandit was about to strike when there was a noise. A man had come from out of nowhere and was attacking the bandits. "Who are you!" The bandit that had killed Shinta's sisters called out.
"No point in introducing myself to the dead." Came the man's calm response.
"Why you!" The bandit charged and in under three seconds was cut down by the new comer's blade.
The man walked up towards Shinta and calmly wiped the blood off his sword as he spoke. "I suppose fate guided me in this direction tonight. They have been avenged. No amount of hatred or anger will bring your loved ones back." He sheathed his sword. "Be glad that you survived." The man began to walk away but took one last look at the boy he had just saved. He knelt eyes glued to the dead bodies that laid bleeding all around him. The swordsmen sighed, this was common place after all, no point in sticking around any longer.
In the morning the man returned to the place in order to bury the corpses expecting that the young boy had run off or committed suicide. But as he emerged from the trees the sight that befell his eyes surprised the man. The barren land was covered in crude wooden crosses marking the grave of each and every person that had been killed the night before and there in the center was the young boy standing alone in the early morning sun. "You made graves for the bandits as well as your parents?" The man asked the boy as he approached.
"They were not my parents. They were slave traders. I was sold to them after my parents died of cholera. But after they died they weren't bandits or slave traders anymore. They were just dead bodies."
"What are those." The man asked about the three stones which stood side by side that the boy stood in front of, tear stains on his cheeks.
"Kasumi-dono, Akane-dono, Sakura-dono." Shinta said motioning his head to each stone in turn. "I only knew them for a short while but I still wanted to protect them because I was the only boy there, even if it cost me my life. But they protected me saying 'Please spare this child.'" Shinta sighed his voice quivering. "I was too small. I wanted to find them decent stones, but this was all I could find. I don't even have any flowers to offer them."
"It's a shame for anyone to leave this world without the taste of good sake. I offer what I can. This is my tribute to them." The man walked forward and poured his offering on the three stones.
"Thank-you."
"I am Seijuro Hiko. I am a swordsman."
"Swordsman?" Shinta repeated.
"My boy, you failed to protect these loved ones. You were entrusted with the lives of those three. Your small hands will remember the weight of their bodies but you will carry the far heavier weight of their lives with you forever. Now you must gain the strength to support yourself and protect others. Then, you will be able to live your life, and defend cherished lives."
Shinta thought his information over a little. "Protect…" He thought out loud.
"Boy what is your name?"
"Shinta." He answered quickly snapping from his thoughts
"Hm, too soft for a swordsman. From this day on you shall be known as Kenshin."
"Kenshin." Shinta repeated his knew name.
"I have found myself a pupil consider yourself, fortunate." Kenshin and Hiko stood just a little while longer looking down at the three stones. "Come Kenshin." Hiko said sternly moving away. Kenshin moved to follow but something grabbed his leg. Kenshin looked down and was horrified to see a bloody hand grabbing his ankle.
"Hiko!" The boy screamed terrified as parts of one of the bandits began to dig itself up from his grave. "Hiko help me!" He yelled turning and seeing that the man just stood an angry scowl on his face. Soon more hands rose grabbing Kenshin's small frame. "Master help me please!"
"Why should I help an uncaring apprentice such as you?" Hiko asked as he watched. "You should have listened to me when I told you not to leave my mountain!" Hiko yelled.
"Kenshin, Kenshin, why did you let us die?" Sakura's corpse asked in a choked voice as she too rose from the grave.
"Sakura-dono! I'm sorry!"
Kasumi and Akane soon joined her. "Why didn't you protect us. Now we are dead now we are dead!"
"Kasumi-dono! Akane-dono! Forgive me! Please!" Kenshin could feel himself being pulled down.
"You killed us Battòsai! You killed us! You didn't protect us!" A loud chorus of voices rang out in Kenshin's ear. Kenshin wanted to cover his ears with his hands to drown out the screaming but the battered and bloodied hands kept his arms to his side. Kenshin shut his eyes.
"Kenshin, you can't block us out." A small voice cried.
Kenshin opened his eyes and stared back at a sunken eyed Taku. "Will you forget us? Will you forsake the ones you have wronged?" Kenshin struggled against the hands that kept trying to pull him into the earth. "Kenshin, you won't be able to save her if you don't stop. Kaoru will end up just like her." Taku walked over and placed his finger next to Kenshin's left eye, near his nose. Slowly he drew his finger down to the bottom of Kenshin's cheek near his jaw. Kenshin could feel his skin part from Taku's gentle touch as if his finger was a dagger. "Nakami will end up just like him." Taku continued. This time Taku placed his finger higher up on Kenshin's cheek and dragged his finger down to Kenshin's chin. "And Senko, I, and everyone else you care about will end up just like them." Taku reached down and took both of Kenshin's small hands into his. As Taku touched his hands Kenshin could feel the weight his hands had born that faithful night he had met his Master. "Stop this Kenshin." Taku's voice fell to a whisper. "Stop this and open your eyes before it's too late. Stop Suiso before he makes the bloody rain fall."
Suiso saw Kenshin's eyes clear and come to focus. He had been yelling intelligible things during the last few moments and seeing him snap out of his trance surprised the captain. "What's going on?" Suiso thought angrily. "It's suppose to be draining his strength!" Suiso grabbed the wood in Kenshin's loosened grip and ripped it from Kenshin's grasp. Kenshin snapped fully to attention and tried to sit upright. His head swam and he fell back to his elbows.
Suiso held his treasure in his hand. He felt so powerful. It almost seemed like Kenshin had given him more power. The Battòsai was an interesting man, an interesting man indeed. Suiso quickly un-sheathed his sword and aimed it at Kaoru. "This is the end Battòsai! I am tired of playing games!" Suiso yelled as he charged Kaoru.
Kenshin tried to sit up but found his strength gone. He couldn't even feel his limbs. "SUISO!" Kenshin yelled frustrated.
Kaoru felt her muscles tighten as she awaited the final blow that's why she was surprised when her body began to move. She heard Nakami call out her name as he pushed her out of the way. "Kaoru!" Kaoru felt him push her away and then the boy let out a yell as the two of them fell to the ground. Kaoru quickly gathered her wits after hitting the floor and looked over at Nakami. He laid on the ground clutching his right shoulder. Blood already staining his clothing under his hand.
Kenshin gripped the hilt of the Sakabato, angry. "Suiso." He gritted through his teeth as he forced himself to sit up.
Suiso looked over and saw Kenshin straining to sit up. "He can move?" Suiso thought, his brain burning with confusion. "How can he be moving already?" Suiso stood dumbfounded as he watched Kenshin struggle to his feet.
"This one won't allow you to hurt anyone else, that I won't." Kenshin announced once he had gotten to his feet.
Suiso smiled but deep down he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had thought Kenshin would have been left completely drained after holding his power for so long. "Why don't you rest Battòsai? You seem weary." Suiso held up his sword. "Do you really think you can fight me when you can barely stand?" Kenshin's reply was an unsheathed Sakabato. "I see." Suiso widened his stance. "I'll knock you senseless then I will kill your friends." Suiso said with a smirk.
"Miss Kaoru, please take Nakami and yourself somewhere safe." Kenshin lowered into a fighting stance as Kaoru picked Nakami up and carefully backed out of the room.
"Be careful Kenshin." She said reluctant to leave him but she knew Suiso wouldn't kill him. With Nakami and her there Suiso might use them against Kenshin. So with a heavy heart Kaoru left to take care of Nakami's bleeding shoulder.
"Well Battòsai are you ready now?" Suiso taunted when Kaoru had left. Kenshin gave a small nod. "Well then… here I come!" Suiso yelled as he rushed at Kenshin.