IM BACK!!! WITH ANOTHER CHAPPIE!!!!! *shniffles* me so happi......my
formatting was *almost* perfect........*shniffs with pride* yup...much
easier for all of you readers to read eh?? =^_______________________^=
Btw....22 reviews!!! ME HAPPPPPPPPPYYYYYY!! I was afraid because i just saw
a sou-chan ficcie with 21 chappies.......and 7 reviews......-_-;; feel so
sorry for the author......
Crystal: thankies!! *sniffles* I try my best to describe people....but sometimes my friends say I get boring.......;;
SailorLoneStar: yup!! Another chappie!!! *parties all night and gets dizzy from spiked punch* oro......@_@
???????: yup.....I agree....I also thought the chappie was a bit weird at first.....but then I couldn't think of a way to improve it anymore......^^;; btw....do you know i actually count how many '?' signs you put in your review name? ^____________________^0
Sano: hehehe thankies .........thankies very much *acts all elvis presley like* anyhoooo yup the emotional thing...I try to put myself in the mood before I type.....so normally I end up sad/mad kind of mood......so I guess my writing reflects it? ^^;; yup....call me weird!! *all readers nod in agreement* OIII That was a joke! *vein pops*
Sabbie: ORO!! Me typing me typing!! Im trying to finish it!! *types furiously* ::acts all Soujiro-ish* Sabbie-san.....you're harder to please then Shishio-san and Himura-san....^^:; *bad imitation of Soujiro* ::all the readers sweatdrop and fall to the floor twitching* *toko's vein pops out* MOU!! Not MY fault I have bad acting skills......_________;;
O yeah....btw.....here's some REALLY good songs......(PS: i dont own them...and i dont own RK either.....and yup....this is a shtinky disclaimer....^^;;)
Hitomi: Samurai Drive Hitomi: I Am Long Vacation Soundtrack: Silent Emotion
The Insanity Broken
~Toko POV~
It was him.......the one I had feared......the one who had betrayed me.........the one who haunted me in nightmares every night..........I stared at his face.......
He held me down.........
"Say my name." He ordered.
I looked into his face.......for a minute I thought I saw a young boy with black hair and a blue gi.....looking down at me with concern in his eyes.......he seemed..........so familiar.......
I shook my head.
*Now is not the time to be daydreaming!* I scolded myself.
Blinking.....I now see the face of Him again........his messy brown hair.......his trademark smirk......his kakoii face that could make any girl swoon........but beneath all that lies his true self.....a lying deceitful monster......
"Yoshitaka" I snarled at him, voicing my hatred.
Once again my vision blurred.......I was now at a strange village.........and I see the face of the boy again.........except this time.........his expression was stunned.....as if I had done something wrong..........
*But what? What did I do wrong?*
I felt tears pour out of my eyes.....something......or someone......in the back of my head seemed to know this person........
*Perhaps he is my guardian angel.......*
"Are you.....here to save me? Are you my tenchi?(Angel)" I whisper, forgetting about Yoshitaka.
*This can't be my imagination........He seems too real.........*
~Soujiro's POV~
I stared at her shocked.
*Did she just call me Yoshitaka?!*
My mind was a swirl of thoughts.
*Why did she call me that? Did she really forget about me?*
I look at her........my mask....I can't seem to put it back up.......the shock was too great........
I see her eyes filling back with life, and more tears stream out of her face.
"Are you.....here to save me? Are you my tenchi?" She whispers hesitantly.
*Te-Tenchi? Me?*
"Onegai.....(Please) Tasukete.......(Help) Onegai???" She begged as her hands grabbed my gi and shook me.
"Save me from this hell-house! Save me from Him!!" She said frantically, her eyes unfocused and wild.
Once again she staggered back, backing into a wall and clutched her head.
"Toko-chan? Daijobu??" I cried as I rushed to her side.
~Toko POV~
I clung to my angel, asking him for help.
*Why isn't he helping me?! Am I already dead? Did Yoshitaka kill me and has my angel come to take me away? *
I looked into his eyes.......his eyes were shocked, but full of..........love?
*Love? What's that?*
Then I remembered. Love was the weapon Yoshitaka used to get me to believe him. That's what love was. My angel is a fake!! It's Yoshitaka trying to deceive me again!
Hot searing pain streaked across my head, running along my brain, leaving burning hot trails behind.
I clamped my hands against my head, hoping to squeeze the pain out.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!" I screamed.
The pain seemed to burn its way through my mind.
Something in the back of my head urged me.........Something told me that my tenchi was real.....that he meant no harm........it told me love wasn't what I thought it was......It tried to fight its way and control my body!!
~Flashback~
I had a dream.........once a long time ago.......
The angel came to me..........embracing me and whispering that everything was all right.
"Shhhh......Don't be scared........I'm your angel.......Im here for you........always." The angel whispered to me.
Funny thing was........the angel had no wings......in the place of the wings was a nihonto and instead of long flowing heavenly gold or silver hair.......it was replaced with plain, short, black hair. I never saw his face.......but I knew he was my tenchi......deep in my heart.......I knew it.........
But as soon as he embraced me, he left, and I woke up to a hard kick from my Uncle, who ordered me back to work.
~End Flashback~
I shook my head hard, pushing the Something into the back of my mind.
I felt dizzy and the setting changed again. I was back at the rice warehouse.......and Yoshitaka was once again smirking at me.
"Yoshitaka.......that was a nice trick.........I don't know how you knew my dreams........pretending to be my tenchi.......but I have seen through your act......you can't fool me..........I will kill you today!" I yelled at him.
~Soujiro POV~
* Seeing through her dreams? Pretending to be her tenchi? Why does Toko keep calling me Yoshitaka? She thinks she's still in the past.......*
I dodged several of her sword strokes and caught dozens of her mini shurikens.
I managed to wrench the sword from her hands, and threw it far away and it stabbed into the trunk of a tree.
She now flung herself at me with a series of punches.
*She's going to collapse if she keeps going like this......Yet.......she doesn't seem to feel anything at all.......*
I could see her face was tired and pale, but she wouldn't stop attacking. Her body seemed to move mechanically, like she had no mind of her own. But her eyes held two battling forces within each other.
"Toko! Listen to me! I'm not Yoshitaka!!" I yelled desperately.
"LIAR!" Toko screeched as she flung a kick and collapsed on the floor.
"Toko!!" I cried as I ran to her side.
*Why do I keep running to her? She's been trying to kill me.......yet I still come to her when she's hurt.......is this what love is?* I wonder to myself, never having experienced love before.
She shivered and crawled away from me, as if trying to get away.
"Get away from me......No more lashes.......I've had enough!" She muttered, struggling to get up, but collapsing again.
~Toko POV~
Yoshitaka came at me, his whip in his hand.
"No more lashes......please" I cried out pityingly.
*How weak* I thought to myself, *You're begging like a dog*
I tried to stand up, but my body wouldn't move.
*What is wrong with me?* I wondered.
I was in the rice warehouse, Yoshitaka was leering at me, his whip menacingly coming closer..
(AN: I forgot what you called those places.....^^;; so I just made something up.......rice warehouse......^^;; I mean the house thingie where Soujiro hid Shishio........something like that.......)
I stared into Yoshitaka's brown-dark gray eyes. Wait.....Yoshitaka's eyes were supposed to be a nice, golden color..........
Images flashed before me. All were of me and that black haired tenchi.......but wait......wasn't that tenchi Yoshitaka in disguise?
*The tenchi saving me from my Uncle......when was that?? Yoshitaka dead.......How? He's standing right here.......Me sleeping in the same bed as the tenchi? Nani?! (What?) Tenchi's don't sleep.....do they? Me......helping the tenchi from a nightmare.......Huh? Tenchi's don't have nightmares.....WHEN WAS ALL THIS?!*
Memories crashed on me, wave after wave.
*What? When? How? Where did I get these memories? What trickery is this?*
I curled into a ball on the floor, holding my head.
I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to squeeze all of this confusion out.
I felt arms embrace me, and hold me close, like in my dream.
The sky was crying (AN: raining)..........but crying for who? Crying for me? Because of these memories? Or crying for the tenchi holding me? If so........why?
I don't remember........everything was in a haze........the other being inside of me pushed itself out of its hiding place.......this time I didn't resist......it seized control of my body.........
My mind blanked out..........and opened at the same time........
~Soujiro POV~
I held Toko close to me as she shivered uncontrollably. I held her tightly and wished I could do something to stop her from the mysterious pain that seemed to occur within her.
Suddenly she slumped over, unconscious, but in a second her eyes opened again.......
Her eyes were full of life, though tired, and her eyes flashed in recognition when she saw me.
"Soujiro?" She said weakly.
"Toko!! You remember me!!" I cried relieved.
She gave a slight nod.
"Soujiro......I'm so cold.............so tired........." She whispered, her voice barely audible.
"I know......you went through a lot.......Toko.........Go-Gomen......I didnt mean to cause you so much pain and suffering...I.......I didnt mea-" I started to say, but I was cut short when Toko shakily put her hand to my mouth, stopping me.
Her hand shook, as if she was using all her strength just to keep her arm up.
"Hora.....(Hey) Look Soujiro..........Ame.......(Rain).....The sky is crying for me.........I......I didn't know why at first........but now I do........" She managed to say before she started coughing and gasping as if she could barely breath.
*She's so tired her lungs seem to wear out on her.......* I thought in realization.......*Please.......Kami-sama.......Shishio-san.......Himura- san.......Anyone........Please don't let her die!!*
"The sky.......is crying because.......I couldn't tell the difference from my tenchi to Yoshitaka........and now........now that I finally figured it out.........it's too late........" She said again after she calmed down a bit, her breathing still ragged.
"Gomen ne.......My Soujiro no tenchi.........(AN: er........Angel Soujiro? LOL sounds okay in japanese but it sounds so weird in english!! ^__________^0)
~Toko POV~
I was so tired......tired beyond belief. I couldn't move at all. I could feel my lungs and my heart weighing upon me as 100 bags of rice.
*I'm certain I'm going to die.......* I thought.
"Soujiro.......Gomen ne.......I shouldn't have overreacted.............."
"You didnt overreact--"
"But I did.......I tried to kill you."
"You did that because you were confused."
"Why......why are you still kind to me........I tried to kill you! You should've just left me here to die."
"Sou dai yo ne....Hendai yo ne...(True......strange huh?) But I guess love seems to be stronger than hate......."
I widened my eyes in shock. I tried to look at him, but my neck wouldn't move.
"Soujiro.......you said you loved me......you still do?"
Soujiro paused and tensed for a moment, and I was sure he didnt love me anymore........or maybe he never did........until he wiped all those thoughts away by saying
"Aa.....I guess I am very strange aren't I? I can't seem to stop loving someone even though I was rejected and was almost killed......."
"You weren't rejected."
I could feel his body tense again, and I could just imagine his eyes widening as he looked down on me.
I felt his breath on my face as I said,
"Soujiro.....I never knew what love was........The concept of love was destroyed by Yoshitaka......but since you came.....I can't seem to stop thinking about you........your face follows me everywhere.....and I always wanted to be wherever you were........is that what love is? I hope so......because if so.....then I can truly say....Aishiteru-"
I started coughing again.......I couldn't breath.......Im too tired.......Im fading away........my vision grows hazy, and it turns black slowly, as if someone was painting my eyes black.
"Sayonara.......Soujiro.......my tenchi...."
~Soujiro POV~
Toko's breathing stopped. Her heart was still.
"Toko?" I said cautiously.
She wouldn't answer.
I put a small, shaky smile on my face.
"Toko-chan? We have to go back to the dojo now.....wake up?"
Still no answer.
My smile just broke and I practically yelled
"TOKO!! PLEASE! WAKE UP!! TOKO!!!!!"
No answer......
*Was she gone from me.........forever?*
~Narrator POV~
The boy in the blue gi huddled over the thin figure, both he and the sky crying.......
Kenshin and Kaoru hurried to the Village of Lost Souls, only to find Soujiro holding tightly onto a small, fragile figure. His back shook with sobs, and he kept muttering
"She's gone.......really gone........wake up......please??"
Kaoru gasped. *Toko......dead? *
"Soujiro! What........what happened?!" Kenshin said in a shocked voice.
"Toko......she.....she worked herself to exhaustion........she......she's dead.....shes really dead..." He muttered.
"Worked to exhaustion?" Kaoru exclaimed.
Kenshin took a small bottle out of his pocket and gave it to Soujiro. "Soujiro......this was a small potion made by Shishou (Master Hiko!!!!!!).......He made it for me once when once I almost died fighting a bunch of bullies........it might help......"
Soujiro took the bottle and poured its contents down Toko's throat.
*Please........please work........I need you here.....*
~Toko POV~
The blackness slowly turned to gray..........I could see Soujiro huddled over a figure.........the figure was clearly female, and she wasn't moving. She had a long ponytail and her frail arms hung limply by her sides. She looked so familiar............
*Wait! That's me!* I said amazedly..........I reached out to give Soujiro a hug........a hug before I left.......I knew I was dead.......I was a hairs breath from putting my arms around him, before I was yanked away by an invisible string......I was yanked through the gray clouds and into the sky.
I was suddenly dressed in a white robe with a golden string tied at my waist. My hair hung free. I saw a man dressed in bandages.
"You are Toko." He stated, as if stating a fact instead of asking a question.
"H-hai" I said absently, my mind still on Soujiro.
"I am Shishio"
*Shi---SHISHIO?!?*
He chuckled; an eery laugh.
"No, you aren't in hell. We're in the path that decides where you should be. I have successfully conquered hell. Hell is my territory now. After I conquered it, I guess I'm basically the Devil now, and that makes me almost the equal of Kami, and that gives me the freedom to go whereever I want except to the Golden Land (Heaven) and Earth."
(AN: remember Shishio was going to conquer hell? He said so himself in one of the series........er.....that was a spoiler wasn't it......^^;; woops.......)
"So you're the one Soujiro talks about...."He continued.
"EH?!" I said. "How does Soujiro talk to you?"
"When people talk to me.......I can hear them........Just like how Kami can hear prayers......."
"He talks to you?"
"Constantly, like I was still alive. He talks to Yumi too."
A green haired woman with green lipstick came out of nowhere and draped her arms around Shishio.
"Hmm.....a bit different from what I expected......but that boya (boy) seems to have made a nice choice......." Yumi commented.
"EH?!"
*Why are they all looking at me like that!? They act like they're Soujiro's parents or something.......* I thought as I sweatdropped.
"Anyway.......which road will you choose? You're supposingly supposed to go to the Golden Land, but then Soujiro's coming with me......so make your choice......go to a tortured land to wait for Soujiro or a perfect place with everything you want but Soujiro?"
"Soujiro's not going to heaven? Why? He's not evil!" I blurted. "Naturally he'd want to stay by my side.......he had been doing that for 10 years......" Shishio said smugly.
*Heaven, or hell? Heaven........but then..........with no Soujiro.......it'd still seem like hell.....but if I go to hell.......then I'd be tortured until Soujiro comes....then anything I face will be okay....as long as I'm with him........Hell it is then.......*
I made my decision..........I would go to hell.......I would do anything for Soujiro...........
"I'll go to........" I was cut off as I felt a string tie around my leg and jerk me down.
I screamed all the way down and the last thing I heard before being slammed onto the ground and blacking out was.....
"OHOHO....Still alive neh? Well I'll see you next time then!!" said Shishio accompanied by his mad cackle.
~Narrators POV~
Soujiro laid the girl down onto the futon, where Megumi ordered everyone around.
After Soujiro put the potion down Toko's throat, she started shaking, and her limbs twitched once in a while, as if her brain was being sparked by electricity.
Then Toko choked and coughed........and suddenly she started breathing, but she was still unconscious.
*It worked........She's alive* Soujiro thought happily. He held Toko's cold hands, trying to warm them up.
~Soujiro POV~
A comforting hand was placed on my shoulder....
I looked up to see Megumi. Her face didn't have that sly kitsune (fox) grin or her mischievous smile; for once her face was soft and gentle, and her smile was reassuring.
"She'll live........although I don't see how she can be alive after being dead again.....Kenshin's master must have been a great potion- maker........." She said softly.
"Hai.......I must go thank him someday......." I replied.
"Remember Soujiro, I don't know the effects of the potion.......so it's possible that Toko may wake up with some side affects......like memory loss.......or paralyzation........or she may never wake up at all."
I froze.
"Never wake up? How is that possible? You mean she'll die?!"
"Iie......It's like sleeping forever......the Westerners call it a coma.....but that probably won't happen........demo (but) ........just warning you okay?"
I nodded numbly.
*Sleeping forever.......please don't let that happen to Toko.....It's almost worse than death.......*
~1 week later, Toko POV~
I woke up, trying to raise my limbs and stretch them.......I was sore all over and my limbs felt like lead, and for some reason I couldn't lift my right hand......
Looking down, I saw Soujiro, he was asleep, and holding my hand. His face was worn and he was thin, like he hadn't eaten in days.
"Sou-Soujiro....." I said softly, but my voice was hoarse from being unused for so long.
Clearing my throat, I called his name again.
He stirred and lifted one eye.
"To-Toko?! You're awake! Yogatta! (Thank goodness)" He exclaimed as he leaned over and gave me a big hug.
"I was so worried......worried you'd be sleeping forever......" He mumbled into my ear.
I stiffly put my arms around him; my limbs were still not functioning as well as they should.
"I missed you." I murmured.
"Same....." He murmured back.
After a several minutes passed, I said softly
"I want to go thank Kenshin for letting me stay here."
"And I have to thank him again for saving your life........" Soujiro began and he explained everything that had happened after I "died".
"So we should go thank Kenshin's shishou to..........." I said as I smiled weakly.
With much effort, I shakily stood up, and fell, like a newborn faun. Putting his arm around my waist, and my arm around his neck, he managed to help me walk to the Kenshingumi, who were eating breakfast.
Yahiko was in the middle of eating an egg when he paused and froze, egg still hanging from his mouth. The others turned around and they reaction imitated Yahiko's.
"Ohayo...." I said weakly and I managed a weak grin......I was too tired to put on my mask at the moment.
"TOKO!!!!" The kenshin gumi all cried out happily as they ran over and celebrated my "ressurection".
~Few weeks later, Narrators view~
After Toko's stomach finally got used to eating "solid food" and her muscles got stronger, Soujiro and Toko were set on wandering again.
"Mou......Why can't you stay?" Kaoru said with a small pout. "Yea.....Toko your food is SO much better than busus......" Yahiko pointed out. "BUSU?!?! YAHIKO!!!!" Growled Kaoru as she chased Yahiko around.
"Well......Soujiro still wants to follow Kenshin's idea and wander a bit more and we have to escape from Saitoh......" Toko said with a sheepish grin.
Suddenly the scent of a cigarette wafted into the room.
"Oi.....chipmunk........so you're finally back.....every time I come by you're always gone......and................" Saitoh left as he spotted Soujiro.
"Tenken. You finally show your face." He said gravely.
Everyone grew quiet, except for Toko, who was grumbling about Saitoh calling her chipmunk.
Soujiro, now smiling again; his mask in place, asked,
"Saitoh-san! Nice to see you again! What can I do for you?" He said cheerfully. "You can go to the police station and be arrested." "What did I do?"
"Murder and massacre in a village.......AND lately I heard that there was also a massacre in a gang headquarters......." Saitoh hinted.
"What if I don't want to go?" Soujiro said. "Then I'll have to take you by force with Gatotsu." Saitoh said amusedly.
Toko stiffened. *Kuso......I forgot about him........Saitoh......Temme.......appearing NOW of all times.........*
AN: OOOOOIIIIIII Toko is cured! ^_____________________________^ but now Saitoh makes his appearance......I bet yall forgot about him! Well.......I did.....at first.......;; and Im the author too!! ^^;; Anyhoooo so this ficcies ALMOST at an end! Not quite.......but ALMOST........a few more chappies......say.....2? 3? Then OWARI!! *shniffies* btw.......Saitoh is going to make things VERY humorous......so rest assured all you comedy fans!! Lots of "aho" arguing and animal calling ahead!!! But it might be a bit angsty in the beginning.........so these next chappies are for all you angst/comedy fanatics!!!!!!!! ^______________________^
DONT FORGET TO R&R!!!! Review again if you already reviewed......^^;;
But......er......no flames.........._ me is a very sensitive person...........
Crystal: thankies!! *sniffles* I try my best to describe people....but sometimes my friends say I get boring.......;;
SailorLoneStar: yup!! Another chappie!!! *parties all night and gets dizzy from spiked punch* oro......@_@
???????: yup.....I agree....I also thought the chappie was a bit weird at first.....but then I couldn't think of a way to improve it anymore......^^;; btw....do you know i actually count how many '?' signs you put in your review name? ^____________________^0
Sano: hehehe thankies .........thankies very much *acts all elvis presley like* anyhoooo yup the emotional thing...I try to put myself in the mood before I type.....so normally I end up sad/mad kind of mood......so I guess my writing reflects it? ^^;; yup....call me weird!! *all readers nod in agreement* OIII That was a joke! *vein pops*
Sabbie: ORO!! Me typing me typing!! Im trying to finish it!! *types furiously* ::acts all Soujiro-ish* Sabbie-san.....you're harder to please then Shishio-san and Himura-san....^^:; *bad imitation of Soujiro* ::all the readers sweatdrop and fall to the floor twitching* *toko's vein pops out* MOU!! Not MY fault I have bad acting skills......_________;;
O yeah....btw.....here's some REALLY good songs......(PS: i dont own them...and i dont own RK either.....and yup....this is a shtinky disclaimer....^^;;)
Hitomi: Samurai Drive Hitomi: I Am Long Vacation Soundtrack: Silent Emotion
The Insanity Broken
~Toko POV~
It was him.......the one I had feared......the one who had betrayed me.........the one who haunted me in nightmares every night..........I stared at his face.......
He held me down.........
"Say my name." He ordered.
I looked into his face.......for a minute I thought I saw a young boy with black hair and a blue gi.....looking down at me with concern in his eyes.......he seemed..........so familiar.......
I shook my head.
*Now is not the time to be daydreaming!* I scolded myself.
Blinking.....I now see the face of Him again........his messy brown hair.......his trademark smirk......his kakoii face that could make any girl swoon........but beneath all that lies his true self.....a lying deceitful monster......
"Yoshitaka" I snarled at him, voicing my hatred.
Once again my vision blurred.......I was now at a strange village.........and I see the face of the boy again.........except this time.........his expression was stunned.....as if I had done something wrong..........
*But what? What did I do wrong?*
I felt tears pour out of my eyes.....something......or someone......in the back of my head seemed to know this person........
*Perhaps he is my guardian angel.......*
"Are you.....here to save me? Are you my tenchi?(Angel)" I whisper, forgetting about Yoshitaka.
*This can't be my imagination........He seems too real.........*
~Soujiro's POV~
I stared at her shocked.
*Did she just call me Yoshitaka?!*
My mind was a swirl of thoughts.
*Why did she call me that? Did she really forget about me?*
I look at her........my mask....I can't seem to put it back up.......the shock was too great........
I see her eyes filling back with life, and more tears stream out of her face.
"Are you.....here to save me? Are you my tenchi?" She whispers hesitantly.
*Te-Tenchi? Me?*
"Onegai.....(Please) Tasukete.......(Help) Onegai???" She begged as her hands grabbed my gi and shook me.
"Save me from this hell-house! Save me from Him!!" She said frantically, her eyes unfocused and wild.
Once again she staggered back, backing into a wall and clutched her head.
"Toko-chan? Daijobu??" I cried as I rushed to her side.
~Toko POV~
I clung to my angel, asking him for help.
*Why isn't he helping me?! Am I already dead? Did Yoshitaka kill me and has my angel come to take me away? *
I looked into his eyes.......his eyes were shocked, but full of..........love?
*Love? What's that?*
Then I remembered. Love was the weapon Yoshitaka used to get me to believe him. That's what love was. My angel is a fake!! It's Yoshitaka trying to deceive me again!
Hot searing pain streaked across my head, running along my brain, leaving burning hot trails behind.
I clamped my hands against my head, hoping to squeeze the pain out.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!" I screamed.
The pain seemed to burn its way through my mind.
Something in the back of my head urged me.........Something told me that my tenchi was real.....that he meant no harm........it told me love wasn't what I thought it was......It tried to fight its way and control my body!!
~Flashback~
I had a dream.........once a long time ago.......
The angel came to me..........embracing me and whispering that everything was all right.
"Shhhh......Don't be scared........I'm your angel.......Im here for you........always." The angel whispered to me.
Funny thing was........the angel had no wings......in the place of the wings was a nihonto and instead of long flowing heavenly gold or silver hair.......it was replaced with plain, short, black hair. I never saw his face.......but I knew he was my tenchi......deep in my heart.......I knew it.........
But as soon as he embraced me, he left, and I woke up to a hard kick from my Uncle, who ordered me back to work.
~End Flashback~
I shook my head hard, pushing the Something into the back of my mind.
I felt dizzy and the setting changed again. I was back at the rice warehouse.......and Yoshitaka was once again smirking at me.
"Yoshitaka.......that was a nice trick.........I don't know how you knew my dreams........pretending to be my tenchi.......but I have seen through your act......you can't fool me..........I will kill you today!" I yelled at him.
~Soujiro POV~
* Seeing through her dreams? Pretending to be her tenchi? Why does Toko keep calling me Yoshitaka? She thinks she's still in the past.......*
I dodged several of her sword strokes and caught dozens of her mini shurikens.
I managed to wrench the sword from her hands, and threw it far away and it stabbed into the trunk of a tree.
She now flung herself at me with a series of punches.
*She's going to collapse if she keeps going like this......Yet.......she doesn't seem to feel anything at all.......*
I could see her face was tired and pale, but she wouldn't stop attacking. Her body seemed to move mechanically, like she had no mind of her own. But her eyes held two battling forces within each other.
"Toko! Listen to me! I'm not Yoshitaka!!" I yelled desperately.
"LIAR!" Toko screeched as she flung a kick and collapsed on the floor.
"Toko!!" I cried as I ran to her side.
*Why do I keep running to her? She's been trying to kill me.......yet I still come to her when she's hurt.......is this what love is?* I wonder to myself, never having experienced love before.
She shivered and crawled away from me, as if trying to get away.
"Get away from me......No more lashes.......I've had enough!" She muttered, struggling to get up, but collapsing again.
~Toko POV~
Yoshitaka came at me, his whip in his hand.
"No more lashes......please" I cried out pityingly.
*How weak* I thought to myself, *You're begging like a dog*
I tried to stand up, but my body wouldn't move.
*What is wrong with me?* I wondered.
I was in the rice warehouse, Yoshitaka was leering at me, his whip menacingly coming closer..
(AN: I forgot what you called those places.....^^;; so I just made something up.......rice warehouse......^^;; I mean the house thingie where Soujiro hid Shishio........something like that.......)
I stared into Yoshitaka's brown-dark gray eyes. Wait.....Yoshitaka's eyes were supposed to be a nice, golden color..........
Images flashed before me. All were of me and that black haired tenchi.......but wait......wasn't that tenchi Yoshitaka in disguise?
*The tenchi saving me from my Uncle......when was that?? Yoshitaka dead.......How? He's standing right here.......Me sleeping in the same bed as the tenchi? Nani?! (What?) Tenchi's don't sleep.....do they? Me......helping the tenchi from a nightmare.......Huh? Tenchi's don't have nightmares.....WHEN WAS ALL THIS?!*
Memories crashed on me, wave after wave.
*What? When? How? Where did I get these memories? What trickery is this?*
I curled into a ball on the floor, holding my head.
I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to squeeze all of this confusion out.
I felt arms embrace me, and hold me close, like in my dream.
The sky was crying (AN: raining)..........but crying for who? Crying for me? Because of these memories? Or crying for the tenchi holding me? If so........why?
I don't remember........everything was in a haze........the other being inside of me pushed itself out of its hiding place.......this time I didn't resist......it seized control of my body.........
My mind blanked out..........and opened at the same time........
~Soujiro POV~
I held Toko close to me as she shivered uncontrollably. I held her tightly and wished I could do something to stop her from the mysterious pain that seemed to occur within her.
Suddenly she slumped over, unconscious, but in a second her eyes opened again.......
Her eyes were full of life, though tired, and her eyes flashed in recognition when she saw me.
"Soujiro?" She said weakly.
"Toko!! You remember me!!" I cried relieved.
She gave a slight nod.
"Soujiro......I'm so cold.............so tired........." She whispered, her voice barely audible.
"I know......you went through a lot.......Toko.........Go-Gomen......I didnt mean to cause you so much pain and suffering...I.......I didnt mea-" I started to say, but I was cut short when Toko shakily put her hand to my mouth, stopping me.
Her hand shook, as if she was using all her strength just to keep her arm up.
"Hora.....(Hey) Look Soujiro..........Ame.......(Rain).....The sky is crying for me.........I......I didn't know why at first........but now I do........" She managed to say before she started coughing and gasping as if she could barely breath.
*She's so tired her lungs seem to wear out on her.......* I thought in realization.......*Please.......Kami-sama.......Shishio-san.......Himura- san.......Anyone........Please don't let her die!!*
"The sky.......is crying because.......I couldn't tell the difference from my tenchi to Yoshitaka........and now........now that I finally figured it out.........it's too late........" She said again after she calmed down a bit, her breathing still ragged.
"Gomen ne.......My Soujiro no tenchi.........(AN: er........Angel Soujiro? LOL sounds okay in japanese but it sounds so weird in english!! ^__________^0)
~Toko POV~
I was so tired......tired beyond belief. I couldn't move at all. I could feel my lungs and my heart weighing upon me as 100 bags of rice.
*I'm certain I'm going to die.......* I thought.
"Soujiro.......Gomen ne.......I shouldn't have overreacted.............."
"You didnt overreact--"
"But I did.......I tried to kill you."
"You did that because you were confused."
"Why......why are you still kind to me........I tried to kill you! You should've just left me here to die."
"Sou dai yo ne....Hendai yo ne...(True......strange huh?) But I guess love seems to be stronger than hate......."
I widened my eyes in shock. I tried to look at him, but my neck wouldn't move.
"Soujiro.......you said you loved me......you still do?"
Soujiro paused and tensed for a moment, and I was sure he didnt love me anymore........or maybe he never did........until he wiped all those thoughts away by saying
"Aa.....I guess I am very strange aren't I? I can't seem to stop loving someone even though I was rejected and was almost killed......."
"You weren't rejected."
I could feel his body tense again, and I could just imagine his eyes widening as he looked down on me.
I felt his breath on my face as I said,
"Soujiro.....I never knew what love was........The concept of love was destroyed by Yoshitaka......but since you came.....I can't seem to stop thinking about you........your face follows me everywhere.....and I always wanted to be wherever you were........is that what love is? I hope so......because if so.....then I can truly say....Aishiteru-"
I started coughing again.......I couldn't breath.......Im too tired.......Im fading away........my vision grows hazy, and it turns black slowly, as if someone was painting my eyes black.
"Sayonara.......Soujiro.......my tenchi...."
~Soujiro POV~
Toko's breathing stopped. Her heart was still.
"Toko?" I said cautiously.
She wouldn't answer.
I put a small, shaky smile on my face.
"Toko-chan? We have to go back to the dojo now.....wake up?"
Still no answer.
My smile just broke and I practically yelled
"TOKO!! PLEASE! WAKE UP!! TOKO!!!!!"
No answer......
*Was she gone from me.........forever?*
~Narrator POV~
The boy in the blue gi huddled over the thin figure, both he and the sky crying.......
Kenshin and Kaoru hurried to the Village of Lost Souls, only to find Soujiro holding tightly onto a small, fragile figure. His back shook with sobs, and he kept muttering
"She's gone.......really gone........wake up......please??"
Kaoru gasped. *Toko......dead? *
"Soujiro! What........what happened?!" Kenshin said in a shocked voice.
"Toko......she.....she worked herself to exhaustion........she......she's dead.....shes really dead..." He muttered.
"Worked to exhaustion?" Kaoru exclaimed.
Kenshin took a small bottle out of his pocket and gave it to Soujiro. "Soujiro......this was a small potion made by Shishou (Master Hiko!!!!!!).......He made it for me once when once I almost died fighting a bunch of bullies........it might help......"
Soujiro took the bottle and poured its contents down Toko's throat.
*Please........please work........I need you here.....*
~Toko POV~
The blackness slowly turned to gray..........I could see Soujiro huddled over a figure.........the figure was clearly female, and she wasn't moving. She had a long ponytail and her frail arms hung limply by her sides. She looked so familiar............
*Wait! That's me!* I said amazedly..........I reached out to give Soujiro a hug........a hug before I left.......I knew I was dead.......I was a hairs breath from putting my arms around him, before I was yanked away by an invisible string......I was yanked through the gray clouds and into the sky.
I was suddenly dressed in a white robe with a golden string tied at my waist. My hair hung free. I saw a man dressed in bandages.
"You are Toko." He stated, as if stating a fact instead of asking a question.
"H-hai" I said absently, my mind still on Soujiro.
"I am Shishio"
*Shi---SHISHIO?!?*
He chuckled; an eery laugh.
"No, you aren't in hell. We're in the path that decides where you should be. I have successfully conquered hell. Hell is my territory now. After I conquered it, I guess I'm basically the Devil now, and that makes me almost the equal of Kami, and that gives me the freedom to go whereever I want except to the Golden Land (Heaven) and Earth."
(AN: remember Shishio was going to conquer hell? He said so himself in one of the series........er.....that was a spoiler wasn't it......^^;; woops.......)
"So you're the one Soujiro talks about...."He continued.
"EH?!" I said. "How does Soujiro talk to you?"
"When people talk to me.......I can hear them........Just like how Kami can hear prayers......."
"He talks to you?"
"Constantly, like I was still alive. He talks to Yumi too."
A green haired woman with green lipstick came out of nowhere and draped her arms around Shishio.
"Hmm.....a bit different from what I expected......but that boya (boy) seems to have made a nice choice......." Yumi commented.
"EH?!"
*Why are they all looking at me like that!? They act like they're Soujiro's parents or something.......* I thought as I sweatdropped.
"Anyway.......which road will you choose? You're supposingly supposed to go to the Golden Land, but then Soujiro's coming with me......so make your choice......go to a tortured land to wait for Soujiro or a perfect place with everything you want but Soujiro?"
"Soujiro's not going to heaven? Why? He's not evil!" I blurted. "Naturally he'd want to stay by my side.......he had been doing that for 10 years......" Shishio said smugly.
*Heaven, or hell? Heaven........but then..........with no Soujiro.......it'd still seem like hell.....but if I go to hell.......then I'd be tortured until Soujiro comes....then anything I face will be okay....as long as I'm with him........Hell it is then.......*
I made my decision..........I would go to hell.......I would do anything for Soujiro...........
"I'll go to........" I was cut off as I felt a string tie around my leg and jerk me down.
I screamed all the way down and the last thing I heard before being slammed onto the ground and blacking out was.....
"OHOHO....Still alive neh? Well I'll see you next time then!!" said Shishio accompanied by his mad cackle.
~Narrators POV~
Soujiro laid the girl down onto the futon, where Megumi ordered everyone around.
After Soujiro put the potion down Toko's throat, she started shaking, and her limbs twitched once in a while, as if her brain was being sparked by electricity.
Then Toko choked and coughed........and suddenly she started breathing, but she was still unconscious.
*It worked........She's alive* Soujiro thought happily. He held Toko's cold hands, trying to warm them up.
~Soujiro POV~
A comforting hand was placed on my shoulder....
I looked up to see Megumi. Her face didn't have that sly kitsune (fox) grin or her mischievous smile; for once her face was soft and gentle, and her smile was reassuring.
"She'll live........although I don't see how she can be alive after being dead again.....Kenshin's master must have been a great potion- maker........." She said softly.
"Hai.......I must go thank him someday......." I replied.
"Remember Soujiro, I don't know the effects of the potion.......so it's possible that Toko may wake up with some side affects......like memory loss.......or paralyzation........or she may never wake up at all."
I froze.
"Never wake up? How is that possible? You mean she'll die?!"
"Iie......It's like sleeping forever......the Westerners call it a coma.....but that probably won't happen........demo (but) ........just warning you okay?"
I nodded numbly.
*Sleeping forever.......please don't let that happen to Toko.....It's almost worse than death.......*
~1 week later, Toko POV~
I woke up, trying to raise my limbs and stretch them.......I was sore all over and my limbs felt like lead, and for some reason I couldn't lift my right hand......
Looking down, I saw Soujiro, he was asleep, and holding my hand. His face was worn and he was thin, like he hadn't eaten in days.
"Sou-Soujiro....." I said softly, but my voice was hoarse from being unused for so long.
Clearing my throat, I called his name again.
He stirred and lifted one eye.
"To-Toko?! You're awake! Yogatta! (Thank goodness)" He exclaimed as he leaned over and gave me a big hug.
"I was so worried......worried you'd be sleeping forever......" He mumbled into my ear.
I stiffly put my arms around him; my limbs were still not functioning as well as they should.
"I missed you." I murmured.
"Same....." He murmured back.
After a several minutes passed, I said softly
"I want to go thank Kenshin for letting me stay here."
"And I have to thank him again for saving your life........" Soujiro began and he explained everything that had happened after I "died".
"So we should go thank Kenshin's shishou to..........." I said as I smiled weakly.
With much effort, I shakily stood up, and fell, like a newborn faun. Putting his arm around my waist, and my arm around his neck, he managed to help me walk to the Kenshingumi, who were eating breakfast.
Yahiko was in the middle of eating an egg when he paused and froze, egg still hanging from his mouth. The others turned around and they reaction imitated Yahiko's.
"Ohayo...." I said weakly and I managed a weak grin......I was too tired to put on my mask at the moment.
"TOKO!!!!" The kenshin gumi all cried out happily as they ran over and celebrated my "ressurection".
~Few weeks later, Narrators view~
After Toko's stomach finally got used to eating "solid food" and her muscles got stronger, Soujiro and Toko were set on wandering again.
"Mou......Why can't you stay?" Kaoru said with a small pout. "Yea.....Toko your food is SO much better than busus......" Yahiko pointed out. "BUSU?!?! YAHIKO!!!!" Growled Kaoru as she chased Yahiko around.
"Well......Soujiro still wants to follow Kenshin's idea and wander a bit more and we have to escape from Saitoh......" Toko said with a sheepish grin.
Suddenly the scent of a cigarette wafted into the room.
"Oi.....chipmunk........so you're finally back.....every time I come by you're always gone......and................" Saitoh left as he spotted Soujiro.
"Tenken. You finally show your face." He said gravely.
Everyone grew quiet, except for Toko, who was grumbling about Saitoh calling her chipmunk.
Soujiro, now smiling again; his mask in place, asked,
"Saitoh-san! Nice to see you again! What can I do for you?" He said cheerfully. "You can go to the police station and be arrested." "What did I do?"
"Murder and massacre in a village.......AND lately I heard that there was also a massacre in a gang headquarters......." Saitoh hinted.
"What if I don't want to go?" Soujiro said. "Then I'll have to take you by force with Gatotsu." Saitoh said amusedly.
Toko stiffened. *Kuso......I forgot about him........Saitoh......Temme.......appearing NOW of all times.........*
AN: OOOOOIIIIIII Toko is cured! ^_____________________________^ but now Saitoh makes his appearance......I bet yall forgot about him! Well.......I did.....at first.......;; and Im the author too!! ^^;; Anyhoooo so this ficcies ALMOST at an end! Not quite.......but ALMOST........a few more chappies......say.....2? 3? Then OWARI!! *shniffies* btw.......Saitoh is going to make things VERY humorous......so rest assured all you comedy fans!! Lots of "aho" arguing and animal calling ahead!!! But it might be a bit angsty in the beginning.........so these next chappies are for all you angst/comedy fanatics!!!!!!!! ^______________________^
DONT FORGET TO R&R!!!! Review again if you already reviewed......^^;;
But......er......no flames.........._ me is a very sensitive person...........
