Chapter 8 - Proud Failures

The titanium swords clashed. Each man struggled to overcome the other, each fueled by his own reasons and passions.

"Saito Hajime... of the Shinsengumi... I will not lose. Know this. The Oniwabanshu will be known as the strongest."

"I... would kill myself before I allow to keep me from saving Megumi. I... and Sanosuke both."

Sano laughed, barely conscious. "You're one fucked up son of a bitch, Saito..." Sano whispered to himself, amazed at Saito's achknowledgement of him, as he struggled to stand, in vain.

"Sano, stay down!" Saito and Kenshin both yelled at the same time. Grey Wolf and Vejiita reached the room, Goku and Ghost following them.

"Jesus, Sano!" Grey Wolf yelled, gazing upon Sano's wounds, then looking at Aoshi angrily. She ran to Sanosuke, surprized at the swordsmanship skills that would be required to do something to this to anyone, much more so with Sano... the speed alone would be something to accomplish. The only samurai she knew that could do this were Kenshin, Saito... and Shishio... was this man really that strong? "Goku! Hurry and get a senzu bean!" He tossed her one, know she only used his human name when things were urgent. Grey Wolf quickly fed it to Sano, and he opened his eyes, healed.

Saito and Aoshi, who still hadn't revealed his name, jumped back. They ran at each other again, Saito taking the offense. He practically slammed his sword into Aoshi's, not even taking proper aim, causing Aoshi to actually lose his balance, not expecting someone with such skill to use such a beginner's move. Saito used this opening and attempted to slash Aoshi's stomach open, left to right, but Aoshi ducked backward, causing Saito only to graze him. Then, Aoshi used Saito's opening to try to slam his sword into Saito's ribcage, but Saito ducked, Aoshi's sword barely missing his hair, and, in one fluid movement, swung the sword upward. Aoshi again moved back, and Saito missed entirely this time. Aoshi used his left leg to kick Saito, and Saito fell to the floor. Aoshi waited for him to get up. He did so quickly.

"Damn... this guy's good..." Saito wiped the blood which was dripping from his mouth to the floor, then rubbed his eyes, damaged by the blow. He stood.

"Saito, you know you can't win. I won't allow it." Aoshi spoke coldly, though he was winning.

"Bullshit. I won't let you win. I cannot. I refuse. I will not fail the ones I care about. I... will-not-lose!! aaaaaaaAAAAHHH!!!" Saito's kiai slowly became louder, filled with his determination, which filled Aoshi's ears as Saito ran at him. Saito struck his Kodachi with a horizontal strike, but Aoshi parried it and tried to slash Saito. Saito spun the sword while shifting his shoulder to dodge, and sent his Katana into Aoshi's lower back, but it was slightly off, Saito's accuracy lowered due to the injury from before. Saito, hindered by his eyes, didn't finish the attack, sparing Aoshi. Aoshi yelled, flying into the wall.

"Jeez... Can't see..." Saito said, trying to stop the pain. He stood, still unable to see well. He had a feeling blood had somehow seeped into his eyes. He looked at Aoshi, who was slowly getting up. "He doesn't quit. Even when he knows he's too weak to win..."

"Too weak to win? I doubt that..."

"You know you're in the losing position. You must be honest with yourself about that."

"I, in the losing position? Never insult me like that again. Never insult the Oniwabanshu like that again." Aoshi slowly began to spin around Saito, moving so quickly, Saito could not see where he really was.

"What the hell? What is this?"

"This is the Water Flow technique. The instrument of your destruction." Aoshi attacked. A sickening thud was heard as Saito fell to the ground.

"Saito!!!" Sanosuke and Grey Wolf yelled, almost in unison. His hand was clutching the sword hilt tightly, due to the great pain he was feeling, his chest cut open three times, all at once and with great speed and accuracy. Saito writhed slightly in pain, turning to his side, then crawling to his knees, clutching his sword.

"Hurry. Stand. I refuse to kill someone who is defenseless and kneeling on the floor, even if they're in a condition such as yours, where standing and crawling makes no difference in the outcome."

"No difference, ehh? Don't count me out yet..." He slowly stood, lifting his sword and placing it in his left hand. He was going to use the Gatotsu.

"Grey Wolf, Vejiita, get Sanosuke and Megumi to safety. Kenshin..." Kenshin nodded. He knew they would definitely need cover, which Saito was instructing him to do. Grey Wolf and Sano ran down the steps. Megumi stood, walking past Aoshi carefully.

"I'm not going to stop you. I have no care for Kanryu, or his desires to force innocents to make liquified death."

"What??!!" Saito yelled in confusion, surprize, and anger.

"I only wish for battle."

"So you... you just use innocents as bait? How dare you think you have any right... any whatsoever... to force your will upon her! You cannot be allowed to continue! Your crime will not go unpunished!" Saito's anger levels skyrocketed. He put his sword into the Gatotsu position, ready to strike and kill Aoshi, even if it cost him his own life. Aoshi then began his infamous Water Flow technique once again, circlling around Saito. Saito and him roared out their battle cries, then, Aoshi and Saito's swords met.

The sound of a sword cutting into flesh, then one fell. The other remained standing for a few moments. Kenshin stared on in sheer amazement. The power in that single technique, enough to kill if properly executed. Enough of an opening to be suicidal if improperly executed.

"Gatotsu... Zero Stance." Saito whispered, looking at Aoshi. He hadn't even learned his name yet. Grey Wolf had walked back up the stairs at the right moment, and had seen the technique. The power, the risk... what a technique... That was the succession technique of Gatotsu ryu? The technique Saito would never teach her? Now she understood why... That technique, to use it in battle... if someone who didn't know what the hell they were doing tried to use it, or someone not skilled enough to have sure accuracy... It would be not just certain death. It would be suicide. Hell, even with Saito, due to his injuries, it had almost been just that: suicide. But it hadn't... How... had that been the form of a wolf? A wolf of shadow had surrounded Saito and slashed through Aoshi... when Saito had struck Aoshi, Grey Wolf immediately turned the Sharingan on... and somehow... the wolf's shadow had badly screwed up Aoshi's ki and chakras... and badly... If Aoshi even survived for a few moments, she'd be amazed...

A twitch.

"No, not possible. I know what the human body is and isn't capable of, and that movement, the fact that Aoshi could still be alive... definitely is on the impossible side."

Another twitch.

"This is fucking bullshit, my eyes are playing tricks on me... There's no way in hell that Aoshi is still alive."

A movement, an attempt to stand.

"Oh fuck, no, that is simply NOT possible."

"Grey Wolf, it is possible."

"What?"

"You though that last sentence outloud. And it is possible."

"No, it simply-"

"Grey Wolf... have you ever heard of the limit break?" Grey Wolf's eyes went wide at her master's last sentence. The limit break? Purely theoretical, but still... Aoshi wanted to win that much?

"I..." Aoshi's ability to get to his knees to speak even astounded Saito. "I... will not... let the... Oniwabanshu... down..."

"Aoshi... you, as well as anyone, know that you can't win..." Saito said, holding his hand out to Aoshi.

"No..."

"Aoshi, you-"

"NO!!!" Aoshi jumped at Saito, barrelling into him, the fight now lowered to the finesse of a drunken brawl. Saito slammed into the wall, then Aoshi let go.

"Oww..."

"Saito, are you-" Grey Wolf froze, looking at Aoshi. She turned back to Saito, whispering, "Is he dead?"

"No... but he most definitely will not be up and about for a while. His strength was revived, when he thought he was failing those he cared about..."

"Mother! NO!!!"

"TOMOE!!!"

"How do you think I'll ever forgive myself?"

"You... You didn't fail..." Saito whispered, voicing his, Grey Wolf's, and Kenshin's thoughts. He and the other two proud 'failures' leaned Aoshi against the wall, trying to heal his wounds. He awoke as Megumi, who Saito had called over, was patching Aoshi up.

"What-" He noticed Han'nya, Beshimi, Shikijo and Hyottoko standing behind Megumi, watching carefully. Aoshi bent his head in defeat and shame.

"The Leader I know... would never bend his head in shame. Especially not when he has nothing to be shamed about." Aoshi lifted his head in surprize at Hen'nya's compassion. He looked towards the ground again, but this time, to hide the smile which was quickly forming. Megumi moved back, the wounds patched, and the four Oniwabanshu came in for what could only be determined as a group hug. Kenshin, Saito and Grey Wolf smiled at this simple yet amazing show of friendship. Saito walked to Aoshi when the Oniwabanshu parted.

"So. Can we safely call each other... friends?" Saito held his hand to Aoshi, the same smile still on his face.