Chapter Six
When the onmitsu and swordmaster had gotten down to the street, Hiko could immediately tell when something around the bulkier man shifted. At first, the glow in the eyes intensified, then it dulled, to reveal a pair of icy brown eyes.
"So, we meet again, Seijuro." 'Raijuta' said, in a hollow voice that made even the hardened Aoshi shudder.
"Indeed. Though I would have rather had it that the seal had not been destroyed that way." Hiko said, almost casually, as he placed Winter Moon blade-tip first into the ground; making a show of appearing nonchalant.
"Ah , yes. That meddlesome houshi, and his half-wit companions. Did you really think you could seal me away forever?" 'Raijuta' taunted.
"No, but I could make an attempt, couldn't I?" Hiko asked, not even looking up when Aoshi leaped onto a low-hanging eave, then the adjacent roof, before dashing off in what Hiko hoped was the direction of the onmyoji. It was in that instant that the brief standoff was broken; 'Raijuta' unleashed his powerful Tobi Izuna, and Hiko just barely managed to block it with a Dou Ryu Sen.
"Shishou!" Kenshin yelped, from inside, as he valiantly got up from his futon and stood at one of the windows beside a startled Kaoru and Sanosuke.
"'Shishou' eh? Your deshi, I presume?" 'Raijuta' asked, with a sneer, as he glanced up at the windows. With pained gasps, Hiko struggled to remain standing, yet resolutely placed himself between the building and the ogre-man.
"That is none of your business, Iwano. As long as I remain standing, you will not touch this building…..or the people within." Hiko replied, coldly, his dark eyes narrowing as he found strength from somewhere to catch his breath and stand up straighter.
"Then we'll just see how long you can remain standing!" 'Raijuta' snarled, as he sent another attack barreling at the wounded swordsman. With all the skill Hiko could muster in his injured state, he drove Winter Moon even deeper into the ground; absorbing all of the energy he could from the blow, and dispersing it. Seconds later, all in the upper story of the restaurant had to stifle gasps and screams of horror when blood spurted from new and even old wounds on Hiko's body, forcing the man to his knees.
"He's in as bad a shape now as Kenshin was ten days ago!……If he doesn't stop fighting soon, he won't make it; no matter how strong he is!" Sanosuke thought, clenching both fists and gritting his teeth in pain that was both physical and emotional. True, he did not know Kenshin's master very well, but even he could sense the strong bond between them; and it was almost the same kind of bond he'd shared with Sagara Sozo of the Sekihoutai.
"Please hurry, Aoshi. I don't think Hiko can stand this for too much longer!" Sanosuke thought, urgently, as he looked away from the desperate situation, and in the direction the former okashira had taken.
……………………..
Aoshi panted as he raced along the rooftops; his breaths searing his own injured lungs like hot knives. He knew time was not on his side, that every second was precious time lost in the fight to save all within the Shirobeko.
"Must keep moving……the onmyoji isn't too far ahead now……" Aoshi thought, grimacing as his own body began to rebel against him; bruised and broken ribs making his senses blur. It was when he was forced to stop and catch his breath that Aoshi noticed that something was flying towards him.
"Birds?" Aoshi wondered, as they stopped in front of him, and beckoned for him to follow them.
"How strange……." Aoshi mused, as he slowly descended from the rooftop, and followed the birds into a rather plain-looking building.
"Daijobu?" a girl's voice asked, softly. Aoshi was rather startled when he saw that he was now in a formal room, with a girl in a kimono.
"Aa…..might you…..know where….to find the……residence…..of the…..Sumeragi Clan? I have need…..of their assistance…." Aoshi gasped, painfully. The girl in question, who had silky, shoulder-length black hair, and emerald eyes, smiled gently at him.
"Hai. But first, let's have some tea." the girl chirped, pleasantly. Despite being winded, Aoshi managed an arched eyebrow, and a somewhat disbelieving look.
"Tea?...At a time like this?...There are people who may be dying! Tea?" Aoshi asked, in disbelief at the girl's nonchalant attitude.
"But of course! You look as though you have run quite a distance. Please, have a seat." The girl said, her smile not diminishing in the slightest as she motioned to the only other mat in the room and beckoned for him to sit down. For a moment, Aoshi considered the offer; how tempting it was to just sit down and catch his breath,……and yet the danger to his comrades and loved ones was all too near. Especially too close to Misao for comfort.
"Sorry, but I have no time for this. I came here to find some help for a warrior who is currently fighting for not only his life, but also those of some people I know and care for. Excuse my rudeness, but I must leave now……If anything, I can help to at least wound the attacker before he gets too close to make escape impossible." Aoshi stated, as he turned to leave.
"You would return to them, even though you know full well that you would not be able to stop the attack? That the delay would not matter? You would go back even if it meant it won't change anything?" the girl asked, stopping in the mid-action of placing one teacup near the empty mat. Aoshi paused for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"Yes. I would." Aoshi murmured.
"Then you have your answer, Shinomori-san." The girl stated. Aoshi turned slowly and gave her a confused look.
"What do you mean by that?" Aoshi asked, quietly.
"This is the answer you have been seeking since your comrades' deaths, is it not?" the girl asked, in turn. At this, Aoshi froze; for a moment, he could almost hear the Oniwabanshu's final thoughts, before rushing into the maw of the gatling gun.
"Is this worth it? Will it help the Okashira?" Beshimi's voice asked, echoing through what seemed to be almost an empty expanse.
"Will he be able to escape from here?" Hyottoko's voice continued.
"We must do what we can to help him get outta here." Shikijo's voice muttered.
"It is all we can do, since we have nothing outside of fighting. We might not be able to stop it, but we can certainly try to make the escape easier." Hannya finally murmured. For a few moments, Aoshi could feel the numbness of the past few months fall away, and anger boiled within him for the first time since the deaths of the four onmitsu. Yet, when he turned to look at the girl again, he was again taken aback when he saw that the girl was now standing in front of him, offering him a cup of tea.
"Are you sure you don't want a cup?" the girl asked, quietly, snapping Aoshi out of his silent rage and bringing him back to the present.
"Quite certain. Sorry for the intrusion." Aoshi murmured, as he again turned to leave.
"Then I will come with you." The girl said, as she strode alongside of him to the door.
"You shouldn't. A battle such as this is no place for someone who is inexperienced." Aoshi stated, coolly.
"Don't worry, Shinomori-san. I can hold my own. Trust me." The girl said, as she gave him a wry glance. In that instant, the girl's clothing changed from the formal kimono to the ceremonial robes of an onmyoji!
"You? You're……?" Aoshi asked, trailing off in uncertainty and shock.
"A Sumeragi onmyoji? Hai. In fact, I'm the twelfth head of the clan. I'm Sumeragi Suzuno, pleased to meet you, Shinomori Aoshi-san." The girl said, with a slight, polite bow to him in greeting.
"If that is the case, then why the illusions?" Aoshi again asked, dumbfounded by the pretense on the female onmyoji's part.
"To protect myself and the rest of the clan. You see, even in this era, there are those who seek to destroy the Sumeragi. I had to be sure that you weren't one of those….so I tested you in this manner." Suzuno stated, as her emerald eyes boldly met Aoshi's ice-blue ones. Aoshi sighed.
"I can somewhat see where you are coming from with that. But that doesn't change the fact that the people I had come on the behalf of are still in danger. One man could already be dead by now, since I have tarried so long here." Aoshi murmured, darkly, remembering what he'd sensed when he'd left the Shirobeko a short distance behind him.
"You'd be surprised…..Follow me." Suzuno beckoned, as she started walking out the same door Aoshi had used to enter.
"Won't that just lead us back to the street?" Aoshi asked, voicing his confusion on this matter. Suzuno only smiled vaguely at him.
"Just wait and see, Shinomori-san." Suzuno replied, as she lightly took him by the hand and led him through the door. One could only imagine Aoshi's shock when he saw that, suddenly, he was back in front of the Shirobeko! He turned a little when he heard the shoji shut behind them, and was further confounded when he noticed that where it had been, there was only a solid fence now!
"I don't believe it………." Aoshi's mind muttered, as he shook his head in mystification. He jumped when he heard what sounded like a triumphant roar, and unsheathed his twin kodachis when he saw that 'Raijuta' had Hiko in his grasp.
"Seijuro!" Aoshi's mind yelped, wanting to come to his aid, yet finding that he was unable to move.
"Don't worry. I'll exorcise the spirit." Suzuno reassured, telling him in no uncertain terms to stay put. Aoshi could only watch as the girl went into the fray.
……………………..
Hiko gasped as the possessed man grabbed the neck of his gi and hoisted him into the air. The battle had gone terribly wrong in the thirty minutes since Aoshi had gone to get the onmyoji, and now he could barely cling to consciousness. Above him, he was aware of the tense and very worried aura Kenshin was giving off. And it was only intensified when 'Raijuta' shook him violently to get his attention.
"You're not dead yet, are you? It would certainly be disappointing to have gone to all that trouble and have you die so easily!" 'Raijuta' sneered.
"As though…..you were actually doing this….on your own strength…..Iwano. You relied…..on guns…..before." Hiko whispered, coughing when he felt more blood pool in the back of his throat. He grimaced when 'Raijuta' again shook him; sending droplets of blood flying from his many wounds.
"I'm going to make you wish you'd never been born, Seijuro." 'Raijuta' growled, as he raised his arm and prepared to deliver the final blow. Valiantly, Hiko raised his head to watch; unafraid of the certain death that was before him. He vaguely heard when Kenshin shouted his name again, and silently wished for a better future for his apprentice.
"All I can do now is keep fighting…….It may kill me, but at least I can try to take Iwano down with me!" Hiko thought, as he abruptly broke free, snatched up Winter Moon (that of which he'd dropped when the possessed man had grabbed him), and took up the battoujutsu stance.
"Oh, no! He's going to……" Kenshin's mind cried, then he shouted, "Shishou! Don't! Don't use it!"
"Feh, your deshi is annoying, Seijuro. I think I'm going to kill him next." 'Raijuta' said, when he'd regained his composure.
"Over my carcass, Iwano." Hiko snarled, his eyes practically glowing as he stood ready to deliver his final blow. The Hiten Mitserugi Ryu ougi. Time seemed to slow as the two men prepared for the final showdown, then launched themselves into it. At the exact moment when Hiko's sword neared 'Raijuta's' flesh, he flipped the blade around, and struck the other man with the back of his sword; at the same time, a woman's voice shouted, and a brilliant flash emanated from the back of the possessed man's head. Seconds later, all within the Shirobeko could see that the fight was over; Raijuta was face-down in the street, unconscious. Yet it was when they all turned their attention to Hiko that almost all of them paled and gasped in horror. The swordmaster was lying inert on his back on the ground; blood flowing freely from his wounds and soaking into the soil beneath him. His face was smeared with fresh blood as well, from cuts on his brow and from the corner of his mouth.
"Get him up here immediately!" Megumi shouted, coming to her senses first. With a numb nod, Aoshi bent and picked up the wounded man as carefully as he could, ever mindful of the pain the man would feel if he had remained conscious.
"Just hang on, Seijuro. Let everyone here count on your strength for a little while longer." Sanosuke thought, as he watched from the window, and as Kenshin resolutely walked from that room to the room Hiko had been using; determined to remain by his master's side till he either awoke……or death claimed him.