A/N: continuation of hidden affection…
Disclaimer: some are mine… dunno how many for now.. I might add someone up.
Chapter 15: Tainted hands
On one swift slash of the opponent's steel blade, blood flowed through Misao's Leg like a rapid river. The unknown man stood very still, gripping his sword as his deep breathing echoed through the prison walls. She was quick, but her opponent was one of the quickest enemies she had ever fought, and there was no doubt that she could have died from that blow if she didn't bend her body over. Now, all she can do is try to hold on to the inkling energy she had left inside her. She lay gushing with blood on the cold hard ground, wincing in pain and tortured by agony of failure on saving the child she had come to love.
"I have left home for the reason of finding a new life, and now that I have found one I am cheated once again, stolen of taking the chance of achieving the happiness I badly wanted ever since I was with Aoshi."
Her eyes rolled through the dark edges of the prison, searching for shin and finding any certain possibilities for the little girl to escape. There was still hope for Shin to escape the wrath of the merciless killer, and she knew too well that she couldn't possibly escape death this time. She just hoped that shin would keep her feet on the ground and hide until the killer decides to give up on looking for her. She was still in great pain and she was slowly loosing her consciousness, but it was no excuse for her to forget about Shin… she had to hold on much longer…
"Where are they?" the voice of her enigma echoed through the prison like the bells of Edo's towers. His voice was cold and harsh, and she can see that there was something in him that wanted to stop. Misao made no effort of saying anything, for she is having difficulty of speaking. She was loosing a lot of blood, and her feet was getting heavier and heavier. The pain had slowly crawled through her body, first was the leg, then her breathing and then her head started to throb like someone was hitting her on the head, pain was slowly eating her up alive. All that could hold her up was the safety of the child whom she had come to think of as a sister…
"What did you do to them?"the man spoke once again, his voice going much stronger and firm.
"I don't… know what your saying? I know no one here?"Misao spoke in whispers.
Soujiro was slowly loosing himself, and in a matter of seconds he was going to unleash the power he has kept inside for so long. Rage was overcoming his mind, and he was once again brought back to the merciless killer he once was. Although anger had risen over his mind and body, he seem to hold back and find his heart still in deep thoughts of what he was about to give up. He knew that he's life would once again face the curse that Shishio had marked inside him, although he wanted to stop another side of him wanted it so much. He was in the middle of a great puzzlement, and he is trying hard to get a hold of himself, but his emotions had brought back the tenken he once was, a cold-blooded killer that has no mercy to anyone who face him. It was a difficult choice, but it was a choice he was willing to risk.
"I cannot forgive myself if anything happens to both Misao and Shin. I am not risking their lives for my own. I am choosing this because I believe that it is something that I hide beneath me, and I can never forget it. They stole from me what I love and they shall pay it with their lives. I have no mercy left for people who take away things that matter to me. I shall have my revenge, and it will be a good one"
Shin was still on the edges of the prison walls shadowed by the darkness, which hid her from any mortals' sight. She sat teary eyed on the edge of the cold stonewall as she listened to every word the man spoke. She wanted so much to run towards Misao and tend to her needs, but she knew her too well, she knew that Misao is doing this for her, and that she might risk giving her life as well, which brings Misao's sacrifice to nothing. She was a smart kid, and she was thinking hard of any ways of helping her friend from the monster that stood watching her like a hawk. She was staring closely onto the face of the unknown stranger that had attacked Misao. She held anger in her heart towards the man she had loathed for so long. She knew too well that her mother did nothing wrong from him, and he accused her of stealing something that belonged to them. Her face was wet with tears as she stared menacingly to the perpetrator of her friends' wounds. Little light from the moon gleamed towards the man's direction, revealing little of the man's features and this gave her the chance to see little of his face. Sapphire gleamed through the darkness as the moon pointed towards his face. And to her surprise…
"You will never… find her. I have hid her and… you will never find her" Misao whispered in the middle of chokes and gasps for air.
Soujiro stared coldly and threateningly towards the body that lay crippled on the ground. He knew that killing this stranger would not give Misao and Shin back. But there was a feeling inside him that wanted to kill him so much, a monster that the pain and agony inside him have created. He wanted to revenge so much, and nothing seem to stop him now.
"Then I would have to kill you" his voice as cold as ice.
Footsteps echoed through the prison walls, as it drew closer and closer to Misao. Each step slowly brought her back to visions of happiness and joy from her past days. Tears slowly ran down her eyes as she felt herself shrink from within the ground. Pain was clearly seen on her face, as a weak smile slowly curved through her pale lips even through the agony of knowing that she was nearing death, and had failed to protect the people she loved so dearly. It was happening so fast, yet it seemed like forever for her…
"I am nearing death, and I only hope that I may be able to see him for the last time. I see this visions of memories I keep inside me that even in my death will still live on forever."
The last footstep was loudest and longest for her. She had never felt so much fear in her life, yet she felt a little peace on her mind as she thought of the times she have had living. His foot had then settled down just beside her ear, as the rustling sound of the blade being pulled out of it's sheath rung through her head. Faces of the people she loved came flashing through her head, Okina, Okon, Omasu, Shiro, Kuro, Shin, Akami, the Kenshingumi, Aoshi, and Soujiro… all the people she had come to love…
"Sayonara…" she mumbled through tears, as the man slowly lifted his sword to a stance, tightly gripping his sword with clenched fist ready to strike. Misao has closed her eyes tighter, as more tears ran down her long lashes. It seemed like she cannot stop it from falling, even when her eyes was shut tight. She can her his breathing as if it was her heartbeat… she can feel that there were drops of water coming from the man's face, and she felt it fall down between her eye brows…
"Your dead!" The man shouted as he released the strong force that was holding him back. Although he was an expert in swords, it was clearly seen that his hands was trembling as he strike, and his eyes were tightly closed as he held onto his sword…
"NO!" a small voice came echoing out of nowhere, followed by small rushing footsteps.
"YAMERO!" shin shouted running out from the shadowed corner, as the man turned to the voice he had heard echoing in the distance…then at that instance his hands stopped onto the air, as he turned to the voice he knew to be that of the child he knew well…
"I know that voice… that's Shin" Soujiro's thought…
"NO! SHIN!" Misao shouted crying more than ever…
Shin quickly grabbed the opportunity as fast as she can to turn the lights up, so they may know exactly what was happening. The whole prison lighted up, revealing both Misao and Soujiro in tears. There Shin saw Misao lying helpless on the floor, with her feet flowing with blood. And facing her stood Soujiro, who was shaking in fear as tears trickled down his chin. His eyes were wide as he stared down onto the body of Misao, which he had wounded with his own sword. He looked down on his sword which he held with trembling hands, he stared onto its blade as he saw a mere reflection of his face tainted with the blood he had cut through Misaos's leg. Then he tightly closed his eyes, as he slowly lowered his sword down onto his side, looking lost and confused…
"Misao…I didn't know" Soujiro spoke, clenching his hands and his grip tightening onto the swords handle.
"Forgive me…Gomen" Soujiro whispered as he fell on he's knees beside Misao, who lay paralyzed on the floor. He threw his sword down onto the ground and held Misao onto his arms. He cradled her on his arms, as he carefully touch her face with gentle caring hands…
"Soujiro…" Misao spoke with a frail smile.
"I knew that you'd come…" She said in frail whispers
"I'm sorry…" Misao whispered through flowing tears..
"How can I not know that it was you?" Misao whispered looking down onto the ground feeling guilty
"Don't say that…" Soujiro spoke softly but feeling anger over himself explode…
"What have I done, I have been blinded by these power I hold as a curse inside me. I am a fool… how can I…how can I even hold her now and look at her… now I cannot face her without remembering this moment… I am such an idiot, maybe I'll never change… maybe I'm just kidding myself that I can still pay for all the deaths of the people I have killed… maybe I'll always have to be the killer I am once…"
Soujiro sat there with all the thoughts rambling in his mind, as he's tears kept on pouring like rain. Misao knew exactly what was going on inside him, and she knew that he was blaming himself once again…
"Don't blame yourself Soujiro." She whispered in his ears…
"It's not your fault… you came here to save us, and you did…"
"You did not give up on us… you're here right now… and that's all that matters to me"
Misao spoke softly as both were looking intently on each other's stares. She carefully lifted her hands and placed them beneath Soujiro's face of fear and anxiety. She understood his situation but it seemed like he doesn't understand it. He kept on accusing himself, and he was having a lot of difficulty accepting that it was an accident. In the end he chooses to ignore her words and leave it behind at that moment, he cannot face her any longer, he cannot take it anymore.
"I'll take both of you home now" he spoke in a low tone… looking down onto his feet and ignoring Misao's face of great concern.
"Your mother is worried sick about you…" He said looking down onto Shin and letting out a weak fake smile.
Misao knew that he was thinking a lot more than what he was saying, she knew that inside him he was still in guilt and is having difficulty accepting what had happened. Soujiro carefully lifted Misao on his arms, while Shin ride on his back. His body may be small, but his strength was very much not like how people see it.
"I'll get you back as fast as I can… just hold on for me…ok" Soujiro said looking dead serious.
"Yeah…" Misao whispered looking intently at Soujiro who was avoiding her eyes as much as possible.
He then tapped the tip of his toes onto the ground, and on the third tap they were gone zooming from place to place without even getting noticed by Ryujins guards. They were almost flying and Shin felt a marvelous excitement as she rode Soujiros back. Misao on the other hand, had nothing in her mind but the curiosity of the things going on inside his mind. She did not want him to be this way; he wanted the Soujiro she once knew. And she can feel it fade as time ticks away. She can see in his eyes the anger and guilt building up inside him. His eyebrows were furrowed in a position of great dismay, and there was no single trace of warmth and joy left inside him. That one moment had changed him, and she knew that he was battling his thoughts even when he was acting like it's not. Pain was still throbbing in her legs, but she can't help but think of Soujiros' situation.
"Do not blame yourself Soujiro… it isn't what you intended to do… I understand you…I really do"
Soujiro was also in deep thoughts, and with Misao's eyes lingering around him, he felt guiltier than ever. He can see the disappointment in her eyes, he felt so much more like a criminal. He knew that she was disappointed, her eyes told everything clearly and he can feel it slowly eat him up. He felt no longer responsible for saving them, and the worst part of it was that people are going think that he was responsible for saving them when the truth was that he was the first to wound them and hurt them. Things were popping out of his head shame, guilt, anger, fear, loneliness, grief, pain there were so many that he was starting to feel more confused on how to react and on what exactly he would say once they get back to the inn. He felt so foolish, and he knew that it will always be there, and it will never be forgotten and disappear.
"I am going to have to leave, I cannot face her with a face who had hurt her and wounded her. I just cant"
Misao looked up to Soujiro and she knew that this is the moment he needed her the most. She was determined to help him and bring him back to his old self. She smiled a weak smile as she fell onto his arms and slept with a dream of hope, and a whisper of valor…
"I will not leave your side Soujiro… and I will help you…"
Tsuzukere…
A/N: well that's that…for now… thanks for reading hope you like it and R&R please…