Disclaimer: If I had an unlimited amount of wishes I'd wish to own RK, but
I don't so I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.
'...' Indicates thought
*...* Indicates emphasis
The Secret Kept From Yahiko
Chapter Four
* * * * * * * * * *
From last time:
Gasuke jeered. "To tell you the truth punk, we have been keeping a little secret from you for the last five years. You want to know what it is? All right I'll tell you. There was never a debt to begin with!" Gasuke laughed evilly and the rest of the gang joined in; probably because I knew that I had a stricken and disbelieving face.
"Yes Brat, it is true. We were going to have you be our dog for a long time to come, but since you seemed to have found out the truth your worth fullness is over. And since you are now no use to us you will die Myojin Yahiko!!!
* * * * * * * * * *
*Yahiko POV*
Gasuke drew out a sword from a sheath at his waist, looked at my still stricken face, and slammed the sword down with a powerful thrust. I closed my eyes tightly expecting that to be the end of my short lived life. Instead I heard a dull clang of the sword hitting right above my head and embedding itself deep into the wall. Thank Kami (God) I hadn't moved; otherwise my head would have been rolling around in circles on the opposite side of the room.
"Well," said Gasuke, "we do want to kill you" - everyone in the room laughed - "but we want you to die slowly so that you will experience the pain that we of the Shuei Yakuza Syndicate put you through Yahiko. And we will start by... Soji?"
"Yes sir." The rat faced man got an evil glint in his eyes, leered at me, and stepped toward me holding a whip; and not the ordinary whip that I was used to seeing but this whip seemed to be glowing a vibrant red at the tip. Soji and I had never ever gotten along ever since I had arrived at the syndicate and that whip certainly did not look like a gift of friendship.
Soji smiled a wicked smile at me that completely grossed
me out. His teeth were yellow and rotting. Even though I knew that I
was not in the best predicament to be making wisecracks I couldn't
resist. "You really need to brush your teeth. No girl is ever going to
kiss you although I doubt any girl would even want to be within a mile
of you." Here I put on my cocky smile that normally helped to bring on
my punishments.
Soji had a look of hate on his face and he hissed, "You
will not use that insolent tongue of yours in that way while
addressing *me*. Besides, you are going to wish that those words never
left your mouth boy; your little tongue is going to be pleading for
mercy from me in just a few minutes. As for my pretty glowing whip, if
you must know I stuck her in the fire over there for awhile just to
make her nice and hot for you."
I tried to draw back even just a little bit, but when your
hands are fastened above your head to a wall it pretty much means that
a person, in the case me, can't go back much farther.
Soji looked over at Gasuke. "Sir, we seem to have a small
problem. I would really like to lash the boy on his back but when he
is chained up with his back to the wall I have a little trouble doing
just that..." his voice trailed off.
"Of course Soji. I'm sure we can get that fixed quite
easily. Gasuke simply nodded and two other men came over and unchained
me from the wall. I knew exactly what was about to happen and no way
was I going to let them finish carrying out their orders. I put up a
fight by biting, kicking, punching, - anything I could do so that they
could not get me reattached to that wall. I did give one of the men a
nice knee right to the groin making him temporarily out of order so I
only had one goon to deal with. To my dismay, another man came to the
second goon's rescue. And this one had to have a good grip. Against
all my efforts, I was eventually chained to the wall, my back facing
my audience.
I prepared myself both mentally and physically for the
whipping. I decided to myself that no matter what (A/N: The song No
Matter What from Yu-Gi-Oh popped into my head when I wrote this part.
^^) I was not going to cry or yell or scream or anything; they would
not get a word of me; not a sound.
I heard the hiss of the whip as it flew through the air at
a very rapid pace. It lashed down onto my unprotected back - they had
ripped my shirt off - and the whip landed between the other numerous
scars I had from whippings earlier in my lifetime. I had a lot of
scars back there that littered my back like road maps. It burned like
Hell, but not a sound left my lips.
I could feel the men look at each other with surprise;
they were expecting me to yell or cry or something. Fat chance that
they were going to get anything out of me.
Gasuke announced loudly over the muttering that had just
erupted around the room, "Since the brat didn't say anything please by
all means continue until he makes a yell for mercy."
"Yes Sir, most definitely Sir," said Soji. I lost count
after thirty-seven lashes. I had the vague feeling that I was going to
pass out from pain before I made a peep. The blood stung terribly as
it ran down my back and seeped into the newly made cuts all thanks to
Soji. My lip stung as well as my back; I didn't even know that I had
been biting it until I had bit through it. I guess my lip had been my
barrier to keep myself from screaming from the pain. A few minutes and
about 60 thrashes later, I started to see fuzzy little black dots
clouding my vision and then before I knew it the world had gone black.
I awoke and bit back that a groan that was threatening to
escape my mouth. I realized that I was back in my original position
with my hands tied above my head. The scratchy rice paper walls were
doing nothing to help my stinging back. Gasuke was sitting across from
me and watching my attempts to both wake myself up and get my arms off
the wall. To my absolute horror, he was also holding a handful of
small daggers and tossing them up in the air and catching each one-
blade side down.
"You're awake Yahiko," he said, "to tell you the truth I
have always wanted to throw daggers at something alive because those
wooden targets are not very much fun. Plus I like to hear them
scream. I don't think you will be able to keep yourself silent in your
prsent state. And now I will finally get my chance! And what is even
better, it is on the one brat I always wanted to do it to."
He threw one of his daggers with perfect and even very
possible deadly aim. It bit deeply into my left shoulder and it was
not until I tried to move away hoping to wiggle it out of my flesh
that it occurred to me that it had gone completely through my shoulder
and had embedded itself into the wall behind me.
This deadly and dangerous process continued until Gasuke
ran out of daggers to throw at his victim.His daggers numbered
approximately thirty and I now felt and looked like a human
pincushion.The little throwing knives were everywhere- my arms, legs,
chest, stomach, I couldn't take much more of this.
The pain was unbearable, but still I uttered no sound,
which in my lifetime was a new record of silence seeing as I always
had to say something just to make the mad. What could I say? It was
fun, especially with Soji when his face turned as red as an apple.
Gasuke looked like he was ready to explode. "Why will you
not say anything Yahiko?" Answer me!" he yelled. I didn't say
anything. A few minutes passed in silence. "You know what. Stay mute
for all I care right now. I have had enough of this as much fun as it
was." He drew out a shorter sword- a kantana. "Your time to die has
come Myojin Yahiko!"
I winced knowing that this was going to be the end of me.
I closed my eyes and waited for my life to flash before my eyes as
people say that that happens when you are about to die. But it never
did. I guess I didn't have a life that was worth flashing by. That was
sad. I wanted to see my mother's face again. I smiled. Maybe I would
see her in Heaven and maybe even meet my father. That was if I even
made it to Heaven. After a minute of sitting on the bloody floor I
didn't feel any new major injuries and my vision wasn't going black.
Maybe dying wasn't going to be so bad after all.
Instead of dying in its place I heard the door that led to
the hallway that led outside burst open. "Boss... I'm sorry." I
recognized the voice as Bui, one of the new recruits to the gang. I
personally thought he was kind of dumb. Then I heard the thud of a
body hitting the wood floor with a solid thump. I risked opening an
eye and looked towards the door.
The red haired samurai stood in the doorway and it looked
like he meant business. The man was holding a sword that had no blood
on it. 'This man must be very skilled if he could kill Bui without
even getting blood on his sword.' Then a thought occurred to me. 'If
he was here and had just killed Bui, that meant he had come through
the hall where over fifty men had been standing. He had just killed
over fifty people without spilling a drop of blood! Who was this guy?
And why was he here?'
"I've come for the boy." That certainly answered my
question but why was he here for me?
Gasuke turned and said quite plainly not bothering to hide
the malice in his voice, "And just who the Hell are you?"
"My name is Himura Kenshin and I am a rurouni. I will ask
you again. Where is he?"
Gasuke stepped away the wall and uncovered me from view.
"You mean this pathetic boy?"
* * * * * * * * * *
*End Yahiko POV*
*Kenshin POV*
* * * * * * * * * *
I couldn't believe it when the man termed Boss stepped
away from the wall. The heap that looked more like blood and chains
could not be a person; much less the same boy that I had met earlier.
The arrogant and bratty boy Kaoru-Dono and I had met on the bridge
couldn't be this boy; could it?
"What have you done to him," I thundered my very voice
shaking the very rafters of the ceiling.
"You see, Yahiko got a little angry when we told him a
secret we had been hiding from him for the last five years. So we
decided that it was time to end his life."
* * * * * * * * * *
*End Kenshin POV*
*Yahiko POV*
* * * * * * * * * *
I watched Kenshin's face change to one of fury and his
amethyst eyes flashed amber. Gasuke and gang seemed to have missed the
eye color change. I had honestly no idea how long this 'conversation'
was going to last, but I didn't think I was going to be with them for
the end because once again fuzzy, black spots were making my vision
hazy, but I wanted to see my outcome of life played out by the fates
so I forced myself with inner will power to stay both alive and awake.
When it seemed that Kenshin and Gasuke had not come to
terms, Gasuke took his sword from pointing at me to at Kenshin and
lunged at Kenshin intending to kill him. I knew as a fact that Gasuke
was good. I mean, he was known as Gasuke the Manslayer and all so how
could he not be? Kenshin was going to die trying to save me and I was
most likely going to die in the end anyways.
My previous thoughts of Kenshin dying began to change to
the exact opposite and a saw a small glimmer of hope for my life as
Kenshin casually sidestepped Gasuke's thrust and easily countered it.
The two men continued to parry for quite some time. From what I knew
or as rumor had it, Gasuke had always killed his opponent within two
minutes. Kenshin was different.
When he spoke again his tone had an icy ring to it and his amber eyes were glinting in the light. If I had not been on his side I would have been scared stiff. "I do not have time for this. That boy needs to see a doctor before he dies right now." With that statement said, Kenshin leapt into the air and did an attack he called Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Tsui Sen by jumping into the air and crushing his sword down on the back of Gasuke's neck who crumpled to the ground. Gasuke was either knocked out cold or dead; I couldn't tell. I could tell that whoever was left in the room was running out as fast as their legs could carry them.
I heard light, quick footsteps approaching me and felt
someone kneel down next to me. Kenshin - for I knew who it was -
reached toward me to pull out one of the daggers in my right shoulder.
I hissed in pain and pulled away from his touch.
"No Yahiko, don't pull away. It's going to be all right."
After those words I very slightly relaxed. I felt Kenshin
pull it out and after I saw the blood covered dagger with blood, my
blood on it, I closed my eyes and welcomed the darkness that was
reaching for me.
* * * * * * * * * *
Author's Notes:
At least this time I didn't leave you guys on a cliffie!
^^ Was my torture scene enough or did it need more? I seriously hope
it satisfied your needs. I switched POV because we needed to see if
only for a moment what Kenshin was thinking!
I hope the spacing is better. I went back and did
indenting and it looks fine from word... but hey you never know what
can go wrong with these things!
I'm very happy that I got four reviews! Keep them coming!
I also changed the way the reviwer's comments entrance
were.... I think they look better this way. ^^
I would like to inform all of you that chapter five might
take a while to upload due to the fact tht part is on my old PC and
the other part is on my new PC! (all mine! ^^) Anyways, I need to get
the internet hooked up to send the attatchment! That was just a FYI!
^^
* * * * * * * * * *
Reviewer's Comments:
* ** *Halownkougra* ** * Yep, this chapter was violent.
^^ Joey isn't evil. The one who is Yami! You need to review for the
other stories, ne?
* ** *tocole* ** * Oh yes I do ^^ Favorite thing to do in
this story ^^ And if no one has noticed I like to bring him within
inches of death and then make him okay again. ^^ I've dug myself into
a hole for the next chapter though.... I hope you update really soon!
Can't want to see what Gohei tries to do! Sou-Chan to the rescue! ^^
* ** *IcyPanther* ** * Deflated balloons! ^^ I have no
idea if balloons even exist in this time era but they do have those
ball things that Miaso was playing with in the show ^^
* ** *Aragon821* ** * I love leaving people on cliffs at
least there wasn't one this chapter ^^ I agree with you. There aren't
that many stories from Yahiko's POV. He is my favorite character from
this series ^^ Such a brat! Hope you review again!
'...' Indicates thought
*...* Indicates emphasis
The Secret Kept From Yahiko
Chapter Four
* * * * * * * * * *
From last time:
Gasuke jeered. "To tell you the truth punk, we have been keeping a little secret from you for the last five years. You want to know what it is? All right I'll tell you. There was never a debt to begin with!" Gasuke laughed evilly and the rest of the gang joined in; probably because I knew that I had a stricken and disbelieving face.
"Yes Brat, it is true. We were going to have you be our dog for a long time to come, but since you seemed to have found out the truth your worth fullness is over. And since you are now no use to us you will die Myojin Yahiko!!!
* * * * * * * * * *
*Yahiko POV*
Gasuke drew out a sword from a sheath at his waist, looked at my still stricken face, and slammed the sword down with a powerful thrust. I closed my eyes tightly expecting that to be the end of my short lived life. Instead I heard a dull clang of the sword hitting right above my head and embedding itself deep into the wall. Thank Kami (God) I hadn't moved; otherwise my head would have been rolling around in circles on the opposite side of the room.
"Well," said Gasuke, "we do want to kill you" - everyone in the room laughed - "but we want you to die slowly so that you will experience the pain that we of the Shuei Yakuza Syndicate put you through Yahiko. And we will start by... Soji?"
"Yes sir." The rat faced man got an evil glint in his eyes, leered at me, and stepped toward me holding a whip; and not the ordinary whip that I was used to seeing but this whip seemed to be glowing a vibrant red at the tip. Soji and I had never ever gotten along ever since I had arrived at the syndicate and that whip certainly did not look like a gift of friendship.
Soji smiled a wicked smile at me that completely grossed
me out. His teeth were yellow and rotting. Even though I knew that I
was not in the best predicament to be making wisecracks I couldn't
resist. "You really need to brush your teeth. No girl is ever going to
kiss you although I doubt any girl would even want to be within a mile
of you." Here I put on my cocky smile that normally helped to bring on
my punishments.
Soji had a look of hate on his face and he hissed, "You
will not use that insolent tongue of yours in that way while
addressing *me*. Besides, you are going to wish that those words never
left your mouth boy; your little tongue is going to be pleading for
mercy from me in just a few minutes. As for my pretty glowing whip, if
you must know I stuck her in the fire over there for awhile just to
make her nice and hot for you."
I tried to draw back even just a little bit, but when your
hands are fastened above your head to a wall it pretty much means that
a person, in the case me, can't go back much farther.
Soji looked over at Gasuke. "Sir, we seem to have a small
problem. I would really like to lash the boy on his back but when he
is chained up with his back to the wall I have a little trouble doing
just that..." his voice trailed off.
"Of course Soji. I'm sure we can get that fixed quite
easily. Gasuke simply nodded and two other men came over and unchained
me from the wall. I knew exactly what was about to happen and no way
was I going to let them finish carrying out their orders. I put up a
fight by biting, kicking, punching, - anything I could do so that they
could not get me reattached to that wall. I did give one of the men a
nice knee right to the groin making him temporarily out of order so I
only had one goon to deal with. To my dismay, another man came to the
second goon's rescue. And this one had to have a good grip. Against
all my efforts, I was eventually chained to the wall, my back facing
my audience.
I prepared myself both mentally and physically for the
whipping. I decided to myself that no matter what (A/N: The song No
Matter What from Yu-Gi-Oh popped into my head when I wrote this part.
^^) I was not going to cry or yell or scream or anything; they would
not get a word of me; not a sound.
I heard the hiss of the whip as it flew through the air at
a very rapid pace. It lashed down onto my unprotected back - they had
ripped my shirt off - and the whip landed between the other numerous
scars I had from whippings earlier in my lifetime. I had a lot of
scars back there that littered my back like road maps. It burned like
Hell, but not a sound left my lips.
I could feel the men look at each other with surprise;
they were expecting me to yell or cry or something. Fat chance that
they were going to get anything out of me.
Gasuke announced loudly over the muttering that had just
erupted around the room, "Since the brat didn't say anything please by
all means continue until he makes a yell for mercy."
"Yes Sir, most definitely Sir," said Soji. I lost count
after thirty-seven lashes. I had the vague feeling that I was going to
pass out from pain before I made a peep. The blood stung terribly as
it ran down my back and seeped into the newly made cuts all thanks to
Soji. My lip stung as well as my back; I didn't even know that I had
been biting it until I had bit through it. I guess my lip had been my
barrier to keep myself from screaming from the pain. A few minutes and
about 60 thrashes later, I started to see fuzzy little black dots
clouding my vision and then before I knew it the world had gone black.
I awoke and bit back that a groan that was threatening to
escape my mouth. I realized that I was back in my original position
with my hands tied above my head. The scratchy rice paper walls were
doing nothing to help my stinging back. Gasuke was sitting across from
me and watching my attempts to both wake myself up and get my arms off
the wall. To my absolute horror, he was also holding a handful of
small daggers and tossing them up in the air and catching each one-
blade side down.
"You're awake Yahiko," he said, "to tell you the truth I
have always wanted to throw daggers at something alive because those
wooden targets are not very much fun. Plus I like to hear them
scream. I don't think you will be able to keep yourself silent in your
prsent state. And now I will finally get my chance! And what is even
better, it is on the one brat I always wanted to do it to."
He threw one of his daggers with perfect and even very
possible deadly aim. It bit deeply into my left shoulder and it was
not until I tried to move away hoping to wiggle it out of my flesh
that it occurred to me that it had gone completely through my shoulder
and had embedded itself into the wall behind me.
This deadly and dangerous process continued until Gasuke
ran out of daggers to throw at his victim.His daggers numbered
approximately thirty and I now felt and looked like a human
pincushion.The little throwing knives were everywhere- my arms, legs,
chest, stomach, I couldn't take much more of this.
The pain was unbearable, but still I uttered no sound,
which in my lifetime was a new record of silence seeing as I always
had to say something just to make the mad. What could I say? It was
fun, especially with Soji when his face turned as red as an apple.
Gasuke looked like he was ready to explode. "Why will you
not say anything Yahiko?" Answer me!" he yelled. I didn't say
anything. A few minutes passed in silence. "You know what. Stay mute
for all I care right now. I have had enough of this as much fun as it
was." He drew out a shorter sword- a kantana. "Your time to die has
come Myojin Yahiko!"
I winced knowing that this was going to be the end of me.
I closed my eyes and waited for my life to flash before my eyes as
people say that that happens when you are about to die. But it never
did. I guess I didn't have a life that was worth flashing by. That was
sad. I wanted to see my mother's face again. I smiled. Maybe I would
see her in Heaven and maybe even meet my father. That was if I even
made it to Heaven. After a minute of sitting on the bloody floor I
didn't feel any new major injuries and my vision wasn't going black.
Maybe dying wasn't going to be so bad after all.
Instead of dying in its place I heard the door that led to
the hallway that led outside burst open. "Boss... I'm sorry." I
recognized the voice as Bui, one of the new recruits to the gang. I
personally thought he was kind of dumb. Then I heard the thud of a
body hitting the wood floor with a solid thump. I risked opening an
eye and looked towards the door.
The red haired samurai stood in the doorway and it looked
like he meant business. The man was holding a sword that had no blood
on it. 'This man must be very skilled if he could kill Bui without
even getting blood on his sword.' Then a thought occurred to me. 'If
he was here and had just killed Bui, that meant he had come through
the hall where over fifty men had been standing. He had just killed
over fifty people without spilling a drop of blood! Who was this guy?
And why was he here?'
"I've come for the boy." That certainly answered my
question but why was he here for me?
Gasuke turned and said quite plainly not bothering to hide
the malice in his voice, "And just who the Hell are you?"
"My name is Himura Kenshin and I am a rurouni. I will ask
you again. Where is he?"
Gasuke stepped away the wall and uncovered me from view.
"You mean this pathetic boy?"
* * * * * * * * * *
*End Yahiko POV*
*Kenshin POV*
* * * * * * * * * *
I couldn't believe it when the man termed Boss stepped
away from the wall. The heap that looked more like blood and chains
could not be a person; much less the same boy that I had met earlier.
The arrogant and bratty boy Kaoru-Dono and I had met on the bridge
couldn't be this boy; could it?
"What have you done to him," I thundered my very voice
shaking the very rafters of the ceiling.
"You see, Yahiko got a little angry when we told him a
secret we had been hiding from him for the last five years. So we
decided that it was time to end his life."
* * * * * * * * * *
*End Kenshin POV*
*Yahiko POV*
* * * * * * * * * *
I watched Kenshin's face change to one of fury and his
amethyst eyes flashed amber. Gasuke and gang seemed to have missed the
eye color change. I had honestly no idea how long this 'conversation'
was going to last, but I didn't think I was going to be with them for
the end because once again fuzzy, black spots were making my vision
hazy, but I wanted to see my outcome of life played out by the fates
so I forced myself with inner will power to stay both alive and awake.
When it seemed that Kenshin and Gasuke had not come to
terms, Gasuke took his sword from pointing at me to at Kenshin and
lunged at Kenshin intending to kill him. I knew as a fact that Gasuke
was good. I mean, he was known as Gasuke the Manslayer and all so how
could he not be? Kenshin was going to die trying to save me and I was
most likely going to die in the end anyways.
My previous thoughts of Kenshin dying began to change to
the exact opposite and a saw a small glimmer of hope for my life as
Kenshin casually sidestepped Gasuke's thrust and easily countered it.
The two men continued to parry for quite some time. From what I knew
or as rumor had it, Gasuke had always killed his opponent within two
minutes. Kenshin was different.
When he spoke again his tone had an icy ring to it and his amber eyes were glinting in the light. If I had not been on his side I would have been scared stiff. "I do not have time for this. That boy needs to see a doctor before he dies right now." With that statement said, Kenshin leapt into the air and did an attack he called Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Tsui Sen by jumping into the air and crushing his sword down on the back of Gasuke's neck who crumpled to the ground. Gasuke was either knocked out cold or dead; I couldn't tell. I could tell that whoever was left in the room was running out as fast as their legs could carry them.
I heard light, quick footsteps approaching me and felt
someone kneel down next to me. Kenshin - for I knew who it was -
reached toward me to pull out one of the daggers in my right shoulder.
I hissed in pain and pulled away from his touch.
"No Yahiko, don't pull away. It's going to be all right."
After those words I very slightly relaxed. I felt Kenshin
pull it out and after I saw the blood covered dagger with blood, my
blood on it, I closed my eyes and welcomed the darkness that was
reaching for me.
* * * * * * * * * *
Author's Notes:
At least this time I didn't leave you guys on a cliffie!
^^ Was my torture scene enough or did it need more? I seriously hope
it satisfied your needs. I switched POV because we needed to see if
only for a moment what Kenshin was thinking!
I hope the spacing is better. I went back and did
indenting and it looks fine from word... but hey you never know what
can go wrong with these things!
I'm very happy that I got four reviews! Keep them coming!
I also changed the way the reviwer's comments entrance
were.... I think they look better this way. ^^
I would like to inform all of you that chapter five might
take a while to upload due to the fact tht part is on my old PC and
the other part is on my new PC! (all mine! ^^) Anyways, I need to get
the internet hooked up to send the attatchment! That was just a FYI!
^^
* * * * * * * * * *
Reviewer's Comments:
* ** *Halownkougra* ** * Yep, this chapter was violent.
^^ Joey isn't evil. The one who is Yami! You need to review for the
other stories, ne?
* ** *tocole* ** * Oh yes I do ^^ Favorite thing to do in
this story ^^ And if no one has noticed I like to bring him within
inches of death and then make him okay again. ^^ I've dug myself into
a hole for the next chapter though.... I hope you update really soon!
Can't want to see what Gohei tries to do! Sou-Chan to the rescue! ^^
* ** *IcyPanther* ** * Deflated balloons! ^^ I have no
idea if balloons even exist in this time era but they do have those
ball things that Miaso was playing with in the show ^^
* ** *Aragon821* ** * I love leaving people on cliffs at
least there wasn't one this chapter ^^ I agree with you. There aren't
that many stories from Yahiko's POV. He is my favorite character from
this series ^^ Such a brat! Hope you review again!