Greetings all! Sorry for the long delay in updating this. Work has been particularly draining lately. However, the good news is that this is the last chapter and then I will post an epilogue and this fic will be done! Woohoo! I hope you enjoy!

'thoughts'

"dialogue"

You know I don't own this…

The Brave Ones

Chapter 14

Hiko's eyes widened as Rei and Takeshi tumbled over the edge into the abyss. They moved as if in slow motion. In that moment, Hiko felt his heart falling with them. With a roar coming from deep within, Hiko launched himself over the edge. As he fell, Hiko thought that this was proper. He couldn't shoulder the pain of losing Takeshi. He'd done it once before with his deshi and it nearly destroyed him. No, it was fitting that he die with his son.

Closing the gap, Hiko wrapped his arms around Rei and Takeshi. Rei's and Takeshi's cries echoed in his ears and he tightened his hold on them. Hiko realized that this abyss wasn't dark as he'd previously thought. The surrounding rocks gave off a dim, green glow. There was enough light for Hiko to see a small ledge coming up. It was narrow, but it might be enough. Shifting his weight and pulling Rei and Takeshi to the left, Hiko aimed for the ledge. Feeling his foot hit, Hiko coiled his thigh muscles and with a powerful lunge he began to rocket them up, his voice echoing off the sides of the chasm with the effort and the pain from his injury.

As they rocketed up, Hiko judged the distance to the lip of the tunnel Yoshida had been standing on. He closed his eyes as he realized they wouldn't make it.

'It's better this way,' Hiko thought. 'I wouldn't want to live with this loss.'

Hiko was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn't see what was happening above. When he'd dropped after Takeshi and Rei, Aoshi and Kenshin had leaped across the chasm. They were now engaged in a battle with Yoshida's men. They'd pushed them back and Kenshin became aware of his master's ki approaching. Taking a step back he saw they weren't going to come far enough up for his master to step onto the tunnel.

"Aoshi!" Kenshin yelled.

The ninja leader stepped back and saw what Kenshin was yelling about. Dropping one kodachi he moved to the edge of the tunnel.

Hiko had closed his eyes, not wanting to see how close he would've come to saving them. Suddenly he became aware of hands on his arms. Shooting his eyes open, he saw Kenshin holding one upper arm and felt someone holding the other. Kenshin and Aoshi dragged them onto the ledge as far as they could before having to turn back to their opponents. Yoshida growled, seeing Hiko laying there vulnerable, with his legs over the edge.

Hiko quickly wormed his way further onto the ledge, pulling Rei and Takeshi along with him. Getting his legs onto solid ground, Hiko stood and pulled Rei to her feet. Unsheathing his sword, Hiko growled and moved toward the right side of Kenshin. Rei followed behind Hiko, knowing the swordsman would let nothing happen to her and Takeshi. Hiko reached behind with his free arm and pulled Rei against the side of the tunnel wall. Once he was certain she was safe, he began to cut his way through the men in front of him.

Yoshida's eyes widened as he saw Hiko begin to battle his men. Fear gripped him and abandoning his men, he turned and ran down the tunnel. Hiko saw him go and with a roar, he doubled his efforts to remove the threat from Rei and Takeshi. Within a few minutes, Kenshin, Aoshi and Hiko had cleared the tunnel of the men. The last few had turned and run after Yoshida, seeing that defeat was imminent. Aoshi began after them, when he heard Hiko bark his name. Stopping he turned to regard the swordmaster.

"Aoshi, I want you and Kenshin to get Rei and Takeshi out of here," Hiko said.

Aoshi lifted an eyebrow.

"What will you do?" he asked.

"I'm going after Yoshida," Hiko replied.

Aoshi narrowed his eyes.

"There will be traps…," he began.

"I'm not worried," Hiko cut him off. "Yoshida wouldn't run through a maze of traps to escape. He was certain of victory here. He's mine to deal with."

"Shishou," Kenshin began.

"I'll avenge Kaoru and Yahiko," Hiko said. "Your job is to get Rei and my son to safety." Hiko turned to look at Kenshin. Kenshin noted the concern in his eyes.

"Kenshin, I'm depending on you to get them out of here," Hiko said.

Kenshin nodded. Rei stepped up and put a hand on Hiko's arm.

"Please, be careful," she begged.

Hiko smiled slightly.

"I will," he said. Reaching out he brushed Takeshi's cheek with a finger. "Take care of him."

Rei nodded and tightened her hold on Takeshi.

Hiko turned and strode down the tunnel after Yoshida. Kenshin and the others watched him for a moment before starting down the tunnel after him.

Hiko followed the tunnel into a room with three doors. He looked over each door and noted the center one hadn't been shut all the way. Striding over to it, he opened it, his muscles tight in case he needed to jump away. He saw the door opened into an empty hallway. Jogging down the hallway, he examined each door he passed, looking for signs of it being opened. He felt no ki as made his way down the hallway. It curved at a ninety-degree angle at the end with a door. Opening it, Hiko stepped out into the foyer of the mansion.

He sensed a ki above him. Looking up he saw he was under the balcony of the second floor. Moving carefully, he stepped out so he could see. Yoshida stood above and at the first sight of Hiko, he ducked back into the hallway he'd been standing at the end of. Hiko felt the movement and quickly ran for the stairs on his left. Using his godlike speed, he rushed up the stairs and down the hallway after Yoshida. Remembering the traps they'd found before, he leaped over sections of carpet or stayed to the sides, scanning for anything out of place.

A few moments after Hiko had run down the hallway, Aoshi, Kenshin, Rei, and Takeshi entered the foyer. Aoshi directed them out the front doors and into the deserted courtyard. Aoshi stopped and looked back toward the mansion.

"Aoshi?" Kenshin asked.

"Your master will need help," he said, turning to re-enter the mansion. A hand on his arm stopped him. Aoshi looked up into Rei's battered face.

"You mustn't," Rei began. "He needs to do this for himself. For Yuriko's memory and for this little one," Rei said, lifting Takeshi slightly.

Aoshi regarded her for a moment. It was Kenshin's words that stopped him.

"Shishou must do this alone. Yoshida's actions have changed his life forever. There will be no resolution for him until he defeats Yoshida himself," Kenshin said, looking back over to the mansion.

Aoshi nodded and turned back toward Rei and Takeshi.

"Come, we will return to the Aoiya and wait there," he said.

Rei shook her head.

"We wait here," she said. "We're safe enough and I will not leave until I know that Hiko was successful."

Kenshin nodded.

"Hai, I believe it best that we wait here," he said.

Aoshi shrugged and settled himself on the ground to wait. Takeshi began to cry and despite Rei's best efforts, he would not quiet.

Inside the mansion, Hiko was catching up to Yoshida. Rounding a corner of the hallway, he saw double doors ahead. Throwing them open, he found himself in a ballroom with Yoshida standing in the middle. Hiko felt something coming toward him and he lunged to the side. A bullet lodged itself in the wall behind where he'd been standing.

Hiko narrowed his eyes.

"So even now you won't face me like a man," he growled.

Yoshida stood, pale-faced and regarded his enemy.

"I hate you!" he screamed. "Die already!" he yelled as he began to fire his gun at Hiko.

Hiko felt the bullets coming and he began to dodge. However, the injury in his leg slowed his reaction time just a fraction. That fraction was all Yoshida needed. Hiko felt the bite of a bullet as it entered the shoulder of his sword arm.

Hiko had moved to his left and now stood with blood coming down his arm. He managed to retain his grip on his sword. He tried to move his arm and clenched his jaw at the pain as the bullet ground against bone.

Yoshida, just a few paces away, began to laugh.

"You see, even now you samurai are weak compared to Western weapons!" Yoshida cried out with glee. "You will die by my hand. It's a shame I was unable to kill the whelp, but you'll do as a fitting replacement."

Yoshida brought the gun up and aimed for Hiko's head.

Hiko watched his actions and narrowed his eyes.

Yoshida grinned.

"Goodbye samurai," he yelled, pulling the trigger.

Hiko tossed his sword from his right hand to his left and simply disappeared.

Yoshida blinked.

Suddenly Hiko's roar filled the room.

"Ryu Tsui Sen!" echoed off the walls.

Yoshida felt a bite in his right shoulder and then he felt nothing more.

Hiko landed, his injured leg wobbling and looked at his enemy.

Yoshida's face was frozen with a look of surprise. He'd never expected to be bested by Hiko.

Hiko cleaned his sword on Yoshida's unbloodied clothing and awkwardly sheathed it with his left hand. Turning, he limped out of the room and back toward the entrance of the mansion.

Opening the front door, he stepped out into the light of the courtyard. His ears were assaulted with the sound of Takeshi crying and his baka deshi yelling for him. Three shadows ran toward him. Suddenly, Hiko felt slightly dizzy. Dropping to a seating position on the stairs, he was quickly surrounded by Aoshi, Kenshin, Rei and Takeshi.

Kenshin saw his master come out the front door and his eyes widened at the sight of blood pouring from his shoulder and the injury on his leg. Running toward his master, he watched as Hiko sunk to a seated position. Beside him he felt Aoshi and Rei following.

Reaching Hiko, Kenshin tore a strip from his gi and began to tie the wound on his shoulder. Hiko tried to wave him off.

"I'm fine baka deshi," he began.

Rei's voice rung out over the din.

"You are anything but fine! You've got two gunshot wounds. What were you thinking? Takeshi needs you!" Rei yelled.

Hiko narrowed his eyes.

"ENOUGH!" he yelled. Everyone was silent except for Takeshi who was still crying.

"Give me my son," he ordered.

Rei deposited Takeshi into Hiko's uninjured arm. As soon as the baby felt his father's strong embrace, he silenced.

"Hmph," Hiko grumbled. "Now that it's quiet, baka deshi, go get a carriage. I'm tired."

As Kenshin stepped away, he smiled at his master's next words.

"Takeshi, let's go home."