A/N: Thankfully the homework load has seemed to be lightened. Hopefully I should be updating every couple week or so again! A lot of you really enjoyed my chase scene at the end of the last chapter! I'm so glad to hear that! I was so worried that people wouldn't like it, or they would get confused from the sifting POV, but it doesn't sound like anyone hated it or got lost! Yay! Thank Nekotsuki for the beta work!
Reviewers! -hugs everyone-
omasuoniwabanshi - Chinese water torture? -gets dreamy look in eyes- I really shouldn't enjoy torture this much… but I do. -evil grin- Do you really think you'll get a happy ending from me? Well, you'll have to wait and find out!
Jadeyuy - Thanks!
Hitokiri Musei - I like just about everyone likes torture even if they won't admit it!
tsumesgirl05 - Here you go! The next chapter!
Elliot Damion - Actually, I think once you read the ending to this story it won't seem so slow anymore. I normally write WAY too fast, so hearing that I might be going a bit too slow is kinda nice to hear.
WolfDaughter - I'm updating as soon as I can! Actually… I'm suppose to be doing homework right now! Better hurry this up! Thanks for reading!
DemonicHellfire - Thanks for the complements! I like to remind people that Kenshin is human. He has problems like most people do! Just because he's one of the best swordsmen out there doesn't mean he doesn't get sick!
Wistful-Eyes - I'm betting Kenshin hopes his next attempt is successful too.
Kenshin'sorrow - I'm so glad I had you on the edge of your seat! -sighs wishfully- I wish I could sit at my computer all day working on stories. That would be the life!
kawaiimeeh - Like I would let Kenshin escape in chapter 5. I have too many evil plans to let him go yet!
Shadow Wolves - Okay! I got it! No wolves! What if I stopped updating forever. THEN you'd send them after me I bet! But don't worry! Unless I die that won't be happening!
enchantedsleeper - Reizo? There's reasons why Reizo's having trouble finding him. For one thing, they think Kenshin is dead, and second they don't know where he is.
AuburnMoonlight - I love stopping chapters on cliffhangers! Makes people come back for more!
Nekotsuki - Thanks for the beta work! -poke- Chapter… now! -pokepoke-
lolo popoki - I'm glad I could make your day a little better! -grins- Of course I can't let Kenshin off that easily! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter Six - Soul Searching
Shuhei felt Battousai go slack in his grasp. Sweat glistened on his forehead, making his red hair look even more like blood. His breath came in short gasps, and with each his body trembled slightly. Shuhei was surprised that the man had been able to get so far. He was taking a turn for the worse; he might not even make it through the whole trip back to the Shogun's headquarters.
Before long, Keigo and Hitoshi had caught up to him. Shuhei looked to each of them in turn, their flushed faces glaring down at Battousai in disgust. None of them had their packs. They had both dropped them in order to run faster. "Someone get the pack with the rope in it." He shot a glare towards Keigo.
With an annoyed sigh, Keigo stormed off to collect their packs. It was obvious to him that Shuhei was upset with him for allowing Battousai to get away, so he quickly went to retrieve the bags without complaint.
"What do you need the rope for?" Hitoshi asked, as they waited for Keigo to come back.
"So he can't run again."
Keigo returned with the bags and dug out the rope. Without a word, Shuhei took it from him and tied one end to Kenshin's ankle. Quietly and without a single pause, Shuhei tied his ankles together, leaving just enough slack between his legs so he could walk.
As he worked, Kenshin started to wake up with a groan. He felt someone touching his legs. From somewhere a dry voice commanded someone to hold him down. Two other pairs of hands then reached down to grab him. One pair pressed down hard on his shoulders, the other his legs.
He forced his eyes to open, and when the first sight that greeted him was Keigo staring down at him, he was furious. "GET OFF ME!" He attempted to sit up, to get away from the hands holding him down, but he was too weak. He could feel rope being wound around his ankles. He tried to kick his legs, to stop them from taking away his movement, but Hitoshi held his legs still. Kenshin clenched his teeth together; it was all he could do to keep from moaning as they took the last thing he had that would help him escape - his speed.
When Shuhei was satisfied with his work he stood up. Hitoshi and Keigo stood up as well. There was a playful grin on Shuhei's face that didn't go unnoticed by the others. "One last thing…" he said mischievously, holding up a length of rope. Bending over, he began to tie one end around Kenshin's neck.
"What are you doing?" Kenshin snapped, trying to jerk his head away from his torturer. For the outburst, Shuhei tied the rope tighter, making Kenshin's eyes water and making him gasp for air.
"I just don't want you to run again." He let the rope slacken a bit, enough for Kenshin to breath comfortably. "This is to keep you from getting any ideas." He gave the rope a small tug. "Up, puppy, up. Up on your feet."
Kenshin's eyes widened in rage. "WHAT?" he practically growled, but decided against it after the last comment.
"Like a bad puppy that tried to run away, you have to be put on a leash." He gave the rope another tug. "Now, get up."
Kenshin remained on the ground. He didn't care how hard Shuhei pulled; he wasn't going to get up. Eventually, Shuhei handed the rope over to Hitoshi. "Fine, if puppy doesn't want to get up, then we'll drag him like a bad puppy."
The next thing Kenshin knew, they were off again, and he was being dragged across the ground. He coughed a few times as the rope pulled uncomfortably on his neck and winced as the forest floor bit into his skin before he finally stood up, deciding walking was better then being dragged.
This time, Hitoshi led the way, Shuhei telling him which way to go. Kenshin walked behind Hitoshi, with Keigo and Shuhei walking side by side in the back. The going was a little slower with Kenshin's ankles tied together, but it wasn't too much slower. Shuhei had left enough slack for a good stride, but had made sure that the rope would give him trouble if he tried to run again.
Still, it wasn't fast enough for Keigo. "At this rate will never get home," he hissed to Shuhei.
"Yes, we will. We're making good time." He kept his voice down to a whisper; Battousai didn't need to hear their conversation.
"No, we're not. They probably think we're dead and I want to get home to my wife. This is taking too long." Anger was rising in Keigo's voice; how he missed his home. It seemed like a memory from long ago, a place he could never go back to.
"Be patient. We'll get there as soon as we can." Shuhei could understand Keigo's impatience. He didn't have a wife, but he was longing to be surrounded by his close friends, instead of being with a deadly hitokiri. "Besides, weren't you just complaining about a break?"
Keigo ignored that last comment. "You didn't need to bind his feet. The leash, as you call it, would have been enough." He snorted in disgust. "He's not going anywhere."
"And what if he managed to pull the rope from our grasps? He would take off again. I'm not going to take any more chances."
"We. Are. Going. Too. Slow." Keigo restated, pronouncing each word slowly and irritably. "You don't think the Choshu noticed that one of their best fighters is missing? They're going to be looking for him, and they'll find us."
"Not if they think he's dead, and that's why I've been leading us through this forest."
"What do you mean?" Suspicion rose in Keigo's voice.
"I've been taking us through loops and taking routes that look like animals have traveled on them a lot, in order to lose anyone who might be trying to follow us."
Keigo's eyes widened in surprise. All this time, he thought Shuhei had just been walking in a random direction. He didn't know what else to say. "I still think we're going too slow," he grumbled at last.
Although they had kept their voices down, Kenshin had been listening carefully. Shuhei was smarter then he thought, but there was definitely tension between the two. He would keep that in mind. Maybe he could use that tension against them.
They walked for hours. Kenshin found himself unable to focus on the forest around him. He needed to keep his bearings; he couldn't afford to get lost. He looked around, but it didn't matter. He had no idea where he was. Instead, he focused on Hitoshi's back, although even that was getting hard. He couldn't focus on a single thought. His mind was blanking, but he kept walking, mindlessly putting one foot in front of the other.
Walking in the back, both Keigo and Shuhei could see Kenshin slowly deteriorating. "He's getting sicker," Keigo hissed, elbowing Shuhei in the ribs.
"I can see that."
"What if he dies before we get there?"
"Then he dies," Shuhei responded easily, and as if to prove Keigo's point, Kenshin fell. Hitoshi stopped when he felt a tug on the rope; he turned around and shrugged to the other two before pulling on the rope a couple times.
"Stop, Hitoshi," Shuhei commanded, bending towards Kenshin and pushing his bright red bangs from his eyes. "He's passed out." He gently put his hand to Kenshin's cheek. "He's burning up, let's find a stream and stop for today." He stood up and took the lead again. "This way."
Hitoshi bent down and hoisted Kenshin up over his shoulder. Without another word, they followed Shuhei's lead, finally coming to a stream. "Hitoshi, cool him down. Keigo, gather some firewood." Without protest, the men set out to complete their tasks. Keigo gathered firewood, while Hitoshi set Kenshin down by the stream and used the cool water to bring his temperature down. Shuhei took their bedding out and prepared a place for the fire when enough wood was collected.
Keigo managed to catch a couple of fish from the stream after he had gathered enough wood. Shuhei was cooking them over the fire as Hitoshi carried Kenshin up away from the water. "I cooled him down the best I could, he still won't wake up."
"Doesn't matter," Shuhei replied indifferently. "Just put him against a tree and come eat." The promise of fresh fish was enticing; Hitoshi quickly leaned Kenshin up against a tree and was given his portion of the fish.
Tired from a day of walking, the meal was eaten in silence until Keigo looked over towards Kenshin. "Hey, he's awake."
Awake was an overstatement. His eyes were open, but they were unfocused and dull. As Shuhei moved closer, he could almost swear that Battousai's eyes had changed color from a piercing amber to a dull, dark violet. He gave him a soft tap on the shoulder. "Hey, Battousai, you hungry?"
Kenshin's head slowly turned to look at Shuhei, his dark eyes looking over the three men before him; he didn't seem to recognize them. After studying them, he groaned and turned his head away. "Iie," he replied softly, too sick to want to eat. He closed his eyes, the light from the fire in the dimming daylight giving him a headache.
The men laughed quietly, enjoying Battousai's sudden docile mood. They left him alone, going back to the warm fire. Going to bed shortly after darkness fell, Keigo was left with the first watch.
For the first half of his watch, Keigo was quiet and simply watched Kenshin, but after a while staring at an unmoving, bound man became boring. So he started to tell the sleeping man about his wife. He talked about her cooking, the way he felt around her, how they had met, and her beautiful face. "She has a small but cute mole, here on the left side of her face." He pointed to the spot on his own face where her mole would have been. Kenshin's eyes remained closed, his breathing slightly raspy. Thinking about cheeks, Keigo found himself staring at Kenshin's scar once more.
It was such a strange spot for a scar like that to be. It meant that Battousai had been careless enough to let someone strike his face; he was lucky neither of those times had killed him. "I wonder, Battousai," he spoke to the sleeping man. "How you came by those scars."
"A mistake."
Keigo nearly fell backwards; he didn't know that Battousai had been awake. How long had he been awake? How much had he heard? He wouldn't have said so much had he known Battousai had been awake the whole... a mistake? "What kind of mistake?"
Kenshin slowly opened his slightly glazed eyes. He didn't speak for a while, and for a moment Keigo didn't think he would answer. "A costly one," he at last replied softly.
Keigo thought about pressing the matter further, but it was clear Battousai didn't want to talk about it, plus it was late and he was tired. Not to mention his shift was over. He could go to bed now. He woke Hitoshi, who grumbled unhappily about being awakened from such a peaceful rest. "It's your turn to watch him," Keigo pressed on, shaking Hitoshi a bit as he attempted to go back to sleep. "He's acting weird, he shouldn't give you any problems."
"Weird?" Hitoshi said with a yawn, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Yeah, really talkative… well, for him I mean."
After a few more minutes of impatient prodding, Keigo was finally able to get Hitoshi up to an awake enough state that he wouldn't fall right back to sleep after sitting up. Standing up, the sleepy man headed toward his post to watch over their prisoner.
Anger flowed through his veins as he stared at Kenshin, who stared dimly back at him. Every time he looked at that man, that devil, Hitoshi could see his friend's death replay over and over again in his mind. He was glad that he had always been walking ahead of him this whole time. Having a killer at his back wasn't the safest thing in the world, but if he had to look at that man's back all day like Keigo had done, he probably would have snapped Kenshin's neck.
Now here he was, staring eye to eye with him. It was infuriating. "You killed Yoshinori," he snarled.
Slowly Kenshin blinked his tired eyes. "Who?" he said softly, looking for clarification.
Hitoshi exploded. "MY FRIEND! YOU KILLED HIM YOU BASTARD!" He lowered his voice, surprised neither of his companions had been awakened by his shouts. "I saw you do it. You killed him. You killed Yoshinori!"
For a long while, Kenshin was silent, his brain trying to figure out what this man was talking about. Eventually, he was able to remember. "Hai. I did." His head snapped back as Hitoshi's hand connected hard with his cheek. He remained calm, speaking softly. "But, if I recall, you four were surrounding a man, ready to kill him."
Hitoshi hit him again. "We were! This is war! It's our jobs!"
Kenshin nearly broke into hysterical laughter, unable to believe Hitoshi could not see the irony for himself. Instead, he kept his voice soft and calm as he spoke. "Yes, this is war, and Reizo is my friend. You were going to kill my friend. If you could have, would you have stopped me from killing Yoshinori-dono?"
Hitoshi's hand was shaking; he couldn't believe what he was hearing. How dare Battousai mock his friend's name! And yet, what he said made sense. No, this man killed Yoshinori. He deserved to die. "A devil like you doesn't have any friends. Not as close as Yoshinori and I were!" he snarled, keeping his voice in check so he wouldn't wake the others.
"Iie, I don't think I could be close to anyone like you and your friend were," Kenshin agreed, his heart contorting and tightening at the truth of this statement. No one could ever get close to him. Only one person could, and she was gone forever. Even so, he could still care for others. "Still, I didn't want Reizo to die."
"What do you care? You're a mass murderer!" Hitoshi thought of anything, anything at all that could justify why killing Yoshinori was worse than what he had tried to do to this Reizo that Battousai was talking about.
Again, Kenshin felt like he would laugh, but he kept his voice steady. "Just because I kill doesn't mean I like to. I'm sorry for killing your friend." He knew he could never make it up to Hitoshi. He didn't know what else to say.
"Bullshit!" Hitoshi spat bitterly at him, once more striking his face. "You- Yoshinori- I- you-" He didn't know what he wanted to say. He couldn't think of anything. "Yoshinori is dead because of you."
Kenshin sighed tiredly, letting his head fall back against the trunk of the tree. They were just going around in circles. Then again, was he trying to make a point? Hitoshi's anger was justified, and he was right. He was just a mass murderer. He was exhausted and his body ached. He looked up towards Hitoshi's face; his mouth was moving. How long had he been talking? What was he saying now? He groaned, turning his head to the side. He was too tired for this.
"Battousai!" It was no use; it was clear to see that he had passed out once more. Giving up on trying to wake him again, Hitoshi made himself comfortable against a nearby tree. He didn't want to, he tried real hard not to, but he couldn't stop himself. He kept thinking about what Battousai had said.
Reizo is my friend. You were going to kill my friend. Had things been different, had they killed that man instead of Battousai killing Yoshinori, what would he have felt like? What would he had said if Battousai came after him to avenge a death on the battlefield? He knew what he would have said and thought. He would have said it was war and people die in war, even if he wouldn't admit that's what he would have said, before it had become personal and Yoshinori had died.
Just because I kill doesn't mean I like to. I'm sorry for killing your friend. He was lying. He had to be. He was a devil, a devil trying to make him feel sorry enough to set him free. Hitoshi had heard the stories; he knew Battousai cared for no one. But isn't that what stories were? Stories? Tall tales of fiction? He seemed so sad when he had said it, could it be true? No. Of course not. It had to be the fever, a lie to get free. Anything, it had to be anything else.
I didn't want Reizo to die. Just like he hadn't wanted Yoshinori to die. If you could have, would you have stopped me from killing Yoshinori-dono? Of course he would have! He would have done anything to save Yoshinori, just like Battousai had done to save his friend. NO! He couldn't be thinking like this. Battousai was an inhuman man, a killer! A bloodthirsty killer, he watched him kill Yoshinori! And yet, this inhuman man was trapped here, sick, and being forced to march towards his death.
Hitoshi's thoughts confused, baffled, and angered him all night long. The only peace he found that night was when Shuhei finally woke up for his shift and he was able to escape his conscious thoughts through sleep. However, even in sleep, his thoughts would not leave him. Images of what could have been if Reizo had been the one to die instead of Yoshinori haunted him until he awoke later that morning.
The small group ate a quick breakfast and packed up camp. Shuhei once again offered Kenshin food, but he just turned his head away with a groan. Too sick to even want to eat. They were walking again moments later.
Kenshin tried hard to concentrate on Hitoshi's back as they walked. He couldn't help but notice that his head hung lower then before this morning. He kept mouthing words to himself. It was clear that something was bothering the man. Kenshin tried hard to think about what could be bothering him so. Maybe he could use whatever it was against him when he got free. What could be bothering him? He was just too tired to think about it. His mind kept drifting to other things, unimportant things. Things like how tired he was. He was so very…
"Hitoshi, stop!" Shuhei called out, bending towards the ground.
Hitoshi stopped and spun around, finding Battousai sprawled out on the ground and Shuhei squatting down next to him, feeling his forehead. "He's out again. We need to make up some time. You'll have to carry him." He said it briskly as he stood up. "Let's keep moving. Keigo, carry Hitoshi's pack for him."
"Nani?" Keigo practically shrieked, too worn out to carry another pack. "You carry it!" he snapped, pointing his finger towards Shuhei.
"Carry… the pack." With that said, Shuhei turned his back on Keigo and started to walk away.
Keigo was furious, but he held out his hand for Hitoshi's pack. With a quick apology, Hitoshi surrendered his pack and threw Kenshin over his shoulder. He let Keigo walk ahead of him, bringing up the rear.
Kenshin could feel himself swaying. It almost felt like walking. With a slight moan he opened his eyes. Where was he? And why couldn't he move his arms? Panic started to settle in his chest. Something wasn't right, he could tell, but he didn't know what. In a blind panic, he began to thrash against the ropes and person that held him.
"Stop it Battousai," A gruff voice commanded.
Battousai? Kenshin was confused. "I'm not Battousai," he said weakly, his throat burning.
That voice again, it was chuckling. "No? What's your name then?"
"Shinta."
The swaying stopped. "Shinta? Your name's Shinta? That seems too soft for a swordsman."
Suddenly Kenshin remembered. "No, that's right. Gomen. My name isn't Shinta anymore. It's Kenshin."
Hitoshi was confused by what Battousai was saying. An impatient yell from Keigo made him start walking again. "Why'd you change your name?"
"Shishou gave me that name," he answered breathlessly. He was too tired for this. Where was Hiko anyway? Shouldn't he be here right now? Who were these men? The questions went unanswered, and made his head pound harder. Finally he gave up trying to sort things out, and fell asleep once more.
Hitoshi was only left with more questions to puzzle his own tired mind. Battousai had been so polite, so soft spoken, and he said he wasn't Battousai. Hitoshi tried to tell himself that it was only the fever. He could feel Battousai's hot skin through his clothing. Saying he was sick was an understatement. He wouldn't be surprised if Battousai died before the day was other, but why… why did that bother him so? It didn't matter how he died, as long as he died. He told himself that over and over, but could no longer make himself believe it.
As it turned out, Kenshin didn't die, but he wasn't any better. The great and mighty hitokiri Battousai, the thorn in the Shinsengumi's side, the killer in the night, the undefeatable, was indeed being defeated by a simple cold that had been ignored and allowed to fester.
When the group stopped for the night he was panting, eyes pinched shut in pain, a wheezing, gurgling noise heard with each raspy breath. He was drenched in sweat, and would not awaken no matter what any of the others did.
"You might get lucky, Hitoshi," Shuhei stated in that uncaring voice of his, after yet another failed attempt to awaken the former assassin. "If he dies tonight, you'll only have to carry his head instead of his body."
It was so cold. Everything was cold. Why was it so cold? His lips trembled and his body quaked. He rubbed his arms, feeling the goose bumps that covered his body. Was this hell? No, hell's fire could melt bones. Where was this then? Could this be hell? Carefully he opened his eyes. It could be, and it was.
Blood red snow, the sent of white plums, the weight in his arms.
Oh gods, please no.
"Gomen… na… sai. An…ata….."
Please no. Not again.
The weight in his arms went slack.
"TOMOE!"
And the blood spread, staining the snow red.
They were still trying to wake him when Kenshin's eyes snapped open. "He's awake!" Keigo said with a surprised yelp to his voice, as he fell backwards from his squat to a sitting position.
Shuhei moved to touch Kenshin's shoulder just as his mouth opened, letting out a piercing scream. It echoed through the trees, it echoed of pain and loss; it echoed for all to hear. Hitoshi pressed his hands over his ears. He knew that scream. It had vibrated in his own heart when Yoshinori had died, only this scream… this scream was more intense.
His eyes wide in panic, Kenshin's body began to spasm. His legs kicking, trying to free himself, his back arching up, his arms pulling against the knots that held him still. His scream turned to shrieking. Birds and other small animals ran for safety from the unknown threat.
Shuhei was the first to break from the stupor Kenshin's scream had sent the men into. He reached down and pinned Kenshin's shoulders to the ground. "Be still, Battousai!" he tried to command, but only met with more flailing and screaming. "Someone hold down his legs!"
Hitoshi wanted to obey, tried to bend down to grab hold of his legs, but he couldn't move. He was frozen, staring at Kenshin, mouth open in awe. Keigo took hold of Kenshin's legs, and together they were able to still him so he wouldn't hurt himself. His struggling lasted for nearly an hour.
"Don't die! Don't leave me!" With his final strength, Kenshin yelled comprehensible words. After the yell was released, his thrashing stopped. he lay still, panting; slowly the panic in his eyes turned to acceptance as they closed once more.
Keigo let out a soft sigh and sat back on his heels. "That was strange."
"Get used to it," Shuhei replied with a grunt. "He's sick, he'll probably be doing that all night."
"All night?" Hitoshi responded, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't know; he may sleep all night. I don't think we'll need a guard tonight." Shuhei picked up the slack end of the rope that was still tied around Kenshin's neck. "Still…" He trailed off in thought before tossing the rope to Keigo. "Climb that tree and tie it to a branch. With his hands tied behind his back, he won't be able to climb anything."
Keigo opened his mouth to protest, but shut it again. Hitoshi had done enough for today - he probably didn't have the strength to climb a tree - and Shuhei wouldn't be talked into doing it. With a snort of disgust toward Shuhei, he climbed on up and tied the rope to a high branch, well out of Kenshin's reach.
After eating a quick meal together, the men lay down to sleep. Kenshin for the most part was quiet for the rest of the night; only soft moans broke the night's quiet. Keigo and Shuhei fell asleep, easily ignoring the discomfort coming from the sick man. Hitoshi, on the other hand, lay awake in his bed. He couldn't block out the soft groans.
They went on all night long. Slowly, Hitoshi could feel his body growing heavy with fatigue, but his mind was buzzing with thoughts, keeping him from the sleep he needed. When the night grew silent, he didn't notice the silence right away. Clearing his mind of all thought he realized what was missing. Battousai had stopped all noise.
Hitoshi let out a sigh and closed his eyes. Finally he could sleep. He took a few calming breaths. His head finally cleared and with Battousai quiet, he could rest. Silence pounded in his ears; it was welcoming. His body grew heavier and heavier as sleep slowly started to take him away until… what was that noise?
He listened carefully, straining his ears to hear. There it was again. He couldn't be sure what the noise was, but it was coming from Battousai's direction. His body begged him to stay where he was and sleep, but his mind would not rest until he discovered the source of the noise. Rising to his feet, he decided to take a closer look at Battousai.
What he saw stopped him in his tracks. Battousai was… was… crying. He was crying. No, that couldn't be right. Battousai was a man who couldn't cry; he couldn't care deeply enough for anything or anyone to shed tears, not even for himself. He drew closer, but the nearer he came, the harder it was to explain away the wet, hot tears running down Battousai's face.
Without thinking, he reached down and gave Kenshin's shoulder a shake. "Battousai. Stop, Battousai," he said gently. Kenshin flinched away from the touch and his tears didn't stop. "Battousai, wake up. Batto-" He stopped, thinking of something else. "Kenshin."
His eyes cracked open. Kenshin looked up at Hitoshi, but Hitoshi could clearly see the glaze to them even in the inky darkness. He pushed the sweat soaked bangs away from the man's eyes. "Shishou?" The cracked, soft and broken voice surprised Hitoshi and he nearly jumped back. Instead, he reminded himself that this man was no threat to him and settled down next to him. "Forgive me, Shishou," Kenshin continued, staring at Hitoshi. "You were right. I should have never left."
Hitoshi was astonished as Kenshin's tears started to accelerate as he went on. "I am a baka deshi. Please forgive me. I've taken so many lives, hurt so many people." Hitoshi was silent as Kenshin confessed to who he believed to be Hiko. "I wanted to protect their happiness, but I couldn't even do that for her." He had to stop a moment, his voice breaking off into sobs. "Just like that day, when you saved me. I couldn't save them either…" He trailed off into a soft sob.
Hitoshi was in shock. He was confused by what was being said, but the emotions were clear. He listened quietly as Kenshin continued. "I wanted to protect her happiness, Shishou. I wanted to make Tomoe happy…" Again, he trailed off in a fit of sobs "…but I couldn't even do that. I couldn't even… I… she… Tomoe…" He turned his head to the side and cried.
His mouth wide open, Hitoshi didn't know what to do. Should he comfort him? No, this man killed without mercy. Without mercy? He's crying! Who was this Tomoe? Something terrible must have happened to her. Why won't he stop crying?
For a lack of anything better to do, Hitoshi reached out his hand and gently stroked Kenshin's forehead. In return Kenshin choked back his sobs, tears still flowing, but to Hitoshi's relief he was quiet.
Sitting there like that, Hitoshi finally took a good look at Kenshin, for the first time looking at him and not wishing for his death. He noticed just how young the boy really was. He couldn't be more than sixteen or seventeen. How could someone so young be such a ruthless killer? Hitoshi thought that over as he sat with Kenshin, slowly rubbing his head in a soothing manner. He stayed with the boy until his tears stopped, before returning to his own bed, finally getting in a little sleep before sunrise, finally allowing his tired mind rest.