Divine Commiseration

Chapter 2: Same Starry Sky

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including my favorite (would-be) rurouni, Sou-chan!

Author's Note:
Well, because I scared everyone (including myself) with the last long author notes, I'll keep this one short and snappy (I hope). Anyway, thanks to everyone for all the reviews! I appreciate all of them! You guys rock!
I forgot to mention in the last author note (here goes) that the reason I started writing stories about Misao and Sou-chan (I realize that the suffix that is more commonly used for Soujiro is 'kun', but Kamatari calls him Sou-CHAN, not Sou-kun) is because I just think they're so cute together! Misao's love for Aoshi (Aoshi/Misao fans, sorry) is more of a hero-worship kind. Notice that she always calls Aoshi-SAMA. Sou and Misao, however, is different... And very sweet. Teehee.
Well, I won't keep you! Enjoy!

Soujiro used his god-like speed to race towards the forest–towards Shishio-san's hideout. He knew he was making a mistake, but what did it matter? This was the only way he could obey Shishio-san. Well, at least obey him halfway, since she was already awake.

He could feel her struggling underneath his grasp. It reminded him of the time when he was still just training with Shishio-san.

There had been a field of flowers. Normally, Shishio-san would have avoided places such as this, preferring a darker place where he could plan in peace, but it was for the sake of his Tenken training. Flittering all across the field were dozens of butterflies. White, yellow, speckled, they were everywhere. He was to catch as many as he could without being seen by the trained eye of Shishio-san.

It had seemed pointless, but when he felt himself getting faster with a goal in mind, he just continued. It was then when the largest butterfly he'd ever seen fly by. With powerful wings dusted with black and red, it fluttered around in his view.

When he had caught it without tiring himself at all, he didn't release it like he did with the others. Instead, he felt it move in his hands, crawling, looking for an outlet where it could escape. It was a strange sensation to him, to know that he was in control. He reached inside and grasped it's wings, then brought it to Shishio-san as a trophy.

Shishio-san had taken it gently and smiled slightly, looking at his beaming face, then one by one, pulling out the butterfly's legs, watching them fall the to ground. Then, with one last caress, he took the wings and ripped them apart.

"Soujiro. You must always be in control like this during a match. You must always be the one in the position of power, and have the knowledge that you can kill your opponent with a single swipe." He then let the carcass fall to the ground and wiped his hands on his bandages with the same smile.

He sighed deeply. He had to kill Makimachi Misao. It was his mission. Shishio-san told him to.

Clenching his jaw tightly, he dropped Misao to the ground. Already they were in the forest, far away from any other people. "I'm sure I should kill you, but for some reason I don't really want to."

"Oh great! Yes, so you drag me out to the middle of a forest so you can mock me instead?!" Misao spat.

"I'm sorry, Misao-san, but I'm quite confused at the moment."

"You were right. You do have an empty head!" Misao hissed out the hateful words as she pulled her yukata closer to her slim body, shivering slightly. "Couldn't you have told me to bring a mantle or something beforehand so I wouldn't have to freeze to death?!"

Soujiro would have paced if he thought it would do him good. Why had he brought the weasel girl with him? Why didn't he just kill her like Shishio-san told him to? Because he was afraid? What, exactly? Without another thought, he pulled out his katana, its blade shining in the moonlight.

When in doubt, kill, kill, kill again until you feel better.

"What are y-you doing?" Misao stuttered, fear lighting up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Makimachi-san..."

Misao erupted in fearful rambles, trying to keep her voice free of begs, trying to use empty taunts to shadow the pathetic feeling of terror. "What are you trying to do? Why did you pull out your katana? Because you know you can just kill me, just like that? Am I so weak and you so frightfully strong?"

Soujiro stopped suddenly, having found a rock to rest on as he kept on thinking, "The strong live. The weak die. These are the true words that Shishio-san told me. But is it so wrong to be weak? I killed them, but I didn't want to. Yes, I smile as I kill, but inside, I am crying. I don't know why... Inside I'm crying."

Misao gasped. For a moment, for a single blessed second, she saw the human side of Seta Soujiro, the second in command from Shishio. For a single moment... she saw the hurting boy–still boy–that had her life in his hands.

She cleared her voice slightly. "Soujiro, are you going insane? Just a little bit?"

Soujiro shook his head, shaking out of his little reverie and thinking back onto his mission. "Makimachi-san, I'm sorry. I've been keeping you."

Always polite, even in the moments before killing her... Misao was confused. Yes, she could feel the fear radiating from her mind, the urge to run from her legs, the quickened pace from her heart.

But still... There was something about Seta Soujiro that kept her from screaming. Something strange. He seemed insane, thinking about his mission on killing her. What was happening? Maybe all the pressure... Was killing him from the inside.

Misao knew then that to keep from dying, to keep from getting the dangerously blade stuck in her neck, she had to confuse him further. A few glimmers from a nearby firefly gave her an idea.

She looked up to his empty eyes, and nodded, willing herself not to scream. "Before you complete this mission of yours, can I tell you something?"

He didn't answer, still thinking to himself silently.

"Not a long time ago... Kaoru-chan told me a story. The legend of the wishing fireflies. She said she had never told Himura, but inside she wanted to. She told me that there was a story about fireflies that flew over a calm lake. If a desperate soul prayed at the lake everyday for a year, they would grant a wish. I wish that I had done that, so I can see what you're crying about inside." She paused for dramatic effect. "Is it... You can see the blood of the innocent on your hands?"

"Misao-san, the blood of the weak, of the innocent, so you say, has been spilled for so long, you no longer see anything that was not made without it. The only things that are true in this world are that the strong live, and the weak die. There is no point on wishing on fireflies for something impossible." Soujiro sighed deeply and looked up to the sky. "But... sometimes you think that it could happen."

Suddenly feeling the urge to get up and hug him, Misao turned her head and stared into the starry sky as Soujiro was doing.

"But... At least we know that no matter how strong you are, no matter how weak you are, you all still see the same starry sky..."

Soujiro turned his head and stared at the ninja girl. "Misao-san, is it true that Himura-san has taken to protecting the weak?"

"Yeah... Sometimes it pisses me off because we're late because he's always running to help some kid or something. Even when it means fighting some big ugly brute like Senkaku," Misao said seriously. "It's okay, though, because after he's done his job he looks a lot happier."

Nodding slightly, Soujiro wondered to himself why he had asked that. Why was it that he, the killer with the empty head, was wondering about the man he was supposed to defeat and kill?

Yes, there had always been the looming question in his head about exactly why Himura-san protected those who could not help themselves. Did he not know that what should have been, should have been? If they were weak and could not fight, it was their fault for dying. Why let someone else fight your battles for you, and have you keep living on? Why didn't he just leave them, like he?

Why hadn't Himura-san been there when he was hurt, in so much pain?

Why hadn't Himura-san protect him?

Ending Note:
Sorry about the boring chapter! I had to fill in Sou-chan's thoughts about everything, and wonder why Kenshin wasn't there to help him when he was young and in pain. It helps foreshadow the part when Soujiro goes a bit mad. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks to all of you for your support and reviews! I couldn't do it without you guys!

Responses to Review:

(People that are signed in will be in bold, while anonymous reviewers will be underlined.)

GoldAngel2: I'm very glad you approve of this new story, even though I have about three or four that are waiting to be written in and updated. I was watching the Kyoto episodes when I was inspired to write this, especially after I saw Soujiro fight Kenshin the first time. Misao will hopefully fit in well with the story. I will try very hard to go check out your RK story; I know it can't be bad, after I write some more before the summer ends and I have to enter high school, with its loads of homework. Thanks for all the support!

Mythis: I'm glad you like the start of this, and thank you very much for the compliment about me being creative!

Sorrowful: I'm glad you saw the episode with Soujiro, too! I promise I'll TRY very hard to update on time, and quickly, at that. It will be shorter (I think) than Bullet in the Dark, so it SHOULD be updated faster. Well, let's see, shall we? As for the part about you hunting me down... I have taught you well. grins

MSN-CHAN: Wicked Enough-Dono? Wow, that's something I haven't had yet! Please, just call me Wicked or God or Owner of Rurouni Kenshin or–Oops, am I getting over my head? Sorry, go ahead and just call me Wicked. The reason of my nickname... Well, all shall be clear when you suddenly get the urge to hunt me down with a pitchfork. Your English is extremely good, and I'm very glad you liked the last chapter!

JMeg: I haven't heard of you before, but that's because I don't venture into the RK fanfiction world a lot. Do you write, too? If so, can you give me your story name so I can read it? I love Sou/Misao, too! I will promise a happy ending (so I'll have to change what they did in the real episodes), and hope that you'll like the story as it goes on!

KRN-CHAN: I'm so glad you liked the beginning of this! I believe Sou-chan is about 17 or 18 too, and your reasoning makes me believe it even more! Thanks for the clear up!

BlackHole Army CO: I'm sorry about the confusion, but I really can't seem to remember the episode where Soujiro fights Kenshin. It's actually very ironic because I have all the episodes but (get this) episodes 51-60. Although I have seen them at a friend's house, I still can't remember much. I do know they have a specific episode about his childhood; it's when Kenshin and him fight and he has a series of flashbacks, but, like I said, I can't remember since it's a long time ago. Thank you so much for the well rounded critiques, and I'll try to improve so it's better understandable!

xT-Zealot: I'm glad you approve of the first chapter, and I also believe that Soujiro is 18. I'll go check out your Sou/Misao fics as soon as I post this new chapter up; I know they won't be a disappointment. Thanks for the support!