MadiSano: Hello, beloved readers...and welcome to the SECOND TO THE LAST CHAPTER OF FALLEN WIND! And what's better is that I updated two chapters! The ending is concluded in the next chapter, so after reading this, make sure to go on ahead to finish, hai? So. Without further ado...
Disclaimer: If I owned Rurouni Kenshin, I would have animated Fallen Wind.
CHAPTER TWELVE, FALLEN WIND: DEATH
Kasumi paced her bedroom, waiting impatiently for Sanosuke and Yami to get back home. Where are they? She wondered, biting her lip. They should have been home hours ago.
Glancing at the clock, she realized that it was well past midnight.
Oh, Sagara is going to get it.
Throwing off the clothes she was wearing, Kasumi slipped into her fighting outfit, and threw her cloak and scarf around her shoulders. Placing both her fighting chains and her normal ones inside her cloak, Kasumi prepared herself to fight. Every second seemed like an hour to her; every second that passed could mean a second closer to death for Sanosuke or Yami. She couldn't know what had happened to them.
Locking up the house, Kasumi set off into the night.
Intent upon finding, saving, and then killing Sanosuke and Yami, Kasumi fumed angrily all the way to the gates of Seiji's mansion. With a mighty leap, Kasumi landed on the wall fencing Seiji's yard.
She was surprised to find not a guard in sight. The place seemed deserted. Better get inside before someone does see me, Kasumi thought, and leapt down from the wall and onto the grass below. She waited for a second to see if an alarm would ring, but none came.
Weird. Kasumi walked casually to the front door, without a disturbance. Where is everybody?
About to open the doors, she was nearly scared out of her socks when it busted open. Leaping into the bushes before the people could see, Kasumi witnessed the guards coming once more out into the yard for their duty.
So, that's where they've been. But what were they doing in there? Did it have something to do with Sagara and Yami? Kasumi watched as the last of the soldiers came outside, and she zoomed through the doors before they could notice her.
Putting a hand over her heart as the doors shut, Kasumi sighed in relief.
"Hey! What're you doin' here?"
Jumping, Kasumi found herself confronted by two guards. Remembering that, because of her cloak and scarf, the men could not tell her gender. Sometimes, it was best that way.
"I have been summoned by Seiji," Kasumi lied, thinking fast and concealing her surprise.
"Oh? We haven't heard about any potential visitors," the guard sneered. "May I ask your name?"
"Well, since you asked so nicely, sure," Kasumi smirked behind her scarf. In a millisecond, she flung her chains out and knocked both sentries unconscious. As they fell to the floor, she said, "My name's Kasumi. Sorry about your headache when you wake up."
Hiding the men, Kasumi continued up the stairs, as quietly as a cat on the prowl. She dodged the patrolling guards, trying to figure out what room Sanosuke or Yami were in.
Right when Kasumi began to get discouraged, she heard a very scary, enraged, but familiar voice.
"I WILL KILL YOU! LET ME OUT OF HERE OR I'LL KILL YOU ALL! I'LL KILL YOU, SEIJI!"
Kasumi's eyes widened, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. Was…was that Sanosuke?
Afraid, she crept to the source of the voice, finding a door that was heavily guarded. Five men stood outside a barred door, covering their ears as Zanza raged on.
"I'LL SHOW YOU WHY I WEAR THE SIGN OF BAD! I'LL AVENGE THE NAME OF SEKIHOU AND YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID! YOU'RE A LYING, BACKSTABBING BASTARD, AND I HATE YOU!"
Kasumi cringed at the wonton use of language and the evil threats issuing from behind the door. Loud crashes and bangs were heard from inside—apparently, Zanza was doing his best to trash the place.
Positioning herself in the shadows, Kasumi threw her chains and knocked out two of the five men, charging at them and kicking another down before the last one could yell for help. Giving the remaining soldier an uppercut on the chin, she defeated the last of the guards.
Now I have to get Sagara and Yami out before someone comes up here! Kasumi turned, unlocking the door and bursting inside.
She cried out as Sanosuke tackled her to the floor, grabbing her collar, about to punch her in the face. He paused in mid-blow when he recognized Kasumi. Her scarf had been thrown off from the momentum of the attack, and her blue eyes were pinched shut in fear. She was cringing, waiting for Zanza's knuckles to connect with her face.
Sanosuke stared at her. Kasumi had tears forming beneath her eyelashes, and they came into full view when she dared to open her eyes. They made eye contact, each of them looking shocked.
Zanza was the first to speak. He did not let her up; instead, he kept her restrained. "What're you doin' here, Kasumi? I told you to stay home," he growled, looking irate.
"S-Sano…" Kasumi gasped, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Sano…I thought you'd be home by midnight, and…I came looking…I was afraid you were hurt…Yami-san, too…if I hadn't come, I don't know what—"
"I told you to stay home," Zanza snapped, narrowing his eyes dangerously. "I promised you I'd come back! Isn't that enough? Don't you trust me!"
"Y-Yes…" Kasumi sobbed, wincing at his angry words and fuming glare. "But I know you're human, Sano…and I was afraid you and Yami-san would get hurt…I couldn't let anything happen to you…"
She then noticed the dried blood on Zanza's face and hair, gasping. "Sagara! What happened to your head! You're hurt—where's Yami-san? What happened to him? Is he alive?"
Zanza stood up, ignoring her question and pulling her to her feet. Grabbing her jaw gently, Zanza said firmly into her ear, "I want you to go home, and wait for us there. Do not come back. Now, leave."
Turning her around, he handed Kasumi her scarf, and gave her a little nudge to signify that Kasumi should get going. Zanza then began walking down the hallway in the opposite direction, searching for Yami's room. Precious little time was left for them to finish what they came here for, and Zanza was determined to use it and succeed.
Suddenly, someone grabbed Zanza from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight hug. He turned his head to find Kasumi clinging desperately to him.
"Sano, I can't…leave you…I promised myself I'd protect you! How can you just tell me to go home?" Kasumi ignored his scent of blood and buried her face into his back. "It's not fair that Yami-san can protect you and I can't. Why is he so special, and not I?"
Sanosuke turned around to face Kasumi, who released him and kept her eyes fixed on the floor. Surprising her, Sano gave her a return hug and said softly, "It's because you're special to me, Jou-Chan, that I forbid ya from fightin'. Ya know what I'd do if I didn't have you? Ask me what I would do."
Kasumi dared to look up at him. "What would you do?"
Pressing his forehead to hers, Sanosuke sighed, smiling, "I have no idea."
Smiling and crying now, Kasumi hugged Sanosuke back. Daring to kiss her on the brow, Sanosuke smiled sadly and said, "I wouldn't be able to take if somethin' happened to ya. I'd be the most confused, angry man on earth, Jou-Chan. And that wouldn't be too cool."
"No…" Kasumi sighed. "I guess not." She looked at him, swallowing. "But Sano…if something were to happen to you…do you know what I would do?"
Sanosuke blinked. "What would you do?"
Kasumi whispered, "I'd miss the times when I could do this." Grabbing the front of his jacket, she pulled him into a kiss that made his toes curl.
Blushing severely when she let him go, Sanosuke kept his eyes to the floor, attempting to his red face. "I g-guess there's no stopping ya, then…but you better not get hurt, ya hear me?" His blush disappeared as Sanosuke gave Kasumi a stern look.
"Of course," Kasumi smirked, pleased of how she had embarrassed him. "Now, let's go find Yami-san!"
"Yeah," Sanosuke said, his eyes darkening again. "Then Seiji."
Casting him a worried look, Kasumi curled her hand around his fist, loosening it so she could hold it. Zanza smiled slightly, and began walking quietly down the hall, Kasumi still clutching his hand.
They scoured the hallway, listening through doors to see if they could hear anything about Yami—or better yet, actually find him. There was nothing on the floor Zanza had been on, so they quickly snuck downstairs before Kasumi or Zanza could encounter any guards.
Finding nothing on that floor as well, Zanza discerned that there was only one more floor to check. Going down the stairs, with Kasumi tailing him, Zanza knocked out a passing guard before he could yell. Opening up the nearest door, Zanza went to chuck the unconscious sentry inside. He froze.
It seemed to be an armory. Swords, bokken, armor, spears, shields…it was all here. Zanza spotted Yami's katana in the corner. Swallowing loudly, Zanza acknowledged the weapon in the very center of the room, sitting on three tables put together.
"Sano…" Kasumi gasped, coming to his side.
"Get Yami's sword," Zanza ordered, and Kasumi reluctantly slid past him to seize the weapon.
As she did so, Zanza dropped the comatose man, and strode over to the edge of the table, never taking his eyes off the huge weapon. Grabbing the handle and lifting it with ease that no other man could surpass, Zanza held the weapon horizontal to the floor.
"Zanbatou." Smirking and glancing over to Kasumi, he growled, "Time to wreak some havoc."
Kasumi burst into a grin, despite the feral look on Zanza's face. "You know it!" she agreed, racing to the door. Zanza silently followed her, carefully maneuvering his Zanbatou.
"Let's go," he muttered, going down the hallway. Kasumi followed him to the end of the staircase, where they were met by five of Seiji's guards. One yelled at the top of his voice, and a second later, three of the guards were bowled over by one swipe of Zanza's massive sword. Shouting out a battle cry, Kasumi wrapped her chains around one man's head and smashed it into the other's forehead.
The two of them were horrified to hear footsteps hammering their way down the stairs behind them.
After swearing, Zanza snarled, "Look for Yami! I'll handle the guards!"
Nodding, Kasumi put away her chains and dashed down the hall, yelling, "Yami-san! Yami-san! Yell if you can hear me! Yami-san!"
Whirling around, Zanza pulverized the guards as they came out of the stairway, hacking and crushing away with every blow. The entrance was too small for more than three men to come in at a time. Also, Zanza's Zanbatou was long enough to protect him, before the soldiers could get near enough to attack.
"This is for me!" Zanza snarled with each hit. "That's for Yami! This is for Kasumi! That's for the Sekihou Army! This is for Captain Sagara!" He blasted the last man so high he hit the ceiling.
"And this," he snarled, sending two men flying, "Is because I'm in a damned well enough mood to."
Meanwhile, Kasumi had some luck. As she passed a door, yelling, she heard amid the noise a faint cry from behind the door. Busting it open, she found Yami lying on a bed, injured and tired-looking. Blood stained his sheets, and his usually beautiful blonde locks were weighed down with blood. The rise and fall of his chest seemed labored.
"Yami-san!" Kasumi cried in horror, running to his side. "Oh my gosh, are you—what happened to you!"
"Knocked unconscious by a teapot," Yami muttered, disgusted with himself. "The greatest dishonor I have ever owned as a swordsman…I cannot lose to man, but surely to a teapot!"
Kasumi laughed slightly, though worry was still evident on her face. "Yami-san…can you walk?"
Yami smiled tiredly, stirring. "I suppose." Looking at her hands, he continued. "I notice you have my sword."
"Oh yes!" Kasumi cried. "I do. But you have to get up! Sagara has his Zanbatou back, and he's fighting off the guards right now. We have to get out of here!"
"Not until Seiji is killed," Yami mumbled, attempting to sit up. Kasumi helped the hurt samurai to his feet, where Yami took his sword from Kasumi. Nodding to her, he said, "Holding the weapon I have had for so long gives me strength. You must run home now, Sano-kun and I will finish what we came here for."
Kasumi narrowed her eyes. "I am not leaving."
Yami chuckled, smiling at her with an actual bright glint in his eyes. "Of course. Your love for Sano-kun cannot be denied."
"What!" Kasumi yowled, blushing. "What do you mean by that! I'm not in love with him! How would you know! He—"
"His scent is all over your face," Yami informed her.
Kasumi looked at him. "His scent? You mean to tell me you can not only sense chi, but differentiate people's smells?"
"Why, yes." Yami said, smiling. "You smell like sakura, and Sano-kun smells like sake and the wind." Yami gave her a dry look as they ran to the door. "At least, I should think it is Sano-kun's scent on your face and clothes, otherwise you've been drinking."
"Of course I haven't been drinking!" Kasumi snarled, but then blushed when she realized that she had admitted to Sanosuke kissing and hugging her.
Yami smiled as they came into the hallway. "No use in hiding things from me, Kasumi-san." His expression changed completely when he saw the piles of unconscious or injured bodies littered on the floor. "Oh my…"
Zanza was tired, his breathing ragged, but his movements were still swift. Cleaving through the still thick mass of soldiers, he shouted in the name of the Sekihou Army, motivated by his anger and the return of his weapon.
"We have to stop him!" Kasumi cried to Yami, spotting several bleeding slashes on Zanza's body. "He'll overexert himself and die!"
"Sano-kun!" Yami yelled, drawing his sword and leaping to the fray. Zanza didn't even notice the dark samurai slashing his way towards him, for the Fight Merchant was blinded by rage.
After a moment, Zanza's black eyes flicked over to Yami. "Yami!" he snarled, swinging his Zanbatou. "Get Kasumi out of here while ya can! I'm going to—"
The sound of a bullet exploding from a gun tore through the air. All seemed to go still as the bullet flew through the hall, piercing Yami's left shoulder blade and burrowing deep inside his heart. A spatter of blood dyed the air and a soft gasp echoed from Yami's lips, as he fell slowly to his knees.
"YAMI!" Zanza roared. Kasumi screamed in horror.
Unconsciously dropping his Zanbatou, Sanosuke fell to his knees at Yami's side, catching him before the samurai hit the floor. The guards moved in, pointing their weapons at Zanza, ready to kill if need be. Sanosuke ignored them, too horrified with his friend's fatality.
Kasumi tore through the crowd, joining Zanza. Bursting into tears, she began sobbing Yami's name.
"Y-Yami…" Sanosuke stammered, tears gathering in his softened brown eyes.
Yami gave them one last sad smile. "Yes…Sano-kun?" he breathed.
"Y-you're not gonna die." Sanosuke stammered, ignoring the blades pressed to his neck. "You're not gonna die on us…! I need ya…we need you…"
Sighing, Yami looked at him, coughing up blood. His eyes began to cloud as he used his last strength to place the hilt of his sword over his heart. "Gomen nasai, Sano-kun…honor to Souzou-sama."
He died.
Zanza stared blankly at his dead friend, unaware of the javelins and swords pressed to his skin. His muscles tensed, then relaxed, tensed again, as his eyes darkened into a deep black. "M…n…ng…" he began to shake, silent as the grave, until a feral scream, full of rage, broke from his lips.
"NGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
The men flinched, terrified at the horrible sound, and Kasumi whimpered, afraid of what was going to happened next.
Without hesitating, Zanza stood up, causing lines of blood to appear on his freshly cut skin, punching and kicking anyone who was in his way. When he reached the hilt of his Zanbatou, Zanza began swinging madly, striking and killing all in his path.
Kasumi clutched at Yami's dead body, sobbing in his shoulder. She was so afraid and lost now—how many more of her loved ones had to die? All I have now is Sagara…I can't let him die, too! With that thought, she stood and unleashed her sharpened chains, slicing through the crowd at a wild speed.
Dad…Mom…Sister…the people's images flashed through her mind. My uncle Tomo…cousin Akira…Aunt Kohana…Yami…but not Sanosuke! Not the one I care for most!
Swinging her chains, Kasumi unknowingly knocked over an oil lamp from the wall. It fell and shattered, the oil leaking across the floor. The fire leapt, catching fire the dead bodies and carpet. Soon, half the hallway was ablaze. The fire caught on the other lamps, giving the inferno fuel.
Kasumi screamed in terror, trapped in a corner, fighting four men while fire danced at her feet and ignited her clothes. Her scream was the only thing that broke through Zanza's blind rage, and he immediately whirled around and killed the four attackers. Kasumi's eyes widened as she witnessed Zanza kill more, moving towards her.
Slumping to the ground, she cried out, tears forming in her eyes. The fire about her scorched her skin; the smoke burned her lungs, and the fatal screams echoed throughout her mind. Images of the fire that had killed her family and friends flashed anew in her sight, joined by Yami's dead appearance, and Zanza's wild wrath.
"KASUMI!" came a familiar shout. The girl opened her eyes to find Zanza running towards her, his Zanbatou over his shoulder. Scooping up her burnt body with one arm, he raced up the stairs, bleeding profusely.
"Don't die," Sanosuke sobbed as he made his way to the ground floor. The fire was spearing rapidly—half the building was consumed in flames, fueled by the many oil lamps on the walls. "Oh Kami-sama…just don't die, Kasumi!"
"Sano…" she sighed, lying limply against his shoulder, "Don't die…"
Sanosuke swallowed, choking on the smoke, and entering the entrance hall. This, too, was on fire. Debris began falling from the ceiling. Running across the room with as much speed as he could muster, Sanosuke was appalled to see Seiji hurtling down the stairs. The man's face was bandaged, but one eye was left for him to see out of. It was lit up in rage and fear as Seiji spotted Sanosuke and Kasumi.
I can't deal with him right now! I've got to get Kasumi out! I can't breathe! About to turn away, Sanosuke froze as he heard a scream. Sano watched with disgusted horror as a large piece of the ceiling broke from above, plummeting downwards, and crushing Seiji to death.
Staring in revulsion and shock, Sanosuke was woken up from his trance when Kasumi let out a soft murmur. It was as soft as a rabbit's footstep, but he heard it. "Don't die, Sano…"
Turning as swiftly as he could, Sanosuke ran to the door. "I won't die, Kasumi! Just…don't you die…"
"You must promise me you will not die," Kasumi hissed, clutching at his jacket with a wild look in her eyes.
Tears forming in his eyes again, Sanosuke said, "Yes! Kasumi, I promise that I won't die!"
"Good," Kasumi sighed, relaxing again. "Then, I should tell you…"
Blasting open the front door, Sanosuke ran from the blazing building, just in time to see several fire-relief wagons pull up. The men scuttled past Sanosuke and Kasumi to put out the fire, spraying the house with buckets of water. They made little progress, but the hissing flame retreated slightly.
Lying Kasumi down on the grass, Zanza threw his Zanbatou aside and knelt down next to her. "Jou-Chan, can you hear me?" he cried, grasping her shoulders.
"Yes, Sano…" she sighed, her breathing withering. "I will always hear you…"
"Yami died on us, and you're not gonna die on me! I promised you I wouldn't die here, and I don't want you to die, either!" Sanosuke sobbed, holding Kasumi tight in a hug. "You gotta hang in there!"
Kasumi shakily put her arms around Sanosuke's neck. "I should tell you…" she repeated, coughing slightly. "What I should have told you long ago…"
"H-Huh?" Sanosuke sniffled, looking at Kasumi with tear-bitten eyes.
"I love you, Sanosuke…" Kasumi whispered. "I haven't known you…for more than a month, but I love you…from the bottom of my heart. I'm sorry…I'm saying this now, but I can't go without saying it…"
"Go? Go where?" Sanosuke said frantically, pulling back and looking into Kasumi's eyes. "You can't die! Jou-Chan, how can you die on me! How can you die, when I love you, too?"
Kasumi looked at him with wet eyes. "I know, and I'm sorry…I've always been so mean to you…and now…I'm sorry…just…don't break your promises…"
"Promises?" Sanosuke whispered, holding Kasumi close.
"That you will…not die by your own hand or anyone unworthy of taking your life…and you will come home…to me one day…safe and sound…and twice as stupid…" Kasumi laughed slightly, but then coughed up blood after doing so.
"Jou-Chan," Sanosuke whimpered, hearing his words redirected to him.
Kissing him softly on the upper lip, Kasumi breathed, "Aishiteru…"
She fell silent, her body went limp. Sanosuke's mind froze…it seemed like days before his thought process restarted, and he swallowed…breathing irregularly. His body was cold and wet with sweat, his cheeks flooded by tears, and his mind in a confused jumble of mixed emotions. Sorrow, hatred, anger, love, bloodlust, and uncertainty roared through his mind…what would Zanza the Fight Merchant do now?
A soft cry escaped Zanza's lips, which morphed into an even more horrible, angry, sorrowful shout.
"K-KAASUUUUMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"
Dictionary:
Gomen nasai: "I apologize"
Aishiteru: "I love you"
MadiSano: HALT IN THE NAME OF SANOSUKE SAGARA! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THROWIN' A TISSY FIT AND RUNNING AWAY NOW--there's one more chapter to be read before Fallen Wind is officially finished. Go check it out, otherwise...well...you'll be left with a worse ending than what you'd like.