Chapter 5: Emerald vs. Crimson

Asaki kept herself well hidden in the shadows though he had sensed her presence. He heard her call out into the shadows again, "Come out."

Asaki didn't budge an inch. The man blinked, thinking maybe he had heard something and decided to drop it, walking on. Asaki followed him. Little did she know that she was being led by him. The man stopped and turned around, drawing his blade. "I have led you here so as to avoid causing unnecessary injury to others. So draw your blade and come forth."

Asaki blinked then made her way out of the shadows, the moon catching and reflecting the shimmering emerald fabric.

The man blinked, stopping himself from moving forward having seen the emerald colored fabric. "I-it can't be. Emerald…no…she died all those years ago. She became a murderer and she has slain many people to satisfy her thirst for blood and power. Name yourself!"

Asaki fully withdrew herself from the shadows, looking over at him, her blue eyes looking deeply into his dark colored eyes. "Yes my Crimson, it is me, Emerald."

"I thought you died…all those years ago…" he was in shock and then his eyes narrowed at her. "I heard about all those whose lives you took. I see that you have learned nothing from your sensei or me. In that case, I will carry out the will of your sensei and defeat you for taking so many lives, shedding so much blood and causing others to suffer for your own selfish gain."

Asaki's eyes welled with tears, "No. No Crimson that's not how it was at all. Crimson…I have missed you so much."

He shook his head, "You will not be forgiven for your deeds and I will not fall for your sad act. Draw your blade so that I may defeat you once and for all!"

She shook her head and frowned, "No. I will not draw my blade against you Crimson."

"Let's set one thing straight first. My name is not Crimson, that was my codename. My name is Jin."

She looked into his eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I am Asaki…"

"Fight me if only for your own protection!"

"I can't fight you Jin…I…"

Jin cut her off, running toward her quickly, slicing his blade horizontally across her torso. Asaki jumped back from his attack, barely missing it, keeping her blades sheathed. Jin took a few steps toward her again, this time slicing up vertically along her midline. Asaki again jumped back, barely able to catch her footing.

"Please Jin; stop this I don't want to fight you!"

"It's too late to try to redeem yourself for your cruel deeds Asaki!"

Jin sliced his blade diagonally at Asaki. Asaki was backed into a corner and had nowhere else to go. She unsheathed her blade and met his blade harshly with her own. This time Asaki went on the offensive. She unsheathed her other blade from its sheath, holding the other blade against his. In this way, she could use one blade offensively and the other defensively. She took her other blade, stabbing it forward at Jin. Jin moved his body to the side, the blade moving by him swiftly as she tried attacking him from the side. Jin moved his body back, facing her again. He hit her sword away with his, raising it in the air and brought it down toward Asaki's head. Asaki used one of her blades to block it and, upon seeing the open opportunity, tried stabbing her blade into his torso once again. There was dead silence. Asaki's eyes widened as her eyes filled with tears which then flew in a steady, slightly bloody stream down her pale cheeks. She fell to her knees onto the ground.

"W-why…Tell me why Jin! Why!"

Jin looked up at her from the ground, her sword still impaled into his stomach as he smiled slightly up at her, "I'm sorry Asaki…I just…couldn't attack you. I still care about you Asaki and I…I just couldn't do it…"

Asaki cried, moving over to him quickly, "Jin don't you give up on me now! You could have blocked it…why didn't you block it…"

"I'm sorry…Asaki…"

Asaki watched as his eyes closed. "No Jin! Don't give up! I'll get you help!" She took out her cloth and bound his wound tightly. She went around town and asked for a doctor. Unfortunately for her, she was told that the doctor went to Hiroshima and the nearest doctor was two hours away. She rushed back to Jin, putting her arms around his forearms at a roughly forty-five degree angle, dragging him along. Her body hunched over slightly and she struggled to drag him along.

"D-dammit. If I hadn't attacked you…you wouldn't be in this mess. I'm sorry Jin…I'm sorry…I hope you can find it in your heart somehow to forgive me…"

She continued dragging it on. Her body was tired, aching and weak but she continued on. She feared that if she took a break, it could mean the difference between life and death for Jin. Finally, upon reaching the town, she asked for the doctor. She was pointed in the correct direction and knocked on the door lightly. The door was slid back as the woman blinked, seeing Asaki worn out dragging Jin.

"Oh my. Please come in quickly."

Asaki went inside and set Jin on one of the beds, kneeling at his side.

"What happened to him?"

"He got into a sword battle and he got stabbed. Please help him."

The woman nodded, her assistant walking over to Asaki, "Miss are you alright? You look really worn out."

"I'm fine just help Jin please. I've come here all the way from Kyoto to get help for him."

"You carried him all the way from Kyoto!"

Asaki nodded, "I don't mind. As long as…Jin is…alright…" she fell over on her side from sheer exhaustion.

"Oh my goodness!" the assistant rushed over to Asaki and sat her up, holding her. "She'll be ok, she just needs her rest." She then set Asaki on another bed as they then both turned their attention to Jin.

"He's bleeding badly. Do you think we can save him?"

"She didn't bring him here for us to just give up on him nor did we become doctors to give up on our patients. We will save him. We have to…" she glanced over at Asaki as she rested then turned her attention back to Jin.

The two worked tirelessly for three hours, examining the wound, sewing that which needed to be sewn back together, putting ointment on the outside so that it would heal, then wrapping it all up with bandages. It took awhile for Jin to wake up. He looked around with blurred vision and weary eyes. The assistant put his glasses back on and bowed slightly.

"Welcome back from dream land sir. How are you feeling?"

Jin looked around frantically, searching for Asaki. He saw her lying in a bed next to him and grew worried, "Asaki! Asaki! What's wrong with Asaki?" he sat up, only to fall back down, holding his side and wincing from the pain and looked over at her.

"Relax sir, she'll be fine. She just needs her rest. She carried you all the way from Kyoto you know. You're lucky to have a lady like that."

Jin nodded and smiled, looking at Asaki, "Yes, I know. I can't believe she carried me all this way. She ruined her kimono…"

"You're sitting there with injuries and all you can worry about is her kimono?" the doctor laughed a little, shaking her head, "You must really love her."

Jin looked away, "Something like that…"

The assistant looked around and saw that each of them had two blades, her eyes widening a bit, "Y-you both have…t-twin blades like t-those…killers…from…"

Jin blinked and turned to look at her and smiled with a laugh, "You have it all wrong Miss. You see, we were delivering these weapons. That's when two people stopped us and wanted us to give them these weapons. Without thinking I used one and I got myself hurt but they got caught."

"Oh I see." She smiled at him and sighed in relief. "You know that was very reckless of you. You should have just given them the swords. Swords can always be replaced but lives can't."

"But lives, just like swords, can be saved from certain doom. Don't you agree?"

"Ohh I see you're the knowledgeable and scholarly type aren't you?"

Jin smiled, "Something like that…"

She shook her head, "I see that you're quite mysterious as well. Well next time be more careful. Who knows, your little lady friend here just might save you next time. She seems to be the more courageous of you two."

Jin nodded, "Yes she really is quite courageous and strong-willed."

A few days later, they left the hospital. They left more than enough money for their services and started to walk off together when Jin stopped. Asaki walked ahead a few spaces and then, upon noticing Jin wasn't beside her, stopped and turned around facing him.

"Something wrong Jin?"

He walked over to her and placed his arms around her tightly, "Asaki…I want us to never leave each other's sides again. Please Asaki come with me."

Asaki's eyes widened as he wrapped his arms around him. She then tenderly and lovingly wrapped her arms around him, putting her head on his shoulder. "Jin…its not that I don't want to but…"

Jin pulled back and looked Asaki in the eyes, "Asaki why? Why won't you come with me?"

"I want to Jin but…"

"But what Asaki?"

"I have a dojo in Tokyo and I…I have students. I can't just abandon them like this."

"Asaki…"

"Jin, please…"

Jin sighed, "I have made a promise too. I promised someone that I'd help to find a samurai that smells of sunflowers."

Asaki nodded a bit, "I see. Jin, we both have things to do before we can altogether be happy and with each other."

"I know but…Asaki why don't you come with me? They can find another instructor."

"I can't do that Jin."

"Why not? What makes them so special to you Asaki?"

"Jin…I told them my secret about who I really am and…they kept it. I can't turn my back on them when they kept a secret for me of that magnitude…"

Jin blinked, "Secret about who you really are? Asaki I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"Well Jin…it's about me. I told them that I…"