Mama Himura

Chapter 6

The next morning Tokisha awoke to a strange sound, like someone creeping around in her room. She sat up and looked around, relieved to discover that she was alone. She glanced at her door and saw that the sun was beginning to rise through the small crack in the frame, letting out a yawn and stretching out quickly before she got up and changed into her kimono. As she was brushing her hair she heard the strange noise again and scanned the room with cautious eyes, letting out a small sigh, "I'm hearin' things, that I am."

She turned back around and set down her brush then out of nowhere a strong arm wrapped around her shoulders and she was pulled back into her attacker as he placed a knife to her throat. Tokisha let out a cry of surprise as he whispered harshly into her ear, "Where's Battousai?"

"B… Battousai? He doesn't live here, that he doesn't…"

"You're lying to me! I know he's here, now tell me where he is or I'll kill you!"

"I'm tellin' ya, I don't know where Battousai is, that I don't!"

"Fine then, be that way!"

He threw Tokisha on the ground and she looked up at him with frightened eyes as he put away his knife and drew the sword in his belt, "You're insane, that ya are! Battousai is just a legend!"

"Oh you can't be more wrong, Battousai is all too real and I'm here to kill him for what he did to me!"

"What… what did he do ta ya?"

"None of your business, just…"

The door suddenly flew open and Kenshin entered, his hand tightly grasping his sword as he looked to Tokisha, "Mother, what's wrong!"

Kenshin looked over and saw the man and his eyes narrowed once he saw the drawn sword in his hand, "Who are you and what're you doing here?"

"So you are here after all, Battousai, let's skip the pleasantries and get down to business, shall we?"

The man charged forward at Kenshin but he jumped back into the yard and drew his sword just in time to block the stranger's second attack as he came after him. The others came into the room and Kaoru helped Tokisha up before they all headed out onto the porch to watch the battle. Tokisha looked on with a mixture of amazement and worry as she watched he son fight, her motherly instincts told her to jump out there and help him but the other half of her told her that he didn't need the help. She let out a gasp when Kenshin fell to the ground briefly before jumping back up to slash at the stranger. Tokisha started to run after him but Hiko caught her wrist and held her back, "Let go of me, I need ta help Shinta, that I do!"

"No you don't, just watch."

Tokisha looked back to the fight and saw that the stranger was panting harshly, apparently having difficulty keeping up with Kenshin. Somehow the stranger was able to knock Kenshin's feet out from under him and he fell to the ground. Tokisha jerked away from Hiko and ran between them as the man swung down to kill Kenshin but he stopped in mid-swing when he saw Tokisha, "Move out of the way, woman!"

"I won't! If ya want ta kill my son you'll have ta kill me first, that ya will!"

The man snarled, "I don't really want to kill you, now move Tokisha!"

"Never!"

"Fine then… I'll have to kill you too…"
The man raised his sword to attack but Kenshin was in front of him in a second and knocked him away, his eyes looking to the ground as his voice deepened in controlled anger, "I don't care what you do to me… however you will not hurt my mother."

"It's you I came after any ways, Battousai, but if I have to use her to do it then I will!"

"No you won't… I won't let you…"

The stranger's eyes widened as Kenshin vanished right before his eyes then he felt someone next to him and saw a mop of red hair but didn't have time to do anything as Kenshin's sword met his ribs, knocking him several feet away. Tokisha looked on with fear as the two fought, a sickening feeling coming into her stomach as Kenshin put his sword next to the man's throat in a warning, "I don't know why you came here and I don't really care, just leave and I'll let you live."

Kenshin turned around and started back towards his mother but the man got up and spat out some blood, "Don't walk away from me, boy, we're not finished here! Come back here and fight me like a man!"

"No, you don't have a chance of winning against me, just leave."

"No! I came here to kill you and that's what I'm going to do! You deserve to die for what you did!"

Kenshin turned around and easily blocked the blind swing, pushing the man to the ground before he started walking away again. The man turned his eyes to a stunned Tokisha a few away and smiled evilly, "She's your weakness… and she's what I need to use!"

The stranger charged at Tokisha and stabbed at her but Kenshin stepped between them and took the blow himself, groaning in pain as the sword embedded itself into his abdomen, "SHINTA!" Tokisha yelled in horror.

The man smiled, "I knew you couldn't resist protecting your mother."

Kenshin suddenly chuckled, rather darkly, and looked into the man's eyes, "That's right I couldn't, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to die… especially not by a coward like you!"

Kenshin brought his sheath up and hit the man in the cheek, sending him flying across the yard. The sword went with its owner and Kenshin stared blankly at the ground as blood started to flow more freely from the wound. The stranger shakily stood up and growled angrily, "I'll be back, Battousai… and next time I will make you pay for what you did to me!"
He looked over at Tokisha and snarled at her, "And next time… you won't interfere, Tokisha… I promise you that!"

The stranger left the dojo and Kenshin sunk to ground, holding his stomach as Tokisha ran up beside of him, resting a hand on his shoulder, "Shinta… are ya alright, son! Shinta please speak ta me!"

"I'm fine…" he said coldly.

"Oh Shinta… what is goin' on! Who was that man and why was he tryin' ta kill ya! And… and why was he callin' ya Battousai! Shinta answer me!"

Kenshin shook his head, his long bangs effectively shielding his face from her view. She reached over and grasped his chin, making him look up at her, drawing a startled gasp from her when she met a pair of piercing amber eyes.

Hope you enjoyed it! More coming soon so stay tuned! Hehehe!