Chapter 9

Things Will Be Okay

Shishio stood over the still body of Himura Kenji, triumph shining in his eyes as he flicked his sword to rid it of blood. He regarded the limp figure quietly, thinking on the best way to get rid of the small menace.

"How to do it, this is always the hardest, and yet most fun part…" Shishio mused out-loud, pacing around the crumpled body. "Should I cut off your limbs and watch as you bleed to death? Or should I gut you like a hunted animal?"

Himura Kenji gave no response, he was out. Shishio nudged the boy's body, curious to see if there would be a reaction to his thoughts. There was nothing at all, and he shrugged halfway. "Let's see if I can get you to wake up…"

He pointed the sword at the boy's forearm, putting the tip against his skin. Still there was no reaction, and then the man began to push it down. Kenji's face twitched at the penetration, and then scrunched as the pain grew. Finally glazed blue-violet eyes opened to stare at him.

"Oh, so you are in there." Shishio murmured, withdrawing the sword and leaning against it as he crouched beside the boy. "Now then, what should I do with you?"

Kenji started to struggle into a sitting position, reaching out shaking fingers for the sakabatou's hilt. Shishio watched idly, letting the boy do so. Even if he did get a hold of the sword, there was no doubt in Shishio's mind that the boy wouldn't be able to do anything.

Kenji managed to drag himself to his feet, leaning heavily on the sakabatou. Kenji's eyes were clouded with pain, but he was glaring at the man with a hatred that rivaled Shishio's own of Kenshin. "You….bastard…" Kenji managed to choke out.

Shishio chuckled slightly. "I've been told that many times, boy. Now, what do you plan to do, in your weak state?"
Kenji trembled, his stance faltering for a second, and then strengthening. "I'll beat you… I don't know how… But I will."

Shishio had to restrain the need to snort. "You can hardly stand Himura Kenji, how do you expect to even be a threat to me? You probably couldn't even lift that pathetic sword."

Kenji's eyes flashed, resembling the liquid gold that made Himura Battousai the famed demon of the shadows. "This sword is not pathetic. It is a strong symbol of the man that my father is, one that uses swords to help, not to kill."

Shishio once again restrained a snort, lifting his sword to drape it over his shoulders and rising to a stand. "That sword is weak, as is Himura Kenshin. But I tire of this meaningless conversation. It is your time to die Himura Kenji."

Kenji growled softly, sounding and looking more like the manslayer of the Bakumatsu. "I will not die. Not to a bastard like you."

Shishio raised his sword, getting ready to thrust it directly into Kenji's chest. With a cry of triumph he lunged forward, preparing to deliver the killing blow to the boy. Kenji brought the sakabatou's blade up at the last instant, blocking Shishio's sword away and jumping backwards. Although a little surprised, Shishio allowed none of that to show as he swung around and attacked again.

Kenji blocked him once more, this time adding force behind his defense. Shishio winced as he hit the blade with his own; it was like striking a brick wall. Kenji was remarkably strong for just standing after that first wound, and Shishio was starting to wonder if his thoughts were correct.

Kenji smiled triumphantly in Shishio's face, wrenching the sakabatou's hilt downwards. The blade smoothly moved up and over Shishio's own, fluidly moving to strike towards Shishio's face. With an inhumane snarl the man leapt backwards, barely missing having the strong blunt edge of the sakabatou driven into his nose.

Kenji grinned, his eyes now swirling with gold. The boy was finding that his strength was returning, he was growing more refreshed by the second. There was no more pain, no more weakness. 'For you Dad, I will beat this enemy…'

Shishio's face twisted in a snarl, and he once again charged at the boy. "What is going on here! You should be half dead!"

Kenji met Shishio's strike head on with one of his own, the blades clashing together with a ringing of metal. The sakabatou sang in Kenji's hands, the boy again felt the kindred spirit within the sword. He sprang backwards, and then flung himself into the battle, a Ryu Tsui Sen echoing from his lips as he struck at Shishio.

The other was caught off guard, and the sakabatou slammed into his body with incredible force. Coughing, he found himself on the ground, unable to rise. Pain filled him, and he quickly assessed that his spine had no doubt been broken from the downward force of the boy's attack. The pressure had been too great, and his spine had snapped.

Kenji stood over him, breathing heavily and staring at him with golden eyes, the eyes of Himura the Battousai. "You are cocky, but you won't beat me. I have too much at stake. Now give my father back his life, you bastard."

Shishio sneered. "Why would I do that Himura Kenji? He bargained for your own senses, thereby surrendering his own to me!"

Shishio gulped as he suddenly found the sakabatou's blunt edge pressed against his throat. "Now, Shishio, before I break your neck." Kenji hissed, his amber eyes glowing from just beneath the shade of his crimson bangs.

"You won't kill me." Shishio said confidently. "You can't do that, you're too much your father's son."

Kenji's grin reminded Shishio disturbingly of that of a demon. "Oh really? If that's what you believe, then you are seriously mistaken. Just as I'm sure my father would give anything to keep me safe, I would do the same for him. Even if it means taking a life. Besides, this isn't technically the shedding of blood. The sakabatou's blade will still be unblemished."

Shishio saw the murder in the boy's eyes, and he was afraid. He still, however, refused to take away the future he had given to Kenshin. "I won't do what you want Himura Kenji. The life of Himura Kenshin is mine; he gave it to me when he bargained for your senses."

Kenji rolled his eyes. "So stubborn. Very well then."

The pressure of the sakabatou began to increase marginally, and Shishio found himself choking as his air was cut off. Even though the man was dead, pain and air still applied to his form in this vision. The boy could very well kill him, and he would be sent to the deepest pits of Hell, never to move again.

"Wait Himura Kenji!"

Kenji looked up sharply, the blade of the sakabatou pulling back with him. Shishio gasped for precious air, and he looked over to see a form standing there. He couldn't quite make out the figure…

A stern voice echoed. "You have overstepped your boundaries Makoto Shishio, and it is time that this comes to an end."

A whirling vortex filled Shishio's vision, and he was pulled, screaming, back into the darkest pits of Hell where he belonged.

(Kenji)

I stood quietly, the sakabatou hanging limply from my grasp to trail in the dust on the stones beneath my feet. My breath was still slightly heavy, but my draining rage was making my heart slow, and in turn, my breathing.

I did not know the face in front of me, but I felt somehow that it was important. "Who are you?" I murmured.

She smiled, taking a step closer. "You would not know me, Himura Kenji. My name is Tomoe, but I will let your father tell you more about me when he deems the time right." She shook her head gently. "Kami-sama has been blind to this for too long, and he has decided to set things right. Neither you, nor Himura Kenshin was supposed to experience any of this; Kami-sama wanted Kenshin to live a normal, happy life, with a healthy son that loved him."

She moved forward to stand next to me, running her fingers along my chest and stomach. I stood stock still, allowing her to do so while I watched with calm eyes. Instantly I felt flesh knitting, and my wounds were healed. I felt perfectly well again, and I suddenly understood. "My strength, in the battle. That was you!"

She nodded with a smile. "Hai, it was. I didn't want you to suffer, and I knew that you could fight him off. I just never expected…"

I tilted my head. "What Tomoe-san?"

She smiled. "So like your father, so polite…" She reached up, her fingers ghosting across the corners of my eyes. "You had your father's eyes, for a moment there, burning with the fires within.. I knew then, you would do whatever it took to protect your father, and it was then that I had to make an appearance."

I closed my eyes, bowing my head. "I am certainly glad that you did, for I fear what I might have done."

Tomoe raised my head with gentle fingers beneath my chin, a smile on her pale face. "It is alright now Himura Kenji, things will be okay. Now, it's time for you to go back to your family. You have done well. And, Himura Kenji, I would like you tell your father something for me. Tell him that I love him, and I meant to do what I did. I was given the choice to take it back, but I turned it down, because I knew that it was meant to be. If I hadn't he wouldn't have had you."

The words implanted themselves in my brain, and I knew that I would never forget them, even if I tried. I nodded. "Hai, I will Tomoe-san."

She smiled. "Arigatou. Now then, it's time to return to your body." My vision suddenly exploded into dots, like I was having a dizzy spell of sorts. I fought the blackness, but Tomoe's voice stopped that. "Easy Himura Kenji, this is normal. Time to wake up…. Wake up…"

"Wake up. Kenji, wake up!"

I opened my eyes blearily, blinking in the light. "M-Mom?"

I heard her sigh of relief. "Oh Kami-sama, Kenji, you scared the daylights out of me! I was so worried, for a minute you were wounded, and then you went so still, I didn't know what was going on…"

I cut her off with a smile as I sat up. "Mom, it's okay, I'm fine." I looked around. "Where's Dad?"

At that moment I heard Aunt Meg's voice from just outside, and she sounded worried. "Kaoru!"

My mother was on her feet in an instant, running from the room. I followed her quickly, worry flooding through me. Mom wrenched open the shoji door, and then cried out. "Oh no, not again!"

Aunt Meg was kneeling on the floor next to my father, who was lying limply beside her. She was trying desperately to find out what was wrong with him, but somehow I felt no more fear at this sight. I looked up, past my mother, Aunt Meg, and the figure of my father. There, standing in the hall, was Tomoe. She smiled, her voice a floating whisper in my mind. 'Things will be fine Himura Kenji…'

Dad let out a groan, bringing up a hand to rub at his forehead. Aunt Meg moved away from him, allowing him the room to sit up. I watched as my father stiffened, and I suddenly knew what Tomoe had meant. "Dad?" I whispered.

Mom looked at me funny, she didn't realize. But then Dad looked up, and opened his eyes. They were sparkling with tears, clear as water. "Kenji…" he murmured, putting out a hand to me. "Oh Kami, Kenji…"

I ran to his side, throwing myself into his arms. He held me tightly, and I felt his tears wetting my hair. "Dad, I'm so glad you're okay…"

Mom was crying, I could hear her as Dad took an arm away from me to welcome her into the happy embrace. Things were back to normal, and I knew then, that I owed it all to Tomoe-san, the mysterious woman from Dad's past that smelled of white plums.