"In war, you can only be killed once, but in politics, many times."
Winston Churchill
He was good at running away.
He never liked fighting and he didn't have the same spiritual connection or power his brothers had, so he ran away instead.
His eldest brother said that it was his best skill. When he was younger he took it as a compliment. It wasn't until he was older that he realized it was a cruel jab. What his brother meant was that he messed everything else up. That he was no good and frankly useless.
(Genkai told him that wasn't true, and his brother didn't it mean it like that, but he knew it was true. After all, he was useless, and he did mess everything up. He couldn't even see spirits like his brothers could. Like his entire family before him could.)
He wasn't there the day the dojo was attacked.
But, he was supposed to be.
He was supposed to be training with the others.
But, he wasn't.
He survived.
And they didn't.
He didn't think they blamed him for not being there. Genkai-nee had hugged him close with tears running down her face, muttering gratitudes to whoever would listen that he, at least, was alive. Even his brothers, who were not prone to physical affection, clung to him as if to make sure he truly was alive. They probably thought that he couldn't have done anything even if he was there. They were grateful he ran away. They were grateful he, at least, was alive.
That almost made it worse.
(The guilt was overbearing. What if he had been there? Could he have done anything? Would he have even tried? Or would he run away? Like he always did…)
His brothers weren't the same after that. His eldest brother was never nice, but he became more twisted after the attack. And his older brother, who was the kindest man he ever knew, became cold and distant. Genkai-nee was different as well. She didn't smile as often, and her eyes were always sad.
He didn't want to fight.
He never liked fighting.
But, he didn't want to be left behind. He didn't want to be alone in that broken dojo still stained with the blood of his brother's students.
(He sometimes wonders what could have happened if he had stayed behind. Would he have lived a long life? Would he have died young? Would he have met a nice girl and settled down to make a family? Sometimes he wishes he stayed behind.)
He didn't expect the flames, but they cut through his opponents just as easily as his brother's spiritual powers. They curled around him and answered his call readily; almost easily.
(He had never experienced strength before that moment. He had never experienced the rush of joy either when his brothers grinned proudly at him. For once in his life, he felt like he could actually make a difference.)
It was scary. Terrifying.
He thought he would die so many times. He thought he would have to watch his family die so many times.
But, they didn't.
Somehow. Somehow, they won.
They survived, and they were given their choice in wish. He never expected such a wish from his brother. His kind and gentle brother. The middle child. The mediator. The teacher. But, even if he never expected it…
He didn't want to be left behind.
(They were the Toguro brothers. They were supposed to stay together. That's what their mother told them. Before she died, she told them that they needed to stick together and protect one another.)
But, his brother was right. He messed up everything.
"I just don't want to die!"
He was left behind anyway.
But, that was fine. He got used to it.
He was good at running away, after all.
Even from his own sorrow.
So, he grinned and laughed and continued his pathetic existence even as the years passed, and he never aged and never died.
So, this has been done for a while. I just forgot to post it. Oops. Oh well, here you go. I'll try to get out another one today as well. I just need to find my notes...
Anyway, this is just another idea that I had for blending the two animes together. Guess who loves Skull whump? This gal, right here. Though this chapter was less comfort and more hurt...