Chapter Three

"I'm not lost, just my emotions are"

"The Strong Live, and The weak Die"

~Makoto Shishio

Sojiro stood his ground, staring at Cho's hurting deep blue eyes. Tears bayed at her cheeks, her perfect tan skin becoming soaked as she started to speak.

"Hikari momono, she was a very important government figure at the time of the Meji restoration. Sadly, she was assassinated on her 23rd birthday. By you. She was assassinated because of a law she was going to pass, one that would cripple Makoto's planning, if you will. It was a law that would exile all swords man to one island. Not many people liked it but others gladly supported. I think Makoto Shishio was a bit worried. So you killed her under his orders. You never noticed the small geisha behind the rice paper that saw you swiftly murder her. Slicing her throat with that heartless smile. The one you still wear to this very day.

After you had left in such a speed that was un-human I tumbled out and buried her. Everyone thinks she just went missing, or she ran away. The truth is . . . you, Sojiro the Tenken, Sojiro the Heaven's Sword, killed my Hikari-Onee-Chan." Tears streamed down Cho's face as her hands started to shake. Her lips turned to a frown.

Sojiro hid his face from her, his bangs over his wavering eyes. He looked up at her, smile on his face along with frightened blue eyes. His hands grasped together and his body shaking.

"I'm sorry . . ." He said with a somewhat mischievous laugh. Cho raised an eyebrow stepping back from him.

"What kind of monster are you?" She yelled, frightened.

Sojiro's eyes met hers. Cho froze. He wasn't a monster, those crystal blue eyes told her that. Inside him was a frightened child, behind that smile were tears, and behind the blood on his hands were fears. His smile grew wider the more scared or frightened he got. The more confused he got, the more angry he got.

"Sojiro . . ." Cho started, walking toward him with tender intentions.

"Your right, Cho. I'm a monster. I tried to fix it, but I guess my past will always run with me. Don't you think?" He turned from her, still smiling.

"Sojiro . . " She continued, laying her small hand on his shoulder.

"Will you ever forgive me?" He frowned, looking back at her teary face.

"I would love to . . . yet sadly, I-I can never forgive you for what you did." She whispered.

With those words spoken Sojiro felt a shooting pain pules through his back. Searching for what was causing him pain he gasped for breath. His eyes grew large as he spotted Chos arm around his waist, in her hand was a poisoned dagger, drawing blood near his hip. She let her arms wrap around him and embrace him. Her chin rested on his shoulder as he cringed in pain. Letting tears drop onto his shirt she kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"I almost fell in love you with you, Sojiro. But I had to stop myself." She squeezed him tighter as he started to fall to the ground. She stopped his body and sat down on the dirt ground, cradling him to his easily fate.

"I let my guard down . . ." He whispered, sitting in her lap unable to move. She stroked his black hair as he started to mumble. His words mixing up into a blur of sound. His face turned red as his body started to burn up.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" She continued, looking thoughtful at his dieing face. He swallowed and tried to speak yet sound was lacking from his words. His mouth stopped, and fell into a smile.

"A smile is your last defense, Sojiro?" Cho asked fiddling with his thick black hair, "I wouldn't have to do this, but you killed Onee-chan. It's revenge, you should understand that." She smiled for a moment, but it faded to soon, "The least I can do is let you die in my arms, Tenken."

He looked up at her with big eyes and a smile, tears streaming down his cheeks to match Cho's face. She closed her eyes, not looking at him. Shaking her head she laid it on his. Running her hand up on his chest she scooted him closer.

"The poison is a slow working one, its all I had the money for. It was originally for self defense against those debt collectors. It will take awhile for your whole system to shut down. I'm . . so sorry I had to do this." More tears ran down her face and onto his hair, her voice shook and her lips quivered.

Sojiro's mind was fogged as he stared at Cho's teary face. Half of him was mad and surprised at how easily he let his guard down. The other half was happy to be with Cho during the last moments of his life, although he did have a small . . . crush . . .on her, he would never admit it. He was neutral toward Cho now, although he was angry for her actions, he also understood her pain.

His body started to cool down. He could feel his system giving up as the poison pulsed through his skinny body. He started to gasp for breath as his chest tightened up. He managed to grasp onto Cho for life, the knife slipping out of his side.

The day started to take it's course, the afternoon turning into evening. The two's tears started to dry as the poison took more and more effect on Sojiro's body. Cho reluctant to help him, instead just hold him tighter. Leaves danced around them as the day started to close. The heat pounding down on their dry bodies.

Deep inside, Cho was confused. She had to kill the Tenken or Hikari would never rest in peace. Hikari would never sleep in silence until her murder was killed. Cho knew that with all of her mind, yet her heart wanted something else. Sojiro was the only man that had showed her respect as a geisha. The only one that had smiled for her, protected her, cared for her just the least bit. She had fallen in love with him, she had loved him, she wanted to hold him in her arms more then once. Yet if this was all that could be done, if this is the only time she could hold him without any regrets, she would be happy. Although the pain in her heart of killing her first loved one was almost unbearable.

She shifted to look at his face, his eyes slitted open, a relaxed smile on his lips. His face was cold and blue tinted, his eyes dark and almost lifeless.

Cho gulped, not able to hide it anymore and hugged him tighter and started to cry. Her voice growing in volume as she dug her head into his hair, sobbing.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I love you, Sojiro! I really do! I didn't want fate to be this way! I should have let go of the past!" She lifted his head and kissed him, holding on tight to his torso so he wouldn't fall over. Placing her lips by his ear she spoke, "If I could stop it now I would, sitting alone here with you has brought out my true emotions even when I didn't want to acknowledge them myself. I see now what is truly in my heart. I had held onto Hikari-Onee-Chan too long, and it brought my love to his death." She laid his head onto the ground, laying him out slowly. She took off her shall and wrapped it around him.

"Even though this is my doing, I feel like I can't give up without trying! Do you hear me, Tenken? I'll find help! Me and my wish-washy personality! I won't let you die, Dangit! Do you hear me?" She sat over Sojiro, looking into his slitted eyes. Looking up at her, his smile grew wider. Tears fell onto his face from hers. He managed to mouth words that fired up Cho's spirit.

"Go." Was all he could communicate. Cho nodded, standing up she tore her kimono and took off towards HakuChi's house. She was a doctor and the only doctor around.

Running as fast her legs could take her Cho whipped through trees and brush, dodging branches and rocks, tears following her fast run. Soon Hakuchi's house came into view. Yelling, Cho came upon the property.

"Hakuchi-san!" She yelled, trying to reach the gate in time. Sojiro had roughly 30 minutes to live.

"Hakuchi-" Cho was cut off by her body flying forwards, She tripped and stumbled to the ground. She held her stomach which had been struck by a large rock. Tears poured out as she noticed she was unable to move.

"Ha-Hakuchi! Hakuchi . . ." She cried out with a small voice, gagging in pain. Large dark blurry forms started to appear above her as her vision started to fade. She was able to voice out one more cry, "Help . . Sojiro . . The Tenken. . ." And her world faded to black.

* * *

"Sojiro . . . You weakling. Getting stabbed by a mere girl."

"Er . . . What?" Sojiro heard the words being spoken to him, yet his mind was so fogged he couldn't understand them. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head. Sitting up he opened his eyes. Light filled his head as a dizzy feeling overcame his body. He shook it off and was able to take in everything around him.

Before him sat. . .Shishio . . . but only Shishio. Yumi and Hoji were absent of his presence. Sojiro at first, couldn't believe his eyes. Shishio had died, he had burned to death. Sojiro had watched the building collapse from afar. He knew Shishio was dead . . .wasn't he?

Sojiro decided to take another approach to this. Maybe he had died and was now in hell with Shishio. He started to look around, and bluntly discovered this was DEFENTELLY not hell. No, it was a lake shore. The sun was out and the birds were chirping. Sojiro sat under a large shady tree that faced the water. Shishio sat towards the water sitting on the edge of the dock, his feet and ankles submerged by the crystal liquid.

"Mr. Shishio . . ." Sojiro stood and started to walk over to the man. Shishio lifted his head to look at Sojiro. Taking his sandals off, Sojiro let his feet fall into the cold crisp lake, "What is this place?" Sojiro asked.

Shishio looked over and met Sojiro's gaze, "Your dreams, kid." He smirked.

"My . . . Dreams?"

"Don't be ridiculous, your not dead yet." Shishio left Sojiro's gaze and looked back at the cool calm water.

"So . . . Your not real, nor this lake . . .or this place? And what your saying is things I already know but don't pay attention too?" Sojiro smiled.

"You really know how to crush moments, don't you, Sojiro." Shishio glared at the 20 year old. Sojiro laughed rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry about that, Mr. Shishio." Sojiro looked down at the clear water, fish swimming around the two's feet, "Mr. Shishio . . . I'm going to die, arn't I?"

"Only if your little girlfriend can't run." Shishio laughed looking down at some loose bandages around his leg.

"She's not my girlfriend." Sojiro stated bluntly.

"Heh. Okay. Sojiro, you've abandon all I've taught you. Was is easiy?" Shishio shot a cold gaze at the young man. Sojiro flinched.

"No, it was not, and I guess I haven't abandoned all of what you taught me, either." Sojiro looked down at the sword fastened to his hakama. Memories of his many assassination missions and killings running through his foggy head. Taking out the sword from its sheath Sojiro looked it up and down. Blood ran from top to bottom, eternally stained on the sword.

"I have been meaning to tell you . . . I was crying in the rain. I really was. That and . . .I never wanted to kill people. I never wanted to stain this blade I . . ."

"Before you start getting emotional, remember I'm just your consonance." Shishio smiled a mischievous grin. Sojiro lightened up at this statement, laughing.

"I'm sorry, you and the real Mr. Shishio look so alike." He joked.

Shishio looked up at the sky, letting out a deep sigh, "Sojiro. You know that the weak die and the strong live. Yet, you let that weakling of a girl live. You protected her with your sword. That used to confuse you. It's a shame you've softened up."

"No, Mr. Shishio. I haven't softened up. I fought for Cho because she was an innocent girl that had done nothing in this world to be involved with those men."

Shishio chuckled, his red eyes coming over to Sojiro, "your starting to sound like the Battousai. Your not Himura. Your Sojiro Seta. Did you ever consider that the truth I taught you may be the same truth your looking for?" He looked back at the clouds, "Anyways, your time is up here. It looks like that little girlfriend of yours is to late. Looks like your going to really join me." With that Shishio shattered like glass, along with the peaceful scene of the lake.

Sojiro was surrounded by darkness. He could hear his own heart beat, his course breathing and gagging for air. He was dieing, this was the end.

* * *

"What? Huh?" Cho shook her head looking around. Her senses coming to. She finally caught all the faces that surrounded her. It was the debt collectors. And she wasn't near HakuChi's house . . . she was in a small room. Most likely at the men's hide out. She gulped, looking at the evil faces around her.

Cho . . . had been kid napped.

Authors Notes:

Ko-Ni-Chi-WAAA!

Yay! Yay! Another chapter down! **poses dramatically** Dundudndududduuun! Lol.

Okay people heres some songs I listened to when Sojiro was poisoned just to get the feel of the scene: .com/watch?v=F13fv_tDgeY&feature=related

.com/watch?v=vY4gjubrfTo&feature=related

.com/watch?v=KowJb0s1TIE&NR=1&feature=fvwp

.com/watch?v=7oMfo1NiOEc&feature=related

.com/watch?v=JDPXTb_vlDw&NR=1

.com/watch?v=LWMsj3AMG9o&feature=related

Please don't feel obligated to listen to all of them. :3

Okay, so yeah. This was sad. Poor people and all, but you see . . .we still have a book and a 3 quarters to write so . . . and the story IS called "TENKEN: heaven's wonderer." So sojiro CAN'T die right? Right? RIGHT? Lol. You'll just have to wait for the next chapter . .NOW WON'T YOU! MWHAHAHAHA! XD

I'm a horrible person, I know. :3

So, the cool think is in about 4 days I'll be spending a 5 days at a lake. :3 I'll always picture Shishio and Sojiro with their feet in the water talking about life. ^__^ Although, when I'm at lake I'm jumping In, man!!! LOL.

So, we got to peek into Sojiro's dream land and Cho got herself kidnapped. What a lovely chapter! ______

So to tell you the truth, I spent all day on this. Then my dad came in and said I had my nose stuck in my computer to much. XD Gomen, Oto-san!!!

So . . .here is the music list for this chapter:

through writeing the whole thing I rotated my favorite french songs and such.

I listened to some soft piano.

Then turned on more french and what not.

Finishining it off with some stuff from Ogura Yuko!!!

I feel all cute and happy, and japanese now. XXDD lol.

Sooooooo . . . .have this, will you?

わたし　わ　そじろ　くん　が　だいすき　です！！！

あなたわ？

あら、　あら、　おぐら　ゆき　が　かわいい　ですねえ？！

まこと　ししお　わ　こわい　です。

そ課。。。あなた　わ　げんき　ですか？

おろ？

わたし　わ　かわいい！！！！！！

ふふふふふ。

そじろ＝