Hi! Okay, so this one-shot is seriously the entire reason this idea was born. I'm serious. I'm basically shoving almost the entirety of the Kyoto arch into this and it'll be told in several different point of views (Kenshin, Saito, Hiko, and Sanosuke). Now, a list of things that annoyed me with this arch:
- He learns the final technique and it fails like three times in a row. C'mon, guys.
- Soujiro can imitate the Battoujutsu, and is faster after it's already been established by the manga's own mythology that Kenshin has the fastest possible technique (and this possibly pissed me off than the all the other things combined for no reason I can figure out).
- Saito "dies" at the end but doesn't actually do so.
- Whether or not it's been ten years and he made that vow not to kill, there's still way too much of a discontinuity between the skill Kenshin's supposed to have vs what he actually shows during the arch. This annoyed me when I was a kid and it first aired on Toonami.
I know most of you are going to disagree with all of that, so please don't flame me. Just ignore it and read the chapter. You liked the other ones. I'm also kind of glad I didn't write this immediately because now there's an added tension of that awkward non-canon pairing, which I seriously grown to love (but Tomoe/Kenshin is still forever my favorite. I think next one will be them).
Warning: mentions of suicidal thoughts. Also, changes in the Aoshi (which is only mentioned), Soujiro, and Shishio fights (though not much to the last one, it's mostly dialogue).
Note: I wrote this entire thing without the manga in front of me until the very end and except for like two parts, I was way too lazy to go back and actually fix anything. Cut me some slack, I just finished finals.
Disclaimer: don't own anything you recognize.
.
"At the End of Things"
Sanosuke's seen Kenshin fight enough time that he recognizes how he acts when his eyes change and this definitely isn't normal.
There's too much anger there, he thinks as he restrains a screaming Kaoru who understands what's going on even less than he does. He's seen his friend pissed off before, but this is different. This is vindictive and he knows what that feels like. And that Saito guy, who was so level headed when they fought, seems completely lost too. Unlike Kenshin, he isn't particularly in-tuned into ki or whatever he calls it, but he's enough of a fighter to know that something is wrong. Seriously, seriously wrong.
Then it ends. A man comes in and calls the stop and Sanosuke hated the Ishin-Shishi, but fuck if he's not totally relieved. That is, until he realizes Kenshin's eyes are still that weird gold color and his hand is holding the hilt of the katana so tightly he's starting to bleed. The man doesn't seem to notice, though, and he goes to intervene but someone else gets there first.
Saito's katana is sheathed, his jacket back on, and his hand slips on the shorter man's shoulder. "Calm down, Kenshin," he says. Given name, no honorific. Shockingly, Kenshin really does calm down, eyes going back to purple, and goes back to his normal self.
And this unsettles Sanosuke more than he'd like to admit.
.
It isn't until they find each other in Shishio's village that Hajime decides he hates Himura's new kindhearted incarnation. And not for the reason he expected.
Now he reminds him too much of Kenshin and too little of Battousai, which makes it a lot harder to remember why he hated the boy - man - in the first place. He's twenty-three and still looks sixteen with the same smile he had at fourteen, but with the cross-shaped scar on his cheek. The two images clash with each other badly. And hell if he doesn't absolutely despise it.
And, yes, it needs to be it. Not him, because that's not it at all. It's a version because that's exactly what Himura has. A version that's still insane but in a different way. A version that he's still pretty sure is trying to die even if he doesn't realize it himself and Hajime doesn't know how to act in the face of it. So he throws out the name of his wife, feeling a stab of guilt for using her but compulsively needing to find out his reaction.
"You're married?" he and the girl say. Himura's purple eyes are wide and childishly innocent and it isn't the desired effect at all. There's half a second of hurt but it fades quickly and no sign of jealousy. They're over and done with and he doesn't want to open that door again but it's still a little insulting. Then, alone, he asks, "Wait - when did that happen?"
"Four years ago," he answers casually. "What, are you surprised?" Ah, there is goes. That slight hint of defensiveness and that's enough for him. "Stop looking at me like that, Himura. We're needed."
"Will you be all right, Saito-san?"
He bristles at the question, offended for no reason in particular. "Don't worry about me," he tells him. "You go straight to Kyoto, and become the hitokiri again. I realized during the fight; facing Shishio as a rurouni is foolish. You couldn't even beat his adviser without killing him. It's good that your sakabatou is broken. You can finally decide. I'll be expecting your old self."
Instinctively, he pats the smaller man's shoulder as he passes him and feels him stiffen. Of course, he's such an idiot; their last "personal" meeting hadn't ended on the friendliest of notes. He almost apologizes, but stops himself.
Himura doesn't deserve that, after all.
.
In the ten year period that he hasn't seen his apprentice, Kenshin's been changed drastically.
He's sadder, for one, and that's saying something. It's practically a reversion. He's lost that edge of purity too and that's not surprising. But his conviction is still there and his stubbornness and for Hiko, at least that's something.
Then, as he goes to teach the final technique, he discovers a difference so powerful it almost physically hurts. "Discover what you're lacking," he says, sheathing his katana. Those purple eyes widen. "Do that, and I'll show you."
Kenshin's always had the potential to be great, but final technique or not, Hiko realizes that he never can be and that's why he doesn't jump into it. His conviction is still there but it's all backwards and wrong. He's too willing to throw his life away or get hurt. This makes him reckless and he needs control in order to be a master of his school. Wanting to die, whether he realizes it or not, is dramatically out of control. Even though he obviously doesn't plan on continuing the line because he's an idiot, he has a lot going for him. People who like him, a foolish ideal he's making a reality, a one-on-one war he needs to finish. With everything like that, he doesn't need to die.
And at this rate, he will.
Then, surprisingly, the boy figures it out. It takes all night, which leaves him exhausted and not at all in the proper place to learn the final technique, but it doesn't matter. This is more important and as long as it doesn't kill his apprentice's superior speed, the sleeplessness shouldn't effect it too much.
In the end, he pulls the technique on his first try. Hiko isn't particularly shocked or awed by this. Since Kenshin was nine-years-old, he's known he was a prodigy. So no, he's willing to die a content and proud master to someone who can change the world.
Except, well, he doesn't die and even though he shouldn't be, he's grateful. Grateful because it turns out his apprentice really hasn't changed that much after all.
.
Kenshin's getting twitchy as he watches Sanosuke fight, instincts screaming at him to intervene but mind reminding him that if he does, he'll screw up everything. He's acutely aware of the Yumi woman and Saito standing on either side of him and he hasn't felt this high-energy for a while. He's pissed off and antsy and just wants to get this over and done with so he can return home (which isn't a word that has belonged to his vocabulary for years). But right now, most of all, he needs to see his friend make it out alive.
Then, suddenly, the fight is put on hold which gives his friend just enough time to recover. There's some sob-story getting told that normally he'd feel sympathetic before but he's in a losing battle with his own mind at the moment, thoughts clashing between worrying for his friend and fighting back memories threatening to resurface. He hasn't been this bad in literal years and that epiphany on the mountain apparently hasn't changed much. He really is about half a second a way from physically intervening the moment the fight starts up again and he can tell that Saito's ready to stop him, which is probably a good thing.
Five years since the Bakumatsu and still the one who understands him the most wants him dead.
In the end, Sanosuke wins and Kenshin's struggling to keep his shaking from being obvious. The Yumi women isn't pleased, but leads them off anyway. His friend's hand is cracked yet somehow he seems better off, which makes no sense.
When they reach the next room they run and he hopes that Saito won't die either.
.
By the time the three of them reach Soujiro's room, Kenshin's supporting a busted knee, damaged shoulder, and his left side is all banged up from having a bookshelf fall on him. This is what he gets for not drawing his sword. All in all, not the ideal condition to enter a fight with an uninjured kid with no definable ki signature. But he has to try because he needs to beat Shishio and go back to Tokyo and maybe even get Saito out of here too (because he owns him that much, at least).
The kid's fast, but not his type of fast and normally this wouldn't be much of a problem except that his knee is inhibiting his ability to move at his normal speed. He gets hit one, twice; strikes back, connects, not a solid enough attack to immobilize him. Despite trying to keep a level head, he's getting frustrated - with himself, with this kid, with this fight, with this whole mess that he might not survive. He's barely keeping up rather than the other way around and it's reminding him too much of the Forest of Barriers and (the way the cold rips straight through him, his intuition stripped away) even though Kyoto's mostly out of danger, he still feels like this is a waste of time.
Then, he feels it, that subtle shift in ki. It catches him by surprise and that moment of shock gives Soujiro the opening to land a nearly killing blow of him, sending him flying backwards. He skids on the floor, but is still fast enough to react before he can get hit again, rolling out of the way of the next attack and parrying as he stands. His knee wobbles and he's pretty sure that old lung wound is starting to get irritated again from the cracked ribs. Today really isn't his day.
Without thinking it through as much as he should have, he flies into the final technique, not even his battered body slowing him down enough for the boy to react. Soujiro's sword snaps, his back hits the ground, and he's a mess of bleeding injuries. His arm is broken and his ankle cracked. He can walk, he can move, but he won't be fighting for a while. Kenshin just showed off his final technique and he's too exhausted to care. To make it worse, Soujiro's ki is going crazy with years of pent-up emotion finally coming to the surface and before he can stop himself, he lets out a frustrated, "What's wrong with you?"
Yumi stares over in shock as the boy explains a shorted version of his childhood story and Kenshin listens half out of feelings of obligation, half out of an excuse to use this time to recover. When Soujiro finishes, it's much more his old self than his current one that answers in a voice laced with annoyance.
"And my parents sold me to slavery when I was eight," he says for the first time since he was fourteen. "We've all got our damages."
The look his adversary gives him is one of awe and, oddly enough, relief. And he understands, because he knows what that break from apathy feels like. Sano comes over, grabs him gently by his uninjured arm, and pulls his battered body in the direction Yumi pointed out.
Breathing hurts.
.
The word Katsura used for him was traumatized, and Kenshin isn't sure what scares him more: the fire, or the biting of his neck.
He's on his knees, clutching his neck, and barely has the concentration to listen to Shishio's insane rambling. Why he doesn't kill him when he's down is something of a mystery and he has no idea what he's doing to Kenshin's head. Fear sets up a defense mechanism a thousand times more dangerous than anything his level-headed self ever could be.
As he stands, he says, "The people you call food are those who survived the bloodshed and now live in a world of peace. They shouldn't have to sacrifice that to anyone or anything. If you want to plunge them back into that violence for whatever reason, I will not accept that." He's back on his feet now, clutching his katana and there's blood dripping from his neck (like teeth nipping harshly at young skin and body peppered with teeth marks and bruises). He's been through a lot in his life and he doesn't need to be reminded of any of it during the middle of a fight - any of it. The burn across his chest has turned into a dull ache and his mind is blocking out the worst of the pain.
"I spoke not of reason, but of divine will."
Tenchuu. God complexes have always bothered him. After all he's seen, there are no gods. "I can't accept that!" he says, not understand why he's bothering to talk at all.
The flames begin the swirl.
(shouji catching fire, rice paper crackling in the heat, bodies covering the wooden floors)
"You will leave behind your name in the new history I create!"
He blocks the burning sword with the backside of his wrist and holds back the memories threatening to flood his mind. Right now he has one foot firmly set in reality, and he doesn't know how long that's going to last. He doesn't answer about how he doesn't want to leave his name anywhere in history. He goes to attack, but their close proximity and his own injuries are inhibiting him and next thing he knows, he's caught in a whirlwind of fire and smoke and cuts before he ends up gripped by his shirt. Shishio's gloves smell like -
"Kenshin!"
.
It takes Hajime half a second after his failed attack to see what happened and, if possible, he's pissed off even more.
Himura's not dead because he simply can't be, but there's a bad bite mark on his neck and burns on his arms. Shishio's attacks rely on fire and it's the Shinsengumi's fault the boy's afraid of flames in the first place. There are certain things in life that people don't just get over and he's pretty sure this maniac just tapped into all of Kenshin's little weaknesses except one. So he does the sensible thing and tries to attack again even though he knows it will fail.
And, really, it's no surprise when his body ends up next the small redhead and all he think is how he never had a chance to tell Tokio goodbye.
.
Even though he knows it's stupid, Sano runs straight into an attack.
He's not even one fourth of what Saito is, hits nowhere near Kenshin, and the bones in his hand are definitely cracked, but he needs to do something. He's not going to pretend he knows what goes on inside his friend's head, but there's been something messed up for the past month. So even though he can't do anything, he has to try anyway.
So he does.
.
Kenshin is standing. He doesn't really remember getting to his feet, but he is and for some reason everyone looks absolutely terrified.
He's tired and he's injured but there's something white hot burning inside of him that he hasn't felt in years and all the pain is blocked out entirely. Then he feels it too, exactly how strong his own killing intent is and it's almost amazing how, well, irritated one fight can get him. Yumi and Shishio's adviser have shrunk back in the face of it and he isn't sure if the other three can feel it. Through the bandages, he can see Shishio smiling without a single hint of happiness and for a moment, Kenshin isn't quite sure who he is anymore.
"What a refreshing ken-ki..."
The voice jogs something loose in his brain and he grips his katana tightly. He's bleeding from just about everywhere and he's pretty sure the reason he's having trouble breathing is because there's blood pooling in his lungs, but right now none of that is important. He knows he should be attacking, but instead he asks, "Why do you hate me so much!" and blocks an oncoming blow.
Shishio tries to attack again, but something's different this time. His mental defenses have turned on and he barely registers the fire. The man answers, "I spent the entire Bakumatsu being called second rate to a child who still isn't as old as I was when I started!"
So, he's burned and at least thirty. Okay, that works too. Shishio's hand wraps around his neck and Kenshin brings down the bottom of his hilt on his wrist and kicks backwards so he's propelled by momentum, landing on his feet. He's distinctly aware of Yumi and whatever the man's name is are screaming off on the sidelines. Before the man can react, he launches himself into the five point attack, hearing Sanosuke gasp behind him.
Inevitably, with his sakabatou, it doesn't kill him, but Kenshin has a tight grip on the bandages. Even though he's sworn not to kill anyone, that doesn't mean he can't count down those fifteen minutes until Shishio spontaneously combusts. The man is saying something he honestly can't care about or really listen to by this point and he goes for the another attack, knowing it won't be the end but using it to buy time. It's been at least fourteen minutes by now and that's what matter.
When it's done and Shishio's halfway across the room, his damaged leg stops being able to support him and he falls to his knee, cringing at the upshot of pain. His sword is the only thing keeping him from falling over. The flames suddenly burst and he hates fire so much. Expectantly, Shishio is standing, adrenaline probably the only thing propelling him by this point while Kenshin's wains, but he hasn't used the final technique yet and even if Soujiro managed to pass on how it's dependent on the left foot, he can still win.
He has to.
Even though Shishio blocks it, the attack has caused its desired effect and he can see the moment the man notices it too. He's the only one who can move with full momentum and now he moves for the real final technique. Pulling this off without killing the man will be nothing short of a miracle, but it's too late to back down now.
The force of it throws the man's body into the air, but still shouldn't be enough to kill him. Like Kenshin thought, he ends up broken on the ground and his own time limit is what starts to kill him. The blood he coughs up is boiling and in a way it really would be more humane to just end him now, but even if this is more cruel, he can't go back on his promise. He almost topples over himself but manages to keep himself on his feet.
"STOP!"
Then Yumi is kneeling between them, tears trailing down her face and Kenshin wasn't planning on attacking again anyway. Shishio's finished all on his own. "Don't hurt him anymore! His limits, please!"
This should be the end of it. Really, it should. But his attempt to back up is stopped by Shishio's katana going through Yumi and lodging itself into his abdomen. "You're getting soft, Battousai." The voice is like stones against dried mud, rough and raw. "This fight isn't over."
But it is, because after all of this, Kenshin mentally and physically can't take it. For a moment, as the blade is pulled from his stomach, Yumi's face becomes Tomoe's and for the second time, he falls to the ground. Regardless of whether or not he got this attack in, Shishio's still finished without his help. Even so, he tries to shove himself back to his feet anyway, breathing heavy, and hears a woman's voice say, "I'm so...happy."
He feels cold but no snow and his vision is blacked out. His mind is screaming at him that he has to save her while another part of him is arguing that she's already gone and it would be easier to just lay down and die here, alone. But his eyesight starts going in and out, flickering between blackness and the image of a bandaged man moving closer that he knows is important. One moment his body is hot, the next it's cold, and whatever Shishio is saying is wavering between telligible and intelligible. He doesn't know where he is anymore.
Suddenly a clear voice calls out, "Fuck! Kenshin, snap out of it!" but there's no crushing realization other than the fact that it's Saito. Except that in his moments of being able to see, he isn't the one attacking and he called him Kenshin, not Battousai. More than anything he's just confused. Confused and exhausted and getting lightheaded from the blood loss. But it's enough to get him moving again and he stands, ignoring the life literally draining from his body and how he's drowning in his own lungs.
Where's the snow? he wonders before he's assaulted by the image of fire. He blinks, about to move in for the final kill when he watches someone burn alive from nothing right in front of him, laughing. He freezes mid-attack, breathing in ash and smoke and if he had the capability, he might have screamed.
Even so, he stumbles backwards, trying to get away from the flame and remember what's happening. There's no snow and it doesn't look much like a hotel either and his body is shaking. He looks around, confused, until -
"You won."
Everything comes crashing back down at once at the touch of Sanosuke's hand the sound of his voice. He chokes out, "No," but he isn't sure what he means.
Shishio's adviser is shouting, "He didn't lose! He did not lose! Shishio-sama cannot lose!"
He goes to twist around and see what's happening, and this is his mistake. The pain suddenly becomes too intense, mental barrier steadily being taken down, and he coughs, doubling over. Almost the moment he touches the ground, he's picked up and it's hard enough to even half-support himself.
Then he doesn't quite pass out, but it's something similar.
.
When he really thinks about it, Sanosuke realizes that he should probably be carrying his friend rather than what he's doing now, but if they don't get out of here, that won't matter at all. He punches the door with his uninjured hand much harder than is probably advisable. Even if he could use futae no kiwami, the walls are too thick for it to do any good.
"If we don't get out of here quick," he says, not caring that it's starting the obvious, "Kenshin'll -"
"Stand aside," Saito cuts in, catching him by surprise.
He wants to question, but both men are too damaged and it'll be a waste of time. Until he realizes what Saito's about to do. "Wait, you're hurt too!" he says, but his warning goes unheeded and by some miracle, that single attack breaks a whole in the wall. So, yeah, even injured Saito's pretty awesome. But that doesn't stop him from still being a bastard, too.
Awesome or not, though, Sanosuke doesn't miss the way he presses down on his leg wound as he says, "I've gone through more of these situations than you."
Before he can say or do anything more than move forward a step, the entire place shakes. Against his better judgment, he stops, surprised. When he looks back, he sees that Houji is exploding the battlefield and fuck, this is why he hates insane people. The floor crumbles and suddenly they're all separated.
"Saito!"
"Hajime!" He looks down, finding that the shake must've knocked Kenshin back to consciousness and he hadn't know the two were on such familiar terms. "What are you doing?" It takes no effort at all for Sanosuke to grab his friend around the waist and keep him in place. "Jump!"
"What about our fight?" Really, he doesn't why he cares so much. And even less so, he doesn't understand what's going on between his friend and Saito but the man is ignoring him completely, gaze focused on Kenshin in almost confusion and halfway to lighting his cigarette. Saito looks about to say something, so he cuts in, "If you jump, I'll catch you."
"Please!"
The place is shaking, breaking apart and Saito must realize this is his last chance. He says a swear Sanosuke doesn't hear and when he jumps, he doesn't make it quite across but it's enough that the younger man is able to extend his arm and grab his hand. It's his uninjured one and it takes no effort at all to pull Saito up. Kenshin's fallen to the ground again and before he can move to do so, Saito's thrown him across his back. The redhead coughs. There's no time for a thank you as they start running, but he still catches the man say, "How the fuck are you even lighter?" like nothing big has happened at all.
.
Of all the things to happen, Hajime thinks as he walks back with the three other men. Unlike Himura, he isn't trying to get himself killed, but in that moment, yeah, he was ready to die. But no, the redhead had to go and be a bastard and say please. Years later and he still can't turn that down. How fucking weak.
But maybe that's a good thing. Tokio will be home waiting for him and he doubts that hotheaded Sagara knows how to keep Himura awake and coughing. Sure, it contributing to his blood loss, but it's better to get it out of his lungs, something he can't do as well when unconscious. "You really haven't changed, have you?" he says after a second cough attack against his shoulder. Kenshin's arms aren't locked around his neck like they should be, instead dangling limply against his shirt. They're both damaged, but not to the point that they'll be unusable.
No, it's his chest that he needs to worry about.
Kenshin mumbles, "You haven't either," but it comes out disjointed sounding and, for lack of a better word, broken.
For whatever reason Sagara isn't babbling and Aoshi is as silent as usual. Normally he wouldn't be talking either, but there's no point in having Himura drown in his own blood after living through that shit storm back there. And even for him, who's lived through a lot, that was impressive. The boy - man - says, "Thank you," so quietly it's more a thought than an actual voice.
"For what?"
He's answered with another attack and he can feel each cough wrack the small body. "Do you want me to take him?" Sagara asks.
"I'm fine," Hajime answers and despite the leg wounds, he really is. "He's weights practically nothing. Besides, moving him right now wouldn't be good."
"Why?"
Stupid boy. "His body can't take it," he says. "Especially his ribs. Himura, stay awake." No answer. He's too tired to even pretend he isn't worried. "Kenshin, say something."
It takes a moment, but he gets, "H-here," followed by another cough. Three fights, one of which he didn't even draw his sword. Fucking typical.
Sagara's brows are furrowed and unlike Hajime, he doesn't bother hiding his emotions. He's straightforward and open, everything that the Bakumatsu wasn't. "Why do you call him Kenshin?" he says. Nosy brat. Aoshi is looking at him too, though more discreetly.
Rather than straight up answer he says, "Why does it matter? Himura!"
"I-I'm fi-fine."
"Yes, I can see that."
"Sh-shut up."
Really, he hasn't changed at all. Except for growing. He did at least a little of that, which is why it's unnerving that he's somehow even lighter and he used to have to force Kenshin to eat on days he was bad enough. "Because the two of you were enemies," Sagara says.
No one deserves an explanation to this and since he doesn't already know, Himura must think so too. "We have a history," is all he says and something on his face must stop the idiot from questioning further. His shirt's going the be soaked in Kenshin's blood.
They walk back in silence.
.
WOW. Okay, so that didn't turn out how I expected. I'm not used to writing fight scenes. I also wrote this when I was really pissed off, so sorry if it sounds aggressive at any point.
Review, please!