Chapter 23- Traitor Part 3

Matako pulled back the curtains. Seeing nothing, she looked to the clock behind her. It was nearly time for his appearance. The entire room was quiet. The prisoner hadn't spoken all day. However her eyes were alive and observant. She had figured out from Matako's surveillance that Bansai was coming to rescue her. Otsuu tightly shut her eyes. They were swelling with tears now.

Kijima returned to the front room and monitored the window just as she had before. Her sensitive ears could hear the prisoner's strained breathing behind her. The clock's ticking was playing rhythmically. A car would sometimes drive by and drown out all other noise.

Her fingertips were brushing against the handle of her fully cocked pistol. Her eyes were cold and alert- those of someone ready to take a life. The three days since the kidnapping had prepared her.

She heard the glass shatter in the room behind her.

Damn it

She had followed Shinsuke's cunning plan closely. Bansai should have reached the designated point and found the second note. Realizing any preparations beforehand were useless, he would be more willing. After all, he had known nothing of the second location. But things were turning out differently. Bansai was fighting.

Matako ran to the room where the glass had shattered. Whether or not it was a trap, she was ready to face him. She couldn't think of any way he could save Otsuu in such a short time.

She pushed open the door with one of her pistols. Kijima saw on the ground a brick with something strapped onto it. It was a grenade of some kind. She suddenly lost sight of her surroundings. All she could see was a blaring white light. She could tell Bansai was at the prisoner now. She heard Otsuu's say, "Tsumpo! You have to go or she'll-"

"Otsuu-chan, get yourself out of here!"

"I—"

"You'll die if you stay here, now run!"

Matako's eyesight was starting to return. She had no choice but to charge back into the hostage room. If she let Bansai escape…

She felt his blade come into contact with her throat. The edge was pressing into her skin, just weak enough not to draw blood. Her own pistol was raised to his forehead. Bansai's speed was breath taking. He had appeared in front of her in a blink of an eye. If it wasn't for the fact her gun had already been raised, she would have been at a complete loss.

"Kijima-san" said Bansai, "I'm sorry it ended up like this."

Matako pulled back the hair trigger.

"So am I." she said.

Her grave gaze was reflected by his own. Neither of them moved nor spoke. The next move would decide it all...

CLANG! His katana had fallen from his hand. Matako's firearm didn't lower.

Matako asked, "What are you doing?"

Bansai said, "He knew I couldn't kill you. He was right."

"Then why did you come? You knew what it would mean to challenge the Kiheitai!"

She then asked, "Why?! Why did you leave me?"

Matako was sobbing now. Her firearm was beginning to shake. The barrel slid down off of his face. Her arms hung at her sides and she fell onto her knees.

"Senpai…."

She felt Bansai's arms wrap around her back. The sudden gesture of warmth relaxed her. She cried into his chest.

"I had to leave."

Matako wiped her eyes. She asked, "W-Why?"

"For the same reason, you couldn't kill me. I value people's lives."

He continued, "We—We were about to do something horrible. We were going to kill thousands and turn a blind eye to our own actions. All this time, we've never lowered our blades when given the chance for a normal life. Were we terrible people? I don't know. At times, this one committed acts I would consider human. I finally realized though, these alone aren't enough…. If we continue to tear apart people's lives then we really are evil."

Matako blinked in confusion. "Why should I care about them? Why should their lives matter to me?"

"Idiot!" said Bansai. Matako was taken off guard by his sudden rudeness.

"Have you heard nothing I've said?" asked Kawakami, "Tell me, why did you spare me just now?"

Matako took a moment before answering his question. "Because you're like family Senpai. I care about you."

"And what should make it so different for them? They have families and friends they care about! Will you take everything away from them for the sake of one man?"

He said, "Can you really kill a thousand?"

Kijima didn't answer him. Her mind was fogging. Memories were returning of the countless she had assassinated.

"We've already killed so many. What do numbers matter now?" She asked this not carelessly or spitefully. She genuinely desired to hear his answer.

"Exactly." said Bansai, "What do they matter? We either keep on killing or we choose to put an end to it. Once we face it though, can we really go back? Are you willing to live your life knowing you shed innocent blood? Kijima-san, can you live with yourself knowing you're a monster?"

"I believe," he continued, "you have a heart. I believe you have regrets. And I know you're fully capable… of doing what is right. So please… don't do this."

Matako's eyes were sealed shut. Her hands began to feel for her revolvers.

Bansai said, "Leave them. Walk on your own two feet. Although, I daresay it's okay to reach out for a friendly hand."

As he spoke, Bansai held out his hand for her. He smiled coolly as he always had. Only this time, there were tears on his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Kijima- that I had to hurt you like this. That unto itself is something I will always regret."

"Senpai… I'm not strong enough to turn away."

"Than just reach out" he said. Her hand hesitated to clutch his.

Bansai added, "I spent my life fighting by the sword. That's what the world was to me. But that was never all it had to be. There's so much to reach out to. But we can't hold on to both lives or we'll be torn apart. What gave me the strength to change was everything else I was holding on to. Most of all, the people I cared for. Kijima, I know you can do it. No, you already have. The moment you spared my life you showed me that."

Matako's hands faltered. They fell to the floor. She began to sweat and breathe heavily. Her fingers folded as she clenched them. She looked back up at Bansai's hand.

I don't know what will happen if I reach out. I never knew, I only hoped…

Matako's fingers slipped between Bansai's own. She held them there intersected, never wanting to let go. She feared if she pulled her fingers apart her resolve would disappear, she would remember her past and fear the uncertain future. She breathed a deep breathe. Cold air was filling her lungs.

"I'll be alright." Matako told herself, "Somehow, I'll move forward. It's like Senpai said: 'there's so much to reach out to'."

Her body was being lifted up off the ground. Matako pressured her feet until she stood up. She found herself facing Bansai again, inches from his face.

"Come with me…" he said.

Matako turned her head. Her eyes squinted as a painful thought entered her mind.

"I can't." she said, "I have to see him."

"You can't go back to him Kijima!" said Bansai, "I don't know what insanity caused him to send you here, but Shinsuke won't forgive you for returning empty handed."

"That's true. I knew that if I failed this, I could never go back. If I fought you and lost, I would live or die. Either way was fine with him. If I go back now, he'll see me as a traitor. I'll die as one."

Before Bansai could speak up, Matako continued. "But, he's hurting. I won't abandon him. Not so quickly. Shinsuke-sama deserves a second chance so I'll offer him one."

"You fool, no matter what you say, Shinsuke won't be moved. If he really is as you say, then it's all the worse. Even if he's mentally vulnerable, he's dangerous. I can't let you go. And if we both approach him there's no knowing what he'll do. But I rather we go as a duo, than the former option."

"Its okay." she said. She smiled peacefully and said, "It's better to do this alone. I don't want you and Shinsuke-sama to fight. I want you to live a good long life Senpai. My family is all I have now. But it's incomplete if Shinsuke-sama and Takechi-senpai aren't apart of it. Even if this is how it ends, it's fine. It's better than forgetting."

Bansai continued to look at her, clearly torn between confusion and anguish. Matako began to frown. She shut her eyes and put her hands to her hips reproachfully.

"Shut up." Matako said, "I know I'm being an idiot. I don't need you to tell me!"

The guitarist began to laugh lightheartedly. He said, "That's true but… you'd go so far? He truly means that much to you?"

Her eyes relaxed and she blushed.

She said, "Yeah"

Bansai smiled even more now. It turned into a solemn frown when he said, "If anything happens to you, if Shinsuke threatens anyone else, I will face him."

"I know" she said.

Matako followed up. "Luckily, I'm not about to allow such a negative aftermath." She winked and said, "When all is said and done, the Kiheitai will be together again. I'll reunite us, I promise."

"I know" he said.


Author's Note: Thank you so much for the new reviews! It makes me so happy to know this story is enjoyed.

I hope Matako's decision didn't seem to sudden. I think after realizing the Kiheitai were a family to her, she was more open to making such a choice.