Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading my story! I present now the last chapter to Seven Bullets. I feel like you should know it is longer than the previous chapters. Thank you again!
Chapter 30- Seven Bullets Part 2
Matako limped forward. The pools of water behind her were becoming infected with her blood. The wounds were shallow, but would eventually drain her. She had at least an hour before she passed out from the missing quantity.
Kijima's eyes were weak. Her heart had never felt so heavy. The only image she could see in her head was the dead Amanto. It was no use trying to ignore it. She knew she had killed again. Even if it was in self defense, it didn't feel any different right now. She wouldn't try to justify it.
Her eyes reawakened. She knelt behind a wall. Her heart was racing. On the other side, was an entire party waiting for her.
Matako began to inch her way backwards. A bullet blew through the bricks beside her. She recognized it as a gatling gun. Matako dropped down on her stomach.
"Is it still too late to go back?" she wondered wearily. She stared at her pair of pistols. Her fingers had yet to position themselves against the trigger hair.
I can't remember when it was I lost discernment between right and wrong. I don't know when it was that I stopped fearing death. Why then… has it chosen this very moment to return to me?
No. I don't want to go back to the way things were. I want to move forward. Forward? I'm kidding myself. All I want right now is to get out of this alive. I don't want to die.
Kijima reloaded the empty chambers. As soon her guns were reassembled, she rolled out from behind her cover. The enemies turned their firearms in her direction. Her eyes flickered over every target. There were at least eight. Her fingers pulled back on the triggers. Her guns fired off round after round with no delay. In unison, all of her targets fell dead.
She reached into the pockets of her holsters and grabbed more ammo. Matako reloaded her pistols in just a few seconds. Already, she began to dash out. The enemies hidden behind the wall were surprised by her ferocity. She fired a bullet, digging in to her closest attacker. She rolled as she landed and came up again. Her pistol fired off again, killing a gun-wielder before he could respond. She turned her pistol to the left, shooting another between the eyes.
Matako sensed another opponent charging at her. It was an Amanto with duel shotguns. The brute stood twice her height and was clad head to toe in armor. More footsteps were close behind him.
She pulled a pistol back and aimed the second at his helm.
Seven bullets left. Will I make it?
Matako fired at his head. A crack appeared on the visor of his helmet. Like the rest of his battle-wear, it was bulletproof.
She fired again at his foot. The bullet whizzed off the armor. She knew she was out of time. Another gunman jumped out behind her. She spun around and aimed her pistol at him. It was a perfect shot. Her gun veered away and she retreated to the side. The man was blown back by multiple rounds. The Amanto seemed to ignore his error and turned to her again. He charged. Matako glossed over his suit. She shut an eye and fired another shot.
Four bullets left.
The bullet blew the man's thumb clear off. The thug dropped his knees and began to scream in pain. Matako dashed out of the ally just as the man's backup arrived. She ducked as gunfire made its way in her direction.
She felt a sword coming down towards her head.
"Oh shit!" Matako cursed. In the fray, she hadn't noticed any ambushers waiting in front of her.
She crossed her pistols which proved enough to block his first blow. The man stepped back and pulled back his sword for a fatal swing. Matako grabbed the head of her pistol and slammed the handle down on his head. She threw herself to the side as the other three men began to fire at her. Matako found cover behind a parked car. She looked beneath it for a view of their feet. The attackers appeared and began searching.
A well-aimed bullet went through one of the ronin's legs. He fired his gun carelessly as he screamed in pain. Matako jumped out and shot another man's gun out of his hands.
"I've won. So get out of here!" Matako said. The disarmed swordsman didn't wait for a second warning. He took off away down the street. Matako saw the last man scramble for his gun. Matako swiftly aimed her pistol at his head.
"Don't even think about it."
The man began to shake in terror. He began to cry out as tears streamed down his face. He turned his trembling gun at her.
"Drop it!" she said.
His gun continued to aim.
"Are you listening to me! Put down the gun! Do you want to die?!"
Her desperate pleads were going unnoticed. One of his hands was making its way to the trigger.
"Please! I don't want to kill you!" she cried.
BOOM!
Matako collapsed. Her guns fell to her sides. Tears were running freely down her cheeks. She looked up for a second. She saw the man's head plastered onto the stone wall. Her lips began to quiver.
"AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!"
"Matako!" said Takasugi. He felt a cut run through his shoulder. Boshirou grinned and turned his blade to the right. Shinsuke threw his head back. The edge of the blade created a shallow cut across his throat.
Boshirou stepped back and watched Takasugi fight off the remaining warriors. Shinsuke's movements were becoming slower and less precise.
"Look at you. The man who singlehandedly fought off legions of Amanto slowly being overwhelmed."
Shinsuke paid no heed to the man's taunts. He hammered the back of his sword into a man's head. The last two he cut through the arms and legs.
"Its over." he said.
"Over?" asked Boshirou, "We've only just begun. This time I'll end it."
Takasugi was silent. He used every moment his opponent spoke to regain his breathe.
"Get ready."
"Surrender." said Shinsuke. "You've lost your greatest advantage and I have no desire to kill you."
"Don't waste your breathe."
"I'm not. I only wished you to realize your blood is off my hands."
"You talk too much."
"Same to you."
"Maybe you're right. Let's forget the pleasantries and fight at full force. That's the only way… you can defeat me."
"I know." said Shinsuke.
His opponent bolted forward.
Matako Kijima drifted slowly down the empty street. Her eyes were red and unresponsive. She seemed no more than a ghost now.
Not an ounce of hope was left in her mind. As far as she was concerned, she had forfeited her chance at redemption. She felt she had killed too many for such a thing to still be possible. Her last test had shown itself and she had failed. She cursed herself for not having the strength to die.
It wouldn't matter now. She had made up her mind. Only one option remained; what she wished she had the courage to do all along.
Kijima weakly raised her arm. She opened her mouth and placed the barrel of the gun between her teeth. Matako tightly shut her eyes. More tears were beginning to well up.
Shinsuke-sama…. I'm truly sorry. I wanted to be with you forever. But I realize now that this only way.
"There she is!" she heard exclaimed somewhere down the road. More mercenaries were charging towards her. She wondered if she ought to let them finish her.
An electric scooter suddenly drove past her. It went another yard before abruptly stopping and falling over. The unfortunate driver fell down with it. The man slowly began to stand up. Pages of a manga were starting to be picked up by the wind.
"Aw crap!" he said as he stared at the swordsman. He suddenly turned around and looked at Matako.
"H-hey do you know them?" he asked casually.
Matako didn't seem to hear him.
"The hell? Are you deaf woman? Ah forget it!" he said. With that, he dashed forward and drew out a wooden sword. Within a few seconds every single enemy was incapacitated.
He replaced the sword back into his belt and began to untie his helmet. He took it off revealing a head of curly white hair. He began to rub the rather prominent bruise beneath it.
"Ow" he said.
One of the Amanto stood up. He turned and began to run off. As he did, he said, "Damn it! What's the White Demon doing here?"
"White Demon?" asked Matako. Her eyes lit up. She said, "Sakata Gintoki…"
For the longest time, she simply stared at him. Her eyes were weak and miserable. Her legs had no urge to support her. Her arms trembled from the anxiety of wielding her pistols for so long.
"Shinsuke-sama…." she said quietly. Gintoki looked at her with surprise.
"Shinsuke?" he asked.
He asked, "What about him?"
Matako said, "Shinsuke-sama… is sorry." Her words were choked with tears.
"He regrets it… He regrets everything. The lives he took and—a-and betraying you."
Gintoki's eyes were softer now. He listened intently to her speak.
"I—I'm sorry too. I'm so sorry." She regained the strength to hold her firearm. She grabbed it with both hands and held it to the roof of her mouth.
She felt her hands squeeze the trigger…
"Stop!" said Gintoki. His finger had slipped into the trigger guard and prevented her own from moving.
"What are you thinking dumbass? You can't just kill yourself! What is it? Do you think this is the only way of redemption?"
"If I keep fighting, I'll just kill more of them. My life, Takasugi and mine aren't worth it! We don't deserve it."
"What the hell does deserving it have to do with anything?"
She was taken back by his words.
Gintoki then said, "What's wrong with fighting to survive?"
"Back in the day," said Gintoki, "Shinsuke and I had no choice. Whether for a cause or to protect a comrade, we committed murder. There's no point dancing around it. We took the lives of hundreds of Amanto. Was it worth it? Do I regret it? It doesn't matter; it's stupid to think dying is the only way out. It's as selfish as it is selfless. You're a human too aren't you? Come on, there must be something worth living for!"
Matako didn't answer.
"He's your reason isn't he?" Gintoki asked.
"I never imagined he would give up on his revenge. But you somehow convinced him eh? Leave it to a woman to shatter a man's firm resolve."
He turned around and looked up to the sky.
Gintoki said, "If you need a reason to live, find one. If it's for redemption, death is too simple. Make up for the lives you took by protecting others- even if it's pain in the ass. Keep on walking on your own two feet and you'll be all right. Just don't get the idea that you're life is worthless. It's not wrong to want to live, to desire change from your old ways and to pursue happiness. Find your happiness."
Matako was speechless. This man spoke like a childish optimist, with words that hadn't merit or strong moral support. And yet… they brought her hope. His words restored her resolve.
"Thank you Gintoki-san." Matako said. She ran off into the ally.
Gintoki looked up to the clouds. A lazy grin was on his face.
"Shinsuke… I gave up on you. Sorry, it looks like you were tougher than I thought. Or could it just be she's was too tough for you?"
Gintoki found himself reminiscing over time spent with his comrades. Nostalgic memories of the four of them returned to him.
"I wonder if things can be like the old days. Can the four of us live out the peaceful lives we wanted? Will we meet up again? Joke, argue, and jest over a warm fire? What am I saying? That sounds like too much work for a bunch of annoying guys like you. Still, I might consider a reunion if a girl like that were to come."
Matako backtracked her way through the city streets. She had only a single shot left so she began to rummage for more. In a rush, she grabbed the nearest firearm. She suddenly felt someone's presence pass by overhead. They were headed in Shinsuke's direction…
"Crap!" said Matako. She resumed her pursuit.
Shinsuke raised his sword to block his foe's strike. Right before making contact, Boshirou dashed to the side. Takasugi blocked it and spun his blade around. Their swords clashed more and more viciously. Boshirou hammered his blade at Shinsuke again and again until it began to drive him back. Shinsuke didn't have the energy anymore to hold him back.
He pushed aside Takasugi's blade with his own and grabbed him by the throat.
"You should have been afraid. I guess you really don't recognize death when it's right in front of you."
Takasugi whispered, "Death? Please, don't make such a bad joke. I faced the persona of death in the battlefield long ago. And it does not tremble."
Boshirou shouted and began to crush his throat. Shinsuke swerved his blade around his enemy's katana. Boshirou pulled his hand back and swung his sword at Shinsuke. Shinsuke vanished for an instance and reappeared behind Boshirou. The edge of his sword lightly pressed against the back of Boshirou's neck.
"Surrender." said Shinsuke.
"Didn't I tell you…" said Boshirou. He turned around and grabbed Shinsuke's katana.
"not to underestimate me!"
His sword slashed down, bringing all his fury with him. His desperate counter would cut Shinsuke clean through.
"Very well," said Shinsuke, "I will become a demon once more."
Takasugi put all his weight forward. His blade severed his foe's hand and slashed up the man's head. The blade exited out of his skull. It drew a current of blood with it.
Boshirou's corpse fell forward and landed on Shinsuke's chest. The blood gushing from his face caused it to slip off. Takasugi's eye remained steady on his mutilated body. He couldn't seem to get himself to move. He knew he should go aid Matako, but his body was frozen.
I can't feel anything. Why… can't I feel anything?
Takasugi raised his hand to eyelevel. He stared at the red blots sprinkled over his palm.
"That's right, I killed this man."
He felt an aching in his throat.
So nothing's changed.
After each step, Matako looked up at the many roofs. She only occasionally caught a glimpse of her nemesis. The glint on his back gave away that he carried a firearm and a large one at that.
As much as she wished, Matako couldn't find any quick means to access the roofs. She had no choice but to try to cut off Shinsuke's pursuer. Matako would have to pray that her feet lasted until then.
She dashed past the corpses of the men she had killed. Matako didn't hesitate.
"Shinsuke-sama…"
She leapt forward.
"Shinsuke-sama! Move!"
Her voice didn't seem to reach him. A steady breeze blew back his hair and she saw now that blood was smeared from his face down to his chest. The mutilated corpse of his opponent lay at his feet. For a second, she wondered if he had relapsed to his old self. But he looked emotionless.
She understood. She understood his pain. She knew why he couldn't move. She understood how helpless he felt- cursed by the world and his own nature. She knew what it was like to be abandoned by hope and be left wondering what could be done differently. So right now, Matako would move for him.
Matako ran towards Shinsuke and rammed him with her shoulder. He was pushed out of the way as the sniper's bullet punctured through Matako's shoulder. Shinsuke looked on as the bullet came out of her arm. Blood splattered all over his face. At that very moment, Matako drew out her revolver. She lined it up to her eye. Without hesitation, she released the trigger. The revolver's recoil pulled the barrel up.
The Amanto sniper could only look on in surprise as she ruined his headshot and fired back a bullet of her own. The world around him went black.
Matako sighed in relief and began to fall over. She hit the ground and clutched her shoulder. Shinsuke immediately bent down to help her up.
"Made it." she said.
Shinsuke dragged her so that she could rest against the wall. He walked away for a moment and gathered some cloth from the downed ronin.
As he tied it around her, Matako asked breathlessly, "Are you hurt Shinsuke-sama?"
"I'll live. Anyway, consider your own condition first."
Matako shut her eyes and began to cry. "I'm so glad you're safe… I love you Shinsuke-sama."
"I love you too Matako" he said. A single tear was running down the corner of Shinsuke's eye. Having finished bandaging her, he lifted her up by her left arm. Matako groaned in pain.
"Forgive me. We need to move before the police show up."
"Sorry, for making you drag me like this."
"Don't apologize. It's alright for others to carry you at times." said Takasugi.
Matako shut her eyes and rested her head on Shinsuke's shoulder. The gesture had the effect of calming them both. Her presence momentarily freed Shinsuke of the scene he had abandoned.
Takasugi carefully took a step forward and then another. Slowly, they made there way out of the ally. At last, they were back into one of the city's main streets. Takasugi caught sight of a bench to his left. He carried Matako over to it and held his hand behind her. This way it wouldn't press her wound against the bench.
"Wait here a moment." he said.
Matako felt the steady breeze blow through her hair. Her body was in a great deal of pain, but it seemed unimportant now. The breeze would preoccupy her until Takasugi got back.
Shortly after, he returned with an unfamiliar speeder. Takasugi helped Matako into it. He had her lay down on the backseats.
As he started up the vehicle, Shinsuke said, "We'll go back to find one of the unconscious mercenaries and have him tell us what he knows about our missing driver."
Matako spoke, "Good thinking. You're really smart Shinsuke-sama."
Shinsuke said, "There is no need for such praise. Besides, don't think I've forgotten about you. I'll have a private physician tend to you."
"And what will you do afterwards?"
"After I get back our driver you mean? I'll free the Kiheitai. We'll build a new future for Edo. Will you see this vision through with me Matako?"
Matako shut her eyes and said, "Where else would I be than by your side? It's where I'm happiest… where I've always been happiest."
Shinsuke smiled faintly and looked back to the road. Matako really didn't know yet how much he needed her. Her presence was the only thing allowing him to move on. Their shared strength, as well as their love, was what would allow them to overcome the trials ahead. It was what would keep them together through all things. – THE END
