Sorry for the abandonment... I had an accident; I fell (again) into a hole and I sprained my foot (the same one as last time) and I got contracted a part of my left upper back... the physiotherapist told me I was lucky I didn't dislocate my arm o-o
But I want to think I'm better now, so let's write that that's all we have left...
By the way, remember that this is entirely fiction (almost). I am not seeking in any way to express an opinion about a culture, much less denigrate it. I know little and I'm basically fangirling.
On the other hand, I have said it before, I still need to learn how to write/describe a fight scene well. I hope to improve with practice...
Disclaimer: The song Murder Song (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) is by Aurora. The last fight is inspired by the song Kotowaki in memories from the first RK OVAs.
"First Scar"
KYOTO 1865
That morning the market was busy. Lots of people began exchanging goods from the early hours of the morning, it was known that the preparations for the harvest festivals would begin soon. The prayers towards Inari - who was in charge of ensuring good harvests - suddenly tripled. The sanctuary had also been flooded with parishioners from early on.
Kaoru was travelling with Emi then. The girl had become her right hand in a matter of two days and the miko always tried to keep her in sight and know where she was when she was not in her company. At the moment, they were both incognito, they were wearing iromujis and were covered with their respective cloaks, and both walked among the people without stopping.
It wasn't until Kaoru spotted the empty bench at the okonomiyaki stand that she stopped. She sat on it and waited. Emi remained standing three steps and to the right of her.
Less than two minutes later, a man covered in a straw hat and cloak took a seat next to her, although facing the opposite direction. He then took out a bamboo bottle and drank from it before speaking.
"I didn't expect you to contact me so soon, Kaoru," he said.
The young woman remained calm despite having been discovered.
"Shinji, we have little time," she urged, making it clear that she had no intention of wasting time talking about trifles.
The boy sighed. He looked tired.
"I should have assumed you would know." He said as a complaint before giving his order to the man who was running the food stand.
The early morning fog was about to dissipate completely under the heat of the people who filled the market.
"Did she truly disappear?" Kaoru asked referring to Tomoe.
The short silence was the affirmation of the question.
"Two nights ago," Shinji answered, thereby evidencing the reason for his fatigue. "It turned out that she had a group of loyal followers inside the second branch mansion, when she disappeared they did it with her."
"That's quite dangerous."
Shinji agreed. It was easier to find them in groups.
"It is clear that they did not flee together, despite what it may seem; but it's certain they helped her in their own way." He reassured her. "If you think she went for Akira, I'll tell you that you're only half right."
"Why do you think so?"
"She seemed sure that my brother would not survive." He told her, remembering what he had previously spoken with Enishi, when the boy had confessed his participation in his sister's escape. "I think who she went to meet with is someone else."
That confused the miko.
"The meeting is just today." She remembered. How could Tomoe seek to meet someone else?
"Are you intrigued that others know something about the future before you?" The boy joked.
Kaoru frowned.
"Must you be so cynical? It's about your brother." She refuted annoyed. "Blood bond or not, he took care of you as such."
"I know." He accepted sadly. "I'll get to the point then. Enishi talked to me last night, Tomoe left a letter for me too." He sighed regretfully, but more out of annoyance than sadness. "I have to admit that I have been defeated this time. If you agree with what the Yukishiros propose, I will too."
'The Yukishiros' he had said, making clear his position and his annoyance at that family revolt. Kaoru thought it was too much.
"Will you let him travel with me?" She asked.
"Do I have a choice?" He laughed. "It will also serve as a screen. Two young people destined to get married, on a journey to create bonds. It has all the overtones of a love story. I wonder if Himura will agree."
The miko's expression once again showed annoyance.
"Kenshin knows my plans." The miko told him defensively.
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye with a mocking expression.
"Including recent changes?" She teased her. She looked away. "Oh, sure. That's why you travel to Edo."
"It's another reason... Ah!" She exclaimed suddenly in astonishment when her eyes saw Tomoe's brother. "Is that Enishi?"
"Surprised?" Shinji laughed again.
Enishi was on the other side of the street, a couple of steps to Kaoru's right, he was almost facing Emi.
"He has grown..." She pointed out, still surprised.
The last time she had seen the boy had been during Akira and Tomoe's wedding; then he was still a boy shorter than her and with a thin build, he had been a skinny boy. Now, however, he would easily reach her height, and his body had gained not only weight but muscle as well. His countenance was also different... Although a spark of innocence remained, his look had become serious, too serious for a twelve-year-old boy.
"It's incredible the difference that good nutrition makes in a child's development, isn't it?" Shinji pointed out. "Himura also gained weight and size in those months he lived in the sanctuary; and even more so after continuing his training with Master Hiko. Now, however, I wonder if he will have adequate food amid the guerrillas."
The Miko's heart squeezed in her chest.
"It's the reason why I want to open a shelter." She said in a low, soft voice.
Her companion snorted.
"If you get the support of the Shinsengumi, I doubt there will be any nobles who will refuse to give you support." He assured her, then stood up and rearranged his cape and hat "I'll leave him in your care."
After a bow of his head, and taking the offered plate of food after making due payment, the boy left.
... ...
"This will be uncomfortable," the Miko thought as she noticed that the boy's expression did not change. Even when Shinji had passed him, he had shown no reaction.
But beyond the temper, Kaoru knew that part of that discomfort was due to the evident physical changes, and because of these, it would be more difficult for her to speak to him as his superior.
"Emi." She called to her acolyte, making a small sign that the girl understood instantly.
"Hai, Kaoru Sama," Replied the girl who then, went to Enishi.
Kaoru watched the brief exchange of words from afar while continuing to analyze the young preteen. To think that only a year separated them was hardly credible.
She watched Enishi nod then. He followed Emi until they reached where Kaoru was resting. The Miko stood up as soon as they were in front of her.
"It's been a long time, Enishi kun." She greeted him.
Even if the boy hadn't meant to do it, his cheeks turned red when he saw the smile of the Inari seer.
"I guess." He muttered in response, feeling embarrassed.
They then began to walk at a slow pace like someone taking a walk through the market with no intention of buying or selling anything, just seeing for the pure pleasure that the view gives. Side by side, the two were the same height.
"I imagine you have an idea of my plans thanks to Tomoe san," She said.
Enishi kept his gaze straight ahead, opposite to Kaoru, who was looking at the stalls on both sides of the street with feigned interest.
"My sister left clear instructions, one of them was that I should support you with whatever you needed" He responded.
"So... What about you, Enishi?"
The aforementioned frowned.
"What are you talking about?" He inquired.
She took a deep breath before questioning.
"What do you hope to achieve from this fight? What is your goal?"
Mutism.
For a second it seemed that Enishi would stop, but he kept walking a little faster as if he wanted to leave the crowd of people as soon as possible. Behind him, Kaoru had to quicken her pace.
"I do not know anymore." The boy responded. "Before discovering my sister's plans, I thought I was sure of the clan's position. Now I think it's just a group of cowardly men who don't even have a purpose," He said angrily.
"The clan is not how you put it." She tried to refute, taking him by the arm in an attempt to get him to stop or at least slow down his step.
But Enishi broke the contact almost instantly, moving his arm away as if hurt by her touch, although they did stop.
"If so, why does it maintain a neutral position?" He questioned, giving her a look and raising his voice.
Around them, people moved away from them, more because of the boy's annoyance than out of courtesy, as they gave them sidelong glances, probably thinking that the argument was between a very young couple.
Neither Kaoru nor Enishi paid them any mind, however. Emi also, going behind them, did the necessary to divert the attention of passersby.
"Although I understand the feeling of struggle, not all conflicts should be resolved with violence." The Miko told him with determination. "If you think about the lives you would sacrifice, the futures you would cut short with a conflict of that magnitude, isn't it better to seek a peaceful solution?" She questioned him.
Enishi relaxed upon hearing that.
"Maybe." He accepted, his cheeks turning red again. "But the revolution is already a fact. Considering that we are not the clergy, how much longer should we continue hiding behind a message of peace?"
The black-haired woman looked at him with concern.
"So, do you want to fight?"
Enishi looked away after feeling discovered.
"My sister wouldn't like it." He said.
"Certainly not. But it's your life, and she can't decide for you."
"I only care about making my sister happy." He interrupted her. "Any desire I may have pales before the need for her to be well." He declared convinced to the surprise of his partner. "My loyalty is only to her."
"But what will happen when she...?!" The Miko interrupted herself in time; lowering his gaze for just a second, she composed herself later "What will happen when she is no longer with you?..."
He frowned.
"You would know that, won't you?"
"Eh?!"
"Neesan knew it." He declared. "She knew that you had seen Akira Niisan's death as an inevitable event."
Kaoru's heart skipped a beat because she knew she had been discovered. Because even if it wasn't her fault, ever since visions of Akira's death had haunted her, she had always felt like she was somehow responsible.
Because carrying secrets that she could never tell had been consuming her soul...
"She was also aware that he had been blessed with more time thanks to the facts that you had changed..." He continued saying. "Your closeness to him was her first clue. As soon as the marriage was arranged I suppose it was easier for her to discover the truth behind your relationship with him; why he was closer to you even than Shinji Niisan who was supposed to have been the first prospective husband. Your obvious sadness when talking about certain topics was the second evidence, at least for me."
Kaoru's lower lip trembled in her attempt to drown out the feeling that overwhelmed her then. Her blue eyes had become crystalline after the threat of tears; her hands had clenched into fists, trembling equally. The young woman lowered her gaze in sadness.
That silence was the last confirmation Enishi needed.
"Then it's true." He concluded.
The boy approached her until he was at a distance that was not appropriate, and although he noticed Emi tense up behind the Miko - while pretending to be paying attention to a fabric stand - he did nothing to move away.
"Do you know who will kill him?" He asked in a whisper.
She shook her head, even then she wouldn't look at him.
Whether she denied that she did not know the identity of the killer, or that she simply refused to answer, Enishi did not know. But in a way he didn't care. He had internally sworn to exact revenge on behalf of his sister and brother-in-law as soon as he was ready. He would learn to be patient, and then, at the right moment, he would strike.
"I guess our first meeting ended here," he ended up saying, he made a sign to Emi and she came over instantly. "I will see you tomorrow, Kaoru miko sama."
Emi gave him a reproachful look and Enishi responded with a sly smile. The Miko's apprentice then decided that she did not like such a guy, and then took her superior's arm.
"Kaoru miko sama" she spoke to her.
The aforementioned, upon feeling her companion's contact, managed to cut off the emotion that had dominated her then. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down. Once calm, she addressed her acolyte with a smile that did not reach her eyes.
"I'm fine, Emi. It would be better to return to the sanctuary now."
"Hai," the youngest responded before beginning to guide her out of the market.
Once it was decided who would be the champion of the Kamiya clan for the duel against the shinchogumi, activity within the mansion and the rest of the clan was somewhat slowed down. The body of the previous leader had been returned just one night ago. It had taken them half a day to prepare it. There was a sense of routine throughout the place as if such scheduled events were an everyday occurrence, the clan members wanted it to end as soon as possible so they could turn the page and resume their lives or what was left of them.
Both Sanosuke and Megumi remained close to Kenshin, attentive to the samurai's actions, obviously worried about him. After the selection event - where Kenshin had excelled to the point of being unmatched - Doctor Genzai had made it his mission to treat the boy's previous injury.
Then he was attending to the boy in the infirmary; the duel had been arranged for the evening.
"As far as I can see, the wound has closed completely." He said while moving the redhead's left arm, checking how the muscles of his chest and back tensed with the movement. "The only thing that remains is the inflammation, but it is still normal." He assured, finally releasing his patient. "If it continues after today, you must take special medicine and rest."
The wound had left a scar that at the moment still looked reddish; a line that seemed to arise from the height of the shoulder and tapered on its way to the belly, above the navel.
"It would be better if you started resting now." Megumi contributed, the young woman was analyzing her friend's wound from her place near the medicine cabinet.
Doctor Genzai smiled with some sadness.
"I think so too Megumi chan, but I'm afraid that Himura kun has other priorities." He declared. 'And if I have to be honest, after seeing him fight I don't think we have anyone better than him.' He thought to himself with some sadness. That thought embarrassed him because he kept depending on who was a child compared to himself.
Megumi snorted and then looked at Sanosuke who was leaning against the frame of the fusuma.
"Aren't you going to tell him anything?" She asked him.
The brunette rolled his eyes.
"Tell me what for. Nothing I can tell him will change his mind." He complained.
Megumi growled lowly. She was aware that after two days of trying to dissuade the redhead, they did not have a single argument with which to convince him to give the place to someone else.
"I will adjust the bandages so that it is easy for you to move your arm without much pain, I will also make sure that you do not further tense the muscle unnecessarily," Genzai informed him. "But you will have to take medicine to prevent fever.
Kenshin nodded, until then he had remained silent, almost with his mind far from that place.
"I understand. Thank you very much, Master Genzai." He answered.
With Megumi's help, the doctor spread the medicine on the injured area, let it dry a little, and then bandaged the boy's torso. He was finishing tying the bandage when the clan leader appeared.
Sanosuke barely recognized him in time to greet him properly, just like Megumi and Kenshin did. The doctor, for his part, smiled when he saw him.
"Koishijirou sama. I didn't expect to see you so early, sir." He greeted him.
The leader of the Kamiya, however, did not return the smile, nor did he even glance at anyone other than Kenshin. He looked upset.
"I need to talk to Himura kun, "He declared.
There was a tense silence and then Kenshin nodded in response, got up from the bench where he had been sitting while he was being attended to hastily fixed his kimono, then adjusted the swords in the sageo; after that, he bowed to Doctor Genzai and left the room following who he now knew was the father of his dear friend, Kaoru.
Sanosuke felt like hitting something then, and ended up excusing himself too, although in the opposite direction from his friend.
... ...
Kenshin followed Koishijirou out of the mansion. On the way he was able to observe the rest of the clan members concentrated on their respective tasks. Even if the movement in this had slowed down after he was named as the champion of the Kamiya clan, there were still certain preparations pertaining mainly to the militia.
In addition to this, the redhead was able to appreciate the beauty of those lands. The mansion was magnificent on its own, but it stood out for its vast gardens and the area of fields that surrounded it. A river was quite close to the limits of the mansion and the sound of running water could be heard in the silence of the night; something that had calmed him down enough to be able to sleep, so he was grateful that his room faced that area.
Kenshin imagined what it would have been like for Kaoru to grow up in such an environment, where there was a peace that he had not perceived even in the sanctuary. No. The people of the clan seemed to be ahead of their time, as they treated each other without highlighting the difference in caste. It was easy to believe that a new era would be possible if such a zone of tolerance existed.
Kenshin could then visualize a little girl laughing as she ran through the gardens, playing tirelessly and bringing smiles wherever she went. And he asked himself, not for the first time, why she had been handed over to the clergy.
He could not debate this further, however, as Koishijiro stopped just a few meters away from the river, whose water was rushing by then. The man took a deep breath in a clear attempt to calm himself. Then he turned towards Kenshin to face him, the latter felt his heart heavy in his chest and he stirred in anxiety without being able to help himself.
Koishijiro smiled understandingly when he saw him so upset.
"You shouldn't worry, I'm not going to reproach you for anything." He told him.
Kenshin - much to his chagrin - breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat embarrassed for being so obvious about what he felt.
"I'm sorry." He said.
That made the older man smile more freely.
"You have nothing to apologize for, on the contrary, I am the one who owes you an apology."
The redhead jumped instantly.
"No! Not at all! I mean..." Kenshin refuted and then fell silent without knowing what else to say.
In the end, it was Koishijiro who finally spoke after sighing with regret.
"Himura kun, I know I asked you before and that you were clear with your answer," he said with a serious tone and a hint of sadness in his words. "And although I know I owe you gratitude for your next help, I can't help but question you again. Himura kun, why are you fighting?"
Silence.
The air blew then, stirring the grass and the treetops. It seemed like no one would stop asking him that question, but he had learned to see this as a blessing because if he lost his way, he knew, that not having an answer could drive him mad.
The redhead took a moment to calm himself down and think carefully about his words. Inevitably his thoughts landed on a single person before many more faces joined it. The samurai smiled at the sight. His left hand clenched the hilt of his katana.
"I fight to defend those who need protection," he said with a firm voice. "I fight because my actions, although small, can one day open the way to a new era; and I seek to ensure that the new era is good for those I wish to protect." His gaze was then lost, just for a brief moment, in looking at the current of the river. "Those are at least the reasons that arise from my ideals."
And those had been the ones he had shared days ago.
"Do you still see them far away?" Koishijirou questioned, "Like an almost utopian ideal."
Kenshin denied.
"No. I see them as something possible, complicated, but possible." His hand gripped the hilt of his katana more tightly as if the touch of it gave him courage. He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears; the fear of revealing a secret.
"I know well that I can't be a hero and be there for everyone. I am aware that although my actions impact the lives of others, they are still small. The reason I fight... is because I wish to be worthy of Kaoru dono. I wish I could make a life with her."
The air increased then, as Koishijiro took a deep breath. Ahead of him, Himura Kenshin had become a man in his eyes.
"Kaoru... My daughter" - it was still difficult for him to refer to the person he had previously called sister with that word - "wants a world where killing is not the answer, are you aware of that?"
"I am," the samurai said, his eyes shining with determination. "Kaoru dono's wish, although utopian, will one day be possible, I truly believe it. But I have understood that for that desire to occur, mine must take place first. I do not wish to kill forever. If honest, I have no desire to kill at all. But I have accepted the work as necessary for now, at least while another solution is impossible. It was difficult for me to understand it. I was upset with her and she was with me, and I couldn't see it. But now, I think I understand it." His gaze lowered to where Kaoru's ribbon still clung to both swords.
Koishijiro also noticed that ribbon, even being able to understand the meaning behind that obvious gift.
"The two ideologies do not have to deny each other." Kenshin continued by saying "The sword is a weapon made to kill. The sword is a weapon that can protect instead of kill. Both can be true. It is the user who will determine its use... It will be the era that defines one or the other. Personally, I believe in the veracity of the first and wish that one day Kaoru's words, which in turn represent the ideology adopted by the Kamiya clan, can be the only truth."
The clan leader held his gaze for a long moment; a moment in which he searched for an answer in the samurai's eyes. When he came up with such an answer, he closed his eyes and let out the breath he had unknowingly been holding, feeling relieved, then looked at him again.
"What I said in Kyoto, I meant it." He declared to the boy's surprise. "If Kaoru had known you before, I'm sure her decision would have been different."
Kenshin smiled contritely.
"Maybe, but I'm not sure mine would have been." He confessed. "After all, I wish for a decent life for both of us and in the times in which we live such a wish is still impossible."
But if the caste system was eradicated...
"Recognizing one's own weaknesses requires maturity." Koishijiro pointed out "It is true that then I was desperate to get her back, to somehow ensure her happiness, and that I thought of you as a tool to achieve this." He admitted something that the redhead discovered and already suspected. "But it is also true that as Kaoru's father, I have sought the best for her, and in this search, I was able to recognize the love that both have for each other as something real and honourable."
Kenshin's heart skipped a beat in excitement, his eyes widening.
"Koishijiro dono..."
The smile the man gave him was immense.
"Kaoru... my daughter... loves you, Himura kun." He told him.
The emotion he felt was such that Kenshin was unable to prevent his vision from blurring.
"And I think she has made a wise choice in choosing you." The man then bowed.
Kenshin's eyes widened even more if possible.
"I thank you for protecting her until now. I humbly ask you to continue protecting her, but above all, to value your life, for Kaoru's sake." Standing up again, he stared at that boy whom he had just declared as a worthy companion for his daughter. "You must live, Himura kun."
Aphonia.
Himura Kenshin felt his heart beating wildly in his chest, the air suddenly seemed to be insufficient and he couldn't help but hiccup in his attempt to breathe deeply, his lower lip even seemed to tremble.
The samurai responded to the gesture in the same way as his superior, hands at his sides, posture bowed. He opened his mouth, letting out some of the tumult of emotions that dominated him, and then he spoke.
"Arigatou, Koishijiro dono." He said loudly.
Tears, a reflection of his happiness and the enormous honor he felt for such acceptance and recognition, fell freely down his face.
KYOTO
The sunset began a little late in the capital of Japan. Even if the day ended, the movement in it would not cease for several more days; the sanctuary would remain full as parishioners concluded their season of prayers for a good harvest and success in business and enterprise for the rest of the year. But even with all this, Kaoru remained firm in dealing only with what concerned her plans.
Hikari and Sato looked worried for the first time at the change in the attitude of Kaoru Miko who, although she had had a catharsis after the death of the previous Guji and had revived from her previous lethargy, now possessed a leadership that had not been there before. Kaoru had always known how to stay in the background and obey the orders of the clergy, always seeking to keep them happy rather than creating conflict. At least, after the fire.
But now she was close to breaking away from it and declaring herself independent.
"Yumi Sama has not contacted us again," Hikari said with concern, the parchment that rested on the desk was old and the ink was almost illegible.
"Maybe she can't." Sato contributed from behind her while arranging several books "We must continue with what was arranged. We have less than a month to ensure that everything goes perfectly."
Hikari frowned. Just then she noticed Kaoru through the window of the small office, the Miko arriving from only Kami knew where.
"I don't like lying to her."
"Is that why you sent a letter to Edo?" Sato questioned with obvious annoyance. Hikari didn't deny it. "You complain about others, but you are the one who continues to doubt. Bringing Himura into this will only complicate things."
"I already know that," She declared with irritation. "But you can't tell me that you don't wish there was another way."
Sato left the job then. Turning to his companion, his mind remembered Kago and how he had died. For that moment he hesitated just like her, and then he composed himself.
"All deaths have a reason, Hikari." He told her. "That's all the comfort I can give you."
... ...
Touko was waiting for Kaoru outside the latter's room. When the Miko arrived - still in the company of Emi - the Miko apprentice hurriedly approached her superior carrying a small tray in her hands, a small scroll resting on the silver surface.
"Message for Kaoru miko sama" Touko said.
The aforementioned took the scroll and entered her room, letting her two acolytes rest for now. As soon as she found herself inside her private room, she unwrapped the scroll.
It was a missive from Captain Saito Hajime.
...
The meeting will take another day I'm afraid.
But the arrangement will be made.
Hajime Saito
...
Kaoru sighed, not knowing if it was relief or frustration.
If Kondo Dono did not show up as Saito said, Kaoru would decide to give up such an arrangement just because she could not delay her departure to Edo; a week was already too long for her reunion with her brother... with her father... She corrected herself.
Then she burned that paper. The color of the flame made her think of someone else.
"Kenshin..." She said, whispering his name affectionately. The next moment she pulled the top out of the sleeve of her haori. Wherever she went, she always took it with her.
She sighed this time, sure it was a relief.
Looking behind the fusuma doors that opened onto the private garden, Kaoru noticed the pearly patches of sky, and her heart skipped a beat. Enishi's words slipped into her mind.
"She knew that you had seen Akira Niisan's death."
Leaving the room, she sat on the engawa. Leaning on the wooden pillar, the Miko relived the old nightmares.
A woman running on a snowy landscape.
The red ink - blood - painting the snow.
A man who desperately whispered the name of his beloved as the life escaped from his body.
A white plum blossom bleeding onto the cobblestone of the street.
"Akira san, Tomoe san..." She murmured while looking at the sky. "I promise to guide Enishi and protect him from himself." She swore then.
That afternoon, the sky seemed to bleed as if it were some kind of premonition... Its vibrant colors spread across the sky like stripes of paint in a painting that was too sad. The red in the middle faded to orange, there was a purple tint bordering both colors, which faintly simulated a pale pink, and the sun died in the midst of all these.
Kaoru - after watching such a dramatic scene - thought she should accept and let go of the things that were not in her power to change, being unable to cry about what was about to happen.
A slow, soft, delicate cry... Tears that, little by little, formed in her eyes and fell silently. The scene in her mind overwhelmed her, breathing was a task that hurt...
But she had made a promise, she reminded herself. Refusing to ignore what she felt, she remember the goal of all that. Controlling her breathing first, little by little, she managed to release her feeling without suffocating.
After all, she reminded herself, she wouldn't be the one to lose her most important person that night...
Maybe later, she could be selfish, she told herself. But not yet.
"Not yet."
For now, she had to be strong.
...
"He holds the gun against my head
I close my eyes and bang!
I am dead
I know, he knows that he's killing me for mercy
And here I go"
...
The crow cawed, flying over the shrine. Once and twice. The trance began at the third squawk.
"Ah!" Kaoru exclaimed with her eyes lighting up, just before she fell unconscious.
The nightmare visited her again.
She dreamt; and in her dream, the young woman saw the tragedy occur as before.
Except this time her feet took her to the meeting point, it was no longer a dark alley where the crime took place but a large avenue on the outskirts of the capital.
Two figures silhouetted by the evening sun faced each other.
An order, a blow...
A mask that breaks; a friend who begs while the other cries...
One last attack.
A light that goes out.
And another that enrages.
...
And here I go
...
The sun had already begun its descent when Sasaki had climbed the mountain. She had risked making that visit considering the turmoil in the city due to the prayers to Inari, luckily for her, the person he was waiting for was coming up the driveway.
Sasaki smiled.
"Konbawa, Master Hiko." She greeted him.
The man in question looked at her and frowned in obvious irritation.
"You, again," He complained and then walked past her to go to the back.
Sasaki followed him, carrying the backpack full of supplies. She watched Hiko leave the backpack he was carrying near the pile of logs.
"It's a pleasure to see that you are well." She told him. "I brought you water, since upon my arrival I noticed that the drum was empty," she indicated, pointing to the huge can next to the other wall.
This time, the Master of the Hiten Mitsurugi refrained from reprimanding her with his eyes, that was a small victory for the chokkai. The young woman had made it her responsibility to go up at least once a week to report on what she knew about the elder's apprentice, and during the former's delirium, her visits had even been daily. Sasaki knew that Hiko was grateful but she was also aware that it would be an eternity before the man would admit it.
Said man crossed his arms and looked at her expectantly.
"Why do you keep insisting on coming?" He asked her.
The young woman then decided to search inside her backpack, from which she took out a small bottle of sake. The packaging made it clear that it was from the sanctuary.
"It's the official sake delivery," she said in explanation.
Hiko snorted.
"I don't depend on it," he said sarcastically.
Sasaki smiled tenderly.
"Kaede Sama was clear in her instructions, and in ensuring that what you just said, Master Hiko, is a lie." She declared.
And then, Seijuuro Hiko could only give up, although internally regretting that even in death Kaede did not give him even a respite.
He approached her and took the bottle.
"This is the last."She told him as soon as he had taken it.
The last sake that Kaede had prepared herself.
Hiko felt a thorn stab his chest.
"I see," he said, his face revealing nothing of what he felt. But he had the suspicion that the young woman in front of him was able to identify what he felt through the vibration of his heart. That was, after all, the gift of that arui miko. "I'll make tea, it would be an honor if you accompanied me, girl."
Sasaki nodded.
"The honor is mine." She said smiling.
...
"He holds my body in his arms
He didn't mean to do no harm and he holds me tight
He did it all to spare me from the awful things in life that comes
And he cries and cries
I know, he knows that he's killing me for mercy
And here I go"
...
Despite what one might think of a man like Hiko, the master of Hiten Mitsurugi was a true craftsman. The way he prepared the tea denoted elegance and education, so it remained a mystery to Sasaki why such a craftsman had not instructed his disciple.
Everyone knew that Himura had quite a few problems with calligraphy and, although he showed an affinity for cooking, that the truth was that everything related to studying suited him quite badly. Not that he wasn't intelligent, because he was, even more so than some scholars, but the knowledge he possessed was very little in comparison.
Hiko served the tea then, and Sasaki put her thoughts aside. They drank at the same time once they had enjoyed the strong aroma of the drink. And then, just as she expected, the teacher wasted no time.
"Well?" He asked. "Start talking, girl. What is the favor you expect me to do?"
Sasaki smiled a little sadly. Although it was clear she did not bring new news from Himura, not everyone would identify her intentions so quickly.
"It's about Kaoru sama." She said.
The girl felt a knot in her chest; she knew that she was acting against what she'd agreed with Yumi Sama and the rest of those involved in the sanctuary - Sato, Hikari and the new Guji - but she knew that doing so was the right thing to do.
Hiko immediately noticed the doubt in the young woman.
"What's with her?" He questioned with real interest. It had been months since he had seen the little girl from the sanctuary after his last confrontation with his baka deshii.
Sasaki looked away then, requiring a moment to gather her courage. Saying the next thing hurt her.
"More specifically, it is about the death of Kaoru Sama." She declared.
This time, the celestial style master was unable to hide his bewilderment as well as his concern.
"Be clear," he ordered. "Tell me exactly what you mean."
The young woman squeezed the fabric of her hakama tightly. There was no turning back. If she wanted to gain the support of Hiko Seijuuro, she had to betray the clergy.
As soon as she opened her mouth, words poured out one after the other without stopping.
...
He holds my body in his arms, he didn't mean to do no harm
And he
Cries, and cries!
He did it all to spare me from the awful things in life that comes,
and he cries
and cries...
...
The black of night had crept into the sky until it devoured the sun completely. The lamps began to light up one by one in each of the residences in Kyoto, where - despite the tension of the conflict - many people were still active due to the beginning of the harvest season. It had been a month of relative calm, so few feared that there would be a confrontation.
Such had been the case for Keisuke, who was surprised to see Saito still in operation.
"Will you patrol today, too?" He questioned him without hiding his annoyance.
To his irritation, Saito remained silent, walking down the hallway towards the exit of the Shinsengumi headquarters; he completely ignored the fact that his partner was following him.
"I can't understand why you commit yourself so much to that girl." Keisuke reproached him again.
Saito put on his sandals.
"And I don't have to share my reasons with you." The captain of the third division responded with his classic smile.
Keisuke saw fit to take it as a joke.
"So cruel!" He exclaimed dramatically. "We are supposed to be nakama (comrades)."
Okita joined them then, coming up behind them.
"Even then, we may have the right to certain secrets between us," the boy said. "Isn't that right, Saito san?"
The man in question gave him a look before continuing on his way and leaving the barracks.
"Aren't you going to question him?" Keisuke reproached him.
Okita smiled.
"Lie(No). That's also part of being nakama." He assured him, and the next moment, he followed Saito, evidently deciding to go out on patrol as well.
"Yare, yare." The dark-haired man exclaimed resignedly. "I think I have nothing left but to accompany them." He said as he followed them.
He had no problem catching up with them; they were going at a slow pace, too. As soon as he was next to the older man his face became serious. "However, Saito... You better have a plan that backs up your support for her against Kondo san. If the worst happens in Edo, I don't think our Commander will be so open to a truce."
Saito snorted.
"I already know it. You don't have to tell me." He answered.
He was about to say something else when screams were heard, at the end of the street.
"Hitokkiri! (murderer)" Several voices said.
The three captains ran following the echo of the voices until they found the scene two streets down. There were three men - shogunate officials - injured with clear evidence of sword wounds. The cuts were long and clean, although they looked like cuts from a saw-type blade.
"Over there!" Several more shouted.
The captains barely managed to see the silhouette of the murderer before he fled. But Saito had been able to look at the silhouette of the Hitokkiri's face, the way that man smiled as if in mockery.
...
Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one
...
"Go after him!" Saito shouted after drawing his sword and launching himself after the assassin.
"He's fast!" Okita exclaimed when he noticed that he couldn't reach him.
People got out of the way when they saw them, and the captains regretted that it was still early; having to avoid the civilians was more annoying than complicated.
"Saito san!" Okita shouted when he was the first to catch up with the Hitokkiri and noticed that the man was about to escape after he jumped over one of the walls that surrounded the city in the northern area. This overlooked a kind of small cliff which connected to a forest.
Saito threw his wakizashi, but the blade ended up sticking into the rock just after the Hitokkiri jumped. Searching for him now in that area would be useless.
The three captains then met a meter away from where the murderer had disappeared.
"What will we do? This is serious..." Okita said.
"We have to gather the rest of the gang and start an investigation, find out who is behind it and then catch them." Saito declared.
"If we catch him." Keisuke muttered irritably.
"For now it will be enough to analyze the crime scene," Saito pointed out, starting to walk back the way they had come. "Everyone who was present will have to be questioned, one must have been able to see his face."
"If that doesn't work," Okita said. "My division will go look for the trail of that man. Someone will have to find it."
...
They had no such luck.
Each and every one of those interrogated mentioned not having noticed the moment of the crime. Apparently, the victims had suddenly fallen dead to the ground, barely having time to discover the aggressor among them. There had not been enough witnesses; in addition, only four people were walking around when the incident happened.
From all appearances, it seemed to be a careless event, but Saito had the suspicion it had been done that way on purpose. As if the murderer enjoyed the drama and didn't believe he needed to hide.
"Haaa," the man sighed, then massaged his temples. "This complicates things," He told himself.
...
Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one
...
He had to obtain a truce for the miko and pay his debt to her, but such an agreement could only occur if such crimes did not happen in the city. After sighing a second time, the captain of the third squad turned his gaze towards the scenery outside the window; through the glass, he saw the full moon revealed behind the clouds moved by the wind.
How he wish he could hold his family in his arms!
"Even the wolves howl to the Moon." He whispered.
...
The gun is gone
And so am I,
And here I go
...
EDO
The city had remained semi-deserted most of the day. By dusk, however, it had become mute. The two enemy forces arrived at the area chosen for the confrontation almost at the same time; leaving the necessary space between both sides, each of them dedicated themselves to preparing for combat while the majority of families remained behind closed doors in their homes, aware of what was about to happen, and trying to avoid getting involved by all means.
However, there were those whose curiosity or concern was stronger, and they were on the roofs or leaning out of the windows of the upper floors of the buildings watching attentively in anticipation of what would happen. Such was the case of Megumi and Sanosuke, who had gained access to one of the inns on that large avenue and were watching the prelude to that confrontation from the rooftop.
"From here, we can see it," Sanosuke said as he approached the edge of that rectangular roof.
Megumi advanced with less enthusiasm and stopped one step behind him.
"This is not good," She said.
"It would be fine," Sano told her without seeing her; his attention was on his friend who, was then dressed in the appropriate armor. "I have seen Kenshin fight, he is equal to or even better than any samurai master."
Megumi hugged herself, unable to find comfort in the brunette's words.
"Still... I have a bad feeling; there are many things that can go wrong."
"Don't worry. I don't think that among the remaining members of the shinchogumi, there will be someone who can stand up to Kenshin." He assured.
Megumi had not seen Kenshin fight, she only knew what the others had told her about his skill; and even if she had seen him give a glimpse of his technique a day ago, a training match was not the same as one to the death.
For now, she could only hope that Sanosuke was right and that there was no one exceptional on the other side. The young woman risked a glance towards what was left of the shinchogumi, and the few who supported them. She observed how - like Kenshin - they dressed a samurai in armour, even covering his face with a mask in addition to the charging helmet.
"Why would they want to keep the identity secret?" She questioned herself, feeling her internal panic grow.
After all, although that condition suited Kenshin, it had not been a request from the Kamiya clan but from the enemy.
Something was wrong, she told herself. Something was very wrong.
...
Kenshin adjusted the mask over his face. Even then, he couldn't afford to reveal his identity; his hair had also been dyed black hours ago. He denied wearing the armour helmet however, to tell the truth, it was difficult for him to fight with it, but he had agreed to use the protections on the rest of his body as a precaution. It was a war match, after all.
And since it was a one-on-one combat in front of both sides, he couldn't reveal his celestial technique otherwise it would be easy to link him with the Sekihotai's previous confrontations. In short, he had to fight with the basic style of kenjutsu, but he knew that even then, his skill would keep him above his enemy. There were no captains left in a position to fight on the side of the shinchogumi, according to reports.
He hoped that the conflict would end within the established time.
Koishijiro then approached him along with General Kurama.
"Himura kun, remember what we agreed" The General asked him seriously. "The combat should be short but long enough to satisfy the combat desire of both sides. This is more of a show than anything else."
"I understand."
"Himura kun" this time, it was Koishijiro who spoke. "It is only necessary to win the fight, there will be no need to do anything else once you achieve victory." His gaze seemed to communicate more, Kenshin was able to understand the implicit message and couldn't help but smile.
"I know." He said before turning towards the battle space.
Kaoru's ribbon was tied tightly around his left hand, and when he had stopped at the starting point for the fight, he pressed his lips against the cloth. A small gesture as a sign of a prayer.
On the other side of the field, his opponent also approached, until he was meters away from the redhead.
Everything fell into a tense silence, then.
The ranks of samurai on each side remained in formation, attentive for the start of the fight. Two officers, one from each side, met in the middle of the field, and after exchanging words, each turned toward their champion.
Kenshin barely listened to the instructions given, his gaze fixed on his opponent. There was something about that samurai that seemed familiar, although he couldn't quite say why. The vibration of his opponent's ki was not as strong as his own, but there was a timbre that was so familiar to him that it caused him discomfort.
There was an order and both contestants adopted their respective stance.
Kenshin breathed in and out through his mouth, a breath he used to relax tension, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
The boy adopted an attacking stance.
"Fast but not short," He said to himself.
His opponent drew his blade.
...
And the combat began.
...
"Ah!" Both contestants exclaimed.
The two samurai ran, one faster than the other.
First, he had to measure the level of his opponent, the redhead told himself, his sword struck his opponent's head-on. Taking advantage of the force of the previous jump, Kenshin pressed harder, causing the enemy sword to give way under his force. For a second his eyes met those of his opponent and he was almost able to recognize something in his gaze.
However, his enemy exerted force to his left to slide the sword over the edge of Kenshin's katana in a clear evasion. Kenshin jumped back, letting his opponent almost fall on his face as he lost his support axis. The redhead turned around to deliver a second thrust at his enemy's rear, but he seemed to guess the movement. Taking advantage of the previous momentum, the enemy crouched to turn in the opposite direction and attack with the sword in a slanting motion.
"It can't be!" Masato exclaimed upon recognizing the technique.
Kenshin was forced to back away. His right wrist hurt from the effort of containing the previous blow as it was at an unnatural angle. Given his position, he had been disadvantaged in such a blow.
"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu?" Kurama questioned next to Masato, who also did not believe the movement made by the enemy.
Kenshin analyzed it in the small moment in which the two had ended up away from each other. His opponent remained in the previous stance; evidently, hoping to contain a second attack.
"A feint?" The redhead wondered. "He seemed to know from the moment he slid his sword how I would attack him. Taking advantage of his posture, he had greater momentum than me and better strength when holding the sword with both hands; while mine already forced me to move my arm at a weak angle. ..But that posture... Where have I seen it before?"
The redhead stood up straight, raising his sword in front of him. His opponent remained crouched.
A heartbeat.
Kenshin lunged at his opponent again. Just as he predicted, he tried to defend himself in front, so at the last second the boy jumped until he was behind the samurai. He barely managed to get away, but the damage was already done: a straight cut on his back. Fortunately, the armour had saved him from a lethal blow.
Kenshin attacked again; his opponent barely dodged it.
Kenshin turned again, redirecting his katana, he was about to plunge it into the enemy's left shoulder, but then, his enemy did something that he did not predict in time.
"Gah!" The redhead exclaimed when he felt the blow at the level of his previous wound.
"Kenshin!" Sano and Megumi shouted.
"Is he perhaps a student at the school?" Koishijirou mentally questioned himself because that had been another of the movements of his technique; one that included a judo move.
The enemy had changed his hand sword and launched an open-handed blow on Kenshin's chest on his left side, while his left foot went behind the redhead's right foot until he was uneven. He had had to sacrifice his left arm, since Kenshin's sword, having been half deflected, had managed to pierce his protections, and a clean cut marked his arm.
"No," Koishijirou said to himself because there was no one from his school who was not present there at his side. "No!" He said to himself in panic when he understood who it was "Himura kun!"
"His defence is almost perfect." Kenshin accepted after having managed to free himself from the attack and having put distance between them. "There is no doubt, it is the same technique that Kaoru dono practised on me. But how is it possible? A traitor within the clan?" He doubts.
His enemy had also taken the opportunity to tend to his injured arm. The redhead analyzed him, paying attention to his posture, his silhouette, his height and everything he could discern with the little the armour revealed.
"I need to find out." He concluded.
Taking a deep breath, he stood up again, sheathed his sword, and then, returned to his batou stance. Maybe it would be best to finish the combat once and for all, but even he was curious, and he still had time left than they had established.
"My goal is his mask." He sentenced.
...
The attack occurred.
...
"Ah!" He shouted while attacking.
"Himura kun, stop!" Koshijirou shouted upon discovering what Kenshin would do.
But it was too late.
The shinchogumi champion was the one who attacked this time, with a technique very similar to Okita Rintarou's. Kenshin avoided it with a jump, and applying a two-step technique, he attacked again this time from above, trying not to hit anything beyond his opponent's mask.
The mask broke with a dull sound, falling to the ground and crashing against it seconds after the culprit of such damage landed and then jumped back. His enemy had also seen fit to retreat to protect his face from the blade, but not to reveal his identity.
"Ah!" Kenshin exclaimed bewildered with his eyes wide open. His heart clenched in his chest as he felt the heat leave his body in a hurry until he couldn't stop his body from trembling.
His enemy let out a forced sigh when he felt free of the mask, after squeezing his eyes tightly he opened them wide again, letting his gaze lock onto his opponent's.
"Akira dono...!" Kenshin muttered, feeling faint.
And the instant after hearing his name, Akira attacked him.
The blade of his katana drew a perfect arc, Kenshin barely reacted in time to block the blow. The two swords clashed.
But the doubt weakened the redhead's resolve and Akira made him take three steps back. The black-haired man took advantage of the proximity to speak to him.
"Himura kun..."
Kenshin's gaze danced between the clash of swords and Akira's eyes. The latter seemed annoyed.
"Don't you dare call me out" He warned him, growling the words.
Confusion was painted on the boy's face.
The threat was so clear that the boy relaxed his defence and Akira took advantage of this to push until he released his state; Kenshin fell to the ground.
...
The redhead understood the reason behind that threat, but at the same time, it was so unexpected that Kenshin could barely put together the context of that meeting. Still, the certainty that that battle could not end without death was planted like a heavy black cloak over his mind and body.
He started hyperventilating...
He could not continue debating these thoughts, however, as Akira was already attacking him again.
Amid doubt, the minor could only defend himself, since his attacks lacked conviction.
...
The change in the balance of that confrontation was appreciated by everyone present, although no one knew very well the reason for such a change.
Sanosuke couldn't believe what he saw.
"What happened? Why is he suddenly just dodging?" Megumi questioned, unable to look away from the confrontation. -"You said he was better than anyone!"
"And he is!" Refuted Sano, also trapped by the fight.
"So what's up?!"
"I don't know!" He screamed with the same desperation as her because he truly didn't understand the reason for that change. "That samurai's technique is no match for Kenshin's technique..."
However, Kenshin's movements were clumsy, his ki vibrating in a kind of back-and-forth between panic and fear.
"Sano!" Megumi urged him desperately as if she wanted him to do something.
Then it became clear to the fighter. He analyzed his friend's countenance.
"...It's Kenshin" Sanosuke responded, confusion clear in his expression.
Megumi looked at him then just as confused.
"What?"
"It's Kenshin who doesn't want to fight back." Sano pointed out in a quiet voice.
The fighter was able to understand that whoever Kenshin had discovered behind the mask was someone he knew, if his suspicions were true, said person was someone important in the redhead's life.
This was bad.
...
"I told you not to hold back!" Akira shouted just as he landed a blow on the redhead.
Kenshin dodged the attack with a jump back, but he did not counterattack.
"Akira dono!" He spoke to him desperately as if he wanted to talk to him.
The older man felt like hanging him. He took a fistful of dirt and threw it at the minor's face, directly into the eye area of the mask. The latter covered himself in time with one hand, but Akira took advantage of this distraction to pounce on him.
Kenshin blocked the attack with the katana but crashed in the end to the ground.
"Do not say my name!" Akira warned him. "Think, if you were in my situation, Himura kun, who would be at risk if you were discovered?"
...
"Kaoru," He thought.
The image of the Miko sneaked into his mind in just the space of a second.
A memory of the days at the sanctuary at nightfall, when she used to wait for him in the room they shared, in front of that round mirror where the samurai could appreciate his friend's clear smile.
The memory faded as quickly as it came.
...
"If you discover me here, my family will be next," Akira warned him while pressing the sword on Kenshin's, taking advantage of their postures.
Kenshin could barely counteract the older man's strength not only because of his position on the ground but because of the emotions his sempai transmitted to him through his ki; despair and fear, hope and anguish...
"If you truly want to help me... Hate me, Himura Kun. Resent me. Fight with everything, don't hold back..." He begged in a choked voice. "Because otherwise, you will not only be murdering me but my entire family."
Kenshin's eyes widened in shock...
It's as if lightning had crossed him and crushed his heart. His being finally understands what he had not wanted to accept...
Although he was afraid to attack - even after discovering his opponent's identity - the boy knew what he had to do, and had suffered for it.
"This is what it means to be a samurai. The sword is a weapon made to kill."
The voice of his teacher, once again, echoed in his mind, in his conscience.
"You're just a naive little boy who knows nothing about war."
Kenshin gritted his teeth; making a decision right there he finally responded to the force of his enemy.
Taking advantage of their position, he kicked Akira right in the stomach with his left leg. The black-haired man relaxed his attack under the blow and Kenshin took the opportunity to push until he threw him away from him.
Akira stumbled backwards but managed to regain his balance and avoid the fall.
Kenshin stoop up with a jump.
They were both breathing hard.
...
"This is bad, Koishijirou sama," Masato said.
After witnessing the techniques, it was impossible not to recognize the Kamiya Kasshin style as the enemy's weapon. This would cause problems even after the match was over, due to the ideology of the technique itself.
But for now, they could not intervene. At least Kenshin seemed to have reacted.
Koishujirou did not answer. The man remained captive to the fight and how it affected the clan's chosen champion.
"Himura kun" He thought as a prayer. But even the gods had no control over men's consciences or what they held in their hearts, he thought to himself. What exactly was he praying for? That it will end soon? That Kenshin wouldn't care about the outcome?
Koishijiro clenched his hands into fists, clenching his jaw in frustration.
There was nothing he could do now to avoid the terrible fate evident to his eyes.
...
Kenshin breathed in through his mouth, a big gulp of air, and then held his breath for 6 seconds. Then he slowly exhaled and repeated the process two more times.
His heart calmed down.
He closed his eyes then, knowing that his opponent wouldn't attack him, not yet.
The redhead was aware that the confrontation had lasted much longer than what he had been ordered to; and after remembering his duty to the Kamiya clan in that contest, he was also aware that he could not win in his current state.
That was not an honorable battle but a mere spectacle to avoid a mass confrontation, to appease the anxieties of a group that knew it had been defeated but, out of pride, demanded retribution in the form of a duel.
There was no need for an honorable soldier to end that fight, but the murderer, the hittokiri, who a year ago claimed the lives of the monsters that had burned down the Inari sanctuary.
He had to connect with that part of himself, that darkness, that had been born from helplessness and rage.
Golden eyes glowed as the hittokiri opened his eyes. He adopted a batou stance. "No more basic kendo techniques," he said to himself.
If he wanted to save himself and the person in front of him, he had to carry out such a sacrifice.
"Come," the Hitokiri ordered. His voice was deep and cold. The vibration of his ki screamed "danger."
"Ah, that's how it happens," Akira murmured, smiling.
The smile did not reach his eyes...
He knew, of course, after discovering the hand he had been dealt to play, along with Tomoe, they had decided to follow such a path. If death was his destined star at the end of that fight, he would make sure to go out fighting.
"Gomene, Tomoe... Enishi..." He thought to himself as he waited sending his prayers to his loved ones. "I'm afraid I have to get ahead..."
The man sharpened his gaze, adopted his attack stance, and smiled one last time to himself... He took a deep breath and attacked.
"Ah!" They both shouted.
Both swords connected in their own way with their target, with Kenshin's sword being the one that managed to cut the armour and wound his enemy in the belly. Akira barely stood, and despite his resignation, the man found himself facing a cruel truth...
He didn't want to die.
"Tomoe," he thought. "Not yet"
He returned to the attack.
But his movements were desperate and therefore clumsy. Kenshin dodged him turning around and attacked him again until he hit him from behind.
"I don't want to die!" Akira shouted in his mind. "I don't want to die!"
That would be the last blow, a last desperate counterattack. The two samurai faced each other head on and one of them ended up losing his sword...
...
It is a brief and ephemeral moment.
A small suspended moment where standing almost face to face and side to side, Akira murmurs.
"You did well, Himura kun."
Kenshin doesn't respond.
...The tears that slide down his cheeks are all the response he allows himself to give.
...
"Tomoe," Akira's lips murmur.
It is a sunny day in the port of Kyoto with the blue sky free of clouds.
Tomoe is there and smiles at Akira, in her hands she holds a peach plant, it is this one she uses to hide her face playfully; at a time when his ears are unable to perceive any sound, but the vision is so clear that Akira ends up accepting his destiny.
His hands reach out towards her.
Tomoe keeps smiling at him, and his heart leaps in anguished joy.
...
It is this same vision that Kaoru observes. Standing in the distance in the middle of that battlefield now stained with blood...
There is no smile on her lips.
Only tears that fall silently.
The Miko forces herself to look until the end, to sustain that vision until her friend's last breath leaves his body. Only in this way, she tells herself, will she be able to free him from pain.
...
His sword cuts through flesh and causes irreparable damage, and he knows he has been wounded too.
The binding of his mask breaks on the left side like a bursting bubble. The mask hangs and reveals a part of his face, the one where his cheek burns after having been cut.
Akira falls to the ground.
Kenshin remains standing.
With his back to the enemy's army, with all eyes on him, the redhead puts two fingers on his wounded cheek, drawing that cut, cleaning the blood that slips and merges with his tears and looks at his stained fingers for a moment.
It is impossible for others to see how his lower lip trembles in his attempt to contain the emotion that tries to escape from his chest.
Kenshin looks up, shakes and cleans the blade of his katana almost in an automatic movement.
Behind him, Akira remains immersed in his hallucination. He crawls on the ground as he tries to reach and hug his beloved while babbling her name. It is an obscene and cruel scene that both sides observe without managing to take their eyes off that horrible tragedy.
"To...mo...e" He whispered and smiled.
His eyes lose part of their light until they almost go out completely, but it seems as if his will to stay alive has no end.
The man's ki suddenly goes out...
"Himura-kun!"
The aforementioned barely registers the exclamation of his own name in what knows is a reprimand, he knows that more than one is horrified when he sees him deliver the final thrust, directly to Kiyosato Akira's heart from behind. Battosai cleans the blade and sheathes his sword, then he forcefully tears off his mask, breaking the remaining binding, after which he throws it roughly to the ground. His hair - after coming loose at some point during the match - hides the expression on his face.
He turns again to where the Kamiya clan is waiting. He takes one step forward, and then another, and another without stopping. He walks straight, with his head held high, shoulders back and his left hand - the one with Kaoru's indigo blue ribbon - tightly gripping the handle of the katana. So it's the only thing that keeps him standing and stoic.
He has sworn to protect a secret that he will have to carry to the grave, for the good of the person he has just taken the life of, so he does not allow himself to look back.
Coming to where the clan leader is, he bows his head - a barely empty recognition, his eyes are still those of a murderer - and then moves on from him and all the others. He walks between the rows of soldiers who open the way for him between respect and fear.
There are those who tried to stop him anyway, but both, Masato and Kurama, stop them feeling embarrassed.
Koishijiro remains stoic with his eyes forward as he endures the storm in his chest. He takes a moment to recover from the guilt and sadness he feels, he forces himself not to feel, he has no right to feel, and then he gives the order to capture the enemy.
Genzai, contrite, after watching Himura Kenshin's departure and his passing him by, also gives instructions to recover Kiyosato Akira's body...
...apprentice of the Kamiya school.
A/N: Kenshin changed the "san" to "dono" when referring to Koishijiro, due to the position he now holds but mainly because he is Kaoru's father. Now... If you want a certainty that what follows will be balm for the heart in view of the recent tragedy, leave a comment, don't be mean xD