Standard disclaimers:
I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Watsuki and some big name companies do.
Author's comments:
Note that it is 'Slay evil IMMEDIATELY'. I didn't want to write an endless
fighting scene with Saitou, please note that he isn't using a special attack.
...and he is younger here, concerning his fighting skills.
I missed to mention 'Blade of the Immortal' as an inspiration! I hadn't
checked this Manga for half a year, yesterday I continued reading, SURPRISE!
This Manga has a deep influence on my subconscious! The characters are great!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm down to the grounds, the very dregs
Ah, here she comes, blocking the sun
Blood running down the inside her legs
The moon in the sky is battered and mangled
And the bells from the chapel go jingle-jangle
Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?
words by Nick Cave ('Do you love me?)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 12: BATTLEFIELDS 1
We didn't have one day, we had a few hours left. And all Hajime was doing,
was to comfort me and trying to calm me. Never before and never again in
my
life I had been so scared and had I cried so much. Hajime must have thought
I was a little whining and wailing crybaby in a time we needed to make
precautoins.
In addition to that, Kondou was not in Kyoto, we weren't able to speak
with him and ask him for help. Not that Hajime had seriously considered
this possibility.
Hajime was sent on patrol in the evening, the house was empty, except a few
wives, and we decided it would be the best for me going with him, some wives
wouldn't stop Yoshinori from entering the house. Hajime's first duty was
to
serve his Daimyo, caring for security in Kyoto, and not to protect his wife
from being kidnapped by an obsessed ninja.
I dressed as a Shinsengumi to be less suspicious and took my wakizashis,
shurikens, kunais and dagger with me. With all the weapons I felt I could
equip an army, but still didn't feel secure. Only as Hajime stepped beside
me, my irrational feeling of fear vanished instantly.
It was dusk, only a few people on the street, some shops were still opened.
An old woman was selling fish.
"He, you two! Over there! Want some fresh fish?"
ALARM! An old woman was addressing us? Two Miburo on the streets? Ok, I admit,
I didn't count. But I instinctively moved closer to Hajime.
Nothing happened, we passed her.
In the next street stood two men, discussing. The discussion got more
emotional, the voices got louder, one was giving the other a smack on his
shoulder, the other gave it back, it escalated.
A trap? I stayed close to Hajime as he approached the two men, his sheer
appearance made them shut up and leave the place in complete harmony.
Nothing happened.
One hour passed without an incident, the shops were closed by now, less people
were left on the street and some cats started to roam around.
"WUMM."
We both turned around alarmed, what was that? Frantically we scanned the
surroundings, but nothing suspicious was to see, only a cat crossing the
street. It cast an annoyed glance at us and vanished between two houses.
Another hour passed without happening anything, the streets nearly empty,
only
a few passerbys here and there. They hurried home, not casting a glance
right and left, obviously afraid of the dark and the threatening athmosphere.
Hours later we were both tired, you can't stay alarmed and be on guard twenty-
four hours a day.
It was then, I didn't pay attention when passing a dark entrance, and Hajime
was a few steps ahead.
It was too late when I felt the hand on my mouth and the arm around my waist
and arms. His grip was tight, I wasn't able to move as much as I fought
againsthim, but my resistance caused some noise and Hajime turned, realising
something was wrong.
Hajime and Yoshinori were staring at each other, the atmosphere was
threatening, hostile. Fighting spirits appeared, blood-thirstiness filled
the
air. I would have to do something, before the situation escalated,
perhaps there was a slight chance to calm Yoshinori. Hajime needed more time.
If Hajime trusted me, I could pretend to go with Yoshinori, he would focus
on
Hajime, trying to kill him, I could use this and attack him from behind.
"Leave her!"
Hajime was standing in front of us, facing us. He wasn't able to judge
Yoshinori, to predict his actions, movements. There was not a chance for
him
to attack with me in Yoshinori's arms.
Yoshinori was blind concerning me, he wouldn't realise I was lying and
betraying him, I was sure. He lowered the hand on my mouth.
Would Hajime recognise it? Would he trust me?
"Hajime, please calm down. He is an old friend of mine. Yoshinori Masahiro-
san. Saitou Hajime-san, leader of shinsengumi squad three and my husband."
I tried to introduce them, but they continued to stare at each other, none
of
them made an effort to bow. My Gods, I needed help! I knew this wouldn't
work!
They both wanted to see blood. What a stupid idea!
"Tokio-san, are you trying to tell me that this is your husband? I thought
you had a better taste."
Yoshinori tried to provoke Hajime, this attempt was too obvious, Hajime
wouldn't fall for it.
"Yoshinori is a famous name."
Hajime made a threatening move, which wouldn't work with Yoshinori, too
obvious. He was a skilled Ninja after all.
"Saitou-kun stay quiet. You don't belong into the same class as Tokio-san
and I."
HUH, this was rude and fitting! I felt myself slowly losing control.
"Stop talking, Yoshinori and leave her."
Hajime remained concentrated and cool. He didn't mind to be the son of a
low
class samurai and a farmers daughter, this provocation wouldn't work with
him.
I felt relieved, this was looking good for us. Hajime didn't seem to have
a weak spot Yoshinori was able to find.
"By the way, what about the book I gave you, Tokio? The book about ken-jutsu?"
My Gods! He had spied us out? This book had been my parent's, but he must
have revealed that we had a brawl about it and that Hajime knew it
was important for me. He would think it is important, because Yoshinori gave
it to me. Would Hajime trust me?
"I still have it, Masahiro. Thank you for the wonderful present."
Hajime remained calm, it didn't work. Would Yoshinori be able to find a weak
point in this short time?
Yoshinori registered that it didn't work, too, and took a intense look at
me.
"You really like this man? You allowed him to touch you? What an honour,
Saitou-kun! She's quite skilled with her hands, isn't she?"
MY GODS, he tried to use THIS?
Hajime tightened his grip on the hilt, he had drawn the right conclusions.
NO! Yoshinori must have seen it too.
Please, this couldn't be true! Did Saitou trust me enough?
"Stay there or I'll break some of her bones!"
He would never do that, but Hajime couldn't know that, I wasn't able to say
something or to move. Yoshinori's grip was still too tight and I didn't want
to show him my intention too early.
"It is time for you, Saitou, to hand me back what is mine."
I almost felt Yoshinori's barefaced grin, which never failt to enrage me,
even Hajime needed effort to remain calm as I noticed.
"Leave her!"
Yoshinori ignored him completely.
"I can't believe, what you did, Tokio. You are even carrying his child."
He tightened his grip around me, pressing me against him, there was no
possibility to move my arms. Every muscle in my body was aching, there had
to
be a chance to get out of his grip. I tried to fight against him as I suddenly
noticed Hajime's eyes widened in shock as he witnessed Yoshinori's next moves.
What was going on? What was Yoshinori planning? I couldn't see his moves,
I could only feel him. And I heard his next words.
"I'm sorry, Tokio, I have to hurt you. But, you know, I only want the best
for you."
I felt Yoshinori raising his hand -what was going on?- and with one fluid
movement he punched his fist into the region of my belly using one of his
ninja techniques. *OUCH*
Hajime wasn't able to help me, though he wanted as I noticed by his impatient
fumbling with the hilt of his sword. But I was too close to Yoshinori, he
still wasn't able to predict his actions or movements. The risk of hurting
me was too high.
MY GODS, that hurt! I felt a warm liquid running down my legs, blood!
'This can't be true! Don't show Hajime, he has to concentrate on Yoshinori.'
I was afraid that Yoshinori really had killed our child. The flow of blood
didn't stop, I could smell it already.
Yoshinori's impertinant grin deepened as he turned to Hajime.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Tokio. You had been carrying his child. But I can't allow
my
woman to carry the child of another man. It must been horrible enough for
you
that you had to allow him to touch you and to be your first man. But there
are
limits, Tokio, and a child is something I can't tolerate. But I told you,
I'd
help you out, my darling."
He caressed my check, watching Hajime furtively. I had to do something, I
had
to get in a position to be able to use my weapons! Hajime was pissed off,
now
he was slowly losing control. He wanted to kill Yoshinori, he wanted to fight
him immediately, but he had to wait until I was out of reach.
All I was able to, was to whisper, the pain was taking control over my body.
"Thank you, Masahiro."
"I promised you, I would help you out."
He took the wakizashis out of my hakama before he dropped me carelessly to
the
ground, and concentrated on Hajime. A true ninja, using the weapons around
him. I was struggling with the pain in my belly, trying to stand up again,
trying to hide the blood.
"Now I'm rid of this brad, all I have to do is finish this weakling there.
Just
a minute, my love. Then we can start living together."
He was underestimating Hajime, wasn't he? He was pissing him off more with
every second, that was sure.
Yoshinori challenged Hajime with Soushi's and mine wakizashi, and he was
carrying some shuriken, some kunais with him for sure. How many?
Hajime drew his katana. Both focused at each other, both aware of my presence.
Would they both trust me, both turn their backs to me?
They were staring at each other, minutes passed silently. I was sure Hajime
would attack first, he was more offensive, furthermore he was annoyed about
what Yoshinori had done. But he had problems judging Yoshinori, what was
no
wonder.
There he came, announcing the first attack, a test to see how fast Yoshinori
was. Hajime was quick, trying to land a blow, but Yoshinori put it away with
one sword and used the other one trying to land a hit on Hajime's back as
he
passed him. Hajime was fast enough to evade him while turning around.
Yoshinori re-sheathed one wakizashi, Soushi's, preparing for Hajime's second
attack. What was he doing?
Hajime started his second attack, he was wise enough not to use his special
attack, it would be to early. Again, Yoshinori blocked his attack and I knew
what he was up to, revealing kunais behind his back, only visible for me
and
throwing them at Hajime as he passed him.
One kunai hit the aim, Hajime's left side, it was unguarded for a short time.
It was not deathly, but it hurt and distracted. Yoshinori attacked instantly,
before Hajime was able to pull the kunai out of his side, by jumping up,
pretending to slam the sword down while trying to kick him into the face.
It was the move Hajime had already seen me using, he evaded it, pulling out
the kunai.
His left side of the kimono was bloodied now, seeing his own blood seemed
to
make him even more annoyed, his eyes narrowing, but he re-gained control
and
attacked again.
This time Yoshinori jumped high in the air, throwing shurikens which he had
been hiding behind his back, none hit, his lips twisted in a frustrated
smile. He was really looking freaking with this grin, standing on a roof
of a nearby house, watching us from above.
What was he thinking off? He was preparing the next shurikens while
concentrating on Hajime, throwing them,... they were flying... IN MY
DIRECTION?
HE WAS AIMING AT ME? I dodged them in the last moment, one scratched my
right temple.
Hajime was surprised and distracted, Yoshinori used it, jumping down while
preparing the next attack.
He threw three kunai at Hajime, who was able to evade two of them, the third
dug into his shoulder, he pulled it out at instant and threw it away. Good
luck it was the right shoulder, not the left one.
Yoshinori showed no emotion, but I knew he enjoyed his success, he thought
victory was near. Maybe he wouldn't register what I was doing now,
concentrated on his little success and his slight chance of winning this
fight.
I was in his back, taking out two shuriken, giving them the right speed and
rotation on my fingers, releasing them,... but he stepped aside without
even turning in my direction.
Damn it, he still sensed what I was doing, only one shuriken scratched him.
Now he knew my intention. Would he realise it? He wasn't turning, he was
still focused on Hajime.
"Tokio, you have to improve your skills, you missed him."
WHAT? What did he think was I doing? Did he think I would be THIS bad?
What an idiot! How stupid could one human being be? I felt anger rising,
blurting out my feeling.
"I HATE YOU, MASAHIRO!"
THAT distracted him for a second, Hajime used the second to jump
forward and slash his katana through Yoshinori's abdomen. I smelled the
content of guts, saw blood dropping to the ground.
Yoshinori might have realised his mistake and my 'betrayal'by now. Hajime
raised his katana for a final blow. Didn't Yoshinori kill my parents.
As in trance I felt myself jumping up and reacing out for them both.
"Please, stop it , Hajime!"
Surprisingly he stopped the sword in mid-air, and Yoshinori broke down on
his
knees in the street, dropping my wakizashi.
I stood my ground before Yoshinori.
"Please let me do that."
I didn't wait for Hajime's reply, and turned to Yoshinori.
****WARNING: VIOLENCE****
I took two kunai, pushed him on his back, and sat down on his stomach. With
the kunai I pinned his wrists to the ground, he was too shocked to move,
and he
was weakened by the gash in his abdomen which would finish him.
Hatefully I spit into his face.
"Do you remember what you did to my mother?"
Irritated he stared at me, trying to find out what was wrong with me.
"I did it for you, my love. Why don't you understand?"
He was the most stubborn man I had ever met.
"FOR ME? You hurt me, Masahiro! You betrayed me! Can't you SEE this?"
I took out a third kunai, stabbing it a few centimetres in his right eye,
pulled it out, he screamed, some blood came out of the wound were his eye
had
been. A pool of blood now.
He tried to turn and throw me away, but I was sitting on the gash in his
abdomen, his hands were pinned to the ground, he was already too weak.
"This is for WATCHING my parents die."
Stabbing the kunai in his second eye, leaving a second bloody pool in his
face behind. He twitched from pain.
"Why don't you love me, Tokio?"
Why was this idiot still not realising the truth?
"You can't force someone to love you, Masahiro. You will never understand."
He tried to say something.
"This is for my parents SUFFERING."
I lead the kunai across his face, from his right cheek, though his nose over
the left bloody pool, where his eye had been. He tried to turn his face
away, too late.
"Why, Tokio? Why don't you love me?" He was still able to speak?
"This is for BETRAYING the ninjas, my parents and me."
I opened his mouth by using the joint of his jaw and cut his tongue. His
mouth
filled with blood quickly, he chocked on his own blood which was running
down
his throat. He wasn't able to breath, the blood started to reach his lungs.
"And this is for HURTING Hajime and me."
I took the dagger and stabbed it into his heart. It contracted a few more
times, the blood around it shivered with every weakening beat before it
stopped completely.
Breathing heavily, I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder, looking up into
Hajime's face.
"It is enough, Tokio. He is dead."
How long had I knelt here? What had I done? I was bathed in blood, in
Yoshinori's blood, and Hajime had a severe expression on his features.
****VOILENCE END****
I stood up, with shaking knees and leaned my head against his chest, his
shoulder was still bleeding, his blood was running into my hair.
He embraced me, pulled me close, comforting me. My abdomen hurt!
"I'm sorry, Tokio." What? I was the one whose fault this whole mess was!
"Why Hajime, that was not your fault."
"I wasn't able to protect you." That was his only problem?
"I'm sorry, it was MY fault. This whole incident happened because of me."
"That is not of importance now."
I looked questioningly at him, now the pain in my abdomen got stronger, I
winced, my legs gave in, he picked me up.
"I'll bring you to the doctor."
The pain was getting too strong, I lost consciousness, the world went black.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She loses consciousness after the fight, because her thought of 'revenge'
and
her blood-lust pushed her up before. She realises the pain afterwards!
There is a physiological reason behind it, I don't want to go in detail,
you
might know that. If not, don't mind, just believe me. :)
Please note, that she doesn't care about the child, she ignores her feelings.
Ja ne,
Mara
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TBC...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO CHAPTER 13
BACK TO
CHAPTER 11
MARA'S FANFICTION
RUROKEN
FANFICTION
HOME
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------