Rising Sun :Chapter 15

by Mana-chan

Sanosuke eased himself painfully into a sitting position and grit his teeth as a streak of pain shot up his punctured hand and through the rest of his battered and bruised body. Seeing Yahiko staring at him worriedly, Sano quickly masked the grimace with a crooked smile and a short laugh.

"Damn Jo-chan! Who would've thought looking for her would be so much trouble."

Yahiko was no fool. He knew Sanosuke's wounds were almost beyond healing. The creature had practically torn apart the man's arm and had badly mutilated the whole left side of his chest. Even Sano's breathing was choked and unsteady. Yahiko grunted a reply and kicked at a rock on the ground. In these conditions, they'd never be able to save Kaoru or get Sano's revenge for Megumi's death.. Sano's eyes travelled to the bloody corpse of the creature lying several meters away.

"You did that?"

Yahiko turned his gaze to the corpse, and then looked at his hands. An image of Sanosuke's body being battered into a bloody pulp flashed through his mind, and once again the anger rose in his heart. He clenched his fists. Yes, he had done it.. he had killed the creature, and he knew he'd do it again to save his family.....

"Hai.. I did it."

Sanosuke's eyes widened slightly, but only for a second before being filled with teasing laughter.

"So the kid's finally growing up.."

Yahiko glared. "Shutup. I was already grown up. I've just gotten stronger!"

"Iie.. you're still a kid."

"No I'm not!!!!!"

"Yes you are.... a scrawny little kid with a few lucky breaks...."

Then Sanosuke broke into a fit of coughing, and Yahiko, forgetting their differences, immediately knelt down to help Sano, worry replacing the light anger in his eyes. Sanosuke waved a hand, pushing Yahiko away.

"I don't need help, Yahiko. I'll sit here..and rest. You should go on..and get revenge for Megumi.... That creature....was sent by someone...it's too unnatural..it couldn't have been made by nature.. humans made it unnatural.. The humans that created it..breeded it...they will die... Megumi will be avenged..You go.. I'll stay..and wait... there's no way I can fight..like this."

Yahiko looked at Sanosuke, surprised. It was the first time he'd heard the spiky-haired man talk with such hopelessness.

"IIE! We'll stay and rest a while, then you're coming with me.. We can go slowly.. but you're coming! Megumi's death will be YOUR revenge. You loved her more than any of us... You will avenge her.... I'll never leave you here.. I didn't kill that monster just so you could give up and die here!!"

Sanosuke opened his mouth to protest, but Yahiko's desperate glare stopped him. Giving in, he nodded slowly

"All right."

*****************

Kimiko looked at Battousai discreetly through her eyelashes. He was short, but firm and cold. His eyes were hard and shimmered eerily, taking on a gold tint. She'd heard many stories of him as a child. Her mother had always said, "You'd better go to sleep now or Hitokiri Battousai will come and get you!!" but now that she'd met him, he didn't seem too bad. Frightening, yes, but he didn't seem like one who'd kill for nothing as she'd been taught as a child.. If he had been that type of person, she'd have been killed several hours ago. And he was good-looking in a scary sort of way. This was the last thing she'd expected. Always before, she'd pictured him as a horrifying monster, but after all, he was just a man- a young, beautiful one at that, and suddenly she found herself wondering if he had a woman... Kimiko quickly stopped herself.. No... I can't think like this! Either way, he IS a killer..no knowing how much blood has stained his sword..My mission here is to find Hebi and bring her home .. not to daydream about a hitokiri!

"Where is your sister..?"

Kimiko looked up surprised, breaking out of her thoughts.

"Oh..uh..Hebi..she's..with Night..at Akuma Inn..at least that's where her last letter came from.. I'm almost surprised that she even remembers us...She told us not to come after her..that she and Night and the other Stars had plans..something about a new Star named Kamiya Kaoru... Hebi wasn't too happy....."

At the mention of "Kamiya Kaoru", Battousai blinked several times, a slightly confused expression crossing his usually cold, indifferent features, but it passed almost as quickly as it had come.

"Akuma Inn....why was she not happy.. about the new Star...?"

Kimiko looked surprised. This was the most the hitokiri had said since they first met. "I'm not sure... I think it was because she was different from the other Stars..anyway, Hebi hated her."

Battousai nodded and was silent, continuing to walk down the forest path, his eyes dark, as if deep in thought, his face beginning to contort with emotion- fury, sadness, pain, anger....

Kamiya Kaoru.... is she evil? one to be destroyed? Why does that name tear my heart into pieces? Why does it hurt me so?!?!!? Battousai's face contorted with pain and anger. Who is Kamiya Kaoru?!?! Another rip through his heart. Stop this hurting!! An image of a girl smiling at him- beautiful. Whispering..."Ai Shiteru...." NOOO!!!!! Battousai drew his katana, his eyes wide with anger, and he spun around, facing...a girl? Is this Kamiya Kaoru?!?! I'll kill her!! STOP THIS FEELING IN MY HEART!!!!!! Battousai raised his sword to strike.

"DIE KAMIYA KAORU!!!!!!!"

He lunged at the girl.

Kimiko screamed.

*******************

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Kaoru grabbed a nearby botoken and smashed the large, ugly spider crawling towards her. Nearby, Ralon stifled a laugh.

"Kaoru... it wouldn't have hurt you.... you need to learn that. Nature does not hurt you unless you hurt it first.."

Kaoru looked up at Ralon, breathing heavily, her heart racing with fear. "but but but.. It was..."

Ralon shook her head. "Iie... we are part of nature..you, me, and that spider..we are one with the wind, water, the earth, and fire.. Why would that spider wish to hurt another part of itself..in killing it, you've only harmed yourself."

Kaoru sighed.. "Yuugure is right.. I have a lot to learn."

Ralon smiled. "Hai, but if you work hard, it will not take long."

Kaoru nodded. "All right then," she took on a serious, determined face. "Go ahead, teach away. I have to be strong enough to help Night kill Hitokiri Battousai!"

A sudden sadness crossed Ralon's face. Am I doing the right thing?...In teaching her to kill the one she loves?

"Ralon..is something wrong?"

The older woman looked at Kaoru.

"Oh..no..We start practicing now.. Remember, become one with nature, flow with the wind."

Ralon demonstrated, moving one leg over the other like the spider, but smooth like the wind, with amazing speed and agility. Kaoru tried, but tripped on her foot and fell over. Ralon smiled and patiently helped Kaoru up.

"Feel the wind, Kaoru..."

An image of her dream flashed through her mind and she set her heart determinedly. I will do this.. She tried again, and suddenly, she felt herself lifted up like a leaf floating through the air- she was a spider, rushing home to its web, no, she was a skylark, soaring, floating on the wind, and then she was herself, dancing the dance of kenjutsu, killing the hitokiri..killing Battousai..... She sighed contentedly, her heart racing, her cheeks red with excitement.

"I did it."

End of Chapter 15