Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Feuding Hearts ❯ Finale ( Chapter 9 )

This just wasn't happening.

They had no chance now.

This couldn't be happening.

Those there who'd fought through the Revolution had faced death many times before. Even Soujirou himself had gotten a small glimpes when he was hit by the Amakakeiru Ryu no Hirameki. But this...this was so different. A death at the hands of some reborn filth like Shishio lacked honor and meaning. It was a horrible way to die.

"So this is my end?" Saitou sighed to himself, slightly wishing he could at least enjoy one last cigarette before his death. "I must say, I've faced many of these life or death situations before, but none of them have ever left me to stand here and wait for my own demise."

A dull ache suddenly began to bubble up in Hoshiko's heart, serving as a warning for what she knew she'd have to do. 'No....not this again....'

"I...I have to get up," Sukiko resolved, pushing against Soujirou's chest. "I can't let you all down like this."

"You're not, Mommy," Yozakura argued. "You've fought an amazing battle but you're too hurt to go on."

"Tell HER that," Sano called over. Kitai was struggling out of his grasp, smearing more of her metalic blood across his white clothing.

"Sano, have you ever, and I mean EVER, given up when there was no chance you could win?" She didn't even give him a chance to answer. "No! So don't expect me to."

"But I don't care about myself the way I care about you," he shouted, holding his silver-covered hand in front of her face. "You CAN'T fight anymore."

"But I...I..." she choked out before breaking into sobs on his shoulder.

Shishio laughed at this, taking his time to let their deaths actually sink into their minds. "Aw... don't tell me you're all going soft on me now."

Hoshiko cringed as she felt the dull ache grow into a sharp pain, seemingly ripping through her soul. 'No....stop....'

"Mother...Mother?" Hawatari whispered, noticing her mother's labored breathing.

"I think I'm-" she was cut off when her eyes went completely blank and she fell limp into her daughter's arms.

"Mother!"

"What happened?" Saitou asked, kneeling next to them.

"I think she finally gave in," Shishio guessed. "You know, I think there's a lot about your wife you don't know of you can't guess why she's already passed out."

Saitou gave no reponse, save for an angered growl, before turning to his wife.

"She's still breathing but it seems like she's in pain, that it does," Kenshin spoke from behind them.

"I know there's honor in dying in battle," Shizuka began, turning to her husband who shared in her beliefs. "But not like this." She fought back the tears that rimmed her eyes, her voice cracking a bit as she spoke. Aoshi wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her to him, offering the only comfort he knew how to give.

"That's right," Shishio laughed, getting ready to finish them all off. "Say your goodbyes."

Hoshiko, whose head was now on Saitou's lap, jolted to what looked like consiousness. As her comrades longed for a way to protect the ones they loved, her heart seemed to tear her to shreads with their selfless pleas. Her eyes were open, but completely lacked any sign of life. They were empty cerulian pools of cold.

She moved slowly to her feet, almost floating to stand effortlessly in a pool of her own blood.

"We..." Sukiko began.

"...can't..." Shizuka continued.

"...die," Kitai finished, shaking her head as if it would shake the thought from her mind.

"I must say Shishio," Kenshin began, turning to his long-time enemy. "That it is not anger I feel for you, that it is not. No, I feel sorry for you and the way you have lived. Your warped sense of love and justice has never shown you the meaning of true happiness, that it has not."

"What garbage are you spouting now, Himura?" Shishio asked, rolling his eyes at his predecessor.

"You killed Yumi, the woman that you said understands you better than anyone else. You saw her as something to help you along your way, not as a being who could love you. Don't you see what love and the desire to protect it has done? These four women, these Divine Guardians, will risk eveything to protect it, that they will. I don't think you ever had something like that in your life, that I do not."

Hoshiko placed her hands over her heart as a faint blue light began to glow there.

"What's she doing?" Duil whispered in a silent question to himself. Everyone, even Shishio, stopped to watch her.

Just as with the transformation, the light gave off a brilliant flash. However, this time streams of light burst forth, twisting and rushing around her body. It sliced her skin everywhere it touched, causing her to soundlessly throw her head back in pain. Armor was slashed to ribbons along witht the skin underneath, making everyone watch on in horror at the morbidly beautiful and unexplainable occurance before them.

Just as suddenly as it began it froze, the lights stopping in different points around her body. As Hoshiko raised her head up again, they were drawn back into her body through the cuts, causing her seemingly lifeless body to shiver and convulse a bit. She was about to fall to the ground when a purple aura engulfed her, supporting her before she could collaspe limply in defeat.

All around them the flames shot up, though this time they were neither amber, nor blue. They were purple flames that climbed so high it appeared that they were raining down from heaven to touch the ground.

"Her aura, it's purple," Aoshi observed, obviously confused by the fact that the colors did not match. No one on the battlefeild was clad in purple, yet their leader's torn body was eminating it clearly through the night's darkness.

*Release it...* a voice commanded.

"I...I can't," Hoshiko choked out hoarsely, barely audible even to herself.

*Yes you can! You can't tell me that everything up until not can just be thrown away like this!*

Sano's eyes jerked around erratically, searching out a source for a voice that seemed to come from everywhere. 'Maybe it's a ghost or something...'

Turning around in unison, the other three Guardians approached their leader, Shizuka standing behind her to rest a hand on her shoulder, Sukiko in front of her, holding one arm, while Kitai grasped the other one.

"You're right Mokoto Shishio," Shizuka spoke, eyes narrowing in triumph. "This is our finale."