Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Feuding Hearts ❯ Unexpected ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"I apologize if I don't believe you," Shishio laughed, "But you're situation hardly calls for the level of confidence you have. You're leader is quickly dying before your eyes, and you mean to rely on her for you supposed finale?"

The four Guardians narrowed their eyes at their enemy.

"You must think you're soooooooooooo cool cause you can use big words and shit," Kitai sneered, sticking her tongue out.

'Leave it to Mrs. Moron to think of something completely stupid to say that ruins the seriousness and intensity of a moment,' Saitou sighed to himself, shaking his head a bit.

"Wait, they can't be serious," Sano began, totally shocked by Shishio's assumption.

"They're planning to...to..." Hawatari stuttered in disbelief.

"...use her as a power source!" Evangelina finished.

"Can they do that?" Duil wondered.

"It wouldn't surprise me after all this," Aoshi stated, closing his eyes and sighing. "If Hoshiko is the one who transformed them into this Celestial Form then it would make sense that they could call on her power like this as well."

*Mokoto Shishio!* the voice spoke from what seemed like everyone and nowhere at once. *You and I are opposing forces in the world, and no matter what I will never allow victory to be yours.*

The dark blue blood trickled down Hoshiko's body, soaking her armor and dripping off her boots to the ground below them. The puddle has grown so deep; that the drops left ripples in their wake.

*We will not be destroyed again,* the voice shouted, the other thee Guardians stating it with her. The column of purple flames were joined and split into a mix of roaring red, pink and silver as well.

"I guess all we can do is hope this works," Soujirou admitted somberly.

"Well, Kit's right there," Sano stated with a nervous laugh, obviously trying to lighten the mood.... And failing.

The other three Guardians tightened their grip on their leader and raised their other hand to Shishio. They truly had every intention of going through with this.

"Do you fools really think this will work?" Shishio laughed. "Or do you just want to go out in a blaze of glory?"

Unbeknownst to Shishio, Kenshin was giving everyone a signal.

"I think you know," Sukiko stated plainly. Shishio's laugher stopped abruptly and his annoying grin turned to a discouraged scowl. "You're hiding behind that false confidence because you finally see your defeat being handed to you."

"Yeah, what she said," Kitai added, motioning her head in her comrade's direction.

"And what if the attack doesn't hit?" Shishio asked, crossing his arms.

"Well Shishio," Shizuka began with a smirk, "Tell me where you intend to run."

Shishio turned around slowly to find the entire group of fighters standing in a semi-circle around him.

*Yes Shishio, where will you run to now?*

His eyes went wide as he backed up a few steps, realizing he was moving closer to his bigger problem. "You'll.... youll kill them."

"Well then that's a risk we'll take," Soujirou stated. "At first, after the events in Kyoto, I didn't hate you because of everything you'd done for me. But now...when you've hurt my family... I think even the smallest bit of respect I still held for you is gone!"

"How can you expect her to give you power when she's not even conscious?!"

"Her body may not be reacting or showing signs of life, but her heart can still hear our prayers. The power of the Celestial Guardians is driven by the will of both ourselves and all humanity," Shizuka explained. "But the time for talk is over now."

In an instant the light started up again, swirling around the entire group in a bright blue flurry. Shishio tried to call upon the flames to shield himself somehow, but they wouldn't answer his call. He was trapped.

The three women pulled their arms back, prepared to launch the attack that would end it for one of the sides.

"Everyone, out of the way!" Kenshin ordered, turning to get out of the way. Everyone quickly followed.

Everyone, save for Evangelina.

It was too late when Aoshi had noticed the missing presence of his daughter. He turned to find her on the ground behind Shishio as screams signaled the launch of the final attack.

Time froze for everyone as the girl found her ankle twisted badly. She closed her eyes as she saw the energy careening toward her, bracing herself for a death she hoped would be quick and painless.

It made her feel strangely warm and light. 'Is this what death is like?'

"Kenji?!" she heard Kenshin call, breaking her from illusion and bringing her crashing back to the reality that she was in someone's arms.

Shishio knew it was the end for him and gave in to the blue oblivion without a fight. The others shielded their eyes from the debris the massive explosion caused. When the dust settled, no trace of Shishio was left and four spent Guardian had collapsed onto the ground.

"We need to get them to Megumi and Katsu immediately," Kenji began, Evangelina still in his arms. "We don't have much time."

The men stepped in to do as the boy suggested but were stopped by Kitai hand motioning for them to stop. "Hoshiko's gonna fix this, right ya' drama-queen?"

Everyone's eyes went wide. How could she say something like that at a time like this?

"Yeah, come on Hoshiko," Sukiko added, breathy heavily. "Say it."

"I think they're all mad, let's just move them now," Duil suggested.

"Wait," Saitou spoke, placing himself in front of the boy to block his path. "They know more about this than we do, let them decide."

Hoshiko took a few deep breathes before finally summoning the will to speak.

"E...nu....tio.... no...stram... victor...i...am," she paused and gave a slight cough, "Iam... iu...beo..."

The four of them began glowing with auras that matched their colors before small orbs appeared over their bodies. Their powers seemed to be drawn into them, causing them to shine brightly over the now unharmed human forms. All except for Hoshiko's which remained clear and lifeless. The orbs shot into the sky, seemingly back to the Heavens they'd came from.

Now, unanswered questions were left to be explained and hearts were left to be broken.

***

The table was tipped with a loud crash as Saitou unleashed his anger. Hoshiko cringed, shedding more tears.

"You mean to tell me that all these years you've been lying to me and now you're leaving forever?!" he asked, not facing her. Hawatari listened from the other room, not daring to walk in on her father's infuriated rampage.

"No," she answered, trying to stay calm. "You never asked if I was what I am."

"That night that I found you...you could have protected yourself?" he asked, calming down a bit. He passed by the table and stood next to her, refusing to look into her tear-filled eyes.

"No. Hoshiko and Compassion are not the same person."

"I see that."

"Only in my Guardian form do I have any strength. You know that. I needed you then. I've always needed you."

Father and daughter flinched simultaneously at the pure love and tenderness in those words.

"Go talk to Hawatari. I'll wait for you," he ordered, pointing to their daughter's room.

***

"You'll what?" Soujirou asked, feeling his daughter grip his hand tighter.

"I'll go back to my world at sundown tomorrow night," Michiko explained around sobs. She hated having to say it. Knowing was hurting her enough.

***

"Kitai, please don't cry," Sano pleaded, holding his shaking wife close to him. He bit down on his lower lip to keep the tears welling up in his eyes from shedding. "If you cry, I think I'm gonna hafta too..."

***

"Mother no," Evangelina refused to believe, clutching to her mother for dear life. "You can't leave me!"

"Sweetheart," Shizuka began, tenderly brushing strands of fine blonde hair off her daughter's flushed face. "I do have to leave. But I want you know that I'll always love you and your father. You are my world and if I have to give you up to ensure your happiness then I'll do it a thousand times over."

"I want to know," Aoshi finally spoke up from his place staring out the window, "just how you four got here."

"I honestly don't know," she answered, wiping the tears from her cheeks with her kimono sleeve. "I only know what happened afterward..."