Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Her ❯ Fight! ( Chapter 4 )

Tenshi: Hey, me again! I'd like to apologize right now if this turns out really bad, well, this chapter anyway.

Sakura: And, if you want to respond to the `Mary-Sue' thing, don't worry about it, we've got it answered.

Tenshi: Yeah, thanks to livingdisease from fanfiction.net

Sakura: Ok, just get on with the story already!

Tenshi: Okaydokey!

~~~~~

Her

Ch 4: Fight!

No one made a move. They just looked at her for a few moments. Kenshin was the first to speak.

"Who… who are your parents?" he asked carefully, unsure of whether it was a good idea to ask that or not.

"Not are… were," Masako growled. "Matsumoto," she added, though quietly enough that Kenshin could barely hear her.

"Matsumoto…?" Sano asked, "Where've I heard that name before…?"

"My parents were two of the top scientists for the Tokugawa bakufu. I would be quite surprised if you hadn't heard the name. Most people have, though not in thirteen years."

"Matsumoto… they were…." Kenshin couldn't finish his sentence,

"Yes Battousai, they were two of the innocent lives that you took. And I don't plan on letting it slip by. You may not have had to pay for the others but-"

"Kenshin's been paying for all of them!" Kaoru argued, "And he still is!"

"Don't-you-dare!" Masako hissed, "He's still alive, therefore, he has not paid for all of the blood he has shed."

"Death isn't the only way he can repent for the murders of all those people. He's helping others now, you know, doing the opposite?" Sano sounded a bit irritated.

"Shut up!" screeched Masako, "You have no place in this!"

"Oh yeah! Why don't you say that again!" Sano asked, holding up a fist. "Maybe I should make you pay for what you did to Yahiko!"

"Fine then, come at me." Masako gripped the hilt of her katana firmly. "I'll show you and the Battousai exactly what to expect of my fighting style, and that should make things a little more even." Slowly, she unsheathed the sword, allowing it to glimmer in what little sunlight was left of the dying day.

She pulled her katana down to her side, shifting her weight behind her, sliding her foot out in front of her, steadying herself. With a flick of her wrist, she spun the sword in her hand a bit, turning the blade outward.

Glaring at her opponent, Masako shifted her weight still more, but this time in an effort to confuse Sano, forcing him to try and decide how she was going to attack; if she was going to attack.

Kenshin looked over at Sanosuke, a slight look of worry on his face and in his voice.

"Sano, don't so this, this isn't your fight."

Sano looked back at Kenshin from the corner of his eye as he walked forward, facing Masako.

"Hey, don't worry about it Kenshin, I can handle her."

"Your choice to fight me is unwise. I am here for the Battousai, so I will not be stopped."

Still shifting her weight, Masako began to edge very slightly to her right, making her shot clearer.

"Well, I guess this is going to be a surprise to you then!"

Sano lurched forward, charging Masako. As her sword flashed sideways, Sano leapt, soaring over top of Masako. She ducked under him, slid her foot forward and transferred her weight there, thrusting her sword around, back at Sano as he landed. Leaping to his left, Sano charged in again, going for a punch. But before he could land it, Masako had lifted her left fist, bringing it level with Sano's stomach.

Sano stopped cold, eyes going to pinpoints as he began to fold under the force of the connection. A gasp escaped Kaoru.

"I am surprised that Sanosuke did not see that coming," Kenshin muttered, "She used his momentum against him. The force of her blow, added to the force of his leap created a punch over twice as powerful than a hit that either one could have delivered."

Sano, by this time, had fallen to his knees, clutching the point of impact. Masako, meanwhile, had begun to snicker at his misfortune.

"Did you really think I wouldn't have seen something like that coming at me?" she asked, still in a fit of snickers, "Did you really think I didn't see that weak spot? You should try to keep things like that from happening…." She stepped back a bit. "I'll wait, if you like, for you to get up, then we can continue with our little fight. So you might want to get up soon, I can be very impatient."

Almost as if doing as she had suggested, Sano picked himself from off of the ground. Glaring daggers at her, he went into a fighting stance, waiting….

"So, he takes the hit, and miraculously stands back up on his feet again. No one has ever done so, I must congratulate you." A smirk danced over Masako's face.

"How strong… were the… people you've fought…?" Sano asked, still trying to regain his lost breath.

"Would that matter? I will still beat you."

"Sure it… would… I'm no… normal fighter… you know…."

"Oh? Good for you. I suppose I can get an actual fight now…."

"Have you… ever actually fought someone… and not kill them within… the first few seconds… of the fight?" Sano was slowly regaining his breath, a few more seconds and he'd be back to normal.

"Not lately… no. Why would you ask?"

"Then… you have no experience…?"

"That is where you are wrong. I have fought many fights, all of which I have won. I am a worthy fighter…."

"I never questioned whether… you were worthy or not…."

It was now clear to Kenshin and Kaoru as to what Sanosuke was doing. He was questioning her, playing with her mind, confusing her, initially sealing his victory.

"What?" Masako looked at him for a moment, a bit confused. Seeing that Masako no longer had her defenses up, Sano seized his chance.

He ran up to her, finally connecting a very powerful punch to the stomach. With a small `oomph' and a cough, Masako doubled over, clutching her abdomen. She spat out a bit of blood as her knees landed, her katana clattering to the ground.

"What just…?" Kaoru asked, confused.

"Sano knew that there was no way to attack her while her defenses were up," Kenshin answered, watching as Masako coughed up a bit more blood and continued to stare at the ground, "and that once the walls had toppled, he would be able to take down the fortress. Like a cocoon, hard on the outside, soft inside. Her defenses are as hard to penetrate as steel, yet once past that, she is weak."

Now Sano was the one to laugh.

"See? You aren't as tough as you look!"

Masako lifted her head up at him. Her glare clearly spelled out death. Still clutching her stomach, she stumbled to her feet, swaying when she reached full altitude. She coughed again, then spat out another ounce of blood. She looked up at him again. {A/N: just to let you know, she's about three inches shorter than Sanosuke (5' 7")} She had the greatest urge to spit the next bunch of blood into his face.

"Well… are you going to fight me… or stand there looking stupid?" Masako spat. {A/N: not literally…} Despite her injuries, she wasn't finished fighting yet.

"Just thought I'd let you gain a bit of breath back before I beat you," Sano replied shrugging.

"Getting a bit… cocky?"

"I think I have good reason to." Sano motioned to the mess that Masako had once called a stomach.

"Fine then…." Masako straightened up, wincing. She swept up her katana and stood ready again.

She figured that all that she could do at this moment was to defend, so she made no moves to charge him. Sano, though, took it that she was too frightened to fight him.

Ever so slightly, Sano noticed, Masako's sword began to quiver. Again, Sano took this as a sign of fear, but in reality, it was actually a sign of blood loss. No one could notice, but Masako was bleeding, internally. Sano's punch had severed a blood vessel.

Blood had begun to trickle from a corner of her mouth, but Masako paid no heed to it. She spat again, and waited.

"So then, am I supposed to take the offensive?" Sano asked.

"I don't care… come at me. This time… you'll notice that I cannot… be tricked twice… my defense will hold…."

Kenshin looked at Masako, noticing that her breath was becoming shorter and shorter.

"What is it, Kenshin?" Kaoru whispered upon seeing that Kenshin was looking over at Masako with worry on his face.

"I'm… not sure… but, Masako's breath seems to have gotten shorter… it's odd…."

Just then, Sano charged at Masako, who narrowly dodged him. But, in this hasty movement, she dropped her katana, again clutching her stomach. She yelled out in pain as she stumbled sideways, swaying as she stopped, and fell to her knees, doubling over. She groaned as Sano looked at her strangely.

"I didn't even hit her…." Sano was now confused beyond belief.

Masako's vision began to blur. Things became hazy. She looked off to her left and a great rush of blood came flowing out of her mouth. Her head began to pound furiously as she blacked out, falling just to the right of the pool of blood.

Sano straightened up, walked over and checked her pulse. It was weak.

~~~~~

Tenshi: How's that for a cliffy?! What about for an end to a fight? Heh heh, I'm evil! Glad me and Sakura gathered that info on internal bleeding!

Sakura: See, told you it was a good idea to save it.

Tenshi: I would have saved it even if you hadn't said anything.

Sakura: Anyhoo… REVIEW PLEASE!

Tenshi: Yeah, I'm starting to think about continuing to type this story, but with lack of reviews and reassurance, I'm starting to consider not posting this.

Sakura: And I know that wouldn't make some of you very happy. >:)

Tenshi: We aren't doing it to make them angry, I'm doing it because it would be a waste of space on here.

Sakura: You have your reasons, I have mine! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

Tenshi: Yeeeeaaahhh… anyhoo… please review, or I just might actually take this off.

Unknown voice: HI MEGAN!!!!!

Tenshi: *Looks around* I know that voice…. RUN FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR EARDRUMS! *Dives under a table*

Sakura: What are you-?

*Tenshi drags Sakura under as well*

Tenshi: Shhhh… she might not have seen us….

Sakura: Who?

Tenshi: The evil Heather.

Sakura: Oh, you've mentioned-

*Another unknown girl runs by*

Tenshi: Megan!

*Girl stops*

Megan: Ah, Angela, hide me! She followed me!

Tenshi: Under here!

*Megan dives under table*

Sakura: Soooo… you're Megan?

Megan: Amber, right?

Sakura: Not here it isn't. Call me Sakura.

Tenshi: Shush you two, she's coming!

*A second girl runs by, looking like she's looking for something. She runs off screaming "MEGAN!" at the top of her voice*

Tenshi: I think she's gone. *Gets out from under table*

Megan: Good. God, she's annoying.

Sakura: I see what you mean.

Tenshi: Megan, wanna take us out of here?

Megan: Huh?

*Sakura whispers something to Megan*

Megan: Oh, ok. Please review everyone!

Heaven Sent Tenshi