Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Riyu's last remembrance ❯ Love before life ( Chapter 3 )

Mitsune's POV

It has been hours since the sun sank beneath the horizon, and still there is no sign of either Yoko or Riyu.

"Mitsune, where do you think they are?" Taia nudged my sleave.

"I have no idea…" I trailed off as a black haired figure ran into the front yard.

I jumped up ready to fight, Taia also grabbed her wooden sword.

The man turned to face us, and I realized it was Riyu. His bangs were shading his eyes, but that didn't bother me as much as the bundle in his arms did.

"Riyu, what happened?"

He didn't answer, but, instead, turned towards Yoko's room.

"Is she alright?" Taia spoke up. Mitsune looked at her. She looks like she saw a ghost. Taia was very fond of her sister.

Riyu paused and looked at Taia. His eyes, still hidden by his hair, "She'll be fine." The tone of his voice seemed forced, as if he was holding something back.

He continued to walk away, "Please don't bother Yoko tonight, or tomorrow. She needs her rest." With that he disappeared into Yoko's room.

Mitsune sighed and leaned against a post. Taia walked up next to me, "Did you see Mitsune?"

"Of course I saw. Riyu will take care of her,"

"No, not that," she looked down.

"Then what?" Mitsune was getting impatient.

"Riyu is bleeding," she pointed to the ground where blood droplets were scattered along the path Riyu took to get into Yoko's room.

"What happened? What isn't Riyu telling us? He won't let us help, why?, "Look, we better leave them alone. There's a reason Riyu doesn't want us to know what's going on. Just try to get some sleep. We can ask Riyu about this in the morning." With that Taia and Mitsune went to their rooms.

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Riyu's POV

As soon as I entered Yoko's room I felt like I would collapse. I need to stay awake for her sake.

I laid Yoko's unconcious form down on her futon. I would have removed my bloody garment from around her, but she curled herself up in it, and I didn't want to wake her.

Instead, I went to her dresser and pulled out another kimono. I put it beside her, so once she woke she could change.

I heard Taia and Mitsune leave, and once their footsteps stopped in their rooms I left to get some water.

Instead of going back to my room I went to Yoko's. In case she woke and wanted to know if I was alright, I told myself.

I placed the bowl of water and cloth on the ground then looked at my injury. It was fairly deep, but none of my major organs were hit. I only was worried because it was still bleeding. Over the course of the past hour I lost a lot of blood, and everything was starting to lose focus.

I sat down to steady myself. I looked at Yoko until she came into focus then proceeded to clean the wound. How could this have happened? I asked myself. What I failed to see was that Yoko recieved a fatal wound to her lower back, which was caused by me when I killed the man. I must have hit her with my sword. My dark red gi made the blood less obvious to me. When I finally reached her her breathing was shallow and as I picked her up to examine, warm liquid slid from unter my hand. I gasped and undid the gi from unter her to see a wound far more deep than mine.

How could I have done this?

For the remainder of hours, I spent tending to Yoko trying desperatly to save her. "Yoko, Yoko, don't leave me" I pleaded.

Once I was finished, the water was a scarlet color. I ignored it and wrapped her injury as well as mine. Afterwards, I stopped and watched Yoko's unconcious form. She looks so angelic.

While watching her I felt sleep overtaking my body. I got up to go to my room, but a searing pain shot through my body stopping me from moving. I grabbed my side and hunched over. The world blurred as I brought my hand away. I looked down at it. I fought to make it come into focus, but all I saw was red where my hand should have been. The pain pushed its way back into my thoughts, and my legs gave way. I hit the bowl of crimson water on my way to the ground. I thought of Yoko then blacked out.

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Mitsune's POV

In the morning Riyu was nowhere to be found.

"Mitsune I'm hungry,"

"Don't bother me about it. Go and take care of that yourself,"

"Oh come on. Riyu isn't around, and he told us not to bother Yoko."

"Fine then we can go to-," I was cut off by Yoko's scream emitting from her room.

Me and Taia jumped up and ran towards her room.

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Yoko's POV

Where am I? I rolled over. I'm in my bed. How did I get here? Riyu was carrying me back to the dojo when I fell unconcious. He must have put me in my bed. I opened my eyes. Yep, in my room. I was facing the wall. Sunlight was shining into the room.

I stretched, and noticed I was still wearing Riyu's gi. I smelt the garment. It smelt like him, him and blood. I looked closer to the cloth. It was covered with blood. Riyu was stabbed last night.

I turned over and saw Riyu's prone form lying in a pool of blood and water.

My eyes widened and filled with tears. Oh my god, Riyu. He's dead. He's gone forever. I'll never see his smile again. I'll never…

I screamed out in pain and sorrow, so the world would know my love was gone.

I went to stand up to reach Riyu, but as soon as I made any little movement a severe pain crossed my lower back. A noise then was heard, I turned around to see a dark haired man behind me. He stalked up to me and unsceathed his katana. I screamed once more but he quickly covered my mouth with his hand. He poised his sword over my throat and prepared to cut through it. How did this happen? I said to myself. Then the sound of cold steel piercing skin reached my ears. I gasped and began to weep, Riyu was standing before us. His sword was intended to hit the target but the dark haired man dodged and it pierce me instead. I could feel my blood sliding out, pretty soon my whole body was covered in it. I couldn't move any longer, the world around me was dark and a chill went down my spine. As my world was fading and I was beggining to lose, Riyu ran to me just in time to catch me and pleaded for me to stay awake. That was the last thing I remember.

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Riyu's POV

When I awoke, it wasnt to anything that I would expect. I could see a blur moving in the distance, when I adjusted it was Yoko. She was in danger, again... Who was this fark haired man? Just as I sat up he unscathed his sword to finish her, I could'nt let him do this! As I stood up, a dark hue took my eyes. I grabbed my sword and threw it at the man hoping to get him away from Yoko. But the thing I feared most came to the cold reality that hit me. I hit Yoko. "NNOOO Yoko! Yoko!" I ran to her side as the man stalked away in triumph. "Wake up, wake up, stay with me! Don't do this.... onegai..." I let myself cry for the first time. "This is all my fault"

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Mitsune's POV

As soon as me and Taia heard Yoko's scream we ran to find her. As we entered into her room, we saw what we hoped we wouldn't, blood was everywhere. Yoko's blood, especially on Riyu. "Yoko?" we both questioned, shock getting the best of us. "Riyu....why...." I whispered. It had to have been him that killed her. "Its no different from the past....you killed one of us....again" I screamed. Riyu did not move from his position. Taia called out to me, "Mitsune, whats going on?" "Taia go outside, now" I said to her. As soon as she left I walked to Riyu and stood before him and what was a bloody mess. Yoko. "Riyu how could you do this!" I yelled at him. He still did not acknowledge my presence. "I'm sorry" Riyu said to Yoko. He's in his own little world with her. "I can't let you do this to the rest of us Riyu, I'm sorry" I said and pulled out my sword. I shakely put it at his throat. He still did not move at the touch. Then I raised it high above his head. Then as I swung it down he turned to me. "Arigato Miss Mitsune" It was too late I had continued with my swing and instantly killed him. Maybe Yoko's spirits will unite them.Rest well my family.