Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Snow ❯ Last Man Standing ( Chapter 27 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Only Souzou and Yumihiko were left. Yumihiko was cut and bruised but he was still on his feet. Souzou had taken quite a few hits, some worse than others. His whole body felt like it was on fire, his heart pounding and his arms aching. Blood, his and his enemies', stained his clothes. The smell of blood was starting to get to him, making him feel sick to his stomach.

"Souzou, look out!" Yumihiko yelled in panic. "Behind you!"

Souzou turned around a split second too late. He heard the gunshot clearly but at first wasn't aware of any pain. The bullet had gone in a few inches from his heart, just under his left collar bone. When he brought his hand away from the wound and found his fingers covered in blood, his systems finally registered the hit. All of a sudden he found himself falling down on one knee, clutching his shoulder as a wave of agony washed over him. He could feel the sickening warmth of his own blood running down his sweating chest as he pushed himself slowly to his feet.

Yumihiko raced to his captain's side, swiftly cutting down the Imperialist threatening him with a rage that seemed to emanate from his body. Fighting one-handed was getting harder and harder for Souzou as the pain of the bullet lodged in his shoulder started becoming unbearable. He was wounded twice more before Yumihiko could help him. The first merely nicked him, but knocked his sword from his failing grip. The second was a short slash straight across the gunshot wound in his shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground in agony once again.

"Souzou!" yelled Yumihiko, slaying two with one blow.

He turned and fell down on his knees beside his brother's best friend.

"Souzou, come on!" he begged. "Get up!"

He grabbed Souzou's hand and pulled him to his knees. Unable to stop himself, Souzou let tears of pain escape from his eyes. He gripped Yumihiko's hand desperately, the pain becoming too much for him. Yumihiko stood up, trying to at least get Souzou on his feet.

"You've got to get up!" he yelled, panic rising higher in his chest. "Souzou, if you don't get up, we're both going to die here!"

Thinking of his family - desperately wishing to see them one more time, Souzou gripped his shoulder, clenched his teeth and forced himself up off his knees. He had only his short sword left and was almost blinded by the pain of his wound. Yumihiko held out his own short sword, figuring two short swords might counter one long. For a while, adrenaline acted as Souzou's painkiller. That is, until he heard a blood-curdling yell of agony behind him.

'It can't be...' he thought in desperation, turning around just in time to watch Yumihiko fall to the snow-covered ground on his side.

A bullet was lodged in his stomach.

"Yumihiko!" he cried. "No!"

Still running on adrenaline, Souzou dashed to Yumihiko's aid and quickly killed his attacker. He fell on his knees by his young friend's side. Gently, he cradled the mortally wounded man in his arms, trying to bring some comfort to his last moments. Yumihiko opened pain-glazed eyes to see snowflakes falling gently around him. Soon, Souzou's blood- and tear-streaked face came into focus.

"Souzou..." he whispered hoarsely. "I'm sorry Souzou..."

Souzou's eyes trailed down to the heavily bleeding wound in his friend's stomach.

"Don't be," he said softly, holding his best friend's dying brother a little tighter. "I'm the one who should be sorry and I am. You just relax now... Rest... Think about seeing Reichi again..."

"But I failed you, Captain," Yumihiko said quietly, a tear escaping from his eye. "I didn't protect you..."

"You didn't fail me," Souzou insisted gently. "And even if you did, I would forgive you."

Yumihiko smiled through his pain and tears.

"Thank you Captain," he said softly.

Souzou shook his head, a sad smile on his lips.

"Oh... I mean... thank you Souzou," Yumihiko corrected himself, his eyes shining with tears.

He coughed hard, he whole body shuddering in Souzou's arms.

"It's no problem," whispered Souzou.

"I can see Reichi, telling me it's time to go," Yumihiko said almost inaudibly. "Goodbye Captain Sagara... Souzou..."

"Goodbye... Yumihiko..." Souzou said to the young man as he drew his last breath and died in his arms.

Sadly, letting go of Yumihiko's lifeless body, Souzou pushed himself to his feet. He was lost, with no idea what to expect next. His friends were all dead now and he believed that it was all his fault. He reached down and picked up the short sword Yumihiko had given him, the sword that had saved his life.

When he straightened up, he felt the point of a sword on his back.

"Drop it, Sagara," said a rough voice.

Souzou's eyes widened for a moment and he dropped the short sword quickly. He had lost and there was no avoiding his fate. There was no point in fighting anymore. His shoulders fell in defeat, aggravating his wound. He bowed his head, silently apologizing to his fallen friends.

He gave no resistance as his hands were tied behind his back. An order was given and the captain of the Sekihoutai was led away. His heart sank, knowing he had only one place to go from here. His eyes clouded, but he refused to let his captors see him cry. Squaring his shoulders, he held his head high, determined to take this like a man.

'Midori, I hope we'll meet again in heaven,' he thought, looking up to the sky. 'Because it looks like I'll be going soon..."

He wasn't aware of how long he was forced to keep walking, he just knew that he was dead tired when he stopped. A shudder ran through him as he looked at the place where he would spend his last night on earth. He sighed in both defeat and relief as the rope binding his hands was cut. The barred iron door was opened and he was roughly shoved inside.

As the door shut, he fell to his knees. Silently, from the bottom of his heart, he started praying harder than he ever had in his life. He prayed for his own soul, for the souls of his fallen friends and for his family. His heart was pounding, his mind numbed by the events of the day.

Realizing that the floor he knelt on was nothing but damp earth, he pushed himself to his feet, located a bench and sat down.

'I wish I could see Toshio again,' he thought sadly. 'I hope she and Sanosuke will one day understand this... And Midori... Oh I just wish I could hold her, kiss her... and tell her I love her one last time...'