Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Color of Blood ❯ Final Atonement ( Chapter 13 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Saiyazon 
The battle is over, but what's wrong with Takara? Can she be saved before she makes the last mistake of her life.
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 02.20.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 151 | Status: Completed
The battle is over, but what's wrong with Takara? Can she be saved before she makes the last mistake of her life.
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 02.20.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 151 | Status: Completed
Chapter 13 Final Atonement
The sound of steel clashing against steel and the sound of displaced air filled the room as the two sped around clashing swords. Each sported a few choice scratches to vital points. Shishio did nothing, but watch.
Meanwhile, Sano and Kenshin reached the scene of the mass murder. The cops were already cleaning up the bodies. Each of them suffered a single wound, a mortal one. Kenshin felt a hollow feeling run throughout his insides. He knew Katana was responsible for this and he couldn’t believe she would do it. “Mr. Himura!” One of the officers handed him a piece of paper. He read it and then thrust it into Sano’s hands. It read:
By the time you read this Shishio will be dead and Japan will be saved. Goodbye Sano I love you, tell my brother I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused.
The letter went on to tell the whereabouts of Shishio’s hide out. “What is this all about, Kenshin?” Sano asked even though deep down he feared he knew the truth.
Kenshin’s eyes showed panic and he threw his head up. “We have to get there now.” They broke off into another run for the hideout. “Wait! Himura, where are you going?” Saitou called helplessly after him.
Back at the hideout, Takara was running out of breath. She tried to catch her breath as Soujuro tried to rise off the floor. He was bogged down by a broken arm and two cuts along major arteries. Her knowledge of martial arts enhanced her swordsmanship and its effects when combined.
She was fairing little better with a scratch across her cheek and her pants were cut up one leg with a wound that bled profusely. As he struggled up she took a chance and lunged forward stabbing him through the shoulder. He cried out in agony as she pulled the blade from his body then let him drop. She staggered toward Shishio. “It’s over, Shishio. I won’t let you hurt innocent people any more.”
“Playing the hero are we, Katana? How noble? Just like your brother.” At the mention of her brother she wasted no time in pulling out her bow; shooting an arrow into his face and another into Yumi’s heart. Yumi died instantly, Takara thought she deserved that much.
Shishio grabbed the arrow and ripped it from his face. While he was distracted she shot two more into his heart and stomach. At close range there was no way to dodge and the arrows lodged firmly into their targets. Shishio gurgled and groaned in pain as he hit the floor. She watched him until he no longer moved or breathed. Once she was positive he was dead she turned and trudged to the center of the room.
Her strength gave way and she hit her knees. Tears streamed down her face. ‘It’s done.’ She thought. There was only one thing left to do. She held her sword out, perpendicular, with the tip pointed towards her stomach. She took a deep breath and began to count, “1…2…”
“No!” Sano yelled when he threw the door open to see her thrusting the sword towards her stomach. At the same moment Soujuro came from behind her and was able to bash her in the head with the hilt of his mangled sword. Her thrust missed its target and slid up her arm instead. The blow knocked her out and she began to fall forward. Sano rushed to her with speed he didn’t know he had. He held her up and pulled the bloody sword from her hand and threw it aside.
“Takara.” He breathed holding her limp form up. Kenshin rushed towards Soujuro, who had collapsed, it was his last dying effort. He scanned the room and was astonished to see Shishio lying in a pool of blood, eyes wide with the final astonishment that came with his death.
He looked to Takara. His heart raced as he saw her blood flow from her various wounds. He knelt beside her and said, “We have to find a doctor.” Without another word Sano lifted her off the floor and cradled her carefully like an infant. They walked out into the street to see Saitou coming towards them. Even his eyes glossed at the sight that met his eyes.
“Saitou, where can we find a doctor?” Kenshin asked calmly. His words and actions spoke of a calm withdrawn manner from the situation, but his eyes revealed something else. Fear; fear that he might lose his little sister. Guilt, that he hadn’t been able to protect her from all this.
“This way.” Saitou led them quickly across the street and down an alley. At the other end of the alley he knocked on a door. A man opened it and when he saw Takara he hurriedly led them inside.
It turns out the man was a doctor and with the help of his assistant was able to clean and bandage Takara’s wounds. The others waited outside.
After what seemed like forever the doctor came out. “How is she doctor?” Kenshin asked calmly as Sano looked on with eyes that showed every emotion he felt. Fear, anger, and nervousness were mirrored in them.
The doctor shook his head. “She’s lucky to be alive. We were almost unable to stop the bleeding, but it’s alright for now.”
“Is she awake?” Sano asked meekly.
“No. In fact I don’t know when she’ll wake up.”
“What do you mean, sir?” Kenshin interrupted.
“She suffered quite a blow to the head and she lost a lot of blood. It could be days, it could be weeks, I don’t know.”
Kenshin shook his head and turned away, the anxiety overwhelming him. Saitou placed a hand on Kenshin’s shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself Himura, she brought this on herself. None of it was your fault.”
“She’s my little sister Saitou! I should have done something!” Kenshin got out bitterly through clenched teeth. Sano said nothing.
“I recommend she stay here for at least three days before you can move her.” The doctor interrupted.
Sano nodded and looked at Saitou. “Will they arrest her for the assassinations?”
“Probably not, Shishio’s dead and so are the rest of the Shinsengumi. With that threat gone, I doubt they’ll bother her; as long as she quits the Katana bis.”
Three days later Takara’s bleeding had slowed considerably and there was no sign of infection. The Japanese government pardoned her of all the assassinations and arranged for transport of her, Sano, and Kenshin back to Tokyo.
They were taking a carriage back. Kenshin sat with Takara’s head resting on his lap. Sano sat across from them. They had been silent for most of the journey when finally Kenshin spoke. “I failed her Sano.”
Sano looked up. “No you didn’t, Kenshin.”
“Yes I did. I shouldn’t have let her come with us. None of this would have happened. She’s been through so much already, now this.” He shook his head.
“It’s not your fault.”
“She tried to kill herself, Sano! How can I protect the innocent if I can’t even care for my own family?”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. We’ll take care of her, together.” Sano smiled.
Kenshin saw Sano’s lazy grin and sighed. “Since when are you so optimistic?”
“Since I met her.” Sano brushed a stray hair from her face and watched her breathe for a moment.
Kenshin looked down at her and then at Sano. “You love her don’t you?”
Sano blushed. “Well….I….” He scratched the back of his head. “Yeah.”
Graphic enough for ya?
Converting /tmp/php47522E to /dev/stdout
The sound of steel clashing against steel and the sound of displaced air filled the room as the two sped around clashing swords. Each sported a few choice scratches to vital points. Shishio did nothing, but watch.
Meanwhile, Sano and Kenshin reached the scene of the mass murder. The cops were already cleaning up the bodies. Each of them suffered a single wound, a mortal one. Kenshin felt a hollow feeling run throughout his insides. He knew Katana was responsible for this and he couldn’t believe she would do it. “Mr. Himura!” One of the officers handed him a piece of paper. He read it and then thrust it into Sano’s hands. It read:
By the time you read this Shishio will be dead and Japan will be saved. Goodbye Sano I love you, tell my brother I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused.
The letter went on to tell the whereabouts of Shishio’s hide out. “What is this all about, Kenshin?” Sano asked even though deep down he feared he knew the truth.
Kenshin’s eyes showed panic and he threw his head up. “We have to get there now.” They broke off into another run for the hideout. “Wait! Himura, where are you going?” Saitou called helplessly after him.
Back at the hideout, Takara was running out of breath. She tried to catch her breath as Soujuro tried to rise off the floor. He was bogged down by a broken arm and two cuts along major arteries. Her knowledge of martial arts enhanced her swordsmanship and its effects when combined.
She was fairing little better with a scratch across her cheek and her pants were cut up one leg with a wound that bled profusely. As he struggled up she took a chance and lunged forward stabbing him through the shoulder. He cried out in agony as she pulled the blade from his body then let him drop. She staggered toward Shishio. “It’s over, Shishio. I won’t let you hurt innocent people any more.”
“Playing the hero are we, Katana? How noble? Just like your brother.” At the mention of her brother she wasted no time in pulling out her bow; shooting an arrow into his face and another into Yumi’s heart. Yumi died instantly, Takara thought she deserved that much.
Shishio grabbed the arrow and ripped it from his face. While he was distracted she shot two more into his heart and stomach. At close range there was no way to dodge and the arrows lodged firmly into their targets. Shishio gurgled and groaned in pain as he hit the floor. She watched him until he no longer moved or breathed. Once she was positive he was dead she turned and trudged to the center of the room.
Her strength gave way and she hit her knees. Tears streamed down her face. ‘It’s done.’ She thought. There was only one thing left to do. She held her sword out, perpendicular, with the tip pointed towards her stomach. She took a deep breath and began to count, “1…2…”
“No!” Sano yelled when he threw the door open to see her thrusting the sword towards her stomach. At the same moment Soujuro came from behind her and was able to bash her in the head with the hilt of his mangled sword. Her thrust missed its target and slid up her arm instead. The blow knocked her out and she began to fall forward. Sano rushed to her with speed he didn’t know he had. He held her up and pulled the bloody sword from her hand and threw it aside.
“Takara.” He breathed holding her limp form up. Kenshin rushed towards Soujuro, who had collapsed, it was his last dying effort. He scanned the room and was astonished to see Shishio lying in a pool of blood, eyes wide with the final astonishment that came with his death.
He looked to Takara. His heart raced as he saw her blood flow from her various wounds. He knelt beside her and said, “We have to find a doctor.” Without another word Sano lifted her off the floor and cradled her carefully like an infant. They walked out into the street to see Saitou coming towards them. Even his eyes glossed at the sight that met his eyes.
“Saitou, where can we find a doctor?” Kenshin asked calmly. His words and actions spoke of a calm withdrawn manner from the situation, but his eyes revealed something else. Fear; fear that he might lose his little sister. Guilt, that he hadn’t been able to protect her from all this.
“This way.” Saitou led them quickly across the street and down an alley. At the other end of the alley he knocked on a door. A man opened it and when he saw Takara he hurriedly led them inside.
It turns out the man was a doctor and with the help of his assistant was able to clean and bandage Takara’s wounds. The others waited outside.
After what seemed like forever the doctor came out. “How is she doctor?” Kenshin asked calmly as Sano looked on with eyes that showed every emotion he felt. Fear, anger, and nervousness were mirrored in them.
The doctor shook his head. “She’s lucky to be alive. We were almost unable to stop the bleeding, but it’s alright for now.”
“Is she awake?” Sano asked meekly.
“No. In fact I don’t know when she’ll wake up.”
“What do you mean, sir?” Kenshin interrupted.
“She suffered quite a blow to the head and she lost a lot of blood. It could be days, it could be weeks, I don’t know.”
Kenshin shook his head and turned away, the anxiety overwhelming him. Saitou placed a hand on Kenshin’s shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself Himura, she brought this on herself. None of it was your fault.”
“She’s my little sister Saitou! I should have done something!” Kenshin got out bitterly through clenched teeth. Sano said nothing.
“I recommend she stay here for at least three days before you can move her.” The doctor interrupted.
Sano nodded and looked at Saitou. “Will they arrest her for the assassinations?”
“Probably not, Shishio’s dead and so are the rest of the Shinsengumi. With that threat gone, I doubt they’ll bother her; as long as she quits the Katana bis.”
Three days later Takara’s bleeding had slowed considerably and there was no sign of infection. The Japanese government pardoned her of all the assassinations and arranged for transport of her, Sano, and Kenshin back to Tokyo.
They were taking a carriage back. Kenshin sat with Takara’s head resting on his lap. Sano sat across from them. They had been silent for most of the journey when finally Kenshin spoke. “I failed her Sano.”
Sano looked up. “No you didn’t, Kenshin.”
“Yes I did. I shouldn’t have let her come with us. None of this would have happened. She’s been through so much already, now this.” He shook his head.
“It’s not your fault.”
“She tried to kill herself, Sano! How can I protect the innocent if I can’t even care for my own family?”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. We’ll take care of her, together.” Sano smiled.
Kenshin saw Sano’s lazy grin and sighed. “Since when are you so optimistic?”
“Since I met her.” Sano brushed a stray hair from her face and watched her breathe for a moment.
Kenshin looked down at her and then at Sano. “You love her don’t you?”
Sano blushed. “Well….I….” He scratched the back of his head. “Yeah.”
Graphic enough for ya?
Converting /tmp/php47522E to /dev/stdout