Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ Dancing Cherry Blossoms ❯ All I Wanted ( Chapter 15 )

Dancing Cherry Blossoms

 

Chapter 15: All I Wanted

 

 

 

Ayame and Sakura stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Ayame was the first to move. She stood up and jumped off the porch's banister. She walked forward, never taking her eyes off of Sakura's. Her katana was in her left hand. Sakura just looked down at her. Ayame stopped in the middle of the yard.

 

“Did you kill your little boyfriend?” Ayame asked. Sakura narrowed eyes. She took a deep breath.

 

“What do you care if I did or did not? It's not your concern,” Sakura said. Ayame smirked.

 

“Are you going to stand up there the entire time?” she asked. Sakura looked at the ground. It was about ten feet down. Her jumping ability was not that bad, but landing on her leg was a problem. She would have to wing it on one leg.

 

If there's one thing I have, it's balance, she thought to herself. She looked back at Ayame.

 

“Eager to die?” she asked. Ayame snickered.

 

“It looks like you're the one who's hesitant to,” she retorted. Sakura frowned. She stepped forward. Sakura inhaled and jumped down, landing on her right leg. It seemed to pass right over Ayame's head that Sakura only landed on one leg. Somehow, Sakura managed to keep her balance. She discreetly put her left leg down.

 

“Ready?” Sakura asked.

 

“Always,” Ayame said.

 

Ichi watched from the shadows. He turned and went back inside of the house. Hinome was staring out of balcony's windows, as usual. She had a morbid look on her face. She sighed when she heard Ichi enter.

 

“She's here, isn't she?” she asked. Ichi stopped in his steps. Hinome lowered her head.

 

“Hai, she is. How did you know?” he asked. Hinome turned her head to the side.

 

“I'm okusama. I know all, Ichi. I thought you knew that by now,” she said, smiling a little. “I take it Ayame intercepted her first.”

 

“Hai.”

 

“It was a statement of fact, not a question. Ayame wakes up in the morning waiting for some carnage. Did that boy come with Sakura?”

 

“Iie. Knowing Sakura, she knocked him out before she came. He did not strike me as the type to just let her leave on her own,” he said. Hinome nodded.

 

“That means he will most likely come after her. Give Ajisai specific orders to back down. This is Ayame and Sakura's fight. She is not to interfere no matter the circumstances, understand?” Hinome said. Ichi nodded and left the room. Hinome looked back out at the city. “I think I'll go for a walk.” She picked up her katana and left the room stealthily.

 

Mugen groaned as he opened his eyes. Pain registered in the back of his neck and he put his hand there. Sitting up, he blinked several times to get his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. It occurred to him that Sakura was not there. He looked around and noticed her weapons were gone, but her sandals were still there. Then the memory of her beckoning him close to her came flooding back.

 

“That... little... BITCH!!” he yelled. He stood up and grabbed his sword. He ran out of the room, mumbling every profane word he could think of. When he got outside, he looked around, trying to remember which way the house was. “Damnit!” he yelled. He went down to the innkeeper's room and almost knocked the door down. The innkeeper opened his door sleepily.

 

“Is there something wrong, sir?” he asked.

 

“Where does Hinome live?” Mugen asked loudly. The innkeeper stared blankly at him for a moment.

 

“What do you wa...”

 

“WHERE?!?!” Mugen yelled, grabbing the old man by his kimono. The innkeeper pointed to the left, his hand shaking in fright. Mugen released the man roughly.

 

“Make two lefts and then a right. You'll come to a large house. That is Hinome's home,” he said. Mugen nodded and took off. The old man just watched him go.

 

Ayame and Sakura continued to stare at each other. Sakura reached for her sword. Not counting their most recent and violent encounter, Sakura and Ayame had only ever fought once before. They were only little girls when it happened, and it had solidified their rivalry. Predictably, Sakura was the victor.

 

Ayame ran forward. Before Sakura could unsheathe her sword, Ayame had slashed down. Sakura barely managed to block the strike with her sheathed sword. With Ayame's katana lodged in the sheath, she managed to pull her sword out. She spun away from Ayame and held her sword out to her. Ayame stood up straight and threw Sakura's sheath to the side.

 

“That's one thing I guess I'll have to contend with,” she said. Sakura raised an eyebrow.

 

“What's that, Ayame?” she asked.

 

“You're damn speed. If you weren't so fucking fast, you'd be a lot easier to kill.” Ayame charged again. Sakura parried her and tripped her up. Ayame recovered a little quicker than Sakura anticipated and kicked her in the side. Sakura stumbled backwards, trying to hide her wince. Her side was still injured. She hoped Ayame had not reopened her wound.

 

“That a fact?” Sakura asked, regaining her countenance. She looked at Ayame. Ayame apparently refused to answer, making Sakura smirk. She raised her weapon slowly. “If you hadn't been so fucking fat when we were kids, you'd've been able to become as fast as me!” she baited. Ayame's face contorted into a frown.

 

“Why you little bitch!” she yelled back. Sakura got her desired reaction from Ayame: a blind attack. She managed to either block or counter Ayame's strikes. What she did not know was that Ayame was formulating a plan as she was doing all of this.

 

Mugen skidded as he turned the corner. He could hear the clanging of swords. Muttering a few choice words, he picked up the pace. He had to put a hand to the ground in order to stop himself when he came face-to-face with a set of large breasts. He backpedaled several feet to take in who was standing before him.

 

The woman was wearing all red. She was dressed much like Sakura. Her hair was up in an elaborate style. She carried a katana in her left hand and she was wearing geta sandals. Instinctively, Mugen's hand went to his sword's hilt. The woman put a hand up, stopping him.

 

“Wait. I do not want to fight you... yet,” she said, her voice unnervingly even. Mugen raised an eyebrow. He drew his sword anyway. The woman just smirked. “I suppose you don't know who I am.”

 

“Am I supposed to, lady?” Mugen asked. The woman smiled outright now. She removed a loose strand of hair from her face.

 

“I guess not, considering we've never even met. But, I would like to meet the man who's got my Otome so wrapped around his little finger,” she said. Mugen looked confused for a moment. Then he put two and two together.

 

“You're Sakura's boss. You're Hinome,” he said. The woman nodded.

 

“You guessed it. I am the leader of the female assassins known as the Hanafusa Shikyakus. We have been trying to kill you for quite some time, now,” Hinome said. Mugen held his sword firmly. Hinome waved a hand. “Relax, Mugen. I'm not here to kill you. From what I've been told, you actually managed to kill one of my assassins. You must be pretty tough shit in order to do that...” she drifted off, looking up at the moon.

 

Mugen regarded the woman in the moonlight. She was obviously older than both Sakura and himself. She also seemed a lot nicer than some of the women she had working for her. He could see why Sakura always looked a little morose when mentioning fighting Hinome in the end. The woman reminded him more of a mother than an assassin; she looked like she had not drawn a sword in years. Almost hesitantly, he lowered his sword.

 

“I think her name was Kika or something like that. She was one of those twins,” Mugen said. Hinome snapped out of her trance-like state and looked at Mugen. She nodded.

 

“Hai. They fought with a ninjutsu type style than anything. It is pretty simple to read once you get into the thick of the fight.” Hinome glanced down at the katana in her hand. “I have not drawn this katana to fight in over eight years, I believe. I have not killed in over ten. The only reason it comes out is to be polished. I wonder if I am out of practice,” she said, looking mischievously at Mugen. Mugen's mouth hung open for a moment.

 

“I have to get to Sakura, lady,” Mugen said. He started to run past her. Before he could pass her, she held out her right arm. Mugen had to lean back to keep from getting clotheslined. Hinome looked down at him.

 

“Believe me, Mugen. Otome is JUST fine,” she said with confidence in her voice. “Besides, I'm sure she told you that this is her fight. You would be destroying her pride by interfering. I cannot let you do that, Mugen,” she said. Mugen stood up straight and stepped back.

 

“Fine, lady,” he said. Hinome slowly removed her katana's sheath. She threw it to the side. Mugen looked at the shiny blade and how the moonlight reflected off of it. It was nearly blinding. “You really shine it, don't you?” Hinome just shrugged.

 

“I do try,” she said. She stared intently at him.

 

“What do you want from me?” Mugen asked. Hinome smiled.

 

“I want to see if you're worthy of my Otome,” she said. Mugen glared at her for a moment. Then he held his sword out to her.

 

“As you wish,” he said.

 

“Don't worry. I promise not to kill you... yet,” Hinome said, laughing.

 

Ayame moved away quickly. Her side was killing her. Every time she moved, it felt as if she was being punched in it. It did not appear as if Ayame had yet noticed her agony. Sakura was trying to keep it that way. She definitely did not need to give Ayame something to gain the upper hand with. It was already becoming increasingly harder to block her strikes. If there was one thing Ayame had on her, it was brute strength.

 

Ayame swung at Sakura's head, making the shorter girl duck. She caught the ribbons that held Sakura's hair up. Sakura's hair fell down around her face as she stood back up. Ayame noticed the visible grimace of anguish. Something was wrong with her side. Ayame smirked and stepped back. She took in the confused look on Sakura's face for a moment.

 

“You are injured, Sakura,” she said. Sakura stood up straight, trying to stand on both legs without favoring one side as she had been doing. Ayame just eyed her with a hedonistic look. “You can barely stand up.”

 

“What makes you say that, Ayame? I seem to be holding off your sloppy attacks just fine,” Sakura said. She had to figure out a way to end this fight quickly, or she would not last much longer. She did not like the way Ayame was watching her. It was unnerving.

 

“Sloppy, huh?” Ayame raised her katana and swiftly moved forward, catching Sakura completely off guard. Before Sakura could block her, Ayame had moved past Sakura, cutting into her injured side. Sakura gasped, throwing her head back. “How was that for sloppy?” Ayame whispered.

 

Mugen and Hinome stopped moving has they heard an agonizing scream coming from the courtyard not far from them. Hinome closed her eyes, knowing whose voice it was. Mugen stepped forward, unable to speak. He could only mouth her name. He turned and looked back at the older woman.

 

“Was that Sak...” he mumbled quietly. Hinome nodded. He started to run forward. Hinome ran around him and pointed her katana in his face. Mugen slid to a stop before he was impaled with it. “Get out of the way!” he yelled at her. Hinome stood her ground.

 

“I will not. Sakura is not dead, I assure you. She most definitely would not allow herself to be killed by the likes of that filth Ayame. Have a little faith, Mugen. As stated before, it is her fight. Let her fight it. You have your hands busy with me,” she said.

 

For a moment, all Mugen could see was red. He did not know if it was because that was the color Hinome was wearing or if it was because he was pissed. But, his anger propelled him forward in an almost blind fury and he fought with the older woman on level terms. Hinome merely smiled and continued to fight.

 

Sakura was sure she was dead. There was no way she could be in this much pain and still be alive. It was impossible. When Ayame had literally flown past her, it had felt like her side was lit on fire. But, Sakura did not want to die. At least, she did not want to die by Ayame's hand. She could not die by Ayame's hand.

 

I refuse to die by her hand. I will not die by her hand, she thought. But, all she was seeing was darkness. Why could she not open her eyes? Was she already dead? She still felt pain. She could not possibly be dead already. I can't die yet. I still have to fight okusama. I still have to fight Hinome. I still have to KILL Hoshi.

 

Ayame watched Sakura on the ground. Somehow, the small assassin was still alive. After that brutal attack on her already injured side, the little girl was still alive. How was this possible?

 

“Why won't you just die?” Ayame asked thin air.

 

“Effectiveness was never your strong point,” Sakura whispered. Ayame's eyes widened as Sakura's eyes opened. “You should have killed me when you had the chance,” she said. Sakura squeezed the hilt of her sword and sat up painfully. Ayame backed away from her, frowning.

 

“Perhaps you're right. I should've stabbed you again for good measure. I'll be sure not to make that mistake twice,” she said. Sakura smirked as she slowly made it to her feet.

 

As she was standing, she realized that there was only one way she could beat Ayame. It would require some sort of sacrifice on her part, and she would be lucky to live through it.

 

Take one to gain one, she thought almost dismally. Sakura held her sword out to Ayame. Ayame raised an eyebrow.

 

“You can't be serious, Otome. You're dying already. Fighting me now is a death wish,” she said, laughing. Sakura just smirked.

 

“Oh, I do not jest, Ayame.”

 

“It's your funeral,” Ayame said. Sakura nodded.

 

For a moment, all they did was stare at each other. Then, they ran towards one another. Sakura painfully slid under Ayame's first strike. Ayame cursed and turned to strike again. She was shocked that Sakura did not move to block it at all. Instead, Sakura just turned and thrust forward with her own sword. The two stood there for a moment in a standstill, staring in each other's eyes. Sakura was the first to move, removing her sword from Ayame's chest in one vehement, jerking motion. Ayame removed her sword from Sakura's side in the same manner. The two ladies stumbled backwards, still holding their weapons out to one another before falling to their knees.

 

Ayame put a hand to her chest and looked at the blood coming from it. Blood was starting to ooze from her mouth too as her lungs filled with her own blood. She looked up at Sakura, who was holding her other side now. Ayame smiled.

 

“You know, I never liked you...” Ayame began.

 

“Tell me something I don't know,” Sakura said, rolling her eyes.

 

“Shut up. I'd like to say this before I die.” Ayame slowly laid on the dusty ground. Her eyes were beginning to turn glassy. Sakura watched her with a confused look. “I never liked you, but I always respected you. You may well be the only fighter I ever respected. I never even respected my own teacher, Hoshi.”

 

“Why are you telling me this now, after you've repeatedly tried to kill me?” Sakura asked, breathing hard. Ayame laughed, coughing up blood into the dirt.

 

“Because I was jealous. You were the perfect one. You could do no wrong. Nothing I can say can atone for my sins, so I won't bother asking for forgiveness.” Ayame coughed up some more blood. “All I ever wanted was to be perfect. All I ever wanted was to be you.” She inhaled one last time before she stopped breathing altogether.

 

Sakura stared blankly at Ayame's body before rising to her feet. She moved over to her dead rival and picked the pin out of her hair. She put it in her shirt and stood up straight. She felt horrible all over her body. She looked down at her newest injury. Ayame had missed her kidney completely. Sakura had moved to the left just in time to avoid being stabbed in the kidney. So, Ayame had merely grazed her side with her katana, but the gash was still pretty deep. The wound resembled a large piercing.

 

“I really got lucky today. Now to find okusama,” Sakura said. For the first time in about 45 minutes, it was completely silent. She could hear herself think without interruption. Then, she heard the clanging of swords and grunting. “Mugen...” she mumbled. Before she could run off, a hand closed around hers. She turned around to see Ichi standing there.

 

“You're not facing Hinome in that condition, Otome,” he said. Sakura smiled.

 

“Thanks, Ichi,” she said. She followed him inside.

 

Mugen blocked a strike from Hinome. The older woman was incredibly talented. He could see why she was the leader. He was throwing everything he had at her and she looked like she had not even broken a sweat. He backed away from her, limping. He looked down at his broken geta sandal. He kicked it off and kneeled. Hinome stuck her katana in the dirt road and observed him silently.

 

“Why stop? You could easily kill me right now,” Mugen said. Hinome narrowed her eyes.

 

“I told you I would not kill you until I decided whether or not you were worthy of my Otome. Besides, Sakura would be sad if I did,” Hinome said calmly. “Are you so eager to die, Mugen?”

 

“I've come awfully close in my time, lady. But I've never been eager. I dish out death; I don't want it,” Mugen said. He got to his feet, picking up his sword. Hinome watched him.

 

“Have you ever fought Sakura, Mugen?”

 

“How do you think I got her to come home with me?” Mugen answered, smiling wryly. Hinome's face wrinkled up and she chose to ignore that remark.

 

“Who won?”

 

“I really don't think you can judge a fight on that basis unless someone dies,” Mugen said. Before he could take a step forward, Hinome had kicked him to the ground. He touched his chest and rolled over, coughing in the dirt. “What the hell was that for?” Hinome pulled her katana out of the dirt.

 

“Tell me, Mugen. If you were a spectator in this fight between you and me, who would you say is winning? Would you say: “That guy Mugen is getting his ass handed to him by that woman,” or “It's just about even so far.” Hm? Which is it?” Hinome asked, walking over to where Mugen was writhing in pain.

 

“What the hell does it matter who won? It's not like we were keeping track of who kicked who's ass on what day!” Mugen yelled, rolling over. Hinome wiped a single strand of loose hair from her face. She smirked and looked back at Mugen.

 

“You fail to realize that whenever you fought Sakura, you were merely fighting what small fraction of what she is truly capable of. Sakura was trained by me. From what I have seen of you, you are nowhere near her caliber.” Hinome raised her katana as Mugen sat up. “You are not fit to kiss the ground she walks on,” she said.

 

“So, now you're going to kill me?” Mugen asked. Hinome shrugged, her face devoid of any expression.

 

“I suppose so. It is, by the way, your fault my Otome is in the predicament. If it wasn't for you, she would not have to die. She could live a long life. You have done nothing but bring sorrow and pain to all of our lives in the Hanafusa Shikyakus. Sakura should hate you.” Hinome blinked. She immediately moved to the side, swinging her katana in the process. It deflected a sai, making it fly into the wall of a house not too far from where Hinome was standing.

 

Mugen raised an eyebrow. He looked at the sai lodged in the wall of the house. Then his eyes traveled to where the weapon had come from. Hinome had also turned around and was looking behind her in the same general direction. Mugen could only gasp at what he saw.

 

Sakura was standing about fifty feet away from them. It was amazing that they had not heard her approaching them. She had changed into all black and her hair was still down from her fight with Ayame. She was favoring her left leg. It did not go unnoticed by either Mugen or Hinome, and Sakura knew that.

 

“I think the decision on whether or not I hate him lies with me, okusama,” Sakura said calmly. Her voice was low and even for someone who was in a tremendous amount of pain. She began walking gingerly over to them. When she was about twenty feet in front of Hinome, she came to a stop.

 

“Otome. What of Ayame?” Hinome asked. Sakura took out Ayame's hairpin and threw it down at Hinome's feet. Hinome looked at it and smirked. “I hope she did not die on bad terms. Ayame always respected you, you know.”

 

“So I've heard,” Sakura said dryly. “I do not want to fight, okusama.” Sakura untied her sword from her sash. Mugen watched her with a confused look.

 

What the hell is she thinking?

 

“I understand that, Otome.” Hinome took off her sandals. She picked them up and sat them next to the wall of a house. She walked back to the center of the street and looked back up at her pupil. “But, rules are rules. You took an oath. You have now broken that oath, and now it is time for you to pay the debt. You knew the consequences of your actions. If you want liberation, you must go through me first,” Hinome said.

 

Sakura stared at her boss. Hinome's face portrayed none of what she was feeling. Sakura could not tell if she was angry, glad, sad, or anything. All she saw was an emotionless shell of a woman. Sakura raised her sword to be level with her eyes. She grabbed hold of its hilt.

 

“You have not drawn you katana since I was ten and still went by my birth name. You draw it only to kill me?” Sakura asked.

 

“I draw it only to fight you. Whether I kill you or not is up to you, Otome,” Hinome said. Sakura sighed.

 

“I don't want this, okusama. Please, just let me go,” Sakura pleaded.

 

“Do not beg for your life, Sakura. It makes you look weak,” Hinome said coldly. Sakura frowned. She pulled her sword out of its sheath roughly and threw the sheath past Hinome at Mugen. It hit him square in the face, jerking him out of his stupor.

 

“Get out of the way, Mugen,” Sakura said.

 

“But, Sak, you're...”

 

“NOW!!” Sakura yelled. Mugen's mouth snapped shut and he did as he was told. He picked up His sword and Sakura's sheath and moved to where Sakura's sai was lodged in someone's house. He nestled in and got ready to watch the two ladies go at it.

 

This should be interesting, he thought.