Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Hell's Conquest ❯ Weakness ( Chapter 3 )

Hell's Conquest

Ch. 3

Weakness

After a few minutes of walking in silence right behind Shishio, Yumi spotted a small area of grass beneath a few trees. The sun was setting and it reminded Yumi so much of earth. Houji settled down to rest about 50ft away, beneath a large willow, while Shishio sat down on the patch of grass, leaning against a tree. Yumi, cautious not to overstep her bounds, sat down beside him. He said nothing. This was not unusual for him not to say a word to Yumi when they went to sleep but was slightly disturbing for this night. So instead of waiting for Shishio to speak to her, Yumi moved closer to him and reached her hand out to his face, caressing his bandaged cheek. He turned towards her, gazing deep into her eyes…before he could hold out no longer and pulled her into him for a warm embrace. His eyes were distant; he was too caught up in this moment to care what happened.

"Lord…Shishio…" she started, too surprised for words.

"Yumi…you didn't obey my orders today. I trust you. But I told you not to speak. I didn't want those demons or anyone to-…I was…afraid for a moment. For you….Does that…make me weak?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What are you talking about? Lord Shishio…I'll pretend you didn't just think that. You and I both know you are strong which is why you've lived so long despite…everything."

She replied gently, letting him place an arm around her shoulders. "That man…what he said about u…does that still hurt u?"

Yumi stopped.

"What? I don't know what you mean…" she questioned, looking away from him…though she knew what he meant…and knew it did still hurt.

Yumi's eyes began to tear at thinking of her reputation. The man had been correct. She had been sold into slavery at a young age…and wanted to die because of it. "I can't cry. I…would be weak. Useless to my master…not like I'm useful anyways…" but at thinking this, she was saddened more and in a last attempt to stop her tears, she threw her arms around Shishio's waist and buried her face in his chest. She couldn't do it. She couldn't be strong like him. Shishio had always been her strength. Her reason for living in such happiness as she did. Yumi knew he probably wouldn't offer any comforting words…but just holding him near to her…Yumi started crying bitterly, forcing herself not to cry loudly so as Houji might hear them. Shishio had been about to speak when he realized Yumi was crying. She had never cried before to him and this was indeed a strange situation. Her tears soaked into his bandages but he didn't care. He wanted to be there for her no matter what…

Suddenly Shishio cried out in pain. The salt of Yumi's tears had seeped into his tender wounds and caused them to sting terribly. In a reaction, he'd thrown Yumi from him and she was now sitting alone, staring at the ground.

"Things are no different are they?" she said coldly, saddened at his pain.

"What do you-…yes. I'm…still burning." Shishio said gently, trying not to upset her further.

She didn't say a word but wiped the tears from her eyes and hugged him again.

"It's alright. I don't care if you're burned or not remember?" she spoke courageously, trying to smile.

He returned the smile and gave a slight nod.

"So what do you think of hell?" Shishio asked, lying on his back in the grass.

"Well…it's a lot like earth. I'd have to say nearly exactly like earth. Just as many businessmen."

Shishio laughed at this. Yumi knew he loved it when she cut down the government this way.

"But what I don't understand…the children. Why were there children in that village?" she asked, lying beside him.

"I don't know. But if they're anything like I was at that age…they're here for murder."

"Murder! Lord Shishio! Not children! They wouldn't murder anyone…would they?" Yumi asked, afraid to think that the smiling children she'd seen playing together in the village could have killed anyone.

"Maybe. But I don't know."

"Wait a minute! You said…you killed people when you were young. How young?" Yumi asked curiously.

"Yumi it was a long time ago. Just leave it." he said heavily, his eyes closed.

"Well I'd like to know. Out of curiosity." she persisted.

"Ten. I was ten the first time I killed someone." he said like it was nothing important.

"Ten? Who did you kill?" he smirked.

"My first sensei." he replied.

"Why?"

"He angered me. I had a sword. Think about it." Shishio stated.

"You've never told me much about when you were a child."

"Rightly so. My life was unimportant then. I was orphaned at three, and then went to stay with my sensei that I later killed. After that, I started life as a wandering assassin and when I was 17, I was recruited for government work." Shishio said, regaining his normal icy tone.

"So you've been killing since you were a child. How could the Battousai expect you just to give it up?! That man…had some foolish ideals for life." Yumi said casually, smiling slightly.

"I'm glad you agree with me. Unlike that bastard traitor Soujiro Seta."

Yumi hated hearing this. She'd always loved Soujiro as a son and secretly…so had Shishio. She decided silence was best in this situation and therefore kept her feelings to herself.

"I think we'd better get some sleep." Shishio suggested, closing his eyes.

"Yes. And what happened tonight…" she started.

"Didn't happen." Shishio stated quickly.

Yumi smiled. Just like something he would say. She lay herself down beside him, this time being careful not to rub against his sensitive skin. In a few moments, Shishio had actually fallen asleep. Yumi subconsciously moved a hand up to his head to run her fingers through a patch of his charred black hair. She could only imagine how it had looked before. But by the appearance, she could tell he must have possessed beautifully smooth, black hair at one time. All of him seemed to have been once attractive before his tragic situation. In fact, Yumi had almost wished when they'd died that his body might regain its old form so she could've seen it. Oh well. She could still dream. And snuggling up beside her lover, she did fall asleep to a pleasant dream.

The End of Ch.3

What's up next? Find out in Ch.4