Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Hell's Conquest ❯ A matter of Cruelty ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5

A Matter of Cruelty

Yumi backed away from this new threat, tripping over her kimono.

"I'm sure you're wondering what I'll do to you. It's simple really. It's what I do to all my victims. Steal their soul. You'll still be present in body, but you'll never be able to move or speak. Of course, you'll be able to hear which is what makes it hell. No matter how hard anyone wishes to recover his or her soul, the only way to do so is to kill me. Advanced Shino Ipo as you humans would call it. Now hold still. This will only hurt for a second." Tetsumaoliko said, walking towards her, his long nails exposed.

"Lord Shishio where are you?" Yumi thought, vainly trying to escape. Meanwhile, Hoake and Kimiko were huddled close together in their shared village home.

"Oh no! Miss Yumi!" Hoake cried, looking out a crack in the dirty wall of the home's main room.

Kimiko was sitting against the wall, not saying a word.

" Damn it Kimiko! Can't you see she's going to get hurt?!" The small 11 year-old yelled at her.

"Why does it matter to you?" she said, without emotions.

Hoake then knelt down beside his 10 year-old friend .

"Kimiko, I know you hurt, but so do I. This lady cared enough to ask us what was wrong. And I'm glad she did. You should be too." Hoake said kindly.

Kimiko looked up at him and saw the concern in his gentle, green eyes.

"Okay…if you say so. But what can we do? It's not like we're very strong." Kimiko said. Then Hoake's brothers approached him.

"We know what to do! We know! We run and-and scare away big demon man!" squealed one of them.

"What? You can't! He'd-…" Hoake started.

"No! Watch us!" and they ran outside.

"Wait! Come back!" Hoake yelled angrily, trying to chase after them.

They were only about 5 feet out the door. Maybe enough to reach them…suddenly Kimiko grabbed Hoake's sleeve and pulled him back inside.

"No Hoake! You can't go out there. He'll see you and…it's too late to save them. I'm sorry."

"What?! No!!! They can't die again! I have to protect them! No…" Hoake broke off mid-sentence, beside himself.

Kimiko hugged him. Yumi watched in horror as the children ran to her.

"No!!! Go back! Get away! He'll hurt you too!" she yelled at them.

Tetsumaoliko smirked.

"Ah the children. How thoughtful of them. Too bad they can't do a thing to stop me."

He laughed and suddenly, with a wave of his hand, a large blast of light issued forth from his forefinger nail. All the children were hit with this beam and they stopped running, falling to the ground in a lifeless heap.

"What-what have you done to them? They're not the one you wanted!" Yumi cried, running to hold one of the children in her arms.

"Neither are you really. Shishio's the one I'm after. You were just kind of…here. So were they. Things are funny that way. But now that I think about it, your little master and I are very similar. " Tetsumaoliko said, smirking.

"You're sick and cruel! There is no way that Lord Shishio would ever be like you! Never! He may seem evil at times but his cause is right!" Yumi protested.

"Oh save me your sentiments, whore! What do you truly know about that madman's cause? Nothing. Because you're just a slave girl, that's why! You're not worth the dirt you stand on. Admit it. The only reason Makoto Shishio keeps you around is because you're beautiful." Tetsumaoliko sneered.

Before her death, Yumi might have believed his words but now she'd realized how deeply she and Shishio cared for each other. No matter what anyone else said.

"That's not true. Not at all. You don't know him like I do." Yumi stated firmly.

"Well alright. Believe what you will. But don't cry to me when your fantasy comes crashing down around you and you're left with nothing but your pitiful life in hell."

Suddenly…Tetsumaoliko's cape that he was wearing…dropped to the ground, slashed from his shoulders. Seconds later, it caught fire and burned.

"What just happened?" he thought, confused.

"And what are we doing Yumi? I see you've met the second in command." Yumi turned to see that Shishio had kept his promise and returned to find her. But wait? Second? Tetsumaoliko shook his head angrily.

"And how did you find this out?!" he yelled furiously.

"You're not Enma. Everyone knows that Enma is the current man in charge of hell. I've never heard of some headstrong demon with a long name being in charge." Shishio stated as Yumi ran to him.

"He hurt the children! They tried to stop him. Tried to save me but…" and she pointed over at the children, their eyes still open in fear. Shishio looked at them.

"Shino Ipou. Executed very well I might add. However you were very unwise in wasting it on these victims. Now I've seen your main attack so there's no way I will fall for it." Shishio said with confidence.

"Well, we shall see about that! That's not the only technique I have!" Tetsumaoliko shouted, his nails glowing.

"Lord Shishio look out!" Yumi cried.

Shishio nodded and went into a defense stance. Yumi didn't want to watch. It would happen again. He couldn't fight with his full strength for as long as a demon. He would tire and…

"Lord Shishio don't fight! Please don't!" Yumi begged, grabbing his arm.

Shishio looked at her for a moment…then looked away and lit his sword on fire.

"He won't listen to me." Yumi concluded.

"Well this shall be a fun match…what?!"

Suddenly Tetsumaoliko looked down at his hand. The entire hand was glowing and he seemed to be in pain.

"…We'll…settle this…later…Makoto Shishio!!!!" Tetsumaoliko threatened, then disappeared.

"He'll be back soon. Though I don't know why he left. Do you know anything Yumi?" Shishio asked.

Yumi was looking down at the ground.

"No. I'm sorry…Lord Shishio." she said softly.

"And do you know these children?" Houji asked.

Yumi wasn't listening.

"How much…did you hear?" Yumi asked Shishio, realizing that she'd confessed her feelings about Shishio to Tetsumaoliko just now.

"Enough to know you were a little wrong in what you claimed to know about me. I probably would have hurt children that got in my way. And you know I have." Shishio said coldly, walking away from the scene.

Yumi knew he had done it…but didn't believe he'd done it for the same reasons that cruel demon had. Shishio wasn't half as cruel as Tetsumaoliko. After Shishio was out of earshot, Houji approached Yumi, glaring at her.

"I can't believe you would be that stupid! Risking Lord Shishio's safety over some demon! You should be ashamed! I always told him it was a bad idea to have a woman around but he wouldn't listen. One day, you'll be his downfall Yumi. And I'll be the one at his side when it happens! I imagine that day would be wonderful. Lord Shishio will finally realize that I am the one most loyal to him and I've been right from day one!" Yumi just scoffed.

"Don't turn into another Kamatari now Houji. I don't appreciate gay men trying to steal Lord Shishio from me." Yumi mused, causing Houji's expression to become one of confusion and anger.

He couldn't think of a response and quickly ran after Shishio.

Yumi just shook her head and walked after the two of them. After walking forward a few steps, Yumi heard a faint voice crying behind her. Hoake. How could she have been so heartless to forget the children! She ran back to the village and found Hoake vainly trying to wake up his siblings. Kimiko was trying to tell him that they wouldn't wake up but he wouldn't stop trying.

"Look it's Miss Yumi! Miss Yumi!" Kimiko yelled joyously, running to Yumi.

"I saw what happened with your brothers. I'm sorry." Yumi said.

"It's all your fault! If my brothers wouldn't have been trying to help you, none of…" Hoake started.

"All of us would have our souls taken! Don't you see? Your brothers distracted the big demon so he didn't steal Miss Yumi's soul. If he would've taken hers, he would've wanted more and come after us!" Kimiko yelled back at Hoake.

Hoake looked up at her, defeated.

"I swear I'll kill that demon!!!" he shouted fiercely.

"Good. And I know just the man to help. His name's Lord Shishio. I love the man and I think you two should come with me so you can meet him." Yumi offered, taking each of their hands.

"But wait! What about Hoake's brothers? We can't just leave them out here!" Kimiko said suddenly.

"You're right. Let's put them inside your house. They'll be safer there than anywhere." Yumi said and they obeyed, putting the children down on their beds, folding a blanket over each of them.

Yumi looked into their eyes. They were open but distant. They looked to be afraid. Yumi hated to see them like that so she gently closed them as if the children were dead…but she truly hoped they wouldn't end up that way.

The End of Chapter 5

How will Shishio handle Yumi bringing the kids along?

Find out in Ch. 6