Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Steps Of Courage ❯ Her Choice ( Chapter 16 )

Disclaimer: All standard disclaimers apply. Always.

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Chapter 16

“So you see,” Enizu said, his words dexterously cool. “There should be no misconception between us. I want you dead.”

Kenshin didn’t reply, but used his sakabatou as leverage as he shakily got to his feet. Enizu’s interlude had provided him with barely enough time to rest up and fight at full speed again, if he had to. The wound Enizu gave him would render an ordinary person immobile, but it was not enough to keep Kenshin from his limits.

Kenshin knew he needed to choose the next attack carefully. Enizu had that smirk on his face that Kenshin knew too well—he assumed he was on top now that Kenshin was down and Enizu could keep him this way. Any other person would have surveyed the fight and come to the same conclusion, but not Kenshin. Kenshin saw everything out of experienced eyes.

He had to connect with this next attack.

With a flick of his sword Kenshin nimbly jumped back and landed in a crouching position. He straightened up and assumed a defensive stance, well guarded and able to move agilely. He would be ready for nearly any type of attack, from any direction.

“You are just like that fool, Kokorei Katsusaburo,” he spat. His eyes glittered with apprehension. “You’d rather defend than attack at this point? Very well, if you wish to die.” He got into a wholly offensive stance.

Kenshin’s eyes shined for a split second, and it was gone. Enizu wasn’t careful enough.

“If you won’t attack first, I will,” Enizu said. “I won’t make you wait long.”

Kenshin scrutinized Enizu’s stance. He meant to charge, use all his brute force. He was stronger, in that sense, than Kenshin. The red-haired swordsman calculated carefully. Yes. If he attacked first, he could get his hit in. He shifted his position ever so subtly, even Enizu didn’t notice. From this slightly altered defensive stance, Kenshin could get a good running start.

Without another word, Enizu was charging, rage in his eyes as he came closer. Kenshin waited another half a second before charging forward as well. Right before the two of them met in battle, Kenshin slid on his heel, coming around the left side of Enizu for a hit. To his surprise, the metal of their blades met and Kenshin was forced to devise a new tactic. With the force of his charge, Enizu pushed Kenshin’s sword back, forcing Kenshin away from himself.

Kenshin did not let the surprise of Enizu’s actions get in the way. His eyes narrowed and darkened in color, a steely blue in place of light violet. He pushed right back at Enizu, coming in faster and faster, forcing his opponent backward. He did not regard the smile on Enizu’s face where there should have been fear.

A quick wind past Kenshin’s ear told him Enizu had swung in a different direction. The sakabatou was there only just in time. Their battle became a flurry of swords and flashes of metal, each stroke indistinguishable from the next. The clanging as their swords collided filled the room, each turning up their power in turn, stepping quicker and quicker.

With Naruku unconscious and each of their motives in place, there was only they and their swords. Nothing to stop this insatiable battle.

Naruku woke to the sounds of battle. She did not open her eyes, the sounds that swirled around her told her everything. Everything she needed to know, and nothing she wanted to.

If she kept her eyes closed, she would not see the anger in their faces and the rage between their blades. If she opened her eyes it would all be real, not a slight chance of it being a dream or all a mistake.

He mistake. Coming there had been a mistake.

There was no way to block out the ring of clashing swords. Even with her eyes closed, Naruku knew what was happening. And she wanted it to stop.

Nothing was holding back their fight anymore, and Naruku discovered this when she finally resigned and let her eyes open. She didn’t like what she saw anymore than she thought she would. But this is what Enizu had wanted all along.

The sounds of their battle were real, the smell of blood was real and the image of the two men she held above all else was real. She had tried to keep it up, and it had worked for weeks. Tried to hold them high above the tumultuous water. She should have known it would never work. And now all of her friends, the people she cherished, would hate her. Because it was her fault, and she had known, and she had done nothing to change it. She didn’t blame them. Naruku hated herself too.

There was no time for either of them to recover from each round of attacks. There were no pauses in between; there was no faltering within any of their movements. Blows kept coming and coming and there was no time for thought, only reflex. That was exactly what was going to end the battle. One of them would have to burn out. There was no alternative.

And it wasn’t as if their blows weren’t connecting. Kenshin had gotten in many valid hits and had his fair share of wounds as well. All blows missed the vital areas, so shallow cuts and bruises were the extent of either man’s injuries. The minor wounds reduced Kenshin’s speed as they built up, and Kenshin knew the harm he was inflicting was doing the same to Enizu. Each hit detracted some of their strength.

A blow flew past him, too close for comfort. The blade clipped a few of Kenshin’s fire-red hair. He was in trouble.

Enizu’s katana doubled back and hit Kenshin squarely in the shoulder. He staggered and clutched the wound, but the fight did not cease. Neither relented. Enizu believed Kenshin to be the cause of all his problems, while Kenshin could not satisfy the anger he had for Enizu in endangering his friends and using Naruku for his own selfishness. Anger was a flame that was lit from underneath them, neither able to douse it. Neither wanting to. The flames grew hotter and hotter until they rose up and burned both Kenshin and Enizu in the face.

Naruku knew they were falling. She was probably the only one of them who noticed. The darkness around them came clearer and she knew they would never hit the bottom. The trap had fallen through. Not anyone’s plan, not Enizu’s master scheme for revenge.

No. It was the fire pit of hatred, a trap they could never get themselves out of.

Enizu used me. I don’t think I ever quite understood that. I understand it now.

“I’m pleased to meet you Himura-san.”

Naruku flinched. I never told him Kenshin’s name. And when he said it… “Himura-san...Himura.” Enizu’s voice resonated through her mind. I knew that Enizu saw who Kenshin was. He manipulated me into actually introducing them. He had put her in a position where it was either leave all of her friends or show Enizu what he wanted to see. Kenshin. The Battousai. And I showed him, because I was too weak to do anything about it. I wanted to stay.

And now…I can’t do anything. The man I once loved and…the man I might grow to love will kill each other before I can say anything. If only I was strong like…Kaoru, or Megumi-san. Sano…

He knew Enizu was after something. How? He has good instincts. I can’t believe I ever let Enizu get close to these people I love. How did I think I could be happy?

…we could be happy?

But I was. I was so happy in thinking nothing would happen. In thinking we were all happy.

We weren’t. I should never have even come here at all! But in some way, Naruku knew that wasn’t true. She did not regret finding her way to the Kamiya dojo. She had been happy, truly happy. So where did it all go wrong? How had it come to this? Was there anything she could have done to change her fate? What is there, really, to regret?

It was a couple seconds before Kenshin realized how much slower his movements were becoming. He tried to kick it up, to go faster, but Enizu always seemed a step ahead of him. If Kenshin could step out of the fight for one moment, he knew he could regain strength and beat Enizu. But Kenshin didn’t have that moment. There was no way to get that moment. He only had the present time, and he would have to make do, even if it wasn’t enough. He had gotten himself out of situations many times before.

Only…

Each stroke, it didn’t matter if it was his or Enizu’s, weighed him down like bricks sewn into the hem of his gi. Each movement made him more and more sluggish until all he wanted was to lie down…

He snapped around to avoid a particularly dangerous blow. He had been taking too many hits. What was wrong? Why was it so hard to fight Enizu when he was winning just moments before?

He didn’t have an answer for himself, and at that moment, it wasn’t important. The only thing that mattered was the sword in his hands.

Who sent you? Who are you working for…I should have asked myself those questions. I was sent. I was working the whole time I was here. I was working to betray them. All of them. Please, Kenshin…

He would abandon me? …no. But he would use me.

I’m not trying to buy your guys’ trust or anything…but I did, didn’t I? I bought it with smiles and laughter and words filled with honey. Words that were taught to me. I never knew anything, did I? Why did I even bother?

Kenshin won’t get hurt on account of me…I promised myself. I promise. Was I always this bad at keeping promises? I can’t believe I did that to them…

The damage is done…it will last my whole life. It will last as long as I know that Kenshin and Enizu fought…and I helped it.

She looked up at the fight and nearly gasped. She could see through her own eyes that Kenshin was falling back. He was getting weaker. A clear path formed in her mind.

Let them live to see tomorrow.

Enizu’s sword caught Kenshin in the ribs. Rage burst from him, and Enizu met it with his own. They were soon in a frenzy, momentum carrying their swords faster than they themselves could move. Neither of them stopped. Neither could stop. They swords clashed faster and faster until all that was heard was an earsplitting hum. The buzzing of impending death.

For who?

Naruku could scarcely tell.

Let them live. Please let them live.

They were in a panic. No way to slow down, to stop. They had to hold on, to keep up. Keep up with their swords, with each other. They had to keep up with life as it so easily faded away, slipping from their fingers as metal and blood replaced it.

Let them live. I can’t stand to see them die—let them live!

The panic inside of her ribs rose to such an intensity Naruku had never felt before. She felt them breaking, the cracks making themselves known as they slid along fragile glass, cutting it down the center. They would shatter soon.

Let them live! Kami—! Let them live, please.

And all at once, Kenshin let go. He had not meant to, it hadn’t been conscious in any way. It had just been too much force, too much pressure—how could he have held on any longer?

In one second flat, Kenshin was sent flying across the room by the force of his own blade. His momentum was so strong that the wall he hit sent him back to the center of the room, as if he had bounced off. He landed face down on the ground, a dull ache somewhere near his lungs. His head was dizzy, so black that he could not feel the pain there.

Enizu andvanced slowly, a grin seeping onto his face. Anger, triumph, revenge and arrogance mixed in the cauldrons of his blue eyes. He almost could not believe it—his chance, finally, had come. Kenshin lay, half-unconscious, just a meter away, and Enizu had all the means to make him suffer. To kill him. There was little else in the world that was as sweet as that.

His revenge was almost complete. Right before his sword plunged into Battousai’s chest, he needed a souvenir. A trophy, something to hold onto, to remind him of his great victory, a feat that he would be the first and last to accomplish.

His eyes scanned the room. The person he needed…his eyes fell on Naruku, huddled there, her eyes gaunt and wide.

Enizu’s grin grew wider. She was such a souvenir…

Let him live—let him be alive—he can’t die! KAMI LET HIM LIVE!Her mind screamed frantically, but not an inch of her moved.

“No one will ever know this joy but me,” Enizu said, voice dripping with malice. He relished his words. “I will get to see you suffer one last time before you die. Naruku.”

It was a moment before Naruku registered the voice. Then another for her to realize he was calling her over. She didn’t believe she could move, but somehow she found her legs supporting her and taking a few trembling steps toward the center of the room. He…he has to be…he can’t die!

As she came closer, she shook harder until she could barely stand. She took a few breaths and stood off to the side of Enizu, two meters off of Kenshin’s place of death.

Let him live. Please. Let him…

Grinning wickedly, Enizu raised his sword above Kenshin’s shuddering form. Enizu’s eyes said everything he didn’t need to. This is the moment we’ve always waited for koishii…

Naruku took in breath as she watched Enizu’s sword sway slightly in the air.

Maybe it’s the moment you’ve always waited for.

Kami, let Kenshin live. He can’t die! Not…now.

Don’t die, Kenshin…you don’t understand…you can’t die, you can’t die!

“I WON’T LET YOU DIE!”

Naruku didn’t realize what she was doing, or the words that emerged from her mouth, this time too strong to be trampled. Enizu’s sword plunged down and in a flash she was next to Kenshin, pulling his half-conscious figure close to her as she rolled away from the fatal attack.

Instead the sword plunged through her arm where it connected to her shoulder blade. She didn’t hear her own scream of agony, or take any note of the pain she felt. All she could see was the frayed fabric of Kenshin’s gi against her face. The blood she had smelled for so long before was gone, replaced with the stark fragrance of sandalwood and soap. Her only feeling was her hair, free from its tie, cascading down to her thighs, and Kenshin’s own fire red locks brushing against her collar.

“Kenshin…” she breathed, closing her eyes and letting tears fall. Kenshin was safe. Alive. She held him, so alive and warm, and felt as if she would never let go.

Enizu’s screaming never reached her as she reveled in Kenshin’s safety, her conscious in a flat state of serenity.