The dojo felt oddly still as the last light of the day crept over the walls, casting long shadows across the yard. I had spent the afternoon sparring with Yahiko and Kaoru, forcing my mind to stay focused on the flow of movement and technique, rather than the nagging feeling that had been gnawing at the back of my mind all day.
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Something felt off, like an itch beneath the surface of my skin that I couldn't quite reach. But I pushed the unease aside, chalking it up to the tension in the air, a lingering sense that the past few weeks had stirred too much trouble for things to settle back into normalcy.
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I wiped the sweat from my brow as I sat against the porch, the cool evening breeze finally offering some relief. Kenshin had been gone for the better part of the day—he said something about helping out in town, but there was always more to it. He never quite shared the full story. I glanced toward the gate, half-expecting him to stroll in with that easy smile, acting like he hadn't just been off chasing trouble, as usual.
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"Where is he?" I muttered to myself. Yahiko and Kaoru had already retired inside, the dojo now quiet except for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. That feeling of unease crept back in, twisting in my gut. I stood up, stretching out the stiffness in my limbs, trying to shake off the sense of foreboding.
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But just as I turned toward the house, something caught my eye near the gate. A piece of parchment, small and crumpled, had been carelessly tucked into the side of the wooden post. Frowning, I walked over, bending down to pick it up. The moment my fingers touched the paper, I felt the weight of it. Heavier than a simple message should be. I unfolded it, expecting some kind of harmless letter, maybe from a merchant or one of Kenshin's endless acquaintances, but what I saw made my blood run cold.
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"To Aka Himura,
Your brother is dead.
His blood stains our hands, just as your blood will soon stain our blades."
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The breath caught in my throat. My heart pounded so loudly I could hear it in my ears. My knees nearly buckled beneath me as my fingers tightened around the paper, crumpling it with rage, fear, and something darker—something I had buried long ago but was now clawing its way back to the surface. Kenshin—dead?
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It couldn't be. I refused to believe it. My brother was too strong, too skilled. No ordinary thugs could have taken him down, not like this. Not like a coward's ambush. But the note was too deliberate, too cruel to be a simple bluff. A surge of emotion swelled in my chest, a raw and overwhelming combination of fear and fury. My hands trembled as I read the words over and over, the sentence "Your brother is dead" searing itself into my mind, twisting into something unrecognizable, something that hurt too much to be real.
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No. I wouldn't—couldn't—accept this. I rushed toward the house, barely aware of what I was doing as I pushed through the door and into the main room where Kaoru and Yahiko sat, resting after the day's training. They both looked up at me, concern immediately flickering across their faces at my disheveled state. "Aka? What's wrong?" Kaoru asked, rising to her feet, her eyes scanning my face for an answer.
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I didn't speak. I couldn't. I thrust the note toward her, my hand shaking as I did so. She took it, her brow furrowing as she unfolded the crumpled paper. Yahiko leaned over her shoulder to read it as well, his expression hardening as his eyes traced the words. "No way..." Yahiko breathed, his voice barely a whisper.
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Kaoru's face paled, her fingers tightening around the note as if she couldn't believe what she was reading. "This—this can't be true. Kenshin..." She shook her head, blinking rapidly as if to clear the shock from her mind. "Who would do something like this?"
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My voice, tight and filled with barely contained rage, finally broke free. "Gohei and Kihei." The names fell from my lips like a curse. "They've always wanted revenge on Kenshin. They would do something like this."
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Kaoru's eyes widened, and Yahiko's fists clenched at his sides, anger rolling off him in waves. "Then we need to find them," Yahiko said firmly, his voice filled with determination. "We need to—"
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"No." My voice was sharp, almost too sharp, as I cut him off. I was already heading toward the door. "I will find them."
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Kaoru stepped forward, grabbing my arm before I could push past her. "Aka, wait! You can't just go off on your own! We don't even know for sure if this is true! We need to think this through—"
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"I don't have time to think," I snapped, pulling my arm free of her grasp. "If there's even the slightest chance that Kenshin—" My voice broke for a moment, and I swallowed hard, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. "If they've hurt him, I can't just sit here. I won't."
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I could see the worry in Kaoru's eyes, the way she wanted to stop me, to tell me to be rational, to think about what Kenshin would say if he were here. But none of that mattered right now. Rationality had no place in this. Not when the one person I cared about more than anyone in this world was in danger—or worse.
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"I'll go with you," Yahiko said, stepping forward, his jaw set in stubborn defiance.
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"No," I said, more gently this time. "You and Kaoru stay here. If this is a trap... I don't want to risk anyone else getting hurt."
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"Aka—" Kaoru began, but I was already halfway out the door, the cold night air hitting my face as I stepped into the darkness. I knew where I had to go. I could feel it in my bones, the pull toward the place where this nightmare had begun—the alleys where Gohei and Kihei liked to skulk, where their hired thugs lurked like rats in the shadows.
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I wasn't thinking clearly. I knew that. But I didn't care. My feet moved faster than my mind could process, my heart beating like a drum in my chest. The streets of Tokyo blurred as I sprinted toward the dark alleys, the corners where danger thrived. I was driven by one thing and one thing only: finding the people who took my brother from me and making them pay. The moment I turned the corner into the alley, I saw them. A group of rough-looking thugs, laughing and passing around a bottle of sake as if they hadn't just sent me into a living hell. My blood boiled. They hadn't noticed me yet, too busy with their pathetic revelry.
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I unsheathed my sword, the familiar weight of the sakabatō grounding me for a brief moment. But even as my hand gripped the hilt, something dark whispered at the edges of my mind. The thought of using my sakabatō Kenshin's way, the way of mercy and protection—felt wrong tonight. This wasn't about mercy. This was about justice.
Before I could think twice, I stepped into the alley, my voice ringing out like steel on stone. "You took my brother from me."
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The men froze, their heads snapping toward me. For a moment, they looked confused, as if they hadn't expected me to find them so soon—or at all. But when recognition flashed in their eyes, their confusion turned to amusement. "Well, well," one of them sneered, stepping forward with a cocky grin. "Looks like Battosai's little sister is here for revenge."
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The others laughed, their hands already reaching for their weapons. But I didn't give them the chance to draw. I moved faster than I'd ever moved before, my body acting on pure instinct as I closed the distance between us. My sword sang through the air, and the first man didn't even have time to scream before he fell to the ground, blood pooling around him. There was no hesitation. No thought. Just action. Another man lunged at me, his blade flashing in the dim light, but I sidestepped easily, bringing my sword down in a deadly arc. He crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
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But even as I struck down the second man, the dark voice in my mind grew louder.
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This isn't you. This isn't what Kenshin would want you to do.
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I ignored it. I couldn't stop now. Not when my brother's life hung in the balance. The remaining thugs hesitated, their bravado faltering as they realized they weren't dealing with the scared little sister they had expected. But I didn't care about their fear. All I cared about was making them suffer for what they had done. I raised my sword again, ready to strike, but before I could land the blow, a voice cut through the chaos.
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"Aka, stop."
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I froze. The voice was so familiar, so impossible that for a moment I thought I had imagined it. Slowly, I turned, my heart pounding in my chest. Kenshin stood at the end of the alley, his expression calm but his eyes filled with a mixture of concern and sadness. He was alive. He was standing right in front of me, bruised and cut but alive. "K-Kenshin?" My voice was barely a whisper, the sword in my hand suddenly feeling heavy, foreign.
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He stepped toward me, his gaze never leaving mine. "It's over, Aka."
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My hands trembled, the weight of everything crashing down on me all at once. The rage, the fear, the grief—it all mixed together in a violent storm inside me, threatening to tear me apart.
"But... they said..." I couldn't finish the sentence. The note, the threats, the blood—it all felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.
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Kenshin's hand gently rested on my shoulder, grounding me in the moment. "I'm here. I'm okay."
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The sword slipped from my fingers, clattering to the ground as I crumpled into him, my body shaking with sobs that I had been holding back for what felt like hours. He held me, his arms strong and steady, just like always. Just like I needed him to be. And for the first time in a long time, I let myself cry.
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Kenshin's arms around me were the only thing keeping me tethered to reality. My sobs came in waves, uncontrollable and raw, the kind of pain that had no words, only sound. The note, the thought of him dead, the blood on my hands—all of it swirled in my mind like a storm I couldn't escape. I felt sick, my knees weak, and my chest tight as if my heart couldn't keep up with the flood of emotions.
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He didn't say anything at first. He just held me, the warmth of his embrace so familiar, so grounding. I wasn't sure how long we stood there in that dark alley, surrounded by the remnants of my rage, but eventually, Kenshin gently pulled me away, just enough to look into my eyes. His face was soft, full of understanding—no judgment, no anger. It was as though he knew exactly what had been going through my mind, the desperation and fear that had driven me to this point.
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"Come with me," he said quietly, his voice steady, his hand still resting on my shoulder. I didn't resist. I couldn't. I was too tired, too emotionally drained to argue, and the sight of those men lying in the alley... the blood on my hands... it was too much. I nodded, barely able to meet his gaze as I picked up my sakabato then he led me out of the narrow streets and into the quieter part of town. My steps felt heavy, my legs moving automatically as I followed him, trying to push away the suffocating guilt that was creeping in now that the adrenaline was gone.
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We walked in silence, the sounds of the city fading behind us as Kenshin guided me further away from the chaos, toward a secluded part of the forest. The trees whispered in the evening breeze, their branches swaying gently as if nature itself was trying to calm my racing heart. After what felt like hours, we arrived at a small pond, its surface smooth and still, reflecting the crescent moon hanging in the night sky.
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Kenshin released my hand and sat down by the edge of the water, patting the ground next to him. I hesitated for a moment, the weight of my actions pressing down on me, but eventually, I sat beside him, hugging my knees to my chest. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, not yet. The silence stretched on between us, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was patient, waiting for me to speak first.
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The quiet lapping of the water against the shore filled the space between us, and for a moment, I focused on the pond, trying to slow my breathing, trying to make sense of everything. But the more I thought about it, the worse I felt. My hands were still trembling, stained with blood I hadn't meant to spill. Kenshin had seen me, had stopped me, and yet... he hadn't said a word. There was no rebuke in his eyes, no condemnation in his posture. It made it harder somehow—his understanding, his kindness. I didn't deserve it.
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"Kenshin..." My voice cracked, barely above a whisper. I tightened my grip around my knees, trying to hold myself together. "I thought you were dead."
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I could feel the tears threatening to fall again, my vision blurring as the weight of that thought—the fear that had consumed me—crashed down like a wave. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the tears away, but they came anyway, slipping down my cheeks and dripping onto my knees.
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"I thought they killed you," I continued, my voice trembling. "That note... it was all I could see. I didn't think... I just reacted. And I—" My breath hitched, the words getting caught in my throat. "I killed them, Kenshin. I broke my vow. I let my fear control me."
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Kenshin didn't respond right away. He sat beside me, his gaze fixed on the pond, the reflection of the moon casting soft light across his face. When he finally spoke, his voice was gentle, the kind of softness only a brother could offer. "Aka... you were scared."
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I shook my head, unable to accept the excuse. "That's not good enough. I killed them, Kenshin. I let my rage take over. I wasn't thinking about anything but revenge. I... I became the thing I promised myself I'd never be."
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His hand rested lightly on my shoulder, a steady, comforting weight that made me feel both safe and ashamed at the same time. "You're not that person," he said quietly. "What you did... it was born from fear, not from hatred. And that's a line we all walk, sometimes more closely than we'd like."
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I let out a shaky breath, my throat tight. "I was so terrified of losing you again. I couldn't think about anything else. I couldn't even see straight. And when I thought they'd taken you from me... I snapped."
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The sobs I'd been holding back broke free, and I buried my face in my hands, the tears flowing uncontrollably. I couldn't hold it in anymore. "I've already lost so much, Kenshin. I can't— I can't lose you too. I won't survive it."
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I felt his hand tighten slightly on my shoulder before he gently pulled me closer, wrapping his arm around me as I cried into the fabric of his gi. He didn't say anything, just let me release the flood of emotion that had been building inside me for what felt like forever. There was no judgment, no scolding, just an overwhelming sense of safety in his presence.
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After what felt like an eternity, the sobs began to subside, leaving me drained and exhausted. I leaned into him, my body heavy with the weight of everything I'd been carrying. Kenshin shifted slightly, his gaze still on the pond, though I could feel the weight of his words before he spoke. "We've both lost people. Our parents, our friends," he said softly, his voice low but full of emotion. "We've both seen things that no one should have to see. But that's why we're still here, Aka. To make sure that doesn't happen again. To protect each other."
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I nodded, wiping at my face with the back of my hand. The quiet around us felt heavy, the night air cool against my skin, but there was a strange sense of peace in it too. As though, for the first time in a long time, I could breathe. Kenshin turned to look at me, his expression calm but serious. "I'm not going anywhere, Aka. No matter what happens, I'm not leaving you ever again. You're my sister. And nothing—nothing—will ever change that."
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His words hit me harder than I expected, and for a moment, I couldn't speak. I swallowed the lump in my throat, my voice barely audible when I finally managed to speak. "After our parents died, even after Master Hiko took us in, it was always just you and me. I... I can't lose you forever."
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"You won't," he said simply, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We've survived worse, haven't we?"
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I let out a small, shaky laugh, though it was more out of relief than humor. "Yeah, I guess we have."
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Kenshin smiled softly, his hand still resting on my shoulder. "We'll keep protecting each other, just like we always have. But you're not alone."
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I looked up at him then, really looked at him. The weariness in his eyes mirrored my own, but beneath it was something stronger—something that had kept us both going for so long. Our bond. The bond of family, of survival, of shared pain and shared hope. "I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "For everything."
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Kenshin shook his head. "You don't need to apologize. We're both fighting our own battles. But we'll get through this, together."
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The pond was still, the moon's reflection shimmering on its surface as the wind rustled through the trees. The quiet wrapped around us like a blanket, and for the first time in what felt like days, I felt a sense of calm settle over me. I leaned against Kenshin, closing my eyes for a moment as the weight of everything began to lift, just a little. We sat there in silence, the kind of silence that wasn't empty, but full of understanding. The kind of silence that only siblings could share after going through hell and back.
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Eventually, Kenshin spoke again, his voice soft but steady. "You don't have to carry all of this alone, Aka. I'm here. I'll always be here."
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I nodded, my heart finally starting to settle. "I know."
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And I did. For the first time in a long time, I really knew it. We'd been through so much, but we were still standing. Still together. And no matter what came next, I knew that as long as we had each other, we could face it. Together.
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