Peace of the Sword

The Peace of the Sword

It was not his place to talk. So he had been taught by his master, when he had lived in his home and shared his bread. When elder people speak, one must be quiet and listen, specially if the one speaking in one's father. Silence serves prudence, respect and inner honour.

The red strands of his hair covered the scowl that ran across the young man's brow as he lowered his head, hiding the discomfort he felt. Beside him, he could feel the tension run through the crouching bodies of the men and women that kneeled beside him. The man in the furthest corner, the oldest of the group, had brought his hands into fists, containing the anger he felt well inside of him. That old man had looked at him once, and lowered his head, hiding the small tears that welled on his eyes. He now bit his lip, hoping the child would stop.

The child. The young ronin lifted his head softly, his red strands falling away from his eyes, and looked straight at the child that was standing in the middle of the room. The child was merely eleven years old, but his mouth was louder than that of anyone in the hall, already trained to refute and compete. Still, the ronin wished it would learn when to silence. Even though he was a child, the young dark haired youth was already a formidable warrior, skilled in the essential arts of defiance, and ready to face enemies. Valour surged in him, ringing from his heart to his eyes. Too violent.

"Enough," his father said. The lean warrior stood from the seat he had been taking, and rose to a full stature. Tall and majestic, he looked down at his son, who had stepped backwards a few inches. His long dark hair fell over his back, tied in a huge ribbon, and small strands fell over his small, narrowed eyes. Those dark eyes were full of rage, but his thin lips were tight together, his long fingers and his long, thin body still and serene. His robes, of yellow and green and black, hung about him in perfect array, and the red haired ronin could but stare at the wondrous array this man was, in silence. The dark haired warrior bowed his head, battling the demons inside his mind.

"Otousan!" the child cried, his hands reaching out towards his father. "I cannot be silent. How do you expect me to be quiet, if you forbid be my training! This is injustice!"

His father lowered his head, his eyes narrowing further, and grinned wickedly. The ways of this man were different than those of any other father. Cruel and malign, it seemed, and destined to hurt. His own son did not understand that the ways he had chosen was the best way for him. He would have to be taught how to obey, and no longer shame him in front of his court and his clan. The red head narrowed his eyes. He was much like the warrior he used to be, ruthless and uncaring.

There was a silence in the room.

"Kai," he said. "For your disobedience and defiance, I sentence you to the secluded box." He pointed to his guard behind him. A small gasp escaped the young man beside him. "Take him."

"Otousan!"

The child clenched his fists, his eyes widening in disbelief. He cursed himself for wanting to become a samurai, for having the need to learn the way of the sword. His soul was about to break under the pain of his father's words. The box was a place for sentenced people, who had offended the clan leader, who had somehow merited death, or worse. A murmur rose from both sides, from the men and women kneeled. The red haired ronin gasped, watching as Kai's shoulders hunched slowly, his small head falling forward in defeat. And his eyes wide, too wide. His father had demanded that he'd leave his sight, that he'd pay for his insolence.

"Leave now!" Yamaha said harshly. "Take him to the box, and perhaps he will learn to obey the law his leader indicates. Perhaps."

Kai gasped as the guard came down from the side of the golden throne, walking deliberately slow, to take him to his punishment. Kai looked up at his father, small tears welling in his eyes, be he swallowed them back, not wanting to show his fear. His dark eyes revealed an immense hurt and terrible pain.

The box. The horrible box where only criminals spent their punishments, where evil people rotten in the sun, where bad women paid for their infidelities, and where dishonourable sons found solace away from their parents. Kai's body was starting to shake, his childish face becoming horrified at his fate, and his arms no longer still by his side. This is the price one pays for speaking against one's father and leader. This is the price one endures when one wishes to have a mind of one's own.

"Dame yo!"

Yamaha sama blinked, his head rising. A soft murmur rose from the kneeling warriors, slowly growing into a noisy tumult, as a young, red haired man stood up from his kneeled position and walked to the centre of the room.

"There is no need to send your son to the box," the red haired said. "Such a punishment is not necessary."

The crowd gasped and began to whisper amongst themselves. No one had ever stood from their ground to face Yamaha sama, save they would be killed. All faces turned slightly towards the leader of the clan, some eyes fearful, some eyes amused. Yamaha sama's eyes had narrowed into nothing but slits of anger, but his face was cool and composed. He ran one of his sharp nails over his cheek, amused at such a courageous man.

The red haired stood tall and proud, his head even and his feet steady, looking up at the leader. His red hair, which fell wildly over his face, was tied in a ponytail behind his back, and it fell down his lower back. His green eyes shone with intelligence and his left arm rested placidly over the sword that hung from his waist. His face was not tainted with evil, nor where his eyes, just a quiet civility that contrasted with the deep, cross scar on his left cheek.

Kai blinked, amazed that such a person would stand by him, and defy his father. He had never seen the young man before, but he seemed to be a wondering ronin, for his clothes where not of a warrior. But, he feared such an attempt would get them both into trouble. He was about to step forward and plead the man to step back into the kneeling crowd, when his father rose from his seat.

"You think the box is not a sound judgement?" he said. "It is a rather foolish choice you have done to go against my order, as much as my son's. You are brave stranger, truly, but also stupid."

The young man smiled, his green eyes comfortable, but still he stood rigid and unafraid. Yamaha sama walked down from his throne, his head tilted backwards, angered. The young man stepped forward.

"Indeed," he said. "I think you should send him away. Away from these your homes, and into confinement in the forest by himself. With me."

Yamaha sama lifted one eyebrow, his face taking on a smile. He now stood a few feet away from the bold warrior. Kai gulped down his fear, wishing he had never spoken about his training.

"I will punish him severely, twisting his fast tongue into prudence," the red haired said. "If you allow me, Yamaha sama, for this may prove even worse for him; even deadlier."

Yamaha sama fell silent for a while, his mind studying the man before him. His dark eyes met those of the man and narrowed as they found the serenity that lived in them. His hands unclenched, regarding the rigidness in the stranger's body, that of a man who has been through many battles. He looked at the face of his son as the child bit his lip, a tear stuck in his eye. Kai deserved a much more severe punishment than words could name, for daring to speak against him. Yet- it was terribly amazing that any man would offer to torture his son. Why would anyone want to do this? His thoughts threatened to explode in rage, but he narrowed his eyes, realizing that before him stood no ordinary man.

"If I let you have your way, stranger," Yamaha said. "Will my son suffer for the insolence he has committed? I wish to be sure, for if not so, then I will double his punishment, and yours."

"Terribly, Yamaha sama," the red haired said, his eyes narrowing lethally and his voice falling like thunder.

Proud and elegant, Yamaha turned around, his hair sweeping near the red hair's feet. He walked towards his throne, his eyes content and casting his anger aside. Things had moved in a rather amusing way, and he found he was delighted by such displays of foolishness. The stranger smiled to himself, watching Kai's hands fall helplessly beside his side. The boy had hoped the red head would help him, not offer to torture him savagely.

"take him," Yamaha announced, his tone almost a laugh. "Do with him as you like, stranger. This is rather interesting to me."

The crowd began to clamour from both sides, echoing concern, and some whispering cruel words of disbelief. Yamaha laughed to himself, his sharp nails running slowly on the armrest of his throne. The red haired warrior bowed low, thankful for such an honour. The leader dismissed the annoying refusals he was getting from the crowd from his clan members, who failed to understand his mind. He saw his wife lower her head, her cheeks flushed.

"Return within a month, stranger," Yamaha called out, rising his hand to command silence from those assembled. "And prove your perverse mind to have taken all ignorance from my son."

The red haired stranger bowed even lower, his eyes catching Kai's unmoving body as the young boy stood mute, his eyes dull, his mouth half parted.

"We will depart tomorrow at early morning, my lord," the stranger said. He lifted his head, his wild red hair moving softly over his back.

Yamaha stood from his throne, ready to depart to his chambers. He smiled, his dark eyes seriously proud. Kai bit his lip as his father cast him a glance. The tall, dark haired leader smirked slightly, turning his narrowed eyes towards the stranger.

"One last thing, stranger," he said, his voice soft like a caress and his eyes shinning. "Who are you to give me such pleasure?"

The young man walked forward, lifting his head with pride, and turning so the crowd could get a good look at him, and then looked back at the lord's eyes.

"Himura Kenshin."

******

The cold morning air bit into the young child's skin like a knife, waking him from his thoughts. Behind him, he could hear the voices of people whispering. But, those voices seemed so distant now, so far away. They had stayed behind in the houses where the clan lived, attending their own things and whispering about him and the young red haired man that had taken him that morning. He had bowed his head when the people had begun to talk about him, not wishing to hear the cries of lament the women were chanting, nor the prayers the Buddhist monks were reciting. Part of the clan was treating him as if he was on his way to his death, and the other part treated him as a disgrace, scorning him.

Kai's shoulders slumped further down, his mouth twisting into a deeper scowl. Some of the young men in the clan had said harsh words to him, and one had told him his father was never speaking to him again. Kai had shook his head, not listening, but he feared their words were true. His father had not spoken to him since yesterday at the hall, when he had looked at him one last time before retiring to his chambers. His eyes had revealed much sorrow, and his voice had been full of pain. Kai had not even found the words to beg for forgiveness, and now he realized it was too late. He was on his way to his doom, and he had wanted to become a great warrior to the glory of his clan.

"Stop listening to the echoes," the one that walked beside him said.

Kai startled, looking sideways at the red haired man, ashamed that he had noticed the way his shoulders hunched and his distracted mind. He wished he would stop walking already and define the place where his torture would take place. He looked into the man's face, wishing he knew what sort of man Kenshin was. He knew he was afraid. If he was to die at the hands of this man, he wanted it to be soon.

"Listening to the things in your head slows your pace," Kenshin said. "Clear it and you will be fine."

Kai bit his lip, wanting to scream out a few curses and get his punishment started. They had walked a few hours from the camp, up hills and miles of forest and greenery. They had come by no houses and nomads, and there was no signs of life in the parts of the greenery they wondered, just the animals. Kenshin had walked quietly beside him, smiling to himself and taking measured steps. Kai had wondered about the nature of the warrior's serenity, as he walked silently beside him. The sun did not touch their bodies, kept away by the canopy of trees.

"You speak a lot to your father," Kenshin said, climbing over a fallen tree. "But, you say nothing to me."

Kai gasped softly, his eyes wondering over the man's body, his anger rising further, but a sense of hopelessness keeping him quiet.

"I see," Kenshin smiled. "You do not wish to know the nature of your punishment, nor the person who carries it out. You just want to get it over with, so you can return to your life if you survive." The red haired walked to the base of a tree, touching it with his hand.

"I have nothing to say," Kai said, walking up to the man.

Kenshin turned around, his eyes narrowed softly, but a gentle expression in his face. "You have plenty to say," he said. "but, you must learn when and how to say it."

Kai shut his mouth, standing silently in wait for the man to begin his treatment. The man walked to the centre of the circle created by a few fallen trees and the the standing ones. It was a wide circle with a soft bed of leaves and small flowers. Towards the middle it was smooth, but a few rocks and twigs deformed the soil in its outside, and it stretched wide with plenty of space for chanting and dancing, if their purpose would have been such. The red haired bend down to touch the ground, and lifted his eyes towards Kai.

"Remove your shirt and your shoes," he said. "Place them under that tree, and tie your hair over your head."

Kai walked silently, his eyes closed in pain, awaiting the moment with a burning heart. He undressed as he was told, and reached to tie his hair over his head in a small pony tail. He did not look at the warrior, but at the floor, where his bare feet traces small circles.

"Why did you disobey your father, Kai?"

The child looked up at the red haired man, his mouth set.

"The way of your father is best for you," Kenshin said. "It is what he wishes done, and he is your leader. When a leader speaks, one follows, and one always does as he says. It is no place for a child to speak, specially if it goes against what his father says." Kenshin's voice was even, without feelings, and he stood in the middle of the circle, waiting.

"His way is wrong," Kai said sternly. His small hands made fists by his side. "I do not wish to keep his commands, and I have a right to say what I please."

Kenshin lowered his head, moving sideways into his fighting stand, but not letting the child see his moves. He looked at Kai's hands and his eyes. The morning cold had made his small arm hair stand, and he was tired from the long walk. Kenshin smiled inside.

"His way is the law in your clan," Kenshin said. "You must obey."

"It is not what I wish!" Kai screamed, his hands held out to his sides, as anger overpowered him. "His laws go against my will, and destroy my dream."

Kenshin gasped as the young child sprung from his place, throwing his small body into his with such a force he had not expected. Moving quickly, he rose his hands to stop the charging boy, but Kai's hands gripped him savagely. The child's face was covered with stern, but unshed tears, and his fierce movements resisted the ronin's hands.

"Punish me for speaking my mind," Kai screamed. "But, I will not stop. I will let no one stop my dream, not even you."

Kai screamed as Kenshin's body moved fast like lightning, tossing him backwards into the earth, his naked back getting hurt with the small rocks on the earth. The red haired man heaved loudly, his eyes becoming narrow slits, looking at him with fierce anger, but a thin smile on his lips.

The child screamed as the red haired ronin ran towards him, his hair flying behind him and slashed at him, barely missing him as he rolled on the earth. Kenshin moved fast, kicking him in his rear, and sending him to the further corner of the circle. Kai hit the earth with his face, biting grass, but rose his body on his hurting arms. He turned quickly and stared at the face of his tormentor. He gasped as the young man smiled.

"You are at a disadvantage," he said, searching in his violet robes. He smiled as he produced a dark hilted katana holding it softly in his hand. Kai gasped as he threw it and it landed by his side. The child looked at the sword, his eyes going over the hilt and the encased length. He looked back at Kenshin, wondering what he meant, but found that he seemed to be waiting. With trembling hands, he reached to grab the sword, his hands awkwardly gripping the hilt. Kenshin waited until the boy was at his feet, the strange blade in his right hand.

"Now we are even, Kai," Kenshin said, smiling softly.

"I do not understand, Himura san," Kai said. "Why have you given me this? Am I not to be punished like you told my father?"

"You are," Kenshin said, lowering his head over his chest. "And it will hurt a lot, Kai. I will teach you the very first things you need to know with a katana, here in this circle."

Kai gasped, his hands gripping the sword harder, and his eyes widening in disbelief. Kenshin had not moved from his spot, but stood rigid and serious. The child felt his legs unbuckle beneath him, but struggled not to faint.

"It will hard to endure such a short and hard training," the red haired said. "You will wish you were dead, at times, and it will be better for so I will be. You will have little food, save the one you find in this woods, and no bed. There will be no one here but me and you, and nothing done but learning."

Kai lowered his head, looking at the floor, his face coloured. "You are a katana master, Himura san," he said. "Not a torture master. I am honoured to be your pupil."

"Iie," Kenshin said. Kai gasped, looking up at the man's eyes. "I am a man who refused once to take the way that was said to be his best, and chose my own."

Kai's lips found a little smile, his heart beating faster as the man's eyes fell on his own, and he met the deep peace that lived in them. The quite resolute peace that lived in them, and the soft smile that ran over his thin lips. Kenshin's body seemed full of a fiery spirit, but a serene shadow fell over his face, one that ranked him, Kai knew, among the greatest warriors. he only wished he knew why, among all the gifted children in Yamaha sama's clan, had he chosen him. He closed his eyes, thankful for such a man, and frowned at himself.

"Teach me!" Kai screamed, swinging the sword at his side, his voice trembling with eager need. "Teach me now, I am ready."

"Iya," Kenshin said, his voice soft. He turned and walked towards the fallen tree, the wind blowing his hair softly.

Kai bit his lip, stepping forward. "Demo," he said. "Didn't you just say...?"

"Patience," Kenshin said. "Is one thing a samurai learns as well." He lifted his eyes towards the canopy of trees above him. "First you must become strong enough to resist a fight; skilled enough to move the blade with ease and move with agility. First, you must make your body into that of a samurai, and then, you will be able to learn what I have to teach."

Kai lowered his head, disappointed, but ashamed that he had no patience. He felt his cheeks colour, and watched as the red haired ronin stepped unto the fallen tree, his hair wild in the breeze. He looked up at the man's serene face, wondering what his mind was like. Kenshin frowned, looking at Kai, searching the boy's face. The child moved close to the trunk, his hands clasped tight around the hilt of the katana, his dark eyes looking at Kenshin's hands. Strong, the red haired thought, Strong enough to learn. The wind moved Kai's hair over his eyes, messing his bangs. Those eyes, daring enough to confront his father's, revealed a soul he knew would endure.

Kenshin smiled to himself, watching the dancing light on Kai's eyes, watching the child's breath and the movement of his bare chest. Inside, he knew, beat the will that he saw in his determined face. The red haired man ran his fingers over the hilt of his sword, narrowing his eyes. He had never been a teacher, had never understood the ways of his own master, but he had to try, for the fiery soul he saw inside Kai's eyes would have to be awakened someday. In time, Kai's burning spirit would transform him into the samurai warrior his father would be proud of. He'd have to start the flame, he knew.

Kenshin looked down, smiling at the small boy who stood waiting for his command, his sword in one hand, and half naked. He tapped the tree trunk with his sandaled foot, grinning at the boy.

"Let's begin," he said as the wind blew leaves about them.

Kai smiled, his mouth revealing his happiness, and his eyes revealing the determination in his heart. Strong enough to face the coming storm he knew nothing about.

******

His hands hurt badly. When he closed his eyes, dragging his small body into the small stream, he thought harder. His whole body hurt badly. Terribly. His small feet could hardly hold him straight as he stepped into the small stream, gritting his teeth as the cold water bit his skin, sending a shock over his wounds, the water making them sting. He closed his small eyes, and sank down into the water on his knees, his breath coming out in a small gasp. He was dying.

It had been two weeks since Kenshin had brought him to the forest, and life had become a nightmare to endure. The red haired had turned the dream of becoming a samurai into hell, it seemed. The child was tired, his whole body ready to break under the severe pressure. Night and day, Kenshin had made him train, running across the forest; skipping and jumping over logs and trees; lifting tree trunks; knocking trees from their stand with his bare fists as well as rocks; leaping across tree branches. He hardly had any food, save for the necessary which he hunted himself and ate half raw. He slept for a few hours and then woke again early in the morning, ready to suffer under the ronin's gaze. The child felt about to surrender, as he closed his eyes, envisioning the red head's body beside him.

Kenshin ran faster, leaped higher, dashed across the trees and ground like a fawn. He had seen his strength and his lean body held the force of a tree. The young teacher stood looking at him throughout his training with kind, violet eyes, his mouth set in a smile. He knew Kenshin believed in him immensely, forcing the child to step higher into a different level, reaching higher and higher, until he would be forced to surrender or succeed. Or forced to die. So far, even though his body was destroyed; his palms broken and charred, his legs scratched and bloody, his feet soles punctured, and his chest full of scars, but his will was stronger. So much stronger.

Kenshin rested his head on the tree branch next to him, his hand holding the branch before him, and looked down at the child in the stream. He was weak from the stress of the past weeks, but he wasn't going to give up. Yesterday, while the child leapt through the trees, trying to keep up with his speed, he had lost his balance and fallen. Kenshin had stopped, turning back to see that he was safe, but Kai had simply lied on the ground, immobile. Leaping down beside him, Kenshin had stood waiting for him to rise, but the child remained where he was. Kenshin lowered his head, closing his eyes as he heard the small sobs.

He did not need to ask him to stand, for the child dried his tears with his palm and stood after a few minutes and stared at Kenshin silently, waiting for his reproach, but the red head had smiled, his big purple eyes filled with love, and asked him to run back to the waterfall where they took baths. Kenshin had watched him go, the child's small body moving slowly.

So young, and yet so powerful already, Kenshin thought, his small fingers running through the branch he held. The wing picked up, playing with his hair an his robes, and he straightened up in the tree branch, standing fully. He lifted his head, the wind blowing his hair wild about him, and closed his eyes, letting the cold bite his skin, remembering. His teacher had seen great determination in his eyes, when he had been chosen as his pupil. Kenshin's mind saw the vision, his small body standing alone in the dark, waiting for destiny. Death had shaped his fate into that of a warrior, not chance or will, like Kai's. Unable to protect those who had died for him, unable to stand against the terrors of killers, he had bowed in his little heart to grow strong. His master had been wise to show him his knowledge. He wished he could take Kai into the mountains where he had learned, so that such a great teacher would teach him as well. But, Kai was not like him, even if the same will ran through his veins.

Kenshin frowned, opening his eyes and looking down at the boy's body, that had stood up in the stream, all the blood washed away by the running water. Kenshin's eyes narrowed, sensing the boy's angered spirit. He gasped as the boy walked forward, his hands curling into fists by his side. He lifted his head, his eyes wide and staring up at the tree where Kenshin stood. His hair fell in wet rivulets over his little chest as it rose with a sudden agitated spirit.

"Kenshin," Kai screamed, his hands over his head. "Kenshin! I know you are up there, watching me. I can sense you are up there." He walked across the water, moving slowly over the stream. His hands became fists, as he gritted his small teeth.

Kenshin's heart slowed down, watching the maddened look in the boy's face. The child stood bellow him, looking up at him, his mouth twisted in enraged sorrow. The red head frowned.

"You lied, Kenshin," Kai screamed. "You said you'd teach me how to fight. You said you'd teach me what my father prohibited. You said you'd be my master, but all you've done is hurt me."

Kenshin lay his head on the tree trunk, narrowing his eyes sadly. "You need to be strong first, Kai, or else I can teach you nothing. First, you must see how much you can endure."

"Endure?" Kai screamed, stepping out of the water. "I think you know that already. I don't need to train my muscles anymore. Teach me something I don't know before you take me back to my father. Teach me how to use the sword you gave me."

"You need to learn patience, Kai," Kenshin said, his voice dropping into anger. "Have you learned nothing?"

"Be quiet!" Kai screamed, his face becoming red with anger. "Teach me, Kenshin. My mother can talk to me, my clan can help me shape my agility, my father can make me strong. But, only you can teach me how to use the katana."

Kenshin looked up, his eyes glazed with soft anger. The wind blew his hair and the leaves in the branches above him. He stared at the moving tree, watching the leaves become loose from their homes.

"Why do you wish to learn how to fight," Kenshin said, hardly a whisper. "So much it turns you into an animal?"

Kai hit the tree where the ronin stood with his fist. He looked up at him, his eyes wide. "Because I want to be strong," he said. "I want to powerful like my father and great like my grandfather. I wish to take the world asunder, and rape it of its power, drinking it with my blade."

Kenshin closed his eyes, thinning his lips. Kai groaned, kicking the tree hard with his left leg.

"To kill, Kenshin," he screamed, his eyes becoming full of tears. "To kill!" The child's body shook with anger, his hands bloody fists.

Kenshin gasped, his eyed widening. He turned and looked down at the feral face of the child. "You do not know what you are saying," he said. "Be silent."

Kai screamed as Kenshin dropped from the tree in one swift movement, and knocked him backwards into the stream. the child fell sitting in the water stream, groaning loudly. Kenshin moved fast, and grabbed him by the collar of his dress. Kai gasped as the man's violet eyes shone with yellow, his grip hard on him.

"Stay alive," Kenshin said.

He tossed the child in the water, and tossed the boy's katana in after him. In one quick move, the ronin ran across the stream and stood on the other side of the bank, waiting for the child to rise. Kai scrambled in the water, struggling to stand and drew the sword, rushing out of the water with fierce eyes at Kenshin, who waited, his own eyes flashing evil.

Kenshin moved quickly, as the boy came running at him , his blade slashing at the red head. Kai groaned as he missed, slipping slightly on the wet turf, and Kenshin's legs kicked him into the water again. Kai screamed, lifting his wet body with the katana swinging ferally at his side, reaching for his teacher wildly. Again Kenshin merely moved swiftly and let the fiery boy pass by him, merely brushing him with the blade. The ronin frowned, drawing his blade as Kai fell on him with his own, and met the attack. He swung his blade high over his head in a wide circle and sent the child backwards, but Kai laughed and came on him again. The child's sword ran across Kenshin's blade powerfully, sending the ronin backwards just a little bit in amaze. Kenshin lowered his head, looking at Kai's heaving body, wondering about the encased power that lay dormant inside him. He gasped as the child's raw anger came at him again, knocking him with rancour, but he met the blade with equal anger, and sent the child back into the water. He stood looking down at the child's body as it struggled to stand in the stream, his violet eyes wide.

A soft shiver ran up his back, his hands gripping the hilt of his sword harder, and his teeth becoming those of a wolf. He could feel his anger rising from inside of him, burning through his soul. He could taste his demonic side, The Hitokiri Battosai, in his lips, awoken by the child's hands. Kai did not see this, ignoring the flash of yellow that ran across Kenshin's eyes, and standing on quavering feet in the stream.

Kai drew his body from the water, studying the warrior before him. He was too fast to catch, it seemed, unawares. The child looked at Kenshin's wild eyes, wondering if Kenshin was waiting for him to move, or ready to let him go. He drew the sword downwards into the water, listening to his heart beat, like a drum on his chest. Before him, he felt the threat mocking him- behind him the shame.

Kenshin jumped high in the air as Kai changed at him again, slashing sideways. He turned about and attacked the child, who screamed in defiance and met his blow with ease. The child's sword clashed hard, light shinning from the blades. He walked outside the river, moving fast to hound Kenshin, aiming high and fast, and growled as Kenshin slashed skilfully, rocking his whole body. Kai gasped as Kenshin ran towards him, driving his sword harder on the boy, hitting, aiming, striking like an animal. Kai's legs felt like unbuckling beneath his body, and he moaned softly, panting like a bird as he looked into Kenshin's eyes. They were not the same eyes, they had changed into the feral animal that lived inside the warrior. Now, both humans gritted their teeth, battling each other with equal anger and hatred.

"You wish to kill?" Kenshin screamed, kicking the boy hard on his belly. "Then, kill me."

Kai screamed as the blade cut into his arm, wounding him. He was lucky Kenshin's blade was not a killing katana, for the blow would have killed him. It just tore his skin and sent him crashing into the earth. His eyes flashed red, spitting grass and blood, and he gasped as Kenshin's stood looking down at him.

"You can't become what I was," Kenshin said. "A sword is an instrument of murder, in the wrong hands. It's your head where your power lies, not in its bloody dance."

"Battosai," Kai gasped as the ronin dropped his sword by his side, his eyes narrowing softly, his mouth thinning. The child growled softly, his hands gripping the grass by his fingers, and got up to his feet. Kenshin's voice was not any kinder, or smoother, and he felt as if he was beneath a judge's eyes. He couldn't understand why Kenshin was looking at him with those eyes. Why had he chosen him, if he could sense the evil that grew in his heart? Kai's lips were incarnated with his own blood, full of saliva. In his eyes burned the fire of the evil that lies dormant in his heart. Why did Kenshin choose him- when the ronin could sense, in his wisdom, that he was nothing but a child waiting to grow into a killer, like his father.

"I'd rather die than never learn how to fight," the child screamed, springing like a cat from the ground, and pounding Kenshin with his sword in hand. He gasped as he heard Kenshin scream, his body crashing full force on the red head, and his sword biting his skin savagely. Kenshin gripped the boy's shirt, moving his sword away from lethality, save it would kill him, and tossed it to the side. Kai heard the sword fall a few feet away, and heard Kenshin's moan softly. Both fighters fell to the floor with a hard crash, their heads hitting the ground with heavy force. Kai rose, still half on top of Kenshin, and looked down at the young man, his mouth gasping for air.

Kenshin's eyes were closed, his face turned sideways and lying limply in the wet turf, his hair marred with grass. The child gasped, watching the man's lips, now smeared with blood. The blade of his sword, on his left hand, was tainted with blood as well. Kenshin's bloody fingers covered the wound the blade had caused, trembling slightly.

"How does it feel?" Kenshin said, his eyes struggling to open, and turning his face to face the boy that lay over him. "Over me, like the victor, and blood in your hands, and you soul that of a demon."

Kai's eyes widened, his left hand trembling slightly. He felt his lower lip begin to quaver, but he didn't want to cry. He wasn't a child anymore, not anymore.

"Your sword is not meant to kill, to hurt," Kenshin whispered, his hand gripping a few bits of grass angrily. "Not like mine was, when I used to be a demonic killer. The power that comes from the hilt of your sword, you must use to defend, yourself and others, not to hurt." Kenshin's words were soft, his eyes staring into the darkness in Kai's eyes. His wound was bleeding fast, but he didn't feel as much pain as he felt in his heart.

"S-silence," Kai whispered, his face twisting as he struggled to maintain the anger, but the shame and hurt begun to win over his will. He felt the sword slip from his hand, his hands wanting to caress Kenshin's face so the pain would leave.

"I wanted to teach you, Kai," Kenshin said, closing his eyes. "But, you must find the reason to learn, not just to claim power and kill. You must find the peace a sword can give its wielder, otherwise, the demons that live inside your soul will take you and destroy you." Kenshin's bloody hand gripped the side of the young man's shirt in small affection. "Do you understand?"

Kai's head fell over his chest, his shoulders hunched as tears ran down his face. "S-silence," he wanted to sound mean, cruel, but he couldn't anymore. He felt defeated, alone.

Kenshin closed his eyes, dropping his head into the grass softly, licking the blood away from his lips. He seemed so tired, as if he had just battled the worse enemies, and Kai could not understand the horrid wounds the Hitokiri Battosai had caused the young man. Struggling to remain sane, to remain kind, to not kill the boy, no matter how much he'd hurt him. He was no longer Hitokiri, he was Kenshin, who knew how to win without killing, who wished that his sword would grant everyone peace, including himself. Kai could never understand this, but the child could feel the pain and his own hands had hurt the man who had tried to teach him the way to his destiny.

"Kenshin!" Kai's voice quavered as his small hand reached down to touch Kenshin's chest, grabbing the violet robe over it. He felt the panic over his body, and his tears fell over the man's chest, mingling with the blood. His sword fell from his hands and rolled down, bloody, leaving a horrid trail of blood, as it rolled into the stream, and sank.

Kai's brows knitted in concern, his lips trembling as a soft sob escaped him. He hated himself, for hurting Kenshin, for hurting anyone, and his soul, the pawn of evil since the day he was born. Kenshin opened his eyes, his violet pupils shinning softly. He looked into the child's face, finding the sorrow and repent in his soul, as the child reached to draw the red bangs from his face, climbing down from atop of Kenshin's body slowly.

"Oh, Kenshin," he whispered. "Why? Why did you choose me to be your pupil?"

Kenshin smiled softly, his eyes narrowing in happiness, and he reached to dry one of the boy's tears softly. "You do not speak like a child," he said. "Your eyes are not those of any child, but of a good samurai. This is why."

Kai lowered his head, his tears running into his smiling mouth, his shame finally cleaned. Kenshin smiled wider, his eyes closed kindly and lifted himself from the ground slowly, bringing the boy up with him. He grimaced from the pain, but ignored the small wound. The stream made a soft whisper by their side, on its way down to the village. Kai looked up at the man's face, gasping as Kenshin laughed softly. The red haired ronin ran his hand over the boy's face, his eyes shinning, and looked at the flowing stream.

"Let us rest this day, Kai," Kenshin said, smiling. "Tomorrow, your hand will learn the way of the sword."

Kai's face lighted up with joy, his eyes full of fire, as the wind played with his black hair, small leaves running through his hair. He laughed softly, his soul free from pain, his soul free from evil, and looked up at the trees above them.

The sun shone through Kenshin's red hair, finding its way into his eyes. It danced in the leaves on the trees above them, as the wind whistled through them.

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