Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin, and most of the characters related to and featuring in the following fictional stories are property of creator and master manga artist Watsuki Nobuhiro, and no copyright infringement was intended in any way in the creation of these projects. Used without permission.


Light of the Snow-Red Village
Vignette Four: The Fires of Pride

by Akai Kitsune

~*~

He was so arrogant, the first time I saw him. I wasn't sure what to think of that.

But it wasn't just arrogance. I learned that pretty soon. He was proud, and strong-willed. He spoke his mind without doubt or fear.

I suppose that, with the life he led, it was the only thing he really had left to take pride in.

A Tokyo samurai. That surprised me, a little. Tousan said there are so few real samurai now; most have retired as merchants and businessmen, or taken places in the army. Some even became bandits, hurting and killing people just so they could survive without giving up their swords.

Just trying to make a living... isn't that what he was doing, in the only way he could?

A child with no parents... what would I have done?

I sometimes wonder and - when tousan isn't paying attention - cry over not having a mother. A girl needs a mother, doesn't she? To guide her, to teach her and tell her how to act like a real lady. I missed so many things in my life, things I should have known. Sao-san taught me what she could, whenever tousan and I visited the temple, but it was never enough.

I was so selfish, wasn't I? Never thinking... how much worse off I could be.

Yahiko-kun... doesn't have anyone like that at all.

Tousan didn't tell me anything, but... I could tell that he had no one. To be forced down to the level of pickpocketing, when he had so much pride in who he was, who his parents must have been...

Descendant of Tokyo samurai...

Is that why he's so full of fury?

I'm afraid to ask him. He's always so angry... doesn't he ever get tired of it?

So defensive...

He can do so well, if he tries. I know he can; I've seen the potential that tousan first spoke of. But he gives Kaoru-san such a hard time...

He wants to learn from my father so badly...

What did tousan do?

I wish...

I wish I could have seen...

  ... I'm always there when he fights.

It's so rare for him to have a place to leave me behind, when he goes to fight. I've seen him in so many battles already... so maybe it really is selfish of me to want...

  ... why should it matter, really? Tousan would never teach Yahiko-kun... not unless he agreed to teach me first. He would never do that. Not to me.

But...

Yahiko-kun is a boy. A swordsman... would want his successor to be a boy, wouldn't he.

Iya! I can't think like that. I trust my father, and I've given up on Hiten Mitsurugi. I want to rely on my own strength, my own schools. I want to see what I can learn with his approval, not his instruction.

He's a wonderful teacher...

  ... but what he has to teach to me is not his sword style.

I hope that someday he'll know that. And...

  ... I hope that Yahiko-kun understands that, as well.

He has so much more... so much more to give...

And I hope that he'll never stop giving; not to me, not to anyone.

... No matter what...

~*~

    Notes: Yes, yes, I know it's not Monday, ^_^;; Since my writing speed is decreasing somewhat, I decided to post this early. It's too short to just give this on Monday... my update days will probably be changing, but hopefully I'll have a full chapter waiting for you on Monday. For now, don't stone me for being a bit slower than usual...

    This was just a little vignette from Hikari's POV, mostly about her opinions on Yahiko... not that you couldn't tell, ^_^;; I don't really like the title, but it was the best choice at the time, and due to time constraints, there's not much I can do about it... oh well.

    Thanks for reading... the rest of the Tokyo Saga is coming soon, I promise!
    ~ AK

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