Son Of The Shinigami

Chapter 9

Sitting still I watch Kiara heal fresh wounds on my arms and chest. The mark is still etched in my skin. The others are speaking in the clearing behind us... sighing I close my eyes...

"You need to stop this..." Kiara finally speaks.

Looking to her she's finishing up a place where an arrow pierced my shoulder, "Stop what?"

"You best efforts to be suicidal." She states, "Attacked by more rogues, and assassins and you don't even try to block or dodge... I'm not complaining on the practice I'm getting... I'm complaining on the reasons I see you so often to heal you."

"It does not matter how I fight," I reply tone dead. "As long as non of others where harmed... and I took all of the damage."

She sighs in annoyance and defeat as she finishes. Then walking in front of me she glares into my eyes. "I know that its' only been three days since she died... but do you really think that having to take the hits will protect everyone else?"

"I have to try something and so far it's been working," I growl.

"You realize everyone is talking behind your back about your behavior." She informs.

I look to the ground defeated, "let them talk... what good is it in the end anyway? They chose to travel with me, they can choose to leave if they wish. I won't stop them."

She stares at me and then sighs. "I cannot speak for the others, but I do know that Tora would not dare stray from this path with you... despite what you might have convinced yourself.... you need them... all of them."

"Who said that I convinced myself I didn't?" I snap suddenly glaring at her. "I don't want them to suffer the same fate as Minako, I mean look at me!"

I stand, throwing my arms up in the air. Scares revealed by the sun's light. She looks over at the sight she's already grown accustomed to. "This is what happens all the time... I'm trying to protect them all the time. Taking hits for myself to avoid them receiving more then they already have!"

"Why do you try so hard?" She asks...

"Because I don't want them to die," I sigh sitting back down on the ground.

"I know that... but what I'm confused about is why your trying so hard to push them away." She finishes.

Looking up at her, I realize she's found out a lot of my plan already... looking back to the ground, depression resuming its place in my eyes, I try to hide it from Kiara, "Because I can't protect them all the time... I'm slowly starting to realize it now. Amaya was right... it's only now that Minako died, I learned the lesson she tried to warn me of."

"I don't think that's what she meant by that Akio," Kiara sighs sitting next to me.

"It matters not what the interpretations were... what matters is that I have my own idea of what I must try to do." I sigh, trying to control myself.

I stand up and pick up my shirt... I look to see the blood on it... drying and darkened close to black... the sight is of my blood, more than anyone else's. Putting it on I use the kuroki hi to burn the blood away. My face returns to its cold and emotionless façade, but before I can leave Kiara turns me around by placing her hand on my arm.

"Akio..." She starts, her eyes show concern. She takes another deep breath and shakes her head as she lets go of my arm. "You need to learn to accept what's happened... your not the only one who's had this happen to them."

I don't respond to the comment. Turning around, I walk away into the clearing where I see Momaru talking to Amaya, and Tora. Hisoka is laying on a tree limb leaning herself against the trunk.