31_days | [April 6] [Gokusen] Roar

Title: Roar
Day/Theme: "he called his gangs to war."
Series: Gokusen
Character/Pairing: Sawada Shin, Kuroda Ryuuichirou, Ooshima Kyoutarou, Wakamatsu
Rating: R

:::

“I couldn't have chosen a more fitting end.”

“You are not going to die, Kumichou-san.”

Kuroda Ryuuichirou smiled weakly. He touched one of the hands putting pressure on his wound. “I know a killing blow when I see it. I've lost too much blood.”

“No offense, but shut the hell up.”

He blinked blearily up at the dark sky. The full moon looked so big and beautiful. He felt like he was looking at it for the first time. He stared at it for a long time, feeling oddly disconnected. He couldn't feel the damp grass beneath him anymore, or the warmth of his own blood. “My predecessors hey all died the same way.”

“I said you ain't dying old man.”

“Torakichi-oyabun died in a field surrounded by the bodies of his enemies...”

“Like one of those samurai films.”

“Isojirou-oyabun died in a fire.” Ryuuichirou took a shaking breath. It was was getting hard to focus, the edges of his vision becoming blurry. He closed his eyes, and concentrated on getting the words out. “He locked himself with his enemies, and burned the building down. He wanted to make sure they went to hell with him.”

“Wow, over-dramatic much.”

“And now, it's my turn” he whispered and smiled.

“Oh, yeah, very dramatic. Two enemies, meeting in field at midnight. Your katana shinning under the full moon. The head of your enemy chopped right off. Very poetic.”

“Yes.”

Sawada Shin shifted and slapped Ryuuichirou several times. “Oi! Open your freaking eyes. You ain't going to meet those old farts just yet.”

“So disrespectful...”

“Yeah, that's me. No respect for my elders,” he said. Shin looked up when Kyou-san approached with another man. They were both grim faced. They knelt by Ryuuichirou.

“Kumichou,” Kyou said, voice hoarse with something like grief, and a whole lot of rage.

Ryuuichirou opened his eyes, gaze slightly unfocused. “Kyou-san...”

Kyou leaned in. He gritted his teeth. “I'm here.”

“I want you to witness,” Ryuuichirou struggled to say, “Sawada is to take my place. You make sure there is no doubt.”

Kyou pressed his lips together. He nodded tightly. “I bare witness.”

The other man nodded as well. “I bare witness, too, Kumichou-san.”

Ryuuichirou blinked and nodded. “Good.” Tension seemed to seep out of him. Sawada looked across the field, where Wakamatsu stood with several of their men around a fire. “Oi! Is that thing ready.”

Wakamatsu turned and approached them. He carefully held a knife, the tip of it shining white hot. Kyou climbed to his feet and came to stand behind Shin. The other man shifted and made room for Wakamatsu to kneel beside the Kumichou.

Wakamatsu looked at Shin and nodded. Shin licked his lips. He ignored when the other kumi members slowly gathered around them.

“Ryuuichirou-oyabun,” Shin began formally. He waited for Ryuuichirou to look at him before he continued: “please allow me to scream for you.” Shin held his forearm to Ryuuichirou's mouth.

Ryuuichirou looked at Shin's arm and then the knife in Wakamatsu's hand. He smirked faintly, a glint of his old spirit coming back to his eyes. “You are such a disrespectful brat. Not letting an old man die when he wants to.” He opened his mouth.

Shin felt him bite down. He took a deep breath. “I know. You can smack my ass when you're better.”

Shin took another deep breath. His heart sped up. He looked at Wakamatsu and snarled. “Do it!”

Wakamatsu didn't hesitate. He placed the blazing tip of the knife to the wound. Ryuuichirou bit down hard.

Shin tilted his head back and scream.

Later, those who had witness the event of that night, they would recount how the Young Master Red Lion had not screamed in pain. He roared with a fury that demanded vengeance. They would say how the very sound set their blood aflame. They would say how one by one the men in that field joined Young Master Red Lion and roared their declaration of war to the sky.

They would say that that night, the Ooedo-kumi' Yondaime made their enemies tremble in fear.