Good Advice
A Reconciliation Fic
Written: 15 May 2009-1 October 2012
Posted: 29 December 2012, rev. 0
Category: Friendship/drama/humor
Summary: Just this once, Kenshin is trying to be a good deshi, even if it's by insulting his sword school. Is Hiko buying this?
Disclaimer: The characters and story of Rurouni Kenshin are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shonen Jump, et al. Used without permission. This work is for entertainment only, and no profit is intended.
Notes: Sueb262 posted the second chapter of her fic "The Education of a Swordsman" today; read it and see how it prompted me to finally get this story off my hard drive. She's in my Favorite Authors list.
Glossary At end of document. Might want to read this first, as there are a fair number of Japanese terms in this story.
Good Advice—Reconciliation II
"And what brings the light of your spirit to my humble abode, deshi?
"Need help saving Japan again? Or does your delicate and helpless little shihandai need a hand seeing to her safety? Or perhaps you'd like advice on a good saké?"
The slight redhead who sat on the other end of Hiko's favorite seat—a log facing his kiln—knew better than to take his shishou's biting queries seriously. Or at least, not very seriously.
"I'm in need of advice, Master, and I don't know anyone who's better qualified to give it than you."
Hiko snorted softly. "Buttering me up, deshi?"
"No, Master, there's no need to butter you up. The fact of the matter is that you are the only one who's even qualified to give advice about the topics I'm concerned with, like Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, so you are automatically the best qualified, too."
"And here I thought I'd taught you not to overdo praise, especially when deserved," the big man drawled.
"Master, are you going to listen to what I have to say or should I just leave now?" Kenshin snapped out a little testily.
'Well, well, something is quite weighing on the deshi's thoughts. Now this might actually be interesting,' Hiko thought.
The swordmaster paused a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. All for effect, but the deshi needn't know that.
"Hmm. I could use a bit of diversion. I suppose I can hear you out. So what is it that requires you to seek counsel?"
The redhead dipped his head, seemingly contemplating his loosely clasped hands. He stared at them a moment, then seemed to reach some sort of decision. His head came up, his back straightened, and he caught his master's eye.
"I will never pass on the Hiten Mitsurugi sword," he said, carefully measuring every tone. "It—"
Hiko cut him off.
"Oh now there's news. So glad you came to remind me just how little you think of your training. And I could use the reminder of just what a faithful, loyal, dedicated—"
"Master! I said I would not pass on the Hiten Mitsurugi sword. I didn't say I wouldn't pass on the school.
"That's what I wanted to ask you about, actually. Something happened the other day when Kaoru and I were walking back from Mt. Heiei. It's a bit of a story, but in short we found ourselves facing a few bandits, with no weapons of our own, having been on a small pilgrimage to the shrines on the mountain. We more than held our own, though, what with Kaoru's mastery of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu, and what you always said about being able to do with a hand anything you can do with a sword."
"Well, you were paying more attention than I thought," Hiko grumbled back, but it was only a half-hearted grumble.
Kenshin fell silent a moment, waiting to see if his master had wound down yet.
"Go on, go on, deshi, don't waste the day."
"Well, we were talking once we continued home, Kaoru and I, and something she said got me to thinking."
"The girl is a miracle worker, yes, yes."
Kenshin angled a look at Hiko, that gave the distinct impression that he was feeling at least mild urges to see how many pieces of sashimi could be sliced from a very large potter.
"Basically she said that it gave her great satisfaction to make use of skills she'd trained at so long, and that, that. . .well, she found it satisfying in more than one way." The redhead's voice had trailed off and he was back to eyeing his hands again.
Hiko's spirit drooped, as he very carefully schooled his features to hide his reaction.
'Ah, deshi. I've been a little too good at keeping you from becoming attached to me. And in the end, you managed to find a way to achieve the Mastership without killing the previous master. But I fear we are too practiced in dealing at arm's length to come any closer now.'
"And I take it that it was not just that she'd have a good story to share with her friends over tea?" Hiko asked aloud. If Kenshin had been a little less emotionally ruffled, he would've noticed he'd spoken in a really rather gentle and encouraging tone.
The rurouni drew a deep breath.
"Yes, she said she took great satisfaction from knowing that she had helped ensure the safety of one she . . .cared for greatly, and had done so with no more harm than need be."
"Well, Ken-ch'en, it seems to me you should be rather happy about hearing that, shouldn't you?"
Kenshin flinched slightly, a sign to another member of the Hiten Mitsurugi school that he was startled to the point of being flustered. His expression made it clear that he did not trust Hiko's seeming sensitivity.
"Master, this is not something to make mock of."
Hiko allowed his expression to become sober and a little sad. He held Kenshin's gaze and then bowed quite humbly.
"Gomen, Kenshin. I am sorry that I have made you wary of my trustworthiness. It is . . .regrettable that we did not have more time together when you were young. No, it's alright, I mean no accusation. It's just that there were some values I would have conveyed to you in time, such as insulting another man's woman or his feeling for her is a sure way to buy yourself the hardest of fights. Not something to do to one held in any sort of regard.
"Please accept my assurance that I will treat your regard for Kamiya-san with the sober consideration it is owed."
The redhead continued to eye him flatly, obviously unconvinced of his sincerity.
"I swear it on my sword, Kenshin."
Kenshin's eyes widened slightly, but noticeably, at least to his master. His mouth moved, as if to speak, and then he simply nodded his head firmly, once, in acknowledgment.
There was a bit of a silence while they both sat thinking of things that hadn't been.
It was Kenshin who found his composure first.
"Well, Master, as I said, Kaoru's remark made me think about Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu a bit, and I wanted your thoughts about an idea I have to teach it."
"Not the sword, but the school, I think you said, deshi?"
"Well, actually, some of the sword, just not the most overpowering techniques. No Ryu Tsui Sen, etc., but otherwise all the sword kata, wakizashi, and tanto work, and the staff and archery work. And kempo, of course"
"I see."
Kenshin paused for a moment, and Hiko could almost see the trepidation and hope swirling around him.
Then the redhead took a deep breath, and went to one knee in a very respectful bow to a senior warrior.
"Shishou, may I have your permission to teach these parts of the school and represent it as Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu?"
"If you distain so much of the school, why teach it at all? Can you honestly convey the sincere commitment to the art that is essential to training in any school?"
"Because I have come to realize that I don't distain it, but I have overlooked much of value in its teachings."
"Have you indeed, deshi? Well, it's not the first time your resolve has made up for your simpleness."
Kenshin's pale complexion betrayed him with a blush once again.
"Hai, shishou, you were right-"
"Of course, but about which thing this time?"
Kenshin seemed to struggle with himself for a moment.
"Everything, shishou. That the sword must belong to no one but its wielder's conscience. That ikebana is good for clarifying the thoughts. That saké lees and miso are the best dressing for roast boar.
"And that the bushi must be able to control his mind and spirit if he is ever to control his weapon."
'It would seem the deshi is moving well along the path of no-sword. He has developed his physical abilities, and even his mental ones. Now it seems he has begun to truly cultivate his spirit.'
"You are the 14th Master of the Ryuu, deshi. Why bother asking me? You can do as you see fit."
"Yes, master, I can," Kenshin responded with a quiet firmness, "but that doesn't mean that I owe you no honor, nor hold no value for your opinion. Mastery, I find, is a matter of better recognizing one's own mistakes as well as one's own strengths.
"I have several times made the mistake of letting my temper and passions push away your good advice. This once, at least, I would like to draw upon the strength of your wisdom, if you are still willing to lend it to me."
Hiko folded his arms across his chest.
"Well, it's a fine speech, Ken-ch'en, but I can't at the moment give you my blessing."
The redhead swallowed slightly and dipped his head lower.
"Hai, shishou, I will respect your decision and not teach-"
"Baka deshi. I said I can't give you my blessing at the moment, not that I can never do so.
"Go away and see if you can keep the shihandai from completely scrambling her student's brains with her bokken and let me meditate on this."
Kenshin's head popped up in happy surprise.
"Oro?! You-"
"I might. Or I might not. Go away and let me contemplate whether what you propose actually has some value."
Three Weeks Later
"Kenshin? Kenshin! Oh, there you are," Kamiya Kaoru stopped short as she turned the corner of the kitchen hall and almost ran into the man she'd been calling.
"Here, a messenger from the local oniwabanshu just dropped off this package for you," she said, handing him a long metal tube, "the messenger said he'd just come from Kyoto."
"Well, it sounds as if Misao might have sent us something. Let's see, shall we?"
He produced a penknife from the sleeve-pocket of his kimono and made quick work of the wax seals on one end of the tube.
When he tilted it to one side, a roll of heavy white silk noil bound with a midnight blue cord slid out, a smaller square of elegantly folded paper tucked under the knot. The paper bore the characters of Kenshin's name in a strong yet elegant hand that could only be Hiko's.
Kenshin-sensei,
May all your students be as responsive to their Master as was mine.
Take that any way that suits you.
Hiko Seijuuro XIII
Unrolled, the silk revealed itself to be a scroll, with a sleek ebony cross rod at one narrow end and another midnight blue cord attached to each rod end as a hanger. A matching silk tassel hung from the opposite narrow end. In between, an ink painting of a glorious red dragon twisted the length of one side. In one of the finest pieces of calligraphy Kenshin had ever seen, it bore the words:
Master Himura Kenshin I
is recognized as
the founder and first teacher of
Bu-do no Hiten Mitsurugi,
by
Master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu,
Hiko Seijuuro XIII.
March 18, 1869
Owari.
Glossary
Bu-do —"way of war," or "meditative way of war."
Bu-do no Hiten Mitsurugi—roughly "meditative way of the Heavenly Dragon"
Bushi —roughly, warrior, practitioner of budo or bujutsuu.
Deshi—pupil, apprentice, disciple
Gomen—Sorry.
Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu—"Heavenly Dragon Sword School." Kenshin's sword style.
Kata —set practice sequences of movements in the martial arts
Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu—Kaoru's sword style.
Kempo—unarmed techniques of a ryuu (weapons school). Even sword-based schools have kempo techniques.
Kenjutsuu—Study of the sword. The -jutsuu suffix connotes practical military, police, or self-defense use.
Ken-ch'en—In the Adoption/Reconciliation universe, Hiko's nickname for Kenshin, a play on his name and the diminutive -chan suffix.
Oniwabanshu—In Rurouni Kenshin manga, group of former Edo Castle guards.
Oro—Kenshin's all purpose exclamation, approximately meaning "Huh? Wha?"
Owari—The end
Rurouni—Watsuki-sensei's made-up term for "samurai who wanders."
Ryuu—a school of a discipline, in the sense of a method or system, such as Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu.
Saké—Japanese rice wine
Sashimi—raw fish fillets or slices.
Shihandai—advanced assistant instructor in a martial art school.
Shishou—master of an art or craft, who teaches
Silk noil —Heavy fabric that has some surface roughness in the form of slubs
Tanto—shortest commonly used Japanese fighting blade, somewhat similar to a Bowie knife. Sometimes called an honor blade.
Wakizashi—Sidearm blade: shorter of the two swords making up the daisho set carried by samurai
Notes
Sword of no-sword: the idea that the swordsman who has truly mastered his art can defeat his opponent with his ki alone.