Again, what is Seisouhen?
The fourth series after 'Who is She?', 'Genpuku', and 'Come Clean'.
Ehee…I guess not all of you are happy about that Kung Fu Panda thing…
This was done written almost a month ago with beta'ing process only in a week. And…to those of you who were asking about Chizuru, this is your call. My version of Chizuru is probably canon or probably not, but this is how I picture her. Some parts from 'Genpuku' are mentioned here.
Thank you to Courage of Awesome for beta'ing.
Kenji packed his small bag, strapped it onto his back, and then slid his sakabatou into the waistband of his hakama before carefully leaving the hut; the place where he had spent his last two years training in the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. And now, Kenji would return to Tokyo.
To his home.
As much as he enjoyed the training process, he missed his own home. His parents visited him last year when they came for the Obon festival, and Kenji stayed for two days at the Aoiya before returning to his master's mountain. His parents still "visited the grave," but Kenji chose to stay at the inn. Just as he said to his mother, he didn't hate his father's first wife, but he didn't like her either. Besides, he already gave his prayer.
Hiko Seijuro, the 13th Master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, was chopping wood with an axe. Kenji was going to miss his Sofu, admittedly. It was going to be a while before he could see the master again. Taking a deep breath, Kenji approached Hiko.
"Sofu."
Hiko stopped and turned to see Kenji. The master smiled tightly. "You will be going soon?"
"Hai, Sofu."
Hiko hummed and stabbed his axe into a block of wood. He approached Kenji and somehow, he felt as if he returned to the time when he saw his baka-deshi. It had been the last time before Kenshin went away. Hiko could never hide his awe on how Kenji was bearing so many resemblances to his father; almost like Kenshin's twin. Only, there was no marred cheek and the young man in front of him was so much wiser than his father before him at that age.
Hiko smirked. "Are you sure you don't want to change your name to Hiko?"
Kenji grinned. "Eh? No, thank you, Sofu. I like Kenji better. Besides, I'm not planning to take any apprentices."
Hiko raised his eyebrows. "Really? Even when you have a son in the future?"
The young man blushed. "Well, I don't know about that. Besides, I don't have a woman yet," he explained.
"Ah, I see. In that case, I hope when you visit me next time, you will bring a lovely lady along with you. Or, should I help you by choosing one in the nearby village?"
Kenji's eyes widened and his face flushed. "Oro?"
Hiko laughed. "Oh, Kami…you really are his double." Placing his hands on Kenji's shoulders, he spoke thoughtfully. "Remember, boy. I didn't teach you that sword style to make you miserable. You may look like your father, but your destiny is not like him." Hiko lowered his hands. "Value your life, Kenji, as you value the lives around you. Take care yourself."
Kenji smiled and bowed respectfully. "Hai, Sofu. Thank you for everything," he said before straightening his posture. "Do come visit us in Tokyo."
Hiko waved his hand. "I'll think about it."
Kenji's eyes softened. Even he could sense the sadness in Hiko's eyes, but the master tried to hide it. "I'll see you during the Obon festival, Sofu. Take care of yourself too."
Hiko hummed his approval and watched Kenji slowly walk away, leaving the place where he became the 15th Master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.
x
The train stopped at the Tokyo Rail Station and Kenji stepped out. Nothing really changed much during his two year absence. The only difference now was that he carried his father's legacy on his left hip. Many people glanced at him and his sword, for the law forbade carrying a sword, but Kenji kept walking. When he arrived at the marketplace, the people he knew greeted him, though they still glanced at his sword.
And then, he sensed a strong ki. Kenji stopped and turned around. He saw a tall man with black hair, a sword on his belt. The man wore an officer's uniform, a cigarette between his fingers. The man smirked, and Kenji momentarily shivered.
"You still carry that toy."
Kenji raised his eyebrows. "Do I know you?" The man's ki was strong, almost as strong as his father's, but there was no sign of violence or a threat.
The man raised his eyebrows and blew the smoke from his cigarette. "What? After another ten years and you forget about me?"
The man came closer, and Kenji instinctively stepped backwards, his hand on the hilt of his sakabatou. Several people glanced at them and stared with curiosity. The last thing that Kenji wanted was to cause a scene in the middle of the marketplace. And, he just got home too. Couldn't he just have a break?
Kenji watched the man stop abruptly as he got closer. The man's eyes widened before he smirked. "I see. You are not him, but you look just like him. There's only one explanation for that," he chuckled for himself and then lit another cigarette. "Send my regards to Kenshin Himura. Tell him the wolf is visiting."
Kenji blinked as the man turned around, releasing his grip on the hilt of his sword. The commotion slowly died down, and Kenji released a deep breath. He quickly continued his journey home.
As he arrived, noises could be heard from the training hall, so that's where he went, announcing his arrival. No one greeted him. Kenji furrowed his eyebrows and walked into the training hall. He saw a woman with her back to him in his mother's dojo uniform, a red ribbon tying some of her hair, the rest hanging loose at her back. She was doing her katas.
Kenji blinked.
His mother never had her hair loose like that in training and he rarely saw his mother doing any katas anymore.
Kenji put his bag down and took off his footwear before bowing to the shrine. "Mother, what are you doing here? I've never seen you-"
Kenji's words were stopped when the woman…the girl turned around and their eyes met. Kenji froze and his heart thumped loudly. The girl in front of him was looked his mother, but it was not her. She was much younger. The girl smiled when she saw him.
"Kenji Himura?" she asked.
Kenji blinked. His body did funny things when the girl said his name. "Umm…yes. And you are…?"
The girl smiled and approached Kenji before grabbing his hands. "Of course, you are. Your red hair is so easy to recognize. I'm Chizuru Raikoji. Remember me?"
"Not really," Kenji answered, beyond confused and surprise over the girl's attitude.
The girl, Chizuru, frowned playfully. "How come you forgot me? You helped me and my friends once."
Kenji's eyebrows furrowed once again and the memory of him dealing with the bullies on the street from when he was younger flashed in his mind. "Oh, that. I remember now."
Chizuru grinned. "I'm so glad. Where have you been? I've been practicing in this dojo for two years now, but I never saw you here. Yahiko-senpai and Kaoru-sensei always said you were visiting relatives."
'Visiting relatives, huh? Close enough,' Kenji thought wryly.
Kenji smiled. "Umm…yes, I just got home."
"Oh, I see." Chizuru glanced at the bag in the hall and to the sword on Kenji's left hip. She frowned a little. "A sword? I thought it's forbidden to carry one."
Kenji's heart sank a bit watching the frown on Chizuru's face. It was kind of silly. He was just met the girl five minutes ago, but her mood was already affecting him. "Oh, this… It's my father's. He has special permission to carry a sword from the government, and it goes for me, too."
"Hmm…" Chizuru pursed her lips. "Yeah, I've heard about it, too. Your father saved Japan once, right?"
Kenji smiled again and nodded.
"Kenji! You're here."
Both Kenji and Chizuru turned to see Kaoru Himura standing at the door. Kenji bowed a little. "Mother."
"My boy," Kaoru gushed before enveloping Kenji in a hug.
Chizuru only smiled watching the family reunion.
"Finally, you've come home," Kaoru said, releasing her son from the hug. "We should celebrate it at Akabeko tonight." She turned her gaze to the girl next to Kenji. "Would you like to come with us, Chizuru?"
Chizuru blinked rapidly and then said, "Alright, sensei," after watching the pair of hopeful eyes.
Kenji stared at his mother and he remembered the tall man he met earlier. "Mother, do you know someone who called himself 'the wolf?'"
Kenji would never forget his mother's face after that.
x
Since the meeting at the dojo, Kenji was often seen with Chizuru. Either accompanying the girl home or just to stroll through the marketplace. Kenji's parents knew the transition, but never asked the young man. Kenji sometimes caught the soft look his father gave him when he was with Chizuru, but his sire never said too much about it.
Just like today, Kenji accompanied Chizuru to the marketplace. His mother had asked the girl's help buying tofu and ketchup. Although Chizuru sometimes reminded Kenji of his mother, especially her persistence and tough demeanor, Chizuru could cook, unlike Kaoru. Kenji didn't dare disrespected his mother and tell her that, though. While his mother was an orphan in her young age, Chizuru was luckier. She had loving parents at home, but the girl liked to wear a man's clothes. She especially loved wearing gi and hakama. Again, Kenji never complained.
In return, she never asked about the sakabatou, though Kenji always carried the sword everywhere he went. Chizuru, on the other hand, always strapped her shinai to her back. Kenji admired how Chizuru never looked disturbed anytime people around them glanced or whispered about his sword.
They just finished buying tofu when they saw a commotion not far from the tofu vendor. Kenji and Chizuru saw a man trying desperately to save his things while some men with swords made chaos in the man's vendor. Kenji made a face. He still remembered when he saved Kotaro in Kyoto two years ago. It seemed Tokyo was no different. The bullies were here too.
Out of curiosity, both Kenji and Chizuru walked closer. What they saw made Kenji's warrior blood boil within him. The men were laughing as they threw everything out of the vendor and claimed the man didn't pay the fees for them. As Kenji decided to help, Chizuru was one step ahead from him.
"Who do you think you are treating him like that?!" Chizuru shouted.
The men froze, and so did Kenji.
"Um…Chizuru, I don't think it's wise to have a fight here," Kenji whispered, his eyes never straying from the men.
Chizuru huffed and without looking at the redhead, she shoved her groceries into Kenji's arms. He just barely managed to hold onto them, thanks to his quick reflexes.
"Chizuru…"
The girl ignored Kenji and took her shinai from her back. The men grinned and Kenji shivered for a second.
"What do we have here? Hey there, pretty. You think your shinai can match our swords?" one of the men asked, rotating his own sword playfully, giving a sly grin.
Chizuru only held her stance. "Try me."
Kenji's eyes widened. And before he could blink, one of the men attacked Chizuru. The girl swung her shinai using Kamiya Kasshin's sword style and the man fell to the ground.
Gasps and murmurs could be heard amongst the crowd. Most of the people admired Chizuru's ability, and that made Kenji proud. Another man attacked and Chizuru, again, avoided the attack easily. Her shinai knocked the man on his hip, resulting in the same fate as the man before him.
"You are great for a girl. Do you think you can beat us all?" a voice asked, and Kenji to see at least a dozen men with swords not far from them.
Kenji narrowed his eyes. He knew even with Chizuru's skill, the girl would never beat them all.
"Chizuru, hold these and give me your shinai," Kenji said without looking at the girl.
Chizuru scowled. "Nani? Do you think I can't beat them?"
Kenji stared at the girl and smiled, making Chizuru blush. "I know you can, but just like you, I can't stand bullying."
Chizuru bit her lip and reluctantly accepted the grocery bags from Kenji and in exchange, she gave the young man her shinai. "Thank you," Kenji smiled, turning to face the men. His smile was gone in a second and he held his stance.
"Aww…the boy is going to play hero. Teach him a lesson!"
One of the men moved forward with his sword and Kenji avoided the attack with lightning fast steps, striking out with his shinai and hitting the man's neck, knocking him unconscious.
Chizuru's eyes widened.
The other men growled and gave a quick battle cry before attacking Kenji. Shinai clashed against swords, and Kenji moved with his amazing speed; ducking, spinning, jumping, and hitting every last man until all of them lay on the ground, unmoving.
When all of his opponents lay defeated, Kenji stared ahead and saw that three more men had shown up to join the brawl. Kenji assumed he was the leader, the other two being his lackies. Tossing Chizuru's shinai on the ground, he unsheathed the sakabatou. The girl couldn't help but gasp.
"Kenji! What are you doing?!" This was the first time Chizuru ever saw Kenji using his sword.
"He's showed us his sword. Show him who we are!" the leader screamed at the men.
The two men moved forward and Kenji retaliated, removing his sword's sheath from the waistband of his hakama.
"Kenji!"
When the two men were close enough to the younger Himura, they both swung their swords. Kenji slid low to the ground and hit both men, his sakabatou in his right hand and the sheath grasped firmly in the left, both colliding with the men's stomachs. They both doubled over, and Kenji turned swiftly, hitting the men's backs with one swing of his sakabatou.
The commotion gaped, and even Chizuru froze, eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
The leader's eyes widened to the size of saucers and he tried to unsheathe his own sword, but the tip of Kenji's was already pointed directly at his nose. The man stood, body shaking, and dropped his blade.
Kenji's eyes never faltered.
"Hey, isn't he Himura-san's son? I can't believe he killed two men. I thought Kamiya Dojo teaches Kendo."
"I heard he just got home from Kyoto after learning a real sword style."
The murmurs made Chizuru's heart beat faster and faster. Seeing Kenji fight earlier, Chizuru knew it was not Kamiya Kasshin's style. He was fast, elegant, and…deadly. Now she understood the young man's absence in the two years since she began her training in Kamiya Dojo; to learn real kenjutsu. But, why did Kenji learn another sword style? Chizuru would have thought Kenji would carry the ideal of Kamiya Kasshin, his mother's family sword style, but she was wrong.
Kenji killed two men and now he was pointing his sword at someone's face.
As Chizuru was busily thinking of what had occurred here, the two men Kenji had struck earlier, grunted in pain. The onlookers murmured their shock, and Chizuru realized something.
Kenji didn't kill the men!
"Nani?" the leader mumbled, astonished. With the moves he had witnessed earlier, he was sure the young man already killed his two men.
"Look closely at my blade. It's not an ordinary sword," Kenji stated in flat tone.
The man blinked and gulped before taking a good look at the sword still aimed at his nose. His eyes widened when he saw it. "The blade is reversed!"
Chizuru blinked.
"That's correct. As long as I use the dull side, I can't kill. Not that I want to."
A long whistle was blown and swarms of police officers came rushing. Kenji withdrew his sword when an officer took the leader away. He sheathed his sakabatou and turned to see Chizuru. The girl looked at him with awe and curiosity. Kenji, of course, heard what the people around him had said and were saying, but he had learned to ignore it.
"Kenji," Chizuru breathed. "How can you move like that?" 'And a reverse-blade sword?' the girl questioned in her mind.
Kenji smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head, a habit he inherited from his father. "Hehe…I guess now you know what I've done these past two years." Ignoring the looks given to him by the people and the girl in front of him, Kenji took up Chizuru's shinai, still on the ground, and handed it to her, taking the bags from Chizuru's hands. He smiled again. "Shall we?"
Chizuru only gaped and nodded in a daze.
Unknown to Kenji, a tall man with black hair was watching them. He blew the smoke from his cigarette. "I never thought coming back to Tokyo could be this interesting."
x
They walked in silence, and Chizuru glanced to Kenji several times. When they reached the river bank, Kenji finally spoke. "Is there anything that you want to ask me?"
Chizuru bit her lip and shook her head.
"If that so, you don't have to sneak glances at me."
Silence.
Kenji blew a breath. He could guess Chizuru's silence was caused by the scene she just had just witnessed in the marketplace. Kenji knew the girl would find out about him being a master for another sword style.
"I learned another sword style in Kyoto. It's Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Sofu was my father's former master."
Chizuru couldn't say anything. She clasped her hands together. "Is learning kendo not enough for you?"
Kenji's lips quirked. "That's not the reason." Kenji risked a glance at Chizuru. "My father…he…" He took a deep breath, contemplating whether to tell Chizuru about his father's past, but he decided that was a story for another time. "He was the legendary swordsman at the Bakumatsu. This reverse-blade sword is his legacy for his belief that a sword can be used to protect. The sword style I had learned is basically that belief, but it was so lethal, it could turn into satsujinken if it is used by wrong person."
Kenji sighed and stopped.
Chizuru blinked and followed his move. "Kenji?"
"You saw I didn't kill those men. With my sword, I vowed to protect the weak and not to kill."
Chizuru stared into Kenji's eyes and then smiled a little. "Yes, I know. You just…caught me off guard. I've never seen you move like that." She sighed and lowered her head. "And now I feel what I've learned was nothing."
Kenji's eyes widened. He hastily dropped the groceries and approached Chizuru. Without thinking, he held both Chizuru's hands. "No, Chizuru. Don't ever think that way. You were great. I just didn't want you to get hurt."
Chizuru smiled again. "I still remember how you defended me and those girls when we were little. I knew your mother was teaching kendo and you must have been learning from her. I wanted to learn kendo, too, just like you. I wanted…to be strong."
"But, you are. Believe me when I said that, Chizuru." Kenji's eyes softened. "What kind of man would I be if I just watched you fight those men alone?"
Chizuru tilted her head and her eyes twinkled. "If you say so. And, you were great as well. You really are a true swordsman."
Kenji blinked and chuckled before releasing the girl's hands. He picked up the groceries and smiled to Chizuru. "We should get going, that we should."
Chizuru giggled when she heard Kenji mimicked his father's speech pattern and held his arm. Kenji wondered if he should take Chizuru to meet his Sofu in the future.
x
The next day, Kenji attended the class in the afternoon, per his parents request. Kenji was sure this was some kind of punishment for the event at the marketplace yesterday. His father had a lot of friends at the government office. He would have known sooner or later. Kenji wore his mother's dojo uniform, the dark blue highlighting his red hair. He ignored the curious looks from the students. The rumor about him in the marketplace probably already spread, but he had enough distraction every time he caught Chizuru blushing at him when their eyes met.
He assisted Yahiko-niisan in teaching and sparred with two older students. Kenji smirked mentally when he saw how Chizuru rolled her eyes. By the time the lesson was over, Yahiko-niisan and the students had gone home, and Chizuru had been picked up by her father. Raikoji-san was a nice man and, to Kenji's relief, Chizuru's father seemed to accept him.
Kenji closed the front gate and turned to walk back to the house before sensing someone had opened it again. Kenji turned, blinking in confusion as he saw the tall man.
"Saito!"
Kenji turned his head when he heard his father's voice. Kenshin frowned and quickly stepped next to him.
Saito Hajime had an amused smile. "You are just like him, boy. If it wasn't for your cheek, I would have assumed I had met with the legendary Battousai again."
Kenji could sense his father's ki tense up. He knew some of the stories about the black-haired man, told to him by the earfuls by both his parents. He had once been the Wolf of Mibu of the Shinsengumi. After 13 years, he still carried the look of a swordsman. He wore his officer uniform with his sword on his left hip, a cigarette between his index and middle finger, just like when Kenji met him three weeks ago.
"Himura Battousai," Saito drawled the sentence purposely. "It's really nice to see you again. I can see the tanuki had given you a double."
'Eh? Tanuki? Did he mean my mother?' Kenji narrowed his eyes. 'Well, I can't blame him. Mother can be like that sometimes.' Kenji later mused.
"What do you want, Saito?" Kenshin asked through the clenched teeth.
Saito smirked and blew smoke from his cigarette. "Your boy already carries your sword. Too bad you can't use your sword style any longer."
"I said…What. Do. You. Want?"
Kenji glanced at his father. He had never seen him like this. He was so angry, and not the man Kenji came to know.
"I came to Tokyo for a duty call. But, since you are no longer wielding a sword, perhaps the young redhead could join me someday."
Kenshin snarled and stepped forward, forgetting that he did not carry a sword anymore. Kenji, with great speed, quickly stood in front of his father. He stopped Kenshin's movement, forgetting his irritation for the former leader of the third squad of the Shinsengumi earlier. The younger Himura shivered when he saw his father's eyes. Usually violet, they were now turning to amber.
"You will not take my son for your duty!" Kenshin said, his voice deep and menacing.
Kaoru could only gape as she stood in front of the training hall. It had been a while since Kenshin reverted to his Battousai state. And now, when Saito asked for Kenji's help, he made the Battousai resurface. Kaoru thought the darker persona of her husband had vanished. She was wrong. For when protecting the one he loved, Battousai would appear again.
Kenji swallowed. His father never used that kind of voice.
Ever.
'Is this the Battousai?' he pondered.
Saito titled his head. "Idiot! With skills like that, if your son had lived in the Bakumatsu, he could be a great assassin."
"Leave my son out of this!"
"Have you forgotten about what I had said?" the former Wolf of Mibu hissed. "We all live and die by the sword, Battousai. You no longer wield a sword, but your boy will continue your legacy. What is the purpose of letting your boy learn kenjutsu? Do you honestly want to keep him under this dojo roof for the rest of his life?" Saito glanced at Kenji. "I saw you in the marketplace earlier, boy. I can't wait to have a little spar with you. I haven't settled my score with your father yet."
"Kenji has nothing to do with our score, Wolf!"
Saito smirked at Kenji. "Ah, so your name is Kenji? Great name for a swordsman." And then he smiled, making Kenji shiver. "Would you like to demonstrate your skill, Kenji-chan?"
Kenshin growled, but Kenji continued to hold his ground, preventing his father from attacking Saito. "Maybe later, Saito-san." Kenji could sense the wariness in his father's and mother's ki. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold his father back any longer from attacking the black-haired man.
Saito's eyes gleamed. "I like your boy, Himura. He has manners and good conduct. Way much better than you."
"Shut up!" Kenshin hissed.
Saito ignored the older Himura and looked back to Kenji. "Nice to see you, boy. I've been missing a lot of things, it seems." And then, contrasting his attitude from earlier, he bowed to both Kenshin and Kaoru. "Forgive me for the inconvenience. But, at least this dojo is still in one piece."
Kaoru shivered in the back, remembering the aftermath of her husband's fight with Saito.
Saito straightened his posture and with a smirk, turned around and left the dojo quietly. He glanced over his shoulder to Kenji. "I'll see you around, young Himura." The tall swordsman walked out of the dojo without another word.
Kenji blinked and slowly turned to look at his father's eyes. The amber color had returned to their original violet and looked at him with worry.
Kenji had a feeling his life was going to be more interesting from now on.
-Owari-
Between "there will be a sequel" or "there will not be a sequel", just like the end of the third live action movie. Let's see if this chronicles will have another installment or not. Meanwhile, 'Where She Belongs' approaches the adventure part.
Arigatou for reading, minna-san, and kindly to leave your review.
Ja ne…