Disclaimer: Nope. Nothing mine, except this story and any characters I have made up. ^.^

What is Strength?

Soujiro smiled a real smile for the first timein a long time. He almost didn't remember when he didn't give a detached smile. He had never shown his emotions truly since his childhood. And that was awhile ago. The incident with Suiren opened his eyes and he really took to heart what Himura Kenshin had forced him to learn on his own. Since then he had helped people the best way he could. Soujiro had helped other children, women, and some elderly folk, and it felt nice. It was all worth his efforts to see a smile of gratitude, and so he continued to help people.

But still as a rurouni, he traveled all of Japan and was now in Hokkadio during an autumn evening, so it was a bit colder since he was more North. And Soujiro enjoyed looking at the gold, crimsom, and brown leaves, after all, even the former Tenken needed to just slow down and enjoy the life that he had.

"Hey old man!" a man with dark brown hair and grey eyes glared at the elderly man who must have bumped into him, "Watch where you're going!"

"Sumimasen," his blue eyes looked tired as he picked up a small bundle in his arms he had dropped, "I will now be on my way."

However, the younger man was not to be swayed, "Chotto. You think an apology is enough for what you did?!" He reached out for the elder's bundle, "I'll just take whatever you have!"

That, was the last straw. Soujiro frowned and in a blink of an eye was between them, "This Oji-san just apologized. It would be wise if you left him alone."

The man blinked, as if wondering who Soujiro was and who he was talking to. "Are you telling me what to do?" He looked ready to laugh and try and punch Soujiro for interfering. "Get lost Rurouni!"

"I will say it again," Soujiro said as calm as he could, What a jerk, "Leave the Oji-san alone."

Since this guy probably had the IQ of a rock, or at most a bit higher than that, he walked away, blinking, wondering what on earth had happened. (A/N: All brawn but no brain. )

Soujiro sighed, at least no fight had started. He tried as best he could not to have to use his speed or his kenjustsu.

"Arigato Gozaimasu," the elderly man said bowing.

Soujiro smiled and bowed back, "Of course Oji-san."

"Tell me," the elderly man smiled, "Do you need a place to stay for the night? It will be dark soon you know." When Soujiro opened his mouth to deny the offer, the elderly man laughed, "You did save me. What else can I repay you with? I really have nothing else to give."

"Demo" What was Soujiro suppose to say?! "AnoOji-san, you can't trust me because I worked under a man who hated the Meiji government named Shishio Makoto, even if you don't know who he is, I use to be one of his assasins." No, that wasn't a thing to say. "Boku wa."

The old man sighed, "Won't you join an old man?" he smiled, "Ore no namae Fujitaka Shinichi. And I can understand if you wouldn't want to tell me your name. So enough with introductions. Come on! My house isn't too far!"

Soujiro sighed, Oh well, it is nice of the Fujitaka -san to give me a place to stay. Maybe it's best just to take the offer. "Arigato Gozaimasu Fujitaka-san."

Fujitaka's house really wasn't all that bad. It wasn't a hut, but it wasn't a big spacious thing either. Just enough for someone like him. He had cooked a very delicious dinner, and as Soujiro set out the spare futon in the room across from Fujitaka's, the elderly man had called Soujiro into the living room to show him what was inside the bundle.

"I don't want to intrude though Fujitaka-san," he began, but the elderly man just shook his head.

"I want to show you what I have, otherwise I wouldn't have suggested it in the first place," Fujitaka unfolded the covering cloth away to display a very old, moth-eaten scabbard. It didn't even have it's sword or anything.

"What is it?" Soujiro asked after a pause.

This made Fujitaka laugh. "It doesn't look much ne? But sometimes appearances don't matter." He seriously glanced at Soujiro, "I'm not psychic but I know that you have extrarodinary strength. So tell me, what is strength?"

"Excuse me?" Soujiro was shocked to say the least, how did Fujitaka-san know?

The older man held the scabbard with two hands, as if it were a precious treasure. "Though now I am as old and worn as this scabbard I was once a swordsman myself. However, there is one thing I did not know for a long time." Soujiro waited patiently for Fujitaka to continue, "I use to think strength was everything. I wanted to always be stronger than what I had become. But there was one thing wrong with it all. Do you have an idea of what I learned?"

Puzzled, Soujiro answered truthfully, "I really don't know Fujitaka-san. What did you learn?"

"I learned that strength isn't good or evil, because it is just a force. But when you use that strength to protect, your inner strength is brought forth," Fujitaka smiled, "But I know that you have already done that."

That's trueSoujiro thought as he lay in the spare futon, still awake from Fujitaka's lecture, I was much fasterand got in more hits than Himura-san did that time we fought. But he beat me and I use to wonder why. But now I know, he had people to protect, so his inner strength came out to it's full potential. And what about me? I have been using my skills for more better purposes soI guess Fujitaka-san was right about that too.

Soujiro left a note thanking Fujitaka for his hospitality and his wise words before leaving early that morning. Maybe he should have waited for the older man to awake but Soujiro was a rurouni. A rurouni wandered all the time. He gave the house one last look before walking down the dirt road, heading to his destination, maybe Tokyo

Fujitaka gave his scabbard one last look before bundling it up again. That young man has made this me a bit happier, being able to give advice. And I hope he finds happiness. Every humans deserves happiness. Despite past mistakes. He put the bundle away in the closet in his room. Because we make them all the time.

*~Owari~*

Author's Note: People told me they wanted me to continue "Protecting the Weak" and being bored, I typed this story up. It was suppose to be a trial and error chapter for "Protecting the Weak" but decided to just make a sequel type thing. For those of you who asked for another chapter of "Protecting the Weak" I want to say it was suppose to be a one-shot. But if you want another chapter I'd like you to tell me what kind of continuation you would like. Review and please tell me what you think. Take care! ^.^x