The Son of a Man Slayer
"Kenji." "Yes Master?" "Come with me." Seijiro Hiko led his young pupil into his small but cozy home. There they took seat at the small table where they eat there daily meals. Master Hiko had prepared the rice with out the help of Kenji this evening. Kenji new something was up. "Kenji, your father, Kenshin Himura, my former pupil, has passed away." Stated Hiko sternly.
It was quiet for the remainder of their meal. As they finished their meal, Kenji
stood and moved to the to the window of the room. "Who cares. He was never there for me. He was always gone and always working. You have been there for me more than he has. Master, I consider you to be more of a fath-" " I am not your father!" yelled Hiko, cutting Kenji off in mid-sentence. "We will Journey to Edo for his burial. You will comfort your grieving mother." Kenji was surprised by Hiko's words. Kenji has always though hiko to be bitter toward his father Kenshin. So why would Hiko react in such a way? Kenji didn't dare defy his master so he simply sat quietly.
Kenji went out to the small stream in front of Hiko's house to meditate. There was something about the night air and the light of the moon that calmed him. Kenji could find peace by this stream. Kenji listened to the rumbling water and the chirping crickets for hours into the night. When Kenji began to doze in and out of dreams he decided it was time he head off to bed. After all, tomorrow would be an early morning.
-xXx-
"It is time." Hiko stepped out into the sun and the cool morning air. Kenji had just finished up his breakfast and was making his way out the front of his master's home to share in the beauty of the morning. Hiko sent Kenji to get the two horses that they kept around back. These horses weren't the best horses but they get the job done. Their names were Perseverance and Endurance. They were named for the fight they put up to survive. Kenji and Hiko had saved the two horses the past winter from a frozen pond the horses had tried to cross when the layer of ice covering the pond shattered.
Kenji soon returned, rains in his hands. Hiko took hold of his horses endurance and they both took mount. They were headed to Edo.
-xXx-
Around lunch the two warriors stopped for a meal. Of course it was nothing more than rice. Kenji wanted so much to ask his master why it was so important to him to go to Edo. It just didn't make any sense. Why would a master whose pupil abandoned him ever want to see that pupil again? Kenji thought it better to just wait and see. "Please pass the rice." Said Hiko.
-xXx-
By the next morning they were riding into Tokyo. By the turn of the next hour they came onto Kaoru's land. Kenji and Hiko made their way over to the old dojo where Kenshin's body lay. They drew back the door revealing a mourning Kaoru. Hiko headed over to Kaoru and whispered words of comfort to her. Kenji sat down and put his hands together to pray for his father. A few moments past and Kenji stood up. "I'm going out for a little walk." He said. Kenji was walking down the little street in Tokyo where he and his father and walked many times before when he was a small boy. "Hey! Kenji!" said a voice coming from behind him. He turned. It was Yahiko. "It is good to see you again!" "Yes. You too Yahiko." Yahiko had always been something of a big brother to Kenji. They hadn't seen each other in nearly two years. At least, not since Kenji had left to train with Hiko. "So what are you up to?" asked Yahiko. "Not much really, I'm just clearing my head." Said Kenji. "Look Kenji, I know it is hard lose someone you love. You remember, I used to have parents as well. If it wasn't for your father I would still be a pick-pocket right now." Kenji, unsure what to say, just stared down at his sandals. "Come on Kenji, it is almost lunch time. You want to get some beef stew from town? My treat?" persuaded Yahiko. "Heh, alright." Kenji agreed.
-xXx-
"It is hot so be careful!" Warned the waitress bringing out the steaming pot of beef stew. "Kenji you can talk to me, it is ok." Said Yahiko. "I know. Yahiko I just don't feel like he has ever been there for me, you know? Like he has always been busy doing something he felt was more important than his own son." "Kenji, I know he hasn't been there for you like you would have liked. But I can assure you, he was spending his time on something important. Why don't you meet me by the bridge tonight? I have something I'd like to show you."
-xXx-
Later that night around midnight Kenji was getting ready to go meet Yahiko. "Kenji, where are you going so late?" asked Kaoru concerned. "Has it ever worried you before?" Kenji asked coldly.
Kenji walked outside and shut the door behind him. Hiko was sitting in the middle of the grass with a bottle of warm sake in a state of conscious meditation.
"Kenji, do you know why it was so important for me to come here? To come to you father's funeral?" "No, sir." Replied Kenji to his master. "It's because I still felt guilty about letting you father leave to fight in the war. However, I have made my peace with the past since I have been here. Kenji, sometimes letting someone go isn't the best choice." Said Hiko sincerely. "I understand master." Replied Kenji. With that, Kenji left, and headed for the bridge.
-xXx-
"Ah, Kenji, I'm truly glad you could make it." Said Yahiko. "Yeah, I'm here, so what was it you wanted to show me?" asked Kenji curiously.
Out of nowhere, Yahiko flew at Kenji, drew his sword and swung with an intent to kill! Kenji quickly gathered his senses and drew his sword, blocking Yahiko's death strike! It was at that moment that Kenji realized something. The sword being swung at him was his father's sword. Yahiko had stolen Kenshin sakabato. "He was mine first Kenji!" said Yahiko jumping back. "I was the first! Me! Yahiko Miyogen! I wanted to learn the Hiten Mitsurugi Style! But no! He sent you off to learn that style from his master!" Yahiko sprang forward again flipping the blade of Kenshin's sakabato and striking Kenji's right arm cause a huge rush of blood to spill out. Kenji yelled out in pain. Kenji thrust upward to block Yahiko's next strike and Yahiko stepped back. Kenji stood up. Fire in his eyes and a death glare fixed on Yahiko. "Give me my father's sword!" Yelled a hurt Kenji. Kenji couldn't believe Yahiko was doing this. Yahiko, someone who had been like a big brother, was trying to kill him! "Come get it brat!" yelled an angry Yahiko. Kenji leaped forward and swung his sword to kill! Yahiko jump and dodged his blow! They leaped in ward facing one another; this would be the deciding strike. The two warriors sliced at one another simultaneously. They stood paused waiting. Yahiko fell to the ground. Kenji walked over and placed his sword on his childhood friend's throat. "Can you do it? Can you kill me Kenji? Or will you just let me go?" asked a dieing Yahiko. "Sometime, letting someone go, isn't the best choice," stated Kenji.