Beyond Rurouni Kenshin: The Meiji Era: Arashi no Hitomi (The Eye of the Storm)
By: Shadow Chaser
Started: 7/29/02. Completed:
Timeline: Meiji Era – 1898 (Meiji 30)
Author's Notes/SPOILER WARNING:
This story is based mostly off of the manga version, with slight changes following the Episodes 1-63 of the anime series. For those who have not read the Revenge Arc/Jinchuu Arc this will feature quite a bit of spoilers. Also for those who have not seen the 2nd OAV – Seishou Hen, this will also be featured in here. I changed some of the events in the OAV to suit my own purposes in this fic. Pointer One: I kept Kaoru alive…for many reasons, which will be explained in the fic. I do not own any of the Rurouni Kenshin characters; they belong to Watsuki Nobuhiro-sama who is the creator and God of Rurouni Kenshin. Please do not sue for infringement. This fic has more of the Rurouni Kenshin anime feel (slapstick silliness and seriousness at the same time).
Summary:
Seventeen year-old Kenji Himura had lived a life in the shadows of his infamous father, the Hitokiri Battousai. Now, he makes his own path in the grooves of history. A rebellion has started up once more, but now it is time for a new swordsman to take up the sakabatou once again and defend his country, home, and family.
Historical Notes:
According to history, the Sino-Japanese War was from 1894-1895. This makes Kenshin roughly 44-45 years old and makes his son, Kenji, 13-14 years old. By the time Aritomo Yamagata asked Kenshin to help in the Sino-Japanese War, he was already suffering from a form of arthritis and a skin condition that left him in pain. Of course with his weakened health, coupled with the fact that his body could not handle the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, he died.
Chapter 1 – The Age of a New Era: Beyond the Meiji Generation
A red-haired young man, willowy and sinewy as about a woman, walked down the busy morning streets of Tokyo, a calm expression written on his calm face. Many knew him, but many did not bother him. Many admired him, but many shied away from him. Women looked at him from afar, their sighs blowing carbon dioxide into the air. Many of the women would want to be next to him, to follow him dutifully, but many did not. Many men would like to be in his place, yet many of them feared what would happen if they were. But no one bothered him so, just only inclined a polite nod of their heads as he also nodded a greeting to them…no one would bother him as he took his daily morning stroll of the city except for one…
"KENJI-CHAN!!!"
The piercing cry of a very high voice brought all stops to the place where Kenji Himura was walking along, eliciting some murmurs and laughter as he winced slightly at the voice that called his name from behind. He steeled himself to ignore the voice and continue to walk in a dignified pace, trying to keep the last shreds of his dignity from falling apart.
But that wasn't to last as something suddenly knocked into him from behind, making him stumble slightly and a whoosh of air left him as a person snaked their arms around him, engulfing him in a bear hug. He staggered slightly, then turned and smiled slightly at the clinging form of his best friend, Chizuru Raikouji.
"Ohayoo, Chi-chan," he greeted politely, then took her hands and unwrapped them from his waist. After letting go of her hands, he frowned as he tried to readjust his hakama, gi and the sakabatou that hung from his left side.
"Aww…don't do that Kenji-chan," Chizuru stepped from behind him and stood in front of him, peering up at his concentrated face with a smile, "you look better like that. Makes all the women in Tokyo want to drool after you."
Kenji felt a rise of heat erupt within his face and his murmured underneath his breath, "Yeah…but I don't like that…"
"What did you say Kenji-chan?" Chizuru teased, patted him on a head like a pet and Kenji felt even more heat rise up on his face.
"Nothing," he mumbled. Oro…why did this have to happen to me? He wondered if the Gods had a wicked sense of humor or was it just his luck that he had a best friend who was adept in the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu and could embarrass him without a care, with her words and charm. Though he knew Chizuru wasn't a master yet at the kenjutsu his mother and Yahiko-oji taught, she was able to defend herself on more than one occasion as he had the privilege to witness.
Chizuru came from a wealthy family who was faring well, but she was the rebellious one and even took on a different name for herself while she learned kenjutsu at the Kamiya Dojo. It was one of these days when she was done with her lesson late into the night that she had bid them goodnight and went home. He had followed her quietly, fearing for the safety of little girl and it was on the order of her kenjutsu master, Yahiko, that he would tail quietly her until she reached the gate of her home.
Halfway through the trip to the other side of Tokyo, a bunch of bandits had jumped out in front of her and Kenji was about to jump into the fray with his sakabatou that he had inherited from his father indirectly, when within three slashes of the shinai that Chizuru owned, she had dispelled at least two of her attackers and looked set to take down the third and fourth one. The battle was over in a few minutes and Kenji watched from the shadows, surprised at how good this girl was since he had only seen on occasion because he was training with his father's former master, Seijuro Hiko.
He had admired and respected her skills from a distance, but upon completion of his training, well…half completed since Hiko adamantly refused to teach him the last two techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, he had returned home and was officially introduced to Chizuru Raikouji as well as the other students training under the Kamiya Dojo.
But the introduction was very bittersweet as he had been happy to meet Chizuru and the other students, but he was also a very angry young boy back all those four years ago. He had hated his father with a passion since he left for the Sino-Japanese War across to mainland China, and wanted to defeat him when he came back using the same style his father used, but he had found out that his father died from tuberculosis upon return, a week prior to his arrival after finding out that Yahiko had been sent to Kyoto to retrieve him back to see his ailing mother.
Even though he still bore a grudge against his father, it had left him empty and saddened. It hurt him so much to see his mother struggling against the tears that kept pouring down her face when they had buried Kenshin Himura in a grave near the corner of the walls encompassing the Dojo, but then something within him urged him to ask about his father's life; not as the Rurouni or Battousai, but as a human. And now…though he still bore a slight hatred, it wasn't a bright flame anymore.
He had found out through his father's friends, master, and associates what his father did and afterwards, came to respect Kenshin Himura, the former Hitokiri Battousai of the Meiji Revolution, a Rurouni afterwards, and now, a loving husband and father.
Roughly a month later, he had challenged Yahiko Myojin again, his adoptive brother, to a duel for the ownership of the sakabatou that belonged to Kenshin, but somehow, even he didn't know, he lost the duel. Yet, a few weeks later, on his birthday, he had received his father's sakabatou as a gift. But he suspected that Yahiko had planned to give him the sakabatou, and even got himself a new one, made by the knife-maker Seiku Arai as a special thank-you request. Though Kenji figured Yahiko and his slightly impulsive nature tried to beat it out of poor Arai-san…
When he had noticed that Yahiko had gotten a new sakabatou, he had challenged him one more time, but Yahiko waved him off, saying that he was too young to challenge anyone with his skinny form. Kenji had gotten fed-up with his adoptive uncle and declared that one day he will challenge him and defeat him…but at the moment…he was hungry.
"KENJI!!!" Chizuru yelled in his ear, making him snap out of his little reverie and glance down at his stomach that was growling in a continuous voice.
He smiled sheepishly and rubbed his stomach, "Eh…I guess we better head back to the Dojo. "Okaasan will be worried," he gave her a slightly goofy grin to which she smack him up on the head.
"Ahh…What is wrong with you Kenji-chan?" Chizuru asked as they started to head back to the Dojo. "You're spacing out all over the place! Come on, get a grip on reality!"
"Oro?" Kenji had a bemused look on his face. He knew that he shouldn't space out so much, but he had a lot to think by himself without worrying his friends too much. At this rate, I'll be a moody silent person, he mentally chided himself.
"Don't you be 'oro-ing' me Kenji-chan!" she laughed, "besides, it's a bright morning so you should feel refreshed."
"But I do Chi-chan," he protested as she walked next to him, skipping slightly, "summer brings the best…"
"Ummhmm," she agreed then stopped in front of a flower vendor who was selling a myriad of different colors of flowers. "Hmm…which one to choose…"
Kenji sighed and dug around his gi for any spare change he had within and grinned. He had just enough money… "Two white plum blossoms, and one iris please," he held out his money to which the vendor smiled and took then got up and poked around the tubs of flowers he owned. A few seconds later, he produced what Kenji thought were the three most beautiful stalks of flowers he had ever seen.
"One for ojousan, one for your mother, and one for your father," the vendor handed Chizuru a white plum blossom, and the other blossom plus the iris to Kenji who blinked in surprise.
"Uh…how did you know?" he asked, confused.
"It is the summer…and everyone knows of the Kamiya Dojo, Himura-san, and of you…Kenji Himura," the vendor smiled pleasantly then waved them off with a gentle hand, "now, be off…I have a feeling that your breakfast isn't going to be there in a few minutes."
"Arigatou," Kenji bowed his head slightly then walked away.
After a few steps he turned back to see Chizuru fiddling with the white plum blossom he had brought for her and sighed. "It goes like this," he reached over and plucked the blossom from her fumbling hands then twisted off some of the unneeded stems and stuck it near her right ear in her shiny black hair.
"Arigatou, Kenji-chan," Chizuru blushed slightly and Kenji just shook the odd feeling that was overcoming him. In all of his years that he had known his best friend, he had never seen her blush before and for some odd reason it made him very happy.
"Come on," he gestured for her to follow, "I get the feeling that Yahiko will eat everything if we're not back."
"Hai! Let's go!" Chizuru seemed to snap out of whatever funk she was in and was back to her cheerful self. They hurried back to the Kamiya Dojo, unaware that a pair of eyes was following them from the shadows.
* * *
When Kenji arrived at his home he found it bustling with morning activity. Some of the local students had already arrived and he found Yahiko running them through with the morning katas and warm-ups. Over on the side, Ayame Gensai and Suzume Gensai, both grown-up and in their mid-twenties, were hanging some fresh laundry to dry up. But around their legs ran some of the young siblings of the students of the Kamiya Dojo, demanding that they hurry up and finish their chores and come play with them.
On the other side of the main complex of the Dojo, he saw a few people sitting next to the koi pond they had installed a few years ago, but he couldn't really make out whom they were or what they were talking about.
"Oi! Raikouji, you're late!" Yahiko's voice called from the practicing students side. Kenji noted that he didn't look too happy, but then again, taking the role of the master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, he never looked happy.
"Sumimasen, Myojin-sensei," Chizuru bowed slightly then with a light touch to Kenji's shoulder she quickly went over to where her pack was next to a tree and took out her shinai. Running to join the others, Kenji noted that her blossom still held in her hair and grinned slightly.
Continuing on, he ventured into the main complex of the Dojo and walked to his mother's room. Opening the door slightly, he let a fond smile creep up to his lips as he watched her sleep lightly. He cared for his mother deeply and it worried him to see her in such a fragile state. The doctors, even Megumi Takani whom he had been acquainted to, but didn't really know too well, said that she had a debilitating illness that weakened her health greatly. It worried him that she might contract tuberculosis like his father and he didn't know what he would do if she had the disease.
Sliding the door open, he knelt down next to her bed and placed both flowers by the right side of the futon where his father used to sleep, then moved to the other side and prodded her gently.
"Okaasan, wake up," he nudged her gently and she turned over.
"Kenji?" she murmured sleepily and he smiled as her eyes flickered open.
"Daijoubu, okaasan?" he asked as she stretched slightly then covered her mouth with the back of her hand as a yawn escaped.
"Better, Kenji," she still had sleepiness lacing her voice, but she was coming awake. "You need not worry about me…"
"Hai, but I've brought you something," he gestured to her left and as she sat up, she turned. He only got a glimpse of her eyes widening in either surprise or shock, he didn't know, but she turned back around and a smile was on her face.
"An iris?" she asked.
"Hai."
"Arigatou, Kenji," she gave his arm a brief squeeze, "and a white plum blossom…I'm sure Kenshin would love that."
"Hai…Shisho told me that he loved white plums, but for whatever reason, he didn't say…" he trailed off as she suddenly had a closed expression on her face, "is it something I said?"
Kaoru laughed lightly, "Maa maa, Kenji…nothing. Its okay…" she turned to where the iris and white plum laid, "will you be visiting him today?"
"Hai," Kenji nodded, "but not during the day. Too many people and I feel kind of uncomfortable. I will go in the night before I sleep."
"Then I better get some water and a vase for these two," she started to move from the bed and Kenji watched as she seemingly summoned her old strength back and started to move around effortlessly.
"Did you have breakfast?" she asked as she got a vase and poured some of the water she had been drinking during the night into the vase then set the two flowers in it.
"Iie…not yet at least," he scratched the back of his head, feeling his the wisps of his red hair touch the nape of his neck.
"Then let's go," Kaoru set the vase down next to her futon and offered a hand to him.
* * *
When Kenji had finished a hearty breakfast, though he had to swallow some of his mother's burnt cooking with a fake smile plastered to his face, he walked outside and sat down on the porch, watching Yahiko run the other students through various drills. He lifted his sakabatou out of its place on his left side and let rest against his shoulder as he watched the students spar with an invisible opponent.
His gaze wandered to where Chizuru was effortlessly flowing from one different stroke to the next, the white plum blossom a blur against the blackness of her hair. She did look prettier with the blossom in her hair he decided as she finished with the last stroke then took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
When she opened them once more, he found them staring back at him and she waved. He nodded his head in acknowledgement until someone kicked him in the back and he went flying face first into the ground.
"Oro…" he managed to squeak out as his face was in the dirt. He immediately snapped to focus when a booming laughter came from behind him, a laughter that sounded vaguely familiar. Ohhh…I am so going to get whoever pushed me…
He flipped onto his feet and turned around, clutching his sakabatou in a death grip and his eyes blazed with fury… "Sanosuke?!"
"Right on kid," Sanosuke Sagara's face wasn't much older, except for the fact that he was graying early on the sides of his temples…but he was still wearing a cocky smile and chewing on the ever-present fishbone.
"Ah! What the hell did you do that for, busu!" he yelled at his surrogate uncle, and was irritated to see the grin on Sano's face grow even wider.
"Ugly? That what you callin' me, Kenji?" Sano pounded a fist into the middle of his head and Kenji winced but was even more irritated as Sano continued to laugh.
"No, I should call you bakayaro," he replied as soon as Sano lifted his fist, but was ready to duck out of the way of his fist again until a shrill voice broke them apart.
"Sanosuke Sagara! Don't you dare touch my boy!" Kaoru's voice still had strength after all these years and both men turned around to see Kaoru holding a wooden bokken, waving it around.
"Jo-chan!" Sano called out, looking both sheepish and happy at the same time, "daijabou?"
"I'm fine for the final time! It's not like I'm going to break any second!" Kaoru looked exasperated and Kenji blinked. He had never seen his mother look so…so…happy in all his life, except maybe when he was younger, but he didn't really remember much then…
"Hit my husband, and you'll regret it," a sensual voice spoke behind them and Kenji turned to see the famous doctor Megumi Takani…or was it Megumi Sagara since she was clinging onto Sano possessively while giving Kenji's mother a glare.
"Megumi-san!" Kaoru came down the stairs, still holding her wooden bokken, but in a non-threatening way, "when did you guys come in? I thought your letter said that you wouldn't be here until two days from today…"
"Came in at the morning hours from Aizu…we've been waiting for you by your koi pond to get up so we can introduce Kitsune to you. Yahiko's met her already…ahhh…Megumi, where's Kitsune?"
"Kit-chan?" Megumi turned slightly and a small head full of spiky black hair and bright but inquisitive blue eyes peered from behind her dark bluish-purple kimono.
"Hai okaasan?" Kitsune was extremely shy, Kenji could tell, so he crouched next to Megumi and offered a hand to her. Within his hand there was a small white origami crane he had built a long time ago but hid it in his pocket.
"Kitsune-chibi, I give this to you," he kept his hand steady as she released her death grip on her mother's kimono and stepped forward tentatively.
"Arigatou…" she mumbled as she took the crane then suddenly jumped as if remembering something. "Oh," she dug into the pocket of her mini kimono and produced a pouch then turned to his mother. "Kaoru-san…this is for you. Take one a day and you will regain energy. This is to heal you from your current state of health."
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Kitsune-chan. Arigatou gozaimasu Megumi-san," Kaoru took the pouch and opened it then dumped a few contents out. They were white looking pills and Kenji scratched his head in puzzlement.
"And that is…"
"They're antibiotic pills from America. We took a long trip recently and I've studied some American medicine. These should help you with your symptoms," Megumi replied in a sincere manner.
"Arigatou Megumi-san," Kaoru dumped the pills back in their bag then gestured for them to follow her, "would you like to sit down. Then you can tell me all about this place called Am-eri-ca…" "Oh, Kenji?"
"Hai, okaasan?" Kenji glanced at his mother and stood up from his crouching position.
"I'm sure Kitsune-chan would like to play with the other children…why don't you take her to the back where Ayame and Suzume should be taking care of the younger ones. And I'll need you to get some tofu for tonight. We have a few more guests who should be arriving this afternoon to celebrate the Summer Festival," Kaoru handed him the tofu bowl and Kenji gawked.
"More?" he managed to squeak out. He had never expected so many guests to come…and speaking of which, who were they? Had he ever met them before?
"Hai, hai," Kaoru smiled broadly then gestured to both Megumi and Sano, "we can talk in the main room."
Kenji stared at the retreating forms of his mother's friends, bewildered. When he woke up today, he had expected a normal day…but now…his mother never even told him. Oro…the world has turned upside down. The Gods must be laughing at my predicament at the moment…
A tug to his dark green gi brought his attention down to Kitsune's frowning face. "Kit-chibi?"
"Can I come with you to buy tofu?" she asked, fingering the hem of the bow to her kimono.
"Ano…" he frowned. It wouldn't hurt for the little kid to see the city, but he didn't really know if he should. It was safe after all and if there was anyone hassling them, he could defend her with his sakabatou. "I guess…"
"Yay! Kenji-niichan the best!" Kitsune looked absolutely cheerful at the prospect that Kenji sighed and raked a hand through his unruly red bangs. Somehow, he felt as if he had made both the biggest mistake in the world, and make the kid the happiest in the world.
* * *