Rurouni Kenshin
Divine Redemption
Disclaimer: The works of Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X rightfully belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei.
Disclaimer 1: All new characters (young and old, major or minor) are rightfully my property. No one is allowed to use them unless they want a beating!
Disclaimer 2: No profit here! I'm not making money out of this venture.
You Have Been Forewarned! There are spoilers in this fan fiction that relate to the ending of Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X. You are reading this knowing that I have already warned you and that there will be consequences to your understanding of the world of Kenshin. So please, have an open mind about the current situations of the characters to follow.
Author's Note: A jo is a staff the size of a walking stick. Used in Jodo/Jojutsu.
Chapter 1: Rewards Aplenty
Kyoto had received its many changes in time. Sanosuke could not believe how much it had after seven years. The Western cultures that continuously influenced Japan had now taken its toll. Many of the regimes of the old ways, such as clothing, manners, services, and other things had reverted into a Western ideal. It felt like a circus he was walking through, not his own country. He knew he had a lot of catching up to do with everybody he left behind.
"Wow, it's been so long," he muttered to himself. "I wonder if thatShirobeko still runs around here?" Continuing down the long streets, Sanosuke walked with his tired feet, searching for the restaurant he had grown to know all those years ago.
The streets were filled with many people, however not so overly crowded amongst the stalls. In particular, a food stall stood amidst many of these shops. Mediocre as it may be, an old man talked casually to a young person packing the items purchased earlier, placing the miso and the soba perfectly inside a large wooden casing. The old man smiled upon the young person working tirelessly, stroking his small beard.
"Are you sure this is everything your Lady needs?" he spoke with a content yet concerned look across his face.
The young person, packing the items into a small box, smiled at him contently. Although through tired eyes, he held resolve and persistence. "I'm pretty sure," he answered, closing the lid to avoid the contents' exposure from the surrounding air. "She can be quite a handful sometimes." He then wrapped the box within a cloth, tying the ends above the lid.
"I could imagine," stated the old man, finally seeing the product of the younger man's toil. "So, it's just these rounds then?"
The young man smiled. "Yep, then I can relax for the rest of the day." He turned towards the street, watching the people walk by with their brightly coloured clothes. However, something caught his eye close by. Something out of place in this bright scenario, adorned in dull brown clothing as he. They turned to him with eyes filled with nothing else but hunger and boredom. He gently smiled at these little figures and immediately turned towards the stall, eyeing on some foodstuffs across its boards. Many things caught his eye, but one in particular was perfect for the taking.
"Would you mind if I have two of those?" he asked, pointing to the pork buns that lay in the stall.
The old man stared at him curiously, yet with a playful smile on his face. "Whatever for?"
The young man did not faze. He continued to smile and awaited the stall owner's surrender. With that, both men exchanged goods. The young man turned towards the two children beside the road, still staring at him with wide hungry eyes. He walked towards them slowly, holding a pork bun in each hand. Kneeling to their height, he approached the boy, hiding the little girl behind him.
"Would you like one?" he asked kindly.
The little boy looked at him incredulously, yet did not deter his eyes from the stranger. "Yes sir," he replied politely.
"Here." The young man granted both buns to him. "One for you, and your sister."
The little girl from behind the boy looked shyly at the stranger with innocent eyes. The boy himself took a step back from the comment made earlier.
"How do you…?" he began to stutter.
"You almost look alike. And it is a brave thing of you to protect your sister despite any situation given the circumstance." He gave them the pork buns, the little girl already nibbling into her share. "That is something you should always look out for. You'll make a man someday."
The boy took his share of a pork bun and grinned in pride. "Thanks." Soon after, both children ran towards one of the stalls, sitting beside it and began to eat into their snacks. The boy then turned his attention towards one of the stall owners beside them and talked cheerfully with him. The young man assumed the two of them must be related, as said stall owner sent him a friendly wave. He politely returned it.
Walking towards the food stall, the old man shook his head in dismay and smiled at him.
"Gratitude like that is going to get you in some trouble from the Lady," he warned, watching as the young man picked up his foodstuffs and slung the large box across his back. Once properly secured, he turned towards the old stall owner and smiled again despite the pain of the wood across his back.
"I'm sure she won't notice a few things," he reassured.
Sanosuke proceeded to walk through the streets, still grabbing attention from strangers as he did. As he entered the marketplace, in hopes of finding Shirobeko, his stomach began to growl in intemperance. He had nought to eat since his long boat trip, and it was becoming bothersome. He was extremely hungry. Passing by many stalls, he found one selling practical and small foodstuffs, something to tide him over until he found Shirobeko in this place. He walked over and looked at the stall, finding some fresh pork buns and riceballs.
"Hey, how much for those?" he asked, pointing at the pork buns.
The old stall owner turned towards him with a smile on his face. "100 yen," he answered.
Sanosuke leaned back and sighed. Things have not changed much in Japan. Food was still an issue with money. "Pretty expensive stuff," he commented.
"Well, I only serve the best," replied the stall owner.
Sanosuke considered whether to take and run, or just lay low until he found Shirobeko. He was still a wanted fugitive, a wrongfully accused fugitive, and though eight years have passed since his disappearance, people may still recognise him. He did not want to get caught before settling his personal agendas first.
"Hey, farmboy!" roared a voice from down the street, catching Sanosuke's attention from his thoughts. A group of men stood in the middle of the street, blocking the path for a young man carrying a large crate upon his back. They carried long sticks and wore loose kimonos, flaunting their attire as they stood before the young servant. The man stopped in his trek back home, looking up at the men that forced him to stay.
"Why not hand over all of that?" persuaded the ringleader, tapping hisjo upon his shoulder. "I'm sure that's too much to carry for someone like you."
The servant merely smiled. "I'm fine with everything," he replied, trying to avoid unnecessary conflict.
"You sure?" asked another man, his face thinner than the leader's and almost resembling a fox. "We could take it off your shoulders."
The servant once again smiled and shook his head. "It's okay."
The crowds began to walk slowly by them, watching the antagonistic atmosphere that was brewing about them. The stall owner sighed, watching the scene unfold before everyone in the street. Sanosuke looked towards the stall owner, curious.
"What?" he asked assumingly.
The old stall owner turned towards him, his face weary and full of concern and disgust all at once. "Those men always pick on that fellow," he replied. "It's like he's got a target written on his head."
Things never change, thought Sanosuke, looking back at the scene, finding the men now crowding around the young servant. He noticed two others within the group as they did – a stout short man and one with beautiful features on his face. Along with the ringleader and the fox, they were still in their persuasive mood all the while being rejected at the same time. No trouble had brewed yet, but the tension between them was thickening at a fast rate.
"You know him?" asked Sanosuke, curious about the stall owner's personal attention to the servant.
"I serve him everyday. In fact, he was just here a while ago," he replied, fulfilling Sanosuke's queries. "He's a nice young fellow trying to make ends meet. My shop's the only one he goes to, and I'm sure the Lady is a nice enough woman to take him in and treat him well for these type of problems."
"Lady?"
Before Sanosuke was able to comprehend what the stall owner was talking about, a crash resonated in the streets. The ringleader had grabbed the servant by the collar, carrying him off the ground with his cargo upon his back. With their faces so close to each other, the ringleader ran out of patience with the persuading.
"Hand them over!" he yelled at the servant, almost breathing down his neck. "We're starving!"
The servant looked back at him with no complies. He merely allowed himself to be handled this way. The pretty one of the group walked beside the ringleader, staring up at the servant with his striking eyes.
"It's only some soba and miso," he commented in a persuasive tone that matched the fox. "Nothing of value."
The servant did not reply.
"We could change your mind the hard way," threatened the stout man, tapping his jo on his hands. The looks in his eyes were almost murderous as he smiled all the while he stood below the group.
The servant looked back at the ringleader, finding his face red with anger and impatience. "I've gotten enough of that last week," he finally replied.
"No jokes!" threatened the ringleader, throwing the servant on the ground. "Hand them now!" He raised his jo and immediately swung it towards the servant, aiming for his head, his patience now wearing thin from the confrontation.
The crowd gasped as he attacked the young servant. Luckily, the servant was attempting to stand from the fall, warranting a whack to the box he was carrying behind him, and thus protecting himself. The others joined in the fight, swinging their jo towards the servant, hitting his legs and his arms as he protected his body from harm's way. Eventually, the force of four men was too strong that they cracked the wooden box on his back, spilling out the contents of his foodstuffs. Water ran onto the street as well as now spoiled soba and miso. The servant lay on the floor, still trying to protect himself. Welts and bruises were appearing on his arms and tears were streaming down his face. The people of the marketplace stopped still in the streets, watching the beating that was occurring before them. None thought of intervening, thinking better that they themselves did not get involved in such brutality.
The men still continued to hit the servant, finding the activity addictive. The stout man laughed almost sadistically.
"Come on! Where's your Lady now?" he questioned now kicking the servant in the ribs as the others continued to whack him with their jo.
The servant held his ground, coiling in a foetal position to prevent serious injury. He knew there were days like this. He still had bruises from the last encounter a week ago and the cuts on his right leg were still healing. Despite many others from the Lady's household wanting to keep him indoors and change job responsibilities of the house, he would decline and continue to buy products from the marketplace. He never wanted others to feel this pain.
Suddenly, the beating stopped. The servant slowly opened his eyes and found a pair of feet before him standing before the group of men who assaulted him. He looked up, finding a large symbol upon his dirty clothes, a stark black against the stained white, reading the wordAku. Sanosuke stood before the group of men, grabbing the ringleader'sjo in his left hand with ease. The ringleader stared at Sanosuke with angry eyes, trying to take hi joback from him.
"Why don't you pick on someone who can fight back," he spoke, throwing the ringleader off of his footing with a push of his jo. Sanosuke rubbed the nape of his neck nonchalantly and looked back at the group before him with a smirk on his face. "Not that you weaklings could match up."
"What was that?" asked the fox, poking fun and aggravating the ringleader even more.
The ringleader, outraged by such interference, pointed his jo towards Sanosuke. "Get him!" he yelled, ordering the others to run towards Sanosuke.
The three ran towards Sanosuke, readying their jo in attack formation. They swung them over their heads and struck Sanosuke atop his head. The crowds around them gasped in horror, fearing the worst outcome. The servant himself cringed to avoid seeing the inevitable. Three whacks were heard, but no sound of pain emitted from Sanosuke. The servant looked up at his saviour, finding him grabbing the three jo with his hands. The men, like their ringleader, tried to retrieve their jo from him, but to no avail were they able to do so.
"Why would I even bother?" murmured Sanosuke, prompting to crush the men's weapons with his hands. The sticks splintered and soon broke under his force, leaving the men bewildered and with no weapons in hand. They looked at Sanosuke now with fear in their eyes.
"Run!" cried the stout man, turning tail first, followed by the pretty one and the fox. All three ran past their leader, leaving him behind alone with Sanosuke. Panicked, he dropped his jo and ran after his men, screaming to high heaven at them for leaving him.
Sanosuke sighed. He hated people like that, picking on the little guy and feeling good about it. Things truly have not changed in Japan in his opinion. "Hey," he called, turning towards the servant who sat up from his foetal position. "You okay?"
The servant looked at his hands and arms now red and stinging with bruises and welts. He looked up at Sanosuke and nodded. "Y-yeah," he replied weakly. "Thanks for that."
"Ah, it was nothing," replied Sanosuke nonchalantly, opening a hand towards the servant.
The servant reached out for it, grabbing his large hand and pulling himself up from the dirt floor. Now wet on his backside due to the incident, he looked up at his saviour and studied his face, realising how much he has not groomed himself as of late. Sanosuke looked back at the broken box behind the servant, finding the flies now circling the spoilt food on the floor.
"What about that?" he asked, pointing at the miso and soba contents.
The servant turned towards the contents and sighed, rubbing the nape of his neck in defeat. "I'm sure the Lady is able to forgive me for this," he answered, turning again towards Sanosuke. "She usually is a friendly sort when these things happen."
Sanosuke's curiosity perked again. The stall owner previously mentioned a 'Lady' before the situation broke out. "Lady?" he asked again, looking at the young man before him. "What is she? A saint?"
The servant laughed at such a question, warranting a strange look from Sanosuke. "Not exactly."
Shrugging, Sanosuke walked away from the man, heading for the stall he was previously at. The stall owner then handed him a pork bun, of which Sanosuke immediately bit into as soon as he had it.
"Thanks," gratified Sanosuke, walking away from the stall as he did. Sanosuke did not want to bring too much attention, wanting to lay low especially after what had happened. He still had to find Shirobeko in this town and get in touch with his friends. He wanted to find out how everyone was doing, how the changes have changed them, and to his own self-indulgence, how he could finish his personal quest.
As he finished his bun in record time, he heard footsteps behind him. Sanosuke turned to find the servant he had saved running towards him despite his damp clothes.
"Wait!" he yelled, running after Sanosuke. He reached the tall man, panting from the run. "I'd like to reward you."
Sanosuke looked down at the man, now realising how short he was. "You don't need to thank me," he spoke in all seriousness.
"But the Lady would be pleased to reward you for saving my life. I'm sure an agreement could be met."
"Sorry, but I've got errands and places to get to." Sanosuke resumed his trek through the streets, hoping that would be the end of it all. Any more interference like this would hinder his journey home. On a dangerous note, he would potentially be put back on the fugitive list, which meant more running. He did not want to run anymore. He wanted to return home and see the faces he had grown to love as his family.
"I'm sure she could offer some assistance," continued the servant, fervent in rewarding Sanosuke for his efforts. "Like some clean clothes, some food, and a place to sleep for today at least."
The words stopped Sanosuke in his tracks. He thought the offer through, touching his chin and feeling the stubble that grew there. He looked around and saw a window by him – a cleaner one than the one at the port. He looked at himself again. He was filthy from his trip. He had not bathed at all since leaving the Main Continent, and as far as money was involved, he had very little to support himself. He turned around towards the servant who perked up at his reluctant body language, and sighed in defeat.
"I'll take up that offer," he answered, walking towards the servant. "Show me the way."