A/N: Here's the next installment of Monsters and Demons. It's only twenty truths this time though. I hope you enjoy it!

Twenty Truths about Monsters and Demons

One

Truth: When Sanosuke first met the Kenshin-gumi, he was more like Jin-e than he was like Kenshin. He traded employers as easily as paychecks, with no loyalty left for anyone but himself. And what he wanted most was a fight.

Two

Truth: Kaoru and Yahiko don't understand this about him, but when Sanosuke told the Hiruma brothers that it was up to his opponents whether they lived or died, he meant it. Sanosuke never aimed to kill, but he still has over thirty graves to his name.

Three

Truth: Kenshin understands this perfectly.

Four

Truth: There was a time when Kenshin was wary around Sano. It was not when he first saw him fight at the Akabeko, or even when the younger man came to the dojo to challenge him. It was months later, when he first realized that Sano knew about the deaths he had caused… and didn't really care.

Five

Truth: Sano was hurt by the sudden distance in his friend's eyes. He didn't—couldn't—understand, because he truly believed that any grown man who died in a fight where his opponent wasn't even trying to kill him had it coming.

Six

Truth: Kenshin got over it quickly enough, if only because he has come to expect that attitude in any fighter even approaching his level of skill. He tries very hard not to think about what this might mean.

Seven

Truth: The real reason Kenshin was in Tokyo the night he met Kaoru was because he routinely hunted down murders and bandits that had taken to calling themselves Battousai. He had heard about this imposter a few towns up the road and decided to take care of it.

Eight

Truth: This tendency actually made his path incredibly easy to follow. Kenshin is still surprised it took the government so long to catch up to him. He won't admit it, but he used to wish they would hurry up about it.

Nine.

Truth: If Kenshin thought about it, and he tries not to, he would tell you there were two reasons for his impatience. The first reason—and he hopes Megumi never, ever find out about it—is that he thought he might die on whatever mission they had for him, and he could finally rest. Sometimes redemption just didn't seem worth the loneliness.

Ten.

Truth: This is, believe it or not, the more noble of the two reasons.

Eleven.

Truth: The second reason was petty, and Kenshin feels guilt for it, but it's been building in him since he first realized that not only did his blood-soaked sword have precious little effect on the outcome of the war, but that to put it down would be a betrayal to all of his victims. The second reason was, simply, that Kenshin wanted the satisfaction of seeing the looks on his superiors' smug faces when he said "no".

Twelve.

Truth: Even though, when the time came, he gave the right answer for the right reasons, Kenshin is still glad he got to make Okubo sweat.

Thirteen.

Truth: Saitou has one, surprisingly straightforward reason for declining the duel the Battousai had so thoughtfully offered after they had finsihed with Enishi. Or, upon careful consideration, two.

Fourteen.

Truth: The first reason is that he would lose. This is not so petty a reason as it seems. Being defeated by the Battousai would be very nearly as satisfying as being the victor. The dance of blades and blood would be more than enough. No, Saitou declined because losing and being denied the death he had earned would be unbearable.

Fifteen.

Truth: The only reason this stops him is that he is also sure the Battousai would count acting as his second a breach of his vow.

Sixteen.

Truth: The second reason is that calling any future battle between them the 'final' one would be a farce. He didn't realize it at the time, too caught up in the rhythm of hearts and blades and where to strike, but the loss was already his.

Seventeen.

Truth: Saitou had scored many hits in that brief fight in the girl's dojo. All glancing blows. Even the chest wound he had so disdained the other for allowing had hardly slowed the younger man down. The Battousai had scored few. But the first, the very first...

Eighteen.

Truth: With any blade on Earth but the sakabatou, it was a beheading blow.

Nineteen.

Truth: There is a third reason, but this Saitou will happily take to his grave. Saitou Hajime, as the last Wolf of Mibu, cannot go into a battle named 'final' with the hitokiri Himura Battousai and allow both to walk away alive. And...he's not quite ready to tell his wife and sons goodbye.

Twenty.

Truth: Evil, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

A/N: I have another idea for a chapter focusing on Kaoru and Yahiko, but it still needs a lot of work. Should I go for it or let this one rest for a while?