CHAPTER 9- THE TRUTH
Back at the mansion in Yokohama, Enishi's headquarters, Enishi came upon Gein. The puppetmaster loomed over a long table, a table full of rather grisly gadgets. He seemed hard at work.
Enishi peered over his shoulder. "Looks promising already. But can you have it ready in ten days?"
Gein paused. "Ten days? Is that when the battle begins?"
"Aa."
Gein went back to work. "Sure. I will give this beauty my all. But I doubt the other four will be happy about such a long wait."
"I'll talk to them. They'll understand." Enishi walked away. "Just make sure IT is ready in time. Our Earthly Justice depends on it."
...........
A while later, everyone was crowded in the dojo to watch Kaoru and Yahiko train.
"HYAH! HOH! HAH!" Yahiko lashed out with every bit of strength he had, trying to overpower his master.
But alas, Kaoru blocked him blow-for-blow. "No, no! Yahiko, rely on the hilt of your sword! That is what these techniques call for! The hilt!"
"Right, right!" Yahiko strained to correct his form.
Sanosuke and Jiani were being tended to by Megumi, who was currently changing the bandages on the former's hand. Sanosuke whistled. "They're sure working hard at this."
"Hold still, darn you!" Megumi scolded.
Jiani sighed. "I feel more and more anxious to train by the hour." She looked around. "And where on Earth is my father?"
Just then, Tsubame saw someone approaching the dojo from the corner of her eye. Shifting in her seat, she gasped. "Mr. Himura!"
In came Kenshin.
Kaoru's smile was broken the instant she saw his face. "Kenshin?"
"Papa?" Jiani gasped.
Kenshin's eyes were blank and he looked tired and sad.
Immediately, Jiani got up and ran towards him. "Papa! Are you all right? What's the matter?"
He took a look at her. "I.Enishi.Tomoe."
Jiani grasped his shoulders. "Papa! Snap out of it! Papa!"
After a moment, his eyes seemed to clear a little. 'That voice.that hand.' He looked into her eyes, as if pondering if she was really there. "Jiani- chan."
Kaoru abandoned her bokken and rushed to his side as well. "Are you hurt? Let Megumi treat your injuries!"
He shook his head. "N-No.No I'm all right." He took a long, deep breath. "But there's something I must tell you all."
Minutes later, everyone gathered around.
Kenshin began. "The person behind all this, the one who wants revenge on me, perhaps more than anyone else.is my brother, Yukishiro Enishi."
Jiani's eyes widened. "Yuki---shiro?"
"Your brother?" Kaoru asked.
"My brother-in-law, actually." Kenshin corrected. He studied the floor of the dojo. "It all began almost 20 years ago. When I was the one called Hitokiri Battousai, I met a woman named Yukishiro Tomoe. It was during the turbulent days of the Bakumatsu."
His story went on until the sun set.
Everyone was stunned and showed it when Kenshin stopped to catch his breath. Jiani's face was pale. "Papa.I didn't know."
Kenshin closed his eyes shamefully. "I know.I was afraid to let you know."
Jiani's world spun. Her mother had married her father to find a way to get revenge on him? And he had been the one to kill her? That guilt and shame had been what kept them apart for so many years?
Kenshin could see her disbelief. Slowly, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jiani-chan."
Nodding slightly, she placed her hand over his. "It doesn't change anything." She forced a smile. "You are still my father and I will forever be by your side."
"We all will, Kenshin." Kaoru agreed.
Kenshin finally smiled back. He knew he could count on them. Now it was only a matter of time.
Back at the mansion in Yokohama, Enishi's headquarters, Enishi came upon Gein. The puppetmaster loomed over a long table, a table full of rather grisly gadgets. He seemed hard at work.
Enishi peered over his shoulder. "Looks promising already. But can you have it ready in ten days?"
Gein paused. "Ten days? Is that when the battle begins?"
"Aa."
Gein went back to work. "Sure. I will give this beauty my all. But I doubt the other four will be happy about such a long wait."
"I'll talk to them. They'll understand." Enishi walked away. "Just make sure IT is ready in time. Our Earthly Justice depends on it."
...........
A while later, everyone was crowded in the dojo to watch Kaoru and Yahiko train.
"HYAH! HOH! HAH!" Yahiko lashed out with every bit of strength he had, trying to overpower his master.
But alas, Kaoru blocked him blow-for-blow. "No, no! Yahiko, rely on the hilt of your sword! That is what these techniques call for! The hilt!"
"Right, right!" Yahiko strained to correct his form.
Sanosuke and Jiani were being tended to by Megumi, who was currently changing the bandages on the former's hand. Sanosuke whistled. "They're sure working hard at this."
"Hold still, darn you!" Megumi scolded.
Jiani sighed. "I feel more and more anxious to train by the hour." She looked around. "And where on Earth is my father?"
Just then, Tsubame saw someone approaching the dojo from the corner of her eye. Shifting in her seat, she gasped. "Mr. Himura!"
In came Kenshin.
Kaoru's smile was broken the instant she saw his face. "Kenshin?"
"Papa?" Jiani gasped.
Kenshin's eyes were blank and he looked tired and sad.
Immediately, Jiani got up and ran towards him. "Papa! Are you all right? What's the matter?"
He took a look at her. "I.Enishi.Tomoe."
Jiani grasped his shoulders. "Papa! Snap out of it! Papa!"
After a moment, his eyes seemed to clear a little. 'That voice.that hand.' He looked into her eyes, as if pondering if she was really there. "Jiani- chan."
Kaoru abandoned her bokken and rushed to his side as well. "Are you hurt? Let Megumi treat your injuries!"
He shook his head. "N-No.No I'm all right." He took a long, deep breath. "But there's something I must tell you all."
Minutes later, everyone gathered around.
Kenshin began. "The person behind all this, the one who wants revenge on me, perhaps more than anyone else.is my brother, Yukishiro Enishi."
Jiani's eyes widened. "Yuki---shiro?"
"Your brother?" Kaoru asked.
"My brother-in-law, actually." Kenshin corrected. He studied the floor of the dojo. "It all began almost 20 years ago. When I was the one called Hitokiri Battousai, I met a woman named Yukishiro Tomoe. It was during the turbulent days of the Bakumatsu."
His story went on until the sun set.
Everyone was stunned and showed it when Kenshin stopped to catch his breath. Jiani's face was pale. "Papa.I didn't know."
Kenshin closed his eyes shamefully. "I know.I was afraid to let you know."
Jiani's world spun. Her mother had married her father to find a way to get revenge on him? And he had been the one to kill her? That guilt and shame had been what kept them apart for so many years?
Kenshin could see her disbelief. Slowly, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jiani-chan."
Nodding slightly, she placed her hand over his. "It doesn't change anything." She forced a smile. "You are still my father and I will forever be by your side."
"We all will, Kenshin." Kaoru agreed.
Kenshin finally smiled back. He knew he could count on them. Now it was only a matter of time.