This story is set in my own ALTERNATE REALITY Rurouni Kenshin universe which I've called "The Nightwitch Tales" -- think of it as Rurouni Kenshin mixed with various supernatural and paranormal elements. Other stories in this alternate reality are: "Night Visitor"; "All in the Family"; and "Romancing the Wolf".
It takes place after the end of the Kyoto story arc. After that, all bets are off. Elements of the Revenge story arc may show up in the story.
WARNING: This story is "semi-dark" -- it has dark elements
(violence, profanity, etc.) but it's not a darkfic! Actually, there's
quite a bit of romance in it.... ^_-
As always, C&C is greatly appreciated! ^_^
======================================================================
THAT WHICH LINGERS: A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic by MadamHydra
======================================================================
Part 15: FAMILY TIES
======================================================================
---------------
Disclaimer
All rights and privileges to Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki,
Shuiesha, Sony Music Entertainment, and associated parties. The characters
of these series are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment
only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit. Original portion
of the fiction included here is considered to be the sole property and copyrighted
to the author.
---------------
Text Conventions
( ) are character thoughts
/ / and // // represent various sorts of mental dialogue
* ----- * ----- * marks the start/end of dreams or flashbacks
[ ] denote visual or time notes
**********************************************************************
[the present, 11th year of the Meiji period, summer]
-----------------------------------
In the late evening, three days after leaving Tokyo, the steamship entered Osaka harbor. As the ship pulled up to the dock, a steady, cold drizzle began to fall.
After Saitoh, Kenshin, and the others disembarked, they realized that someone was waiting for them. Actually, there were two different people waiting for them under the shelter of a nearby porch. Nearby, two carriages waited. Kenshin and the others recognized the first man. Shiro of the Oniwabanshuu looked tense, unnerved. It was easy to see that he had bad news to tell them.
Exactly the same could be said of the policeman waiting for Saitoh. He saluted smartly and said, "Inspector Fujita. Here's the information that you requested. And the Chief Inspector wanted me to fill you in on new developments." The young officer glanced at Kenshin and the others, then hesitated.
Saitoh gave the others a bored look, then shrugged. "Go ahead."
The policeman took a deep breath. "You heard about the... the things... apparitions that have been showing up in the streets of the city."
"Yes."
"Things have gotten worse since then."
"How so?"
"There have been increasing number of reports of... of erratic behavior in the city. People attacking other people for no rational reason. And two nights ago, a woman reported that she unexpectedly encountered some armed men walking near her house. She claims that one of the men physically shoved her out of the way... then vanished before her eyes."
"Hmmm."
"The next day, there was a flurry of reports about the same sort of thing... people who say they actually touched or were touched by these apparitions that mysteriously appear and vanish. It started out with minor things like a touch or a shove, but the contacts have steadily escalated to actually serious blows or assaults."
The young policeman hesitated, then said, "Last night, a man was seriously injured. He claimed that his attacker was a man who died over a decade ago."
As Sano and the others exchanged stunned looks, Kenshin said quietly, "You said injured. How so?"
The policeman glanced questioningly at Saitoh, who gave him a curt nod.
"He was slashed along his leg and chest, apparently with a sword. But it gets even worse. Sir," he hastily added, turning back to Saitoh.
"Go on."
"Three more similar incidents have occurred since last night. And the doctors don't think that the last two men will survive."
"And they claim the same thing?"
"Basically, yes. It's either someone they already knew to be dead and/or the attacker vanishes into thin air. These are the only attacks which have independent witnesses or in which the victims were able to describe what happened. There may be more which have gone unreported or which are unverified for various reasons, sir."
Misao and Aoshi gave Shiro sharp looks. He nodded discretely.
Yahiko glared at Saitoh and shouted, "You KNEW something like this was going to happen!"
Saitoh gave the boy an irritated stare, but shrugged it off. Turning back to the young officer, he said, "Anything else?"
The young man handed him a few sheets of paper. "The information that you requested."
Saitoh took the papers and said, "Very well. Wait by the carriage. We'll be leaving shortly."
As the young policeman saluted and hurried away, Saitoh quickly skimmed through the papers.
Sano said, "What the hell is that about?"
Saitoh smirked slightly. "It's a report on Minobe Junichi. It seems that he died just over a week ago in Tokyo. For the last thirteen years, he's been a crippled invalid, tended by his sister, Junko."
Misao whispered, "The timing.... that CAN'T be just a coincidence."
Kenshin said, "And what happened to his sister?"
Saitoh smiled slowly. "She's dead. Suicide. She threw herself off a bridge and drowned after her fiance and his entire family was massacred by a mysterious assailant. The fiance's name was Uboshita Sachi."
All three of the Oniwabanshuu stiffened.
Misao thought, (Uboshita! That's Jiya's old friend... he and his family were the first to die in the killing spree caused by that damned black sword!)
Kenshin said thoughtfully, "The connection's starting to become clear."
Sano muttered, "It's making no sense to ME!"
Saitoh snorted and said, "Moron. Minobe Junichi's death appears to have been the trigger for this whole series of events." He flicked the papers in his hand. "Because it says here that Minobe Junichi owned a sword, a weapon that never left his hands even though he was hopelessly crippled. After his death, the sword disappeared. Now do you get it, you idiot?"
Yahiko muttered, "So... if that sword was the same black sword we saw...."
"Then his sister must have been the very first one taken over by that sword! And... and she slaughtered her fiance and his entire family... then she probably killed herself because of what she'd done," Misao said in a horrified whisper.
(Oh god... if I had succeeded in killing Aoshi... I would have done the exact same thing....) She shivered and huddled against to Aoshi, who silently put a hand on her shoulder.
"But what does he want with Kenshin!?" yelled Yahiko.
"Isn't it obvious?" purred Saitoh, giving Kenshin a look of malicious amusement. "The Battousai's the one who crippled Minobe Junichi all those years ago."
Kenshin inhaled sharply. "How do you know that?"
Saitoh shrugged carelessly. "Minobe was Shinsengumi, a swordsman in my unit."
Sano clenched his fists. "You bastard! You knew who this guy was all this time and didn't tell us!?"
"I'm telling you now."
"Why didn't you tell us earlier!?"
"What good would that have been?"
"Arghhh!" Sano was so irritated that he was at a total loss for words.
Kenshin's voice was detached, devoid of all emotion. "Describe the incident in question, Saitoh."
The former Shinsengumi captain smiled nastily. "It happened thirteen years ago almost exactly. It was early August during a rainy night... rather like tonight. Minobe, the idiot, challenged you on a bridge near the southern end of the city. During the fight, the bridge collapsed, nearly taking my entire troop with it. Is this starting to sound familiar to you?"
From the look on Kenshin's face, it definitely was. He said, "So that was Minobe. But how did he become crippled? I didn't...."
Saitoh snorted. "It could have been you. Or it could have been the falling debris from the bridge. Who knows? All that matters is that Minobe and his sister blamed you for his condition."
"Which was?"
"He was almost totally paralyzed, unable to move anything below his neck. I'm surprised that he lived for so long."
Yahiko complained, "Now wait a minute! All this explains why this Minobe guy hates Kenshin so badly, but what does he have against YOU?"
Saitoh shrugged. "Who knows? I imagine he blames me for some perceived slight which has been magnified all out of proportion after all these years. Minobe was a conceited fool, whose arrogance far outstripped his abilities. An idiot, rather like Roosterhead," he said, glancing at Sano.
"Now wait a minute...!"
While Sano yelled and Saitoh ignored, Aoshi was having a quiet conversation of his own with Shiro. The ninja basically confirmed the young police officer's information, except for the scope. The government, either inadvertently or deliberately, had badly underestimated the number of unexplained incidents.
Finally Kenshin said, "Sano, please calm down. We have more important matters to worry about. I want to get to Kyoto as soon as possible. We also need more information about that sword... its history and its capabilities." There was no need for Kenshin to mention the most important reason to go to Kyoto.
Kaoru would be there... eventually.
Saitoh said, "Ah yes, the sword. Well, I'm going to talk to an expert as soon as we get to Kyoto." He scowled irritably. "Tag along if you like."
"Who might that be?" asked Misao, briefly turning her attention away from Shiro.
Tokio stepped forward and murmured, "My grand-aunt Asuko is very knowledgeable in history and legends, particularly those of the Kyoto area and those of the supernatural kind. And if she can't help us, then she can undoubtedly refer us to someone who can."
Sano grinned. "Oh ho! We're going to get a chance to meet some of your in-laws, eh, Saitoh? I'm looking forward to that!"
A very disconcerting smirk appeared on Saitoh's face. "Be careful what you wish for, fool."
-----------------------------------
Saitoh, Tokio, Kenshin and Sano ended up in the first carriage, with Misao, Aoshi, Yahiko and Shiro taking the second. There was no conversation in the first carriage as it raced toward Kyoto. Saitoh and Kenshin were both busy with their own thoughts while Tokio looked the very picture of tranquil patience.
As for Sano, he couldn't help but remember the last time they travelled this road -- the tense, headlong rush from Kyoto to Osaka to destroy Shishio's warship and the more leisurely, triumphant return back to the unburned city.
(And now, here we go again. But this time, things are a hell of a lot messier.)
This new enemy was completely different from any opponent they'd ever faced before... one whose hatred was so powerful that it could reach from beyond the grave and twist reality itself. And in one fell swoop, the cursed sword had made Kaoru bait for a trap, a human shield, and very possibly -- the most horrifying prospect of all -- a deadly weapon against Kenshin.
(And Kenshin...,) Sano thought. This time, his friend was facing enemies both inside and out. Not only did he have to worry about the sword, Minobe, and Kaoru, but Kenshin now had to face the very real danger of losing himself in memories of the past... of returning to the feared Hitokiri Battousai in both mind and soul. In comparison, the battle against Shishio seemed almost pathetically simple and straightforward.
The fighter glanced at Kenshin. (All that time on the boat... I'm sure he's already thought this thing through a dozen times over. But like he said, there's no choice. This won't go away by itself. We've got to do something before something truly terrible happens to Kaoru and the entire city of Kyoto.)
The fighter gazed out at the rapidly approaching city with a growing sense of dread.
(Kyoto... the old killing ground of both the Hitokiri Battousai and Mibu's Wolf.)
-----------------------------------
In the second carriage, things were a bit more lively. After listening to Shiro describing the events that seemed to steadily grow in both number and strangeness, Yahiko muttered, "I can't believe it. How can this happen? What could possibly affect not just a few people, but an entire city?"
Shiro shrugged helplessly.
"I don't know. But you can feel the fear in Kyoto. The temples have been packed with worshippers. People are seeking out spiritualists and anyone with any pretense of occult knowledge, looking for answers or protection."
Aoshi said, "All the apparitions date from the period of the Bakamatsu no Douran?"
With a grim nod, the Oniwabanshuu muttered, "As far as we can tell."
Misao asked worriedly, "How's Jiya doing? You said that he actually saw...."
"Yes. Okina saw the ghost of his old friend in the Aoiya garden."
"It's going to get worse," said Aoshi.
Misao muttered, "The apparitions... they're becoming more tangible... more real as time goes on, aren't they?"
"That's what Saitoh's been hinting at all along. If the cause of these events isn't stopped and destroyed, Kyoto is going become a bloody battleground again all over again."
-----------------------------------
The carriages finally stopped in front of a large compound within Kyoto. Sano, Misao, and Yahiko gaped at the exquisite taste and understated elegance -- unmistakable signs of a family which had plenty of old money and knew how to use it without tastelessly flaunting it. Even Kenshin and Aoshi looked a bit taken aback by the sight.
"Man, Saitoh's in-laws must be loaded with cash. This place makes even Yatarou's mansion look cheap!" muttered Yahiko.
Misao sputtered, "Wait a second, this is the Takagi estate!"
As Saitoh made an annoyed sound, his wife bowed slightly and said, "That's correct."
The massive doors opened and a middle-aged woman stepped out to greet them. Bowing deeply, she says, "Tokio-sama! I'm so happy to see you again."
Tokio smiled and graciously nodded her head. "I'm glad to be back, Suzue."
"Asuko-sama has been awaiting your arrival." In more restrained tones, the woman turned and said, "Good evening, Inspector Fujita."
Saitoh snorted and stalked through the gates into the compound. The others trailed after him, with the exception of Shiro who headed off to the Aoiya to notify the others of their arrival.
As Suzue led them through the main house, Kenshin abruptly stopped at a display of rustic-looking pottery in a little nook.
"Kenshin, what's up?" ask Sano.
The swordsman stared at the artfully arranged bowls and murmured, "Those dishes look familiar...."
Suzue chuckled, "Ah! Asuko-sama has a particular fondness for the works of the artist Kakunoshin Niistu. That's just part of her collection."
Kenshin looked rather startled. "Did you say 'Kakunoshin Niistu'?"
"Why, yes. Is there something wrong?"
"Uh, no. Please excuse me. It's very rude for us to keep Tokio-dono's grand-aunt waiting."
As they continued on their way, Misao leaned over and whispered to Kenshin, "Isn't 'Kakunoshin Niistu'...?"
The red-haired swordsman nodded, "Yes, that's the name my master Hiko Seijuro's been using for the last several years."
"What a bizarre coincidence...."
-----------------------------------
They ended up in a large room toward the back of the large house. The room overlooked a stark rock garden. In the far end sat three women. The first woman was very old, yet she was obviously still in excellent and vigorous health. Her cold, steely gray eyes scanned the group with a ruthless intensity that missed nothing. The other two women were both younger and considerably less intimidating. The second woman was attractive and wore her forty-some years well. Her face had a cheerful smile which only brightened as she caught sight of Tokio. The third woman was young, perhaps in her mid-twenties, with austere facial features which made her look more striking in appearance than beautiful. She didn't look at them, but kept her gaze modestly downcast.
Tokio introduced the ladies to Kenshin and his companions. Gesturing to the women in order of age, she murmured, "My grand-aunt Takagi Asuko. My aunt Takagi Yuki. And this is Risako."
The old woman said in a crisp, acid voice, "So, Saitoh, you finally get up the courage to pay me a visit, eh?"
The policeman glared at Asuko and he said shortly, "I've been very busy. Obligatory family visits were the last thing on my mind."
"Excuses, excuses." Asuko's gaze turned to Kenshin and smiled slowly. "Come here, boy." At first they thought she was referring to Yahiko, then she pointed a long-nailed finger in Kenshin's direction.
The redhead obligingly approached the seated women, but Sano was startled to notice that Kenshin's hand was not so casually resting on his sword. He glanced at Aoshi and was even more startled to see the wary look in the man's eyes, even as the former Okashira kept his kodachi close at hand. And Saitoh's tension was self-evident. It seemed impossible but all three men -- probably the best swordsmen he'd ever met -- was treating this positively ancient old woman as if she was a potential threat.
But when Asuko's gray eyes skimmed over him, Sano felt a chill run down his spine and understood their reaction. The woman was SCARY.
Asuko stared at Kenshin for a moment, rather like a buyer examining a colt for sale, before turning to the young woman sitting behind her. "So, what do you think of him, Risako?"
The young woman briefly examined Kenshin with pale brown eyes, but said nothing.
"And what brings both the old and the new Okashiras of the Oniwabanshuu, the Mibu's Wolf AND the Hitokiri Battousai to visit a old woman at this hour?" Asuko said with a chilly smile.
Saitoh bared his teeth slightly and snapped, "Not my choice, certainly."
"Of course not. I know your opinion of me. I make you nervous." In response to Saitoh's sneer, Asuko said, "Only your fanatical sense of duty would bring you calling. So you must want information from me. Oh, sit down, all of you. You're spraining my neck." Once they were all seated, she snapped, "Well, spit it out. What do you want to know?"
Sano thought nervously, (God, this woman has a tongue like an ox-whip!) He fervently hoped that he wouldn't do anything to attract her attention.
Kenshin coolly said, "We're seeking information about a black katana and the Minobe family. We have reason to believe that these things are related to the strange events recently taking place in Kyoto."
"Tell me, was there a design of a dancing dog somewhere on the sword?"
A startled Misao said, "Yes, there is. It's on the hilt ornaments and the tsuba of the sword."
Asuko chuckled ominously. "Then your question is hardly a challenge. You're talking about the infamous cursed sword of the Minobe family." She glanced at her patiently waiting grand-niece and said, "Tokio, fetch the Isimara text, if you please. Risako, show her where it is."
Risako got up and bowed to the formidable Asuko. As the young woman led Tokio out the door, Asuko continued, "The dancing dog was an old crest of the Minobe family, but it has fallen out of use in the last century or so."
"Well? What else?" Saitoh said with a scowl.
"You youngsters are so impatient. Very well. The black sword was created over 400 years ago by a young woman as a gift to the man she loved, Minobe Koji. Is the name familiar to you?"
"No, it isn't," said Kenshin.
"Small wonder, considering what happened. Minobe Koji was the finest swordsman of his day and possible for more than two centuries afterward. Unfortunately for this young woman, Koji was already married to a lady whom he loved dearly. The romantic poems he sent his wife are famed to this day for their beauty and sensuality." Asuko gave Saitoh a malicious look. "Which reminds me, Saitoh. I'm still waiting for a great-grandniece or grandnephew from you. I'm not getting any younger, you know. Just what have you and Tokio been doing all this years?"
Everyone's head swivelled to see Saitoh's reaction. They could hear him slowly grinding his teeth together and it took a few seconds before the policeman gritted out, "That's none of your business. Now about this sword?"
The old woman smirked, but continued with the story. "Well, legend has it that this young woman made a pact with a demon in an effort to win the man she so desperately loved. First, the demon was supposed to create a weapon that would make Koji the deadliest swordsman alive. Second, the demon was supposed to find a way to get rid of Koji's beloved wife." Asuko shrugged. "The woman was a naive fool and careless. She botched the wording of the pact in a spectacular fashion."
Misao whispered in a sick voice, "Oh no. I think I can see what's coming."
Asuko chuckled nastily. "Indeed. The demon-forged blade accomplished what the young woman wanted... just not in the way she wanted. As soon as Koji drew the sword to examine it, he was overcome by insane hatred and bloodlust. He turned and slaughtered his pregnant wife and their two young children. He then nearly wiped out the entire Minobe clan before he somehow managed to kill himself. From that day on, the black sword was known as 'Kinslayer'. It was supposedly locked away deep within the Minobe family treasure vaults and that's the last that anyone's ever heard about it."
Aoshi spoke up for the first time. "Why wasn't the sword destroyed?"
Tokio's grand-aunt gave him a long, penetrating stare. She pursed her lips and said, "Easier said than done. Various people tried their best to either break or lose the sword. They failed and usually paid a severe price for the attempt."
Saitoh snapped, "So how did this dangerous weapon end up in the hands of someone like Minobe Junichi?"
The old woman shrugged. "That I do not know. Ask the Minobe family." She sipped her tea and said, "Now tell me why you ask about Kinslayer."
-----------------------------------
Tokio and Risako silently strolled across the estate grounds after fetching the requested text from Asuko's rooms . They chose to take a roundabout path through one of the many gardens. As they strolled along a dimly lit walkway, Risako said, "I just received another report. Kamiya's due to arrive in Kyoto sometime tomorrow."
"Indeed. She's made good time, then. I hope that she hasn't been pushed too hard," Tokio murmured.
"No. She's been getting sufficient rest and food. As you predicted, Kinslayer wants her in good physical condition when she arrives."
"And her mental state?"
Risako shrugged. "She cries in her sleep a lot."
"Oh dear."
"But the protective wards you put on Kamiya are working fine. Kinslayer hasn't been able to tamper directly with her mind."
"That's good. I'd prefer to resolve this situation with a minimum of mental and emotional trauma for everyone involved."
The younger woman uttered a dainty snort. "Then you have your work cut out for you. The skeins of time are rapidly being rewoven into a new design."
"I know. All this trouble from a cursed demon sword and an old woman's meddling. And the Council?"
"They said to do as you see fit. The matter of Kinslayer needs to be handled, once and for all."
"Excellent." Tokio glanced at the young woman and said, "I was somewhat surprised to see you here."
With a casual shrug, Risako said, "When I heard you were arriving in Kyoto, I decided to drop in to take a look at Father and the boy."
"He's twenty-eight years old... hardly a boy now. Is this the first time you've really seen him since he was born?"
"Yes."
Tokio was silent for a moment, then she said a bit sadly, "I regret that you gave up your chance to raise him and watch him grow up."
In a faint tone of irritation, Risako said, "I'm a Nightwitch. What would I have done with a male child, anyway?"
"Was it the fact that he was a boy... or the fact that he resembled his father so very much, even as a newborn baby?"
Risako sighed and shook her head ruefully. "I see that there's no point trying to hide anything from you, Mother."
Tokio smiled but said nothing as she watched her daughter, born from an union with one of her husband's previous mortal incarnations.
Risako murmured, "You're right. He had his father's hair and his eyes, even as a baby.... I couldn't bear to look at him, so I chose the path of vengeance instead of motherhood."
"You could have left him with me, instead of abandoning him with a peasant family."
Her daughter snapped, "There was no time. My husband's murderers would have escaped." She added indifferently, "It seemed to have turned out well enough. The peasants were poor, but kind. They had no children of their own."
"You chose well. They cherished him for the few years they had him. Did you know they called him Shinta?"
Tokio's daughter smiled wistfully. "Shinta. How appropriate. The smell of shinta blossoms always reminds me of my first meeting with his father."
"Did Seijuro notify you...?"
Risako made a faint sound of annoyance. "Yes, Hiko sent me a message about picking up the boy."
"Seijuro's encounter with Shinta wasn't a total accident. Blood tends to call to blood, my dear, especially in times of need."
"That's true enough. Anyway, the child was in good hands, so I saw no reason to interfere."
Tokio chuckled. "I believe this is the first time I've heard you say anything complimentary about Seijuro."
"Don't you dare tell Hiko that I said anything of the sort, Mother. He's insufferably arrogant as it is. And changing the boy's name to Kenshin... where does Hiko get these ridiculously romantic ideas of his?"
"The name suits him very well."
"I suppose." There was a brief pause, then Risako said softly, "Kenshin looks so much like his father now."
"Yes. Along with the red hair and violet eyes, he possesses his father's sweet and gentle temperament. But he also has many of your traits, daughter. Through you, Kenshin's inherited his grandfather's golden eyes, his ruthlessness, and his gift for killing." Tokio glanced at her daughter's eyes and noted their true amber color, no longer obscured by a minor illusion.
Far from being offended by her mother's words, Risako seemed almost pleased. "Who hasn't heard of the infamous Hitokiri Battousai? And how is Father, by the way?"
"Except for the current situation with Kinslayer, his current incarnation's doing quite well." Tokio sighed. "At this moment, Asuko's probably teasing Hajime about the lack of children."
"And when am I going to have another brother or sister, Mother?"
"Hm? Oh, soon enough. I'm thinking about twins, a boy and a girl."
As they paused to gaze at a small pond glimmering in the moonlight, Risako quietly said, "Do you think your plan will work? It's not without its risks, especially for Father. It could even be fatal."
Tokio's lips thinned briefly, giving her face a look of cold, dangerous beauty. "I am very aware of that possibility, daughter. Rest assured that I'm keeping a very close eye on Hajime. Unfortunately, the awakening of Kinslayer has forced our hand. There's no going back now. The demon must be destroyed or it will destroy your father, my mate. It's that simple."
"And we can't destroy the demon ourselves, Mother?"
"No. Otherwise, I would have done it myself long ago. The demon's destruction requires a man with both the power and the desire to do so. It is the nature of this particular beast that no woman, not even a Nightwitch, can destroy it. Hiko has the necessary power, but he doesn't have the desire or the burning need to do it. Kenshin has the desire. I can only hope that he also has the power. My task is to give Kenshin the opportunity by luring the demon out into the open."
They finally reached the house. As her daughter turned to leave her, Tokio said gently, "Are you going to remain in Kyoto?"
Risako hesitated, then nodded. "It's taken me years to get over his father's death, but I would like an opportunity to know my son a little better. I was never a mother to him, but if I can do something to help him...."
Tokio cocked her head inquisitively. "Are you ever going to tell him the truth?"
"....I don't know. After all this time, it seems rather pointless."
"Well, I'll leave that up to you, my dear."
"Mother?"
Tokio turned back at the oddly hesitant tone in her daughter's voice. "Yes?"
"What would... my husband think of our child?"
Tokio smiled contentedly. "Oh, I think he'd be very proud of the man Himura Kenshin has become."
-----------------------------------
As Kenshin and the others told Asuko all about the events in Tokyo, Yahiko edged a little further behind Sano and nervously watched Tokio's grand-aunt. If a few hours earlier someone had told him that he'd be scared of an old woman in her nineties, he would have laughed in their faces. But now, the idea was not at all funny. He'd faced dangerous opponents before, but he'd never encountered someone like this old crone. There was a frightening sense of ruthlessness about her. She would be a terrible opponent and the three men sitting in front -- Saitoh, Kenshin, and Aoshi -- recognized that instantly. She wasn't a physical threat, but she could do more damage than any sword with her words alone. And as for deviousness and cunning....
The boy thought, (Well, if this is the sort of relatives Tokio got, it's no wonder she's got no problems dealing with Saitoh!)
Tokio's aunt Yuki had remained silent throughout the conversation, still smiling and patiently sipping tea. Now she leaned forward and whispered something into Asuko's ear.
To their surprise, the older woman abruptly turned to Misao and said curtly, "Do you love him?" pointed her bony finger at Aoshi.
A bit startled by the woman's bluntness, the ninja girl gaped, then replied in a resolute voice, "I do."
Her steely gaze turned to Kenshin. "I don't need to ask how you feel about this Kaoru girl."
Before Kenshin could respond, Asuko said, "Then pay close attention to what I say, girl, and you too, Battousai. Because of its demonic creation, Kinslayer's sole function is to kill and destroy, much more so than ordinary swords. And once when a weapon like that has tasted a person's blood, it never forgets and it thirsts for more of the same. Its hunger will never be satisfied until its victims are dead. More importantly, from what you've told me, that weapon undoubtedly gains power over those it has injured. Its hold on its victims will never be broken as long as the blade exists."
The blood slowly drained from both Misao's and Kenshin's faces.
Asuko glanced sharply at Misao. "Best sharpen your claws, little kitten, because if you or Himura fail to destroy Kinslayer, your precious Shinomori Aoshi and Kamiya Kaoru will most certainly die a most slow and agonizing death."
-----------------------------------
(end of part 15)
******************** Author's Notes ********************
Next part: Back to the Aoiya and the return of Kaoru. =^_^=
And if you're wondering how Tokio could have a daughter who appears to be in her twenties, just remember that Tokio is a lot older than she looks. Also, check out my other story "The Wolf and the 'Witch".
======================================================================
THAT WHICH LINGERS: A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic by MadamHydra
======================================================================
Part 16: HEART TO HEART
======================================================================
[the present, 11th year of the Meiji period, summer]
-----------------------------------
Before Kenshin could respond, Asuko said, "Then pay close attention to what I say, girl, and you too, Battousai. Because of its demonic creation, Kinslayer's sole function is to kill and destroy, much more so than ordinary swords. And once when a weapon like that has tasted a person's blood, it never forgets and it thirsts for more of the same. Its hunger will never be satisfied until its victims are dead. More importantly, from what you've told me, that weapon undoubtedly gains power over those it has injured. Its hold on its victims will never be broken as long as the blade exists."
The blood slowly drained from both Misao's and Kenshin's faces.
Asuko glanced sharply at Misao. "Best sharpen your claws, little kitten, because if you or Himura fail to destroy Kinslayer, your precious Shinomori Aoshi and Kamiya Kaoru will most certainly die a most slow and agonizing death."
-----------------------------------
Shinomori's reaction to Takagi Asuko's words was typically low-key. He had blinked once when Misao flatly stated that she loved him and he didn't so much as flinch at the old woman's warning. He had already guessed as much after his excruciating confrontation with Kinslayer the night of Kaoru's disappearance.
Kenshin's eyes glittered dangerously but said nothing as Misao jumped to her feet and said in a low, tight voice, "So how do we destroy the damn sword?"
With a faintly malicious gleam in her narrowed eyes, Asuko stared at her visitors, then shrugged. "That is the real question, isn't it? No one knows for certain."
"Do you mean you don't know!?" shouted Misao, who looked like she was ready to pounce on Asuko and throttle the old woman.
"There are certain traditional methods of destroying demon-crafted items. They might work. Then again, they might not."
Kenshin said evenly, "And those methods are?"
The old woman was totally unintimidated by the various ice cold and blazingly angry stares she was receiving. She said, "Check again with me later. I may be able to give you some suggestions." Asuko flicked her hand in a dismissive gesture, clearly indicating that the meeting was at an end.
As Misao took an angry step toward the old woman, both Kenshin and Aoshi rose to their feet to block her approach. Kenshin gave the ninja girl a slight shake of the head, warning her to back off. Turning back to Asuko, the red-haired swordsman coolly said, "Very well. Until tomorrow."
"But Himura...!" sputtered Misao. Her voice abruptly trailed off as she saw the look of frozen calm in his pale violet eyes.
"Misao, now is not the time." said Aoshi firmly. The last thing he wanted was for Misao to get into trouble by offending someone as dangerous as Asuko. The current situation was bad enough already.
-----------------------------------
As they reached the gates of the Takagi family compound, they found Tokio patiently waiting. She handed a book to Kenshin and said, "This is the Isimara text. It's a collection of old Kyoto legends collected by a Takagi family scholar over a century ago. It contains the story of Minobe Koji and Kinslayer. There are also some other legends which you might find of interest."
"Thank you, Tokio-dono." Kenshin took the book, then turned to Saitoh. He said coolly, "I want to question the Minobe family."
"Junichi's aunt is the only member of the family left in Kyoto." The policeman shrugged. "Early tomorrow morning, then. At the Aoiya. Oversleep and I'll go without you."
Kenshin gave Saitoh a curt nod of agreement and led the others out into the street toward Okina's restaurant.
As soon as they were out of sight of the Takagi compound, Sano heaved a great sigh and wiped at his forehead.
"Brrrr! That old crone... what a terror!"
Kenshin said, "She's a dangerous woman. Takagi Asuko sits like a great spider amid her web, constantly watching and gathering information." He glanced back at Misao, who was trailing behind them beside Aoshi. "Cross her and she'll make your life a misery. You'll be forced to watch your back for the rest of your days, never knowing when the weight of her vengeance will fall."
"I know, I know! But it drives me crazy that this old witch is playing games with us! She doesn't give a damn what happens to Kaoru or Aoshi-sama!"
"True. The only reasons she's helping us is because Tokio-dono asked her. And she's probably enjoying the opportunity to tease Saitoh."
Aoshi said, "The Takagi have a reputation of being a family of wealthy, if somewhat eccentric scholars and they were one of the few upper class families who did not join either side during the Bakamatsu."
"So his wife's loaded, huh? It's weird to imagine Saitoh marrying into such a rich family," said Yahiko.
Kenshin shook his head. "While Saitoh thoroughly understands the power and uses of money, it means nothing to him personally. Whatever he's done, it's never been for his own gain."
Sano glanced at his friend. (That description fits you pretty damn well too, Kenshin.)
Aloud, the fighter muttered, "Well, I never would've thought to meet someone capable of giving Saitoh a run for his money in the area of pure nastiness. But that Asuko woman... No wonder Tokio can stand being married to him. She's probably used to that sort of behavior."
-----------------------------------
At the front gate of the Takagi compound, Saitoh watched Kenshin and the others disappear down the street. As he turned and headed down the walkway back to the house, he could see several young girls, ranging from three to six years old in age, peeking at him from behind a mass of shrubs.
He scowled in irritation. It was already starting. For some peculiar reason, he seemed to fascinate the members of the Takagi household. Whenever he was in the compound, people would watch him. The children and the young women were the worst. Thankfully, the children were relatively well behaved. Otherwise, the situation would have been absolutely intolerable.
(But the young women of this family....) Saitoh grimaced slightly.
Usually he was the watcher, but when Tokio's family was around, HE was the person being watched.
Saitoh didn't find the role reversal the least bit amusing. He scowl as he stalked off to look for his wife.
-----------------------------------
Tokio had decorated this room. He could tell by just looking at it. Her unmistakable touch was in every detail, from the selection of the bedcovers on the futon to the arrangement of the willow twigs in the alcove. As he watched his wife unpack with her customary efficiency, he said irritably, "Why can't those silly girls leave me alone?"
"Young women tend to find 'dangerous' men quite interesting, Hajime. It's not unusual."
He knew that. However, in the case of the Takagi females, their interest seemed to be more academic than romantic. It was understandable, considering the sorts of things the old Takagi women taught them, but it didn't make their attention any easier to bear.
Several years ago, he had been indulging in a little sword practice inside one of the walled side gardens. The next thing he knew, there had been nearly 15 young women silently peering over the wall, watching him in breathless fascination.
"They're just interested in my sword technique."
Tokio couldn't quite suppress a soft giggle. "But your technique is so formidable...," she said in a playful voice.
A faintly horrified look appeared on Saitoh's face. "Don't tell me you've been swapping bedroom stories with your relatives...!"
She got to her feet. Delicately gripping the edges of his shirt, she looked up into his face and murmured, "Do you really think I would do something like that to you? You're my husband and I don't share anything about you with anybody.... Not with my relatives and not even stories."
As Saitoh visibly relaxed, a mischievous smile appeared on Tokio's face. "That's not to say that I haven't been asked for details. Repeatedly. I've even been offered some rather tempting bribes."
He groaned. "Oh, let me guess. Asuko...."
"Well, she did offer me a 200 year old manuscript by Masaki Muro, but I managed to resist."
"That meddling old bitch." A malicious little smile appeared on Saitoh's face as he said, "It's a pity that Aoshi, Battousai, and that idiot Sano aren't spending the night here. I'd love to see them deal with the horde of females, both young and old, lurking around this place."
(And I can just imagine the Weasel Girl's reaction....)
Tokio laughed softly as she smoothed the wrinkles from Saitoh's shirt and returned to unpacking. Still somewhat tense and irritable from the meeting with Asuko, Saitoh was about to start rummaging through his baggage when Tokio turned around, holding matches in one hand and a pack of cigarettes in the other.
He frowned. "Don't tell me I'm looking THAT stressed." But he took the cigarettes and matches.
Tokio merely gave him a placid smile and murmured, "The koi pond is very relaxing in the moonlight," she murmured.
He snorted but allowed her to gently nudge him out the door.
-----------------------------------
As Okina and the other Oniwabanshuu awaited their visitors' arrival, the old man thought, (Shiro said that both Aoshi and Misao were injured and that Aoshi seemed to be in particularly bad shape. What happened in Tokyo? And then there's that message about Kaoru....)
When the knock came, everyone rushed over to open the front door.
"Himura!"
"Okina-san. I'd hoped to see you again, just not under these circumstances," said Kenshin with a polite bow. His faint smile abruptly disappeared. With a tense look, he added, "Do you have any news about Kaoru?"
Okina shook his head. "Sorry, I've heard nothing. I've had all the people I can spare keeping an eye on the main approaches to Kyoto, but with all that's happening in the city, it's possible she managed to slip in without our knowledge."
"Yes, of course. You have other concerns, also. I understand."
(So grim,) thought Okina as he observed Kenshin absently stroking an oddly familiar piece of blue silk that was wrapped around the swordsman's right wrist.
After exchanging happy, if subdued greetings with Yahiko and Sano, Okina turned to Aoshi and Misao who had been lagging slightly behind the others. While his expression do not change, the old man was quietly appalled by their condition. Misao's left arm was splinted and in a sling, but he was more disturbed by the shadows lurking in the girl's eyes. And the mere fact that there was detectable signs of exhaustion and pain in Aoshi's face and posture told Okina that Aoshi was definitely hurting.
Even as these thoughts were going through Okina's mind, Aoshi wavered slightly and put his hand on the door frame to steady himself. As Misao and nearly everyone else jumped to help him, the former Okashira shook his head sharply, then straightened up. "It's nothing."
"You need to get some rest!" Misao protested.
"What we need to do is to discuss what happened in Tokyo and what's going on in Kyoto," he said in a firm voice.
Omasu blurted out, "Misao, how did you hurt your arm!?" At the very same time, Okina asked, "What happened, Aoshi?"
The old man and the other Oniwabanshuu were left momentarily speechless as Aoshi and Misao answered simultaneously.
"I broke it," Aoshi said flatly.
"I tried to kill him," Misao replied in an equally flat voice.
The two of them exchanged quick glances, then they spoke, again simultaneously.
"It wasn't her fault."
"It wasn't his fault."
Okina blinked, then took a deep breath. "Obviously, there's a lot you need to tell us about.
-----------------------------------
After they all settled into one of the rooms overlooking the restaurant's courtyard garden, Misao, Kenshin and the others began to describe the ominous events in Tokyo. Misao started out with her meeting with Saitoh's wife and the first encounter with the black sword. She faltered as she described her nearly fatal attack on Aoshi, but grimly plowed through the ugly tale. When she was finished, there was a long silence.
Okina thought, (Ah, Misao-chan, that explains the shame and sorrow in your eyes... and here I was thinking that you were feeling guilty only because Aoshi had been injured protecting you or something like that....)
Aoshi's version of Misao's ambush was short, concise, and unemotional. Okina sensed there was a great deal that Aoshi was not saying, but he trusted the younger man's judgment that the things left unsaid were not really relevant to the matter of the black sword known as Kinslayer, the events in Kyoto, or to Kaoru's disappearance.
The chilling tale continued... the mysterious dreams and visions... the sword's dark powers... the flashbacks that both Saitoh and Kenshin had suffered.... Kenshin and the other's story would have been unbelievable under normal circumstances, but after the bizarre incidents plaguing Kyoto over the past few days, the events in Tokyo seemed perfectly plausible.
Over three hours after they started, Kenshin finally concluded with the information provided by Tokio's grand aunt Asuko. When he stopped speaking, Okina folded his hands and murmured, "So you've returned to Kyoto to find Kaoru and to destroy Kinslayer."
"Yes."
Okon whispered, "But... but it's incredible to think that everything that's happened in both Tokyo and Kyoto is being caused by a stupid chunk of metal!"
"Perhaps, but that 'chunk of metal' is apparently infused by a demon's power. We have no idea about the limits of that demon's power. It is quite possible that the unnatural phenomena occurring in Kyoto could easily spread throughout the country unless we do something to stop it," murmured Aoshi.
Misao flicked her braid over her shoulder and said to Aoshi, "You won't be able to do anything if you fall on your face from sheer exhaustion! You're nowhere close to recovering from your injuries!"
Kenshin rose to his feet and quietly said, "We have an early morning meeting with Saitoh and we all need to get whatever rest we can. We may not have that luxury later."
Sano also hauled himself to his feet, muttering, "Yeah, like when the excitement really starts."
"We'll see in the morning, then," said Okina.
As Kenshin, Sano, and Yahiko were led out of the room by Omasu, the other Oniwabanshuu dispersed to attend to other matters. Now alone with Aoshi and Misao, Okina took the opportunity observe Aoshi a bit more closely. Glancing at Misao, the old man casually said, "Why don't you take a bath and get something to eat?"
The girl didn't budge. Instead, she stared stubbornly at Okina and said evenly, "Nice try, Jiya, but you're not getting rid of me that easily. And you don't need to protect me from the truth, anymore. I can handle whatever you've got to discuss."
Okina's eyes narrowed. (Yes... I think she can,) he thought as he detected a grim determination in Misao that contrasted sharply with her usual bubbly personality.
He turned to Aoshi and said crisply, "How bad is it?"
"Several cuts on both legs, torso, and left shoulder, some broken ribs on the right side, a stab wound in the abdomen, and a concussion."
Misao twitched during Aoshi's dry recitation of his injuries, but otherwise managed to remain outwardly calm.
"And how are you feeling?" continued the old man.
"I've felt better, but I'll manage. Dr. Takani did her usual excellent work."
"You'd best go to bed, then. As Himura said, things are probably going to become very hectic very soon."
Aoshi made no protest. He merely rose to his feet with less than his usual grace and headed for his room.
Misao stared after him as he departed, then quickly rose to her feet. Just before she left the room, Okina said, "Misao, are you... all right?"
She paused at the doorway. Bowing her head, she whispered, "All right? After what I've done to him?" Misao uttered a bitter chuckle. "No, I'm not 'all right', but like Aoshi-sama said... I'll manage."
"Misao, it wasn't your fault. From everything that Aoshi told me, it was the sword who made you...."
She spun around and glared at him. "But you don't understand how that sword works! It doesn't simply take over your mind! Those murderous feelings don't just appear out of the blue! That sword dug up and magnified every single angry thought that I might have had... all the resentment and frustration that I felt because of his behavior.... That's what's so sickening, Jiya... finding out just how much anger and bitterness that's inside of me!"
Okina watched in silence as Misao gasped for air as she tried to regain some self-control. Finally, she said, "You don't understand. I really hurt him, and I'm not talking only about that sword. It was what I said to him about Hannya, leaving me behind, nearly killing YOU, betraying the other Oniwabanshuu... all that! And he still risked his life to save me and he could die because of it!"
Alarmed, Okina said, "But I thought Aoshi was recovering!"
Misao shook her head wearily, "Asuko said that the wounds caused by Kinslayer won't heal properly as long as the sword exists. And if those wounds reopen, he could very easily die a slow and painful death."
"I... see."
She took a deep breath. "That reminds me. He needs his bandages changed." Misao slipped out the door and headed toward the kitchen, leaving a sorely troubled Okina alone with this thoughts.
(In this past few months, she's been through so much. The loss of Hannya and the others, Aoshi's slide into darkness and madness, the battle with the Juppon Gatana.... At the beginning of this year, she was still a child, but now... now she's a young woman, trying to deal with harsh and painful experiences.)
Okina didn't know whether to be glad about her hard-won maturity she displaying or to mourn the loss of her carefree innocence. But she was right. He and the others couldn't shield Misao from the dark side of life any more... not after her experience with Kinslayer and coming face-to-face with the darkness inside of herself.
-----------------------------------
Alone in his bedroom, Aoshi slowly pulled off his shirt and fell back onto the futon. That painful encounter with Kaoru and Kinslayer had been a definite setback to his recovery.
In his exhausted state, he failed to notice someone approaching his room. Suddenly, the door slid open without so much as a warning knock. As he sat up with a barely suppressed grunt of pain, Misao stepped inside carrying a tray loaded with a basin of water, some packages of medicine, and enough bandages to wrap a small army.
"What are you doing here?"
"Megumi said that your bandages needed to be changed every day," she said with slightly forced cheer.
He shook his head. "There's no need for you to do that. Tokio-san changed them on the boat yesterday evening. Okon can attend to it tomorrow morning."
If she had been behaving in her usual bouncy, overenthusiastic way, he might have summoned the willpower to resist her attention and send her packing. But he saw the fear in her eyes, the fear put there by Takagi Asuko's harsh warning, and realized that Misao desperately needed some reassurance about his condition. She needed to see with her own eyes that his wounds were healing -- for the moment.
He sighed wearily, then backed down. "But if you insist...."
She gave him a relieved smile, then set about organizing her supplies. He watched bemusedly as Misao heaped roll after roll of bandages on the table. But as he eyed the growing pile with a definite air of misgiving, he murmured, "I don't think all that's necessary."
(If she gets carried away, I might end up looking like Shishio.)
"Misao, do you actually know what you're doing? Why don't you just call...."
"Just let me handle it, okay?"
"But...."
Misao glared at him. "Do you have a problem with that?"
Her bravado evaporated as he hesitated a little too long. Misao bit her lip and said in a quiet, restrained voice, "I... I just wanted to...." She looked away. "But if it really bothers you, then...."
At that moment, it would have been easy to make Misao go away and leave him alone, but Aoshi couldn't forget the fear and concern in her eyes when Asuko told her that he could die from the wounds Kinslayer inflicted. He couldn't ignore the total conviction in her voice when she said that she loved him. He couldn't stand the defeat in her sagging shoulders and drooping head as she turned to leave.
And he found that he didn't WANT her to go away.
He didn't want to be left alone.
Aoshi shrugged. "Go ahead, then."
"You... you don't mind?"
"That's irrelevant. Just do it, Misao."
He was rewarded with a quick flash of a smile as she moved behind him and started to pull the old bandages loose. To his pleasant surprise, although she didn't have the experienced touch of Dr. Takani or Saitoh's wife, Misao definitely knew what she was doing.
Despite all her care, removing the bandages was not a painless operation. Occasionally a bandage would cling to the wound, forcing her to use water to soak the cloth free. Once the bandage was gone, she would dab some greenish cream from a jar on the wound and proceed to apply a fresh dressing.
"That medicine...."
Misao said, "Megumi gave it to me the night before we left Tokyo. She told me how to use it and how to change your bandages."
"Why did she do that?"
"I asked."
-----------------------------------
"Stay still. There's just this one last bit, then I can do your ribs." Misao had her head down, concentrating on the most troubling wound -- the deep stab wound where she had plunged one of her throwing darts into the middle of his abdomen.
He endure all her earlier ministrations in stoic silence, but even Aoshi couldn't suppress a few grunts of pain as Misao did her best to wrap his chest to prevent his broken ribs from shifting.
She winced as he gasped sharply as she pulled the bandage tight. "I'm sorry! Just a little more, Aoshi-sama."
Exhausted and hurting, he wearily said, "Misao, after all we've been through, don't you think you could drop the '-sama'?"
Misao abruptly froze.
Aoshi could have imagined any number of reactions to his words, but he certainly didn't imagine the reaction he actually got.
"Please... don't." Misao slowly looked up at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears.
Aoshi stared back at her in mute confusion.
"Please... don't say things like that... just to make me feel better. Say it only if you really mean it."
"I... don't understand."
She said quietly, "The only time you ever do things like that -- letting the walls around your heart and soul down -- the only time you do that is when something bad happens to you and you think I need something to make me feel better!"
"Is that what I'm doing?" he said in a thoughtful voice.
"Yes, it is! That time when you smiled at me in the forest? You only did that because you thought you were going to die! And now you're doing to make me feel better again, only this time it's because you think that you're probably going to die from these wounds if Kinslayer isn't destroyed in time!" she said accusingly.
"Misao, I...."
She shook her head slowly. "Don't misunderstand. It's not that I don't want these sorts of things. I WANT you to smile at me. I WANT to call you just by your first name. But... but don't do those things just for me! Do them because you really want to! Because they make YOU feel better!"
Misao blinked back her tears. "I was doing the wrong thing by trying to force you to change... by trying to force you to take down those walls of yours before you were ready."
"Where did you get that idea?"
She looked away, then whispered, "Tokio told me that there's a very big difference between encouraging someone to change and forcing them to change."
"You spoke to Tokio-san... about me?"
"Yes."
At first the idea of asking Saitoh's wife for romantic advice seemed ludicrous to Aoshi, but then he thought, (But who else could she really ask? Certainly not Okon and Omasu, given the way they seemed to have romantic crushes on every handsome man that passed by. Even if Kaoru was around, she'd know less about men than Misao. Tokio's probably the only mature woman Misao knows who's familiar with men like myself or Saitoh.)
And now he was beginning to understood the subtle change in Misao's behavior over the last several days. She certainly hadn't tried to avoid him. On the contrary, she rarely let him out of her sight. But she had apparently given up on her habit of trying all sorts of silly and annoying things in an attempt to force some sort of reaction out of him. She certainly hadn't become a saint, but her restraint had definitely made the last few days much less stressful for him. Instead of having to be on the constant lookout for her latest antic, he found himself gradually relaxing in Misao's presence.
(I think I need to tell her that.)
"Misao...."
She sniffled, then mumbled, "Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"Huh?"
"For caring enough to ask for advice and for following that advice, no matter how difficult. I know it couldn't have been easy for you to be so patient. It... means a great deal to me."
She stared at him in stunned disbelief.
Aoshi didn't smile, but he didn't need to. "I'm not certain if I'm capable of living without 'walls'. I doubt it. But perhaps, with time and with the right teacher, I can learn to how to allow the people I... care about... within those walls."
The brilliant, beautiful smile that slowly appeared on Misao's face and the joy in her bright blue eyes were a greater reward than he could have ever hoped for....
-----------------------------------
(end of part 16)
******************** Author's Notes ********************
Next part: Kaoru and Kinslayer arrive in Kyoto! =^_^=
======================================================================
THAT WHICH LINGERS: A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic by MadamHydra
======================================================================
Part 17: BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS
======================================================================
[ Kyoto - mid-August, 1878 (11th year of the Meiji period) ]
In their room at the Aoiya restaurant, Kenshin put his sakabatou within easy reach and began to skim through the book Saitoh's wife had given him. The text provided a much more detailed background for the story told by Tokio's grand-aunt Asuko but the old woman had told them the most important parts. The text's description of Kinslayer matched perfectly with the black sword used by Misao and later stolen by Kaoru, down to the peculiar hilt ornaments.
Sano and Yahiko watched their friend with a mixture of concern and unease. They both knew that Kenshin was terribly worried about Kaoru, but he was behaving calmly. A bit TOO calm for their liking. It was an ominous sort of stillness, just like the eerie hush in the air just before a big thunderstorm. They couldn't help wondering how much of this icy self-control was from the Kenshin they knew and how much of it was from the Battousai.
Sano glanced at his friend who quietly reading with his back against the wall and uncomfortably, "Oy, Kenshin...."
"Yes?"
"You mind telling us what happened the last time you bumped into that Minobe guy?"
Kenshin put the book down and said simply, "I never knew him by name, but I do recall the incident that Saitoh described."
"The collapsing bridge thing?"
"Yes. It was almost thirteen years ago to this day. I was acting as a bodyguard to one of the older members of the Ishin Shishi. That night, I was escorting him back from a meeting with some other members. There had been some security problems recently so we were especially alert. Our route took us by a bridge at the southern end of Kyoto. It had been raining heavily for the last several days and the canals were nearly overflowing. As we were passing by one of the bridges, five Shinsengumi swordsmen jumped out from an alleyway. They were inexperienced and stupid. The battle ended up taking us out onto the bridge. I was about to finish off the last man when a full squad of Shinsengumi appeared on the opposite side of the canal. By the time they got onto the bridge, it was starting to shake dangerously. I jumped for the bank just as the bridge collapsed. The Shinsengumi were caught in the middle of the bridge and they all fell into the water." Kenshin shrugged slightly as if to say, 'And that was that'.
Yahiko could barely repress a shiver at the cool indifference in Kenshin's voice. It was so unlike him. The young boy coughed, then said tentatively, "Kenshin...?"
"Yes, Yahiko?"
"So what happened to the other guys? The other Shinsengumi who showed up later? The ones the fell into the canal...."
"I don't know. It was an abnormally cold August and the canals were choked with debris. It's likely that some, if not all, of them drowned."
Yahiko stared at Kenshin. The swordsman's eyes were not shifted to that feral golden shade that he remembered so well from the dojo battle with Saitoh, but Kenshin's pale violet gaze was devoid of the warmth and empathy that the boy was used to seeing.
(His voice... it's so empty. He doesn't seem to care that he slaughtered four swordsmen who were probably no match for him. He doesn't seem to care that an entire squad of men probably drowned right before his eyes. How can he say that he cares about the people he killed when he talks like he doesn't feel a damn thing at all?)
But Yahiko found himself thinking back to his conversation with Kenshin a few days ago when Kenshin said, 'I think... even acting as the Hitokiri Battousai... somewhere deep inside, I already knew that each life was valuable in its own way.'
(I can't believe that he would lie about something about that. A part of him MUST have cared. But... doesn't that sort of mean a part of him DIDN'T care? Is that how he managed to survive all that fighting and bloodshed in Kyoto? By not caring, at least on the outside?)
As Yahiko struggled to reconcile the Battousai's apparently callous disregard for human life with the Kenshin he knew, Sano watched his friend suddenly rub his forehead and grimace slightly.
"Hey, you okay?"
Kenshin said quietly, "Yes. It's just that I don't particularly enjoy thinking about what happened during the Bakamatsu." He hesitated briefly. "And now that I'm in Kyoto, the memories are stronger than ever. They feel so vivid, so real." Almost unconsciously, he rubbed at the blue hair ribbon around his right wrist as if seeking reassurance... or perhaps to remind himself of the present.
Sano muttered, "Great. Just great. And there's no telling when Kaoru will show up around here!"
Kenshin looked a bit startled. "No. I'm certain that she'll appear within the next day or so."
"Why's that?" asked Yahiko.
"Minobe or his ghost has gone through all this trouble to recreate the circumstances of that night on the bridge, even going to the point of entangling the entire city of Kyoto in this waking nightmare. If you following THAT reasoning, it's only appropriate that the final confrontation take place on the exact anniversary of that night on the bridge."
"Which is?"
"Bon... the Festival for the Dead. August 13th." Kenshin's lips curved up in a wintery smile.
Sano smacked himself on the head. "Damn it! How could I have totally missed that! That's less than three days away!"
Yahiko said, "So we don't have much time...."
"Much time to do what!? There's not a whole hell of a lot WE can do!" snapped Sano. "It's all up to Kenshin." With a worried look, the fighter said, "Can you fight off those memories of the Battousai for that long?"
Kenshin did not immediately answer. Finally, in a steely voice, he said, "No matter what happens, I'm not going to forget Kaoru and what she means to me... not after all we've been through... I refuse to lose that because of some madman's hunger for revenge."
It was only later that Sano realized that Kenshin never truly answered his question about the Battousai.
-----------------------------------
However, it seemed that memories of the bridge incident were not so easily dismissed. While Sano and Yahiko slept, Kenshin stared out the window at the dark sky and the rain, remembering....
And on the Takagi estate, sheltered from the cold, steady drizzle, Saitoh leaned against a tree overlooking the koi pond. He took a long, slow drag on his cigarette as he recalled a similar rainy night thirteen years ago.
-----------------------------------
[ Kyoto - August 13th, 1865 ]
As Saitoh Hajime, the Captain of the Shinsengumi's third squad, finished discussing the evening's mission with his men, one of the newest members of his group spoke up.
"But what are you going to do about the Battousai?"
Saitoh lifted an eyebrow and said coolly, "Nothing."
"Nothing!? If he's causing us so much trouble, why haven't we hunted him down and exterminated him?"
"Keep your mind on the task at hand, Minobe. We have more important things to do tonight than chasing after Himura Battousai." Saitoh turned away, apparently bored with the conversation.
Matsuda, one of the more senior members of Saitoh's troop muttered, "I hope we don't run into him tonight. The timetable's too tight. If we get bogged down in an extended battle, it could jeopardize the whole plan. More importantly, we could lose the element of surprise."
"Are you saying that we should run away from a single man?" Minobe snapped in an outraged voice.
Saitoh shrugged. "True, the Shinsengumi do not flee from adversity, but it would be infinitely more convenient to avoid a confrontation with the Battousai tonight. There'll be plenty of opportunities for duels and challenges later on."
Minobe would not be so easily diverted. "Well, you might be afraid to face him, but I'm not!"
Several of Saitoh's more experienced men exchanged cynical looks and rolled their eyes at this display of reckless arrogance. However, Saitoh chose to be amused by Minobe's rash words. With a nasty chuckle, he said, "Oh ho. So you think you can take on the Battousai? Don't be an idiot."
"He can't possibly be as good as they say," sneered the young man.
"No. He's better. You'll be lucky to survive the first exchange of blows, Minobe. If you want to get yourself killed, that's fine with me, but do it some other night."
Minobe flushed bright red with rage, then stormed off into a corner to sulk. He was soon joined by several of his friends.
Saitoh turned to Matsuda and said, "I hate getting saddled with such a pack of immature idiots."
The other man shrugged and said, " You know we're a bit short-handed at the moment. We had to accept these members of the fifth squad in order to boost our numbers. He's an excellent fighter. Lots of talent."
Saitoh scowled. "But he has no brains and no judgment. And a fool like that is a danger to himself and the people around him. If the Battousai doesn't kill him, I just might end up doing it myself."
-----------------------------------
Carrying an umbrella to shield himself from the steadily falling rain, a middle-aged man was being warily escorted by several swordsmen. Just behind the man walked a very young man, a teenager really. The lanterns along the street were just bright enough to illuminate his long, bright red hair which was caught up in a high ponytail and the crossed scars marring his left cheek.
The older man glanced soberly at the redhead and said quietly, "Himura-san...?"
"It was as we expected, Tomoboko-san," the redhead replied in a cool voice, his left hand resting easily on the hilt of his katana. "Your nephew sold the information about the meeting to one of the Shinsengumi's informants."
The older man grimaced, then said, "So what happens now?"
"He's already been taken away for interrogation."
"I see. That explains the sudden change in the meeting's location." He shook his head sadly.
Himura suddenly stiffened, then whirled just as five young men charged out of a nearby alleyway. The lead swordsman yelled, "Battousai!"
His opponents were dressed in the familiar Shinsengumi uniform, but they looked raw and inexperienced compared to the other Shinsengumi he had encountered before.
(New recruits looking for easy prey. Idiots.)
With a sharp gesture, he sent the other bodyguards on their way with Tomoboko. However, it seemed that this pack of Shinsengumi swordsmen was not hunting for ordinary Ishin Shishi blood tonight.
They were hunting specifically for him.
With a scowl distorting his handsome features, the lead swordsman snapped, "THIS is the fabled Hitokiri Battousai? A scrawny teenager!?" He snorted. "My old aunt is bigger than he is!"
The Battousai cared nothing for their bravado. One hand on the hilt of his katana and the other on the sheath, he coldly snapped out a single word.
"Come."
-----------------------------------
Several hours after the meeting, one of Saitoh's men came running up, shouting, "Captain! Something's gone wrong! The Ishin Shishi were already on the alert even before we got into position!"
In the distance, Saitoh and his men could see the glare from a large fire reflecting off the heavy cloud cover. With the constant rain, there was little chance of the flames spreading, but it was a bad sign, nevertheless.
"The fighting had already started," Saitoh snapped.
One of the other members in his troop shouted, "Saitoh-san! If we cut across the southern canal, we can be there in a few minutes!"
As the squad ran through the increasingly heavy rain, Saitoh wondered what -- or who -- had alerted the Ishin Shishi forces. He soon had his answer as the squad of swordsmen reached the edge of the canal. He instantly recognized the three combatants blocking the far end of the bridge. The first man was that idiot Minobe and the second was one of Minobe's equally idiotic friends.
The third man bore the unmistakable red hair of the Battousai.
(That fool Minobe! His fighting's probably attracted the attention of every Ishin Shishi fighter within three blocks!) seethed Saitoh. It was no wonder that the enemy were ready for attack. Even now, he could see Ishin Shishi forces converging on the bridge. However, he and his men had a mission to complete and the Shinsengumi would not tolerate any interference, especially from the opposition.
He glanced at his men and said, "Fight your way through and head for the designated location. I'll deal with the Battousai." And with those words, Saitoh and his men charged across the rain-slicked wooden bridge. At that moment, one of the Battousai's opponents fell, leaving Minobe alone to face the master swordsman.
Saitoh's squad was barely halfway across when the structure shook alarmingly as the swiftly flowing water in the canal slammed a large uprooted tree into one of the bridge's main supports.
(Damn. Another impact and this whole thing will collapse.) He glanced upstream only to see more chunks of debris coming their way.
"Go!" shouted Saitoh at his men.
By this time, Minobe was undoubtably realizing that the Battousai had more than earned his deadly reputation. Saitoh snarled in a mixture of dismay and anger as a panicky swipe of Minobe's sword completely missed the Battousai and sliced deep into one of the bridge supports. It was the deathblow for the structure, which had already been badly weakened by the constant pounding from the debris-filled floodwaters. There was a loud crack, everything shuddered, then the whole bridge abruptly crumbled.
Saitoh caught a glimpse of the Battousai effortlessly leaping for the safety of the canal bank, just before he plunged deep into the icy churning waters. As he clawed his way back to the surface, something hard slammed into the back of his head and everything abruptly went black.
The next thing Saitoh could remember was the feel of mud oozing between his fingers as someone struggled to haul him out of the torrential flow of water. He lay on his stomach for a few moments, vomiting up all the water he'd swallowed, then he turned over onto his back and stared upward. He instantly recognized his rescuer. Muddled and exhausted, Saitoh dazedly thought that Takagi Tokio -- even though she was soaking wet and splattered all over with mud -- was quite the most beautiful young lady he could ever recall seeing.
-----------------------------------
[ Kyoto, mid-August, 1878 (11th year of the Meiji period) ]
Saitoh dropped the cigarette butt and ground it out. His lips curved upward in a rueful smile and he murmured, "And as they say, the rest is history...."
With those words, Saitoh Hajime retired to his bedroom and fell asleep in his wife's arms.
-----------------------------------
(end of part 17)
******************** Author's Notes ********************
Next part: Conversations with a senile old lady and Kaoru returns... really! =^_^=
--------------------------------------------
madamhydra@aol.com /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/:E
http://www.geocities.com/~madamhydra/
======================================================================