Title: Days to Remember
Author: Mi-chan
Rating: R
Series: Rurouni Kenshin (AU, Modern day)
Pairings: Read and find out. =D
Special Note: I realized halfway through this that I was calling Katsu, Sano's childhood friend from the Sekihoutai, by his pen-name. There's nothing wrong with that, just be forewarned that Tsunan and Katsu *are* the same person, and that I was just too lazy to go back and change it.
Part Four: His Most Deceptive Smile
"You silly girl," Saitou said, taking another hit off his cigarette. "Do you honestly think you'll find him in such a big place as Kyoto?"
Kamiya Kaoru fumed. Who did Saitou think he was, anyway? Of course she'd find Kenshin... there was no doubt in her mind. The hardest part of all this so far was requesting a week off from work so that she could track her troublesome brother down. That in itself was a battle.
It was a good thing she ran into Aoshi and Misao at the smoldering building that once housed her brother and Yahiko. The two filled Kaoru in as much as they could. Aoshi, Kaoru could tell, wasn't so sure how much he should let slip about Kenshin and his past. Kaoru reassured the man that even though she knew next to nothing about Kenshin's Yakuza days, she just flat out didn't care. She could deal with that when it became an issue. Right now, the most important thing was making sure Yahiko and Kenshin, the two most important people in her life, were okay.
And while it did make her a bit jealous knowing Aoshi knew more about it all than she did, Kaoru felt that there wasn't much time left. Misao and Aoshi knew they wouldn't be able to convince the girl not to tag along... So Aoshi took it upon himself to tell her whatever was necessary so that she might just survive this disaster.
All signs, Aoshi had said, led to Kyoto; the place where all of this started. The same place where Kenshin worked for the Shishio Clan as their top assassin. After giving the raccoon girl all the details, he made it clear that even though he felt bad for the current situation and his inability to protect Yahiko, he would not become involved. Kaoru noted the stern expression Misao gave her, as the younger girl's iron grip on Aoshi's hand never wavered.
Throwing her suitcase into the trunk of the taxi, Kaoru shook a fist. "Are you going to try and stop me, Mr. Satou? Or are you actually, just this once, going to show that you give a damn and help?"
Saitou rubbed his temples. He had every intention of going after Himura from the beginning... he just wasn't happy with having such a ... squealing, persistent, pig-headed raccoon of a girl follow him along in the process. Well, he figured. I can't stop her. She's going to go either way... might as well make sure she doesn't get into trouble.
"You know," Saitou informed, taking her by the arm and opening the taxi door for her. "Kyoto is going to be a very dangerous place for us."
"I don't care," Kaoru said, on the verge of tears. "I'm going to track down Kenshin and beat him over the head with a broom!" The girl watched as Saitou followed her into the taxi. "I'm going to need you to hold him down for me, though. He's so... squirrely sometimes!"
Saitou flashed the girl a crooked grin and told the destination to the driver. Already, he could feel the dull pounding in his forehead.
This was going to be a long trip.
* * *
Settling into his apartment, Sanosuke smiled at the redhead. "So... how does it feel to be back in Kyoto, after all this time?"
Kenshin's gaze never wandered from the window. Stepping out onto the balcony, Kenshin took a deep whiff of the mid-afternoon air. A few streetlights flickered on in the great city below, preparing itself for the darkness of night that was upon them. Kenshin sighed. "It's been a long time... I never thought I'd ever come back here, that I did not."
Sanosuke patted the small man on the back. "Look, you can go stay at a hotel if you absolutely want to."
Kenshin shook his head. "You said no one knows your true name here..." the redhead began, setting his hat down on the low coffee table. "... And that no one knows you live here. It would be best for me to keep a low profile, that it would.
"And besides, if you are up to no good, I want to be there to take you down."
The freelancer sighed, defeated. "I see you'll never trust me, ne?"
"Well, let's see," Kenshin began, counting off on his fingers. "You attacked me, accused me of murdering some guy by the name of Sagara, and your best friend kidnapped my foster son, that he did." He said the last part rather bitterly, placing his hands on his waist. His accusing glare made Sanosuke shrink back a bit.
"Yeah... but I also offered to help you get him back," Sanosuke said. "And believe me... I'm just as pissed at Shishio as you are. You may not know it, but concerning my revenge... I'm back to square one."
The two stood silent a moment, looking into each other's eyes. Years of training on both parts earned them the ability to sense even the most subtle hint of dishonesty in their opponent. It also earned them the ability to sense their opponents weakness. And Sanosuke, Kenshin mused, didn't seem to have any. And if one were to ask Sanosuke about Kenshin, he would say the same. Both were very strong fighters, at least on the outside. Kenshin rubbed his head sluggishly. "Oi... I never could get the hang of travel. Too much jet lag, that there is."
The taller man smiled. "Ah. I'm about to nod off here myself."
Kenshin made himself a make-shift bed against the wall, placing a blanket down on the floor. He sat, hunched over his crossed legs, his head hanging just a bit. It was something he got rather accustomed to when he was a child; being homeless and without a warm bed to cuddle up in, he often times found himself falling asleep sitting up. Old habits die hard, that they do, Kenshin mused.
"Are you sure you want to sleep there?" Sanosuke smoothed, his eyes sparkling.
"Oro?" Kenshin blinked. "As long as you don't mind. I don't need a bed, just a wall to lean against, that I do."
"Are you sure? I could let you share mine."
Kenshin made a noise that could only be described as a squeak, a slight blush creeping up on his cheeks. "O...ro?"
"Nevermind," Sanosuke shook his head, taking off for his room. "But if you get cold... let me know."
Kenshin watched the taller one disappear into his quarters. What a strange guy, he thought. And yet... I was... I was going say 'yes'.
The redhead, out of humiliation, slapped himself silly. What are you thinking, Kenshin?! You're a guy... and he's a guy. You're not like that...
....are you?
Kenshin yawned. It was probably just the jet-lag effecting his brainwaves, or something, he mused. Probably nothing to worry about. Finding another guy attractive? Why, sure, he'd thought that way before about other men. But about Sanosuke? Definitely some sleep-deprivation issues going on there.
Happy with that excuse, he fell asleep. They would start looking for Yahiko tomorrow... and they would take their fight straight to the heart of it all... to Makoto Shishio himself.
And Kenshin could bury the ghosts of his past once and for all.
* * *
Myoujin Yahiko finally come around, disorientation dulling his senses. The last thing he remembered was Aoshi facing off against that strange guy at the door--
"Ah. I see you've finally come around," Tsunan said. "I'm surprised, actually. I thought you'd be out much longer than that, given the effects the gas should have had on one your height and weight ..."
It took a moment for Yahiko to realize he was captured, tied up, and thrown in some corner of a dank and dreary room. Yahiko snarled. "What the fuck is going on? Who are you?!"
"I've already told you my name. And as to what's going on..." Tsunan smugly said. "Everything."
The dark-haired boy stammered, "Ne? What do you mean? Where's Aoshi?"
"Mr. Shinomori is back in America," Tsunan said. He felt somewhat guilty for not waiting for Sanosuke; never mind that before they embarked on this mission, they both agreed to get their jobs done and not worry about each other. Tsunan's job was to capture the kid and bring him to Shishio, which is exactly what he did. "You're in Kyoto now, brat."
Sano.... Tsunan wondered. Where are you?
He knew he had to give it time; Sano enjoyed being late. He said it kept everyone on their toes. Tsunan knew that at any moment, that chicken-headed lamebrain would walk through those doors, totting Himura Kenshin along in a body bag and making some bad comment about bad American food and their lack of hospitality. But the whole fight worried him as it was... True, Sagara Sanosuke was a formidable fighter. But when paired up against a legend like Himura Kenshin? He had to admit, he had his doubts. All he could do now was believe in Sanosuke with every fiber of his being.
"But Mr. Shinomori should be the least of your concerns," the dark one murmured. "Shishio-sama's got plans for you, and unless you act accordingly, he will kill you."
"Yeah, yeah," Yahiko spat. "I know. I've been involved with this Yakuza shit before."
"Good. Then I don't have to explain anything," Tsunan headed for the door, but was somewhat startled to see that Seta Soujiro was standing there the whole time.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Tsukiyoka," the smiling one said, bowing slightly. "How was your trip?"
"Spare me the niceties, 'Waka-gashira'," Tsunan said, purposefully stressing the last word in a mocking fashion. "I brought the boy. And Sano's on his way with Himura."
"Yes. So I've seen," Soujiro said, amused by the darker man's distrust. "And as soon as he gets here, Shishio-oyabun would like to have a few words with you."
Tsunan's eyes narrowed, and he grit his teeth. He really didn't like Soujiro, not in the least. The kid was too... happy for his tastes. He knew the kid was hiding something... some sort of hidden agenda. But, damn it all, Tsunan just couldn't read the boy well enough to figure out just what it was that made him so uneasy. It was as if there was nothing in that head of his, as if he were some kind of spiritless shell...
"Fine. But tell Shishio-'oyabun' that as soon as Sano returns, he's got our attention for no more than an hour. After that, Sano and I are gone."
Soujiro cocked his head to one side, his eternally shining smile never wavering. "Yes sir!"
* * *
After Soujiro took off to rendezvous with Shishio, Tsunan turned towards Yahiko and, in the barest of whispers, said: "Look... I know that... whatever they have planned for you won't be all that bad. They probably want to recruit you. So take whatever they give you graciously, and you might live."
Yahiko's nostrils flared in anger. "Why? Why are you doing this? What have you and this 'Sano' guy got against Kenshin?"
Tsunan looked thoughtful for a moment, then clenched his fists. "Himura Kenshin took someone very important away from Sano and I fifteen years ago. Sagara-sensei's spirit cries out for revenge."
"Sagara... sensei?" the kid though aloud. "A teacher of yours?"
"Yes. The man who took Sano and I under his wing and accepted us for what we were."
Casting his eyes to the ground, Yahiko thought a moment. Kenshin... a murderer? He knew that his foster father had a dark past... hell, even he himself did. He knew full well how people were capable of change, yet he never much wondered about Kenshin's past all that much before... but a murderer? He just couldn't see Kenshin doing anything like that.
"And... you know that Kenshin did it? You know for a fact that he murdered your teacher?"
Tsunan flinched, as if socked in the face. He bit his bottom lip, contemplating his response. "Yes. Sano and I... are certain it was him."
Yahiko saw the tinge of uncertainty in the man's eyes, and 'hmmmed' thoughtfully. Maybe there was something salvageable in these two freelancers... he would have to think about it a bit, though.
Right now, though, he just wanted to get that damn silly-assed grin of Soujiro's out of his mind. It was just too damn... creepy.
* * *
Seta Soujiro sighed contently as he walked down the long, darkened hallway, stopping just short of Shishio's quarters. Adjusting his blazer, he had to admit; jetlag was really getting to him. But he knew there was an incredible amount of work still ahead of him. He couldn't put it off for such trivial things as sleep. Besides, he wanted nothing more than to look good in the eyes of his Oyabun. He knew that hard work would some day earn him the love and respect he so desired.
"You can come in now, Soujiro," Shishio deadpanned, rather impatiently.
Soujiro snapped out of his fantasy, a little ashamed for lingering. "Good afternoon, Shishio-oyabun. How are you today?"
"Good, good," the bandaged man said behind his laptop, clicking and typing away at Soujiro knew not what. "And your trip?"
"It was wonderful! You know what they say, 'America, the beautiful'," Soujiro smiled wider, his eyes matching as he almost took off into the song. "Oh! You should have been there, Shishio-oyabun, they have the most wonderful food! And the Statue of Liberty, it--"
"And Sanosuke and the Battousai?"
The genki one blinked, then laughed sheepishly as he realized he was getting off track. "Oi... I followed Mr. Sagara the entire time. He took along his friend, Mr. Tsuk--"
"Tsukiyoka Tsunan," Shishio rushed, waving a hand passively. "Right, right. Did you see the Battousai, though?"
Soujiro frowned at the word. Battousai... such a glorious title, he thought, but one he could never be skilled enough to possess. "Sword-wielding man slayer"... "Yes, yes, I saw him. Mr. Sagara brought him back alive."
At that, Shishio closed his laptop, reclining back in his chair. His eyes shone a hellish red, the warm glow from the fireplace reflecting off of them, as if igniting tiny blazes inside his bandaged head. Resting his chin on his hand, he chuckled.
Soujiro couldn't help but shudder at the image before him; Shishio noticed the visual tremors running through the boy's body, even though Soujiro's mask never faultered. He loved having that effect on the boy; Soujiro owed him respect, that they both knew. The Oyabun had been a sort of foster father to the boy for quite some years. And while Soujiro knew it wasn't the type of father-son relationship he wanted deep down, his carefree, spiritless mentality let him sleep peacefully at night knowing he owed Shishio his utmost honor and respect.
Shishio smiled a smile identical to Soujiro's. "Good. I can't wait to see them."
* * *
The hallway, for lack of a better description, was dark. At least, Soujiro thought, it was much better than being stuck outside. Their hideout, an old classic-style Japanese dojo atop Mount Hiei, shook with tremors as the storm dragged on outside.
He hated rain.
The hallway, for some odd reason, was more reassuring than his own warm bed at the moment. At least out here, he could keep watch. At least out here, he could hear every voice and whisper coming from Shishio's room.
The boy sat outside his own room down the hall, hugging his knees. Soujiro listened carefully, his ears perking up when he recognized a female voice emanating through the paper-thin walls. "Shishio, he's just a child, for Christ's sake. You can't expect him to--"
"Yumi," Shishio smoothed. "Soujiro is my right-hand man. And besides, disloyalty and insolence aren't in his contract. He's not the issue here."
Soujiro's mouth gaped. They were talking about him?! Soujiro, for a split instant, let his smile slip into an all-out gape of pure shock. He hadn't done anything... nothing Shishio knew about, anyway. But Yumi... Yumi knew him better than most. Maybe Yumi was catching something Shishio couldn't...?
"You're not around him all day like I am," Yumi protested. Soujiro could hear the soft padding of her footsteps through the wall. Her voice, he could tell, was nearing the door. "That boy is slipping, Shishio. And, if you hold onto him too tight, he's going to break like the fragile piece of glass that he is.
"But," she continued, her voice solemn. "Don't you dare drop him, either."
Silence. The sound of the falling rain pounding in Soujiro's ears, making the silence overwhelming. Lowering his eyelids gently, a small tremor ran through his body. He fought off his feelings once again, shutting them up in the tiny safekeeping box known as his mind. He couldn't rely on his emotions anymore; they were wild, going out of control. It was best just to shrug it off and smile, and no one, not even Shishio, would be any the wiser.
But Yumi... Yumi was more observant than Soujiro thought.
I didn't want to... The words were hot, and painful, like wildfire spreading throughout his entire nervous system. He tried to shut them up, but they came anyway... He silently damned his sucky human emotions to the deepest, darkest depths of Hell where they belonged.
I didn't want to... to .... didn't.... Oh, God, Shishio-oyabun.... why... why...
"What are you doing out in the hallway?" Yumi snapped, staring accusingly at Soujiro on the floor. "Are you drunk or something?"
"Ara... araaa?" He murmured innocently, his eyes squinting.
Yumi raised an eyebrow. "Go to bed, boy. I don't care if you do have jetlag--it's way past your bed time."
Soujiro got up, brushed himself off, and complied. Wishing Yumi goodnight, he shut the door behind him gently. Collapsing onto his bed, he curled up with his pillow, his eyes shut so hard he gave himself a migrane.
"I didn't want to kill anyone, Shishio-oyabun..."
to be continued...
Author: Mi-chan
Rating: R
Series: Rurouni Kenshin (AU, Modern day)
Pairings: Read and find out. =D
Special Note: I realized halfway through this that I was calling Katsu, Sano's childhood friend from the Sekihoutai, by his pen-name. There's nothing wrong with that, just be forewarned that Tsunan and Katsu *are* the same person, and that I was just too lazy to go back and change it.
Part Four: His Most Deceptive Smile
"You silly girl," Saitou said, taking another hit off his cigarette. "Do you honestly think you'll find him in such a big place as Kyoto?"
Kamiya Kaoru fumed. Who did Saitou think he was, anyway? Of course she'd find Kenshin... there was no doubt in her mind. The hardest part of all this so far was requesting a week off from work so that she could track her troublesome brother down. That in itself was a battle.
It was a good thing she ran into Aoshi and Misao at the smoldering building that once housed her brother and Yahiko. The two filled Kaoru in as much as they could. Aoshi, Kaoru could tell, wasn't so sure how much he should let slip about Kenshin and his past. Kaoru reassured the man that even though she knew next to nothing about Kenshin's Yakuza days, she just flat out didn't care. She could deal with that when it became an issue. Right now, the most important thing was making sure Yahiko and Kenshin, the two most important people in her life, were okay.
And while it did make her a bit jealous knowing Aoshi knew more about it all than she did, Kaoru felt that there wasn't much time left. Misao and Aoshi knew they wouldn't be able to convince the girl not to tag along... So Aoshi took it upon himself to tell her whatever was necessary so that she might just survive this disaster.
All signs, Aoshi had said, led to Kyoto; the place where all of this started. The same place where Kenshin worked for the Shishio Clan as their top assassin. After giving the raccoon girl all the details, he made it clear that even though he felt bad for the current situation and his inability to protect Yahiko, he would not become involved. Kaoru noted the stern expression Misao gave her, as the younger girl's iron grip on Aoshi's hand never wavered.
Throwing her suitcase into the trunk of the taxi, Kaoru shook a fist. "Are you going to try and stop me, Mr. Satou? Or are you actually, just this once, going to show that you give a damn and help?"
Saitou rubbed his temples. He had every intention of going after Himura from the beginning... he just wasn't happy with having such a ... squealing, persistent, pig-headed raccoon of a girl follow him along in the process. Well, he figured. I can't stop her. She's going to go either way... might as well make sure she doesn't get into trouble.
"You know," Saitou informed, taking her by the arm and opening the taxi door for her. "Kyoto is going to be a very dangerous place for us."
"I don't care," Kaoru said, on the verge of tears. "I'm going to track down Kenshin and beat him over the head with a broom!" The girl watched as Saitou followed her into the taxi. "I'm going to need you to hold him down for me, though. He's so... squirrely sometimes!"
Saitou flashed the girl a crooked grin and told the destination to the driver. Already, he could feel the dull pounding in his forehead.
This was going to be a long trip.
* * *
Settling into his apartment, Sanosuke smiled at the redhead. "So... how does it feel to be back in Kyoto, after all this time?"
Kenshin's gaze never wandered from the window. Stepping out onto the balcony, Kenshin took a deep whiff of the mid-afternoon air. A few streetlights flickered on in the great city below, preparing itself for the darkness of night that was upon them. Kenshin sighed. "It's been a long time... I never thought I'd ever come back here, that I did not."
Sanosuke patted the small man on the back. "Look, you can go stay at a hotel if you absolutely want to."
Kenshin shook his head. "You said no one knows your true name here..." the redhead began, setting his hat down on the low coffee table. "... And that no one knows you live here. It would be best for me to keep a low profile, that it would.
"And besides, if you are up to no good, I want to be there to take you down."
The freelancer sighed, defeated. "I see you'll never trust me, ne?"
"Well, let's see," Kenshin began, counting off on his fingers. "You attacked me, accused me of murdering some guy by the name of Sagara, and your best friend kidnapped my foster son, that he did." He said the last part rather bitterly, placing his hands on his waist. His accusing glare made Sanosuke shrink back a bit.
"Yeah... but I also offered to help you get him back," Sanosuke said. "And believe me... I'm just as pissed at Shishio as you are. You may not know it, but concerning my revenge... I'm back to square one."
The two stood silent a moment, looking into each other's eyes. Years of training on both parts earned them the ability to sense even the most subtle hint of dishonesty in their opponent. It also earned them the ability to sense their opponents weakness. And Sanosuke, Kenshin mused, didn't seem to have any. And if one were to ask Sanosuke about Kenshin, he would say the same. Both were very strong fighters, at least on the outside. Kenshin rubbed his head sluggishly. "Oi... I never could get the hang of travel. Too much jet lag, that there is."
The taller man smiled. "Ah. I'm about to nod off here myself."
Kenshin made himself a make-shift bed against the wall, placing a blanket down on the floor. He sat, hunched over his crossed legs, his head hanging just a bit. It was something he got rather accustomed to when he was a child; being homeless and without a warm bed to cuddle up in, he often times found himself falling asleep sitting up. Old habits die hard, that they do, Kenshin mused.
"Are you sure you want to sleep there?" Sanosuke smoothed, his eyes sparkling.
"Oro?" Kenshin blinked. "As long as you don't mind. I don't need a bed, just a wall to lean against, that I do."
"Are you sure? I could let you share mine."
Kenshin made a noise that could only be described as a squeak, a slight blush creeping up on his cheeks. "O...ro?"
"Nevermind," Sanosuke shook his head, taking off for his room. "But if you get cold... let me know."
Kenshin watched the taller one disappear into his quarters. What a strange guy, he thought. And yet... I was... I was going say 'yes'.
The redhead, out of humiliation, slapped himself silly. What are you thinking, Kenshin?! You're a guy... and he's a guy. You're not like that...
....are you?
Kenshin yawned. It was probably just the jet-lag effecting his brainwaves, or something, he mused. Probably nothing to worry about. Finding another guy attractive? Why, sure, he'd thought that way before about other men. But about Sanosuke? Definitely some sleep-deprivation issues going on there.
Happy with that excuse, he fell asleep. They would start looking for Yahiko tomorrow... and they would take their fight straight to the heart of it all... to Makoto Shishio himself.
And Kenshin could bury the ghosts of his past once and for all.
* * *
Myoujin Yahiko finally come around, disorientation dulling his senses. The last thing he remembered was Aoshi facing off against that strange guy at the door--
"Ah. I see you've finally come around," Tsunan said. "I'm surprised, actually. I thought you'd be out much longer than that, given the effects the gas should have had on one your height and weight ..."
It took a moment for Yahiko to realize he was captured, tied up, and thrown in some corner of a dank and dreary room. Yahiko snarled. "What the fuck is going on? Who are you?!"
"I've already told you my name. And as to what's going on..." Tsunan smugly said. "Everything."
The dark-haired boy stammered, "Ne? What do you mean? Where's Aoshi?"
"Mr. Shinomori is back in America," Tsunan said. He felt somewhat guilty for not waiting for Sanosuke; never mind that before they embarked on this mission, they both agreed to get their jobs done and not worry about each other. Tsunan's job was to capture the kid and bring him to Shishio, which is exactly what he did. "You're in Kyoto now, brat."
Sano.... Tsunan wondered. Where are you?
He knew he had to give it time; Sano enjoyed being late. He said it kept everyone on their toes. Tsunan knew that at any moment, that chicken-headed lamebrain would walk through those doors, totting Himura Kenshin along in a body bag and making some bad comment about bad American food and their lack of hospitality. But the whole fight worried him as it was... True, Sagara Sanosuke was a formidable fighter. But when paired up against a legend like Himura Kenshin? He had to admit, he had his doubts. All he could do now was believe in Sanosuke with every fiber of his being.
"But Mr. Shinomori should be the least of your concerns," the dark one murmured. "Shishio-sama's got plans for you, and unless you act accordingly, he will kill you."
"Yeah, yeah," Yahiko spat. "I know. I've been involved with this Yakuza shit before."
"Good. Then I don't have to explain anything," Tsunan headed for the door, but was somewhat startled to see that Seta Soujiro was standing there the whole time.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Tsukiyoka," the smiling one said, bowing slightly. "How was your trip?"
"Spare me the niceties, 'Waka-gashira'," Tsunan said, purposefully stressing the last word in a mocking fashion. "I brought the boy. And Sano's on his way with Himura."
"Yes. So I've seen," Soujiro said, amused by the darker man's distrust. "And as soon as he gets here, Shishio-oyabun would like to have a few words with you."
Tsunan's eyes narrowed, and he grit his teeth. He really didn't like Soujiro, not in the least. The kid was too... happy for his tastes. He knew the kid was hiding something... some sort of hidden agenda. But, damn it all, Tsunan just couldn't read the boy well enough to figure out just what it was that made him so uneasy. It was as if there was nothing in that head of his, as if he were some kind of spiritless shell...
"Fine. But tell Shishio-'oyabun' that as soon as Sano returns, he's got our attention for no more than an hour. After that, Sano and I are gone."
Soujiro cocked his head to one side, his eternally shining smile never wavering. "Yes sir!"
* * *
After Soujiro took off to rendezvous with Shishio, Tsunan turned towards Yahiko and, in the barest of whispers, said: "Look... I know that... whatever they have planned for you won't be all that bad. They probably want to recruit you. So take whatever they give you graciously, and you might live."
Yahiko's nostrils flared in anger. "Why? Why are you doing this? What have you and this 'Sano' guy got against Kenshin?"
Tsunan looked thoughtful for a moment, then clenched his fists. "Himura Kenshin took someone very important away from Sano and I fifteen years ago. Sagara-sensei's spirit cries out for revenge."
"Sagara... sensei?" the kid though aloud. "A teacher of yours?"
"Yes. The man who took Sano and I under his wing and accepted us for what we were."
Casting his eyes to the ground, Yahiko thought a moment. Kenshin... a murderer? He knew that his foster father had a dark past... hell, even he himself did. He knew full well how people were capable of change, yet he never much wondered about Kenshin's past all that much before... but a murderer? He just couldn't see Kenshin doing anything like that.
"And... you know that Kenshin did it? You know for a fact that he murdered your teacher?"
Tsunan flinched, as if socked in the face. He bit his bottom lip, contemplating his response. "Yes. Sano and I... are certain it was him."
Yahiko saw the tinge of uncertainty in the man's eyes, and 'hmmmed' thoughtfully. Maybe there was something salvageable in these two freelancers... he would have to think about it a bit, though.
Right now, though, he just wanted to get that damn silly-assed grin of Soujiro's out of his mind. It was just too damn... creepy.
* * *
Seta Soujiro sighed contently as he walked down the long, darkened hallway, stopping just short of Shishio's quarters. Adjusting his blazer, he had to admit; jetlag was really getting to him. But he knew there was an incredible amount of work still ahead of him. He couldn't put it off for such trivial things as sleep. Besides, he wanted nothing more than to look good in the eyes of his Oyabun. He knew that hard work would some day earn him the love and respect he so desired.
"You can come in now, Soujiro," Shishio deadpanned, rather impatiently.
Soujiro snapped out of his fantasy, a little ashamed for lingering. "Good afternoon, Shishio-oyabun. How are you today?"
"Good, good," the bandaged man said behind his laptop, clicking and typing away at Soujiro knew not what. "And your trip?"
"It was wonderful! You know what they say, 'America, the beautiful'," Soujiro smiled wider, his eyes matching as he almost took off into the song. "Oh! You should have been there, Shishio-oyabun, they have the most wonderful food! And the Statue of Liberty, it--"
"And Sanosuke and the Battousai?"
The genki one blinked, then laughed sheepishly as he realized he was getting off track. "Oi... I followed Mr. Sagara the entire time. He took along his friend, Mr. Tsuk--"
"Tsukiyoka Tsunan," Shishio rushed, waving a hand passively. "Right, right. Did you see the Battousai, though?"
Soujiro frowned at the word. Battousai... such a glorious title, he thought, but one he could never be skilled enough to possess. "Sword-wielding man slayer"... "Yes, yes, I saw him. Mr. Sagara brought him back alive."
At that, Shishio closed his laptop, reclining back in his chair. His eyes shone a hellish red, the warm glow from the fireplace reflecting off of them, as if igniting tiny blazes inside his bandaged head. Resting his chin on his hand, he chuckled.
Soujiro couldn't help but shudder at the image before him; Shishio noticed the visual tremors running through the boy's body, even though Soujiro's mask never faultered. He loved having that effect on the boy; Soujiro owed him respect, that they both knew. The Oyabun had been a sort of foster father to the boy for quite some years. And while Soujiro knew it wasn't the type of father-son relationship he wanted deep down, his carefree, spiritless mentality let him sleep peacefully at night knowing he owed Shishio his utmost honor and respect.
Shishio smiled a smile identical to Soujiro's. "Good. I can't wait to see them."
* * *
The hallway, for lack of a better description, was dark. At least, Soujiro thought, it was much better than being stuck outside. Their hideout, an old classic-style Japanese dojo atop Mount Hiei, shook with tremors as the storm dragged on outside.
He hated rain.
The hallway, for some odd reason, was more reassuring than his own warm bed at the moment. At least out here, he could keep watch. At least out here, he could hear every voice and whisper coming from Shishio's room.
The boy sat outside his own room down the hall, hugging his knees. Soujiro listened carefully, his ears perking up when he recognized a female voice emanating through the paper-thin walls. "Shishio, he's just a child, for Christ's sake. You can't expect him to--"
"Yumi," Shishio smoothed. "Soujiro is my right-hand man. And besides, disloyalty and insolence aren't in his contract. He's not the issue here."
Soujiro's mouth gaped. They were talking about him?! Soujiro, for a split instant, let his smile slip into an all-out gape of pure shock. He hadn't done anything... nothing Shishio knew about, anyway. But Yumi... Yumi knew him better than most. Maybe Yumi was catching something Shishio couldn't...?
"You're not around him all day like I am," Yumi protested. Soujiro could hear the soft padding of her footsteps through the wall. Her voice, he could tell, was nearing the door. "That boy is slipping, Shishio. And, if you hold onto him too tight, he's going to break like the fragile piece of glass that he is.
"But," she continued, her voice solemn. "Don't you dare drop him, either."
Silence. The sound of the falling rain pounding in Soujiro's ears, making the silence overwhelming. Lowering his eyelids gently, a small tremor ran through his body. He fought off his feelings once again, shutting them up in the tiny safekeeping box known as his mind. He couldn't rely on his emotions anymore; they were wild, going out of control. It was best just to shrug it off and smile, and no one, not even Shishio, would be any the wiser.
But Yumi... Yumi was more observant than Soujiro thought.
I didn't want to... The words were hot, and painful, like wildfire spreading throughout his entire nervous system. He tried to shut them up, but they came anyway... He silently damned his sucky human emotions to the deepest, darkest depths of Hell where they belonged.
I didn't want to... to .... didn't.... Oh, God, Shishio-oyabun.... why... why...
"What are you doing out in the hallway?" Yumi snapped, staring accusingly at Soujiro on the floor. "Are you drunk or something?"
"Ara... araaa?" He murmured innocently, his eyes squinting.
Yumi raised an eyebrow. "Go to bed, boy. I don't care if you do have jetlag--it's way past your bed time."
Soujiro got up, brushed himself off, and complied. Wishing Yumi goodnight, he shut the door behind him gently. Collapsing onto his bed, he curled up with his pillow, his eyes shut so hard he gave himself a migrane.
"I didn't want to kill anyone, Shishio-oyabun..."
to be continued...