Well anyhow, this actually IS the last chapter. Thank you so much for staying with me through all of this, you guys!!
Please leave as many reviews as possible. Think of it as a going away present. Onegai? (Snffl)
Ja, I stirred things up a bit again. Enjoy!
Screw the disclaimer.
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Chapter Eleven
"What?"
"You heard me. We've won the revolution, gentlemen. It's finally over."
"It-it's done?"
"Really? You mean...we can go home now?!"
Katsura smiled at the man who'd spoken. "Yes. You may all go where you wish."
Cheers resounded over the treetops. Katsura watched amusedly as his men celebrated with hugs and triumphant laughter. But slowly they died down as one man stepped forward.
Himura approached the Katsura slowly, Haiyashii following behind him. His eyes were wide with disbelief, and his mouth was slightly open. He had the look of a man who had just been struck by lightning.
"Ka...Katsura-san," he managed. "It...it's really...?"
He smiled at the boy knowingly. "Yes, Himura. You're free. You have done your duty. You have led the people of Japan into a new era, the dream that you joined our side to make into reality. You may leave now, if you wish."
The manslayer fell to his knees.
Haiyashii placed a hand on his shoulder quickly."Careful, kid. You okay?"
"I...I..." He was staring at nothing, eyes facing the ground. The manslayer was going into shock.
The other soldiers exchanged glances with one another. Battousai was no longer needed. Did he want to stop being a hitokiri now that everything was over? What did life have to offer a man whose only skills were in battle?
A smile suddenly spread across the boy's face. He was absolutely glowing.
Himura gazed up at Katsura. "Thank you. Thank you so much. For everything."
"I was glad I could know an individual such as yourself, Himura. You've taught me many things. I thank you for all you've given me," he told him.
"Goodbye. I hope someday I will see you again."
Himura smiled broadened. He shook his head slowly, back and forth.
"You won't."
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Back at headquarters, Haiyashii was packing what he had. The captain was sporting a red bandanna to cover the bandages wrapping his forehead, and in a few minutes he would check on Himura. The boy was packing his belongings as well, saying goodbye to the surroundings he'd known for so long. He'd looked almost sad as he'd headed for his room.
The two of them had agreed to leave and explore Japan together, as they'd discussed. Himura had been bandaged up, and they would start traveling today. Haiyashii checked one last thing, then decided to head over to Himura's quarters.
He pushed the sliding door aside. "Kid, you ready to--" What...?
The room was empty.
His eyes swept briefly over the scene. Clothes packed, bag ready, futon
rolled up, cloak gone, hat gone--
Wait. The closet.
He ripped open the door. There lay his cloak and hat.
No sword.
Oh God.
He wouldn't. He wouldn't DARE--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wind swept briefly and lazily in frequent bursts across the field. The sun was laying low on the horizon, gleaming red. He could see a grove of trees in the distance.
So this was the new dawn. The new age.
Time to fulfill his second promise. The promise that had lain on his lips
and in his heart each and every time he had slain another. The words that
were engraved on his heart.
After I have freed these people and given them what I have sworn to
achieve, I will avenge you.
Himura unsheathed his sword. He placed the saya on its side next to where he knelt in the middle of the field. The swaying grass brushed across him, the sweet scent of flowers tickling his nose. The wind was cool and calm at his back.
He could not think of a better time or place to die.
Tomoe...beloved...I will see you soon.
He raised the sword in both hands...
...and sent it hurtling down into his chest.
FLASH!
White. He smelled her scent again, that wonderful fragrance. He could faintly feel the blade in his flesh, blossoming from his back, tearing through his heart. It didn't matter now, though. He was freed from the pain. His breathing stopped.
There! There she was.
Oh beloved, I have waited so long...
She smiled. "I know. I have missed you too, koishii. But I belong here now."
So do I.
"Are you sure?"
...I...
"Beloved, it is not your time. I know how you hurt, I know how you feel, but
do you really want this to happen? You cannot possibly know what trials,
what joys await you! What friends you shall make, what family you shall
gain and never lose! And I will always be watching over you."
Tomoe...
"I will not see you again, beloved. You will learn why it has to be this way.
In time, you will learn. Goodbye...
...my love."
HIMURA!!
FLASH!
"Himura! Himura, kid, talk to me. Hey. HEY! Oh God, shimatta, shimatta--"
There was blood everywhere. He awoke to the sound of Haiyashii's frantic cries. He was shaking him. "Kid?! Kid, come on, don't do this, please don't do this, not now!"
"Guh...h...Haiyashii...?"
"Oh thank God. Kid, can you hear me?...What the hell did you think you were doing?!" The captain was half extremely furious, half extremely relieved. He yanked the sword out of the hitokiri's...side?
"Wh...what--?"
"You tried to kill yourself. Lucky it only hit muscle. Himura, it's not worth it!"
"...I promised--"
"HIMURA!" The boy fell silent. "She died protecting you! Don't you think that if she would die to save you that there was something left for you to do?! Something left for you to live for?! If you kill yourself now the only thing you would do is make Tomoe's death completely meaningless. Are you going to do what she died to prevent?!"
"...I..." Himura stared at him, tears forming in his eyes. He was right.
Tomoe died saving me. I can't die, not now. I have to live as long and as
fully as I can. I have to make her death for a good cause; I can't just let
her die for nothing!
He looked down at the sword he been holding. He looked down at the blood on his hand. He had almost...
The boy couldn't take anymore. He broke down crying into the sleeve of Haiyashii's gi.
"I...I didn't...I can't..."
"Shh, just relax, kid," he told him soothingly. "You don't have to kill anyone anymore, never again. You can be free to live and make up for the deaths."
"But it hurts...it hurts so badly...I can still see all of their faces, all of them..."
"Well. Then that can be part of your repentance. To live your life with that
weight on your shoulders, and to continue helping others to live. You've
already started doing that. Look." He pointed to a banner in the distance.
"Soon that flag will be flying all over Japan."
The two stayed silent for awhile. Himura spoke again.
"I would still like you to travel with me...I have a long way to go."
Haiyashii smiled.
Yes. He had quite a long way to go.
The captain gave Himura a squeeze, then gathered him up in his arms. He promised he wouldn't let go of him again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Years Later
at Kamiya Dojo
What once was rended
Has now been mended
And life goes on as before.
What once was rended
Has now been mended
And love finds its way once more.
~~~~~
"You little brat! Get back here!"
"Yeah right, you drunk loser!"
"Grrr YAHIKO-CHAN! Wait 'till I get my hands on you--"
Yahiko ducked just in time to avoid a punch from behind.
"Ba'rou! Watch it Sanosuke!"
Kaoru watched as Sano chased her apprentice around the dojo yard.
Those two, I swear.
"Oi! Knock it off, both of you, or I'll cook tonight! I really will!" she called.
"Kenshin'll be glad to cancel our table at the Akabeko tonight!"
"Ora ora, Jou-chan," Sano grinned, pulling Yahiko back by his collar as he thrashed angrily, trying to get a shot in. "It's the kid's two week anniversary; I don't think either of you are going to cancel out on that."
"Yeah, speaking of which," Yahiko said suddenly, desisting from trying to hit Sano in the face. "What are you gonna name him? He is two weeks old, you know."
"Sou da na," Sano agreed. "What are you gonna name the Kodomo-chan?"
"Hm, I really don't know," Kaoru said thoughtfully. "Well, I'll just have to talk it over with Kenshin. I never thought about it 'till now. Ja, maybe I'll go find him now. You two, don't kill each other 'till I get back," she ordered, giving them a meaningful look.
Sano gave Yahiko an evil grin.
He gulped.
Kaoru shook her head with a sigh. Those two bakas...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kenshin sat on the large, flat rock that laid next to the river, holding his son in his arms. The little one had fallen asleep some time ago. Now he lay peacefully in his lap.
He smiled at the little boy. Lately he had been in the habit of having mental conversations with his young son. He talked to him often, whenever they were alone to spends some quality time together.
Kenshin was glad all that pregnancy stuff was over. He'd never been so nervous and shaken up in his entire life.
Well, maybe on their wedding night, but...
He shook his head briefly to clear his mind of such things. But even the
small movement caused the little one to wake up. He yawned and stared up
at his father with big, sweet eyes. Kenshin smiled at him, making him
laugh that adorable baby laugh and his face crinkle up into a smile.
Kenshin felt so happy seeing him smile. He told him about how the little
one made him feel.
Everything will be different for you, you know. I'll give you everything I couldn't have as a child and more. Everything. That little smile you get, as if you know something I don't, so playful.
When you're older, I'll teach you. There's so many things...You can learn how to cook; maybe we'll give your mother lessons, eh? The very thought made his grin widen. He chuckled.
"Kenshin? Doko ka?"
Oop. Speak of the angel.
"Kenshin, there you are," Kaoru said, relieved. She was wearing her special kimono with the white obi. The aqua blue one he had given her on their wedding day. He just couldn't stop smiling now. She looked so beautiful.
Kaoru took a seat next to him on the stone. She looked at her little boy, smiling away like that and laughing. "What are you laughing about, little man?" Kaoru asked sweetly, leaning toward him. "Are you being naughty?"
Just those four words sent him into another round of baby giggles. Soon Kaoru and Kenshin were laughing too.
"What did your father feed you that you could be this happy? Did you give him sugar or something, daddy?" Kaoru said jokingly.
"Well, I tried to, but he seems to only like milk," Kenshin said innocently.
"Oh, you." Kaoru tapped him lightly on the noggin. "Jaa, if he's hungry give him to me."
Kenshin watched as Kaoru checked to make sure no one was around, then undid her kimono to nurse the young one. She smiled at him softly as he fed.
"Sa, Kenshin, apparently we have a small problem," she told him. "This boy needs a name. It has been two weeks now. What do you suppose we could name him?"
"Actually..." Kaoru looked at him in surprise.
"Have you already chosen one?"
"Well, lately I was talking with him...You know what I mean," he said at the look Kaoru was giving him. "And I kept thinking about someone else who was very...important to me. I used to tell him everything too. I guess he was sort of like a surrogate father to me."
Kaoru looked startled. "Kenshin, why didn't you say anything? If there was someone that important to you we could have invited him to the wedding. If he's like your father--"
"I'm afraid I couldn't find him, that I could not. I have not seen him for years; I have no idea where he might be now."
"And what do you want to name him?"
"His name is..." He whispered into her ear.
She nodded."That name is perfect for him, Kenshin. We'll call him that."
He smiled. "Ja, let's not tell anyone 'till tonight, hai?"
"Certainly. Won't they be surprised," she grinned.
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Later that night the Akabeko was bustling and busy. Tonight they were extremely busy, because most of their guests were the Kenshin-gumi. Kenshin was having a heck of a time trying to get their attention, especially now that Sano had broken out the sake.
Apparently Misao was angry at him for saying something about her and Aoshi, and was busily throwing whatever projectiles she could find in the direction of his head. Yahiko was once again taking extreme liberties with the sake and was hitting himself in the face trying to get his vision to quit fuzzing up. Megumi was shouting at Sanosuke for provoking the weasel and telling him to drop his sake bottle, which he promptly refused to do, and Tae was wringing her hands in exasperation as Tsubame watched the crowd fearfully and rather embarrassedly.
At this point Sanosuke had dropped the sake and his playfulness with Misao and was about to get involved in a rather large brawl with Cho, who had also been invited, and the two were heatedly exchanging insults.
"Jaa, Houki -Atama, what the HELL did you just say?!"
"You heard me, TORI-Atama! And if you call me that one more time, so help me--"
"TEME--"
"Koraa, Sano! Stop messing around!" Yahiko said angrily. "You're scaring Tsubame! And you'll wake the baby!"
Suddenly the little boy yawned, stirring in his sleep.
Everyone froze.
The baby blinked at them, then smiled and settled himself down in his mother's arms again, nodding off almost instantly.
Almost immediately the noise started again.
Kenshin looked helplessly at Kaoru.
"OI!!! EVERYONE SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO WHAT KENSHIN HAS TO SAY!!!" she exploded. Then in extreme contrast she looked down serenely at her sleeping baby boy.
Crickets were heard chirping outside.
Kenshin sighed. "Saa, now then, I have an announcement to make. First of all, thank you, all of you, for coming tonight. As you know, it is our son's two week anniversary, and we had not yet given him a name."
"That's right," Sano called. "C'mon Kenshin, what did you name the baby?"
"Yes Ken-san, what will you call him?"
He grinned embarrassedly. "Well, Kaoru was generous enough to allow me to pick the name. There was someone who was very dear to me during the Bakumatsu, and not only was he the one who accompanied me for a good many years and saved my life two separate times, he was--"
"--the stupidest being on the face of the planet for not being able to show up for your wedding," said a voice from the doorway.
Kenshin stopped in midsentence.
He turned around carefully, facing the entrance to see...
"...Haiyashii?"
The older man smiled warmly at his friend. He was still wearing a red tunic, only now it was accompanied with an off-white cloak and metal walking stick. His hair was salt and pepper, and his ever-present beard was greying as well.
But he still wore that same knowing smile that had made Kenshin trust him so completely all those years ago.
Kaoru watched attentively as this new man approached her husband. She studied his features carefully, and slowly but surely, by that smile and by the look on Kenshin's face, she knew that this must be the one.
"Ja, konbanwa. Himura-kun."
He couldn't believe it. "It's...is...is it really you?!" The captain nodded.
Kenshin stayed frozen for a few seconds.
Then with a laugh he leapt up and wrapped both arms around the man as
tight as he could, Haiyashii returning the hug with equal fervor and
strength.
Haiyashii clapped him on the back, then grasped him by both elbows.
"Oi, who is this guy?" Sano whispered to Yahiko.
"Ya got me. I think this is the guy he was talkin' about," he whispered back.
"Saa, Haiyashii, these are my friends, Aoshi, Misao-dono, Yahiko, Sanosuke, Megumi-dono, Tae, Tsubame, and Cho," he said, going down the line. He bowed politely to each of them.
"And this is my wife. Kaoru." She nodded to him, smiling broadly. He bowed, returning her smile. He raised an eyebrow at Kenshin.
"She's very beautiful, Himura-kun. You're very lucky."
"You should see her with a bokken," he told him with a grin.
"Just don't ask her to cook!" someone yelled. She gave them the evil eye, then laughed.
"It's a honor to meet you, Haiyashii-san," Kaoru told him. She looked at her husband.
He nodded at her. "Haiyashii, I would like you to meet someone very important." He took the baby from Kaoru, cradling him gently. He looked up at the captain. "This is my son."
"Oh, Himura! Congratulations!" Haiyashii marveled. Kenshin handed the little one to him.
"He's so adorable. Himura, he's a little you!" he said, taking him carefully.
"Does he have a name?" The baby stared up at him and grinned his baby grin with big lavender eyes.
Kenshin smiled. "His name is Kenji."
Haiyashii stared at him. "You..." He looked down at the boy.
"...You named him for me...?" Kenshin nodded.
"I named him after the only father I ever knew."
Tears were welling in the captain's eyes. "...Thank you so much, Himura-kun. This...is the biggest honor I have ever..."
"You saved his life," Himura said solemnly. "If you hadn't saved that first time and stopped me from killing myself, given me a reason to live..."
Sano and the others exchanged glances.
"Well, as you know, if I wasn't here, he wouldn't be either," he finished sheepishly.
"Neither would we," Yahiko yelled.
"That's absolutely right," Aoshi agreed.
"Yes, definitely.
"Yeah! He's right!" Everyone made their affirmation of Yahiko's vehement statement.
Haiyashii smiled, his eyes bright with tears. "So Himura, you found out
what she meant?"
Kenshin smiled at his friends, his heart so full he felt it would burst.
"Yes. I did."
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WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
EMMY-CHAN DON'T WANNA GO!!!
This, unfortunately, is the last chapter for this fic.
HOWEVER...yes, HOWEVER...I can write a sequel sometime if you want, because, of course, I made Haiyashii travel with Kenshin for awhile and I never really explained his past.
First of all, I would like to give my extreme thanks to Colleen, Calger459, Jason M. Lee, Moonstruck Em, Hineko, and saimesemewling, LinaNverse, Clarus, me myself & i, Reiken, Megan-chan, Jessi-chan, Krystal-chan, and all the other wonderful people who reviewed me, and also to Hitokiri Gentatsu for giving me my first review!
Extreme thanks to Calger-sama for being my bestest friend and e-mailing me so often. (SNNFL)
Jaa, all you Japanese illiterates: I will make a Japanese Glossary sometime. Unfortunately that'll be the only reason it'll appear at the front of RK ever again... (sniff sniff)