Tanuki To Ryuu
Now back to Kenshin and Kaoru! I've been plotting this chapter for
sooo long! I'm satisfied with what I'm going to do with it so I'm
diving in! There seems to have also been some confusion about the
title 'Hokkaido Arc'. I was originally planning for this arc to occur
in Okinawa. This arc has no relation to the one Watsuki-sensei planned
as a fourth arc to the manga.
Chapter 19- A Simple Farmboy
"Kenshin, how much further is it?" Kaoru asked in anticipation.
Kenshin dodged the questions about their destination very carefully and
he told her that they would arrive at the spot soon.
"Not much further," Kenshin assured her. The married pair were
walking through a dense forest that appeared to not have anyone travel
through it in many years. Kenshin disappeared behind thick bushes and
said, "We're here, Kaoru."
Kaoru sighed and stepped through the thick shrubbery. "Well,
its about time," Kaoru said. What she saw surprised her. A small
field that was bare in patches with small clumps of grass and weeds
growing in spots, with over thirty handmade wooden gravemarkers. In
the center of the field were three small circular stones with
wildflowers around them. "Kenshin, what is this place?" Kaoru asked in
surprise and confusion. Kenshin walked towards the three stones.
"The birthplace of Himura Kenshin, now Kamiya Kenshin," Kenshin
replied. "Nineteen years ago, a young farmer child named Shinta was
sold into slavery after his parents died of cholera. It was this spot
here that bandits slaughtered the caravan the child was in. It was
this spot that Hiko Sejiro the Thirteenth saved the child, the only
survivor, and named him Kenshin. And these girls," Kenshin said fondly
as he ran a hand over the three smooth stones, "are the reason I'm
alive."
"This is a lot to take in, Kenshin," Kaoru responded as she held
her head, absorbing the weight of what Kenshin told her. "Or do you
prefer Shinta?"
"Shinta died the day Hiko Sejiro found him," Kenshin answered
with a smile. "I've lived as Kenshin for nineteen years. I see no
reason to bring back the child I once was. Life is an everchanging
journey and to remain static would hurt a person more than help them."
Kaoru noticed the stones Kenshin still touched.
"Who were they?" Kaoru asked as she walked up and stood next to
her husband.
"Kasumi, Akane, and Sakura," Kenshin replied. "They used their
bodies to shield me from the bandits. If not for them, my master would
have found another corpse instead of me. After he took revenge for me,
he left me here for a few days."
"WHAT?!" Kaoru shouted, outraged at Hiko's past actions yet
again. "Left a child in a field of corpses? What kind of sick man is
he?" Kenshin just smiled.
"It was the first test to see if I was worthy of learning Hiten
Misturugi Ryuu," Kenshin answered. "I realized in the end, bandit or
victim, we are all bodies after death and the least one can do is bury
the corpses and pay them respect."
"So he helped you bury them?" Kaoru asked.
"No. I buried every body on this field by myself. I made the
markers, I dragged the stones, and I prayed to each grave." Kenshin
responded. Kaoru looked at Kenshin with increased surprise.
"In a day? I'm amazed you've always had such strength," Kaoru
stated. "How often do you visit this field?"
"I've only seen this field three times after that night,"
Kenshin admitted. Kenshin prayed to the three girls who he owed his
life to and Kaoru did the same. "Now I have to show you the birthplace
of my family," Kenshin said. "If we hurry we can get there before
nightfall."
***
It was a modest farming village off the beaten path. Modest
crops of rice and soy beans were grown in large damp fields. Kenshin
walked down the roads as if he did a hundred times before and Kaoru
followed in a slower pace. "You still have family? If you did, then
you should have invited them!" Kaoru shouted.
"No family Kaoru... except of course for you. If I had family,
would I have been sold into slavery?" Kenshin answered. "I was born
here as Shinta. After the Bakamatsu, I wandered here often and
searched for any family I could find." Kenshin took a long sigh in
sorrow. "None existed. I was truly alone until the one day a year
ago I walked into Tokyo. I do remember them though," he stated with a
bittersweet smile.
"Kenshin, do you feel comfortable talking about them?" Kaoru
asked in concern.
"Its alright really," Kenshin assured her. "My father was an
honest farmer. He worked the fields day and night to ensure that the
family had enough to eat. My mother was kind and thoughtful as well.
I believe I had a younger sister who was only an infant when the cholera
took them. Although I cannot remember their names, their faces are
forever burned in my memory,"
"Are you sure its alright to talk about it?" Kaoru asked Kenshin
as she noticed they were still walking. "Where are we going anyways?"
"Life changes everyday, Kaoru," Kenshin answered. "If we dwell on
regrets and sorrows all our lives, we will be haunted by phantoms.
There's an inn nearby that I stayed in often." The pair walked inside
of a small inn on the outskirts of town. "Hello Rano-san!" Kenshin
greeted the elderly innkeeper.
"Ah, its good to see you again after so many years, Himura-san!"
the old woman replied warmly. "I see your scar has faded a bit too!
That's good!" Kaoru looked at Kenshin's scar and could not see any
visible changes, but then again she was with him every day. The woman
looked around Kenshin and saw Kaoru. "Oh, is this your wife, Himura-
san?" the elderly innkeeper asked.
"Ah, yes," Kaoru replied as she bowed to the woman. "I am
Kamiya Kaoru, pleased to meet you."
"Good to see you picked one as polite as yourself," the old
woman replied with a grin. "The town's been bristling with activity
since a few months ago! Harro-san has a new worker for the fields!
Strange lad, always smiling, but he works the fields with amazing
speed!" The woman chuckled and continued, "The old men in town bet on
how quick he finishes his work!"
Kenshin narrowed his eyes as he thought to himself. "What name
did this boy give?" he asked the innkeeper.
The old woman pondered for a moment. "Soujiro I believe," she
answered. "Do you wish to meet him? I'll arrange it for tomorrow if
you'd like, but for tonight the two of you have to get some rest! I
can tell you have been wandering all day."
***
"You don't have to talk with him, you know," Kaoru said as she
tied her hair into a ribbon. The night before, Kenshin explained the
basics about who this Soujiro person was and why he was wanted to meet
the boy again. Kaoru was dressed in one of her kimono and tried to
look as nice as possible for this meeting.
"I have to," Kenshin answered. "He was supposed to find his
truth and I'm curious of what it was. Besides, it would be good to see
a former enemy without tension present."
The two walked through the small town and were greeted by many
friendly farmers that seemed to know Kenshin from his previous visits.
The pair walked down the road of the small town by several rice fields
until they reached Harro's rice farm. In the fields carrying two rice
barrels over his shoulders was Seta Soujiro, former Tenken of the
Juppongatana. Soujiro had a smile on his face as he felt the cool
breeze caress his face. Soujiro turned and smiled at Kenshin and
Kaoru.
"Good morning, Himura-san!" Soujiro greeted.
***
"I thought you were going to journey for ten years," Kenshin
said as he sat in the small shack Soujiro lived in. Kaoru was next to
him and Soujiro was across from him.
"I was," Soujiro replied, "but I realized that the fighting life
is not for me. I had enough of taking life and wanted to instead
create life," Soujiro turned and looked out a small window. "Here, I
grow life, harvest it and use it to feed others. It is a good,
peaceful life and here is where I found my truth."
"You gave up the sword totally?" Kenshin asked. He felt
saddened that one as talented as Soujiro could throw away the way of the
sword.
"I had to," Soujiro admitted. "The only path I know of the
sword is to kill, and killing people was something I never wished to
do," Soujiro reached a hand into a small bucket of uncooked rice and
let the grains run over his hand. "This I can understand and do
without false feelings. This I can harvest without guilt. This... is
my truth."
"I am still unsure of the details," Kaoru started as she gave
Kenshin a little glare, "but don't you find it hard to give up the sword
after using it for so long?"
"Kamiya-san, you are correct," Soujiro answered. "A sword
feels as natural as an arm to a swordsman, as I can see you know,"
Sourjio emphasized his point by turning one of Kaoru's hands over to
show her sword calluses. "Yet a sword is not an arm. Its something
totally different that can consume someone if their soul is weak. Time
froze for me ten years ago and only now has it begun to move again. I
thank you both for the kind visit,"
"And I thank you for talking to us," Kenshin answered as he
stood up. Kaoru stood up and bowed to Soujiro.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Kaoru said as she left with
Kenshin.
***
"Soujiro watched the couple walk out of town with a genuine
smile on his face. "So this is true happiness," Soujiro remarked to
himself.
"Sou-kun!" a young girl of 16 shouted at him from the main
house, "My mom says dinner is ready!"
"I'll be there in a minute!" Soujiro shouted back and started to
walk towards the house. "Perhaps I will also find it myself," Soujiro
said to himself as he entered the house.
***
"A bit of a strange boy," Kaoru remarked to herself as the two
headed north towards Hokkaido. "Was he really that good a swordsman?"
"He slashed me in the back," Kenshin answered. "He also sliced
cleanly through my original sakabato. His skills and natural ability
exceeded mine. I only defeated him because my soul was not as confused
as his was. But now, the chaos has died within him and there is no
conflict." Kenshin turned to Kaoru and smiled. "I'm saddened that he
chose not to wield a sword for the weak but at the same time I'm glad
that he found peace,"
"I guess those that choose to protect the weak have a burden to
bare," Kaoru said. "But that doesn't mean you can just leave home you
know!" she added.
"Maa maa," Kenshin answered, "I have no intention of leaving my
home without my wife!"
"Well, good," Kaoru answered. "Kenshin, if you could go back
to being a simple farmer, would you?"
Kenshin stopped walking and turned away from Kaoru for a moment.
"The simple life of a farmer is very inviting, Kaoru. I cannot deny
that, but at the same time the way of the sword has bonded with me.
The sword is not torture to myself as it was to Soujiro and I have made
my peace to the phantoms that haunted me. The fighting life doesn't
mean it is one full of suffering. In fact," Kenshin said as he turned
back to Kaoru and put an arm around her shoulder, "I think in a way it
is equally as rewarding."
***
Wow, that's chapter 19! Rurouni Soujiro was never a concept I
could ever agree with. This is my take on what would happen to
Soujiro. He admits that killing was something he never wanted to do in
canon, thus why should he cling to the sword? Besides, being a rice
farmer is in his blood and should be something he should find natural,
especially if he's working with a NICE family. Anyone want to write a
story on how Soujiro found this kind family and decided that farming was
his truth? Anyone at all? Please?
Any Guesses on who the new villian shall be? Oh, and Kenshin
always speaks of moving forward in the manga. Another reason I
disagree with Seisouhen. In the end of Seisouhen, a dying Kenshin
asked to be called Shinta. I think that's ridiculous. Especially
since in the manga Kenshin spoke of life always moving. What this
chapter too speechy? Am I losing it? C&C!
Now back to Kenshin and Kaoru! I've been plotting this chapter for
sooo long! I'm satisfied with what I'm going to do with it so I'm
diving in! There seems to have also been some confusion about the
title 'Hokkaido Arc'. I was originally planning for this arc to occur
in Okinawa. This arc has no relation to the one Watsuki-sensei planned
as a fourth arc to the manga.
Chapter 19- A Simple Farmboy
"Kenshin, how much further is it?" Kaoru asked in anticipation.
Kenshin dodged the questions about their destination very carefully and
he told her that they would arrive at the spot soon.
"Not much further," Kenshin assured her. The married pair were
walking through a dense forest that appeared to not have anyone travel
through it in many years. Kenshin disappeared behind thick bushes and
said, "We're here, Kaoru."
Kaoru sighed and stepped through the thick shrubbery. "Well,
its about time," Kaoru said. What she saw surprised her. A small
field that was bare in patches with small clumps of grass and weeds
growing in spots, with over thirty handmade wooden gravemarkers. In
the center of the field were three small circular stones with
wildflowers around them. "Kenshin, what is this place?" Kaoru asked in
surprise and confusion. Kenshin walked towards the three stones.
"The birthplace of Himura Kenshin, now Kamiya Kenshin," Kenshin
replied. "Nineteen years ago, a young farmer child named Shinta was
sold into slavery after his parents died of cholera. It was this spot
here that bandits slaughtered the caravan the child was in. It was
this spot that Hiko Sejiro the Thirteenth saved the child, the only
survivor, and named him Kenshin. And these girls," Kenshin said fondly
as he ran a hand over the three smooth stones, "are the reason I'm
alive."
"This is a lot to take in, Kenshin," Kaoru responded as she held
her head, absorbing the weight of what Kenshin told her. "Or do you
prefer Shinta?"
"Shinta died the day Hiko Sejiro found him," Kenshin answered
with a smile. "I've lived as Kenshin for nineteen years. I see no
reason to bring back the child I once was. Life is an everchanging
journey and to remain static would hurt a person more than help them."
Kaoru noticed the stones Kenshin still touched.
"Who were they?" Kaoru asked as she walked up and stood next to
her husband.
"Kasumi, Akane, and Sakura," Kenshin replied. "They used their
bodies to shield me from the bandits. If not for them, my master would
have found another corpse instead of me. After he took revenge for me,
he left me here for a few days."
"WHAT?!" Kaoru shouted, outraged at Hiko's past actions yet
again. "Left a child in a field of corpses? What kind of sick man is
he?" Kenshin just smiled.
"It was the first test to see if I was worthy of learning Hiten
Misturugi Ryuu," Kenshin answered. "I realized in the end, bandit or
victim, we are all bodies after death and the least one can do is bury
the corpses and pay them respect."
"So he helped you bury them?" Kaoru asked.
"No. I buried every body on this field by myself. I made the
markers, I dragged the stones, and I prayed to each grave." Kenshin
responded. Kaoru looked at Kenshin with increased surprise.
"In a day? I'm amazed you've always had such strength," Kaoru
stated. "How often do you visit this field?"
"I've only seen this field three times after that night,"
Kenshin admitted. Kenshin prayed to the three girls who he owed his
life to and Kaoru did the same. "Now I have to show you the birthplace
of my family," Kenshin said. "If we hurry we can get there before
nightfall."
***
It was a modest farming village off the beaten path. Modest
crops of rice and soy beans were grown in large damp fields. Kenshin
walked down the roads as if he did a hundred times before and Kaoru
followed in a slower pace. "You still have family? If you did, then
you should have invited them!" Kaoru shouted.
"No family Kaoru... except of course for you. If I had family,
would I have been sold into slavery?" Kenshin answered. "I was born
here as Shinta. After the Bakamatsu, I wandered here often and
searched for any family I could find." Kenshin took a long sigh in
sorrow. "None existed. I was truly alone until the one day a year
ago I walked into Tokyo. I do remember them though," he stated with a
bittersweet smile.
"Kenshin, do you feel comfortable talking about them?" Kaoru
asked in concern.
"Its alright really," Kenshin assured her. "My father was an
honest farmer. He worked the fields day and night to ensure that the
family had enough to eat. My mother was kind and thoughtful as well.
I believe I had a younger sister who was only an infant when the cholera
took them. Although I cannot remember their names, their faces are
forever burned in my memory,"
"Are you sure its alright to talk about it?" Kaoru asked Kenshin
as she noticed they were still walking. "Where are we going anyways?"
"Life changes everyday, Kaoru," Kenshin answered. "If we dwell on
regrets and sorrows all our lives, we will be haunted by phantoms.
There's an inn nearby that I stayed in often." The pair walked inside
of a small inn on the outskirts of town. "Hello Rano-san!" Kenshin
greeted the elderly innkeeper.
"Ah, its good to see you again after so many years, Himura-san!"
the old woman replied warmly. "I see your scar has faded a bit too!
That's good!" Kaoru looked at Kenshin's scar and could not see any
visible changes, but then again she was with him every day. The woman
looked around Kenshin and saw Kaoru. "Oh, is this your wife, Himura-
san?" the elderly innkeeper asked.
"Ah, yes," Kaoru replied as she bowed to the woman. "I am
Kamiya Kaoru, pleased to meet you."
"Good to see you picked one as polite as yourself," the old
woman replied with a grin. "The town's been bristling with activity
since a few months ago! Harro-san has a new worker for the fields!
Strange lad, always smiling, but he works the fields with amazing
speed!" The woman chuckled and continued, "The old men in town bet on
how quick he finishes his work!"
Kenshin narrowed his eyes as he thought to himself. "What name
did this boy give?" he asked the innkeeper.
The old woman pondered for a moment. "Soujiro I believe," she
answered. "Do you wish to meet him? I'll arrange it for tomorrow if
you'd like, but for tonight the two of you have to get some rest! I
can tell you have been wandering all day."
***
"You don't have to talk with him, you know," Kaoru said as she
tied her hair into a ribbon. The night before, Kenshin explained the
basics about who this Soujiro person was and why he was wanted to meet
the boy again. Kaoru was dressed in one of her kimono and tried to
look as nice as possible for this meeting.
"I have to," Kenshin answered. "He was supposed to find his
truth and I'm curious of what it was. Besides, it would be good to see
a former enemy without tension present."
The two walked through the small town and were greeted by many
friendly farmers that seemed to know Kenshin from his previous visits.
The pair walked down the road of the small town by several rice fields
until they reached Harro's rice farm. In the fields carrying two rice
barrels over his shoulders was Seta Soujiro, former Tenken of the
Juppongatana. Soujiro had a smile on his face as he felt the cool
breeze caress his face. Soujiro turned and smiled at Kenshin and
Kaoru.
"Good morning, Himura-san!" Soujiro greeted.
***
"I thought you were going to journey for ten years," Kenshin
said as he sat in the small shack Soujiro lived in. Kaoru was next to
him and Soujiro was across from him.
"I was," Soujiro replied, "but I realized that the fighting life
is not for me. I had enough of taking life and wanted to instead
create life," Soujiro turned and looked out a small window. "Here, I
grow life, harvest it and use it to feed others. It is a good,
peaceful life and here is where I found my truth."
"You gave up the sword totally?" Kenshin asked. He felt
saddened that one as talented as Soujiro could throw away the way of the
sword.
"I had to," Soujiro admitted. "The only path I know of the
sword is to kill, and killing people was something I never wished to
do," Soujiro reached a hand into a small bucket of uncooked rice and
let the grains run over his hand. "This I can understand and do
without false feelings. This I can harvest without guilt. This... is
my truth."
"I am still unsure of the details," Kaoru started as she gave
Kenshin a little glare, "but don't you find it hard to give up the sword
after using it for so long?"
"Kamiya-san, you are correct," Soujiro answered. "A sword
feels as natural as an arm to a swordsman, as I can see you know,"
Sourjio emphasized his point by turning one of Kaoru's hands over to
show her sword calluses. "Yet a sword is not an arm. Its something
totally different that can consume someone if their soul is weak. Time
froze for me ten years ago and only now has it begun to move again. I
thank you both for the kind visit,"
"And I thank you for talking to us," Kenshin answered as he
stood up. Kaoru stood up and bowed to Soujiro.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Kaoru said as she left with
Kenshin.
***
"Soujiro watched the couple walk out of town with a genuine
smile on his face. "So this is true happiness," Soujiro remarked to
himself.
"Sou-kun!" a young girl of 16 shouted at him from the main
house, "My mom says dinner is ready!"
"I'll be there in a minute!" Soujiro shouted back and started to
walk towards the house. "Perhaps I will also find it myself," Soujiro
said to himself as he entered the house.
***
"A bit of a strange boy," Kaoru remarked to herself as the two
headed north towards Hokkaido. "Was he really that good a swordsman?"
"He slashed me in the back," Kenshin answered. "He also sliced
cleanly through my original sakabato. His skills and natural ability
exceeded mine. I only defeated him because my soul was not as confused
as his was. But now, the chaos has died within him and there is no
conflict." Kenshin turned to Kaoru and smiled. "I'm saddened that he
chose not to wield a sword for the weak but at the same time I'm glad
that he found peace,"
"I guess those that choose to protect the weak have a burden to
bare," Kaoru said. "But that doesn't mean you can just leave home you
know!" she added.
"Maa maa," Kenshin answered, "I have no intention of leaving my
home without my wife!"
"Well, good," Kaoru answered. "Kenshin, if you could go back
to being a simple farmer, would you?"
Kenshin stopped walking and turned away from Kaoru for a moment.
"The simple life of a farmer is very inviting, Kaoru. I cannot deny
that, but at the same time the way of the sword has bonded with me.
The sword is not torture to myself as it was to Soujiro and I have made
my peace to the phantoms that haunted me. The fighting life doesn't
mean it is one full of suffering. In fact," Kenshin said as he turned
back to Kaoru and put an arm around her shoulder, "I think in a way it
is equally as rewarding."
***
Wow, that's chapter 19! Rurouni Soujiro was never a concept I
could ever agree with. This is my take on what would happen to
Soujiro. He admits that killing was something he never wanted to do in
canon, thus why should he cling to the sword? Besides, being a rice
farmer is in his blood and should be something he should find natural,
especially if he's working with a NICE family. Anyone want to write a
story on how Soujiro found this kind family and decided that farming was
his truth? Anyone at all? Please?
Any Guesses on who the new villian shall be? Oh, and Kenshin
always speaks of moving forward in the manga. Another reason I
disagree with Seisouhen. In the end of Seisouhen, a dying Kenshin
asked to be called Shinta. I think that's ridiculous. Especially
since in the manga Kenshin spoke of life always moving. What this
chapter too speechy? Am I losing it? C&C!