Chapter 3
By Crystal
Author's Notes: Thanks XenoMark for giving me information about the Bakumatsu ^^
*Screw the disclaimers ^^;;*
Ten years later...
Ten years... It's been ten years. Ten years since the war has ended. Saying the words are short and easy, but living them was hell. Kaoru has grown, and so has Toshiko. Kenji's not fourteen and still growing, looking more like his father every year. I visit him every year, actually, and sometimes, even twice an year. Hiko-san hasn't heard a single word of him. Ten years. How my love for that one single red head did not change, I did not know. All I knew was I have been taking care of four children my whole ten years. Or fourteen years, if you counted the war. Two each time. When I was in Edo, now called Tokyo, I take care of my younger sister and Kaoru. When I'm in Otsu, it's Toku-kun and Kenji. Surprisingly, I still haven't heard a word about Enishi. I've tried getting information about him for the past few years, but no such luck...
It's pouring rain outside, and once again, I'm sitting at my desk, pouring my heart out to a journal. I've had around... four journals right now. This one I'm sitting in front of is my fifth. Sixth, if you counted the one Kenshin has... Or doesn't have. The water splashing on the ground makes my mind clear... It is April 3, 1878. I'm planning on leaving Tokyo tomorrow, to be early for Kenji's birthday. Not once in my life have I been late for his birthday, but usually, I was a day or two early. I'm planning to be two weeks or so earlier this year. Of course, it didn't have to only do with his birthday. I had already told Kaoru that I might even be staying the whole year. It's been ten years since I've seen the snow in Otsu, and I want to see it again. I want to, once again walk up the trail that had led me to my 'death'. I want to remember the cut, I still have the scar, right above my heart. I want to remember the smell of blood...
Although I don't exactly like the blood, and I don't exactly like the copper smell of it either, I just want to remember. That last taste that was in my mouth and that last smell that was lingering in the air... I wanted to remember. Because that's the last time I saw him. I must be stupid, I know. But I can't stop remembering. I still have my shawl, though Toshiko thought it was crazy of me to do that, I know. I'm probably acting like a small girl having their first crush or something. Idiotic, I know. Ah well, I don't really care. All I care was my family, which included my son, sister, brother that was somewhere in the world and Kaoru. The Hisashi family too, since they've done so much for me.
Actually, I really can't wait till tomorrow. Another two weeks and I'll be finally seeing my son again. Even wish a shisho like Hiko-san, Kenji grew up as a very nice kid, respectful to me and his master, although he was sometimes annoyed by his shisho by his calling him his second baka deshi. Hiko-san was a great shisho, although he had a ego as big as the size of Japan, really great shisho though. And it was awfully something amusing to watch them fight and argue over childish stuff. Hisashi-san has also commented that I smiled a lot more than usual, which I was kind of glad. Hiko-san had also said once that Kenji acted a lot like his father, same attitude and stubbornness. Kenji was nearing fifteen, which was nearing the age when I first met his father. He looks exactly like him, although he might be a bit taller, I think. And he's missing the cross scar. I don't even know if Kenshin has that anymore. Although it is still rumoured that the Battousai had red hair and a cross scar. Maybe, I don't know.
Slowly, I blew out the candle and slowly slipped in my futon and cast one last look at the baggage for the trip. I was getting used to the trips to and from Kyoto. It was just normal for me. Did I ever say that Kyoto has changed a lot since the revolution? Yes, that's true. People are no longer fearing and hiding in buildings during the night and scared of Hitokiri Battousai. They go out late at night and enjoy long walks with their friends and family, not having a single hint of fear. I feel comforted by the fact that I knew my husband fought for this. Instead of horrified looks, they smile and it makes me smile too. I closed my eyes and fall into a dreamless sleep.
It was early morning again and I bid farewell to Toshiko. She begged me to bring her too, but I just declined. I don't think I can take care of Toshiko and I on the road, not to mention three kids when I get to Otsu... Well, that wasn't exactly true, since they were all mature and could take care of themselves well. Anyways, I left her on the front porch, telling her I'd be back in around an year, maybe even less. She told me to write to her, which I promised. Kenji even managed to write decent letters to me. His hand writing was certainly better than his father's.
I was on my way to Kamiya Kasshin Dojo. No doubt that Kaoru was teaching her students about the Kamiya style. I'm proud of her, and she's kind of like my daughter. I've been watching over for... Years. Eight years to be exact. Two years after I returned, her father left the dojo for some unknown reason and then a letter was sent to her dojo confirming his death. She cried for a while, but accepted fate a week or two later. She's a tough girl, that one. I have no doubt she'll marry someone good when she's older. Maybe someone as great as my husband. Of course, to me, the greatest man was Kenshin, but to her, maybe it's different. Though all of this has not changed in the past fourteen years. Himura Kenshin was the greatest man in my heart, and in second place was Kiyosato Akira. I still miss my fiancé sometimes. But I guess, the past is the past.
After bidding farewell to Kaoru too, and the doctor and his two granddaughters, I left once again towards my second home... Or possibly my first. Kyoto.
* * * * *
Two weeks had passed uneventfully and I was already arriving at the top of the mountain. Before I even got close to the house, I saw a red head as tall as me bounce out of the house and running full speed at me and giving me an embrace. "Kenji, how are you doing?" I asked my son, smiling.
"Okaasan! Fine! Why are you here so early? It's not even my birthday yet! Not in another two weeks anyways."
I smiled at the energetic boy I had bore, "I'm staying here the whole year, and I'm leaving next year, though I'm considering bringing you back to Tokyo with me, how about that?" I could already see his head nodding up and down excitingly and I saw Hiko-san emerge from his house, giving me a smirk. His lovely way of saying hi. I should be used to it by now, but I still wasn't... really. "Hiko-san." I greeted.
"Baka deshi, go get some water for me and your okaasan." Kenji grumbled, but did it without any question. As Kenji left, he turned to me. "So early this year?"
I shrugged, "I figured since it was ten years since I saw winter in Otsu, I wanted to stay a while. I also wanted to remount the trail up to the mountains where everything happened fourteen years ago." He nodded understandingly.
"Still no news, I see." I shook my head and sighed. Hopefully, Kenshin will show up sooner or later in Kyoto or Otsu. Tokyo wouldn't work, since I had not told anyone about a certain red head being my husband. We stood there for a minute in comfortable silence before it was broken by Kenji running back with a bucket of water, filled to the rim. "I still haven't told him yet, you know." He said quietly, and I nodded. I also wanted to tell him of his father's identity on this trip.
"Kenji, Hiko-san and I want to discuss something with you." I said, quietly.
He raised his eyebrow, making me think of his father again. "About Otousan?"
I sighed, my son was always so bright. He knew everything. "Yes, about your otousan."
So we sat in the house and started chatting. Hiko-san just sat there watching us, sipping his usual sake. I knew he wasn't going to do much about this conversation except sit there and watch us. I was going to say the whole thing, not that I minded, no. He was my son. He had every right to know about his father. I saw Kenji unconsciously take out the top I had given to him before I left for Edo ten years ago and he started spinning it on the floor. A habit he did all the time when he was nervous or something. "Ever heard of Hitokiri Battousai?" I asked.
He lifted his head up to meet my eyes. "I heard from Shisho he was the 14th inheritor of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, but he never did teach me. Instead, Shisho taught the Mitsurugi Ryu to both the 14th and 15th inheritor. I'm guessing my father is the 14th inheritor, which also means, he is the Hitokiri Battousai."
I felt my eyes widen, and a smile forming slowly, "You're too smart for your own good sometimes." A compliment.
Kenji grinned, "Ah well, I had plenty of clues, you see. Every time I went to buy sake for Shisho, people would start pointing at me and say I was Battousai." A pause, "When are we going to see Toku?" He asked excitedly, "Tomorrow?" A nod, then he turned towards Hiko-san, "Shisho, can I go, can I go, can I go?"
A smirk, "Depends how well you do your Kuzu Ryu Sen." Then frown from my son. Knowing Hiko-san, he'd let my son go even if Kenji didn't do whatever that was flawlessly. He took up training four to fives years before Kenshin had and so, he was certainly ahead of his father. Makes me proud sometimes.
"All right, I'll show you now." Determined, he left the house with his sword and I smiled at his determination. Hiko-san followed next and I sat there, pouring green tea to myself. Hiko-san had never told me before, but I knew that he did not like anyone watching them practice. Let it be someone that knew Kenjitsuu or not. I stayed away at all times, not that I was really that interested. Although I didn't mind knowing what my son was learning. I even heard that what ever Kuzu thingy that Hiko-san said, Kenshin had never learnt it before, it would be awfully funny to see the son teach the father that, though it would bruise Kenshin's ego quite a bit. I grinned at that image. I wondered what he looked like, after ten years. Hisashi-san told me I hadn't changed one bit. Hopefully, he was right, I didn't want to look like an old lady when I finally found my husband again. Ah well...
Blueraingurl – *grins* Sowwie, I meant I'm not a K/K fan, I'm definitely a K/T fan. ^^ Kinda sad for Kenshin, that's true, but I guess no body's life is perfect, especially not the Battousai's =p. Thanks, best luck with your fics too, I'll be waiting for your updates!
Sakura Alex – Thanks for the review! Ten years? I don't know, but it seemed to fit in the story... You'll see later though. Keep reading!
XenoMark – I don't think he'll be that mean, since I hated how they made the Seisouhen. Well, I didn't hate it, but I didn't like how Kenji hate his father. He should be mature enough to know that being the ex-Battousai is hard. Immature brat =p
rika – I think in around 2-3 chapters max. Thanks for the review!
Author's Notes: 'Crimson Puddles' will be updated within a few days and 'The Difference Between Rain and Tears' will be updated within a week. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I seem to be able to write first person point of view stories faster. Waaaay faster.
