Disclaimer:RK isn't mine. I'm borrowing the characters for fun. Don't sue me!

Children of the Revolution

Chapter 6: This is the day

Kanryuu was trying not to show his anger. He had planned everything, and this was unexpected. He had Megumi at his mercy. He had hesitated to take her with him immediately, but he wanted her to fully realize and to fear. She had been the cause of his fall; hence she had to pay in every way. He had intended to come back to the isolated and comfortable house he had rented discreetly, after canceling the reservation he had glaringly made in the downtown hotel, and to enjoy the delightful anticipation of what he would do to her, which was even more pleasant knowing that she was suffering already. Even on the way back he had begun to make plans, deciding that he would make her say that she liked when he took her. The bitch always had this haughty attitude, and only when he was forcing her to that, she let him see how completely he could break her. It had become something he kept for special occasions, and indeed tonight was one.

Thus his disappointed furor when he had found Li Tao and some of his men waiting for him in his living room. He had hidden his emotions carefully. They must have had somebody spying on him, which was the only way they could have gotten this address. He had been wise to take extra precaution, going to Megumi's clinic, even though he had suspected nothing of the sort. He was sensing a slight contrariety behind the Chinese's impassible attitude, assuring him that his secret was safe. He could hence be patient.

They were both playing the game, Li Tao pretending that his visit was of pure civility, to enquire about his progresses, Kanryuu pretending that he was honored, and sorry that he had no news about his chemist. They were sharing his cognac, discussing of the terms of their association. Kanryuu wasn't happy either about wasting his precious beverage on the monkey. The man might seem sophisticated, but these people were barbarians, and ridiculous when, as Li Tao, they imitated the manners of the Westerners. Only Japanese were civilized enough to adopt them.

He gave a rapid glance to the big clock. Megumi should be there in five minutes. Nothing to worry about, his guests would never suspect her, as he had always implied that his chemist was a man. He would present her as his mistress, and send her waiting in his room. If the trick had worked with Shinomori, it would work with this stupid inferior. Even if they ended up making a research on her and realized who she was, he would have hidden her already, out of their reach. Nothing to worry about. Be patient, he repeated to himself.

The entrance gong rang.

Li Tao stood up, interested. "I didn't know you were waiting for company."

"My mistress."he explained, smiling in false confusion. "We haven't seen each other in years, she settled here while I wasn't free of my movements. We agreed to meet finally tonight..I'm going to lead her to our room, the time that we finish our business talk."

"This can wait until you have good news for us, Takeda-san. I'm leaving," answered politely the other, but Kanryuu knew that he didn't believe him. He wanted to see the visitor.

"As you wish, Li-san." Like you could figure it out, stupid.

Four of the Chinese's men were with him in the living room, following him like shadows, and while they were going down the way to the main door, the others, forming a hay in the corridor, were joining the cortege. Kanryuu knew that their placement meant to assure a secure exit to their boss. There were also two others near the gate.

Opening the panel, he was expecting to be face to face with Megumi, and he realized with exasperation that she was standing in the middle of the alley.

"You leave your concubine walking alone at night?" asked Li Tao, slightly scornful. "She doesn't seem happy to see you, either."

From their observation post, they saw the group getting out of the house. Saitoh sensed Yukishiro tensing at the apparition of the Chinese man.

"Acquaintance?"

"The contact you're looking for, very likely. She shouldn't be there, he's too dangerous."

The cop contained an exasperated sigh. He wasn't used to the idea of his temporary alliance with Yukishiro, even less to the fact that he was linked to Takani. The man was unstable and Saitoh suspected that his obvious care for the doctor made him that less reliable during the upcoming fight. Not that he intended to count on him anyway, but better to be aware of a potential problem.

All had happened after he had arrested and brought a suspiciously obedient Yukishiro to the police station. When, tired of his prisoner's muteness, and considering to use other than verbal arguments to get the information he wanted, he had left the interrogation room, Tokio was waiting for him outside, with stunning news. He had begun to suspect the truth then. If Yukishiro was working for the Triads, and was so near her place with Kaneda's body, there was no way that she had been still there, alone, when Kanryuu arrived. The despair in Takani's eyes after he mentioned Yukishiro's arrest to her had confirmed the first part of his logical deductions. The ex-mafia boss's puzzlement to the news of Kanryuu's involvement had verified the second. Learning about Takeda's threats had at last made him talkative, and they had finally agreed on a course of action. Saitoh would let Yukishiro come with him to Takeda's refuge, in exchange of what he would help the policeman to identify the Triads' group and to get information from them.

Takani had the address on a paper, Tokio had told her husband. Yet, the doctor had insisted to come with them. The heated discussion between the two morons had then finished to inform Saitoh on the state of their relationship. He had understood, at her mention of a machine gun, that she feared another Oniwabanshu type disaster, and also for the life of Himura's family. The bastard could have the offensive against them prepared already. Saitoh didn't care, of course, yet Kanryuu being second in his preoccupations, getting him quickly and easily was allowing him to go after the Triads sooner. He had hence accepted her idea.

They had noticed immediately the origin of the sentinels near the gate. Saitoh had been delighted. One stone, two birds. Yukishiro had annoyingly gotten more reluctant to let Takani go and attract them out of the house, yet he couldn't make a scene, and neither she nor Saitoh had let him the choice.

"Stop whining and let's go," he eventually ordered in a breath.

Kanryuu walked to Megumi, promising himself to punish her for her defiant attitude, thinking about a plausible answer. The Chinese weren't leaving his side.

"She is only surprised at your presence.."he began, cutting off when the two guards that his associate had placed near the front gate cried out.

He saw their bodies fall to the floor in a gush of blood, leaving place to two men: a tall, lanky man in a cop uniform, utterly noncommittal and aloof, and another one, smaller but more muscular, a dangerous, almost crazy light in his blue eyes. Their swords dripping with blood, they advanced towards their group.

"Run faster!", yelled the younger to Megumi, making Kanryuu realize that she had started to escape, and was already reaching them.

"Yukishiro Enishi!" hissed Li Tao, bewildered and infuriated.

He couldn't believe it, yet it made sense. The bastard was presumed dead, but Li should have known that bad weed was hard to annihilate. Yukishiro was probably the one who had searched Kaneda's office, which, considering the situation, meant that first, Kaneda was dead, second, that woman was the person they were looking for, and third, he had decided to find his way back to the organization by allying secretly with the Japanese cops. This last point gave also a pretext to Li Tao for killing him without breaking any oath. He would have anyway. Yukishiro Enishi wouldn't be an obstacle to his ambitions again.

Li Tao's men had already thrown themselves at their intruders, with high- pitched screams, and Takeda relaxed. They had no chance against 14 men. It was not like Battousai had intervened into his plans again.

He started to worry when Li Tao himself took part in the battle, to fight the man called Yukishiro after he got rid of 5 men in a few seconds, slicing them up like roasted meat pieces.

"Li Tao," spat Enishi, engaging violently the battle. The man had been one of his rivals. Enishi's quick promotion in the organization had been at his sake. That was at least the common opinion, and certainly Li Tao's one.

"I won't let you bring that woman to the bosses," warned his opponent.

"There's nothing that you can prevent once you're dead," retorted threateningly Enishi, attacking again. Li Tao's death would ensure Megumi's safety.

The Chinese was a first-class swordsman, enough to ask him some efforts, yet not to demand all his concentration. Enishi noticed from the corner of his eyes that Saitoh had finished the other guards and was progressing calmly towards Kanryuu, already smoking a cigarette. Shit. He wanted to kill Kanryuu himself, but the damn wolf had the same intention. The implacable cold fire burning in the amber eyes told it very clearly. He attacked Li with more strength, hoping to defeat him fast enough to stop his temporary ally from completing his task.

Kanryuu was trembling. The cop had literally slaughtered 10 men in a few minutes, and he was coming to him. He suddenly remembered the revolver in his pocket and smiled naughtily. If the man were careless enough to smoke, insulting him with his aloof attitude, he'd pay it.

He reached for the gun, aimed, and the next second screamed out in pain. Rapid as lightening, the cop had ran to him and..cut his hand. Kanryuu fixed in disbelief the raw bloody end of his wrist, before yelling and cursing under the pain and the loss, falling down on his knees.

"Pathetic," let out his torturer, in a bored and contemptuous voice.

Kanryuu gazed at the man, eructing with furor, before remembering that he wasn't the one with the weapon. His fear of more retribution calmed him, and his face lit in spite of the pain, as he realized that this cop was probably corrupted, if he helped Megumi and Li Tao's acquaintance.

"I don't know how much they offered you, but I offer you more. I'm rich, very rich."

"You don't tame a Mibu's wolf with money," warned the other, his features sharpening, his eyes glittering.

Mibu's wolf. The mighty Saitoh Hajime. He had heard about him, the ex- Shinsengumi who worked as a spy for the government, before he got imprisoned. He was feared, and reputed as untouchable. He was also Battousai's enemy during the Bakumatsu, recalled Kanryuu.

"And if I offer you something more precious? Like revenge?"

"Revenge?"

Kanryuu had at last his interest, and the possibility to stay alive gave him the strength to overcome his pain. The man's boredom had vanished, and he had lifted a brow expectantly.

"Yes, revenge. If you turn to my side, I can offer you revenge on Battousai. I know were he is. I can offer you his son's life. His wife's, too, if you want. It will destroy him, and then you can kill him easily."

Saitoh took thoughtfully a drag on his cigarette.

"Mmm. And in what lapse of time can I expect that? Do you have something organized yet?"

Kanryuu saw luck smiling to him again, and told the truth, too happy to see the perspective of death vanishing to think about lying.

"No, but I will take dispositions to have it done in any delay you want."

A creepy, cruel smirk twisted Saitoh's lips. Kanryuu answered to it, thanking Satan for teaching him that any man had his price.

"Too bad. A positive answer would have kept you alive some time more. You're now absolutely useless," stated ironically Saitoh.

With another swift move, he opened a deep wound in Kanryuu's guts. The yakuza's inhuman protest reminded him of a scorched pig.

"If I wanted to kill Battousai, I would do it without your help, in a honorable duel, man to man," he added, lifting his sword.

"No! No, please no, I'll offer you something else, women, drugs, power, anything you want! Have pity! PLEASE!" whined Kanryuu, desperately.

He was spitting blood, which mixed with the saliva dripping from his mouth, and the sweat wetting his hair and face. His watery eyes shone with deadly fear, he was actually crying! This pitiful, liquefying thing didn't even deserve to die from a Gatotsu.

Saitoh sighed, and cut clearly the man's throat.

"NOTHING can tame a Mibu's wolf, moron."

"He was mine to kill!" protested a furious voice behind him.

Saitoh turned, tossing his cigarette away, to face a pissed off Yukishiro.

"You already had Kaneda, and this friend of yours. I wanted to interrogate him. You should have kept him alive," reproached coldly Saitoh.

"I have another idea about it. We'll discuss that later, now the problem is.."argued Enishi, walking after the infuriating man.

"Don't you have something else to worry about?" he only shrugged, with a little nod of his chin.

They were arriving to the gate, and following the cold amber gaze, Enishi's eyes dropped on Megumi. She was so pale, and trembling. She was in a deep state of shock, he realized. He knew it: she shouldn't have come. He wanted to say: "I told you so", but the only thing that he was able to do was to put a comforting arm around her shoulders. She embraced him tightly in answer.

Saitoh shrugged again, scornfully, and left the garden, going away from the sickening scene.

Later that night, Megumi was in her living room, Enishi sitting next to her.

That was the only thing that had a semblance of normality. The rest was absolutely too bizarre to be true. Saitoh was installed in front of them, finishing the meal that Fujita-san had prepared while they were away. She was now serving them some tea, after she had disposed the sweets in a plate. This woman was a benediction, and not only because her presence, and practical attentions, were comforting after the maelstrom of the evening. Her so simple and innocent way of seeing things, "you have problems, you go to the police", had saved Megumi without the shadow of a doubt.

She had appeared at Megumi's door, ordering: "Come with me", and had dragged her to the central police station, in spite of her weak protests. Fujita-san had been so smoothly authoritative, and Megumi too shattered to resist. She had left her alone in an office, and her smile had been so encouraging that Megumi couldn't have helped but believing her assurances that everything would be fine once an officer would be in charge. She didn't even think about leaving, when it was surely what she would have done, if having the slightest bit of her wits left. And the officer in charge had turned out to be Saitoh..

Megumi had problems to realize everything that had happened since, except for one thing: Kanryuu was dead, and it was over. Was it? What was Saitoh going to do now? She sent a worried glance to Enishi. He answered by a reassuring half-smile.

Saitoh gulped his cup of tea. He was annoyed. The fact that Tokio was mixed into this did nothing to help. He had been on the verge of failure. And Yukishiro had changed. Once a criminal, not always a criminal, God he hated to be wrong. Well, that wasn't relevant now. The Triads problem was left to solve. He sent a quick glance to his wife.

"Takani-sensei, can I ask for your help to clean the dishes?" she asked immediately. "Do you have water here?"

"In..in the garden. Of course, sorry!" She had let the older woman serve them, what a shame she was. She quickly stood up, and followed her outside.

Granted to Tokio that she knew him, thought Saitoh. It wouldn't prevent him to have a serious discussion with her about following his orders, though. He recalled clearly forbidding her to get more involved, and had almost choked on his cigarette when they had arrived to Takani's house, to find her waiting for them.

"Your wife is very clever," remarked nonchalantly Yukishiro.

Saitoh had always suspected that he knew about his family. Yukishiro had evidently gathered too many things about Himura's circle, which he was unfortunately a part of during Shishio's battle, not to have found out. In other times, he would have killed him for this knowledge. Currently, the man could have a use; moreover his relation to Takani was a weight in the balance. If you go after my woman, I'll go after yours. And Saitoh had definitely the upper hand in that little game for now. He thus ignored the teasing, going to the point.

"So, now that we're alone, what's the idea you wanted to discuss with me?"

"I want to propose you a deal."

"How interesting. Go on." He wouldn't tell the brat that he had himself a deal, certainly the same, in mind. For once today, he'd have full control over the situation.

"I understand that you're investigating the Triads. You could do with a spy. I can infiltrate them. They know me, and it'll take you years otherwise to get somebody inside the organization. They aren't trustful people."

"What would you ask in exchange?"

"Megumi's freedom."

Saitoh raised a brow. "Not yours?"

"It can be discussed. Megumi's situation can't."

"It sounds more like an ultimatum."

"They have been planning to establish their influence in Japan for a long time. I was in charge of the first contacts, and Wu was supposed to go on with this task. I guess they are pretty close to their goal. You don't have the luxury of waiting too long."

"And how would you proceed? They're all dead, but I have been notified that their boat is scheduled to leave Nagasaki for Shangai tomorrow morning. The men that I sent to clean Kanryuu's place are discreet..yet they can be bought or threatened. If the Chinese ever learn that you killed Li-Tao, and I think they'll investigate on it, you won't be useful to me very long."

"That's simple. I'll tell them I killed Li, and his men. Sticking to the truth as much as possible is the best tactic. I am considered as the first to have claimed Japan as my territory, and according to the Triads' oaths, I'm in my full right to kill a competitor. I'll take this boat tomorrow in Nagasaki and make my reappearance in Shangai. It'll cut short any deep investigation, I'm sure of it."

"And Kanryuu's chemist? They'll want you to find her."

"Li Tao was too impatient. He was known for his ambition, so it will sound likely that he tortured Kanryuu to get the information, killing him inadvertently in the process. And Takeda took the secret in his grave."

Saitoh couldn't help to show his appreciation. Yes, Yukishiro would be more useful alive than dead. He didn't have much time to prepare his plan, yet it was flawless. Working with a brainy subordinate would be a welcomed change from Chou. And as he didn't, obviously, make a stupid non-killing vow like Battousai, he would be absolutely efficient.

"So, do we agree on Megumi? I work for you and you let her free."

"No! His freedom. Not mine," exclaimed an outraged voice, coming from the door.

Takani was standing in front of it, Tokio appearing behind, looking apologetic.

"Stay out of it," snapped Enishi.

"No way!"

"Spare me the lovebirds' song," warned Saitoh, with an exasperated grimace. "Use your brain, you're supposed to have one, aren't you? If I accept that he works for me, I can't arrest you for hiding him, or I'll have to arrest myself for employing a traitor. Moron."

Takani was staring at him, dumbfounded, and he quite enjoyed it. He enjoyed less Yukishiro's confident grin. The brat was unnerving. It might not be such a clever idea to work with him.

"Can I assume that we have a deal?"

"Deal," granted Saitoh, royally.

Megumi frowned. His expression reminded her of somebody. She quickly put the thought aside, as she began to understand what all that meant. She was free. Enishi was free. But he would leave her. She contained her sadness. How selfish was her reaction. The most important was that Enishi wasn't a wanted man anymore, and could atone for his crimes.

Saitoh stood up. "I'll be back in an hour so that we can leave for Nagasaki. Fujita-san, I'm accompanying you to your home."

The woman bowed formally.

Megumi realized only then that she was next to her. Having suddenly understood that Enishi and Saitoh would take advantage of her absence to solve their issues, and not wanting to be shoved aside, she had run back to the house. She now wondered if Fujita-san had heard something. Luckily Kanryuu not having mentioned the drugs, she probably mistook the situation, thinking that Megumi had escaped from a tea-house or something like this, but if she had surprised this last conversation.. Megumi glanced at Saitoh. He didn't seem threatening, so she probably didn't. Thank God. She turned to her.

"I'd like to thank you and.."

"Don't worry. I'll visit you again soon," smiled soothingly the woman.

Megumi gazed warmly at her. "Yes, please. I'd like that."

She watched them go, and closed the door.

"Do you think that she heard something?" she asked Enishi. "She's been so helpful, I don't want her to have problem with Saitoh when she is so innocent of.."

She cut off as she noticed Enishi's mocking grin.

"First of all, she's everything but innocent, believe me. Then, I think that she's going to have indeed problems with Saitoh. If she were MY wife, I would be very pissed that she nosed into such a dangerous problem."

Wife? Whose wife? How come Enishi knew who Fujita-sa..Fujita..Fujita Goro..SAITOH?

Megumi had her last shock of the day.

Once into the carriage, Saitoh glared at Tokio: "How come?"

He didn't have time to ask for detailed explanations at the police station, and wanted some now.

"She treated Tsuyoshi this afternoon for a light cut. The boys' kenjutsu competition was near this place. Don't forget to congratulate him for his braveness, AND to scold him for his behavior. He's been unbelievably rude. He even bit her. Don't smirk, Hajime, it's NOT funny."

"That doesn't explain you being there in the evening."

"After you sent me that message saying that you weren't coming home, I decided to bring her some of the extra food I had prepared, to apologize for our son's behavior. I wrongly assumed that she was lonely and in need of company, too. And when I heard that..thing, threatening her, and that he was Takeda Kanryuu, I did what I had to."

"I told you to go home," he scolded icily.

"I like her. She needed feminine presence, after the way this Takeda treated her. If you had heard him..I hope he was killed, and properly."

"I killed him."

She gave him a both sweet and cruel, ruthlessly satisfied smile, letting briefly her real face show up, before going on: "Moreover, you warned me to take extra precautions during Yukishiro's Jinchuu. I guessed that he knew already."

"Yes, he did."

"It seems very difficult to hide something from him. Better to have him with us than against us."

Her husband sent her a self-satisfied smirk. "He didn't know who she was until today. Battousai had made her escape before the police arrived to Takeda's mansion, after his fight there. Nobody, not even that brat, could guess that Yamagata having mentioned Himura's presence in Tokyo to Okubo, I was already following him like his shadow."

"You managed to keep one secret from him," she praised, ironically. "There's this saying about a secret known by three people being safe only if two of them are dead. It seems that Kawaji and you are the exception."

"Luckily, his files showed me how Kaneda figured out her identity. It saved me the annoyance of investigating my boss for high treason," he mused.

"Anyway, Yukishiro already knowing who I am, I didn't take such a risk. You shouldn't be upset about it."

Saitoh's features sharpened immediately.

"Takani was too shocked to make the link, that's why I let you stay. But you won't be seeing her again. We agreed that you stayed out of my work."

Tokio laughed softly. "She isn't your work anymore. And if she doesn't realize soon, he'll tell her. It isn't like she was any other woman. Why do you make such a big deal about it? You're afraid that she tells Battousai?"

Saitoh chose to ignore this blatant provocation. Tokio knew he had told Himura Kenshin. He resumed smoking in silence.

"The boys?" he eventually asked.

"I left them with my brother and sister-in-law. They must still be awake, so if it's to leave immediately you'd better not show up at home. Particularly for Tsuyoshi."

"Aa."

"Tsutomu and Eiji both won the tournament in their category, of course."

"Needless to say," he shrugged, sharing a knowing, somewhat proud look with her.

"They'll be disappointed that you don't come home tonight. Me too," she added, with a seductive glance from under her eyelashes.

He lifted an ironic brow, perfectly understanding her attempt at manipulation.

"But we'll get over it as you're going to be home for New Year," she smiled innocently.

Too innocently. There was indeed something behind her stupid insistence.

"What is it?"

His tone demanded an answer. She gazed at him, searching for the right words. She didn't have to assure him of her trust or acceptance of his duty. It was a given. So was absolute honesty. She decided to go for the naked truth.

"You're working too much. Even for your standards. I'm afraid that you loose perspective and commit mistakes if you go on like this."

He narrowed his eyes. They both knew what were the consequences of mistakes in his job. His first thought was that it was a needless worry. Yet, he realized that in this case, he had jumped several time to conclusions. To the wrong conclusions. He exhaled slowly a cloud of smoke. Granted to Tokio that she knew him. Better than he did.

"If Tsuyoshi has energy to spare, he could do with serious training. I will see to this, starting tomorrow," he announced nonchalantly.

Tokio nodded, genuinely relieved, still smiling the most innocently she could. Tsuyoshi was punished for one week, but Hajime didn't need to know that right now.

It was early morning the next day. They had arrived in Nagasaki, the carriage stopping near the port.

After the issue of Saitoh's wife had relaxed the atmosphere between them for a moment, Megumi had found herself being extremely awkward, under Enishi's piercing gaze. She was so vulnerable, so afraid of a too emotional reaction to his departure that she had gone out to finish the washing, and then prepared a pack with medicine that could be useful to him, instead of staying with him like she really wanted. She also wanted to tell him she loved him, but she was scared that it would be a weight to him. He had to walk his path to redeem for his crimes, like she was doing in her clinic, like Oibore was doing in Rakuninmura. She was respecting, and understanding his actions, and certainly didn't wish to hold him back in any way.

Enishi had taken advantage of her going out, to wash the dye out of his hair, and pack the few things he owned. It was better that he didn't stay close to her. He wanted her so much that he wasn't sure he could hold on. After what she had gone through, and though he had the feeling that she wouldn't reject him, it was definitely not a good idea. He didn't want to force her, in any way, so was even hesitating to tell her how he felt. He would one day, but she might need time.

Saitoh had arrived as they were finally about to talk, and the trip had been silent, under the cop's bemused gaze. Leaving him in the carriage, Megumi had gone with Enishi to walk a few paces, before he boarded.

Both of them were silent. He stopped suddenly.

"You can't go farther. I don't want the guys on the boat to see you."

"So..Take care," she said, lamely. "Good luck, and.."

She had just the time to see the intensity of his deep blue gaze as he pulled her to him, before she closed her eyes under his passionate kiss. Past the first moment of surprise, she wounded her arms around his neck, and kissed him back, trying to tell him this way what she couldn't express with words. It was the first time that she really kissed a man, that she wanted physical contact, that she needed it desperately, that she found in it comfort, and pleasure.

He parted, and wiped out the tears she hadn't been aware she was letting out, his hands lingering on her cheeks. So much for restraint. At the idea of not having her close to him everyday, at the departure being so close, his feelings had just grew too strong for him to contain.

"Don't cry."

"I'm not," she began, before realizing that he was right. "I'm just..I won't see you again and.."

Enishi gazed at her, smiling at her embarrassment. The kiss had only confirmed what he already knew. How stupid he would have been to go without sharing this with her.

"When you save someone's life, you're responsible for it, aren't you?" he asked, interrupting her lame attempts at an explanation.

"You don't have to.."

"So we have responsibility towards each other. And I won't let you escape yours," he finished, with an arrogance softened by his hands now stroking her hair.

"You."

He kissed her fervently again, until she relaxed, until she understood, until he felt she knew, too.

"I'll see you again. Sooner than you think," he murmured, finally tearing himself apart from her embrace.

He had managed to walk away from her when she called his name. He looked back at her.

"I'll be waiting for you," she smiled, serenely.

"Soon!" he promised again, full of confidence.

Megumi watched his figure fading away. He might be gone for now, but she was sure that he'd be back. He promised her, and she trusted him. Enishi would always be there for her.

To be continued?

Author's notes:

For the way that Kanryuu refers to Li-Tao, it's the same as the A/N in chapter 4.

Saitoh not making the link with Megumi as soon as Kanryuu was out, while he knows about her being the chemist: first, all the liberated Yakuza having disappeared/ gone to Shangai, Saitoh assumed that he did the same, and obviously didn't know that Kanryuu was back to Japan before he found the files (Chou is going to have troubles..(-)). Second, Saitoh is more focused on catching a criminal than to think about the potential victims (imo). Third, it seemed likely to me that Megumi not being a threat to the security of Japan, he didn't keep tracks of her. Finally, he isn't in his greatest shape here. So I hope that these explanations are enough (-). Sorry otherwise!

For the same reason, Tokio reacted to Takeda Kanryuu's name and not to "Takani" (which is surely written on her clinic). Even if Saitoh had talked about her about such a big issue as Kenshin and indeed talked to her about Kanryuu, Megumi was too insignificant (not a fighter) in his eyes for Saitoh mentioning her, or maybe only as "the Fox doctor" (-).

I hope I managed to avoid any other inconsistency...Thanks to Firuze for helping me out there,(with Enishi's explanations about Kanryuu especially) and for her corrections!

I also owe her for telling me about the Hung's (Chinese Triads) 36 oaths, whose breaking is punishable by death. I used here number 27 (I must not trespass the territory of my sworn brothers) for Enishi's tactics, 33 (If my sworn brothers have committed a big offence I must not inform upon them to the government for the purposes of obtaining a reward) and 35 (I must never reveal Hung secrets or signs when speaking to an outsider), as I think that Enishi's alliance with Saitoh depends on these last two, for Li's tactics.

Gatotsu: Oops! Thanks to Mara for noticing! Having read only the Japanese version, and as Hitenmitsurugiryu and Gatotsu's names are usually employed in fanfics, I assumed that the variations were not translated either. Gatotsu has for stances: isshiki (first) ni-shiki (second) san-shiki (third) and zero-shiki (distance zero- ultimate attack/ougi).

Epilogue: A picnic under the sakura, two years later. Yes, the Kaden one, Megumi's POV.

See you!

Kamorgana.