Author's Note: As an important note: this is set AFTER The Final. I have the movie verse in mind when I wrote this. Also, I'm sorry if I wasn't clear enough about this, but the first FIVE CHAPTERS of this convoluted mess can be found at "a distant part of the sky"

Unbeta-ed so sorry but got so excited that I managed to finish another chapter so... here it is.

He felt his anger rising to the surface – a white-hot burst of rage exploding inside his mouth. It was bitter, metallic and all too familiar. It took him a second to realize that he had bitten his tongue and he was tasting his own blood. He briefly enjoyed the thought that it was almost a lyrical thing, for of course, his rage would taste like his own blood.

He let it swirl inside his mouth, mixing it with saliva before swallowing it down, imagining it as the physical manifestation of his wrath – sliding down his throat and into his churning stomach.

It didn't help. He was still pissed off and Enishi had to concentrate on not turning around and charging towards the fucking idiot who had been foolishly following them for almost half an hour If he gave in to his impulses, he would have his hand wrapped around Honjō Kamatari's neck, breaking it in less than the time it would take for one last gasp of surprise.

No. That would not do at all. Keep calm, Yukishiro. Deal with him later. Now is not the time to lose your temper.

"Is everything alright? Why are we stopping?"

He glanced down at Kamiya Kaoru, the very reason why he had to constantly tamp down his instinct for violence. She blinked up at him, eyes wide and innocent, sounding almost concerned despite the defiantly lifted chin that he supposed she thought made her look menacing. He didn't have the words to tell her she'd never be able to pull off that look. Her face just didn't have the bone structure required for effective intimidation. There's an inherent gentleness in the curve of her cheeks and she'd always have that youthfully naïve look even when all her hair had turned gray. Kamiya could be plotting someone's death and no one would suspect her. Which was something she ought to be using to her advantage but such gifts were sadly wasted on her.

He was about to assure her that all was well when he felt the sharp edge of a box stabbing him just below his ribcage.

"Kami-sama. Move! Why are we dawdling in the middle of the street like fucking idiots!" The boy loudly complained, pushing in between them as he staggered under the stack of boxes he was carrying on his outstretched arms.

"Do not drop them." Enishi said in low threatening voice.

"Or what?" It was difficult to see the boy's face, only the ends of his spiky hair were visible, but his insolence was evident in the tone of his voice.

"Honestly, let me help you Yahiko." Kaoru took some of the boxes from her student, revealing his sweaty faced and the two bright splotches on his cheeks.

"Why the fuck can't you just hire some errand boy to carry all of these?!" Yahiko's eyes flashed dangerously and Enishi lifted his eyebrows in response.

"Why do you think?" He asked coolly.

The boy angrily held his stare before turning towards Kamiya, crying out her name, "Kaoru! He's making my life miserable on purpose!" This was emphasized with a vengeful stomp of his feet, making him lose his balance.

Efficient and quick, Enishi took the boxes from the boy's arm and watched with barely suppressed amusement as the boy waved and flapped his arms about, trying to steady himself. Acting purely on instinct, Enishi took a small step forward, reached out his hands and with his forefinger gently pushed the boy so that he fell flat on his back.

"Enishi!" Kaoru reprimanded, quickly handing the boxes she was carrying unto him. He wordlessly accepted them, for what choice did he really have?! He grunted at the sudden weight. It was rather heavy, perhaps he had over done it this time. It really could not be helped and truly, if he had kept buying Kamiya hair ornaments, it was her fault. The way her eyes grew big at each of the trinket presented to her, the tiny gasp of pleasure she tried to hide with a grunt, her lower lips caught between, mauled and bitten in her effort to suppress her delight at the colorful ribbons -

"I'm going to kill you."

The boy promised, staring up at him, ruining the mental image of Kamiya Kaoru looking – for a change – almost happy in his company. Enishi felt his eyes narrowing into slits as they exchanged the usual glares. He could not help but smirk as he watched Kaoru help the boy up. When he'd been dusted off and standing upright, Enishi promptly shoved the boxes back to him. "Come Kamiya, we still need to get you some western dresses."

"No!" The boy refused to move, adding some choice curses that made Kaoru squirm in obvious mortification.

"You do know that this is making you look even more ridiculous?" It looked like a stack of boxes just told him to go fuck himself and Enishi couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit amused by it. The foul-mouthed stack of boxes trembled with rage. Odd, how the boy reminded him of someone, he just couldn't figure out who. He'd dealt with plenty of arrogant pre-pubescent mafia-wannabes, all of them petulant brats. This Myōjin Yahiko, son of a poor samurai who barely owned anything seems just a little bit more than just the usual cantankerous brat – there was a certain edge to him that made his anger more vibrant. He could feel it in hot waves, surrounding them. It's ki unconstrained and undisciplined. It would be interesting to see that kind of energy unleashed. If he wasn't in such deep shit with the government and the mafia, this was the kind of project he'd like to work on.

Testing the limits. Of everyone and everything. That was what really got him excited. Jinchuu was all about that – but then, he'd decided at the last minute to soften up the blow and he regretted it with a force of thousand burning Rengoku – the literal ship and it's figurative meaning. Makoto had such dramatic flair, he wondered what kind of hell he could've brought upon Japan, but alas, it was not meant to be.

Shishio had failed. And Enish was man enough to admit that so did he.

He'd never killed a woman before and he thought he'd been reserving that for the woman who had replaced his sister in Battousai's life. It would have been a poetic kind of justice. An exchange that was fair and befitting.

You took what was precious to me. I'll take what is precious to you.

How could the gods scorn that?

Enishi was sure that it would be like the other times he had had to kill – a necessity, the final act for his plan – but then – but then he couldn't.

And it had deeply unsettled him, enough for him to ignore what had happened: the violent churning of his stomach as he stared into Kaoru's eyes, glazing over as his hands tightened around her throat and suddenly, without warning, the flash of memories pierced his mind, like the deadliest of all of the weapons he had collected over the years. It was enough for him to want to bash his head in to stop the pain that was exploding underneath his skull.

His vision danced, darkening and for a moment all he could see was the the face of his beloved sister: a vision he had nurtured and kept in his heart, the last relic of his childhood, the time when he used to have a soul.

Enishi saw his sisters face staring up at him. It wasn't Kamiya he was killing but his very own sister and he'd been horrified and confused and everything just went out of him, a wound that had opened up from out of nowhere and he had to stagger away from her, from them: Tomoe and Kaoru.

They are not the same, they could never be the same and yet -

No. It wasn't like that. Not really. It wasn't that he saw his sister in Battousai's woman, rather it was his sister's admonishing look. Her dark, lovely eyes had turned accusing, sorrowful and then filled with pity. Enishi couldn't stand it. Not like that, nee-san. Please, not like that. And he vowed, he vowed to her that he'd never hurt anyone ever again if she would just smile back at him again. Please, like you used to. When I knew that you loved only me. Before Akira-san and the engagement, before war and revenge and Battousai. Before all the blood and death between us. Before you left me.

It was a different kind of pain. Remembrance. He had been so loved and cherished back then. He'd been happy back then.

Tomoe hadn't smiled back, not yet. Not in his mind's eye. Not in his dreams. Or in his nightmares. Even in his conjured-up memories when her smile had been the only true thing he liked to remember, it had been erased. It was no longer there. No smile.

But the pitiful look was at least gone. It was replaced by her usual, familiar stoic expression. She was thinking. His beloved sister Tomoe, always so silent and mature, always thinking: her face serene, her eyes taking everything in; contemplating and reflecting. Ever so quietly. Never saying anything. Never showing anything.

No smile yet for me, sister?

He cut his eyes towards Kaoru, pressing his lips tightly. He knew why. Always. There was no hiding when it came to his sister. He knew Tomoe better than anyone else. It's because of Kamiya Kaoru. He just wasn't sure what it was about her that was making the memory of his sister so pensive and serious.

Enishi didn't have a conscience, exactly. Or at least not a reliable one, but he did have the memory of his sister and perhaps, unconsciously, she had had a hand in his decision to change Jinchuu into the diluted version of bombarding Tokyo.

He shook his head. He shouldn't have changed his plans at the last minute. If he had went through with it, he wouldn't have failed so spectacularly. Battousai would have been ruined by now, if not dead, out of guilt and despair. And Enishi would have been freed off the pestering, lingering guilt and rage he could still feel in the very marrow of his bones. He'd thought, well Battousai had sacrificed his sister for peace and all the bullshit of this new era, why not destroy it instead? He'd concluded – incorrectly, an error he wouldn't make again – that Battosai loved this world that he had a hand in creating more than actual people – more than one woman and so, burn it. Burn it and everyone in it.

Cost him more than he had originally intended but the real drain on his resources had been wasted in the end. He'd have to deal with Gein's wrath when they meet up in Shanghai but well, he'd consider the whole thing as good practice and so it wasn't a totally wasted investment.

It was true what he told Kaoru. He had money to burn. The whole Jinchuu thing barely dented his known accounts. He was more than willing to finance Gein's side projects. He'd promise Gein a reward (half of everything he owned) even though he hadn't used his vile creation.

Enishi could not help at marvel at Gein's greed but truly, he had been fine with the arrangements then. Gein would be wanting more now that he'd given him a new set of instructions. He'd have to part with more of his hard-earned money but it can't be helped. If you want things done exactly the way you want it, you'd have to be prepared to pay for it. And his accumulated wealth was an advantage he was more than willing to use.

But this time, there would be no more changes in plan. Things had already been set into motion. He'd have to go through with it. There was no turning back.

"This is cruel and unusual punishment, Kaoru." The boxes complained in a high-pitched voice. "Next time I'm going to let Kenshin babysit the two of you." It grumbled some more.

He bared his teeth at that. "I'll look forward to that." He hadn't seen his murdering brother-in-law in a while and he wondered what he could be up to. Not that he hadn't been aware of Sagara's current whereabouts. He had to hand it to Battousai. Enishi enjoyed undermining him, true but he was well aware of the fact that Himura had survived the war, managed to remain out of everyone's radar for ten years (not enough time to mourn, in his opinion) and despite his re-emergence into the scene, political and social, was still currently alive. It could not all be his dumb luck. So, he's smart enough to prod and look into his Kyoto connections. Let him. Let them, since he had gotten the Oniwabanshū involved.

Enishi briefly wished Gein hadn't gotten rid of that doll yet. He hoped it was still hidden somewhere in one of his many hide-outs strewn across Japan. Wouldn't that be an interesting treasure hunt? That would shake everyone to their core. How disappointing he wouldn't be able witness that.

"There won't be any next time since you two can't behave like normal human beings outside! This is so embarrassing!" Kaoru announced, breaking his thoughts. She was cringing as she nervously glanced at the people openly gawking them before scurrying away with a violent shudder, quickly followed by her student who was still protesting mutinously.

Well, that's one way to distract them, Enishi thought, watching them head towards the dojo. He still felt mildly irritated. If he could sense Kamatari, it would've taken Kaoru and her student some time, but they would have also known that they were being followed and then everything he had been meticulously planning would have blown up in his face.

He had specifically asked that okama to stay away from them – it wasn't yet the time. Usually, disobedience was punished with immediate death but he would have to restrain himself. He wasn't Kamatari's employer. He'd just borrowed him from Saitou and Saitou was more than willing to pull Kamatari out of his current job of spying for him in Kyoto because he didn't want anyone else spying on Enishi. A weirdly convoluted thing where it was mutually beneficial for them to pretend that they were doing each other a favor.

Of course, this was where the problem starts. Enishi arranged everything with precision, a reason for everything. Killing Kamatari would serve no purpose other than making him work on finding another easily bribed, moderately skilled fighter to do his bidding. He just did not have the time or the patience for it and more importantly, Saitou would have a fit.

Chō was still a sore topic.

But if there was one thing that Yukishiro Enishi hated as much as he hated his brother-in-law, it was the inability to act professionally. A job was needed to do and he took great care in hiring the right person to do it to avoid any untoward fuck-ups. The Rokunin no Dōshi were all well aware of this. They never questioned him and never deviated from his detailed and strictly implement commands.

This was why he never wanted to work people who he couldn't personally vouch for but it wasn't like he had any choice in the matter since his Six Comrades were all either in jail, hiding or outside of the county.

Shishio's Juppongatana still had its uses, even though clearly, they acted more like brainless thugs than professionals. They were all devoted to Shishio's grand ideas of bringing down the government, of plunging Japan back into the chaos of the strong surviving, thriving and ruling over the weak, but that was the extent of it. At the death of their master, they had all drifted back into their own blighted existence. Killing that sniveling traitor Sawagejō Chō had not been in his plan but what was he to do when a mediocre fighter wished to test his sills?

Chō served no purpose whatsoever to his Jinchuu and like the utter garbage that he was, Enishi decided to leave him at the Kamiya Dojo; let them dispose of his body. He wasn't going to waste any more of his time on him. Cho hadn't been very good at anything: spy, traitor, even as a messenger for his jinchuu, he had predictably failed. Why Enishi thought it would be funny to shove his message for Battousai into Chō's filthy mouth was beyond him.

He'd been bored. That was his only excuse. Chō's death had been a pointless, useless waste of everyone's time and he had no intention of ever repeating that mistake again. Still doesn't change the fact that Kamatari would have to be disciplined. And that, at least, was something Enishi could look forward to.

He missed his mansion in Yokohama. It was a comfortable, modern and beautiful house and he was sad that he had to let go of it. Saitou had informed him that everything inside had been sequestered by the government, pending the success of their mission. Of course.

Enishi could have some of his possessions back, if he continued with his more or less acceptable behavior, which was measured by the number of bodies the government had dealt with ever since his release.

None. So far. Not to say he hadn't been tempted multiple times but it was hard to go on a violent killing spree when you have the government's eyes on you, particularly Saitou Hajime's. Also, a certain non-killing shihandai of a local dojo breathing down his neck, giving him glares sharp enough to draw blood had been adamant that he followed her rule. Pity that man would eventually marry her, except Battousai, because obviously, he would enjoy being bossed around like that and truly, Enishi felt that his weak-willed brother-in-law was just using Kaoru to hold on to his vow. Himura would've broken it months ago with that blithering idiot, Udō Jin-e.

Anyhow, he was only interested in only one of his currently confiscated properties. This was why he was having another one of the usual fun-filled conversations with Saitou inside his foul-smelling office.

"I don't know why you think it's appropriate for you to keep showing up in my office, Yukishiro. This will be the last." Saitou didn't even glance up at him.

"I thought you would prefer here, instead of your house."

That got him Saitou's attention. The glare he sent was accompanied by his darkly flaring ki: a knife slicing through the air. Enishi had to smile at how could feel it's energy almost like a whiplash.

No small time for small talk then. "The painting of my sister, I would like to have it back. Today."

Saitou took his time taking a drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke from the sides of his mouth before shrugging. "I don't have it."

"The government owes me and I'd like to collect that debt."

"How does this government owe you, exactly?"

"Actually, you owe me mostly, but the government can pay up for it, I don't mind."

"Oh, now I'm interested."

"Sawagejō Chō. Got rid of him. A favor to the government. And to you."

"No one asked you to do that."

"I believe it's called 'initiative'"

They stared at each other. "I'll see what I can do."

"Kindly have it delivered to my current address. Careful not to scratch it."

"Don't hold your breath, Yukishiro."

That placed him in the right mood as he walked into his home, that was still without the painting for his sister and wasn't it just perfect timing to chance upon Kamatari drinking tea on his newly acquired western table, sitting on the high-backed western chair. All imported from France.

Kamatari who had been so pleased to inform him that the day he arrived in Tokyo was also the day Sagara had left for Kyoto and as further proof of Sagara's ineptness, had not even noticed one of the former Juppongatana at the train station. What a lovely surprise it would be when they all find out about Kamatari being here, right underneath their noses. He would like to have it stay that way until the right time comes for Kamatari to make his appearance.

"Oh. It's you. Come and have some tea with m-"

Enishi slammed Kamatari's head into the table, tea cups clattering around the table, the brown liquid spilling and dripping unto the floor. The smell of barley wafted all around them. He wrapped his hand around the back of Kamatari's neck. "I told you to stay here."

"Wsffbrd."

"What was that, hmmm? You'll have to speak up." He pressed harder, bearing down on Kamatari with most of his weight. He looked down on the squished face of Kamatari, slowly turning bright red. Anger and humiliation. Not enough of a punishment yet. It would not take long to crush his windpipe or maybe even strangle him and Kamatari must have gotten the idea because he began to trash around, but Enishi only grunted in response. He shifted closer to Kamatari so he could watch as his eyes roll at the back of his head, eye lids violently fluttering. A line of drool had escaped at the corner of his mouth and was creating a small patch of saliva on the table.

Disgusting. Despicable.

No wonder Shishio had been unable to accomplish him grand plan. He had all the right ideas but the wrong men around him. Usui Uonuma defeated by Saitou. His beloved apprentice boy, Soujiro so very recently fighting right next to Battousai, no doubt enticed by all of Himura's lies about becoming a wanderer and trying to atone. His fallen monk had also turned against him. Chō and Kamatari ending up as spies for the very government he hated. As for the rest? Arrested. Defeated. In hiding.

Even Iwanbō, who Shishio thought served under him was controlled by Gein, one of Enishi's most trusted men. Shishio was a true mastermind; vicious and cunning. He was poised to take over Japan if it weren't for his dismal band of killers who lacked the discipline to do as they were told. It was a fascinating study of how the failure had not been in the execution of the plan but on who were part of the plan.

And as for Kamatari, his inability to follow such simple orders grated on Enishi's nerve. "How dare you disobey me? How dare you follow her around. Follow us around! You fucking fool. I am not Shishio. I don't tolerate disobedience."

Kamatari was now desperately flailing his hands, his knees hitting the floor as he slid off the chair that he had kicked out in a spasm caused no doubt by the deprivation of breath. Never a pretty sight, strangulation. Enishi breathed in deeply, straightened up, closed his eyes and allowed himself to quietly count down the seconds. He knew his strength and how long it would take before Kamatari would wheeze out his last breath. There was a dull, slow pounding and he realized that it was Kamatari's closed fist, beating against his own thigh. The sound of a heartbeat fading, fading….

Three. Two. One.

He took his hand off of Kamatari and walked across the room to stand at the closed window, opening it to let in some fresh air as Kamatari gasped, choked and coughed. He was making gagging and wheezing noises as he tried to take in lungful of breaths.

"You will wait for my instruction. Until then – and this is the last time I will tell you this – stay away from Kamiya Kaoru." He didn't wait for Kamatari's response. A lesson had been learned here and hopefully Kamatari would now exercise a bit of patience. Enishi had promised him Kamiya Kaoru and he would get Kamiya Kaoru. But all in due time.

Testing limits. What a fun and interesting notion.

Enishi couldn't wait.

Notes and Translations:

Rengoku (Purgatory) was an ironclad battleship purchased and commanded by Shishio Makoto

okama - slang for homosexual

Rokunin no Dōshi – Six Comrades

Shihandai (assistant instructor)

Okay, Chō's stupid insert in The Final just warranted that mini-rant. So sorry-not-sorry. Since this is movie based, Kamatari never had the fight with Misao and Kaoru. I rambled here, didn't I? What is Enishi up to?!