Chapter Two
When Kenshin had to leave, it had been the hardest moment of his life. So he returned to Kyoto, to slay those who wanted the horror of war once again. Kenshin fought for many years as a samurai, as the Hitokiri Battousai, to replace Japan into the peace that there was in the Meji era. He had slain many men, and his scar bled openly, showering his face in scarlet tears. And finally, after thirteen long years, the war ended. Japan settled back into normal lives and Battousai disappeared again.
Kenshin walked threw the streets of Tokyo, his head and body covered by a dark, heavy cloak. He had no desire to be back in this town, but he had to travel through on his way to a neighboring city. At every familiar shop or street, his heart felt like it was being pierced with a thousand sword blades. He hurried by the main street that lead to the Kamiya Dojo and on to the main drag. The Akabeko lay ahead of him. But as he hurried by, he caught a whiff of the food cooking inside. His stomach rumbled loudly, so loudly that several people passing by him stared briefly.
"Damn it, why does it have to be the Akabeko?" He murmured. Glancing around, he saw no other restaurants. So, against his better judgment, Kenshin walked into the restaurant, grumbling something about knowing better.
As he walked in, he was immediately greeted by Tae.
"Welcome to the Akabeko, please, come with me." She said in her cherry, southern accent. She then started off, Kenshin close behind her. They walked past booths of happy, laughing people. Kenshin suddenly felt sick to his stomach.
Tae seated Kenshin and handed him a menu.
"Now, what would ya like?" she said, smiling.
Kenshin lowered his voice so it was deeper than normal. "Ill have a bowl of rice and some miso soup. And a bottle of Sake."
Tae wrote it all down quickly before bowing and scurrying off to the kitchen. Five minutes later a young boy with the order appeared next to the table.
"OK, a bowl of rice, a bowl of miso soup and a bottle of Sake, right?"
Kenshin almost fainted when he saw who it was. "A-ah, ye-yea."
Yahiko gingerly set down the food and bottle of rice wine.
"Hey kid! Another bottle of Sake!" shouted a unroughly looking man next to Kenshin's booth.
Yahiko nodded. "Hey Tsumbame! Sake!" he shouted towards the kitchen.
Kenshin was amazed by how much the young boy had grown. He was taller, that he was. His hair was slightly longer, but still short and spiky. His hands were big and calloused from working with a bokutou. And his voice was slightly deeper, but not much.
Kenshin then realized he was staring and began to eat his rice quickly and quietly. Yahiko walked away as a bell rang for some of the waiters to break. He glanced over and saw that Yahiko had his arms wrapped around Tsumbame's neck in a affectionate embrace. Kenshin felt a pang in his heart. Quickly he slurped the rest of his soup and downed the sake, paid his bill and left for the streets.
It was already dusk and the dimly lit streets were nearly empty. Kenshin turned a corner, then another, and found himself in Tokyo's skuzzier area. Although he had no desire to be here, it was the way to the neighboring town.
As he passed an alley, a loud ruckus broke out. Several men were fleeing, one yelling "It's the Battousai!"
Kenshin dropped back and peered around the corner. He gasped at what he saw.
A young man was wheeling a bokutou, his long, blood-red hair flowing behind him, tied in a long ponytail. He was tall, yet not so. About maybe Kenshin's size. He was graceful and skilled with the wooden sword, and had god-like speed. His dark blue eyes flickered a steely color for a moment. But the thing that shocked Kenshin the most was his sword style. It was the Kamiya Kasshin style, mixed with a little bit of the Hiten Mitsurugi style.
The boy finished off the last man before sheathing the wooden sword.
"that'll teach you not to steel from me," he growled in a dangerously low voice. He turned and started out of the alley, running for home. It was dark now, and Kaoru would be worried about him. He ran down several streets, and finally over a building. He dropped into the street, right in front of the dojo. Quickly he scaled the fence and dropped in.
Kenshin was not far behind. All intensions of staying away fro the dojo were cleared from his mind. Who was this boy? What connections did he have with the Kamiya Kasshin style? Kenshin jumped upon the neighboring roof of the dojo's. He stopped and scanned the yard. Nothing had changed. Everything was the same, just as the day he had left it.
He leapt up and landed into the tree in the courtyard. He watched through the open doors of the eating area as everyone ate. He could just make out Yahiko and Tsumbame, Magumi, a girl about thirteen years, and Sanoske. Sitting directly across from Kenshin was the boy, and Kaoru's back faced him. He wanted to call out, to see her face, but he was afraid. So, he snuggled into the tree and aloud sleep to take him.
When Kenshin had to leave, it had been the hardest moment of his life. So he returned to Kyoto, to slay those who wanted the horror of war once again. Kenshin fought for many years as a samurai, as the Hitokiri Battousai, to replace Japan into the peace that there was in the Meji era. He had slain many men, and his scar bled openly, showering his face in scarlet tears. And finally, after thirteen long years, the war ended. Japan settled back into normal lives and Battousai disappeared again.
Kenshin walked threw the streets of Tokyo, his head and body covered by a dark, heavy cloak. He had no desire to be back in this town, but he had to travel through on his way to a neighboring city. At every familiar shop or street, his heart felt like it was being pierced with a thousand sword blades. He hurried by the main street that lead to the Kamiya Dojo and on to the main drag. The Akabeko lay ahead of him. But as he hurried by, he caught a whiff of the food cooking inside. His stomach rumbled loudly, so loudly that several people passing by him stared briefly.
"Damn it, why does it have to be the Akabeko?" He murmured. Glancing around, he saw no other restaurants. So, against his better judgment, Kenshin walked into the restaurant, grumbling something about knowing better.
As he walked in, he was immediately greeted by Tae.
"Welcome to the Akabeko, please, come with me." She said in her cherry, southern accent. She then started off, Kenshin close behind her. They walked past booths of happy, laughing people. Kenshin suddenly felt sick to his stomach.
Tae seated Kenshin and handed him a menu.
"Now, what would ya like?" she said, smiling.
Kenshin lowered his voice so it was deeper than normal. "Ill have a bowl of rice and some miso soup. And a bottle of Sake."
Tae wrote it all down quickly before bowing and scurrying off to the kitchen. Five minutes later a young boy with the order appeared next to the table.
"OK, a bowl of rice, a bowl of miso soup and a bottle of Sake, right?"
Kenshin almost fainted when he saw who it was. "A-ah, ye-yea."
Yahiko gingerly set down the food and bottle of rice wine.
"Hey kid! Another bottle of Sake!" shouted a unroughly looking man next to Kenshin's booth.
Yahiko nodded. "Hey Tsumbame! Sake!" he shouted towards the kitchen.
Kenshin was amazed by how much the young boy had grown. He was taller, that he was. His hair was slightly longer, but still short and spiky. His hands were big and calloused from working with a bokutou. And his voice was slightly deeper, but not much.
Kenshin then realized he was staring and began to eat his rice quickly and quietly. Yahiko walked away as a bell rang for some of the waiters to break. He glanced over and saw that Yahiko had his arms wrapped around Tsumbame's neck in a affectionate embrace. Kenshin felt a pang in his heart. Quickly he slurped the rest of his soup and downed the sake, paid his bill and left for the streets.
It was already dusk and the dimly lit streets were nearly empty. Kenshin turned a corner, then another, and found himself in Tokyo's skuzzier area. Although he had no desire to be here, it was the way to the neighboring town.
As he passed an alley, a loud ruckus broke out. Several men were fleeing, one yelling "It's the Battousai!"
Kenshin dropped back and peered around the corner. He gasped at what he saw.
A young man was wheeling a bokutou, his long, blood-red hair flowing behind him, tied in a long ponytail. He was tall, yet not so. About maybe Kenshin's size. He was graceful and skilled with the wooden sword, and had god-like speed. His dark blue eyes flickered a steely color for a moment. But the thing that shocked Kenshin the most was his sword style. It was the Kamiya Kasshin style, mixed with a little bit of the Hiten Mitsurugi style.
The boy finished off the last man before sheathing the wooden sword.
"that'll teach you not to steel from me," he growled in a dangerously low voice. He turned and started out of the alley, running for home. It was dark now, and Kaoru would be worried about him. He ran down several streets, and finally over a building. He dropped into the street, right in front of the dojo. Quickly he scaled the fence and dropped in.
Kenshin was not far behind. All intensions of staying away fro the dojo were cleared from his mind. Who was this boy? What connections did he have with the Kamiya Kasshin style? Kenshin jumped upon the neighboring roof of the dojo's. He stopped and scanned the yard. Nothing had changed. Everything was the same, just as the day he had left it.
He leapt up and landed into the tree in the courtyard. He watched through the open doors of the eating area as everyone ate. He could just make out Yahiko and Tsumbame, Magumi, a girl about thirteen years, and Sanoske. Sitting directly across from Kenshin was the boy, and Kaoru's back faced him. He wanted to call out, to see her face, but he was afraid. So, he snuggled into the tree and aloud sleep to take him.