Apprentice

Chapter Three

Hiko the Lion Tamer

"Wake up baka deshi! I can't believe you're still in bed, you lazy ass!"

Kenshin was sure he was dreaming. Dreaming about his days as an apprentice under the iron will of Seijiro Hiko the 13th, master of the Hiten Mitsuyrugi Ryu. He vaguely wondered what drudgery his master was waking him to perform at the crack of dawn when he suddenly remembered he was 40 years old and his master was no longer his master. He smiled.

And opened his sleepy violet eyes to look into the black glaring eyes of one of his favorite nightmares. "Shishou!" Kenshin jumped straight up out of his bed at the Aoiya and reached futilely for a katana that did not exist.

Hiko suddenly grinned, slapped his leg and sat himself on the edge of Kenshin's futon in one graceful flowing movement that belied his fifty-four years. "Ah, some things never change, baka deshi. That brought back memories, didn't it? We used to have such good times together."

"Good times?" repeated Kenshin dazedly, hastily checking his sleeping attire to see if everything was still in place. He had jumped up so quickly he was sure his yukata had been left behind on the futon.

"Ah yes, Kenshin, I must admit, I was never bored with you around. You never ceased to be entertaining, except of course, when you were being thoroughly exasperating."

"Thank you, Shishou," Kenshin retorted with mild sarcasm, although he unconsciously gave a little bow as he said it. Old habits die hard.

"So where's the chibi raion?" asked Hiko. "Don't tell me you've lost him already, although I would not be surprised to hear it. That boy will..."

"Yes, I know, Master, that boy will be the death of me yet," finished Kenshin, starting to look around in vain for Kenji.

"Where the hell is that boy? Is the whole universe designed by some fiendish god who conspires to make me look like a fool in front of Shishou every minute of my worthless existence?" wondered Kenshin, who was starting to genuinely worry about exactly where his son could possibly be at this early hour.

Suddenly, he realized exactly where Kenji could possibly be and relaxed. "I think I know where he is, Shishou. Come with me, please."

Kenshin padded down the hallway, Hiko following with a slightly curious look on his face, until he came to a certain door. He knocked lightly, and from within a deep voice responded, "Enter."

Kenji was sitting cross-legged in a Western style chair quietly reading a book while Aoshi was apparently doing some sort of paperwork at his large desk.

"I had a feeling that Kenji was here, Aoshi-san," said Kenshin, slightly relieved that his first guess had been correct. "As you can see, Shishou Hiko has arrived."

"Aa," said Aoshi, raising his eyes briefly to acknowledge Hiko's presence, nodded slightly, and then resumed his task at the desk.

"Still working on that personality, I see, Shinomouri," muttered Hiko.

Aoshi ignored the man's remark and continued to study a paper in front of him.

Kenshin cleared his throat and said, "I'll get dressed and fetch us something from the kitchen, Shishou," and practically ran out of the room.

"Coward," said Hiko under his breath.

Kenji looked up from his book, now sensing a bit of tension between the two men in the room with him. He looked from one to the other, and closing his book, got up and walked a few steps over to Hiko, an inquiring look upon his face.

"So, are you here to get me, then?" he asked quietly, looking up briefly at the older man from under his fringe of thick red bangs. Hiko looked at the boy, who had the demeanor of a prisoner being led to the gallows and grinned faintly.

"I suppose I am, boy," he said, suddenly reaching out to tilt Kenji's face up to look into his own. He studied the boy's face for a few seconds, and finally Kenji looked up and met Hiko's demanding dark gaze with a crystalline one of his own.

"So, not so timid after all, are we, Kenji-chan?" asked Hiko. Aoshi had now looked up from his papers and was carefully watching the two of them.

"No, Shishou," said Kenji, still holding his steely colored eyes steadily into the man's.

"Good!" exclaimed Hiko, letting go of the boy's chin and clapping him one slender shoulder. "I don't think I could stand another Shinta in my old age, I haven't the patience I used to have."

"Shinta?" inquired Kenji, frowning. "Who's that, Shishou?"

"Your father, chibi-baka, don't you know your own father's name?" asked Hiko.

"My father's name is Himura Kenshin," said Kenji in a puzzled tone. "Not until I named him Kenshin was he Kenshin," said Hiko, "before that he was Shinta."

"Really?" asked Kenji, quietly, not quite believing this imposing man whom he could only remember meeting before on two or three occasions.

"I never lie, boy," said Hiko with mock severity. "It's dishonorable to lie, hasn't your baka father taught you nothing?"

"Yes, he told me it's dishonorable and wrong to lie, and he's not a baka," said Kenji, eyes narrowing and unconsciously clenching his small fists.

"Who are you going to hit with those fists, boy? Me?" asked Hiko, suddenly catching Kenji off guard once again.

"N-no, Shishou," replied Kenji, making an effort to relax his stance and barely succeeding.

"You can't fight everyone who makes a remark that rubs you the wrong way, you know," stated Hiko, watching Kenji carefully to see if the boy was succeeding in calming himself.

"At least not unless you are willing to fight a lot of idiots," continued Hiko. "Most people spend a great deal of time making stupid remarks, I've noticed, and if you take the time to fight them all, you'll not have time for much else in life, will you?"

"No, Shishou," replied Kenji, a thoughtful look appearing in his pale eyes.

"See, Shinormouri, the boy is intelligent. He knows when someone is giving him excellent advice."

"Aa," replied Aoshi, one corner of his mouth turning up slightly as he turned his attention once again to another stack of papers on his desk.

"Show me where the kitchen is, boy, my ears hurt from all this silence," said Hiko, taking Kenji by the hand and shooting Aoshi a dark amused glare from under his brows as they left.

Aoshi as usual, had no reply.