There was a soft glow of light, and then...
"Great, just great... lost in a jungle," the man grumbled as he surveyed his surroundings. He was of medium build, his black hair cut short and uncombed. He had a roundish-sort of face, his young countenance offset by the constant scowl of complaint. A holstered revolver was stuck on his belt, trying its best to convince the owner that he was a tough guy.
"I wonder where I ended up this time," he said to himself, surrounded by the green foliage of a forest.
Bewildered, he looked up to the heavens for help. The sun was already setting, the sky getting darker as the light grew dimmer.
He stared at the sky for a while, lost in his thoughts. Then he sighed and shook his head slowly.
"No reason for god to help someone like -me-," he muttered.
Still, he couldn't resist looking at the incoming night sky. The stars were beginning to glow as the sun retreated further behind the mountains.
Then he noticed a thin column of smoke rising to join the clouds.
"A campfire. I'm in luck, maybe someone up there is out looking for me after all," the man grinned delightedly.
Not quite.
"Well well, looky what we have here," one of the bandits sneered.
"Oh god, you've got to be kidding me," the man groaned, not quite believing the predicament that he had walked into. He stared at the three bandits sitting around the campfire, dressed in ragged clothes and wielding short Japanese swords.
"Picking's been slow lately, and all of a sudden -you- showed up, right at our doorstep! Hah!" another of the disheveled bandits laughed.
"Hey brother, what's up with his clothes?" the last of the trio asked, pointing at the stranger's clothes. He was wearing a loose shirt with short sleeves, and a pair of dark blue pants made from unfamiliar material that looked very rough.
"Hmph, must be one of those damned high-borns who think the foreign devils are better than normal Japanese."
"I'm Chinese," the man grunted, as if tired of being mistaken for a Japanese.
"Who cares? I'm more interested in your silver bracelet."
The man seemed surprised by that comment and looked at his left wrist. He sighed. "Look, I don't want any trouble..."
"You must be an idiot to have strayed so far away from the main road," the bandits laughed and began to surround him. Their swords hissed as they were withdrawn from their scabbards.
"Please go away before I hurt you," the man whined, a look of annoyance on his face.
The bandits merely laughed scornfully.
A few minutes later...
"I thank you for your money," the man said sarcastically and gave a mocking bow as he left the campsite. Sprawled around the dying fire were the three bandits, knocked unconscious. All three would wake up with black eyes and big lumps on their heads.
The man gave them a final look and shook his head in resignation.
"Wrong time, wrong place, same situations. I have an interesting life," he sighed.
The man jiggled his new found wealth in the form of a roughly-sewn pouch in one hand. Not much happier than he was before the encounter, the man began to whistle a listless tune as he headed towards the city in the distance.
RUROUNI KENSHIN - KINDRED SPIRITS
-An Unlikely Meeting of Fate-
by
Arion Wong
(October 17, 2003)
"That brat! Sneaking off just when I have errands for him!" Kaoru Kamiya grumbled. The long-haired Japanese heiress of the Kamiya Dojo scowled mightily as she grabbed an empty basket.
She sighed as she slung it under her arm. After ensuring that she was carrying her purse, she locked the gates of the dojo and headed for the marketplace.
Despite the way Kaoru was forced to run her own errands, she kept a contented smile on her face. The fact that Yahiko was playing truant meant everything was slowly turning back to the way it was before. Megumi would probably be in her clinic... Sanosuke had dragged Kenshin off for a trip to town earlier... Tae and Tsubame would be busy at their newly reopened Akabeko restaurant... It was as if the dreadful events that had left everyone so devastated simply never happened.
She pursed her lips and smiled. Oh, to be sure, everyone knew what had happened. But there was no reason for them to live on in the past.
"We fought for something we believed in," Kenshin had said.
And now, it was time for them to live the life that they had fought to protect.
---
"Well, Miss Kaoru! Fancy seeing you here!" the vegetable seller greeted amicably.
"How are you?" Kaoru asked with a beaming smile.
"Fine fine," the elderly man said genially. "Usually it would be that kid who buys your groceries for you... is something wrong?"
Kaoru shook her head. "Oh, he's still a kid, you know how children are," she said, unable to resist jabbing at Yahiko's reputation (whatever it was) while he's away.
"True," the vegetable seller agreed. The old man then eyed Kaoru mischievously. "And how do -you- feel about kids, eh Miss Kaoru?"
"Eh?"
"You and that Mister Kenshin make a very fine pair," the old man said, looking intently at her face for her reaction.
Flustered by the sudden change in topic, Kaoru blushed hotly. "Oh, oh! Look at the time! I'm sorry, but I have to go now! Good day!" she said quickly and hurried away, leaving the vegetable seller chuckling.
After making sure that she was quite some ways from the old man, Kaoru breathed a sigh of relief.
'That sure surprised me, asking me something like that out from the blue,' she thought, one hand over her heart. She took three deep breaths and slowly exhaled to calm her fast-beating heart.
When she had sufficiently calmed down, she began to think back about what the vegetable seller had said.
'Having a family with Kenshin...' she wondered, launching into a flight of fancy, dreaming of a romantic courtship... a beautiful marriage... a happy life...
Kaoru blushed dreamily when she thought of having children with Himura Kenshin. The red-headed former assassin was slightly built, and she wondered...
"Kyaaaa! What am I thinking!" she exclaimed suddenly, her face beet red.
Suddenly aware of her surroundings, she glanced around to see wide-eyed passersby stopping in their tracks and staring at her. Embarrassed, she ran into an alley, shielding her face as she did so.
And because she rushed headlong and blindly into the dark alley, she could not see who was standing in her way. She collided with whoever it was and fell back heavily on her back. Her groceries spilled onto the ground.
"Ouch!" she yelled.
"Watch where you're going!" a voice growled angrily.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Kaoru quickly apologized as she struggled to stand up due to her kimono.
"Wait, I know you," the male voice said accusingly.
"Ah?" Kaoru raised her head to look at the face of the person she had bumped into. To her horror, she recognized the man too. His hair was messy, eyes drooped with black bags, a crop of unkempt, grizzled beard beginning to show... but she knew him from somewhere.
"You!" Kaoru gasped as the man began to grin viciously.
"Well well, looky what we have here," the man said mockingly, unaware that he was repeating the same words that had been spoken a few days ago in another encounter.
Kaoru maintained her shocked reaction for a while, before timidly asking, "Er... who are you again?"
The man shook with anger. "How dare you! My name is Ujiki! You and that bastard boyfriend of yours destroyed my police career!"
"Police..." Kaoru whispered. A distant memory suddenly flashed through her mind... back to the time when Kenshin had just agreed to stay at the Kamiya Katsushin Dojo.
It was soon after Kenshin had defeated the fake Bahtousai plot conceived by Kihee and Gohee to usurp the dojo away from her. She and Kenshin were buying provisions and running errands when they were confronted by the elite group of sword-wielding policemen that roamed the streets. As usual, Kenshin was carrying his reversed-edged sword by his side, and that became the source of the confrontation. Several harsh words and bullying tactics later, Kenshin had enough and taught the corrupt policemen a lesson in swordsmanship.
"You... you're the one who uses the Ninota Swordsmanship from the Jigen Satsuma Style..." Kaoru said as she slowly stood up.
"You bitch! You dare to rub it in!" the man hollered and slapped her, knocking her back down. The move was so sudden that she could not react in time to avoid it. Tears sprang to her eyes as the sharp sting of the pain registered.
"After that incident, I could never use a sword anymore... I was discharged... dishonored! Disgraced! Do you have any idea what you two did to me!? My life is over thanks to you!" Ujiki screamed.
Kaoru was not the sort to be intimidated easily. Even though her movements were restricted by her kimono, she faced up and glared back at the former policeman.
"It was all your own doing! Kenshin only did what had to be done!" she said defiantly.
"I'll make you pay!" Ujiki shouted in a crazed manner. From his back, he whipped out a menacing-looking kitchen knife.
Kaoru shut her eyes tightly, unable to register the fact that she was going to be killed by a vagrant in a dark alley.
'This can't be happening... after all we've been through... this can't be happening!'
Her mind screamed for a savior when she felt an onrushing of wind heading straight for her.
'Kenshin!'
"Arghhh!" Ujiki cried out in pain.
Kaoru opened her eyes and saw blood. A flood of relief washed over her when she saw the blood wasn't hers, it was dripping from Ujiki's broken nose.
"What are you trying to do to this girl?" a new voice drawled.
Looking up, she saw an outstretched fist above her, presumably the cause of Ujiki's broken nose. Tracing back the arm, she saw a stranger standing behind her, his face hidden by the setting sunlight behind him. The other hand was jabbed into a pocket on his rough, blue pants. A holstered gun was tucked on his belt, the metal glinted from the meager light of the setting sun.
"W-who..." Kaoru stammered, adrenaline still pumping in her veins, her ears still drumming with the sound of her heartbeat.
The stranger slowly lowered his fist as Ujiki staggered backwards several steps.
"You... how dare you get in the way of my revenge!" Ujiki snarled as he clutched at his broken nose.
The stranger sighed and took several steps forward, stopping to stand in front of Kaoru.
"Go away, leave her alone," the stranger said. It was spoken in a tired manner, as if he was bored with the idea of fighting.
"Like hell!" Ujiki retorted and leapt forward, slashing wildly with his knife.
The stranger took the smallest of sidesteps, thrust his hand and gripped Ujiki's knife hand by the wrist and twisted.
There was a sickening sound of bone being mangled as Ujiki spun, his feet leaving the ground and then came crashing down. The stranger released his wristhold, and Ujiki's arm fell limply onto the ground at an awkward angle. Ujiki twitched several times before laying still, not even uttering a cry of pain.
"Don't worry, he's still alive," the stranger said when he noticed Kaoru's shocked demeanor.
"W-what did you do?" Kaoru asked, not believing her eyes.
"Used his force against him. He's got a broken wrist, that's all. He won't be bothering people anytime soon," the man explained. He bent down to collect Ujiki's knife and threw it into a drain. He then picked up Kaoru's basket and proceeded to retrieve the fallen groceries.
As he did so, Kaoru leaned forward to verify his word. True enough, Ujiki was merely unconscious, breathing slowly as he lay on the damp ground of the alley.
"Can you stand?" the man asked and offered her a hand in assistance.
Kaoru stared at the outstretched hand for moment, her eyes wavering uncertainly. But when she saw his eyes, she saw something that made her reach out and take his hand.
"Let's get you home, lady," the man said simply.
---
As he walked her home, Kaoru stole several discreet glances at her rescuer. The pale-skinned man walked slightly behind her, head slightly tilted and his eyes looking forward in an uninterested manner, as if he was going to fall asleep at any moment.
The silence between them made Kaoru uncomfortable. She wanted to thank him, but the way the man slouched nonchalantly, the way his face showed perpetual boredom made her hesitant to open her mouth.
Before she knew it, they were standing before the wooden gates of her dojo. It was unlocked, meaning either Yahiko or Kenshin had come home earlier, perhaps both of them were back in the dojo.
"Kamiya Katsushin Dojo..." the man muttered as he read the calligraphy signboard. It was the first time he had spoken ever since the incident.
Kaoru took the opportunity to thank him. She turned and bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your help back there," she said, wondering if she was being too formal. As she bowed, she noticed that the man was wearing thick, black boots from the west. As she came back up, her eyes couldn't resist stealing another look at his holstered gun. It was a large revolver.
She also noticed the strange, silver-colored bracelet on his left wrist.
"You're welcome... you live in this dojo?" the man asked further.
"Yes, I am the owner of this dojo," Kaoru answered. Somehow, the way the man's eyebrows rose in surprise gave her some degree of satisfaction.
"You're a sword master?"
"I am the successor of my family's style," Kaoru explained, unsure why he was asking. 'Why am I even telling him?' she wondered.
The man simply nodded, ending the conversation abruptly. He gave a shrug and turned to leave, just like that. Kaoru was taken aback by the suddenness and wanted to call him back, even though she had no reason to.
"Kaoru!" Yahiko Myojin's voice yelled. Both Kaoru and the man turned to look into the dojo to see a spiky-haired boy running to greet her, gripping a wooden sword on one hand.
"Where the heck have you been, you old hag! You're supposed to be training me!" Yahiko said loudly, not noticing the stranger.
The boy immediately received a heavy blow to the head, courtesy of Kaoru's fist.
"Who's the hag!?" Kaoru demanded, angry veins popping on her forehead. She was about to pummel her student further when the stranger behind her chuckled.
Embarrassed, she lowered her fist and tried to regain some lady-like composure.
"Old hag?" the man repeated, causing Kaoru to flush crimson.
"Hey, who's this guy?" Yahiko asked as he rubbed his sore head.
"Don't be so rude!" Kaoru scolded. Seeing that the man was still there, she refrained from hitting Yahiko again. "This gentleman saved my life back at the marketplace," she said.
"Oh, really?" Yahiko said skeptically as he gave the man a once-over before fixing a stare at his gun.
"Stop staring at him, it's rude!" Kaoru yelled, causing the man to smile.
"Guns are for cowards," Yahiko scoffed, "but since you saved this hag here, I guess you're not that bad."
Kaoru couldn't believe her ears, she raised a hand to smack Yahiko silly. To her surprise, the man merely chuckled, staying her hand.
"Cowards huh?" the man repeated. He aimed and cocked his finger like a gun and aimed it at Yahiko's face.
"What?" Yahiko demanded, not liking the way the index finger is being pointed at him.
"Kid, let me tell you something," the man said slowly. "Sometimes, pulling the trigger of a gun takes far more courage than you might think."
"I agree," another voice spoke. Everyone turned to see a red-haired man coming over from the dojo.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru called, her heart leaping when she saw him.
The stranger studied Kenshin as he approached. There was no hesitation in the shorter man's steps, his sheathed sword held steadily at his side, his red hair swaying in the gentle wind. When he came nearer, the stranger saw the prominent cross-shaped scar on Kenshin's left cheek.
"Kenshin, what did you say?" Yahiko asked.
"I agree with him. Sometimes, it takes courage to use a gun," Kenshin said calmly.
"But guns kill people indiscriminately!" Yahiko argued.
"Guns don't kill people, only people kill people," the stranger said with annoyance. "Besides, this gun is not for killing," he added. That comment gave Kaoru and Kenshin a sense of deja vu.
"It can still kill!" Yahiko retorted.
The stranger grinned wolfishly. "True," he admitted.
"Y'see, I'm right!" Yahiko said triumphantly.
The man snorted. "Poke a needle up a man's nose and it will kill. Take a hammer and you can crush a person's skull. How is that any different? And I don't think your friend's sword there is just a toy," he said, nodding at Kenshin's sheathed blade.
Kenshin smiled. "This sword is not made for killing," he said and withdrew his blade, the Shinuchi. The stranger leaned forward for a better look, and saw that the sharp and blunt edges were reversed, making the sword useless for actual cutting of flesh.
The man straightened back, an appreciative smile on his lips.
"You must be a very good swordsman to use that," he said.
"He's the best!" Yahiko proclaimed, causing Kenshin to laugh modestly.
"Kenshin, this man saved my life," Kaoru stepped in. She briefly told Yahiko and Kenshin what had happened.
"We owe you a great debt," Kenshin said solemnly to her savior when she had finished.
"It's nothing. I was just passing by," the man said self-depreciatingly.
"Please, come in. Allow us to treat you to dinner at least," Kenshin offered.
The stranger smiled. "Well then, I have no reason to refuse a free meal."
"Good! I'll make some of my special dishes right now!" Kaoru said happily. Yahiko pulled a face and glared at the stranger.
"Now look what you have done! Man, I'm gonna have stomach cramps!" he complained.
"You brat! Get here and help me!" Kaoru yelled, giving him another wallop and dragged him off towards the kitchen.
"My name is Himura Kenshin," Kenshin said formally.
The man seemed to consider his next words carefully.
"I'm... Kouchyuu. I thank you for your offer," he replied with a slight smile and a gleam in his eyes, as if enjoying a private joke.
"It is a pleasure to welcome you to our home," Kenshin said and bowed slightly, untroubled by his guest's smile or the hesitation before revealing his name.
Something about his eyes told Kenshin that he was trustworthy.
---
Kouchyuu and Kenshin sat on the veranda to wait while Kaoru cooked. The sun was slowly setting, casting a red shade of light over the Kamiya Dojo. Birds chirped nosily as they flew towards the forest outside of the city, heading to their nests after a day of hunting.
A sigh escaped Kouchyuu's lips when he saw the flock of birds flying overhead, his eyes looking up at them almost enviously. That look did not escape Kenshin's notice.
"Something's the matter, Kouchyuu-san?" he asked.
His guest chuckled, a melancholy smile on his face. "I'm jealous of the birds..."
Kenshin nodded in agreement. "Yes... to be able to fly and soar into the skies is something enviable."
"No, that's not it," Kouchyuu shook his head slowly.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm envious of their ability fly and return home so freely. Even if I can fly, I'm not sure if my home would be waiting for me," Kouchyuu said wistfully.
Kenshin turned to look at Kouchyuu's face. The taller man was propping his chin up with one hand, eyes staring dreamily, sadly perhaps; at the rapidly disappearing birds.
"Kenshin! Kaoru says dinner is ready!" Yahiko's voice called, interrupting the melancholy mood.
"Alright," Kenshin acknowledged. He stood up and smiled at his guest. "I hope you will enjoy dinner with us," he invited.
"I'm sure I will," Kouchyuu replied and grinned in return.
---
He wasn't so sure later when he laid his eyes on the food.
"What's this?" Kouchyuu asked, absolutely mystified at the purplish food that was served to him by Kaoru. He picked up a morsel with his chopsticks and stared intently at it.
"That's octopus!" Kaoru said enthusiastically.
Kouchyuu was too polite to give her a skeptical look. Unknown to Kaoru, Yahiko was behind her and was already making gagging faces. Even Kenshin was sweating heavily after taking several bites of his own serving of octopus.
Kouchyuu quickly came to a decision and took a deep breath. He returned the morsel back to its dish and pushed it towards Kaoru, who stared at him in surprise.
"Kouchyuu-san, is something wrong?" Kaoru asked, slightly discouraged at his rejection of her food.
He bowed solemnly.
"I'm sorry, but from where I come from, eating octopus is taboo," he said grimly, trying to maintain an impassive face.
"I'm sorry!" Kaoru apologized and quickly retrieved the dish. "Here, you can have some smoked fish and tofu... you can eat those, right?"
'Smoked fish and tofu, so that's what it is,' Kouchyuu thought when he saw the charred, blackened meal.
Suppressing his reflex to say something witty or rude, he gave Kaoru a weak smile and nodded.
"Oh, I'm glad to know that," Kaoru replied with relief. "Eat as much as you like, there's more where that came from!"
"I'm sure," Kouchyuu said dryly. When Kaoru turned her back to scoop more rice for herself, Kouchyuu visibly breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his brow.
Yahiko caught his gesture and stared at him. Kouchyuu pointed a finger at him and winked. With that, Yahiko immediately understood that Kouchyuu had made an excuse just to avoid eating Kaoru's food. The young boy guffawed inwardly, finding new respect for the guest.
"Are you laughing at the fact that he can't eat octopus? That's rude!" Kaoru demanded.
"Ah, sorry," Yahiko said innocently, causing Kaoru to blink in surprise. He winked back at Kouchyuu.
"Kouchyuu-san, that reminds me, where are you from?" Kenshin asked smilingly. He too caught sight of the man's escape from Kaoru's culinary efforts.
"Someplace very far," Kouchyuu said vaguely, enjoying the look on their faces.
Seeing that their guest wasn't really answering his question, Kenshin took on another tack.
"Your name doesn't seem Japanese," he remarked.
"I'm Chinese. It is pronounced as 'Huang Zhong' in Mandarin," Kouchyuu explained.
"Oh, that explains your clothes," Kaoru exclaimed.
"Hm?"
"You must one of those Chinese that I heard people gossiping about in the harbor. Many of your countrymen went to America to look for gold, right? From the looks of things, you must have done well for yourself," Kaoru said.
Kouchyuu shrugged and smiled. "Ah, you can put it that way. I travel the world mostly."
"Wow, all the way from America... and I was thinking how weird your clothes are," Yahiko said, warming up to him. The sheer distance of the foreign country reminded him just how big the world really was. He remembered about Yutaro, his erstwhile rival who had left for Germany to get a revolutionary treatment for his crippling injury.
"These are my work clothes," Kouchyuu replied and grinned, again with the mischievous glint in his eyes. He motioned at his dark blue pants. "This is called 'jeans'. It's rugged and doesn't tear easily," he explained.
"And that silver bracelet? It has a face like a clock..." Kaoru pointed.
"This is a wristwatch... a miniature clock. I guess it's still new here."
"Incredible... the Americans are really advanced," Kenshin said in wonder.
"So, why are you here in Japan, Kouchyuu-san?" Kaoru asked.
"I'm on my way home," he replied. Kenshin had the feeling that he was telling the truth, but not the whole truth.
"Why? You're still young... did you grow tired of travel? It's so romantic," Kaoru said plaintively.
Kouchyuu laughed. "Young, eh..." he said wistfully. He shook his head. "No, you can say that the world is tired of me."
"Ah?" the residents of the dojo exclaimed.
Kouchyuu shook his head again. "Forget it, let's eat," he said. His hosts exchanged looks with each other, decided to drop the topic and proceeded with dinner in a relatively quiet affair.
---
"It's already very late, I suggest you spend the night here at least," Kaoru suggested after dinner.
Kouchyuu looked at the night sky and nodded. "You're very kind," he said.
"Please, think nothing of it. I'll prepare a futon for you," Kaoru replied with a smile.
Her guest held up a palm to stop her. "No, it's not necessary... Just give me a pillow and I'll sleep here," he said, pointing at the veranda. The sliding doors of wood and paper were open to allow a gentle breeze to flow into the dojo.
"Oh no, that won't do at all," Kaoru shook her head.
"It's alright," Kouchyuu said, "I'm an old campaigner, I can sleep anywhere."
"Old campaigner?" Kaoru repeated.
Kouchyuu shrugged. "I travel a lot, I'm used to it. Please, a pillow would be just fine."
"Well, if you insist..." the owner of the Kamiya dojo said uncertainly.
"It's enough, I thank you," Kouchyuu answered, and Kaoru relented at last.
And thus, Kouchyuu later found himself lying on the veranda, one leg dangling outside and enjoying the cool wind, eyes staring up into the clear night sky. The stars blinked brightly, the moon was only half-visible.
Unnoticed, Kenshin stood in the shadows to observe the Chinese man. He saw that Kouchyuu was pointing at the stars and muttering to himself every now and then. Finally, his curiosity took a better hold of him.
He moved closer, purposely stepping slightly harder on the polished wooden floor. Kouchyuu heard him immediately.
"Anything wrong?" Kouchyuu asked as he sat up.
Kenshin shook his head and sat down beside him.
"I should be asking you that. You seemed... troubled," Kenshin said.
Kouchyuu chuckled. "You have absolutely no idea."
"If there's anything I can do to help..." Kenshin started. His offer was quickly rebuffed.
"No, you can't," Kouchyuu interrupted. "I have made some mistakes, and there is no way you can even imagine how horrible they were."
Kenshin bowed his head. "I think I can," he said softly.
"Oh really," the black-haired Chinese man snorted.
"I too, have made choices that I now regret very much," Kenshin said.
Kouchyuu turned his head to look at him. Even though it was at night and they were alone, Kenshin was still holding his reversed-edged sword, sheathed at his side.
"I'm guessing that you've killed people with another sword, in another time," Kouchyuu said bluntly.
Kenshin nodded, without pride, without sorrow. He merely acknowledged the truth.
Kouchyuu turned away from looking at him. "I don't use a sword, but your pain cannot be compared to mine," he said gruffly.
Kenshin frowned. "Then you do not know the feeling of using a sword to end another person's life. Have you ever killed people without ever feeling remorse or pity?"
"Yes, I have," Kouchyuu said simply.
"But you want to forget it," Kenshin insisted, looking pointedly at Kouchyuu's gun.
"Yes. Yes, I do," his guest admitted.
"Then you will never come to terms with your mistakes."
Kouchyuu glared at him. "You asked if I had ever felt the sensation of cutting a fellow man with a sword. Let me ask you this, have you ever pulled the trigger that caused the misery of millions? You have no idea of my nightmares."
"That is not the point," the former assassin countered.
"Then make your point or leave me alone," Kouchyuu snapped, momentarily forgetting that he was a guest in someone else's home.
"I did not enjoy killing people. At that time I believed what I did was for the greater good. I truly did. It did not occur to me if the men I've murdered had families or dreams of their own... I rationalized that it was all for the better good..." Kenshin said.
Kouchyuu was stunned by the sheer naked and blunt honesty. His mouth opened slightly but he could not find the words to say. What can one say to such an admission anyway?
"I don't know what you did or what your past is, Kouchyuu-san... but from your eyes I think you're not an inherently evil person."
"Evil, huh... I've been called that before," Kouchyuu chuckled softly. "But I think I understand what you're trying to say... like you, my mistake came from my own beliefs."
Kenshin nodded. "If you are truly remorseful, you should not try to forget it... you should go on living and try to atone for what you did. Running away does not solve matters."
"I have seen enough hatred to last many lifetimes," Kouchyuu replied and smiled bitterly, feeling helpless and hating himself for it.
"The world is cruel," Kenshin agreed. "It was not until a meeting with... a very special person... that I began to change the way I saw the world... Before her, I only saw the worst in anyone to make my work easier," he continued.
"...Miss Kaoru?" Kouchyuu asked slowly.
The scarred swordmaster shook his negatively.
"No, it was much earlier... She was my wife..."
"Was...?" Kouchyuu repeated. Then he frowned when he realized that it was a personal issue. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"It is alright... tonight seems to be a night of memories," Kenshin replied. His eyes softened, and Kouchyuu can see the immense sadness behind them.
"Even bad ones," Kouchyuu muttered, more to himself.
Kenshin took a deep breath and exhaled.
"I know that there are some things that can never be forgotten. I know there will always be people seeking revenge for my sins. But I will not run away from them. Yes, I'm guilty... yes, I have wronged. But if I run away, I will never come to terms with it, the pain will only grow."
Kouchyuu looked at him and saw the deep convictions on his face. "You are a strong person, Kenshin. Much stronger than me..."
"It's not strength that I have... it's purpose," Kenshin replied. He held up his sheathed sword. "I will only wield my sword to protect, not to kill. If I can protect the ones I care about and make them happy, I am satisfied."
Kouchyuu looked down at his own gun.
"Perhaps we are more alike then we might have guessed," Kenshin ventured to suggest.
Kouchyuu shook his head. "No, I'm nothing like you."
When Kenshin stiffened, the Chinese man raised a hand to stall him.
"I don't mean it in a bad way. I've used this gun for self-protection... I have never thought of it as a weapon to protect someone else... For all the abilities I have, it never occurred to me..."
"It is never to late to realize that. You will find a way to accept your past like I have," Kenshin said matter-of-factly.
Kouchyuu was unable to look at the red-haired man in the face. "I guess that's right... I'm sorry to have troubled you with my own problems," he apologized.
"It is nothing," Kenshin shook his head.
"No, it's not nothing," Kouchyuu said firmly. Then he smiled and said:
"You have given me a lot to think about."
---
The solemn, serious talk Kenshin and Kouchyuu had was seemingly forgotten the next day. Kouchyuu was introduced to Sanosuke Sagara, who had dropped by before lunch. His height was taller than the average Japanese, with a shock of pointy hair and baring his thin but muscular chest with a loosely worn martial arts gi.
Sano and Kouchyuu hit it off almost instantly after learning that the latter had saved Kaoru with his fists instead of a gun.
"Looks like you owe him one, missy," Sano said.
"I know! For your information, I already treated him to dinner yesterday," Kaoru replied in annoyance.
"Oh god!" Sano gasped in horror, "You gave your rescuer your own home-cooking?! What kinda gratitude was that?!"
Kouchyuu chuckled as Kenshin tried to restrain her rage.
"You ok? No food poisoning? No side effects?" Sano asked in exaggerated concern.
"Heh. I'm fine," Kouchyuu said. Then he leaned closer and whispered, "I didn't eat the octopus."
"Hah hah! Clever guy, I like ya already!" Sano said loudly and clapped him on his back.
"Kouchyuu-san, you be careful of him, he's a chronic freeloader!" Kaoru yelled loudly.
Ignoring her, Sano hooked an arm over Kouchyuu's shoulder. "So, you're a traveller eh? Let me introduce you to some of the 'finer' establishments in the city..."
"Sure," Kouchyuu replied, "I always wanted to see the old city."
"Old?" the martial arts exponent questioned.
"Uh, never mind... say, what's up with the bandaged hand?" Kouchyuu asked.
"Ah, that was a battle injury. Did Kenshin tell you about Shishio Makoto?"
Kouchyuu shook his head.
"Let's talk on the way. He's one screwed-up freak..."
---
God knows how much fun they had, but by the time Sano finally relented to bring Kouchyuu back to the Kamiya dojo, it was already late at night. Sano's face was still flushed with laughter and quite a bit of sake as they walked down the darkened streets.
"Did ya see that guy's face when ya rolled a double six? Hah! Priceless!" Sano crowed, referring to a game they played in a gambling den earlier.
Kouchyuu shrugged. "It was just luck. I'm never good with gambling," he said modestly.
"Heh, for someone who's not good, ya made good money today," Sano replied. Then his grin was replaced by a frown. "But are you sure about this? I don't mind the money, but why give it all to me? They are your winnings."
Kouchyuu shook his head. "I'm leaving soon. Where I'm going, I don't need the money."
"Where's that?" Sano asked, his curiosity rising.
Kouchyuu was about say something to deflect his question when he noticed that it was unusually bright. He squinted towards the distance and saw yellowish light from burning torches.
"Is there a festival going on?" Kouchyuu asked skeptically, pointing towards the dojo.
"Fire!" Sanosuke yelled and broke into a run.
---
There was a loud crash from the dojo gates, and all three residents of the dojo awoke at once. The first thing Kaoru noticed was that it was too bright.
"Kenshin, what's going on!?" Kaoru called when she opened the shoji doors of her room.
The red-haired master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu was already on his feet and running towards the source of the light, a bedraggled Yahiko behind him.
"Intruders," Kenshin said curtly as he ran past Kaoru. Stunned, Kaoru stood still after Kenshin had left. It took a moment for her to absorb what he said before she quickly followed him and Yahiko.
And when they went outside, they saw that the wooden gates of the dojo had been smashed open by a makeshift battering ram fashioned from a simple cart. A throng of people gathered around the broken gates, carrying burning torches that cast wavy shadows onto the ground.
They were also carrying weapons: short stabbing swords, knives, crude clubs and cudgels, woodcutter axes... and more worryingly, a few were carrying old-fashioned rifles.
"Who are you!?" Kaoru demanded in anger.
"I found youuu~," a raspy voice said mockingly. The mass of people parted to allow a man with a crazed look on his face to step forward. His arm was heavily bandaged, but in his other hand he was carrying a knife.
"Ujiki!" Kaoru gasped in recognition.
"Turns out that you and your shrimpy swordsman there aren't really that popular with a lot of people," Ujiki said, his eyes bulging madly, a thin line of drool running down his chin. His followers weren't much better off, some were obviously suffering from severe drug withdrawal... known petty criminals, repeat offenders...
The others, they were simply crazed.
Kenshin could recognize some of the faces. It seemed like for every villain that he had stopped, there were their former henchmen among Ujiki's gang. Some were Ujiki's disgraced colleagues, others from Kanryuu's drug-producing group, Kihee and Gohee's hired ruffians...
A gathering of henchmen of sorts, it seemed.
"I'm surprised that someone like you could start something like this," Kenshin said, looking pointedly at Ujiki.
It sparked an intense hatred within Ujiki, who remembered how the red-haired man had defeated his police unit and himself so easily.
"You! Again you look at me with those eyes!" Ujiki screamed. "I will gouge them out!"
His men took that as a signal. Howling like rabid animals, they began to pour through the gates.
"Yahiko, prepare to defend our home," Kenshin said quietly as he unsheathed his sword. Yahiko nodded in acknowledgement and gripped his wooden sword tightly.
"What about me? Kenshin, this is my home too!" Kaoru said, wishing that she had the foresight of carrying her own wooden sword with her.
"Miss Kaoru, I think you should get some buckets of water," Kenshin replied, not looking back at her.
"Water? But..." Kaoru started to protest, and then she gasped in horror.
"Yes, in case they start torching the place," Kenshin said grimly.
---
"Doesn't seem like the sort of people Miss Kaoru and Kenshin would mix around with," Kouchyuu noted as he and Sanosuke spied at the crowd gathering in front of the ruined dojo gates.
"Huh. I know those people. Scum of the city and worse," Sanosuke grunted.
Kouchyuu turned to stare at him. "What? Miss Kaoru and Kenshin?"
Sano slapped the back of Kouchyuu's head. "Idiot, I'm talkin' about those people at the gate."
"Oh."
"Heh, they sure picked the wrong place to mess about with," Sano grinned and cracked his knuckles. He would have charged at the gang if he had not noticed Kouchyuu's stare.
"What are ya looking at?" Sanosuke demanded.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kouchyuu asked in return.
"Going to kick their asses, what does it look like to you?"
"You told me your doctor said you shouldn't be fighting," Kouchyuu reminded him.
Sano grimaced. "Eh, forget that. The fox can fix it later," he said dismissively. He started to move again but Kouchyuu pulled him back.
"Don't be stupid," the Chinese man reprimanded, "I'm not your doctor but the way I see it, your hand won't ever be same if you throw a punch when it's messed up like that."
"Ya know, you're right..." Sano said slowly.
Suddenly, a howl went up from the group of people and they began to rush into the dojo. Seeing that Kouchyuu was distracted, Sano wriggled free and quickly ran towards the intruders.
"You're right!" Sano hollered, "You're not my doctor!"
Kouchyuu sighed and ran after him.
---
There were too many.
Well, for a normal swordsman, that is. But Kenshin, the man known as Battousai; was no ordinary swordsman. Even with a non-killing sword, he easily dealt with the unruly crowd. But he had to divide his attentions to helping Yahiko, and not to allow any of them to rampage into the dojo itself.
'This is bad, I can't hold them off forever!' he thought as he carved a swath of broken bones and bleeding injuries all around him. Yahiko stood off to one side, bringing his wooden sword up and down on those which had slipped through Kenshin's guard.
Kenshin held his ground on the porch, standing in front of the house's entrance. Those he had defeated were flung here and there, their cries of pain and pleas for help were ignored by the crazed mob.
Coming to a decision, Kenshin held his sword off to one side, and of all things, dashed forward to meet the charging mob.
"Kenshin!" Yahiko shouted in alarm, but his voice was drowned out by the melee.
Kenshin was like a burst of lightning that tore through the teeming mass like a hot knife slicing butter. His speed and skill, so legendary in his past; smashed aside his disorganized opponents with ease, flinging their bodies up into air like rag dolls.
The mob was stunned, and then they were actually pushed back as those in the front began to fear for their lives, trying to get away from Kenshin's storm. All they could see was a flash of steel and a swirl of red before they were rendered unconscious.
When the dust settled, there was a large clearing with Kenshin standing in the middle of it. Prone bodies lay everywhere, groaning in pain. The ones still standing formed a circle around him, too afraid to move.
"This is my home. With my sword, I will protect. Protect with my life!" Kenshin declared.
His voice actually made the circle bigger as they began to back away from him.
"Stop! What are you doing!? Get him!" Ujiki screamed as he roughly pushed his way through the crowd.
"Come on if you dare," Kenshin challenged, raising his sword in readiness.
"He's only one person! Kill him!" Ujiki shrieked, looking at his followers. Even the crazed ones were sane enough to realize that Kenshin was somebody not to mess with.
Ujiki growled with helpless anger, and then a sinister replaced it. "Fine then, if we can't beat you, we'll just find another way to get our revenge," he sneered.
The crazed madman motioned towards his followers, and the torch-bearers moved forward. Kenshin's eyes widened when he realized what they were trying to do.
"You can beat all of us, but not before we burn this place to the ground!" Ujiki laughed. One of his followers threw his torch towards the dojo.
"Stop!" Kenshin yelled. He leapt upwards, his sword flashed and the torch fell onto the ground extinguished. He was about to rush forward to prevent the torch-bearers from throwing any more.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you! Hahahahahaha!!" Ujiki mocked. His men parted and some others moved forward, the ones bearing the old rifles. Old or not, a line of them could still be deadly. The gunners stood in a ragged line, pointing their rifles towards the general direction of Kenshin.
A thunderous crash interrupted his gloating. He turned behind to see the source of the sound. The rear guard of his mob began to break apart, as if an overwhelming force was driving towards the dojo. His mob began to disintegrate between two forces: Kenshin in the front, and the unknown attackers from the back.
"What's happening?!" he demanded in rising panic.
"Two people... they... are too strong!" someone yelled.
"Guess we're not too late to join the party," Sanosuke Sagara grinned and kicked aside an axe-wielding maniac.
"Don't use your right hand," Kouchyuu reminded him as he punched another right in the face, sending the victim sprawling with a spray of blood from his broken nose.
"Yeah yeah, 'mom'," Sano grunted with annoyance.
"No... this can't be happening!" Ujiki said in horror. His riflemen wavered uncertainly, sensing their leader's lost of confidence.
'Now!' Kenshin's mind shouted, seeing that the gunners were distracted.
"RYUKANSEN!"
All the gunners could see was a blur, a sweeping blade movement of incredible speed as Kenshin sped forward and turned like a comet.
An eye-blink later, they fell down; dropping their antiquated guns.
"Impossible!" Ujiki shrieked and dropped his weapon, backing away in fear. Suddenly, he backed into something behind him. With trepidation, he slowly turned around to see a grinning Sanosuke Sagara. Beside him was Kouchyuu.
Ujiki gulped and his eyes searched wildly for help, but to his horror, all his men had been knocked down and out by them.
"No... no!" Ujiki panicked and began to stumble around for an escape.
"Not so fast, you rat," Sano said and grabbed the fleeing man by the scruff of the neck and threw him onto the ground.
"I know you," Kouchyuu said accusingly as he looked at Ujiki's terrified face. "You're the one who attacked Miss Kaoru that time."
He glanced down at Ujiki's bandaged arm.
"Looks like a broken hand isn't enough of a lesson for you," Kouchyuu said. The dearth of emotion in his voice only intensified Ujiki's fear.
"Oi Kenshin! Everyone alright?" Sanosuke yelled. Kenshin looked back at Yahiko who gave him a thumbs up. The boy then went inside to get Kaoru.
"It looks like you came back just in time," Kenshin said and smiled.
"One heck of a party to miss," Sanosuke replied as he surveyed the broken gates. He jerked a thumb at the mass of unconscious people lying all around the ground. "What are ya gonna to do with all of them? I don't think the jails are big enough," he said.
But Kenshin wasn't paying attention to him. Instead, his eyes were fixed at the scene between Kouchyuu and Ujiki.
"I made the mistake of letting you off once. I won't repeat that again," Kouchyuu said grimly and slowly withdrew his gun. When Ujiki saw the handgun being leveled at his head, he shrieked with terror and began to scurry like a frightened rat.
"Hey, what are you doing!?" Sano yelled, not believing his eyes.
Kouchyuu did not acknowledge the fighter's question; his eyes staring directly into Ujiki's. He slowly pulled back the hammer; his finger pulled the trigger...
There was a thunderous boom of a gunshot. The sound was so loud that Sanosuke actually winced.
When he opened his eyes, he saw that Kouchyuu's gun arm was raised up and away from Ujiki. A wisp of gun smoke trailed lazily from the barrel. Ujiki had fainted from sheer terror, his mouth foaming with bubbles of saliva.
Kenshin had used his sword to forcefully raise Kouchyuu's gun so that it fired harmlessly into the sky.
"Why?" Kouchyuu asked simply.
"There will be no lives taken when I'm around," Kenshin answered, looking into his eyes. When he was sure that Kouchyuu would not fire his gun again, he slowly lowered his sword and sheathed it. Kouchyuu followed suit by holstering his gun.
"He attacked Miss Kaoru and tried to destroy your home. And you're not doing anything to prevent it from happening again?" Kouchyuu demanded.
"Everyone deserves chances to change their lives," Kenshin replied.
"There must be limits to forgiveness," Kouchyuu argued.
Kenshin gave him a solemn look. "Don't you ever wish for second chances?"
The question took the Chinese man aback. He sighed and shook his head in defeat at Kenshin's words.
"I still think you're too naive," Kouchyuu said wryly.
"Maybe," Kenshin agreed and looked back at Kaoru and Yahiko who had arrived in time to see the incident. The red-haired former assassin turned back to look at Kouchyuu and smiled.
"Yes, I may be too naive. But this is the way I will live."
---
It turned out that Sanosuke wasn't right; there were ample space to hold all of the criminals that had attacked the Kamiya Katsushin dojo.
"This is going to be a mountain of paperwork," the bespectacled police chief said as the last of them were being bundled away.
"I'm sorry to have caused such trouble," Kenshin said formally.
The policeman laughed. "I was just joking," he said and nodded in approval. "This would really help clean up the streets for a while. I should be thanking you."
"What will happen to Ujiki?" Kaoru asked.
The policeman grimaced. "He's my former subordinate, but the law is the law. He has broken them and he will have to pay the price," he said grimly.
"Sir! We're all done here," one of the uniformed policeman reported. The chief nodded.
"It looks like the city owes you another favor, Mr. Himura," he said and winked. Before Kenshin could say anything, the commander motioned for his subordinates and left.
"Well, at least everything's alright," Sano said as he came up.
"Not everything," Kaoru replied mournfully as she glanced at the broken gates.
"That can be repaired, Miss Kaoru. We should be grateful that none of us got hurt," Kenshin said.
"Yeah, thanks to me and Kouchyuu," Sano smirked.
"That reminds me, where is Kouchyuu-san? I have to thank him," Kaoru said.
"Hey, how about thanking me!?" Sano said indignantly.
"You are freeloader, it was the least you could do," Kaoru snapped.
"Kenshin!"
The three of them turned to see a breathless Yahiko running towards them, waving his wooden sword to get their attention.
"Yahiko, what's wrong?" Kenhin asked.
"Kou... Kouchyuu-san," Yahiko gasped as he struggled to regain his breath.
"Huh, where is he?" Sano interrupted.
"I checked... his stuff's gone!"
"What!? He's tryin' to pull a cool guy get away!" Sanosuke yelled. "Kenshin, let's split up and get him back here!"
Kenshin merely nodded, although he had a feeling that won't be happening.
---
"Guess it's time for me to hit the road," Kouchyuu said to himself. He glanced at his watch. "Not too much time left," he muttered.
"Going somewhere?"
Startled, Kouchyuu looked up to see a red-haired man standing in his path. Seeing that the man was holding a sheathed sword by his side, Kouchyuu started to reach for his gun.
Then he relaxed when he saw his face.
"Kenshin."
The red-haired man smiled. "Where are you going all of a sudden?"
"Trying to find my way home," Kouchyuu replied with a grin of his own.
"Leaving without even saying goodbye?"
"Didn't want to stick around when the police was there. 'Sides, I'm not one for goodbyes," Kouchyuu said with a shrug.
"Miss Kaoru and Sanosuke would be disappointed if you don't go back to the dojo," Kenshin remarked.
Kouchyuu laughed. "I'm just a wandering stranger, Kenshin. I dropped in unannounced and now I'm leaving the same way."
"We consider you a friend, Kouchyuu-san," Kenshin replied.
"I'm glad to hear that," the Chinese man replied. "I have been here for just a short while, but I will always remember you guys."
With that, Kenshin knew that it was pointless to persuade him to return.
"Perhaps we will meet again," Kenshin said.
Kouchyuu started to shake his head, but then changed his mind. "Well, if fate decrees it... maybe we will."
"Then I wish you a safe journey," Kenshin said simply.
"Goodbye, Kenshin," the Chinese man returned, "and tell the others I'm sorry to leave this way, but I don't have much time left."
"I will tell them. Goodbye, Kouchyuu-san," Kenshin said. He stood there as the Chinese man turned to walk away.
After several steps, he stopped to look back at the red-haired man.
"This stop was far more beneficial to me than you might have thought, Kenshin. For everything that you have said and taught me, I thank you. Until we meet again."
"Until we meet again," Kenshin agreed.
He waited until Kouchyuu disappeared from his sight, and then he turned to make his own way home.
---
Several days later, Kenshin and the others would hear a strange rumor.
A woodcutter had claimed to see a pale-skinned man wearing strange gaijin clothes walking alone in the forest. He had tried to call out to stop him from going any deeper towards the haunted woods, but the man paid no attention.
The woodcutter was about to chase after him when there was a soft glow of blue light. When the light disappeared, the woodcutter could not find any trace of the strange gaijin.
Most dismissed his story as fiction, but his description of the pale-skinned man matched that of Kouchyuu.
"Who do you think he really was, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.
Kenshin smiled.
"A friend."
The End...
(October 24th, 2003)
---
Author's note:
What is this about? I don't know, the idea just came on to me when a reader of my other fics asked about my avatar's past.
Anyways, it's just a story how Kenshin could influence another troubled man's way of thinking. Having said that, I hope you enjoyed reading this. This is perhaps the first and last time I'm ever writing a Kenshin fic...
[1] The first jeans were made in the 1870s; the gold mining Kaoru talked about was the 1848 California Gold Rush, where the miners demanded for clothes that didn't tear easily.
[2] The wristwatch was said to have appeared in Europe in the 1500s, but only got more momentum in the 1800s.
[3] This story is set after the Makoto Shishio arc.
[4] Kouchyuu (aka Huang Zhong) is a name taken from the epic Chinese novel/historical fiction, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Huang Zhong (AD148-221) was a valiant general of the Shu kingdom and one of its famous Five Tiger Generals. In the novel and in most games, he is renowned in his archery skills and was said to be able to pull apart the strongest bows even in his 60s. He died on the battlefield after an enemy ambush, aged 73 years old.
--eof--
"Great, just great... lost in a jungle," the man grumbled as he surveyed his surroundings. He was of medium build, his black hair cut short and uncombed. He had a roundish-sort of face, his young countenance offset by the constant scowl of complaint. A holstered revolver was stuck on his belt, trying its best to convince the owner that he was a tough guy.
"I wonder where I ended up this time," he said to himself, surrounded by the green foliage of a forest.
Bewildered, he looked up to the heavens for help. The sun was already setting, the sky getting darker as the light grew dimmer.
He stared at the sky for a while, lost in his thoughts. Then he sighed and shook his head slowly.
"No reason for god to help someone like -me-," he muttered.
Still, he couldn't resist looking at the incoming night sky. The stars were beginning to glow as the sun retreated further behind the mountains.
Then he noticed a thin column of smoke rising to join the clouds.
"A campfire. I'm in luck, maybe someone up there is out looking for me after all," the man grinned delightedly.
Not quite.
"Well well, looky what we have here," one of the bandits sneered.
"Oh god, you've got to be kidding me," the man groaned, not quite believing the predicament that he had walked into. He stared at the three bandits sitting around the campfire, dressed in ragged clothes and wielding short Japanese swords.
"Picking's been slow lately, and all of a sudden -you- showed up, right at our doorstep! Hah!" another of the disheveled bandits laughed.
"Hey brother, what's up with his clothes?" the last of the trio asked, pointing at the stranger's clothes. He was wearing a loose shirt with short sleeves, and a pair of dark blue pants made from unfamiliar material that looked very rough.
"Hmph, must be one of those damned high-borns who think the foreign devils are better than normal Japanese."
"I'm Chinese," the man grunted, as if tired of being mistaken for a Japanese.
"Who cares? I'm more interested in your silver bracelet."
The man seemed surprised by that comment and looked at his left wrist. He sighed. "Look, I don't want any trouble..."
"You must be an idiot to have strayed so far away from the main road," the bandits laughed and began to surround him. Their swords hissed as they were withdrawn from their scabbards.
"Please go away before I hurt you," the man whined, a look of annoyance on his face.
The bandits merely laughed scornfully.
A few minutes later...
"I thank you for your money," the man said sarcastically and gave a mocking bow as he left the campsite. Sprawled around the dying fire were the three bandits, knocked unconscious. All three would wake up with black eyes and big lumps on their heads.
The man gave them a final look and shook his head in resignation.
"Wrong time, wrong place, same situations. I have an interesting life," he sighed.
The man jiggled his new found wealth in the form of a roughly-sewn pouch in one hand. Not much happier than he was before the encounter, the man began to whistle a listless tune as he headed towards the city in the distance.
RUROUNI KENSHIN - KINDRED SPIRITS
-An Unlikely Meeting of Fate-
by
Arion Wong
(October 17, 2003)
"That brat! Sneaking off just when I have errands for him!" Kaoru Kamiya grumbled. The long-haired Japanese heiress of the Kamiya Dojo scowled mightily as she grabbed an empty basket.
She sighed as she slung it under her arm. After ensuring that she was carrying her purse, she locked the gates of the dojo and headed for the marketplace.
Despite the way Kaoru was forced to run her own errands, she kept a contented smile on her face. The fact that Yahiko was playing truant meant everything was slowly turning back to the way it was before. Megumi would probably be in her clinic... Sanosuke had dragged Kenshin off for a trip to town earlier... Tae and Tsubame would be busy at their newly reopened Akabeko restaurant... It was as if the dreadful events that had left everyone so devastated simply never happened.
She pursed her lips and smiled. Oh, to be sure, everyone knew what had happened. But there was no reason for them to live on in the past.
"We fought for something we believed in," Kenshin had said.
And now, it was time for them to live the life that they had fought to protect.
---
"Well, Miss Kaoru! Fancy seeing you here!" the vegetable seller greeted amicably.
"How are you?" Kaoru asked with a beaming smile.
"Fine fine," the elderly man said genially. "Usually it would be that kid who buys your groceries for you... is something wrong?"
Kaoru shook her head. "Oh, he's still a kid, you know how children are," she said, unable to resist jabbing at Yahiko's reputation (whatever it was) while he's away.
"True," the vegetable seller agreed. The old man then eyed Kaoru mischievously. "And how do -you- feel about kids, eh Miss Kaoru?"
"Eh?"
"You and that Mister Kenshin make a very fine pair," the old man said, looking intently at her face for her reaction.
Flustered by the sudden change in topic, Kaoru blushed hotly. "Oh, oh! Look at the time! I'm sorry, but I have to go now! Good day!" she said quickly and hurried away, leaving the vegetable seller chuckling.
After making sure that she was quite some ways from the old man, Kaoru breathed a sigh of relief.
'That sure surprised me, asking me something like that out from the blue,' she thought, one hand over her heart. She took three deep breaths and slowly exhaled to calm her fast-beating heart.
When she had sufficiently calmed down, she began to think back about what the vegetable seller had said.
'Having a family with Kenshin...' she wondered, launching into a flight of fancy, dreaming of a romantic courtship... a beautiful marriage... a happy life...
Kaoru blushed dreamily when she thought of having children with Himura Kenshin. The red-headed former assassin was slightly built, and she wondered...
"Kyaaaa! What am I thinking!" she exclaimed suddenly, her face beet red.
Suddenly aware of her surroundings, she glanced around to see wide-eyed passersby stopping in their tracks and staring at her. Embarrassed, she ran into an alley, shielding her face as she did so.
And because she rushed headlong and blindly into the dark alley, she could not see who was standing in her way. She collided with whoever it was and fell back heavily on her back. Her groceries spilled onto the ground.
"Ouch!" she yelled.
"Watch where you're going!" a voice growled angrily.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Kaoru quickly apologized as she struggled to stand up due to her kimono.
"Wait, I know you," the male voice said accusingly.
"Ah?" Kaoru raised her head to look at the face of the person she had bumped into. To her horror, she recognized the man too. His hair was messy, eyes drooped with black bags, a crop of unkempt, grizzled beard beginning to show... but she knew him from somewhere.
"You!" Kaoru gasped as the man began to grin viciously.
"Well well, looky what we have here," the man said mockingly, unaware that he was repeating the same words that had been spoken a few days ago in another encounter.
Kaoru maintained her shocked reaction for a while, before timidly asking, "Er... who are you again?"
The man shook with anger. "How dare you! My name is Ujiki! You and that bastard boyfriend of yours destroyed my police career!"
"Police..." Kaoru whispered. A distant memory suddenly flashed through her mind... back to the time when Kenshin had just agreed to stay at the Kamiya Katsushin Dojo.
It was soon after Kenshin had defeated the fake Bahtousai plot conceived by Kihee and Gohee to usurp the dojo away from her. She and Kenshin were buying provisions and running errands when they were confronted by the elite group of sword-wielding policemen that roamed the streets. As usual, Kenshin was carrying his reversed-edged sword by his side, and that became the source of the confrontation. Several harsh words and bullying tactics later, Kenshin had enough and taught the corrupt policemen a lesson in swordsmanship.
"You... you're the one who uses the Ninota Swordsmanship from the Jigen Satsuma Style..." Kaoru said as she slowly stood up.
"You bitch! You dare to rub it in!" the man hollered and slapped her, knocking her back down. The move was so sudden that she could not react in time to avoid it. Tears sprang to her eyes as the sharp sting of the pain registered.
"After that incident, I could never use a sword anymore... I was discharged... dishonored! Disgraced! Do you have any idea what you two did to me!? My life is over thanks to you!" Ujiki screamed.
Kaoru was not the sort to be intimidated easily. Even though her movements were restricted by her kimono, she faced up and glared back at the former policeman.
"It was all your own doing! Kenshin only did what had to be done!" she said defiantly.
"I'll make you pay!" Ujiki shouted in a crazed manner. From his back, he whipped out a menacing-looking kitchen knife.
Kaoru shut her eyes tightly, unable to register the fact that she was going to be killed by a vagrant in a dark alley.
'This can't be happening... after all we've been through... this can't be happening!'
Her mind screamed for a savior when she felt an onrushing of wind heading straight for her.
'Kenshin!'
"Arghhh!" Ujiki cried out in pain.
Kaoru opened her eyes and saw blood. A flood of relief washed over her when she saw the blood wasn't hers, it was dripping from Ujiki's broken nose.
"What are you trying to do to this girl?" a new voice drawled.
Looking up, she saw an outstretched fist above her, presumably the cause of Ujiki's broken nose. Tracing back the arm, she saw a stranger standing behind her, his face hidden by the setting sunlight behind him. The other hand was jabbed into a pocket on his rough, blue pants. A holstered gun was tucked on his belt, the metal glinted from the meager light of the setting sun.
"W-who..." Kaoru stammered, adrenaline still pumping in her veins, her ears still drumming with the sound of her heartbeat.
The stranger slowly lowered his fist as Ujiki staggered backwards several steps.
"You... how dare you get in the way of my revenge!" Ujiki snarled as he clutched at his broken nose.
The stranger sighed and took several steps forward, stopping to stand in front of Kaoru.
"Go away, leave her alone," the stranger said. It was spoken in a tired manner, as if he was bored with the idea of fighting.
"Like hell!" Ujiki retorted and leapt forward, slashing wildly with his knife.
The stranger took the smallest of sidesteps, thrust his hand and gripped Ujiki's knife hand by the wrist and twisted.
There was a sickening sound of bone being mangled as Ujiki spun, his feet leaving the ground and then came crashing down. The stranger released his wristhold, and Ujiki's arm fell limply onto the ground at an awkward angle. Ujiki twitched several times before laying still, not even uttering a cry of pain.
"Don't worry, he's still alive," the stranger said when he noticed Kaoru's shocked demeanor.
"W-what did you do?" Kaoru asked, not believing her eyes.
"Used his force against him. He's got a broken wrist, that's all. He won't be bothering people anytime soon," the man explained. He bent down to collect Ujiki's knife and threw it into a drain. He then picked up Kaoru's basket and proceeded to retrieve the fallen groceries.
As he did so, Kaoru leaned forward to verify his word. True enough, Ujiki was merely unconscious, breathing slowly as he lay on the damp ground of the alley.
"Can you stand?" the man asked and offered her a hand in assistance.
Kaoru stared at the outstretched hand for moment, her eyes wavering uncertainly. But when she saw his eyes, she saw something that made her reach out and take his hand.
"Let's get you home, lady," the man said simply.
---
As he walked her home, Kaoru stole several discreet glances at her rescuer. The pale-skinned man walked slightly behind her, head slightly tilted and his eyes looking forward in an uninterested manner, as if he was going to fall asleep at any moment.
The silence between them made Kaoru uncomfortable. She wanted to thank him, but the way the man slouched nonchalantly, the way his face showed perpetual boredom made her hesitant to open her mouth.
Before she knew it, they were standing before the wooden gates of her dojo. It was unlocked, meaning either Yahiko or Kenshin had come home earlier, perhaps both of them were back in the dojo.
"Kamiya Katsushin Dojo..." the man muttered as he read the calligraphy signboard. It was the first time he had spoken ever since the incident.
Kaoru took the opportunity to thank him. She turned and bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your help back there," she said, wondering if she was being too formal. As she bowed, she noticed that the man was wearing thick, black boots from the west. As she came back up, her eyes couldn't resist stealing another look at his holstered gun. It was a large revolver.
She also noticed the strange, silver-colored bracelet on his left wrist.
"You're welcome... you live in this dojo?" the man asked further.
"Yes, I am the owner of this dojo," Kaoru answered. Somehow, the way the man's eyebrows rose in surprise gave her some degree of satisfaction.
"You're a sword master?"
"I am the successor of my family's style," Kaoru explained, unsure why he was asking. 'Why am I even telling him?' she wondered.
The man simply nodded, ending the conversation abruptly. He gave a shrug and turned to leave, just like that. Kaoru was taken aback by the suddenness and wanted to call him back, even though she had no reason to.
"Kaoru!" Yahiko Myojin's voice yelled. Both Kaoru and the man turned to look into the dojo to see a spiky-haired boy running to greet her, gripping a wooden sword on one hand.
"Where the heck have you been, you old hag! You're supposed to be training me!" Yahiko said loudly, not noticing the stranger.
The boy immediately received a heavy blow to the head, courtesy of Kaoru's fist.
"Who's the hag!?" Kaoru demanded, angry veins popping on her forehead. She was about to pummel her student further when the stranger behind her chuckled.
Embarrassed, she lowered her fist and tried to regain some lady-like composure.
"Old hag?" the man repeated, causing Kaoru to flush crimson.
"Hey, who's this guy?" Yahiko asked as he rubbed his sore head.
"Don't be so rude!" Kaoru scolded. Seeing that the man was still there, she refrained from hitting Yahiko again. "This gentleman saved my life back at the marketplace," she said.
"Oh, really?" Yahiko said skeptically as he gave the man a once-over before fixing a stare at his gun.
"Stop staring at him, it's rude!" Kaoru yelled, causing the man to smile.
"Guns are for cowards," Yahiko scoffed, "but since you saved this hag here, I guess you're not that bad."
Kaoru couldn't believe her ears, she raised a hand to smack Yahiko silly. To her surprise, the man merely chuckled, staying her hand.
"Cowards huh?" the man repeated. He aimed and cocked his finger like a gun and aimed it at Yahiko's face.
"What?" Yahiko demanded, not liking the way the index finger is being pointed at him.
"Kid, let me tell you something," the man said slowly. "Sometimes, pulling the trigger of a gun takes far more courage than you might think."
"I agree," another voice spoke. Everyone turned to see a red-haired man coming over from the dojo.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru called, her heart leaping when she saw him.
The stranger studied Kenshin as he approached. There was no hesitation in the shorter man's steps, his sheathed sword held steadily at his side, his red hair swaying in the gentle wind. When he came nearer, the stranger saw the prominent cross-shaped scar on Kenshin's left cheek.
"Kenshin, what did you say?" Yahiko asked.
"I agree with him. Sometimes, it takes courage to use a gun," Kenshin said calmly.
"But guns kill people indiscriminately!" Yahiko argued.
"Guns don't kill people, only people kill people," the stranger said with annoyance. "Besides, this gun is not for killing," he added. That comment gave Kaoru and Kenshin a sense of deja vu.
"It can still kill!" Yahiko retorted.
The stranger grinned wolfishly. "True," he admitted.
"Y'see, I'm right!" Yahiko said triumphantly.
The man snorted. "Poke a needle up a man's nose and it will kill. Take a hammer and you can crush a person's skull. How is that any different? And I don't think your friend's sword there is just a toy," he said, nodding at Kenshin's sheathed blade.
Kenshin smiled. "This sword is not made for killing," he said and withdrew his blade, the Shinuchi. The stranger leaned forward for a better look, and saw that the sharp and blunt edges were reversed, making the sword useless for actual cutting of flesh.
The man straightened back, an appreciative smile on his lips.
"You must be a very good swordsman to use that," he said.
"He's the best!" Yahiko proclaimed, causing Kenshin to laugh modestly.
"Kenshin, this man saved my life," Kaoru stepped in. She briefly told Yahiko and Kenshin what had happened.
"We owe you a great debt," Kenshin said solemnly to her savior when she had finished.
"It's nothing. I was just passing by," the man said self-depreciatingly.
"Please, come in. Allow us to treat you to dinner at least," Kenshin offered.
The stranger smiled. "Well then, I have no reason to refuse a free meal."
"Good! I'll make some of my special dishes right now!" Kaoru said happily. Yahiko pulled a face and glared at the stranger.
"Now look what you have done! Man, I'm gonna have stomach cramps!" he complained.
"You brat! Get here and help me!" Kaoru yelled, giving him another wallop and dragged him off towards the kitchen.
"My name is Himura Kenshin," Kenshin said formally.
The man seemed to consider his next words carefully.
"I'm... Kouchyuu. I thank you for your offer," he replied with a slight smile and a gleam in his eyes, as if enjoying a private joke.
"It is a pleasure to welcome you to our home," Kenshin said and bowed slightly, untroubled by his guest's smile or the hesitation before revealing his name.
Something about his eyes told Kenshin that he was trustworthy.
---
Kouchyuu and Kenshin sat on the veranda to wait while Kaoru cooked. The sun was slowly setting, casting a red shade of light over the Kamiya Dojo. Birds chirped nosily as they flew towards the forest outside of the city, heading to their nests after a day of hunting.
A sigh escaped Kouchyuu's lips when he saw the flock of birds flying overhead, his eyes looking up at them almost enviously. That look did not escape Kenshin's notice.
"Something's the matter, Kouchyuu-san?" he asked.
His guest chuckled, a melancholy smile on his face. "I'm jealous of the birds..."
Kenshin nodded in agreement. "Yes... to be able to fly and soar into the skies is something enviable."
"No, that's not it," Kouchyuu shook his head slowly.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm envious of their ability fly and return home so freely. Even if I can fly, I'm not sure if my home would be waiting for me," Kouchyuu said wistfully.
Kenshin turned to look at Kouchyuu's face. The taller man was propping his chin up with one hand, eyes staring dreamily, sadly perhaps; at the rapidly disappearing birds.
"Kenshin! Kaoru says dinner is ready!" Yahiko's voice called, interrupting the melancholy mood.
"Alright," Kenshin acknowledged. He stood up and smiled at his guest. "I hope you will enjoy dinner with us," he invited.
"I'm sure I will," Kouchyuu replied and grinned in return.
---
He wasn't so sure later when he laid his eyes on the food.
"What's this?" Kouchyuu asked, absolutely mystified at the purplish food that was served to him by Kaoru. He picked up a morsel with his chopsticks and stared intently at it.
"That's octopus!" Kaoru said enthusiastically.
Kouchyuu was too polite to give her a skeptical look. Unknown to Kaoru, Yahiko was behind her and was already making gagging faces. Even Kenshin was sweating heavily after taking several bites of his own serving of octopus.
Kouchyuu quickly came to a decision and took a deep breath. He returned the morsel back to its dish and pushed it towards Kaoru, who stared at him in surprise.
"Kouchyuu-san, is something wrong?" Kaoru asked, slightly discouraged at his rejection of her food.
He bowed solemnly.
"I'm sorry, but from where I come from, eating octopus is taboo," he said grimly, trying to maintain an impassive face.
"I'm sorry!" Kaoru apologized and quickly retrieved the dish. "Here, you can have some smoked fish and tofu... you can eat those, right?"
'Smoked fish and tofu, so that's what it is,' Kouchyuu thought when he saw the charred, blackened meal.
Suppressing his reflex to say something witty or rude, he gave Kaoru a weak smile and nodded.
"Oh, I'm glad to know that," Kaoru replied with relief. "Eat as much as you like, there's more where that came from!"
"I'm sure," Kouchyuu said dryly. When Kaoru turned her back to scoop more rice for herself, Kouchyuu visibly breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his brow.
Yahiko caught his gesture and stared at him. Kouchyuu pointed a finger at him and winked. With that, Yahiko immediately understood that Kouchyuu had made an excuse just to avoid eating Kaoru's food. The young boy guffawed inwardly, finding new respect for the guest.
"Are you laughing at the fact that he can't eat octopus? That's rude!" Kaoru demanded.
"Ah, sorry," Yahiko said innocently, causing Kaoru to blink in surprise. He winked back at Kouchyuu.
"Kouchyuu-san, that reminds me, where are you from?" Kenshin asked smilingly. He too caught sight of the man's escape from Kaoru's culinary efforts.
"Someplace very far," Kouchyuu said vaguely, enjoying the look on their faces.
Seeing that their guest wasn't really answering his question, Kenshin took on another tack.
"Your name doesn't seem Japanese," he remarked.
"I'm Chinese. It is pronounced as 'Huang Zhong' in Mandarin," Kouchyuu explained.
"Oh, that explains your clothes," Kaoru exclaimed.
"Hm?"
"You must one of those Chinese that I heard people gossiping about in the harbor. Many of your countrymen went to America to look for gold, right? From the looks of things, you must have done well for yourself," Kaoru said.
Kouchyuu shrugged and smiled. "Ah, you can put it that way. I travel the world mostly."
"Wow, all the way from America... and I was thinking how weird your clothes are," Yahiko said, warming up to him. The sheer distance of the foreign country reminded him just how big the world really was. He remembered about Yutaro, his erstwhile rival who had left for Germany to get a revolutionary treatment for his crippling injury.
"These are my work clothes," Kouchyuu replied and grinned, again with the mischievous glint in his eyes. He motioned at his dark blue pants. "This is called 'jeans'. It's rugged and doesn't tear easily," he explained.
"And that silver bracelet? It has a face like a clock..." Kaoru pointed.
"This is a wristwatch... a miniature clock. I guess it's still new here."
"Incredible... the Americans are really advanced," Kenshin said in wonder.
"So, why are you here in Japan, Kouchyuu-san?" Kaoru asked.
"I'm on my way home," he replied. Kenshin had the feeling that he was telling the truth, but not the whole truth.
"Why? You're still young... did you grow tired of travel? It's so romantic," Kaoru said plaintively.
Kouchyuu laughed. "Young, eh..." he said wistfully. He shook his head. "No, you can say that the world is tired of me."
"Ah?" the residents of the dojo exclaimed.
Kouchyuu shook his head again. "Forget it, let's eat," he said. His hosts exchanged looks with each other, decided to drop the topic and proceeded with dinner in a relatively quiet affair.
---
"It's already very late, I suggest you spend the night here at least," Kaoru suggested after dinner.
Kouchyuu looked at the night sky and nodded. "You're very kind," he said.
"Please, think nothing of it. I'll prepare a futon for you," Kaoru replied with a smile.
Her guest held up a palm to stop her. "No, it's not necessary... Just give me a pillow and I'll sleep here," he said, pointing at the veranda. The sliding doors of wood and paper were open to allow a gentle breeze to flow into the dojo.
"Oh no, that won't do at all," Kaoru shook her head.
"It's alright," Kouchyuu said, "I'm an old campaigner, I can sleep anywhere."
"Old campaigner?" Kaoru repeated.
Kouchyuu shrugged. "I travel a lot, I'm used to it. Please, a pillow would be just fine."
"Well, if you insist..." the owner of the Kamiya dojo said uncertainly.
"It's enough, I thank you," Kouchyuu answered, and Kaoru relented at last.
And thus, Kouchyuu later found himself lying on the veranda, one leg dangling outside and enjoying the cool wind, eyes staring up into the clear night sky. The stars blinked brightly, the moon was only half-visible.
Unnoticed, Kenshin stood in the shadows to observe the Chinese man. He saw that Kouchyuu was pointing at the stars and muttering to himself every now and then. Finally, his curiosity took a better hold of him.
He moved closer, purposely stepping slightly harder on the polished wooden floor. Kouchyuu heard him immediately.
"Anything wrong?" Kouchyuu asked as he sat up.
Kenshin shook his head and sat down beside him.
"I should be asking you that. You seemed... troubled," Kenshin said.
Kouchyuu chuckled. "You have absolutely no idea."
"If there's anything I can do to help..." Kenshin started. His offer was quickly rebuffed.
"No, you can't," Kouchyuu interrupted. "I have made some mistakes, and there is no way you can even imagine how horrible they were."
Kenshin bowed his head. "I think I can," he said softly.
"Oh really," the black-haired Chinese man snorted.
"I too, have made choices that I now regret very much," Kenshin said.
Kouchyuu turned his head to look at him. Even though it was at night and they were alone, Kenshin was still holding his reversed-edged sword, sheathed at his side.
"I'm guessing that you've killed people with another sword, in another time," Kouchyuu said bluntly.
Kenshin nodded, without pride, without sorrow. He merely acknowledged the truth.
Kouchyuu turned away from looking at him. "I don't use a sword, but your pain cannot be compared to mine," he said gruffly.
Kenshin frowned. "Then you do not know the feeling of using a sword to end another person's life. Have you ever killed people without ever feeling remorse or pity?"
"Yes, I have," Kouchyuu said simply.
"But you want to forget it," Kenshin insisted, looking pointedly at Kouchyuu's gun.
"Yes. Yes, I do," his guest admitted.
"Then you will never come to terms with your mistakes."
Kouchyuu glared at him. "You asked if I had ever felt the sensation of cutting a fellow man with a sword. Let me ask you this, have you ever pulled the trigger that caused the misery of millions? You have no idea of my nightmares."
"That is not the point," the former assassin countered.
"Then make your point or leave me alone," Kouchyuu snapped, momentarily forgetting that he was a guest in someone else's home.
"I did not enjoy killing people. At that time I believed what I did was for the greater good. I truly did. It did not occur to me if the men I've murdered had families or dreams of their own... I rationalized that it was all for the better good..." Kenshin said.
Kouchyuu was stunned by the sheer naked and blunt honesty. His mouth opened slightly but he could not find the words to say. What can one say to such an admission anyway?
"I don't know what you did or what your past is, Kouchyuu-san... but from your eyes I think you're not an inherently evil person."
"Evil, huh... I've been called that before," Kouchyuu chuckled softly. "But I think I understand what you're trying to say... like you, my mistake came from my own beliefs."
Kenshin nodded. "If you are truly remorseful, you should not try to forget it... you should go on living and try to atone for what you did. Running away does not solve matters."
"I have seen enough hatred to last many lifetimes," Kouchyuu replied and smiled bitterly, feeling helpless and hating himself for it.
"The world is cruel," Kenshin agreed. "It was not until a meeting with... a very special person... that I began to change the way I saw the world... Before her, I only saw the worst in anyone to make my work easier," he continued.
"...Miss Kaoru?" Kouchyuu asked slowly.
The scarred swordmaster shook his negatively.
"No, it was much earlier... She was my wife..."
"Was...?" Kouchyuu repeated. Then he frowned when he realized that it was a personal issue. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"It is alright... tonight seems to be a night of memories," Kenshin replied. His eyes softened, and Kouchyuu can see the immense sadness behind them.
"Even bad ones," Kouchyuu muttered, more to himself.
Kenshin took a deep breath and exhaled.
"I know that there are some things that can never be forgotten. I know there will always be people seeking revenge for my sins. But I will not run away from them. Yes, I'm guilty... yes, I have wronged. But if I run away, I will never come to terms with it, the pain will only grow."
Kouchyuu looked at him and saw the deep convictions on his face. "You are a strong person, Kenshin. Much stronger than me..."
"It's not strength that I have... it's purpose," Kenshin replied. He held up his sheathed sword. "I will only wield my sword to protect, not to kill. If I can protect the ones I care about and make them happy, I am satisfied."
Kouchyuu looked down at his own gun.
"Perhaps we are more alike then we might have guessed," Kenshin ventured to suggest.
Kouchyuu shook his head. "No, I'm nothing like you."
When Kenshin stiffened, the Chinese man raised a hand to stall him.
"I don't mean it in a bad way. I've used this gun for self-protection... I have never thought of it as a weapon to protect someone else... For all the abilities I have, it never occurred to me..."
"It is never to late to realize that. You will find a way to accept your past like I have," Kenshin said matter-of-factly.
Kouchyuu was unable to look at the red-haired man in the face. "I guess that's right... I'm sorry to have troubled you with my own problems," he apologized.
"It is nothing," Kenshin shook his head.
"No, it's not nothing," Kouchyuu said firmly. Then he smiled and said:
"You have given me a lot to think about."
---
The solemn, serious talk Kenshin and Kouchyuu had was seemingly forgotten the next day. Kouchyuu was introduced to Sanosuke Sagara, who had dropped by before lunch. His height was taller than the average Japanese, with a shock of pointy hair and baring his thin but muscular chest with a loosely worn martial arts gi.
Sano and Kouchyuu hit it off almost instantly after learning that the latter had saved Kaoru with his fists instead of a gun.
"Looks like you owe him one, missy," Sano said.
"I know! For your information, I already treated him to dinner yesterday," Kaoru replied in annoyance.
"Oh god!" Sano gasped in horror, "You gave your rescuer your own home-cooking?! What kinda gratitude was that?!"
Kouchyuu chuckled as Kenshin tried to restrain her rage.
"You ok? No food poisoning? No side effects?" Sano asked in exaggerated concern.
"Heh. I'm fine," Kouchyuu said. Then he leaned closer and whispered, "I didn't eat the octopus."
"Hah hah! Clever guy, I like ya already!" Sano said loudly and clapped him on his back.
"Kouchyuu-san, you be careful of him, he's a chronic freeloader!" Kaoru yelled loudly.
Ignoring her, Sano hooked an arm over Kouchyuu's shoulder. "So, you're a traveller eh? Let me introduce you to some of the 'finer' establishments in the city..."
"Sure," Kouchyuu replied, "I always wanted to see the old city."
"Old?" the martial arts exponent questioned.
"Uh, never mind... say, what's up with the bandaged hand?" Kouchyuu asked.
"Ah, that was a battle injury. Did Kenshin tell you about Shishio Makoto?"
Kouchyuu shook his head.
"Let's talk on the way. He's one screwed-up freak..."
---
God knows how much fun they had, but by the time Sano finally relented to bring Kouchyuu back to the Kamiya dojo, it was already late at night. Sano's face was still flushed with laughter and quite a bit of sake as they walked down the darkened streets.
"Did ya see that guy's face when ya rolled a double six? Hah! Priceless!" Sano crowed, referring to a game they played in a gambling den earlier.
Kouchyuu shrugged. "It was just luck. I'm never good with gambling," he said modestly.
"Heh, for someone who's not good, ya made good money today," Sano replied. Then his grin was replaced by a frown. "But are you sure about this? I don't mind the money, but why give it all to me? They are your winnings."
Kouchyuu shook his head. "I'm leaving soon. Where I'm going, I don't need the money."
"Where's that?" Sano asked, his curiosity rising.
Kouchyuu was about say something to deflect his question when he noticed that it was unusually bright. He squinted towards the distance and saw yellowish light from burning torches.
"Is there a festival going on?" Kouchyuu asked skeptically, pointing towards the dojo.
"Fire!" Sanosuke yelled and broke into a run.
---
There was a loud crash from the dojo gates, and all three residents of the dojo awoke at once. The first thing Kaoru noticed was that it was too bright.
"Kenshin, what's going on!?" Kaoru called when she opened the shoji doors of her room.
The red-haired master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu was already on his feet and running towards the source of the light, a bedraggled Yahiko behind him.
"Intruders," Kenshin said curtly as he ran past Kaoru. Stunned, Kaoru stood still after Kenshin had left. It took a moment for her to absorb what he said before she quickly followed him and Yahiko.
And when they went outside, they saw that the wooden gates of the dojo had been smashed open by a makeshift battering ram fashioned from a simple cart. A throng of people gathered around the broken gates, carrying burning torches that cast wavy shadows onto the ground.
They were also carrying weapons: short stabbing swords, knives, crude clubs and cudgels, woodcutter axes... and more worryingly, a few were carrying old-fashioned rifles.
"Who are you!?" Kaoru demanded in anger.
"I found youuu~," a raspy voice said mockingly. The mass of people parted to allow a man with a crazed look on his face to step forward. His arm was heavily bandaged, but in his other hand he was carrying a knife.
"Ujiki!" Kaoru gasped in recognition.
"Turns out that you and your shrimpy swordsman there aren't really that popular with a lot of people," Ujiki said, his eyes bulging madly, a thin line of drool running down his chin. His followers weren't much better off, some were obviously suffering from severe drug withdrawal... known petty criminals, repeat offenders...
The others, they were simply crazed.
Kenshin could recognize some of the faces. It seemed like for every villain that he had stopped, there were their former henchmen among Ujiki's gang. Some were Ujiki's disgraced colleagues, others from Kanryuu's drug-producing group, Kihee and Gohee's hired ruffians...
A gathering of henchmen of sorts, it seemed.
"I'm surprised that someone like you could start something like this," Kenshin said, looking pointedly at Ujiki.
It sparked an intense hatred within Ujiki, who remembered how the red-haired man had defeated his police unit and himself so easily.
"You! Again you look at me with those eyes!" Ujiki screamed. "I will gouge them out!"
His men took that as a signal. Howling like rabid animals, they began to pour through the gates.
"Yahiko, prepare to defend our home," Kenshin said quietly as he unsheathed his sword. Yahiko nodded in acknowledgement and gripped his wooden sword tightly.
"What about me? Kenshin, this is my home too!" Kaoru said, wishing that she had the foresight of carrying her own wooden sword with her.
"Miss Kaoru, I think you should get some buckets of water," Kenshin replied, not looking back at her.
"Water? But..." Kaoru started to protest, and then she gasped in horror.
"Yes, in case they start torching the place," Kenshin said grimly.
---
"Doesn't seem like the sort of people Miss Kaoru and Kenshin would mix around with," Kouchyuu noted as he and Sanosuke spied at the crowd gathering in front of the ruined dojo gates.
"Huh. I know those people. Scum of the city and worse," Sanosuke grunted.
Kouchyuu turned to stare at him. "What? Miss Kaoru and Kenshin?"
Sano slapped the back of Kouchyuu's head. "Idiot, I'm talkin' about those people at the gate."
"Oh."
"Heh, they sure picked the wrong place to mess about with," Sano grinned and cracked his knuckles. He would have charged at the gang if he had not noticed Kouchyuu's stare.
"What are ya looking at?" Sanosuke demanded.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kouchyuu asked in return.
"Going to kick their asses, what does it look like to you?"
"You told me your doctor said you shouldn't be fighting," Kouchyuu reminded him.
Sano grimaced. "Eh, forget that. The fox can fix it later," he said dismissively. He started to move again but Kouchyuu pulled him back.
"Don't be stupid," the Chinese man reprimanded, "I'm not your doctor but the way I see it, your hand won't ever be same if you throw a punch when it's messed up like that."
"Ya know, you're right..." Sano said slowly.
Suddenly, a howl went up from the group of people and they began to rush into the dojo. Seeing that Kouchyuu was distracted, Sano wriggled free and quickly ran towards the intruders.
"You're right!" Sano hollered, "You're not my doctor!"
Kouchyuu sighed and ran after him.
---
There were too many.
Well, for a normal swordsman, that is. But Kenshin, the man known as Battousai; was no ordinary swordsman. Even with a non-killing sword, he easily dealt with the unruly crowd. But he had to divide his attentions to helping Yahiko, and not to allow any of them to rampage into the dojo itself.
'This is bad, I can't hold them off forever!' he thought as he carved a swath of broken bones and bleeding injuries all around him. Yahiko stood off to one side, bringing his wooden sword up and down on those which had slipped through Kenshin's guard.
Kenshin held his ground on the porch, standing in front of the house's entrance. Those he had defeated were flung here and there, their cries of pain and pleas for help were ignored by the crazed mob.
Coming to a decision, Kenshin held his sword off to one side, and of all things, dashed forward to meet the charging mob.
"Kenshin!" Yahiko shouted in alarm, but his voice was drowned out by the melee.
Kenshin was like a burst of lightning that tore through the teeming mass like a hot knife slicing butter. His speed and skill, so legendary in his past; smashed aside his disorganized opponents with ease, flinging their bodies up into air like rag dolls.
The mob was stunned, and then they were actually pushed back as those in the front began to fear for their lives, trying to get away from Kenshin's storm. All they could see was a flash of steel and a swirl of red before they were rendered unconscious.
When the dust settled, there was a large clearing with Kenshin standing in the middle of it. Prone bodies lay everywhere, groaning in pain. The ones still standing formed a circle around him, too afraid to move.
"This is my home. With my sword, I will protect. Protect with my life!" Kenshin declared.
His voice actually made the circle bigger as they began to back away from him.
"Stop! What are you doing!? Get him!" Ujiki screamed as he roughly pushed his way through the crowd.
"Come on if you dare," Kenshin challenged, raising his sword in readiness.
"He's only one person! Kill him!" Ujiki shrieked, looking at his followers. Even the crazed ones were sane enough to realize that Kenshin was somebody not to mess with.
Ujiki growled with helpless anger, and then a sinister replaced it. "Fine then, if we can't beat you, we'll just find another way to get our revenge," he sneered.
The crazed madman motioned towards his followers, and the torch-bearers moved forward. Kenshin's eyes widened when he realized what they were trying to do.
"You can beat all of us, but not before we burn this place to the ground!" Ujiki laughed. One of his followers threw his torch towards the dojo.
"Stop!" Kenshin yelled. He leapt upwards, his sword flashed and the torch fell onto the ground extinguished. He was about to rush forward to prevent the torch-bearers from throwing any more.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you! Hahahahahaha!!" Ujiki mocked. His men parted and some others moved forward, the ones bearing the old rifles. Old or not, a line of them could still be deadly. The gunners stood in a ragged line, pointing their rifles towards the general direction of Kenshin.
A thunderous crash interrupted his gloating. He turned behind to see the source of the sound. The rear guard of his mob began to break apart, as if an overwhelming force was driving towards the dojo. His mob began to disintegrate between two forces: Kenshin in the front, and the unknown attackers from the back.
"What's happening?!" he demanded in rising panic.
"Two people... they... are too strong!" someone yelled.
"Guess we're not too late to join the party," Sanosuke Sagara grinned and kicked aside an axe-wielding maniac.
"Don't use your right hand," Kouchyuu reminded him as he punched another right in the face, sending the victim sprawling with a spray of blood from his broken nose.
"Yeah yeah, 'mom'," Sano grunted with annoyance.
"No... this can't be happening!" Ujiki said in horror. His riflemen wavered uncertainly, sensing their leader's lost of confidence.
'Now!' Kenshin's mind shouted, seeing that the gunners were distracted.
"RYUKANSEN!"
All the gunners could see was a blur, a sweeping blade movement of incredible speed as Kenshin sped forward and turned like a comet.
An eye-blink later, they fell down; dropping their antiquated guns.
"Impossible!" Ujiki shrieked and dropped his weapon, backing away in fear. Suddenly, he backed into something behind him. With trepidation, he slowly turned around to see a grinning Sanosuke Sagara. Beside him was Kouchyuu.
Ujiki gulped and his eyes searched wildly for help, but to his horror, all his men had been knocked down and out by them.
"No... no!" Ujiki panicked and began to stumble around for an escape.
"Not so fast, you rat," Sano said and grabbed the fleeing man by the scruff of the neck and threw him onto the ground.
"I know you," Kouchyuu said accusingly as he looked at Ujiki's terrified face. "You're the one who attacked Miss Kaoru that time."
He glanced down at Ujiki's bandaged arm.
"Looks like a broken hand isn't enough of a lesson for you," Kouchyuu said. The dearth of emotion in his voice only intensified Ujiki's fear.
"Oi Kenshin! Everyone alright?" Sanosuke yelled. Kenshin looked back at Yahiko who gave him a thumbs up. The boy then went inside to get Kaoru.
"It looks like you came back just in time," Kenshin said and smiled.
"One heck of a party to miss," Sanosuke replied as he surveyed the broken gates. He jerked a thumb at the mass of unconscious people lying all around the ground. "What are ya gonna to do with all of them? I don't think the jails are big enough," he said.
But Kenshin wasn't paying attention to him. Instead, his eyes were fixed at the scene between Kouchyuu and Ujiki.
"I made the mistake of letting you off once. I won't repeat that again," Kouchyuu said grimly and slowly withdrew his gun. When Ujiki saw the handgun being leveled at his head, he shrieked with terror and began to scurry like a frightened rat.
"Hey, what are you doing!?" Sano yelled, not believing his eyes.
Kouchyuu did not acknowledge the fighter's question; his eyes staring directly into Ujiki's. He slowly pulled back the hammer; his finger pulled the trigger...
There was a thunderous boom of a gunshot. The sound was so loud that Sanosuke actually winced.
When he opened his eyes, he saw that Kouchyuu's gun arm was raised up and away from Ujiki. A wisp of gun smoke trailed lazily from the barrel. Ujiki had fainted from sheer terror, his mouth foaming with bubbles of saliva.
Kenshin had used his sword to forcefully raise Kouchyuu's gun so that it fired harmlessly into the sky.
"Why?" Kouchyuu asked simply.
"There will be no lives taken when I'm around," Kenshin answered, looking into his eyes. When he was sure that Kouchyuu would not fire his gun again, he slowly lowered his sword and sheathed it. Kouchyuu followed suit by holstering his gun.
"He attacked Miss Kaoru and tried to destroy your home. And you're not doing anything to prevent it from happening again?" Kouchyuu demanded.
"Everyone deserves chances to change their lives," Kenshin replied.
"There must be limits to forgiveness," Kouchyuu argued.
Kenshin gave him a solemn look. "Don't you ever wish for second chances?"
The question took the Chinese man aback. He sighed and shook his head in defeat at Kenshin's words.
"I still think you're too naive," Kouchyuu said wryly.
"Maybe," Kenshin agreed and looked back at Kaoru and Yahiko who had arrived in time to see the incident. The red-haired former assassin turned back to look at Kouchyuu and smiled.
"Yes, I may be too naive. But this is the way I will live."
---
It turned out that Sanosuke wasn't right; there were ample space to hold all of the criminals that had attacked the Kamiya Katsushin dojo.
"This is going to be a mountain of paperwork," the bespectacled police chief said as the last of them were being bundled away.
"I'm sorry to have caused such trouble," Kenshin said formally.
The policeman laughed. "I was just joking," he said and nodded in approval. "This would really help clean up the streets for a while. I should be thanking you."
"What will happen to Ujiki?" Kaoru asked.
The policeman grimaced. "He's my former subordinate, but the law is the law. He has broken them and he will have to pay the price," he said grimly.
"Sir! We're all done here," one of the uniformed policeman reported. The chief nodded.
"It looks like the city owes you another favor, Mr. Himura," he said and winked. Before Kenshin could say anything, the commander motioned for his subordinates and left.
"Well, at least everything's alright," Sano said as he came up.
"Not everything," Kaoru replied mournfully as she glanced at the broken gates.
"That can be repaired, Miss Kaoru. We should be grateful that none of us got hurt," Kenshin said.
"Yeah, thanks to me and Kouchyuu," Sano smirked.
"That reminds me, where is Kouchyuu-san? I have to thank him," Kaoru said.
"Hey, how about thanking me!?" Sano said indignantly.
"You are freeloader, it was the least you could do," Kaoru snapped.
"Kenshin!"
The three of them turned to see a breathless Yahiko running towards them, waving his wooden sword to get their attention.
"Yahiko, what's wrong?" Kenhin asked.
"Kou... Kouchyuu-san," Yahiko gasped as he struggled to regain his breath.
"Huh, where is he?" Sano interrupted.
"I checked... his stuff's gone!"
"What!? He's tryin' to pull a cool guy get away!" Sanosuke yelled. "Kenshin, let's split up and get him back here!"
Kenshin merely nodded, although he had a feeling that won't be happening.
---
"Guess it's time for me to hit the road," Kouchyuu said to himself. He glanced at his watch. "Not too much time left," he muttered.
"Going somewhere?"
Startled, Kouchyuu looked up to see a red-haired man standing in his path. Seeing that the man was holding a sheathed sword by his side, Kouchyuu started to reach for his gun.
Then he relaxed when he saw his face.
"Kenshin."
The red-haired man smiled. "Where are you going all of a sudden?"
"Trying to find my way home," Kouchyuu replied with a grin of his own.
"Leaving without even saying goodbye?"
"Didn't want to stick around when the police was there. 'Sides, I'm not one for goodbyes," Kouchyuu said with a shrug.
"Miss Kaoru and Sanosuke would be disappointed if you don't go back to the dojo," Kenshin remarked.
Kouchyuu laughed. "I'm just a wandering stranger, Kenshin. I dropped in unannounced and now I'm leaving the same way."
"We consider you a friend, Kouchyuu-san," Kenshin replied.
"I'm glad to hear that," the Chinese man replied. "I have been here for just a short while, but I will always remember you guys."
With that, Kenshin knew that it was pointless to persuade him to return.
"Perhaps we will meet again," Kenshin said.
Kouchyuu started to shake his head, but then changed his mind. "Well, if fate decrees it... maybe we will."
"Then I wish you a safe journey," Kenshin said simply.
"Goodbye, Kenshin," the Chinese man returned, "and tell the others I'm sorry to leave this way, but I don't have much time left."
"I will tell them. Goodbye, Kouchyuu-san," Kenshin said. He stood there as the Chinese man turned to walk away.
After several steps, he stopped to look back at the red-haired man.
"This stop was far more beneficial to me than you might have thought, Kenshin. For everything that you have said and taught me, I thank you. Until we meet again."
"Until we meet again," Kenshin agreed.
He waited until Kouchyuu disappeared from his sight, and then he turned to make his own way home.
---
Several days later, Kenshin and the others would hear a strange rumor.
A woodcutter had claimed to see a pale-skinned man wearing strange gaijin clothes walking alone in the forest. He had tried to call out to stop him from going any deeper towards the haunted woods, but the man paid no attention.
The woodcutter was about to chase after him when there was a soft glow of blue light. When the light disappeared, the woodcutter could not find any trace of the strange gaijin.
Most dismissed his story as fiction, but his description of the pale-skinned man matched that of Kouchyuu.
"Who do you think he really was, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.
Kenshin smiled.
"A friend."
The End...
(October 24th, 2003)
---
Author's note:
What is this about? I don't know, the idea just came on to me when a reader of my other fics asked about my avatar's past.
Anyways, it's just a story how Kenshin could influence another troubled man's way of thinking. Having said that, I hope you enjoyed reading this. This is perhaps the first and last time I'm ever writing a Kenshin fic...
[1] The first jeans were made in the 1870s; the gold mining Kaoru talked about was the 1848 California Gold Rush, where the miners demanded for clothes that didn't tear easily.
[2] The wristwatch was said to have appeared in Europe in the 1500s, but only got more momentum in the 1800s.
[3] This story is set after the Makoto Shishio arc.
[4] Kouchyuu (aka Huang Zhong) is a name taken from the epic Chinese novel/historical fiction, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Huang Zhong (AD148-221) was a valiant general of the Shu kingdom and one of its famous Five Tiger Generals. In the novel and in most games, he is renowned in his archery skills and was said to be able to pull apart the strongest bows even in his 60s. He died on the battlefield after an enemy ambush, aged 73 years old.
--eof--