Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed so far, I really appreciate it.
kumo-I have discussed that with others, about Kenji calling his father
Kenshin instead of 'father'. The reason for this is that while he respects
Kenshin as a person, to be blunt.. well, Kenshin wasn't exactly the
greatest father. Anyways, hope that clears that up!
Chapter 2-
The city of Tokyo was extremely busy. Merchants were lined up along both sides of the dusty street, trying desperately to attract customers. They had to shout very loud to be heard over the noisy crowd. All sorts of people occupied the bustling roads; from wealthy businessmen to dainty women in elegant kimonos. There was even the occasional stealthy pickpocket, mingling with the masses, waiting for a chance to strike. And then, of course, there was Kenji.
Kenji Himura and Yahiko Myojin pushed, bumped, and jostled their way through the multitude flooding the streets, spouting apologies at regular intervals. After a while, Kenji grew silent, and trudged along slowly while wandering the vast expanses of his mind. He bumped into people more frequently, causing some of them to get annoyed. Yahoko grabbed his arm suddenly, and pulled the redhead out of the active crowd.
"Wha?" a startled Kenji asked, blinking rapidly and looking up at his tall friend.
"Snap out of it, Kenji," replied Yahiko, cuffing him lightly upside the head. "We're here."
The young samurai lifted his gaze from Yahiko, upwards to the wooden sign above the door. The painted letters informed him that they had arrived at the Akabeko restaurant. The two companions stepped inside, and stopped for a moment, allowing their eyes to adjust after escaping the harsh glare of the sun. Many tables were scattered throughout the room, nearly all of them occupied with quiet customers, contentedly consuming their cooked meals. Noticing their arrival, Tsubame stood up and walked over to Yahiko, giving him a quick kiss. Tsubame Sanjou had been working at the Akabeko restaurant for many years, since she was a little girl. Long ago, she was threatened and told to steal the key to the Akabeko owner's house. Yahiko had only been a young child then, but had stepped in and confronted the gangsters, in order to protect Tsubame. Although he lost the first round, she had admired his courage and immediately took a liking to him. The couple had just recently been engaged, to the delight of all their friends. Of course, their friends all knew it would have happened eventually, it was simply a matter of time.
"It's about time you two showed up," Tsubame said sternly, as she led them over to a vacant table. "I reserved this table for you, but if you came any later, I would have had to give it away to other customers. As you can see, we're pretty busy today."
"Sorry," Yahiko replied, flashing a smile that made Tsubame forget about the whole thing.
"Well, you guys must be hungry. I'll go get something for you, what would you like?" she asked, placing pen to paper as she awaited their orders.
"The usual," Yahiko replied briefly. Kenji simply nodded his agreement.
"Okay then! I'll go get it for you now," Tsubame said, smiling, before rushing off to the kitchen.
A shiver ran down Kenji's spine as the small shaft of sunlight that filtered into the room from the door was eclipsed by a large, bulky man that entered the room. Kenji's eyes followed the muscled mammoth as he walked over to a corner, where a lone man was sitting, hunched over his meal. He sat down across from the smaller man, and crossed his arms on the table with a loud thud. The other man jumped a bit, and paled slightly as he nervously engaged in conversation with the intimidating giant sitting across from him.
On the other side of the room, it was too far for Kenji to hear what they were saying, but from the looks of it he could tell that it wasn't very pleasant. He got up quickly, and strode across the restaurant just as Tsubame returned with their lunch. She looked curiously at him, then noticed the discussion in the corner that had gradually been heating up. She turned to Yahiko with a worried expression on her face.
"What's going on?" she asked him, although she already had a fairly good idea about what was going on.
"We're about to find out," Yahiko responded, gesturing towards the table in the corner where Kenji was heading.
The young samurai reached the table sitting at the corner of the Akabeko, and stood there patiently until both men turned their attention towards him. "Is there a problem here?" he asked quietly, looking back and forth between them.
"Um.." the smaller man began, but was abruptly cut off as the huge person spoke up.
"There ain't no problem," he spat, looking coldly at Kenji. "And if you know what's good for ya, you'll mind yer own damn business!" he slammed his gigantic hand down on the table, emphasizing his words.
Realizing that this giant looming in front of him was too stubborn to converse with, Kenji acted quickly, and pulled out his sakaba in one quick, fluid motion. "When you decided to pick on this defenseless man, you MADE it my business," Kenji declared, looking up fiercely at the broad giant.
"You little twerp, don't say I didn't warn ya! I'll squash ya like a bug!" he roared.
The massive behemoth of a man stepped forwards with his thick arms outstretched towards Kenji. The agile young man danced easily to the side, landing lightly on the tips of his toes. He bent his knees slightly, and immediately lunged back in towards the goliath, with his sakaba horizontal in front of his chest. He swung it forwards with seemingly inhuman speed, catching the tall giant in his side. With eyes bulging out of his sockets, the immense man emitted a pathetic whine before dropping heavily to the ground, unconscious.
Kenji sheathed his sword, and looked down, perplexed, at the body lying on the ground. "Why was he holding back? Who is this guy?" he wondered to himself. His thoughts were interrupted as Yahiko came over to him, with a frightened Tsubame clinging tightly to his arm.
"Are you all right?" asked Tsubame worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," answered Kenji. "Could you have someone find a policeman to take him away?" he inquired, nudging the body with his foot.
"Sure, no problem. I'll go see if I can find one now." she replied, reluctantly leaving Yahiko's side to exit the building.
Kenji and Yahiko turned to go back to their table, when the small man behind them spoke. Kenji had completely forgotten about him.
"Th-th-thank you very much, sir," he stammered, bowing his head in gratitude. "B-but are you sure that was such a wise thing to do? That man is Kyojin Oushi, and he works for Akuma."
Yahiko looked over at Kenji, concerned that they might be in more trouble than they had thought. Ever since Kenshin died, crime had become abundant in Tokyo, in large part because of the man called Akuma. Not much was known about this mysterious crime lord, except that he was a powerful man, responsible for much, if not all, of the corruption that took place in the city. His real name was unknown, even to the police; he had always been known as simply 'Akuma'.
Tsubame returned with a small group of policemen, who promptly carried away the sleeping Kyojin. Scurrying over to Yahiko, Tsubame looked up at him, frowning at the look on his face.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "You look as if you've just seen a ghost."
"Oh, nothing," he lied, not wanting her to worry. "Anyways, I'm starving! Let's go eat now."
The trio walked back towards their table where their meals awaited them. Kenji stopped, and glanced back one last time at Kyojin, who was now being dragged out of the restaurant. He shook his head in puzzlement before resignedly turning back to the others, and his lunch.
Chapter 2-
The city of Tokyo was extremely busy. Merchants were lined up along both sides of the dusty street, trying desperately to attract customers. They had to shout very loud to be heard over the noisy crowd. All sorts of people occupied the bustling roads; from wealthy businessmen to dainty women in elegant kimonos. There was even the occasional stealthy pickpocket, mingling with the masses, waiting for a chance to strike. And then, of course, there was Kenji.
Kenji Himura and Yahiko Myojin pushed, bumped, and jostled their way through the multitude flooding the streets, spouting apologies at regular intervals. After a while, Kenji grew silent, and trudged along slowly while wandering the vast expanses of his mind. He bumped into people more frequently, causing some of them to get annoyed. Yahoko grabbed his arm suddenly, and pulled the redhead out of the active crowd.
"Wha?" a startled Kenji asked, blinking rapidly and looking up at his tall friend.
"Snap out of it, Kenji," replied Yahiko, cuffing him lightly upside the head. "We're here."
The young samurai lifted his gaze from Yahiko, upwards to the wooden sign above the door. The painted letters informed him that they had arrived at the Akabeko restaurant. The two companions stepped inside, and stopped for a moment, allowing their eyes to adjust after escaping the harsh glare of the sun. Many tables were scattered throughout the room, nearly all of them occupied with quiet customers, contentedly consuming their cooked meals. Noticing their arrival, Tsubame stood up and walked over to Yahiko, giving him a quick kiss. Tsubame Sanjou had been working at the Akabeko restaurant for many years, since she was a little girl. Long ago, she was threatened and told to steal the key to the Akabeko owner's house. Yahiko had only been a young child then, but had stepped in and confronted the gangsters, in order to protect Tsubame. Although he lost the first round, she had admired his courage and immediately took a liking to him. The couple had just recently been engaged, to the delight of all their friends. Of course, their friends all knew it would have happened eventually, it was simply a matter of time.
"It's about time you two showed up," Tsubame said sternly, as she led them over to a vacant table. "I reserved this table for you, but if you came any later, I would have had to give it away to other customers. As you can see, we're pretty busy today."
"Sorry," Yahiko replied, flashing a smile that made Tsubame forget about the whole thing.
"Well, you guys must be hungry. I'll go get something for you, what would you like?" she asked, placing pen to paper as she awaited their orders.
"The usual," Yahiko replied briefly. Kenji simply nodded his agreement.
"Okay then! I'll go get it for you now," Tsubame said, smiling, before rushing off to the kitchen.
A shiver ran down Kenji's spine as the small shaft of sunlight that filtered into the room from the door was eclipsed by a large, bulky man that entered the room. Kenji's eyes followed the muscled mammoth as he walked over to a corner, where a lone man was sitting, hunched over his meal. He sat down across from the smaller man, and crossed his arms on the table with a loud thud. The other man jumped a bit, and paled slightly as he nervously engaged in conversation with the intimidating giant sitting across from him.
On the other side of the room, it was too far for Kenji to hear what they were saying, but from the looks of it he could tell that it wasn't very pleasant. He got up quickly, and strode across the restaurant just as Tsubame returned with their lunch. She looked curiously at him, then noticed the discussion in the corner that had gradually been heating up. She turned to Yahiko with a worried expression on her face.
"What's going on?" she asked him, although she already had a fairly good idea about what was going on.
"We're about to find out," Yahiko responded, gesturing towards the table in the corner where Kenji was heading.
The young samurai reached the table sitting at the corner of the Akabeko, and stood there patiently until both men turned their attention towards him. "Is there a problem here?" he asked quietly, looking back and forth between them.
"Um.." the smaller man began, but was abruptly cut off as the huge person spoke up.
"There ain't no problem," he spat, looking coldly at Kenji. "And if you know what's good for ya, you'll mind yer own damn business!" he slammed his gigantic hand down on the table, emphasizing his words.
Realizing that this giant looming in front of him was too stubborn to converse with, Kenji acted quickly, and pulled out his sakaba in one quick, fluid motion. "When you decided to pick on this defenseless man, you MADE it my business," Kenji declared, looking up fiercely at the broad giant.
"You little twerp, don't say I didn't warn ya! I'll squash ya like a bug!" he roared.
The massive behemoth of a man stepped forwards with his thick arms outstretched towards Kenji. The agile young man danced easily to the side, landing lightly on the tips of his toes. He bent his knees slightly, and immediately lunged back in towards the goliath, with his sakaba horizontal in front of his chest. He swung it forwards with seemingly inhuman speed, catching the tall giant in his side. With eyes bulging out of his sockets, the immense man emitted a pathetic whine before dropping heavily to the ground, unconscious.
Kenji sheathed his sword, and looked down, perplexed, at the body lying on the ground. "Why was he holding back? Who is this guy?" he wondered to himself. His thoughts were interrupted as Yahiko came over to him, with a frightened Tsubame clinging tightly to his arm.
"Are you all right?" asked Tsubame worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," answered Kenji. "Could you have someone find a policeman to take him away?" he inquired, nudging the body with his foot.
"Sure, no problem. I'll go see if I can find one now." she replied, reluctantly leaving Yahiko's side to exit the building.
Kenji and Yahiko turned to go back to their table, when the small man behind them spoke. Kenji had completely forgotten about him.
"Th-th-thank you very much, sir," he stammered, bowing his head in gratitude. "B-but are you sure that was such a wise thing to do? That man is Kyojin Oushi, and he works for Akuma."
Yahiko looked over at Kenji, concerned that they might be in more trouble than they had thought. Ever since Kenshin died, crime had become abundant in Tokyo, in large part because of the man called Akuma. Not much was known about this mysterious crime lord, except that he was a powerful man, responsible for much, if not all, of the corruption that took place in the city. His real name was unknown, even to the police; he had always been known as simply 'Akuma'.
Tsubame returned with a small group of policemen, who promptly carried away the sleeping Kyojin. Scurrying over to Yahiko, Tsubame looked up at him, frowning at the look on his face.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "You look as if you've just seen a ghost."
"Oh, nothing," he lied, not wanting her to worry. "Anyways, I'm starving! Let's go eat now."
The trio walked back towards their table where their meals awaited them. Kenji stopped, and glanced back one last time at Kyojin, who was now being dragged out of the restaurant. He shook his head in puzzlement before resignedly turning back to the others, and his lunch.