Eyes of the Battousai

In town, the market place was jam-packed. A lot of people dressed in costumes were dancing and singing in the streets. Many others were exploring all the different stands that only opened for spring festivals. The two families decided to eat at the Akabeko first before they went shopping.

"Hey UGLY! Over here!"

Yahiko, Tsubame, and their daughter Yatsume were already seated in the gangs' usual spot.

"Yahiko, that's not nice." Tsubame softly spoke to her loud husband. Yahiko rolled his eyes.

"Oh please, she knows that name better then-" (SLAP!) "OOOOOOUUUCCHHH!"

"If you ever yell that name across a public place again, I'll do more then slap you, LITTLE YAHIKO!" Kaoru scolded his old nick name even though the he was well into his early thirties.

Yahiko rubbed his sore cheek and blushed when everyone started laughing.

After lunch, they headed out to join the festival. Kaoru noticed how Kenshin and Kiriko didn't talk much during lunch. She looked around and saw Kiriko and Saganno standing at a booth that sold fishing equipment. Kaoru smiled. She knew if they couldn't talk about anything else, Kenshin and Kiriko could talk about fishing. That was the one thing they loved doing together.

"Excuse me…Kenshin, didn't you tell me the other day that you needed a new fishing rod?" She asked interrupting his conversation with Yahiko and Sano.

Looking slightly puzzled, Kenshin replied, "Oro? I did?"

Kaoru started to giggle, "Yes you did silly……Excuse me guys." She pushed Kenshin from the group towards the booth.

"Oooorrroo?"

"Why don't you go check out that booth right over there?" She gave him one good shove and then walked away. Kenshin tripped over his own feet but managed to maintain his balance. He walked over to the booth Kaoru pushed him towards. As he got closer, he noticed Kiriko and Saganno standing by the booth looking at the rods. Kiriko pick up a rod that Kenshin would have picked out for himself. He smiled.

" Miss Kiriko, that's a nice rod you picked out."

Kiriko turned around fast and started to blush when she saw her father standing there behind her.

"OH…hi daddy. Uuumm, yes it is really nice."

"Oh….Excuse me…. I think my father wants me to check out something. I'll see you in a few, Kiriko" Saganno said as he started walking towards his family.

Kiriko watched him leave and then looked at the rod again. It was a bamboo rod painted shiny midnight blue with little gold and silver fish hand painted all over it. She'd never seen another rod like it.

"You know Miss Kiriko…. I think this is a special rod that it is." Kenshin said as he touched the rod in her hands.

Kiriko looked up at him slightly shocked. "I….I was just thinking the same thing….why do you think it's special, daddy?"

Kenshin smiled, "Well….if you were a fish could you resist passing such a beautiful rod?"

Kiriko started to giggle, "No, I guess I couldn't." She put the rod back on the stand. As she turned to walk back towards the rest of the group, Kenshin touched her hand.

"Would you like to have it?" He asked. She turned and looked in to his eyes.

"Daddy, it's too expensive I can't affor-"

"Would you like to have it?" He asked her again. Kiriko stared at him for a moment. Then her eyes started to twinkle and a big smile stretched across her beautiful face.

Kenshin picked up the rod, handed it back to her and paid the merchant.

"Thank you so much daddy" She squealed and gave him a big hug.

Kaoru's eyes started to water as she watched them from a distance.

Kenshin and Kiriko were heading back towards the rest of the group until….

"BATTOUSAIIIIIII!"

Everyone in the market place stopped all at once. Everyone in the families turned to see who had screamed. Kiriko turned around but Kenshin did not. He just narrowed his eyes.

"BATTOUSAIIIIII!"

Sano and Yahiko stood in front of their families.

"Who the hell is that?" Yahiko whispered to Sano.

"I have no idea."

As the crowd started to part, a lean tall figure emerged. A man standing about six/four with wild dirt brown hair and crazy yellow eyes was pointing his sword towards Kenshin.

"BATTOUSAIIII! I KNOW YOU HEAR MEEEE!"

Kiriko realized with horror that this crazy man was talking to her father. She looked at Kenshin. His eyes were so narrow that they looked like thin slits in his head.

"Daddy?…"

Kenshin snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his daughter with kind eyes, "I think you should go to your mother, Miss Kiriko."

"No daddy, what's going…"

"BATTOUSAI! I KNOW THAT'S YOU! I 'VE HAD THE IMAGE OF YOU SKETCHED IN MY MIND FOR THE PAST 29 YEARS! I'VE COME FAR FROM KYOTO TO CHALLENGE YOU AND YOU WILL NOT IGNORE ME! SO TURN AROUND NOW, BATTOUSAIIIIIIII!

Everyone in the crowd seemed to be watching Kenshin to see what he would do.

"Go to your mother now, Kiriko." Kenshin said sternly.

"NO….what's going on?"

Kaoru came and grabbed Kiriko's arm.

"Come on Kiriko let's get out of here," Kaoru whispered as she struggled to pull Kiriko away from her father.

"NO, WHAT'S GOING ON!"

Sano and Yahiko ran over to help Kenshin out.

"Take everyone home, Kaoru. I'll be home later."

Kaoru nodded in compliance.

"NO, let go of me!" Kiriko yelled as Kenji and Saganno grabbed her.

Kaoru, Megumi, and Tsubame gathered everyone up and lead them out of the crowd that had formed around their husbands and the crazy man.

"STOP LET ME GO!….DADDYYYYY!" Kiriko screamed as the boys dragged her out of town.

Kiriko was sitting in her tree watching the road. Three hours had past since they left her father in town and the sun was starting to set in the west. I'm getting to the bottom of this tonight and I'm NOT taking no for an answer, she thought. What did that guy mean by "avenging his uncle"? He acted as if my father had killed his uncle. That man must be crazy because anybody who knows my father, knows he's as gentle as a lamb…..then again….there are a lot of things that he won't tell us. That's okay because I'm going to find out what's going on if he tells me or not.

Kiriko heard footsteps coming up the road. She looked up and saw her father walking towards the house. He had a small trickle of blood beside his right eye but other than that he looked fine. Kiriko continued to watch Kenshin from the tree. As soon as he entered the gate, Kaoru and the boys ran out the house to meet him.

"Are you all right, Kenshin?" Kaoru flung herself into Kenshin's arms and hugged him.

"I'm all right my love," he whispered in her ear.

"Dad, what was all that about? What happened?" Kenji asked.

"Yeah, why was that guy saying all those things?" Kano chimed in.

"It's nothing for you to worry about. It's all over now." Kenshin said softly. He started towards the house until he heard Kiriko's voice float from the shadows.

"Its too late daddy. We're all ready worried about it. So, why don't you just tell us what's going on?" She walked out of the shadows and stood in front of Kenshin.

Kenshin looked in to her indigo eyes. She was angry and focused. He knew she wanted the truth but he was not ready to tell them yet. Kenshin looked away from her eyes and continued towards the house.

"Daddy, I will not be ignored this time. You will give me a straight answer." She stepped in front of him again when he tried to go around her.

"Kiriko, not tonight it's late and your father has been through enough-"

"NO, MOM! No more excuses. I want an answer now. We deserve an answer tonight not tomorrow…. Daddy…do you think we won't understand? Do you think we're too young? Daddy…someone told me that holding secrets inside to long could eat away at your soul. Please Daddy, tell us the truth, we need to hear this secret that you obviously have been keeping from us all these years." Kiriko pleaded to her father but Kenshin wouldn't look into her eyes.

"Yeah, dad. Anything you tell us we'll understand because we love you. " Kenji said. He joined Kiriko and stood in front of Kenshin.

"Yeah, we love you dad." Kano joined his other siblings.

Kaoru watched this scene with tear filled eyes. She knew this day was bound to happen. She wanted to tell her children so bad but she knew it wasn't her place to tell the story of their father.

Finally Kenshin spoke up, "I love you too….but you have to understand that I am doing this for your protection and it's not the right time….Not tonight."

"YES, TONIGHT!" Kiriko screamed. Her eyes blazed bright amber and the wind around her seemed to pick up causing her hair to swirl around madly.

Kaoru's mouth dropped open when she saw those eyes. Oh no…how in the world does she have the eyes of the Battousai, she thought in horror. Kenji and Kano backed away from her. Frightened by that glow in her eyes.

"You WILL tell us! I'm tired of this BULLSHIT! I WANT AN ANSW-"

"NOT…TONIGHT!" Kenshin screamed in her face his eyes blazing brighter then her own.

Kiriko practically jump away from her father. The glow in her eyes left immediately and was replaced with tears. Kenshin had never in her life screamed at her that way. Her mouth hung open as tears streamed down her face. She had never seen him like this. The glow in Kenshin's eyes faded when he saw the utter fear in his daughter's face.

"Kiriko, I'm…."

"No….no… get it away from me. I-I don't know you…..just-just get away." She cried as she ran into the house.