The Search for Hiko Seijuro

Two days had past and Kiriko was on the verge of giving up. She was looking for Hiko Seijuro. She never met the man but she remembered her father mentioning him a few times. Kiriko had over heard her father once say that Hiko was sort of their grandfather.

Over the past two days she couldn't seem to get Shio off her mind. She was trying desperately to stay focused with the matter that made her go on the journey in the first place. She asked many people if they ever heard of Hiko but no one had a clue. So Kiriko wandered around, going in no particular direction. She would have used her map if she knew where she was going. Kiriko walked a couple of miles until she saw a pillar smoke coming for some trees in the distance. She went in that direction.

After a few yards, she came into a clearing. There was a man sitting on log in front of a kiln. He was wearing a large white cape and he appeared to be drinking sake from the jug. Since I'm here I might as well ask this guy for direct-…

"What do you want!"

Kiriko jumped. How did he know I was standing here? She walked a little closer to him.

"Um…yes…I'm kind of lost. Would you happen to know where a Mr. Hiko Seijuro might live?" Kiriko asked his back. He hadn't turned around yet. Well, he's kind of rude.

The man took a swig from his jug. "What do you want with him?"

"Oh...so you do know him. Does he live aro-"

"Answer my question first before you start asking more."

"Oh." On second thought he IS rude. "My business with Sir Hiko is my own. If you don't know of his whereabouts then it is time for me to leave. Good day." Kiriko said nicely then turned to leave.

"Did I say I didn't know where he lives?"

Kiriko turned back around; "So you do know. Please tell me. I've come a long way to speak to him."

"Humph." He drank from his jug again. "He's not far from here but he doesn't like visitors. What will you do if he tells you to go away?"

"Well…I guess I would try to explain my reasons for visiting with him then see what he would say."

"And if he still tells you to leave?"

"Well…" Kiriko thought for a moment. "I guess I would challenge him to a duel."

He turned his head slightly; "What!"

"He would have to fight me because I wouldn't leave until he listened to me. If I lost then I wouldn't bother him anymore, but if I won he would listen and tell me everything I needed to know."

"HA! You would have lost right at the moment you challenged him. Don't you know that Hiko Seijuro is the thirteenth master of the Hiten Mitsurugi?…"

"Wow, is he really! I didn't know that-"

"…And he could beat you with his eyes closed."

"Maybe."

"And-", he paused, "…Maybe?" He finally stood up, took another drink and turned around.

Kiriko was flabbergasted to see how incredibly handsome he was. The man was extremely tall and very well built. He had a surprisingly young face but his hair and eyes told a different story. His hair was long and still mostly black but there were quite a few greys and silver strands scattered amongst it and his eyes were cold and serious. They were the eyes of a man that had seen a lot throughout his lifetime. Her father had similar eyes but they were kinder. She knew he was old but it was extremely difficult for her to decipher his true age. So she dismissed it.

"Maybe you say?…. You're very cocky but not too bright. He could kill a fragile little girl like you with one swing."

Kiriko frowned at his insult. She was tougher then she looked and was getting tired of people judging her and she was getting tired of him, too. The day was getting late and she wanted to find Sir Hiko today.

"It's been really nice talking to you and all, but if you're not going to tell me where he is, I'll just have to find him myself."

"Well, well aren't you in a rush to meet your death….hmph…I like you. What's your name?"

"…" Kiriko blushed a little when he said that. She tried to hide it. "Um…" she cleared her throat; "…my name is Kiriko."

"Kiriko, huh?" Hiko said to himself. He looked her up and down.

He raised one eyebrow, " Kiriko Himura?"

"Um………yes I am."

"Well, Kiriko come on inside and have a drink with me." He turned and walked towards a little house by the kiln.

"I can't. I have to find Sir Hiko today before-"

"Your search is over. Now come inside."

She walked inside the little house. It was very similar to Shio's place but it was roomier.

"So, if you're Hiko Seijuro then why didn't you just say so?"

He sat on a bench that was against the wall. "Just like I said. I don't like visitors but you got my attention. So talk."

He didn't offer her to sit down, so she placed her stuff in the corner and sat on the floor.

"Well-"

"First tell me a little bit about yourself. I already know your Kenshin Himura's daughter but that's all I know. I need more information so that I can get the whole picture. Start with your age and finish your story at this point when you met me. Then ask me your question."

"Wow that's a lot. Okay I'll tell you but it's not very exciting. I'm seventeen and my birthday is…well its tomorrow actually. You already know my father and that we live in Tokyo…….." Kiriko went on telling Hiko her story. He sat quietly and drank his sake. She told him everything. She didn't mean to go into so much detail but it felt good talking to someone again. It made her miss Saganno. She totally forgot about her best friend.

In some parts, her eyes would start to water up. She couldn't help it. Hiko gave her a handkerchief but didn't speak. In other parts of her story, she would start laughing. He would grin but did not speak.

Hiko wouldn't have asked anyone else to tell his or her life story to him because he wouldn't care but he wanted to hear every word of Kiriko's story. The last time he saw her and Kenji was when they where just babies. He knew Kenshin had another son named Kano but he hadn't met him yet. Since he made that promise to Kenshin, he couldn't come to see the kids like he wanted to. Not many people knew that Hiko liked children. He had a son once along time ago but that was another story.

Hiko noticed the change in Kiriko's voice and demeanour when she spoke of a boy named Shio. Her voice and eyes became very distant. She talked as if she were reliving the experience. Hiko smiled and rubbed his chin when she started blushing in some parts of her story. Then she would start yelling in other parts. Talking more to herself then to Hiko. He found this very amusing and very interest as well. Hhmmm…I see, he thought. Her eyes became more focused as she came to the end of her story.

"….and I finally made it here." Kiriko finished.

"Your story was more interesting then I thought." He looked up at the window. It was pitch black outside. "Hhmm…nightfall already. Well there's another room over there. Make yourself comfortable."

"But I haven't asked you my question yet." She protested.

"Ask me tomorrow. Now go to bed."

Kiriko giggled, "You sound just like my mother." She picked up her things and went into the other room.

Hiko sat on the bench and sipped his sake. I already know what she's going to ask me…Knowing my apprentice, he's already here in Kyoto and is probably at Shinomori's place. I better send him a note of her whereabouts. He got up and pulled out a pen and piece of small paper to write a note. Then he rolled it up, went outside and whistled to the sky. With in a few minutes, a large hawk came swooping down. It landed on his shoulder.

"Take this to the Oniwaban group's headquarters. Give this to my idiot apprentice."

The hawk took the note from Hiko's hand then disappeared into the night sky.

Kenshin sat on the shrine steps reading a letter from Kaoru and the boys. She wrote that Kano finally beat Kenji in one sword practice. She said he did this move that she never seen before. She wondered if he picked it up from Kenshin. She also wrote that Kenji lost all his cool points when Meya saw him washing the clothes but ironically she found that sweet and they when out on their first date. She said the she wasn't terribly lonely since Sano, Megumi, Yahiko, Tsubame, and the kids have been keeping her company since he has been gone. She also mentioned how Saganno was really depressed. He tried to hide it from his family but she could see how much he missed Kiriko. She asked if Kenshin found any new information on Kiriko's whereabouts. Finally she wrote on how much she missed them and to find Kiriko soon.

Kenshin smiled. He was about to put the letter away until he saw the

PS: If you do find her, give her a birthday kiss from us and a spanking for running away.

Kenshin began to chuckle but became serious again. We've been searching for the last two days and came up with nothing. I don't know how Kaoru's going to take this news. He looked up into the night sky. A large hawk flew across the moon. Kenshin watched it, as it seemed to circle above him. What's that hawk doing?…I know I small but I hope he doesn't think I'm a midnight snack. Something dropped from the hawk's claws and fell directly into Kenshin's lap then it flew away. He opened the small scroll of paper and read the note inside:

To my apprentice,

Kiriko is here with me. Come here the day after tomorrow. I'll try to keep her here till then but she's as stubborn as you so she might not stay that long.

Hiko Sejiuro

Kenshin let out a deep sigh of relief. Oh good. She's safe…..the day after tomorrow? Why would he tell me to-…………..oh……….he doesn't want her to spend her birthday alone…….My master……Kenshin smiled and went into the house. He was going to sleep well tonight.

(I understand that the hawk is little unbelievable but please remember that his is fiction. : - ) )