Readers--Yes, sorry this chapter took so long. I had a hard week of school and I came down with a case of writer's block, ack! But I hope to get five up this week--possibly 6 also since I have this week off, yay!--but I may be turning this into a once-a-week series since I am swamped with schoolwork as of late. Forgive me!
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters except Akio, her story, and her pretty sword. *hugs sword*
Chapter 4: Truth and Denial
Akio checked and checked again the address that the art vender had given her. She was forced to stop three times for directions, really having no idea where she was going in so large a place. The signs on the streets helped, but not enough. It had been an ordeal for her to get anyone to stop long enough to help her. And here she was again, lost in an unknown part of Tokyo, with the address of a man who didn't even know her.
Akio sighed dejectedly, and ran a hand through her hair. The headband came off with it. Akio ran her fingers over the worn red cloth. "It seemed like a good idea at the time Dad," she said with another sigh. Then she tucked the headband once more into her bag. Once that was done, she began her arduous task of finding someone to help her again.
"Excuse me, could you--"
"Brush off kid, I've got things to do."
"I'm just looking for this--"
"Please leave me be, I'm already late!"
"I'm terribly sorry, but do you know where I could find--"
"Sod off!"
Akio bit her bottom lip to keep out the obscenities that were on the tip of her tongue. There was one good thing about traveling in the company of a man, they never minded when you gave an oath or swore at the annoying masses. But if she was ever to get any help, it wouldn't be by raving like a lunatic in the middle of one of the biggest cities in Japan. "Won't anyone help me?" she muttered, eyes toward the heavens.
"You need help?" asked a voice from behind her. Akio swiveled her head to see if someone was addressing her. Her green eyes widened when she was that there was a rather large man standing a little ways behind her. He was dressed in white, with an open jacket, and his hands were in his pockets. What drew her gaze was the red headband that was around his head, the ends gently blowing in the breeze. His hair was spiky and a rich brown--lighter then Soujiro's--and his eyes were light brown as well. From her quick assessment, Akio could have sworn he was a fighter-for-hirer type, a street fighter, but there was something in the way he stood that made her change that opinion. He looked to be the trustworthy sort, and was rather attractive in his own way.
"Yes," Akio replied with a sheepish smile. She blushed a little despite her sincerest efforts. If Soujiro were there, he'd do the talking for her. If Soujiro were there, Akio would just be blissfully unaware. But Soujiro wasn't there, and Akio had to do this on her own. Fear was not an option, there was only action. "I'm afraid that I'm lost."
The helpful man gave her a cocky smile. "Where are you going?" he asked, taking a few steps closer. Akio held out to him the paper with the address scribbled on it.
"I'm looking for the man that lives here," she explained. "He's an artist and I need a few words with him."
Her rescuer merely blinked at the address, then looked at her in a startled way, then back at the address. "Well, I can take you here," he said slowly. "This is the address of a friend of mine."
Akio beamed at him. "Really? I would truly appreciate it if you could help me!"
"Sure," he said after a few seconds. "I can never turn down a pretty girl in need." He flashed her that cocky smile again and Akio blushed darker. "Follow me." He strode off in the way that Akio had originally come from. She mentally thanked herself for not just blurting out that she had come from there a few moments ago. He didn't need to know she was any more of a simpleton. "So what's your name?" he asked, making idle conversation. "Can't say I've seen you hanging around the Thieves Quarter much. Especially since you carry two swords with you."
"I'm Akio," she responded automatically. "And I've never been in Tokyo before, so I doubt you would have seen me anywhere before today. In regards to my weapons," she looked up at him with a flashing smile. "A girl can never be too careful." He returned her smile. "And you are? I'd like to give a man to my rescuer so I can tell my future children how I was rescued in Tokyo."
"I'm Sanosuke," he said with a shrug. "And I'm not much of a rescuer, more like a tour guide." Akio covered her mouth with a hand to stifle the giggle. "So tell me, what are you looking for Katsu for?"
"Katsu?" she asked, looking at him for explanation.
"The artist you're looking for, Katsu. You need to get money out of him or something?"
Akio laughed. "No. I've just a few questions for him. You see, he has done caricatures of a man that I've been looking for. I was hoping he might know something about him. That's all."
"Well I wish you luck then," Sanosuke responded.
"And I thank you," Akio said politely. That was when they reached Katsu's home.
"Here we are," Sanosuke said, knocking briskly on the door. "It'll take him a minute to get the door open." Akio nodded her understanding, stomach in knots. This was the moment of truth. If this person was the artist of the caricature, then he would of had to of known her father, even for the briefest of periods. There was a moment where time seemed to stop. It was the moment it took Katsu to open his door.
The door opened to reveal a young man roughly the same age as Sanosuke. He was shorter, with long black hair. Like Sanosuke, he wore a headband, but it was a dark blue as opposed bright red. His eyes were a dark blue as well, and he had a brooding aura that Akio was hesitant to invade. But she had come to far and waiting to long to be stopped now. Especially when she was so close.
"Can I--" he trailed off, gaze flickering from Akio up to Sanosuke. "What do you want?"
Sanosuke gave him a cocky grin and pointed to Akio. "She wanted to talk to 'the great artist'. A fan for you, Katsu." There was a mocking tone to his voice. Akio was familiar with mocking, but it was affectionate. And that made all the difference in her mind. Katsu's attention was once more on her.
She balked at first, tension balled in her stomach as hard as a knot. This was it, now or never. The moment of truth. And like she had done when she had first met Soujiro, she threw caution to the wind and leapt in. "I'm sorry to bother you sir," she said in an apologetic tone as she unfolded the artwork the dealer had given her. "But you are the artist of this piece, are you not?" She handed him the caricature and there was a brief moment of silence as the artist examined his work.
"Yes," he said finally. "This is one of mine. Is it unsatisfactory?" There was something in his eyes that Akio caught right away. A fragile pride, whether it was for the art or the model, she was not sure, but she knew that she was treading on dangerous ground.
With a gulp, she pressed on. "No, it's perfect," she assured him sincerely. "But I wanted to know if you knew this man, personally. This, Sagara Souzou?" Both Katsu and Sanosuke turned on her with equal expressions of dark anger. Akio backed down a little, but kept her resolve. "Do you?" She was proud that her voice didn't quaver.
"Why do you ask? What do you know of Captain Sagara?" Sanosuke asked in a metallic voice. Akio felt the stirring of anger in her.
"I know nothing of him, which is why I am here." Resentment and anger and bitterness flooded her suddenly like a shot to the chest. All those nights of crying herself to sleep alone in the mountains all because her father had never claimed her as his own. All those years of wondering who he was and what he was like. Now, these men were looking at her with the same loathing that came from those she had left behind a year ago. Never would she tolerate that again. It was Soujiro that had made her feel like she was worth more then that, and her soul be damned if she ever let anyone look down on her again. Unwanted tears brimmed in her eyes as she turned fiercely on the two men. "All I want is to know whether or not you knew the man."
"Yes," Katsu replied with cold emphasis. "We both knew him. He was a great man, the best that ever was. And I ask this, what do you want from us regarding him?"
"Nothing," Akio said. The emotional upheaval which had hit her like a ton of bricks had receded as quickly as it had come. Now she was left cold and shaking and drained. There was no point in telling them that the man that they defended so ruthlessly was her father. "I just wanted to know..." What had she wanted to know really? If he was dead? Had he ever thought of her mother after he had left her, pregnant and alone? Had he ever wanted to come back to them? But mostly, she wanted to know if he had ever known about his daughter. With a steadying breath, she just let out a small sigh with a rush of words. "I just wanted to know if he was going to go back to her, had he lived. That was all."
"Gone back to who? What are you talking about?" Both Katsu and Sanosuke were watching her closely now. But their expressions were more pensive then hostile. It occurred to her that perhaps they had not known the man in the portrait as well as she thought they might. With a quick sweep, she realized again how young they were. Not that much older then herself, twenty years perhaps? Not much more. They would have been merely children when her father had been killed.
With a sigh and a sad smile, Akio looked to them. "Perhaps we should talk of this inside?" They looked untrusting for a second, but she was only a woman after all, so Katsu motioned for them to go inside. Akio walked past as regally as if she had been the empress of all Japan. "It is obvious to me that you are former members of the Sekihotai," Akio began, seating herself on the floor comfortably. "The headband that you wear Sanosuke, and the fact that you knew Sagara, tell me this."
"And how do you know of Sagara?" Katsu asked, watching her closely.
"I never met him," Akio replied honestly. "I did not even know his name until I saw it on the caricature of yours this very day. I knew her appearance from these." Akio dug out the sketches of her mother's and passed them to Katsu to examine. "My mother drew those not long before I was born. Sagara Souzou came to our village years ago, where he acquired his sword. It was during the first stirrings of the revolution, just before he took the command of the Sekihotai, I believe."
Katsu was silent, looking at the drawings. He passed them to Sanosuke, who was sitting across from Akio. The taller man looked over the art and his breath caught in his throat. The pictures were even more of a likeness to the beloved captain then the one Katsu had done. The papers were old and faded, folded and creased from many viewings.
"I don't suppose he ever spoke to you or Renko Village?"
The heads of both men shot up to stare at her with wide eyes. Akio was startled into silence. "How do you know of that place?" Katsu asked, awe replacing suspicion in his voice.
"It was where I was born," Akio said quietly.
"The Captain talked about that village all the time," Sanosuke whispered to no one. "He said it was the most beautiful place in the world. A town or artisans and craftsmen, where men would go far and wide to buy the best weapons ever made. He had went there to get a sword...twenty years ago, give or take."
"About eighteen years ago," Akio corrected. Her companions blinked out of their memories to look at her. "It's when he met her."
"Arigo Yuka," Katsu breathed reverently. "Sagara called her a goddess among women. The one he intended to marry once his term in the army was over, and the tide of the imperialist army had covered the land with peace and equality."
"But dreams do not always come true," Akio said in a tone that far outweighed her years. "The Imperialist army was responsible for the death of Souzou, and in turn, the death of Yuka as well." Questioning eyes were upon her, but Akio was no longer looking at them. She drew the sword from where it hung--almost concealed--across her back. The blade was polished and shinning, the invisible blood stains only obvious to Akio's eyes. "Her despair overtook her when he never returned, and Yuka took her life upon this very blade."
"For one who knows nothing of Sagara, you know a lot of his past," Sanosuke observed.
"I know only what I pieced together over years of searching," Akio replied dryly, sheathing the sword. "Souzou left Renko Village to lead the Sekihotai, promising her that he would return and marry her. But he never came back, for whatever reasons they were, and Yuka was left alone. Well, not truly alone."
"What does that mean?" Katsu asked her, curious in spite of himself. Sanosuke too, was on the edge of his seat.
"I was three years old at the time, not much more then a baby," Akio explained. "That was when she kissed me goodbye and I watched her take the sword, the last my grandfather had ever forged by his own hand, and plunge it into her chest." Her eyes glazed over with unspoken pain. "It was very hard to watch my mother die."
They were silent for a long moment, both men trying to understand what she was telling them. It was Katsu who broke the silence. "You are Yuka's daughter?" he asked.
"Yes," Akio said sadly.
"So she married another after Captain Sagara left the village?" Sanosuke asked, his face pale at the thought of someone betraying his beloved mentor.
"No," Akio denied fervently. "She never married. She only loved one in her life, and he had left her."
"But you..." The statement was left to hang. Akio's smile was equal parts bitterness and sadness.
"I am the bastard daughter of Argio Yuka and Sagara Souzou." Despite the fact that it was the first time this statement was made with her father's name attached, it rolled off her tongue as easily as if she had said it all her life. "I am hear because I wanted to know about my father, a man I had never met. I wanted to know if he really was going to return to her, the woman who had loved him so completely." Unbidden tears rolled from the corners of her eyes. Akio wiped them away absently. "I didn't dare think he even knew about me."
Both men stared at her as if she had two heads. Akio couldn't fight the hysterical laughter that rose in her and she nearly fell over in her fit. They stared at her, mouths gaping, but eyes taking in every feature of the girl before them. The glossy raven hair that fell across her eyes, emerald green eyes, just like his had been. They took in the oval face and the pointed nose. Her determined chin and high cheekbones had come from her mother, the soft set of her mouth as well. But there was no way either could deny her claim. She was the daughter of their mentor. She was the daughter of Sagara Souzou. Both of them mentally kicked themselves for not seeing it sooner.
"Where have you been all these years?" Katsu asked, first to recover. Akio recovered slowly, looking like she would have another fit--halfway between bursting to laughter or tears.
"I was living in Renko Village until about a year ago," she said fidgeting with her kimono laces suddenly, to keep her hands busy. "I left about year ago with my husband." It was a harmless white lie, saying she was married. It wasn't a complete lie, she told herself. She and Soujiro would be getting married if...WHEN he returned. With a deep breath, she inwardly nodded, and continued. "We've been traveling around Japan, and I have been trying to discover as much as I could about my father. It was hard," she admitted. "All I had to go on were the sketches my mother drew and the red headband she left with her."
She lifted the cloth band, identical to Sanosuke's, out from her bag. Both men looked at it to her face and back again. "And where is your husband, if I may be so bold?" Sanosuke asked.
"He had business to attend elsewhere. He wished me to remain in Tokyo, where I would be safe." They didn't press further, seeing the pain and worry etched deeply in her eyes. "While he is away, I was wandering the markets and came upon the caricature that bore such resemblance to the sketches of my father...I couldn't resist trying to learn his identity. Forgive me, I meant not to trouble you with anything I have said or revealed...I just...I just spent so much time...'wondering'...you can not know what it is like to never even know his 'name'. I wanted to badly to know him." Akio let out a sigh and a shaky laugh. "Listen to me, rambling on."
"It's alright," Sanosuke assured her, Katsu nodding in agreement. She looked to them with gratitude.
"I'm sorry to bother you. And I have to thank you. You answered my question. He really did plan on returning to her...it makes me feel better to know that if he had the chance, I might have had a father." Akio smiled, sadly and warmly at once, but the smile was at an inward memory that Sanosuke and Katsu could only guess at.
"Had you known him, you would have known a great man," they offered. Akio smiled, tears shimmering again, but these didn't fall. She climbed to her feet and bowed, gathering her mother's sketches into her bag again.
"Thank you for everything, but I should be off now. I need to find a place to stay for the night." Akio made for the door but Sanosuke stopped her.
"If you need a place to stay, I know the perfect place."
"Really?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Sanosuke smirked.
"Kamiya Dojo," Akio said aloud, reading the title on the building that Sanosuke was leading her to. "This is where you want me to stay? But I am not looking for tutelage. My husband is my instructor, and I am quite accomplished already."
"It's alright," Sanosuke assured her. "The owner is a brat, but she'll never turn down another female swordsman. And if it's only for a few nights, until your husband returns."
Akio was unsure, but she followed him. She trusted this Sagara Sanosuke. He had known her father, known and loved him enough to take his name as his own in memory. It touched her deeply that the man who gave her life had cared so deeply for two boys that they remained loyal to him even ten years after his death.
Sanosuke had walked in the door of the dojo and looked around. "Hey Missy!" he called out. "I need to talk to you."
"I don't have any money for you Sanosuke!" a voice yelled at him from another room. "And we're not going for a beef pot, so forget it."
"This isn't about food or money," Sano retorted with a scowl. "Just come here!"
A woman appeared from around the corner, a frown on her pretty face. Akio liked her instantly, she was the kind of woman who didn't back down from a man. Her face held the determined pride of a swordsman, and even though she wore an elegant kimono and wore a ribbon in her long inky hair, she held the air of athletics wrapped in an undeniable feminine appeal. Her eyes were large and blue, serious and yet they held amusement. It struck Akio hard that even though she was yelling at Sanosuke, her eyes held fondness. Just like what had been in the fighter's voice when he had talked to his friend. A close-knit circle of devoted friends that made a place in Akio's stomach knot.
"What is it?" she asked, then her eyes focused on Akio. She blinked at the girl, then at Sanosuke and back again. "You're bringing girls here now?"
"Hello," Akio said with a shrug and a wave, a blush spreading on her face.
"This is Akio," Sanosuke introduced her. "She needs a place ot stay for a few days, would it be alright that she stay here?"
"I have money," Akio said quickly. " I can pay you for board." The other woman blinked.
"I guess that's alright." Then she seemed to catch herself and she stepped forward. "Excuse my manners. I'm Kamiya Kaoru, Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin swordsmanship style, and this is my dojo." Akio bowed.
"A pleasure, my lady Kaoru. I am Seta Akio, currently a pupil of swordsmanship, but I am developing my own style." Both women looked pleased with themselves and each other. "It would be a privilege to stay in your dojo," Akio said with sincerity.
"It would be a pleasure to have you, please come in," Kaoru said with a kind smile. Akio graciously accepted the invitation and followed Kaoru into the dojo. Sanosuke sat on the front step and waited for the man who had been standing nearby to come into the open.
As if on cue, the hidden listener appeared. His hair was flame red, long and tied behind his head. His violet eyes looked into the dojo where the women had disappeared, and there was a strange look on his face. He turned to Sanosuke, who looked up at him with an expression of the same kind. There was a mutual question between them. "Seta?"
Yes, I will leave it here, Muhahahahah! Get ready for me to pick it up with Soujiro next chapter. He regains consciousness, but nothing else! *gasp* You'll have to read to find out more! And now, everyone's favorite--Shout-out Corner!
Kenshin 44: Thanks for liking my last chapters, hehe. Sorry for the delay, I'll try to work harder! And yes, when Akio gets wind of this--let's just say no intimate object in the vicinity will be safe, lol. Thanks for the review!
Crasyducky: You like me, you really like me! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Oh, and the pics were no problem at all. I love sharing photos with my fans!
pruningshears: Yay, my favorite reviewer!…although that is being bias…oh well! Yes, poor Soujiro, all in the name of story-plot….I'm so bad. Yes, I always wanted to know more about Captain Sagara, so I though--if I'm writing a fic with Soujiro, why not add a little Sagara-lore in here as well? So I got the best of both ideas! There will be more mentions of the village in flashbacks and memories later on, so never fear!
Dragons Maiden: Yes, we were back to Akio. Now we shall go back to Soujiro. Chapter 6, when it goes back to her, we'll have Akio's interactions with the rest of the Kenshin squad, including her meeting with Kenshin himself and Yahiko and stuff. *pockets a few dimes* I don't know nothing bout no pay-off!
Luna: Feel free to make your bunnies attack, but keep in mind I will have to kill the ninjas off myself later on, hehe. Thanks for the review, keep reading!
Zapper Zako: So you noticed huh? Good, I'm glad someone noticed that I made Soujiro a little lax in the skills. I make the sacrifice of what I call the love-life cycle. When you have something in your life that changes you, you begin to lose the aspects of what you were before. In Soujiro's case, when he fell in love with Akio and chose to stay by her side, he forfeited some of his old self--namely his sword skills. You'll see what I mean when he wakes up in chapter 5. Don't worry, he won't be weak in the whole story, you'll see why I made him that way though.
Kari: Thanks for the support, keep reading and reviewing, k? Yay!
~~Jesse the Wolf Demon~~
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters except Akio, her story, and her pretty sword. *hugs sword*
Chapter 4: Truth and Denial
Akio checked and checked again the address that the art vender had given her. She was forced to stop three times for directions, really having no idea where she was going in so large a place. The signs on the streets helped, but not enough. It had been an ordeal for her to get anyone to stop long enough to help her. And here she was again, lost in an unknown part of Tokyo, with the address of a man who didn't even know her.
Akio sighed dejectedly, and ran a hand through her hair. The headband came off with it. Akio ran her fingers over the worn red cloth. "It seemed like a good idea at the time Dad," she said with another sigh. Then she tucked the headband once more into her bag. Once that was done, she began her arduous task of finding someone to help her again.
"Excuse me, could you--"
"Brush off kid, I've got things to do."
"I'm just looking for this--"
"Please leave me be, I'm already late!"
"I'm terribly sorry, but do you know where I could find--"
"Sod off!"
Akio bit her bottom lip to keep out the obscenities that were on the tip of her tongue. There was one good thing about traveling in the company of a man, they never minded when you gave an oath or swore at the annoying masses. But if she was ever to get any help, it wouldn't be by raving like a lunatic in the middle of one of the biggest cities in Japan. "Won't anyone help me?" she muttered, eyes toward the heavens.
"You need help?" asked a voice from behind her. Akio swiveled her head to see if someone was addressing her. Her green eyes widened when she was that there was a rather large man standing a little ways behind her. He was dressed in white, with an open jacket, and his hands were in his pockets. What drew her gaze was the red headband that was around his head, the ends gently blowing in the breeze. His hair was spiky and a rich brown--lighter then Soujiro's--and his eyes were light brown as well. From her quick assessment, Akio could have sworn he was a fighter-for-hirer type, a street fighter, but there was something in the way he stood that made her change that opinion. He looked to be the trustworthy sort, and was rather attractive in his own way.
"Yes," Akio replied with a sheepish smile. She blushed a little despite her sincerest efforts. If Soujiro were there, he'd do the talking for her. If Soujiro were there, Akio would just be blissfully unaware. But Soujiro wasn't there, and Akio had to do this on her own. Fear was not an option, there was only action. "I'm afraid that I'm lost."
The helpful man gave her a cocky smile. "Where are you going?" he asked, taking a few steps closer. Akio held out to him the paper with the address scribbled on it.
"I'm looking for the man that lives here," she explained. "He's an artist and I need a few words with him."
Her rescuer merely blinked at the address, then looked at her in a startled way, then back at the address. "Well, I can take you here," he said slowly. "This is the address of a friend of mine."
Akio beamed at him. "Really? I would truly appreciate it if you could help me!"
"Sure," he said after a few seconds. "I can never turn down a pretty girl in need." He flashed her that cocky smile again and Akio blushed darker. "Follow me." He strode off in the way that Akio had originally come from. She mentally thanked herself for not just blurting out that she had come from there a few moments ago. He didn't need to know she was any more of a simpleton. "So what's your name?" he asked, making idle conversation. "Can't say I've seen you hanging around the Thieves Quarter much. Especially since you carry two swords with you."
"I'm Akio," she responded automatically. "And I've never been in Tokyo before, so I doubt you would have seen me anywhere before today. In regards to my weapons," she looked up at him with a flashing smile. "A girl can never be too careful." He returned her smile. "And you are? I'd like to give a man to my rescuer so I can tell my future children how I was rescued in Tokyo."
"I'm Sanosuke," he said with a shrug. "And I'm not much of a rescuer, more like a tour guide." Akio covered her mouth with a hand to stifle the giggle. "So tell me, what are you looking for Katsu for?"
"Katsu?" she asked, looking at him for explanation.
"The artist you're looking for, Katsu. You need to get money out of him or something?"
Akio laughed. "No. I've just a few questions for him. You see, he has done caricatures of a man that I've been looking for. I was hoping he might know something about him. That's all."
"Well I wish you luck then," Sanosuke responded.
"And I thank you," Akio said politely. That was when they reached Katsu's home.
"Here we are," Sanosuke said, knocking briskly on the door. "It'll take him a minute to get the door open." Akio nodded her understanding, stomach in knots. This was the moment of truth. If this person was the artist of the caricature, then he would of had to of known her father, even for the briefest of periods. There was a moment where time seemed to stop. It was the moment it took Katsu to open his door.
The door opened to reveal a young man roughly the same age as Sanosuke. He was shorter, with long black hair. Like Sanosuke, he wore a headband, but it was a dark blue as opposed bright red. His eyes were a dark blue as well, and he had a brooding aura that Akio was hesitant to invade. But she had come to far and waiting to long to be stopped now. Especially when she was so close.
"Can I--" he trailed off, gaze flickering from Akio up to Sanosuke. "What do you want?"
Sanosuke gave him a cocky grin and pointed to Akio. "She wanted to talk to 'the great artist'. A fan for you, Katsu." There was a mocking tone to his voice. Akio was familiar with mocking, but it was affectionate. And that made all the difference in her mind. Katsu's attention was once more on her.
She balked at first, tension balled in her stomach as hard as a knot. This was it, now or never. The moment of truth. And like she had done when she had first met Soujiro, she threw caution to the wind and leapt in. "I'm sorry to bother you sir," she said in an apologetic tone as she unfolded the artwork the dealer had given her. "But you are the artist of this piece, are you not?" She handed him the caricature and there was a brief moment of silence as the artist examined his work.
"Yes," he said finally. "This is one of mine. Is it unsatisfactory?" There was something in his eyes that Akio caught right away. A fragile pride, whether it was for the art or the model, she was not sure, but she knew that she was treading on dangerous ground.
With a gulp, she pressed on. "No, it's perfect," she assured him sincerely. "But I wanted to know if you knew this man, personally. This, Sagara Souzou?" Both Katsu and Sanosuke turned on her with equal expressions of dark anger. Akio backed down a little, but kept her resolve. "Do you?" She was proud that her voice didn't quaver.
"Why do you ask? What do you know of Captain Sagara?" Sanosuke asked in a metallic voice. Akio felt the stirring of anger in her.
"I know nothing of him, which is why I am here." Resentment and anger and bitterness flooded her suddenly like a shot to the chest. All those nights of crying herself to sleep alone in the mountains all because her father had never claimed her as his own. All those years of wondering who he was and what he was like. Now, these men were looking at her with the same loathing that came from those she had left behind a year ago. Never would she tolerate that again. It was Soujiro that had made her feel like she was worth more then that, and her soul be damned if she ever let anyone look down on her again. Unwanted tears brimmed in her eyes as she turned fiercely on the two men. "All I want is to know whether or not you knew the man."
"Yes," Katsu replied with cold emphasis. "We both knew him. He was a great man, the best that ever was. And I ask this, what do you want from us regarding him?"
"Nothing," Akio said. The emotional upheaval which had hit her like a ton of bricks had receded as quickly as it had come. Now she was left cold and shaking and drained. There was no point in telling them that the man that they defended so ruthlessly was her father. "I just wanted to know..." What had she wanted to know really? If he was dead? Had he ever thought of her mother after he had left her, pregnant and alone? Had he ever wanted to come back to them? But mostly, she wanted to know if he had ever known about his daughter. With a steadying breath, she just let out a small sigh with a rush of words. "I just wanted to know if he was going to go back to her, had he lived. That was all."
"Gone back to who? What are you talking about?" Both Katsu and Sanosuke were watching her closely now. But their expressions were more pensive then hostile. It occurred to her that perhaps they had not known the man in the portrait as well as she thought they might. With a quick sweep, she realized again how young they were. Not that much older then herself, twenty years perhaps? Not much more. They would have been merely children when her father had been killed.
With a sigh and a sad smile, Akio looked to them. "Perhaps we should talk of this inside?" They looked untrusting for a second, but she was only a woman after all, so Katsu motioned for them to go inside. Akio walked past as regally as if she had been the empress of all Japan. "It is obvious to me that you are former members of the Sekihotai," Akio began, seating herself on the floor comfortably. "The headband that you wear Sanosuke, and the fact that you knew Sagara, tell me this."
"And how do you know of Sagara?" Katsu asked, watching her closely.
"I never met him," Akio replied honestly. "I did not even know his name until I saw it on the caricature of yours this very day. I knew her appearance from these." Akio dug out the sketches of her mother's and passed them to Katsu to examine. "My mother drew those not long before I was born. Sagara Souzou came to our village years ago, where he acquired his sword. It was during the first stirrings of the revolution, just before he took the command of the Sekihotai, I believe."
Katsu was silent, looking at the drawings. He passed them to Sanosuke, who was sitting across from Akio. The taller man looked over the art and his breath caught in his throat. The pictures were even more of a likeness to the beloved captain then the one Katsu had done. The papers were old and faded, folded and creased from many viewings.
"I don't suppose he ever spoke to you or Renko Village?"
The heads of both men shot up to stare at her with wide eyes. Akio was startled into silence. "How do you know of that place?" Katsu asked, awe replacing suspicion in his voice.
"It was where I was born," Akio said quietly.
"The Captain talked about that village all the time," Sanosuke whispered to no one. "He said it was the most beautiful place in the world. A town or artisans and craftsmen, where men would go far and wide to buy the best weapons ever made. He had went there to get a sword...twenty years ago, give or take."
"About eighteen years ago," Akio corrected. Her companions blinked out of their memories to look at her. "It's when he met her."
"Arigo Yuka," Katsu breathed reverently. "Sagara called her a goddess among women. The one he intended to marry once his term in the army was over, and the tide of the imperialist army had covered the land with peace and equality."
"But dreams do not always come true," Akio said in a tone that far outweighed her years. "The Imperialist army was responsible for the death of Souzou, and in turn, the death of Yuka as well." Questioning eyes were upon her, but Akio was no longer looking at them. She drew the sword from where it hung--almost concealed--across her back. The blade was polished and shinning, the invisible blood stains only obvious to Akio's eyes. "Her despair overtook her when he never returned, and Yuka took her life upon this very blade."
"For one who knows nothing of Sagara, you know a lot of his past," Sanosuke observed.
"I know only what I pieced together over years of searching," Akio replied dryly, sheathing the sword. "Souzou left Renko Village to lead the Sekihotai, promising her that he would return and marry her. But he never came back, for whatever reasons they were, and Yuka was left alone. Well, not truly alone."
"What does that mean?" Katsu asked her, curious in spite of himself. Sanosuke too, was on the edge of his seat.
"I was three years old at the time, not much more then a baby," Akio explained. "That was when she kissed me goodbye and I watched her take the sword, the last my grandfather had ever forged by his own hand, and plunge it into her chest." Her eyes glazed over with unspoken pain. "It was very hard to watch my mother die."
They were silent for a long moment, both men trying to understand what she was telling them. It was Katsu who broke the silence. "You are Yuka's daughter?" he asked.
"Yes," Akio said sadly.
"So she married another after Captain Sagara left the village?" Sanosuke asked, his face pale at the thought of someone betraying his beloved mentor.
"No," Akio denied fervently. "She never married. She only loved one in her life, and he had left her."
"But you..." The statement was left to hang. Akio's smile was equal parts bitterness and sadness.
"I am the bastard daughter of Argio Yuka and Sagara Souzou." Despite the fact that it was the first time this statement was made with her father's name attached, it rolled off her tongue as easily as if she had said it all her life. "I am hear because I wanted to know about my father, a man I had never met. I wanted to know if he really was going to return to her, the woman who had loved him so completely." Unbidden tears rolled from the corners of her eyes. Akio wiped them away absently. "I didn't dare think he even knew about me."
Both men stared at her as if she had two heads. Akio couldn't fight the hysterical laughter that rose in her and she nearly fell over in her fit. They stared at her, mouths gaping, but eyes taking in every feature of the girl before them. The glossy raven hair that fell across her eyes, emerald green eyes, just like his had been. They took in the oval face and the pointed nose. Her determined chin and high cheekbones had come from her mother, the soft set of her mouth as well. But there was no way either could deny her claim. She was the daughter of their mentor. She was the daughter of Sagara Souzou. Both of them mentally kicked themselves for not seeing it sooner.
"Where have you been all these years?" Katsu asked, first to recover. Akio recovered slowly, looking like she would have another fit--halfway between bursting to laughter or tears.
"I was living in Renko Village until about a year ago," she said fidgeting with her kimono laces suddenly, to keep her hands busy. "I left about year ago with my husband." It was a harmless white lie, saying she was married. It wasn't a complete lie, she told herself. She and Soujiro would be getting married if...WHEN he returned. With a deep breath, she inwardly nodded, and continued. "We've been traveling around Japan, and I have been trying to discover as much as I could about my father. It was hard," she admitted. "All I had to go on were the sketches my mother drew and the red headband she left with her."
She lifted the cloth band, identical to Sanosuke's, out from her bag. Both men looked at it to her face and back again. "And where is your husband, if I may be so bold?" Sanosuke asked.
"He had business to attend elsewhere. He wished me to remain in Tokyo, where I would be safe." They didn't press further, seeing the pain and worry etched deeply in her eyes. "While he is away, I was wandering the markets and came upon the caricature that bore such resemblance to the sketches of my father...I couldn't resist trying to learn his identity. Forgive me, I meant not to trouble you with anything I have said or revealed...I just...I just spent so much time...'wondering'...you can not know what it is like to never even know his 'name'. I wanted to badly to know him." Akio let out a sigh and a shaky laugh. "Listen to me, rambling on."
"It's alright," Sanosuke assured her, Katsu nodding in agreement. She looked to them with gratitude.
"I'm sorry to bother you. And I have to thank you. You answered my question. He really did plan on returning to her...it makes me feel better to know that if he had the chance, I might have had a father." Akio smiled, sadly and warmly at once, but the smile was at an inward memory that Sanosuke and Katsu could only guess at.
"Had you known him, you would have known a great man," they offered. Akio smiled, tears shimmering again, but these didn't fall. She climbed to her feet and bowed, gathering her mother's sketches into her bag again.
"Thank you for everything, but I should be off now. I need to find a place to stay for the night." Akio made for the door but Sanosuke stopped her.
"If you need a place to stay, I know the perfect place."
"Really?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Sanosuke smirked.
"Kamiya Dojo," Akio said aloud, reading the title on the building that Sanosuke was leading her to. "This is where you want me to stay? But I am not looking for tutelage. My husband is my instructor, and I am quite accomplished already."
"It's alright," Sanosuke assured her. "The owner is a brat, but she'll never turn down another female swordsman. And if it's only for a few nights, until your husband returns."
Akio was unsure, but she followed him. She trusted this Sagara Sanosuke. He had known her father, known and loved him enough to take his name as his own in memory. It touched her deeply that the man who gave her life had cared so deeply for two boys that they remained loyal to him even ten years after his death.
Sanosuke had walked in the door of the dojo and looked around. "Hey Missy!" he called out. "I need to talk to you."
"I don't have any money for you Sanosuke!" a voice yelled at him from another room. "And we're not going for a beef pot, so forget it."
"This isn't about food or money," Sano retorted with a scowl. "Just come here!"
A woman appeared from around the corner, a frown on her pretty face. Akio liked her instantly, she was the kind of woman who didn't back down from a man. Her face held the determined pride of a swordsman, and even though she wore an elegant kimono and wore a ribbon in her long inky hair, she held the air of athletics wrapped in an undeniable feminine appeal. Her eyes were large and blue, serious and yet they held amusement. It struck Akio hard that even though she was yelling at Sanosuke, her eyes held fondness. Just like what had been in the fighter's voice when he had talked to his friend. A close-knit circle of devoted friends that made a place in Akio's stomach knot.
"What is it?" she asked, then her eyes focused on Akio. She blinked at the girl, then at Sanosuke and back again. "You're bringing girls here now?"
"Hello," Akio said with a shrug and a wave, a blush spreading on her face.
"This is Akio," Sanosuke introduced her. "She needs a place ot stay for a few days, would it be alright that she stay here?"
"I have money," Akio said quickly. " I can pay you for board." The other woman blinked.
"I guess that's alright." Then she seemed to catch herself and she stepped forward. "Excuse my manners. I'm Kamiya Kaoru, Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin swordsmanship style, and this is my dojo." Akio bowed.
"A pleasure, my lady Kaoru. I am Seta Akio, currently a pupil of swordsmanship, but I am developing my own style." Both women looked pleased with themselves and each other. "It would be a privilege to stay in your dojo," Akio said with sincerity.
"It would be a pleasure to have you, please come in," Kaoru said with a kind smile. Akio graciously accepted the invitation and followed Kaoru into the dojo. Sanosuke sat on the front step and waited for the man who had been standing nearby to come into the open.
As if on cue, the hidden listener appeared. His hair was flame red, long and tied behind his head. His violet eyes looked into the dojo where the women had disappeared, and there was a strange look on his face. He turned to Sanosuke, who looked up at him with an expression of the same kind. There was a mutual question between them. "Seta?"
Yes, I will leave it here, Muhahahahah! Get ready for me to pick it up with Soujiro next chapter. He regains consciousness, but nothing else! *gasp* You'll have to read to find out more! And now, everyone's favorite--Shout-out Corner!
Kenshin 44: Thanks for liking my last chapters, hehe. Sorry for the delay, I'll try to work harder! And yes, when Akio gets wind of this--let's just say no intimate object in the vicinity will be safe, lol. Thanks for the review!
Crasyducky: You like me, you really like me! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Oh, and the pics were no problem at all. I love sharing photos with my fans!
pruningshears: Yay, my favorite reviewer!…although that is being bias…oh well! Yes, poor Soujiro, all in the name of story-plot….I'm so bad. Yes, I always wanted to know more about Captain Sagara, so I though--if I'm writing a fic with Soujiro, why not add a little Sagara-lore in here as well? So I got the best of both ideas! There will be more mentions of the village in flashbacks and memories later on, so never fear!
Dragons Maiden: Yes, we were back to Akio. Now we shall go back to Soujiro. Chapter 6, when it goes back to her, we'll have Akio's interactions with the rest of the Kenshin squad, including her meeting with Kenshin himself and Yahiko and stuff. *pockets a few dimes* I don't know nothing bout no pay-off!
Luna: Feel free to make your bunnies attack, but keep in mind I will have to kill the ninjas off myself later on, hehe. Thanks for the review, keep reading!
Zapper Zako: So you noticed huh? Good, I'm glad someone noticed that I made Soujiro a little lax in the skills. I make the sacrifice of what I call the love-life cycle. When you have something in your life that changes you, you begin to lose the aspects of what you were before. In Soujiro's case, when he fell in love with Akio and chose to stay by her side, he forfeited some of his old self--namely his sword skills. You'll see what I mean when he wakes up in chapter 5. Don't worry, he won't be weak in the whole story, you'll see why I made him that way though.
Kari: Thanks for the support, keep reading and reviewing, k? Yay!
~~Jesse the Wolf Demon~~