What Was Lost Is Found
Chapter 2
Darkness to light,
Sunlight to shadows,
an era ends,
a new one emerges.
What was lost is found...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Souzou's grin widened even more as he heard Sanosuke's startled words.
Kenshin relaxed a little and Sanosuke's fist dropped. Souzou stood in front of
Sanosuke like a mirage in the desert. He seemed...not real, like an apparition
that would disappear in an instant. His idol had died ten years ago, murdered
by the dirty government of the Revolution. Now, he was back and standing right
before him. It was almost more then Sanosuke could bear. His hands and began to
tremble and he stuffed them deep into the pockets of his white pants to hide
it.
"Hello, Sanosuke," Souzou said smoothly.
Sanosuke opened his mouth as if to say something back, but no sound came out.
He shut it again quickly and cleared his throat. His cheeks and ears flushed
pink and he squirmed uncomfortably underneath the piercing gaze of his former
teacher.
"You can't have possibly forgotten me, now can you?" Souzou inquired,
raising an eyebrow.
"No!" Sanosuke burst out, vehemently. "How could I ever forget you?!"
Souzou raised the other eyebrow, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. Kenshin
was looking curiously from one dark-haired man to the other. His purple eyes
reflected the confusion mirrored in Sanosuke's. Kaoru, Yahiko, and the girls
stood silent where they were, knowing better then to intrude right now.
Sanosuke swallowed and broke his gaze with the former Sekihoutai captain.
"You were my teacher, my master. Almost like...almost like a father to me.
I could never forget you." He stared at the distant horizon, eyes
unfocused and glassy.
Souzou's mouth quirked and he took a step forward. "Sanosuke."
Sanosuke's gaze met his once more, except this time, his eyes were brimming
over with tears. He tried to say something, but choked as a tear slipped down
his face, leaving its telltale silvery trail behind. Souzou reached out to the
younger man, and he fell into a strong embrace.
He stood there, tears forming at the corners of his own eyes as he hugged
Sanosuke tight as he cried, just as he had done many times before. The others
discreetly moved inside, silently, trusting that the man, whoever he was, would
take care of Sanosuke.
Sanosuke hugged Souzou hard around his shoulders. "I can't believe...can't
believe you're back," he choked out around his tears. "Me and
Katsu...we thought...when you didn't come back...you left us...you had been
killed." He stopped, choked off once more.
Souzou returned the embrace and replied. "No, no, I didn't leave you! I
came back...but you were gone. Katsu also. I have been searching for you these
past ten years, hoping beyond all hope that you had somehow survived. I had
seen all of my friends and comrades murdered before my eyes. All of
them...except for you and Katsu. So I held on to that small sliver of hope, for
it was all I had. And I'm glad I did, for I have found you and Katsu once
more."
Sanosuke looked up, face and eyes shining. "You've seen Katsu?"
Souzou shrugged. "Briefly. I saw him walking down the road. I don't know
where he lives."
Sanosuke grinned, the cocky grin he had kept for over a decade. It tore at
Souzou's heart as he remembered that smile on the face of a young, innocent
little boy, who had followed him like a loyal puppy where ever he had gone.
"I'll take you to him, tomorrow. Boy, won't he be surprised when he sees
who comes walking through his door!" Then his face grew serious. "I
didn't find Katsu until about five months ago. We were separated when they took
you and the rest of the group away, and hadn't seen each other since." He led
the older man to the steps of the dojo and sat down, motioning for Souzou to
join him.
Souzou nodded, his eyes bitter and his heart heavy. "If there was any way
I could have prevented any of this from happening, I would have done so."
His voice came out calm and collected as always, but with a sharper undertone.
"I lost you for ten years, but now I've found you again, so I guess that's
all that matters." He relaxed and leaned back on his elbows, smiling a
little at Sanosuke. "You and Katsu were, rather are, my favorites and now
that you are with me once again, my plans can be put into action."
Now it was Sanosuke's turn to raise his eyebrows. "What plans?" he
asked, voice hesitant.
An eager light glimmered in Souzou's eyes. "I'm going to rebuild the
Sekihoutai, and restore its good name, now and forever. The Sekihoutai will be
returned to its former days of glory, protecting the innocent people and
helping those who need it most. We will rise above all and help keep the peace
of this era, our names shall be known throughout Japan!"
Sanosuke's eyes widened and he sat up, an excited grin on his handsome face.
"Yeah!" he shouted. "Your name will be cleared once and for
all!"
"So you'll help me?" Souzou asked.
"Of course!" Sanosuke exclaimed. "Did you even have to
ask?!"
Souzou grinned. "I guess not."
And the reunited teacher and pupil sat outside, under a darkening sky and
talked, recapping all that had happened since the years of the Revolution.
Happiness and excitement danced in the air around them, sparking like
electricity and creating a perfume more potent then any poison. They talked
late into the night, until finally drowsy from the night air and from so many
things going through their heads, they retired to beds, Souzou going back to his
room, eagerly awaiting the next morning, when they would begin work on their
dream.
Sanosuke was so caught up in the excitement, that he only realized he had forgotten
to ask Souzou how he had survived when he was already in bed and staring at a
darkened ceiling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sano awoke the next morning to bright sunlight streaming through his closed
eyelids. Bright patterns spun and danced on the insides of his eyes and created
a swirling whirlpool of color. Moaning, he rolled over and buried his face in
the sleeve of his white jacket, before remembering all that had happened last
night. With a start, he sat straight up and glanced at the source of the light.
It was still early morning. Good. He had been afraid he had slept the day away
once again and had missed out on helping Master Sagara find Katsu.
Master Sagara! The events of yesterday came back to him in a flood; washing
through his mind he felt slightly dizzy and almost considered lying back down
for a while. He wasn't dead, he was back. He wasn't dead, he was back. A little
voice at the back of his mind chanted the phrase over and over until it became
a monotony that engraved itself upon Sano's brain. The Sekihoutai was going to
be rebuilt, his master had returned, and his best friend was found again. The
world seemed to be perfect.
Standing up and stretching lazily, Sano felt that he would burst with
happiness. He could not remember feeling this kind of optimism since, well,
since...he didn't know! Everything was right with the world, and nothing could
pull him down. He was walking on clouds, dancing with fairies, and singing with
mermaids.
Sanosuke was barely aware of his surroundings as he walked out of his room and
down the long hallway. Not that he needed to be, for he knew Kaoru's house like
the back of his hand. Ever since he had been kicked out of his old residence
(for not being able to pay the rent) Kaoru had taken him on as another
boarder--"free-loader" as she put it--and given him a room. He helped
her out with odd jobs around the dojo, and once in a while ran a few errands
for her. All in all, he really didn't do much to deserve a room and food, but
he knew Kaoru just didn't have the heart to kick him out.
Stifling a yawn, he breezed out onto the dojo's porch and plopped himself down
next to Kaoru, who was sitting there, waiting for Kenshin to finish making
breakfast. "Morning, Kaoru," he greeted her.
She looked over at him, startled. "Since when do you get out of bed before
the day's half over?" she asked, not unkindly.
He gave her a sassy grin and leaned back on his elbows. "Ever since this
morning."
Rolling her eyes, Kaoru ignored what he had said and instead replied,
"Master Sagara was here way before you were up. He left a few minutes
ago--"
"What?!" Sanosuke yelled, jumping up. "Why? Did he say why he
was going?"
"--and said he'd be back in about an hour. He was only going to go and run
a few errands, he said," she continued, glaring at him for the rude
interruption.
Sitting back down, Sano breathed a sigh of relief. "Breakfast's
ready!" Kenshin called over to them, smiling.
Running over, Sanosuke gulped a plate of food, and sat down once more, waiting
impatiently for his idol to return so they could begin their mission.
