Author's Notes– I hear the entire audience sighing relievedly. Finally, a third chapter (in what will probably be a 7-chapter fic)! ^^* After editing the past two chapters and adding a bunch of content, I commenced the authoring. Unfortunately, almost every important character from Tsuiokuhen (Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal) dies in some way or the other, so I'm suddenly limited to a few OCs. Gomen to those of you who were really expecting the real people or those of you who hate OCs–but I can't disregard their deaths.. and I don't really know about sayonces.. So OCs are pretty much the only way to go. ^^* This is understandable, ne? There are also some real characters in there.. Just read it.. It's the longest one yet!
03.13.04–*woot* This one needed more editing than the first edit.. O.o Well, if you didn't read the edit of the other chapters, KENSHIN HAS AN UMBRELLA IN PLACE OF THE SAKABATOU... ^^*
Disclaimer–Nope, I dun' really own any of them, I just messed around with them for the purposes of this fanfic. Not even the OCs are copyrighted.. so I guess it's legal for you to use them, if you really want to.
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Kenshin's eyes roved about the room. The tatami were unkept, the paint peeling from an ink painting in the back, several shoji squares had been punched out, the futon in the center of the room seemed almost in disrepair–in short, the room was a mess. In total contrast to the rest of the house which was grand and traditional, which one would expect of probably the most respected official in town. But this room was stark-raving.. out there. Had Ikumatsu really let the room fall to pieces as such?
But even more surprising to the bewildered former hitokiri was the room's occupants. Lining the walls were five men and a few women off to the side. In the center of the room, on the untidy futon, sat the form of Katsura. He sat, much like he had in the ten years preceding this one, looking just the same.. save for that shocked expression on his face and a few wrinkles gracing his otherwise handsome features. He probably what was wondering what his former Ishin Shishi assassin had succumbed to. In all honesty, Kenshin was thinking the exact same thing. The former-Chosuu leader was sitting brightly, not what one would expect of a brain-disease patient. This whole place seemed backwards. He didn't like it.
One of the girls in the far corner whispered loudly to the girl beside her. "He comes without Tomoe-san?" The memories flooded Kenshin once more. Tomoe's limp body as he said his final farewells. Katsura had been there. He hated remembering. He hated this place.
The room suddenly burst into loud whispers of the kind, "He carries now an umbrella?" and "Isn't that Tomoe's?" and "What happened to his sword?" and "He still looks the same.. but he feels different."
"OI!!" Kenshin screamed loudly.. the room became silent once more.
But it was Katsura that spoke first.. and then it was only to the girl. "Tomoe was lost unfortunately.. some thirteen years ago." This shut the gawking girl in kimono up. There was a long pause during which Kenshin was invited to sit near the door by Katsura. After a few more moments of silence, Katsura spoke again. "Some introductions are in order."
Around they went in a circle. The gossiping girl introduced herself first, as Ikeda Tokio–the woman that currently ran the Ikeda-Ya inn in Kyoto. Next to her sat Ikeda Akane–the woman who ran the Ikeda-Ya inn during the Bakufu. Tokio was apparently Akane's daughter. Beside them sat another woman, Gushimi Oka, a flower vendor in the streets of Kyoto. There were 2 soliders situated together beside the women, only introducing themselves as Toma of the Kihei-tai and Ryoga of the Chosuu warriors. Onward sat Katagai Ryu, the son of the late vice-president of Chosuu. Beside him sat a little, middle-aged man named Kamiya, oddly enough carrying.. a bokken. Next to him was another woman, middle-aged and soft-faced named Uno.
Kenshin's eyes fell upon the last man. He recognized him instantly. The man that had recruited him to join the Kihei-tai. "Takasugi-dono." His voice whispered before Takasugi could introduce himself. "I thought you would have been executed.. or at least fallen to the disease."
Takasugi laughed a dry one. "Somehow I survived both."
Katsura smiled happily. Looking at him, one would not believe that he suffered from any disease.. let alone one that could kill him. "Kenshin, I must ask.. what has happened to you?" He did so while surveying the seated, muddy rurouni before him.
"I could almost ask you the same thing." Kenshin said quietly. He didn't like this place, but he refused to let his discomfort show through.
"Well, let's go around the circle once more.. only you start this time Kenshin." Katsura said, slightly demandingly. He hadn't lost his edge. But so was to be expected of the former leader of the Chosuu and the local governmental-official. Kenshin noticed that Katsura was the only one that didn't seem to be carrying a weapon.
Kenshin smiled sadly. "Most everyone knows my story. I have done some terrible things in my life, and now I am seeking repentance for them. So, I've wandered these ten years as a rurouni.. one without a destination. Just living. Never really staying in the same place for too long. And trying to save live instead of take them with this umbrella." He indicated it resting in front of him. This elicited a small gasp from the girls in the room, they undoubtedly knew that it had been hers. "It's a hard living, but I'm finding a way rid myself of this overhanging guilt. It's more than this one could ask for."
The entire room gaped, open-mouthed at him. This drove him mad. Kenshin remembered the long nights, slashing through bodies as if they were no more than the tied hay that he practiced on as a younger teen. He didn't like being in this room. He didn't like this place.. The memories were beginning to overwhelm his conscience.
Takasugi was the first to recover, and the first to continue the yarn with his story. "At the end of the Bafuku, I had been captured. The police didn't really see how I could be of any use. They couldn't directly tie me with the Kihei-tai or the Kihei-tai with Chosuu. So they set me free. Not knowing what else to do, I returned to Uno. I threw away my sword, consequently lost the disease. We traveled around the Continent and then the Americas for a while, earning money by playing in shows there. It's been about six years since then, and Uno.." he trailed off for a moment, picking up his beloved's hand. "Gave birth to three children. It's been a good life. Like Himura, it's more than I could ask for."
Uno blushed deeply for a few moments and stared down at her hands. Obviously enough had been said for her. She had waited on Takasugi, and Takasugi finally came. Easy as that. The last days of the Bafuku were being played over and over in Kenshin's mind. Katagai Ryu told of his exploits. "I was twenty when the rebellion arose. I joined my father's clan, Chosuu, like all elder sons do. It was customary. I was really only a messanger, like Iizuka." He touched a nerve with the name of the dead traitor. The room flinched as they all reminisced of the murderous messanger that had almost been the downfall of Chosuu, selling almost all of their secrets to the pro-Shogun Shinsengumi. Ryu continued quickly, "Except for that whole traitor-thing. After the Bafuku, I just settled down to a family. Father already having passed away, I carried on the family name and sword technique and run a dojo a few miles north of Kyoto." Kenshin tried to concentrate on the storytellers, but his mind was racing..
The room fell silent again as they all waited for each other to begin. No one did. The silence cut through Kenshin like a knife. These people–bringing back the bad memories. Kiyosato Akira, Yukishiro Enishi... all of them. They burned at the back of his mind as the two soldiers told their story. It was kept to the bare minimum. They were soliders, their names were Toma and Ryoga. They were brothers. They now run a restraunt. Simple enough.
Ikeda Akane was next to speak. After that fateful night at the inn, she had temporarily closed the place down. There was nothing else she could do. The inn housed mostly Chosuu warriors, and they were all either dead or in hiding, so Akane just closed it for a few years. "But three years later, I reopened it. It's doing good business now. Many Westerners come and seek a relaxing stay at a ryukan. That's what they find. They don't know what else had happened there." Kenshin suddenly recalled when he took Tomoe to the Inn. As Akane's words faded away, Kenshin could hear her words from long ago so clearly now. 'You Chosuu soldiers are so industrious. You kill by day, and bring whores home at night'.. they echoed in his mind.. each and every syllable taking their small toll on his current nerves. "And now Tokio runs it. She's actually currently talking to a young man from the Bafuku as well, only he worked for the Shomsengumi." Slash, slash went the soiled katana in his memory. "Odd isn't it?!" Slash.
The flower vendor, Gushimi Oka, was the last to speak. She was still a flower vendor, living a perfectly normal life. Unmarried still, and in her forties, she was happy. Slash. White plums of Tomoe. Slash..
Katsura smiled–still. "My turn then, is it? I vowed to Takasugi." He acknowleged him with a nod. Kenshin's memory still replayed the battles–the First Battle of Toba Fushimi. Slash. "Never to pick up a sword again. So I haven't." Slash. "I've managed to live peacefully in this era and am very grateful to be here." Slash. "And as a government.." Slash. "..official." Slash. "Something's bothering me Kenshin." This awoke the slowly-dementing rurouni from his random memorial-slashings, and he lifted his head. "You're seeking repentance. But you look totally different from the Hitokiri Battousai I once knew. What made you decide to do this?" Slash.
Kenshin stared at the unraveling tatami at his feet. "Tomoe-dono did it for me." Slash. Slash. Slash. This was the only reasoning he offered. There was a slight twinge of anger in his voice. Nobody seemed to notice.. then his mind returned to the slashings. Slash.
"That's the same thing Kamiya-san here is doing." Katsura pointed towards the forgotten man straight across from them. "He developed a sword technique that saves lives with a bokken rather than take them with a katana." Slash.
"Yes.. my dojo is in Kyoto, where I teach my daughter." Kamiya said stonilty. He apparently didn't like telling of himself. Slash. Slash. Slash. Slash. Kenshin eyes were turning an amber yellow. The memories always did this to him–he could smell the blood on himself once again. Blood of the battles. Of the Shinsengumi. Of Tokogawa's top officials. Of body guards..
"Odd, isn't it?" Katsura began. He was cut short by a young teenager rushing in and tripping over Kenshin on the way in. This knocked Kenshin out of his 'Slash' trance for a while, sending him swirly-eyed and "ORO?!?!"-ing everywhere.
The boy apologized profusely to Kenshin, then directed all of his attention to Katsura. "Sir.. the dissenters have attacked the headquarters in the city! The men are dying rapidly and the police are of no help. Katsura-sama.. They have guns!"
Kenshin lost his rurouni tone and turned to look directly at Katsura questioningly. Uncharacteristically as of late, Katsura was rounded over, clutching his head in pain. Ikumatsu walked by, rushed in, and fed her sickly husband three small, white pills.
"Sir, what should we do?" The boy asked quickly.
"I.. don't..... know." Katsura answered, hands still at his ears. "Unless.. one of these guys could go take.. care.. of them. Former Chosuu, Kihei-tai, and Ishin Shishi. They should.. all be nice for you." With a few grunts of pain, Katsura fell into a deep sleep, leaning foward. Ikumatsu leaned him back against his pillow.
"There's no need for that." She reprimanded the teenager. "You know how delicate he is to these things." She turned a pleading eye to the room. "But he is right. Will some of you go?!"
No one jumped up immediately. "Please?! You should be able to take on dissenters of the government in one sweep. Couldn't you?!" The men nodded. "COULDN'T YOU?!?" She screamed, sobbing.
Kenshin was on his feet in a moment, umbrella at his side. "I'll go" he said shortly. It would get him out of that room. "It's the least I can do. Which direction is it?"
"South of here, about 7 blocks." The boy said softly.
"Good." Kenshin said. Without another word, her slid open the shoji and practically ran down the hall to collect his geta, tying his trusty-umbrella to his side. He opened and closed their gate again. Finally.. a chance to prove to all of those that saw him only as the Battousai–all of the people in that room–that true repentance was possible. Each step took him closer. He was upon them in matter of minutes..
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Aaaah, another cliffhanger. ^^* You guys still read this–I don't see how. No notes to the reviewers this time.. but my mmmmmmmmaaaaaany thanks to those who did. I love the constructive criticism and am so glad when someone adds a correction in for me to fic (Like Aredhel-san and Lady Nomad-san! You rock! ^^*).. and many thanks to the readers, beta readers, those who deal with my ramblings, and even you! ^^*
See ya in Chapter 4!
03.13.04–*woot* This one needed more editing than the first edit.. O.o Well, if you didn't read the edit of the other chapters, KENSHIN HAS AN UMBRELLA IN PLACE OF THE SAKABATOU... ^^*
Disclaimer–Nope, I dun' really own any of them, I just messed around with them for the purposes of this fanfic. Not even the OCs are copyrighted.. so I guess it's legal for you to use them, if you really want to.
-----------------------------------
Kenshin's eyes roved about the room. The tatami were unkept, the paint peeling from an ink painting in the back, several shoji squares had been punched out, the futon in the center of the room seemed almost in disrepair–in short, the room was a mess. In total contrast to the rest of the house which was grand and traditional, which one would expect of probably the most respected official in town. But this room was stark-raving.. out there. Had Ikumatsu really let the room fall to pieces as such?
But even more surprising to the bewildered former hitokiri was the room's occupants. Lining the walls were five men and a few women off to the side. In the center of the room, on the untidy futon, sat the form of Katsura. He sat, much like he had in the ten years preceding this one, looking just the same.. save for that shocked expression on his face and a few wrinkles gracing his otherwise handsome features. He probably what was wondering what his former Ishin Shishi assassin had succumbed to. In all honesty, Kenshin was thinking the exact same thing. The former-Chosuu leader was sitting brightly, not what one would expect of a brain-disease patient. This whole place seemed backwards. He didn't like it.
One of the girls in the far corner whispered loudly to the girl beside her. "He comes without Tomoe-san?" The memories flooded Kenshin once more. Tomoe's limp body as he said his final farewells. Katsura had been there. He hated remembering. He hated this place.
The room suddenly burst into loud whispers of the kind, "He carries now an umbrella?" and "Isn't that Tomoe's?" and "What happened to his sword?" and "He still looks the same.. but he feels different."
"OI!!" Kenshin screamed loudly.. the room became silent once more.
But it was Katsura that spoke first.. and then it was only to the girl. "Tomoe was lost unfortunately.. some thirteen years ago." This shut the gawking girl in kimono up. There was a long pause during which Kenshin was invited to sit near the door by Katsura. After a few more moments of silence, Katsura spoke again. "Some introductions are in order."
Around they went in a circle. The gossiping girl introduced herself first, as Ikeda Tokio–the woman that currently ran the Ikeda-Ya inn in Kyoto. Next to her sat Ikeda Akane–the woman who ran the Ikeda-Ya inn during the Bakufu. Tokio was apparently Akane's daughter. Beside them sat another woman, Gushimi Oka, a flower vendor in the streets of Kyoto. There were 2 soliders situated together beside the women, only introducing themselves as Toma of the Kihei-tai and Ryoga of the Chosuu warriors. Onward sat Katagai Ryu, the son of the late vice-president of Chosuu. Beside him sat a little, middle-aged man named Kamiya, oddly enough carrying.. a bokken. Next to him was another woman, middle-aged and soft-faced named Uno.
Kenshin's eyes fell upon the last man. He recognized him instantly. The man that had recruited him to join the Kihei-tai. "Takasugi-dono." His voice whispered before Takasugi could introduce himself. "I thought you would have been executed.. or at least fallen to the disease."
Takasugi laughed a dry one. "Somehow I survived both."
Katsura smiled happily. Looking at him, one would not believe that he suffered from any disease.. let alone one that could kill him. "Kenshin, I must ask.. what has happened to you?" He did so while surveying the seated, muddy rurouni before him.
"I could almost ask you the same thing." Kenshin said quietly. He didn't like this place, but he refused to let his discomfort show through.
"Well, let's go around the circle once more.. only you start this time Kenshin." Katsura said, slightly demandingly. He hadn't lost his edge. But so was to be expected of the former leader of the Chosuu and the local governmental-official. Kenshin noticed that Katsura was the only one that didn't seem to be carrying a weapon.
Kenshin smiled sadly. "Most everyone knows my story. I have done some terrible things in my life, and now I am seeking repentance for them. So, I've wandered these ten years as a rurouni.. one without a destination. Just living. Never really staying in the same place for too long. And trying to save live instead of take them with this umbrella." He indicated it resting in front of him. This elicited a small gasp from the girls in the room, they undoubtedly knew that it had been hers. "It's a hard living, but I'm finding a way rid myself of this overhanging guilt. It's more than this one could ask for."
The entire room gaped, open-mouthed at him. This drove him mad. Kenshin remembered the long nights, slashing through bodies as if they were no more than the tied hay that he practiced on as a younger teen. He didn't like being in this room. He didn't like this place.. The memories were beginning to overwhelm his conscience.
Takasugi was the first to recover, and the first to continue the yarn with his story. "At the end of the Bafuku, I had been captured. The police didn't really see how I could be of any use. They couldn't directly tie me with the Kihei-tai or the Kihei-tai with Chosuu. So they set me free. Not knowing what else to do, I returned to Uno. I threw away my sword, consequently lost the disease. We traveled around the Continent and then the Americas for a while, earning money by playing in shows there. It's been about six years since then, and Uno.." he trailed off for a moment, picking up his beloved's hand. "Gave birth to three children. It's been a good life. Like Himura, it's more than I could ask for."
Uno blushed deeply for a few moments and stared down at her hands. Obviously enough had been said for her. She had waited on Takasugi, and Takasugi finally came. Easy as that. The last days of the Bafuku were being played over and over in Kenshin's mind. Katagai Ryu told of his exploits. "I was twenty when the rebellion arose. I joined my father's clan, Chosuu, like all elder sons do. It was customary. I was really only a messanger, like Iizuka." He touched a nerve with the name of the dead traitor. The room flinched as they all reminisced of the murderous messanger that had almost been the downfall of Chosuu, selling almost all of their secrets to the pro-Shogun Shinsengumi. Ryu continued quickly, "Except for that whole traitor-thing. After the Bafuku, I just settled down to a family. Father already having passed away, I carried on the family name and sword technique and run a dojo a few miles north of Kyoto." Kenshin tried to concentrate on the storytellers, but his mind was racing..
The room fell silent again as they all waited for each other to begin. No one did. The silence cut through Kenshin like a knife. These people–bringing back the bad memories. Kiyosato Akira, Yukishiro Enishi... all of them. They burned at the back of his mind as the two soldiers told their story. It was kept to the bare minimum. They were soliders, their names were Toma and Ryoga. They were brothers. They now run a restraunt. Simple enough.
Ikeda Akane was next to speak. After that fateful night at the inn, she had temporarily closed the place down. There was nothing else she could do. The inn housed mostly Chosuu warriors, and they were all either dead or in hiding, so Akane just closed it for a few years. "But three years later, I reopened it. It's doing good business now. Many Westerners come and seek a relaxing stay at a ryukan. That's what they find. They don't know what else had happened there." Kenshin suddenly recalled when he took Tomoe to the Inn. As Akane's words faded away, Kenshin could hear her words from long ago so clearly now. 'You Chosuu soldiers are so industrious. You kill by day, and bring whores home at night'.. they echoed in his mind.. each and every syllable taking their small toll on his current nerves. "And now Tokio runs it. She's actually currently talking to a young man from the Bafuku as well, only he worked for the Shomsengumi." Slash, slash went the soiled katana in his memory. "Odd isn't it?!" Slash.
The flower vendor, Gushimi Oka, was the last to speak. She was still a flower vendor, living a perfectly normal life. Unmarried still, and in her forties, she was happy. Slash. White plums of Tomoe. Slash..
Katsura smiled–still. "My turn then, is it? I vowed to Takasugi." He acknowleged him with a nod. Kenshin's memory still replayed the battles–the First Battle of Toba Fushimi. Slash. "Never to pick up a sword again. So I haven't." Slash. "I've managed to live peacefully in this era and am very grateful to be here." Slash. "And as a government.." Slash. "..official." Slash. "Something's bothering me Kenshin." This awoke the slowly-dementing rurouni from his random memorial-slashings, and he lifted his head. "You're seeking repentance. But you look totally different from the Hitokiri Battousai I once knew. What made you decide to do this?" Slash.
Kenshin stared at the unraveling tatami at his feet. "Tomoe-dono did it for me." Slash. Slash. Slash. This was the only reasoning he offered. There was a slight twinge of anger in his voice. Nobody seemed to notice.. then his mind returned to the slashings. Slash.
"That's the same thing Kamiya-san here is doing." Katsura pointed towards the forgotten man straight across from them. "He developed a sword technique that saves lives with a bokken rather than take them with a katana." Slash.
"Yes.. my dojo is in Kyoto, where I teach my daughter." Kamiya said stonilty. He apparently didn't like telling of himself. Slash. Slash. Slash. Slash. Kenshin eyes were turning an amber yellow. The memories always did this to him–he could smell the blood on himself once again. Blood of the battles. Of the Shinsengumi. Of Tokogawa's top officials. Of body guards..
"Odd, isn't it?" Katsura began. He was cut short by a young teenager rushing in and tripping over Kenshin on the way in. This knocked Kenshin out of his 'Slash' trance for a while, sending him swirly-eyed and "ORO?!?!"-ing everywhere.
The boy apologized profusely to Kenshin, then directed all of his attention to Katsura. "Sir.. the dissenters have attacked the headquarters in the city! The men are dying rapidly and the police are of no help. Katsura-sama.. They have guns!"
Kenshin lost his rurouni tone and turned to look directly at Katsura questioningly. Uncharacteristically as of late, Katsura was rounded over, clutching his head in pain. Ikumatsu walked by, rushed in, and fed her sickly husband three small, white pills.
"Sir, what should we do?" The boy asked quickly.
"I.. don't..... know." Katsura answered, hands still at his ears. "Unless.. one of these guys could go take.. care.. of them. Former Chosuu, Kihei-tai, and Ishin Shishi. They should.. all be nice for you." With a few grunts of pain, Katsura fell into a deep sleep, leaning foward. Ikumatsu leaned him back against his pillow.
"There's no need for that." She reprimanded the teenager. "You know how delicate he is to these things." She turned a pleading eye to the room. "But he is right. Will some of you go?!"
No one jumped up immediately. "Please?! You should be able to take on dissenters of the government in one sweep. Couldn't you?!" The men nodded. "COULDN'T YOU?!?" She screamed, sobbing.
Kenshin was on his feet in a moment, umbrella at his side. "I'll go" he said shortly. It would get him out of that room. "It's the least I can do. Which direction is it?"
"South of here, about 7 blocks." The boy said softly.
"Good." Kenshin said. Without another word, her slid open the shoji and practically ran down the hall to collect his geta, tying his trusty-umbrella to his side. He opened and closed their gate again. Finally.. a chance to prove to all of those that saw him only as the Battousai–all of the people in that room–that true repentance was possible. Each step took him closer. He was upon them in matter of minutes..
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Aaaah, another cliffhanger. ^^* You guys still read this–I don't see how. No notes to the reviewers this time.. but my mmmmmmmmaaaaaany thanks to those who did. I love the constructive criticism and am so glad when someone adds a correction in for me to fic (Like Aredhel-san and Lady Nomad-san! You rock! ^^*).. and many thanks to the readers, beta readers, those who deal with my ramblings, and even you! ^^*
See ya in Chapter 4!