Poor Yahiko…once again victim to Kenji's carelessness…hee hee…I love tormenting him, payback for when he gave Kaoru such a hard time! Thanks to everyone who gave me information on surnames, I've been hunting around for information (I hate research…ugh)….I actually divided this chapter into two parts, it became VERY long and wasn't stopping any time soon, so if it seems like it just drops off, sorry about that. I spent a long time deciding on where I wanted to stop it, and finally just picked a spot….I'll have chapter 8 up very soon….I can't believe how long this fic is becoming….oh well…thanks to all the readers and reviews! You're all fantastic!

Standard disclaimers apply

Chapter 7

Karou stood over her son, who was kneeling of the floor in front of her, his face pressed to the floor, and glared at him with angry eyes. Kenshin stood a few steps behind her, his arms crossed disapprovingly and a frown on his face, while Megumi sat next to Yahiko, doctoring up the numerous red welts that covered his body. Kenji whimpered, the anger and tension in the room was so thick he swore he could cut it with his father's sword. He refuse to meet their heated gazes, afraid he would see the pure murder that burned inside, their eyes.

He was in trouble. Big trouble. He could almost hear his mother's muscles twitching in effort not to reach out and blister his hind end, while his fathers unwavering stare bored holes in his head. He closed his eyes, and grit his teeth, hating the feelings of guilt and shame that wrapped around him like a blanket. How was he supposed to know that those tiny little bugs were capable of biting someone so hard? He spent several hours digging up their home, and not once managed to get bit. If he would of known that, he probably would have told someone about dumping the ants into Yahiko's bed. He didn't mean to cause his brother any harm, especially not like this.

"Mama, I didn't know!" Kenji shouted, keeping his nose to the boards of the floor, knowing better than to look up or raise his voice any higher. He wanted to shout at them to believe him, but his mother was about to explode each time she looked at Yahiko, who was swelling up like a balloon and wincing in pain as Megumi applied bandages to his body.

"You didn't know what Kenji? That ants bite?" Kaoru snapped, her voice hissing between clenched teeth.

Kenji nodded his head, bowing a little lower and praying she would believe him.

"WELL THEY DO! Hard as a matter of fact! And with enough bites, they are toxic, Kenji! Yahiko's lucky he didn't have a severe reaction, you could have hurt him very badly!" Kaoru was seething with anger. Oh, her son played pranks all the time on Yahiko, who normally had it coming, but none were ever dangerous or life threatening. She wasn't sure what bothered her more, the fact her student could have been seriously injured or the maliciousness of the joke.

Kenji whimpered again, squeezing his eyes shut, "But mother, I didn't know…I didn't."

Kenshin put a hand on his wife's shoulder, moving forward to stand next to her. Kenji was a prankster and a demon of cunning, but a lair he wasn't. He believed his son, but Kenji needed to be punished for putting bugs in his brother's bed, and the boy needed to understand the danger he put himself and Yahiko into. "Maa, maa, Kaoru. I don't think Kenji knew the ants would attack Yahiko, that he did not."

Kaoru fixed her husband in an icy stare, "Oh really? How do you know that, Kenshin?"

"Kenji is a trickster, but not a lair. I believe him."

Kaoru didn't argue, she knew her husband was right, their son was a truthful boy. Still, she was angry for his lack of common sense and discourtesy. "Maybe so, Kenshin, but he's still needs to be punished. By the way, where were you when he was performing the excavation in the back yard? Weren't you suppose to be watching him?"

"Oro?" Kenshin's eyes grew wide at his wife's accusation. "I was doing the laundry, that I was."

"And you didn't go check on him once?" Kaoru pointed a finger at her husband's chest.

"I didn't need to, I knew where he was at."

"But you didn't know what he was UP TO, Kenshin," Kaoru stated.

Kenji lifted his head from the floor slightly, just enough to see the interaction between his father and mother.

Kenshin stepped back from his wife slightly, waving his hands in front of him, dismissing her accusations. "I didn't sense any danger, so I didn't bother to look," he replied, eyeing his wife curiously. "Maybe you should be more careful in choosing our son's toys."

Kenji's eyes widened at his father's words and even Megumi and Yahiko stopped to look up at the husband and wife, squaring off inside the hall. Kenshin's voice was even, almost thoughtful, just speaking the truth as he saw it, but the glint in his eye said there was no way he was going down alone in all of this.

"What?" Kaoru stuttered, her face growing red.

Kenshin closed one eye and smiled slightly, "Well, koishii, if Kenji hadn't had that spoon and cup, he would have never dug up the ants."

Kenji dropped his head to the floor, his forehead hitting the wood with a thunk, cringing at what he knew was coming. "Baka…baka….baka….baka…." he thought as he heard his mother pound his father into the wall.

"Ken-san!" Megumi shouted, dropping her medicine and bandages as she struggled to get up from the floor, her child heavy frame weighing her down.

"Kenshin, your so stupid sometimes," Yahiko muttered.

************

Kenji grumbled as he finished cleaning up Yahiko's room, looking around to see if the room would meet his mother's inspection. If she approved, he would move on to the training hall and begin sweeping and polishing the floors. This was his punishment, to do all of Yahiko's chores, including cleaning up after him. He was to be, what he considered, a personal slave to the older boy for two weeks. There was no playing or eating supper until all the chores were complete, and Kenji couldn't even go to be until Yahiko got home and finished his bath, since Kenji had to clean up the bathhouse after his brother was finished.

It could have been worse, he supposed. His mother and father could have confined him to his room for several days, taking away any toys and his freedom. He was glad Yahiko wasn't the one who chose his fate, remembering how the older boy suggested they take him to the river and make him learn to swim. He shuddered at the thought, but was happy when his mother yelled at Yahiko and rebuked him for his cruelty.

His father and uncle Sano had moved several large rocks to cover the anthill in back, but the ant's only worked around the new obstacle, probably thankful for the new protection of their den. Now no one could dig up their home again, and both parties seemed to be satisfied with the outcome. Kenji had no desire to collect the bugs again any time soon. Auntie Megumi told him that he was very lucky he hadn't been bitten badly, like Yahiko. Apparently, being so much smaller than his brother, being bitten by so many ants would have made him extremely sick.

Yahiko recovered in two days time, only feeling slightly ill and itchy, but enjoyed all the attention he received from a worried and attentive Tsubame. The young girl took time off from the Akabeko to care for him, waiting on the young samurai hand and foot. Kenji almost gagged at the funny eyes the two made at each other, but hid his disgust behind a trademark smile.

"Kenji chan?"

The boy snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of his father's voice and craned his neck to look at the man who walked slowly into the room. His father smiled at him cheerfully, and nodded his head in approval at the state of the room. "It looks nice. You've done well!"

Kenji only nodded slightly, eyeing the bag in Kenshin's hand. "What's that for," he asked, pointing.

Kenshin tossed the tan sack at this son, watching as the little boy caught it easily, "You need to pack your things, we are leaving tomorrow morning for Kyoto."

Kenji frowned, staring at the bag in his hands. Leaving? Tomorrow? He's almost forgotten the trip his father had told him about and a grin began to spread across his face. If they were leaving the dojo that meant he wouldn't have to pick up after Yahiko or do his chores. He wondered how long they'd actually be gone, his father never told him, but he hoped it was as long as two weeks…however long that really was. He quickly remembered that he wasn't certain if Yahiko was coming with them or not and his smile began to fade.

"Ano….Mother, Yahiko…" he started, not wanting to ask outright in fear his father would catch on to the idea playing itself around in his head.

"No, Yahiko isn't coming with us, but your mother is," Kenshin started.

Kenji couldn't help but to smile big and hug the bag close to his chest. He was free! Free! Free! Free!

Kenshin arched a brow at his son, "And Kenji, your punishment continues as soon as we return."

Kenji felt his smile fall from his lips and his arms go slack. His father had to be a mind reader, there was no doubt about it. It was just like a parent to give something and then take it back right away. They were so unfair sometimes it wasn't even funny. He heaved a sight and stalked past his father, dragging the bag behind him.

*********

Kenji settled himself next to the window of the train, watching the people hustle by carrying bags and other various items. There were a variety of interesting folk present in the train station, and Kenji was amazed at the amount of people who managed to crowd into one spot. Some of them were dressed in normal attire, while others wore strange clothing of tall hats and frilly dresses. He glanced at his own loose shirt and tan pants, and thought how uncomfortable those people must be in such awkward clothing. He tried to picture his mother and father dressing that way and giggled. They would look so silly, being small and frail, that type of dress would swallow them up whole.

Kaoru looked at her son and smiled, "What's so funny kitten?"

Kenji just shook his head and grinned, continuing his observant vigil from the window of the train, as his father and mother chattered away at each other about the trip that lay ahead.

"Those cannot be our seats, sir," a voice shouted from the back of the train, causing all three family members to crane their heads to see the source of the ruckus. "We cannot be seated with those people. There has to be a mistake!"

"No sir, it's not. I'm sorry, but those are your seats," the ticket attendant replied shakily.

"Well, find us different seats! Surely there has to be some place else for us to sit. Preferably on a different car!"

"I…ummm…I don't think so sir, this train is full today," the attendant stuttered.

"Well go look you idiot!"

Kenji peered around the shoulder of his father, unable to see what was going on in the back of the car through all the people. Someone was mad about where they had to sit, and making quite a scene. The voice was definitely male, sharp and intimidating in tone, making Kenji cringe slightly. Immediately, he didn't like who ever was doing the shouting, they were arrogant and bossy, not to mention rude.

Kenji glanced at his father, wrinkling his nose up in disgust. "That man's not nice," he stated in his soft, chiming voice. He watched as his father only nodded, the samurai's brow creased slightly as he tried to see through the people standing in the isle.

"That voice," Kenshin replied quietly, not really speaking to anyone other than himself. It was a familiar voice, one he was certain he knew who it belonged to, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. He leaned further out into the isle, trying to peer through the bodies of people, and suddenly his vision was marred by nothing but blue slacks and glinting buttons. He swallowed once and allowed his eyes to follow the navy fabric up the slender frame slowly, praying that his screaming mind was totally wrong about who now stood in front of him.

"Good morning Battousai," a cold voice greeted him, "It looks like we are sharing the ride to Kyoto together today."

Kenshin met the golden stare of Saito Hajime evenly, his violet gaze narrowing slightly. This could not be happening to him. Everything was going so well, the day was perfect, his son was behaving, his wife was talkative and happy, but that was about to be shattered by having to spend half the day with this insufferable man. It was going to be a long trip indeed.

Saito snorted at Kenshin and stared at his former enemy contemptuously, "I don't like it any more than you do Battousai."

Kenshin sighed and ushered his wife over to make room for the tall man. There was nothing he could do about it, knowing now why the shouting man's voice sounded familiar. Saito was the person trying to get other seats, obviously seeing who his traveling partners were before Kenshin could sense him. "Good morning Saito san," Kenshin replied politely, trying not to sound too strained in his effort to be pleasant.

Saito grunted again and settled himself into one of the seats across from the family. "Hideki! Come over here and sit down!" A young boy, around eight years old, appeared next to the officer. He was tall for his age, skinny too, with short ebony hair that fell across his brow in a shaggy mess. His eyes were breath taking to say the least, large, elegantly almond shaped, and a beautiful chestnut color rimmed with deep brown. His features were delicate, yet sharp and defined, a wonderful balance between grace and ruggedness. The boy met each of the adult's stares evenly and bowed respectfully before seating himself across from Kenji.

Kenshin stared at Saito for a long moment, trying to form the question he wanted to ask in his head, not wanting to sound rude or intrusive.

"Yes, he's my son, Battousai. Saito Hideki, the youngest son of Tokio and I. He was visiting relatives here and I came to pick him up. I hope that satisfies your nosiness, since I don't intend on telling you anymore than that." The lanky police officer leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes slightly, his face set in a hard frown.

Kaoru screwed up her face, trying not to roll her eyes at the arrogant man that sat before her and Kenji just stared back and forth between the two newcomers, his pale eyes wide at the interaction between this man and his father.

"He's a fine looking boy Saito," Kenshin offered, smiling at Hideki. The child stared back indifferently at Kenshin, not bothering to speak or acknowledge the older man.

"He takes after his mother," Saito stated, not bothering to open his eyes.

"And his father," Kenshin's thoughts muttered, regarding the boy's coldness.

"Your whelp hasn't grown much. He's still as scrawny as ever." Saito lips curled into a smirk and he cracked at eye at Kenji. The last time he saw the boy was three years ago and he would had never guessed the child to be more than a year or two old then by just gauging his mere size. The boy had to be about six now, if the math was correct. The child had lost his baby fat, his arms were lithe and slender, his face had thinned somewhat, and he was still incredibly skinny and small. His hair was a lighter shade of red now, almost matching his father's in color, and it was longer as well, pulled into a loose ponytail at the base of his neck. His eyes hadn't changed at all, Saito had been sure they would have darkened some as the boy grew. Yet, they were still the same, intense diamond like eyes, almost void of color except for the hint of blue and violet that danced around the rim or each iris and pupil. Those eyes would be the boy's trademark, just as his father's scar was his.

Kenshin patted Kenji's head slightly, "He's grown quite a bit actually, but he'll never be a big man." That was true, Kenji would always be small, perhaps smaller than Kenshin, but what he lacked in height, he made up for in wits and intelligence.

Kenji glared at the father and son pair, narrowing his gaze into a warning. He did not like these two people, both were arrogant and rude, especially to his father. He could feel his father's ki dancing around him like a light breeze, slightly troubled and agitated. He was extremely sensitive to his father's spirit, able to feel things before most other people and capable of reading the older man's moods with extreme accuracy. His father was not happy about this man being here and neither was Kenji. Unlike his father, he was very forth coming when he disliked someone, not bothering to hide behind any polite façade. He was open and honest about his emotions and he set his face into a harsh frown.

The train lurched forward and the long journey to Kyoto began.

*********

Kenji stared out the window, watching the landscape roll by him, but not enjoying himself one bit. The silence that hung over their car was intense and disturbing. No one had spoken since the train left the station, not even his father and mother talked to one another. The man he knew as Saito kept his eyes closed, feigning sleep, while his mother read a book quietly. His father sat in stony silence, hands tucked inside his dark green gi, eyes partially shut against the world, but obviously in deep thought.

Kenji could feel someone staring at him and the hair on the back of his neck rose, like the hackles of an angry dog. He tore his gaze away from the window and swung his head around to level Hideki with an icy glare. Pale eyes burned into chestnut as a silent challenge was issued. Reason gave way to the strong swordsman spirit that lived inside Kenji's heart, he began to detest this other boy who dared him openly like this. Instinct surged in him and screamed at him to answer the dark eyed Hideki, refusing to allow him to break the line of vision. He could sense his challengers contempt and scorn, and this only added to his slowly rising anger. Kenji swallowed a feral growl, narrowing his eyes at his new enemy. Old rivalries, watered thin with age, now flowed strong again within the blood of the young.

Kenshin's eyes opened slightly wider as he sensed the flare in his son's ki, which usually meant trouble sometime in the near future. He shifted his slightly to look at his son and was taken aback by the view of the two children, locked in a mental combat of some sort, neither willing to relent to the other. His son's scowl was fierce and threatening, even for one so small, but Hideki glowered back, unwilling to give in to the tiny stick of a boy that sat before him.

Kenshin glanced at Saito, who was watching the two children as well, his lips pressed together in a thin line. He watched the Battousai's boy intently, amazed at the force of the boy's spirit, knowing his own son was not yet able to understand and manipulate such things. That training would come later for him, but the flame haired child was intense, so much in fact, he himself was startled from his light doze by the heated rise. Neither child was giving in though, Hideki having learned and trained well in his first two years of sword arts, but the Battousai's child acted on sheer instinct alone. He would make a worthy, and dangerous, opponent one day.

"Kenji," Kenshin asked gently, wanting to break the battle of wills before his son's inner prompting totally over came him and he acted out in some primal way, "Are you hungry yet?" It was a lame way to break up the match, but Kenshin did not want to ruin the trip further by having a full-blown fight break out on the train. Kenji was a brave and fearless child, but he would be no match for Saito's son.

Kenji tore his eyes away from Hideki, sliding his gaze irritatedly towards his father, the fire burning behind them ebbing away slightly at the sound of the man's voice. He shook his head vaguely, noting the warning look of his father's stare. He glanced back at Hideki, locking with the boy only momentarily, before studying the passing scenery again.

************

Kenshin stood outside the train car, grasping the railing and inhaling the fresh air. He left his seat a half-hour ago when both children had fallen asleep and there was no threat a fight or disagreement. He was fairly confident that his wife and Saito could handle any uproar between the two, if they happened to awaken during his absence. It was almost dumb funny how the two children immediately dislike each other, as if it was borne into them to carry on the rivalry between fathers. Kenshin didn't laugh at the irony though, children shouldn't know such anger and hatred, especially at such a young age.

Kenshin didn't hate Saito, he never did, but nor did he like the man in a friendly manner. He respected the former shinsengumi leader as a skilled swordsman, understanding that their battles were done out of necessity during the Revolution, as two people fighting for what they felt was the right cause. Eventually, the rivalry petered out, and in this day and age, any mention of a battle between the two of them was only mindless taunting on Saito's part, though Kenshin made it clear if the other man became serious, he would answer the challenge. They would never be friends, he and Saito, though Kenshin was slightly grateful for all the help the other man had given them in the past. He knew that Saito acted for Saito, no one else, and was intent of serving his own kind of justice on the cruel and manipulative people of today's era, but still Kenshin was thankful.

"Why do you look so pensive, Battousai?"

Kenshin turned his head slightly, watching as the tall man lit a cigarette and flick the match over the railing. He had sensed the man a few moments ago, and braced himself for the company.

"You know, all that brooding is bad for your heart, and you're not getting any younger." Saito stated, taking a long draw off his the cigarette.

Well, that was the truth, he wasn't getting any younger and his body sometimes felt like that of a sixty-year-old with all the aches and pains he was troubled with. "I was just out here getting some fresh air, that's all," he replied.

Saito chuckled and leaned against the door of the car, watching the rolling hills as they passed by. "You are a bad lair, Battousai. It's a wonder you survived the revolution, being as transparent as you are."

Kenshin frowned. Being transparent had nothing to do with his survival. The ability to lie and the ability to disappear were two very different skills, and he happened to very good at the latter. Silent, secretive, and swift, allowing himself to become one with the shadows, like a demon of death, was what maintained his life during those bloody days. Yet Saito was right, he was a horrible liar, unable to convince himself during the revolution that was he was doing was right, and nearly spiraling himself into an abyss of madness. Yes, he was an awful lair.

Kenshin's silenced didn't bother Saito, he smirked and continued to talk at the man, enjoying his former rival's apparent unease. "That's an interesting boy you have in there. He's quite spirited I take it."

Kenshin stiffened at the mention of his son, but quieted his nerves, reminding himself that Saito would never harm his son and had in fact helped look for him when the boy became lost in Kyoto. "Hai, he is indeed. He takes after his mother," Kenshin answered.

Saito nodded slightly, "I imagine he does…somewhat. That tanuki girl has always been idiotically hot headed." He took another drag off his cigarette and stared hard at Kenshin's back, "A dangerous combination if you ask me."

Kenshin turned now, looking at Saito fully in the face, "What would you know, " he replied testily. This man's barbs were beginning to irritate him, he had enough to worry about and need not be reminded of what was pulling him back to Kyoto.

"Temper, temper, Battousai," Saito chided, "I was only making an observation. Your boy acts on instinct alone, he's far to small to have picked up a sword yet, but he met Hideki's challenge without fear. Any other child that young would be frightened of a larger boy."

Kenshin stared at Saito, "Kenji knows no fear."

Saito snorted, "A man with out fear is foolish. You should know that."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes at the tall man, his patience and temper wearing thinner by the minute, "Saito, your riddles are beginning to bore me."

A look of mock hurt crossed Saito's face. "Old age has frayed your politeness, Battousai," he taunted, flicking away the ashes of his cigarette. "I'm just interested on how you intend to tame that wild little beast you have in there, that's all. If he's as hardheaded and fearless from what I've witnessed, combined with his instincts, your wife's temper, and your skills, he's going to be quite the handful. Maybe even dangerous when he grows to be a man."

"Kenji maybe all those things, but you do not know him. He's a compassionate child and kind as well, his soul is pure and full of good intention," Kenshin stated.

"The best intentions sometimes have the worst outcomes, Battousai."

Dedicated to all the Saito fans out there! I love the guy, he's awesome! Expect to see more of him and his son in this fic, the rivalry between the two is renewed through the kiddies….(evil laugh)…but if the story works out the way I want it too, there should be a little more twist regarding Kenji, Hideki, Kenshin, and Saito….but I never know, I didn't even plan on having them meet up on the train, it just sort of happened….anyway….I'll have the next chapter up soon! The train ride continues…..