Disclaimer: I do not own RK or PMK.
Surprisingly, I found it loads easier to write Battousai into a PMK fanfic than PMK characters into a RK fanfic.
Chapter 2: Lone Wolf
Ichimura Tetsunosuke, fondly known as Tetsu to his friends, was playing with his toddler son on the veranda when he saw the figure coming towards them through the drizzling rain. "Saitou-san?" The man looked as if he were already dead. He was carrying his young daughter in his arms. He collapsed on reaching the Ichimura's gate.
"Saya!" Tetsu's wife came running. Tetsu handed his child to her and ran over to Saitou. He disentangled the frightened child from her father's arms. What happened? Saitou's clothes were wet. His face was pale. Tetsu let Saya take the little girl while he shouldered her father.
Saitou awoke to find himself in an unfamiliar room. Shouldn't he be with Tokio? Then he recalled the previous evening... "Saitou-san?" Tetsu came as soon as Saya informed him that the man was awake.
"Midori... where's Midori?" Tetsu winced as Saitou gripped his arm tightly. "Come with me, Saitou-san." The younger man led him to where Saya was standing before a closet. "She wouldn't come out. Saitou-san, please, what happened?" Saitou only shook his head.
Tetsu was disturbed. He had never seen Saitou in such a state. After leaving both father and daughter in his wife's capable hands, he had gone to the Fujita house. Seeing the maid's body at the gate, he ran to get the local police. Tetsu guessed Saitou was involved in some shady work; the man had changed his name to Fujita...
Both Tetsu and Saitou were part of the Shinsengumi. Saitou was the third patrol captain while the younger Tetsu was a page. After the war, Tetsu had married his sweetheart and started a small school. There was simply little room in the new era for the traditional sword-wielding samurai. He adjusted to a peaceful life as a teacher. The Shinsengumi was a lifetime behind him... until Saitou came to enroll his foster son in Ichimura's school.
"Midori? We'll leave some onigiri out here..." The girl must be hungry by now. Tetsu placed the food outside the closet. The door opened a crack. Then a small hand reached out for the tray. Saitou grabbed the door...
"Saitou-san! You can't rush her!" Midori clawed her father as he forced the door open and tried to grab her. He let go and she slammed the door shut. Saitou stared at the bleeding scratches on his forearm. Tetsu called for Saya to get some ointment and bandages. Saitou then realized his little girl has not made a sound since he found her.
His work as a government spy took him away from his family for months at a stretch. He was away when his children were born. Midori was two when she first met her father. He saw them only a few days at a time before leaving on another mission. Did his son's eyes burn with the same amber as Midori's? He'll never know.
"Saitou-san, does this have anything to do with Okita-san?" the redhead Tetsu ventured as the bodies at the Fujita house were prepared for the funeral. Surely Saitou had seen the words scrawled in blood on the wall. Traitor, see you in Kyoto. You'll pay Okita in blood. There were several rumors circulating about after the Restoration.
"Ichimura-san, I leave my daughter in your care." With those words, Saitou stalked off. To Kyoto. Enough running, enough hiding. He'll have to face the specter of his best friend... Tetsu watched as the former third patrol captain left. The last true Miburou... Aku Soku Zan...
He went back to his own house and was pleased to see the tray of onigiri he had placed before the closet was empty. Tetsu picked up his toddler son and pondered over the past. Were those rumors true?
In Tokyo, Kenshin has had enough of being at the receiving end of Kaoru's mood swings. He decided some time apart will help them both cool down. Obon was approaching. He should go place some flowers on Tomoe's grave this year. It will be good to visit the gang at Aoiya. Maybe he could drop in on Master Hiko... naa, better not. With those thoughts in mind, Kenshin wrote a letter before heading towards Kyoto.
He suddenly realized he had brought his sword along out of habit. Well, it was too late to go back. Kaoru will beat the stuffing outta him. He prayed Kaoru will be more understanding when she cooled down. It's not as if he were not coming back. He was just visiting friends. Kenshin strolled along.
"KENSHIN BAKA!" Kaoru shrieked when she saw the letter. She fled wailing to her good friend Tet. "Kaoru, it's not as though he isn't coming back..." Yahiko ran after her and tried to reason with her. "He's just gone to visit Aoshi and Master Hiko..."
"I want a divorce! He's gone to see that Megumi! She just opened a clinic in Kyoto! She told us in her letter last month!" She threw a radish from a nearby stall at Yahiko and knocked him unconscious. Katsu was passing by when he caught sight of the pair. He swore that he'd remain a bachelor for life if that's how girls behave after marriage.
Author's Notes:
Both Ichimura and his wife Saya are taken from Peacemaker Kurogane. Tetsu's a bit OC but I figured ten years and starting a family will have made him more mature. Kindly note that he's a teacher now. Readers familiar with PMK may note the thing about hiding in the closet.
Poor Kenshin's gonna get it from Kaoru... Poor Yahiko, too.