Disclaimer: I do not own RK or PMK.

Deja vu for Katsu in the previous chappie (Refer to my RK fic Obon). I got the idea of the grass whistle from a RK wallpaper. More AoshiWeaselgal fluff & laughs. (Runs from angry Misao)

Chapter 10: Past and Present

Soujirou was improving. Megumi smiled as she watched him trying to write with his left hand. It was still a little stiff. He had managed to change his clothes by himself that morning. He looked up and saw her. "Takani-sensei," he chirped. He was surprisingly cheery.

After the visit to Mitsu, Kenshin had not found a reason to call on her. He was too caught up with the Miyagi murders. Misao had called several times for Okina. Her beloved grandpa was deteriorating with each day. Surprisingly, it was Saitou who called on her daily to ask after Soujirou. One could never tell…

"Megumi-san?" It was Kenshin. "How's Soujirou?"

"He's recovering. He is young…"

"But what next?" Kenshin watched the boy as he fumbled with the brush.

"He can stay here for a time while we decide that," Megumi replied firmly. "I may even decide to take him as a student." She winked fox-like at the sweatdropping samurai. She smiled and went "ohohoho" as a pair of fox ears appeared from her head. "Do you know that ex-policeman's been visiting Seta?" Saitou has a caring side? Kenshin fell to the ground.

Tokyo. Katsu was on his way to Gensai's when he heard a commotion. He found a heavily bandaged Yahiko struggling with both Gensai-sensei and Tsubame. He had a splint on his right leg and his left arm was in a sling. He had a bandage on his head. Such was the vigor of youth. The morning after being shot and thrown from a speeding carriage, the boy was up and raring for a fight.

"Yahiko! What are you doing? You should be resting." Katsu dropped the fruits he had bought.

"I know! But he took Kaoru. Kenshin asked me to protect her…" The poor boy was almost hysterical. Katsu gripped his shoulders firmly. "Do you know where they're headed?"

Yahiko blinked. "Kyoto, I think."

"I'll go after Kaoru-san," Katsu replied. "But I want to go!" Katsu waved aside Yahiko's protests. "You've a badly broken leg. If you move too much, it will not set properly and you can give up your sword." The boy's eyes widened with horror at the notion. Slowly, he nodded.

"Katsu, you better not be lying, or I'll thrash you!" Yahiko threatened as Gensai and Tsubame steered him into the clinic. Gensai stopped Katsu before he could leave. "Katsu-san, get yourself a train ticket. It's faster that way. Kaoru's like a daughter to me…" Katsu nodded. A train will be faster.

Ichimura Testunosuke had just reached Kyoto. The place had changed in the past ten years. He trudged about, trying to find the inn Susumu had mentioned. Was it still standing? Susumu was the Shinsengumi's shinobi and a friend of his. Shortly after the war, he had written to tell Tetsu that he had found employment as a cook at Aoiya. That was the last letter he sent and Tetsu never wrote back.

Shimabara was now a very ordinary marketplace. The garish brothels and gaudy kabuki theaters had gone. The former Shinsengumi compound was now a private mansion. He caught a glimpse of children playing in the same yard where they used to train. Still, the memories came… of friends gone, times past, both happy and sad.

Saitou's favorite soba restaurant now sold steak instead. He crossed the bridge where he and Saya shared their first kiss.

The confectionery Okita-san frequented still stood. He half-expected to see Okita coming out of it with his sweets. "Tetsu-kun?" Tetsu almost jumped out of his skin. That tone of voice was so like Okita…

He turned. "It was you, wasn't it? Why?" The young man in the policeman's uniform only smiled and held a bag of candied orange peel. "Saitou-san was kind to you, so was Tokio-san! Why, Ichiro?" It was so pointless. Eiji was a mere child. Tokio was no more than your average housewife. And for kami's sake, the baby was only three days old!

"Why? Didn't niichan used to buy you sweets here? By the way, Ichiro's long dead." The man was almost bored as he nibbled a bit of peel. Tetsu's grip tightened on his twin swords he had hidden in an old blanket. He hated the smile the man gave him. Where the smile was full of warmth on Okita, on him it was pure ice.

"Don't pull your swords now, Tetsu-kun. Remember the new laws? I'd hate to kill you," Ran smiled as he patted the hilt of his own sword. As a policeman, he wore it in plain sight. "Sayonara," Ran turned and melted into the crowd. Tetsu tried to chase after him but found he had lost sight of the man…

"Ow! Watch where you're going! Kiddo!" Misao rubbed her sore behind as she landed. Tetsu had bumped into her. He winced as snapped back. "I'm not a kid. For your information, I'm twenty-nine!" He was still a little on the short side… "Weasel-girl…"

"Weasel-girl?!" Misao kicked Tetsu in the face as Aoshi caught up with her. "Misao-chan, that's quite enough."

"Yes, Aoshi-sama…" Aoshi cringed inwardly as she gave him a sugary smile. Tetsu stifled a laugh. Yes, Aoiya. He should ask for directions. He had lost Ichiro for now. Knowing him, it'd be a miracle to find him if he did not wish to be found.

"Aoiya?" the pigtailed girl laughed. "Me and my boyfriend live there!" Misao laughed and slapped Tetsu on the back. Aoshi cringed again… He really should clarify things, but does he want to? "Aoshi-sama, let's show him some of our Aoiya hospitality!" Misao tugged at Aoshi's overcoat. Aoshi was tall, as tall as Saitou. And just as aloof.

"I'm not a kid! Is there a Yamazaki Susumu working there?" Tetsu asked. "Yamazaki-san died in an accident four years ago," Aoshi replied. "I see," Tetsu sighed. Another friend gone…

Aoiya was a cozy place with reasonable rates. Ichimura Tetsunosuke was soaking in the tub to remove the dust of his journey when a skinny redhead came in. He was holding his wash basin and towel. "Gomen, I didn't know they have another guest…"

"It's alright. There's room in the tub." Tetsu had shared his bath with his comrades in the Shinsengumi before. The redhead accepted his invitation. Tetsu noted that he was a swordsman. Scars from past battles marked his lean body. "Arigato," His violet eyes smiling, Kenshin thanked the new guest.

"You look familiar," Tetsu moved aside to make room for the newcomer.

"Maybe we have met before," Kenshin lowered himself into the tub. Somewhere in Kyoto, hiding from a rainstorm? Back then… Tetsu searched his memory. Yes. They have met before…

Then Tetsu saw the cross-scar on the redhead's cheek. Red hair, cross scar… "Battousai!" Tetsu gasped. He's sharing the tub with the sworn enemy of the Shinsengumi! Then he reacted out of sheer instinct…

Author's notes:

The sweet shop thing's borrowed from PMK. Really, we don't know much of RK Okita, so...

Deja vu for Tetsu. Weasel-girl? Figures Tetsu will have been influenced by Saitou's perchance for nicknames. As for Tetsu & Kenshin meeting before, refer to my PMK fic "Waiting in the Rain".

Thanks for the reviews.