Disclaimer: I do not own RK or PMK.

Odd title? The veil refers to the curtain seperating the mortal & the spirit realm. More supernatural kind stuff coming up.

Chapter 13: Crossing the Veil

Midori! Where's she? Saya was frantic with worry. She checked the closet and under the veranda again. The neighbors have been roped in to find the missing girl, but not many were willing. Rumors were rife about why her family had been slaughtered. Saya's son wailed for his meal but she ignored him. Finally, she conceded defeat. With a heavy heart, she penned a letter to Tetsu and hoped it will reach him.

Midori was walking towards Kyoto. There was something she had to do. Her father was there. She was not afraid as she was not alone. The stranger from the other night was guiding her along. The girl decided she sensed no hint of ill intent from the shade. Rather, his presence reassured her.

Now she was tired. The child crawled into a roadside shrine and was soon sleeping under the benevolent gaze of a statue of the Buddha. No time… The shade reluctantly left the child in the shrine.

Saitou felt the stuffiness of the night in the inn as he paced the corridors. Megumi had returned to her clinic to find her patient attacked. She reported this to Kenshin. They will protect Megumi and her patient in case the attacker decided to return. Tonight, Tetsu will be on duty there with a pair of old swords he had not used for more than a decade.

Kenshin was out late searching for Kaoru with Katsu. Saitou smiled wryly. The policeman stunt was something Ichiro would have used. In the past, Ichiro had tried to sneak onto Okita's patrols by donning a Shinsengumi uniform off the clothesline. Of course, being even smaller than Tetsu-kun, they always weeded him out before leaving the grounds.

In this era, only the policemen have the right to carry swords in public. Saitou himself had kept his sword by keeping out of the way of his former colleagues. He's been doing more sneaking about than he had done as a spy. He lit another cigarette. Finally, he decided to take a walk to clear his head.

Obon. The lights were put out to guide the spirits back to earth on this night. Saitou can almost feel the souls of his long dead comrades passing by.

He strolled by the former soba restaurant. Gazing in through the darkened windows, he caught a glimpse of his past. Okita had decided to celebrate Tetsu's getting his swords with a meal. Saitou had been reluctantly dragged along by Tokio. They sat at the table. Susumu and Tetsu's elder brother were there too.

Okita was flanked by Tetsu on his right and young Ichiro on his left. He started coughing into his handkerchief and quickly hid it away. Young Ichiro glanced at his uncle with a look of worry on his boyish face. Tetsu, drunk with excitement at getting his swords, was blissfully ignorant of Okita's distress. The image faded away.

Seven at the table, four now dead. Tetsu's brother had died before the new era came. Ichiro, the youngest one now a serial killer. Saitou now must hunt Ichiro. At least Tetsu will be left out of this tragedy of twisted fates.

He saw the silvery-grey wolf. It sat on its haunches staring at the former Miburou with its amber eyes. Their eyes met. Human and wolf. Both the same amber. Follow. It's time to end it all. Saitou nodded. The wolf led him away from the closed restaurant. He had hunted in these same streets with his patrol then; now he was alone. A lone wolf.

"Himura-san, it's late… We can't go door to door asking!" And Kyoto's a big place. They have been searching without rest since noon. "Himura-san?" Katsu realized Kenshin was not paying attention to him. The red-haired samurai suddenly broke into a run.

Saitou! Kenshin had spotted the man disappearing into an alleyway. He followed with Katsu hot on his heels. The wolf led Saitou through the maze of alleys and out into the outskirts. Unknown to Saitou, Kenshin and Katsu were mere yards behind him…

From his perch on the roof, Aoshi looked down on the sleeping city. Slightly more than ten years ago, shinobis had sprinted across the roofs of this city by moonlight. Silent but deadly battles fought while the citizenry slept and dreamed. Shinomori Aoshi is familiar with such battles. He had been a player in several of them.

A new era. That was what they are living in. An era with little need for the Oniwabanshu. He had lost friends. Okina was fading. He had taken a turn for the worse but was adamant they did not send for a doctor. The old man knew his time was nearing.

A few years ago, he had actually tried to kill the old man. Something held him back. Now this same thing tugged at him, beckoning him back into the sick room. Okina was like a father to him, even though he'd rather not admit it to anyone. He found Okina lying on his futon. His breathing was labored.

Misao knelt beside the old one, holding his wrinkled hand in hers. Aoshi knelt down beside her, ignoring the other Oniwabanshu members in the room. The lamp was burning bright enough to show that she had been crying. Okina opened his eyes on hearing the young man's footsteps. Strange that he should have retained his hearing when his body was so exhausted.

"Aoshi…" Okina greeted him with a weak smile as he took Misao's small hand. With his other hand, he firmly took Aoshi's hand with the palm upwards. The old man placed Misao's hand in Aoshi's.

"Don't cry, my darling Misao," he croaked weakly. He turned to Aoshi. "You entrusted her to me many years ago. Now I'm entrusting her to you," the old man winked mischievously. "Treat her well, my son." He smiled and patted their hands. His hand fell limply onto the covers and his eyes closed. Okina's soul left peacefully.

"Ji-ya!" Misao wailed and broke into loud sobs. Aoshi did something he never thought possible. He placed his arms gently about the pigtailed girl and let her cry on his shoulder. Around them, the others were also weeping. Okina was loved despite his mischief. Aoshi realized that his face was wet with his own tears.

The wolf loped back to its master. Ran was waiting outside the wooden shack. Somehow, he knew his prey was coming. He stood up and greeted the former Shinsengumi captain. "It's been a long time, Saitou Hajime."
Author's notes:

Midori can see/ sense spirits like the PMK Saitou. It's a SEA folk belief that children & animals can sense spirits better than adult humans. Note that RK Saitou does not have any psychic ability. Another part borrowed from the PMK manga is the soba restuarant.

Like writing about Misao & Aoshi. Neat move by Okina entrusting Misao to Aoshi... even Aoshi should get the hint.

Final showdown! Saitou Hajime vs Ran... or is Izumi Ichiro?