A/N: I have included two glossaries in this chapter. I decided it was easier than trying to jump back and forth to the beginning for word help... so don't be surprised when you see it. It mostly takes care of the words from there on anyway. This is another one of those bloody rotten transition chapters... I hate to write them... but they have to be done. Next chapter I promise things will be much spicier. Read and enjoy.
Haruko: This one just blew me away. Heart-warming and light-hearted compared to the previous chapters, got me laughing at every turn!
Glossary: Okaeri=Welcome, Saiai=Beloved, Anata=Beloved Husband, Aisai=Beloved Wife, Koishii=Dear/Darling, Hai=Yes, Gomen nasi=I'm Sorry/Excuse me, Aishiteru=I love you, Sho-ji=Outside door, Fusuma-Inside door, Okaasan=Mother, Otousan=Father,
Chapter Nineteen
A little Surprise
"Dead... dead.... dead..." Raspy, scratchy, and most assuredly angry, the voice of the Bane echoed through the growing ice tomb that had once been the magnificent and beautiful Throne Room in the center of the Old Imperial Palace. "Kill... kill... kill..." The sound of the long curved claws scraping across the ice-covered marble blocks made a rasping whisper that only seemed to make the Bane's own voice more breathy and unstable. "You are all going to pay now... Himura, you and both of your meddling brats... I'm going to rip your heads off and eat the sludge of your brains... tasty... tasty... tasty..." More and more the mother-son bond between the Bane and Christian was fading as the more it evolved into the monstrous form of the Wolf and Hell-Beast that it was.
But still the voice persisted sweet and lilting beneath the inevitable scratch and rasp of the growl that could not be subdued. Somewhere deep within the essence of something that had once been Elsbeth de'Angeles still lurked and slipped in and out of the shadows of the Bane's fragmented mind, and she was still bent on vengeance against the one Man who had affected her life the most, and who had inflicted the most pain.
Himura Kenshin. He, together with his son's would perish between her fangs and she would bathe herself in their blood even as she danced to the sounds of their screams of agony and cries for mercy. Oh, how she longed for those things and as her flesh twitched and pulled itself back together from the twin wounds that the Father and The Unborn had inflicted upon her body, the Bane knew it would take much more than those two little men and their swords were capable of to destroy her now.
"You can't win this time, Himura... Now it is MY turn to send you screaming into Hell while I am the One to remain behind and reap the bounties of Japan's sweetest blood." A thrill of excitement surged through her powerful body and she found herself filled with a excruciating pain that felt as if it would tear her body in half and dump her viscera on the ice covered floor. The resounding howl of pain that filled the frozen air vibrated throughout the room like a hurricane, and the newly formed ice cycles around the massive skylight trembled threateningly as the Bane collapsed on her side whimpering and shivering in agony. Shimmering incandescent lights made of rainbow colors danced and flickered along frost-covered walls as the great beast shuddered on the floor its hind legs twitching wildly.
As one more great howl filled the huge ice encased room, the final phase of transformation of flesh and bone was at achieved as the talon tipped hands clenched and fused into massive paws, pads, and deadly claws while the malformed arms and shoulders at last achieved their proper length and configuration becoming powerfully built and well-muscled forelegs meant for running speed and tackling fleeing prey.
The last vestiges of confusion within the features and upon the head of the Beast were dismissed as the ears shrunk slightly but flared open increasing the range of sound detection by more than 1500 feet. A once narrow, flat, bat like snout pulled itself inward and became more barrel like with the large black nose and highly sensitive nostrils twitching at the end where it would be most useful at sniffing out even the slightest change in the scents that drifted on the breeze.
But always remaining the same, were the eyes.... twin swirling pools of liquid silver having no depth, no beginning, no end. Filled with boiling rage and hatred they glittered with unnatural life as they surveyed the room they knew so well. Nothing about them had changed while their body had changed... everything had remained the same. Slowly, painfully the Bane rolled to its side and struggled to stand on its newly formed legs and found them strong. Powerful. Exhilarating. Satisfactory. The eerie sound of rasping female laughter rose through the frost filled air and it seemed even the night trembled in fear as the alien sounding voice spoke.
"Just look at me now, Himura... It's time for Mother-Wolf to go a-hunting... that it is." And as the Bane sprang forward across the frozen floor disappearing into a blur of browns and blacks, the walls of the throne room began to bleed.
Kyoto, Four Days After Christian's Rescue
The Saitou Home
Kenshin and Kaoru's Room
Though Christian was still very ill, he had showed incredible improvement in the short time he had been under his new families' care. The color had returned to his face, his eyes had regained their original brilliant blue, and he was smiling again which helped to hide some of the gauntness of his ill-nourished thinness. It would be sometime before he put the weight back on that he had lost while under the torturous care of his 'Mother'.
As it was, the young Spaniard had yet to speak to anyone about his ordeal of being with the Bane or exactly what It had been doing to him, but Kenshin felt sure that he would eventually. It was something that would have to be spoken if Christian was going to ever stand a chance of gaining control of his enormous ki... because as he healed, so would it and that power was something he was going to have to face... and that meant facing what his Mother had become... ALL of it.
"It is too much to ask of him, Kenshin. He has been through more than any of us know. You cannot expect him to do this." Kaoru was looking at her husband as if he were the monster and not Elsbeth. "He is not YOU." An angry scowl crossed Kenshin's face as he looked into his wife's stubborn visage.
"I know he is not ME, Kaoru. I do not expect him to be Me..."
"Are you so certain you do not?" She bit out before he could finish earning herself another scowl and a snort to go with it.
"Would you allow me to finish please?" He asked in a tight voice and she blushed in response though her expression showed not one iota of remorse as she met his amber tinged violet glare. "As I was saying, I do not expect him to be Me, but I do expect him to at least try and face the demon's in his past... and in his blood. He is MY son, and; therefore, he does also carry MY blood which should help carry him through the difficulties."
"I have known you for nearly 20 years, Kenshin... and I have never heard you speak so arrogantly... I never thought I would." Kaoru's voice dropped down to a low tone and the disappointment that laced through it brought a look of consternation to her husbands face.
"Arrogant??" He whispered in confusion and hurt. "I do not speak out of arrogance, Kaoru. I am trying to help, Chri-stan... I am trying to... to..." He lowered his head and covered his face with his hands for a moment as he tried to gather his suddenly scattered thoughts. "I am trying to find a way to enlighten him... and give him courage... a reason to believe in himself... a reason to believe in that he is not an evil being like SHE was..."
"K-ken-sh-shin??" Kaoru suddenly felt the sting of tears and the pressure of a terrible guilt squeeze her chest as she realized what he had been doing all of this time. Reaching out to him, she grasped one of his wrists and held it tightly.
"I need him to think there is enough 'goodness' in him to overcome whatever he believes is bad... I need him to trust me or I will never be able to help him... but before that can happen, Chri-stan must believe in himself."
"Oh God, Kenshin... Gomen nasi... Koishii.... gomen nasi..." The tears spilled over her lashes and streamed down her pale cheeks as the pressure in her chest increased until she thought her heart might burst. "I-I did not under-stand... gomen... Kenshin... gomen..."
"There is much you have not understood about me and my son, Saiai-Kaoru." Unwrapping her hand from his wrist, Kenshin gently pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly against him. "It has been difficult for all of us since Chri-stan arrived, but for none more so than Chri-stan himself."
"I-I had not... thought..."
"I know, it is all right. You have been so worried about Kenji since the night he and Quii-san were drawn into the Bane's nightmare trap... do you think I do not see these things anymore?" His voice was gently chiding even as it comforted her. "You are my Kaoru, and I will always know what upsets you, but I may not always know how to help you."
"I thought w-we were supposed to help each other, Anata?"
"Hai. But sometimes, helping each other is knowing when to leave each other alone." She pulled away from his embrace and looked deeply into his dark violet gaze desperately trying to understand what he meant, and then the realization of what he said came to her like the dawning of a great sun on a new horizon. All of the secrets... the meetings with Kenji... the unreadable looks... the sad longing look in his eyes he refused to talk about... all of those things... the things that had been making her feel so angry and insecure.
"Oh Kenshin... I have been so foolish, and so unsupportive of you in this whole awful mess. How can you ever forgive me?" Kaoru bowed her head in a submissive apology as well as shame as she pulled the rest of the way away from her husband and proceeded to set alone on the floor.
"It is quite simple, Kaoru." He spoke gently and slipped two fingers beneath her chin and tilted her face up so that he could look into her pain filled sapphires. "I love you... and you are 'Kaoru' after all." A beautiful smile curved her full pink lips as her hands came up to cup his beloved face.
"Kenshin," She spoke his name as she leaned into him and pressed her forehead against his. "I don't know how I got so lucky that Kami-sama blessed me with such a wonderful husband, but I am so grateful... and so happy."
"Are you, Saiai?" He asked with just the hint of worry in his tone. "Are you still happy with me even with all of the troubles I continue to bring into your life?"
"Yes," Her voice lowered and took on a husky tone that he knew so well and a shiver slid across his flesh in response to it as his body automatically began to anticipate what might happen next. "You always make me happy... just by being in my life. I could never love anyone else but you."
"That is good to hear." He murmured gently as he nuzzled her nose with his.
"Doushita, Anata?" She asked mischievously as she slid her arms around his neck. "Were you worried about that?"
"Mmmmm... Maybe a little bit." He answered truthfully as his hands dropped to her hips and , despite the pain, he deftly lifted her into his lap so he could nuzzle her neck instead of her nose.
"You shouldn't." She whispered into the thick red mane of his hair as she removed the tie and let it cascade around them in a heavy curtain. "I will love you forever... Kenshin." A low moan of need escaped him and his mouth slid along the curve of her jaw until he reached the sweetness of her mouth, and finding her lips parted and waiting for him, he slowly and languidly pushed his tongue into the heated cavern.
Always, always it was the same as it had been the first time he had ever kissed her that first day he had held her in his arms so many years ago. The day she had saved him from his own nightmare... from the vision of 'The Demon's Finger'... from the despair of his own loneliness... and from himself. He had known from that day, from that moment that his lips had touched hers that he would never be free of her, nor would he want to be. She became a part of his living soul that day, and nothing had changed in all the years since.
The passion that had flared between them hot as the fires of heaven had remained with them through the trials and victories of their life together, and as Kenshin's hand moved to cup the back of Kaoru's head in a gently erotic embrace, it ignited between them once again.
"I will always want you..." He groaned as his mouth burned fire down her throat to the valley between her breasts. "You are the fire that feeds my soul, Kaoru... I could have never faced my life alone without you... never... Aisai... never." As her kimono and obi fell away, Kaoru buried her hands in the heavy thickness of his hair pulling him closer against her.
"Aisheriteru... Saiai-Anata..." Her voice was ragged as he lowered her to the floor and covered her nakedness with his. "Aisheriteru... Ken-shin."
A loud knock thundered through the small house rousing everyone from their peaceful naps. Everyone being, Kenshin and Kaoru, Quii and Kenji, Christian and Kuumi, and Tokio who was stumbling down the hallway with both of her daughters close on her heels as she made her way to the sho-ji.
"Who could it be, Okaa?" Kuumi huffed behind her mother as she quickly tied her white obi around the waist of her dark-blue kimono.
"I don't know, dear, but whoever it is, they knock very loud."
"No kidding." Quii's breathless voice joined her mother's as she skidded to a halt beside her and stared at the still closed sho-ji. "Are you sure we shouldn't wait for Kenji or Uncle Kenshin, Okaa?"
"Quii... I'm sure everything is fine... and if it is not, I am sure you can handle it."
"Thank-you, Okaasan." Quii beamed and bowed humbly as she accepted the faith her Mother put in her new found abilities. "I will do my best."
"Very well, lets open the sho-ji." Tokio and Kuumi exchanged worried glances, and then Tokio pulled the paper door open to reveal who was on the other side.
"Hurry, Kenshin... Tokio and the girls have already gone down the hallway to answer the door." Kaoru sent Kenshin's white hakama sailing through the air, and as her husband turned to retrieve it, he found it wrapped around his face and shoulders instead of on the floor where he had initially left it. A slow deliberate hand rose and removed the tangled garment revealing a face that was carefully blank of all expression. "Oops.... sorry." Kaoru giggled and quickly dove for her own rumpled garments before she could witness the annoyance on Kenshin's face.
"Uh-huh... sure you are." Shaking his head, Kenshin continued to get dressed as quickly as his painful joints would allow all the while letting a small plot to form in his head. 'Vengeance is sweet, my love,' he thought wickedly. 'Very, very sweet.' Suddenly the sounds of squealing and screaming rang through the small house, and all thoughts of vengeance disappeared from Kenshin's mind as his alarmed eyes met those of his wife.
"Ken...?" In the space of two heart beats the two of them were yanking back the fusuma and dashing into the narrow hallway. As they did, they bumped into an equally alarmed Kenji.
"Otousan?"
"I don't know... come." And the three of them rushed down the hall toward the cacophony of noise coming from the front of the house.
Glossary: Shakaku=Angel of Fire, Okaeri=Welcome, Baka=Stupid/Idiot, Ohayo=Good Morning, Nani=What?, Tenshi=Angel,
"Uncle SANO!!" The joyous note in Kenji's voice more than echoed the rest of the laughter and squealing excitement of the two girls who had attached themselves to the tall lanky gangster who now stood grinning in the middle of the room.
"Hiya, Brat... Boy... did you get big since I last saw you."
"Hai... that I did." Kenji's bouncing body quickly joined those of his life-mate and her sister as he threw his arms around the big man and hugged him tightly. "Okaeri, Uncle... Welcome Home."
"Thanks, Kid... Hey, where's the old man? Hanging around anywhere close?"
"I am right over here, you Baka. Don't you have eyes in your OWN head... must you always use someone else's?" The teasing note in Kenshin's voice was only partially successful in masking the immense amount of happiness that filled his rich tenor as he folded his arms in mock irritation across his chest. Sano's gaze whipped to the right and landed with swift precision upon the shorter man with the blazing red hair whom he had not seen for some five or six years, and as earthy brown eyes met dancing violet, he burst into loud raucous laughter.
"Kenshin!" He whooped as he divested himself of his three clinging vines. "Just as tight-assed as ever, I see... I would have thought that all these years with the Jou-chan would had mellowed you out. I see I was sadly mistaken."
"And I see that all the years you have spent with Megumi-san have done absolutely nothing to improve your manners. You are still as uncivilized as you ever were."
"Yes, he is." Came a voice from the open doorway, and as Kenshin and Kaoru turned to look, they gasped as they found a smiling Megumi surrounded by she and Sano's three children; Nykka, who was 12 and looked and behaved just like her mother, Onniya, who was 9 had been graced with her fathers dark earthy looks and his devil-may-care attitude much to her Mother's constant grief and irritation, and lastly, their youngest child, a young boy the age of 4 who was his Father's pride and joy.
This would be the first time for nearly everyone that they had met the child. For standing with Megumi as well, was Aoshi and Misao's pride and joy, Lira, who was holding the beautiful little boy with the huge chocolate brown eyes and shining ebony hair.
"Megumi!" Kaoru squealed like a young girl and rushed from behind her husband to fly across the room and throw her arms around her friend. "Oh, Megumi..." She cried, feeling tears begin to slide down her face as the other woman's arms reached out to hold her close. "I have missed you so much."
"I missed you too, Kaoru." Megumi's voice was just a whisper as she buried her face in Kaoru's neck and let her own tears fall. "It has been far to many years... far too many. We should have never stayed away for so long."
"Look at you," Kaoru said as she leaned back and touched a trembling hand to the other woman's face. "You are still just as beautiful as you ever were."
"So are you, silly." And they both burst out laughing and hugged again.
"Hey, is there any room in there for me... or is this a private reunion?" Megumi looked over and found herself smiling into the teary face of Shinimori Misao.
"Misao... Oh Misao." And it was suddenly a three way hug.
"Girls..." Kenji shook his head and snorted softly before turning to wink playfully at his mate and ducking agilely when she took an irritated swing at him. "I was only kidding..." He laughed and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and nuzzled into her neck. "I'm glad they are here... We can use the help... and the emotional boost. Whaddaya think?"
"Um-hum..." Quii answered as she snuggled close to her mate and wrapped her arms around his neck. "We could all use it... especially your Father."
"Hai. That he could."
Behind them the afore mentioned Man was being approached by his long-time best friend whom he welcomed in a fierce hug as tears of joy trickled down his face. "Sano... you got Tokio's telegram." It was a statement.
"Yes." He replied in a quiet voice as he held the man he loved and respected more than any other in his life. "We came as soon as we could... are we in time?"
"Hai. Arigato, my friend... Arigato."
"No problem, Kenshin. You knew I'd come... didn't you?" Sano pulled back and looked down into the beloved face. "I've never let you down when you really needed me... have I?"
"No." Kenshin smiled and thumped the taller man in the shoulder. "You have always been there even when I didn't want you to be."
"That's true." A big grin split Sano's face as he shoved his hands into his ever present pockets. "But in the end, you were always glad I came."
"Hai. That I was."
"Ohayo, Sagara-san. I see you have returned my jewel to me." Aoshi's drool tenor inserted itself into the two men's conversation and successfully drew their attention away from earch other.
"Yup, I did. Not that I was ready to be rid of her, mind you, Aoshi. She's the best damn babysitter there ever was." Sano smiled into the twin jade eyes that met his gaze as he looked at Lira being held quite firmly inside of her Father's protective embrace. His young son looked completely non-plussed about being near the tall stranger as he submitted himself to the embrace while still being held in the girl's arms. "The little'en took right to her and it's been the devil to get him to come to anyone else... even his Mother."
"Then I gather this fine young Man is indeed YOUR son, Sagara-san?" Aoshi's eyes glimmered with a hint of mirth as he tilted the youngsters face up so he could look into the serious brown eyes. "He's very quiet. Are you certain he belongs to you?" The gentle sarcastic gibe brought a bout of laughter from both Sano and Megumi as she and the other women moved to join their husbands.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's mine... but where all that seriousness came from, we aren't quite sure. Must be the Kitsune's side of the family... all those doctors and stuff, you know."
"Ahhh," Aoshi nodded and accepted that answer. "Then he must be very intelligent as well, no?"
"It would seem so," Megumi spoke up. "He is only four and already knows his full alphabet and number characters."
"And his hand is quite good too... I mean, you can actually read what he writes." Sano was obviously pleased as he spoke about his youngest child. "And he learned to talk early too... though you wouldn't know it... 'cause he's sooo quiet." He reached out and tickled the little boy earning a couple of giggles and a brilliant smile showing small white teeth.
"You brag too much, Papa." Onniya complained as she wrapped her arms around her Father's waist and buried her face in his stomach. "He's just a baka boy." This brought loud laughter from everyone and Sano reached down and hugged his youngest daughter to him tightly.
"Now, was that very nice, Shakaku? Calling your little brother, baka?" Sano's voice was slightly chiding, but there was just too much laughter in it to be taken seriously, plus it was obvious that there was a definite jealously issue going on between his two youngest children and he was having to be careful just how he handled it. "You talked very early too, I remember."
"Uh-huh... And I walked way before HE did too."
"Yes, you did."
"See, Papa... girls do some stuff lots better than boys." Her voice was leaning toward the desperation tone of trying to get him to agree with her as she struggled with the loss of being 'Papa's' favorite to the serious little brown eyed wonder child.
"Yes, Shakaku." He soothed her as he used the pet name he had given her when she was a wild child of two. "There are many things that girls do better than boys, just as there are some things that boys do better than girs. It is up to each of us to use these things to the best of our abilities... and you, my Saiai, are the fastest runner I know for your age and many others, and I think it will come in handy one day so you should keep practicing."
"I should?"
"Yup, and you know what else?"
"Nani Papa?"
"You sing like a Tenshi. Why, I think even the birds stop to listen when you start to sing, Shakaku."
"They do?" Her dark brown eyes grew round with astonishment as she tried to imagine the birds all setting on their tree branches with their little heads cocked to one side strained to hear every note she sang.
"Yes, I think they do. So... there is absolutely no reason in the world for you to think I brag too much about your brother... 'cause I brag about you too, you little scamp."
"Oh Papa!" Onniya threw her arms around her Father and hugged him close and then raced away from him obvious off to tell her sister and all of her cousins about the birds and the tenshi's. Megumi smiled as she watched her youngest daughter fly out the sho-ji, and then turned a loving if not mischievous look on her grinning husband.
"You can't stand her singing, you big jerk." She said as laughter colored her voice.
"No, I can't." He conceded with a nod. "But she doesn't have to know that, now does she?"
"No, I guess she doesn't, but you do realize that she's going to be singing her fool head off from now on, don't you?"
"Yes... but now it will be OUTSIDE because she's gonna be watching to see if the birds are listening." Megumi burst into laughter and was quickly followed by every other adult in the small circle.
"You haven't changed a bit, Sanosuke." Misao chided in mock severity as she shook her finger at him. "What a rotten thing to do to your own daughter."
"What?" He shrugged as he spread his hands in innocence. "Would you rather have her singing INSIDE?" Misao looked questioningly at Megumi who was furiously shaking her head as she laughed.
"That bad?"
"That bad."
"Oh... I didn't realize..."
"You owe me an apology, Weasel. I just saved you from certain torture."
"Awww... shut-up, Rooster-head!" The laughter continued.
Kenji and Quii looked at each other and shook their heads in confused amusement. "Come on," He said as he took her by the hand and pulled her toward the door. "We better go make sure all those kids don't kill Onniya." Quii giggled and followed him as he exited the front door and they left all of the old friends to themselves. Suddenly Lira felt very out of place.
"Hey, why don't you go to your Papa for a bit?" She said, and gently handed the round-eyed little boy over to a smiling Sano, and then she turned and kissed her Father's confused face. "I'm going to go outside with Kenji and Quii and make sure the kids are getting along. I promise I won't be far."
"Hai." Aoshi gave her a hug and Misao kissed her cheek and then she, too, disappeared through the door, only she pulled it shut behind her.
"Alone again..." Misao looked wistfully toward the closed door her only child has so recently disappeared through.
"So it would seem." Kenshin echoed her thoughts as he sought out the ki signitures of his son and his life-mate for a moment. "I suppose it has been a very long time since they all say one another."
"Hai." Aoshi nodded. Sagara-san's children have not seen Tokio-san's sons for many years, nor have they seen Kenji-san or Quii-san. And Lira has been absent for a while... it is time the family got reacquainted... especially considering the task at hand."
"Hai." Kenshin nodded in agreement and looked long and deep into his beloved wife's face. "That it is." And then he turned back to Sano and Megumi with a perplexed and almost troubled look on his still young looking face, and as the question formed in his mind, he gently reached out and touched the silky softness of Sano's youngest child's cheek. "Sanosuke?" His voice was filled with a sense of confusion and wonder as he spoke.
"Nani, Kenshin?" Sano exchanged a strange and almost uncomfortable look with Megumi and then looked back at his friend. "What is it?"
"What is your son's name? You have never told us."
"I-I haven't?" Stunned and shocked Sano turned and looked at Megumi once more and found the same look on her startled face. "I'm sure we did..."
"No... you have not mentioned his name once since you arrived... in fact, as I recall, we were not even aware you had had another child. Did we receive news of his birth, Koishii, and I just do not recall?" Kenshin looked worriedly at Kaoru, but she shook her head.
"No, Kenshin. I do not remember ever receiving a letter that Megumi had given birth to another baby." Now both Kenshin and Kaoru were looking at Sano and Megumi in confusion.
"Why wouldn't you have told us?" There was just a hint of hurt in Kaoru's voice as she looked at the other couple, and they in turn began to look quite guilty.
"There is a reason for that." Megumi began tentatively. "We were waiting until we could come to Tokyo so we could show him to you."
"Show 'him' to us?" Kenshin reared back his brow knitted in bewilderment. "I do not understand. Please explain."
"It is just... we wanted you to see him when we told you his name." Sano's brown eyes grew imploring as they begged his friends understanding. "We had planned to come this Summer... but, this has brought us sooner."
"Why must we see him to learn his name, Sanosuke?" Kenshin could feel chills sliding up his spine. Something was going to happen though for the life of him he could not guess what.
"Because, old friend... We decided to give him a very special name, and a very special purpose, and we wanted you to know as if you had been there the day he was born."
"Oro?" Sano laughed softly.
"He still does that, does he?" He looked at Kaoru.
"Sometimes." She replied as she looked at her husband's pale face. "But only when he is very out of sorts with things."
"I understand." Slowly Sano set the little boy down on his own feet and then stood up behind him resting his big hands on the slim shoulders. "Himura Kenshin, I present to you, My Son. He was born to me and my Aisai in the Spring, four years ago. On that day, we decided that he would be educated in language, mathematics, the way of the hand.... and the way of the sword. When he is old enough, we wish to bring him to Tokyo, to the Kamiya Dojo, and have him taught the Kamiya Kassin Ryu by Sensei Himura Kaoru, AND Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu by Sensei Himura Kenji. Whom, I am certain, by then will be qualified to teach him."
"You wha...?" Kaoru stammered and Kenshin's mouth dropped open both speechless as Megumi picked up where Sano had left off.
"My Son is both intelligent and patient, and although he is still very young, he has proven himself diligent and without guile or mallice. I am certain he will complete his training."
"Have you any idea what you are asking?" Kenshin finally found his voice and as he spoke, he looked at both of his friends with dumbfounded incredulity.
"Megumi?" Kaoru was filled with perplexity and amazement. "How can you want this for your own son? After all the years you patched Kenshin up? After all the pain it caused you to see him wounded like that knowing what it would do to his body later... Why would you want this? I do not understand."
"Why, Kaoru?" Megumi bowed her head as she felt the familiar pain slice through her heart at the thought of what her son would suffer in the years to come, but she also knew the reason she had made the decision and she would not change her mind. "Because... because Sano and I owe something back to this world. We owe something back for the happiness and goodness that has come into our lives because of... of..." Her voice trailed of as emotion chocked of her words.
"Because," Sano raised his fierce gaze to meet the confused ones of his best and most beloved friends. "Because of the second chances that the two of you gave to us."
"Us?? Because of us?" Kaoru sounded almost horrified as her gazed dropped to the small boy. "You would sacrifice your son to pay a... a... debt of ..."
"It is not a dept, Kaoru." Megumi spoke again, her voice filled with pride as well as the crack of emotion. "It is honor, it is trust, it is... belief. We want our son to become a part of the strength and honor that made the two of you the people that you are. We want him to grow and mature into the kind of man who would sacrifice everything for a friend, a stranger, an ideal... for his honor. We want him to grow up to be like Yahiko and Kenji... like you Kenshin... and that is why when we named him, we thought of you."
"Me? You thought of me?" Violet eyes darted from one parent to the other in anxiety and discomfort as the red-headed swordsman desperately tried to understand what they meant. "What have you done?"
"We gave him a name he could be proud of." Sano said in a voice filled with respect as he bowed his head and closed his eyes. "His name is.... Kenshin."
"Orrrooo..." And the sound of Kenshin's body hitting the floor as he fainted was followed by five collective gasps of surprise and concern.
Please Review. Arigato :"}