Chapter Sixteen
Usui waited patiently in the forgotten storeroom. Dust tickled his nose and he could feel where he had accidentally brushed through cobwebs. He was seated on an old shipping crate. The smooth slates had some slight nicks and tears, but the height was correct in suiting his long legs. As promised he had no weapons. No visible ones anyway.
As he always was he was early. Early enough to make sure there was no ambush set in place and early enough to scout the exits out. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. It would be incredibly unwise to be caught in another trap.
"Usui." The cold voice rang slightly in the enclosed room and Usui sensed the man stop just short of him. He gave a nod and rose to his feet.
"I am please that you have considered my offer enough to come Shinomori."
"It intrigues me."
"I'm sure it does." Usui chuckled dryly. Men who held their honor in high regard were quite easy to manipulate. The fact that Shinomori was mentally unstable was all the better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hiko glared at the dark polished wood of his desk. The boy was already ten minutes late. Hiko was a busy man! He didn't have time to mess around waiting for his stupid student to get his act together. Now he knew why the boy was not a spy.
There was a timid knock on the door.
"Come in." Hiko said mildly and pretended to be immersed in his papers. It wouldn't do to look nervous or eager. After all, it had only been a week. Nothing too much could have happened in such a short period of time. Right? No, of course not!
Kenshin slip through the door and slid it shut behind him. He looked like he was preparing to do battle with his bangs shaded over a frown.
Damn straight he better be. Hiko wouldn't stand for any excuses or put-offs.
"So what's going on." Blunt as ever. Ah, how bluntness had served him well over the years. There was none of that beating around the bush or tact crap for him. What a waste of time and energy. He pitied the poor fools who couldn't just speak their mind. How horrible an existence. Who needed tact when you could say things outright? And who in their right mind would argue back? That was the best part. No one would dare.
Kenshin didn't sit, oh no, he was too well trained for that. Instead he straightened his shoulders and looked Hiko square in the eye resolutely. At least he wasn't stuttering like a fool, which he seemed prone to doing on occasion.
"Miss Tokio and Megumi are safe, that they are."
Hiko waited patiently with folded hands. If the boy thought he was going to escape with just saying that he was sorely mistaken.
"And Saitoh…"
Hiko's eyes narrowed.
"Hajime Saitoh?"
Kenshin started and gave an apologetic smile for his reaction, "Yes."
"Of all the people it would have to be him. Fate is a cruel mistress. Why couldn't it have been an ugly man?"
"Oro?"
Hiko ignored his student's yip. Hajime Saitoh, an old college classmate. One he never liked particularly. They always seemed to end up competing, or fighting over something. So why did he get this feeling that a choice in women was looming on the horizon? Never was he so happy as the day he graduated and left that bastard behind, what he thought was, for good.
He wasn't a jealous man, he truly wasn't. Maybe he appeared slightly possessive, but if you didn't stand up for what was yours then you didn't deserve to keep it. And after five years and a long lost daughter Tokio was damn near his as you could get.
He uncurled his fists and made his face curl into a forced smirk. Kenshin would have been wise to run.
"And."
"And what Master?" Kenshin trailed off uncertainly and blinked rapidly with comprehension. "Oh. Well, Megumi has a dog named Sissy now. Saitoh doesn't like it, that he doesn't, but Megumi is still keeping it. Umm, but she's, er, calling Saitoh Daddy?"
Hiko snarled low in his chest. It had taken awhile to warm up to the idea, but that was a title he fancied. And he didn't fancy some no-good thief taking it. Even if it was all for show and fake.
"Miss Tokio is polite, that she is. They haven't killed each other yet. And Shishio seems to be holed up with his plans."
Hiko wanted to tell his student to forget Shishio. The man was not his concern. Let the girlfriend-stealer deal with the pyro-torched man. Heh, if Hiko was lucky they would take care of each other. Yes, that sounded like a satisfactory solution.
"There are two Shinsengumi member in Shishio's compound. Megumi's friends Sanosuke Sagara and Honjo Kamatari." Hiko vaguely remembered meeting a spiky haired youth named Sano at one point and time. He supposed that was one of them. It was a thought that didn't make him particularly happy in the slightest. The thought that not only did his daughter know two of the enemy personally, but Tokio had let the man on campus to baby sit her!
He and Tokio needed to have a talk. He was getting this nasty suspicion that when Megumi's disappearing and Tokio's aversion to the word Shinsengumi were connected. A very unsettling thought to say the least; one that did not please him in the slightest.
"Master?"
"What is it stupid student?"
"You look pensive, that you do. Is something wrong?"
Wrong? Of course something was wrong! The whole concept was wrong!
"Nothing for you to worry about." Hiko replied gruffly.
There was this pause as Kenshin scuffled. That pause never ended in anything good. Hiko groped around for something to throw for when his student made the stupid mistake of voicing whatever it was. The boy could run, but he hadn't ever managed to escape the flying projectile when Hiko decided to launch one.
"This unworthy one thinks that you are jealous, that he does… ORO!" Ha, take that you noisy unworthy one! He shoots and he scores. Hiko hadn't been team captain of the basketball team for nothing. It seemed his aim and arm hadn't diminished. Too bad it was only a small calculator. He cast about for the iron trashcan he knew was in the general vicinity of his desk.
"Mind your own damn business. Don't you have spying to do?" Hiko grumbled with satisfaction. It never occurred to him that he had almost said an oxymoron, not that it would have mattered if he did. He had more important things to worry about.
Like how to get over there himself. Obviously sending his student just wasn't going to cut it. He didn't think it would, but there was no sense in wasting his effort on the small things.
"Yes Master." Kenshin yelped and ducked out just as the trashcan was in hand.
Now that the distraction was gone he had to think. He switched on 'Headstrong' by Trapt and started humming. That song always seemed to help him out of ruts. Noisy stapler girl claimed it just encouraged his bullish behavior, but what did she know anyway?
He didn't usually listen to that trash that the younger generation insisted was music. No, he was more talk-radio. Not the news. It just served to remind him why he hated the majority of humanity and not the stupid radio shows where the people were lewd and loud. Usually he listened to that rare station on the AM dial that had useful information. Like how to make an unruly computer behave or stress management (not to be confused with self-help mumbo-jumbo.)
Surprisingly it was Tokio who had given him the name of the song and band. She was a hard-core classic rock fan. He had no idea that she even knew pop existed.
A faint, genuine smile appeared on his face before he frowned. He couldn't let years of their relationship go down the drain. He just had to think of a way to convince her of the same thing.
Yet, no matter how long he thought about it he came to this one conclusion: He would have to go, personally, and straighten this out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aoshi allowed a slight quirk grace the corner of his mouth as his eyes roved the hallway. Usui was quite the egotistical fool. He was even more the fool to take someone into his confidence on the mere assumption that that someone had singular motives.
Aoshi most certainly had ulterior motives. More so than the fool would even know. Assuming he lived much longer to even get an inkling. It suited him fine in any case.
He was far more methodical and persnickety with his plans. He wouldn't fail.
A/N: *twitch**falls to the floor grovelling* that was so pitifully short I am ASHAMED... *blinks* oh look, my download is done *wanders off.* Okay, admittedly I have been a bit distracted. I've been reading the rest of rk manga (starting with vol. 28 and going backwards ^^;; I'm at Sano's family right now), watching some anime (Bottle Fairy is great... for four year olds and easily amused American gals), finishing BSR (hey J, didn't I tell you it was going to be that way? And you didn't believe me! I just wish I didn't have to make it a seperate chapter), plus my new job (great fun. My head will explode... and Sano IS a bala shark, just like Hijikata is a tiger oscar and Saito is a ghost-knife fish.) Plus you can't forget school! Plus I haven't worked on this for almost a month so I totally lost whatever I was doing ^^;; *chokes*... maybe I shouldn't watch the "special" PMK #13 while writing this... bad thoughts.
Wistful-Eyes: He is one of the stupider people we have had in office. Kerry better win! Go Kerry, go anyone! Trees, national parks, all the other things he's ruining. He doesn't even know how to pronounce enviroment. You think he can convince Sano to go? No, I'm kidding. That's totally serious. It's not something you just do to make a point. You have to mean it.
MissBehavin: Teenage hormones. Tokio wouldn't hit him per se... not physically anyway. What better than to puncture an ego? After all, she's had tons of practice. Anti-Bush, always have been, I just wasn't old enough to vote last time. It's called, I need money to run my campaine so I'll buddy up to my supporters (who cares who I step on? I want what I want when I want it) and they'll give it to me because I'm a stupid puppet who can't pick my nose properly. You hit another part of it with SS and life insurance, but there are also social issues. The United States isn't know for the tolerance preached! [Fools]: I really didn't pay much attention to him (except Okita's reaction to him, which was hilarious!), but I hadn't read any fics centered around or had him in it. I wasn't able to fit his his 'howdy pardner'. Besides, someone needs to pick on the trio! Okita and Hijikata was so easy... the easiest part. You're not a HxO fangirl are you...?
Fyyrrose: Oh yes, I really went off. Don't you dare back out! Just because you've seen my ending. Lazy. Work on Spring so we can go on. I should give that rant to my mother. I can see her going, EEVEE! But genocide and lemmings are good comparasions! *whimper* And the C stands along... *continues singing that verse.* [Fools]: You said flagpole; I came up with the rest. You like that because you'd do the same thing! *chokes* You know, in that PMK HS RP I'm following Saito does do a session with him? About Itou and the fans. Poor Saito. Yes, there are ref. to 15 and a few others.
Usui waited patiently in the forgotten storeroom. Dust tickled his nose and he could feel where he had accidentally brushed through cobwebs. He was seated on an old shipping crate. The smooth slates had some slight nicks and tears, but the height was correct in suiting his long legs. As promised he had no weapons. No visible ones anyway.
As he always was he was early. Early enough to make sure there was no ambush set in place and early enough to scout the exits out. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. It would be incredibly unwise to be caught in another trap.
"Usui." The cold voice rang slightly in the enclosed room and Usui sensed the man stop just short of him. He gave a nod and rose to his feet.
"I am please that you have considered my offer enough to come Shinomori."
"It intrigues me."
"I'm sure it does." Usui chuckled dryly. Men who held their honor in high regard were quite easy to manipulate. The fact that Shinomori was mentally unstable was all the better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hiko glared at the dark polished wood of his desk. The boy was already ten minutes late. Hiko was a busy man! He didn't have time to mess around waiting for his stupid student to get his act together. Now he knew why the boy was not a spy.
There was a timid knock on the door.
"Come in." Hiko said mildly and pretended to be immersed in his papers. It wouldn't do to look nervous or eager. After all, it had only been a week. Nothing too much could have happened in such a short period of time. Right? No, of course not!
Kenshin slip through the door and slid it shut behind him. He looked like he was preparing to do battle with his bangs shaded over a frown.
Damn straight he better be. Hiko wouldn't stand for any excuses or put-offs.
"So what's going on." Blunt as ever. Ah, how bluntness had served him well over the years. There was none of that beating around the bush or tact crap for him. What a waste of time and energy. He pitied the poor fools who couldn't just speak their mind. How horrible an existence. Who needed tact when you could say things outright? And who in their right mind would argue back? That was the best part. No one would dare.
Kenshin didn't sit, oh no, he was too well trained for that. Instead he straightened his shoulders and looked Hiko square in the eye resolutely. At least he wasn't stuttering like a fool, which he seemed prone to doing on occasion.
"Miss Tokio and Megumi are safe, that they are."
Hiko waited patiently with folded hands. If the boy thought he was going to escape with just saying that he was sorely mistaken.
"And Saitoh…"
Hiko's eyes narrowed.
"Hajime Saitoh?"
Kenshin started and gave an apologetic smile for his reaction, "Yes."
"Of all the people it would have to be him. Fate is a cruel mistress. Why couldn't it have been an ugly man?"
"Oro?"
Hiko ignored his student's yip. Hajime Saitoh, an old college classmate. One he never liked particularly. They always seemed to end up competing, or fighting over something. So why did he get this feeling that a choice in women was looming on the horizon? Never was he so happy as the day he graduated and left that bastard behind, what he thought was, for good.
He wasn't a jealous man, he truly wasn't. Maybe he appeared slightly possessive, but if you didn't stand up for what was yours then you didn't deserve to keep it. And after five years and a long lost daughter Tokio was damn near his as you could get.
He uncurled his fists and made his face curl into a forced smirk. Kenshin would have been wise to run.
"And."
"And what Master?" Kenshin trailed off uncertainly and blinked rapidly with comprehension. "Oh. Well, Megumi has a dog named Sissy now. Saitoh doesn't like it, that he doesn't, but Megumi is still keeping it. Umm, but she's, er, calling Saitoh Daddy?"
Hiko snarled low in his chest. It had taken awhile to warm up to the idea, but that was a title he fancied. And he didn't fancy some no-good thief taking it. Even if it was all for show and fake.
"Miss Tokio is polite, that she is. They haven't killed each other yet. And Shishio seems to be holed up with his plans."
Hiko wanted to tell his student to forget Shishio. The man was not his concern. Let the girlfriend-stealer deal with the pyro-torched man. Heh, if Hiko was lucky they would take care of each other. Yes, that sounded like a satisfactory solution.
"There are two Shinsengumi member in Shishio's compound. Megumi's friends Sanosuke Sagara and Honjo Kamatari." Hiko vaguely remembered meeting a spiky haired youth named Sano at one point and time. He supposed that was one of them. It was a thought that didn't make him particularly happy in the slightest. The thought that not only did his daughter know two of the enemy personally, but Tokio had let the man on campus to baby sit her!
He and Tokio needed to have a talk. He was getting this nasty suspicion that when Megumi's disappearing and Tokio's aversion to the word Shinsengumi were connected. A very unsettling thought to say the least; one that did not please him in the slightest.
"Master?"
"What is it stupid student?"
"You look pensive, that you do. Is something wrong?"
Wrong? Of course something was wrong! The whole concept was wrong!
"Nothing for you to worry about." Hiko replied gruffly.
There was this pause as Kenshin scuffled. That pause never ended in anything good. Hiko groped around for something to throw for when his student made the stupid mistake of voicing whatever it was. The boy could run, but he hadn't ever managed to escape the flying projectile when Hiko decided to launch one.
"This unworthy one thinks that you are jealous, that he does… ORO!" Ha, take that you noisy unworthy one! He shoots and he scores. Hiko hadn't been team captain of the basketball team for nothing. It seemed his aim and arm hadn't diminished. Too bad it was only a small calculator. He cast about for the iron trashcan he knew was in the general vicinity of his desk.
"Mind your own damn business. Don't you have spying to do?" Hiko grumbled with satisfaction. It never occurred to him that he had almost said an oxymoron, not that it would have mattered if he did. He had more important things to worry about.
Like how to get over there himself. Obviously sending his student just wasn't going to cut it. He didn't think it would, but there was no sense in wasting his effort on the small things.
"Yes Master." Kenshin yelped and ducked out just as the trashcan was in hand.
Now that the distraction was gone he had to think. He switched on 'Headstrong' by Trapt and started humming. That song always seemed to help him out of ruts. Noisy stapler girl claimed it just encouraged his bullish behavior, but what did she know anyway?
He didn't usually listen to that trash that the younger generation insisted was music. No, he was more talk-radio. Not the news. It just served to remind him why he hated the majority of humanity and not the stupid radio shows where the people were lewd and loud. Usually he listened to that rare station on the AM dial that had useful information. Like how to make an unruly computer behave or stress management (not to be confused with self-help mumbo-jumbo.)
Surprisingly it was Tokio who had given him the name of the song and band. She was a hard-core classic rock fan. He had no idea that she even knew pop existed.
A faint, genuine smile appeared on his face before he frowned. He couldn't let years of their relationship go down the drain. He just had to think of a way to convince her of the same thing.
Yet, no matter how long he thought about it he came to this one conclusion: He would have to go, personally, and straighten this out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aoshi allowed a slight quirk grace the corner of his mouth as his eyes roved the hallway. Usui was quite the egotistical fool. He was even more the fool to take someone into his confidence on the mere assumption that that someone had singular motives.
Aoshi most certainly had ulterior motives. More so than the fool would even know. Assuming he lived much longer to even get an inkling. It suited him fine in any case.
He was far more methodical and persnickety with his plans. He wouldn't fail.
A/N: *twitch**falls to the floor grovelling* that was so pitifully short I am ASHAMED... *blinks* oh look, my download is done *wanders off.* Okay, admittedly I have been a bit distracted. I've been reading the rest of rk manga (starting with vol. 28 and going backwards ^^;; I'm at Sano's family right now), watching some anime (Bottle Fairy is great... for four year olds and easily amused American gals), finishing BSR (hey J, didn't I tell you it was going to be that way? And you didn't believe me! I just wish I didn't have to make it a seperate chapter), plus my new job (great fun. My head will explode... and Sano IS a bala shark, just like Hijikata is a tiger oscar and Saito is a ghost-knife fish.) Plus you can't forget school! Plus I haven't worked on this for almost a month so I totally lost whatever I was doing ^^;; *chokes*... maybe I shouldn't watch the "special" PMK #13 while writing this... bad thoughts.
Wistful-Eyes: He is one of the stupider people we have had in office. Kerry better win! Go Kerry, go anyone! Trees, national parks, all the other things he's ruining. He doesn't even know how to pronounce enviroment. You think he can convince Sano to go? No, I'm kidding. That's totally serious. It's not something you just do to make a point. You have to mean it.
MissBehavin: Teenage hormones. Tokio wouldn't hit him per se... not physically anyway. What better than to puncture an ego? After all, she's had tons of practice. Anti-Bush, always have been, I just wasn't old enough to vote last time. It's called, I need money to run my campaine so I'll buddy up to my supporters (who cares who I step on? I want what I want when I want it) and they'll give it to me because I'm a stupid puppet who can't pick my nose properly. You hit another part of it with SS and life insurance, but there are also social issues. The United States isn't know for the tolerance preached! [Fools]: I really didn't pay much attention to him (except Okita's reaction to him, which was hilarious!), but I hadn't read any fics centered around or had him in it. I wasn't able to fit his his 'howdy pardner'. Besides, someone needs to pick on the trio! Okita and Hijikata was so easy... the easiest part. You're not a HxO fangirl are you...?
Fyyrrose: Oh yes, I really went off. Don't you dare back out! Just because you've seen my ending. Lazy. Work on Spring so we can go on. I should give that rant to my mother. I can see her going, EEVEE! But genocide and lemmings are good comparasions! *whimper* And the C stands along... *continues singing that verse.* [Fools]: You said flagpole; I came up with the rest. You like that because you'd do the same thing! *chokes* You know, in that PMK HS RP I'm following Saito does do a session with him? About Itou and the fans. Poor Saito. Yes, there are ref. to 15 and a few others.