Past and Future By Hitokiri-san (hitorkiri_battousai_ishinshishi@yahoo.com.hk)

Disclaimers: Lawyers-sama, for disclaimers please see last chapter. Or the chapter before that. Or even the chapter yet before that. Or then the chapter before that chapter. You will see that suing me will win you more money than a lottery ever will. Literally. Until I start suing you back and you know that I'm a lawyer from Oxford =^.^=

Lawyer from Harvard: This little kid said that she's a
lawyer from Oxford? (I heard from someone she's in Grade
9)

Lawyer from Cambridge: Let's sue her.

Authoress: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

*Please enjoy the story while Authoress
continues sparring and swearing and suing with
lawyers-sama*

Ch 7 Our problems, solved and beginning anew

Battousai stared at Zenei with slitted amber eyes. Zenei regarded him with his own silvery ones.

Both blinked.

"Well, that's it, Himura. The girl's gone. Now out with the time turner." Zenei said finally.

Battousai lowered his katana, looking at the man with such genuine innocence that might have deceived a newborn. "I thought you said you don't accept threats."

"Fine! I do. Out-with-the-time-turner!" Zenei snapped impatiently, feeling humiliated.

The hitokiri cocked his head, smiling in an adoring little-boyish way. "Out with what?"

The man growled dangerously. "So, I take it that you are backing on your words?"

"So what if I am."

"You think we can't torture it out of you?" Zenei said savagely, trying to conceal his anger.

The boy recoiled inwardly. He had gone too far. Thinking up an impromptu plan, he sighed with as much pain in his voice as he could force in. "Alright. I'll give it to you."

"Where?" Zenei demanded shortly.

Battousai pointed to a random calligraphy roll hanging on the wall. "This is it. Please - leave Kaoru-san alone as you have promised."

The black-haired man thought for a moment, reaching for the calligraphy roll. "That will be against our rules, but as I've promised...what choice do I have?"

His fingers touched the smooth paper of the roll. Just upon the touch Zenei sensed that something was wrong. There was no power stored inside the object. He felt for the familiar sensation of the aura emitted by the time turner.

There was none. //Masaka...//

"HIMURA!" Zenei aka Time turned around just in time to see Battousai diving behind the shouji. His men were all firing at the boy with their willpowers, but evidently the sudden twist of events had caught them unawares. Most shots ended up striking on the shouji, blasting it into particles. Blanching, the hitokiri boy zipped down the stairs. If he was standing in place of the shouji...well....

"Come back here! This world will soon disappear if you keep this up, dammit!" Zenei's shout was audible even in the thunderous noise created by twenty-one pairs of feet sprinting down the stairs. Of course, Battousai ignored him as always, knowing it was but an empty threat.

He didn't bother to open the front door; katana winking the Hiten samurai had all the complicated locks cut into halves. As for the gates, the boy leaped right over it, twirling to avoid immediate collision with a thin crowd congregated right behind the gate. Shouts and gasps followed him as he turned into an abandoned alley. Obviously he'd been mistaken for a burglar or something by the way he flew over the gate.

Knowing he couldn't sense Zenei, Battousai peeked out of the mouth of the alley. He was rather surprised that they weren't chasing him from behind; then he understood and rolled his eyes. // They can't go running around the street and showing themselves to everyone. The last time was okay because they didn't think I would refuse to cooperate - it was just a matter of take-and-go to them. But this time....They already *knew* what my reaction would be if they came chasing for me. I would choose the noisiest markets and main streets to run through, just to make sure everyone sees them. Oh, that would cause so much attention. //

Acknowledging this, the hitokiri quickly retreated out of the alley. He would be safe as long as he was accompanied by a big crowd. One thing that made Battousai the deadliest assassin throughout Japan was that the boy could keep his wits with him through any occasions. For Zenei Makimoto, the simple matter of getting something from the hitokiri could cost a head- splitting headache if the kid had made up his mind *not* to hand it over.

The afternoon sun was blazing down Kyoto. Most people were out for their activities, so for the hitokiri it was only a matter of blending into the crowd, something he was tremendously good at. He scanned the crowds again - no trace of any suspicious characters. He smiled. Now he would be joining his older counterpart for the mission. Afterwards he would inform him about Zenei Makimoto - and see what his reaction would be. If the rurouni agreed that he should go back to the Bakumatsu.then, what choice did he have? Maybe if his memory of being in the future was erased it would be less painful for him to survive the chaotic days of the Bakumatsu.

His mouth thinned into a line. He would hand the choice of his destiny to the rurouni. After all, the wanderer was the only one who could understand him thoroughly. Whatever he would choose would be the best choice of all.

Having decided this, he quickened his pace. Besides the mission, there was something nagging at his mind. It was the same feeling when he had forgotten about the Vanguard of Justice. Something equally important....

*Kaoru-san*.

Where had she ran off to? He didn't even tell her the position of the warehouse Kenshin was currently in. He would have to find her and get her out of trouble.

Saying it was easy. Doing it was another thing.

The crowd moved like a river with a terrifying current. Though any size of current wouldn't be sufficient to push the hardened Battousai around, finding a drop of water in a river of men couldn't have been harder.

He sighed. He was losing time here, when the rurouni and his sidekick crazy wolf were dealing with those weird guys. So much for today; he'll have to get the girl later.

The boy fastened to a jog as his mind rotated around various different things at once. Mainly, most of them had something to do with Zenei Makimoto. He cursed the man for the god-knows-how-many times in his life. To say Zenei was a haunting ghost would be more than appropriate. Battousai knew he would give anything to get Zenei off his back.

No luck currently.

The hitokiri boy jumped vertically towards the sky as the subject of his reflection tugged at his sleeves. Battousai cursed himself in turn. He was *just too careless* to let the raven-haired man get at him again like that. Knowing better than to struggle, he obediently turned around, and...

"ORO!?! Ti - I mean Kaoru-san? You-don't-go-scaring-me-like-that!"

Kaoru looked at him with frantic blue eyes, her beautiful face pale. "Kentai-san...what happened? Is Kenshin okay? I mean..." she shook away the tears brimming at her eyes, determined not to be weak. " I need to see Kenshin." She felt so alone, so unsafe to be separated from Kenshin for days. A sob caught at her throat; she wanted to see him more than anything.

Battousai felt a pang of sympathy seeping into his heart, something he didn't think he possessed as a hitokiri. "Hush, Kaoru-san. I will bring you to him this time. I promise, huh? Please don't cry." He wasn't too used to feeling helpless, standing there like a useless idiot. Kaoru stared up at him; in her blurry vision Battousai seemed to transform into her smiling rurouni, ready to comfort her in any circumstances...

Without a warning she threw herself onto his shoulder and cried her heart out. For a while Battousai felt even more helpless. Gently he pried her off his shoulder, holding her at arm's length. "I told you not to cry, haven't I? If you have decided you would be a crybaby then get outta my sight now." Battousai stated, his soft tone belying the tough sentence. Kaoru straightened her slender frame; wiping her eyes frantically she stared up again with defiant sapphire ones.

"Hai, Kentai-san." Battousai was rather taken aback to see a determined smile on her tear-streaked face. Such a strong-willed girl; though lacking in power her will was nothing less than any samurai.

//Now I guess I know the reason why the rurouni fell for you, Tigress-dono. //

*~*

He knew it; the boy needed time.

No matter, everyone needs time to think things over. Aoshi did. Soujiro did.

So did Tasuka. And his men.

So the rurouni just stood there smiling, as comfortable as if he was in the Kamiya dojo. And Saitou just frowned and lighted up another cigarette.

Tasuka bit his lower lip until it had drawn blood. He didn't care. His eyes met the rurouni's once again, demanding for an answer.

// You may pretend to be lighthearted and immovable about killing, but I know better. After all, I was a hitokiri too. I saw it in your eyes - doubt, deftly concealed. Like me, you've noticed the brutal difference between ideals and reality. Killing damages the soul. I know it.

You know it too.

You said you want me to help your assassinations. It isn't the truth, I know. You were looking for me for an answer. Someone with a similar experience, to tell you what to do. You are still that pure child I know from the past, wanting me to offer you an answer.

But then, you can't turn back. You called them to you, with a promise of creating a better world. You motivated them to kill. They did, and so did you. You can't give them up just because you suddenly realized how much of a joke your so-called ideal is. I did too. I realized it after Tomoe appeared.

Me too, I couldn't give it up.

I kept this up until the new era dawned. Nothing has changed. *This* is what I have to atone for, and is atoning for.

But you are different. You know my story. You can avoid this from happening again. You can stop history from repeating itself.

Please, Tasuka. Surrender now. Don't shed more blood than your heart wishes to.

*Please*..... //

Others waited anxiously as the two characters stood motionless in the center of the hall, not even blinking. They looked as though they were caught in a staring contest, Tasuka and Kenshin; neither had the intention of moving even the slightest bit from where they were standing. The men from Tasuka's side were looking rather somber - with the knowledge that their leader was no match for the strange flame-haired many were unsure what to do. Moreover, they were even more unsure of what Tasuka would do.

So they just continued waiting, with occasional glares at the all-too- placid looking wolf just to express their anxiety. Saitou ignored them in turn, waiting patiently for the drama yet to be developed.

Tasuka's heart shook at what those expressive violet eyes told him. So, he knew. Finally, there was an answer to be told.

He knew the rurouni was right - ironic wasn't it, that his Kenshin nii-chan understood him more than he himself did.

Ironic indeed.

"No, I can't." was the only sentence that the Yashiro boy uttered after standing here for half a century.

Kenshin creased his brow into a light frown. "Why?"

"I can't betray them. they gave up their lives to follow me as assassins. Just for an ideal, and a good one that all off us here - including Saitou- san - possesses. " Here he gave a snicker. Saitou leered at him, narrowing his eyes. " Because of *me* they are pinpointed as enemies of the Meiji government; rebels. *I* have to take the responsibilities for their loss. Their lives will be nil if they follow me into the dark cells of Kyoto. For this reason."

"I can't surrender." Tasuka concluded finally. Kenshin sighed, looking a bit downcast. // I don't want to put you in cell either; you're so young. // It seemed like Saitou was right about it; his "pretty words" were useless now. The conversation was going back to the beginning as it turned out to be; after all those talking nothing had changed.

Tasuka held his handsome features in an apologetic expression. "Thanks for all the trouble, Kenshin-nii. Now I understand this better, even though..." he extended a hand for Kenshin to shake. "Arigatou, Kenshin-nii."

Kenshin lowered his head, shaggy bangs hiding his eyes out of view. "If there is anything I can do for you."

Tasuka tilted his head. "I'll ask for sure. You're like a brother to me."

Himura smiled at this. "How is Kaitori-san and Hiramei-dono, anyway? Are they well?"

It was Tasuka's turn to lower his head. "They....they were killed by the Meiji government four years after the new era is established. For secrecy."

"Oh," was all Kenshin could say. Seeing Kenshin's shocked expression, the Yashiro boy almost smirked. "Daijoubu, Kenshin-nii. I don't live for revenge. It's just."

"I understand."

The Miburo knew it was over. Without waiting for Kenshin, he strode his way down the hall, not really looking disturbed. In fact, the ex-Ishinshishi noted, he looked quite pleased. Maybe the evil wolf was enjoying the fact that another group of people was following his Aku Soku Zan motto.

"You look as if you've just attended a party." Kenshin remarked, glancing at the lanky man.

"I don't enjoy parties."

"That's not my point."

"I know what your point is," Saitou returned, not even watching the steps ahead of him. "But as a simple policeman I have done my job. No reason to press on to it isn't it? Assassinations are something different from blackmailing or kidnapping. " A shadow of an arrogant grin played on his lips.

"Yeah, simple policeman. Definitely innocent." Kenshin said sarcastically.

"As innocent as a certain rurouni I know," the wolf returned calmly.

" At least this rurouni doesn't...wait, you said blackmailing?" Kenshin stopped dead at the foot of the greatly elaborated stairs.

"What?" Saitou demanded.

Without replying the rurouni had spun around to face the Yashiro boy standing at the top edge of the stairs.

"Tasuka, I've got an idea! Why don't you try blackmailing?"

A hundred pairs of eyes blinked. "What?"

Kenshin turned a bit pink at his sudden outburst; needless to be said no one really understood what he was saying. He cleared his throat, trying to get his thoughts into a piece.

"I mean, you can actually threaten those rotten Meiji officials instead of killing them in earnest. Say, you give them a letter saying you'll kill them if they won't change their evil ways, give them a time limit, and tell them they won't be reporting to the police or you'll have their heads off. Wouldn't that work better?" Kenshin finished in one whole breath.

Jaws dropped. Seemed like no one had ever thought of this before. Tasuka was in a daze; that was damned simple, yet nonetheless effective. "Demo - we won't know if they've reported to the police or not. And what if they continued their ways?"

"Oh, *he* would know," Kenshin said cheerfully, pointing at Saitou. "I don't think he'd mind giving you a little information once in a while do you Saitou? You can always give them a good beating, by the way." The rurouni said savagely, a little gold specks swirling in the violet-blue eyes. The Mibu wolf wondered for a moment if he'd snapped. The rurouni, talking about beating people up?

Then Saitou Hajime might as well take a non-killing vow.

"Don't you drag me in, Battousai," Saitou Hajime told the now grinning rurouni grudgingly. "And mind that, you're currently planning blackmails before a police officer."

Kenshin looked at him with over-innocent eyes. "Oro?"

" You know better than playing innocent with me, Battousai, so cut it off," the former Shisengumi snapped. Rubbing his chin he finally said, " well, I suppose I haven't heard anything in the last few minutes. Yashiro-san gave his word that there won't be any more assassinations in the future. This simple policeman may as well get going." He walked a few steps, then turning around.

"As for future blackmailing, this isn't mentioned in my job description, ne?"

Tasuka sighed, not knowing how to react. He watched adoringly as the two men made their way out of the hall, not turning back.

// Kenshin-nii...Saitou-san... you will continue protecting this world and its people, won't you?

So will I.

In a different sense. //

Half smirking, Tasuka Yashiro turned to face his men. " Time for future strategies."

*~*

The afternoon air smelled sweet. In the distance came a bird chirping, and Kenshin had no doubt that it was an oriole.

The ex-hitokiri looked over his shoulder. Even the outside of the "warehouse" was looking less miserable in the afternoon sun. A quiet smile played over his lips.

The current problem was solved.

Even Saitou's taunting couldn't ruin his mood.

"Get going, Battousai. Don't stand there looking like an idiot."

"None of your business, Saitou."

Saitou chose to ignore the retort. "I'm going back to the police station now."

"Get going, Saitou. Don't stand there looking like an idiot."

If Saitou was irritated or anything at his words thrown back to him, he didn't show it. // He's getting as good as Aoshi. // Kenshin thought amusedly.

Saitou narrowed his eyes as something dashed towards them at a distance. Kenshin followed his gaze, forgetting to taunt the Miburo for a bit more.

"What's that?"

The former manslayer stared really, really hard. "It's... two people." Realizing who they were, his eyes widened.

"Ken...tai! Kaoru-dono!"

Battousai looked bad. His face was even paler than usual, his hair in complete disarray. His gi was torn in a number of places and he was looking fatigued.

Kenshin gasped as Battousai collapsed right in front of him, releasing his grip on Kaoru's wrist. Kenshin caught him by the shoulders, sinking slowly to his knees.

"Kentai. *Kentai* ! What happened!" the rurouni inquired, giving the hitokiri a little shake. The hitokiri's eyelids fluttered, but refusing to open his eyes. Kenshin stared worriedly on the red head leaning on his shoulder. His breath was shallow and uneven, but there were no apparent wounds on him. The ex-assassin shifted him to a more comfortable position, allowing his head to rest on his shoulder without suffocating.

"Th-they don't care anymore...get me at all cost...I don't want that...won't mind hurting others along the way..." the hitokiri gasped urgently, clutching the rurouni's gi with all the strength he could muster. Panicked lavender eyes looked up at him. At this state Battousai looked so vulnerable. A lone child, hiding from whatever fear he had. There wasn't even a trace of the legendary hitokiri in this boy now.

Kenshin patted his back consolingly, making nothing out of his rambling words. "It's all right now, *Kenshin*, nothing's going to hurt you." He whispered, making sure Kaoru couldn't catch a word of what he was saying. Battousai shook his head faintly, unable to speak.

Kenshin turned to Kaoru. "Kaoru-dono, what ...." he froze on seeing the girl's face. Ocean blue eyes widened with shock and disbelief. Lips trembling, standing there immobile.

It seemed that it was more than just Battousai in trouble.

Authoress' notes: Oro! Another short chapter. Maybe I shouldn't make chapters too long and get it posted more often (say, 2000 words a chapter. Now it's approximately 3600 - 5000 ) What do you think? Please conclude it in your reviews !!!*bows* Really sorry for the long delay. I have schedule all week =^.^= Please review this chapter also!! Okay, As usual, re- reviews!

Koe760-kun: hello! Really, my updates are too slow isn't it? Uh never mind, you enjoying life outta summer school? Guess so *smirks* It's raining really heavy outside, I guess because it's summer. So I'm stuck here at home. Another good reason to finish the chapter off. Just think that everyone's acting lunatic in this chapter, mainly because I'm hasty to get the Tasuka case over with. Good, it'll be Bakumatsu next chapter! Nice change of scene. I'm already getting bored without blood or violence *snickers* Well, talk to ya more in the email. Hopefully you'd have received it, ne? Don't get scraped off your computer now! I'll be waiting for reviews *plus* emails!

Boomerang-chan-sama: How's that? Battousai in trouble! I was thinking where I should put Kaoru, and so I placed her with Battousai. Poor her, still doesn't know what Battousai is. Anyway, you know what I'll do to regular reviewers *Hitokiri-san laughs evilly. B-chan-sama backs away in fear. A pair of eyeballs flew to the moon as a result of being hugged too tightly* Anyway! We'll be going on without that Yashiro boy.

Liemtenshi-sama: My other really regular a-review-per-chapter reviewer, you are! This story is getting so long - 34000 words currently! Wah! *faints in fright* I can write?!? Next coming, Bakumatsu time! I really want Katsura on the screen again, for sure. I like him. Cool man, he is. Oro! Battousai's gonna be weird. So will Kenshin.

Sapphire-eyes-sama: Hi! Me again. Is this chappie okay? I really really hope that you'd enjoy it, ne? ^^ Anyway, see ya in the next chapter and please don't be late! *Hitokiri-san got smacked by Sapphire-eyes-sama*

ChocolateEclar-sama: One chap up, and sorry for the long delay! I am so honored to receive your review, de gozaru yo!

Are-en-sama: Are you out there reading the story? I do hope so ^^. Anyway, please review this story. I couldn't wait to see more reviews.

Lilfrozenfire-sama: There! So long for one chapter! I suck! Well, I wish I can be faster but can't...currently running out of imagination. My temper is fraying currently becoz of the bad weather!

LittoGrrlStephie-sama: Goodies! I find this chapter really tough to write. I hope you can bear with me!

Dork-in-training-sama: Oro! I'm tired! It's so early in the morning and I'm already wanting to sleep (I've only been up for about 3 hours) Must have something to do with the goddamn weather!