DISCLAIMER: I do not own nor will I ever own Rurouni Kenshin. I am making no profit from this and I will remove this if requested to do so for any legitimate reason.
WARNING: This story is rated R for violence, so if you do not like graphic depictions of people dying I suggest you find something else to read.
The Last Battle of the Bakumatsu
Chapter 3
Kenshin wearily walked the final few steps to the dojo and Misao was about two paces ahead of him. She was disappointed, mostly by the fact that she had not seen Aoshi all day. The news from Saito hadn't been much of help either. The attack at the party and subsequent kidnapping of several official had his full attention. He had no time for a low priority task like finding Yahiko. So they had searched all day and into the night, going to every hospital and clinic in Tokyo. It was clear that Yahiko didn't make it to Tokyo or was in the care of some of Sano's old friends. The worry thing for Kenshin was that he thought it was more likely that Yahiko wasn't in Tokyo.
He forced the negative thoughts away as he reached the dojo gate. His thoughts were drifting to a good nights rest when he walked into the back of Misao. She didn't make any extraneous movements other than to indicate he should be quiet. Kenshin felt a sudden rush of fear but as he searched the shadows for what was making Misao jumpy he recognised a familiar laid back presence. Misao silently edge her way toward the kitchen where the faint flickering of a fire could be seen. Kenshin followed behind Misao, not really trying to stay quiet since he knew who was in the kitchen. Misao paused in the doorway scanning the darkness with her kunai ready.
"Hey Weasel, are you going to come in or not?" Misao nearly jumped out of her skin as Sano's gruff voice pieced the silence. Kenshin walked passed the shocked girl and into the kitchen, lighting some candles to illuminate the room. Sano sat opposite the stove that was in the centre of the room. He was leaning forward with his left elbow resting on his left leg and his left hand holding a bowl of rice. His right hand held his chopsticks and there was a blanket draped over his shoulders.
"Evening Sano, how are you?" Kenshin asked in a pleasant voice. Sano just looked up from his rice grinning.
"I'm fine Kenshin, I see that you cut your hair," Kenshin absently brushed the ends of his shoulder length hair. Misao who entered the room quickly spotted the rice and went to the pot on the stove.
"Is there anymore rice? I'm starving," she didn't wait for Sano to answer as she dished out herself a large portion. "I'm surprised Kaoru didn't leave us something more than rice. Mmm… this is good," Misao starts shovelling the rice into her mouth, trying to erase the hunger of a day without food.
"Actually I think she did but Sano ate it," Kenshin mentioned as he sifted through the dirty dishes in the sink.
"If he ate the food meant for us, who made this," Kenshin just looks at Sano who is still eating his rice. He finally notices Misao looking at him and smiles impishly.
"Just because you haven't seen me cook, doesn't mean I can't." Misao decides not to think too much about it and gets back to eating, as Kenshin fills a bowl for himself.
"Sano, can you tell me where Yahiko is?" Kenshin stood in front of Sano waiting for his answer before sitting to eat.
"Shinsuu," Sano stated between mouthfuls of food. Kenshin satisfied for the moment took a seat against the wall to Sano's left while Misao was opposite him.
"Why Shinsuu?" Misao inquired already moving onto a second bowl.
"I have friends there that'll take care of him," Sano finished his bowl and put it to one side. "How long was I out?" he asked Kenshin, who paused the progression of food to mouth halfway to answer.
"Only a day," Kenshin replaced the food into the bowl, deciding to elaborate on the last day. "After you passed out, you and Tokio-dono were brought back here where Megumi-dono treated your injuries. We went to ask Saito if he knew where Yahiko was but he didn't know."
"You mean he didn't care," Misao chimed in but Sano didn't seem surprised by the comment.
"That figures, so what happened?" Sano looked at Kenshin and could feel his aura strength as he spoke in a serious tone.
"They attacked quickly killing or wounding most of the guards. They didn't attack the foreigners but made sure they knew who was attacking. Anyone who tried to resist was killed as they rounded up some specific people and then kidnapped them. At the time Saito is trying to figure out who was taken and why those particular people were taken. This was especially significant since there were some very important people were left behind and not by accident. Maybe you can fill us in on why?" Sano leaned back drawing the blanket closed over his chest and closing his eyes in concentration.
"Corruption," Sano declared opening his eyes to look at his companions.
"What they came and kidnapped all the corrupt politicians?" Misao asked sceptically not believing him.
"Not the ones taken, the ones left behind," Sano reaffirmed as he sat up straight. "Hasegawa was always bragging about how he got to power by bribing and blackmailing government officials and politicians. As far as I can tell from what I heard, he was trying to bring down the government. If he had so much dirt on the politicians it would make more sense to leave them in power and discredit them rather than kidnap them. However what I fear the most is that while in Kyoto, Hasegawa spent most of his time meeting foreigners." Sano paused and it allowed Kenshin to expand on what he thought of as the most likely answer.
"So the people doubt the corrupt politicians if the hostages aren't rescued and the Hasegawa releases his proof to add to that doubt. A corrupt government with no support from the people would be an easy target. Using the Shinsengumi since they are well known and feared only adds to their cause," Kenshin sat with his arms folded contemplating the situation.
"I've been around the world and seen how the foreigners live," Sano's voice was unusual in its nostalgia. "They have practically destroyed China and plenty of other places. They act like we are equals in Japan but in their own countries they treat us like we treated them before the reformation. I may hate this government but after seeing how the rest of the world lives it isn't as bad as it could be." Sano bowed his head looking tired, not physically but mentally.
"Then we should tell Saito before it's too late," Misao eagerly announced as she prepared to leave.
"What good will it do?" Misao was about to explode at Sano's lacklustre attitude but Kenshin quickly clarified the matter.
"Sano's right, telling Saito does us no good. We don't know where Hasegawa is or the hostages. We only know what he is planning on doing and that is still just a theory." Misao sat back down heavily, crossing her arms across her chest in frustration.
"So what exactly are we supposed to do?" Misao grumbled in irritation at having to sit still.
"We wait, Saito said he would come tomorrow to talk to Sano and to take Tokio-dono home. If he doesn't know by the time he arrives we can tell him then." Misao sighed at Kenshin's irrefutable logic and stood up a little less energetically.
"Fine then I'm going to rest, I'll see you two in the morning." Misao exited without waiting for the two men to bid her a good night.
"She may have grown up but she hasn't changed," Sano declared with an amused smile.
"That's true but she is stronger than she used to be, even if she does try too hard sometimes." There was a pause where Sano thought of her in the past while Kenshin just studied his old friend. "You seem to be stronger as well, it's good to see," Sano just chuckled.
"I am stronger but still not as strong as you or Saito," Kenshin was surprised by this comment, especially since it came from Sano.
"It's not like you to concede so easily," Sano looks at Kenshin with a wry smile.
"I'm not conceding I just now my limitations," Sano looked at the dying fire with a distant look in his eyes.
"Limitations can still be exceeded," Sano smiles but it quickly fades as the fire is extinguished.
"Well I have rarely had the opportunity to do that. I mean if I fail I don't have someone like you to back me up and there was no Fox to fix me up when get beat up. I guess that's one of the reasons I came back," Kenshin continues to stare at him.
"You seem to have matured beyond the brash teenager you used to be," Sano stared back at Kenshin but eventually relents and drops his gaze.
"Well I guess I have old man Yang to thank for that," Sano spots Kenshin's curious look and explains. "Yang was an old man I met in Shanghai when I got caught in his fight. He looked like he was a hundred years old but he could fight better than me. I wanted him to teach me some moves but he told me that first I should master my own technique and myself before he would teach me anything. I spent six months with him and he got me starting to understand the Futae-no-Kiwami and myself beyond what I thought possible. Pity he died before he could teach me his style," Sano found his right hand very interesting at that point so Kenshin decided on a change of topic.
"It sounds like a good story, maybe you could tell me about it sometime." Sano nodded without looking up so Kenshin moves on to another, more pressing matter. "Sano I'd like to know what happened when you got back to Japan and what happened to Yahiko," Sano stared into the floor before starting in a pensive voice.
"Not much to tell. I was working on a ship from Shanghai to Osaka and offloading cargo in Osaka when the cops show up. I heard Tani was dead so I thought it would be sorted out quickly. Two days later Saito shows up and takes me to a safe house for a couple of days."
"That's where you meet Tokio-dono," Kenshin's comment triggered a broad smile on Sano's face.
"Yeah that's where I met Tokio, she was living there and so was Saito but he was hardly ever there. So I spent most of my time talking with her, which really seemed to annoy Saito. I don't know why she puts up with him but I can safely say that she is one person who can tame one of Mibu's wolves." Sano started laughing but didn't let Kenshin in on his private joke.
"That still doesn't explain why you or Yahiko helped him?" Kenshin stated as Sano's laughter died down.
"All I know is Yahiko chose to do it and Saito gave me no choice. Do it or go to prison and at the time he made it sound like it was going to be easy. Anyway we took the job and it was working out fine until that night in the forest where he dragged us of to some country house full of Shinsengumi imitators. We had to spend a couple of weeks there and while most of them were just guys my age and younger there were some older ones who looked ready to kill us any second." Sano shifted in his seat, pulling the blanket around him tighter around himself.
"Do you know any of them by name?" Sano looked up at Kenshin grinning slightly.
"That's what Saito wanted me to do. I don't know who's who but the leader is supposed to be the former leader of the Second Division of the old Shinsengumi." Kenshin's eyes narrowed in remembrance of his old foe.
"Nagakura Shinpachi," Kenshin voice held the emotion that showed he knew that person well, even if he was an enemy.
"I figured that you would have known him, although he seems a bit twisted now." Kenshin relaxed as Sano began talking again, "He has a scar going from the middle of his forehead up into his hair, turning it grey. The way they spoke about it and Saito makes me think that Saito was the one to make the scar. All I can say is when the time comes to fight, I'm staying away from that one," Kenshin smiled slightly. Although he felt a small tinge of regret that he would not be seeing that fight to see who was really his strongest opponent.
"Can you go on with the story?" Kenshin could see Sano was tiring slowly but Sano didn't hesitate to continue.
"Well after sitting around for a couple of weeks, people started leaving in groups and we were in a group with eleven others. About a day and a half from Shinsuu, they turned on us and we fought for a while before we got away but Yahiko was injured. So I took him to Shinsuu and left him there and then came straight to Tokyo where I ran into those guys again. That made four days on the road with little sleep and no food otherwise they probably wouldn't have hurt me that much." Sano sighed heavily and started to prepare himself to leave.
"That was why the injuries slowed you down but you are still not telling me everything," Sano was halfway through standing up when Kenshin spoke. He looked into the former rurouni's penetrating gaze and sat back down knowing that he couldn't slip anything past him.
"You probably don't want to hear this," Sano looked at Kenshin who was obviously waiting for the information he was with holding. "When the Shinsengumi turned on us we made a clean break but as we were getting away Yahiko turned around and went back to fight."
"Why would he do that?" Kenshin looked into Sano's grave face and knew what was coming.
"There is more, he reversed the sword so that he was fighting to kill. He started fighting like he had nothing to lose and he almost lost everything. He got stabbed through the shoulder, it didn't hit anything vital but he did kill the guy that did it. He was pretty out of it after that, guilt and despair didn't do much to help especially when he was injured." Sano watch Kenshin staring at a candle with a look of disbelief.
"You didn't say why he would do that," Kenshin's voice startled Sano since he hadn't turned to face him.
"Don't know why, although every time I asked about Tsubame he tried to change the subject," Kenshin finally turned to Sano with a look of confusion.
"As far as I know there haven't been any problems between them. She's been asking about him every time we see her," Sano just shrugged his shoulders. He stood and deposited his dirty dishes in the sink then started to walk out as Kenshin continued his internal deliberations on Yahiko.
"Kenshin, just because you and Tsubame think nothing is wrong doesn't mean he thinks the same thing. After all he wouldn't be the first one to lose his mind over a girl." Kenshin nodded in agreement and then he came to a reasonable conclusion that seemed to fit.
"Actually now I think about it, Yutarou has been spending a lot of time around Tsubame," Sano stopped his progression down the hall to his room to look over his shoulder.
"Who?" Kenshin looked up at his taller friend slightly puzzled until he remembered Sano had been gone five years.
"Tsukayama Yutarou is a the other teachers of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, he was the boy who was following Isurugi Rajuta." Sano didn't look like he remembered as he started forward again but he stopped outside his door.
"You don't mean that rich kid that got hurt and went to Europe," Sano muttered over his shoulder.
"Yes, that's the one. He's been studying here and is almost as strong as Yahiko although he does have a reputation as a playboy." Sano seemed to ponder the new information for a second as his door opened.
"I bet Yahiko still doesn't get along with him," Kenshin just smiles back. "Hey you know you still didn't tell me his name," Kenshin just stared back.
"Whose name?" he whispered back since his own bedroom door is open.
"The kid, little miniature you that Megumi was holding last night. I assuming that it was yours and Jou-chan's kid unless there is something you aren't telling me." Kenshin chuckles nervously as the realisation of who Sano was talking about finally gets through.
"No you are right, Kenji is mine and Kaoru's," Sano walks to Kenshin and looks over his shoulder at the sleeping mother and child.
"Finally, it was about time you too got married," Sano patted Kenshin roughly on the back but the stopped and lifted Kenshin by his gi up to his eye level. "You did get married, didn't you?" Sano's voice was low and threatening as he glared at the smaller man.
"Yes we did, we would have invited you but…" Sano just grinned and lowered Kenshin back to his feet.
"But I was practically an exile, even if you knew where to find me," Sano turned back to his room. He had looked happy but as he turned Kenshin had spotted some sadness in his eyes.
"Ah! Sano before I forget there should be a yukata about your size in your room," Sano looked over his shoulder with a bewildered look.
"You buying clothes for me now?" Sano remarked jokingly.
"No, not really but when we were getting ready for the wedding Kaoru thought it might be a good idea to prepare for everything. So she bought you a yukata and a gi and hamaka for the wedding. If you need them I can get them for you?" Kenshin watched Sano shake and then scratch his head.
"No I should be right for now but if Saito doesn't give back my stuff that he confiscated in Osaka then I might need them. Well I'll see you tomorrow Kenshin," Sano stepped inside his room but heard Kenshin's final comments.
"Good night Sanosuke and welcome home," Sano smiled from behind the closed door. It felt like home even though he never really lived in the dojo. He looked around the room and spotted the neatly folded yukata sitting on the dresser. Dropping the blanket he is wrapped in onto the futon, Sano begins to untie his belt noticing for the first time his state of dress. Bandages covering his chest and stomach as well his dirty and tattered pants are his only clothes but soon it's just the bandages. As he slips the clean yukata on he realises just how bad he needs a bath. He makes a note to do that first thing in the morning.
"Followed by a shave," he mutters as he ties the yukata closed. He scratches his unshaven chin and then sprawls out on the futon. Pulling the blanket over himself he stares up at the ceiling, memories of his conversation with Kenshin floating through his mind. He felt guilt at not being able to prevent Yahiko from killing. Kenshin would probably be disappointed in Yahiko for his attitude and Sano for not stopping the boy. Sano pushed away those ideas but there was still a nagging thought chipping away at his resolve not to think.
He lets his hand rest on his stomach and the thought comes with a rush. Kenshin said Megumi treated his wounds so she would have seen the scars from his two bullet wounds. He sighs heavily as his hand presses down on the wounds under the bandages. He'll probably have to explain this to her and everybody else eventually. Another story that he would rather forget but his journey was full of them. Everything he did during his journey started out promising and then he ended up disappointed. Rubbing salt into the wound was the fact he always came out on top even though he felt like he lost. Deciding to try some of the meditation techniques Yang drilled into him, Sano mind was filled with memories of having to meditate for food. Finally getting his mind to rest with some positive recollections Sano drifts off to sleep. He is only dimly aware of the part of his mind that is trying to remind him of the bad times that always followed the good. However they are other stories that he will have to tell to his friends later, preferably over a bottle of sake.
Author's notes: I should point out that Nagakura Shinpachi was the real second division captain. Most Shinsengumi mentioned are based on real people so if you want to know more about the real Shinsengumi, look around on the net. Anyway Nagakura lived until 1915 so if there are any problems with me altering his life please complain and I'll create someone fictional.