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 11

Yahiko stared up to the ceiling, as he stayed motionless on the futon. He had no idea where he was or what lay outside this room. After the fight, after he killed someone who was his own age, he didn't remember much. He remembered hearing Sano talk, trying to encourage him to move on his own. He remembered hearing a discussion about him involving Sano and another man but he couldn't hear what they said. Later that man came in and talked to him but like everything else, Yahiko didn't particularly care. A tear formed in his eye as he remembered what lead him to this point.

Ever since Yutarou returned they enjoyed a friendly rivalry in most things. Of course one rivalry that wasn't exactly friendly was the one over Tsubame. While nothing was said between them, they both vied for her attention. Actually Yutarou tried to attract her attention, something that was nearly impossible when Yahiko was around. The confidence that Yahiko had in Tsubame's attraction to him led to his indifference when people asked about them. It wasn't until her fifteenth birthday that he realised his confidence had become arrogance.

Yahiko had gotten together some money to buy her a present but he hadn't gotten as much as he could have. So when Yutarou out did him, he didn't think it would make a difference. He was given a rude awakening when it was obvious that Tsubame was pleased with Yutarou's present and a little disappointed in his. Yahiko had tried to shrug that off but it had only encouraged Yutarou and he redoubled his efforts. Only later when both Tae and Kaoru voiced their concern did Yahiko start to worry, although he continued to publicly display his indifference.

Yahiko was already behind due to the fact he had little money. Yutarou still lived at home with a rich father while Yahiko lived in Sano's old place and spent most of his money in living expenses. Even if he had money Tsubame always seemed to be with Yutarou during her free time and being such a polite person she never wanted to disappoint anyone. So Yahiko was left out in the cold until Cho appeared to offer a chance at making a lot of money.

Cho showed up and said that he had a job for Yahiko. The money he mentioned appeared extravagant and told Yahiko that there was probably a lot of danger attached. Yahiko said he wanted to think about it and Cho gave him a day. Yahiko didn't want to talk to Kenshin or Kaoru and so he went to see Tsubame. He entered the Akabeko before it opened but he knew Tsubame would be there preparing for the day. What he saw was Tsubame's back as Yutarou was embracing her. It was only a hug but Yutarou was watching Yahiko with a smug expression.

Yahiko didn't stay and walked out onto the street. He stalked around the streets for the rest of the day and night. He was looking for a fight but no one he came across seemed willing to give him one. He eventually went back to his home and found Cho waiting on his doorstep. He just walked past the man and gathered a few of his belongings before he left. Cho didn't say a thing and before lunch he had left Tokyo.

When Yahiko found out where they were going he felt a little worried that one of them would try to find out about his sour mood. He was lucky in that Misao seemed to be only interested in how much he had grown. Aoshi may have noticed something but he was not one to pry into other people's personal affairs. Okina was more interested in pressing Cho for information. Cho didn't say a word and seemed to enjoy tormenting Okina until Aoshi pointed out that Cho probably knew nothing.

That was proved true when Saito entered and a shabby looking Sano followed him. It was good to see but as time past Yahiko began to see how much Sano had changed. He was more insightful and reserved but his strength had only increased. The young samurai impressed Sano and they had some good times even in the presence of danger. However Sano had quickly picked up that there was something wrong and narrowed it down to Tsubame. That was all he knew but he became concerned when Yahiko had started to show disregard for his own safety. It had all been a little too late though but he was still alive and Sano would return sooner or later.

"A man grows up watching the back of the man in front," Yahiko remembered the man saying. He had just scrubbed the blood out of his clothes and brought them back. It was in reference to the symbol that he wore in tribute to Sano and his beliefs. Yahiko had always been able to identify more with Sano than he had with Kenshin, even though Kenshin had taught him more. Now though he knew he wasn't like either of them. Kenshin had been an assassin but had sworn not to kill again. Sano was a gangster but he had never talked about killing. Yahiko knew now that Sano could if he needed to.

Now Yahiko had killed and he knew he could never do so again. The philosophy of his technique was 'the sword that protects life.' He had betrayed that belief by letting his emotions build up to the point where he could only forget by fighting. So he fought, reversing his blade and seeking a honourable death but the moment he killed he knew everything was wrong. Now he didn't know what to do or think and had been lying in this bed practically catatonic for about two days.

For the first time in those two days Yahiko heard voices that were neither Sano nor the man whose home he was in. There was a female voice and the softer voice of a young boy. At the moment they were talking with the owner but Yahiko couldn't make out what was being said. Deciding that he had to get up some time, Yahiko sat up and pushed his blankets away. He felt the pain in his shoulder from where the sword had passed right through and he knew that under the bandages were Sano's crude stitches. They were done in a hurry to prevent Yahiko from bleeding to death but Yahiko had doubted they were good enough to hold.

There were only two voices now as Yahiko sat fully clothed on the futon. The owner had left and from what Yahiko had seen of him he was probably a farmer so he had most likely gone to tend his fields. The female voice dominated the discussion and Yahiko had no idea what he was going to do or say when they found him. He heard the door slide open and a ten year old boy stood there looking surprised at having found Yahiko. Yahiko just stared at the boy who didn't move or call to the woman in the room behind him.

"Name?" Yahiko finally asked and the boy jumped at the sound of his voice. "What is you name?"

"Higashidani Outa," the boy replied softly caught between watching Yahiko and looking over his shoulder at his sister.

"Myojin Yahiko," Yahiko stood up and the boy continued to watch him. "Do you have any food?" Outa nodded and backed into the other room keeping his eyes on Yahiko. Yahiko slowly followed and got his first sight of the woman in the next room.

"A sword! What is Dad doing with a sword?" Uki held Yahiko's heavy sakabatou in both hands and was slightly tempted to draw it.

"That's mine," Yahiko startled Uki and she spun around looking a little frightened. Outa stood ready off to Yahiko's right as Yahiko stood facing Uki.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Uki stammered out as she took a step back away from Yahiko.

"My name is Myojin Yahiko and I was left here by a friend after I was injured," Yahiko spoke calmly as Uki stared at him. Yahiko looked from Uki to the sword she clutched to her chest and the walked to the left where he sat on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Uki asked as she moved over to protect Outa. Outa tried to move in front of his sister but she held him behind her. Yahiko watched both of them but didn't move from his position hoping that she would relax as she realised he wasn't a threat.

"I asked Outa if you had any food and he indicated that you did. Since I haven't eaten in a couple of days I thought I might wait for you to calm down before I asked again." Uki seemed to relax a little but maintained her firm grip on the sword.

"Why should we feed you?" Uki asked but Outa was already moving to fill a bowl with rice.

"I am your guest," Yahiko stated but tried not to make it sound like a demand. Uki just looked at him dubiously but before she could say any more Outa walked over to Yahiko with a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks. Uki watched on apprehensively as Yahiko took them from Outa and bowed politely before eating.

"When Dad gets back he's going to have a lot of explaining to do," Uki grumbled as she placed Yahiko's sakabatou as far away from him as possible. She then started cleaning the house aided by Outa while Yahiko observed the pair of them.

"Thank you," Yahiko bowed again as Uki collected his empty bowl and refilled it.

"So where are you from Myojin Yahiko?" Uki inquired as she returned to her work but she kept one eye on Yahiko.

"Tokyo, and you can just call me Yahiko," Uki looked at him again before turning to face him.

"I should introduce myself. I'm Watanabe Uki and I think my brother has already introduced himself." Uki looked over at Outa who had his back to her silently sweeping the floor. It was the first time that Yahiko noticed the symbol stitched onto his back.

"So you guys know Sano then?" Yahiko asked but both Uki and Outa seemed perplexed.

"Who are you talking about?" Uki queried as the two siblings took an interest in Yahiko's comment.

"Tall man, spiky hair, wears a red head band and a white gi with the symbol for evil on the back," Yahiko can see both of them recognise his description.

"You mean Zanza," Uki spoke as she went back to her cleaning. "He came here about five years ago and beat up a corrupt politician and his nephew. He left afterward but nobody really knew who he was until the police came along and recognised his description." Yahiko listened intently having only heard that Sano had beaten up a politician but where or when.

"I heard about that but I was never told where he did it," Yahiko admitted as Uki continued to clean, uninterested in the old story.

"Well now you know but I don't know what happened to him after he left," Uki conceded as she leaned on her broom to contemplate the man who she had thought was her brother.

"He went back to Tokyo but eventually the police tried to catch him. He had friends who could have had the charges removed but that would have made him as bad as the guy he beat up. Instead he fled the country and nobody had heard from him until a few weeks ago. By the way, he doesn't go by the name Zanza anymore. His name is Sagara Sanosuke," Yahiko pushed his bowl aside feeling satisfied for the moment.

"Sanosuke," Uki whispered in disbelief as the broom fell to the floor.

"Yeah it sounds a little weird but he took the name Sagara from his Captain in the Sekihoutai." Yahiko looked over at Uki and could tell that the woman was now very angry.

"I'm back and I see you've met my house guest," Kamishimoemon announced as he entered unaware of Uki's fury.

"His name was Sanosuke," Uki growled immediately making her father wish he hadn't come home. "You knew didn't you?" Uki's accusing voice reverberated around the house. Kamishimoemon's face lost all expression becoming completely blank as he lit his pipe.

"What would you have done if you had known?" Uki froze as she tried to think of an answer for the unexpected question. "Sanosuke didn't belong here and with what he did when he defied that politician he would only have brought trouble. Your mother and I went through hell trying to calm you down after he left the first time. It was even worse when you thought he had died, so what did you think telling you that he was your brother would have accomplished?" He sat down opposite a confused Yahiko while Uki tried to come up with some reason why he should have told her.

"Wait a minute, if Sano is her brother then he must be your son," Yahiko clarified as he tried to remove his uncertainty.

"If you can call that idiot, run away street fighter a son to anyone, then yes," Kamishimoemon huffed into his pipe as he spoke.

"The way you speak of him it's no wonder that he didn't talk about where he grew up," Kamishimoemon snorted at Yahiko's remark.

"I raised him just fine before he ran off but he must have been some one you looked up to. I mean you wear the same symbol on your back," both Yahiko and Kamishimoemon share a knowing smile.

"So what are we supposed to about Sanosuke?" Uki asked quietly interrupting the moment of understanding.

"He's just gone to Tokyo to take care of a few thing and he said he'd come back for Yahiko. There is nothing we need to do," Kamishimoemon spoke calmly but Uki still looked worried.

"But what about Outa? Sanosuke said that after I got married he should go to some Tokyo dojo to get stronger. Isn't he going to want to take him as well?" Uki's voice was a little strained and her eyes looked frantic.

"You can't hold on to him forever. You're married now and are starting your own life but you are still holding Outa back from doing what he wants. He has to live his own life," Kamishimoemon spoke assertively but it did little to settle Uki down.

"So I'm supposed to just let him go to that dojo and become a street fighter like Sanosuke," Uki looked defiantly at her father. Outa was looking incredibly uncomfortable with the conflict and it appeared to Yahiko to be a fight that had been fought before.

"Which dojo did Sano say he wanted Outa to go to?" Yahiko's question surprised both warring parties.

"The Kamiya Kasshin dojo," Outa muttered not wanting to draw fire from his family.

"Well then there is nothing to worry about, Sano didn't train at the dojo. He already knew how to fight when he first went there," Yahiko suddenly became the target for Uki's questions.

"That doesn't matter he is still going to be trained to fight and then he's going to get into a pointless fight and get himself hurt." Uki took a protective hold on Outa as if he was about to be snatched away from her.

"You don't know anything about Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, do you?" Yahiko stated flatly at the worried Uki.

"Why does it matter what I know? He's still going to be trained to fight," Uki glared at Yahiko while her father sat motionless but still watching closely.

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu is the school of the living spirit. It teaches the sword that protects life and is designed so that all the killing aspects of kendo are removed. It doesn't teach people to start fights but to protect those people you care about and those people who need protecting. You don't even use a real sword. You use a wooden one so that you have less chance of killing your opponent," Yahiko spoke sternly shocking Uki into calming down but only momentarily.

"From what it sounds like, you are a master of this dojo. Is that correct?" Uki waited for the answer and Yahiko could easily tell where this was heading.

"That's right, I am a master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. I am the best student and also an instructor at the dojo," Yahiko didn't have his normal superior attitude as he spoke.

"If you practice Kamiya Kasshin Ryu why do you have a real sword?" Uki demanded and Yahiko looked unimpressed having expected that question.

"It isn't exactly a real sword," Yahiko stood up and went to the sword with an apprehensive Uki watching him. "It's a sakabatou, a reversed blade sword that is designed not to kill but is still capable of killing. It was given to me as a genpuku present by a friend who was also sworn not to kill but had lost the ability to wield a sword." Yahiko reveals part of the blade so that Uki and Outa can see it and he is glad that Sano cleaned it. After a few seconds, Yahiko replaces the blade and returns to his seat, placing his sword beside him.

"Students are taught discipline and are helped to become stronger so that they can protect people. Students who provoke unnecessary fights are disciplined or expelled from the dojo." Yahiko studies Uki as she considered what he had said and then looks at Outa who has moved away from Uki and is sitting on his own.

"You sound like you do this often," Uki concedes as she views Yahiko's determined features.

"Every potential student and his parents are usually interviewed before they are accepted into the dojo. The master of the school normally takes the interviews but I have done some when needed. So Outa do you want to join the Kamiya Kasshin dojo?" Outa looked a little surprised to be asked a question and his moment of hesitation allowed Uki to interrupt.

"You can't just ask him to join just like that! I mean you need to…" Her father interrupted Uki's tirade before it truly began.

"Uki!" Kamishimoemon's loud voice startled everybody in the room. "Let Outa decide for himself," a stern look from her father was enough to keep her at bay. Instead Uki turned her attention to Outa and looked expectantly at him but the boy only appeared to be increasingly anxious.

"Make your own decision and do what you want. Don't do what you think your sister wants you to do," Yahiko's advice earned him an accusing glare from Uki. Outa fidgeted under the gaze of everybody in the room as they all waited for his answer.

"I want to be strong," came Outa's mumbled reply in a barely audible voice.

"Speak up boy," Outa looked up at his father as he spoke in a firm voice. "A man must command attention with a strong voice that shows his conviction in the words he speaks," Outa took a second to process the new information before responding.

"I ask you to teach me in Kamiya Kasshin Ryu," Outa's voice and face show his determination as he respectfully bowed to add weight to his words. He watched Yahiko for an acknowledgement and smiled brightly when Yahiko nodded.

"Since we have time, why don't we start now," Yahiko watched Outa bounce to his feet, ready and willing to begin. He ran outside not noticing the downcast look of his sister. Yahiko stood picking up his sword in his right hand and immediately feeling it's heavy weight on his injured shoulder. He gave a brief nod to Kamishimoemon before going after Outa.

"He has to live his own life. You're married and have your own life to lead and now it's time to let Outa do the same." Uki's hands grip onto her kimono as the disbelief of Outa's decision wore off.

"He'll leave and you don't seem to care," Uki didn't look up as she tried to hold back the tears.

"I do care and I don't mind if he leaves because I know he's going to be with good people. He'll get strong and he'll be back, unlike Sanosuke. Besides we know where he'll be so we can always find him when we need him," Uki looked up as she wiped away the tears.

"So you're just going to let him go?" Uki looked at her father imploring him to give her some hope.

"If you keep holding him back, he'll run away from you. He needs to learn to live for himself and become strong so that he can defend his own family when the time comes. If you were paying attention you would have seen how happy he was when he knew he was finally able to realise his dream." Uki still appeared upset but her tears had stopped. She sat motionless looking downcast but finally looked at her father.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Uki's eyes indicate that she was more than just a little uncertain about what was happening.

"If you are still unsure you can always ask Sanosuke when he comes back here for Yahiko." As Kamishimoemon refilled his pipe Uki's eyes burned with furious determination. She would do that and more when Sanosuke arrived back.

Author's Note: Constructive criticism is always welcome, either by email or review.