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.

Author's Notes: I don't have much to say at the moment, guess it's something that happens when you release several chapters in a row. The story will get back on track next chapter but there won't be much WAFF for a while.

The Last Battle of the Bakumatsu

Chapter 25

By SDB

"Now I'll teach you to humiliate me," the thief cackled as he waved the knife in front of Outa.

"What about this one?"

The thief turned to see his other friend holding Mimori, his bloody nose dripping on her kimono. "Maybe we should start with her?" the thief suggested to Outa with a sly smile.

From the corner of his eye, Outa could see the pedestrian who had spoken up grit his teeth. However, he made no attempt to intervene. Looking at Mimori, he saw that she was incredibly pale, her eyes focused on the knife the thief was holding. He hesitated in acting, unsure what he could do, if anything. That was when he remembered his father and brother. If he wanted to be strong, he knew he'd just have to forget the pain and fight on.

With a yell of defiance he threw his head back into his captor's mouth. He could feel the man's teeth break as they bit into his scalp. Free from his grip, Outa landed softly before he jumped back up and attacked a right-handed uppercut. Pain exploded in his sprained wrist as he made contact but he only let that fuel his anger. Landing in a crouch, he watched the thief with the knife. He slashed at him but Outa was fast enough to avoid serious injury. However, the tip of the blade craved a short line into his left cheek.

He rolled away from him and picked up his shinai. As he spun back to face the thief, he lashed out with the bamboo sword and knocked the knife over the edge of the bridge. Unarmed, the thief tried to tackle Outa. The boy lunged forward, aiming the shinai at the man's forehead. The thief baulked, leaning back on his heels to avoid the blow. Outa took the opportunity to sweep the man's legs out from under him with a low kick. The man fell on his back before he gagged as Outa landed on him with both knees squarely in his stomach. He was then knocked unconscious when the boy slammed the butt of his sword into his face.

He stepped off the thief with his gaze firmly locked on the man holding Mimori. The man lifted her a little higher, using her as a shield to protect his face. She hadn't made a sound and appeared to be in a state of shock. Outa stopped and looked at him, trying to decide what to do. Of all his options, he could see only one that guaranteed success. While it was a low blow, a ten year old needed every advantage in a fight with a fully grown man.

The man blinked, an opportunity that Outa seized upon to start his charge. The man was caught in two minds, whether to try and fight it out or throw the girl off the bridge and make a run for it. Before he could react, Outa lunged at him shinai first. A collective groan came for the male population of the crowd as his shinai struck exactly where it was aimed. Clutching at his shattered groin, the man dropped Mimori and fell to his knees. He blinked away tears to see the final image, Outa swinging the shinai towards his face.

"Are you okay?"

Mimori turned from her unconscious captor to her saviour. He stood over her, offering a helping hand. A small trail of blood flowing from his hairline before it disappeared into his headband. Dumbstruck by the whole experience, she quietly took his hand and allowed him to help her up. She automatically dusted herself off and took a moment to look at the bloodstain on her kimono. When she looked up at him he was smiling like an idiot again until his eyes lock onto something behind her.

"Moron," she growled as he ran passed her yelling at the birds to leave their food alone. She was angry, not just at him but at herself for being completely helpless. She knew what her father and Eiji did but she had never seen anything more than a kitchen knife. She was isolated from that life completely but always felt she could handle herself in any situation.

"Hey kid, are you alright?"

She glared up to the pedestrian who didn't have the courage to help them. "If you were so concerned about us, you should have tried to help." She turned away from him and walked towards Outa. He had put everything back into the bag and was giving the man a dark look. "Let's go," she coldly ordered him as she passed. He didn't let it bother him, he was too busy trying not to grimace in pain. As he obediently followed her, he closed his eyes to block out the pain he was feeling from his injuries.

When he opened his eyes he was surprised to see that they were walking side by side.

[]---------------[]---------------[]---------------[]---------------[]

"But I must say that I always enjoy spring in Tokyo." Tokio's voice echoed out into the empty yard as Megumi opened the door.

"I agree but summers are a little too hot for my liking," she responded as they both appeared on the balcony. Megumi helped the other woman sit down before she re-entered the house to retrieve the tray of freshly made tea.

"Well, if I was going to move just because of a change of season, I'd have four different houses. I'm not sure we could afford such a luxury." Tokio started to pour the tea, filling two cups and leaving the other two empty.

"Wouldn't the police have homes that you could use?" Megumi mused, happy to continue their pointless conversation.

"Ah, but the police would only use those for men working in that area. Unfortunately, Hajime moves around without much consideration for the seasons." They both enjoy a moment's silence, a warm breeze and a small sip of their tea.

"So are you going to tell me why you called me here?" Tokio looked at her quizzically, as if she didn't know what she meant. "You've had your leg restitched recently so I was wondering why you asked me to check it and not your other doctor."

"Was it that obvious?" Tokio asked, dropping her clueless expression

"A doctor knows their own work." Megumi confidently asserted, knowing her stitches were much better than her other doctor's.

"I told him that you wouldn't be fooled so easily." She seemed slightly amused, aggravating Megumi a little even though she didn't show it.

"So it was your husband's idea?" The tone of her voice meant the 'I should have known' was unnecessary.

"Don't misunderstand. His lifestyle and work habits make it hard for me to make friends. He likes to keep his work and his personal life very separate. He also fears that his family will be held accountable for his actions in the past. So we've led very secluded lives and it's rare for us to get involved in his work." She'd prefer not to show it but she was afraid that the little deception would help her lose Megumi's confidence as a friend.

Megumi took a moment to relax, releasing the initial anger she felt at being deceived by her. "So why are you involved in this case, you seem a little contradictory."

"You have to understand that this situation with Hasegawa only came to light at the last minute. Hajime was in Hokkaido and I was a visiting friend in Osaka. He didn't know how big it was or even that the Shinsengumi were involved until we were ambushed that night here in Tokyo. After that, I can assure you that he was extremely incensed and has been working hard to resolve this situation." She sighed faintly, upset by the turn of events that may still cost her a lot more than just her husband.

"You still haven't told me why he wanted me here." Megumi interjected into Tokio's silent musings when she felt a satisfactory amount of time had passed.

"I don't know. All he said was that he didn't want you interfering." This time her bemusement was genuine but she had a fair idea of what was happening.

"Interfering in what?" She asked quickly as she started to get a sinking sensation in her stomach. The only reason she could think of that he'd want her out of the way was because of her relationship with Sano. However, he doubted that he'd be afraid of her interfering in a conversation. It wasn't a momentous leap to realise that when Sano and Saito met, words wouldn't be the only thing they would exchange.

While Megumi was dreaming up the nightmare scenario of having to heal Sano yet again, Tokio had detected movement by the front gate. What she saw wasn't something she expected or wanted to see. "What on earth happened to you two?" That caught Megumi's attention and she focused her concerned gaze on Outa. He appeared to be trying to think of something to say as he ran a hand through his hair. As he drew it back, he realised for the first time that he was bleeding.

"Just some thieves that weren't any match for us," Mimori proudly announced as she walked passed the two women and into the house. The two women exchanged glances before silently reaching an understanding. Tokio went straight after her daughter while Megumi was left to attend to Outa.

"Sit here and don't move," she instructed him, pointing to the balcony as she went inside. He obeyed, placing the bag to one side before sitting down. "Turn around," came another order as she returned with her medical bag and some water. She immediately poured water onto his head and started to examine the damage. He squirmed as she applied some ointment to his wounds. After a few moments, she turned him around so that they were facing each other. She cleaned his cheek, placing a small patch over the wound. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I had to punch one of them," he quietly replied, holding up his right hand. The knuckles were bruised and his wrist was a little more swollen than the last time she saw it.

"Your just like your brother and DON'T take that as a compliment." She soaked his hand in the water before rewrapping his wrist a little tighter than the first time. She sighed as wiped some dry blood from his forehead. "Try to be a little more careful next time."

"Megumi-san… could you… look at my back as well?" He meekly asked, the aching pain making it difficult for him to move freely.

For a moment she wanted to ask why but she decided against it. "Okay show me," she watched as he turned around and pushed his gi off his shoulders. She frowned at the large bruise that was forming around his scratched skin. "You'd better lie down and while you're at it you can tell me what happened."

"There was this thief." He grimaced as she ran here hands over his ribs and spine.

"Only one?" she smiled as he tried to stifle a whimper. The ointment she applied to his back was one of the things she used to use on Sano. He hadn't liked it either but she hoped Outa would learn from this experience.

"At first," he continued, feeling the ointment inflame the pain as Megumi massaged it into his back. "He tried to steal the money from Mimori but I stopped him. As we were coming back, he returned with a couple of friends. They attacked us, so I beat them and we came back here."

"That's all?" she asked sceptically, knowing he'd probably have more details when he retold the story to his brother.

"Do you want to know all of it?" He responded as if he had read her mind.

"No, I'm sure I'll here it all later. I just want to know how Mimori got blood on her kimono?" She watched as he scanned his memory, going though everything from the start up until he found what he was looking for.

"One of them grabbed her after I kicked him in the face. It must have been his blood," satisfied with his answer he rested his head down on his forearms.

"Well, I guess you should be proud of what you did." She thought a little praise might over inflate his ego but he seemed more embarrassed by it than anything else.

"Yes and I'd like to thank you very much for protecting my daughter. You have my eternal gratitude," she bowed to him. With Tokio there, he looked completely self-conscious being only half dressed. He tried to sit up but Megumi held him down.

"Don't move. If I massage your back for a little while it should hasten your recovery." Megumi knew he was obeying after he lowered his head back down. He kept his face down, hoping to hide his face and embarrassment at his predicament.

"At least you were able to get everything. Now we have something to eat," Tokio's cheerful mood was in contrast to the sombre atmosphere. She appeared oblivious to this as she went to the kitchen to find a plate to serve the food. While she did, Outa tried to relax and Megumi tried not to think of what predicament Sano had gotten himself in. Tokio returned and settled herself down next to them with the food left near the cooling tea.

Soon after, Mimori appeared after changing into a dark green kimono. While she was quiet and composed, Megumi could see the faint signs that she had been crying. She didn't comment on it but took a momentary glance at Tokio. She appeared content with a snack and a cup of tea. She returned her attention to trying to help alleviate the tension in Outa's bruised back. However, she didn't miss a simple act by the young girl before she calmly started to eat.

Despite the fact Megumi was massaging his back, Outa felt incredibly tense. He had hoped that she'd be finished before Mimori appeared but he'd already seen her from the corner of his eye. He guessed seeing him half naked like this would only give her another reason for hating him. That was when he felt the vibration through the floor of something being placed in front of him. He looked up to see the cookie the storekeeper had given him sitting on a plate in front of him. A glancing he saw that the placid looking Mimori was the only one it arms reach of the plate.

"That should be enough for know, how do you feel?" Megumi watched him sit up and stretch out.

"It feels much better, thank you." He hastily redressed himself, keeping his back to the others. Once he was done, he settled down to finally satisfy his hunger. As he happily munched away, he noticed that Megumi was doing the same. Although, she was a little more sedate than he was.

"I thought you might be in a hurry to leave after what we discussed earlier." Tokio quietly inquired while she continued to gaze curiously at her.

"If your husband doesn't want me to interfere, then it's probably best I stay out of their way." Outa and Mimori looked at both women wondering what they were talking about. However, neither of them ventured to ask directly.

"I guess your right, but still I…"

"If you think I'm not worried, then you're wrong. It's more that I've realised that whatever those two end up doing, it won't be fatal. Besides, if he can't find me then he might think twice about getting himself injured again." Megumi seemed quite content to sip her tea while Tokio chuckled lightly.

"From all I've heard, if he hasn't learnt his lesson by now I doubt he ever will." She continued to laugh, remember how most of Sano's stories ended with him being treated by the foxy doctor.

"Probably but at least I can teach one member of his family not to make the same mistakes." Both women laughed at that as they looked the boy in question. Outa started to feel like the worm on the end of a fisherman's hook so he focused on eating. He had no idea what they were talking about but guessed it had something to do with his brother. All he did know was that he didn't like how Megumi was laughing.

"Well I think this one is a little smarter than he looks." Tokio tried not to laugh again at the face that Outa made. He was trying to figure out if he should be happy that someone though he was intelligent or offended at the suggestion that he looked stupid.

"He is and after having met his father I have to say it must come from his mother's side. In fact, with what he's shown me today, I was almost going to ask if he wanted to be a doctor." Megumi looked down at him hoping to gauge his reaction.

"Him? A doctor?" the disbelieving cry from Mimori brought a sly smile to Tokio's lips.

"Dr Higashidani Outa has a nice ring to it. Considering both Eiji and my husband's line of work it would be helpful to have a doctor in the family." It only took a second for Mimori to realise what her mother was implying.

"Are you saying that I would… with him… don't even…"

"I was just saying that it would be nice having a doctor in the family. If you tried, I suppose you could even be that doctor. It doesn't mean I expect you to marry one. So I don't see what you're so worked up about." Tokio calmly watched her daughter's flushed face as she angrily glared back.

"You're implying that if he was to become a doctor that I should marry him." Her voice was level but laced with fury.

Despite all the anger directed at her, Tokio didn't even bat an eyelid. "Well, I suppose that's one solution to the problem but it's not the only one. I still don't see what's got you so worked up, are you sure there's nothing else making your face go red?"

"It is?" she incredulously asked no one in particular while everyone watched her. "I mean it's because… because…"

"Because she's angry," Megumi chipped in, providing the words Mimori was struggling to find.

"Yes that's right, I'm angry." The girl chimed, confirming what the doctor had said.

"Angry, why?" Tokio's innocent sounding question made her daughter's face go blank.

"Because… because…" she muttered trying to remember why she was angry.

Megumi watched the girl, slowly lifting her teacup before she voiced the evil thought passing through her mind. "Because you're saying that Outa has to be a doctor before she marries him when she's happy to marry him no matter what he does."

"Yes, exactly…wait, no that's not want I meant!" Mimori let out a frustrated growl as she stared at the two women. They were both in a prolonged pose of lifting their teacups to their lips to hide the smiles that were on their faces. Knowing she couldn't win on her own, she turned to the only person who might be able to help her. "Why don't you say something?"

Outa looked at her and then the two women who were trying not to look too eager for his answer. Having led a fairly simple life, this wasn't the kind of pressure he was used to. So he said the first thing that came to mind. "I don't mind becoming a doctor but I'll have to ask my brother to see if it's okay." There was a protracted silence that was punctuated by Mimori angrily screaming as she stormed into the house. Outa stared at where she had disappeared with a bemused look until Megumi broke the quiet.

"Outa, I'm sure Sano will agree with me when I say this. It's your life, so if you want to be a doctor it should be your decision. You don't need to ask his permission." Outa nodded, acknowledging he understood and silently saying he'd think about it.

"At least my daughter's exit means she won't have to see this." They both looked at Tokio but she was staring at the front gate. Seconds later Eiji walked in, surprised that the two guests he invited were still present. Behind him Saito appeared and it was clear from the discrepancies in their uniforms what had happened. They didn't speak as they strode up to the trio on the balcony.

"If you make yourself comfortable inside I'll be with you in a moment." Megumi didn't miss the questioning twitch in Saito's eyebrow his as stared at her. "I'm sure you're able to tell when a suspect is lying to you just like I can tell when someone is trying to hide their injuries. And if you're wondering why I'm not going off after the chicken head, it's because I owe Tokio some thanks for the entertaining lunch."

He took a moment to gaze at her before turning his attention to his wife. She didn't protest at what had been said and he didn't question what she had meant. He would get the full story when they were alone. He quietly entered the house, already stripping off the tattered top of his blue police uniform. However, Eiji didn't move. He was more interested in how Outa had been injured when he didn't need leave the house.

"Come on Outa, we might as well get this over and done with." While Megumi took her time standing, Outa practically bounced to his feet. That was when he noticed Eiji examining him. They locked gazes for a moment before Outa followed after Megumi. Eiji continued to watch him until he was out of sight.

"You shouldn't be too suspicious of him, he has a good heart." Tokio slowly cleaned up the mess that had been made. She kept the plate with the left over food to one side, knowing that he would probably want some.

"I just want to know how he got hurt," he eyed Tokio and then the plate of leftovers. He sat down on the balcony helping her finish with the cups before taking something to eat.

"I sent Mimori and Outa out to get some food and some thief decided to target them. Outa was hurt protecting her but it wasn't anything serious." Tokio ignored the anger that she could see flashing in his eyes. They were family in every way but blood. "Don't be too concerned about it, from what she told me it was her fault for flaunting the money I gave her. She's just been protected from the world so long she doesn't always know how to act. Now that you won't be here, she's going to have to learn to live on her own."

"Maybe it was too early for me to join the police," his sullen statement caused her to chuckle.

"Hajime would never have suggested it if you weren't ready. I'll worry about Mimori, you make sure that you take care of yourself. I don't want to have to worry about both of you." Even though he didn't reply, she knew that he understood. The reluctance in his previous words was odd considering his had been eager to become an officer like his older brother. "I take it that Sano exceeded you low expectations?"

"They all did," he murmured whilst nodding his head slowly. "He was a lot stronger than I thought he'd be. I think he was even surprised." She smiled slightly at that, knowing that he was referring to her husband being surprised by Sano. "They have experience and insight that I don't. It makes me wonder if I really am ready."

"You are ready and unfortunately the only way to get experience is to fight. Your chance will come," she watched him but he wasn't really listening. He was thinking intently about his doubts, something that she decided to break. "Tell me what happened, everything. It's not often that I hear a story where my husband is surprised by something." She smiled as he smiled and then she listened intently as he recalled the fight he had witnessed. She knew that he was ready to join her husband but she forgot that they would be leaving soon.

She just wanted to enjoy the company of the boy she considered a son.