Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Watsuki.

A Son's Guilt: Chapter Nine

Brother is coming..."

The woman's slender fingers wrapped around the small branch of a bonsai, and she caressed it lovingly. Her slight voice echoed throughout the room, and the plants seemed to rustle with her strange song. It was without tune, and without meaning, at least to those who did not know her.

"Brother is coming... brother is coming..."

She paused, and bent down to stare straight at a tree with brown leaves and a brittle trunk. Her dark eyes turned large and sorrowful. "You're dying," she whispered, stroking the leaves with a thoughtful expression on her face. "You're...you're dying!"

Suddenly, she lashed out at the plant, upsetting it from it's high post, and clumps of soil went everywhere. Giggling, she reached to swipe at the plant next to it, to send that one falling as well, when a strong wrist grabbed hold of her own.

She shrieked, and tried to scratch her attacker, when a hand clapped over her mouth and a familiar voice reached her ears.

"Shika, it's me."

She smiled, relaxing instantly. "Akura!"

Yamanato sighed as he took away his hand and surveyed the fallen plant. "If you didn't like it, you could have just removed it. It would save you the mess."

Shika cocked her head to the side and pouted. "I like making the mess." When he didn't reply, she sidled up to him, and tapped his mask. "Brother, who did you kill today?"

Akura looked down at his sister, at her dead black eyes, the limp greying hair that fell past her face. A claw squeezed his heart then, like it always did when he was in her presence. But he displayed no emotion in his voice. "I didn't kill anyone today." He shrugged, nonchalantly, as if they were still the playmates of their childhood. " I only sent a note."

She giggled happily and clapped her hands together. "But he's dead now! The note is dead!" She laughed some more, this news seemed very funny to her.

"Yes. He is." Yamanato smirked. Though so much of her had been destroyed, her memory was still remarkable.

Shika blinked at him, and smiled. "Are you going to fight soon?"

Akura grinned behind his mask. He couldn't resist. "No Shika. I'm going to kill." he replied clearly, separating each word with a small pause, as though he were talking to a child, and not a woman of twenty one. But he was not being unkind, and Shika took no offence, like always.

"The redhaired boy." she stated solemnly.

"His name is Kenji Himura." Yamanato's voice was hard and cold. As far as he was concerned, the boy was already dead. He had so much confidence in this statement, that he had already moved on to other plans. It was true that the boy was insignficant in the general scheme of things, but his loss would be a hard blow to society, and as for the people's fear...He laughed silently to himself. And cruelly.

Shika's eyes drifted to the plant lying on the floor, and her smile widened. "You're going to make him fall, aren't you brother?"

o-o-o-o

Kenji looked up in surprise when Benjiro entered the room. Hadn't the officer said he was giving him some time to think when he'd left only a few minutes ago? Actually, he felt relieved now that the officer was back. Being all alone was unnerving, because the more his thoughts lingered on the incident, the more his feelings of dread rose.

Now that he had calmed down and acknowledged what a disrespectful idiot he'd been with regards to his father, he couldn't help but be reminded of what Benjiro had said earlier.

"...You believe Yamanato is not going to try and destroy your family?"

The more he lingered on this, the colder he felt. Was it really true? Had Kenji endangered his family by his actions? He'd had no choice, and he'd saved the lives of his friends but...would the consequences make him regret such a choice? He thought of his mother, he thought of Kenshin. He found himself also thinking of the Sagara family, of the Myojin family...He clenched his jaw. As long as he was still alive and able to use his sakabatou, no one would lay a finger on his family, no matter who they were.

"Sorry Kenji, for being back so soon, but hopefully you don't mind." Benjiro slid the shoji shut behind him, and suddenly, Kenji realised that he had brought someone with him. He couldn't help but stare at the newcomer, he looked oddly familiar.

"This is Tsutomu," explained Benjiro, noting Kenji's expression. "Officer Fujita's son. They look so alike, don't you think?"

"Yeah," mumbled Kenji, feeling uncomfortable. Officer Fujita's son..? But what is he doing here?

Tsutomu's jaw tightened. He gave Benjiro a displeasing look as he sat down on the chair opposite Kenji's, clearly he was not happy about being here. The officer simply grinned in response, and gestured towards Kenji.

"As for this young man..." He laughed heartily. "I"m sure I don't have to state whose son he is!" Benjiro's grin looked like it would split his face. "You know, I've always wanted to do this! Put the two of you in a room and see what would happen!"

Tsotumu rolled his eyes. His gaze flickered to Kenji and back to the young officer. He sighed, and looked both weary and annoyed. "Benjiro, what is going on here? My father won't tell me, as usual, so you can do the honours."

Benjiro shook his head in response, and Kenji wondered if the two knew each other.

"Would you like a drink, Kenji-kun?" the officer asked abruptly.

Kenji shook his head no.

Benjiro turned towards Tsutomu, and offered him a drink as well, which as he expected, was refused. "How is your brother?" he asked softly. "I meant to visit him the other day, but I've been so tied up with work..."

"Just get to the point," said Tsutomu, his eyes betraying nothing. "I asked you to explain the situation so if you don't mind..." He looked at him pointedly.

The officer sighed. Tsutomu was so like his father, you just couldn't induce a conversation with him. "Yamanato's men attacked the bakery Kenji works at." Benjiro looked tired as he massaged his forehead. "He had no choice but to kill them."

Kenji flinched but said nothing. Tsutomu looked at him. "I see."

Is that pity in his eyes? thought Kenji to himself, and he looked down at his hands. He didn't want pity. He wasn't feeling sorry for himself, after all. He had come to terms with what he did...but what now? It was the future that had him apprehensive.

His mother had already been hurt... Was he really strong enough to protect his family?

"One of the men however, escaped and sent word to Yamanato. Consequently...Yamanato has targeted his family. His mother has been shot and is in hospital."

"Kaoru Himura," said Tsutomu suddenly.

"Yes, how did you know?" asked Benjiro, surprised.

"I met her friend at the hospital." Tsotumu replied, his face expressionless.

An urgent knock on the screen interrupted them before Benjiro could ask the question he wanted. "Excuse me," said the officer, then quickly exited the room.

There was the sound of hurried whispering behind the screen, and Kenji strained to hear what was being said, but could catch nothing. He sighed, and tapped his fingers against the sides of the chair, all this waiting was only making him more anxious.

He glanced at Tsutomu, who was staring at him again. He looked away, flustered.

"How old are you?" Tsotumu asked, oblivious to Kenji's discomfort.

"Fifteen," Kenji replied. He glanced urgently towards the door again, the voices were louder now, and sounded angry. What was going on? Had something happened to his father? The queasy feeling in his stomach made him feel like he was sick. Or was it his mother?

Tsutomu grinned wolfishly. If he sensed how worried Kenji was, he didn't show it. "You don't look fifteen." He took out a cigarette pack and offered to Kenji.

The boy shook his head. "No thanks."

"You're the same age as my little brother." Tsutomu struck a match and lit his cigarette. He took a puff, then blew out smoke and looked at the redhead critically. "You know, for you're sake I hope you're not as foolish. Yamanato will kill you instantly if you are. Or worse, put you in a coma like he did Tyoshi."

Intense amber locked with shocked blue, and neither broke the gaze.

Kenji was about to open his mouth and ask what Tsutomu was talking about, when the screen slid open again and Benjiro came back in, looking grim.

"Kenji-kun...I'm afraid I have some bad news."

o-o-o-o

"Bad news?" asked Kenshin. He paused, looking tired. "Kaoru is alright, isn't she?"

For some reason, he was reminded of the Boshin war. In the middle of fighting, sometimes a man would see his comrade shot, or wounded. Amidst the struggle, he would persistently ask if his friend was okay, and the reply would always be, the friend was only injured. They had seen the friend being carried away..and it seemed like he would recover. Only afterwards, would the man be told that his comrade had in fact died. Kenshin didn't know why this memory had come to him, but it tensed him all the same.

"Your wife is fine," Saitou answered, sitting behind his desk with a sigh. "Himura, it's your son. In simple words, Yamanato is going to kill him."

Kenshin's jaw tightened, but his eyes remained calm. He had been expecting something along those lines. "Is that what he said?"

"No. He said he wants to fight him. But basically, that's what it means." Saitou struck a match and lit his cigarette, taking a long soothing drag.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "If he wants to fight someone, then he can fight me."

"Not part of his deal," said Saitou calmly. "Either Kenji fights him alone, or Yamanato hurts his friends and family." He shook his head and laughed. "Honestly, Himura. You think that it's as easy as picking up your sword again? You're not invincible, and you're certainly not as young as you were. It would be useless for you to try and involve yourself."

Kenshin ignored his comment and asked, "When does Yamanto want to fight him?"

"In three days."

Kenshin sagged. "I can't allow this. That's not enough time...Kenji is strong, but..."

"Not strong enough." Saitou finished. "Himura, this fight is inevitable, and it will happen. The only thing you should be concerned with from this moment onwards, is making sure Kenji will be prepared."

His former enemy stared at him. Disbelieving violet locked with grim amber, and neither broke the gaze.

"Are you asking me to prepare my son for death?" Kenshin's voice was a hollow whisper.

Saitou's eyes bore straight through him. "I don't know, am I?"