Author-chan's notes: HIYA EVERYONE!!! I'm so glad to be back! I've been working on a few things lately, so I've been neglecting some of my fics, including this one! Bad, bad A-chan! That, coupled with an evil, demonic computer virus, has completely delayed all my updates! Not to mention my e-mails… moans Anyway I'm here with the next installment, so read to your hearts' content!
I've been feeling happy lately. I currently have two new friends! This tiny little tree my sister gave me (I call him Chibi Arbor) and my new four-inch figurine of Kenshin! A-chan cuddles Kenshin figurine. It's so cute! Now all I need is a Saito figurine so I can recreate the fight in the dojo between the two of them! I'm so happy!!!!!!
Before we get started, though, I've had some reviews about Akira's family name. Apparently everyone seems to remember Akira-san, but a few reviewers are disputing over how his name is spelled. So far there have been 3 versions given to me by the reviewers: Kyosato (which is the one I've been using), Kiyosatao, and Kiyosato. This is worse than the whole Saito/Saitou/Saitoh thing! Anyway, I need your help. Vote on the best spelling on Akira's name! (For the time being, he will be called Kyosato.)
Key:
"talking"
'thoughts that can only be heard by thinker, a.k.a. private thoughts'
/thoughts that can be heard by thinker and spirits, a.k.a. telepathy/
### indicates scene/time change won't let me use the star things anymore! cries)
Like Father Like Son
(Chapter Ten: Break In)
At the Market Place
Large blue eyes stared at the items placed before them. Daikon. Rice. Tofu. Soy sauce. Salt. Vinegar. All of it was uncooked, and if those items knew what was best for them, they would stay that way. The pair of wide cobalt eyes continued to look at the groceries, feeling slightly sorry for in inanimate objects.
"Sasuke, what are you doing?" a laughing voice questioned. Large blue eyes looked up from the items to gaze into a pair of identical blue eyes set on a larger face.
"Looking," Sasuke answered his father. The red-haired swordsman smiled, shifting Sasuke's weight in his arms a bit.
"Looking at what?" Kenji asked, playing innocent.
"Yucky stuff," Sasuke answered, equally innocent sounding.
"Only if your kaa-san got hold of if, ne?" Kenji joked.
"I heard that," Chizuru's voice sounded as she walked over to her elder son and husband. The two males were standing by a stall looking at the provisions they had bought. To be more precise, though, Kenji was standing while holding the two-year-old in his arms. When Chizuru came up to the pair of them, she raised an eyebrow, a look of mock sternness coming over her features.
"Zuru-chan, you're not offended are you? You know what I'm saying is true, but that I love you anyway," Kenji grinned at his wife. Chizuru frowned, her mock sternness melting away into the real thing. If Kenji had been paying more attention he would have noticed the warning signs and would have high-tailed it out of there. But alas…
"What have I told you about calling me that name, anata?" Chizuru asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Not to?" Kenji sweat dropped, backing away slightly.
"That's right," Chizuru nodded, smiling gently at her nervous husband. Kenji sighed in relief. Chizuru plucked Sasuke from Kenji's arms and started to walk away.
"Anata, don't forget," Chizuru called back, "You're the one taking everything back to the dojo."
"E-everything?!" Kenji yelped looking back at all their purchases. Daikon. Rice. Tofu. Soy sauce. Salt. Vinegar. The Himura family always bought in bulk too, since there were so many people that dropped by to mooch off them. (coughSanocough) All of that together…well it was too much for one man to carry! Kenji felt his eyes become swirls.
"Oro!" the redhead squeaked, trying not to pass out.
"Consider it punishment," Chizuru called to him, "I'll be waiting for you at the Akabeko!"
"Oro…"
Smirking slightly to herself, Chizuru walked away. Served Kenji right for calling her Zuru-chan after she had told him not to. Besides, her husband was a resourceful man. She knew that sooner or later he would figure out how to get everything to the dojo. Chizuru smiled to herself. She and Kenji loved to tease each other. Somehow the teasing made them more than just man and wife. It made them partners, allies, lovers, and best friends. Chizuru closed her eyes slightly, sighing in happiness. Kenji was the best thing that had happened to her. Him and her two sons, one who was being held in her arms, and the other one being looked after by Sano in the dojo. Yes, she, Himura Chizuru, was the happiest woman alive.
Chizuru, caught up so deeply in her thoughts, didn't pay attention to where she was going, and felt her shoulder bump against someone else's. Her eyes snapping open wide, the blue-eyed woman, turned around to face the man she had accidentally hit. She was about to open her mouth to apologize, but the words withered away in her mouth as she saw the man's face.
"You…Y-you're supposed to be dead!" Chizuru gasped out, staring at the man before her. The man stared at her, not in shock, but in amusement.
"I could say the same about you," the tall man retorted, "Raikouji Chizuru."
"Yamaguchi-san…" Chizuru whispered clutching her son closer to her.
###
Back at the dojo
Sai, the art dealer/thief in Genji's group, placed his hand on the hilt of the sword they had found in the dojo, preparing to draw it out. But then…
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" a high-pitched cry sounded.
"Kami-sama!" several of the thieves swore. Sai dropped the sword, gripping his ears tightly.
"What the hell is that?!" Genji yelled over the noise.
"I-I think it's a baby," answered another one of Genji's thieves, Shou.
"You don't say?" Genji snarled out sarcastically, "Where the hell is it coming from, ahou?!"
"Oi, boss, it's coming from this basket over here!" Shingo called out, pointing to the corner where a defenseless laundry basket lay.
"Shimatta, get that thing to shut up!" Genji snarled, "It'll wake up that guy in the other room!"
"Yes, sir!" Shingo yelped, rushing over to the basket and pulling out the squirming bundle inside.
'Oro!' Kenshin squeaked/thought. Shingo was not a kind handler.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" the baby wailed louder.
###
Elsewhere in the dojo
There were certain things that Sagara Sanosuke held dear to his heart. One was his friends/family. Another was his sake. Third was his fighting abilities. And lastly there was his sleep. If Sano was deprived of any of said things close to his heart, Sano was not a happy rooster.
Due to a certain wailing baby one of said important things was being ripped away from the non-happy rooster. To be accurate, it was the last one.
So, with much grumbling and cursing, one Sagara Sanosuke picked himself up to find out was the red-haired ball of fluff wanted.
Now don't get Sano wrong, he loved the red-haired ball of fluff.
A new, louder wail vibrated through the dojo.
Okay, so he loved the red-haired ball of fluff most of the time.
Now wasn't one of those times.
"It better not be a dirty dipper, kid," Sano growled under his breath, walking towards the loud wailing.
Yep, and once again it was Uncle Sano to the rescue…maybe.
###
Back with Kenshin/Kenichi and the thieves
"Can this kid get any louder?!!" Shou cried.
"What did ya say?!" Haru, who was right next to him, asked. The baby in Shingo's arms continued to scream louder.
"Damn kid has to have lungs of steel!" Genji snarled, his hands clamped like oysters on his ears.
"We've got to get out of here fast!" Sai called out, scrambling to pick up the sword he had dropped.
"What?!" the others yelled at him, not hearing him.
"I SAID!!!" Sai began, trying to yell over the wailing child.
"OI! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!!" a new voice snarled. The thieves turned to see a man with spiky brown hair standing in the open doorway, looking –for lack of a better phrase –very pissed off.
###
Back with Shinigami; location unknown
Green-gold eyes looked over the crisp white paper careful, checking for any flaws in the parchment or any of the writing splayed across it. Shinigami grinned to himself. Yes, this perfect! It looked just like the real thing, official and important, yet simple. The chibi kami patted himself on the back for a job well done. The lettering, the phrasing, heck, even the thick distinct seal was perfect, down to the last detail.
Yes, it was very helpful to have the powers of a kami.
"Now to get this to Chou-san," Shinigami murmured to himself, tucking the parchment away. Shinigami allowed himself one last mischievous grin before skipping away to find his quarry.
'Oh, this is going to be fun…'
###
At the Akabeko
Chizuru was sitting in a booth at the restaurant, breathing heavily. The building was packed with customers, but none of them noticed her. She was alone in the booth, since Sasuke had been whisked away by Tsubame to the kitchens to play with his "cousin" Shinya, Tsubame and Yahiko's son. None of the waiters came near her either, since Tsubame had already taken care of her orders.
For the first time in years, Chizuru felt utterly alone.
She had never felt alone since she had met Kenji. He had become her anchor and through him she had made many new friends as well as build up a wonderful caring family, one that she would protect at all costs. Her family, her friends…they didn't deserve to be dragged into her past.
But it seemed…it seemed that her past was coming back for her in the shape of a man she thought was long dead.
Yamaguchi-san…
Fear ripped through the young woman. Yamaguchi was powerful. If he wanted to he could cause the happiness Chizuru had built for herself to come crashing down on her. Her family would hate her for her secrets.
And that was the most terrifying thing Chizuru could think of.
"Hey, Chizuru!" a voice near her voiced, dragging her out of her thoughts and back to the present. Chizuru's cerulean eyes snapped open wide, just as Yahiko slipped into the booth that she was occupying.
"Y-Yahiko!" Chizuru yelped, the swordsman's presence startling her, "What are you doing here?"
"Well, my wife and I do own this place you know," Yahiko teased her good-naturedly. Chizuru looked down, not wanting to have to be trapped by the warrior's sharp cinnamon eyes and have all her secrets revealed by her eyes.
When Chizuru stayed silent for longer than expected, Yahiko frowned. It wasn't like the young woman to be so quiet. She and her husband were the most vocal pair Yahiko knew, besides Sanosuke and Megumi that is.
"Okay, Chizuru," Yahiko sighed, "I maybe thick-headed sometimes, but I'm not stupid. What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," Chizuru lied.
"Yeah right," Yahiko snorted, "Look me in the eyes and say that."
"Nothing. Is. Wrong," Chizuru repeated slowly, looking into Yahiko's dark eyes as she said so. Yahiko raised an eyebrow, impressed that she had passed his test.
"Somehow I don't believe you anyway," Yahiko sighed, "Are you sure you don't want to tell me what's going on with you?"
"Yes."
"You know, Chizuru," Yahiko began, "Bottling up your feelings is bad for you. I've seen what doing that has done to people. I've watched the strongest of warriors crumble away when they hid their hearts. It hurts when you hide your feelings. But worse than that, it hurts the people around you. How do you think we feel when you hide your emotions from us, when we're supposed to be your closest companions? How do you think we feel as we watch you in pain and know we can't do a thing to help you because you won't let us?"
"Yahiko?" Chizuru questioned, looking at the tanned man. He had a far away look in his eyes as if he was no longer speaking to her but to someone else that no longer existed. She had seen that look before, and not only in Yahiko's eyes, but in Sanosuke's, Megumi's, and even Kenji's as well. Sometimes it scared her.
"Yahiko?" Chizuru said again, trying to snap him out of his thoughts.
"Hmm?" the swordsman blinked, looking at her.
"Do you believe in ghosts?"
###
Back at the dojo
Kenshin felt like cheering. Sano was awake, and he caught the robbers red-handed. Now all that need to happen was for Sano to whack those poor fools over the head several times (maybe try a Futae no Kiwami or two on them) and little Kenichi was ready to go back to his peaceful nap.
Though having a lullaby and a good rocking before going to sleep wasn't a bad idea either. Besides, despite his gruffness, Sano wasn't that bad of a singer…
Kenshin felt like mentally smacking himself several times. Sheesh, just four, five months in a baby's body and all of a sudden he was starting to think like one!
Suddenly, the little redhead yawned, his crying quieting. Apparently his body had just gotten tired of crying and wanted to go back to sleep. Or maybe his disobedient body realized that it was soon to be out of harm's way and was relaxing. Well, whatever the reason, "Kenichi" felt himself drifting off to sleep.
Meanwhile, the adults heaved a small sigh of relief as the baby stopped crying, sparing their tortured eardrums. Although the robbers were confused that the child had suddenly stopped crying, Sano wasn't. The ex-gangster knew that Kenichi's moods shifted as quickly as the wind, one moment bawling his eyes out, the next cooing happily from amid the laundry.
'Oh yeah,' Sano thought to himself, 'He's Kenshin's grandson.'
Tearing himself from his thoughts, Sano got back to the task at hand. Shooting out his best "I will maim you so bad you'll beg for death" glare at the five idiots who dared break into the dojo, Sano eased himself into a fighting stance.
"Alright, bastards, I'll give you a choice," the spiky-haired former fighter-for-hire snarled, "Either you give me Kenichi-chan and leave, or I'll rearrange your ugly faces!"
A few of the bandits took a sharp intake of breath at his words. Judging by his stance and well-built powerful frame, they could tell that the man before them could carry out his promise.
"Oh?" Genji drawled out mockingly, being one of the thieves not affected by Sanosuke's threats, "And just who are you to make demands of us, old man?"
Sano bristled at the "old man" comment. He was only thirty-six, damn it! He wasn't that old!
"Sagara Sanosuke," the brown-haired dojo border growled out at Genji. To his surprise (and satisfaction) one of the thieves paled at his name.
"S-Sagara Sanosuke?!" Sai gasped out, his knuckles turning white as he grasped the sheathed form of the sakabatou tighter, "My father told me about you! You're the fight-merchant, Zanza!"
"That's right, you idiot punk," Sano grinned wolfishly, looking for a brief moment like his one-time rival, Saito Hajime, "You just broke into a very dangerous fighter's home and tried to rob it!" Sano was almost tempted to tell them what other fighters frequented/lived at the dojo (i.e. Tokyo's Man of a Hundred Swords and what some crasser of the Bakumastu veterans, coughSaitocough, called "Battousai's Brat").
If the thieves didn't look pale before, they did now. They were facing down one of the famous street fighters in Tokyo! They had never planned for that!
Genji, in the meantime, wasn't afraid of some old gangster. He was the leader here! He was in control of the situation, not this "Zanza". The leader of the thieves simply growled at the rooster-headed man before him and reached into his coat to grab his gun…
#
Glossary:
Daikon- type of long white radish
kaa-san- mother
-chan- name suffix; usually used for young girls and boys; can also be used to signify endearment
anata- "you", but when used by a wife to a husband it can be an endearment like "darling"
oro- Kenshin's (and Kenji's) all purpose little phrase; usually used to denote surprise or confusion (or just save the user's butt)
Kami-sama- "Lord God"; "gods"
Ahou- "moron"; stronger than "baka"
Shimatta- all purpose curse word
-san- name suffix; the equivalent to "Ms." or "Mr."
Shinigami-"God of Death"; It's more of a title than an actual name, but here I'm using it as a name, but whether or not it is a name rather than a title is debatable. I might answer that question in later chapters though, so keep reading…
Zanza- Sanosuke's nickname when he was a fighter-for-hire; refers to his "partner" his giant sword, the zanbatou
Tokyo's Man of a Hundred Swords- Yahiko's nickname; I've also seen it as "Tokyo's Man of a Hundred Hadomes (Sword-blocks)"; it refers to Yahiko's skill with the ougi (final technique) of the Kamiya Kasshin style, the Hadome (Sword-block)
Battousai- Kenshin's nickname when he was an hitokiri back in the Bakumastu; refers to Kenshin's skill in battoujutsu
Author-chan's notes: Finally! Finished with this chapter! Sorry for the long wait!
Anyway, please review on how you want Akira's last name to be spelled: Kyosato, Kiyosatao, or Kiyosato
Also, thanks to JML for telling me the difference between shoji and fusuma. I'll keep it in mind as I continue to write.
And thanks to misaoshiru for your constant support of this fic. I loved your fic "Together Again?" by the way. I kinda want to see a sequel to that (hint, hint).
Please R & R!!!