Author-chan's notes: Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone! A-chan here! It's the chapter that everyone has been waiting for! The chapter where important stuff happens! W00T!
Oh, shameless plug here, but I've issued a challenge on my profile page concerning one of the members of the PBKB Club. Check under the last section of my profile, The Secret Lives of My OCs, to see what I'm talking about. The challenge is in the section where the text is italicized. Good luck everyone!
Enjoy the fic!
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/
writing in a letter
qpqpqpqp indicates scene/time change
Like Father Like Son
(Chapter Twenty-two: Visit)
Somewhere in KyotoDawn was barely peaking over the horizon, the rosy edges of sunlight glimmering over the darkened streets of Kyoto. Early risers fluttered their eyes open, while night owls shut theirs. Even while the streets were washed with light, darkness still clung to deepest pockets of Kyoto's alleyways. And there in the darkest of alleys, living shadows dwelled to quarrel with one another.
And if those shadows' brawls came to the sunlit world…
Unknown to the people, there in the darkness, another fight was brewing. Perhaps it would spill over to the day-lit streets to affect the lives of everyone in the city. Perhaps not.
Yukishiro Enishi hoped for the later.
The white-haired former revenge seeker and crime lord sat in his small home drinking tea to start off his morning. The scene was not unlike that of many other homes, and there was a reason for that.
After his final fight with Himura Battousai, an event that had taken place over a quarter of a century ago, Enishi was forced to rethink his entire life style. As a crime lord and murderer, he had shamed his family and disappointed his sister. With his Jinchuu, his Earthly Justice, he had saddened her. She wanted no revenge from him, but rather a normal happy life.
He saw that now. Nee-san wanted him, as well as Battousai, to be happy and free from the horrors of the Bakumatsu.
After his duel with Battousai, Enishi had left a broken man. For a long time, his life had been empty, now that he no longer had revenge to power his body. Then finally it happened.
He saw her. He saw Tomoe again.
For the longest time he had not seen her or had only seen her disapproving frown. But then, a year after his fight with Battousai, he saw her again, smiling softly. And she had spoken to him. Before, her spirit would never speak to him. But then, the soft echoes of her half remembered voice murmured to him.
"Enishi, live," Tomoe had whispered, "Live, like he is living."
He had made a journey to Tokyo not long after that vision. He had spied on Battousai quietly and carefully so that his presence would not be detected.
And he had seen what Tomoe had wished him to see.
Battousai, no, it was Himura Kenshin, with his arms around a glowing Kaoru, a red-haired babe cradled in her arms.
He had heard the child's name whispered softly between the couple.
Kenji. Path of the Sword.
Himura had moved on, away from his shadows. He lived. He did not simply exist like Enishi had.
That day, Enishi changed. Truly changed.
While he could not live in the light with a family like Himura did, he could protect that light from the shadows.
In a strange way, that little baby with Himura's hair was part of Enishi's lost family. Himura and that Kamiya girl (no, it was Himura Kaoru now) were also part of Enishi's family. They were the only family he had left, even though his tie with them was weak and strained. It mattered little. They were his family, and he would try to protect them.
Even if they didn't know it.
Enishi dedicated the rest of his life to keep tract of the criminal activity in the shadows so that the sunlit where the Himura family would be safe, safe in a way that Enishi's own blood family had not been. In a way, this was his atonement for his crimes and misguided deeds.
And he knew he was doing well. Tomoe came to visit him more and smiled at him constantly.
But there was no need for Himura to know any of that, of what Enishi did with his life.
Currently, now nearly a quarter century since he had seen Himura with Kaoru and their tiny child, Enishi kept tabs on the yakuza, in particular, Hamano Genji's group of thugs. Unlike most yakuza groups, Genji had holdings in two of the major cities, Kyoto and Tokyo. While Enishi mostly stayed in Kyoto (his Jinchuu crimes caused him to be still wanted in Tokyo despite the time that had passed), he still kept a close eye on Tokyo through an advanced network that he had created. And he could tell Genji was trouble. Enishi had heard rumors of Genji's involvement with the Himura family.
Enishi had seen Genji's limp and had to hand it to Kenji. The boy knew how to wield a sword well.
Genji was causing trouble again, this time of epic proportions. And it was up to Enishi to stop it.
Sighing, the white-haired former crime lord put down his tea and stood up, wincing a bit as he heard something pop. Enishi was almost fifty now, so it was no surprise he felt a little bit of wear and tear. But he was still strong enough to stand up to that brat Genji.
"Time to go," Enishi muttered to himself, straightening his Western-style shirt.
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Aoiya"Time to go," Kenji muttered to himself, straightening his kimono.
Looking around him, he saw his family, the Shinomori family, the Sagaras, and the Myojin family in their good clothing. Smirking to himself, Kenji knew that Hiko would probably snort at the idea of all these people coming to visit him. Kenji wouldn't be surprised if the old swordsman kicked all of them off the mountain.
Kenji quickly looked everyone over. Kenji himself wore a dark blue kimono that complemented his eyes and hair and, at Michiyo's suggestion, cloud gray hakama. Tsubame, Megumi, and Chizuru looked pristine as always; not one hair was out of place and their kimono (Tsubame in red accented with white, Megumi in lavender and pink, and Chizuru in violet accented with light blue) were in perfect condition. Michiyo as well was very neatly dressed in a sea green yukata with a light blue fan pattern that she had made herself. Aoshi and Misao also sported yukata created by their daughter; Misao's being a vibrant blue and pink, which she wore casually, while Aoshi wore a more subdued grayish blue while casting out his usual somber aura. Kenji thought that if Michiyo ever got tired of being a ninja, she could easily make a living as a seamstress. Yahiko kept tugging at the high collar of a white Western-style shirt that he wore along his usual forest green hakama. Shinya, however, wore his Western-clothing (shirt, pants, and suspenders) more easily than his father did. Sasuke wore a simple blue yukata the exact shade of his eyes. Again the yukata was courtesy of Michiyo. Sano was the most casual of all of them, wearing his usual white outfit with the aku symbol on his back, but it was at least much cleaner than normal.
"Where's Kenichi?" Kenji asked when he didn't see the other redhead.
"I don't know," Chizuru replied worriedly, "Sasuke, did you see him?"
"Ken-nii was still asleep when I left the room," Sasuke shrugged, "I don't think he got a lot of sleep last night. He was tossing and turning."
"I'll go get him," Kenji sighed, as he head upstairs.
Just as he was within a few feet of Kenichi's door, he heard voices. Kenji paused to listen.
"Really, you should come Himura-san," a cheerful voice said, "We'll have a fabulous time! I have it all planned out!"
"(Yawn) Yes, Kaito, I heard you," the sleepy voice of Kenji's younger son replied, "I already said I'm coming last night."
"Hai, hai," the cheerful voice (Kaito, Kenji supposed) agreed, "I just don't want you to forget. For goodness sakes, everyone is going to be there! Even always reclusive Hideki will be there!"
"(Yawn) Hideki?" Kenichi's voice tiredly inquired.
"That's right, you haven't met Hideki, the I'm-so-silent-but-know-everything-you-don't-dark-ninja-man, yet," said Kaito's voice colored with realization, "Well, technically you have. You've met everyone in the PBKB. After all you're the one who brought us all together!"
"I (yawn) remember," Kenichi's voice murmured sadly.
"Kaito, shut up," a second strange voice snapped, "Can't you see Himura-kun is tired? He doesn't need your prattle so early in the morning. In fact, no one needs your voice early in the morning."
"So cruel, Takumi," Kaito's voice sniffled, "And here I thought you loved me…"
"Shut up, ahou, and hand me that obi over there," the second voice (Takumi, Kenji assumed) hissed, "Between Himura-kun's being so tired from you keeping him up last night and your chattering now, he can't put on his own clothes or talk like he usually does! Ahou, you keep forgetting that Himura-kun is a child and his body needs sleep!"
"Oi, I resent that!" Kaito's voice huffed.
"It's (yawn) alright, Takumi," Kenichi murmured, "I can (yawn) dress myself. I'm not a child."
"Heh, try telling me that when you don't have the body of a nine-year-old, Himura-kun," Takumi's voice laughed kindly, "Just let me tie the obi, and you're done."
"'Kay," murmured Kenichi's voice tiredly. There was a moment of silence, followed by a rustling of cloth.
"Careful not to lean in on me too much, Himura-kun," warned Takumi's voice as he finished (Kenji assumed) tying the obi, "You might get blood on you."
Then suddenly there was a soft thump.
Kenji tensed up, his hand going towards his sword. If those two had harmed his child…
"Chikuso!" swore Takumi's voice, "Himura-kun fell asleep! Damn it, Kaito! I told you we shouldn't have come here so early!"
"Aww, Himura-chan looks as cute as a button!" Kaito's voice squealed childishly, "I can just imagine what Kao –"
"Shut up, ahou!" snapped Takumi's voice suddenly, "Someone's close by!"
"Drat!" Kenji hissed as he quickly strode forward and opened Kenichi's door…
…Only to be greeted with the lone figure of his second son asleep on the floor.
Looking around for the mysterious Takumi and Kaito, Kenji's eyes met no one other than Kenichi passed out on the ground. And there weren't any hiding places in the room, at least none that full-grown men (Takumi and Kaito were adult men by the sound of their voices) could hide in.
"Kuso!" Kenji hissed though his teeth before he knelt down to check on his son. Kenji was pleased to note that besides a severe case of fatigue, Kenichi was perfectly fine.
'Good,' Kenji thought to himself, 'If those strangers had tried to harm my child, I would make them wish they were never born.'
Kenji gritted his teeth at the fact that he had no idea who those people were who were talking to Kenichi. They didn't seem dangerous…but then again that Takumi mentioned something about blood…
One of these days he and his son were going to have a long, long talk…
Kenji was also pleased to note that Kenichi was dressed for going out. The yukata he wore was gray, the exact shade of Kenji's hakama, and the obi was the same dark blue of the kimono Kenji wore.
"No wonder Michiyo-san picked out this outfit for me. Just like Chizuru, trying to match us," Kenji sighed as he carefully reached over to nudge Kenichi's shoulder.
"Kenichi? Kenichi-kun, it's time to get up."
qpqpqpqp
Kenshin could feel someone shake him. The touch that brushed up against him was too warm to be a ghost…A living person perhaps?
"O-oro?" Kenshin murmured, his violet eyes fluttered open…
…Only to land on a man who could have passed as Hitokiri Battousai's twin.
His reaction was slow due to his sleepiness and shorter legs, but it was the first reaction that his body had. He backed away violently from his darker half until his back hit the wall, his eyes widening with fear and surprise.
'N-Nani?' Kenshin's half-functioning mind questioned, 'Kyoto, it has to be Kyoto. Someone was warning…about blood…Nightmare, dream, hallucination…Wake up, wake up!'
The darkest specter of his past, darker than all of the PBKB and their bloody wounds put together, was here, his hand resting lightly on his katana (Kenshin knew what it meant when Battousai put his hand on his katana, he knew it better than anyone). He couldn't understand why the hitokiri was there before him. His mind was too broken and tired to remember he had already come to terms with his darkness. All he knew was confusion.
Suddenly, Battousai reached out to him.
"Ken –"
"STOP!" Kenshin yelled, as his mind was suddenly assaulted by dark and bloody memories, decades old, but brought back to life due to a tired mind, the tainted aura of Kyoto itself, and related images he saw before falling asleep and after just waking.
People he knew, people he had made friends with…he watched them die by his hand.
What was worse was these dark images were not made-up dreams, but memories of a time he had once lived through.
In the past, when he was torn apart by memories of the hitokiri, it was not this bad because back then he had very little knowledge about his victims. But now, to see people he cared about and came to know die gruesome deaths because of a killer he had once been…
Suddenly, he felt the arms of Battousai around him, as pale hands stoked his hair and wiped away tears on his cheeks that Kenshin didn't realize were there.
Himura Kenshin was a full-grown man, known for his phenomenal control over his emotions. However, he was also Himura Kenichi, a young boy. And as the case for young children, if they are stretched too thin, given too little sleep, and too many nightmares are brought to life, they will crack under pressure. So it was quite understandable when Kenichi clung to his father's clothes and cried for the first time in years.
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Chizuru smiled up at her husband when she saw her husband come down the stairs holding Kenichi. Unlike his brother Sasuke, Kenichi was very, very small for his age and could easily be carried about, though it had been a long time since Kenji had carried any of their children.
"Kenji! You took awhile," Chizuru smiled. Suddenly, her smile fell away when Kenji turned his face to her.
Kenji, her Kenji, was tightlipped and pale. Unshed tears lingered around his eyes and worry creased his brow as he looked down on a sleeping Kenichi. And Kenichi! Kenichi looked worse than his father did! He looked so vulnerable! He too was paler than usual, and his hand was fisted his father's clothing. Wet tears were on his cheeks and his eyes were lined with dark circles as if he had barely gotten any sleep. And, as a mother, she could see the horror that outlined Kenichi's entire form.
"W-What happened?" Chizuru asked, almost afraid to touch the pair in fear that she would shatter something.
"Nightmare," Kenji murmured a bit hesitantly, "Or something similar."
"Kenichi never gets nightmares!" Chizuru protested.
"Wrong," Kenji growled, not quite sure who or what he was angry at, "He just never tells us about them. Kenichi never tell us about anything that is bothering him!"
"Kenji," Chizuru murmured as she watched her husband's form seemingly curl protectively around their son.
"I feel so helpless," Kenji whispered, not realizing the others had sneaked in to see what was happening.
"Kenji, maybe you and Kenichi should stay here," Yahiko suggested quietly.
"Iie," Kenji shook his head, "I have to see Hiko-sensei, and Kenichi can't stay in Kyoto. Kami-sama, why didn't I listen more closely last night? Kenichi was trying to tell me…"
"What?" Chizuru asked, putting a gentle hand on Kenji's arm.
"It's Kyoto," Kenji replied, looking at her directly in the eyes, "I don't know what, but something about Kyoto is bothering him. It's not homesickness; he didn't act this way when we took that vacation to Yokohama a while back. It's something about the city itself."
"Kyoto is an old city, Kenji-san," Aoshi began, surprising the others when he broke his normal silence, "There are many things within this city that are very…unsettling. Perhaps Kenichi-kun has a natural ability to control his ki. That would explain why I cannot sense him. It could be that he senses the darkness of Kyoto's soul. There are not many that could face that darkness and not be affected."
"Heh. Kyoto is different," Kenji murmured, echoing the words Kenichi had told him last night.
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Hiko's mountain
Hiko Seijuuro glared at the intruder in his home, the same intruder that had been visiting him for the past few weeks. And the worse thing was that there was nothing Hiko could do about this little pest.
"How long are you planning on staying here?" Hiko growled, glaring at the short form of his intruder.
"What, am I not welcome?" Hiko's unwanted guest asked cheekily, "In your condition, I would think you would be begging me to be around. But then again, you are the Hiko Seijuuro the Thirteenth, master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. You ever were one for solitude, even if your guests were old friends."
"Old friends," Hiko snorted, "I would dread to know what my old enemies would be like then."
"You really hate me, don't you, Seijuuro-san?" the guest inquired, tilting his head to the side slightly.
"Humph," Hiko grunted, "Don't flatter yourself."
"So arrogant," the other sighed, "I wonder how Kenshin-san was able to live you all those years. No wonder he left you and came to me."
"Leave Kenshin out of this!" Hiko growled his eyes flashing dangerously.
"'Kenshin', is it?" the intruder smirked, "I thought it was always 'baka deshi'. Eternally imperfect and flawed, unworthy of the very name you gave him…Yes, no wonder he became mine, not once but twice. And you've already too late. Kenshin-san is very much a part of this."
"I suggest you shut up now," the Hiten master hissed out with a glare. The other laughed.
"Threatening a kami, eh, Seijuuro-san? Your arrogance and ego know no bounds."
"Shinigami," Hiko growled out dangerously. His guest laughed again, flipping his braid over his shoulder, for there sitting across from the ill sword master was the child-like form of the god of death.
"I already gave you your ultimatum, Seijuuro-san," Shinigami reminded the aging swordsman, "You've been arguing with me for, oh how long? It won't change. Only your deshi can kill you, as it has been with all the Hiten Mitsurugi masters."
"I've only had one true deshi, Shinigami-sama," Hiko replied a bit sarcastically, "And as you have been fond of pointing out, he's yours now. He's dead."
"Perhaps," Shinigami grinned, "But there are ways around that minor detail. And I have to admit, Kenshin-san always was one of my favorite assistants. It saddened me greatly when he decided to leave his job he had with me."
"You're planning on using him again," Hiko realized, his eyes widening, "You want to bring back Hitokiri Battousai."
"Of course!" the small kami chirped cheerfully, "Kenshin-san is much more useful to me that way."
"You're insane," Hiko growled, "I was there when he buried the hitokiri."
"Kenshin-san is the hitokiri," Shinigami corrected, "He cannot be anything else. I know that Hiten Mitsurugi masters were never meant to be assassins and that it's against your code. However, one of you was bound to mess up and end up training one of my special assistants. It was always disappointed that even though Hiten Mitsurugi practitioners were the perfect in their Art, they never truly belonged to my collection of assistants. Once Kenshin-san became mine, do you really think I would let him go so easily? You see, Seijuuro-san, I need him to complete a mission for me."
"You want him to kill."
"That's what a sword is for, ne?" Shinigami laughed, "And Kenshin-san is every inch a sword. My sword. Even you yourself said he was a sword; you said so the day you named him!"
"Do your own dirty work, kami!" Hiko growled, "You don't need a human pawn."
"Ah, but I do," Shinigami grinned, unfazed by the bristling man before him, "Perhaps I do not need him to bring you into the Afterlife, but it would be more convenient if Kenshin-san was the one who did the deed."
"What are you babbling about?" Hiko asked warily, feeling tired and old.
"I've already told you about the PBKB Club, ne?" Shinigami began seriously, "If you've noticed all of them are cursed spirits. At first I thought it was because of Kenshin-san's sword. But then I looked more closely into it. Not all victims of Battousai were killed by Battousai's katana. Sometimes Battousai had to improvise and borrow a sword, or use his wakazashi which is not cursed like the katana is. So then why are all of the PBKB cursed if they didn't all die from a cursed blade?"
"You're still not making any sense," Hiko muttered.
"Kenshin-san is a very special pawn," Shinigami said, ignoring the Hiten Mitsurugi master, "And only a very special pawn can accomplish what I want to be accomplished. So it would be in Kenshin-san's best interest if you do what I ask. If you don't, well, let's just say, Kenshin-san will find death is a much, much better alternative than what lies ahead for him. And despite what you think, I actually do care what happens to my assistants, especially Kenshin-san."
"I find that hard to believe," Hiko snorted, "Kami are known to be benevolent, but they are also known to be cruel. Guess which category humans put you in?"
"The same could be said of you, Seijuuro-san," Shinigami giggled, completely undisturbed, "But you have to admit Kenshin-san is quite special. More so than you think."
"Even if you get my baka deshi to be your hitokiri again and that's a big if," Hiko scoffed, "you said so yourself. He's dead. Spirits can't harm the living."
"There are ways around that," Shinigami replied, smiling cheerfully.
Suddenly, there was the sound of voices outside.
"Hiko-sensei?" the sound of Kenji's voice floated in the wind.
"You seem to have visitors," Shinigami murmured, "What a strange thing for a hermit to have."
"I'm very popular," Hiko replied smugly, "I like my privacy though."
"Indeed," Shinigami smiled, "Anyway, you'll see soon enough what I meant. See you later, Seijuuro-san."
And with that, Shinigami walked out the door to come face to face with the newcomers.
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Kenji was breathing hard as he and the others from the Aoiya climbed Hiko's mountain. Kenichi, who had still not awaken, was being carried piggy back by his father. Despite the way Kenichi looked and the fact that he had not awakened, Kenji insisted that the group go ahead to Hiko's hut. The decision to go along with the trip proved a wise one once everyone noticed that Kenichi's color had improved slightly the instant they were outside of the city's limits.
Now, Hiko's cabin was in view, the kiln outside cold with lack of use. Expecting to be the only ones on the mountain (besides Hiko himself) Kenji and the others were surprised when a small boy, no older than eight stepped out Hiko's home. The boy had long chestnut brown hair tied in a braid and strange green-gold eyes. He was very short and dressed in an equally small black yukata with a gray obi. The boy waited until he was about ten meters away from the hut and five from the group before him before he stopped.
"Ohayo gozaimasu," the boy greeted them politely with a bow.
"Ohayo," Kenji replied back, "Anou, is Hiko-sensei in?"
"Hai!" the boy grinned cheerfully, "Seijuuro-san is in, though he's a bit cranky."
"Hiko's always cranky," Misao and Yahiko said almost simultaneously. The boy laughed as he walked over to the group.
"I suggest you convince him to come out of that shack and into the fresh air," the boy began, still smiling cheerfully, "Not all of you could fit in there and the air would do him good." The group nodded in agreement.
"Maybe you should wake up Kenichi first," Chizuru suggested to Kenji. Kenji nodded as the others walked ahead. Just as Aoshi passed the auburn-haired boy, his shoulders tensed as he felt something brush across his senses. But Aoshi kept on walking leaving Kenji, the stranger, and the sleeping Kenichi alone.
"Hmm, he looks tired," the boy commented, nodding to Kenichi's form on Kenji's back.
"Rough night last night," Kenji sighed, "Hopefully he'll start feeling better."
"Aa," the boy nodded, "He looks rather cute."
"He's older than you."
"I'm older than I look," the boy laughed, "But then again, I suppose it could be said the same for you and your 'son', ne?"
"Aa," Kenji nodded.
"You look just like him," the strange boy commented to Kenji as the swordsman rearranged his son to awake him, "Such pretty hair."
"Aa," Kenji nodded with a slight blush as the boy began to walk away, "Thank you, um…"
"My name is not important," the boy shrugged, "Have a good day…
"…Himura Kenji-san."
"Nani?.!" Kenji blinked, his eyes widening as he turned to face the boy, only to have his eyes meet empty air.
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"You do realize there is a reason why I decided to live up here," Hiko said as he frowned at the sight of the large group that had come to visit him.
The group had managed to (miraculously) drag Hiko out of his hut to sit with them outside on the blanket Tsubame had found in Hiko's small home. Misao, Sano, and Yahiko didn't bother to hide their snickers when they noticed that the blanket was made of a series of old patches sewn together in an almost nonsense pattern. Apparently even though the self proclaimed genius was a master of kenjutsu and pottery, he lacked in sewing.
"Yeah, yeah, you old coot," Yahiko grumbled, "You know you're happy to see us. Deep in that egotistical shell of yours, you like us."
"Like a sword in the gut," Hiko snorted, as Yahiko twitched in anger, "Did you at least bring me sake?"
"In your condition?.!" Misao shrieked, "No way in hell!"
"No need to yell, onna," Hiko muttered, "I'm not so old that I can't hear."
"Why you…"
"Some of your senses must have taken leave of you in your old age," Yahiko muttered, "Like your eyesight. What on earth were you thinking when you sewed this monstrosity of a blanket?"
"That thing?" Hiko raised an eyebrow, "I didn't make it. My baka deshi did."
"KENSHIN?" all except Sasuke and Chizuru gasped out.
"That's impossible!" Misao yelped.
"Ken-san was always very good with a needle," Megumi murmured.
"And the cleaning, and the laundry, and the cooking…" Yahiko nodded.
"A regular housewife," Sano said as Aoshi nodded in agreement.
"This is what my baka deshi practiced on when he was younger," Hiko shrugged, "He had to learn how to do all those tasks somehow. Though sometimes I think he made it just to torment me with its ugliness."
"Then why not throw it away?" Misao asked, "Unless…under that egotistical shell you secretly cared about Himura!"
"You did, didn't you?" Yahiko gasped out when Hiko didn't say anything, "Kami-sama, the great Hiko Seijuuro…"
"Kenshin's got to be smiling in heaven about that," Sano smirked.
"I suggest all of you shut up now," Hiko growled, his eyebrow twitching.
"Oro? What's going on?" Kenji's voice asked as he trotted over to the group sitting down on the blanket. Kenichi, who was finally awake, stood next to him holding his hand and rubbing one eye with the free hand.
"Kenji," Hiko nodded as Kenji and Kenichi sat down.
"Hiko-sensei," Kenji greeted, "You're looking well."
"Humph," Hiko snorted at the irony, "Well Kenji? Are you going to introduce me to your family since this idiot lot didn't make the proper introductions?"
"Hey!" came the collective outburst. Hiko simply smirked.
"Hiko-sensei, allow me to introduce you to my wife, Chizuru, and our sons, Sasuke and Kenichi," Kenji said politely, ignoring the others' protest.
"Pleasure," Hiko smirked as he nodded to all three of them in turn. As his eyes finally landed on Kenichi, he felt something inside him freeze as his onyx eyes met wide amethyst with too many shadows to belong to a child.
Suddenly, time turned back and he was no longer at his home surrounded by visitors. The memory was clear as if it had occurred seconds ago rather than decades. He could see the field was full of crosses marking the dead and the air was filled with the sound of the crows screeching their anger at being denied a meal of human flesh, now buried respectfully by tiny hands.
And in the middle of it all was a wide-eyed boy who turned his head to the swordsman behind him and murmured a name in reply to a question.
'Shinta…'
And in that instant, Shinigami's nonsensical talk about loopholes for death made perfect sense just as intense pain ripped through Hiko's abdomen, his damaged insides screaming in protest.
"HIKO!"
…It was the last thing the last Hiten Mitsurugi master heard before the darkness overtook him.
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Author-chan's notes: Like? I made a little more Kenji/Kenshin time! (I have to admit, the last chapter's Kenji/Kenshin time kept bugging me. If felt so…incomplete.) They didn't talk, but Kenji is getting all tender again. (Aww…) Enishi makes his big debut as a softer kinder Enishi (the end of the manga suggested that he was on his way towards becoming a better person so I went with the flow.) And there was Hiko time! Ugh, Hiko may be mucho cool, but he's hard to write. Enishi is hard to write too…And another appearance by Shinigami! I hope no one forgot him…If Shin-chan is sounding a bit darker than he was before, well there's a reason for that…
I've gotten some reviews in response to Kaito having "power" over Saito. It's not power (so to speak) it's just that Kaito is so annoying Saito would do anything to get rid of him. (Face it, Kaito is like a bratty kid, times ten! It's a miracle that Takumi is able to put up with him. It must be "wuv". Snickers.)