Author-chan's notes: Hey everyone! It's been brought to my attention that it might be strange that Enishi would call Kenshin nii-chan. I just thought that since he called Tomoe nee-chan, it might roll off his tongue better. Shrugs. It doesn't really matter. Most of the time, Enishi just calls Kenshin either Himura or Battousai. The only time Enishi is going to use the nii-chan is if he's talking about Kenshin indirectly.
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-six: The Living and the Dead)
Aoiya
"KENICHI!"
Aoshi and Misao bolted straight up from their futon, startled by the blood-curling cry. Without a second though, the two ninja rush out of their room to find Kenji standing outside his sons' shared bedroom, the rest of the inn's occupants quickly surrounding him.
"Kenji!" Chizuru cried out as she stumbled out of her and Kenji's shared room, worried for her husband as well as their sons, "W-What's going on?"
"Kenichi's gone!"
"NANI?.!" the chorus of voices cried out, everyone bewildered.
"T-Tou-san!" Sasuke gasped as some of the adults entered the room.
"Sasuke," Kenji began, fear coloring his voice, "Do you know where your brother went?"
"Last I saw of him, he was getting a drink of water," Kenji's elder son replied his eyes wide, "I fell asleep and didn't hear him come back."
"What do you mean, he didn't come back?.!" Chizuru cried, frantic for the safety of her child, "Where could he have gone?.!"
"Search the Aoiya," Aoshi ordered, his voice tight, "He couldn't have wandered away."
"Don't bother," Kenji muttered, "I-I already know he's not here."
"Then where could he have gone?.!" Chizuru wailed, breaking down to tears.
"Hush, Chizuru-chan," Tsubame murmured soothingly as she held the other woman. Tsubame was shaking as well, worried for her friend and her son, "Panicking won't get us anywhere."
"Does anyone else remember seeing Kenichi?" Yahiko asked, looking around at the large group.
Aoshi and Michiyo were both silent. Misao shook her head violently. Sano and Megumi also replied with negatives, and Chou and Sai both pointed out that they had turned in before everyone else.
"Oi," Sanosuke suddenly called out, "Where's Shinya?"
"Shinya?" Yahiko blinked, "If he's not here, he should be in his room…"
With a quick movement of his arm, Yahiko threw open his son's room, only to meet emptiness.
"Kami-sama!"
"Yahiko, what is it?" Tsubame asked fearfully.
"Shinya's gone!" the spiky-haired swordsman gasped.
"Nani?.! Both of them!"
"This is bad," Sai muttered.
"No shit," Sano cursed, "No one heard any intruders?"
"Iie," Aoshi murmured, "If any uninvited guests tried to come in, one of us should have noticed."
"So what, they wandered off by themselves?" Kenji hissed sarcastically.
"Kenichi is too responsible to go off by himself," Yahiko muttered, "And I'm hoping Shinya had enough brains not to leave on his own."
"Do you think they went together?" Megumi suggested.
"Maybe," Chou shrugged.
"I don't think so," Sasuke spoke up, "Shinya-kun hates Ken-nii."
"So what are we going to do?" Misao asked, becoming panicked.
"We'll search Kyoto," Kenji replied, his blue eyes steely, "We'll split up. Zuru-chan, Megumi-san, Sasuke, and Tsubame should stay here in case either of them comes back. Shinomori-san, you and your wife should go together to search the northern area. Michiyo and Sano, search south. Chou and Sai, I know you have a work tomorrow…"
"We'll check east," Sai interrupted, "the police station is that away, so we'll make it to work."
"We'll get a few of them officers to check that area too once we have to go in," Chou added, "The police are supposed to find missing persons anyways."
"Thank you," Kenji nodded, "I'll go west then."
"Oi, don't you need one of us to accompany you?" Sano asked, "You don't live in Kyoto."
"I'll find my way around," Kenji replied quietly, his fist clenching around a certain bright red blossom.
"We better get going," Michiyo said coolly, "They have a head-start and we have a lot of ground to cover. We'll meet at the Aoiya at dawn."
"Hai!"
"Wait," Kenji murmured, halting the group, "Where's my sword?"
"The sakabatou?" Michiyo clarified, "I'll get it."
There was a brief moment before Michiyo came back, her face pale.
"It's not there!" Michiyo breathed, "The cleaning kit is there, but the sword is gone!"
"Shinya," Yahiko growled, realization hitting him like a brick, "That little idiot. He took the sword!"
"We better get a move on," Misao said, "Himura, do you need a weapon?"
"Do you have a bokken?" Kenji asked, "I'm no longer used to katana."
"I'll get you one," Misao nodded.
qpqpqpqp
Soon afterwards, Kenji and the others quickly split up, each going their assigned direction. As soon as Kenji was a good distance away from the others, a ghost shimmered to existence next to him.
"Kenji-san."
"Kiyosato," Kenji nodded, no longer surprised at the ghost being too wrapped up in his worry for his son's safety, "Where are the others?"
"All of us are doing a sweep around Kyoto," Kiyosato answered, "So far we don't have any clues whatsoever."
"How many are you are there?" Kenji asked.
"The PBKB, the only group of ghosts you are allowed to summon," Kiyosato replied, "number in the hundreds. We never bothered to count. For all we know, we could be in the thousands."
"That many?" Kenji asked surprised, "And you still haven't found Kenichi?"
"There are only so many places ghosts can go," Kiyosato shrugged, "You would be surprised at the number of places that have wards against spirits."
"Which places have wards on them?" Kenji inquired.
"I'll show you," Kiyosato answered, "Turn right. The fifth door to the left."
Kenji made a quick turn and stopped next to an old rotting door.
"Is this the place?" Kenji blinked.
"Let me check with Okita-san," Kiyosato, who also looked confused, murmured, before turning to someone Kenji couldn't see.
"Is there a ward here?"
Pause.
"But it's run down."
Another pause.
"Oh I see. It's that kind."
Pause.
"Alright then, all we have to do…"
"OI!" Kenji growled, "Who the heck are you talking to?"
"My apologies, Kenji-san," Kiyosato bowed, before waving to an empty space, "Himura Kenji, may I introduce you to Okita Souji, formally first captain of the Shinsengumi. Okita-san, this is Kenji."
"There's no one there!" Kenji yelped, waving his hand though the space.
"Correction, there is no one you can see," Kiyosato pointed out, "And Okita-san asks it if you would be so kind as to remove your hand from his solar plexus."
"Kami-sama!" Kenji yelped, withdrawing his hand.
Then for one brief moment, Kenji swore he could have heard a laugh.
"Sorry about this, Kenji-san," Kiyosato sighed, "Can you break that panel of wood there? The one that looks reddish."
"Aa," Kenji nodded, finding the panel and using the hilt of his bokken to smash it.
"Okita-san says that should take care of the wards for the ghosts," Kiyosato said, still listening to the voice Kenji couldn't hear, "He says that you should stay out here though. He's going to check inside incase there is any wards against anything living."
"Alright," Kenji nodded, "You know, I thought all wards were ofuda."
"Ofuda are only one type of ward," Kiyosato clarified, "There are many different types of wards, some that you can't even see. That particular ward was a blood sacrifice."
"Oro?"
"The caster of the ward uses blood to create a barrier," Kiyosato explained, "Depending on the strength of the ward, the more blood needed. This one was created during the Bakumatsu. Back in then, blood was easy to get."
"I see," Kenji murmured, "This Okita you were talking to. Who is he?"
"He's not of the PBKB if that's what you're asking," Kiyosato laughed, "You won't be able to see him using the Spirit Focus."
"But why is he helping?" Kenji asked, "I know you and the rest of the PBKB are helping because you knew my father."
"So did Okita-san," Kiyosato smiled, "I remember watching one of his duels against your father. He says he's very sorry for thrusting his katana into your father's shoulder that one time."
"Oro?.!"
"Though he also says he wants an apology for that time your father fractured his ribs with a Sou Ryu Sen," Kiyosato added thoughtfully.
"ORO?.!"
Kiyosato laughed, "Okita-san was a captain of the Shinsengumi, Kenji-san. Back in the day, he and your father often clashed swords."
Kiyosato paused for awhile, listening to the other ghost.
"Okita-san says you don't look much like your father."
"Oro?" Kenji blinked, "Everyone says I look like my father."
"It's the eyes," Kiyosato clarified, "They're blue, not amber. And your face is too soft and kind. Also you carry a bokken, not a deadly katana. Okita-san says you look like your mother because of that."
"I…" Kenji murmured, his face tinting a slight pink, "Thank you."
And Kenji swore he felt a gentle hand patting his shoulder.
qpqpqpqp
Dawn: Aoiya
Kenji sighed as entered the Aoiya, dark circles under his eyes. His search had been unsuccessful. And judging by the other groups that slowly trickled in, no one had.
Kenji did however find out more about the supernatural than he had ever expected. He had also learned a great deal about the Bakumatsu since, according to Kiyosato, nearly every ghost from that era were helping with the search. Although Kenji couldn't see a great deal of them, Kiyosato served as a good go-between. Though the ghosts, Kenji got a different perspective of his father. While most of those living remembered Himura Kenshin as the rurouni, all the ghosts remembered the fearsome hitokiri.
Battousai.
And because of that, none of the ghosts thought Kenji looked like his father. His face was too soft, and his voice too kind. His clothes and hands were clean of blood whereas with his father, the crimson liquid was always present. And Kenji's eyes were not the menacing shade of amber the Bakumatsu ghosts remembered so vividly.
This was a great comfort for Kenji, since in the past, he had always been irritated when people said he looked like his father.
Even so, that did not stop the ghosts from referring to him as "Battousai's brat."
"Don't worry about it, Kenji-san," Kiyosato had reassured him, "The nickname is supposed to be a complement."
"How so?" Kenji had snorted.
"Better that then your father's title as the Demon of Kyoto, ne?" Kiyosato had laughed, "The nickname is a way for all us old Bakumatsu veterans to relate to you."
Kenji sighed as he sat down at one of the Aoiya's tables, glancing around at the other search groups. Kiyosato, along with the other ghosts, were gone, and the Spirit Focus was tucked away and deactivated.
"Nothing?" Kenji sighed, looking around at the living search group.
"Sorry, Himura," Misao sighed, "There's not much we could do."
"There has to be something…" Kenji murmured, "Something we can do."
"There is something you can do," Megumi said as she entered the room and handed Kenji a wrapped up package, "Hiko-san needs to be notified of the situation, as well as get his medicine."
"Hiko-sensei!" Kenji cried out, as a thought struck him, "Why didn't I think of that before? Hiko-sensei's hut is the only place where we went! It's possible that either Kenichi or Shinya are over there!"
Without another word, Kenji jumped up with the package that Megumi gave him, and speed out the door.
"Kenji! Matte!"
"Don't bother," Sano chuckled tiredly as he watched the redhead rushed away, "He'll be okay. He has a better lead than any of us."
qpqpqpqp
Elsewhere in Kyoto
Kenshin groaned, his eyes flickering open. The golden rays of the rising sun were shining straight into his eyes, forcing him to awake. Opening eyes Kenshin's eyes met an unfamiliar ceiling.
"Oro!" Bolting upright, Kenshin turned his head to survey his surroundings. The room he was in was small and sparse, but well kept. There was a futon (on which he was sitting upon), a small unlit lantern, and a small stool where a water basin sat. There was no one in the room.
"This is very confusing, de gozaru," Kenshin murmured as he untangled himself from the blankets and headed to the water basin. He quickly washed his face, and glanced down at his clothes.
The bloody yukata that he had been wearing the other night was gone, replaced with an oversized Western shirt that reached past his knees. Even though the sleeves had been rolled up for him, the ex-rurouni found that he was constantly having to pull at them.
Sighing slightly, the redhead stretched out his senses to find if anyone was living in the house, and was met with two ki signatures, one of which he was familiar with. Blinking with confusion, the former hitokiri exited the room to find the source of the ki, only to enter a kitchen/dinning area. Two people, both with white hair, sat at a table set for three. The older man was reading a newspaper.
"Ohayo gozaimasu," the younger of the two greeted formally.
"O-Ohayo," the redhead replied with a bow, "Anou…"
"You're in Kyoto still," the older white-haired man stated, already anticipating the redhead's question. He didn't bother to look over his paper.
"Arigato," Kenshin bowed.
"Don't thank me," the old man muttered, finally putting down the newspaper, "Himura."
"Enishi!" Kenshin blinked, surprised not only at seeing the man, but also at the fact that the restriction spells on him were gone, "Y-You can tell that it is sessha, de gozaru ka?"
"Please," the former crime lord snorted, "Red hair, sword, bloodstained clothes, crying at my nee-chan's grave…who else is it going to be? The only living beings who know where nee-chan's grave are you and me, and I suppose Akimoto here now knows as well."
"Aa," Kenshin nodded seriously, "Are you going to kill sessha?"
"Nani?.!" Enishi looked genuinely surprised, "Why would I do that?"
"Last time sessha saw you," Kenshin said quietly, "you were very adamant on your Jinchuu, de gozaru."
"And the first time I saw you, you were very adamant on Tenchuu," Enishi countered with a chuckle, "It's been a long time, Himura. Things change. Now get over here before breakfast gets cold."
"Aa," Kenshin smiled, walking over to the table, "You cooked?"
"Akimoto did," Enishi grunted, waving a hand at the slightly confused white-haired teenager, "Akimoto, this is Himura Kenshin. Himura, Akimoto."
"Hajimemashite," Kenshin said politely, bowing to Akimoto before sitting down to eat.
"Hajimemashite," the teenager replied back, with a soft smile.
"Oi, let me get that," Enishi said suddenly, grabbing one of Kenshin's sleeves and rolling it up some more, "It's going to get into the miso."
"Arigato," Kenshin grinned.
"Hn," Enishi grunted, "You're very small, you know that?"
"Aa," Kenshin replied wryly.
"Hard to believe you used to be bigger than me," Enishi kept muttering, "Che. How did you get any respect from your comrades back in the day?"
"They saw sessha at work," Kenshin shrugged, "And if that wasn't enough, a glare worked, de gozaru."
"Yeah, it would have, coming from you," Enishi nodded as he rolled up Kenshin's other sleeve, Akimoto looking along curiously, "Akimoto, would you be as so kind as to grab a few pins? We're going to have to make sure these sleeves don't fall down."
"Hai, Yukishiro-sama," Enishi's employee nodded, before disappearing to another room.
"'Yukishiro-sama'?" Kenshin asked, raising a red eyebrow. Enishi coughed.
"I've been trying to break him from that habit," the white-haired man muttered, "He's too formal for his own good."
"Sessha is just surprised," Kenshin shrugged, "Sessha though you were related."
"Akimoto?" Enishi blinked, "No. We work together. I'm his boss."
"Sorry for the misunderstanding, de gozaru," Kenshin apologized, "It's just that, there is a very strong connection between the two of you."
"Akimoto is an orphan," Enishi explained, "After his mother died, I more or less took him in."
"That explains it," Kenshin nodded. There was a moment of silence.
"Himura?"
"Aa?"
"You need to do some explaining," Enishi said seriously.
"Oro?" Kenshin blinked, clueless.
"Here they are," Akimoto announced as he came back in the room with several pins. Enishi took them and started pinning up Kenshin's sleeves.
"Well, Himura, talk," Enishi ordered, "I know you're not as oblivious as your pretending to be. And don't worry about Akimoto. He knows how to keep a secret. Not to mention, as of late, he's been rather interested in Battousai. I think it might be better if you talked to him about that subject than me."
"Sou ka?" Kenshin murmured as Enishi put in the final pin.
"Aa," Enishi nodded, "So talk. I'd like to know why the hell you shrunk."
"Shrunk?" Akimoto blinked. Kenshin laughed.
"One of the side-effects of getting reincarnated," Kenshin smiled, "At the moment, sessha is nine."
"Damn," Enishi whistled.
"Reincarnated?" Akimoto echoed.
"So you died?" Enishi asked rhetorically, "How? When was that? And how the hell do you remember everything?"
"It was eleven years ago," Kenshin shrugged, "A disease. Kaoru caught it as well. As for why sessha remembers everything, that's complicated. Let's just say that it involved a kami with alternative motives, de gozaru."
"Kuso," Enishi swore sympathetically, "And I didn't get to go to your funeral."
"Anou, Yukishiro-sama?" Akimoto raised his hand, "What on earth is going on?"
Kenshin and Enishi looked at each other, and laughed.
"Sorry about that," Enishi chuckled, "This is Himura Kenshin, my brother-in-law. In Kyoto, he was known as —"
"Hitokiri Battousai," Akimoto whispered, his eyes wide.
"Yeah, he's a lot shorter than you expected, eh?" Enishi grinned, patting the red-haired ex-hitokiri on the head.
"Oro…"
"But, but that is impossible!" Akimoto protested, looking from the red-haired child to his white-haired employer.
"It's possible," Enishi said seriously, "Ghosts exist in this world. And besides, there's no way he cannot be Battousai. Just trust me, alright?"
"I have always trusted Yukishiro-sama," Akimoto said seriously.
"Good."
"Enishi," Kenshin spoke up suddenly, "That reminds sessha…how did you know it was me?"
"Instinct, heart, evidence," Enishi shrugged, "I just do. And your story is not that far-fetched. I've been seeing my sister's ghost since I was a child. The supernatural is not that big of a deal for me. And it's doubtful that a child would fabricate a story like yours. Besides, a Himura lying? Knowing you and your wife, you would have impressed a great deal of honor into your family's future generations."
"Aa," Kenshin nodded slightly, "Things are very confusing though…"
"Talk to us about it, then," Akimoto suggested, "I am assuming that it is not often that you get to tell your story."
"True," Kenshin smiled lightly, "Sessha will explain the condition that sessha is in. It started after sessha had been dead for two years already when Kaoru, my wife, and I met Shinigami-dono…"
Akimoto and Enishi drew in to listen to one of the strangest (yet most truthful) stories they had ever heard…
qpqpqpqp
Hiko's hut
Kenji ran up the mountain, hope blossoming in his chest like a spring flower. Some part of his mind was telling him that he was being too optimistic, that it was possible that Kenichi wasn't there, and that he shouldn't get his hopes up, but he ignored the annoying little voice. He didn't care that he was being irrational. Life since last night had been completely irrational.
"Hiko-sensei!" Kenji called out as soon as the hut came into view. Grinning slightly, he entered to hut…
…only to find Hiko's bloody corpse.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Outside the hut, the birds few from the trees startled by the horrified shout that was soon followed by soul-wrecking sobs.
"HIKO-SENSEI!"
qpqpqpqp
Aoiya rooftop
The various spirits that had participated in the search for Kenshin/Kenichi were lounging about in various degrees of frustration. Even with Kenji's help to take down wards, none of the ghosts found the red-haired former hitokiri.
"This is screwed up," Takumi muttered, growling quietly to himself.
"Hn," Hideki, the elusive ninja of the PBKB who didn't show off his wounds, muttered in agreement.
"How's Kaoru-san?" Takumi asked as soon as he saw Tomoe float over.
"Kaoru-chan is worried out of her mind," Tomoe answered with a small sigh, "She's taken to hitting Kaito with her bokken and crying."
"We need to find Himura-kun soon," Takumi muttered, nibbling on his lip, "Kaoru-san is a very strong woman, but if anything happens to Himura-kun, she'll fall to pieces."
"We will not be able to find Battousai-san any time soon," Hideki commented a matter-of-factly.
"Nani?" Tomoe blinked, looking at the dead ninja, "Why do you say that, Hideki-kun?"
"Shinigami-sama mentioned that he planned for a rain of blood," Hideki shrugged, "Judging by the pleased expression I saw him wearing earlier today, I would say his schedule went as planned."
"NANI?.!" Tomoe cried out, her dark eyes wide, "It no longer rains blood in Kyoto!"
"It does now," Hideki said seriously, glancing over to Tomoe, "It brings back memories from when we first met, ne?"
"How long have you known?" Tomoe whispered.
"A few weeks," Hideki shrugged.
"And you only decided to give us this information now?" Tomoe hissed, glaring at the ninja, "Kaoru-chan will have your head."
"I have no doubt on that," Hideki replied calmly, "However, I would rather face Kaoru-sama's wrath than a kami's."
"Okay, I know you two have your own little code," Takumi began slowly, "But please talk like normal people for once! What the heck is this 'rain of blood' you always talk about?.!"
"You should know, Takumi-san," Hideki said coolly, his eyes like ice, "You were once part of the rain of blood. Just as Tomoe-san was, and just as I was during the days when I was known as the assassin 'Murakumi'."
"Nani?.!" Takumi yelled, his eyebrow twitching like a rabid dog, "Why do you have to be so mysterious?.! And what the hell?.! Since when were you called Murakumi?.!"
"Code names were a must back in the Bakumatsu," Hideki shrugged, "And besides, what kind of ninja has a name like 'Hideki'?"
"Damn you, you're evading my question!"
"No."
"Yes!"
"So temperamental," Hideki/Murakumi sighed.
"SHIMATTA!" Takumi swore, "Just what do you mean when you say a 'rain of blood'? What's going on with Himura-kun?"
"Hitokiri Battousai is back," Hideki murmured, staring up into the blue sky.
"Eh?" Takumi blinked.
"Tell Kaito to set up a welcoming party," Hideki ordered softly, "There's a new club member that we have to greet."
"NANI?.!"
qpqpqpqp
Hiko's hut
Kenji knew he shouldn't panic. He knew he shouldn't retch. He knew that he shouldn't let his mind run around in circles. But what he knew and what he did were two different thinks.
After heaving away the last scraps of food in his stomach outside, Kenji reentered the hut to face the grim reality before him.
Hiko was dead. And not from his illness either. He had been murdered.
"Kami-sama," Kenji whispered, kneeling next to the covered body, "What happened here?"
"I think that's rather obvious," a cheerful voice chirped, "Seijuuro-san met the wrong end of a sword."
Kenji jerked his head up to the direction of the voice, his cerulean eyes narrowing and shifting to a cold steel blue. A young boy about the same age as Kenichi faced him. Long chestnut colored hair was tied back in a braid, while ragged bangs fell across his face to frame odd green-gold eyes. The child was dressed neatly in a dark green kimono with a small gold triangle pattern on the sleeves along with black hakama. Kenji narrowed his eyes, recognizing the boy.
"You were the one who were visiting Hiko-sensei the other day," Kenji accused.
"Quite," the kid laughed, grinning widely, "And you are Himura Kenji-san, are you not?"
"How do you know me?" Kenji asked, feeling oddly intimidated. The other just grinned wider.
"The same way I know Hiko Seijuuro-san," the child replied, "and the same way I know Himura Kaoru-san."
"Kaa-san," Kenji whispered, his eyes widening before narrowing angrily, "What do you now about my mother?"
"Enough," the boy laughed walking over to inspect Hiko's body, "Impressive, ne? The attack was quick. Seijuuro-san barely felt a thing."
"Kami-sama!" Kenji hissed, feeling sickened at how this boy was looking over Hiko's body as if he was some sort of art piece.
"Yes, Kenji-san?" the boy grinned, looking up at the redhead.
"Who the hell are you?"
"You just said it."
"N-Nani?" Kenji whispered, his eyes wide as the boy walked closer to him. Kenji's instincts screamed for him to run, to get out of his kneeling position, to fight back, to do something…but he was frozen. Power seemed to radiate from the small form before him, and Kenji was petrified.
"You may call me Shinigami," the boy smiled, his green/gold eyes whirling, "That is a title by the way. The one given to me by the Powers That Be."
"The god of death," Kenji whispered, gulping slightly, "You can't be. That's not possible…"
"And speaking to ghosts from the Bakumatsu is, Kenji-san?" the kami countered, getting so close to Kenji that their noses almost touched, "How many supernatural forces must you encounter to realize all the bedtime stories you've heard are true?"
"What are you doing here?" Kenji whispered.
"My job," Shinigami shrugged, withdrawing slightly, "One of my old assistants finally got an assignment for the first time in years. I am merely overseeing the outcome. And waiting for you to arrive of course."
"I-I don't understand," Kenji said softly.
"Not surprising," Shinigami replied nonchalantly, "There are many things you probably don't understand. Including Seijuuro-san's murder here."
"Must you speak so calmly about it?" Kenji ground out, his teeth clenched in rage.
"Why not?" Shinigami asked innocently, "I've seen worse, as have you. Remember Kiyosato Akira-san of the PBKB?"
"Kiyosato-san has nothing to do with this," Kenji muttered. Shinigami simply smiled.
"Things are going to get more confusing for you as time goes on, Kenji-san," Shinigami all but purred, "I suggest you keep an eye out. And make sure you don't loose the Spirit Focus."
"W-what are you talking about?" Kenji sputtered.
"I'm assuming you're worried about Kenichi-san," Shinigami said, abruptly changing the subject, "Don't be. He's with someone safe, and he'll come back to you when the time is right."
"That's not very helpful," Kenji growled.
"It's not supposed to be," Shinigami laughed again his eyes crinkling up in amusement, "Let me tell you this though: focus your attention on finding Shinya-san. It'll be easier to find him. That plus you might want to find him before he sells the sakabatou on the black market."
"NANI?.!"
qpqpqpqp
Elsewhere in Kyoto
Hamano Genji smirked to himself. His plan was perfect. The threat that the White Tiger posed to his crime syndicate would be over in a matter of hours. The information that Genji's spies had gathered was perfect. Knowing Yukishiro's soft heart, he would surrender without a fight.
Even so, Genji did feel a bit of remorse that Akimoto had been one of Yukishiro's helpers, but he shrugged it off. The little traitor would just have to suffer the same fate as Yukishiro.
Though Genji had to admit he would miss Akimoto's talents greatly.
Looking at the raid team he had assembled, he gave the order to move out.
qpqpqpqp
Kyoto; Enishi's home
"Is that all?" Enishi blinked, staring at the small redhead. Akimoto also stared, trying to process everything that he had just heard.
"Aa," Kenshin nodded, bowing his head. He had just finished telling the two about his reincarnation, the restrictions on him, his issues with Kenji, the ghosts, Shinigami, and the painful death of Hiko that had occurred last night. The two were able to take it all in stride, though there was a slight glazed look in their eyes as their minds reconfigured the world around them to include ghosts, magic, and all things supernatural.
"You're lucky we're so open-minded, Himura," Enishi chuckled.
"That was a very…odd…story, Himura-sama," Akimoto agreed slowly, blinking his red albino eyes several times.
"Arigato, Akimoto-dono," Kenshin smiled, "Well, Enishi? You have heard sessha's story. What have you been doing, de gozaru ka?"
"I —"
Enishi's reply was abruptly cut off as the door to his home was smashed open and a large group of men infiltrated the kitchen, surrounding the trio.
"Oro!"
"What the hell…"
"Nice to see you, White Tiger," a cool voice from behind the crowd announced. The group of men parted to let in a well dressed man who walked with a limp, despite his young age.
"Hamano Genji," Enishi whispered, recognizing the man instantly, "Yakuza."
"Quite," Genji chuckled, nodding to his thugs, "You've been quite the pain in the ass, Yukishiro. And while you had your spies, I had mine."
"Teme," Enishi growled, angry that he had left both his and Kenshin's swords in the other room.
"Search the house for weapons," Genji ordered one of his henchmen, before turning his attention to the small group sitting at the table, his eyes snagging on red hair, "And what do we have here?"
"Leave Himura alone!" Enishi snarled, moving to protect the now weaker Kenshin.
"Himura?" Genji grinned, recognizing the name, quickly grabbing the child by the arm and tilting the young face to meet his.
"Hamano Genji," Kenshin growled, the spell restrictions on him now tightening a bit, "I know you."
"And I, you," Genji grinned, "Himura Kenichi, I assume? I had no idea that you knew Yukishiro."
"He's family."
"Even better," Genji's sick smile widened, "I hate your family anyway, especially your father, Kenji."
"Bitter much about your leg?" Kenshin smirked, a hint of gold swirling in his eyes, "O-Otou-san is a very good swordsman."
"Perhaps," Genji hissed before dropping the child to have his gaze land on the last occupant of the table, "Akimoto, you little traitor. Even after all I did for you, you still turned against me."
Akimoto looked away from Genji, his face full of rage.
"Liar. You did nothing," Akimoto hissed, "Yukishiro-sama a hundred times the man you are."
"And you will know?" Genji chuckled cruelly, "Did you check?"
"Teme!" Akimoto snarled, instantly knowing what Genji was suggesting. The teen raised a pale hand to hit the yakuza boss, only to have Genji snatch his hand in mid swing.
"My dear, such violence does not suit you," Genji crooned, almost gentle as he looked Akimoto up and down. Suddenly, Genji put a hand into Akimoto's yukata, causing the albino to stiffen.
"Hmm," Genji murmured, his hand still in Akimoto's clothing, "You bound them. But I suppose that would be helpful for you, eh little spy? After all, a boy doesn't have breasts like you do, eh Akimoto Sachiko?"
Akimoto's red eyes widened and paled visibly, horrified that the one secret he (or rather she) had kept from her Yukishiro-sama being blown like that. Akimoto couldn't bear to look into Enishi's eyes, horrified on what she might find there.
"I hate you," Akimoto whispered, unshed tears glinting in her red eyes.
"Good," Genji chuckled, kissing her forcibly and ignoring the white-haired girl's struggles. Then without much ado, he shoved her against the table. Enishi, worried for his subordinate, rushed to her aid, helping her stand.
"Boys, take these three back to HQ," Genji ordered nonchalantly, "Lock them up tight. I have plans for all three of them."
Glossary-
Ofuda- ward papers
Jinchuu- "Earthly Justice"; the justification Enishi used to seek revenge on Kenshin; parallels Tenchuu
Tenchuu- "Heavenly Justice"; the justification the Ishin Shishi (Imperialists) used to kill shogunate officials during the Bakumatsu
Author-chan's notes: I hate writing Genji. He's so…oily. And he only got worse once he became a yakuza. A-chan scrubs her hands. Then again, he was based off of that bastard Hiruma Gohei…
Thanks to misaoshiru for telling me about Hideki's name being Murakumi in the manga. In here, I decided that Murakumi was the code name/nickname Hideki used during his career. (After all, what kind of ninja-name is Hideki?)
How many people foresaw that Akimoto was actually female?
I've been inspired lately. These new chapters just keep cranking out!