Author-chan's notes: Hello again everyone! Welcome to the start of the Revenge Arc. This is the LAST arc of "Like Father Like Son" and there will be no sequel to this story so after Revenge Arc, LFLS will be finished. But if, for some strange reason, you like the universe of LFLS, the side-story/prequel, "The PBKB Club" is still in the works and I'll probably focus more on it once LFLS is finished.
Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!
Like Father Like Son
(Chapter Thirty-four: Six Years)
Six years after the trip to Kyoto at the Kamiya dojo; Meiji 43, 1910…
"MEN!"
Wham!
"ORO!"
"AHH! Ken-nii, are you alright?.!"
Kenji rubbed his temples. Currently, his two teenaged sons (Sasuke was sixteen and Kenichi, fifteen) were sparring against each other with himself as the referee. Kenji couldn't help but chuckle as Sasuke fretted over his younger brother, who had just taken a hit to the head from Sasuke's bokken.
"That's enough training for today, Sasuke-kun, Kenichi-kun," Kenji sighed, "We better stop before Kenichi becomes permanently swirly-eyed."
"He already has," Shinya snickered from the sidelines.
"Shinya-sempai!" Sasuke yelped glaring at the older male, "Don't say such things about Ken-nii!"
"Maa, maa," Kenichi laughed as he waved away his brother's concern and took off his sparing gear, "It's alright, Sasuke."
"Heh," Sasuke huffed, glaring at his brother, "You're too nice, Ken-nii."
"Oro?"
"You should take care of that bump on your head, brat," Shinya suggested to Kenichi, "That's the third time today that you've gotten whacked on the head during sparing."
"That was less than yesterday," Kenshin smiled cheerfully.
"I'm surprised your brain hasn't spewed out of your ears yet," Shinya said, rolling his eyes.
"You know, Ken-nii, I could find someone else to spar with," Sasuke began softly.
"Who, ninja-brat?" Shinya pointed out, as blunt as ever, "After you started learning the more advanced moves from the Oniwabanshu, everyone in the dojo is scared to spar you, except Kenichi and that's 'cause you beat his brains out of him. Not that he had many brains to begin with…"
"Stop making fun of Ken-nii!" Sasuke shouted, glaring at Shinya.
"Maa, maa…"
Kenji sighed. It was always like this. While Sasuke benefited from his training with the Oniwabanshu, it did have a down-side. Save for Kenichi, none of the other students at the Kamiya dojo would dare spar with the dark-haired, blue-eyed teen. As a result, Sasuke was isolated from those his own age. Kenichi, on the other hand, was considered easy pickings by the other students. Shorter than his brother and quieter as well, Kenichi disliked fighting, and never really showed off the fighting skills that his brother harbored. Kenichi's image as a "weakling" was only strengthened by the fact that he did all the cooking, cleaning, and laundry of the Himura family. Kenji would be lying if he said he didn't worry about Kenichi. While Kenji could never be ashamed of his son (that was impossible; he loved his family too much for that), Kenji did worry that the taunts from the other students were causing wounds on Kenichi's soul.
There were even times when Kenji considered pulling his youngest son out of classes. He didn't want his little boy (even though Kenichi was old enough to be considered a man) to get hurt over stupid reasons. But Kenichi would always protest, knowing that Kamiya Kasshin was extremely important to his father.
And still Kenji worried…
Luckily, Sasuke was very protective over his younger brother, loudly denouncing anyone who would dare speak badly about the redhead. Kenichi, in turn, would often simply laugh warmly and tell his brother to calm down, that it wasn't a big deal. Kenichi was very forgiving towards insults on his person, a trait that Sasuke (and Kenji) could never understand.
He was too much of a peacemaker sometimes.
"Alright boys," Kenji announced, clapping his hands to get the others' attention. Kenji had to let out a soft sigh as he saw the position the three others were in. Sasuke and Shinya were glaring at each other (as usual) and Kenichi was between them trying to calm them down letting out the occasional "oro" or "maa, maa" (as usual).
Kenji had to admit that Shinya had done a lot of growing up in the past six years. Now twenty-one, Shinya had grown out of his bratty tendencies and was an accomplished swordsman in the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, along with helping his parents run the Akabeko. And never again did he ask for the sakabatou. Shinya and Sasuke were intense rivals, and would gleefully argue with each other all day if it wasn't for Kenichi's intervening.
"You are alright, ne, Ken-nii?" Sasuke asked again, worried out of his mind. Kenichi simply smiled.
"Pfft," Shinya huffed, "Baka. Of course, Kenichi is alright. He's gotten hit harder before."
"Well, if Kenichi-kun is alright," Kenji grinned, "How about lunch?"
"Please say you're not cooking," Shinya deadpanned, "Or Sasuke. Or Chizuru-san. I swear, there must be some sort of unofficial law that to be a Himura you have to be a terrible cook."
"Thank you for volunteering, Shinya," Kenji laughed cheerfully, "I'm thinking soup and fried fish…"
"Oi!" Shinya yelped, "I didn't say I would be cooking! Kenichi…"
"Is a Himura," Kenji finished for Shinya, mischief coloring his tone, "and you said that all Himuras are terrible cooks."
"Kenichi is different!" Shinya protested, "You know the only reason why Tou-san hasn't kidnapped Kenichi to work at the Akabeko is because he doesn't want to end up like Hamano Genji! And don't look all ignorant, Himura-sensei! You and I both know that Kenichi is a better cook than me."
"Oro," Kenichi blushed. Sasuke snickered.
"Finally admitting Ken-nii is better than you, Shinya-sempai?" Sasuke grinned. Shinya snorted.
"Shut up."
qpqpqpqp
A few minutes later, the four men were gathered around a table devouring lunch. And yes, Kenshin cooked.
Kenji had to admit, as he took a bite out of his meal, life was good. He had two wonderful children (who luckily didn't become moody teenagers like he did), a lovely wife, a prospering dojo, and a more or less quiet existence. There were no more idiots trying to kidnap any of Kenji's family, no threats on their lives, no revenge seekers, no, well, anything.
After all, Kenji wasn't his father.
The most exciting thing that happened in Kenji's life nowadays was whenever the police needed help capturing some thief on the loose. It was almost as if all the excitement from six years ago in Kyoto was all over. Not that Kenji was complaining. He didn't mind the quiet life.
"I smell something good!" came a cheery voice.
"Zuru-chan!" Kenji grinned, greeting his wife as she entered the room, "We made lunch."
"I hope when you say 'we', you mean 'Kenichi'," the woman laughed as she took her place at the table. It was a running joke among the Himura family that if it wasn't for Kenichi, they would have had all poisoned each other by now. As a result, the red-haired fifteen-year-old had been the one cooking all the meals ever since anyone in the household could remember.
"Hai, O-Okaa-san," Kenichi said politely, passing her the rice.
"Oi, I can cook too," Shinya muttered. He was largely ignored.
"Shinya, are you staying for the afternoon classes?" Kenji asked. Shinya snorted into his tea.
"Of course," Shinya replied, "Kenichi needs a day off, and you can't handle all of those little brats on your own."
"Day off?" Kenshin blinked.
"Yeah," Shinya huffed, addressing the red-haired teen, "Yesterday you were buried underneath those kids. They take advantage of you. At least I show a bit of backbone."
"Oro…"
"Also it would give you time to hang out with that cute girlfriend of yours, Kenichi," Shinya smirked.
"I-I do not have a girlfriend!" Kenichi protested, his face flushing. Traitorously, his mind flashed to his precious Kaoru-dono, causing his face to heat up more.
Ah, teenage minds (and hormones), you got to love them…
"Then where on earth do you go whenever you have free time?" Shinya scoffed, "It has to be a girl. It's definitely not training!"
Kenshin blushed slightly. It was amazing how right and how wrong Shinya was. Yes, he spent as much free time alone with Kaoru as he could, but he also spent a good chunk of his time training with Hiko, learning to heighten his ability to act like a terrible swordsman while also keeping his Hiten Mitsurugi skills honed.
After all, a true trait of mastery was being able to hide that you were a master.
"I'm meeting Shinomori-sensei at the cherry blossom grove today," Sasuke announced.
"Shinomori-san is in town?" Kenji blinked, "You should invite him and his family over to the dojo for tea."
"I will," Sasuke promised.
"Sasuke, after training with Aoshi-san, could you come with me to the market?" Chizuru asked, "I need your help with some things."
"No problem," Sasuke nodded.
"Is it possible for you to bring back rice while you're out, O-Okaa-san?" Kenichi asked politely, "We're running low."
"Of course, Kenichi-kun."
qpqpqpqp
Early afternoon; outside of Tokyo
"You call that a Dou Ryu Sen, baka deshi? That was worse than your very first attempt nearly fifty years ago! I know you have to pretend to be a terrible swordsman in front of your family, but don't do it here!"
The raging voice of Hiko Seijuuro was booming and furious. If it wasn't for the fact that he was dead, Hiko would have undoubtedly frightened all of the cute woodland creatures within miles into hiding.
"Oro…"
Before the wrath that was Hiko Seijuuro was a short fifteen-year-old boy, who had just passed out on the ground exhausted. The boy's flame colored hair had escaped from its usual ponytail to lie in tangles around his head, random twigs and leaves woven in the red mass, making it into a bird's nest. His pale skin was dripping with sweat and his cheeks were flushed, as if in fever.
"I never thought Hiten Mitsurugi was so hard!" came the mutter from the sidelines.
"Kami-sama, Hiko-san killed Himura-san!" another voice gasped. Hiko glared at the speakers. Ever since the ghost of the thirteenth Hiten master graciously decided to impart his knowledge (again) to his ungrateful baka deshi six years ago, the two Hiten practitioners found themselves constantly having an audience.
Not a living one, obviously, since the two trained in secret, miles away from human dwellings, but various ghosts tended to drop by to see the proceedings. Luckily, Kenshin was able to convince all the ghosts to only come in small groups, but the fact that there was an audience at all bugged Hiko.
"Do you think you should call it a day, Hiko-san?" one of the ghosts in the crowd suggested carefully, "Himura-san has reached his limit."
"Nonsense," Hiko snorted, "The brat just needs to be doused with cold water."
And without another word, Hiko picked up his fifteen/sixty-one-year-old apprentice with an icy ghostly hand (Hiko had to admit, being a cursed ghost had great perks compared to regular ghosts who couldn't even pick up a pebble outside of the Spirit World), and set off to haul the redhead to the nearest stream.
"Oro…" came the tired murmurs of the still mostly unconscious Kenshin.
Sometimes Kenshin wondered why he allowed himself be forced through this for a second time…
Meanwhile, in the cherry blossom grove near the Kamiya dojo, Himura Sasuke, Kenichi's "elder brother", was also going under training. Taking a deep breath, the teen focused his mind, trying to reach out…
…Only to find nothing.
"Hah," Sasuke sighed, opening his eye to look over to his sensei, "I can't do it, Shinomori-sensei."
"Try again," was the response. Shinomori Aoshi was visiting Tokyo for the week to check up on Sasuke's progress, as he did every four months. While the Oniwabanshu in Tokyo trained Sasuke extensively in martial arts, none of them had gotten around to teaching the boy how to extend his ki to sense others. Aoshi was there to rectify that.
Sasuke closed his eyes, trying to focus harder. While Sasuke did learn how to pay attention to his surroundings using his normal five senses, the sixth sense of ki still eluded him. Aoshi tried to explain how ki sensing worked, but, no matter what, Sasuke couldn't figure it out. It frustrated the sixteen-year-old to no end, especially after he had taken to the physical part of martial arts like a fish to water.
"Enough," Aoshi sighed when he realized it was pointless. Sasuke quickly opened his eyes.
"Gomen, Shinomori-sensei," Sasuke murmured. Aoshi waved aside his apologies.
"Relax," Aoshi murmured, "Ki sense is a hard art to master. Most fighters don't bother learning how to. Even your father doesn't know how to sense another's ki."
"But still…" Sasuke trailed off, looking to the side.
"Some are better suited in learning ki techniques," Aoshi shrugged, "Others are not. You will be one of these. To compensate, we need to increase your speed some more."
"I suppose this means laps and more drills," Sasuke sighed. Aoshi nodded once before the dark-haired boy took off.
Later that day at the dojo, Sasuke dragged himself home, covered in sweat.
"How did it go, Sasuke-kun?" Kenji asked as his son entered the dojo.
"Tiring…" Sasuke groaned.
"He'll be a strong fighter one day," Aoshi commented as he followed Sasuke inside. There was no pride or bragging in the ninja's voice; only pure fact.
"Aa," Kenji agreed, patting Sasuke's shoulder.
"Where's Ken-nii?" Sasuke asked, looking around for his younger brother.
"Don't know," Kenji sighed, "If it wasn't for the fact that I know Kenichi is responsible for his age and that he has done this before, I would be worried."
"Oh," Sasuke nodded, completely unperturbed, "Well, I'll clean up then."
"Kenichi has disappeared before?" Aoshi questioned as soon as Sasuke left. Kenji nodded.
"He never tells us where he's going," Kenji shrugged, "But he promises that he's safe. Shinya keeps saying it's because of a girl. But I bet he's off training by himself."
"Oh?"
Kenji winced slightly, "I suppose Sasuke hasn't told you, but Kenichi doesn't has the same talent his brother has in combat. The other students at the dojo insult Kenichi for being weak. I don't know, but I think that Kenichi isn't cut out to be a fighter."
"A Himura not a fighter?" Aoshi cocked up an eyebrow, "Impossible."
"I'm not angry or disappointed or anything like that," Kenji sighed, running a hand through his hair, "But I hate seeing Kenichi being picked on even though he works so hard. Oh, he shrugs it off like the others' comments doesn't faze him, but I don't like it. I'm worried he's bottling up everything inside."
"It would not be the first time that a Himura would hide his emotions," Aoshi shrugged. Kenji glared at the older man.
"Kenichi is not my father," Kenji hissed, his blue eyes narrowed.
"And yet they share many similarities," Aoshi countered with a fluid shrug, "Have you ever thought that Kenichi is hiding his skills from you? That he might be a better fighter than you think?"
"Why would Kenichi do that?"
"Who knows?" Aoshi replied, "But still, do not be so worried about him. Kenichi has a stronger spirit than you might think."
"And how would you know?"
"He is a Himura," Aoshi replied smoothly, "I refuse to believe that any descendant of Hitokiri Battousai is weak."
"Aa," Kenji nodded, "Kenichi is not weak. But I worry that perhaps his strengths do not lie in Kamiya Kasshin."
"That could be a possibility," Aoshi nodded. Suddenly, Chizuru walked in.
"Oh, Shinomori-san!" the woman smiled, noticing the retired ninja, "Is Sasuke back home?"
"Here, Kaa-san!" Sasuke called, quickly heading over.
"Good," Chizuru nodded, "We need to go soon before all the shops close."
"Don't be silly, Kaa-san," Sasuke grinned, "All the stores know to wait for you."
Chizuru shook her head as she and Sasuke walked out to the market.
"Shinomori-san, perhaps you would like to stay for dinner?" Kenji offered the former ninja.
"I would have to get Misao and Michiyo," Aoshi replied, "However, dinner sounds good. Who is cooking?"
"Kenichi."
"Good," the older man smiled slightly, almost invisibly, "Then my family will not have to worry about being poisoned."
"Shinomori-san!"
qpqpqpqp
Late afternoon; Tokyo market
"Is there something you're looking for Kaa-san?" Sasuke asked as he and his mother walked through the streets. They had already picked up the rice, yet Chizuru was still wandering the streets. Sasuke adjusted the rice on their perch on his shoulders.
"Your father has been needing a new set of clothes," Chizuru explained to her son as they walked, "The silly man wears his clothes to pieces and simply refuses to buy new ones. Kenichi too! I'm glad you didn't pick up their bad habits."
"They're just frugal, Kaa-san," Sasuke pointed out calmly.
"Still, I won't have any family of mine dressed in a bunch of rags," Chizuru seethed, "We're getting those two baka redheads something decent to wear for once!"
"Oro," Sasuke sighed, sweat-dropping at the passion in his mother's voice. She was an odd one, his mother. She absolutely adored dressing up her family. While Sasuke had no problems wearing anything his mother bought for him, the two red-haired Himura men protested that such fuss be over them simply because they believed the money could be used for more important things.
As they entered a clothing shop, Chizuru immediately started sorting through the racks, mumbling to herself as her eldest son trailed behind her.
"What do you think, Sasuke-kun?" Chizuru asked as she pulled out a forest green gi for inspection, "For your father?"
Sasuke shrugged, "Whatever you think is best, Kaa-san."
Chizuru frowned, "Men! Why can't you give an honest opinion on anything?"
"Oro?"
"Very well then," Chizuru sighed, "Forest green for your father. I should probably get him a new hakama as well…"
"Kaa-san…" Sasuke pouted slightly as his mother muttered to herself. While the rice wasn't all that heavy, after awhile, it did make his shoulders a bit sore. And besides, while he didn't mind all that much getting clothes, shopping for them was a different matter.
"Ah, gomen, Sasuke," Chizuru blinked, noticing the expression on her son's face, "You may go back to the dojo. And not a word to your brother or father about this. Knowing those two, they'll keep on insisting that the rags they call clothes are perfectly fine!"
"Hai, hai," Sasuke laughed as he headed towards the exit. As he left, he almost bumped into an elderly man who was on his way inside.
"Ah, gomen, sir," Sasuke apologized, bowing quickly. The man frowned, before he used the cane in his hand to tip up Sasuke's face. The teen blinked, confused at the man's actions, his muscles tense.
"Go back inside, boy," the elder commanded gruffly.
"Oro?"
"Now."
Sasuke blinked some more, confused at the order, but moved to obey.
"Sasuke-kun," Chizuru blinked as she noticed her son coming back inside, "I thought you were going back to the…do…jo…"
"Kaa-san?" Sasuke asked, concerned as his mother turned deathly pale, her whole form rigid.
"Hmm," the old man who had followed Sasuke in murmured, "I thought so."
"What are you doing here?" Chizuru gasped to the man, her eyes wide and frightened. The elder frowned more deeply.
"What do you think, Chizuru," the man scoffed, "I have been looking for you."
"Anou, Kaa-san, what is going on?" Sasuke interrupted, feeling tossed out of the loop.
"Your son, Chizuru?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow, "You never told him?"
"That is none of your business," Chizuru hissed, "You will keep away from him!"
"Oro?" Sasuke blinked feeling even more confused.
"Why should I keep away from him?" the old man asked, a hint of smugness in his voice, "After all, he is my grandson."
"ORO?.!"
qpqpqpqp
Yokohama
Seta Seishiro was busy in his hotel room in Yokohama. Over all, business went well in the port city. His mission was over and he was packing up to leave. The pieces were falling into place. Enma-sama was pleased with the progress.
Seishiro paused as he picked up a box of candies to put in his bag. Smiling lightly he wondered what his father would say when he received the sweets. Seishiro grinned. It was a well known fact among the family that Seta Soujiro had a terrible sweet-tooth that he had passed down to his son. What would Seishiro's mother say if she saw her son sneaking sweets to his father?
Seishiro paused when he realized where his thoughts were heading.
"You finished packing, kid?" a voice in the door way asked calmly.
"Hai, Kasa-san," Seishiro chirped cheerfully, a smile blooming over his features. Kasa and Seishiro had known each other for years, often going on joint missions, such as their mission in Kyoto a few years ago when they were sent to kill Yukishiro Enishi. The mission of Yokohama was not one of those, however. Seishiro had a solo mission this time, but the hat wearing man still hung around for amusement. If there was one thing that Kasa enjoyed, it was blood, lots of it.
The two made a strange pair. Seishiro was still pretty young, only twenty-one, though hardly the "kid" that Kasa proclaimed him to be. Kasa was much older than Seishiro, despite the fact that he didn't look it. The secret to Kasa's "youth" was the fact that, unlike Seishiro, Kasa was as dead as the Tokugawa, and had been so since before Seishiro was born. But thanks to Enma-sama, Kasa was no mere ghost. He possessed a corporeal body of his own; in other words, he was an undead. Seishiro, on the other hand, was completely human and completely alive, despite the fact that he had studied magic for more than half of his life.
Kasa asked Seishiro, "You going to visit your old man?"
"It's been awhile since I've seen Tou-chan," Seishiro admitted, "I hope he's not lonely." Kasa snorted.
"Sentimental."
"No," Seishiro shook his head, "Just a good son. 'The most important thing is family. They are the only things worth fighting for, living for, and dying for.' Tou-chan used to say that a lot. He said that was his 'truth'."
"His truth, eh?" Kasa's eyebrow rose. Seishiro laughed sheepishly.
"Tou-chan used to tell me a story when I was little about two swordsmen," Seishiro elaborated, "Both walked the same path being trained killers and assassins. Then when the war ended, both wandered for ten years. At the end of those ten years, they found the truth. However, each of them discovered a completely different truth, completely opposite from one another. Tou-chan seemed to have admired those two swordsmen from the story and went on his own journey."
"For ten years?" Kasa asked. Seishiro shook his head.
"He never finished all ten," Seishiro explained, "He met my mother first. And through her he found his truth early."
"I see," Kasa murmured, "What about you? Are you going to go on a ten year journey to find your truth?"
"I don't need to," Seishiro laughed, "Tou-chan found it for me."
Seishiro finished packing his bag and sat down on the bed.
"Say, Kasa-san?"
"Hn?"
"What's the Spirit World like?" Seishiro asked curiously.
"Come on, kid, you've asked me this a million times," Kasa groaned, "You're not even dead yet and you want to now what the Afterlife is like. Trust me; you don't have to worry about it."
"Please, Kasa-san?"
Kasa ignored him.
"So what wild tale are you going to tell your father this time?" Kasa asked, changing the subject, "I still can't believe that he has no idea that you are working for Enma-sama. I mean, it's been, what, ten years since you started?"
"I just tell him that I've gotten a job with some merchant," Seishiro shrugged, "It gives me an excuse to always be traveling. And when I was younger, the missions weren't as long and came very rarely. And if they were too long, I just said I was visiting a girl. Tou-chan believed that story once I introduced him to Akimoto-san. And as long as I visit often and don't come home with wounds, Tou-chan doesn't worry. And besides, how would he believe me if I told him I was working for a kami?"
"Hn," Kasa snorted as he pulled out a cigarette and began to smoke, "You want to protect him."
"Ara?" Seishiro blinked in counterfeit confusion. Kasa smirked.
"You don't want your father to know that his precious son is tangled up in some serious shit."
Seishiro laughed, "Too true. Tou-chan has enough to worry about."
"Sentimental," Kasa snickered again.
"Very well, I'll admit to it," Seishiro smiled, his eyes locking onto Kasa's, "But do not assume that just because I love my family that I am soft."
"Ah, but I do," Kasa smirked back, leaning against the wall, "What will you do if I kill your father, eh brat? Will you weep and wail? With your sentiments, you'll never be able to be efficient enough."
Shv-ing! Kasa coughed up blood as he found Seishiro's katana buried in his chest, impaling his heart on cold steel, the metal vibrating from the force that Seishiro used. Kasa was impressed. He hadn't even seen the boy draw the sword, let alone get up from his seat on the bed and pick up the katana.
"I may not be able to kill you, Kasa-san," Seishiro smiled as he twisted the katana in his partner's chest causing the older man to grunt in pain, "However causing pain can be fun, ne?"
Things were silent between the two for a moment. Then Kasa laughed.
"Well said!" Kasa grinned gleefully, as some blood trickled out of his mouth, "I can see why Enma-sama prizes you so!"
Seishiro simply smiled back at Kasa, his face cheerful as he yanked his sword out of Kasa's chest and began to clean it.
"So we understand each other better, Kasa-san?" Seishiro asked as he finished wiping down his katana and sheathing it.
"Of course," Kasa grinned as he stuck two fingers into the hole in his chest before pulling them out to lick away the blood on his fingers, "What a sweet taste…"
"That is disgusting, Kasa-san," Seishiro said and made a face. Kasa simply chuckled.
"Sentimental."
"You should get that fixed," Seishiro scolded the older man, "Dead or not, it's not a good idea for you to be bleeding so much."
"But red is such a pretty color," Kasa smirked. Seishiro rolled his eyes as he opened up his bag and pulled out a roll of bandages.
"Here," Seishiro offered, tossing the strips of linen to Kasa, "Use those until you can get the Corpse-Maker to fix you."
"I hate going to that bastard," Kasa growled as he wrapped the linen around himself, "He keeps wanting to use me in his experiments."
"What can you expect," Seishiro shrugged, "You already were one of his experiments. Speaking of the Corpse-Maker, I have something for him."
Seishiro handed a box over to Kasa. The older man flipped the lid, examining the grisly contents.
"Eyes?"
Seishiro shrugged, "The Corpse-Maker wanted them, probably for another one of his experiments. I had to kill a foreigner to get them. The magic of the box should keep them fresh, so please close it."
Kasa poked one of the eyes lightly with a finger, growling when he noticed the color.
"If that bastard decides to put these things in me, I'll kill him," Kasa snarled as he snapped the lid closed, "He's already changed my internal organs at least twice. I don't know why. It's not like I need them."
"He's like that," Seishiro laughed.
"Aa," Kasa shrugged as he changed the subject, "So when are you going to introduce me to your father? You've been promising for years."
Seishiro gave him a look.
"Come on kid," Kasa sighed, "You know I'm not really going to kill him. I'm not stupid. Sheesh, if you're this protective over your father, what about your woman?"
Seishiro blushed, "You shouldn't refer to Akimoto-san that way. She is not an object."
"She still hates you, huh?" Kasa smirked, blowing a stream of smoke from his cigarette, "Poor fool. Falling in love with a woman that hates your guts and would poison you in a heartbeat if she could."
"Not that I blame her," Seishiro sighed, flopping down on the bed, "Do you think we could have had a chance if things had been different?"
"What do I look like, Battousai?" Kasa snorted, "I'm not someone to have heart to heart conversations."
"Hai, but still…" Seishiro sighed, a wistful look on his face.
"Stop moping, brat and tell me when I'm going to visit Soujiro," Kasa prodded.
"Hai, hai," Seishiro laughed, his face braking out into a bright smile, "Perhaps next month. I can introduce you as one of my co-workers."
"Hn," Seishiro's partner snorted, "That's a strange way of describing us."
"Well we are, aren't we?"
"Aa," Kasa shrugged, "Have fun visiting your father. Maybe he'll give you some advice on your woman."
"Hai!" Seishiro smiled happily. Kasa simply vanished.
"Really," Seishiro sighed, already used to Kasa's abrupt exits, "At least he could have said good-bye."
Shrugging, the young man picked up his bags and headed out the door leaving behind nothing besides a rumpled bed and a blood-stain on the wall.
Seishiro whistled cheerfully. Tou-chan hadn't had chocolate in such a long time. He would appreciate Seishiro's gifts very much, especially that box of expensive chocolate Seishiro picked up yesterday. His visit would great.
-
Author-chan's notes: So this chapter, we meet Chizuru's father (Sasuke and Kenichi's grandfather), find out that Kenshin has been playing the innocent (helpless) rurouni act to a T as Kenichi, (re)discover that Hiko is a cruel taskmaster from hell (as if we didn't know that already), and wonder what the heck is Seishiro and Kasa doing since the pair of them decided to survive the transition from Kyoto to Revenge.
I'll give mucho brownie points (and maybe draw a LFLS character of their choice) to the first person who can figure out who the Corpse-Maker is.
And yes, the Meiji era lasted a long time. I checked. A new era doesn't come up until the Taisho era and that is in 1912.
Sad thing is, I finished this chapter before I finished Ch. 33. My computer was having problems earlier and wouldn't letme upload this chapter earlier.sweat drop