Author's Note: Thank you to all those who read and reviewed the first chapter! Also, a big thank you to who favorited my story and are following it! I really appreciate it! I almost forgot to say earlier in the author's note of the first chapter, but this story will be updated sporadically because college work will take up most of my time. Yoshiro Watanabe is also a product of my imagination. Now on with this chapter!
Chapter 2: At the Wolf's Domain
Kenshin and Tokio were happily walking together through the streets of Tokyo, holding each other's hand. It was partly cloudy outside.
He was about to ask her something when they heard someone call out.
"Tokio!"
They turned to see a young man with short dark brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a gray gi, blue hakama, white socks and brown sandals, and he was breathing heavily. They immediately let go of each other's hand when the man wasn't looking.
She asked, "Shiro, what are you doing here?"
He breathed out and explained, "I went here trying to look for you. I was worried."
Shiro looked at Kenshin with disgust and continued, "Who is this vagabond?"
Kenshin looked at him unpleasantly and knew in an instant he didn't like the man. He realized that he saw him somewhere before.
Tokio decided to clear the tension between the two men and tried to lighten the mood by asking the man, "Shiro, what is it that you needed?"
Shiro looked at Tokio and smiled, saying, "I wanted to walk you home, but I see you're already with this guy."
She smiled and replied, "Yes, he is my husband."
He was confused and responded in a confused tone, "But aren't you already married to that police officer?"
She sighed and looked at him annoyed, saying, "Saito and I aren't married. I believed that Kenshin was alive after all this time. He is my lawfully wedded husband."
Shiro tried his best to convince her otherwise by saying, "He abandoned you!"
She defended her statement by saying in an annoyed tone, "He didn't abandon anyone. He was ordered to help finish the revolution, ushering in a new era and that was what he did."
He managed to say, defending his statement, "If he was your husband, he would have not left you to raise your children by yourself for all these years."
That was it. Kenshin suddenly grabbed Shiro by the collar, lifted him off the ground and looked angry at him with his amber eyes. Shiro looked very scared at that point even as Kenshin stated angrily, "Never say those things in front of us again! Get out of here! If I ever see you again, I'll deal with you personally, is that clear?!"
Shiro said in a scared tone, "I-I got it!"
Kenshin let him go and Shiro ran away back home.
When they were far away from the bustling streets, they walked down the dirt path where cherry blossoms were prevalent.
He commented to his wife, "I really don't like that man."
Even though he wasn't an assassin anymore, he still had the look of one. She took his comment to heart and soothed him, "It is okay, Lord Shinta. Please don't get mad. I don't consider him a friend anymore after I realized his true nature when he said those things."
Kenshin calmed down, the color of his eyes returned to their normal violet color, and was grateful for what she said, "Thank you, Lady Tokio for what you said."
He continued, praising her, "You were really amazing in response to his lies."
Tokio was grateful for what he said and explained, "Thank you, Lord Shinta for that. You helped me realize his true nature and I truly thank you for that as well."
He stated, "You're welcome, honey."
They stopped walking and embraced each other, holding each other close. They looked at each other lovingly.
He told her, sincerely and lovingly, "I promise that I'll always be there for you, my dear and beautiful Lady Tokio. I love you with all my being! I always have and always will! Always and forever!"
She told him, sincerely and lovingly, "I promise that I'll always be there for you, my sweet and handsome Lord Shinta, too. I love you with all my heart and soul! Forever and for always!"
He engulfed her in a deep and passionate kiss and she kissed him back the same way. They stayed like that for some time, and they parted for some air after some time had passed.
He asked, "Where is your home?"
She replied, "It's not far. I'll show you."
They continued to walk down the dirt path lined with cherry blossoms trees, walked down another short dirt path and ended up in front of a quaint, typical Japanese home with a blue rooftop. They entered through the door of the back gate and were at the backyard. Tokio walked towards the back door and slid it open to see if anyone was inside the house. Kenshin was waiting outside, and she turned back, looking concerned and worried.
She asked in a concerned and worried tone, "Where are they?"
He stated, "Maybe they're not home."
She replied, "Maybe but it's so quiet. More quiet than usual."
They heard footsteps. Tokio looked to where the footsteps were coming from and saw Saito, wearing his blue police officer's uniform and looking at them with his dullish gold eyes coldly.
"Tokio, you finally came back."
She tried to sound calm and replied, "Yes, I did." Then, she asked in concern, "Where are Taku and Rei?"
He stated, "Them? They're taking a nap in their room."
She asked, "Did you come back to wait for me?"
"No. I had to return home after patrolling."
Saito looked at Kenshin with a stern glare. Kenshin looked at him with an intimidating glare. They stood like that in silence until Saito broke the silence and said coldly, "I need to speak with Battousai. Alone."
Tokio wasn't convinced that he would just talk to Kenshin.
She asked, "Hajime, what about your tea and soba?"
Saito interjected, "I said go back to the house."
She went back inside with one last glance at them, closing the sliding door. When he realized they were alone, Saito decided to question Kenshin.
"What brings you here, Battousai? It's strange that I would have visitors."
"I came here to visit Tokio."
Saito was shocked but didn't show it and instead he asked in a rough tone, "What? What do you, Battousai the Manslayer, want with her?"
It was time for Kenshin to question Saito. He continued to glare at Saito.
Kenshin questioned him, "Do you love Tokio?"
It was then Saito laughed evilly and he looked at Kenshin with an evil grin.
"Ha! That's funny, Battousai! What is it to you?"
Kenshin was getting angry and said in an uptight tone, "I won't ask again. Do you love her?"
Saito remarked, coldly, "Listen closely, Battousai. Only you and she would ever consider an insignificant feeling called love! All she needs are money, food and shelter. She is only good for cooking meals and cleaning the house."
Kenshin bowed his head, his anger rising by the minute.
Saito snorted and continued, "That boy, Takuya, has been a pain ever since I met him. He refuses to listen to me... that stupid boy only listens to Tokio. Reika listens to the both of us. Eiji listens to both of us too."
Kenshin was outraged and shouted angrily, "Don't ever call Takuya that! He has been a good son to YOU and Tokio!"
Saito continued with his complaint, ignoring Kenshin's outburst, "I wonder what their father was like. Probably just like that boy: stubborn and annoying."
"So, you don't love Tokio?" Kenshin growled in anger as Saito's evil laughter got to him.
What Saito said next made Kenshin even angrier.
Saito said in a cold-hearted tone, "Of course not! I don't love her, and I don't love her children. I don't care about her, and I don't care about her children. I would never marry her. What I told you at Shigestu village was just complete bullshit. She is nothing but a whore. She loves that good for nothing bastard, Shinta. I did find a report stating he died from his injuries during a fight that broke out at a tavern and told her that day I found out about it. From what I also remember from the report, he looks exactly like you. I told her one day that if she ever left me, I would just either kill her and her children or send her to a brothel and send her children to an orphanage. I would hit her and her children occasionally. How does that sound to you, Batttousai?"
Every word coming out of Saito's mouth made Kenshin grip onto his sword tighter and tighter. Kenshin's violet eyes turned amber. He drew his reverse blade sword and held it in attack position. He was angry as he shouted angrily, "You bastard! You are not just rotten to the core, but you are downright evil! I will protect Tokio and her children…" Kenshin growled and continued in an angry tone, "EVEN AGAINST YOU!"
Saito retorted, "You really think I would stand here and let you take them back with you?! Think again, Battousai!"
Kenshin was about to attack Saito just as Saito readied his stance, Gatostu stance, and was about to attack Kenshin but a voice called out, "Stop!" Both swordsmen turned to the sound of the voice and saw Tokio, who was very distraught. "What are you doing, Hajime? Mr. Himura just wants to talk to me. Is there any harm in that?"
Saito growled and stated, standing straight and putting his sword back in its scabbard, "Tokio, this vagabond is the Battousai. He is very dangerous."
Kenshin relaxed his form, stood up straight, put his reverse blade sword back in its scabbard and started to walk away but Tokio stopped him. "Wait! Please excuse him. He didn't mean to insult you."
He stopped walking, turned to face her and reassured her, "Tokio, I'm not insulted at all. I'm fully aware of my reputation as Battousai."
He wanted to say more but he knew one mistake and his visit would be his first and last. The gate was a barrier that blocked him from her for so long. To Kenshin, Saito's home was the one thing that kept her from him. He wanted to be with his wife, Tokio and their children. In order to do that, he would have to deal with Saito but now was not the time to fight him.
He turned around, started to walk away again, and thought, "Lady Tokio, I will find a way to get you, Taku, Rei, and Eiji out of here and to stay with me at the dojo, I promise."
Tokio was about to speak to stop him again, but she was worried about what Saito might do if she did. She thought, "Shinta, please don't leave." All she could do was watch Kenshin walk away. Saito looked with disdain at the former assassin as he left the backyard and stated, "Good riddance."
Saito told Tokio in a cold-hearted tone without looking at her, "So you heard everything, didn't you?"
Tokio finally mustered up her courage and told him, "Yes! You won't get away with this!"
He laughed evilly and told her, "The Battousai seemed to take an interest in you. It doesn't matter because I will deal with him later. Now I must get back to work."
Saito left the backyard and headed towards his office. Tokio went to her room, and she lied down on her bed, thinking of Kenshin. She wanted to tell Kenshin about everything that happened since that day he left to finish the revolution when she talked to him at the dojo earlier. She decided to go and explain to Kenshin about everything. She thought that he was still on his way to the Kamiya dojo, so she went outside and went to look for him.
Kenshin was walking down the same dirt path where cherry blossom trees were prevalent close to Saito's home. He was thinking of Tokio as he was walking. He heard Tokio call out his name, "Shinta!" He turned around, ran towards her, and they embraced each other.
She decided now was the time to explain to him about everything. They looked at each other, looking into each other's souls and she asked, "Please, let me explain everything."
He reassured her by telling her, "I'm here."
She started to explain, "I wanted to explain to you everything when we saw each other earlier today and even before that…"
He asked her, "Please continue."
She continued and asked, "Do you remember that night before you left to help finish the revolution?"
He answered her, "Yes, I remember we made love in our bed."
She mustered up her courage and told him, "I was with child again the next morning when you left. I wanted to tell you, but I thought you wouldn't have changed your mind. Nine months later, I gave birth to our daughter, Reika. I'm so sorry, Shinta!"
She told him what she wanted to tell him for years and now that she told him, she wanted to know what he was going to say. As a result, he hugged her, held her close and told her, "Tokio, I'm the one who is sorry. I should have never left to end the war. I was so stupid back then! Of course, I would have stayed with you and been there for you, our son and daughter. Why did you think that I thought otherwise?"
She explained, "I thought your duty to your leaders was more important."
He stated in a reassuring tone and explained, "Lady Tokio, you and our children are the most important people in my life. Go to the dojo immediately. I will get Takuya and Reika out of Saito's home and take them there. You and our children will be safe there. I will also get Eiji out of there and have him stay with us at the dojo. Had I known about Saito's true intentions beforehand I would have not brought you back to his home. I was so stupid in not realizing until he told me a while ago. I will not make such an awful mistake again."
They embraced each other and held each other close.
Tokio begged him, "Please don't go by yourself, Shinta! I want to help you get Taku and Rei out of there too! I also want to help you get Eiji out of there! Please take me with you!"
Kenshin agreed with his wife as he told her, "You're right. Let's go together. Just stay close to me."
She agreed with what her husband said and replied, "Yes, I will."
With that, they held each other's hand and went back to Saito's home.
Unbeknownst to them, there was someone watching them. The male figure stepped out of his hiding place. He had his long black hair tied like that of samurai of yesteryear, had dark blue eyes, had a goatee, dressed in all black attire, and was looking evilly as well as smiling evilly at their direction.
"I've found you, wench! I better report back to the boss!"
The man dressed in black rushed to the police station.
Just who is the man in black? Who is he working for? Find out next time! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review.