Chapter two: Hello Captain
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
From an early age, Keiji was given an extra sensing ability that no other person had, the ability to sense the strength and life of a person in such vivid detail that he became one of the Shinsengumi's best scouts. That was the ability that set him apart from the other children and eventually led to the loneliness that he had experienced throughout his childhood. By the time he was old enough he started to learn how to wield a sword better than most of the children that lived in his village. Determination drove him to become noticed by the one person, whom everyone in the village admired, Master Husuo Nakajima. Never in his life had anyone paid such attention to him as Nakajima-sensei, but no one was as demanding at the same time as well. Not that Keiji ever felt bad about how he was treated, nay he loved the fact that at least someone was willing to pay enough attention to him to put him through such rigorous training. When the war broke out, Keiji joined the Shinsengumi and then rose to the fourth seat of his division.
"Well it's been too long, Captain Haijime," said Keiji as he raised himself from the hot waters and bowed before his former captain.
"Ah, I never expected to see you again after the victory of the Ishin Shishi," said Saito Haijime, now know as Captain Goro Fujita. "You've seemed to have managed to survive the death squads that were sent after you and even the battle that killed most of the squad. Then again, you always did say that you wondered if you were alive enough to die."
"I am glad that you are alive, Captain, but I see that you would happen to be a police captain for the government."
"The last place I ever expected to find you at was the house of Battosai and I expected even less for you to be peaceful. Don't tell me that you've gone soft on me when the war ended."
At the moment Saito finished the sentence Keiji's facial expression was already changing from the unfamiliar expressions to a sickening depraved grin that he would always wear during the days of war. That was the face that Saito was comfortable looking at, and when the light that would normally be in a person's eye faded Saito knew that Keiji was still Keiji. During the days of bloodshed, that look was always accompanied by the sight of a young Keiji holding the heads of many enemies and the blood dripping from his sword down to his feet. A messy man to deal with, but then again Keiji had always been one of his favorites because of how good at killing he was and how he would never allow that spirit to die within him.
"So then Kenshin, just who is this man," asked Kaoru, a bit unsure if she should ask if Saito wanted to see him and Kenshin seemed to always give him a strange look. "The way you look at each other makes me think that he'll be drawing his sword on you at any moment or he'll try to capture me or someone."
"I don't know if he will or not, but I do know that his name is Keiji Matsuda, fourth seat of Third division," replied Kenshin as he looked out at the man who seemed to be smiling cheerfully with Saito Haijime, a scene that was just too bizarre to Kenshin. "Of course most people knew him as the Little Demon for his pure blood lust and the manner at which he would dispatch his foes very slowly and piece by piece. He is also a very accomplished swordsman and has the ability to sense things that others don't see making him the best scout. Most considered him long dead since the war, but I always believed him too wicked to be killed. There is something of me that is glad to see Saito here since the only person who could hold his leash was Saito Haijime, his captain."
"I heard about the Little Demon, he was like a ghost story that father would often tell us about," said Kaoru as she shivered a bit. "Long ago, before the war, my father met a master swordsman who was a master in the art of killing and ha a pupil who exceeded his master in killing. None of the masters other students would train with the boy because of his bloodlust that seemed to contradict his otherwise innocent nature. Everyone thought it was just a joke until we saw a portrait of him and then eventually met him during the war when I was young. There was a battle that we were not meant to see, but some Ishin Shishi took refuge in the room next to us and soon all we could hear was their screaming. I was crying begging him to stop and then…he did."
"We should be very careful around him, though I am confidant he won't go after you," declare Kenshin before getting up. "I'll go see how the little ones are doing."
Kaoru nodded and went to making the dinner while Kenshin decided to check on Yahiko and the girls, neither one was aware of the person who had been listening in on their conversation. The ex-fighter for higher, Sanosuke, looked over towards the man who was causing so much trouble in the Kamiya-dojo and he noticed that he was sitting next to the biggest asshole in all of Japan. That was the thread that broke the camel's back an Sanosuke was all fired up to take on Keiji not knowing what he was in for as he stomped towards the suspicious man.
Saito knew exactly what was coming the moment he caught sight of the Rooster Head walking towards them with a look of determination on his face. It just brought a cold smile to Saito's face as he knew that Keiji could not be beaten by the cocky rooster even on his worst day. His cold eyes peered over the sight before him as he saw Keiji get onto his feet, a familiar dim into his eyes as he did so. Before Keiji could even stand up he was yanked to his feet by Sanosuke as he brought his fist back to cock his muscles and then with a thrust, pushed his fist right into Keiji's face. What an amusing sight, this idiot believes he could honestly do such a thing, thought Saito with a hint of amusement Keiji was pushed back a bit. A gloved hand came up to stroke the former Wolf of Mibu's chin, curiosity was always a thing aroused from any of Keiji's fights and when it was an incident in which Keiji could not use his usual bloody tactics the curiosity was stroked more.
"Now then I don't know who the hell you are, but I think that you're causing some trouble being here," declared Sanosuke in his usual cocky tone as he pointed a finger at Saito. "And the fact that you are here only makes it even more apparent that there is something not right with this stranger so I think that you two should just leave here."
"Such big words coming from one who punches like you," laughed Keiji as he started to stand up, pausing to turn his head to spit out some blood. "I think you might have just knocked out a tooth in the back of my mouth, that is something I'll give you that at least, but the difference between us makes that a mute point. Though it may be awful to fight you seriously I must since you have so foolishly drawn first blood. Blood for blood, measure still for measure."
Sanosuke tried for a second punch, but found that his opponent had already stepped around and hit him in the stomach with the sheath of his sword. The pain shot through Sanosuke's stomach and he could feel cuts marked on his skin as Keiji started to play around with his victim. Saito wanted to laugh, but that would be too much of a break in composure, a satisfaction that he was determined never to give anyone. He could have stopped the fight before anyone lost a limb, but it had been so long since Saito had seen Keiji fight and he wanted to see how strong his former fourth seat was. Besides, he knew Keiji wouldn't severe a limb, not with his opponent being without a sword of some kind. When it was all over, Sanosuke was cut all over his body with bruises on his skin and an ache that would surely be felt for a few weeks.
"Dinner is ready if anyo-," announced Kaoru before she saw a beaten and bloody Sansouke standing up with an armed Keiji. "KENSHIN!"
"Don't worry Kaoru-dono," called Himura as he ran into the room with his sword drawn. "Keiji, it would be wise to step away from Sanosuke."
"Ah, is that how you threaten someone now, battosai," taunted Keiji as he put the blade right at Sanosuke's neck making sure the blade was only a centimeter away from his neck. "Surely you, who have sent so many to the void, could be more threatening."
"If you do such a thing to Sanosuke I will not hold back," threatened Kenshin in a voice that was colder than any that Kaoru had ever heard.
Saito sighed to himself as he remembered his occupation, "alright Keiji, that is enough."
"Yes sir," replied the Little Demon as he sheathed his sword. "Must be sword, it's probably thirsty for more."
"Leave, get out, never come back here," shouted Kaoru as she threw a rock at Keiji and was surprised when he not only dodged it but moved right up to her face with his cold dead eyes looking her in the eyes.
"I thank you for your hospitality and hope we will meet again," said Keiji with a sudden smile that wasn't forced at all, it just seemed so natural that it frightened her. All she could do was watch Keiji walk off with Saito following behind him, both ominous men from a past of bloodshed.
After the two had left the Kamiya-dojo they began to walk towards a place that was nice and quiet with very few people, the ideal place for two war veterans to talk about the old days and see what they had been doing lately. Saito sat back in the shadows while he talked with his former subordinate and learned what he could of what had happened to Keiji after the war. It was a scramble for a lot of ex-Shinsengumi since they had lost and had to hide their affiliation from the Meiji government or submit themselves fully to the wills of politicians. Saito couldn't envision a worse hell. Politicians often liked to spew bullshit, which Saito had little tolerance for to begin with, or they tried to play mind games with him, something that no one had ever succeeded at. Those who did found themselves in the small of Saito's back pocket.
"It was hard hiding among the dead bodies," said Keiji as he took a sip of sake, something that Saito didn't do while he was on duty. "The dead have a smell to them that gets to you if you're surrounded by it, plus after all of that I had to slaughter my way through patrols trying to find me, as if they could. After that I wound up having to deal with some politician who tried to black mail me into being his little lapdog, but he wasn't too hard to kill. Of course the man, if you can call a politician that, was a corrupt son of a bitch that a lot of people were happy to be rid of.
"As a matter of fact that opened the window of opportunity for me that I enjoy so much right now, the life of an assassin. Of course I sometimes have to deal with the bullshit of employers but my connections extend over greater expanses of land than Japan itself, mostly Great Britain, that damn octopus is probably my highest paying customer. Still, I also get a lot of work here from men who try to be the best in swordsmanship so that the Meiji government will welcome their talents or something like that."
"You do realize that telling me this makes me a witness" laughed Saito as he took a drink of his tea.
"Don't worry there is no investigation for me or warrant," replied Keiji as he took a swig of sake. "Actually I'm here on a job that partially involves the investigation you're doing with those rebels who are causing you so much trouble."
"It seems that you have some dangerous connections indeed if you are the assassin they hired," said Saito as he took a bit of his food, his voice in a slight tone of warning, the least he could do for a former subordinate.
"No I'm looking for that assassin as well. I'm being offered a lot of money to kill this assassin and what really interested me was that someone said it was Hittokiri batosai, but I saw that it can't be him. The person who did that would not hesitate to attack me or would have more edge to his voice, but whoever did this is a skilled fighter, one that could possibly rival Battosai."