AN: Still no beta. I need to work on that…
Collateral Damage
Chapter 2: Battousai and Bodhisattva
The market spread out in a colorful disarray as vendors called out to passersby about the value of their wares. Children yelled and raced through the crowd, free of their parents. Men and women milled through the shops calling greetings to neighbors and chattering in groups. Tokio walked quietly along with her son and her latest charge in tow, looking for new clothes for the boys. Saitou's "temporary" placement of Eiji in their home had somehow morphed into a full adoption. While she didn't mind, it would have been nice to hear it from her husband, instead of having to finally decide after months of uncertainty that the child was indeed going to stay.
Not that the lack of information was surprising. If he hadn't come to drop the child off, she might not have seen her husband, which counting the six months he had disappeared afterwards, for a record absence of thirteen months. As it was, he had appeared, stayed long enough to hand over Eiji, quickly father a second child, and evaporate until he decided to show up last month, announce their imminent move to Tokyo and slink off leaving her standing bewildered in the middle of what had been the first stable home she'd had since the revolution.
"Can I get a blue gi?" Eiji was bouncing up and down at her side trying to get a look around the people that crowed past them. "It was my brother's favorite color."
"Me too. Me too." Tsutomo, clinging to her side, chimed in to agree with the wondrous being that was his new "cousin" Eiji.
Tokio didn't care what color clothes they wanted, just as long as they were durable. "Blue is nice. How about two blue and one green?"
Eiji nodded then, getting a glimpse through the crowd pointed excitedly, "Hey, over there! Look puppets!"
Tokio gestured for the boys to head over to the show and followed after them to find a place to sit. If it allowed her to rest for a small time, she was more than thrilled to let the boy watch puppets. She was getting to the heavy, tiring part of her pregnancy and every moment of rest was prized. Maybe this time, she would learn not to fall for the I'm-so-tired-Tokio line and make Saitou sleep on the same futon as the children he so generously kept providing her with.
"Sweet potatoes! Sweet potatoes!" A vendor called out at the edge of the crowd. "Hot, sweet potatoes!"
Tokio went over to the woman and purchased one after watching Eiji and Tsutomo elbow and shove their way to the front of the crowd like the savage little barbarians she knew them to be. It really didn't surprise her much that her own dear offspring, despite his tiny size and tender age, was actually the more vicious of the two. Saitou had done a lovely job duplicating himself with that one. She wondered if she was even now carrying another wolf pup that would spring into the world looking for things to sink its baby fangs into. She went and stood in the shade of a nearby building and made a mental note to herself to find a wet nurse.
The puppeteer wasn't the most talented in the world, but the children seemed suitably impressed. They all gasped at the right places, and cheered when they were supposed to. She doubted the puppeteer really intended the scene where the brave prince died to be the comedic moment, and she didn't think that the old king suddenly speaking the lines that should have come out of the young maid's mouth was meant to indicate a sudden rash of demon possession, but who was she to judge fine children's entertainment?
"Oh man, that sucked." An older boy with spiky black hair moaned. "Why can't we ever see a good show."
Apparently, she was a good judge. Tokio nodded to herself and walked over to claim her two boys before they caused too much bodily harm to the other well behaved innocents that were tearing out of the area with all the charm of rabid weasels being released from a cage. She wondered if she should be proud that her two had come out of the childish melee unscathed after leaving a trail of bruised ribs and shins in their precious wake.
"Are you two hungry?" She ruffled her little wolf pup's hair.
In response, he snatched the half eaten potato out of her hand and stuffed it in his mouth. Eiji, who hadn't been completely corrupted by his adoptive brother's wild manners, nodded politly. While Tsutomo gnawed his way through the mouthful of potato, they walked back to the vendor.
"Yahiko, I've been looking everywhere for you." A young woman emerged from the crowd and snagged the spiky haired boy's ear. "You were supposed to get the tofu."
"Hey, let go!" The boy wiggled. "I was just getting it."
Eiji perked up as something in the crowd drew his attention. "It's Kenshin."
Tokio, trying to save her wolf cub from grabbing her new potato and stuffing it in his mouth with its predecessor, barely glanced over, "Who?"
"Hey, Kenshin!" Eiji waved running through the crowd. "Kenshin!"
"Eiji." Tokio called to his retreating back as Tsutomo sank his teeth into her wrist.
Saitou was definitely going to spend the rest of his life sleeping out on the porch. She didn't care if a blizzard settled over their house for a decade. When Saitou finally made his appearance, he was banished.
As she pulled her darling off and assessed the damage, she reluctantly admitted she'd give in. When he appeared, she'd be so happy to see him, so lonely for his company, that she'd probably quickly succumb to another round of motherhood if it kept him next to her for even a single evening. Maybe she could even coax something like a few complete sentences out of him next time. In maybe ten more children, she might even progress to a small conversation. Of course seeing that he was averaging about one child every year and a half, if she included him leaving Eiji with her, it would take fifteen years. If she didn't count Eiji then it would take about thirty years.
"This is Kenshin." Eiji had dragged a small red haired man over to her. "He was the one who fought Senkaku."
The man gave her an embarrassed smile. "It is nice to meet you."
The spiky haired boy and the young woman came over, looking curiously at them.
"Who are you?" The boy, Yahiko if she remembered correctly, gave Eiji a glare.
"Oh, please, let me introduce you." The red haired man politely motioned to Eiji. "Eiji Ei'ichiro, this is Yahiko Myojin and Karou Kamiya. Yahiko, Karou-dono, this is Eiji who I met on my way to Kyoto."
"Nice to meet you." Yahiko grinned but gave Tokio a questioning look.
Eiji, remembering those rarely displayed customs called manners, nodded his chin at her. "That's Tokio and that's Tsutomo. I'm staying with them."
The woman smiled. "That's very nice of you to take him in. Kenshin told me what happened."
Tokio was about to say some stupid, expected platitude along the lines of how wonderful and sweet Eiji was or how it was the least she could do to help out a poor orphan, when she caught sight of Kenshin's face. His jaw was hanging open and his eyes had gotten huge.
"You…you…you're Tokio-dono?" The man finally gasped. "The Tokio-dono?"
Unsure, and fearing the man was having some sort of odd mental problem, Tokio edged her son behind her. "Yes, my name is Tokio."
"Kenshin,"the young woman reached over, obviously worried about the man, "what is it?"
"She…she…"
Tokio wondered if it was just an odd speech impediment.
"She's a Bodhisattva." He finally breathed.
The girl's eyebrows arched up in surprise, nearly as much as Tokio's. They both looked at the man with identical looks that clearly said that the red head had been out in the sun too long and should probably go home, drink something cool, and lie down until he had recovered what few wits he could still claim.
"Karou-dono, she married him!" He waved his hand towards where Tokio knew the police station was located. "She's a living saint!"
"I'm finally appreciated." Tokio sighed, now understanding the sudden fit. The man had obviously met her dear spouse and having survived the experience, was understandably impressed that someone had taken on the job of housebreaking the mangy wolf. Not that she was having any great success in the endeavor.
"Uh…Kenshin." Karou had either not met her sweet husband, or hadn't understood the reference and still looked worried over the other's mental health.
"She's married to him! Him!" Kenshin was still struggling with his awe.
Tokio took pity on him, "Maybe you know my husband, Fujita Goro?"
The young woman shook her head, "No, I'm sorry I…"
"Saitou!" Kenshin managed to gasp out. "She's Saitou's wife."
Saitou
The city was dismally peaceful. It seemed that somewhere, someone had declared a holiday on all crime. Even Sanosuke was peacefully laying about on the tanuki girl's front step chewing a piece of grass and watching the sky. Unless he wanted to cite the lummox for grazing cattle inside city property, he couldn't even relieve his boredom by a rousingly stupid confrontation. He had even walked into the local yakuza's main business front and only found an old woman sweeping the floor of an obviously abandoned building. For a moment, he had become hopeful that he could track down the new gang hide-out, but the old woman spoiled it by calmly handing him a piece of paper that had the organization's new address, in Kyoto. Now, he was reduced to walking the streets pretending to be happy that the citizens of Tokyo were all safe, happy, and crime free.
He nodded to a fellow officer as they passed, the other heading off towards the high end residential area while he kept meandering towards the market. Perhaps he could find a pickpocket or someone stealing produce. He had little to keep him busy at the office since his superior had decided to take a few days off to "investigate" some "odd" activity up in the mountains. Why the man thought anyone would actually believe he required the company of three women and a bevy of attendants was only another sign of how little he really thought of his own department.
The market was depressingly law abiding. Happy people were wandering around spreading good will and upstanding virtues to their fellow man. Vendors waved cheerful hellos as they sold their goods to honest, hard working folk. Children ran safe and carefree under the indulgent and loving eyes of their attentive parents. Even the stupid dogs were politely not peeing on corners or defecating in public places. The bright, soft sunshine mocked him as spring breezes floated their flower scented way past him. Birds hopped joyously in the trees chirping and singing. Even the soft, white clouds that had promised early last night they would pour rain, had changed their minds and floated serenely in the bright, blue sky.
Growling, Saitou scoured the market one last time. Everything seemed to smile beatifically back at him as peace, happiness, and good morals reigned supreme.
"It's like being stuck in Himura's head." Saitou grumbled, stalking towards a side street that would lead towards the governmental area.
That was when he found out that his life, as he knew, and even sometimes managed to tolerate, had become truly cursed. There, standing together like lifelong friends was his wife, his only son, Eiji, Himura, the tanuki girl, and the brat. He quickly slid out of sight, dampening down his ki so Himura wouldn't notice him.
The tanuki girl was laughing at something Eiji had said and the boy was grinning proudly as the brat puffed up looking like an affronted rooster. Himura was standing next to his wife and both seemed to be contemplating which restaurant they wanted to go to. Tsutomo, clinging to his mother was insistently pointing at a noodle house, but Tokio seemed to be more in favor of a tea house. Himura was wavering between the noodle house and his usual haunt of the Akabeko.
Saitou shifted his position to get a better look at his wife. She was beautiful. He wondered if she even realized that she nearly glowed when she was pregnant. Her skin always turned nearly impossibly smooth and creamy, while her hair, even wound and pinned into place with combs was lustrously soft. She moved with the same exquisite grace that she had first trapped him with and now instead of it being an artifice, it had become true, ingrained, and stunningly casual.
For a moment, he almost stepped out into the street and walked across to her. He would have enjoyed seeing the brat and the tanuki jump, but mostly he could have stood next to Tokio for a few moments, perhaps picked up Tsutomo and taken them both into the noodle house. There they could have sat down around a table and had lunch together. Tsutomo would probably have giggled and tried to steal his meal while Tokio huffed at them both for poor manners while smothering a smile. After lunch, they could have gone home. He could lend her his arm for support like he'd seen the Westerners do to their wives, which he thought was a nice way to keep her close to him. He could spend the rest of the afternoon sitting on the porch with Tokio at his side and maybe playfully argue about something. He'd even forgo his cigarettes, knowing that she disliked the smell. When it got too late to continue, he could have gone to sleep with her curled against him as his hand rested over her rounded belly to feel if the baby kicked against his palm.
He took a deep breath and turned away. He'd go check on some of the more suspicious politicians. He doubted that he'd be disappointed. None of that lot could keep from sticking their greedy fingers into money coffers or trying to crookedly broker themselves into a more powerful position. One good blood sucking tick would keep him busy for weeks, maybe even months.
Tokio
"He did what?" Tokio felt herself grow cold.
"He attacked Sanosuke." Karou bit her lip looking anxiously around to where Kenshin was playing with Tsutomo and Eiji. "He came here disguised as a medicine seller and then attacked Sano with a sword."
Sano, a rather pleasant young man, had greeted her when she had come into Karou's dojo. After getting over the shock of who she was married to, he had good naturedly let Tsutomo maul him before heading off to quieter, less child infested climes.
"Sano was unconscious for over three days." Karou looked over to where Kenshin was getting a basket of flowers dumped over his head. "All so that Saitou could get Kenshin angry enough to fight him."
That was what she had feared.
It hadn't taken her more than a few moments to figure out the gentle red head had once been the dreaded Battousai. Unlike many, she had no illusions that just because he had once worked as a hitikori that he was the blood stained demon others imagined. To listen to rumor, sweet, funny Okita had been a dangerous psychopath who haunted back alleys thirsting for human blood. In a way, Kenshin reminded her of Okita. He was kind, patient, adored children, and in an awkward, overly polite way, charming. In short, he was Saitou's complete opposite. He was also someone that Saitou would respect. Despite his silly, harmless act, he was quite intelligent and she knew enough of the Batousai to understand his skill with a sword was at least Saitou's equal.
"They nearly killed each other." Karou was still obviously shaken by the memory. "The only thing that got them to stop was Mr. Okubo."
Worse. This was much worse than she had thought. Saitou had suffered through periods of moodiness and depression since the revolution. It generally manifested as withdrawal, either physically or emotionally from the people around him. During the worst times, he became passively self-destructive, not eating, rarely sleeping, and ignoring small matters like freezing weather, vicious rain storms, and extreme heat. To deliberately force a duel onto an opponent that had the skill to kill him…
Karou continued worrying, unknowingly describing in her fretting just how far Saitou had fallen back into the darkness of his own making. The tale of Shishio and what had happened on Mt. Hiei, while very upsetting to the young swordswoman, terrified Tokio. It was only because Kenshin, the man Saitou had and apparently still wanted to kill, had been there that Saitou was still alive. Even then, her dear husband had taken the first opportunity that presented itself to run straight back into danger. This was no longer just passive behavior. Saitou was trying to kill himself.
"Then he just showed up during the whole nightmare with Enishi." Karou was working her way around to being outraged.
"Yes, he's very good at just showing up." Tokio gave her a small grin. "Did he blather on about something, refuse to do a lick of work, and then disappear again?"
"Well, yes." Karou looked taken back.
Out in the yard, Kenshin made an amused sound. She had no doubts that the former hitikori had heard every word of the conversation between her and Karou. She would have been more surprised if he hadn't.
"Typical." Tokio patted her rounded belly. "Just be happy he didn't leave you any little bonuses."
Karou, as she expected, blushed and looked around for another topic. Kenshin tossed a ball to Eiji and came over to them smiling. He really was like Okita, which made Tokio even more suspicious of her darling spouse's behavior.
"Tokio-dono, will you stay for dinner?" He tapped a finger against his chin thoughtfully. "We are having roast fish, miso, and burdock."
"That sounds lovely." Tokio shook her head though. "But Tsutomo is going to need to go to bed in just an hour. Believe me, you don't want an overly tired Tsutomo anywhere near you, your loved ones, or any precious possessions you might own."
The obviously child adoring Karou looked lovingly at her little wolf cub and gave a small laugh. "Oh, we'll be alright, I'm sure."
Kenshin, probably a bit more versed in wolf-like people, gave the toddler a wary glance that Tokio easily interpreted to mean: Ye gods! It's a tiny Saitou. Should I strap on protective armor now or just run.
"Really. We need to head home." Tokio pulled herself up from the dojo step and waved to the boys to come. "My husband will want dinner."
Karou looked pityingly at her. "Oh, yes… Well, you are always welcome back here."
Eiji, overhearing the last comment as he raced up to them, nodded enthusiastically. "We'll definitely be back. Won't we?" He didn't look to Tokio for confirmation, but to Tsutomo who nodded his little head happily. "Kenshin told me that Karou teaches swordsmanship! Could I…"
Tokio opened her mouth to squash that plan, sure that Saitou would disapprove when an idea popped into her head. It involved the boys, an ex-hitikori, a sneaky husband with a death wish, and a bit of invasion of her husband's sacred duties as a father. "What a wonderful idea." She turned to Karou. "I don't suppose you would consider taking on two more students. What with everything," she delicately patted her round belly, "I would be very grateful to anyone who could teach them a bit of discipline and use up all that energy they have."
Karou, who really was a sweet, naive girl who seemed to have some masochistic need to help every stray that wandered into her life, nodded enthusiastically. "It would be my pleasure."
Kenshin, who was a bit more worldly, looked warily at her. "Saitou would not approve, that he would not."
Tokio smiled, "I am sure that he will not object to the boys learning the basics here. He's wanted the boys to learn swordsmanship, but with work… It'll be one less thing for him to worry over."
Kenshin still looked doubtful, but Karou was already enthusing over the idea. "We'll begin tomorrow!"
"Karou-dono maybe…" Kenshin hesitated.
Tokio ignored the dreaded Battousai calmly and focused on the weakest point for her attack, Karou. By the eager gleam in the young swordswoman's eyes and the air of neglect the dojo wafted around, she knew the points to strike at to get through any defenses that might be raised. "Oh, please don't worry…" She turned to Karou reaching out a comforting hand and gesturing dismissively towards the children's now dirty clothes with the other. "I can easily afford to have you teach them. My husband is very generous with the children. I'll even send food with them so you won't have to deal with feeding two ravenous boys." She gave her head a motherly shake. "They eat so much. They're like locusts sometimes."
Karou nodded. "I'm sure it will be fine."
Tokio smiled fondly as the boys, seeing a bright future of whacking each other with various deadly weapons, whooped and danced around, effectively mauling and distracting Kenshin. "Fine, we'll be here bright and early."
The Battousai tried one last time to cobble together a counter argument. "Saitou will be most displeased, Karou-dono! That he will! He will not like his wife and children…"
Tokio, reaching deep into her bag of dirty tricks, lifted helpless defeated eyes to meet Karou's. "Saitou…well, to be honest he might…" She sighed tragically, turning her head away as if defeated. "I just hoped that maybe I could do something…"
Karou, seeing an opportunity to help a suffering human being, leapt to her rescue. "Bright and early! I'll be expecting you!"
Tokio, still looking hesitant, but now letting an expression of guarded hopefulness slip through, gave Karou a wobbly, but brave smile and nearly whispered, "Thank you so much. I have no words to express my gratitude."
Kenshin looked like he might still want to protest, but Karou cut him off. "We'll be ready for them." Her tone lowered into a definite warning. "Won't we."
The Battousai bowed his head, defeated. "Bright and early." He mumbled unenthusiastically.
Tokio nodded to herself. It was all set then. Her husband's long wallow in the lands of depression was going to come to an end. She wanted her wolf back and she now had a plan on how to do it.
Thank you for reading. Please leave a review.
Research Notes:
Not a lot this time.
Puppet Shows: These unsurprisingly were quite popular in the Meji era and would often involve historical themes.
Restaurants: Beef pot houses like the Akabeko were new and trendy during this time, tea houses were cleaning up and specializing in serving…tea, and noodle houses were becoming popular as a cheap place for a quick meal. Oh, in noodle houses, it was polite to slurp your noodles. Just take a bit in your mouth and slurp the whole thing down. I tried this and found that I lack the proper slurping technique and end up getting broth all over and sometimes getting smacked in the face by the tail end of the noodles. It's a skill that I will happily keep trying to improve.
Street Vendors: These were enterprising people who would sell quick meals like roasted sweet potatoes to passersby. They still have this in many Asian countries and most of the food is delicious. Personally, I used to love the roasted chestnuts and the street version of waffles with honey.