Disclaimer: Watsuke?s. Excuse me while I go kill the man and take his story. (J/k!)
Note: I wrote this back in March, and I guess I forgot to post it here on BI.
Sorry, guys!*~Now That You?ve Returned~* Chapter Four
By Gundam Girl
There was a commotion in the police station?s lobby. Not one for much noise while working, Hajime Saito got up from his wide desk and went to the window.
A stranger stood out in entrance dressed in a long cloak. A foreigner, Saito figured and pulled a cigarette from his pocket. Lighting it, he turned just as a desk worker came in looking worried.
?Captain Saito,? he breathed. ?There?s someone who wishes to see you immediately.?
?Appointment?? Saito inquired, and the desk worker shook his head. He was sweating with nerves.
?He carries a strange sword, sir. We?re a little afraid to approach him. He has the oddest yellow eyes??
The lighter Saito had only recently taken up snapped off and the metallic sound reverberated throughout the office. ?Yellow eyes? A strange sword??
The subordinate nodded, patting his damp neck with a handkerchief. ?The sword is reversed, sir, and??
Saito walked briskly past him. ?A sakabatou,? he told the officer coolly, ?should not be a threat to the Tokyo police. Neither should any kind of eyes.?
The desk worker leaned heavily against the wall. ?But,? he said to no one but himself, ?wasn?t there once a man with yellow eyes who slew all that crossed him? Even policemen cherish their lives.?
Saito was not in the mood for games. If the fellow turned up as a wannabe Hotokiri Battousai, he would not hesitate to lock him up. Carrying swords in the street was still against Meiji law.
Half-bursting into the lobby, Saito immediately scanned the arrival carefully. His hood was over his head, but it was as the subordinate had said. When the stranger shifted to look at him, Saito saw the glowing golden eyes.
?Captain Saito,? another lower office addressed him, ?are you going to see this man??
?Reveal your face,? Saito commanded, ignoring the officer?s question. ?Show it to me or you?ll leave now.?
He waited a beat but the man lowered his hood. Out fell the ragged tumble of blood-colored hair, and the eyes lost their amber look to take on a violet tint. The smile on the man?s face would be distinguishable in any crowd, at least to those that knew him.
?It?s been many years,? Kenshin said cheerfully. ?Hasn?t it, Saito? How?s your wife??
Saito had to forcibly tighten his jaw to keep it from dropping. ?Indeed it has, Himura. And Tokio is fine.? He glanced at the other officers. He was the only one on the current shift who?d been around for the last six years. There was no recognition at hearing the newcomer?s name.
Idiots, Saito thought with resentment.
?Come this way, Himura,? Saito invited, turning back to the corridor just as the messenger from before was coming back into the lobby. ?We?ll discuss your sudden visit in private.?
?Just as I was hoping it would be.? Kenshin was impressed; though he could tell Saito was surprised, he well hid it and acted as though the former Battousai had been in Tokyo every day since first coming to town.
With the slightest of shrugs, he followed, leaving the rookie officers confused and scratching their heads.
In his office, Saito closed the door. ?Will you sit?? he asked half-casually.
Kenshin rested one hand on his sakabatou?s hilt; not out of threat, but habit. ?I think I?ll stand.?
?Very well.? Saito lowered his long body into the chair behind his desk and flattened his palms against the surface. ?Well,? he said at length. ?You are alive.?
?That I am.? Kenshin angled his head to study Saito. Was his hair thinner, by any chance?
?I?m afraid you?ve caught me by surprise. I thought you were dead.?
?You and everyone else.?
?Can you blame us, Himura?? Saito now folded his hands and leaned on his elbows. ?The rocks were removed; there was no evidence to your continuing existence. Sanosuke Sagara had an excellent theory with the Futai No Kiwami.?
His eyebrows lowered. ?And so you didn?t??
?Do not take me for a fool,? Saito interrupted. ?I put further investigation into the matter for well over two months as an Italian Inspector ?Garius Troi.? Sagara ultimately fell for the trick and decided to excuse the whole matter. But he?s a good friend to you, Himura, though God knows why. He was just busy preparing for Miss Kamiya?s wedding.?
Saito saw Kenshin?s grip tighten on the sword hilt. ?Ah, so you do know. That?s all for the better than. I certainly wouldn?t want to break the news to you. I assume you?ve seen young Master Miyojin??
?Yahiko seems to be doing well. I went to the Kamiya dojo before I came here.?
?Naturally. Well, as for Derekai Takeda, there was no concrete evidence of his murdering you or even threatening Miyojin. Now of course, I know better, but the Takeda boy?s whole life was centered around that single piece of, shall we say, debauchery. No weapons were found on his premises, no plans. There wasn?t so much as a cutting knife. And his abrupt marriage to Kaoru Kamiya is by no means against written law, just questionable. I?m afraid her reputation was tarnished for quite awhile, the most prominent rumor being that she carried your child and needed a husband to eliminate the shame.? Saito interestedly watched the brief flash of amber opposing the violet in Kenshin?s eyes. ?Time, of course, proved that to be only talk. But to make a long story short, his wedding to Miss Kamiya was legal and, more importantly, binding.?
?Saito,? Kenshin said slowly, ?you know as I do that Miss Kaoru did not love a man she met in a few minutes.?
?That?s obvious, Himura. One look in that woman?s eyes and you see all the misery in the world. I?m sorry,? he said suddenly and Kenshin?s grip relaxed somewhat. ?But I suppose you deserve all the facts.?
Kenshin?s shoulders straightened. ?I?ll unbind her, Saito.?
He stared. ?You can?t overrun the law. You?d never be able to keep it hidden. He?s got money stashed in all kind of throats.?
?I at least have to see her before I go that far,? Kenshin told him, looking at the desk rather than Saito. ?But I can hardly go knock on her husband?s door.? Now he did sit in one of the chairs. ?What?s happening lately? Have the summer celebrations begun yet??
?The first festival is on Saturday,? Saito responded, crossing his arms and leaning back. ?The Takedas go every year. It?s something Derekai uses to show his ?affectionate doting? on his wife. Buys her a new kimono every year because he believes gifts are the only way to a woman?s heart. He really is filth.?
If Kenshin didn?t know that there was more to Hajime Saito than met the eye, he?d have laughed. But Saito did have a wife that loved him, and so he had to be capable of reciprocating the emotion.
?Anyway,? Saito said, ?I don?t exactly know what kind of opportunity you?re hoping for. But you can find her there. It?s better than pulling her out of the street. Did you know she still doesn?t cook for him? Tae from the Akabeko either delivers food or Miss Kaoru picks it up.? He glared warningly. ?Don?t make a scene in the market, Himura.?
?No, I?ll wait until the festival,? Kenshin promised. He stood up. ?Thank you, Captain Saito.? He was pleased when Saito shook his proffered hand. Some things, he figured, were bound to change over six years.
?Where will you go?? Saito asked. ?If you need it very badly, Tokio could make you a place at our home.? Listening to himself, he mentally shook his head. Here he was the former leader of the third division on the Shinsengumi, offering his rival the Battousai a place to stay.?
Kenshin seemed to be amused too, but the smile didn?t reach his eyes. ?No, I think I?ll make one more stop before the night is over.?
Saito nodded. ?Hurry then. It?s getting late, and they?re bound for Kyoto again tomorrow.? He smirked. ?Did you know they recently came to pay respects to your grave??
Kenshin remembered the wooden cross in the front of the Kamiya dojo. ?Did they??
?Aoshi Shinomori isn?t truly the type to come honor the dead. I suppose that was the doing of Misao Makimachi.?
?It would be,? Kenshin murmured.
?I suppose a welcome back is in order. You have that, Himura.? Saito opened the door for him. ?Best of luck with whatever plans you intend to make an attempt to carry out.?
?Thank you.? Kenshin shook his hand once more and then walked steadily out of the police station with the implanted valor he had always possessed.
Saito sat down again and rested his forehead on her joined hands.
?Himura,? he thought aloud, ?get that woman of the hell out of there.?
So commanding, he lit up another cigarette.
***
It took quite a bit of negotiating (and a promise to help the woman with her laundry), but Kenshin was able to convince the innkeeper to allow him to go up to Shinomori Aoshi?s room by himself.
When he knocked, there was a rather alarming scramble coming from inside. Kenshin?s pessimistic side didn?t eliminate the possibility that Aoshi and Miss Misao were out and they had robbers.
But no; soon the door opened and light spilled out to reveal the tall figure of Aoshi Shinomori, lacking his trench coat. His dark pants were only half buttoned and his black shirt hung open. The split-second Kenshin took to glance around him showed Misao shrugging into her customary blue half-kimono.
Obviously something had been interrupted.
But there was no time for that because Aoshi?s expression was as close to hysterical as Kenshin had ever seen it.
?Hi?? Almost certain he was seeing things ? because he had to be, he *had* to be ? Aoshi took a step backward and forgot to breath. Had they ordered from the Akabeko? Was this a hauntingly similar-looking delivery boy? ?Himura??
Misao paused in tying her shirt together. For a short time, Aoshi had suffered nightmares of Kenshin?s death. Perhaps he was having a relapse. ?Aoshi,? she began, turning to the door to soothe whatever arrival he may have alarmed. ?There isn?t??
But she froze, every muscle going taut as she saw who stood in their door.
?Himura??
?I thought it would be best to see you,? Kenshin told them. ?I apologize for being a nuisance this late. Would it be too much trouble for me to come in??
Aoshi only took another step back and since it seemed that the small motion would be the most proper of welcomes he would get, the redheaded samurai stepped inside and closed the door himself.
?Good evening,? he said lightly.
Misao fell to the floor. ?Himura,? she murmured. ?What? You?re alive? What the hell??
Not surprised nor offended, Kenshin only smiled. ?Yes, I know; you thought I was dead.?
?Well?*yeah.* I mean, God. You?re alive?? Misao repeated. She managed to work her way to her knees.
?Can six years absence really be underestimating you?? Aoshi asked, more to himself than to Kenshin.
?No. For all anyone may have thought, I could have just gone wandering again,? Kenshin replied for whatever it was worth. ?Please sit, Aoshi, Miss Misao. I have much to say.?
Aoshi walked stiffly to the center of the room and lowered himself to Indian style on the floor. Misao complied by simply falling back onto her behind.
Kenshin went to his knees before them and bowed slightly. ?Your shock is a little flattering,? he joked, ?and a little embarrassing.?
Some of the color went back to Misao?s face. ?Like you have anything to be embarrassed about!? she exclaimed. ?I just put flowers on your grave!?
?It?s comforting to know,? Aoshi said, much more quietly, ?that there was no lifeless body to put in it.?
?I?m just fine,? Kenshin assured him. ?But enough of that. If you really want the story, you can go and see Sano.?
?We?re leaving tomorrow,? Misao murmured. ?Back to Kyoto. But damn, now I really wanna stay.?
?That?s good. That?s why I came. I want to ask you to stay in Tokyo for just a while longer. Things here need to be seen to.? Kenshin?s smile faded. ?When I say things??
?You mean Kaoru Ka?Takeda,? Aoshi replied, still unused to saying his former employer?s name again. ?Kanryu?s son?s wife.?
Kanryu?s mad grin was still burned fiercely into Kenshin?s mind, and if Derekai?s smile was anything like that, his blood-lusting Battousai side would be hard to hold back. It was one of the reasons Kenshin wanted Aoshi to stay. Another?
?I?ve a mind to investigate Derekai Takeda myself,? Kenshin explained. ?Aoshi, as you can guess, I need information on his back round. When you worked for Kanryu, was there anything in his profile that regarded a woman who conceived for him??
Aoshi cleared his throat to get his tongue to work. ?The check I did on Kanryu was thorough, Himura, that I can promise you. He had never been married, and his particular interest in women didn?t really stretch past the red light district. But there was one ? Aya Hokira. Kanryu had her live with him for a few weeks before he came to Tokyo. The child she conceived for him would have been killed, but Kanryu left, and Hokira just didn?t have the courage to go through the only kind of operation she could afford.?
?You mean she would have??? Misao shuddered. ?Oh, ew!?*
?So the baby lived,? Kenshin concluded, ?and grew up to be Derekai Takeda, Kanryu?s illegitimate son and heir by default. I understand.? He stood. ?For now, that?s all I need. Aoshi, Miss Misao ? will you stay??
?It isn?t really like we can just leave now,? Misao muttered. ?Aoshi?? Her tone was hopeful, and she laid a hand on the tall man?s arm. ?Please agree to the stay here for a while. You saw Miss Kaoru??
Aoshi studied Kenshin with wary eyes. ?You are standing in front of me,? he commented solidly. ?And I am not dreaming.?
?I?m real,? Kenshin affirmed. ?I did not die, Aoshi.?
His black eyes closed, and he focused on Misao?s light tough, so very effective. ?Fine. I?ll see this through, Himura. But not for you. For all I care, you could have died and my life would remain mostly ineffective.? He opened his gaze again. ?But when a spirit like Kaoru Kamiya?s is cut by so jagged a sword, it is difficult to detach yourself.?
?Thank you, Aoshi.? Kenshin stood up. ?Thank you as well, Miss Misao.?
She smiled. ?We?re here for you, Himura.?
When he walked out of the inn and back toward the dojo to find Sano and Yahiko, Kenshin balled up a fist.
The person he?d wanted to see the most was very much gone.
But action was to be taken.
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*In the 1800s, the only common way to have a child abortion was to stick sharp implements (knives, forks, swords, even coat hangers) up inside a woman and hope for the best. This usually only resulted in a serious injury to the mother, or death to both the mother and the baby. (Yes, very gross.)
GG: Thanks for reading, guys! I hope everone?s happy that Aoshi and Misao are sticking around. Review!