So much for a respite. I thought, I’d finally be able to go to sleep last night.
But it was another rough night, just like yesterday was a rough day. Well I’m a glutton for punishment and here I am at the gates of the Kamiya dojo.
I knock when really I’d rather break down the door.
“Battousai come out!” I say.
There should be no one here except him at this time. The incorrigible boy is working in town, his wife and brat is at school.
“Yo! Fancy meeting you here!” I grin at him after I threw the gates open. It’s been a few years.
“Want to have a little friendly brawl? I missed the “fight of a lifetime”, yesterday with your friend Okita.”
I bring my fist together in a SMAK! I’m a lot better now than he remembers. I even found a way to defend myself and I was excited to show it to Ojou-san and the others.
“No.” And without asking he steps inside.
“Still -yourself- I see.” I laugh loudly. “By the way, thanks for paying for the post. It came in real handy when I got to the mainland.”
He looks me over and sticks a cigarette in his mouth.
“The Battousai.” He repeats. He’s gotten real gloomy hasn’t he.
Well I can fix that. I surprise smack him on the shoulder and he grunts.
“Woah! What are you these days an -old- man?” Does he still have those injuries but it’s been -years-. It’s then I realize he’s still probably running around touting that Aku Soku Zan of his.
“Ahou! Get me the Battousai -now-.”
“Yeesshh… I see you woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” I grimace and finally grin at him. “Kenshin! Our old friend is here!”
Oh Saitou wasn’t really our friend but what do I call him? And unlike before where I slugged Kenshin for implying Saitou and I are friends, I figured I’d get back at Kenshin by saying “our old friend”. It took me more than a decade to find an answer on that one! Can’t beat them, then join them!
(OOC: Waiting on Kenshin)
(Kenshin)
Sano doesn’t have to come get me, or yell for me. I can hear that boisterous voice even back the the bathhouse, where I was cleaning up. I smile. I’m glad he wasn’t -needed-, but all the same…. this one is glad to have his friend around again. I could barely get Kenji-kun to school, he idolizes his “uncle”…
It’s Saitou again… Wiping off my hands, I go to the front, where Saitou looks even more worse for wear that he did yesterday.
“Good morning. I trust Okita Souji is secured?” This one does not want a repeat of yesterday… but why is Saitou back today? I look over at Sano, who is grinning. Well, he’s enjoying this.
Saitou:
I ignore the Tori Atama. I’m not in the mood.
“Battousai, I need to take the tanto and the “medicine” for evidence.” I state my purpose simply and clearly.
Puffing on my cigarette I answer his question, “He’ll rot in jail.” I say, now that I’ve got him. “He won’t be a problem to you from now on.” Or himself… Or the Shinsengumi.
“Hoy! Why are you ignoring me! Grr! Saitou!” He gets in front of my face and for some odd reason I let my cigarette fall to his foot, burning a little bit of the bandages there.
“Damn you Saitou! I just bought those!” He picks up his leg and wipes the burning ember with his hand. “Oww!”
And I chuckle, glad for the first time today. “Amusing as always ahou…”
I turn to the Battousai. “Now where is it?”
I need to take the tanto and the “medicine” for evidence
“Kaoru-dono put those away.” Evidence? Those things belong to Yagi-san, except for that knife that Okita threw – now I see where Yagi-san got that trick she tried to pull on Master. “Please excuse me.” I turn, and then stop, and sigh, turning around. “Please try not to harm the dojo too badly while I get them.”
Saitou is ignoring Sano… which makes Sano react. I’ve missed my old friend.
And Saitou seems rather detached about his old friend. But he be tried to kill Yagi-san.
(OOC – Kenshin has gone inside the dojo)
Sano:
I wait until Kenshin is out of ear shot. “Hoy Saitou. What really happened the past few years? I remember that Yagi girl was with Okita. And now I heard from Kenshin he’s wanting to fight him and you now have children with Okita’s girl?”
I never thought of him as a ladies man but man… this is one ugly mess he found himself in. “Didn’t you have a wife and kids?”
“AHOU! What makes you think I’m going to tell you just because you came back?”
I grin back at him. “Hey I wanted to hear it from the horses mouth. If you’re going to be stingy of details. I may just find out for myself. ”
Hell yeah! I didn’t come back from the mainland for no good reason!
We wait for kenshin.
(Kenshin)
This one is pleased that the dojo is still standing. Saitou seemed to perk up earlier, so who knows where that may have led…
“Here is Okita’s,” I say, giving that to him. This one wrapped it, as it had not been cleaned yet. “As for what Yagi-san gave my wife…” I look at him. “I recognize the symbol of the Oniwaban. Why was she carrying these, and what part of your evidence are they?” Yagi-san seem disturbed when she arrived yesterday, but she did have Okita after her. Her former lover… and Saitou seems… it’s different when he came here last, when Yagi-san was kidnapped.
“Here is Okita’s,”
I take it of course. But the Battousai doesn’t produce the rest.
As for what Yagi-san gave my wife…” I look at him. “I recognize the symbol of the Oniwaban. Why was she carrying these, and what part of your evidence are they?”
“I suggest you don’t meddle in this one Battousai. -I- gave Hide that tanto and as for the medicine, that was given to -me- by the itachi.”
I suppose i could leave without the tanto but I didn’t give it back to her last summer for her to just leave it in an enemy’s safekeeping.
I suggest you don’t meddle in this one Battousai. -I- gave Hide that tanto and as for the medicine, that was given to -me- by the itachi.
“Kaoru-dono is concerned about her.” I smile. This one knows how strong and true her kind heard can be. But Misao-san providing medicine to Saitou? Other than looking exhausted, he doesn’t seem ill… “You’ve seen Misao-san?” I remember an old rumor, in the wilderness, that he had an -interest- in her…
I sigh and hand it over. Then a movement by the open gate catches my eye. A small man – not Okita, or Seta Soujirou or any of the other smaller-sized men I know – seems to hover by there and then moves off. I don’t read a “ki”… but there was something about the face this one saw. I narrow my eyes for a moment… but then look back to the man in front of me.
Kaoru-dono is concerned about her.”
It was only recently that I stopped by here to ask the Tanuki to come visit with Hide. “Well you know… -women-.”
And he asks about Misao, “I ended up in Kyoto. She gave those to me for some muscle pains”
It’s then that i hear laughing from the Tori atama. “Age catching up old man!?”
I stymie a scowl when the eyes of the flickers for a moment. Looking beyond the rooster head and I. I secure the 2 tantos first and drop the “medicine” in my pocket. I didn’t detect a ki and it’s unlikely I’m the object of this new visitor.
“Well then I’ll be going.”
I turn to leave.
(Ooc saitou will exit unless there’s something. You can close.)
Saitou ignores Sano’s jabs about age and infirmary the Oniwaban have wonderful medicines, and it would be like Misao-san to share them with Saitou. “Oh, is it a new concoction? I’ll have to ask her.” But everything the Obiwaban makes tastes terrible. Now, Megumi-dono could actually make her brews tolerable!
He turns to leave, after dismissing my wife’s concerns. I’ll be sure to let her know what happened today. I think she’s wanting to keep an eye on Yagi-san.
“Come on, Sano. It’s time to go over to the Akabeko.” Yahiko-kun said that Tae-san would be happy that Sano’s back. Hmmmm… I smile at my old friend. Maybe he can stay this time.
(OOC – close)