I had a lot to catch up on in the office. The scout we had set against Imai has not come back and although it’s still early, there’s been no word from Aioi. Both leaves me worried but the pile of paper work that was “delivered” that morning at my desk has taken my attention well past lunch time with the only reprieve, that unorthodox meal with Uramura-san.
Shindou still hasn’t come back.
Kawaji was called out again by the diet.
There are a lot of new and younger faces, mosty doing clerical work.
The sword police is dwindling in number and leadership.
None of the above relates to my work, even Shindou at this point. But I liked him. Losing him would be a waste even if my personal circumstances didn’t warrant it. But that’s not my immediate problem until I’m called away.
My immediate problem is… Putting down the pen, I sign the last of the requisitions that Kawaji left unfinished. He didn’t ask me but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. We need more resources in the police, not just the military and waiting around would only put the Police further back. After all after I was offered a job in the military for excellent service during the Seinan wars, I turned down the military thinking the Police with it’s inward focus would continue to serve my purpose well. There can be no purity of purpose without purity in the heart. And in order to have that purity of heart, justice must prevail.
But it is a much slower process than I anticipated. Japan is still a place of warring clans and status but for today I put my general worries aside and put on my cap and leave for the Kamiya dojo.
Maybe I can catch that former hermit there and find out what he truly wants or at the very least prevent him from further pursuing my son. I haven’t stepped foot in that dojo for almost ten years.
Ten years. They’re only two words but so long to live through.
I wonder what I’ll find there?
To the Kamiya Dojo – 2PM
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Unmasking my ki, I wait to see if he’ll come out but -nothing-. But it’s very much like that man to ignore and not acknowledge someone else’s presence so I knock.
“Can you open up?” I call out to the people inside. “I know you’re in there.” I sigh and light a cigarette.
“Hold on a minute! Geez! It’s not like we’re ignoring you!” She came huffing and puffing carrying a broom on her back and swung the gates wide open.
“Tanuki.” I say.
“Kaoru is the name!”
I grin slightly. “Sumana. I just go used to calling people to what’s easiest Kaoru-“san”.”
“Geez. The way you say it Saitou-san, you might as well call me Tanuki.” She huffs.
“Fine Tanuki then. May I come in?”
She gives me an up and down look and gets out of the way, “If you’re looking for Kenshin he’s out fetching Kenji.”
“A little early this time?”
“Well I wanted to be sure he wasn’t late!”
I shrug. “So it’s just you.” I know he’s inside.
“Well if you’re thinking you can just have your way with me…”
I blink and stare back at the woman, who’s now looking like a damsel in distress and holding the back of her hand across her temple as if to faint.
“Careful, you don’t want to fall to the dirt.” I’m not about to catch her if she is going to fall. “No man would want to touch something so unkempt.”
“Why you!” She switches personalities and points a finger at me, “Why’d you come here anyway?”
Taking a drag on my cigarette I look at her seriously, “Isn’t it obvious. That husband of yours and his master who has interfered in my personal life and threatening to do so again.”
I’m sure I’m staring back at the Tanuki with a dispassionate look on my face. The truth is I could probably overlook that transgression, maybe even be happy that it happened. But the face of my two children flashes before my eyes and I know I cannot just say it was for the best… Because it wasn’t. My children was hurt because of his meddling and my inability to protect them adequately.
“If he’s not here then I want to speak to the behemoth in the red cape.” I say instead.
“Saitou-san please about Kenshin…” She still pleads with me.
“You can tell him that I stopped by.” I look back at her, I liked the Tanuki she was a kind woman, honest and fortright, so unlike the woman I called my wife for so many years. “Tell him we have unfinished business. Now either you tell Hiko to come out or I’m going inside.”
Immediately she gets in front of me, “Hiko-san is in the dojo.” Spreading her arms across she continues, “But if you came here to fight, I must ask you to leave! Our dojo does not accept challengers and is a sacred place of teaching people how to protect and give life to others.”
“Tch.” I take another drag on my cigarette, “Tanuki, challenging a dojo is old business. No one does it anymore since the fall of the shogunate. In fact had it not been for the police, hardly anyone would remember how to use a sword or be learning Kendo in school.”
I sigh. “I didn’t come to fight but I must speak to that man. Now be a good girl and fetch him. I’ll be waiting right here.”
Now be a good girl and fetch him. I’ll be waiting right here.
“Hoi! There’s no need to trouble my gracious young host.” I grin at my errant student’s now wife. “What could possibly be so important for you to come here when the sun is beating down and cannot possibly be good for my excellent complexion?”
“You can go now Tanuki.” He dismisses her but no one is dismissing anyone except for me.
I stretch my arm preventing the girl from leaving. “She can stay here.” I grin at him, “She already knows my errants student’s story and she can stay to hear my -excellent- one involving your wife.”
“Hiko-san, anou… I don’t really need to.” Kaoru fiddles with her thumb.
I glower at her indicating she should stay and she steps back and I grin again at my -victory-!
“Behemoth, I don’t care to hear your story.” He answers and seem to suck on his cigarette more. “I only came to know what you want from Hide and Tsutomu. And depending on your answer…”
He grabs the hilt of his katana and I cock my head. “Are you dense? Or an -idiot- that you don’t know?” I laugh, “Put down your sword. You know I’m faster than you and can send you home anytime, that’s -if- I decide to send you home or just dump you in the river.”
“Want to try?”
“You’re just like my errant student.” I sigh and run my hand through my hair. Getting thirsty I bring out my jug and take a drink.
“Answer me behemoth! Why are you here in Tokyo and why are you meddling with my wife and my son! -Again!-”
I eye the Wolf. I’ve heard he was the one who could not be killed. Who always kept his composure when faced with an opponent. Who was calculating and precise. Is this the same man? Poor in spirit. Poor in discipline. Frazzled. I wonder if his honor at least is intact?
I wave him away, “You’re just like my errant student.” Shoo… Shoo… “I don’t have any interest in your relationship with that wonderful woman nor was I interested in your relationship with your wife Tokio. I could’ve taken either at any time – had I chosen.”
“So you’re telling me I’m of no consequence.” He seethes in anger.
I look him over. Is this really him? I’ve never met the wolf, only have heard of him of rumors of the Shinsengumi in Kyoto, from my errant student and from his wife. He was cold and uncaring. The perfect warrior. But who is this?
“Tokio you could’ve taken.” He stares back at me, still ready to lunge, “Why didn’t you?”
I shrug, “The woman I met in the Castle was no longer the same woman.” I tilt my head looking at him, “I could blame you perhaps? How did that free spirited and wondeful woman turn into an unbalanced and insecure child?”
“The war changes many people. Sometimes not for the better.”
“Maa… Even if it did. As her husband shouldn’t you have been the one to help her back to who she was, a carefree, confident and happy being? She certainly had given you everything you could’ve hoped for in these peaceful times of the Meiji. The connections for your job, the respect of your clan, a family name and your children and yet, you could not help that woman, -your- wife believe in herself again. Instead you were doing exactly what you accuse me of.” A chuckle escapes me.
“So you’re interested in Hide and my son for what? Revenge?”
He is an idiot… I shake my head and take a swig on the sake and wipe my mouth. Laughing a little I continue.
“I hold no feelings of revenge nor remorse.” I eye him closely, “though I can plainly see those emotions painted on your face. It seems time has not been kind to you wolf.”
“I don’t care what you say about me.” He growls.
“But as for your accusations of revenge, I tell you now that with regards to that wondeful woman whom fate had led me to. I would never touch a single hair on her head!” I sigh, “Even if she is carrying what could only be your brat, a woman’s worth is more than child bearing and I will take her for how she is and make it twice better!”
“Hiko-san!” Kaoru interjects and I give her the eye. “What a thing to say!”
The Wolf throws her a look. “Stay out of this.” and then points his attention again at me, “You didn’t answer my question behemoth! What do you need from Hide?”
“Nothing. I am -complete- and -enough- as it is already.” I pause, “However I cannot fathom why a woman like that can go so easily with a married man like -you- and find it so easy to reject a much more worthy, more able, and a free man like me.”
He grins a little, “Maybe she finds me irresistable.”
“Saitou-san! Such a thing to say.” Kaoru interjects again and shakes her head.
“Enough my gracious host! Don’t say anymore.” I look back at the wolf, “Well then wolf, perhaps if she can so easily go with a married man like yourself, then that gives me hope that she can as easily go with a catch like myself, even if you’ve made your “claims” or should I say put “shackles” on her. After all I would love her children just as much or even better than you’ve demonstrated yourself to be. I’ve always fancied myself as a good father and husband… I am getting to be that age…”
“Hiko-san!!!” Kaoru just about drops to the ground.
“And about Tsutomu?”
“As I said wolf, I imagine myself being a good father. Your -wife- Tokio, wanted a good husband and father. I can probably be both but I don’t make it a habit of chasing married women, only unmarried ones.”
“Don’t you think that’s meddling?” He growls but takes his hand off his sword. “And she’s marrying me soon enough.”
Suddenly I just burst out into a laughing fit. I reach for my jug and start letting the alcohol down my throat. “That is the funniest thing I’ve heard all year. You? Marry her? You didn’t marry her then when you were willing to throw everything away in the wilderness. And now you have conveniently cohabitated with her and have her raising your brats! AND it’s been what? 7 years now? Puh-lease. Now you’ve wasted enough of my time.”
I turn my back on him. He could of course try to stab me but something tells me he wouldn’t. That’s of course expected. He may have dulled -significantly- and he maybe an idiot like my errant student, but to attack the Great Hiko? No one can be so dumb as that.
Hiko-san leaves and for a moment I thought Saitou was going to follow him.
“Saitou-san…” I reach out but he has that look. “I’m sure that man didn’t mean what he said. You know he is the 13th master of Hiten Mitsurugi so he has a big head.” I give him a bright smile. Where is Kenshin when you need him? Only Kenshin can keep his master in check.
“You foolish girl.” He scoffs at me and lights another cigarette. “He meant every word he said.”
“But Hiko-san can be capricious. He’ll say something today and not mean it tomorrow.” I keep trying, if only to make sure this doesn’t escalate and involve Kenshin, “I’m sure any day now, he’ll go back to his hermit ways. Back to Kyoto in the mountains.”
He sighs and pulls out a pocket watch, “I have to fetch my son.” He turns to leave, “Make sure to tell the Battousai our business remains unfinished. And after him, I’ll fight that pompous man. The winner will be the one who survives.”
“No!” I shout back at him, “You know Kenshin can no longer fight! He’s even passed down his sword!”
But he’s gone. Why is he up to today still after Kenshin? I thought that man only wielded his sword for justice? He already heard Hiko’s reasons and knows of Kenshin’s vow not to kill. There is no evil here. Only people. I don’t want to tell Kenshin. I won’t tell Kenshin. But who can I tell? Sanosuke’s gone. Hiko-san is involved. Yahiko! Of course!
(OOC: Closed. Saitou fetches Tsutomu from the Akebeko and goes home. Time can move.)