Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Survival of the Spirit ❯ Survival of the Spirit Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Survival of the Spirit Chapter 7

No I don't. D'uh!!!

ShimazakiNiouknew Himura's schedule by heart. The man may have decided he was no longer the chief assassin for the National Security Apparatus and he may have some issues mentally, but a trained mind would always remain a trained mind.

He watched as Himura and the boy, MyonjinYahiko, walked by, obviously talking baseball since Himura was showing him a swing. They appeared to be nothing more than a father and son walking to school. The woman, KamiyaKaoru, was at home, probably still asleep from what he'd read about their sex life. By the time Himura got back home she would be up and waiting for him after having opened the gym. He saw Himura look in his direction and froze, thinking he would do something, but he kept talking to the boy, turning the corner and disappearing from view. He checked with his surveillance team and they confirmed that Himura was following his normal routine. On cue they met up with some of the kids from the neighborhood and they all joined Himura and Yahiko, walking casually to the school. As they got closer the boy, more secure in his relationship with Kenshin, ran ahead after saying goodbye and Himura stood watching until the boy was inside the school. Obviously knowing kids well he waited a few minutes after the bell sounded to make sure Yahiko didn't sneak back out before turning and heading for home. For the first time since they'd been observing him he stopped and bought a newspaper, the official government paper, and Shimazaki nodded. He'd felt it too. Maybe that had been what prompted the visit to his old apartment with the boy and his woman yesterday. Whatever he'd taken they couldn't tell. Obviously he'd done some things to the place on his own.

He resumed his walk, and at the alley he stopped and talked to an old man, squatting next to him and talking softly. Kaoru came outside and joined them and Shimazaki watched. After about fifteen minutes Himura and his woman stood up and went inside. Just as he was about to leave his car he saw a young woman, in her mid twenties enter the gym. She was not one of the regular early birds, and he adjusted his antenna so that he could hear.

"May I help you?" Kaoru asked.

"My name is OkawaMieko. I was wondering if you need a personal trainer."

"You must be psychic. I was going to place the ad today. Do you have a resume?"

"Sure," the woman said, fishing in her gym bag and pulling out a folder, which contained her vitals. He had no reason to run her name, the place had gotten very popular as a place to work out, with reasonable rates and hours friendly to the working people in the neighborhood. A lot of students and young people came on the weekends. Any one with their ear to the ground knew they needed someone to help out.

"This looks good," Kaoru said with a smile.

"Come into my office."

The two women had just turned to go when Kenshin came into the room. Mieko met his eyes, hoping he wouldn't blow her cover, but Kaoru excused herself and went to his side. Whatever he said she kissed him lightly and he left without a backward glance.

"Come. We have more privacy in here."

After agreeing on salary Kaoru took her down to the dojo where Haru, Asako, and Sano were already drinking their tea.

"Hello everyone. This is OkawaMieko. She's going to be our new trainer in the gym during the week."

They went over schedules and Sano agreed to spend most of the day in the gym with Mieko since his classes in the dojo were not until after school let out.

"So, you live near here?" Sano asked watching as she made herself a cup of tea.

"Yep."

She gave her address and he smiled.

"It's like a family here," Mieko said with a smile. "I think I'm going to like it."

"You must be a gift from the gods. We were just talking about hiring someone to work in the gym during the week. Ami works weekends."

"The equipment is pretty up to date. Small gyms don't usually have this quality equipment."

"Kaoru wants the best. She says even though this may not be the best neighborhood we deserve a good place to come and relax."

"She's pretty forceful."

"That's our Kao. Just don't get on her bad side."

Mieko had no intention of doing that at all. Now all she had to do is talk to Himura before he tried to kill her.

Shimazaki approached the bench and sat down, opening his newspaper. Once behind the paper he glanced at Kenshin, who appeared to be reading.

"Very smart of you to keep this away from the dojo."

"What the fuck do you want Niou? I'm not in that business anymore."

"Not what I heard. They want you back big time."

"Why did you come into my home?"

"I needed to see you."

"About what?"

"You're reading the papers again Kenshin. I think you know. The old enemy is rearing its head again. We're getting reports of cells operating all over the country dedicated to reviving the nationalist movements from the turn of the century. They're attracting young people in droves."

"Why should this concern me other than as an ordinary citizen?"

"Himura, you were the best…"

"A man called Shishio, MakotoShishio, has my old job. I'm sure he's quite capable of doing whatever it is you need done."

Shimazaki's silence told Kenshin what he needed to know. Shishio was suspected of ties to these groups.

"People are forming personal armies again, just like at the turn of the century. We need someone no one would suspect to be our eyes and ears."

"I'm still on the government payroll."
"We can make a deal…"

"No Niou. I have ties now that make me playing that game impossible. I won't put them at risk…"

"We will do everything to make sure that MissKamiyaand the boy are protected."

Kenshin said nothing, folding his paper. His body wouldn't be cold before Kaoru and Yahiko would be quietly moved and then ignored. He'd seen it too many times before to fall for that line.

"I'm not interested Niou. And if you come near the dojo again I will have to break my vow."

With that Kenshin got up and walked away, the long red hair held back by a cloth covered rubber band. He looked like a musician or hippie Shimazaki thought to himself. But he knew that if any move had been made to take him there would be bodies littering the sidewalk. The Battousai may be in hiding right now, but he was always there lurking just under the surface.

Saitou, Ayame, and Hideki read the surveillance report and looked at each other. Himura and Kamiya had begun a sexual relationship and so far he'd had only one blackout, and Himura himself had nipped that in the bud. He would spend two or three days a week with the old man, and was set to come in for an appointment tomorrow.

"He seems to want to work with Ayame," their boss said, looking at Hideki. "Based on what happened with your first session with him I'm inclined to agree with him and switch him back. I want him notified Ayame."

"Yes sir."

"Is Okawa in place?"

"Yes. I don't expect to hear from her before the weekend," Saitou said.

"He knows her."

"Yes. They worked a mission or two together."

"Did he ever sleep with her?"

"No. He was with Shura at the time."

There was no need to discuss how Shura had tried to get her husband's transfer reversed up until they boarded the plane for the States. And that she had gone as far as starting a plot to kidnap and torture the Kamiya woman that had only been found out and stopped at the last minute by Saitou.

"Good. Well, I want a report as soon as his session is completed."

"Yes sir, of course."

"Hideki, I want you to monitor the sessions and I want a report from you as well."

"Of course."

They didn't need to know that Saitou had arranged for the sessions going forward to be taped so that he could view them on his own and see just what was happening with Himura.

The psychiatrist's left and Saitou looked at his boss.

"There is something else. I picked up a surveillance team from the police observing him too. Shimazaki himself approached Kenshin this morning."

"What? What did he say to him?"

"Whatever it was Himura turned him down cold. Old Niou was very upset."
"Does he know about Okawa?"

"Not yet. She's always been in the shadows, just like Himura was."
"That cell…"

"They're getting rather bold. They were sitting with the men and boys Sunday morning and put a lot of shit out."

"They don't know who Kenshin is."

"No, and he just shrugged it off. He knows how to handle that sort of thing."

Saitou leaned forward.

"It was a mistake letting Makoto see Himura. It's gonna put him on guard."

"I know. Hideki is a little too enthusiastic at times. Ayame will be better in this situation. Besides, Shishio will be in the north for a month or so. I hope we've got Himura set up…"

"He won't work that close to his woman and the kid sir. I can tell you that now."

"Then…"

"We've got Okawa in place. Shimazaki is working this. We'll know soon enough what role we need him to play."

Kaoru smiled as Kenshin came in the office, closing the door behind him before he came over behind her desk and leaned back on it, pulling her into his arms, pressing his groin into her as he kissed her.
"How's it goin'?" he asked, releasing her mouth to look into her eyes.

"Fine now. How is it outside?"

"Nice. Soon it'll be time for the cherry blossoms."

"You notice the strangest things."

He shrugged and claimed her mouth again, his hands clamped firmly to her rear before they moved up to cup her breasts. He began to trail kisses down her neck and had reached her collarbone when the door slammed open and Mieko barged in.

"Oh! Oh, I'm sorry. I'll come back."

She left and Kenshin looked at Kaoru.

"Who is she?"

"Okawa Mieko. She's our new trainer."

"What about Ami?"

"She's gonna still do weekends. You know we have people who come just to see her."

"Yeah. What qualifications does this Okawa have?" he asked, looking into her eyes as he stroked her hair back out of her face.

She shuddered and he pulled her close, letting her know he'd take her soon.

"She, uh, has a very good resume. She's worked several places," Kaoru managed to say, her hold on rational thought just about gone.

"As long as you have references," he said softly.

"I didn't start doing this last week Kenshin…"

"I know. I'm just naturally suspicious."

She gasped as he found her breast with his mouth, suckling her hard, her nipple hardening instantly under his assault. The nipple of the other breast was in the grip of his left hand.

"Kenshin…"

This was how he made love to her at night, in their bed, not in the middle of the day and she felt herself melt inside, her vagina aching to be filled by him because only that would ease the ache in her groin.

"Please…Kenshin, please…"

She moved against him now, loosening his pants and pulling them down along with his boxer briefs, in one motion before taking him in her hands, the throbbing flesh hot in her hands.

"Kao…"

Wordlessly she sank to her knees, her tongue licking at the head of his manhood.

"Kao…ru…"

He threw his head back as she opened her mouth and took him inside, her tongue seeming to know exactly what to do, working itself around him while her lips worked to suck him deeper inside of her mouth without gagging. He was large, and she didn't think she'd be able to take it all, but she took her time, feeling his legs trembling while he called her name softly. He hadn't expected this, not now, and it was all he could do to hold on, to not release in her mouth all at once. But then she caressed him with a gentle sweep of her tongue and he couldn't hold it anymore, his come flooding her mouth, his hands buried in her hair which he'd managed to work out of her pony tail.

"Oh. Oh my god. Oh shit. Kaoru…Kaoru…" he moaned as he pumped his life into her.

She managed to swallow it all, loving the sweet salt taste of it, of him. And she had managed to come too her body limp from her exertions. She looked up at him, her eyes soft and questioning meaning to ask him if she'd pleased him, but the look of sheer bliss on his face, his eyes closed his head thrown back in ecstasy answered her question. She laid her head on his groin, smelling him in his hair. She felt him release the death grip on her hair and got to her feet falling into his kiss as she felt him becoming aroused again. She lifted her head and looked into his eyes, seeing all she needed to see about how he felt about her.

"Kaoru," he sighed into her mouth as he reclaimed it, hungrily devouring her tender lips and tongue. It occurred to Kaoru that she had work to do, that a vendor was coming to make a presentation about new equipment for the dojo, but he would wait, and so would everything else. Kenshin wanted her, and she was not about to turn him down.

It was two days before Mieko got a chance to talk to Kenshin, finding him in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea after coming back from taking Yahiko to school. He looked over at her as she came to stand next to him, fixing those purple eyes on her.

"Finally."

"Finally what Mieko?"

"We get a chance to talk."

He looked away and sipped at his tea.

"About what?"

"Why I'm here?"

"I think I can figure that out on my own Mieko. Just know that if you lay a hand on Kaoru…"

"I'm not here for that Kenshin. I'm here because they want someone to observe you."

"You a shrink now?"

"Stop making this difficult."

"You made it difficult the day you walked in here and misrepresented yourself to Kaoru."

Mieko looked away from those hard eyes, the eyes she remembered when she thought of Himura Kenshin, not those of the easy going man he seemed to have become.

"I am here because there are people who know who you are, and may choose to attack your family if you're not here."

Kenshin looked away. He had thought about that, which was why he kept so close to the dojo during the day unless he had an appointment.

"I'm glad you understand. I hope you don't plan to expose me…"

"If I didn't that first day why would I do that now?"

Mieko knew he spoke the truth and she looked over at him.

"You're happy here Kenshin. I can tell. Kaoru would walk through hell for you," Mieko said, putting her hand on his arm.

"Is this what you really want Kenshin? Living like this, in a place like this?"

"Yes, it is. Better this with a woman I love than a beautiful jail cell."

"And the boy?"

Kenshin cut his eyes at her, frowning. Mieko was getting too close to things that were none of her business.

"Oh. Am I interrupting something?" Kaoru asked, her eyes fixed on Kenshin, her voice pitched higher and louder than she wanted it to be.

"No," Mieko said quickly, stepping away from Kenshin who was watching Kaoru as she moved towards him, coming to stand next to him and linking her arm in his before fixing angry eyes on Mieko.

"I just hadn't had a chance to talk to him. I thought he was an instructor…"

Mieko knew as she spoke that if she were Kaoru she wouldn't believe a word she said.

"I know he's yours Kaoru. I'm just a touchy person."

"You keep your fuckin' hands off of him…"

"Kaoru…" Kenshin started.

"If I see you touch him again I won't have to fire you because you'll be fuckin' dead do you understand me?!!"

Asako and Haru came running into the room just in time to see Kaoru start to try and get out of Kenshin's grip. Both of them had seen Kaoru go off before and wondered if Kenshin would be able to hold her. He was, and Mieko left, going back to the gym, Asako walking with her.

"What the hell did you do?"

"I'm a touchy person, when I talk to people I touch them. She walked in and mistook my simple gesture…"

"Look, do yourself a favor. I don't care how touchy you are, when it comes to Kenshin you tie your hands behind your back okay?"

"I get it. Is he that jealous of her too?"

"Oh yeah. He's just a little cooler about it. They're very much into each other. The only person allowed into their world is Yahiko."

"I see."

They'd arrived at the gym and Asako stopped, looking Mieko in the eye.

"Look, I don't even like men, but Kenshin has that, I don't know, I'd sleep with him if I got a chance. Kaoru knows that most women react to him like that, and it freaks her out. He's her first you know."

"Oh."

Now Kaoru's actions made sense.

Asako smiled, and clapped Mieko on the back.

"You'll get used to our little family. Just remember the rules. Stay away from Kenshin."
"And if you knock on her office door and don't get an answer don't go in."

Asako laughed.

Kenshin closed the door behind them, flopping down on the floor and turning on the television.

"I'm sorry Kenshin. I know I embarrassed you."

He looked up at her, his eyes distant.

"You don't trust me Kaoru."

The words cut her like a knife, and she kneeled down next to him, her eyes searching his face.

"I do…"

"Why would you think someone like her would turn my head Kaoru? There's no need to be jealous of anyone else."

"I know that in my head but when I saw her with her hands on you…"

Kenshin knew Mieko always touched people when she talked and bit back the words that came to mind.

"I think she just likes to touch. I noticed that she does it with Haru too. It doesn't mean anything."

Kaoru crawled over to where he sat on the floor and climbed into his lap.

"I just…I get crazy thinking you touch anybody Kenshin. When you touch me it's as if I've never been touched before, and…"

He stopped her with a kiss, and she fell into him, nestling in his arms.

"Kaoru, look at me. Look at me."

She lifted her head and looked into his eyes.

"I love you Kaoru. All I want is to wake up to you in the morning, to make love to you every night, and someday, for you to be big with my child. That's what I want for us."

"Oh Kenshin!"

She opened her mouth to him and he rolled her over, stretching his body over hers.

"Let me show you just how much I love you Kao," he said softly as he nestled between her thighs, deepening their kiss.

Mieko looked up as Megumi came in bringing lunch. Megumi was very honest in her feelings about Mieko. She hated her guts. Ignoring her she put the food on the counter and started to go looking for Kaoru.

"Don't bother Megumi. She's upstairs with Kenshin."

Megumi looked at her as if she were some lesser species and didn't bother to hide her forced smile.

"Oh, then she'll be awhile."

Megumi took a plate and began to separate the food for Yahiko to eat when he got home. Wrapping it in foil she put it in the oven which she set to warm. After that she took out some food for herself and Sano, who came in now. He walked over to Megumi and gave her a kiss, sitting down next to her.

"Hey Mieko. What's up?"

"Nothing. Can I, uh, have some food?"

Megumi smiled.

"Oh, you know I'm still not used to your being here. I brought just enough for us, I mean the others, oh gosh, this isn't coming out right is it?"
"No prob," Sano said with a smile. "Grab a plate and we can share."

Megumi turned six different shades of red while Mieko did as Sano asked, and when they began to share food she thought her head would explode.

"Sano you know it'll be late before we eat again…"

"It's all right Megumi. I'll grab us something on the way home."

"Wow," Mieko said. "This is really good."

"I know. Tae can really cook. So, how do you like it here?"
"I like it. Everyone is so nice."

Megumi got up from the table and forcing her hands back to her side she went and got a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"I'm glad. Now the only person you have to meet is Ami."

"I've heard so much about her I'm really looking forward to it."

Megumi wanted to throttle the bitch. Mieko was looking at Sano as if the sun rose and set on his head, and he was loving every second of it. The sound of the shower coming on upstairs broke her reverie, and she couldn't wait to talk to Kaoru. And she still had to talk to Kenshin about the switch of the pills at the clinic and the doctor who wasn't a doctor. But any more time in Mieko's presence and she'd be doing the perp walk out of the dojo.

"Megumi? You okay?"

She hadn't felt him come up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist.

"Just a little tired."

"Come on. Let's go take a walk. See ya Mieko."

Megumi laced her fingers with Sano's and smiled at him.

"Lets."

Sano wasn't sure how to talk to Megumi about Katsu's visit yesterday afternoon. He'd been sitting and having a light snack when his old friend had come in. They'd talked sports, the weather, and local happenings before Katsu turned the conversation to politics, telling Sano he wanted him to attend a meeting with him.

"I don't do that anymore Katsu. I've got a part time job now, I have this job, and I hope by next year to be able to ask Megumi to marry me."

Katsu had smiled.

"Straight life huh?" Katsu said softly.

"It's my life. Sometimes you have to put aside things that can get you in trouble and go for what will make you happy and give you peace."

"Even if the country you live in is reduced to a second rate one?"

"Katsu, our fathers fought for something they believed in. They spent all of our childhoods in jail. I don't want that for me."

"Of course not. The good doctor would drop you like a bad habit wouldn't she, and how could you go on?"

"It's not like that Katsu and you know it."

"Do I? I offered you a chance to see how some people conceive of Japan, those who want a return to our glory."

Megumi was walking calmly at his side, her hand linked in his.

"I'm gonna be a little late tonight Megumi."

"Why?"

"I'm going to a meeting with Katsu."

"Can I come?"

"I'd rather you didn't Megumi."

"Why? Plotting a revolution?"

Sano started at her words, and she laughed.

"Joking Sano. I'll try and wait up for you."

"Megumi…you know I love you right?"

They stopped walking and he pulled her to him.

"Sano, you're scaring me."

"I just want you to know that I love you."

He held her close in the late afternoon sun but Megumi felt a chill go through her body. Sano was acting like he could be leaving her soon. What was so threatening that he was saying goodbye now? He stood holding her for it seemed forever before he tilted her face up to his and kissed her, a private, sensual kiss that evoked their midnight coupling here in the street and left her breathless.

"Just come home to me Sano," she said softly.

"I want to Megumi. More than you know."

"A meeting?"

Kaoru looked up from her computer screen.

"Why would a meeting make him act like that?"

"I don't know Kaoru. He, it was like he was telling me goodbye. What would I do without him Kaoru? He's my life."

Kaoru knew what Megumi meant. Every time Kenshin got depressed and said he was going to leave it was like he put a knife in her heart and twisted it. So she sat in sympathetic silence with Megumi, who was doing her best not to cry.

"Maybe you should take the afternoon off Megumi. You shouldn't see patients…"

"I have a family coming in this afternoon I have to see. I can't…"

"Megumi, you push yourself so hard. Call them and tell them you have an emergency. I can see to it that Sano goes home and maybe you can make him tell you what the hell is going on."

"Maybe if I was home more, if I didn't work all the time…"

"You act like you're paying off a debt…"

"I am. My family…"

She hesitated and looked at Kaoru.

"Women like Yahiko's mother exist because of my family. Don't you think I owe a debt to society?" Megumi said bitterly, blinking her eyes to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Sano loves you Megumi. He wouldn't do this unless he had to."

"He wants to."

Megumi broke down now and Kaoru got up and put her arms around her until the bitter sobs subsided.

"I think you should go home. Call the people up and tell them you have an emergency."
"I've never taken a day off…"

"And now is a good time to start."

Sano went looking for Megumi and found Kenshin outside talking to a local man who owned a dojo a few blocks away. Kenshin took one look at Sano and excused himself, walking over to Sano.

"Sano, what is it?"

"Megumi wasn't at work…have you seen her?"

"No."

"Shit. Where did she go?"

"Did you call her?"

"Her cell is off. Kenshin…"

"Maybe Kaoru knows where she is. Come on."

They went inside and found Kaoru talking with Asako and Haru. Sano ran over to her, interrupting the conversation.

"Where's Megumi?"

Kaoru raised an eyebrow.

"She wasn't feeling well. She went home."

"HOME???!!! Megumi?"

"She went home Sano. If you'll excuse me?" she said calmly going back to her conversation. Kenshin and Sano looked at each other, not sure who Kaoru was pissed off with.

"Sano, what's going on?" Kenshin asked when they were back outside. The man from the other dojo was still there, and Sano saw Kenshin frown.

"I should ask you the same thing Ken."

"I asked first. What is going on?"

"It has to do with my past, why I'm here, and why I may have to leave Megumi."

"You'd better slow down Sanosuke."

Kenshin listened as Sanosuke gave him the unabridged version of his life, including belonging to a right wing youth group when he was younger, and how he'd been schooled in urban terror. When he'd been caught he was given a choice, and he'd chosen to come work with Kaoru, a childhood friend.

"My friend Katsu invited me to a meeting."

"You don't have to go," Kenshin said, feeling as if someone had landed a haymaker in his gut.

"No, but my father was one of the leaders…"

"Sano, you've built a life here. You've got a good woman…"

"Have you ever made a commitment and then realized it was wrong, but you can't get away from it?"

"Every day Sano."

The two men stood looking at each other for a long while.

"I decided I wasn't going to kill again. And every day something is pulling at me, trying to pull me back."

"And if you go back I would be one of the people on your list."

"Yes."

Sano looked down at the sidewalk.

"I don't want Megumi hurt Kenshin."

"So you're gonna walk."

"You know how these people operate Kenshin."

Kenshin didn't know what to say. He knew the men who came to the park on Sunday morning, young men who talked about the glory of a past they knew through old men's tales. And he knew men like Shishio, like himself, who when asked to would kill them without a second thought. Shishio had taken the name of Battousai but Kenshin had earned it. Every morning he woke up with the blood of his victims on his hands. Every day he had to struggle to keep his mind clear, to not let the darkness consume him, to not let the killer that was Battousai gain the upper hand.

"I have enough blood on my hands for three lifetimes Sano. This is my chance, my only chance, to try and get some of it off."

"And this is my chance to see if I'm ready to make the choice you have, to walk away from my past. If I don't go Kenshin I'll always be susceptible to falling back into it."

"I think you should go home and be with Megumi."

Sano understood now, understood why Kenshin was able to be content with being nothing more than a janitor here, why he needed Kaoru, why he needed this small insignificant life. He smiled and without a word headed for home, headed for Megumi.

The hall was filling up and Kenshin, standing in the shadows, watched as the mostly male attendees filed in.

"So, you came to observe Himura."

Kenshin didn't respond as Saito came and stood next to him.

"Your young friend inside?"

"Yes."

"Does he know you're here?

"No."

"Are you going inside?"

"I don't want to Hajime. I'm fine here."

Saito handed him a baseball cap.

"Come on."

Kenshin looked at the hat then at Saito, who was watching him with those eyes that stayed amber all the time. He put the hat on, quickly braiding his hair into one long queue and followed Saito in, the cap pulled down over his eyes.

The joined a group and took seats in the rear of the hall. Kenshin was a small man but he managed to get a seat that afforded him view. Hajime was taller but sat down next to him, taking a few minutes to study Kenshin's profile. Gone was the easygoing smiling man who lived at the dojo. This was Himura Kenshin, trained operative, trained assassin, the Battousai. The violet eyes were sharp, scanning the room, occasionally resting on an individual. When he saw Sakara Sanosuke his eyes rested, and Hajime knew that this man was his only concern.

Martial music began to play, and the Japanese flag was raised above the seedy stage as several people marched into view. The men were dressed in military fatigues. The women were dressed in kimonos and sat demurely behind the men. Only their eyes reflected their fervor. The music increased in intensity and a tall man strode onto the stage. Kenshin turned his eyes from Sano to the man, memorizing his face and carriage while at the same time asking him self why he was doing it. His concern was Sano, not the lunatics who wanted to bring back Imperial Japan, Nihon of old.

The speeches began and Kenshin blocked them out, Hajime would have someone taping the proceedings, watching Sano and his friend Katsu, who were standing fairly close to the stage. A list of names was being read and Kenshin saw Sano stiffen, and tuned back in to what the man was saying.

"…our fallen comrades, men who have given their lives for the honor of our ancestors. Captain Sakara, whose son is here honoring our event with his presence. Let us show the son how we honor the father!! Let us show him how his father's ideas have not died, and that his death was not in vain!!!"

Kenshin saw Sano blink, and Katsu place a hand on his arm. Katsu was a chemist, a man who had learned to make bombs at a very early age. Kenshin had never let on he knew who he was, but now he saw him as someone to watch, someone to keep from around the dojo and his small family as it was. The man must have said something because the crowd surged to its feet and began to shout slogans as the man who was obviously the leader was escorted to the podium on a surge of applause and shouts. It did not go without notice of the two men that a lot of people in the crowd stayed seated. These were the curious, the ones who came to see. Sano was among them, and it made Kenshin feel better that he had remained seated. Katsu looked down on him with a frown, but said nothing to try and make Sano get up.

The minute the man opened his mouth a hush fell over the hall, and for the next hour the man spoke of civilization, of Japan's place in the pantheon of great nation states, and how after the genocide of the atom bomb its people were now reduced to being nuclear hostages of insane men in Korea and relying on the gaijin who enslaved them to protect them.

"Is this what people died for? Is this what the Meiji restoration was about? Would the proud shoguns have allowed us to fall to this sorry state? NO! NO! NO!"

Many of those seated had begun to nod in approval of what the man was saying, and the mood in the hall changed.

"Some will call us radical. Some will call us crazy. But is wanting your country free radical? Is wanting your women to be respected, and valued as mothers and wives and not as whores on the internet crazy? Why are our children wearing scanty clothing and painting their hair blue and pink? Why are we having eye surgery to alter our appearance? Is this radical? Is this crazy?"

"NO!!" someone shouted and a large portion of the crowd both seated and standing picked up the chorus.

Kenshin shifted in his seat, remembering the things his father used to say about how far the country had fallen since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. How the souls of the dead cried out for vengeance. But he also knew the reality behind the sloganeers, and he frowned, looking for Sano. Sano had remained seated, but now stood up and headed for the exit.

"Himura…"

"I'm here because of him. If he leaves my job is done."

"I'll be by to talk to you in the morning."

"I don't want you in my home Hajime. Meet me at the Shinjuku drop at eight thirty."

With that he was gone, and Hajime sat back, smiling to himself in spite of it all. Himura's instincts were still those of the trained operative, and the way he'd gone into work mode with just the donning of a baseball hat showed that when backed against the wall he could function, and function at a very high level.

The rally was breaking up now and Saito pulled his hat down over his eyes, listening to the snatches of conversation around him. When he got outside he saw the cap he'd given Himura and started towards it. Someone else, who was telling his friend he found it on the ground, was wearing it. Kenshin lived in this area. Someone would've seen the man in the baseball cap. This way he would not be associated with it. Oh his superiors would be pleased. Himura Kenshin had not lost his touch.