Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Unexplained Happenings ❯ Wolf and Wife ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni kenshin, blah, blah, blah….

Chapter 4

A few hours later the ship was on its way, and the passengers had settled in for the three day long journey to Kyoto.

Kenshin stood with his three friends at the front of the ship enjoying the feel of the cool breeze as it gently blew his hair around his face. He loved travelling by boat, it had always managed to calm him when something was on his mind. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, then he sighed quietly, a little frustrated as his momentary piece was lost for the moment.

'What do you want Saitoh?' He asked calmly.

Kaoru, Yahiko and Sano whipped around to face the smirking policeman who was standing a few feet away, leaning on the metal railings of the ship.

'A thought just struck me Battousai.' He began.

Kenshin raised an eyebrow, but decided to leave that very wide opening that Saitoh had inadvertently left, alone for the moment, his curiosity overcoming his need to belittle the man who used to be his greatest enemy, even though several very choice comebacks ran through his head without his control.

He smiled a little at the thought, while waiting for Saitoh to continue.

Saitoh in turn raised an eyebrow knowing full well what was going through the red-haired ex-assassins mind. He mentally shrugged, and took a very deep drag of his cigarette before continuing.

'As I was saying, I think we should expose you to the green stone again.' He informed him.

'Why?' Asked Kenshin curiously.

Saitoh snorted and rolled his eyes, obviously irritated by the other's inability to catch on.

'Because Battousai, you remembered more last time didn't you?' Saitoh pointed out sardonically.

'Yeah, but my eyes also changed back to amber if you didn't notice.' Kenshin reminded him, pointing at his eyes for emphasis and sounding a little worried.

'It'll be fine.' Saitoh said, negligently waving the hand holding the cigarette dismissively, and smirking a little. 'If you do revert to Battousai completely, or go insane, I can always kill you.'

'Oh yes,' Kenshin added dryly. 'As it's worked so well all the other times you've tried, it after all.'

'Shut up Battousai, and come with me.' The taller man turned around and walked quickly away, without looking over his shoulder to see if the other man would follow.

Kenshin shrugged at the others and turned to quickly follow the taller man before he lost sight of him.

Sano turned to the other two who were still staring after Kenshin's retreating form.

'Have either of you got any idea what the hell those two were just talking about?' He asked crossing his arms over his chest.

Kaoru shrugged, her mouth slightly open and worry beginning to show in her expressive eyes. Yahiko on the other hand just snorted. 'You know Kenshin, he's always trying to protect us from one thing or another.' He turned back to face the water in front of him leaning his head on his arms. But I have the strangest feeling that soon Kenshin will be the one that needs protecting. He thought to himself he shook his head slightly. That's ridiculous. He berated himself silently. If there is one person in this world that can look after themselves it's Kenshin.

***

Kenshin was in Saitoh's room looking warily at the green stone that was once again wrapped in a square of silk, and was currently lying on the low wooden table that Saitoh had requested be placed in the room.

'Why am I doing this again?' He asked the other.

'Because I told you to Battousai.' Was Saitoh's intelligent response.

Kenshin was unable to completely contain a small snort of amusement. 'Well that put me in my place.' He said sounding quite genuine.

Saitoh responded without turning around. 'You're insane, Battousai.' He informed him vaguely.

'So I've been told.' Kenshin answered while moving over to the desk and sitting down in one of the polished wooden chairs that accompanied it. 'I'd prefer not to collapse again.' He said in answer to Saitoh's raised eyebrow. 'It's not a very pleasant experience.'

'Ahou.' Saitoh muttered under his breath.

'I heard that Saitoh.' Kenshin called obnoxiously from across the room.

The ex-shinsengumi captain flinched slightly in annoyance, he was experienced enough to be absolutely certain the rurouni was not acting quite like himself lately, in all the time he had known him he had never heard the ex-assassin make so much as one joke in his presence.

After all with his small stature and delicate looks even the Hitokiri Battousai would have had some difficulties during the revolution. It was probably because of this that the red-haired assassin had been well known for his seriousness, even Shishio had commented on the fact when they first met in Shingetsu village.

But lately everything the red-head said seemed to have a distinct flavour of sarcasm, and what was with that evil grin? Saitoh thought with a mental shudder, he was sure a look like that hadn't appeared on the young man's face since the horrors of the Bakumatsu, and even then he was certain it hadn't had the mischievous undercurrent that it had now. He looked over at Kenshin discreetly, and decided to keep an eye on his old rival for the time being, something very strange was going on, and he was going to find out what.

He picked the stone up off the desk and moved over to where the rurouni was sitting.

'Well?' Kenshin asked looking at him, and crossing his arms. 'You certainly took your ti…' He never finished his sentence because at that moment Saitoh uncovered the stone that had been in his hands with a flick of his wrist. He watched with malicious glee as his nemesis slid out of the chair and passed out, landing with a painful thump on the floor.

As he stood there silently, savouring the moment. He suddenly spun around as he heard the handle of the door being turned and the Battousai's woman walked into the room, he was vaguely aware that he had been unable to wipe the murderous grin off his face, and was standing frozen over the red-haired man, with the stone held threateningly over the prone figure. This is going to be hard to explain, he thought, and for a split second Kaoru and Saitoh simply stared at each other, her eyes widening as her mind registered that the colourful lump on the floor was actually her oro-ing, ex-hitokiri housemate.

She opened her mouth and tried to take a deep calming breath, when that obviously didn't work to calm her frayed nerves she tried a different approach. As Saitoh began to lower the stone she felt her composure suddenly snap she opened her mouth and let rip with the loudest scream Saitoh had ever heard.

'KAMI SAMA!!!! WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU DO TO HIM?!?' she howled.

Saitoh flinched visibly at the incredible volume this small woman was capable of projecting, but before his ears could stop ringing, Sano and Yahiko had catapulted themselves into the room to see what was attacking Kaoru.

'Don't worry Jouchan I'll …save…' Sano stumbled to a halt as his mind took in what he was seeing.

'Karou, are you alright.' Yahiko asked his teacher worried, when she didn't answer he turned to see what she was staring at, and his jaw dropped, before, as one he and Sano rushed forward to Kenshin's side.

I should have locked the door, Saitoh thought mentally slapping himself. Ahou's

'Kenshin!' the two newcomers yelled pounding furiously on Kenshin's face, trying to wake him up.

'You!' Came a low and ice cold female voice, as Kaoru turned her attention instead to Saitoh who sweat dropped. 'What did you do to him?'

Sano growled, low and vicious shifting his gaze from the unresponsive friend in front of him, to Mibu's wolf. 'What is this?' He asked thankfully more calm then Kaoru.

'He's helping me with an investigation.' Saitoh stated. 'He'll come back to consciousness in a moment.' He took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it calmly.

Karou turned her head very slowly to face Saitoh. He took a look at her face and tried to resist the urge to fall into a defensive stance.

'What,' she demanded in a voice that was as cold as ice. 'Did you do to him?' The ex-shinsengumi, who could face death without batting an eyelid, felt slightly intimidated in the face of this very young, very short girl. No wonder she can get the feared hitokiri battousai to do laundry, she's even scarier than he is. He thought wildly to himself, he took a very deep calming drag on his cigarette, and cleared his throat, not allowing his nervousness to show. He flicked his gaze over to Kenshin as he did so, and saw to his immense relief that the red-head was stirring.

He summoned the best, bored and indifferent voice he could under the circumstances, one he had perfected after years of practice, before responding.

'Why don't you ask him yourself?'

***

Kenshin's mind was off in the mysterious time and in Kyoto, he found himself crouching once again in the branches of the tree, while his body, waited for the vacant eyed man with the strange ki to make his appearance.

This time however when the tall man levitated towards him, Kenshin found himself staring transfixed at the man's face. He took in the smooth, straight nose, large, vacant green eyes, and the determined mouth that was thinned in concentration.

I know you. Kenshin thought as his slightly narrowed eyes roved over the man's features to the black hair that was set in a strangely archaic style even for the Bakumatsu. I don't remember from where, but we've met before. He began searching his memories, trying desperately to place the man, but before he could succeed, he felt a jerk as the vision once again ended and his mind glided to click gently back into place in his body.

He opened his eyes only to find himself once again collapsed on the floor, although this time his head was hurting more that it should have from the relatively minor fall from the wooden chair to the floor. He sat up slowly, ignoring his stiff muscles.

'Ooorooo…' He mumbled rubbing his incredibly sore head. 'Looks like sitting down makes no difference after all, Saitoh.'

'Kenshin?' the feminine voice behind him, caused him to jump visibly and spin around to face the speaker.

'Kaoru-dono?' His eyes roved around to the other figures standing in the room. 'What are you all doing here?' He clutched his head again, groaning slightly. 'And does anyone know why my head hurts?' He looked up when he heard a slight coughing noise coming from Sano. 'Sano?' he asked curiously.

Sanosuke shifted guiltily from one foot to another, 'Well you see Kenshin, we were trying to wake you up, so I kinda… punched you …a couple of times… in…the head.' He coughed again guiltily.

Kenshin rolled his eyes mentally. He looked over to Saitoh, 'Didn't think to maybe stop them from beating my head in, did you?' He asked the older man.

'I'm not your keeper Battousai,' Was the caring answer. 'And, they let themselves in.'

Kenshin gave a short laugh, before standing up to seat himself once again on the wooden desk chair.

'So, Battousai, what did you see?' Asked Saitoh, Kenshin looked up to see the poorly hidden anticipation in the police inspectors amber eyes.

'Well, I feel that I know the man, but for some reason I'm having a very difficult time placing him in my memories, no matter how carefully I search I can't find a place for him, even though I am absolutely certain I know him from somewhere. But you were right, each time I remember a little more, forgotten details are remembered, things that seemed trivial at the time have more meaning. Things like that.'

Saitoh nodded thoughtfully, while noting that the red-haired young man's eyes had still not returned lavender, he took another pull of his cigarette.

'Do you remember what the man looks like Battousai?' He asked suddenly.

'Y…yes.' Kenshin answered, unsure of where the conversation was leading.

'If I were to have a police artist come in you would be able to describe the man in detail?'

'Yes.' Kenshin answered more confidently.

Without another word Saitoh turned on his heel and marched out of the room leaving Kenshin and his three very confused friends alone for the moment. They sat in silence for a moment as Kenshin allowed the shock to wear off his friends, when he sensed the change in their ki, he plastered his clueless rurouni smile on his face and turned to face them.

Sano strode over to his friend and picked him up roughly by his worn pink gi. Kenshin's kept the clueless smile unwavering on his face as Sano shook him slightly.

'What the HELL is going on?'

Kenshin sighed and nodded, shielding his eyes again with his hair. Sano realising the other was going to speak placed him back on the floor. Kenshin paused, taking a minute to gather his thoughts and adjust his gi. Before walking over to sit on the chair again, he sighed once more before beginning his explanation.

When he was done his friends were all staring at him as though he was mad. Surprisingly Sano was once again the first one to recover and break the silence, he cleared his throat loudly before saying.

'I'm not going to pretend any of this makes sense, because it doesn't.' He paused to look at Kenshin carefully, shoving his hands in his pockets. 'But it sure does explain a few things.' He finished looking at Kenshin's amber eyes.

Kenshin smiled grimly and opened his mouth to respond but never got the chance, because Saitoh chose precisely that moment to return to the room.

'I found the police artist,' He informed the group at large. 'She's just gathering her things, but should be here any minute now.'

'She?' Yahiko asked curiously.

'Yes, she.' Answered Saitoh, as the door opened once again to reveal the wife of the ex-shinsengumi captain, delicately holding a bundle in her hands. She bowed deeply and gracefully to all in the room, before turning her brown-eyed gaze to her husband.

'Will this room suffice?' In answer to her husbands indifferent nod, Tokio turned and moved easily to the large oak desk, untying the bundle and setting up the items inside with a practiced ease.

Kenshin gasped as he suddenly realised what her presence signified, he rounded on Saitoh. 'Can it be…' he paused, hesitating. 'That your wife is also in the police force?'

Saitoh smirked at him as the last three occupants in the room whirled to face either Kenshin and Saitoh, or Tokio who was serenly surveying the room.

'Yes, Battousai,' Saitoh confirmed. 'Although she usually doesn't take part in the more…extreme… cases, her presence may yet prove useful in this particular situation. Now if you are done gawking, go and give my wife a description of the floating man.' He gave Kenshin a wolfish grin and the red-haired assassin blushed lightly and turned towards the desk.

Kenshin knew that to live with a man like Saitoh Hajime for 14 years would require a remarkable and resilient character, with a steely determination. He was however startled by the development that of her also being in the police force. The intricate tapestry that was Saitoh Hajime was finally beginning to make a twisted sort of sense.

Tokio cleared her throat daintily, and Kenshin started visibly, before launching into a detailed description of the man. As Kenshin continued to describe he watched in awe as she drew in a calm, sure hand. The picture began to take shape and he was surprised that for the simple lines and shapes she used such an incredibly detailed picture could be produced. She was unmistakably talented and knew how to use this talent to its utmost potential without flaunting it.

They continued for a while, with Kenshin constantly saying things like, 'His eyes were a little closer together.' And. 'His top lip was just a bit thicker.' Before finally he was satisfied that the sketch drawn by Tokio looked like his mystery man.

He stood up and stretched out his stiff shoulders before joining his friends who were talking quietly in a corner, while she added the finishing touches.

Kenshin leant wearily against the wall paying absolutely no attention to the conversation going on around him. He watched Saitoh grind out his cigarette with the heel of his police issued boot, before striding casually over to his wife.

As he watched Saitoh and Tokio interact Kenshin felt a certain wistfulness about the obvious comfort the two felt in each others presence. It was not visible, Saitoh Hajime was not from the breed of men who openly showed affection or kindness, during the revolution men with feelings were easy prey to their enemies.

No, Kenshin mused, it was more like a discreet softening of ki that provided the ex-hitokiri with his insight. He felt his eyes widen slightly as Saitoh smiled at something Tokio had said, not the sneering wolf-like Kenshin knew so well. It was undoubtedly small, a casual onlooker would have missed it. But to Kenshin's eyes it was there, and it was the first genuine smile he had ever seen on Saitoh's face.

Treasure her Saitoh, he told his old nemesis mentally. Cherish her for as long as you live.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a sharp pain in the top of his skull, as a large, heavy object came crashing to meet it.

'Oooooroo' he squeaked, clutching at the large lump while his eyes watered out of control.

'Kenshin!' Kaoru started angrily. 'I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes, mou!'

She made the frustrated noise as she threw a very large, very heavy book aside, Kenshin watched without amusement as he saw the thin layer of dust that was on the floor rise up slightly as the book made contact with the floor. He then came to the brilliant conclusion that by the amount of pain coming from his head this massive book must have been her weapon.

'Yes Kaoru-dono, you wanted me for something?' he asked the irate female, plastering his best rurouni smile onto his face.

'We wanted to know if Tokio-san drew the picture well enough for us to be able to get a close enough idea on what this man looks like.' Kaoru asked, still clearly a little frustrated.

'Oh, I wouldn't worry about that.' Came a cold, detached voice behind him.

How does he do that? Kenshin asked himself silently. That man has the most impeccable timing of anyone I've ever come across. He pulled himself back to the present as Tokio held a sheet of paper in front of his eyes.

'Is this an adequate resemblance to the man in question?' She asked.

Kenshin felt his jaw drop, it was so clear, so unbelievably remarkably good, he felt his mind freeze for an instrant. 'Finishing touches' as Tokio had defined was apparently adding colour and shading to the extent that for one brief moment Kenshin had thought the man was in the room.

'Yes…'he finally managed, desperately trying to regain some composure. 'It…It's identical.'

"Hey,' Came the plaintive voice belonging to Yahiko. 'Can we see?'

'Certainly.' Tokio said graciously, handing the picture over.

Kenshin watched as Yahiko took the picture, Sano and Kaoru looking over his shoulder. All three jaws dropped into silent 'o's' of wonder and vaguely found himself hoping he hadn't looked quite so gormless.

'Tt… This is absolutely…'Kaoru Began

'Chikusho.' Sano said whistling in amazement.

'Wow!' Was all Yahiko was able to muster.

Saitoh, who was casually leaning against the wall snorted, 'Ahou's'

Kaoru turned again to Tokio all of the rooms occupants deciding to ignore Saitoh's comment in light of the phenomenon on the page.

'It's incredible, I've never seen anything like it.' She told the older woman.

Tokio bowed modestly, her gaze demurely downcast. 'Himura san has very good descriptive abilities and an excellent memory.' She told them. 'he made my work much easier.'

Sano interrupted, 'That doesn't make this any less of an achievement.' He told her.

She simply bowed once again before very politely gathering her things and leaving the room the whole of the Kenshin-gumi staring after her retreating figure.

'Ahou's' Muttered Saitoh as he casually took the picture from Yahiko's unresisting hand.

'Who are you calling a moron?!' Sano yelled angrily holding his fists up threateningly.

Saitoh's unworried gaze slid to the young street fighters face, before returning his amber eyes to the drawing. 'All of you obviously,' He smirked, inhaling on his cigarette. 'That's why I said ahou's.'

'Why you!' Sano tried to leap at Saitoh, but found himself caught on something, he looked angrily over his shoulder to find his shirt being held by Kenshin.

Kenshin nodded his head slightly to Saitoh before dragging his friend through the door that lead back to the deck. Yahiko and Kaoru following quickly behind.

***

Saitoh stood still for a moment a cooly indifferent expression on his face as he watched Battousai herd his friends out of the room. He looked down at the drawing again intrigued. He too knew the man in the picture, he remembered seeing him long, long ago, so long ago that all he had in his mind's eyes was an extremely vague recollection, almost as though someone had asked him what the name of a Kabuki play he'd witnessed 20 years ago.

It was an extremely annoying, niggling feeling for the wolf of Mibu who had been blessed with an incredibly good photographic memory. He sighed, knowing the information would come to him when he least expected it.

He looked down at the sketch again, 'Damn, she does good work.' He mumbled to himself. He smiled again before folding the picture carefully and going off in search of some much needed peace and quiet. He would never understand what Battousai saw in those friends of his, whenever he was around them he walked away with a headache.

***

A/N: *Phew* that one took a LONG time to get out. I've been playing around with it a lot, because for some reason no matter how I worded this chapter some of it came out sounding funny. O.Ox.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to review the last chapter, *sends out virtual cookies * all those suggestions and comments really help ^-^x.

The next chapter will be up FAIRLY soon, I sort of know where my plot is going now, which sorta helps a little bit, but any suggestions are still greatly appreciated as are all reviews. ^-^x.