Disclaimer: As much as I would love to own RK, the series, manga or characters (buahhh Enishi-sama!!!!) don't belong to me. They belong to the great Watsuki-sensei and a bunch of greedy guys in the big companies. I only use RK characters for amusement, I don't dream in getting any money from this little hobby meant only to soothe my strained nerves (living in Argentina could be considered hazardous job). However Jihan Masshwov, as well as other OC belong to ME, if you want to use them, fine, write to me, and I'll be glad to grant you my permission for their use.

As usual, by deep gratitude to my great helpers, Michaela and Fujifunmum, whose help made the chapter readable.

Oh! AND I'VE RECEIVED THE FIRST FAN ART FOR THE FIC! I'LL SOON GIVE YOU THE LINK….

Last but not least: Thank you very much to my reviewers!

Deborah, Michaela, Cornelia, Jennifer, MightyMightyMunson, Susan, Julie-chan and Blueraingurl

Yes, I know, I know.... STOP BABBLING AND LET'S GO TO the Chapter!!!!!

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Aoiya Inn, City of Kyoto, Earth, Early February 1880 A.D.

The sun had long ago arisen in the horizon, and with a soft sigh, Yukishiro Hiroshi closed the book for the hundredth time, caressing the cover with rough, old fingers.

Slowly, he started changing his sleeping yukata for an informal kimono, which the old friendly man called Okina had lent him.

Soon Okon would come, announcing that breakfast was ready, and the little energetic woman who was the heart of the Aoiya, Misao, would come to drag him to the dining room, to share the warm family spirit these people had.

Kenshin's young protégé, Yahiko, the boy he had met months ago while Kenshin had laid drowned in despair in Tokyo's Rakuninmura, had explained that the owners of the Inn were the best and most ancient clan of ninjas of Japan, the Oniwabanshuu.

Shaking his head, the old man thought that there was nothing to be surprised of. After all, Kenshin was Hitokiri Battousai himself, and although the Oniwabanshuu and Kenshin fought on different sides during the war, it was only logical that a secret society of ninjas would be acquainted with him to some extent.

He had also learned that the relentless policeman with amber eyes was nothing less than a former captain of the Shinsengumi.

In his many years in the service of the Shogunate as a minor bureaucrat, he had never expected to someday be in such illustrious company. After all, these people were fierce warriors that had written a page in the history of Japan with their blood and their names; they had created a whole new Era, a turning point. That this particular change wasn't for the most part beneficial to him and his kin was a different matter.

His kin… He looked again at the collection of worn pages of Tomoe's diary, carefully placed now by his bedside. He sighed. His beloved daughter was only present through those tattered parches of thin paper.

And his son… oh, his son…

It was his fault, he said to himself, all the pain that his boy had caused to countless people… all his fault. The old man felt the sting of tears burning his eyes, but he was a strong man, he would not let them get out.

However, the last events made clear that the boy had been put in his path again for a reason.

After the detailed explanation of how Enishi had saved that young kendo instructor from his own ex associate, Hiroshi was completely sure that his son's soul could still be salvageable. Long years of painful and hard atonement awaited his boy. He would need all the help available to walk the right path. Enishi lacked the gentle, forgiving, idealistic nature of his son-in-law. He was harsh, prejudiced, impatient, self-conscious… violent. He knew it well… it mirrored his own, dark self, Hiroshi thought.

His own battle to take complete and firm control of his violent, harsh side during his younger years had been hard and painful. But he had had the guide of his father and the support of his wife.

Enishi had lacked all that. Because he had deserted him.

Suddenly the cheerful voice of Misao behind the shouji shook him out of his anguished reveries.

- "Yukishiro-san… I came for you… everybody else is already having breakfast… Those two bakas Sagara and Yahiko won't leave anything for you if you don't come quickly…"

- "I trust you and your kunais to loyally defend my food, Misao-chan…"- he chuckled- "However, I'm ready."

The girl led the way, chatting merrily as she always did. Her presence, as everybody else's in that place, was a sweet blessing at this point in his life, where he felt haunted and pained with the ghost of his past coming back against him with a vengeance.

They where soon in the main hall, where everybody was enjoying the warm family breakfast. There they were: Okina, the two sweet ninja girls, their young male companions in the Oniwabanshuu, but no trace of the tall man of the frozen heart, as usual. He had surely left the Aoiya before sunrise, to bury his pained soul in the safe heaven of meditation.

His son-in-law's friends from Tokyo also were there. Their fake quarrels could not conceal the warm love around them. They had come all the long way from the ancient Edo as soon as they got notice that he had headed to Kyoto: Kaoru, the kendo instructor, Megumi, the sly lady doctor, and the two spiky haired young men that were also part of Kenshin's strange family, the street fighter Sagara Sanosuke and the young Tokyo samurai, Myoujin Yahiko. They would not let the redhead walk alone ever again…

The teases between the two spiky lads progressed during breakfast, until Kaoru finished the argument by sending the younger of the two to practice swings in the Aoiya's backyard. Meanwhile, Sagara, the older of them, disappeared quickly at the mention of his name placed in the same sentence with the word 'work'.

Hiroshi studied the young kendo instructor. She was young, she lacked the elegance, grace and refinement his daughter had, but she had an interesting spirit and a good hold on her strange family members.

It was a pity that Kenshin held back, keeping her reeling over the edge about their relationship. Tomoe wouldn't approve of his behavior, indeed. He'd make sure he'd talk to him, to knock a little sense into his stubborn head.

Hiroshi was sure that a part of Kenshin enjoyed inflicting pain on himself. It was not possible that he would ever forget his bloody past. He should not, so he could keep the demon inside him locked for good, as well as atoning reasonably. However to push aside life was not a part of his atonement, since hurting himself was as bad as hurting anybody else. After all, he was as human as any other person, and the redhead seemed oblivious to the fact that his promise also included protecting his own happiness.

It was evident to everybody that he loved that Kamiya girl. He wasn't fooling anybody except himself. However, he knew that there was an internal struggle in the red-haired man. A part of him, a big one by the way, was ready to let himself be at last. He probably needed only a little push. And Hiroshi thought that it was his responsibility to give that push to his son-in-law. That would have been Tomoe's choice.

Obviously, he had to have a chat with the girl, too. Some things should be said, and apologies must be given, too.

Hiroshi sighed.

Kenshin was lucky, the old man thought. He had found forgiveness and acceptance in the others, and finally had found his own family, his own answers in life, and he was almost ready to make amends with his own ghosts. He wondered if Enishi would ever have such luck, especially with the golden eyed policeman on his back, threatening to shorten the time his son had on Earth to pay for his mistakes...

Well, his task would be to make sure that the boy at least had that chance…

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Outskirts of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, Earth- Early February 1880 A.D.

The chilly wind of the last winter's days bit the man's exposed skin. There were remains of dirty snow spread in heaps here and there around the jail's building, as ugly hunchbacks rising from the depths of the Earth.

Captain Sugimura Naruhiko was waiting for his visitor outside the high, thick brick walls.

Soon, the carriage was in sight, running smoothly on the new road that his personal slaves, the prisoners[1] he held behind those walls, had finished just before the winter arrived in full force. Sugimura smirked: in less than two months, they'd be almost ready to go back to work.

The man was just in time; he knew that his visitor never came late to their appointments. This day was not an exception.

Within the carriage approaching on the road, the promise of a new bright future out of that icy Hellhole ran to meet him.

He grinned; thinking about how brilliant his plan was. The man could never refuse.

The carriage stopped just in front of him, and a tall man, wrapped in an expensive coat and with an exquisite silk scarf covering half of his face as always, descended from it. Neat glasses dangled from his nose, but they didn't conceal the frightening gaze shining on his eyes.

- "I thought we had an agreement… Where is my package?"

The officer was unmoved by the rough rudeness of the newcomer. The voice of the man was a strange mixture where hiss and grunts were the prevalent sounds. However, he was still understandable.

- "I hope you had enjoyed a good trip on your long journey from Kyoto."- the captain bowed, in a fake display of politeness.

- "I'm not a very patient man; I fulfilled my end of the deal. And I expected you'd keep your word."

- "Oh, well something unexpected happened, and I wanted to discuss it with you."

The other man narrowed his eyes dangerously, and the captain had to repress the urge to swallow hard. He knew that the man in front of him was a dangerous monster, but the rewards he expected to collect were worth the risk he was taking.

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So the little worm wanted to play…

The bastard's aims were surely to set new conditions for completing their agreement.

The man hidden under layers of expensive silk, wool and fur thought that the other man's deeds were understandable. He would have done the same, given the chance.

Nobody would let go of the golden goose so soon, once it was within their grasp, that is.

But this time, the Captain would be sorely disappointed… His contacts had found interesting things in the former (and more comfortable) destination of Captain Sugimura: Okinawa…

The worm had seized strategically rich lands from the original rightful owners. He had fabricated false charges of treason and rebellion, in connivance with corrupt government officials. They made a huge amount of money with the selling of these lands. The dirty maneuver provoked actual riots in some villages, which were brutally repressed by the Meiji occupiers of the islands.

However, the captain was also a big gambler and soon he lost all his profits… and more.

To pay his debts, he started to blackmail his former associates and politicians with the knowledge he had skillfully gained through the years.

At that point, the captain's presence in the new occupied territories had started to become an annoyance for the Meiji officials, who in turn, decided to move him to the desolate North.

The captain's new destiny proved to be as profitable as the former, and he used the prisoners he kept as personal slaves. They not only worked in the tasks assigned by the government, but the man 'hired' them to the coal mining companies, for his own profit.

He also sent the strongest thugs to steal and plunder the region for him.

Then, he also had another parallel business: he released the richest or most influential criminals in exchange of large amounts of money. It only took the report of a failed escape attempt ending in death or any fatal illness overtaking the prisoner. Then, after they were 'officially' dead, they were free to start their lives and businesses anew, with fake identities that he provided them with, using official documentation.

The local authorities knew all that, but they closed their eyes to it. They received orders from Tokyo to do so. Sugimura was only alive because of the dirty secrets he still knew and he could release even post mortem, if he ever suffered any 'accident'.

However, there was at least one person who didn't truly care about the political consequences derived by the public disclosure of such facts. That policeman's only concern was to deal with traitors. Personally and swiftly. And he would be very pleased to have a private meeting with Sugimura to get the complete list of corrupt politicians. There would be a great amount of pain involved in that meeting of sorts for the slimy captain, who was not among the strongest men in Earth, the tall man in the silken scarf thought.

If any of these things reached that policeman's ears at the right moment, Sugimura's head would be embellishing the sharp point of a spear very soon. By the way, that would be a place more fitting than the ugly body that it was attached to

He would have laughed if he only could. The sharp pain in his jaw reminded why he was there. He advanced towards the fat worm, and leaning onto the now suddenly trembling man he whispered among soft hisses.

- "You like to work in the new settlements, don't you? Like in Okinawa… I've heard very interesting things about you here and there … And I know a certain Miburo that still believes in the old code of swift, absolute justice. It would be a pity if selected samples of information slipped into the wrong ears, don't you think? Now, bring me my package before I get really pissed off. Believe me, you don't want to experience that."

- "Are you daring to threaten me? I gave you your freedom; I can also take it from you."

- "Oh, do you think so? How? Takeda Kanryuu is dead, remember? My coming back from the dead would draw unwanted attention on you, and investigations, which won't improve your health. In addition, you can only dream about touching me without suffering immediate retaliation."

The fat officer gritted his teeth in rage. Then he suddenly remembered that the man in front of him was not like one of the politicians he was used blackmailing. This was a big criminal boss. Any threat coming from him could and would be fulfilled.

- "Now, I'm a practical, reasonable man, and I could still consider you valuable enough to let you live. Maybe in the future I could use you, and you could benefit by this. So, stop your stupid charade now, and bring the man out."

Utterly defeated, Captain Sugimura made a sign to the sentinel and the door opened few minutes later, revealing the figure of a little man walking in shackles, escorted by two towering guards.

- "Did you really expect to have it your way? Don't you remember who I am and what can I do?"- Kanryuu said softly, in his strange way of speech- "You knew I'd be coming for him, why didn't you follow my instructions? Why isn't he dressed in the clothes I've sent for him?"

- "I'm… I'm sorry… It's not my fault…"- the fat man said- "I expected that our chat would be longer… And it seems, those incompetents forgot to follow the instructions I gave… I… I…"

Now, the formerly self-confident captain felt the first shots of true fear running in his blood. He had gambled, and he had lost. It would be a miracle if he made it out alive after this. That man was not a Meiji official, and he solved things without concerns for the consequences.

- "Stop your babbling… take his chains off and bring the clothes I've sent for him. He will need them for our trip. Ah, and don't forget the documents."

- "Of course… of course…"

The now trembling worm made signals to his aides, and the little man was soon freed of his shackles. A parcel was also brought, with a closed sealed envelope.

The little man passed by the side of the officer giving him a murderous glare that barely concealed the dark promises of a future and painful retribution. His hands were wrapped in dirty, still bloodied bandages. They climbed up the carriage, where a third figure, cloaked to the toes, face hidden behind the shadows of a hood, was waiting for them.

- "It's about time…"- said a strange feminine voice from inside the wrappings of the cloak

- "Blame your friend… He was the daring one."

- "Friend?"- the woman snorted- "Takeda, let's make things clear. I have no friends, much less in this filthy place, and among your filthy kind."

- "I was being ironic, if you didn't notice it."

- "I don't appreciate your stupidities."

The man would have gritted his teeth in rage if he could. To say that the superior attitude of their strange associate pissed him off was understatement. But, she had money and a good offer in her hands. Thus, silence was the best course of action in that situation.

- "Get rid of him tonight. He could attract unwanted attention to us."

- "But Sugimura could be useful in the future..."

- "The risks are far greater than the profits here."

- "As you wish…"

For several minutes, there was nothing but awkward silence inside the carriage, until the third passenger, the man who had just joined them, coughed loud enough to attract the attention of Kanryuu.

- "All right, I know that you are not concerned with formal introductions, but, I think that it would be appropriate if you officially meet our valuable friend, Wu Heishin."

- "I don't care who you both are as long as you fulfill your side of the bargain."

- "I think we've proved to you that we can provide first quality goods…"

- "The first specimen was a total failure. However I admit that the last one you sent seems more promising. Anyway, my clients are ready to pay for the kind of merchandise you offer me. It's their choice, and I'm ready to satisfy their demands. Who am I to criticize their weird choices? When do you think you'll have the next delivery ready to be picked up?"

- "I'm working on two… And there will be at least five more, readily available for a quick transfer, all first class goods."

- "Mmmm… we'll see…"

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The rest of the trip elapsed amid the former awkward silence. The third passenger didn't seem very communicative, the Chinese man thought, at the verge of sneering his annoyance.

He had wrapped himself in a warm woolen cloak. He would have preferred fur, as he was used to that in the for the Shanghai winters, but the thick thing enveloping him at that moment would do for a while…

When the silhouettes of Sapporo's buildings were in sight, the woman knocked on the exterior of the carriage's door. It was the pre-arranged signal to stop. From now on, they would follow separate paths.

- "I'll contact you as usual."- the woman said, before disappearing from the two men's sight, at the edge of a nearby forest.

As soon as she was out of their view the man called Wu asked:

- "Who the Hell is she?"

- "Our present associate and benefactor…"

- "I couldn't see her face…"

- "Neither did I. And I've known her for months now. Look, while she keeps her side of the bargain"- Kanryuu said in his strange hiss - "she could conceal her features as much as she wants. Everybody needs a little privacy sometimes."

- "Or hide past scars…"- Wu looked at the approaching lights of Sapporo, but he knew the man pretty well from the time they had spent together in prison. He knew that Kanryuu was looking at him with venomous eyes at his comment. He didn't care. His former associate was a lot more terrifying. He was used to hard glares- "I see…"

They soon were at the entrance of a huge mansion. A wide park, still covered with snow here and there, surrounded the building.

- "Does it remind you of former times, my friend?"

- "Indeed…"- the smaller man chuckled

- "The money of your former master pays for the best…"

- "Former associate. He was never my master."- the small Chinese man shot a hard glance to the other.- "As you also are not nor ever will be."

- "My, my… we are a bit touchy, aren't we? Maybe a warm bath and a change of clothes before a good dinner would make you feel you more relaxed."

- "You are right, there is no need to fight over such petty things…"- the soft words couldn't conceal the menacing edge hidden in them before he left the room.

- "Go and refresh yourself. I'll instruct my men to sort out our little problem"

Wu knew that Kanryuu was referring to the captain. Good, hopefully, the bastard would receive a good taste of fear before leaving the world, and that gave him back his good mood. It was very fortunate that Takeda Kanryuu's contacts inside the Meiji government were even higher than the captain's and now that the drug dealer was 'officially' deceased, he could count on them again, via the secrets Takeda still kept about his powerful allies… plus the files he would surely get from the Captain before sending him to visit his ancestors.

The diminutive Chinese man was conducted by the servants to a wonderfully warm bath, the first he enjoyed in eight months. A doctor had cleaned the unhealed wounds on his hands, terrible reminders of what he had gone through with the torturers, warning him that he might need surgery in Europe to regain the full use of them. He certainly would not go to Europe, at least not at this point of their operation, with so many debts to be collected yet. However, there was the chance of buying the services of some specialist… with the money he had taken from Yukishiro, money that had always been rightfully his, and the white haired had kept from him. Wu shrugged mentally. Those ideas about cures and doctors would have to wait, he thought.

After the bath, the doctor dressed his wounds, and the servants helped him to ease into his new, clean, luxurious clothes. The soft caress of silk on his skin made him shiver. He had missed all this… Then a thick, exquisite layer of the finest quality wool clothing was placed on the frame of his body. The warm woven fabrics enveloping his form could hardly prevent him from shivering at the memories of the harsh northern cold of Ezochi[2] biting into his flesh.

Now he felt alive again, after those infernal months buried alive in Meiji prisons.

Meeting Takeda Kanryuu in Hokkaido's prison had been a huge stroke of good fortune

He had not expected to survive the winter, being a Chinese lost in the wildest area of Japan, with no connections in the country, except those who had been arrested with him (others might say through him, after the 'specialists' finished their work on him). But one day, his luck had taken a new turn, when the strange man with the broken jaw was brought to share his cell.

At first, the man hadn't paid much attention to him but another turn of the wheel of fate changed things. Wu remembered clearly having been awakened from one of his nightmares screaming the hated name of Battousai, and at that moment, he had instantly caught the attention of his the unsocial companion, saving both their lives in the process.

After discovering they had the same hated enemies, and that they had the recourses to help each other, the pact between them was sealed. Takeda Kanryuu would provide the contacts inside the Meiji regime as well as in the Japanese underworld, while Wu's own end of the deal would consist in supplying the funds to start a new operation in the country to jump onto the mainland later.

Oh, yes, he had the necessary money… He had made his own arrangements as soon as he had suspected that the increasing mental instability of his former associate could destroy their syndicate. If things had followed the pre-arranged outcome, he would have brought back the money to the usual accounts, and nobody else would have noticed it. As the feeling of impending catastrophe falling upon them had become overwhelming, he had made a decision: the money should be kept out of the Meiji regime hands, but still available to him at a new location.

Wu had moved large amounts of money from their operations in the country to foreign locations, unknown to the police… and Yukishiro.

To protect the money was his right. After all, he had worked very hard during all those years. It was his money also, and he would not lose it because of the delusions of a lunatic.

And the move had proven wise. It had saved him. Now he was enjoying life again and he and his partner were ready for revenge… The money had let them to get a way to be free again.

Takeda had found a corrupt prison director without difficulty. He had been easy to bribe; moreover, he provided them with a convincing death for the records and new legal documents for the right amount to start to work again under new identities.

It was the opportunity of the century and they took it. They were transferred together to the new location, but the director kept one of them as hostage until the final payment was delivered. Takeda and Wu had agreed when the director negotiated with them, that the former should be the one going out first, due to his connections outside, which would smooth their path. Wu only granted the minimum required for their freedom. He was not a fool; if Takeda wanted the rest, he would have to actually rescue him from his imprisonment, which he did to the director's misfortune. Now the worm would learn firsthand why nobody played games with Triads or yakuza bosses. Wu smiled wickedly in anticipation at the thought of what was awaiting the Captain.

While he was conducted again to the main hall, he gave an approving glance to his surroundings.

Until his release, the houses, clothes, servants, were provided by Kanryuu's old acquaintances. Of course, the favor would have a price, but he didn't care. Tomorrow he would check the debts and would give the orders to pay them. They'd soon be ruling the Japanese underworld, and then he would recover what he was given tenfold.

Shortly after Takeda's release, he found their first big job, and the most perfect form of revenge at the same time. Someone was looking for a local contact to find strong warriors to be picked and 'packed' to a far away island, for some sick hunters' amusement.

And so, his former boss was the first successful delivery…

A satisfied smile formed on his lips at that thought while he was walking to the main hall, where his new associate was waiting for him, toying with a cup of brandy.

- "So… He is gone…"- both men knew whom Wu was referring to.

- "For good, my friend, this time is for good… He won't come back ever. Your revenge on him is complete."- Kanryuu hissed- Now it's time to think about the others…

- "I never thought it would be like this… It feels strange…"

- "It's too late for regrets…"- Kanryuu passed Wu a cup of the exquisite beverage.

- "Regrets?! What regrets?"- his voice sounded strained with barely suppressed anger- "You should know this better than anyone… The pompous bastard… he would leave the syndicate to me… because he had decided it… As if my hard work, my efforts, had nothing to do with the fact… he was the maniac killer. I was the brains behind it all. It only happened that he was… stronger. Nobody could face him and stay alive. That sick bastard, dreaming only of fucking his dead sister…"

Wu's anger arose at the memory of the white haired man's face.

The Chinese man would have not used that choice of words only a few months ago, nor he would have permitted his anger to be shown so openly in his face and gestures. But now, now things were different. Very different

- "Oh, I see… that's why he was so obsessed with killing Battousai, his former brother in law…"

- "Most assuredly… You know, I didn't know they were related until you discovered it. I bet the guy couldn't stomach the siblings' affair and killed her for that…"- he gulped the hot liquid to erase the bitter taste that those memories brought to his mind.

- "Maybe… though reports say otherwise… They talk about a conspiracy to kill Battousai where she was involved…"

- "Ah… treason then… the most common motive when women are mixed up…"

- "That's why they should only be kept as pets and toys…"- the tall man hissed.

Takeda man produced a sound that Wu took for the other man's version of a laugh. It was difficult to say if he was right. Since Battousai had viciously broken Kanryuu's jaw, it got infected in the brutal prisons of the Meiji Restoration, and never healed back properly. Finally, it had to be replaced by a rubber piece[3], causing the man to keep his face always half covered by a silken scarf to hide the nasty sight. The other after effect was the difficult pattern of speech of the other man, and the permanent impossibility of performing even the most elemental sounds such as laughter. Wu looked at his hands. Even if these always would bear the marks of torture, his scars were in the end more bearable. The best surgeons could patch him enough to perform the tasks he required. After all, he had never been an artist or a musician, so a little less sensitivity wouldn't affect his life.

- "Anyway, I made up my mind on this. Yukishiro had totally lost it, and I'm sure that he was obsessed by her… I've heard him calling her, waking up with her name on his lips… Pretty sick, if you ask me. You know, after he had learned about this damned Battousai whereabouts, he stopped seeing women at all. Almost for a whole year…"

- "As entertaining as his sexual life might be for you, since it can't be used against him anymore, I'm not interested in it. "- the former drugs lord cut short the other man's rants.

- "Yes, you are right"- Wu shrugged- the knowledge has lost its utility by now.

- "However, I found very interesting things on his files about Battousai and his close allies and friends…"

- "I told you…Yukishiro had gone mad in the last six months, but he was always a very resourceful man. He managed to keep track of every movement inside the Emperor's palace in China and in the Meiji agencies in Japan, as well as in the most influential European Embassies in the area. To know everything about simple individuals was a children's game when compared to this."- Wu confirmed.

- "I see… Are you acquainted with his 'contacts'?"- Kanryuu narrowed his eyes, pondering about the great benefits of having such 'relations'

- "I'm afraid he was rather zealous about those. He told me that once his business was finished, he would give me the list of those who had agreed to work with me after I supposedly took his post. As you probably know, Battousai and the bastard himself prevented me from getting what was rightfully mine."- Wu could not conceal the bitterness and irony in his voice.

- "What a pity… Well, I suppose we will have to be grateful with what we have already taken from him…"- Kanryuu shrugged.

- "Maybe his British banker…"

- "Do you mean Blake-Edwards? That annoying guy, the Miburo, got to him first. He has been deported back to England."- Kanryuu informed.

- "I hate that man!"

- "Don't worry; he and the others won't be bothering us much any longer."

- "I hope you're right. The man can be a major stumbling block in our path…"- Wu shook his head annoyed.

- "Indeed…"

The taller man served another round of the tasty British brandy. It was strong and Wu knew he would have a hangover in the morning at the rate the other man poured the liquid in their glasses. For once, he didn't care. Tonight was an occasion to celebrate.

- "I'm pretty sure that the name Shishio Makoto rings a bell in your mind…"- Kanryuu said

- "Of course… We provided him with some of our finest products…"

- "Yes, I've heard about the sinking of the ship"- Kanryuu had a mocking tone.

- "As I was later informed, it was a pure stroke of luck from the government side.

- It's rather ironic, considering that a dreadnought was blown up with homemade grenades from a well known anti Meiji individual in the hands of that useless street fighter, Sagara Sanosuke."

- "Him?! Him!!!"- Wu shouted, incredulously.

- "Yes, that's the one. The same man that interfered with my hold on Takani Megumi, the same one that beat your unbeatable guard."

- "Well, I suppose we'll have to plan an appropriate retaliation for him…"- Wu's words were a hiss, resembling almost Kanryuu's- "Any family left?"

- "Unknown, according the files of your former mas… associate."- Wu thought that Kanryuu was a son of a bitch, he was teasing him to annoy him- "However, during Yukishiro's failed excursion, he was spotted in the Shinshuu area, a small village. He defended a family and got in trouble with an old Ishin Shishi, Tani Juusanrou[4]. But the charges were lifted shortly after being made, because the Ishin guy was found dead. Nobody knew for sure what had happened. The guy was found almost cut in half. The reports mention a tall, lanky policeman with scary eyes visiting the area shortly before the body was found…"

- "I see…"

- "Well, you know that Battousai, the Miburo, and Sagara teamed up against Shishio. And you saw firsthand what they could do when they got together against your mas…associate… "- the drugs dealer corrected himself again- "I suppose that a certain 'security net' must exist among them… as if protecting each other."

- "So we know that Battousai has that lady, the spiky haired boy and the gangster under his wing... plus that all acquaintance of yours, Takani Megumi. The gangster, on the other hand might have some acquaintances in the Shinshuu area. What have we got about the Okashira and the Miburo?"- asked the Chinese.

- "Shinomori is mine as Yukishiro was yours…"- the fierce glare sent shivers down Wu's spine.

- "Yes, we agreed on that… But you know that I also have my score to settle with him."

- "Yes, yes."- Kanryuu rubbed his temples with one of his hands- "You are right… you at least have the right to know… Well, Shinomori might be the toughest to catch. He is still surrounded by members of the Oniwabanshuu, the ones who defeated Shishio's elite group, the Juppongatana. Anyway, his weak spot is the girl that seems glued to him. She should not be taken lightly, though. Reports show that she took command of the group during Shishio's attempt to destroy Kyoto, stopping it. Besides, she wandered looking for Shinomori through Japan. Alone. And managed the situation neatly."

- "Oh, yes, I remember her… the little weasel on the beach… But I didn't imagine that… "- Wu narrowed his eyes, memories reenacting in his mind- "Impressive… so… she is not a defenseless maiden waiting to be rescued…"

- "No, not at all… she is a well trained onmitsu. Quite dangerous by herself. Obviously, her skills are nothing compared with swordsmen like Battousai, Shinomori, or Saitou, but that's to be expected. We are talking about the best swordsmen in the country for centuries…"

- "Anyway, too much trouble for what it's worth…"

- "Quite the contrary, my friend, quite the contrary."- Wu guessed that the other man would be gritting his teeth if his jaw had worked properly- "I'll take any risk, any chance, I'll do anything within my powers and means to get a hold on her. She will be mine. And while Shinomori is being hunted, he will be frantic knowing that I'm enjoying her. And believe me, he knows what that means[5]…"

The maniacal, disgusting sound that Wu believed was Kanryuu's laugh reminded him of another maniacal laugh he used to hear before disaster had befallen upon him. He hoped it wasn't a bad omen…

- "Of course, I'll keep the lady doctor also. She is indebted to me. I have very special plans for her… Shinomori's girl will be only mine, but this one… we could share her, if you want."

- "Maybe… For now, I'm only interested in that Kamiya bitch… She will pay…"- the Chinese man spat, looking at his bandaged hands.

Both men stood in silence for a while, rage coursing through them, wrapping around them, making them brothers working towards the same goal: revenge.

- "Saitou Hajime is the most slippery and cunning, probably the most dangerous."- Kanryuu drank hurriedly the burning liquid in a swig- "He has nothing holding him, hunts alone, and only responds to his own conscience. He is unmanageable, untraceable when he chooses; he has no known vices except his addiction to tobacco… But believe it or not, the bastard has a family… A woman and children."

- "It's some kind of sick joke, right?"- Wu's jaw hung opened for some seconds before he could articulate any word again- "That bastard, having a wife and children? Well, at least he is away for long time periods, so the poor thing he is married to has a chance to enjoy life while he is out…"

- "She is not a poor thing. He married her while he was in the Shinsengumi, daughter to a samurai family, quite skilled with a sword."- Kanryuu narrowed his eyes- "Anyway, he kept her totally hidden from sight, out of reach for his many enemies… Almost."

- "Fuck! How is it that none of those bastards looked for a feminine, delicate, demure, defenseless, little woman?"- the Chinese man mumbled.

- "Can you blame them? They usually have more important things that protecting their women. Anyway,"- dismissed Kanryuu- "none of them is near their husbands or lover's skills, so they can be taken. It won't be easy, but it's possible. Your, errrr, former associate did a superb job gathering all this information. Now, we have a good start on striking the bastards where hurts the most…"

- "I'm looking forward to that sweet moment… I didn't understand Yukishiro before, but now… This is probably the only thought and feeling we will ever share…"

There was a pause, and a servant informed them that dinner was served. They walked to the dinning room, and Kanryuu finally brought up the inevitable topic.

- "We need to discuss our finances…"

- "I was just thinking that we could divide our work. You, caring about our developments, contacts and plans of revenge, me, administering the funds…"

- "Lets' discuss this over diner…"

88888888888

Police headquarters, City of Kyoto, Earth, a week later.

A huge pile of paperwork covered Saitou Hajime's desk, but the pile on the desk near his was double in size. He smirked, thinking of Chou and his reaction. When the ahou came back, he wouldn't be able to leave the police station for the next two months, filling out forms and writing belated reports…

Someone knocked at the door of his office. It was strange. Nobody dared to come close to the place, except when it was a matter of national security or a major catastrophe. He walked to the door and found a young cadet, a freshman, without a doubt. He handed him a huge manila envelope with a trembling hand and left the threshold of his office as quickly as his legs allowed him, without running in the process. Amusing.

A new report.

He was about to throw it in the queue, when a name in the first lines caught his attention. Sugimura Naruhiko.

Captain Sugimura Naruhiko.

He had been found dead in strange circumstances. He and the woman beside him had died of an overdose of a strong and rare kind of opium. However, the man was not an addict and there were signs on violence in his body.

Anyway, the local authorities dismissed the case quickly. The man was a troublemaker, and they were too happy to be rid of him to complain or organize something beyond the simplest inquiry, just to fill out the required reports. The doctor that certified his death confirmed it was due to the drug, and attributed the marks on the body to a fight he had just had with his lover previous to their deaths, a quarrel witnessed by half a dozen of the patrons of the brothel where he was found.

However, Saitou Hajime had a fair amount of second thoughts on this death.

The name rang a bell on his head. The man got transferred from Okinawa to Hokkaido in the middle of protests and allegations of corruption. He had been investigating the man just a few weeks before he received the order to concentrate his efforts on Yukishiro. He recognized the maneuver for what it was at first glance: a diversion. He suspected that Sugimura could have been blackmailing some Meiji officials, and they were protecting him to avoid getting their dirty secrets uncovered, secrets that the man would spill to him just upon sight… he knew their nature.

Saitou had not abandoned the chase, just delayed it until he finished the Yukishiro affair.

But now the guy was dead… If the corrupt worms inside the government who probably arranged Sugimura's death thought that their problem was resolved with him out of the way, they were wrong.

He lit a cigarette and sat to read the report more carefully, when he noticed that a second report was attached to the first. It informed him of the death of one Wu Heishin, an inmate within Sugimura's custody. The manner of the death indicated that he had fallen victim to a vicious form of consumption, which finished him very quickly. He would not be able to unearth the corpse. Bodies of consumption victims where immediately burned down to avoid further contagion.

He remembered the man as scrawny, delicate, almost feminine, and the Japanese prison system was one of the toughest in the area[6], but even with that, he had his suspicions about such a sudden and convenient death. Especially when it happened the day before Sugimura's demise.

Wu was Yukishiro's former associate. It was possible that the Chinese had just bought a faked death from a corrupt prison director, who in addition, died very conveniently after his release. All this happening just a month and a half after Yukishiro's mysterious disappearance… Too opportune to be entirely accidental.

There was a thread here.

He'd make a few more inquiries on the reports, and then he'd travel to Hokkaido.

Maybe he could not unearth Wu's body, but he certainly would unearth the mysteries around his death as well as Sugimura's.

(TBC…)

88888888888

Well… Just a note:

You all know that the Rurouni Kenshin Readers Choice Awards ( http://sekihara.dreamhost.com/rkreaders/ ) are in the nomination phase until midnight on Feb 28, so do not forget to go and nominate your favorite fics.

I don't know if you are interested in my rants. If you don't, I'm sorry for annoying you, but I'd like to share some titles that I think you should consider before making any choices.

Mara's Saitou Tokio: A life (this fic opened a new era in the perception of that mysterious lady's life http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1117327) and Survival of the fittest ( http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=787466 )

I'm not a yaoi reader. I have nothing against it at all, but it's just not my thing. However there are several notorious exception to the rule, DON'T YOU DARE TO MISS THESE TWO ( OPEN YOUR MIND!!!! they are worth your time, they are not the average yaoi fic, and the yaoi ingredient is just one in a deeper and intelligent plot (especially in the wonderful fic by Oryo) : Oryo's Falling in Love Again ( http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=918243 ) and P.L. Nunn's Shifting the Balance http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=600748

Both are Kenshin/Sano. They are mature and excellent.

Then you can read two good yaoi/slash, Mara's A point of view http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1100959 (Saitou/Aoshi), and Nise's This Side of Desire (Saitou/Okita)

The MAGNIFICENT Gochan's A Rurouni's Guide to Idiocy http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=737753

ArtemisMoon's The Morning After

http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=768759

That wonderful fic that Gracey gave us: Jinchuu (NC17-LEMON)

http://www.crouchingtiger.scriptmania.com/Ficsnew.htm

Don't forget the hot, spicy but extraordinary with the use of words and the deep insight in the mind of the characters, the spin-off from Wombat's main project (Edodale)

In the Forests of the Night (NC17- LEMON) http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php?id=30332

You can miss her main project, a wonderful crossover/morph between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and RK.

Edodale

http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=716823

One of my favorite fics this year, Midori's White Tiger, Jade Concubine (alt pairing Enishi/Misao)

http://www.wandering-samurai.com/midoripage2.html

Check Midori's fics. I'm sure you'll also find interesting surprises. But I highly doubt she needs any presentation from me…

My Answer by Gracey (another EXCELLENT Alt pairing Enishi/Kaoru that you CAN'T miss)

http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=793106

OF COURSE, you can't miss Fujifunmum's When She Smiles http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=820401

Or her adult Romance fic K&K ALL THE WAY!!! (ohohohoho… Another one with a Lemon INCLUDED!!! BTW, Fuji… your new layout made me VERY HAPPY! Thanks Susa, supreme webmaster of the Universe…) http://geocities.com/shades_of_revolution/manydifferent/Many1.html

Well, There are many other fics I'd like to recommend (The DualEdge blade is one of them…, there is also White and Black, College Daze, etc, etc), but I'll spend all night typing and you'd not read the chapter…