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Rurouni Yahiko
A Rurouni Kenshin continuation fic
By Chester Casta�eda
gab_ab@edsamail.com.ph
http://www.geocities.com/gabriel_abdiel/fanfiction.htm

I've been meaning to do this for a long time....

A few more notes before proceeding:

< > indicates character thoughts
" " indicates character speech


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Prologue: Reflections of the Past
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     Many things happened during the passage of time. The four 
brothers... the seasons... came and went, each taking their turns in
the continuous cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The youngest one, 
Spring, saw through the birth of a new day, a new life... Summer then 
entered, sprinkling in happiness and gaiety... then came Autumn, 
unbidden, a test of courage and fortitude... and the eldest of all, 
Winter, was the final step, the one which saw through things by way 
of memory and regret, of a life fulfilled or not at all. Death then 
came to avoid stagnancy... away with the old as a life blossomed 
anew come Spring.   

     After endless Springs and Summers... Autumn and Winter finally 
arrived in the Kamiya Dojo... not in a form of literal gloom, but 
more on the note of sudden changes with a resounding finality. 

     And there were a lot of changes for all the people in the Kamiya 
Dojo.

     First there was Megumi Takani's transfer to the Aizu province... 
then there was Hajime Saitou's relocation to another police precinct. 
Now there was Sanosuke Sagara's arrest and sudden flight... something 
about roughhousing some hooligans employed by an Ishin Shishi politician
by the name of Tani in Shinsu... they heard it all from the bespectacled 
and chinky-eyed police officer that frequented their abode; Chief 
Uramura. 

     The autumn gale blew harder and harder as the cold winds of winter
was fast approaching.
  
     They soon learned later that Sanosuke had decided on taking a long 
trip away from Japan... but not without having their goodbyes said 
first.

     An image of Sanosuke waiting for them, standing in a little boat at
the docks... it would be an image etched in their memories... 
particularly in the memories of one Tokyo Samurai descendant.

     "Yo. Been a while," Sanosuke said nonchalantly, still familiarly
gaunt and rough, wearing his trademark off-white garb while sporting
a similarly abraded duffel bag in his unbandaged hand. 

     <He hasn't changed one bit... he's still the same Sanosuke we met
at the Akabeko nearly a year ago... but of course he hasn't changed!
It has only been a week. So many things around us are changing, though.>

     Yahiko shook his head once to cast away such weird thoughts from 
his mind. To Sanosuke, he said, "What the hell are you doing in a boat 
in the middle of the night?"

     Sanosuke shrugged his shoulders. "Should be obvious. I'm taking a 
boat out of here."

     "You're going to sea?" Yahiko incredulously exclaimed.

     "Thought this was a good chance to say goodbye to lil ol' Japan 
and see the big wide world," Sanosuke gave his trademark smirk as he
lazily stretched his arms wide.   

     "You're going to take that little boat to a foreign country?"
Yahiko parroted in the same inflection as his earlier query.

     "You're so stupid! You'll die! Forget it!" Kaoru 'cheerfully' 
retorted, affirming everyone else's general unsaid question.

     Sanosuke looked at the motley crew with half-lidded eyes. "You're 
the fools. There's a ship waiting for me offshore."

     The sound of police whistles reverberated all over the surrounding
area of the docks. Two of Sanosuke's friends raced up toward them with 
cries of "They found us! The cops are coming!" meshing with urgent
shouts of  "Find him! He's on the docks somewhere!"

     Yahiko reflexively drew his shinai. "All right, I got this one--"

     Kenshin held Yahiko at bay. "No, wait a minute--"

     They all suddenly see a familiar friend and ally, Chief Uramura,
traitorously calling the other policemen's attention toward their 
current position, pointing the way... in the wrong direction.

     "There he is! This way! Charge!" Uramura yelled after his 
compatriots. 

     Yahiko blinked once. "Say what?" 

     "Oro?" Kenshin said, wearing his familiar silly-face of wide-eyed
confusion.

     Uramura glanced their way as he put a finger to his lips before
hurrying toward the direction he pointed at from before.

     "What's wrong? They aren't here yet? Couldn't they see me?" Sanosuke
confusedly asked.

     "No, the chief made a 'mistake,'" Kenshin shrugged once, an amused 
smile on his lips.

     Sanosuke raised an eyebrow at that. "Mistake, huh? Well, I guess 
everyone makes mistakes. Then it's time for me to get going."

     Kaoru's thoughts snapped back to reality as the gravity of the 
situation reaffirmed itself. "Hey... are you really leaving?"

     "Yeah," Sanosuke confirmed. "But I'll make sure this isn't goodbye
for life. Just be sure you get a couple of kids to show me when I get 
back."

     Kaoru blushed furiously at Sanosuke's brash and unnecessary 
statement... the uncouth pig. "Wh-wh-what are you saying?!"

     Sanosuke belly-laughed at Kaoru's reaction. "Don't act so innocent.
Yahiko, you'd better give those two some privacy and get out of the 
dojo. I'll give you my longhouse," he further quipped despite of Kaoru's
alarmed exclamations.

     Yahiko paused a bit at Sanosuke's little wisecrack... his voice 
didn't give a hint of amusement in it as he turned towards Sanosuke 
heatedly, yelling, "What am I supposed to do?"

     "What?" Sanosuke asked, puzzled at Yahiko's reaction.

     "You're just going to run off with your tail between your legs and 
let them have their way? What if Tani hasn't learned his lesson? What 
if he tries something again? What is that 'evil' mark on your back for,
anyway?" Yahiko ranted.

     "If you think that, then you've kinda got an 'evil' mark on your 
back too, right?" Sanosuke said off-handedly.

     "Huh?" Yahiko detailed.

     "You don't get it? In other words," he started, patting Yahiko on
the head, "Kenshin isn't the only one I expect great things from."

     Yahiko pondered a bit about that as Kenshin and Sanosuke slapped 
hands, exchanging brief but meaningful goodbyes with nothing more to 
be said. He pondered on even as Sanosuke had finally cast away, a tiny
figure in the horizon of endless blue... up until nighttime, as he
looked blankly at the abandoned longhouse.

     <Sano... actually said that?>

     He repeated the words in his head over and over... finally 
understanding the acclamation's suggested innuendo in his 
disbelieving mind. 

     "Kenshin isn't the only one I expect great things from."

     And so... time passed.




***




     "Acting master Myoujin Yahiko coming through."

     As Yahiko more-than-a-little-haughtily entered a rather 
prosperous-looking Kamiya dojo, a little boy... the spitting image of 
Kenshin... was sitting on the roof bawling his eyes out.

     "Not again, Kenji. You climbed up and got too scared to climb 
down?" Yahiko said, his eyes half-lidded in disdain. 

     <Sheesh... he's like a little kitten,> Yahiko thought as he hooked 
his sword on the back of Kenji's robe and swung him down. Kenji went 
limp, relieved.

     Yahiko bigsweated. "You may look like a little Kenshin, but you're 
really just a little idiot... I don't know how you're going to carry on
the dojo--"

     Yahiko's little sermon is cut short as a sandal hits him on the 
face.

     "Hey! Quit picking on my son, or I'll really get mad!" an 
all-too-familiar voice said. Yahiko inwardly groaned.

     "Who's picking on him? I saved him!" Yahiko said as he swung an 
excited and gurgling Kenji towards a very irate Kaoru Kamiya. Kenji,
for his part, held out his arms to be picked up as he practically 
purred excitedly at Kaoru. <Geez... just as I've thought... the kid's
half-cat.>

     Kaoru Kamiya, self-proclaimed kenjutsu beauty and master of the 
Kamiya Kasshin school blinked at Yahiko. "Oh, so you did." To Kenji, as 
she took the little five-year-old in her arms, she said, "Were you 
scared? I'm so sorry."

     "You should be apologizing to me," Yahiko flat-toned.

     An apology was offered to Yahiko, but from a different source and 
for a different reason. "Yahiko. I'm sorry to call you out here in this 
heat." A few simple words, yet the presence behind them was 
unmistakable. The Meiji patriot and former wandering swordsman... the
man once known as the Hitokiri Battousai. 

     "Kenshin," Yahiko addressed. <What is this all about, Kenshin?> 

     As they went inside the dojo, Yahiko made a once-over at the wall 
decorated with a large number of students' nameplates; Kaoru listed as 
master, Yahiko and Yutaro as assistant masters, and a certain Shinichi 
Kozaburo and Higashidani Outa as students. Yahiko quickly turned toward
Kenshin again, his eyes in questioning.

     "What is it? If you want to arrange for outside practice at a new 
dojo I could--"

     Kenshin suddenly went into stance, his hand at his sword's hilt. 
"Take your stance, Yahiko. A one-point match. All right?"

     The young kendo master was startled beyond words, his face ashen 
with a look of pure, genuine shock. Kaoru stepped forward and shook 
him out of his reverie.

     "Yahiko, have you forgotten what day it is today? Today is your 
fifteenth birthday. You've heard, haven't you, that warriors long ago 
were recognized as men when they became fifteen?"

     Yahiko recalled a memory long ago... of Sanosuke telling him
something important. 

     "It's called genpuku. It's what you're aiming for as a swordsman. 
Remember that."

     He furrowed his brow. <This is my... coming of age? So that's it. 
Kenshin is testing me to see if I've truly become a man... but... those
instincts! That presence! Even if he hardly ever uses the Hiten 
Mitsurugi Ryu anymore, he's the greatest living swordsman there is, a 
true legend... how could I possibly measure up?> he mentally debated to
himself.

     Kenshin, as if sensing Yahiko's thoughts, suddenly turned to the 
young lad and then smiled reassuringly. "Don't be afraid. You've 
resolved to follow the path of the sword. Remember all the battles of 
your life. The battles you've seen with your eyes. The battles you've
heard with your ears... the battles you've embraced with your own 
skill... and all the battles you carry within you. If you concentrate 
all your strength behind that one blow, it will be enough."

     <Remember the battles....> Yahiko suddenly envisioned a 
kaleidoscope of all the warriors.. all fighting for their own reasons...
that he had seen over the years. He then prepared his own stance.

     Kenshin nodded in approval. "It will be enough. Kaoru-dono?"

     While still holding Kenji, Kaoru suddenly stepped forward with one
arm raised high. "Begin!" she said as she let her arm drop.

     Within a split second second, with the force of will and 
determination behind each of their strikes, Kenshin and Yahiko charged 
at each other. 

     Kaoru's heart skipped a beat with the sheer intensity of the two 
swordsmen's strikes. She took pause at the motionless fighters as she
surveyed the results of the match. "It's... a draw?" 

     Kenshin's sword had hit Yahiko at the side, but Yahiko's sword 
had caught the former Hitokiri on the shoulder... unfortunately the 
boy's sword unceremoniously dropped as the youth fell on his knees 
from the force of the sakabattou's blow.

     Yahiko chuckled. "Heh. I guess I couldn't measure up."

     "Hm. But it was a good blow. Can you stand?"

     "Yeah, I guess so." Yahiko said as he politely refused Kenshin's 
hand while trying to get up on his own.

     Kenshin and Kaoru briefly exchanged glances. Then, beyond all of 
Yahiko's expectations, he suddenly saw the sakabatou held out for him.

     "Yahiko. This is a gift for your coming of age. Take it!" Kenshin
said, a half-melancholic smile on his face as he held out his present
for the Tokyo Samurai descendant.

     "Wha... Wait! Wait a minute! I can't take that! First of all, I 
lost!" Yahiko sputtered.

     "I wasn't concerned with who won or lost," Kenshin clarified. "I 
only wanted to see if your whole soul was behind your attack. When I 
saw that it was, I made up my mind. Take it."

     Kenshin held out the sakabattou again... and this time Yahiko 
accepted it. <It's heavy,> the teenager thought to himself in wonderment.

     Again, it seemed that Kenshin was reading Yahiko's mind. "You may 
find it heavy and hard to use at first, but you'll learn to wield it 
with your own strength. And someday you'll surpass me with it."

     Yahiko nodded, smiling. "Right!"
     
     As he raced out the gates, memories began illuminating his 
consciousness as he went by them like lanterns in a midnight passage of 
a New Year's festival... all culminating into one memory which spurred 
him into making something out of himself... the memory that made him
into a man.

     It was the memory of him running after Kenshin and Sanosuke but
somehow never catching up... but this time, as his lungs burned with 
a passion that flared into his very soul... he finally caught up with 
them.

     This time, in his mind's eye, he was now running alongside them...
keeping up with them as together they went toward their unknown 
destinations.

     Curiously, in Yahiko's vision, as soon as he had already caught 
up with the two fighters, he then suddenly went off another direction 
when the first fork in the road appeared... treading his own path, at 
last.... 




***    




Next:  Yahiko's long goodbyes.

Thanks to where it's due: I have copied, pasted and modified
entire paragraphs from Maigo-chan's Rurouni Kenshin Translations 
(http://www.maigo-chan.org), so here's a load of thanks to her
from me... also, a note of dedication goes to MadamHydra for
inspiring me to make this fic... her own "That Which Lingers"
is somewhat an influence in this endeavor of mine. 

Disclaimer: All characters used in this fanfic (save some others) 
are the rightful property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and Sony. 
Don't sue me please, I'm very poor.

Ja ne!
C. Casta�eda


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