===== 08/07/02 === 11:20:56 p.m. ===== Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin doesn't belong to me; it belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki. However, all original characters are mine, so no taking without asking. Author's Notes: So sorry to all for the long gap in between posts. I don't mean to be so slow but I do want to post quality stuff and also there were ff.net's problems to consider. But at any rate, here is the chapter. To dementedchris, thank you for not just reading but for bothering to mention any errors when you see them. Although, I did write in that sentence(the one with Misao)as a reference to what happened in the manga. I'm sure Kenshin overheard what she said and so I stuck it in there. But if I do make any mistakes in the future, do let me know! And minna-san, thanks for reading and for all your kind comments! ^_^ They make my day. Chapter Three: Winds of Change Meiji 18, Year 1885 (26 months later) The first time Enishi had returned to Tokyo in the year 1878, he had reckoned that it would be for the very last time. Back then, he had been the one to initiate what had turned out to be a most explosive series of events, with Battousai Himura as the unwitting participant. Back then, he had been the one to taunt Battousai, saying that he had an answer for him. How utterly ironic. Seven years down the road and the positions had switched. Now he was the one who was venturing back into risky unknown territory, with Battousai pulling the strings, dangling the promise of a much sought answer as the carrot to lure him back to a past from which he had fled. Picking up his bags, he departed from the train station, ignoring the curious eyes that flitted over him. The past year had taken its toll, with the many sleepless nights and brooding daylight hours he had endured before finally deciding that this was something he could not afford to turn away from. But in spite of the faint shadows beneath his eyes and the weight he had lost, Enishi still cut an unusually striking figure with his white hair, light blue eyes and Chinese clothes. The arrogance, manic glee and rage that had once been so much a part of his nature was replaced instead by a quietly withdrawn manner that would have rendered him almost unrecognisable to those who knew him. But every now and then, when his patience wore thin or when he expressed the slightest displeasure, something dark would surface and reveal him for the dangerous person that he was. Saitou had been right to say that Yukishiro Enishi had lost the desire and thus, the ability to kill. But a tiger would always be a tiger, whether asleep or awake. He didn't waste time, quickly checking himself into an inn while keeping a sharp lookout for Battousai's friends. The chances of running into either Sagara Sanosuke or Myoujin Yahiko were quite large and he did not want any scenes with them. Such would make things very inconvenient for both Battousai and himself because it would inevitably reach Kaoru's ears. Not that he minded seeing her; for months the thought lingered persistently in the back of his mind and had teased him over the years as well. But he couldn't say the same for her, Enishi thought wistfully as he unpacked. She probably felt otherwise and it was understandable. Besides, he didn't want her to think that he was intruding into her life. There had been no resentment between them when they had parted, only.... 'Only what?' Only a lot of feelings that were better left unanalysed and unspoken. "Especially at a time like this," he reminded himself harshly. Scribbling a short note to Battousai, he found a member of the inn staff who was willing to take it to the Kamiya Dojo for a fat tip. Having issued explicit instructions that it was to be handed over only to Himura Kenshin, Enishi returned to his room to wait. At the very latest Battousai would arrive by nightfall. After pacing the length of his room for a while, he lay down on the futon and closed his eyes, restless excitement and anxiety winding him into a tight bundle of nerves. Battousai's enigmatic words washed over him again and again. No definite answer but some help; that was what he had promised him. "And so here I am," he muttered. Once more the irony of the situation hit him and he smiled bitterly. After all, when he had set his life on a collision course with Kenshin's, Enishi had calculated that the chances of his failing were zero. Who would have thought that things could have turned out the way they had? ........................... "Keep practicing!" Yahiko waved his bokken sternly at the twenty students. "Fifty more swings and then we can start on defensive stances. I'm coming!" he shouted as he hurried down the steps towards the gates. The knocking was getting louder by the minute. "Cheh, talk about impatience," Yahiko muttered. He was halfway there when two miniature whirlwinds shot out from apparently nowhere and latched onto his legs, bowling him over. As Yahiko collapsed face first onto the ground, his first thought was of how thoroughly humiliating this was. The twenty students back in the dojo hall couldn't touch one hair on his head even if all of them tried together. To be brought down by two children who had been obviously lying in wait for him ... 'Humiliating doesn't even begin to describe it,' he groaned silently, spitting out sand and dust. "Yahiko-nii!" They chorused sweetly and he swallowed a scream of horror. Kenji and Keishi were not only awake, but apparently in the mood to play as well. Worse, Kaoru still wasn't back yet and this time he didn't have Tsubame to help him. Glaring down at two pairs of huge limpid eyes, one amethyst, the other sapphire, Yahiko huffed and dragged himself up, waddling the rest of the short distance while both siblings clung to his limbs with the tenacity of barnacles to a ship's hull. "What did I ever do to deserve you both?" he complained as they giggled unrepentantly. Pushing open the gate, he was surprised to see a man waiting there with a letter in his hand. Kaoru had not told him she was expecting any messages. "Yes?" Yahiko looked curiously at the man who stared right back at him. Realising what an unusual sight he presented, a teenaged boy with a wooden sword in his hand and two small messy children attached to his legs, Yahiko cleared his throat and raised a questioning eyebrow. "You're here because...?" "Oh yes. I have a message to pass to Himura Kenshin. Is he in?" Three blank faces stared at him. And then before Yahiko could stop her, Keishi dropped her hold on him and flew at the hapless man in a rage. "Go away!" she screamed, pummelling him with her fists while Kenji tried to pull her away. "You're a mean person!" And then just as suddenly as she had exploded, she whirled around and pushing Kenji aside, ran off with a loud sob. Kenji looked helplessly at Yahiko before chasing after his sister, calling in vain for her to wait. Hurriedly, Yahiko gave a deep bow. "I'm so sorry for what happ-" "Goodness, that child is mad!" the man shouted, impervious to the proffered apology as he dusted himself off angrily. "She shouldn't be allowed in public." He glared accusingly at Yahiko, making it clear that he held him responsible for Keishi's outburst. Suppressing the thought of introducing his bokken to the ungracious man's head, Yahiko reined in his temper and replied curtly, "You should watch what you say, especially when you know nothing at all." Such a person didn't deserve any explanation, he thought. Wanting to be finished with the man so that he could go comfort Keishi, Yahiko held out his hand for the note. "Kenshin is not in at the moment so I'll take it on his behalf." "That won't do I'm afraid," the man refused, even resorting to tucking the note into his sleeve as though he suspected that Yahiko would grab for it. "I've been instructed to place this note into Himura Kenshin's hands alone. Ooi! What are you doing?" he sputtered when Yahiko started to close the gate. "I already told you I would take the note. However, since you insist, go back and tell whoever sent it that Kenshin does not live here anymore. And unless this is some matter that concerns his family," Yahiko eyed the messenger coldly, "which I doubt it does, don't bother sending any more notes." Before the man could protest, he closed the gate firmly and bolted it. Over the past year he had been through this countless times: find the crying child, comfort it, tell it that everything would be alright someday. Yahiko knew that those words were true; that they weren't random lies meant to soothe a grieving heart. But 'someday' certainly wasn't there on the horizon for him. And the wounds in his own heart were perhaps even deeper than those of Kenji's and Keishi's. Time would take its toll on their memories and sorrows; he would have to wait many more years and even so, he would never be able to forget, not the way they would. In the end, he found Keishi huddled beneath a tree in the forest, Kenji sitting beside her, their hands entwined. The little girl had stopped crying but silver stains glistened on her cheeks and she bit her lip as Yahiko effortlessly scooped both of them up. "Gomen, Yahiko-nii," she whispered, burying her face against his neck. "It's only that..." Her hands clenched, pulling tightly on his gi as she fought to control her tears. On the other hand, Kenji was as still and silent as marble, calm as the sea on a windless day. Once the boy had been as boisterous and unruly as his sister. But with Kenshin gone, Kenji had developed almost too quickly, had grown up into a solemn pillar of comfort for his mother to lean on. It was fiery Keishi whose eruptions and mood swings occupied Kaoru's attention, sometimes to the extent of unconsciously leaving her quieter child out in the cold. There wasn't much he could do, but Yahiko was determined to be there for them as much as he could. 'Thank God for Tsubame,' he sighed with relief at the thought of his fiancée. She was sweet, lovely and more often than not, Yahiko fancied himself as her knight in shining armour. But there were times when she would hold him to her and the world, no matter how wild and strange, would slow down enough for him to make sense of it. They protected each other in different ways. 'Just like how Kaoru and you protected each other, Kenshin. Sometimes...sometimes I feel so inept, so inadequate. I swore to myself that one day I would surpass you, that I would be able to fill in the space you left behind when you gave me your sakabatou. But this is a whole different matter. I can never take care of Kaoru and the children the way you would have. This isn't a role that I can fill. And I miss you. I miss you so much.' The sweet smell of blossoms came on the cool wind, white and pink petals swirled on the ground, still fresh even in death, fresh as the memory of the man who had entered his life and changed it forever. It was now April. March had marked the first full year of Kenshin's passing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments: Alright, I hope that didn't go over too badly for you, the reader. I didn't mean to give any bomb-dropping horror of "WHAT? She killed Kenshin!!" but I was aiming more for a slow gradual, gentler realisation even before the chapter ends and I hoped that worked. (I tell ya, I scrapped like four other drafts before settling on this version.) Seriously, no offence to Kenshin fans. In fact, I think this is probably the greatest tribute I could pay to their love. I have kept to the manga ending and after much consideration, I truly feel that nothing, aside from death, can pull Kenshin and Kaoru apart. She has loved him for the longest time and in the end, he revealed his own love and not even Enishi can come between that while Kenshin is alive. Although Kaoru cares deeply for Enishi and love is highly possible between them, she loved Kenshin first and anyway, circumstances didn't allow for more development between Enishi and her. (Can you imagine them eloping from the island? *fox ears* Ohohoho!) If anyone is wondering over the lack of angst, it's because 1)I don't want to fall into the angst trap. 2)You can imagine just exactly how much wailing and tears there would be without me going into it. 3) I don't think I'm up to it. I wanted to include a respectable period of mourning for all the Kenshin-gumi, esp. Kaoru. But there are hints of sadness and there will be more later. But bear in mind that Kaoru must go on for her children. But later, there will be flashback scenes to show what exactly happened between Kaoru and Kenshin. I can't wait to write those. ^_^ In a nutshell, I hope that you guys will keep reading this unless you really disagree with me, in which case, I would like emails telling me why. (I'm a sucker for perspectives and theories, but no Lina Inverse Fireball type flames pls!)