Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ —¤: Boy meets dad :¤— ❯ Are we there yet? ( Chapter 17 )

It is with a heavy heart that I need to inform you that I do not own Kenshin.

 

 

 

- CHAPTER 17 -

 

“Are we there yet?”

 

Three days of pure torture. “No.”

 

They walked a whole quarter of a mile before he asked again.

 

“Are we there yet?”

 

“No, not yet.” Can't he think of anything else aside from asking me that same question over and over again?

 

Several more steps and… “Are we there yet?”

 

Kami-sama, is this your way of punishing me for all the lives that I have taken? “Iie, we'll reach Otsu by the end of the day, that we will.”

 

Kenji hummed a catchy ditty as they traveled the path from Edo to Otsu. Otsu was located on the main island of Honshu. It was situated on beautiful Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake. It was less than a half day's travel from Kyoto, so it took the father and son at least three days to reach it from Edo since they avoided traveling by the known paths to Kyoto from Edo this time.

 

“Are we there yet?”

 

What do I have to do to have some peace and quiet around here? “Not yet.”

 

Two pairs of sandals softly echoed on the land that they were walking on. They had the forest to themselves and the sun was high up in the sky. “Are we there yet?”

 

“No, Kenji-chan.” The Battoussai sighed and continued walking. Ever since they left the city of Edo and neared Kyoto once more, all he heard from the other redhead were those words. If the young bodyguard didn't cease his `are we there yet' questions, Kenshin Himura was going to be known as plain old “Batty” instead of “Battoussai”. Kenji-chan was driving him up the wall with…

 

“Are we there yet?”

 

Our young hitokiri grit his teeth together, a tick was starting to develop on the right side of his cheek. “Just a bit further, Kenji-chan.” He kept thinking that all he needed was several minutes of peace and quiet. Ever since they left Edo, he couldn't even hear himself think anymore.

 

Kenji didn't seem aware that he was starting to get on Kenshin's nerves. He interpreted Kenshin's silence as something else. He watched Kenshin walk from the corner of his eye, noting that the hitokiri's topknot seemed a little stiffer than normal and his hands were, as always, tucked inside his gi.

 

“I keep forgetting that Tokyo is still called Edo in this time,” He told his father as he continued to try and cheer the young hitokiri up. Kenshin maintained that far-away look on his face, seeming like he was thinking of a long-lost puppy that died saving a little boy from a burning building.

 

Ever since they left Tokyo, the Battoussai had retreated back to his quiet self. He looked extremely heartbroken, appearing as if he left his heart in Tokyo…

 

“And did you notice? That Kyoto is like Tokyo, only spelled differently?”

 

The Battoussai merely shrugged and continued walking.

 

If Kenshin is back to shrugging quietly then it must be bad.

 

They continued walking silently for several more minutes until they reached a small town. Although it was small compared to bigger cities like Kyoto and Tokyo, there were still lots of people up and about, and those people paid the striking duo a lot of attention as they walked through the streets. Who could blame them?

 

People from towns as small as this were bound to notice if strangers visited, so it was no wonder that children paused in the middle of their play, women halted from their gossip. It was all normal except for those lecherous looks they were getting from the drunks outside of a seedy-looking tavern that were quite disgusting in Kenji's opinion. It took all he had to remind himself that his sword was used to protect, not kill.

 

Kenji was grumbling morosely under his breath about cursed red hair and striking good looks while Kenshin was on full-alert mode. There were no purple specs in his amber eyes as he surveyed their surroundings with a critical eye, looking for any hostile threats.

 

Kenshin was the one who knew the location of this said cabin in the so-and-so location. Kenji couldn't care less about the directions, he just wanted to get there before sunset. His feet were killing him and his stomach rumbled. I'm hungry. When we get to the cabin… “Hey Kenshin, you think we should stop by the market first and buy some food to cook? The idea of starving in some secluded cabin doesn't sit well with me.”

 

The Battoussai was the one entrusted with their finances, so he was in charge of carrying the money. Kenji had absolutely nothing on him, save for what little belongings he had and of course, his `piece of scrap of a sword'.

 

“Good idea Kenji-chan.” The Battoussai said and stopped to ask for directions to the market from an old lady who looked too blind to gape at them like the other townsfolk. The old lady pointed them to the right direction, and an hour later, they finally reached their new home with a basket full of food each.

 

The cabin sat atop a hill, surrounded by a nice piece of land that looked fertile enough for farming. It didn't look big, but it certainly looked roomy enough to accommodate the father and son duo.

 

Kenji stopped just at the foot of the hill and took in a deep breath of fresh air. In his hands he carried a basket full of white radish, some carrots, several roots, sweet potatoes and even a large piece of tofu. He was looking forward eating some fried ones tonight.

 

“Ah. Home sweet home.” He looked at his father out of the corner of his eye again. Kenshin's attitude was starting to irritate him. The Battoussai barely said anything, just nodded and shrugged when needed, and it was as if he wasn't really paying attention to what Kenji was telling him. All his efforts to cheer his father up were going to waste.

 

“So how do you like our new home for the moment, Kenshin?” The Battoussai shrugged. The man wasn't even listening to him. “You think we should celebrate tonight and drink some saké?”

 

The Battoussai merely grunted in response.

 

“So how long are we supposed to wait here and how do we know when it's safe to go back?”

 

The Battoussai shrugged again.

 

Kenji's eyes narrowed on his father's face. “I was thinking that maybe we can have some of that fish for dinner.” Shrug. “Some tofu would be nice too.” Shrug. “I was thinking earlier if we can even catch our own fish.” Shrug. “Probably not since I'm a pretty lousy fisherman.” Shrug. “And then after we have dinner, I was thinking of signing up for the Shinsengumi. Think they'll look away from my Ishin past and accept me in their ranks? Maybe I can get promoted to captain if I work hard enough. Who knows? If I get past the front door, maybe…”

 

“I get your point Kenji-chan.” The Battoussai replied, the corners of his mouth contorting in amusement. “Gomen for not paying much attention during the trip. I was… preoccupied.”

 

Kenji wanted to tease the hitokiri about a little girl in Tokyo but tucked that knowledge away for future use and grinned evilly.

 

They walked up to the little cottage and opened the door. The house had a kitchen, a small bedroom and lots of empty spaces that could serve for storage or entertaining guests, Kenji surmised.

 

It was quaint.

 

It was going to be home for who knows how long.

 

It would have to do.

 

They set their baskets on the earthen floor of the cabin, each of them surveying the small hut with a critical eye. The hill provided them the advantage of seeing whoever approached their abode ahead of time, despite the forest surrounding them. They were not going to be easily attacked. Both of them could sense ki, even if Kenji still felt carefree enough not to be on the same paranoid plane as Kenshin was, so that was an advantage to them as well.

 

While Kenji poked and prodded a sack of rice in the far corner of the cabin, the Battoussai was busy scouting the area. So far, he's managed to find at least five weaknesses in the cabin's defenses, which deepened his frown. He didn't expect some sort of unpenetrable fortress, but he could at least try to make it into one if he was going to rest easy with his son's safety.

 

“Sweet! A whole sack of rice and another one full of potatoes.” Kenji cried out suddenly. “Too bad we bought our own potatoes earlier. We could've gone for more tofu instead or saké.”

 

The Battoussai was eyeing the hut's windows carefully. They were located not far from the door, and there was another one near the makeshift sink. The small house was going to provide them enough shelter, even throughout the winter, even if it wasn't that big. It certainly looked sturdy enough. The main thing that concerned him was the threat of fire.

 

“… and that's the gist of it. What do you think, Kenshin?”

 

Huh? What did I miss? He turned his purple eyes on Kenji's expectant ones, a look of total cluelessness in them. The older redhead's eyes narrowed into slits. “You weren't listening to me again, were you?” Kenji accused.

 

The Battoussai tried to tamper down the flush that was creeping up his face. “I was merely assessing the security of the cabin, that I was. I apologize, Kenji-chan.”

 

“We're not going to be attacked by the Shinsengumi in these parts,” Kenji scoffed.

 

Kenshin's black brow raised a good inch into his forehead. “Do you know that for a fact because of knowledge from the future or are you just speculating?”

 

“Relax, Mr. Paranoid. No one's concocting assassination attempts in the shadows for us as we speak. Why can't you just loosen up for one minute and not worry about hidden motives or secret plots against you? You've been tense ever since I met you.”

 

The Battoussai dryly smiled. “Being paranoid comes with the job description of being a hitokiri. It couldn't be helped.”

 

Kenji huffed. “No one's out to get us here in the boonies.”

 

“But it doesn't hurt to be prepared.”

 

“Constant vigilance!” Kenji exclaimed, brandishing his sakabatou in the air threateningly. “Sleep with one eye closed and the other open, is that it?”

 

“Something along those lines.”

 

“No wonder you have those unsightly bags under your eyes.”

 

“What was that?”

 

“Nothing.” He sniggered. “So what are we having for dinner tonight? I'm famished!”

 

……

 

They were like chameleons. Able to adapt to any surrounding or environment that they involved themselves in. Fitting into the small town wasn't very hard. Living in seclusion helped a lot, but they only went to town to stock up on their food supply.

 

So far so good. They haven't gotten into a single sword fight since they settled in. They almost did one day, when perverted drunks in the street mistook Kenshin for a girl and started hitting on him. Kenji was surprised that Kenshin didn't strike the men down where they were standing, but he guessed that restraint came with being a hitokiri in the shadows. One didn't blend well with the crowd and pass up as a normal bystander if one hacked the crowd to pieces with one's god-like speed and swordskill that looked like it came from the heavens.

 

Kenji was itching for a fight, but Kenshin had quickly diffused the situation by calmly pointing out to the drunks that he was a man and not a lady. He then calmly walked away with a dejected Kenji in tow.

 

Things were so terribly boring for the young bodyguard. Sure they trained to keep in shape and not get rusty with their training. They were still going back to war after all this afterall, but there was no action in their lives. All they did was train, cook, do laundry, train and talk… well, okay, it was Kenshin who mostly did the laundry and cook, but it was still boring.

 

Kenshin caught the long sigh that Kenji had let out. “Is there something wrong, Kenji-chan?” He asked his son as they sat outside their humble abode. He could feel restlessness within his son's ki. The older samurai seemed to be troubled as of late. The Battoussai didn't know if it was because Kenji was missing his own time or if it was because he was feeling restless in their isolation.

 

The fifteenth Hiten Mitsurugi Master sighed again before he replied. “If we don't get some action soon, I'm going to die of boredom.” He sighed again, dramatically this time.

 

“Action?”

 

“Excitement, activity, or at least someone else to talk to!” He looked at Kenshin apologetically. “No offense Kenshin, but there's only so much we can talk about, and my one-sided conversations are taking their toll on me.” He sighed again. “I need something to do.”

 

“You can help me with the laundry if you want.”

 

Kenji snorted. “Shyeah right. No offense Kenshin, but I've never been a fan of doing laundry unlike you.”

 

The Battoussai frowned. “The land seems fertile enough for farming.” He had a calculating look on his face. “Before shishou saved me from those bandits and before I was picked up by the slave traders, my family was into farming. My father was a good farmer.”

 

“Cool. So we can grow our own vegetables here?”

 

“If that is what you wish.”

 

“Nice!”

 

The Battoussai smiled. “We can purchase some seeds for the crops in town tomorrow if you want.” Tomorrow, he was going to teach his son how to plant crops.

 

Kenji was excited. He thought that he might have found a new way to pass time afterall.

……

 

Meanwhile, back in Kyoto, an Ishin Shishi named Katagai sees Iizuka in the crowd.

 

“Hey Iizuka!” He called out, but the other man didn't notice him. I wonder what he's doing here. Wasn't he supposed to see Himura-san and Kamiya-san and spend the night at their hideout today? What's he doing here in Kyoto when he's supposed to be with the Battoussai?

 

Iizuka was acting like a lizard, bobbing his head left and right, almost as if he was searching for predators. He was acting very suspicious for Katagai's taste. Katagai discreetly follows him at a distance, determined to find out what his fellow Ishin was up to.

 

The man he was trailing made his way to an abandoned-looking building, head darting left and right again suspiciously before he slithered right in.

 

Curiosity now way beyond piqued, Katagai quietly makes his way to one of the windows and gasps at the sight.

 

Several lamps lit the room, several men gathered around in a circle in a meeting. Iizuka walked right into the meeting all chummy with the people present. They were the Yaminobu, a group of Tokugawa ninjas!

 

Katagai flattened himself along the building's walls in an effort to hide his presence. So Iizuka was the spy! That bastard! Wait til I tell Katsura-san! The good thing was, in his mind, that now that they knew who the spy was, the Battoussai could come back to Kyoto and resume his work. The Ishin Shishi were going to rise to full power again. The thought cheered him up considerably. Determined to inform his leader of his comrade's treachery, he crouched lower to the ground, wanting to distance himself from the conniving group as soon as possible and reporting back to his fellow Ishin Shishi warriors.

 

He never made it.

 

Iizuka jumped as the door to their location was opened and a bloody body was thrown carelessly inside. His eyes widened. Wasn't that…

 

“You were followed, Iizuka. You're getting sloppy. I had to dispose of him quick before he can make a run for it. I suggest you be more careful next time if you value your life.”

 

Iizuka nodded and swallowed nervously, sweating profusely in the process. All he wanted were several pieces of gold. Gold that would give him the chance to start a new life in another country, away from Japan, away from the chaos and bloodshed. He certainly didn't want to end up like Katagai over there… dead. He swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat.

 

“As… as I was saying, my friends…” He continued sweating some more, silently praying to Kami-sama for his safety. “The Battoussai is now in Otsu, with someone who looks exactly like him. I… I don't know what the Battoussai's weakness is yet, but if I were to take a guess, I would say that it would have to be the Kamiya boy. They are close friends. If something were to happen to Kamiya, I'm sure the Battoussai would take it badly.”

 

Speculations about what exactly this Kamiya boy meant to the Battoussai rang throughout the secret rendezvous.

 

“I believe they are good friends.” Iizuka said thoughtfully. He too was puzzled by the seemingly strange duo. “But I must warn you - the Kamiya boy is skilled with a sword as well. He managed to take on an entire squad of the Shinsengumi plus their leader. He is not to be taken lightly.”

 

“So how do you suggest we get to this weakness in order to bring down the Battoussai, traitor?”

 

Iizuka flinched from the ninja leader's words. He knew he was a traitor, but the guy didn't have to call him “traitor” to address him each time. He had a name and a fine one at that. “I… well, I don't know yet. I shall observe them when I visit again next time and report my findings back to you.”

 

……