Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Echoes of One's Past ❯ Friendship? -Bailed ( Chapter 1 )

Echoes Of One's Past

Author's Notes: None so far aside from... R&R!

Chapter 1

A rat scurried rapidly across the concrete floor, its sharp nails clicking disgustingly over the hard ground. As quickly as it appeared, it disappeared again through the thick wooden bars of the holding cell, carrying with it a piece of meat left forgotten by the occupant of the brig. Its black coat was mangy and matted down with dirt, much like a lot of the prisoners held down beneath the police station as they awaited their trials. The place was a solid stone box cut into sections, the sides made of crude mason work as well while the front were barricaded by wooden bars of half a foot thick. There was barely any room for a man to stick his arm out through the spaces, and the badly cared for prison reeked of urine and other undesirable substances.

It has been a over twenty-four hours since the opium shipment upon the Ragnarok was confiscated. A total of twenty-two people were arrested, all based on charges of smuggling an illegal substance, mainly the opium only, into the country, and several more with the charge of resisting arrest. During the disarray of the arrest, naturally several had gotten away, but those who fled were of so little importance that the police wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over them. All in all, the raid on the illegal drug ring had been a successful one, and this blow to their underground organization should set them back in their business.

All this Sanosuke had learned in the past thirty six hours and found absolutely useless. As he stared up at the crude prison ceiling and attempted to block the bauble of other people's shouts and cries from his mind, he had to wonder how he landed neck deep in this thick mess. It was all that bastard Saitou's fault, of course, for refusing to release him in the first place. Sanosuke had talked his mouth dry trying to explain why he sent five police officers to the local clinic in the first place, and that bastard knew he was telling the truth, yet all he did was smirk with a cigarette between his lips before throwing him into prison alongside with twenty-one other offenders.

At least his cell was cleaner than the others, or from the amount of rats occupying the one across from him, that's what he could make out. He would be thankful for small blessings, if he could convince himself this was a blessing, which he yet has to succeed at. Sighing, Sano heaved himself off the unyielding stone bed to pace instead, in favor for that rather than the inactivity of his limbs. Seven paces across and five paces down, the place was even smaller than the other one he occupied in Kyoto. It was not the first time he stayed in a prison, and not even his longest residence in one either, but despite both those facts, Sano found himself to be the most restless this time around. He halted his step under the a small patch of late morning sunlight that filtered through the narrow window above his bed before turning to walk back towards the shadows.

"What the fuck is this?!" His shout joined the other din of his fellow prisoners. On a sudden outburst from cramped agitation over the situation, the ex-gangster wheeled and punched a crack into the wooden bars that kept him from freedom. If only his right hand was completely healed! Had Megumi not tell him very specifically that he couldn't use that hand, his Futae no Kiwami could have easily shattered the obstructions that barred him, just like his last visitation. Not that it would smooth his path, he would probably result in being a wanted fugitive. Sano's face darkened. He wouldn't put it beyond that bastard to place extra incriminations against him if he escaped.

"Shaddup, rooster head. I dun need your racket," a voice with an accent similar to his own unexpectedly answers.

Sano narrowed his eyes as he tried to lean against the bars and glare down the hall. He could almost swear that voice... Squinting against the dim corridor, the station was too cheap for candles it would seem, he thought he could make out a shock of golden hair. "Hey, broom head, is that you?" Confident of his estimation, the street fighter continued without allowing the other man reply time, "LET ME OUTTA HERE!!!" Finally, here was someone that he knew!

Leisurely taking his time, Sawagejou Chou proceeded down the passageway while ignoring the other begging prisoners. He had to wonder at how the rooster had withstood such racket for the past thirty something odd hours, the clamor was nothing less of maddening. Still, he suppose that was what the troublemaker deserved for getting himself caught. Only the rooster would be as reckless as to get himself into such a mess, never mind that Chou himself nearly wound up the same way when the Battousai brought him in the first time.

The four candles lighting the dank corridor along with the little amount of sunlight seeping through tiny window openings in each cell were enough to reveal the red outfit that marked the presence of the broom head as surely as Sanosuke's white robe outfit marked him. Chou stopped before Sano's cell and Sano could see that sword lover hadn't changed much. The last time they saw one another was still in Kyoto, yet there were some things that would never change. Chou looked the same as he recalled, still dressed in that red jacket with the ruffled shoulder sleeves. Two katanas remained strapped across sword lovers' back. Chou may not be the katanagari of the Juppon Gatana anymore, but he was definitely still a lover of swords. And he still peered at people with only his right eye as his left one remains closed.

"What are you goggling at," the rooster suddenly demanded, the previous shouted request forgotten for the moment. Chou wasn't even aware he had been staring at the other man, but a slow smirk crept its way up his lips once he noticed.

"I recall our roles switching sometime ago," the tall man drawled, taking this chance to tease the prisoner. The first time they met, it had been Chou who was sitting in prison, rotting away until he was given an under the table offer to leave. Life was not fair, stripped of his swords, Chou was much less dangerous than the brunette, yet he had been placed under higher surveillance than him. But he had to agree Sanosuke didn't have the title as one of the Juppon Gatana preceding him. He never thought he would remain in his job for so long, being a private detective and all. As private work went, this allowed more freedom than expected and the chance to use his swords, so Chou didn't find the job too bad, perhaps aside from following the wolf.

As expected, the rooster head allowed himself to be provoked easily by those words. In a flash of movement, he had jumped to the front of his cell and grabbed the bars to pull himself up against the wooden beams as if he could squeeze out between the gaps. The bars shook under the berserk man's strong grip, and Chou had no doubt that Sanosuke would rather have that beam be him instead. "Let me out! You fucking know I'm innocent!!!"

Chou winces as small pieces of timber splintered from beneath the fighter's fingers. "Hey, rooster brain, calm down." When Sanosuke stopped but didn't remove his malevolent glare, he shrugged his shoulders and explained. "You're getting out. The Battousai came around and cleared your name." Stepping back to lean against a wall break between the cells, Chou crossed his arms over his chest then peered at the fighter with his right eye. Sanosuke was really one of a kind, and he reminded the blond of himself, but only slightly. "Man, it's good to know people from high places." For him, knowing Saitou wasn't enough. If he was thrown in jail, he could bet his swords that the previous captain of the Shinsengumi wouldn't waste a breath to get him out of prison. And anyone thinking that it's fortunate to know that man needs to have his head examined.

Those words got their desired effect and Sano released his death hold on the innocent wood. Kenshin, good ol' Kenshin. Of course he could rely on the rurouni to get him out, especially considering he was blameless in the first place. He was lead to believe those were tea leaves he guarded! If he knew the true contents of the condemned crates, he would have kicked those smuggling asses himself. The fact that five officers were out of commission, more than one with their ribs cracked and one with his nose broken was totally besides the point. Only Saitou would still hold a guiltless, law abiding person here. Sano couldn't believe he had been worried about that asshole! That didn't matter though. He was going free, and the first thing he'll do once he gets out is hunt down the bastard and finish their fight. He has reasons to doubly kick Saitou's butt now.

Several minutes passed between as the moans of the prison filled the absence of any conversation. When Chou still didn't move forward to unlock the door, Sano couldn't wait anymore. "Hey," he started awkwardly, wondering why the man remained where he stood, "aren't you gonna open the door?" He stepped retreated from the bars, assuming that's the only reason the taller man was hanging back. It never occurred to him that there was another man in the hallway, one who stood just out of his field of vision. He would never have thought that it wasn't up to Chou to release him, but it was that man in the hallway who had the permit to do so, the one he wanted to kick right now.

"Sorry, that's not my job. I just came by to say hi since we haven't seen each other for three months and all." For some reason, Sano just couldn't see Chou being sincere in being sorry for not releasing him despite how he tried to sound so. He was momentarily so shocked that the broom just refused releasing him that it left him speechless. "Well, did what I came to do," the man in red continued, pushing away from the stone wall to turn his back on the imprisoned ruffian. Holding up two fingers in a farewell wave, Chou left the slowly cursing Sanosuke behind him.

"Hey! Broom man! Come back here! Damn you, get back here and open the fucking door!!" Sano shouted at the rapidly disappearing back bearing the twin crossed swords. A feeling akin to helplessness passed through him while watching Chou vanishing completely from his view into the shadows, almost like when he witnessed Saitou `die' before his very eyes during the bridge's explosion and crumbled thereafter. That thought brought his anger whirling back, and spinning sharply in his place, he slammed his left arm against the stone wall that separated his cell from the next. He thought he felt the barrier shake beneath his assault, but he couldn't be sure.

The need to escape battled against his desire to avoid trouble. To be truthful, that wasn't very strenuous on his mind. Considering he never cared if he was in trouble the first place, more like he was the source of it, those wrestling thoughts barely endured a second before the former plan became the victor. His fist may not be healed, but if Anji could use his Futae no Kiwami from more than just his left hand, he will not lose to the monk! The desire to sit around just wasn't as appealing as it was earlier, especially after knowing he has clearance to leave. The way Sano saw it, he was leaving just a moment earlier.

Ready to try it with his forearm, Sano pulled his right arm back over his left shoulder to gather the momentum for his swing. "Futae no Ki- "

"Ahou. Don't make a mess of the penitentiary." Saitou chose that moment to step out of the shadows with one gloved hand holding the stick of nicotine to his mouth. He came down with Chou, and while he allowed the loudmouth to explain things to the rooster, he hung back calmly in the shadows to observe the two reacquaint themselves. Actually, he was going to free the vexing rooster from crowing too loudly in the cells below, but Chou wanted to have a chat with another man that survived the Shishio battles, so Saitou allowed them some time together. Even had the street fighter not planned to render the holding cell completely useless, Saitou would have stepped forward anyway. Now was just as good a time as any.

The familiar voice appearing barely stopped Sano in time from turning wooden bars to sawdust. Just outside his cell Saitou stood, tall and arrogant in his all bedeviling glory. "Bastard! Who are you calling ahou!?"

Of course, Saitou didn't respond to those insulting words as much as the rooster did. Saitou never would overreact and embarrass himself such, he was too controlled for a lethargic thing such as that. Simply lowering his hand, his cigarette along with it, he blew a soft gray trail of smoke through pursed lips. "You, of course, ahou ga. Don't make me arrest you again for breaking down the prison."

Sano's response was quickly bitten off when he saw, to his joy, Saitou placing the cigarette between his lips and at the same time reaching down to produce a ring full of keys. He couldn't care less about the man's cigarette, the bastard could die from smoke suffocation before Sano would blink twice. He'd probably kick him twice just to make sure he was truly a stiff too. But those keys! His attitude doing a 180 degrees acrobatic turn, Sano practically pressed himself up against the bars trying to reach for the keys. "Open it! Open the door! Come'n! Get the damned thing open so I can fight you!"

Much too slow for Sano's impatience, he watched as Saitou strolled over to the locked door. Each step took forever, and the street fighter knew the man was purposefully taking so long with each step just to torment him. A lifetime passes with each footfall, and Sano counted a whole century before Saitou was even halfway to the lock. After eternity seemed to have rolled by with the waves of time, the smirking bastard was finally standing before Sano's cell door. The fighter watched as the metal key encased itself into the case it was made to enter, and with wretched, squeaky slowness, it turned to return Sano's freedom.

From the interior, Sano took the chance of the unlocked doorway to swiftly bombarded the structure open with his foot and cursed at his bad luck; the outward motion of the door missed the uniformed officer by inches. That didn't delay Sano's cocky strut forward though, nor did it deter him from attempting to gift a certain man's cheek with his flying fist. Naturally, his fist missed its target when Saitou held up an arm to block the punch with the back of his forearm. The second punch resulted in a similar block. "Fight me! We have to finish the fight!" Neither his third nor fourth punch landed where they were supposed to.

"I don't have time for this." Blocking the fifth rapid punch that succeeded the fourth with his right arm, Saitou grabbed the sheath of his katana with his left. He was the only one on the police force, that he knew of, that was allowed the special permission to continue carrying a katana. All other sword totting officers carry only the favored western sabers of the new era and none as strong and deadly as the blade by Saitou's waist, which he refrained from drawing. He only wanted to deal with the troublesome rooster, not kill the idiot. So using only the weapon while in its sheathed, Saitou pushed it forward from his waist such that the hilt jerked ahead to suddenly jab Sano in the gut. The move unanticipated by Sanosuke, who has yet to learn his defenses, caught the rooster unaware while in his own forward momentum for the sixth punch. Both forward forces meeting at the point of Saitou's sword hilt jabbing into the soft kidney area was adequate to make the blow stunning enough to weaken the rooster to a manageable stage.

"Damn you," Sano muttered as he felt staggered by the blow. Pain exploded from his bruised kidney to send vibrating echoes down his limbs, nearly paralyzing him. He could still move, but it wasn't enough to pull another punch on Saitou. Damn that bastard, he knew exactly what he did to Sano too.

Walking calmly up to the idiot, Saitou reached out and grabbed the front of Sano's belt and placed his other hand on the shoulder. Before Sanosuke could even ask this time, the wolf suddenly hefted and over his shoulder Sano went, jouncing hard on shoulder bone to further bruise something. "Put me down, teme!" Ignoring the clucking from the rooster, Saitou easily carried him out of the underground cells this way, seemingly oblivious to the man who was trying to wriggle free as a silk worm would of its cocoon. His grip on the troublemaker's waist was strong, and despite all the slippery wriggling, there was nothing the idiot could do to dislodge his grip.

"Oroooo...." That was about all the comment the red headed rurouni could come up with when he saw Saitou entering the room with a tousled up Sano slung over a shoulder. If the appearance of the supposedly dead police officer surprised him, Kenshin hid it well. Perhaps he never suspected Saitou had truly died in the first place.

Kenshin had been waiting in the police station for the last half hour for Sano's release. That morning, a runner came with a message from Chief Uramura detailing that Sanosuke was in prison. And being the concerned friend, Kenshin headed here instantly to straighten the situation out. He even left without finishing his morning's repast, much to Kaoru's dismay.

Sanosuke's involvement with the local opium ring may have caused him to frown, but just as sure, the rurouni swore on his friend's behalf that was all a great misunderstanding. His faith in Sano's virtue in this aspect was much stronger than in his friend's other habits, and he knew the ex-gangster would rather died than join willingly with those who smuggled opium. Not to mention, the situation with Megumi's forced participation with the production of the drug was proof enough. It had taken forever before Sano had opened up to the lady doctor.

"He's all yours, Battousai," Saitou announced before dumping the still recovering Sanosuke into the rurouni's arms. The abruptly added weight proved to be too much for the small man, and with a flurry of "Ororororo's", both rooster and wanderer fell into a pile on the tiled police station floor. Standing where he was staring down at them, Saitou just smirked. He couldn't believe this man had defeated Shishio though in all accuracy, Shishio had caused his own demise by self combustion. Still, this man, even with his cross scar, doesn't bear any resemblance to the Battousai he once knew.

"Thank you, Saitou," Kenshin said after he and Sano both picked themselves off the ground. Sano had one hand draped over the rurouni's shoulder for support, and the redhead has an arm around the fighter's waist in counterbalance. "I see you are well, de gozaru." The other man's reply was a derisive snort, and Kenshin continued smoothly when no further reply was forthcoming. "We will be going now."

"And don't think our fight is over, ya cheater! Next time, I'll beat you with my Futae no Kiwami! You can damn bet on it!" Sano added as he and Kenshin turned to go. He growled when Saitou did the most annoying thing he could do, he ignored him completely. Turning, the officer just went back towards his office, acting as if he hadn't heard Sano at all. "What do you mean by that! Come back here!!! I'll beat you!!" If Kenshin hadn't been holding onto his waist, and kept his hold securely on his waist, Sano would have leapt out of the rurouni's arms just to chase after that disdainful man.

And whether it was just to get rid of the annoying rooster or to agitate him further, Saitou, without pausing in his steps, replied, "Whatever," before going into his officer and closing the door behind him. Standing behind the closed wooden door, Saitou smirked as the sounds of an enraged rooster getting dragged away by a very persevering rurouni echoed throughout the police station.