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Preys	By : kamorgana Category: Rurouni Kenshin > General Views: 5569 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 24
- 25
- 26
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply. I don�t own Rurouni Kenshin. The characters belong to Watsuki, but the plots, ideas, OCs and text are *mine*.
Preys
Chapter 25: On the path of war

�He�s waiting for you,� Sayo stammered as Tokio entered her former office at 8 sharp on Monday morning.
�Thank you.�
She noticed with satisfaction the apprehensive light in her ex-secretary�s eyes. Good. She had never had problems with her before. Sayo was sweet and did her job correctly, yet Tokio had always suspected that the girl was slightly afraid of her. Her attempts at lying to her thus meant that she had felt encouraged into that direction, and Tokio�s hunch was confirmed as soon as she entered Akira�s office.
He didn�t stand up to greet her, and had an expression that she could only describe as pompously vexed. Arching a brow, she sat on the chair in front of his desk, without waiting for an invitation.
�I hope that you had a nice week-end. I heard that you went golfing?� she began, conversation-like.
�What are you trying to do, Tokio? Isn�t your section in enough trouble for you to be threatening people around?�
Ohoho. He had actually a patronizing tone. Very bad strategy, Kiyosato-san. She wasn�t in the mood to be lectured, less by a former subordinate who owed her the position that he was in. People were getting a bit too comfortable around her lately, and this had to change.
�I came to get an authorization to see Yukishiro. I won�t take much of your time, you just have to fill the form and sign it,� she smiled.
�I can�t believe it. You have gall. You aren�t directing this office anymore, you probably aren�t going to direct your section for very long either, yet you come here, expecting me to follow blindly your orders? We always had a friendly professional relation, but if you keep on being disrespectful, it won�t last.�
�Who said that I wouldn�t be in charge of the section very long?�
How interesting. Akira�s attitude was now crystal clear to her.
�Everybody knows that Yukishiro being the Slayer, you and the section are going down.�
�Do you have reliable sources?�
�Don�t play this game with me, Tokio. We aren�t in court. And you aren�t on the case anymore. What you ask is irrelevant.�
She raised a brow. �For your information, Enishi is innocent, and we�re still on the case. You shouldn�t listen to everything that Hijikata says. He has a tendency to assume too much. Kondo expressed clearly that the VCS was still on, before his hospitalization. I know what Hijikata and Takeda are trying to do. With your help. Don�t deny it, Akira. Did you really expect me to buy your lies about this weekend? You�ve been interrogating Yukishiro, haven�t you?�
�You�re blind. They�re right: you lost perspective. Tokio, maybe you weren�t good for this job, and too emotional��
�Enough,� she cut dryly. �You aren�t entitled to judge me.�
�You neither. I helped you the best I could with Hatsume, and it would be another bad point for the VCS if it got known; so change your tone, will you?�
She stared at him for a second. She had considered the possibility that he brought this to pressure her, but she didn�t think that he would. She knew, of course, that part of his intervention with Hatsume had relied on the fact that he had been flattered when she asked for his help. Akira was doing a good job at the Criminal Affairs, though not as good as hers. He had always been in her shadow. They had entered the bureau almost at the same time, yet her early promotion due to the Slayer case had put him under her authority immediately. He didn�t resent it particularly, but Tokio knew that he was waiting for his chance to get rid of that weight. Moreover, he owed his promotion to his long presence at the bureau rather than to a unanimous approval. Akira was a very good lawyer, but he was very easily influenced. She had no doubt that Hijikata, who was a first class manipulator, had had no problems making him see things his way. Akira probably hoped that helping Hijikata and Takeda to nail Enishi would do for his career what nailing Seta had done for hers. Unfortunately for him, he had just boarded the wrong boat.
If she was quite mad at him for his attitude of the weekend, she had hoped nevertheless that their confrontation would stay limited to a few sour words, as it happened a lot between lawyers when there was a divergence of interests, and that it wouldn�t have durable consequences. She liked him, and regretted that he lowered the battle to this
�I have respect for people who deserve it, and it isn�t conspiring behind my back, or threatening me, that you�re going to earn it. Your memory shouldn�t be so selective, and you should remember that I covered your mistakes too. Do you need me to remind you of them? Don�t push me to bring back old troubles. And as for Hatsume, I�m sure that Saitoh will be delighted to discuss that case with you. Hopefully, he won�t take it too much as a personal attack,� she added, sarcastically.
Seeing him losing some of his composure and his haughtiness, she didn�t bother to hide a knowing, slightly scornful smile. When he said that everybody was afraid of Saitoh, he was included.
�Yukishiro is guilty, Tokio. There is too much circumstantial evidence against him. I can�t help you,� he finally said, retrieving a friendlier attitude.
�He shouldn�t have been arrested on the nothings that they have and less put in isolation. You know that. Whether Enishi is guilty or not, Okubo will sue the bureau for this. And if he�s innocent, your attitude is going to damage your career, because you�ll be made responsible for it. Do you think that Hijikata and Takeda will help you, if things turn wrong? Maybe you�ve just been overlooking this aspect of the situation. I�m not here as your enemy�yet. Maybe you should reconsider the whole thing.�
She was giving a last try to persuasion, as she had felt his determination shifting. She was ready to destroy him if necessary, though she�d rather not.
�If he�s guilty, I can�t stand for him.�
�I don�t ask you to. I just want to have a conversation with him. I ask you to be fair. You said that you didn�t want to see a good cop being in trouble for doing his job. Will you accept that another good cop could be sacrificed on the altar of internal lobbying? You know what Takeda�s motives are.�
�Hijikata is sure that he�s guilty.�
�I don�t doubt it. But he sees things in the way that pleases him. Kondo left the VCS on the case to avoid an early and inappropriate scandal; that should give you a first clue on the support that you have. He also thinks that their investigation is biased, and this is the second reason why he let us follow our own. He stands in the middle. I don�t think that imitating him would be a drawback for you.�
He placed his head on his hands, his elbows resting on the desk. He always did when he gave a serious thought to a problem.
�I can�t do much��
It was already an acceptance, and whereas she concealed her relief she let her tone soften. �You can sign this order, and nobody has to know it. I�ll pay attention not to give it to the administration, they know me and won�t pay attention�you�ll be out of this. I just want to hear his version of the facts in order to inform his lawyer, until he�s allowed to see him.�
�I�ll try to get Okubo in, more officially. Yamagata won�t be very pleased if the bureau is sued, or the trial cancelled. You�re right: I should pay attention to every eventuality. I still think that he�s guilty, though. He�s crazy. You should have seen him getting mad��
�I did when they arrested him. He can overreact but never without reasons: it means nothing to me. As for his innocence, we�ll prove it.�
She stood up and gave him a genuine smile. �You won�t regret your gesture. You probably just saved your career.�
***
Tokio had gone by foot from the police headquarters to the tribunal where the DA bureau was located, but as she got out Saitoh was waiting for her in a car parked in front of the entrance. He was sending ironic glances to the young cop in charge of keeping the vehicles off, who looked like he wanted to tell Saitoh to go, but didn�t dare. Saitoh and his definition of fun.
Shaking her head, she got into the car.
�I�ve got it.�
It was useless: his presence meant that he didn�t doubt one second that she would. But it felt good to say it, too. She didn�t have too many occasions to pat herself on the shoulder, lately. She handed him the paper, so that he could see what detention facility Enishi had been taken to. Saitoh started the engine. He had the same idea as she had: going to meet Enishi before the enemy could take measures against them.
�How is preppy boy doing?� he asked, a sadistic smile lingering on his lips.
�He�s been sensible. Persuasion was enough.�
�Really.�
�You sound disappointed.�
�I don�t like him.�
�Is there anybody you like?�
He gave her a sideways glance. �Good point.�
Realizing that her words could have another meaning than the one she intended, she went on, with a disabused grin. �If it can make you feel better, I used you to threaten him, with definite success.�
�So he had the guts to use Hatsume.�
�Yep. I told him that he could discuss the issue directly with you.�
Another creepy smirk twisted Saitoh�s lips. �Not too much guts, though�I guess he won�t,� he added, somewhat regretfully.
�Oh, not a chance.�
�So you�ve been hiding behind me?� he teased after a moment of silence, overplaying on unnerving male arrogance.
�All this was your fault to start with. I thought that I could use you to get out of a mess you put us into. Oh, sorry, you�d rather hear me calling you my knight in shining armor?�
He was obviously entertained at the thought. �I�ll content myself with guarding your body��
She smiled. She liked bantering with him, now that there wasn�t all this hostility between them anymore. She sent a quick look in the rearview mirror, to see Hyotokko and Shikijo�s car following. Saitoh noticed her gesture.
�They can follow us. They�ll just have to stay out of the facility. I�ll go with you, to make sure that Kiyosato isn�t tricking us and spying on you and Yukishiro.�
�I don�t think he�ll have the time to change his mind, but��
��Better be cautious,� he finished.
***
Tokio had difficulties overcoming her nervousness, waiting for Enishi in the dark interrogation room of the prison. It smelled of old sweat, the bars allowing very little daylight to come through the narrow window just below the ceiling, and the little room was glooming in a weird greenish light. It was the oldest prison of the city, and actually the first time that Tokio went to this one. She preferred not to imagine the state of the cells, the corridors being already infested by repugnant odors. Her anger at Hijikata and Takeda flared, as well as her anguish concerning Enishi�s state. She gave a look to the tainted mirror, knowing that Saitoh had made sure that there was no one, and no recording devices behind. She had asked him to wait outside and to ensure that she and Enishi wouldn�t be interrupted. She didn�t want him to hear, either, and he had been quite reluctant on that part.
The door opened and Enishi got in. She took a glimpse at Saitoh closing the door, noticing with gratitude that he was holding handcuffs which were probably around Enishi�s wrists a moment earlier. She reported her attention on the young man and paled.
�Tokio-san��
He was looking so miserable. His eyes had lost their brightness, the creases under his eyes were almost black, and he had bruises on his wrists and one on top of his temple.
�Did they beat you up?� she asked, not managing to hide her outrage.
�No�it�s me. I�m sorry��
He didn�t tell more, just sat down in the iron chair, but with what Akira had said, she could guess that he was going half-crazy in his dirty cell, with nobody to rely on. There was something approaching shame in his eyes, he was surely blaming himself for his fits of despair. Guilt sent an acidic flush rolling in her stomach.
�I�m so sorry to visit you so late. Things are complicated outside, Hijikata and Takeda were on our back, and��
�I guess so. Don�t apologize. I knew you were going to do something, it�s just�I was so angry and��
His voice lowered with self-loathing.
�Don�t be too harsh on you. I know how destabilizing this method is. You didn�t talk to them. I know it. You should be proud of this, after the shock you received most people would have caved in.�
He lifted his head again, retrieving some confidence. �But I knew you were supporting me. I shouldn�t have.�
She smiled, soothingly
�For now on, be 100% sure of it. And it�s not only me. Everybody is with you. Misao is out of the hospital, she�s feeling better, and she�s working for you, too. She sends you a hug. Sano and Tsunan tell you not to give up. Even Saitoh is on your side. We�re all behind you. Your lawyer should be allowed to see you soon.�
He nodded, waiting for the bad news. He was down, yet not enough not to know there were.
�But I don�t know when, and we need your version for directing our investigation. I�m not sure that we have much time, so I�m going to get to the point. Can you explain it to me? Is that blade yours? Or did somebody put it at your place?�
He stared into her eyes, in silence. �Enishi�trust me, please.�
�It�s so idiotic,� he began eventually, the light in his eyes showing that he had made the decision. �I bought it in an antique place, a time I had sneaked in Japan, undercover�9 years ago. It�s so difficult to explain�I saw it, this Japanese sword, this exact thing that had killed Tomoe. I never got to see Seta�s from that near. I felt�compelled to buy it. It was no coincidence, if my gaze fell upon it. I needed to understand how a mere object had suppressed all of her; not only her body, not something material, but her soul, her smile, her presence�everything. Like you can�t help to tease a hurting tooth with your tongue, I couldn�t help to buy it, to examine it�Her death is still so unreal to me, in a way�I still don�t get it��
�Is that why you kept the articles?�
He just nodded, his gaze looking far away, back in the past.
�Why did you hide them?�
�I had nobody�whom I wanted to talk about this with. They all told me to look forward, to forget about her, to forget how it hurt. But sometimes, I didn�t want to forget. I welcomed the pain; I even needed it because it�s the last thing, the last real thing, still linking me to her. All the rest is memories, and I don�t want memories, I want her here, and now, I want her to be still a part of my life�if I have to be hurt, I don�t care�I just don�t want her to go completely.�
He rubbed his hands on his face, and as he looked at Tokio again, the trembling intonations had vanished. His tone turned childish, cynical, which let her know how afraid he was of her answer as he asked: �Do you also think that I�m a psycho, now?�
Tokio�s throat was constricted with emotion. She had never experienced personally the loss of a close person, except for Okita, and she never needed him the way she knew Enishi had needed his sister. Nevertheless, she could feel his endless pain, present in his every word, as he shared it with her.
�No.�
His eyes widened at her single, softly but firmly whispered word. No long explanations, no finding him excuses or rationalization. Just a little word, full of conviction. Just what he had hoped; what he had needed.
Trying to overcome her emotion, too big for the heavy, disturbing atmosphere of this little nasty room, she went on: �So you told no one?�
�No. You see, when I came back I started over again with Kaoru, and�well, she wouldn�t have understood. She thought I should forget about Tomoe completely and she didn�t like it when I talked about her. I believed I could, I put the sword and the articles in a box, in the bottom of a cupboard. We settled together, afterwards, in her apartment, and I left the sword at my place��
The apartment he had inherited after Tomoe�s death, she remembered it. She had recommended a lawyer to Enishi during the instruction of the case, so he could be emancipated, inherit Tomoe�s and their parents� heirloom, and wouldn�t have to be sent to an institution until his majority.
��and when we broke up definitely, I just settled back. One year an half ago, before the Ikeda case.�
�Did you take the sword out of the box since then?�
�Not until this case.�
That was bad. Fresh prints and no dust: that would delay again the overruling of the blade as a piece of evidence.
�Where did you buy it?�
�In Kyoto. But the shop closed two years after I bought the sword. It was near my contact�s place, there,� he added, as an explanation. �My case is bad, isn�t it?�
�It could be worse. If it�s an antique, it can explain the blood residues on it. Takani-sensei works on the identification of the samples, it should be easy to dismiss once she proves it. Nevertheless, there�s something else that I need you to explain. It�s about the night when Misao ��
She saw him close. �Listen, they will try to built a case on it. �If it isn�t this blade, he surely has others�, I can already hear Takeda. They can use your schedule, and your miss�I didn�t ask you yet why you lost your mind to that point. I can�t come out with a good explanation since I refuse to think of you as mentally ill, that is to say. I need to know�trust me,� she repeated.
He bowed his head. �I never told anyone��
She waited, patiently, not trying to push him. He finally spoke again, his tone even lower, as he went farther in his memories. Tokio could feel their weight; they were becoming real, as depressive and heavy as the room�s gloomy light.
�That day, she was late. Tomoe. But she was never, never late. Precise as a clock. It was my fault, I think. When I was little, I used to panic when she wasn�t on time to get me at school��
Afraid to lose the only family he had left, Tokio thought. The terrible irony that he lost her anyway struck her again.
��And she kept the habit. It was her day of training, so she left the office at the end of the afternoon and went to swim for a couple of hours at that club. The pool was Olympic size, that�s why she went so far. Then, she always bought Vietnamese food, from this little restaurant nearby, and we ate it together. Sometimes, she allowed me to have a bit of her beer. For a toast, when I had particularly good results�and not too much disciplinary problems. I came home 5 min late, I was expecting her to be there, but the apartment was empty and dark. I knew that she had a problem. She would have left a message otherwise�I search around our home, asking the neighbors, the shopkeepers, everybody. I searched everywhere, and finally I went at the club. The desk people said they saw her leaving and I found her car still parked, and I looked for her again and again, I don�t know for how long, with the idea that she was sick or had an accident and that I had to find her and help her�that she needed me��
Tokio winced as his voice broke. She got a grip on herself. He needed support and orientation, not compassion.
�And I saw a police patrol car. I ran so fast that I remember how my lungs hurt, scorching and burning�then I saw her��
She knew the rest from the police report. The officers had to stop him from going to his sister. He had received such a shock that he had been hospitalized several days for a nervous breakdown.
He breathed deeply and to her surprise, looked into her eyes again. �And I felt the same when Misao disappeared. I didn�t expect this, I didn�t know what to do�I started to run everywhere to find her, but at one point, I didn�t remember if it was Tomoe or Misao, if I was in the past or in the present�I lost it, completely, and I�m unable to say how long I searched, it seemed so short and endless at the same time��
�Kitaoka and Sagara�s reports mention you saying that she disappeared �a few minutes ago��
He shook his head. �Yeah, I thought so. Maybe I couldn�t believe that something happened to her, but I was sure that it had been only a few minutes in reality. That�s probably why I could convince them to look for her with me�How stupid. And I put you in trouble, and Misao was hurt�all that because I lost track of time.�
He looked so sorry and vulnerable. She was aware that he didn�t intend to say that much, to show that side of him and his pain. She searched for the right words, to comfort him without sounding like she pitied him.
�Misao is fine now, and I�m not in trouble. Thank you for your trust, Enishi. Now, we have something to destroy their arguments about last week�s events. We can get the hospital report on your stay�just in case,� she stressed, as he was making denying signs of the head. �I will give the information to Okubo, the facts, not the personal things that you entrusted me with. You know I won�t do that.�
�Yes, I know�You�re the only one I trust.�
They stayed silent several long minutes, silence broken by a curt knock on the door.
�We should go now. Don�t talk to them,� Saitoh added for Enishi.
Tokio went to the door, refraining her impulse to hug the young man and her heart clenching at the idea to leave him there with all these painful memories.
�I�ll be fine,� said flatly Enishi, who had noticed her emotion. He seemed more confident than earlier.
She didn�t trust her voice and just resorted to a smile.
***
Back in the car, Saitoh glanced at Tokio. She was silent and obviously upset. He was unnerved. She was way too caring with Yukishiro, and Shinomori was right: if the brat saw her as a motherly figure, in place of his lost sister, she was accepting to fulfill the role. Of course, he had listened to their conversation. Yukishiro had a more or less good explanation for his behavior, but he could have used more restraint.
Giving a hard tug on the wheel, he changed direction.
�This isn�t the office�s��
�We�re stopping on the way,� he interrupted. �It�s lunch time, and you can�t show up to work in that pitiful state anyway.�
She turned to him, a sudden burst of anger hardening her features and tainting her voice with metallic intonations.
�Excuse me?�
�At least you didn�t lose your backbone. I don�t know what Yukishiro told you,� he lied, �but obviously you have to figure it out. If the others see you like this, they�ll imagine the worst and I will have to endure their emotional yo-yos for the rest of the day.�
He was looking at the road, yet felt her gaze on him and her anger decreasing.
�Yes, you�re right��
He was *always* right, and one day that stubborn woman would figure it out.
�Where are we?� she asked the next second, as he parked the car in a little side alley.
�In a place where you can have lunch. It�s called a restaurant.�
�Thanks, I�ll make a note,� she answered, half-dryly, half-bemusedly. �Soba?�
�The best of the city.�
She didn�t turn her nose on the poor aspect of the restaurant. It was known that the dirtier the place looked, the better the noodles were, and his favorite place wasn�t an exception to that rule, but after her choice of hotel he had more or less expected some negative reaction.
�If you�re on a diet, forget it, because that�s not the place for it��he warned, seeing her brows furrowing while she was reading the menu, after they settled at the unique small table, snuggled in front of the window of the shop.
She lifted her gaze to meet his. The serious expression had vanished to leave place to a teasing one. �Did I look like I was on a diet, yesterday?�
He shrugged, with a wicked smirk. �I assumed that you needed some special energy, after all our�activities.�
She laughed frankly. �I�m eating on a regular basis. And I love soba. Do you have one to recommend? There are so many on this menu.�
�Kakesoba are the best.�
�I�ll go for it, then.� She looked around, not surprised that no customer was eating at the counter, as it was still a little early for lunch. But there was no owner in sight.
�Obasan!� Saitoh called.
A skinny little woman came from the door at the other side of the shop. She had a scowl on her face, more wrinkles than a shirt before ironing, and a cigarette dangling from her lips.
�Two kakesoba.�
�Haiii,� she uttered, as if she was exasperated, leaving the room again at the speed of an asthmatic turtle.
�A relative?� Tokio remarked, ironically.
�If she had accepted to marry me.�
She laughed again, but quickly returned to her mute state, while they were waiting for the dishes. She was smoking, watching thoughtfully over the window.
�Is the news that bad?� he asked, after having fought his growing annoyance the best he could.
�Oh�no, sorry. Yukishiro came out with a good explanation for the blade, it�s an antique and I have no doubt that the residues will clear him. And his miss�I will ask Aoshi, but I think that it�s a kind of post-traumatic disorder, his reasons make sense. It�s just��
The old woman came back, with a tray and two bowls of noodles. They stopped the conversation to savor the taste, as good food demanded.
�Delicious, really,� she sighed, reaching for her lighter. He had finished before her and was already having his digestive cigarette.
�It�s just?� he answered, getting back to her previous words.
She gave him a thoughtful, saddened look, which was disturbing to him. He usually could guess her next move quite well, but her words were most unexpected.
�Saitoh, if I quit, will you accept to lead the team?�
He cleared his throat not to cough moronically on the smoke that was half choking him. Then he felt a burning anger mixed with some kind of disappointment. She didn�t deserve the credit he had granted her. She couldn�t bear the pressure, was too emotional, she wasn�t the strong woman he had thought. He couldn�t stand quitters.
�No,� he retorted, curtly.
�Why are you angry?�
�I�m not angry. If you want to give up on the team, find somebody else to fix your mistakes.�
She seemed puzzled. �It�s because I don�t want to let the team down, that I ask you.�
�Oh, yeah? How�s that?�
�They can still build a case against Enishi. They will. And he will need a good lawyer.�
�Okubo is a good lawyer.�
Beginning to see her point didn�t calm Saitoh down. She wanted to quit for Yukishiro, and that infuriated him. She chose the brat over her duty. Over him.
�But Enishi won�t trust him. I realized it today. I�m the only one he trusts, hence the only one who can defend him efficiently. And if the case ends up in trial, I�m thinking about quitting to represent him. The section will be shut in that case, anyway�except if you accept to lead it. Your reputation will��
�You don�t want to quit now?�
Her eyes widened in surprise, and she was blatantly outraged as she answered: �When we�re in the middle of an investigation, with all these problems????�
Relief seized him. He had misunderstood her again. She didn�t want to stop fighting. She was thinking sensibly, not about her, but about the team�though she still had it all wrong.
�My answer will still be no. And you shouldn�t be so self-righteous. This case isn�t going to end up with the brat�s trial, because I�ll find and arrest the Slayers. Trust�your team, a little more,� he scolded sternly.
After her face went blank, she shook her head and sighed. �You�re right.�
�That makes twice,� he smirked, and added mentally again, I�m always right.
�Yes. You can be wrong, too, so don�t let you ego inflate too much,� she grinned, �because I�ll also get this to your attention.�
He stood up to pay, when she startled him with a soft: �Thank you.�
�For what?� he snapped.
�For the lunch,� she smiled, trying to sound nonchalant.
He hoped that he managed to keep appearances better than she did, but considering the light in her eyes, he doubted strongly about it.
He was in deep, deep trouble.

To be continued�

Well, well, well, our lovebirds are less and less able to deny, are they? Never had a boyfriend who tested you by taking you to his favorite place? Of course, it is unconscious with Saitoh (^-^). I couldn�t see these two going out on a regular date anyway (^-^).

Akira: I must say that I have a dislike for neat, preppy boys *waves a �Bad boys for ever� banner*. For the few times that Akira appears in the manga, this is my vision of him (I have a very low tolerance for crying guys, too. Yes, even when they die, blame it on Saitoh and his stoicism (^0^))�but he�s more full of himself, and easily manipulated, than a petty guy (^-^). I tried not to be too severe here.

Sayo: mmmmm�.I strongly dislike her (euphemism). The anime gave birth to so many Mary-Sues (ex: coming back of Yutaro�no comment). But I tried not to be too severe, either.

Thanks as always to my beta-readers, Firuze, L.Sith and Mary-Ann (^-^).

Next chapter: On the path of war again�.and of love (yes, that�s cheesy, my apologies. No WAFF). And Aoshi is engaged in a �chess game� with Soujiro.
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