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"Indeed. She's made good time, then. I hope that she hasn't been pushed too hard," Tokio murmured.
"No. She's been getting sufficient rest and food. As you predicted, Kinslayer wants her in good physical condition when she arrives."
"And her mental state?"
Risako shrugged. "She cries in her sleep a lot."
"Oh dear."
"But the protective wards you put on Kamiya are working fine. Kinslayer hasn't been able to tamper directly with her mind."
"That's good. I'd prefer to resolve this situation with a minimum of mental and emotional trauma for everyone involved."
The younger woman uttered a dainty snort. "Then you have your work cut out for you. The skeins of time are rapidly being rewoven into a new design."
"I know. All this trouble from a cursed demon sword and an old woman's meddling. And the Council?"
"They said to do as you see fit. The matter of Kinslayer needs to be handled, once and for all."
"Excellent." Tokio glanced at the young woman and said, "I was somewhat surprised to see you here."
With a casual shrug, Risako said, "When I heard you were arriving in Kyoto, I decided to drop in to take a look at Father and the boy."
"He's twenty-eight years old... hardly a boy now. Is this the first time you've really seen him since he was born?"
"Yes."
Tokio was silent for a moment, then she said a bit sadly, "I regret that you gave up your chance to raise him and watch him grow up."
In a faint tone of irritation, Risako said, "I'm a Nightwitch. What would I have done with a male child, anyway?"
"Was it the fact that he was a boy... or the fact that he resembled his father so very much, even as a newborn baby?"
Risako sighed and shook her head ruefully. "I see that there's no point trying to hide anything from you, Mother."
Tokio smiled but said nothing as she watched her daughter, born from an union with one of her husband's previous mortal incarnations.
Risako murmured, "You're right. He had his father's hair and his eyes, even as a baby.... I couldn't bear to look at him, so I chose the path of vengeance instead of motherhood."
"You could have left him with me, instead of abandoning him with a peasant family."
Her daughter snapped, "There was no time. My husband's murderers would have escaped." She added indifferently, "It seemed to have turned out well enough. The peasants were poor, but kind. They had no children of their own."
"You chose well. They cherished him for the few years they had him. Did you know they called him Shinta?"
Tokio's daughter smiled wistfully. "Shinta. How appropriate. The smell of shinta blossoms always reminds me of my first meeting with his father."
"Did Seijuro notify you...?"
Risako made a faint sound of annoyance. "Yes, Hiko sent me a message about picking up the boy."
"Seijuro's encounter with Shinta wasn't a total accident. Blood tends to call to blood, my dear, especially in times of need." "That's true enough. Anyway, the child was in good hands, so I saw no reason to interfere."
Tokio chuckled. "I believe this is the first time I've heard you say anything complimentary about Seijuro."
"Don't you dare tell Hiko that I said anything of the sort, Mother. He's insufferably arrogant as it is. And changing the boy's name to Kenshin... where does Hiko get these ridiculously romantic ideas of his?"
"The name suits him very well."
"I suppose." There was a brief pause, then Risako said softly, "Kenshin looks so much like his father now."
"Yes. Along with the red hair and violet eyes, he possesses his father's sweet and gentle temperament. But he also has many of your traits, daughter. Through you, Kenshin's inherited his grandfather's golden eyes, his ruthlessness, and his gift for killing." Tokio glanced at her daughter's eyes and noted their true amber color, no longer obscured by a minor illusion.
Far from being offended by her mother's words, Risako seemed almost pleased. "Who hasn't heard of the infamous Hitokiri Battousai? And how is Father, by the way?"
"Except for the current situation with Kinslayer, his current incarnation's doing quite well." Tokio sighed. "At this moment, Asuko's probably teasing Hajime about the lack of children."
"And when am I going to have another brother or sister, Mother?"
"Hm? Oh, soon enough. I'm thinking about twins, a boy and a girl."
As they paused to gaze at a small pond glimmering in the moonlight, Risako quietly said, "Do you think your plan will work? It's not without its risks, especially for Father. It could even be fatal."
Tokio's lips thinned briefly, giving her face a look of cold, dangerous beauty. "I am very aware of that possibility, daughter. Rest assured that I'm keeping a very close eye on Hajime. Unfortunately, the awakening of Kinslayer has forced our hand. There's no going back now. The demon must be destroyed or it will destroy your father, my mate. It's that simple."
"And we can't destroy the demon ourselves, Mother?"
"No. Otherwise, I would have done it myself long ago. The demon's destruction requires a man with both the power and the desire to do so. It is the nature of this particular beast that no woman, not even a Nightwitch, can destroy it. Hiko has the necessary power, but he doesn't have the desire or the burning need to do it. Kenshin has the desire. I can only hope that he also has the power. My task is to give Kenshin the opportunity by luring the demon out into the open."
They finally reached the house. As her daughter turned to leave her, Tokio said gently, "Are you going to remain in Kyoto?"
Risako hesitated, then nodded. "It's taken me years to get over his father's death, but I would like an opportunity to know my son a little better. I was never a mother to him, but if I can do something to help him...."
Tokio cocked her head inquisitively. "Are you ever going to tell him the truth?"
"....I don't know. After all this time, it seems rather pointless."
"Well, I'll leave that up to you, my dear."
"Mother?"
Tokio turned back at the oddly hesitant tone in her daughter's voice. "Yes?"
"What would... my husband think of our child?"
Tokio smiled contentedly. "Oh, I think he'd be very proud of the man Himura Kenshin has become."
The boy thought, (Well, if this is the sort of relatives Tokio got, it's no wonder she's got no problems dealing with Saitoh!)
Tokio's aunt Yuki had remained silent throughout the conversation, still smiling and patiently sipping tea. Now she leaned forward and whispered something into Asuko's ear.
To their surprise, the older woman abruptly turned to Misao and said curtly, "Do you love him?" pointed her bony finger at Aoshi.
A bit startled by the woman's bluntness, the ninja girl gaped, then replied in a resolute voice, "I do."
Her steely gaze turned to Kenshin. "I don't need to ask how you feel about this Kaoru girl."
Before Kenshin could respond, Asuko said, "Then pay close attention to what I say, girl, and you too, Battousai. Because of its demonic creation, Kinslayer's sole function is to kill and destroy, much more so than ordinary swords. And once when a weapon like that has tasted a person's blood, it never forgets and it thirsts for more of the same. Its hunger will never be satisfied until its victims are dead. More importantly, from what you've told me, that weapon undoubtedly gains power over the wounds it inflicts. Those injuries will never truly heal as long as the blade exists."
The blood slowly drained from both Misao's and Kenshin's faces.
Asuko glanced sharply at Misao. "Best sharpen your claws, little kitten, because if you or Himura fail to destroy Kinslayer, your precious Shinomori Aoshi and Kamiya Kaoru will most certainly die a most slow and agonizing death."