What Was Lost Is Found
Chapter 4
Darkness to light,
Sunlight to shadows,
an era ends,
a new one emerges.
What was lost is found...
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Sano laughed even harder at his friend's stuttering and shocked assumption. "That was my exact reaction at first too," he admitted to the other man. "But since he's standing right here before you…"
Katsu glanced over at Sano, then looked at Souzou and then Sano again. "But…how?" he finally managed to get out, one lone tear shimmering in the corner of his eye. Souzou caught the gleam before Sano did and swept the younger man up in a hug, much like he had done to Sano.
Hugging his former master back, Katsu inhaled deeply, the familiar, but long-since buried scent once again filling his nose. Souzou had always smelled of the deep forest, clean fresh air, newly turned earth, and a summer's breeze. Scores of memories now came flooding back as he embraced the tall man before him, and he found himself almost being swept away in the tide.
Finally stepping back, Katsu exhaled sharply and shook his head. "I still find it hard to believe," he commented, motioning for them to follow him into his little house. Sano shut the door with a soft swooshing sound and followed his best friend, excitement and elation written all over his face. "I mean, how? We thought you were dead for sure…"
The little group took their seats on the tatami floor in a little circle, while the younger men stared expectantly at their former leader. The man only started after he had settled himself comfortably, a process which took less then a minute, but seemed like an eternity to his young audience. Finally, he looked up and met both their gazes square on. "Well, for a start, my death was obviously faked."
Both Sano and Katsu smiled, their master had always possessed a sense of humor and even in the most desperate of times it never failed him. "Even though the majority of the government was blatantly against us, there still remained a few friends of mine who were loyal to us and our cause. Unfortunately, those friends were not able to stop the slaughter of the rest of the Sekihoutai, but they did manage to make it look as if my execution had been performed, when in truth, I was miles away, hiding out in a city in northern Japan."
He paused here to straighten the headband wrapped around his head, the one that was identical to Sano's. "Anyway, to make a long story short I stayed in hiding for ten years, working on a plan to restore the glory which had been denied us so long ago. The time seemed right about two months ago, so that was when I set out in search of you two." He nodded to his rapt listeners. "And as you can see, I have found you again and am ready and willing to restore the Sekihoutai if only you will help me." A small smile twitched at the corners of his mouth as he gazed once more at his two favorites.
Long before they had been separated, Souzou had known that Sano and Katsu were destined for greatness among the group. Had the Sekihoutai survived, Souzou would have raised them both to positions of power and notability, giving them the positions their skills cried for. It was not just the fact that they had been like sons to him, he had seen the possibilities shining through, and even at such a young age their extraordinary talents had been noticeable.
And now, even more so then before he saw something in them, in their eyes, a shining, glowing sort of life that he had been lacking ever since those days ten years ago. "So, how about it? Are you two ready to take back what they stole from us?"
Sano and Katsu looked at each other, and for a moment their former master saw in them the little kids they had once been; their mischievous smirks and glittering eyes. In unison, they looked back at him and nodded.
A huge smile breaking across his face, Souzou opened his arms to them and the two flung themselves forward into his embrace. An overwhelming sense of happiness flooded the older man's body as he sat there with his newly rebuilt "family". For that was what the Sekihoutai had been to all of them, a family. Many of those in the government group didn't have anyone else, didn't really have a reason to live other then their service in the group. It had been the surrogate family to them all, restoring them and bringing the caring, consideration, and loyalty back into their lives that they had so desperately longed for.
Both Katsu and Sanosuke had been no exceptions. Orphaned before they were old enough to even remember their parents, he had taken them under his wing and cared for them like they were his own sons, and in time they grew to be just that. The rest of the Sekihoutai became their older brothers, uncles, and cousins, giving them the influence and nurturing that their young lives needed. Everyone had looked out for the two little troublemakers and in return they had been received undying faithfulness and a loyalty which knew no bounds.
Tears shining on the edges of his eyes, Souzou pulled back gently and the two younger men sat back and looked at him. "Where do we start?" Sano asked, ever the eager one.
"Calm down Sano, give the master some time to think," Katsu chided him gently, ever the voice of reason.
Souzou laughed aloud as he sat and listened to the two other Sekihoutai members. "Just like old times," he chuckled, realizing nothing had changed, not even in ten years.
Twin sheepish grins covering their faces, the two glanced up at him and backed down.
"And as for where we start…well, we obviously are going to need more members. If I remember correctly, around this area there should be at least fifteen or so people that would be willing to join us. Informants during the Revolution days, they had almost constant contact with us, and I'm sure that they will not object to the idea of the Sekihoutai being raised up once more."
"And there should also be some others," Katsu continued. "The people of Japan were outraged when the government "disbanded" the Sekihoutai and many should be loyal to its rebirth, knowing that it served only the people."
Souzou heaved a great sigh. "But that's where the problem lies, Katsu. True, the people were outraged, they were furious. But not because the Sekihoutai was "disbanded" as you so kindly put it. They were upset because the government had been feeding them false lies about our existence, telling them we were the ones taking their money."
Sano growled, deep in his throat, at these words. He had always hated the dirty Meji Government, and now his chance had finally come to pay them back for what they had done to him and Master Sagara so many years ago. "Don't worry," he said, voice seething with ire. "We'll get enough members to show those dirty bastards where the real power lies."
Katsu grinned wolfishly at his friend. "Finally, our dream is coming true Sano. We can restore power to the people and scour the filthy corruptness from the government." He spat the last word as if it were defiling his mouth just to say it.
"Calm down, you two," Souzou interjected. "We're not going to kill anyone. This is not going to turn into a killing spree, that's not what the Sekihoutai is all about. We're going to help the people just like we used to and expose the government for what it really is."
Meekly, his two "sons" nodded. They knew he was right, they had just let themselves get caught up in the excitement and hope that was now coursing through their slender frames.
"Good, we'll start tomorrow." And the now-restored leader of the Sekihoutai finally reached for the tea sitting in front of him. He took a long drink, mind awhirl with thoughts of the future.
Things were going to change around here, he could feel it in the winds. Something big was going to happen and Souzou would make sure that they were at the center of it.
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And just a few miles away, a certain redheaded samurai also felt the wind as it swirled through his long locks and tickled his nose. Eyes darting around warily, his hands faltered on the washing in front of him. Change was coming, he could sense it, smell it on the wind. And it was going to be something big.
With a worried frown he returned to his scrubbing, guard up and samurai's sense alert. Whatever this was, he would be ready for it, whenever it came.
He just hoped Sano was all right.
