Written:
22 November 2005
Released: 22 November 2005, rev. 0
Category: Drama.
Summary: Kenshin's father Hideiki contemplates his
bitterness and gratitude towards Hiko. Fifth in
the Adoption sequence.
Disclaimer: The characters and story of Rurouni
Kenshin are the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shonen
Jump, et
al. Used without
permission. This work is for entertainment only, and no
profit is intended. The original character Himura Hideiki
is my own creation.
Sorrow's Rewards
You think inheriting insanity from your kids is tough? Hell
of a lot better than catching sorrow from them, let me tell
you.
And don't hand me that moan-and-groan routine about
suffering through raising the kid. Your heart's about as
hard as mochi, Hiko-san, and don't think I'm going
to buy that façade of put-upon arrogance. Anybody who knows
anything about Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu knows that the essence
of the school is compassion. How the hell else do you spend
your life in defense of others, and ultimately give your
life so the school can go on? And yes, I do know: it's not
my school, but swords are my business and my passion. Well,
they were, when I still drew breath.
I'll grant you're clever about disguising that compassion
behind your bloody ‘justified arrogance’ but don't try to
sell a bill of goods to a Shanghai merchant. It'll get you
hot and sweaty with nary a bit of profit to show for your
effort.
Oh, inheriting sorrow from the offspring? That's what
happens when your sword-and-brush hand gets crushed by a
tumbling oxcart. Right then and there you've put paid to
the bodyguarding jobs, the freelance troop training, most
of the teaching work, and all of the scribe work. Within
three months, your family is making do on rice and weak
tea, or rice and rice hull tea, and whether or not they'll
even have that on any given day is very much a question.
Yes, I like growing things, but January is not a good month
to set out a garden, so I couldn't even grow a few greens
for them. The situation is not improved as you watch your
6-year-old son's eyes seem to grow huge in an ever-more
gaunt face. What makes it worse is watching as your
too-tiny wife quietly and resolutely sacrifices her own
rations, her strength, and ultimately her health so your
son can eat and live, if not thrive. Do that, knowing that
you have no way to provide better for either of them.
You'll pray to every kami you can name for the
solace of catching insanity from your child.
Ah, dammit, that's what bothers me most, you know. You've
done a bloody good job of raising him, even if he is far
too much like his mother to know it. You've given him no
pity nor occasion to use his losses as an excuse to be a
lesser man. You gave him a new name, and made him look
forward to what he could become, not back to what he could
not have. You've brought my little one out of the shadows
of his nightmares into the light of shelter and love
(please don't bother with the bill of goods about “training
the deshi”. Like I said, I'm not buying—you love the kid).
And you've nurtured his stubbornness, and kindness, and
innocence, and brought up a fine young man.
It kills me, and it blesses me.
Oh hell, I just want to sit down and share a jug of sake
with you. And maybe whack you on the back of your head and
suggest that you consider what having him has done for
you.
And I want to quietly plead that you let him know that,
because I can never hold him, or tell him how proud he's
made me, or tease him about his literal-mindedness (by
Bishamonten's beard, he is his mother's son). Nor
will I ever tease him about his first crush, or be there
when he needs an ally, or teach him to roast game birds
over a fire.
Hiko, cherish your rewards that stem from my sorrows.
And know that you have my thanks, no matter how wrapped in
bitterness they may seem.
Owari
===========================
Author's note:
I have taken very mild liberties with manga
canon in this fic. In Volume 20, Kenshin tells Tomoe that
he was “born into poverty”. I've altered circumstances a
bit so that the Himura's fall into poverty when Kenshin is
about 6.
As for how this story came aboutâ Kenshin and his family are
pretty mouthy, let me tell you. After I read Volume 20 of
the manga, Himura Hideiki, Kenshin's father, made it known
that he had a few words for Hiko. Although Hideiki seems to
have lived most of his life as a mischievous, adventurous
swordsman, he let me know that he felt what he considered
to be his failure to provide for his family very deeply,
and was simultaneously grateful to, and jealous of, Hiko
for taking in Shinta. He was not impressed by Hiko's
grouching in Adoption II, either. So, he dictated Adoption
V.
Glossary
Bishamonten Japanese god of war and warriors. Also
commands two classes of spriitual beings and demons, the
Yasha (Yaksa) and the Rasetsu (Raksha).
Kami Spirit-being, god, avatar
Mochi Confections made from pounded, sweetened rice
flour.