Chapter Text
May, 1860
Face set to a grim line, Hiko Seijuro XIII set out from the mountain hut that he shared with his idiot apprentice, a boy he had rescued and renamed Kenshin just over a year ago. Said idiot was nowhere to be seen and it was well past time for him to have returned from his solo training so he could fetch water from the river. Hiko cast out his senses and was met by the frightened ki of his charge.
Hiko sped up his footsteps, but didn't break into a run. The fear wasn't an urgent or life-threatening fear, but more of a dread. Whatever it was could keep till he got there to see what his pupil had gotten himself into now. Hiko came into the clearing and looked around for Kenshin.
"Alright, dummy! I know you're here. There's no use hiding!" called the swordmaster.
"Here I am, Master," he heard a plaintive voice call.
Hiko's eyes traveled up, up, up. Up in the highest branches of a gnarled old maple tree was his stupid student, red hair barely visible among the crimson momiji leaves.
'If he didn't move or speak, he could actually hide up there,' thought Hiko in amusement.
"Kenshin! How the hell did you get up there?!" barked Hiko, feigning annoyance.
"I climbed," was the brilliant answer.
"No shit! I thought you flew up!" roared Hiko. "You know damn well what I mean, dummy!"
"I... I just wanted to see what it was like up here!" called the boy. "I can see our hut!"
'I need a drink...'
"Mmhmm, so you had no problems climbing up, but now you're too scared to come down?" asked Hiko.
Shamefacedly, Kenshin nodded.
"Maybe I should leave you there and get another student who won't pull stupid stunts like this. What do you think?" asked Hiko, glaring stonily up toward Kenshin.
"M-MASTER!" cried Kenshin, blinking back tears.
Would the Master really leave him up there and get another pupil?
"Then again, I have invested a year in training you and it's really a pain to have to break in a new pupil. I'll get you down this time, ONLY if you swear not to climb so high again!" called Hiko, glaring sternly up at his pupil.
"I promise! Thank you, Master!" called Kenshin, choking back a sob of relief.
Hiko nodded, then launched himself into the air, unsheathing his nihontou as he went. It effortlessly sliced the branch in two and Hiko's large right arm plucked Kenshin out of the midair.
'HITEN MITSURUGI RYU - RYU SHO SEN'
Hiko landed with effortless grace and set Kenshin on his feet. The boy stumbled a bit, but managed to stay upright. Hiko snorted in amusement. Kenshin did some boneheaded things at times, but he was certainly the most amusing student Hiko could ask for.
Kenshin looked up at his Master, violet eyes wide with wonder. He'd had no idea a person could jump so high. Could he do that? Knowing what was going through his student's mind, Hiko graced Kenshin with his arrogant smirk.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu - Ryu Sho Sen. Alright, you're up," said Hiko.
"Oro?"
"Don't 'oro' me, just do it!" barked Hiko.
Kenshin crouched down and launched himself into the air, targeting a large lower branch of the tree from which he'd just been rescued. He felt only minimal resistance as the blade sliced through the branch. So caught up was he in the spectacular new move that he failed to concentrate on his landing and landed on his rear.
THUD!
"Ow!"
"You were fine in the air, but completely blew your landing, dummy," said Hiko, taking a swig of sake. "One more time and this time, land on your feet."
"Yes, Master," said Kenshin, immediately crouching.
He leapt into the air again, focusing on a higher tree branch. Again the slight resistance as the wakizashi sliced cleanly through it. This time Kenshin concentrated on coming down and landed gracefully on his feet. Immediately he looked to Hiko for approval, violet eyes glowing with pride in his accomplishment.
"Decent," said Hiko, taking a swig from his ever-present jug of sake.
Kenshin facefaulted a bit. Never a word of praise from the Master. Unhappily, he sheathed his wakizashi and started for the hut to retrieve the buckets to fetch water from the river. As soon as Kenshin's back was turned, Hiko permitted himself a smile. His pupil was catching on quickly.