I wonder what his suprise was at finally seeing his apprentice again, only to finish his learning to defeat his own successor.

brittney

I adored the atmosphere and concept of this one. The pace and style were intriguing, and the characterisation was great. I rather like the concept that Hiko was not able to completely let go of his baka deshi, and that he felt such conflicting and strong emotions about the boy's life and possible fate.

Nice. This was REALLY good.

~Lily-Hith-Silme

got to feel bad for them both, they go through so much. i think you express that perfectly!

WOW. There are not words. Hiko was perfect... Emotions were...perfect... Beautiful story.

This was VERY good! I really appreciated the emotion you put into the story. This is such a poignant moment in Hiko's life, and you did an excellent job of expressing his feelings. Thank you for posting it1

Ahh, you just have this wonderful way of writing that never fails to blow me away. To express so much emotion in a few sentences! Hiko's pain and regret here are very real, you convey it so well. I had to grin at the part where he thought about slicing and dicing Katsura-typical Hiko _ Bittersweet, but very poignant. Your endings are as effecting as always!

Short but really dramatic. Hiko even thought Kenshin might be dead... Kenshin's memories would really hold him, then. Very nice sequel.:P

So poignant, especially coming on the heels of your just-previous "Adoption" piece. "I thought I put him behind me"-hard to read, hard to bear.

It's interesting that Hiko would lay the bloodstained swords of a hitokiri along side the remnants of a more innocent time. I love how the duality of it all echos what Kenshin has become. I can't help but wonder how Kenshin would react to such sight...

A nice addition to the adoption series. Can't wait for the next one.

Beautifully bittersweet. The contrast between the swords and the rock/hair/feather and what they represent is fascinating. The thought of them both, side-by-side, on Hiko's altar is somehow fitting, given Ken's dual nature.

And I liked your description of Katsura's tact.

Another lovely, bittersweet fic :) You really know how to make me feel like a sappy idiot :P I'm always thrilled to see more of these, and I look forward to seeing more in the future!