This is very interesting, please write more.

First, I apologize for this review's length. I know you "like them long" and all, but still... It feels a little like I'm trying to hog all the review space. There is just so much to say about this story!

Okay, here goes:

I have to say right off that I’m simply burning with curiosity about just exactly what is finally going to be “said” (and to whom) that is going to clear up this mess!

But one of the things that captures my heart about this fic are the twin background themes of clan and of cause—such powerful, eternal motivators, and you write about them in a way that tells us much about Kenshin’s character and motivations (subjects about which, of course, _I_ can never get enough!).

In this chapter, Ushiro’s straightforward, no-nonsensical courage is almost gut-wrenching in its simple presence: there is no question of wavering, or of thinking of “something else instead”; there is only his wading into and through the obstacles, bulling ahead. He silently berates Kenshin for stubborn self-sacrifice, but maybe it is such an issue for Ushiro because he himself is at least as stubborn and one-way once he sets his mind on “saving” Kenshin. Wounds and weakness be damned—he’s headed out on his mission less than an hour after waking from a 3-day long blackout.

And he is cleverer than he gives himself credit for. He has great insight into the level of understanding the others have of Kenshin, and he knows that humans are never black-and-white in their decisions and actions; I love how he intends to “give them the chance to prove” that they would step up to “save” Kenshin, given the proper circumstances. He also knows better than to try and pull the wool over Katsura’s eyes about what happened.

Ushiro’s inner self-talk charms me so thoroughly that I think I really have a crush on this guy. I love how he berates himself for being unable to get to the point when he first enters Kenshin’s room: I can just hear him simpering to himself about the “lovely moon” and segueing smoothly into the question of which of them is going to get offed!

Your way of showing us Kenshin as this time in his life is so vivid it’s almost hard to take: his “soft flat voice”; the fact that Ushiro always mentally terms him a boy, but treats him as an odd combination of peer, unfathomable superior, and vulnerable charge; his injuries (makes my heart twinge for him); the traces of a sense of humor he still has, and how Ushiro brings that out in him—all these things tell us so much about where he is in his emotional journey. While it’s wonderful to read and experience, it’s just hard to bear.

Equally wonderful and unbearable is the solid believability of the relationship between these two—even though they don’t know each other very well yet, there is a naturalness between them that gives us hope for Kenshin’s (eventual) emotional health while making us dread the long deep valley he has yet to traverse. He responds to Ushiro’s wounds with calm thoughtfulness (“why don’t you sit?”), and to Ushiro’s floundering with gentle, polite promptings (“now what did you need?”); he responds to Ushiro’s attempts to steer his decisions about how to handle the situation with an open, easy ear, but with a Teflon-like rejection, no heated arguing or return attempts at persuasion—it’s as if he were talking with a child who simply needed a firm but gentle guide (and I simply _adore_ how this infuriates Ushiro!). And it is a pure delight to see that amusedly quirked eyebrow and faint twitch of his lips—how nice to feel, if only for a moment, him having enough connection with someone to “gently laugh at” them.

So very like the Kenshin we come to know in Tokyo. Ushiro’s “Someday…” speaks volumes.

Their little chessgame of who is and isn’t going to lie, and to whom, charms the socks right off me! It makes me smile every time I read of Kenshin’s “every intention of lying” to Ushiro, and of Ushiro’s clever, mature response: “God, you’re an ass.” In the context of the legend of the demon assassin, this conversation is almost loony!

I guess just about my favorite phrase in the whole chapter, however, is this: “accepting his death as a samurai would.” What gets me about that is, of course, the (as you say, Katsura-like) coolness, and the fact that, fabulous swordsman though he was, Kenshin, of all people, would never have aspired, nor (likely) have accepted an appointment, to the station of “samurai”; he knew perfectly well that in slightly earlier times he wouldn’t even have had the luxury of claiming a family name, much less laying claim to a position in the samurai class. And yet he is probably the best example of what it meant to actually _be_ a samurai that most people he would run across would ever encounter: the life of unquestioning, unswerving service to one’s lord, the selflessness of almost inhumanly rigorous discipline in order to be prepared for absolutely any eventuality.

And I like how this quality in him reveals not only his own innate character, but, probably, also how much he revered and, yes, even loved Katsura; how he clung to Katsura as a replacement for the loss of Hiko, as father figure, as mentor, as guide to how to be. It puts me in mind of young boys who, having lost all that and having found someone they admire, will practically morph themselves into the persona of the one on whom they now depend for both spiritual and mortal life. “I just refuse to pretend that things aren’t what they are.” Sounds simple, ne?

Finally, you are the master at the stunning turn of events: the interruption of their conversation by the arrival of “they”, underlined by the really frightening chance in Kenshin’s demeanor, is really chilling.

And It Is A Cliff-Hanger! You rat.

(A few of my favorite things: the mountain of books stacked in the corner, reminding me of that emotionally pivotal scene with Tomoe in the OVA; Ushiro’s little moment of childishness (and especially the fact that it improves his mood!) as he passes the traitor’s room.)

I spat on his door. It was childish, but it made me feel better. I wasn’t exactly known for my maturity anyway.
Loved it! Ushiro is such a sympathetic character. He can be pretty childish (taking a sharp blade away from a trained swordsman? In your dreams Ushiro!) but he says and thinks exactly how readers feel about Kenshin.
Good chapter!

Heyhey, a new chapter, Yay!I was waiting for this... :D
So, again, some comforting scenes but also a bit frightening feeling...I really like how Ushiro again discovers little by little new parts of kenshin. It is also nice to see that not only ushiro but also his friends are making a favour for Kenshin. And so typical Himura when he is all calm and stuff with the thread of the satsuma right in front of his eyes ;)
I am curious about the next one!! Ah, and maybe you are glad to hear that my translation of "out of time" into german is now at chapter 23 ^^ you have yet many german fans :)
Bye, Blunablue

Ep. Obviously neither one of them can get killed or this wouldn't be an Out of Time prequel, but still...eep.

I am very much enjoying it, so please keep going. I like the depth you're bringing to both characters and their relationship. It's nice to know Kenshin has a friend.

I sure get the "reviews = more writing" dynamic. Wish I could put that one into action myself, but I think I'm stuck! I'm glad you're inspired and rolling along.

Yay! An update! :D Thank you for your time and effort. I can see a marked improvement between this chapter and the previous one. You're either getting better at writing or getting back into the swing of things, I think. Good job! :D

Great chapter! I love this story and I love your character. You're doing a very good job writing it in the first person; not everyone can do that! Amazing work and thanks for the update! Update again soon, please! :-D

--Girlbender875

I love this story! I can't wait to find out what happens next! Update again soon!

Interesting...

Hey nice job! i can't wait for the next chapter! update soon :)

YOU UPDATE~D! *_*

Awesometastic chapter on all counts, so glad to see it~! ;D

I'm glad Kenshin was able to relax, if only a little, with Ushiro before everything goes to hell. He's honestly one of the most angst-filled character I know and it kills me sometimes to think of just how /young/ he is through it all.

Well, I hope you continue to update in a "timely manner" XD

Just wanted to let you know that my favourite line in this chapter has to be:

'I got an “Ah” out of him once, but I'm not sure if that was good, bad, or if he were just politely catching himself before he called me “ahou”

It had me sniggering for quite a while. *thumbs up*

Because of the way I happened to navigate to this chapter tonight, the prologue was the first thing I saw, so I took the opportunity to reread it. I had forgotten just how powerful and hard-hitting it was. In it, your portrait of Kenshin is almost unbearably palpable and tragic.

And what it highlights so keenly are the marvelous contrasts between Kenshin and Ushiro: not just the obvious ones of size, life experience and situation, etc., but the bigger themes of the dark soul against the good heart; the shuttered life against the open; the reactionary denial of selfhood against the determined courage to deal with self, others, all of life. Because we know Kenshin’s (canon) future, we can bear, at least a bit, this time of extreme emptiness for him, his passage through this true "valley of the shadow".

Part of what makes this really work for us, emotionally, is Ushiro’s not seeing himself for what he really is. It’s true he sees Kenshin perhaps better than anyone has (including even Hiko? Ushiro has a similar protectiveness, but the barriers between him and Kenshin can't be simply bulldozed through--Ushiro can lay claim to no authority or superiority by which he can work his good will in Kenshin’s life), and he has these impulses for helping the boy and hopes for the boy's development, but it's all sort of "innocent"--he doesn't really seem to see that he, and he alone, is not only in the unique position but has the unique personality to carry Kenshin through this time--is, in fact, probably Kenshin’s single survival mechanism.

Well, enough of that! Here are some bits I particularly liked, for various reasons: "Then again, maybe you aren't..." -- "concern flared in my weakening mind like a lantern in the dark" -- "blade of cold moonlight" (ah my fainting heart!) -- "I hoped he'd live that long" -- "wrecking the tatami" -- "The lady Ikumatsu tends to him" (such richness of detail, making us remember and experience this entire world) -- Yuasa's perceptiveness and down-to-earth talk, how he doesn’t let Ushiro bullshit his way out from under questioning -- "Okita" (wow, what a tale is packed into that single-word answer!) -- "fingering a deep gash in the side of my sheath" (oh. yeah. that.) – The whole, inescapably accurate paragraph about who’s going to die! – “We’re backing him, whatever his choice.” (a tight group, indeed, in spite of the chasm between the assassin and the rest of the corps) – “Okami will have your head if you bleed on her futon.”

(I especially loved the discussion between Yuasa and Ushiro of sword styles and strokes. This is obviously as much a language to these men as is their spoken one--I found this quite sexy, somehow!)

You have such a way of mixing the ordinary into the dramatic, grounding us in the most mundane of details (that ground us in the story’s reality) while simultaneously making our heads spin and hearts pound with breathtaking danger and political Gordian knots.

Yep. You’re good.