As usual, it was a great travel through time! I like very much the political side of the story. The plot with the spider/Yumi is so intriguing. Oh, for once I guessed for Usui, and Hiko...James Bond! This was a great joke, just the kind of stuff Hiko could do! (I LOVE Hiko..) I liked the part about Kenneth being in France...Also Karen and Sam joining forces to find more about him, and ther respective reactions. The naivete of Karen regarding Sam/Kenneth and the sentence about not thinking about Kenneth's past to focus on present were so IC in

Wonderful, wonderful chapter. It was written absoultely beautifully and I can't wait for more. :) Continue soon. (I love Sam's characterization! Heehee...it's so...I don't know, but I'm drawn to it.)

*grins* You should be proud of yourself, you've kept me reading this story for _some_ time and now it is - 1:05AM where I live.

I'm so tired...!

But I just want to mention that your writing is incredible. I love the first person perspective - not a lot of people can do it well, but you've pulled it off with flying colors!

Everything is realistic - something that is very down-to-earth and brings a good "whack" to my usually spaced out mind.

Continue soon Superb writing, story, plot, usage of characters, text and wording. Absolutely amazing.

Can't wait to read more.

great chapter. i thought it was great how you put the story of sagara sanosuke and was able to maintain the 60's timeline. keep up the great work, this story is getting more and more interesting

keep on writting!

kensuyoko _x

M. so they finally did it. Lovely chapter (yes, even with all the Sano-cursing). In fact, all those chapters back there that I didn't get to review. yes, they're all wonderful too. You had me just smirking when I got to the end of that chapter and saw what our little Shintaro was up to.

I loved the character development. The nameless mentor. were they in the south? You were talking Charleston, South Carolina, right? If that's the case, then I fully understand the reaction of those awful people to the black man. Sadly, even now in these 'enlightened' years, such predjudice is high throughout the states, especially in the more southern US. You spoke of the Civil Rights Movement, so you obviously know about this. Anyway, I liked hearing of Sam's past. Sometimes these things revolve so much around Kenshin's dark past that people forget about the other characters (although I still look forward to learning more about Shintaro and what he would do that would require a pardon).

And one question. A phrase, actually, that I did not fully understand:

"We are quit"

What does this imply? I've never heard it before.

Well, looking forward to your next update. This one came sooner than usual, to my great pleasure. Though you did mention you found it easier to write the Sano chapters. Kaoru next, no? That is, if you're following the rotation.

Have a good day. Keep writing. You're a wonderful author.

Fitz

this has to be the bravest RK story on . I can only applaud the way you've taken the story and brought it foward to the 60s. You've done a lot of research, and obviously care about the integrity of your characters and the time period in relation to the RK characters and time period. This is the very best type of story: you know where the author is going, but have no idea has she's going to get there, so you JUST HAVE TO READ IT. . . keep up the good work.

Ah, how do I tell you how much I'm loving this? I could not review yesyerday because I had a very painful contracture in my right arm. It hapens form time to time. You add questions to the questions! What happened to Arthur? Who is behind the killings in Italy and in Kane's band (maybe Shishio, through Soujirou?) who is the second agent following Shintaro? Oho, hoy. Shintaro will have lots of problems with Sam to explain why he scaped disguised as a woman. Why Shintaro received a full pardon, when it's suggested that he did some 'radical' action in his past? And that wedding ring? M.. I'm suspicious now.

The confrontation mirrors the confrontation they had at the end of their first fight in RK-verse very well, because though the circumstances are different, the feeling that they elicit inside Sam are the same that he has after Captain's Sagara death.

Like Shintaro's photo in Japanese clothes reminds of a young Battousai, and lots of details that ties the fic more strongly to the original RK-verse. Did I tell you how much I LOVE the short lines in Kenshin's head at the beginning of each chapter?

Concerning 'Free others to free yourself', my personal values and beliefs are just the opposite, but I'm sure like in all philosophic alternatives, both points of view are valid, and applicable to different circumstances. My mother was a huge 'fan' (?) of Sartre and his life partner, but I found myself disagreing most of the times. So maybe it's just a bit of prejudice on my part. hehehe.

The chapter is vibrant, as always, complex and surprising, leaving me gaping for air, wanting more (in fact, wanting the whole fic to be completed NOW, so I can read it to the very end.).

Please,please, please, I want to read the rest. I'm dying. I still want to know who is the man in the phone and what's his past relationsip with Shintaro! AHGR

Hi! I agree again with your vision of Sano. I really don't know what to say about the scenes between Shintaro and Sam, because they are so intense, emotional and psychologically realistic that I could just sound stupid. I like the idea that you didn't name the incarnation of Captain Sagara, in my eyes it's like his memories are too painful for Sam to name him, and it stresses the special status that this man had for him, as he doesn't share his name with others. For the little details, Shintaro in charge of the laundry again, that was nice! Preparing sandwiches and coffee too! And I can imagine the frustration of Shatner, hoho, he's not giving up, just waiting his time, right? I loved the remark about the wasted irony, so appropriate and in character! I would have read the next chapter anyway, TWO cliffhangers, that's very mean! I hope you can update soon!

Wow, this is such an interesting twist on the Rurouni Kenshin we all know and love. ) I like the vivid backgrounds you paint for the RK characters in 60's New York. it feels like I'm actually there. and even though your take on the RK characters are the furthest from Watsuki's universe as any fanfic i've come across so far. their personalities and roles you've chosen for them suit them very well. For instance. even though Kaoru's not a kenjitsu teacher, I can still sense her fighting spirit. and Misao's still has her infatuation with Aoshi. )

Thanks for sharing Oryo! Keep up the terrific work!

WOW this is getting more and more interesting wut i luv bout ur fic is the incorporation of the 60's timeline and the amazing story line plz plz put up the next ch. as soon as possible and keep up the great work! kensuyoko _x

Oh, it was so great again, I'm hooked! I absolutely agree with you about AU characters. You succeed completely here, to an extend I rarely saw before! I like Shatner, of course, ( and the little detail about going to the drugstore, so true, sigh) and also Kay. I'm waiting impatiently to know about Richard! I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! And, at the risk to look like the queen of PC, I liked your note about the Oni guys. Just one thing more: I'm used to the change of names for the main characters completely now, but can you precise it again at the end for the ones who appear less? I don't always remember it at once...BTW thanks for the review too!

Hallöchen! Ich bin es mal wieder... leider hat mich mein Privatleben in Beschlag genommen .

Tja, jetzt habe ich es bis an das Ende von Kapitel 4 geschafft... was kann ich sagen?

Sehr schöne Geschichte, wunderbar erzählt, sehr innovativ. Sehr selten hier auf .

Sozusagen eine 'Perle'.

Meine Kritikpunkte? Wie immer (ich hoffe, ich nerve nicht...):

es ist sehr anstrengend der Geschichte zu folgen, man muss oft einige Teile nachlesen, um genau zu verstehen worum es geht. Wechselnde Erzähler in 'ich-Form' ist ein Punkt... ich mag schwierige Lektüre, aber hier fällt es mir stellenweise sehr schwer, nicht den Überblick zu verlieren.

mmm, Aoshi... ich denke, dass der Charakter mehr zu bieten hat, als 'nur' die Motivation der Stärkste zu sein. Er ist schon komplexer... aber das ist wohl erst ab Manga-Ausgabe 22, 23? eindeutiger zu verstehen, genauso wie Misao.

mmm, der längere Kritik- als Lobteil impliziert jetzt irgendwie, dass ich die Geschichte nicht mag... was aber nicht der Fall ist!

Ich versuche bis zum Ende des Wochenendes bis zu Kapitel 8 vorzudringen...

Oh, another wonderful chapter! WHO IS THE BRITISH IN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TELEPHONE LINE! AHHHHHHHHHHHH... I'm dying... I can see dark clouds coming from Sam's side after Arthur's affair... Why Sam os so frightened? What is bothering him? The loss of his first love, that teacher?

I guessed right with Kane at first sight... I knew it was that Takeda Kanryuu worm. Maybe it's because worms are easy to ecognize at first sight... hehehehe... Ohohoho... I want more, and more...

Another author recommended me this story, as it's not the "classical yaoi"and I'm very,very glad it's not! It's realistic and respectful, in the way you describe Ken (and Sam), moreover the reactions/attitude towards Kenneth's homosexuality, from Jasper, Yacko and Karen in this chapter are very realistic too. Yes, Karen seems to be sligtly too liberal but after all even at that time, some people were, and as you said there is a difference between believing and realizing (I also agree with your opinion on Kaoru BTW). I like the genealogy you invented and the way you introduce history, the way it reflects on the characters. Well, I could go on for a long time as your fic is so complex (meaning intelligent and deep)and has so many layers, but I'll summarize saying: fascinating, and wonderful. I'm waiting for more.

Jasper Gagney (Chou) the sword collector appraising the sakabatou is priceless. And the letter from Nagasaki is both tasteful and touching. Kenneth helping Karen "sense" movements is really fine, along with their rock 'n roll dancing. Sam is irresistible, as usual, and Aoshi seems pitiful. Katsu as Megumi's boyfriend is a very interesting idea.