HIGHLIGHTS:
"It's been 10 years since the revolution," Kenshin thinks as he and Misao walk the streets of Kyoto, "but this is the one place I thought I'd never step foot in again."
Misao, on the other hand, is relieved to be there. She shows Kenshin that she lives at Restaurant Aoiya, and introduces him to her grandfather. The older man recognizes Kenshin right away as Mr. Himura Battosai. The two men go inside to have a discussion.
Elsewhere, Miss Kaoru and Yahiko have arrived in Kyoto. Not only them, but Aoshi as well. Miss Kaoru sets out to find the Shirobeko, a restaurant attached to where Tae's family lives.
Back to Kenshin, the old man introduces himself as Nenji Kashiwazaki. He used to be a spy for the Oniwaban Group. His street name was "Okina," the Kyoto Scout. Kenshin told Okina what happened to Aoshi and the others, but doesn't want Misao to know just yet. Kenshin asks Okina for his help in locating Shakku Arai and Seijuro Hiko.
The next morning, Okina, Misao, and Kenshin set out to see the city, but just before... they find out that Shakku Arai, who created the sakabato, is deceased. However, they learn that Shakku had passed on his skills to his son, Seiku.
When they arrive at Seiku's home, they are greeted by an adorable child wishing to shake hands. Seiku appears, but he is a pacifist rejecting his father's era of creating killing blades. The young man has turned his talents into making kitchen knives and farm implements. Seiku wishes for peace of the Meiji Era to take hold, thus, he refuses Kenshin's request to forge him a new sakabatou.
Not far, Shishio and Yumi arrive to a warm welcome at the cave where they are living for the next few months.