Now That You've Returned - 2/?
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2003 6:30 pm
Gundam Girl: There?s something I?d like to clear up before you read this chapter (if any of you ever bother with ANs). It seems that between the English and Japanese versions of RK that I watch, I got confused with Kanriyu?s name and found that ?Takeda? was his last name, not first.
Krieli: Um. . .duh.
Right, so I am going to go through and make the names Derekai Takeda instead of Derekai Kanriyu. That was silly. Same goes for Kaoru Takeda, which it pains me to type. Sorry for the confusion!
Disclaimer: Nah, don?t own Rurouni Kenshin. I have to wait until I rule the world. Which I will.
Warning: Swearing, people paying respects to a grave, implied sexual behavior, and dark figures.
Aoshi: I demand you tell me why I am a warning.
GG: I think you know that better than I do.
*Aoshi merely grunts, shrugging*
*~Now That You?ve Returned~* Chapter Two
?Uncle Sano! UNCLE SANO!?
Sanosuke paused mid-Futai No Kiwami and slowly lowered his fist to smile in the direction of the voice. ?Hey, Ayame. How?s it going?? He glanced past her and met the eyes of the woman coming into the dojo yard behind Ayame for a brief moment. ?Where?s Suzume??
?Gramps took her to buy a new hair ribbon for the summer festival on Saturday,? Ayame told him, bouncing up and down importantly. ?She?s going with a boy.?
Sano?s eyes widened. ?She is? Er. . .why??
Megumi?s voice rang from inside the dojo. ?Don?t you dare ask her that, Sanosuke! It?s not anybody?s business but Suzume?s!?
?That?s what you think,? Sano muttered and hefted Ayame up onto his shoulder. He couldn?t help but be a little protective of the two youngest ones in the group. ?So what?s his name??
?Shiro Yamate.?
?Yamate? He?s in your class, isn?t he, Missi?er?Kaoru?? Sano looked at the woman again and Kaoru gave the half-smile he was already accustomed to ? and hated it.
?Shiro is an exceptional student,? Kaoru told him softly, stepping past him and into the dojo. ?And probably already here.?
?Missie!? Sano ignored the order he had been given to abandon his nickname for her. Ayame was on the ground again and chasing after a butterfly.
Kaoru looked back, straightening her training gi that she wore less and less often every month.
Sano narrowed his eyes at her. ?You?re all right, aren?t you??
Kaoru wasn?t looking at him but rather at the gate beyond him. Once Sanosuke caught on, he swiveled to see the new arrivals.
He dropped to the very ground at the sight of them. ?Shit. . .?
There was woman, slight in figure, wearing an emerald green kimono. It was the first time he had seen her so formally dressed, yet he devoted little thought to this because she was holding flowers and beside her stood a tall man in a leather trench coat.
Sano turned back to look at Kaoru. She spared them two more seconds? worth of a glance before disappearing in the dojo. Ayame followed her, having lost interest in the butterfly.
?You.? Sano?s eyes skimmed over the two of them. ?Both of you.?
Misao stepped inside, and her taller companion followed suit.
?It?s good to see you again, Rooster,? she murmured. He features had matured immensely, and her mouth was smiling a little. ?I thought you?d still be here.?
?Hey, Weasel Girl.? Although it was a nice variation from the everyday lifestyle of not seeing people from Shishio?s made attempt at a coup de? tat, he hadn?t expected the ex-Oniwabanshu leaders to appear on his home?s doorstep after so many years. Standing, he paid no attention to the look he knew had crossed his face. ?What are you guys doing here??
Misao?s eyes had left him and were now set on a mound of dirt at the far edge of the dojo. At the head of the mound was a cross made of two thin logs tied together.
?We heard about the death of the Battousai in Kyoto,? Aoshi spoke quietly. ?After six years, the first word arrived last month.? He too saw only the subtle grave.
A spark of irritation must have shown in Sano?s eyes but nowadays he rarely acted on it, and this time proved the same. He doubted Aoshi Shinomori really gave a damn about Kenshin or the people he had left behind, with the minor exception of Misao. He only knew that his former opponent was now out of his reach to defeat.
Misao had moved to lower herself before the grave, palms pressed together, head bowed. Aoshi stood above her, almost hovering, before walking away a bit to stand near Sanosuke as he watched her.
?She wanted very badly to pay her respects to his grave and to those of you here. I do not say I approve, but it is what she wanted.?
Sano turned looked at his tight-jawed profile. ?Why do you not approve?? he asked in suspicion. He couldn?t help being cautious; he?d never been a fan of Aoshi.
?Don?t you believe it is disgraceful to place flowers at a grave where no body rests? I heard his body was completely obliterated. Do you know how that happened??
Sagara shrugged a little. ?There was only dust and blood beneath that rock pile. It was as if the boulders acted as a Futai No Kiwami.?
?It?s possible,? Aoshi observed. ?Most attacks are developed from the studying of natural disasters and such.?
?You know that it was no natural disaster, don?t you?? Sano asked tensely.
Aoshi nodded once. ?I have heard the rumors.?
There was a mighty crashing sound from inside. Aoshi?s hand went to the hilt of the sheath carrying his Kodachis. Sano smiled and turned his head as Megumi?s voice filtered outside:
?Kiro! Please be more careful, or I?ll be stitching you up!?
Sano turned back to Aoshi. ?It?s appreciated that you came with Misao to see Kenshin?s grave, but seeing Kaoru won?t be possible at the moment.?
Shinomori looked as though he was about to ask why but Misao suddenly stood and approached them. To those who could not tell, Aoshi?s face looked as grim as ever, but to Misao, he was stonier than usual.
She gave a small smile and looked at Sano. ?Where is Yahiko? And Miss Kaoru??
?They?re inside. But,? he went on before she could move past him, ?I can?t let you see her. I?ll have Yahiko come out if you want, but??
?Why can?t we see her?? Aoshi cut in abruptly. ?Her class is almost through. And this property is Miss Kamiya?s by law. You have no say over who is present or absent here.?
Jesus, if he didn?t sound like Saitoh, Sanosuke thought, irritated.
Judging by the expression on Sanosuke?s face, Aoshi realized he had been wrong in his previous recitation of the law.
?She is not the single owner of this dojo anymore,? Sano murmured. ?So stuff your goddamn laws up your??
?What does that mean?? Misao cut in. ?For that to happen, Miss Kaoru would have to have a relative like that of her father?s siblings. But she doesn?t.?
?There is that,? Aoshi told her. ?Or she would have to be married.? His eyes went to Sano, and the look on his face told everything.
?The name Kaoru Kamiya is dead,? Sagara said to Misao, who looked a bit taken aback. His brown eyes moved to Aoshi once more. ?Its successor is Kaoru Takeda.?
Emotion flickered in Aoshi?s eyes and it was disbelief. ?What?? he faltered. Misao gasped and clutched Aoshi?s arm.
?Kanryu Takeda?!? she exclaimed. ?But he isn?t?he?s dead!? she blurted.
?And didn?t fail to have a woman conceive before he went,? Sano informed her. ?And that man is both Kenshin?s murderer and Kaoru?s husband. He lives by Western customs like his father,? he continued, having by now grown accustomed to shocked expressions. ?And Kaoru is almost like a slave. Megumi!? he called, twisting his head to the sliding door.
Megumi appeared in the doorway, eyebrows raised. ?I?m almost finished, a boy was cut so I?m. . . Oh,? she said, ?company.?
?These are allies from when we were in Kyoto. I dunno if you remember them.? Sano told her, shoving his hands in his pockets. ?My fiance, Megumi Takani.?
?Hello, Miss Megumi. Congratulations,? Misao murmured, though she still wasn?t smiling. ?Sagara, please tell me. . . Did Himura have any regrets that you know of when he left? About Shishio or anything??
Sano cast his eyes upon her small form, and threw his shoulders back. ?He never really spoke to any of us about his past. The only one he ever opened up to was Kaoru. If he did have regrets, I?m sure Kenshin would be fighting to slice ?em out, even in death.?
Aoshi regarded Megumi for a moment. ?Takani,? he murmured quietly, ?if you had stayed with Kanryu, it is possible that the Battousai would be here now.?
Megumi was taken aback, Sano growled, and Misao gasped.
?You?re wrong,? Sano told him, right fist clenched. ?The Battousai died long before Kenshin did.?
Aoshi turned to the gate. ?Let?s go.?
Misao scowled at his back. ?Please, Miss Megumi. . . Aoshi has trouble releasing things. He does regret not defeating Himura. Please forgive him for that fault.? With a final smile of comfort, she hurried after Shinomori.
Sanosuke turned to Megumi as soon as they were gone. ?Megumi?? he asked at her shadowed expression. ?What is it? What?s wrong??
Megumi raised her face slowly to look him in the eye. ?Is Aoshi right, Sanosuke?? she asked. ?If I had stayed with Kanriyu, perhaps dear Ken would be. . . But I can?t,? she murmured, turning away. ?I want to wish that I had stayed with Kanriyu to have prevented Derekai?s anger, dear Ken?s death, and most of all, Kaoru?s torment. But, Sano, I just??
?Stop.? His arms came around her shoulders, head settling atop hers. ?Don?t feel guilty for leaving a man you didn?t love, Megumi. Please. . .? He gripped her arms and turned her to face him. His hands rose to cup her face. ?Don?t regret staying with a man you do love.?
Megumi?s usually-composed face crumpled, and she fell forward into his embrace, crying softly. She managed to gasp out, ?I do love you, Sano.?
From the gate Misao had not bothered to close, a man in a black cloak watched, the shadows provided by the cloak?s hood concealing his face. Without a sound, he left the vicinity, an odd tapping sound coming from his hip.
***
?I?m back!?
The sound of an open door sliding shut.
?Kaoru, do you hear me??
Kaoru closed her eyes, patting her damp hair with the fluffy cotton towel he had bought for her. She was seated on the bed, the raised bed he had bought from American traders. She recalled how difficult adjusting had been when he had been so used to her futon.
?Kaoru, have you gone to the Akabeko??
Kaoru lifted her head to face the door. ?I?m dressing!? she called to him. ?The food is on the counter!? After an incident soon following their marriage, he had never trusted her to cook again. Miss Tae had graciously provided food for their dinner, the only meal he was at home for. Otherwise, Kaoru did not eat. That way, she would be thinner and the corset he insisted she wear under the uncomfortable lace bodice of those traditional Western gowns did not have to be tied quite so tightly.
After a moment, she saw the knob of the western door twist and it opened. Her reaction was to use the towel to cover herself, clad only in the many assorted undergarments of Western clothing.
Derekai?s eyes were sharp as nails above the tie he had loosened. In one hand he held his jacket. And his eyes did not soften when they fell on Kaoru, they simply intensified to a level she had come to be wary of.
?Good evening,? he said in English first. When Kaoru?s brows lowered in her struggle to remember their meaning, he sighed. ?Kon ben wa.?
Kaoru nodded and repeated the words. ?I will come in a minute to put dinner out,? she told him quietly, eyes on her bare feet.
Derekai regarded her in a way that made her stomach clench. It did not worry her; she had long since grown very used to that sickening feeling. She never let him know. He had drilled into her the custom of women being submissive to their husbands, and saying she felt ill would only bring on a longer ?interaction? and perhaps some fresh beatings of reprimand. And she could never fight back.
?I don?t know if I?m in the mood for Tae?s food tonight,? he told her in an almost conversational tone. ?Granted, hers is very fine cooking. But yours. . .?
?You have never liked my meals,? Kaoru said softly, fighting a cringe when his fingers threaded through her hair.
Takeda the younger smiled softly, lips pressed to the curtain of raven hair. ?Not the kind you keep over a stove.? He took her shoulders. ?Tell me you love me, Kaoru. I hear it from you so rarely.?
Kaoru still did not meet his eyes. It was not worth the risk. ?I??
?No, that is selfish of me,? Derekai cut in. ?I will not demand you to say words you do not wish to speak.?
Kaoru blinked. He thought he was doing her a favor.
?Instead. . .? Reaching for the towel, he slowly pulled it down and began unlacing and untying the garments she had spent nearly twenty minutes putting on. ?Why don?t you show me??
Kaoru did meet his eyes now. They were a deep blue. Sometimes, when they were darkened like this, she could almost imagine them as purple.
And it was that purple shade that got her through his ?love.?
***
Yahiko Miyoujin sparred with Shiro Yamate, who was a few years younger than his age of sixteen.
?You don?t attack forcefully enough, Yamate!? Yahiko called to him. ?Come at me with your full strength!?
The younger boy advanced with a speed almost besting Yahiko?s. With a cry, he raised his wooden sword to the level of his elbow?
Yahiko?s eyebrows lowered as he blocked the offense easily and pull back. ?That?s enough for this evening. It?s getting late.? He took Yamate?s weapon and set them both on the rack by the wall. ?Your mind is not where it should be. I know fully well that Master Kamiya has trained you to stay completely focused. I assisted in sharpening that lesson. Do you agree, Shiro??
?Yes, sir,? he answered, a little shrunken by his loss. ?I am. . .distracted.?
?That is apparent,? Yahiko answered and then continued, not unkindly, ?what occupies the head that is supposed to think of only the current battle??
At this, Shiro?s cheeks reddened a bit. ?Forgive me, Assistant Master. . . I am thinking of a girl.?
At this, a grin broke out on Yahiko?s face. ?Suzume.?
?You know??
?Ayame has never kept secrets well,? he laughed. ?You?d better keep on your toes, Shiro. Her Uncles Sano and Yahiko will be watching you very closely. Now hurry and start home. I?ve kept you later than I intended. Work on your attacks.?
?Yes, sir.? Shiro bowed in respect and turned to leave.
?And Shiro!?
Yamate turned back.
Yahiko flashed him a grin. ?I have seen Suzume in her festival kimono. Be sure to shower her with compliments when you see her that day, it will certainly further you in her favor.?
Shiro?s blush deepened. ?Yes, sir.?
Yahiko smiled as the door slid shut and went about neatening the practice room. This dojo would not be just his home for very long. Sano was still living in the longhouse and Megumi remained at the clinic, but Kaoru had invited them to live at the dojo once they were married, and Yahiko had decided to move out to the longhouse instead. He certainly didn?t want to be around after the fox and the rooster had given their vows.
Wedding vows. His smile faded. The first wedding he?d seen had been Kaoru?s. It had not been a pleasant one. It had been beautiful, yes, it had been extremely expensive. But their had been no feeling behind it, not from Derekai, who Yahiko had suspected only wanted a bedmate, nor from Kaoru, who obviously still mourned Kenshin?s death deep inside. The guests from Derekai?s ?family? had consisted of business associates, and Kaoru?s guests had included himself, Megumi, Sanosuke, Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume. Misao and Aoshi had arrived that night from Kyoto to offer their best regards, and even Hajime Saitou, who had revealed himself alive and well months after the fight with Shishio, had sent a brief letter containing more-or-less positive words.
But, no, it had not been pleasant. And it was something he rarely cared to remember. It was terrible, at first, seeing his master practically enslaved by a man whose wife required elegance, grace, and a submissive spirit. And while Kaoru had the first two to a certain extent, ?submissive? would not have been a word Yahiko would have chosen to describe her.
He knew Derekai Takeda, a first-class businessman, cared nothing for her. But she was one of the more beautiful women in Tokyo, and, however poor, she was considerably high in social groups as the owner of the Kamiya dojo. That was why he had forced her to marry him. And there was no doubt in Yahiko?s mind that the muscle-slimmed, compact body Kaoru had did not please him.
Suddenly, every muscle Yahiko had tensed. Swiveling on his heel, he saw a hooded-cloaked man standing in the doorway of the dojo.
Annoyed that he had not heard the door open, his voice came out rough. ?Or are you?? Reaching out an arm, he took up a wooden sword. This building was special to him, and he would protect it. ?Why do you disgrace this place by not asking for permission to enter at the gate??
The man reached under his cloak for what was undeniably the hilt of a sword.
?Hold it!? Yahiko held out the tip of his sword and the man circled around to the back of the training hall.
There was a bit of laughing as Sanosuke came into the hall, leading Megumi by the waste. ?Hey, Yahiko. I thought. . . Who are you??
Sano?s right hand had dropped Megumi?s to curl into a fist. Megumi?s face scowled at the intruder.
The man was silent.
?You don?t tell me. . .? Sano?s long legs carried him swiftly across the room, and his hand reached for the hood. ?I?ll reveal you myself.?
The man left arm grabbed his elbow and went under Sano?s arm.
?You?re fast, but robbers don?t steal from this place for a reason!? Yahiko shouted, surging toward the black-encased figure.
The swing of his sword missed the figure?s head, but it snagged a bit of the hood and yanked it back an inch or two. Sano?s fist went limp. Yahiko dropped his sword. Megumi?s frown had melted in a look of pure disbelief.
A lock of burning-red hair had spilled from the hood. With no shadows to hide them, a pair of large violet eyes blinked out at the three.
?It can?t be,? Megumi gasped first.
Yahiko?s eyes were wide. ?You are. . .?
?Oro.?
Sano fell to the floor on his butt.
?Kenshin. . .?
************************************************************************
Gundam Girl: Oh, hm. . . A cliffhanger. My mistake, wasn?t really my intention, no it wasn?t.
This was fairly long. Animechick should be pleased. ?Sea Of Emotion? chapter four is coming next, AC!
KT: Ooh, Kenshin?s alive!
^_^ Hope you all liked this chapter ? enough to make you wanna review! Please do, it means a lot to me. Thanks!
-GG
Krieli: Um. . .duh.
Right, so I am going to go through and make the names Derekai Takeda instead of Derekai Kanriyu. That was silly. Same goes for Kaoru Takeda, which it pains me to type. Sorry for the confusion!
Disclaimer: Nah, don?t own Rurouni Kenshin. I have to wait until I rule the world. Which I will.
Warning: Swearing, people paying respects to a grave, implied sexual behavior, and dark figures.
Aoshi: I demand you tell me why I am a warning.
GG: I think you know that better than I do.
*Aoshi merely grunts, shrugging*
*~Now That You?ve Returned~* Chapter Two
?Uncle Sano! UNCLE SANO!?
Sanosuke paused mid-Futai No Kiwami and slowly lowered his fist to smile in the direction of the voice. ?Hey, Ayame. How?s it going?? He glanced past her and met the eyes of the woman coming into the dojo yard behind Ayame for a brief moment. ?Where?s Suzume??
?Gramps took her to buy a new hair ribbon for the summer festival on Saturday,? Ayame told him, bouncing up and down importantly. ?She?s going with a boy.?
Sano?s eyes widened. ?She is? Er. . .why??
Megumi?s voice rang from inside the dojo. ?Don?t you dare ask her that, Sanosuke! It?s not anybody?s business but Suzume?s!?
?That?s what you think,? Sano muttered and hefted Ayame up onto his shoulder. He couldn?t help but be a little protective of the two youngest ones in the group. ?So what?s his name??
?Shiro Yamate.?
?Yamate? He?s in your class, isn?t he, Missi?er?Kaoru?? Sano looked at the woman again and Kaoru gave the half-smile he was already accustomed to ? and hated it.
?Shiro is an exceptional student,? Kaoru told him softly, stepping past him and into the dojo. ?And probably already here.?
?Missie!? Sano ignored the order he had been given to abandon his nickname for her. Ayame was on the ground again and chasing after a butterfly.
Kaoru looked back, straightening her training gi that she wore less and less often every month.
Sano narrowed his eyes at her. ?You?re all right, aren?t you??
Kaoru wasn?t looking at him but rather at the gate beyond him. Once Sanosuke caught on, he swiveled to see the new arrivals.
He dropped to the very ground at the sight of them. ?Shit. . .?
There was woman, slight in figure, wearing an emerald green kimono. It was the first time he had seen her so formally dressed, yet he devoted little thought to this because she was holding flowers and beside her stood a tall man in a leather trench coat.
Sano turned back to look at Kaoru. She spared them two more seconds? worth of a glance before disappearing in the dojo. Ayame followed her, having lost interest in the butterfly.
?You.? Sano?s eyes skimmed over the two of them. ?Both of you.?
Misao stepped inside, and her taller companion followed suit.
?It?s good to see you again, Rooster,? she murmured. He features had matured immensely, and her mouth was smiling a little. ?I thought you?d still be here.?
?Hey, Weasel Girl.? Although it was a nice variation from the everyday lifestyle of not seeing people from Shishio?s made attempt at a coup de? tat, he hadn?t expected the ex-Oniwabanshu leaders to appear on his home?s doorstep after so many years. Standing, he paid no attention to the look he knew had crossed his face. ?What are you guys doing here??
Misao?s eyes had left him and were now set on a mound of dirt at the far edge of the dojo. At the head of the mound was a cross made of two thin logs tied together.
?We heard about the death of the Battousai in Kyoto,? Aoshi spoke quietly. ?After six years, the first word arrived last month.? He too saw only the subtle grave.
A spark of irritation must have shown in Sano?s eyes but nowadays he rarely acted on it, and this time proved the same. He doubted Aoshi Shinomori really gave a damn about Kenshin or the people he had left behind, with the minor exception of Misao. He only knew that his former opponent was now out of his reach to defeat.
Misao had moved to lower herself before the grave, palms pressed together, head bowed. Aoshi stood above her, almost hovering, before walking away a bit to stand near Sanosuke as he watched her.
?She wanted very badly to pay her respects to his grave and to those of you here. I do not say I approve, but it is what she wanted.?
Sano turned looked at his tight-jawed profile. ?Why do you not approve?? he asked in suspicion. He couldn?t help being cautious; he?d never been a fan of Aoshi.
?Don?t you believe it is disgraceful to place flowers at a grave where no body rests? I heard his body was completely obliterated. Do you know how that happened??
Sagara shrugged a little. ?There was only dust and blood beneath that rock pile. It was as if the boulders acted as a Futai No Kiwami.?
?It?s possible,? Aoshi observed. ?Most attacks are developed from the studying of natural disasters and such.?
?You know that it was no natural disaster, don?t you?? Sano asked tensely.
Aoshi nodded once. ?I have heard the rumors.?
There was a mighty crashing sound from inside. Aoshi?s hand went to the hilt of the sheath carrying his Kodachis. Sano smiled and turned his head as Megumi?s voice filtered outside:
?Kiro! Please be more careful, or I?ll be stitching you up!?
Sano turned back to Aoshi. ?It?s appreciated that you came with Misao to see Kenshin?s grave, but seeing Kaoru won?t be possible at the moment.?
Shinomori looked as though he was about to ask why but Misao suddenly stood and approached them. To those who could not tell, Aoshi?s face looked as grim as ever, but to Misao, he was stonier than usual.
She gave a small smile and looked at Sano. ?Where is Yahiko? And Miss Kaoru??
?They?re inside. But,? he went on before she could move past him, ?I can?t let you see her. I?ll have Yahiko come out if you want, but??
?Why can?t we see her?? Aoshi cut in abruptly. ?Her class is almost through. And this property is Miss Kamiya?s by law. You have no say over who is present or absent here.?
Jesus, if he didn?t sound like Saitoh, Sanosuke thought, irritated.
Judging by the expression on Sanosuke?s face, Aoshi realized he had been wrong in his previous recitation of the law.
?She is not the single owner of this dojo anymore,? Sano murmured. ?So stuff your goddamn laws up your??
?What does that mean?? Misao cut in. ?For that to happen, Miss Kaoru would have to have a relative like that of her father?s siblings. But she doesn?t.?
?There is that,? Aoshi told her. ?Or she would have to be married.? His eyes went to Sano, and the look on his face told everything.
?The name Kaoru Kamiya is dead,? Sagara said to Misao, who looked a bit taken aback. His brown eyes moved to Aoshi once more. ?Its successor is Kaoru Takeda.?
Emotion flickered in Aoshi?s eyes and it was disbelief. ?What?? he faltered. Misao gasped and clutched Aoshi?s arm.
?Kanryu Takeda?!? she exclaimed. ?But he isn?t?he?s dead!? she blurted.
?And didn?t fail to have a woman conceive before he went,? Sano informed her. ?And that man is both Kenshin?s murderer and Kaoru?s husband. He lives by Western customs like his father,? he continued, having by now grown accustomed to shocked expressions. ?And Kaoru is almost like a slave. Megumi!? he called, twisting his head to the sliding door.
Megumi appeared in the doorway, eyebrows raised. ?I?m almost finished, a boy was cut so I?m. . . Oh,? she said, ?company.?
?These are allies from when we were in Kyoto. I dunno if you remember them.? Sano told her, shoving his hands in his pockets. ?My fiance, Megumi Takani.?
?Hello, Miss Megumi. Congratulations,? Misao murmured, though she still wasn?t smiling. ?Sagara, please tell me. . . Did Himura have any regrets that you know of when he left? About Shishio or anything??
Sano cast his eyes upon her small form, and threw his shoulders back. ?He never really spoke to any of us about his past. The only one he ever opened up to was Kaoru. If he did have regrets, I?m sure Kenshin would be fighting to slice ?em out, even in death.?
Aoshi regarded Megumi for a moment. ?Takani,? he murmured quietly, ?if you had stayed with Kanryu, it is possible that the Battousai would be here now.?
Megumi was taken aback, Sano growled, and Misao gasped.
?You?re wrong,? Sano told him, right fist clenched. ?The Battousai died long before Kenshin did.?
Aoshi turned to the gate. ?Let?s go.?
Misao scowled at his back. ?Please, Miss Megumi. . . Aoshi has trouble releasing things. He does regret not defeating Himura. Please forgive him for that fault.? With a final smile of comfort, she hurried after Shinomori.
Sanosuke turned to Megumi as soon as they were gone. ?Megumi?? he asked at her shadowed expression. ?What is it? What?s wrong??
Megumi raised her face slowly to look him in the eye. ?Is Aoshi right, Sanosuke?? she asked. ?If I had stayed with Kanriyu, perhaps dear Ken would be. . . But I can?t,? she murmured, turning away. ?I want to wish that I had stayed with Kanriyu to have prevented Derekai?s anger, dear Ken?s death, and most of all, Kaoru?s torment. But, Sano, I just??
?Stop.? His arms came around her shoulders, head settling atop hers. ?Don?t feel guilty for leaving a man you didn?t love, Megumi. Please. . .? He gripped her arms and turned her to face him. His hands rose to cup her face. ?Don?t regret staying with a man you do love.?
Megumi?s usually-composed face crumpled, and she fell forward into his embrace, crying softly. She managed to gasp out, ?I do love you, Sano.?
From the gate Misao had not bothered to close, a man in a black cloak watched, the shadows provided by the cloak?s hood concealing his face. Without a sound, he left the vicinity, an odd tapping sound coming from his hip.
***
?I?m back!?
The sound of an open door sliding shut.
?Kaoru, do you hear me??
Kaoru closed her eyes, patting her damp hair with the fluffy cotton towel he had bought for her. She was seated on the bed, the raised bed he had bought from American traders. She recalled how difficult adjusting had been when he had been so used to her futon.
?Kaoru, have you gone to the Akabeko??
Kaoru lifted her head to face the door. ?I?m dressing!? she called to him. ?The food is on the counter!? After an incident soon following their marriage, he had never trusted her to cook again. Miss Tae had graciously provided food for their dinner, the only meal he was at home for. Otherwise, Kaoru did not eat. That way, she would be thinner and the corset he insisted she wear under the uncomfortable lace bodice of those traditional Western gowns did not have to be tied quite so tightly.
After a moment, she saw the knob of the western door twist and it opened. Her reaction was to use the towel to cover herself, clad only in the many assorted undergarments of Western clothing.
Derekai?s eyes were sharp as nails above the tie he had loosened. In one hand he held his jacket. And his eyes did not soften when they fell on Kaoru, they simply intensified to a level she had come to be wary of.
?Good evening,? he said in English first. When Kaoru?s brows lowered in her struggle to remember their meaning, he sighed. ?Kon ben wa.?
Kaoru nodded and repeated the words. ?I will come in a minute to put dinner out,? she told him quietly, eyes on her bare feet.
Derekai regarded her in a way that made her stomach clench. It did not worry her; she had long since grown very used to that sickening feeling. She never let him know. He had drilled into her the custom of women being submissive to their husbands, and saying she felt ill would only bring on a longer ?interaction? and perhaps some fresh beatings of reprimand. And she could never fight back.
?I don?t know if I?m in the mood for Tae?s food tonight,? he told her in an almost conversational tone. ?Granted, hers is very fine cooking. But yours. . .?
?You have never liked my meals,? Kaoru said softly, fighting a cringe when his fingers threaded through her hair.
Takeda the younger smiled softly, lips pressed to the curtain of raven hair. ?Not the kind you keep over a stove.? He took her shoulders. ?Tell me you love me, Kaoru. I hear it from you so rarely.?
Kaoru still did not meet his eyes. It was not worth the risk. ?I??
?No, that is selfish of me,? Derekai cut in. ?I will not demand you to say words you do not wish to speak.?
Kaoru blinked. He thought he was doing her a favor.
?Instead. . .? Reaching for the towel, he slowly pulled it down and began unlacing and untying the garments she had spent nearly twenty minutes putting on. ?Why don?t you show me??
Kaoru did meet his eyes now. They were a deep blue. Sometimes, when they were darkened like this, she could almost imagine them as purple.
And it was that purple shade that got her through his ?love.?
***
Yahiko Miyoujin sparred with Shiro Yamate, who was a few years younger than his age of sixteen.
?You don?t attack forcefully enough, Yamate!? Yahiko called to him. ?Come at me with your full strength!?
The younger boy advanced with a speed almost besting Yahiko?s. With a cry, he raised his wooden sword to the level of his elbow?
Yahiko?s eyebrows lowered as he blocked the offense easily and pull back. ?That?s enough for this evening. It?s getting late.? He took Yamate?s weapon and set them both on the rack by the wall. ?Your mind is not where it should be. I know fully well that Master Kamiya has trained you to stay completely focused. I assisted in sharpening that lesson. Do you agree, Shiro??
?Yes, sir,? he answered, a little shrunken by his loss. ?I am. . .distracted.?
?That is apparent,? Yahiko answered and then continued, not unkindly, ?what occupies the head that is supposed to think of only the current battle??
At this, Shiro?s cheeks reddened a bit. ?Forgive me, Assistant Master. . . I am thinking of a girl.?
At this, a grin broke out on Yahiko?s face. ?Suzume.?
?You know??
?Ayame has never kept secrets well,? he laughed. ?You?d better keep on your toes, Shiro. Her Uncles Sano and Yahiko will be watching you very closely. Now hurry and start home. I?ve kept you later than I intended. Work on your attacks.?
?Yes, sir.? Shiro bowed in respect and turned to leave.
?And Shiro!?
Yamate turned back.
Yahiko flashed him a grin. ?I have seen Suzume in her festival kimono. Be sure to shower her with compliments when you see her that day, it will certainly further you in her favor.?
Shiro?s blush deepened. ?Yes, sir.?
Yahiko smiled as the door slid shut and went about neatening the practice room. This dojo would not be just his home for very long. Sano was still living in the longhouse and Megumi remained at the clinic, but Kaoru had invited them to live at the dojo once they were married, and Yahiko had decided to move out to the longhouse instead. He certainly didn?t want to be around after the fox and the rooster had given their vows.
Wedding vows. His smile faded. The first wedding he?d seen had been Kaoru?s. It had not been a pleasant one. It had been beautiful, yes, it had been extremely expensive. But their had been no feeling behind it, not from Derekai, who Yahiko had suspected only wanted a bedmate, nor from Kaoru, who obviously still mourned Kenshin?s death deep inside. The guests from Derekai?s ?family? had consisted of business associates, and Kaoru?s guests had included himself, Megumi, Sanosuke, Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume. Misao and Aoshi had arrived that night from Kyoto to offer their best regards, and even Hajime Saitou, who had revealed himself alive and well months after the fight with Shishio, had sent a brief letter containing more-or-less positive words.
But, no, it had not been pleasant. And it was something he rarely cared to remember. It was terrible, at first, seeing his master practically enslaved by a man whose wife required elegance, grace, and a submissive spirit. And while Kaoru had the first two to a certain extent, ?submissive? would not have been a word Yahiko would have chosen to describe her.
He knew Derekai Takeda, a first-class businessman, cared nothing for her. But she was one of the more beautiful women in Tokyo, and, however poor, she was considerably high in social groups as the owner of the Kamiya dojo. That was why he had forced her to marry him. And there was no doubt in Yahiko?s mind that the muscle-slimmed, compact body Kaoru had did not please him.
Suddenly, every muscle Yahiko had tensed. Swiveling on his heel, he saw a hooded-cloaked man standing in the doorway of the dojo.
Annoyed that he had not heard the door open, his voice came out rough. ?Or are you?? Reaching out an arm, he took up a wooden sword. This building was special to him, and he would protect it. ?Why do you disgrace this place by not asking for permission to enter at the gate??
The man reached under his cloak for what was undeniably the hilt of a sword.
?Hold it!? Yahiko held out the tip of his sword and the man circled around to the back of the training hall.
There was a bit of laughing as Sanosuke came into the hall, leading Megumi by the waste. ?Hey, Yahiko. I thought. . . Who are you??
Sano?s right hand had dropped Megumi?s to curl into a fist. Megumi?s face scowled at the intruder.
The man was silent.
?You don?t tell me. . .? Sano?s long legs carried him swiftly across the room, and his hand reached for the hood. ?I?ll reveal you myself.?
The man left arm grabbed his elbow and went under Sano?s arm.
?You?re fast, but robbers don?t steal from this place for a reason!? Yahiko shouted, surging toward the black-encased figure.
The swing of his sword missed the figure?s head, but it snagged a bit of the hood and yanked it back an inch or two. Sano?s fist went limp. Yahiko dropped his sword. Megumi?s frown had melted in a look of pure disbelief.
A lock of burning-red hair had spilled from the hood. With no shadows to hide them, a pair of large violet eyes blinked out at the three.
?It can?t be,? Megumi gasped first.
Yahiko?s eyes were wide. ?You are. . .?
?Oro.?
Sano fell to the floor on his butt.
?Kenshin. . .?
************************************************************************
Gundam Girl: Oh, hm. . . A cliffhanger. My mistake, wasn?t really my intention, no it wasn?t.
This was fairly long. Animechick should be pleased. ?Sea Of Emotion? chapter four is coming next, AC!
KT: Ooh, Kenshin?s alive!
^_^ Hope you all liked this chapter ? enough to make you wanna review! Please do, it means a lot to me. Thanks!
-GG
