The Consequences of Being Penniless
By hye kyo
Disclaimer: Nope, RK isn't mine…
Author's Notes: This is another three part fic, but each part is really short. Hahaha…anyway, this may be OOC and a bit unusual and fantastic but hey this is fanfic…so here goes…
Part I: Penniless
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Kaoru couldn't believe it. She poured the contents of her can for the third time and started counting. No, this couldn't be happening.
Kaoru almost cursed. They were in for a drought. They wouldn't be able to survive the whole fall. The next kenjutsu training session she already was sure of was scheduled at the start of winter. Until then there would be no way for them to make money.
Unless, unless a miracle happens. She needed divine intervention, anything.
She stood up, returned her savings can inside her drawer and decided to discuss this with the rest of her makeshift family.
--
"Unless someone else finds work," Kaoru said, "Even a temporary job I mean, I think we'd be fine through fall."
"Akebeko's closing after a couple of weeks since Tae-san said she'd be taking a leave," Yahiko said. He had been helping out at the Akebeko since and Tae-san had been very willing to pay him for his work.
"Alright," Kaoru said, doing a mental calculation, "Any other comment? Suggestion?"
"Well," Kenshin started, "I'd bring Sano with me to Saito and see if there's something he would want us to do."
Kaoru frowned, "Saito is out of town, isn't he?" Sure Saito had commissioned Kenshin to do some jobs, odd and whatnot, and had pay him measly for most. Even if Saito was in town, the possibility of getting a commissioned job from him was low, what with the too many policemen in the force and the low budget accorded to the local police force.
"A-ah…" Kenshin scratched the back of his nape and said, "How about if I help at the clinic?"
"Megumi already has an assistant," Kaoru frowned. This was getting nowhere.
"How about the Maekawa dojo?"
Kaoru turned to him, "Maekawa-san moved to Hokkaido just a couple of days ago and had sold the dojo to a real estate dealer."
"Ah…I forgot…" he tried to smile but saw Kaoru's face contorting into an irritated scowl.
She stood up.
"Where are you going Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin stood up too.
"I'm going to town," she said sharply, "I'll look for a job, for you, me and Sano." And she marched to the gate.
--
Kaoru sat down, noticed fliers being handed out but ignored them. She turned to Tae, "Kenshin's a good cook, I believe the Akebeko would be alright even if you take a leave."
Tae smiled apologetically, "Gomen Kaoru-san. I already told my regulars I'd be closing. I doubt people would come if you still keep it open. Besides, I'm taking most of the cooking wares with me because my sister Sae was asking for them."
"Sou ka…" and she bit her lower lip.
As if remembering something Tae suddenly stood up, picked a flier from a table nearby and handed it to Kaoru, "I saw this earlier. There would be a bidding pageant. The girl with the highest bid wins not just half of the bid money but also a four-month worth supply of rice."
"Really?" Kaoru started reading the flier. So this flier was the one handed outside. "Do you think I could join?"
"Oh," Tae suddenly stopped, "There's an age limit."
"Age limit?"
"Only for girls twenty and above."
"I'm almost twenty," Kaoru said.
"You're a year younger." Tae looked thoughtfully at her and said, "I wish we could find someone."
"Do you think they will know if I'm a year short?"
"The committee knows you probably. Look there," Tae pointed at the end of the flier, "The committee's composed of a couple of dojo owners."
Kaoru read the names. Yamanaka, Higashi…almost all of them were familiar to her. She had been to most of them. How unlucky.
"How about Megumi-san?" Tae suggested.
She looked at Tae, "Right. I'll go see her now."
--
"Iie," Megumi shook her head as she checked the vital signs of the patient sitting on the chair in front of her.
"Please Megumi," Kaoru had her hands together, "If we win, and I am sure we will since I know you're the prettiest girl here, me, Kenshin, Sano and Yahiko would be able to survive."
"I don't really care Kaoru, it's your fault since you baby those three." Megumi wrote something on her chart.
"But Megumi—"
"Besides, I have things to do here. I don't have time to join some stupid pageant."
"Then what do you suggest I do?" Kaoru asked desperately.
"Make use of the things around you," Megumi said dismissing her, "I'm sure you'll find something."
--
Kenshin was doing laundry when Kaoru came back. She had been immersed in her thoughts the whole time, looking out at nothing in particular as she sat on the porch thinking. He frowned at himself, he needed to find a job, money is getting scarcer.
He squeezed the cloth and was about to hang it on the clothesline when Kaoru said, "Kenshin, come here for a minute."
--
Megumi told her to look around. Alright, she'd use her imagination. Maybe she would find something, or someone that could and would help them.
Thinking about money drained her and as she sat on the porch watching Kenshin do laundry she had this very weird yet very amazing idea. A smile crept up to her face. Why not? She asked herself and called, "Kenshin, come here for a minute."
--
Kenshin came, puzzled, and stood before her. He asked, "Is there anything you want Kaoru-dono?"
She was smiling which was kind of creepy and said, "Come closer. Let me have a look at you."
Kenshin did so amid bafflement. He almost jumped when Kaoru placed a hand on his forehead and flipped his bangs.
"You're skin's a bit dry," she said, "But that isn't a problem. We could take care of it."
"Kaoru-dono?" he asked.
"Turn around," she ordered.
He furrowed his brows and tried to ask but she shot him an angry look so he quickly followed. He turned around.
"Good," she grinned, "It wouldn't be noticeable."
"What are you talking about Kaoru-dono?"
"Do you think we have the same size?" she asked, her hands touching and examining the length of his sleeves.
"Anou…" he swallowed hard. He had this feeling that Kaoru was up to something.
She drummed her fingers on her chin, "I think so…I guess it's settled then." And she laughed.
--
"What do you mean?" Kenshin was getting nervous, "You want me to join a bidding pageant?"
"Exactly," Kaoru was grinning.
Yahiko laughed. Sano snorted. Kenshin glared at them and said, "But…but I am a man…"
"Right," Kaoru said, "But they don't have to know that, do they?" Shifting into serious mode she said dramatically, "This is for our sake…my sake Kenshin? Do you want to not live through fall?"
"Ke-kedo…" Kenshin felt like crying. He's going to dress up like a woman, act like a woman, and join a woman's pageant. To think that he was the great Hitokiri Battousai of the Tokugawa Era. He wanted to melt and disappear.
"Do it for us Kenshin," Kaoru held his hand, "Do it for me…do it so that we would all survive the dry mornings and chilly nights of fall. Do it so that we would be able to retain our dignity." Kaoru said overdramatically.
Kenshin was beginning to fear Kaoru's different personalities. He cleared his throat, "Why me?"
"Why?" Kaoru frowned, "I think that's pretty obvious."
"Right," Sano snorted.
"You're petite Kenshin," Kaoru said.
Kenshin winced. Being underestimated in fights because of his height was one thing. This was another. Was it his fault he wasn't too gifted in that department?
"I…I mean," Kaoru quickly tried to cover up.
"Why me? Why not…" Kenshin glanced at Yahiko and Sano.
"Look," Kaoru said, emphasizing with a wave of her hands, "Yahiko's too young, and Sano…Sano's a bit too…too…" she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Tall. I'm a bit too tall and you're a bit too short." And Sano laughed.
Which depressed Kenshin more.
"No that's not what I mean, but well, partially…but no Kenshin," Kaoru stammered, giving Sano an angry look, "Sano's too…too rugged…you, you're homey. That's the difference. Sano's too rugged to look like a woman. They'd see through his disguise and this plan would fail."
"That's being diplomatic Jou-chan," Sano tried hard not to grin, enjoying the depressed look on the redhead's face, "Just tell him my features are too masculine and that his are not." And he let out a loud chuckle which earned him a hit on the head.
"Shut up!" Kaoru growled and instantly turned to Kenshin, "Kenshin what I am trying to say is that Sano's a bit too…rugged, you know in the way that he looks a bit too…too—"
"Rugged? Am I not rugged too?" Kenshin tried to plea.
"Not rugged Kenshin," Sano interjected, nursing his wound, "But ragged. Those two are different. You are ragged."
Kenshin had never experienced so much bruising on his ego.
Kaoru hit Sano again. "Don't take it that way Kenshin. All I am saying is that you have to trust me on this one. You do not want us to die of hunger, do you? That would just be too disgraceful. Especially for you, being the most famous Battousai. Right?"
"But isn't what you're asking me to do also disgraceful?"
"They wouldn't know it was you Kenshin," Kaoru pleaded. She glanced at Yahiko and Sano for help. "We need you to do this for us Kenshin. I'd be with you through all of this I promise. You're the only one who could…could," Kaoru thought of something dramatic, "Save us, you're the only one who could help us. Don't you want to do this for us? For our family?"
Sano glanced at Yahiko and they both nodded. Sano said in a low voice, trying to sound pleading, "I wish I could also be of help. Even to wear women's clothing, or join a pageant…I'd do those things just to be able to help…but unfortunately I couldn't. Somehow…" he looked at Kaoru who nodded at him, urging him to continue, "I envy you…you could do something at least. But here I am, useless, I wish could help…to show Jou-chan my appreciation. Imagine, she has taken us in without any hesitation…if only I could have a chance like you do now Kenshin…" He glanced at Yahiko and whispered, "Your turn."
Yahiko nodded, "Right…Sano's right…if only I'm old enough to do something…"
Kenshin couldn't bear this any longer. His conscience was already telling him to do what Kaoru was telling him to do. He took in a deep breath and glanced up at Kaoru, "Oh…alright…I will do it…"
Kaoru almost jumped with joy but managed to restrain herself.
"But," Kenshin just wanted to try if he could plead his way out, "What about the scar?"
Kaoru grinned, "No problem about that Kenshin. I just have this medicine to cover it up. I once had this huge gash that I needed to hide. That medicine covered it up very well. And anyway the pageant's going to be held sometime during the night so you won't have to worry so much about it. It's going to be too dark for people to even notice it."
Kenshin dropped his head. "What about…what about if they ask who I am?"
"We will tell them you're your distant cousin," Kaoru said brightly, "They don't know you here as Battousai so it wouldn't be too much of a problem."
"But—"
"We'll tell them you went to Kyoto to visit some friend and that your cousin came over to spend some time with us. Alright?"
Kenshin could only nod.
"I am sure we have the same size so we don't have to worry about clothes. I'd go to Megumi's and ask for some beauty tips," she winked and giggled, "I'm getting excited about this."
Kenshin grimaced. Kaoru was getting scary.
--
A/n: So that's part one...hope you all like it though I was a bit mean to Kenshin...