Fate tends to rewrite wrongs, and teach lessons. In this lifetime, it decides to go big and tinker with time as it drops a hyperactive, battoujutsu-happy Kenshin in modern society to protect and stay by Kaoru's side. Modern, everyday society must deal with Himura Kenshin and all his quirks.
Anachronism
Do I control your lives, your decisions; or do I casually unravel for you the paths to live once you make life-alterating decisions? The life of Himura Kenshin seems to demonstrate either my cruel obsession with manipulation or my likewise neglect with the life of Himura Kenshin. His formative years were made up of a string of curses: from abandonment in so many ways, it is a wonder why Kenshin did not turn out cruel or a shell of a man (the latter's validity is questionable), to betrayal. Yet, Kenshin refuses to compensate his early years' losses by reveling in happiness later in life. Some could say this is strange indeed. Seemingly, I offer him a soulmate (the truth of such things are best left questionable ), loyal and loving friends, and so more of the things that grant most men the greatest contentment in life. Nevertheless, Himura Kenshin shuns these fortunes and lives a life of masochistic measures. Am I so cruel as to deal him so much trauma early on in his life only to then bend Kenshin to my will by coercing him into choosing unhappiness by choice? Or, is Kenshin autocratic enough to believe that his decisions alone determine his own life? Often, without guidance and support, man consequently believes that everything is inconsequential to his life. Take away a mouse's refuge and you'll discover that it assumes any habitable place potentially its own.
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Odd. Bewildering. Everything is odd and bewildering. I've been wandering in this strange fantasy for over an hour now, bombarded with the glares of mutant fireflies, metal carriages that dominant the roads, and frighteningly dressed people. Has there been a holiday festival implemented that I slept through and woke to scared to death by? Children are lingering about the streets in these gaudy, holiday costumes that I could not call proper...Kaoru dressed in such things ...actually, I never seen anyone wear such costumes! Where am I? This is a dream--as I had surmised earlier--right?
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"Ne, Kana-chan, Tokuhara Sensei told me about a nanadan¹-ranked friend of his that just recently opened up another one of his famous bougu franchise near Shibuya. An amazing kendo genius founds an amazing, prosperous kendo equipment franchise. I just have to see him, I mean his store. If dreams can come true, then I can even own one of his bokkens..."
Geez, you'd think she would have seen a delightful display of mizugashi² by the way she's drooling. I better pull her back from another one of her kendo fantasies. "Kaoru, we both agreed that today is entirely dedicated to dress shopping. The use of my femenine wiles in getting my otaku to afford me freedom was quite draining! Human skulls are formidable structures, but Sousuke's seems to toughen up the more Halisen persuasion he receives!" Hmph. That insufferable otaku. ...My insufferable otaku.
"So, how did you really trick him this time? Sagara-kun's perserverance rivals that of a spoiled child's ploy for getting its demands fulfilled. I know; I have my own childish terror. Believe me, they love putting up an argument just as much as Sagara-kun. Although Sagara-kun reasons with your wants for an entirely different sake... Kana-chan? You're blushing! Y-you didn't...eek! I understand now what you meant you said female persuasion was used! Mou. Kana-chan, you have to be careful ne? Although I have yet to understand this whole idea of loving someone so whole-heartedly, I at least know that even if you believe he will forever be with you, sharing whatever life has in store for you guys, you are--no, we are only students. We need to be conscientous of the good of our future by living responsibly in the present. I wish- "
"Hai hai. Kaoru, I am class president after all. Now, which one will Sousuke prefer? This blue cocktail dress by Marc Jacobs or this sexy red number by Diane vonFurstenberg?"
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Meanwhile, random cars, parked on the same side of the street and at variable distances from each other, blared off raucous cries of alert as they stand riddled with slashes on their hoods and doors and sport innoucuous diamond cuts across their windows--grazes shatter at a whisper of a touch, leaving piles of glass rubble and horrified car owners. One car in particular has no hope of ever driving its faithful owner again; one car owner out there somewhere can only dream of seeing his car (intact) again. Bewildering indeed.
Kami! What sort of dream is this! A frightening dream that depicts these metal carriages that also serve as what I thought was a self-powered canon. I learned after I touched one and tried to silence it with a Ryu Do Ryu San³ that these were just cacophonous alarms like a thousand cries of belligerent samurai. I only sent the parts of the first flying astray, and vented my frustration on a few after that. That was easily done for these sit still as the wooden stumps Shishou often had me practice on. Fleeing Shinsengumi at least quiet after I practice a bit on them. If there were Shinsengumi around, I wouldn't have had to vent out on these annoyingly deafening things. An assassin cannot afford exposure by these noisy alarms. As a shadow assassin I must run and preserve my inconspicuousness.
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"Kana-chan, it won't take long! We're only two blocks away from bougu shop. You have your bag of happiness for the day, now I need mine! Uuuuthat bokken is calling me forth!"
"You also have a bag of goodies for today! Why do we now have to venture a weapons factory?"
"It's a kendo equipment store, shop to a sacred art. It is not some dangerous establishment dealing arms and warfare Kaname. Besides, upon entering, you might just come to respect kendo some and enjoy it with me ne?"
"Iie, who needs kendo or any martial arts for that matter, when they've got a war expert for a bodyguard. In fact, any threats to me are usually eradicated with excessive force both intentionally or otherwise by my Sagara-gunryo-dono. If I even need protection, then it should be from that idiot. That jerk. Gahh! Lets hurry Kaoru. A bokken might interest me after all."
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Kenshin in his youth would have never abandon his other half to seek the misery that enshrouded his childhood; a mature Kenshin did when he turned away from his life Kaoru. Willfully witnessing disease and degradation could be interpreted as an older Kenshin's unconscious attempt to brood and resent me for slapping him with all his childhood trauma. Self-pity some might say. In other words, bitter resentment compels conscientous human beings to favor self-centered rumination over the nurturing of loved ones and life itself. I'm not surprised. Really, Kenshin never emotionally matured. He just adapted his childish resentment into something more adult appropiate. Under the pretext of nobility, his juvenile vexation hurt the one he cares about and loves: his Shishou; Sano and Yahiko; his less than convential family; and Kaoru. Well, I'm not one to be spited and let such insolence go un-corrected. Although unorthodox, I am going introduce Himura Kenshin to a consequence he will travel instead of that dark cloud he's going to create after this Bakumatsu is finished. Himura Kenshin, you will grow and enjoy happiness this time. Otherwise, another one of Sagara Sousuke's gunryo antics might just do you some good.
Comments are greatly appreciated. Although, I have to request that any negative suggestions/critique should be watered down with some sensitivity and tact. I'm a very sensitive person, so I'd appreciate the courtesy ). But by all means, please don't turn away from offering any constructive criticism that you might have for me. As I've said, I welcome helpful comments on whatever little I have shown so far.
Footnotes key:
1- Nanadan- a high rank in kendo.
A brief description of ranks in kendo:
shodan
beginner with solid basics
nidan starting to understand a
little bit about kendo
sandan intermediate, able to
instruct beginners
yondan junior instructor
godan
instructor
rokudan senior instructor
nanadan
master instructor
hachidan Kendo god
Rokudan is the usual top rank for dedicated amateur players - I guess you could call it a master level, but we don't use that terminology. Nanadan is a very high level instructor, usually a professional (like a police instructor, high school or college coach in Japan). Hachidan is superhuman. Every year, about 1500 nanadan candidates try the hachidan exam in Japan. The pass rate is usually about 2. These are all famous guys tournament champions and so forth, but the hachidan exam is very rigorous.
2- Mizugashi- fruit
3- Ryu Do Ryu San- (Ground Dragon Flash) Giant blow against the ground, causing massive airwaves/rocks to strike enemies.
4- Gunryo- war; warfare.