Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. All rights belong to Watsuki and
Sony.
Undeserved Honor
The blood red moon hung sorrowfully in the night sky. It's eerie light was cast over the field of the newly dead. Long shadows obsercured the burry images in the background. The metallic smell of blood hung think and heavy in the fading night's air.
The night had been a test of survival. Then again, every night during those dying days was. The screams and shouts of battle echoed endlessly through the night. The clang of steel meeting steel and steel meeting flesh intermingled with each other.
Then the screams faded and the quiet settled in. Only a handful of war- ragged soldiers remained. Then suddenly the silence was broken by the hollers of joy. Long awaited smiles touched each face except one. One man stood at the edge of the battlefield. His face was etched with deep engraved sadness. He slowly sheathed his s katana for the last time. With one last lingering glance at the bloody field he disappeared into the night.
~V~
"BUSU!"
"YAHIKO-CAHN, COME BACK HERE WITH MY NEW SANDLES!"
"IF YOU CAN CATCH ME!"
Kenshin awoke to the sounds of the morning greeting him happily right outside his door.
He desperately tried to hold on to the fleeting images of his dream but it was impossible. He remembered it was the day the Revolution officially ended during the long, hard battle at Tobu Fushimi. He had left shortly after that event. He knew that if he had stayed he would have been awarded and honored for his service to Japan by the emperor himself. He could see no reason though for being honored for murdering mass amounts of people.
"I can't keep thinking about the past. What's done is done. Besides, I have to get up and make breakfast."
Kenshin got up and opened the door to look outside. He could hardly belive how late it was. Kaoru looked up from her chase momentarily to see Kenshin standing in his doorway still wearing his yukuta.
"Morning sleepy head."
"Morning Kaoru-dono.um..why'd you let me sleep in?"
"I checked on you earlier bug you didn't bug when I opened the door. You're usually a very alert when you sleep so when you sleep as deeply as you were, I know you must be dreaming about the past."
"You still should have woken me up."
"Sorry"
Kenshin and Kaoru suddenly saw Yahiko run behind Kaoru. It was all they could do not to laugh.
"Maybe you should let Yahiko know that you're not chasing him anymore." "I think I'll let him keep running. He'll get his blood running so he will be ready for spring cleaning later today."
Yahiko topped dead in his tracks.
"You're not serious busu?"
"I sure am. There's so much dust that it seems like someone decided to bring the outside indoors."
"I think I'll go get dressed and start breakfast."
"Don't worry! I already made it."
"I don't think I'll be in any condition to clean after breakfast."
"Shut up Yahiko-chan!"
Kenshin left the bickering couple. He couldn't help but feel queasy at the thought of Kaoru's overly salty miso soup. He was also trying to figure out why he was again being plagued with dreams about the past. Most of all, why of all memories did he dream about Tobu Fushimi? It was almost like the dream was a message. He couldn't help but to feel like there might have been some unfinished business.
He quickly dressed and went to eat the toxic breakfast.
"Kaoru-dono, do you need any help?"
"No thank you."
Kenshin peeked into the pot and felt sick at the sight of the unrecognizable lumps floating in water.
"It looks delicious."
"Thank you. It's nice to hear a compliment after listening to someone complain nonstop."
"Shut up!"
"Talk all you want Yahiko. It'll just earn you more work."
While watching the two bicker yet again, Kenshin almost felt thankful towards his master for his lessons on women. They could truly be temperamental sometimes.
"Here you go Kenshin"
"Thank you."
Breakfast went by as usual. It was all Yahiko or Kenshin could do not to chock on those unrecognizable blobs that were supposed to be fried tofu. Kaoru smiled happily and ate as if the food were edible.
Kenshin pushed the bowl away. "Thank you for breakfast. I should go start cleaning the dojo."
"No, start on the hallways outside the bedrooms. I want Yahiko to clean the dojo by himself for his little comment earlier."
"Come on busu!"
"You brought this on yourself."
Kenshin shook his head as he walked out. Some things would never change. Yahiko and Kaoru would probably be 60 and 70 and still be going at each other's throats. He almost laughed at the image of Yahiko hobbling slowly with Kaoru trying her best to walk while using her shinai as a cane and attempting to chase after Yahiko.
He got the washtub from the storeroom and filled it up with the cool water from the well.
The methodical motion of sliding the rag back and forth over the floor was calming. He was still uptight over the dream. It seemed that every time he had a dream about the past that was that realistic, something drastic would happen afterwards. First was Saito showing up and reeking havoc then the incident with Enishi. The thought of something like that happening again was enough to keep him alert and ready.
Shouts and complaints echoed from the dojo and into the yard before the still air swallowed them up. The day wore on and the three worked diligently to restore the dojo to its former beauty. Kenshin did endless repairs while Yahiko and Kaoru dusted and washed in ever place possible. The breaked only for lunch. Around late afternoon a knock at the dojo gate break the routine that had been established.
"I'll get it Kenshin"
"Okay Kaoru-dono."
Kenshin watched from his place on the roof as she ran off towards the gate. He ignored what was going on and went back to work. It was hard to believe what bad shape the roof was in. You'd never be able to tell from the ground.
"Kenshin, it's someone for you."
"Okay."
Kenshin gracefully hoped down from the roof and landed on his feet. As he approached the gate he saw a well-dressed man in a western suit. He immediately assumed he was with the government.
"May I help you?"
"You are a Mr. Kenshin Himura? Am I correct?"
"Yes I am"
"I have a message for you from the emperor himself. He is requesting an audience with you as soon as possible."
~To be continued~
Author's Notes: Okay, this is an idea I've been throwing around for awhile. I've always wondered what would happen if Kenshin were to meet the emperor. He is very famous after all. Anyways, I know that Yahiko is still not at the dojo, but well, he is in this fic. You can make up your own reasons for him still being there. Maybe he couldn't stand the row house considering the fact that I doubt that Sano cleaned it often. I mean it says in episode 95 that his clothes hadn't been washed in who knows how long.
Please review because I truthfully don't know whether I should continue this or not. Thank you.
Miles of smiles, Naomi
Undeserved Honor
The blood red moon hung sorrowfully in the night sky. It's eerie light was cast over the field of the newly dead. Long shadows obsercured the burry images in the background. The metallic smell of blood hung think and heavy in the fading night's air.
The night had been a test of survival. Then again, every night during those dying days was. The screams and shouts of battle echoed endlessly through the night. The clang of steel meeting steel and steel meeting flesh intermingled with each other.
Then the screams faded and the quiet settled in. Only a handful of war- ragged soldiers remained. Then suddenly the silence was broken by the hollers of joy. Long awaited smiles touched each face except one. One man stood at the edge of the battlefield. His face was etched with deep engraved sadness. He slowly sheathed his s katana for the last time. With one last lingering glance at the bloody field he disappeared into the night.
~V~
"BUSU!"
"YAHIKO-CAHN, COME BACK HERE WITH MY NEW SANDLES!"
"IF YOU CAN CATCH ME!"
Kenshin awoke to the sounds of the morning greeting him happily right outside his door.
He desperately tried to hold on to the fleeting images of his dream but it was impossible. He remembered it was the day the Revolution officially ended during the long, hard battle at Tobu Fushimi. He had left shortly after that event. He knew that if he had stayed he would have been awarded and honored for his service to Japan by the emperor himself. He could see no reason though for being honored for murdering mass amounts of people.
"I can't keep thinking about the past. What's done is done. Besides, I have to get up and make breakfast."
Kenshin got up and opened the door to look outside. He could hardly belive how late it was. Kaoru looked up from her chase momentarily to see Kenshin standing in his doorway still wearing his yukuta.
"Morning sleepy head."
"Morning Kaoru-dono.um..why'd you let me sleep in?"
"I checked on you earlier bug you didn't bug when I opened the door. You're usually a very alert when you sleep so when you sleep as deeply as you were, I know you must be dreaming about the past."
"You still should have woken me up."
"Sorry"
Kenshin and Kaoru suddenly saw Yahiko run behind Kaoru. It was all they could do not to laugh.
"Maybe you should let Yahiko know that you're not chasing him anymore." "I think I'll let him keep running. He'll get his blood running so he will be ready for spring cleaning later today."
Yahiko topped dead in his tracks.
"You're not serious busu?"
"I sure am. There's so much dust that it seems like someone decided to bring the outside indoors."
"I think I'll go get dressed and start breakfast."
"Don't worry! I already made it."
"I don't think I'll be in any condition to clean after breakfast."
"Shut up Yahiko-chan!"
Kenshin left the bickering couple. He couldn't help but feel queasy at the thought of Kaoru's overly salty miso soup. He was also trying to figure out why he was again being plagued with dreams about the past. Most of all, why of all memories did he dream about Tobu Fushimi? It was almost like the dream was a message. He couldn't help but to feel like there might have been some unfinished business.
He quickly dressed and went to eat the toxic breakfast.
"Kaoru-dono, do you need any help?"
"No thank you."
Kenshin peeked into the pot and felt sick at the sight of the unrecognizable lumps floating in water.
"It looks delicious."
"Thank you. It's nice to hear a compliment after listening to someone complain nonstop."
"Shut up!"
"Talk all you want Yahiko. It'll just earn you more work."
While watching the two bicker yet again, Kenshin almost felt thankful towards his master for his lessons on women. They could truly be temperamental sometimes.
"Here you go Kenshin"
"Thank you."
Breakfast went by as usual. It was all Yahiko or Kenshin could do not to chock on those unrecognizable blobs that were supposed to be fried tofu. Kaoru smiled happily and ate as if the food were edible.
Kenshin pushed the bowl away. "Thank you for breakfast. I should go start cleaning the dojo."
"No, start on the hallways outside the bedrooms. I want Yahiko to clean the dojo by himself for his little comment earlier."
"Come on busu!"
"You brought this on yourself."
Kenshin shook his head as he walked out. Some things would never change. Yahiko and Kaoru would probably be 60 and 70 and still be going at each other's throats. He almost laughed at the image of Yahiko hobbling slowly with Kaoru trying her best to walk while using her shinai as a cane and attempting to chase after Yahiko.
He got the washtub from the storeroom and filled it up with the cool water from the well.
The methodical motion of sliding the rag back and forth over the floor was calming. He was still uptight over the dream. It seemed that every time he had a dream about the past that was that realistic, something drastic would happen afterwards. First was Saito showing up and reeking havoc then the incident with Enishi. The thought of something like that happening again was enough to keep him alert and ready.
Shouts and complaints echoed from the dojo and into the yard before the still air swallowed them up. The day wore on and the three worked diligently to restore the dojo to its former beauty. Kenshin did endless repairs while Yahiko and Kaoru dusted and washed in ever place possible. The breaked only for lunch. Around late afternoon a knock at the dojo gate break the routine that had been established.
"I'll get it Kenshin"
"Okay Kaoru-dono."
Kenshin watched from his place on the roof as she ran off towards the gate. He ignored what was going on and went back to work. It was hard to believe what bad shape the roof was in. You'd never be able to tell from the ground.
"Kenshin, it's someone for you."
"Okay."
Kenshin gracefully hoped down from the roof and landed on his feet. As he approached the gate he saw a well-dressed man in a western suit. He immediately assumed he was with the government.
"May I help you?"
"You are a Mr. Kenshin Himura? Am I correct?"
"Yes I am"
"I have a message for you from the emperor himself. He is requesting an audience with you as soon as possible."
~To be continued~
Author's Notes: Okay, this is an idea I've been throwing around for awhile. I've always wondered what would happen if Kenshin were to meet the emperor. He is very famous after all. Anyways, I know that Yahiko is still not at the dojo, but well, he is in this fic. You can make up your own reasons for him still being there. Maybe he couldn't stand the row house considering the fact that I doubt that Sano cleaned it often. I mean it says in episode 95 that his clothes hadn't been washed in who knows how long.
Please review because I truthfully don't know whether I should continue this or not. Thank you.
Miles of smiles, Naomi