Life Among the Dead

At least it was a sunny day, or it was most likely they would've all been gone by now. They had been standing at the pier for hours, seeing all the foreigners walk by and not once, not once spotting anyone close to what the visitors had been described as. There had been a want ad in the newspapers for someone who would take in a wealthy immigrant from Germany, and being one of the observant, Kaoru mailed out the invitation for the new arrivals to come stay at the dojo. She had gotten a letter back saying that on this day the immigrant would arrive and pay her for her kind generosity. But now, with all this waiting, she wasn't quite sure if it was worth it.

"How much did they say they'd give you for this?" Yahiko questioned, laying back with his hands behind his head, yawning.

"Does it matter? Haven't you ever heard of the word 'kindness' before?" she said, scolding him.

"Yeah, but is it all worth it sitting out here in the scorching sun? I mean, why can't they just come to us?"

"It's obvious they don't know anyone around here or they wouldn't have put a want ad out for shelter," Sanosuke stated, sitting back on the bench facing out to the water.

"But I wonder what's taking them so long..." Kaoru's eyes turned wide and shaking with worry, clapping her hands together. "I certainly hope they didn't run into any pirates, or strike a battle at sea and sink, or-"

"You're just worried you won't get that money," Yahiko mumbled, interrupting her.

"HEY! That's not true!"

"You know it is! You're dead broke, and you're even having a hard time buying food!"

She glared. "Just because you keep eating it all up!"

He gritted his teeth, standing up and balling his fists. "What?! You eat twice as much as I do!"

"What are you implying?!"

He crossed his arms, grinning, "Oh, nothing that's not of the obvious."

Her rage rose to its boiling point, taking the wooden sword from behind her back and holding it up above her head as if to strike hard. Both Sanosuke and Kenshin stood, having a hard time keeping her from literally killing Yahiko. He just laughed and stuck out his tongue, looking out to the water and seeing another ship had just arrived. When the ship sounded, they stopped, turning to see it as well. Kaoru smiled happily, hoping that it had finally come. Putting the sword behind her back again, she walked with the others through the crowded pier, heading over to the drop off area to find the immigrants.

As they reached it, Kaoru held out her hand, asking, "Sanosuke, you have the picture right?"

"Let's see..." He searched his pockets, finding it and handing it to her.

She held up the black and white photo of the young lady, wearing a Western-styled dress with a bonnet tied on the sides of her face. Hopefully she'd be wearing something similar to it, because the picture was glared out partly and nothing really being revealed of her face. Sanosuke, in his superstitious self, said that's what happens when you take too many pictures, but she had just rolled her eyes and remained thinking that there had probably been something wrong with the lighting.

Eventually, they noticed a young woman, looking to be like the girl from the picture, wearing a yellow dress. With white gloves to match the frills on the hem of her outfit, she also had a lace umbrella to shield her ghostly pale skin from the blazing sun. Her deep, dark brown hair was back in something called a French braid, and her light blue eyes seemed lost in the commotion. They approached, Kaoru putting a hand on her shoulder from behind, trying to get her attention. The girl jumped, her eyes turning wide and stepping away from them quickly as if they were looters.

"Oh, no need to be frightened, we-" Kenshin tried to say, but a shadow came looming over them, turning around to see what it was. Kenshin and Sanosuke took one look and were prepared to fight, seeing the monstrous man standing with his arms crossed and his eyes gazing at them.

"Is there something you would like to ask her?" his voice boomed in question. Even Sanosuke was a bit intimidated by him, being at least two feet taller than him and a shoulder width as big as his arm span. Kaoru held up the picture, the man putting out a hand and taking it between two fingers. Even his hands would manage to engulf Kaoru's face. After a moment, he put it in his pocket, continuing. "So you are the one's who answered the ad. I guess you're not so bad."

"Well, sir, might I ask who you are?" Kaoru inquired.

"My name is Johann. Her name is Lenore, and I'm her bodyguard. You see, she cannot speak, but at least we took the liberty of learning your language anyway."

"You mean she's a mute?" Sanosuke asked.

"I never said that," he answered, almost like it was a threat.

"Umm...We should be going, especially before it gets dark," Kaoru filled in.

"Hey, wait, what about our money?!" Yahiko yelled, and all three covered his mouth before he would make the man any angrier.

"Actually, that reminds me." The man named Johann reached into his pocket, pulling out a wad full of cash. They all stared in surprise, the man counting out the money and putting the rest back in his pocket. He lifted Kaoru's hand, placing it in her care. "One hundred Yen, as promised."

"A-a hundred Yen?!" Yahiko stuttered in shock, reaching out to grab it from her. "Let me see that!"

Kaoru beat him over the head with a fist, tucking it away in her sleeve. She bowed, waving a hand in gesturing to show them to the dojo. The man tilted his head slightly, the young lady seeing this and coming forth, staying close by. Kenshin stared for a moment, noticing the way they were dressed compare to everyone else around. They were wearing to foreign of clothes to ever fit in, the man wearing some sort of animal hide and the lady in such a bright color. He went over to Kaoru, saying to her that maybe they should go shopping first, considering the state they were in. She stopped and turned to gaze at them both too, nodding shortly after. Smiling, she held up a hand, and both staring in question of why she was doing this.

"We were just discussing this and...Well, we thought it be a good idea if we take you to a tailoring shop."

"Hmm? And what's the reason for this? We not fit in here?" Johann stated sarcastically, but Lenore took his arm, catching his attention. She smiled, nodding her head and beginning to walk on. She shrugged, looking both ways in probably asking which way to go. In this they all turned the next street, the new bodyguard sighing and murmuring in annoyance under his breath.

Thinking it was improper to stay inside while Lenore's clothes were being made, Johann stood outside, his arms crossed and his eyes shut. Being afraid that he might start something and get in trouble with the law, the three guys stood out there with him, Kenshin sitting down peacefully, Sanosuke with his hands behind his head while leaning against the wall, and Yahiko plotting on how to get the rest of the money stashed in his pocket.

With nothing else to do, Sanosuke couldn't help but think of where the big guy came from. Sure, he saw tough guys in his day, but nothing compared to this giant. He knew this guy could go off at any second, and could probably crush his skull with one hand if he wasn't careful, (and it wasn't everyday he thought about this). But finally he just came to terms and decided to ask in the best way he could.

"So, you German?" he questioned.

"No, actually. The girl is German, I'm actually part Scottish and Nourish."

"Nourish? You mean like Viking Nourish?!" Yahiko asked, trying to hide the gulp he just made in his throat.

"Yeah. I assume you don't have a problem with that?"

"No, no problem!" he fibbed, shaking his hands. Sighing, he knew that there went his dreams of a fortune from this guy.

'No wonder this guy's so huge! Plundering-and-destruction is his middle name!' Sanosuke thought.

There was another long moment of silence. A few bystanders went by, catching a glimpse at the newcomer for a short glance before they went on their way. A few minutes this went on, before someone emerged from the door, the men turning their heads to see who it was. Kaoru smiled, waving a hand to the door and introducing the new look for the newcomer. Lenore, now wearing a long, black skirt and a blue, v-neck shirt that tied around her middle and had sleeves that went largely off her hands, covered her face, feeling embarrassed. She still wore the yellow bonnet with the straps tied over her face, which didn't really go with the rest of the outfit.

"Wow, that's a change," Sanosuke stated, nodding his head in support.

"It looks good, Miss Lenore, that it does," Kenshin said.

"Yeah, but the only that's wrong is the stupid bonnet still on her head," Yahiko exclaimed.

"Yahiko! Be polite to our guests!" Kaoru hissed.

"No, the boy has a point," Johann said suddenly, holding out a hand to her. "I think you can take that off now. We're not in Europe anymore! No one will recognize you, with or without it."

She still refused, taking her hands down but shaking her head.

"Aw, come on, your hair doesn't look that bad under there does it-" Yahiko began, stepping forward and reaching up a hand to swipe it off her head. Instead, he received a hard slap across his upper face, stumbling back and falling to the ground. She shook her head furiously this time, running back inside.

"Oww..." he moaned, rubbing his face.

"Serves you right," Kaoru proclaimed, waking in after her.

A few people stood there, staring from what had just happened. With a bit of cursing and a yell from Sanosuke, they quickly scattered out again, minding their business once and for all.

"What was that all about?" Yahiko asked after she left for a few moments.

"It isn't of any importance to you," Johann stated, crossing his arms again and leaning against the wall.

After another minute or so, she came back out, wearing something suitable to her outfit. Yahiko nodded, saying that at least it was decent. The young lady smiled, pacing over gracefully to her bodyguard, grabbing his arm and pulling him along to the door entrance.

"What...? Oh no, no, no! No way am I going to wear one of these native's outfits!" he began, but still she pulled him along. Stopping, she patted him on the back, still smiling. "Please don't make me go in there..." This time she grinned, shoving him in.

When all had been said and done at the tailoring shop, Johann came out once more saying he looked like an idiot. They all just laughed, Lenore smiling with amusement, and headed on their way to the dojo. As they walked, Sanosuke and Kenshin shared in a conversation, and one of skepticism.

"Say Kenshin, do you find anything strange about those two?"

"Yes, I have found some things to be odd. But they are from the other side of the world after all!" he said, trying to make good sense of it.

"But what about the fact that they didn't have any luggage? Or why that guy carries around that much cash just in his pocket?"

"That is a bit peculiar, even if they are strangers to this land. Surely it must've been a long journey, and yet all they brought was the clothes on their back and all that money."

"Not to mention that Johann character. He seems like a time bomb waiting to go off."

"It's not him I'm worried about. It's Miss Lenore."

"Lenore? She's harmless! Not to mention she looks like she could hardly lift a dagger."

"Sometimes appearances can be fooling. Maybe I'm just being too cautious, but in some way I have a bad feeling about her, like her past is closely trailing behind her."

Sanosuke laughed, slapping him on the back. "You mean like you? Yeah, for once Kenshin, I think you're just being too paranoid!"

"I suppose you're right," he answered. In truth, for once in his life, he wasn't quite sure what he felt, like it was some new emotion logged in the back of his mind. It wasn't paranoia, it wasn't really skepticism, it wasn't even fear to what she was. It was something else, something completely different. To this he couldn't be sure, but he was sure he would eventually know what it was.

When they finally arrived at the dojo, Kaoru showed Lenore to her new room, where Yahiko escorted Johann to his room. Though dinner was served and they had been invited to come, neither did. Yahiko laughed, saying that they probably knew Kaoru's cooking was bad from just the smell from the kitchen! Kaoru, of course, hit in hard over the head again, telling him to go hive Johann his meal. Gulping at it, he could not refuse, but all the while thought of that story where the giant ate a kid's flesh, grinded their bones for bread...Kenshin, however, was given the liberty to deliver Lenore's meal, (knowing she won't reject, seeing how she couldn't talk in the first place).

He made his way through he outside hall, stepping up to her door and seeing the light had been turned off. Knocking on the door, he unsurprisingly got no answer, slightly sliding it open to see where she was. She had rolled out onto the bed mat, curled up tight in her blanket and fast asleep. He smiled, thinking of how long of a day she must've had and how thankful she must've been to just be in her new home. Stepping back, he decided he just take it back to the kitchen and deliver breakfast in the morning. But then he began to assess something else, remembering it from early today. Why hadn't she wanted the bonnet off? Gazing back, and seeing she was still sound asleep, he knew it wouldn't hurt just to see. He knew it was rude, but this weird feeling kept prying at the back of his head. Putting the plate down outside, he quietly stepped in, treading softly over the wooden floor. Kenshin kneeled beside her, witnessing she still did not move. Moving a hand over to the side of her face, he tilted the strap on the side of her face slighting, raising an eyebrow in thought. There was a scar, spreading from the side of her eye directly downward to her jaw, and it was most likely on the other side too. Letting go, he put a hand on her head, wondering what troubles she had once gone through to get that terrible of a wound. It was too bad she could not talk, for maybe she could put this feeling within him to rest. Maybe one day she would find a way to communicate, and on that day he would know.

He pulled away, sitting there for a moment and just staring in thought. All was silent throughout this place, and the slightest sound he made leaving could wake her, so as he stood he made sure he was very careful. But it no longer matter when suddenly she squirmed, sitting up a moment later and screaming in fear, her eyes tightly plastered shut as if she were about to die...

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A/N Umm...Does anyone think I'm making someone out of character? I'm probably just imagining it, but if someone points out something that doesn't seem right then I'll fix it! Okay, thank, and please review! ^_^