Author: Arashi (marenski@hotmail.com)
Website: www.kenkaya.com
Author's Notes: We're all feeling it... The second episode of the new OVA hit us hard. It touched us, made us cry, or knocked us into a state of depression. Right after I posted "Our Sanosukes" I started thinking about the general consensus we've all given about that darn second episode. I wanted to do something to make everyone feel better, so here's my fic. Hope you all enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or the original idea for these tribute fics. But there's something I have realized... You and I have taken these characters further than Watsuki-sama ever did. They've sort of become ours, you know?
Dedication: This one is dedicated to all the RK fic authors and readers around the world! A special dedication to dementedchris and Susan for sparking my interest in writing these tribute fics. The original idea for this fic was inspired by Talaco's author comments in her tribute fics and her review of "Our Sanosukes". Hope this cheers you up a bit!
----------------------- WARNING: Seisou Hen (New OVA) SPOILERS
"Shit Kenshin, this is depressing"
"What is it Sano?" The red-haired man ignored the flashing lights that meant he had people on the line trying to get through. Around them, the cast of Rurouni Kenshin busily answered phones and navigated the congested workspace.
Everyone was busy trying to handle the stream of calls everyone except Sanosuke.
"Shouldn't you be working?" The former rurouni gave him his patented smile as he pulled off his headset.
"Nah, I'm taking a break" The spiky haired ex-gangster double clicked his mouse and then turned the screen to give his friend a better view. The familiar blue border of fanfiction.net was visible across the top part of the screen. A long list of Rurouni Kenshin fanfiction trailed out underneath it. "Just look at all of this! From reading some of these you'd think the world had come to an end or something!"
"Well Sano the last episode of the very last installment of Rurouni Kenshin did come out recently" Kenshin trailed off. He didn't want to patronize his friend.
"Yeah but, from all these tributes and stuff, you'd think somebody died or something!" Sanosuke's outburst caused a few of their fellow co-workers and cast members to give the ex-gangster dumbfounded looks.
Kenshin cleared his throat. "Um Well Sano Did you, uh Watch the second episode of the new OVA?" His question was rewarded with a blank look from the younger man that confirmed Kenshin's suspicions. "Ok, I guess that answers that... Well Sano, in the end I uh die."
"Shiiiiit No way man! You're invincible!"
Kenshin smiled weakly. "Did you miss the part where I couldn't even catch the fish you tossed at me? Or how about all those bandages? What about those reddish purple marks that spread all over my body? Did you think you could put me on a boat for Japan and that I'd somehow miraculously recover?"
"I guess I wasn't thinking" Sano glanced away in embarrassment. "I mean, I didn't think Sony would actually kill you or anything!"
Kenshin shrugged off the concern. "Hey, don't worry about it. It's not like I'm actually dead."
"True" Sanosuke grinned and went back to his fanfic reading. "But it's still depressing, you know? I'm not sure people out there understand that the conclusion isn't really final They've written so many fanfictions about us already, it's not like they can't just keep writing them, or change the ending, or something"
"Well that's what we're here for." Kenshin pulled on his headset with a smile and hit the flashing light. "Kenshin-gumi Counseling Service, this is Kenshin speaking. Do you want to talk about it?"
Sanosuke watched in amusement as the rurouni nodded his head in non-verbal response to his caller's questions and fears. It didn't really matter to Kenshin that the person on the line couldn't actually see him.
"I understand how you feel" Kenshin assured. "Just about everyone feels that way after watching the second episode. Our doctors are calling it Seisou hen Depression Syndrome." He paused listening intently before opening his mouth once again to speak. "That's alright. If you need to take time away from writing your fanfictions, I think everyone will understand. Of course, trying to deal with your emotions by writing out your feelings might be something you want to try. It's worked for quite a few authors already, that it has"
Sanosuke leaned back in his chair, scanning through the collection of tribute fics and their authors, wondering briefly if writing really was helping any of them deal with the emotional shock caused by the end of the greatest anime series of all time. (Namely, the one with him in it.)
"Dementedchris Talaco Gypsy-chan Firefury" The list stretched on and on. "Here's one about Kenshin and one about Jou-chan one about couples some bloopers." Sanosuke smirked to himself as he clicked open "New OVA Bloopers" and read. Snickering, he resumed his search for tribute fics and after only a moment he came across a new one. "Ah ha!" He nearly shouted with joy. "A tribute all about me! About damn time!" He clicked it open with a grin. "Damn Arashi, I could kiss ya for writing this."
"Who are you going to kiss?" Megumi peered over at him suspiciously. Apparently her headset did not keep her from hearing every word out of the ex-gangster's mouth.
"Nobody Fox mind your own business." Sanosuke grumbled.
"What's your problem?" The lady doctor pulled off her headset and leaned toward him. "Don't tell me you're still mad at me for our conversation in 'The Handcuff Chronicles'."
Sanosuke huffed and tried to avoid reading Handcuff's teaser, but his eyes disobeyed his direct order. It was right in front of his face, after all. "I can't believe Karina almost killed me" He mumbled. "And right after such a depressing conversation too!"
An altogether too familiar and cruel voice broke in. "I wish she had killed you. We could have been rid of you and your stupidity once and for all."
Sanosuke slammed his chair back into place and turned around angrily. "Dammit Saitoh! Who the hell asked for your opinion!?"
Saitoh only smirked as he walked on by. "Get back to work, moron. Even Shinomori solves more emotional problems than you do." Megumi and Sanosuke both glanced over at the Oniwabanshu and his stoic expression. Aoshi appeared to be meditating, and only broke his silence with single syllable words.
"Yeah, whatever Saitoh!" Sanosuke yelled at the former Shinsengumi's retreating back. "You're just mad because I got a tribute fic before you did!"
Saitoh stopped dead in his tracks but he didn't turn around. "Consider yourself fortunate that I've got better things to do beside putting you in your place." Without another word, he stalked out of the room.
Megumi and Sanosuke turned to each other and made the same comment at the same time. "Smoking break." They laughed. "The only thing that could possibly be more important." Megumi added.
A certain female ninja's voice rose above the constant din, distracting the two from their amusement. "I don't know!! I don't have any clue!! Ask Sony, not me!"
"What do you think it is this time?" Sanosuke raised an eyebrow as he stared over at the weasel girl.
"Oh, someone probably asked why they decided to kill Ken-san" Megumi fiddled with the end of one of her long locks of silky hair. She glanced up at the ex-gangster almost hesitantly. "Or maybe they asked why you didn't get on the boat and bring Ken-san back yourself"
Sanosuke clenched his jaw. "Hey fox Would you drop it already? It's not my damn fault that I didn't get on the boat and come back to Japan. If it was up to me I would have. You know as well as I do that there was nothing that could have kept me in China with Kenshin needing me that bad... and uh..." He paused and searched her face carefully. "With uh... you... uh... maybe... needing me too..."
Before Megumi could reply Misao jumped to her feet, creating a ruckus as her headset's cord knocked some papers and a styrofoam cup half full of coffee onto the ground. "Rub it in why don't ya!? How do you think it makes me feel that I wasn't even in it at all!!? Huh?? HUH????"
Kaoru was at her side in an instant. "Misao-chan" She hit the hold button and put her hand on the weasel girl's shoulder gently. "We're the ones who are supposed to be offering the counseling You have to realize that your fans are just as upset as you are."
Kaoru's comforting words seemed to do the trick. Misao quieted down, and resumed her conversation. Kaoru felt someone watching her and her attention diverted over to Sanosuke and Megumi. "Could you two take some of these calls? We're being flooded." She smiled warmly, and all Sano and Megumi could do was pick up their headsets and hit their flashing lights.
"Yo, this is Sano You wanna talk about it?" He winked over at the fox lady who merely rolled her eyes as she carefully placed her headset on her head without messing up her hair. "Of course I watched the entire last episode. Uh huh" Sano's roguish grin slowly dropped from his face. "Uh well yeah about that" His brows knit in concentration. "Ummm. Here, let me transfer you and you can ask the man himself."
Sano slammed his finger on the hold button. "Dammit!" He yelled, to no one in particular. "I don't know what the hell this person is talking about KENJI! You've got a caller on line four!"
The young Kenshin-look-alike poked his head up from his cubicle. "What are you talking about?"
"She says she wants to know who the girl was that you were walking with in the very end! WHAT girl she's talking about, I have no damn clue!"
"Oh!" Kenji grinned from ear to ear, blushing slightly. "Uh, yeah you can transfer the call to me." He disappeared from sight, but not before returning the approving thumbs-up his father shot him.
"What was that all about?" Sano glared at his red-haired friend.
"Oh you know My son got himself a woman." Kenshin beamed with fatherly pride.
"Oh yeah?" Sanosuke couldn't wipe the look of surprise off his face. Something about the young son of his best friend finding love bothered the ex-gangster terribly. "So what's she like?"
"Oh you know she's very pretty, she has a bit of an attitude she's spunky." Kenshin grinned. "She's a lot like Kenji's mother actually."
"What's 'er name?"
"That my friend" Kenshin offered his patented rurouni smile. "Is something the RK Fanfiction authors are going to have to tell us."
Sanosuke leaned back in his chair, contemplating the vastness of the fanfiction universe. (or perhaps merely the ceiling tiles) "You think they realize how much we need them?"
"I hope so Sano... I hope so..."
-----------------------
So uh... You wanna talk about it? I think a lot of us are feeling a little depressed after watching the second episode. I, personally, thought it was wonderful... (notwithstanding the fact that they kill our rurouni) but I won't lie and say I didn't cry.
Maybe you're the only one you know who loves Rurouni Kenshin the way you do... maybe you've got no one to talk to about it who will understand. But I think all of us on ff.net are here and listening. Please, if you want to rant or put in your two cents, leave a review... take up as much space as you want, ne? Your comments might cheer up someone else or help us realize that there's other people out there who think just like we do! *grin*