Oh, my G-O-D! You actually clicked on my story! Thank you…
This is my first 'published' fanfiction ever, so I'm kinda nervous, (doesn't that sound like a cliché?) Anyways, if I get at least three reviews, I'm gonna do my happy dance, coz at least three people out there took considerable time and effort to read and review this little piece! And I just know you're going to be one of them, wonchya?
This story is based on some pretty crazy idea I got from a character's favorite name for another character and it's going to be full of OOC moments, so forgive me if I kinda screw with the characters a bit (…somehow, that didn't come out right…) and put my own spin on the RK saga… Basically it's after the whole Enishi/Revenge thing, and I took 'some' liberties with the RK story here and there, but that's the fun in writing, ne?… And if the plot is kinda predictable and familiar…well…we'll see about that…(It ain't going to be!…At least I hope it ain't going to be…)
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. In a perfect world I would, but I live in the real world…and sadly I ain't got no money…so, it's utterly useless to sue me…but for good measure: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, but Nobuhiro Watsuki and a bunch of other people do…
Without further ado…I present to you:
Promises from the Past Gravel and Strangers in TokyoThe day featured a sky of purest blue, and the air smelled sweetly of blossom perfume.
Springtime was once again in Tokyo.
On such a day it was hard to feel down.
In fact, on such a day a guy could feel down right lucky.
And it is on such a day that we find a certain ex-gangster strutting down the streets of Tokyo.
With his head held up proudly, hair regally pointing to the sky, a fishbone in his mouth and a very cocky swagger in his walk, Sanosuke looked the epitome of a rooster strutting around in a full hen house.
Never lacking in confidence and arrogance, today it seemed that these two qualities had multiplied themselves by a hundredfold.
"Yep, today is definitely my day," mumbled a very exuberant Sanosuke around the fishbone in his mouth.
"Exactly the kind of day that makes a guy feel lucky in anything…especially dice!"
Grinning at the prospect of winning a lot of money, Sanosuke made his way to the Kamiya Dojo for his breakfast. Whistling a silly ditty to himself, Sanosuke rehearsed his pretty little speech for Kaoru in his head.
Now lemme see…"Jou-chan, a man is born with lucky stars …and today my lucky stars are filling up the big blue…I know that I already owe you a little money but today just seems like the day were I could hit the big time! So hows about it? If you lend me the money, I'll pay you from my enormous winnings with interest"…Okay, okay, okay… sounds smooth and convincing…just look endearing, work your irresistible charm and everything will work out. It's my lucky day after all!
With these thoughts, Sanosuke continued on his merry way to the Kamiya Dojo.
But fate has a warped sense of humor. Just as she puts a guy on cloud nine, she takes it away and makes it rain on him. As we are about to witness in one, two, three…
"Kuso!" Sanosuke cursed as he tried to regain his balance after slipping on some loose gravel.
Loose gravel?!?
"Man, I can't believe this! I slip on some gravel? Who in freaking hell slips on gravel?"
Sanosuke shook his head, and then quickly looked around to see if anybody saw him.
Relaxing a bit after realizing that people were busy minding their own business, Sano scratched his head, shrugged a shoulder, and continued on, muttering about the government doing something with the roads.
But you see, if Sanosuke had been a superstitious sort, he would have found the loose gravel to be an omen.
Unfortunately, he failed to take notice, and as he was about to turn the corner in one, two, three…
"Oi, watch were you're going baka!" Sanosuke yelled after a guy who nearly ran into him, "Damn people! Think they own the whole street!"
"Somebody stop that man!!!" yelled a voice from somewhere around the corner.
THWUMP!
Sanosuke landed flat on his back as another person barreled straight into him. Briefly closing his eyes as he tried to regain his breath after that very hard collision, Sano silently questioned fate if she meant to ruin his day.
The person on top of him wasn't moving either.
About to throw this person off, Sano choked back an ear-burning expletive as he looked up to find liquid brown eyes staring back at him.
Horrified, liquid brown eyes staring back at him.
A mere slip of a girl knocked him off his feet?
First gravel, and then a girl?
"Oi, are you okay?" Sano grabbed a set of very feminine shoulders as he tried to right himself and the girl who knocked him off his feet.
"Gomen nasai, I'm really sorry, truly sorry," the girl stuttered as she looked at the scowling Sano.
"Well, that's okay, just watch your step next time," Sano replied but the girl already tried to get past him.
"Ey, we're you off to in such a hurry?"
But the girl was already running in the direction where the guy before ran off to.
"Somebody, stop that bloody thief…" she continued yelling as she ran down the street.
Sano looked at the running figure of the girl, "Bloody thief? Bloody? Who in freaking hell says bloody?"
But by the next second he was running in the same direction as the girl went.
After all, he was one of the good guys and a slip of a girl would certainly not be able to catch the thief, and if she did, Sano highly doubted she'd be able to handle a street-wise pickpocket anyway.
Of course, she could barrel into the little scum like she did with me, that'll probably knock the wind out of the baka for a second, Sano wryly thought as he was gaining on the girl. Damn, she's fast. Kind of like Jou-chan when she's in top form!
But Sanosuke could see that the girl seemed to be a bit unsteady on her feet. The break neck speed at which the girl started to run seemed to get a bit slower.
The girl suddenly stopped in the middle of the street, looking around as if searching for someone. Sano slowed his pace and stopped at her side.
"Lost the bugger, didn't you?" he asked the girl, he could see that she was panting a bit.
"Kuso! I can't believe he got away from me!" the girl ground out empathically.
Sano blinked once. That was the second expletive he heard from her.
"Mmm, well, Jou-chan, he probably is hiding like a cockroach and it'd be no use finding him. These street thieves are very crafty, you know, or they wouldn't be able to survive their business," Sano said, trying to make her feel less badly about her loosing the pickpocket.
But the girl turned to him, lifted an eyebrow and said,
"WHAT did you just call me?"
Sano looked at her, not quite understanding the tone of voice she was using or that haughty eyebrow that was raised at him. But somehow, she looked exactly like Kaoru right before she conked him on the head with her bokken. Experience told him that THAT hurt and a little voice ordered caution.
But he went for broke.
He shrugged his shoulder and replied, "Jou-chan?"
If Sano would have taken a second or two to assess the situation, he would have noticed two things: the 'girl' wasn't a girl at all but rather a full-grown woman, and she definitely had the Kaoru-menace-conk-you-with-a-bokken-if-you-mess-with-me aura about her.
After all, she already landed him on the street on his back!
A deep breath and the eyebrow went up a notch, "Do I LOOK like a little missy to you?"
Sano gave her the once over, after finally realizing that he wasn't dealing with a girl.
He then DID realize two things: the girl, um, lady was a real knockout and said knockout was royally pissed.
Probably taking out her frustration, for not catching the pickpocket, out on me. But she looks really nice when she's pissed Sano grinned at that.
Incredulously, the eyebrow went up another notch, "What's that grin on your face for?"
Sano felt that this exchange bordered on the brink of bizarre.
"Nande mo nai.... Nothing…I just…hmmm," he frowned, not knowing how to proceed with this exchange.
Another deep breath, this actually seeming to be calming, "This is really bizarre, don't you think?" the lady asked.
Sano blinked. This WAS really bizarre.
Then she nodded and smiled, "Definitely bizarre."
Sano just nodded back, believing it to be the most prudent reply at the moment.
"This day sucks! Royally!" this was said with a loud sigh.
The lady then took a step backward, winced …wobbled a bit…wobbled a lot…and…
THWUMP!
And said lady was flat on HER back.
"Oi, daijoubu des ka?" Sano asked her as he tried to help her get up.
But the lady stayed there on the ground, staring blankly up at the sky.
"Oi, are you okay?" Sano asked again, a bit worried since the lady looked a bit dazed.
To Sano's utter surprise, she replied with laughter.
Loud laughter.
Boisterous, with a brink on the maniacal, laughter.
At that, Sano didn't know what to do. He cocked his head, scratched it and contemplated the likelihood of a serious head-injury from such a fall.
The lady stopped laughing and gave out a deep, shuddering breath. She then turned to Sano, who by now was convinced that the female escaped the loony bin, and regarded him somberly.
"Did I already tell you that this day sucks?" she asked seriously.
"Ah, royally, I believe," Sano answered.
"Damn straight," the lady tried to get up but winced when she put weight on her left foot.
Sano saw that wince, "Is something wrong with your foot?"
The lady tried to put her weight on the left foot again but immediately shifted as the pain registered.
"You probably twisted your ankle when you fell," Sano looked concerned.
"Actually, I think I twisted my ankle before I fell," the lady sort of hopped to the side of the street.
"Huh?" Sano looked at her hopping.
"Nani?" the lady asked.
"You lost me…you twisted your ankle before you fell?" Sano was now truly convinced that his woman was not exactly right in the head, although said part of her anatomy was pretty cute.
"Well, yeah…that's why I sort of bumped into you…" the lady answered seriously.
"BUMPED into me?" Sano asked unbelievingly, "Lady, you practically steam-rolled into me! I was flat on the ground!"
The lady cocked her head to the side, frowned and stared at Sano, "I thought I already apologized for that? I don't like the tone of voice you are using with me…you make it sound like I don't have a semblance of grace in my bones…well, actually come to think of it…" the frown changed into a sheepish scowl.
"Come to think of it, what?" Sano asked Gods, I'd really feel sorry for that thief if she'd caught him. He'd have a splitting headache by now, without even getting hit by this crazy lady!
The sheepish scowl was replaced by an embarrassed grimace, "Well, I sort of lost my footing on the gravel when I turned the corner…and I kinda lost my balance…and well, you were in my way and well…you participated in the rest…It's this damn kimono!" she shouted, pointing at her clothes.
By this time people around where noticing the two, but Sano and the lady were oblivious to the other people.
Sano stared at the direction her hands were pointing and seconds passed by when he realized he was looking at the lady's 'chest area'.
Looking back at her face, Sano asked, "What do your clothes have to do with anything?"
The lady let out a sigh of exasperation, "Have you ever tried running in a kimono?"
This time Sano's eyebrow went up "Do I LOOK like someone who'd be running around in a kimono?"
The lady rolled her eyes "You know, a simple no would have answered my question just fine."
"Fine. No," Sano replied curtly.
"No what?"
Sano was about to pull his hair out of his head, "Listen lady, I haven't got all day. Since I think… no… I am of absolute conviction that you must have hit your head sometime today or other, I am taking you to a doctor. Hopefully, she'll be able to diagnose something…and maybe take a look at your ankle."
The lady looked at her ankle, "I don't think I need a doctor to look at it. It's just a bit twisted, no big deal."
Sano sighed, "I don't care lady. I'm still taking you to a doctor. Although, thinking about it…taking you there would mean that I'd have to see that kitsune…geesh, this day is getting worse by the minute…she'll probably have something clever to say like 'rooster head, why, did you miss me… or is it just your stomach growling for my delicious rice balls…Ohohohoho'" he said in a high and whinny falsetto voice.
The lady looked at him funny, "I really don't need to see a doc…wait, did you say the doctor is a she?"
"Huh?" Sano, who was still grumbling to himself, looked at the lady, "Yeah, well, Genzai Sensei's out of town for the week so you have to do with her. She's not bad…Actually, she's real good for a woman. Just got some attitude problem, thinks she's better than most of us…"
"If that's the case, I'd like to meet her," the lady said.
Sano scowled at her, "I thought you didn't need a doctor?"
She scowled right back, "I thought you insisted that I'd see one?"
"You're crazy!" Sano ground out exasperated.
"YOU'RE CRAZIER!" the lady replied, "So where's the clinic?"
Sano looked at the lady, up at the sky, to the right, to the left and back at the lady.
"Listen, WOMAN, I'm taking you to the clinic and I'm going to let kitsune check your ankle and then I'm going to ask her to check your head."
"Listen, MAN, I don't like the way you're talking to me. There's no need to get sassy here. Just show me the way to the clinic and I'll be rid of you," the lady fired back.
"I better take you there. At least then I'll know that you'll be in the hands of professionals," Sano said as he lifted the lady into his arms.
"Hey, what are you doing?" the lady asked, as she put her arms around Sano's neck to steady herself, lest Sano would drop her on the ground.
"Carrying you. You shouldn't be putting any weight on your foot." Sano started for the clinic.
"Thank you then," the lady said with the dignity of a martyr.
While those two were busy 'interacting', people around them were still curiously looking at those two.
One old woman whispered to her companion, "Young people nowadays are so public in showing their affection for each other. But still, a little romance never hurt anybody…"
The two heard the woman, and the lady blushed.
"I can't believe I'm letting you do this," she told Sano, "I don't even know your name!"
Sano smiled at her, enjoying the feel of her in his arms, "It's Sagara Sanosuke. Call me Sano. Everybody does. No need to be formal after all this."
The lady smiled back at him, "I'm Mikage Sayuri. But call me Sayuri."
They kept their silence for the rest of the way to the clinic.
When they arrived at the courtyard of the clinic, Sayuri tried to get down.
"Umm, Sano, I think it'd be better if you'd let me down," Sayuri said.
Sano looked at her, "Why?"
Sayuri looked around as if trying to spot for someone, "Well, I don't think you'd want your girlfriend to see you with another woman in your arms, ne?"
Not following her line of thought, Sano asked "What girlfriend?"
"The lady doctor you keep referring to as kitsune…"
Sano scowled at her fiercely "Listen, lady, that fox is not my girlfriend! I don't even like her."
Sayuri rolled her eyes, "Right, and pigs can fly. Puh-leeze, you obviously got the hots for her or she wouldn't get under your skin!"
Sano shook Sayuri to make his point, "I do not have the hots for her! But probably the reverse is true…"
"Get real, tori atama! Why should I have the hots for some free-loading rooster head?" a loud, pissed voice said from behind Sano.
Startled, Sano turned around and dropped Sayuri on the ground.
"Oh great! Now I really do need a doctor!" Sayuri grumbled from the ground.
Sano bent to pick her up again, "Gome ne, Gomen, sorry, sorry."
"You should be, you got me in this mess in the first place," Sayuri grumbled while trying to get out of Sano's hold.
At the word 'mess', the kitsune's ears popped up…as thousands of scenarios went through her head…one being the most predominant…
"Interesting," Megumi muttered.
"I think we've already established that you twisted your ankle before you barreled into me…" Sano replied to Sayuri.
At the words 'twisted' and 'ankle' all those suspicious thoughts came to a grinding halt…and a feeling of disappointment and surprising relief went through Megumi.
"Not so interesting after all," Megumi muttered.
"Yes, but as I told you before, that little injury hardly warranted the attention of a skilled doctor," Sayuri answered back to Sano.
Sano shook his head at her again for the umpteenth time, "Then why did you let me carry you to the clinic?"
Sayuri rolled her eyes at him, "Because I wanted to meet this woman doctor you have the hots for…and the carrying was your idea."
"Look, woman, I don't have the hots for her…"
"Ahem, apparently, according to rooster head here, the reverse is true…"
Both Sano and Sayuri turned to look at the speaker.
Megumi had her hands on her hips and was looking at the two with interest again. At least at Sayuri with interest, at Sano, well, more with contempt.
Sano scowled at Megumi and said to Sayuri, "Well, you should blame HER for making me drop you on the ground…"
Megumi went into hyper mode, "WHAAAAAT? Baka! How's it my fault that you're a careless brute?"
Sayuri laughed at that, "She's got you there, tori-atama."
Sano scowled at her, "Don't call me that…"
But Sayuri ignored him and turned her attention to Megumi, "So, you're the lady doctor I keep hearing about…"
"Whatever that idiot told you, it's no true…" Megumi replied while glaring at Sano.
Sayuri laughed again, "Actually, he told me that you were quite good."
Surprised, Megumi looked at Sano, "Well…that's nice of him. And true…"
Mumbling, Sano said, "FOR A WOMAN. I said, she's quite good for a woman…"
Megumi was about to go into hyper mode again but Sayuri stopped her, "Ignore him…He's still one of those poor, uneducated men who do not realize that women are just as capable as men."
Sano put Sayuri on the ground, gently this time, stared at her, "Whose side are you on, anyway?"
"If you keep getting in these cracks about women being the weaker sex, definitely not on yours…" Sayuri replied quite calmly.
"Oi, onna sensei, you better have a look at this one's head, I think she hit it at some point…" Sano dictated to Megumi.
Megumi looked at Sayuri, "You hit your head?" and took a step closer to see if there was a visible injury.
Sayuri sighed, "No, I did not hit my head. But this guy here seems to have a fixation with it."
"I'm not fixated on her head!" Sano exclaimed.
Megumi just raised her eyebrow, "Whatever you say… Now, what brings you two here? I don't have all day, other patients will be arriving soon."
Sayuri, who by now was favoring her right foot quite obviously, answered "My ankle. I think I twisted it. Sano here wants you to look at it."
Megumi's eyebrow went further up a notch, "Really? How considerate of him."
Sano made a face at Megumi, "Onna, just because you don't think so, doesn't mean I can't be a gentleman."
Megumi just shrugged her shoulders in the way that she does, "Well, you've never shown me otherwise, so what am I supposed to think…but that's neither here nor there…let's get to the business at hand…Sano, carry your lady friend into the clinic so I can have a better look at her ankle."
Sayuri blushed at being called Sano's lady friend, "Umm, I actually don't know him that well to be called his lady friend. We just met less than an hour before."
Megumi looked at Sayuri with interest while noticing that Sano's face also had a faint reddish blush, "Really? Interesting…"
"But were are my manners today. I haven't introduced myself. I am Mikage Sayuri. I am very pleased to meet you," Sayuri made a very elegant, feminine bow to Megumi.
Megumi responded in the same fashion, "I am Takani Megumi. I am also pleased to meet you."
With the formalities over, the three proceeded into the clinic.
***
Megumi checked Sayuri's ankle, confirming that the ankle was not broken.
"Well, Sayuri-san, nothing's broken but your ankle's going to be swollen for the next couple of days. All you have to do is put a cold compress on it and keep from putting weight on it. Rest is going to do the rest," Megumi said as she finished putting the bandage on Sayuri's foot to keep it from moving too much.
Sayuri looked at Megumi's handiwork, "Thank you, sensei. I'll try to use my feet as little as possible for the next few days. The sooner I'm healed the sooner I can get on with my business."
Megumi looked at Sano who was standing beside Sayuri, "See, tori-atama, I wished that you and Kenshin would take my advice as seriously as Sayuri here. I'd have to worry a bit less about your injuries healing, especially Ken-san."
Sano rolled his eyes at Megumi, "If this woman would admit she had the hots for anybody, it'd be Himura Kenshin. But watch out kitsune, Jou-chan's very possessive of him."
Sayuri looked at the two with interest, "Ano…did you just say Himura Kenshin?"
Both of them looked at Sayuri.
Megumi answered, "Yes, Himura Kenshin is a friend of ours. Why? Do you know him?"
Sayuri shook her head, "No… well, not personally….Wow! This day is getting stranger and stranger by the minute…"
Sano looked at her questioningly, "Why? What's he to you?"
Sayuri smiled at Sano, "What's HE to ME? Well, Himura Kenshin is ONLY the reason why I came to Tokyo in the first place."
Dun dun dun …
To be continued…Promise
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Hey, thanks for being curious enough to read my story! I'm going to continue…until somebody tells me not to (I'll probably continue even after that…)
About the thing we talked about? Yeah, that. Review please. Thank you.