ZANZA!
Return of a legend:
Sanosuke tells of his past
by Treager-sama
"Kaoru, tell me again why I have to stand here with a bowl of rice on my head..."
Yahiko wobbled on one leg as the bowl of cooked rice teetered precariously on top of his head.
"I told you before Yahiko, this is part of your training. If your ever going to get anywhere, you need to learn balance." Kaoru shot back at him with a matter-of-factly glance.
"So just keep quiet and do as your told!"
Kenshin smiled as he busily did the laundry, knowing exactly how young Yahiko must be feeling. Kaoru stared intently at her pupil, watching his movements with an educated eye. Sano sat on the stairs of the dojo witnessing the ridiculous spectacle before him, but feeling like he needed to add something helpful...
"Ya know lil' missy, I think two bowls of rice would help him to learn twice as fast."
Kaoru beamed at the idea and nodded, running to fetch another bowl.
"Thats a wonderful idea Sano! Be right back!"
Yahiko glared at the grinning fighter angrily, and muttered through clenched teeth.
"I don't need any help Sano..."
He kicked back lazily and yawned, grinning as he placed a thin bamboo shoot between his lips.
"No really, it's nothing lil guy, just doing my part to help!"
Kaoru came back with a pleased gleam in her face
"Ya know, I got to thinking, if TWO bowls make things go twice as fast, then THREE should be even better!"
Sano nodded and shot a teasing smile at Yahiko
"Thats good thinking lil missy!"
Yahiko's gaze stabbed ruthlessly at Sano as his face flushed an ugly red, but Sano just eased back and watched the show commence.
...
Kenshin's jaw dropped in utter amazement as Yahiko stood confidently with THREE bowls of rice stacked neatly upon his brow. The young pupil grinned defiantly at the adults and laughed haughtily.
"HA! Piece of cake! And you guys thought I couldn't do it!"
Kaoru's smile faded and was replaced with the seriousness of a teacher regarding her student.
"Good Yahiko, now practice 200 swings... and if you drop just one grain of rice, you must start all over."
Sano snickered silently in the shade of the dojo, and even Kenshin covered his grin with a strategicly placed garment he was washing...
"WHAT!?!? THATS IMPOSSIBLE!!"
Sanosuke laughed and added helpfully,
"Well it might take you awhile Yahiko, so you best get to it!"
Yahiko's eye twitched and the ugly red returned to his face as he sucked in a deep breath...
"I DONT NEED ANY HELP FROM YOU ROOSTER HEAD!!!"
Kenshin watched helplessly as the force of Yahiko's rebuke sent the rice flying... all over Kaoru. One of the bowls landed haphazardly upsidedown on her head, and the rice began to smolder from the force of her mounting fury. Sanosuke gingerly stood up and had a somber frown upon his lips as he plucked some rice from kaoru's shoulder and popped it into his mouth.
"Thats a shame... uhhh Kaoru, you gonna eat that?"
You could almost hear an audible snap as her eye began to twitch. Yahiko volunteered a helpful tidbit...
"UGLY'S GONNA BLOW!!! RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!"
...
Dr. Gensai grinned pleasantly as Sazume and Ayame drew adorable little bunnies in the dust on the other side of the dojo.
"Look grandpa, I drew a bunny goin nite nite!"
His grinned widened as he gazed upon Ayame's cute little ball with rabbit ears. it made him feel weak in the knees, it was just too adorable. Dr. Gensai then looked over at Sazume's rendition of one angry looking bunny hitting another very silly looking bunny over the head with a stick.
"What's that you've got there little Sazume?"
She looked up and beamed proudly, her bright eyes catching the afternoon sunshine as she squeaked,
"It's Aunty Kaoru hitting unca Kenny wif her stick sword!"
Dr. Gensai tried not to smile but couldn't help it as he asked innocently,
"Now where in the world would you get the idea that Kaoru would do that?!"
Suddenly a thunderous howl came from the other side of the dojo that sounded very much like miss Kaoru.
"COME BACK HERE!!!"
Sanosuke, Yahiko, and a very frightened Kenshin all proceeded to tear a pathway out of the dojo and into the street as fast as their legs could carry them. A variety of items came sailing out of the dojo after them, among them being bowls, clothing, and of course... her wooden sword. A rice covered Kaoru came soaring down the road behind the others shouting profanities that would scorch rock!
"Oh my!"
Said a shocked Dr. Gensai as he shrugged at a giggling Sazume.
...
Sano rubbed the fresh lump on his head and looked over at the other two seated across from him.
"It was your fault Yahiko, you shouldn't have thrown the rice all over her!"
Yahiko was nursing a bruised cheek and retorted angrily,
"MY FAULT!?"
Kenshin held a furious Yahiko back as he swung his arms and legs wildly at Sano who sat grinning.
"You two really should behave better in public, that you should."
Sano chuckled and swept his fingers through his hair.
"Yeah Yahiko, all your ravings are scaring the waitresses away."
The spikey haired youth sat fuming until a giggling Tsubame shuffles over to the table.
"Welcome to the Akabeko, may I take your order... hi Yahiko..."
She blushes shyly from behind her serving platter.
"H-hi Tsubame..."
Stammers a blushing Yahiko.
"We have some wonderful beef pots today... i-if you like?"
Sano grins as the young boy's entire body flushes a deep red.
"Yeah Tsubame, that would be great, and some Sake for me... my head is killing me!"
...
"I still don't see why I hafta do all these stupid things! I mean, I bet when you learned from master Hiko, he didn't make you do stuff like that!"
Yahiko muttered as he pushed away his meal, satisfied. Kenshin was so overwhelmed with memories of his master torturing him incesantly that he couldn't say anything. 'Kenshin your holding that sake wrong, Kenshin do 300 push ups, Kenshin run 15 miles with bags of rice tied to your legs, Kenshin why do I bother with you, why couldn't you just be more like me, I am great, I am incredible, I am superior to you in every way... idot apprentice...' As if the memories hit him like a train, he fell out of his seat and lay on the floor, unable to say anything but 'oro' over and over again.
"Kenshin...? KENSHIN!!!"
Yelled an annoyed Yahiko.
"Why is he always so weird!?"
Sanosuke shakes his head and places a toothpick between his lips as if adding the final touch to the meal.
"Because he's Kenshin..."
Yahiko frowns and turns his attention to Sano with a curious eye.
"So how about you... how did you get that huge sword... the... the... uhhh..."
Sano grins and flips his hair, remembering happily.
"The Zan battou... yeah, now there's a story"
He nods and laughs as he raises his jug.
"Best told over some sake and a good meal!"
Now with his interest piqued, Yahiko leans forward listening attentively.
"You really wanna hear this huh? Okay sure... well, it all started back when..."
Coming soon in Chapter 2!