Disclaimer: Any of the characters you recognize in the following story is not mine. They belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin.
Author's Note: Some of the characters are originally mine. I hope you'll like my fanfic coz this is my first time to make one. Your reviews and constructive criticism are most welcome!
Chapter One
Izumi
She had never before watched someone die in her own hands, Takani Megumi realized. Her eyes focused, almost unseeing, on her sister's shallow breathing. The rise and fall of Izumi's chest was now so slight it barely disturbed the bedclothes.
In all her years of practice as a doctor, she never experienced having a patient die. All of them recovered and lived, thanks to her expertise. But now, she's scared: scared of losing the woman she cared for as a younger sister and only family, and scared of losing her confidence towards her ability to save life.
Megumi lost her family when she was only a child. The experience of her family's death had been vague and somewhat distant; the pain of it abridged because she had not understood until it was long over what had happened. Though that death left her only reminiscing the tender moments she spent with her family, living in foster homes after that incident left her a feeling of something missing and unbelonged. Despite the content this woman fills in her life after she found her, still she's not satisfied. She's happy to have found a family but she felt it's not enough.
She wasn't sure Izumi's dying would be, and yet she had been forced to accept there was nothing she could do to prevent it now, after all what she did to stop the relentless seep of blood.
So much blood, she thought. More than it seemed Izumi's slender, graceful body could have held. Now that it was obvious to her trained and experienced eyes, that Izumi could not live out the night, Megumi had been thinking of all the things the two of them had shared through the months, since Izumi came to her shelter. It had almost been a year now, eight months to be exact, Megumi said to herself, a smile touched her lips though it never really reached her eyes.
FLASHBACK
She was busy preparing new mixtures of herbs for tomorrows use. She doesn't really know when the patients would come all together filling almost every space of her clinic, just like today. She almost praised herself for always been ahead of time in preparing the things she will need in the clinic. This day had been very busy and left her very exhausted. If it weren't for the kind Fujiyama couple who regularly assisted her in the clinic, she wouldn't have finished the task of tending to all her patients before nightfall.
A knock on her wooden door stopped her from her quite reverie of this day's activities. She quickly made her way to open the door thinking it might be a patient in serious condition, coming to her clinic even in the darkness of the night.
Instead of seeing somebody limping with blood all over his body, as she expected, she saw a slender young woman, richly dressed in pink kimono, clutching her bag in two hands.
"Good evening," the woman's greeting. The sparkle in her eyes was evidence of her youth and age, maybe sixteen, Megumi guessed.
"Good evening," Megumi replied, quickly remembering her manners. "May I help you?" raising her brows in inquisition.
"Hai. My name is Takatori Izumi. I was just wondering where I could stay for the night. I came all the way from Kyoto."
"All by yourself?" Megumi marveled, though she knew that she could do it herself. Traveling alone was never new to her. She's quite confident that she can handle herself well. Sometimes, she even preferred it because somehow she finds time to contemplate alone the beauty of the places she passed by while on her journey.
A flash of admiration crossed Megumi's chocolate eyes. She found this woman like herself.
"If you'd come in, I might be able to assist you."
"Thank you," replied the woman, her shoulders dropped into relaxation as warmth consumed her body when Megumi closed the door behind her. Megumi realized it's been cold outside. 'Poor woman, must be chilled from the night's cold cruelty.'
"I came all by myself here from Kyoto and was looking for an inn where I can stay for the night." Megumi's attention snapped back to the woman standing across her.
"Please take a seat. Goodness, it's been cold out there. I'll go fetch something to warm you." Megumi offered and smiled. Her instincts told her that the woman needed at least something to warm her or else, she'll catch a chill. The woman made herself comfortable in the cushions of Megumi's clinic waiting area.
A while later, Megumi came back with a tray of the hot drink. She placed it on the small table in front of the woman. "Please, fill yourself."
The woman obliged. After taking a sip, the woman spoke, "Can you help me..." she stopped not knowing how to address her host.
Megumi realized she hadn't introduced herself yet. "Takani Megumi. Doctor," she filled in.
"Can you help me find an inn, Takani-sensei?" she repeated.
"Takatori-san, I'm afraid it would be impossible now to find one. At this rate, with a chilling cold outside, we will be risking our health. It doesn't have to take a doctor to see that you are exhausted from your trip. I won't advise you to drain your remaining strength with hours looking for an inn around here. I can offer my household for you to stay for the time being." Megumi smiled.
"Are you sure, Takani-sensei?"
Megumi nodded, noting the relief and flicker of excitement in Izumi's eyes. She realized for the first time that the woman carried the sign of nervousness and desperation in her beautiful face since she stood at her doorstep awhile ago. Shame on herself, she thought, she wasn't very observant lately, she keeps on missing something.
"Please, finish your drink. I'll fix your bed now. Excuse me." As Megumi found her way to the clinic's back door leading to her house, she heard the woman say, "Takani-sensei, arigatou gozaimasu." She nodded, almost hearing a sigh of deep emotion from the woman's words. She made her way across the garden to her house.
oooooOooooo
Morning came, her eyes flipped open but she immediately closed it, the warm morning sunlight hurt her weary eyes. She stayed later at night to finish preparing her mixtures right after securing her guest to her room.
She sat herself up forcefully. She must be early today so she can tend to her guest and everything in the clinic. Sliding the doors open, she was surprised to see Izumi carefully smelling a flower in the garden.
Izumi, as if sensing her presence, smiled up to her. "Ohayou, Takani-sensei!"
"Ohayou, Takatori-san. Did you have a good sleep?"
"Hai! I have had a good rest. Thank you," Izumi said happily.
Megumi only nodded with a smile.
"I noticed your garden last night and I got so excited to see your plants that I decided to be up early. The flowers are very attractive and I see that you're tending herbs here in your own garden." Izumi said, trying to keep a conversation. An irrepressible sign of interest written all over her face, Megumi noticed.
"Hai. I see to it that I have those in case I run out of supply and have no time to gather them outside." Megumi said taking idle steps towards the kitchen to prepare their breakfast. Izumi followed her.
"I'm preparing our breakfast now. I' m sure you're hungry, right?" Megumi continued walking, the younger woman still following, catching up at Megumi's pace.
"Actually, I'm starving already, Takani-sensei," Izumi replied with an air of easiness at the doctor's friendly tone. "Can I help?" she added excitedly.
"Of course, Takatori-san." Megumi slid open the door of her kitchen.
Somehow, she reminded her of Misao. But Izumi was far more graceful and elegant in her manners than her friend was. Megumi smiled at the thought, she missed Misao and her friends in Tokyo.
Her mind deliberately fell back to the memories she dearly and painstakingly held for her friend. It's barely five months now since they lost her. Misao, I will always miss you.
"Takani-sensei."
"Hai, Takatori-san?"
"Please, call me Izumi."
"Oh, if you wish. And call me Megumi."
"Do you mind if I prefer calling you Megumi-sensei?"
"That sounds just fine, Izumi-san."
Breakfast was quite good. She found Izumi quite a help on household chores. She was far more surprised when she saw how Izumi assisted efficiently in her clinic as patients came, keeping her very busy, she hadn't had time to ask Izumi about her skills.
Finally, nightfall came and Megumi bid the Fujiyama couple out her wooden gate. She insisted for Izumi to stay another night with her, which she found out later, during dinner, that she was right to do so.
Izumi had nowhere else to go. She's new to Aizu and was never been here before. She was a runaway who belonged to a wealthy family, being the only daughter and youngest of two other siblings. Her father led the life of fame as a celebrated political figure while her father's older brother led a life of dedication as a doctor.
She admired his uncle and his medical expertise, from whom she learned her knowledge in tending patients. She went on his clinic everyday to assist, gaining more knowledge about this practice. Megumi understood now the flicker of interest she noticed in Izumi's face as they talked about her herbal plants earlier that day.
Izumi's parents agreed her with a marriage match to the son of a respected naval officer. All her life, she had been an obedient daughter. Only this once she defied her parent's will for she loved another man, Ueji, son of her father's head-guard. Despite all her efforts to protest against this agreement, her parents remained adamant. They found this marriage convenient because her family can use the influence of the other family for protection.
The night before her wedding day, she runaway from her household after agreeing to Ueji's plan that she would go away to Aizu, his birthplace, he will follow later so as not to arouse suspicion. Her father wouldn't consider them to be in Aizu, since all he knew was that Ueji's family resides in Kyoto. She was reluctant at first to go alone but still they settled to meet at Aizu, which was far from Kyoto, far from the influence of Izumi's family. Then together they'll proceed for Hokkaido. They both knew it would be a long journey but it's the farthest and safest place out of her father's reach.
Megumi, after hearing Izumi's desperate flight, decided to keep her until Akira Ueji keeps his promise. In that way, she can be sure of the young woman's safety. She also found Izumi's knowledge very helpful.
She remembered how the good Doctor Gensai sheltered her during her days in Tokyo and helped her with her medical apprenticeship. She thought, by keeping Izumi, she could at least honor her gratitude to the old doctor. Offering Izumi a refuge as Doctor Gensai did to her.
Days and months past, Megumi and Izumi found a growing kinship between them, being able to relate to each other because of their shared knowledge in medicine and the fact that they needed each other's company. She saw herself in Izumi. They end up together because of the same reason; they are alone, without a family.
Yet, somehow, they are different. She's alone because her family left her when death came upon them. Izumi, on the other hand, was the one who left her family before they could cast doom upon her.
Megumi doesn't really care about their differences now. All that matters for her was that she had someone to call a sister, in duty and in the life's meaning. She cared about Izumi the way an older sister does. Izumi, for her part, had found a sister she never had back in Kyoto, a sister to whom she can confide everything.
That's how Takani Megumi came to know Takatori Izumi.
oooooOooooo
So white and cold, Megumi thought, taking the thin fingers into her own, mindlessly trying to warm them. To hold death at bay a little longer. Just as she and Fujiyama Naoku had tried to warm the mewling newborn and keep him alive. Now both appeared to be battles she was fated to lose.
"Don't be angry with me, Megumi-nee."
The whispered words shocked her out of her despairing reverie. Her gaze lifted quickly from Izumi's hand to her colorless face. Izumi's eyes, which had from their first meeting sparkled with unhidden youth and innocence, were wide and dark in their sunken sockets.
"I could never be angry with you, Izumi-chan," Megumi said softly forcing a smile.
"I'm going to die, aren't I?" Izumi asked, her voice so low Megumi strained to catch the words. They seemed without emotion. A request merely for information, devoid of fear or concern.
Megumi nodded, unable to push the words past her constricted throat.
For a second, she gasped at what she saw. She saw Misao's face in the place of Izumi. So, this might have been the way my friend was. If only she was there. But then, there's no need for it. She was witnessing now the same horrible scene her friend had been laid. She wondered now if she could have saved her friend if she was there.
A tear slipped out the corner of the dying woman's eye. It traced a path across the bridge of her nose and down the cheek that rested against the white pillowcase. There was little difference now in their color.
Megumi, recovering from her trance, wiped the moisture away with her thumb, aware again of the unnatural coldness of Izumi's skin. "Don't cry," she whispered, finding it hard to control her own voice from straying.
"Where's my baby?"
"Asleep," Megumi said, wondering if that might be true. Even if it were not, even if that poor infant had already crossed the veil his mother was approaching, there seemed no point in burdening Izumi with that knowledge.
Megumi and Fujiyama Naoku had taken turns holding him, trying to warm the fragile little body with their own. Even with the warmness of the summer season, the coldness in the room compared that when Megumi first opened the door of her home to Izumi. Now, she felt the same coldness as Izumi was slipping away from her.
"Ueji." Izumi whispered, her eyes closed painfully for a moment. Another tear streamed its way down her cheek.
Yes, Akira Ueji. Megumi thought bitterly. The poor man hadn't made it. He was on his way back to Aizu from Kyoto after securing themselves enough amount of money for the trip to Hokkaido. It would be a difficult ride since Izumi was on her fifth month of pregnancy.
A week after Akira's arrival at Megumi's clinic, they immediately arranged their wedding. Akira Ueji stayed for a month before going back to Kyoto.
Somehow, Izumi's father found out about Akira's involvement with his daughter and suspected that he must have known where Izumi was. The poor man, sensing he was in trouble, misled her father's men from going to Aizu, thus delaying his return. Somehow, the spy Izumi's father hired tracked him down. He was surrounded by the father's men. A swordsman himself, even if greatly outnumbered, he fought his way to survival for the sake of the one who was dearly waiting for him.
Yet, he lost his life, never returning to Izumi, breaking her heart into pieces. What's more was that, Izumi's hatred to what her father did to Akira was consuming her slowly. But with Izumi's bitterness, Megumi can only be grateful because she still carried herself well for the sake of the child she's carrying, the child who will be the living witness of their tragic love.
"Take care of him," Izumi said. She wanted Megumi to promise that she would care for her child, that wizened speck of humanity, whose hold on life seemed as precarious as his mother's.
"I will," she vowed softly.
"Don't ever tell..." Izumi's voice faltered, and her eyelids closed as her breathing shuddered, the ominous rattle in her throat audible. Then her lids slowly opened again, her blue eyes more focused than they had been in some hours.
"Don't tell them," Izumi begged. "Don't tell anyone, my family…. I could not bear for them to know."
"No, I won't," Megumi said quickly, gripping the icy fingers in her own. But there wasn't enough strength left in them now to allow Izumi to respond. Another tear slid weakly across the path the first had followed.
"I won't let him get his hands on my baby," Izumi whispered.
"No, Izumi-chan. I won't let them," Megumi promised fiercely. "No one will ever know."
Izumi's eyes held hers, assessing the depth of that fervent vow. "Swear it to me on Ueji's grave and soon, to mine," she said. "Swear to me no one will ever know."
"I swear it," Megumi said quickly, still clutching her fingers, which seemed to be growing colder, more lifeless.
"On Ueji's grave and mine," Izumi demanded. Something of her old youthful spirit in the blue bright eyes. They appeared almost as they had always been, sparkling with life and promise.
What did it matter, Megumi thought, what promises she must give, as long as they eased this passage? She would never betray Izumi's trust. It was a pledge easily made, and so she took a breath and gave Izumi the oath she had demanded.
"I swear it on Ueji's and your grave," Megumi vowed, her voice cracked upon saying the last two words.
Izumi nodded, the movement of her head barely discernible. Then her eyes closed. She never opened them again.
END OF CHAPTER ONE
There... corrected and reposted. A bit was renewed to fit infos and chronological order of the later chapters.