Disclaimer: I don't own RK and I don't own Tokyo Babylon, but I do own my imagination and do not profit from this story.
A/N: If you are wondering this story was inspired by the first manga of 'Tokyo Babylon' By Clamp (who totally rock!). I think besides that, I just wrote my first completely random story... well I hope you enjoy it.
The sun was setting in the distance as Kaoru and Yahiko made there way home on a warm evening in late spring. Kaoru had gone to teach at an outside dojo once again, and Yahiko had like always come along with her.
Kaoru stopped in front of a sakura tree that had completely bloomed. The petals fell all around her. She took in the sight in front of her. 'How beautiful...' But then she thought of the legend she was once told about these beautifully ethereal trees. She looked at the young boy beside her who had stopped to wait.
"Hey Yahiko-chan!" She called to him using his hated nickname.
"Don't call me Chan!" Yahiko shouted back to her a little annoyed.
She ignored him, "Yahiko-chan, have you ever wondered why the sakura blossoms are such a beautiful color each year?"
"No I just thought they were just that color." Yahiko was wondering what the raccoon girl was getting at.
"Nah there is a legend about why the blossoms are such a beautiful shade of pink. Have you ever heard of any?"
"What legend?" Yahiko was perplexed, he never heard of any legends.
Kaoru smiled at him, she hated to admit it but she loved the little boy like a brother. "The petals weren't always like this you know, they used to be white."
"White?" He looked up at the tree in front of him trying to imagine it with white petals.
"Like the snow" Kaoru smiled bitterly. "But there is an old legend that says under each tree a person is buried."
"WHAT!" Yahiko jumped away from Kaoru as if she were crazy. "No way!"
"Yes," she laughed at his reaction. "The trees drink from the blood of the body beneath it, that is why the blossoms are the color they are." Kaoru watched as Yahiko's jaw dropped.
"Morbidly beautiful don't you think?" Kaoru asked the young boy.
Yahiko scrunched up his nose, "I don't believe you Busu!"
Kaoru flinched inwardly but brushed off the hated nickname. "I never asked you to believe me, besides it's just a story take it as you will."
"Whatever busu I'm hungry I wonder if Kenshin has dinner ready yet?"
"I am trying to tell you something and all you can think about is food?!" Kaoru said getting a little more annoyed with the boy.
Yahiko stuck out his tongue and was about to run off when Kenshin approached them carrying some freshly purchased Tofu.
"Hello Kenshin" Kaoru said, politely smiling at the wanderer before her.
Kenshin smiled his rurouni smile, "Hello Kaoru-dono, back from the dojo so soon?"
"Yes, I was-" But Yahiko interrupted her.
"Hey Kenshin is what Busu says about the sakura tree's true?"
"Which story?" Kenshin said now looking at the young boy in front of him.
"The one about people being buried under the trees and stuff."
Kenshin smiled at the young boy in front of him, no matter what Yahiko still had a child's heart, and for that Kenshin was grateful.
"How else can you explain the shade that the petal's take each year?"
"Fine, then who is buried under this one?" Yahiko looked incredulously at Kaoru who smirked at him.
"Does that really matter?" she asked wistfully as she caught a blossom in her hand and looked at it almost contently before letting the wind take it away.
"So there is no one there..." Yahiko thought aloud, "Besides most legends lies anyway." Yahiko said trying to act smart.
"Just because it is a legend doesn't mean it isn't true." Kaoru said, she looked at the rurouni beside her and smiled.
"So is someone buried there?" Yahiko asked again.
"What if I told you they were?" Kaoru said smartly.
"Who?" Yahiko said wide eyed.
"You really wanna know?" The boy nodded his head. Kaoru sighed before answering him, "The person who is buried here is the one who told me this legend." She smiled as the boy blinked confusedly at her.
"Who would that be?" Yahiko asked
Kaoru smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"Forget it!" Yahiko said exasperated, he ran off towards the dojo, no doubt in search for food.
Kaoru and Kenshin stood together in silence for a few moments.
"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin questioned breaking the silence.
"Go ahead Kenshin, you need to fix dinner anyway, I'll be home in a few minuets."
Kenshin hesitated, but he nodded understandingly and left the girl alone in front of the sakura tree.
Now alone, she prayed silently for a moment before turning to leave, but then looked back at the tree one last time, and whispered softly to the tree; "Goodbye Mother."
...The End...
A/N: Wow I just wrote a completely random story ne? well tell me what you think, it was kinda spur of the moment (if you couldn't tell). Maybe now I can get over the writer's block on 'Bitter Cold'.
Yahiko: You really should update your other stories first...
BC: =P I never asked your opinion Yahiko-Chan
Yahiko: Don't call me-
BC: That line is getting really old. ::Waves:: Goodbye until the next story!