Pieces of Himura's Past
1. A Secret To Be Told
The day came that Kaoru Kamiya decided they all at the Kamiya dojo would go on vacation. She had no idea where to go but she new that they all needed a break. After going through the tortures of Makoto Shishiou and all the horror of Kenshin possibly dying from the most strenuous of fights. He barely survived and same as the others. The terrifying truth that anyone of them could of died that day at the hands of Shishio. She was happy that all of them were finally healed completely and ready to walk and do things on their own again.
"Where should we go? I would like to go somewhere with a beautiful scenery," she was looking through some brochure like pieces of papers of hot springs and towns, "What do you think, Sanoske?"
Sanoske Sagara took his strong hands and picked up some of the papers to look and just replied bluntly, "I really don't care. Just as long as I can relax and not worry about anything like Shishiou," he took a seat down next to her, "Yahiko! Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know. I'm not that familiar with alot of the places you have papers on. What about this one?"
"I don't know really either but I think we should go to this place. It's got a huge hot spring. One of the biggest in all of Japan. It's in Sapporo." Sanoske picked up the brochure.
"Yeah it's the biggest hot spring but it's not a really nice looking place. At least where the hot spring is actually located. Why don't we go to Nagasaki? They have a really pretty mountain scenery at this time of the year when the sun goes down. I think it would be nice to go see the sun set by the mountains." Kaoru got that voice telling the others that she was determined to go there. Yahiko took up her challenge.
"Well I think we should go to the Ryuku Islands. That would be even prettier than stupid Nagasaki with their stupid mountains." He was obviously mocking Kaoru.
"Shut up, Yahiko. We're not going there."
"Why not? I got good reasons."
"Yeah I bet you do but it's going to be really exspensive to go way down there. Lets go somewhere that's actually in our budget."
"We'd have a better budget if you would stop always going and buying food twenty-four/seven. We would be able to get on a boat there and back if only Mrs. I'm-So-Hungry-Piggy-Face didn't eat so much!" Kaoru wouldn't take it.
The yelling continued for awhile. Sanoske just kicked back and relaxed for awhile until he got annoyed. He got pulled into the arguing as well. Then finally the door opened quietly and slowly but to where all of them could hear it. They all turned to see Kenshin with a sleepy face.
They all grew silent. "Good morning Kenshin. Did you sleep well?" Kaoru was still holding Yahiko by the neck. She had him about a foot off the ground and suddenly just dropped him on the ground.
"Yes. And it would of been better if the three of you would stop your bickering. What are you arguing over this time?" He sat down to eat the rice he placed into his bowl.
"Where we could go for a vacation. Where would you like to go? We have the Ryuku Islands, Sapporo, and Nagasaki so far."
Kenshin thought for a minute as he ate his rice and said softly, "Medoriko."
"Where's that, Kenshin?"
"Outside of Kobe. It's a small village."
"Okay....So lets vote. Who wants to Medoriko like Kenshin suggested?" Almost all of them raised their hands but Yahiko. He was determined to stick to his idea of the Ryuku Islands. It didn't last long. Sanoske lifted Yahiko's hand for him.
"Well I guess I decided." Yahiko said.
*the next day*
The next morning all of the crew was ready to go. Dr. Gensai, Megumi Tegani, and the two young girls Iname and Suzumi were there as well. They started out on foot until they got to the train station and borded to go to Kobe.
Once on the train they were all ready to go to the small village and see what was so special about it. They were wondering as to why Kenshin would want to go there rather than one of the more popular places that they insisted on.
"Kenshin? Why do you want to go to this Medoriko place anyway?" Yahiko was extremly curious and couldn't constrain himself from knowing.
"Well if you must really know, Yahiko, I have been wanting to go there since the last few years. I promised someone a long time ago that I would come back to see them again. I really miss being there. It's important because at this village there are a very small type of race there known as Medorikans and they have some of the best herbal remedies and healing mechanisms used during the war. They also have some really beautiful scenery if you know where to go. You'll understand better when we get there." He just stared out of the window. He was off in another world since they came back from Shishiou's. The others hoped that by going to this place that Kenshin was so happy and dying to go to.
After a few more hours went by they arrived into Kobe. Kenshin led them through the crowd of people that were in shops and in restuarunts. He led the others to a stable. After they walked in the door, there was a man that was behind a large wooden counter in a traditional stables uniform. He was fairly young but age was catching up with him. The gray hair was showing around his roots. He was built to be a soldier and had dark cold eyes. When Kenshin walked up and rang the small bell the man looked up into his eyes directly. A shocked look came on his face.
"Himura? Kenshin Himura!?! It's been almost three years!" The man came from around the counter and hugged Kenshin tightly.
"Hello again, Agito Nori. Has it been that long?" Kenshin sincerely asked, "Could you please let go. I can't breathe." The kind man dropped his friend softly on the ground.
"Is there anything I can help you with my friend? Anything at all? You name it and it is done!" He was enthusiastic and ready to go.
"Could you bring me and my friends here to Medoriko? We would like to go vacation there for a little while but have no way to get there." He handed him a handful of money to cover the ride and more.
"No my friend no charge. Well just a small one at least," Agito only took a few dollars that was way less than what the sign outside said to pay, "So are you back for good? To be....."
Kenshin cut him off, "I'm not sure. For now it's just to vacation."
Agito looked at him straight in the eyes once again and told him, "Many of us missed you," the next part he whispered softly in his ear, "I know she will be happy to see her again. She has much to tell you."
Agito led them all outside to where the horses were kept and prepared a buggy to let them sit in. He got the horse he wanted out and they were all ready to go. They started on the road that would bring them to a part of Kenshin's recent past that no one knew of.
*once at Medoriko*
Agito brought them to the main road in Medoriko and dropped them off at an inn called the Daite Inn. Little did they know the history behind what was done here.
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"I'll be back after awhile, Kenshin. We should catch up sometime soon," Kenshin shook hands with the man and the others walked into the inn ahead of him, "but before you come to me you should go to her. She has something that you would of never expected. Trust me."
"Really? I guess I should. She has been waiting for a long time now."
A smile came across Agito's face, "Good. Have a good night, friend. Like I said I will be back later if you would like to talk some."
"Okay then. That sounds like a plan." Kenshin watched the man go off and disapear on the main road. He then joined the others inside.
"Yahiko!" Kaoru and Yahiko were already arguing.
"What is this about now?" Kenshin came and sat down next to Sanoske.
"I'm not even sure and to be honest I don't want to know. And, yeah, we ordered you a drink already. And Kaoru ordered us two rooms."
"Okay that's good then. I'm going to take a walk. I'll be back." He started towards the door.
"Hey! Wait! I don't want to be the one stuck with these loud idiots!" Sanoske ran after Kenshin while dodging cups being thrown at him by Kaoru and Yahiko.
They walked for a long while until they reached a river. The blue water was calm and rolling softly against the rocks that laid at the bottom. The two men sat and watched the fish swim by peacefully.
"The last time that I was here this river was the only place I could go to inorder to forget my past and the rest of the world. It is a good place to just sit and think. I slept out here for days at end with no worries. Oh those were the good days."
"Yeah it is nice," Sanoske looked out at the river scene again, "If it was so enjoyable to you why did you leave?" He was looking at Kenshin now laying back in the grass.
"It was my time to go. I couldn't stay anymore," He sat up and threw a rock into the water, "I felt that I wasn't needed for anything and that I wasn't of use to anyone. But I did promise someone that I would come back." There was a noise that came the woods.
"Kenshin? What was that?" They were both on their feet and ready to go at a moments notice.
"I'm not sure, Sano."
There was a loud high-pitched scream. One of a small child. A little girl about three years old came runnning towards the river. Her black hair all over as she ran. She tripped over her kimono that was too big at the bottom for tiny body. As she rolled on down the hill, Sanoske scooped her up.
"Hey little girl, why are you all alone out in that forrest? What happened to you?"
The little girl was terrified and had the smell of blood around her. Kenshin noticed her kimono was ripped and a bite mark on her arm.
"It was a monster!," she was clutching onto Sanoske's shirt for dear life, "He tried to eat me!" Tears swelled up in her eyes.
"It's okay, sweetheart. We're going to bring you back to the village so your mommy doesn't worry about you. It's getting kind of late."
The two gentlemen brought the little girl back to the inn to find out what to do with her. They brought her inside to a large group of people. They all were in shock to see the small girl had been bitten. Most of them were Medorikans and claimed that it could only of came from a wild coyote. People were getting up and examining her as she laid in Sanoske's arms. A young woman who was tall and slender with long dark hair came rustling through the crowd to look at the child. Tears filled her eyes as she cried, "My baby!" She quickly snatched her child from Sanoske and ran up the stairs. Another woman ran behind her pushing back people who wanted to help and see what they could do. They left the woman to her child though.
The woman who had forced all the spectators away had run up to Kenshin and Sanoske who had already gone back to sit with their friends. She called to them. "Exscuse me! Sir!" Kenshin turned around and the woman gasped.
"Hello again, Tehoma. I haven't seen you in a long time. How long now, three years?" Kenshin took a sip of his tea. The woman's expression was obvious on her face as she backed away slowly and ran up the stairs. The others watched in wonder.
"What was that about, Kenshin? I know you know some of the locals but that was just weird," Sanoske agnowledged, "That's not the first person to react like that since we got into town. People are talking everywhere we go and not about the odd-looking visitors that are vacationing. They're talking about the man that left three years ago. You, Kenshin. But why? What happened so long ago that makes you a big thing now?" He slammed his fist down breaking the table.
The young woman who took the child had come down and saw the damaged furniture, "Um...exscuse me, sir. Before you go and destroy the rest of my furniture, I would like to say thank you for saving my little girl. I don't know what would of happened if you hadn't brought her back."
"Oh it's no problem, lady, but it wasn't just me. My friend here, Kenshin helped as well." As he finished his statement Kenshin appeared at his side to talk to the mother of the child they saved. When they both looked at each other their faces were put into another state. But not one of just shock but of compassion.
"Kenshin? Kenshin! What....are you doing here? Are you really....?" She got closer to his face and softly touched it with her delicate hands.
He finished her sentence for her, "Alive. Yes, very alive," he suddenly realized something, "Wait...that's your daughter? When did you marry again?"
"I never did." she said flat out.
"I see. So it's like that. So who is the father of your child, then? Rentari? Morega? Agito?"
"No."
"Then who could it be? You were with no one else that I recall unless you recently....."
"I can't believe you haven't noticed by now, Kenshin. She's your daughter." A very supried look came to Kenshin's face and he and Sanoske made eye contact.
Sanoske seemed more shocked for some reason as he said, "No way. I knew you had secrets but, dang, that's one big secret. When did you two get together?"
"It was actually durring the war but I left about three years ago. I was with her for a long time."
"Just wait 'til Kaoru and the others find out."
"You better shut up now, Sano," Kenshin seemed pretty serious, "They aren't that far."
"Kenshin, you have to tell them all eventually."
"Yeah. I guess you're right. I'm going to see my daughter so good luck not getting pounded by them!" He grabbed the woman by her hand and the two of them made their way off the stairs. Once at the top they had had an exchange of words.
"Kenshin...you came back. But you never said in your letter that you would be back after three years. I thought you were dead. I thought you meant in a few days or a few weeks. But not for three years. I had a baby and there were many changes made to the inn and there were things done in town you might be interested in like the new....." She was stopped by Kenshin's warm lips pressing against hers. They were holding each other tight and had missed each other after so long of being apart.
They were there for a good long time until Kenshin stopped and told her, "Well what were you saying, Sakina," he continued to kiss her softly around her neck, "I didn't catch all of it."
"Forget it." There lips met again and this time much more passionately. Not much later, a door creeped open and the little girl from before had been awakened by the voice of her mother and unknown father.
"Mommy? Are you there, Mommy?" The little girl rubbed her eyes. Sakina pulled away from her lovers arms and went to her child.
"Oh my baby. My little Miori. It's okay. Did you have another nightmare?" She held the child close and rocked her gently. As she hummed a lullaby her baby started to cry and tell of her nightmare.
"A big wolf came and tried to eat me! And...and..." her tears stopped her from telling her horrible story. She finally noticed Kenshin standing and looking down on them and couldn't stop looking, "Mommy? Who's he?"
Sakina took a minute to think of what to say, "Miori. Remember how I told you your daddy would be here soon to see us?" Miori shook her head, "Well...this is your daddy." Tears filled her daughters eyes and she jumped out of her mother's arms to embrace her daddy.
As Kenshin picked up his daughter for the first time, she looked at him and told him, "Don't cry, Daddy. Now we can all be happy together." She wiped some tears that had rolled from the base of his eyes. Kenshin had come back to more than what he had expected.