Prologue: New Neighbor
It was a glorious morning in the city of Tokyo, where the sakura tree blossomed and the birds sang; spring was finally arriving with the departure of that cold mistress, leaving the land anew and growing. The sun beamed down with it's wide smile, watching over the rushing people with care in his eyes.
Shinta walks out of his family dojo, now about ten years of age with flaming red hair he inherited from his father and that slim built, shifting his gaze about the court yard as he stretches his form. Making his way through the courtyard as he did many times before, he paced to the well and bends from his waist. Picking up the bucket with one hand, he bumped the wooden water carrier into the well, and then wrapped his hands about the rope attached and pulled it back up.
Loosing the rope from the bucket, he walked across the courtyard and towards the house, where he was to make breakfast for his parents. Oka-san never learned how to cook, and Otou-san never improved, as the facts read, Shinta was in charge with the cooking for about three years. His steps paused as a loud sound interrupted his thinking and he found his feet moving towards the noise rather than the house. Curiosity took over his ten-year-old mind as he found down the voice that told him to turn back. "It's only gonna take a short time." He whispered to himself as he made his way to the front door and stepped out.
A bunch of men were surrounding the house next to the dojo, a large place that stood empty for about five years if Shinta remembered clearly, some holding furniture while the others seemed to surround two figure, asking questions none stop. The taller one raised his hand and stepped out of the crowd, followed by the shorter. One was about late teens by the looks, tall lean and raven colored hair; his eyes were that of blue. The shorter one looked a bit confused and was around his age, though taller by a head. He was a match to his brother, Shinta thought to himself about the brother part, though his eyes were more brown than blue.
A slender woman steps from the crowd of men and makes her way to Shinta with a soft smile on her face. She had that original beauty to her face and a calmness that no one can replace, not even Oka-san. "Hello Shinta." She smiled, showing her white teeth. "My my have you grown. The last time I heard what you looked like, you still fit into your mother's arms."
A confused look took over Shinta face, then he repressed it well. "Thank you ma'am."
"Oh, please do call your father and mother, my husband would like a word with them." She opened the fan she carried with her and covered her mouth. The fan was well made with prints of light sakuras, complement to her kimono.
"Of course." The young man bowed and turned his body about, walking back to the house holding the bucket of water. He slid open the door and removed his shoes, then walked to his parents' room. Kenshin was already up as he walked from the open door, wearing his fading old red-gi, following by a still sleepy looking Kaoru. He smiled warmly towards his son, though Shinta never like his father much. "Otou-san. Someone wants to see you."
"Oro?" Kenshin blinked, bending about an inch to his son. "Who would that be?"
"Donno, a lady told me her husband wanted to talk to both of you."
Instantly Kenshin's eyes seemed to glow as Kaoru snapped awake, both rushed towards the room, leaving a now more confused Shinta behind. Trailing his parents, Shinta made his way to the court yard and saw his parents stood there, facing a tall man with raven colored hair. Making his way towards them, he saw the shock in his father's eyes and his mother's mouth hang wide open.
Kaoru coughed, adjusting her head to the taller man. "S...sa...Saitou......"
It was a glorious morning in the city of Tokyo, where the sakura tree blossomed and the birds sang; spring was finally arriving with the departure of that cold mistress, leaving the land anew and growing. The sun beamed down with it's wide smile, watching over the rushing people with care in his eyes.
Shinta walks out of his family dojo, now about ten years of age with flaming red hair he inherited from his father and that slim built, shifting his gaze about the court yard as he stretches his form. Making his way through the courtyard as he did many times before, he paced to the well and bends from his waist. Picking up the bucket with one hand, he bumped the wooden water carrier into the well, and then wrapped his hands about the rope attached and pulled it back up.
Loosing the rope from the bucket, he walked across the courtyard and towards the house, where he was to make breakfast for his parents. Oka-san never learned how to cook, and Otou-san never improved, as the facts read, Shinta was in charge with the cooking for about three years. His steps paused as a loud sound interrupted his thinking and he found his feet moving towards the noise rather than the house. Curiosity took over his ten-year-old mind as he found down the voice that told him to turn back. "It's only gonna take a short time." He whispered to himself as he made his way to the front door and stepped out.
A bunch of men were surrounding the house next to the dojo, a large place that stood empty for about five years if Shinta remembered clearly, some holding furniture while the others seemed to surround two figure, asking questions none stop. The taller one raised his hand and stepped out of the crowd, followed by the shorter. One was about late teens by the looks, tall lean and raven colored hair; his eyes were that of blue. The shorter one looked a bit confused and was around his age, though taller by a head. He was a match to his brother, Shinta thought to himself about the brother part, though his eyes were more brown than blue.
A slender woman steps from the crowd of men and makes her way to Shinta with a soft smile on her face. She had that original beauty to her face and a calmness that no one can replace, not even Oka-san. "Hello Shinta." She smiled, showing her white teeth. "My my have you grown. The last time I heard what you looked like, you still fit into your mother's arms."
A confused look took over Shinta face, then he repressed it well. "Thank you ma'am."
"Oh, please do call your father and mother, my husband would like a word with them." She opened the fan she carried with her and covered her mouth. The fan was well made with prints of light sakuras, complement to her kimono.
"Of course." The young man bowed and turned his body about, walking back to the house holding the bucket of water. He slid open the door and removed his shoes, then walked to his parents' room. Kenshin was already up as he walked from the open door, wearing his fading old red-gi, following by a still sleepy looking Kaoru. He smiled warmly towards his son, though Shinta never like his father much. "Otou-san. Someone wants to see you."
"Oro?" Kenshin blinked, bending about an inch to his son. "Who would that be?"
"Donno, a lady told me her husband wanted to talk to both of you."
Instantly Kenshin's eyes seemed to glow as Kaoru snapped awake, both rushed towards the room, leaving a now more confused Shinta behind. Trailing his parents, Shinta made his way to the court yard and saw his parents stood there, facing a tall man with raven colored hair. Making his way towards them, he saw the shock in his father's eyes and his mother's mouth hang wide open.
Kaoru coughed, adjusting her head to the taller man. "S...sa...Saitou......"