"Kenshin. Kenshin? Are you all right Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, worry clearly
in her soft voice. "Kenshin, please, please tell me what's wrong." Kaoru
said more urgently.
"Miss Kaoru, I am all right, please leave." Kenshin whispered in a monotone.
"Kenshin, you haven't eaten for three whole days now. You need to get up and get around." Kaoru pleaded. Kenshin simply sat there in the exact same position he had been sitting in all day; Back against the wall, head hung so that his crimson bangs covered his tired amethyst eyes and his blade leaning on the wall next to him. "Kenshin, I don't care if you do chores or not, but please at least eat. Dr. Genzai has offered to treat us at the Akabeko tonight." Kaoru silently watched him for any signs of movement and was disappointed when none came. "I'll bring you something back then." Kaoru whispered, her voice choking as she walked slowly out of the room, looking at him one more time before sliding the door shut with a small thud. She walked slowly to her room, closing the door behind her when she entered. She leaned against the wall, a sigh escaping her lips as she slid down to plop down on the floor. "Kenshin, it was not your fault, please stop blaming yourself." Kaoru pleaded to the sky as diamonds of liquid slid down her cheek, the sinking gold sun reflecting off them as they hit the ground.
Kenshin sighed in his room. "Miss Kaoru." He watched the golden suns rays struggling to keep above the mountains, making a glimmering outline on the jagged edges of the cold rock. Gold. He hated the color. Gold reminded him of the Battousai, of him and he hated himself. He was the reason Sanosuke had a long, snaking scar on his chest. He was the reason Yahiko was just now recovering from a gash on his forehead. He was the reason half the Kamiya dojo had been obliterated and worst of all, he was the reason miss Kaoru grieved. All because he was not there to protect them when they needed him most.
~Flashback~
"WHAT WAS THAT, YAHIKO?" Kaoru's thundering voice could be heard all through Tokyo.
Sanosuke could be seen slowly sliding toward the door as Yahiko yelled back his answer, "I said your cooking is terrible, busu!"
A large sweat drop formed on Sano's head at those words. Boy, was Yahiko in for it. From out of nowhere, the "magical" bokken appeared in Kaoru's hand and swiftly flew to Yahiko's spiky head.
"Sano.help.I think.OWWW.I think she means to kill me this time!" Yahiko howled as red, round lumps formed on his head.
"C'mon missy, I think the brat's had enough." Sano laughed, grabbing the bokken in mid-blow and pulling out of the raging girl's grasp.
Kaoru stood there, breathing heavily as she stared daggers at Yahiko. The stubborn boy stuck out his tongue and gave a chortle before two hands reached his neck.
"San.o.gah.can't BREATH!!!" Yahiko gasped as Kaoru mercilessly throttled him. Sano, not wanting any of Yahiko's punishment backed down and waited for the girl to vent off her anger. Yahiko, now over-dramatically gasping for air silently gave up and Kaoru grinned brightly in her triumph. Sanosuke sighed in relief and sat down to continue his meal.
A few hours and many Yahiko thrashings later, Kaoru was now enjoying a nice cup of tea, Sano a few.ehem, more than a few cups of Sake and Yahiko a nice set of chores, from (can you guess?) Kaoru.
"Have any of you seen Kenshin lately?" Kaoru asked breathing in the relaxing fumes of her tea.
"Not me, think he said he was going out for a walk" Sano drawled taking another gulp of sake.
Kaoru, eyes closed snatched the bottle of sake as she informed the not-so- sober man, "You know, Megumi's not here to escort you home, better let up on the alchohol."
"C'mon I've only had.err," Sano raised his hand up to his face and began to count on his fingers, "2.7.15.wait a minute, I don't have 15 fingers" Sano slurred, befuddled.
"Huh?" Yahiko questioned as a pair of feet stepped onto the floor in front of his face. He looked up to meet a figure, dressed completely in black, its face masked. "Hey, your not allo- augh!" Yahiko flew back by a sharp kick from the black figure. Gritting his teeth, he stood pulling his bokken in ready stance. "Who are you?" Yahiko growled spitting out blood from his mouth. The figure laughed, an wicked chuckle, a mad cackle. "Grah, STOP LAUGHING!" Yahiko yelled rushing toward the figure before being rammed into the wall on his left by a another, matching figure. Yahiko's eyes widened. There had to be at least 10 of the figures in front of him. "KENSHIN! SANOSUKE! KAORU! INTRUDERS!!!" Yahiko yelled the alarm.
"Miss Kaoru, I am all right, please leave." Kenshin whispered in a monotone.
"Kenshin, you haven't eaten for three whole days now. You need to get up and get around." Kaoru pleaded. Kenshin simply sat there in the exact same position he had been sitting in all day; Back against the wall, head hung so that his crimson bangs covered his tired amethyst eyes and his blade leaning on the wall next to him. "Kenshin, I don't care if you do chores or not, but please at least eat. Dr. Genzai has offered to treat us at the Akabeko tonight." Kaoru silently watched him for any signs of movement and was disappointed when none came. "I'll bring you something back then." Kaoru whispered, her voice choking as she walked slowly out of the room, looking at him one more time before sliding the door shut with a small thud. She walked slowly to her room, closing the door behind her when she entered. She leaned against the wall, a sigh escaping her lips as she slid down to plop down on the floor. "Kenshin, it was not your fault, please stop blaming yourself." Kaoru pleaded to the sky as diamonds of liquid slid down her cheek, the sinking gold sun reflecting off them as they hit the ground.
Kenshin sighed in his room. "Miss Kaoru." He watched the golden suns rays struggling to keep above the mountains, making a glimmering outline on the jagged edges of the cold rock. Gold. He hated the color. Gold reminded him of the Battousai, of him and he hated himself. He was the reason Sanosuke had a long, snaking scar on his chest. He was the reason Yahiko was just now recovering from a gash on his forehead. He was the reason half the Kamiya dojo had been obliterated and worst of all, he was the reason miss Kaoru grieved. All because he was not there to protect them when they needed him most.
~Flashback~
"WHAT WAS THAT, YAHIKO?" Kaoru's thundering voice could be heard all through Tokyo.
Sanosuke could be seen slowly sliding toward the door as Yahiko yelled back his answer, "I said your cooking is terrible, busu!"
A large sweat drop formed on Sano's head at those words. Boy, was Yahiko in for it. From out of nowhere, the "magical" bokken appeared in Kaoru's hand and swiftly flew to Yahiko's spiky head.
"Sano.help.I think.OWWW.I think she means to kill me this time!" Yahiko howled as red, round lumps formed on his head.
"C'mon missy, I think the brat's had enough." Sano laughed, grabbing the bokken in mid-blow and pulling out of the raging girl's grasp.
Kaoru stood there, breathing heavily as she stared daggers at Yahiko. The stubborn boy stuck out his tongue and gave a chortle before two hands reached his neck.
"San.o.gah.can't BREATH!!!" Yahiko gasped as Kaoru mercilessly throttled him. Sano, not wanting any of Yahiko's punishment backed down and waited for the girl to vent off her anger. Yahiko, now over-dramatically gasping for air silently gave up and Kaoru grinned brightly in her triumph. Sanosuke sighed in relief and sat down to continue his meal.
A few hours and many Yahiko thrashings later, Kaoru was now enjoying a nice cup of tea, Sano a few.ehem, more than a few cups of Sake and Yahiko a nice set of chores, from (can you guess?) Kaoru.
"Have any of you seen Kenshin lately?" Kaoru asked breathing in the relaxing fumes of her tea.
"Not me, think he said he was going out for a walk" Sano drawled taking another gulp of sake.
Kaoru, eyes closed snatched the bottle of sake as she informed the not-so- sober man, "You know, Megumi's not here to escort you home, better let up on the alchohol."
"C'mon I've only had.err," Sano raised his hand up to his face and began to count on his fingers, "2.7.15.wait a minute, I don't have 15 fingers" Sano slurred, befuddled.
"Huh?" Yahiko questioned as a pair of feet stepped onto the floor in front of his face. He looked up to meet a figure, dressed completely in black, its face masked. "Hey, your not allo- augh!" Yahiko flew back by a sharp kick from the black figure. Gritting his teeth, he stood pulling his bokken in ready stance. "Who are you?" Yahiko growled spitting out blood from his mouth. The figure laughed, an wicked chuckle, a mad cackle. "Grah, STOP LAUGHING!" Yahiko yelled rushing toward the figure before being rammed into the wall on his left by a another, matching figure. Yahiko's eyes widened. There had to be at least 10 of the figures in front of him. "KENSHIN! SANOSUKE! KAORU! INTRUDERS!!!" Yahiko yelled the alarm.