Chapter Three: Welcome Tsukiko
Tsukiko awoke as the morning rays of the sun began to filter passed the trees. She had fallen asleep in a tree to protect herself from bandits not that they were much of a threat to her anyway. Her blue gray eyes didn't reflect light as if she were a corpse but soon an almost sad reflection appeared Battousai-Sama has forgotten me... Tsukiko allowed herself to drop from the tree and stumbled as she hit the ground. Plus that Sano guy actually injured me... The girl collected her things into a bundle and started walking down a worn path.
"Hey! Wait!" Yahiko's voice came from behind her just down the road and soon Tsukiko saw the boy running up the road. "Where do you think you're going? A person who has an appointment with Kenshin shouldn't be leaving right before." He finally caught up. "And because I came to get you I've helped myself in my training!"
"What are you talking about? You saw what happened yesterday. Battousai-Sama has no wish to speak with me I could tell from how angry he was. Besides I don't have time for the games of a kid like you." Tsukiko began walking again. "I just need to go back to Kyoto and return to my life there just as if I never came to Tokyo..."
Yahiko grabbed her arm. "Hey! Don't call me a kid I am a decendent of true samurai and soon I'll be a great swordsman like Kenshin. And there's no way you're going back just yet. Kenshin told me himself that he would talk to you today."
Tsukiko pulled her arm away and started walking again. "Don't dare get my hopes up. I have to keep moving even if he had spoken with me yesterday I'd be leaving today because my family would be looking for me... So just tell him in the unlikely chance you're telling the truth that I'm sorry." She took another step and her breath caught in her chest as pain from her side spread across her body causing her to stumble again.
"Well you're hurt." Yahiko smirked and grabbed her arm again dragged her towards the dojo. "Well still I think that dragging you is the best way to go." His smile grew as he saw Tsukiko wasn't fighting now.
Meanwhile Kenshin and Sanosuke were sitting on the deck of Kaoru's home looking over Sano's wound.
"You are lucky she wasn't serious with this blow..." Kenshin began wrapping it back up. "And if she was serious... Then you're lucky she missed." He put a smile on his face. "Very lucky indeed."
Sano laughed. "Luck had nothing to do with it. It was all my skill that kept me alive. My wrist is screwed but that girl couldn't have killed me if she tri-" He looked up seeing Tsukiko being dragged in by Yahiko. "Oy! Girl! Too afraid to fight so you had to be dragged in by a Kenshin Wannabe?" Sano crossed his arms smirking. "Really now how sad."
Yahiko let go of Tsukiko "Hey who you calling a 'wannabe' huh?! Seriously you're such a SLACKER you don't even live here or work here yet we feed your sorry ass!"
Tsukiko brushed herself off looking too Kenshin who didn't seem to be mad at her. "I'm sorry to waste your time Battousai-Sama I was just about to leave Tokyo... I should get going today." She held her side gingerly. "My time is wasted here. And so is yours." She turned to leave but found her wrist caught by Kenshin. When did he?
"You aren't going anywhere Tsukiko-Dono." Kenshin would smile softly. "We are having miso soup tonight. ALong with Onigiri. I'm sure you'd enjoy that." He soon got the girl to walk with him to the porch where they sat in silence for a few minutes excluding Sano's recurring statements of 'cowardice' and 'Kenshin wannabes' "Tsukiko-Dono. So tell me again when I'm not angry."
"Battousai-Sama... Years ago when I was young during the end of turbulent times. You took care of me... Along with a woman you truely cared for... But as you know said person died. Ten years ago you left saying you had to leave. You left me this." SHe pulled out the dagger that had the kanji for 'full moon' "A small trinket and the words. 'I'll come back. I promise." But I guess... you've forgotten those days and I'm ok with that... I'll just have to return to those who took me in after you left." The girl looked up at the sky. "But since you've forgotten that past doesn't matter... It doesn't exist to anyone but me."
The three men who were listening looked on with almost saddened faces but only Kenshin spoke up. "I'm sorry that I forgot something so important. That I am..."
The girl stood up. "Don't be sorry. It's better this way maybe..."
Sano smirked. "Like hell it is! We're gonna get Kenshin's memory about you back AND as soon as my wrist heals we are gonna have a REMATCH!" He burst out laughing. "And this time I'm going to win!"
Yahiko started laughing. "I saw that fight with you guys. Tsukiko would win a rematch..."
Kenshin shook his head smiling. "Alright but for now we have chores to fufill. Tsukiko-Dono would you like to help? We would be extremely grateful. That we would."
Tsukiko nodded and she, Kenshin, and Yahiko got to work. Chores took up some time since Yahiko had to stop at one point to start training with Kaoru whom Tsukiko had yet to be truely aquainted with. The sun rose to noon and they stopped to eat lunch and then got back to work. Kenshin and Tsukiko even went grocery shopping together returning with the food just in time to start cooking. When they got back to the dojo Sano, Yahiko, Kaoru, and Megumi were waiting.
"Oh yes I forgot I need to introduce you too two others." He nodded towards each woman as he said their names. "Tsukiko-Dono this is Kaoru-Dono, and Megumi-Dono the doctor. We have asked her to come here to see you."
Tsukiko gently set her groceries down. "Ano... Iie I don't want that kind of treatment. My wound will heal on it's own. Already I'm doing fine." She would take a step back. "And besides I don't want to impose on this kind doctor."
Megumi walked up to Tsukiko and smiled. "Come now it would be rude not to allow me to see you. I cleared my schedule and left the patients to the old man just to see YOU" She grabbed her arm and started dragging the girl who seemed truely unwilling to go.
While she struggled Tsukiko spoke up. "Can a doctor really force someone into an examination?" She twisted badly and inhaled sharply. "Really this is pointless."
"If your side hurts that much it's a good thing that I'm making you do this." The doctor had gotten Tsukiko to the door and closed it loudly behind her. Inside the dojo everyone could hear the struggle Tsukiko put on which was followed by an strange and sudden silence.
"Well then." Kenshin smiled. "I'm going to cook dinner now."
Yahiko smiled. "I'll help you out Kenshin! It's way better then letting the bad cook Kao-" He paused looking over at Kaoru who was now engulfed in her souls flames of anger. "The bad cook um... Sano!" With that he ran after Kenshin to prepare the food.
Megumi didn't come back out from the dojo until dinner was already set out. And when she emerged she emerged alone. The woman doctor took her seat and waited for the others to begin before she could. ALl eyes were on her but she said nothing.
Surprisingly it was Sano who spoke up first. "How's the girl's injuries? Are they really that bad since she's not out here?"
Megumi shook her head. "No... The wound you gave her is not that bad but she was fighting so much I had to make her sleep with a mild poison. So she won't be awake until morning... However... SHe had more then that. Injuries and scars from someone who is beaten... Or maybe she just fights a lot. Since she was asleep I couldn't ask about them."
Kenshin nodded his eyes showing that he was in deep thought. "I see... Well then let's not wait for her then. Idatakimasu"
A chorus of Idatakimasus followed and the group ate silently. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Sano ate quickly and excused themselves to go to the room Megumi had set Tsukiko in. When they went in the girl was sleeping soundly and her face relaxed. Tsukiko seemed to be fragile now unlike the killer Sano had met before.
"Will she be ok Kenshin?" Yahiko took the place to Tsukiko's right while Sano took the left and Kenshin was at her feet. "She seems so... I dunno..."
Kenshin said nothing as Sano spoke up. "She looks alot like you kid. That time you were poisoned when we first met fox-lady." He smirked. "I bet this is humiliating for her being so weak."
"Sano! Be at least a little respectful." Kaoru entered the room taking her place next too Kenshin. "Megumi told me about her wounds and said I could show you." Kaoru would lean and gently pull the kimono down revealing Tsukiko's well covered chest. SHe would get Yahiko to help her as she turned the girl over. Her visible shoulders showed many scars and some fresh wounds. Kaoru gently unwrapped the bandages and soon her back was revealed even worse then her shoulders.
"What kind of life did this girl lead?" Kenshin finally said something. "What kind of people did she leave to come here to find me?" He would help Kaoru rewrap Tsukiko and set her on her back. "THese wounds are my fault for not returning. That they are."
Tsukiko stirred a little. "No... Never Battousai-Sama's fault." She hadn't awoken but subconsciously she responded. "My choice... My mistakes."
Yahiko was surprised by the girls response "Wait a second... Is it possible for someone to talk in their sleep?" He scratched his head. "It sure seems strange to me."
Megumi returned to the room now. "Yeah it's common for deep sleep. Sleep walking and sleep talking. Also she might just have a little resistance to the poison I gave her." She wouldn't take a place like everyone else rather she just stood at the door. "I understand why she didn't want to be seen by a doctor." A few moments of silence passed before she spoke again. "I'm going I have patients to see tonight and it is late." Wit hthat the doctor left the group.
NO more words were wasted around Tsukiko and as hours passed one by one they left to there respective rooms or in Sano's case respective house. Leaving only Kenshin to hold a silent watch.
Meanwhile a strange man entered Tokyo. A man with an aura of death. THe man from the day Tsukiko left. "Oh Tsukiko you child of the moon. Your night has passed so it's time for us to fix your free attitude." The man smirked as he went off to find an inn or some poor family who dared to forbid him a nights rest.