– It's time for everyone's favorite girl to let go of her past and forge her way to a new future…with a little help from her new companion. R&R my friends!
Rurouni Kenshin
Chapter 4 – The Steady Descent
Kurenai was pleased the next morning to find Seijuro's body still next to hers…or rather, beneath hers. She was sprawled across him, her head nestled between his shoulder and jaw and one leg thrown across his. An arm was tucked beside her and her other hand has snaked its way into his shirt to rest above his heart. One of his hands was fisted in the material on the back of her shirt, his other arm slung off the mat. He was softly snoring, his big chest rising and falling deeply. She lifted her head, scraping her cheek against the short stubble on his jaw,
"Ouch," she giggled.
He cracked an eye open, smirking as she rubbed her assaulted skin.
"You need to shave," she accused, playfully poking him in the chest.
"Oh yeah?" he asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
He suddenly grabbed her face between his hands, rubbing his cheek against hers.
"Ow, ow, ow!" she shrieked in his ear.
But instead of releasing her, he flipped them both over, scratching her throat and laughing at her useless struggling.
"Ok, ok, I give up!" she conceded, giggling at his playfulness.
He had her completely pinned down; there was no moving until he said so.
"You gonna let me up?"
"Maybe," his voice was throaty.
She smiled at him coyly, "Do you want breakfast?"
He let her go, leaning back a bit, just as his belly gurgled an affirmative to her question. She laughed, patting his abs affectionately.
"I thought so, you're always hungry, huh?" she said, addressing his abdomen more than him and speaking in a motherly tone.
"Okay, that's just weird," he said flatly, rolling off her and collapsing on the futon again. "You're not allowed to talk to my body anymore," he said, grinning.
"Aw, why not?" she asked, adjusting her sleep shirt…well, his sleep shirt.
"Because neither I, nor any part of my body is an infant. If you need to address something in that annoying mother tone, pick something apart from me."
"He's grumpy today isn't he," she addressed his elbow, testing her luck.
"That's it, c'mere," he made a grab for her, but she danced out of his reach.
"Uh uh…breakfast, remember?"
"Mmmhmm," he mumbled, rolling over on his stomach.
She watched him stretch lazily out of the corner of her eye as she began gathering ingredients for breakfast. She liked these slow mornings – no tension or uncertainty. It was as if waking up with him was the most natural thing in the world and she'd been doing it for years. And she really liked the feeling.
Seijuro was up and mostly packed for their excursion when she called him for breakfast. They ate quickly, then packed a little bit of food for lunch before setting out. He told her that it would take a little over three hours to get to the village. Kurenai decided now was as good a time as any to ask about his past…since he now knew most of hers.
"You said before that your sword is for the service of the weak, not the government. What made you decide that?" she asked, watching him to gauge his reaction.
"That's right. When I was young, I dreamt of fighting under the Tokugawa shogunate as well, like most of the men my age. I even enlisted to join the cavalry. Before I was deployed though, I was found by a man who called himself Seijuro Hiko the Twelfth. He was a master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style of swordsmanship. I trained for many years under him before mastering it myself. When I completed my training and took on the name Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth, I found that I had no interest in joining the wars. I had learnt that were I to join a certain side, the Hiten Mitsurugi I possessed would tip the balance of power toward my army for certain. I fought only for what I believed in. I protected those I deemed worthy and destroyed any who dared threaten the peace around me. Not that there was much to be had in those days," he paused, looking down at her.
"Wow, I had no idea. But I've never even heard of that style of swordsmanship. Are you the only one who knows it now?"
"Myself and one other – my apprentice, Himura Kenshin. You probably know him better under the title Battousai."
"What?! You trained the man who became the most well-known man-slayer before the Meiji Era?"
"Yes I did. That idiot didn't listen to me when I told him not to interfere in the wars of other men. After the government was established, he became a wanderer to atone for all the lives he'd taken. Now he uses a reverse-blade sword…he'll never kill again."
"It's wonderful that he was able to start over. Does he still wander?"
"No, he has planted roots in Tokyo now. He found himself a spitfire little dojo master – they're engaged now."
"Oh…how sweet! How old is she?"
"Uh, about your age I think, why?" he asked, confused.
"Um, no reason…" her voice sounded almost sad, for reasons quite beyond her partner's grasp.
"Soo…" he began. "Do you remember anything from before you moved to Tokyo?"
"Not much. My mother met my father in the village – he was a sword-maker, and she was the daughter of a traveling medicine man. My father was sick, and she healed him…and then they married. We had a simple life, but I loved them so much. Even though I was little, I remember how happy we were. Mom had just found out she was going to have another baby when she and father got sick. They died the same night…"she couldn't say anymore.
She swallowed the lump in her throat, turning away from him to blink back tears.
"I'm sorry Kuren – "
"Oh!" she exclaimed, cutting him off.
Seijuro blinked, trying to understand the girl's sudden change in mood. She tore off the trail, running through the trees at a break-neck pace.
"Wait – Kurenai!" he ran after her, marveling at her speed in this enclosed space.
They burst into a clearing, and the breath caught in his throat at the beauty of this place. It was an open field, completely filled with wildflowers of all kinds. Nature had made a wonderful garden here, feeding it with a clear spring that ran straight through the middle of the meadow. Seijuro watched as Kurenai ran back and forth, gathering all kinds of flowers in her hands. She was laughing and singing; he couldn't fathom how her mood had gone from depressed to ecstatic in a few short moments.
"Isn't it wonderful?" she called to him. "If I hadn't been trying to hide that I was crying, I would have never noticed this place! My parents used to bring me here, it was our special place. It's just as I remember," she ran to him breathless. "C'mon, I have to show you!" she grabbed his hand, hauling him off to the far end of the meadow.
He let her lead him, not even bothering to hide the grin on his face. She was so happy, as if this place had brought out every wonderful memory she had ever had. She took him just into the trees, where the ground sloped up sharply. They were at a small waterfall, where the stream fell down a twelve foot high rock face and entered a little pool. Flat rocks surrounded the pool, making it appear almost artificial. Kurenai flung her sandals off, sitting on the rocks and dipping her feet in the cool water. Tiny tadpoles swam around her toes, their parents splashing into the water to escape her. Seijuro sat down next to her and she turned to beam at him.
"Isn't it perfect?" she asked.
"Yes, this is truly a beautiful place," he said.
"At night, this place is surrounded by hundreds of fireflies…only at a certain time of year though. That's when it's magical."
"I can only imagine."
"Maybe we can come back here sometime in June, when they're out."
"That sounds fine to me."
June was still a month away, Kurenai realized suddenly. She panicked when it sunk in what she had just said.
"Um…that is…I mean…I probably won't be living with you then, but I just thought you know…we could visit…and…uh – "
"Kurenai."
She clamped her mouth shut, "Yes?" she asked timidly after a moment.
"I don't know where either of us will be a month from now, but I will come back here with you regardless," his voice was absolutely serious.
"You promise?" she asked, unsure why she needed further assurance.
"Yes, I promise," he fixed her with that same look he had given her the night before.
She believed him.
"Well, we shouldn't dally here too long, I guess," she said reluctantly.
He waited for her to put her sandals on, then pulled her to her feet. They stepped back into the sunshine of the field. Kurenai cast her face skywards, drinking in the warmth. Her gray eyes turned an unearthly silvery color, and Seijuro found himself forgetting how to breathe properly.
"C'mon," she beckoned, pulling him back towards the road.
An hour of idle chatter and a brief stop to pick some wild raspberries later, they found themselves at their destination. Kurenai's village had always been small, but nothing could have prepared her for what it had become now. They entered the first row of empty run-down houses, holding their breath against the rancid smell of refuse. There was a handful of villagers meandering around, casting them wary glances. The village was mostly dead, only a few store-owners clung to business. Cholera and war had torn this place apart – it was a shell of what Kurenai remembered. She led them down a narrow street, then across a space that might have once been a square. She cast a long look at a run-down store front.
"My father's sword shop," she said as if in a dream, before continuing down the road.
She took him to a small house that faced the main street, hesitantly pushing past the front gate. She pressed through the front door, stumbling on some debris strewn across the floor. Seijuro caught her, steadying her for a moment. She was so shaken at the state she had found her once beautiful village in that most of the color had drained from her face. Without a word, she put her hand in his and led him to the back yard. She stopped in front of two grave markers, letting him go to kneel in front of them. Nothing could have prepared her for the onslaught of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. She just stared at them a moment, putting her hands together as she had been taught. She closed her eyes, and all the memories that she had of her life with them came flooding back. Her mother's smile…the sound of her father's booming laughter. She had never missed her father and mother as badly as she did at this moment. She finally let her tears loose, crumpling onto the grass. Sobs shook her body, even as she tried to choke them back. For a while, Seijuro let her cry out her grief. It was something that she needed to do; something that she had never been able to do in front of her aunt and uncle. She was grateful that he had let her be for a moment. Her body finally stilled and she sat up, wiping the tears from her face. Only then did he encircle his arms around her from behind. She leaned against him, content to listen to his heartbeat and remind herself that it was good to be alive. She sniffed, exhaling loudly and tilted her head back.
"I was never really able to grieve for them," she said by way of explanation. "My aunt wouldn't let me.
"This is the first time you've been able to say goodbye," it was not a question.
"Yes. But you know? I feel as though this great burden has been lifted off my shoulders. They're together – them and my little brother or sister, and I just know that they're happy."
"They're proud of you," he said.
"You think so? I hope they are. Though I've not really done much to be proud of."
"You had the courage to escape from the only family you had. You dared to believe that there was something more for you, whereas many people in life just accept their fates. I know that your parents are happy for you."
She turned to look up at him, "Thank you, Seijuro. I really needed to hear that.
He nodded, an encouraging smile gracing his mouth, "C'mon," he said, pulling her upright.
She laid the bouquet of flowers she had picked in the meadow on their graves, bowing her head once again.
"I love you mama and papa…and baby, whoever you are. Goodbye for now, I'll return again before too long. Take care!" she called over her shoulder as she ran back to her house. "There's just one more thing I have to do – I just remembered," she informed him, disappearing into the house.
Seijuro followed the sounds of moving debris, wondering what she was up to.
Kurenai grunted as she tried to budge a heavy beam that had fallen over a certain section of floor boards. She leaned and strained and kicked and rammed it with her body, but to no avail. She made a frustrated noise before turning to see Seijuro leaning on the doorframe wearing an amused expression.
"You want some help there, killer?" he mocked.
She sighed, conceding defeat, "Yeah, go for it."
He pushed himself off the wall, gesturing for her to back up. She did and watched as he landing a solid kick to the beam, splitting it in two pieces, catching the top half that had been wedged under the ceiling. He used it to gently prod the rotting wood, not really trusting the structure. It proved itself though and he let her approach. She stepped forward, using a splinter of wood to pry up some loose floorboards. Her body half disappeared into the hole, emerging momentarily with a small box.
"Look," she said secretly, peering at him from beneath her bangs.
She opened the box carefully, revealing two items – a silk piece of material and a slip of paper.
"These are my most prized possessions," she told him, unwrapping the silk.
A beautiful emerald ring fell into her hands. It was crafted in the shape of two dragons, intertwined together around the stone.
"My mother loved dragons; she would always tell me stories about them."
"She slipped the ring on the index finger of her left hand, holding it up to catch the light. She reached down then, unfolding the paper written in her father's handwriting.
"I had to hide this from my aunt because they wanted the contents of this box for themselves. I heard them talking about it, so I hid it here."
"What is that?"
"It's a letter my father wrote telling me where he put my sword. He made it for me when I was five, but I was not allowed to see it. He told me that when I was sixteen, he would teach me to use it. When he realized that he was dying, and knowing what kind of people my aunt and uncle were; he had it hidden."
"You mean he knew they were abusive?"
"No, he knew they were greedy though. If he had known how they really were, I'm sure he would have found someone else to care for me before he and mother died. But then, it's not like really had time to prepare."
"I understand. So where is it?"
Kurenai giggled as she read the note.
"It seems we were right on top of it today. He hid it behind the waterfall at the clearing."
"I guess we'll have to stop by there again on our way home," he said, feigning upset.
She laughed, "Yes I know, it's so out of the way too!"
"Mmhmm."
"But first," she said, standing to dust herself off, "We need to get some food."
"Good luck finding anything here."
"Well, it's either here or the next town, and frankly I don't feel like walking that far."
He sighed, "Let's see what we can find then."
They exited the house, Kurenai saying one last goodbye to her old home. They made their way back to the market area, if you could even call it that. Three or four vendors, with a pitiful selection at best. Nonetheless, Kurenai found what she needed to make several meals, saying that it would tide them over until they could go down to Kyoto. She paid the vendors generously, for which they each blessed her. She wanted to tell them this had been her home once as well, but she couldn't bring herself to.
They munched on some freshly baked bread on their way back up the mountain, the only thing they had purchased that they could eat without preparation. Seijuro shouldered their food supplies, eying her watchfully.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I'm less physically tired than I thought I would be, but I'm emotionally spent," she said, yawning. "Well, maybe a little sleepy," she added.
"We can rest when we get to the field," he said, suppressing a smile.
It took them longer to reach the meadow since they were going uphill the whole time, but they reached it at about four o'clock. They went straight to the pool, trying to figure out exactly where the sword was. Twelve years of erosion had flattened the rock face out some. Seijuro found an indentation that looked as though it could have once housed something. He peered down into the pool. It was fairly deep where the water had carved out the basin, even though the stream was probably about waist deep. They looked over the edge, then at each other. She grinned widely at him. Seijuro sighed, taking the food pack off his shoulders and pulling his gi down around his waist as well as removing his boots.
"You owe me for this," he grumbled.
"Tell you what – you get that sword and I'll build a fire and we'll eat here. That way we don't have to go all the way home before cooking dinner."
"Okay fine, just get that fire built soon 'cause I don't want to hike all the way home in soggy pants."
She giggled at him as slid off the rocks into the water, letting out an uncharacteristic yelp when the coldness hit him, which made her laugh even harder. He muttered something about 'damn mountain springs' and 'shrinking' before taking a deep breath and disappearing beneath the surface. He was under for a long time, and at one point she thought she heard a thump accompanied by bubbles which worried her a little. She was pondering jumping in herself when he suddenly shot to the surface, a bamboo container in his hand.
"Oh you found it!" she exclaimed, helping him out of the water.
"Yeah, that better be it," he said, breathing deeply and pushing his hair out of his face.
"Thank you!" she squeaked, hugging him despite his soaked body.
"Yeah, yeah, don't thank me 'til you're sure it's your sword."
She took the container in hand, tearing off the seal on the end. She tipped it slowly until the hilt of a katana slid out. She took a deep breath, pulling the rest of the sword out. It had a traditional hilt with deep blue trim. The hand guard was intricately carved with the same two dragons on her ring. She fingered her father's handiwork, slowly pulling the blade from its sheath. It was comfortably heavy and it fit her perfectly. Seijuro leaned over her shoulder, admiring the craftsmanship. He reached around her and touched the edge of the blade, feeling its sharpness.
"It's well made," he said.
"Yes, he poured all he had into this," she said, re-sheathing it and clutching it to her heart. She sighed, as if trying to catch an elusive memory.
"Well okay, let's get you dry and fed," she said, her tone suddenly changing to an almost motherly note.
"That's it? You're not even going to swing it…test it out?" he asked, stunned.
She laughed at the look on his face, "You men are all the same; you can't wait to try out your new toys. Besides, I don't know the first thing about swords."
He just shook his head at her, but went off to find dry wood instead of arguing. She unpacked some of the food and began preparing it. It was a little awkward without cookware, but she improvised. She had just finished lighting the kindling when he returned with enough firewood to last them half the night.
"Oy, are we staying here long?" she asked.
"I need to build the fire up after you've finished cooking to dry my clothes," he explained.
"With you in them?"
"Well, I'm not taking them off if that's what you're implying," he said with a chuckle.
She blushed, "No! That's not what I meant. I was just thinking that you might get a little hot, but whatever. I'll be done here soon."
"I'm in no rush," he said, stretching out on the ground.
She watched him fold his arms behind his head and prop a leg up on his other knee, staring up at the sky. She wondered what he was thinking about. She decided to focus instead on making the meal edible – which took quite some creativity. True to her word, it didn't take long and they ate together quietly. He built the fire up to a steady blaze after their meal, standing with his back to it. She watched him as the light from the flames flickered across his features in the dying glow of sunset. He truly was beautiful. She blushed when he turned his attention to her, suddenly becoming interesting in a twig under her sandal. She failed to notice a smile flash across his mouth, disappearing as quickly as it came. They stayed in comfortable silence for a while…Kurenai watching as the sun dipped down behind the mountain's tree line.
"Come," Seijuro said suddenly, startling her from her thoughts.
"What, are we going?" she asked curiously.
"Not yet," he replied, picking up her sword and tossing it to her. "You won't be able to fully understand what your father made for you until you experience the strength of that blade…his strength."
He motioned for her to follow him into the open field. She followed him into the space which was now lit with a fading orange haze.
"Draw your weapon," he instructed. She did, holding it in front of her, the scabbard in her other hand. He moved behind her, taking her sheath from her and telling her to spread her stance.
"Start with the sword up here over your shoulder – good. Now swing down, stopping at a 45 degree angle like so," he showed her the motion.
She copied it perfectly, gasping a little when she felt the force running up her arms. She repeated the motion, a grin spreading across her face. He was right; this was her father's strength. She repeated the motion over and over, till sweat began to bead up on her forehead. Suddenly, as she raised her sword high once more, Seijuro drew his own weapon and blocked her downswing. She instinctively pushed against him, putting all her strength into it. He allowed her to push him back and waited for her to make the next move. She swung at him from below, trusting him to easily block her attacks, even though she was putting all her strength behind each one. She liked the pleasantly surprised expression on his face as she pelted him furiously with all her might, flower blossoms flying up around them from their movements. She knew her attacks were unskilled and clumsy, but there was force behind them. Finally, Seijuro blocked with more effort, stepping up to her and sliding his blade down the length of hers.
"Well done. Do you understand now?" he asked in a low voice.
"Yes," she panted, utterly exhausted now. "You were right, I felt him as he were right here with me."
"Your father crafted this blade with his own swordsman's spirit. It was probably his greatest work," he spoke, fingering her blade again. "Alright, now we can go home," he said with a sigh.
"Sounds good to me, I'm spent."
They walked back to their things, gathering them up and returning to the road home. Kurenai was dragging her feet the last few miles, but did manage to make it by herself. She refused to admit that she'd kind of strained a rib again. It was worth it. When they got home, Seijuro changed into a pair of sleep pants and collapsed onto the futon with her. Kurenai was almost asleep before it registered that he was going to sleep with her despite her really not needing him there. It was a routine now, simple as that. She knew as long as she was with him, he would stay in her bed. He now needed to protect her whether she needed him or not. The truth was: she was growing accustomed to his presence – not to chase away dreams – but just to be there with her. She wondered how long things could remain as simple and…innocent, as they were now.
Deep down, she knew it could not stay like this. Every day, her feelings for him grew deeper. He had been her savior, her protector, her companion, and her friend. She was physically attracted to him, of course – who wouldn't be? She found herself longing for nightfall when she could nestle down beneath the covers, content merely to "cuddle" with him. She was no simpleton though, that would not be enough for her forever. And if it was not enough for her, it would certainly not be enough for him. An attraction that grew every day would compel both of them to explore boundaries, like all relationships. Was she even ready to think about that kind of relationship? A week ago, this was the furthest thing from her mind. For the last two years, she had been a wandering teenager. She just wanted to go home, start a new life in Kyoto, and that was about as far as she had planned. She always assumed that love and marriage were a long way off – especially for an orphan like her. But four days ago, her entire life had been re-prioritized. Now her new life seemed empty and lonely if it meant being without him. She was so confused. She had gone from a completely independent young woman to feeling as though her happiness was linked to another person. These feelings were so foreign to her; she wasn't sure what to do with them. She was so tired though, she couldn't think of anything else tonight. Seijuro was asleep beside her, his body curled on its side, spooned against hers. His deep breathing tickled her neck and she couldn't help but smile when she felt his leg twitching against hers in his sleep. She sighed - she really was beginning to fall for him. She finally gave up consciousness, unsure of everything around her but certain of one thing: she was happy…for the first time in twelve years.
+---to be continued---+
Okay, what do you think? Am I keeping them in character…well him in character anyway? I'm trying, but this is hard when all I've got to go on is like 3 episodes of character development. Lemme know if there's anything you think I'm like screwing up here.
Next chapter…we get a D.T.R. (Define The Relationship) talk and some old friends show up. And the identity of the mysterious policeman who saved Kurenai's life in Tokyo is revealed…like any if you were really wondering. And if you were – I just totally ruined it for you didn't I? Woof. :P
