Chibisensei: I had a bit of trouble with this chapter so I'm not really happy with it
Sano: Trouble is an understatement; this chapter sucks
Chibisensei: *sarcastic* Thank you very much, Sano. I appreciate your support.
Sano: *chews on fishbone and smirks* No problem
Chibisensei: *turns to audience* Thank you to everyone who gave me reviews and please don't crucify me for the roughness of this chapter! Bad reviews would lower my morale and make me not want to post updates anymore T_T
Sano: *ignores Chibi's pouting* Chibisensei110787 does not and never will own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters, but Kei is her faithful servant
Chapter 9- Prelude to a Nightmare
3 days had passed since Kei arrived and things remained rather lively. Kei would do the cooking and do her share of the chores. She actually found it rather enjoyable considering the many humorous exchanges that went on within the Kamiya Dojo in a day. Poor Kenshin… Today was a nice day albeit a bit on the cloudy side. Still, it was warm and generally pleasant.
"Oh!" exclaimed Kei, dropping the water bucket she was filling in the well. Kenshin who was doing the laundry, looked at her confused.
"Oro?" Kei tossed the bucket to Kenshin.
"Hold this for a second!" she said, rushing into the house. By Kenshin's usual "luck", the bucket hit him square in the head, leaving him dazed and swirly-eyed.
"Orororo…." Kaoru walked out of the dojo (A/N: she was training with Yahiko) and spotted the oro'ing Kenshin.
"Kenshin! Are you alright?" Kenshin sat up, holding the side of his head where the bucket hit. He winced.
"This one is fine...he thinks."
"Hey, where'd Kei go?" asked Yahiko, joining the pair.
"She went in the house that she did." Kei appeared in the doorway holding a small pouch. She noticed Kaoru.
"Just the person I wanted to see." Kaoru looked at her.
"Huh?" Kei smiled and pulled 2 objects out of the pouch and clasped them in her palm.
"These are for you," said Kei handing Kaoru the objects. "For being kind enough to let me stay here." Kaoru looked at what Kei had given her and her eyes bugged out.
"T-t-these are gold!" she stuttered, staring at the 2 coins Kei had placed in her hand.
"I see you know your coins," said Kei with a smile.
"B-but it's so much! I can't-" Kei waved her hand dismissingly.
"Of course you can. Please accept them." Yahiko stared at Kei and the pouch.
"Does that mean you have more of them?" Kei tossed the pouch to Yahiko. He looked in the bag to find 6 more coins. Kei snickered at his reaction.
"Why are you so surprised? I don't remember telling anyone that I was dirt poor." Kenshin glanced from the still sputtering Kaoru to the stunned Yahiko.
"Kei, you didn't steal this money, did you?" he asked. Kei's eye twitched angrily.
"Hideo just so happened to be very good at his trade. We didn't spend everything he earned on unnecessary luxuries like the wealthy class does with their money. We lived off of what we needed, saved a bit, and then gave the rest to those that needed it more. We wanted a simple life not a chaotic one. With money comes politics, and we both know how much I HATE politics." Kenshin saw that he struck a nerve and sweatdropped.
"Forgive this one for thinking so little of you." Kei sighed and shook her head.
"Do I have a choice?" she asked, amusingly. Yahiko looked at Kei.
"So what's to eat today?" Kei scratched her head.
"Actually, I was thinking about fishing for some fish for supper." She smiled. "Care to come?"
"To come fishing? Sure!"
"You don't have to go through that kind of trouble," said Kaoru. "Kenshin could go to the market and get some."
"It's no trouble at all. Besides, fresh fish always taste the best." Kei turned to Yahiko. "Ready?"
"Yeah!"
"We'll be back in a few hours," said Kei to Kaoru and Kenshin.
"Uh, alright," replied Kaoru, a bit confused. As Kei and Yahiko exited the dojo, Kei threw her infamous evil smirk to the couple. Kenshin sweatdropped.
"She's up to something that she is," spoke Kenshin when Kei had left.
"Do you think so?" asked Kaoru.
"That smirk means trouble that it does." Kaoru cocked her head slightly.
"I don't know. Do you think she's going to do something to the food or something?" Kenshin shook his head.
"It's too obvious that it is." Then it hit them.
"Uh…Kenshin, you don't think that she took Yahiko with her on purpose, do you?" she Kaoru with a blush.
"I told you she was up to something…" Inwardly, Kenshin smirked a bit. Kei is a clever one… There was an awkward silence.
"So is the laundry done?" asked Kaoru breaking the quiet. Ok, that wasn't what was on her mind, but it was something.
"No it is not, Kaoru-dono. This one should be done with it shortly," said Kenshin with his rurouni smile. Kaoru got up a bit disappointed.
"Oh…ok. I'll be in the training hall if you need me." Kenshin nodded.
"This one will keep that in mind …" He paused for a second. "Drop the –dono honorific in her name, big brother," echoed Kei's words in his mind. "It makes you sound distant." "…Kaoru" he finished. Kaoru froze.
"Did you just call me 'Kaoru'?"
"It is your name." Kaoru's joy was beyond words! He finally dropped the honorific! He actually DROPPED the honorific!
"Oh Kenshin!" cried Kaoru, hugging him. (A/N: corny, no?) "You didn't use –dono!"
"Oro?" coughed Kenshin as he was crushed.
"Kaoru, this one can't breathe!" Kaoru blushed madly and let go of him.
"Sorry," she said, her face red with embarrassment. Kenshin smiled.
"If that is the way you respond to this one not using -dono, this one would not mind always calling you 'Kaoru' in private." Kaoru blushed deeper.
"I would like that." Kenshin and Kaoru looked at each other for a while, unconsciously leaning closer to one another. "Kenshin?" she started with a blush.
"Oro?" Kaoru blushed harder.
"W-will you k-kiss me?"
"Is that what you want?" Kaoru nodded coyly and Kenshin smiled.
"Then I would be happy to." This time Kaoru did notice the change in self-reference. Her eyes widened a bit, but she quickly lost her train of thought when she felt Kenshin's lips on hers. Nothing else seemed to matter to either of them in those moments except each other. No worries or fears. No guilt and pain. Nothing except love and acceptance. A bit hesitant at first, Kenshin snaked his arm around Kaoru's waist and pulled her closer as the kiss deepened.
Kei smirked in victory as she walked away from the dojo door and back to Yahiko down the road.
"So what did you forget?" asked Yahiko, with an eyebrow lifted. Kei smiled innocently and scratched her head sheepishly.
"Nothing, I thought I needed something, but I was mistaken." Yahiko looked at her strangely.
"Are you sure you and Kenshin aren't related by blood?" Kei chuckled.
"I'm sure." She paused. "I think I remember the river bank being a good fishing spot." Yahiko looked at her surprised.
"This isn't your first time in Tokyo?" Kei smiled.
"I was born here when it was still Edo. Of course things have changed a lot in…" She started counting the years on her fingers. "Well, a long time!" She smiled again. "To the river bank?" Yahiko nodded.
"Why not?"
Back with Kenshin and Kaoru…
After what seemed like an eternity, Kenshin and Kaoru broke their kiss for some much needed air.
"This one will finish the laundry now," he said with a small, but real smile.
"Ok," said Kaoru, still on "cloud nine".
ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO
That evening, Kei fried the 4 decent sized fish that she and Yahiko had caught. Yahiko had caught 3 of them and bragged about it the whole time. After some small talk, Kei retired to her room. That was a few hours ago. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't shake that familiar, eerie feeling that something was wrong. No visions came, leaving the uncomfortable Kei restless and confused. Maybe some fresh air…
Kaoru heard someone leaving the house and silently got up to see what was going on. She went out into the midsummer night air and found Kei sitting quietly in the courtyard bracing her katana against her.
"Kei, are you alright?" asked Kaoru, a bit worried. Kei turned around.
"I couldn't sleep," she replied quietly. A small breeze blew and Kei looked up toward the moon. "Do you feel it?"
"Feel what?" Kaoru asked.
"Fate. Its presence is strong tonight."
"Huh?" Kei shook her head.
"Nothing," she dismissed with a smile. Kaoru sat next to Kei.
"May I ask you a question, Kei-san?"
"Just call me 'Kei'."
"Ok, Kei, may I ask you a question?" Kei looked at Kaoru.
"Of course."
"What was it like to be married?" Kei was taken slightly aback by the question. She certainly didn't expect it. Kei looked up at the sky.
"I enjoyed every second I spent with my husband," she said, hugging the katana slightly. "It's a wonderful feeling to be with someone you truly love. It completes you." Kei smiled sadly. "Every hardship you have, you could face together. You don't have to face your demons alone anymore." Kei looked down. "Hideo and I found each other again when we were 17. By then, I was like a doll with no soul. I carried around my blood-stained swords without a care on whether I lived or died. I merely existed and that was all. Against all logic and better judgment, I told Hideo everything that had happened in the years we were separated. I told him about the books and all the people I killed. I told him about Kenshin and how he ki-" Kei cut herself off. "I thought he would hate me, but, instead, he apologized to me for not being able to save me from that fate. And then he told his biggest secret in return."
"What was it? If you don't mind me asking, that is."
"He had murdered my father in cold blood with the brother of the sword I hold now. He then joined the Shognate army as a spy in an attempt to somehow find me. He hated the Ishin Shishi for how they took me away from him." Kaoru sat stunned and Kei chuckled bitterly. "I panicked. The war wasn't over yet and I had told my fiancé, a spy for the enemy, everything I knew."
"What happened?" Kei smiled slightly.
"He deserted his position and married me. And, together, we disappeared into the chaos to face whatever would come as husband and wife." Kei looked at Kaoru. "If love is strong enough, not even the worst of wars could tear it apart. It casts a light upon one's life no matter how bleak it seems. You become 2 halves of 1 whole; that is what marriage is about." Kaoru looked down.
"Thank you and…I'm sorry for making you relive that pain." Kei shook her head.
"There's no need to apologize; it was my choice to answer the question that way." She looked to Kaoru with a small smirk. "Is that all you wish to know about marriage or is there more?" Kaoru blushed. Busted again.
"Well, I, uh," she stuttered, her face turning redder. Kei laughed.
"Let's try this: you tell me what you know about whatever it is you're unsure of and I'll fill in any blanks; just don't ask me how seduce my brother. That would give me nightmares for weeks." Kaoru blushed harder and shyly began to whisper into Kei's ear. The two women whispered to each other for a long while.
ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO
It was a rather cloudy day; almost an outward manifestation of the uneasiness Kei felt within. She couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. She sighed and grabbed her katana, tucking it in her obi sash and heading into the kitchen to make breakfast.
"Good morning," greeted Kaoru with a smile as Kei finished making the miso soup.
"Good morning." Kenshin walked in and was surprised to see Kaoru up before him.
"Good morning everyone," he said with a rurouni smile. "Did you both sleep well?" He knew damn well that they were up late the night before. He was too light of a sleeper to not notice the two women escaping into the yard for a late night chat. About what he wasn't sure...yet. Kei glanced at Kenshin.
"You should know, considering you were awake too. Why do you think I kept my voice down so much?" Kaoru blushed profusely at the realization.
"YOU WERE SPYING ON US?" she screamed at Kenshin. Kenshin put his hands in front of him and sweatdropped.
"This one was just making sure everyone was alright! This one did not eavesdrop!" Although he had definitely wanted to considering how hard Kaoru had blushed during that conversation. Even in the dark it was apparent.
"KENSHIN NO BAKA!" yelled Kaoru, sending Kenshin into the wall with a punch. Kenshin slumped to the ground swirly-eyed and barely conscious.
"Orororororo…." Kei raised an eyebrow. Yup, it was going to be another lively day.
"Good morning," yawned Yahiko as he made his way toward the food. He noted Kei's katana. "Why are you wearing your sword today?" Kaoru glanced at the sword.
"Yeah, why are you?" Kei sweatdropped nervously.
"I was thinking about taking it out to practice," she lied. Kenshin, who had recovered by now, glanced at her, unsure.
"This one does not like that you still use a katana, sister. Even if it was your husband's, it is still a weapon of murder. " Kei looked away.
"Any sword could be used as a weapon of murder," she pointed out. "Even your sakabato can kill. That applies to the dull side as well as the sharp if you are not careful. " Kenshin kept quiet.
"What do you mean the dull side can kill?" asked Yahiko. "It can't cut anyone!"
"No, but it could break bones, including the neck." Kei looked at Kenshin. "But he always adjusts the force to make sure it doesn't reach that point. It's another testament to his astounding skill as a swordsman."
"Is that true, Kenshin?" asked Kaoru. Kenshin nodded grimly. He hated that truth. In his hands, the .sakabato was indeed a weapon that could not kill, but, for someone who knew nothing of swordsmanship, it could be an entirely different story. Kei closed her eyes sadly and apologized for her outburst, walking out into the yard.
"She's acting strange today," said Kaoru when Kei was out of earshot.
"Kei acts weird every day," stated Yahiko. Kenshin looked to where Kei was swinging the katana gracefully in the distance.
"This one thinks Kaoru-dono is right. Even her ki is troubled." The next thing the trio heard was the sound of a sword clattering on the ground and then silence.
ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO ORO
Kei dropped her katana in shock as official looking people appeared at the dojo entrance. The one that caught her attention most was the middle-aged, mustached man in front. Her face paled.
"Hey, Kei, are you alright out there?" asked Yahiko, peeking his head outside. He froze. The man looked at Kei at first in curiosity and then surprise. A few moments later, Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko made their way into the yard. Kaoru and Yahiko looked equally as pale as Kei. Even Kenshin, himself, was a bit uneasy with the man's arrival. If this guy was here, then something had to be very wrong.
"What can we help you with Yamagata-san?" asked Kenshin.
"I am sorry to trouble you, but there is a problem." Kaoru felt a lump form in her throat. He wasn't going to take Kenshin away from her, was he?
"What kind of problem?"
"I believe we should talk about this elsewhere." Within a few minutes, the whole group (at Kenshin's urging) sat in the training hall, the other official looking men standing by outside. It was an eerily similar situation to when Okubo told Kenshin and friends of Shishio. Kaoru didn't like this. She didn't want Kenshin to leave again. Not after all they've been through! Not after how far they got! Kei was as white as a sheet. She looked like she had seen some sort of ghost and, in a way, she did.
"Kei?" questioned Kaoru, noticing Kei's pale complexion. Now she was REALLY worried. What could be happening to get Kei so upset? Yamagata turned to Kei.
"From the look on your face, I don't think I need to ask who you are. I must admit I am surprised to have found you here of all places and of all times Kei Mori-san. We had all but given up the idea that you were still alive and well in Japan. It must have been fate." Kei remained silent. Or bad luck… Yamagata turned his attention to Kenshin.
"Have you ever heard of Mikomi Village?" Kenshin nodded.
"This one heard it to be a rural village found completely massacred and burned to the ground."
"Yes. Recently, there has been a rash of serial murders involving government officials who were high ranking Ishin Shishi during the Bakumatsu. The assailants are unknown, but are believed to be connected to that village. They claim that it was intentionally targeted by the Ishin Shishi as a warning to villagers who were thinking of joining the Shognate."
"But the Ishin Shishi never involved innocent people," exclaimed Kenshin. He paused. "Did they?" Yamagata shook his head.
"Of course there were casualties of war, but nothing of that nature was ever done; however, that doesn't matter because it is what the assailants believe that is important. We have been trying to contain the murders and keep them out of the papers, but the death toll in total has reached 150; that includes innocent bystanders and guards. We cannot keep it secret much longer and if it is discovered that incidents like these cannot be contained by the government the entire country will be thrown into chaos. The assailants have been moving from city to city and Tokyo seems to be their next target as it is the heart of our country. I am here to ask for your help in stopping these mad men before the public finds out." Yamagata turned to Kei. "I know that your history regarding your involvement as an Ishin Shishi has not been a pleasant one, but I ask for your help as well. You do not have to fight, but I would like to know if you know anything of the events surrounding Mikomi Village. If we understand what has happened, maybe it could give us a clue as how to stop them."
"I will assist you," interrupted Kenshin.
"Kenshin…" started Kaoru. Kenshin plastered on his rurouni smile.
"You need not worry about this one that you don't." Kaoru looked down at the ground solemnly. It was looking like Jineh and Shishio all over again.
"I'll help!" said Yahiko. Kenshin shook his head.
"This one does not want you to get involved in something you do not have to be involved in." Yahiko was going to argue but thought better of it. You couldn't win this kind of argument with Kenshin. Yahiko didn't care; he was going to help Kenshin whether he wanted it or not! Kaoru would most likely do the same.
"How about you, Kei-san?" asked Yamagata. "Will you lend us your aid?" Kei remained silent for a moment while all eyes went to her. Kenshin knew how hard being an Ishin Shishi during the Bakumatsu was for her and, quite frankly, he was hoping she'd refuse.
"For 14 years. I wondered why the gods cursed me with this power to see the future," Kei said quietly. "It has only caused me pain and hardship and, although I know I deserve it for all the things I've done, the knowledge that others suffered from my decisions..." She cut herself off and closed her eyes. "I accept your offer. I will fight and I will tell what I know." Yamagata smiled.
"I appreciate it, truly." Kei looked at the ground.
"12 years ago, Mikomi Village was indeed destroyed…by an Ishin Shishi." Yamagata's eyes widened.
"What?"
"And the Ishin Shishi responsible for that destruction…is me."
Chibisensei: I know…I'm a bitch for ending it with a cliffhanger, but I had to. Shorter chapters = faster updates and, with school and all, I have to keep my eye on how much I write so as to not screw up my grades. I really REALLY need to pass my Spanish and Health classes with a transferable grade ^_^U
Sano: *turns to audience with a smirk and whispers* Wanna hear a secret? Chibi actually says-
Chibisensei: *puts a hand over his mouth with a sweatdrop*
Hiko: *in another room* What the hell is vodka?
Chibisensei: *a bit annoyed* He runs out of sake and then he goes for the hard liquor. That bottle isn't even mine.
See ya in Chapter 10! R&R!