CHAPTER 11- DAYS WEAR ON
At the mansion, Enishi stood looking out the window. Morning had come and he was watching the sunrise over the mountains. For a moment, he felt some serenity. "Tomoe, I remember how much you loved quiet, peaceful mornings like these."
Then, anger surged up onto his face. "Himura.in nine days, may you feel the pain, the suffering I endured.that my sister endured!"
Gein slipped past, not wanting to disturb him. In his arms, he carried a shovel and two large wooden boxes. 'This man will stop at nothing.'
As he kept walking, bound for his "lab", strands of black hair slipped out of the cracks in one of the boxes.
...........
"Stay where you are, Jiani-chan." Kenshin ordered softly.
He and Jiani stood a distance apart in a field, a good two miles from town. It was one of the few places they could train in private without having to travel great distances.
Jiani drew a deep breath and held her sword out vertically in front of her. Her heart was racing, but not because the workout was overly strenuous. She was excited, thrilled to be mastering the same techniques as her sire.
Kenshin charged in, swirling his sword in various directions. Jiani ignored this, waiting for him to come within striking range.
"This is one of the named techniques," he explained in flight. "The Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Ryuu Sou sen!"
BANG! BANG! BANG! Within seconds, Jiani hit the ground groaning. "Ow."
Kenshin sheathed his sword to help her up. "An attack used to bring down opponents who would need more than one strike to be overcome."
"I see." Jiani steadied herself. "Well, it is a good thing these are only bamboo swords."
"So what have I left to show you?" Kenshin asked.
Jiani thought for a moment. "You showed me the Do-ryu-sen, the Ryuu-sou- sen, Ryu-kan-sen, the Ryuu-sou-sen Garami, the Ryu-tsui-sen, Ryu-shou-sen." she paused. "And, I think 2 others."
Kenshin counted on his fingers. "Yes, I believe there is but one I have to show you." He sighed. "But I can only show you once. Then it is up to you to develop it on your own."
Jiani nodded. "All right then."
Kenshin resumed his battou-jutsu stance. "This is the style's most powerful attack. It is called the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki."
Just its name made Jiani's heart beat faster. Was this the same move she had watched him use on Shishio months before?
Kenshin found a dead tree on the far end of the field. Shifting position, he charged it. "HYAAH!"
Jiani watched in wonder as he lashed out with his sword.
V-VASH!!!
The sound echoed all the way back to Kamiya dojo. Yahiko and Kaoru stopped in their training. "What was that?"
By the time the dust had cleared, there was nothing left of the tree. Catching his breath, Kenshin straightened and turned towards his daughter. "Did you see it?"
Jiani's mouth dropped open. "Wow."
At that moment, she knew these days of training had just become a lot more difficult.
Father and daughter decided on a break before progressing further. Jiani flopped down in the grass, her hair sticking to her face. "It was exhausting just watching you, Papa." She remarked.
Kenshin laughed as he took a seat beside her. "It won't be after all while. Don't worry."
After a few minutes, Jiani spoke. "Papa?"
"Hm?"
Jiani sat up slightly. "What was Mother like?"
Kenshin's eyes widened slightly, but he quickly smiled. "A black-haired version of you, my dear."
"Really?"
Kenshin sat back, leaning on his hands. "She wasn't a sword-bearer like you and me. Not many women were then, like now." He sighed. "She wore her hair just like you do now, and her eyes.they always seemed so sad, so distant."
Jiani nodded. "Hm.I wish I could have met her."
"I wish you could have as well." Kenshin agreed sadly. "But you carry on her essence, unlike this one. She will always be a part of you."
"She will for you too." Jiani argued softly. "I know Mother wouldn't abandon the one she loved."
Kenshin's eyes lit up a little, but the rest of his expression remained downhearted. Jiani smiled. "And by the way, I told Kaoru I wouldn't mind if she was my new mother."
"ORO????"
At the mansion, Enishi stood looking out the window. Morning had come and he was watching the sunrise over the mountains. For a moment, he felt some serenity. "Tomoe, I remember how much you loved quiet, peaceful mornings like these."
Then, anger surged up onto his face. "Himura.in nine days, may you feel the pain, the suffering I endured.that my sister endured!"
Gein slipped past, not wanting to disturb him. In his arms, he carried a shovel and two large wooden boxes. 'This man will stop at nothing.'
As he kept walking, bound for his "lab", strands of black hair slipped out of the cracks in one of the boxes.
...........
"Stay where you are, Jiani-chan." Kenshin ordered softly.
He and Jiani stood a distance apart in a field, a good two miles from town. It was one of the few places they could train in private without having to travel great distances.
Jiani drew a deep breath and held her sword out vertically in front of her. Her heart was racing, but not because the workout was overly strenuous. She was excited, thrilled to be mastering the same techniques as her sire.
Kenshin charged in, swirling his sword in various directions. Jiani ignored this, waiting for him to come within striking range.
"This is one of the named techniques," he explained in flight. "The Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Ryuu Sou sen!"
BANG! BANG! BANG! Within seconds, Jiani hit the ground groaning. "Ow."
Kenshin sheathed his sword to help her up. "An attack used to bring down opponents who would need more than one strike to be overcome."
"I see." Jiani steadied herself. "Well, it is a good thing these are only bamboo swords."
"So what have I left to show you?" Kenshin asked.
Jiani thought for a moment. "You showed me the Do-ryu-sen, the Ryuu-sou- sen, Ryu-kan-sen, the Ryuu-sou-sen Garami, the Ryu-tsui-sen, Ryu-shou-sen." she paused. "And, I think 2 others."
Kenshin counted on his fingers. "Yes, I believe there is but one I have to show you." He sighed. "But I can only show you once. Then it is up to you to develop it on your own."
Jiani nodded. "All right then."
Kenshin resumed his battou-jutsu stance. "This is the style's most powerful attack. It is called the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki."
Just its name made Jiani's heart beat faster. Was this the same move she had watched him use on Shishio months before?
Kenshin found a dead tree on the far end of the field. Shifting position, he charged it. "HYAAH!"
Jiani watched in wonder as he lashed out with his sword.
V-VASH!!!
The sound echoed all the way back to Kamiya dojo. Yahiko and Kaoru stopped in their training. "What was that?"
By the time the dust had cleared, there was nothing left of the tree. Catching his breath, Kenshin straightened and turned towards his daughter. "Did you see it?"
Jiani's mouth dropped open. "Wow."
At that moment, she knew these days of training had just become a lot more difficult.
Father and daughter decided on a break before progressing further. Jiani flopped down in the grass, her hair sticking to her face. "It was exhausting just watching you, Papa." She remarked.
Kenshin laughed as he took a seat beside her. "It won't be after all while. Don't worry."
After a few minutes, Jiani spoke. "Papa?"
"Hm?"
Jiani sat up slightly. "What was Mother like?"
Kenshin's eyes widened slightly, but he quickly smiled. "A black-haired version of you, my dear."
"Really?"
Kenshin sat back, leaning on his hands. "She wasn't a sword-bearer like you and me. Not many women were then, like now." He sighed. "She wore her hair just like you do now, and her eyes.they always seemed so sad, so distant."
Jiani nodded. "Hm.I wish I could have met her."
"I wish you could have as well." Kenshin agreed sadly. "But you carry on her essence, unlike this one. She will always be a part of you."
"She will for you too." Jiani argued softly. "I know Mother wouldn't abandon the one she loved."
Kenshin's eyes lit up a little, but the rest of his expression remained downhearted. Jiani smiled. "And by the way, I told Kaoru I wouldn't mind if she was my new mother."
"ORO????"