Author's Notes: Phew! I seriously thought you guys were all going to kill
me for the posting of the last chapter of S+P, but you didn't! I think the
fact that I posted the first chapter of this story actually softened the
blow.....maybe, it was the first brilliant idea of my entire life! What do
you guys think? Meh, anywho....on with the story...
Title: The Swordsman and the Ninja Author: KaBunny E-mail: Alexandra_Miyoko@yahoo.com Rating: PG-13
Chapter Three: Wedding Bells
"Kenshin, I thought you said that you told Misao that she was going to be working the noon shift today," Okina said, stepping into the back of the Akabeko where Kenshin stood all day over a burning hot stove.
"I did. Did she not show up?" Kenshin questioned, not turning away from the food he had frying. He added a little more oil before flipping it up into the air and setting it back down onto the flame.
"Would you mind going up getting her whenever you have time? We're a little short staffed, but someone asked to work extra hours this week, so.....now who was it?" he inquired, muttering to himself as he wandered out of the kitchen.
'Misao,' Kenshin thought, getting a small annoyed look on his face as he mentally rolled his eyes like an annoyed female.
~~~~~~
"Misao! Where are you?" Kenshin called, standing in the open doorway which led into his small house above the Akabeko. 'Maybe she left.....but, why?' he thought, glancing about the living room.
He closed the door and made his way into the house that seemed to be emanating a certain emptiness that hadn't been there earlier. He walked through the entire house and discovered that his sister was indeed gone as he had originally thought. He wandered around the house again, a confused look on his face. 'Where would she go? I already bought groceries at the market yesterday and we went shopping for her new kimono last week. Wait....what's that?' Kenshin thought, finally seeing the piece of paper located on the table in the center of the bedroom.
He scooped it up and his eyes widened as he read the simple note. "Why Misao? There is no reason," he said aloud to the empty house. He stared at the paper for a long few moments of silence before he slid down onto his bed, a sigh escaping his lips as he thought.
'Why Misao? There is no reason to go back to Alexandria. Kaoru is a princess and I am a lowly man. I cannot marry her and you can't change that. You know that. So, why?' he thought, sighing again.
He read over the note again and decided that he had no choice. He would have to follow her and stop whatever it was that she was planning. Or.....should he just let her come back on her own? She was a big girl after all and was perfectly capable of making her own decisions, but what happened if she fell into danger! Wouldn't it be his fault if he didn't go after her? But, Misao was trained in the way of the ninja, so she had the ability to protect herself without him. So, what exactly was he supposed to do?
~~~~~~
Kaoru couldn't bring herself to look in the mirror. She was afraid that she wouldn't be as she had imagined herself to look on this day. That would be even more devasting than the factt hat she wasn't marrying the man she wanted to.
She had begun to have doubts about that now too. What happened if he didn't show up and stop it? Would she marry Aoshi? Would someone else call it off? What would Aoshi do? She was pretty sure he had no desire to marry her either. He was too much in love with Misao to tie the knot with anyone but her. What happened if Kenshin didn't even hear of the wedding?
'No! Stop! He's going to come for me! I know it!' she thought, running her hands along the white satin of the gown she was wearing. 'But.....what if he doesn't love me? What if my love is one sided?'
Her eyes started to water up and she had to order the thoughts away once again before she messed up her make-up. However, the tears sitting in her eyes would not go away. They sat there defiantly as if the very symbol of her bad thoughts that were not voiced.
A small knock caused the bride to turn around and stare at the door as Megumi entered. The doctor was wearing a simple black kimono with layers of light blue and white roses imprinted upon the black. She looked lovely and her face was framed by a few strands of hair as the rest of her long dark hair was swept up in a french twist. She smiled at Kaoru as she took a few steps toward her.
"You look positively lovely, my dear," she said, still smiling. Her eyes seemed to water up as she stared at Kaoru. "You're so beautiful, I think I'm going to cry."
"I think....I'm too afraid to look," she answered, blushing slightly from Megumi's compliment.
"You must!" she responded, stepping up to the girl and turning her around to face th ebody length mirror.
Kaoru stared in shock. She didn't even recognize herself. She looked like a whole different person dressed in the long flowing satin white gown she was wearing. She had two long curls framing her face and the rest of her hair had been pulled back in a clip with a river of dark curls spilling over the top. Soem pieces of her hair had been braided, so in between some curls a small braid was visible.
The satin gown she wore was sleeveless and slid from her chest down to the lower part of her back, revealing her lovely pale skin. The bottom of the gown went a little ways past her feet and left a small circular train behind her when she walked. There was a white satin ribbon wrapped around her waist that formed a bow at the back of her dress where her skin finally fell underneath the dress. The veil she wore was made out of thin silk and covered most of her face, allowing her viewing access of the floor when on correctly. Her new crown was placed on her head, holding the veil on.
She was rather lovely looking with her eyes traced in black pencil and her eyelashes long and curled. Her lips were colored in clear gloss and her pale cheeks had a small amount of pink from the blush the artist had used.
She thought that she looked somewhat like a doll, a perfect doll. She had never felt more perfect in her life and was quite sure that she would mess up in someway to prove that she was not like the person she looked like at all. She was sure that she would trip over her dress or smug her makeup or say something to discredit herself in someway. She would mess up. It was matter of time.
"Are you okay, Kaoru? You're really quiet and a little less happy than lately," Megumi stated, causing Kaoru to look back at her. She had forgotten that the doctor had been in the room.
"I-I'm fine. Just a little nervous," she answered, giving a fake smile.
"I know that smile! What's on your mind? Wedding jitters?" she questioned, arching a brow at the girl as she placed her hands on her hips in amotherly fashion.
"Oh, Megumi!" she replied, sighing as she flopped down on the stool she had been standing on for four hours. People had been prodding, poking, dressing, fixing, and pulling her into clothes, make-up, and hair pins. She glanced up at Megumi, those same defiant tears sitting in her eyes. "What....What happens if he doesn't show?"
"Kaoru, he'll show. He loves you," she answered, shaking her head simply at the girl.
"Y-you don't know that....," she said, staring down at her lap.
"Kaoru, Kaoru, Kaoru," Megumi muttered, walking over, sitting down, and wrapping her arm around Kaoru. "I've known Kenshin for nearly two years now. I saw him transform from Batoussai to Kenshin Himura. I've watched him with people he cares about. I must say that I've never seen him look at anyone else the way he does at you. I've never heard him drop formality with anyone without noticing it and then apologizing later. He loves you and even if it's not obvious to you, it is to me."
"Thank you, Megumi," Kaoru responded, giving her a small real smile.
"Hey! That's Doctor Megumi to you, Missy!" she answered, unwrapping her arms from around Kaoru to give her a little nidge before she got up and wandered out of the room.
The remaining occupant sighed again, suddenly feeling the weight of the coming event falling upon her shoulders. She pulled the veil over her eyes before standing up and making her way over to the door. "Here we go," she said before opening the door and making her way down the hall.
~~~~~~
".....If anyone deems that these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest said, glancing about the room. "Alright then we shall move onto-"
"Wait! I object!" the voice said from the doorway.
Kaoru felt her heart leap and then sink once more. That wasn't Kenshin. She turned around with Aoshi, who had a look of surprise on his face like none had ever seen, to see whom she thought she had heard, Misao.
The young girl had a hand over her heart and she was breathing heavily. Apparently, she had run all through the castle in search of the wedding. She had broken up the wedding, not Kenshin. She had come for Aoshi. Kaoru could take no more. She leaned over to Aoshi, tears sitting in her eyes.
"She's come for you. I wish you well," she whispered, before picking up the front of her dress and making her way toward Misao. She smiled at the young girl and Misao gave her a sad look.
"I'm sorry Kaoru," she replied, shaking her head. "He's not here."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that's that for that chapter! I still haven't posted the second chapter yet, but you guys said that the first chapter was pretty much okay, so I guess I'm off to an okay start, ne? Well, I hope to be updating faster, but I just started reading "Canterbury Tales" so, maybe not!
Stay Tuned for Chapter Four: Deja Vu.....Moonlit balconies....memories....and confessions. Wouldn't you like to know? I'm sure you would, but you'll just have to wait!
Ja ne! ~KaBunny
Title: The Swordsman and the Ninja Author: KaBunny E-mail: Alexandra_Miyoko@yahoo.com Rating: PG-13
Chapter Three: Wedding Bells
"Kenshin, I thought you said that you told Misao that she was going to be working the noon shift today," Okina said, stepping into the back of the Akabeko where Kenshin stood all day over a burning hot stove.
"I did. Did she not show up?" Kenshin questioned, not turning away from the food he had frying. He added a little more oil before flipping it up into the air and setting it back down onto the flame.
"Would you mind going up getting her whenever you have time? We're a little short staffed, but someone asked to work extra hours this week, so.....now who was it?" he inquired, muttering to himself as he wandered out of the kitchen.
'Misao,' Kenshin thought, getting a small annoyed look on his face as he mentally rolled his eyes like an annoyed female.
~~~~~~
"Misao! Where are you?" Kenshin called, standing in the open doorway which led into his small house above the Akabeko. 'Maybe she left.....but, why?' he thought, glancing about the living room.
He closed the door and made his way into the house that seemed to be emanating a certain emptiness that hadn't been there earlier. He walked through the entire house and discovered that his sister was indeed gone as he had originally thought. He wandered around the house again, a confused look on his face. 'Where would she go? I already bought groceries at the market yesterday and we went shopping for her new kimono last week. Wait....what's that?' Kenshin thought, finally seeing the piece of paper located on the table in the center of the bedroom.
He scooped it up and his eyes widened as he read the simple note. "Why Misao? There is no reason," he said aloud to the empty house. He stared at the paper for a long few moments of silence before he slid down onto his bed, a sigh escaping his lips as he thought.
'Why Misao? There is no reason to go back to Alexandria. Kaoru is a princess and I am a lowly man. I cannot marry her and you can't change that. You know that. So, why?' he thought, sighing again.
He read over the note again and decided that he had no choice. He would have to follow her and stop whatever it was that she was planning. Or.....should he just let her come back on her own? She was a big girl after all and was perfectly capable of making her own decisions, but what happened if she fell into danger! Wouldn't it be his fault if he didn't go after her? But, Misao was trained in the way of the ninja, so she had the ability to protect herself without him. So, what exactly was he supposed to do?
~~~~~~
Kaoru couldn't bring herself to look in the mirror. She was afraid that she wouldn't be as she had imagined herself to look on this day. That would be even more devasting than the factt hat she wasn't marrying the man she wanted to.
She had begun to have doubts about that now too. What happened if he didn't show up and stop it? Would she marry Aoshi? Would someone else call it off? What would Aoshi do? She was pretty sure he had no desire to marry her either. He was too much in love with Misao to tie the knot with anyone but her. What happened if Kenshin didn't even hear of the wedding?
'No! Stop! He's going to come for me! I know it!' she thought, running her hands along the white satin of the gown she was wearing. 'But.....what if he doesn't love me? What if my love is one sided?'
Her eyes started to water up and she had to order the thoughts away once again before she messed up her make-up. However, the tears sitting in her eyes would not go away. They sat there defiantly as if the very symbol of her bad thoughts that were not voiced.
A small knock caused the bride to turn around and stare at the door as Megumi entered. The doctor was wearing a simple black kimono with layers of light blue and white roses imprinted upon the black. She looked lovely and her face was framed by a few strands of hair as the rest of her long dark hair was swept up in a french twist. She smiled at Kaoru as she took a few steps toward her.
"You look positively lovely, my dear," she said, still smiling. Her eyes seemed to water up as she stared at Kaoru. "You're so beautiful, I think I'm going to cry."
"I think....I'm too afraid to look," she answered, blushing slightly from Megumi's compliment.
"You must!" she responded, stepping up to the girl and turning her around to face th ebody length mirror.
Kaoru stared in shock. She didn't even recognize herself. She looked like a whole different person dressed in the long flowing satin white gown she was wearing. She had two long curls framing her face and the rest of her hair had been pulled back in a clip with a river of dark curls spilling over the top. Soem pieces of her hair had been braided, so in between some curls a small braid was visible.
The satin gown she wore was sleeveless and slid from her chest down to the lower part of her back, revealing her lovely pale skin. The bottom of the gown went a little ways past her feet and left a small circular train behind her when she walked. There was a white satin ribbon wrapped around her waist that formed a bow at the back of her dress where her skin finally fell underneath the dress. The veil she wore was made out of thin silk and covered most of her face, allowing her viewing access of the floor when on correctly. Her new crown was placed on her head, holding the veil on.
She was rather lovely looking with her eyes traced in black pencil and her eyelashes long and curled. Her lips were colored in clear gloss and her pale cheeks had a small amount of pink from the blush the artist had used.
She thought that she looked somewhat like a doll, a perfect doll. She had never felt more perfect in her life and was quite sure that she would mess up in someway to prove that she was not like the person she looked like at all. She was sure that she would trip over her dress or smug her makeup or say something to discredit herself in someway. She would mess up. It was matter of time.
"Are you okay, Kaoru? You're really quiet and a little less happy than lately," Megumi stated, causing Kaoru to look back at her. She had forgotten that the doctor had been in the room.
"I-I'm fine. Just a little nervous," she answered, giving a fake smile.
"I know that smile! What's on your mind? Wedding jitters?" she questioned, arching a brow at the girl as she placed her hands on her hips in amotherly fashion.
"Oh, Megumi!" she replied, sighing as she flopped down on the stool she had been standing on for four hours. People had been prodding, poking, dressing, fixing, and pulling her into clothes, make-up, and hair pins. She glanced up at Megumi, those same defiant tears sitting in her eyes. "What....What happens if he doesn't show?"
"Kaoru, he'll show. He loves you," she answered, shaking her head simply at the girl.
"Y-you don't know that....," she said, staring down at her lap.
"Kaoru, Kaoru, Kaoru," Megumi muttered, walking over, sitting down, and wrapping her arm around Kaoru. "I've known Kenshin for nearly two years now. I saw him transform from Batoussai to Kenshin Himura. I've watched him with people he cares about. I must say that I've never seen him look at anyone else the way he does at you. I've never heard him drop formality with anyone without noticing it and then apologizing later. He loves you and even if it's not obvious to you, it is to me."
"Thank you, Megumi," Kaoru responded, giving her a small real smile.
"Hey! That's Doctor Megumi to you, Missy!" she answered, unwrapping her arms from around Kaoru to give her a little nidge before she got up and wandered out of the room.
The remaining occupant sighed again, suddenly feeling the weight of the coming event falling upon her shoulders. She pulled the veil over her eyes before standing up and making her way over to the door. "Here we go," she said before opening the door and making her way down the hall.
~~~~~~
".....If anyone deems that these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest said, glancing about the room. "Alright then we shall move onto-"
"Wait! I object!" the voice said from the doorway.
Kaoru felt her heart leap and then sink once more. That wasn't Kenshin. She turned around with Aoshi, who had a look of surprise on his face like none had ever seen, to see whom she thought she had heard, Misao.
The young girl had a hand over her heart and she was breathing heavily. Apparently, she had run all through the castle in search of the wedding. She had broken up the wedding, not Kenshin. She had come for Aoshi. Kaoru could take no more. She leaned over to Aoshi, tears sitting in her eyes.
"She's come for you. I wish you well," she whispered, before picking up the front of her dress and making her way toward Misao. She smiled at the young girl and Misao gave her a sad look.
"I'm sorry Kaoru," she replied, shaking her head. "He's not here."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that's that for that chapter! I still haven't posted the second chapter yet, but you guys said that the first chapter was pretty much okay, so I guess I'm off to an okay start, ne? Well, I hope to be updating faster, but I just started reading "Canterbury Tales" so, maybe not!
Stay Tuned for Chapter Four: Deja Vu.....Moonlit balconies....memories....and confessions. Wouldn't you like to know? I'm sure you would, but you'll just have to wait!
Ja ne! ~KaBunny