DAINTY FINGERS SHOULDN'T TOUCH A SHARP KUNAI
ACT THREE
10 years more have passed, Misao is now 16, and is to be transported back to the castle to celebrate her 16th birthday.
" Ano, ojiichan? Are we going back to the castle? Tommorrow? " Misao asked her silent companion
" Hai. It's time that you meet your parents "
" Demo... won't they be disappointed? I'm not exactly princess material. I'm not prim, proper and no etiquette. All I know is kenjutsu. "
Hiko patted her head " Iya. They won't be disappointed. For your mother and father are two of the renowned kendo masters next to me "
" Honto ni? "
" Aa. Now go to sleep. We've got a long journey tomorrow "
_________________________________________
" I'm so excited!! "
" Maa, maa! Koishii, calm down!" Kenshin said as he watched Kaoru spin around in glee in their room.
" Demo, she's coming back! Don't you see? Finally, after all these years... "
" Aa. You're are right. I'm happy myself, wanting to see her... " Kenshin's voice trailed off when he felt an unfamiliar presence in their room
" She won't be alive for a full day! " Kamatari screeched at them before disappearing once more.
All the joy and excitement left Kaoru's face. She blanched and felt faint.
She turned big blue eyes to her husband, beseeching and agonized.
All Kenshin could do, was to stare back at her.
________________________________________
" I want her guarded. No buts. Every move should be shadowed. " Kenshin said to Sanosuke as they made the preparations for the celebration.
" Should we call on the Oniwabanshuu for help? " The other man asked
" Aa. Send a messenger. We need them here for sure. "
" Affirmative! That crossdresser won't get anywhere near her "
" Let's hope your right. "
____________________________________-
AT THE ONIWABANSHU HQ:
" I would be there, but I'll be a little late. I need to travel to Osaka and talk to someone. " Aoshi told Okina,his face revealing none of his emotions.
" Be sure to be there. Princess Saemi needs us. "
" I'll be there. I promise "
" Yokatta. "
___________________________________
Misao felt as if she have come home the moment she stepped into the foyer of the big castle.
" Are you ready? Misao? "
Misao nodded " Hai. "
" Good. Do you see that redhead by the window? "
Misao nodded, her eyes on the small man staring intently at her.
" Otousan "
Misao's eyes widened. She imagines her father as a big, imposing man with stern features. This smiling red head was... a relief.
" 'tousan? " she whispered
The man didn't answer but came towards her, his serene smile never leaving his face.
" Okaeri, Misao-chan" he held out his arms to her
She fell into her father's arms, sobbing. " Ojiichan told me a lot about you! "
Hiko grunted. Kenshin smiled.
" I know he would. " was Kenshin's soft response as he hugged his daughter tighter
" Misao-chan? " a new voice said, having a frail quality on it
" 'kaachan? " Misao stared into blue eyes like her own.
Kaoru felt her eyes well up with tears, without a word she opened her arms and her daughter was enveloped with motherly warmth.
" I missed you so much Misao-chan. Yoiu were my only baby. I..I " Kaoru promptly burst into tears while her husband lead them to a more private place.
After a few hours of reacquainting themselves with each other, they finally begun preparing Misao for her party.
"Oh my! I forgot the pearl comb I'm saving for you. Chotto Matte! "
And Misao was left alone in the room.
A cloud of smoke appeared before her, making Misao crouch defensively, her eyes looking for anything she could use as a weapon.
" Who are you? " she asked Kamatari warily, her body stiff
Kamatari smiled benevolently, " I'm one of your godmothers "
Misao's whole demeanor changed. " Honto ni? What's your name? I never met one of you before! "
" Hai. I know. I came here to give you your present a little earlier." she handed Misao an ornately carved box.
" Sugoi! " Misao exclaimed as she stared at the shiny and sharp object nestled inside the box. " What do you call this? "
" It's an ancient relic. It's a weapon used by ninja's a long time ago. It's called a kunai. "
Misao touched the kunai reverently " It's so cool. So sharp. "
Kamatari's eyes gleamed with triumph .
" Ouch! " Misao looked at the bead of blood forming on her finger. Then, everything went black.
____________________________________
" Where is that ornament? " Kaoru mumbled to herself as she burrowed on the things on her dresser.
" Empress! Empress! Something dreadful has happened! " Tsubame, one of Kaoru's lady-in-waiting squealed
" What is it? " Kaoru asked absent-mindedly, her mind still intent on searching for the ornament
" It's Princess Saemi! She fainted inside her room! "
" Misao-chaaaaaaan!!!!!! "
_____________________________________
Aoshi hurried his horse along, trying to get to the palace quickly, his uneasy feeling dogging every step. Eversince the journey back from Osaka commenced, he felt that things aren't going smoothly.
When he got to the palace, the place was eerie and quiet, There was no music and joyous shouts. There was darkness and despair lingering in the air. He stepped inside the threshold and saw people lying around, their bodies lifeless.
" Iya. They're not dead. " said a new voice from the doorway
Aoshi whirled around to find a slender, young looking man standing at one corner
" Who are you? " Aoshi asked, his voice never betraying any emotion
" Watashi wa Sagara Sanosuke desu. I'm a mahou-zukai, related to one of the princess' godmother. Takani Megumi "
Aoshi nodded to indicate he understood. " What happened here? "
" It came true. The curse upon Princess Saemi came true."
" What curse? "
" You mean you don't know? " When Aoshi didn't respond Sanosuke related the story.
" She's in a deep sleep. And only when the evil crossdresser is defeated, the magic will wear off and a kiss from a prince will wake her up. When she wakes up, the castle folk will too. "
The blue eyed man absorbed all of this without a word. Then nodding in Sanosuke's general direction, he strode outside, determination gleaming in his eyes.
Sanosuke watched him go, a smile upon his face. Megumi came up from behind him. " That was a nice story chicken head "
" Hey it got him going didn't it? "
" Are you sure about this? "
" I'm pretty sure that he's our man!"
" You know I hope youre right! "
END OF ACT THREE
::::::::::::::::::RAMBLINGS::::::::::::::::::
Saitou: Misao the Weasel, what a sappy girl you are!
Misao: What did you say?
Hiko: He's right you know! How could you have fallen for Kamatari's poorly devised line?
Kenshin: (away in a corner, knitting)
Kaoru: (sulking in a corner, carving chess pieces)
Kamatari: That was not poorly devised! That was perfect!
Saitou: Yeah right.
Kamatari: (Wields her big scythe) Shine!!!!!
jap terms
ojiisan = grandfather
demo = but
kenjutsu = art of sword fighting
honto = really
yokatta = im glad
otousan = father
okaeri - welcome home
okaachan = mother
chotto matte = wait a minute
sugoi - awesome
mahou zukai - magician, wizard
ACT THREE
10 years more have passed, Misao is now 16, and is to be transported back to the castle to celebrate her 16th birthday.
" Ano, ojiichan? Are we going back to the castle? Tommorrow? " Misao asked her silent companion
" Hai. It's time that you meet your parents "
" Demo... won't they be disappointed? I'm not exactly princess material. I'm not prim, proper and no etiquette. All I know is kenjutsu. "
Hiko patted her head " Iya. They won't be disappointed. For your mother and father are two of the renowned kendo masters next to me "
" Honto ni? "
" Aa. Now go to sleep. We've got a long journey tomorrow "
_________________________________________
" I'm so excited!! "
" Maa, maa! Koishii, calm down!" Kenshin said as he watched Kaoru spin around in glee in their room.
" Demo, she's coming back! Don't you see? Finally, after all these years... "
" Aa. You're are right. I'm happy myself, wanting to see her... " Kenshin's voice trailed off when he felt an unfamiliar presence in their room
" She won't be alive for a full day! " Kamatari screeched at them before disappearing once more.
All the joy and excitement left Kaoru's face. She blanched and felt faint.
She turned big blue eyes to her husband, beseeching and agonized.
All Kenshin could do, was to stare back at her.
________________________________________
" I want her guarded. No buts. Every move should be shadowed. " Kenshin said to Sanosuke as they made the preparations for the celebration.
" Should we call on the Oniwabanshuu for help? " The other man asked
" Aa. Send a messenger. We need them here for sure. "
" Affirmative! That crossdresser won't get anywhere near her "
" Let's hope your right. "
____________________________________-
AT THE ONIWABANSHU HQ:
" I would be there, but I'll be a little late. I need to travel to Osaka and talk to someone. " Aoshi told Okina,his face revealing none of his emotions.
" Be sure to be there. Princess Saemi needs us. "
" I'll be there. I promise "
" Yokatta. "
___________________________________
Misao felt as if she have come home the moment she stepped into the foyer of the big castle.
" Are you ready? Misao? "
Misao nodded " Hai. "
" Good. Do you see that redhead by the window? "
Misao nodded, her eyes on the small man staring intently at her.
" Otousan "
Misao's eyes widened. She imagines her father as a big, imposing man with stern features. This smiling red head was... a relief.
" 'tousan? " she whispered
The man didn't answer but came towards her, his serene smile never leaving his face.
" Okaeri, Misao-chan" he held out his arms to her
She fell into her father's arms, sobbing. " Ojiichan told me a lot about you! "
Hiko grunted. Kenshin smiled.
" I know he would. " was Kenshin's soft response as he hugged his daughter tighter
" Misao-chan? " a new voice said, having a frail quality on it
" 'kaachan? " Misao stared into blue eyes like her own.
Kaoru felt her eyes well up with tears, without a word she opened her arms and her daughter was enveloped with motherly warmth.
" I missed you so much Misao-chan. Yoiu were my only baby. I..I " Kaoru promptly burst into tears while her husband lead them to a more private place.
After a few hours of reacquainting themselves with each other, they finally begun preparing Misao for her party.
"Oh my! I forgot the pearl comb I'm saving for you. Chotto Matte! "
And Misao was left alone in the room.
A cloud of smoke appeared before her, making Misao crouch defensively, her eyes looking for anything she could use as a weapon.
" Who are you? " she asked Kamatari warily, her body stiff
Kamatari smiled benevolently, " I'm one of your godmothers "
Misao's whole demeanor changed. " Honto ni? What's your name? I never met one of you before! "
" Hai. I know. I came here to give you your present a little earlier." she handed Misao an ornately carved box.
" Sugoi! " Misao exclaimed as she stared at the shiny and sharp object nestled inside the box. " What do you call this? "
" It's an ancient relic. It's a weapon used by ninja's a long time ago. It's called a kunai. "
Misao touched the kunai reverently " It's so cool. So sharp. "
Kamatari's eyes gleamed with triumph .
" Ouch! " Misao looked at the bead of blood forming on her finger. Then, everything went black.
____________________________________
" Where is that ornament? " Kaoru mumbled to herself as she burrowed on the things on her dresser.
" Empress! Empress! Something dreadful has happened! " Tsubame, one of Kaoru's lady-in-waiting squealed
" What is it? " Kaoru asked absent-mindedly, her mind still intent on searching for the ornament
" It's Princess Saemi! She fainted inside her room! "
" Misao-chaaaaaaan!!!!!! "
_____________________________________
Aoshi hurried his horse along, trying to get to the palace quickly, his uneasy feeling dogging every step. Eversince the journey back from Osaka commenced, he felt that things aren't going smoothly.
When he got to the palace, the place was eerie and quiet, There was no music and joyous shouts. There was darkness and despair lingering in the air. He stepped inside the threshold and saw people lying around, their bodies lifeless.
" Iya. They're not dead. " said a new voice from the doorway
Aoshi whirled around to find a slender, young looking man standing at one corner
" Who are you? " Aoshi asked, his voice never betraying any emotion
" Watashi wa Sagara Sanosuke desu. I'm a mahou-zukai, related to one of the princess' godmother. Takani Megumi "
Aoshi nodded to indicate he understood. " What happened here? "
" It came true. The curse upon Princess Saemi came true."
" What curse? "
" You mean you don't know? " When Aoshi didn't respond Sanosuke related the story.
" She's in a deep sleep. And only when the evil crossdresser is defeated, the magic will wear off and a kiss from a prince will wake her up. When she wakes up, the castle folk will too. "
The blue eyed man absorbed all of this without a word. Then nodding in Sanosuke's general direction, he strode outside, determination gleaming in his eyes.
Sanosuke watched him go, a smile upon his face. Megumi came up from behind him. " That was a nice story chicken head "
" Hey it got him going didn't it? "
" Are you sure about this? "
" I'm pretty sure that he's our man!"
" You know I hope youre right! "
END OF ACT THREE
::::::::::::::::::RAMBLINGS::::::::::::::::::
Saitou: Misao the Weasel, what a sappy girl you are!
Misao: What did you say?
Hiko: He's right you know! How could you have fallen for Kamatari's poorly devised line?
Kenshin: (away in a corner, knitting)
Kaoru: (sulking in a corner, carving chess pieces)
Kamatari: That was not poorly devised! That was perfect!
Saitou: Yeah right.
Kamatari: (Wields her big scythe) Shine!!!!!
jap terms
ojiisan = grandfather
demo = but
kenjutsu = art of sword fighting
honto = really
yokatta = im glad
otousan = father
okaeri - welcome home
okaachan = mother
chotto matte = wait a minute
sugoi - awesome
mahou zukai - magician, wizard