Theme series notes
First off general disclaimer. I do not now nor have ever nor will ever own Rurouni Kenshin. The story and all the things and pretties that go with it are the property of somebody else (actually a few somebodies…anou). The only things that are mine are Yori, Suzuko, Umeko, Hiroshi and Matsu as well as the delightful little horror of a kami but that's it! That being said, on we go…
Baby Baby
Kenji's a' coming! I know a bit about what happens to a baby's physiology at birth and yes it is an accurate description. Felt like I needed a follow up to the actual birth from my piece Kenshin's Theme. Japanese terms at end.
Early in the morning, just as the sun crested the horizon actually, we snuck into the now quiet room. Kamiya-san and I had been summoned, well, Kamiya-san was summoned and I waited for him, as soon as the kami of birth had come to the dojo where my charge and his principle charge now share a room.
I honestly wasn't expecting it on this of all nights.
We stood by the members of our respective families as the Myojin spirit raced next to the boy to the doctor's place for Takani-san's charge, Megumi. Kamiya's charge Kaoru had woken in her room just in time to have her water break, and I have to say I have never been more proud of my charge's speed then at that moment. He rushed to Yahiko's futon and shook him awake, told him of the situation, and returned before the first contraction hit. Very nice.
The doctor came faster than I expected, and I was surprised for the second time in one night when not only the Kamiya spirit showed up, but many others as well. I'm sure that Kenshin, Kaoru, and possibly Yahiko noticed the excessive ki in the room, completely positive. They may be mortal, but they're not as dense as most.
After all, it's not every day that so many kami gather in so small a place. There was myself of course, the Kamiya spirit, Myojin, Saitoh, Seijuro, Seta, Sagara, Shinomori, Makimachi, some restaurant worker's family spirit, Takani, one I didn't recognize but was acting rather fresh with the Saitoh spirit, Anji, a whole load of dead people, and this one I didn't recognize until later as the familial guardian of my charge's first wife. I can be so dense sometimes, almost as bad as the mortals I accuse the same thing of. I didn't even get to talk with her, and I really did like Yukishiro, at least, until he tried to get that psycho kid some help. Omegami-sama that was awful, Jinchuu, not smiling, smiling, the hair…but I digress.
We had to overlap a bit to watch as Megumi talked to Kaoru, Yahiko bringing towels and water when ever asked, and Shinta, no, Kenshin held her hand. His was purple by the time the flaring occurred, signalling the complete integration of the new spirit in the infant's body just as a hearty wail sounded in the room.
I was so glad to hear that cry and went to sooth the pain instantly. Birth is much more painful then death in that respect. Death, is like shedding a skin, birth, there is the pain of complete integration, a soul is part of but not complete before birth, and the pain of lungs working for the first time as the valves in the heart slam shut to begin the flow of blood and air that will remain until death. It hurts.
The Kamiya spirit and I had agreed that we would trade off. I would have the first, third and fifth children, while he would get the second and fourth. That way I have a family to watch over once more, and he is content as well.
We had to clear the room as soon as little Kenji began to nurse, or the jig would be up. Surprisingly, infants up to their third month can see us, and we didn't want to disturb either of Kenji's already uptight parents. They needed to relax. Kaoru, understandably, began to drift off even as Kenji did, Megumi finishing her business and clearing everyone but the parents of the new child and the child himself from the room. Kenshin let Kaoru tuck the tiny bundle into a small cradle set aside for the purpose then covered her himself, watching until she fell asleep.
I wanted to hug him, materialize and tell him things would work out, but that is so not allowed I never even really considered it.
Well, maybe a little.
As soon as he knew his wife was asleep he let them go. His tears flowed freely as he stood and moved to crouch next to his sleeping son. His first born. He watched and listened to the gentle rise and fall of heart and lungs working for the first time until he eventually fell over to the floor. Then he sat there and continued to stare after making sure his slight fall didn't wake Kaoru. The other spirits had been long gone, and the Kamiya spirit was getting restless before he moved.
"I know you're there, Himura-dono. And you brought someone else." Kamiya shrugged, and we both materialized before him. Kamiya chooses the form of Kaoru's father and I can tell by Kenshin's startled look that they have spoken before. I glare at him and he shrugs. I choose the form of Shinta once more. I like it, so kill me.
Eh, I forgot, I'm immortal…
"What did you need, Kenshin?" My voice is that of a child and he blinks.
"Ano…sessha wa.." I snort but Kamiya beats me to the punch.
"I thought we got rid of that little inferiority complex of yours." He has the grace to blush.
"Gomen. I really, didn't need, anything…"
"Then go to sleep. We'll watch him." He nods and goes to the futon, I block his path. There are advantages to having no real physical form, one of which is being able to move faster than the battousai.
"Touch your son, Kenshin." He cannot refuse a direct order from me, and moves to pick the boy up, but hesitates. I 'nudge' Kenji a bit, and he wakes up to look directly at the man who sired him. He needs no more prompting, and holds up his arms, waving his fists in the air and scrunching his face.
Even Kenshin can't be so dense as to not realize his son wishes to be held.
He scoops the child from the cradle and holds him close, whispering and cooing and humming the song I showed him not four months ago. Kenji is calmed instantly and goes back to sleep. Kenshin held him for another half hour before putting him back and going to bed.
"Arigato, Himura-dono, Kamiya-dono." He drifts off and for once, he is smiling.
Leaving us where we are. Kenji was born with blue eyes as all babies are, and they would remain blue according to Kamiya-san's tinkering. I lay my hand, Shinta's hand, on Kenji's forehead.
"Welcome to the clan, Kenji Himura." A quick focus of my ki, and by the time he is eight, Kenji will have the flaming red hair that his father does instead of the chocolate fuzz that covers his head now. He sighs in his sleep, and Kamiya-san and I flit off. He goes to other members of the family, and I watch the one with violet or golden eyes as he sleeps.
Smiling.
If you don't know the Japanese terms you must be new to the fan fiction world but here they are anyway.
Aa - informal yes
Ai shiteru - I love you - this is a emphatic way to say this and is considered impolite to utter it in public. If you need to express yourself or your feelings when others are around suki da will suffice and that too is a little much. It is not a light phrase - like 'I love spaghetti' this is more along the lines of 'I value your continued existence so far above my own that it is not even mentionable and I'm about to have a conniption if you don't love me back with your entire being.' type of thing.
Anata - you, an endearment when used from wife to husband
Anata wa? - and you?
Anou - um…literally
Ara - oh!
Arigato - thank you
Baka - if you don't know this one it's a descriptor - idiot, moron, imbecile…
Battousai - unsheathed blade, slasher
Busu - ugly/old hag
Chichi - father, used by family members, more like daddy than father
Daijoubu - alright
Daijoubu ka/ daijoubu desu ka - are you alright? Everything alright? Second more formal
De gozaru/ yo/ka - equivalent to desu or da but highly archaic and formal. Yo is an emphatic and ka indicates a question. All mean - if meaning can be assigned really - is, are, was, etc…
Dojo - training hall
- dono - an archaic suffix meaning along the lines of Mr. Mrs. Ms. But much more polite
Futon - a sleeping mat that can be folded up and stored during the day so the space can be used for other things, very comfortable I may add.
Genki - health, good spirits
Gomen - sorry
Gomen Nasai - very sorry
Haha - mommy
Hai - yes
Hajimemashite - pleased to meet you
Hiko - flight/ act of flying
Hiroshi - generous
Iya - informal no
Jinchuu - earthly revenge
Kami - spirit/ancestor/god/goddess/etc
Kaoru - fragrance
Kenji - not sure I'd have to see the kanji but something to do with a sword most likely
Kenki - fighting spirit
Kenshin - heart of sword
Ki - chi, prana, life energy
Koibito - girlfriend/boyfriend though I imagine at the time it would mean more like lover
Komban wa - good evening
Matsu - pine tree
Megumi - blessing/bounty
Motto - much, more, bigger
Musuko - son, used by family members
Neko-chan - kitten, kitty
- nii - uncle
No - indicates a possessive… Kenshin no baka - Kenshin's an idiot - shin no kami - god of death
O genki desu ka? - are you feeling healthy?
Okaasan - mother - less formal 'kaasan
Omegami-sama - goddess
Oniisan - older brother
Ore - informal, even gruff, male 'I'
Oro - Kenshin's surprise, shock, stupefied, embarrassed noise, possibly a mispronunciation of ara
Otousan - father - less formal 'tousan
Oyasumi/oyasuminasai - good night (when going to bed)
Rurouni - a made up word by the wonderful creator of rurouni Kenshin -sama that means roughly wanderer
Sakabato - reverse blade sword, really two words - sakaba and to
- sama - more polite form of -san
- san - Mr. Mrs. Ms.
Sekihotai - Sanosuke's political affiliation
Sensei - teacher
Sessha - another archaic term used by Kenshin meaning 'I' or more literally 'this unworthy one'
Shamisen - guitar like instrument with three strings
Suzuko - little bell child
Tanuki - raccoon
Umeko - plum blossom child
Yori - trustworthy
Zutto - very much so, similar to motto
