"What are you talking about? Telling her the full story about what?"
Murasaki stared at the couple facing each other. She could sense that something
wasn't right...but what?
"Father...?" Kaoru repeated the word, to make sure she had heard right. A
confused Kenshin sat in the middle, his glances changing to and fro from Kaoru
to his daughter. "Is... is that true Kenshin? She's...your daughter?"
"Yes..."
"Can someone please tell me what's going on here?!" Murasaki rose to her feet,
causing the moist rag that was on her head to fall to the ground, with a not too
subtle splat.
"Yes. What IS going on Kenshin?"
All faces turned to see a stern Sanosuke, with a surprised Yahiko peeking from
behind him.
Murasaki took a good look at Kaoru's form, attempting to judge her age.
"Is...is this mother? But...she already looks too young...there's no way she
could be....! The bastard!" Her thoughts caused her eyes to dart around for her
sword. Finding it resting beside the mat she had been asleep on, she held it
threateningly towards to Kenshin. "How could you cheat on her?!" Her shrill,
terror-struck voice filled the room, pulling all surprised eyes on her.
A baby's cry.
"And he had a child with her as well?" Her eyes focused on the direction of the
cry.
"Please!" Kaoru instinctively got up, heading for Kenji's room, leaving the
other three to deal with this 'tyrant'.
"Put down the sword, Yoriko..." Kenshin still had his back to her, but his voice
was strict and demanding. "It might have been a while since I held a sword, but
please don't make me have to resort to using one."
Yoriko?
Only 2 people knew her true name.
"You...you cheated on mother, you bastard!" She bit her lip, knowing that a
child was always to honour his parents...but could she forgive him for such an
act? "And my name's Murasaki! Not Yoriko!"
"Yoriko...I'm sorry. Your mother's dead." He still refused to turn. She couldn't
see the pain in his face...the pain that was caused by his mind returning to the
memories of Tomoe.
"You lie!" She charged at him with her sword, yet he didn't move. As she got
closer, she wished for him to move. She didn't want to resort to killing her
father...please move! she screamed in her mind. Unable to see what her actions
might cause, she shut her eyes tight and swung, prepared to feel her blade
cutting through bones and flesh, prepared for the sweet yet sickening smell of
blood.
Nothing
She opened her eyes to the unexpected silence, only to see Kenshin facing her.
Little did she know that Sanosuke had managed his way behind her, and now he
grabbed her arms behind her back, forcing her to drop her sword. It wasn't the
usual sound that a sword made when it fell, but a much light, almost refined
sound.
Yahiko had been unaware of this whole incident, as he almost instantly followed
Kaoru to Kenji's room to give them both protection in case that crazy girl
managed to get into the room. He stood at the doorway, on guard, listening to
the lovely lullaby Kaoru was humming to Kenji to calm him down.
"Is he alright, Kaoru?"
"Yes...he was just surprised by the screaming."
"Since that girl hasn't made it here," he thought, "Sano and Kenshin must have
dealt with her." He decided to aid Kaoru in caring for Kenji, taking him in his
arms for a while and rocking him to sleep. He smiled, amazed at how he looked
just like a mini-Kenshin, sans the cross-scar.
Kaoru, watching the moment between the two, nudged Yahiko in the ribs. "Practice
for the future when Tsubame has her child."
"Hey!" His cheeks flashed a hot red, as he was ready to bitch her out, but his
scream startled Kenji, who returned to his fits of screaming. "Oh no..." Yahiko
turned his attention back to calming the young child down, Kaoru hiding her
chuckles in her kimono sleeves.
Meanwhile, Kenshin took up the thin purple sword, observing all the fine
details. He looked at it a bit puzzled, turning it over and over again.
"There's no flat end to this sword?" he held it up, asking 'Murasaki'.
"Let me go!" She struggled in Sano's grip, trying to break free. Finally, she
resorted to swinging her leg forward, and then bringing it back...HARD. Her heel
ended up driving itself in Sanosuke's vulnerable area, causing him to release
his grip as well as curl up on the floor in a pained huddled mass. Now free, she
dived forward towards Kenshin, reaching for her sword.
Only to hit the floor.
With her face.
"I'm dead...he's going to kill me..." she thought, as she waited to feel a blade
being driven through her chest. But nothing happened.
"Are you going to get up?"
She turned to see Kenshin sitting on his haunches by her feet, holding out her
blade for her. Pulling herself to her knees, she turned to take her sword, but
he pulled the sword away just as her hand was going to touch the hilt.
"And you're not going to do any more silly heroics, right Yoriko?" She stared at
the smiling face, amazed that he managed to read her intentions. No...she
couldn't fool this man, much less try to mess with him.
"No...no more heroics." She yet again reached for her sword, and this time, she
got her grip on the hilt. She stood to her feet, replaced the sword back in the
sash around her waist, and tested her shoulders to make sure they weren't
dislocated.
"Are you alright, Sano?" Kenshin was sitting by Sanosuke's head now, highly
amused at both the incident that caused him to be in this predicament and the
pained expression on his face. But he tried his best to hide the smile that
wanted so badly to show itself.
"The bitch..." Sano managed to groan. He cursed many expletives, adding even
more to Kenshin's amusement. "Kenshin...I swear...if you're laughing...."
The next morning, everyone kneeled around the table for a short breakfast, as
well as to find out about this new visitor. Kenshin, Kaoru and Sanosuke were on
one side, while Yahiko, Murasaki and Kenji on the opposite side.
Kenshin was eating his breakfast quietly, waiting for the questions to be asked,
as he looked around at all the expressions of those at the table. Surprisingly,
he noticed that Kaoru wasn't depressed about the whole situation, as she ate her
meal...maybe she had gotten used to the unpredictability of being married to a
former Hitokiri.
Sanosuke, on the other hand, glared at the young girl sitting across from him.
His arms crossed, he looked like he was ready to send the table flying right in
her face. Yahiko was.... well...Yahiko was acting as though he had nothing to do
with the entire situation, as he continued to shovel food into his face.
Murasaki was eating as well, but her eyes kept darting towards Kaoru, unable to
take in that she could be her father's new wife, and also unaware of Sanosuke's
hateful eyes.
Kaoru managed to get a glimpse of Sano's face, and with a playful pinch in his
side, she managed to calm him down...a bit.
SPLAT!
Kenji was taught how to use a spoon, since his chubby fingers wouldn't be able
to maneuver a pair of chopsticks. Now, some of his breakfast was dribbling down
the side of Murasaki's cheek. Yahiko and Sanosuke instantly burst out into
laughter, while Kenshin and Kaoru tried desperately to contain themselves,
despite the serious expression on Murasaki's face. However, the laughter stopped
instantaneously.
SPLAT!
It was Sanosuke's turn for breakfast in the face, and Murasaki's turn to get a
good laugh out of it. The couple could no longer contain themselves, as they
joined the 3 younger inhabitants in their laughter, while Sanosuke just sat
there pouting, the rice porridge now hanging from his chin.
After the mess was cleaned up and Kenji was sent outside to play with Yahiko,
the four turned to more serious matters.
"So, Yoriko..." Kenshin began, but he was quickly cut off.
"Murasaki.", the redheaded girl answered. Surprised, Kenshin changed his
question.
"First of all, why have you changed...no, first, tell us what your 'name' is."
"Murasaki Kaminari." 3 pairs of eyes staring back at her in disbelief returned
her answer. Feeling uneasy, she tried to avert her eyes to the ground. "What?!"
"Purple.......Lightning? What the HECK kinda name is that?" Sanosuke was between
slamming his fist on the table, and laughing in her face at the ridiculous name.
"Sanosuke..." Kaoru tugged on his sleeve to calm him down. "Shh. You didn't see
us laughing at your name the first time we met."
"That's why I don't call myself that name anymore!" Their voices were lowered to
violent whispers, why Kenshin still had his attention focused on his daughter.
"Would that name have some relation to your sword?"
Murasaki nodded. "Yes, it does. As you mentioned last night when you asked if
there was a flat end to the blade."
"Well, she indeed was listening." Kenshin noted to himself.
"The blade was made so thin that any of my victims could barely see it...only a
thin purple line."
"Wait. Did you just say victims?!" Kaoru interrupted.
"What's it to you, sis?" Murasaki answered snidely. Sensing the violence that
was about to erupt in the room, Kenshin decided to butt in.
"Would it be alright if we had some time alone between the two of us?" Kenshin
smiled, hoping that Kaoru would give him the chance for reminiscing time between
him and his daughter.
"Are you crazy, Kenshin?!" Sanosuke jumped to his feet.
"Sano!" Kaoru grabbed the ends of his shirt, trying to pull him back to the
ground. She turned back to Kenshin. "Yes...take all the time you need." Her eyes
flashed a different message: "While I can still hold the chicken-head here.
Hurry."
Kenshin nodded a reply, and gestured to Murasaki to follow him out of the room.
Murasaki stared at the couple facing each other. She could sense that something
wasn't right...but what?
"Father...?" Kaoru repeated the word, to make sure she had heard right. A
confused Kenshin sat in the middle, his glances changing to and fro from Kaoru
to his daughter. "Is... is that true Kenshin? She's...your daughter?"
"Yes..."
"Can someone please tell me what's going on here?!" Murasaki rose to her feet,
causing the moist rag that was on her head to fall to the ground, with a not too
subtle splat.
"Yes. What IS going on Kenshin?"
All faces turned to see a stern Sanosuke, with a surprised Yahiko peeking from
behind him.
Murasaki took a good look at Kaoru's form, attempting to judge her age.
"Is...is this mother? But...she already looks too young...there's no way she
could be....! The bastard!" Her thoughts caused her eyes to dart around for her
sword. Finding it resting beside the mat she had been asleep on, she held it
threateningly towards to Kenshin. "How could you cheat on her?!" Her shrill,
terror-struck voice filled the room, pulling all surprised eyes on her.
A baby's cry.
"And he had a child with her as well?" Her eyes focused on the direction of the
cry.
"Please!" Kaoru instinctively got up, heading for Kenji's room, leaving the
other three to deal with this 'tyrant'.
"Put down the sword, Yoriko..." Kenshin still had his back to her, but his voice
was strict and demanding. "It might have been a while since I held a sword, but
please don't make me have to resort to using one."
Yoriko?
Only 2 people knew her true name.
"You...you cheated on mother, you bastard!" She bit her lip, knowing that a
child was always to honour his parents...but could she forgive him for such an
act? "And my name's Murasaki! Not Yoriko!"
"Yoriko...I'm sorry. Your mother's dead." He still refused to turn. She couldn't
see the pain in his face...the pain that was caused by his mind returning to the
memories of Tomoe.
"You lie!" She charged at him with her sword, yet he didn't move. As she got
closer, she wished for him to move. She didn't want to resort to killing her
father...please move! she screamed in her mind. Unable to see what her actions
might cause, she shut her eyes tight and swung, prepared to feel her blade
cutting through bones and flesh, prepared for the sweet yet sickening smell of
blood.
Nothing
She opened her eyes to the unexpected silence, only to see Kenshin facing her.
Little did she know that Sanosuke had managed his way behind her, and now he
grabbed her arms behind her back, forcing her to drop her sword. It wasn't the
usual sound that a sword made when it fell, but a much light, almost refined
sound.
Yahiko had been unaware of this whole incident, as he almost instantly followed
Kaoru to Kenji's room to give them both protection in case that crazy girl
managed to get into the room. He stood at the doorway, on guard, listening to
the lovely lullaby Kaoru was humming to Kenji to calm him down.
"Is he alright, Kaoru?"
"Yes...he was just surprised by the screaming."
"Since that girl hasn't made it here," he thought, "Sano and Kenshin must have
dealt with her." He decided to aid Kaoru in caring for Kenji, taking him in his
arms for a while and rocking him to sleep. He smiled, amazed at how he looked
just like a mini-Kenshin, sans the cross-scar.
Kaoru, watching the moment between the two, nudged Yahiko in the ribs. "Practice
for the future when Tsubame has her child."
"Hey!" His cheeks flashed a hot red, as he was ready to bitch her out, but his
scream startled Kenji, who returned to his fits of screaming. "Oh no..." Yahiko
turned his attention back to calming the young child down, Kaoru hiding her
chuckles in her kimono sleeves.
Meanwhile, Kenshin took up the thin purple sword, observing all the fine
details. He looked at it a bit puzzled, turning it over and over again.
"There's no flat end to this sword?" he held it up, asking 'Murasaki'.
"Let me go!" She struggled in Sano's grip, trying to break free. Finally, she
resorted to swinging her leg forward, and then bringing it back...HARD. Her heel
ended up driving itself in Sanosuke's vulnerable area, causing him to release
his grip as well as curl up on the floor in a pained huddled mass. Now free, she
dived forward towards Kenshin, reaching for her sword.
Only to hit the floor.
With her face.
"I'm dead...he's going to kill me..." she thought, as she waited to feel a blade
being driven through her chest. But nothing happened.
"Are you going to get up?"
She turned to see Kenshin sitting on his haunches by her feet, holding out her
blade for her. Pulling herself to her knees, she turned to take her sword, but
he pulled the sword away just as her hand was going to touch the hilt.
"And you're not going to do any more silly heroics, right Yoriko?" She stared at
the smiling face, amazed that he managed to read her intentions. No...she
couldn't fool this man, much less try to mess with him.
"No...no more heroics." She yet again reached for her sword, and this time, she
got her grip on the hilt. She stood to her feet, replaced the sword back in the
sash around her waist, and tested her shoulders to make sure they weren't
dislocated.
"Are you alright, Sano?" Kenshin was sitting by Sanosuke's head now, highly
amused at both the incident that caused him to be in this predicament and the
pained expression on his face. But he tried his best to hide the smile that
wanted so badly to show itself.
"The bitch..." Sano managed to groan. He cursed many expletives, adding even
more to Kenshin's amusement. "Kenshin...I swear...if you're laughing...."
The next morning, everyone kneeled around the table for a short breakfast, as
well as to find out about this new visitor. Kenshin, Kaoru and Sanosuke were on
one side, while Yahiko, Murasaki and Kenji on the opposite side.
Kenshin was eating his breakfast quietly, waiting for the questions to be asked,
as he looked around at all the expressions of those at the table. Surprisingly,
he noticed that Kaoru wasn't depressed about the whole situation, as she ate her
meal...maybe she had gotten used to the unpredictability of being married to a
former Hitokiri.
Sanosuke, on the other hand, glared at the young girl sitting across from him.
His arms crossed, he looked like he was ready to send the table flying right in
her face. Yahiko was.... well...Yahiko was acting as though he had nothing to do
with the entire situation, as he continued to shovel food into his face.
Murasaki was eating as well, but her eyes kept darting towards Kaoru, unable to
take in that she could be her father's new wife, and also unaware of Sanosuke's
hateful eyes.
Kaoru managed to get a glimpse of Sano's face, and with a playful pinch in his
side, she managed to calm him down...a bit.
SPLAT!
Kenji was taught how to use a spoon, since his chubby fingers wouldn't be able
to maneuver a pair of chopsticks. Now, some of his breakfast was dribbling down
the side of Murasaki's cheek. Yahiko and Sanosuke instantly burst out into
laughter, while Kenshin and Kaoru tried desperately to contain themselves,
despite the serious expression on Murasaki's face. However, the laughter stopped
instantaneously.
SPLAT!
It was Sanosuke's turn for breakfast in the face, and Murasaki's turn to get a
good laugh out of it. The couple could no longer contain themselves, as they
joined the 3 younger inhabitants in their laughter, while Sanosuke just sat
there pouting, the rice porridge now hanging from his chin.
After the mess was cleaned up and Kenji was sent outside to play with Yahiko,
the four turned to more serious matters.
"So, Yoriko..." Kenshin began, but he was quickly cut off.
"Murasaki.", the redheaded girl answered. Surprised, Kenshin changed his
question.
"First of all, why have you changed...no, first, tell us what your 'name' is."
"Murasaki Kaminari." 3 pairs of eyes staring back at her in disbelief returned
her answer. Feeling uneasy, she tried to avert her eyes to the ground. "What?!"
"Purple.......Lightning? What the HECK kinda name is that?" Sanosuke was between
slamming his fist on the table, and laughing in her face at the ridiculous name.
"Sanosuke..." Kaoru tugged on his sleeve to calm him down. "Shh. You didn't see
us laughing at your name the first time we met."
"That's why I don't call myself that name anymore!" Their voices were lowered to
violent whispers, why Kenshin still had his attention focused on his daughter.
"Would that name have some relation to your sword?"
Murasaki nodded. "Yes, it does. As you mentioned last night when you asked if
there was a flat end to the blade."
"Well, she indeed was listening." Kenshin noted to himself.
"The blade was made so thin that any of my victims could barely see it...only a
thin purple line."
"Wait. Did you just say victims?!" Kaoru interrupted.
"What's it to you, sis?" Murasaki answered snidely. Sensing the violence that
was about to erupt in the room, Kenshin decided to butt in.
"Would it be alright if we had some time alone between the two of us?" Kenshin
smiled, hoping that Kaoru would give him the chance for reminiscing time between
him and his daughter.
"Are you crazy, Kenshin?!" Sanosuke jumped to his feet.
"Sano!" Kaoru grabbed the ends of his shirt, trying to pull him back to the
ground. She turned back to Kenshin. "Yes...take all the time you need." Her eyes
flashed a different message: "While I can still hold the chicken-head here.
Hurry."
Kenshin nodded a reply, and gestured to Murasaki to follow him out of the room.