Zosocrowe: Hmm… I don't know about what he'll do; get in trouble at a local
casino maybe? Thanks for your review!
Shinomori Misa: *bows* YAY! People love my fic! I feel so happy! ^_^x
Not too many reviews… mou. -_- Guess I'll have to work harder! But because these two kind people asked for the next chapter, here it is!
The wandering years: America
Chapter 2: remembrance
By j. Liha
"Rumiko!" David rushed forward. "Where in Christ's name have you been?! I was worried out of my mind for you, and who is this man?" He glared at the ex-gangster that rivaled one of Battousai's. "I swear if you harmed a hair on her head, I'll- Are you listening?" Sanosuke stared blankly. What gibberish was this idiot spewing? English?
"David, David, calm down. The man doesn't understand a word you're saying, he's Japanese." Rumiko said soothingly.
"Hmph." David restated his words in Sano's native tongue.
"Now you're speakin' my language, Pops." He directed a cool stare towards the butler.
"POPS?!" A vein formed on his forehead. They began to insult each other angrily, shouting words that stained the innocent ears of Rumiko. And it would have gone farther than words had she not intervened.
"Gentlemen!" The two glared at her.
"WHAT?" Her lip trembled and she pretended to cry, hoping to inject guilt into them.
"Y-you don't have to y-yell at me… I'm only a little g-girl!" David glared daggers at the younger man.
"Now look what you did, you filthy brute! You made her cry!" He hugged the poor (AN: *Loud coughing heard) girl, stroking her back. "Rumiko, dear, please don't waste your tears on him! If you want, I'll get the police in here to send him on the streets again!" She sniffed pathetically and wiped at non-existent tears.
"No, please don't send him away! I'll explain… as you know I, uh, snuck out, and suddenly found myself in the bad part of town. These awful men tried to hit on me, but I evaded them and ran into an alley. Unfortunately, another hooligan tried to vandalize me, and would've succeeded had Mr. Sagara not come to my aid." She finished dramatically. David glanced at Rumiko's savior suspiciously.
"Hey, she's not lying!" He said defensively. She beamed at him.
"Mr. Sagara, I owe you my life. Please accept my invitation to stay here as long as you like."
"Uh… I-" He began, but David interrupted him.
"Never refuse a lady's invitation!" He hissed.
"Alright, don't lose your head Pops. I'll stay."
"YAY!" Rumiko uncharacteristically began running around him.
"Ok…" The butler raised an eyebrow upon seeing her behavior. Why did she favor this boy so much? Hmm… teenage girls had raging hormones, or so he was told. Might her fancy with him be partly because she found him desirable? He shuddered at the thought. "Are you sure about this?" He whispered to his young mistress.
"Of course, he's seems like a charming man!" 'And very desirable!' A voice added. Rumiko colored at the voice's words. "Uh… Mr. Sagara, I'll show you to your room."
"Thanks, and call me Sano. I don't like formalities."
"Of course… Sano." She took his arm and led him up the stairs, the watchful eyes of David observing their every move. "Here it is!" She opened the door. Sanosuke's eyes bulged.
"It's… huge." He croaked. There was a fine bed made of redwood with curtains surrounding it. The sheets were of light, expensive cotton and fine paintings adorned the walls. "Gave it a girly look, eh?" She narrowed her eyes and smacked his head.
"I prefer the term, 'woman's touch'." He laughed loudly, a woman's touch? The girl was as spirited as Kaoru and Misao and probably just as violent.
'Shame she doesn't really know how to fight.'
"So… what brings you to America, Sano?" Rumiko inquired, plopping into an easy chair. Sanosuke sat onto the bed.
'Damn this thing is soft…' "It's a long story." He replied shortly.
"Oh… well, if you don't mind me asking, what's your past? And what are your friends like?" She questioned, eyes shining with curiosity. He began describing the Sekihoutai, what happened to his taicho, how he first met Kenshin and everyone else. Sanosuke described their pasts briefly, a wave of memories hitting him.
"Wow… so this Kenshin is an ex-assassin?"
"Yeah…"
"Hmm, that lady doctor sounds interesting; going against society and facing sexism to do the things she loved. Could you tell me more about her?" Rumiko said admiringly. His friends seemed wonderful, a group of good people becoming a family and supporting each other. How she longed for friends like them!
He smiled at her admiration. Yes, that was his fox. Helping people whether they supported her or not. "Well… we usually fight all the time, but still she's ok. Always nagging me about my hand because I never let it heal, annoys me to no end… she left for Aizu awhile before I left though, I miss her, just like the others do." He looked wistfully out the window, spotting a shooting star. 'What I'd give to see her again.'
"So I'm guessing she's very special to you." The corners of her lips lifted, forming a kind smile.
"Well they're all special, she's just a friend." Sanosuke responded quickly, feeling a little nervous about this girl of thirteen able to see what Megumi could not.
"Sagara Sanosuke, you're a horrible liar. Now you have to promise me something."
"Mmm?"
"When you see her again, tell her how you feel. She probably feels the way that you do, and you had better hurry before someone sweeps her off her feet. Besides, if she can't see already what a great guy you are, than she doesn't deserve you!" The youth declared boldly. He flushed; no one had ever complimented him like that. This girl was something, that was clear to him.
"Do you really think she loves me back?"
Rumiko had a triumphant smirk on her face. "I knew it, you can't hide from me! And to answer your question, yes I think she returns your feelings. Call it woman's tuition."
"Hope you're right." He said softly. "So, what's your story? Who are your parents?" Rumiko's smirk faded. "They passed away eight years ago. It's really a long story."
"I have the time." Sanosuke winked. She blushed, red spreading over her face.
"Uh… ok, here it goes. You see, I'm not full Japanese. My mother was from Korea and my father from Japan." She winced, preparing for rejection and insults. Rumiko opened one eye, noticing Sanosuke towering over her. She blinked.
"So… go on." He said, giving her a strange look. Her mouth dropped.
"You… how can you be so calm? Aren't you going to hurl insults at me or something?" Sanosuke frowned.
"Why would I do that?" Her gaze dropped to her feet.
"Because I'm a… a mutt. Or so people say." She whispered the last word almost inaudibly, but he still heard her.
"What?!" He said fiercely. Rumiko wouldn't meet his eyes. Sano tilted her chin up. "Look at me." Sanosuke demanded. She obeyed, meeting his eyes briefly. "You are as good as anyone else. It doesn't matter where you came from or who your parents were. And don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise!"
"Alright…"
"Promise?" Sanosuke held out his pinky.
"I promise." They hooked pinkies and Rumiko silently made the promise to herself.
"Good, but you don't have to go on if you don't want to."
She shook her head. "No, I'm obligated to tell you, as you revealed the secrets of your past to me."
'Why can't the girl speak normal Japanese?' He groaned. Rumiko cleared her throat.
"My father was raised here, but was still brought up in the traditional Japanese way. He went to college, studied many languages and became a doctor. Then he chose to go to Korea to help the people there. He met my mother, the daughter of a merchant, and they fell in love. They knew their families would never accept their relationship so they eloped here and bought this house.
My father taught my mother English and they later had me. They found David on the streets, looking for work and hired him as our butler, teaching him Japanese and Korean as well. While I was growing up, they taught me their native languages, knowing it would help me in the future. Life was good, until my father's family found us. I had just turned six…
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Rumiko get into the house!" Her father roared, trying to fend off the assassins sent to kill his family. His wife, Soo Min, rushed outside, tanto in hand. "What are you doing here? Get back into the house!" Ryo cried, feeling a knot in his stomach.
"No darling, I'll fight them to the death!" She gave a savage war cry and began slashing wildly. An assassin attacked her, but barely gave her a scratch.
"Where's the child?" One assassin growled.
"There's no way in hell I'd tell you!" Soo Min spat in his face and slit his throat, the blood spraying onto her creamy peach skin. David held the six-year-old, hoping she'd stay quiet.
"I'm scared…" She whimpered, burying her face into his chest.
"I know Rumiko, but please stay quiet, alright?" The child nodded.
"Damnit! There's too many of them!" Ryo cursed.
"Ryo, you know we're not going to make it, right?" His wife asked, no emotion seen on her face as she slayed another assassin.
"Yes darling, we'll die together." Tears ran down her face. "Don't cry, Soo Min, I want to die seeing your smile." She did so and kissed him passionately.
"Are you ready, beloved?" She asked, eyes gleaming.
"Yes."
"Alright, now!" She screamed, thrusting the tanto into her chest, her mate doing the same with his katana. "Sa rang hae yo, Mi Youn, I love you." Having said these words, she kissed her husband one last time and began her eternal slumber. In all the chaos, David was able to slip away, carrying the little one with him.
'Ryo, Soo Min. Your deaths are not in vain, for the girl shall live. I guarantee it.'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*END FLASHBACK*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Well there's your description of Rumiko's past… heh. I wanted to do something different for her background, not the Japanese woman meets foreigner thing… so whaddya think? Tell me in your reviews!
Shinomori Misa: *bows* YAY! People love my fic! I feel so happy! ^_^x
Not too many reviews… mou. -_- Guess I'll have to work harder! But because these two kind people asked for the next chapter, here it is!
The wandering years: America
Chapter 2: remembrance
By j. Liha
"Rumiko!" David rushed forward. "Where in Christ's name have you been?! I was worried out of my mind for you, and who is this man?" He glared at the ex-gangster that rivaled one of Battousai's. "I swear if you harmed a hair on her head, I'll- Are you listening?" Sanosuke stared blankly. What gibberish was this idiot spewing? English?
"David, David, calm down. The man doesn't understand a word you're saying, he's Japanese." Rumiko said soothingly.
"Hmph." David restated his words in Sano's native tongue.
"Now you're speakin' my language, Pops." He directed a cool stare towards the butler.
"POPS?!" A vein formed on his forehead. They began to insult each other angrily, shouting words that stained the innocent ears of Rumiko. And it would have gone farther than words had she not intervened.
"Gentlemen!" The two glared at her.
"WHAT?" Her lip trembled and she pretended to cry, hoping to inject guilt into them.
"Y-you don't have to y-yell at me… I'm only a little g-girl!" David glared daggers at the younger man.
"Now look what you did, you filthy brute! You made her cry!" He hugged the poor (AN: *Loud coughing heard) girl, stroking her back. "Rumiko, dear, please don't waste your tears on him! If you want, I'll get the police in here to send him on the streets again!" She sniffed pathetically and wiped at non-existent tears.
"No, please don't send him away! I'll explain… as you know I, uh, snuck out, and suddenly found myself in the bad part of town. These awful men tried to hit on me, but I evaded them and ran into an alley. Unfortunately, another hooligan tried to vandalize me, and would've succeeded had Mr. Sagara not come to my aid." She finished dramatically. David glanced at Rumiko's savior suspiciously.
"Hey, she's not lying!" He said defensively. She beamed at him.
"Mr. Sagara, I owe you my life. Please accept my invitation to stay here as long as you like."
"Uh… I-" He began, but David interrupted him.
"Never refuse a lady's invitation!" He hissed.
"Alright, don't lose your head Pops. I'll stay."
"YAY!" Rumiko uncharacteristically began running around him.
"Ok…" The butler raised an eyebrow upon seeing her behavior. Why did she favor this boy so much? Hmm… teenage girls had raging hormones, or so he was told. Might her fancy with him be partly because she found him desirable? He shuddered at the thought. "Are you sure about this?" He whispered to his young mistress.
"Of course, he's seems like a charming man!" 'And very desirable!' A voice added. Rumiko colored at the voice's words. "Uh… Mr. Sagara, I'll show you to your room."
"Thanks, and call me Sano. I don't like formalities."
"Of course… Sano." She took his arm and led him up the stairs, the watchful eyes of David observing their every move. "Here it is!" She opened the door. Sanosuke's eyes bulged.
"It's… huge." He croaked. There was a fine bed made of redwood with curtains surrounding it. The sheets were of light, expensive cotton and fine paintings adorned the walls. "Gave it a girly look, eh?" She narrowed her eyes and smacked his head.
"I prefer the term, 'woman's touch'." He laughed loudly, a woman's touch? The girl was as spirited as Kaoru and Misao and probably just as violent.
'Shame she doesn't really know how to fight.'
"So… what brings you to America, Sano?" Rumiko inquired, plopping into an easy chair. Sanosuke sat onto the bed.
'Damn this thing is soft…' "It's a long story." He replied shortly.
"Oh… well, if you don't mind me asking, what's your past? And what are your friends like?" She questioned, eyes shining with curiosity. He began describing the Sekihoutai, what happened to his taicho, how he first met Kenshin and everyone else. Sanosuke described their pasts briefly, a wave of memories hitting him.
"Wow… so this Kenshin is an ex-assassin?"
"Yeah…"
"Hmm, that lady doctor sounds interesting; going against society and facing sexism to do the things she loved. Could you tell me more about her?" Rumiko said admiringly. His friends seemed wonderful, a group of good people becoming a family and supporting each other. How she longed for friends like them!
He smiled at her admiration. Yes, that was his fox. Helping people whether they supported her or not. "Well… we usually fight all the time, but still she's ok. Always nagging me about my hand because I never let it heal, annoys me to no end… she left for Aizu awhile before I left though, I miss her, just like the others do." He looked wistfully out the window, spotting a shooting star. 'What I'd give to see her again.'
"So I'm guessing she's very special to you." The corners of her lips lifted, forming a kind smile.
"Well they're all special, she's just a friend." Sanosuke responded quickly, feeling a little nervous about this girl of thirteen able to see what Megumi could not.
"Sagara Sanosuke, you're a horrible liar. Now you have to promise me something."
"Mmm?"
"When you see her again, tell her how you feel. She probably feels the way that you do, and you had better hurry before someone sweeps her off her feet. Besides, if she can't see already what a great guy you are, than she doesn't deserve you!" The youth declared boldly. He flushed; no one had ever complimented him like that. This girl was something, that was clear to him.
"Do you really think she loves me back?"
Rumiko had a triumphant smirk on her face. "I knew it, you can't hide from me! And to answer your question, yes I think she returns your feelings. Call it woman's tuition."
"Hope you're right." He said softly. "So, what's your story? Who are your parents?" Rumiko's smirk faded. "They passed away eight years ago. It's really a long story."
"I have the time." Sanosuke winked. She blushed, red spreading over her face.
"Uh… ok, here it goes. You see, I'm not full Japanese. My mother was from Korea and my father from Japan." She winced, preparing for rejection and insults. Rumiko opened one eye, noticing Sanosuke towering over her. She blinked.
"So… go on." He said, giving her a strange look. Her mouth dropped.
"You… how can you be so calm? Aren't you going to hurl insults at me or something?" Sanosuke frowned.
"Why would I do that?" Her gaze dropped to her feet.
"Because I'm a… a mutt. Or so people say." She whispered the last word almost inaudibly, but he still heard her.
"What?!" He said fiercely. Rumiko wouldn't meet his eyes. Sano tilted her chin up. "Look at me." Sanosuke demanded. She obeyed, meeting his eyes briefly. "You are as good as anyone else. It doesn't matter where you came from or who your parents were. And don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise!"
"Alright…"
"Promise?" Sanosuke held out his pinky.
"I promise." They hooked pinkies and Rumiko silently made the promise to herself.
"Good, but you don't have to go on if you don't want to."
She shook her head. "No, I'm obligated to tell you, as you revealed the secrets of your past to me."
'Why can't the girl speak normal Japanese?' He groaned. Rumiko cleared her throat.
"My father was raised here, but was still brought up in the traditional Japanese way. He went to college, studied many languages and became a doctor. Then he chose to go to Korea to help the people there. He met my mother, the daughter of a merchant, and they fell in love. They knew their families would never accept their relationship so they eloped here and bought this house.
My father taught my mother English and they later had me. They found David on the streets, looking for work and hired him as our butler, teaching him Japanese and Korean as well. While I was growing up, they taught me their native languages, knowing it would help me in the future. Life was good, until my father's family found us. I had just turned six…
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*FLASHBACK*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Rumiko get into the house!" Her father roared, trying to fend off the assassins sent to kill his family. His wife, Soo Min, rushed outside, tanto in hand. "What are you doing here? Get back into the house!" Ryo cried, feeling a knot in his stomach.
"No darling, I'll fight them to the death!" She gave a savage war cry and began slashing wildly. An assassin attacked her, but barely gave her a scratch.
"Where's the child?" One assassin growled.
"There's no way in hell I'd tell you!" Soo Min spat in his face and slit his throat, the blood spraying onto her creamy peach skin. David held the six-year-old, hoping she'd stay quiet.
"I'm scared…" She whimpered, burying her face into his chest.
"I know Rumiko, but please stay quiet, alright?" The child nodded.
"Damnit! There's too many of them!" Ryo cursed.
"Ryo, you know we're not going to make it, right?" His wife asked, no emotion seen on her face as she slayed another assassin.
"Yes darling, we'll die together." Tears ran down her face. "Don't cry, Soo Min, I want to die seeing your smile." She did so and kissed him passionately.
"Are you ready, beloved?" She asked, eyes gleaming.
"Yes."
"Alright, now!" She screamed, thrusting the tanto into her chest, her mate doing the same with his katana. "Sa rang hae yo, Mi Youn, I love you." Having said these words, she kissed her husband one last time and began her eternal slumber. In all the chaos, David was able to slip away, carrying the little one with him.
'Ryo, Soo Min. Your deaths are not in vain, for the girl shall live. I guarantee it.'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*END FLASHBACK*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Well there's your description of Rumiko's past… heh. I wanted to do something different for her background, not the Japanese woman meets foreigner thing… so whaddya think? Tell me in your reviews!