We sat across from one another, the sound of wind beating all around
us. The fact he was not close to me should have made me feel better. It
didn't. And where had I gotten the d*** impression that it would have?
Kenshin kept his eyes on either the floor or me. I could tell because his eyes were jumping between both. *He wants to ask me what this is about.* I shifted my position as he continued to kneel in front of me. Minuets ticked by without either of us saying a word.
"Master?"
"What is it?"
"Why did you ask me to return?" He left the rest of his question unspoken.
I grunted and closed my eyes. "I will tell you when you are ready for it."
I heard Kenshin hit the floor. "Orrooro..." *Where did he pick that up in the first place?*
I lifted my sake jar to my lips, drinking the liquid calmingly. I refused to say any more at the moment, especially since I needed some time to think. I stood and let my white, weighted cloak sift around me before exiting. *I need some time away to think about this. I hope he is ready to beat Gei'shou's student...Who is this student he keep talking about anyway?* I was beginning to have a bad feeling about that.
* * * * * *
As my footsteps led my I not only walked through the trees, but through past memories as well.
"Look! Look!" a young hand pointed eagerly to a bird returning to its nest. "Isn't it so pretty?" I kept my gaze unconcerned. "Yes, the bird has returned home. And you need to return to your practicing." I took a few steps away to see if the boy would follow. He sighed, shoulders slumping momentarily, and then brightened again. This kid had some real determination. "Yes Master!" he picked up his sword in his small hands and waited for me to instruct. I was the master after all.
*Kenshin left to help people, but became a d*** killer instead!* I forced the anger to lull away. *But he has been protecting people with his sword ever since. That is better than what could have become of him. He could have become another Shishio Makoto. And Kenshin would have been much harder to kill.*
"Seijuro-chan."
I jerked in reaction to the voice. I hadn't been expecting it. "What do you want?"
"Just came to see how you were fairing. It isn't anything much, really. What about you teaching a student?" Gei'shou's voice spoke from behind me.
"Why would you care about that? It isn't as if it would be your d*** student."
"Temper, temper. You are already forty-four."
"What the h*** does that matter? You are already fifty. I feel good about my age, it's younger than yours." I smirked, and I knew Gei'shou saw it. He growled and disappeared. That was one victory I needed. I looked up and blinked in surprise. There was Kenshin.
"Who was that, Master?"
I sighed. "I suppose now is a good time to tell you."
* * * * * *
Kenshin merely nodded as I ended. "I see..." Of course he could see! He had eyes, didn't he? I sighed. I was just being paranoid. I hadn't wanted this to come out yet, but he was taking it much better than he could have been. I guess it's just not in his character.
I found a grin creeping onto my face. "You know, I just got an idea that will be sure you win."
"You actually think I can do it? He may cheat..."
I shrugged, "He probably will, but you're too d*** stupid to let yourself be killed. Besides, all your friends are back in Tokyo waiting for you."
"Shut up." He sighed heavily. "Now what was that idea you had?"
"Mmmm. We create our own Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu technique. You have learned all the others that there already are. Although I still consider you a failed student. Maybe things will change."
Kenshin's eyes bulged at the thought. "We can do that?"
I nodded. "And why not? How do you think we got the techniques we use today? It was poof and they were there?"
"No, but..."
"Time for you to go to your room. I'll see you in the morning." Kenshin gave me a quizzical look and left. I stood and threw my weighted cloak onto the floor. It felt good not to have that on. That thing is dang heavy! I replaced the clothes I was wearing now with some more fit for sleeping. I spent my last few minuets of wakefulness thinking of Gei'shou.
Kenshin kept his eyes on either the floor or me. I could tell because his eyes were jumping between both. *He wants to ask me what this is about.* I shifted my position as he continued to kneel in front of me. Minuets ticked by without either of us saying a word.
"Master?"
"What is it?"
"Why did you ask me to return?" He left the rest of his question unspoken.
I grunted and closed my eyes. "I will tell you when you are ready for it."
I heard Kenshin hit the floor. "Orrooro..." *Where did he pick that up in the first place?*
I lifted my sake jar to my lips, drinking the liquid calmingly. I refused to say any more at the moment, especially since I needed some time to think. I stood and let my white, weighted cloak sift around me before exiting. *I need some time away to think about this. I hope he is ready to beat Gei'shou's student...Who is this student he keep talking about anyway?* I was beginning to have a bad feeling about that.
* * * * * *
As my footsteps led my I not only walked through the trees, but through past memories as well.
"Look! Look!" a young hand pointed eagerly to a bird returning to its nest. "Isn't it so pretty?" I kept my gaze unconcerned. "Yes, the bird has returned home. And you need to return to your practicing." I took a few steps away to see if the boy would follow. He sighed, shoulders slumping momentarily, and then brightened again. This kid had some real determination. "Yes Master!" he picked up his sword in his small hands and waited for me to instruct. I was the master after all.
*Kenshin left to help people, but became a d*** killer instead!* I forced the anger to lull away. *But he has been protecting people with his sword ever since. That is better than what could have become of him. He could have become another Shishio Makoto. And Kenshin would have been much harder to kill.*
"Seijuro-chan."
I jerked in reaction to the voice. I hadn't been expecting it. "What do you want?"
"Just came to see how you were fairing. It isn't anything much, really. What about you teaching a student?" Gei'shou's voice spoke from behind me.
"Why would you care about that? It isn't as if it would be your d*** student."
"Temper, temper. You are already forty-four."
"What the h*** does that matter? You are already fifty. I feel good about my age, it's younger than yours." I smirked, and I knew Gei'shou saw it. He growled and disappeared. That was one victory I needed. I looked up and blinked in surprise. There was Kenshin.
"Who was that, Master?"
I sighed. "I suppose now is a good time to tell you."
* * * * * *
Kenshin merely nodded as I ended. "I see..." Of course he could see! He had eyes, didn't he? I sighed. I was just being paranoid. I hadn't wanted this to come out yet, but he was taking it much better than he could have been. I guess it's just not in his character.
I found a grin creeping onto my face. "You know, I just got an idea that will be sure you win."
"You actually think I can do it? He may cheat..."
I shrugged, "He probably will, but you're too d*** stupid to let yourself be killed. Besides, all your friends are back in Tokyo waiting for you."
"Shut up." He sighed heavily. "Now what was that idea you had?"
"Mmmm. We create our own Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu technique. You have learned all the others that there already are. Although I still consider you a failed student. Maybe things will change."
Kenshin's eyes bulged at the thought. "We can do that?"
I nodded. "And why not? How do you think we got the techniques we use today? It was poof and they were there?"
"No, but..."
"Time for you to go to your room. I'll see you in the morning." Kenshin gave me a quizzical look and left. I stood and threw my weighted cloak onto the floor. It felt good not to have that on. That thing is dang heavy! I replaced the clothes I was wearing now with some more fit for sleeping. I spent my last few minuets of wakefulness thinking of Gei'shou.