Disclaimer: The characters of Rurouni Kenshin belong to someone other than
me. This story was not written for sale or profit but pure enjoyment. So
please read and enjoy.
Sorry, I forgot to mention that this is an A/U story with a hint of reincarnation.
Somewhere in the Middle
Chapter 1: Sano's Trucking Service
Friday morning found Sano driving down a dirt road in his delivery van, chewing on a little plastic stir straw making it bob up and down. He had started his day waking up to his younger sister screaming.
He didn't mind getting up that early because every Friday he had to deliver a package to a business on the outskirts of town before dawn. But this Friday was special because Megumi had agreed to sit at the warehouse answering the phone and he had stopped to show her what to do before continuing the deliveries for the morning.
Back in the van, he was still thinking about Megumi, the love of his life. As he reached for the receiver to ask her to have lunch with him, a female voice came over the radio.
Hello is anyone there? Kaoru asked.
Crackle
Megumi are you there? Kaoru's voice crackled.
Crackle
Cheez I'll have to talk to Cho and have him get these radios tuned in better Sano thought. Taking the stir straw out of his mouth waiting until the line was clear then keyed up his radio, "What's the problem, Missy?" he asked.
Sanosuke, I'm lost… wrong turn… back…
Crackle
Hello are you there? You know… filling in… don't know… over, Megumi's voice cracked through Sano's radio.
Sano smiled when he heard Megumi's voice. It was her day off and she had agreed to act as secretary for the day. His mind slipped back to last week when he'd delivered a package to the science lab at the University and she had to sign for it. When he asked for her phone number, she wrote on the back side of his arm far enough under his short sleeve shirt that he had to take it off and ask someone to read the number to him. What a woman!
Sanosuke, Kaoru's angry voice screamed through the radio.
Snapped back to reality, Sano dropped his stir straw when he grabbed the steering wheel swerving to keep from hitting a pedestrian. Leaning out of the window, he shook his fist at the young boy walking across the road with his face in a book. "Watch where you are walking," he yelled.
"Ok I'm here, where are you?" he growled into the radio receiver.
Just passing the tower… the instructions… hard to read, Kaoru's voice broke up.
"You have to make it to the Station and you only have 45 min., can you make it?" Sano yelled loud enough into his radio that she should have been able to hear him without the radio. When he received no answer he yelled again, "Kaoru, did you hear me?"
Yes no sweat… have lessons… later, came her reply.
After his last delivery for the morning he stopped for food at the take out joint. Back in the van he picked up the radio. "Megumi are you there?" no answer. "Megumi?"
She left… to call later… change channel… alternative, came back a male voice.
"Kuso," swore Sano as he changed the channel on his radio before trying the radio again, "Cho what are you doing at the warehouse?"
Taking care of business, cousin, came back the sarcastic reply, You know that this is my job, that sort of thing, that's what you pay me for, without me your business would sink type thing. And you better be ready for some major knee bending moron.
"Yea yea I know, was she really that mad at me? Say, didn't you have a doctors appointment today, so why are you back?" Sano angrily growled. Sitting at the stop light he reached down, picked up his stir straw, and wiped it off before placing it back in his mouth. There went his chance to eat lunch with Megumi. Hopefully she wasn't to mad at him he thought.
I finished early, so I came back to get some paperwork for the weekend. I heard your transmissions and knew something was wrong. You guys have to stay off that channel, it breaks up all the time. Now if you would listen to me…
Sano turned the volume down on his radio so he wouldn't have to listen to Cho rant about his electronic genius.
"Did you get a hold of Kaoru and have her change channels?" Sano asked once Cho stopped talking.
Didn't have to her truck is parked outside, Cho's voice came back over the radio, You know she has a class she teaches on her lunch.
"What!! Did she make the station on time. She was suppose to pick up that fish and deliver it to the Akabeko," Sano said franticly looking at his clipboard.
Well you want me to ask her? She's in her office, Cho asked sarcastically.
"No she got it done. How does she get all the deliveries there and on time?" Sano grumbled. He barely made it to the ones he had to, where she made almost twice the deliveries.
Well she's prettier than you and she doesn't get lost. Shall I go on? asked Cho.
"She got lost this morning," Sano said sarcastically.
Yea because you took the order and didn't write down clear directions. She chewed me up one side and down the other on that one because she thought that I took the order you moron. Cho finished with a growl.
"At least your good for something. Had lunch yet?" Sano asked stopping the van for a red light. "Ooooh baby," he whistled at two girls in short shirts and tank tops.
The two girls turned smiling at him but kept on walking.
You're going to buy or I'm not going, Cho replied bringing him back to the conversation.
"I thought that I would bring in some take out. Look are you interested or not?" Sano growled.
Sure yea as long as you didn't drop it or something like that, laughed Cho.
"Well I wouldn't tell you if I did," Sano laughed back at him.
You moron, Cho quipped.
Sano did you pickup the rice barrels this morning? Kaoru's voice came over his radio.
Sano quickly moved the controls of the radio making it crackle. When the crackling stopped he asked, "What was that?"
Oh you are so going to get it now, just wait until I see you again, Kaoru threatened sending a chill down his spine even though he knew that he could avoid her until she cooled down.
Sano threw his radio down on the seat beside him like it was a hot potato. After a few minutes he picked it back up again.
Man you shouldn't do that to her. Someday she'll beat you to a bloody pulp. Cho scolded him.
"Is she still there?" Sano inquired.
No she stormed out of here. She has to load that pallet, so it will take her a few minutes. And next time don't put me in the danger zone, you know how violent she can get. Cho told him.
"She only hurts me, you're in no danger. Besides what she needs is to find a man and the guy that works there is a good man. A bit strange but good," Sano defended himself.
If you wouldn't be doing stupid things… Cho stated.
"I'm almost there is her truck gone yet?" Sano inquired.
Just a sec and I will look, Cho replied.
"Come on I don't want to circle the block," Sano said to himself waiting for Cho to tell him that she had left.
Ok she's gone. She's also on this channel, Cho said warning Sano.
Sano I am going to beat you to a pulp one of these days if you keep doing things like this. You know that I'm not looking for any kind of relationship, Kaoru voice came through as a warning to her brother.
"I know that is what you say but I don't believe you, when I find the right man for you then you will thank me," Sano boasted.
Like that is ever going to happen, Cho said taking his turn on the radio.
"It will, you just wait and see," Sano said as he pulled into the company parking lot.
Getting out of the van with the take out, Sano carefully opened the door with his elbow the food in both hands.
"Are you ready to eat, Idiot?" Sano asked Cho as he walked towards his desk with a smirk on his face.
Kaoru couldn't stay mad at Sano or Cho for long. She was a bit annoyed because he made sure that she was the one picking up the rice barrels every day this week in hopes that she would meet the guy who worked there. He didn't know that she had already met him and they had taken an instant dislike to each other. She figured that he was either gay or just didn't like girls.
Almost to her destination she radioed the base, "Cho are you sure that we pick up rice today?"
Yea why?
"Well there is no one here at the loading dock. And it's a bit spooky, can you call them while I go make another delivery?" Kaoru asked watching the building for any sign of life.
"Sign here and date it, thanks," Kaoru told the person accepting the delivery.
She bowed politely then walked back to the front of her truck. Hearing the radio she quickly pulled herself into the cab. Grabbing the radio she said, "Repeat that message please,"
Don't worry about the rice pick up today and they said they would call the next time they need us. Sounds like they may be closing shop. So just keep on truckin Lil'Lady, Cho's southern voice floated into the cab.
"Oh thanks, guess I don't get to beat him to a pulp today. Have you been watching those John Wayne westerns again?" Kaoru asked smiling knowing that he used the southern drawl just for her.
How did you know? Cho asked teasing her.
"Oh just a lucky guess," she giggled before letting her radio receiver drop on the seat beside her.
She had three more deliveries to make today then she had two days off. She planned to clean the dojo from top to bottom. With lessons every day and driving truck for Sano to fill in for Kamatari, she hadn't finished the last cleaning.
Missy are you busy next weekend, Sano's voice broke into her thoughts.
"I don't plan that far ahead. Why do you want to know?" She asked suspecting he was going to ask for a favor.
I… I was wondering if you would go with me to make just one pick-up but it has to be on Saturday. Please? Sano pleaded.
"Where are we going to and what are we hauling?" She asked sighing at the thought of just getting in any truck on a Saturday.
Kyoto, Sano said.
"Do you really expect me to drive there and back on my day off? You really are a moron," She screamed into her receiver.
There is a sizeable bonus in it for us if we do it he said.
"This had better be good, but what are we picking up?"
Household furniture. Some rich guy and his kids are moving to Tokyo and don't want to use the rail system so I got the bid to deliver their stuff here by Monday morning. We go over spend the night and drive back the next day. No problem, Sano finished.
"No, if we can't be back within 24 hours then forget it," She stated firmly.
But Kaoru everything will be ok besides then you can visit with the weasel girl. I know that she would love to see you again, Sano said.
"If I can make arrangements for the trip," Kaoru said
Ok you'll see everything'll fine
"Ok," Kaoru sighed to herself.
"I'm at my next drop off," Kaoru said before getting out of the truck to unload the delivery.
TBC…
Thanks for reading.
Sorry, I forgot to mention that this is an A/U story with a hint of reincarnation.
Somewhere in the Middle
Chapter 1: Sano's Trucking Service
Friday morning found Sano driving down a dirt road in his delivery van, chewing on a little plastic stir straw making it bob up and down. He had started his day waking up to his younger sister screaming.
He didn't mind getting up that early because every Friday he had to deliver a package to a business on the outskirts of town before dawn. But this Friday was special because Megumi had agreed to sit at the warehouse answering the phone and he had stopped to show her what to do before continuing the deliveries for the morning.
Back in the van, he was still thinking about Megumi, the love of his life. As he reached for the receiver to ask her to have lunch with him, a female voice came over the radio.
Hello is anyone there? Kaoru asked.
Crackle
Megumi are you there? Kaoru's voice crackled.
Crackle
Cheez I'll have to talk to Cho and have him get these radios tuned in better Sano thought. Taking the stir straw out of his mouth waiting until the line was clear then keyed up his radio, "What's the problem, Missy?" he asked.
Sanosuke, I'm lost… wrong turn… back…
Crackle
Hello are you there? You know… filling in… don't know… over, Megumi's voice cracked through Sano's radio.
Sano smiled when he heard Megumi's voice. It was her day off and she had agreed to act as secretary for the day. His mind slipped back to last week when he'd delivered a package to the science lab at the University and she had to sign for it. When he asked for her phone number, she wrote on the back side of his arm far enough under his short sleeve shirt that he had to take it off and ask someone to read the number to him. What a woman!
Sanosuke, Kaoru's angry voice screamed through the radio.
Snapped back to reality, Sano dropped his stir straw when he grabbed the steering wheel swerving to keep from hitting a pedestrian. Leaning out of the window, he shook his fist at the young boy walking across the road with his face in a book. "Watch where you are walking," he yelled.
"Ok I'm here, where are you?" he growled into the radio receiver.
Just passing the tower… the instructions… hard to read, Kaoru's voice broke up.
"You have to make it to the Station and you only have 45 min., can you make it?" Sano yelled loud enough into his radio that she should have been able to hear him without the radio. When he received no answer he yelled again, "Kaoru, did you hear me?"
Yes no sweat… have lessons… later, came her reply.
After his last delivery for the morning he stopped for food at the take out joint. Back in the van he picked up the radio. "Megumi are you there?" no answer. "Megumi?"
She left… to call later… change channel… alternative, came back a male voice.
"Kuso," swore Sano as he changed the channel on his radio before trying the radio again, "Cho what are you doing at the warehouse?"
Taking care of business, cousin, came back the sarcastic reply, You know that this is my job, that sort of thing, that's what you pay me for, without me your business would sink type thing. And you better be ready for some major knee bending moron.
"Yea yea I know, was she really that mad at me? Say, didn't you have a doctors appointment today, so why are you back?" Sano angrily growled. Sitting at the stop light he reached down, picked up his stir straw, and wiped it off before placing it back in his mouth. There went his chance to eat lunch with Megumi. Hopefully she wasn't to mad at him he thought.
I finished early, so I came back to get some paperwork for the weekend. I heard your transmissions and knew something was wrong. You guys have to stay off that channel, it breaks up all the time. Now if you would listen to me…
Sano turned the volume down on his radio so he wouldn't have to listen to Cho rant about his electronic genius.
"Did you get a hold of Kaoru and have her change channels?" Sano asked once Cho stopped talking.
Didn't have to her truck is parked outside, Cho's voice came back over the radio, You know she has a class she teaches on her lunch.
"What!! Did she make the station on time. She was suppose to pick up that fish and deliver it to the Akabeko," Sano said franticly looking at his clipboard.
Well you want me to ask her? She's in her office, Cho asked sarcastically.
"No she got it done. How does she get all the deliveries there and on time?" Sano grumbled. He barely made it to the ones he had to, where she made almost twice the deliveries.
Well she's prettier than you and she doesn't get lost. Shall I go on? asked Cho.
"She got lost this morning," Sano said sarcastically.
Yea because you took the order and didn't write down clear directions. She chewed me up one side and down the other on that one because she thought that I took the order you moron. Cho finished with a growl.
"At least your good for something. Had lunch yet?" Sano asked stopping the van for a red light. "Ooooh baby," he whistled at two girls in short shirts and tank tops.
The two girls turned smiling at him but kept on walking.
You're going to buy or I'm not going, Cho replied bringing him back to the conversation.
"I thought that I would bring in some take out. Look are you interested or not?" Sano growled.
Sure yea as long as you didn't drop it or something like that, laughed Cho.
"Well I wouldn't tell you if I did," Sano laughed back at him.
You moron, Cho quipped.
Sano did you pickup the rice barrels this morning? Kaoru's voice came over his radio.
Sano quickly moved the controls of the radio making it crackle. When the crackling stopped he asked, "What was that?"
Oh you are so going to get it now, just wait until I see you again, Kaoru threatened sending a chill down his spine even though he knew that he could avoid her until she cooled down.
Sano threw his radio down on the seat beside him like it was a hot potato. After a few minutes he picked it back up again.
Man you shouldn't do that to her. Someday she'll beat you to a bloody pulp. Cho scolded him.
"Is she still there?" Sano inquired.
No she stormed out of here. She has to load that pallet, so it will take her a few minutes. And next time don't put me in the danger zone, you know how violent she can get. Cho told him.
"She only hurts me, you're in no danger. Besides what she needs is to find a man and the guy that works there is a good man. A bit strange but good," Sano defended himself.
If you wouldn't be doing stupid things… Cho stated.
"I'm almost there is her truck gone yet?" Sano inquired.
Just a sec and I will look, Cho replied.
"Come on I don't want to circle the block," Sano said to himself waiting for Cho to tell him that she had left.
Ok she's gone. She's also on this channel, Cho said warning Sano.
Sano I am going to beat you to a pulp one of these days if you keep doing things like this. You know that I'm not looking for any kind of relationship, Kaoru voice came through as a warning to her brother.
"I know that is what you say but I don't believe you, when I find the right man for you then you will thank me," Sano boasted.
Like that is ever going to happen, Cho said taking his turn on the radio.
"It will, you just wait and see," Sano said as he pulled into the company parking lot.
Getting out of the van with the take out, Sano carefully opened the door with his elbow the food in both hands.
"Are you ready to eat, Idiot?" Sano asked Cho as he walked towards his desk with a smirk on his face.
Kaoru couldn't stay mad at Sano or Cho for long. She was a bit annoyed because he made sure that she was the one picking up the rice barrels every day this week in hopes that she would meet the guy who worked there. He didn't know that she had already met him and they had taken an instant dislike to each other. She figured that he was either gay or just didn't like girls.
Almost to her destination she radioed the base, "Cho are you sure that we pick up rice today?"
Yea why?
"Well there is no one here at the loading dock. And it's a bit spooky, can you call them while I go make another delivery?" Kaoru asked watching the building for any sign of life.
"Sign here and date it, thanks," Kaoru told the person accepting the delivery.
She bowed politely then walked back to the front of her truck. Hearing the radio she quickly pulled herself into the cab. Grabbing the radio she said, "Repeat that message please,"
Don't worry about the rice pick up today and they said they would call the next time they need us. Sounds like they may be closing shop. So just keep on truckin Lil'Lady, Cho's southern voice floated into the cab.
"Oh thanks, guess I don't get to beat him to a pulp today. Have you been watching those John Wayne westerns again?" Kaoru asked smiling knowing that he used the southern drawl just for her.
How did you know? Cho asked teasing her.
"Oh just a lucky guess," she giggled before letting her radio receiver drop on the seat beside her.
She had three more deliveries to make today then she had two days off. She planned to clean the dojo from top to bottom. With lessons every day and driving truck for Sano to fill in for Kamatari, she hadn't finished the last cleaning.
Missy are you busy next weekend, Sano's voice broke into her thoughts.
"I don't plan that far ahead. Why do you want to know?" She asked suspecting he was going to ask for a favor.
I… I was wondering if you would go with me to make just one pick-up but it has to be on Saturday. Please? Sano pleaded.
"Where are we going to and what are we hauling?" She asked sighing at the thought of just getting in any truck on a Saturday.
Kyoto, Sano said.
"Do you really expect me to drive there and back on my day off? You really are a moron," She screamed into her receiver.
There is a sizeable bonus in it for us if we do it he said.
"This had better be good, but what are we picking up?"
Household furniture. Some rich guy and his kids are moving to Tokyo and don't want to use the rail system so I got the bid to deliver their stuff here by Monday morning. We go over spend the night and drive back the next day. No problem, Sano finished.
"No, if we can't be back within 24 hours then forget it," She stated firmly.
But Kaoru everything will be ok besides then you can visit with the weasel girl. I know that she would love to see you again, Sano said.
"If I can make arrangements for the trip," Kaoru said
Ok you'll see everything'll fine
"Ok," Kaoru sighed to herself.
"I'm at my next drop off," Kaoru said before getting out of the truck to unload the delivery.
TBC…
Thanks for reading.