Heart, don't fail me now
Courage don't desert me, don't turn back now that we're here
People always say life is full of choices
No one ever mentioned fear
Or how the world can seem so long
Or how the world can seem so fast
Courage see me through, heart I'm trusting you
On this journey to the past (1)
As time trodded along, the pair of vagabonds were ready to return to the Aoiya. They got more jobs, caught more criminals, found more money… the result was excessive dough for the both of them. "Push you? That was divinity working there! That was your karmic retribution! ...I just helped a little..."
"Karma? For what?" Soujirou asked, wiping the fresh mud on his hakama.
"For telling that geek that I found him cute!" Misao huffed. "Don't play innocent, you jerk! Now that freakazoid probably thinks that bug-eyed, scrawny, lanky, stringy-haired nerds are my type!"
Soujirou grinned with a touch of mischief. "They aren't?"
"OF COURSE NOT! I like… tall and muscular guys - with an air of mystery. With smooth, clean skin. And the most enigmatically blue-purple eyes! With a deep, sultry and almost melodic voice!" Soujirou noticed Misao's eyes slowly turn into hearts. He also found it amusing how her vocabulary took a sudden boost. "With silky dark hair that reflects the moonlight! Oh, and the physique! Oh, the physique-"
"Ano, Misao-chan, I think I understand," Soujirou cut in.
"Hm? Eh?" Already wallowed in a particular set of five letters.
"I understand. I'm sorry I told Hanajima-san that you liked him, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings."
Finally giving up on dissecting Aoshi's name in her mind, Misao shrugged. "Oh, well. I see that it's not very easy to forget about me"-insert sweatdropping Soujirou-"but he has to understand that my heart belongs to one person and one person alone!"
"Trust me, I know," he assured her solemnly.
"Urusai, you… Whoooaaa!"
Soujirou stopped walking and examined his apparently frozen friend. "Misao-chan? Daijoubu desu ka?"
A smile slowly formed itself on her blank face. "Sou-chan! I know this place!" she said, back to her exuberant self, pointing giddily at a wooden sign.
Soujirou squinted at the sign. "Kamiya… Dojo?"
"Oh my God, I can't believe how far we--" She was cut off, as Soujirou's body decided to land on top of her. "What THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" she screeched, kicking him off of her. When he didn't get up, that's when she started to worry. "Sou-chan? Sou-chan...? I didn't kick you that hard..."
Panicking, Misao got on her knees, opting to put plan A (shaking him until he gets up) into play. But once her fingers got in contact with him, she was shocked to feel unforgiving heat eminate from him. "Oh no..." As quickly as she could, she crept under Soujirou, hooking his arms around her neck. She got up, a limp Soujirou hanging over her like a coat. Thankfully, Kenshin and Kaoru's optimistic faith in mankind's innate goodness reflected in their easy-access entrance. Sure, robbers may benefit from it in the future, but for now, it was to Misao and Soujirou's luck.
"Himura! Himura! Kaoru?! Anyone!" Misao's knees gave in to the pressure, and she let herself fall, with Soujirou, of course, following suit.
"Misao? Misao? What in hell are you doing here?!" Unruly spikes slashed through the blue sky.
A flood of emotions rushed through Misao, of happiness, of relief, of surprise. Take your pick. But they were emotions she would have to delay expressing. "Get Dr. Gensai or someone quick! My friend's passed out and I think he's down with a really high fever."
"A really high fever?" Yahiko looked at the guy who was drooping all over the place.
"It looks like, now go get someone who can cure him!"
"Someone who can cure him?"
"Geez, Yahiko, I don't have time to play Greek chorus with you, will you just please go?!" Misao snapped.
Without looking back, Yahiko turned and left, with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm.
"What in the... Misao-chan?"
"Kaoru-san! Oh, thank God you're here!" The urge to hug Kaoru was supressed by having a blue-clad figure that was pinning her down with dead weight. "Kaoru-san, I sent Yahiko for help. My friend here, it looks like he's--"
Petitioning God as well, Kaoru gasped in surprise. "Is he alright?" Kaoru gently took Soujirou shoulders to alleviate some of Misao's burden. Misao slowly crawled out from beneath him and helped Kaoru support him to his feet.
"Kaoru-san, you have to let him stay here overnight! Do you have an extra room perhaps..."
Kaoru was already leading him into an empty room, then she and Misao settled him onto the floor. "Here, he can stay here," Kaoru said, when their grueling task was over. She paused for a moment to gather more deserved breath. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay in this room, too. If you're planning to stay at all."
Misao's eyes never strayed far from her ill friend even as she answered Kaoru. "Well, I have to wait for him to get better. I can't haul him all the way to Kyoto, like we did here."
"This boy is going to Kyoto with you?" Kaoru asked, intrigued. "Who is he?"
"Tenken no Soujirou."
Megumi came rushing in, past a remarkably stoic-looking Sanosuke. "Does Kenshin know about this?" Sano continued, watching as Megumi sat herself beside Kaoru, pulling out medical doohickeys from her bag.
"This is the fabled Tenken no Soujirou, huh?" Megumi didn't bother hiding the small smirk that found its way to her lips. "He's kind of cute. Ne, Kaoru?"
Kaoru had been wondering innocently if Sano and Megumi had arrived at the same time. Indefinitely arriving at 'Nah, it's just a coincidence', Kaoru examined Misao more than she did Soujirou. More precisely, Misao's sudden suspisciousness of Megumi. "Yeah, he is handsome. In a pre-teen kind of way." As she said this, she couldn't help but pride herself at bringing out a look of betrayal from Misao.
Oblivious to Misao's building rage, Sano continued to stare at the unconscious boy. "Weasel-chan--"
*Flying kunai*
After begrudgingly returning Misao's weapons to her, Sano continued, "As I was saying... Why did you bring this kid here? To be cured, no less."
"He's my friend, and he's sick. Thought it would be obvious enough," Misao growled.
Sano, and he was not alone, was amused by her display of protectiveness. "I find it strange how you could befriend him--" he began, wanting to evoke more of this defensiveness.
"I don't find it so strange," a gentle voice made itself known. It belonged to a red-haired man who was carrying a child that looked exactly like him, only two times smaller. "Yahiko thought he should tell me about your coming here, Misao-dono, but he didn't tell me that you brought Soujirou along with you."
Misao's intensity finally paced itself as she faced Kenshin. "I didn't think it would be a problem, Himura-san. It's not, is it?" It sounded like she didn't need an answer.
But he gave her one anyway. "There's no problem with helping him get better. He looks like he's in such a terrible condition. How bad is it, Megumi-dono?"
Having been reminded the task at hand, Megumi began to make her way on top of Soujirou. And going up against a hearty protest from Misao. "Hey, hey, what are you doing, you crazy woman?! I told you to see what's wrong with him, not molest him!"
"I'm checking his temperature, my uneducated friend. Now sit down!"
"Yeah, I'm sure getting on top of the patient is standard operating procedure for you doctors, huh? I'll check his temperature!" Misao volunteered, trying to snatch the instrument from Megumi's hand.
Lots of struggling and many maneuvers later, as well as a lot of sweatdrops contributed by Kenshin and Kaoru, Megumi held her curative gizmo in triumph. "He has-- a very high temperature!" she said, in between dodging Misao and her failed attempts.
"Oh, thanks for the diagnosis, doc, we couldn't have figured it out without you!"
"Now we must take off these dirty, wet clothes of his, lest his fever gets any worse--"
"GET YOUR PERVERTED HANDS OFF HIM--"
And as Misao was in the process of stripping Megumi off Soujirou, and Megumi stripping off Soujirou's gi, one can deduce that it would be the worst time for Soujirou to regain his consciousness.
Unfortunately, his consciousness wasn't mindful of bad timing, and Soujirou woke up to Megumi and Misao. Mostly Megumi.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!" was all he could come up with.
"Sou-chan! You're awake!"
From his respective corner, Sanosuke softly echoed, "Sou-chan?"
"Your pants are all muddy." Kaoru said, curious. "What happened? We can let Kenshin clean that if you want."
"Oro?" Kenshin said, at the mention of his name.
Soujirou turned. It was definitely Kenshin. Holding a chibi version of himself, but Kenshin nonetheless. "Himura-san. I am a rurouni now and-"
"I'm glad to see you." Kenshin smiled.
Soujirou stopped. He threw a questioning look at the peaceful man they once called hitokori Battousai.
"I'm glad you're what you told me you'd do, although I'd have been happier to see you healthy and well."
With Soujirou having nothing to reply to that, Kaoru insisted on knowing about the stains. "So, the mud?"
"Oh, well, I got it while Misao-chan and I were walking. You see, she got a bit chagrined about some white lie I told Hanajima-san, then she shoved me and I fell into the mud."
"You let Weasel-chan shove you?" Sano, of course.
"Misao-chan's strength is deceitful, she's actually very powerful especially when she's angry."
"Good point," both Sano and Kenshin agreed.
Megumi took advantage of the distraction it provided Misao, and took off Soujirou's hakama in one clean swipe. "There you go, good-looking, now it's all ready for laundry."
An embarrassed blush began to conquer Soujirou's face, and a basilisk glare conquered Misao's. Seeing the said glare, Kaoru maintained that Misao was spending too much time with Aoshi, but Megumi's reputable history of flirting with former-hitokoris-now-rurounis was worth noting.
Just then, Kenji felt the need to express Soujirou's tumult in a wholehearted cry. Kenshin's calm exterior crumbled as soon as the tears came. "I'm afraid I must go, minna-san. I'll have to put Kenji to sleep," Kenshin said apologetically, making his way out of Soujirou and Misao's temporary room.
Now that the child was out of sight, Misao unleashed the violence that she may be known for, given enough fuel to ignite her temper. She dove for Megumi, aiming to get her off Soujirou, her noble intentions being to give him some space. Unfortunately, her heroic lunge only led to two women tangled in a skirmish on top of Soujirou.
"I think Kenji needs me as well," Kaoru said decidedly, wisely making her escape.
Sano watched the swirly-eyed Soujirou, somewhere underneath the complicated knot of human bodies on top of him. "This must be some divine karmic retribution," Sano decided.
"Cute, but so not original," said a voice that came from the blur of bodies.
Kenshin and Kaoru came to the rescue after having put their baby to sleep. Kaoru took the two women outside at Kenshin's request. Sano left by himself, having lost interest when Soujirou looked like he was about to pass out again.
"Konban wa, Soujirou."
"Thank you, Kenshin-san."
Recalling the scene that was just played out, it was natural for Kenshin to be confused. "Hmmm? For what?"
Soujirou smiled. "For… this. Not neccessarily what just happened. But, just... This new adventure. You gave me a chance to have it."
"I'm just glad you used that opportunity. It gets hard sometimes, you know?"
"Yes, I know. I experience it almost everyday," Soujirou revealed.
"But it'll be worthwhile," Kenshin assured him. "Let me just give you advice, de gozaru ka. Don't look so hard, and don't be in a hurry to find it. You just might miss it." Kenshin smiled at him, then looked in the direction of where he placed Kenji. "And sometimes, what you're looking for might come in a way you didn't expect it." His eyes lingered until they finally rested on Kaoru's figure outside. He smiled peacefully.
Soujirou nodded, smiling back at the older man, seeing his tranquility. "Thank you. Again."
"So. Kaoru told me you'd be going with Misao-dono and Okina to Kyoto."
"Hai."
"Take care of yourselves. May I have your word?"
Recognizing the fact that Misao was a considerably dangerous girl, he thought about his answer. "I'll do what I can."
Outside, needless to say, it wasn't as docile. "Well, sorry, Kaoru, but not all of us are married," Megumi said, in response to Kaoru's scolding her.
"Yeah, but Misao-chan doesn't appreciate you flaunting yourself to her boyf--"
"Chotto matte! He's not my--" Misao groaned in frustration. She's had to explain to people that she and Soujirou had no romantic inclinations towards each other, and Kaoru was probably the explanation's 100th customer. "We're just traveling together that's all."
Megumi was sauntering off to another direction, as Misao was finishing her clarification. "Well, try not to be so jealous the next time I come by, huh? And make him take the herbs I left."
Once she was out of earshot, Misao aired out her frustrations. "Really, that woman makes me furious! And what kind of doctor is she, anyway?"
"Well, it's your fault after all. If you just admitted to her that this guy really is your special someone, then maybe she would've--"
"Hey, do you understand that 'NOT' is a negative adjective?"
Kaoru blinked, genuinely surprised. "You mean he really isn't...?"
The irking fermented into a galloping revulsion in Misao's eyes. "Kaoru. Do the words Shinomori Aoshi ring a bell?"
"Ah." Kaoru paused thoughtfully. "I guess it was a little silly of me to think that you got over him."
Misao nodded. "Yep."
Nighttime came, as well as a general calm. Soujirou was resting alone in the room he was assigned to, upon Misao's unwavering insistence. His headache was getting dull gradually, but it still made its poignant presence known. A funny feeling settled at the pit of his stomach, making him feel like throwing up. Putting that together with the rest of his general body malaise, it wasn't hard to wallow in the misery of sickness.
Suddenly, through the thin walls, he heard Misao's laughter. There were underlying voices that belonged to other people, but all Soujirou heard was Misao. And just as spontaneously as she laughed, his headache eased. The funny feeling shrunk away into oblivion. And all the pieces of achyness just drove out of his system.
Maybe laughter is the best medicine.
It wasn't an aphorism he particularly subscribed to, given the past he came from, but he found that Misao's laughter was more effective than those medicinal herbs.
He wondered about that aimlessly, until a petite ninja girl came in, a tray in hand. "Revisiting restaurant memories, are we?" Soujirou said with a grin.
"Kind of," Misao said, with another one of those magical, healing laughs. "I'm glad to see you looking a bit better. Now tilt your head up a little and make this easier for me," she said, as she took the spoon and started stirring the soup with it.
"Ne, Misao-chan, I can sit up and feed myself."
As soon as he tried to demonstrate this ability of his, Misao used a knee to pin one of his shoulders down. "Come now, don't make such a big deal out of this. The sooner you get done eating, the sooner we can get to sleep. We need lots of rest, you especially, if you want to head to Kyoto by tomorrow."
By now, Soujirou was used to the limited number of choices he had when dealing with a firmly decided Misao. So he swallowed his pride and let Misao feed him. And he wasn't sure, maybe the soup was too hot, maybe it was his fever... but with each spoonful she fed him, he could feel his heart getting warmer and warmer. The funny feeling in his stomach came back, only less unpleasant.
It didn't leave him, not even as they were trying to sleep. It only grew more intense, as he felt a longing to close the gap between him and Misao. He was sick, he decided, that's probably why he was in need of affection. Maybe he was even delirious in high fever. Whatever the case may be, he went to sleep, his last thoughts were of getting to hold her as they fell asleep together...
Morning came without a feeling of wanting to throw up. Which is always a cheerful 6 AM thought. And soon as the day progressed, with Soujirou completely remedied, it was time to leave.
"Make sure to take care of yourself, Soujirou. You just got better," Kaoru said.
Soujirou nodded. "Hai."
"And Misao, try not to throw him into too many mud puddles. He just got better."
"I'll keep that in mind," Misao promised dutifully.
"Have a safe trip! Please come back whenever possible," Kenshin said. In his arms, his son waved Soujirou and Misao good-bye. "And Misao? Do make that Aoshi smile."
Misao grinned. "You can count on me."
"Arigato, Kaoru-san, Himura-san." Soujirou smiled, looking at Kenshin and his family. "Honto ni arigato."
A few minutes later, Soujirou and Misao were on the road again.
Our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why
We met, we laughed, we held on fast and then we said good-bye
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?
Let them ring out loud 'till they unfold…
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine
Adding to the layers of harmony
And so it goes, on and on
Melodies of life, to the sky beyond the flying birds
Forever and beyond…
Your voice will still remember our melody
Now I know we'll carry on
Melodies of life, come circle round and grow deep in our hearts
As long as we remember (2)
author ramblings; Sorry, I had to let them meet the K-gumi once again. I'm just being a self-indulgent author. And he just suddenly started calling her Misao-chan this chapter… Oh, and please don't blame me for making Soujirou sick or making Megumi and Misao fight. (pointing at meiling-sama) It was all her fault! I'm just an innocent obliging writer... Hope I did your ideas some justice, meiling!
*elusive@phantom.org doesn't work right now, so in the meantime please e-mail me at i_am_not_ris@yahoo.com
notes;
(1) "Journey to the Past"; Anastasia
(2) "Melodies of Life"; Final Fantasy 9
Courage don't desert me, don't turn back now that we're here
People always say life is full of choices
No one ever mentioned fear
Or how the world can seem so long
Or how the world can seem so fast
Courage see me through, heart I'm trusting you
On this journey to the past (1)
As time trodded along, the pair of vagabonds were ready to return to the Aoiya. They got more jobs, caught more criminals, found more money… the result was excessive dough for the both of them. "Push you? That was divinity working there! That was your karmic retribution! ...I just helped a little..."
"Karma? For what?" Soujirou asked, wiping the fresh mud on his hakama.
"For telling that geek that I found him cute!" Misao huffed. "Don't play innocent, you jerk! Now that freakazoid probably thinks that bug-eyed, scrawny, lanky, stringy-haired nerds are my type!"
Soujirou grinned with a touch of mischief. "They aren't?"
"OF COURSE NOT! I like… tall and muscular guys - with an air of mystery. With smooth, clean skin. And the most enigmatically blue-purple eyes! With a deep, sultry and almost melodic voice!" Soujirou noticed Misao's eyes slowly turn into hearts. He also found it amusing how her vocabulary took a sudden boost. "With silky dark hair that reflects the moonlight! Oh, and the physique! Oh, the physique-"
"Ano, Misao-chan, I think I understand," Soujirou cut in.
"Hm? Eh?" Already wallowed in a particular set of five letters.
"I understand. I'm sorry I told Hanajima-san that you liked him, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings."
Finally giving up on dissecting Aoshi's name in her mind, Misao shrugged. "Oh, well. I see that it's not very easy to forget about me"-insert sweatdropping Soujirou-"but he has to understand that my heart belongs to one person and one person alone!"
"Trust me, I know," he assured her solemnly.
"Urusai, you… Whoooaaa!"
Soujirou stopped walking and examined his apparently frozen friend. "Misao-chan? Daijoubu desu ka?"
A smile slowly formed itself on her blank face. "Sou-chan! I know this place!" she said, back to her exuberant self, pointing giddily at a wooden sign.
Soujirou squinted at the sign. "Kamiya… Dojo?"
"Oh my God, I can't believe how far we--" She was cut off, as Soujirou's body decided to land on top of her. "What THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" she screeched, kicking him off of her. When he didn't get up, that's when she started to worry. "Sou-chan? Sou-chan...? I didn't kick you that hard..."
Panicking, Misao got on her knees, opting to put plan A (shaking him until he gets up) into play. But once her fingers got in contact with him, she was shocked to feel unforgiving heat eminate from him. "Oh no..." As quickly as she could, she crept under Soujirou, hooking his arms around her neck. She got up, a limp Soujirou hanging over her like a coat. Thankfully, Kenshin and Kaoru's optimistic faith in mankind's innate goodness reflected in their easy-access entrance. Sure, robbers may benefit from it in the future, but for now, it was to Misao and Soujirou's luck.
"Himura! Himura! Kaoru?! Anyone!" Misao's knees gave in to the pressure, and she let herself fall, with Soujirou, of course, following suit.
"Misao? Misao? What in hell are you doing here?!" Unruly spikes slashed through the blue sky.
A flood of emotions rushed through Misao, of happiness, of relief, of surprise. Take your pick. But they were emotions she would have to delay expressing. "Get Dr. Gensai or someone quick! My friend's passed out and I think he's down with a really high fever."
"A really high fever?" Yahiko looked at the guy who was drooping all over the place.
"It looks like, now go get someone who can cure him!"
"Someone who can cure him?"
"Geez, Yahiko, I don't have time to play Greek chorus with you, will you just please go?!" Misao snapped.
Without looking back, Yahiko turned and left, with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm.
"What in the... Misao-chan?"
"Kaoru-san! Oh, thank God you're here!" The urge to hug Kaoru was supressed by having a blue-clad figure that was pinning her down with dead weight. "Kaoru-san, I sent Yahiko for help. My friend here, it looks like he's--"
Petitioning God as well, Kaoru gasped in surprise. "Is he alright?" Kaoru gently took Soujirou shoulders to alleviate some of Misao's burden. Misao slowly crawled out from beneath him and helped Kaoru support him to his feet.
"Kaoru-san, you have to let him stay here overnight! Do you have an extra room perhaps..."
Kaoru was already leading him into an empty room, then she and Misao settled him onto the floor. "Here, he can stay here," Kaoru said, when their grueling task was over. She paused for a moment to gather more deserved breath. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay in this room, too. If you're planning to stay at all."
Misao's eyes never strayed far from her ill friend even as she answered Kaoru. "Well, I have to wait for him to get better. I can't haul him all the way to Kyoto, like we did here."
"This boy is going to Kyoto with you?" Kaoru asked, intrigued. "Who is he?"
"Tenken no Soujirou."
Megumi came rushing in, past a remarkably stoic-looking Sanosuke. "Does Kenshin know about this?" Sano continued, watching as Megumi sat herself beside Kaoru, pulling out medical doohickeys from her bag.
"This is the fabled Tenken no Soujirou, huh?" Megumi didn't bother hiding the small smirk that found its way to her lips. "He's kind of cute. Ne, Kaoru?"
Kaoru had been wondering innocently if Sano and Megumi had arrived at the same time. Indefinitely arriving at 'Nah, it's just a coincidence', Kaoru examined Misao more than she did Soujirou. More precisely, Misao's sudden suspisciousness of Megumi. "Yeah, he is handsome. In a pre-teen kind of way." As she said this, she couldn't help but pride herself at bringing out a look of betrayal from Misao.
Oblivious to Misao's building rage, Sano continued to stare at the unconscious boy. "Weasel-chan--"
*Flying kunai*
After begrudgingly returning Misao's weapons to her, Sano continued, "As I was saying... Why did you bring this kid here? To be cured, no less."
"He's my friend, and he's sick. Thought it would be obvious enough," Misao growled.
Sano, and he was not alone, was amused by her display of protectiveness. "I find it strange how you could befriend him--" he began, wanting to evoke more of this defensiveness.
"I don't find it so strange," a gentle voice made itself known. It belonged to a red-haired man who was carrying a child that looked exactly like him, only two times smaller. "Yahiko thought he should tell me about your coming here, Misao-dono, but he didn't tell me that you brought Soujirou along with you."
Misao's intensity finally paced itself as she faced Kenshin. "I didn't think it would be a problem, Himura-san. It's not, is it?" It sounded like she didn't need an answer.
But he gave her one anyway. "There's no problem with helping him get better. He looks like he's in such a terrible condition. How bad is it, Megumi-dono?"
Having been reminded the task at hand, Megumi began to make her way on top of Soujirou. And going up against a hearty protest from Misao. "Hey, hey, what are you doing, you crazy woman?! I told you to see what's wrong with him, not molest him!"
"I'm checking his temperature, my uneducated friend. Now sit down!"
"Yeah, I'm sure getting on top of the patient is standard operating procedure for you doctors, huh? I'll check his temperature!" Misao volunteered, trying to snatch the instrument from Megumi's hand.
Lots of struggling and many maneuvers later, as well as a lot of sweatdrops contributed by Kenshin and Kaoru, Megumi held her curative gizmo in triumph. "He has-- a very high temperature!" she said, in between dodging Misao and her failed attempts.
"Oh, thanks for the diagnosis, doc, we couldn't have figured it out without you!"
"Now we must take off these dirty, wet clothes of his, lest his fever gets any worse--"
"GET YOUR PERVERTED HANDS OFF HIM--"
And as Misao was in the process of stripping Megumi off Soujirou, and Megumi stripping off Soujirou's gi, one can deduce that it would be the worst time for Soujirou to regain his consciousness.
Unfortunately, his consciousness wasn't mindful of bad timing, and Soujirou woke up to Megumi and Misao. Mostly Megumi.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!" was all he could come up with.
"Sou-chan! You're awake!"
From his respective corner, Sanosuke softly echoed, "Sou-chan?"
"Your pants are all muddy." Kaoru said, curious. "What happened? We can let Kenshin clean that if you want."
"Oro?" Kenshin said, at the mention of his name.
Soujirou turned. It was definitely Kenshin. Holding a chibi version of himself, but Kenshin nonetheless. "Himura-san. I am a rurouni now and-"
"I'm glad to see you." Kenshin smiled.
Soujirou stopped. He threw a questioning look at the peaceful man they once called hitokori Battousai.
"I'm glad you're what you told me you'd do, although I'd have been happier to see you healthy and well."
With Soujirou having nothing to reply to that, Kaoru insisted on knowing about the stains. "So, the mud?"
"Oh, well, I got it while Misao-chan and I were walking. You see, she got a bit chagrined about some white lie I told Hanajima-san, then she shoved me and I fell into the mud."
"You let Weasel-chan shove you?" Sano, of course.
"Misao-chan's strength is deceitful, she's actually very powerful especially when she's angry."
"Good point," both Sano and Kenshin agreed.
Megumi took advantage of the distraction it provided Misao, and took off Soujirou's hakama in one clean swipe. "There you go, good-looking, now it's all ready for laundry."
An embarrassed blush began to conquer Soujirou's face, and a basilisk glare conquered Misao's. Seeing the said glare, Kaoru maintained that Misao was spending too much time with Aoshi, but Megumi's reputable history of flirting with former-hitokoris-now-rurounis was worth noting.
Just then, Kenji felt the need to express Soujirou's tumult in a wholehearted cry. Kenshin's calm exterior crumbled as soon as the tears came. "I'm afraid I must go, minna-san. I'll have to put Kenji to sleep," Kenshin said apologetically, making his way out of Soujirou and Misao's temporary room.
Now that the child was out of sight, Misao unleashed the violence that she may be known for, given enough fuel to ignite her temper. She dove for Megumi, aiming to get her off Soujirou, her noble intentions being to give him some space. Unfortunately, her heroic lunge only led to two women tangled in a skirmish on top of Soujirou.
"I think Kenji needs me as well," Kaoru said decidedly, wisely making her escape.
Sano watched the swirly-eyed Soujirou, somewhere underneath the complicated knot of human bodies on top of him. "This must be some divine karmic retribution," Sano decided.
"Cute, but so not original," said a voice that came from the blur of bodies.
Kenshin and Kaoru came to the rescue after having put their baby to sleep. Kaoru took the two women outside at Kenshin's request. Sano left by himself, having lost interest when Soujirou looked like he was about to pass out again.
"Konban wa, Soujirou."
"Thank you, Kenshin-san."
Recalling the scene that was just played out, it was natural for Kenshin to be confused. "Hmmm? For what?"
Soujirou smiled. "For… this. Not neccessarily what just happened. But, just... This new adventure. You gave me a chance to have it."
"I'm just glad you used that opportunity. It gets hard sometimes, you know?"
"Yes, I know. I experience it almost everyday," Soujirou revealed.
"But it'll be worthwhile," Kenshin assured him. "Let me just give you advice, de gozaru ka. Don't look so hard, and don't be in a hurry to find it. You just might miss it." Kenshin smiled at him, then looked in the direction of where he placed Kenji. "And sometimes, what you're looking for might come in a way you didn't expect it." His eyes lingered until they finally rested on Kaoru's figure outside. He smiled peacefully.
Soujirou nodded, smiling back at the older man, seeing his tranquility. "Thank you. Again."
"So. Kaoru told me you'd be going with Misao-dono and Okina to Kyoto."
"Hai."
"Take care of yourselves. May I have your word?"
Recognizing the fact that Misao was a considerably dangerous girl, he thought about his answer. "I'll do what I can."
Outside, needless to say, it wasn't as docile. "Well, sorry, Kaoru, but not all of us are married," Megumi said, in response to Kaoru's scolding her.
"Yeah, but Misao-chan doesn't appreciate you flaunting yourself to her boyf--"
"Chotto matte! He's not my--" Misao groaned in frustration. She's had to explain to people that she and Soujirou had no romantic inclinations towards each other, and Kaoru was probably the explanation's 100th customer. "We're just traveling together that's all."
Megumi was sauntering off to another direction, as Misao was finishing her clarification. "Well, try not to be so jealous the next time I come by, huh? And make him take the herbs I left."
Once she was out of earshot, Misao aired out her frustrations. "Really, that woman makes me furious! And what kind of doctor is she, anyway?"
"Well, it's your fault after all. If you just admitted to her that this guy really is your special someone, then maybe she would've--"
"Hey, do you understand that 'NOT' is a negative adjective?"
Kaoru blinked, genuinely surprised. "You mean he really isn't...?"
The irking fermented into a galloping revulsion in Misao's eyes. "Kaoru. Do the words Shinomori Aoshi ring a bell?"
"Ah." Kaoru paused thoughtfully. "I guess it was a little silly of me to think that you got over him."
Misao nodded. "Yep."
Nighttime came, as well as a general calm. Soujirou was resting alone in the room he was assigned to, upon Misao's unwavering insistence. His headache was getting dull gradually, but it still made its poignant presence known. A funny feeling settled at the pit of his stomach, making him feel like throwing up. Putting that together with the rest of his general body malaise, it wasn't hard to wallow in the misery of sickness.
Suddenly, through the thin walls, he heard Misao's laughter. There were underlying voices that belonged to other people, but all Soujirou heard was Misao. And just as spontaneously as she laughed, his headache eased. The funny feeling shrunk away into oblivion. And all the pieces of achyness just drove out of his system.
Maybe laughter is the best medicine.
It wasn't an aphorism he particularly subscribed to, given the past he came from, but he found that Misao's laughter was more effective than those medicinal herbs.
He wondered about that aimlessly, until a petite ninja girl came in, a tray in hand. "Revisiting restaurant memories, are we?" Soujirou said with a grin.
"Kind of," Misao said, with another one of those magical, healing laughs. "I'm glad to see you looking a bit better. Now tilt your head up a little and make this easier for me," she said, as she took the spoon and started stirring the soup with it.
"Ne, Misao-chan, I can sit up and feed myself."
As soon as he tried to demonstrate this ability of his, Misao used a knee to pin one of his shoulders down. "Come now, don't make such a big deal out of this. The sooner you get done eating, the sooner we can get to sleep. We need lots of rest, you especially, if you want to head to Kyoto by tomorrow."
By now, Soujirou was used to the limited number of choices he had when dealing with a firmly decided Misao. So he swallowed his pride and let Misao feed him. And he wasn't sure, maybe the soup was too hot, maybe it was his fever... but with each spoonful she fed him, he could feel his heart getting warmer and warmer. The funny feeling in his stomach came back, only less unpleasant.
It didn't leave him, not even as they were trying to sleep. It only grew more intense, as he felt a longing to close the gap between him and Misao. He was sick, he decided, that's probably why he was in need of affection. Maybe he was even delirious in high fever. Whatever the case may be, he went to sleep, his last thoughts were of getting to hold her as they fell asleep together...
Morning came without a feeling of wanting to throw up. Which is always a cheerful 6 AM thought. And soon as the day progressed, with Soujirou completely remedied, it was time to leave.
"Make sure to take care of yourself, Soujirou. You just got better," Kaoru said.
Soujirou nodded. "Hai."
"And Misao, try not to throw him into too many mud puddles. He just got better."
"I'll keep that in mind," Misao promised dutifully.
"Have a safe trip! Please come back whenever possible," Kenshin said. In his arms, his son waved Soujirou and Misao good-bye. "And Misao? Do make that Aoshi smile."
Misao grinned. "You can count on me."
"Arigato, Kaoru-san, Himura-san." Soujirou smiled, looking at Kenshin and his family. "Honto ni arigato."
A few minutes later, Soujirou and Misao were on the road again.
Our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why
We met, we laughed, we held on fast and then we said good-bye
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?
Let them ring out loud 'till they unfold…
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine
Adding to the layers of harmony
And so it goes, on and on
Melodies of life, to the sky beyond the flying birds
Forever and beyond…
Your voice will still remember our melody
Now I know we'll carry on
Melodies of life, come circle round and grow deep in our hearts
As long as we remember (2)
author ramblings; Sorry, I had to let them meet the K-gumi once again. I'm just being a self-indulgent author. And he just suddenly started calling her Misao-chan this chapter… Oh, and please don't blame me for making Soujirou sick or making Megumi and Misao fight. (pointing at meiling-sama) It was all her fault! I'm just an innocent obliging writer... Hope I did your ideas some justice, meiling!
*elusive@phantom.org doesn't work right now, so in the meantime please e-mail me at i_am_not_ris@yahoo.com
notes;
(1) "Journey to the Past"; Anastasia
(2) "Melodies of Life"; Final Fantasy 9