For those who are familiar with this story, yes, I used a cat & a dragon as prologue, just to remind you… Anyway, I made a mistake in the timeline… Sorry, about that. Bah, here's the sequel, A cat and a Dragon.
Have fun, mikim.
"A Cat and a Dragon"
As usual standards disclaimers apply. The song belongs to the Joe Hisaishi. From the Sen to Chihiro Soundtrack.
Tokio had been helping Arashi all day at the inn, helping her to clean up the rooms, prepare the meals, arrange the flowers and so on and so forth. The day was bright, and she hadn't felt so cheerful for a long time. A feeling of guilt kept on tugging at her soul, but she refused to acknowledge it by busing herself with her newfound friend.
Lunch time had came and passed without Tokio noticing it, so it was to her surprise that Kagome forced her to sit in the kitchen with the other maids to enjoy her meal. Kagome's kids were there as well, making a ruckus in the kitchen as usual. The boys and their little sister had already eaten, but they liked to hang around in the kitchen. Tokio was sitting next to Arashi on the porch leading to the garden, their meal trays lying forgotten and empty besides them. The maid was babbling on about her dream love: the captain of the second squad, which made Tokio smile.
For one reason or another, the kids were banished from the kitchen and were sent rather abruptly in the garden. The little boys looked at each other then shrugged and ran away to cause some more mischief. Sakura-chan glanced hesitantly first at the girls sitting on the porch and then at her brothers, unable to decide what to do.
Tokio noticed her and called her name:
"Sakura-chan! Come here!" She waved enthusiastically at the little girl and was greeted by a sunny smile on her cherry face. Sakura-chan ran to them, laughing heartily and nearly jumped into Tokio's lap.
"Tokio-neesan!" She cried in greeting, her exuberant little arms closing themselves fiercely around Tokio's neck to give her a hug. Arashi giggled at Sakura-chan's display and at Tokio's horrified expression when the little bundle of energy fell right into her lap and almost choked her to death. "Sing for me! Please! Pretty please!" She begged, trying to convince her by trying the 'puppy eyes' technique as her brothers disgustedly put it.
"Oh, yes! That's a great idea! Tokio-chan, you have such an incredible voice! Oh, please, sing us something again." Arashi added, clapping her hands expectedly.
Tokio put a finger on Sakura-chan's nose and rubbed it, making the little girl giggle. "Hmm, I don't know..." Tokio replied hesitantly.
"Oh, please, Tokio-chan, before Kagome-sama calls us to get back to work." Arashi begged, and she grabbed Sakura-chan, making her sit on her lap and moved her head until she was cheek to cheek against Sakura-chan. Then the two of them gave Tokio the best display of 'puppy eyes' they could manage.
Tokio laughed at their antics and finally gave in. "Okay, then. Let's see…" She turned her glittering eyes with laughter to the blue sky, trying to find a song. "Oh, there's a song my mother would sing to my brother and I whenever we were crying. Her voice, while singing this song, would wash away our tears because of the warmth she held in it."
Sakura-chan clapped her hands happily, and exclaimed, rather loudly into Arashi's ear, who was still holding her close. "Oh, yes, sing it, please, pretty please, Tokio-neesan."
Tokio burst in laughter at Arashi's expression: her friend looked like she could see angels turning around her head. After stifling her laughter, thanks to a deadly glare from Arashi, Tokio answered the little girl. "Alright."
Tokio's eyes turned dreamy as if she was looking at something or someone the others couldn't see, and her clear voice rose in the light of the mid-summer day.
She calls me this voice,
Deep down my heart.
I would like to dream
Only dreams, which thrill me.
I crossed oceans of sadness.
But I know that on the other bank,
I shall meet you certainly.
I am this traveler
Who always repeats the same errors.
But who knows the blue of the sky
To have investigated it in every fall.
The road seems long and endless,
But I can of these two arms
Embrace the light
My heart stops beating
Whenever I tell you goodbye.
My empty and silent body
Stretches out an ear towards the world.
The wonder of the life,
The wonder of the death.
Flowers, wind and cities
Participate in the same wonder.
She calls me this voice,
Deep down my heart.
Always let us dream
The same liked dreams.
Rather than to enumerate
The ritornelle of the misfortunes.
Let us use the same lips
To sing cheerfully.
This voice locked
Into every recollection.
Let us continue to listen it and to keep it
Affectedly the whisper.
Over the mirror
Broken in one thousand pieces.
Thousands of new landscapes
Are now reflected.
Through the peaceful window
Of the first morning.
My empty and silent body
Is going to fill with a new life.
No more need to look
Beyond seas.
The spark of the happiness
Is there, near me
I found it finally.
It is there deep down of me.
Tokio let her voice die and an unreal silence remained around her.
Arashi was
the first to break it when she whispered. "Aah, I feel like I'm floating
on a cloud. Your voice is simply enchanting."
Trust Arashi to have silly expressions, Tokio thought, covering a chuckle with
the back of her hand. "Thanks, I'm glad you like it."
"Will you teach me the song?" Sakura-chan burst in, her eyes locked
onto Tokio's face.
"Arashi-chan!" A voice, behind them suddenly called. It was Kagome,
the owner of the inn, standing in the doorway with a soft smile on her lips.
Arashi turned around and quickly stood up, putting Sakura-chan on the ground
and gathering hers and Tokio's food tray. "Oh, it's Kagome-sama. I'm
coming right now, Kagome-sama."
Tokio stood up as well to follow Arashi when Kagome interrupted her. "No,
no, Tokio-chan, you stay here. You helped us enough this morning, that was
extremely kind of you."
"Oh, no, Kagome-san, don't worry, i like it." Tokio answered
truthfully.
Kagome smiled back and gave in. "Then, maybe you could watch the
scoundrels i have the great displeasure of calling my children?"
"Okaasan!" Sakura-chan stomped her little foot, annoyed by her
mother's pet name for her and her brothers.
Tokio looked down at her and threw a glance at the two boys who were having a sword fight with some wooden sticks. "I'd be glad to, Kagome-san." She told Kagome, meeting her eyes steadily. Kagome nodded and went back in the kitchen. Arashi followed her, smiling at Tokio.
Sakura-chan
wasted no time and tugged on Tokio's hand, leading her deeper into the garden,
next to the back door. "Tokio-neesan, come here."
A small, tiger-like kitty walked lazily into the garden from the ajar door.
Sakura-chan noticed and squealed, opening her arms wide and running toward the
poor animal. "Oh, a baby cat." She exclaimed, brushing her cheek
against the animal's. "Look, Tokio-neesan. It's a baby cat!" She
added, extending her arms so that Tokio could see the kitten.
"It's cute." Tokio answered, but suddenly, the little cat broke free
for the little girl's grip and ran away, by the door.
"Oh, wait!" Sakura-chan cried out, running
after her cat, outside the garden.
"Sakura-chan!" Tokio yelled after her, running as fast as she could
in her kimono and sandals. The outside of the inn led to a street which turned
in three different directions, but no Sakura-chan in sight. "Sakura-chan,
come here." Tokio called, a bit upset of losing the girl so fast.
"Sakura-chan, where are you?" She called again as no one answered
her. A few passant were walking by, but when Tokio saw them, she couldn't
muster enough courage to ask them if they had seen a little girl, because one
of them could be * him *.
Unknown to
her, Sakura-chan wasn't looking where she was going -- no she was only looking
at the direction her cat was taking. That was why she didn't see the older boy,
a lot bigger and heavier than her, joking with his friends, before she walked
directly into him. "Wah!" She cried out, falling on her behind. The
boy too fell backwards but he jumped on his feet almost immediately after, it didn't save him from the snickers and the
sarcastic comments his friends. They were joking about how easily a little girl could make him
fall and despite the boy's denials, his friends kept on snickering, making him
more than a little annoyed.
Sakura-chan, still sitting on the ground, raised her eyes to meet the angry
ones of the boy she had just bumped into and suddenly heard her name being
called. "Sakura-chan!"
"Tokio-neesan!!" Scared, Sakura-chan stood up and backed from the
older boy who marched on her, wanting to show his friends he was much stronger
than a little girl, but a strong hand stopped him.
"Why don't you look for an enemy of your size?" The boy turned on his
side, glaring at whoever had addressed him, and he met the violet eyes of a man
with long red hair, tied up in a high ponytail, a sword on his side.
I am this traveler
Who always repeats the same errors.
But who knows the blue of the sky
To have investigated it in every fall.
Kenshin came
closer till he stood between the boy and his target and glared down at him,
making him tremble and back away slowly to his friends. He then turned his eyes
toward the boy's friends too and the whole lot turned around and ran.
"Sakura-chan!" A female voice called again, attracting the little
girl's attention.
"Tokio-neesan!"
Kenshin
turned around to see the little girl, presuming she was 'Sakura-chan' and
handed her a small bundle which had ran into him a little earlier.
"Here, chibi-chan. I think this baby cat is yours, no?" Kenshin
smiled down at her, and was rewarded by a sunny smile.
Sakura-chan beamed and held her cat close to her heart, looking up at the man.
"Yes! Thank you a lot!" Unnoticed by the pair, Tokio arrived at that
moment.
"Oh, it's nothing, chibi-chan." Tokio stared at the young, red haired
man that had helped Sakura-chan. He was barely 15 but he looked more than
comfortable with the sword he held on his side. The dark blue hakama and the
white gi were worn, like those of a man who had been walking for a long time.
The road seems long and endless,
But I can of these two arms
Embrace the light
His violet
eyes gently looking down at Sakura-chan while she hugged his leg with one arm
in thanks, her cat in the other arm. Something was wrong with this man. Tokio
felt it instantly. Something was changing in him; something was starting to
devour him; something was pulling him inside the darkness. Tokio shivered
lightly. She had almost smelled blood coming from the young man.
"Thank you so much for finding her and helping her out, sir." Tokio
finally said, coming closer to the pair, her eyes settling themselves on the
man. Sakura-chan squealed when she saw Tokio and ran to her. Tokio bent to the
little girl level and hugged her, relieved of finding her but she never took
her gaze off the man.
"It was nothing." He answered, smiling gently at her, his violet eyes
twinkling softly. Tokio stood up and Sakura-chan immediately attached herself
around her leg.
"Your daughter should just learn not to pick up fights with boys!" He
ruffled Sakura-chan's brown hair, making her giggle, her little cheeks pink.
A warm feeling rose in Tokio's chest: this man was dangerous, she could feel
blood around him but he'd never harmed anyone for fun. No, despite the darkness
that seemed to linger around the man, she could also see, as he ruffled
Sakura-chan's hair, a kind heart, much like the one of a child. He was a boy in
the body of a man, a child lost in the horror of war.
Rather than to enumerate
The ritornelle of the misfortunes.
Let us use the same lips
To sing cheerfully.
"She's
not my mother!" The little girl said happily, attracting Tokio's
attention, by tugging on her hand. "She's my Tokio-neesan!" Tokio
took Sakura-chan in her arms, smiling softly down at her, even if her heart
felt heavy for the man-child in front of her.
"Thank you again, sir." She said, trying to see through the mask.
"My name's Himura and please, don't call me sir, I'm not that old."
The young man answered, suddenly blushing. This woman's eyes looked weird: they
made him feel like a child. She seemed to see past his mask and Kenshin cursed
himself for behaving like such a fool. He should just take his leave, but
something about her made him feel… Well, almost like how he was feeling when he
was a little boy, still behind his mother's skirts -- young, carefree and
ignorant of the horrors life could bring.
Tokio smiled. "Then, thank you a lot, Himura-san. My name's Magami, Tokio
Magami and this is Sakura-chan." Tokio said with a small bow, but she had
to hide a smile behind her hand as Sakura-chan tried to copy her bow while the
kitten she still held in her arms was trying to wiggle free from the little
girl's grip.
"Well, Sakura-chan, Magami-san, goodbye -- and Sakura-chan be careful the
next time!"
"Hai!" She promised him, holding her cat with both hands this time.
Tokio put Sakura-chan down and called out softly to the younger
man. "Wait, Himura-san." The young red-hair man stopped and turned
around, curious. And he froze, stunned.
The sight of a woman out of the time greeted him. Her long, black hair had a will of its own, whirling around her, resting on her shoulders and her odd black eyes seemed to see what other people couldn't. "The next time we meet, I'll be the one helping you." Her soft whisper reaching his ears on the wings of the soft wind, which had suddenly risen when she had spoken.
I would like to dream
Only dreams, which thrill me.
I crossed oceans of sadness.
But I know that on the other bank,
I shall meet you certainly.
Startled, the younger man said nothing and just stared at her, his violet eyes locked with her night gaze. The two of them remained unmoving, staring at each other, as if sharing a secret knowledge.
My empty and silent body
Is going to fill with a new life.
The young man bowed deeply in front of the woman and turned around silently, as if nothing had happened or as if he had nothing to add, suddenly breaking the mystic mood.
The spark of the happiness
Is there, near me
I found it finally.
It is there deep down of me.
Satisfied,
Tokio nodded after his departure and took Sakura-chan's tiny hand in hers and
led her back to the inn, knowing fully she'd see that young man again, when
Fate would have marked him as one of her 'chosen ones'.
A lost child angel in a time of war, demon with the eyes of a child -- he
surely was an assassin.
She calls me this voice,
Deep down my heart.
A tall woman, dressed in a deep red kimono with white plum blossoms designed
on it, with long, black hair, held in a loose ponytail at the base of her neck,
suddenly stopped in her walk, startling the two children walking by her side.
"Eiji-kun, I think that it was left after the market."
A young boy around 14 years old turned around and looked at her, an eyebrow up.
His unruly dark hair and dark brown eyes made him look fierce but in the eyes
of the little girl on his back, he was the best big brother ever. Eiji tilted
his head on the side, in annoyance, frowning a little.
"But, Okaasan, you said it was right after the next…" The boy stopped himself
in his ranting, as his mother's face twisted in a grimace, making him sigh in
surrender. "Oh, why bother, we're lost, aren't we?"
The woman bent her head and sighed too. "Looks like. I'm sorry, Eiji-kun." She
apologized in a soft voice.
Eiji only shrugged back. "It's alright, Okaasan, we're all used of you getting
lost. I should've paid more attention this morning."
A bittersweet laugh escaped the woman's throat, making Eiji's face lit up with one of his rare smiles. "Well, now, I guess we'll have to wait for your father to come and get us out of trouble…" She looked around her, as if she expected her husband to pop out of nowhere just because she mentioned him.
The little girl on Eiji's back suddenly livened up as two, and then
three drops fell on the ground. "Niichan! Niichan! It's raining!" She said,
opening her arms wide and turning her face up to the rainy skies.
"Yes, thank you, Arashi-chan, I haven't realized it." Eiji said a bit dryly to
tease her and put her down. He then looked up at the sky too, and his young
face twisted with annoyance and determination, the rain coming closer. He
lowered his gaze to his mother and his little sister and told the first.
"Okaasan, stay here with Arashi-chan, I'm going to get him."
Immediately, in alarm, the elder woman turned to look at him, worry on her
face. "Alone? Wait, Eiji-kun, we'd better…" But, then her son started to run
away, as the rain started to fall heavier.
Eiji covered his face with one of his arms and yelled to cover the sound of the
rain. "I'll run! I promise I won't be long, you two stay here, ok?"
"YES, Niichan!" Arashi yelled in response, waving at her brother.
"Be careful, Eiji-kun!"
Eiji turned around a last time, to yell, teasingly. "Silly, watch over
Okaasan!"
"Arashi is not silly!!!" Arashi stomped an angry little foot while her mother
covered her mouth with her hand, laughing. She then took her daughter's hand in
hers and walked to a nearly sheltered place by a large tree.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Eiji ran under the heavy rain. He was drenched in a couple of seconds
but he kept on running, despite the now muddy and slippery road, shielding his
eyes from the slashing rain with one arm raised, he tracked his way back to the
market they've just left. When he got there, the market was empty, while it was
so crowded almost half-an-hour earlier than they had problem walking through
it. He approached an old merchant of fruits.
"Excuse-me."
The elderly woman turned around to find a little boy, around 14, drenched to
bones. Startled, she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him inside the small
shop, giving him a shelter.
"I need to find the police station, could you indicate me the way to it,
please?" Eiji asked, while the woman dragged him inside.
"And, why, my boy?"
"I need to find someone there." Eiji answered quickly, looking above his
shoulder at the pouring rain.
"Well, stay here till the rain stops and…"
Eiji interrupted the woman quite rudely, but he didn't have time to lose. "No,
my Okaasan and my little sister are waiting under the rain so I have to hurry."
"Alright, then you go left when…"
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Sanosuke cursed under his breath. Just my luck! Damnit! Why does rain
have to come so quickly in this damn city?
He was running at full speed towards the dojo when a flash of purple caught his
eyes. What? Sanosuke slowed down and turned around. A little girl, dressed in a
purple kimono, totally drenched, was shaking a woman, who had apparently
fainted. Alarmed, Sanosuke came closer and called out.
"Hey! Chibi-chan! You okay?"
Damnit! That woman… Sanosuke started to panic when he met the little girl's eyes.
The little girl looked up and turned her golden eyes in his direction.
Sanosuke realized with some surprise that she wasn't crying, nor did she seem
to be scared of him. The sudden rain that had splashed his limbs slowly turned
into a nice, warm and small summer rain.
"My Mama fell suddenly asleep, could you help us?" Her voice was clear and
steady above the falling water without a trace of doubt or fears for a man at
least thrice her size.
Water was running down the child face: her eyes were piercing like a blazing sun through stormy clouds. Her little cherubic face, with a little pointed chin was a struck with a fierce determination and strength. 'Nothing much could frighten this child.' Sanosuke thought with some nostalgia that this little girl would blossom into a beautiful and almost unreachable flower to his kind, just like his onna-sensei… But, the man who will hold her heart would be a damn lucking bastard.
A tug on his pants jerked him
back to earth. The little girl had stood up during his musings and had stepped
closer to him.
"Please." She asked again, her little face raised to him.
Sanosuke nodded slowly, not leaving her face a minute and scooped the
woman in his arms, and for the first time, his eyes fell on the little girl's
mother.
Too bad he couldn't see her eyes. A sigh escaped his lips and he wished he
could meet the man lucky enough to have these two beauties to call his.
"Chibi-chan, come on, climb on my back." Sanosuke kneeled and the little girl
resolutely pushed her heavy hair out of her face, frowning a little, making it
hard for Sanosuke not to smile and climbed on his back. "Hold tight." He smiled
gently at her and her serious face lit up with an awkward smile, making her
look more a little girl that she was.
Sanosuke resumed his run towards the Kamiya Dojo, carrying a fainted woman, a little girl hanging as if her life depended on it on his neck.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"Hey!" Sanosuke called out, kicking the door open. Hearing his strong voice over the quiet rain, Kenshin slid the door open and walked outside the living room to greet his friend. He was alone in the house, as Kaoru, Misao and his son, Kenji were over at Megumi's clinic, while Yahiko was off somewhere, surely with Tsubame.
"Sano…" Kenshin's voice and
welcoming smile died on his lips as the surprising sight of Sanosuke, out in
the rain, holding in his arms a woman, clad in a deep red kimono with white
plum blossoms designed on it, greeted him. Her long hair was falling on the
porch as Sanosuke lowered himself and gently laid her down. Kenshin's eyes
flickered back to his friend and saw two small arms sliding down Sano's back
and a little girl stepped at his side, worriedly looking at the woman. Both
were completely drenched. The little girl climbed on the porch, kicking her
shoes in the process and kneeled next to her mother.
"Okaasan. Wake up." She said, in a quiet voice, one little and pale hand
shaking the older woman stilled shoulder.
Kenshin stared at the strange pair: the little girl wasn't crying. Seeing her own mother lying on the ground, not answering her calls, obviously not understanding that she had fainted didn't bother her more than that.
"I'm getting the onna-sensei." Sanosuke threw above his shoulder as he broke in a mad run. Kenshin bewildered, watched Sanosuke slammed the door open and disappear in the street. He took his eyes back to the woman and to the little girl, kneeling next to her head. Her little hands calmly set on her lap, looking up expectantly at Kenshin, the strange little girl was staring at him with an evident curiosity, water was dripping from her long bangs and the red string holding a lock of her hair was sliding slowly to the ground. The red string fell on the ground with a "slomp" sound, next to the woman's head, on her hair, reminding Kenshin of an odd meeting, in the dark alleys of Kyoto, during a sunny day of summer.
Brushing the strange feeling of déjà-vu away, Kenshin came closer to daughter and mother and scooped the woman in his arms. "Chibi-dono, come on." Kenshin told the little girl staring up at him with a pair of golden eyes. He tried to smile gently at her while he walked to his room. The little girl marked a little pause, surely asking herself what she should do, then she followed Kenshin, pushing her hair out of her face, a determined frown on her delicate features.
Kenshin was about to slide the door open with his foot when the little
girl stepped forward and opened the door herself, looking expectantly up at
him. He nodded and stepped in. As he was to put the woman down, the little girl
stepped in the room and tugged on his pants, attracting his attention on her.
"My name's Arashi."
Kenshin looked down at her calm and determined face, a serene look in her golden eyes and the ex-assassin found himself calm and rested, as if just looking at this strange little girl could smooth his feelings. "Hello, Arashi-dono." He said.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"KENSHIN NO BAKA! You should have undressed her before putting her in
the bed! URGH! Stupid!!! As stupid as the Rooster Head! Misao, get me some hot
water!" The open door let the group standing outside see a small girl, kneeling
next to her mother, lying in a bed, Kenshin was on the other side, almost
standing up. Megumi was standing in the doorframe, her fists on her hips, an
angry frown and flashing eyes. Her red lips were drawn together in rage. She
marched in the bedroom, not caring at all she looked as scary as hell and
dropped her bag next to her patient. Kenshin quickly stood up and backed away
from the doctor as her murderous eyes found him. Sanosuke stepped in the room,
after her, Kaoru following him closely, her son in the arms.
As soon as Arashi, kneeling next to her mother, saw Sanosuke, she ran, arms
wide to him. Almost absentminded, Sanosuke bent to gather the girl in his arms.
"Hey! Onna-sensei!!! What the hell does that mean?" He yelled back, tightening
his hold on the little girl.
"You're even too idiot to understand what I'm saying! Argh!" Megumi threw her
hands in the air and whirled around in a mass of long, black hair. She pointed
a finger in Kenshin's direction and yelled. "OUT! OUT! OUT! Let me repair the
harm that you've done!!!" Megumi pulled Kaoru in the room and a certain glint
from her eyes made Kenshin run for his life out of the room that technically,
was his. Taking Kenji from his mother's arms, Megumi gave him to his runaway
father when he passed by her angry form.
With a loud 'slam', the door of Kenshin and Kaoru's room closed, leaving Sanosuke, holding Arashi in his arms, Kenshin, holding his son while Misao was in the kitchen, getting some hot water for the doctor.
Earlier, Sanosuke had burst in the clinic, yelling like he was wounded
to death and almost threw Megumi on his shoulder to run back to the dojo.
Megumi, being the practical woman that she was, just avoided his extended arms
and reached for his ear, giving him a start and surprisingly enough, calming
him.
When Megumi managed to get the whole story out of Sanosuke and the time to
gather her medical supply, the quiet rain had stopped.
However, when they arrived at the dojo, Megumi couldn't actually say that she liked Kenshin a lot at that particular moment. The idiot had put the woman in his bed, fully clothed and in consequence, fully drenched. Immediately, she had sent Misao to boil some water and thrown Kenshin out of his own room to wait on the porch. Megumi pushed Kaoru inside, taking Kenji in the process out of his mother's arms and dumping him in his father's arms before the eye could catch her.
Kenshin, holding Kenji, Sanosuke, holding Arashi, both looked first at
the closed door and then at themselves, not knowing what to do. The sun pierced
through the clouds and lit up the afternoon. The sun with its blazing fingers
pushed the dark clouds away, warming up the day and earth and making little
Arashi clapped her hands in glee, attracting both men attention to her.
"Hey, Chibi-chan, wanna get into something warm?" Sanosuke asked her and
Kenshin could have slapped himself for being so thoughtless.
He turned, putting his son on the ground. "Alright, you two, come on, I'll give
you some of Kenji-chan's clothes."
"And found some for baka tori atama!!" Kenji said happily after his father,
dancing a little, his red bangs falling on his glistening blue eyes. The boy
had spent the afternoon at his aunt clinic and he knew his favorite aunt called
his Niisan that way to annoy him. Kenji didn't know why it bothered Sano-nii
that much but it was funny when Megumi-neesan was doing it so he liked to
repeat it… Much to Sanosuke's despair and Megumi's delight.
A pained groan escaped Sanosuke while he growled at Kenji. "Oy! Kenji-chan! Who taught you all those naughty words?" Arashi put her hands on her mouth, covering her giggles. Kenji grinned up at her, his eyes lightening up once again.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The door of Saito's office suddenly swung open, letting an angry Chou, holding by his collar a rather angry Eiji. Chou was drenched on his front shirt, as if somebody really wet had ran into him rather painfully.
Saito immediately stood up, slamming his hands on his desk, a frown finding its way onto his brow. A cigarette handing at the end of his thin lips, the Miburo turned his angry golden eyes to the young boy. "What the hell are you doing here? And alone?" His voice slowly dropped an octave, warning the three males in the room with him that he was damn pissed. The man sitting in front of him, however, didn't flinch like the other two, but took notice of his sudden changing behavior. Shinomori Aoshi wore his nickname of 'Icicle' quite well: nothing was revealed on his stony face. Chou quickly dumped the boy in his boss office and closed the door behind him, but not without sending a winning smile at the boy glaring up at him, from the floor.
Eiji stood up, water quickly forming a small pool at his feet and met his stepfather's eyes without any fear, he was rather getting angrier, but the boy managed to push through his gritted teeth a short and blunt explanation. "We got lost."
Saito groaned low in his throat and walked round his desk. "Where is she?" Aoshi stood up as well, the meeting was obviously over, his steady and calm blue-green eyes following the wolf moving in his office, not an emotion crossing his handsome traits.
Eiji never stepped back when Saito approached him, narrowing his eyes. "I can show you the way." Saito turned his head once to Aoshi who nodded back, his long black bangs covering his eyes.
"It's alright, I know enough to start some research." His cold, deep voice brought a smirk on the wolf's lips as if he was remembering a private joke, he then nodded once and retrieved his coat, opening the door to let the Oniwanbanshuu Okashira out of his office and sending his finished cigarette by the open window. Eiji steeped before Saito and the older man quickly closed his office to follow his stepson out.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kaoru gathered the unknown woman wet clothes in her arms and stood up,
intending to hang them up so they could dry. "How is she, Megumi-san?" She
whispered to the doctor, as she took a look at the patient pale face. Her long
hair had been dried with a towel Kaoru had fetched, her red string lying
carelessly in a side of the room. Her deep red kimono had had been exchanged
for one of Kaoru's yukata and the damp futon had been replaced by a dry one.
"Cold for the moment, all we can do is to warm her." Megumi's face was covered
with concern, frowning a little at the lack of responses her patient was giving
her. Kaoru noticed Megumi's reaction and started to feel worry for the pale
woman. Her skin seemed to be as white as the snow, surrounded by a pool of
black ink. Despite the pessimism Megumi was showing off, her patient was
recovering: her cheeks were turning into a light pink. Maybe the doctor was
concerned on how slow her patient's progress was.
"I'll grab some more covers." Kaoru offered, turning to look at Megumi who
nodded back, smiling a little.
"That would be a good idea, thank you, Kaoru-chan."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kaoru left the room and closed the door silently behind her again. Kenshin came to her, concern all over his traits. Kaoru smiled gently at him, trying to reassure him with soft words. She knew he felt guilty about not thinking of changing the woman's clothes before putting her to bed. Kaoru instructed Kenshin to dry the clothes and gave him the wet kimono and towel, thinking that maybe if he had something to do instead of worrying alone in his corner, he'd forget his guilt. Kaoru then turned on her heels to get some more covers. When she returned, Kenshin was busy laying a small purple kimono next to a big red one.
The little girl, Arashi, dressed in some of Kenji's clothes, was running
around him, Kenji running with her, laughing to his heart content while
Sanosuke was running after them, but slow enough to let the kids believe he
couldn't catch them. Arashi laughed when Sano's arms wrapped around her and
lifted her above his head. Misao was cheering on them, sitting on the fence,
next to Kenshin.
Kenshin was following them with gentle eyes but when he felt his wife's on his
back, he turned slowly to meet her sky-like eyes.
When Kaoru's eyes met Kenshin glittering ones, she felt a familiar shiver running down her spine. No matter for how many years they have spent together, no matter that they were now married and sharing the same bed, no matter what they have lived and passed through together, he'd always have a particular effect on her nervous system with his glittering purple eyes, his long red hair and that sweet smile. And more than anything, the love that would shine in his eyes when he looked at his son. His son, their little Kenji. The first time Kenshin had cried in her arms.
After Kenji's birth, when Kaoru had been so tired that she had fallen asleep, she had been disturbed in her slumber by the soft voice of her husband, whispering promises to his newborn son. She had raised her head, unnoticed by the pair, as Kenji was fully alert of his father's talking to him. Kenshin's long red bangs fell forward as his head was bent over the baby he held closely to his heart. She had crawled behind him and put her arms around his neck, hugging him from behind, leaning on his back. Kenshin had then leaned his head back and she had been able to see the glistering tears in the moonlight, that fell softly and slowly down his cheeks to meet his lips which turned in a soft and content smile.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
As soon as Kaoru closed the door, the stranger started to grow restless
in her sleep, waking up slowly. Megumi leaned closer to feel her forehead and
sighed, relieved, when she felt nothing.
"Oh, my head…" The woman's eyes fluttered open and she slowly looked around
her, completely lost. "Where am I?" She whispered slowly, her throat being a
little hoarse.
Megumi smiled reassuringly to her and soothed the woman's worries. "My
name's Megumi Takani, I'm a doctor. You are currently at a friend of mine house,
because we found you in the streets." The woman turned her head in the
direction of the voice and Megumi met her deep black eyes. Eyes as dark as the
nights. Megumi almost shivered when the woman looked at her.
Panic flashed in the woman's strange black eyes and she tried to sit up, but
Megumi held her down. "Where is my daughter?" She asked, eyes wide.
"Don't." Megumi's voice was calm and steady, a small smile gracing her red
lips. "Arashi-chan is fine, she's playing outside."
The woman's eyes flickered to Megumi and she couldn't help but feel uneasy
again. The woman looked surprised for an instant, then, her expression softened
and her question surprised Megumi. "She
told you her name?"
"Heu… Yes, well, not directly, but…" The doctor stammered, not really knowing
what the woman meant.
"I'm sorry, you see, Arashi-chan is a really quiet little girl." The woman
smiled but her voice was slowly turning to a whisper and her lids were growing
heavy. "She doesn't like strangers and usually won't speak to them unless my
husband or myself ask her." She concluded, a smile on her lips while her eyes
close almost by themselves.
"She's really a beautiful child. But, you need your rest, Mrs.…" Megumi let her
voice trail, hoping that the woman would tell the doctor her name.
"Fujita. Fujita Tokio." Her eyes fluttered open for a few seconds, but her lids
refused to stay open but the woman obviously fought off sleep.
Megumi smiled softly again. "Sleep, Fujita-san. You need it."
"Thank you, Takani-sensei." Her voice slowly drifted, but Megumi who was
sitting next to her head, clearly heard her call a name when sleep took upon
her. "Hajime…"
"Eh?"
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"This way."
"Huh? No, I left them over there."
"This way." Without explaining himself any further, Saito turned on his left
and heading to a particular dojo and cursed. Of course, she * had * to be
there. He thought bitterly. Angrily, he reached for a cigarette, hidden in his
coat and lit it up, walking quickly. Eiji stared at his retreating back for a
couple of seconds, before hurrying after him.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Megumi stepped outside Kaoru and Kenshin's room, almost bumping in Kaoru
who stood in the middle of the corridor. "Eh, I got our mysterious lady's
name." She announced to the others.
"Really? What is it?" Kaoru's eyes lit up and excited like a small child, she
hugged the covers tighter to her chest. Sanosuke turned his head to Megumi's
direction and walked closer to hear the doctor a little better. He put Arashi
on the ground, his attention on the doctor. Misao jumped graciously from the
fence and with Kenshin, she quickly made her way to the porch.
"Sano-nii!! Come on!" Arashi tugged on his pants, laughing and willing to play
more, Kenji looked up at him next to her, a huge smile spread across his
mischievous, angelic face.
"A sec, chibi-chan." Sanosuke patted her head and straightened up, his hand
resting on the top of her head.
"Fujita. She said her name was Fujita Tokio." Megumi was saying but Sanosuke's
attention immediately focused on Kenshin and Misao when the both on them
suddenly fell on the ground, eyes swirling.
Misao was freaking out. "NO WAY!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. Megumi
tried to silence her but Misao whirled around and grabbed Kenshin off the
ground, shaking him like crazy, banging his head on the ground -- in the
meantime, and not caring about Kaoru's attempts to free her husband. Misao's
eyes then took notice of a little girl, with long black hair, dressed in a boy
hakama and gi; she had golden eyes.
In her state of shock, Misao never noticed that she suddenly let Kenshin fall
on the ground when she dumped him to put her hands on her face, in pure shock.
"Oh my god, this means she's his daughter!!!!!!!!"
"Misao-chan! What the hell?" Kaoru started to yell, annoyed.
"Orororororororororororororororororo………..." Kenshin's eyes were still whirling
but somehow, Arashi found it so funny that she approached him and tapped on his
forehead slightly, as if testing a new toy.
"Oy! What's going on?" Demanded an annoyed Sanosuke while Megumi managed to
pull Misao together by shaking her a little. When Misao regained her senses,
she turned wide-eyed to face Kenshin, still sprawled on the ground and pointed
at Arashi.
"She's Saito's daughter!"
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Arashi looked up and saw Misao, Kaoru and Megumi looking at her in a funny
way. A little scared by their weird faces, Arashi backed away, slowly but
bumped in Sanosuke's legs. When she looked up, the man was looking down at her,
eyes the size of a jug of his favorite sake and mouth almost hitting the
ground.
Before anyone could say anything else, a cold voice rose from the gate,
announcing the missing Oniwanbanshuu member in the visit of Tokyo. "I'm back."
Aoshi said before his eyes drank in the scene before him.
Surprised by Aoshi sudden appearance that none had felt, Arashi quickly ran behind Sanosuke's leg,
using him as a shelter but looking up at the newcomer.
"Hey, looks like chibi-chan is frightened by Icicle, here." Sanosuke tried to
joke, a bit taken by the little girl's actions. Before, she had never been
frightened when he had shown up in the street, but she was obviously scared by
the women's faces and a bit hurt by his own expression. Then Arashi titled her
head on the side and stepped aside Sanosuke, much to his surprise. A smile
found its way to her lips and lit up her face as she ran to Aoshi, arms wide
open to hug his legs.
Aoshi as shocked as Sano and the others looked down in disbelief at the little girl, before kneeling down at her level. Without a word, Arashi put her arms around his neck in a silent plea of being held up. Aoshi complied but when he turned to the rest of the group, he found Misao's hands joined together, eyes shining, staring at him while Megumi and Kaoru were slapping her own foreheads at the younger woman reaction, Kenshin slowly picking himself off the ground, helped by his son and Sanosuke staring at Aoshi, eyes wide open and cold sweat ran down the fearless Oniwanbanshuu Okashira spine. Mostly because of Misao's delighted expression of him holding a little girl as if it was giving her ideas.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
When Kenshin could stop his eyes from swirling, he sat on the porch and
looked up at Aoshi, holding Arashi-chan. The little girl looked completely
confused and was clinging on Aoshi's shirt, face hidden behind her long bangs
and buried in Aoshi's collar. However, when she met his violet eyes, she calmed
down a lot and managed to smile sweetly to him. Kenshin once more was amazed by
this little girl, but after all, what should they expect from the Wolf's
daughter?
Kenshin met Aoshi's questioning gaze, and the man cleared his throat,
introducing Arashi to Aoshi. "She's Saito's daughter, Arashi-chan." Aoshi
slowly strode up next to Kenshin and sat down beside him on the porch and all
the while the females' eyes didn't leave him.
Aoshi's lips turned up in a light smirk, causing a second earthquake at the Kamiya dojo. "Really?" He asked, looking like someone who knew something the others didn't. Megumi was the first to snap out of the shock and grabbed Kaoru by the arm, pulling her behind into the room. "Kaoru-chan, could you help me for a moment?" she said in a shaky voice, closing the door after them.
Sano managed to recover from his shock, mostly because Kenji was jumping
all around the sprawled form of the ex-gangster, making funny noises. Sano sat
up, grabbed Kenji by his collar and threw him into his father's arms. Sano
could thank the gods Kaoru wasn't there to see him do that to her beloved son.
Kenshin caught Kenji just in time, but the boy was laughing: he liked being
tossed around by his Sano-nii because he knew his father would be there to
catch him. The action caught Sano's eyes and the latter looked up to see Kenji
laughing, delighted, in his father's arms. His eyes flickered to the little
girl on Aoshi's lap: she was staring at him, her head titled on the side, a sad
look in her odd eyes.
Now that he knew she was Saito's daughter, Sano could see a resemblance in Arashi's traits: the most obvious first, the same golden eyes, wise and odd, piercing his soul, as if they were seeing through him, then the thin lips that, when turned up in a smile, the only difference between hers and Saito's was a little irony. Otherwise, there was something else, something in her, the way she was so fearless of him, as if she knew he wouldn't harm her, her intelligence then and…
Sano sighed heavily, recalling something he had wished a little earlier
in the afternoon, after his first meeting with Arashi. He had wished he would
meet the lucky bastard who could call Arashi and her mother his. Well, he
already had.
Maybe, Sano thought, I did something terribly bad in one of my previous lives
that the gods are playing dirty tricks on me to make me pay back…
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Misao watched Arashi, sitting on her beloved Aoshi-sama's lap: how could
this beautiful and so radiant little girl could be psycho-cop's daughter. The
young ninja girl scratched her chin, trying to find reasons. Maybe she was
adopted… Arashi stopped her staring at Sano and turned her face to Misao who
met her fearless golden eyes.
Maybe not, with those eyes… Misao almost sweat-dropped when she thought that
the mysterious fainted woman Sano found was the goddess she and Kenshin had
imagined to be in Saito's wife…
Arashi was still staring at Misao, a confused and sad frown on her
doll-like face. Feeling hurt, the little girl bent her head and snuggled closer
to Aoshi, who held her tighter, turning his head slightly to send Misao a
questioning look but Misao didn't see it as all her attention was focused on
the little girl and she instantly felt bad. Bad for staring as if Arashi was a
curiosity from an outer country, as if there was something wrong with her.
Misao, in repentance, was about to put a hand on Arashi's head when a young and
cheerful voice rang clearly from the gate. Arashi looked up also from Aoshi's
shirt to the newcomer but quickly turned her head away and buried her face in
Aoshi's neck.
"Oh, my god! I'm gone a few hours and weasel popped a kid out of nowhere!!!"
Yahiko faked a heart attack from the gate, a hand on his heart, shock all over
his face. Oblivious to the suddenly blazing with anger Misao, he kept on,
putting his hands on his hips, looking thoughtful. "I didn't know weasel could
reproduce, however." One of Misao's kunai almost hit him in the head, but the
young samurai avoided it thanks to years of training with avoiding flying
stuff, taught by his master, mostly when she got angry at him.
"Welcome back, Yahiko-kun." Kenshin greeted him but he was quite sure Yahiko didn't hear him since he was busy running away from Misao who was yelling, once again, at the top of her lungs at Yahiko-chan to wait up for her to beat him up. Kenji, still on Kenshin's lap, climbed down his father's lap to stand up in front of Aoshi who let his eyes flickered from Misao's form to the younger Himura. The little fellow was standing in front of him, his tiny lips pushed together in a thoughtful pout, his brows drawn together, staring with his blue eyes at Arashi. Aoshi observed the little girl with guarded eyes.
Arashi had proved to be really sensitive at feeling the others' emotions: the way she acted when the others found out who her father was, understanding that something had changed and that it concerned her. True it had scared her away, true she had obviously felt betrayed but how did she know he, Aoshi Shinomori, former Oniwanbanshuu Okashira, would protect her? Because he would. Not exactly knowing why, Aoshi knew he'd protect this strange little girl, even if it meant his life. So, none but Aoshi saw when Arashi closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, nor did anyone but Aoshi remarked when Kenji climbed on Aoshi's lap and observed the little girl with great interest. Just then, she snapped her eyes open and turned to look at the gate.
Just when Saito kicked it open.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lighting up a cigarette, Saito stood a few moments silent before talking
to the sweat-dropping inhabitants of the house, save Aoshi who was calming
sitting on the porch. "I want to see my wife." Kaoru slammed the door open and
marched outside, ready to blow up anybody's head for destroying her house.
However, a squeal stopped her.
"Otousan!" Arashi jumped from Aoshi's lap and ran to her father, her little
arms opened wide, glee shone on her face, her long black hair flew widely
behind her.
"Arashi." Arashi hugged his long legs as tight as she could with her small arms
and Saito bent to lift his little girl in his arms. He groaned and rolled his
eyes heavenward, causing her to giggle when Arashi took his cigarette off his
mouth to send it behind him. Then Arashi saw the young boy, looking relived,
standing a few feet behind her father.
"Niichan!" She cried again, extending her arms to him, but Saito started to
walk in the direction of the owner of the house.
Eiji walked behind him, scowling up at Arashi, "Arashi-chan! I thought I told
you not to move!"
Arashi defended herself and told him, outraged. "But Okaasan fell asleep
suddenly and fell on the ground! I tried to wake her up but she refused to
listen." Arashi turned back to her father. "Only Otousan can make her wake up."
She told him, bringing a rare genuine smile to his face.
"Where is Okaasan, chibi?" He asked her, eyes locked on his former enemy, who
had stood up.
Arashi twisted in his arms so that she could point at a room. "In that room."
"Battousai." Saito greeted Kenshin coldly, after a quick glare at Aoshi, who was
still sitting on the porch, Kenji in his lap.
"Saito." Kenshin answered back, nodding at him, restraining his wife from
jumping at Saito's throat for destroying her front gate. Again.
Saito's golden eyes flickered to Sano who had stood up, as well, standing in
front of Misao and her forgotten prey, Yahiko. "Moron." Saito acknowledged him.
"Hey!"
Arashi quickly put her little hand on Saito's mouth, looking horrified. "No,
Otousan, that's Sano-nii." She exclaimed, shaking her head, making her long
black hair look like waves of a raging sea.
Saito pried her little fingers from his mouth and raised a questioning eyebrow
at her. "Sano-nii?" he repeated, a smirk crossing his lips.
"Yes! I played with him this afternoon." Arashi threw her arms in the air,
happily.
Eiji rolled his eyes at his little sister behavior when Kenshin took a look at
him. "Eiji-kun." The former assassin whispered, not believing his eyes.
Eiji looked up and greeted his savior. "Himura-san, Misao-san." He finished
turning in Misao's direction, a little smile on his lips.
"Eiji-kun! It's been forever!" Misao jumped before him, grabbing his hands. The
girl was feeling really happy to see the boy again: he seemed to be a lot more
alive than the last time she saw him, after his whole family got murdered. "But
you're all wet, come on, I'll find you some clothes!" She tugged on his hands,
forcing Eiji to follow her. Eiji pulled his hands back from Misao's grip and
shook his head.
His seriousness and calm behavior impressed Misao greatly. Over the years, Eiji
had grown and seemed to have found peace again, after what had happened at his
village. "No, thank you, Misao-san. I need to see my Okaasan first."
A growl scowled him. "Go, get the stupid clothes, or else she'll skin me alive
because you'll catch a cold." Saito snapped, but it only earned him a glare
from Eiji. But the boy knew his Okaasan would be worried sick if he caught a
cold and so, he nodded slowly at Misao who patted his head.
"I think Yahiko's clothes would be perfect on you!" she said, pulling Eiji after her.
"Hey! You could at least ask me!" Yahiko exclaimed, but followed anyway, when
Misao dragged a reluctant and glaring-at-a-smirking-Saito Eiji in Yahiko's
room.
Saito followed Eiji with his steady glance before putting his daughter on the
ground. "Chibi, go with your Niichan and stay with him."
"No. I want to see Okaasan." She answered, her little defiant chin raised in
his direction.
"Chibi." Saito warned, not raising his voice.
Arashi pouted nicely, before giving in. However, her answer less than pleased
the cop. "Fine, then I'll stay with Sano-nii."
Saito grabbed her before she could turn around to walk to her 'Sano-nii' who
was grinning stupidly in his corner and sighed lightly. "Very well, you're
coming with me."
"Hey!! Does that mean you don't trust me to watch over your brat?" Sano yelled,
upset and Saito shot him a look telling him 'for once you're right'. Sano
couldn't help but swear. "Damn!"
"That's exactly why I don't want my little girl to hang out around you, moron."
Saito threw above his shoulder as he walked closer to the porch when the door
opened.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
His wife, his beloved and pale Tokio was standing in the doorway, hands on
each side of the panel, her long black hair caressing her waist. "Hajime." She
said, looking at him, smiling softly.
"Tokio." Saito almost smirked when Raccoon girl and her husband fell backwards,
astonished.
Tokio paid no attention at the fallen couple and looked past at them, worried.
"Where is Eiji-kun?"
Saito didn't answer her and shot back. "What happened?"
"It's nothing, I just fainted." Tokio shrugged and stepped further on the
porch, looking from left to right but never leaving her gaze rest on her angry
spouse.
"Nothing? You call that nothing?" He growled.
Tokio narrowed her eyes and was ready to snap at Saito when Aoshi's cool voice
rose. "The boy is with Misao and Myoujin getting him some dry clothes." He
answered her question, standing up, Kenji in his arms. Megumi came out of the
room and tried to cool down the game.
"Saito-san," she started, not feeling well herself. She couldn't help but feel
strange around Saito's wife and daughter. "It's alright and it's quite normal
for women in her condition to feel weak or maybe faint…"
"Tokio." Saito snapped, eyes locked on his wife, not listening to whatever
Megumi was saying. He was waiting for her to explain herself clearly and wasn't
going to back away. Something was up, he could feel it, and his wife didn't
want him to find out. And that was something he hated.
Arashi twisted in her father's arms and Saito put her down, on the porch. Tokio
kneeled on it and opened her arms to the small girl who took refuge between
them, burying her face in her mother's shoulder, Arashi started to cry.
Her mother whispering soft words in her ear, caressing her soft hair,
Arashi quickly calmed down within her mother's embrace. Kaoru tilted her head
on the side; feeling a motherly concern for Arashi, after all, she too was a
mother. Sensing that Saito had something to tell his wife, Kaoru extended a
hand to Arashi, showing to Tokio that she was willing to take care of the
little girl while she and her husband talked. Tokio, over Arashi's head, smiled
softly, in thanks, at Kaoru and put her hands on her daughter's waist, forcing
her to look at her mother in the eye. The little girl then rubbed her eyes with
her sleeves, making her mother smile while she told her daughter.
"Arashi-chan, go with your brother." Tokio showed her Kaoru's extended hand and
Arashi turned her head once more towards her mother.
"Are you feeling better, Okaasan?"
Arashi asked, her golden eyes, still red from her sudden burst in tears.
Tokio caressed her daughter's head, before nodding. "Yes, go." She stood up as
Arashi took Kaoru's hand who led her to Yahiko's room where Misao and Eiji
already were.
"I know where I saw you…"
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tokio looked up when the astonished male but familiar voice reached her. Her eyes fell on a handsome man, with long red hair, tied up in a ponytail at the base of his neck. His violet eyes brought her back to 15 years earlier and she found herself in a dark alley, in Kyoto, behind the ShisenGumi Inn, chasing after a little girl and her cat.
She remembered the young man who had helped the small girl, she
remembered how the smell of blood seemed to linger around him, how his clothes
were worn out, how his violet eyes would twinkle nicely down on the little
girl, how he seemed comfortable with the swords by his side. Her eyes focused
back on the present and his young face, partly hidden in the dim light of the
alley faded into that of an older man, a man who had his lot of suffering in
his life, a man marked as one of Fate's chosen ones, his violet eyes were still
twinkling but they had lost the strange madness that lied in them, 15 years
ago, also was gone the smell of blood. His crossed scar on his face was a proof
that Fate had touched him, perhaps more roughly than some others.
"Oh! You!" She pointed at him, glee spreading across her traits. She was truly
happy to se him again, after all those years. Sometimes, she had been wondered
if he had been killed.
Saito took off his shoes and climbed on the porch, to stand next to his
wife and growled, mockingly. "You didn't even know where you were staying?"
Ignoring him, Tokio smiled at Kenshin. "So we meet again." Tilting her head on
the side, she stole a glance at Aoshi holding Kenji in his arms. The smile
widened when she brought her eyes back on Kenshin who nodded.
"Yes." He answered to both her questions, not that the one of his paternity
concerning the young boy was to doubt; they both had the same fiery hair.
Megumi hated being left in shadows, so she crossed her arms to her chest and
said quite ironically. "Maybe we should start everything over again, to get
formal introduction."
"Maybe." Saito agreed, but he was more than angry, he was actually beyond that.
How come his wife knew the Battousai?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kenshin looked up at Saito for a few seconds before turning and opening
the way to the living room, smiling to Saito's wife. For once, the one
bothering the others wasn't the Wolf. Sure it was mean, but Kenshin enjoyed
every second of it. Megumi excused herself to make some tea and Sano sat on the
ground, crossing his arms on his chest, never letting his glare left Saito who
only smirked back, while sitting down. "Nice to see you again, Himura-san." The
woman said, still smiling, as she sat down, in front of him, next to her
husband. Something flickered in her night gaze and Kenshin felt a little
repentant: she knew what he was feeling.
"Nice to see you again, Magami-san." Kenshin smiled too. The two of them were
sharing a secret, a secret meeting and a secret promise.
Aoshi suddenly froze and turned his attention to the group. "Magami?"
Saito's feral smile made Sano shiver and grateful to the Gods it wasn't
directed against him. "Oh, looks like the Oniwanbanshuu information network is
more powerful than I thought it'd be."
Aoshi ignored him and asked Tokio, eyes bewildered. "You're a Magami?"
He almost stammered. The former Okashira offered quite a comical sight -- not
sitting nor standing up either, he was frozen between the two states, eyes wide
with young Kenji in his hands not touching the floor, floating in the air,
silently waiting for his Aoshi-niichan to put him down.
Tokio turned to him and smiled softly to him, a hint of sadness lingering in
her gaze. "If you know that name, it means that you're aware of the other
side."
"Yes." Was Aoshi unique answer, as he kept on staring. Earlier, Misao had
stared at this woman's daughter like she was from an outer country, now it was
his turn.
"Eh… What's going on down here?" Sanosuke asked, trying to catch up with the
rest of them. If seeing Icicle showing a sign of surprise shocked him,
Kenshin's passive face, as if he already knew, made him wonder.
Aoshi finally sat down, next to Kenji, and answered Sanosuke's question.
"Magami is the family name of one of the oldest and most powerful family in
Kyoto." He began, his steady gaze on Tokio, who nodded happily to him, to
confirm his information. "However, they never took sides in the war, nor did
they ever step into light. Some say they're controlling everything in the
darkness and even in our government, there has always been a Magami,
controlling and giving piece of advice. But no one truly knows anything about
them. They don't seek power, even when they've been offered countless of times
a more influent role in Japan's politics, they have always declined. They're
living in a sort of small town, only composed of members of the Magami clan and
at least a fifty people are living there, together, just outside Kyoto." He
finished.
"You know a lot." Tokio said, a bit surprised by the amount of information the
Oniwanbanshuu network had been able to gather over the years. Surely there were
more that the former Okashira was aware of, but whatever it was, he kept it to
himself.
"It's my job." Came his only reply.
Kenji climbed on his lap.
Saito lit up a cigarette and smiled ironically to Aoshi. "I'm impressed
that you can talk that long, Shinomori."
"The Magami family is a mystery for all those who tried to gather information
on them." Aoshi said carefully, trying to incite either the Miburo or his wife
to give him more parcels of information on the woman's family. Her facial
traits and distinguished manners made Aoshi think that she could be linked to
the actual Head Clan of the Magami, a man around his early thirties, with the
same jet black hair and seriousness in his black eyes.
"Humph. Just a bunch of old ghouls and some annoying brats. But, maybe my wife
and the Battousai can explain themselves and enlighten the rest of us how they
know each other."
Sadness and pain formed on her face, Tokio slowly turned to her husband
who stared back. She then bent her head and turned back to face Kenshin, her
black eyes turning into pools of black ink, without ends, in which sadness swam
over and over again, never letting go. Kaoru stepped in the room, with Megumi
holding a tray with several tea cups, while Misao carried the hot kettle. Eiji,
holding his sister's hand, followed behind the females and finally Yahiko,
hands behind his head. Arashi and Eiji quickly made their way to sit by their
parents, the boy next to his mother and Arashi choosing to sit next to her
father.
Tokio whispered softly, as if it was a fact she should have realized a lot
earlier. "Of, course, you were the Battousai. I didn't realize it."
Arashi climbed on Saito's lap.
