Hello! After this installment, please wait a few days for the next one. I
just realized last night that my finals project is harder than I first
thought, so I'm focusing on that over the weekend until Tuesday. Keiko-
san, no problem. I needed that, anyhow! Chiki-san, I'll try to be
continually worthy of your enthusiasm. ^_^
Ikimasho? Shall we go? I will apologize for the long read this installment. You do have to wonder how Kaoru is taking all of this!
...................
DAY FIVE
Midnight. Kaoru had a hard time falling asleep. She did not know why. Maybe it was because it was colder than usual. Maybe it was Kenshin.
Kenshin!
Something or someone had fallen to the practice area floor with a loud thud. SomeONE, definitely. Kaoru grabbed her blanket and ran.
How did he get back there? She wondered. She went with him to his room, confused and agitated as he was. He must have woken up in the middle of the night, and went back. She did not understand why he kept going back there this week, always sat at the far end of the practice area, despondent and alone, remembering thoughts too devastating to tell her.
He was there, all right. Hunched on the floor, shivering uncontrollably. He was mumbling again.
"It was foolish of you......Kaoru-dono.....foolish......"
Not that again, Kaoru worried. But he was asleep, fast asleep, deep in his nightmare----whatever it was.
"Are you serious, Kaoru-dono?........Kami-sama would do that for sessha?........"
She quickly wrapped the blanket around him. The midnight air had made the dojo unbearably cold already. With a great effort she placed his back to the wall, so he could face her. She felt his head. No fever, good. And he had stopped shivering.
"Thank you for the blanket, Kaoru-dono...."
"You're welcome," she replied, but she saw that he was too far in his mind to hear.
"......just my imagination......"
"No, it isn't, Kenshin!" she again replied.
"......You're gone....Kaoru. You've left me alone......someone else's blanket....Megumi...."
"No, it isn't, and no, I haven't left you," she answered the restless Kenshin. She shook him a little, tried to wake him.
She held his face in both her hands.
"Kenshin, I don't know if you hear me or not. I must be crazy talking to a sleeping man. But I don't know what else to do with you, Kenshin!" She held her face in front of his, eyes still closed and mouth still murmuring. "Listen, Kenshin in there! I'm here, and I'm alive. I will NOT die on you. So stop worrying about me, and forget that nightmare of yours. It will not happen, Kenshin, it will not happen."
Involuntarily or still dreaming, he held out his hands and reached for Kaoru. Feeling her shoulders, he drew her nearer to him, and hugged her tightly.
"So real.....and so warm.....you're not the angel from that night.....you are...."
"Your Kaoru-dono, Kenshin, one and only," and she hugged him back. She looked at his eyes, but he was still definitely asleep. She tried to raise him up. "Come, Kenshin, I'll take you back to bed."
He stood up with her, still deep in the land of dreams, movement uncontrolled by thought. As he leaned on her, she walked him back to his room and laid him back in bed.
Then she made a crucial decision.
She placed the blanket on top of her disturbed rurouni, then squeezed herself beside him. She placed an arm across him, and leaned her head on his shoulder. He did not return her movements, did not make an effort to draw closer. She was not even sure if he knew she was there with him. But as he breathed more peacefully and he stopped murmuring his delirious words, it was enough for Kaoru.
Thus, the night turned to day, with the crowing of the rooster-head.
"OI! Now that's something you don't see everyday! Kenshin and Kaoru together in bed!"
"ORO! I had nothing to do with it, Sano! I promise! I did not do anything to Kaoru-dono! I did not even know she slept here!"
"You're one aggressive little lady, Master!" Yahiko piped in.
"Why you---------I'll see that you do more practice blows than you can handle, Yahiko-CHAN!" Kaoru bellowed.
"Don't you '-chan' me, Kaoru!" Yahiko retorted. But Kaoru did not fight back.
Kenshin looked anxiously at Kaoru. "Exactly WHAT did happen, Kaoru-dono?"
He did not remember a thing? Kaoru wondered in surprise. She only returned a smile. "Nothing, Kenshin. Bad dreams got to you, I guess."
Sanosuke and Yahiko soon left the two alone, laughing at their blushing and shamed faces. Kenshin was unable to find any words to say about last night. "Kaoru-dono, I apologize for whatever happened last night, but for the life of me, I swear that I did not touch you-------"
"You do not have to apologize for anything, Kenshin," she reassured him. "Only promise me not to worry about me anymore."
"I can't do that."
They both ate breakfast in silence, amidst hoots from Yahiko and Sanosuke. It was only after breakfast that Kenshin spoke. He simply asked Kaoru to come with him and meet the American ambassador that morning. Kaoru readily agreed.
By nine o'clock, they were already at the police precinct. Kaoru wore her everyday kimono, but ensured that she wore it as neatly and as beautifully as possible. She wore her new indigo ribbon. Kenshin needed cheering up, and any small way helped. Kenshin also took it upon himself to wear a newer hakama, to look more presentable.
They were right on schedule. Roughly half an hour after they arrived, the American ambassador appeared at the main hall, accompanied by an interpreter. He did not look imposing, he was not even tall, but as the only white man among natives, his presence created a sensation.
The chief gave the order to salute, and the troops responded with commendable precision. Following protocol, the ambassador returned the salute. After giving the "at ease" order, Chief Uramura then introduced the ambassador to his official bodyguard. The redhaired young guard bowed respectfully. He formally introduced his friend wearing the yellow kimono. She too bowed politely and gave the ambassador a nervous smile.
The bodyguard then bowed to his friend, explained that he had to do his duty, and left her with Chief Uramura. He then walked beside the ambassador as he did a formal inspection of the precinct.
Two hours went by. Kaoru was not bored. She enjoyed seeing the precinct, the few times that she visited with the -gumi. There was order in chaos, and there was always the feeling that a lot of good was done between the four walls of the building.
Eventually the bodyguard returned to her side, and begged her forgiveness, but he had to accompany the ambassador for lunch. He promised to be home by around 1 o'clock, as the ambassador would go back to the hotel after that. He had his own guards there.
"Oh! I just remembered! Sorry, Kaoru-dono! Daigoro-dono said that he would come visit us! It would be probably today, so we have to get some food ready......" Kenshin apologetically recited.
"Oh, don't worry! I'll buy some from Tae on the way home," she cheerfully replied. Then she made her way out of the precinct and back into the town square.
Walking back to the dojo from the Akabeko, a basket filled with goodies under one arm, Kaoru passed by the river.
From far away she saw two men, a tall one and a stocky one. She noticed as they exchanged a few words, and looked in her direction. The tall man hurriedly unfolded a large piece of paper, pointed out a few items on it, and quickly refolded the paper. He then gave it to the stocky man, who gave him a sound pat on the back and a sinister smile. They parted ways.
As soon as they disappeared from her sight, she suddenly saw a large speck of red and white dash across the road and hide among the trees.
Kenshin? Now what would he do here? And why be so secretive? She asked herself.
She shrugged. Not my problem. Must be one of the things he has to do as a bodyguard. She continued on her way and ignored the little scene.
Just in time! She literally knocked into an absentminded Daigoro, as he turned the corner to the dojo. In his left hand he carried a book and a few loose sheets of paper. He was accompanied by his pretty little wife.
"Sorry about that, Daigoro-san," Kaoru apologized. "Kenshin told me you were coming. Let's have some lunch inside, shall we?"
The offer was taken, and soon lunch was served in the practice area, to accommodate the two guests. Yahiko and Sanosuke of course were there, and munched greedily on tempura and sushi.
Daigoro chatted happily about his translations and his increasing commissions. His wife just smiled and giggled, seeing her husband so energetic about discussing his work, that his hat was still on inside a house and his tempura was swinging half-eaten in the air as he gestured.
Then he began talking about a time machine, an object that he claimed could send a person back in time. Kaoru nodded respectfully as Daigoro showed them diagram upon diagram, and constantly talked over their heads with his physics and theory of relativity and quantum leap. Yahiko and Sanosuke did not show such tact. They loudly guffawed at the notion. Go back in time to fix history?! You've been reading too many books! You should go out more! Breathe some fresh air! See more women!
"SANOSUKE! How dare you say that! In front of his wife!" Kaoru reprimanded.
"Don't bother, Kaoru-san," Daigoro reassured her. "I get that pretty often. I don't mind too much. It's not their invention, but mine. But whether they accept it or not, I'll prove that time travel is really possible! Very soon, I'll even be able to send another person back in time, not just me....."
"Now who would agree to such a crazy, twisted plan?" Yahiko asked in between laughs.
"I would."
Kenshin had appeared at the door.
Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Yahiko looked at him, aghast. They thought he would know better than that.
"Himura-san, I'm glad you're finally here," Daigoro greeted him. "I'd like to speak to you alone, if you don't mind?"
Kenshin nodded, and the two men went to the backyard. Kaoru followed them at a distance, and hid herself behind a bush.
"I have a few questions, Himura-san," Daigoro began. "I've put two and two together, since you came to my house last Monday. I've gone to thinking. It's not very likely that you would hear about time travel from another person than myself, since everybody else thinks me crazy. But you asked me about it, like you knew what it was. And you said, when I saw you, that you had come from the back side of the house looking for me. So why did I not see you come in? Furthermore, I inspected my time machine last Tuesday, and I was very surprised to notice that it took some damage, obviously from recent use. Now, as I told you last Monday, I had not touched the machine the week before you visited. Then, there was your answer when you arrived today."
Kenshin only nodded every so often while Daigoro made his speech. Kaoru behind the bush wondered where all of this was leading to, aside from the reason why she did not get any tofu last Monday.
"So my first question to you is," Daigoro paused dramatically, "Did I send YOU back in time, Himura-san?"
Kenshin remained silent for an eternity before he replied simply, "Yes."
"How far back?"
"Seven days, from October 8."
"To do what?"
"To stop an assassination."
Daigoro remained speechless for a whole minute, as he tried to comprehend the deep meaning of those few words. Kaoru on her part did not understand what the two men were talking about.
"So I was right....."
"Yes."
"But, this, assassination you mentioned, were you able to stop it so far?"
Kenshin only shook his head. Daigoro did not press further, but he took out a small notebook from a pocket.
"But what did you feel during the trip?"
"You said something then about 3 Gs. Yes, it was uncomfortable. It pressed me to the chair like a vice. I saw a bright light, which disappeared as the machine stopped turning. But other than that, I am perfectly healthy and fine."
"Thank you very much, Himura-san. It was very helpful information. One last question."
He paused as he kept his notebook.
"Do you regret what you did?"
Kenshin thought about his answer. Kaoru remembered his fitful sleep last night. His words then still did not make sense, and it even got more confusing with this new, weird information about time travel and all. What assassination was he talking about? Why did he keep saying she will die, she will die, and he can't stop it? What did he know about the future?
"Well, Himura-san? Do you regret what you did?"
Kenshin turned his back to Daigoro and walked away slowly, as he replied.
"I do not know yet."
.......................
Thanks for reading this long piece. I'll be back in a few days. Wait for me, OK? ^_^
Ikimasho? Shall we go? I will apologize for the long read this installment. You do have to wonder how Kaoru is taking all of this!
...................
DAY FIVE
Midnight. Kaoru had a hard time falling asleep. She did not know why. Maybe it was because it was colder than usual. Maybe it was Kenshin.
Kenshin!
Something or someone had fallen to the practice area floor with a loud thud. SomeONE, definitely. Kaoru grabbed her blanket and ran.
How did he get back there? She wondered. She went with him to his room, confused and agitated as he was. He must have woken up in the middle of the night, and went back. She did not understand why he kept going back there this week, always sat at the far end of the practice area, despondent and alone, remembering thoughts too devastating to tell her.
He was there, all right. Hunched on the floor, shivering uncontrollably. He was mumbling again.
"It was foolish of you......Kaoru-dono.....foolish......"
Not that again, Kaoru worried. But he was asleep, fast asleep, deep in his nightmare----whatever it was.
"Are you serious, Kaoru-dono?........Kami-sama would do that for sessha?........"
She quickly wrapped the blanket around him. The midnight air had made the dojo unbearably cold already. With a great effort she placed his back to the wall, so he could face her. She felt his head. No fever, good. And he had stopped shivering.
"Thank you for the blanket, Kaoru-dono...."
"You're welcome," she replied, but she saw that he was too far in his mind to hear.
"......just my imagination......"
"No, it isn't, Kenshin!" she again replied.
"......You're gone....Kaoru. You've left me alone......someone else's blanket....Megumi...."
"No, it isn't, and no, I haven't left you," she answered the restless Kenshin. She shook him a little, tried to wake him.
She held his face in both her hands.
"Kenshin, I don't know if you hear me or not. I must be crazy talking to a sleeping man. But I don't know what else to do with you, Kenshin!" She held her face in front of his, eyes still closed and mouth still murmuring. "Listen, Kenshin in there! I'm here, and I'm alive. I will NOT die on you. So stop worrying about me, and forget that nightmare of yours. It will not happen, Kenshin, it will not happen."
Involuntarily or still dreaming, he held out his hands and reached for Kaoru. Feeling her shoulders, he drew her nearer to him, and hugged her tightly.
"So real.....and so warm.....you're not the angel from that night.....you are...."
"Your Kaoru-dono, Kenshin, one and only," and she hugged him back. She looked at his eyes, but he was still definitely asleep. She tried to raise him up. "Come, Kenshin, I'll take you back to bed."
He stood up with her, still deep in the land of dreams, movement uncontrolled by thought. As he leaned on her, she walked him back to his room and laid him back in bed.
Then she made a crucial decision.
She placed the blanket on top of her disturbed rurouni, then squeezed herself beside him. She placed an arm across him, and leaned her head on his shoulder. He did not return her movements, did not make an effort to draw closer. She was not even sure if he knew she was there with him. But as he breathed more peacefully and he stopped murmuring his delirious words, it was enough for Kaoru.
Thus, the night turned to day, with the crowing of the rooster-head.
"OI! Now that's something you don't see everyday! Kenshin and Kaoru together in bed!"
"ORO! I had nothing to do with it, Sano! I promise! I did not do anything to Kaoru-dono! I did not even know she slept here!"
"You're one aggressive little lady, Master!" Yahiko piped in.
"Why you---------I'll see that you do more practice blows than you can handle, Yahiko-CHAN!" Kaoru bellowed.
"Don't you '-chan' me, Kaoru!" Yahiko retorted. But Kaoru did not fight back.
Kenshin looked anxiously at Kaoru. "Exactly WHAT did happen, Kaoru-dono?"
He did not remember a thing? Kaoru wondered in surprise. She only returned a smile. "Nothing, Kenshin. Bad dreams got to you, I guess."
Sanosuke and Yahiko soon left the two alone, laughing at their blushing and shamed faces. Kenshin was unable to find any words to say about last night. "Kaoru-dono, I apologize for whatever happened last night, but for the life of me, I swear that I did not touch you-------"
"You do not have to apologize for anything, Kenshin," she reassured him. "Only promise me not to worry about me anymore."
"I can't do that."
They both ate breakfast in silence, amidst hoots from Yahiko and Sanosuke. It was only after breakfast that Kenshin spoke. He simply asked Kaoru to come with him and meet the American ambassador that morning. Kaoru readily agreed.
By nine o'clock, they were already at the police precinct. Kaoru wore her everyday kimono, but ensured that she wore it as neatly and as beautifully as possible. She wore her new indigo ribbon. Kenshin needed cheering up, and any small way helped. Kenshin also took it upon himself to wear a newer hakama, to look more presentable.
They were right on schedule. Roughly half an hour after they arrived, the American ambassador appeared at the main hall, accompanied by an interpreter. He did not look imposing, he was not even tall, but as the only white man among natives, his presence created a sensation.
The chief gave the order to salute, and the troops responded with commendable precision. Following protocol, the ambassador returned the salute. After giving the "at ease" order, Chief Uramura then introduced the ambassador to his official bodyguard. The redhaired young guard bowed respectfully. He formally introduced his friend wearing the yellow kimono. She too bowed politely and gave the ambassador a nervous smile.
The bodyguard then bowed to his friend, explained that he had to do his duty, and left her with Chief Uramura. He then walked beside the ambassador as he did a formal inspection of the precinct.
Two hours went by. Kaoru was not bored. She enjoyed seeing the precinct, the few times that she visited with the -gumi. There was order in chaos, and there was always the feeling that a lot of good was done between the four walls of the building.
Eventually the bodyguard returned to her side, and begged her forgiveness, but he had to accompany the ambassador for lunch. He promised to be home by around 1 o'clock, as the ambassador would go back to the hotel after that. He had his own guards there.
"Oh! I just remembered! Sorry, Kaoru-dono! Daigoro-dono said that he would come visit us! It would be probably today, so we have to get some food ready......" Kenshin apologetically recited.
"Oh, don't worry! I'll buy some from Tae on the way home," she cheerfully replied. Then she made her way out of the precinct and back into the town square.
Walking back to the dojo from the Akabeko, a basket filled with goodies under one arm, Kaoru passed by the river.
From far away she saw two men, a tall one and a stocky one. She noticed as they exchanged a few words, and looked in her direction. The tall man hurriedly unfolded a large piece of paper, pointed out a few items on it, and quickly refolded the paper. He then gave it to the stocky man, who gave him a sound pat on the back and a sinister smile. They parted ways.
As soon as they disappeared from her sight, she suddenly saw a large speck of red and white dash across the road and hide among the trees.
Kenshin? Now what would he do here? And why be so secretive? She asked herself.
She shrugged. Not my problem. Must be one of the things he has to do as a bodyguard. She continued on her way and ignored the little scene.
Just in time! She literally knocked into an absentminded Daigoro, as he turned the corner to the dojo. In his left hand he carried a book and a few loose sheets of paper. He was accompanied by his pretty little wife.
"Sorry about that, Daigoro-san," Kaoru apologized. "Kenshin told me you were coming. Let's have some lunch inside, shall we?"
The offer was taken, and soon lunch was served in the practice area, to accommodate the two guests. Yahiko and Sanosuke of course were there, and munched greedily on tempura and sushi.
Daigoro chatted happily about his translations and his increasing commissions. His wife just smiled and giggled, seeing her husband so energetic about discussing his work, that his hat was still on inside a house and his tempura was swinging half-eaten in the air as he gestured.
Then he began talking about a time machine, an object that he claimed could send a person back in time. Kaoru nodded respectfully as Daigoro showed them diagram upon diagram, and constantly talked over their heads with his physics and theory of relativity and quantum leap. Yahiko and Sanosuke did not show such tact. They loudly guffawed at the notion. Go back in time to fix history?! You've been reading too many books! You should go out more! Breathe some fresh air! See more women!
"SANOSUKE! How dare you say that! In front of his wife!" Kaoru reprimanded.
"Don't bother, Kaoru-san," Daigoro reassured her. "I get that pretty often. I don't mind too much. It's not their invention, but mine. But whether they accept it or not, I'll prove that time travel is really possible! Very soon, I'll even be able to send another person back in time, not just me....."
"Now who would agree to such a crazy, twisted plan?" Yahiko asked in between laughs.
"I would."
Kenshin had appeared at the door.
Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Yahiko looked at him, aghast. They thought he would know better than that.
"Himura-san, I'm glad you're finally here," Daigoro greeted him. "I'd like to speak to you alone, if you don't mind?"
Kenshin nodded, and the two men went to the backyard. Kaoru followed them at a distance, and hid herself behind a bush.
"I have a few questions, Himura-san," Daigoro began. "I've put two and two together, since you came to my house last Monday. I've gone to thinking. It's not very likely that you would hear about time travel from another person than myself, since everybody else thinks me crazy. But you asked me about it, like you knew what it was. And you said, when I saw you, that you had come from the back side of the house looking for me. So why did I not see you come in? Furthermore, I inspected my time machine last Tuesday, and I was very surprised to notice that it took some damage, obviously from recent use. Now, as I told you last Monday, I had not touched the machine the week before you visited. Then, there was your answer when you arrived today."
Kenshin only nodded every so often while Daigoro made his speech. Kaoru behind the bush wondered where all of this was leading to, aside from the reason why she did not get any tofu last Monday.
"So my first question to you is," Daigoro paused dramatically, "Did I send YOU back in time, Himura-san?"
Kenshin remained silent for an eternity before he replied simply, "Yes."
"How far back?"
"Seven days, from October 8."
"To do what?"
"To stop an assassination."
Daigoro remained speechless for a whole minute, as he tried to comprehend the deep meaning of those few words. Kaoru on her part did not understand what the two men were talking about.
"So I was right....."
"Yes."
"But, this, assassination you mentioned, were you able to stop it so far?"
Kenshin only shook his head. Daigoro did not press further, but he took out a small notebook from a pocket.
"But what did you feel during the trip?"
"You said something then about 3 Gs. Yes, it was uncomfortable. It pressed me to the chair like a vice. I saw a bright light, which disappeared as the machine stopped turning. But other than that, I am perfectly healthy and fine."
"Thank you very much, Himura-san. It was very helpful information. One last question."
He paused as he kept his notebook.
"Do you regret what you did?"
Kenshin thought about his answer. Kaoru remembered his fitful sleep last night. His words then still did not make sense, and it even got more confusing with this new, weird information about time travel and all. What assassination was he talking about? Why did he keep saying she will die, she will die, and he can't stop it? What did he know about the future?
"Well, Himura-san? Do you regret what you did?"
Kenshin turned his back to Daigoro and walked away slowly, as he replied.
"I do not know yet."
.......................
Thanks for reading this long piece. I'll be back in a few days. Wait for me, OK? ^_^