Sorry! I know the last chapter was rushed and Saitoh was OOC, but as I put at the end
of the chapter, it was written in 2 hours! I didn't get to go back and read it over and over.
AND I forgot to respond to a review I had.
ShadowKat: Yes, you may borrow Okaasan. I don't mind sharing! I think it'd be kind
of cool to see how you portray her. Just let me know when it comes up! I wanna read it!
WARNING: I think there's some OOCness coming up. And I realize that Akino added '-dono'
in the first chapter, but I don't think she's said it since. Just to clarify, I kinda forgot she was
saying it. (Scratches head sheepishly.) But I think she's been calling everyone 'dear','sweetie',
'honey', that sort of thing anyway.
The Reunion
Chapter 7: Phase 2
Kaoru paced the floor nervously, waiting for Okaasan to speak. Megumi sat trying to look
patient, but she was chewing her bottom lip in a telltale gesture. And poor Misao was sitting,
but rocking back and forth, arms folded and resting on her legs. Okaasan was alternately
rubbing her temples and rubbing her chin, both her thinking modes.
The young women watched anxiously as her eyebrows would crease, then relax and her rubbing
would shift. Finally, Misao could take no more. "I thought you already KNEW what Phase 2
was!"
Okaasan smiled sheepishly. "It's one of two things and I'm not sure if either one is a good idea."
Kaoru sat down across from Kenshin's mother. "Maybe we could help. If you let us know our
two options we could choose, right?"
Okaasan sighed. "I'm afraid it isn't as simple as that, dear. You girls may protest both ideas.
One of them, I'm sure needs to wait a little longer and the other may be just plain embarrassing."
Megumi kept her head bowed and whispered. "What are our options?"
Another sigh. "You could let me set you up on a date with your guys."
A round of wide-eyes and shaking heads.
"No? That's what I thought. How about singing?"
Misao agreed enthusiastically, Megumi quickly shook her head 'no' and a panic stricken Kaoru
began to stutter. "Wh-what? I c-can't sing!"
Misao waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, please. We were singing while we were rebuilding
the Aoiya. Your voice isn't bad, Kaoru."
Kaoru shook her head quickly. "I'm not talking about ability. My problem is being able
to sing in front of people by myself. Remember, I'd only sing if someone else was singing
with me."
Misao put a hand under her chin and squinted her eyes. "Oh, yeah. I remember. But, you
do sing really well. Don't be embarrassed about it. Your voice is a lot better than mine, but
I'm not worried about this. Just think, it'll help us get our guys. Okaasan isn't going to let
us do something that would turn them away."
Okaasan agreed. "Yes, love. I want you and Shinta to be together more than anything. That
boy has had it rough and a good hearted, strong woman is what he needs. Someone who will
love him, laugh with him, take care of him when he needs it and hold him back or support him
as his sense of justice drives him. You are whom I believe to be his true love."
Kaoru's eyes reflected her surprise at Akino's passionate declaration. She mulled it over in her
head. Hesitantly, she accepted the plan. "I'll do it on one condition."
The other three waited patiently. "If I'm not any good, you have to be honest and let me know."
They all nodded in agreement. Akino turned her attention to Megumi. "And you, dear?"
Megumi put her hands up. "Don't even try to talk me into it. I will not sing, no matter what."
Akino cocked her head to the side. "Well, sweetheart, you could move on to the date. Sanosuke
is ready to prove his worth to you."
Megumi tapped her finger to her lips, thinking. "Do you really think so?"
Akino smiled wisely. "I know so."
Megumi smiled slowly and nodded her approval.
Akino clapped happily. "It's done, then! I'll talk to Tae-dono later and get everything ready
for your date and for you girls, we'll get ready for you to sing."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Akino and Kaoru strolled toward the Akabeko briskly. Kaoru hadn't seen her friend in a few
days and it showed. As soon as Tae spotted the two, she rushed over to seat them and then sat
herself down and started in on her gossip.
"Oh, Kaoru! I'm so sorry I missed your party! I had a business discussion with some suppliers
and it just wasn't possible to attend. Did you and Ken-san make any progress?" (A/N: In the
episodes I can remember at this moment, Tae called Kenshin 'Sir Ken'. Yeah, dubbed. So,
I'm using 'Ken-san'. Hope that's right.)
Kaoru tried to smile brightly, but it took a few tries to hold it and Tae caught on. She gave Kaoru
a glare and Kaoru spilled the beans. "Well, we danced together, but nothing else. The dancing
was fun though."
Tae shook her head, a small smile tugging her lips. "You two are slower than snails!"
"Well, we've decided that Phase 2 is tons of flirting, since I didn't see any of that last night, and
Kaoru and Misao are going to sing. Not directly to the guys, but sort of a, off in their own little
world type of thing." Akino looked to Tae.
Tae, being the resident match-maker, was thoroughly interested. "And Megumi-san?"
"She and Sanosuke are actually ready to skip Phase 2 and go straight for Phase 3, the date."
Tae's smile was almost wicked. "Okaasan, I do believe I have found in you a kindred spirit."
The three women hunched over the table arranging the date. Midway through discussions,
Kaoru interrupted. "Actually, wouldn't it be a good idea if we all went on our dates at the same
time. I know Megumi isn't doing any singing, but Misao and I could do that this afternoon and
then we'll all be ready for our dates tomorrow night."
Tae nodded. "I think that would be a good idea. It would give us extra time to make things
special."
Akino nodded once. "Yes, I see. Okay, we'll come back tomorrow and see where we stand.
Good day, Tae-dono!"
"See you, Okaasan!"
Kaoru waved to her friend and then turned to walk with Akino. "Okaasan?"
"Yes, my dear?"
"How is singing supposed to help?"
Akino watched as Kaoru chewed her bottom lip, thinking. "Well, child, it's part of how women
landed a husband in my day. Women were expected to be musically inclined in some way, so
if we could sing, we would do so. If a man heard and was impressed, it led to courtship in many
cases."
Kaoru fidgeted with her obi cord. "Yes, but Aoshi and Kenshin aren't exactly the types to jump
up and date us just because we sing well."
Akino giggled. "Phase 2 isn't an 'action phase', love. It's a wall-breaking stage. It's meant
to soften them up a bit."
Kaoru mouthed an 'oh' and followed Okaasan the rest of the way to the dojo quietly.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Misao and Kaoru sat in the living room, working on a quilt they had just started. Kenshin and
Aoshi watched in amusement as they took a while to get it started. Misao and Aoshi would
glance at each other and then look away in embarrassment. Kaoru and Kenshin were still where
they had always been.
Kaoru threw her hands up after she and Misao sewed the wrong side again. "Mou! Some
wives we'll make!"
Kenshin and Aoshi blushed, but then panicked. What if someone else took them away? And
it would have to be someone else if they didn't step in and claim the girls soon. The time for
marriage was already here for both women. And now with Akino around, people would expect
a marriage soon.
Kaoru and Misao finally settled into a rhythm with the quilt and the living room was silent for a
while. Kenshin was staring off into space and Aoshi was brushing up on his Gaelic, Misao's
favorite foreign language. When Misao was sure the time was right, she took a deep breath
and looked up to signal to Kaoru she was ready. Kaoru nodded imperceptibly and Misao started
to sing softly.
**If the sky opened up for me
And the mountains disappeared
If the seas ran dry, turned to dust
And the sun refused to rise
I would still find my way
By the light I see in your eyes
The world I know fades away
But you stay.**
All eyes were on the girls. They knew they were being watched, but had to seem as if they
were in their own little world. They continued sewing and singing. Kaoru and Misao did the
next part together.
**As the earth reclaims its due
And the cycle starts anew
We'll stay, always
In the love that we have
Shared before time.**
Kaoru tried to shake her nervousness. Come on, Kaoru. One verse and the rest is a duet. She
took a breath and started her part.
**If the years take away
Every memory that I have
I would still know the way
That would lead me back to your side
The North Star may die
But the light that I see in your eyes
Will burn there always
Lit by the love we have
Shared before time.**
Misao wanted to jump up and hug Kaoru as she sang her verse. It was more beautiful than
she had done at any rehearsal they had endured. They finished the song together.
**When the forest turns to jade
And the stories that we've made
Dissolve away
One shining light will still remain.
When we shed our earthly skin
And when our real life begins
There'll be no shame
Just the love that we have made before time.**
The two men in the room were stunned into silence. Kaoru looked up and caught Kenshin's
gaze. "Kaoru-dono, I didn't know you could sing."
Kaoru smiled shyly. "Oh, that's a song my mother used to sing to my father. It's been stuck
in my head for a few days now and poor Misao has had to listen to it over and over."
Misao looked up from her sewing. "Guess I picked it up without realizing it."
She chanced a glance at Aoshi who was trying to look normal, but she could see the wonder in
his gaze. "That was lovely, Misao."
She realized what he was reading. "Tapadh leibh." (Trans: Thank you.) "I could help you with
Gaelic if you like, Aoshi-sama. I did best in that language."
Aoshi shook his head to decline. "I do best if I teach myself. Thank you anyway, Misao."
He stood and put on his trenchcoat. "I'm going to the temple to meditate."
They all watched him leave and Misao glanced at Akino. The older woman went to her room and
the girls followed. Once inside, Akino let out an exasperated sigh.
Misao looked at her worriedly. "What is it?"
Akino put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. "That man is going to meditate
so he can put his emotions back in check. Damn it! So close, too."
Kaoru interjected. "But, we have our dates tomorrow. Everything could work out then, right?"
Okaasan smiled at her. "It could, but it's unlikely. Just come back in here tomorrow morning.
We'll all go see what Tae-dono has put together."
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A/N: One of my shorter chapters, but I had to end it there. The next chapter will be rather long.
Anyway, hope you liked. The song was, of course, the love theme from Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon. Can't remember the name of the song right now and I don't have my CDs with me.
And I wanted some foreign language worked in there with Aoshi and Misao and the only other
language I know is Gaelic and I'm not entirely fluent in it. Anyway, hope you liked and please
review! Hugs & Kisses!