Tanuki To Ryuu
Its me again! Bet you thought I forgot about this fic, didn't ya?
DIDN'T YA? Sorry, just ate some spicy food. Anyways, I think I'll
take a slightly slower pace with my chapters now. C&C as always!
Chapter 12- The Ties that Bind
"Umm, sure," Kaoru answered. 'Sure?' Kaoru thought to herself,
'What kind of idiot am I? How can I answer such a question with
'sure'?'. Kenshin, though, just smiled and stood up.
"I'm glad," he replied as he walked out of the dojo. "I'll
tell you when dinner is ready, Kaoru," After Kenshin left, Kaoru just
sat there silent for a few minutes, eyes wide in confusion.
"How could I answer it like that? I must be a total idiot,"
Kaoru muttered to herself. Kaoru stood up and decided to practice a
little on her own. She swung her bokken slowly as she went through the
more advanced motions of Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. She paused in mid-swing
as the dojo door slid open. Ayane stepped in with her naginata and
looked at Kaoru.
"Practicing, huh?" Ayane stated. "You have a very beautiful
form Kaoru, but something still seems a little 'off' with it," Ayane
observed. Kaoru sighed and dropped to a relaxed stance.
"Kenshin just proposed to me," Kaoru said blandly. "I answered
with 'sure'. I can't believe I said 'sure'! I've been waiting for
him to admit SOMETHING for almost six months, and when he finally asks,
I answer with 'sure'? I'm a moron,"
Ayane tried to keep her face solid, but her expression cracked
and soon enough she was laughing loudly. "Hehehehehehe, I can't
believe it! 'Sure' she says. That's rich! Its times like this that
drinking is needed!" Ayane suggested.
"I don't drink often," Kaoru answered with a blush. "Drinking
makes me... 'friendly'. Sanosuke threw a party once and I had some
sake. I was clinging to Kenshin like a snake to a rat the whole night
until I fell asleep,"
"Who's Sanosuke?" Ayane asked with interest.
"Ah, he's a friend," Kaoru answered. "He left a few weeks ago
to travel the world. Sanosuke was kind of like Kenshin's best friend.
He had rooster hair and wears 'Aku' on his back,"
"Zanza?" Ayane asked. "He owes me 10 yen! I bailed his butt
out 3 years ago and he doesn't bother to repay me when he leaves the
country? Geez, some people,"
Kaoru laughed at Ayane's outburst. "Yeah, that sure sounds
like Sano!" Kaoru sighed and continued, "I still don't know what to do
about my current problem! Kenshin probably think I'm a weirdo or a
prude by answering his proposal with 'sure',"
"Oh, I have a suggestion," Ayane said with a grin. "If you
think the proposal is lacking, just show a little more affection
elsewhere,"
***
Kenshin finished dinner and brought everything to the table for
all three occupants of the dojo. "Kaoru! Ayane-dono! Dinner is
ready!" Kenshin shouted. Kaoru came into the dining area in her kimono
and Ayane was in her usual clothes. Kaoru had a small blush as she sat
down and served herself, Kenshin, and Ayane rice. "Oro? Kaoru, what's
wrong? Are you cold?" Kenshin asked as he noticed Kaoru's rather large
blush.
"Oh, its nothing Kenshin," Kaoru answered. Kaoru handed her
two housemates their bowls and she began to eat. For a few minutes,
Kaoru avoided looking at Kenshin and Kenshin felt uncomfortable with it.
"Are you sure you're alright, Kaoru?" Kenshin asked. "If this
is about what we discussed earlier, we can forget it happened," Kaoru
noticed Kenshin's tone of voice seemed sad.
"No no, its not about that, Kenshin," Kaoru answered as she
raised her head and looked at Kenshin with a nervous smile. "Trust me,
I'm glad we decided on that subject,"
"Alright, Kaoru," Kenshin said as he continued to eat his
dinner. Ayane observed the two and smiled like a shark. After dinner
was over, Kenshin and Kaoru moved the dishes into the kitchen and Ayane
went into the dojo to get some sleep.
Kaoru slid the door open to her bedroom and looked at Kenshin.
"Well?" Kaoru said in apprehension. Kenshin had a confused look on his
face as he assessed the situation.
"Oro? But Kaoru, you aren't dressed for bed yet," Kenshin
pointed out, then added, "and neither am I," Kaoru narrowed her eyes
at Kenshin.
"So? You can change in my room," Kaoru said as her blush
returned with a vengence. Kenshin was about to object but he saw the
glare in Kaoru's eyes, so he shrugged and entered her room. As he
stepped in, Kaoru followed and slid the door shut behind them.
Kenshin turned his face to the wall and quickly changed into his
sleeping clothes with the aide of his divine speed. He gave a cautious
peek over his shoulder and saw Kaoru's naked back as she changed into
her nightclothes. He quickly turned his head back towards the wall and
recited to himself the first lines from 'The Book of the Five Rings'.
"You done yet, Kaoru?" Kenshin asked.
"Give me a second Kenshin," Kaoru answered. "I'm unrolling the
beds. Ok, you can turn around," Kenshin turned around and saw Kaoru
in her nightclothes and both of the bedrolls on the floor next to
eachother, a mere inch between them.
"ORO!!!" Kenshin yelled as he lept against the wall. "Kaoru,
are you sure?" Kaoru nodded slowly as she finished braiding her hair.
"Then why are you frightened with a slight touch of apprehension?"
Kenshin asked. "I can sense such things, you know," Kenshin took a
few cautious steps towards Kaoru.
"I felt like such a dork when I answered your proposal with
'sure'," Kaoru admitted. "I told Ayane about it and she suggested I
can 'make it up' to you by being a little more affectionate," Kenshin
looked at Kaoru oddly then started to laugh.
"Hahahaha, ororoo," Kenshin said as he held a hand on his
forehead. "Kaoru, I hardly asked in a romantic manner either. You
don't need to rush things because you feel you are inadequete. You had
me when you first swung that bokken at me and I called you 'Kaoru-dono'.
Rushing into things just makes us nervous," Kaoru's blush disappeared
and she reached behind her back and pulled out a shinai.
Kaoru gave Kenshin a small whack on his head. "That's for
laughing at my discomfort, Kenshin," Kaoru said as she laid on her bed.
"I think it'll be fine if you slept next to me, just don't get any
ideas! Wait," Kaoru said as she thought for a moment, "Don't ACT on
your ideas YET!" Kaoru added. Kenshin rubbed the bump on his head and
laid down on the futon next to Kaoru.
"Don't worry, Kaoru," Kenshin reassured her, "THAT subject makes
me nervous too,"
"Oh? But you were MARRIED!" Kaoru pointed out.
"We never... did anything," Kenshin said hesitantly. "It was
the middle of the war and I didn't want to have children in the middle
of chaos,"
"I can't believe it," Kaoru muttered to herself, "both of us
won't know what to do when the time comes!"
"Oro? That's not true, Kaoru," Kenshin said. "My master gave
me 'the talk' before I left his training when I was 14," Kaoru turned
around and gave Kenshin an odd look. "Good point," Kenshin added.
***
Yutaro and Yahiko arrived the next morning for their lessons,
and they were, as usual, fighting. Kaoru sighed in frustration and
looked at her two students. "What is it now?" Kaoru asked in
aggrivation.
"Yutaro put his lips on Tsubame's hand! How gross is that?"
Yahiko shouted as he waved his shinai at his arch rival.
"It's a common European custom!" Yutaro countered as he waved
his cane. "Just because this punk has no class doesn't mean I have to
suffer from it!"
"THAT'S IT!" Kaoru shouted. "I have the perfect solution to
this!" Kaoru walked away from her two students and went into the
equipment shed. She came out a few seconds later and held her hands
behind her back with an evil glint in her eyes. "You two WILL learn to
get along and this will see to it!" Kaoru shouted as her hands whipped
out to her two students in blinding speed and a loud CLANK sound filled
their ears. "There, now I'll take that off as soon as the two of you
learn to work together," Kaoru said with a grin.
Yahiko felt a strange weight on his left wrist so he looked down
and saw a handcuff on it. He looked down on the attached meterlong
chain and saw on the other end another handcuff with Yutaro's right
wrist in it. "What the hell?!?" both boys yelled.
"C'mon buso!" Yahiko pleaded, "This is too far! Please, just
give me the key!"
"Kamiya-sensei," Yutaro said, "Please unchain me from that idiot
punk? I'll promise to stay away from his woman!"
"No way, you two!" Kaoru answered. "You two will stay that way
until you learn to get along. Oh, and you can forget about trying to
pick pocket me, Yahiko. I gave the key to Kenshin and he hid it
somewhere," Both boys hung their heads down in defeat. "Good, now
both of you go into the dojo and practice SOFTLY! If I hear a real
whack, I'm going to shorten the chain!"
Kenshin walked next to Kaoru and asked her, "How long did you
want to do that?" Kaoru giggled a little and turned to face Kenshin.
"Oh, ever since Yutaro came back," Kaoru answered.as she walked
towards the dojo. Kenshin grinned at Kaoru's back and went back to the
laundry to see Ayane was hanging it.
"Oro? Ayane-dono, I'm the one that usually does the laundry
here," Kenshin said. Ayane turned and smiled at Kenshin.
"Well, I'm staying here for free, so I have to do my share,
right?" Ayane said.
"About that," Kenshin said. "We need to talk about a possible
assault on the dojo. Tonno Atsuko might see it as his only option to
both defeat Kaoru and gain a new base of operations. If such an
assault happens, we need to discuss the role you will play. I have a
pivotal role for you,"
"Don't worry, Kenshin," Ayane answered with a grin. "When you
have me here, you'll have my skills and my naginata too!"
"I don't doubt your skills, Ayane-dono," Kenshin replied, "but I
had a slightly different role in mind for you,"
***
Yahiko and Yutaro were both walking home, chained to eachother.
"I can't believe I'm chained to a playboy pervert" Yahiko muttered to
himself. "Hey walk faster!" Yahiko shouted as he yanked the chain.
"I'll walk at my own pace, thank you very much," Yutaro retorted
as he yanked the chain back. Yahiko stopped walking and sniffed the
air. "Hey, why did you stop moving, idiot?" Yutaro said. Yahiko
ignored his rival's insult.
"There's gunpowder in the air. Something's happening!" Yahiko
shouted as he lept into an empty ally and yanked Yutaro to follow.
"The wind's blowing to the west today, so the shots have been fired back
in the direction at the dojo!" Yahiko shouted. "We need to get back
there!"
***
Kenshin stood with his sakabato unsheathed, 30 young men and
some older teenagers in Shinsengumi uniforms with katanas unsheathed,
aimed at him. Kaoru's back was against his own and she held a bokken
in her hands at ready position. The rank of swordsmen opened up and a
lone man walked forward towards the pair. "Tonno Akutsa," Kenshin
addressed the man. "I knew you'd try this, but so soon? Sloppy. I
can defeat every one of your men before they realized I moved," Kenshin
stated.
Akutsa smiled at this and answered, "Of course you can,
Battousai, but you won't. I'm here to challenge your fiancee. If she
wins, I'll leave her alone. If I win, this dojo is mine,"
"If you win," Kenshin said with a glare in his eyes, "you'd kill
her,"
"True, but that's the price of war," Akutsa answered with an
evil grin. Kenshin grinned back.
"Ayane-dono, NOW!" Kenshin yelled. The dojo's doors slid open
and Ayane leapt out and ran through the ranks of swordsmen before they
realized what happened and she bounded over the outer walls and ran.
Akutsa turned his head slightly and saw the fleeing woman.
"So you converted one of my Elite. Your big plan was to make
her flee?" Tonno chuckled, "You've grown feeble, Battousai,"
***
Yahiko and Yutaro got to the dojo's gates but saw twin 15 year
old swordsmen in dark blue with a wakazashi each, the perfect mirror
image of eachother. "Get out of our way!" Yahiko shouted at the twins
which guarded the gates.
"Yeah! We need to get in there!" Yutaro added.
The twin brothers grinned and drew their short swords. "We are
the Twin Blades of the Elite," the two brothers said in synchronization,
"and the only way you can pass is by defeating us,"
***
Wow! The Mastery Arc is almost nearing completion, but there
are so many storyarcs I have left in my mind! I can't believe I've
gotten this far! Well, keep sending in your opinions!
Its me again! Bet you thought I forgot about this fic, didn't ya?
DIDN'T YA? Sorry, just ate some spicy food. Anyways, I think I'll
take a slightly slower pace with my chapters now. C&C as always!
Chapter 12- The Ties that Bind
"Umm, sure," Kaoru answered. 'Sure?' Kaoru thought to herself,
'What kind of idiot am I? How can I answer such a question with
'sure'?'. Kenshin, though, just smiled and stood up.
"I'm glad," he replied as he walked out of the dojo. "I'll
tell you when dinner is ready, Kaoru," After Kenshin left, Kaoru just
sat there silent for a few minutes, eyes wide in confusion.
"How could I answer it like that? I must be a total idiot,"
Kaoru muttered to herself. Kaoru stood up and decided to practice a
little on her own. She swung her bokken slowly as she went through the
more advanced motions of Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. She paused in mid-swing
as the dojo door slid open. Ayane stepped in with her naginata and
looked at Kaoru.
"Practicing, huh?" Ayane stated. "You have a very beautiful
form Kaoru, but something still seems a little 'off' with it," Ayane
observed. Kaoru sighed and dropped to a relaxed stance.
"Kenshin just proposed to me," Kaoru said blandly. "I answered
with 'sure'. I can't believe I said 'sure'! I've been waiting for
him to admit SOMETHING for almost six months, and when he finally asks,
I answer with 'sure'? I'm a moron,"
Ayane tried to keep her face solid, but her expression cracked
and soon enough she was laughing loudly. "Hehehehehehe, I can't
believe it! 'Sure' she says. That's rich! Its times like this that
drinking is needed!" Ayane suggested.
"I don't drink often," Kaoru answered with a blush. "Drinking
makes me... 'friendly'. Sanosuke threw a party once and I had some
sake. I was clinging to Kenshin like a snake to a rat the whole night
until I fell asleep,"
"Who's Sanosuke?" Ayane asked with interest.
"Ah, he's a friend," Kaoru answered. "He left a few weeks ago
to travel the world. Sanosuke was kind of like Kenshin's best friend.
He had rooster hair and wears 'Aku' on his back,"
"Zanza?" Ayane asked. "He owes me 10 yen! I bailed his butt
out 3 years ago and he doesn't bother to repay me when he leaves the
country? Geez, some people,"
Kaoru laughed at Ayane's outburst. "Yeah, that sure sounds
like Sano!" Kaoru sighed and continued, "I still don't know what to do
about my current problem! Kenshin probably think I'm a weirdo or a
prude by answering his proposal with 'sure',"
"Oh, I have a suggestion," Ayane said with a grin. "If you
think the proposal is lacking, just show a little more affection
elsewhere,"
***
Kenshin finished dinner and brought everything to the table for
all three occupants of the dojo. "Kaoru! Ayane-dono! Dinner is
ready!" Kenshin shouted. Kaoru came into the dining area in her kimono
and Ayane was in her usual clothes. Kaoru had a small blush as she sat
down and served herself, Kenshin, and Ayane rice. "Oro? Kaoru, what's
wrong? Are you cold?" Kenshin asked as he noticed Kaoru's rather large
blush.
"Oh, its nothing Kenshin," Kaoru answered. Kaoru handed her
two housemates their bowls and she began to eat. For a few minutes,
Kaoru avoided looking at Kenshin and Kenshin felt uncomfortable with it.
"Are you sure you're alright, Kaoru?" Kenshin asked. "If this
is about what we discussed earlier, we can forget it happened," Kaoru
noticed Kenshin's tone of voice seemed sad.
"No no, its not about that, Kenshin," Kaoru answered as she
raised her head and looked at Kenshin with a nervous smile. "Trust me,
I'm glad we decided on that subject,"
"Alright, Kaoru," Kenshin said as he continued to eat his
dinner. Ayane observed the two and smiled like a shark. After dinner
was over, Kenshin and Kaoru moved the dishes into the kitchen and Ayane
went into the dojo to get some sleep.
Kaoru slid the door open to her bedroom and looked at Kenshin.
"Well?" Kaoru said in apprehension. Kenshin had a confused look on his
face as he assessed the situation.
"Oro? But Kaoru, you aren't dressed for bed yet," Kenshin
pointed out, then added, "and neither am I," Kaoru narrowed her eyes
at Kenshin.
"So? You can change in my room," Kaoru said as her blush
returned with a vengence. Kenshin was about to object but he saw the
glare in Kaoru's eyes, so he shrugged and entered her room. As he
stepped in, Kaoru followed and slid the door shut behind them.
Kenshin turned his face to the wall and quickly changed into his
sleeping clothes with the aide of his divine speed. He gave a cautious
peek over his shoulder and saw Kaoru's naked back as she changed into
her nightclothes. He quickly turned his head back towards the wall and
recited to himself the first lines from 'The Book of the Five Rings'.
"You done yet, Kaoru?" Kenshin asked.
"Give me a second Kenshin," Kaoru answered. "I'm unrolling the
beds. Ok, you can turn around," Kenshin turned around and saw Kaoru
in her nightclothes and both of the bedrolls on the floor next to
eachother, a mere inch between them.
"ORO!!!" Kenshin yelled as he lept against the wall. "Kaoru,
are you sure?" Kaoru nodded slowly as she finished braiding her hair.
"Then why are you frightened with a slight touch of apprehension?"
Kenshin asked. "I can sense such things, you know," Kenshin took a
few cautious steps towards Kaoru.
"I felt like such a dork when I answered your proposal with
'sure'," Kaoru admitted. "I told Ayane about it and she suggested I
can 'make it up' to you by being a little more affectionate," Kenshin
looked at Kaoru oddly then started to laugh.
"Hahahaha, ororoo," Kenshin said as he held a hand on his
forehead. "Kaoru, I hardly asked in a romantic manner either. You
don't need to rush things because you feel you are inadequete. You had
me when you first swung that bokken at me and I called you 'Kaoru-dono'.
Rushing into things just makes us nervous," Kaoru's blush disappeared
and she reached behind her back and pulled out a shinai.
Kaoru gave Kenshin a small whack on his head. "That's for
laughing at my discomfort, Kenshin," Kaoru said as she laid on her bed.
"I think it'll be fine if you slept next to me, just don't get any
ideas! Wait," Kaoru said as she thought for a moment, "Don't ACT on
your ideas YET!" Kaoru added. Kenshin rubbed the bump on his head and
laid down on the futon next to Kaoru.
"Don't worry, Kaoru," Kenshin reassured her, "THAT subject makes
me nervous too,"
"Oh? But you were MARRIED!" Kaoru pointed out.
"We never... did anything," Kenshin said hesitantly. "It was
the middle of the war and I didn't want to have children in the middle
of chaos,"
"I can't believe it," Kaoru muttered to herself, "both of us
won't know what to do when the time comes!"
"Oro? That's not true, Kaoru," Kenshin said. "My master gave
me 'the talk' before I left his training when I was 14," Kaoru turned
around and gave Kenshin an odd look. "Good point," Kenshin added.
***
Yutaro and Yahiko arrived the next morning for their lessons,
and they were, as usual, fighting. Kaoru sighed in frustration and
looked at her two students. "What is it now?" Kaoru asked in
aggrivation.
"Yutaro put his lips on Tsubame's hand! How gross is that?"
Yahiko shouted as he waved his shinai at his arch rival.
"It's a common European custom!" Yutaro countered as he waved
his cane. "Just because this punk has no class doesn't mean I have to
suffer from it!"
"THAT'S IT!" Kaoru shouted. "I have the perfect solution to
this!" Kaoru walked away from her two students and went into the
equipment shed. She came out a few seconds later and held her hands
behind her back with an evil glint in her eyes. "You two WILL learn to
get along and this will see to it!" Kaoru shouted as her hands whipped
out to her two students in blinding speed and a loud CLANK sound filled
their ears. "There, now I'll take that off as soon as the two of you
learn to work together," Kaoru said with a grin.
Yahiko felt a strange weight on his left wrist so he looked down
and saw a handcuff on it. He looked down on the attached meterlong
chain and saw on the other end another handcuff with Yutaro's right
wrist in it. "What the hell?!?" both boys yelled.
"C'mon buso!" Yahiko pleaded, "This is too far! Please, just
give me the key!"
"Kamiya-sensei," Yutaro said, "Please unchain me from that idiot
punk? I'll promise to stay away from his woman!"
"No way, you two!" Kaoru answered. "You two will stay that way
until you learn to get along. Oh, and you can forget about trying to
pick pocket me, Yahiko. I gave the key to Kenshin and he hid it
somewhere," Both boys hung their heads down in defeat. "Good, now
both of you go into the dojo and practice SOFTLY! If I hear a real
whack, I'm going to shorten the chain!"
Kenshin walked next to Kaoru and asked her, "How long did you
want to do that?" Kaoru giggled a little and turned to face Kenshin.
"Oh, ever since Yutaro came back," Kaoru answered.as she walked
towards the dojo. Kenshin grinned at Kaoru's back and went back to the
laundry to see Ayane was hanging it.
"Oro? Ayane-dono, I'm the one that usually does the laundry
here," Kenshin said. Ayane turned and smiled at Kenshin.
"Well, I'm staying here for free, so I have to do my share,
right?" Ayane said.
"About that," Kenshin said. "We need to talk about a possible
assault on the dojo. Tonno Atsuko might see it as his only option to
both defeat Kaoru and gain a new base of operations. If such an
assault happens, we need to discuss the role you will play. I have a
pivotal role for you,"
"Don't worry, Kenshin," Ayane answered with a grin. "When you
have me here, you'll have my skills and my naginata too!"
"I don't doubt your skills, Ayane-dono," Kenshin replied, "but I
had a slightly different role in mind for you,"
***
Yahiko and Yutaro were both walking home, chained to eachother.
"I can't believe I'm chained to a playboy pervert" Yahiko muttered to
himself. "Hey walk faster!" Yahiko shouted as he yanked the chain.
"I'll walk at my own pace, thank you very much," Yutaro retorted
as he yanked the chain back. Yahiko stopped walking and sniffed the
air. "Hey, why did you stop moving, idiot?" Yutaro said. Yahiko
ignored his rival's insult.
"There's gunpowder in the air. Something's happening!" Yahiko
shouted as he lept into an empty ally and yanked Yutaro to follow.
"The wind's blowing to the west today, so the shots have been fired back
in the direction at the dojo!" Yahiko shouted. "We need to get back
there!"
***
Kenshin stood with his sakabato unsheathed, 30 young men and
some older teenagers in Shinsengumi uniforms with katanas unsheathed,
aimed at him. Kaoru's back was against his own and she held a bokken
in her hands at ready position. The rank of swordsmen opened up and a
lone man walked forward towards the pair. "Tonno Akutsa," Kenshin
addressed the man. "I knew you'd try this, but so soon? Sloppy. I
can defeat every one of your men before they realized I moved," Kenshin
stated.
Akutsa smiled at this and answered, "Of course you can,
Battousai, but you won't. I'm here to challenge your fiancee. If she
wins, I'll leave her alone. If I win, this dojo is mine,"
"If you win," Kenshin said with a glare in his eyes, "you'd kill
her,"
"True, but that's the price of war," Akutsa answered with an
evil grin. Kenshin grinned back.
"Ayane-dono, NOW!" Kenshin yelled. The dojo's doors slid open
and Ayane leapt out and ran through the ranks of swordsmen before they
realized what happened and she bounded over the outer walls and ran.
Akutsa turned his head slightly and saw the fleeing woman.
"So you converted one of my Elite. Your big plan was to make
her flee?" Tonno chuckled, "You've grown feeble, Battousai,"
***
Yahiko and Yutaro got to the dojo's gates but saw twin 15 year
old swordsmen in dark blue with a wakazashi each, the perfect mirror
image of eachother. "Get out of our way!" Yahiko shouted at the twins
which guarded the gates.
"Yeah! We need to get in there!" Yutaro added.
The twin brothers grinned and drew their short swords. "We are
the Twin Blades of the Elite," the two brothers said in synchronization,
"and the only way you can pass is by defeating us,"
***
Wow! The Mastery Arc is almost nearing completion, but there
are so many storyarcs I have left in my mind! I can't believe I've
gotten this far! Well, keep sending in your opinions!