Chapter 9! I'm actually this far! Hmm...I can't really figure how long this will be though. Maybe something in the late teens or early 20's. Either way, almost half way there!
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Chapter IX: Hohoemi to Namida
Lake Biwa, July of 1864
"SHIORI-CHAN!"
"GAH!" Shiori yelled, jumping out of her bed with a shriek that rivaled a banshee. It had been a little over a week and the young girl was able to walk and jump again without any pain -- though she still couldn't stand on for long periods of time without aid -- but Shiori would never get used to Kana scaring her awake in the mornings when she came by to cook. Sometimes she had to wonder which the worst wake up call was; Soujiro burning breakfast -- possibly the whole kitchen as well -- or Kana screaming at the top of her lungs in her ear. "Don't do that!"
Kana grinned from ear to ear, placing a tray of food in Shiori's lap once she sat down again. "But it's too fun! Anyway, eat up! Okaa-san said I could spend a few days here while she and Otou-san go to Osaka for something. She figured you might get lonely."
"Great!" Shiori exclaimed, beaming. "I wouldn't have been lonely though. Seta-san is here and I also had to go visit Kenshin-san, Kaoru-san and Yukishiro-san today..."
"Kenshin-san? Kaoru-san? Yukishiro-san?" Kana asked, question marks appearing over her head.
"Our friends who went to Otsu for a while," Soujiro piped up, walking out from the kitchen while drying his hands. He blinked when Shiori paled, stopping her hand before she bit into her breakfast. "Something wrong Takarashiro-san?"
"Soujiro-san made breakfast," Kana said, giggling when Shiori nearly dropped her chopsticks.
"Daijoubu! I didn't follow Kaoru-san's instructions and Kana-san helped a bit," Soujiro said, sweat-dropping.
Shiori was hesitant but bit into the food anyway, her amethyst-sapphire orbs widening in surprise as she chewed. "Yoshi!"
"Kaoru-san isn't much of a cook...so I suppose that's why my last cooking attempt failed," Soujiro admitted sheepishly, scratching his head.
Sweat-dropping, Shiori nodded, downing the last of her rice while Kana said, "I hope your friend Kenshin-san is cooking."
Looking at each other, both Shiori and Soujiro laughed, "Yeah right!"
* * * * *
Otsu, July of 1864
"Something smells good," Kaoru yawned, padding out of the bedroom and into the living area where Tomoe was sitting at the table, smiling while writing in her journal.
Wait, her mind piped up, ...if Tomoe-san isn't cooking then...
"Ohayo Kaoru," Kenshin's voice came making Kaoru spin around, nearly knocking him in the face as he came over with a plate of rice balls. She did, however, fall on her butt when her mind registered the fact that Kenshin -- Legendary HITOKIRI BATTOUSAI -- had made breakfast.
"Ohayo..." she said numbly, trying to regain composure as she got into her seat. Shaking her head of her thoughts, Kaoru grabbed a rice ball, biting into it with a curious expression. Her eyes popped open as she suddenly hung her head muttering, "How can this be?"
Tomoe and Kenshin's eyebrows arched. "Daijoubu Kaoru-chan?" the older woman asked, blinking.
"Hai, hai! I just hate it when people cook better then me," she said, laughing.
::CRASH!::
Kaoru blinked, leaning over and looking on the other side where Kenshin and Tomoe fell over, large sweat-drops running down their heads. "Daijoubu?"
"Hai," they chorused, sitting up right again.
"Ne," Kaoru started, nibbling on the outrageously tasty rice ball, "Where did you learn to cook Kenshin? These are really good." Oops, she thought as Kenshin's eyes flickered briefly, I guess I hit a nerve…
"It was a skill I learned as a child," he said, a bit of an edge in his voice that Tomoe and Kaoru picked up quickly.
"Say," Tomoe began, trying to ease the tension, "Isn't that young boy Soujiro and that little girl Shiori suppose to come today?" I might as well make the best of my time with them…the Yaminobu will probably kill me when I have to meet them next…
"Hai; they're supposed to come today," Kenshin said, glaring at his tea. Kaoru's simple and completely innocent question brought feelings back to him that an assassin shouldn't have.
…Regret…
…Horror…
…Helplessness…
…and worst of all…
…Tears.
Resting his elbow on the table, Kenshin put his face into his palm, screwing his eyes shut as the voices from that dreadful night ran through his mind once again -- Kaoru and Tomoe's voices dead to his ears.
"Run Ryosuke! Take them away from here!"
"Chikuso! Makiko-chan, run with him and don't look back!"
"We can't out run them! They all ready have Seiji-nii and Ryosuke-nii. Shinta-chan, run! I won't let them hurt you!"
"Quit crying boy and move along!"
"Let him go bastards! We won't become slaves to the likes of you! I won't let you take them away!"
"Shut-up you brat!"
::Slap!::
"Makiko-chan!"
"Shut-up boy!"
"Iya!"
"Bastard! Stop it! They're unarmed! You'll kill them!"
"Take them all away!"
"Stop it…" Kenshin whispered, startling Tomoe and Kaoru who were at his side trying to see if he was all right.
"You haven't decided your path in life like Akane-chan, Kasumi-chan and I; Shinta-chan…live on…and make yourself a future…"
"Hey kid, what's your name?"
"…Shinta…"
"That's too kind a name for a swordsman. From now on it will be Kenshin. I'll teach you all I know of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Use it to protect those you care for in the future."
"Kenshin?" he heard the soft, tentative voice call urgently, snapping him from his memories and bringing him back to reality. Blinking away the water droplets behind his eyes, he looked up, coming eye to eye with Kaoru who looked worried and a confused Tomoe. "Daijoubu ga?"
"Ah," he answered stiffly, standing up and moving to walk outside. "I'm going to chop some firewood."
Before either of the ladies could question him he was gone, daisho at his side.
* * * * *
"For the last time, I can walk on my own!" Kenshin heard a very familiar voice exclaim, interrupting him from his musings. Alone time cutting firewood wasn't helping him much in terms of getting some peace of mind; the only thing it brought was visions of blood flying instead of the wood pieces.
"Kenshin-san!" Shiori exclaimed before jumping on Kenshin's back in an over exaggerated -- in Soujiro's mind at least -- act, the stupefied young man blinking in surprise as he kept himself balanced on one knee.
How can she be so perky? "Konnichi wa," he said, voice dead pan. Inwardly, however, a part of him was glad to see the child was back to herself again and walking fine, though the fading scars on her legs could still be seen from under her gi.
"It thought I heard you!" Kaoru exclaimed as she ran out from around back, her kimono sleeves still tied back.
"Kaoru-san!" Soujiro exclaimed before latching himself onto Kaoru's waist in a hug, Kaoru kneeling down and returning it ten fold with a relieved sigh.
Images overlapped them as Kenshin watched their touching scene, his own mother falling into Kaoru's place while a vision of him when he was six replaced Soujiro, his face and clothes covered in dirt from being lost in the woods.
"Kenshin-san?" Shiori asked, poking the spaced out red head on his side while Kana stood off to the side watching everything in confusion.
The words fell from his mouth involuntarily, his brain not even registering the fact he said them as Shiori poked his side. "Oro?"
"Oro?" Shiori asked incredulously before joining Kana in giggling. "That's funny!"
"Oro?" Kaoru asked with unconcealed amusement, looking at Kenshin with an eyebrow raised high into her hairline.
"Did I say that?" he said, blinking in confusion. He hadn't said that small word for almost a decade. It sounded…refreshing almost.
"Yes you did," Kaoru giggled as Tomoe came around front to greet the new arrivals.
"I see you're looking better Shiori-chan," Tomoe commented as the young girl giggled with her friend.
"Ah! Seta-san took care of me the whole time!" she piped up cheerfully, keeping her smile steady as the sudden pain came to her legs again. I stood on them too long…
"Who are you?" Kenshin asked, looking at Kana.
"Eto…watashi wa Sachikawa Kana," she piped up, a bit intimidated by Kenshin's less then expressive face. A small part of her knew he was nice though, judging by his overall reaction to her exuberant friend. Anyone who doesn't mind her genki nature has to be nice…
"Come on inside! Tomoe-san and I just finished picking some herbs for the soup we're making for lunch," Kaoru said, ushering them inside.
"Ano…you're not cooking it are you?" Soujiro asked, a sweat-drop forming on his head as he saw a vein pop out on the back of Kaoru's head.
"Grin and bear it," Kenshin whispered as he walked past him.
Kana and Shiori -- who were near enough to hear his remark -- laughed with Soujiro despite Tomoe's confused look towards them.
* * * * *
"Wrong!" Kaoru scolded as she instructed Soujiro in his form. "Loosen your grip a little and don't try to swing so hard!"
"Like this?" he asked, performing it perfectly.
"Hai," Kaoru beamed, eyeing Kenshin who was working on cultivating the land a bit. He would plant the seeds tomorrow so they'd have a good crop by time the harvest came around. "Good, now two hundred more swings!"
Soujiro sweat-dropped and muttered something, though he did as told without complaint.
Kaoru eyed Shiori who looked a bit troubled by something, sitting outside on the dirt path while deep in thought. If I didn't know better I'd swear she looked 14 or 15 right now.
"Daijoubu ga?" Kaoru asked, walking over and sitting next to her while Soujiro counted.
Shiori blinked, looking up with a smile saying, "What makes you think anything's wrong Kaoru-san?"
"You looked so serious before," Kaoru stated, "You aren't acting like yourself."
"I'm just kind of bored since Kana-chan went off with Yukishiro-san to get herbs from the forest," she easily lied. What's bothering me is the fact that I can't feel my legs now!
"Ah, not many kids live around your area, right?" Shiori nodded. "Well, I'm sure your parents keep you company, ne?"
"Yeah," she murmured. They keep me company in my mind, she finished in thought.
"I'm done Kaoru-san!" Soujiro beamed, slinging his shinai over his shoulder with a wide smile.
Kaoru gave him a skeptical glance. "All 200 swings are done?" He nodded. "All right then…go wash up by the river," she told him before walking inside to change out of her training clothes.
"You were only at 100 you liar," Shiori muttered as he passed her.
"I hadn't noticed," Soujiro chimed cheerfully before skipping off towards the river.
Kenshin watched him go, lips quirking slightly.
* * * * *
"Eat up!" Kaoru announced as she and Tomoe laid out the food.
Kana, Soujiro, and Shiori eyed it wearily, as if trying to decipher which food Tomoe made and which specimens Kaoru had concocted. Kenshin shook his head, suppressing a smile. You'd think she was trying to poison them…
"What's wrong?" Kaoru asked as the 3 kids poked at the food.
"Which food did you make, Kaoru-san?" Soujiro asked bluntly before Kana or Shiori could keep his mouth shut. They not so subtly scooted away from him as a vein popped on Kaoru's head.
"What does it matter?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"I don't want to die from food poisoning."
::SLAM! CRASH!::
Kaoru ate the rice in front of her angrily, a lumpy headed Soujiro sprawled across the floor with swirling eyes.
Shiori was about to ask if he was all right when the oddest thing happened; even Soujiro blinked out of his half unconscious state to stare.
Kenshin had fallen back, laughing to the point tears came out of his eyes. His voice bounced off the walls and echoed all around them, every person in the small home staring at the normally emotionless assassin.
"Himura-san's…" Tomoe started, blinking.
"…laughing," Kaoru finished, only to narrow her eyes. He better not be laughing at me!
"He's laughing," Shiori said dryly, crawling over to where Kenshin was despite her protesting legs that screamed in pain. "I'm not seeing things," she stated blankly, poking his side which only made him laugh harder.
"He looks friendlier when he laughs," Kana commented, pointing to his face. "Are you OK, Himura-san?"
"Hai, hai," he said, catching his breath and regaining his composure. "Sumanu minna-san…I don't know what happened…"
"You should smile more often," Shiori said, poking his cheeks that were red from his laughter still, "It's more becoming of you rather then a frown."
"I'll try, Shiori-chan," Kenshin said, smiling his first real smile since he could remember. I didn't even think I could anymore…
* * * * *
Kaoru watched from the window as Kenshin played with some children outside, laughing and smiling as if he hadn't a care in the world. The young children -- Haruka, Hachiro, Seiki, Misa, and Kana -- were laughing and climbing all over him, all of them also trying to convince Shiori to join them without much success.
He looks so friendly…You'd never guess he's involved in the war at all, Kaoru mused as she watched him laugh with her own genuine smile crossing her lips. He's so lively now compared to before. I wonder what happened the other day…
"Kaoru-san! We're hungry!" Seiki chimed as he and the others scrambled in for lunch.
"Tomoe-san is preparing it. Why don't you go ask her what she's making?" Kaoru suggested, pointing towards the kitchen's direction.
"Are you coming Ken-nii?" Misa asked, tugging at his sleeve.
"I'll be there in a few moments," he said, motioning for her to get going. Misa nodded before scampering off, leaving Kaoru and him alone. "Is there something you want to ask me, Kaoru?"
"What happened to you?" she asked bluntly. "You changed almost instantly after you laughed yesterday. I'm just confused as to why."
My, isn't she direct… "I had forgotten I knew how to smile and laugh; that there was a possibility of seeing happiness in these times," he said sheepishly, "When you hit Soujiro the other day it just reminded me of a time when I would always laugh and smile...when I wasn't…well…" he made vague motions with his hand.
Kaoru nodded. "Ah."
"I had a brother and sister who fought all the time," he said, fixing his gi, "And you reminded me of my sister and how she would pound him."
"What happened to them?" Kaoru asked.
Kenshin's face darkened. "When the slave traders took us, we were split up. I was lucky that my shishou found me but I don't know about them."
"Sumanu," Kaoru said, inwardly smacking herself, "I shouldn't have asked."
"It's all right," he murmured, turning away when he felt the tears in his eyes. I promised I'd never cry like a child again…
"You know," Kaoru stated, popping up in front of him and grabbing his hands before he could wipe away the salty droplets, "It's all right to cry."
Kenshin blinked, staring at their hands. "I suppose…but I can't have these emotions, not now…"
"Can you promise me something?" Kaoru asked, smiling at him gently. "Can you promise me that as long as we're here, you won't hide yourself from me? As long as you're not needed to be Hitokiri Battousai that you'll smile and cry when you need to?"
"You're too kind a woman Kaoru," he said, taking her into his arms and hugging her. "Arigatou gozaimasu."
"It's nothing really…any person would do the same," she said, stroking his back like a mother would her child. I like him like this…he's so much more amiable and open. I wish he didn't have to hide himself. "Say, can I ask you something else?" she said, pulling away.
Kenshin blinked, confused. "All right…"
"What was with the 'Oro' thing?" she asked pointedly, Kenshin sweat-dropping. "You've been saying it a lot recently."
Kenshin turned and began walking towards the kitchen saying out loud, "I wonder what Yukishiro-san is cooking…"
"You didn't answer me!" Kaoru yelled, going off after him. "Kenshin!"
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Geeze, I never thought I'd finish this! Well, I hope you liked this installment! It might take a while for the next because I'm taking a short break. Once again, if you want e-mail alerts for my stories just tell me in a review!