Authors Notes: *YAY* Chapter 2 is finally here…demo it did take a long time though. *Hehehehe* you guys can forgive me right? *Pouts cutely*
Can I make the excuse of trying to remember what it was like to be in grade 9 (even though they are in grade 10) and remembering what the camp was like in 1996…eeeeeeeee…so long ago…and ours was all girls because they didn't trust our grade to have guys and girls together…
If anyone is wandering what a bivvie tent/sheet is (I be using both terms throughout the story) it could just be an Aussie term or maybe you have heard of it but I'll clarify anyway. When I went on our endeavour camp we got to pick whom we wanted in our bivvie group (max of 6 people). Now a bivvie tent/sheet is this huge (and I mean huge) thick plastic sheet which will protect you from the rain, if it rained and sometimes it is good as a wind block, if you know what direction the wind is coming from, unless you are the unlucky person who has to sleep on the edge because everyone else in the group is scarred and think they are going to be eaten by a dingo! (Hey that's what they all thought and so I was the frozen icicle at 5 in the morning! Oh and just to clarify one thing…dingoes are more scared of us then we should be of them…anywho…) Well I hope it made sense, it's just a huge protective thick sheet, which is quite heavy to carry…well back, then it was.
I am writing other stories for you're reading pleasure, so that's a better reason ne? Trying to do too many at once is a very stupid idea, alas I keep doing it anyway.
Except most of my time is working or trying to find a suitable university that accepts distant education so I don't have to go anywhere and study, so I can do it at home. Also I'm watching Yu Yu Hakusho and that just kicks butt! Hmmm now I know why Yusuke is the strongest S-Class (even though he isn't my favourite…but he is cool…but…HIEI RULES! He is soooooooooo kawaii…strange ne?) But he rocks! The black dragon kicks ass! And he's so kawaii when he's sleepy *hehehehe* Kurama is second best! I love it when he gets angry and summons that blood sucking plant. He has a kawaii snicker and the hair is soooooo cool and the eyes too and just everything about him…the same for Hiei! Although I detest the fact people make them lovers…its just sooooooooo not them and I hate it! (I'll state that as my final point!) And Kuwabara is so funny! "Yukiiiiiinnnnnnaaaa-san!" J
Although I have one question with box set dvd's (namely YYH and Inu-yasha) why do they have soooooooo many mistakes? I mean everytime the guys say 'Hiei' the subtitle says 'Kurama' and everytime they say 'Kurama' the subtitle says 'Hiei'. It so stupid! I mean wouldn't they figure out something is wrong after the first DVD, but no it's all the way through all of them. And sometimes it gets so confusing…about what they are saying or subtitles are left out completely in serious moments when you need to pay attention to the story line! Are they just in a hurry or something?
Anywho I think that's my bitching over with…for now. I've just gone way off track, it was just so exciting to get the 12 dvd's but a little disappointed about the quality but hey, the fighting rocks!
Back to what I was originally writing about: I'm sure I'm working on ideas for UTCT and Lonely Widow and my Inu-yasha fic and my other 3 fics that aren't completed (one which isn't even started yet… RK/Initial D crossover ficcie…what do ya think? Err…has anyone ever watched Initial D?) ALL unfinished fics…*faints*
Too…many…ideas…brain…dead…
Hiker…
(Day 1 - Evening)
Misao looked around watching her classmates' scurry around grabbing their things and placing up their bivvie sheets. Rain was falling softly to the forest floor, Tokio giving out instructions on what to do. The first thing Misao had done with Souzou and Sano was to locate a nice place they could camp that wouldn't leak any rain into the area and place up the sheet protecting their sleeping bags. It wasn't raining heavily yet, but Misao turned her face up watching the lightning flicker through the sky and the rumble of thunder rolling as well. Misao had never been scared of thunder storms, in fact she always got in trouble as she'd sit out in the backyard becoming totally drenched as she watched the lightning douse the yard into bright light. She always gave her mother a small heart attack when she was caught doing this and even now her mother would scowled her for sitting on the tyre tied on a tree branch swinging silently while the rain pelted against her bare arms and legs. What her mother never found out was that her father would sit with her when she was younger and watch the lightning too. He'd sneak away knowing instantly when his wife was going to come out and so Misao was the only one caught, but Misao didn't mind though, it was her time with her dad, something she loved very much.
Misao turned around in alarm when she heard a small squeal coming from Kaoru. She was wearing Misao's spare waterproof jacket, Misao knowing she wouldn't have brought one. Kaoru's head was bent, many students turning to look at her wanting to know what the squeal was for.
"I've got mud on my shoes!" Kaoru spoke angrily and Misao smirked as she heard the giggling and snickering of other students. Of all the things that could happen out here Kaoru was worried about mud. Misao giggled a little louder but stopped when Kaoru's angry eyes focused on her.
"I hate this place!" Kaoru huffed loudly and turned around walking back towards the bivvie sheet and disappearing inside to keep out of the rain. Misao shook her head and began walking off, just going for a small walk. She passed a few of her classmates that were running back as they protected the firewood they could collect from a certain area of the rainforest under their raincoats.
Misao smiled briefly at them and kept walking off ignoring the worried glances she received from them. Everyone knew how famous her father was in exploring these parts of Japan and Misao didn't like that at all. That meant everyone knew he was dead and that Misao was trying to act tough in thinking this didn't phase her one bit but instead it ate at her insides.
Misao stood on a large boulder rock that overlooked the city. In a span of a few hours they had walked up a hilly part of the area they would be adventuring tomorrow. Misao placed a small smile on her face, water droplets falling off her hat in front of her eyes as she stared over at the busy city. Her mum would be getting home now, her elder brothers heading home as well. The eldest Makimachi son lived in his own apartment with his on again off again girlfriend but often came to visit. The other two lived at the house with Misao and their mother. Misao closed her eyes just imagining the smell of a wonderful meal being cooked.
Lightning flashed through the sky, Misao's eyes opening as a loud clap of thunder crashed through the sky, the faint echo of female screams being heard from the camp as it came rather fast and unexpected.
"Tochan…" Misao mumbled out, her eyes glistening with tears, but she shook her head, turning her face up, determined not to cry over him. He had disappeared four years ago, not even saying goodbye or telling his own family where he was headed. No letters, no phone calls, nothing… They had received world last year about his death and it was throughout the entire news, letters from all fans being addressed to the Makimachi family with deepest sympathies.
Misao sat up during the nights looking out her bedroom window watching the front gate hoping that it would click open and her dad would come back. That never happened though… She had constantly heard her mother's soft cries about her husband leaving, her children's father disappearing without any explanation. Misao always remembered sleeping with the pillow over her head, blocking off the cries not wanting to hear them. She always hoped he'd come back, to take her camping once more, but from that day on, she'd gone by herself or with her brothers. He was never there for three long years and then the news came when Misao was 15, her mind reeling at the sudden shock that her father would never come back every again…
You know I love you Misao-chan…
"Stop it! Go away…I don't want to hear those fake words…" Misao mumbled out, her hands fisting tightly and her eyes growing darker in anger, as she stared over the city.
"Misao?" Misao turned around her eyes fixed on Tokio, the professional instructor who was leading the class through the wilderness to experience the true beauty of nature. Misao watched as she moved closer, looking over at the site Tokyo made at night.
"I'm sorry about you father…I never knew about his death, I have been overseas for two years and only came back this year. It must have been a big ceremony, a very sad occasion." Tokio spoke softly, her eyes glancing down at the young woman beside her. Her face was set, not a single emotion showing as she turned her back on the instructor, speaking once more and then walking off.
"He left us to live a life by himself. He never thought of what would happen to my brothers or our mother. He never gave us a second thought…never loved us… Someone as heartless as that deserves to be dead." Tokio watched the silhouette of Misao wander back to the camp, the rain easing slightly, the small storm moving on.
"I'm sorry you are so confused about how you feel Misao-chan…" Tokio spoke softly then turned back towards the city. Misao's father had been in the news many times, Tokio being a huge fan of what he did and finally began her life long dream of becoming a tour instructor for these parts of Japan. This is after all, how she had met her husband. He too had been watching the news and the documentaries he made and became intrigued and wanted to study in Tokyo with him at the university he taught at. She shook her head not wanting to dwell on the past and instead look to the future. She had a class of excited 15 and 16 year olds wanting to know what they would be doing tomorrow and so she began walking off heading back to camp. She removed the hood of her raincoat off her head, the rain stopping and the clouds parting open to let in the moonlight. Tokio spread word around for the students to head for the campfire and take a seat, stand or squat, whatever suited them best.
"Has everyone settled in yet?" Tokio spoke and heard many affirmative answers and maybe the odd no, knowing it was from Kaoru. Misao stood next to Sano, her arms crossed and staring endlessly into the flaming fire. She wasn't listening to what Tokio was saying, her words being blocked off by her own thoughts and memories rolling around in her head.
"Leave me alone…" Misao spoke out loud. Tokio stopped in her speech and all eyes turned to Misao as she stood still, her body tense and her eyes shut tightly for a few seconds. She snapped them open looking around at her classmates and then turned around mumbling an apology for disrupting the meeting and walked quietly to the bivvie tent. Sano's eyes glanced over at Tokio who nodded for him to go after her and he jogged off heading for their small campsite.
"Misao-chan?" Sano spoke softly; discarding his wet jacket, placing it over a tree branch and taking off his sneakers as he crawled over the sleeping bags heading for Misao who was right down the back. She was already tucked in her bag, her own raincoat on a branch close to her and her shoes inside the shelter hoping they would dry for tomorrow. Sano sat down on his bag next to Misao's looking over at her blank face as Misao's eyes were staring up into the night sky.
"Misao-chan…" Sano mumbled once more, his hand coming out to brush the wet bangs away from her forehead. Her head turned, her blue eyes glued to Sano's chocolate brown ones.
"I want to forget him…I don't want to remember how much he hurt me and my brothers…hurt our kachan…" Misao spoke her eyes glistening with tears but they never fell as she closed her eyes willing the tears to go away.
"Everything will be okay Misao-chan." Sano spoke softly once more, his eyes frowning as Misao's opened again, her face completely expressionless but her eyes…oh how they told how much she wanted to see him again…just one last time to tell him everything she felt.
"I want to forget…but he won't let me. I can hear his voice, telling me he loves me over and over again and yet I don't believe it. I don't believe anything he told me anymore. I see his figure running around, smiling and playing games with us, up in these very mountains…I don't want them anymore…I don't need them!" Misao turned her head away after saying this. Sano sighed quietly and lay down, placing his head on Misao's sleeping bag resting on the side of her stomach area.
"You do need them Misao-chan and you won't ever forget him. Your father is very much a part of who you are inside. Your love for the wilderness, for hiking and camping out clearly shows this. I think you are very lucky Misao-chan…to actually know you had a father…had parents who did want you and wanted to take care of you." Misao turned her head back over; looking down at Sano's closed eyes. Her hand came out from under her sleeping bag and cupped his cheek softly caressing it so he would open his eyes. Misao held a small smile, Sano returning it with a lob-sided one of his own.
"Gomen for making you remember Sano…" Misao whispered softly to him and watched as he shook his head getting up as he felt another person in the tent with him and Misao. He turned his head looking at a sad Megumi biting her bottom lip. Sano knew she had heard what he said but moved his legs off her bag and climbed into his own wanting to warm up. His eyes where half closed as Megumi crawled over climbing into her own bag and to his surprise she was facing him. Kaoru and Souzou came in minutes later both silently getting into their individual sleeping bags and falling asleep in minutes. Sano's heartbeat sped up as Megumi's eyes opened once more staring at his supposed sleeping face. They had a green glow stick that lasted 24 hours hanging from the top of the bivvie sheet and dousing the area in green light, just in case anyone needed to get up and go to the bathroom.
"Sanosuke? Are you awake?" Megumi whispered softly to him, her hand coming out to brush his wild bangs away from his eyes so she could see them properly. Sano blinked his eyes open looking over at her and watched as Megumi's cheeks darkened in colour when her cold fingertips brushed over his forehead. Sano brought his hand out cupping Megumi's delicate hand with his own and making her place it in the sleeping bag once more.
"Its too cold to worry about that… Yes…I am awake…" He heard a faint baka coming from Megumi's lips as she turned over facing her back to him. Sano sighed lightly his eyes closing once more. Megumi's eyes were looking over at Kaoru's sleeping form.
"Sanosuke?" she spoke once more.
"Stop calling me that…the name's Sano to my friends kitsune…" Sano mumbled lightly opening his eyes to look at her dark hair shining in the green light.
"My father could help you." Megumi blurted out quickly but still in a soft voice so she wouldn't disturb the others.
"Nani?" Sano spoke once more; his head propped up in his right hand as he looked over at Megumi once more. Her eyes were open but she was staring over at Kaoru and a softly snoring Souzou.
"My father…could help you locate and even help you get in contact with your parents…" Sano's eyes widened slightly finally understanding what she was saying.
"Iie…but thank you for offering. I don't think I'm ready yet. First I must get the courage to find them and second I must make something of my life before that happens. I need purpose… One day I'll venture off to find them and ask them why they didn't want me."
"I understand…sort of…" Megumi spoke back and turned over, a small smile crossing her lips as she looked up at him. Sano let out a small chuckle of his own and shook his head knowing she didn't have a clue what he was thinking about. Her family was rich and perfect in every way. Sano lay back down on his back, the sleeping back being zipped all the way to his neck as he stared up at the plastic sheet covering them from any rain, which may fall during the night.
"If we are still friends in a couple of years Megumi…ask me again." Sano whispered, never taking his eyes from the small spot he was staring at.
"Hai…goodnight Sano…" His head turned when Megumi whispered that to him and watched as she closed her eyes and turned over once more, burying herself into the sleeping bag just like a fox.
"Night…kitsune-chan…" Sano spoke and closed his own eyes falling asleep. Unknown to them Misao smiled in her sleep, having heard everything. This was going to be easier then she and Souzou thought. These two would be an item by the time they got back to Tokyo for sure!
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(Elsewhere in the wilderness)
A figure with flaming red hair placed back in a low ponytail and violet eyes was staring into the fire he sat next to, watching the water boil as he was making coffee for himself and his long time best friend.
"You agreed to do what?" A voice spoke from a darkened area of the cave. A rather tall man, slight hunched over as not to smack his head on the cave roof walked over wearing black pants, a black long sleeved skivvie and a black jacket over the top sat on the opposite side staring over at his friend with semi-hidden blue-green eyes.
"You remember Tokio-san, don't you Aoshi?" The tone in his voice was gentle but persistent waiting for Aoshi to answer his question. The tall man tensed slightly, evident that he knew that name very well.
"It seems familiar…" Aoshi muttered out in a soft voice, his hand reaching for one of the dried fruit sticks he brought with him and took a bite.
"I recall you having a slight crush on her." Dark blue-green eyes stared over at the other man with flaming red hair. His hands where pressed together as though in pray as he spoke once more, a soft smile crossing his lips.
"Ah, gomen, gomen Aoshi. It wasn't a crush…mere infatuation…" The shorter man watched as his best friend tensed even more, his jaw set firmly knowing he was going to say something very shortly.
"How would you like me to ADD to that scar on your face Kenshin?"
"Maa Maa Aoshi, I'm only joking, but I did promise her we would help with the courses she was making the students participate in. We owe her remember?" Kenshin spoke seriously knowing Aoshi wouldn't say 'no' now. He heard Aoshi's almost silent sigh as he moved towards his sleeping bag, taking off his jacket and throwing it on his pack for a second and moving inside the sleeping bag and zipping it up. Kenshin doused the fire bringing the coffee over towards Aoshi and placing it beside his head. They had been hiking for two weeks now and both could see in the dark quite well, so light wasn't necessary.
"This better be worth it Kenshin." Aoshi mumbled out sipping his coffee, but not really wanting it and placed it back down and lay his head down on his make shift pillow which was his soft and warm jacket.
"Who knows Aoshi, perhaps you'll fall in love with one of the young women there..." Kenshin spoke getting into his own sleeping bag and scrunching up his jumper to use as a pillow.
"A high school girl? Please…they are all so childish and have no sense of adventure. It's always about cuddly toys, shopping and clothes…I have a sister remember? Besides, isn't 14 or 15 too young anyway?" Aoshi mumbled out turning on his side to face the cave wall.
"If I remember, you were 14 and Tokio was 18 when you asked her out… Weren't you the schoolboy and she the adult Aoshi?"
"Kenshin…" Aoshi spoke in a deadly serious voice.
"Ah…gomen, gomen Aoshi…" Kenshin spoke once more, his quiet laughter filling the cave, making Aoshi move deeper into his sleeping bag. He'd never live those days down ever! There would be a day when he would get Kenshin back for all of this. He would make damn sure of it!
Silence filled the area, Aoshi hearing Kenshin's soft snoring finally knowing he was in a deep sleep. Aoshi stared at the dark cave wall, rain pouring down once more, the cave glowing brightly with flashes of lightning.
"Keh, I'll never find someone who suits me…no one could put up with someone like me…" Aoshi mumbled out before closing his eyes for some much needed rest knowing he was going to need it for bratty school kids tomorrow.
* * * *
To be continued…
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