Tapestry of Lives Chapter 6
Memories of Words - Her Version
Kaoru's eyes were closed but her mind continued to mull over the images that she'd seen that day. First and foremost, the one that kept coming back was the image of Kenshin on the floor mumbling in a language she didn't understand. Soon after that Aya had picked him up as if he was a doll and carried him out, but the fear she'd felt when he began speaking kept eating at her.
Her thoughts turned to the explanation they'd been given after eating. Nadine had explained how there were many worlds that mirrored their own except with slight differences. She had explained how they would need to visit these worlds and actually meet mirrors of themselves to be able to return to their own. Kaoru hadn't understood all of that part, but she had asked Aya later while they were in the baths.
Aya had given her an incredulous look and asked her if she was sure she wanted to know the whole story. When Kaoru had nodded the Warrior had begun a quick spoken explanation that had the shihandai's head reeling.
"There's a dreamer, you would refer to him as a 'god'. He dreamed up your world, you people, your lives. Then other dreamers, other 'gods' decided they liked what he'd done and dreamed up their own worlds in his world's likeness. They have similarities and differences, but all these worlds are based on his original world, his original dream. A short time ago his world, the original world was destroyed in an attempt to make sure that no more worlds were created to mirror his. Someone has found a mirror of your Battousai that they like and they are slowly making sure that no other Battousais that might be able to defeat him are going to be dreamed up. They have been sending this 'perfect' Battousai around destroying the worlds that already have people in them that can change or destroy him. They're attempting to control what worlds are being made and what worlds are staying. In effect, they're attempting to control the most powerful force among the worlds."
"What is that?"
"They're attempting to control the dreamers themselves. If they have no access to certain worlds where certain things happen then the dreamers themselves will not bring those types of worlds into being. And if one does happen to pop up then they'll have their Battousai run and destroy it, him being an afterthought from a world that has now been destroyed since it doesn't fit their image of what types of worlds should be allowed."
Kaoru had later asked Coralie who had explained it as censorship then apologized that Kaoru might not understand that word, but it was the best way to explain what was truly going on.
As she lay there in the futon that had been provided for her she sighed and rolled onto her stomach. Too many questions kept running through her mind to allow her to sleep. She wanted to know how they knew everything they did. She wanted to understand all the words they said when they were talking to each other. Kaoru felt as if there was a vast lack of everything when comparing herself to Aya or Coralie, and she wanted that lack filled. After many minutes of tossing and turning, she finally felt her eyes become heavy and was able to slip off into a restless sleep.
`(U'.')
Megumi had enjoyed the bathing room immensely. She had met some ladies who also knew about herbs and medicines and, even though most of the plants they knew about went by different names she and the two other women were able to talk effectively. She had adored the large onsen that they had been shown to with its colorful steam creating rainbows just above the water. A young girl had jumped behind her with a comb and begun untangling her hair before she could protest so she had just shrugged as she watched the same happen to her two new friends. As their hair was brushed the other two began gossiping while Megumi just listened and nodded. She had been able to pick up several bits of information.
They were very surprised to see Warrior Aya here at the baths when she normally hid her scarred self from sight.
Priestess Coralie was very uppity to have taken the name of the famous Priestess from long ago who had been the only survivor of a great sealing.
Two of the vanished worlds had been the only known source of the best herb for soul healing which could aid the reattachment of a separated soul back into its original body.
A red haired Warrior had been seen stalking the halls lately scaring many of the younger Priestesses back into bed from their midnight snack excursions as they passed near the Celestial Mirror on their 'secret' way to the kitchens.
Someone had seen Priestess Tariki skulking around the Celestial Mirror the other night just before the latest world had disappeared.
Tariki was the only Priestess with the power to navigate the Celestial Pathways.
Megumi grimaced as she heard Kaoru twisting on the futon beside hers. Her tired mind kept trying to connect the gossip she'd heard with the hard facts that Nadine had given them earlier.
They would use the Celestial Mirror to pass from world to world as they worked to achieve their goal of reconnecting their bodies and souls with their proper destinies.
They needed to move quickly since many of the worlds that they needed had been targeted by mysterious monsters lately.
Aya, Coralie, and Nadine would take one or two of them at a time to a world leaving the rest safely behind here at the Central Web. This would keep more of them safe since Aya would only need to worry about protecting one or two of them instead of ten since they would all be very vulnerable.
She, Megumi would be the first one taken to a nice little world where one of her mirrors liked to grown flowers.
Sano would be the next.
Megumi wrapped her blanket tighter around herself as she began to shiver.
m(*.*)m
Misao had squealed over the steaming onsen. She had squealed over the array of scents in the soaps provided. She had squealed at the cute designs on her sleeping yukata. She had finally stopped squealing when Tokio had caught her eye and smiled softly at her as if Misao had been a child. The onmitsu had immediately straightened her shoulders and calmly replaited her hair. The sudden quiet in the room was so obvious that she had actually felt a little bad about how much enjoyment she was finding when everyone else was worried sick. She had quietly covered herself up to her chin with her blanket and stared at the dim shapes on the ceiling as she unsuccessfully wished herself into sleep.
She had thought she was asleep at one point but her eyes had opened wide as she heard the shoji door to their room open and quiet footsteps enter. A quick glance over had revealed the short silhouette of the little Priestess named Coralie. Misao kept silent as she watched the dark form kneel beside Megumi's futon. She kept silent as a soft light began emanating form the doctor's prone form. She kept silent as a strand of light lifted from her glowing torso and spread out to reveal an intricately woven pattern of lights surrounded by a softly pulsing circle.
Misao's sea-green eyes widened as she watched Coralie's now illuminated hands smooth over the obviously rough and badly knotted strands of light. Wherever her small hands had passed over the strands began to look smoother, fuller. The varying levels of light within the circle began to even out until the entire pattern gave off its red glow evenly.
With a soft sigh Coralie's features lost their intense concentration and fell into an exhausted, pained look. Her hands and the glowing pattern lowered at the same time, her hands into her lap, the pattern back into Megumi. In the now semi-darkness Misao did not see Coralie's eyes open to peer straight at her.
She didn't see Coralie looking at her, but she did feel two fingers suddenly laid against her forehead. "Sleep, little ninja," she heard just before her mind shut down for the night.
----('.')-
Tokio Saitou lay with her eyes closed listening to the breathing around her. Deep even breaths told her that the four females around her were already asleep. The little girl had led them all to a large room and pointed out the futon and blankets available for their use. The fighter had first led the ladies to a large bath then brought them back to take the men. Tokio's eyes had sought out her husband immediately. She could read him so easily now and it scared her slightly. For the first time she had seen a shred of doubt in his eyes, just a tiny glimmer of worry. She knew she could take care of herself easily in extreme situations, but she wasn't truly prepared for a situation that her husband might be worried about.
Her eyes opened and turned to her left attempting to stare through the thin curtain that separated the men from the ladies. She had placed her futon as close to the barrier as she could knowing that Hajime had done the same. It was almost like being together. Her hands longed to reach out and soothe the furrow in his brow, to find out what he and the other men had spoken of that had caused such an uncommon mark on him. Tokio was used to being told everything about his life, he knew he couldn't dare hide it; but now she was forced to wait while he kept his, dare she call them fears to himself. Her husband was a strong man, a good man who had come to realize that his wife only made him stronger.
Just before she gave in to her mind's need for sleep she was able to hear him, just a slight breathing but close enough to her that she knew it was him. The smile she was then given remained with her through her dreams that night and into the morning.
To be Continued
Author's notes:
Wow, it's been a while, ne? I always seem to get into a mood to write just before an annoying insurance time. Yes, the end of the year is coming and everyone is rushing to my office to use their insurance benefits before they lose them. and yours truly gets to call all those sons of mother b****es who dare to call themselves customer service reps while they work at an outlet for Satan. I hate insurance. Weird thing though.. I'm about to tale coding classes so I can learn how to claim for MORE insurances. I'm paying to make my own life a greater hell than it already is. Someone is going to have to pay for that.
I hope ya'll like this bit of insight/story movement. I'm trying to instead of go step by step over what happens to jump around a bit and give a more POV from the characters shoes. I noticed that in my writing I tend to focus more on my OC than the K-gumi. My deepest apologies. Aya and Coralie are characters close to my heart since I have them in other things I've written but that you haven't read. I'm trying actually EDIT my stories before I post them to give you a more enjoyable RK experience because I really don't want to post this under Original Fiction.. no one will read it.
On to Reviewer Notes:
Kurara: I'm working on the confusing.. Really I am. Hopefully this chapter will give you a better idea of what this story is really ABOUT. But I must say the confusion over the resolution of the conflict might just get even more confusing. but please hang on.. I'll do my best for you!
Fitz: Hehe.. oh yeah, I have plans for Keiko. Something about the best hiding place is in plain sight. She really is a fun character to write, but unfortunately her fun won't be for another couple of chapters.. which I will work on as quickly as possible.
Nemo: Here ya go! Development! Storyline! And yes.. soon Hiko WILL run if Kaoru chases after him with a bokken.
Lebluepheonix: This chapter is written nearly expressedly for you.. and also 'cause I realized I couldn't ignore everyone else.
Marstanuki: the set up for what happens next.. please look forward to it.
JML: Kenshin is the central character here, but I'm gonna let him sit on the backburner for a chapter or two. Please look forward to some Sano and Megumi POV in the next chapters.
Wow.. here at the bottom is something interesting.. hanging on to the last line is this disclaimer. It wants to tell you that I don't own Kenshin. DUH
Memories of Words - Her Version
Kaoru's eyes were closed but her mind continued to mull over the images that she'd seen that day. First and foremost, the one that kept coming back was the image of Kenshin on the floor mumbling in a language she didn't understand. Soon after that Aya had picked him up as if he was a doll and carried him out, but the fear she'd felt when he began speaking kept eating at her.
Her thoughts turned to the explanation they'd been given after eating. Nadine had explained how there were many worlds that mirrored their own except with slight differences. She had explained how they would need to visit these worlds and actually meet mirrors of themselves to be able to return to their own. Kaoru hadn't understood all of that part, but she had asked Aya later while they were in the baths.
Aya had given her an incredulous look and asked her if she was sure she wanted to know the whole story. When Kaoru had nodded the Warrior had begun a quick spoken explanation that had the shihandai's head reeling.
"There's a dreamer, you would refer to him as a 'god'. He dreamed up your world, you people, your lives. Then other dreamers, other 'gods' decided they liked what he'd done and dreamed up their own worlds in his world's likeness. They have similarities and differences, but all these worlds are based on his original world, his original dream. A short time ago his world, the original world was destroyed in an attempt to make sure that no more worlds were created to mirror his. Someone has found a mirror of your Battousai that they like and they are slowly making sure that no other Battousais that might be able to defeat him are going to be dreamed up. They have been sending this 'perfect' Battousai around destroying the worlds that already have people in them that can change or destroy him. They're attempting to control what worlds are being made and what worlds are staying. In effect, they're attempting to control the most powerful force among the worlds."
"What is that?"
"They're attempting to control the dreamers themselves. If they have no access to certain worlds where certain things happen then the dreamers themselves will not bring those types of worlds into being. And if one does happen to pop up then they'll have their Battousai run and destroy it, him being an afterthought from a world that has now been destroyed since it doesn't fit their image of what types of worlds should be allowed."
Kaoru had later asked Coralie who had explained it as censorship then apologized that Kaoru might not understand that word, but it was the best way to explain what was truly going on.
As she lay there in the futon that had been provided for her she sighed and rolled onto her stomach. Too many questions kept running through her mind to allow her to sleep. She wanted to know how they knew everything they did. She wanted to understand all the words they said when they were talking to each other. Kaoru felt as if there was a vast lack of everything when comparing herself to Aya or Coralie, and she wanted that lack filled. After many minutes of tossing and turning, she finally felt her eyes become heavy and was able to slip off into a restless sleep.
`(U'.')
Megumi had enjoyed the bathing room immensely. She had met some ladies who also knew about herbs and medicines and, even though most of the plants they knew about went by different names she and the two other women were able to talk effectively. She had adored the large onsen that they had been shown to with its colorful steam creating rainbows just above the water. A young girl had jumped behind her with a comb and begun untangling her hair before she could protest so she had just shrugged as she watched the same happen to her two new friends. As their hair was brushed the other two began gossiping while Megumi just listened and nodded. She had been able to pick up several bits of information.
They were very surprised to see Warrior Aya here at the baths when she normally hid her scarred self from sight.
Priestess Coralie was very uppity to have taken the name of the famous Priestess from long ago who had been the only survivor of a great sealing.
Two of the vanished worlds had been the only known source of the best herb for soul healing which could aid the reattachment of a separated soul back into its original body.
A red haired Warrior had been seen stalking the halls lately scaring many of the younger Priestesses back into bed from their midnight snack excursions as they passed near the Celestial Mirror on their 'secret' way to the kitchens.
Someone had seen Priestess Tariki skulking around the Celestial Mirror the other night just before the latest world had disappeared.
Tariki was the only Priestess with the power to navigate the Celestial Pathways.
Megumi grimaced as she heard Kaoru twisting on the futon beside hers. Her tired mind kept trying to connect the gossip she'd heard with the hard facts that Nadine had given them earlier.
They would use the Celestial Mirror to pass from world to world as they worked to achieve their goal of reconnecting their bodies and souls with their proper destinies.
They needed to move quickly since many of the worlds that they needed had been targeted by mysterious monsters lately.
Aya, Coralie, and Nadine would take one or two of them at a time to a world leaving the rest safely behind here at the Central Web. This would keep more of them safe since Aya would only need to worry about protecting one or two of them instead of ten since they would all be very vulnerable.
She, Megumi would be the first one taken to a nice little world where one of her mirrors liked to grown flowers.
Sano would be the next.
Megumi wrapped her blanket tighter around herself as she began to shiver.
m(*.*)m
Misao had squealed over the steaming onsen. She had squealed over the array of scents in the soaps provided. She had squealed at the cute designs on her sleeping yukata. She had finally stopped squealing when Tokio had caught her eye and smiled softly at her as if Misao had been a child. The onmitsu had immediately straightened her shoulders and calmly replaited her hair. The sudden quiet in the room was so obvious that she had actually felt a little bad about how much enjoyment she was finding when everyone else was worried sick. She had quietly covered herself up to her chin with her blanket and stared at the dim shapes on the ceiling as she unsuccessfully wished herself into sleep.
She had thought she was asleep at one point but her eyes had opened wide as she heard the shoji door to their room open and quiet footsteps enter. A quick glance over had revealed the short silhouette of the little Priestess named Coralie. Misao kept silent as she watched the dark form kneel beside Megumi's futon. She kept silent as a soft light began emanating form the doctor's prone form. She kept silent as a strand of light lifted from her glowing torso and spread out to reveal an intricately woven pattern of lights surrounded by a softly pulsing circle.
Misao's sea-green eyes widened as she watched Coralie's now illuminated hands smooth over the obviously rough and badly knotted strands of light. Wherever her small hands had passed over the strands began to look smoother, fuller. The varying levels of light within the circle began to even out until the entire pattern gave off its red glow evenly.
With a soft sigh Coralie's features lost their intense concentration and fell into an exhausted, pained look. Her hands and the glowing pattern lowered at the same time, her hands into her lap, the pattern back into Megumi. In the now semi-darkness Misao did not see Coralie's eyes open to peer straight at her.
She didn't see Coralie looking at her, but she did feel two fingers suddenly laid against her forehead. "Sleep, little ninja," she heard just before her mind shut down for the night.
----('.')-
Tokio Saitou lay with her eyes closed listening to the breathing around her. Deep even breaths told her that the four females around her were already asleep. The little girl had led them all to a large room and pointed out the futon and blankets available for their use. The fighter had first led the ladies to a large bath then brought them back to take the men. Tokio's eyes had sought out her husband immediately. She could read him so easily now and it scared her slightly. For the first time she had seen a shred of doubt in his eyes, just a tiny glimmer of worry. She knew she could take care of herself easily in extreme situations, but she wasn't truly prepared for a situation that her husband might be worried about.
Her eyes opened and turned to her left attempting to stare through the thin curtain that separated the men from the ladies. She had placed her futon as close to the barrier as she could knowing that Hajime had done the same. It was almost like being together. Her hands longed to reach out and soothe the furrow in his brow, to find out what he and the other men had spoken of that had caused such an uncommon mark on him. Tokio was used to being told everything about his life, he knew he couldn't dare hide it; but now she was forced to wait while he kept his, dare she call them fears to himself. Her husband was a strong man, a good man who had come to realize that his wife only made him stronger.
Just before she gave in to her mind's need for sleep she was able to hear him, just a slight breathing but close enough to her that she knew it was him. The smile she was then given remained with her through her dreams that night and into the morning.
To be Continued
Author's notes:
Wow, it's been a while, ne? I always seem to get into a mood to write just before an annoying insurance time. Yes, the end of the year is coming and everyone is rushing to my office to use their insurance benefits before they lose them. and yours truly gets to call all those sons of mother b****es who dare to call themselves customer service reps while they work at an outlet for Satan. I hate insurance. Weird thing though.. I'm about to tale coding classes so I can learn how to claim for MORE insurances. I'm paying to make my own life a greater hell than it already is. Someone is going to have to pay for that.
I hope ya'll like this bit of insight/story movement. I'm trying to instead of go step by step over what happens to jump around a bit and give a more POV from the characters shoes. I noticed that in my writing I tend to focus more on my OC than the K-gumi. My deepest apologies. Aya and Coralie are characters close to my heart since I have them in other things I've written but that you haven't read. I'm trying actually EDIT my stories before I post them to give you a more enjoyable RK experience because I really don't want to post this under Original Fiction.. no one will read it.
On to Reviewer Notes:
Kurara: I'm working on the confusing.. Really I am. Hopefully this chapter will give you a better idea of what this story is really ABOUT. But I must say the confusion over the resolution of the conflict might just get even more confusing. but please hang on.. I'll do my best for you!
Fitz: Hehe.. oh yeah, I have plans for Keiko. Something about the best hiding place is in plain sight. She really is a fun character to write, but unfortunately her fun won't be for another couple of chapters.. which I will work on as quickly as possible.
Nemo: Here ya go! Development! Storyline! And yes.. soon Hiko WILL run if Kaoru chases after him with a bokken.
Lebluepheonix: This chapter is written nearly expressedly for you.. and also 'cause I realized I couldn't ignore everyone else.
Marstanuki: the set up for what happens next.. please look forward to it.
JML: Kenshin is the central character here, but I'm gonna let him sit on the backburner for a chapter or two. Please look forward to some Sano and Megumi POV in the next chapters.
Wow.. here at the bottom is something interesting.. hanging on to the last line is this disclaimer. It wants to tell you that I don't own Kenshin. DUH