Author Note: Yes, I am building up my chapters...they're slowly getting
longer. And please be patient for KxK moments! Review if you think this
is worth continuing...
*****
"..." = dialogue
-...- = thoughts
*****
"Eh? Are you a crazy old man? Who ya talking to??" A strange shape emerged from behind a tree. Kenshin mentally slapped himself for wallowing too deeply into his thoughts and not keeping a vigilant watch.
The person...figure...thing...came into the light of the fire and paused. He could feel it's aura flash passionately from a just-won battle. It slowly grabbed at the strange blanket covering it's face and...
"Oro!?"
*****
The big, ominous pile of blankets had suddenly transformed into a petite teenage girl. Another "Oro!" escaped out of him as the girl magically produced some meticulously sharpened knives.
"What kind of magic is this?!" Kenshin demanded, eyes the size of saucers.
"My lovelies..." the girl purred, stroking her weapon of choice. She studied Kenshin with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
-Ww...what tha...-
With a battle cry, the girl lunged at Kenshin. He smoothly stood up and slid out of the way, causing her to crash into the tree. With a groan, the girl picked herself up and stood on wobbly legs.
"You...you crazy man...you're gonna get it now..." she rasped, giving him a dangerous-looking glare.
"Maa maa...crazy man? I am no crazy man." Kenshin sweatdropped.
Ignoring his statement, the girl pointed at him through squinted eyes.
"You, you are worth something. I can tell. I can tell that the police will pay anything to get you crazy man back behind bars."
Kenshin sighed and allowed himself a small smile. The young ones these days...so quick to act and without thinking of consequences. So innocent...this. This is what he had fought for during those dark days. He would never regret his stand but would always regret the way he brought about change.
"So, young miss, what is your name?"
The girl, totally caught off-guard, fell to the ground like a stick. Pulling herself together, she grinned up at Kenshin.
"Misao. My name is Misao. And boy, you are one weird crazy person."
-Hrmm...aren't crazy people supposed to be weird in the first place? What an interesting girl...so quick to change personality.-
Kenshin bent over and offered a hand. Smiling widely, Misao took it. She brushed off dirt from the ninja outfit she had on and shook her head.
"I am truly sorry about that. You seem pretty nice, even if you are crazy, so I'll let you go."
An amused expression flitted across Kenshin's face but he said nothing.
"What? What's so funny?" Misao demanded.
"Oh, it is nothing, gomen." Kenshin said. For the first time, he studied her. She had a pretty face, young and smooth, eyes full of life, a long braid, oh...and those wicked-looking knives.
"What are you staring at?" Misao asked uncomfortably.
"Ah! Sorry! You seem to be a very young girl, Misao-dono. What are you doing out here by yourself, de gozaru?" Kenshin asked, changing the subject.
"I am...I am on a mission to prove myself worthy." Misao said wistfully.
"Worthy? Worthy of what?" Kenshin questioned. -Or who...-
Kenshin noticed a slight blush on Misao's cheek, though it was hard to tell with the flames dancing over her face in the dark.
She cleared her throat and smiled slyly. "Of a certain someone who just doesn't know yet that he is the lucky winner."
"Oh! Well, good luck to you, Misao-dono." Kenshin tipped his head slightly in her direction and, turning his back on her, began preparing for bed.
Mumbling various curses under her breath, Misao grabbed Kenshin and pulled him towards her.
"Oorororo!" Kenshin spluttered. It was Kenshin's turn to blush. He wasn't used to anyone of the female heritage being so direct. Misao let go of him and glared.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to hit on you or hurt you." Misao said sarcastically. It wasn't that she was attracted to him or something like that, although she had to admit that he was sort of handsome. She just wasn't used to being dismissed so abruptly...besides, this strange man peaked her curiosity. "I was just wondering if I could stay around for awhile. I mean...I promise I won't be any trouble." she said sheepishly.
Kenshin smiled knowingly. This girl was lonely, just like Kaoru had been.
-Speaking of Kaoru, Misao-dono reminds me so much of her. The same fiery spirit and blunt courage...oh, Kaoru...-
"...ey!! I SAID I won't be any trouble!! Whatever, you're stuck with me either way, crazy man!" Misao said cheerfully. "By the way, what is your name anyways? I can't keep on calling you crazy man."
Kenshin nodded rapidly. "My name is Himura Kenshin. And yes, it would be a pleasure to travel awhile with you. But my destination is no safe place for a girl like you. So before I arrive in Kyoto-"
"KYOTO!! Omigoodness! That is exactly where I was planning on going next!" Misao screamed excitedly.
"Oro...you have a plan??"
Next thing he knew, Kenshin was running away from his new traveling companion.
*****
Sanosuke was puzzled. He had never seen Kaoru this determined before. When he had come back with the doomed ingredients, he had been met by a serious and sweating Kaoru.
"Put everything in the kitchen. I'll get to that later." Kaoru had huffed.
"Uuhh...okay." Sanosuke blinked confusedly. Something was out of place. Hadn't she just urgently ordered him to get dinner ingredients? And of course, he had obeyed. After a round of dice with his friends...
Sanosuke grumbled. He had been on a winning streak, for once, but the very last game...yes, he had to admit that he had been over-confident, but he coul never have guessed that one could los Lady Luck's favor so quickly. Boy, was she fickle.
"Bah! I'm sure I'll win everything back. Eventually..." he said out loud as he made his way through the dojo, hands full with groceries. Sanosuke smiled as he set down the food. He was proud of Kaoru for putting on such a strong face in the mist of recent events. He, himself, was a little pissed at Kenshin.
-I thought we were friends. Why didn't you at least tell me that you were going? Baka...- Sanosuke thought, anger slowly building. -Hey...maybe that's why Jou-chan is so concentrated on training all of the sudden. Oiy, now I can understand what she's going through.-
And of course he would support her no matter what...
*****
"..." = dialogue
-...- = thoughts
*****
"Eh? Are you a crazy old man? Who ya talking to??" A strange shape emerged from behind a tree. Kenshin mentally slapped himself for wallowing too deeply into his thoughts and not keeping a vigilant watch.
The person...figure...thing...came into the light of the fire and paused. He could feel it's aura flash passionately from a just-won battle. It slowly grabbed at the strange blanket covering it's face and...
"Oro!?"
*****
The big, ominous pile of blankets had suddenly transformed into a petite teenage girl. Another "Oro!" escaped out of him as the girl magically produced some meticulously sharpened knives.
"What kind of magic is this?!" Kenshin demanded, eyes the size of saucers.
"My lovelies..." the girl purred, stroking her weapon of choice. She studied Kenshin with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
-Ww...what tha...-
With a battle cry, the girl lunged at Kenshin. He smoothly stood up and slid out of the way, causing her to crash into the tree. With a groan, the girl picked herself up and stood on wobbly legs.
"You...you crazy man...you're gonna get it now..." she rasped, giving him a dangerous-looking glare.
"Maa maa...crazy man? I am no crazy man." Kenshin sweatdropped.
Ignoring his statement, the girl pointed at him through squinted eyes.
"You, you are worth something. I can tell. I can tell that the police will pay anything to get you crazy man back behind bars."
Kenshin sighed and allowed himself a small smile. The young ones these days...so quick to act and without thinking of consequences. So innocent...this. This is what he had fought for during those dark days. He would never regret his stand but would always regret the way he brought about change.
"So, young miss, what is your name?"
The girl, totally caught off-guard, fell to the ground like a stick. Pulling herself together, she grinned up at Kenshin.
"Misao. My name is Misao. And boy, you are one weird crazy person."
-Hrmm...aren't crazy people supposed to be weird in the first place? What an interesting girl...so quick to change personality.-
Kenshin bent over and offered a hand. Smiling widely, Misao took it. She brushed off dirt from the ninja outfit she had on and shook her head.
"I am truly sorry about that. You seem pretty nice, even if you are crazy, so I'll let you go."
An amused expression flitted across Kenshin's face but he said nothing.
"What? What's so funny?" Misao demanded.
"Oh, it is nothing, gomen." Kenshin said. For the first time, he studied her. She had a pretty face, young and smooth, eyes full of life, a long braid, oh...and those wicked-looking knives.
"What are you staring at?" Misao asked uncomfortably.
"Ah! Sorry! You seem to be a very young girl, Misao-dono. What are you doing out here by yourself, de gozaru?" Kenshin asked, changing the subject.
"I am...I am on a mission to prove myself worthy." Misao said wistfully.
"Worthy? Worthy of what?" Kenshin questioned. -Or who...-
Kenshin noticed a slight blush on Misao's cheek, though it was hard to tell with the flames dancing over her face in the dark.
She cleared her throat and smiled slyly. "Of a certain someone who just doesn't know yet that he is the lucky winner."
"Oh! Well, good luck to you, Misao-dono." Kenshin tipped his head slightly in her direction and, turning his back on her, began preparing for bed.
Mumbling various curses under her breath, Misao grabbed Kenshin and pulled him towards her.
"Oorororo!" Kenshin spluttered. It was Kenshin's turn to blush. He wasn't used to anyone of the female heritage being so direct. Misao let go of him and glared.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to hit on you or hurt you." Misao said sarcastically. It wasn't that she was attracted to him or something like that, although she had to admit that he was sort of handsome. She just wasn't used to being dismissed so abruptly...besides, this strange man peaked her curiosity. "I was just wondering if I could stay around for awhile. I mean...I promise I won't be any trouble." she said sheepishly.
Kenshin smiled knowingly. This girl was lonely, just like Kaoru had been.
-Speaking of Kaoru, Misao-dono reminds me so much of her. The same fiery spirit and blunt courage...oh, Kaoru...-
"...ey!! I SAID I won't be any trouble!! Whatever, you're stuck with me either way, crazy man!" Misao said cheerfully. "By the way, what is your name anyways? I can't keep on calling you crazy man."
Kenshin nodded rapidly. "My name is Himura Kenshin. And yes, it would be a pleasure to travel awhile with you. But my destination is no safe place for a girl like you. So before I arrive in Kyoto-"
"KYOTO!! Omigoodness! That is exactly where I was planning on going next!" Misao screamed excitedly.
"Oro...you have a plan??"
Next thing he knew, Kenshin was running away from his new traveling companion.
*****
Sanosuke was puzzled. He had never seen Kaoru this determined before. When he had come back with the doomed ingredients, he had been met by a serious and sweating Kaoru.
"Put everything in the kitchen. I'll get to that later." Kaoru had huffed.
"Uuhh...okay." Sanosuke blinked confusedly. Something was out of place. Hadn't she just urgently ordered him to get dinner ingredients? And of course, he had obeyed. After a round of dice with his friends...
Sanosuke grumbled. He had been on a winning streak, for once, but the very last game...yes, he had to admit that he had been over-confident, but he coul never have guessed that one could los Lady Luck's favor so quickly. Boy, was she fickle.
"Bah! I'm sure I'll win everything back. Eventually..." he said out loud as he made his way through the dojo, hands full with groceries. Sanosuke smiled as he set down the food. He was proud of Kaoru for putting on such a strong face in the mist of recent events. He, himself, was a little pissed at Kenshin.
-I thought we were friends. Why didn't you at least tell me that you were going? Baka...- Sanosuke thought, anger slowly building. -Hey...maybe that's why Jou-chan is so concentrated on training all of the sudden. Oiy, now I can understand what she's going through.-
And of course he would support her no matter what...
