Chapter 11

By Crystal

*We all know who this belongs to ^^;;*

Kaoru, Yahiko-kun and Misao-san already left two hours ago and Hiko-san and Kenshin hasn't returned yet.  Sighing, I placed four plates of food on the table, most likely to be thrown out.  I got ready and started writing a letter...

Hiko-san,

I have left breakfast for Kenshin, Kenji, Soujiro-kun and you.  You probably would not return until late at night, but it doesn't matter.  I'm leaving the mountain now.  Kaoru told me that they were living at the Aoiya, so I'm going over there now.  Kaoru, Misao-san and Yahiko-san has left the mountain two hours ago.  I'll see you later if you come, and if not...  I will see you after this Shishio Makoto thing.  I'm planning to visit Otsu after that.  I should get going...  Farewell.

-Tomoe

I placed the letter on the table where he will be able to read it and I headed down the mountain alone, enjoying the morning fresh air and the natural sounds like chirping birds and the sound of the wind.

* * * * *

As I reached the restaurant named Aoiya, I stepped in, seeing only one person, and he looked absolutely miserable.  "Ano...  Is Kaoru here?  Along with Misao-san and Yahiko-kun?"  I asked politely.

He looked up, "Are you Tomoe-san?"  I nodded, "Kaoru-san's at that room, turn left, then right and left again.  Or you can follow the voices...  They might be talking loudly."

I smiled gratefully, "Arigatou gozaimasu."  I followed his instructions and I heard voices...

He took stitches all over his body, 138 in all.  The doctor said it's a miracle he's alive...

In other words, it's mysterious that he didn't die.  Kaoru...

He didn't let up on him at all...

Is she crying?

Probably.

No way, she's got more balls than that

No, she's really crying!  Misao's only sixteen!  Misao-san...?

Exactly!  She's usually pretty rough, but she's really delicate!

And what are you talking about balls to a girl anyways?

SHUT UP!  EVERYONE BE QUIET!  I heard shuffles and other people protesting about clothes, it was at that moment that I knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"  I heard Misao-san's voice yell.

"Misao-san...  It's Tomoe..."  I replied.

The door was opened by some woman I did not know, I bowed.  I looked up when Misao-san cleared her throat, "All right, everyone.  From now on, we, the Oniwabanshuu, will go on as before.  We and Himura will stop the ambitions of Shishio's faction.  Whoever our enemy is, even Lord Aoshi, we will destroy him!  From now on, instead of Shinomori Aoshi, I am the new Okashira!"

"WHAT?!  That's crazy!"  I heard people voice erupt from all around me.

Kaoru frowned, "That's absolutely ridiculous.  Stop talking like that!"

"She's right, Misao.  Just-"

Misao-san frowned, "Not Misao!  Okashira!"

* * * * *

"Arigatou gozaimasu!  Have a nice day!"  I said, a smile on my face while the last customer left the restaurant.  Since this morning, I've been working in the Aoiya.  No doubt that Kaoru and the others were discussing about Shishio Makoto inside. 

I frowned as Yahiko-kun rushed in, his face bright and cheerful, but full of sweat.  "Tomoe-san!  Letters from Kenshin!"  He handed one to me, "it's for you...  The other one's for the others..."  I nodded my thanks and was about to return to working when he grabbed my hand, "Let's see what it says."  I followed his fast pace and slipped the letter in my sleeve, listening to him yell excitedly.  "A letter, a letter from Kenshin!"

"It was brought by the police!"  Okon-san said.

Omasu-san glanced at the letter in Yahiko-kun's hands, "the police!  Why?"

"I don't know,"  Yahiko-kun shrugged, "But this messy handwriting is definitely Kenshin's..."

As I listened to them read the letter, I froze.  A fire in Kyoto...  I heard Misao-san look serious, "It's decided!  We stop them!  Send out emergency carrier pigeons!  Tell all of Kyoto!  Shirojou, Kurojou, Masukami, Oumime!  Change into battle dress!  Now it's the Kyoto Oniwabanshuu's turn!"

Kaoru looked at Yahiko-kun, "Yahiko, we'll help too."

"Of course.  I just can't believe we're fighting alongside the Oniwabanshuu.  I would never have dreamed it when we were fighting them in Tokyo."  My hands unconsciously went up my sleeve to touch the letter.  I stepped back a bit, then more and more...

"There's no time!  Everything's got to be fast!  Fly like the wind!"  I heard Misao-san yell before I turned around the corner, disappearing from everyone's view.  Finding my room, I went in quietly and closed the shoji, then took the letter out to read...

Tomoe,

Thank you for the breakfast, though we did not return back until late afternoon.  I will be coming back soon.  I wanted to warn you that there's a fire in Kyoto.  The Juppon Gatana is burning the whole city up so they'll be able to leave Kyoto undetected.  Saitoh is with me.  Be careful, the burning will start at midnight tonight.  Kenji and Soujiro will probably arrive at the Aoiya around at night.  Stay with the two of them, so they'll be able to protect you.  I'm sorry I won't be there, but I have to stop Shishio Makoto.  I'll see you soon after this.

-Kenshin

I closed my eyes and whispered a silent prayer to Kenshin, wishing that he would come home safely.  "What are you doing, Tomoe-san?"  I heard Kaoru ask behind me and I hid the letter quietly.

I smiled at her, "Kaimu, Kaoru...  Just wishing Kenshin good luck."  I replied.

She nodded, "The Oniwabanshuu, Yahiko and I are going out tonight to help put out the fire...  So I was asking if you can stay here and watch Okina-san?"

I nodded, "Of course...  Kenji...  Never mind."  I said, then smiled, "I better prepare dinner for everyone so they have enough food for tonight.  I don't want anyone starving while chasing off fire starters, now do I?"  Without waiting for an answer, I left her, heading towards the kitchen while sighing in relief.  I was very close to say that Kenji and Soujiro-kun was coming back to the Aoiya.  If I had said that, she would've known that Kenshin sent me a letter.

"Tomoe-san!"  I stopped in my steps again, and turned around, meeting with the blue eyes of Kaoru.  "I...  I wanted to talk to you about Kenshin..."  Her head lowered down in shame.

I sighed quietly and clasped her hands in mine, "Kaoru...  Listen to me."  I said, making her look into my eyes.  "Even though Kenshin and I are married...  I...  I'm not good enough for him.  But I believe you are...  You're going to be a perfect wife for him,"  I said.

She smiled sadly at me, "Do you really think so, Tomoe-san?  I have the feeling that he really loved you...  And he still does.  And how am I going to be a perfect wife for him?  I can't cook!"

"Cooking is not too hard to learn..."  I replied.

I heard her sigh, "Perhaps not for you."

I tightened my grip on her hands, "Remember...  take care of Kenshin for me..."  Once again, without another word, I left.  While I had been calm saying the whole speech to Kaoru, I felt my heart beat painfully.  I loved Kenshin and I still do love him...  though I had no idea as to why I had given him up.

Perhaps it was because I was trying to act nice to Kaoru?  But should I really do this?  Should I really...  Should I really let Kaoru go after Kenshin?  After all, he is my husband...  But...  He would be better off with Kaoru.  She's innocent and good...  She's never tried to kill him.  But in the end, it was Kenshin's voice...  I guess I was just pushing Kaoru a bit so she'll be happier.  I can tell that since she found out I was married to Kenshin, she has been depressed...  Perhaps this will help her...

I do regret saying that whole thing with her...  Because...  I have a feeling that I'm sacrificing my happiness for your happiness...

And perhaps indeed I have...  Pushing you towards the only man I love...  Pushing you to the man who I have waited for ten years...  But I have the feeling, that it won't turn out as I like the whole thing to...  I wouldn't know which, but it would either be a happy ending or a sad ending for me.  There was no middle, there was no centre.  There was either the happiness I did not deserve, or the sadness I deserve...

* * * * *

Author's Notes: Short chapter, yes...  But I still hope you enjoy it!  Thanks all my lovely reviewers!  ^^

Forte – LoL, I wonder too...  Well, I don't know about fanfics bashing Tomoe too much...  But I have come across a few and usually, I just stop reading when they start bashing her.  Tomoe's a really nice character, she a lot more developed than Kaoru, in my opinion, and she plays a very important role in Kenshin's life =\

XenoMark – Yep, I'm on a roll!  Woohoo!  Not to mention Spring Break ^^  Thanks for the email, and if I'm going to be home tonight, I hope to see you online ^^

ReAcH – I'm really inspired, yep ^^  Thanks a lot!  Go K/T!

Blueraingurl – Truly inspired, yep.  Hiko's funny, me likes him lots ^^  I doubt that it'll never end, but it won't end so soon...  I'll tell you when it's near the end...  Then I might even do an A/U K/T fic...  I have writer's block for all my other RK fics right now, ugh.  It would've been nice if this was the way the anime actually went, but if it was like that, I wouldn't have something to write then, now would I?  *grins*  Anyways, thanks!  See ya!

rika – LoL!  I love cliff-hangers!  Well, Tomoe's not the kind to always talk...  She's more of the cold kinda person, like Aoshi =\  Anyways, thanks!

Lillian – Glad to hear you're a K/T fan too!  It's true that it's sad, I almost cried, jeez =\  K/K is okay, I'm not against it, though I think it's much better if it's K/T.  Life's never fair anyways =\  I'm an alternate pairing fan too...  Soujiro/Misao, lol.  Saitoh/Misao is also fun to read too, but I don't think I'll ever be able to write one...  Saitoh's a hard character to portray =\  Anyways, thanks!  See ya later and hope you enjoyed this!