Uh oh - I really let this fic sleep for awhile... Anyway, I've since moved - continents! - and my fingers felt a bit itchy after such a long time away. Hmm I really procrastinated on this because the fic has to get a bit serious for the next couple of chps, and I hate serious!! I'm using a Mac for the first time, so I don't know how the stuff will look when uploaded... Hope you enjoy this - please review!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own RK! I'm borrowing it! Nyeh!



*Chapter 6*


Two weeks had passed - two very eventful weeks. As Kenshin settled himself on the floor by the low coffee table, nursing a steaming cup of tea in his hands, he breathed a sigh somewhere between relief and exhaustion. The apartment was quiet - Miname was at school - and he let the peace sink into his spirit, shrugging off the blanket that had clouded his senses since his arrival. It was an exercise he had practised often during his travelling days but had neglected when life had settled into its peaceful pattern at the Kamiya dojo. As the part of his mind that had been asleep began to revive itself, he found himself reviewing the events of the past few days...

Miname had announced that the first order of business was to get him looking normal. Honestly. A slight twitch of annoyance crossed his placid features as he recalled her intensity. The strength of her resolve had been almost offensive. What's wrong with magenta anyway? At any rate, she had rooted around her younger brother's wardrobe and produced a pile of clothes she declared suitable. Some of it had been all right, Kenshin supposed, but he had flatly refused to put on anything without sleeves or cut off at the knee.

Miname had considered this critically before tossing some of the clothes away in agreement. You know, you could be right... your legs are way too scabby and scrawny for these. Scabby!!! Scrawny!!!!!! His eyebrow flexed reflexively.

He had pretty good hearing and Miname's brother's screeches carried well in the peaceful compound. He was tearing the place apart declaring there was a thief, but Miname said it would all work out in the end. He was so often throwing tantrums that it was more likely he would be checked into a mental institution then for any of his claims to be taken seriously. He screamed himself hoarse on the third day.

In terms of living arrangements, Miname had established Kenshin in her study (^_^ obviously a room she had little use for). The only person who ever came to Miname's apartment was the maid who cleaned up every day. Kotori had been rather scandalised by this turn of events but she was new to her job and eager to keep her place. Anyway, she had confided in her mother when she got home from work, what more would you expect of rich young kids? She grew happier with the arrangement as the days passed because it soon became apparent that Miname's little house guest was a neat freak who made her job much easier. Plus he was kind of cute and so deferential... *sigh*

Miname had been initially annoyed at being tailed by a little shadow who picked up all the things she discarded as she made her way through her home. On Kenshin's part, the trail of disaster left behind by Miname often led him to think of the time he had wondered into a little village that had been wrecked by a passing typhoon.

Why - on- earth - do - you - bother?!!? Miname had bit out through gritted teeth after having mistaken him for an intruder and tried to get him with her pepper spray.

It's a habit de gozaru he had said despairingly, as he deftly caught the spray can she flung in his direction. How can you bear to live in a sty?. She had learnt to live with it.

During the day, when Miname was at school, he had spent his time learning to use the various appliances in the apartment. Whether it was because Kotori-dono was on hand to coach him, or whether he just had some disturbing innate capabilities, Kenshin had easily mastered all the domestic appliances like the vacuum cleaner, the rice cooker and the washing machine. On the other hand, he was still confused by the PC, CD Player and the TV. At any rate, Miname had learnt very early on not to let Kenshin watch violent shows on TV - the tattered remains of her first coffee table lay at her doorway in mute testimony. So whenever her violent TV shows came on, Kenshin would be banished to his room, where he would try to use the pendant. Again and again... and again.

Thinking about the pendant and trying to go back in time to where he belonged... his shoulders slumped unconsciously. Miname had said it would be safer for everyone if he just stayed in the future... and likely that was true. There was nothing really holding him to the past - he had come close to declaring his feelings for Kaoru, but fortunately (fortunately? ...oro!) certain events had prevented that.

Still... I need to know that she'll be happy... and that she'll really be safe...

He had been unable to think clearly on that point and was still confused by the flow of time - it seemed to him that Tokyo in the Meiji was developing in parallel to Tokyo in the present day.

But if time is a continuous line, then all that happened in the Meiji is in the past and over... then... then...

He hit the same mental block. Annoyed, he refocused on the pendant and the irritating rhyme that went with it. Talk about bad poetry. Miname had said it had probably been written in a foreign language, and the kindest thing Kenshin could think about it was that a lot had been lost in its translation.

Clasp tight to open Time's Gates
Seize on to control destiny and fate
'Ware to your thoughts, where you are at
These determine which wishes are met.

Where you are at...


Obviously it meant that where he was when he used the pendant would affect whether it worked or not. When Miname had wished for him to appear, she had been in a park... what was so significant about that? Kenshin hadn't left the apartment since his arrival but now he thought it might be a good idea to re-examine the place where he had first appeared...

The front door slammed open with a flourish as Miname announced herself triumphantly. She danced into the apartment in glee. Kenshin tried to think when he had seen a more disgusting display of gloating and was hard pressed. Although Kaoru and her grandfather's painting came close.

he said calmly, rurouni-smile in place.

I... got ... an... A!!! Miname waved some papers under his nose, My history essay? The one I wrote about you? My very first A since... since... anyway, mwahahaha!!!! her eyes glinted evilly as she punched two fists in the air, You should have seen Takana-sensei's face...he really wanted to flunk me, She flung herself into a chair and sprawled out her limbs, wheezing slightly, out of breath from gloating too much.

Kenshin smoothly broached his idea about going out to explore the site of his appearance. Ordinarily, Miname would have raised a tonne of objections. It was in her nature to like to object. However Kenshin was also a master of reading personalities and knew that her good mood was an opportunity not to be missed.

Accordingly, she agreed. Oh go if you want to, she said absently, chuckling to herself as she held her essay in front of her, admiring the big red A, I guess it'll be okay. Just remember to stop talking like a grandfather de gozaru.

Kenshin: ...?! ....

*****

Later that night, Miname was stretched out on her bed and staring at the ceiling. Some of the glow from her good grade had faded, but she still felt surrounded by a warm cosy feeling of well being. Too bad neither of her parents were around to share the news with. Oh well, sharing it with Kenshin had been as good as anything else she supposed.

How did she really feel about her house guest? Miname screwed up her face, thinking hard. She had never really thought she was lonely, although she had often been alone. She always managed to come up with ways to amuse herself. But it was nice to not have to come home to an empty house, and nice to have someone to talk to, even though Kenshin's quiet responses were about as helpful as Natsumi's monotone . His neatness drove her mad but she found herself accommodating it.

At school, things had hit a peaceful patch as well. Daisuke and his goons were giving her a wide berth, and she found that after prattling her evenings away to Kenshin, she was all talked-out in school. So she was insulting fewer people and getting into less trouble.

More than that though, Miname was aware of a strange feeling of actually helping someone. She had never accommodated anyone who hadn't fit into her plans before. Certainly, no one had ever needed her help before either.

I never did anything for anyone other than myself before...It isn't much - just a little inconvenient - but at least I'm doing something for someone else for once. It makes all the difference when they need you.... These were her last thoughts as she drifted off to sleep.

*****



Notes:
Oops. I sense great stylistic changes. Would REALLY appreciate reviews / feedback on writing etc ... please? *_* Yah I'm begging - so?!
Also - even Kenshin is starting to beat up on me for my crappy rhyme. Any budding poets out there with alternatives? Urggh. Chp 7 and 8 will also be relatively serious in tone, so less fun to write... but am looking forward to 9 when I can whip Sano out again ^_^