Hello NightRain ^^! Thanks for the positive review - glad you like the story! To Ryulabird - all questions will be answered soon, I hope ^_^

DISCLAIMER:
I don't own RK!



*Chapter 9*


Two weeks had passed. Two very frustrating weeks. After finding Kenshin's tracks in the woods, Sano had debated going back to the dojo or not. He had missed Kaoru's original breakdown after Kenshin left for Kyoto but had witnessed several other occasions when the rurouni had gone MIA and the resulting meltdown. So instead he had sent a carefully worded message, hinting at a possible lead (a track in the woods that led nowhere was still a lead right?) and headed back to the tiny village for lack of anything else to do. Sano was able to mooch a free room with his sob story about the missing friend and his broken hearted fiancee, and during the days he had kept his eyes and ears peeled and explored other nearby villages, all to no avail. The big heartedness of the villagers soon wore out, and he had had to go back to Tokyo...

*****

Yahiko was humming to himself as he walked home, nursing sentimental thoughts about Tsubame (She had touched his hand today when she had passed him the water bucket! His hand!!!). Peace reigned in the streets and the moon was full in the sky, lighting his way home. A sudden darkness...

Yahiko glanced up in surprise and screamed at the Sano-shaped shadow rapidly descending upon him.

His shout turned into a wheeze as Sano landed on him with a resounding thud, sending puffs of dust into the air.

Come with me, squirt, Sano bundled the concussed Yahiko under his arm and headed purposefully towards the dojo

*****

I'll kill you - when I get my breath back, Yahiko nursed various bruises whilst shooting death glares at Sano. Sano had deposited him in an alley way a short distance from the dojo.

Whatever - Sano waved the threats aside as he squatted beside the boy. How has jou-chan been holding up?

The cow? Same as always.. you know her old routine - poisons us with her food, tortures us with her voice and beats whatever is left out of us with her bokken. Yahiko blew on a scratch he had received,

Sano was surprised. Nothing different? You know, with Kenshin gone and all?

Yahiko looked up at Sano, his eyes round, Well - you sent us that note right, that you had a lead? I guess Kaoru trusts you and Kenshin to come back in the end... His eyes narrowed and his hand clamped around Sano's neck, Ne?!! There is a lead, right? He shook Sano's head. Right? ITAI!!!

Sano nursed his sore throat as Yahiko peeled himself off the wall he had just been rammed into. he rasped, How was I supposed to say anything with your dirty little paws around me? Yahiko snorted at the word dirty', eyeballing Sano's clothes tellingly.

The lead is cold. He admitted, hanging his head, I tried... I really did. I looked everywhere. There's no sign..nothing. It's like he vanished into thin air... He cleared his throat, staring at his feet. Ashamed at failing. More than ashamed...well, he wasn't letting the brat know how bad he felt.

Yahiko's mouth hung open. Kenshin's missing - again...and Sano, not even Sano had been able to do a thing about it. Sano had always been able to follow - been the only one in their party able to keep up. I always saw them running ahead of me, backs to me... and now Sano has been left behind as well. Anyhow.. I know better than to rub it in....

Are you going to tell busu? Yahiko said in a strangely subdued voice.

Their eyes met, and Yahiko could see how much Sano was dreading breaking the news.

She's stronger than you think she is, Yahiko asserted, leaving the alley and walking to the dojo. Just tell her.

*****

Sano flung his tattered blanket off and sat up, staring into the darkness of his shack. He hadn't been able to sleep (much). He judged the time to be about midday.

His thoughts flew back to the previous night. The two of them had gone to the dojo, Yahiko confidently, Sano dragging his feet. Kaoru had met them at the gate with a lantern, ready to go out in search of Yahiko, whom she'd been expecting. They managed to persuade her from beating him into a pulp, and went to the kitchen where Sano had brokenly (Yahiko had to prod him) told her his news. He had steeled himself for a storm of weeping. Or maybe a furious rampage. Or perhaps Kaoru would retreat within herself and be an empty shell.
He was prepared to accept anything except what she did next.

Kaoru had sat frozen for a split second after Sano had broken the news. Then she shook herself lightly and gave him her warmest smile. Arigatou for the news. Ummm. Are you hungry? And she had fed him! Sano had been too shocked to complain about the disgusting porridge. As he left, lingering uncertainly at the gate, Yahiko had whispered to him, See, I told you she would be all right.

It certainly looked all right - Sano had watched silently as Kaoru rolled up her sleeves and went after Yahiko for taking his time on the way home.

But it can't be right! Sano slammed his fists on the mat angrily. All that repressed anguish can't be good for anyone - ! He flung his door open determinedly. He was going to find Kaoru and make her go into a fit.

*****
The recent cold spell had increased the number of patients at the clinic, and Megumi was fairly flying about trying to tend to the most serious cases. She had asked Kaoru to help when Ogami-san had turned up.

Don't worry about a thing, Megumi had whispered, pushing a packet of herbs into Kaoru's hands, She's fit as a fiddle, just funny in the head. Brew these up for her and listen to her talk... she'll decide when she wants to go home.

Kaoru was watching over the boiling herbs, a little nervously. Ogami-san was curled up in a corner of the small room Megumi had left them in, first chuckling then talking to herself. Kaoru tried not to be too fascinated by the trail of drool that had made it's way down Ogami-san's chin. It was hanging there tantalisingly, ready to drop at any moment....

She hurriedly refocused her attention on the herbs, pouring a little into a cup which she proceeded to bring cautiously to the wizened old lady. Here you are, Ohgami-san, Kaoru knew she had a piercing voice but she tried her best to speak soothingly. She knelt by Ogami-san and offered her the cup.

He can't decide. Ogami-san's strange pale grey eyes, that had been rolling in all directions were suddenly alert and clear. She had pulled herself up from her slouch to study Kaoru's face.

Er... he can't? She must be talking about some relative..?

Your man, you stupid wench. Ogami-san's face creased briefly in annoyance, He vanished, right? Without a trace, right? I know. I can feel it. Well, he can't decide. To come back or not. Indecision... she waved one hand like a balance, from left to right .

Kaoru clenched her fists in her lap. Is she talking about Kenshin?

Your man!! Your man!!! Ohgami-san thumped the tatami mats impatiently. He has gone elsewhere - nowhere we can follow. He can come back but he cannot decide!

Kenshin...can't make up his mind whether to come back or not? Kaoru's vision went red. Unknowingly she let out a growl.

Although... hmmm Ohgami-san was rocking a little now, Possible, perhaps, to send someone to bring him back. Possible.

Kaoru asked eagerly, Could you send me to get him?

Ohgami-san looked at her critically. she shook her head dismissively. Need some one with an ethereal mind.

An ethereal mind?!! What on earth...? Kaoru sat back on her heels, disappointed. Stupid Kaoru, she told herself, that's a mental patient you're talking too...

The shoji door slammed open violently. All right jou-chan! You're going to cry even if I have to sit on you to make you do it!!!! Sano stood belligerently in the doorway, fists clenched.

Ethereal mind I say, Ohgami-san chuckled, pleased with herself, Just like the one he has...

*****

In the end, Kaoru was secretly relieved that Sano was the one, because Ohgami-san's ritual was... a little bizarre.

Knowing that Megumi would strongly disapprove, Kaoru had dragged Sano and Ohgami-san back to the practice hall in the dojo. They had then proceeded to collect all manner of things under Ohgami-san's instructions. The little old lady was no longer the shivering wreck she had been this morning. She was marching everywhere, giving out instructions imperiously.

They had laid out a pattern of nine squares, using pebbles, leaves and branches. Candles were lit at the four corners. In each of the squares, Ohgami-san had put a variety of things- tofu in one. Some mud in the another. In the centermost square, she had deposited Sano. Sano - who was now trussed up like a chicken, and had blue, yellow and red streaks smeared on his face. Ohgami-san retreated to the front of the practice hall and began a strange chant.

I can't believe I'm letting you do this to me. Sano whined plaintively.

You're a sweetheart, Sano, you really are, Kaoru whispered back earnestly, I promise not to tell Yahiko.

A string of curses poured out of his mouth, and he started to jerk in his bonds. Why me?!... C'mon, jou-chan! You know better than to think this will work!

You have an ethereal mind Kaoru intoned loftily. she whispered, as she watched Ohgami-san writhe in the middle of her chant, I'm pretty sure this won't work, but... Ohgami-san looks so happy....

Sano's eyes were as big as saucers.

Ohgami-san's voice built up in a tremendous crescendo as she reached the climax of her ritual. The flames from the candles seemed to leap higher. It's done! she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

A muffled boom echoed the clap and Sano disappeared.

, said Kaoru.



Notes:
Whee! That was a blast to write ^_^. Sano makes me laugh!
I have no earthly what an ethereal mind is, so don't ask ^_^