A Night to Die For
RK doesn't belong to me.
Chapter 1
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She had known happiness at one point in time, Kaoru was quite sure of it, but now, in this hell, she felt like nothing could ever make it any worse. Alas, she had to be so wrong. The arrival of her newest brother, Eni-nii as he told them all, was the worst of all her brothers. There was Saitou, Shishio and Jinhe-but he had vanished, so she wasn't all too sure about him anymore. But, it had to be her oldest sister-the oldest sibling of the house-Tomoe who put her through the hell she was living.
They hardly had any food, or clothes, and only Kaoru worked aside from their adoptive parents who were just starting to have their kids work at the factory they themselves were working at. Kaoru had been lucky though, she didn't have to change jobs, just keep paying half of her check to the house for bills and all the other shit her adoring parents were into. After a while, things would just end up looking dull.
There was one thing that kept her looking onward-her great grandmother's journal. A woman of the Meiji Era, a kendo teacher none the less. Kamiya Kaoru, the first of the their family, which lasted until her, the last one of their blood line. It was so strange how Kamiya had gotten with child-though it was a rumor that Battousai had slept with the girl several times before and this time they weren't paying attention to what they were doing. They weren't even married. But they were in love. And that was simply romantic.
Now, back onto topic, she was named after her great grand mother, Rukato Kaoru-well, it used to be Kamiya Kaoru, but she was adopted, remember? The name change came with all of them. Like the rest though, they worked with their original last names, and all planned on changing it when they became 18 years of age. All of them where going to do so, except for Tomoe, the real problem child, who constantly kissed by to her beloved parents. The way she was could make anyone hurl.
The greatest thing this beauty did was take half of the remaining amount each of her siblings had earned and used it to please she SOB boyfriend to no end, so it was a wonder how all of them were able to keep new clothes and necessities rolling in. Well, something's their parents paid for, but the was the stuff everyone had use for.
Kaoru was simply wishing for the day she could finally leave this place and be on her own, and she had plenty of practice of doing so by living here. But she had no way to get to college, unless she got a loan that she would never have to slowly pay back. The good thing was that she didn't want to go to college, she was a romantic at heart and dreamt of becoming a housewife. And she was very good at cooking, cleaning, the laundry and household expenses.
Only, there was one small thing wrong with her, she was pale, sick-looking sense a child, and the only color that looked good on her, and anyone would let her buy, expect for the occasional pair of jeans. She remembered vaguely that someone had called her the, "Angel of Death," after waking up and seeing her sitting on the windowsill of their room as soft light leaked through the white curtains.
That had been what another brother had said, one who had gotten out at an early age, Kama-nii, as they all called him. He was the oldest and the only nice one in all of her siblings, but that was in the past, and one must never dwell too much on it.
As of now, the present wasn't going very well at all. She was the only one left who didn't have what their parents called a plan, but wasn't becoming a housewife a plan? After seeing what the rest of the world did to her, becoming that was the only option. One look at her pale skin and she was a sick child who needed to be treated special. And Eni-nii was constantly teasing her about it and becoming his little homemaker. It wouldn't have been so bad if he had been a friend, but a sibling? A very perverted one at that? Kaoru didn't think so.
And here she was, walking along the edge of the small river by her home, trying her best to balance along the brick edging of the downhill slope. Kaoru wasn't paying attention to what was around her, but the feel of someone's eyes watching her intensely made her look up.
The first thing she saw was his hair, this red fire that reminded her of her great grandfather as her great grandmother described, but this was the real thing. Complete with the beautiful amber eyes. She smiled, something inside telling her that this was the one. Raising a hand, she waved, and he smiled in reply! Maybe her life was starting to look up…
"Hey, tanuki-chan! Time for dinner!" yelled none other then the annoying Enishi from the porch of their house.
…Maybe not, but it seemed to be for just a moment.
Kaoru closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, trying her best not to get mad. Not only had he yelled loud enough for people to hear in New York, but he had called her by the stupid nickname she would GLADLY give up! That BROTHER was going to get it, one way or another. And thus, she let her temper show, saying her own nickname for him, which involved his snow colored hair.
"I'm coming you Ojii-san!" She yelled back, eyes glaring.
"What did you just call me?"
"You heard me just fine!"
"You are going to get it!"
"Oh, I am SO scared."
"You really should be, brat!"
Meanwhile, Kenshin tried his best not to let out a laugh, but when the white haired man went back into the house, he broke out laughing, and the girl, she looked at him for a moment before softly giggling. "Sorry you had to hear that," she said softly, smiling just as much.
"Its okay, I have my own annoying sisters who do the same to me," he replied, smiling along with her.
"I'm Kaoru, and you?"
"Kenshin."
"Well, I have to get going, dinner you know. But it was nice meeting you, Kenshin-san." For some reason, she liked the way the name rolled off her tongue, as if she was destined to say it.
"Same here, Kaoru-san."
Waving, she turned around, grasped her skirt in one hand and started to run. She was known for her speed among her family, and another of her nicknames was "Chicken Legs." Kaoru liked tanuki-chan better then that one. But Kenshin was surprised by her speed, the way she moved seemed almost impossible for someone like her, and that just made the term, never judge a book by the cover all the truer.
All the while just one thought went through her mind, Kenshin…Kenshin, where have I heard that name? Wait, Himura Kenshin!
Dinner was a fine event, everyone sat about the table, the food was passed about and everyone ate and talked at the same time--though no one started choking. The ones who normally did so usually waited until Sunday night.
"Hey, tanuki-chan, who was the guy you were talking with earlier?" Enishi asked, looking at her coy gaze.
"Someone from school," Kaoru replied, trying her best not to look like she was lying, even though she was.
"What's his name," asked Tomoe, looking at her little sister with in interested look.
"Kenshin."
"Interesting name…though, I swear I've heard it before," muttered Shishio, scratching his chin, the small fuzz that formed there over the day rough to his own touch.
"Good dinner mom," Kaoru said, picking up her plate and cup, the small blush across her cheeks something she didn't like, sides, it stood out against her skin.
"Ah, my baby has her first crush!" Their mother stood up, eyes shinning as she went and hugged her "baby" tightly.
"Mom! Please!"
"But it's so cute! You have a crush on someone!"
"Her first crush too," teased Satiou, whom normally didn't tease anyone in the first place, but at that moment, no one could really help it. And after that comment, everyone started talking about this "Kenshin" and asking Enishi what he looked like and saying this and that about what he might be like, leaving Kaoru the opportunity to leave the dinning room and flee to the safety of her bed room.
Kaoru's room was small, but it fit everything she had need of--a bed, desk, dresser and a small set of shelves that once belonged to her real mother--the only thing that wasn't in the storage place where everything else was being held. It seemed strange that even though she never knew her real parents--no picture of them existed anymore--she still had all their treasures and memories. But, the only parents she ever knew and still wished to know was Mama and Papa, or Rukato Mioshi and Rukato Ryunizu, her parents tell the day she dies.
Searching through her books, she came upon the journal she had hidden among the other books, so her siblings wouldn't find it very easily. Taking it out, she searched though the old pages tell she came upon the spot she wanted, the name written clearly and purely. "Himura Kenshin…"
The description was there as well, and it all matched, amethyst eyes, bright red hair and a child like face. It was HIM! The reincarnation of Battousai! But, what did it really mater, she didn't even really know, it was just a crazy hypothesis that was more whacked then the truth. And why did it matter to her? It wasn't like she knew anything more then what happened in the journal, and nothing else…
"Kaoru-chan?" Her mother knocked on the door, opening it slowly and looking in to find her daughter sitting on her bed, reading that old journal again, but the woman smiled.
"Yeah mom?"
"A package came in for you, just now," The woman said, putting it down beside the raven haried girl. Kissing Kaoru on the top of the head, she left, hearing the girl's thank you as she did so.
The package was rectangle, wrapped in brown paper, her address written directly on the paper with a black marker. Opening it, she found a journal, old and worn looking, but it seemed strangely familiar.
"Hey, Kaoru," said Tomoe, opening the door and walking in, a towel wrapped about her body and nothing else, her skin soft and steamy. But she stopped, frozen when she saw that journal. "Where did you get that?"
Her tone startled Kaoru, and it took her a moment to reply, her voice lost in her throat for a moment. "It just came in the mail for me…"
"Can…Can I see it?"
"Yeah…" Tomoe took it into her hands, sitting down by her sister on the bed and running her fingers over the crude leather covering. Suddenly, with out warning, she crushed it to her chest and started to cry, tears coming down slowly and painfully.
"Nee-san…?" Kaoru spoke softly, looking at her older sister before reaching out and holding her. It felt strange, like nothing she had ever felt before.
"That name…that name, it hurts…" Tomoe buried her head in her sister's arms. "Don't call me it, please. Don't call me it!"
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AN: Well, I was encouraged to go on, though, I think I was thinking I would do so anyway.
Ann: Thank you, normally, I can think up something else to say but my mind isn't working today. That rhymed.
D.J.: I think I wanted to continue for some time, but, you don't have to read on--I just wanted to take a nap while writing this…
Yuki Ayame: One thing you should learn about me, I like to respond to e-mails in a late fashion, if not at all…it's a bad habit…
JML: Don't know if there will be anymore lemons, but I am thinking about putting some lime in here.
Yen: I didn't know my writing amazed anyone, I'm amazed by everyone else's, just no my own. Sides, once I reread everything, I realize I did terrible on grammar and spelling…my two great faults…
Lolly: I continue, I continue! There goes my energy…
Aolani: Why do people have more energy then me these days? All I want to do is sleep, but I will write, slowly but surely…*soft snore*
Chiruken: Once I read something that makes me cry, I never want to read it again because I don't want to cry again, but I think I did once…can't remember.
saori: Their memories will come back soon, I am thinking about the next chapter or the one after the next one that they will remember, but Kaoru and Tomoe have started to do so.
supergal88: even number…they are evil, but it fits you name. ^.^
I realize at this point, I need my sleep and warmth then anything else--think I am catching something or in real need of rest, I take the later…well, I hope you like what I have so far, even though its somewhat slow in being updated, but I had NO time this week, thanks to stupid CST and Cat/6 testing! I hate them all! Not only that, but being stuck in that class for FOUR hours wasn't fun…first I loose my energy, then I gain it by ranting--but that class is EVIL!
Anyway, I hoped you liked it and please review? Please? Thanks!
