~*~
Losses and Gains
Ch.6 - Cruel Fate
~*~
Thunder roared across the gloomy, gray sky. It was strange how that morning it was so beautiful outside and now, it was so stormy that you would think it was a monsoon. He sat in an isolated room, drinking his sixth bottle of sake. He had nothing, nothing in his life now. Everything was gone. She was gone.
~*Flashback*~
It was a beautiful, spring morning in Japan. Sanosuke walked down the dirt path towards his home. He had just left from the marketplace. He had saved up some money from all of his work and had just bought a special something for a special someone. The tall fighter began to hum while walking home.
'I hope she likes it.' He thought.
He reached into his pocket and took out a small, black, leather box. He opened it to reveal a beautiful ring. It was a 3-karat diamond that shone so brilliantly that it was brighter than the sun itself. The diamond was also surrounded by six tiny sapphire and garnet gems. He chose the blue and red gems because it matched his kitsune's eyes and dark hair.
He closed the box and grasped it firmly in his hand. He had been with Megumi for at least nine months now. He decided to move out of the Dojo and live with her after he secretly admitted his love to her. A smile crept upon his lips as he remembered that starry night he whispered in her ear how he felt about her.
To him Megumi was the light that had filled the void within him and his heart. Her beauty captivated his very soul; her mysterious, mesmerizing dark red eyes and midnight hair that was a perfect match for her eyes. Just like him and her. At times, Sano believed he and Megumi were meant to be and that if she ever left him, he would regain that void and find no more meaning in his life. Little did he know that fate had other plans on that beautiful morning outside Sanosuke Sagara's home.
Sano put the box back inside his pocket, realizing he was just steps outside his house. He took a deep, confident breath and slid the door open.
"Megumi-chan! Tadaima!" he called out.
No answer.
He advanced toward the kitchen. There was no scent of food. She obviously wasn't in the kitchen. For a fraction of a second, he sworn he could've smelled that familiar scent enter his nostrils. That all too familiar smell was part of his memory when he had been a fighter all those years ago. The fragrance that he would receive after beating the life out of someone so badly that they would bleed to death.
As he neared his bedroom, the smell became clearer and stronger. It was what he thought-blood. Panic crashed into his body like an enormous wave. He broke into a run and arrived right outside the bedroom he shared with his soon-to-be fiancé. Fearing the worst, he slid the door open slowly. He couldn't believe what was before him.
His dark brown eyes lay upon a beautiful maiden lying on the floor. A dark liquid was flowing underneath her lifeless body and it continued to flow out. There was a slim knife cut through abdomen. Her once brilliant scarlet eyes were now dull. Her dark, long hair was stained even darker. The woman's skin used to be a creamy a color, was now the color of ash.
Sanosuke was in total shock. Right before him was the love of his life, Megumi. Once a beautiful flower full of energy and who brought happiness to him, was now a withered gray flower, who would never take another innocent breath of life. The reason-her. Megumi Tanaki had taken her own precious life.
*End of Flashback*
Sanosuke's head was pounding as hard as that of the rain that fell outside. His stomach then gave the worst flop he had ever experienced. The rooster was well beyond that of a hangover. He wasn't even drunk. He was too depressed to act like a baka now. His whole life had flushed itself down the drain-his past, present, and future. He never thought that this would happen. He should've known it though. Megumi had attempt suicide more then once.
"Jiigoku ni otosa!" he screamed. His head throbbed even more, but he ignored it.
Why hadn't he realized it? He was still as naive as a three-year-old child was. But what mattered now? Nothing did. Why was he still standing here? He should've done the same as well. However, he didn't have the strength to do it; too chicken. Megumi wasn't able to do it either, but this time.she did.
Suddenly, voices and laughter were heard. It was coming from the entrance. Who was it?
~*~
"I would never imagine it to be *that* bad." Kasumi exclaimed. "Who would've thought that today would begin as so beautiful and end so stormy and sullen."
"Hai. Neither would I. Would you like to meet my friends? I would be glad to introduce you to them." Kenshin ringed his hair of the rainwater.
"Mochiron."
Kenshin lead his new friend down the hall of the dojo. Just as he was about to pass by Sanosuke's room, he caught a glimpse of spiky brown hair huddled in the far corner.
'Oro? Didn't he tell me was going to be out all day?' the rurouni questioned in his thoughts.
"Sano? Chotto matte, Kasumi." He held a serious tone.
Kasumi, who knew something was wrong, simply nodded.
"Sano?" he called out to the fighter-for-hire.
Sanosuke had his eyes drawn to the floor, no emotion in them whatsoever. The room smelled strongly of liquor. Kasumi wrinkled her nose by the scent. The rurouni stared at his friend. He could tell he had been drinking.
"Sanosuke, are you alright?" The rooster head just sat there staring at the floor, sake bottle in hand.
"I think we should take you to Megumi-dono so-" Kenshin began.
"She's dead." He stated, just barely above a whisper.
"Nani?" amethyst eyes lit up with shock. "What do you mean Sanosuke?"
"She's dead. Megumi is dead. I never even got to." he choked out. If Kenshin's eyes were not playing tricks on him, he would swear on Tomoe's grave that Sano was crying. "I never even got to ask her." He finished.
"Ask her what?" the red head urged.
"I was going to propose to her this morning." More tears streamed down his cheeks. He covered his face with his callused hands. This was too much for the once Zanza. He had never felt this sorrowful for something. He could almost pity himself.
He loved his kitsune so much and now she was gone. He hoped that wherever she was now, that she knew that he was going to ask her to marry him. The light in his life was gone forever now. He felt so empty.
"Kami-sama." Kenshin was in total shock. "How did this all happen?"
"It doesn't matter now. Nothing matters." Sanosuke replied lazily.
"Don't say that. Megumi wouldn't want that." He tried to show him a reassuring smile.
Kenshin was always the one to shed bright light on the worst possible situations. It was something he knew he had to do. He was right.
"Megumi."
~*~
After about half-an-hour, Sanosuke had finally calmed down. The red head made sure that he wouldn't fall into a nervous breakdown. He had told the two about all that he had witnessed. It was especially difficult for him to explain when he found her spiritless body. He had still kept the engagement ring. He would never dispose of that, even if his life depended on it.
"Demo, but just because that happened, doesn't mean that you should just resort to sake. It doesn't bring her back. You should promise yourself to stop today. How many times has she scolded you about that bad habit of yours?" Kenshin said sternly.
"Ano." the rooster head was speechless. "Mou, why do *you* always have to be right?" he shouted. Sanosuke winced in pain. He had almost forgot that he was still stoned.
"Sano, you should get some rest. You need it." Amethyst eyes were full of sympathy.
"Hai, that you should." A soft voice spoke.
"Huh? Who are you?" Sanosuke looked puzzled.
"Oh? I'm Kisagari Kasumi. Nice to meet you." She smiled gently.
"Nani?!" he looked from Kenshin to Kasumi. "Kenshin, I'll have to talk to *you* later."
"Oro?"
"Nanda? Well I should go." Kasumi said. She had no clue what was happening. She was just going to leave.
"Iie, you can stay here. I'll show you to your room." Kenshin insisted. The crimson-eyed girl nodded and followed the ex-hitokiri. Before exiting the room, she took one last look at the spiky brown haired gentleman. He gave her a goofy grin. Kasumi smiled playfully back at him. Though, behind her happy façade, she had pity for him, because, she too knew how it felt.
..::~*~::..
Author's Notes: I think Kenshin would make a very good counselor, ne? well.um, I dun know wat else to say. I think it was an ok chapter. Nothing to special.though it was angsty. Poor Sano. Will I get flames if I do this? Well I can't say nuttin cuz I don't spoil stuff for people. I should update my other stories as well. I got sume other ideas for stories, but.ah, watever. Just be nice and review, pleez??
Tadaima - I'm home!
Jiigoku ni otosa - Damn it all to hell!
Mochiron - Of course
Chotto matte - Hold on, Wait a minute
Ano - er.um.well.you.know
Nanda - What's this?
(not too many Jap. words in this chapter)
Losses and Gains
Ch.6 - Cruel Fate
~*~
Thunder roared across the gloomy, gray sky. It was strange how that morning it was so beautiful outside and now, it was so stormy that you would think it was a monsoon. He sat in an isolated room, drinking his sixth bottle of sake. He had nothing, nothing in his life now. Everything was gone. She was gone.
~*Flashback*~
It was a beautiful, spring morning in Japan. Sanosuke walked down the dirt path towards his home. He had just left from the marketplace. He had saved up some money from all of his work and had just bought a special something for a special someone. The tall fighter began to hum while walking home.
'I hope she likes it.' He thought.
He reached into his pocket and took out a small, black, leather box. He opened it to reveal a beautiful ring. It was a 3-karat diamond that shone so brilliantly that it was brighter than the sun itself. The diamond was also surrounded by six tiny sapphire and garnet gems. He chose the blue and red gems because it matched his kitsune's eyes and dark hair.
He closed the box and grasped it firmly in his hand. He had been with Megumi for at least nine months now. He decided to move out of the Dojo and live with her after he secretly admitted his love to her. A smile crept upon his lips as he remembered that starry night he whispered in her ear how he felt about her.
To him Megumi was the light that had filled the void within him and his heart. Her beauty captivated his very soul; her mysterious, mesmerizing dark red eyes and midnight hair that was a perfect match for her eyes. Just like him and her. At times, Sano believed he and Megumi were meant to be and that if she ever left him, he would regain that void and find no more meaning in his life. Little did he know that fate had other plans on that beautiful morning outside Sanosuke Sagara's home.
Sano put the box back inside his pocket, realizing he was just steps outside his house. He took a deep, confident breath and slid the door open.
"Megumi-chan! Tadaima!" he called out.
No answer.
He advanced toward the kitchen. There was no scent of food. She obviously wasn't in the kitchen. For a fraction of a second, he sworn he could've smelled that familiar scent enter his nostrils. That all too familiar smell was part of his memory when he had been a fighter all those years ago. The fragrance that he would receive after beating the life out of someone so badly that they would bleed to death.
As he neared his bedroom, the smell became clearer and stronger. It was what he thought-blood. Panic crashed into his body like an enormous wave. He broke into a run and arrived right outside the bedroom he shared with his soon-to-be fiancé. Fearing the worst, he slid the door open slowly. He couldn't believe what was before him.
His dark brown eyes lay upon a beautiful maiden lying on the floor. A dark liquid was flowing underneath her lifeless body and it continued to flow out. There was a slim knife cut through abdomen. Her once brilliant scarlet eyes were now dull. Her dark, long hair was stained even darker. The woman's skin used to be a creamy a color, was now the color of ash.
Sanosuke was in total shock. Right before him was the love of his life, Megumi. Once a beautiful flower full of energy and who brought happiness to him, was now a withered gray flower, who would never take another innocent breath of life. The reason-her. Megumi Tanaki had taken her own precious life.
*End of Flashback*
Sanosuke's head was pounding as hard as that of the rain that fell outside. His stomach then gave the worst flop he had ever experienced. The rooster was well beyond that of a hangover. He wasn't even drunk. He was too depressed to act like a baka now. His whole life had flushed itself down the drain-his past, present, and future. He never thought that this would happen. He should've known it though. Megumi had attempt suicide more then once.
"Jiigoku ni otosa!" he screamed. His head throbbed even more, but he ignored it.
Why hadn't he realized it? He was still as naive as a three-year-old child was. But what mattered now? Nothing did. Why was he still standing here? He should've done the same as well. However, he didn't have the strength to do it; too chicken. Megumi wasn't able to do it either, but this time.she did.
Suddenly, voices and laughter were heard. It was coming from the entrance. Who was it?
~*~
"I would never imagine it to be *that* bad." Kasumi exclaimed. "Who would've thought that today would begin as so beautiful and end so stormy and sullen."
"Hai. Neither would I. Would you like to meet my friends? I would be glad to introduce you to them." Kenshin ringed his hair of the rainwater.
"Mochiron."
Kenshin lead his new friend down the hall of the dojo. Just as he was about to pass by Sanosuke's room, he caught a glimpse of spiky brown hair huddled in the far corner.
'Oro? Didn't he tell me was going to be out all day?' the rurouni questioned in his thoughts.
"Sano? Chotto matte, Kasumi." He held a serious tone.
Kasumi, who knew something was wrong, simply nodded.
"Sano?" he called out to the fighter-for-hire.
Sanosuke had his eyes drawn to the floor, no emotion in them whatsoever. The room smelled strongly of liquor. Kasumi wrinkled her nose by the scent. The rurouni stared at his friend. He could tell he had been drinking.
"Sanosuke, are you alright?" The rooster head just sat there staring at the floor, sake bottle in hand.
"I think we should take you to Megumi-dono so-" Kenshin began.
"She's dead." He stated, just barely above a whisper.
"Nani?" amethyst eyes lit up with shock. "What do you mean Sanosuke?"
"She's dead. Megumi is dead. I never even got to." he choked out. If Kenshin's eyes were not playing tricks on him, he would swear on Tomoe's grave that Sano was crying. "I never even got to ask her." He finished.
"Ask her what?" the red head urged.
"I was going to propose to her this morning." More tears streamed down his cheeks. He covered his face with his callused hands. This was too much for the once Zanza. He had never felt this sorrowful for something. He could almost pity himself.
He loved his kitsune so much and now she was gone. He hoped that wherever she was now, that she knew that he was going to ask her to marry him. The light in his life was gone forever now. He felt so empty.
"Kami-sama." Kenshin was in total shock. "How did this all happen?"
"It doesn't matter now. Nothing matters." Sanosuke replied lazily.
"Don't say that. Megumi wouldn't want that." He tried to show him a reassuring smile.
Kenshin was always the one to shed bright light on the worst possible situations. It was something he knew he had to do. He was right.
"Megumi."
~*~
After about half-an-hour, Sanosuke had finally calmed down. The red head made sure that he wouldn't fall into a nervous breakdown. He had told the two about all that he had witnessed. It was especially difficult for him to explain when he found her spiritless body. He had still kept the engagement ring. He would never dispose of that, even if his life depended on it.
"Demo, but just because that happened, doesn't mean that you should just resort to sake. It doesn't bring her back. You should promise yourself to stop today. How many times has she scolded you about that bad habit of yours?" Kenshin said sternly.
"Ano." the rooster head was speechless. "Mou, why do *you* always have to be right?" he shouted. Sanosuke winced in pain. He had almost forgot that he was still stoned.
"Sano, you should get some rest. You need it." Amethyst eyes were full of sympathy.
"Hai, that you should." A soft voice spoke.
"Huh? Who are you?" Sanosuke looked puzzled.
"Oh? I'm Kisagari Kasumi. Nice to meet you." She smiled gently.
"Nani?!" he looked from Kenshin to Kasumi. "Kenshin, I'll have to talk to *you* later."
"Oro?"
"Nanda? Well I should go." Kasumi said. She had no clue what was happening. She was just going to leave.
"Iie, you can stay here. I'll show you to your room." Kenshin insisted. The crimson-eyed girl nodded and followed the ex-hitokiri. Before exiting the room, she took one last look at the spiky brown haired gentleman. He gave her a goofy grin. Kasumi smiled playfully back at him. Though, behind her happy façade, she had pity for him, because, she too knew how it felt.
..::~*~::..
Author's Notes: I think Kenshin would make a very good counselor, ne? well.um, I dun know wat else to say. I think it was an ok chapter. Nothing to special.though it was angsty. Poor Sano. Will I get flames if I do this? Well I can't say nuttin cuz I don't spoil stuff for people. I should update my other stories as well. I got sume other ideas for stories, but.ah, watever. Just be nice and review, pleez??
Tadaima - I'm home!
Jiigoku ni otosa - Damn it all to hell!
Mochiron - Of course
Chotto matte - Hold on, Wait a minute
Ano - er.um.well.you.know
Nanda - What's this?
(not too many Jap. words in this chapter)
