Apprentice
Chapter 22
How things have changed
"So, you'll be leaving, Shishou?" said Kenshin, noting Hiko had dressed to depart at breakfast.
"Yes, I can only stand so much of other people. I've overstayed as it is," he complained.
Kenshin smiled ironically. "I'm honored you put yourself out so much for our sakes."
Kenji paused briefly from eating, and looked from his father to Hiko.
"I'll be coming back next summer, won't I, to-chan?" he asked.
"You must ask your Shishou that, Kenji," said his father.
"Yes, baka, I suppose I can put up with you again," said Hiko, with a faint grin.
Kenji nodded and dug back into his breakfast.
"What, no 'Thank you, Shishou,' or 'I'm honored to be your student,' Shishou,?" Hiko grumbled.
"Thank you, Shishou," said Kenji automatically around a mouthful of rice.
"So heartfelt," Hiko remarked sarcastically.
Kenji gave him a puzzled look, shrugged and resumed his breakfast.
Finally, Hiko rose , as did Kenshin and Kenji.
"May I have a word alone with Hiko-san?" Kenshin asked Kenji. Kenji nodded and went off to find Yuki. It was time for them to work in the kitchen.
"What do you want, Kenshin? I warn you, I won't abide any of your sloppy farewell scenes. Hugging a man still isn't my idea of a good time."
Kenshin coughed and turned pink. "Uh, no, I just wanted to speak to you. Kenji told me about his attacking you with his bokken during practice. He says you rescued him from the river."
"Well, I couldn't very well let the chibi-baka drown," said Hiko. "I gave my word to keep him safe, after all. You're not implying that I would not honor my word, are you?" This last said in a faintly menacing tone.
"N-no, Shishou!" Kenshin protested. "Nothing of the sort. I only wanted to thank you!"
"Well, you said it," said Hiko. "No need to go on and on about it."
"Well, what did you expect, idiot?" thought Kenshin. "Hiko Seijuro to utter something like a civil response?"
Omasu approached them before Kenshin could think of any sort of proper reply.
She was carrying a small bag over her shoulder and dressed for traveling.
Kenshin raised his eyebrows questioningly at Hiko, and he smirked down at him in reply.
"Good morning Omasu-san," said Kenshin politely, wondering if his nose was going to bleed.
"Good morning, Himura-san," she replied equally politely. She looked over at Hiko and blushed prettily.
"See, baka, you needn't worry about me," winked Hiko. "I have all the company a man could want or need. She's a bit prettier than you ever were, too."
Kenshin said "Oro!" faintly under his breath and turned and walked away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kenji found Yuki already busy washing dishes in the kitchen. He tied back his sleeves quickly and went to work.
"My to-san is teaching me chess," said Yuki proudly.
"Really?" said Kenji. "When I come back, will you teach me?" he asked.
"If you're nice, maybe I will," she replied slyly.
"I'm nice!" he protested.
"You have to be even nicer."
"How nice?"
"You have to play with me," Yuki said after thinking a bit.
"Play what?" Kenji asked, frowning.
"Whatever I say," she said, pouting a little.
"NO!" said Kenji, stubbornly.
"You're not nice," she said, putting her wet hands on her hips.
"I'll play chess with you, Yuki, if you teach me." Kenji cajoled her. He gave her a dazzling smile.
She thought a second. "All right." She smiled demurely back at him.
Finally, the day arrived for the Kenshin-gumi to return to Tokyo.
Misao was crying at the entrance of the Aoiya, and Kaoru embraced her friend. "I'll be back before you have the baby," she said, patting Misao. Megumi nodded. "I'll come too, if you like," she said, smiling. "Oh, yes, yes, please I want both of you to be here." Misao dried her eyes on her sleeve like a child and tried to smile.
Sano and Kenshin were putting their things in a waiting carriage. Aoshi was giving directions to the driver and paid him in advance.
"Thank you for your hospitality once again, Shinomouri-san," Kenshin said formally to him.
"Not at all," replied Aoshi, matching his politeness.
Kenshin and Sano helped their wives into the carriage, Sano handing up Souzou to Megumi.
"May I ride on top with Uncle Sano?" asked Kenji. Sano gave Kenshin an inquiring look.
"You're as bad as the boy, Sanosuke!" said Kenshin, chuckling. "All right, Kenji, up you go. Hang on to him, Sano!"
"I will, Kenshin, you old lady!" Sano shouted down. Kenji laughed.
They arrived with plenty of time for the train, which was a good thing.
Sano once again needed some time to gather his courage and board the steaming iron beast of his nightmares.
"Get on the train, you old lady!" Kenshin teased him. Sano groaned. "I knew karma would catch up with me for that insult, just not this soon."
Having little choice, he finally got on at the last possible moment.
Half a day later, they were back in Tokyo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's so good to be home," said Kaoru, following Kenshin as he opened the gate. "I hope Yahiko hasn't had any problems running the dojo while we were gone."
"I want to see Toshiro," said Kenji. He'd been saying that all the way there, first on the train and then in the carriage.
"Tomorrow, Himura Kenji," said Kaoru, hands on hips. "The only things on your schedule are a bath, dinner and bedtime. Sano and Megumi, why don't you stay here tonight? You're tired and you can walk home in the morning."
"Thank you," said Megumi. "My arms are about to drop off from carrying this child."
She sat down on a cushion and put Souzou down on the floor mats to crawl around.
"But, Ka-chan," Kenji protested. "Toshiro has been missing me very badly!"
"Toshiro can wait one more day to see you," insisted Kaoru.
"Kenshin, talk to your son, I have to get everything unpacked."
"Yes, Kaoru-dono," said Kenshin meekly. He knew when to argue with her and when to keep quiet. This was the wrong time to argue. Kaoru was in full "master of the dojo" mode. It had been a long time since a bokken had been applied to his head, and he wished to keep it that way.
"Come along Kenji, Sano, you can help me heat the water. We all need a bath."
Kaoru heard a polite knock on the front door. Sliding it open, she saw Tae, her arms full.
"Tsubame told me you were expected home late this afternoon," said Tae. "I brought you something for dinner. Welcome home!"
"What a good friend you are, Tae!" exclaimed Kaoru. "We just got home and there's nothing much in the house. I was going to go borrow some things from Tsubame."
"It's Kenshin's favorite," she beamed.
"Well, I hope you brought a lot, Sanosuke is here," Kaoru joked.
"I did. I figured that where there is a free meal from the Akabeko to be had, Sanosuke will be there," Tae giggled.
"I'll just leave this here and be going," she said, putting the food on the table in the small dining area.
"Thank you, Tae," said Megumi, picking up Souzou, who was crawling over to the table.
"It was nothing," she said, bowing a little.
"The water is heating, Kaoru-dono," said Kenshin, taking off his sandals and coming back in with Sano and Kenji, who were doing the same.
"Is that beef pots I smell?" asked Sano. His stomach grumbled loudly.
"You could smell beef pots from Mongolia," teased Kaoru, quickly setting the table.
"Bless that Tae," said Sano, sitting down, "If I weren't a happily married man....,"
"Quit while you're still ahead, baka tori-atama," warned Megumi, sitting down next to him with Souzou on her lap.
Kaoru served everyone, and soon Sano's mouth was too full to make another life-threatening remark.
Kaoru looked over at Kenji, sitting next to his father. He sat blinking sleepily over his empty bowl.
"Kenji-chan," she said quietly.
"Hn," he said, yawning.
"Kenshin, Sano, take Kenji and give him a bath."
"I'm not a baby, I can bathe myself," said Kenji, yawning again.
"Of course you can," said Kenshin, taking him by the hand.
"Come on Kenji, you can help me take a bath," Kenshin joked.
"Awright, to-chan," mumbled Kenji.
Chapter 22
How things have changed
"So, you'll be leaving, Shishou?" said Kenshin, noting Hiko had dressed to depart at breakfast.
"Yes, I can only stand so much of other people. I've overstayed as it is," he complained.
Kenshin smiled ironically. "I'm honored you put yourself out so much for our sakes."
Kenji paused briefly from eating, and looked from his father to Hiko.
"I'll be coming back next summer, won't I, to-chan?" he asked.
"You must ask your Shishou that, Kenji," said his father.
"Yes, baka, I suppose I can put up with you again," said Hiko, with a faint grin.
Kenji nodded and dug back into his breakfast.
"What, no 'Thank you, Shishou,' or 'I'm honored to be your student,' Shishou,?" Hiko grumbled.
"Thank you, Shishou," said Kenji automatically around a mouthful of rice.
"So heartfelt," Hiko remarked sarcastically.
Kenji gave him a puzzled look, shrugged and resumed his breakfast.
Finally, Hiko rose , as did Kenshin and Kenji.
"May I have a word alone with Hiko-san?" Kenshin asked Kenji. Kenji nodded and went off to find Yuki. It was time for them to work in the kitchen.
"What do you want, Kenshin? I warn you, I won't abide any of your sloppy farewell scenes. Hugging a man still isn't my idea of a good time."
Kenshin coughed and turned pink. "Uh, no, I just wanted to speak to you. Kenji told me about his attacking you with his bokken during practice. He says you rescued him from the river."
"Well, I couldn't very well let the chibi-baka drown," said Hiko. "I gave my word to keep him safe, after all. You're not implying that I would not honor my word, are you?" This last said in a faintly menacing tone.
"N-no, Shishou!" Kenshin protested. "Nothing of the sort. I only wanted to thank you!"
"Well, you said it," said Hiko. "No need to go on and on about it."
"Well, what did you expect, idiot?" thought Kenshin. "Hiko Seijuro to utter something like a civil response?"
Omasu approached them before Kenshin could think of any sort of proper reply.
She was carrying a small bag over her shoulder and dressed for traveling.
Kenshin raised his eyebrows questioningly at Hiko, and he smirked down at him in reply.
"Good morning Omasu-san," said Kenshin politely, wondering if his nose was going to bleed.
"Good morning, Himura-san," she replied equally politely. She looked over at Hiko and blushed prettily.
"See, baka, you needn't worry about me," winked Hiko. "I have all the company a man could want or need. She's a bit prettier than you ever were, too."
Kenshin said "Oro!" faintly under his breath and turned and walked away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kenji found Yuki already busy washing dishes in the kitchen. He tied back his sleeves quickly and went to work.
"My to-san is teaching me chess," said Yuki proudly.
"Really?" said Kenji. "When I come back, will you teach me?" he asked.
"If you're nice, maybe I will," she replied slyly.
"I'm nice!" he protested.
"You have to be even nicer."
"How nice?"
"You have to play with me," Yuki said after thinking a bit.
"Play what?" Kenji asked, frowning.
"Whatever I say," she said, pouting a little.
"NO!" said Kenji, stubbornly.
"You're not nice," she said, putting her wet hands on her hips.
"I'll play chess with you, Yuki, if you teach me." Kenji cajoled her. He gave her a dazzling smile.
She thought a second. "All right." She smiled demurely back at him.
Finally, the day arrived for the Kenshin-gumi to return to Tokyo.
Misao was crying at the entrance of the Aoiya, and Kaoru embraced her friend. "I'll be back before you have the baby," she said, patting Misao. Megumi nodded. "I'll come too, if you like," she said, smiling. "Oh, yes, yes, please I want both of you to be here." Misao dried her eyes on her sleeve like a child and tried to smile.
Sano and Kenshin were putting their things in a waiting carriage. Aoshi was giving directions to the driver and paid him in advance.
"Thank you for your hospitality once again, Shinomouri-san," Kenshin said formally to him.
"Not at all," replied Aoshi, matching his politeness.
Kenshin and Sano helped their wives into the carriage, Sano handing up Souzou to Megumi.
"May I ride on top with Uncle Sano?" asked Kenji. Sano gave Kenshin an inquiring look.
"You're as bad as the boy, Sanosuke!" said Kenshin, chuckling. "All right, Kenji, up you go. Hang on to him, Sano!"
"I will, Kenshin, you old lady!" Sano shouted down. Kenji laughed.
They arrived with plenty of time for the train, which was a good thing.
Sano once again needed some time to gather his courage and board the steaming iron beast of his nightmares.
"Get on the train, you old lady!" Kenshin teased him. Sano groaned. "I knew karma would catch up with me for that insult, just not this soon."
Having little choice, he finally got on at the last possible moment.
Half a day later, they were back in Tokyo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's so good to be home," said Kaoru, following Kenshin as he opened the gate. "I hope Yahiko hasn't had any problems running the dojo while we were gone."
"I want to see Toshiro," said Kenji. He'd been saying that all the way there, first on the train and then in the carriage.
"Tomorrow, Himura Kenji," said Kaoru, hands on hips. "The only things on your schedule are a bath, dinner and bedtime. Sano and Megumi, why don't you stay here tonight? You're tired and you can walk home in the morning."
"Thank you," said Megumi. "My arms are about to drop off from carrying this child."
She sat down on a cushion and put Souzou down on the floor mats to crawl around.
"But, Ka-chan," Kenji protested. "Toshiro has been missing me very badly!"
"Toshiro can wait one more day to see you," insisted Kaoru.
"Kenshin, talk to your son, I have to get everything unpacked."
"Yes, Kaoru-dono," said Kenshin meekly. He knew when to argue with her and when to keep quiet. This was the wrong time to argue. Kaoru was in full "master of the dojo" mode. It had been a long time since a bokken had been applied to his head, and he wished to keep it that way.
"Come along Kenji, Sano, you can help me heat the water. We all need a bath."
Kaoru heard a polite knock on the front door. Sliding it open, she saw Tae, her arms full.
"Tsubame told me you were expected home late this afternoon," said Tae. "I brought you something for dinner. Welcome home!"
"What a good friend you are, Tae!" exclaimed Kaoru. "We just got home and there's nothing much in the house. I was going to go borrow some things from Tsubame."
"It's Kenshin's favorite," she beamed.
"Well, I hope you brought a lot, Sanosuke is here," Kaoru joked.
"I did. I figured that where there is a free meal from the Akabeko to be had, Sanosuke will be there," Tae giggled.
"I'll just leave this here and be going," she said, putting the food on the table in the small dining area.
"Thank you, Tae," said Megumi, picking up Souzou, who was crawling over to the table.
"It was nothing," she said, bowing a little.
"The water is heating, Kaoru-dono," said Kenshin, taking off his sandals and coming back in with Sano and Kenji, who were doing the same.
"Is that beef pots I smell?" asked Sano. His stomach grumbled loudly.
"You could smell beef pots from Mongolia," teased Kaoru, quickly setting the table.
"Bless that Tae," said Sano, sitting down, "If I weren't a happily married man....,"
"Quit while you're still ahead, baka tori-atama," warned Megumi, sitting down next to him with Souzou on her lap.
Kaoru served everyone, and soon Sano's mouth was too full to make another life-threatening remark.
Kaoru looked over at Kenji, sitting next to his father. He sat blinking sleepily over his empty bowl.
"Kenji-chan," she said quietly.
"Hn," he said, yawning.
"Kenshin, Sano, take Kenji and give him a bath."
"I'm not a baby, I can bathe myself," said Kenji, yawning again.
"Of course you can," said Kenshin, taking him by the hand.
"Come on Kenji, you can help me take a bath," Kenshin joked.
"Awright, to-chan," mumbled Kenji.
