Chapter 2- Go out a while
All was quiet at the Kamiya Dojo. Things had been for some time. The Kenshin-gumi hung about like the spider webs on the walls, practically mute. Yahiko and Sanosuke no longer got into squabbles over food. Ayame and Suzume rarely ran around. Megumi went about her work as always, but with a more serious, stern gaze. Kaoru swept the wood floors constantly to keep herself busy.
Kenshin was gone.
The redheaded wanderer had departed days before with barely a word. But he didn't have to, as his mission was clear. He was going to find the man called Shishio. His sudden leave had practically returned Kaoru's dojo back into a dusty cluster of buildings in a matter of hours.
"HAH! HYAH!" Yahiko jumped about inside the dojo, swatting his shinai about. Sweat flew from his dark, round face, but he wouldn't relent. 'I've got to keep going!' he told himself fiercely. 'I have to be ready to help fight Shishio!'
Kaoru happened by the dojo and paused to look inside. A sense of pride surged through her while she watched the boy racing about, attacking an invisible opponent. 'He's coming along well. Kenshin would be proud.'
Her hand tightened around the broom she held, nearly causing it to snap. "Oh Kenshin."
Why did he have to leave? Didn't he realize how much she and the others needed him? Was the guilt in his heart too great? Would he ever return? Kaoru shook her head to dispel any tears. She had spent so much time crying. What if this feeling would never go away?
Yahiko spotted her out of the corner of his eye and paused. "Huh? Kaoru?"
She put on a smile and nodded. "I just stopped to watch. You're looking better!"
He grinned and made a fist. "Great! A little more and I think I can take on anything!" With that, he whipped around and continued his training. "HAH! HAH! HY-YAH!"
The black-haired woman shook her head and sighed. He was young and so sure of himself. But the look in his fiery brown eyes told her not to discourage him with the truth. Kenshin was probably the only one to take on someone like Shishio Makoto.
"You can't just keep walking around here with that broom." Came a voice behind her.
Kaoru turned around to see Megumi standing there. "Oh, good morning Megumi."
The doctor narrowed her eyes. "Kaoru, you need to get out of here for a while. Moping around like this isn't good for your health."
"If I don't keep cleaning, the dust and cobwebs will take over." Kaoru interjected, turning away to sweep some clouds of grit. The wind just blew it up in her face, causing her to sputter.
"See what I mean?" Megumi scowled. "Just go to the Akabeko for lunch or something. One can only breathe in so much dirt."
Just then, Sanosuke poked his head around the bend and faced them. "Did I hear someone say lunch?"
'Freeloader.' Kaoru muttered to herself but smiled. She didn't want to go, but maybe it would be better if she weren't alone. "Okay then." She peeked into the dojo. "Yahiko! Let's go and grab something in town."
The shinai hit the floor. Yahiko whooped ecstatically. "Yeah! Good food!"
Kaoru scowled. There went another insult of her cooking. But she decided to let it go. The Kenshin-gumi, sans Kenshin, left for town.
All was quiet at the Kamiya Dojo. Things had been for some time. The Kenshin-gumi hung about like the spider webs on the walls, practically mute. Yahiko and Sanosuke no longer got into squabbles over food. Ayame and Suzume rarely ran around. Megumi went about her work as always, but with a more serious, stern gaze. Kaoru swept the wood floors constantly to keep herself busy.
Kenshin was gone.
The redheaded wanderer had departed days before with barely a word. But he didn't have to, as his mission was clear. He was going to find the man called Shishio. His sudden leave had practically returned Kaoru's dojo back into a dusty cluster of buildings in a matter of hours.
"HAH! HYAH!" Yahiko jumped about inside the dojo, swatting his shinai about. Sweat flew from his dark, round face, but he wouldn't relent. 'I've got to keep going!' he told himself fiercely. 'I have to be ready to help fight Shishio!'
Kaoru happened by the dojo and paused to look inside. A sense of pride surged through her while she watched the boy racing about, attacking an invisible opponent. 'He's coming along well. Kenshin would be proud.'
Her hand tightened around the broom she held, nearly causing it to snap. "Oh Kenshin."
Why did he have to leave? Didn't he realize how much she and the others needed him? Was the guilt in his heart too great? Would he ever return? Kaoru shook her head to dispel any tears. She had spent so much time crying. What if this feeling would never go away?
Yahiko spotted her out of the corner of his eye and paused. "Huh? Kaoru?"
She put on a smile and nodded. "I just stopped to watch. You're looking better!"
He grinned and made a fist. "Great! A little more and I think I can take on anything!" With that, he whipped around and continued his training. "HAH! HAH! HY-YAH!"
The black-haired woman shook her head and sighed. He was young and so sure of himself. But the look in his fiery brown eyes told her not to discourage him with the truth. Kenshin was probably the only one to take on someone like Shishio Makoto.
"You can't just keep walking around here with that broom." Came a voice behind her.
Kaoru turned around to see Megumi standing there. "Oh, good morning Megumi."
The doctor narrowed her eyes. "Kaoru, you need to get out of here for a while. Moping around like this isn't good for your health."
"If I don't keep cleaning, the dust and cobwebs will take over." Kaoru interjected, turning away to sweep some clouds of grit. The wind just blew it up in her face, causing her to sputter.
"See what I mean?" Megumi scowled. "Just go to the Akabeko for lunch or something. One can only breathe in so much dirt."
Just then, Sanosuke poked his head around the bend and faced them. "Did I hear someone say lunch?"
'Freeloader.' Kaoru muttered to herself but smiled. She didn't want to go, but maybe it would be better if she weren't alone. "Okay then." She peeked into the dojo. "Yahiko! Let's go and grab something in town."
The shinai hit the floor. Yahiko whooped ecstatically. "Yeah! Good food!"
Kaoru scowled. There went another insult of her cooking. But she decided to let it go. The Kenshin-gumi, sans Kenshin, left for town.