Trying to reconfigure the chapters to my original wishes. :D see if you can spot the changes.

Saturday- Disaster in the Dojo

Kenshin smiled contentedly as the light morning breeze ruffled his hair. The sun had barely risen and he was outside washing the small pile of clothing Kaoru had left to be done. The rhythmic sound of soapy water and washboard was suddenly disturbed by a small boy running franticly to the bathhouse. His awful retching resounded throughout the dewy courtyard, frightening a few birds from their trees.


"What's wrong Yahiko?" Kenshin cautiously lingered in the doorway, "Are you going to ::cough:: need anything washed?"


"Ooh I feel like." he proceeded to hail the pit before continuing, "I feel like someone ripped out my stomach, stomped on it, fed it to a cow, and is now attempting to stuff it back in through my..."


{o___X} "Alright, yes I see, that I most certainly do..." the rurouni winced at the imagery and took a few steps back, "How could you have gotten so sick, so very early in the morning?"


"Oh." Yahiko paused again, "Well Sano and I just went to bed three or four hours ago."


"I see." *That is the last time I trust Sano with a child, that it is* "You'll need some tea..."



~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

*Oh my. It's almost noon and Sanosuke is still in his room* "Hmm, how are you doing Yahiko?"


"Tea really works doesn't it!" Yahiko took another large swig and closed his eyes. Thankfully he had been able to give up the bathhouse a few hours previous, "It's just like magic or something."


Kenshin laughed and gave Yahiko a wise smile, "It's hardly magic, tea helps flush out your system and replenish vital nutrients, it appears I was right in assuming your food was undercooked. How much did you eat anyway? Tea leaves aren't cheap nowadays, that they aren't."


"Ooh I don't even want to think about it. Unless there happens to be some around, it is about time for lunch isn't it."


"Mmm yes I suppose it is. let see what else you guys bought..."


"I don't think you'll have too much luck"


{o_o} "How is that Yahiko..."


"We ate... a lot last night..."


"High time to wake up Sano, wouldn't you say?"


"I wouldn't go in there if I were you Kenshin. Sano's kind of a pig if you know what I mean."



~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

"Oh my."


"Yeah it's scary huh. at least you don't have to share a room with him. Ugly must reeeally love you."


"I think this just may be permanently stuck… and how did. . . is that affixed to the ceiling."


"Just hurry up and do it then you can get out."


"Sano... hey Sano..."


"Heavy sleeper... let me do it..." Yahiko bent over next to Sanosuke and roughly heaved him onto his back before smacking him repeatedly in the face with a pillow.


Sanosuke stirred and started to mumble to himself, "So I was thinking, maybe if you weren't busy some night I could show you why I win every fight..."


"Sano..."


"Mmm?" the sleeping man's eyes fluttered open, "Ah hey Kenshin... isn't it a little early to be coming in here..."


Kenshin glared in a sort of dramatic annoyance he usually saved for fights, "How is it that this dojo is completely devoid of food? After one night?"


"Man Kenshin, devoid is such a strong word... there's plenty of sake..."


"That's it? Sake isn't food... we do need to eat..."


Yahiko grinned wickedly, "We could always go 'find' some more money. . ."


"NO!" Kenshin and Sanosuke both turned and yelled in unison.


"We'll have to go fishing," Kenshin sighed and turned toward the door.


"Yeah!" Yahiko bounded out and onto the trail, "Bet I'll get there first! Manly fishing. . . that's right!"


"Crazy kid. . ." Sanosuke laughed and crawled back under his blanket.


"Get up Sano, you're coming as well. . ."


Sanosuke grumbled and ambled after Kenshin as he carefully picked his way through the disaster.


"How can you bear to live like this Sano? Eeck... hey... aren't those Miss Kaoru's?"


"Call it a souvenir."



~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

"Sooo. . . what was the point of that again?" Sanosuke grumbled as the three walked the old path back to the dojo.


"Gosh Sano, were you too busy pigging out to notice WE RAN OUT OF FOOD?" Yahiko sneered, triumphantly carrying his catch over his shoulder.


"Hey, I wouldn't talk Mr. 'Let's see how much tempura I can eat in one bite' HA! Besides, I meant what was the point for me. . . you and Kenshin were the ones catching all the fish..."


"Maybe it would have helped if you left your line in the water for more than two minutes..." Kenshin mumbled under his breath.


"But Sanosuke, don't you remember?" Yahiko smiled smugly and reached into the front of his gi, "You did catch a fish..."


The little boy held up what could possibly have been considered the smallest minnow to ever be labeled as a fish.


"Oh yeah! I liked that little guy..."


Yahiko's face fell at the man's lack of rage.


Kenshin smiled and closed his eyes, listening to the wind blow past his face and the warbling of a few birds. As they progressed though, the soft sounds mingled with another, more artificial din.


*Music* "Sounds like someone around here is having a bit of a party…"


"Yeah… I bet they have free food too..." Yahiko thought out loud, "Why don't we figure out where it is and stop by!"


"Why not?" Kenshin smiled, "You're getting what you wanted after Sano... Sano?"


Sanosuke blushed and guiltily scratched the back of his head, "Umm yeah... heh... I guess you're right..."


"Let's just stop by the dojo first to put the fish on ice..."



~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

{O___O} "Sano. . . do you happen to know why all these people are gathered outside the dojo?"


"Something tells me it's not for Ugly's lessons..." Yahiko was alone in laughing at his own joke.


"Umm... Err... I have absolutely no idea whatsoever Kenshin..." Sanosuke tried to look as innocent as possible, even as Katsu began to walk over to their place in the doorway.


"Hey Sano!"


"If that is the case... why is that man calling you..."


"Crazy?"


"Sano! You're finally here! I let myself in, hope you don't mind..." Katsu laughed and patted the roosterhead on the back, "Told you I'd pack 'em in didn't I?"


"ORO!! You PLANNED all this?" Kenshin face fell and twitched on the ground for a few moments before standing back up and looking seriously at Sanosuke, "You're just going to have to tell them all to leave, that you are Sanosuke Sagara..."


"Geez lighten up! Have some sake..."


"No really, I'd rather not, we have to get this settled, that we do. What if these people break something... Miss Kaoru would not be pleased! Oo no..."


"Woo! I'll take some..."


"Yahiko no!"


"First time kid?" Katsu ruffled his hair and picked up a bottle.


"Yeah, you could say so!"


"Take two then, they're small..."


"Oh dear..." Kenshin walked about the wild dojo in a haze, "Everything will be fine, these people will leave as soon as there is no more sake, that they will. I need to stay positive, think happy thoughts... happy thoughts..."


Just then, a large group of very 'soggy' party goers approached the forlorn man, "This is your place right?"


"Yes, well... no... I... oh dear..."


The group proceeded to lift Kenshin up on their hands and toss him a few times.


"You should put me down, that you should..." he stammered.


"Go Kenshin Go!" Sanosuke yelled from amist a group of scantily clad women, "Another bottle ladies?"


"Orrro!" Kenshin cried from atop the hopelessly soggy mob, which had commenced to parade him about the dojo. "Where are you taking meee? You really must put me down, that you must!"


The fluid multitude eased its way tumultuously up to the old bathhouse, where a select few extra-intoxicated members took the traumatized rurouni up the rickety steps. The mass sealed the entrance as Kenshin crossed the threshold, nearly loosing his head to the doorjamb.


"Dunk 'im! Dunk 'im!" came the slurred chant of many inebriated Japanese filling his escape route.


Nearly falling in themselves, Kenshin's two bearers thrust him from their shoulders into the frothy sea of…


"Sake?" Kenshin frowned and face fell into the pool.


He remained submerged for a few moments and a few irritated bubbles trickled in a stream up to the surface. When he finally did surface, two new, and quite lovely, female faces greeted Kenshin.


{^_^#} "Why hello, I'm Himura Kenshin. I'm sure it would be lovely to meet you but I really should be going, that I should."


Both giggled excessively and moved closer to the confused man. Kenshin's pondering of the humor in cordiality was interrupted by their speech.


"I'm Nuriko…" The raven-haired one beamed coquettishly.


"And my name's ::hic:: Suzume…" the second, a brunette, continued.


"We've been watching you from across the courtyard…"


"Yeah… ::hic::"


"Ah! Suzume..." Kenshin had been completely ignoring their banter, "I have a little friend by that name..."


Suzume strained furiously to knit her brow, "I bet you say that to aaall the women..." before reeling sideways into his lap.


It was then that Kenshin realized they too were utterly smashed. He propped the unconscious girl unceremoniously above water (or... sake rather) and bid farewell to the other before ambling out into the madness once again.


"Where is that Sanosuke... he will help me rid these unwelcome guests whether he likes it or not..."



~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

"Yes ladies, that was back when I was the champion fighter of the whooole world. Yes, yes, good times. You could say that I've since… err… retired. So as to have more time for my... mmm... private life..."


"SANOOO!" Kenshin glared daggers at the roosterhead and his harem.


"Kenshin, Kenshin, Kenshin, Ken, Kenny, Ken, Kenshin! Just the man I wanted to see actually... dames, this is my dear buddy Kenshin... Hey... tell them about that time we took down Lord Shishio! That was a hoot... I was on fire ladies, on fire!"


"WE took down?? oh dear..." The infuriated samurai switched his attention to the gate as someone roughly pushed their way through the slovenly crowd, "Oh no... no..."


The piercing frame of none other than Hajime Saitoh swaggered to Kenshin's side and cuffed him on the shoulder. [AN- I had to have Saitoh, he's my favorite! after Kenshin of course n__n]


"Saitoh... what are you doing here? I really don't need anymore problems right now, that I most certainly do not..."


"Don't flatter yourself Battosai..." The triangular faced man laughed dryly and examined a passing bottle of sake, "I'm on watch right now, some passers-by thought there might me some problem here... all the ruckus and whatnot. I must say I agree... with all the little woman who runs this place will have to clean… where is she anyway?"


"She won't be here for a few more days yet..." Kenshin searched for something to beat his head on.


"Ah hahaha!" Saitoh chortled, "You mean to say she actually left her dojo to you? I always thought she was a quite stupid girl... Tokio won't even leave me home to go to the market..."


"Smaaart woman!" Sanosuke commented in his boozed haze.


Saitoh glowered, "If there is no trouble here... I'll take my leave of you all..."


Sniggering all the way, the officer strutted back through the gateway and onto the pitch-black road. Kenshin sighed and turned to leave again when he was distracted by another ill sight. Yahiko, bottle in hand, had climbed a tree and was proceeding to tie his hakama about his head like a turban.


"Hey look! I'm m-m-monkey boooy!"