Disclaimer: "I own Rurouni Kenshin and all of its characters and have full rights to them." ...Is what I'd say if I were feeling financially suicidal. But I'm not today, so please note that I do not own Rurouni Kenshin nor its characters. Thank-you.
Chapter Sixteen
No one said anything for a long time after Nikko's confession. The woman herself seemed to have forgotten that this line of information didn't automatically enlightened everyone in the room. Yet out of polite consideration, everyone waited for Nikko to continue.
Ten minutes later, Himura was getting tired of that.
His mind was buzzing with questions. Who exactly was this Amatomo Aroji? What was his relation to Amatomo Seitaro? How did Nikko-dono end up marrying him? He had some "where" and "why" questions too, but the narrative was sounding too announcer-like already.
At last the young man dared to clear his throat and ask the one big question on everybody's mind.
"…And?"
Nikko's head shot up with a look of mild irritation before suddenly looking sheepish, as though realizing a dramatic pause had dragged out too long. "And… I'm married to him."
A pause.
"Er, I think we figured that out when you said he was your husband de gozaru," Obaga politely coughed.
"Oh. …Right."
Kenshin tilted his head to the side, pondering on Nikko's new behavior. The young woman was acting more reserved, demure, and courteous. It was completely different from the Nikko he'd gotten to know over the past few days. …Not that he'd ever tell her that. She seemed to flounder as she grasped for words, clearly not knowing where to start. He decided to give her some simple advice.
"Why don't you start from the beginning, Nikko-dono? Tell us exactly your first association with this Aroji fellow."
The mother-to-be considered this for a moment before nodding her head in agreement. "Alright," she said quietly. "It probably really began sometime ago. Just before the chaos of the Bakumatsu reached our old hometown…"
----------- "Hold it, hold it!" Himura suddenly yelled.
Everyone stopped and stared, shocked, at him.
"Look, we've managed to get this far through the story without an actual flashback, okay? Can't we just keep it that way?" he asked.
After the jaws finally picked themselves up, the eyes rolled.
"Well there go any chances of keeping within the Fourth Wall this fic."
"Really Himura-dono, was that necessary?"
"Well we've been keeping it to monologue introspective thus far. I just don't see why we can't keep it like that."
"Will somebody please smack the writer?"
-----------
Elsewhere, a writer was thoroughly smacked. After much apologies, and the reconstruction of one said Fourth Wall, half a dozen memories were selectively erased.
The story continued.
-----------
Six people blinked.
"Er… what were we just talking about de gozaru ka?" Nuhiro inquired first.
Blessed with sudden knowledge, Asuka replied, "Nikko-chan was about to finally reveal to everyone her mysterious past and clear up any lingering questions and misunderstandings in a heart-felt and well-explaining monologue."
Another pause.
"…Well she was."
"Right," Nikko said, a spark of her spirited determination poking through, although it was still significantly dampened by her softer tones. "From the beginning, right Himura?" Kenshin nodded. "Alright. It probably really began sometime ago. Just before the chaos of the Bakumatsu reached our old hometown…" She stopped and patiently waited for everyone to shake off the déjà vu (onto the nice conditioned floors) before continuing. "Futashi and I lived with my parents, my father being of a locally high-respected samurai family. He was a close friend with the second highly respected family in town-the Amatomo family.
"I was my father's only daughter, so he naturally sought for the best man to be a husband for me. …And who could possibly be a better choice than the son of a fellow samurai?"
Noting the sorrow in her voice, Nuhiro nodded and drew up the conclusion. "So your father arranged for you to marry Aroji. How sad that a young woman should have such little choice to marry anOOF!" Spitting out the pillow that had been thrown in his face, the elder swordsman looked around curiously before stopping to stare at Futashi-who was strangely missing his seat cushion.
"Futashi," Yuiishi softly scolded, but little else was done to correct his mannerism.
"Stop talkin' like you know it all, old man!" the roguish child spat. "You're just as presumptuous as Fem-Boy over there!"
"Oro!"
"You know something about this, Himura-dono?"
Waving his hands in front of him defensively, the redhead answered, "I'm sure that if we let Nikko-dono continue we'll find out de gozaru."
"Hmm. Please continue then, Nikko-dono."
"I was arranged to marry, but not to Aroji," the woman said, ignoring the antics of the interruption. "There was another son to the Amatomo family. Aroji's older brother and my first fiancé, Amatomo Seitaro."
…Seitaro… Himura echoed the name in his mind, trying to stir up the memory associated with it. Try as he might however, he found he could not recall a face to go with the name. Or more accurately, he did not know which face went with the name. It was something the Ishin Shishi had come to regret along with the sins of killing the men; not getting their names.
He remembered faces. Countless faces, each clear as a bell and more often than not they were twisted in fear or locked in death. But he had no names. Or at least very few. He did try to get them when he could, but most of his information sources told him he should only bother with the titles of important figures of groups, armies, politicians, and officials. The average soldier was not much of their concern, so even when Himura had asked for names, they could not always be provided.
Especially when a random one stumbled across an assassination and had to be… dealt with. An incident that happened often enough that Himura was left with a few faces to try and piece to the name Amatomo Seitaro. He wondered which one it was…
Gods, what a morbid thing to ponder on.
He quickly turned his attention back to Nikko's words. She had just finished relaying the news of her fiancé's death reaching her and her family and looked distraught over retelling the memory. It was obvious to Kenshin now that Seitaro was the one she had truly wanted to marry. As Futashi had said, he had been a good man to her and her family and would've made her a fine husband if… if he hadn't…
"Seitaro's father and mine died as well, fighting together in the same battle. There were little pieces to pick up for our families afterwards, and our futures were suddenly very insecure after the war-especially since the Shouganate lost. However, Aroji, the only surviving son of Amatomo, returned and it came to the point where the agreement to join our families became our only hope for surviving in this era."
…This era, Himura mused bitterly. This era that was supposed to bring everyone joy, equality, and happiness... If all that talk and all those promises were true, why is it I only hear of suffering?
"It was best for our families so I gave my consent to the new engagement which soon afterward became marriage."
How long will it be until the dream becomes reality?
"…Things were supposed to get better after that."
Or was it only a dream…?
"They didn't."
And nothing more.
Nikko had subtly begun to wring her hands in front of her large belly as she continued, but that and the distress in her eyes were her only indications of discomfort. The rest of her remained in proper posture, as though afraid she'd be chastised for sitting any other way.
"Aroji…" she hesitantly continued, "…became embittered by the Shogunate's defeat. He had much pride in it, you see. He and his father had been especially loyal to Tokugawa, so thus the collapse and the death of his kin enraged him. He would lecture daily, to us and to others, how the new government was weak and unstable, and how he could not bare to live in it."
"Too bad he wasn't the suicidal type," Futashi muttered from his corner. Himura stared at him, surprised by such venom words; but that was the harshest reprimand the boy received.
"Aroji's anger became… aggressive," Nikko went on. No one had to ask what she meant by aggressive. "He started going to bars every night, and I think that's where he met men who felt the same as he did about the new government. Then he started inviting them over for… meetings, of some sort." She lowered her gaze. "Meetings about politics. Their politics."
Her brother snorted. "Some meetings. They got more drunk than they did political."
"Futashi, hush!" Asuka said at last. "This is hard for Nikko-chan to say! Be a little more supportive!"
"I am being supportive."
"I meant--"
"It's alright, Asuka," the young wife interrupted. To assure her she smiled timidly. "It's alright."
Sensing the tension hidden behind the smile, Obaga cleared his throat. "I think from what Yuiishi-dono had told me before, I know the rest. You husband began to conspire against the government and out of fear for your brother and child you left, ne?"
"Ha-hai," Nikko answered, looking a bit relieved from the duty of telling her life's story.
"Then you came here and Yuiishi-dono let you stay."
"Actually, Asuka-chan found us. She then convinced Yuiishi-sama to let us live here in exchange for my taking care of the other children." Looking over to the two women and offering a more genuine smile she added, "I'll never forget such kindness." They smiled in return.
"So you were hoping to live here and escape the more serious dangers your husband was about to inflict upon your family, correct?" Nuhiro continued.
"Or at least until the baby was born," Futashi explained. "And we probably could have been safe if not for--" He abruptly cut himself off, leaving a hanging sentence in the air. A sentence that Himura finished.
"…If not for me coming here."
The women exchanged curious glances while Futashi remained sullenly silent and Obaga quickly grasped for the one line of divine insight that would neutralize the situation.
"So Buddha, the Emperor, and a Zen Master walk into a bar de gozaru…"
That was not it.
After rubbing his neck and chuckling nervously from all the stares and glares he received, Obaga decided to try again. "Er, what I meant to say was… Both Himura-dono and I seemed to have caused you all this unrest. Since Himura-dono was in my charge to begin with, I take full responsibility and humbly apologize de gozaru." He bowed himself low before them.
"Well," Yuiishi sighed, "I suppose we can't exactly blame you two for anything. It was my idea to send you off spying, Obaga-san. And you did save Futashi from danger Himura." The young man looked at the ground in slight embarrassment, unable to lift his gaze to see how the boy reacted to this. "If anything, it is probably more fortunate having you here than to have never had you here at all."
This made Kenshin look up. "How's do you figure that?" he asked, realizing after the matter that this was not the most polite way to word such a question.
"Amatomo would probably have discovered our location sooner or later," the mistress explained. "It was probably only a matter of time before he found Nikko-chan again and came after her. But with the two of you swordsmen here, perhaps he will leave well enough alone."
"Somehow I kinda doubt that," Futashi hesitantly informed. The others looked toward him. "Well… Aroji's such a beef-head I wouldn't count on him giving up so easily," he explained.
"Futashi's right," Nikko agreed. "The man's head is thicker than tofu."
"Now Nikko," Yuiishi chided. "Aren't we forgetting something?"
"Um, his manners are cruder than a boar's hide?"
"No. Just because he's a selfish, abusive, overly possessive radical that has an unhealthy obsession with overthrowing the government, that's no way to talk about your husband. You wait until after the other men are gone, then you proceed to babble his secrets and rip his dignity to shreds. Really, I thought I taught you better."
"Sorry Yuiishi-sama. I did forget."
The three males present pressingly decided then that women were the most frightening force to reckon with.
"Er, in any case," Obaga coughed, "I feel it my duty to help clear up any matters we have tampered with de gozaru. Although I can't speak for Himura-dono, I am confident he wishes to offer his assistance to you as well." Kenshin nodded firmly to confirm this statement.
"Thank-you, gentlemen," Yuiishi said. "We shall take full advantage of you." The two men blinked and the woman quickly recollected herself. "I mean, of your services."
"Uh… You're welcome," the elder samurai replied. He turned to Himura and shrugged. "I think," he added under his breath.
In agreement, the red haired man added, "A-a-a-choo!"
"Turn and sneeze if you don't mind, Himura-dono," Obaga muttered unpleasantly.
"Sorry," Kenshin sniffled.
"Himura," Asuka remarked, "have you been wearing those clothes ever since you fell into that river?"
"I've been wearing these clothes since I came here." He decided not to add the word, "unfortunately," as he desired to.
"I hope you're not leaving another watermark," Nikko mumbled.
Kenshin assured her, "I've had a few hours to dry." To emphasize, he sneezed again.
"Goodness, Himura-san," Yuiishi tsked. "Why didn't you say so earlier? Asuka-chan, be a dear and show these gentlemen the way to the baths. Get them settled with a set of yukatas to sleep in and we'll see about getting them some temporary fresh clothes in the morning."
"Arigatou, Yuiishi-dono," both men returned.
"Meanwhile, it's late. We should all get some sleep and talk more in the morning. Nikko-chan, will you be alright?"
"Aa, I'll be fine," the young woman replied, a tired smile on her lips. "Arigatou minna. I'm very touched and honored by your care."
"Of course dear. Now let's all settle down for the night."
Without another word, everyone rose to their feet and headed off in their separate ways. While crossing paths however, Himura and Futashi caught eye-contact and briefly stopped to stare at one another. A short, murmured conversation passed between them, one that actually earned a small grin from Futashi, before they continued on their ways. Curious as to what they had said, Obaga caught up to his pupil and asked.
"Just confirming my name," he replied.
"Oro? And what, pray tell, is your name then?"
Kenshin smiled. "Sessha wa Fem-Lackey de gozaru."
End of chapter sixteen.
Author's Notes:
Well this took shamefully too long for its short length. I apologize minna. It seems I've slipped into a monthly-update schedule. I'd like to say it's going to get better, but final exams are coming up so I'd best not make that promise jut yet. Again, I apologize and thank those of you who are still hanging on. *sniffles* It's nice to know you still care!
Hopefully all questions on Nikko's past are now answered. Some of you said you saw it coming, others did not. Well, although I admit that I was hoping to have it be a good surprise, I'm not put down that some of you knew. In fact, those who did get virtual cookies! Pick them up at your local dispenser. For those of you who didn't get it, you've actually pleased me. All in all though, let's just say that for the record, it was mostly just to let you know that Kenshin knew.
Well, this chapter got quite serious. You know... at a point or two. Should've put a warning at the beginning of the story that this chapter was a hardhat section. "Beware of Falling Fourth Wall." Sorry about that. I couldn't resist. *grin* I'm going to try and bring lots of humor back in the next chapter though, so stay tuned!
On a closing note for this chapter, I'd like to say that I have been wanting to post the next chapter to, "The Akabeko Crisis" for a couple of weeks, despite my resolve no to until this fic was completed. I'd like to do this, but was wondering if I'd be tarred and feathered for this or not. Depending on the response to this, we'll see what happens.
Thank you for your continued support minna! You have no idea how much it means to me, and how much it is really encouraging me to move on with this fic. Thanks again.