CHAPTER 14- WAITING
For weeks, Kenshin lay in bed clinging to whatever life he had left. The Oniwabanshuu and the rest of the Kenshin-gumi moved into Sae's Shirobeko, while the Aioya was being rebuilt. It had been nearly destroyed during the quarrels with the rest of the Juppon Gatana.
Those who healed returned to their normal lives. Aoshi retreated to the solitude of the temple, to think things over. Misao basically ran the show, seeing that the Aioya was reconstructed properly and throwing the huge parties to celebrate the end of the Juppon Gatana. Megumi and Kaoru spent their time checking on the patients and making sure Kenshin was still alive. Sanosuke struggled to eat with only his left hand and had to keep his food from Yahiko, whose injuries seemed to give him a ravenous appetite.
Jiani roamed the Shirobeko in the way she had all of Japan. She rarely stuck around to drink sake or even socialize with the others. Most of her time was spent sitting at Kenshin's bedside and waiting patiently for him to wake up.
One day, when Kaoru came in to place a washcloth over Kenshin's head, Jiani smiled slightly. "You know, I don't think I would mind too much if you were my stepmother, Kaoru."
"WHAT???"
Kaoru's face turned bright red and she bashed her bowl of water right on Jiani's head!
Jiani blinked as the liquid dripped down her face. "Oro?"
"ACK!" Kaoru cried. "YOU say Oro, too?"
"Oops, sorry." Jiani shrugged. "That one slipped out."
Just then, Kaoru noticed something she had never seen before in the young girl. 'When we first met her, she was so elusive and almost cold! But now.now it seems like getting her to smile is no longer an impossible task.' She looked down at the sleeping Kenshin. 'But then again, when you're here, Kenshin, who wouldn't be happy?'
For weeks, Kenshin lay in bed clinging to whatever life he had left. The Oniwabanshuu and the rest of the Kenshin-gumi moved into Sae's Shirobeko, while the Aioya was being rebuilt. It had been nearly destroyed during the quarrels with the rest of the Juppon Gatana.
Those who healed returned to their normal lives. Aoshi retreated to the solitude of the temple, to think things over. Misao basically ran the show, seeing that the Aioya was reconstructed properly and throwing the huge parties to celebrate the end of the Juppon Gatana. Megumi and Kaoru spent their time checking on the patients and making sure Kenshin was still alive. Sanosuke struggled to eat with only his left hand and had to keep his food from Yahiko, whose injuries seemed to give him a ravenous appetite.
Jiani roamed the Shirobeko in the way she had all of Japan. She rarely stuck around to drink sake or even socialize with the others. Most of her time was spent sitting at Kenshin's bedside and waiting patiently for him to wake up.
One day, when Kaoru came in to place a washcloth over Kenshin's head, Jiani smiled slightly. "You know, I don't think I would mind too much if you were my stepmother, Kaoru."
"WHAT???"
Kaoru's face turned bright red and she bashed her bowl of water right on Jiani's head!
Jiani blinked as the liquid dripped down her face. "Oro?"
"ACK!" Kaoru cried. "YOU say Oro, too?"
"Oops, sorry." Jiani shrugged. "That one slipped out."
Just then, Kaoru noticed something she had never seen before in the young girl. 'When we first met her, she was so elusive and almost cold! But now.now it seems like getting her to smile is no longer an impossible task.' She looked down at the sleeping Kenshin. 'But then again, when you're here, Kenshin, who wouldn't be happy?'