Hehe, hi? *dodges rotten veggies* Hey! I don't like carrots or tomatoes that much... or at all... *scowl* This is short but better than nothing, ne?
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Sailor Moon. Are you happy now?
Warnings: Kaoru is still going through depression, and no fight scenes are here yet. Gomen, I know a lot of you were looking forward to that.
************************
Gazing at My Silver Moon
Chapter 4: Hot Springs and Secrets
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Amber eyes skimmed over the room. "Yue," the cold voice intoned, "take up your sword once again. We have larger problems than Shishio."
"What is it?" Usagi asked softly.
Battousai grunted before allowing the rurouni to come back; he was still smirking, however. "Master Hiko is here and wants to test us. He brought Aoshi and Misao with him as well."
Usagi growled dangerously, causing Kaoru to start. "That is IT? Himura Kenshin, I cannot believe the nerve you have to come in here and go on about wanting me to get my 'sword once again' and--" She was cut off when Kenshin darted forward with his speed and kissed her.
Sanosuke and Megumi began to cheer for Kenshin, Saito looked disturbed under his I-don't-give-a-crap mask, and Kaoru steamed. 'How dare he do that in front of us! Especially Yahiko! He doesn't need to be learning about that kind of behavior at such a young age.' Yahiko himself was gagging and going on about people needing to "get a room."
Hiko Seijiro casually walked in unnoticed by all except his students (surprisingly, considering they were the only ones not breathing). Kenshin and Usagi broke apart and glared at him. "Yes?" Usagi asked acidly, "was their something you needed?"
"No," he replied casually. "I was just admiring the view." He wiggled his eyebrows.
Battousai immediately took control from the rurouni. "Don't even think about it," he warned his former master.
"Would you really do anything to me?" Seijiro asked innocently. Battousai's glare answered him well enough.
Usagi sighed. "Kenshin, please just chill. You know that Master Hiko did that just to get you riled up." She turned to her smirking former master. "And you can lay off. I didn't exactly appreciate that comment either."
Seijiro bowed. "As you wish, my fair lady."
Usagi rolled her eyes and groaned, then began to massage her temples. "Why me?" she asked dispairingly. She sighed. "Oh, well. At least I still have that blackmail from training days." Seijiro and Kenshin both decided that the look on her face was way past sinister.
They were interrupted from their bickering by a cough at the door. Misao grinned at everyone. "Hi!" she chirped.
Usagi grinned. "Hi, Misao-chan!" Everyone else blinked, including Seijiro, Battousai, Saito, and Aoshi (who walked in behind Misao). Both Usagi and Misao giggled at their faces. "Yes, we know each other," Usagi answered their confused looks. "Misao used to help me watch the village children for several days while she was on her quest to find the Oniwaban. We became very good friends."
Misao laughed and added, "She even helped me work a bit on my skills!"
Aoshi wanted to fall into oblivion. "Himura's former partner and wife, Himura Usagi, also known as Hitokiri Yue, told you some of her secrets? I'm doomed." At everyone's confused looks, he elaborated some. "This is the woman that, when she was a mere child, convinced the most stubborn man to ever walk on the face of this planet to train her the the ultimate Hiten Mitsirugi Ryu. She later convinced the second most stubborn man ever to live to marry her before he left for the war. Himura was just a teenager and had a lot of hormones (because all boys do when physically becoming men). He was giving up women that would fall instantly at his feet for a girl he was not likely to see for a long time. Not to mention the fact that the marriage ceremony performed by Hiko was unbreakable; Hiten Mitsirugi Ryu is like that."
"Wow," Misao breathed. "That's the most I've ever heard you say before." She turned to Usagi. "By the way, we never did finish that last bit of my woman lessons."
Usagi smirked (AN: She does that a lot, doesn't she?) and winked at Aoshi before turning back to Misao. "Of course. We can take Megumi-dono and Kaoru-dono outside after dinner while the men clean up."
Sanosuke and Yahiko protested loudly, but Kenshin smiled. A realization dawned on Kaoru. "That's why you enjoy cooking and cleaning so much!" she cried. "It reminded you of what you did while you were still living with Usagi-san!"
Kenshin blushed slightly and nodded. "Well," he said, "yes for the cleaning. Actually, Usa-chan is a much better cook than I am." Kaoru wanted to cry. 'He really does love her,' she thought glumly. 'I had thought that... maybe, just maybe... he could love me. But I guess I was misled.'
Usagi must have sensed Kaoru's discomfort because she turned to the men. "Well, gentlemen, there you have it. We ladies will fix supper, and you men will clean up afterwards. In the meantime, why don't you all make use of the hot springs? I don't think I can manage to stay upwind of you all night long."
************
Megumi let out a deep sigh as she sank into the soothing hot water. She glanced at her hostess. "You are really lucky to have hot springs right here; you don't have to worry about the men getting the water too hot or not hot enough."
Usagi grinned. "Kenshin isn't too bad, but he does have his moments."
Kaoru was silent, and Megumi was hesitant about asking her next question. "Usagi-san? I hate to pry into your private business, but... I'm curious. What was Ken-san like during the Bakumatsu?"
Kaoru stiffened, but Usagi appeared not to notice. "Well," she replied slowly, "he was more serious than he was now, for one thing. He never smiled in front of other people and was very cold. Those who opposed the Ishin Shishi or offended the patriots paid with their lives. He did not, however, kill for pleasure or glory. He fought for the sake of the future and the people of Japan. We fought for freedom. Kenshin appeared nonchalant about being a hitokiri, but I know that it nearly killed him every time he took someone's life."
"So Himura was the same as he is now. The only difference is that he wore a mask during the Bakumatsu," Misao mused.
Usagi nodded. Kaoru sighed. "You two truly love each other; don't you?"
Usagi smiled softly at Kaoru and told her softly, "I love him with every fiber of my being. Don't worry though; Megumi and I will personally help you lasso a guy."
"Lasso?" Kaoru echoed. Usagi just laughed.
"So," Misao murmurmed slyly, "what were those womanly secrets you know and were going to tell us?"
************
GOMENGOMENGOMEN!! I'm sorry this is SO late and SO short. I will TRY to do better next time. *holds up hands in defense from the flying veggies*
~Koneko
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Sailor Moon. Are you happy now?
Warnings: Kaoru is still going through depression, and no fight scenes are here yet. Gomen, I know a lot of you were looking forward to that.
************************
Gazing at My Silver Moon
Chapter 4: Hot Springs and Secrets
************************
Amber eyes skimmed over the room. "Yue," the cold voice intoned, "take up your sword once again. We have larger problems than Shishio."
"What is it?" Usagi asked softly.
Battousai grunted before allowing the rurouni to come back; he was still smirking, however. "Master Hiko is here and wants to test us. He brought Aoshi and Misao with him as well."
Usagi growled dangerously, causing Kaoru to start. "That is IT? Himura Kenshin, I cannot believe the nerve you have to come in here and go on about wanting me to get my 'sword once again' and--" She was cut off when Kenshin darted forward with his speed and kissed her.
Sanosuke and Megumi began to cheer for Kenshin, Saito looked disturbed under his I-don't-give-a-crap mask, and Kaoru steamed. 'How dare he do that in front of us! Especially Yahiko! He doesn't need to be learning about that kind of behavior at such a young age.' Yahiko himself was gagging and going on about people needing to "get a room."
Hiko Seijiro casually walked in unnoticed by all except his students (surprisingly, considering they were the only ones not breathing). Kenshin and Usagi broke apart and glared at him. "Yes?" Usagi asked acidly, "was their something you needed?"
"No," he replied casually. "I was just admiring the view." He wiggled his eyebrows.
Battousai immediately took control from the rurouni. "Don't even think about it," he warned his former master.
"Would you really do anything to me?" Seijiro asked innocently. Battousai's glare answered him well enough.
Usagi sighed. "Kenshin, please just chill. You know that Master Hiko did that just to get you riled up." She turned to her smirking former master. "And you can lay off. I didn't exactly appreciate that comment either."
Seijiro bowed. "As you wish, my fair lady."
Usagi rolled her eyes and groaned, then began to massage her temples. "Why me?" she asked dispairingly. She sighed. "Oh, well. At least I still have that blackmail from training days." Seijiro and Kenshin both decided that the look on her face was way past sinister.
They were interrupted from their bickering by a cough at the door. Misao grinned at everyone. "Hi!" she chirped.
Usagi grinned. "Hi, Misao-chan!" Everyone else blinked, including Seijiro, Battousai, Saito, and Aoshi (who walked in behind Misao). Both Usagi and Misao giggled at their faces. "Yes, we know each other," Usagi answered their confused looks. "Misao used to help me watch the village children for several days while she was on her quest to find the Oniwaban. We became very good friends."
Misao laughed and added, "She even helped me work a bit on my skills!"
Aoshi wanted to fall into oblivion. "Himura's former partner and wife, Himura Usagi, also known as Hitokiri Yue, told you some of her secrets? I'm doomed." At everyone's confused looks, he elaborated some. "This is the woman that, when she was a mere child, convinced the most stubborn man to ever walk on the face of this planet to train her the the ultimate Hiten Mitsirugi Ryu. She later convinced the second most stubborn man ever to live to marry her before he left for the war. Himura was just a teenager and had a lot of hormones (because all boys do when physically becoming men). He was giving up women that would fall instantly at his feet for a girl he was not likely to see for a long time. Not to mention the fact that the marriage ceremony performed by Hiko was unbreakable; Hiten Mitsirugi Ryu is like that."
"Wow," Misao breathed. "That's the most I've ever heard you say before." She turned to Usagi. "By the way, we never did finish that last bit of my woman lessons."
Usagi smirked (AN: She does that a lot, doesn't she?) and winked at Aoshi before turning back to Misao. "Of course. We can take Megumi-dono and Kaoru-dono outside after dinner while the men clean up."
Sanosuke and Yahiko protested loudly, but Kenshin smiled. A realization dawned on Kaoru. "That's why you enjoy cooking and cleaning so much!" she cried. "It reminded you of what you did while you were still living with Usagi-san!"
Kenshin blushed slightly and nodded. "Well," he said, "yes for the cleaning. Actually, Usa-chan is a much better cook than I am." Kaoru wanted to cry. 'He really does love her,' she thought glumly. 'I had thought that... maybe, just maybe... he could love me. But I guess I was misled.'
Usagi must have sensed Kaoru's discomfort because she turned to the men. "Well, gentlemen, there you have it. We ladies will fix supper, and you men will clean up afterwards. In the meantime, why don't you all make use of the hot springs? I don't think I can manage to stay upwind of you all night long."
************
Megumi let out a deep sigh as she sank into the soothing hot water. She glanced at her hostess. "You are really lucky to have hot springs right here; you don't have to worry about the men getting the water too hot or not hot enough."
Usagi grinned. "Kenshin isn't too bad, but he does have his moments."
Kaoru was silent, and Megumi was hesitant about asking her next question. "Usagi-san? I hate to pry into your private business, but... I'm curious. What was Ken-san like during the Bakumatsu?"
Kaoru stiffened, but Usagi appeared not to notice. "Well," she replied slowly, "he was more serious than he was now, for one thing. He never smiled in front of other people and was very cold. Those who opposed the Ishin Shishi or offended the patriots paid with their lives. He did not, however, kill for pleasure or glory. He fought for the sake of the future and the people of Japan. We fought for freedom. Kenshin appeared nonchalant about being a hitokiri, but I know that it nearly killed him every time he took someone's life."
"So Himura was the same as he is now. The only difference is that he wore a mask during the Bakumatsu," Misao mused.
Usagi nodded. Kaoru sighed. "You two truly love each other; don't you?"
Usagi smiled softly at Kaoru and told her softly, "I love him with every fiber of my being. Don't worry though; Megumi and I will personally help you lasso a guy."
"Lasso?" Kaoru echoed. Usagi just laughed.
"So," Misao murmurmed slyly, "what were those womanly secrets you know and were going to tell us?"
************
GOMENGOMENGOMEN!! I'm sorry this is SO late and SO short. I will TRY to do better next time. *holds up hands in defense from the flying veggies*
~Koneko