Sentiments of gip-k: -Well, this is it. Here comes the epilogue. It's been such a long journey. This story has gone from tragedy to angst to romance and beyond. It is really in truth a drama, as most of you people will agree. I have worked hard at it, and my efforts have been rewarded. Thank you very much, guys! And happy Valentine's Day! ^_^
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Disclaimer: This is the last disclaimer of the story, so I guess I'll make it good.
I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, and do not seek to make any financial profit from writing this fanfictions- only mental and experience-wise. Nobody tells me to write these… they come from deep inside. God gave me the ability, so I'm just using it as best as I can.
Rurouni Kenshin was made, and belongs to Watsuki Nobuhiro, its illustrator/writer. He produced the TV show, so any differences in it and the manga have been made by Watsuki himself. Right now, Viz. has the writes to the English Translations of the manga, so getting them on the internet as of now is just plain impossible. Last I heard, Volume 3 was coming out, soon! ^_^
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---Epilogue---
From that day onward, Kaoru and Kenshin showed complete and total love for each other. When Sanosuke had seen them the day after they had revealed their feelings, and he had known that something was up, and had winked at them, giving his usual jokes. You never saw Kenshin ever walking anywhere without Kaoru anymore- they were always together, as though one was merged with the other. In a way, they were.
Kaoru knew that she had to tell Kenshin about Kazuma. He had put a finger to her lips, and hushed her down, saying that he already knew. Sanosuke had indeed told him. Kaoru broke down into tears, all relief, joy and sadness melded together in one heart…
* * *
As Megumi reached for something in her medical office, she grimaced, breathing hard, and then slumped back into that same chair she had just previously been standing on. She was not feeling very well.
"Megumi," Kaoru said, rounding on the woman immediately. She sighed subconsciously. Whether it was over Kenshin's absence or some other thing, Megumi was unsure. "Any fool would know-"
"-Would know what?" Megumi demanded irritably.
"Megumi," Kaoru slid into a chair beside Megumi, and stared at her intently, navy blue eyes shining with intense emotion.
"Oh stop saying my name, raccoon girl and get about whatever you're going to say!" Megumi demanded irritably, meeting Kaoru's gaze easily.
"You're pregnant," Kaoru said in a quiet voice.
"Wha -?" Megumi exclaimed. "How dare you -?" Megumi quieted down, looking sullen. "I'm just tired, Kaoru. Can't I just sit down for a moment and rest after a long night in the medical office? I didn't get much sleep-"
"Stop lying, Megumi," Kaoru said. "As I was saying, any fool child could tell that you are going to have a baby." Kaoru smiled suddenly. She blushed. "It's Sanosuke's, isn't it!"
Megumi put a hand on her stomach subconsciously, eyes alert.
"Yes," Megumi replied quietly.
"Ha! I knew it!" Kaoru said. "Megumi, I can't believe you thought that I was that stupid," she said, smiling. Her face brightened up, and she shifted in her seat like an excited little girl. "After all-" she giggled suddenly. "You thought that you weren't seen after all your kissing in corners and-"
Megumi gave a weak smile.
"I don't like that you've become as clever and sneaky as me, Tanuki," she said.
"Well I did," Kaoru said, rubbing her hands together cheerily.
It had been two months since Kenshin and Kaoru had showed each other of their love for the first time. Things seemed to have been looking up since then and Kaoru for many days had felt that she was living on cloud nine. It was still the wintertime, but little bits of spring were showing themselves up. The weather was warming a little bit, and little green leaves were re-appearing on some of the more hardy trees.
"Megumi," Kaoru said, big blue eyes suddenly taking on a look of seriousness. "When are you going to tell Sano?"
"Well, you certainly have gotten very smart or else you wouldn't have known I hadn't said anything yet-" Megumi began. When she saw Kaoru's face, she let out a large sigh. "I don't know, raccoon girl."
"Okay, Doctor Megumi Takani," Kaoru said, standing up. She grabbed Megumi's arm and pulled her out of the chair. "We're going to tell him right now."
"NO -!" Megumi protested. Kaoru stared at her. Megumi studied the ground, blushing furiously. "Erhm, well -?"
"Well?" Kaoru asked. She almost felt like grinning. Megumi was actually acting embarrassed about something. "It's now or never, Megumi."
"I don't think-" Megumi actually laughed. "Well, what do you think the roosterhead's going to say?"
"Hmm…" Kaoru's eyes suddenly widened with the sudden realization that for the first time she had no clue. "I really actually have no idea."
* * *
Meanwhile, Sanosuke and Kenshin were talking in the Akebeko over cups of sake. Sanosuke took a long drink.
"I told you, Kenshin," he said. "Just ask her."
Kenshin looked doubtful.
"I do not think Kaoru would say yes to that, I say," Kenshin said, sounding abashed.
"Oh come on!" Sanosuke said, slamming down his glass on the table. "I was right the first time, wasn't I? I told you to kiss Kaoru that first time, and when you listened, see what happened?"
Kenshin's eyes got a faraway look in them as he smiled as if recalling that moment.
"Yes," he said.
"Okay, that's enough of looking dreamy," Sanosuke said. "Now what was I saying to you just a minute ago?"
At that very moment, Kaoru and Megumi entered the Akebeko. Kenshin and Sanosuke looked up.
"See, there she is," Sanosuke said, kicking Kenshin in the foot.
Kenshin did his best to ignore that, and quickly flashed Kaoru a lovely classical Rurouni grin.
"Hello, Kaoru," he said.
"Hi, Kenshin!" Kenshin replied, smiling broadly. She gave Kenshin a look that he was very familiar with; she was telling him to get up and come with her to leave.
"Hey, where's my welcome, Little Missy?" Sanosuke said teasingly. His eyes roved over to Megumi, and she did not even wink at him. Now Sanosuke new something weird was going on.
"Hey, Sanosuke," Kaoru said. "Um, well, Kenshin, didn't you say you were going to get me flowers?"
"Oro?" Kenshin asked, confused. "Flowers? Oh yes," he looked very abashed. "Sorry, I had almost forgotten,"
"Well, come on then!" Kaoru said. "Let's go get them."
Kenshin got hurriedly up from his seat next to Sanosuke, and with a quick good-bye and a hello to Megumi, they rushed out the door.
Right when they were out, Kaoru heaved a very large sigh, but her smile was broad.
"Um, my pardons, but do you mind telling me what this is all about?" Kenshin asked, also smiling. He always found her smiles to be contagious. Kaoru looked at him with sparkling blue eyes.
"Megumi's going to have a baby!" Kaoru said excitedly.
"Oro!" Kenshin exclaimed without thinking. He was too shocked to even smile. "That's wonderful, Kaoru."
"Yes," she said absently. "But I don't know if Megumi will actually tell him-"
"ORO!" Kenshin replied.
Kaoru turned to the direction of his eyes.
"Mou!" she cried in response.
Sanosuke came crashing out of the Akebeko doors, Megumi in his arms, twirling her around and yelling and rushing throughout the streets like a drunkard.
"I guess he's happy, then," Kenshin said.
Kaoru nodded. When Sanosuke was finally out of sight, she bursts into the sweet laughter that Kenshin had long-awaited. She laughed so hard that she had to lean against him heavily in order to stand. She, in fact, laughed so hard that tears rolled down her face. Kenshin wrapped his arms around her to hold her up, and struggled to keep from getting pulled down to the ground. He was also embarrassed, because people were staring at them. But he just looked down at his sweet Kaoru, smiling contentedly as she giggled gleefully. When Kaoru had finally recovered a little bit, she looked up to kiss his cheek, and then remained clinging to him.
* * *
The next month was very strange. Kenshin worked out of his way to please Kaoru, and Megumi and Sanosuke pinched and kissed each other as though know one was looking. Sometimes, more often than not when they were drunk, they talked like it, too.
Kaoru was filled with bliss. She was happy for Megumi and Sanosuke, but she longed for the time when she would once have a child of her own within her. Kenshin was treating her with all the love and devotion he could possibly give, and even more so. He seemed to be bending backwards for Kaoru of late for some reason, trying to please her harder. But she could not help but feel a little daunted. She knew it was not proper to do certain things until they had been married, but she still wanted to, sometimes. Kenshin probably would have been shocked if he knew what she was thinking of, dreaming of, and he would most certainly look at her strangely for weeks afterward. It was just that sometimes when they looked deep into each other's eyes, she was waiting for him to say something, but he would not. He seemed to be hiding something from her, but she could not tell what, for his eyes shut their windows before she could see into his mind.
Kaoru entered the house on one unparticular day after practicing with her bokken. She was going to get a towel to dry off, when she smelled cooking. That was strange. She had not thought that Kenshin would have decided to cook anything- she had said she would.
She entered the kitchen, and the irresistible scents forced her to filch a small piece of the delicious-looking fish.
"Mmmm," she said, closing her eyes as she savored the flavor.
Kaoru did not see Kenshin anywhere, so she got her towel and proceeded to go take a bath.
When she came back, that sun was just slipping from beneath the trees. When she entered the room she saw Kenshin sitting there.
The house was completely different.
It had been cleaned thoroughly- it was as though Kenshin had literally hunting down the dirt as fiercely as he would the worst villain, and had completely eliminated it. The table was polished with wax, and the mats had been replaced with some of much greater beauty, all embroidered with green, violet and gold.
The room was not lit except for the candles here and there… and even the candleholders had been replaced. Also, the fire was warm and inviting, and there were lovely pillows put around it.
"Mou…" Kaoru exclaimed in utter and complete surprise.
Kenshin looked up at her, violet eyes filled with affection as they met with her dark blue orbs.
"Hello, Kaoru," he said with a small, sub-conscious looking smile.
Kaoru was too shocked to even speak. From the inviting look on his face, all Kenshin expected her to do was sit down. She did as he had asked, and noticed for the first time that the food was all already set on the table. Kaoru saw a wonderful slice of fish on her platter, cut to near perfection. Vegetables made a wonderful addition to fish. A bowl of rice was on the left side, and a glass of sake was on the other side. Kaoru practically slumped down unto the mat in front of the table, still bewildered.
"Kenshin," Kaoru breathed, still speechless.
"Are you happy, Kaoru?" he asked.
"Yes," Kaoru, still studying the wondrous arrangement.
Kenshin thought that he might explode, until finally, Kaoru picked up her chopsticks and tasted some of the fish. She tasted it for a minute, and with a loud exclamation of "Mmmmm!" She began gobbling it up so quickly that all Kenshin could do was watch. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly to form a small smile. He was feeling a little more eased.
Even in her simply pale blue kimono she was so beautiful, and her hair always seemed so silky and smooth even when she stated it was a "formal mess". With her big blue eyes that twinkled ever so often, and those lips that always seemed to be smiling even when she was sleeping, Kenshin almost thought that he might just live the rest of his life looking at her.
"Kenshin," she said, swallowing. "You haven't eaten anything."
Kenshin looked up at her, startled. Her dark blue eyes seemed so much at ease, so content. Kenshin choked up.
"Erhm, Kaoru -?" Kenshin paused abruptly, as if at an inner war with himself.
"Yes, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked apprehensively.
"I- um- I-" Kenshin began stammering, and staring at the table. He looked up at her, and as he reached to stroke her cheek he accidentally knocked a candlestick holder down, and it fell unto the ground and all but shattered, then the wooden floor erupted in flames.
"Mou!" Kaoru cried, jumping up from the table. Kenshin was in such shock that he remained frozen as she abruptly took her ribbon out of her hair and began swatting at the ground as hard as she could. He blinked. Within moments the fire was out, and Kaoru was staring at him questionably.
"Kenshin!"
Kenshin shrank into himself. Now he had gotten her mad. He forced himself to look up at him. She was even more beautiful now, with her hair spilling down, her bangs falling down her face a little bit- all disarray but all loveliness…
"Kenshin!" she yelled more exasperatedly.
Kenshin blinked. He jumped up from his seat on the ground.
"Erhm- Oro?"
"Oh, Kenshin," Kaoru said, bursting out into sudden laughter.
Kenshin was really bewildered now, and Kaoru could tell, so she loved it even more. "You're so funny sometimes."
"Oro?" Kenshin said. He tried to talk, but all he could say was "oro" until finally Kaoru got him quiet. They continued their meal, and spent a good lot of time looking at the stars outside, holding hands.
Finally, when Kaoru began yawning, Kenshin helped her up and they entered the house, where he sat her down by the fireplace, and hurriedly put more wood in. Then he hurried over to get the kettle to boil water for tea, and remembered to bring her and extra pillow.
Meanwhile, Kaoru sat, half falling asleep, on the pillows that were near the fireplace. By the time Kenshin had returned, her eyes were closed, and she was snoring softly.
Kenshin let out a small sigh, and then he, as gently as he could manage, placed the pillow under her head, which was on the hard stone of the fireplace. He put the kettle in the fireplace anyway. Then he stayed sitting there, watching her sleep.
She was so lovely to him… she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. He put his hand on her head and smoothed her hair from her face a little bit, continuing to watch in silence.
He felt a terrible urge to kiss her, so he bent forward to kiss her cheek softly. At that exact moment, the kettle over the fireplace began screaming, and Kenshin jumped. Kaoru started awake with a loud cry. Her eyes were wide with terror.
Kenshin barely got the thing off of the fireplace in time, and half burned his fingers off while doing that.
"What happened?" Kaoru asked, confused.
"You fell asleep, that you did," Kenshin said softly, very rattled.
Kaoru nodded a bit absently. She was still beautiful even like that…
"Kaoru," Kenshin began.
That got Kaoru's attention immediately.
"What's wrong, Kenshin?" she asked, easily detected the despair in his voice.
Kenshin shook his head in wonder, but finally, meant her eyes. He took her hand, and slowly brought it close to his face, and kissed it softly.
"I- would you marry me, Kaoru?"
He knew immediately he'd said it all wrong, and then shrank backwards within himself. He wanted to cry oro a thousand times, and he knew he'd be saying it for the rest of his life on earth…
"Mou," Kaoru asked. "What… did… you… say?"
Kenshin looked up at her, startled, immediately searching her face for that disgusted expression. It was not there. Kaoru leaned forward more quickly than he could blink, and was kissing him before he could react. Did that mean… yes?
Kaoru finally stopped kissing him, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Yes, Kenshin, oh yes," she said against his neck.
Kenshin did not know what to say, but he knew what came out.
"Th- thank you."
* * *
Kaoru and Kenshin decided to get married in the springtime. Sanosuke and Megumi were there, as well as Kaoru's family doctor, Mr. Gengai, and his two granddaughters, Ayame and Suzume. Tae and Tsubame would not have missed it for the world, so they said, so they were at the wedding as well. Kaoru had been so excited that she had even invited the little boy who delivered her letters to Kazuma.
That day was the most beautiful day in all of Kaoru's life, and Kenshin's. They knew that now they were bound for life, and nothing could sever that bond…
* * *
Later, in the summer, after Kaoru and Kenshin's honeymoon, was the day that marked the anniversary Yahiko's death. As Tsubame, Kenshin, Kaoru, Megumi, Sanosuke, and Tae knelt in front of his grave solemnly, they all realized something. None of them were sad anymore… this was not a day of bitterness, but a day to look on in gladness. Yahiko had not thrown his life away for nothing… he had done if for them. Kaoru felt deep inner strength as she paid her respects. The ceremony made her want to cry, but not for sadness. It was in joy, for all that Yahiko had taught her and all he had given her in the past, and how he would have been so happy if he had seen how well she was doing now, and how well she would continue to do in the future. He would have been… proud…
* * *
It was six years after Yahiko's death. Kaoru and Kenshin were sitting down watching Kenji… their son… their very own son… practice with his shinai.
"Kenji!" Kaoru cried. "You can do much better than that! Hit harder!"
"Don't be so hard on him, Kaoru," Kenshin said softly.
Kaoru scooted closer to him and leaned on his shoulder.
"I have to," she said. "He's my new apprentice, and I only except the best-" just then, Kaoru detected a mistake. She sat bolt upright. "KENJI! Don't do that! Put all of your emotion into it!"
Kenji threw his weapon away angrily, and with large, loud wails and tears he rushed up to his mother and father, and threw himself into Kenshin's arms. He cried on his shoulder.
"Shhh, shhh," Kenshin said softly. "That's not the sound of a warrior, is it?" He gave Kaoru a sympathetic smile.
"I don't want to be a warrior!" Kenji bawled.
"Oh, Kenji, come to your mama," Kaoru said soothingly. Kenji crawled off of Kenshin and unto his mother. Kaoru smoothed his rusty brown hair. You could see hints of red in it, but not so much as his father had.
"Do you remember all of the stories I told you about Uncle Yahiko?" Kaoru asked.
"Yes," he said. "You shed he never gived up about any of fighting stuff."
"Exactly," Kaoru said, pulling her clinging son away from her chest so she could face him. She rubbed his tears away softly. "Exactly. He never gave up. He had a strong spirit. You should try as much as you can to be like him. Don't let yourself weaken.
"Papa doesn't fight!" Kenji exclaimed. "He's not a weak!"
Kaoru and Kenshin exchanged looks, and Kaoru gave him a mental call for help.
"You do not have to fight to be strong, Kenji," Kenshin said. "The strength comes from your heart. Uncle Yahiko was a good boy. He gave your Mama a hard time sometimes-" Kenshin winked at Kaoru and she pouted at him. "But he was a good student. We do not want you to learn to fight just for yourself, that we do not. We want you to be able to protect those who you love, I say."
"Like Mama?" Kenji asked, darkish blue-violet eyes shining.
"Yes, Kenji," Kenshin said, smiling. He then tickled his small son, who began to giggle.
"Kenji!"
"Kenji!"
Two identical calls echoed each other at the dojo gate.
"Oh my, it's Sano's twins," Kaoru said suddenly. Kenji held her tightly.
"Mama I'm scared!" Kenji said.
"Shush, don't be scared, my son," Kenshin replied.
Kaoru gave Kenji over to Kenshin and then walked over to the gate to open it.
The two twins wore identical clothing of small pale blue kimonos with purple ribbons. They looked up at Kaoru with similar big brown eyes, and lips that looked like they could mirror Megumi's if they were ever painted. Their chin length hair, which never ceased to surprise Kaoru, was thick, and a dirty brown color. As always, Mimiko's hair was hanging loose and all disarray, and her kimono was a bit dirty. Her sleeves were rolled up, and the edges were a bit rough. She had a tough look in her brown eyes, and always liked to try and "Futae No Kiwamie" every one in sight. She was very out-going and anything but sweet. Well, she was enough like Megumi. It was a wonder that she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up.
On the left was the other girl, a very shy one. You would have thought that from her sweet nature she would never tell a lie or cheat at any game, or filch candies from shops, but those were exactly the things she did. She got spanked for them, too. And she packed a very hard kick. VERY… she only used it in case of emergency. She did not know what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her name was Lin.
"Hello, Miss Kaoru," Lin said sweetly. "Is Kenji home?"
"Yes, is Kenji home?" Mimiko asked also.
Kaoru smiled down at the two five year olds.
"Yes, indeed he is," she said. "Would you like to see them?"
"Hai!" the two girls said together. Mimiko looked like she had a very nasty secret, but Lin just looked thoughtful.
As soon as the girls entered the gate, Kenji scrambled off of Kenshin, surprisingly, and went to greet them.
"Wanna play?" Kenji asked shyly,
The two older children looked at each other first. Mimiko and Lin nodded.
"Well, okie," Kenji said. "You soot be the goot girl," Kenji pointed to Mimiko. "You is the bad girl," he pointed to Lin.
Kenshin and Kaoru smiled at each other. Kaoru went back to sit down and watched the children play.
Mimiko ended up chasing a screaming Lin around the dojo, with Kenji following behind. Lin then turned around and kicked Kenji. Kaoru almost got up to hurry to her son's rescue, but Kenshin pulled her back down. Instead of crying, Kenji forced back his tears and kicked her back. Lin fell down to the ground, and her eyes widened.
"Hey!" Mimiko yelled. "Don't kick my sister!"
Kenji suddenly looked frightened. Then, surprisingly, he became brave, and he held up his chin proudly.
"I am Yahiko Myoujin!" he cried. Then he went and grabbed his shinai, and held it up bravely. "You cannot 'urt me anysmore! I am protecting my fam'ly- fam'ly name an' honor!"
Kaoru's eyes widened, and a smile of delight touched her lips. She exchanging knowing looks with Kenshin, who grinned at her. Then they continued to watch.
By the end of the day, it was Kenji who was chasing the two twins, not as the usual way around…
* * *
The Legend of Yahiko Myoujin lived on for generations and generations through the Himura family. He is never forgotten, and even today, they continue to celebrate the anniversary of his death, and of all the wonderful things he did for the ancestors before then in both mourning and laughter. They also celebrate the strength of Kaoru Kamiya, their many-a-great grandmother, who aided the group to the end, and pulled all of them together. So we have learned that shattered glass can glisten, too, and it actually glistens the most sometimes.
The End
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End of the Story Comments: Well, that is it- that's the end. I surely hope everyone enjoyed it! I LOVED writing it, and even though this took forever to complete, and the epilogue was kind of long and jumpy, I guess I did well. I hope I did not make the ending TOO happy. I actually though of making it like Kaoru got trampled to death by a horse right after she and Kenshin had been married and when she was pregnant with Kenji. -_- Yes, I am ruthless. But I did not do that. That could have been the ending, then people would have been crying their teary eyes out, so I guess I decided to have mercy. Yeah.
Here's a huge thank you to all of my different readers and reviewers. I really appreciate you helping me, all of you. There are so many of you that I can hardly remember them all! All of you helped make this story in some way or another, asking me to go on. I most of all thank God for giving me the ability- I couldn't have done it without Him.
Oh yeah- and Wolfwood. Yeah, I'm talking to you, my friend. I know you're going to read this someday, so I might well thank you beforehand. ^_^ Thank you!
Now, here I list the names of all my readers/reviewers. I don't have time for personal sentiments- sorry. People would be reading until the middle of the night! ^_^ I'll just go alphabetical this time. Even readers who failed to complete this story will be included.
Thank you…
…AnnaMay1919
…Brittanie Love
…BubblyBoo
…Carrie the Open Minded
…Chibi Fyrefly
…Crazed Fanatic Anime Fan
…Dee-chan
…Dragon Ladysupreme
…Ethereal Waves
…Female Hitokiri Battousai
…Hotoshi-Kid
…JuhFreak
…Kakkabrat
…MoonlightWolf
…nina
…Phoenix Dagger
…QueenKagom
…SaffDragon
…Silver Hanyou1
…soujiro/kaoru fanatic
…Tanuki Diethel (One of the "Baka Sisters" ^_^)
…Tomoe2Kenshin
…Varina
…Waterflash
…XKamori
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Thank you, ALL of you. All reviews are very much appreciated, and I did not get even one flame! Well, except my good friend Female Hitokiri Battousai, whose heart was half-rent from some of the chapters. -_- Your reviews were all VERY encouraging, and I feel like I did a good job with something this time, and this will help me to feel better about all of my writing, whether it's fantasy or fanfiction, or original modern fiction. I just want to do my best. ^_^ I wish I could say a little more to thank you all, but I think that's enough, yes? Well, thanks you very much again for reading my story, and perhaps someday I might write a decent original fiction at www.fictionpress.com and maybe someday all of you will get to read. But until now, I'm just moving on. ^_^
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Perhaps (stress on the perhaps) upcoming stores:
-A sequel to the hit Rurouni Kenshin/Dragon Ball Z crossover, Cautiously Wishing For.
-New chapters to my original fiction, The Killing. (See my Fiction Press account)
-Tales of the Kenshin Gumi Series
-Meet Tekoia (Tekoia is Saitou's wife, lol)
-Chi-Chi and Goku: The Full Story
-The Evil Infatuation (A short Dragonball Z story about how an 8 year old girl gets a crush on Vegeta- highly humorous!)
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