"You don't like it?" For the fifth time that day, Uki Higashidani turned
to address her elder brother who sat across her in the carriage with that
very exact question.
And again, no answer came. Instead, Sanosuke continued to stare glumly out the window.
"Uki," her father sighed. "You cut off all his hair which he had been growing for the last five years. Give him some time. It's not an easy change to accept."
"I did it for Outa!" she retorted. "Outa wouldn't cut his hair unless Sanosuke did. I'm not going to allow Outa to make a bad impression on the Himuras even if they are friends of Sanosuke!" She lowered her voice as Outa twitched slightly in the seat next to her reminding her that he was sleeping, "Besides, elder brother looks much better now."
"True," her father grinned. "All those ladies who came to see us off certainly thought so. They were sure sad to see us leave, weren't they?"
"Of course!" Uki lifted her chin proudly, "After all, I did a good job with making elder brother presentable. Sanosuke should be grateful for what I did! Isn't that right, father?" Uki and her father looked over at Sanosuke, who simply squirmed. Uki had done more than touch his hair, which now was annoyingly short and unrecognizable except the red sash which she allowed him to keep. She had forced him to wear a damn kimono, despite his protests that he didn't wear kimonos.
But it was for Outa. or at least she said it was, and so he had finally given in. Outa wouldn't wear one unless he did. And although he knew he didn't look foolish in it, he still dreaded facing Kaoru and Yahiko, who would probably laugh themselves silly when they saw the change his sister had wreaked upon him.
"You might want to wake up Outa." Sanosuke would have to face them shortly. "We're almost there."
"Really?!?!" Uki forgot herself and started to shake Outa excitedly.
Outa responded with a swipe of his hand and turned back to sleep.
"That won't work." Sanosuke suddenly pushed the door of the carriage open and took advantage of the slow pace at which it moved through the streets in order to leap out with Outa's hand in tow.
Poor Outa could barely squeak as Sanosuke set him rather ungraciously on the road.
"What are you two doing?" Uki cried as she stuck her head out the window.
"We are walking the rest of the way." Sano shrugged as he walked alongside the carriage. The carriage was going slowly anyways in the crowded streets. "Outa and I need some air."
"Don't argue, Uki." Her father spoke up from behind her. He gave Sanosuke a look that told him he understood and agreed with him. Outa did not need to be pampered any longer now that he was in Tokyo. He'd walk, not ride, into the Kamiya dojo. "Look instead at all those shop windows."
Uki turned her head to look at the other side, as her father pointed out places they would come back and visit the next day, and quickly forgot Sanosuke and Outa, who were walking briskly down familiar roads.
"See that door halfway down the next street?" Sanosuke shortened his stride as to allow Outa to keep up with him.
"Yes brother!" Outa's eyes were gleaming with the activity and the excitement of being in a new place.
"That's the dojo, bro." Sanosuke grinned. "Where you'll be learning the Kamiya kasshin style of swordfighting."
"And I'll get to be as strong as you, right?"
"Nope. Stronger."
"Stronger," Outa repeated. "I'll be stronger than you and father!"
"Yep." Sanosuke nodded. "That is, if you can make it to that door in fifteen seconds or less."
"Fifteen?" Outa narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to evaluate the distance.
"Think you can do it?"
"Thirteen." Outa answered.
"What?"
"I'll do it in 13 seconds," he smiled at Sanosuke, his eyes flickering with something like determination or pride. "Just tell me when to go."
"Alright," Sanosuke smiled back and took a deep breath. "GO!"
As Outa took off, Sano jogged lightly after him, counting the seconds.
True to his word, at 13 seconds Outa had indeed reached the door. He turned around and flashed a grin at his elder brother before pushing the door open and shouting out a cheery hello. Sano would have followed, but pulled back as he suddenly remembered that they had left the carriage behind. He turned back to the street and waited for what seemed like an eternity as it pulled up and his sister and father stepped out of the carriage.
Kaoru emerged a minute later through the gate.
"Hey Jou-chan!" Sano gave her his traditional lazy greeting.
He was rewarded with a rather startled look, which he guessed had something to do with his appearance. "Sano!"
"My father, Higashidani Kamishimoemon and my sister, Higashidani Uki."
She forgot her surprise and graciously turned her attention to the strange elder man and young woman who stood next to Sanosuke awkwardly.
"Welcome to Tokyo," she smiled at all of them. "I'm so glad that all of you could make the journey."
"Thank you for having us," the elder Higashidani and Uki bowed politely. "My apologies that my youngest son Outa barged in so suddenly."
Kaoru opened the gate for them and quietly urged them to follow. "That's alright. We at the dojo are rather used to these sorts of comings and goings." Neither Sanosuke nor his father missed the little smirk on her face which clearly was meant for Sano. "I am just so glad to see such excitement in a student."
"Speaking of which, where did that little bugger go to?" Sanosuke was looking around with a frown on his face.
"Over there," Kaoru pointed at the door of the dojo, where the boy stood just inside the sliding door, entranced by the sight of the students inside performing their drills in unison. "Yahiko and Yutaro are leading the class today."
"I'm sorry," Kamishimoemon said apologetically, "Please do not fault him his manners, sensei."
"No need to apologize." Kaoru's eyes twinkled. "Yutaro and Yahiko can mind him, so we'll let him be."
The sound of Sano's stomach deepened the smile on her face.
"I can tell by Sano's expression that he's very hungry. And, despite whatever Sanosuke may have told you about my cooking, I promise that I can't possibly ruin tea. I'll fetch those things while Sanosuke puts your things away. Sanosuke knows where things are."
Sanosuke had been inching his way over to his brother. He too was rather curious to see Yahiko and Yutaro in action and anxious to avoid Kaoru's desire to put him to work. But the sudden authority in Kaoru's voice and his father's stern eye made him stop in his tracks. With a sigh, he turned towards several of the empty rooms in the compound. "Of course."
~~
Tea was actually quite good, Sanosuke realized fifteen minutes later. Kaoru's secret however had nothing to do with her improvement in cooking, but simply that most of the cakes had been provided by Suzume and Ayame that morning, who were accompanying Kenshin, Kenji and some of the younger children who trained at the dojo to visit Gensai-sensei.
Tea was also rather noisy with Uki and Kaoru chatting about Tokyo, the shops and other trivial things like kimonos. Sanosuke felt himself nodding off, while his father sat patiently listening to the chatter with a smile on his face. Unlike him, his father apparently had more patience for women talk.
One eye remained open and fixed on the gate, waiting for any sign of Kenshin's return. All this talk was turning his head into mush. He nearly jumped when it finally unlatched. "Kenshin's back," he stood up rather happily.
That happiness was replaced by confusion a second later.
Kaoru's expression mirrored his own when instead of seeing a man with red hair and distinctive cross-shaped scar, a much taller, dark haired man stepped through the gate.
"Is that Himura-san?" Uki's voice spoke up somewhat timidly and in awe. Sanosuke flashed her a look of annoyance for making it so obvious that she was smitten by this newcomer's appearance.
"Aoshi Shinomori." Kaoru was already stepping out into the courtyard. Her voice sounded a bit startled. "What brings you here so soon? Does this mean-"
Aoshi Shinomori bowed politely and furrowed his brow slightly upon seeing the assortment of people who had followed and stood behind her. Sanosuke could see him quickly assess the two strangers before glancing at him. When their eyes met, the two exchanged a civil nod, each wondering what business brought him here.
As the gate again swung open a second later, he found his question most unexpectedly answered as he found himself staring into the startled eyes of Megumi Takani.
~~
A/N: Yeah. Not what I quite imagined either for this part, but I owe Sano some attention for ignoring him for SOOOO long. However, I know this will not satisfy any of the shippers. Next part will annoy you even more : )
And again, no answer came. Instead, Sanosuke continued to stare glumly out the window.
"Uki," her father sighed. "You cut off all his hair which he had been growing for the last five years. Give him some time. It's not an easy change to accept."
"I did it for Outa!" she retorted. "Outa wouldn't cut his hair unless Sanosuke did. I'm not going to allow Outa to make a bad impression on the Himuras even if they are friends of Sanosuke!" She lowered her voice as Outa twitched slightly in the seat next to her reminding her that he was sleeping, "Besides, elder brother looks much better now."
"True," her father grinned. "All those ladies who came to see us off certainly thought so. They were sure sad to see us leave, weren't they?"
"Of course!" Uki lifted her chin proudly, "After all, I did a good job with making elder brother presentable. Sanosuke should be grateful for what I did! Isn't that right, father?" Uki and her father looked over at Sanosuke, who simply squirmed. Uki had done more than touch his hair, which now was annoyingly short and unrecognizable except the red sash which she allowed him to keep. She had forced him to wear a damn kimono, despite his protests that he didn't wear kimonos.
But it was for Outa. or at least she said it was, and so he had finally given in. Outa wouldn't wear one unless he did. And although he knew he didn't look foolish in it, he still dreaded facing Kaoru and Yahiko, who would probably laugh themselves silly when they saw the change his sister had wreaked upon him.
"You might want to wake up Outa." Sanosuke would have to face them shortly. "We're almost there."
"Really?!?!" Uki forgot herself and started to shake Outa excitedly.
Outa responded with a swipe of his hand and turned back to sleep.
"That won't work." Sanosuke suddenly pushed the door of the carriage open and took advantage of the slow pace at which it moved through the streets in order to leap out with Outa's hand in tow.
Poor Outa could barely squeak as Sanosuke set him rather ungraciously on the road.
"What are you two doing?" Uki cried as she stuck her head out the window.
"We are walking the rest of the way." Sano shrugged as he walked alongside the carriage. The carriage was going slowly anyways in the crowded streets. "Outa and I need some air."
"Don't argue, Uki." Her father spoke up from behind her. He gave Sanosuke a look that told him he understood and agreed with him. Outa did not need to be pampered any longer now that he was in Tokyo. He'd walk, not ride, into the Kamiya dojo. "Look instead at all those shop windows."
Uki turned her head to look at the other side, as her father pointed out places they would come back and visit the next day, and quickly forgot Sanosuke and Outa, who were walking briskly down familiar roads.
"See that door halfway down the next street?" Sanosuke shortened his stride as to allow Outa to keep up with him.
"Yes brother!" Outa's eyes were gleaming with the activity and the excitement of being in a new place.
"That's the dojo, bro." Sanosuke grinned. "Where you'll be learning the Kamiya kasshin style of swordfighting."
"And I'll get to be as strong as you, right?"
"Nope. Stronger."
"Stronger," Outa repeated. "I'll be stronger than you and father!"
"Yep." Sanosuke nodded. "That is, if you can make it to that door in fifteen seconds or less."
"Fifteen?" Outa narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to evaluate the distance.
"Think you can do it?"
"Thirteen." Outa answered.
"What?"
"I'll do it in 13 seconds," he smiled at Sanosuke, his eyes flickering with something like determination or pride. "Just tell me when to go."
"Alright," Sanosuke smiled back and took a deep breath. "GO!"
As Outa took off, Sano jogged lightly after him, counting the seconds.
True to his word, at 13 seconds Outa had indeed reached the door. He turned around and flashed a grin at his elder brother before pushing the door open and shouting out a cheery hello. Sano would have followed, but pulled back as he suddenly remembered that they had left the carriage behind. He turned back to the street and waited for what seemed like an eternity as it pulled up and his sister and father stepped out of the carriage.
Kaoru emerged a minute later through the gate.
"Hey Jou-chan!" Sano gave her his traditional lazy greeting.
He was rewarded with a rather startled look, which he guessed had something to do with his appearance. "Sano!"
"My father, Higashidani Kamishimoemon and my sister, Higashidani Uki."
She forgot her surprise and graciously turned her attention to the strange elder man and young woman who stood next to Sanosuke awkwardly.
"Welcome to Tokyo," she smiled at all of them. "I'm so glad that all of you could make the journey."
"Thank you for having us," the elder Higashidani and Uki bowed politely. "My apologies that my youngest son Outa barged in so suddenly."
Kaoru opened the gate for them and quietly urged them to follow. "That's alright. We at the dojo are rather used to these sorts of comings and goings." Neither Sanosuke nor his father missed the little smirk on her face which clearly was meant for Sano. "I am just so glad to see such excitement in a student."
"Speaking of which, where did that little bugger go to?" Sanosuke was looking around with a frown on his face.
"Over there," Kaoru pointed at the door of the dojo, where the boy stood just inside the sliding door, entranced by the sight of the students inside performing their drills in unison. "Yahiko and Yutaro are leading the class today."
"I'm sorry," Kamishimoemon said apologetically, "Please do not fault him his manners, sensei."
"No need to apologize." Kaoru's eyes twinkled. "Yutaro and Yahiko can mind him, so we'll let him be."
The sound of Sano's stomach deepened the smile on her face.
"I can tell by Sano's expression that he's very hungry. And, despite whatever Sanosuke may have told you about my cooking, I promise that I can't possibly ruin tea. I'll fetch those things while Sanosuke puts your things away. Sanosuke knows where things are."
Sanosuke had been inching his way over to his brother. He too was rather curious to see Yahiko and Yutaro in action and anxious to avoid Kaoru's desire to put him to work. But the sudden authority in Kaoru's voice and his father's stern eye made him stop in his tracks. With a sigh, he turned towards several of the empty rooms in the compound. "Of course."
~~
Tea was actually quite good, Sanosuke realized fifteen minutes later. Kaoru's secret however had nothing to do with her improvement in cooking, but simply that most of the cakes had been provided by Suzume and Ayame that morning, who were accompanying Kenshin, Kenji and some of the younger children who trained at the dojo to visit Gensai-sensei.
Tea was also rather noisy with Uki and Kaoru chatting about Tokyo, the shops and other trivial things like kimonos. Sanosuke felt himself nodding off, while his father sat patiently listening to the chatter with a smile on his face. Unlike him, his father apparently had more patience for women talk.
One eye remained open and fixed on the gate, waiting for any sign of Kenshin's return. All this talk was turning his head into mush. He nearly jumped when it finally unlatched. "Kenshin's back," he stood up rather happily.
That happiness was replaced by confusion a second later.
Kaoru's expression mirrored his own when instead of seeing a man with red hair and distinctive cross-shaped scar, a much taller, dark haired man stepped through the gate.
"Is that Himura-san?" Uki's voice spoke up somewhat timidly and in awe. Sanosuke flashed her a look of annoyance for making it so obvious that she was smitten by this newcomer's appearance.
"Aoshi Shinomori." Kaoru was already stepping out into the courtyard. Her voice sounded a bit startled. "What brings you here so soon? Does this mean-"
Aoshi Shinomori bowed politely and furrowed his brow slightly upon seeing the assortment of people who had followed and stood behind her. Sanosuke could see him quickly assess the two strangers before glancing at him. When their eyes met, the two exchanged a civil nod, each wondering what business brought him here.
As the gate again swung open a second later, he found his question most unexpectedly answered as he found himself staring into the startled eyes of Megumi Takani.
~~
A/N: Yeah. Not what I quite imagined either for this part, but I owe Sano some attention for ignoring him for SOOOO long. However, I know this will not satisfy any of the shippers. Next part will annoy you even more : )
