**Pechan's still disclaimin' to any Rurouni Kenshin rights.
~ Trains, Again ~
Tokio and a group of women were huddled around a glass window, gazing at a European dress. It lay on a display, with it's hoop skirt tilted to look rounder. Ivory lace was stitched into the cuffs and collar, and a ruffled bodice of white lay under a sea of sapphire blue velvet. Golden thread twined in the cloth, making a beautiful tapestry. Pearls were sewn along the collar, in a circle.
"Oh, it's soo pretty......." murmured a woman.
One giggled, poking another, "Yoko!! Tell Hideki to get it for you!!"
The girl blushed, "Ahhh, no!! It'll look silly on me!"
"Such expensive looking fabric!" sighed one.
"It looks so soft........" cooed another.
Tokio was standing on tiptoe, trying to get a good look. Saito thought the dress looked ridiculous. Too flashy. Too many things not necessary.
Just the kind of thing a materialistic girl would die for.
"God, I'd kill for that.........." He heard Tokio mumbled.
He smirked, "Figures." He placed his hand on her shoulder, slowly pulling her away from the window, "I have no money on me anyways to get it."
She sighed, and finally pulled her eyes away from it.
He looked down at her face, pouted in a tantrum for not getting her way. "Why do you like foreign things? That has always puzzled me."
"What do you mean? All women like foreign things. It's exotic."
"You like foreign clothes, candy, certain customs, and you played the piano quite well."
"So?"
"That means you had one. Your parents must have been wealthy."
She looked away, frows pinching, "They were. They gave only the best to me."
"What did they do?"
She crossed her arms, tossing her head back, letting her loose bun become even more loose, "I dunno. I just know my father had some important job."
"And you're mother?"
"My mother didn't need a job. My dad was wealthy enough," she looked at him, saying, "He said he worked hard so we wouldn't have to lift a finger."
"We?"
She coughed, feeling awkward. And some resentment rose in her. "Yeah, I had two little sisters."
"Ah, I see. I suspected as much."
"How would you know?" she gasped.
"The way you keep vying for attention."
"Oh........." She said, then giggled. Truth be told, she didn't need attention. she was her father's favorite. That's why he let her play the piano, that's why he bought it
"Who taught you how to play the piano?"
She put her hands behind her back, walking a bit more innocently, "Weeellll, I forget who. But she was an old lady. She hated me, too. She said I'd grow up with the fingers of a man, never learning to strike a key delicate and lady like. She said my fingers bashed the notes like a bull rams it's head on a rock. She said," she laughed, "she said fingers were supposed to dip like cranes, and gently stab the ivory keys with their beaks."
He looked down at her, smiling, "Well, you play very well."
"Heh, thanks. I mostly play slow songs, they're much easier." She held up her hands, "Hey, they look kinda, stubby, don't you think?"
In his opinion, they looked slender and delicate.
"............. stubby it is."
She pushed him, "Hey!! You're supposed to say they look damn fine!!"
"Yare yare........... she wants to make a liar out of me."
"I make you a liar?" she said, and tried to punch him. He grabbed her hand gently. "You make pretty good lies yourself!"
"Such as?" he inquired, looking at her.
She was going to retort how he lied about his name, and past, and everything else. That he was just a big liar, who cleans his sword to make it seem innocent. But, when she looked into his eyes, with his hand gently grasping her fist, the words tumbled out of her mouth:
"Like I'm not your wife!"
He lifted a brow, and released her hand, "That was for yesterday."
She gulped, and held her hands, "Well, yeah........... and don't you forget it!"
They heard a train whistle, indicating one had just stopped in. He pulled out a pocket watch, looking at it.
"Say, that looks like my pocket watch."
"It IS your pocket watch."
She snatched it away from him, "Theif!! What were you doing in my bag?!!"
"Getting your kimono."
She tucked away her watch, "Tch, yeah right. Probably going through my underwear, sicko."
He turned his head away, a laugh resonating deep within him. Tokio kinda liked it. He kept it contained, like he didn't really want to show everyone what he thought. She smiled, and followed him as he turned for the train station.
"So, first class again?"
"Sorry, but we're in middle class."
She stopped, "Huh? Why not?"
He turned, stuffing his hands on his pockets, "Because last time I needed privacy to tell you how things went, and to change."
She pouted, and crossed her arms, walking ahead of him, "A little more privacy would have been nice on the way back."
Goro smiled down at her, and patted her shoulder, "Maybe later."
She blushed, warmth spreading from his touch. Like delicious flames, licking her body. She shook her head, and looked away, sweating, "Well, that's if you still have time, you know?"
He smiled, walking ahead, "I have all the time in the world."
She caught up with him, "You keep saying that. Why?"
"Because I do."
"But you don't. you have deadlines. I mean, you're a cop. And secret agent guy. I mean, you had to come here to get of those guys, and that other time, you had to go to the other guy, your friend. You sound really busy. In fact, you have barely any time!" she grinned, "Ever think of going on a vacation?"
He smiled don at her, "This is a week I have off."
She clapped, "Cool!! Wanna go to where it snows? I never saw snow in my life."
"It's not that amazing."
She pouted, "But I wanna see!"
"I'll paint you a picture of it."
She scoffed, "Hah, like you could paint................................." she looked at him, "Can you?"
"I can do anything."
"Nuh uh. Bet you can't dance."
"I could. But I won't."
"Because you can't."
"Because it doesn't matter if I can or not."
She giggled, "Oh man, I just got a mental image of you dancing!! Heh heh heh hehehheh heh heee..........."
He walked passed the ticket booth, handing the tickets to the clerk. Tokio followed him through the sea of people, into the black train. She sighed, "Aww, boarding with ignorant commoners is boring."
"Ah, I'm sorry. Next time I'll get you a train that suits your standards, your highness."
She pouted, "You know, I know when you being sarcastic?"
"Seriously? I'll try to use it less often then for your sake."
She slapped his back, "Jerk."
Goro took a seat against the wall, by the door. Tokio grabbed his arm, just as he was about to sit, "Can I have the window seat?"
"The last time you looked out the window, the trees made you sick."
She nodded, "I know, but this time I won't look!"
He switched seats with her, as she sat by the window. She crossed her legs, and set her elbow on the windowsill. She placed her chin on her fist, and looked out the window. The way the sun was set by her face, it looked like a picture. The rays perfectly outlined her face.
Or course, there was no need to tell her that.
An elder woman carried a sleeping child to the seat across from them. The baby gurgled in her arms, and Tokio smiled, "Oh, baby!!"
The woman smiled, "Ah, yes, this one's my grandson."
Tokio sat on the edge of her seat, and held out her hand, "May I......?"
"Oh sure, go ahead." The woman chuckled, "My name is Kazumi. What's yours?"
"I'm Tokio!" she said cheerfully. She frowned, and stuck her thumb at Goro. "That guy's Goro."
Goro nodded to the old woman.
She bowed, "Ah, good morning, officer."
The baby waved it's arms a bit, pressing it's face against it's grandmother, "So cuuuuuuute....... what's his name?"
"Well, her father thought Kazuya would be nice. So I guess we'll let it be that way."
"Where is his father?"
Kazumi smiled, "He's on a business trip. And I'm afraid this one's mother, my daughter, died during this one's birth."
Tokio bit her lip, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"Oh, no dear, it's quite aright. We must move on. What's past is past, right?"
Tokio nodded, "Yeah, your right........"
She giggled "Well, Kazuya's really cute!!" she said, sitting back into her chair.
The grandmother smiled, "Thank you, dear," and that was that.
There was silence between them, and Tokio leaned against the window again. Goro did nothing, looking around the whole train. suddenly, the whistles started, and the train began to move. The jolt made Tokio shift in her seat, and her thigh accidentally grazed Goro's.
She blushed. "Sorry!" and turned her face back to the window. She moved away, as he slid his eyes to her. He slowly smiled, and closed his eyes.
Why oh why does she keep resisting?
Kazumi smiled, knowingly. "Virgin's are so cute."
Tokio fell over, "EH?!!!"
Kazumi chuckled, "Oh, I'm sorry dear. Don't listen to this old woman, she just rambles to herself now and then."
Tokio fanned her face, trying to make the red go away, "Oh, y-yeah?"
Goro crossed his arms, and leaned his head against the wall. Tokio glanced at him nervously, and looked back out the window. She watched the houses zip by, until they disappeared into the green of the forest. Then she lifted her eyes to the clouds. She loved clouds. When she was little, she tried to jump as high as she could, to touch them. She thought if she popped one, it would float down then she could save it, and keep it for a pillow. Of course, her jumping all the time resulted in her getting flat feet.
She sighed. God she was dumb back then
Tokio fell right to sleep ten minutes into the ride. She let her head rest on her arm, and she breathed slowly, gently.
Kazumi lightly hummed to her grandson, rocking him a bit as he mewed in his sleep. Goro closed his eyes finally, deciding five minutes would be okay. He reviewed over his head what train he should catch to get to Fukuoka, and how he would have to prepare his medicine box routine when he got home.
His train of thought was interrupted by Tokio's hand on his lap. He looked down immediately, and realized her hand laid palms up, fingers curled. It had rolled off her lap, onto his. She was still asleep.
He gently picked it up, and laid it back in her lap. Her fingers were soft like silk. Much different than his, his palms had a few good calluses on it.
Kazumi chuckled, "You're a sweet man, you know? Most men would dream for a beautiful lady like her."
He smiled, and couldn't' resist saying, "Unfortunately, beautiful is just how far her wonderful traits go."
Kazumi opened one eye, "Oh? I'm sure you can name a few that explains why you're still there with her."
He nodded, "You have good eyes, Miss Kazumi."
She nodded, and hugged her grandson, "I have to be. Otherwise, this little one wouldn't have a good knowledgeable grandmother to raise him."
Goro smiled politely, and rested his head against the wall again.
Twenty minutes later, Tokio had sunk into her chair, her shoulder against his. Her head, which was on her left shoulder, rolled to her right. Her forehead rest against his arm, since he was too tall for her head to rest on.
"Ah, are you going to push her off now?"
Goro looked at Kazumi, who had her eyes closed, nodding to herself, "They say in sleep, you're mind speaks the truth. That's what dreams are for. The same as sleep waking, you're looking for something. Perhaps this girl has been lying to herself about something...,,....?"
He smiled, as Tokio gently moaned in her sleep.
"Perhaps," he muttered.
**WHOOO HOOOO!! After a spell check, the last few chapters will be SUBMITTED!! Unless I change my mind or something.
~ Trains, Again ~
Tokio and a group of women were huddled around a glass window, gazing at a European dress. It lay on a display, with it's hoop skirt tilted to look rounder. Ivory lace was stitched into the cuffs and collar, and a ruffled bodice of white lay under a sea of sapphire blue velvet. Golden thread twined in the cloth, making a beautiful tapestry. Pearls were sewn along the collar, in a circle.
"Oh, it's soo pretty......." murmured a woman.
One giggled, poking another, "Yoko!! Tell Hideki to get it for you!!"
The girl blushed, "Ahhh, no!! It'll look silly on me!"
"Such expensive looking fabric!" sighed one.
"It looks so soft........" cooed another.
Tokio was standing on tiptoe, trying to get a good look. Saito thought the dress looked ridiculous. Too flashy. Too many things not necessary.
Just the kind of thing a materialistic girl would die for.
"God, I'd kill for that.........." He heard Tokio mumbled.
He smirked, "Figures." He placed his hand on her shoulder, slowly pulling her away from the window, "I have no money on me anyways to get it."
She sighed, and finally pulled her eyes away from it.
He looked down at her face, pouted in a tantrum for not getting her way. "Why do you like foreign things? That has always puzzled me."
"What do you mean? All women like foreign things. It's exotic."
"You like foreign clothes, candy, certain customs, and you played the piano quite well."
"So?"
"That means you had one. Your parents must have been wealthy."
She looked away, frows pinching, "They were. They gave only the best to me."
"What did they do?"
She crossed her arms, tossing her head back, letting her loose bun become even more loose, "I dunno. I just know my father had some important job."
"And you're mother?"
"My mother didn't need a job. My dad was wealthy enough," she looked at him, saying, "He said he worked hard so we wouldn't have to lift a finger."
"We?"
She coughed, feeling awkward. And some resentment rose in her. "Yeah, I had two little sisters."
"Ah, I see. I suspected as much."
"How would you know?" she gasped.
"The way you keep vying for attention."
"Oh........." She said, then giggled. Truth be told, she didn't need attention. she was her father's favorite. That's why he let her play the piano, that's why he bought it
"Who taught you how to play the piano?"
She put her hands behind her back, walking a bit more innocently, "Weeellll, I forget who. But she was an old lady. She hated me, too. She said I'd grow up with the fingers of a man, never learning to strike a key delicate and lady like. She said my fingers bashed the notes like a bull rams it's head on a rock. She said," she laughed, "she said fingers were supposed to dip like cranes, and gently stab the ivory keys with their beaks."
He looked down at her, smiling, "Well, you play very well."
"Heh, thanks. I mostly play slow songs, they're much easier." She held up her hands, "Hey, they look kinda, stubby, don't you think?"
In his opinion, they looked slender and delicate.
"............. stubby it is."
She pushed him, "Hey!! You're supposed to say they look damn fine!!"
"Yare yare........... she wants to make a liar out of me."
"I make you a liar?" she said, and tried to punch him. He grabbed her hand gently. "You make pretty good lies yourself!"
"Such as?" he inquired, looking at her.
She was going to retort how he lied about his name, and past, and everything else. That he was just a big liar, who cleans his sword to make it seem innocent. But, when she looked into his eyes, with his hand gently grasping her fist, the words tumbled out of her mouth:
"Like I'm not your wife!"
He lifted a brow, and released her hand, "That was for yesterday."
She gulped, and held her hands, "Well, yeah........... and don't you forget it!"
They heard a train whistle, indicating one had just stopped in. He pulled out a pocket watch, looking at it.
"Say, that looks like my pocket watch."
"It IS your pocket watch."
She snatched it away from him, "Theif!! What were you doing in my bag?!!"
"Getting your kimono."
She tucked away her watch, "Tch, yeah right. Probably going through my underwear, sicko."
He turned his head away, a laugh resonating deep within him. Tokio kinda liked it. He kept it contained, like he didn't really want to show everyone what he thought. She smiled, and followed him as he turned for the train station.
"So, first class again?"
"Sorry, but we're in middle class."
She stopped, "Huh? Why not?"
He turned, stuffing his hands on his pockets, "Because last time I needed privacy to tell you how things went, and to change."
She pouted, and crossed her arms, walking ahead of him, "A little more privacy would have been nice on the way back."
Goro smiled down at her, and patted her shoulder, "Maybe later."
She blushed, warmth spreading from his touch. Like delicious flames, licking her body. She shook her head, and looked away, sweating, "Well, that's if you still have time, you know?"
He smiled, walking ahead, "I have all the time in the world."
She caught up with him, "You keep saying that. Why?"
"Because I do."
"But you don't. you have deadlines. I mean, you're a cop. And secret agent guy. I mean, you had to come here to get of those guys, and that other time, you had to go to the other guy, your friend. You sound really busy. In fact, you have barely any time!" she grinned, "Ever think of going on a vacation?"
He smiled don at her, "This is a week I have off."
She clapped, "Cool!! Wanna go to where it snows? I never saw snow in my life."
"It's not that amazing."
She pouted, "But I wanna see!"
"I'll paint you a picture of it."
She scoffed, "Hah, like you could paint................................." she looked at him, "Can you?"
"I can do anything."
"Nuh uh. Bet you can't dance."
"I could. But I won't."
"Because you can't."
"Because it doesn't matter if I can or not."
She giggled, "Oh man, I just got a mental image of you dancing!! Heh heh heh hehehheh heh heee..........."
He walked passed the ticket booth, handing the tickets to the clerk. Tokio followed him through the sea of people, into the black train. She sighed, "Aww, boarding with ignorant commoners is boring."
"Ah, I'm sorry. Next time I'll get you a train that suits your standards, your highness."
She pouted, "You know, I know when you being sarcastic?"
"Seriously? I'll try to use it less often then for your sake."
She slapped his back, "Jerk."
Goro took a seat against the wall, by the door. Tokio grabbed his arm, just as he was about to sit, "Can I have the window seat?"
"The last time you looked out the window, the trees made you sick."
She nodded, "I know, but this time I won't look!"
He switched seats with her, as she sat by the window. She crossed her legs, and set her elbow on the windowsill. She placed her chin on her fist, and looked out the window. The way the sun was set by her face, it looked like a picture. The rays perfectly outlined her face.
Or course, there was no need to tell her that.
An elder woman carried a sleeping child to the seat across from them. The baby gurgled in her arms, and Tokio smiled, "Oh, baby!!"
The woman smiled, "Ah, yes, this one's my grandson."
Tokio sat on the edge of her seat, and held out her hand, "May I......?"
"Oh sure, go ahead." The woman chuckled, "My name is Kazumi. What's yours?"
"I'm Tokio!" she said cheerfully. She frowned, and stuck her thumb at Goro. "That guy's Goro."
Goro nodded to the old woman.
She bowed, "Ah, good morning, officer."
The baby waved it's arms a bit, pressing it's face against it's grandmother, "So cuuuuuuute....... what's his name?"
"Well, her father thought Kazuya would be nice. So I guess we'll let it be that way."
"Where is his father?"
Kazumi smiled, "He's on a business trip. And I'm afraid this one's mother, my daughter, died during this one's birth."
Tokio bit her lip, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"Oh, no dear, it's quite aright. We must move on. What's past is past, right?"
Tokio nodded, "Yeah, your right........"
She giggled "Well, Kazuya's really cute!!" she said, sitting back into her chair.
The grandmother smiled, "Thank you, dear," and that was that.
There was silence between them, and Tokio leaned against the window again. Goro did nothing, looking around the whole train. suddenly, the whistles started, and the train began to move. The jolt made Tokio shift in her seat, and her thigh accidentally grazed Goro's.
She blushed. "Sorry!" and turned her face back to the window. She moved away, as he slid his eyes to her. He slowly smiled, and closed his eyes.
Why oh why does she keep resisting?
Kazumi smiled, knowingly. "Virgin's are so cute."
Tokio fell over, "EH?!!!"
Kazumi chuckled, "Oh, I'm sorry dear. Don't listen to this old woman, she just rambles to herself now and then."
Tokio fanned her face, trying to make the red go away, "Oh, y-yeah?"
Goro crossed his arms, and leaned his head against the wall. Tokio glanced at him nervously, and looked back out the window. She watched the houses zip by, until they disappeared into the green of the forest. Then she lifted her eyes to the clouds. She loved clouds. When she was little, she tried to jump as high as she could, to touch them. She thought if she popped one, it would float down then she could save it, and keep it for a pillow. Of course, her jumping all the time resulted in her getting flat feet.
She sighed. God she was dumb back then
Tokio fell right to sleep ten minutes into the ride. She let her head rest on her arm, and she breathed slowly, gently.
Kazumi lightly hummed to her grandson, rocking him a bit as he mewed in his sleep. Goro closed his eyes finally, deciding five minutes would be okay. He reviewed over his head what train he should catch to get to Fukuoka, and how he would have to prepare his medicine box routine when he got home.
His train of thought was interrupted by Tokio's hand on his lap. He looked down immediately, and realized her hand laid palms up, fingers curled. It had rolled off her lap, onto his. She was still asleep.
He gently picked it up, and laid it back in her lap. Her fingers were soft like silk. Much different than his, his palms had a few good calluses on it.
Kazumi chuckled, "You're a sweet man, you know? Most men would dream for a beautiful lady like her."
He smiled, and couldn't' resist saying, "Unfortunately, beautiful is just how far her wonderful traits go."
Kazumi opened one eye, "Oh? I'm sure you can name a few that explains why you're still there with her."
He nodded, "You have good eyes, Miss Kazumi."
She nodded, and hugged her grandson, "I have to be. Otherwise, this little one wouldn't have a good knowledgeable grandmother to raise him."
Goro smiled politely, and rested his head against the wall again.
Twenty minutes later, Tokio had sunk into her chair, her shoulder against his. Her head, which was on her left shoulder, rolled to her right. Her forehead rest against his arm, since he was too tall for her head to rest on.
"Ah, are you going to push her off now?"
Goro looked at Kazumi, who had her eyes closed, nodding to herself, "They say in sleep, you're mind speaks the truth. That's what dreams are for. The same as sleep waking, you're looking for something. Perhaps this girl has been lying to herself about something...,,....?"
He smiled, as Tokio gently moaned in her sleep.
"Perhaps," he muttered.
**WHOOO HOOOO!! After a spell check, the last few chapters will be SUBMITTED!! Unless I change my mind or something.
