Return of a Demon
Chapter 2
Dinner
The next day
"Uncle Ken-ny!!!" Ayame called from outside the Kamiya dojo.
She pouted, crossing her arms.
"Where did he go?"
Ayame, Suzume, and Kenshin were playing a game of Hide-and-Seek while Kaoru struggled with the meal. Sano was looking over her shoulder at the large catfish she was preparing, his mouth watering. He knew that after she was done trying to cook it, the fish would end up tasting horrible, so he decided to cook it on his own. While Kaoru had her back turned, Sano reached down and...
"WHAP!"
Sano gripped his hand painfully after Kaoru had whacked it with a pan.
"Don't even think about it Sanosuke!!! At least give me a chance to cook the fish!!!" Kaoru exclaimed angrily.
Sano's stomach growled. He had to find something to eat. And he knew he wouldn't want this particular one.
"Hey Yahiko!" Sano called, walking around the dojo.
"What!" Yahiko yelled back at him from right outside.
"Hey Yahiko, I need you to go catch us some fish." Sano requested, patting the boy's shoulder.
"What? You lazy bum! Can't you go catch some yourself? Oh ya and isn't Kaoru making some anyways? Well...I could see now why you'd want some better fish..."
Sano clapped a hand over Yahiko's mouth.
"Shhhh!!! Yeah, Kaoru's cooking tonight! She's got her heart set on making us something we'll like so we have to pretend we love her cooking." Sano whispered fiercely.
Yahiko nodded. "Okay I'm in."
Sano jumped up joyfully. "Ya!!! We've gotta try and eat her food but we can't let that poison go down alone! Come on Yahiko, let's catch enough fish to last us a week!" he cheered and dragged Yahiko by his arm behind him.
Kenshin watched from his hiding place in a tree as Sano dragged a frightened Yahiko along. He shook his head. Life at the dojo had become very quiet over the past year and he was really enjoying the peace. But the memory of Kyoto was still in his mind. Why was he thinking about it now? Usui. Houji. Yumi. Shishio...Saito. He wondered if there was a chance that Saito was alive. It was not likely but he could only hope that his old rival had finally found peace...in whatever had befallen him.
"Found you Uncle Ken-ny!!!" Suzume cried happily pointing at Kenshin.
Kenshin smiled.
"You found me that you did! I think it's your turn to hide, Suzume." Kenshin said, jumping gracefully to the ground.
"Okay!" Suzume cried joyfully as she ran off to hide.
Nothing could be more perfect. Suddenly, Kenshin felt someone was watching him.
"Ayame...go hide with Suzume. I'll find you both, ok?" he suggested.
The two girls smiled and ran off.
"He'll never find us!!!" they cheered joyfully.
Kenshin brandished his sakabatou and turned around. No one was there. He sighed. It must have only been a shadow. But still...Kenshin peered into the forest, gazing from tree to tree. He still sensed someone had been there. Taking one final glance around the woods, he walked off to look for Ayame and Suzume.
Yahiko stared intently at the glassy surface of the river. It was so calm he doubted that any fish were in it at all. He moved the pole from side to side watching the cork bob in the water.
"Stop doing that Yahiko, you're making me dizzy!" Sano whined.
Yahiko looked over at Sano who was lying on his back in the grass, chewing on a flower stem.
"What are you doing?! You said you'd help me fish!" Yahiko yelled at Sanosuke.
Sano yawned and looked up at the boy.
"Oh...did I really say that?" he closed his eyes lazily as Yahiko rushed to hit him.
Sano quickly rolled to the side, avoiding Yahiko's punch, causing him to fall into the river with a splash.
"Hey what'd you do that for you big idiot?!" Yahiko yelled.
He jumped up after Sano, soaked and angry, attempting to hit him with his shinai. Sanosuke was concentrating on avoiding getting hit by Yahiko and was paying no attention to where he was going. Sano was running in the very direction of the Kamiya dojo. Then, after a few minutes, a strong smell overcame them. It was disgusting and smelled of smoke. They knew...it could be nothing other than Kaoru's catfish. Cringing and holding their noses, the pair made their way to Kaoru's cooking fire and couldn't believe how 'non-fishy' the catfish looked. All that could be seen in the pot were the charred remains of something that could have perhaps once been alive. Kaoru saw that Sano and Yahiko had arrived and knew the others would be here shortly. She wiped some ash from her forehead with her sleeve and sighed.
"Well the food's ready! Eat up, it's good!" she insisted, pushing Sano and Yahiko closer to the pot.
They cringed and sweat-dropped nervously.
"Um...I'm uh...not really hungry..." Sano lied, trying not to upset Kaoru.
It was no use. Her eyes instantly filled with tears and she started sniffling.
"So...so you...you think it looks that terrible do you???"
Sano and Yahiko couldn't come up with what to say and simply watched nervously as Kaoru started shaking. They'd upset her and had no idea what to do about it.
"It doesn't look terrible at all Miss Kaoru. You're catfish looks very good, that it does."
The three turned to see Kenshin approach, holding Ayame by the hand and carrying Suzume on his back. Kaoru instantly cheered up.
"Oh thank you Kenshin! At least someone appreciates my cooking!" she said, glaring at Sano and Yahiko.
"Oh is that what she calls it? It looks to me like she's getting cheap and trying to pass off charcoal as food." Sano muttered to Yahiko.
Kenshin heard his comment but decided it best not to say anything. At least Kaoru felt she could depend on him. Feeling a lot happier about everything, she went inside the dojo and set out some plates for everyone. Carefully, she dipped a pair of chopsticks into the pot, removed a piece of catfish from it, and set one on each of the plates. Everyone glanced at their plate suspiciously, evaluating where to start trying to eat it. Yahiko was poking at the meat with a chopstick until Kenshin motioned him to stop. Kaoru looked happily down at her own catfish and took off a piece with her chopsticks. Without hesitation she popped it into her mouth, chewed and gulped it down.
"Well what are you waiting for guys?! Try it!" she said cheerfully, taking another bite.
Kenshin decided to try and make her feel better and popped a piece into his mouth. Sano saw what Kenshin had done and did the same. Dr. Genzai, Ayame, and Suzume followed suit. A long moment of silence passed as they chewed the tough meat. There was no denying it was burnt but it wasn't unbearable. Everyone tried to keep a good expression on their face as they struggled to chew the fish. Then, something unexpected took place. Kaoru's face took on a look of disgust and she spit out the fish right onto the plate.
"Ugh! This is terrible!" she said to everyone's amazement.
Well maybe Kaoru's finally realized her cooking is terrible! Sano thought to himself.
"It's not terrible Miss Kaoru!" Kenshin reassured her.
"Yes it is! It's awful! It's the worst fish I've ever tasted! From now on, I'm never letting Yahiko catch the fish I make! Can't you tell? It's bad meat!" Kaoru stated, causing everyone to fall over.
After the dinner had ended, Dr. Genzai went to take Ayame and Suzume home and Kenshin helped Kaoru clean up. Kenshin watched as Kaoru picked up Sano's plate and tossed it outside. She was smiling as if it was the best meals she'd ever made though she knew she'd really messed it up.
"Thank you for making dinner for us tonight, Miss Kaoru." Kenshin said kindly, smiling warmly.
"Oh Kenshin, I'm sorry I have to put you through my terrible cooking. I know now that...well, I don't really cook all that well." she admitted, smiling at him.
"Nonsense Miss Kaoru. But if you would like some help with learning to cook better..."
Suddenly Kaoru's eyes narrowed.
"You really do hate my cooking!!!" she yelled, hitting him repetitively on the head with a bokken.
Chapter 2
Dinner
The next day
"Uncle Ken-ny!!!" Ayame called from outside the Kamiya dojo.
She pouted, crossing her arms.
"Where did he go?"
Ayame, Suzume, and Kenshin were playing a game of Hide-and-Seek while Kaoru struggled with the meal. Sano was looking over her shoulder at the large catfish she was preparing, his mouth watering. He knew that after she was done trying to cook it, the fish would end up tasting horrible, so he decided to cook it on his own. While Kaoru had her back turned, Sano reached down and...
"WHAP!"
Sano gripped his hand painfully after Kaoru had whacked it with a pan.
"Don't even think about it Sanosuke!!! At least give me a chance to cook the fish!!!" Kaoru exclaimed angrily.
Sano's stomach growled. He had to find something to eat. And he knew he wouldn't want this particular one.
"Hey Yahiko!" Sano called, walking around the dojo.
"What!" Yahiko yelled back at him from right outside.
"Hey Yahiko, I need you to go catch us some fish." Sano requested, patting the boy's shoulder.
"What? You lazy bum! Can't you go catch some yourself? Oh ya and isn't Kaoru making some anyways? Well...I could see now why you'd want some better fish..."
Sano clapped a hand over Yahiko's mouth.
"Shhhh!!! Yeah, Kaoru's cooking tonight! She's got her heart set on making us something we'll like so we have to pretend we love her cooking." Sano whispered fiercely.
Yahiko nodded. "Okay I'm in."
Sano jumped up joyfully. "Ya!!! We've gotta try and eat her food but we can't let that poison go down alone! Come on Yahiko, let's catch enough fish to last us a week!" he cheered and dragged Yahiko by his arm behind him.
Kenshin watched from his hiding place in a tree as Sano dragged a frightened Yahiko along. He shook his head. Life at the dojo had become very quiet over the past year and he was really enjoying the peace. But the memory of Kyoto was still in his mind. Why was he thinking about it now? Usui. Houji. Yumi. Shishio...Saito. He wondered if there was a chance that Saito was alive. It was not likely but he could only hope that his old rival had finally found peace...in whatever had befallen him.
"Found you Uncle Ken-ny!!!" Suzume cried happily pointing at Kenshin.
Kenshin smiled.
"You found me that you did! I think it's your turn to hide, Suzume." Kenshin said, jumping gracefully to the ground.
"Okay!" Suzume cried joyfully as she ran off to hide.
Nothing could be more perfect. Suddenly, Kenshin felt someone was watching him.
"Ayame...go hide with Suzume. I'll find you both, ok?" he suggested.
The two girls smiled and ran off.
"He'll never find us!!!" they cheered joyfully.
Kenshin brandished his sakabatou and turned around. No one was there. He sighed. It must have only been a shadow. But still...Kenshin peered into the forest, gazing from tree to tree. He still sensed someone had been there. Taking one final glance around the woods, he walked off to look for Ayame and Suzume.
Yahiko stared intently at the glassy surface of the river. It was so calm he doubted that any fish were in it at all. He moved the pole from side to side watching the cork bob in the water.
"Stop doing that Yahiko, you're making me dizzy!" Sano whined.
Yahiko looked over at Sano who was lying on his back in the grass, chewing on a flower stem.
"What are you doing?! You said you'd help me fish!" Yahiko yelled at Sanosuke.
Sano yawned and looked up at the boy.
"Oh...did I really say that?" he closed his eyes lazily as Yahiko rushed to hit him.
Sano quickly rolled to the side, avoiding Yahiko's punch, causing him to fall into the river with a splash.
"Hey what'd you do that for you big idiot?!" Yahiko yelled.
He jumped up after Sano, soaked and angry, attempting to hit him with his shinai. Sanosuke was concentrating on avoiding getting hit by Yahiko and was paying no attention to where he was going. Sano was running in the very direction of the Kamiya dojo. Then, after a few minutes, a strong smell overcame them. It was disgusting and smelled of smoke. They knew...it could be nothing other than Kaoru's catfish. Cringing and holding their noses, the pair made their way to Kaoru's cooking fire and couldn't believe how 'non-fishy' the catfish looked. All that could be seen in the pot were the charred remains of something that could have perhaps once been alive. Kaoru saw that Sano and Yahiko had arrived and knew the others would be here shortly. She wiped some ash from her forehead with her sleeve and sighed.
"Well the food's ready! Eat up, it's good!" she insisted, pushing Sano and Yahiko closer to the pot.
They cringed and sweat-dropped nervously.
"Um...I'm uh...not really hungry..." Sano lied, trying not to upset Kaoru.
It was no use. Her eyes instantly filled with tears and she started sniffling.
"So...so you...you think it looks that terrible do you???"
Sano and Yahiko couldn't come up with what to say and simply watched nervously as Kaoru started shaking. They'd upset her and had no idea what to do about it.
"It doesn't look terrible at all Miss Kaoru. You're catfish looks very good, that it does."
The three turned to see Kenshin approach, holding Ayame by the hand and carrying Suzume on his back. Kaoru instantly cheered up.
"Oh thank you Kenshin! At least someone appreciates my cooking!" she said, glaring at Sano and Yahiko.
"Oh is that what she calls it? It looks to me like she's getting cheap and trying to pass off charcoal as food." Sano muttered to Yahiko.
Kenshin heard his comment but decided it best not to say anything. At least Kaoru felt she could depend on him. Feeling a lot happier about everything, she went inside the dojo and set out some plates for everyone. Carefully, she dipped a pair of chopsticks into the pot, removed a piece of catfish from it, and set one on each of the plates. Everyone glanced at their plate suspiciously, evaluating where to start trying to eat it. Yahiko was poking at the meat with a chopstick until Kenshin motioned him to stop. Kaoru looked happily down at her own catfish and took off a piece with her chopsticks. Without hesitation she popped it into her mouth, chewed and gulped it down.
"Well what are you waiting for guys?! Try it!" she said cheerfully, taking another bite.
Kenshin decided to try and make her feel better and popped a piece into his mouth. Sano saw what Kenshin had done and did the same. Dr. Genzai, Ayame, and Suzume followed suit. A long moment of silence passed as they chewed the tough meat. There was no denying it was burnt but it wasn't unbearable. Everyone tried to keep a good expression on their face as they struggled to chew the fish. Then, something unexpected took place. Kaoru's face took on a look of disgust and she spit out the fish right onto the plate.
"Ugh! This is terrible!" she said to everyone's amazement.
Well maybe Kaoru's finally realized her cooking is terrible! Sano thought to himself.
"It's not terrible Miss Kaoru!" Kenshin reassured her.
"Yes it is! It's awful! It's the worst fish I've ever tasted! From now on, I'm never letting Yahiko catch the fish I make! Can't you tell? It's bad meat!" Kaoru stated, causing everyone to fall over.
After the dinner had ended, Dr. Genzai went to take Ayame and Suzume home and Kenshin helped Kaoru clean up. Kenshin watched as Kaoru picked up Sano's plate and tossed it outside. She was smiling as if it was the best meals she'd ever made though she knew she'd really messed it up.
"Thank you for making dinner for us tonight, Miss Kaoru." Kenshin said kindly, smiling warmly.
"Oh Kenshin, I'm sorry I have to put you through my terrible cooking. I know now that...well, I don't really cook all that well." she admitted, smiling at him.
"Nonsense Miss Kaoru. But if you would like some help with learning to cook better..."
Suddenly Kaoru's eyes narrowed.
"You really do hate my cooking!!!" she yelled, hitting him repetitively on the head with a bokken.