Kaoru's thoughts: '.'
Kenshin's thoughts: /./ and \.\
To Be Free
Chapter 2: Meetings
Alone in his room once again, Kenshin's first thought was: /Prepare me a bath?!/ Again, Kenshin was surprised by the girl's actions. /Why?/ \She's trying hard. Don't fall for her act!\ /She doesn't seem like that type of person, though! I think she's just being nice./ \Baka! You're going to be hurt again!\ /But./
The argument went on in his head until he heard Kaoru's footsteps stop outside his door. She slid the door open. "Kenshin? Your bath is ready. I'll show you where the bathhouse is. Come on." 'He still looks unsure. I think after I tell him he's free he'll be a bit more settled. I wonder where Sano is? I hope he's able to bring Megumi-san or Gensai-sensei.'
Kenshin nodded shyly. He picked up his 'new' clothes and followed her out the room. He took this chance to get a better look at the dojo. It seemed large and spacey from what he see of it. When they got outside, he noticed the yard was large as well. The one thing that puzzled him though was the fact that the whole place looked very well kept. Why would she need a slave? He was brought out of his thoughts when Kaoru pointed to the bathhouse. "That's it right there. Take your time, ok?" Again, he nodded shyly and headed toward the bathhouse.
Kaoru went back inside, only to here pounding on the dojo's gates. 'Sano again,' she mused. "Sano! Stop pounding on the door!" Apparently that wasn't enough to make him stop. "Sagara Sanosuke! If you break it you fix it!" The pounding stopped. 'Lazy.' Kaoru thought briefly as she opened the gate. "Oh! Megumi-san! Hi! Glad you could come!"
"Of course you're glad I could come! Ohohohoho!" Megumi replied, "Now where is he?"
"Kenshin? He's taking a bath right now. I plan to talk to him when he gets out-" She was cut short by Megumi. "What about lunch, Tanuki? Are you going to make him starve?"
"It's better to starve than eat her cooking." Sano soon found himself smashed into a wall with an angry Kaoru behind him.
"I heard that! If my cooking is that bad you could just go somewhere else, you ungrateful freeloader!" She yelled. She had her bokken out and poised to strike again should he make any other nasty comments about her cooking.
"Ano. Kaoru, is that him?" Megumi asked as she pointed behind Kaoru.
Kaoru turned around to see Kenshin standing there looking quite frightened. 'Oops. he saw that. Kaoru no baka! Now he's afraid of you!' "Eheheh. Megumi-san meet Kenshin. Kenshin this is Megumi-san, a friend of mine as well as a doctor."
Kenshin stood there rigidly. /Did she just knock that man into the wall?!/ \I told you! Your going to end up like that guy soon!\ He looked at the man, who was getting up, in shock. /He's alive!/
"Itai. you don't have to hit so hard," Sano complained.
"Well, you deserved it! You made fun of my cooking!"
"It's true though!"
WHAM!
Sano now had an up-close view of the dusty ground. "Itaiiii."
"Baka tori-atima. Maybe if you stop teasing Tanuki here you won't end up back at the clinic. And Tanuki, what kind of impression do you think your giving poor Kenshin here? I'll go prepare lunch-" Sano sighed in relief, "-and Kaoru can talk to Kenshin."
"Oi, what do I do?" Sano asked, rubbing his head gingerly. "Find something useful to do baka tori-atima."
"Ok, I'll sit on the porch then." Megumi shook her head and muttered something about stupid roosters.
While all of this was going on, Kenshin was feeling quite overwhelmed. /I thought I was supposed to be doing work?/ He thought briefly. /That must be what she wants to talk about. I wonder what I'll be told to do. Hopefully it will just be housework-/ He stopped his thoughts there. He didn't want to think about what else he could possibly be ordered to do.
"Kenshin! Let's go sit down. Megumi-san was right. I need to talk to you." Kaoru said as she turned towards the dining area. Kenshin followed slowly, still trying to absorb everything that was going on. Sano followed them inside.
Once inside, Kaoru and Sano sat at the table while Kenshin stood politely on the side. "Kenshin, come sit with us," she told him in a gentle voice. Kenshin was slightly confused by her tone of voice, however he considered what she said an order. /Do everything the master says. That was the first "rule" I learned./ \And look where you ended up every time the sick bastards--\ /Shut-Up! I don't need to be reminded./
He lowered himself to the table cautiously, a memory of a time when he got beat for trying to eat at the table without his master's permission coming to him. /That was the first and last time I ever tried that. but that didn't stop the beatings. Oh no, that didn't stop them at all. They always found something to punch, slap, or kick me about./ He thought. /But this time I have permission/ \That doesn't mean you're safe from harm. She could be putting the beating off for later.\
"Kenshin, I realize you might be a little overwhelmed with everything that's been happening but promise me you will take what I'm about to say seriously." A small nod from Kenshin was her answer.
"Ok, well the real reason I bought you from the slave traders was to free you. I have no intention of keeping you as a slave. You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish, or you can leave anytime you want, too. Kenshin? Are you ok? Kenshin?"
Kenshin sat there in total shock. /She. she's freeing me?! I. I don't understand! Why? Why would she do this?/ \She must be lying! Don't listen to her!\ /I don't get it. I don't. under. stand./ Too much shock and surprise caused Kenshin to promptly pass out. Sano quickly caught him and laid him down on the floor so he wouldn't hit his head.
Kaoru expected him to be surprised but not this much. 'I guess should've been prepared for this though. he's probably been a slave for a long time. I hope he trusts me on this.'
As if she just realized Kenshin passed out, panic set in. "MEGUMI-SAN!!! Please come help Kenshin!" she yelled.
Megumi rushed in and noticed Kenshin lying on the floor. "What did you do to him, Kaoru?" she asked calmly.
"Nothing! I just told him the truth!"
Megumi told Sano to carry the poor man to his room and lay him on his futon. "I see. he was probably a little surprised, that's all."
"A little surprised? Megumi-san he passed out!" she argued.
"Well its not everyday a slave is suddenly told they are free," Megumi pointed out.
Kaoru sighed as she held her head. Her plan to free a slave is getting more complicated by the moment. She had no idea that she had to actually convince the poor guy that he was free. "I guess your right."
"Of course I'm right, Tanuki!" she teased.
"Mou! Go help Kenshin!" Kaoru said, still a little worried about him.
"He'll be fine, Tanuki. He only passed out. Some rest will be good for him." Megumi said, "Besides I need to go finish lunch."
Sano walked back in the room in time to hear that comment. "Yeah, we wouldn't want it to burn. Then we just might as well have let Jou-chan cook."
Megumi shook her head as Kaoru beat Sano senseless with her bokken. "Tori-atima, you will never learn." She sighed and walked back into the kitchen.
To Be Continued.
