Ohayo, minna-san! Thanks to all who have been reading and sending reviews
in to me. It really means a lot!
Quickie Factoid: Tsukiyo means 'moonlit night'.
CONTEST!!!: Okay you guys; you know that the hurt girl's name is Tsukiyo, right? Well, I think that maybe you guys, the readers, should get to make her last name! All you have to do is send me an e-mail at crazy_black_belt@hotmail.com, with 'Tsukiyo Naming Contest' in the subject line, with your pen name and what the name is. My only requirement is that it is a Japanese name, and if possible, that it means something tying in with her first name's meaning.
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"Tsukiyo, could you please cut these vegetables for me?" Megumi pushed a large bunch of carrots and lettuce towards the slim redhead. She shifted her position on her crutch slightly so as to be able to wield the knife, and proceeded to cut them into paper-thin slices.
"Megumi-dono, could I borrow Tsukiyo for a moment?" Kenshin's head poked into the kitchen, his nose twitching at the smell of good food.
"Wha? Oh, of course, Kenshin." She took the knife from Tsukiyo and pushed the girl towards the swordsman. "Go on, Tsukiyo, you've helped me out enough today."
The girl nodded her head and followed Kenshin out the door into the bright noon sunlight. She breathed a sigh of happiness at being outdoors. She had been cooped up for so long during her recovery that she thirsted for sunlight as a cat does milk.
//She seems to be happier than she was before,// Kenshin thought to himself. Although he was walking ahead of her, he could feel her sigh and the way her entire body straightened and became stronger with the first breath of air. //I can only hope that she is stronger as well.// He turned to Tsukiyo after they reached the middle of the garden, pulling something he had left there that morning.
Tsukiyo watched him closely, her head cocked slightly to one side. //Red- sad-cross has something to show. Why? Do good work, get food and is happy, everyone happy.//
Kenshin fully revealed the thing he had behind his back for Tsukiyo to see. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the bo stick in his hand. //YES! Red-sad-cross knows what self use!//
Kenshin noted the expression of rapture that crossed her face at the sight of the stick. He had found it at a store near where Tsukiyo had been found. //It would appear that my hunch was correct. This belongs to her, and she knows it.// He would have just passed it by if he hadn't noticed the small crescent moon mark that had been carved into it, along with the symbol for 'night'. Putting two and two together, he had purchased it and kept it hidden until she would most likely be able to use it.
Tsukiyo looked up and thought, //Red-sad-cross want me take? Ask must I? Yes, good thought.// Clearing her throat, she asked timidly, "For me?"
Kenshin smiled buoyantly as he replied, "Yes, this is for you, Tsukiyo-san. But you need to make me a promise before you may use it."
"Promise?" she asked warily. //Meishu told no make promise. But Red-sad- cross no hurt, he only wants as friend. Safe? Safe safe.//
"Yes."
"Promise what?"
"I am going to ask that you do not leave here until I give you permission." At the look of terror in her eyes, he interpreted it as that she wouldn't be able to move from the spot she was standing. "All I ask is that you stay at the dojo, and do not leave without my knowing. Is that acceptable?"
//Acceptable?// She frowned, thinking hard as she went through a list of reasons why she shouldn't accept, even if it was for her bo stick. //Red- sad-cross might want no one to make noise on looks, or sick. Good reasons, think. Safe? Safe for now.// She nodded and held out her hand for the bo stick, waiting for him to hand it to her.
But he didn't. He simply said, "You will get your bo stick back when you can walk across the garden without your crutch. For now, try you will to see if you can walk to me here."
//TRICK!// She fumed, angry at having forgotten to make sure she would get it right after the deal would be made. But before she attempted to whack him to get it back, she calmed down and realized an important fact. //Red- sad-cross is right to do. If self no walk, self no fight.// She took her crutch and leaned it against a stone, hanging onto it for support. Her face screwed up in determination, she pushed off and took a few quick, halting steps towards Kenshin. Just as she was about to grin at her success, her weakened legs gave out and forced her to topple against the rurouni, gabbing onto his kimono for support.
He caught her, and helped her to stand. She looked up at his face, to see not a frown of disapproval, but a smile of encouragement. "See? You must work to regain your leg's movement, that you must. We will work on it everyday until you can receive your bo." Before she could protest, he had picked her up and began to carry her to the room she had claimed as her own. "Rest you should, for that was a lot of work for your body to be doing at once."
She was silent, and unresisting as he tucked her into bed. She had shut off all sensations from her body as she devoted her thinking capabilities to something she had been taught almost from the instant she thought. //Analyze information, learn from mistakes, grow stronger.// It was one of the few times she was able to form coherent sentences within her own mind.
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Outside of the Kamiya Dojo, a tall young man nodded his head. He was remarkably. Unremarkable. His black hair was clean, and he wore the clothes of a Chinese middle-class worker. He touched a finger to his forehead as if in salute, and walked back the way he had come. His thoughts were focused on one single fact: The Battousai was living in that house. The girl he had sent was also there. //I must move quickly, before she realizes what is different about her, and before he finds out what we are up to.// He smiled, the smile of a cat before leaping onto a juicy mouse.
Quickie Factoid: Tsukiyo means 'moonlit night'.
CONTEST!!!: Okay you guys; you know that the hurt girl's name is Tsukiyo, right? Well, I think that maybe you guys, the readers, should get to make her last name! All you have to do is send me an e-mail at crazy_black_belt@hotmail.com, with 'Tsukiyo Naming Contest' in the subject line, with your pen name and what the name is. My only requirement is that it is a Japanese name, and if possible, that it means something tying in with her first name's meaning.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
"Tsukiyo, could you please cut these vegetables for me?" Megumi pushed a large bunch of carrots and lettuce towards the slim redhead. She shifted her position on her crutch slightly so as to be able to wield the knife, and proceeded to cut them into paper-thin slices.
"Megumi-dono, could I borrow Tsukiyo for a moment?" Kenshin's head poked into the kitchen, his nose twitching at the smell of good food.
"Wha? Oh, of course, Kenshin." She took the knife from Tsukiyo and pushed the girl towards the swordsman. "Go on, Tsukiyo, you've helped me out enough today."
The girl nodded her head and followed Kenshin out the door into the bright noon sunlight. She breathed a sigh of happiness at being outdoors. She had been cooped up for so long during her recovery that she thirsted for sunlight as a cat does milk.
//She seems to be happier than she was before,// Kenshin thought to himself. Although he was walking ahead of her, he could feel her sigh and the way her entire body straightened and became stronger with the first breath of air. //I can only hope that she is stronger as well.// He turned to Tsukiyo after they reached the middle of the garden, pulling something he had left there that morning.
Tsukiyo watched him closely, her head cocked slightly to one side. //Red- sad-cross has something to show. Why? Do good work, get food and is happy, everyone happy.//
Kenshin fully revealed the thing he had behind his back for Tsukiyo to see. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the bo stick in his hand. //YES! Red-sad-cross knows what self use!//
Kenshin noted the expression of rapture that crossed her face at the sight of the stick. He had found it at a store near where Tsukiyo had been found. //It would appear that my hunch was correct. This belongs to her, and she knows it.// He would have just passed it by if he hadn't noticed the small crescent moon mark that had been carved into it, along with the symbol for 'night'. Putting two and two together, he had purchased it and kept it hidden until she would most likely be able to use it.
Tsukiyo looked up and thought, //Red-sad-cross want me take? Ask must I? Yes, good thought.// Clearing her throat, she asked timidly, "For me?"
Kenshin smiled buoyantly as he replied, "Yes, this is for you, Tsukiyo-san. But you need to make me a promise before you may use it."
"Promise?" she asked warily. //Meishu told no make promise. But Red-sad- cross no hurt, he only wants as friend. Safe? Safe safe.//
"Yes."
"Promise what?"
"I am going to ask that you do not leave here until I give you permission." At the look of terror in her eyes, he interpreted it as that she wouldn't be able to move from the spot she was standing. "All I ask is that you stay at the dojo, and do not leave without my knowing. Is that acceptable?"
//Acceptable?// She frowned, thinking hard as she went through a list of reasons why she shouldn't accept, even if it was for her bo stick. //Red- sad-cross might want no one to make noise on looks, or sick. Good reasons, think. Safe? Safe for now.// She nodded and held out her hand for the bo stick, waiting for him to hand it to her.
But he didn't. He simply said, "You will get your bo stick back when you can walk across the garden without your crutch. For now, try you will to see if you can walk to me here."
//TRICK!// She fumed, angry at having forgotten to make sure she would get it right after the deal would be made. But before she attempted to whack him to get it back, she calmed down and realized an important fact. //Red- sad-cross is right to do. If self no walk, self no fight.// She took her crutch and leaned it against a stone, hanging onto it for support. Her face screwed up in determination, she pushed off and took a few quick, halting steps towards Kenshin. Just as she was about to grin at her success, her weakened legs gave out and forced her to topple against the rurouni, gabbing onto his kimono for support.
He caught her, and helped her to stand. She looked up at his face, to see not a frown of disapproval, but a smile of encouragement. "See? You must work to regain your leg's movement, that you must. We will work on it everyday until you can receive your bo." Before she could protest, he had picked her up and began to carry her to the room she had claimed as her own. "Rest you should, for that was a lot of work for your body to be doing at once."
She was silent, and unresisting as he tucked her into bed. She had shut off all sensations from her body as she devoted her thinking capabilities to something she had been taught almost from the instant she thought. //Analyze information, learn from mistakes, grow stronger.// It was one of the few times she was able to form coherent sentences within her own mind.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Outside of the Kamiya Dojo, a tall young man nodded his head. He was remarkably. Unremarkable. His black hair was clean, and he wore the clothes of a Chinese middle-class worker. He touched a finger to his forehead as if in salute, and walked back the way he had come. His thoughts were focused on one single fact: The Battousai was living in that house. The girl he had sent was also there. //I must move quickly, before she realizes what is different about her, and before he finds out what we are up to.// He smiled, the smile of a cat before leaping onto a juicy mouse.
