Hallo! I'm home sick today, so I figured I'd update! Lol, of course, stress
headaches make it difficult to write, so... I feel it appropriate to warn you
of a HUGE plot twist coming up soon, that may or may not change the whole
tone of the story. I can't decide if it will be romantic humorous angst, or
humorous romantic angst. But there will be a bit of drama in upcoming
chapters. Just so you know. ^.~ He he he... Funny ideas, yes indeed...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Maggie leaned against the tree trunk and waited. She heard voices approaching and soon the three came into view.
"Maggie-san! There you are." Kenshin said. Maggie fought the urge to say 'duh' as she would with her brothers.
"Did you guys explore a bit?"
"This is quite an interesting place. I saw a bicycle by the side of the path, why would someone discard such a valuable object?" Sanosuke inquired.
"Oh, that old rusted pink thing that's missing the chain? Been there for years. And here they aren't quite as expensive. I have to get back. Would you like to explore a bit more or do you want me to sneak you back in?"
"I don't really like the idea of being out here in a place where we don't know ANYTHING by ourselves." Yahiko said.
"Come on, kiddo, you've get me to protect you!" Sanosuke proclaimed, clapping a hand on Yahiko's shoulder.
"That's what I'm worried about." Yahiko muttered. Sanosuke wisely chose to ignore the comment.
"This one believes we should go back in." Kenshin said.
"Pick one and stick with it..." Maggie muttered. 'He keeps switching from manga mode to dub mode... 'this one' or semi-yoda speak, pick one... geeze...'
"Oro?"
"Nothing, Kenshin-dono." Maggie said. "Come on. It's still quite early. We should get in without trouble."
She led them along the winding path out of the woods and they sprinted across the street. Maggie opened the front door and quickly checked to see if the path was clear. She beckoned her guests to follow quickly and shut the door behind them. She went up the stairs first and checked the hall. Giving them the all clear, Maggie led the three into her room and pushed open the Sanctuary door.
"Magnolia?" Just as Yahiko's foot vanished up into the attic, Maggie's mom poked her head into the room. After a quick glance upward to assure herself that they were hidden, Maggie gave a long-suffering sigh and closed the door.
"Yes mom?" She said, sitting cross legged on her bed.
"Were you going to vanish up into your retreat for the rest of the day?"
"Not really. Just hang out up there for a bit."
"Well, please keep an ear out for your brothers. Your father and I are going out for a bit. Make sure both of your brothers are ready for school tomorrow. And make sure you're put together as well. Love you!" Her mom blew Maggie a quick kiss, and Maggie did the same before flinging the trapdoor open and calling a quick 'bye mom!' before disappearing.
Rose shook her head with a smile. "That's my daughter..."
Up in Sanctuary Maggie breathed a sigh of relief.
"Safe for now. When mom leaves I'll get us some food." Maggie leaned up against the wall and closed her eyes.
"Is there anything to do up here?" Yahiko asked/complained. Maggie sat up.
"Well, I have video games, board games, I can teach you card games, I have books..." Maggie trailed off, thinking.
"What kinds of board games? Like Shogi?" Sanosuke asked, opening one eye.
"Yup! I have Othello, Chess, Checkers and Shogi." Maggie said. "Mind you, the Shogi is a little travel version but it's playable."
"Hey, Kenshin, want to play?"
"Alright. But what can Yahiko do?" Kenshin replied.
"I'll teach him pointless card games like Go Fish, Slapjack and War."
"Slapping Jack and War? Those games don't sound very nice, that they do not." Kenshin said, looking mildly alarmed.
"They're pointless card games. Nothing harmful at all." Maggie handed Kenshin and Sanosuke the small foldable plastic Shogi board and pulled out a deck of cards for her and Yahiko.
"Okay, which order do you want to play them in? Longest game to shortest, shortest to longest, simple to complicated, complicated to simple, pointless to.... Okay, no sense ordering them by pointlessness."
"Longest to shortest."
"Okay then, War it is!" Maggie divided the deck and proceeded to explain the game, while Sanosuke and Kenshin set up their game.
For almost an hour they had occupied themselves before Maggie remembered that she was supposed to help get her brothers ready for school the next day. It was almost noon, so she made them lunch and lunch for her 'guests'.
Three bowls of macaroni and cheese were brought up for Yahiko, Sanosuke and Kenshin, and Maggie went to harp on her brothers about their weekend homework and other such stuffs.
Maggie then realized something. Her guests probably hadn't had a bath or shower in a while. She sighed.
This could take a while.
First off, she dialed her parents cell phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey dad. When are you getting home?"
"Another few hours at least, why?"
"Just wanted to know. Love you! Bye."
"Love you. Bye!"
Maggie hung up the phone with relief. She resolutely went and knocked on the trapdoor.
"It's me!" She said, opening it and coming up. Closing the door behind her, she looked at the three men. Two men and a boy. One man, one teenager, and a two-tear-old with a temper problem. One—Shutting up. Anyway, she looked at them.
"You guys must be wanting a bath or something, eh? We've got a while before mom and dad get home, so you can take this opportunity to get cleaned up. I can wash your clothes in the washing machine. That alone will take a while, so you'll have to lounge around in towels for a while." Maggie said with the confidence of dealing with two brothers and a majority of male cousins. The targets of her speech were slightly off-balanced by her forwardness, but agreed. She went and got them all towels to use, then called them into the bathroom.
"Okay, for ease of time, you're all going to be taking quick showers. A shower is kind of like rain indoors. Just get in, soap up, rinse off and get out, okay? Now, go ahead and get undressed, give me your clothes and I'll throw them in the wash. Are they colorfast? Oh well. If not you'll all be wearing pink-tinted clothes for a while. Here are your towels. Wrap them around your waist when I come back for your clothes, please. Use the knobs to adjust the temperature, left for warmer, right for cooler. Got it?"
All that in about three breaths. Three half amused, half confused, half stunned (YES I know that's three halves!) looks followed her as she left the room for them to get out of their clothes.
"You guys done?"
"Yes." Sanosuke opened the door slightly and held out a large wad of clothing.
"Alright, you guys shower. I'll be back in a bit."
Maggie went down to the basement where the washer and dryer were, tossing the clothes and detergent in, then setting it for a medium cycle. They couldn't be that delicate, but she wasn't taking chances. She closed the lid and let it run, sitting on top of the dryer.
'Oh... my... geeze. I can't believe that I just did that... Oy...' Maggie though, turning slightly red. 'Those weren't my brothers. That was so weird. I just taught three-fourths of Team Kenshin how to use the shower. And I'm currently washing their clothes... He he he... I wonder what they'd fetch on E- Bay...'
An hour or so ago....
Kaoru arrived back at where she began, frustrated. She stomped a foot on the ground and let out a growl of fury. She picked a different path and emerged onto a road. Looking at the enormous houses that lined the road, she shivered slightly. Now she was positive she was nowhere or when near home. A slight breeze ruffled her hair, already mussed due to... circumstances. She sighed and made her way down the street.
~ .~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Heh. Yeah. I believe I'll find a way to implement your plan next chapter, EAtAKE! ^.^
Arigato to my reviewers, few as there are (hint, hint! Lol) SO R+R please peoples!
@-}---- Lily of the Shadows ----{-@
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Maggie leaned against the tree trunk and waited. She heard voices approaching and soon the three came into view.
"Maggie-san! There you are." Kenshin said. Maggie fought the urge to say 'duh' as she would with her brothers.
"Did you guys explore a bit?"
"This is quite an interesting place. I saw a bicycle by the side of the path, why would someone discard such a valuable object?" Sanosuke inquired.
"Oh, that old rusted pink thing that's missing the chain? Been there for years. And here they aren't quite as expensive. I have to get back. Would you like to explore a bit more or do you want me to sneak you back in?"
"I don't really like the idea of being out here in a place where we don't know ANYTHING by ourselves." Yahiko said.
"Come on, kiddo, you've get me to protect you!" Sanosuke proclaimed, clapping a hand on Yahiko's shoulder.
"That's what I'm worried about." Yahiko muttered. Sanosuke wisely chose to ignore the comment.
"This one believes we should go back in." Kenshin said.
"Pick one and stick with it..." Maggie muttered. 'He keeps switching from manga mode to dub mode... 'this one' or semi-yoda speak, pick one... geeze...'
"Oro?"
"Nothing, Kenshin-dono." Maggie said. "Come on. It's still quite early. We should get in without trouble."
She led them along the winding path out of the woods and they sprinted across the street. Maggie opened the front door and quickly checked to see if the path was clear. She beckoned her guests to follow quickly and shut the door behind them. She went up the stairs first and checked the hall. Giving them the all clear, Maggie led the three into her room and pushed open the Sanctuary door.
"Magnolia?" Just as Yahiko's foot vanished up into the attic, Maggie's mom poked her head into the room. After a quick glance upward to assure herself that they were hidden, Maggie gave a long-suffering sigh and closed the door.
"Yes mom?" She said, sitting cross legged on her bed.
"Were you going to vanish up into your retreat for the rest of the day?"
"Not really. Just hang out up there for a bit."
"Well, please keep an ear out for your brothers. Your father and I are going out for a bit. Make sure both of your brothers are ready for school tomorrow. And make sure you're put together as well. Love you!" Her mom blew Maggie a quick kiss, and Maggie did the same before flinging the trapdoor open and calling a quick 'bye mom!' before disappearing.
Rose shook her head with a smile. "That's my daughter..."
Up in Sanctuary Maggie breathed a sigh of relief.
"Safe for now. When mom leaves I'll get us some food." Maggie leaned up against the wall and closed her eyes.
"Is there anything to do up here?" Yahiko asked/complained. Maggie sat up.
"Well, I have video games, board games, I can teach you card games, I have books..." Maggie trailed off, thinking.
"What kinds of board games? Like Shogi?" Sanosuke asked, opening one eye.
"Yup! I have Othello, Chess, Checkers and Shogi." Maggie said. "Mind you, the Shogi is a little travel version but it's playable."
"Hey, Kenshin, want to play?"
"Alright. But what can Yahiko do?" Kenshin replied.
"I'll teach him pointless card games like Go Fish, Slapjack and War."
"Slapping Jack and War? Those games don't sound very nice, that they do not." Kenshin said, looking mildly alarmed.
"They're pointless card games. Nothing harmful at all." Maggie handed Kenshin and Sanosuke the small foldable plastic Shogi board and pulled out a deck of cards for her and Yahiko.
"Okay, which order do you want to play them in? Longest game to shortest, shortest to longest, simple to complicated, complicated to simple, pointless to.... Okay, no sense ordering them by pointlessness."
"Longest to shortest."
"Okay then, War it is!" Maggie divided the deck and proceeded to explain the game, while Sanosuke and Kenshin set up their game.
For almost an hour they had occupied themselves before Maggie remembered that she was supposed to help get her brothers ready for school the next day. It was almost noon, so she made them lunch and lunch for her 'guests'.
Three bowls of macaroni and cheese were brought up for Yahiko, Sanosuke and Kenshin, and Maggie went to harp on her brothers about their weekend homework and other such stuffs.
Maggie then realized something. Her guests probably hadn't had a bath or shower in a while. She sighed.
This could take a while.
First off, she dialed her parents cell phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey dad. When are you getting home?"
"Another few hours at least, why?"
"Just wanted to know. Love you! Bye."
"Love you. Bye!"
Maggie hung up the phone with relief. She resolutely went and knocked on the trapdoor.
"It's me!" She said, opening it and coming up. Closing the door behind her, she looked at the three men. Two men and a boy. One man, one teenager, and a two-tear-old with a temper problem. One—Shutting up. Anyway, she looked at them.
"You guys must be wanting a bath or something, eh? We've got a while before mom and dad get home, so you can take this opportunity to get cleaned up. I can wash your clothes in the washing machine. That alone will take a while, so you'll have to lounge around in towels for a while." Maggie said with the confidence of dealing with two brothers and a majority of male cousins. The targets of her speech were slightly off-balanced by her forwardness, but agreed. She went and got them all towels to use, then called them into the bathroom.
"Okay, for ease of time, you're all going to be taking quick showers. A shower is kind of like rain indoors. Just get in, soap up, rinse off and get out, okay? Now, go ahead and get undressed, give me your clothes and I'll throw them in the wash. Are they colorfast? Oh well. If not you'll all be wearing pink-tinted clothes for a while. Here are your towels. Wrap them around your waist when I come back for your clothes, please. Use the knobs to adjust the temperature, left for warmer, right for cooler. Got it?"
All that in about three breaths. Three half amused, half confused, half stunned (YES I know that's three halves!) looks followed her as she left the room for them to get out of their clothes.
"You guys done?"
"Yes." Sanosuke opened the door slightly and held out a large wad of clothing.
"Alright, you guys shower. I'll be back in a bit."
Maggie went down to the basement where the washer and dryer were, tossing the clothes and detergent in, then setting it for a medium cycle. They couldn't be that delicate, but she wasn't taking chances. She closed the lid and let it run, sitting on top of the dryer.
'Oh... my... geeze. I can't believe that I just did that... Oy...' Maggie though, turning slightly red. 'Those weren't my brothers. That was so weird. I just taught three-fourths of Team Kenshin how to use the shower. And I'm currently washing their clothes... He he he... I wonder what they'd fetch on E- Bay...'
An hour or so ago....
Kaoru arrived back at where she began, frustrated. She stomped a foot on the ground and let out a growl of fury. She picked a different path and emerged onto a road. Looking at the enormous houses that lined the road, she shivered slightly. Now she was positive she was nowhere or when near home. A slight breeze ruffled her hair, already mussed due to... circumstances. She sighed and made her way down the street.
~ .~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Heh. Yeah. I believe I'll find a way to implement your plan next chapter, EAtAKE! ^.^
Arigato to my reviewers, few as there are (hint, hint! Lol) SO R+R please peoples!
@-}---- Lily of the Shadows ----{-@