[arigato, XP-DarkAngel and Anime Fan! The idea you gave me . . . well,
that's why this is a present day . . . no, future day . . . oh, just
kaoru's real time chapter. Thanx thanx thanx!]
:: chapter 9 ::
[keep in mind this is a present day chappie]
Somberly, Kenshin cleaned up the dishes. He glanced at the unagi and tipped the remaining food into the trash. Darn unagi. He turned away to wipe the table, then walked back, unable to resist taking out his sakabatou and slicing the unagi into tiny pieces.
Food is evil, ne?
By the time he had completely cleaned up, it was already close to 9. Kenshin sat down, alone, on the porch. Sighing, he got a lock of bright crimson hair and twisted it sullenly.
Softly, to himself, he said, "Why did sessha get Kaoru-dono so mad? Maybe sessha shouldn't have mentioned Tomoe . . ."
Soft warm wind tenderly blew around Kenshin's fingers. He heaved a deep sigh and leaned his head against a wooden column. He felt his eyelids get heavy . . .
Suddenly, Kenshin jerked his eyes open. Oh, dear god, where is sessha?
He was in a dark street. He sniffed. Blood. He looked down at himself and almost jumped with surprise. Dark blue gi, gray hakama, and a katana in his hand, all soaked in blood. He looked in front of him, and saw a man in black, dead on the ground, surrounded by chains.
Instinctively, he raised a hand to his head, like he did in so many other dreams. A high ponytail. Oh, dear oh dear, a dream of the past. This dream of the past.
He turned around, fearing what he was going to see. He hadn't seen her for many, many years now.
There she was, in her white and purple kimono, eyes wide in shock, face and body splattered with blood.
But, wait, this isn't right. Who is that . . .
His eyes focused upon a tiny, trembling figure in a mellow yellow kimono. Her hair swished in a ponytail, and her eyes held indescribable horror in them as she looked at him.
Kenshin felt his blood turn cold. Wha . . . "Kaoru-dono?"
And suddenly, the dark scene turned lighter, into a wooden room. He recognized this as the dining room of the inn. But what was he doing here? This has never occurred before!
The door slid open, and Kaoru walked in.
Kenshin guided his hand up to his head. Yup, still high ponytail. What was she doing in my dreams?
'Kaoru-dono? What are you doing here?'
But no words came out of his mouth.
Kaoru set a steaming bowl of soba in front of him. Next to the soba, she also placed a sweet bun.
'Kaoru-dono! What . . .'
But instead, the words from his mouth were "Arigato, Kamiya-san."
Kenshin was astounded. Kamiya-san? Kamiya-dono, more like it!
"Please, Kenshin-san, call me Kaoru." She smiled at him.
'Kenshin-san? Kaoru-dono, you know me better than that . . . don't you? Kenshin-san? I don't think you've ever called me -san ever since we met!'
But, of course, no words were emitted.
Kenshin was ready to punch himself when he suddenly felt a sharp pat on his right shoulder. He shuddered and looked around.
He was sitting on the porch again, the sky completely dark right now. He turned to his right. There, grinning and chewing on a fishbone, was Sano. Sano grinned and held up a heavy wallet. "Good night at the gambling hall."
Kenshin was still in shock.
Sano patted Kenshin hard on the shoulder, making Kenshin slightly wince. "How good?"
Sano had a pixy-ish grin plastered on his face as he opened the wallet. "200 in one night," he said, fanning out the money.
"Good, good! Now you can finally pay back Kaoru-dono, and deplete your ever growing tab at the Akabeko."
Sanosuke's happy mood dropped a slight degree. "Uh . . . jo-chan doesn't need my money . . . and Tae and I are on good terms . . ."
"I'm sure Kaoru-dono actually does want you to pay her back though . . ." Kaoru-dono . . .
"Sano, have you seen Kaoru-dono?"
"Iie, it's not like I always go bursting into her bedroom." He glanced curiously at Kenshin. "Didn't she want to have a romantic dinner with you?"
"Oro?"
Sano sighed. "Gee, you're worse with women than I am. Why did you think Kaoru was cooking and everybody was gone for dinner tonight?"
"Well, you were all busy, ne? And Kaoru-dono is a kind, sweet, cute . . ." Kenshin flushed at his mistake. "I mean, caring girl, she must've wanted to give me a break."
Sano shook his head despairingly. "Loser."
"ORO???"
"No hard feelings." Sano leaned back. "So, what were you asking about Jo-chan for?"
"ORO!" Kenshin jumped up. Sano looked at him in surprise. "Gee, Kenshin, where's the fire?"
"No, Kaoru-dono!"
Sano put a hand to Kenshin's forehead. "Kenshin, are you feeling all right? I'm Sanosuke. S-A-N-O . . ."
Kenshin glowered. "I know it's you, Sano. Sessha might've gotten older, clumsier, and less agile, but I am not yet senile. It's just that . . ." He clutched his sakabatou in his hands, "Something feels not right . . ."
"You're way too protective."
Kenshin glared at Sano. "I'll go check on her."
Sano got up too. "Eh, I think I'll go with you. Don't trust you, think you really have gotten senile. Or is it that ten years of celibacy has finally gotten to you?"
At that comment, Kenshin smacked Sanosuke's head so hard that if Saitou had saw it right now, he would be running back to Tokio with his wolf's tail between his legs.
"Ara . . ."
Kenshin got to Kaoru's room, a semi-dazed Sanosuke in tow. Just as he was about to knock, Yahiko burst towards them, a hand clutching his widely grinning face.
"Yahiko?"
"Oh, Kenshin," Yahiko said, grinning foolishly. "Why are you here?"
Sanosuke recovered. "Hey, Yahiko-chan, why are you clutching your face like that?"
For once, Yahiko didn't bother to yell at Sano for calling him Yahiko- chan. "it's because of this . . ." He took his hand off from his cheek.
"Oro!"
"Who . . .?" Sano said weakly.
Yahiko fingered the red lip mark on his cheek. "Tsubame," he said dreamily. "I am never washing this face again."
"Good for you, Yahiko." Kenshin stared back at the door in consternation.
Yahiko snapped out of this daze, seeing Kenshin so worried at seemingly nothing. "Hey, Kenshin, why are you staring at busu's door like that? If you want to go in and put moves on her," he said, chuckling, "we'll gladly give you privacy."
"Oro!" Kenshin sweatdropped and stared glumly at Yahiko and Sano. "Both of you are so cruel to sessha."
"But, seriously, Kenshin, what's up with jo-chan?"
"Sessha isn't sure . . . but sessha shall check on her."
Kenshin knocked softly on the door. "Kaoru-dono?"
There was a slight scuffling inside. Then: "Hai?"
Kenshin breathed a sigh of relief. "It's sessha, Kaoru-dono. Are you . . . alright?"
"Hai, Kenshin-san, I'm fine just rather sleepy."
"Oh, then sessha will not bother you anymore. Good night, Kaoru- dono."
"Night, Kenshin-san."
He turned around to the leering faces of Yahiko and Sanosuke. "Hey, Kenshin," Yahiko said, sneering, "were you worried busu didn't get enough sleep? HEY! CUT THAT OUT!"
Kenshin walked away, with Yahiko's collar caught on the sheath of his sakabatou, which he had slung over his shoulder. "Shh, Kaoru-dono is sleeping."
Kenshin sighed happily. And here he was, thinking that something was wrong. She was just sleep, she said so herself . . .
"ORO!!!"
Sanosuke sighed. "What now, Kenshin? Want to make tea for Jo-chan?"
"Kaoru-dono never calls me Kenshin-san!"
"Uh . . ."
With his godlike speed, Kenshin raced back. Without knocking, he threw open the door.
And then, his mouth dropped to the floor, for it was not Kaoru in her room, but a plump, short old woman in a blue dress.
"Oro! Where is Kaoru-dono!" He snatched the paper the woman had been holding. "Dear Kenshin-san . . . I am leaving?" He glared at the woman. "Firstly, Kaoru-dono never calls me Kenshin-san, and secondly, she doesn't have this handwriting. What have you done with her?"
"Well, nothing . . . it IS her business . . ." The woman straightened up indignantly. "I, a fairy godmother, has the right to remain silent."
Chink. Kenshin flicked the hilt of his sakabatou up a bit. His eyes narrowed. "Oh, really?"
"Uh . . . or maybe I'll tell you."
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"Oro! So Kaoru-dono was with Battousai? So that dream might've really happened?"
"Hai, I'm afraid so."
Sano shook his head a bit. "Ah, selfishness, she can't stand the thought of not being the best. But, then, selfishness and love did always go hand in hand . . ."
"Sanosuke," Yahiko said scathingly, "That quote is so old."
Kenshin glared at them impatiently. "So," he said, turning back to the fairy godmother, "When can Kaoru-dono return?"
"Well . . ."
"WELL?"
"Gee, temper . . ." The fairy godmother smoothed her dress. "It all depends on her."
"Oro?"
"Well, if she returns, she'll return by midnight. That is only considering that she doesn't change the future."
"Like make me die or something?"
"Hai."
"Oro . . ."
"But I don't think she will." The fairy godmother grinned cheekily at Kenshin. "She is mucho head over heels over you, pretty boy. You should see her dreams: the situations you two are in are either overly cheesy or overly promiscuous."
"Oro . . ."
Yahiko grinned widely. "Like what?"
The fairy godmother thought hard. "Oh, there was one where she and pretty boy over here were on a picnic, which ended in some kissing and fluffy bunnies all over the place. And there was another one where - er, Kenshin was posing with his sakabatou."
"What is so bad about sessha with sessha's sakabatou?"
"Posing ONLY with your sakabatou."
"Oro!"
"Oh, Kenshin," Yahiko nudged, laughing, "Never knew you modeled."
Kenshin glared sullenly. "Everybody wants a piece of sessha today," he muttered.
Kenshin turned back to the fairy godmother. "What will happen if Kaoru changes the past?"
"The future will be altered."
"Meaning . . .?"
"You will all change. This future will not exist, and instead, another one will take its place. Don't worry," she said, seeing the concerned look on Kenshin's face, "Most people's lives will still be the same. It's just the people that she immediately affects who have a considerably different future."
"So . . . we won't exist?"
"You'll disappear. You'll all forget about this one. Well, maybe not all of it, a few shattered memories may exist, but . . ."
An awkward silence hung over everybody. Then suddenly, Yahiko yelped.
"Hey, Yahiko," Sano said with a raised eyebrow, "Are you ok?"
Yahiko seemed beyond reason. "Feet! No Feet!"
"Oro?"
"Oh my lord," the fairy godmother said, shocked, "She changed the future . . . the future changed . . ."
Kenshin looked down at his own feet, and saw that it had disappeared. And now his knees too. And it wasn't only him; everybody and everything was disappearing into a black haze.
"Good luck, Kenshin," the fairy godmother said. She disappeared.
"What the F*** is happening?" Sano said, wildly swinging his arms around.
"Sessha . . ."
"Oh, Kenshin, would you drop the sesshas already? Who cares if you're unworthy, WE'RE VANISHING INTO NOWHERE!!!"
"ORO!!!"
The blankness was up to Kenshin's upper chest now. He watched, horrified, as Yahiko's head disappeared beneath the rising darkness.
"Sano, WHAT IS HAPPENING?"
"I don't know, but if I meet Jo-chan in my other future I'll hurt her badly."
"SANO! PROMISE ME YOU WON"T HURT KAORU-DONO!!!"
"Wha . . ."
"PROMISE!" Kenshin's chin and mouth went under.
"Alright, alright, Jo-chan will be untouched by me!!!"
That was the last thing Kenshin heard. His head went under, and he felt himself drawn into a vortex.
[o.O didn't know how this turned into such a twilight zone thingy . . .]
:: chapter 9 ::
[keep in mind this is a present day chappie]
Somberly, Kenshin cleaned up the dishes. He glanced at the unagi and tipped the remaining food into the trash. Darn unagi. He turned away to wipe the table, then walked back, unable to resist taking out his sakabatou and slicing the unagi into tiny pieces.
Food is evil, ne?
By the time he had completely cleaned up, it was already close to 9. Kenshin sat down, alone, on the porch. Sighing, he got a lock of bright crimson hair and twisted it sullenly.
Softly, to himself, he said, "Why did sessha get Kaoru-dono so mad? Maybe sessha shouldn't have mentioned Tomoe . . ."
Soft warm wind tenderly blew around Kenshin's fingers. He heaved a deep sigh and leaned his head against a wooden column. He felt his eyelids get heavy . . .
Suddenly, Kenshin jerked his eyes open. Oh, dear god, where is sessha?
He was in a dark street. He sniffed. Blood. He looked down at himself and almost jumped with surprise. Dark blue gi, gray hakama, and a katana in his hand, all soaked in blood. He looked in front of him, and saw a man in black, dead on the ground, surrounded by chains.
Instinctively, he raised a hand to his head, like he did in so many other dreams. A high ponytail. Oh, dear oh dear, a dream of the past. This dream of the past.
He turned around, fearing what he was going to see. He hadn't seen her for many, many years now.
There she was, in her white and purple kimono, eyes wide in shock, face and body splattered with blood.
But, wait, this isn't right. Who is that . . .
His eyes focused upon a tiny, trembling figure in a mellow yellow kimono. Her hair swished in a ponytail, and her eyes held indescribable horror in them as she looked at him.
Kenshin felt his blood turn cold. Wha . . . "Kaoru-dono?"
And suddenly, the dark scene turned lighter, into a wooden room. He recognized this as the dining room of the inn. But what was he doing here? This has never occurred before!
The door slid open, and Kaoru walked in.
Kenshin guided his hand up to his head. Yup, still high ponytail. What was she doing in my dreams?
'Kaoru-dono? What are you doing here?'
But no words came out of his mouth.
Kaoru set a steaming bowl of soba in front of him. Next to the soba, she also placed a sweet bun.
'Kaoru-dono! What . . .'
But instead, the words from his mouth were "Arigato, Kamiya-san."
Kenshin was astounded. Kamiya-san? Kamiya-dono, more like it!
"Please, Kenshin-san, call me Kaoru." She smiled at him.
'Kenshin-san? Kaoru-dono, you know me better than that . . . don't you? Kenshin-san? I don't think you've ever called me -san ever since we met!'
But, of course, no words were emitted.
Kenshin was ready to punch himself when he suddenly felt a sharp pat on his right shoulder. He shuddered and looked around.
He was sitting on the porch again, the sky completely dark right now. He turned to his right. There, grinning and chewing on a fishbone, was Sano. Sano grinned and held up a heavy wallet. "Good night at the gambling hall."
Kenshin was still in shock.
Sano patted Kenshin hard on the shoulder, making Kenshin slightly wince. "How good?"
Sano had a pixy-ish grin plastered on his face as he opened the wallet. "200 in one night," he said, fanning out the money.
"Good, good! Now you can finally pay back Kaoru-dono, and deplete your ever growing tab at the Akabeko."
Sanosuke's happy mood dropped a slight degree. "Uh . . . jo-chan doesn't need my money . . . and Tae and I are on good terms . . ."
"I'm sure Kaoru-dono actually does want you to pay her back though . . ." Kaoru-dono . . .
"Sano, have you seen Kaoru-dono?"
"Iie, it's not like I always go bursting into her bedroom." He glanced curiously at Kenshin. "Didn't she want to have a romantic dinner with you?"
"Oro?"
Sano sighed. "Gee, you're worse with women than I am. Why did you think Kaoru was cooking and everybody was gone for dinner tonight?"
"Well, you were all busy, ne? And Kaoru-dono is a kind, sweet, cute . . ." Kenshin flushed at his mistake. "I mean, caring girl, she must've wanted to give me a break."
Sano shook his head despairingly. "Loser."
"ORO???"
"No hard feelings." Sano leaned back. "So, what were you asking about Jo-chan for?"
"ORO!" Kenshin jumped up. Sano looked at him in surprise. "Gee, Kenshin, where's the fire?"
"No, Kaoru-dono!"
Sano put a hand to Kenshin's forehead. "Kenshin, are you feeling all right? I'm Sanosuke. S-A-N-O . . ."
Kenshin glowered. "I know it's you, Sano. Sessha might've gotten older, clumsier, and less agile, but I am not yet senile. It's just that . . ." He clutched his sakabatou in his hands, "Something feels not right . . ."
"You're way too protective."
Kenshin glared at Sano. "I'll go check on her."
Sano got up too. "Eh, I think I'll go with you. Don't trust you, think you really have gotten senile. Or is it that ten years of celibacy has finally gotten to you?"
At that comment, Kenshin smacked Sanosuke's head so hard that if Saitou had saw it right now, he would be running back to Tokio with his wolf's tail between his legs.
"Ara . . ."
Kenshin got to Kaoru's room, a semi-dazed Sanosuke in tow. Just as he was about to knock, Yahiko burst towards them, a hand clutching his widely grinning face.
"Yahiko?"
"Oh, Kenshin," Yahiko said, grinning foolishly. "Why are you here?"
Sanosuke recovered. "Hey, Yahiko-chan, why are you clutching your face like that?"
For once, Yahiko didn't bother to yell at Sano for calling him Yahiko- chan. "it's because of this . . ." He took his hand off from his cheek.
"Oro!"
"Who . . .?" Sano said weakly.
Yahiko fingered the red lip mark on his cheek. "Tsubame," he said dreamily. "I am never washing this face again."
"Good for you, Yahiko." Kenshin stared back at the door in consternation.
Yahiko snapped out of this daze, seeing Kenshin so worried at seemingly nothing. "Hey, Kenshin, why are you staring at busu's door like that? If you want to go in and put moves on her," he said, chuckling, "we'll gladly give you privacy."
"Oro!" Kenshin sweatdropped and stared glumly at Yahiko and Sano. "Both of you are so cruel to sessha."
"But, seriously, Kenshin, what's up with jo-chan?"
"Sessha isn't sure . . . but sessha shall check on her."
Kenshin knocked softly on the door. "Kaoru-dono?"
There was a slight scuffling inside. Then: "Hai?"
Kenshin breathed a sigh of relief. "It's sessha, Kaoru-dono. Are you . . . alright?"
"Hai, Kenshin-san, I'm fine just rather sleepy."
"Oh, then sessha will not bother you anymore. Good night, Kaoru- dono."
"Night, Kenshin-san."
He turned around to the leering faces of Yahiko and Sanosuke. "Hey, Kenshin," Yahiko said, sneering, "were you worried busu didn't get enough sleep? HEY! CUT THAT OUT!"
Kenshin walked away, with Yahiko's collar caught on the sheath of his sakabatou, which he had slung over his shoulder. "Shh, Kaoru-dono is sleeping."
Kenshin sighed happily. And here he was, thinking that something was wrong. She was just sleep, she said so herself . . .
"ORO!!!"
Sanosuke sighed. "What now, Kenshin? Want to make tea for Jo-chan?"
"Kaoru-dono never calls me Kenshin-san!"
"Uh . . ."
With his godlike speed, Kenshin raced back. Without knocking, he threw open the door.
And then, his mouth dropped to the floor, for it was not Kaoru in her room, but a plump, short old woman in a blue dress.
"Oro! Where is Kaoru-dono!" He snatched the paper the woman had been holding. "Dear Kenshin-san . . . I am leaving?" He glared at the woman. "Firstly, Kaoru-dono never calls me Kenshin-san, and secondly, she doesn't have this handwriting. What have you done with her?"
"Well, nothing . . . it IS her business . . ." The woman straightened up indignantly. "I, a fairy godmother, has the right to remain silent."
Chink. Kenshin flicked the hilt of his sakabatou up a bit. His eyes narrowed. "Oh, really?"
"Uh . . . or maybe I'll tell you."
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"Oro! So Kaoru-dono was with Battousai? So that dream might've really happened?"
"Hai, I'm afraid so."
Sano shook his head a bit. "Ah, selfishness, she can't stand the thought of not being the best. But, then, selfishness and love did always go hand in hand . . ."
"Sanosuke," Yahiko said scathingly, "That quote is so old."
Kenshin glared at them impatiently. "So," he said, turning back to the fairy godmother, "When can Kaoru-dono return?"
"Well . . ."
"WELL?"
"Gee, temper . . ." The fairy godmother smoothed her dress. "It all depends on her."
"Oro?"
"Well, if she returns, she'll return by midnight. That is only considering that she doesn't change the future."
"Like make me die or something?"
"Hai."
"Oro . . ."
"But I don't think she will." The fairy godmother grinned cheekily at Kenshin. "She is mucho head over heels over you, pretty boy. You should see her dreams: the situations you two are in are either overly cheesy or overly promiscuous."
"Oro . . ."
Yahiko grinned widely. "Like what?"
The fairy godmother thought hard. "Oh, there was one where she and pretty boy over here were on a picnic, which ended in some kissing and fluffy bunnies all over the place. And there was another one where - er, Kenshin was posing with his sakabatou."
"What is so bad about sessha with sessha's sakabatou?"
"Posing ONLY with your sakabatou."
"Oro!"
"Oh, Kenshin," Yahiko nudged, laughing, "Never knew you modeled."
Kenshin glared sullenly. "Everybody wants a piece of sessha today," he muttered.
Kenshin turned back to the fairy godmother. "What will happen if Kaoru changes the past?"
"The future will be altered."
"Meaning . . .?"
"You will all change. This future will not exist, and instead, another one will take its place. Don't worry," she said, seeing the concerned look on Kenshin's face, "Most people's lives will still be the same. It's just the people that she immediately affects who have a considerably different future."
"So . . . we won't exist?"
"You'll disappear. You'll all forget about this one. Well, maybe not all of it, a few shattered memories may exist, but . . ."
An awkward silence hung over everybody. Then suddenly, Yahiko yelped.
"Hey, Yahiko," Sano said with a raised eyebrow, "Are you ok?"
Yahiko seemed beyond reason. "Feet! No Feet!"
"Oro?"
"Oh my lord," the fairy godmother said, shocked, "She changed the future . . . the future changed . . ."
Kenshin looked down at his own feet, and saw that it had disappeared. And now his knees too. And it wasn't only him; everybody and everything was disappearing into a black haze.
"Good luck, Kenshin," the fairy godmother said. She disappeared.
"What the F*** is happening?" Sano said, wildly swinging his arms around.
"Sessha . . ."
"Oh, Kenshin, would you drop the sesshas already? Who cares if you're unworthy, WE'RE VANISHING INTO NOWHERE!!!"
"ORO!!!"
The blankness was up to Kenshin's upper chest now. He watched, horrified, as Yahiko's head disappeared beneath the rising darkness.
"Sano, WHAT IS HAPPENING?"
"I don't know, but if I meet Jo-chan in my other future I'll hurt her badly."
"SANO! PROMISE ME YOU WON"T HURT KAORU-DONO!!!"
"Wha . . ."
"PROMISE!" Kenshin's chin and mouth went under.
"Alright, alright, Jo-chan will be untouched by me!!!"
That was the last thing Kenshin heard. His head went under, and he felt himself drawn into a vortex.
[o.O didn't know how this turned into such a twilight zone thingy . . .]