Puppeteers
Note: Muahahahaha! I got a 1210 on my SAT!! I don't have to take it again! I got a 28 on the ACT! I don't have to take that again either! Gods, yes, I'm very happy with this. And my senior culminating project has become the annual 'amoeba project' that continues to grow and assimilate new tasks with each day... I started out with just organizing Earth Day at my school... then decided to utilize my free period to teach freshman about environmentalism. But that wasn't enough, and now I'm helping the 4th grade Science teacher with her 'Environmental Club' for the kids, AND taking over Beta Club. Oh, gee, I think I'm going to be busy next year. Thank you guys so very much for reviewing me and supporting me through my icky moments of Junior year. As a reward, and a great surprise to me, I can extend this story into the summer, and will not have to have it finished by the 25th, as previously planned. Joy!
Wolf Creek- As a matter of fact... I don't know what they feel like... but I have been electrocuted by a fence... But, the point is that it should hurt Hiro... otherwise it wouldn't be torture, would it?
(((((((((())))))))))
Chapter Nine- Your Sake
Kaoru's eyes followed me as I moved mechanically to set the bucket of water onto the floor of my master's house. He stared at me. She stared at me.
It was infuriating.
"Kaoru... you don't have to be here. I'm sure Misao-dono would be thrilled if you stayed with her." My voice was even. Training would be difficult, but would become strained if she were near.
Hiko's eyes were shining with something like amusement. I would have hit him if I were still young and reckless. "The young lady can stay if she wants."
Kaoru nodded to him in appreciation. "Thank you..." She murmured quietly, and then looked up at me. "Kenshin, I don't intend to go anywhere... Misao is a lovely girl, but I don't belong there."
"It's for your own good." I replied gently.
Her eyes smiled. "Kenshin, I know you don't want anything to happen to me, but I think I'd be better off here. I know I would be safer if I were closer to you."
Idiot! My mind screamed at me. There was no point to this. No point for the hope I was suddenly feeling. Kaoru was still engaged. Hiro was not just going to disappear. "Kaoru, it's for your sake. I won't be around most of the day, if Hiko-sensei will even let me come back."
My master glanced at me. "That you should not worry about." His eyes hid something from me.
I sighed and dropped my arms uselessly to my side. There was no fighting them. "Fine..." I muttered.
Hiko stood up suddenly and seized my arm, pulling me toward the door roughly. "We need to talk." He growled.
I nodded slowly; numbly.
Kaoru's eyes followed me all the way to the door, where I shook off his hand and turned back to her.
"Sensei... we can talk soon. I have to do something first."
He nodded at me, and walked slowly into the woods with his sake jar in his hand.
I turned back to Kaoru and offered my hand to her. She stood quickly and took it.
I led her to a massive tree and showed her how to climb it. After she was perched on one of the branches steadily, I climbed up myself to a branch directly adjacent to it.
I stared out from the mountain, the lights of Kyoto barely showing in the distance, just as they had not when I was younger. "I used to come here when I was young. When I was done with training for the day... when I was angry at Hiko..." I turned to look at her.
She smiled. "I didn't know... it's a beautiful view though."
I nodded slowly, turning away from her. "It's a lonely place though. I never imagined I would ever bring someone here. It was my secret place." I leaned over slightly and took her hand, guiding it to the trunk. To the mark I had made years before.
Her eyes clouded with incomprehension as her fingers traced the characters. I watched the moonlight catch her skin and make it glow just as realization flashed into her eyes. "Shin...ta..." She whispered and I nodded.
"My secret."
She looked away from the tree, at me. "Shinta..."
"Kenshin." I told her. "Kenshin, as long as I shall live... Because Shinta is gone."
She gave away her pity with her eyes, and I knew.
Kaoru... Her name echoed through my head over and over as her eyes stared into mine. Dear Kami... This isn't right...
"Kenshin..." She began, trailing off slowly.
I stared at her, knowing what had to be done. What she was asking. What was right. What I had to do. "Kaoru... Go back to Tokyo. And if you won't go back there, then go to Kyoto. Stay with Misao... You can't stay here. For your sake." I pulled her from the branch and helped her to the ground. "Go back to Hiro..." I smiled sadly. "For your sake."
And I turned back into the night, walking toward the forest. She wasn't crying this time. She wasn't screaming... just standing there. Silent.
Silent.
Silent.
"You're wrong... Shinta." She said calmly.
I paused in my step for a moment. "For my sake, Kaoru-dono."
(((((((((())))))))))
Note: Actually... this chapter was completely stream of consciousness... I swear. But I like this chapter a lot... I know everyone's mad at me now... but I promise there's a point to everything, and there will be a good, somewhat happy ending. But since I can extend this, I can add things that will make the plot better.
Reviews! Please review this time around... ::hands everyone homemade chocolate:: For you all... to enjoy... ::grins and bounces happily:: Hiro's a bit tired... asleep right now... ::points to him sleeping in the corner and smiles:: So... do be quiet... ::coughs emphatically and hands everyone bullhorns:: Review please!
Note: Muahahahaha! I got a 1210 on my SAT!! I don't have to take it again! I got a 28 on the ACT! I don't have to take that again either! Gods, yes, I'm very happy with this. And my senior culminating project has become the annual 'amoeba project' that continues to grow and assimilate new tasks with each day... I started out with just organizing Earth Day at my school... then decided to utilize my free period to teach freshman about environmentalism. But that wasn't enough, and now I'm helping the 4th grade Science teacher with her 'Environmental Club' for the kids, AND taking over Beta Club. Oh, gee, I think I'm going to be busy next year. Thank you guys so very much for reviewing me and supporting me through my icky moments of Junior year. As a reward, and a great surprise to me, I can extend this story into the summer, and will not have to have it finished by the 25th, as previously planned. Joy!
Wolf Creek- As a matter of fact... I don't know what they feel like... but I have been electrocuted by a fence... But, the point is that it should hurt Hiro... otherwise it wouldn't be torture, would it?
(((((((((())))))))))
Chapter Nine- Your Sake
Kaoru's eyes followed me as I moved mechanically to set the bucket of water onto the floor of my master's house. He stared at me. She stared at me.
It was infuriating.
"Kaoru... you don't have to be here. I'm sure Misao-dono would be thrilled if you stayed with her." My voice was even. Training would be difficult, but would become strained if she were near.
Hiko's eyes were shining with something like amusement. I would have hit him if I were still young and reckless. "The young lady can stay if she wants."
Kaoru nodded to him in appreciation. "Thank you..." She murmured quietly, and then looked up at me. "Kenshin, I don't intend to go anywhere... Misao is a lovely girl, but I don't belong there."
"It's for your own good." I replied gently.
Her eyes smiled. "Kenshin, I know you don't want anything to happen to me, but I think I'd be better off here. I know I would be safer if I were closer to you."
Idiot! My mind screamed at me. There was no point to this. No point for the hope I was suddenly feeling. Kaoru was still engaged. Hiro was not just going to disappear. "Kaoru, it's for your sake. I won't be around most of the day, if Hiko-sensei will even let me come back."
My master glanced at me. "That you should not worry about." His eyes hid something from me.
I sighed and dropped my arms uselessly to my side. There was no fighting them. "Fine..." I muttered.
Hiko stood up suddenly and seized my arm, pulling me toward the door roughly. "We need to talk." He growled.
I nodded slowly; numbly.
Kaoru's eyes followed me all the way to the door, where I shook off his hand and turned back to her.
"Sensei... we can talk soon. I have to do something first."
He nodded at me, and walked slowly into the woods with his sake jar in his hand.
I turned back to Kaoru and offered my hand to her. She stood quickly and took it.
I led her to a massive tree and showed her how to climb it. After she was perched on one of the branches steadily, I climbed up myself to a branch directly adjacent to it.
I stared out from the mountain, the lights of Kyoto barely showing in the distance, just as they had not when I was younger. "I used to come here when I was young. When I was done with training for the day... when I was angry at Hiko..." I turned to look at her.
She smiled. "I didn't know... it's a beautiful view though."
I nodded slowly, turning away from her. "It's a lonely place though. I never imagined I would ever bring someone here. It was my secret place." I leaned over slightly and took her hand, guiding it to the trunk. To the mark I had made years before.
Her eyes clouded with incomprehension as her fingers traced the characters. I watched the moonlight catch her skin and make it glow just as realization flashed into her eyes. "Shin...ta..." She whispered and I nodded.
"My secret."
She looked away from the tree, at me. "Shinta..."
"Kenshin." I told her. "Kenshin, as long as I shall live... Because Shinta is gone."
She gave away her pity with her eyes, and I knew.
Kaoru... Her name echoed through my head over and over as her eyes stared into mine. Dear Kami... This isn't right...
"Kenshin..." She began, trailing off slowly.
I stared at her, knowing what had to be done. What she was asking. What was right. What I had to do. "Kaoru... Go back to Tokyo. And if you won't go back there, then go to Kyoto. Stay with Misao... You can't stay here. For your sake." I pulled her from the branch and helped her to the ground. "Go back to Hiro..." I smiled sadly. "For your sake."
And I turned back into the night, walking toward the forest. She wasn't crying this time. She wasn't screaming... just standing there. Silent.
Silent.
Silent.
"You're wrong... Shinta." She said calmly.
I paused in my step for a moment. "For my sake, Kaoru-dono."
(((((((((())))))))))
Note: Actually... this chapter was completely stream of consciousness... I swear. But I like this chapter a lot... I know everyone's mad at me now... but I promise there's a point to everything, and there will be a good, somewhat happy ending. But since I can extend this, I can add things that will make the plot better.
Reviews! Please review this time around... ::hands everyone homemade chocolate:: For you all... to enjoy... ::grins and bounces happily:: Hiro's a bit tired... asleep right now... ::points to him sleeping in the corner and smiles:: So... do be quiet... ::coughs emphatically and hands everyone bullhorns:: Review please!