KatDrama: I'm b-a-c-k! Didja miss me?
Kitty: (looks up from playing cards with the other variations of Kat) What? You were gone?
KatD: When was this?
Rurouni KatDrama: Did you have fun?
Dark Kat: Why did you come back?
Kitty: Where did you go?
KatD: Who did you...
KatDrama: No more questions! What matters is that I'm back. I hope you guys didn't screw up my rep too much while I was gone.
KatD: (snorts) What rep? (Other kats (except Dark Kat) burst out in laughter)
KatDrama: (sighs in frustration) I don't know WHY I ever associated myself with you guys.
Kitty: (makes a puppy dog face and pouts) because you love us!
KatDrama: (rubs temples) Yeah, like I love a zit.
Rurouni KatDrama: What was that?? That was not nice, that it was not!!
KatDrama: Well, you deserved it! Anywhoo, getting back to business---
I now shall answer my favorite reviewer, (or at least I thought it was her...I dunno...) (Hugs Twilight Sky) It don't matter if it was your sister who's been reviewing my story, I still enjoy getting reviews from you! But tell your sister to get her own account so I can know who is who when I get a review! I'm confused! So, all this time was it your SISTER reviewing, or was some of that you? 0o I fear that you have lost me, I am confused...but either way I still like you! By the way, have I mentioned that you're my favorite reviewer?! (unless, of course, all those past reviews were really from your sister, then in that case she's my favorite reviewer)
Anywhoo, I guess, thanx for ALL the reviews from EVERYONE who has reviewed my story! I love you all! (hugs all the startled readers with a big smile)
And now, on with the story....can we have some ominous music? Thank you.
Oh, and the song in this chapter was written by ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (smiles)
--
Whispering Sunshine
Chapter 13
And the Rain Falls
A light rain drizzled on in the aftermath of the storm. Off in the distance the occasional thunder boomed, warning that another thunderstorm was on its way.
"Come on Kaoru, please, just try and eat something." Kenshin coaxed the girl with a tray of steaming food. It was the next day.
"No." The depressed girl sniffed back a tear while rejecting the tray.
Kenshin sighed as he sat down beside her and almost automatically he wrapped a comforting arm around her sobbing shoulders.
Kaoru looked up at him, startled for a moment, before collapsing into the rurouni's inviting arms. Kenshin began to soothingly rub her back.
"It's all right, that it is." He tried to calm her down. "I'm sure you did not mean to grab Sachi. You were scared for Yahiko, that you were. I'm sure that she will forgive you."
"No, Kenshin! You don't get it!" Kaoru cried into his kimono, drenching its burgundy surface with her salty tears. "I know that I acted in haste, but somehow, deep down inside of me, I feel like I actually wanted to hurt her!"
"No, Kaoru..." Kenshin tried to reason with her.
"Kenshin, can't you see?! I've hated her since the very moment that you carried her through the dojo gate! I've hated her guts, but now that I've shown it, I...I..." She began to sob uncontrollably. "I want to take it back!" She finally said. "All the mean things I've said to her, all the threats I've made, all the bad thoughts I've even had about her, I want to take them all back! I wish I'd never been so angry, so...so...jealous!" She confessed.
"Jealous over what?" Kenshin pried. "What has Sachi ever had that you were envious of?"
Kaoru bit her lip when she realized what she had said. What can I tell him? That I was actually competing for his love?! Her mind whirred for an answer. "Just, she was getting all the attention and I felt like I was being thrown out of the picture!" She hurriedly made up.
"Kaoru, you know that's not true." Kenshin smiled playfully. "We all love you here at the dojo. You know that a sick or injured person needs to be taken care of more than a well person. We couldn't pay attention to you all the time, but we knew you were there, just the same." He hugged her closer to him.
"I'd hate to break up this pretty picture but Sachi's waking." Megumi rolled her eyes at the couple.
"See, now everything will be alright! Sachi will forgive you and you will have a fresh chance to be nice to her." Kenshin held Kaoru's hand lightly as he pulled her up to her feet.
--
"U-h..." Sachi moaned as she rolled over. Her head and body throbbed all over with pain. She opened her eyes. Through the one that wasn't covered by a bandage she saw a figure come into focus on the futon several feet away from her. Yahiko! Her sleepy mind snapped to attention as the picture cleared.
"Good morning." Yahiko spoke softly as he tilted his head and reached out his bandaged hand to touch hers.
Sachi gasped in surprise as she saw his face clearly for the first time. When she saw his soft smile she herself visibly relaxed and she slowly extended her hand to meet his.
"Oh!" The boy looked from her face to the wound on her arm. "Sachi..." He spoke gratefully. "You saved me!"
Sachi beamed one of her sunny smiles as she traced the edge of his face. And you saved me. She thought.
--
"Sorry I'm late!" A dirty yet familiar free loader boomed as he swung the gate open.
"Sano, what happened to you?" Kenshin had just helped Kaoru up and now he was studying the scratches and scrapes that covered his fighting friend's body.
"Oh, a little house close to mine collapsed because of all the rain water. There were some people still inside and I felt it my duty to help 'em." He yawned. "Been at it all night."
"Sanosuke the Rooster Head HELP someone?" Megumi laughed.
"Hey! I'll remember that next time your house collapses on you!" He pointed rudely at the cackling fox lady.
Kenshin smiled brightly. Maybe it would be a semi-normal day after all.
--
"Now remember, she hasn't SEEN us yet so she may be surprised, maybe even a bit scared. Take things slowly and calmly and re-introduce yourself to her." Megumi instructed the others outside before entering Yahiko's room.
Sachi turned away from Yahiko when she heard the door behind her slide open.
"Whoa, what happened to you guys?" A tall man in a white coat and pants asked as he entered. He had the funniest looking hair she had ever seen. Next came a small man with red hair and behind him a sniffling girl and the doctor. They all took seats around her.
"How are you feeling?" Megumi propped her up so she could see better. "Do you remember me? I'm Megumi." Sachi smiled in recognition since it hurt to move her head.
"Hey, Sachi. How's it going? The name's Sagara Sanosuke. I gave you your name." Sano winked as he shook her hand.
"Duh, you lug head! How could she forget a rude free loader such as yourself? I'll bet there's a reason that there's only one of you on this entire planet! Somebody's got to make other people look smart."
"Nice to see you're yourself too, kid." Sano whacked Yahiko on the head.
"Sanosuke! What have I told you about injuring patients in my care?!" Megumi fumed.
"Uh, yes ma'am." Sano backed away.
The man with the red hair laughed gently. "Good morning, Sachi. This one is called Kenshin, that he is. Kaoru would like to say something to you, that she would." The rurouni pushed the sniveling girl in front of him.
The girl's lips moved and it sounded like an apology but it really didn't reach Sachi's ears. Her senses were focused on one object in the room. The crossed shaped scar that filled her vision.
-- (flashback)
Thunder, lightning, everything was dark and stormy.
"Why do you want to kill me?!" A man huddled against the window side of his western style house.
"You have sold arms to both sides of the war, therefore you are a traitor to both and must be stopped." A shadowed figure drew his sword.
"Please, just spare my daughter."
The fighter glanced over to the scared spit less girl in an aqua blue kimono that huddled in the corner. His narrow eyes searched the pale figure. "Alright, but only because she is young and not corrupt like her father!" The swordsman lunged forward; his blade pierced the man's heart and the scarlet blood that spilled forward glittered with a flash of lightning.
"PAPA!!!!!!"
Whistles tweeted outside as police stormed the building.
"Daughter, I'm sorry. It was wrong to move here...please...go home, to wherever you desire to be home..." Sachi's father squeezed her hand one last time as his life, his blood drained from him.
Sachi's eyes brimmed with tears and she shook her head forcefully as if she could open her eyes and find it was all a dream. A bolt of lightning illuminated the room again and she gazed into the piercing glare of the assassin. Deep purple eyes glared at her. The sudden flash of light lighted up his face, revealing his red hair and a scar on his left cheek...
--
-Singing-
And the rain falls
(Whispered) ( and I can't sleep)
And the rain falls
( dreams haunt me)
And the rain falls
(I keep running)
And the rain falls
(but there's no escape)
--
Sachi gasped as panic began to fill her. All this time she had been deceived? Her rescuer was a murderer? She had been staying with a man slayer?!
"What's wrong?" Kaoru stopped her long confessing apology when she saw fear in the girl's eyes. She followed Sachi's terrified gaze.
"What is it, Sachi?" Kenshin approached her.
-screaming singing-
An the lightning
"Clash!"
An the thunder
"Crash!"
And I keep falling
Screaming
Eternally
--
First Sachi felt fear, but it was soon overcome with anger. What is wrong? What is WRONG?! She felt like screaming. You killed my father!!! Sachi shakily stood up and began edging away from the former Hitokiri Battosai.
"Sachi, you really shouldn't be up. Please, lie back down." Megumi gently grabbed her arm and directed her towards the futon.
Sachi wrenched her arm away from the doctor and continued walking away, her eyes never leaving the rurouni's.
"Sachi, what's wrong? Where are you going?" Yahiko sat up in bed. Sachi risked a sideways glance at the boy. She would miss him, and she was grateful for what he had done. But stay in the house with the man who killed so many? Never!
"Hey, kid, settle down..." Sano began to slide towards her.
Sachi shook her head forcefully and turned to run. Though her body screamed at her to not move she ignored the pain and ran out of the gate.
"Dam." Sano cursed and began to run after her.
-singing-
Won't you stop me?
(Whispered) (Stop this storm)
Won't you save me?
(I need you more)
Help me...
(help me...)
Save me...
From my memories!
--
"Aren't you going after her too?" Kaoru looked over at Kenshin.
The rurouni lowered his head. "No."
"But why?!" Kaoru grabbed his arm.
"She ran away because of me." He turned and walked away.
Kaoru stood dazed for a moment. "I don't believe him." She snorted before running off behind Sano.
"Will she be okay?" Yahiko looked for Megumi's opinion.
"They'll bring her back. In Sachi's condition she won't be able to go far." The doctor sighed. "But I fear of what the exertion will do to her health."
--
Sachi's heart pounded faster than her footsteps and her it throbbed louder than the thunder that now sounded pretty close. The rain began to fall faster. She looked in a panicked daze from left to right, searching for an escape.
-singing-
Father...
I'm calling
I miss you
(whispered) (want you)
Come back
(...to me)
--
Suddenly she found herself lost in the crowds in the market. She stumbled out in front of a caricature booth.
"Hello, how may I help you?" The old merchant was eager to make a sale. Sachi hurried to get away when a picture caught her eye. Of all of the days!! They had to have a brand new picture of the Hitokiri Battosai!!
-Singing -
Kenshin...
I hold you
I know you
But do I really?
--
Sachi grabbed the picture with her trembling hands. She held it up for a closer look. Her emotions began to boil and tears began to splash unto the paper, smearing the ink.
"Hey! Watch what you're doing! You're going to have to pay for that!" The kind old merchant suddenly turned angry.
Sachi fled, throwing the picture to the muddy ground. Of course in the rain it was now totally ruined.
"Hey! Stop! Police!! Vandal!" The merchant man screamed until he was red in the face.
Police whistles filled the air. They were on the hunt! Sachi pushed her way through the crowds of people trying to buy their stuff and hurry home to get out of the rain. Now, more than ever, was she in need of a hiding place. She jumped out of the crowd in front of a man in a blue suit.
Sachi looked up as a flash of lightning filled the sky. She stared into the eyes of the policeman! Cold panic filled her. She turned to run, only to see more men in uniform appearing through the crowd. She was surrounded! As much as she hated to get in more trouble than she already was, she decided to take a stand.
--An the lightning
"Clash!"
An the thunder
"Crash!"
An I see your blood stained blade
You shall haunt me
In my dreams...
Eternally...
--
Slowly she slid her right foot out behind her and put her fists in front. Rain began to pour more heavily from the sky, soaking everyone beneath the clouds. A flash of lightning and it began!
One policeman with a bokken lunged forward. Sachi dodged, but was hit from behind from another one. Soon she was overwhelmed as strikes began to pound her to the ground from all over the place. Before she knew it she found herself lying in the mud on the bottom of a dog pile. They bound her hands and lifted her up and began to march her off. Sachi hung her head. It was all over now. No sense in fighting. She gave in as they pushed her along.
-sad, fading singing-
And the rain falls
(whispered) (an I can't sleep)
And the rain falls
(dreams haunt me)
And the rain falls
(but there's no escape...from memories.)
(So I scream...and awake)
--
--
"Sachi!!" Sano called as he swirled about the market place in the icy rain.
"Sachi!!" Kaoru called from the other side of the street.
"Excuse me sir, but have you seen a tall girl about my height with blond hair and covered in bandages?" Sano asked a random merchant.
"Yeah." The old man sneered. "She wrecked my merchandise and then didn't pay for it. I called the police on her." He laughed as he straightened out a wrinkled picture. "She'll pay for it, one way or another."
Sano gasped. "What did she do? Where did they take her? When was this."
The man sighed as though he was annoyed. "They took her to the police station about two, maybe three hours ago. She ruined one of these new pictures. Kind of gory, isn't it?" He handed the rooster head a copy of the picture of the red haired Hitokiri Battosai standing with a blood stained sword over his victims.
"Kenshin..." Sano's eyes widened as the situation began to become clearer. "Sir." He suddenly turned to the merchant. "How much does one of these pictures cost?"
"Oh, they're not expensive. About two yen." The merchant scratched his rough chin.
"If I paid for the damage would you drop the charges?" Sano asked.
"I beg your pardon?" The merchant thought he was hearing things.
"If the damage was paid for would you drop the charges?" Sano repeated.
"It's not the money that I called the police on her about. It's the principle. Criminals gotta learn from their mistakes, you know. If you can't do the time then don't do the crime." He informed the annoying man.
"Sir, would you please come with me? I have to get her out of jail. She is still recovering from some serious injuries and I need to get her back to the doctor. She wasn't herself when she did this." Sano pleaded with the man.
"All right, I'll go to the police station with you, but I ain't guaranteeing nothing." The man grumpily sighed. "Wife! Get out her an watch the stand!" He yelled into the back of his shop. Some naughty complaining and whining that obviously came from his wife followed his yell.
--
"Yes, we have that girl here." The policeman in charge of the station confirmed. "She's done nothing but cry and beat herself against the walls and bars. She keeps yelling for some guy "Kenshin"."
Sano felt pity well up in his heart. He explained to the policeman the arrangement that he had proposed to the merchant and why he needed to get her out.
"I don't know, I'd have to talk to my chief..." The man was very reluctant.
"I'd like to speak to the police chief. I know him personally." Sano stated.
"Really? Uh...uh...right away sir." The young officer was gone momentarily. Soon he returned, followed by the police chief himself. "Mister Sagara?" He asked, extending his hand. "You were with the Battosai on the Jin-e case, correct?"
"I'm flattered you remembered." Sano smiled.
"It's not hard remembering a buffoon such as yourself." The police chief pointed out.
"Did you have to mention that?" Sano shrunk a bit.
"Here, have a seat. I believe we have a few things to discuss." The chief led the men into his office and shut the door securely behind them.
--
Sano sighed as he looked at the document in his hand. Jou-chan is going to kill me when she sees that I charged this much to the dojo. But was I to do? I don't have any money...He thought. Man, who woulda thought that a merchant could weasel so much money off of a picture that originally only cost two yen?
"This way." An officer directed him down the rows of cells. "Here we go. And remember, we'll be keeping an eye on her. The next thing that goes wrong and she'll be in here, got that?"
Sano numbly nodded. "I'll keep her out of trouble." He entered the cell. "Sachi, I..." He stopped and stare compassionately at the girl. She had worn herself out to the point that she laid on the floor. Over and over she mumbled his name in her restless state. "Kenshin..." She moaned as Sano picked her up in his arms.
"No, it's me, Sano." He corrected her as he carried her out of the police station. He looked down at her sweaty face.
"Where...is Kenshin?" She looked back at him as though she was dazed.
"At the dojo. Should we go there, or should I take you to the hospital?"
"Kenshin..." She cried as she felt her tiredness consume her and she fell asleep in Sano's strong arms.
"The dojo it is." Sano smiled as he continued walking on the soft fresh earth. The rain stopped and the sun started to peek out from the clouds. I hope she accepts Kenshin this time... He thought.
--
KatDrama: Hi guys! Was this chapter long enough? Did you like my song? You did get the words in the ( ) things were like whispered singing and the rest was like heavy metal singing. I wanted to write more but I have to go do other things.
Kitty: Please review!
KatDrama: And if any of you know of a place that lets you create a web site (or page, whatever) for free and that's faster than a snail please let me know. I've tried creating a Kenshin website on Tripod but it's so slow that it's going to take me FOREVER to do it, so if you know of any good places, please let me know.
Rurouni KatDrama: Did we mention that you should review? That you should!
Bye!!