Chapter 16
Return of Shinomori
Kaoru's eye twitched nervously as Dr. Gensai chewed her out. Great. She thought. I bet he thinks of me as a little kid again. Say, that is one large fly buzzing over his head. I wonder if I can kill it with my shinai. Her thoughts wandered as the doctor continued his criticizing sermon. Kaoru bit her upper lip as her eyes followed the fly over the nearly bald man's head. Yak, yak, yak. I've heard it before, just stand still so I can whack that bug...her shinai shivered nervously.
"Kaoru-chan! Have you been listening to ANYTHING I've said?" Dr. Gensai noticed her distraction.
"Huh? Oh, yes, I promise never to do it again." Kaoru smiled innocently as her shinai suddenly disappeared behind her back.
Dr. Gensai sighed wearily. "Kaoru-chan, what am I going to do with you? I can't let you go around whacking my patients and assistants over the head. Why can't you just settle down and be like other girls?"
Kaoru's eyebrow popped up like the trigger on a gun about to explode. "Are you saying I'm not feminine enough? That I'm too tom-boyish?!" Her shinai peaked out from behind her back.
"No, no! Nothing like that!" Dr. Gensai nervously backed away from the girl. He coughed once to regain his confidence. "I just wish you'd stop hitting people over the head. I mean, think of poor Yahiko. He'll probably have to live with permanent damage..."
The trigger was pulled. The shinai snapped with a loud crack over Dr. Gensai's head.
"Yes mummy...I would like the pretty pink pony." Dr. Gensai garbled as the room spun like a kaleidoscope of odd colors and bright stars. With a moan the good doctor collapsed on the floor.
As the steam finished pouring from Kaoru's ears she looked down at the elderly man napping on the floor. "Whoops!" Her eyes darted about. Luckily they had been alone in the doctor's office, so no witnesses. Quietly she backed out of the room.
"She BIT you?!" Sano gasped as he looked from Megumi's arm to Sachi.
"Wha?" Megumi's eyes still swirled.
"Ouch! Kaoru hit you hard, are you okay?" Yahiko prodded the blonde who sat dazed on the waiting room floor.
Kenshin, still ashamed at his mistake of running into the ladies ward tried to hide his embarrassment by being busy tending to the wounds afflicted upon Kaoru's victims.
"Kenshin, that's not how you wrap a head wound!" Sano exclaimed.
"Oro?"
Yahiko smiled as the rooster took over bandaging the growing bump on Sachi's head. "And you would know this because?" He smiled.
"Watch your mouth, kiddo. I've taken care of you plenty of times, enough to know what I'm doing." Sanosuke snapped. Turning red in the face, steam began to pour out of Yahiko's ears.
"Ma! Ma!" Kenshin placed himself between the two just as Kaoru burst through the office doors. Gasping for air she quickly scanned the room and in a swift movement grabbed Sachi by her hakama belt. "Oro?!" Kenshin sensed hostility.
"We got what we came for, let's go!" Kaoru looked back into the rurouni's violet eyes, her own reflecting urgency. Without a second thought Kaoru hefted the dazed girl over her shoulder and started walking away before the weight overbalanced her and they ended up as a pile on the floor.
"Here, here, let's not hurt anyone any more than they already are." Kenshin righted Sachi and gave Kaoru a hand to her feet.
"I'm gonna stay here and take care of the fox." Sano said with the most serious face he could manage while bandaging the kitsune's arm.
Megumi blinked as her senses began to return to her. Smiling endearingly she leaned against the muscular man that had her arm. Purring slightly she smiled. Almost instantly her fox ears popped up. "Ready for that entertainment, Sanosuke?" She whispered while giggling into his ear. She grabbed a fistful of his jacket and pulled him in close for a sloppy kiss. Sano's eyes snapped open wide as he felt himself pulled away to the fox's lair.
Yahiko watched with amusement. "Way to go, Sano! Whoo-hoo! You da ladies man!" He cheered.
Covering his face to hide from any more embarrassment Kenshin quickly grabbed the boy by the back of his shirt and threw him out the door. Then turning he grabbed one of Sachi's arms and dragged her through said yonder door. Kaoru followed automatically.
The group was about a block away from the hospital when it became suddenly clear that Dr. Gensai was no longer unconscious. The shout riveted through the air. "MEGUMI! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! AND IN MY HOSPITAL!!!!!!"
Everyone blushed slightly as they quickened their pace back to the dojo.
--
The last leaves of fall fell, and soon the cold winds of winter filled the land of Japan. The winter went without much event. Sure, every now and then there would be some goons trying to recapture Sachi, but Kenshin always defeated them with ease, for it was obvious that they were not skilled in the art of fighting. Sachi, on the other hand was making steady process learning Kamiya Kasshin-ryu. Even Kaoru saw big potential in the strong teenager. The biggest news of the season was probably the most surprising. The announcement of Megumi's engagement to Sanosuke came as a shock to most. The wedding was planned for spring, when the cherry blossoms would fall...
--
Sachi twirled happily in the warm sunlight. Winter's snow was finally melting and she soaked up the sun. Closing her eyes momentarily she breathed contentedly before she remembered the damp kimono that she still held in her hands. Quickly she slapped the loose water from the garment and hung it over the line to dry. Smiling she turned around and squatted beside the washbasin to start on the next, and thankfully, last, piece of dirty laundry. She glanced up at the rurouni who sat across from her. Working at a tough stain she was snapped back to reality when his voice broke the silence.
"Thank you for helping me with the laundry, Sachi-dono." Kenshin said without looking up for he too was working at a hard spot.
"Don't mention it, Kenshin-kun. With two people it goes much faster, wouldn't you agree?" She smiled. On her bright blue eyes the reflection of the water danced.
"That it does." The redhead nodded. With a sigh of satisfaction he stood up and hung the hakama on the line. He reached into the basket only to find that there were no more clothes to wash.
"I'm almost done." Sachi smiled up at him. Chuckling to himself the rurouni smiled back at her. He was quite amazed at what a hard worker she was, at least, compared to everyone else at the dojo, such as Yahiko.
"Then, if you don't mind, I believe I shall go start some lunch." He wiped his sudsy hands on a dry apron.
"Okay, I'll be along shortly." Sachi stated as she continued to work at the stain. The wandering swordsman smiled contentedly as he hopped off to the kitchen to be sure to get there before Kaoru started some monstrosity that she would call food.
In a matter of minutes the garment seemed clean, so Sachi happily stood and hung it up on the line.
"Splosh!" The water sloshed out of the bucket unto the dusty ground.
"Oh, thank you." Sachi turned to see who had emptied the wash bin. Her heart leapt into her throat when her eyes fell upon a face that she'd hoped she had escaped. Her boss's thugs had silently surrounded her without her knowing. Dam! Her thoughts raced. For a moment she thought of calling Kenshin back.
"Hello, miss us?" The leader of the pack sneered as he advanced.
"Don't come any nearer or I'll scream!" Sachi warned, trying to back away, only to find herself completely surrounded.
"Heh, who's gonna save ya? That redhead fellow? I think not!" The man grinned as he motioned a tall guy in a large white jacket forward. "I don't believe you've met our new friend here. Say hello to Aoshi Shinomori."
Aoshi's ice-cold eyes sent shivers down Sachi's spine. "Wha—what do you want?!" She stammered.
"I vowed to kill Himura, and today I am here to do that." The tall ninja spoke even more coldly than his eyes ever could.
Great, this time they really are after Kenshin! Sachi noted.
"So, Aoshi gets to kill this Himura fellow an we get to take our prize! It's the perfect agreement!" The thug reached forward to grab her arm.
I can't let that creep get Kenshin-kun! Sachi thought quickly. "Well, you're out of luck. Himura-san is not present." She stated, smacking the man's hand away.
"We will wait for him, then." Aoshi stated, drawing one of his kodachis.
Sachi's mind searched for a way out. "You'll have to wait a long time then, he's on a trip out of town."
"When will he be back?"
"Uh—I don't know. He didn't tell me." She tried to make the lie convincing.
"Hmm..." The thug leader thought.
"Sachi-dono! Lunch is ready!" The said rurouni came innocently around the edge of the dojo, wiping his hands on a towel.
Aoshi's eyebrow rose alarmingly. "Away, eh?" He cruelly shoved the girl to the ground and pointed his kodachi's tip at her throat. Beads of sweat formed on Sachi's face as she desperately tried to scramble away, but the blade blocked her path.
Kenshin dropped the towel, his eyes flashed wide with shock and fear for the girl at the end of the !!!" Sachi screamed.
Not one to leave anyone else in danger, Kenshin's hands went to the hilt of his sakabato. "Aoshi!" He grumbled, traces of the Battosai burrowing into his normally soft features.
"I warned you that this day would come." Aoshi didn't take his cold eyes off of the squirming teenager at the mercy of his blade.
Kenshin's anger began to boil. His thumb clicked the sakabato about an inch out of its sheath, and the former Hitokiri moved into a charging stance.
"Ah, but today is not that day." Aoshi withdrew his kadochi. In a swift movement Sachi was flung over his shoulder. "Meet me three days from now on the bridge by the river, that is, if you wish to save the life of this meaningless life form." With that Aoshi bounded over the dojo's walls and disappeared into the scenery.
"Wait a second, this isn't what we'd agreed too..." The thugs muttered.
Kenshin's eyes flashed amber as he studied the group in the courtyard.
"Yeah, what he said, Himura. Three days!" They shouted as they made a hasty escape.
Kenshin dropped his sword to the ground and stared at the swinging gate. Kneeling with his head on the ground he allowed his tears to soak the ground. Tomoe, I have failed my promise. He sniffed. I could not protect her.
--
KatDrama: aw! Did I do something mean? This was a strange twist that I hadn't expected...but I might as well go with it. Thanks for the reviews! Much action in the next chapter (it may be the last in this story before we go to the sequel, but it also may not, depending on how I write it.) so, review!!!!
Return of Shinomori
Kaoru's eye twitched nervously as Dr. Gensai chewed her out. Great. She thought. I bet he thinks of me as a little kid again. Say, that is one large fly buzzing over his head. I wonder if I can kill it with my shinai. Her thoughts wandered as the doctor continued his criticizing sermon. Kaoru bit her upper lip as her eyes followed the fly over the nearly bald man's head. Yak, yak, yak. I've heard it before, just stand still so I can whack that bug...her shinai shivered nervously.
"Kaoru-chan! Have you been listening to ANYTHING I've said?" Dr. Gensai noticed her distraction.
"Huh? Oh, yes, I promise never to do it again." Kaoru smiled innocently as her shinai suddenly disappeared behind her back.
Dr. Gensai sighed wearily. "Kaoru-chan, what am I going to do with you? I can't let you go around whacking my patients and assistants over the head. Why can't you just settle down and be like other girls?"
Kaoru's eyebrow popped up like the trigger on a gun about to explode. "Are you saying I'm not feminine enough? That I'm too tom-boyish?!" Her shinai peaked out from behind her back.
"No, no! Nothing like that!" Dr. Gensai nervously backed away from the girl. He coughed once to regain his confidence. "I just wish you'd stop hitting people over the head. I mean, think of poor Yahiko. He'll probably have to live with permanent damage..."
The trigger was pulled. The shinai snapped with a loud crack over Dr. Gensai's head.
"Yes mummy...I would like the pretty pink pony." Dr. Gensai garbled as the room spun like a kaleidoscope of odd colors and bright stars. With a moan the good doctor collapsed on the floor.
As the steam finished pouring from Kaoru's ears she looked down at the elderly man napping on the floor. "Whoops!" Her eyes darted about. Luckily they had been alone in the doctor's office, so no witnesses. Quietly she backed out of the room.
"She BIT you?!" Sano gasped as he looked from Megumi's arm to Sachi.
"Wha?" Megumi's eyes still swirled.
"Ouch! Kaoru hit you hard, are you okay?" Yahiko prodded the blonde who sat dazed on the waiting room floor.
Kenshin, still ashamed at his mistake of running into the ladies ward tried to hide his embarrassment by being busy tending to the wounds afflicted upon Kaoru's victims.
"Kenshin, that's not how you wrap a head wound!" Sano exclaimed.
"Oro?"
Yahiko smiled as the rooster took over bandaging the growing bump on Sachi's head. "And you would know this because?" He smiled.
"Watch your mouth, kiddo. I've taken care of you plenty of times, enough to know what I'm doing." Sanosuke snapped. Turning red in the face, steam began to pour out of Yahiko's ears.
"Ma! Ma!" Kenshin placed himself between the two just as Kaoru burst through the office doors. Gasping for air she quickly scanned the room and in a swift movement grabbed Sachi by her hakama belt. "Oro?!" Kenshin sensed hostility.
"We got what we came for, let's go!" Kaoru looked back into the rurouni's violet eyes, her own reflecting urgency. Without a second thought Kaoru hefted the dazed girl over her shoulder and started walking away before the weight overbalanced her and they ended up as a pile on the floor.
"Here, here, let's not hurt anyone any more than they already are." Kenshin righted Sachi and gave Kaoru a hand to her feet.
"I'm gonna stay here and take care of the fox." Sano said with the most serious face he could manage while bandaging the kitsune's arm.
Megumi blinked as her senses began to return to her. Smiling endearingly she leaned against the muscular man that had her arm. Purring slightly she smiled. Almost instantly her fox ears popped up. "Ready for that entertainment, Sanosuke?" She whispered while giggling into his ear. She grabbed a fistful of his jacket and pulled him in close for a sloppy kiss. Sano's eyes snapped open wide as he felt himself pulled away to the fox's lair.
Yahiko watched with amusement. "Way to go, Sano! Whoo-hoo! You da ladies man!" He cheered.
Covering his face to hide from any more embarrassment Kenshin quickly grabbed the boy by the back of his shirt and threw him out the door. Then turning he grabbed one of Sachi's arms and dragged her through said yonder door. Kaoru followed automatically.
The group was about a block away from the hospital when it became suddenly clear that Dr. Gensai was no longer unconscious. The shout riveted through the air. "MEGUMI! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! AND IN MY HOSPITAL!!!!!!"
Everyone blushed slightly as they quickened their pace back to the dojo.
--
The last leaves of fall fell, and soon the cold winds of winter filled the land of Japan. The winter went without much event. Sure, every now and then there would be some goons trying to recapture Sachi, but Kenshin always defeated them with ease, for it was obvious that they were not skilled in the art of fighting. Sachi, on the other hand was making steady process learning Kamiya Kasshin-ryu. Even Kaoru saw big potential in the strong teenager. The biggest news of the season was probably the most surprising. The announcement of Megumi's engagement to Sanosuke came as a shock to most. The wedding was planned for spring, when the cherry blossoms would fall...
--
Sachi twirled happily in the warm sunlight. Winter's snow was finally melting and she soaked up the sun. Closing her eyes momentarily she breathed contentedly before she remembered the damp kimono that she still held in her hands. Quickly she slapped the loose water from the garment and hung it over the line to dry. Smiling she turned around and squatted beside the washbasin to start on the next, and thankfully, last, piece of dirty laundry. She glanced up at the rurouni who sat across from her. Working at a tough stain she was snapped back to reality when his voice broke the silence.
"Thank you for helping me with the laundry, Sachi-dono." Kenshin said without looking up for he too was working at a hard spot.
"Don't mention it, Kenshin-kun. With two people it goes much faster, wouldn't you agree?" She smiled. On her bright blue eyes the reflection of the water danced.
"That it does." The redhead nodded. With a sigh of satisfaction he stood up and hung the hakama on the line. He reached into the basket only to find that there were no more clothes to wash.
"I'm almost done." Sachi smiled up at him. Chuckling to himself the rurouni smiled back at her. He was quite amazed at what a hard worker she was, at least, compared to everyone else at the dojo, such as Yahiko.
"Then, if you don't mind, I believe I shall go start some lunch." He wiped his sudsy hands on a dry apron.
"Okay, I'll be along shortly." Sachi stated as she continued to work at the stain. The wandering swordsman smiled contentedly as he hopped off to the kitchen to be sure to get there before Kaoru started some monstrosity that she would call food.
In a matter of minutes the garment seemed clean, so Sachi happily stood and hung it up on the line.
"Splosh!" The water sloshed out of the bucket unto the dusty ground.
"Oh, thank you." Sachi turned to see who had emptied the wash bin. Her heart leapt into her throat when her eyes fell upon a face that she'd hoped she had escaped. Her boss's thugs had silently surrounded her without her knowing. Dam! Her thoughts raced. For a moment she thought of calling Kenshin back.
"Hello, miss us?" The leader of the pack sneered as he advanced.
"Don't come any nearer or I'll scream!" Sachi warned, trying to back away, only to find herself completely surrounded.
"Heh, who's gonna save ya? That redhead fellow? I think not!" The man grinned as he motioned a tall guy in a large white jacket forward. "I don't believe you've met our new friend here. Say hello to Aoshi Shinomori."
Aoshi's ice-cold eyes sent shivers down Sachi's spine. "Wha—what do you want?!" She stammered.
"I vowed to kill Himura, and today I am here to do that." The tall ninja spoke even more coldly than his eyes ever could.
Great, this time they really are after Kenshin! Sachi noted.
"So, Aoshi gets to kill this Himura fellow an we get to take our prize! It's the perfect agreement!" The thug reached forward to grab her arm.
I can't let that creep get Kenshin-kun! Sachi thought quickly. "Well, you're out of luck. Himura-san is not present." She stated, smacking the man's hand away.
"We will wait for him, then." Aoshi stated, drawing one of his kodachis.
Sachi's mind searched for a way out. "You'll have to wait a long time then, he's on a trip out of town."
"When will he be back?"
"Uh—I don't know. He didn't tell me." She tried to make the lie convincing.
"Hmm..." The thug leader thought.
"Sachi-dono! Lunch is ready!" The said rurouni came innocently around the edge of the dojo, wiping his hands on a towel.
Aoshi's eyebrow rose alarmingly. "Away, eh?" He cruelly shoved the girl to the ground and pointed his kodachi's tip at her throat. Beads of sweat formed on Sachi's face as she desperately tried to scramble away, but the blade blocked her path.
Kenshin dropped the towel, his eyes flashed wide with shock and fear for the girl at the end of the !!!" Sachi screamed.
Not one to leave anyone else in danger, Kenshin's hands went to the hilt of his sakabato. "Aoshi!" He grumbled, traces of the Battosai burrowing into his normally soft features.
"I warned you that this day would come." Aoshi didn't take his cold eyes off of the squirming teenager at the mercy of his blade.
Kenshin's anger began to boil. His thumb clicked the sakabato about an inch out of its sheath, and the former Hitokiri moved into a charging stance.
"Ah, but today is not that day." Aoshi withdrew his kadochi. In a swift movement Sachi was flung over his shoulder. "Meet me three days from now on the bridge by the river, that is, if you wish to save the life of this meaningless life form." With that Aoshi bounded over the dojo's walls and disappeared into the scenery.
"Wait a second, this isn't what we'd agreed too..." The thugs muttered.
Kenshin's eyes flashed amber as he studied the group in the courtyard.
"Yeah, what he said, Himura. Three days!" They shouted as they made a hasty escape.
Kenshin dropped his sword to the ground and stared at the swinging gate. Kneeling with his head on the ground he allowed his tears to soak the ground. Tomoe, I have failed my promise. He sniffed. I could not protect her.
--
KatDrama: aw! Did I do something mean? This was a strange twist that I hadn't expected...but I might as well go with it. Thanks for the reviews! Much action in the next chapter (it may be the last in this story before we go to the sequel, but it also may not, depending on how I write it.) so, review!!!!