Author: Thank you all for your reviews! Feel free to point out about
grammar mistakes in my writing - I'm pretty sure there is some, and your
comments could help me. - I'm sorry this update's so late, my computer
wouldn't let me log in and then I went travelling... I'll hurry with the
next one, promise!
Justice Stryfe - To satisfy your curiousity and to get the answers for those questions, read the following chapters and sit through the whole story! -
The Quest
For the rest of the day Kenshin sat quietly at the porch. Kaoru tried to talk to him many times, but he never answred with more than two words. He was lost deep in his mind. When the sun had gone down, Kaoru came to sit next to Kenshin. She gave him a cup of tea and Kenshin nodded to thank.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked carefully. "Did that writing on the paper mean... that you must go to Kyoto?"
"Mmm", Kenshin answered. He looked at his tea cup and sighed.
"Why did it affect you like that?" Kaoru continued. Kenshin was quiet for a moment, thinking of an answer. The feeling he had when he read those three words... those simple, beautifully written words... It was so strange.
"I just couldn't believe", he said quietly. "that I'd face shishou again. When I left him the day... after he taught me amakakeru ryu no hirameki, I... I thought I'd never have to say good bye to him again."
Kaoru put her hand on Kenshin's shoulder. She smiled as gently as she could.
"It's all right", she said. "I understand you feel uncomfortable to go to him again, after all this time, but if you want to solve this quest, you have to. And you said you would, didn't you?"
"Um..." Kenshin looked at Kaoru with an unredable face. "Yes, I will. I'll go to Kyoto and solve this thing."
Kaoru patted his shoulder and rose.
"Go to sleep. You're going travelling tomorrow."
--
Next morning Kaoru had finished Kenshin's packing and stood on the porch with Yahiko and Sanosuke waving her hand at the shrinking figure. They hadn't made the good bye long, Kenshin would be coming back, after all. For Kaoru's relief he was more bright in the morning and ready to go. Yahiko and Sanosuke would've wanted to walk him to the train station, but Kenshin wished to go alone. He had a lot to think about before he would arrive in Kyoto.
In the train he wondered how he should approach his former teacher. He had no idea how Seijuro would react to his sudden come-back, but to make his reaction positive, Kenshin should be very nice to him. But hadn't he always been nice to him? Kenshin shook of a memory from over fifteen years ago.
Well, almost.
Kenshin hardly noticed how the time ran. Before knowing it, he woke up, noticing the train had stopped, informing they had arrived to Kyoto.
Kenshin glanced around him as he walked through the city. Everybody seemed so happy and smiling faces surrounded him. The place hadn't changed... but the mood had. When he had been to Kyoto last time, his reason had been dark and scary. Now... no one seemed to worry a thing. No one else, though, than Kenshin himself. He felt nervous and unreal as he turned to the forest road that would take him to Seijuro. He walked as he had last time; determined, calmly, straight ahead, non-stopping. His feet were just like they had been. But his mind was somewhere far away from peaceful. How should he greet Seijuro? How should he explain him about the mysterious lady? But... maybe Seijuro knew about the quest. Maybe it was all planned. Maybe he was just a part of the plan. Maybe...
Kenshin grabbed his hair.
Stop that, he thought. You'll find out when you get there. Stop asking those questions. You'll say what you think. You'll be just fine. You'll be... just like you've always been.
He got closer and closer to his old master's house. He calmed himself and forced a smile.
"Everybody else are smiling in this city", he told himself quietly. "Why shouldn't I smile with them? Probably shishou's smiling too. I'll see when I get there."
Kenshin turned the last curve and saw the hut. He moistened his lips and walked ahead. He wondered; what would be the best way to approach Seijuro? Like last time, attacking him?
Kenshin saw Seijuro wasn't outside. The fire flared, so he was home, but he was inside. There was no way of attacking him, then. Kenshin took a deep breath. He was only several steps away from the yard. Right then, he saw the door opening and a familiar figure to appear from inside. The familiar black hair, the familiar long jacket, the familiar worldly-wise face.
Hiko Seijuro the 13th.
The swordsman raised his look to meet Kenshin's face. He froze there, but his face didn't change. He stared at Kenshin all the way, making the man nervous. When he came to the yard, he stopped, standing face to face with Seijuro with only the crackling fire between them. He looked at Seijuro's dark eyes, the eyes he had so many times looked at before. They had the same look as he remembered, a look that couldn't be described with words. Calm but determined. Peaceful but focused. Kenshin had to fight not to turn away, so sharp was the stare of his master.
"Good day, shishou", Kenshin said and bowed. Seijuro didn't even blink at him, but after a short moment of complete silence he said:
"I'm not your shishou anymore."
"It doesn't matter", Kenshin said. "I have been brought here by a strange mission. I apologize to bother you, but you are the only clue I have. May I tell you about this task?"
Seijuro stared at him for few seconds, nodded and sat down. He pointed Kenshin to do the same. He did, and after putting down his sword, he began:
"Only two days ago, a young lady visited us. She didn't tell us her name or anything about her, but she told me she'd like me to solve a task. In return she promised... something I've dreamed of since I was made a swordsman, that's what she said. The first step was to find two pieces of paper. When the halves were put together, there was three words on them. They were... "Kenshin no shishou". And I knew I had to come here. But besides that, I have no idea what I should do."
Kenshin dried up and swallowed. After a while, the man opposite him spoke:
"I see."
Kenshin rose his look and thought he saw amusement in Seijuro's face.
"Are you willing to help me?"
The swordsman rose and looked straight at Kenshin's eyes. Once again Kenshin was having troubles to look back at him. He was tall as a closet, and Kenshin remembered the night he had first time seen him. He was just as tall as back then.
"Why not."
Kenshin's eyes widened a little and his mouth almost smiled. Quickly, he bowed and said:
"Thank you very much."
As Kenshin's eyes were directed to ground, Seijuro used the chance to smile a little. He picked up the pot hanging above the fire, extinguished the fire and invited:
"Let's go in and talk about it more", he said. "The sun's going down."
Kenshin took his sword and followed Seijuro to the hut. Inside Seijuro made tea and poured it into two cups. He handed the other one to Kenshin, who took it gratefully.
"So", Seijuro said. "There's nothing but those papers?"
Kenshin nodded.
"Do you have them with you?"
Kenshin put down the cup, dragged out the slips from his pockets and gave them to Seijuro. The man looked at them, gulped his tea and noted:
"Yep, nothing more. But are you sure you're on the right track by coming here?"
"The lady told me the first hint would tell where to go", Kenshin explained. "I didn't see any other explanation but Kyoto."
Seijuro sighed and swigged down the rest of his tea. Without asking he poured them both more and began to think. He was quiet for a while, until he took his sake bottle and two tiny cups.
"The answers will come", he said. "Let's just wait for them. We have time."
"What?" asked Kenshin confused.
"I mean, let's wait. Something will show up sooner or later. Trust me."
Seijuro poured sake to the cups and drank in his own.
"It's late. Let's go to sleep", he said when Kenshin finally swallowed his sake. "You know where the extra futon are. I haven't changed my public order."
Kenshin looked at Seijuro. God, how much he admired that man. He gave him a smile and said:
"You're being very nice to me, shishou. Thank you."
For few seconds Seijuro was silent.
"I told you, I'm not any longer your shishou."
"For me", Kenshin laughed. "you'll always be shishou."
Seijuro stared at him and quickly turned away.
"Baka", he muttered.
Kenshin was glad, but also confused. What would be happening next? He was excited. But what he was very happy about was seeing Seijuro. Kenshin sighed and took out a futon from a cabinet near the door. He smiled as he fell asleep.
For a very short moment he thought he had seen flush on that severe face.
-end of chapter 3-
Justice Stryfe - To satisfy your curiousity and to get the answers for those questions, read the following chapters and sit through the whole story! -
The Quest
For the rest of the day Kenshin sat quietly at the porch. Kaoru tried to talk to him many times, but he never answred with more than two words. He was lost deep in his mind. When the sun had gone down, Kaoru came to sit next to Kenshin. She gave him a cup of tea and Kenshin nodded to thank.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked carefully. "Did that writing on the paper mean... that you must go to Kyoto?"
"Mmm", Kenshin answered. He looked at his tea cup and sighed.
"Why did it affect you like that?" Kaoru continued. Kenshin was quiet for a moment, thinking of an answer. The feeling he had when he read those three words... those simple, beautifully written words... It was so strange.
"I just couldn't believe", he said quietly. "that I'd face shishou again. When I left him the day... after he taught me amakakeru ryu no hirameki, I... I thought I'd never have to say good bye to him again."
Kaoru put her hand on Kenshin's shoulder. She smiled as gently as she could.
"It's all right", she said. "I understand you feel uncomfortable to go to him again, after all this time, but if you want to solve this quest, you have to. And you said you would, didn't you?"
"Um..." Kenshin looked at Kaoru with an unredable face. "Yes, I will. I'll go to Kyoto and solve this thing."
Kaoru patted his shoulder and rose.
"Go to sleep. You're going travelling tomorrow."
--
Next morning Kaoru had finished Kenshin's packing and stood on the porch with Yahiko and Sanosuke waving her hand at the shrinking figure. They hadn't made the good bye long, Kenshin would be coming back, after all. For Kaoru's relief he was more bright in the morning and ready to go. Yahiko and Sanosuke would've wanted to walk him to the train station, but Kenshin wished to go alone. He had a lot to think about before he would arrive in Kyoto.
In the train he wondered how he should approach his former teacher. He had no idea how Seijuro would react to his sudden come-back, but to make his reaction positive, Kenshin should be very nice to him. But hadn't he always been nice to him? Kenshin shook of a memory from over fifteen years ago.
Well, almost.
Kenshin hardly noticed how the time ran. Before knowing it, he woke up, noticing the train had stopped, informing they had arrived to Kyoto.
Kenshin glanced around him as he walked through the city. Everybody seemed so happy and smiling faces surrounded him. The place hadn't changed... but the mood had. When he had been to Kyoto last time, his reason had been dark and scary. Now... no one seemed to worry a thing. No one else, though, than Kenshin himself. He felt nervous and unreal as he turned to the forest road that would take him to Seijuro. He walked as he had last time; determined, calmly, straight ahead, non-stopping. His feet were just like they had been. But his mind was somewhere far away from peaceful. How should he greet Seijuro? How should he explain him about the mysterious lady? But... maybe Seijuro knew about the quest. Maybe it was all planned. Maybe he was just a part of the plan. Maybe...
Kenshin grabbed his hair.
Stop that, he thought. You'll find out when you get there. Stop asking those questions. You'll say what you think. You'll be just fine. You'll be... just like you've always been.
He got closer and closer to his old master's house. He calmed himself and forced a smile.
"Everybody else are smiling in this city", he told himself quietly. "Why shouldn't I smile with them? Probably shishou's smiling too. I'll see when I get there."
Kenshin turned the last curve and saw the hut. He moistened his lips and walked ahead. He wondered; what would be the best way to approach Seijuro? Like last time, attacking him?
Kenshin saw Seijuro wasn't outside. The fire flared, so he was home, but he was inside. There was no way of attacking him, then. Kenshin took a deep breath. He was only several steps away from the yard. Right then, he saw the door opening and a familiar figure to appear from inside. The familiar black hair, the familiar long jacket, the familiar worldly-wise face.
Hiko Seijuro the 13th.
The swordsman raised his look to meet Kenshin's face. He froze there, but his face didn't change. He stared at Kenshin all the way, making the man nervous. When he came to the yard, he stopped, standing face to face with Seijuro with only the crackling fire between them. He looked at Seijuro's dark eyes, the eyes he had so many times looked at before. They had the same look as he remembered, a look that couldn't be described with words. Calm but determined. Peaceful but focused. Kenshin had to fight not to turn away, so sharp was the stare of his master.
"Good day, shishou", Kenshin said and bowed. Seijuro didn't even blink at him, but after a short moment of complete silence he said:
"I'm not your shishou anymore."
"It doesn't matter", Kenshin said. "I have been brought here by a strange mission. I apologize to bother you, but you are the only clue I have. May I tell you about this task?"
Seijuro stared at him for few seconds, nodded and sat down. He pointed Kenshin to do the same. He did, and after putting down his sword, he began:
"Only two days ago, a young lady visited us. She didn't tell us her name or anything about her, but she told me she'd like me to solve a task. In return she promised... something I've dreamed of since I was made a swordsman, that's what she said. The first step was to find two pieces of paper. When the halves were put together, there was three words on them. They were... "Kenshin no shishou". And I knew I had to come here. But besides that, I have no idea what I should do."
Kenshin dried up and swallowed. After a while, the man opposite him spoke:
"I see."
Kenshin rose his look and thought he saw amusement in Seijuro's face.
"Are you willing to help me?"
The swordsman rose and looked straight at Kenshin's eyes. Once again Kenshin was having troubles to look back at him. He was tall as a closet, and Kenshin remembered the night he had first time seen him. He was just as tall as back then.
"Why not."
Kenshin's eyes widened a little and his mouth almost smiled. Quickly, he bowed and said:
"Thank you very much."
As Kenshin's eyes were directed to ground, Seijuro used the chance to smile a little. He picked up the pot hanging above the fire, extinguished the fire and invited:
"Let's go in and talk about it more", he said. "The sun's going down."
Kenshin took his sword and followed Seijuro to the hut. Inside Seijuro made tea and poured it into two cups. He handed the other one to Kenshin, who took it gratefully.
"So", Seijuro said. "There's nothing but those papers?"
Kenshin nodded.
"Do you have them with you?"
Kenshin put down the cup, dragged out the slips from his pockets and gave them to Seijuro. The man looked at them, gulped his tea and noted:
"Yep, nothing more. But are you sure you're on the right track by coming here?"
"The lady told me the first hint would tell where to go", Kenshin explained. "I didn't see any other explanation but Kyoto."
Seijuro sighed and swigged down the rest of his tea. Without asking he poured them both more and began to think. He was quiet for a while, until he took his sake bottle and two tiny cups.
"The answers will come", he said. "Let's just wait for them. We have time."
"What?" asked Kenshin confused.
"I mean, let's wait. Something will show up sooner or later. Trust me."
Seijuro poured sake to the cups and drank in his own.
"It's late. Let's go to sleep", he said when Kenshin finally swallowed his sake. "You know where the extra futon are. I haven't changed my public order."
Kenshin looked at Seijuro. God, how much he admired that man. He gave him a smile and said:
"You're being very nice to me, shishou. Thank you."
For few seconds Seijuro was silent.
"I told you, I'm not any longer your shishou."
"For me", Kenshin laughed. "you'll always be shishou."
Seijuro stared at him and quickly turned away.
"Baka", he muttered.
Kenshin was glad, but also confused. What would be happening next? He was excited. But what he was very happy about was seeing Seijuro. Kenshin sighed and took out a futon from a cabinet near the door. He smiled as he fell asleep.
For a very short moment he thought he had seen flush on that severe face.
-end of chapter 3-