AN: This chapter is going to include a lot of flash backs and so when you see flashback it will be in italicized and in brackets.
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Chapter II: What doesn't kill you
By: Mimi-san
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So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...
Water droplets were racing each other on the foggy glass of the black car driving down the nearly open highway as Kita began humming softly in the backseat. It was morning before they reached the outskirts of Tokyo and Misao had been up keeping Sano company as he drove the night away. So many thoughts came crashing into her mind the second she saw the city limit sign. 'Welcome to Tokyo', so innocent, in ways that on one would think that it would actually be posted there any other reason than to inform drivers and travels who ventured down this road that they would be entering the capital of Japan in mere seconds. Yet as harmless as it seemed, the movie began to play again in Misao's head; a private performance that she didn't want to see.
"We're here."
Saved by Sano, but only momentarily, Misao turned her head to the side where Sano was driving comfortably into a local cemetery. Stepping out of the vehicle, it began again the second her boots hit the wet pavement.
"Yeah, just go and pick 'im up, aight? Cummon Mizao, for a buddy?" It was like it was only yesterday; like it happened last night. I was only 17. I was coming home from the academy and it was around 4:30 or so in the afternoon. My cellphone rang and when I picked it up, Sano was on the other end of the line, obviously drunk. He asked me to go and pickup his step brother, Yahiko Myoujin, from kendo practice. I couldn't say no, Yahiko won't make it home by the time Sano comes around and get sober enough to drive them both home. I was supposed to be picking up my parents.
Walking around to the backseat of the car, Misao opened the door for Kita and then took her soft, tiny hand into her own, for who's comforting sake, she will probably never know. Walking hand in hand she pushed open the rusted old metal gate and held it open for Sano who was opening the trunk and pulled out two small bouquets of flowers; one of deep blue irises and the other with hand picked dandelions. During the whole drive to Tokyo, they had only made one stop and that was to the local supermarket, because Kita had to use the 'little girls' room'. When Misao too went in to freshen up she came out of the store and found that Kita was picking some dandelions out of the store's tiny garden of un-plucked weeds, she ran back inside and bought the cheapest bouquet of flowers that were offered at the store.
When I went to drop Yahiko up and when I made a move to leave and pick up my parents, Sano said I would make it. I turned to him to ask what he meant and found that he was unsettlingly sober. That's when all hell broke loose. They said I was a loose cannon. Sano said that I wouldn't make it to pick up my parents. I got into my car and drove over to the lab as fast as I could, breaking all the speed limits ever set. I finally got to the lab 15 minutes later and I was so relieved to see that the place looked in order. But the second I got out of the car, the whole building exploded
The rain had no mercy on the occupants of this world at all as it came down even harder than before. Treading past cold head stones, Misao focused her eyes as much as possible on the mark ahead of her.
'Sano knew… Sano knew DAMN IT!' My mind screamed as I tried to push my way past the people that were storming out of the burning building. Running down the flaming corridor, I tried to remember what lab room my parents were in. It was then that I saw it. It was obvious the explosion started in this room. Debris from what was left of the gas tanks were scattered everywhere haphazardly. I didn't even want to see what would be left of my parents. Tears stared to flood my vision as I walked through the door. Four mutilated bodies were on the ground. I couldn't even tell m which ones were my parents. I remembered screaming then. The site was bored into my head. I don't think I will live the rest of my life and not be completely disgusted and shackled with contempt and anger when ever I think about it.
Two large, smooth, stone rocks laid in the rain unraveled by the storms of the past. Hands etched there on the top of the rocks, in her hand writing, were the names Keisuke Makimachi and Sen Makimachi. Crouching down, Misao placed the bundle of flowers at the foot of the grave. Reaching up towards the engraved name of her mother, fresh tears fell from her eyes, blending its scent with the perfume of the rain.
A cackle rang in the background of the raging fire. I spun around to see where it came from but to only be greeted with nothing. I turned back to the burned and charred bodies and I tried to look which ones were my parents and in the heat of emotions and sadness, I saw it. A glittering pinky ring was all that was left on the finger of the woman that was closest to the blown open door. It was my mom's ring… the one I gave her; the bonding ring that we symbolized as our undying love for each other. I remember picking up the mutilated hand and brought it to my face. I suppose it was the inhalation of too much carbon dioxide that consumed my consciousness. The last thing I saw blurrily through puffy eyes was myself pulling the ring off of her burned and bleeding finger and falling backwards as darkness engulfed me.
Stroking the ring that rested on Kita's finger, I pushed myself up to walk over to the next tombstone that was about seven or eight feet to the right of Misao's parents' sepulcher.
I gave Sano hell for not telling me. We didn't talk for weeks on end, and those weeks were the very definition of hell on earth for me. It wasn't only because of the fact that I wasn't talking to my best friend, but also the fact that a day after my father died, I received a letter saying that he had some debts that he didn't pay off and that now I had to. I sold the house after I go that letter, and soon sold my car as well. When it seemed as though life could not possibly get any worse, my fiancée called. He had just found out that my parents were dead and so decided to cut off the engagement, saying it was all for business purposes anyway. And when it seemed as though the whole world had turned its back on me, I was soon kicked out of the police academy for drinking during school hours. Being that this was the case, I found myself jobless, schooless, practically homeless, and loveless.
Dead grass surrounded a small head stone in a shaded place. A little concrete angel with an upturned face was staring at the grey clouds as they cried for tears of the earth.
It was about a month or so that I have skipped out on meals to have enough money to pay rent, which was only a one-room apartment with an old witch of a landlady, and I was still behind one two months worth. But I did not stoop down so low as to become a whore for some old man's pleasure. NO! I made a promise to myself to myself that no matter how hard life is, I would never bring myself to go and work at a whore house! Yet lo' and behold, I was walking down the blustery roads of Shinjuku and fell over from exhaustion in front of the Berubetto, a tea house that was very well known for their… ahem, "services". 'Oh, Kami! What on heaven's green earth lead me here?' Looking up from where I was kneeling on the pavement, there she stood, as if she was waiting for someone. Through the dirty rags, the bruises that were prominent on her blithe face, and mud smudged face, she was like an angel.
Kita crouched down from where she was standing and bent forward towards the head stone of the angel and placed a soft kiss on the smooth stone.
She couldn't possibly be more than 3 or 4 years old, I thought. What was she doing in front of a tea house? I remember going up to her and asking her what she doing here and where her parents were. Her exact words for me were, "I do not have a father, though I am waiting for my mother who is taking care of some sort of business in this building." I completely shocked that she could speak such perfect Japanese with such high vocabulary at such a young age. Recovering from the shock, I told her that I would go inside and look for her mother for her and told her to wait outside and not to go anywhere. As I made it up the steps I found myself in front of the room that the front counter lady said that Sakura Watanabe would be in. The beaded covering was not enough at all to cover the dead body that was lying sprawled on the ground; a small pouch of white dust could be seen lightly spilt from its opening. 'What am I going to tell the little girl in front?'
"Sakura-sama, I'm back in Tokyo. I know it's been a really long time since I came to visit you, but I will make a promise that I will come more often now since I'm going to live here." Kita said as she reached for the flower that was in Sano's hands.
When I told her though, she didn't seem to be that shocked at all. She didn't say anything for the longest time. And then from her small little torn bag, she pulled out a dandelion. "Thank goodness I picked this flower out of the garden on the way here." Walking to the front of the tea house, the little girl placed the flower next to the door and then said a small prayer. Walking back to me when she was finished, she looked up to me and then said, "Do you have anyone to go home to tonight?" I shook my head negatively. She turned her head away then and nodded. Then she turned back to me and asked, "Would you mind if I could sleep outside your door tonight. It seems as though tonight it might rain." That was probably when I first broke down and pulled that innocent little girl into my embrace. It was as if the heavens had sent me a savior. Someone I could live for and someone who could depend on me. I took her home that night…
Taking the small flower into her hand, she situated it so that it would stand up as she placed her hands together for a small prayer.
"Do you have a name, little one?" I asked as I walked her into the alley of my apartment. She shook her head and mumbled a 'no'. "She used to call me just 'child' or 'brat'. I never really had a name." I looked up at the stars above us as I waited to cross the street. One star happened to catch my attention as it shined the brightest next to the others that were half covered in clouds that night. It was of course the North Star, one that for centuries and centuries, sailors turned to it for guidance and direction. I looked down to the little girl who was holding onto my hand and a whispered out loud, "Kita…" and thought how pretty it was and how much it suited her. I wasn't sure if she heard me or not for she didn't look at me but just waited for the light to signal for them to walk and then started to proceed forward onto the street, pulling me along. It was when we got to the other side that I heard her say in an almost inaudible voice, "I like it too." As I turned to her a small tear fell from her emotionless eyes and ran softly down her cheek, she swallowed softly and then added as I reached out to wipe the tear away, "Sakura-sama said to me once as I was getting beaten for breaking a plate, 'What doesn't kill you make you stronger.' I think that was the only thing I ever believed from her."
Opening her eyes she took a deep breath and then blew the small fluff into the chilled air. The rain took it into its grasp ever so willingly.
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Heaven bent to take my hand
And lead me through the fire
Be the long awaited answer
To a long and painful fight
It was about 10:30 in the morning when they got to the pent house in the heart of Tokyo city. 'Sano was right. This place is really nice.' Misao thought to herself as she climbed out of the car and quickly opened the umbrella Sano handed to her. Striding to the backseat door, she swung it open for Kita who was grabbing her morning newspaper and clutching it tightly to herself as she moved underneath the umbrella that her mother held open for her. Misao remembered once when she first starting taking care of Kita that she said that when she was with her old mother, she use to pick up old newspaper that was thrown away on the floor and taught herself to read it. "It was the only education I got… it was the only education we could afford."
Truth be told I've tried my best
But somewhere along the way
I got caught up in all there was to offer
And the cost was so much more than I could bear
Sano ran in first to shed himself from the rain and pulled out the keys to the shelter. Misao and Kita were right behind him as they walked in. It was warm inside and the smell of fresh food filled the air was the feeling of 'home sweet home'.
"Tae? Are you here?"
Misao turned to Sano questioningly and asked, "You didn't tell me you had someone in your life."
Sano grinned and then replied, "I would have loved for that woman to be mine… but she is already married and has a kid. SOOO… I guess I'll just have to settle with-"
"Her as just your acquaintance that you can so easily freeload off of, ne?" A voice asked as a pretty woman walked out from the kitchen with a tray of coffee and snacks. She placed the tray on the coffee table and then turned to Misao and Kita giving them both a once over. Nodding in an almost approving way she turned to Sano and said quite bluntly, "Thank Kami-sama that they got here safely! I would have thought that I would have to call the ambulance again after what happened the last time you gave a girl a ride home. I suppose you weren't that much in a rush to get her here."
Sano blushed to the roots of his almond brown hair and then turned away to walk up the stairs when Misao smirked at the comment. Tae let out a sly laughter and then motioned for Misao to come to the table. "Please have a seat, dear."
"Thank you, ma'am." Kita said absentmindedly as she took a seat but it was as if her mind was somewhere else. Tae smiled softly and said, "You know, you can have that cookie you're practically drooling over. It's for you after all." Kita looked up at the lady that just spoke to her and then softly blushed as she reached forward and was about to grab the cookie when she stopped and pull her hand back. Kita turned her head to Misao and quietly as for permission with her eyes. Misao smiled and nodded to her daughter. Kita then smiled and turned to face her prize when she then stopped reaching forward again and then turned to Tae this time and asked, "Can I please use your bathroom to wash my hands? I have been reading the paper practically all morning."
Though I've tried, I've fallen...
I have sunk so low
I have messed up
Better I should know
Tae smiled at the little girl and then pointed to the bathroom on the other side of the hallway, towards the way that Sano went up the steps. Kita got up and walked as quiet as possible, leaving the two women to follow the little girl as she disappeared into the bathroom.
"She is quiet something else." Tae said leaning forward and picking up a cup of coffee for Misao. Misao accepted it gladly and replied before sipping, "Yes, that's what I thought the first time I saw her too."
With a smile they both sat in silence as the rain came pouring down. The silence was almost comforting until the sound of a window breaking pierced the air, shattering the equilibrium of serenity.
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...
Misao was the first one to get to the bathroom door and swing it open, Tae not too far behind her. Sitting there on the floor was Kita. She didn't move or make a sound and the only indication that Misao could tell that she was alive was the fact that the little girl's breathing was just a bit erratic. Bending forward she scooped her daughter into her arms and held her tight to her blithe form. "It's gonna be okay. I'm right here okay, Kita-chan?"
Kita slowly nodded her head and then moved her head back to look at the window that was now shattered into a million small diamond specks, when something caught her eye. It must have caught Misao's eye too as she bent forward and picked up the rock up. A piece of paper was rubber banded onto the jagged stone as she examined it. Pulling the kami from the rock, crimson letters were revealed on the white sheet.
You still own me lots! I'm coming for her… I'm coming for you.
------------------------------------------------------------------AN: I know that many of you are thinking… what does the summery have anything to do with the story? Abso-friggin-lutely nothing what so ever! So that is why it changed a bit… will this new summary change again? Probably… :) I don't know yet… Thanks for the reviews minna-san I have enjoyed reading the thoughts of my readers… See you all in chapter 3!
Glossary:
Kami 'Paper'
Ne 'Right?' Or 'Isn't that so?'
Disclaimers: Don't own Rurouni Kenshin… so don't kill…Got the name of the fic from a Chinese movie... so don't flame... Don't own Fallen by Sarah McLachlan… so don't sue… But I do own little Kita-chan… so don't steal! I mean it!