Chapter 6. Awake
"'Do not awaken the dead'?" Sanosuke glanced at Taro, who remained still all this time. "What does that mean? And who is this girl Asha?"
Kenshin was staring intently at Taro, and the healer returned his gaze, unflinching. He had just recounted the events he had witnessed to Sanosuke and Taro and now, as the night drove into the earliest hours of the morning he had hoped the healer would hold the answers.
But to his mild chagrin, Taro shook his head. "I do not know more than you have witnessed."
"Wait a minute," Sanosuke said. "How come you know about what happened in Kenshin's dreams?"
"Because I have also seen them, in the exact same way that Kenshin did."
"And you could not tell us what it meant? Or who the girl and the pursuers were?"
Taro shook his head and at this, Sanosuke scoffed. "What sort of a healer are you anyway?"
The healer fixed his unnerving gaze upon Sano and it was clear he was having trouble holding on to his patience towards the man with the relentless questions. "I only saw the visions, Sanosuke Sagara. I do not know everything. I only came to make Kenshin see the dreams more clearly, not to spell out their meanings, which, if you care to know, are also beyond me. Besides," he looked back to Kenshin, "even if I did, I would not tell him just yet."
"Why not?" Sanosuke demanded, but this time it was Kenshin who answered.
"Because the only way I could be healed is if I do the discovery myself. Only," his voice lowered, "I do not have a clue how to go about it."
"And the scar," Sanosuke added. "This is the first time I ever saw it bleed. I thought that was healed a long time ago."
"Some wounds never heal," Taro said quietly. "And some scars are never truly sealed."
"And how do you explain the scar that appeared on that girl's face?"
Clearly the healer had no answer for this, as he turned to Kenshin. "What did you feel when you were there?" Taro inquired. "How did you feel towards the girl?"
Kenshin's eyes took on that glazed look, as he imagined himself back in that alley, standing beside the girl named Asha.
"I felt...a sense of familiarity. And protectiveness."
"That's just silly," Sanosuke retorted. "How would you feel protective towards a girl you do not even know, and you could never possibly know unless you suddenly gain immortality and live till the year 2004!"
Kenshin's eyes fixed on Taro, having the same questions Sanosuke just voiced out. Taro merely shrugged.
"Your guess is as good as mine."
Looking at the healer, Kenshin could not help but feel Taro was keeping something from them, some vital information, perhaps. Something that could at least shed some light on this mystery.
Suddenly he froze, his every sense prickling at a small sound outside the compound. It must have been the breeze, or the slight movement of the leaves in the trees, or the other small sounds normally associated with the first hours of dawn, but he knew something – someone – was out there.
Taro and Sanosuke noticed Kenshin's suddenly becoming tense. "What is it, Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked.
Kenshin slowly got to his feet. "Let us continue this another time," he said, walking to the door, opening it and peering outside into the darkness.
Sanosuke and Taro were instantly on their feet, following Kenshin as he stepped into the gloom. They both watched as Kenshin walked into the middle of the compound, looking out beyond the gates and the walls.
Craning his neck, trying to peer through the dark cloud that permeated the earth at such an hour, Sanosuke said in a low voice loud enough for Kenshin to hear, "What is it?"
Taro spoke calmly beside him. "It is nothing to be worried about, Sanosuke Sagara."
Sanosuke glanced at him in further confusion. "How the hell would you know?"
The healer merely gave him a look of pure pity over his being completely clueless, then turned to look at Kenshin, who was now standing still. He could almost feel all of the Battousai's senses alert.
"Come out, whoever you are!" Kenshin called out. "Do not hide in the shadows!"
Taro and Sanosuke waited with bated breaths as nothing seemed to stir. Sanosuke looked about ready to spring as though some monstrous being would jump out of the shadows towards Kenshin.
Meanwhile beside him Taro seemed to be waiting in anticipation, but not for any trouble.
Just when they thought there was really nothing there, just their imagination playing tricks on them, a figure stepped out from behind the gate.
Kenshin was the first to recognize the tall figure. His face was hidden in the shadows, yet Kenshin sensed that familiarity brought by their prior encounters.
Sanosuke was about to step forward but was pulled back by Taro. "What the - " He stopped when he heard Kenshin speak in a quiet voice.
"Aoshi."
They all stared at the figure as he stepped forward. There was no mistaking who it was.
Aoshi Shinomori.
Relief flooded Kenshin as he beheld his new bitter-fought friend. The last time he saw Aoshi was a few months ago, when he came here with Misao and Okina.
The smile was wiped off Kenshin's face when he saw Aoshi's shoulders were slumped and the former Oniwabanshu almost stumble forward.
"Aoshi!" The cry was torn out of his lips as he saw the other man try to move towards him, only to fall to the ground in pain.
Kenshin was instantly beside the fallen man, Sanosuke and Taro not far behind.
"Aoshi!" he called out the man's name. From the dojo everyone seemed to stir and Kaoru and Yahiko stepped out, their sleep disturbed.
"What is going - " Sleep left Yahiko's eyes as he saw what was happening. "Kenshin?"
Kaoru was rubbing the sleep off her eyes when she recognized the man on the ground. "Is that...Aoshi?"
Kenshin shook Aoshi on the shoulders slightly. He still does not know the extent of Aoshi's injuries – or where they were. "What happened?" he asked.
Beads of sweat formed on Aoshi's face as he struggled to focus his dazed eyes on Kenshin in the dark. "K-kenshin..." His voice came in rasps, and Kenshin knew he was in great pain.
Taro reached Kenshin and Aoshi, literally pushing Sanosuke out of the way to get a clearer view of the injured man. He knelt beside Aoshi and with skillful hands tried to assess his injuries.
After a few seconds, he said, "Let us bring him inside," and the nervous glance he threw around them was not lost on Kenshin.
Again the nagging thought on Taro hiding something from them reinforced itself on Kenshin's mind. He has to find out soon. But not now. There is still a wounded man to attend to.
He watched as Sanosuke and Taro helped Aoshi up and carried him inside.
Kenshin was about to follow them when something gleamed in the ground. As he bent to pick it up, he noticed it was Aoshi's kodachi. Holding it in his hands almost reverently he followed the others inside, but not after throwing one last look at the gate, as though expecting someone to come through it any moment.
But nothing did.
Yet as he let himself into the dojo, he could not help but feel that they – whoever they are – were still out there. Watching.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'
As the red dawn broke through the horizon, signaling the entrance of yet another day, Kenshin kept vigil outside the door of the room where Aoshi lay, still tended by Taro and Megumi, whom Yahiko fetched a few hours ago to assist the healer.
Beside him sat Sanosuke while an unusually quiet Yahiko stood by, waiting for any orders from the two healers at work. Kaoru was seated not too far away, looking agitated.
Kenshin marveled at how things have become different. Finally everyone at the Kamiya dojo have come to accept Aoshi as a friend, and not the former Oniwabanshu leader who only wanted nothing but to kick the crap out of Kenshin and claim the title of the most powerful and strongest fighter around.
Worry was etched all over their faces; the tension in the long wait was palpable in the early morning air.
Beside him Sanosuke heaved a troubled sigh, shaking his head in disbelief. "I could not believe Aoshi is hurt. He is one of the strongest fighters I have ever seen!" He turned to Kenshin. "Who could have done it, Kenshin? And why is Aoshi here, so far away from the Aoiya, in the first place?"
"I'm afraid we would have to wait until Aoshi could answer those questions himself, Sano. I am as puzzled as you are." And whoever he fought with is still out there, he added silently.
Again came the sigh. "What a night this has been. I have never encountered so much mystery in a long time. First this...Taro guy, comes in, claiming to have the ability to heal you from heaven-knows-what. Then you have these dreams that are more confusing than enlightening. Then Aoshi appears, hurt from some unknown adversary." He shook his head. "I am almost afraid of the coming day."
"I'm afraid the coming day holds more questions than answers, Sano," said Kenshin.
Sanosuke leaned forward, looking closely at Kenshin's cheek. "The bleeding has stopped." He lifted a brow. "I do not normally believe in magic, and supernatural gibberish, but after seeing your scar bleeding, I was almost willing to accept anything."
"I do not believe in those myself, Sano. But how do you explain it, really?"
Their hushed conversation was interrupted when Megumi spoke behind them.
"Kenshin, Aoshi wants to speak with you."
Kenshin and Sanosuke exchanged wondering glances, then the former moved to go through the door. Megumi reached out to put a hand on his sleeve.
"He is still quite weak. Do not make him exert too much."
With a nod, Kenshin entered the room, instantly spotting Aoshi lying on the floor, Taro bending over him. Hesitantly Kenshin moved forward.
Aoshi was awake, though barely, as Kenshin noted he was still somewhere in between consciousness. Taro looked up at him and nodded silently, as though saying it was alright for him to go near the wounded man.
Kenshin could see Aoshi's middle was encased in Megumi's bandages, and his feverish eyes told him his temperature had not dissipated.
Slowly turning his head, Aoshi looked up at Kenshin. "Kenshin..." he whispered.
Kneeling down beside Aoshi, Kenshin said, "You should not tire yourself, Aoshi. You need to rest. We will find out who did this to you, then figure out what to do about it."
But Aoshi seemed bent on telling him something, and even Taro seemed to agree to the idea. "He has something to say, Kenshin. Let him speak."
Kenshin looked at Aoshi. Only one sentence slipped from his mouth before consciousness finally left him.
"She – no – THEY are in trouble. Asha...and - " His words were cut off as sleep finally claimed him.
Slowly Kenshin glanced up at Taro, who merely looked at him solemnly and said, "Looks like you are not the only one having those dreams, Kenshin."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks to windsoffortune for taking notice. I'm a new fan of yours so...( and to Brittanie Love and PraiseDivineMercy on reading this. ( MUCH APPRECIATED!
"'Do not awaken the dead'?" Sanosuke glanced at Taro, who remained still all this time. "What does that mean? And who is this girl Asha?"
Kenshin was staring intently at Taro, and the healer returned his gaze, unflinching. He had just recounted the events he had witnessed to Sanosuke and Taro and now, as the night drove into the earliest hours of the morning he had hoped the healer would hold the answers.
But to his mild chagrin, Taro shook his head. "I do not know more than you have witnessed."
"Wait a minute," Sanosuke said. "How come you know about what happened in Kenshin's dreams?"
"Because I have also seen them, in the exact same way that Kenshin did."
"And you could not tell us what it meant? Or who the girl and the pursuers were?"
Taro shook his head and at this, Sanosuke scoffed. "What sort of a healer are you anyway?"
The healer fixed his unnerving gaze upon Sano and it was clear he was having trouble holding on to his patience towards the man with the relentless questions. "I only saw the visions, Sanosuke Sagara. I do not know everything. I only came to make Kenshin see the dreams more clearly, not to spell out their meanings, which, if you care to know, are also beyond me. Besides," he looked back to Kenshin, "even if I did, I would not tell him just yet."
"Why not?" Sanosuke demanded, but this time it was Kenshin who answered.
"Because the only way I could be healed is if I do the discovery myself. Only," his voice lowered, "I do not have a clue how to go about it."
"And the scar," Sanosuke added. "This is the first time I ever saw it bleed. I thought that was healed a long time ago."
"Some wounds never heal," Taro said quietly. "And some scars are never truly sealed."
"And how do you explain the scar that appeared on that girl's face?"
Clearly the healer had no answer for this, as he turned to Kenshin. "What did you feel when you were there?" Taro inquired. "How did you feel towards the girl?"
Kenshin's eyes took on that glazed look, as he imagined himself back in that alley, standing beside the girl named Asha.
"I felt...a sense of familiarity. And protectiveness."
"That's just silly," Sanosuke retorted. "How would you feel protective towards a girl you do not even know, and you could never possibly know unless you suddenly gain immortality and live till the year 2004!"
Kenshin's eyes fixed on Taro, having the same questions Sanosuke just voiced out. Taro merely shrugged.
"Your guess is as good as mine."
Looking at the healer, Kenshin could not help but feel Taro was keeping something from them, some vital information, perhaps. Something that could at least shed some light on this mystery.
Suddenly he froze, his every sense prickling at a small sound outside the compound. It must have been the breeze, or the slight movement of the leaves in the trees, or the other small sounds normally associated with the first hours of dawn, but he knew something – someone – was out there.
Taro and Sanosuke noticed Kenshin's suddenly becoming tense. "What is it, Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked.
Kenshin slowly got to his feet. "Let us continue this another time," he said, walking to the door, opening it and peering outside into the darkness.
Sanosuke and Taro were instantly on their feet, following Kenshin as he stepped into the gloom. They both watched as Kenshin walked into the middle of the compound, looking out beyond the gates and the walls.
Craning his neck, trying to peer through the dark cloud that permeated the earth at such an hour, Sanosuke said in a low voice loud enough for Kenshin to hear, "What is it?"
Taro spoke calmly beside him. "It is nothing to be worried about, Sanosuke Sagara."
Sanosuke glanced at him in further confusion. "How the hell would you know?"
The healer merely gave him a look of pure pity over his being completely clueless, then turned to look at Kenshin, who was now standing still. He could almost feel all of the Battousai's senses alert.
"Come out, whoever you are!" Kenshin called out. "Do not hide in the shadows!"
Taro and Sanosuke waited with bated breaths as nothing seemed to stir. Sanosuke looked about ready to spring as though some monstrous being would jump out of the shadows towards Kenshin.
Meanwhile beside him Taro seemed to be waiting in anticipation, but not for any trouble.
Just when they thought there was really nothing there, just their imagination playing tricks on them, a figure stepped out from behind the gate.
Kenshin was the first to recognize the tall figure. His face was hidden in the shadows, yet Kenshin sensed that familiarity brought by their prior encounters.
Sanosuke was about to step forward but was pulled back by Taro. "What the - " He stopped when he heard Kenshin speak in a quiet voice.
"Aoshi."
They all stared at the figure as he stepped forward. There was no mistaking who it was.
Aoshi Shinomori.
Relief flooded Kenshin as he beheld his new bitter-fought friend. The last time he saw Aoshi was a few months ago, when he came here with Misao and Okina.
The smile was wiped off Kenshin's face when he saw Aoshi's shoulders were slumped and the former Oniwabanshu almost stumble forward.
"Aoshi!" The cry was torn out of his lips as he saw the other man try to move towards him, only to fall to the ground in pain.
Kenshin was instantly beside the fallen man, Sanosuke and Taro not far behind.
"Aoshi!" he called out the man's name. From the dojo everyone seemed to stir and Kaoru and Yahiko stepped out, their sleep disturbed.
"What is going - " Sleep left Yahiko's eyes as he saw what was happening. "Kenshin?"
Kaoru was rubbing the sleep off her eyes when she recognized the man on the ground. "Is that...Aoshi?"
Kenshin shook Aoshi on the shoulders slightly. He still does not know the extent of Aoshi's injuries – or where they were. "What happened?" he asked.
Beads of sweat formed on Aoshi's face as he struggled to focus his dazed eyes on Kenshin in the dark. "K-kenshin..." His voice came in rasps, and Kenshin knew he was in great pain.
Taro reached Kenshin and Aoshi, literally pushing Sanosuke out of the way to get a clearer view of the injured man. He knelt beside Aoshi and with skillful hands tried to assess his injuries.
After a few seconds, he said, "Let us bring him inside," and the nervous glance he threw around them was not lost on Kenshin.
Again the nagging thought on Taro hiding something from them reinforced itself on Kenshin's mind. He has to find out soon. But not now. There is still a wounded man to attend to.
He watched as Sanosuke and Taro helped Aoshi up and carried him inside.
Kenshin was about to follow them when something gleamed in the ground. As he bent to pick it up, he noticed it was Aoshi's kodachi. Holding it in his hands almost reverently he followed the others inside, but not after throwing one last look at the gate, as though expecting someone to come through it any moment.
But nothing did.
Yet as he let himself into the dojo, he could not help but feel that they – whoever they are – were still out there. Watching.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'
As the red dawn broke through the horizon, signaling the entrance of yet another day, Kenshin kept vigil outside the door of the room where Aoshi lay, still tended by Taro and Megumi, whom Yahiko fetched a few hours ago to assist the healer.
Beside him sat Sanosuke while an unusually quiet Yahiko stood by, waiting for any orders from the two healers at work. Kaoru was seated not too far away, looking agitated.
Kenshin marveled at how things have become different. Finally everyone at the Kamiya dojo have come to accept Aoshi as a friend, and not the former Oniwabanshu leader who only wanted nothing but to kick the crap out of Kenshin and claim the title of the most powerful and strongest fighter around.
Worry was etched all over their faces; the tension in the long wait was palpable in the early morning air.
Beside him Sanosuke heaved a troubled sigh, shaking his head in disbelief. "I could not believe Aoshi is hurt. He is one of the strongest fighters I have ever seen!" He turned to Kenshin. "Who could have done it, Kenshin? And why is Aoshi here, so far away from the Aoiya, in the first place?"
"I'm afraid we would have to wait until Aoshi could answer those questions himself, Sano. I am as puzzled as you are." And whoever he fought with is still out there, he added silently.
Again came the sigh. "What a night this has been. I have never encountered so much mystery in a long time. First this...Taro guy, comes in, claiming to have the ability to heal you from heaven-knows-what. Then you have these dreams that are more confusing than enlightening. Then Aoshi appears, hurt from some unknown adversary." He shook his head. "I am almost afraid of the coming day."
"I'm afraid the coming day holds more questions than answers, Sano," said Kenshin.
Sanosuke leaned forward, looking closely at Kenshin's cheek. "The bleeding has stopped." He lifted a brow. "I do not normally believe in magic, and supernatural gibberish, but after seeing your scar bleeding, I was almost willing to accept anything."
"I do not believe in those myself, Sano. But how do you explain it, really?"
Their hushed conversation was interrupted when Megumi spoke behind them.
"Kenshin, Aoshi wants to speak with you."
Kenshin and Sanosuke exchanged wondering glances, then the former moved to go through the door. Megumi reached out to put a hand on his sleeve.
"He is still quite weak. Do not make him exert too much."
With a nod, Kenshin entered the room, instantly spotting Aoshi lying on the floor, Taro bending over him. Hesitantly Kenshin moved forward.
Aoshi was awake, though barely, as Kenshin noted he was still somewhere in between consciousness. Taro looked up at him and nodded silently, as though saying it was alright for him to go near the wounded man.
Kenshin could see Aoshi's middle was encased in Megumi's bandages, and his feverish eyes told him his temperature had not dissipated.
Slowly turning his head, Aoshi looked up at Kenshin. "Kenshin..." he whispered.
Kneeling down beside Aoshi, Kenshin said, "You should not tire yourself, Aoshi. You need to rest. We will find out who did this to you, then figure out what to do about it."
But Aoshi seemed bent on telling him something, and even Taro seemed to agree to the idea. "He has something to say, Kenshin. Let him speak."
Kenshin looked at Aoshi. Only one sentence slipped from his mouth before consciousness finally left him.
"She – no – THEY are in trouble. Asha...and - " His words were cut off as sleep finally claimed him.
Slowly Kenshin glanced up at Taro, who merely looked at him solemnly and said, "Looks like you are not the only one having those dreams, Kenshin."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks to windsoffortune for taking notice. I'm a new fan of yours so...( and to Brittanie Love and PraiseDivineMercy on reading this. ( MUCH APPRECIATED!