Arrivals
She didn't say anything after that and the night went on in extreme discomfort. How was it that one girl could make him feel so...so guilty? As if he had said or done something severely wrong. She remained composed and distant till she fell asleep. And even then, the feeling of disapproval never left. Her sleeping face was troubled, as if something in her dreams was bothering her. And for the rest of the night he listened to the tossing and turning of her restless body. He didn't care. He shouldn't care. And he couldn't care. Going for so long without concerning for anybody but himself, he had grown selfish. He knew it and he didn't care what anybody thought. In his opinion, everybody around him was insignificant and foolish.
Even seeing the everyday actions and hearing the opinions of anybody made him aggravated in a second. But his calculated mind remained patient, though not tolerant. How much longer would it take before this girl became unworthy and unimportant in his eyes? He had yet to know and yet to figure it out. But he was disturbed of his thoughts by the slight change in her breathing. She was awake. Her eyes fluttered open in the dark and she silently sat up. He closed his eyes and gave the appearance of sleep. He could feel her eyes on him, watching for any signs of awakening. She slid the blankets off and started to open the door and left. He stealthily followed her all the way to the cluster of sakura trees from before.
Keeping a wary eye on her, he took a deep breath of the biting cold morning air. It was a few minutes before the sunrise and he could see the black sky turning purple. She sat on her bench from before and watched the east for the orb to fill the heavens. His hand quickly went to his sword as he felt the tiny crackling of shoes on leaves. A young boy stepped into the small cluster of trees and started walking towards Kaoru. Kenshin was there in less than a second with his sword on the boy's chest. The boy gave no look of surprise or terror and gave a broad smile.
"Could you put that sword down? He hasn't done anything!" Kaoru exclaimed.
Kenshin didn't falter for a second and kept his eyes on the boy.
"Who are you?"
"Soujirou."
"What is your business here?"
A sword was out in a second and Kenshin blocked it easily.
"A bodyguard of course."
Kaoru walked between the two and pushed their swords down. Soujirou sheathed his sword and gave a bow to her.
"For Kami's sake, you guys are on the same side so stop this bickering."
"We were never bickering, just merely stating our positions."
"Which I would never question, leader." Soujirou said, his eyes cheerfully twinkling.
Kenshin gruffly put his sword away and grabbed Kaoru by the arm. She flinched and scooted away from him.
"Don't ever touch me again, ever." she said in a terrified voice.
"And don't ever get in front of my sword again, got it? Or I just might forget you're my assignment and cut you up."
"And why can't I? Soujirou is innocent and you're acting like he is some criminal."
"He could be posing as a bodyguard. You're too trusting."
"Better than being too cynical." Kaoru shot back.
Kenshin moved closer and grew about a foot in her eyes.
"Don't ever question me. You don't know anything and you're too innocent to even comprehend what kind of people are out there."
Despite his cold words and threatening tone behind his voice, she didn't back down and cower.
"You don't know me enough to say that. I have eyes too and I know exactly what kind of world this is. Just because you've seen more horrors than anybody else doesn't mean we are all blind. You don't understand anything." she spat out in contempt. Though her words were arguing against what he said, he felt like there was a different meaning with her anger. Her eyes looked like she was reliving a nightmare and her hands were trembling. Soujirou moved closer to comfort her but she moved away from him.
"I'm going inside. Thanks to you, I missed the sunrise."
He followed several feet behind her and Soujirou followed in step behind him.
"You pushed her." Soujirou said in a matter of fact voice.
"Why should I care?"
Soujirou shook his head in reproach.
"If you only knew."
"And just what should I know?"
Kenshin's voice dropped and grew icy with annoyance. His eyes started to turn gold and Soujirou noted them carefully.
"It is not my place to tell. Now, shall we catch up with Kaoru and protect her?"
Kenshin was gone in a blur and inside the house, leaving Soujirou all alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kaoru was chatting amiably with a tall man with a white trench coat. There was a kodachi hanging from his belt and he stood with the confidence of a skilled warrior. The easy familiarity between the two evidently showed that they knew each other from before. Kaoru's eyes were shining and she was grinning happily. The man's face was like a blank slate but he managed to pull off a small smile for her. He said something and Kaoru stopped talking, an upset look on her face.
"You can stop stalking around now." she called out.
Kenshin glided out from the shadows of a column. The man looked at him and Kenshin could tell that he knew Kenshin had been there all along.
"Don't worry, Aoshi is my bodyguard, not some evil man lurking around the mansion." Kaoru drawled, sarcasm clearly showing.
"So you must be the Battousai?"
"Is that your name?" Kaoru asked, all sarcasm gone.
"It is a name I have not used for a long time."
Aoshi was about to comment on that but Kaoru stopped him with a hand.
"It's ok, there is no need to bring up any memories at the moment. He will speak when he feels like it. Shall we have breakfast Aoshi-sama?"
"Yes, lead the way Kaoru-chan."
The door opened behind Kenshin and he didn't need to need to turn around to know it was Soujirou.
"Ah, Aoshi-sama is here already. Now all that's left is Sano. Come leader; let's have some breakfast. Walking in the morning always makes me hungry."
Kenshin gave a mental scowl at Soujirou's cheerfulness and strode to the dining room. The dining room had many windows that let in steams of bright sunlight in. There were place settings for four and the rest were already sitting. Kenshin took a seat at the head of the table and gave another mental scowl. Why were there so many windows in this mansion? Didn't they know that more windows meant more access to the mansion itself?
"What are you frowning for?" Kaoru asked.
Aoshi and Soujirou politely ate their meal but Kaoru wouldn't leave him alone.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"It's nothing." he said.
"No, there is something wrong if you look so vexed." she stated.
"Don't assume to know me."
Kaoru rolled her eyes and lifted her chopsticks with a gloved hand. He stopped eating for a second to note this. Gloves outside were perfectly normal, but while eating? Surely she doesn't need to be so cautious? Kaoru put down her chopsticks.
"For Kami's sake, just tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing." he said and started eating again.
"Just tell me. You keep staring at me and frowning, is there something wrong with me?"
"Why do you wear gloves while eating?" he confessed.
Not expecting such a question her annoyed look withdrew and her face became emotionless.
"My hands get cold very easily."
She was lying. He could tell right away she was, but for what reason? He was aware that she could kill with a touch, but why was she being so cautious? The other bodyguards must already know if her power so they would of course stay away from her skin. But she was hiding something. Kaoru got up.
"Well, I'm done. If anybody is looking for me, I'll be reading a book in the library."
"Stop." he said.
"What now?"
"Two bodyguards needs to be with you at all times."
Soujirou stood up.
"I can go with her."
"And me." Aoshi said, standing up as well.
"Fine, leave then." he said harshly.
Kaoru mumbled under her breath about bad tempered bodyguards as she led the two men to the library.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's so good to see you again Aoshi-sama. I still can't believe how lucky I am."
"When I heard about your situation, I knew I had to come."
"Well, it is fortunate for me that you took the job."
"I trust very few to look after you."
Kaoru gave a grin and opened the library doors. There were two stories of wooden shelves with an iron ladder leading to the second floor. The library was literally packed with hardcover books that looked expensive and unused. Plush leather armchairs and couches decorated the simply furnished room. An exquisitely done chandelier made of glass hung on the ceiling. And tall windows let in a good amount of light to read in. Kaoru walked around with the air of someone who knew the library like the back of her hand. Soujirou walked to the window and looked outside.
"It's a beautiful day, isn't?"
"A day like any other, but special just the same." Kaoru said from the second floor.
"What book are you looking for, Kaoru-chan?" Aoshi asked.
Kaoru walked down the stairs and showed the book to Aoshi.
"A book of spells?" he said.
"I'm just doing a little researching."
"On your power. Am I correct?" Soujirou called out from the window.
"Very sharp Soujirou-kun."
"Exactly what are you looking for?" Aoshi asked.
Kaoru looked down at the book in her hand, a little hesitant on what to say.
"A way to survive." she admitted.
*Ah, now more info on Kaoru's power is coming up. But Kenshin is of course oblivious to the real secrets behind her power. But he'll find out wayy later, much later than anybody else. The only reason Soujirou and Aoshi will know first is because Kaoru trusts and likes them better. Review please!!!
She didn't say anything after that and the night went on in extreme discomfort. How was it that one girl could make him feel so...so guilty? As if he had said or done something severely wrong. She remained composed and distant till she fell asleep. And even then, the feeling of disapproval never left. Her sleeping face was troubled, as if something in her dreams was bothering her. And for the rest of the night he listened to the tossing and turning of her restless body. He didn't care. He shouldn't care. And he couldn't care. Going for so long without concerning for anybody but himself, he had grown selfish. He knew it and he didn't care what anybody thought. In his opinion, everybody around him was insignificant and foolish.
Even seeing the everyday actions and hearing the opinions of anybody made him aggravated in a second. But his calculated mind remained patient, though not tolerant. How much longer would it take before this girl became unworthy and unimportant in his eyes? He had yet to know and yet to figure it out. But he was disturbed of his thoughts by the slight change in her breathing. She was awake. Her eyes fluttered open in the dark and she silently sat up. He closed his eyes and gave the appearance of sleep. He could feel her eyes on him, watching for any signs of awakening. She slid the blankets off and started to open the door and left. He stealthily followed her all the way to the cluster of sakura trees from before.
Keeping a wary eye on her, he took a deep breath of the biting cold morning air. It was a few minutes before the sunrise and he could see the black sky turning purple. She sat on her bench from before and watched the east for the orb to fill the heavens. His hand quickly went to his sword as he felt the tiny crackling of shoes on leaves. A young boy stepped into the small cluster of trees and started walking towards Kaoru. Kenshin was there in less than a second with his sword on the boy's chest. The boy gave no look of surprise or terror and gave a broad smile.
"Could you put that sword down? He hasn't done anything!" Kaoru exclaimed.
Kenshin didn't falter for a second and kept his eyes on the boy.
"Who are you?"
"Soujirou."
"What is your business here?"
A sword was out in a second and Kenshin blocked it easily.
"A bodyguard of course."
Kaoru walked between the two and pushed their swords down. Soujirou sheathed his sword and gave a bow to her.
"For Kami's sake, you guys are on the same side so stop this bickering."
"We were never bickering, just merely stating our positions."
"Which I would never question, leader." Soujirou said, his eyes cheerfully twinkling.
Kenshin gruffly put his sword away and grabbed Kaoru by the arm. She flinched and scooted away from him.
"Don't ever touch me again, ever." she said in a terrified voice.
"And don't ever get in front of my sword again, got it? Or I just might forget you're my assignment and cut you up."
"And why can't I? Soujirou is innocent and you're acting like he is some criminal."
"He could be posing as a bodyguard. You're too trusting."
"Better than being too cynical." Kaoru shot back.
Kenshin moved closer and grew about a foot in her eyes.
"Don't ever question me. You don't know anything and you're too innocent to even comprehend what kind of people are out there."
Despite his cold words and threatening tone behind his voice, she didn't back down and cower.
"You don't know me enough to say that. I have eyes too and I know exactly what kind of world this is. Just because you've seen more horrors than anybody else doesn't mean we are all blind. You don't understand anything." she spat out in contempt. Though her words were arguing against what he said, he felt like there was a different meaning with her anger. Her eyes looked like she was reliving a nightmare and her hands were trembling. Soujirou moved closer to comfort her but she moved away from him.
"I'm going inside. Thanks to you, I missed the sunrise."
He followed several feet behind her and Soujirou followed in step behind him.
"You pushed her." Soujirou said in a matter of fact voice.
"Why should I care?"
Soujirou shook his head in reproach.
"If you only knew."
"And just what should I know?"
Kenshin's voice dropped and grew icy with annoyance. His eyes started to turn gold and Soujirou noted them carefully.
"It is not my place to tell. Now, shall we catch up with Kaoru and protect her?"
Kenshin was gone in a blur and inside the house, leaving Soujirou all alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kaoru was chatting amiably with a tall man with a white trench coat. There was a kodachi hanging from his belt and he stood with the confidence of a skilled warrior. The easy familiarity between the two evidently showed that they knew each other from before. Kaoru's eyes were shining and she was grinning happily. The man's face was like a blank slate but he managed to pull off a small smile for her. He said something and Kaoru stopped talking, an upset look on her face.
"You can stop stalking around now." she called out.
Kenshin glided out from the shadows of a column. The man looked at him and Kenshin could tell that he knew Kenshin had been there all along.
"Don't worry, Aoshi is my bodyguard, not some evil man lurking around the mansion." Kaoru drawled, sarcasm clearly showing.
"So you must be the Battousai?"
"Is that your name?" Kaoru asked, all sarcasm gone.
"It is a name I have not used for a long time."
Aoshi was about to comment on that but Kaoru stopped him with a hand.
"It's ok, there is no need to bring up any memories at the moment. He will speak when he feels like it. Shall we have breakfast Aoshi-sama?"
"Yes, lead the way Kaoru-chan."
The door opened behind Kenshin and he didn't need to need to turn around to know it was Soujirou.
"Ah, Aoshi-sama is here already. Now all that's left is Sano. Come leader; let's have some breakfast. Walking in the morning always makes me hungry."
Kenshin gave a mental scowl at Soujirou's cheerfulness and strode to the dining room. The dining room had many windows that let in steams of bright sunlight in. There were place settings for four and the rest were already sitting. Kenshin took a seat at the head of the table and gave another mental scowl. Why were there so many windows in this mansion? Didn't they know that more windows meant more access to the mansion itself?
"What are you frowning for?" Kaoru asked.
Aoshi and Soujirou politely ate their meal but Kaoru wouldn't leave him alone.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"It's nothing." he said.
"No, there is something wrong if you look so vexed." she stated.
"Don't assume to know me."
Kaoru rolled her eyes and lifted her chopsticks with a gloved hand. He stopped eating for a second to note this. Gloves outside were perfectly normal, but while eating? Surely she doesn't need to be so cautious? Kaoru put down her chopsticks.
"For Kami's sake, just tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing." he said and started eating again.
"Just tell me. You keep staring at me and frowning, is there something wrong with me?"
"Why do you wear gloves while eating?" he confessed.
Not expecting such a question her annoyed look withdrew and her face became emotionless.
"My hands get cold very easily."
She was lying. He could tell right away she was, but for what reason? He was aware that she could kill with a touch, but why was she being so cautious? The other bodyguards must already know if her power so they would of course stay away from her skin. But she was hiding something. Kaoru got up.
"Well, I'm done. If anybody is looking for me, I'll be reading a book in the library."
"Stop." he said.
"What now?"
"Two bodyguards needs to be with you at all times."
Soujirou stood up.
"I can go with her."
"And me." Aoshi said, standing up as well.
"Fine, leave then." he said harshly.
Kaoru mumbled under her breath about bad tempered bodyguards as she led the two men to the library.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's so good to see you again Aoshi-sama. I still can't believe how lucky I am."
"When I heard about your situation, I knew I had to come."
"Well, it is fortunate for me that you took the job."
"I trust very few to look after you."
Kaoru gave a grin and opened the library doors. There were two stories of wooden shelves with an iron ladder leading to the second floor. The library was literally packed with hardcover books that looked expensive and unused. Plush leather armchairs and couches decorated the simply furnished room. An exquisitely done chandelier made of glass hung on the ceiling. And tall windows let in a good amount of light to read in. Kaoru walked around with the air of someone who knew the library like the back of her hand. Soujirou walked to the window and looked outside.
"It's a beautiful day, isn't?"
"A day like any other, but special just the same." Kaoru said from the second floor.
"What book are you looking for, Kaoru-chan?" Aoshi asked.
Kaoru walked down the stairs and showed the book to Aoshi.
"A book of spells?" he said.
"I'm just doing a little researching."
"On your power. Am I correct?" Soujirou called out from the window.
"Very sharp Soujirou-kun."
"Exactly what are you looking for?" Aoshi asked.
Kaoru looked down at the book in her hand, a little hesitant on what to say.
"A way to survive." she admitted.
*Ah, now more info on Kaoru's power is coming up. But Kenshin is of course oblivious to the real secrets behind her power. But he'll find out wayy later, much later than anybody else. The only reason Soujirou and Aoshi will know first is because Kaoru trusts and likes them better. Review please!!!