Disclaimer: Ruoruni Kenshin is in no way, shape, or form mine, so leave me be. The exercise this fic is based on was found by Akai Kitsune.
Note: Just to remind you, these chapters are prone to bad grammar or misspellings (of any Japanese terms used). Please remember that I write these in a strict 10. min time limit so this is an extremely rough draft. Now, on to the show!
Yahiko Remembers…
I remember that day. I was so small back then, barely able to survive a punch. That was the first time I stole. They told me to go up to a man and grab his money before he realized anything happened.
And I did it. It was easy. I was small enough to be unnoticed, and if anyone did, it would be easy to disappear. I guess there are advantages to being as small as I am. Those crooks were pleased by me "earnings." I remember them telling me every time I asked that I'm doing well to pay back the debt my mother left.
But when would it end? I started thinking that when I got older, when I became more aware of the situation. When I became better at stealing.
I remember her barging in and trying to save me. Secretly, I admired her skill, how she was able to send men twice her size flying through shoji. I tried to help her escape, but the idiot just got herself knocked out.
I remember him barging in and saving me with one look to the boss.
I remember that even though I felt better, I was also happier than I have ever felt in years. I never really know happiness until I left them. I knew I was free when I could pick up that shinai and wield it well.
I remember my first test, defending her from guys who would use her like I had been used. I guess I fought so hard because I knew her pain. I knew what it was like to be exploited like that. And I knew, she had to be free too.
A/N: this one has been sitting in my room for about… 2 months??? There's one for Hiei (YYH) but it's to horrifying and short for me to post :D. (really, it's terrible and I don't think I connected with the character as well as I should have) I think I accidentally went a minute or two over time… anyway, this was also influenced by Akai's fic, The Meiji Teachings: The Sword That Protects. And I still think that this was horribly OOC ;.; Thanks again to Akai for giving me permission to use the exercise and to all for reading!