Meeting a Legend:
Parallels Don't Intersect
As usual, a child noticed him first.
"Okaa-san! Mother! Look, a traveler!"
Kenshin deliberately spread his arms with a dissembling "Oro?" as the occupants of the entire street (a whole seven buildings) watched him step down from the small bridge over the stream. His worn sandal poised inches above the ground, he hesitated an instant at the shout before proceeding a few paces more with a disarming smile and general bow.
When he straightened, no less than five children of various ages had moved gleefully in front of him, under the no-less-curious gaze of their guardians.
"Who are you?"
"Whatcha carrying?"
"Where're you from?"
"Sugoi! Your hair!"
"…"
"Oro!"
Having thus expertly dodged the first barrage, he offered a token amount of information, ostensibly to those who'd asked.
"This one is a rurouni, that I am."
He further relented when that did not suffice, as he knew it would not.
"Sessha is only wandering through, from the east around Tsuyama. Could this one, perhaps, offer any service in exchange for shelter?"
The two women nearby exchanged glances and one disappeared into the newest building, as indicated by the ceramic tiles of the roof; the others in evidence remained thatched.
Kenshin was prepared to wait for the results of the probable consultation, and deposited his sack to one side.
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Kadsure had met Yoshi-kun and his father working outside, Yoshi having matured nearly past recognition in so short a time! Or, wait, he hadn't visited here last year at all, had he? The boy he remembered didn't appear so much a boy anymore. He felt a surge of sympathy for those adults always saying, "But it feels like yesterday that…" and laughed quietly for even imagining himself as old--even if older and older children had started looking so young.
He removed the few written notes he'd acquired to be given to Urayaji-san, who knelt across from him and offered tea. Drinking politely, grateful for the liquid and the courtesy, if not the warmth, he prepared to give an overview of the most important information, none of which, he thanked the kami, was dire or urgent.
With a bit of effort, Kadsure was proud to say he could read the letters, as could Urayaji-san, but it was simpler to recall the message as it was given aloud. Urayaji-san could decrypt the simple communications for himself later.
Hadana-san entered quietly before they had done more than exchange pleasantries, and waited for Urayaji-san. It was obvious that she had something to say, and Kadsure wordlessly excused her intrusion.
Urayaji showed a flicker of surprise, but not alarm, as she quietly spoke and gestured out the door. Kadsure sipped his tea and waited only an instant before Urayaji returned but did not seat himself.
"It seems a day for guests; a wanderer has just arrived, traveling west." He smiled at Kadsure, who moved to rise. "Iie, please, you may wait. I shall meet him, and tonight we might share happenings, both west and east."
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By the time the woman came back with a man, Kenshin had inveigled the names of his new confederates and was scrabbling in the dust after little Suhara, to the bemusement of her grandmother. He sent the children after stones and collected a pile of assorted lumps until he obtained three of the approximately right size.
"Shirioka-kun, Kawatachi-kun, Sessha has enough now! Come see!"
Urayaji eyed the young stranger rather proficiently juggling rocks, and regretted that he stopped almost immediately with smiling apologies and "Perhaps again, later." He'd not had time to consider this odd situation before the situation was bowing in greeting.
"Good day, otoko-san. Sessha wa rurouni, de gozaru."
Speaking of odd… He raised his eyebrows at the excessive formality, out-of-date and out-of-place, spoken with ease. And a sword…perplexing, without doubt.
"Hasagawa Urayaji desu, rurouni-san. My wife says you travel from Tsuyama and wish shelter for tonight?"
"Hai, this one wandered through the region. I would work for my stay before the rains begin. Sessha was planning to find a place to stay dry when I came across sign of you here. This one would be grateful."
"Before the rains begin…" Today had been humid, sure, but it was a bit premature for monsoon season: early summer, not yet June!
"This one overheard merchants on the road speak of a typhoon in Kagoshima already last week, Hasagawa-san. Tosa, then Osaka, would likely follow, so they will not be long in coming now."
"Ano, Kadsure-kun will know." More decisively, "Rurouni-san, you are actually the second visitor here today." He turned to the mother and children, "Kadsure-kun has news enough for us all, once we've gathered. Hadana, would you--"
"Hai," she bowed and smiled as she walked away.
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I am enjoying mixing Romaji into this! Instead of using it whenever possible or not at all, instead of interrupting the flow completely, I'm trying to be sure to use it in an understandable context. This, I've noticed, doesn't mean I don't need to include some explanation. Darn.
sugoi-cool, neat, wow!
rurouni-wanderer
sessha-archaic 'self,' third person
otoko-san- Sir
Hai-yes
Iie/Iya-no
Ano-um
desu-said w/introduction, name
de gozaru-archaic polite phrase, "that it is"
Oro- all-purpose Kenshin exclamation
kami-gods
Thank you, reviewers WhiteRabbit5, Katie, PraiseDivineMercy, Nekotsuki, lolo popoki, and moeru himura!