Disclaimer I do not own Rurouni Kenshin…I just worship it.
Chapter 6: Photographs, Love, and Revenge
After breakfast that morning everyone went to do his or her own thing. Megumi and Sano went to the clinic. Saitoh went to see the Tokyo police to get information on the gang. Kenshin was doing laundry, wiping the floors, and cleaning the rooms and shoji's. Kaoru was training Yahiko outside in front of the temple, and Aoshi, Misao, and Arianna were watching.
"Yahiko, you're doing it wrong! Bring the bokken chest level, swing right, and thrust upwards." Yahiko glared at Kaoru.
"You know busu, this isn't easy!" Kaoru huffed.
"Well DUH! That's why its called training!" Yahiko turned around and charged at Kaoru. He swung right, then thrusted upward. Kaoru blocked it and grinned.
"I knew that would motivate you!" Yahiko blushed and went back to training. Misao and Arianna laughed at their antics. Aoshi gazed at Misao and then returned to sipping his tea quietly. Arianna looked up at the sky.
"It's getting late. I have to go and do something before the day is over. I will be back shortly. Sumimasen." Arianna bowed and went inside,
"I wonder where she's going?" Misao said, eyeing the shoji. She looked over at Kaoru who shrugged her shoulders. Arianna padded down the hallway to guest room she was staying in. She slid the shoji open and walked inside. She changed into her regular clothes and put her Sai's into the holsters on each of her thighs, she combed her fingers through her hair and untangled the knots.
"Arianna-dono?" Kenshin slid the shoji open slightly and peered in. Arianna turned around and smiled.
"Hai?"
"Sumimasen, I was just coming in to clean your room." Kenshin smiled sweetly, opening the shoji all the way. Arianna smiled back at him.
"Hai, I was just preparing to leave. Arigatou gozaimasu for cleaning my room. Dewa mata." Arianna bowed and left the room. Kenshin set about cleaning the shoji's first, then moved onto folding up the futon and cleaning the floors. When he was finished he reorganized the closet. As he turned around a small piece of paper fell out of the cloak on the shelf. Kenshin closed the shoji behind him and went to clean the dojo.
With Misao, Aoshi, Kaoru, and Yahiko
"Whew!" Kaoru sat down on the ground.
"Nanji desu ka?" Misao looked at the sky.
"San ji, approximately." Kaoru leaned back.
"San ji, eh? Wonder if Kenshin made lunch yet?" Kaoru sighed.
"Lunch!" Kenshin shouted from the dojo porch.
"Guess that answers your question Kaoru-san." Misao shook her head and stood up to leave. Aoshi looked at the bottom of his teacup and set it aside on the wooden porch.
"Doko nan Arianna?" Misao shrugged.
"Shirimasen, Aoshi-sama." Aoshi nodded.
"Well let's go eat, I could eat a cow right about now." Kaoru laughed. Misao and Kaoru went through the dojo training hall and headed towards the kitchen where Kenshin awaited them. Aoshi stared at his teacup again. He placed his hands on his knees and slowly rose to his feet, following after the two women. He stopped abruptly and stared into the forest in the back. He resumed walking and shut the large doors.
With Arianna
Arianna stepped into a clearing in the forest. She sat down and pulled out one of her Sai's. She held it up to her hand and watched the sun light glint on the metal.
"It's been three days, and still nothing." Arianna stood up and paced around. Her eyes flickered with emotion and every now and then she would breathe heavily. Arianna glanced up at the sky.
"A little after san ji, I better head back or they'll start to worry." Arianna walked out of the clearing and headed back to the dojo.
Kamiya Dojo
"That was great Kenshin!" Misao exclaimed. Kaoru nodded her head also agreeing with Misao. Misao looked around, searching for something.
"I'm going to see if Arianna is back yet. Sumimasen." Misao stood back from the table and left. She walked down the left wing of the dojo and came to the guest room.
"Arianna-san? You in there?" Misao waited, her ear against the shoji screen. Misao stood back and slowly slid the shoji open.
"Arianna?" Misao stepped inside and looked around.
"Guess she's not here, oh we- What's this?" Misao glanced at the floor near the closet. She walked closer and picked up the piece of paper. On the back it said,
Ryoushin, Kyoudai, Shinseki,
Kazoku
Misao flipped over the paper and stared at the picture. A man with long red hair in a tie, and a woman with a high ponytail in a blue kimono stood behind Arianna. Another man with red hair in a high ponytail stood next to her. A tall man with brown hair stood next to a beautiful woman with long raven black hair, with baby in her arms. A Tall man with jet black hair stood next to a short woman with long hair cascading around her back and shoulders, held a little boy with black hair and his hands around the woman's neck. A girl with long brown hair in braids, stood next to a girl with short black hair in a low ponytail.
"This is Arianna's family, but they all look like...nah, what am I thinking its impossible." Misao placed the picture on top of the folded up futon and walked back to the Kitchen.
"Konbanwa Misao-san." Arianna was sitting next to Kaoru and Yahiko. Misao bowed.
"I was just looking for you. Well, lets dig in, I'm still hungry!" Misao smiled broadly and sat across from Arianna.
Later
Arianna was still sitting at the hibachi table, conversing with Misao on various types of hand to hand combat styles. Yahiko had left to go to the Akabeko to help out Tae-san and Tsubume-san. Sano went to go gamble with some friends, and Aoshi was on the porch meditating. Kenshin had finished clearing off the table and had set out some green tea and puff doughnuts. Arianna broke away from Misao's gaze to look around.
"Where's Kaoru-san?" Misao blinked and looked around.
"I don't know. She might be helping to wash dishes with Himura." Arianna nodded and stood up.
"I'll be right back." Misao nodded and sipped her tea. Arianna walked to the Kitchen. She heard voices and stopped. She molded her body to the wall and peered around the corner.
"Kaoru, you should go inside and relax. I can handle this." Kaoru shook her head.
"Iie, you're in here all alone so I'll help you." Kenshin smiled at Kaoru and continued to wash and put away dishes with Kaoru. Arianna backed away from the entrance and leaned against the wall.
"Well, only one more year until it happens." Arianna smiled and walked back to Misao
Porch: 8:30pm
Misao and Arianna went outside to keep Aoshi company, even if he didn't want it. Kenshin and Kaoru came outside to join them, and Yahiko had come home five minutes later and dropped onto the porch.
"It's a beautiful night, de gozaru yo."
"Aa." Arianna replied. Suddenly the Dojo gate opened to reveal non-other then the Mibu wolf.
"Wow Saitoh, your still alive?" Arianna grinned. "I thought those cigarette's would have killed you by now, ne?" Misao laughed and Kenshin smiled lopsidedly. Saitoh glared and walked over to them.
"The investigation is tomorrow. The police regiment didn't want to give me the information, but I got them to." Saitoh grinned, his amber eyes glinting dangerously. "The gang is called "Aka Ketsueki" which means red blood. Supposedly they go around and get rid of people who they don't like or are or were involved in wars and taking the governments side. They also do a little "business" if you know what I mean." Saitoh lit a cigarette. "Since Takani-san and that idiot Sano aren't here right now, we'll have to tell them tomorrow." Arianna's eyes turned amber for a split second.
'Finally I will have my revenge.'
A/n: Stay tuned!
