It took some timeā¦
after the incident in the dojo for everyone to calm down. Akane thought back on the previous night as she watched Ranma doze in the afternoon sunlight. After Ranma had freaked out last evening, and the scar on his face had started bleeding Kenshin had annouced it was time for bed. No one was in the mood to argue and even Sitou left without more than a thoughtful glance.
Akane pushed one of her short locks behind an ear and sighed looking out over the side-yard remembering the incident. She had been terrified then, wondering what to do to help Ranma when he started to freak out.
And most of the other people in the room had looked uncertain how to act as well. Miss. Karou had just looked terrified, Yahiko had looked on with wide eyes, the police officer just looked interested and Kenshin had looked the most surprised of all, and the most shaken.
However before anyone could move to help Ranma, he regained control by himself. Ranma had fallen terribly silent, with one hand still pressed against the side of his face. Then after that long moment of silence Ranma had looked back up at them and apologized for his behavior. Karou had immediately rushed to assure Ranma that it was all right, while Mr. Himura looked on with a troubled expression.
Akane had thought looking at them that Kenshin's eyes where even more haunted than Ranma's. if that was possible. Then Karou told the policeman that he had to leave, and Mr. Fujita did leave, but not before sending one more unreadable glance Ranma's way. After the policeman left Kenshin had announced that they should all get some sleep, and they could talk more about this in the morning.
Karou made up spare bed for Akane in her own room, and offered to let Ranma share Yahiko's room. Ranma had politely refused saying that he slept better alone and if it was all right with her could he sleep out in the dojo?
Akane knew then the real reason behind Ranma's request and suspected from the look Kenshin had on his face then that the Rurouni did as well. Ranma didn't want to risk hurting anyone if he had one of his nightmares.
He probably figured the farther away from everyone he was the better. But Akane did not like the idea of him spending a lot of time by himself,. the more Ranma was by himself, the more withdrawn and moody he became.
Probably thinking about more of the horrible stuff that he had been trying to tell them about last night.
Akane's eyes shifted to the slight form of Kenshin doing the laundry in the side yard and she frowned. That was another thing, all of these problems and dark things that now haunted Ranma supposedly where there because Ranma had a part of Mr. Himura's sprit. If Ranma was so badly affected by just a bit of the sprit how much more tormented would the original owner be? Kenshin certainly did not act tormented or even look troubled at all most of
the time. Akane mused over this while listening to the redheaded man hum as he cleaned a pair of hakama pants.
Then again appearances could be deceiving and he certainly looked haunted last night when all of that horrible stuff was going on.
Akane looked back over to Ranma. He was resting against the side of the dojo, one knee drawn up to his chest and his right hand resting on his shoulder as if cradling some invisible item. The early mornings sun's rays drifted down and cast shafts of light across his resting form. He looked so peaceful, but she had already learned how light of a
sleeper he had become and how dangerous it was to bother him while he was resting.
Akane glanced over to the Rurouni in the side-yard and nodded sharply as she made up her mind and stood up as quietly as she could, sneaking until she was a ways away from Ranma before walking normally on her way to try and talk to Mr. Himura. Behind her Ranma opened his lavender-blue eyes part way, and then slowly closed them. He had, of course been aware of her presence from the moment she had snuck over to check on him over an hour earlier.
But she seemed to want to watch him while he 'slept, not making any moves to try and wake him up or talk to him. And Ranma was content to let her do so. Kenshin who had been doing the laundry with his back to them this whole time was also aware that Ranma had been awake for some time now, and that Akane was now heading his way.
He didn't show any of this, happy to let Akane approach him at her own pace. He had expected that she would want to talk to him alone.
After a moment Akane's footsteps halted behind him and she spoke hesitantly. "Um, Mr. Himura?"
Kenshin turned to smile at her, setting the piece of laundry he had been working on to one side.
"Please just call me Kenshin, you are our guest. Is there something that I can do for you Akane-dono?"
Akane blushed lightly."You don't need to call me Akane-dono, really I'm just Akane." Kenshin just smiled his Rurouni smile, encouraging her to continue . And after taking a deep breath she did.
"Um, you don't need to stop working for me, really I'll just talk while you work. In fact let me help!"
Kenshin just shook his head and smiled. "No Akane-Dono, that would not be right, no it would not.
You are a guest that you are. But sesha will work while you talk if you wish?" Akane nodded, showing that is what she wanted and Kenshin began to wash clothing again.
"Um.Kenshin, I was wondering if I could. I meen..I wanted to ask if.that is what did you..ah.." Akane faltered trailing off and seriously reconsidering the wisdom of asking Mr. Himura about his past and what it was that Ranma
was experiencing. Kenshin however had already pieced together he mumbled stream of half-questions. For a second or two only the sound of scrubbing could be heard and then Kenshin's voice broke the silence that had become
almost painful. His voice was still friendly and warm, but now it held a deep sorrow.
"Perhaps Akane-dono was wondering about sesha's past?" he ventured scrubbing at a particularly stubborn stain.
Akane breathed a sigh of relief now that she no longer had to ask the difficult question. She nodded and sat down in the dirt next to him looking down at the folded hands in her lap. Kenshin sighed as he internally wondered how much he wanted to tell the girl. Even though he had told his Karou, Sano, Yahiko and a few others about his past it still was not easy to talk about it.
However, Akane-dono had been drawn into a situation with Ranma-san that gave her a right to know part of it atleast. "Many years ago" Kenshin started as he continued to scrub the laundry. "During the bakemetsu, many men had to fight for what they believed in. Some found themselves doing things they would rather not for the sake of their believes. Back then, I fought on the side of the revolutionists as a Hitokiri, a manslayer, an assassin."
Kenshin paused waiting for Akane's reaction. He caught the widening of her eyes out of the corner of his and the faint gasp. He smiled sadly; it was an understandable reaction for her to be shocked. He spoke again, moving on to the next piece of soiled laundry. "Back then, during those bloody days, I was called the Hitokiri Battousai. I used my swordsmanship as a tool to kill, and I killed many men. I will never be able to atone for all the lives I sacrificed for an ideal that I believed in. Shortly after losing someone dear to me I lost all control and almost descended into madness, when the war ended I swore never again to use my sword to kill. I tossed away the sword of a manslayer
and picked up the sword of a protector, a Sakabato."
Kenshin inclined his head to the sword resting in its sheath on the ground next to him. "I wandered around Japan for a very long time helping and trying to protect people, to perhaps make up for some of the wrong I did in my past. Many years later I came to this dojo and Karou-dono, Sano, Yahiko and the others became my family." Kenshin finished the last piece of the laundry and hung it on the clothesline to dry. Turning to Akane he kneeled on the ground and gently touched her shoulder causing her to look up at him. "Akane-dono, I believe that Ranma-san is suffering so much because he has my memories of those dark days, of the days I was a manslayer.
For a man who has committed no crime to be burdened with the memories of those many terrible acts, it is truly awful that it is. I regret that he, and you are being put through this and I would make it better in an instant if it was in my power, indeed I would. But I am afraid that helping Ranma will not be as easy as that.."
Akane's eyes glistened with forming tears. "However" Kenshin continued "Neither I nor Karou-dono will stop trying to help you both, none of us will. And I am sure that with you by his side to help him. Ranma-san will get through this and we will find a way to cure him, indeed I am." Kenshin smiled as a smile of her own broke across Akane's face. His words had touched her deeply and given her a lot to think about. "Now Akane- dono" Kenshin said in a cheerful tone "I must go and prepare breakfast."
Akane leapt to her feet rubbing her eyes quickly with one hand. "Please let me help you Kenshin, Please?
I want to help as, as a thank you for this. For talking to me." Kenshin smiled warmly, happy that he could help Akane-dono feel better.
"Alright Akane-dono, the kitchen is this way." Kenshin led Akane off towards the kitchen, and on the Dojo porch Ranma shuddered in fear. That poor man had no idea about the horror he was about to unleash upon them all with
Akane's cooking!
