Eep! I apologize! I really did mean to update. But I got so distracted – what with life and school and all of that nonsense that I just...spaced. I apologize. –bows lightly- I do hope that my lovely fans can forgive me?
And Rebuttal101, yer review gave me the swift kick in the butt that I needed. The compliment about quotes got me goin'.
Reviews are appreciated...and might get my stupid muses to work.
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Solace
Chapter Two: Ivory Lilies and Sapphire Ribbons
Tick tock, tick tock,
Hear the clicking of the clock?
Splish splash, splish spash,
Swung his blade to earn some cash.
Eyes of blue and hair of black,
Never once did she turn back.
Onyx hair and grin of gold,
He only looks eighteen-years-old,
Spiked hair and fists of steel,
Had to work for his next meal.
"One more time and you'll be dead...at least I think that's what they said...Oh-oh... Forty days won't break a man..." (Revolution Man)
000ooo000
"Check." Misao announced, the corners of her mouth quirking with satisfaction.
"Mmm.I see." Aoshi kept himself impassive as he lifted his knight. Moving the chosen piece in the required 'L', aiming left, Aoshi murmured his verdict. "Check-mate."
"What!" Misao squeaked. Her cerulean eyes danced over the board as she studied the predicament. "Oh. In my eagerness to 'check' you I left my King wide open and played into your trap."
"Good girl." Aoshi murmured approvingly. "You're learning." He watched Misao fairly glow at his praise. The bright look on her face made the icy ninja's decision for him.
Glancing nervously around the park, Aoshi snatched a ring from his pocket. "I've never been much with the sweet-talk." He slid to his knee from the stone bench, "So. Misao Makimachi...marry me?"
The sunlight glittering from the square-cut diamond on a thin platinum band reflected in Misao's wide eyes. "I thought you'd never ask! Yes!" She cooed as he slid the ring onto her finger, tears pricking the corners of the same eyes that had been glaring daggers at the chess board a moment before.
000ooo000
Two sounds Kaoru despised waking up to: The ringing of a phone and loud talking. Both of which she was subjected to the morning after accepting Kenshin's proposal.
"Answer the frickin' phone!" Kaoru roared. After five seconds, no one did as ordered and the ringing continued.
Making an art form of rolling out of bed, Kaoru made a mad dash to the living room and dove to lift the receiver. "What?"
"I see you picked up Himura's greeting." Kaoru grinned at the goading, rolling her eyes lightly.
"Good morning, Misao." Kaoru sighed, flopping onto the soft couch nearest her position and cradling the handset between her shoulder and eat. Both hands free, she began to pelt Yahiko, Soujiro, and Sano with pillows to silence their incessant chatter.
"Morning? Girl, you nuts? It's after lunch!" Misao laughed before continuing, "Guess what?"
"No, no guessing games. You woke me up, YOU TELL."
Misao giggled, "Aoshi and I are getting married!"
"Married?" Kaoru gasped. "That's so great! I guess Kenshin and Aoshi were in on it together! What timing!"
"You too? That's awesome!" A rustling sound interrupted Misao. After a moment of muffled speaking Misao returned to Kaoru, "Gah, Okina wants me to practice with my Kunai. Just thought I'd call and tell ya."
"Aright."
"Seeya!" A click cut off whatever goodbye words Kaoru might have shared.
"What were you three arguing about?" Kaoru demanded as she plopped the phone back onto the charging cradle.
"Not arguing per se..." Soujiro responded, "Discussing whether or not Yahiko can move out. Right now."
"Leaving us already?" Kaoru inquired with a grin. Yahiko replied with a shy smile, unlike any she'd expect from a kid with such an arrogant swagger.
"Miss Megumi said I was a lot of help. She's planning to open a clinic in a week or two and wants me help." He spoke rapidly, somewhat anxiously. Almost as if he expected to be ridiculed for what he wanted.
"Well. How much do you have to movie?" Kaoru inquired in a non-confrontational tone.
Yahiko visibly relaxed, "I don't got nothin' to move." He muttered, revering to brash street-talk. This, Kaoru had expected.
"Well then," Kaoru replied as she headed into the kitchen, "Have fun and visit us soon." Pouring a tall glass of water from the sink, she heard the door open and then close quietly, with a muffled 'G'bye' at the last moment.
Sipping her drink, Kaoru strolled through the livingroom and entered Kenshin's room. She took another sip, and then proceeded to empty the contents atop Kenshin's sleeping head.
The spluttering followed by the shattering of glass called Soujiro and Sano into Kenshin's room.
000ooo000
Kenshin released Kaoru's wrist immediately, frowning at the broken glass. "What'dya do that for?"
"One up, all up!" Kaoru rubbed her wrist and picked up the large shards of the broken glass. Kenshin stared down at her, face still clammy from sleep and cold water, hair wild and a silly look on his face.
"..." He could forumulate no reply. After a moment, he slipped out from under the damp blankets and bent next to his fiancée. "Brilliant." He sighed, helping her remove the shards of glass from the carpet.
"You're the one that went all violent." She poked him in the chest just as Soujiro and Sano barged in, looking ready to smack someone down.
"Everything okay?" Kaoru's eyes went wide and filled with tears as she knicked her palm on a shard of glass.
"I was only kiddin' and he went all mean and broke the glaaaassss!" She sobbed, dropping her face.
Soujiro gave her a brotherly hug. "It's okay, Kaoru. Shhh. You go on and clean up your hand and we'll pick up the shards."
"T-thank you..." Kaoru wailed and stood.
"I'll help her." Kenshin murmured, slinging an arm around her shoulders and taking her glass as well as his own to the trashcan by his door, slinging it in and walking out of the room.
"Blast, that hurt." Kaoru sighed, shaking her hand and sucking on her palm after they'd entered the kitchen.
Kenshin stared at her, an eyebrow quirking slowly of it's own volition. "Ummm..."
"Yes, I played 'em. I wanted to talk to ya." She grinned, eyes wide in such an innocent way that Kenshin couldn't get angry at her.
"...Sure." Kenshin sat with her at the table and checked her palm, removing the tiny shard of glass and cleaning the blood off with a paper towel. "Talk." He began the complicated process of removing the plastic covering from the bandaid. After two failed tries he finall ripped it open without letting it stick to his fingers.
"Misao is getting married, too. And I wanna go and do some weddin' planning with her. Can I?"
Kenshin quirked an eyebrow as he placed the bandaid on her palm. "Um...yeah? Since when have you asked my permission for stuff like that?"
"Since I wanted to borrow your car."
"No. GOD no. No in ever language I have ever learned!"
"...aren't most of those 'no's' pronounced the same?"
"Not the point. I love my car and wish to keep it for a few more years." Bad choice of words. Kenshin's karma snickered evilly and gave him a swift kick to the gut as Kaoru rose, eyes burning with righteous fury.
"Are you saying that I'm incapable of driving properly?" She screeched, all but snarling into Kenshin's face.
"N-no! Never!" He replied, eyes wide and beginning to blanch.
"Then why can I not borrow your silly car? Do you love your car more than me?"
Kenshin knew he'd lost the argument as soon as she pulled the 'love' card. That one would work beautifully until they were married and he was willing to bet that she was well aware of that.
"..." He reached into his pocket and removed his car keys, placing them into her palm. "Have fun!" He chirped with a broad grin.
"Oh! Thank you!" Kaoru giggled and gave him a hug, running out the door after hopping into her room to grab her purse. It contained her license...Kenshin hoped... fervently...
000ooo000
"So, what're we doin' for Missy's twenty-first?" Sano asked companionably, to break the nervous silence.
Kenshin was sweating for his car, and Soujiro was worried that his sister's tendancies might get her arrested. Sano dropped a necklace on the table suddenly. "Ah, right. Kenshin – this is yers. Missy forgot to give it back so I promised to...and...heh...forgot."
Kenshin stared at the necklace, wincing at the memory.
000ooo000
"Battousai, I'd like you to meet Wat-"
"BATTOUSAI!" The scream broke into the quiet, polite introduction that Hiko had been busily instigating.
Without hesitation, Battousai bowed, "Please excuse me, I have a matter to attend to." And sped from the room with demonic speed.
"No..." He heard the very quiet whimper, and knew that there was no way for him to get into the room in time. Without hesitation he dropped into Battou-Jutsu.
"Get back!" He shouted, not caring if the crowd heeded. He drew his sword, leaping up with an eerily cat-like agility that had been trained into him hard by Hiko. With four swift swings, he cut through the delicate floor-beam supports, bringing down a six-by-five chunk of the second floor.
Sheathing his sword in a bare instant, he caught Kaoru and then dropped her so quickly that she never noticed he'd caught her, thereby keeping her from any real harm. Gohei landed on his feet and realized s bit to late that he'd made a grave error. Battousai kneeled next to her slowly, removing his duster and wrapping it around her, keeping his eyes on her face.
That taken care of, he rose to destroy the one who'd tried to take what was his...
000ooo000
"...yeah...thanks, Sano." Kenshin smiled weakly, fighting back through the memories and trying to appear nonchalont. That had been a paricularly nasty one – killing a comrade. But Kaoru had been well worth it. And Gohei had been a bit of a lecherous lout, anyways.
"Birthday..." Sano prompted irritably. "Isn't there something special about her birthday?"
"Which is it?" Kenshin inquired distractedly, still staring at the pendant.
"Her twenty-first."
Soujiro leapt up, "Her TWENTY FIRST!" He shouted, eyes going wide. "I'm such a horrible person to forget! She inherits a load of money today!"
"...yeah..." Kenshin realized, an eyebrow quirking. "How would she go about that again?"
"I'll take care of it." Soujiro grinned and picked up his phone, running out of the room. After about fifteen minutes he returned, practically glowing. "The money is in an account in her name, and the house is in her name as well. The papers should arrive in a few days."
"...how did you cut through all that red tape?" Kenshin narrowed his eyes, just knowing that there had to be red tape.
"Tenken cuts through red tape with a Wakizashi, of course. Not that it's a big deal. Now, lets plan a party!"
"How're we gonna do that, without a car?"
"I got a truck." Sano muttered.
"...right."
"...how does one plan a party?" Soujiro wondered.
"Do we invite people?"
"Like...?" Kenshin prompted Sano.
"Um. Aoshi, Misao...us...does she have any friends?"
"Don't look at me!" Soujiro argued, "I wouldn't know!"
"What about Wren?" Kenshin wondered.
"Don't you hate her?" Soujiro prodded.
"I don't hate her, but she probably hates me. And Tsubame, Kaoru loved that kid. And Jessie, of course. And...Megumi."
"...anyone else?" Sano inquired.
"I think that's the extent. She doesn't seem to full of acquaintances. I doubt her father encouraged friendship."
"...no..." Sano remembered suddenly, eyes going wide.
"No, what?"
"There's one person that Kaoru had as a friend. They were pretty close until I vanished offa the radar when Kao was seven...which was when she moved to Japan, actually, but I'm willing to bet that they would still be close if Kenshin hadn't taken her." Kenshin flinched minisculely at that.
"Oy, you saved her from insanity and her foster-dad." Soujiro comforted, patting the other's arm. "What was the girl's name?"
"Um. I'm not sure. It was...Faith...Fara...Lanna...Lisa...Laura...Ameria... hmmm..." Sano snapped his fingers, "Lina! Lina Inverse." He announced. "They were real close. And through Lina, Kaoru knew...I know these names...Xellos was one...Zelgadis...Amelia? Yeah, Amelia...Filia...Val – a guy, yep – Sylphiel...and some blonde moron named Gourry."
"That's a lot of people to forget." Kenshin chided.
"That's a lot of people in a band." Soujiro realized, face paling. "They're in 'The Slayers'. Don't you remember? That band out of Seyruun."
"...Zellas." Kenshin realized, with a strangled gasp. "Zellas Mettalium. That kid, Xellos, is the head of a huge Syndicate group. I don't want him in this house!"
"Sucks for you." Sano snapped, "This is for Kaoru, not you." Kenshin looked about ready to get very angry, but after a moment, he just shrugged nonchalontely.
"Fine." He muttered, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen, scrawling neatly:
Kaoru's Party Guests
-Kenshin Himura
-Sano Sagara
-Soujiro Seta
-Yahiko Miyoujin
-Megumi Takani
-Wren Makoto
-Aoshi Shinomourai
-Misao Makimachi
-Tsubame Takoro
-Jessie Shinkan
-Lina Inverse
-Xellos Mettalium
-Zelgadis Greywers-Mettalium
-Gourry Gabriev
-Sylphiel Nels Lahda
-Filia Ul Copt
-Val Agares
-Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun
"Okay. So that's all?" Soujiro murmured, peering over the list.
"Yep, I think so." Kenshin glanced to Sano for confirmation.
"I don't think we can fit any more people in here." He replied with a shrug.
"Okay. I'll take those." Soujiro took the list. "And get 'em here by six."
"...in five hours?"
"Yes." He nodded cheerfully. "I think we can do that."
"I think not. The Slayers are in America." Kenshin murmured.
"Oh...that's right...can we keep Kaoru out overnight?" Soujiro whipped out his cellphone to answer Sano's question.
"Oy, Aoshi? Can you convieniently have a power outage just as the car refuses to start?" He nodded, "Mhmm. Yep. Alrighty, thanks."
"Be careful with my car!" Kenshin cried as Soujiro hung up.
"You are such a baby." Sano sighed, thumping his friend on the head. "Anyhoo, you get on getting everyone here by six tommorrow night."
Soujiro nodded and saluted. "Yessiree!" Before skipping out of the room.
Sano and Kenshin stared at each other for a moment. "...I got decorations!" Kenshin cried just as Sano was opening his mouth.
The fighter pouted as Kenshin escaped with his pen and paper.
Scowling, he muttered, "I got food, music, and the surprise part of this." He called into Soujiro's room as he passed, "Yo, Sou? Yeah, yer ta get the Slayers ta play here, got it? Good." That taken care of, he proceeded to food.
That took little time. With his fingers doing the walking and...his...mouth...doing the talking Sano came up with a catering service that would deliver snacking foods and then a large sit-down dinner for the fighter to set out as he saw necessary the next day at two. Without that Sano knew that Lina would be very dangerous and crabby. People didn't grow out of eating habits.
The food handled, Sano called Aoshi to make sure that at all costs the cold young man would keep Kaoru at his house until six, if he had to knock her out. Of course it would be better if he took the girls to a movie around four-thirty and then brought them at five, since he and Misao were on the guest-list.
That taken care of, Sano laughed evilly and headed back into the livingroom to turn the television on.
"Turn it down!" Soujiro ordered. When Sano ignored him he slammed his door shut. Kenshin just remained in his room, door open, listening to the television and sketching the layout he had planned for the party.
000ooo000
By five-thirty, Sano was on the last person he had to call. The phone rang several times before a click on the other end alerted him to the fact that his target had been reached.
"Hello?" Asked a grumpy, decidedly female voice, "It's somewhere around five-thirty in the morning. Speak quickly or be electrocuted."
"Hey, Lina Inverse?" Soujiro inquired in nearly impeccable English.
"You called me, you should know my damn name."
"Nice to meet you, too. My name is Soujiro Seta. I'm Kaoru's older brother."
This time the voice was much more alert, "Kaoru?"
"Yeah. You and she were friends when you were kids, right?"
"Yes!" The voice went up several decibles, "Gah, I thought her evil dad had killed her or sommat! How's she?"
"Getting ready to turn twenty-one. Actually, today was her birthday."
"Your point?"
"I got stuck inviting guests and you're on the list."
"That's good..." She murmured, "Where are you?"
"Kyoto, Japan."
"Right. I'll just walk on over there..." She snapped sarcastically.
"Can you get the rest of your band on the line before I discuss how to get y'all here?" He heard Lina groan pointedly.
"You people and yer demands. Fine, just a second." She three-wayed to Filia who grumpily three-wayed to Sylphiel and Zelgadis, who in turn got Gourry, Xellos, Amelia, and Val on the line.
"Hello," Soujiro called firmly to cut the chatter echoing from the eight on the phone. They settled down – except for Xellos who continued to tap cheerfully on his drums. "All of you are invited to Kaoru's birthday party. I don't care how you get here. Fly, walk, swim, whatever. But you all need to be here by six...lessee here it's five-thirty in the evening for me...so in the next eightteen hours y'all need to be here. And Sano requests that you bring your drums so you can play Kaoru some music. Thanks." Soujiro hung up before he could be shouted at for the demands he'd just made.
000ooo000
"How pretty is this?" Kaoru cooed, holding up a magazine to show Misao a gorgeous celtic wedding gown.
"Feh, this totally whoops that!" Misao countered, holding up her magazine – containing a traditional feudal kimono with long, flowing sleeves of an awesomely white color.
"...that's very pretty. But this is so much better!" Kaoru argued, flashing a victorian American hoop-dress with a bustle and all.
"Are you taking something for that MPD, Kaoru? 'Cause I think it's affecting you."
Aoshi, who was watching from a few feet away, stiffened and waited for Kaoru to get angry. To his surprise she laughed lightly, shaking her head in amusement. "Yeah, this does seem sorta Rumor-esque, doesn't it?" She replied lightly.
Shinomourai groaned quietly, and drifted over to the other unlucky husbands/father-in-laws/and other useless male parties to be. "..." He added to conversation as he took a seat, staring mindlessly at the television in perfect mimicry of the other men.
"What'cha in for?"
"The small one's gonna be my wife and the other one is gettin' married to a lucky jerk who didn't have to be here." Aoshi's head fell back, smacking into the wall. 'Blast. Not hard enough.' He tried again, but decided to forgo a third try when several dark looks were sent his way. 'For normal people, they're pretty scary during a football game.'
"So...who's playing?" Aoshi offered after a few moments.
"..." There was no reply. Aoshi was beginning to get the gist of what others felt around his cold nothingness. Maybe he'd invite all of the people he'd ever ignored to a cookout. The ninja amused himself with considerations of how much three thousand and twenty-eight hotdogs would cost. 'I'd have to start cooking like...now...' Aoshi realized, completely drowning out any external stimuli with his useless thought-process.
000ooo000
After an exhausting night in which Aoshi ran around faking electrical shortouts and car problems – ultimately being forced to verbally invite Kaoru to stay overnight, Soujiro was called twelve times by a very irate Lina ("Yes, we know you're on the way to the airport" "Yes, we'll have food waiting" "Yep, we have room for your instruments" "You want HOW much for the gig?" "Okay. Two hotel rooms. Got it" "..." "Let this end..." "GET ON THE FREAKING PLANE!"), Sano was forced to pick up the band from the airport, and Kenshin ran all over Kyoto and Tokyo searching for the PERFECT decorations...day broke.
And several new problems arose: Namely keeping Kaoru away from the party. Aoshi's problem. He wound up paying for an all-day mall adventure and three movies.
000ooo000
"Oy, You Sano?" Lina shouted, a ball of energetic red hair and bright eyes.
"None other." Sano turned to stalk away, fully expecting to be followed.
"Aren't you gonna help a lady with her luggage?" Sano turned and blinked several times at the young woman as she glared up at him, hands on her hips.
"...what lady?" Moving with a speed only Kenshin had achieved – leading Sano to wonder if speediness was a red-head trait – Lina slammed a fist into his gut and brought him to her level.
"This lady."
"Oh. Right." Sano coughed, taking her carry-on with the air of a knight.
"...bad move..." Zelgadis mentioned, coming up beside Sano, "You never wanna use that one on her. The 'Lady' thing. Silly, rookie mistake. You shall learn." That was all he had to say on the matter.
Sano glanced up at the young man – he carried many scars that the fighter recognized as chemical burns from hours of watching ER. "Yo. I'm Sanosuke, yer?"
"Zelgadis Greywers." Sano stuck out his hand, and the other gave it a firm shake with a very suspicious look.
A pair of arms, quickly followed by a body, tackled Sano. "Well hi there!" Chirped a purple-haired young man, dressed in a sharp black suit with a purple tie.
Sano frowned, dislodging himself. "I suppose you're Xellos?"
"Oooh! He's a smart one!" Xellos chirped, dancing away.
Zelgadis clapped a hand on Sano's shoulder. "Don't mind him. He's kinda nutsy around new people – it's a nervous habit of his."
"Yeah...Kaoru has that too. I know." Sano raised his voice, "SLAYERS CREW, I'M TIRED SO GET A MOVE ON!" That got them going and they followed their new chauffer out to his truck, piling in. Lina and Zelgadis rode squished in front, Xellos, Filia, Sylphiel, and Val squeezed into the back, Gourry happily lay in the back, and with some coaxing, Amelia was convinced to ride with him.
They stopped at the hotel to drop off the bags of the group, and then headed to the apartment.
"Whoooo-ee! Nice spread." Lina approved as she entered, carrying nothing but her yards of hair.
Sano paused to stare at the change.
When he'd left, Kenshin had been curled into a corner with pieces of paper and murmuring at a frantic rate to himself. Apparently the insanity had paid off.
Navy blue crepe paper cross-crossed over the ceiling, helium balloons with strands of shimmering...things dangled from them pressed against the crepe paper. The carpet was covered with glimmering gold and blue confetti. The furniture had been removed from the room, leaving Kenshin the ability to bring in three tables and enough chairs for everyone.
He'd set up a crystal punch-fountain and some snacks that he'd made himself to keep Lina occupied until the real food arrived. A fog machine set on low spilled a light mist into the livingroom, and he'd changed all of the lightbulbs to blue party-lights.
"Wow, Kenshin. Impressive work." Sano approved, peering around with thinly veiled jealousy. He'd never have come up with such a layout.
"Thanks." Kenshin replied from underneath one of the blue tablecloth-draped tables.
"...what're you doing?" Soujiro inquired, coming into the room and travelling to the table, lifting up the edge of the cloth. Kenshin was revealed then. Glitter all over his face, that shiny stuff in his hair, and bits of crepe paper glued to his hands.
"I'm setting up a sound system for while we eat." Kenshin replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Snapping one last wire into place he scooted out and then stood up, blinking at the new people. "Oro. Hi, I'm Kenshin..." He smiled in his usual friendly way.
"I'm Lina Inverse, the leader of this band of ingrates." Lina cheered, shaking his hand enthusiastically.
"Hi, I'm Gourry – the band of ingrates she was talking about!" No one got that, but Kenshin still grinned and shook the blonde's hand. Val, Amelia, Filia, Sylphiel, and Zelgadis proceeded to introduce themselves just as politely.
Then came Xellos. "A pleasure, Mr. Kenshin Himura. I'm Xellos Mettalium."
Kenshin stared at the proffered hand for a moment with narrowed eyes. When he flicked his gaze back up, his eyes were gold and hard. "Syndicate. Despicable."
The air went ice cold. Xellos just smiled sweetly. "Lovely, coming from an assassin."
Kenshin's jaw worked furiously against any sort of angry outburst he wanted to make. "...if it weren't for Kaoru I wouldn't allow you in here. Enjoy the privledge." Kenshin started to spin, but was stopped by a deceptively thin hand. The strong owner stopped him, and he found himself face-to-face with the scarred young man.
Zelgadis did not look happy in the least. "You want to punish him for the mistakes his mom made? Just for being BORN into the wrong family you want to judge him? Xellos nearly got killed a few years ago protecting us and many other innocents...maybe hundreds... from the Syndicate. He's perfectly honourable and right now is working to break up the Syndicate holdings and untangle the money to make businesses respectable and the money clean."
Kenshin listened to Zelgadis' rant without interruption. Until Lina interrupted for him. "If you've got such a problem, we'll just-"
"I apologize." Kenshin broke in on her words without seeming to give a thought, his eyes fading visibly back into gold. "I judged you harshly, and Zelgadis is right – it's not fair to blame you for a mistake of birth." Kenshin bowed low, and then extended his hand. Xellos laughed cheerily and shook it, his eyes closing with pleasure.
"I'm so glad we're all friends now." He paused, opening his eyes again, "How long 'till Kaoru comes?"
000ooo000
By two-thirty Sano was having an emotional breakdown. "Where's the food! The caterers are an hour late! What kind of crap-for-service is THIS?" He ranted, pacing ferociously.
"Sanosuke, chill!" Kenshin placated, listening to the Slayers set up and sound-check. "I'm sure they just got stuck in traffic.
By four O'clock, both of them were pacing frantically. Sano finally picked up the phone and called, demanding to know what was going on. Apparently, they had no record of his order.
After some screaming, ranting, begging, threatening, and bribing, Sano found himself foodless.
"Again, I save you." Kenshin joked, taking the handset and calling up the Akabeko. Within the hour the food arrived and the pair went about setting it out, working as an awesome pair.
By five-thirty, all of the guests had arrived. The snacks were out, but untouched – it was rude to eat before the surprise-ee, after all. The sit-down meal waited in the kitchen, the steak and greens succulent-looking and kept warm by a prayer and a hope.
At exactly six O'clock on the letter, the lookout (Amelia) saw Kaoru, Misao, and Aoshi heading towards the door.
"She's coming!" Amelia squealed, and shut off the lights, diving with everyone else to hide and wait for Kaoru to open the door.
000ooo000
"Open the door, Kaoru." Aoshi demanded, holding the packages precariously. They'd spent half of his fortune on clothing and accessories and other useless trinkets that they didn't need...but it made Misao glow. Then the other half on candy that they hadn't eaten, for the movie.
"...That sounds backwards." Kaoru argued jokingly, trying to figure out why she didn't see any light.
"Well, I'm holding everything and you're not. Open the frickin' door."
Kaoru laughed, and with a grin to Misao about Aoshi's apparent crabby-ness..."Okay, Mr. Cranky-pants." She opened the door.
There was utter silence in the room, excepting a strange whirring that accompanied whisps of cold air brushing Kaoru's ankles and cheeks. "Light switch...light switch...ah!" Kaoru flipped the light and started to turn, only to be frozen in place.
"Surprise!" She turned white, then slowly red, and then burst into tears.
"Geesh, when did you turn out ta be such a wimp?" Chided a very familiar voice.
Kaoru glanced up, and her eyes went wide when she saw that it really was Lina Inverse. "LINA!" She shrieked, crying harder and literally tackling her childhood friend.
"Easy, tiger!" Lina laughed, patting her friend's back from the floor, "This confetti crap is sharp."
Kaoru released Lina and then rose, staring around in wonder at all of the intricacies of the setup (thinking about how much time it would take to vaccuum the confetti out of the carpet, of course) and searching for the face she knew.
"Kenshin." She whispered, crying harder. Her fiancee came at her call. "Happy birthday, Sparrow." He whispered gently, stroking her hair and pulling her into his embrace.
A happier one Kaoru had never experienced. Surrounded by friends, family, and food (the three f's of life), she just started to cry harder, unable to come up with a proper response to the overwhelming emotions coarsing through her.
00000ooooo00000
A/N:
Does this make everyone feel better? I vanished, and then came back with sixteen pages. I still apologize, but gimme some credit! I practically gave myself carpal tunnel! I promise to TRY to update more often. I really never meant to let this story whoosh so much.
Maybe I'll be like Kaeru Shisho and update once a week, every week... leading to my next point.
The Slayers are a walk-on from Kaeru Shisho's Seyruun High Jinx triology. I would prefer that everyone read and review THAT triology that read and review mine. You need no knowledge of the 'Slayers' series. It's awesome and well-written and one of my favorite works of fanfiction (Moonstruck and Means To And End by Aiwendil coming to a close second) so...read them.
Now.
Review if you feel a need.
Thank you for reading!
