Well, I'm back…
I suppose you could call this the revenge of my muse, but really, it's more creative frustration letting itself out after a long dormancy period.
What happens when the RK cast is pushed forward in time, and into another country? What jobs would they work? How would their characters be different, and how would they be similar? I know some people will complain that I haven't been true to the original characters, but no American woman now would act the way a woman in Meiji Japan was supposed to act, not that the women in the show did, for that matter. It's a different country and a different time period. So the characters must adapt to fit the setting. Besides, it isn't called AU for nothing.
Meiji Kenkaku Romantan…In America
Rated R for language and possible adult themes.
Cat Foxglove, 2005
Take One
It had been a good dream, as far as his dreams had gone lately…that is, until hail started to fall on the roof of his dream house. Or was it a train rushing past? Whatever it was, it was almost enough to jolt him awake. Almost, but not quite, especially as it subsided after a few seconds. No, what pulled him into a semi-conscious state was the ringing of the phone, and what woke him up fully was the sound of one of his oldest and closest friends' voice.
"Sanosuke Sagara, get your lazy ass out of bed NOW!"
Sano groaned and looked at the clock, then cured and shot out of bed. "Shit! You've got the key, right, Missy? Make me a cuppa, could ya?"
Kaoru snorted and let herself into the apartment. "Move your ass, Sano. Megumi will throttle you if you're late, and I'm sure that Hiko would LOVE to lord the fact that you were late on the first day of school over your head for the entire semester."
"Yeah yeah yeah…how the hell long does instant coffee take to make!"
"Not as long as it takes you to get dressed and get your stuff together. Let's GO!"
When he emerged from the bedroom, she was standing by the door, coffee in one hand and his bag in the other. "Lucky for you that Meg packed this last night. How late were you two up, anyway?"
"Um…" Sano muttered something under his breath.
"What was that?" She shoved him out of the apartment and locked the door. "I didn't quite catch that, Rooster."
"Four, alright!"
"Four? In the morning? For god's sake, Sano!"
"Whaat?"
"Never mind. Take your damn coffee, and get in the car."
The school was quiet at seven in the morning, especially on the first day. As the students wouldn't be arriving until eight, Kaoru and Sano had enough time to run a few laps around the track before prepping for their first period class. It was a routine that they had set up several years before, when both had worked at a different school, but this was Kaoru's first year at Spring Brook High. Sano was glad to see her again.
"Oy! Half an hour before we have to go get ready!"
Sano blinked, and stared at her back. She'd lapped him. She'd fucking LAPPED him!
"Wench! You did NOT just lap me!"
"Get over it!"
Ten minutes later, Sano finally caught up. He'd forgotten that she'd been on their high school track team as well, way back when. Apparently she'd kept training throughought college and grad school as well. However, he mused, as she was shorter she oughtn't to be able to keep…
"Up?" He stared. She'd lapped him again! He raced to catch her. "Missy, how is it that you've lapped me twice?"
"You stopped moving twice."
"Shit!"
"I'm done. You've still got twenty before the busses arrive. They've got you working crossing, right?"
"Yeah. I'll run later. Have to grab a shower."
"Same here. Catch you after school?"
"Yeah. Race you!"
"You're on, rooster!"
"Hey! I didn't mean now!"
Kaoru's only reply was a laugh as she jogged off in the direction of the locker rooms. Oh yeah, thought Sano. It was good to have his best friend back on board.