Healer
By Meii-chan
Chapter 3-Sessha wa Rurouni de Gozaru yo
"He is better off in death…"
That's what the aged doctor had told Megumi. He was older and wiser than she was—then why does this statement seem so wrong? Megumi pondered this in her head while tending to the two patients. The aged doctor had long retired to bed, leaving Megumi with the boring job of making sure the two patients rested enough. She was quite sure that the both of them were not able to move around too much to cause injury, thus she decided to go on a little stroll.
As she threw her dark blue haori (1) over her kimono and stepped into her sandals. Upon feeling the night wind, she shivered and smirked at herself. Megumi, you must be insane, going for a walk in the middle of the night… Face it; her sassy inner voice told her, you really are worried about him.
Megumi scoffed at that voice. She was worried, but not that worried. It wasn't like there was any imminent danger. She had decided to go to the well by the western gate and the warehouse to wait for Soujiro when he decided to appear. She approached the well and found a pink blanket lying nearby. Megumi picked the fuzzy pink blanket, stuffing it into her abysmal sleeves for simple storage. As she was doing so, she heard fragmented conversation in the distance. Megumi was so incredibly interested that she couldn't help but listen.
"…kill him Nii-san…"
"…even get a reward…"
"…won't let him destroy my business…"
"…time to show off your sword…"
"…kill him…"
And then...a chilling scream for help as lightning and thunder clashed together.
Megumi's analytical mind quickly put the pieces together. Without further thinking, she rushed to the front of the house. But when she rounded the corner, she ran into Soujiro. She lost her balance and fell to the ground. Soujiro did not see her, and raced away.
"Wait Sou-chan!" she called after him picking herself up from the ground. Looking up, she met the livid faces of Ichiro and the rice merchant.
"Megumi-chan! Are you all right?" Kageiro asked her, rearranging Megumi's hair.
Megumi looked stunned. "Fine."
"Where did that brat go?" wondered Ichiro out loud, not really caring if Megumi was with them or not. He walked around, accompanied by Yanosuke to look for Soujiro.
It was Yanosuke who noticed a faint footprint under the porch of the warehouse. Everyone gathered around him, certain that Soujiro was under the house.
Yanosuke bended down and attempted to crawl under the porch after Soujiro, but he was much too tall.
"I can go," Megumi said, volunteering herself, "I can fit under there." Then, she could tell Soujiro to escape a different way.
The others complied, and Megumi crawled under the porch. A few moments later, she spied Soujiro hiding among the building supports.
"Sou-chan. It's just me." She whispered when she noticed he was shying away from her. "They already know you're here."
"Megumi-san?"
She nodded, even though she was quite aware that Soujiro couldn't see her very well. "You can't go on hiding there forever. Sou-chan, you need to get away from them…"
"Megumi-chan!" they heard the rest of Soujiro's adopted family calling her. "Is he there?"
Megumi ignored them. She clasped Soujiro's hand in hers. Slowly and silently, they slipped to the edge of the opposite side of the porch. When they emerged from beneath the building, only Ichiro noticed them.
"Hey! There you are!" He lunged forward to grab Soujiro. Fortunately, Megumi had quickly tugged on Soujiro's arm, causing Ichiro to miss and fall flat on his face. "Why! How dare you meddle in our family problems, Megumi?"
"Sou-chan, run!" Megumi urged him, as she was half dragging him away from Ichiro's sword. Soujiro, by some unseen strength was able to pull himself together and run ahead of Megumi.
Ichiro and the rice merchant chased after the two, screaming that they deserve to die. When Soujiro and Megumi had escaped past the courtyard entrance, they decided to stop running after them. Instead, they shouted out threats.
"Don't you ever come back here!"
"And if we somehow find you alive, we'll kill you there!"
As for Soujiro and Megumi, it started to rain as they escaped the rice merchant's house. It poured down mercilessly, like some reminiscence of the rice merchant. They were simply too frightened to stop for shelter anywhere near the rice merchant, or where they would be easily found, so they ran on, the threats fresh on their minds.
They ran through the deserted streets of Kanagawa, streets that became muddier and muddier with each raindrop that fell to the ground. Eventually, Soujiro and Megumi reached the very edge of the town, where Megumi led Soujiro to the underside of a wooden bridge. There was a lower layer of that particular that was shielded from the storm's pounding rain. It was dry, so Megumi plopped down, exhausted, unaccustomed to running for any long period of time.
Even when she was trying to calm her own breathing, she happened to turn her attention to Soujiro, who seemed to be in worse condition that she was. "Sou-chan, you all right?"
Megumi mentally slapped herself for her stupidity. You don't ask someone if they're fine or not if they really aren't! And Megumi knew that Soujiro was not all right. That is, unless all right meant half dead, rain soaked and choking on your own blood. Megumi frowned, trying not to panic. She hadn't really seen how badly Soujiro was beaten up, but if there was internal bleeding…
Megumi shook her head, forgetting about that. At this rate, he'll choke to death, not of hemorrhage, she thought as she tried to sooth him, by patting him on the back. Megumi knew she could easily force the liquid out by simply punching him in the chest, by that really must do more harm than good.
At this point, Soujiro's breathing became ever so shallow. Megumi knew she only had one option available to her that wouldn't really harm him.
"Sou-chan?"
Megumi barely heard a wispy "Areh?" from Soujiro before taking a deep breath. She leaned forward and their lips met…
The result of Megumi's attempted artificial respiration was a blush appearing on Megumi's face and Soujiro having a serious coughing fit.
When Soujiro had breathed enough air to resume talking, the first thing he said was: "Why did you do that?"
"You were choking. I'm not one to sit around and do nothing. You already know that." Megumi told him matter-of-factly. She would prefer not to look into it—Soujiro was just another on of her patients, right? Then why are you blushing? The little voice in her heard asked her. "Anyhow, now I really need to patch you up." She reached for Soujiro, but he shied away from her.
"No. It isn't fair." Soujiro told her. After all that happened, she still cared for him? It just wasn't fair to Megumi… "Because of me, you can't go back to the house and the doctor you were with."
"Look. I don't really want to stay with the rice merchant and the doctor. I'm just there because I'm the doctor's apprentice. I really don't have to go wherever he goes. My life is my own. So don't feel so guilty about me being here. "
"But I feel like I'm burdening you too much."
Megumi conceded to argue with him, which was so atypical of her. Maybe she was just getting a little tired with all that's happened. "Fine, but you'll regret it in the morning." And then, she remembered something. "I believe I gave this to you" Megumi said, handing Soujiro the pink blanket. "You're soaked, and I want you to be alive to complain to me about those injures in the morning just so I can tell you 'I told you so.'" Megumi added astutely.
"I'm fine; you got wet in the rain too." Soujiro pointed out.
"Yes, but I have a haori on—that, and around three layers of kimono." Megumi shot back at him.
"Maybe you can have the blanket and I'll wear your haori?"
"This is the stupidest thing I've ever done." Megumi said to Soujiro. She had the pink blanket and Soujiro had Megumi's haori. They had been sitting under the bridge for an hour, being aware of every movement in the shadows, thinking that perhaps it was the homicidal rebel.
"Really?"
Megumi rolled her eyes. "Wouldn't it be a whole lot more simple if you just took the blanket?"
She could hear Soujiro sigh in the darkness. "Is that all you're going to think about? What about where we're going to go?"
"I know you're cold." Megumi held out her arms to Soujiro for a hug. I can also hear you coughing every so often, and I don't think it's blood that's doing that.
"Areh?" Soujiro was puzzled. Exactly why would Megumi-san care so much to worry about me? It's not like I have any value…
Megumi had been holding out her arms for a few minutes now. It can't be that dark that visibility is at zero! I know it's the middle of the night with no moon, but this is ridiculous! Megumi's patience ran out, and she reached over and pulled Soujiro into her embrace. "Sou-chan no baka… Can't you take a hint and stop being so clueless? (2)" she muttered.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Soujiro didn't receive an answer. Megumi had fallen asleep.
Early in the morning, the red-haired swordsman was walking along the streets in order to avoid suspicious civilians. Most of the town was still asleep, as he noted two children huddled under a bridge. Sometimes I find myself wondering why I bothered to kill to bring in a new era if the oppressed are still unhappy. But then, that's what happens when there's a war.
He noted that the bright dawn sky was now about as red as his hair. He guessed that people were probably going to come out on to the streets now that the sun was up. I must get out of town before someone arrests me for carrying a—
On cue, some overly zealous policeman comes running down the street out of nowhere. "You there! You're breaking the sword edict! You must be the escaped rebel that killed the fourth sword bearing police squad the day before!"
The red haired swordsman put on his most innocent looking face. With an excuse of "This unworthy one just got into town!" he tactically began to run away from the policeman.
The over-zealous policeman pursued the swordsman, blowing his whistle every few seconds. "YOU SHALL NOT GET AWAY FROM THE LAW!!!"
The shrill whistle of the policeman had awakened Megumi and Soujiro. To avoid confrontations with the rice merchant's family, they decided the wisest thing to do was to get themselves hopelessly lost in the city and hope that their pursuers had a better sense of direction than they did. After a while, Megumi found a deserted noodle stand and coaxed the vendor into giving both Soujiro and Megumi noodles from free. They were eating near the noodle vendor when Soujiro asked "What are we going to do now?"
Megumi thought a bit while slurping down noodles. "I guess we can rely on people's charity for now. It'll give us enough time to get somewhere to live permanently."
"Charity?" Soujiro echoed, "How can you expect people to be kind?"
"The war just ended. But there are still lots of war orphans and split-up families all across Japan. People are generally sympathetic to kids who've had hardships. So they'll help us." she slurped up more noodles. "Besides, we're both probably cute enough to charm the unwilling ones," She added, "just like noodle-man here."
Soujiro sighed; he still had to get used to the way Megumi flirted her way into getting what she wanted. "But, even if there are people willing to help, they'll eventually stop. So where would we go in the end?"
"Aizu."
"Areh?"
"The city of Aizu," she said, "that's where I'm from. I want to go back to the rest of my family there."
Soujiro looked at her with understanding. "You're alone too."
"Yeah, but someday—"
Megumi was cut off by someone violently pushing her backwards. She looked up to see who it was, and saw the rice merchant's two sons, Ichiro and Yanosuke. Ichiro was brandishing his sword in the most dangerous manner, and Yanosuke was holding on to Soujiro by his hair. The noodle vendor was nowhere to be seen; apparently he fled the moment the two brothers came.
"Will you just leave us alone?" Megumi yelled, seething in anger. "Can't you just go on with your merry lives?"
"He did say he was going to kill you." Yanosuke stated matter-of-factly, as if murder was just another thing on his to-do list.
"How can you explain killing two little kids on the street?"
"We'll say that you're both good-for-nothing street kids that prey on helpless citizens and we're promoting crime-free streets in Yokohama. But, it seems like we're wasting time exacting your death. Go, Nii-san; kill them."
Ichiro laughed manically, and swung his sword around, barely missing the edge of Megumi's kimono.
"RUN MEGUMI-SAN! JUST LEAVE ME HERE!"
Megumi hesitated; to leave would mean death to Soujiro. But then if she could…
"Hey! The little witch is getting away!" Ichiro remarked as Megumi sped off down the street.
Yanosuke clapped a hand to his brother's shoulder. "It doesn't matter. One bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. We still have Soujiro."
Megumi raced along the roads, trying to find people that were able to help. At last, she heard a police whistle grow louder and louder, coming towards her.
"Ah! Help me! I'm in big trouble! A bunch of evil men are trying to—"
She did not get very far into her request, for she collided into a red-haired man running in the opposite direction. Megumi stood up almost immediately, and then noticed what the man carried.
"Oro?"
"You have to help me! Some people just came and started beating up my friend!" Megumi blurted out in a panicked voice.
"What can this unworthy one do?" the red haired man said. Suddenly, a police whistle caught them both off guard, as the policeman had snuck up on both of them. "Never mind! I'll go do what you want!" he picked up Megumi by the bow on her back and began running forward. "Now where is your friend?"
Megumi told him, and the red-haired swordsman went, with the over-zealous policeman in hot pursuit.
"There!" Megumi indicated to the alleyway where the noodle stand was, pointing with her index finger. "SOU-CHAN!"
Indeed Soujiro looked worse than he did last night, if it was at all possible. Ichiro's sword had been used significantly, though he wasn't dead. Worse, Megumi noted, Soujiro was still smiling it off.
The two brothers didn't notice Megumi and her companion's approach. They didn't seem to care either. Anyway, the two were still being their sadistic selves.
"We should really drag him off to the house and kill him there. No one will find out that we did it."
"But my sword still wants blood…" Ichiro said. He aimed the sword at Soujiro, but somehow his sword wasn't in his hands anymore. "What the—" He looked up to see the red-haired swords man holding the sword. "Give it back!"
The shorter man threw it back to him. "This unworthy one has no desire to hold bloody weapons. But, this unworthy one cannot allow you to harm others with the weapons that you possess."
"He's boasting." Yanosuke assured his brother. "Just look at him. His height, his stupid truth, this is just another kid who is too full of himself. Look, he won't even draw him sword!"
"That's because this sword isn't for killing. This unworthy one uses this to protect the weak, who are oppressed." The man bent down in a position to draw his sword.
"The weak…" Ichiro smirked. "try to protect yourself!" He swiped his sword down.
Too late did he notice that the other man did not stand where he was anymore. Only a blur of red was visible to him.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu—Ryuu Kan Sen Tsumuji!"
In an impressive feat of swordplay, the red haired swordsman had cut down Ichiro with one hit.
"He's strong…" Yanosuke concluded, terrified.
"Who is he?" Megumi asked, tending to Soujiro.
"Kenshin…" the red haired swordsman said. "Sessha wa rurouni de gozaru yo!"
Glossary
1. Haori – a Japanese style jacket
2. Sou-chan no baka – Soujiro you idiot
Author's notes: If anyone doesn't know, the title means: "This unworthy one is a wanderer."
The bridge is similar to that in which Megumi and Kaoru sat on at the end of the Kyoto arc. It has a top layer where people walk on, and a bottom layer right above the water where people sat around.
Erm…I had Megumi "sort of" kiss Soujiro in this chapter. Yup, Megumi was attempting to do artificial respiration on Soujiro. Let's see Megumi didn't really have many other choices, or did she? I already mentioned the part in CPR where you get the water out by pressing down on a person's chest. And like Megumi said, she'll probably end up hurting Soujiro more that helping him. (He was already half dead from the last chapter…) And also I don't believe the Heimlich maneuver has been invented. I don't even think the guy who invented it was born yet…But I did take this idea from Slayers Next (the episode with the lake dragon) and that turned out quite humorously. Anyway, this is a romance fanfic, so go figure—Although I really need to make them both older. (Like 10 years…)
Finally, Kenshin makes it into the main plotline! That's good, but now what are they going to do, with the Meiji law forbidding swords? But with the rurouni, the future is looking substantially brighter for our protagonists! (Although you have to wonder, is anyone at Aizu waiting for Megumi?)
My dear reviewers! Thank you so much for your reviews!
Twilight Sky: And this is what happens to Soujiro! Does Megumi dragging him out of the rice place count as saving him?
Lord Cirenmas: I hope I write more soon too.
Seaoknarnar: Yay! You made it through the first two chapters without getting hopelessly confused! Or at least I hope you didn't. I know that being cruel to characters is necessary for a plot, but I don't want the characters to be all unhappy! (I like happy endings. Happy endings are good…unless they are totally unreasonable.)