A/N: Sorry, I haven't updated in a while, the wireless internet card on my laptop wasn't working and my dad has this thing against putting floppies in his computer so I couldn't post this. It was actually a good thing. Normally, I'd sit on the internet, either on AIM or surfing the net, as it's too cold to go outside (for me at least) but since it was down, I worked on a lot of my stories and did a lot of extra credit for school. Wooh.
Another note: Before I realized it, I had written most of this chapter in the past tense. I liked it better then the format I was using earlier so I've decieded to repost the previous chapters in past tense.
Here's the new chapter (it's actually long for this story). You'll meet some more RK characters and find out more about Kenshin.
xXxXx
After listening to Headmaster Ujiki ramble through his lecture of the day, we all marched single-file out of the assembly hall and headed to our classes. It took me a great amount of self-restraint to stay still during the speech instead of spitting in the guys face and walking out, which I had considered many times.
You could say I had a… passionate dislike for our headmaster.
Upon entering my first period class, World History, I took my seat immediately. Our teacher, Saitou Hajime, was already seated at his desk and watched each student as they entered the classroom. Truthfully, the guy gave me the creeps. He's had these narrow, gold-colored eyes that seemed to take in absolutely everything, and you knew that there was no point in trying to hide stuff from him. One glare from those eyes could get you to spill your secret, and with the look he always had on his face, you'd half-expect him to jump up and wring your neck, no matter how calm his voice sounded.
In a sentence: He had all of his students scared shitless.
I pulled out my note book and started working on our pre-class assignment. It was all fairly easy stuff that we'd learned since our 9th Educational year but Saitou loved to teach us all those little details that no one really cared about but he expected them all in your answers, making a simple question much more difficult.
Q1) What was the Black Death and what was its impact on European society?
Q2) What major problems did European states face in the fourteenth century?
Q3) How and why did the authority of the papacy decline in th-
"Excuse me, sir. May I come in?"
I looked up to see a very familiar person with spiky-brown hair standing in the doorway.
"Yes you may Mr. Sagara, and may I ask why you are late?"
"Ujiki felt it necessary to reprimand me on the wrinkled condition of my shirt and ordered that I return to my room and iron it."
"That's Headmaster Ujiki, Sagara. Now, sit down, do your work and don't let it happen again."
"Yes, sir"
Sanosuke stuck his hands in his pockets, giving his own slight show of defiance and walked over to his desk. He gave me a small grin before getting to work.
That small gesture reminded of the day we had met, back when we were all naïve enough to believe that things would ever be normal again.
xXx
"Hey!" a voice called out to me "What are you doing on the floor? Hey kid, I'm talking to you, look at m-."
I looked up to see an older boy peering down at me. He had dark hair that fell into his eyes, and kind eyes that literally could be called a window to his soul, seeing as they showed all his emotions, no matter how hard he tried to hide them.
I had been curled up in the corner of a large room (along with about seventy other boys between the ages of four to fourteen) holding my knees to my chest and crying my heart out. What else was I suppose to do? I didn't know anyone there, or why I was even there. Hell, I didn't even know where there was! All I knew was that I wanted to go home, where I could go to sleep in my nice warm bed and wait for Grandma or Akira to wake me. However, part of me knew I'd never see home or my family for a while, if at all.
"What's the matter?"
I wiped my face with the back of my hands and glared at him. 'What does he want?' I thought.
"No- nothing" I stuttered. It was then I noticed another, smaller boy clutching the older ones pant leg. He had funny looking brown hair and a strange look on his face, like he was sizing me up. Then he stuck his tongue out me and grinned.
I stared at him, wondering what was wrong with these people.
The older one crouched down so he was at my eye level.
"You know, it's not good to lie."
Once again, I stared at him… then I got angry.
"What do you know? Go away and leave me alone!"
I began to cry all over again. I tended to cry easily back then. My Uncle Hiko had said it was a sign of weakness. My Grandmother had said only true men can cry.
"I know that you miss your family. I know that you want to go home. I know that you're scared and I know that you're probably tired too, seeing as you've been sitting here for almost four hours."
It was true.
I couldn't remember how I had gotten to that place. I had woken up in the arms of a man I didn't know carrying me into the room (being small for my age, the guy probably thought I was five). Of course, this frightened me and I started kicking and punching the guy with all my might, causing him to drop me. Before he could catch me, I ran right into a thick of older boys and he was unable to find me. I wandered around, looking from face to face, seeing if I knew any of them, and preferably hoping to find one of my older brothers,Kogorõ and Akira. I kept looking for an hour, trying not to lose my calm, longing for something or someone to hold onto. When my search ended, I walked over to the corner, sat and cried. That was where the boy found me.
I burst into a fresh batch of tears, and soon felt arms wrap around me, pulling me into a hug.
"Hey, stop that. Don't cry okay? You'll be alright."
I stopped and looked at him, his eyes showing sympathy.
"Promise?"
He faltered. Thinking back on it, I could tell that he was debating on what to tell me. He knew more about the situation we were in then I did and I believe he knew our grim fates. Then he smiled.
"Promise."
I gave him a weak smile, and felt a small hand patting my back. I turned to see the spiky haired kid, giving me a don't-worry-be-happy grin.
"By the way, my names Souzou, Sagara Souzou, and that's my little brother Sanosuke, Sano for short."
Another cheeky grin.
"My names Himura Kenshin."
"Nice to meet you, now c'mon, they've got some sandwiches over there" he pointed to a table on the other side of the room "They're not that good, but foods food, and I'm hungry."
I followed him over to the table and ate extremely dry cheese sandwiches. I hadn't noticed then but Sano was holding my hand the whole time, fearing that I might start crying again.
xXx
I learned something that day. That if there was one thing that was completely useless in the world, it was crying. It didn't make me feel any better, didn't do a single thing for me nor did it accomplish anything.
I haven't cried since.
I was nine, Souzou was twelve, and Sanosuke… he was only six years old then, when the war ended and unbeknownst to us, we were among the orphans that every war produces.
Or at least, that's what they told us.
xXxXx
To the reviewers:
xxLuvoxx: Thanks for your review. Even the single lettered one . I'm glad you liked the description of Komagata's death, though I doubt he did.
Elliot Damion: Another name change? Thanks for your review. Sadistic:looks around sarcastically: Me? Of course not… I have a flow? Thanks, I didn't know that. I was just going where the story took me in the beginning but don't worry, I know where I'm going with it thankfully. Oh, and I as you can tell, I made the chapter long, not too long though, then I'd have to give too much away.
Ok, that's pretty much it for this chapter. I hope you liked it and I really hope you review. Seriously, it would make me REALLY happy as I love getting reviews (even flames).
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