WHOOT! Wow and chee! Ok, so I'm back in Ohio after visiting the folks in
Orlando and I'm all disoriented! I decided to cut Hiko out of this fic for
the next few chapters, maybe we'll duck back everyonce in a while to see
how he's doing with only Lila for company... I have some funny scenarios
stuck in my head for that kind of thing.... But since I have just gotten off
a plane (oy, I HATE flying!) if anything in this entry seems off, that's
probably why. ^_^;
Yeah, so anyway, Justice Stryfe!! You are so awesome to keep reviewing! I lub you! And that "tears" thing... I was so proud of myself for pulling it outa my head! Its so cool that you commented on that cause I thought it was kinda cheesy! (like cheddar!) THANKS!
Disclaimer- poor Kenshin is sad that he's not mine... but maybe I'll write myself into a Kenshin fic one day and give him the chance to be! MUaHAHAHAHA!!
*** "Master Hiko-san," Lila poured sake into a tiny bowl for the mans approval, "I wish to return home as soon as possible." She settled back on her heels and tended to the meal cooking by the hearth. Seijuro Hiko merely sipped his sake and contemplated the request.
The young girl was sent so she would not be in danger from any way the rebel faction decided to launch their platform. Some had deemed it easiest to simply place their own Emperor up instead of just fighting for the downfall of the empire. The girl and her siblings had royal blood in them, yet the rebels only wanted the eldest daughter to marry their candidate to give him some legitimacy. Lila's grandfather was a stout believer in the rebellion, but was not an advocate of using children to get what he wanted.
"Your grandfather entrusted me with your care young Lila-chan." Hiko mused, "And I do not leave my mountain for any man, including your grandfather. He knows this, so sent you here to keep you from harms way." He sipped contemplating, "I cannot let you leave until he sends for you."
"Master..." Kenshin patted Lila's hand as her head hung in defeat. "Could I not accompany her back to her village? She would be safe in my company."
"Kenshin." Hiko frowned sternly, aiming a lethal glare at his young apprentice, "You are still not fully trained boy, what makes you think you can handle the challenges outside this mountain?"
"I'm never going to get any better if you lock me away on this mountain Master!" Kenshin blurted out, revealing, perhaps, the only thing he really resented his sensei for.
"Kenshin." Hiko snapped and waited for the young mans eyes to level with his own. "I will strike a bargain with you." He smiled thinly, causing a cold chill to run down Kenshin's back.
"Oro?"
"Take Tsukasa and Katsu back down the mountain to their village. If you make it back in one piece than I will recommend to Itsuruku Shiba-san that you stay on as Miss Kirihara's personal bodyguard for such a time as I can find a more suitable replacement." Hiko sipped his sake and closed his eyes, "Yes, that will do nicely. Then when this interlude is over you will return to learn the final secrets of the hiten-mitsurugi-ryu."
"Sir?" Kenshin gasped, he had no clue he was so close to the ultimate attack, he still saw himself as the clumsy apprentice, forever in his masters shadow.
"Go, speak with Tsukasa, you should be ready to leave in the morning. Miss Kirihara?" Hiko watched her put the finishing touches on the fish dinner as Kenshin left to speak with the other boy.
"Yes Hiko-san?" she didn't hide her disapproval of the plan, she scowled at him.
"You understand that I gave my word that you would be safe." It was not a question but demanded an answer anyway.
"Yes, I do." She nodded her head and scooped rice into individual saucers. She busyed her hands with arranging the fish artistically on platters and adding daubs of herbs as her temper stewed.
"You will go home, but I will not have my clumsy apprentice turned from his path by a pretty face." Lila glared up at him, she had to sternly command herself to not throw a rice bowl into his arrogant face. The danger was averted as Katsu burst into the room.
"Kenshin-san!" she giggled, "He's taking Katsu home tomorrow!" She sat at Hiko's side and grinned up at the man who could snap her neck between two fingers if he felt so inclined, and patted his knee. "Katsu will miss Hiko- sama!"
"And Hiko-sama will very much miss Katsu-chan." Hiko smiled down at the girl and looked up as Tsukasa entered, Kenshin a step behind.
"I refuse." Tsukasa stood firmly, looking almost eye-to-eye with the kneeling man.
"You were not supposed to stay even this long. Your grandfather needs you, I will honor his wishes by sending you back whether you want to go or not." Hiko replied matter of fact. He picked up his chop sticks and indicated the set meal in front of them. "I recommend you eat this truly excellent meal, for when you get back on the road you'll only have my poor apprentices cooking skills to fall back on."
"Master." Kenshin hung his head and muttered something about not learning how to cook because of a tyrannical master who spent half the time training him and half the time waiting for his bones to knit back together. "How can one have time to cook when he is knocked unconscious?" but he kneeled next to Lila and took up his own chopsticks as Tsukasa let out a deep breath and finally surrendered to fate.
"We will leave at first light."
"Tsukasa!" Lila admonished.
"Lila, do as Master Hiko says, you promised grandfather that you would honor him in this, do not make a liar out of yourself." He reminded her.
"You better not fight in this revolution and get yourself killed before I see you again!" she stood quietly and left the hut with a dignity only achieved by holding back tears.
"Kenshin." Hiko muttered.
"Sir." He nodded and slipped out the door to follow and protect.
Yeah, so anyway, Justice Stryfe!! You are so awesome to keep reviewing! I lub you! And that "tears" thing... I was so proud of myself for pulling it outa my head! Its so cool that you commented on that cause I thought it was kinda cheesy! (like cheddar!) THANKS!
Disclaimer- poor Kenshin is sad that he's not mine... but maybe I'll write myself into a Kenshin fic one day and give him the chance to be! MUaHAHAHAHA!!
*** "Master Hiko-san," Lila poured sake into a tiny bowl for the mans approval, "I wish to return home as soon as possible." She settled back on her heels and tended to the meal cooking by the hearth. Seijuro Hiko merely sipped his sake and contemplated the request.
The young girl was sent so she would not be in danger from any way the rebel faction decided to launch their platform. Some had deemed it easiest to simply place their own Emperor up instead of just fighting for the downfall of the empire. The girl and her siblings had royal blood in them, yet the rebels only wanted the eldest daughter to marry their candidate to give him some legitimacy. Lila's grandfather was a stout believer in the rebellion, but was not an advocate of using children to get what he wanted.
"Your grandfather entrusted me with your care young Lila-chan." Hiko mused, "And I do not leave my mountain for any man, including your grandfather. He knows this, so sent you here to keep you from harms way." He sipped contemplating, "I cannot let you leave until he sends for you."
"Master..." Kenshin patted Lila's hand as her head hung in defeat. "Could I not accompany her back to her village? She would be safe in my company."
"Kenshin." Hiko frowned sternly, aiming a lethal glare at his young apprentice, "You are still not fully trained boy, what makes you think you can handle the challenges outside this mountain?"
"I'm never going to get any better if you lock me away on this mountain Master!" Kenshin blurted out, revealing, perhaps, the only thing he really resented his sensei for.
"Kenshin." Hiko snapped and waited for the young mans eyes to level with his own. "I will strike a bargain with you." He smiled thinly, causing a cold chill to run down Kenshin's back.
"Oro?"
"Take Tsukasa and Katsu back down the mountain to their village. If you make it back in one piece than I will recommend to Itsuruku Shiba-san that you stay on as Miss Kirihara's personal bodyguard for such a time as I can find a more suitable replacement." Hiko sipped his sake and closed his eyes, "Yes, that will do nicely. Then when this interlude is over you will return to learn the final secrets of the hiten-mitsurugi-ryu."
"Sir?" Kenshin gasped, he had no clue he was so close to the ultimate attack, he still saw himself as the clumsy apprentice, forever in his masters shadow.
"Go, speak with Tsukasa, you should be ready to leave in the morning. Miss Kirihara?" Hiko watched her put the finishing touches on the fish dinner as Kenshin left to speak with the other boy.
"Yes Hiko-san?" she didn't hide her disapproval of the plan, she scowled at him.
"You understand that I gave my word that you would be safe." It was not a question but demanded an answer anyway.
"Yes, I do." She nodded her head and scooped rice into individual saucers. She busyed her hands with arranging the fish artistically on platters and adding daubs of herbs as her temper stewed.
"You will go home, but I will not have my clumsy apprentice turned from his path by a pretty face." Lila glared up at him, she had to sternly command herself to not throw a rice bowl into his arrogant face. The danger was averted as Katsu burst into the room.
"Kenshin-san!" she giggled, "He's taking Katsu home tomorrow!" She sat at Hiko's side and grinned up at the man who could snap her neck between two fingers if he felt so inclined, and patted his knee. "Katsu will miss Hiko- sama!"
"And Hiko-sama will very much miss Katsu-chan." Hiko smiled down at the girl and looked up as Tsukasa entered, Kenshin a step behind.
"I refuse." Tsukasa stood firmly, looking almost eye-to-eye with the kneeling man.
"You were not supposed to stay even this long. Your grandfather needs you, I will honor his wishes by sending you back whether you want to go or not." Hiko replied matter of fact. He picked up his chop sticks and indicated the set meal in front of them. "I recommend you eat this truly excellent meal, for when you get back on the road you'll only have my poor apprentices cooking skills to fall back on."
"Master." Kenshin hung his head and muttered something about not learning how to cook because of a tyrannical master who spent half the time training him and half the time waiting for his bones to knit back together. "How can one have time to cook when he is knocked unconscious?" but he kneeled next to Lila and took up his own chopsticks as Tsukasa let out a deep breath and finally surrendered to fate.
"We will leave at first light."
"Tsukasa!" Lila admonished.
"Lila, do as Master Hiko says, you promised grandfather that you would honor him in this, do not make a liar out of yourself." He reminded her.
"You better not fight in this revolution and get yourself killed before I see you again!" she stood quietly and left the hut with a dignity only achieved by holding back tears.
"Kenshin." Hiko muttered.
"Sir." He nodded and slipped out the door to follow and protect.