D/C: We don't own Rurouni Kenshin.
Hi! We're back! Actually, I'm (starry night blue) back; Shimmering Tear is busy fixing her brother's computer, and she'll meet you at the end of the chapter. Well, I just wanted to say; thank you all for the reviews! They were really nice! Ok, so, I'll stop talking now and leave you to read, okay?
Chapter 2:
Kenshin didn't understand how Aoshi could stay so cool and controlled when he was shooting his most scary glare at him. Most people would've run away a long time ago.
He still couldn't believe that Aoshi had actually made him sleep outside the tent! When he had woken up, he had found a small community of animals grouped around him; ranging from the smallest ant to the biggest skunk; who had so kindly sprayed a nasty smell on him when he had screamed out loud. He was still reeking of the smell, he could tell by the wooden peg Aoshi had clamped on his nose.
"You made me sleep outside the tent," he said for what seemed the hundredth time that morning.
"You were talking in your sleep," Aoshi said simply, although his voice came out weird and kinda muffled due to the peg.
"That's no excuse, Shinomori-san," he said angrily. "I bet lots of people talk while they're asleep."
"Maybe…but not all people talk to imaginary employees," Aoshi said, a slight smirk touching his lips.
"I never…" Kenshin started to protest.
"Prove it," Aoshi said challengingly.
"What? How the hell do you want me to…?" he started.
"Look," Aoshi interrupted him. "Your line's moving."
Kenshin looked around to his fishing line and saw that, yes, indeed, it was moving.
Since they hadn't brought anything to eat along with them…water, yes, but no food; it was Aoshi's idea, he said that that will make them enjoy and live the wilderness of the forest as it is. Of course, Aoshi hadn't bothered to tell Kenshin about their lack of food when they had set off to their camping trip…or as Aoshi had said, "It had slipped my mind". Kenshin was outraged when he told him, and had started having a fit which he only stopped when Aoshi suggested he go on Prozac.
So, now, they had to live off what the forest gave them; fruits, herbs, vegetables…and in their case, fish.
"Finally!" Kenshin said, relieved. "We've been here for nearly two hours! About time a fish gets hooked!"
"Careful, don't let it get away," Aoshi warned him. "We're talking about our lunch here."
"I know, I know!" Kenshin said, impatiently, starting to pull at the fishing rod. "Stop hassling me!"
Aoshi sat beside him, watching silently while Kenshin struggled to pull the fish he had hooked out of the water. Kenshin, on the other hand, was anything but silent. He kept cursing and shouting angrily at the fish for not wanting to come out. If Aoshi wasn't feeling so hostile at the moment, he would've pointed out to Kenshin that he would be more likely to pull out the fish if he remained quiet.
"You stinking little fish! Come out!" he said angrily. "Come out, I'm telling you!"
He gave the line one stronger tug, and managed to pull the fish out. It was a big one, and it fell over him, making him and his portable chair to topple over to the ground.
If he wasn't so happy with what he had just achieved, Kenshin would've started cursing all over again. But he held on tightly to the fish, still in his chair which was turned over to the ground, and he was absolutely beaming.
"Shinomori-san! Look! I caught a fish!" he exclaimed, happily. "And a big one too!"
Aoshi smiled. There was still hope for Himura-san.
"Just…will you please get it off of me?" Kenshin said, now grimacing at the fish. "I really don't wish to stink anymore than I already do."
Aoshi just hoped he hadn't spoken too soon.
-
Sano reached out his hand to the bell to ring it, but then let it drop to his side for the third time. He felt awkward going back to Kaoru's apartment after what happened yesterday. However, he had a job to finish in there; Kaoru depended on him to do certain jobs for the party. He sighed, then finally summed up all his courage and pressed the tiny button and waited.
He heard her unlock the door.
"Hi there, rooster head!" Misao greeted him loudly.
Sano blinked at her for a few seconds, but didn't say anything.
"Are you going to stay out there for long? Come in," she said, moving to one side of the door and gesturing for him to get inside.
He kept silent; he was still confused, but he walked in.
"I'm here to baby sit little Kenji while his Mommy goes out shopping for his Daddy's big party," Misao explained in a cuddly manner.
Sano just kept gazing at the extra hyper Misao. "Er…what's wrong with you?" he finally asked.
To Sano's astonishment, Misao stopped and looked at him; her hyper manner seemed to have jumped out of the window all of a sudden. She sighed and then slumped down in a nearby chair and buried her face in her hands.
"I'm so sorry," she said quietly and suddenly burst out crying. "I just miss my Aoshi so much!"
Sano moaned. That's exactly what he needed; another crying friend!
He knelt down in front of her so that he'd be in the level with her.
"That's alright," he said, trying to calm her down, and patting her like she was some kind of wild dog. "He's coming back soon and till then there's a lot that you can do to keep yourself busy."
Misao only cried louder.
"Kenji is asleep, no?" he asked.
She nodded and then cried even louder. Sano felt exasperated. He looked around hopelessly for any solution to shut Misao up.
Bingo.
He saw it. The painting Kaoru asked him to hang yesterday.
"Hey, Misao," he said cheerfully. "How about you give me a hand?"
Meanwhile…
Kaoru smiled as she left the restaurant; the food part of the party preparations was done perfectly. It was expensive alright; the restaurant is very fancy, but nothing is too expensive for her Kenshin. She shifted the shopping bags from one hand to the other as she fumbled in her hand bag for her sun glasses; the sun hurt her blue eyes.
"Kaoru-dono,"
She heard her name.
"Kaoru-dono,"
It was louder this time.
She turned around and saw a beautiful woman standing across the street from her and waving her hand at her. Kaoru's jaw dropped; the woman was none other than Tomoe Yukishiro, Kenshin's ex-wife. She forced a smile to her lips as Tomoe crossed the street to reach her.
"Hi!" Tomoe greeted her warmly. "How are you? Long time no see!" And then she hugged her.
Kaoru had to make sure she wasn't literally turning green; Tomoe was so beautiful, slim and elegant. Kaoru had newly given birth; she still had a small, round belly and was slightly swelled up. Also, she was suffering from a slight after birth depression and since all her old clothes still wouldn't fit she had to wear her maternal clothes, which are now too big for her. Finally, Kaoru was all sweaty and Tomoe smelled like white plums. She simply felt like rat poop next to Tomoe. She forced herself to return the hug.
Then, something caught her eye. A few shops away there was an ice cream parlor which had a large flyer announcing that it served some sort of a large ice cream sundae. Kaoru grinned devilishly; she'll offer Tomoe one and that'd make her gain a few pounds before the party. Maybe by then, Kaoru would've lost a few pounds herself and Tomoe wouldn't look so much better than her.
"You're right it's been ages," Kaoru agreed, putting on her sincerest look. "Why don't you let me get you ice cream while we sit and catch up?"
Tomoe smiled in agreement, completely oblivious to Kaoru's plan.
Later…
"Oh my God!" Misao gasped. "What have we done?"
Sano stared with pure horror at the wall; there were many holes in it and the painting was scraped all around it.
"Kaoru will kill me!" Sano mumbled hopelessly as he fell down to his knees.
Misao covered her mouth with both hands. "We've got to do something before she comes and sees this!" she wailed.
They heard the main door unlock and Kaoru's familiar footsteps approaching them. There was no where to run, and no time to hide their crime. They just remained frozen.
Finally Kaoru appeared, she had tears in her eyes already, she saw Sano and Misao looking so scared, but as she opened her mouth to ask what was wrong with them she saw the wall and instead of a question a scream came out.
"What the heck have you done to my wall!" Kaoru shrieked shrilly, dropping her shopping bags.
She walked towards the large spot on the wall that they ruined and just stared in pure shock. Sano and Misao could only see her back and they kept silent waiting for her to resume her outburst. They expected another shrill scream and lots of heavy scolding, but instead, they saw her shoulders shake as she started sobbing and then she ran out of the room and upstairs.
"That wasn't what we expected, was it?" Sano asked Misao.
Misao nodded. "What will we do now?" she asked.
Sano sighed. "Leave it up to me, I'll fix it all up," he said.
Misao left the room.
"Hey, where are you going?" Sano called after her.
"I'm going to check on Kaoru," she said as she turned back to him. "Incase you haven't noticed, she had already been crying when she walked in and unless she has some freaky powers she wasn't crying about what we did."
Sano nodded. "Just tell her that I'm sorry and that I'll fix it up for her," he said as Misao went, and she nodded.
Moments later…
Misao knocked at the door to Kaoru's bedroom. She could tell that she was inside as she could hear her sobbing from outside.
"Kaoru?" Misao called.
She couldn't wait any more; she opened the door slowly and walked in. Kaoru was sitting on the bed hugging her knees and crying aloud, rocking backwards and forwards slowly. Misao walked slowly towards her and sat on the bed next to her.
"We're very sorry, Kaoru," she apologized softly. "But Sano says he'll fix it all up in no time. But that isn't what made you burst up like that, what was it really?"
Kaoru looked at her and then sighed, fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I met Tomoe today," Kaoru started and Misao rolled her eyes. "She looked so sophisticated and I looked like a beggar next to her."
"Is that it?" Misao asked incredulously.
"No," Kaoru answered. "I saw this large sundae offer and I treated her to it, hoping that she'd gain a few pounds while I lose them, so that at the birthday party I'd look better than her."
"And?" Misao asked, knowing where this is going and trying to suppress her laughs.
"She accepted. But she kept on offering me small bites till I ate most of it; it was delicious. I offered to buy her another one, but she declined this time; she had an appointment. I couldn't resist, I bought another larger one and finished it all by myself," Kaoru explained and then started crying harder.
Misao laughed and Kaoru shot her a dirty look, but Misao only retorted by making a funny face.
"You know you're acting silly, no?" Misao asked Kaoru, smiling gently.
Kaoru sighed and nodded, her sobs became quieter. Then Misao made her another funny face and Kaoru giggled amidst her tears.
"I mean, you cried over that? What would you do when you see how really badly we messed that expensive painting?" Misao joked before she realized the meaning of her words.
Kaoru stopped laughing and started wailing.
Misao hit herself hard on the forehead.
-
Aoshi had told Kenshin to watch over the fish they were roasting over the fire which they had built up, while he went to wash himself up in the nearby stream; since he was the one who had cut and gutted the fish.
Kenshin sighed audibly and poked the fire with the branch he had been twirling between his fingers. To his horror, the branch caught fire and he threw the whole of it into the blaze. The fire cackled and hissed and Kenshin just cursed under his breath.
He wasn't enjoying this time here. He had always thought Aoshi to be brilliant, but this camping idea of his gave him the opposite impression. He would be enjoying himself if he were sitting at his desk in his office, flipping through files and chatting with colleagues on the Internet…not by sitting on dirty ground watching a fish being roasted.
He suddenly brightened as he remembered something. He felt in the pockets of his cargo pants and pulled out his cell phone.
They would never stop me from getting on with my business!
He quickly dialed his office's number and waited for his secretary to answer it. Finally, the phone was answered.
"Hello?" came his secretary's voice on the other end. "Himura Enterprises, how may I help you?"
"Hello, Chizuru," Kenshin said.
"What? Oh! Himura-san! Is that you?" Chizuru exclaimed. "I thought you were on vacation? Are you back in town?"
Some vacation. "No, Chizuru, I'm not back yet," he told her. "I'm just calling to check on how the business is going."
"Oh, everything's really good, Himura-san," Chizuru assured him. "We haven't had any problems so far."
"Good," Kenshin said. "Are there any new deals?"
"Yes, two…one with another car broker, and another with a guy who deals with electronics," Chizuru told him, and he could hear the distinctive sound of some papers being shuffled.
"Have you set me any appointments yet?" he asked her.
"Yes, I've set you up with three appointments," she answered. "One is with…"
"Himura-san!"
Kenshin dropped the phone and whirled around. Aoshi was standing behind him, looking at him with an expression of mingled fury and horror.
"What is it, Shinomori-san?" Kenshin demanded, feeling slightly alarmed.
"Haven't I told you to watch over the fish?" Aoshi seethed, his voice dripping with venom.
"But I have been watching…" Kenshin protested, turning around to look at the fish. "…the fish…dammit! It's burning!"
The phone lay forgotten on the ground as Kenshin set about waving the fish wildly in the air, trying to put out the flames which were eating at it, oblivious to Chizuru's continuous screaming, "Himura-san! Himura-san! Answer me! Are you alright? Is something wrong?"
Aoshi grabbed a bucket of water from the ground and threw it at both Kenshin and the burning fish. Kenshin stood there, drenched in water from head to foot, holding the now damp fish in the air.
"You just lost us our lunch," Aoshi said furiously.
"Don't start blaming me!" Kenshin said, dropping the fish to his side. "You were the one who didn't bring any food along!"
But Aoshi wasn't looking at him. His icy gaze had fallen instead on the phone lying on the ground. He walked slowly towards it, a scary smile plastered on his face. He picked it up.
Kenshin eyes followed him, with a sinking feeling that told him things were going to turn really nasty.
"I'm sorry, I made a mistake," Aoshi said quietly. "It wasn't your fault, it was our little friend's fault…and our little friend has to be punished."
"What are you…?" Kenshin started, but was cut short when Aoshi threw the phone.
It hit a tree bark, let out a quick electric spark, before falling to the ground.
"I just got that!" Kenshin fumed.
"Well, then, you'll just have to get another one," Aoshi said, smiling.
Kenshin really wasn't enjoying this.
A/N: Hey, guys! No, it's not Shimmering Tear speaking; she's still busy fixing the computer. She just hopes that you enjoyed the chapter and that you'd leave a really nice, fat review!
Wait for our next chappie!