Oh...um hi. Yeah sorry 'bout that really long wait, life sorta...happened. Good thing my regular reviewers have Author Alert on me! Ha...
ArcherGirl87-Sorry for bringing your hopes down and smashing them into teeny widdle pieces. Glad you're enjoying the story so far!
Miburo Kid-Bad color choice? So you think Sano and Kenshin were the rude ones? Hm, maybe you and omasuoniwabanshi should start a shiny new forum to talk 'bout that...or not. Thanks for notifying me of my spelling mistake, I'll change that soon.
Saitouu Ryuuji- Yup, like a dinner date from hell.
omasuoniwabanshi-Ah, so you think the carpenter and his apprentice are going to be interesting? You are a very sharp one indeed.
hey-ug. me Tarzan, you hey. glad you like. ug.
"Bla blabla bla"- Normal Dialoge
Bla blabla bla- thoughts or if used in dialoge, stress on that word
O0o...o0OO0o...o0O- change in scene
0o. Chapter 7 .o0
"Dinner, Tokio?"
Tokio sat in a corner of the bedroom, the space wrapped in a blue haze due to the coming of evening. She looked up from brushing out her hair and eyed her husband.
"Yes dinner; the normal way people tend to meet other people."
"I realize that," Saito replied, walking across the room, taking off his jacket, "but that doesn't explain why we are to meet the Battousai that way."
Tokio set aside her comb and answered, a small frown donning her face, "Last time we talked about this Himura man you had mentioned that he had changed drastically from the assassin you knew during the war, so why do you keep calling him 'Battousai'?"
"Some of my habits don't die easily." Saito said, smirking in the semi-darkness as he sat across from her. "But that's beside the point. Just exactly why are you having them over for dinner?"
Tokio paused for a moment, eyes narrowed as she regarded her husband. "Because your habits don't die. We're living in the same city Hajime. We can't avoid Himura forever- sooner or later we'll meet him. I know that both of you were mortal enemies at one time, and both of you would have loved to see the other die by the sword. Now if you were to meet and have old wounds reopened, it will not be in a deserted dojo where you can revert to the past." Tokio stared across to Saito, her eyes never leaving his. Suddenly she smiled, no doubt back to her usual mischief. "And as I recall, you two were allies just a short time ago."
"Were allies Tokio," Saito stated, his lips curling at the memory, "I no longer need his assistance."
"Then it's settled," she suddenly said, "we'll be having fish." Decision made she said nothing more and left Saito wondering how she had won the argument.
O0o….o0OO0o…o0O
"Dinner Ashira?" Kakiku whined, staring up at the ceiling as she lay upon her borrowed futon.
Ashira tied her pale-green yukata closed and spared a glance over to the younger girl, but said nothing in reply. It really did not matter, for Kakiku was too busy whimpering to herself about the circumstances as she pulled off her tabi to have had noticed if Ashira had said anything at all.
"Can you imagine having dinner with the people who thought we were- servants?" she said the last word with her lip slightly curled, remembering the offensive scene. She let out another more powerful sigh and watched as her breath ruffled her bangs.
All the while Ashira calmly folded out her blanket, smoothing out the wrinkles and letting her thoughts run through her head. The last two days for her had gone by like a whirlwind; she had felt buffeted by confusion and whenever she had thought she had made a correct assumption-it would be blown away instantly. She simply was not sure as to how to regard this household. Saito was a stern man, that much she was certain, but how stern was truly the question. Was he a dictator over his home? Was he cruel? Ashira shook herself from those thoughts.
I can't let people from my past influence my judgment now.
She laid back on her borrowed futon, attempting to dispel any more musings, but her mind would not give her rest and soon she was thinking of Tokio. The woman was like a foil to her husband. Whilst he was rigid she seemed…soft and even motherly. And yet she insinuated to have strength; yet she was the one who thought of the absurd idea of having a dinner party of all things. Tokio was a kaleidoscope of personas.
"How can I judge them after a day?" Ashira's soft-spoken words disappeared amidst Kakiku's own.
Ashira sighed and turned over, vaguely aware that Kakiku was still talking to herself. She let her sister's one-sided conversation go on, becoming a background noise, until one part of the monologue caught her attention.
"-and what in the world are we going to eat?" Kakiku asked, a look of complete confusion on her face. Ashira took one look at Kakiku laying on the separate futon beside her, the blond girl seriously considering the question, and burst into laughter muffled by her blanket. Kakiku turned her head to look at her giggling sister, and when Ashira offered no explanation to her actions, she became even more confused and remained so until she fell asleep.
O0o…o0OO0o…o0O
A shoji door slid open the next day to reveal a stuffy and mildly irritated looking Megumi. She raised her hand to block the sunlight from her eyes and sniffed loudly, mentally cursing birds and their sing-song ways. Her situation was pure irony to her. Of all the illness that she knew of, horrible, nameless diseases that sent chills down her spine, and she had become sick with the flu.
Albeit living in a place were the sick are constantly coming to receive aid is not the healthiest place to live. Megumi had acknowledged that fact when she first arrived. But instead of contracting an epidemic while she tried to save an entire village from certain death as she once had envisioned-she gets the case of a sore throat and stuffy nose from an eight year old boy.
Megumi sighed and slid the door shut on the cheerful scene outside and entered her spartan room to change. As she slid on her usual rose tinted kimono over her shoulders she thought of the foursome that had become her closest friends. No doubt news of her sickness had reached them already, and she could almost hear their laughter in the quietness of her room. To them the thought of their sly fox-doctor becoming sick must be comical. She attempted a snort of annoyance that turned to sound like a very wet, unladylike snore in the back of her throat. Anger mounting she tied off her doctors smock with unnecessary force.
Illness or not Megumi needed to leave the clinic. After a few days of solitary confinement the she felt as if the very walls were closing in around her. The night before had been climatic point in her cabin fever and she had deemed herself well enough to go visit the dojo. She had even made a batch of o-hagi for the occasion. (A/N: o-hagi is a treat made with sweet bean paste and rice). Sickness be damned she was leaving today. With renewed determination and basket of o-hagi under her arm, the Megumi left the clinic.
A while latter she arrived in front of the Kamiya dojo's gate; more winded then she would like to admit. As with Sanosuke the day before, Megumi did not bother with proper conduct and simply opened the door. The moment her getas clacked on the courtyard she stopped and blinked- and sniffled. A peculiar silence had overcome the dojo, penetrated only with minute noises that confirmed that there truly was anyone there. Gone were the usual counting of swings and oro's. In their place was the muffled sound of what could be kendo practice.
Pursing her red lips she cautiously turned the corner and saw that Kenshin was at his usual spot, elbow deep in the soapy washing tub. This time however his eyes had deepened into a smoky blue and he was intently staring at the suds with an indiscernible look.
"Sir Ken?"
Kenshin blinked, his eyes retaking their usual gay color and looked up from the wash.
"Oh, Miss Megumi, I wasn't expecting to see you today." He said, smiling and rising from the tub. She gave him a small smile of her own and was beginning to reply, but was cut short when a nearby door slid open.
"Oi Kenshin! You guys got any sake around this place?" Sanosuke stopped short as he spied Megumi. "Hey fox, aren't you supposed to be sick or somethin'?" He drawled.
Megumi's smile melted into a scowl at his words.
"As a matter of fact I just got better Rooster-Head!" She said, internally wincing at how nasally and sore her voice sounded. Sanosuke had noticed the change in her voice as well and leaned back against the wall smirking wider at the doctor's apparent aggravation. Kenshin, on the contrary, looked at Megumi obviously worried.
"You should not have come to the dojo if you're still sick Miss Megumi, that you should not." He softly reprimanded. Megumi stopped her glaring and replied without thinking, her wounded pride speaking for her.
"I am fully capable of determining whether or not I am well Sir Ken. I found myself healthy enough to make the trip so I came."
"But it looks like you still have a fever." Kenshin replied, and before Megumi could react he reached up a placed his hand on her forehead. Sanosuke's facial expression was unreadable as his eyebrows shot up and Megumi found herself blinking much more then needed.
"Kenshin! We're-." Kaoru rounded the corner with Yahiko, both looking worn from practice, and halted at the sight before her.
Second trickled by with no interruption, then Yahiko broke the spell.
"Geez Kenshin, couldn't keep your hands off of Megumi for very long!"
Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Megumi all fought for eluding words, but the raccoon girl was deemed quicker in tongue.
"KENSHIN! How dare you take advantage of Megumi like that!"
Neighbors stopped their comings and goings at the sound of this sudden outburst, followed closely by sounds of a beating; but simply smiled, knowing that the proper order next door had been restored.
The ensuing chaos passed and the group found themselves sitting upon the worn porch, most of their heads now supporting injuries from Kaoru; Kenshin's, on account for being a pervert; Yahiko's, for laughing during the whole ordeal; and Sanosuke's, for reasons known only to Kaoru. But now Kaoru had calmed and the three males took their o-hagi-the group settling into an unexpected silence.
Megumi observed them for a moment or two and became irritated at her friends' behavior. All four people were lost in their thoughts, and none seemed as to share with Megumi what was on their mind. She was never the type to beat around the bush.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on, or do I have to force it out of you?"
The group stopped their separate musings and stared at Megumi with surprised and guilty expressions. It was Sanosuke, the sunlight catching in his eyes and turning them red, that spoke first.
"Saito's back."
O0o…o0OO0o…o0O
The water was beauteous. Its indigo waves catching the colors of the rainbow; red, blue, green, and even violet scattered across the surface like thousands of paper flowers- there for a moment and then falling away into the endless depths. Fish were there too, their immense emerald-scaled bodies flying from the water and capturing the colors of the depths but holding them more securely. It seemed that the water was so wondrous that even ivory clouds had drifted down to sweep across the iridescent plane. The only thing earthly in this dreamland scene was the many fishing boats and their rugged captains. Each man was statuesque with their plain expressions and poses.
Ashira sighed and put the bolt of fabric away. Never would she dream that she would be able to buy such an item, or even ask for such a pricey gift. But then again she was in a kimono shop. She peeked around to where her sister and Tokio were, the latter holding up fabric in the shade of deep rose to the younger girl. Ashira could not hear what was being said in the crowded store, but Kakiku was picking self-consciously at her worn sleeve while Tokio was nearly beaming with pleasure.
The day had began in very much the same as the one before, but after Ashira and Kakiku had finished with the basic chores Tokio had announced that she was taking them into town. Needless to say, their surprise grew when she took them to the kimono shop. At first they resisted, but after Tokio bluntly stated that their current state of dress was that of a farmer, they assented.
Ashira walked away from the exquisite fabrics and made her way through the groups of people toward Tokio and Kakiku. By the time she had arrived Tokio had convinced Kakiku that a new kimono was best and was paying for the fabric along side the jade-green selection for Ashira.
"This is just going to be something nicer then what you have now; but you'll be able to wear this more often then those formal kimono you worn earlier." Tokio was saying as Ashira arrived. Tokio paid the shop owner and left with the bundles of fabric in her arms.
The street was not as congested as the days before so it required less skill on part of the three women to maneuver their way through. Despite of their earlier awkwardness in the store Ashira and Kakiku were beginning to enjoy their outing. There was no need for food supplies so they left the main streets, but even without the vendors and sellers there was so much life in the backstreets. The girls were so occupied with the sights that they bumped into the stopped Tokio.
"Do you girls know how to sew?" She asked turning slowly.
"Just a little- enough to mend a small tear." Ashira replied, slightly perplexed. Tokio nodded slowly and knowingly, handing the bundles one to each girl.
"Sewing is one of the basic necessary skills all women should know, whether they're a peasant or a courtesan. I'll teach you how to sew a kimono over the next few days." Tokio said this slowly, as if their conversation was not dominant in her mind. She smiled at them and turned again. Ashira shook her head and Kakiku giggled and soon they too joined her.
O0o…o0OO0o…o0O
It must have been her imagination, but Kakiku could swear they were going the wrong way. The trip out to the center of town was shorter then this one they were taking back and Kakiku knew Tokio was not lost. But none of the sights looked familiar to her. Senses alert, she continued to walk behind Tokio, placing her trust in her. A few more minutes of different turns and Tokio mumbling to herself and Kakiku glanced over to Ashira. She too had her brows knitted in anxiety. Kakiku was on the verge of questioning the older woman when Tokio unexpectedly stopped.
"Well, here it is."
They were staring at a gate in need of a few new planks. Ashira stared across Tokio's shoulder and read the sign.
Why is she at a dojo? She wondered.
Tokio was already knocking on the gate smiling to herself like a cat who has captured a piece of string. For an instant nothing was heard beyond the door, then a muffled 'I'll get it' was heard. Before the sisters could react the door was opened by a scruffy boy. He stared at the girls in shock and they returned his gaze. He was soon joined by the blue-eyed girl and the red-head from yesterday, both of whom also halted in shock.
Her senses regaining quickly, the unknown girl spoke,
"Why are you he- ,"
"I take it that you are the members of the Kamiya home?" Tokio quickly interrupted. Blue Girl and Scruffy Boy looked at each other, then Blue Girl nodded affirmative to Tokio.
"Then let me introduce myself: I am Tokio Saito and these are Kakiku and Ashira…I believe your friends here have met us before?" Tokio glanced back to were Red was joined by Lanky and a faintly sick looking woman.
"Yes, it was two days ago I believe." Red replied good-naturedly. Tokio smiled back at him.
"Since we are new to this area and my husband is acquainted with most of you, I'd like to invite you over to have dinner at my home sometime soon."
Scruffy boy's eyes widened to their limits and Blue Girl began sputtering, looking for a means to escape. However, Red stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
"We'd be delighted, that we will."
All other conversation was lost upon Ashira and Kakiku as they looked at each other shocked. The closing of the gate broke through the haze of their senses and Tokio turned and look at them with an accomplished and triumphant look on her face. Seeing their current state she smiled her typical smile.
"I told you the problem with them would be solved, didn't I Kakiku?" She asked while walking down the street.
"What is she talking about?" Ashira asked her sister.
Kakiku just stared dumbfounded at Tokio's retreating form.
"We're living with a mad woman."
So far the stage is almost set. Almost fully stinkin' set. And I haven't even introdused all the main characters yet. Excuse me, I must go weep now.
Hate it? Like/Love it? Then tell me why!...please.