Full Circle:

oo

"Ohohoho!"

Kaoru had never been more annoyed by the sight of a kimono sleeve. Or fox ears.

After finding refuge in a modest public park a good distance from discovery Megumi had stopped to listen to Kaoru. Silent during the entire retelling, Megumi had been laughing for five minutes since its conclusion.

When she regained her composure she spoke. "Did you really think Kenshin was running around threatening eligible bachelors? It's a little vain to think Ken-san would stake a claim on you."

A vein began to throb on Kaoru's forehead.

Megumi decided to ignore it and continued, "It's a big city and Kenshin hasn't been completely subtle with his identity. It's more than possible that someone has identified him."

"So?" Kaoru asked as calmly as possible despite the fact she wore an expression of moderate displeasure.

"Let me spell it out for you. Apparently you have been identified as the Battousai's woman, probably the most un-dateable person in Tokyo."

Kaoru wasn't about to admit that she hadn't thought of any of those explanations. Her whole mental picture of the situation had only showed that her love life was going nowhere, and that it was Kenshin's fault.

By now, Megumi had grasped how original these ideas were to Kaoru. "I can't believe you beat up Kenshin just for existing."

"Hey, I saw Sano back there. He looked pretty anxious to find you; I might go tip him off-"

Megumi admitted defeat and, after a little prompting from Kaoru (who was very determined after the humiliation she had endured), related her incident with as much of a dignified air as she could manage.

oFlashbacko

Megumi's head was starting to pound. At this point a headache would be totally appropriate. It was the kind of day she was having.

If there was one thing she hated about being in medicine, it was dealing with the general public. It took her forty-five minutes to convince one patient he wasn't dying. The idiot just had diarrhea.

All she had wanted to do now was rest through lunch. Apparently, that had been too much to ask. She pulled the door open just a crack. Maybe she had been hallucinating. Her eyes widened.

There was definitely a live bird in her room. She wondered vaguely if it was going to get feathers all over her futon.

Hm. There was a rooster in her bed.

She was definitely getting a headache. She slide the door closed again but not before hearing a muffled cluck.

This was so embarrassing. She had just begun to tackle the issue of removing the animal when she heard footsteps coming down the hall and spotted a familiar figure.

"Oi, fox-lady!" Great, from headache to migraine.

"You!"

"What kind of greeting is that?"

"Wanted to see how your little trick worked out, eh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb. You're already a moron."

He must have noted she was a little frazzled because instead of returning a biting remark he merely tilted his head and said very slowly, "What's going on?"

Not normally one to be fooled by false displays of sincerity she studied his face. A little unnerved by his returning gaze she shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh never mind. I assume you re-injured your hand?"

True, light bleeding could be clearly viewed through the bandages she had placed there yesterday, but Sano wouldn't be distracted that easily. "What's going on?"

Megumi shifted uncomfortably. There was no way she was going to let Sano know that there was a bird- a large rooster no less- behind that door. The discovery would result in months of double entendres and jibes. She had patience, but not that much patience.

She couldn't let him see her room. She had an advantage: unless she let on that there was something out of the ordinary he wouldn't think to look there.

Unfortunately in her sudden panic she had unconsciously placed her body between him and the door. This was a movement that did not go unnoticed by the ex-fighter-for-hire.

He moved closer to the door and she retreated until she felt her back hit wood paneling. She tried to talk her way out.

"What do you think you're doing? You can't go in a woman's room!"

"You're not a woman you're a fox. And besides, I wouldn't have to if you'd tell me what you're hiding."

"I-I'm not hiding anything!" His close proximity was making it hard for her to think.

"If I believed that I really would be a moron." His hand was on the door. It was all over, he was physically stronger than her; if it came down to a battle over the door he would win.

They both knew that.

She looked up at his face; it was a mixture of determination and amusement.

He knew he had won. Megumi saw her opening.

She lunged for the door and he easily caught her outstretched arm. Her hand clutched vainly at thin air and she tried to twist her body out of his grasp. However, her legs became tangled and when she freed herself she fell hard, a sharp gasp escaping her lips. A crumpled heap on the floor, she clutched her ankle and winced. Perfect.

Sano was at her side looking only concerned. She actually felt guilty and resisted the urge to reach out to him. She didn't think she could handle his apologies too so she held up her hand to cut him off.

She managed to choke out, "It's just my ankle. I'm fine, go get Doctor Gensai."

He nodded and took off down the hallway, but paused at the end of it as if unwilling to leave her there. She just waved him off and watched until he was out of sight.

"Sweet, but a moron," she muttered before leaping up and throwing open her door. She scanned the room and found the rooster sitting sagely to the left. She hesitated a moment before grabbing the creature and running down the hallway in the opposite direction.

oEnd Flashbacko

Megumi's version was slightly more…concise.

"I found a rooster in my room, (even you must be aware of how that relates to Sano). You found me in the process of trying to get rid of it."

Now it was Kaoru's turn to laugh. However, instead of hiding her smile behind her sleeve she openly worked herself into hysterics while Megumi tried eliminate the possibility the woman was having a seizure.

"Nice laugh, raccoon girl."

Kaoru just wiped her eyes and started her line of questioning undeterred, relishing in the fact the tables had turned.

"You just found a rooster."

"Yes."

"Just like that."

"Yes."

"You're sure you didn't get it yourself as a bizarre token of your love?"

"Oh shut up. You don't tell anyone or I'll spill it to Ken-san."

"So...You just found it." said Kaoru, still grinning like a maniac.

"You're a little slow today, have you been hanging out with Sano?"

"Who would leave a live bird in your room?" Kaoru commented, this time genuinely puzzled.

"If I knew that I wouldn't be here," said Megumi, her tone slightly snappy but joining Kaoru confusion.

"You made a great escape from the clinic just to avoid humiliation?"

"Hey, look who's talking.--I was having a bad day anyway."

"Ditto," said Kaoru.

With that the odd pair began to walk back in the direction of their respective homes with the bizarre companionship that comes from having been caught in the same rickety boat.

A/N:

R&R!, For every time you don't hit that button, a dolphin dies.

Dolphin: Save me, I love you!

Real dolphin: I do NOT condone that message.

Dolphin/AKA Sano with a fin: It's a day job.

I'm not paying you

Sano with a fin: At least your cooking's better than Jou-chan's.

I didn't cook you any--SO THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LEFTOVER LASAGNA

Sano with a fin: Might I suggest less mozzarella next time? It overpowers the sauce.

OUT

Sano with a fin: After all I've done for you?

Oh please, 'I love you' was totally melodramatic