I'm writing the little author's note at the beginning. Why, I don't know. Anyway, Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki and not me (well, duh!). The only characters I own are Ai and Kai. Oh, and one more thing. I wrote this whole story in a single day! That's why it sucks so much. Now, on with the one-shot.
It was a windy day in Tokyo. At the Kamiya Dojo, Kaoru Kamiya had just finished practicing with her student, Yahiko Myojin, when both of them heard the door slid open.
"Excuse me," a girl's voice asked. "Where may I find Kamiya Kaoru?"
Kaoru turned around and saw a teenage boy and girl. Both had big, gray eyes, long, black hair, and wore gray and blue hakama. Kaoru and Yahiko both blinked because they both looked exceedingly similar except for the obvious differences.
"I'm Kaoru. Who are you two?"
"I'm Ai," the girl said.
"I'm Kai," the boy said.
"We're the Minamino twins."
Yahiko raised an eyebrow. "Minamino twins?"
"Yes. We're here for lessons in Kamiya-Kasshin Ryu," Ai said.
"Although we have no money, we're pretty good cooks and can do that in exchange for lessons," Kai said.
"Very well. You can start by making dinner tonight," Kaoru answered.
Ai and Kai smiled and nodded. "Arigato gozaimasu!"
"Where do you live?" Yahiko asked.
"Under a bridge," Ai answered.
Kaoru put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "No students of mine will sleep under bridges. You can sleep here, as long as you don't mind sharing a room."
"We don't."
"Okay. Follow me."
After Kaoru and the twins had left the room, Kenshin Himura came in carrying baskets of groceries.
"She made you buy all that at once again?" Yahiko asked.
"Yes." Kenshin smiled and added, "I see we have visitors.
"New students. Minamino Ai and Kai. They say they're willing to cook for lessons."
Kenshin's eyes grew wide. "Did you say Minamino?"
"Yeah. Is something wrong?
Kenshin shook his head. "No. Nothing."
At that moment, Ai, Kai and Kaoru came into the room.
"Back so soon?" Kaoru asked.
"Yes. And I hear we have new students."
"Yeah. These are the Minamino twins, Ai and Kai. Ai-san, Kai-san, this is Kenshin Himura."
The twins bowed. "Nice to meet you," they said in unison.
"It's nice to meet you as well."
"Kamiya-sensei, is it all right if we start cooking dinner now?" Kai asked.
"Uh, sure."
"We'll take those, Himura-san," Ai said and took the heavy baskets with ease.
The twins went into the kitchen and Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko followed. They smiled at each other as they rolled back their sleeves.
"Ready, Kai?"
"Ready, Ai!"
"Um, what are they gonna do?" Yahiko asked.
Ai and Kai turned to Yahiko and smiled.
"We're gonna show you they way people cook in Miyamo's Domain," they answered.
Ai threw pickled cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, and onions at Kai. Kai caught all of them at once, washed, peeled, and cut them in a blink of an eye. At that moment, Ai had chopped a fish into tiny pieces and was sautéing them in soy sauce. While the fish cooked, Kai measured the rice, handed some to Ai, and both of them started cooking it. Both of them we're going so fast that Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko couldn't believe they're eyes. They watched them without blinking, until someone said, "What smells good?", and the three of them turned around and saw Sanosuke Sagara.
"Sano, when did you get here?" Kenshin asked.
"Just now. Who are those two?" Sanosuke asked, pointing to the twins.
"They call themselves the Minamino twins. The girl is Ai and the boy is Kai," Kaoru explained. "They're new students who agreed to cook in exchange for lessons."
"So you got cooks now, eh, Missy? At least we won't have to suffer through anymore of your cooking."
Kaoru scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means exactly what it sounds like."
Before anyone had time to react, Kaoru pulled out Kenshin's sakabato and started chasing Sanosuke with it. They ran out of the kitchen and Kenshin followed. Yahiko was about to follow when he heard the twins singing. He stood there, mesmerized by the gentle tune of the song.
"You guys should be singers instead of swordsmen," Yahiko said.
Ai turned around, blushing. "Oh, Myojin-kun. You're still here?"
"Yeah, but don't mind me. Go ahead and sing."
"It's just that we don't like to sing in front of people," Kai said.
"But why not? It's not like you sing badly. You guys sound great."
A long, awkward silence followed. Yahiko was beginning to wonder if he had offended the twins when Ai said, "Myojin-kun, could you please tell the others dinner's ready?"
"Uh, sure."
As soon as Yahiko was gone, Ai said to her brother, "Maybe we should stop trying to find Kurogasa and the Battosai and become singers like our mother wanted."
"Our father wanted us to become swordsmen and avenge the deaths of the villagers and the honor of our families."
"But it seems so wrong to use a style that is supposed to help others just to gain vengeance."
"What garbage are you spouting, Ai?"
"Kai, I wouldn't like using a style that's meant for helping people for our own personal gain. Doesn't it seem wrong?"
"I guess it does. But hey, you don't have to fight if you don't want to. I'll take Battosai all on my own."
Ai looked at her brother and frowned. "Minamino Kai, you better not be up to something stupid."
Kai looked shocked. "When have I ever done anything stupid?"
Ai sighed. "Never mind. We must not keep them waiting. Let's go."
Kaoru walked in the dining room and gasped. "Look at everything! You two made this with our measly food?"
"Oh, sumimasen," Ai said in a small voice. "Did we overdue it?"
"No, not at all. Well, everybody. Let's eat."
Everyone sat down and agreed the food was great.
"Hey, Missy, I think it's great that you got them," Sanosuke said.
"Why do you say that, Sano?"
Sanosuke pointed his chopsticks at the twins. "They're way better cooks than you will ever hope to be."
"Careful, Sano," Kenshin said. "Don't make her mad."
It was too late. Kaoru stood up and was about to hit Sanosuke, but Kenshin held her back.
"Kamiya-sensei, do calm down," Ai said. "Please, have some rice cakes."
Kaoru's attention immediately shifted. "Rice cakes?"
"Yes. It's an old, family recipe. You'll like them," Kai said.
Yahiko, Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Kenshin each took one and started eating them.
"Mm! These are good," Kaoru exclaimed.
"Good bean filling," Kenshin said, smiling at the twins.
The twins grinned. "Arigato gozaimasu."
"They're way better than Kaoru's," Yahiko said.
Kaoru hit him in the mouth. "They didn't need to know that."
"I'm sure Kamiya-sensei's taste better than ours," Ai said modestly.
"Hey, Minamino girl, define better," Sanosuke said.
"Uh, something that exceeds something else," Ai said with great uncertainty.
"You've never tasted the missy's cooking then."
"Yeah," Yahiko chimed in. "When Kaoru cooks, everyone gets indigestion."
In response, Kaoru started chasing Yahiko and Sanosuke around the room while Kenshin followed her, saying, "Kaoru-dono, calm down!"
"At least we know we have a tough teacher, Kai," Ai said.
"Whatever you say, Ai," Kai said.
Seven months had passed since the Minamino twins came to the Kamiya Dojo. It was late at night when Kaoru heard a soft, sweet, melody coming outside. She had never heard anything like it and sat up. She listened very closely and realized it was someone singing. Kaoru got up and went outside and saw Ai sitting on the balcony.
Is she singing? Kaoru asked herself.
"Ai-san?"
Ai jumped and turned around. "Oh, Kamiya-san. I didn't hear you."
Kaoru saw that Ai's eyes were red from crying. "Ai-san, is something wrong?"
Ai rubbed her eyes. "I'm very, very sorry, Kamiya-san."
"About what? You haven't done anything wrong. You and your brother are excellent cooks and are great students. If it's about you being out here late at night, don't worry about it. Sometimes I come out here, too." Kaoru sat down next to Ai. "I heard you singing. You have a lovely voice."
"That's exactly what Myojin-kun said. Kamiya-sensei, what would you do if someone you loved wanted to do something dangerous and wouldn't let anything stop them?"
Kaoru stared up at the moon and thought for a while. "That reminds me of what happened not to long ago. Kenshin wanted to go to Kyoto by himself to fight a deadly assassin named Makoto Shishio. I wanted to go with him, but he wouldn't let me and went by himself."
"Surely you must've followed him," Ai said.
Kaoru shook her head. "No. I knew Kenshin meant well. He liked helping others, but didn't like others helping him. He once said to me, 'If I let you come along, I will be more vulnerable because I have to protect you. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.' I was so devastated I couldn't think clearly and spent days feeling sorry for myself. It took Megumi-san to help me."
"Isn't that Takani-sensei, the lady doctor?"
"Yes, that's her. I was surprised that she had decided to help me, since she was in love with Kenshin herself."
"I don't blame you. He is a very handsome man. Reminds me of. . ."
"Yes?"
"No, it's nothing. Please continue."
"I wasn't the only one who decided to go to Kyoto. Yahiko did, too. And so did Sanosuke. We met many friends, including a girl ninja named Misao."
"I know her. Misao helped my brother and me get to Tokyo."
"She is a kind girl. How is Misao doing?"
"She's very happy and is married to a Shinomori Aoshi."
Kaoru's blue eyes grew wide. "Wow! She did marry Aoshi. Who'd thought? Do you want me to continue?"
"Please."
"I'm not sure what happened during the battle because I was keeping Shishio's men from setting fire to the city. When Kenshin came back to me, I was overjoyed and sad at the same time. Kenshin was unconscious and wounded when he came back. I thought he was dead . But he didn't leave me down. When he was okay, Kenshin asked me why I had come. I said that sometimes to save the lives of those you love sometimes you have to put your own life at risk. In light of what you were asking me earlier, my advice is to tell whoever you're worried about how you feel. You may think the person would rather be doing something else, but friends are there to listen to one another and should help each other. And if nothing else works, take action. Do you have any idea what that means?"
Ai was about to reply when her eyes grew wide. Her face paled and she looked like someone who had just seen a ghost.
"Ai-san, what's wrong?" Kaoru asked, suddenly worried.
"No. It can't be. Kai wouldn't be foolish enough to. . ." Ai jumped up from the balcony and ran out of the dojo wearing a sheer yukata and her haori jacket.
"Ai-san! Wait up. Tell me what's wrong," Kaoru called out as she followed Ai.
"It's my brother. He knows Himura-san is Battosai and won't rest until he beats them and regains our family's honor," Ai explained without stopping.
"What?"
"My brother is very foolish. Do you know Kurogasa?"
"Yes. He was an assassin who tried to kill Kenshin and me."
"You see Kurogasa destroyed our village and killed everyone in it. My mother and I managed to escape by hiding in a cellar. My brother was angry and devastated. He tried to fight Kurogasa and almost got himself killed in the process. When he found out Father had been beaten by Battosai, he became even angrier and sought him out. From Misao, Kai found out he was staying at the your dojo and formed a plan. He said we would learn the style that was taught a your school and beat Battosai with it. I told him no, but Kai is very stubborn and proud. At this very moment, he's fighting Mister Himura."
"But how do you know?"
"We're twins, Kamiya-sensei. They're near the river."
Suddenly, Ai stopped.
"What is it?" Kaoru asked then stopped and looked down.
Kai and Kenshin we're engaged in a serious fight. Both of them were a bloody mess.
"So you are Minamino-dono's son," Kenshin said.
"Yes, I am. I told you I was his son. And I proved it with my sword," Kai said and aimed his sword in the chudan style. "And now, with this sword, I will avenge my family's honor."
As Kai and Kenshin charged towards each other, Ai ran towards them.
"Ai-san! What are you doing?" Kaoru called.
"Kai may be stupid, but he's still my twin brother and I love him. And as far as brothers go, he's a very kind one and has gotten me out of more than just a few scrapes."
"Ai-san, now you're acting stupid!"
Ai stopped, turned around and smiled at Kaoru. "Maybe, but to save the ones you love, sometimes you have to risk your own life, right, Kamiya-sensei?"
Quickly, Ai caught both Kai's and Kenshin's blades.
"She caught both blades with her hands," Kenshin said with surprise.
"It's the double blade catch," Kaoru explained. "It requires extreme speed and agility. I've never knew anyone who knew that, let alone mastered it."
"Ai, what are you doing?" Kai asked.
"What's it look like? Stopping you from doing something stupid." Ai took both blades away from their owners and threw them aside. She looked down at her bloody, severed hands and sighed.
"Ai, are you okay? Oh, Ai, gomen nasai," Kai said. "You were right. I never should have tried to take on Battosai. I just didn't believe he was as good as the legends say. But he is. And I learned that the hard way. And because of my stupidity, you're hurt."
Ai smiled. "You're just like Father, Kai. He was as proud as a peacock, just like you, but he cared for our family and the village. He loved every single one of us and brought pride to our village as the only villager to ever have become a samurai."
Kenshin walked over to the twins. "Minamino-dono was a very good swordsman. And I didn't beat him. It was a tie."
"It was?" the twins asked with wide eyes.
"Yes. I knew there was something about you two when I met you. Both of you have accomplished so much from what Kaoru-dono has told me."
Kai turned to Kaoru. "Is that true, Kamiya-dono?"
Kenshin smiled. "Yes it is. Both of you have great potential."
Kai sighed and picked up his blade. "Well, I guess now it's back to the open road."
"Huh?" both Kenshin and Kaoru asked.
"That's right," Ai said. "We're finished with our business here and wouldn't want to be a burden."
"But you're not. Both of you are great cooks and have learned so much so fast. Won't you please stay?" Kaoru pleaded
"Only if Himura-san agrees," Kai said, truing a little red with embarrassment. "After all, I tried to kill him."
Kenshin smiled. "I would really like it if the Minamino twins stayed."
"Really, Himura-san?" Kai asked with surprise. "After all Ai and I did?"
"Well, Ai-san didn't do anything but stop you from doing something stupid," Kaoru said.
"Arigato, Kamiya-sensei. Arigato, Himura-san," Ai and Kai said.
"Now, what do you say all of us get a good night's sleep?" Kenshin asked.
The twins nodded. "Right!"
And so our story ends with Kaoru, Kenshin, and the Minamino twins walking off into the night. As the night closed around them, the twins's voices were heard singing.
"Even if I hold you with all my loneliness we still can't be one
The only thing that we can deeply feel beside kindness is pain
Please let us be connected
We don't dream anymore
Hesitating, we hold hands
We start walking towards the cruel dawn
I'm sure the real words are somewhere in the real world
They hide in our silent nights
They still do . . ."
Okay, that's all. Please be kind with your reviews (like anyone would actually read this). I mainly wrote this as an apology for Amonisha-chan. Amonisha-chan, I'm so sorry for dropping your DVDs. I'm really, really sorry! Well, that's all. By the way, the song is called "Michiyuki" and is sung by Kaori Hikita. It's the ending theme for Loveless. I really like this song, so I may use it again one of these days. But I gotta finish my other fanfictions before that happens!