Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Pairing: Okita/Kagome
Suggested Listening: Never Be Like You (Flume Cover) By Crywolf
Of Pride and Honor
Chapter Two: This Strange New World
Okita sat numbly. His fingers traced the familiar bindings of the hilt on his wakizashi. It was about the only thing he had left that felt normal anymore. It'd been a few hours since Kagome had departed. She'd apparently been scheduled to work a shift at a job a half hour away from the shrine. She'd already been running a bit behind given the brief explanation she had offered him earlier. However before she left she made sure to introduce him to her family. It hadn't been the most thorough of introductions given the fact that she was already running pretty far behind in her schedule and didn't quite have the time to do more. He stared up at the glassy sky above. It was the same as it'd always been. Winter's signature grey and overcast clouds floated on without so much as a care for the world below.
The man's mind began to work into overdrive. One hundred years in the future. Well, realistically it was more than that. Kagome had managed to avoid telling him exactly what year it was though. She also purposely avoided any questions regarding the Shinsengumi and the Shogunate*. He kicked his feet out and stretched his arms across the back of the wooden bench. There weren't too many visitors thus far. The few people who did make the long trek up the staircase would shoot him an odd look before scuffling off—presumably towards the temizuya*. His daishou stuck out between the empty space of the backrest and seat of the bench. It was an awkward sight, he had to admit, but not enough of one to cause the looks he was being given. Were things really that different?
He saw no signs of other samurai. Not one other person carried a katana at their hip. A few women were dressed in the yukata he was more familiar with, but rarely did any of the men passing by wear anything other than a tightfitting black colored outfit.
"Hey mister!" The boy Souta, as Kagome had introduced to him earlier, shouted from a short distance away. She'd informed him that he was her younger brother. His host had also mentioned that he was approximately twelve years of age. He was still practically an infant given the behavior he'd seen from the kid from the short amount of time they'd spent together. "Food's ready!" Okita stared blankly at the child. Was this really so normal for them? He didn't really know of too many people capable of accepting time travel as a common occurrence. Then again this whole family seemed abnormal somehow.
"Alright." He appeased the younger child. As much as he hated to admit it, Okita was quite hungry. Even before his fall down the well, it'd been a few days since he'd eaten anything substantial. The winter that'd hit Edo had been one of the worst he'd seen in a long time. There was little that he was able to harvest and hunt—only living off the scraps he'd managed to buy from the smaller outer-laying villages. His stomach let out a low growl of protest. It seemed as if those effects were finally weighing down upon his weakened body.
The man roughly stood from his perch on the bench. A couple glanced in his direction warily. Their eyes shot down to the daishou at his waist before they scurried off to the pavilion. He rolled his shoulders at the nervous behavior. It wasn't all that unusual for people to watch him closely back home. The citizens of Kyoto rarely took to the Shinsengumi's presence kindly. He hardly thought that this would be different.
The boy quietly ran up to his side. He cocked his head at him curiously.
"So," Souta started as he leaned on the tips of his toes, attempting to peer at his swords without getting too far into the other man's personal space. "Are those real? I've only ever seen replicas before." The pre-teen's eyes were wide with awe and admiration. He clearly wished to see the blades drawn and in their full glory. Although the ronin* didn't quite believe that to be the best of ideas. A drawn blade was a deadly one.
Okita allowed a haughty smirk to play across his lips, "You know touching another warrior's sword is punishable by death where I come from." It was total bullshit. He knew it but the kid didn't. Although there were severe consequences for stealing another's weapons, but that was a tale for another day. Right now he just wanted to screw with the kid a bit. It'd serve as a future warning about touching his belongings. Host or not, he wouldn't tolerate anyone handling his weapons without permission. Kagome had only gotten a pass as she'd both cleaned and then promptly returned them. That'd be the only time though.
Souta's eyes grew wider as his mouth dropped open, "Really?" He seemed somewhat astonished, but not in a negative way as he'd expected. The kid's voice pitched upwards in excitement as he leaned in a bit closer. The man allowed his brows to furrow slightly. He was right. This family was strange. "That's so cool! Come on mister, you gotta tell me all about your era! Nee-chan doesn't talk about that kind of stuff much. It's gotta be way more exciting than this time period!"
He pressed his lips into a thin line. He remembered her vaguely mentioning something about being 'chosen' by the gods and the well itself. She seemed to have hinted at being able to travel to a different era as well. So where had she ended up? How had she gotten home? He needed to ask her these things. As much as Okita hated to admit it, his host was the only person that held the answers he sought. He'd have to rely on her for any information on how to return to his own time period. Unbeknownst to him Souta had carried on with their one sided conversation. By the time he refocused on what the child was saying, he realized that he had no clue what he was talking about.
"She used to fight all these crazy monsters and bring back some really amazing stuff. She also got pretty tough. Most of the guys at her school are scared of her." The kid laughed as if he thought of something funny. "Nee-chan's usually super sweet, but once she's angry watch out!" He emphasized his point by throw his hands up in the air as if to imitate a bear, "She practically morphs into a dragon." He dropped one of his hands to his mouth and gave a quick snort of laughter.
Okita glanced up to the cloudy sky above. He could picture it. Well perhaps not the crazy monster fighting but rather the intensity of her rage. Some of the most deadly opponents he'd faced down had been women. Partially because they could hide behind the façade of innocence until the last moment when they struck. Sneaky creatures, women were. Kagome also seemed to emanate some sense of danger from her. It was mild, but it was there. It cropped up when he requested his blade. It also reappeared shortly before she left. It was a subtle warning but one nonetheless.
Try not to get into trouble.
That was what she'd said to him. It wasn't so much a warning against breaking this era's laws. Rather it was something much deeper than that. It was a stark reminder that she still held his life in the balance should he choose to harm her loved ones. She was giving him some measure of trust and in return he'd be given his own sense of freedom. It was a bit of an unusual situation. One that he would prefer not to repeat again given the choice. He closed his eyes as the memory filled his mind.
He'd just met the rest of the family. It'd been swift and not at all accommodating given the circumstances that they were in. However his host took hold of his sleeve and quickly pulled him along as she made her way towards the shrine's exit. When they reached the torii gate that signified the path back to the city, Kagome's hands dropped from his sleeve, down his wrist before falling to spaces between his fingers. He'd only known her for a day and yet she was already touching him as if they'd been acquainted for years. He felt strangely conflicted about this odd gesture of physical affection.
"I have to get going or else I'll be late." She pressed her lips into a thin line as her eyes narrowed darkly at him. "Try not to get into trouble." An edge of danger rolled off the tiny woman as her fingers curled around his. The man blinked. This wasn't a gesture of affection—it was a steep warning. He glanced down at her hardened expression. He saw the head of hair that was her brother running about the compound as their mother called after him. Realization struck him. So that was it. Despite these injuries Kagome was uncertain as to whether he could be trusted around her family. He quickly opened his mouth to speak.
Okita blinked as heard the child's voice rise to a high pitch with his excitement. Being drawn back to reality by the boy's continuous prattling, he chose to interject in the conversation before the kid realized he hadn't been listening.
"Makes sense." He commented lightly, if only to keep the child rambling on. So long as Souta was talking he wouldn't have to answer anything about himself instead.
"Oh, that reminds me." He pointed towards his daishou again, "If you go out in public you probably shouldn't wear those. It's not exactly legal anymore. You'd likely be arrested on the spot."
Okita felt his brow arch upwards in irritation. He laid a bandaged hand on the cool hilt of his blade. A samurai without his swords? Not a chance. He didn't give a damn what era he was in. He wasn't going to lay them down. Not even for a moment. A brush of the December wind blew past them, chilling his body and irritating his already over stressed throat. Its icy tendrils needled their way down his esophagus and into his lungs. The man quickly raised his hand for the onset of coughs he knew was bound to happen. His chest constricted as the first wave hit him. He tried not to bring too much attention to it. He turned away from the boy and attempted to stifle the sound.
He pressed his hand further against his mouth. The itch at the back of his throat grew steadily worse, blossoming into a full-blown raging fire that he couldn't quite put out. His breath was coming in as a shallow gasp as his knees grew weak. Not now. Of all the times, he did not want this to happen now. The child flew to his side.
"Stay back!" Okita managed through the few heaving gulps of air he'd managed to suck down between coughs. "Just stay there." He quickly put up his other hand, blocking the boy from getting any closer. Souta stopped a short distance away. Azure eyes were wide with worry as he held his hands out as if unsure of whether to reach for him, or offer him something to help. The man shook his head and narrowed his eyes. He had no need for pity. More than that though, he did not wish to infect the pre-teen with whatever illness that had stricken him.
Slowly, the coughs abated as the December wind died away. He pulled his hand away from his mouth. The ronin paused. His lips pursed as his eyes narrowed in concern. Upon the space of his palm was the warm, sticky scarlet of blood. That was the second time in the last two days. This disease was getting progressively worse.
"Are…" Souta hesitated. As if worried, he lifted one of his tiny hands and tugged on the sleeve of his coat. "…Are you alright, mister?"
He gave himself a moment to collect his breath. It wouldn't do to worry the kid. As much as he hated his situation, he wouldn't put the child through that kind of trouble. He quickly used the back of his hand to wipe away any blood that may have still been left upon his lips. With skill born of his training, he tucked his hand away into his sleeve where he'd hidden a cloth. He subtly adjusted his arm as to rid the blood from his bandaged palm onto the fabric. It wouldn't get rid of the substance entirely, but it'd be enough to create a passable excuse. Once certain that the majority of the blood was gone, he cocked his head over his shoulder and gave the boy a wide grin.
"What? I've got a cold. Nothing says that a guy as awesome as me can't get sick." His smile widened as Souta's expression relaxed. The kid gave a small laugh at his joke.
"Yeah, you'd have to be some kind of awesome to get through the well." He tugged on his sleeve a bit more vigorously this time, "Now come on! If we don't get inside for dinner soon then Kaa-chan will be mad. And she's even scarier than Nee-chan when she's furious!" He allowed the boy to pull him along towards the main living quarters of the shrine. So far from what he observed the compound had been separated into three separate quarters. The front area for the visitors to pay their respects. The middle area where the main house was located. Then the back of the compound where the honden was strategically placed. He hadn't quite yet had the chance to inquire about which god in particular their shrine paid their respects to. The only curiosities were the Goshinboku and well house adjacent to the main living areas. He supposed that he could ask about those over dinner as well.
They traversed the tiled courtyard of the quartered off section of the shrine. Not too far away the Higurashi matriarch was already standing in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest and some sort of black cooking utensil in her hand. Souta offered the woman meek apologies but she simply shook her head and pointed a single index finger towards the interior of the home.
"No excuses, young man. You still have homework to do. Finish that and then you may do as you please." She took his ear between her index finger and thumb and gave a quick tug, "If I have to ask you again then I will remove all of your devices, shut off your phone and throw away your laptop. You will never so much as see your electronics again. Have I made myself clear?" Her voice was as sharp as the daishou strapped to his waist. Okita stood back and merely watched as the woman tore into her child for the neglect of his responsibilities. Ah, to be young again. He was glad he'd gotten through that stage of his life fairly quickly.
The woman blinked then offered him a quick bow, "My most sincere apologies for my son's rather uncouth behavior. He tends to pick that up from his peers." She hadn't released the boy's ear. Instead she pointedly ignored his begs to be let go and continued on her conversation with him. "If he bothers you at any point in time just let me know. I'll handle it."
The ronin felt a tiny spark of pity at the dread that crept in the kid's eyes. His face paled as he shrank away from the rather unimposing form of his mother. She was short in stature, barely making it up to his shoulder. She was also of a thin frame with laugh lines creasing her face and the calluses of a hard life upon her hands. The woman didn't look like much but she certainly seemed to be in possession of a fiery spirit that could wilt even the fiercest of warriors. He casually placed both of his hands behind his head and leaned back.
"It's not a problem. The kid was keeping me company anyways." Just this once he'd offer the boy an out. Although he expected this act of good will to be paid in full later. He had a lot of questions and he was damn sure going to get them answered, one way or another. The boy was a talker. He'd be more likely to get direct information from him than anyone else at this point. Sure he could ask Kagome but there was always that sense of 'what if' hanging in the air. He couldn't completely trust her just yet.
The older woman released her son's ear. She promptly ordered him to set the table and moved further into the interior, giving Okita a chance to enter as well. He stepped past the threshold and nearly stopped in his tracks. There wasn't much he recognized. Western-style furniture dotted most of the living room with what he presumed to be a couch and other seating arrangements. He turned his head towards the dinning area. The seats were, thankfully, somewhat more recognizable. They were set on the floor with only a thin line of wood and cushion on the bottom but a high back that stopped around his neckline. They appeared to be used to kneel on during meals.
The table was also low set. It was of a lightwood and glass stretched across its center. The piece was big enough to fit close to eight people yet only four seats were properly set. The feeling of something heavy weighed down on him. Perhaps there had been more members to this family before?
"Things will probably be a bit disorienting for you at first, but do please try to make yourself at home." The woman smiled kindly as she directed him towards a seat. "I'm sure my daughter will give you a more thorough breakdown of how to navigate our era when she returns later tonight. In the mean time you can always ask us if you need anything. I'll have Souta show you how to work the plumbing system after dinner." The laugh lines in her face creased as her smile widened. "I'm sure you could use a bath to relax after a day like this."
"Thank you," He gave a quick bow of gratitude. "I'd greatly appreciate it." The woman inclined her head in acknowledgement. She briefly flitted away towards the kitchen where the scent of miso and some sort of meat filtered in the air. His feet instinctively brought him to the table where he took the seat placed closest to the open walkway between the living room and dinning area.
"It's oden." The Higurashi matriarch answered the question he had yet to ask. "It's actually Kagome's favorite. If there's ever anything you want all you have to do is ask, alright?" She flashed him a bright smile. A headache started to form between Okita's eyes. Whether it was from his hunger or the stress of his new surroundings, he wasn't quite sure. So far he hadn't had much time to immerse himself in this new era. He didn't think he really wanted to just yet—at least not until he had enough time to get his thoughts together. Still it was nice to at least be dropped on people so willing to accommodate him as best as they could, even if they were strange.
Speaking of Kagome, what kind of job did she even have anyways? It wasn't a normal occurrence for women to hold down positions back home. Usually the male provided financial support and the women of the family tended to the house and other chores. Wives and daughters rarely walked around the city without a male relative due to the dangers that lurked in cities like Kyoto. Ronin in particular had gotten fairly bad in the area the Shinsengumi was stationed. Were the dangers in this era far less imposing than his time period? He chose to ask.
"What job does Kagome have?" Okita chose to press onwards in his curiosity. The food was brought out one dish at a time. Souta quickly decided to help his mother rather than risk her ire for a second time in the day.
The youngster opened his mouth to answer, "She works at a…" His parent quickly snapped it shut by lightly tapping him on the head with the bottom of the plate she'd been holding. It didn't hurt but Okita knew a warning to grow silent when he saw one. Obviously she felt she was protecting her daughter somehow by keeping her son from talking.
"She's a waitress. Most of her shifts tend to be later in the evenings since she has to go to school during the day." Seeing his confused expression, the Higurashi matriarch continued her explanation. "All children are expected to attend school for about twelve years. Kagome is in her final year and will be graduating this coming spring." The other two quickly took their seats. Souta grabbed the one immediately available next to him while their mother took up a spot across from them. The males shot each other a quick glance.
The boy grinned widely as he offered him a pair of chopsticks.
"Thanks." Okita gave a small, polite inclination of his head in gratitude. "So this schooling, is it like a dojo or something? What exactly does everyone study?"
"Well for the twelve years it's a fairly strict curriculum. The emphasis is put more on a well-rounded education. Math, sciences, languages and arts. Every child is expected to achieve a certain level of understanding at the end of each course. When the year comes to a close they must have mastered those cores before progressing onto the next level." The trio passed food amongst themselves, preparing their plates before the meal was to begin.
"Itadakimasu!" Souta chirped suddenly as they finished passing the food from one person to the next in awkward exchanges of their hands. The child didn't wait for the others before plowing into the earthy dish before him. Okita proceeded at a much calmer pace, ensuring to take time between bites to continue the conversation.
"In the last three years of their education, children are often capable of choosing different clubs. These clubs are places that they go to partake in activities that interest them." She stopped momentarily to take in some of the savory flavors of the fish that'd been served. "An example would be the Kyudo club, which Kagome has joined. She's an excellent archer so she spends a great deal of her free time with the club members and practicing her art. However there are other clubs like photography, drama and even kendo."
An archer huh? So that explained the odd 'touch and die' vibes he got from her earlier. Her skill level was likely pretty high if she'd set off his instinct the way she did earlier. He gave a brief nod of acknowledgement, "So what comes after this school and club stuff? Don't think someone would spend so much time in one place and not see some sort of pay off."
Souta spoke with a mouth full of food, "You either get a job or go to college. Although jii-chan used to say that only fools went to college."
His mother shot him a sour look, "That's because jii-chan never went himself. Plus he was adamant about you joining the cloth, not soccer." He wasn't sure what exactly 'soccer' was but presumed it to be an activity the woman did not approve of. She sighed to herself as she continued her meal. "Besides, it's more advantageous if students go on to college. Most of the population has achieved the initial twelve-year education curriculum. By adding an extra four years they can choose a highly individualized field of study and then work towards obtaining a well paying job in that line of work." She gave a weary smile, "It's a long and hard process but necessary in order to make a living in this era. There are few prospects outside of low-paying wages should a person not obtain those levels of education."
Okita blinked. Well, if this time period was indeed less dangerous then it was safe to assume that jobs were likely in limited supply. The higher a population, the less work there'd be to go around. Given the lack of forestry it didn't seem like there was much land to live off of outside of the city's influence anymore. Trading the dangers of one's life to the dangers of one's wallet. Now that was a tough one. Poverty was not a sightly creature to behold. It was ugly, brutal and often cruel. The man sipped at the cup of brewed tea before him. It seemed that the issues people in this era faced were vastly different yet just as troubling as the ones from his time. How curious.
"So this job Kagome has, is it sort of like that college thing? Working for a field of study?" He honestly wanted to know. The tension grew rather awkward for a moment as Souta looked at his mother with imploring eyes. She pinned him with a sharp glare before speaking up.
"No. She doesn't have the time or ability to do something like that yet. It's just a job she picked up serving food to customers so we can have a little extra spending cash each month." The woman softened her expression as she smiled kindly at him. "She likes to do things like that. We have to keep a close eye on her or else she'll work herself to the bone. But, she's a tough little fighter. You won't hear a word of complaint from her even in illness."
"Well she'd have to be. She took down demons for a living."
Okita snorted into his cup at the sudden drop of information. What? Demons? Okay maybe the kid mentioned something about that earlier? He'd completely missed what he said though. He'd been too lost in his own thoughts. Damn, too bad he hadn't paid attention then.
"Souta!" She admonished fiercely, pointing her chopsticks at the plucky boy.
"Hey, Nee-chan was gonna tell him anyways! It's not like it's some big secret or anything. Heck he came from the well!" The ronin suddenly felt the child's hand on his sleeve. He tugged at the cloth rapidly in his growing excitement. "It's not a huge deal."
"Higurashi Souta you will finish your dinner, show Okita-san how to work the plumbing and then complete that homework assignment. After this meal I will be confiscating all of your games, movies and electronics for the next three weeks. Have I made myself clear?" She might've been of small stature, but the woman across from them imposed a great deal of fear into her child. The boy slid down into his seat as his hand dropped to his side.
"I was just trying to be honest." The kid's voice was quiet as his expression grew sour in a childish pout.
"Yes and you knew that your sister wanted to discuss these things with him. She's the one that'd best explain such issues. Now seal your mouth before I locate a needle and thread to do it for you." The woman's face was pulled into a dark glare that rivaled even the commanding officer's when he was furious.
Okita inwardly cringed at the threat. He doubted she'd actually follow through with said punishment but the thought alone was enough to make him want to shiver. It was as he said before, women were terrifying creatures. He swiftly finished his meal and waited for his companion in silence to do so as well.
"I apologize for you having to hear this." She sighed between her teeth. "However Kagome strictly requested that you not be over inundated with information today. She'd asked that you be given the chance to take time to heal and that she'd talk to you later tonight about the well and how it works." Her face softened. "Although I doubt we'll be able to send you back any time soon. Even my daughter has been having issues with the passage in recent years. I'm more surprised you were able to make it at all."
She gathered up the dishes and began to put away the left overs, "We can't give you much more information than that I'm afraid. Only Kagome has any inclination of how it works and where it goes. But she's determined to make sure you get back to your era so don't fret." A warm smile spread across her aging face. "If my daughter promised it, then I know she'll find a way. She's far too determined to let something like a fussy well stop her." A fussy well? What did that even mean? He hadn't the chance to question her as the woman waved her hands towards the males in a shooing motion. "Now go on. I can take care of things here. I'm sure it's been a long day and you're likely in need of respite."
Okita nodded. Well that and he seriously needed to relieve himself now. But he'd wait until he figured out how everything worked in this house first. Souta took his sleeve once more. It was quickly becoming the youngster's favorite pastime. If he didn't stop him soon then the fabric would begin to stretch and tear from all of the pulling.
"Come on," The grin returned to his youthful face, "Let me show you how to work a toilet* first." It hadn't take them long to work their way upstairs. From what he could gather his guest room had been set up on the far end of the second floor. It was fairly large in comparison to the quick glance he'd gotten of Kagome's and Souta's rooms. It came with its own 'bathroom', as the boy had called it, within the suite and had a closet that with a sliding door.
The other kids' rooms were set adjacent to one another, connected only by a small bathroom with doors leading from one quarter to the other. He hadn't much time to dwell on that aspect of this living situation as his companion yanked him into his bathroom suite. Emerald eyes widened as he took in his surroundings. Everything was white save for the splash of bamboo wood that accented the sink and some of the short pieces of furniture. There was a rack close to an inset tub with a row of white towels rolled together in a neat pyramid. To the far side was what looked like a seat made of ceramic. A grey panel of something he didn't recognize was placed strategically along the area where the user's arm would be.
Okita blinked at the oddly shaped contraption. He tilted his head to the side and quirked his brow.
"I'm supposed to use this?" He pointed towards the object.
Souta nodded vigorously, "Yup! It's for when you need to go. You just sit on the bowl if you gotta drop one. Lift the seat if you need to take a leak and aim for the water inside though." He only nodded numbly as he vaguely understood what the child meant by 'dropping' and 'leak'. "If you look here," the boy gestured towards a line of oddly labeled buttons along the side of the contraption. "You use this to flush when you're done. It washes away all the gross stuff. Forgetting to do this will make everything dirty and reek. Plus it'd make Kaa-chan angry." He pressed the grey button. Water began to flow and quickly disappear down the bottom of the bowl.
"And this," he briefly had him step to the side before pressing the next button. A stream of water jettisoned from the back of the bowl and directly towards where he'd been standing. It splattered onto the ground noisily, leaving a small lake of water in its wake. The man felt his eyes widen. What the hell use could that have?! "Is to help you, ah, get 'clean'. It's a real pain walking around with the itches, you know?" The child didn't elaborate and Okita wasn't sure if he wanted to figure out what he meant.
The ronin peered over the rest of the buttons. One in particular caught his eye. It seemed particularly odd. Instead of the normal kanji written across for added direction, there was only a simple image of a musical note. What in the hell would a 'toilet' need music for? Was it not just for the expulsion of waste? Now he was curious. Perhaps that was a fatal flaw in his character but he pressed forward in his mission to figure out the purpose of the unusual button.
"What's this one do?" He pointed towards it, his finger just centimeters above pressing down on the otherwise seemingly harmless option. Just one push and he'd know. Should he do it?
"It's best if you find out on your own." A wide grin spread across his lips. "Go ahead and try it!"
Now Okita began to feel an inkling of concern. He just knew that grin wasn't something to be trusted. However against his better judgment his finger pressed upon the button. The muscle in his sword arm flexed reactively as a loud, flushing sound filled the tiny room. He glanced between the toilet and Souta, quietly inquiring for an explanation.
"To drown out the unpleasant sounds." The kid practically yelled over the noises. "Wouldn't want someone hearing you in the middle of your business, right?"
Okita blinked. He, quite literally, didn't give a shit. This time was strange. These people were strange. This whole damn place was strange. At the end of Souta's vague explanations of all the plumbing and their buttons, he'd only had three words to say.
"What the fuck?" It was all he could think of. Sure the shower was easy to work along with the sink. But that toilet. It'd be his mortal enemy. He just knew it.
Well the good news in all of this was that he no longer needed to relieve himself. The bad news was that he was certain that he'd just given himself a nasty case of constipation. How many days of staring at that oddly shaped contraption would it take before he'd swallow his pride and let himself go? He didn't think he wanted to know what else would decide to squirt water and sing at him in this era. This whole situation was just entirely too strange.
"Alright I'll leave you to it!" The kid ran out of the bathroom as quickly as he'd darted in. The door to his room slammed shut, leaving Okita to ponder to himself. His headache was starting to worsen as a fierce heat began to spread across his face. Well shit, his fever was coming back. The man stripped himself of his clothes and set to work on filling the tub with warm water. He tugged at the bandages on his hands. A stinging pain shot through all of his fingers as he tried to pull that gauze away. His hand began to tremble from the sharpness of the pain as the bandage slipped out of his shaking fingers. Damn. They were okay during moments such as eating but attempting to use the tips of his fingers or anything near close to his nails was causing him issues.
His brow furrowed. Just two weeks. That's all that it'd take for them to heal. Even if the nails didn't grow back fully, he'd regain full function by that time. Emerald eyes narrowed. He'd be going home then—with or without Kagome's permission.
The man briefly gave up on unwrapping his hands in favor of sinking into the steaming water. Despite this setback he still had a mission to finish. The Shinsengumi was in dire need of new recruits and he'd be due back home with those fresh-faced warriors within the next six months. Sitting on his ass here waiting to heal wasn't going to get that done any sooner. He pressed his lips into a thin line.
The future? That word kept coming back to him. These odd devices, strange mannerisms and odd clothing were bothering him. How could Japan change so drastically? Truthfully a hundred and thirty years isn't that long of a jump. It was only a handful of lifetimes. To think that their world would shift so suddenly weighed down upon him. What happened to the Shogunate? Did the Shinsengumi fulfill their duties? What of Kyoto? Was it still the same? Edo was no more and the only semblance of balance Okita could find in this time was the short reprieve of cloud gazing.
His face warmed as his thoughts began to race. For the first time in the ronin's life, he felt completely and utterly helpless. He closed his eyes and fell into a light slumber. The next he woke the water had cooled significantly yet his body still felt overheated. Lifting the plug that held the water, he watched as it slowly drained away.
The man wasted no time in leaving the bath and dressing himself back into his day clothes. He'd have to sleep in them for the night. While annoying, he no longer had the strength to offer up complaints about such minor things. His energy was fading quickly as the need to sleep increased. He stumbled across the lit room and fell upon the soft bed. Before he'd had a chance to pull the covers over himself, he'd fallen asleep.
Okita woke to the sound of a small hand rapping on his door. Ah, it looked like his host had arrived home. He recognized that knock from this morning.
"Are you awake?" He heard Kagome question from the other side.
"Come in." The man responded tiredly. He sat up slowly, taking the time to observe his surroundings once more. It was becoming a bit less weird seeing these odd devices decorating his room but they still disturbed him on a rather deep level. He lifted his hands to rub at the flesh of his cheeks. His face felt unbearably hot yet chills wracked his body. He lowered an appendage to his chest and massaged the space above his heart. It was getting more difficult to breathe as the night progressed. He'd been fine during dinner, now his torso felt as if some kind of vice was clamped around it, preventing him from being able breathe properly.
Each inhale came in short gasps as his chest would constrict painfully. He winced at the sudden tightness.
The door opened inward as his host made her way into the room.
"How're you feeling?" She flitted to his side as quickly as she'd done earlier in the morning. One of the woman's hands stretched out. Light fingers brushed across his forehead as the cool sensation of her skin worked a soothing effect on his fever.
Kagome's expression pulled into a worried frown, "You're temperature is up again. Souta also mentioned that you had a bit of a coughing fit earlier today too." She removed her hands and leaned away. "I'll bring you some medicine for cold symptoms. If your fever still persists tomorrow though we'll have to take you to the doctor."
He shook his head, "No. I'm fine." The man tried to argue. He didn't need a doctor. He just needed some rest. The last thing he wanted was to be told by some practitioner that he couldn't leave his bed. That wasn't happening. Not now, not ever.
Azure eyes narrowed at him, "No you're not. That's twice now your fever has been up so high." With gentle hands she set to work on his injuries once more. "These might just be a result of the stress you've been under today but it's always better to be safe than sorry." He didn't have the energy to argue as he felt the familiar stinging sensation of the alcohol. Okita realized that must be more exhausted than he originally thought. He hadn't even noticed that she brought the supplies in with her.
"I heard that Souta, ah," She paused for a moment as she switched out his hands, "dropped a bit of a bombshell on you. Sorry about that." She met his gaze as something sincere flickered in her eyes. "I know you've got questions. Was there something you wanted to ask me now?"
The man nodded, "Where were you sent to?" It was direct and to the point. He was tired of the run around her family had given him all day. It was time to settle these issues once and for all.
The lines on the young woman's face sharpened, "The early fifteen hundreds. Officially the era I was dropped was somewhere around three hundred years before your time." Her fingers worked quickly to tie the bandages over his injured hands again. It was as if she were used to this kind of thing. Perhaps her journey had been a perilous one. "Over there creatures like youkai were always on the prowl. Unfortunately for me I ended up getting dragged through the well by one of those crazy youkai." A wry smile tugged at her lips as painful memories danced in her azure eyes. He didn't outwardly react but a twinge of guilt tugged at him at the expression she wore. "Apparently I've always been a bit of a special case that way."
He blinked at her, "Why?" It was a bit of an odd question and he knew it but he felt the need to ask anyways. Kagome didn't laugh or mock him for the rather idiotic nature of the inquiry. Instead she faced him with the seriousness she had before she left. She would not tease or insult him for these curiosities. Okita found himself respecting that aspect of her personality.
"I was born in possession of an object that would grant immense power to those of youkai origin. When I was sent to that time period the object was accidentally shattered during a battle. I spent two years travelling back and forth between the eras to piece together the shards until it was whole." She looked at him and held her breath, as if contemplating some important decision. She released the breath in a low sigh as she made her choice. The woman lifted her hands and tugged on something beneath the collar of her shirt. From underneath the cloth a necklace slowly fell out and into view. The silver chain slipped effortlessly into place as a marble-sized object came into view. "This was that object. It's called the Shikon no Tama."
Kagome took the jewel from her neck and gingerly placed it into his freshly wrapped hands. Even through the bandages he could feel the coolness of its surface. What was even stranger though was the odd pulse that beat in synch with his own heart. He looked between the jewel and her soft expression.
"Most of the power is gone now. I've been chipping away at it for the last year." Her eyes watched him as he rolled it to and fro in the palm of his hand. Tiny electric shocks occasionally shot outwards, causing a slight numbing sensation in his fingers and arm. She continued onwards in her explanation, "So it's not like it's much use anymore." The man titled the palm of his hand to offer it back to her. She took it from him gratefully.
"So what about my era? Had you ever travelled there?" His gaze was transfixed upon the Shikon. Kagome wasn't lying. He could feel the power emanate from the jewel. He could feel the pulse as if it were his own. So what made them so different? How could a single woman possess such a priceless treasure? How could he have passed through the well in the first place? How did any of this make any sense? His headache grew exponentially worse.
The teen shook her head negatively, "Unfortunately no. It hasn't really worked for me in the last year. Once every three months or so the power will spike but recede just as quickly. Yesterday the spike lasted for several hours and then you showed up at the bottom." She gave him an empathetic smile, "So whatever happened on the other side, the well probably decided to take you along for a ride." She tapped her index finger against her chin as a thought crossed her mind. "On the next spike we can try pushing through again. I can't guarantee where you'll end up, but if it's brought you here then it'll likely send you back eventually."
Eventually. He did not like the sound of that word.
"Sorry that's probably not what you wanted to hear." Kagome's voice dropped as her hands moved to hold his in a show of comfort. "I can't promise that I'll get you back any time soon. I can't promise that we can even try on the next spike given its tendency to fluctuate." Her fingers curled over his lightly as a ferocity entered her eyes that he'd only seen once before. "But I will promise you this. No matter what happens or how long it takes, I'll find a way to get that well open to get you back home. I know this isn't the place you want to be. I know you probably want to get back home as desperately as possible. I understand." Her voice was soft with empathy as her expression thawed. Okita said nothing as this virtual stranger continued to pledge her determination to him. "So that's why I want to help you get back. You have a home on the other side and you probably have people waiting on you. For their sake and yours, we'll find a way. You can trust me for that much."
The man's face warmed and he could no longer tell if it was from the heat of his fever or embarrassment. So he chose to deal with it in the only way he knew how—sarcasm.
"Careful now, I might take that as a declaration of love."
Kagome gave a light-hearted laugh. She tilted her head back and wiped tears from her eyes at the unexpected joke.
"Don't go reading too much into it. I just empathize with you is all."
His lips quirked upwards in a wide smirk, "I don't know. You like touching me a lot lately." He paused momentarily as a thought struck him. "Well you and your brother. You're both very touchy people, aren't you?" A dash of pink went across her nose as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Oh please, I do something nice and you make fun of me for it." The woman practically threw a wet cloth at his head. Okita barely had enough time to catch it before it fell upon his bed. "Next time I'll just let you suffer in silence."
He gave a deep-throated laugh, "Nah. You don't seem to be the type. Besides, if you were going to let me suffer then you would've just left my sick ass in the well two nights ago." His grin grew haughty as he angled his chin upwards. "You're too nice."
Kagome shook her head, "Oh if only you knew." This time she gave him the smirk. "I'm only nice when I want to be. Like me, you're just a special case. But be careful though, that won't last much longer if you tease too much." With that she stood and gathered up the supplies—signaling the end of their conversation.
"I'll be back up with your medicine. If your fever comes back tomorrow then we'll take you to the doctor." Her voice dropped as she assumed the tone her mother had during dinner. "Have I made myself clear?" Amusement danced in the young woman's eyes as she tossed him a light smile.
He wrapped his arms behind his head and leaned against the headboard, "Just try it."
Kagome didn't speak but simply cast him a knowing grin. A challenge had been issued and Okita found himself looking forward to the next day. Perhaps things wouldn't quite be as insufferable as he thought, after all?
A/n: So this came out a lot quicker than I expected it to be! I honestly wanted to go a bit further but the length was pushing pretty far so I figured might as well cut here and add in some extra details on the next chapter. Truth be told I've been looking into visiting Japan for a trip next year and randomly came across information about these "Japanese toilets" so I ended up having to do a bit of research into them. That was a fun few days of youtube-ing related videos. XD Anyways what did you guys think? I loved all the responses I got from the first chapter, things were a bit busy over here so I wasn't able to respond to everybody but let me just say this: You guys are amazing! Thanks so much for the support! I'll try to do more responses this chapter as I'll have more free time. Again thanks so much and I greatly appreciate all the support, not just the reviews!
**Shogunate—Also known as the Tokugawa Shogunate, it was the last feudal military government in Japan that ended in 1868. The years of the Shogunate's rule (1600-1868) is also known as the Edo Period.
**Temizuya—A water pavilion where those wishing to pray at a Shinto shrine visit to wash their hands and mouth. The water is never directly touched but rather a ladle is used to pour the water over the hands, into the left hand and then the mouth from one's left hand. This was done as a way to wash away impurities of the heart.
**Ronin—A samurai without a lord or master during the Feudal Era of Japan.
**Japanese Toilets—Unlike toilets in countries such as the U.S.A, some of the toilets in Japan come with a panel of buttons that direct different commands. Some of the commands include flushing, a bidet and even a 'sound' option that plays music or other noises. The sound option was introduced as a way to cover the unpleasant sounds during bouts of upset stomach. There is also a secondary type of toilet that is found. This type is a 'squatting toilet' in which the toilet is horizontal with the ground and the user must 'squat' over it. There is a hood at the front in which the user must face. There is a flushing mechanism that washes away the waste into a hole in the ground.